From The Gates

Chapters

Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Chapter 41
Chapter 42
Chapter 43
Chapter 44
Chapter 45
Chapter 46
Chapter 47
Chapter 48
Epilogue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 11
Chapter 38

Chapter 3

Road Block

The five former homunculi felt their journey through Tartarus to be neverending with how they saw no signs of changes other than what the prisoners looked like. They were lucky to constantly hide from the groups of demons in hot pursuit of them after they heard news of their escape. Greed was frustrated about this and turned to Wrath "What do we do now, Wrath? Unless we can manage to sneak past those demons and find a possible exit from this place, we're screwed!"

The furious pony looked around "We've been traveling for an awfully long time now...It is indeed a surprise to know there isn't anything new with how far we've gotten. Perhaps we should try another route-"

Greed hissed at Wrath "We've been doing that for God-knows-how-long!! We need a new plan or else those damned demons will rape our skulls!"

Envy scoffed at Greed's frustration "What's gotten you so tied up in a knot, Greed? Does this place scare you THAT much or something?" It smirked "I figured the Ultimate Shield wouldn't have a problem with a little hellfire like last time..."

Greed growled "Piss off! I'm just getting tired of all this running around...If anything, I'm confused as to why we're ponies! I mean, look at us!"

The other former homunculi took this thought into consideration and inspected themselves. Even they never expected to come into a figurative hell as ponies. Lust inspected her mane and her horn "But the better question is why we have these...features? Like the horns on mine and Greed's heads or rather Wrath and Envy with their wings. The only one here without much visible features is Gluttony."

The voracious pony looked at his brothers and sister and looked down with a sad expression "I wish I had wings..."

Envy snickered at Gluttony's misfortune, but then perked up when it heard voices nearby. The jealous pony trotted over and peered around a corner and noticed two demons keeping their eyes peeled for the former homunculi. They seemed livid from having to drag this chase on for so long. Envy turned to the group "Guys, we got trouble..." The others joined Envy to look over and view the enemies up ahead and gathered away from the corner to forge a plan.

Greed shifted his gazes towards his brethren "So, any ideas? Unless we go for the old-fashioned 'rush and kill', I don't think we have much else to do."

Lust nodded to Greed's words "And while there appears to be a couple in front of us, a whole group is on our tails. We won't get far if they continue to attack us in numbers."

Gluttony gave an innocent smile "Can't I just eat them? They're just so tasty!"

Wrath shifted his gaze to the voracious pony "While I would oblige your appetite, Gluttony, we cannot afford to waste time and have them gain the upper hand with more reinforcements...We'll have to find a way to move past them, knowing that they're growing more resilient with our passings."

Envy scratched its head, but then looked at one of the cells to notice some chains. A smile slowly formed on the jealous pony's mouth and it turned to its brethren "I have an idea! But I'll need cooperation and good acting!"
_____

Greed, Wrath, Gluttony, and Lust were all wrapped in chains while they looked beaten-up. Envy chuckled and rubbed its hooves together with devious glee "This is gonna be good..." The small green aura surrounded the jealous pony and transformed it into a convincing demon disguise. It then grabbed the end of the chain and looked at the bound group as it spoke in a low masculine voice "Okay, just let me do the talking! I'll get us out of here in no time!" The 'demon' then walked with the rest of the group in tow and yanked the chain to signal them to follow.

The demons taking point on the path looked around, but then turned to see another demon dragging four of the prisoners in chains "Alright! Move it! Come on, you slugs!" The group grunted in pain while they were being dragged by their captor. After it reached the others, the demon dragging the ponies turned to the others and smiled "Hey, fellas! Good news! I already grabbed the prisoners!" It pointed to the battered group, and it grinned to see that they slowly took the bait.

One of the scouting demons raised an eyebrow at the one handling the ponies "Wait...Do we know you?"

The other one whispered "I think he's one of the new recruits."

Upon hearing this, the former demon replied with an incredulous look "Seriously!? If that's the case, then he's got a lot going for him! I mean, I heard from one of the others that these ponies are dangerous!" The demon turned to the captor "Excellent work! We can take it from here and send these miscreants back to their cells!"

The demon holding the ponies flinched and blurted "NO!" This caused the others to be taken aback and the demon quickly caught himself "I-I mean, I can handle it! In fact, They aren't supposed to be in their cells!"

The others were not convinced as the second demon spoke "What? Then where else would they go then, hm!?"

The captor shifted his eyes "Well, you see...they're all beaten up and clearly not worth our time, so...I'm...feeding them to the...dogs...?" For the first time in a while, The demon began to sweat. He never thought he would get this far.

The others perked up as the first one spoke "The dogs? Well, why didn't you say so! They need another good chew toy or two!" The first demon pointed down a direction "The gates are just an hour walk from here! Try not to keep'em waiting!"

Talk about luck. The captor gripped the chains and grinned 'U-Uh, thanks for the directions! Probably wouldn't have made it without your help! See ya!" He yanked the chains and walked off as the group followed.

"Wait a minute..."

The group stopped in their tracks as one of the demons advanced "Wasn't there supposed to be six of them?"

A sixth escapee? This never occured to the demon or the rest of the group. But regardless, the demon needed to act "Uhh, one of them tried to get the drop on me, but I tore off its wings and sent it into a fire pit! As for the sixth one, I didn't run into it yet, just these guys! I'll come back and help later!"

The two demons crossed their arms and nodded as the first one spoke "Not bad...It's about time we get some good recruits around here! See ya!"

The demon holding the chains gave a nod and walked off after giving the chains a good yank. Greed grunted and growled as he glared at the demon 'I think you're egging this on a bit, Envy!' He was getting annoyed at the constant yanking he had to deal with, even if he was in his Ultimate Shield form.

When they were at a safe distance, the ground below them shook as another loud collision was heard. They all looked back and noticed some demons being tossed in the air from an unseen force. Greed squinted his eyes "What the hell is that!?"

Envy reverted back into its original form and flared its wings "No time! We're getting close to the exit!!" The jealous pony flew off while the others released themselves from their chains and followed on the trail.
_____

The group finally trekked long enough until they came into an area that seemed like the entrance to an enormous cave with a set of gates on the other side. There were bones laid around certain areas along with some rocks, but other than that, it was a pretty barren area. Envy noticed the gated and grinned "Alright! Sweet freedom! I can't believe those idiots bought it!"

Greed chuckled "I'm with ya! They fell for it hook, line, and sinker! Now all we have to do is go through those gates and we're in the clear!"

Wrath perked his ears and heard growling "I wouldn't be so sure, Greed..." He looked around with narrowed eyes "It seems that Envy was correct about the 'dogs' that reside in this place..." The others began to look around as well.

Envy dropped to the ground and scoffed "So what if I am? They're probably just a bunch of rotten mutts! We can take care of 'em if they get close to us!" The jealous pony towards the gates "Besides, I'm not gonna let them get in the way of my free-" A large black paw slammed down in front of Envy, and it looked up to show the group's latest obstacle.

It was a dog like they knew before, but it was very large, black, and carried three heads instead of one; each of them wearing a collar. They all growled and looked down at Envy, then descended to its level and roared at the jealous pony's face. Small bits of slobber flung from their mouths and pelted Envy as they roared. Envy shook off the slobber covering its body and flew back before the large dog swiped at the jealous pony with its large paw.

After Envy gathered with the rest of the group, they all prepared for battle as they glared up at the monstrosity with all three heads growling at them while they bared their fangs. The three-headed dog gave another roar and ran towards the group while they scattered away from its mighty trail.

Wrath flew upward and calculated the massive beast from above. When he spotted a vulnerable spot on the monster's side, he swooped down and careened along the edge while one of his wings grazed at the sides as he flew at a remarkable speed.

The dog's heads whined at the cut and focused their attention to Wrath. They constantly jumped and snapped their jaws at him in hopes of grabbing him, but he avoided every attempt. However, he was having trouble calculating his next move while the dog made every attempt to snap at him.

Greed saw that Wrath was having trouble and then stepped forward "Looks like we're up!" Before he left, he turned to Lust "Hey, Lust! Try to see if you have any useful skills so you can give us a hand!" He then turned to Gluttony "C'mon, Gluttony, let's move!" The two galloped into the skiff and made for the large dog.

While the dog was distracted, Greed made for one of the dog's hind legs and leaped up as he pointed his horn forward. He was successful when his horn jabbed into the dog's right hind leg and caused the heads to whine and cease their quarrel with Wrath.

Gluttony leaped at the dog, but did the opposite and went for one of its forelegs with his mouth wide open. He then sunk his teeth onto the dog's left foreleg and made the heads whine more.

The dog was now both slightly injured and very infuriated as it growled and shook off Greed and Gluttony as they hung on their own legs.

While Gluttony can hold something in his mouth with great strength, he could not hold his own with how hard he was being shaken by the large dog, and he found himself flung away from its foreleg after he left a massive bite mark. The round pony collided and bounced off the ground, then landed once more as he rolled back towards Lust. He shook the pain from his head, and ignored it for a moment when he noticed the lascivious mare next to him trying to focuse and smiled "Hello, Lust!"

Lust had her eyes closed, and she almost lost her concentration once again when Gluttony innocently greeted her "Not now, Gluttony..." She clenched her eyes shut when she tried to remember all of the times she had put her power to use as the Ultimate Spear. With each passing memory, her horn began to glow 'Almost...'

Greed was able to hold his own until he was finally shaken from the dog's hindleg. Unlike Gluttony, he was able to recover onto the ground on all fours, but he knew that it was impossible to try the same trick twice. The avaricious pony galloped around the monster while he thought of another plan.

Envy flew around with Wrath and wondered what the best course of action would be, until it got an idea. The jealous pony transformed into another Wrath and flew down at the dog in hopes of confusing it. Wrath noticed his duplicate and smirked at the cleverness of Envy's idea, then proceeded to go along with the plan. The two Wrath's flew around the dog's faces and each head began to get dizzy with how they constantly see double.

The three heads were then agitated as they each let out a deafening roar and threw off the two Wrath's flight pattern. They were then slammed to the ground by a massive paw. Envy reverted back to its original form and grunted in pain as it laid sprawled on the ground with Wrath. The jealous pony already missed when it used its true form back in its old life and could not wonder why it was unable to do so now.

Gluttony saw his brethren in trouble and bounded onto his legs "I'm going to beat you for hurting my family!" He yelled and galloped at the monster, and earned its attention in the mix.

Greed galloped around, but then noticed Gluttony charging at the dog head-on with widened eyes "Gluttony! Don't do it!!" He was too late when he saw the voracious pony being swatted away by one of the dog's massive paws. If that wasn't enough, one of the dog's heads heard Greed's yell and all three heads focused on the avaricious pony as he made a course and galloped underneath the dog's body "Heh! Try and get me from here, mutt!" He was successful to confuse the large dog as it tried to move around and locate Greed.

Lust's horn glowed more until it was in a bright purple aura. But instead of the effect Greed used on himself, her horn extended significantly long and was more sharp in appearance. When the dog got close to her while it tried to find Greed, Lust ran forward and jabbed her horn into the same side Wrath cut into. The dog's heads roared in pain and turned to Lust with indignant eyes. The lascivious mare drew back her horn and retracted it with a smile "It seems that I've gotten my power back as well. Now I can actually fight for once..." She turned to the dog's underside and called out to Greed "Greed! I'll distract the dog! Go tend to the others!"

Greed nodded and responded "Roger! Try not to get hurt now!" He galloped towards the three injured ponies while the dog was focused on Lust.

Lust saw the dog advance towards her and quickly galloped under its body as Greed had done before. She then activated and extended her horn as it stabbed into the dog's chest. She then galloped with her head and horn facing up as her horn gradually cut down the dog's chest and producing another large cut.

The dog, after feeling the pain, hopped away and landed on the ground with a large thump. When the dog landed, it shook up the ground along with the group. Greed managed to help up Wrath, Envy, and Gluttony, but they all saw that the monster was now ready to rend the flesh from their bones as it leaked blood from its wounds. While they appeared to be lethal, it wasn't enough for a monster this size.

The dog's heads roared and charged once again while the group of former homunculi banded together and prepared themselves for Round Two. Before they could act, Wrath's ears perked up and heard something approach them from behind at a fast velocity. His eyes widened when it came close "Everyone scatter! Now!"

They were lucky to heed Wrath's word when they moved and noticed a destructive blur come from behind and made a crash course for the dog as it charged. But instead of the dog emerging victorious, it was flung back and its back slammed against the gates as the destructive blur vanished in a sea of dust.

The group of former homunculi coughed as the dust slowly settled. Greed rubbed his eyes "Dammit, this dust! But who did that??" The group stared intently at the silhouette behind the settling dust, and the figure came into full view after the dust permanently subsided.

It was yet another pony, only this one was very different. It was very large and muscular, dwarfing the rest of the group with relative ease. It wore a light blue coat and a wild black mane and tail, its forelegs were found with chains, and just like the other ponies, it carried an Ouroboros tattoo on its flank. It turned its head to reveal that it had a left eye similar to Gluttony's while its right eye was covered under its mane. It bared sharp teeth like Greed, but its mouth was contorted into a frown as it spoke in a deep voice

"...What a pain..."

End of Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Busting Out

Envy noticed the figure in front of it and the group and gritted its teeth as it yelled out to the large stallion "Sloth! What took you, ya big lummox!? You mean to tell me that YOU'RE the last one those demons were looking for!?"

Greed slowly pieced together the situation and then drew himself towards a logical conclusion "Those tremors in the pits...That was you, wasn't it!?"

The one called Sloth slowly nodded and turned his body to face the others "They woke me up from my nap...Escaping was a pain..."

Lust smiled "Always the sleeper, aren't you? You came at a good time, actually...We're about to be free from this dreadful place, but that large monstrosity in front of us won't let us pass. Can you help us, please?"

Sloth turned to see the three-headed dog plopped on all fours after it recovered from the massive hit sent to it. The heads growled once more, but all eyes were on the large indolent pony in front of them. Sloth turned back to face the dog as his chains rattled on the ground "So I have to fight again? What a pain..." He slowly went into a defensive stance as it stared down the dog with its pupilless eye.

The three heads roared in fury and charged at Sloth with full force while the indolent pony stood his ground lazily. When the dog reached Sloth, it stopped in front of him and raised a massive paw to bring it down upon him without hesitation. A large slam was heard, and the three dogs grinned evilly to think they squashed their foe.

Gluttony watched with widened and worried eyes "Oh no! Sloth! He's smashed by the dog!"

Wrath squinted his eyes, and then smirked to himself "I beg to differ, Gluttony..." The rest of the group joined the furious pony and viewed what was about to happen next.

The paw laid on the ground as if Sloth were squashed flat, but then it trembled profusely, to which the three heads shared an incredulous expression on each of their faces. The paw was then slowly raised against the dog's will to show Sloth underneath it while he growled and pushed up the paw with his forelegs. The dog's heads were baffled at the sight and didn't expect to be bounded over after Sloth tossed the paw off of himself.

Greed grinned "Alright! Way to go, Sloth! You got this!" The avaricious pony never thought he would have this much confidence in the laziest of his family members, but if was enough to free him and the others, he would do just that.

The large dog got back up on its feet and each head glared at Sloth disdainfully, while the indolent pony slowly rose on his hindlegs like a confronted bear. The chains hanging from the cuffs on his forelegs rose along with his towering height. Sloth murmered "What a pain..." He then brought his right foreleg back and quickly swung it horizontally in front of him as the chain hanging from the cuff shot around and lashed at the dog's heads with peerless might.

The dog's craned their heads back as they reared up on their hindlegs and rubbed their snouts. Before they could recover, Sloth followed up with his left foreleg and performed the same action as before, only the chain on his left foreleg went for the dog's hindlegs. The chain connected with the left hindleg easily and it made the wound on the right leg caused by Greed hurt much worse. The dog's roared in pain, then toppled over as they fell forward and slammed their chins onto the ground. There was a large tremor after the dog landed, but Sloth and the group were satisfied to know that the dog had temporarily passed out from shock.

Envy sighed "Finally, it's over! And we're making good time, too! Let's get out of here befor-" Out of nowhere, the jealous pony felt weak for a brief moment and stumbled a little.

Wrath noticed Envy's condition and trotted over to it "Envy, are you alright? Did the monster cause that much damage to you?"

The jealous pony moaned as it rubbed its head, then shook off whatever bothered it and donned the same cocky and indifferent expression as before "Of course I'm alright! There's no way that lousy mutt could harm me THAT much! Let's just hurry and open those gates before the thing wakes up!" It then galloped towards the gates without a moment to lose. The rest of the group followed suit, save for Sloth, who only plopped back onto all fours and slowly trotted over.

Envy was the first to reach the gate, and it rammed its head into the gates and pushed at them while it growled in annoyance "Damn! It...won't...budge!" The jealous pony grunted and did not relent despite being unsuccessful in even moving the gates forward.

Greed cracked his neck left and right "Hang on, we're coming, too!" He joined Envy and the two trudged in place as their heads were pressed against the gates. Gluttony, Lust, and Wrath soon followed and mustered their combined efforts. They were only lucky to get the gates to budge a mere centimeter, and Greed was the first to notice "Hey! We're doing it! C'mon, put your backs into it, everyone!" The group continued their process, and Sloth eventually joined.

The indolent pony stopped and stared at the group working "Opening a door...What a pain..." He then trotted over and pressed his head on the gates, and they slowly began to open with Sloth's effort added with the rest of the group.

Envy saw this and grinned "Yes! Almost there!" The jealous pony couldn't stop now, and the rest of the group felt the same way as they gave it all they got. Eventually, the gates loomed open to reveal the land beyond it.

When they opened the gates at an acceptable width, they stopped pushing at them and galloped outside to leave Tartarus behind. Envy looked back and gave a condescending grin at the unconscious dog "See ya later, ya damn beast..." It then joined the rest of the group as they left their former prison in the dust.

The six former homunculi trudged along a barren wasteland almost similar to a desert while the moon casted a pale glow over them all. Greed took a deep breath "Finally...Now I can get out of this form!" His horn glowed, and the avaricious pony went back to normal with his charcoal black coat and spikey brown mane.

Everypony, save for Wrath and Sloth, looked at Greed in surpise. Gluttony was the first to speak "Oh, wow! Greed, is that what you look like? I thought you came here in your Ultimate Shield form!"

Greed shrugged his forelegs "Pretty much. If only I had my sunglasses on me, though. I already miss them right now..."

Lust shook her head with a small smile, but then looked to the sky as she took a deep whiff and sighed "The air is fresh out here...I'm glad we were able to escape that dreadful place. But where are we now? I figured our freedom would be as sweet as our victory..."

Wrath looked around, and noticed there was a mountain trail in the distance "Perhaps we can get a better look at our new location by traversing up that path up ahead."

Sloth groaned in complaint while he trotted slowly "Walking for so long is a pain..."

Greed looked back to crack a witty remark at the indolent pony behind him, but then noticed that Envy was a few feet behind Sloth looking fatigued. He turned around and met with it to match its pace "Hey. What's wrong?"

Envy shifted its eyes towards Greed and casted a weak glare "Nothing's wrong..." It tried to snap at him, but it muttered as if tired.

The avaricious pony raised an eyebrow "You barely managed to yell at me, and your ten paces behind Sloth. I'm pretty sure something's wrong with you right now. What is it?"

Envy growled and looked down as it trotted alongside with Greed "I don't know, okay? I'm probably just tired...Not much else to do when you're sitting in a cell without much to work with! Besides, I'm already wondering how I got here in this form..."

Greed chuckled "One step ahead of you there. But it doesn't matter now. We're back in the game and we're living a free life here! We just gotta figure out just where the hell we are, and we'll make the best of it!" The avaricious pony already felt his old ambition returning when he pondered on what possible valuables could be stored in this world unknown to him and the others.

Envy scoffed "Whatever...We'll just have to cross that bridge when we come to it, now won't we?" Greed never expected someone like Envy to sound so calm when he was used to its harsh and cocky tone of voice.

The avaricious pony shook his head and called up ahead "Hey! Sloth!" The indolent pony stopped and turned his head back as he moaned in question "You're gonna carry Envy! The poor thing can't make it too far like this!"

Envy jerked its head towards Greed and glared "I didn't ask for your help..."

Greed smirked defiantly "Too bad..." He then hoisted Envy onto his back and trotted towards Sloth. The indolent pony slowly arched his head down and allowed Greed to slide Envy onto his back.

Sloth felt like trotting even slower knowing that he had to carry something other than his chains on a random journey into the unknown 'This is so troublesome...I actually enjoyed an eternal rest, only to wake up again...' He groaned in defeat at his current position "What a pain..."

Gluttony had a spring in his step while he trotted alongside Lust with a wide smile, and even hummed an offkey tune "I can't wait to see where we are!" He almost hesitated in his pace when his stomach growled loudly. But the voracious pony only grinned "Maybe I'll find something good to eat here..."

Lust only chuckled at Gluttony's innocence while Wrath closed his eyes and shook his head in disappointment. In time, the group made it towards the mountain trail and worked their way up. Envy was already taking a nap, much to Sloth's chagrin while he carried the jealous pony. Greed and Wrath competed to take point while Lust and Gluttony trotted side-by-side as the moon continued to glow in the sky while the stars around it twinkled in luminescent wonder.

The group of former homunculi walked long enough until they noticed a new and incredible sight up ahead. They all stopped and gazed at the distant feature, and Envy managed to wake up and rub its eyes "Huh? What's going on? Where are we now?" The jealous pony looked around and stopped its gaze where the rest of the group laid their own eyes.

In the distance along their given path, they noticed a city hanging over the edge of a mountain, with a white and gold castle standing proudly inside of its massive walls. For the first time in their new lives, they managed to find proper civilization.

Greed took a few steps forward and donned a toothy grin as he began to laugh "Things just keep getting better and better..." he pointed a hoof forward "Watch, everyone! Soon, I'll go in there and claim what's mine along with the rest of the world! Just you wait and see!!"

End of Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Making an Entrance

The six former homunculi wasted no time upon reaching the gates to the first major city they have discovered since their escape from Tartarus. The walls surrounding it seemed more massive up close, but it was no matter when they easily entered through the gates and into the city. Wrath made sure to keep his Ultimate Eye shut to avoid any complications other than Sloth's appearance.

Everything behind the walls was almost nostalgic to the group as they looked around and passed each building on the paved streets of the newly-discovered city. So many mansions and elegant structures dictated that this particular city is dedicated to the elite. This pleased Greed immensely as the avaricious pony grinned to himself.

Gluttony looked around and sniffed at the air "They're inside the buildings...Maybe if I'm quiet enough, I can eat them in their sleep!" His thought was cut short by a light bump to his head. The voracious pony turned to see Lust as she shook her head, much to Gluttony's dismay "Oh, but I'm hungry, Lust. Can I please go inside one of the houses? Please~?"

Greed looked forward with a smirk "Meal time can wait, Gluttony! We have business to take care of, and there's only one place where it can be possible!"

Envy, despite its tiredness, rolled its eyes "Don't tell me...the castle? We can all read you like a book, Greed." The jealous pony rubbed its head and moaned a little 'Why the hell am I so tired!? I feel...weak...'

Wrath nodded to Greed's notion "It would be best to address ourselves to the ruler of this place if we're to prosper in this new life given to us..."

Lust examined herself blankly "With our current form, I'd suggest it's some kind of cruel joke played by Truth, but I digress. It is better than wasting away in Hell..."

Greed nodded "That's the spirit! And besides, once we get the 411 on this world, then I'll gladly claim it for myself along with the castle!"

Sloth carried Envy with his unchanged expression "...I only want to take a nap...Working is a pain..."

Lust turned to Greed and Envy "Just promise the rest of us that you'll behave while we're here. You two tend to act out the most and it seems rather childish..."

Envy casted a weak glare towards Lust "Since when am I the child!? Worry about Greed! He's the one who wants to take action!"

Greed rolled his eyes "Whatever Lust." He then grinned "Alright, we're here!" They arrived at the castle gates and noticed there were grey ponies dressed in purple armor bearing lances in their hooves. They all had yellow cat-like eyes that glowed in the night, and some of them had bat wings at their sides instead of feathered wings.

The group went to enter, but they were stopped in their tracks as the ponies standing in front of the gates brandished their weapons and glared at the former homunculi "Halt!" The one on the left spoke, while the other finished with "Who goes there?"

Wrath took the moment to turn to proper manners before Greed chose to do anything rash "There is no need to get on the offensive, soldiers. We are merely visitors from afar who wish to seek the monarch of this castle for guidance. Can you let us pass so that we may discuss our dilemma?"

The two guards raised their eyebrows at the mustachioed pony and traded glances at each other "What kind of pony doesn't know about Princess Celestia? Were these ones born in a cave or something?" The left one spoke.

Gluttony, out of childlike instinct, blurted out "Actually, we came from this place called-" His mouth was covered shut by Lust's hoof.

Greed scoffed "Aren't you cocky? We just wanna talk with this 'Celestia' character! Is that too much to ask from you?"

The right guard glared at the avaricious pony "Watch your tongue, citizen! Anypony who wishes to see the princesses must have a note of summons!"

Greed was now curious "Wait, princessES? There's two of them? Who's the other one?"

The left one nodded "There's three of 'em actually. One of which was married a while back! Are you ponies really from a far away place?"

Wrath narrowed his eye at the guards. While he was the most patient out of the former homunculi, he was holding back his pent-up rage from how insolent the guards in front of him are acting "Yes we are...But our arrival here is of dire importance. We ask that you please let us pass and speak with the princesses." He managed to speak in a calm and straight tone despite his inner ire slowly rising.

The right guard glared "Are you deaf, old man? Nopony sees the princesses without a note of summons! If you're so desparate, you can file for an appointment like everypony else in Canterlot!"

Wrath's rage lessened for a moment as he gathered his information. The city they are currently residing in is Canterlot. No doubt a horse pun to anyone's knowledge. There was also the fact that they replace the terms no one and everyone with 'nopony' and 'everypony'. This world was becoming strange to the furious pony, and he himself was an anomaly in his previous life.

Envy rolled and groaned a little "Dammit, this is starting to become a standoff..." The jealous pony wished it were not so tired like this. Otherwise it would have solved this conflict easily by knocking them both out.

Greed grinned his sharp teeth as he looked at the guards "Looks like we're at an impasse then..."
_____

On one of the castle's towers, Princess Luna was scouting the area below her with the use of her telescope. As both the princess and guardian of the night, she took pride in her job to make sure that everypony in Canterlot was sleeping soundly, or at least going about their business in an acceptable manner during the late hours. It was almost boring to know that barely anything interesting was happening around her castle, until she took the moment to look down at the gates.

She peered diligantly through her telescope to see an unusual band of ponies acting difficult around the ponies guarding the castle gates. One of them looked sadistically happy while grinning with unusual teeth and the Princess of the Night already felt threatened by his appearance 'This cannot stand...'. With a determined glance, she shirked herself from sentry duty and dove from her balcony to handle this matter personally. She wouldn't want to wake up her older sister for this.
_____

Greed kept the grin on his face while his horn began to glow "Listen, we've tried to be patient and polite, but now you're starting to piss us off...Why don't you be good little soldiers and lead us to your princesses?" His tone was mixed with impatience and faint bloodlust.

The guards noted the expression on the avaricious pony's face and held their spears in a defensive stance. Before they could begin their fight, an authoritive voice sounded from above.

"Cease at once! All of you!"

The guards and former homunculi looked up to see Princess Luna gliding towards them with a look of regal resolve. The guards quickly bowed in genuflect when she landed in between them and Greed as she glared at the group "It is not wise to engage in a skirmish so late at night! What dost thou seek upon thine act of violence!?"

Wrath and Greed's anger faded and were replaced with amazement and curiousity. They examined the dark pony to see all kinds of interesting features. She held both a horn and wings, and her mane and tail were ethreal and glistening like the stars in the sky, and they moved in a nonexistent wind. Wrath snapped out of his amazement and gave a formal bow "Greetings to you. We were wandering around and managed to stumble upon this city for the sake of guidance. Would you kindly address yourself to us before I explain the means of our arrival?"

Luna looked down at Wrath and could feel the rage he was holding back beginning to recede. This rage was almost similar to the time the princess was ensnared by her darker half, Nightmare Moon. The first two ponies in front of her already sparked her interest and left her unsettled "We are known as Luna, Princess of the Night! And who, pray tell, art thou, if we may ask?"

Wrath looked up at Luna "I go by two names: King Bradley and Wrath. You may call me whichever. Now onto the matter at hand, I would be most happy if we could engage in a personal audience with you and this Princess Celestia to discuss certain terms together."

The Princess of the Night narrowed her eyes "And what dost thou want with us and our sister on a night such as this? Art thou plotting something grave?"

Wrath shook his head "No...We come for guidance, as mentioned before. We only ask for the consent of your other princesses so that we could speak in a diplomatic manner. As you can see, our travels has left one of our own very tired..." He pointed his hoof towards Envy resting on Sloth's back.

Sloth nodded at the furious pony's words while ignoring Envy's condition "Very tired..." He was already fed up with having to carry Envy around against his own will.

Luna paused for a moment to assess the situation. A band of ponies who appear to be both unusual and alien to Equestrian life wish to talk with her and Celestia. What could this mean exactly? More importantly, has she seen this particular group before? She focused her gaze over to Greed "We cannot abide rash actions if we're to allow thee entrance into our castle! Heretofore, thou shalt behave in the same manner thou wisheth to speak!"

Greed rolled his eyes, but bowed out of chivalry "Thanks for the royal pardon, your majesty!" He spoke in a much better tone as he smirked up at Luna.

Luna gave the group a curt nod "Very well...Thou art granted entry through the castle gates! Thou shalt be monitored by the royal guard whilst we wake up our sister to engage in a meeting! We shall rendezvous in the throne room shortly!" She flared her wings and took flight towards one of the tall towers while the guards looked at the group with hardened eyes.

Greed picked an ear "Well, at least that's outta the way! But now we have to wait for her to wake up?"

The two guards nodded towards a distant gate "Come along! We'll guide you to the throne room so that you may wait patiently for the princesses!"

Greed grinned at this thought "Now you're talking! Lead the way, gentlemen!"

The right guard shook his head "The term is 'gentlecolts', lad...Remember that." The guards then led the group along the royal courtyard leading to the main entrance. Lust trotted casually while Gluttony followed alongside her with a hoof in his mouth. Sloth was obviously the slowest with how his sluggish pace was obvious towards the others.

As they were guided through the castle halls, Greed looked around at all of the glorious materials placed along the walls and ceilings. His grin grew wider at the thought of the royal treasury and what was stashed away. For the moment, his happening into this world did not matter at all 'One step closer to a kickass life! This is gonna be great!'

End of Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Royal Conflict

Escorted by the night guards, the group of former homunculi were led into the most glorious throne room they have laid their eyes on. Greed and Gluttony were visibly impressed as they looked around at the fine scenery. Wrath and Lust were able to keep a calm and composed demeanor while they trotted with everypony else. Sloth and Envy were both ready to drop at any given moment with how tired they were.

They were eventually stopped in their tracks by the guards that led them "Alright, just wait around this area until the princesses show up. They won't be long." One of them said.

Greed turned his attention to the guard that spoke with a grin "In that case, why not leave us alone for a bit? We're all adults here, even that one over there!" He pointed his hoof at Gluttony, who giggled furiously at all of the shiny objects around the throne room.

Another guard glared "We'll do no such thing! You cannot be trusted by yourselves on these grounds! For all we know, you could be treasonous felons!"

Greed rolled his eyes at the guards "Can't blame a guy for trying..."

Wrath narrowed his open eye at Greed "Don't be rude, Greed. We've only gotten so far like this. I will not let you louse this up for us all!"

The avaricious pony held up his hooves in a placating manner "Okay, okay! Gimme a break, will ya? I'm just antsy to meet the princesses is all..." He couldn't help himself a lecherous grin while he was lost in thought 'I'll bet this Celestia chick is hot...'

Lust nodded to Wrath "Knowing Envy's condition, it's one less problem to worry about if we're to act in a civilized manner." She turned to Gluttony "Gluttony, I want you to behave yourself while we're here. Understand?"

The voracious pony looked up and nodded to Lust with a wide smile "Mhmm!"

Envy moaned again while it laid on Sloth's back "My head...Now I know how you feel every day, Sloth. It sucks to be you in so many ways!"

Sloth only looked down as he plopped his haunches on the marble floor. There was a small shake when he sat himself down, and everypony present turned to him "Carrying luggage is a pain..." He lifted his head upwards "...You're heavy, Envy...Get off of me..." This would be considered the first time Sloth was ever sarcastic towards his brethren.

Envy managed a weak glare at the indolent pony "Up yours, Sloth..."

Hoofsteps were heard, and the group turned to the throne room entrance to see two figures enter through the doorway. The guards instantly bowed when they recognized who entered through. The first one was Luna, who held the same serious gaze from when they first met at the castle gates as she trotted forward.

The second one was taller than the Princess of the Night, and was in fact coated in precious ivory. Her horn was taller, Her wings bigger, and though her mane moved in the same nonexistent breeze, it paled in comparison to Luna's in being more bright and colorful. She rubbed her magenta eyes and got a good look at the group of former homunculi as she trotted to her throne. This must be the one called Celestia.

Greed couldn't help but gawk at her figure 'Sheesh, was I right...I wonder if I'll have the luck of getting on her good side!' A slight nudge snapped him out of his train of thought when Wrath gave Greed a stern glance.

Luna couldn't help but gaze at Wrath while she trotted and noticed he maintained a stoic, yet formal expression of his own. Something about that pony compelled the princess to make sure he does not cause any trouble. She felt uneasy ever since she sensed his rage and couldn't shake the feeling away at all.

When the two regal figures reached their respective thrones, they sat down in a polite fashion and focused their attention on the group in front of them while the guards stood by diligently. Wrath and Lust gave a formal bow to the princesses, and Gluttony followed after once he saw the lascivious mare bow. Greed, Envy, and Sloth were the only ones that didn't bow. The avaricious pony instead waved with a cocky smirk "Hello, ladies! How's it going?"

Wrath opened one of his wings and nicked at Greed's left foreleg. The avaricious pony grunted in pain and kneeled on his good leg, then shot a glare towards Wrath "Bastard..." he hissed.

Celestia saw this act and chuckled to herself. She didn't mind much formality towards visitors even if she was a princess. But this particular group of ponies caught her eye and made her wonder as she gradually woke herself up. She turned to Luna "So these are the ones that wish to speak to us, Luna? Who are they exactly?"

Luna looked back at her older sister "These ponies hail from afar and wish to seek guidance from ourselves. We are aware that the elderly pegasus goes by the names of Wrath and King Bradley. We think nary a pleasant thought on the ebony unicorn's manners..."

Greed looked up and gave a light sneer at the Princess of the Night "I can hear you, you know. I happen to be a well-mannered guy once you get to know me..." He paused, and then he spoke again "Aren't there supposed to be three of you??"

Luna looked at Greed with her expression unchanged "If thou art referring to Princess Mi Amore Cadenza, she shall enjoy her rest with her beloved. You shalt have the royal authority of us, our sister, and nothing more!"

The avaricious pony noticed the tone of Luna's voice and scoffed "Was just curious, is all..."

Celestia gave a look at Greed and hummed in thought. The princess couldn't help but wonder there was something special about the avaricious pony despite his appearance. She then turned to the whole group "Would you be so kind as to address yourselves to us, please?"

Greed looked at Celestia and smirked. He stood proud and held up a hoof like he would a fist "The name's Greed!"

Lust gave a short curtsey before she introduced herself "My name is Lust...Pleased to meet you."

Gluttony hopped up and grinned at Celestia "I'm Gluttony!"

Sloth and Envy remained silent while the indolent pony sat in front of the princesses with Envy on his back. Greed cleared his throat "Er, the big guy's Sloth, and the one on his back is Envy..."

Celestia looked at Envy and held a sympathetic expression "Oh my...That pony needs attention."

Wrath rose and nodded "Yes, for some odd reason, Envy seemed to be gradually weakened in our travels from our previous destination. We figured that you would be kind enough to give us the lay of the land and perhaps direct us to a hospitable area around Canterlot..."

The solar princess poked her chin "I see...and where exactly do you hail from?"

Wrath looked down and sighed. Given the current circumstances, there was no point in telling that he and the others hailed from another life. He raised his head and spoke "Believe it or not...we all have emerged from this place known as Tartarus...Have you heard of it perhaps?"

Both princesses and the guards in the room all shared the same look of shock and confusion. Celestia thought she was hearing things since she woke up not too long ago "Forgive my hearing, but...did you just say you and the others emerged from the Gates of Tartarus?"

Wrath gave a curt nod "Yes, and out of reasons unknown, no less. We valiantly fought our way out and found ourselves nearby this city. We were wondering if-"

"GUARDS!"

At the sound of Luna's call, the guards present surrounded the group of former homunculi and pointed their spears as they glared. The surrounded ponies looked around slightly threatened, and Greed turned to Wrath with a deadpan stare "So much for formality..." He looked back at the princesses "What's the big idea, anyway? Is Tartarus THAT bad or something?"

Luna rose from her throne and glared down at the group of convicted ponies "Thou hath claimed that thou emerged from the Gates of Tartarus! Only the most unspeakable evils take refuge in that forbidden place, and nopony could possibly escape without fending off Cerberus!"

Greed raised an eyebrow "Is that the name of that one dog? Cuz we kicked its ass pretty hard!" He grinned "Sloth here managed to finish the job, too!"

Sloth was unphased by the sudden surround by the guards, but he knew that he would have to fight soon enough "What a pain..."

Celestia never thought she would hear all of this from a group of ponies. She wanted to believe that they were lying, but the look on Wrath's face proved otherwise. But then she remembered what he had said before "You claimed that you appeared into Tartarus out of reasons unknown?"

Wrath was able to keep calm despite being surrounded by a group of ponies brandishing weapons "Yes. It may seem like I'm lying, but I speak the truth. If its any consolation, we mean you no harm..."

Greed glared at one of the guards "They aren't gonna listen to us, Wrath! They're either gonna try to kill us or lock us up!"

The furious pony ignored Greed and continued "Please understand, princesses...We have particularly no knowledge of this place and only wish to know how to adapt to your culture."

Celestia focused her attention on Wrath "You make it sound as if all of you weren't born in Equestria..."

Gluttony stared at one of the guards pointing a spear at him. He leaned his head towards the spear's point and sniffed at it, then opened his wide maw to eat the whole blade of the spear. This startled the guard as he bounded away from the voracious pony while he chewed up and swallowed his meal.

Lust turned to Gluttony and sighed "Gluttony, I told you to behave..."

Gluttony kicked at the floor with a foreleg as he hung his head down in shame "I was hungry..."

Celestia was as startled as the guard when she noticed Gluttony eating the end of a spear like a mere snack. This could not be real for a pony to eat an inanimate object. Luna was equally startled "Art thou some kind of monster!?"

Gluttony looked up at Luna and shook his head innocently "No. I'm a homunculus!" He then stuck out his tongue "Thee?" he then looked at his tongue to notice that his Ouroboros tattoo wasn't resting on it "Huh? Wew ith it?" Lust tapped Gluttony on the shoulder and earned his attention. She then pointed to his flank to show that the tattoo was right there. The voracious then smiled to himself "Oh, there it is!"

Celestia was intrigued by this "So you claim to be a homunculus..."

Greed held up a hoof "Not just him, your grace! All of us as well! We're all homunculi!" He then looked at himself and felt a small mixture of anger and embarrassment "Well, we USED to be until we've become ponies..."

The solar princess nodded her head "I see...and you all claim to appear in Tartarus out of unknown circumstance?"

Wrath nodded once more as he spoke "We would gain nothing from lying to you, your majesty. We only escaped so that we may pursue new lives in this world. Could you find it in your heart to set us free?"

She then held a calm expression once more and thought for a moment until she finally came to a conclusion "While your words are true, I'm afraid I cannot allow you all to roam free." Wrath's eye narrowed at this while the princess continued "However, I also cannot give proper judgement so late at night. Therefore, I shall send you all to the dungeon so that I may discuss your sentence the following morning..."

Luna and Greed blurted out in unison "What!?"

Wrath looked up and smiled despite the harsh decision "I'm glad to see that you would be so merciful on us like this...I was beginning to think that you were going to execute us."

Celestia returned Wrath's smile with one of her own "You should be so lucky. I'm actually very tired, so of course I cannot think straight." She held a hoof to her mouth and gave a silent yawn.

Luna turned to Celestia with an incredulous expression "Sister! Surely thou are not serious about this!? These ponies must be sent back from whence they came!!"

Celestia looked at her younger sister with a calm expression "Luna, they've claimed that they mean no harm. We can easily send them back if they prove otherwise..."

Greed felt his heart stop for a moment after he heard Celestia 'Is she serious??' He felt a cold sweat on his forehead while he tried to maintain his composure.

Celestia rose from her throne "If all is done here, I'll retire to my chambers and await your presence in the morning with some 'extra company'..." she added the last words with a serious tone "This audience is over. Good night to you, my little ponies..." She then chuckled "Well, minus Sloth, of course..." The princess then trotted away.

Luna was baffled to think her own sister would grant escapees from Tartarus a chance before actually judging them. If it was her decision, she would have sent them back in a heartbeat. The Princess of the Night turned to the group of former homunculi with a glare "Be warned, homunculi...thou art lucky to have the pardon of our sister for the time being, but know that thou shalt be monitored just in case any of thou wish to cause havoc of any kind!"

Lust stifled a giggle 'Havoc...haven't heard that name in a while...' She then gave a formal bow to the princess "We understand..."

Luna was silent upon Lust's reply, but then waved her hoof to the guards "To the dungeon with them!" The guards then roughly escorted the group out of the throne room.

Greed was still inwardly bothered at Celestia's words from before 'Are they THAT powerful? Can they actually send us back to that place?' He then shook his head 'More importantly, why was she looking at me like that??' The avaricious pony then put on an unamused face 'I dunno what this world is like, but maybe I was wrong about it being cool...' He continued to think to himself while being guided to his new cell. Thankfully, it won't be like the one he woke up in as a pony.

End of Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Bonding

The group sat in pairs in their own cells as they waited for the late night to pass by. Greed was begrudingly paired with Wrath, Lust with Gluttony, and Sloth with Envy.

The avaricious pony crossed his forelegs as he sat on his haunches on the cold stone floor. He growled to himself while Wrath sat patiently with his eyes closed. Greed then bared his teeth and he jerked his head towards Wrath "Is this your idea of prolonging our death? Cuz this is the worst idea yet! I say we bust out of he-"

Wrath interrupted "We will do no such thing! We're to bide our time until the following morning so that we may act accordingly to the sentence presented towards us..."

Greed got on all fours and pointed a hoof at Wrath "You realize we're probably going to be thrown back into that hellhole, right!? Did you not see the way that Luna chick's been acting? She's probably onto us!"

Hoofsteps were heard and the two noticed a unicorn night guard approach their cell with an item levitating next to him. He tossed it through the bars as it fit through easily and landed on the ground "A gift from Princess Celestia..." The guard then made his leave to patrol outside.

Greed paused and looked down "She jails us, and now she's giving us gifts? What kind of messed up place is this?" Wrath trotted towards the item and smiled to himself when he noticed what was on the ground.

It was a fine eyepatch that was the perfect size for his abnormally large eye. Perhaps Celestia was aware of how he kept his Ultimate Eye shut and wanted to help him out. He lifted it with a hoof "Not bad. I already missed wearing one of these before." The furious pony then carefully grasped the eyepatch's string with his hooves and wore the patch around his ultimate eye. He then stood tall as he almost resembled his old self.

Greed scoffed "If she was tossing out gifts, the least she could do was give me some sunglasses..."

Wrath chuckled at the avaricious pony "You haven't changed one bit since you've arrived here..."

The avaricious pony looked back and growled a little "Neither have you...I'm gonna be honest here. You really pissed me off when you left with a smile on your face."

Wrath couldn't help himself as he smiled "Oh? Like this?"

Greed saw this and glared "Don't you start with me, Wrath! It's bad enough we have to stay here for the time being, but God forbid you'll choose to get me riled up like this!"

The furious pony chuckled "Don't worry, I'm above that sort of thing. I never expected it would leave such an impact on you. And besides..." He glared his uncovered eye and spoke in a grave tone "It's not like I can kill you again..."

Greed grinned despite Wrath's sudden mood shift "Is that a challenge? Cuz I'll happily oblige! It'll definitely kill time and save myself the trouble of boredom in this place!"

One of the guards called to the cell Greed and Wrath were in "Quiet in there!"

Greed sneered at the guard that spoke "Oh right, I forgot they're around..." He sat back down and growled "So much for curbing boredom."

Wrath nodded and sat himself down as well "For once in your life, you'v managed to make a wise choice in waiting..."

Greed growled and looked away "Fuck you, Wrath..."
_____

Lust was gently petting Gluttony's head while he rested at her side. She sighed to herself 'This place is no doubt very different to the world we were familiar with. If that isn't enough we've ended up as the same kind we conversed with no too long ago, and they seem more prepared and wise than that of those humans...That Celestia indeed sounded serious when she claimed she could send us all back to Tartartus. I wonder if I'm able to convince her to think otherwise...'

"Lust?"

The lascivious mare snapped out of her thought and turned to see Gluttony looking concerned "You don't look happy at all, Lust? Is it because we're staying here?"

Lust closed her eyes "I never expected all of us to just make it this far in our current form. And to answer your second question, I'm not sure about thinking badly towards this new world we reside in. It seems...magical."

Gluttony smiled "Well, yes! Those two princesses looked very magical! I wonder if they'll taste as good as they look!"

Lust chuckled to herself at the voracious pony's innocence. She adored how childish Gluttony chose to act and how she played a motherly role despite the two being brother and sister. The lascivious mare continued petting Gluttony's head "I'm sure they taste decadent, but you musn't do that to them. Depending on what happens tomorrow, maybe I'll let you..."

Gluttony flashed a hopeful grin "Maybe is close to yes, right!?"

Lust shook her head "Maybe is just maybe, Gluttony. Remember that..."

The voracious pony looked down and pouted "Oh, but I'm so hungry...that delicious stick from before wasn't enough!"

Lust smirked "Nothing is ever enough for you or Greed. Speaking of, I wonder how he's holding up, being in the same cage as Wrath once again." She couldn't help but stifle a giggle at the thought of the two feuding and duking it out in their cell.

Gluttony stared outside of his cell and noticed a guard monitoring them with diligent eyes and spear in hoof. He drooled a little and whimpered childishly as his stomach growled.

Lust gave Gluttony a motherly nuzzle to snap him out of his hunger daze "Just wait, Gluttony. Maybe they'll be nice enough to offer you dinner..."

The voracious pony perked up and smiled "Okay!" He then obediently sat on his haunches and waited patiently for his food to arrive. If Gluttony had a tail, he would be wagging it like an eager puppy.
_____

Envy moaned while sprawled on the cold floor. Every minute, the jealous pony felt worse and could not wonder why exactly. It growled to itself "This sucks! We're trapped in this place and I feel like I've battled a group of demons before I came here."

Sloth groaned to himself "I want to go to sleep...Waking up is a pain..."

The jealous pony gritted its teeth "For once, I agree with you. I really hate feeling like this and not knowing why!"

Sloth did not reply to Envy as he found himself sound asleep as it gave a light snore. The indolent pony was happy to know it could at least sleep for a good moment before having to wake up again.

Envy scoffed at Sloth as he sleeped "Of course it's that easy for you..."

Outside of the cell, two night guards stood watch over the drowsy pair. One was male, and the other female. What was more is that they shared a relationship during their service under Luna. The male guard raised an eyebrow at the pegasus complaining on the ground "Pretty weird pony right there, don't you think?"

The female guard nodded "Yeah. Hard to believe that one along from the others came from Tartarus...That's too weird, actually. You think they'll be sent back the next day?"

The male shrugged "Wouldn't be surprised. Princess Luna would've done it in a heartbeat! But you know how merciful Celestia can be..." He then forgot about his duty for a moment as he smirked at the female "Say, got any plans for the next time we have time off? Cuz I know this excellent restaurant in Canterlot..."

The female guard gave the male guard a light push and smiled "We're on duty, you idiot. Now's not the time to be thinking like that..."

The male guard chuckled "Well, why don't I just talk? Nothing else to do here, and those two aren't much of a problem right now."

Envy gritted its teeth and glared weakly 'Not much of a problem!? That bastard is SO lucky I'm feeling this way...'

The male continued "Have I ever told you how much I love you?" He shifted closer to the female's side with a warm smile.

The female pushed him away again "Only about several times, and it's kind of annoying, really. You need to step up your game." While it sounded harsh, the female guard shared a warm smile of her own.

The male gave a mock shrug "Maybe I'm not trying hard enough. But don't worry, I still have tomorrow to tell you again." The two shared a small laugh despite being on duty.

This almost disgusted Envy with how they acted as it glared disdainfully at them 'Oh, get a room...' For some reason, a certain force compelled Envy to keep its eyes on the couple as they shared their moment. As much as it disgusted the jealous pony, it couldn't look away. It almost felt invigorating just to stare at them. For Envy, it wasn't long until it felt a swell of energy return to its body. The jealous pony lifted itself up on all fours and examined itself in bemusement "Huh? I feel great...What is this?"

The two guard noticed Envy getting up and the male guard glared "Hey, don't get any idea on breaking out of here!"

Envy sneered at the male guard "You're not worth the effort anyways...Go make out with your girlfriend or something!" The jealous pony felt great to insult someone else with a decent amount of energy.

The female guard's eyes narrowed "Watch what you say. You wouldn't want to have trouble come your way before tomorrow!" She then smiled at her coltfriend "Besides, I'm sure he can handle you easily..."

Envy glared at the pair "Wanna bet!? Open the door and let's go a few rounds so I can kick your sorry ass!!"

The female guard scoffed "Pipe down. Maybe you should rest like your large friend over there."

Envy growled "Maybe YOU should rest..." It then trotted to Sloth's side and leaned on his back as he glared at the couple outside as they chuckled to themselves 'Bunch of idiots...I dunno what Wrath's thinking, but if we get the raw end of the deal, I'm cracking skulls...' Envy wanted to simply transform into one of the guards and dupe them into freeing it and Sloth, but then remembered what Celestia had said. One part of Envy felt defiant, but the other couldn't help but feel a small pang of fear. As it glared at the couple, it felt more energy come its way. This left the jealous pony confused 'What the hell??'
_____

Greed sat for long enough and felt like laying on the cold floor as he thought to himself. He couldn't help but think about how he died as a homunculus...

"Greed! Why do you turn on your father!?"

"Call it a delayed rebellious phase, daddy, sir! With the carbonizing ability you gave me, I'll turn us into the weakest most fragile carbon there is!"

"Crafty devil!"

He could already feel that same time where he was yanked away from his Father...

"Away with you, fool!" *snap*

And now he remembered how he faded away, and seeing the looks on the faces of Ed and Ling. He smiled to himself when he pictured the vivid images of their sadness. But then his smile faded when he remembered his last words.

"Goodbye...Friends of the Soul..."

The avaricious pony was silent, and he grunted to himself as he gritted his teeth in frustration. But the frustration faded when he decided it was best to sleep it off.

"...Friends..."

End of Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Truth

The next day, the former homunculi were rounded up from their cells to be guided towards the throne room. Greed and Sloth moaned in complaint from enjoying a good rest while Wrath, Lust, and Gluttony remained calm and ready for what is about to happen next. Greed sighed to himself, but was surprised when he noticed Envy looking awake and healthy again while it trotted with the others 'Huh? When did this happen? First, Envy was ready to wither away like some kind of starving child, and now the little punk's okay. Hm, probably needed a nap or something...'

Greed shrugged off the thought when he noticed the group reached the doors to the throne room. When they went through the doors, however, they were greeted with a plethora of guards different to the ones seen last night. They were all different unicorns, pegasi, and earth ponies decorated in golden armor with hardened eyes on their faces. Everypony but the pegasi were armed with spears. Clearly this was the 'extra company' Celestia mentioned, but it didn't stop there.

At the end of the throne room stood four figures, two of which were Celestia and Luna. The first one was an alicorn, but was smaller and pink with purple eyes and a multicolored mane that did not flow in a breeze. The mark on her flank resembled a crystalized heart.

The one standing next to her caught Wrath's attention. He was a white unicorn who stood with the same gaze as the other soldiers while he was coated in purple armor. Parts of his blue mane could be seen from his helmet. The furious pony could not help but find a sense of nostalgia from just staring at the dutiful unicorn 'Strong, proud, and eyes full of resolve. And at so young of an age, too...He already reminds me of him...' Wrath smiled to himself when a memory snapped into his head while he trotted with the group.

The group led by the guards stopped when they were in front of Celestia and the others and looked around to know that the guards stood at the ready if something were to happen. Greed lazily rubbed the back of his head "So yeah, you wanted to see us? Coulda picked a better time, actually." He looked at the guards and donned a cocky smirk "Nice to see you invited so many folks here at this little party!"

Celestia chuckled "And a good morning to you, too, Greed. I trust your stay with Wrath in the dungeon was well?"

The avaricious pony noted the countered remark and could not help but laugh "Not bad for a princess! It's like you thought I would enjoy this guy's company!" He pointed a hoof at Wrath while he only stared forward.

Luna pointed a hoof "Hold thy tongue, avaricious unicorn!"

Greed looked away with a deadpan stare "Coulda just said my name like everyone else..."

Luna went to lash out at Greed, but Celestia held up a hoof to stop her. She stood in a regal fashion and stared down at the former homunculi with a neutral gaze "I believe it is best we carry out our judgement without anymore problems on your end."

Envy was next to speak "Who are those two next to Luna? Never seen them before..."

Celestia nodded to the jealous pony "That much is true." She waved a hoof to them "I would like for all of you to meet Princess Mi Amore Cadenza and her husband Shining Armor, captain of the Royal Guard."

Wrath perked up and smirked to himself 'A captain, hm? This is certainly interesting...I wonder how well he fares in combat.'

The one called Mi Amore Cadenza eyed the group in curiousity "Are these the same ponies that claimed to come from Tartarus like you both said?"

Luna nodded "Verily. And apparently our elder sister wishes to give them judgement rather than send them back where they belong!"

Envy lashed out after Luna's words "Hey! We don't exactly belong in that hellhole, your Highness!" It added the last words with anger and sarcasm "If anything, you should've listened to Wrath when he said we APPEARED there!"

Luna glared down at the jealous pony "And we art sure to believe thy words in full effect?"

Envy gritted its teeth and glared back "Where do you get off bossing us around like thi-" It was then stopped when Lust held up a hoof to silence the jealous pony before it could cause more damage. Envy growled and silenced itself begrudgingly.

Mi Amore Cadenza was now cautious upon hearing Envy's outburst "No offense to all of you, but you do seem rather suspicious with your appearances. Especially the large one there. But I find it hard to believe that all of you could take on Cerberus if you actually came from Tartarus."

Sloth groaned "Escaping was a pain...the dog was a bigger pain..."

Envy snickered "The bastard handled that mutt easily and he's always lazy!"

Celestia looked to Envy "It is nice to know that you're full of energy again, Envy, but I would kindly advise you to speak in a much better language." She spoke in a polite but authoritive tone.

The jealous pony rolled its eyes "What, am I not allowed to speak my mind now?" It then shot a defiant look to Celestia "I can say whatever I want! Like that you're a bi-OW!" Envy was met with a forceful jab on the head by Lust while she gave a stern look. The jealous pony glared at her while it rubbed its head.

Celestia sighed to herself 'These ones could be a challenge.' She then focused her attention to Greed. She hummed to herself and decided on a question "Greed, can I ask you something?"

The avaricious pony shrugged nonchalantly "Shoot. It's your trial. And God forbid I'll tell a lie." He then stopped himself and felt his heart twitch when he remembered a memory from that day.

'I thought your creed was to never tell a lie! To end it like this...'

'Hehehehehe! And you fell for it hook, line and sinker, you little pissant!'

'That was the first and last lie ever. Lan Fan has a Philosopher's Stone. Take it and go home, kid.'

Greed was lost in his own memory that he did not hear the question that was presented to him. His pupils trembled at the memory that nagged at him like an annoying parasite.

"Greed?"

The avaricious pony snapped out of it and grunted in embarrasment as he spoke to Celestia "Sorry. You asked me a question?" His tone was serious and devoid of his cocky personality. This earned the attention of Envy as it raised an eyebrow at the avaricious pony.

Celestia replied "Yes, and you've seemed to ignore it. Can you tell me how you came to arrive in Tartarus along with the rest of your family? Where exactly did you appear from if you all claimed to show yourselves out of unknown circumstance?"

Greed looked down and gritted his teeth, not only at the mention of family, but how he arrived in that forsaken pit of suffering. His last words played at his head once more when he remembered fading out of existence.

'Goodbye...Friends of the Soul...'

The avaricious pony felt his former mood fade as he looked up "A country called Amestris. Have you heard of it?"

Celestia blinked. Amestris? This was nowhere in Equestria "No, I cannot say I have. Where is this Amestris?"

Greed sighed and his head faced the ceiling "From another world..."

This caused the four ponies in front of the former homunculi to gasp in disbelief. Luna stepped forward "So all of thou claimeth to hail from another realm of existence? But that does not explain thine means of arriving in Equestria despite thine claims of unknown circumstance!"

Greed matched gazes with the Princess of the Night "Well, there isn't much to say other than I woke up here. Wait..." A fuzzy memory began to make its way into Greed's mind, and he felt a shiver in his spine when it became more vivid.
_____

Greed stood and looked around at a purgatorial realm and noticed a gate was right behind him. He looked back and he felt uneasy "What is this!? Where am I, and why is there some kind of gate in front of me!? What's going on!?"

"I never figured you would ask such petty questions..."

The homunculus heard a voice and turned around to see some kind of pure white human silhouette with a visible grin on its face. It was surrounded by a black blurred outline of sorts. It continued "This is where you end up after your life expires. The gate behind you is YOUR gate. And it is almost time you left here onto your next destination!"

Greed gritted his teeth and pointed at the grinning silhouette "Just who the hell are you to tell me where to go!? I don't exactly remember swearing myself to service!"

The grin on the silhouette's face left the moment the homunculus asked his question and it spoke in a neutral tone "I am what you would call the world. Or perhaps the universe, or perhaps God, or perhaps truth, or perhaps all, or perhaps one..." The silhouette then pointed at Greed "..and I am also you."

Greed lashed out "Bullshit! I'm me and no one else! And for the record, where exactly am I going!?"

The silhouette grinned once more "The same place where you shall meet your brethren. But that is for you yourself to discover. You will know despair, but will be met with that which you desired in life other than the world..."

The gate opened itself and blackness was shown from the other side. A large grey eye then appeared out of the darkness and stared at Greed, filling the homunculus with shock and confusion "Where are you taking me!?"

The silhouette scoffed while it grinned "Did you not hear me? You will meet your brethren and you will know despair. But beyond that despair, you will be met with that which you desired in your life other than the world..." Black tendrils emerged from the other side of the gate and constricted Greed as he visibly struggled and growled. The silhouette laughed "Why do you struggle? It is inevitable to face the truth in one's life!"

Greed continued to struggle "If you think I'm gonna be sent to hell with the rest of my family, you're gladly mistaken!" It was no use as the homunculus was continually pulled into the gate by the tendrils. He felt hopelessness when the gate began to close. Greed thought he noticed the silhouette taking another form before it shut completely.
_____

The avaricious pony felt his heart stop when the memory ended. He shook himself out of his trance and looked up at the slightly confused group of royal figures and spoke "I was pulled into some kind of gate and I woke up in a cell at Tartarus along with Wrath."

Celestia was intrigued "And this was a gate from your old world?"

Greed nodded "Technically...I don't know the full details, but that's how I got here! Go ahead and call me a liar, but there's no other way I can explain this to you!"

Celestia rubbed her chin with a hoof "So if I'm correct, the rest of your family came into Equestria through the same gate? Was it of your own free will, perhaps?"

Greed looked down "No...and I'm not exactly sure we can make it back to our place." He then looked up with a neutral face "But don't think we have any intention on going back. I'd say it's best to leave the past behind and start off with a clean slate. What do you say?"

Luna eyed Greed cautiously "Thou sound as if thou art willing to make recompense for whatever deeds brought you to Tartarus. Can we trust your brethren to think the same way?"

Gluttony nodded vigorously "Yes! I wanna start a new life with Lustey!" He nuzzled at the lascivious mare's side.

Princess Mi Amore Cadenza felt moved at the voracious pony's gesture and smiled. She could feel how innocent he was with how he sounded "Well, we could be willing to give you a chance if you all actually feel the need to start over."

Lust smiled as she petted Gluttony "I'm actually very curious about this place. I would gladly learn from it and see what I can make of my new existence..." She was intrigued about how her horn was able to act as her new Ultimate Spear, and she wondered if these ponies could pale in comparison to the humans in mind with how they live their lives.

Wrath stood in a dignified manner "I will gladly agree to this choice if you present it to us." He spoke in a firm and determined tone. The furious pony couldn't help but look at Shining Armor once more after he stated his opinion.

Shining Armor noticed that he was being watched and returned Wrath's gaze with his own, only he narrowed his eyes 'Just why is this pegasus staring at me like that? And why is he smiling like that?'

Sloth stretched his massive forelegs and gave a satisfied moan "As long as I get to sleep, I agree..."

Envy crossed its forelegs and looked away "Whatever..." it spoke in a harsh tone. The jealous pony would gladly object and do as it pleased, but there wasn't much of a choice when its siblings thought otherwise.

Celestia nodded with a warm smile "Your suggestion is a good one Greed, but I should hold it to you if you're serious about this."

Greed rubbed the back of his head "As much as I'm serious, I just want all this stuff for myself!" He flashed an avaricious grin "I'd gladly take it off of your hooves if possible, actually!"

Celestia's smile faded as she looked at Greed with a firm gaze "Are you sure that material things are all that you desire, Greed?"

Greed held up a hoof and grinned "Hell yeah! I just can't get enough! I want money, women, status, and power! I want it all, and everything in this castle is topping the list!"

The guards around the group pointed their spears as they glared, and Shining Armor got into a defensive position after hearing Greed. The former homunculi, save for Greed, felt a little threatened at the sudden movement of the guards.

Celestia spoke again, but in a calm tone "Surely there is something else you want. Such avarice would lead a pony to ruin...Are you sure there wasn't one thing you wanted in your life before you came here?"

Greed's grin slowly wavered as he took the question into consideration. And once more, a memory pertaining to the question asked to him played in the avaricious pony's head.
_____

Edward Elric was found fighting a winning battle against Father as his channeled his rage into each punch. The crowd cheered him on while he continued his massive onslaught of martial arts and alchemy.

Greed, with Ling Yao's body, stood idly by and stared at the skirmish behind the cheering crowd.

"Greed..."

The homunculus heard the sound of the Xingese prince his body belonged to and listened as he continued "What you actually wanted so badly...is this, right?"

More of Edward's friends cheered the Fullmetal Alchemist on while Greed watched, and then he finally understood "Yeah, your right. What I wanted..." He sadly closed his eyes.

"...was to have friends like this..."
_____

Greed froze in place after the third memory in his head caused his mood to fade. He then looked down with gritted teeth "Dammit..." All eyes were on Greed while his head was hung down, but then the avaricious pony threw his head up to meet Celestia's gaze as he yelled "Am I that easy to read!?"

Celestia paused at the sudden outburst, but then chuckled. Everypony present was confused, and the confusion grew as the princess grew into a fit of laughter. She then looked down at Greed with another warm smile "Perhaps you are, Greed." The avaricious pony growled a little in embarrasment while his teeth were bared "But it was good to know you're honest. I think I know a pony you'll get along with once this is over..."

Suddenly, there was a large crash outside the castle, followed by horrified screams. Everypony present in the throne room looked around, and Shining Armor galloped towards a window to see what was going on.

Well-dressed ponies were roaming around Canterlot in a panic as a familiar beast laid its paws on the massive walls and sniffed about with its three noses. The captain's eyes widened as he turned to the princesses "It's Cerberus! He's here in Canterlot!"

End of Chapter 8

Chapter 9

To His People

Everypony inside was shocked to hear that Cerberus decided to invade Canterlot. What was the dog's goal? The only one that was not shocked was Princess Celestia as she stood firm and turned to Luna "Luna, could you please go to the castle's nursery and bring out a ball? Then meet me outside with Cerberus shortly..." She then trotted towards the window.

Luna was at first confused about Celestia's request, but then nodded when she realized her plan. She galloped away, leaving the homunculi to be confused. Greed noticed Celestia about to go out the window "Hey, princess! What are you going to do about that mutt? You're not gonna take that thing on yourself, are you??"

Envy scoffed and smirked to itself "This I gotta see..."

Celestia turned to Greed with a smile "You'll see, Greed. It would be wise for you and your siblings to stay inside while I handle this matter with Luna. The ponies in Canterlot need our help!" She then flared her wings and soared out of the castle.

Wrath stood and gave a knowing nod "A true ruler at her finest. I never would've imagined seeing it for myself like this..."

Shining Armor turned to Wrath "Just what are you talking about? Of course Princess Celestia is a good ruler! Were you not under the care of a good ruler where you come from?"

Wrath chuckled to himself "If you want my story, I actually WAS a ruler..." This shocked Shining Armor "My rank before I came here happened to be Fuhrer. Or if the term sounds too alien, simply go by my other name King Bradley."

Shining Armor paused for a moment, then gave Wrath a serious gaze "King, hm? No offense to you, but you don't exactly seem like a king to me."

Wrath raised an eyebrow "Oh? And what makes you say that, my boy?"

Shining Armor glared "Because with how you considered Celestia's actions and how you claim were a ruler yourself witnessing it, you do not seem like a king anypony would turn to in their time of need. A king is to his people..."

Wrath paused when he heard those last words, then heard them in a different but familiar voice in his head 'A king is to his people!' Wrath simply shook his head with a smile "You weren't the first one to tell that to me...I never thought I would hear that from you as well."

Shining Armor's eyes narrowed "I'm just stating my opinion..."

Lust observed the small chat between Shining Armor and Wrath and focused her attention towards the guard captain. She examined the look in his eyes and then turned to Wrath while he smiled. The lascivious mare put two and two together and smiled to herself 'Looks like Wrath made his first friend since he arrived here. And another soldier to boot...Not to mention those eyes...' She stared intently at Shining Armor's eyes glaring at Wrath 'Just like him...I see where Wrath comes from...'

Greed stared outside the window and watched Cerberus walk around Canterlot and sniffed about. He felt slightly nervous 'What's that chick gonna do? Is she gonna tip that stupid dog our location and toss us out of here?? No, we can kick his ass easily...' The avaricious pony noticed Celestia reach Cerberus as the dog stopped in his tracks and growled at the princess after sniffing her.

Envy trotted over and lightly shoved Greed out of the way "Move over, Greed! I wanna see if she's actually as strong as these guys think!" The jealous pony had a devious grin while it watched the scene outside. The grin faded when it noticed the dog was held in place by a golden aura "What the hell!? How is she doing that!?"

Greed squinted his eyes and noticed that Celestia's horn gave off the same glow as the aura covering Cerberus 'Whoa...' He then stared at his own horn, then at Lust's 'Looks like me and Lust got ourselves an advantage here...'

He then noticed Luna gallop through the throne room levitating a rubber ball "Move please!" Greed and Envy moved out of the way while she took flight.

Greed watched and smiled to himself. Envy noticed this and sneered "What are you so happy about? Do you like Luna or something?"

The avaricious pony pointed to his horn with a smirk "As if! I'm just happy to have this thing ever since I came here! I wonder what its capable of!"

Envy raised an eyebrow "You mean other than jamming it up someone's-" A groan interrupted the jealous pony and it turned to see most of the guards surround Sloth while their spears shook in their trembling forelegs. Sloth gave a yawn and the guards flinched. Envy then chuckled when it realized there was a much better scene to view.

Shining Armor noticed the guards and called out "Stay strong, everypony! Don't let his size bother you!"

Envy interrupted with a snide remark "Yeah! Just watch out for his chains! They hurt like hell!" The jealous pony then broke out into a fit of laughter while Shining Armor glared.

Wrath turned to Shining Armor and gave a firm bow "Forgive Envy's juvenile personality. That one finds joy in other's suffering..."

Shining Armor turned to Wrath "You seem to have a very...unique family if you're all related."

The furious pony gave a friendly scoff "I'm only the newest addition." He looked away "Though I wish not to talk about it..." This made Shining Armor raise an eyebrow in curiousity while he remained silent.

Greed looked outside and his jaw dropped when he noticed what happened. Luna waved the ball in front of Cerberus and all three heads panted vigorously as they stared at it. Celestia released her hold on Cerberus, then Luna flew off while large dog followed after he hopped over the walls. Envy noticed and trotted over "Hey! What'd I miss? What happened?"

Greed uttered "A ball..."

Envy turned to Greed "Yeah, I noticed, but what happened after? Was it some kind of weapon?"

Greed slowly turned to Envy "They used a RUBBER ball to lure out a giant three-headed dog out of town! Instead of fighting it!"

Envy was now equally shocked "You're kidding!? We had to fight tooth and nail to kick that mutt to the curb and all they needed was a freaking ball!?"

"Surprised?"

Greed and Envy turned to see Celestia as she smiled at them while hovering out of the window. The two moved to give her room and she glided inside and landed "Cerberus can be easily handled if you know the right tactics. But then again, you're all new to Equestria and didn't know any better."

Envy gritted its teeth "Are you calling us stupid or something!?"

Celestia shook her head with a smile "No, just new. There's a large difference." She chuckled while Envy growled.

Greed raised an eyebrow "Is Luna leading Cerberus back to Tartarus?"

Celestia nodded "Yes. And it is of utmost importance that he is led back there. Cerberus is the guardian of Tartarus, and if left unchecked, there could be the biggest chance that an unspeakable evil would emerge from there."

Greed chuckled "Good thing we don't count, right?" He paused, and then felt nervous "Right?"

Celestia paused and stared down at Greed in silence. The other former homunculi, save for Sloth, stared at the two in uneasiness. Then Celestia laughed "Of course, Greed. After all, you were the one that wished to redeem yourself despite your towering avarice." Greed flinched and looked down in embarrasment. Celestia turned to Princess Cadenza and Shining Armor "Would you two agree with me if I were to carry out my final sentence?"

Princess Mi Amore Cadenza nodded "My choice has already been made as well. I await your word along with my husband."

Shining Armor bowed in reverence "I'm also ready, your Highness."

Celestia smiled and looked out the window 'A shame Luna won't be joining us...' She gave a mischievous smirk to herself "Then our respective judgement shall be carried out." She paused for dramatic effect "Not guilty."

Princess Cadenza took a deep breath and spoke "Not guilty."

Shining Armor gave the princesses an incredulous expression. Then he turned to see Wrath stand firm. He wondered what the furious pony meant about not sharing his personal background and why he chose to keep his eye on the guard captain most of the time. Shining Armor took a deep and slightly exasparated breath as he carried out his sentence "Not guilty..."

Celestia smiled "Then I, Princess Celestia, shall carry out the sentence of the homunculi known as Greed, Wrath, Lust, Gluttony, Envy, and Sloth."

Envy perked up "Hey, wait a minute! You said we aren't guilty! Shouldn't you let us go or something?"

Celestia smirked at the jealous pony "You thought you would simply walk out of here? No. I have something planned for all of you, and you have Greed to thank."

Envy gritted its teeth at the avaricious pony and growled "Thanks a lot, Greed..."

Celestia nodded "We'll discuss it over lunch once Luna returns. Until then..." She turned to Shining Armor "You may call off your guards."

Shining Armor nodded and gave a gesture to the guards as they withheld and distanced themselves from the former homunculi and back to their regular duties.

Celestia smiled "Now that that's over. Why don't we-"

Wrath interrupted "Your Majesty, if I can make a request with my new freedom?"

The princess turned to Wrath with a raised an eyebrow "Ask away, Wrath. Or would you prefer King Bradley?" She smiled.

Wrath nodded "Whichever suit you. But as for my request..." He turned to Shining Armor "I wish to engage Shining Armor in a one-on-one duel..."

Shining Armor was surprised "What? Why do you want to do this? What is your goal?"

Wrath smirked to himself "I just want to know the strength and spirit of Celestia's Royal Guard for myself. Is that too much for someone-I mean, somepony like yourself?"

Shining Armor noticed the vigor in Wrath's eye and he glared a little "You don't seem the type to be fighting anymore. I have 20 years of battle experience!" He levitated a spear to his side as he held it with a look of resolve "I don't think you'll manage against me..."

Wrath nodded "I see..." He turned his body to face Shining Armor as flared open his swordlike wings while his own eye narrowed "Let us see how 20 years can do against 40 years..."

End of Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Captain vs Fuhrer

When Wrath had his wings flared out and ready for battle, he proceeded into a few slow hoofsteps, then broke out into an instantaneous gallop with a burst of speed.

Shining Armor's eyes widened at the sudden start of the battle, but he was lucky to block the furious pony's first strike when he held his spear in a defensive position. However, the attack was enough to push back the guard captain a few feet as he struggled with one of the Fuhrer's wings pushing at his spear. He grunted as he bared his teeth and glared at his opponent.

Wrath kept a glare of his own while he pushed at Shining Armor's spear "Impressive. Many of my past opponents would not have been able to match my first strike. Maybe you'll have an advantage over me in this fight..."

Shining Armor growled "Don't underestimate me!" With a burst of magic from his horn, he powered his spear and managed to push Wrath away from him. He then galloped towards the furious pony and readied his spear for a lunge.

Wrath's uncovered eye narrowed when he anticipated Shining Armor's retaliation and quickly jumped over him the moment he lunged his spear. The furious pony glided over and then quickly went to slash at Shining Armor from behind with his left wing.

Shining Armor saw this and the alarms in his head rang like church bells 'Dammit!' He quickly drew his spear upwards in another defensive position as Wrath's wing clashed with it. The guard captain then hopped back while his spear was in place and pulled it back without further hesitation. He glared at his opponent and readied his spear for a series of jabs.

Wrath now found himself dodging Shining Armor's rapid-tempo assault. He took the time to examine the prowess the guard captain put in his attacks 'Remarkable speed, immaculate aim, and not a single jab is thrown without conviction...This one has definitely earned his title.' He smiled inwardly to himself and then flew back as he held his wings out. The furious pony then stared down his opponent after he was finished with his attack and couldn't help but smirk "That was an amazing display of technique, boy. But attacking is about harming your opponent!"

Shining Armor grunted in anger, but then kept his cool 'I won't let him goad me into defeat...' He then analyzed his opponent and noted his eyepatch. The guard captain smirked to himself and then readied his spear as he galloped towards Wrath. When the furious pony braced himself for an attack, he was not aware that Shining Armor made a deft step left and attempted to jab at his side.

Wrath's eye widened in surprise as he flew back and avoided the spear's sharp point. Shining Armor smiled to himself knowing he got the drop on the furious pony and repeated the same tactic once more, only to have it blocked by Wrath's left wing instinctively as he glared 'Attacking me by my blind side. A smart move, but it won't work twice...' He then flared his right wing and quickly twirled himself and managed a small cut to Shining Armor's chestplate as he hopped back.

Shining Armor sighed in relief, but then noticed the cut on his chestplate 'I've never seen a pegasus with wings so strong...' He looked back up and noticed Wrath flying at him with his wings out and reflexively blocked his next attack.

On the sidelines, The two princesses watched the battle with expressions of worry, while the former homunculi beared mixed expressions of amusement. Gluttony hopped up and down as he cheered for Wrath childishly while Lust stared with a smirk on her face. Greed smiled to himself while he knew the outcome of the battle. Envy couldn't contain the grin on its face while it chuckled in dark glee at the ongoing battle. Sloth merely stared ahead blankly with his toothy frown.

Princess Cadence watched Shining Armor hold his own against Wrath's attacks. While she was worried, she still had faith in her husband. She turned to Envy and felt like conversing "Your brother claims he has 40 years of battle experience? Where has he trained to fight so adeptly?"

Envy waved a dismissive hoof "Doesn't matter. Besides, he probably doesn't have a chance against that unicorn..."

Princess Cadence raised an eyebrow "Really?"

With that, Envy quickly cracked an evil grin and snorted "Heh! No!" It then called out to the furious pony "Kick his ass, Wrath!!" The jealous pony ignored the glare it received after the cruel remark.

Wrath and Shining Armor traded blows that each of them blocked one after another while they glared with fire in their eyes. While Wrath held his own, he could not help but imagine the face of a familiar black-haired human in place of Shining Armor's while he fought. Wrath sighed wistfully despite the heated battle and felt it was best to end it.

Shining Armor grunted with each thrust of his spear while he glared at Wrath 'Wait a minute...' He continued to strike and block as he slowly came to a conclusion 'His strikes...' The guard captain did not let up, but he felt something strange about Wrath's attacks. When he figured it out, the two warriors distanced themselves and hopped away. Shining Armor levitated his spear and his eyes narrowed "You're holding back..." Wrath hummed in question, and the ones on the sidelines, save for the former homunculi, heard in disbelief "All of your attacks on me were not your best! You're able to match the strength of my attacks with your own, but you don't channel your full strength! Why are you doing this?" He barked authoritively.

Wrath stared with a stoic expression, but it turned into a friendly smile "I expected better of you, Shining Armor...Is it not the goal of battle to know how your opponent fights before defeating them?" Shining Armor's expression did not waver while he continued "Indeed, I've held back not only to conserve my stamina in battle, but to calculate your movement and your capabilities while we've skirmished. To think you would complain about such a thing in a fight, you really do surprise me. But if it's what you desire most..." He flared his wings and glared at Shining Armor once more. This glare was different from his one during the battle. This was his signature glare that his name is based on "...I will not hold back. I will teach you battle and I WILL teach you pain..." He bursted into the air and then dove down at Shining Armor with intense rage in his eye.

Shining Armor's eyes widened as he held up his spear, but instead of blocking a mere attack, this one sent him back after he felt a strong force from Wrath's right wing impact his spear and channel it into his chest. He grunted in pain while he flew back and tumbled, but then recovered onto his feet while he caught his breath 'So this was a taste of his true power...' He saw Wrath land on the ground for a split second only to burst into a frontal aerial charge with amazing speed. The guard captain stepped to the side and barely avoided the charge. For the first time, Shining Armor was nervous when he felt Wrath's anger after his next attack 'So much rage...What kind of pegasus IS he?'

Wrath skidded to a halt and turned to face Shining Armor as he broke into a gallop towards him. The guard captain attempted to attack, but Wrath parried his blow with his left wing forcefully and caused his opponent to stagger for a moment. He then quickly brought his right wing at the same place he made a cut at Shining Armor's chestplate. This time, he laid a much bigger cut that could easily destroy the chestplate with another well-aimed hit.

A part of him felt fear, but Shining Armor knew from his time in the army that it was wise to turn fear into strength. He gathered himself and threw his spear behind him as his horn began to glow brighter 'If I can't attack him directly, I'll just have to wear him out somehow...' He channeled his magic into his horn and when the furious pony got close, Shining Armor conjured a large barrier of magic around him.

Wrath did not anticipate a new tactic from his opponent when the barrier appeared in front of him. His eye narrowed and then he rammed into the shield, but it did not waver once it hit.

The former homunculi, save for Sloth, were surprised at the shield. Envy spoke "You're kidding! How is he able to do that!?"

Princess Cadence gave Envy a smug smile "Shining Armor is known for his defensive magic. His magical shields are strong enough to hold even the entire city of Canterlot!"

Greed and Lust watched intently, and the avaricious pony turned to Lust "You seeing this, Lust?"

The lascivious mare smiled to herself "I should remember to read up on this sometime if possible..." She never thought there could be more to her horn than just her Ultimate Spear ability.

Shining Armor smiled tauntingly at Wrath while the only thing passing his barrier was the furious pony's rage "Didn't expect this, did you? Let's see you break this barrier with that rage of yours!"

Wrath's eye narrowed to a slit as he uttered darkly "Gladly..." He hopped back to give himself good starting distance for his next move. The furious pony then bursted into an aerial charge and clashed with the shield once again, only harder. The entire room gave a small shake as the two forces collided.

Gluttony was shaken, and then he turned to Sloth with a childish look of anger on his face "Sloth, was that you!?" The indolent pony in question slowly turned his head to Gluttony and shook his head.

Envy watched them with a disappointed stare "You morons..."

Shining Armor grunted after the next hit "It's not going to work! I have enough magic to last me!" He was ignored when the furious pony struck again with more strength.

From the window, Luna flew back in and noticed the battle taking place "What is the meaning of this!?" The ponies on the sidelines were the only ones who heard Luna's call while Wrath and Shining Armor were lost in their battle.

Celestia nodded to Luna "Ah, you're back. Hello, Luna."

Luna glared at her older sister "Tia, why art thou so calm when the convicted pegasus is engaging Shining Armor!?"

Cadence noticed Luna and rubbed the back of her head with a sheepish grin "About that...You see, while you led Cerberus back to Tartarus...We sort of...Well, we-"

Greed cut in with a mischievous grin "They let us off the hook!"

Celestia smiled at Luna "This may seem like a problem, but don't fret, Luna. We're going to discuss the arrangement of their new duties over lunch."

Luna was still outraged "Then explain to us the means of their conflict! What hath led to their battle!?"

Envy sneered at Luna "Cool it, will you? Wrath wanted to challenge that guard captain of yours and he accepted! Besides, I wouldn't worry too much with that barrier he made!"

Luna paused and looked to see Shining Armor holding up with his barrier while Wrath rammed away at it. She was slightly relieved to know that Shining Armor's defensive magic was as good as ever, but then focused her attention to Wrath and his repetitive attacks. The Princess of the Night saw the look in his eye and felt her heart race when she felt his anger with each strike "So this is why he is referred to as Wrath?"

Lust nodded "Yes. He is known as Wrath the furious. His anger in battle knows no bounds and it boosts his strength to higher levels. And yet he manages to keep a calm and patient demeanor unlike some people..." Greed and Envy glared at the lascivious mare.

Luna looked intently at Wrath while he channeled his rage "To think there existed a pony with such fury in his heart..." She said to herself. She never expected to find somepony so angry and yet so level-headed in combat.

Cadence looked ahead at the battle and gave a small gasp when she spotted a small detail on Shining Armor's shield 'Oh no...' She spotted a small crack that grew in size with each successful collision Wrath has made with the barried.

Shining Armor was unaware of the crack until it became more visible. He bared his teeth 'This is impossible! He's actually chipping away at my barrier!?' The guard captain saw how Wrath continued his onslaught with the unchanged look on his face, as if he were a zombie 'I have to reinforce it! He's bound to give up somehow!' Shining Armor mustered his strength and powered up his shield as the visible crack stopped in its tracks. He could only wish the crack would vanish, but Wrath did not let up in his attacks.

Wrath's resolve did not falter despite the shield being reinforced, but he slowly felt his age showing and noticed he began to sweat 'It seems my years are catching up to me...' However, he did not let this bother him. The furious pony had a battle to win. He continued his attack, only this time he made sure his wings played a role in confronting the barrier.

It was successful on Wrath's end when his wings clashed with the barrier, and Shining Armor felt his head pounding 'Gah! Darn it! If I hold out too long, I'll tire myself out! This is too much...I only have one shot at this left!' In a risky move, he dropped his spell and Wrath's next clash shattered the barrier like a glass vase. Shining Armor let himself fly back towards his spear. He caught himself, but felt pain in his legs when he landed. With the last of his magic, he levitated his spear at his side and stared down his opponent as he pawed at the marble floor with a foreleg 'This is it...all or nothing...'

Wrath noticed that Shining Armor was preparing for a charge and mimicked his movement when he got into an offensive stance and readied himself for a charge of his own. He flared his rigid wings 'This shall prove his strength altogether...' When the two shared a moment of heated silence, they both charged without a word and raced towards one another with their weapons bared.

Everypony on the sidelines gazed intently at the scene when the two clashed. Shining Armor's helmet flew across the room and landed beside him while his battered body skidded across the floor and laid sprawled in defeat. Wrath stood victoriously as he stared ahead with his wings out.

Cadence gasped and galloped towards her husband "Shining Armor!" She knelt at his side and lifted his head with her magic "Please tell me you aren't hurt too badly..." Her look of concern almost moved Greed.

Shining Armor groaned in pain, but managed a smile for his wife "I'll be fine...That Wrath is a strong pony..." He muttered weakly.

Envy stared at the two and felt another wave of energy enter its body in surprise 'There it is again! What the hell's going on here!?' The jealous pony stared at the couple as they shared a small nuzzle 'Does it have something to do with them??'

Wrath stood, but then he grunted in pain and looked at his right wing. It was wounded and newly stained red with blood. He stared at it with a stoic expression, though on the inside he was impressed 'Incredible...He manages to get a hit on me in a last resort. And his skill during battle is to be commended.' He tucked away his left wing while he held his right one out 'I believe I've come to know the strength and spirit of Celestia's army. It's almost nostalgic...' He then trotted over to the couple and they both looked at him in confusion. The furious pony then gave a small bow and spoke in a calm tone "Thank you for the match, Shining Armor. I am pleased to witness your strength firsthand. Let us spar again sometime once you've trained a little."

Despite Wrath's words sounding polite, he felt challenged as he gave a small glare "Don't worry. I'll come to you for another rematch once I've tapped into more of my magic!" He then sighed in defeat "But you really are an amazing opponent...I've never met anypony strong enough to take me down in a one-on-one match."

Wrath smiled "You should give yourself credit with your progress..." He noticed his right wing becoming more blood-stained as some dripped on the floor.

Luna noticed the wound on the furious pony's wing and called in some guards with a mighty hoofstomp. The guards rushed in and stood tall while the Princess of the Night spoke "You there! Guide those two to the royal infirmary at once!"

The guards saluted and trotted to Wrath and Shining Armor's side "This way, sirs." One spoke in a dutiful tone. The furious pony was then led out of the throne room while Shining Armor was carried away by the guards, leaving only the princesses and the former homunculi.

Envy turned to Luna with a deadpan stare "Wrath wasn't hurt THAT bad. But if anything, your captain tasted the floor pretty hard!"

Luna glared down at Envy "Watch thine manners, jealous pegasus! Thou musn't act so foolish after our sister granted thee a pardon for your actions!"

Cadence glared at Envy as well "Why are you so cold towards other ponies? Who do you think you are?"

Envy only responded to both princesses by rolling its eyes apathetically.

Celestia stepped in "Now isn't the time to be bickering. We have matters to discuss soon." She turned to Luna "Luna, would you be so kind as to lead our guests to the dining room while I send a letter?"

Luna paused and gasped when she figured out her intentions "Sister, thou art not serious to leave them in the care of-"

Celestia raised a hoof "I'm sure they can handle it...Now we musn't stall for time. Show them the way while I tend to this small matter. I'll arrive with you shortly." She trotted out of the throne room.

Gluttony stuck his tongue out "Dining room? We get to eat!?" The voracious pony giggled in a giddy manner while his acidic saliva seered at the floor. Lust gave him a stern look and he instinctively wiped the saliva from his mouth.

Greed grinned "Alright, now we're talking! I was getting kinda hungry, actually..."

Envy nodded "I can eat. Never realized I'd go this long without some food."

Sloth slowly got onto his legs while his chains rattled on the floor "Hunger is a pain..."

Luna sighed in defeat with how Celestia chose to handle problems, but then turned to the group "All of you, follow us! Thou shalt be given a feast courtesy of our finest chefs!"

Greed smirked proudly "Treating us like royalty? How nice of you!"

Luna glared at the avaricious pony, but then took point in leading the group down the halls.

End of Chapter 10

Chapter 12

In Due Time

Chrysalis was taken by surprise by the mysterious alicorn's red eyes, but then leered back "That does not exactly answer my question, alicorn. What. Is. Your. Name!?"

The alicorn's smile faded "Am I not specific enough? My preferred name is Father. I have other names, but the one presented is the most suitable for me..."

Chrysalis raised an eyebrow "So that IS your name, hm? And who, pray tell, are your lost children? What exactly made you think they would linger about here?"

Father smirked to himself "My children are known for being in the most dangerous areas...I was skeptical of their presence in this world until I caught wind of one of them handling a pack of monsters by himself."

The changeling queen laughed "That is such bunk coming from a stranger like you! Unless one of your children is some kind of large behemoth or a powerful unicorn, I doubt they would handle monsters with relative ease!"

Father's scoffed with his smirk still in place "You'd be surprised, my dear..."

Chrysalis stifled her laughter "Oh, but I shouldn't stall for time. I think it's time for you to get better acquainted with your new home! My subjects shall lead you to your...'quarters'..." She laid a mighty stomp and some changelings flew inside. She pointed a hoof at Father "Take him to the dungeon!"

The changelings hissed and slowly began to surround Father. The pale alicorn looked around and then began to chuckle as his horn produced red static. His laughter, along with his static, grew when they drew closer. He then sent a massive wave of magic that covered the surrounding changelings in a glowing red light.

Chrysalis watched in shock and confusion, then covered her eyes when the light was too bright. When she opened them, she noticed that her changelings were gone and replaced with small red droplets. She gasped when she saw Father lapping up each drop "M-My subjects! My children!" She rose up and her horn glowed with a malevolent green "What have you done to them, you insolent cur!?!?"

Father lapped up the last drop and turned to Chrysalis "There is no need to fret, your majesty...They're still alive. But now they belong to me..."

Chrysalis roared in anger "How dare you!?" Her horn charged and she sent a beam of green energy at Father, who was tossed back by the beam's strength and slammed into a wall, then fell to the ground with a thud. When she cancelled her beam, she gave the pale alicorn a wicked grin "How do you like it, Father!? You're looking at the only being who was capable of defeating Princess Celestia!! I am an absolute modicem of powe-" Her eyes widened at what was happening.

She saw Father easily getting up and brushing himself off as if he dealt with a mere trip over a rock. His expression was calm and nonchalant as he brushed off his chest where the beam struck. He then looked up at the changeling queen and spoke as if the two were not enemies "Impressive...Though, now you have me intrigued about this 'Celestia' character. Tell me, what is she like?"

Chrysalis was slackjawed, but then she regained her angry composure as she shot another beam at Father. He got hit once more, which made the changeling queen smile once again, but her smile left as quick as it came when the pale alicorn made another eased recovery "H-How are you-"

Father waved a hoof "Let's not question good fortune..." He looked at his hoof as it gave off fading static "...Though, I'm quite certain you singlehandedly killed some of your children..."

The changeling queen faltered 'Th-This is madness!! Nopony should be more powerful than me!! Who is this alicorn!?' She then glared at Father "How did you do it?"

Father looked up at Chrysalis "Hm? Do what? Are you referring to the 'process' I've demonstrated earlier? I would consider it a naturally-born talent of mine..."

Chrysalis growled "What did you do to my changelings!? Answer me!!" She snapped with rage.

Father was unphased by the changeling queen's lashing "I've only turned them into philosopher's stones so they can be added to my power..." His muzzle contorted into a smile "I daresay that your children are just as resourceful as my own..."

Chrysalis was now confused. Philosopher's stone? But that was not the only case of confusion "You mean to tell me your children reside inside of your being as well?"

Father shook his head "No, not anymore. And I wish to look for them so I can see more of this world...to learn from it..." His eyes became devious "And become one with its ruler..." he whispered ambitiously.

Chrysalis poked a holed hoof to her chin "Become one with its ruler? So you seek Celestia?" A wicked smile was spread on her face "What if I were to help you and arrange a meeting with her??"

Father raised an eyebrow "Oh? And I trust you have connections? As much as I would love to meet her now, I want to find my children as well..."

Chrysalis' smile turned into a grin "I'm sure she'll help you find your children if we ask 'nicely' enough...Do you wish to meet her?"

The pale alicorn looked down and thought about this. He never thought he could have a second chance to become one with this world's ruler so quickly. And her name even had him sold. Celestia. As in Celestial. As in '...God...' A smile crept onto his face 'Soon, I shall become one with you once more...' Father heard hoofsteps and noticed different colored ponies march into the room. The ponies then gradually transformed into changelings that stopped and saluted Chrysalis.

Chrysalis smirked to herself "Ah, my sentries have arrived...and such timing, too."

Father turned to Chrysalis with a raised eyebrow "Sentries?"

Chrysalis nodded "Indeed. I've scattered sentries around the reaches of Equestria so they could monitor the activity of other towns and their inhabitants. They even transform into exact duplicates of some of the town's residents and nopony suspects a thing!" She laughed to herself.

Father smiled "You never cease to amaze, your majesty..." He looked at the changelings once more and contemplated their ability "You know...One of my children can transform like your own, actually..."

This caused the changeling queen to instantly stop her laughter "What? Are you saying that you've adopted one of my changelings!?"

The pale alicorn examined the changelings "I cannot say adopted. All I can say is that one of them can transform..." He poked a hoof to his chin 'Though I wouldn't be surprised if they were given this form upon arrival...' He then stopped and turned to Chrysalis "I would wish to know about this world before we make our departure. We musn't rush such a sublime moment..."

Chrysalis chuckled "Very well. It would seem your patience matches your power. I will gladly inform you about Equestria before we make for Canterlot. I've never expect to meet somepony like you before..." She was indeed happy to have a cohort in dethroning the solar princess, but a part of her was torn to realize she could not feed off of the pale alicorn.

Father smirked "There's a lot you do not know about me..." He popped the joints in his neck before focusing back to Chrysalis "So...begin sharing?"
_____

Gluttony's mouth was wide open when he noticed the smörgåsbord laid in front of his pupilless eyes. His voice trembled giddly while he was trying so hard to fight back his acidic drool wanting to flow from his mouth like a river.

Greed noticed the food as well and he almost felt like joining his voracious brother "Man, she really is treating us like royalty! I'm so hungry, I can eat a-" He stopped himself and examined his being before finishing "I'm just hungry." His hunger was forgotten when he looked at the amazing golden silverware used for the food. The avaricious pony should make a mental note to 'borrow' some of it if he were to be sent out of the castle.

The five former homunculi sat themselves with Luna and Cadence and they all waited. Envy then broke the ice after a small moment of awkward silence "Sooo, do we just dig in?"

Luna held up a hoof "We shalt wait for our elder sister. She will be with us shortly..."

Cadence looked at the group "In the meantime, could you perhaps tell us how you all are related? You seem awfully different from one another..."

Greed looked away "Let's just say our father's a fickle bastard and leave it at that..."

Cadence gasped "Is he a playcolt of sorts!?"

Gluttony forgot his hunger for a moment and chuckled "Silly princess! Father doesn't play with us! He just fixes us up if we get hurt!"

Envy turned to Gluttony with a glare "Too much information, Gluttony..."

Gluttony turned to the jealous pony "But she asked nicely! There shouldn't be a problem with talking about Father, right?"

Greed turned to Gluttony "Actually there is. So just drop it, okay?" He almost snapped. The avaricious pony's heart skipped a beat 'We don't even know if the bastard followed us here...Oh, please don't let me be right...'

Cadence nodded benevolently "I understand. What goes on with your family is your business."

Lust bowed to Cadence from her seat "Thank you for your understanding." The lascivious mare never thought she would be so neutral about this place. But then again, she was not kidding when she said this place was 'magical'. She was already thinking about when Shining Armor fended off Wrath with a magical barrier and could not help to look at her horn with a smile 'I wonder what else you are capable of...'

Soon after Lust's thought, Princess Celestia trotted into the dining room with a calm expression on her face. Wrath was found behind her with his right wing wrapped in medical tape.

Gluttony noticed and waved childishly "Hello, Wrath! It's good to see you again!"

Wrath chuckled at the voracious pony's behavior "Likewise, Gluttony. It's nice to know you're showing restraint in front of all this food, too..."

Celestia took her seat with a smile "I ran into Wrath after I was finished with my letter. With that out of the way, we shall now discuss the terms of your new duties here in Equestria."

Envy turned to Celestia "About that...are you expecting us to work as soldiers here? Because the only enjoyable experience is actually making sure I bash someone's face in!"

Celestia shook her head "Not at all like that, Envy. And it's somepony. But aside from that, your duties will not be carried out in Canterlot. I've sent for ponies whom you'll consider teachers for the time being. They'll arrive here in an hour to pick you up."

Sloth groaned "Learning is a pain..." He stared at the food with his eye and his stomach roared like a mighty beast.

Celestia noticed this and chuckled "Of course. This wouldn't be lunch if we were just talking. Dig in, my little ponies!"

Gluttony gave a girlish squeal before he slammed his face into most of the meals. He ravaged them like the hungry animal that he was "So delicious!" The princesses were lucky that drops of Gluttony's drool were not flung from his mouth while he gradually cleared the table.

Greed dug into his own plate and ate with a lighter version of Gluttony's tenacity 'This stuff's amazing! Never thought it wasn't meat, though...' He ignored his second thoughts and continued to eat with his lack of manners.

Envy was the same as Greed with how it consumed the food, and then the two found themselves tugging at an elegant cheese log with their forehooves and growling like dogs. Envy glared "Back off, Greed! I saw it first!"

Greed glared back "Says you! This thing is mine!" He continued to pull on the decadent meal.

Luna held an exasperated expression as her horn glowed. She used her magic to split the cheese log in half, and caused Greed and Envy to fall back from their excessive tugging. 'They behave so rashly. I feel sorry for the element bearers already...'

Wrath and Lust were the only ones with enough table manners to eat their dishes properly, whereas Sloth slowly took in a large amount of food in his mouth and slowly chewed.

Celestia chuckled to herself despite the small amount of tomfoolery being displayed at the table. While the former homunculi were difficult, they knew how to liven things up at the table. She already wonders how they would act if they were invited to the Grand Galloping Gala. She then cleared her throat "I hope the meals are to your liking, homunculi. They're the best we have here in Canterlot."

Greed swallowed his portion of food and grinned at Celestia "Are you kidding!? This is what I live for! I don't even wanna leave this place already!" He dug into more of his food after his joyous proclamation.

Celestia shook her head with a smile 'The poor pony will be disappointed once they arrive.' She then turned to Cadence "Cadence, I forgot to mention that Shining Armor is recovering fine, though he will be out of commission for the time being..." Wrath halted his consumption when he heard this "I'll grant him a small vacation until he meets full recovery." She then smiled "The bright side to this is that you'll spend more time with each other than ever."

Cadence sighed "Well, at least he is recovering. I would be devastated if something worse happened..."

Wrath turned to Cadence "Let us not tempt fate, your majesty. As for the means of Shining Armor, I would like to make another proposal." He turned to Celestia "If you would allow it."

Celestia waved a hoof "Granted. What do you desire, Wrath?"

Greed was drinking some juice while Wrath spoke "While you speak of our duties of being placed under tutelage, I wish for something more than that."

Celestia raised an eyebrow "And that is?"

Wrath finished his meal and he rose from his seat "I wish to stay here and serve in your Royal Guard."

With that, Greed spat out the juice in surprise and it sprayed at Luna's face, much to her seething anger. The avaricious pony turned to Wrath "What!? You, serve her? What are you getting at, Wrath?"

The furious pony looked around "This whole castle reminds me of my childhood and how I've spent it in what could be considered a luxury..." He noticed one of the guards standing by the door "And the soldiers here fill me with a large sense of nostalgia with how they are resolute and loyal to their duties." He looked back with a smirk "Not to mention, I would wish to temporarily fill Shining Armor's place as captain."

Cadence rose from her seat and glared at Wrath "You can't just simply ask Princess Celestia to just give you the position as captain! You were not in the army to begin with!"

Celestia pondered this "She does have a point...However." She looked up "You have proven your worth in that little duel earlier, and knowing that you are so fond of how the guards work here, I would gladly see how you would monitor them if they were under your watch."

Wrath's smirk grew wider "So do I have your permission? Note that I said I shall be captain temporarily. I will gladly withdraw my position once Shining Armor has recovered." His smile faded "I would never go so far as to taking a dutiful captain's job permanently..."

Cadence was confused "You speak so highly of him despite emerging the victor in the duel back there. Are you fond of Shining Armor that much?"

Wrath nodded "He was an epitome of strength during our skirmish, and has truly earned his title with his skill. I will not lie when I say I hold the deepest respect for his traits and capabilities..."

Cadence paused and stared at Wrath after he made his claim. She then nodded and smiled "Maybe he wouldn't mind if you took his place for a bit..." She then held a worried frown "But how will the rest of the guard react to this? Lieutenant Harrowing Gale was sure to have the spot of captain."

Celestia chuckled "Knowing Wrath's strength, I'd surmise he'll have second thoughts..." She turned to the furious pony "Very well, Wrath. Instead of joining your brethren, you will be issued the temporary position of Royal Guard captain." She trotted up and knighted Wrath with her large horn while he kneeled "May your strength shine like the sun itself..."

Wrath nodded "It shall...I will be sure of it, your majesty..."

Luna watched this from her table after she cleaned herself of Greed's sprayed juice "Rather unorthodox to knight a new captain at the dining room table, sister..." Greed and Envy rolled their eyes at the sudden ceremony.

A guard trotted into the dining room and bowed "Your majesty! They have arrived!"

Celestia nodded with a smile "Excellent. Then this meal is over." She ignored the sad moan of Gluttony after her words.

The guard then looked up "Also, your nephew arrived presumably after! It would seem he took the time to visit you."

The solar princess' smile wavered a moment "Thank you for the message. You are excused..." The guard saluted and went off 'Oh dear...I might need Wrath's help a little early if things get out of hoof...'

End of Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Royal Banter

Celestia turned to the rest of the group with a smile "If the homunculi would be so kind as to follow me to the castle's main hall, I will gladly introduce you to your new teachers. Also, as my guard noted, you'll also be acquainted with one of my relatives."

Greed nodded and rose from his seat "Sounds good enough. They should know I'm not exactly the best student, though. Being kept under some teacher's thumb can cramp my style..."

Celestia chuckled at Greed's masculine behavior "I assure you, they will be the best ones you will ever meet, Greed. One of them happens to be the polar opposite of you..."

Greed scowled at this 'Great...so they're gonna try and will me out of what I love most? Well let them try!!' His scowl was then replaced with a smirk "Lead the way, princess! Now I'm practically antsy to meet my 'teachers'!"

Envy scoffed "So we're being forced to learn if we have to be free? What exactly are we learning here?"

Lust turned to Envy "Judging by our location, we're clearly going to learn about Equestria and its civilization..." She smiled to herself "As well as its magic..." The lascivious mare could not wait to tap into her horn's capabilities.

Celestia nodded "That is correct Lust. But the sole subject that they shall coach you on is the Magic of Friendship."

Envy was dumbfounded at this and looked up at Celestia "You're kidding..." The jealous pony squinted its eyes "You're kidding, right?"

Celestia held a neutral gaze "This is no joke, Envy." She then gave the jealous pony a motherly smile "You are to show me that you can be able to adapt to Equestria as ponies. This is the only requirement I bestow upon you if you wish to steer clear of Tartarus..." Her gaze was then stoic, but grave "Would you chance that?"

There it was again. Envy felt a pang of fear while it stared at Celestia's gaze 'She almost sounds like Father with that face and tone...' The jealous pony then shook itself of its fear and looked away "No, I'd rather not give those demons my time..." Envy answered in a calm tone.

Celestia smiled "Then I hope you all are ready." She turned to Luna and Cadence "Shall we?"

Luna and Cadence nodded and rose from their seats as they joined the rest of the group. They then made their way out of the dining room at a decent pace.

Wrath and Greed trotted side-by-side, and the furious pony turned to Greed "So, Greed...how does it feel that you'll be met with the exact opposite of what you stand for?" He smirked and awaited a response.

The avaricious pony scowled at Wrath's words "Dreadful...I'm not letting neither of them lead me away from what I live for! There's nothing wrong with a little greed in your life, and you know it!"

Wrath only chuckled "Hopefully they would as well..." They trotted down the stairs of the main hall to see four ponies on the ground floor.

Greed wanted to take a look at the colorful ponies, but was stopped when two unicorns bearing royal trumpets blew into them as they announced an arrival. The trumpets were enough to annoy the former homunculi, save for Gluttony, who tried to imitate them after they finished.

A unicorn stallion in a shakespearean outfit levitated a scroll and cleared his throat before reading it with his eyes closed "From the surnamed manor of his most elegant presence, Prince Blueblood of the Royal Family!" The messenger moved out of the way to make way for a pony trotting haughtily towards the group with his nose stuck in the air with pride. It was yet another unicorn, only he was prim and proper with a golden mane and a compass for a cutie mark.

Blueblood stopped in front of Celestia and ignored his regal demeanor for a moment to act like a happy child "Ah, Auntie Celestia! Aunt Luna! So good to see you two again! It's been so long!"

Luna shared a small nuzzle with Blueblood "Likewise, dear nephew!"

Celestia smiled at her nephew "Only two weeks, but it's good to see you, too, Blueblood. How have you been?" She inwardly facehoofed at how her own nephew would behave so poorly at a mature age.

Blueblood's face contorted into a disappointed frown as he scoffed "Oh, it was simply abhorrant with how my servants had to act so lenient in their work while I graciously pay them AND let them stay at my humble abode! When I was first issued with these servants, they happily served me without a word, but over time, they've become more lazy and ill-minded!"

Cadence sighed at this and looked away 'I wonder why...' She never really liked Blueblood with how he acted toward other ponies, even if he was related to Celestia. He always seemed so ignorant in her eyes.

Celestia nodded "I see. As nice as it is to see you again, Blueblood, I have to get the element bearers acquainted with their new students."

The ignorant prince raised an eyebrow "Students?" He looked behind the princesses to see the former homunculi stand idly by with their own expressions "Well, where are they? All I see are circus ponies behind you!"

Envy heard this and leaped forward "What did you say, punk!?" The jealous pony went to attack, but was held back by Celestia's magic. Envy flailed while it was being pulled back and growled at Blueblood when set next to Greed.

Celestia turned to Blueblood and kept her smile, but spoke in a slightly impatient tone "Blueblood... THESE are the students I was referring to. They will be departing for Ponyville shortly."

Blueblood sniffed "So I've been told. It would seem suitable for them given their...appearance." He slightly grimaced at each of them until he locked his eyes on Lust. His expression then changed to a mixture of shock, bemusement, and wonder "Who is this wondrous mare standing next to them!?"

Lust smirked at the ignorant prince 'It seems I was wrong about the ponies differing from humans in foolishness...This one projects it without trying...' She gave a curtsey before introducing herself "Greetings, Prince Blueblood. My name is Lust. I am pleased to meet your acquaintence..." She spoke in a polite tone, though she wondered how to toy with this one on the inside.

Blueblood trotted forward and gently took Lust's left foreleg with his right and pecked at the hoof "The pleasure is mine. And might I say, you have an amazing name to go with your figure." He flashed a dashing gaze at Lust.

The lascivious mare chuckled, not in flattery, but at how Blueblood thought he was sweeping her off her feet 'Such a buffoon, this one...' She held her kissed hoof to her cheek and pretended to blush "Oh my, I feel faint..." Lust spoke in mock ecstasy.

Celestia shook her head with a smile at the scene. Greed and Envy snickered at this as they watched. Gluttony glared at the ignorant prince "No one talks to Lust that way..." he muttered to himself.

Blueblood tilted his head at Lust "Tell me, what exactly are you doing with these..." He looked at the other former homunculi and hesitated "How should I put this without hurting their feelings?"

Greed spoke up "Just say ponies like everypony else. It's that easy." He smirked at the ignorant prince.

Blueblood grimaced at Greed's manners "Yes, of course..." He turned back to Lust "So what are you doing with these...ponies?" He spoke the last word hesitantly, as if he wanted to say something else.

Lust shook her head 'I think I've had my fun with this one...' She smiled "Why they're my family, of course! Could you perhaps grace them with your kindness as well?"

Blueblood was shocked "These ones are your family!? But how!?"

Lust smiled at the look of Blueblood's reaction "Oh, it's a long story, but perhaps I should introduce them to you!" She waved a hoof to an angry looking round pony "This is my little brother Gluttony. Say hello, Gluttony!"

The voracious pony continued glaring at Blueblood "...Hello..." He muttered in an angry tone. Greed and Envy watched in wonder, not expecting Gluttony to act so protective of Lust.

Blueblood reluctantly waved "Yes, hello to you, too..." He winced after his wave 'My word, what does that pony eat!? Nopony shouldn't be THIS obese in nature!' He directed his attention to the others "And what of them?"

Celestia decided to cut in "This one is Greed. And apparently he wants everything in Equestria." She spoke in a nonchalant tone.

Greed simply grinned his sharp teeth and chimed in "Damn straight!"

Blueblood scoffed in disgust "Such language! Have you no manners?"

The avaricious pony waved a dismissive hoof "Only around women and people I like. Other than that, you'll have to get used to how I act around others!"

Celestia chuckled and then pointed to Envy "And the one you just antagonized is Envy."

Blueblood stared at Envy and slowly grimaced. The jealous pony glared at him with cold indifference "What is it?"

The ignorant prince tilted his head "...What gender are you exactly? Are you a mare or are you a colt?" He then grimaced once again "Please tell me it's not both..."

Envy glared daggers at Blueblood "Does it matter!?" It spat venom with its words.

Blueblood instantly replied "Of course it does! I cannot stand a pony who was conceived in both genders! It's simply inequine and abominable!" Celestia facehoofed at her nephew's remark. She was lucky to have so much patience for him.

Envy, on the other hoof, resembled Wrath when he fought Shining Armor "I'm going to kill you...painfully..." It slowly trotted up and went to pounce on Blueblood, only to be held back by Celestia once more "Oh, come on!!"

Celestia turned to Blueblood "Now Blueblood, I do believe you owe Envy an apology. Can you do that?"

Blueblood huffed "I suppose so, since it's you asking me, Auntie." He cleared his throat "I apologize that you were born into this world how you are."

Envy knew he did not mean a single word and only gave a hate-filled glare "You're lucky she's holding me back..." It uttered in a low and dark tone.

Blueblood turned to Lust and spoke in a polite tone "Well, you do have a unique family. And while I would meet the rest of them, I only wish to see my aunts!"

Celestia turned to Luna and nodded her head towards the stairs. Luna complied to the message and returned a nod of her own. She turned to Blueblood and held out a hoof "Come, Blueblood! We have much to talk about! We would gladly hear of the time you hath spent in your manor!"

Blueblood nodded "Of course, Aunt Luna! Lead the way while I regale my past days to you!" The two then trotted off while Blueblood bantered on about his home activities.

Celestia gave a relieved sigh and turned to the former homunculi "My most sincerest apologies for Blueblood, my little ponies...He can behave very poorly at times despite his status."

Envy glared at the solar princess "Why did you stop me!? I would've put the bastard in his place!"

Celestia gave Envy a stern gaze "Because such behavior should not be tolerated around here. Your words were unacceptable, Envy." She closed her eyes "I can only hope you will learn proper kindness soon enough..."

Envy looked away with a scowl "Beating him within an inch of his life would've been a kindness..." The jealous pony muttered.

Lust chuckled "Ignorance is bliss. But I can see how he portays his behavior with such a high status." She turned to Gluttony and patted his head "Here I thought he would have been a dignified figure in this world..."

Steam flared from Gluttony's nostrils as he gave a disgusted snort "I don't like him! Not one bit!"

Greed chuckled "Easy, Gluttony. You wouldn't want to piss off the-"

"Princess!"

The avaricious pony, along with the rest of the group turned their heads to see six ponies make their way inside of the castle. One of them was a purple unicorn who galloped towards Celestia and shared a nuzzle to which the princess gladly returned.

Lust smirked "Well well, it would seem our 'teachers' have arrived..."

End of Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Elements of Sin

The former homunculi took a proper look at the one who approached the princess. When she finished, the unicorn turned to see Cadence and went to her side to nuzzle her as well. After she shared both embraces, she beamed at Celestia "I heard about the students you were going to assign to us! I never thought you would issue a responsibility like this to us!"

Celestia gave a warm smile "Well, you and your friends have learned to much in the past, that it's only best you spread the teachings to the next generation." She turned to the former homunculi "Feel free to get acquainted with them."

The six ponies looked back at the six former homunculi with mixed expressions. Greed noticed that the only one that did not feel something was off was the pink one, who smiled jubilantly at him and the others. Then they all got acquainted with each other in different groups.

A rainbow maned pegasus examined Wrath as he stood proudly next to Celestia and gave an impressed smile "Wow, you look pretty cool for an old guy!"

Wrath looked up at Rainbow Dash with a smirk "Thank you, and it would be wise to respect your elders..."

The pegasus landed and felt a little sheepish "Hehe, my bad..." She then perked up "Anyways, the name's Rainbow Dash! Element of Loyalty and Fastest Flier in Equestria! What's yours??"

Wrath nodded "I go by either Wrath or King Bradley..." He then smirked "Or you can perhaps call me Captain Wrath."

Rainbow Dash tilted her head "Captain? But I thought Shining Armor was the captain!"

Greed heard and smirked over at Rainbow Dash "You mean that unicorn? Yeah, Wrath kicked his ass in a one-on-one duel and earned his spot!" He chuckled to himself.

The purple unicorn heard and looked over with an incredulous expression "He did what!?"

Wrath nodded "Temporarily of course. I will lead the army with Celestia's expectations in his absence..." He looked over to the unicorn and gave a curt bow "My apologies if this confuses you or leaves you disoriented..."

She looked down with sad eyes "But my brother's the best in the army! Nopony couldn't easily fight him in a duel like that!"

Greed went wide-eyed "That unicorn is your brother!?" He galloped over and examined the purple unicorn before he stopped "I don't exactly see the resemblance other than you're a unicorn as well..."

The purple unicorn raised an eyebrow "Did you try comparing cutie marks?"

The avaricious pony thought about this and looked at the unicorn's cutie mark. It was nothing but a set of stars, almost similar to Shining Armor's minus the shield "Ah, I getcha..." He looked up with a content smile "What's your name, kid? My name's Greed."

The purple unicorn gave a smile of her own and held a hoof to her chest "My name is Twilight Sparkle, Element of Magic, and personal student of Princess Celestia!"

Greed went silent 'Personal...That means this one probably knows enough about the princess to see what makes her tick!' He grinned to himself and patted Twilight on her head while she looked confused "Sparkle, you and I might get along just fine..."

The pink pony hopped around Envy and giggled happily. It was as if nothing stopped her from exerting her joy, and she already agitated the jealous pony to the point where it twitched an eye. It gritted its teeth and yelled "Could you stop that!? It's getting on my nerves!"

The pink pony stopped in front of Envy with an unchanged smile "Okie Dokie Loki!" She then waved "Hi there! I'm Pinkie Pie, Element of laughter and party planner extraordinaire! I have more titles, but those'll be enough for you!" She grinned.

Envy sneered back 'You forgot ignoramus...' "Good enough for me. I'm Envy..." The jealous pony then caught Pinkie holding her hooves to her mouth while she held back her laughter. Envy glared "What?"

Pinkie then pointed a shaky hoof while she containted her laughter "Your head!"

Envy's eyes narrowed "What about it?"

Pinkie was about to burst "It looks like-...like-...like-...!"

The jealous pony almost lost its patience "Like what!? Out with it!"

Pinkie could not hold it anymore "Like a palm tree!" She fell back and rolled around in laughter "I wonder if you have a palm tree cutie mark as well!" She continued, unaware of the pony in front of her.

Envy stood stalk still while it glared down at Pinkie. The jealous pony then sported a devious grin "Hey, Gluttony...did you know the pink one's mane is made of candy??"

Gluttony perked his ears and looked over "Candy!?" He galloped and stopped by Pinkie with his tongue stuck out. He never had candy in a long while.

Pinkie looked up "Oh, hello there! Are you hungry? Cuz you're drooling an awful lot!" She was oblivious to Gluttony's drool seering the floor "Why are you looking at me like that, silly?"

Gluttony licked his lips and wiped his drool "Candy...I'm going to eat you!"

Pinkie tilted her head "Are we playing tag? Okay!" She got up and booped Gluttony's nose "Tag! You're it!" She then hopped off with a giggle, unaware that Gluttony only followed so he could have at Pinkie's mane, and quite possibly the rest of her body.

Envy scoffed "That's one way to get rid of a problem..." It trotted off to see if it could find some isolation.

The orange mare stared up slackjawed at Sloth's sitting form "Land sakes! What do they feed y'all back home!?"

Sloth only replied with a tired groan as he slowly went down into a resting position, his chains rattling with his movement "...What a pain..."

The orange mare raised an eyebrow "Well, okay then..." She then smiled and tipped her hat "Howdy there! Name's Applejack, Element o' Honesty and proud worker on Sweet Apple Acres! What's yer's, big guy?"

Sloth turned away from Applejack and answered "Sloth...I'm tired, and I wanna take a nap..."

Applejack scratched the back of her head "Well, his name suits his mood..." She then looked over at his cutie mark with curiousity and bemusement 'What in the hay does that mean?'

The white unicorn stared up at Lust with amazement "Oh my stars, darling! You look absolutely marvelous! You're like a second Fleur de Lis with your form!"

Lust chuckled at the praise she received "Why thank you. I suppose you hold an elegant charm of your own with your style..." She then bowed "My name is Lust. And you are?"

The white unicorn nodded "Yes, of course!" She bowed herself "Pleased to meet you, Lust! My name is Rarity, Element of Generosity and owner of Carousel Boutique! If you ever need a fine dress, you know who to turn to!"

Lust smirked "Generosity? You should probably meet Greed..."

Rarity looked up in confusion "There's a pony named Greed?"

The lascivious mare nodded "Oh yes. And he even lives by his name, too. Would you like to meet him?"

The fashionista was hesitant about this. She remembered both of her times when she got greedy herself. She definitely could not forgive Discord for what she now called the 'Tom incident', and she could not help herself when she knew that the boquet from the wedding fell in her hooves 'W-Well, I'm sure it did...' She looked up at Lust "Erm, perhaps later. He IS going to be a student of mine, and I only wish to have a nice chat amongst us ladies!" She beamed at the lascivious mare "Could you perhaps tell me how you style your mane?"

Lust chuckled "Oh, I would style it like any girl...I'm flattered that you adore it so much."

Envy trotted until she came face-to-face with the only other lone figure. It was a cringing yellow pegasus who tried to hide herself in her flowing pink mane. The jealous pony stood and took one step, and the pegasus reflexively squeaked and scooted back. Envy repeated once more with the same results and shot a deadpan stare. It then turned to the group and pointed at the pegasus "Is she for real?"

Twilight looked at Envy "Careful now, Envy. That's Fluttershy, Element of Kindness. She's not good at meeting new ponies..."

Envy turned to Fluttershy "Fluttershy, huh?" The jealous pony never thought kindness would take this form, but then again it didn't matter at all. Envy slowly leaned into Fluttershy's face to examine her with squinted eyes while she shook profusely. After a small moment, Envy decided to break the ice "...Boo."

Fluttershy squeaked and quickly hid behind Celestia. Envy then chuckled "Oh, you are just a treat!"

Rainbow Dash saw Envy's treatment and glared. She then flew over and got in Envy's face "Hey, watch it! Don't tease Fluttershy"

Envy glared back "I only said one word to her! That doesn't even count as teasing!"

Rainbow Dash then pushed her snout towards Envy's with force "You better watch yourself! If I catch you messing with Fluttershy again, so help me I'll-"

Envy glared and pushed back with its snout "You'll what?" it uttered darkly.

Rainbow Dash growled and pushed once more "Why don't you make me angry and see!?"

Envy pushed once more "Ladies first!!" The two tried pushing each other while growling.

Lust and Rarity watched in exasperation. The fashionista rolled her eyes "My word, they're like children!"

The lascivious mare nodded with a sigh "It's like looking into a mirror. Sometimes, it's not so good to be related to them..."

Rarity turned to Lust with surprise "You're related? How do you put up with how that mar-..." She looked at Envy and paused "...that col-..." She paused again, and then turned to Lust "That pony?"

Lust smiled "We share a mutual respect and nothing more. Not much to expect between siblings."

Twilight, Cadence, Greed, Wrath conversed while Gluttony continued chasing Pinkie around. Cadence turned to Wrath "-and that's how it happened. I'm not too thrilled with the results, but Wrath has shown such remarkable battle experience against Shining Armor. But aside from that, it surprises me that they're all related!"

Greed smirked "Everyone except Wrath here! He's the illegitimate child!" He laughed at his own joke while furious pony glared at him.

Twilight turned to Greed "Illegitimate? He seems to carry seniority over you, Greed..."

Greed snorted "You don't know us, do you!? Wrath's the youngest out of all of us!"

Twilight and Cadence's jaws dropped and the lavender bookworm spoke up "What? But that can't be right! Wrath is-"

Wrath nodded "I'm afraid Greed is correct, Miss Sparkle. However..." He smirked "That does not mean I cannot best him in combat..."

Greed glared at the furious pony "Up yours! I say we settle things before we leave!" His horn began to glow, but then was stopped by Celestia, who shook her head. Greed then scoffed "Fine..."

Twilight seemed unnerved by the tension shared between Greed and Wrath "Don't you all love each other as a family?"

Greed snorted with a grin "Define love!"

Pinkie giggled while she hopped away from Gluttony, who did not relent in his hungry craze "Come back, candy mane! I wanna eat you!"

The party pony looked back and spoke "I'm not candy mane! I'm Pinkie Pie! What's your name?"

Gluttony galloped and huffed "Gluttony! Can I please eat you?"

Pinkie laughed "You can't eat me silly! You-" She gasped "Oh, you're hungry!" She stopped and dug into her mane and pulled out a cupcake. When Gluttony got close, she stuffed the baked good into his maw "Here ya go!"

The voracious pony stopped and chewed the cupcake before swallowing it. If he had pupils, they would widen and tremble at how delicious the morsel was "What was that? It was amazing!!"

Pinkie gasped "You never had a cupcake before!?" She pointed a hoof "Oh, you're in for a WORLD of party once we get to Ponyville!"

Celestia chuckled "Then I suppose you should be on your way. I look forward to hearing about each of your lessons."

Wrath nodded "You all know I shall remain here and maintain the army..." He looked up to Celestia with a smile "Perhaps I can learn friendship from Celestia, knowing that she is well-versed in the subject..."

Celestia chuckled "Maybe you will, Wrath." She turned to the rest of the group "Okay, my little ponies. It is time for you to depart from here."
_____

The former homunculi were led to a train and each of them, save for Wrath and Sloth, made their way inside. Lust looked around and hummed to herself "It's been a while since I've rode on a train. Has this locomotive been met with serious trouble in the past?"

Twilight turned to Lust "Not really. The Friendship Express is actually one of the best means of transport in Equestria!"

Envy groaned as it trotted past the two mares "Friendship this and friendship that, I swear..."

Outside of the train, Celestia directed Sloth to a large cart being pulled by six athletic stallions. When he lazily drew close, each of the stallions went pale at Sloth's appearance, and almost faltered when he made his way onto the cart and accidentally broke the wood. Sloth then plucked the splinters from his body "Wood is a pain..."

Celestia sighed "Perhaps it is time to try out the new steel carts..." She signalled for the stallions to gallop over to the castle and return with a cart that resembled the last one, only it shimmered with silver. Sloth then made his way onto the cart and groaned in complaint to how cold it was.

Celestia chuckled and waved the ponies off as they departed on their respective means of transport 'I hope that the homunculi will learn something from the element bearers...'

On the Friendship Express, Greed leaned on his bench and waited. Soon he will be sent ot a quiet place called Ponyville...away from the castle...where Wrath chose to stay...and be pampered...When the avaricious pony's mind clicked, his face instantly contorted into an expression of pure rage "FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF-" He showed himself out the window and held a hoof upward "DAMMIT, WRATH!!!" Greed looked at his hoof and then growled in more rage.

Twilight, confused about Greed's sudden mood shift galloped to his side "Greed? What's wrong??"

Greed only looked back at the distant figures of Celestia and Wrath as he kept his hoof up "IF I HAD FINGERS, I'D BE SHOWING YOU ONE!!!" Greed has never felt so duped in his life. He was led away from a luxurious castle to another destination.

End of Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Welcome to Ponyville

On the Friendship Express, the element bearers and the former homunculi (now numbering 4) were on their way to Ponyville. Everypony sat themselves and waited patiently for the train to reach the next station.

Rarity continued conversing with Lust on certain styles for the lascivious mare's appearance and often daydreamed of the possibilities. Lust was slightly uncomfortable to have Rarity be as clingy as Gluttony, but she admitted that some of her ideas sounded wonderful.

Applejack and Fluttershy were talking about Sloth. The cowpony spoke "Ah swear, pardner, Ah've never seen a stallion bigger than Big Macintosh before! But what bothers me is how he's all lazy an' stuff. Maybe if I can get 'im to work on the fields fer a bit..."

Fluttershy looked down "I hope he's friendly. But when you look at him, the poor stallion's probably too tired. What if he hasn't napped in so long?"

Greed, now over the fact that he was away from the castle, laughed as he joined the conversation "He's not called Sloth the indolent for nothing, ladies. Also, good luck if you'll try to make him think that working's his favorite thing to do!"

Applejack raised an eyebrow "An' who're ya t' tell me it ain't easy? All that feller needs is a good push an' he'll be on 'is feet in no time! Ah'll get 'im to work an' he'll enjoy it at Sweet Apple Acres soon enough!"

Greed chuckled "Good luck with that, AJ." He looked over at Fluttershy, who cringed a little at Greed's approach and grinned "Hehehe, you really ARE shy. Don't worry, I'm a nice guy. It's Envy you gotta watch out for!" He looked over at the jealous pony resting on a seat and enjoying a small nap.

Fluttershy looked at Greed "Um...Pardon me for asking but, what is Envy's gender? I cannot really tell...I-I'm sorry!" She quickly apologized with an embarrased blush.

Greed shrugged "Whatever floats your boat. Just don't mention it around that pony."

Fluttershy nodded "O-okay...Thank you, Greed..." She trotted away to meet with Twilight and Rainbow Dash.

Twilight and Rainbow Dash were at a distant seat. Twilight raised an eyebrow when she saw how angry the cyan pegasus was "Is something wrong, Rainbow?"

Rainbow Dash turned to Twilight "You mean you haven't really talked to that pegasus over there?" She pointed a hoof to a sleeping Envy far from their spot.

Twilight tilted her head "Are you still miffed about Envy's encounter with Fluttershy?"

Rainbow Dash sighed "A little, but I'm more concerned about how Envy just decided to challenge me right then and there when I stood up for Fluttershy! Doesn't that pony seem like Gilda almost?"

Twilight looked over at Envy "Maybe Envy's not good with first impressions." The lavender bookworm then saw Fluttershy trot over to them and smiled "Oh, hey, Fluttershy. Are you enjoying yourself?"

Fluttershy shifted her eyes away "Well, to be honest, I'm nervous on how we'll be dealing with these ponies as students. I hope that they will behave properly while they stay with us..."

Twilight nodded "I'm sure we can get their minds in order. Celestia warned me that they can be a little misguided. The only problem that least concerns us is Gluttony." She looked over to see Gluttony and Pinkie hopping up and down in their seats.

Pinkie and Gluttony were giggling and the party pony stopped as an idea sprang in her mind "Hey, Gluttony! Wanna know a song?"

Gluttony stopped and beamed at Pinkie "Does it involve what you fed me earlier?"

Pinkie nodded "You know it!" She cleared her throat and then hopped from her seat as she began.

All you have to do is take a cup of flour
Add it to the mix!
Now you take a little something sweet not sour
A bit of salt, just a pinch!
Baking these treats is such a sinch, add a teaspoon of vanilla!
Add a little more and you count to four, and you never get your fill of~!
Cupcakes! So sweet and tasty!
Cupcakes! Don't be too hasty!
Cupcakes! Cupcakes! Cupcakes! Cupcaaaakes~!

Gluttony clopped his hooves and Pinkie signalled the voracious pony to join. The two then stood and sang the same song with glee.

Envy was enjoying its nap until Pinkie's and Gluttony's singing disturbed its rest. The jealous pony quietly growled and held its hooves to its ears to block out the sound. When it was of no avail, Envy gritted its teeth for a short moment, and then its eyes shot open as it rose up and yelled "Would you two keep it down!?"

Gluttony instinctively stopped and looked down remorsefully "Sorry, Envy..."

Pinkie hopped over to Envy's side, the smile on her face refusing to leave "Aw, c'mon, Envy! We're not too far from Ponyville if we just kill some time!" She wrapped a foreleg around the jealous pony's neck "Don't you love to sing?"

Envy glared at Pinkie "I was killing time by sleeping!" It then swatted Pinkie's hoof away "And hell if I actually wanna sing!"

Pinkie's smile left as she was confused "You don't like to sing? But you have such a beautiful voice!"

Envy shot a deadpan stare at the party mare "Wonderful...now leave me alone!"

Pinkie's smile returned "But I can't! We're going to reach Ponyville right abooooout~..." She hopped onto Envy and smushed its face as it gave a displeased grunt while Pinkie poked her upper body out the window "Now!" She noticed a small little town coming into view.

Greed heard Pinkie and was curious when he poked his upper body out a different window. He raised an eyebrow at it 'So this is Ponyville, huh?' The avaricious pony paused for a moment before his face contorted into a deep scowl 'I liked Canterlot WAY better...'

Envy grunted and growled as it pushed Pinkie off and glared "You ignorant little..."

Applejack felt a little tense at Envy's anger "C'mon now, sugarcube, Ah know Pinkie can go too far, but she ain't all bad!"

Envy sneered at Applejack "And YOU'RE supposed to be the Element of Honesty?" The cowpony felt taken aback at the jealous pony's harsh remark.

When the train arrived at the station, it stopped and exerted a large cloud of steam. The ponies on board then exited the cart and the former homunculi took in the surroundings of their new home. There were several colorful ponies that went about their usual business. Even the buildings in town were colorful and almost uniquely artistic.

Gluttony looked around with his pupilless eyes "So many ponies..."

Twilight chuckled at the voracious pony's breathless words "Well of course, Gluttony. This is Ponyville after all!"

Gluttony repeated himself "So many ponies..." His tongue hung out as he whispered "I want them all..." His ears perked up when he heard several hooves on the ground and he sniffed at the air. He turned to the nearest exit and saw six ponies pulling a cart "It's Sloth! He's here now!"

Twilight smiled "Okay, looks like the gang's all here! Let's all meet back at the library so we can discuss living arrangements! Follow me, everypony-huh?" Twilight noticed Envy trotting away from the group with a bored expession on its face and spoke "Envy! Where are you going??"

Envy looked back to Twilight "Places. I'll catch up with you all later!" It went to go continue its pace, but jumped back when the jealous pony found Pinkie right in front of it.

Pinkie frowned "Oh, but you have to come now! You're one of our students! We can't have a student skipping class today!"

Envy glared at Pinkie "I'm calling in sick!" It shoved Pinkie and trotted off "Out of my way!" After a few steps, Envy grunted when it felt a large weight on its back.

Pinkie was found on top of Envy looking down with a smile "But you're so healthy right now!" She pulled one of Envy's wings with her teeth and mumbled "Ook rt drz nngs! (Look at those wings!)

Envy growled "Get OFF!" It bucked off Pinkie and continued to trot away. The jealous pony leered back at the party pony with an annoyed groan, and then unknowingly bumped into something hard. Envy looked up to see that it wasn't Pinkie that stopped it once again, but a certain indolent pony "Sloth, what are you doing?"

Sloth stared down blankly with his uncovered eye "If we work...we all work..." He slowly leaned his head down at Envy and opened his mouth.

Envy went to escape, but Sloth already grabbed a hold of its head with his teeth as he lifted Envy up and slowly trotted back to the group. Envy wriggled and flailed in Sloth's grasp "Augh! Dammit, Sloth! Let go of me! I can go back whenever I wa-Oh gross! You're getting slobber all over my head, you moron! Put me down!"

Applejack chuckled a little at Envy's slight misfortune and Sloth's action "That's a fine display of brothery love right there!"

Twilight sighed "Well, at least he'll take Envy back without any trouble. C'mon, everypony! Let's head to the library!" The whole group made their way to the library while Envy continued to struggle against its will.
_____

The group had to deal with certain stares and winces from other ponies at the former homunculi. The only pony treated otherwise was Lust, who was being gawked at by the small amount of males seen in the town. She thought that some of the females gawked at her as well, but she dismissed the thought when they reached their desired destination: A large tree with a house mixed inside of it.

Greed raised an eyebrow in confusion, and directed his expression to Twilight while pointing at the tree. The lavender bookworm simply nodded with a smile. Greed looked back at the tree and rubbed his chin with a hoof "Never seen a library like this before..."

Lust smiled "I trust you have a myriad set of books waiting inside for us? I actually look forward to reading up on certain periodicals..." The lascivious mare could not wait to unlock her horns potential.

Twilight beamed at Lust "I'm glad to see you have a fondness for reading! You can do so after we figure out who's staying with who. Follow me, please!"

The element bearers went inside first, and before Greed went inside, he turned to Sloth "You can spit Envy out now, Sloth! You don't know where that's been..." He smirked at his own joke.

Sloth did what he was told and spat Envy on the ground. The jealous pony wiped off the traces of saliva all over its hair and head and then trotted towards the door. Before it did, it gave Greed a swift punch in the stomach with a forehoof "Jackass..."

Greed lost his breath and fell to his knees when the hit connected, but rubbed his stomach with a smile as he got up "Totally worth it." He made his way inside.

Sloth went to join, but there was only one problem: The door was too small. He stared at it blankly and then sat down on his haunches "What a pain..."

When the others were inside, Twilight called up the stairs "Spike! Come down and meet our guests!"

Greed snickered "You have a dog? Does he talk, too?"

"Who called me a dog?"

A small purple scaled beast waddled down the stairs with an unamused look on his face "There's a huge difference between a dog and a dragon, buddy!" This must be the one called Spike.

Gluttony gasped with joy "A chimera!" He galloped over and petted Spike on his head "Hello, little chimera!"

Spike was startled at Gluttony's approach and was confused and embarrased at how he was petting him "I'm not a chimera! I'm a dragon!"

Gluttony stopped petting Spike and looked down at him with a tilted head "What's a dragon?" The voracious pony was oblivious to Spike's incredulous expression.

Lust chuckled and trotted up to his side "You'll have to forgive Gluttony. He can be a little slow sometimes...So, I take it you're Spike then?"

Spike looked up and his eyes were the size of dinner plates when he noticed Lust and her dazzling eyes. He stammered in his speech as he tried to form coherent words "Y-Yeah, I'm Spike! Nice to meet you!"

Twilight facehoofed at Spike's behavior towards Lust and turned to Rarity "You'd think he would show self control...I hope this doesn't bother you."

Rarity smiled "Oh, not at all, darling! I don't blame Spike for how he is looking at Lust that way." She looked at the purple dragon looking lovestruck and inwardly felt a small amount of distress. Was she actually jealous of Lust?

Twilight looked around and noticed something "Hang on...Where's Sloth?"

Greed chuckled "He's outside! You saw how big he is, didn't you, Twi?"

Twilight sighed and her horn began to glow. A quill and parchment hovered in the air towards the lavender bookworm's face covered in a purple aura "Okay, now to get us all situated!" Greed stared intently while Twilight was talking "Since Sloth is not big enough to be housed in a normal home, it would be best to place him with Applejack!"

Applejack smiled and tipped her hat "Way ahead o' ya, Twilight! That stallion's gonna learn th' value of an honest day's work!"

Twilight jotted down on the parchment with her quill "Okay, Now where should Gluttony stay-"

Pinkie gasped as she remembered "Oh horseapples! I forgot to plan a welcome party! Sorry, Twilight, but I better get going! I'll let you handle things while I get stuff ready! See ya!" She zipped out the door.

Envy, who leaned beside the window, muttered to itself "Good riddance..." The jealous pony was unaware that Rainbow Dash was keeping an eye on it.

Twilight went back to her list "Okay, so now we'll need to place Gluttony somewhere..."

Gluttony smiled "Just as long as it's with Lust! Or with Pinkie!" He looked down for a moment and looked up as he beamed at Twilight "Can it be both?"

Lust patted Gluttony's head "Gluttony, Twilight is making it to where we are all staying at separate houses. You will be by yourself with whoever sees fit to take you in."

Gluttony looked up at Lust with a sad frown "But I wanna stay with you! I don't want to be without you again!"

Lust nuzzled Gluttony's head "You're not going to be without me. We'll see each other again, but for now, you'll be staying with one of the other ponies." She looked up at Twilight "Perhaps place Gluttony with Pinkie?"

Twilight pondered this thought, but then smiled "Sure! The two seemed almost inseparable on the train ride home." She jotted down on her parchment "Okay, so Gluttony will be staying with Pinkie then. Where will that leave Greed?"

Greed stepped forward "I'm staying with you. I wanna know more about that horn of yours..." The ponies other than the former homunculi looked at each other for a moment before they all broke into a fit of laughter. Greed raised an eyebrow in confusion "The hell's so funny?"

Spike pointed a claw "You mean you don't know about unicorn magic when you're a unicorn yourself?? That's a nice joke, Greed!"

Lust looked at Twilight and Spike "We are actually serious. Me and Greed are not exactly well-versed in the magic you're demonstrating. Which is why I wish to stay here instead..."

Greed jerked his head to Lust with a glare "Oh no you don't! I'm staying here and learning these abilities myself! And besides..." He turned to Twilight with a smirk "I actually wanna know more about Princess Celestia."

Lust scoffed and looked away "As expected from you and no other, Greed. I propose you would have a better time learning a little generosity..."

Gluttony tilted his head at Lust "But Greed can't learn generosity! He wants everything in the world!"

Greed smirked "See? Gluttony gets the gist of it! I'm staying here, whether you like it or not!"

Lust glared back at Greed "And who are you to tell me otherwise, halfwit? I do not care if you want all of Equestria, but we have our own preferences as well..."

Twilight cleared her throat "Well, I don't see a problem with either one of you staying here, but could you please not fight in here? It's a bit unnerving to handle so much conflict in one room."

Rarity looked at Twilight "I would gladly take in Lust, Twilight! I already have so much ideas from just looking at her!" She then looked at Greed "Besides...as much as I would love to teach Greed a little generosity, I cannot really abide his behavior in my household." Spike was slackjawed at the aspect of two beautiful mares sharing the same home.

Twilight nodded "If you say so, Rarity!" She jotted down on her parchment "So I guess Greed will be staying here then." Greed gave an evil grin at Lust while she turned away "That only leaves Envy..." She looked over at the jealous pony staring out the window "Envy, where would you like to stay?" She received no response while Envy continued to stare out at Ponyville.

Rainbow Dash looked at Envy "Hey! She's talking to you!"

Envy glared at Rainbow Dash "I heard her! And frankly, I don't really care where, just as long as I'm not around that hyperactive eyesore!"

Fluttershy looked at Envy for a moment before she spoke "I-I could maybe take her in...If that's alright."

End of Chapter 15

Chapter 16

On the Rebound

Rainbow Dash turned to Fluttershy with an incredulous expression "Fluttershy, you can't be serious! After the way that pony treated you back then?" She then turned to glare at Envy "And what's your deal with Pinkie Pie anyway? She may be random, but she's not annoying!"

Envy sneered at Rainbow Dash "I beg to differ! She bugs the crap out of me with her nonsense! My family's more bearable than that pink eyesore!"

Rainbow Dash trotted up to Envy and glared "That's my friend you're talking about! Take that back!"

Envy glared back "Make me! Not like you'll actually change my mind!" The two were about to fight until they were both wrapped in a pink aura.

Both pegasi looked to see Twilight hold the two in place with a stern gaze "I said no fighting! We don't need this right now! Just apologize to each other so we can move on!" The lavender bookworm was unaware that Greed continued to stare at her glowing horn.

Envy glared at Twilight "Screw that! I don't exactly feel any remorse for telling it like it is!"

Rainbow Dash crossed her forelegs "I sure as hay ain't apologizing neither! And Celestia help me if I'm gonna leave palm tree head over here with Fluttershy!"

Envy turned to Rainbow Dash "I'm sorry, what was that, you prismatic prick!?"

Fluttershy cringed at how the two projected her anger and felt it was her fault for making the suggestion of taking Envy in. She began to have second thoughts with how violent she imagined Envy being in her household. But another side of her wondered if there was something deeper behind the jealous pony's personality.

Twilight sighed and looked back up "If it's Fluttershy's decision, then there shouldn't be much of a problem, but you're scaring her with how you're both acting!"

Applejack gave the two pegasi a stern look "That's right! Y'all should jus' make up an' move on! This ain't gettin' us nowhere!"

Rainbow Dash sighed in defeat "You're right, AJ..." She then turned to Envy and held out a hoof with narrowed eyes "We're only stopping because Twilight wants to move things along. Truce?"

Envy glared at the cyan pegasus and scoffed after a moment of thought. It was either apologize or be stuck in the air, and the jealous pony wanted to have a few good swings at its new enemy without being interrupted the next time they share another argument 'I'll let her live...for now...' It took Rainbow Dash's hoof with its own "Fine..."

Twilight smiled at the gesture "Much better." She released her hold on the two pegasi and Envy only looked away with a sour expression while Rainbow Dash stuck her tongue out. Twilight glared "Rainbow!"

Rainbow Dash quickly stopped her gesture "Sorry...But I'm serious about what I said about pitting Envy with Fluttershy! I'm not gonna have that pony scare my childhood friend into submission!"

Fluttershy turned to Rainbow Dash "B-But I-"

Twilight facehoofed at Rainbow Dash's statement, but then looked up when she had an idea "Alright then, Rainbow Dash. Since you're so headstrong about not letting Envy stay with Fluttershy, then I guess you won't mind if you took Envy home instead!"

Rainbow Dash and Envy turned to Twilight with surprised expressions "What!?" They then looked at each other before they glared and looked away.

Spike saw their staredown and turned to Twilight "Err, Twilight? You think its a good idea? I mean, I'm with Rainbow when it comes to not letting Envy stay with Fluttershy, but those two under the same roof? They'll kill each other!"

Envy turned to Spike, who jumped back as the jealous pony lashed out "Who the hell said anything about me dying!?"

Twilight nodded to Spike "That much is true, Spike, but there are two valid points to my idea: One, it would be best to teach Envy how to be more loyal to both family and friends. And two, they can learn how to love and tolerate each other WITHOUT acting like foals!" She shot Rainbow Dash and Envy a stern look.

Lust chuckled to herself "It is a risky move if you'd expect Envy to cooperate willingly..."

Rainbow Dash growled at herself for putting herself in a corner. Twilight had her beat logically, and there was no way out of this with how she valued the safety of her friends. She sighed in defeat "Alright, I'll let Envy stay with me! Maybe I can teach that pony a thing or two about loyalty!" She shot the jealous pony a look.

Envy scoffed as it shifted its eyes towards Rainbow Dash "The only one I need to be loyal to in the end is myself!" It trotted out the door "Don't expect any hugs from me anytime soon!" It opened the door to reveal a familiar pink pony standing outside with a party blower in her mouth.

Pinkie blew the party blower loudly and Envy jumped back startled at her appearance "The party's done!! And I made it to where it's outside AND inside so Slothy can have some fun, too!"

Sloth sat behind Pinkie and gave a tired moan "I just wanna go to sleep..."

Pinkie turned to Sloth and grabbed his cheeks "Oh pshaw! I'm sure you'll have enough energy to party! And there's lots of food there, too!"

Gluttony perked up at the mention of food and galloped to Pinkie's side "Food!? Where!? Can I eat it!?"

Pinkie giggled and patted Gluttony's head "Of course, silly! Food's meant to be eaten! Just follow me and we'll be there in no time!"

Envy scoffed and trotted away "You guys have fun, I'm just going to leave an-" It felt its tail being grabbed and yanked back by Rainbow Dash.

The cyan pegasus leered at Envy "Nice try, buddy! You're not leaving my sight since you're living with me! And besides, when was the last time you actually had any fun?"

Gluttony smiled "Yes, fun! Let's have some fun like old times, Envy!"

Envy glared at the voracious pony while he smiled back obliviously and then sighed 'These assholes won't leave me alone, will they??' It looked at Rainbow Dash with a smirk "I suppose you got a point. I could really use some fun right now..." It spoke in a mischievous tone that unsettled the cyan pegasus.

Twilight smiled "Okay then! And by the way, Pinkie, Gluttony's going to be staying with you while we teach the Magic of Friendship."

Pinkie clopped her hooves together "Goodie! Me and Gluttony are roommates!" She hugged the voracious pony while he kindly returned the embrace with a giggle. Lust was almost touched by the scene.

Greed smirked "Look at that! Gluttony already made a friend before the rest of us! Never thought I'd see the day..."

Spike smiled at the scene as well, but then his cheeks puffed when he felt something inside his mouth. He then burped as a green flame shot out of his mouth, followed by a wrapped scroll. Lust and Envy saw the fire and reflexively backed away with widened eyes and nervous grunts.

Twilight took the scroll, but then turned to Lust and Envy before reading it "Are you two alright?" She spoke in a concerned tone.

Lust regained her composure and shifted her eyes away when she faced Twilight "I...haven't had the best experience with fire in the past."

Envy looked away with a nervous expression "Y-Yeah...me neither..."

Twilight nodded "Sorry about that. It usually happens when Celestia sends me a letter."

Greed was already interested "So that dragon's like a living mailbox? Go figure..." The avaricious pony was more interested when Twilight mentioned that the same letters were from Celestia.

Spike glared up at Greed "I resent that!"

Twilight chuckled and opened the scroll to read it aloud "To my faithful student, I only wish to write to you and your friends to see how you are handling Greed and his family ever since you arrived back to Ponyville. Know that Luna and Wrath share their equal concern with how they can misbehave at certain points and want to know that everything is fine themselves."

Greed scoffed at the mention of Luna "What do you know? She STILL doesn't trust us! And why's Wrath so damn concerned about us anyways? Is he trying to show pity with how we're away from Canterlot? Tch, bastard..."

Rarity turned to Greed "Language! Honestly, you can be so rude sometimes and we've only just met you!"

Twilight continued "Just so you know, Shining Armor is doing great and says hi and good luck on your assignment." She smiled to herself at the mention of her brother "Please note that I have the utmost faith in you with teaching your own students how to live the proper way in Equestria. Sincerely, Princess Celestia. P.S: You might want to be careful around Greed. I saw the way he was looking at you back at the castle. Maybe he has the hots for you?" She turned to the avaricious pony with a raised eyebrow.

Greed performed the same gesture when he was met with the other element bearers and Spike looking at him "What? Did I do something wrong?"

Twilight raveled the scroll and shook her head "Not really, Greed. But hopefully you behave yourself while in Ponyville." She turned to the others with a smile "Okay, everypony! Let's head on over to Sugarcube Corner and enjoy another welcome party!"

Pinkie hopped up and down "Here here!" She blew her party blower again and it bugged Envy's ear while the jealous pony took in most of the sound. Pinkie gave an embarrased grin when Envy turned and glared indignantly at her.

Lust nodded "Very well. Lead the way then, Twilight?" At that, the element bearers and the former homunculi trotted out of the library and made for Sugarcube Corner. She looked ahead to see Gluttony hop with Pinkie Pie in childish splendor. The lascivious mare smiled to herself to see that her younger brother had indeed made a friend.

Rarity trotted up to Lust with a smile "I hope you'll enjoy yourself, Lust! You will simply love how Pinkie Pie throws one of her famous parties here!"

Lust felt uncomfortable once again with how Rarity chose to cling to her in Gluttony's place "Perhaps. It has been a while since I enjoyed a good party..." She lied to the fashionista, but it was better this way. It wouldn't be wise to louse things up in a world completely alien to her.

Rainbow Dash trotted next to Envy and kept a keen eye while the jealous pony looked ahead 'You're up to something, and I'm gonna know what...' The cyan pegasus knew that Envy was halfhearted when the two apologized to one another, and was already disheartened at how she'll be taking Envy in her own home. She would have to pull out all the stops if she was to coerce how the jealous pony thinks, even if it means resorting to force.

End of Chapter 16

Chapter 17

On Command

Meanwhile, at Canterlot Castle, several of Celestia's guards stood outside on the castle's training grounds and awaited their captain to come out and supervise their exercises. All of them share the same stoic expression as always while they stood and waited patiently for Wrath to show himself front and center.

Some of them were about to falter for a moment before they noticed a door leading outside opened to reveal the furious pony trotting outside with no armor on his being. The guards quickly stood back up in their authoritive position and stared forward while Wrath passed by some of them. When he stood at the center opposite to the guards, he faced them with stoic gaze of his own as he spoke up "Greetings to you all! If some of you are unaware of my presence on Princess Celestia's training grounds, it is my duty to inform you that your former captain Shining Armor shall be out of commission!" Some of the guards were almost taken by surprise at the announcement "Do not despair, for until then, I shall be your new ranking officer until Shining Armor is met with full recovery! You shall refer to me as Captain Wrath from this point on! Are there any questions?"

A guard stood forward and spoke "Captain, can you explain why you lack armor or consider yourself in proper health to train us with a wounded wing?"

Wrath nodded "An excellent question, soldier. During my time, I did not rely on armor, but more on my skill and nothing more. As for my wing..." He turns to it with his expression unchanged "This is only a minor technicality that you all will have the pleasure of dealing with during our session. You will begin with your daily exercises followed by sparring matches under my supervision. Am I clear?"

All of the guards present saluted "Sir!"

Wrath smiled to himself after the guards' reply 'Hmhmhm...Such dedication. They will give me a good amount of purpose here.' The furious pony was happy to be met with a familiar job in a new world. It felt good for him to at least live out his new life doing what he does best. His expression changed into a stern gaze "Very good! Begin!" At his command, the guards began running laps along the training grounds.

From one of the castle's towers by the training grounds, Princess Cadence was watching Wrath and the guards from her bedroom window. She hummed to herself when she took in the current activity after expecting something different from the furious pony.

"So how is it out there?"

Cadence turned to see her husband lay in bed with parts of his body bandaged and looking at her with serious eyes. The princess nodded "He's monitoring the soldiers accordingly. So far he has assigned them with the basic exercises they're familiar with." Cadence turned back to the window "Hopefully the Royal Guard is in capable hooves for the time being..."

Shining Armor looked a little angry "They better be. I didn't get defeated by a strange pegasus just to see my soldiers crumble in their formation! I can't believe that he was issued my position ever since he defeated me!" The guard captain was miffed to receive the news on Wrath filling his position too late, and by Princess Celestia herself.

Cadence trotted to her husband's side and softly nuzzled his cheek "I know it bothers you, and I feel your pain, but he gave the princess his word that he will manage the Royal Guard to her liking. He also said he will return the position to you once you're back on your feet."

Shining Armor was confused 'Is he serious?? So he really wasn't trying to seize my rank as captain? I wonder what he plans to gain from this...More importantly, why does he think so highly of me despite beating me in that match back then?' Wanting to save that thought for another time, he nodded "I see..." He answered in a neutral tone "Well, let's just wait and see if he's actually fit to lead the Royal Guard and meet Celestia's expectations."

Cadence smiled "I'm glad you're not acting rashly like this. You're so cute when you're calm and collective..."

Shining Armor blushed a little and looked away with a smile "Thanks."
_____

After the time has passed with the guards exercises, they picked their partners when it came time for the sparring session. As he mentioned beforehoof, Wrath supervised their combat activity while each of them fought with their own skills 'Hm...They show discipline but they lack proper technique...' He noticed that the pegasi were relying on their spears rather than their own wings. The unicorns were limited in their magical prowess and used them as melee weapons instead. The earth ponies made due with their naturally-born strength, but a small amount used spears like the pegasi.

Wrath hummed to himself and he held up a hoof when he had an idea "Cease your sparring!" The guards did as they were told and stood about face when the furious pony trotted up "It has come to my attention that while your military experience is showing, it is not at the expected potential! We shall commence certain exercises to better your born talent!" He points a hoof to the pegasi "We shall cover the full use of your wings before you will be taught how to use a spear in a better fashion." He then points to the unicorn "As for you, while it is convenient to use your horn as a weapon for close combat, you as unicorns must rely on your magic as well. You are to hone your magical abilities to where your limit is met!" He then turned to the earth ponies "The rest of you will perform basic exercises to enhance your strength. You along with the pegasi and unirocns will be taught how to use the spear once all of you have met your respective goals! Am I clear?"

The guards were a bit nervous at what Wrath had in store for them, but they were not about to question his authority. They stood and saluted "Sir!"

Wrath nodded "Now each of you separate yourselves in terms of race and commence your exercises! The pegasi shall be monitored by me!" At that, the pegasi, unicorn, and earth pony guards all separated and began their own assigned tasks.

The furious pony made sure that the pegasi treated their own wings as weapons and even sparred with some of them effortlessly to guide them along properly. The unicorns pushed their effort to the limit by levitating several of the equipment around the training grounds. The earth ponies continued their basic exercises at an acceptable pace. Some complained, but others were happy to see that they were slowly progressing with their skill.

Cadence saw this from the window and was surprised "Shining Armor, Wrath is performing a routine of his own right now!"

Shining Armor looked over intently "What's going on out there? What does he have planned?"

Cadence turned to Shining Armor "Apparently he placed the guards in different groups by race." She looked outside to confirm the activity "It seems he's training the pegasi to rely more on their wings than their spears as well. Perhaps his past experience in battle was dictated by his use of wings and nothing more..."

Shining Armor was silent about this and wondered how Wrath would fight with a spear in his hooves. He then looked serious "I'll talk with him after he's finished training the guards..."

Cadence looked concerned "But your legs-"

The guard captain waved a hoof "I'll manage...I have you at my side, don't I?" He smiled at his wife, who returned it with one of her own. The two were indeed a lovely couple.
_____

At the changeling hive, Chyrsalis was busy discussing Equestria with Father, who listened intently to every detail, especially on the topic of Princess Celestia. The pale alicorn was so enraptured at the thought of realizing his goal for the second time. But he wanted to make sure that his children were there for him to realize it firsthand.

Chrysalis concluded the latest topic she covered "-thus that is the reason why griffons are hard to come by. They're such savage beasts and you can only dig so much out of them in order to overcome them in battle. I hope that this is beneficial to your ambition...Father." She was reluctant to consider that an alicorn was given such a name.

Father only nodded with a small smile "Most definitely, your majesty...But I would require more knowledge if I am to see my plan through."

Chrysalis raised an eyebrow "Why must you stall for time when you can easily storm the gates of Canterlot yourself with your own power? It is only a day's flight from here and Celestia's guards are less than competent!"

Father tilted his head "Then how were you defeated, if I may ask? How have you gathered this knowledge?"

The changeling queen flinched and grunted when the pale alicorn decided to poke a hole in her logic "Th-That is none of your concern!" She snapped.

Father gave an unamused glance "Oh? And why is that? If anything, it is as much my concern as it is yours..." His gaze became grave "I do not wish to walk in blind without proper knowledge of my enemies or the destinations they reside in..."

Chrysalis was almost phased by Father's mood shift, but she glared "Fine...If you must know I was able to beat Celestia with my own power. However...that same power had defeated me and my changelings..."

Father was now curious "And that power is?"

Chrysalis sighed "The same energy that we as changelings feast off of...Love. It gives us the energy needed to conquer any impudent being that wishes to defy our power!"

The pale alicorn went silent with disbelief, then spoke "How droll...To think you were defeated by a petty emotion. Are you sure you are not trying to incite a clever joke?"

Chrysalis fumed at the pale alicorn's defiant behavior "Silence, you cur! I may have been defeated by the very source of my power, but that does not mean I can rise above it the next moment!!"

Father gave a light scoff as he looked away with a bored expression "You haven't explained the one responsible for defeating you..."

Chrysalis hissed "Two, actually...The captain of the Royal Guard Shining Armor and his newly-wedded wife Princess Mi Amore Cadenza. I disguised myself as her and fed off of that foolish unicorn's love before they've managed to expel us from Canterlot with a shield spell." She gritted her sharp teeth at the memory "I will make the two of them pay!! If not for them, Canterlot would have been mine for the taking!"

Father nodded "I see...Then perhaps it would be best to send in spies to do away with them?"

Chrysalis scowled "You would think that would be easy! I doubt that those miserable ponies would fall for the same trick twice..."

Father waved a hoof "Given your prolonged absence from Canterlot, I'm certain that their tension would subside for the time being. Unless you have another plan, I'd surmise this option to be the most desirable..."

The changeling queen thought about this. It has indeed been a few months since her last invasion and she could only provide her children with so much. She then sighed "Very well, we shall do it your way..." She gave stomp and summoned three changelings "You are to sneak into Canterlot and study its activity and report back to me when you have enough information!"

The three changelings bowed and changed. The first one transformed into an earth pony guard in golden armor. The second one turned into what appeared to be a dashing noble unicorn with a tophat. The last changeling turned into a zebracorn wearing a black fedora. When they finished, they galloped out of the hall and made their journey to Canterlot.

Father watched them and smiled to himself at how the changelings were so obedient to their master. The smile then left when he thought about a certain avaricious homunculus rebelling against him. He shook it off as he looked away 'I wonder what Envy is up to...That one is more obedient...'
_____

Envy looked up at its destination, dumbfounded at the structure. It was as if it were completely made of candy. There were some ponies mingling out along the area surrounding it "No...No way in hell..." Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash turned to the jealous pony as it backed away "I'd rather get eaten by Gluttony again than go there!" The voracious pony in question was being held back by Lust when he couldn't control himself on how delicious the candy house looked.

Pinkie hopped to Envy's side "Awww Envy, don't be shy! That's Fluttershy's job! You're going to love it at Sugarcube Corner! I live here with the Cakes, you know!"

Envy sneered at Pinkie "That doesn't help me at all..."

The party pony pulled Envy into a hug "Don't worry, I'll make sure to help you! That's what friends do!"

The jealous pony grunted and pushed away Pinkie "Last time I checked, we AREN'T friends!"

Rainbow Dash trotted up and glared "There you go again, pushing Pinkie away! She's only trying to help you, you know!"

Envy glared back at Rainbow Dash "She's helped enough, I'm fine on my own!"

Fluttershy saw the conflict from a distance and drooped her ears. When she built enough confidence she trotted over to the three ponies to chat "Umm, girls? Maybe we shouldn't smother Envy too much..." Envy turned to Fluttershy with a raised eyebrow when she decided to cut in.

Rainbow Dash turned to Fluttershy "And leave this jerk unattended? Sorry, Fluttershy, but I gotta make sure that Envy learns some manners before I can let that pony go alone..."

Envy looked away from Rainbow Dash with a sour expression "Bite me..."

Pinkie Pie smiled "Okie Dokie Loki!" She opened her mouth wide and bit Envy in the flank, causing the jealous pony to jump and yell. It then turned and fumed at Pinkie Pie "What? You said to bite you! I just wanted to help!"

Envy growled "You little-" It went to strike, but Pinkie hopped away.

Pinkie giggled obliviously "Wow! You and Gluttony sure love to play tag! Okay then..." She booped Envy on the nose "Tag! You're it!" She then hopped away giggling while Envy gave chase with an indignant growl. Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash soon followed after the other two and made sure nothing big happened.

Greed trotted up to Twilight with a smirk "Say, Twilight! Mind coaching me on Princess Celestia while we're enjoying this party?"

Twilight chuckled "Nice try, Greed! I should keep my distance if I were you..." She trotted away with an innocent smile.

Greed watched the lavender bookworm trot off and then remembered what Celestia mentioned in the letter 'Does she think I'm flirting with her!? What the fuck!? When did this happen?' The avaricious pony then remember who wrote the letter and remembered how mischievous she was. He then scowled at the one responsible 'That clever bitch...'

End of Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Figure It Out

Applejack stared up at Sloth in diligent silence, trying to figure out how somepony so lazy could be so physically fit. The indolent pony only stared back with his uncovered eye and unchanged toothy frown. He gave a quiet tired moan once in a while as the two continued their staring contest.

Finally, the cowpony broke "Ah jus' don't getcha, Sloth! Why do ya consider anythin' and everythin' a pain? Do ya think that way with yer family?"

Sloth groaned "That's different...they're a different pain..." He then slowly popped a joint in his neck as it gave a deep and loud crunch. Everypony around him quickly ceased their activity to gaze upon the indolent pony.

Applejack sighed "Maybe ya really do need a little push after all..." She smiled up at Sloth "Don't worry, Sloth! Once we head back t' Sweet Apple Acres, we'll have ya up an' ready t' work tomorrow!" She then chuckled to herself "Maybe Ah oughta introduce ya t' my older brother Big Macintosh once we head back..."

Sloth moaned in complaint "Work is a pain..."

Applejack scoffed "It'll be more of a pain with that attitude! But Ah'm sure y'all had some past experience with how yer size is showin'!" She then looked at the indolent pony's forelegs "Uh, not that it's my business or anythin', but what's with those chains on yer legs? Were ya captured one time?"

Sloth slowly lifted his left foreleg as his chain rattled "No...I use them..."

Applejack tilted her head "Fer what?"

The indolent pony, not in the mood for a demonstration, only answered "Giving pain..."

Applejack was unamused "It's nothin' but pain with ya..." She then remembered a certain obscure detail about him back at Canterlot castle "On second thought, Ah have another question if y'all don't mind me askin'..." She pointed to Sloth's cutie mark "What's with yer cutie mark? Never seen anythin' like that on anypony!"

Sloth was at first confused, and then turned to look at his cutie mark. When he remembered the Ouroboros symbol on his flank he simply replied "I'm a homunculus..."

Applejack raised an eyebrow in bemusement "Homuncu-whatnow?"

Sloth repeated "Homunculus..." He then laid down and lulled himself to sleep. Clearly the indolent pony was in no mood for more conversation.

Applejack groaned to herself 'That pony's in fer a rude awakenin' once he heads back to th' farm...' Her ears perked up and she yelped when Pinkie jumped over her while giggling "What in the hay-OOF!" She was then battered away by an angry Envy who roared threats while pursuing the party pony. Rainbow Dash zipped over Applejack while she picked herself up, but Fluttershy stopped by Applejack to see if she was okay. The cowpony noticed Fluttershy and smiled "Ah'm alright, sugarcube. But what in tarnation is goin' on with Pinkie an' Envy?"

Fluttershy shifted her eyes as she tried to find a proper response "Pinkie thinks she's playing...tag..." She looked ahead with Applejack to see Pinkie effortlessly avoid Envy's charging by hopping away like she usually does. Fluttershy sighed despondently "Do you think we should give Envy some time to herself?"

Applejack turned to Fluttershy "What makes ya say that, Fluttershy?" She then looked ahead at Envy "Also, why do ya think Envy's a mare? That there's a stallion iffin' Ah ever saw one!"

Fluttershy tilted her head "What? But Envy looks so feminine...How can you be sure she's a stallion?"

Applejack shook her head "Well he certainly ain't no mare! Ah mean look at 'im!" She noticed Envy shout curses while Rainbow Dash lifted Pinkie away from the jealous pony.

Fluttershy looked away "Well, aside from that, something tells me we should give Envy some time to herself so she won't feel so bothered by us...J-Just a suggestion is all. I mean, I would gladly befriend her whenever, but she seems so...harsh..."

Applejack raised an eyebrow at Fluttershy "Ya mean let 'im wander off and cause problems willy nilly? Ah'm willin' t' side with yer opinion, Fluttershy, but we all saw how him an' Rainbow Dash were actin' at th' library! Besides, Rainbow Dash already stuck to 'er word that she's gonna be keepin' an eye on Envy since they're livin' together!"

Fluttershy looked down with a sigh "I guess your right..." She then perked up and had an idea "Maybe if I can convince Rainbow Dash, I could teach Envy how to be more kind around other ponies before she learns how to be loyal!"

Applejack smiled "Well if Ah can try an' make that large stallion Sloth know how to appreciate work, then maybe y'all might have a chance at makin' Envy stop actin' all saddlesore...Want me t' help?"

Fluttershy smiled at the cowpony "I would very much like that." She frowned for a moment "I don't like seeing the two of them fight..." The two trotted over to Envy while it continued to spew curses up at Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie.

Pinkie looked up at Rainbow Dash with an oblivious smile "I appreciate the help, Dashie, but I can run just fine! I think we're making Envy pretty mad!"

Rainbow Dash gave a deadpan stare at Pinkie "That pony's already mad at you, Pinkie..." She then glared down at Envy "And I sure as hay ain't letting her down for your sick threats, palm tree head!"

Envy ceased its insults and threats and glared back at Rainbow Dash "You're just getting in the way! Bring her down so I can pay her back for her stupid crap!" Rainbow Dash stuck her tongue out at the jealous pony and succeeded in fueling more of its ire. It then remembered that it had wings, and with a wicked grin, Envy unfurled them as it glared up "I'm coming for your sorry ass!"

Fluttershy noticed and was frightened at the thought of Envy harming Pinkie "Stoooop!!" She called out feebly, but she managed to earn the attention of the three ponies. The timid mare then sighed in relief "I-Is it okay if we talked?"

Envy glared at Fluttershy "Kinda in the middle of something here! Stay out of this!"

Applejack gave Envy a stern look "Would ya jus' simmer down fer a moment? Yer actin' foalish with how angry y'all are!"

Rainbow Dash looked down at her friends "Don't worry, you guys! I have things under control! I can handle Envy even with Pinkie in my arms!"

Envy glared up at the cyan pegasus "Let's prove that theory!" It went to fly up, but her tail was caught and yanked down by Applejack. The jealous pony glared at her "What the hell!? I said stay out of this!"

Applejack glared back at Envy "An' Ah asked ya t' simmer down! Fluttershy wants t' say somethin'!"

Envy turned to Fluttershy as she circled the ground with a foreheoof "Um...Rainbow Dash? Can I ask you a favor?"

Rainbow Dash raised an eyebrow in confusion "Sure, Fluttershy. But why are you acting so hesitant?"

Fluttershy took a deep breath 'Okay, you can do this...I'm sure she can understand if you ask nicely enough...' She looked up at the cyan pegasus "While I'm aware that you and Envy are going to be roommates for the time being...I was wondering if I could maybe teach Envy how to be kind before she learns anything else?"

Rainbow Dash was now exasperated "You're still on about that? Fluttershy, this pony's a jerk! I don't you to get hurt!"

Pinkie Pie giggled "Be careful, Fluttershy! You don't want Envy to tag you now, do you?"

Applejack looked at Envy, then up at Pinkie "Uh, Pinkie? Ah don't think Envy wants t' play tag..."

"Heh, of course not!"

The group turned to see Greed trot in with an amused smirk "Say, Rainbow Dash? Mind letting Pinkie down so she can show Gluttony around? He's almost ready to eat your whole house!"

Pinkie Pie smiled "Oh yeah, that's right! I still gotta show Gluttony where the cupcakes are! Thanks a bunch, Greedy!" She looked up at Rainbow Dash "You can let me down now, Dashie! I gotta make sure he's satisfied!"

Rainbow Dash gave a cautious glance at Envy while it glared back at her "You heard her! She wants to see Gluttony, so leave her alone!"

Envy went to lash out at Rainbow Dash, but then a hoof touched its right shoulder. The jealous pony turned to see Fluttershy with a small smile, and paused for a moment at her gesture. It then sneered as it swatted away the hoof "Don't touch me. I've had enough of it from everyone around me..."

Fluttershy drew back her hoof while her ears drooped "Um...you mean everypony?"

Envy looked up at Rainbow Dash "Fine, but she'll get hers soon!"

Rainbow Dash switched glances between Fluttershy and Envy before slowly setting Pinkie down. The party pony then hopped away while humming a cheery tune.

Greed watched Pinkie exit the scene and gave an impressed smile "Would you look at that?" He then turned to Fluttershy "If you managed to keep Envy from causing pain then there's hope for that pony yet!"

Envy glared at Greed "Hope for what?"

Fluttershy smiled "Hope for you, Envy. If you could learn a little kindness, then maybe you won't be so cold around everypony..."

Envy glared at Fluttershy "I'm okay the way I am! Why the hell should I show anyone kindness?"

Greed gave a taunting smile "It's pretty fun once you get used to it! You should try it sometime!" He chuckled to himself, but did not expect to be bucked away by Envy's hindlegs. The avaricious pony flew into Sloth and bounced off of him after his hard landing.

The indolent pony stirred from his slumber "...Who threw that?"

Applejack turned to Envy "That's a mighty kick ya jus' did! An' against yer own brother?"

Envy scoffed "Please, that was just a tap...Besides, he deserved it! The bastard..."

Fluttershy trotted over to Greed and helped him up, and was surprised to know that he was chuckling. When she inspected his teeth, she gasped and jumped back "Y-Y-Your teeth!"

Greed ceased his laughter "Yeah, what about 'em?"

The timid pony pointed a shaking hoof "Th-Th-They're sharp!"

The avaricious pony grinned "Then I guess I'm okay..." He then turned to Rainbow Dash "Hey, Rainbow! Lemme borrow Envy for a moment! I'll come back!"

Rainbow Dash narrowed her eyes "No way! Wherever that pony goes, I go!"

Greed rolled his eyes "It's only gonna be for a minute, geez...You have my word! I don't exactly lie to other ponies!"

Applejack smiled and tipped her hat "Greed's not so bad after all! Ah think we can trust 'im, Dash!"

The cyan pegasus growled, but sighed in defeat "Fine, but you better bring Envy back here! I don't want you weaseling your way out of this!"

Envy scoffed as it trotted past Rainbow Dash "Stop acting like you own me, you prismatic prick!" It flicked at Rainbow Dash's nose with its tail as it followed Greed.

Fluttershy reluctantly waved "Um...See you around, Envy..."

Envy only replied without looking back "Fuck off..."

End of Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Approaching Twilight

When Greed and Envy were far away from the group, the jealous pony turned to Greed "Okay, you got me away from them. What's your game?"

The avaricious pony shook his head "No game. I just wanna talk is all..."

Envy raised an eyebrow "Us? Talk? What are you getting at, Greed?"

Greed looked away "Well, I sure as hell can't talk to Lust or Gluttony, Sloth's already passed out, and there's no way I'm talking to Rarity..." He shuddered at the thought of trading his avarice for generosity "So basically, you're the only one I can talk to at this point..."

Envy was more than confused "About what? Are you still wondering why we're ponies or something?"

Greed waved a hoof "No no, I'm over that...It's just..." He slowly turned over to see Twilight chat with Lust and Rarity and growled to himself 'I can't believe that stupid princess had to screw with my chances of learning about her and getting more power...' "I can't really talk to Twilight without her thinking I'm coming onto her! I may want women, but one of the things I DON'T want is a committed relationship!"

Envy held a bored expression on its face "So you borrowed me just so you could let off steam??"

Greed paused for a moment to reflect on his actions and already felt like kicking himself repeatedly for the logic in his actions. Did he actually just borrowed one of his hated family members aside from his father to vent about a small topic like a child? He hung his head and groaned "Dammit..."

Envy chuckled at Greed's misfortune "Well, I guess I should thank you for getting me away from those assholes...Especially Pinkie" It growled between its teeth as it noticed Pinkie from afar having a cupcake-eating contest with Gluttony. Needless to say that it was a tie so far.

Greed turned to Envy and tilted his head "Why do you hate Pinks so much? Is she that annoying to you?"

Envy gritted its teeth "Annoying would be an understatement! I HATE her and all she's doing is making it worse with the help of that prismatic prick over there!" It pointed a hoof to Rainbow Dash talking to Applejack. Envy then turned to Fluttershy with a questioning sneer "I dunno what the hell she wants with me, though..."

Greed smirked "So you decided to vent your own problems as well? That's something I never expected from you..."

Envy flinched and grunted as it turned to glare at Greed "Sh-Shut up! Why don't you just go over there and talk to Twilight again!?"

Greed flinched himself and glared back at Envy "No way! That's a dumb move in itself!"
_____

Rarity examined Lust from head to toe "Yes, I think I'll have just the thing for you to wear tomorrow! Oh, but what should the color be? Purple would be rather redundant...Orange is just positively garish! What about green? Hm, no..." The fashionista was already lost in her own sea of thought.

Lust simply snapped her out of it with a suggestion "Do you perhaps have anything in black? That would be most suitable to my needs..." The lascivious mare was happy to be offered free clothes. She already began to feel naked in this world and did not want to pass up a generous offer despite how clingy Rarity can be.

Rarity looked up "Black?" She did a double take before she smiled "That's it! Black is a rather slimming color and it would compliment that glamorous mane of yours! You have a good eye for detail, Lust!"

Twilight chuckled "It's good to know you two see eye-to-eye in fashion." She looked over at Gluttony uneasily "Erm, Lust, do you think that Gluttony could perhaps show more self control? He looks ready to eat the table as well..."

Lust turned to see Gluttony and sighed "He does when around me. Thank you for reminding me, Twilight Sparkle. I'll be right back." She trotted away towards Gluttony and Rarity followed after her.

Twilight sighed at how enthralled Rarity seemed to act when around Lust. She then turned to see Greed and Envy arguing and held a hoof to her chin 'Just what are those two talking about?' The lavender bookworm was more than curious with how Greed and Envy are not only new faces in Ponyville, but her and her friends' students as well 'Well, eavesdropping may be wrong, but I don't think it would hurt to know what they're up to...' She inched a little closer until she was in hearing range for what they had to say.

Envy tried hitting Greed where it hurts "Why the hell not? Clearly she'll believe whatever that Celestia has to say and not question her authority! She's her personal student, for God's sake!"

Greed gritted his teeth "I'm aware of that! But that's not what I want! I just wanna talk to her on a regular level and nothing else! I don't want her to think I'm flirting with her when what I really want is to know more magic!"

Envy scoffed "You're worrying too much, Greed! Just go over there and talk to her and everything will get better for you!"

Greed growled "That's like telling you to make friends with Pinkie!"

Envy snapped indignantly "Like hell I will!!"

Twilight shook her head and took in the conversation with her own belief as she smiled to herself 'That Greed sure is shy...Maybe I should make him feel more comfortable around me since we're gonna be living together and all...'

Greed groaned "Well, I'll probably think of something once this party blows over, but until then..." He began lightly pushing Envy back towards Rainbow Dash, Applejack, and Fluttershy.

Envy shoved Greed away "Hey, what's the big idea?"

Greed smirked "The deal was I have them back to you after a minute of talking! So let's get you back to your new friends over there!" He pushed at Envy again.

Envy shoved Greed away harder "Screw that! You can keep your word, but I can do whatever I damn well please!" It then unfurled its wings and made for the air. Before it could continued, it was wrapped in a purple magic aura "Hey! What the hell!?"

Greed was startled at this sudden happening and turned to see Twilight looking up at Envy sternly with her horn glowing 'There she goes again with that horn...I can't wait to learn that skill...'

Twilight saw Envy struggle in her magic grip and then turned to Greed with a friendly smile "Hey, Greed. Need any help?"

Greed was confused at first, wondering if she were still on about her thoughts regarding Celestia's warning, but then smirked "Yeah, thanks. You know how difficult Envy can be sometimes..."

Envy lashed out at Greed while it struggled "Fuck you, Greed!"

The two unicorns then walked back to Rainbow Dash and the others with Envy in tow, the jealous pony growling and struggling. When they reached the others, Twilight released her magical grip on Envy and it fell on the ground. Envy then got up and glared at Twilight "Bitch..."

Twilight gave a stern look "Why must you act so rashly, Envy? What do you have against us?"

Envy looked away with a mixture of anger and boredom "Nothing against you at all, I just don't like you..."

Twilight huffed and went to reply, but was met with Greed halting her with a hoof "You're only giving that pony more of your time. Don't waste it..." He ignored the glare he received from Envy. The avaricious pony then smiled "Now that we're actually talking, could you maybe tell me more about Princess Celestia? I don't know about her as much as I should, really..."

Twilight smiled "Of course! It's good to know you want to learn more, Greed. I'll gladly share some of my knowledge on Celestia with you!"

Greed smiled 'Now we're getting somewhere!' "Thanks, Twi. Where do you wanna go?"

Twilight looked at the punch table "Well, I feel a bit parched. Why don't we talk over some punch?" Greed shrugged his forelegs and the two walked side-by-side away from the group.

Rainbow Dash watched in intrigue "Huh...Who knew Greed could be into eggheads like Twilight?"

Applejack smiled "It's actually pretty nice t' see 'er with somepony else fer a change!"

Envy rolled its eyes "Oh please! She only thinks that Greed's after her because your princess just mentioned it in her letter!"

Rainbow Dash turned to Envy with a glare "What the hay do you know?"

Envy glared back "Ways to make sorry pricks like you suffer greatly!"

Fluttershy stepped in before the two pegasi could get into another fight "Um...Why don't we grab something to eat? We haven't really touched anything yet!"

Rainbow Dash turned to see some cupcakes left "In that case we better hurry before Pinkie and Gluttony call dibs on the leftovers!"

Applejack looked at the voracious pony next to Lust and Pinkie "Knowin' Gluttony, we'd have to be at the food table in record time..."

Rainbow Dash stood with a cocky expression on her face "Looks like it's up to me!" She then quickly zipped over and grabbed what was left of the food table before the group next to it noticed. She then brought it back and gave Applejack and Fluttershy cupcakes. When Envy expected some, the cyan pegasus glared "Whoops! Guess there wasn't much there after all! Sorry, Envy!" She gave the jealous pony a taunting smile.

Envy growled at Rainbow Dash, but ceased when she felt a tapping on her shoulder. It turned to see Fluttershy offering a cupcake with a smile. The jealous pony paused for a moment before sneering and reluctantly taking the offered cupcake. It growled and looked away while the ponies around it enjoyed their food.

Applejack watched Envy and chuckled 'Thatta girl, Fluttershy...Maybe y'all have what it takes t' change th' way Envy thinks after all...'

End of Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Getting Comfortable

As the sun setted in the sky over Canterlot, Wrath took it as a sign to end his first training session with the Royal Guard. The furious pony looked up and watched how Celestia lowered the sun and turned to see Luna raising the moon over the opposite horizon. This intrigued Wrath 'Amazing...So they operate the sun and moon on a whim? They're similar to deities with their power...' He then turned and focused on his soldiers "Soldiers, it is now my duty to end today's training! You all have done well with your progression and I will gladly see you do better the next day! Now each of you may return to your posts, and be sure to report back here same time tomorrow! Dismissed!"

The guards saluted and shouted "Sir!" They then trotted off towards their respective duties.

Wrath nodded and trotted away as well into the halls of the castle. It was good to know that Celestia had offered Wrath a place to stay that reminded him of his former role as Fuhrer. He chuckled to himself at the thought of Greed getting angry over the fact that he was taken from such luxury that he craved since birth. Now the furious pony felt it was best to head to his office and file some paperwork for the reports on his guards.

"Hello, Wrath..."

Wrath perked his ears up and turned to see a bandaged Shining Armor staring at him with a serious gaze while Cadence stood beside him with a calm gaze. The furious pony donned a friendly smile "Greetings to you, Shining Armor. I trust you are healing well?"

Shining Armor nodded "Yes, I'm getting by. But I want to talk to you for a moment."

Wrath nodded back "Very well. We can converse while we head for the office. I forget how busy you are in your role as captain sometimes..."

The guard captain smirked defiantly "Is your age catching up to you that fast?" He wondered how the furious pony would react.

Wrath chuckled to himself "Perhaps. But at least I'll be living out my days doing what I love most..." The trio then trotted along the vast halls towards the captain's office.

It was silent for most of the trip, but Shining Armor broke the silence as he shifted his eyes to Wrath "Why are you fond of me?" Wrath shifted his uncovered eye to Shining Armor and hummed in question as the guard captain repeated himself "I never expected somepony like you to think so highly of me even when you've bested me in close combat. Why?"

Wrath paused before he gave another friendly smile "I'll be frank, Shining Armor. You actually remind me of somepony back where I hail from. He was a dutiful high ranking officer like yourself, and even held the capable skills no less. Just seeing you takes me back to when I was leading my own army and handling problems left and right..."

Shining Armor raised an eyebrow and then spoke "Did he respect you?"

Wrath fell silent once more, but then gave an answer "For a time...It is indeed rough to live a life shrouded in bloodshed brought about through obedience and foreign conflict. Nopony would ever think the same way about other people unless they actually cared for one another..." The furious couldn't bring himself to share most of his memories.

Shining Armor looked at Wrath and felt a small pang of sympathy for his many years of military experience. He then sighed "Hey...I suppose I shouldn't badger you too much. In fact, I should be happy that you think of me as a strong individual." He smiled at Wrath "And I thank you for that. Hopefully I'll get better soon and we'll have ourselves a rematch!"

Wrath smirked at Shining Armor "Perhaps..." When they reached the captain's office, Wrath trotted over and took his seat as he got started on his paperwork "Well, I shouldn't keep you two here. You have earned some time to yourselves and you should spend it accordingly!" He flashed the couple a friendly smile and they blushed in response while he jotted down some paperwork.

Shining Armor grunted and then spoke in a stern tone "Just try to make sure everything's in order, Bradley..." He then stopped "It is gonna be hard deciding on what to call you..."

Wrath stopped his paperwork for a moment and looked at Shining Armor with a smile "I should think the same way, Shining Armor..." The guard captain raised an eyebrow in confusion "I've decided on a nickname for you if you would like to hear it...Would you?"

Shining Armor paused and gave a serious look "I'm not sure that's necessary, but let's hear it..."

Wrath's smile grew wider "With how you trigger so many memories from my past with your skill and rank, I figure I'd call you...Mustang."
_____

It was late at night, and everypony present at Sugarcube Corner retired to their own places to sleep, but not before being hyperactively waved off by the local resident party pony herself. The element bearers and the former homunculi were all that remained as they prepared to head to their own homes themselves.

Fluttershy looked at Envy with a smile "It was nice to see you Envy. I hope I'll see you tomorrow..."

Envy looked away with a scoff "Whatever..."

Fluttershy frowned and drooped her ears for a moment, but then she trotted back to her cottage.

Applejack tipped her hat "Well, Fluttershy's got th' right idea! Ah better get Sloth here back at th' farm!" She turned to see the indolent pony remain in the same exact spot he chose to nap in. The cowpony then groaned as she trotted over and prodded at Sloth "C'mon, Sloth! Get up! Y'all can sleep back at Sweet Apple Acres! C'mon, up an' at'em!" Sloth did not move from his spot as he continued to snore. Applejack was irritated and turned herself over to buck Sloth at the side. When she did, however, she grunted in pain when her hooves connected with Sloth's massive build "Land sakes! That pony's made o' steel!!"

Pinkie hopped over and examined Sloth for a moment, and then she jumped high and landed on Sloth's back "Wheee~!!!" She hopped up and down and the indolent pony gave a displeased grunt with each time Pinkie touched him.

Sloth eventually woke up and spoke in his tired and monotonous tone "Make it stop..."

Greed looked up at Pinkie "Hey, Pinks! He's awake now!"

Pinkie stopped and smiled down at the avaricious pony "Okie Dokie Loki!" She hopped down and patted Sloth's head "Now you be a good pony and follow Applejack home! You can sleep there, okay?"

Sloth slowly rose from his resting position as his chains rattled "What a pain..." He then looked around "Which one of you as Applejack?"

Applejack grunted "Oh, for Pete's sake! Ah'm over here, ya dummy!"

Sloth turned to see Applejack with impatience plastered on her face "Oh...Over there..." He then faced her "Are we going?"

Applejack smiled to know that Sloth was now willing to move "Yessir! Let's get ya home an' acquainted with th' others!" She trotted off at a decent pace while Sloth followed after her slowly, each of his steps thudding at the ground.

Envy watched in disbelief and turned to Pinkie "How the hell can you wake Sloth up like that!?"

Pinkie smiled at Envy "By jumping, silly! Haven't you ever jumped on somepony to wake them up??"

Rarity looked at Pinkie "Pinkie, I doubt that these ponies would resort to such an infantile action on their part!" She then yawned "Oh dear...Perhaps it's best to get my beauty sleep." She turned to smile at Lust "Lust, shall we escort you to the boutique? I'll prepare you a guest room!"

Lust smiled "I would be delighted..." The lascivious mare, while being escorted home, still felt uncomfortable about Rarity being as clingy as Gluttony.

Gluttony watched Lust leave and whimpered like a puppy as he sat on his haunches.

Pinkie hopped over to Gluttony's side and wrapped her forelegs around his neck "Don't be sad, Gluttony! Turn that frownie upside-downie! We're gonna be roomates!"

Gluttony was a little happy to know that Pinkie was there to lift his spirits and smiled at the party pony "Okay. Thank you, Pinkie!" He nuzzled at Pinkie and she gladly returned it.

Envy watched the scene and groaned in disgust "Gimme a break..."

Rainbow Dash shared the same expression "Yeah, I hate when things get too sappy..."

The two pegasi realized what they were doing and looked at each other, only to quickly glare and look away in a huff.

Envy spoke first "Shouldn't you be leading me home or something?"

Rainbow Dash replied "Maybe...maybe not..." She then noticed Twilight looking irritated and then changed her mind "Just follow me, alright? Don't wander off!" She unfurled her wings and took to the skies.

Envy unfurled its own wings and turned to look at the remaining ponies before it took off after Rainbow Dash.

Pinkie and Gluttony looked up and waved them off as they called out simultaneously "Bye, Dashie! Bye, Envy!"

Twilight, Spike, and Greed laughed at how Pinkie and Gluttony shared similar traits "Well, we better get going, too. Thanks for another great party, Pinkie!" She then turned to Greed and Spike "C'mon, you two. Let's head back to the library!"

Greed nodded "Lead the way, Twi. I'm starting to feel like Sloth with what Pinkie chose to feed us..." He stretched a little and gave a yawn as his sharp dentures revealed themselves.

Twilight and Spike widened their eyes at the sight of it. Pinkie, however beamed "Wow! I've never seen anypony with those kinda pearly whites before! Well, except for Sloth..." She turned to Gluttony "Why don't you have those teeth with how you eat, Gluttony?"

Gluttony scratched his head "I don't know. But I like my teeth the way they are!"

Pinkie smiled "Well, they seem pretty strong with how you've gobbled up almost half of the food, you little greedy gut!" She poked Gluttony's stomach and the voracious pony gave a high-pitched giggle.

Spike snapped out of his surprise and spoke "Were you actually born with those teeth, Greed?"

Greed laughed at the dragon's question "You make it sound as if it's a bad thing! Of course I am!" He then looked at Twilight with an amused smirk "Now, you said you were going to lead me to the library?"

Twilight flinched and looked down "Oh, o-of course! Sorry, it's just...you don't seem like the common unicorn. No offense."

Greed waved a dismissive hoof "None taken. I get that a lot from plenty of people. Now let's get moving so we can sleep, huh?"

Twilight looked up and smiled "Right." Spike climbed onto Twilight's back and she along with Greed trotted away while Pinkie and Gluttony waved the trio off.
_____

Applejack and Sloth made their way towards the entrance to a vast set of land full of apple trees and a house with a barn. Applejack was trotting at a decent pace while Sloth moved at his sluggish pace, and the indolent pony easily kept up with Applejack with his massive size.

When they were in front of the house, Applejack stopped and looked at the door and back towards the massive stallion approaching her. She then looked down "H'oh boy, somehow Ah knew it would come t' this..." The cowpony turned to Sloth and spoke "This way, Sloth! Since yer so dead set on catchin' some Z's, it's only best y'all get to a place fit fer a pony yer size."

The two trotted off and found themselves at the barn. Applejack opened the doors and waved Sloth in further and directed him towards a pile of hay "Yer gonna hafta make due with this bein' yer place t' sleep, sugarcube!" She closed her eyes as she continued "Ah know y'all must be so antsy t' sleep in th' Apple family homestead with th' rest o' us, but yer jus' so plum big!" She was unaware that Sloth trotted past her "But maybe y'all will learn t' deal with these conditions an'-" She jumped and yelped when a small shake made the barn and ground tremble. The cowpony turned to see Sloth sleep soundly with his face buried in the hay pile. Applejack stared for a moment and shook her head "That stallion can sleep like a rock..." She then caught herself and smirked 'Now Ah found another joke fer Rarity...' Applejack chuckled to herself and trotted out of the barn. Before she went to shut the doors she glanced at the sleeping stallion "G'night, Sloth...Hope yer ready fer tomorro'..." She then shut the doors.
_____

Rainbow Dash and Envy flew in the sky without a word to one another knowing that they don't have anything good to say.

Envy grumbled and finally broke the silence "How long before we reach your house?"

The cyan pegasus looked back with a small glare "Keep your skirt on, princess! We aren't much farther from here!"

Envy sneered at Rainbow Dash for the remark. It wasn't the jealous pony's fault that it wore what seemed like a skirt to most people.

Before long, they came across a house made almost entirely of clouds, with small ponds of what appeared to be rainbow-colored liquid. Envy grimaced at the sight 'She totally lives up to her name. How cute...' Rainbow Dash landed first and somehow managed to stand on the clouds as if it were a base floor. This intrigued Envy and it landed soon after with the same results 'Heh! Looks like I got some perks of my own! In your face, Greed!' The jealous pony grinned to itself.

Rainbow Dash waved a hoof "Here we are. This is where you'll be staying for the time being." She trotted over and poked a hoof at Envy's stomach "And just to make things clear, I have rules you're gonna follow, so get used to it!"

Envy glared and swatted away Rainbow Dash's hoof "No promises! Now are you gonna show me around or what?" It snapped irritably.

Rainbow Dash glared back at Envy, but kept her cool knowing that while Envy was a complete jerk, the pony was also a student needing to be taught a lesson. She turned and opened the door "Yeah, follow me so I can show you around." The two pegasi trotted in and Envy got a better look of the house's interior.

It was almost similar to what the jealous pony had seen in a museum. Envy hummed to itself and continued searching the area "So where do I sleep?"

Rainbow Dash looked back "I'm getting to that! Learn some patience, will ya?" The two trotted up the stairs and Rainbow Dash pointed Envy to a door "You're gonna be crashing here from now on. Don't get too comfortable, cuz you're going to be stuck with Fluttershy tomorrow and I'll be there to make sure you don't cause any trouble!"

Envy glared at Rainbow Dash "Thanks for the heads up..." It sarcastically remarked. It then looked away "Surprised you didn't explain these 'rules' I have to follow around this dump." It then gave an evil grin at Rainbow Dash "Wouldn't want me to do anything wrong, would you?"

Rainbow Dash glared back at Envy "The only things to remember are to not break anything or leave my sight! Got that?"

Envy scoffed "There you go again acting like you own me! I'm not sure if you know this, but I'm not your personal slave! Why don't you just piss o-" The jealous pony felt weak for a moment and stumbled as it rubbed its temples with its left hoof.

Rainbow Dash did not expect Envy to falter like this, and for the first time she felt concerned for the jealous pony. She trotted to its side and looked down as Envy hung its head "Hey. Are you alright? What's going on?"

Envy moaned as it rubbed its head, and then looked up to see Rainbow Dash. It scoffed and looked away "I'll be fine...I just need some sleep is all. Your's and Pinkie's nonsense already wore me out..."

Rainbow Dash glared down at Envy, but then looked at the guest door. Two things then clicked into the cyan pegasus' mind: She made it abundantly clear that she was to watch and make sure that Envy did not make any trouble, and the sudden occurence of the jealous pony feeling weak would not do well for her or the others. It was time to stick to her element. Rainbow Dash looked down at Envy "Change of plans. You're sleeping with me."

Envy looked up with an incredulous expression "What? Why now?"

Rainbow Dash smirked "Because I just realized giving you your own room was a stupid idea. That, and you look worse than you have before..."

Envy gritted its teeth "Fuck you! You need to learn to back off an-" Once again, the jealous pony stumbled as it felt more weak 'Dammit, not again!! What is this!? Why do I have to feel like this now!?'

Rainbow Dash felt pity for the way Envy looked and trotted towards its side "C'mon. Looks like we both gotta turn in before we pass out on the floor." The two made their way towards the cyan pegasus' room.

Envy casted a weak glare at Rainbow Dash "I don't need your help. I can do this on my own..."

Rainbow Dash gave an unamused glance "Yeah, you're more than capable right now..." She then opened the door and guided the jealous pony towards a large bed.

Envy then lifted itself onto the bed and did not move from the spot it landed on. The jealous pony was ready to pass out with how the bed's plush comfort was overpowering its building fatigue.

Rainbow Dash hovered towards her side and covered up "Sleep well, Envy. We got a lot to do tomorrow, and you better be ready!" The cyan pegasus received a tired murmur, and took it as a sign to get some sleep herself.
_____

Rarity and Lust simply made their way and found themselves at what appeared to be a house resembling a carousel. Rarity trotted over proudly and stood next to the front door "Well, here we are, Lust! This is Carousel Boutique, where every thing is chic, unique, and magnifique!"

Lust admired the construction with a small smile "I'm impressed. It would seem you're the only pony around here with a sign of nobility..."

Rarity shook her head "Oh nononononono! My friends are just as noble as I am! Sure, they might not see my point of view entirely, but they respect me as I do them!"

Lust chuckled "With such nobility, I would figure you were fawning for Blueblood..."

Rarity stopped herself and looked at Lust with widened eyes "Did you say Blueblood as in Prince Blueblood!? You met him!?"

Lust nodded "Yes...and he seemed rather smitten with me. Do you like him?" She expected a 'yes' out of the fashionista, but she was almost surprised to see her face contort into a face of ire.

Rarity growled "Liking him would mean giving up my life's passion!! He is by far the worst stallion who ever roamed Equestrian soil! A pony like him doesn't even deserve to be called a prince!! Oh, if I had him in my hooves right now, I would strangle him until there was nothing left of his pompous little neck!! I've never met such a detrimental parasite in all my life! I-" She looked ahead to see Lust stare with an amused smile and quickly casted her anger away in lavish embarrasment as she blushed "O-Oh dear...You'll have to forgive me, Lust. I did not mean to lash out like that, really! It's just I hear the name and..." She growled "Something snaps..."

Lust chuckled, and it turned into a small fit of laughter "I'd never expect such an answer from you of all ponies, Rarity." She trotted up to the door next to her "In truth, I feel the same way about him, minus the rage. Us ladies must keep a calm demeanor unless we're actually pushed to the edge..."

Rarity instantly nodded as she beamed at the lascivious mare "Oh, but of course! I'm glad we share the same thought, Lust! We'll get along just fine, you and I!" She opened the door and the two made their way inside.

Lust nodded "Maybe..." After her word, the lascivious mare began to feel a sense of warmth in her heart 'What is...' She stopped and looked down for a moment in confusion. Was she feeling different than how she was back in her other life?

Rarity stopped and looked back "Lust? Are you alright?"

Lust looked up and shook herself "It's nothing. I probably just need my rest."

The fashionista nodded "Well I'll be sure to give that to you once I've led you to the guest room! Come on inside so we can get you situated!" She gave Lust a warm smile.

The lascivious mare paused before she smiled back and made her way inside. She was not sure about the unknown feeling inside of her, but part of it felt welcoming almost. It seems that Lust has a lot to learn about this new world.
_____

Twilight guided Greed up the stairs of her library with Spike on her back and then led the avaricious pony to his own bed. Greed looked ahead and tilted his head "I guess this'll do just fine. Thanks for letting me crash here, I guess." He then trotted over and jumped onto his bed and laid in a comfortable position "There we go! Haven't had a good bed like this in ages! Much better than the dungeon floors..."

Twilight went to crawl into her own bed before she heard Greed "You were kept in a dungeon!? Did you do something to anger the princesses??"

Greed smirked at the lavender bookworm "It's nothing major. Luna just didn't have much else to place me and my 'loving' family...Besides, what's done is done! I wanna get to learning what you have to offer tomorrow!" He then nuzzled his head into the pillow "See you in the morning, you two..." Greed slowly found himself lost in the bed's comfort before he finally went to bed.

Twilight sighed at this and turned to Spike "We should probably keep an eye on him like Rainbow Dash with Envy tomorrow..."

Spike crawled into his small basket-bed "Knowing that he's a strange unicorn with a strange mind, it's probably a good idea!"

Twilight smiled at her assistant and went into her own bed as the two fell asleep themselves. Before she went to sleep, she got one last look at Greed and smiled to herself 'I'll bet he has some kind of plan for me tomorrow...'

End of Chapter 20

Chapter 21

A Brand New Start

Celestia's sun rose up over the horizon and signalled the dawning of a new day. At Sweet Apple Acres, the rooster crowed and signalled the Apple family members, namely Applejack, to get up and start their new day.

When she trotted out the door, Applejack made her way towards the barn after she rubbed her eyes and straightened her hat. Hopefully she'll have better luck waking up Sloth without having to cause herself any physical pain.

"Applejack, where are ya goin'? Th' trees 're th' other way!"

Applejack turned around to see a yellow filly with a red mane and tail and a bow wrapped behind her mane carrying a schoolbag around her sides. The cowpony sighed "Ah know, Applebloom. Ah jus' gotta wake up our new house guest first..."

Applebloom tilted her head "House guest? Why haven't ya told us yet? Can Ah meet whoever's at th' barn, sis?" She smiled up at her sister.

Applejack smiled back "Alright, but then ya better skidaddle t' school afterwards! C'mon over so y'all can get acquainted better!" The two siblings trotted over to the barn without a moment to lose.

The cowpony opened the doors and the sun's light expanded vertically until it reached the silhouette of Sloth sleeping on his hay pile. Applebloom noticed the indolent pony and her eyes were wide as dinner plates "Sweet Celestia, he's huge!!!"

Applejack turned to Applebloom with a stern expression "Applebloom! Not so loud!"

Applebloom cringed and looked down apologetically "Sorry, Applejack." She then looked up at Sloth "So he's th' new house guest? Is he gonna help us out on th' farm?"

Applejack nodded "Oh you bet yer flank he will! Ah'm gonna go wake 'im up." She turned to Applebloom "Now off t' school with ya! Y'all can meet Sloth later today!"

Applebloom smiled "Okay then! Ah can't wait t' meet Sloth better! See ya later, sis!" She galloped off with her school bag in tow.

Applejack watched her sister leave, and then turned back to Sloth once she was out of sight. She casually trotted over and then prodded the indolent pony "Wake up, Sloth! Ya got some work t' do!" No response. Applejack was slightly irritated "C'mon, Sloth! Ah shouldn't repeat myself! Get up so y'all can get t' work!" The indolent pony only moved his head as he nuzzled into the comfortable hay pile. Applejack growled in annoyance and went to go buck Sloth again, but stopped herself when she remembered what happened last time. An idea clicked in her head and she climbed onto Sloth and began to jump up and down "Yeehaw! Ah see where Pinkie's comin' from with this!" She was happy to hear Sloth grunt with each jump.

The indolent pony slowly shifted and rose from his sleeping position "Not again..."

Applejack stopped and looked down at Sloth "Well maybe if ya woke up sooner, Ah wouldn't have resorted t' this, sugarcube. Now let's get outside so Ah can get yer lazy flank workin'!"

Sloth groaned and turned to the barn entrance and slowly trotted out with Applejack on his back "What a pain..."

The two made their way outside and Applejack pointed Sloth to where the field of apple trees sat. While the pace was slow, they reached the trees in no time at all. Applejack then hopped down from Sloth's back and stood next to a tree "Alright, Sloth! It's time ya put them legs o' yers t' good use! Ya know how t' buck trees, right?"

Sloth looked down at the tree and at Applejack. He shifted his glance once more before he spoke "Bucking is-"

Applejack deadpanned "A pain? Well it is how it is, pardner! No pain, no gain, Ah always say! An' it's about time ya learn th' value of an honest day's work!" She smiled and tipped her hat "Ah figured it was best t' not only teach ya honesty through work, but through talkin' as well! It oughta be easy knowing y'all don't seem to lie much! Yer brother Greed seems like my kind o' customer with how honest he is!"

Sloth groaned "That's Greed, though...I'm Sloth..." He then looked at the tree and noticed how luscious the apples looked "...Hungry..." he slowly trotted over while he opened his mouth.

Applejack looked at Sloth and then remembered "Right. Ah suppose y'all could use some breakfast before ya get buckin'. Ya can have two apples, but that's all yer gettin' for th' time bein'!" She then noticed Sloth managed to eat all of the apples on the desired tree "Consarn it, Sloth!! Didn't ya hear a word Ah said!?"

Sloth chewed his meal and gulped as it satisfied the indolent pony's stomach. He then looked down at an agitated Applejack with his unchanged gaze "I was hungry...Hunger is a pain..."

Applejack facehoofed and took a deep breath to curb her annoyance "Okay, well since ya had yer fill, now we'll get started!" She trotted over to another tree and smiled "Now watch an' learn, sugarcube! This is what yer gonna do!" She faced away from the tree and planted her four hooves on the ground in a stalwart stance. The cowpony then brought up her hindlegs and gave the tree a good buck, causing all of the apples to fall. She smirked proudly "That's all ya gotta do! Seein' how big ya are, it won't be much of a problem! Now you try, Sloth." She waved the indolent pony over to the next tree.

Sloth looked at the next apple tree and slowly trotted over with a tired moan. He faced away just like Applejack, stood in his own stance, brought up his hindlegs and then...

*KAPOW*

Sloth performed a halfhearted buck, but Applejack's jaw hit the ground when she saw the tree he bucked fly high into the air, heading towards Ponyville. The indolent pony turned around and noticed the fragmented stump that remained of the tree "Huh...it broke..."

Applejack looked down and was more than nervous "This is gonna be a problem..." She focused her gaze at Sloth "Ah knew y'all were strong, but I never thought ya were THIS strong!" She looked back at her home and then a thought clicked "Ah know! Yer gonna be plowin' from now on!"

Sloth looked down at Applejack "Plowing?"

Applejack nodded "Eeyup! And don't say it's a pain, okay? Ah already got th' message with ya!"

Sloth never took his eye off of Applejack "...I've never plowed before..."

Applejack was dumbfounded "Have ya done any kind o' work in yer life, Sloth!?"

Sloth looked down "I dug a tunnel...It was big, too..." He looked back up at Applejack "I never plowed...What is plowing?"

Applejack felt flustered at Sloth's personal work life 'This pony's dumber than a bag o' hammers! But at least he'll put his strength t' use...' She then smiled "Follow me, Sloth. Ah better get ya suited fer this next task. Apple buckin's not gonna be part o' yer schedule fer a long time..." She trotted away and Sloth slowly followed her.
_____

Lust woke from her slumber and trotted out of her bed as she stretched her legs 'I've never had this content of a rest before...Rarity is indeed generous to let me stay here.' She then exited out of her door.

While she trotted down the steps, she came into the main lobby and noticed Rarity and a younger unicorn with a lighter purple mane "Well this is a surprise...You never told me you had more company."

The little unicorn looked over at Lust "Wow, Rarity! Who's she? She looks pretty!"

Rarity gasped "Where are my manners? I'm terribly sorry, Lust! I've forgotten to introduce you to my little sister!" She smiled at her sister "Sweetie Belle, this is Lust. She's going to be staying with us for a while, so you'll have to get used to her company!"

Sweetie Belle looked over and gave a proper curtsey at the lascivious mare "Hello, Lust!"

Lust smiled at the greeting gesture similar to Rarity's 'She's definitely her younger sister...' "Sweetie Belle, hm? Not a bad name at all. It is nice to meet you..."

Rarity looked at Sweetie Belle "Now, you should get going to school. I cannot abide you being tardy because of this!"

Sweetie Belle rolled her eyes "It's a simple walk from here, Rarity! I don't think I'm ever late!" She walks out the door and waves at Lust "See you later, you two!" She galloped off after she shut the door.

Lust turned to Rarity "I take it you two often quarrel like my own siblings?"

Rarity sighed at the question "I'd be lying if I said no, but that's how it usually is, right? On a cosmic scale, it's better off this way. I can't have my sister think the way I do and vice versa for so long..."

Lust nodded "A good philosophy. Now that we're both awake, what will you teach me today in terms of this...'Magic of Friendship'?" The lascivious mare was skeptical about the term given the title referring to a simple motive of camaraderie.

Rarity poked her chin with a hoof "A good question..." She looks at Lust with a quizzical glance "I'm sure you've been most generous in your life haven't you? Had you any friends prior to before we've met?"

Lust shook her head "I'm afraid not. It was just me and my family at the time. Nothing much else save for a few errands and some choice arguments amongst ourselves..."

Rarity looked saddened "Are you and your siblings really always bitter towards one another? It doesn't seem healthy at all!"

Lust gave an amused smile at the fashionista "When you've lived with them long enough, you'll learn to get used to it. And besides, I've already mentioned that we all share a mutual respect despite our minor disputes now and then..."

Rarity gave a small smile "Well, at least you all are tolerant of one another..." She then poked a hoof "I'm torn to what I should teach you in terms of showing generosity towards other ponies!"

An idea played in Lust's head and she held a hoof "Why don't you teach me how to use magic and maybe I might pass it on to Greed if he lacks the proper learning skills? I would like to practice the telekinetic ability demonstrated by Twilight Sparkle and use it on my own time."

Rarity nodded "Yes, you've told me that your's and Greed's magical skills were lacking." She smiled at the lascivious mare "I'll be happy to help you! Oh, and we still have to prepare a nice dress for you!" She gushed at the thought of Lust dressed in glamorous attire.

The two heard a loud thud outside and turned to the door with their ears perked up. They galloped outside and noticed an apple tree landed nearby the boutique. Rarity was shocked and bemused at the sight "How in Equestria did one of Applejack's trees get tossed here!?"

Lust smiled to herself, knowing the only logical answer to that question.
_____

Twilight woke up from her bed with a quiet yawn and rubbed her eyes as she hopped out of bed and trotted over to her mirror and levitated her brush. She then brushed her mane until there were no more stray strands of hair, then turned to see Spike waking up as well.

The dragon made his way downstairs and Twilight went to join him until she noticed Greed was still in his bed. She trotted over and nudged the avaricious pony "Time to get up, Greed. You got some lessons ahead of you today!"

Greed murmured and weakly moved away Twilight's hoof before he dug himself out of the covers and rubbed his eyes. He then gave another yawn that revealed his sharp teeth, causing Twilight to flinch at the sight, and then popped the joints in his neck. The avaricious pony's sight was blurry, and it became more vivid when Twilight came into his sight smiling at him "Oh, morning, Twi..." He muttered "What's going on? I was sleeping just fine before you woke me up..."

Twilight looked annoyed, but smiled at Greed's words "No need for you to be sleeping until late in the afternoon now. Climb out of bed so you can join us for breakfast." She then trotted downstairs and waited for Greed to get up.

Greed did as he was told and stretched his legs when they touched the wooden floor. He woke himself up when he remembered what he was about to gain today 'Oh yeah...Now I get to learn more magic and add some more power to myself! This is gonna be so great!' The avaricious pony then made his way downstairs. He looked around to see that the main lobby was empty, save for two birds that cuaght Greed's eye. There was an owl sitting on a perch and some orange bird chirping in a nest. He then turned to the kitchen to see Twilight and Spike sitting at a table and joined them "Hey, what's on the menu for today?"

Spike noticed Greed and waved "Good morning, Greed. It's just gonna be toast and eggs for now. Hope that's alright with you."

Greed smirked "No problem, little man. Any food's good for me so long as it's mine to eat." Spike served him a plate and he dug in almost ravenously.

Twilight facehoofed "I keep forgetting you live up to your name." She turned to Greed "Maybe you should've went with Rarity so you could learn some table manners and be more gener-"

Greed stopped eating and halted Twilight with a hoof "Ah Ah Ah, Twilight! I think I made it clear that there's nothing wrong with a little avarice! And besides..." He pointed at his horn with a hoof "I still gotta get this thing working to my liking!"

Twilight raised an eyebrow "You seem so eager to learn more about magic, Greed. Are you sure you can handle this?"

Greed waved a hoof "I don't need much of a lecture. Just some hands-on training so I can learn what you did with that parchment yesterday!"

Twilight perked up "You mean my telekinesis? That's a basic talent for all unicorns, Greed. How can you not know how to do that?"

Greed shrugged "I'm different. Can you blame me?"

Twilight looked away and blushed in embarrasment "Sorry..." She then turned back with a smile "The funny thing is me teaching you magic is killing two birds with one stone! I'll be teaching you about unicorn magic, and the Magic of Friendship!"

The word echoed in Greed's mind and he looked down for a moment 'Friendship...' He pondered the word and then faced Twilight "This 'Magic of Friendship'...Is it as powerful as Celestia claims? Don't get me wrong, I listened to you at Pinks' place last night, but I'm a bit skeptical on the details..."

Twilight nodded "Of course it is! Don't worry, Greed! I'll be sure to guide you properly down the right path along with your siblings in no time! All I ask is that you be more cooperative around me and Rarity, okay?"

Greed looked away after he finished his meal "I can't make any promises around that mare." He then turned to Twilight with an amused smirk "Also, I hope you'll be able to handle Envy like me and the others do!"

Twilight looked down "About Envy...Is he always like this?"

Greed nodded "More or less. Your friend Rainbow Dash already likes that pony a ton!" He laughed at his own joke.

Spike looked worried "I just hope none of them took first swing once they arrived back home..."

Twilight turned to her assistant with a stern gaze "Spike!"

Spike shot back "What? I'm serious! Those two are at each other's throats since yesterday! If anything, I don't know why Fluttershy feels so brave and willing around Envy with the way that pony acts!"

Greed smirked at Spike "Whatever happens happens, I guess..." He then pushed his empty plate away and hopped up "I'll be waiting for you in the main lobby, Twi! I wanna learn this thing faster than anypony else in this place!" He trotted off.

Twilight sighed at Greed's cocky behavior "Greed, there's no such thing as instant learning!"

Greed stopped in his tracks and slowly turned to Twilight with a wide grin and an amused chuckle "There's no such thing as no such thing..." The avaricious pony then continued his pace into the main lobby leaving behind a confused Twilight and Spike to ponder what he had just said.
______

Rainbow Dash shuffled in her bed and woke up as she gave a loud yawn "Man, I needed that...Nothing like a good night's sleep to get things going!" She then turned to see Envy sound asleep next to her. She stared for a moment and found it touching to see the jealous pony sleep so peacefully, but then snapped herself out of it when she remembered her duty.

She hopped out of bed and jabbed at Envy's side "Hey! Envy! Time to get up!" Envy murmured in response and shuffled a little. Rainbow narrowed her eyes and jabbed again "Get up, Envy!" Envy then gave a snarled murmur as it tucked itself further in the covers. The cyan pegasus was not in the mood to deal with Envy's attitude in the morning and in a swift motion, grabbed the covers with her mouth and yanked them away to reveal Envy lay in a sprawled position on the bed.

Envy slowly opened its eyes and casted a weak glare at Rainbow Dash "I'm trying to sleep, you bitch...What do you want?" It murmured in an agitated tone.

Rainbow Dash glared back at Envy "Look, I wanna sleep as much as you do, but you got some kindness to learn! Now get up and let's head to Fluttershy's! We can't keep her waiting for so long with how badly she wants to see you!"

Envy looked away "Dunno why the hell she's interested in me so much...Not interested in her..." Some of the jealous pony's mysterious fatigue managed to carry on throughout the night while it slunk out of bed and dragged its heels past Rainbow Dash "Let's just get this over with..." It tried to muster some of its snarky tone, but Envy felt more weak.

Rainbow Dash raised an eyebrow at Envy's condition 'Why the hay is Envy acting like this? Last night, the pony was a total jerkwad and then this happens! Maybe I should talk to Twilight about this or something...' She then followed the jealous pony out the door.

When the two were out on the front porch, Rainbow Dash unfurled her wings and glided downward towards Ponyville. Envy unfurled its own wings and followed after the cyan pegasus, but in a more haphazard flight pattern. The jealous pony grunted with each time it tried to straighten its flight towards Ponyville.

Rainbow Dash looked back and noticed Envy and felt more concerned and confused 'Okay, this is getting weird! Is Envy faking this or something? Nopony can be THIS tired after a good rest!' She landed on the ground and waited for Envy to join. When the jealous pony landed, Rainbow Dash looked down at it with a disappointed stare "Okay, we're totally working on your flight while we teach you some kindness! That was the worst flight I've ever seen!"

Envy groaned "Up yours...Now are we going or not?" At that, the two trotted through Ponyville. Rainbow Dash had a mind to hover over Envy while the two pegasi made their way to Fluttershy's, but the cyan pegasus couldn't help but feel concerned about Envy's mysterious condition.

The two passed a couple of mares on their path. One was a mint green unicorn with a lyre cutie mark while the other was a cream-colored earth pony with a blue and pink mane and tail. Her cutie mark was three pieces of wrapped candy. When they passed by Rainbow Dash and Envy, they couldn't help but share a warm nuzzle while they trotted away.

At that moment, Envy felt another wave and felt reinvigorated 'Hey, there it is again! This is really starting to piss me off!!' It then lifted its head up and trotted at a better pace.

Rainbow Dash took notice and spoke "Hey! You're finally awake. What just happened earlier? Was it some kind of condition?"

Envy glared back at Rainbow Dash "How the hell should I know? Let's head to your stupid friend and get these 'kindness lessons' over with! I got better things to do..."

Rainbow Dash glared at Envy without a word as they trotted side-by-side 'Weirdo...'

End of Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Humble Pie

At Sugarcube Corner, the front door opened to reveal Pinkie hopping out with Gluttony following her "Ah, isn't this a super-duper day, Gluttony? And the best part is teaching you how to laugh will be easy as pie!!" The party pony noticed her own joke and laughed "Get it?"

The voracious pony beamed at Pinkie "What do we do first? I wanna eat something! Why wouldn't you let me eat those children I saw?"

Pinkie giggled "Just because I said Pumpkin and Pound were so cute you would eat them up doesn't mean you actually EAT them! You really are a silly pony, Gluttony, but that's why I like you!" She looked down and pondered "We have the day to ourselves since Mr. and Mrs. Cake have the shop under control..." She looked around and she smiled when she noticed Rainbow Dash and Envy trotting along "Hey! Maybe we can hang out with Dashie and Envy!!"

Gluttony looked ahead and absent-mindedly agreed "Okay! But can we eat something first? I'm very hungry!"

Pinkie turned to Gluttony "You really do eat more than I do! No wonder you beat me at the cupcake-eating contest!" She pulled out another cupcake from her mane and Gluttony's drool seered at the ground when he caught the sight of the delicious morsel "Here ya go! This'll hold you over for the time being!" She tossed it into the voracious pony's mouth and he chewed contently "Now let's go hang out with our friends, shall we?"

Gluttony swallowed his meal and smiled at Pinkie "Okay!" The two then trotted towards the pegasi with spring in each of their steps.
_____

Rainbow Dash looked up at the sky and sighed 'Why the hay am I walking with this jerk? I should be flying right now! But then again, I should make sure Envy doesn't do anything bad to Fluttershy...I'll knock that pony senseless if that even happens!' She then noticed Pinkie and Gluttony and waved with a smile "Oh, hey there, Pinkie! Hey Gluttony!"

Envy noticed the pair as well and glared daggers at Pinkie with a low growl "You again..."

Pinkie hopped in front of them and waved "Hiya, Dashie! How's it going with Envy?"

Rainbow looked at the jealous pony with narrowed eyes "We haven't reached Fluttershy's yet and it could be better..."

Envy kept its glare on Pinkie and replied "I agree...What are you even doing here anyway?"

Pinkie tilted her head "You mean Ponyville? I live here, silly!" She hopped around "And it's the best place in Equestria aside from Canterlot since the princesses live there! Oh, and Twilight's brother! Hey, I forgot your brother's there as well, too! I'll bet you miss him already! Do you miss him? Huh? Huh? Huh?" She got closer to Envy with each question.

Envy pushed Pinkie out of its personal space and snarled "I'm not in the mood for your crap, you ignoramus! Why don't you bother someone else!?"

Pinkie kept her smile as she approached Envy once more "But Sloth's not around! He thinks everything's a bother! Or was it a pain? Mendokusai? I can't really tell the difference! He seems like a good pony to hang out with if he weren't so tired!" She turns to Gluttony "Gluttony here's so full of energy even if he eats too much, and he talks so nicely about you and your other siblings!"

Gluttony nodded to Pinkie "It's true! I love my family very much!" He then stopped and looked down sadly "Well...I don't like Pride..."

Pinkie tilted her head "Pride? Who's Pride? Is he nice?? Why wasn't he with you?"

Rainbow Dash turned to Envy "Yeah, that's a good question!" She squinted her eyes at the jealous pony "You aren't up to something, are you? Cuz' I'll let the others know and they'll be on you like-"

Envy snapped "Save your threats! You don't scare me!" It then looked away "As for your question on Pride, no, he's not nice...And he isn't here either..." It narrowed its eyes and gritted its teeth at the memory of the oldest of the seven homunculi children 'That arrogant bastard...Can't believe he was Father's favorite...'

Rainbow Dash was confused to Envy's angered expression "You okay, Envy? Anything you wanna talk about?"

Envy snapped out of its negative thought and turned to Rainbow Dash "No, nothing at all. Now why don't you lead me to that coward's house already?" It then turned and glared at Pinkie "And why don't you go and make more friends or something!?"

Pinkie giggled "But I don't need to go when I can stay and make friends-" She rose up and quickly tied the strands of Envy's wild mane into a knot "-with you~!" The party pony beamed at Envy, oblivious to the towering anger building inside of the jealous pony.

Rainbow Dash turned to Envy and glared "Calm down, palm tree head! It wouldn't hurt to bring Pinkie and your brother along! Who knows? They could probably help you be more nice around other ponies!"

Envy growled as it undid the knot in its mane and glared back at Rainbow Dash "Why the hell should I be kind to those I don't even feel like talking to? I don't even like them!"

Pinkie frowned "But what if they like you? You'll never know til you try, Envy!" She stopped and giggled "Too bad I can't get a nickname for you! Unless I went for N-V, but that would be too silly!"

Rainbow Dash laughed at Pinkie's suggestion "Hey, maybe we could teach Envy how to laugh before we head to Fluttershy's!" Rainbow Dash and Pinkie then broke into more laughter. Gluttony soon joined in with how infectious their laughter was around him. All three were unaware of the hateful glare they were receiving from Envy. The cyan pegasus wiped a tear from her laughter and spoke "Okay, I think we had our fun! Let's head to Fluttershy's!"

They all trotted in a group and Envy trotted last with the same hateful glare on its face as it muttered "Assholes..."
_____

The group, now numbering four, came across a beautiful cottage with all sorts of animals and trees. Gluttony looked around and stared hungrily at the many critters that scampered along the yards "So tasty! Can I eat them!?"

Envy gave an evil grin "Sure, why no-"

A hoof was stuffed into the jealous pony's mouth as Rainbow Dash turned to Gluttony with a stern gaze "No way, Gluttony! Those are Fluttershy's pets! She wouldn't like that at all!"

Gluttony looked down with a sullen expression "Okay..."

Envy growled and bit down on the hoof in its mouth, causing Rainbow Dash to yelp and draw back her hoof "Not cool!"

The jealous pony rubbed its mouth and spat at the side "Watch where you stuff your hoof next time, prismatic prick!" The two stopped in their tracks and glared at each other.

Pinkie, however, trotted up to the cottage's door and knocked "Fluttershy! You home? We're here!"

On cue, the wooden door opened to reveal the timid mare "Oh, hello, Pinkie!" She looked around "Where's Rainbow Dash and Envy? I expected them to be here..." She looked down "I hope they didn't forget..."

Pinkie waved a hoof "Of course not! They're over there having a staring contest!" She pointed to where the two pegasi looked as if they were about to duke it out in an all-or-nothing deathmatch.

Fluttershy noticed the tension and gasped "Oh my...we better get over there..." She opened the door and trotted over.

Gluttony watched the two pegasi as Rainbow Dash broke the tensed silence between her and Envy "I only did that because I didn't wanna see what would happen if Gluttony actually DID eat Fluttershy's animals! I don't know what the hay your problem is, but you're making this a whole lot worse for the both of us! I'm supposed to look after you, you know!"

Envy scoffed "Supposed to, my ass! You just chose to step in because you were so concerned about that coward you call a friend! I never exactly wanted to go with neither of you to begin with! I just tagged along for the ride because my dumbass brother managed to get us out of a bind!"

Rainbow Dash snapped at Envy "In that case you should be grateful instead of being an insensitive jerk! Greed's a much better friend than you, and we've only just met the guy! And stop calling Fluttershy a coward!"

Envy snapped back "I don't give a damn what you think about Greed or me! And for the record, I call it as I see it! She's probably afraid of her own shadow!!"

"Um, actually...it's true..."

The two pegasi and Gluttony turned to see Fluttershy approach them with Pinkie in tow. She stopped in front of them and sighed in relief "Thank goodness it didn't get any worse..." The timid mare smiled at them "It's good to know you're both here. Thank you both for coming..."

Rainbow Dash lowered her aggression and returned the smile "It's no problem, Fluttershy..." She then shot a nasty look at Envy "As long as SOMEPONY learns how to act better around others..." The two went back to glaring at each other.

Fluttershy frowned and stepped in "Please, you two, don't fight like this! Can't you two be more sincere with each other since you two live together?"

Rainbow Dash turned to Fluttershy "Tell that to the incredible palm tree-headed jerk over here! That pony's unbearable!"

Envy gritted its teeth "The feeling's mutual! I should probably just bail and have my own fun without your multicolored ass watching me..."

The cyan pegasus got into Envy's face "Over my dead body!"

Envy pushed back with a growl "That can be arranged..."

Rainbow Dash put more force into her push "You and what army, chump!?"

Envy did the same as the tension grew once more "I'm more than enough to take you down, bitch!!"

Pinkie noticed the rising aggression between the pegasi and thought of something to make it subside completely "I know! How about we all just go inside and-"

Envy and Rainbow Dash turned to Pinkie and shouted simultaneously "Not now, Pinkie!!"

Pinkie quickly shied away with a nervous grin "Okay, just a suggestion! Not that I wanted to stop something big from happening..." She focused her attention to a flustered Fluttershy with her eyes clenched shut from Rainbow Dash and Envy's insults and shouts, and her grin faded away knowing what was going to happen next.

Rainbow Dash turned to Envy "I'd like to see you try and keep up with me if you're thinking about throwing down, palm tree head!!" She unfurled her wings, ready to take to the skies.

Envy did the same "I'll gladly let you take the first swing and see if you can match my strength before I kill you, prismatic prick!!" The pegasi went to launch themselves and prepare for a fight.

Fluttershy had enough and yelled "STOP!" For the first time, Fluttershy sounded loud enough to make even Pinkie and Gluttony jump. Rainbow Dash and Envy turned to see a stern look on Fluttershy's face "I'm disappointed with how the two of you want to fight each other to solve your problems! You both are so inconsiderate of each other's well-being even though you should be learning from one another!!"

Rainbow Dash quivered at Fluttershy's outburst and defended herself "How would I learn from Envy? If anything I-"

Fluttershy interrupted "I don't want to hear it, Rainbow Dash! I understand you want to be loyal, but your's and Envy's conflict is not good for anypony! Not even Gluttony!"

The voracious pony in question was found chewing on some grass from the ground and gave a muffled hum in question when his name was called.

Fluttershy turned to Envy "And you! Why couldn't you be more mature and caring around Rainbow Dash let alone anypony that would speak with you!? I should have a talk with your mother about your intolerable behavior!"

Envy was unphased by Fluttershy's sudden mood shift and scoffed "Well well, the coward finally grew a pair..." It smirked at the timid mare "I don't think you know this, but I don't really have a mother...and also..." It leaned into Fluttershy's face with a dark glare "I don't think you know who you're messing with..." it spoke in a low and dangerous tone.

Rainbow Dash had a mind to cut in, but noticed the look in Fluttershy's eyes and stayed on the sidelines with a knowing smile 'Hehe, that pony's in for it now...'

Pinkie watched and shivered "Uh oh, this isn't gonna be good..."

Glutttony swallowed the grass and watched Fluttershy and Envy "What? What's happening? Is Envy going to kill her? What?"

Fluttershy closed her eyes for a short moment before she opened them up in an ominous glare. The atmosphere around the timid mare completely changed once her eyes have flared open.

Envy glared back before it became engrossed in Fluttershy's eyes with a look of shock. The jealous pony's body trembled along with its pupils 'Wh-What the-!? What's going on!? Why can't I move or look away from her!? It's as if I'm being torn apart on the inside!!' It continued to look into Fluttershy's eyes as they leered back at the jealous pony 'Is she doing this!? All she's doing is looking at me! How can she do this!?'

Gluttony noticed how different Envy looked and went to shift his gaze to Fluttershy, but Pinkie pulled him away "Don't look at it, Gluttony!"

The voracious pony turned to Pinkie with a quizzical glance "What is she doing, Pinkie?"

Pinkie had a look of sheer worry in her eyes as she whispered in horror "The Stare..." Gluttony already felt a shiver down his spine with the way Pinkie uttered her words and slowly nodded in comprehension. Rainbow Dash simply watched Envy in smug amusement with how the jealous pony was being easily handled by Fluttershy.

Fluttershy stared long enough before she finally spoke in her stern motherly tone "Now I don't know why you have to act so mean, but while you're learning under me and my friends, you'll learn to be more nice or else I'll make sure you get the message with another stare! You WILL be more cooperative and caring around us and never act mean again! Understand!?"

Envy could not bear the intense physiological pain it was dealing with just by looking at Fluttershy and blankly answered "O-Okay...I get it...I-I'm sorry..."

After the hypnotically fear-induced apology, Fluttershy cancelled out her stare and her anger was replaced with her former calm and kind demeanor "Thank you, Envy...Now that this has stopped, why don't we go inside for tea and cookies before we get started?"

Gluttony perked up with a hungry grin "Cookies!?"

Pinkie turned to Gluttony "Yep! Looks like we made the right choice following Dashie and Envy to Fluttershy's, huh, Gluttony?"

Fluttershy, Pinkie, and Gluttony made their way inside the cottage while leaving a shellshocked Envy and a satisfied Rainbow Dash out on the front yard. Rainbow Dash decided to make her way inside as well, but not before she trotted past Envy with a smug smile "Don't think she's much of a coward now, huh?" She spoke in a tone that betrayed no accomplished satisfaction from witnessing the earlier scene.

Envy stood for a moment before it shook itself out of its pause and looked down as it gave a frustrated growl 'Is this some kind of cruel joke?' It then looked up and begrudgingly joined the rest of the group. The jealous pony's pride crumbled from having to be bested by the look in a coward's eyes.

End of Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Stray

Pinkie, Rainbow Dash, and Envy took their seats in the dining room as they waited for Fluttershy to prepare the tea to go with the cookies. Gluttony gorged through most of them and earned the attention of Rainbow Dash "Hey, Gluttony! Show some restraint, will you? I want some cookies, too!"

Gluttony ate another one and spoke as crumbs flew out of his mouth "But they're so good!" He stopped and giggled when he saw Rainbow Dash's face covered in crumbs.

Pinkie joined in the small fit of laughter herself and beamed at the voracious pony "Gluttony makes my job super easy sometimes! I'll bet he'll be a shoe-in for Applejack once he comes around!" She then turns to Envy "Hey, Envy! Do you think Gluttony might be able to eat all of the apples on her farm??"

Envy sat down and looked away without a word. It was still fixated on the event that occured earlier and couldn't shake it off 'She's as scared as a rabbit, and all it took was a stare for me to submit to her!? This isn't right at all!' The jealous pony looked down and murmured to itself.

Rainbow Dash turned to Envy "Hey, Envy! Pinkie asked you a question!"

Envy snapped out of its thoughts and shifted its eyes towards the trio and only uttered in a neutral tone "Of course he will..." It then looked away. Envy felt as if its former personality had almost left for good, but the jealous pony could only deny the fact that Fluttershy held that amount of power in herself in order to feel better 'To be bested by a coward...'

Fluttershy looked in each of her cupboards and had a look of distress on her face "Oh dear...I'm low on tea." She turned to the group with an apologetic expression "I'm so sorry, everypony. I don't have enough tea for all of us. If only I've kept track on my supply..."

Pinkie smiled "Don't feel bad Fluttershy! We can still have tea! All I gotta do is head to Zecora's and ask for some!"

Fluttershy turned to Pinkie with a concerned frown "Oh, Pinkie, you don't have to...and besides, you'll be going into the Everfree Forest. There could be timberwolves around..."

Pinkie waved a hoof "I wouldn't worry too much, Fluttershy! I can be sure to steer clear of those mean monsters!" She turned to Gluttony "Also, I got Gluttony! Maybe he can help me if things get rough!"

Rainbow Dash tilted her head "I dunno, Pinkie...Can Gluttony even fight?"

Gluttony nodded with a wide smile "Mhm! I've fought plenty of enemies! I'm pretty strong! But not as strong as Sloth!"

Rainbow Dash turned to the window "I wonder if AJ's handling the big guy without a hitch! He seems to wanna nap more than work!" She chuckled "He's definitely got his priorities straight!"

Pinkie laughed as well "Yeah! He's just like you, only he isn't fast!"

Gluttony turned to Pinkie "What? But Sloth is the fastest out of us!"

Rainbow Dash turned to Gluttony "Seriously? Are you sure you aren't exaggerating there?"

Gluttony shook his head "He really is the fastest! He can go real fast! Like-" He moved his forelegs in a swooping motion while making a childish wooshing noise.

Rainbow Dash laughed at the gesture "Sorry, Gluttony, but I'll believe that when I see it!" She then turned to Envy "He really does talk so good about you and your family! I don't know why you barely like him!"

Envy grunted a little "He's not kidding, you know..." Rainbow Dash raised an eyebrow "Sloth may be big and dumb, but he's actually the fastest out of all of us..." It looked down "Only problem is he can barely focus with how he's so constantly tired..."

Rainbow Dash paused "Your serious? And here I thought Gluttony here was just being nice! Which reminds me..." She looked at Envy with a mischievous smirk "Ready for some kindness lessons?"

Envy grunted in disdain towards Rainbow Dash's smug remark 'I shouldn't be here...I'm a homunculus!' The jealous pony scoffed "Sure..."

Pinkie held up a hoof "Well, don't start without us! We'll be right back with some tea for us all lickety split!" She turned to Rainbow Dash "Not that I'm fast as you, Dashie!"

Rainbow Dash smiled at Pinkie "At least you know that much!"

Pinkie nodded "Then we're off!" She turned to Gluttony "C'mon, Gluttony! We got some tea to get!" She hopped off and the voracious pony hopped after her.

Envy looked down for a moment before it perked up after an idea clicked in its head 'How could I've been so stupid!?' A devious grin then formed on its face.

Rainbow Dash noticed and narrowed its eyes "What's up with you? You thinking about something funny, Envy?"

Envy turned to Rainbow Dash and spoke in a tone of mock maturity "It's nothing at all. I'm just gonna go outside and look at the animals..."

Fluttershy looked at Envy "Do you like animals, too, Envy? We could go out and show you around if you want!"

Envy smiled at Fluttershy "That'd be great..."

Rainbow Dash was confused, if not skeptical of how Envy was suddenly acting 'This is too good to be true...' She then spoke up "Which one's your favorite?"

Envy turned to Rainbow Dash "Snakes, usually...They're pretty great with how they can defend themselves..."

Fluttershy tilted her head "I never met a pony who favored snakes before..." She smiled at the jealous pony "Okay! We'll go outside then! Let's go..." The three pegasi made their way out the door and into the backyard where many animals were seen in different spots.

Fluttershy looked around "Now let's just see where they're a-Ah, here they are!" She hovered over and pointed Envy to a cage of snakes next to a large tree "Be careful now, Envy. They're just like me when they meet new ponies..." The timid mare winced "Only they bite..."

Envy smirked "Thanks...I'll keep that in mind." It trotted over and stood in front of the cage as the snakes stared back.

Rainbow Dash turned to Fluttershy and whispered "Hey, Fluttershy? Do you think Envy's up to something?"

Fluttershy replied with a whisper of her own "Huh? What gave you that idea, Rainbow Dash? Surely she wouldn't do such a thing...I mean, she even agreed to cooperate with us..."

Rainbow Dash nodded "Yeah, but that's only because you had to use The Stare to make that jerk see the light! But something tells me that one stare wasn't enough!"

Fluttershy looked concern "What do you mean? Did I not try hard enough?"

Rainbow Dash shook her head "I'm not saying you didn't. I'm saying that maybe we're being a bit to lenient with that pony!"

Fluttershy looked down "But if that were the case, wouldn't she have already snapped at us despite what just happened?"

While the two were engrossed in their conversation, Envy was still staring at the snakes, but then slowly shifted its eyes at the pegasi. It then took one step before it broke into a gallop over the fence and towards the trees.

Rainbow Dash saw it and glared "I knew it! Come back here, you jerk!" She took flight and chased after Envy while it made for the trees.

Fluttershy noticed and followed after "Oh no! Envy, don't go near there! It's dangerous!" She never thought anypony would recklessly run towards the Everfree Forest for no reason whatsoever.

Envy went into the woods and blended in with the vast and gnarled foliage of the trees.

Once the two were at the outer reaches of the forest, Rainbow Dash was about to dive in, until she noticed a familiar pink pony hop out of the brush looking mangled all over "Wha!? Pinkie? What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be with Gluttony??"

Pinkie huffed as she caught her breath "That's the problem! I wanted you guys to come over super quickly! Gluttony was caught in a field of vines nearby Zecora' place and I can't get him out! If that isn't enough, Zecora isn't around! Boy, was I lucky enough to run into Envy, though! I told her everything and she was willing to help! But I need you guys to go help as well while I get Twilight and the others!"

Rainbow instinctively saluted "You can count on me! Glad to know that Envy's doing something kind for once!" She zipped to the forest's entrance so she could get a good start on the path to Zecora's.

Fluttershy turned to Pinkie "Pinkie, you look so hurt! I need to help you-"

Pinkie placed a hoof on Fluttershy "No time for that! Gluttony needs all the help he can get! There could be timberwolves around!" She had a tear in her eye "I can't lose a good friend..."

Fluttershy noted the tear in Pinkie's eye and nodded with determination "Okay, Pinkie. Since Gluttony means so much to you, I'll go help Rainbow Dash. Just hurry and tell Twilight what is going on, please!"

Pinkie gave a sad smile as she sniffled "Thanks, Fluttershy. You're the best...I'll let her know as soon as possible!"

Fluttershy smiled back and galloped towards the entrance to catch up to Rainbow Dash, leaving Pinkie to watch her leave with a smile on her face. When she was gone, the party pony began to laugh. As she laughed louder, the look in her eyes became more evil while a green aura formed around her. It shrouded to reveal a laughing Envy "Idiots...I'm out of here..." It trotted off into Ponyville "Time to have some of my own fun for once..."
_____

Twilight, Spike, and Greed stood at the center of the library so the avaricious pony's magic lessons could take place. The lavender bookworm looked at her student "Alright, Greed! Remember, you have to focus entirely on the object you wish to lift in order for the telekinetic spell to work. Are you ready for this?"

Greed smirked "As I'll ever be..." The avaricious pony pointed his horn at the wooden equine bust on the table "Okay, here I go!" He clenched his eyes shut and strained himself as no magic aura appeared on his horn.

Twilight and Spike raised an eyebrow at Greed's performance and looked at each other before shifting back to glance at him. Twilight then spoke up "Greed, I don't think you're understanding the concept of focus. You shouldn't push yourself like this!"

Greed stopped for a moment as he caught his breath "Why isn't no magic happening yet? Maybe if I try harder..." He then pointed his horn and performed the same gesture as before with the exact same results. The only difference was that the avaricious pony rubbed his head after stopping "Dammit! This isn't working at all!"

Twilight smiled at Greed's disbelief "I told you there's no such thing as instant learning, Greed. Every course of learning needs to be taken one step at a time!"

Spike looked away and muttered "Oh boy, here we go..."

Twilight continued "It's our jobs as unicorns not only to use magic, but to study it and understand its possibilities AND its capabilities no matter how long it might take!" A thought came to Twilight's head "Say, a unicorn your age should be good with at least some spells other than telekinesis..."

Greed looked down "Well, I do know one trick, but I dunno if it counts as magic..."

Twilight beamed "Well, don't keep us waiting! Show us what you can do! Maybe it'll be related to your special talent!" She then turned to see his Ouroboros cutie mark and looked confused 'Whatever that might be...'

Greed shrugged "Alright." He shut his eyes and his horn began to glow. Twilight and Spike stared intently at it, wondering what was about to happen next. Then suddenly Greed's body gradually flashed brightly to reveal his Ultimate Shield form. Twilight and Spike were both shocked and awed at the sight of the new pony in front of them while Greed spoke in his metallic tone "Well? You think this counts as magic?" He was only met with silence from the two in front of him as they stared into his piercing red eyes while their own were wide as can be.

End of Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Hide and Seek

Lust was trotting along Ponyville to take a break from Rarity and her brief magic lessons. The fashionista granted Lust time to herself on account of her wanting to craft a surprise on her own time. The lascivious mare never thought she would be able to master telekinesis so effortlessly. True to her word, she would find Greed and teach him the basis of the spell if he was unable to do so. She trotted past a barrel, and it shook before she could properly distance herself from it "Hm?" Lust looked over at the motionless barrel long enough to where it shook again, earning the lascivious mare's latent curiousity. She rapped against the wooden barrel three times, and the lid slowly inched above to reveal the brown spiky mane of her younger and avaricious brother. Lust managed to stifle a chuckle at the sight "Just what are you doing in there, Greed? Is this a part of your magic training perhaps?"

Greed grunted and whispered "Not even...I'm just trying to hide from Twilight! Show her my Ultimate Shield form ONE time and now she won't leave me alone! She had that look in her eyes..." The avaricious pony could not help but shudder at the way Twilight looked at him in his new form.

Lust smirked "You do realize hiding will not help your case for making her think you're enticed with her or your progress in learning magic, right?"

Greed glared at Lust "You're missing my point, Lust! She wants to experiment on me ever since I showed her my form! She's like some kind of mad scientist or something!!"

"Greed!! Greed, where are you??"

The avaricious pony's ears perked up as he flinched at the sound of the lavender bookworm's voice "Fuck! Don't let her know I'm here, okay!?" He whispered hoarsely as he dipped his head back into the barrel and hid himself.

Lust noticed Twilight galloping towards her and stopped in front of her "Lust! Thank Celestia I found you! Have you seen Greed anywhere? He ran off after I proposed to look into his unique spell! I have to find him! Please tell me you saw him!" She looked up with pleading eyes.

The lascivious mare smiled "Before I answer, I have to ask...Has he learned any spells under your tutelage save for the one mentioned?"

Twilight shook her head "No, and it looks like it could take a while before he understands the basic concept of magic...But have you seen him?"

Lust looked down and a smiled played on her face as she then feigned disappointment and shook her head "I'm afraid I haven't seen him, Twilight. I'm very sorry..."

Twilight huffed "Ponyfeathers! Well, maybe he went to Applejack's house! Thank you for your time, Lust! And I hope Rarity is being a good host to you!"

Lust smiled and nodded "A very good one, actually. Good luck finding Greed..." She waved off the lavender bookworm as she galloped off in determination.

Greed popped his head out of the barrel and looked away. He then sighed in relief "Thanks, Lust...I guess I owe you one for getting me out of there..." He grunted in disbelief when he realized what he had just said.

Lust only smiled back at her younger brother "Oh, it would be an act of generosity to let you off without any favors to repay me. But I have a better idea in mind..." Greed raised an eyebrow at the lascivious mare "It would seem you have failed to meet Twilight's expectations in learning magic. Heretofore, I shall teach you telekinesis and make sure you know it by heart. Knowing my progress and my experience with discussing issues to you with your simplicity, I'm sure it will not take but a minute..."

Greed growled "Now you're just being a bitch!"

Lust raised an eyebrow as she gave a cold smirk "Would you rather me reveal your location to Twilight Sparkle?"

Greed flinched and looked down "Fine, you win..."
_____

Envy trotted through Ponyville with a bored expression on its face. As much as it favored the fact that it was separated from an overbearing pair of pegasi and a pink insect handling the jealous pony's younger brother, it never thought what else to do. As it trotted, a small and unpleasant feeling bloomed inside of Envy's chest. It looked down and stopped "Huh?" the feeling continued to linger thoroughly without pause 'Okay, I'm not feeling tired, so this is totally new...' As the feeling stayed, Envy felt a mysterious need to turn and look back towards Fluttershy's cottage and the entrance to the Everfree Forest and stared for a moment in silence. It then shook itself out of its mysterious trance and grunted 'Why do I bother!? They're obviously fine! They have Gluttony around, and I'm sure that multicolored bitch can handle herself in a fight with how she talks...' It then turned to face the town's bustling activity and a mischievous smirk played on its face 'Now, where should I start?'
_____

In the Everfree Forest, Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy were ardently traversing through the safe route of the Everfree Forest leading towards Zecora's Hut. Rainbow Dash sailed through the air and slalomed past each tree that got in her way, whereas Fluttershy was galloping on the ground to keep a close eye out for any possibly predators.

Rainbow Dash looked down "Fluttershy! You see anything!?"

Fluttershy looked up, and while she sounded quiet, she was able to call up to her airborne friend "No! Nothing at all! I don't see any sign of dangerous animals!"

Rainbow Dash nodded and looked ahead. When the two traveled far enough, they came to a halt when they noticed two shadowy figures coming into view with extra growths on their backs. The cyan pegasus hovered near Fluttershy's level and assumed a fighting position "Okay! Whoever you are, come and get some!" Fluttershy hid behind Rainbow Dash as the two figures drew closer.

The figures then revealed themselves to be a beaming pair of familiar earth ponies carrying items on their backs. Pinkie waved at the pair of dumbstruck pegasi "Hey there Dashie! Hey Fluttershy!" She balanced a small jar on her nose "We were just coming back with the tea you wanted! We didn't miss anything, did we?"

Gluttony blinked and held a confused frown "Hm?" He looked around aimlessly "Where's Envy? Why isn't Envy with Rainbow Dash?"

Rainbow Dash stammered as she tried to assess the current happening "B-B-B-But-But...Pinkie, you-...an-...but you were just out-..." She couldn't for the life of her grasp the intense amount of confusion with the appearance of Pinkie opposite to as she found her at the forest's edge touching Fluttershy's cottage.

Pinkie only tilted her "Of course I was out! I wanted to get more tea for Fluttershy! Good thing Zecora was generous enough!" She turned to Gluttony "She even found Gluttony to be almost entertaining with his hunger! Good thing I stopped him from trying to eat her ingredients..." The party pony then looked stern "You gotta learn to keep that hunger of yours in check, mister!"

Gluttony looked down with a sullen expression "But the soup she made in the cauldron...I couldn't resist!"

Fluttershy interrupted "Wait...Zecora was at her hut the whole time?"

Pinkie nodded "Yes indeedy! Otherwise, we wouldn't be coming back with all this tea! Now what say we go back and-"

Rainbow Dash darted her head around and pushed aside her massive confusion when she remembered something else "Forget that! Where's Envy!?"

Pinkie raised an eyebrow "You mean she wasn't with you??" She looked at Rainbow Dash with a smile "Does this mean you trust her now, Dashie?"

Rainbow Dash jerked her head to Pinkie with narrowed eyes "Not for two bits!! That pony pulled a fast one on us earlier and went into the Everfree Forest! Then SOMEHOW you managed to show up looking all beat-up and saying that Gluttony was in trouble!"

Now it was Pinkie's turn to be confused as she craned her head back with a bemused look on her face "I did? Huh...that doesn't usually happen unless I actually go too far..." She looked down in thought.

Gluttony, however, looked scared as he looked around "I'm in trouble!? Oh no, what did I do!? Nopony told Lust on me, did they!?" The voracious pony whimpered horrifically, not wanting any sort of punishment to befall him when he was having a fun time with his newest friend. The worst punishment he would imagine would not be to eat for a long time.

Fluttershy trotted over and gave Gluttony a motherly nuzzle to calm him down "Now now, Gluttony, you're in no trouble at all, especially since you've managed to go so far with Pinkie to get tea for me. Thank you very much..."

Gluttony sighed in relief and beamed at Fluttershy "I'm glad! You smell nice, too!" This caused the timid mare to hide in her mane to contain her massive blush.

Rainbow Dash growled "If we're done with the hugs and kisses here, we gotta find Envy! That pony could be anywhere in this forest!"

Pinkie looked around "Really? I would've known if she were to come around here!" She then looked worried "This isn't good, everypony! We gotta find her before something bad happens to her! She's Dashie's responsibility!"

The cyan pegasus looked down "Envy can be a total jerk most of the time, but Pinkie's right! Nopony shouldn't be around here by themselves!"

Gluttony looked down and then turned to the sky to sniff at the air. The three mares turned to the voracious pony as he directed his muzzle to the ground and dragged it on a trail as if he were a bloodhound. Rainbow Dash, Pinkie, and Fluttershy were confused at first, but decided to follow him to see what would happen.

In time, they made it out of the forest and Gluttony succeeded in infuriating Rainbow Dash "Uh, Gluttony? Envy's INSIDE the forest! We gotta go back now!" She got no response as the voracious pony kept his pace, and the cyan pegasus grunted in frustration "Forget it, he's hopeless! C'mon, girls! We're going back inside to get Envy! That pony's gotta be in there somewhere-"

"Envy's not in the forest..."

The three mares turned to Gluttony as he stopped and sniffed at a spot "I have Envy's scent!" He pointed a hoof "Over there, in Ponyville!" Gluttony then continued to sniff at the ground and trudge into town, oblivious to the luggage he was carrying on his back.

Pinkie, upon seeing Gluttony's doglike actions, pulled out a detective's hat and a pipe out of nowhere "Well, gang! Looks like we got a mystery on our hooves! It's time to solve the case of the Missing Pegasus!"

Rainbow Dash facehoofed "Pinkie, now's not the time to-"

Pinkie held up a hoof "That's Detective Pinkie to you, ma'am! And now's a good time as ever to leave no stone unturned as we search for our lost friend!"

Fluttershy looked ahead "But how can we be sure if Envy's in Ponyville? We just saw her jump into the forest..."

Gluttony stopped in his tracks and looked back blankly "Envy's not in the forest!" He then trotted into Ponyville with his muzzle in the dirt.

Fluttershy drooped her ears 'That can't be healthy for poor Gluttony...Oh, I hope Envy's not getting into any trouble...' She trotted after the voracious pony and went into town.

Pinkie held up a dramatic hoof "Alas, the plot thickens! Come, my assistant!" She pulled out a black bowler hat out of nowhere and tossed it onto Rainbow Dash's head, the hat landing on top of her perfectly "We have a mystery to solve!" The party pony turned detective then pulled out a magnifying glass and stared at the ground through it as she followed Fluttershy and Gluttony into town.

Rainbow Dash sighed at Pinkie's randomness and hovered after them 'Pinkie Pie, you are so random...' She then scowled at the thought of having to search high and low for a certain pony 'Envy, you are SO dead!!'

End of Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Tension Rising

At Canterlot, the three changeling sentries moved across the busy streets incognito. The earth pony guard made his way into the castle with minimal effort while the latter pair mingled with the locals.

The earth pony shifted his eyes as he made his way across the castle grounds, and then noticed other guards gathering around as well. He saw this as a chance to blend in without raising suspicion, but his chances were crippled when he tried to match the same stance of the other soldiers while they lined up in a phalanx formation and awaited their commanding officer. He was lucky to get it down properly the moment Wrath arrived, and he stared ahead with the same look of resolve like the other guards.

Wrath calmly but firmly trotted along the lines as he noted the appearance of his troops without paying them a glance. When he reached the end where the changeling sentry stood, he stopped for a moment and shifted his uncovered eye towards him. He then faced him with his stoic gaze while the sentry returned it wholesale and the two kept silent.

After a small moment of pause, Wrath trotted back to the other end where he entered "I'm glad you all have made it today! We shall resume your daily exercises prior to what you were issued the day before! You all have done well in the past and I expect the same results, if not more, the following hours you will spend here! Do not let me, neigh...Do not let Celestia down! Am I clear?"

The guards instinctively saluted in reply to the furious pony's question "Sir!" They all resounded dutifully. The changeling sentry was lucky to mimic the other guards' actions.

Wrath then turned to face the guards "You may begin your exercises in the same groups as before! We shall cover weaponized close combat near the end of the day!" The guards did as they were told and separated from one another in terms of race. When the earth ponies remained, they prepared themselves for their own exercises before they begin sparring one another.

The changeling sentry effortlessly joined and did not raise suspicion in the slightest. However, he was unaware that Wrath kept his gaze on him while he exercised.
_____

Inside the castle halls, Shining Armor limped with Cadence at his side as he made for the training grounds with a serious face. While he considered Wrath a respectable opponent with his experience, he was still skeptical about letting the furious pony lead his prized army. Shining Armor wanted to make sure that his fellow soldiers were being led in the right direction with their training. A random thought that crossed his mind was how the nickname he earned from Wrath last night seemed so offput despite the context. A mustang was considered a majestic horse, but he never thought he would be called such by anypony, let alone a complete stranger.

Cadence was both worried and exasperated at her husband's wish to see Wrath and the guards "Shining Armor, you shouldn't even be moving like this! What if your wounds reopen with your mobility?"

Shining Armor turned to Cadence with a small smile "Don't worry, dear. I'm aware about my condition, and I'll be sure to take it easy somehow..." He then looked ahead with his serious gaze once more "But I want to make sure Bradley isn't trying anything underhoofed while he's monitoring my troops!"

Cadence sighed and rolled her eyes "Couldn't we just do it from the window like yesterday? Celestia has given us time off, and while I, too, feel slightly tense around Wrath, he hasn't been causing any problems lately!" She trotted up to Shining Armor's side and shared a soft nuzzle "Couldn't we just spend more time with each other like we have on our honeymoon?" She cooed, hoping her husband would understand.

Shining Armor returned it briefly before he continued onward "Right after I know that old pegasus hasn't planned anything sneaky!"

Cadence stopped in her tracks and huffed at Shining Armor's dedication 'He cares more about Wrath and his army rather than his own health OR his time off...Maybe Wrath is up to something...' She caught up to Shining Armor while holding a stern gaze.

When the couple made it onto the training grounds, Shining Armor made a direct limp to Wrath, who stood around and supervised the soldiers and their practices. When the furious pony noticed their arrival, he smiled at Shining Armor and Cadence "Ah, hello, Mustang...and good afternoon to you, Princess Cadence."

Shining Armor's expression was unchanged "I told you the nickname was unnecessary, Bradley." He looked around "I see that the soldiers are working well under your command..."

Wrath nodded "Yes, I would not live with myself knowing I've disappointed you or the princess..." He noted the glare on Shining Armor's face and took a deep breath "Also, I assure you that I bear no ulterior motives whatsoever...I am a changed man..." He looked down with his eye closed "You have every right to doubt me with how these were once your soldiers and how I myself am completely alien to Equestria's customs, but even I hold a duty as a soldier much less from my former status as a military leader..."

Shining Armor raised an eyebrow at Wrath while he kept his stance and saw he held nothing other than his hidden rage. It intrigued the guard captain with how one pony could hold so much anger inside of him and yet maintain a mature atmosphere around himself. He then sighed in defeat "I suppose you have nothing to lose with how you claim you're not from around here..." He then kept a stern gaze "But know that I still expect you to keep everything in order!"

Wrath flashed a friendly smile "I shall do as promised..." He looked over at Cadence "My apologies if I have wasted much of your time, your highness. I shouldn't keep you here knowing that you have duties of your own."

Cadence tilted her head "Are you referring to Shining Armor?"

Wrath chuckled "Who else? I'm fully aware that you are still on vacation while he is in recovery. Knowing how he is making a fast one, it is only best that you spend more time with each other before you would have to return to your real duties..."

Cadence stammered for a moment before she sighed with a smile 'Perhaps I was wrong about him and his family...' She then nodded "Thank you for your time, Wrath. Keep up the good work."

Shining Armor smiled "Ditto...I still got my eye on you, Bradley."

Wrath smirked "Likewise, Mustang..."

The guard captain snorted at the nickname, but he shared a salute with the furious pony and he limped off with Cadence back into the halls. Wrath watched them leave 'Indeed a good couple...I should be thankful that they have given me the chance to start anew...' He then looked back to the earth pony guard division and his expression darkened slightly 'Now for other matters...'

He then trotted over to the earth pony guards and looked around diligently. When he spotted the one he was looking for, he pointed a hoof "You!" The one he called stopped what he was doing and directed his attention to Wrath "Front and center!" On reflex, the guard trotted over and stood in front of the furious pony with a proud salute. However, it wasn't enough to impress Wrath "I would like to know where I've last seen you..." He spoke in a calm and commanding tone.

The guard saluted and replied as if talking to a drill sergeant "I was out sick yesterday, sir! My sickness rendered me unable to attend yesterday's training!"

Wrath paused at the sound of his voice. While it sounded like a respective lower ranked soldier's tone, he detected a hint of anxiety in his voice "I see...In that case, might you tell me your name, soldier? We have not properly met, so it is only wise for me to know what to call you..."

The guard was silent and looked over at the doorway where Shining Armor and Cadence went inside to. He looked back at Wrath, who waited patiently while wearing an expression of condescending expectance "A-Azure Edge! My name is Azure Edge, sir!"

Wrath raised an eyebrow "Oh? Funny, I've not met anypony such as yourself before..." The guard smiled at what sounded like a compliment, but then Wrath continued with his calm but commanding tone "I say this on account of two reasons..." He pointed a hoof at the guards flank "For starters, you seem to lacking a cutie mark." The guard's heart skipped a beat at the realization "And the next..." He pointed towards a sky blue pegasus with a sword cutie mark practicing combat with his wings "That pony over there bears the same name..." The guard's eyes widened at his mistake and felt threatened when he noticed Wrath's expression darken "Now..." he uttered in a grave tone "Why don't you tell me who you really are? Unless you wish to be arrested for treason and impersonation..."

The guard began to sweat beads as the furious pony's stare bore through his being. He looked around to see no guards paid the two ponies no mind in their conversation and decided to take the initiative. The guard jumped back before he made a charge for Wrath.

Wrath anticipated the move and flared his left wing as the guard drew close. He then sidestepped out of the way and slashed at his left set of legs causing the guard to yell as blood poured from the cut. He then planted his forelegs firmly on the ground and gave the earth pony a solid buck on his backside, sending him to the ground face first.

The other guards ceased their activity and watched the scene in utter bemusement while Wrath simply trotted forward and examined his attacker. He grunted in pain and then his body shined and gruadually revealed another body. The guards around him gasped when they noticed that the attacker was a changeling the whole time. Wrath suppressed his own gasp as he looked upon the shady intruder 'Just like Envy...' He then turned to two guards with a stern look in his eyes "You two! Round up the intruder and follow me!" He then turned to the others "The rest of you shall be on standby until further notice!"

The guards saluted as Wrath made his way into the castle while the two guards carried the injured changeling and followed their commanding officer. Wrath could already feel a battle approaching with the sudden occurence of this event.
_____

Princess Celestia sat on her throne while Luna sat in her own alongside her older sister. Both the regal sisters had figured it was going to be another peaceful day to enjoy without consequence. Celestia smiled when she thought about the possible progress the element bearers were making in teaching the former homunculi, save for Wrath, about the Magic of Friendship. The solar princess broke the silence when several humorous scenarios played in her head "I wonder how Twilight is handling Greed. Do you think they are holding up okay, Luna?"

Luna looked at Celestia with a raised eyebrow "Is thine question regarding your faithful student necessary with how thou chooseth to issue a classic postal prank?"

Celestia huffed at the question, but kept her smile "It was a good idea at the time. And with how Greed seemed so eager to learn more about magic, who else would he turn to other than you or me for proper guidance? " Her smile grew more "Besides, I have full confidence in Greed for taking in the lessons he needs to live a fulfilling life in Equestria. While his ways are not the most acceptable, I believe he and his siblings can be guided in the right direction."

Luna sighed "That is another problem we fear. We've not expected Wrath to remain here at the castle and not carry the same sentence bestowed upon his brethren. There is also the matter of the pegasus called Envy..." She looked stern "We do not share the most confidence with that pony's irrepressible behavior."

Celestia gave a solemn nod "True, but we should be lucky that Envy chose not to do anything drastic other than what was demonstrated yesterday. We can only hope that Envy can be able to learn like Greed and the others..."

The regal sisters were startled when the doors to the throne room bursted open to reveal Wrath trotting at a fast pace with two guards following behind him as they carried the injured changeling. Wrath stopped in front of the steps leading to the dual thrones and gave a proper kneel to the two princesses "Majesties...I come bearing a disturbance that revealed itself onto the training grounds!" He turned to the guards who set down the changelings and triggered the expressions of shock on Celestia's and Luna's faces. The furious pony looked back up to them "We found this creature masquerading as one of our troops. It tried to attack me, but I've fended it off easily..."

Celestia rose from her seat and trotted down "I've never thought we would see one of them again..." She spoke in a hushed and serious tone. Celestia noted the curious and intent expression in Wrath's gaze and decided to give him the details "Wrath, what you have discovered outside on was practically the latest threat that has befallen Equestria a few months ago." She pointed to the injured creature "That which you have confronted is called a changeling. They take the forms of anypony they see fit while feeding off of the love of other ponies to fuel their own power! They have invaded Canterlot during the wedding of Shining Armor and Princess Cadence and have nearly succeeded in the past." She closed her eyes and trotted towards one of the windows that showed the streets of Canterot and the solar princess looked outside with a neutral gaze "We will have to take large safety measures if the changeling swarm chooses to attack us once more..."

Luna turned away at the mention of changelings with a sad look on her face. She felt horrible around that time when she chose to seek absence while the crisis grew out of proportion. The princess of the night had remembered how Queen Chrysalis had hypnotized her into a deep sleep before she took her place on the alter only to be revealed by Twilight and the real Cadence.

Wrath nodded as he took the information in 'So that is what the creature is called...This could not bode well for Envy if things grow more catastrophic...' He looked stern, but his eye pleaded for confirmation "Princess Celestia, I would like to send a message to my family in Ponyville. I cannot let them be met with the same fate as us when a matter of grave importance has struck beyond castle walls!"

Celestia looked back at the furious pony and nodded "Very well, Wrath, you have my permission..." She looked up into the skies out the window "Knowing how Shining Armor's magic shield combined with Cadence's reinforced magical strength had scattered most of the changelings, it would be wise not to take any chances knowing that any other town or city is safe."

Wrath was now curious "Wait...Did you say that Shining Armor's shield has managed to keep the changelings at bay?"

Celestia nodded to Wrath "Yes. While it is unknown as to how Queen Chrysalis managed to infiltrate Canterlot and remain hidden for so long, Shining Armor had held them all off, especially with his wife's help."

Wrath looked down, inwardly impressed with Shining Armor's magical capabilities. It was no surprise with how he was the older brother of Twilight Sparkle "I see..." He looked back up "Princess, after I send my letter we should-"

Celestia interrupted "Yes..." She turned to the furious pony and trotted a few steps forward "I'm afraid we will have to end their vacation a little early. With this threat reaching us again, we will have to take the necessary precautions for our next approach..."

End of Chapter 25

Chapter 26

To Find A Homunculus

Applejack bucked another tree and stopped for a moment to look over to the fields with a content smile at what Sloth was doing. She noticed the indolent pony still walking at his sluggish pace, but with two plows attached to each of his chains. Applejack never thought that somepony so lazy could be this productive 'Heh, he'll save us th' trouble of extra work with his progress! Thank Celestia Ah gave 'im this instead o' apple buckin'...' She looked over to where the tree Sloth bucked had remained before and shuddered at the latest memory before she began to collect the apples from her own tree and placing them in a bucket on a small cart.

A large red stallion (Though not as large as Sloth) trotted up with a cart filled with apples and stopped near Applejack "Good work on th' job placement, sis..." He looked over at Sloth and winced a little "Never thought y'all would find a pony like him t' work 'round here..."

Applejack chuckled "Yeah, but he's doin' good fer his first day, right? It'll be mighty hard t' fill his belly up with food, but at least he ain't Gluttony! That stallion could've probably eaten Sugarcube Corner out of its stock! But at least he's strong enough t' hold his own, eh, Big Macintosh?"

Big Macintosh gave a solemn nod as he chewed the straw of wheat in his mouth "Eeyup." He then trotted off "By th' way, lunch'll be done in a few minutes. Best get yer new friend situated 'fore he gets back t' work..."

Applejack sighed and nodded "Ah know, Ah know..." She looked over at Sloth almost finished with the enormous field needing plowed 'Ah jus' hope he won't think he'll need to stop permanently once he does...' She finished collecting her apples and attached herself to her cart as she trotted off. Normally, she would do more, but it was best to get the small load in before she comes inside her house for a good lunch. When she was about to reach the barn, she noticed a trace of lavender near the farm's entrance and recognized it as it grew in size "Huh? Wonder what Twi wants. She looks more flustered than a snake in a tight knot!"

Twilight stopped in front of the house and looked around until she saw Applejack about to enter her barn, then she galloped towards her at an athletic pace that almost impressed the cowpony. She skidded to a halt and caught her breath "Applejack! Have you seen Greed anywhere??"

Applejack raised an eyebrow "Greed? Nope, can't say Ah have! Y'all know how Ah'm always busy with my housework!" She looked over at Sloth standing still with his head hung down and buried in his wild mane after he finished plowing "Ah already have enough on my plate watchin' Sloth here. We're jus' about t' break fer lunch."

Twilight groaned in complaint "I can't believe he would hide from me like this! I'll just have to look back into Ponyville if he's not around here..." Her irritation for finding the avaricious unicorn was only toppled by the desire to look into the spell that triggered his Ultimate Shield form. She never thought that Greed would run after she looked so eager 'Maybe he's more shy than I thought...Or he might have the wrong idea when I said I wanted to experiment on him...'

Applejack tilted her head in confusion "What caused him t' run from ya, sugarcube? He seemed mighty fond o' ya from when we all first met..."

Twilight turned to leave, but stopped when Applejack asked her question and looked back at her "No time! I have to find him if I'm gonna learn that spell of his!" The lavender bookworm then took off as if she were Rainbow Dash about to fly.

Applejack shook her head "Here's hopin' she won't flip her lid on th' poor stallion..." She said to herself before she trotted into her barn to deposit her harvested bushel.
_____

A rock was being lifted by a deep purple aura of magic as Lust demonstrated her telekinetic ability to her younger brother next to a fountain with a superior smile "Now, as said by both Twilight and Rarity, telekinesis requires focus and a good amount of magic...While you've shown you hold magic, you obviously haven't shown focus. Perhaps this is because the spell is entirely new to you or you were merely blinded by your own desire. Knowing you, it is definitely the latter."

Greed scoffed "I'm in no mood for your superiority complex, Lust! Just get to the point so I can learn this thing!"

Lust huffed "Someone's impatient..." She then lowered her rock and canceled out her power "Focus on this rock and nothing else. I'm not asking you to rid yourself of your own avarice altogether, but merely push it aside as you focus on the current matter in front of you." The lascivious mare pointed a hoof at the rock "Now focus for once and let's see if you've actually collected what I've managed to teach you thus far."

Greed rolled his eyes, but did as he was told as he shut his eyes and took a deep breath 'Alright...focus. Have to focus on that rock if I can get this telekinesis down pat...' He took another deep breath and tried to think about nothing but the rock. The avaricious pony was unaware that his horn was glowing along with the rock he aimed at.

Lust was pleased with the results of Greed's magic making contact with an object "Wonderful. Now lift it up while you're focused on it..."

Greed shot his eyes open in excitement "Did I get it?" His magic faltered and he flinched before he regained his control 'That was close...' He gazed intently at the rock while it slowly lifted upward and a smile slowly crept on his face "Yes...Now we're talkin'...Now we-"

"Hey, Greedy!! Hey Lust!!"

The avaricious pony jumped and yelped as the rock he held sped into the air and flew across town. He looked back and growled in irritation when he noticed Pinkie with a detective's hat with Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, and a sniffing Gluttony grouped with her "Don't do that, Pinkie! I was busy with my magic!"

Pinkie held up a hoof "That's Detective Pinkie!" She then held an expression of remorse for a brief moment "Also, sorry about that..." The party pony turned detective then looked at Greed diligently "Now that apologies are out of the way, we want to know where Envy is!"

Rainbow Dash soared at Pinkie's side with her bowler hat and narrowed eyes "Yeah, the jerk gave us the slip and now we can't find that pony anywhere! Have you seen Envy?"

Greed paused as he gazed up at Rainbow Dash before he began to snicker and hold back his laughter with a hoof. The cyan pegasus was slowly agitated with the response she was receiving from him, but softened when he spoke "Sorry, can't say that I have! But I have to say that you should probably ditch the hat, Rainbow!" He then laughed at how ridiculous she looked in the bowler hat.

Rainbow Dash growled in anger "Pinkie made me put it on, okay!? Stop laughing! I happen to have sunglasses and they're much better on me!"

Greed ceased his laughter before he looked up "Did you say sunglasses? Where'd you get them from?" The avaricious pony was more than interested in a pair of good sunglasses.

Rainbow Dash shrugged "Rarity made them for me. I'd gladly show them to you if I weren't so caught up in finding Envy right now!"

Lust took a step forward "So, you've managed to get outsmarted by Envy, hm? I hope you aren't dealing with too much trouble at the moment..."

Fluttershy shook her head "Oh no, it's no trouble at all. At least we have Gluttony claiming that she has her scent." She looked over at the voracious pony sniffing at the ground and Fluttershy could not help but smile at how adorable he looked while doing it. He seemed like a young and curious puppy.

Gluttony caught a new scent and noticed Lust with a wide smile on his face "Lust!" He galloped over and leaped at the lascivious mare in hopes of tackling her, but he was held up by a magical aura surrounding him. He grunted and struggled before he noticed his older sister trotting up to him.

Lust held a glowing horn and an entertained smile on her face "No tackling, Gluttony. But it's nice to see you're doing fine with your new friends..." She levitated the voracious pony down and cancelled out her magic. The lascivious mare already anticipated Gluttony galloping up and hugging her without hesitation and returned the embrace with a motherly nuzzle.

Fluttershy watched the two with a touched smile on her face. It was as if they were long lost souls reunited once again "That is just so sweet to watch..." She looked down with drooped ears "If only Envy could be the same as you two..."

Lust looked over at Fluttershy with a small smile "You realize it's not as easy as it sounds to make someone like Envy act more restrained and proper around others. It would be wise to take a different approach..."

Rainbow Dash held up her hooves "But she already gave Envy the Stare, and THAT wasn't even enough!"

Lust raised an eyebrow at the term. Perhaps she should look into this topic at another time. She then nodded "Well, then you should have Gluttony continue the search if you wish to find Envy quickly."

Greed chuckled "Yeah, that pony can be pretty crafty if you're not too careful! Now if you'll excuse me, I got some magic to practice! With Gluttony at your side, you'll never fail with that nose of his!"

Pinkie saluted "Righto!" She turned to her group "Okay, gang! BACK TO ADVENTURE!!"

Rainbow Dash facehoofed "The yell wasn't necessary at all, Pinkie..." The group then went back to their search after Gluttony broke his embrace and waved goodbye to his older sister.

Greed turned to Lust with a smirk "I think I might have another favor for you, Lust. And I think you'll enjoy it as much as I do..."

Lust smirked back "Oh? And just what, pray tell, would that be?"

The avaricious pony's smile widened "Well, all I need you to do is-"

"Greed! Come on, this isn't funny anymore!"

Greed's ears perked up and his eyes widened "Shit! Not again!" He darted his head left and right and then he looked at the fountain before he dived in. Lust quickly backed away when some of the water splashed away from where the avaricious pony jumped.

Twilight heard the splash caused by Greed and galloped by the fountain. She stopped and noticed Lust while she gave her a smile that said 'We should stop meeting like this'. The lavender bookworm trotted over to Lust's side "Lust, what did you do? You didn't make a wish and throw a small saving of bits in the fountain, did you?"

Lust looked away "Such trivial actions are beneath me, especially if they are merely myths. I'm not one for wishing on a fountain, Twilight Sparkle..." She looked at her with a smile "I rely more on logic, facts, and doing things on my own like any rational being." Her smile faltered when she remembered witnessing Pinkie's antics yesterday.

Twilight smiled "Well, at least I know you're an esteemed intellectual!" She then frowned "But have you seen Greed yet? I'd say he's been dragging this game of hide and seek for a long time now! This isn't doing well for me with leaving Spike back at the library!"

Lust chuckled "No, but I would say your search may come to an end very shortly..." She shifted her eyes at the fountain and the statue spewing out water onto the base. Inside of it, Greed was trying very hard to hold his breath in order to avoid Twilight.

Twilight almost got into Lust's face after her response "Really!?" She then noticed her infiltration into the lascivious mare's personal space and moved back "I'm very sorry, Lust. It's just that I've never seen a spell like Greed's before!" She looked down with a smile "He might seem a bit childish at times, but he's very unique for a unicorn." She looked up at Lust "Which reminds me...What exactly is his special talent? Or all of your siblings, for that matter. Forgive my curiousity, but all of you seem to bear the same exact cutie marks! What do they mean exactly?"

Lust pondered on how to break her explanation to Twilight without it sounding too complex or irrational. She looked back at her and spoke "It is...a special mark where we come from. It shows that we are a more than capable group of ponies that bear our own special powers such as what Greed has shown you earlier." She hoped it would be enough.

Twilight nodded "I see...that might explain how Greed was able to learn such an amazing spell in his life! I've never seen anypony with a spell like that at all! I'm not sure if even Starswirl the Bearded himself has heard of such a thing!" She poked her chin with a hoof in thought "Perhaps if I read his books again..."

Lust gave an amused smile at Twilight's unrequited desire for knowledge and how she praised Greed for his capabilities. She then looked at the fountain once again while the lavender bookworm was still in her own mind. Her smile widened even more as she knew what was about to happen next.

Greed did not move from his spot while his cheeks were puffed from his held breath during his time underwater. However, his lungs were about to give out from being underwater for so long 'Oh no...Nonononono! I can't go out like that so easily!' The avaricious pony's eyes widened while he felt his innards cave in from the lack of air channeling through his body. Some bubbles blew from his mouth, but he stopped them. What he couldn't stop was his legs flailing from trying to endure his time holding his breath 'C'mon! Just a little longer! I don't want to lose out on avoiding her!' His spirit was willing, but his body could not take it anymore when he almost felt like passing out 'Fuck...' He then swam up and hoarsely gasped for air when his head sprang onto the surface.

Lust and Twilight watched in surprise, but the lascivious mare ended up keeping her smile despite her former reaction. Twilight then beamed at the aspect of finding her lost stallion "Greed! There you are!"

Greed caught his breath, but widened his eyes and grunted at Twilight before he scrambled out of the fountain and galloped away all soaking wet "Not today!!" He was then froze in place and noticed that he was covered in a purple magical aura "Noooooo!!!" The avaricious pony was then dragged back against his will and turned to face an annoyed Twilight.

The lavender bookworm huffed "Look, Greed! I don't know if it's you being shy, paranoid, or both, but you shouldn't have ran off like that!! I only wanted to know how your spell works through a little experiment is all!" her expression softened "I promise you, I won't do anything extreme. I just want to see you perform your spell again and gather some notes from it! Can you please just come back with me so you can show me?"

Lust smiled and spoke up "I wish to join you both in this little experiment of yours. Perhaps you might collect something that could interest me..." She spoke of interest, but she only wished to see her younger brother possibly suffer under Twilight, and her message got to the avaricious pony as he glared at her. Lust only shrugged it off and stifled a laugh. For all she knew, it could possibly be like the time at the fifth laboratory before it was guarded by the three killers with their souls bound to armor.

Greed grunted as he struggled, but then sighed "Dammit, fine." He then narrowed his eyes at the lavender bookworm "You better not get carried away, Twilight!"

Twilight nodded and held up a hoof "I promise! I'll even Pinkie promise if I have to!" She smiled warmly at Greed.

Greed raised an eyebrow "Pinkie promise? The hell's that?"

Twilight looked stern for a moment "Language!" She then took a deep breath as she performed a series of childish gestures while she spoke "Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my ey-AH!" Her last gesture involved sticking her hoof in her eye. Sadly, she poked it and quickly drew back after giving herself a minor set of optical pain.

Lust held back more laughter after witnessing the scene "In that case, we'll both hold you to it then, Twilight Sparkle. Shall we head back to the library?"

Twilight, after rubbing her eye, nodded in response "Yeah, let's get going! I can't wait to get started!" The two mares trotted off while Greed was being carried.

The avaricious pony looked impatient while he was hovered in Twilight's magical grip "I can walk, too, you know!"

Twilight looked back and dropped her hold as she smiled sheepishly "Ehehe, sorry about that, Greed. When you've studied as much as I have, you tend to lose track of things..."

Greed brushed himself off with his forelegs "I'll bet..." The trio then trotted away towards the library. While they made their way back, Twilight couldn't help but steal a small glance at the avaricious pony.
_____

A pink earth pony mare with a yellow mane and tail and a flower cutie mark was trotting along town until a stray rock flew down and bonked her on the head "Ow!!" She rubbed her head and looked down at it 'How did this happen?' She then looked over to an approaching group of ponies with a round one taking point.

Gluttony sniffed at the ground and then approached the mare as he sniffed all over her while she yelped in surprise and pushed him away forcefully "Get off of me!" She inspected herself before Pinkie, Rainbow Dash, and Fluttershy arrived and grabbed at her attention "Is your friend always like this?" She asked in irate bemusement.

Fluttershy quickly drew Gluttony back "Oh my! I'm so sorry, Lily. Gluttony was just..." She looked away in embarrasment "...sniffing around for one of our lost friends. We're trying to look all over for her."

Lily's expression softened "Really? What does she look like?"

Rainbow Dash held up a hoof "A pegasus about this tall, green all over, tends to act like something crawled up their flank." She detailed in a deadpanned description. She faltered when she noticed the stern glare from Fluttershy.

Pinkie blew into her pipe as bubbles flew out into the air "Hmmmm, an accurate description of the one we're looking for..."

The flower mare looked confused and pointed at Pinkie "Erm, does she always-"

Rainbow Dash nodded "Yeah, it happened ever since the baking competition a while back." The cyan pegasus and Fluttershy looked down in guilt at the memory.

Gluttony continued sniffing at the mare and then stopped when he came to a realization "Hey! That's-"

Rainbow Dash looked at Gluttony "Gluttony, I don't know if you actually think that she's the one we're looking for, but she isn't!"

Gluttony whimpered "But she smells like Envy! Just like Envy!"

Lily perked up "Wait a minute! I think I know who you're talking about now!" The group looked at her "Yeah, I met a pegasus a few minutes ago, but she can be so mean sometimes! All she did was insult my flowers when she flew my way!" She looked at Gluttony with a smile "Your friend here must've caught her scent on me." The mare chuckled to herself.

Rainbow Dash smiled at Lily "Yeah, sorry for the trouble! The funny thing is that his sense of smell's as good as his appetite! You see where she went?"

The flower mare turned to Carousel Boutique and pointed "I think she went that way! I'm not sure if she stayed there though..."

Rainbow Dash bumped a hoof against her head "Of course! Envy would hide at the last place we'd expect that pony to be! Pretty clever for a jerk..."

Pinkie pointed the hoof holding her pipe forward "A-HA! So that's where Envy's hiding! Looks like this mystery's solved! Let's go bag us a pegasus, gang!"

Gluttony pointed at Lily with a sad face "But-But-"

Rainbow Dash looked at the voracious pony "No buts, Gluttony! We know where Envy is, so let's get going!" She pushed the voracious pony away from Lily while he struggled "Sheesh, you can be so persistent! Envy's at Carousel Boutique!"

Gluttony still flailed against Rainbow Dash pushing "But Envy's not there! Envy's-"

Rainbow Dash growled in irritation "For the last time, Envy's not Lily! I don't know where you're coming from thinking that Envy's a mare, but let's save that for another time!" She was actually still torn between the jealous pony's gender, but she didn't let it bother her with how Envy acted.

When the group distanced themselves, Lily took a deep breath and trotted away with an eye roll. She then trotted behind a building while nopony was watching and gave a deep sigh of relief "That was too close..." A green aura surrounded the flower mare and shrouded her to revealed a flustered Envy "Of course Gluttony would take point with that nose of his! Why didn't I think of that!?" It then peered behind the building and smirked 'At least I kept them busy for the time being...Let's see if little Miss Prissy can handle their company for a while!' The jealous pony then felt its stomach rumble as it looked down "Damn...All of this crap and I forgot to eat something..." Envy sighed and looked around "Where to find some good food around here?" It then transformed into a tan stallion with a brown mane and tail and a cutie mark with three horseshoes before it trotted off in search of a good meal.

End of Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Trouble in Ponyville

Pinkie and the rest of the group managed to arrive at Carousel Boutique, and the party pony had the impulse to kick the door open with a hindleg and point the hoof holding her pipe "AHA! We found you, Envy! The jig is-..." She looked around to see nopony around "Hm...Maybe she's with Rarity upstairs..."

The mentioned fashionista opened the door from her room and trotted downstairs with an annoyed look on her face "Pinkie! Just what in Celestia's name compelled you to kick my door!?"

Pinkie looked determined "We're searching for a pegasus named Envy! A little bird told us she was residing here..." She then looked innocent "Well, not exactly a bird, but Lily! Funny thing, though, Gluttony thought that SHE was Envy, but it's like 'come on!', right?" She grinned at Rarity.

Gluttony looked sad "But that was Envy! I smelt Envy on Lily!"

Fluttershy turned to the voracious pony "I'm sorry, Gluttony, but Lily could not be Envy at all. You should also try not to sniff many ponies. They can get angry or offended..." She comforted Gluttony when he looked down with a sullen expression.

Rarity huffed "Is that what this is about? Envy isn't here at all! Also, I don't see where you're coming from thinking that pony's a mare of sorts! Maybe it's because Envy's almost like Rain-"

Rainbow Dash pointed a hoof at Rarity "Don't say it!! We're nothing alike and that's that! The pony's probably slow in the air anyways! This is coming from the one who decided to take Envy home..."

Rarity shook her head "Well regardless, Envy is not here, and none of you should be either! I'm working on a dress!"

Pinkie Pie chimed in "For who? Is it somepony in Canterlot? Oh, I'll bet it's Wrath! Maybe he wants a neato tux!"

Rarity shook her head "I'm afraid not, Pinkie..." She then smiled "It's going to be for Lust! I'm almost done with the finishing touchs, too! This shall be an amazing dress for her once it's completed!!"

Fluttershy perked up "That sounds nice. Is it okay if we look at it? We promise not to tell..."

Rarity waved a hoof "No need at all, darling. But could you perhaps find Lust and bring her back here for me? I need her confirmation on what I've managed to assemble for her!"

Rainbow Dash shrugged "Yeah, sure, we'll get on that! But we gotta get going! Envy could be anywhere at this point!"

Fluttershy turned to Rainbow Dash "What if we go find Applejack? Maybe she could help us..."

Rainbow Dash smiled at Fluttershy "Good thinking! We're gonna need all the help we can get what with the warning Greed tossed our way! Let's get going, gang!" The group then departed.

Pinkie stopped and blurted in outrage "Hey! That's what I said!" She then followed after the group after closing the door and leaving Rarity to sigh in exasperation before she went back to finish the dress.
_____

Applejack balanced a large platter of apple-themed food to the barn Sloth was sitting in 'This oughta hold th' big oaf over...' She trotted inside and placed it in front of the indolent pony who sat on his haunches with his head hung low "Rise an' shine, sugarcube! Got yer lunch right here!" The cowpony smiled up at Sloth as he slowly raised his head to reveal his frowning face.

Sloth looked down "Ah...food..." He then hung his head down and picked up a large portion in his mouth to which he chewed slowly. Some of the food in his mouth dropped to the ground while he ate at his sluggish pace.

Applejack winced at the small mess the indolent pony made "At least chew with yer mouth closed, Sloth! Y'all sleep here, fer Celestia's sake!" She was ignored as Sloth swallowed his portion and reached for another with his mouth. Applejack could not bear to have such a lazy and disregardful house guest, even if he can do twice the work on the farm "Well, when yer finished, I'll have ya pull back more of th' apples into th' barn on a cart! Ya hear me, Sloth? Yer gonna be pullin' apples an' NOT buck them off th' trees!"

Sloth swallowed his second portion and grunted "Pulling is-"

Applejack pointed a hoof with an agitated stare "Don't you give me th' sass! Now finish up so we can get back t' work!" She turned and trotted outside as she left Sloth to finish his meal. When she was outside, she noticed a familiar tan stallion waltzing into her yard "Huh?" She trotted over to speak with him.
_____

Envy trotted into Sweet Apple Acres with its disguise while searching for some proper sustenance 'Ergh...First I know how Sloth feels, and now I know how Gluttony feels! What's next? Lust?' It gave a snort at the thought while it made its way through the yard.

"Caramel? What're y'all doin' here?"

Envy stopped and noticed Applejack trotting over with a raised eyebrow "Ah don' remember askin' fer any help 'round th' farm from ya. Ya here t' contribute?" So the name of the stallion Envy turned into was Caramel.

The jealous pony shifted its eyes and responded in his voice "Well, not so much contribute, but...I'm feeling a little peckish."

Applejack gave a smirk "So y'all decided t' come here fer a free meal then? Well, nice try, sugarcube! Ya eat our food, ya work our fields! We already covered this before!"

Envy faltered and spoke "O-Oh yeah, of course! Sorry about that!" It then gave an awkward grin 'Damn, so now I'm roped into labor if I'm gonna get a decent meal. Better than being exposed, I guess...'

Applejack shook her head "Sometimes Ah wonder why ya have t' be so clumsy, Caramel! Well, join us fer some lunch and we'll getcha workin' th' trees later! Maybe getcha better acquainted with Sloth, iffin ya feel up to it!" She chuckled to herself at the thought of Caramel being scared by the sheer mass of Sloth.

Envy nodded 'Oh yeah, I forgot Sloth's here...I'll bet she's going all slave driver on him...' The jealous pony grinned to itself, but then faltered for a moment in its step 'Oh no, not now!!' The mysterious fatigue was about to set in.

Applejack stopped in her tracks and looked back with mild concern "Ya alright there, Caramel?"

Envy picked itself up and shook itself before replying "Just feelin' a little winded is all! Maybe some food will bring me back to full strength!"

Applejack gave a friendly jab at Caramel's shoulder "Quit actin' like y'all haven't eaten in ages! We got plenty o' food t' go around! Now let's get goin'!" She smiled as she trotted side-by-side with Envy. The jealous pony was feeling nervous about being exposed by its mysterious fatigue.
_____

Back at the library, Twilight guided Lust, Greed, and Spike downstairs into the library's basement. Inside of it was what could be considered a scientist's wet dream. There were several machines big and small for all brilliant minds like Twilight Sparkle to use. Greed already felt both uneasy and betrayed with the many machines around him, but he focused on the current matter when he stopped in the middle of the room with the others.

Twilight nodded "Okay, before we begin, do you have a proper name for your spell, Greed?" She smiled at the avaricious pony.

Greed reclaimed his bravado as he proclaimed his title with pride "It's a little moniker I have other than my actual name. It's called the 'Ultimate Shield'!"

Twilight held a notebook and a quill as she jotted down notes and murmured the given title to herself "Good, now would you be so kind as to demonstrate it to me again? It'll only be a minute."

Greed shrugged before he activated his horn and went into his Ultimate Shield form like he was asked. He spoke in his metallic tone "Do I have to stay in this form or something?"

Twilight replied "If you feel up to it. It will be much easier for me to look into and study!" She trotted up to Greed and smiled at him "I'm very grateful that you're letting me do this, Greed. It means a lot to have somepony else show me what they know!"

Greed rolled his piercing eyes "Well, you're letting me stay here, so what's the harm? Also, it's not like you weren't gonna leave me alone about this sorta thing..." He saw how Twilight had been taken aback by his latest statement and sighed "But I know folks like you actually want stuff as much as I do. Like I said, there's nothing wrong with a little avarice!" It was hard to show a smile with his sharp teeth overtaking his lips on his skeletal face.

Twilight smiled in response "Thank you for understanding." She waved over to a device with metal cuffs on the roof "Now if you would be so kind as to go over there and wait so I can extract more data on your outward appearance."

Greed was reluctant with how the cuffs on the stand did not look so inviting, but he knew that Twilight had promised not to do anything extreme (Or so he thought). He hesitantly trotted over and placed his forelegs onto the stand as Twilight activated the cuffs to lock up with her horn. She then signalled for Spike to place a weird helmet of sorts full of blinking lights on top of Greed's head while she hooked a green wire onto the helmet.

Lust watched in intrigue the whole time, but ignored the situation to examine herself. She remembered that Rarity was still crafting a dress and the lascivious mare already felt naked with the time she had spent in Equestria 'Perhaps I should make myself scarce and head to the boutique...' Her decision was only halted with her curiousity over Twilight's possible and useful findings on Greed's form.

Twilight looked onto another device attached with wires portruding from both the helmet Greed was wearing and the device he was leaning on. Paper rolled out of it that beared the desired results Twilight had sought, and the lavender bookworm was almost baffled by the results "Greed...You mean to tell me that your Ultimate Shield spell is basically similar to that of an advanced carbonization method?"

Greed nodded "Pretty much. I can alter my body to be either very strong or very weak. It helped me out in a pinch, too. And you can go ahead and hit me with whatever you got from that horn of yours! I can take it!" He stated proudly.

Twilight shrugged off Greed's arrogance and detached him from the device, helmet and all "Well, aside from that, I'd say that your spell is very impressive, Greed! Maybe we should test the durability of your body in its current state, but I'm not sure if it's ready for a shot of magic..."

Spike barely paid much attention to Twilight's banter, but his cheeks puffed as he then belched out green fire that subsided to reveal a wrapped scroll. Once again, Lust reflexively backed away with a nervous expression.

Twilight took notice and levitated the scroll to her and unraveled it as she read it "Hm..." She gasped as her expression shifted from diligence to shock "Greed! Lust! You both have to read this!"

Greed went out of his Ultimate Shield form and went by Twilight's side along with Lust and Spike to read the letter that was sent.

To my family,

This letter is a warning to both you and the rest of the citizens of Ponyville. There is possible chance of hidden activity from creatures known as changelings other than what has been discovered in Canterlot. Everypony should be on high alert for any sign of these creatures and must be able to defend themselves in the midst of a chance crisis.

It may seem too good to be true, but we already have things covered here in Canterlot. Shining Armor and Princess Mi Amore Cadenza shall lend us their aid to fend off this sudden occurence. Meanwhile, I expect all of you to proceed with caution in the near future. There's no telling what might happen if nopony is careful enough.

Make sure that everypony gets this message, even if most choose to disregard it. This is all I can do while I hold down the fort on my end. All we can do is fight if the battle is presented to us.

Sincerely,
Wrath

Greed raised an eyebrow "Changeling? What kind of creature is a changeling?"

Twilight turned to Greed with an incredulous expression "You don't know what a changeling is? They're dangerous creatures that take the form of another pony and feed off of their love! An army led by Queen Chrysalis happened to crash my brother's wedding from a while back. They can be easily distinguished by their insect-like appearance, but other than that, they could be anypony!" She looked at the letter in worry "This letter's only going to make things worse with what it has!"

Lust stood in grave silence as she took the information in 'This isn't good...' She turned to Twilight "Twilight Sparkle, I need to go."

Twilight looked back at Lust "What!? But why!? If anything, we need to gather the others and warn them about this before things get out of hoof!"

Lust nodded "I'm aware of that. Which is why I'm going to look for the others and bring them here for an audience..." She shifted her eyes away 'Namely Envy...'

Greed nodded as well "Lust has a point. We can't have all of Ponyville going into a frenzy over a simple letter just yet! Me and Lust will go out and about and find your friends and our siblings and give them a heads-up before anypony else gets the message!" The avaricious pony inwardly grimaced in disbelief as to actually saying the word 'anypony'.

Spike turned to Greed "But isn't that the idea? We can't just warn our friends before the rest of Ponyville! That wouldn't be fair at all!"

Greed looked back at Spike with a solemn gaze "The way I see it, this place could be teeming with these things for all we know. And I doubt Twi's friends wouldn't want to be ambushed on the way back!"

Twilight looked down "He's right. Anypony in town could be a changeling waiting for the opportune moment to strike! We'll just have to go out and split up so we can get the others in the library and talk!" She turned to Lust "Lust, you can-" She stared at the empty space where Lust once stood "...go?"

Greed smirked "The girl must've been antsy to spread the word..." He stretched himself as he trotted up the stairs "In any case, I better get going, too! I'll be back with everypony else while the rest of you stay put!"

Twilight looked up in outrage "What? I'm coming with you! They're my friends, too!"

Greed gazed back down sternly "I already know that, Twi! But things might get hectic and my family's trained for this kind of thing! I'm not gonna let you or anypony else get hurt on my watch!"

Twilight paused for a moment at Greed's words before she shot back "I'm stronger than I look, Greed! Your concern's acknowledged, but you're not changing my mind! End of story!" She trotted up to his side with a look of sheer determination.

Greed wanted to retort to her argument, but he could not match the look in Twilight's eyes. He then growled "Fine! Do as you please, but you better not get hurt! I'm serious!"

Twilight trotted past Greed with a smug smile "Do you care THAT much about me, Greed? I'll be fine! I just so happen to have experience with fighting changelings in the past!" She turned to Spike "Spike, I want you to stay here while the rest of us gather our friends!"

Spike crossed his arms and murmured "Why didn't I see this coming?" He then noticed the look on Twilight's face and held up his claws in defense "Alright, alright! I'll stay put! But don't get hurt, okay?"

Greed smirked at Spike "Don't worry, little man! She's in good hands!" Twilight turned to him with a glance, and the avaricious pony recovered "I-I mean hooves..." He felt a part of his pride shatter from his verbal rebound "Well, we better get going! C'mon, Twi!" He galloped up the stairs.

Twilight nodded "Right behind you!" She followed after the avaricious pony and left a worried Spike behind in the basement.
_____

Applejack and Envy were busy bucking trees while Sloth worked the fields. While Envy managed to get a good meal before it went to work, the jealous pony still felt more weaker, and it showed with the faulty progress on bucking the trees.

Applejack looked at Caramel and huffed in annoyance "C'mon now, Caramel! Ah know you can do better! Y'all have worked here fer some time now!"

Envy caught its breath and felt the need to smack Applejack for her remark, but the fatigue slowly flowed in and crippled the jealous pony "I-I'm sorry...I just don't know what's going on..."

Applejack hummed in question before she noticed a group of familiar faces reach the farm, one of them donning her detective's hat "Well I'll be..." She turned to Envy "Wait here, Caramel! Ah'll be right back so we can sort this thing out!" She galloped over to the others and left behind Envy to wallow in weakness.

The cowpony halted Pinkie and the others' advance with a raised eyebrow "Hang on there, y'all! Why's Pinkie playin' detective again?"

Gluttony looked up at Applejack with a smile "Rainbow Dash lost Envy. We're trying to find Envy right now!" He answered absentmindedly.

Rainbow Dash growled in annoyance to Gluttony's blank response "Envy just pulled a fast one and managed to ditch me and Fluttershy is all! Do you know where that pony is?"

Applejack shook her head "Sorry, sugarcube. Haven't seen 'im 'round these parts. Did ya check every place yet?"

Fluttershy shifted her eyes away "Well, almost every place. We've already made a small stop to a restaurant before coming here. I figured the poor dear was hungry after running around..."

Rainbow Dash grunted in frustration "How can you have so much patience for that pony!? Envy's the worst pegasus I've met!"

Gluttony looked at Rainbow Dash "But I like Envy..."

Pinkie nodded "Me too, Gluttony. But we'll have to throw a party for our success in finding her once this is over!" She blew on her pipe "Now where would she be...?" The party pony looked back and noticed Lust galloping towards the farm at a breakneck pace "Hey! It's Lust! Maybe she can help us find Envy!" She beamed at the lascivious mare approaching the others quickly.

Lust managed to reach the other ponies and skidded to a halt. Gluttony instinctively galloped over and shared a big hug from his older sister. While Lust would return the embrace, she looked down at Gluttony with a firm and serious gaze "Gluttony. I want you to lead Applejack and the others to the library at once. Be sure to take Rarity with you as well. Do you understand?"

Gluttony looked up, confused at Lust's tone of voice but obeyed without question by nodding to her with a wide smile "I will!" She turned to the other mares "Come on, everypony! To the library! Lust said so!"

Rainbow Dash raised an eyebrow in confusion "What does Twilight want with us at this hour?"

Fluttershy fidgeted her hooves "Oh my...With how Lust sounded, it must be very important..." She already grew nervous at what could happen once she arrived at the library.

Pinkie blew on her pipe as bubbles poured out "Yes, very important indeed..." She looked at Gluttony "Okay, Gluttony! Take us to Twilight's tout sweet! We'll just have to find Envy later!"

Lust nodded "You can leave that to me. I happen to know Envy more than any of you, and the pony's not too hard to find..."

Applejack smiled "Well that's mighty neighborly o' ya! He seems t' be a heep o' trouble if he managed t' get past Dash an' Fluttershy!"

Rainbow Dash jerked her head to Applejack in a glare "You're not helping, AJ!"

Applejack ignored the harsh glare she received and looked back "Well, Ah'll jus' have t' tell Caramel he can stop while I round up Sloth so we can all head back together...It'll be a pain..." She stopped herself and growled as she stomped a hoof on the ground "Dagnabit, that stallion's got me talkin' like 'im now!"

Lust looked over to see what appeared to be Caramel look as if he were about to collapse on his legs while looking severly fatigued. She stared for a moment before she turned to Applejack "Let me handle Sloth while the rest of you go back..."

Applejack tilted her head to Lust "Y'all would do that fer me?" She smiled "Looks like yer generosity lessons are payin' off! Thank ya kindly, Lust. Ah hope he won't give ya too much trouble..."

Lust smiled at the cowpony "No trouble at all. Now you must be off right now." She looked down at Gluttony "Well?"

Gluttony frantically nodded "Okay!" He then galloped off towards the library "I'll race you, Pinkie!"

At that moment, the party pony dispersed of her detective's gear and smiled at Gluttony while he ran off "You're on, Gluttony! Here I come!"

Fluttershy shortly followed after them before she looked at Lust "Thank you for finding Envy for us, Lust..." She then took flight after her friends.

Applejack and Rainbow Dash nodded to each other and were the last set of mares to leave Sweet Apple Acres, leaving only Lust, Sloth, and Envy. The lascivious mare trotted over to the tree where the overexerted stallion stood with a heaving breath. She looked around to make sure nopony but Sloth beared witness and looked down at the stallion with a raised eyebrow "Did you have your fun?"

Envy grunted before speaking "Define fun..." A green aura shrouded the stallion and disappeared to reveal Envy "I left those losers, got some food, but then THIS happens! I don't know what's going on with me or how I keep avoiding it, but it's already getting on my nerves!"

Lust nodded "I'm most aware of that, and I just so happen to hold a logical explanation as to your sporadic patterns of health."

Envy perked up slightly with its fatigue holding it back "You serious? Well, don't stall on the details! What is it?" The jealous pony was more than willing to be rid of its crude feeling.

A smirk played on Lust's face "I'm glad that you look forward to hearing the solution. But I doubt that you would be all for it..."

Envy grunted "I haven't felt this bad since I was reduced to a worm in a jar! Just tell me! I don't care what it is, just as long as I curb this damn fatigue!"

Lust took a deep breath "Very well..." She began with her explanation without a moment to lose.
_____

Gluttony and the other element bearers made their way back to the library with Rarity added to the group.

"WHAAAAAAAAT!?!?"

The group, as well as everypony around them, all jumped at the sudden outcry of a doomed pegasus.

End of Chapter 27

Chapter 28

Raising Awareness

Wrath trotted in front with Celestia and Luna trotting side-by-side behind him as they made their way towards Shining Armor and Cadence's room. The furious pony took point with a familiar look of hardened vigor in his uncovered eye while exerting some of his unparalleled rage in small bursts. He knew that he would have to be ready for anything like back in Amestris.

Celestia and Luna traded glances towards each other as they felt the small snippits of rage from Wrath. While they both applauded at his efforts of stimulating the strength of the Royal Guard, they both felt uneasy about his natural-born rage that he kept within himself being revealed before anything large happened "We're almost to their room, Wrath. No offense to your mood, but it would be best if I did the talking..."

Wrath shifted his eye to Celestia and spoke in a neutral tone despite his current anger "I understand..."

When they reached their desired destination, Celestia trotted up and rapped at the door three times. The trio were lucky to have Cadence answer the door "Hello, Princess Celestia!" She looked behind to see Luna looking serious and Wrath looking very angry "What...What is going on?" She looked up to Celestia "Is it something we should know about?"

The solar princess only gave a solemn nod and Cadence allowed them inside.
_____

After a moment of explanation, Shining Armor looked down in thought as he rested on his bed "So the changelings plan to strike again...and Wrath was able to distinguish one of them on the training grounds so easily?"

Wrath looked away "To be truthful, the one I discovered was easy on account of two fatal errors to his camouflage. But that does not matter now..."

Celestia nodded "In any case, we've approached you two because you both hold the proper defense mechanism needed to fend off the changelings until they choose to cease their advance. I'm sorry, but your vacation shall end early with this problem surfacing Canterlot."

Cadence shook her head "It's no problem at all, Celestia. We need to be ready for this anyways. We can't bear another changeling attack on our city or the rest of Equestria!" She then gasped "What if they-"

Celestia held up a hoof "Wrath has performed the courtesy of sending a firm warning to the element bearers in Ponyville. I may not know the capabilities of Wrath's siblings firsthoof, but I'm sure they can handle themselves in a fight or two if they can escape Tartarus."

Shining Armor looked at the rest of the group "But where does that leave us? Sure we have our shield, but they could expect it and counter with some kind of decoy! Could we be sure they don't have something else planned?"

Wrath looked out the window "A good question..." He turned to Shining Armor "What would you propose we should do, Mustang?"

Luna tilted her head in confusion at Wrath's nickname to Shining Armor, but focused when the guard captain replied "Well, me and my wife saw how you've trained the guards, and I'd say you've managed to do well for them in a course of a day and a half. We'd like to see them on patrol duty so they could be able to locate any foreign danger of any kind!"

Wrath smirked at Shining Armor's suggestion and how it was coated with minor flattery "I never thought you would give me praise like this..." His smirk was then replaced with a grave frown "But we still need the shield up. We musn't ignore a good defense against a familiar enemy if we wish to survive..."

Shining Armor looked down "I suppose there's no argument there..." He then slowly rose from his bed and grunted as his injured hooves touched the ground. The guard captain looked up at Wrath with a small smirk "You know, I kind of blame you for my current condition while this problem chose to reveal itself..."

Wrath nodded "I understand, and I utterly apologize for this, Mustang..."

Shining Armor waved a hoof "Don't worry about it. We just have to get in place for this spell." He turned to his wife with a knowing glance and she nodded in reply.

Luna spoke up "Then let us make haste to our throne room so we can set up thine shield proper! We musn't tarry like this!" The group then made their way out of the room and back to the throne room. Once they reached it, Celestia, Luna, and Wrath stood by and waited for Shining Armor and Cadence to ready their spell.

Shining Armor and Cadence stood in place as their horns touched and a magical field ebbed and flowed around them in a magnificent luminescent glow. Wrath watched in both wonder and intrigue 'Amazing...So this is the capability of a unicorn? I can only wonder how Shining Armor's younger sister can handle herself with her own magic...'

After a moment of mustering their magic, a blinding flash filled the room as a magenta sphere instantly filled through the room. The sides of it passed through Celestia, Luna, and Wrath, the latter flinching at the passing. The sphere then expanded exponentially outside of the castle and spreaded through the city of Canterlot. The changeling that was kept in the castle was then pushed out into the air with the rising shield.

The two changelings that were stationed for spying screamed in surprise as they came into contact with the shield and have been flung out of the city and into a crash course back to their hive. The ponies they conversed with before stared up slack-jawed in disbelief. Soon enough, the entire city of Canterlot, castle in all, was covered in a giant magenta shield.

Wrath looked out of a window and uttered breathlessly "Remarkable..." He was at a loss for words other than what he had just spoke 'Such a defense mechanism...if Amestris were to get their hands on it...'

Luna trotted up and signalled for the furious pony to step aside as she cleared her throat. Wrath was confused at first, but then covered his ears once Luna spoke in an entirely different volume "CITIZENS OF CANTERLOT! THIS IS YOUR PRINCESS LUNA GIVING YOU PROPER WARNING WITH THIS ANNOUNCEMENT!! WE HAVE BEEN MET WITH A SHADED ENCOUNTER CONDUCTED BY NONE OTHER THAN THE CHANGELING SWARM, AND HAVE CHOSEN TO TAKE SAFETY PRECAUTIONS FOR THINE OWN GOOD!!! FOR ALL WHO TAKE RESIDENCE, FRIEND OR NEIGH, THOU MUST TAKE REFUGE IN THINE OWN HOME AND BAND TOGETHER TO FEND OFF THIS LATEST AND FAMILIAR THREAT!! THAT IS ALL!!" She took a deep breath after she spoke and turned to the others "The message to our people have been sent..." She looked over and noticed a furious pony in disarray and felt slight guilt "Ah, of course. Forgive us, Wrath. That is what we call the Traditional Royal Canterlot Voice."

Wrath recovered from the verbal onslaught before he bowed to Luna "It is of no harm so long as the citizens have gotten the message. I've never expect such a powerful voice from one such as yourself, your highness."

Celestia trotted up "Well, we've manged to bring up the shield." She turned to Wrath "I believe it is your turn to station the guards, Captain Wrath. When can you begin guard placement around the city?"

Wrath looked up with a serious gaze "Immediately..."
_____

Greed and Twilight galloped along Ponyville and noticed that most of the others were trotting back at a casual pace. Twilight galloped over and stopped in front of them "Hey, everypony! Are you all okay!?"

Rainbow Dash was confused to Twilight's tone of voice "What are you talking about, egghead? Of course we're okay!"

Greed looked around and then turned to Gluttony "Hey, Gluttony! Where's Lust and the others?"

Gluttony pointed a hoof towards Sweet Apple Acres "She's getting Sloth and Envy to come back with the rest of us! Do you want to go look for them?"

Greed shook his head "Nah, they'll be fine..."

Twilight turned to Greed in shock "Aren't you worried about them, Greed!? They're your family!!"

Greed turned to Twilight with a smirk "And I've already told you that they're trained for this kind of thing. Especially Sloth! Wait til you see him in action!"

Applejack looked at Greed "So the stallion ain't so lazy after all, huh?"

Pinkie jumped up and down "Oh! Oh! I'll bet he'll act like a terrifying giant when he fights somepony! Probably like-" She then stomps in place with a look of mock anger and a deep tone "Fe Fi Fo Fum!!" Gluttony giggled at Pinkie's action.

Rarity turned to Twilight "Won't you tell us now and save us the trouble of walking back to your home, darling? What has gotten into you all of the sudden?"

Twilight looked back at Rarity with worry "This has to be said to you and Greed's family before anypony else! Now let's get going! If what Greed says is right, then Lust will join us in no time!" The large group of ponies then made their way back to the library.

When they were all in the library, save for Sloth, they gathered around with their own respective expressions to the situation. Greed, Lust, Rainbow Dash, and Applejack maintained a calm and cool composure as they waited for the news to reach the others. Gluttony simply played with Pinkie by clopping their forelegs together in a patty-cake fashion, oblivious to the current matter. Rarity and Fluttershy were mildly worried about hearing the news. Envy merely sat on its haunches as it stared wide-eyed at the floor with its teeth bared with complete disregard to the matter at hoof. Its pupils trembled as it stammered in disbelief "I-...this-...this can't-...n-no-...but-...b-but-..."

Rainbow Dash looked at Envy and trotted over with a smug tone "You thought you managed to leave us all so quickly, huh, palm tree head?" She was met with Envy giving no response other than its current action. Rainbow Dash raised an eyebrow and spoke again "Not so tough now, are you? I'll bet you probably ran into a manticore in the forest!!" No response once more. The cyan pegasus now felt slight worry and concern for Envy as she spoke in a softer tone "Hey...Envy, are you alright?"

Pinkie looked over "Yeah, Envy! You're starting to sound like a black blob wearing a mask! What's wrong?"

Lust looked at Rainbow Dash and Pinkie "I believe its best to give Envy time to think. The poor dear's disoriented..."

Twilight Sparkle spoke up "Okay, everypony, listen up! This does not leave the library until we actually feel ready to spread the word!" She waited for the group to direct their attention. She noticed Envy not paying attention and called out to it "Envy, pay attention! This is serious!"

Greed looked at Lust, who gave a knowing nod, and the avaricious pony returned one of his own as he spoke "Just get on with the news, Twi. We can't keep everypony waiting..." Twilight went to retort until Greed spoke again "Trust me, we'll tell Envy later if the message doesn't get through."

Twilight sighed in defeat before she began "Canterlot has been met with another changeling attack!" The group, save for Greed, Lust, and Envy, gave a gasp in surprise "And if that isn't enough, there's possible warning of changelings roaming the streets of Ponyville! We gathered you all here so we could possibly snuff out any rogue changeling before they decide to attack!"

Gluttony spoke up "Changelings? You mean like E-" He had a hoof lightly cover his mouth and shush him. He turned to see Lust shake her head.

Twilight continued "We don't know how exactly to approach this sudden situation, but we'll be sure to keep a sharp eye out for any disturbances around town and take whatever actions necessary to quell any rising problems!"

Fluttershy looked down "So we'll have to fight again? Oh dear..." She looked over and noticed Envy's unchanged expression of utter hysteria. The timid mare trotted over to comfort Envy to at least try and bring its shock down.

Envy stayed in its spot until it spoke up "I-I'm..."

Twilight and the others turned to face the jealous pony as it tried to speak up "I-I'm sorry...I'm sorry for everything!" Its tone rose in volume "I'm sorry! Whatever I did to deserve this fate, I'm sorry, okay!?" It shouted to nopony in particular, causing massive confusion to flood the room.

Applejack spoke up "Simmer down now, sugarcube. Sorry fer what? Is it somethin' y'all did on yer lonesome?"

Both Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash never expected an actual apology out of Envy and the timid mare nuzzled Envy's cheek "Whatever it was you did, I'm sure it wasn't big. You're forgiven, Envy..." She inwardly smiled at the progress the jealous pony was making.

Rainbow Dash tilted her head in confusion "What's gotten into you, Envy? First you're a total jerk and now this! Is there something wrong with your head?"

Envy kept staring at the floor "I don't know!! I just don't know why I have to live like this!!" It continued shouting. The cyan pegasus was unaware if it was a reply or another shout into nothingness. She decided to trot over and slowly inch a hoof to Envy's shoulder, but then it instinctively swatted the hoof away once it made contact "D-Don't touch me!!" It spoke in a tone mixed with anger and fear. It then quickly moved away from Fluttershy "J-Just stay back!"

Twilight spoke "Envy!! What's wrong with you!?"

Envy stood on all four legs and hyperventilated, stuck with the realization of its cruel fate upon having to feed on somepony else's love in order to survive. It growled loudly in frustration before it bolted out of the door after it pushed Greed out of the way.

Rainbow Dash saw this and called out "Hey! Get back here!!" She took flight out the door after Envy, leaving the rest to wonder how this will all turn out.
_____

Envy galloped and pushed through crowds of ponies before making its way towards a vast and vacant meadow. It then took refuge under a tree and gave shuddered breaths 'No...No...NONONONONONO!!!' It grunted between some breaths, and even collapsed under its feet with the wieght it felt "I can't! I just can't!! This is all one sick farce, I just know it!!!" It was hard for the jealous pony to collect itself with the small migraine it felt with so much mental truama over its realization.

"There you are!!"

Envy did not bother to perk up when it heard the sound of Rainbow Dash yelling as she flew over and landed near Envy with an angry expression "What is wrong with you? Do you have some kind of strange fear over changelings or something? Why'd you have to just run out like tha-"

"Why do you bother?"

Rainbow Dash stopped in confusion "What? What are you talking about?"

Envy spoke again through its shuddered breaths with its head hung down "Why...do...you...bother!?" It tried to incorporate venom in its words but they were only filled with genuine confusion and curiousity "Why do you bother with me!? You know I'm considered the worst of them all, so why!?"

Rainbow Dash paused at the jealous pony's question before she spoke in her determined and matter-of-fact tone "Because you're my responsibility! Not to mention you're technically my student! That, and you have a family, for Celestia's sake!! What more do you want?"

Envy slowly brought its head up and managed to surpress a glare under its wild mane "I want to know WHY! I can care less about responsibility! You could've just ditched me whenever you pleased, but you just kept giving me attention!! Why!?"

Rainbow Dash took Envy's question into thought. Envy was practically the worst pegasus she ever met, but there was more to watching the jealous pony than mere responsibility, and she stood proudly when she found the answer "Because it's my element."

Envy looked up with a confused glare "E-Element?"

Rainbow Dash nodded "That's right! I'm the Element of Loyalty! That means I'll stick with anypony I deem fit to the end, especially my friends!! I never actually considered you a friend with your personality, but Fluttershy and Pinkie think otherwise, and they're usually better with other ponies. I stayed because I cared about Fluttershy's safety, but she cares about making you a better pony whether you like it or not! If she wants to make you a friend, I won't go against her. In fact, as crazy as it sounds, I should follow her example and make you my friend!"

Envy grunted again and spoke "Y-You-..." It narrowed its eyes into a piercing glare "You idiot..." Rainbow Dash stared in confusion "You think it's that easy to just be friends just because you say so!? I don't have friends, and I damn well don't need them either! I'm fine on my own!"

Rainbow Dash scoffed "Sheesh, you're still fighting like this...Also, no offense, but that sounds like something a jealous pony would sa-" She stopped herself in a brief pause before she facehoofed herself hard 'I am so stupid...' "It all makes sense now!!" She looked down at Envy with a knowing smile "You're jealous...You're jealous of me and my friends and how we have something going, right? I mean, you're name is Envy, so it has to make sense somehow, shouldn't it?"

Envy grunted and widened its eyes up at Rainbow Dash with a trembling breath. After hearing those words, it began to have a flashback.
_____

"How come? How come? How come!?"

"Envy...You're...jealous of humans..."

"Humans are supposed to be so much weaker than you homunculi, and yet even if we are beaten down, and get discouraged, or seem like we're about to go astray and fall, we still stand up to the challenge, again and again. Those who are around us pick us back up."

"And you...you're envious of humans like that."

"It's so humiliating to end up like a worn-out dishrag...walked on all over by you humans...you loathsome beings..."

"What's worse, of all the scum out there, this scummiest pipsqueak had to be the one..."

"Damn it...How humiliating! Me, Envy...jealous of you humans? Me, Envy!?"

"Me, Envy, being understood by this kid? That's the ultimate humiliation."

*snap*

"Bye-bye...Edward...Elric..."
_____

Envy's pupils trembled up at Rainbow Dash along with its breath as it envisioned the cyan pegasus as the Fullmetal Alchemist himself with those same words 'First the pipsqueak...now her, too!? No...Why?? WHY!?' The jealous pony lost its voice and could only find the familiar feeling of tears flowing from its eyes for the second time in its life.

Rainbow Dash saw this and was both confused and concerned "Huh? Envy? Are...Are you crying?"

Envy sniffled and retorted in a hoarse snap "N-No! I-...I-I can't be!! I-..." The jealous pony tried hard in its being to deny the river of tears it began to create. It hiccuped as it tried to suppress a defensive glare.

Rainbow Dash stood there and watched Envy wallow in a new pit of sadness and could not help but feel pity for how it projected its feelings. She gave a solemn sigh and spoke in a tone that betrayed no sympathy for the jealous pony "Come on, Envy. If it makes you feel any better, I kinda get caught in my own moments of crying as well. I try not to let these moments get me, but they just happen. Even I don't know why. But with you, I'm kinda surprised...Here I thought you were the worst pegasus I've ever met, totally alien to being sorry, but all this time it was just jealousy. Sheer jealousy. I guess I have a lot to learn from you after all..." She gave Envy a friendly smile.

Envy stared up with its tear-stained eyes in disbelief as it gave another shuddered breath. All the time they spent and Rainbow Dash was willing to leave it in the dust for the sake of not only loyalty, but friendship altogether "Y-You-..."

Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes and waved a hoof "Yeah, I know it sounds too good to be true, but I mean it! You got a lot to learn from us, and we have a lot to learn from you and your family. So why don't we just go back to Twilight's place, solve this whole changeling issue, and see what we can do from there? Maybe we can hang and see where it takes us! It's what friends do!"

Envy could not believe its ears. If it had the strength, it would commit suicide like it would back then, but a small and inviting feeling appeared inside of the jealous pony 'F-...Friends...' It only stared back at the cyan pegasus smiling at it. Envy then slowly brought itself to its feet, staggering in keeping balance, until it stood on all fours.

Rainbow Dash nodded in approval "That's the spirit! Let's head back now! We don't wanna keep 'em waiting, right?" She kept her smile and unfurled her wings before she took flight.

Envy stared up at the fading image of Rainbow Dash flying off 'Of all the ponies in this world and it had to be this one...' It wiped its eyes and held back more tears before it unfurled its wings and took off after Rainbow Dash.
_____

At the changeling hive, Father practiced the capabilities of his magic on certain objects such as rocks. So far, he had mastered telekinesis, shields, and rays as demonstrated by Chrysalis, who watched in intrigue.

Chrysalis was more than impressed at the progress the pale alicorn was making and smirked in satisfaction "You certainly are no stranger to the arcane arts to excel in the spells you have learned under me, Father. Certainly, you're closer to your goal than you can imagine!"

Father looked at the changeling queen with a bored smile "Was there ever any doubt? I was born for this moment...Now all that remains is to determine the exact moment to storm the walls of Canterlot..."

There was a muffled zipping sound, and both Father and Chrysalis looked around to see where it was coming from. Chrysalis jumped when the roof was struck open three times to reveal three battered changelings at her feet. The changeling queen stammered "Wha-...What is the meaning of this!? Why are you here!?" The changelings chattered and clicked after they gave pained hisses. One of them was badly injured and it looked at Chrysalis with pleading eyes. Chrysalis growled "That doesn't answer my question!! Unless..." She thought for a moment before she looked up "They knew you were at Canterlot!? But how!?"

The changeling in the most pain spoke "Wr-...Wraaath...Wraaath..."

Father turned his head to the changeling and gazed intently while Chrysalis spat out in fury "Who in Equestria is named Wrath!? More importantly, why have you chose to fail me like this!?" She growled in frustration "To think it was a good idea to send spies to examine the activity in Canterlot..."

"It was..."

Chrysalis turned to Father, who held a devious smirk "The changelings you sent were not so much spies as they were messengers..." He flared his wings as he looked up at the three holes made by the spies in the roof "And the message has been sent..."

Chrysalis snarled "Just what are you talking about!? They know we're about to attack!! Just what message were they sending when they'll expect us now!?"

Father kept his smile "They expect changelings..." This caused the changeling queen to pause as a grin formed on Father's face "They're not expecting an alicorn..." With that, he took flight and soared through one of the holes in the roof to make his flight to Canterlot.

End of Chapter 28

Chapter 29

So Much For Safety

Twilight looked at Greed and Lust "What was with Envy just now? Why did he choose to lash out like this? Did you do something to him?"

Lust sighed "I've only explained the situation to Envy and nothing else. The reaction could be considered as possible fear of it. Hopefully your friend Rainbow Dash feels the same way with how Envy went out the door so fast."

Greed looked out the window and noticed two flying figures with a toothy smirk "Heh, speak of the devil." He turned to the group "They're back. Twi, why don't we get started on tackling this changeling issue once they walk in?" He asked nonchalantly.

Twilight shook her head "You're awfully easygoing about situations like these, Greed."

Greed chuckled "I'm not exactly a stranger to them. Besides, it's one of the perks of being cool..." He looked out the window to see Rainbow Dash and Envy approach and sneered to himself 'If only I had some damn sunglasses to go with it!'

Rainbow Dash opened the door with a smile "Hey, everypony! Sorry about the delay." Her brief greeting, along with Envy trotting inside with its head hung in silence had placed the entire room in confusion.

Spike shifted his glance from Rainbow Dash to Envy and back before he asked "How did you-...?" He was completely baffled to see Envy look so calm and silent.

Rainbow Dash waved a dismissive hoof "Don't worry about it, Spike. It's nothing major at all, really!" She turned to Twilight "So, Twilight. Wanna toss some ideas our way now?"

Twilight snapped out of her confusion "O-Of course!" She regained her composure and held her serious tone "Now, regarding the whole 'Changelings in Ponyville' issue, we cannot be sure if it's best to notify the mayor on this particular happening.

Spike spoke up "Of course it's not! You can't expect her to listen if we waltz into City Hall and say 'Hey, Mayor Mare! We just wanted to tell you that there are some changelings in Ponyville!' without her laughing at us, getting angry at us, or possibly panicking!"

Pinkie Pie perked up "Wait a minute! What about Gluttony?" The group, save for Envy, turned to the party pony "Gluttony's nose can sniff out almost anything! We almost managed to find Envy thanks to him!"

Rainbow Dash raised an eyebrow "He was wrong when he thought that Lily was Envy, Pinkie." The cyan pegasus was unaware that Envy flinched slightly.

Pinkie smiled "He still managed to stay hot on her trail! We just need to give him a second chance!! Why don't we have good ol' Gluttony here sniff out any changeling sitting in Ponyville and wait for results?"

Applejack rubbed her chin with a hoof "Ah dunno, Pinkie. Do y'all really think that he can actually smell a changelin' from a mile away?"

Fluttershy looked at Gluttony with a smile "Well, we followed him for most of the day, and he seemed very adamant on finding Envy's scent..."

Twilight smiled "That sounds like a great idea! But we'll need a base scent for him to follow if we're gonna make this work!"

Gluttony smiled "Okay!" He trotted over and sniffed Envy from head to toe, snapping the jealous pony out of its distant atmosphere.

Envy grunted in surprise "Gluttony, what the hell are you doing!?"

Pinkie chimed in "Yeah! Envy's not a changeling!" She looked at the jealous pony being snifffed '...Is she?'

Gluttony stopped and looked down with a sad expression "Sorry...I'll look outside..." Unbeknownst to the others, the voracious pony shifted his pupilless eyes up to Envy and gave a quick wink.

Envy noticed and looked surprised 'Well I'll be damned...He's actually growing a brain for once...' Envy then feigned annoyance "Just don't do it again, Gluttony! Give me a warning next time!" The jealous pony inwardly smiled at Gluttony's newly-developed cunning.

Gluttony then placed his nose on the floor and trotted out the front door as he sniffed at the ground outside. He bumped into something and looked up to see Sloth sitting on his haunches, then smiled up at him "Hi, Sloth! We're gonna find changelings! You wanna go?"

Sloth moaned "Changelings are a pain..." He did not know what a changeling was, but he knew that they could be trouble for him when it comes to sleeping. He noticed the group from inside trot out after Gluttony and spotted Applejack out of them all "Applejack...Gluttony is-"

Applejack looked up and nodded "Ah know, big guy! An' yer gonna help us! We're in this together!" She trotted past Sloth before he uttered his signature catchphrase and followed the others with his sluggish pace. The changeling hunt has now begun.
_____

It was hard for the group to remain inconspicuous with how they've stuck together with Gluttony leading them on with his enhanced sense of smell. Several of the ponies watched them in curiousity, worry, confusion, or all three. Fluttershy cringed under the massive stares that she was receiving, and was then comforted by Applejack.

Rainbow Dash hovered over Sloth and examined his blank and unchanged face while he slowly trotted "So, Gluttony and Envy tell me you're the fastest out of your family! Is that true?" She smiled when she received a slow nod in confirmation "Seriously!? You don't seem so fast for somepony so lazy! Wanna race sometime later?" Sloth shook his head and caused the cyan pegasus to scowl "Oh, come on! I wanna put that speed of yours to the test!"

Twilight looked up at Rainbow Dash with irritation "Rainbow Dash, focus! We can worry about all this later!" She looked up at Gluttony and asked "Did you find any sign of them yet, Gluttony?"

Gluttony sniffed at the ground and then paused to answer "No, nothing. I can't find any of them-"He gave a brief gasp before he sniffed at the ground again, but more frantically. The group behind him gazed intently and quickly followed Gluttony once he began dragging his snout across the ground in his trot.

After a small fit of walking, the entire group looked up in disbelief. Rarity broke the ice "You have GOT to be kidding me..."

Gluttony smiled and pointed at Sugarcube Corner "I found it! I found Sugarcube Corner all by myself!"

Pinkie clopped her forelegs together "Very good, Gluttony! I'll go inside and bring out some cupcakes for you!" Gluttony squealed in joy as Pinkie hopped her way inside, leaving behind an exasperated group.

Envy stared at the sugarcoated establishment with a bored expression "Somehow, I saw this coming. He can only be away from food for so long..."

Rainbow Dash looked at Envy "How does he manage to still be useful while he stuffs his face on a daily basis?"

Envy looked away "Let's just say the more he eats, the stronger he becomes..."

Rainbow Dash scratched her head "So what you're saying is-"

"I'm back!"

Pinkie hopped back out with a bushel of cupcakes resting in a basket on her back "Okay, Gluttony! Fill yourself up so we can continue! We can't sniff out changelings on an empty stomach!"

Gluttony drooled at the sight of the cupcakes, and drops of his drool seered at the ground. The element bearers, save for Pinkie, winced at it and turned to Greed for an answer. All he said was "He was just born that way. You'll get used to it." Gluttony then ravaged the basket full of cupcakes and left no crumb alone.

When he finished, he sniffed at the air and trotted away. The voracious pony then quickly paused and perked up "I found one!" He broke into a gallop into a random direction and the others followed suit.

Gluttony noticed two ponies conversing with another, a blue unicorn with an hourglass cutie mark and a purple earth pony with a grape and strawberry cutie mark. After he gave out one last sniff, he narrowed his eyes on the earth pony with a grunt as he made a direct course for her. The pony the screeched when Gluttony tackled her onto the ground and leered down at her, causing the blue unicorn to snap "What are you doing!? Get off of her!!"

Gluttony sat atop the writhing earth pony and looked at Colgate with blank innocence "She's a changeling!"

Greed caught up to the three ponies with a smirk "No need to get angry, miss! We're sort of on a mission right now!"

Twilight stopped next to Greed and looked at the unicorn with slight regret "We're sorry for the trouble, Colgate! There was an urgent warning from Canterlot regarding the possible emergence of changelings in Ponyville!"

Colgate gasped "Really? But what makes you think that Berry Punch is one of them!?"

Greed laughed "Nothing gets past Gluttony's nose! I'd say we've found ourselves the genuine article!!"

Twilight's horn glowed as she stared intently at the one called Berry Punch "There's only one way to be entirely sure about this..."

Colgate noticed her horn and quickly stood in front of Twilight "Don't you DARE harm her!! She hasn't done anything to you!! I love her!!"

Envy gave a faint scoff and looked away with hidden despondency at Colgate's words.

Twilight looked at Colgate with sadness "I'm sorry, Colgate! This will only take a minute!" She managed to step past the angry unicorn and direct a beam towards Berry Punch.

Colgate was about to lash out with another remark, but she gave a low gasp at what was happening. Twilight's beam touched the head of Berry Punch and worked its way down to slowly reveal the body of a hissing changeling. Envy stared at Twilight's spell with widened eyes and feared for its own safety.

Greed shifted his smug gaze at Colgate "What'd I tell ya? Nothing gets past Gluttony's nose!"

Colgate stammered at the sight "What? But if that's a changeling..." She looked around with unbridled worry "Then where's Berry Punch!?"

Lust stepped in "She could be held captive in a secluded area around Ponyville...otherwise, she may be gone forever."

The element bearers turned to the lascivious mare in surprise as Twilight blurted out "Lust!"

Lust closed her eyes as she barely received the fright from the other ponies "I'm only pointing out logical theories. We cannot be entirely sure if the one called Berry Punch could be alive or not..."

Spike chided "But do you have to make it sound like she MAY be gone!?"

Gluttony stared down at the writhing and hissing changeling with a blank smile while Lust continued "If it gives you comfort, I will kindly dismiss the probability of the latter theory..." She looked over at the changeling "But for now, we have bigger matters..."

Greed nodded "She's right, everypony! Let's rub this thing out and move onto the next one!"

The changeling heard Greed and thrashed about even harder until it finally stopped to give out a high-pitched screech. Some of the ponies around it gritted their teeth at the unbearable tone of the changeling's call, as if somepony dragged a metal rake on a blackboard.

However, other ponies only turned their heads knowingly to the changeling with angry looks on their faces. They stopped what they were doing and slowly advanced on the group of changeling hunters. Twilight looked around "What's going on here? Why are these ponies furious with us?"

The group got into a defensive stance when one of the ponies turned into a replica of Fluttershy, followed by another turning into Applejack. Several more of the advancing ponies became exact replicas of the element bearers and former homunculi. Some managed to even change into Spike. Greed looked around as his horn began to glow "Well...at least we found all of the changelings we're looking for...Let's do this!" He changed into his Ultimate Shield form as the group prepared for battle.

End of Chapter 29

Chapter 30

A Time For Change

The innocent bystanders around the unfolding scene screamed at the appearance of the changelings and moreso at Greed's transformation. They quickly took refuge inside of their homes and bolted themselves away from the battle.

Greed managed an invisible smirk through his skeletal face "Good! Now we won't have to worry about harming any innocents! This is gonna be easy!"

Lust smiled and spoke in her nonchalant tone "Indeed...Let's make this quick. I have a dress to pick up after this." The element bearers and former homunculi then began their onslaught.

Applejack had an easy time bucking away several of the changelings, but then noticed that many more began piling up on her "Ah, consarn it! Not again!!" She struggled under the piling mass of changelings until a massive wave knocked away the pile on top of Applejack in one fell swoop "What in tarnation!?" She looked around and noticed Sloth swinging at changelings left and right with his chains, knocking them away in droves. The cowpony could not help but smile "Looks like Ah was wrong about ya being completely lazy, Sloth!" She looked behind herself and snapped back into focus as she bucked away the changeling that attempted to ambush her.

Lust and Rarity were back to back when they were surrounded by changelings. Lust smirked as she shifted her gaze towards the fashionista "Rarity, I believe it's time I show you a faithful trick of mine...If you would be so kind as to duck."

Rarity looked back "A faithful trick, you say? Well, I hope it works..." She ducked down as required, and Lust activated her horn to extend into her 'Ultimate Spear'. She then spun herself around as the long horn was guided around a small radius and slashed at the many changelings that surrounded her and Rarity and sent them reeling back as they reverted to their regular form. When she stopped, Rarity looked around with widened eyes "How-...How did you-"

Lust chuckled "A talent of mine." She looked around 'I'm glad that Twilight Sparkle was not able to see it...' The lascivious mare shuddered at the thought of Twilight smothering her with amazement and curiousity over her skill.

Pinkie rode around on the top of her party cannon while Gluttony tried catching up. She turned to Gluttony and called out "Okay, Gluttony! Sniff 'em out!"

Gluttony sniffed at the air, and then pointed to an approaching pony "There!"

Pinkie then aimed and fired her cannon with a wide grin. The changeling then went flying while draped in confetti "Good job! Keep it up!"

Gluttony nodded and sniffed at the air again, then pointed to another approaching pony "Over there!" Once again, Pinkie grinned as she aimed and fired at the perpetrator. The hyperactive duo repeated the process with succession in each of their findings until Gluttony sniffed again. He noticed what appeared to be Fluttershy about to get hurt by clones of Rarity. The voracious pony grunted before he galloped over and rammed at the Rarity clones, bowling them over easily.

Pinkie held up a hoof and called out "Steeeeee-rike!!"

Gluttony then trotted over and sniffed at Fluttershy before he reared onto his hindlegs with his forelegs in the air. The timid mare squeaked and clenched her eyes shut before she was able to notice Gluttony come down not to hurt her, but to hug her "Your mane always smells nice!"

Fluttershy was happy to know that Gluttony's nose was more than trustworthy as she reluctantly returned the embrace while the battle continued "Th-Thank you for helping me out, Gluttony..." She smiled over at Pinkie with her party cannon "And you, too, Pinkie." Pinkie hopped off of her party cannon and joined the others in a group hug.

Gluttony broke the embrace as he smiled at Fluttershy "We're gonna find Lust! I want to know if I can eat the changelings once this is over!"

Fluttershy shook warily at Gluttony "Um...I dont think you can e-eat a changeling, Gluttony!"

Pinkie giggled "Yeah! And besides, we gotta beat their flanks first! Let's move, everypony!!" The trio then moved through the large skirmish.

Greed galloped through the crowd of changelings and stabbed his sharp horn at each one that chose to confront him "Yes! I got this!" He continued until he noticed a standing Twilight who cringed at Greed's pace. The avaricious pony noticed and skidded to a halt "You okay, Twi? Are you getting tired?"

Twilight looked up at Greed with concerned eyes before they turned evil. She punched at Greed's chest, but she then brought it back and yelped in pain.

Greed deadpanned "I don't know what's worse...the fact that I thought you were Twilight or that you thought you could harm me in this form..." He then stabbed at the imposter's chest to reveal another changeling corpse. Greed then jerked his head away to toss the corpse and looked around at the battle 'It is a thought, though...Where is Twilight?? She could be in danger...' He stopped his thought before he looked incredulous 'Why am I thinking like that!? She can handle herself in a fight!' He then looked around once more 'But I better make sure she's okay...Wouldn't help knowing that Celestia's student could possibly die...' The avaricious pony then galloped and fought through more of the battle.

Twilight blasted at another changeling that leaped at her "This is my brother's wedding all over again!" She said to herself as she blasted at another. She then noticed what appeared Greed approach her after shoving past another changeling and stop in front of her with a smile. Twilight smiled back "You holding up well, Greed? I still haven't managed to test your form's durabili-Agh!!" She was then tackled by who she thought was Greed, but was actually another changeling. It went to strike with a hoof as Twilight shut her eyes and awaited the blow.

Before the changeling could strike, it was tackled by the real Greed before it would notice. He then struck the changeling down with his own hoof before he gave it a mighty buck into a Pinkie clone. The avaricious pony looked over at Twilight "I thought you had experience with these pissants before! Good to know you're safe!" He managed another invisible smirk through his sharp teeth while he held out a hoof for Twilight.

Twilight took the hoof and got up and scoffed at Greed before she gave him a grateful smile "Thanks for the help! I could use it with all of these changelings around us." The two stared at each other for a moment before Twilight gasped and looked around "We have to find Spike! He could get hurt!!"

Greed nodded "Got it! Let's move!" The two unicorns then galloped deeper into the skirmish in search of the purple dragon. They noticed him being jumped on clones of himself and Greed shook his head in pity "That's low..." He then galloped over and went to knock them all off, but they were all wrapped in a magical aura and tossed away.

Twilight galloped over and comforted Spike with concerned eyes "Spike!? Spike, are you okay!?"

Spike groaned for a moment before he shook his head rapidly. He then smiled up at Twilight "I'm okay! I already told you I have thick scales, so I didn't feel all of that! Hehe-ow..." He rubbed his temple with a pained expression.

Greed chuckled "Aren't you the little fighter? What say you put that fire of yours to use?"

Twilight glared at Greed "We're not doing that, Greed! We need to keep Spike safe while we fight off the changelings!!" She looked around at the approaching changelings and groaned in complaint "We'll take turns on watching Spike while we take them on!"

Greed scoffed "The hell with that! You keep him safe, Twi!" He trotted a few steps forward as he glared at his enemies with his piercing eyes "These bastards are mine..."

Twilight looked at Greed "But what if you grow weaker? This could be too much for you, Greed!"

Greed looked back "I already told you that I'm born for this kind of thing! This is nothing! I have to keep you and the others safe, since you technically belong to me!" He then galloped forward as he impaled the next changeling "I'm a homunculus!!! I'm strong enough to handle this!" He took on the rest of his opponents without another word, leaving Twilight and Spike to watch in awe. Twilight kept her glance on Greed while he fought and could not help but smile warmly at his gesture of protection despite him sounding foalish.

Rainbow Dash was handling the airborne changelings, then yelped when she noticed one of Sloth's chains swing across the air and whack the changelings out of the sky. She dodged and glared down at the indolent pony "Watch it, Sloth! We're fighting, too!" She yelped again as she dodged another chain with which Sloth was swinging about aimlessly at the opponents around him. She groaned and decided to cope with it, knowing that he was making good progress, but then looked around in the air "Wait a minute...Where's Envy!? I don't see that pony anywhere!"

While the ponies fought their battle, Envy snuck through the crowd by changing into the other ponies when the moment called for it. The jealous pony managed to get a good few swings into the other changelings while they were caught unawares, and led them to believe one of their own was betraying them 'This should stop this problem once and for all...' It continued to jab at certain groups of changelings and caused them to go into a small state of disarray that slowly grew to scale. One of the changelings noticed and snarled before it snuck out of battle and flew off before anypony else noticed.

When the changelings were bothered enough by Envy's shady tactics, they grew agitated at each other and began fighting amongst themselves rather than the genuine articles. Rainbow Dash noticed the airborne enemies go down and join the strange mob and watched the fighting from above in confusion "Hey! I'm up here!" The cyan pegasus tried to distinguish Envy in the crowd while watching the battle 'Where is Envy!?'

Applejack and Sloth stopped what they were doing when they noticed the changelings around them deciding to attack one another fiercely "What in the name of all that is apple is goin' on with these critters??"

Sloth groaned "So I didn't have to fight at all...What a pain..." He then sat on his haunches and observed the changeling's struggle lazily.

Gluttony, Pinkie, and Fluttershy looked around in confusion at the sudden shift of battle. Pinkie spoke up "Hey! We're over here! Stop ignoring us, you meanies!!"

Fluttershy was more confused than she was scared "Why are they fighting each other instead of us?? Aren't they supposed to be working together??"

Gluttony looked around "Are we supposed to do the same to ourselves as well?" He then jabbed at himself once before he stopped and whimpered "I don't like it..."

Lust and Rarity looked around in their own confusion, but then Lust smiled to herself when she realized the cause of the sudden change 'Smart move, Envy...Let us hope they haven't discovered you yet...'

Greed fought off another changeling easily, but then noticed that they began to fight amongst themselves "What the-!? What are those idiots doing now!?"

Twilight watched "They're fighting themselves for some reason! But for what exactly??"

Spike watched as well "Whatever it is, at least they're saving us the effort of fighting! This could be over quicker than we thought"

Envy was able to go back into its original form without nopony else noticing and grinned at its handiwork "Piece of cake! Now we just gotta wait for the best moment to strike..." It then stumbled with lack of energy 'Dammit! No! Come on...'

Rainbow Dash was finally able to notice Envy looking tired and swooped down at its side "There you are! Are these guys giving you THAT much trouble or something?"

Envy managed a small glare at Rainbow Dash "You wish! I just need to find some..." It looked up at Rainbow Dash with slow realization "...energy..." The jealous pony was now torn with the thought of earning Rainbow Dash's love in order to keep itself on its toes 'This isn't fair...I don't even like her! But...she did understand me...N-NO! There's gotta be somepony else-DAMMIT! I'm talking like THEM now!!' Envy grunted and looked down "Look, I don't know what caused those changelings to fight, but we should take advantage of it! Tell the others to wrap things up so we can get a move on!"

Rainbow Dash saluted "Got it! But you gotta come, too! I'll carry you!" She then wrapped her forelegs along Envy's and lifted the jealous pony off of its feet and into the air.

Envy grunted at being carried by Rainbow Dash and weakly struggled out of its grip "You don't have to help me, you know..."

Rainbow Dash glared down at Envy "What part of 'I'm the Element of Loyalty' didn't you get back there!? I'm not leaving you behind! Not now! Not ever!" She continued her flight over the feuding changelings.

Envy stared up at Rainbow Dash in utter silence at her words 'I-...she-...' It then looked down at the feuding changelings below 'I'm one of them, and yet...' It then shifted its glance back up at Rainbow Dash 'She treats me way differently despite what we've been through...' The jealous pony pondered on itself and the cyan pegasus carrying it.

Rainbow Dash reached Applejack and Sloth and swooped down to them "Hey, AJ! Sloth!" She gently set Envy down before she trotted up to the two earth ponies "You seeing this? Suddenly, the changelings have a bone to pick with each other instead of us!"

Applejack looked at it "Ah see it, but Ah jus don't believe it! We'll jus' hafta take advantage of it, though!"

Rainbow Dash smirked "Way ahead of ya!" She looked up at Sloth "C'mon, big guy! You're needed! Get those chains moving so you can sweep this place clean!"

Sloth slowly rose onto his hindlegs as he groaned "What a pain..." He then swung his right foreleg and swept across the large group of changelings in front of them, sweeping them off to the side and knocking them out after they exerted enough energy on themselves. He then took a step forward and swung his left foreleg at the next group and knocked them off to the side as well.

Rainbow Dash watched in awe "Man, Sloth's a natural at this! He'll have those creeps taken care of in no time at all!"

Applejack smiled up at Sloth "Ah'll say!" She looked ahead and winced "Hope he don't hit Twi an' th' others, though..." Rainbow Dash and Applejack followed Sloth as he plowed through the changelings. The cyan pegasus took off in the air so it could scout out the others.

Envy caught its breath before it followed after the rest 'This sucks...' It then caught a glance of Rainbow Dash flying in the air and groaned 'So badly...'

End of Chapter 30

Chapter 31

A Tough Act To Swallow

Greed fought off more of the changelings with relative ease "These things aren't even putting up a fight!!" While he fought, his muzzle was nicked by a long and sharp blade. He drew back his head and looked ahead at the one responsible "Lust! Watch where you're pointing that thing!!"

Lust retracted her horn and smiled at Greed while standing next to a bewildered Rarity "It's not like you to whine, Greed. But it's nice to see that you, Twilight and Spike are okay..."

Greed looked around and noticed a wave of tossed changelings approaching the group "Everypony run!!" When the group noticed what Greed was referring to, they quickly dove out of the way and managed to avoid what swept the changelings off of their feet.

They looked to see Sloth waving his chains with Rainbow Dash, Applejack and Envy following him. The cyan pegasus hovered in the air and waved down at the two "Hey, guys! Are you okay?"

Greed got up and growled "You think maybe you'd direct Sloth to where he wouldn't hurt us as well!!"

Rainbow Dash chuckled "Sorry about that! You know how Sloth is, right?"

Greed shrugged it off "Yeah, you're right. Where are the others? Are they safe?"

"Yoo-hooo~!!!"

Everypony and Spike turned to see Pinkie, Fluttershy, and Gluttony riding on the top of Pinkie's party cannon over to the others "Alright, everypony's here!! You think you can help us back here?" She pointed to what was left of the changelings fighting each other.

Applejack jabbed at Sloth with a smile "Y'all know what t' do, pardner!"

Sloth turned to the last of changelings and groaned as he swung his chain and lashed at each of them. Afterwards, every changeling that inhabited Ponyville laid battered and beaten. The element bearers and Spike sighed in relief and brushed the sweat off of their brows, while the former homunculi besides Envy stood victorious.

Gluttony looked around and his stomach growled as he turned to Lust "I just remembered! Lust, can I eat them now!?" He grinned at his older sister.

The element bearers all looked at Gluttony as if he grew an extra head on his body. Rarity winced "Surely you're kidding, right, Gluttony?"

Gluttony blinked at Rarity and shook his head with a smile "I'm hungry! I wanna eat them!! They look so tasty!"

Lust sighed "I'm afraid I must confess that he really is not joking. Gluttony is that of a bottomless pit, born with an insatiable hunger. He could eat every nook and cranny of Sugarcube Corner if he saw fit." She turned to Gluttony and rested a hoof on his head, to which he nuzzled happily "Thankfully, he is kind enough to ask for permission before he eats most of his meals..."

The element bearers then slowly backed away from Gluttony, wary of his otherworldly hunger. Applejack whispered to Twilight "Remind me t' keep Gluttony away from my orchard..."

The only pony that did not back down was none other than Pinkie, who looked at Gluttony with a wide smile "So he really could eat all of Sugarcube corner!? You're really something, Gluttony!"

Twilight turned to Pinkie "Pinkie, he's dangerous! Get back!"

Pinkie wrapped her hooves around Gluttony's neck "Sheesh, Twilight! Just because he can eat everything doesn't really make Gluttony a bad pony!" She gave the voracious pony a brief nuzzle "Lusty said he's nice enough to ask first!"

Gluttony gasped with joy "Hey! I call her that, too! I like you more now, Pinkie!" The two giggled as they shared a hug.

The others traded unsure glances at one another before they turned to the former homunculi, who stared back with neutral faces. Greed cancelled out his Ultimate Shield form and gave a neutral glance of his own until it turned into an amused smirk "Think what you want about us, folks! This ain't the first time we've been considered monsters in the public eye! We are who we are and nothing more!"

Lust nodded "I hope that one day you can look past this and accept us as we do you..." She took a step forward "To be truthful, I never thought to be accepted by any of you at all...It gives me a sense of warmth." The lascivious mare never thought that she would even say or think such a thing.

Gluttony smiled at the others "I already like you all for giving me food!" He looked over at Rarity "You're pretty!" He then shifted to Twilight Sparkle "You're very smart!" He then looked at Fluttershy "You're as nice as you smell!" He then looked up at Rainbow Dash "And you're fast! Super fast!" He finally looked at Applejack "And you're...you're..." He looked down for a moment in thought before he looked back up with a wide smile "Strong! Like Sloth!"

Applejack looked away with an embarrassed smile before she spoke "Aw, shucks...Maybe we were wrong about y'all..."

Rarity sighed "Perhaps. While we cannot really fathom or possibly cope with Gluttony's actions, I apologize for labeling him a monster. He may have the appetite of a dragon, but he's a pony all the same." She gave an apologetic smile.

Fluttershy nodded "Me too. We've learned not to judge a book by its cover in the past..." She then looked at Gluttony with slight fear "But I've never seen a pony like Gluttony before..."

Twilight then joined in "She's right. And if anything, you all have been the greatest guests as well as students. We cannot really chastise you like this even if we haven't been through so much." She turned to Greed "And besides, you've already taught us a lot about yourselves so far..." She trotted over to Greed with pleading eyes "Can you forgive me?"

Greed stopped himself when he looked into Twilight's eyes and quickly looked away with a light sneer to disguise his inner feelings 'Why does she have to look at me with those eyes?' "I-It's nothing...Don't worry about it." He slowly built the courage to look at Twilight, who was smiling at him for his answer. He then returned one of his own "Besides, you still have a lot to teach me and the others!"

Rainbow Dash smiled "Yeah, that's right!" She swooped down towards Envy "I still gotta teach you how to fly and stuff so you could be much better than any other pegasus I've hung out with! I'll have you running circles around them in no time with you under my wing!"

Envy growled "Hey, I can fly just fine! I just-..." It looked down for a moment "I just...need to get myself in a better condition..."

Fluttershy rushed over to Envy "Oh my goodness! Are you sick, Envy? Do you need medical attention?"

Pinkie jumped onto Envy's back "I don't think she's sick, Fluttershy! Envy here just needs more energy in her life! Oh! We should definitely throw a 'We just saved Ponyville from a bunch of changelings' party! Then we can make sure Envy here gets better in no time!"

Envy growled as she weakly pushed off Pinkie, still annoyed at her random antics "I don't need your help! And didn't we already have a party just the night before? What is with you and parties? Don't you think you're overduing it a little?"

Pinkie gasped "Where have you been!? Parties aren't just friendly get-togethers! They're a way of life!!" She smiled at Envy "I think I should get you well-acquainted with how things work around here!"

Envy sneered at Pinkie before a hoof rested on its shoulder. Envy turned to see Rainbow Dash "Just try and be more patient around her! You'll get used to it..." She smiled at Envy, who sighed in exasperation.

Greed was stoked "Two parties in a row? I'm okay with this!"

Sloth groaned "What a pain..." He then rested on the ground next to some of the changelings.

Spike sniffed at the air before he covered his snout "Oh geez! It's starting to get ripe around here!!" He looked around at all the changelings "So what do we do with all of these? We can't just keep them here!"

Twilight rubbed her chin "I'm not exactly sure...They're alive, bu-" She looked over at some of the changelings with severe wounds "Oh Celestia, some of them are dead!"

Greed chuckled "Of course they are! We can't have them running around and causing problems for the others, right!"

Twilight turned to Greed "How can you be so calm about this? Were you raised taking the lives of other ponies?"

Greed shrugged "Not really ponies, but I've been raised to defend myself...I'm a homunculus, after all."

Applejack looked at Greed with a raised eyebrow "Ah've been meanin' t' ask about that! Sloth here told me that he was a homunculus as well! What is a homunculus, anyways?"

Twilight was now curious as well "That is a good question. Could you care to enlighten me, Greed?"

Spike spoke up "Can't we take care of the changelings first!? We gotta get 'em out of Ponyville before some of them get up!"

Greed turned to Twilight with a smirk, to which she hung her head and gave a defeated sigh "We just have to make sure nopony is watching so they won't get the wrong idea as well..." She spoke in a somber tone.

Lust nodded "Duly noted." She then turned to Gluttony and gave a curt nod. The voracious pony squealed in glee before he leaped onto his first changeling and bit off one of its forelegs.

The element bearers and Spike quickly averted their eyes away from Gluttony's ravaging and winced when they heard crunches and chewing sounds. The voracious pony slurped up the foreleg "It doesn't taste like cheese, but it's good anyways!" He then continued his meal and finished off the changeling at its tail.

Envy could not help but feel its stomach drop at the sight of watching another changeling get eaten 'Heh...brings back memories...' It thought morosely as it watched Gluttony move onto the next one.

Fluttershy whimpered before she finally spoke in a barely audible tone "Couldn't we do something else with the changelings?"

Lust looked around "Why don't we let Gluttony handle the corpses while we dispose of the live changelings at a desired location?"

Twilight turned to Lust, careful not to catch Gluttony's nirvana at the corner of her eye "That would save time, but where would we put them?"

Lust turned to the forest entrance "Why not the forest? We've no other place for them unless we decide to put them up on display at the nearest zoo..." She chuckled at her own joke.

Twilight turned to the forest as well with a reluctant glance "But would we really want to put them there?"

Lust tossed her mane by moving her head "If you have a better idea, then I can dismiss my own. We really do not have enough efficient resources to go by at the moment."

Twilight drooped her ears at Lust's words "I've never been met with this kind of situation before. I don't know what to do..."

Rainbow Dash trotted over to Twilight "C'mon, Twilight! If you can move an Ursa Minor out of Ponyville, then you can move all of these changelings out as well! Besides, they're nothing but trouble to us! Especially with the way they are now!"

Envy felt a stabbing pain at Rainbow Dash's words and looked away dejectedly 'She's not talking about me...She's not...I'm sure of it...Wait, why am I talking like this!?' The jealous pony shook itself out of its mysterious thought. It was as if Equestria was finally getting into Envy's mind.

Twilight thought for a moment before she nodded "I suppose you're right, Rainbow Dash. I don't know how Celestia would act if I sent her a town's worth of changelings, especially when Wrath was the one that issued the warning to us."

Greed smiled "So what are we waiting for? Let's clean up this mess so we can relax for once! I can practice my telekinesis and Pinks can get her party going!"

Twilight turned to Greed in confusion "Wait...You've mastered telekinesis without my help, Greed?"

Greed gave a nod "Yeah..." He then sneered at Lust "I had Lust here nudge me into the right direction since Rarity taught her."

Lust flashed a taunting smile at Greed "You're welcome, brother of mine..." She spoke in a teasing tone.

Rarity and Twilight giggled to themselves when they noticed Greed glaring daggers at Lust. Rarity then spoke up "Well, we've talked long enough. Let us be rid of these changelings!"

Twilight smiled "Yes, then we can help Pinkie get started on that party she wants to throw for us!"

Pinkie hopped up and down in joy "Yippy skippy!"

Lust turned to Gluttony, who was on his seventh changeling "Gluttony, be sure to finish up soon. We're throwing away the rest of them."

Gluttony turned to Lust with a sad expression and a changeling wing sticking out of his mouth as he gave a muffled moan of despair.

Rainbow Dash looked around "Nopony's watching this!" She then winced 'Thank Celestia, too...I don't think I'll be able to look at Gluttony the same way again...'

Lust activated her horn "Then let's make this short and sweet..." She levitated a few changelings from the ground and began to make a trail for the Everfree Forest. Twilight, Rarity, and Greed shortly followed after with changelings of their own.

After five easy trips and the further assistance of the other ponies, the four unicorns made quick work in cleaning out Ponyville and setting them in the depths of the Everfree forest. It was almost hard to manage getting past the wild animals until they asked for Sloth's help, who easily frightened the animals with his massive strength and size. The group then finally trotted back to Ponyville so they could tell the news to the others and head to Sugarcube corner.

Fluttershy looked around as she trotted back into town with the others "Well, I think that's the last of them..." She then looked down in sadness "Oh, I feel bad for sending them in there like that..."

Greed passed Fluttershy as they trotted through town "It was either place them in the forest or repeat another problem. I think it's for the best, Flutters. You'll feel better soon."

Fluttershy looked up at Greed with her sad expression "Don't you feel no sympathy for them?"

Greed grinned at Fluttershy "With the stuff I've seen, there's time for sympathy and times when it's not needed at all. I haven't been met with the kindest folk in my day..."

Fluttershy felt worse at Greed's explanation "Oh dear. That's just awful..."

Greed rolled his eyes "Relax. I'm used to it. Like I said, this ain't the first time me and the others have been considered monsters in the public eye..."

Twilight trotted next to Greed "That reminds me..." She looked up at the avaricious pony as the two trotted "You still haven't explained to me about yourself being a homunculus..."

Greed chuckled "You and your curiousity, Twilight...I'll explain on the way."

End of Chapter 31

Chapter 32

A New Risk

Greed took a deep breath as he tried to think of a good explanation about him and his siblings as homunculi 'How to narrow it down...I'm not exactly one for lectures...' He thought for a moment, and then smiled to himself when he had an acceptable lead "Okay, a homunculus is basically...well..." He stopped for a moment when he realized a flaw. The avaricious pony was not sure if the other ponies in Equestria, even the regal sisters, were not familiar or affiliated with humans. He decided to improvise so his words would not come off as gibberish "You know how you have a regular pony, be it an earth pony, a pegasus, or a unicorn?" Twilight gave a curt nod in confirmation "Well, a homunculus is different. Very different, actually. We were born with our own special strengths like what you've just seen us use in the battle against those changelings!"

Rarity was intrigued along with the other element bearers "So you really are both unique and one-of-a-kind...But you retain such similar qualities seen in other ponies!"

Greed nodded "Sure, maybe somepony else could have Sloth's strength or Envy's bitchiness-"

Envy glared at Greed "Fuck you!"

Greed continued with a smirk "-but we were specially born, not that I'd love to brag or anything! That's more up Pride's alley!"

Twilight tilted her head "Is Pride another one of your siblings?"

Greed nodded "Yep, but he's an arrogant bastard. Not only is he the oldest out of us, but he's the favorite as well..."

Envy growled "Don't remind me..." It muttered in a harsh tone.

Applejack spoke up "But if Pride's yer oldest brother, then where is he? Why haven't we met 'im yet?"

Lust noticed a flaw in Greed's explanation and recovered for his sake "Pride did not make it. His overconfidence became his downfall..." It was an acceptable lie for the element bearers knowing that Pride was too arrogant for his own good.

Applejack flinched and looked down with guilt "A-Ah'm sorry. Ah shouldn't have brought that up..."

Envy turned to Applejack "We don't give a shit about him, nor did he us. You got nothing to worry about..." It then looked ahead "I don't think it's right to bring him up anyway."

Gluttony whimpered at the unpleasant memory with him and Pride "I don't like Pride..." He muttered sadly. He was not happy to know that his own brother decided to eat him without hesitation.

Rainbow Dash eyed Envy "Are you serious? What kind of messed up family do you live with?"

Lust smiled to herself "Such a peculiar and redundant question. We've already covered the mutual respect for one another. Is that not enough?"

Rarity spoke up "Now that you mention it, I'm afraid it isn't. But I suppose it can wait. Greed's lecture on homunculi seems almost enthralling!"

Twilight smiled "I couldn't agree more!" She looked up at Greed "Could you please continue for us, Greed?"

Greed nodded "Meh, sure. Anyway, we homunculi were born from none other than..." He grimaced and looked down as he spoke in a grave tone "Father..." The other homunculi kept silent and held neutral stares all around.

Twilight looked concerned "Was your father a homunculus as well? With the way you're sounding, you don't seem to like your father that much..."

Greed gave a dark chuckle "I guess it shows, doesn't it? I don't exactly know about the rest of these guys, but I'd say I'm not too fond of dear old dad myself! But yeah, he's a homunculus since we're born from him and stuff."

Gluttony smiled "He usually fixes us up when we're hurt or weak! And he gives us food and shelter!"

Applejack raised an eyebrow "Gluttony sure as hay likes his pappy! What's yer take on 'im, Sloth?" She looked up at the indolent pony for an answer.

Sloth groaned "Father is...strong...smart...but he makes me work too much...It's a pain..." He remained as monotonous as he had in the past.

Lust spoke up "He is as wise as he is resourceful, but that is my only explanation on him. I am not as fond of him as Gluttony, nor am I aware of his whereabouts..." She then felt slightly tense 'It does raise a good question, though...Where is Father?' The lascivious mare was unaware of herself on how to react were she ever to run into him again.

Envy scoffed "He usually makes us run errands, not even considering us as his children sometimes." The jealous pony then felt conflicted when it held a distant memory.

"Ishval? I've never had a more delightful job than that one. Do you know what the trigger was that started the uprising?"

"As far as I'm concerned a military officer accidentally shot an Ishvalan child."

"Yes. And I am the very person who shot that child."

"That felt so good. The civil war flared up right before my eyes, all over a single bullet. Man, that was a real thrill. And incidentally, the officer I turned into was a moderate who opposed the military's intervention in Ishval. And the guy...he couldn't even account for himself, and was court-martialed!"

"You humans are easily manipulated creatures!"

Envy held a gut-wrenching feeling at the memory it once considered fond 'Why am I feeling this way!? Is-...Is this guilt? I feel guilty for starting a war!?' The jealous pony could not fathom the feelings that coursed through its head while it trotted with the others.

Rainbow Dash looked down at Envy "Hey, Envy. Are you okay?"

Envy snapped out of its thought and grunted "I'm fine. Was just thinking about the old fart..."

Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy traded glances before the timid mare spoke "Do you-"

Envy interrupted in a distant tone "No...I don't like him." It continued its pace in silence 'And I doubt they'll like me if they knew me too well...' Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy looked at Envy with concern in their eyes.

Greed chuckled "Yeah, call it dysfunctional, but we have our views on Father. But enough about him! As for my explanation, what makes us homunculi so awesome is that we can't die so easily!"

Twilight thought that Greed's explanation wasn't too clear "Are you referring to enhanced health or a heightened lifespan?"

Greed smirked "Both! Hell, I think I can recover from a minor scratch!" He said as he decided to nip on his left foreleg as an example. He opened a small wound with his sharp teeth.

Twilight noticed and gasped "Greed, what are you doing?"

Greed gave a confident smirk "Just watch..." When he watched the blood from his small wound trickle down his leg, his face slowly changed from confidence, to confusion, and to contained worry 'What the hell!?' The avaricious pony could not believe what he saw.

Twilight looked mildly worried "Greed, why did you have to hurt yourself? One moment..." She conjured her horn and focused it on his foreleg, using her magic to seal the small wound shut "There, that should stop the bleeding. We'll get you a washcloth to clean your leg. Just don't do something like that again!

He thought he retained all of his previous traits as a homunculus, but Greed was only limited to his memories and Ultimate Shield 'So that means...' He turned to the others when he came to a realization "You guys! We need to talk before we move things along!"

Lust noticed the anxiety in Greed's eyes and gave a curt nod "Understood..." She turned to Rarity "If I may be excused?"

Rarity was baffled at the sudden need for the former homunculi to gather themselves "Well, if it is a personal matter regarding familial issues, I shouldn't interfere."

Applejack nodded "Jus' make it quick, y'all! We'll need all th' help we can get with this party!" She smiled at the group.

Pinkie chimed in "Yeah! I wanna make this a party to remember since you guys helped us out against those meanie changelings!! That was so much fun!"

Rainbow Dash raised an eyebrow "A family meeting? That's a first..."

Greed looked up at the cyan pegasus "It won't be too long. You have my word. Just let me take Envy off of your hooves for a moment again."

Rainbow Dash sighed and rolled her eyes "And here I thought you two fight a lot..."

The former homunculi gathered themselves with Greed taking point "You might as well tell everypony to come out of their homes while we go talk at the library. We'll meet you at Sugarcube Corner when we're done! I promise!"

Pinkie Pie hopped up to the avaricious pony with a smile "Do you Pinkie promise?"

Greed craned his head back when Pinkie got close "Wha-no! Look, I said I promise! That should be eno-"

Pinkie shook her head "Nope nope nope! A promise can be made by anypony, but a PINKIE promise can only be made and carried out without regrets or lies!" She looked at Greed with light sternness in her eyes "So Pinkie promise me and my friends you'll meet us at Sugarcube Corner!"

Greed winced and groaned at Pinkie's persistence, then noticed Gluttony trot up to him with his wide smile "Don't worry, Greed! It's easy! Like this!" He performed the gestures "Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye!"

Greed stated flatly "I know how to do it, Gluttony. It just ain't my style. A guy like me's too cool for that sort of thing!" He proclaimed smugly as he held his head up proudly.

Rarity scoffed and rolled her eyes "Some stallions..." She spoke in a disappointed tone.

Twilight found it amusing to see Greed act like an adolescent child, but then spoke up "I'd say you'd earn our trust by doing a Pinkie Promise, Greed. Sure it seems foalish at first, but you'll get used to it. Give it a try!"

Greed stared at Twilight for a moment before he sighed. He then performed his own series of gestures both halfhearted and reluctantly as he spoke in a bored tone "Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye." He then looked at Pinkie with a raised eyebrow "You happy now?"

Pinkie nodded "Yeppers! We'll see you all at Sugarcube Corner! Don't be late~!" She hopped away with the other ponies and Spike while the former homunculi made their way to the library.

Lust looked at Greed "I've never seen you so anxious before, Greed...What is it?"

Greed turned to Lust "What do you mean? Did you not see what I just did back there!?" He hissed.

Lust smirked "You mean besides making a fool of yourself and attempting to perform a good lecture?"

Greed glared "I'm talking about my leg!" He held up the leg he bit earlier "Didn't you see anything different about it?"

Envy stared at Greed "What are you talking about? All you did was bite your leg and let some blood flow! What's so different about that?"

Gluttony smiled "I never tasted myself before! Did you taste good, Greed?"

Greed growled "Listen, all of you! We're homunculi, right? Able to come back from any kind of pain? Well, what do you make of my leg!?"

It even took Lust along with the rest of the homunculi a while before they realized the same conclusion. The lascivious mare hid her anxiety as she closed her eyes "We lack regeneration. We are no longer the homunculi we make ourselves out to be..."

End of Chapter 32

Chapter 33

Cope with the circumstances

Greed, Lust, Envy, and Gluttony gathered inside of the library while Sloth remained outside waiting for his siblings. Greed was lucky to know that Twilight trusted her to be alone with the other former homunculi in the library on their own. He took a deep breath "Okay, so now we know one thing we lack. Do we lack any other particular skills?"

Lust looks away "I do not seem to be lacking anything aside from regenaration myself...But what of Gluttony and Envy?"

Gluttony looked around "What are we supposed to be lacking again? I feel fine how I am!" His stomach growled as he looked down "I'm still hungry, though...I wanted more of those changelings!" He paused for a moment before he slowly shifted to grin at Envy.

The jealous pony glared at Gluttony "Don't even think about it..." Gluttony then looked away dejectedly.

Lust turned to Gluttony "I wonder if Gluttony is no longer the failed portal of Truth Father had constructed..."

Gluttony tilted his head before he remembered "Oh! You mean this?" He plopped down on his haunches and opened his mouth wide as he draped his forelegs over his lower jaw and tried to pull it down. When nothing happened, he tried again as he grunted with his next pull. He looked disappointed and confused "Ish shtuck!"

Envy winced at the voracious pony while he held his pose"I'm kinda glad it is...There's no way I'm gonna sit inside your stomach again!!"

Greed turned to Envy "Hey, Envy. Didn't you have an ability of your own other than transformation?"

Envy looked down "Yeah..." It then gave a slowly growing smile "I definitely remember..." Envy then grunted and tried to focus its shapeshifting power to turn into the desired creature. It then stopped as it looked down "Huh?" It then clenched its eyes shut and tried to do it again, but to no avail. The jealous pony opened its eyes to reveal an incredulous expression "It's not working..." It turned to the other former homunculi "I can't go into my other form! What the fuck is this!?"

Greed frowned pitifully at Envy "Damn...and you raised so much hell with that form of yours, too..."

Lust closed her eyes "Even if you did manage to retain that form, it wouldn't have been wise to unveil it indoors, let alone around an entire town of ponies unless you were willing to cause destruction..." She spoke in a matter-of-fact tone.

Envy growled "So I'm limited to just basic transformation and nothing else!? This is bullshit!!" It wore an expression of sheer outrage.

Greed smirked "With them changelings coming up from out of the blue earlier, I kinda feel sorry for you right now, Envy..."

Envy shifted its glare to Greed "What's that supposed to mean!?"

Lust nodded "He has a point. The letter Wrath has sent us must not only be a warning to the rest of Ponyville, but to you especially, Envy...If they were to discover your true identity as a changeling, I doubt that even anypony would be so forgiving..."

Envy flinched at the displayed fact and felt nervous and angered as it looked down and shifted into its original changeling form "I still can't believe I end up in a different world like this! The rest of you have it easy, but I have to risk so much!!"

Gluttony smiled "I wouldn't worry too much, Envy! Pinkie likes me for who I am! I'm sure she'll like you, too!"

Envy directed its narrowed and glowing eyes towards Gluttony as it hissed vehementy "Fuck...Pinkie..."

Greed laughed at Envy's visible hatred for the party pony "She is pretty accepting towards anypony she thinks as a friend. I'd say she's not too bad at all to hang out with!"

Envy growled at Greed "She's annoying! I think Rainbow Dash is asking too much for me to think that pink eyesore's a good friend!"

A thought crossed Lust's mind after Envy had lashed out at Greed "About Rainbow Dash...How did she manage to calm you down when Twilight told us the news on the changelings?"

Envy remained silent and looked away as if the other homunculi didn't matter to it anymore. Lust raised an eyebrow "Well, Envy? Won't you share with us how she was able to keep you at a managable level of behavior?"

Envy grunted as it transformed into its pegasus form "I don't have to tell you that! We only came here to discuss what we no longer have ever since we came into Equestria like this!" It turned back to the others "Let's just go meet the others and get Pinkie's stupid party over with!"

Gluttony looked sad "Her parties aren't stupid at all! They're fun and full of food!!" He sported a toothy grin that almost dripped with his saliva after the mention of food.

Lust nodded "Yes, we may as well get it out of the way so we can return to our daily tasks...Speaking of, have any of you learned anything useful when staying with your hosts?"

Greed rolled his eyes "Only that Twilight has to be the most study-happy unicorn I know. I just gotta learn more spells for myself so I can be more self-sufficient!"

Gluttony smiled "Pinkie taught me how to laugh and play! And she feeds me so much! She's my best friend!"

Envy looked away "Didn't learn a thing..." It then flinched 'Except for the fact that Fluttershy has a look that can kill someone...' Envy found it troublesome to distinguish the timid mare as an overbearing and naive bleeding heart, an unrivaled coward, or a crazy pony who hides under the guise of both the former possibilities.

Lust huffed with a smile "I thought as much...Shall we get going? I believe Greed made a 'Pinkie promise' that we wouldn't take too long here..." She laughed at the avaricious pony, who glared and growled at her.

Gluttony smiled "Yay! More fun and food! We should make sure that Sloth isn't sleeping again!"

Greed looked out the window and noticed the ponies outside cheering for the element bearers and making their way over to Sugarcube Corner. He smiled "Looks like that's our cue to get out of here. Let's get moving, everypony!" He trotted out the door with Envy, Lust, and Gluttony came shortly after. The lascivious mare was the last one out as she shut the door with her unicorn magic.
_____

Pinkie looked at all of the ponies mingling and sighed as she wiped a hoof across her forehead "Phew! Good thing we took care of this party! That was super duper hard putting up all those decorations!"

Rainbow Dash shot a deadpan stare at Pinkie "It only took you like twenty minutes, Pinkie...with the party cannon..."

Pinkie patted the hull of her party cannon with a proud grin "And I couldn't be more happier with the results! Now all we gotta do is wait for Greedy and the others to show up!"

Fluttershy looked down "I wonder why Greed looked so frightened after he hurt himself. Do you think he's afraid of how sharp his teeth is?"

Applejack shook her head "Ah dunno, sugarcube. He looked mighty confident when he bit himself and he didn't flinch none neither! Maybe somethin' was on his mind when he was demonstratin' his health?"

Twilight sat down at a table and stared into her glass of punch as she thought to herself. She remembered back when she watched Greed valiantly fend off the changelings on his own.

"I already told you that I'm born for this kind of thing! This is nothing! I have to keep you and the others safe, since you technically belong to me!"

"I'm a homunculus!!! I'm strong enough to handle this!"

Twilight continued staring blankly at her punch 'I...belong to him? What did he mean? Was he acting like himself when it comes to possessions or...'

"Twi? Twilight?"

"Hey, egghead!!"

Twilight snapped out of her thought and darted her head around when she heard Rainbow Dash yell "H-Huh? What?" She turned to see her friends and Spike looking at her with their own expressions of confusion and chuckled in embarrasment "Sorry about that, everypony. I kind of spaced out for a moment."

Pinkie nodded "I'll say! You barely touched your punch!!" She pointed to the glass of punch still full.

Applejack trotted up with a smile "T'ain't nothin', Twi. But Ah was askin' ya if ya knew what went through Greed's head when he hurt himself?"

Twilight looked up in thought "Now that you mention it, I'm not so sure myself. He seemed so confident, yet he wavered when he let his wound bleed out. Maybe he was wrong in his lecture on homunculi?"

Rainbow Dash tilted her head "Maybe his wound could heal fast, but not as fast as he thought it would? Then again, maybe it was something else with that look on his face..."

Twilight nodded "Could be. Maybe I'll ask him later once he arrives..."

"Monster!!!"

The element bearers turned to see the crowd quickly moving away and making way for the five former homunculi trotting through. Greed looked around and smirked "Heh, talk about rolling out the welcome mat! I'm surprised they aren't focusing on Sloth!"

The indolent pony laid outside the front yard of Sugarcube Corner and snored loudly while other ponies watched with caution and curiosity.

Another mare pointed at Greed "Get him out of here!!" She looked absolutely terrified when the avaricious pony trotted past her.

Twilight looked at the crowd "What's with everypony? Why are they treating Greed like he's an outcast?"

Rarity poked a hoof under her chin "Perhaps they're referring to that..." She shuddered at the memory "...form of Greed's earlier?"

Fluttershy began to shiver in fright "You mean that very scary one with those red eyes!?" She whimpered.

Twilight smiled "Oh! They're referring to his Ultimate Shield form!"

The other element bearers turned to Twilight and spoke in unison "Ultimate Shield form?"

Twilight nodded "Yes, it's nothing to be afraid of at all! It's just a unique spell that Greed knew in his time! Isn't it just amazing??"

Rainbow Dash shrugged "I'll admit, it looks cool. But it could be better..."

Applejack raised an eyebrow "What do ya mean by amazin', Twi?"

Twilight held up a hoof "I mean it's a spell that nopony else in Equestria possibly knows! It's similar to a carbonization spell, but it differs greatly in execution!!"

Spike looked around "Do you think everypony else would accept that, though?"

Twilight looked determined "Oh, they will! I'll need a microphone so I can get the message across!"

Pinkie pulled one out of nowhere with a grin "Here you go!" She hoofed it to Twilight and waited for her to make a speech.

Twilight levitated the microphone in front of her and cleared her throat before she spoke "Attention, everypony! May I have your attention, please?" She was pleased to see everypony present inside Sugarcube corner focus on her, including the former homunculi "For those who are highly concerned about Greed's alternate appearance-"

"He's a monster!"

"He shouldn't be here!"

Greed only laughed to himself at the ponies' reactions 'It's like these guys never saw anything strange in their life!'

Twilight scoffed "As I was saying...for those concerned about Greed's appearance, do not be alarmed. His second form's only a spell that he mastered on his own! I repeat, his second form is a spell he mastered on his own! There is absolutely nothing to worry about!"

The crowd traded glances and murmured to one another, most of the murmurs sounding unsure, confused, and skeptical. Lust looked around with calm gaze 'I wonder how they would react with my Ultimate Spear...' She inwardly smiled at the thought of somepony frightened by her power if they asked her.

Twilight continued "This shouldn't be the way to treat the newest additions to our town, everypony! They may be different, but they're just like us in every way possible!!" She shot the crowd a small glare.

Pinkie leaned in and spoke into the microphone "Yeah! And they helped us get rid of those meanie changelings for us, too! Don't you think we should give them a proper thank you for it?" She smiled at everypony.

The crowd murmured more, but they sounded more positive and understanding as their fear slowly washed away. Soon, they broke into a decent cheer for the former homunculi. Greed stood proudly with a smug smile on his face, Lust only flicked her mane and earned the many eyes of ponies who admired her appearance, Gluttony smiled and waved at those who cheered, but Envy only looked away with a distant expression 'Why should they even cheer for me? I only wanted to get rid of those changelings and nothing else...'

Twilight smiled when the mood shifted to a better one once more and set the microphone down as she trotted to Greed "Glad to see you could make it on time, Greed."

Greed smirked at the lavender bookworm "Well, I told you that I'm a stallion of my word. Did you ever think me wrong whenever I said something?"

Twilight rolled her eyes with a smile "I'll admit, I was a little skeptical, but I'm satisfied to know you can do a Pinkie promise without much of a problem."

Greed nodded "Yeah. I should be happy I didn't poke my eye out." He chuckled at his joke.

Twilight looked angry, but soon joined Greed in his laughter "Well, anyways. You're here now, so why don't we enjoy the party? Maybe you can tell me more about your form while we're here?"

Greed smiled "Sounds great. I could use some food, too. Those changelings worked up my appetite!"

Pinkie appeared behind Greed "You know where the food table is, Greedy!"

Greed looked back and jumped away from Pinkie as he yelped "How did you-"

Pinkie pointed to the table where Gluttony was "Just follow Gluttony and you'll be just fine! See ya!" She hopped away from the two unicorns.

Twilight shook her head with a smile "I tried to figure out how she does it, too, but it just happens. I hope you can deal with her shenanigans..."

Greed grinned his sharp teeth "I wanna know how she can be able to take somepony by surprise!" He wondered what would happen if he were to obtain the same set of skills Pinkie holds herself.

Twilight rested a hoof on Greed's shoulder and snapped him out of his avaricious state "Trust me, Greed. Don't figure out Pinkie. You'll only lead yourself to more pain." She spoke in a solemn tone before she smiled "Let's just head to a table so we can talk from there."

Greed rolled his eyes "Alright then. Lead the way." The two unicorns then went off to their table.

Lust watched them take their seats and chuckled to herself 'Perhaps Celestia was onto something with that note of hers...' She then looked away, only to find Rarity in her sight and flinched "Ah...Hello, Rarity."

Rarity smiled "Hello to you, too, Lust! While I was going around and telling everypony the battle was over, I just remembered to pick up the dress I made for you!" She levitated a box up to her for Lust to take. When the lascivious mare took it and opened it up with her own magic, she held a calculating glance as Rarity beamed "Well? What do you think?"

Lust levitated the dress Rarity made. It was similar to what she had worn in her old life, but was sleeveless and gifted with a choker that contained a ruby at the center. The skirt was at an acceptable length for her to walk around in it as well. Lust managed a smile "It is most wonderful...Thank you for making this for me." Now the lascivious mare would not have to feel so naked when around other ponies "Can I try it on?"

Rarity nodded "But of course, darling! I would like to see how it looks on you!" Lust hummed and levitated the dress as she carefully dressed herself in it. The fabric she used for it was soft and comforting as it slid across her purple coat. After Lust was finished putting on the choker, Rarity squealed in joy "You look so ravishing in that dress, Lust!! It is so becoming to see you donning such wondous attire!"

Lust sighed but smiled as she held up a foreleg and inspected it "Clearly, you give me too much credit, Rarity. Wouldn't you be more collected around your customers after you make outfits for them?"

Rarity blushed in embarrasment at her excitement "I suppose so. My apologies, Lust. It's just something about you makes almost everypony seem drawn to you..."

Lust looked around to see certain eyes looking at her, stallion and mare alike and smirked to herself 'I believe I know the only possible answer...' She shook her head at Rarity "It's nothing at all. Thank you once again for making this dress for me. I feel so much better with something covering me."

Rarity tilted her head "Do you feel self conscious about your appearance, darling?"

Lust nodded "More or less. You've helped me wash it away. I hope you do not mind me wearing this frequently from now on..."

Rarity smiled "Not at all. It is your own dress to do as you see fit, so long as you treat it properly. I'm glad you love it!" Rarity then noticed Gluttony about to eat the food table and widened her eyes "Wa-ha-ha~!!"

Lust turned to see and grunted to herself as she galloped over "Gluttony, no!"
_____

Greed and Twilight sat at their table and enjoyed their own meals as they talked more about the avaricious pony's Ultimate Shield form "So you wanna study it more, huh? Are you that fixed onto my form or something?" He said as he took a bite of his cupcake.

Twilight smiled "Well, if I study it thoroughly enough, I could possibly master the spell on my own time! Or maybe you could teach it to me and make the process faster!"

Greed laughed after he swallowed his bite "I think you'll have a better shot at studying! I'm not what you'd call a good teacher!" He then sipped at his punch.

Twilight nodded "I understand. But I have another question..." She said as a smile played on her face "What exactly did you mean when you said that I belong to you? Am I special to you perhaps?"

Greed spat out his punch with widened eyes when the second question was asked "H-Huh!?" He said as his muzzle dripped with punch.

Twilight's smile widened at Greed's reaction and she raised an eyebrow "Well? I'm waiting..." She spoke in a playful tone. All she received was silence from the avaricious pony as he stared at Twilight and her smug expression.

End of Chapter 33

Chapter 34

A Special Somepony

Greed continued to stare at Twilight as if she grew another head 'What the hell kind of a question is tha-' He stopped himself when he realized his words 'She thinks I'm trying to make a move...Looks like it's time for a little truth!' He waved a hoof "I didn't mean just you! Your friends also belong to me, along with the rest of Ponyville. Simple as that."

Twilight's expression dampered when she heard Greed's response "Oh, I see...so I'm like a possession to you?"

Greed shrugged "That's basically the gist of it! Everything in this world is mine! I gotta make sure you and your friends are in good shape so I won't lose you! I take good care of the things I own!" He smiled, but it left when he noticed how dejected Twilight looked.

Twilight turned away "So despite how we've treated you, you don't think of us as friends, let alone ponies?"

Greed flinched and rephrased his words "No, not like that. I totally think of you and the others as friends!"

Twilight looked back to Greed with an annoyed look on her face "Then what are you trying to say, Greed? You're not really making your case easier with how you voice your opinion on us!"

Greed grunted 'Great, and now I pissed her off...' With a sigh, the avaricious pony tried to make his opinion sound abundantly clear "Look, I suppose what I've said sounds wrong to you, but there's more to it! You know how I am when it comes to taking care of my possessions, right? Well, you should be happy about it! Since you're under my ownership, you're in good hooves! I'll be sure to keep you away from all sorts of crap, or from anypony who has the balls to steal from me!" He flashed a confident grin "I'm sure you'd like that a lot!"

Twilight scoffed "Oh sure! And maybe you'll treat me like some kind of prized trophy that you later keep in the attic!" She snapped sarcastically.

Greed was slightly taken aback at the statement as his grin left him 'Not working. I'm gonna have to try something else...' He cleared his throat and gave the lavender bookworm another smirk "Look, just because I like owning things doesn't mean I discriminate! Also, why would I even want to keep you in an attic? You'd be much better in..." He poked at his chin repeatedly "...in..." He smiled when he thought of it "Maybe I could take you around me! Will that make you feel better?" His smirked vanished when he noticed Twilight's glare worsen 'I'm running out of options...Why do I even feel this way around her!?' Greed remembered back to where he would give whatever he claimed no special treatment, namely his old gang and the chimeras along with Edward.

Twilight rose up from her chair "I suppose I picked a wrong time to chat with my so-called 'owner'. Maybe I should give you time to think before we can even talk again..." She turned to walk away in a huff.

Greed growled to himself 'This isn't good! If her friends find out that she's pissed because of me, they'll hate me, too! Then what would Celestia think!?' He thought over his predicament and felt betrayed at the solution 'Freaking figures...No other way around this, huh? In a way, she IS special, what with her letting me learn from her and junk...' He placed a hoof on his temple before he held it out "Wait!" Twilight stopped and looked back at Greed with a raised eyebrow. The avaricious pony gave a defeated sigh as he spoke "Listen, about what I said earlier..."

Twilight scowled "Are you going to try and twist your truth to make me feel better?"

Greed rose up from his seat and shot a look "What do you take me for!? I already told you I'm a man of my word! The hell would I gain from twisting my truth!?" He then settled himself when he noticed his sudden outburst "S-Sorry...But I'm serious, Twi. I'm not twisting the truth on this one. I meant what I said about you and your friends being my possessions." Twilight only glared back at the avaricious pony "However..." Her glare softened as he continued "Just because you're my possessions, doesn't mean you all still aren't my friends. Some of the possessions I lost before I came to Equestria happened to be true friends of mine, actually..."

Twilight was curious as she turned to face Greed "Did they respect you for your views?"

Greed looked down "Yes and no. Those guys wouldn't know the meaning of avarice if it crawled up their asses and died. Well, except for this one guy..." He couldn't contain his smile at the memory of the Xing Emperor Ling Yao 'I wonder how the little shit's doing running his own country now...' He then faced Twilight "But either way, they still considered me as friends. I brushed them off at first, but then I thought of something..." He looked slightly depressed as he remembered his past words "What I wanted as much as everything in the world, was friends like those guys..." He spoke in a nostalgically somber tone.

Twilight paused before she spoke with an inquisitive glance "But what does that have to do with me and my friends? What are you getting at?"

Greed soon realized that he was beating around the bush and gave a frustrated grunt "You're special, okay!?" He blurted out as Twilight looked surprised. The avaricious pony continued "Yeah, I said it. I guess you could call it my own pride that stopped me from saying it, but you're special since you've decided to grace me with this 'Magic of Friendship' stuff and everything that goes with it. I just can't really bring myself to saying stuff like this on account of...well...y-you know! So I'm sorry if I pissed you off. Though you are one of my possessions, you're special to me. End of story!" He looked away with an angry pout, unable to continue his words.

Twilight stared at Greed before she smiled and trotted up to him. She gave him a brief nuzzle at his cheek that snapped him out of his pout "Apology accepted. That's all I wanted to hear from you." She then looked at Greed with an amused expression "I suppose I shouldn't pick at you since you do tend to flaunt your masculinity at a good level. But I'm glad that you were being honest with me. I'm sorry that I got angry with you."

Greed stared at Twilight before he looked away again "It's no problem. Just try not to let the fact that you're special get to your head!"

Twilight chuckled "I will. I think I'm gonna go talk with the others for a moment. Thanks for taking the time to chat, Greed." She trotted away in a better mood. She shifted her eyes back, unbeknownst to the avaricious pony behind her 'He can be such a child sometimes, but I guess he's not all bad...'

When Twilight was at a good distance away, Greed smiled to himself "Good, she's not pissed no more. The best part is I didn't twist the truth! So she is special to me..." His triumphant tone decreased as he continued "...like she wanted to hear..." His smile left as his tone went down another peg "...so she thinks that I'm..." The avaricious pony twitched an eyebrow before he bared his teeth in a low growl. He lifted a hoof "God...DAMMIT!" He slammed it onto the table as his glass of punch flew upward, only to land smack dab on top of his head, soaking his spikey mane and forehead as he stood with an irritated growl.
_____

Envy sat at the corner of the room and watched everypony have a good time. The jealous pony did not enjoy the sight too much and turned to face a vacant wall 'I shouldn't be here...but it's not like I have anywhere else to go with this new form. So, I'm a changeling...that means I have to feed on love as an energy source, huh? But who would even go so far as to giving me all the energy I need to get by?'

"Sheesh, are you always like this?"

Envy snapped from its thought to see a familiar cyan pegasus at its side "This is a party, palm tree head! You're supposed to enjoy yourself, not sit in a corner like you're in a time-out!"

The jealous pony sneered "Just because it's a party doesn't mean I'm willing to just throw myself in there for the hell of it. I'm in no mood to talk right now, so just don't bother me, okay?" It then looked away.

Rainbow Dash looked confused before she looked annoyed "Why are you so mopey? Was it something you and your family talked about?"

Envy grunted as its gaze remained averted from Rainbow Dash "It's none of your business...I just have a lot on my mind is all."

The cyan pegasus was now curious "Why not share with me so you can get whatever's off your chest? Maybe I can help."

Envy shifted its eyes towards Rainbow Dash "Maybe..." It then shifted its gaze away with a sneer "Maybe not..." It muttered bitterly.

Rainbow Dash snorted in disgust "Come on, Envy! I can't have you acting like this when everypony here's having a good time! Stop being a party pooper and tell me!"

Envy growled and looked at Rainbow Dash "What if I don't want to!? Do you always poke your nose in wherever it doesn't belong? I know you're the Element of Loyalty, but give it a rest! I don't need any help!" It looked away once more.

Rainbow Dash grew infuriated with Envy's attitude until an idea sprang in her head. She held a mischievous smile as she spoke in the same tone "Okay, fine. If you won't tell me..." Her smile grew wider "Why don't I have Pinkie Pie try and cheer you up instead?"

Envy perked up and looked at Rainbow Dash with a glare "You wouldn't dare..."

Rainbow looked smug "Try me! I can have her here right in front of you in ten seconds flat! Or you can be a good pony and tell me what's bugging you! Your call!" She held a satisfied smile as she awaited Envy's answer.

Envy growled in a mixture of anger and frustration. It would do the jealous pony no justice to have its true identity exposed. Envy grew slightly weaker and reacted with inner fear 'No! Not here!' It felt as if it were being pushed into a corner with its cruel fate. The jealous pony then blurted out without proper thought "I'm just lonely! Is that what you wanted to hear!?" It looked away with an angry expression "I'm just lonely..." It repeated in a softer tone.

Rainbow Dash craned her head back "Lonely? How can you be lonely when you have us?" Envy shifted its eyes to show Rainbow Dash a deadpan stare and helped the cyan pegasus understand completely "Ooooooh...I get it." Rainbow Dash smirked "I never actually expected you to even want to start a relationship with anypony! Then again, you are je-"

Envy sneered "Don't say it!"

Rainbow Dash waved a dismissive hoof "Alright. But maybe I can help you with this problem!" She smiled at Envy "We just gotta straighten you up and set you up with the right..." The cyan pegasus stopped herself before she leaned in and inspected Envy up close and drew herself back "...pony for your standards! And the other way around, since that's how it usually works." Rainbow Dash felt awkward to try and distinguish Envy's gender. It was hard for her to go by either Fluttershy's or Applejack's views on the jealous pony while they could do so without much of a problem "So, from one pony to another, what's your preference, Envy?"

Envy raised an eyebrow at Rainbow Dash "What do you mean?"

Rainbow Dash circled a hoof in the air "You know! Do you like mares, stallions, or both? Which do you like best?"

Envy never thought about that question before. It never really had a personal preference for any man or woman to begin with, but now was the time to think given the unfair circumstances it had to bear. The jealous pony looked at Rainbow Dash and thought to itself for a moment 'Well, she DID say she wouldn't leave me alone...' "Before I say anything, mind telling me your preference first?"

Rainbow Dash looked confused "Huh? Why me? This is about you! I wanna hear YOUR preference!"

Envy replied "Well, yeah, but I figured since we're talking like this, the least you could do would just fill me in on your own preference as well! So, why not tell me? I got something off my chest for you! Quid pro quo, prismatic prick!"

Rainbow Dash grunted "O-Okay, fine! I'll tell you..." She shifted her glances both ways so nopony could hear her as she spoke in a lighter tone, almost close to a whisper "I...I prefer both." Envy was shocked at the answer, and Rainbow Dash wasn't amused by the jealous pony's expression "Yeah yeah, it's weird, I know, but it's me! I haven't really been dating as much though. Not that I'm saving myself for the pony of my dreams or anything! I'm just more focused on practicing my skills so the Wonderbolts could accept me!"

Envy tilted its head "Again with the Wonderbolts? Are you obsessed with them or something? Is joining them that big of a deal to you?"

Rainbow Dash looked miffed at the question "I prefer the term 'Number-one fan'! Nopony knows the Wonderbolts like I do! And of course it's a big deal! They're the best fliers in Equestria! I even saved their lives once!"

Envy nodded in comprehension "If that's the case, shouldn't they owe you or something? I mean, you saved their lives! That should grant you entry in their ranks more than anything!"

Rainbow Dash looked away and scratched her head with an embarrassed look on her face"Well, I hung out with them for a day..." She then looked back with determination "But I'm not that kind of pegasus, Envy! I gotta make sure I have the skills to be on their team! They only recruit the best, you know?" She gave a friendly smile.

Envy rolled its eyes "They should've just given you that position just for keeping them from biting the big one..." It muttered boringly before it looked back at Rainbow Dash "You wouldn't even take advantage of something like that to get what you want in life?"

Rainbow Dash gave Envy a small glare "I already told you, I'm not like that! That's so not cool to just do something like that when you want something! Sometimes, you have to earn the things you want through hard work and trust from other ponies! Sure, it sounds stupid even from me, but I can come back from whatever life has to throw at me if things get too hard!"

Envy stared at Rainbow Dash in silence 'You sound more and more like that pipsqueak...I almost miss him because of you...' It snapped out of its thought when Rainbow Dash spoke up "But enough about that! We're getting off-topic here, and that's not good for anypony! Let's get back to you! What do you prefer, Envy?"

Envy paused for a moment as it stared into Rainbow Dash's magenta eyes before it gave its final answer "I...I like mares. Yeah, that's it...mares..." It then thought about what it said 'Am I...?'

End of Chapter 34

Chapter 35

Building Bridges

With what had transpired between most of the former homunculi, time flew by as it was already getting late for the ponies in Ponyville. Like the night before, everypony departed from Sugarcube Corner to head back to their own respective homes, Pinkie and Gluttony seeing them off with hearty goodbyes.

Greed watched them all leave with a smirk on his face. Twilight was at his side and looked over at Greed with a smile of her own "Making sure your possessions don't hurt themselves?"

The avaricious pony turned to Twilight and flinched as he looked ahead "Yeah, they're not doing anything extreme. It's a start."

Twilight looked down and kicked a hoof at the ground "Greed, while I know it's getting late, do you think you can do me a favor?" The avaricious pony looked at Twilight with a quizzical glance as she looked back up at him "I know it's getting late, but I want to gather more data on your Ultimate Shield spell! When we get back, you think we could-"

Greed gave an amused grin "You're still on about that? I know you you're study-happy, but you're gonna lose a lot of sleep if you decide to take your time with me."

Twilight gave a confident smile "It's an acceptable loss to obtain a satisfactory amount of fruitful data for research and study! If I understand the spell well enough, I could incorporate it as my own in no time!"

Greed stared at Twilight 'God, she's a nerd...But she's got balls to think she can match my power...' He tilted his head with his grin unchanged "You sure about this, Twi? Don't get me wrong, but I think this suggestion of yours might take a toll on you."

Twilight nodded "This wouldn't be the first time I pulled an all-nighter to gather resourceful data..." She looked at Greed with a smirk that almost imitated Greed's cockiness.

The avaricious pony took notice of her determination and audacity and reeled his head back to laugh "Fair enough! Looks like we're in for a hell of a night, you and I!"

Twilight laughed with Greed "For once, I agree with you. This spell won't be easy to master quickly, but I think I'll manage!"

Spike watched Twilight and Greed and shook his head in exasperation "Those two, I swear..." He muttered to himself.

Twilight shifted her glances to Spike and Greed "Come on, you two. Let's go home!" She then turned to Pinkie and Gluttony "Thanks for another amazing party today, Pinkie!"

Pinkie held up a hoof "Anytime, Twilight! Have fun with Greedy!"

Twilight nodded and her along with Greed and Spike left for the library. Gluttony watched them leave and tilted his head "I wonder what Twilight tastes like..."

Pinkie looked at Gluttony with a stern warning glance "Gluttony~..." She said in an expectant tone.

Gluttony looked down "I'm sorry. Those cupcakes weren't enough for me!"

Pinkie giggled "That's one of the reasons why you're a good friend, Gluttony! I wonder what would happen if Celestia would let you eat the moon!"

Gluttony looked at Pinkie "She can do that!?"

Pinkie shook her head "Well, no...But it would be super duper hilarious if she could, though! Then again, most ponies enjoy a good night now and then..."

Lust looked at Pinkie and Gluttony and smiled to herself "An endearing sight, if I do say so myself..." She turned to Rarity "Shall we?"

Rarity nodded "But of course. Let us make for the boutique!" She waved to Pinkie "Another wonderful soiree, Pinkie! Thank you!"

Pinkie waved back "No prob! Love the dress you made for Lusty!"

Gluttony waved as well "You look pretty, Lusty!" Lust stifled a chuckle before she departed with Rarity. Gluttony's own smile widened "I love to see Lusty all happy! It makes me happy, too!"

Pinkie nodded "You and me both, Gluttony! Nothing says nice like making your friends smile!" She looked around "Speaking of..." She noticed Rainbow Dash talking with Envy and waved over "Hey! Dashie and Envy! Did you enjoy the party as well?"

Rainbow Dash waved back with a smile "Sure did, Pinkie! Awesome as always! Me and Envy are gonna go home now! We got some stuff to do!" She then unfurled her wings "See ya tomorrow! Let's get going, Envy." The cyan pegasus then flew into the air.

Envy said nothing to the party pony while it unfurled its wings as well and went to fly off, but not before Pinkie called out to it "Bye, Envy!" She smiled at the jealous pony.

Envy sneered at Pinkie "Fuck off..." It then flew into the air after Rainbow Dash.

Pinkie tilted her head and looked at Gluttony with a confused glance "Is that how Envy usually says goodbye? I heard her say that around Fluttershy once!"

Gluttony looked down in blank thought before he looked back up at Pinkie and shook his head "I don't know! Envy can be silly with words sometimes!"

Fluttershy stared up at the sleeping mass that was Sloth and examined its peaceful slumber "Aww, he's like a giant bear!" She smiled at Sloth's snoring.

Applejack trotted up with a firm expression "Well THIS bear ain't hibernatin' on me now! C'mon, Sloth! We're goin' home! We got more work t' do tomorro'!" She only received more snoring as she looked angry "Don't make me jump on ya again..." She smiled when she heard Sloth moan and raise himself.

Fluttershy yelped when she noticed Sloth waking up and jumped back a little as he rose to his towering height. The indolent pony cracked his neck left and right "What a pain..." He shifted his blank stare from Applejack to Fluttershy "Which one is-..." Sloth turned to Applejack "Oh...over there..."

Applejack smiled to herself "Glad t' know y'all can get that mind o' yers workin' like yer body, sugarcube! Now let's saddle up on back t' th' farm!" She took off her hat with a hoof and waved it at Pinkie before she put it back on her head and trotted off "Happy trails, Fluttershy! Good luck with Envy tomorro'!" Sloth slowly followed after Applejack.

Fluttershy nodded with a smile "Thank you, Applejack. And good night to you, too..." She looked back at Pinkie and waved before she trotted off herself 'Maybe I could have a better chance at making Envy a better mare tomorrow...'
_____

At the library, Twilight had entered into the library followed by Greed and Spike. With a yawn, the purple dragon decided to go up the stairs and get some sleep after enjoying another good party.

Twilight looked up and smiled contently to herself at the notion of Spike earning himself a good rest. She then turned to Greed "Okay, Greed. Let's move on down to the laboratory so I can get started. I'm looking forward to what I can collect from this session!"

Greed shrugged "Alright. Try not to hurt yourself with how much you want to learn."

Twiight scoffed "I'll have you know I'm fully capable of handling myself when it comes to research! Now let's get moving." The two unicorns then made their way down into the basement.

In the laboratory, Twilight made sure that her machines were all in order for use at the desired moment. Greed looked around with a bored expression at all of the blinking lights and beeping sounds. When Twilight was finished calibrating her last machine, she turned to Greed with a smile "Everything's in order! Can you change into your Ultimate Shield form for me, please?"

Greed nodded "Sure thing." He then conjured the magic in his horn and transformed himself into his Ultimate Shield form.

Twilight nodded with satisfaction "Good! Now I just want you to head to the machine over there so I can go over your properties." She pointed over to the familiar machine with the metal cuffs and the helmet with blinking lights.

Greed groaned in his metallic tone "Again? Didn't we do this already? You have notes from me doing this earlier today!"

Twilight frowned "I just need some courtesy notes to go by just in case! It's a little habit of mine to make sure I double-check, if not triple-check certain matters so that I know everything's in order!"

Greed stared with his piercing eyes "...Seriously?" He spoke in a deadpan tone.

Twilight grunted "Don't contempt me for what I do! Just get yourself ready so I can collect my data!"

Greed sighed and rolled his eyes as he trotted over to the machine where he laid his forelegs onto the metal cuffs that closed themselves up with Twilight's magic. He was then met with the familiar and goofy-looking helmet on his head as he waited for the small test to take place. After a moment of waiting, Twilight had a content smile on her face "You get what you need that fast?"

Twilight turned to Greed "Mhm. now we can move onto the next phase!"

Greed raised a nonexistent eyebrow "Next phase? The data from this one's not enough from you?"

Twilight freed the avaricious pony from the metal cuffs and levitated the helmet off of his head "Greed, you have to understand that I'm doing research. And researching even topics that nopony understands can take the longest time for them! Simple results alone won't help me to fully understand your spell!"

Greed shrugged "Knowing your brainpower, I'd figure this would be a minor feat."

Twilight narrowed her eyes at Greed "You make it sound so easy-" She stopped herself as she stared up "Do...Do you think I'm that smart?"

Greed smirked under his sharp teeth "Is that a trick question? I mean, if you're Celestia's personal student, then there's no doubt in my mind that you could probably put local teachers to shame! But I digress. You said that my Ultimate Shield was similar to an advanced carbonizing spell, right?" Twilight nodded in response "Well, why not take the data you got from me and mix it in with whatever book has the spell you're talking about? Maybe things will go a lot quicker if you find out anything related to my form!"

Twilight thought it over before she perked up with a brightened smile on her face. She then galloped over and hugged Greed "Greed, that's brilliant! I never thought you would come up with an idea like that on your own!"

Greed grimaced at both the sudden hugging and what Twilight had said 'Gee, thanks for the vote of confidence, Twi...' He then gingerly returned the embrace "Well, I happen to have some good ideas now and then. What say we get cracking while we still have the night?"

Twilight broke the embrace and smiled up at Greed "Right. I'll be right back down with some books to look over!" She trotted up the steps and stopped near the door as she looked back at Greed "Oh, and Greed?" The avaricious pony stared up inquisitively before Twilight finished with a warm smile "Thank you for letting me study your spell. While you seem childish at times and not so well-mannered to generosity, you're a nice stallion to me. You make me happy with learning something new and exciting! Wait here for a moment til I get back, okay?" She then opened the door and made her way into the library.

Greed stood and looked up from the basement floor and grunted to himself 'A guy like me shouldn't even be feeling this way...I can't believe she even likes me that much! But I guess she's not so bad herself, even if she is a nerd...' He looked away with a distant stare as he pondered about himself.
_____

Father managed to fly quick enough to where he was only an hour away from Canterlot, but hovered down towards the ground as he curled up his wings and stared up at the large and divine castle with his red eyes. His body crackled with red static 'It was probably the wrong move to exert too much energy for this flight...' He then descended into a resting position 'But I shouldn't be worried. I will be met with all that I wish for come tomorrow...More stones, a familiar face, and the glorious moment of becoming one with God once again...' He smiled to himself as he shut his eyes 'I want the people of Canterlot to watch as I ascend to my rightful place...For now, they can rest peacefully knowing the dawning of a new age starts tomorrow.' The pale alicorn slept with a wide and ambitious smile on his face as he dreamt of his goal being realized without fail.

End of Chapter 35

Chapter 36

Divinity

It was morning as Spike rose up from his bed and stretched himself "Man, what a night that was! Now to enjoy some breakfast and maybe see what Rarity's up to..." He looked around to see that Twilight's bed and the guest bed were both vacant and assumed that both Twilight and Greed woke up before him "Huh, that's weird..." He muttered to himself as he scratched his head. Normally, the laender bookworm would wake him up as well, but this was a new day for Spike. He then hopped out of his bed and waddled down the stairs with a yawn.

When he went into the kitchen from the library's main lobby, Spike saw neither hide nor hair of both unicorns anywhere while he grabbed himself some gems. He decided to call out for them "Twilight?" The purple dragon looked around "Greed?" Still no answer. He nibbled on a fine piece of jade while he looked high and low 'Okay, she didn't leave any notes, so I know she hasn't left here...' He went into the lobby and turned to see Owlowiscious on his perch and Peewee in his nest "Hey, you two! Do you know where Twilight and Greed are?"

Owlowiscious only hooted in response to Spike "Who?"

Spike turned to the owl "Twilight, your owner, and Greed, our guest?"

"Who?"

Spike repeated in a more impatient tone "The only two unicorns that live here?"

"Who?"

Spike groaned and waved a claw "Forget it!" He turned to Peewee, who beamed at his new owner "Peewee, can you help a dragon out?"

Peewee chirped and feebly pointed one of his small wings towards the basement door. Spike noticed and smiled at the hatchling phoenix "Thanks, Peewee!" He then waddled to the door and opened it up. He noticed that the machines downstairs were still intact from the basement entrance. The purple dragon then went down the stairs and looked around "Twilight? Greed? Where are y-" He stopped in his tracks and he faceclawed at what he had witnessed.

Twilight was sleeping soundly on the basement floor next to Greed, both of them snoring lightly and their sides touching. In her sleep, Twilight nuzzled Greed's right cheek and the avaricious pony leaned his head towards Twilight's left cheek shortly after.

Spike waddled over with an apathetic expression on his face as he nudged at Twilight's right side and poked at Greed's forehead.

Twilight was the first to stir from her slumber as she moaned and rubbed her eyes to take notice of her assistant "Spike?" She mumbled tiredly "What are you doing down here?"

Spike raised an eyebrow "I can ask you the same thing!"

Twilight rubbed her eyes again as she stifled a yawn "What are you talking about?" She spoke again in her tired tone. The lavender bookworm slowly turned to her left to see Greed right next to her, and she gave a fully-awake yelp as she rose and drew herself back quickly with her face turning crimson.

Greed groaned and stretched himself as he got up "What's going on?" He cracked his neck and looked around "Huh...we're still down here, hm?" He turned to his right to see Twilight stare at him with wide eyes and a red face. Greed rubbed his eyes and ignored how the lavender bookworm was feeling "Morning, Twi...Got what you needed?"

Spike was confused and shifted his glances between the unicorns until he drew himself to a conclusion "Wait...you guys didn't..." he winced "...did you?"

Twilight's blush deepened at the purple dragon's question "S-Spike!! What in Celestia's name gave you the idea that we were-..." She grunted and growled in frustration and glared at Spike despite her obvious blush "Where did your idea even come from!?"

Spike avoided Twilight's gaze while he fidgeted his claws "I, uhh...sort of looked at some of the romantic novels on the bookshelves some time ago. It started out as an idea to woo Rarity, but I kind of got addicted to what each book had in store for me..."

Twilight was able to contain her embarrasment as she sighed to herself "It's good to know that you've decided to take up reading, but I'm disappointed with you for what you thought about me and Greed!" She gave her assistant a stern glare.

Spike shot back "Well it wasn't my fault I found you two snuggled together in the middle of the basement! Which reminds me..." He held up his claws "What were you two even doing down here?"

Greed stretched his limbs again as he spoke up "Nothing that upsets you, kiddo. Twi here just wanted more information on my spell is all. We pulled an all-nighter with a large study session."

Spike beside the two unicorns and noticed a small pile of books "Well, that explains the books down here. This place was as clean as a whistle when I went through it the other day..." He then looked back at the others "So you studied more about Greed's Ultimate Shield form?"

Twilight's blush faded completely and nodded with a smile "Yes, and I'm pleased with the results! I think I may have it all figured out in so little time! All I need to do is find a proper moment to test it out today..."

Greed gave a loud yawn that drew the attention of Twilight and Spike "Whatever floats your boat. I'm getting hungry right now...Was anything made upstairs?"

Spike turned to Greed "No, considering neither of you were up here to begin with! All I had were some gems!"

Greed perked up "Wait! Did you say gems!? Where do you stash them?" He looked at Spike with an invigorated smile.

Twilight turned to Greed in confusion "What's gotten you so interested about gems, Greed? Were they valuable where you're from?"

Greed donned a toothy grin "Oh, hell yeah! And a good fortune to boot! So where do you keep them, huh?" He asked Spike again with the same enthusiasm.

Spike got defensive despite Greed's sudden interest "Hold it, buddy! I know you're greedy and stuff, but I'm not gonna give up my gems for you! They belong to me!"

Greed paused for a moment before he chuckled "You got spunk, kid! Maybe you're not so bad after all!"

Spike grunted "I'm not a kid! And I kind of went through the same phase of being greedy." He looked down "It wasn't really fun..." He spoke in a morose tone.

Greed raised an eyebrow "Just how is it not fun? It's what I live for!"

Twilight looked at Greed "Greed, you don't understand, do you? Dragons like Spike grow exponentially in size and ferocity whenever they have a tendency to hoard whatever they claim for themselves! He nearly devastated all of Ponyville when he went on an avaricious rampage!"

Greed kept his expression, but mixed it with curiousity and interest as he directed it towards Spike "Really...How big are we talking?"

Twilight was more confused at Greed's question "Have you not even seen the size of an adult dragon before?"

Greed shot Twilight a deadpan stare "With the question I'm asking, I'm sure the answer's right there." Twilight looked away in embarrasment.

Spike looked up at Greed "I'd say I was pretty big. As big as a mountain, I guess..."

Greed smirked "That big, huh? Not bad..." His stomach then growled "Well, enough with the questions. Let's eat!"

Twilight smiled at Spike "Spike, do you think you could-"

Spike waved a claw as he waddled upstairs "I know, I'm on it. I think I'll make us some pancakes today!" When he reached the door, he looked down at the two unicorns "Well, you coming or what?"

Twilight and Greed looked at each other before they followed Spike up the stairs.
_____

The sun shined over the sky and was then hidden by passing clouds as they casted a vast shadow over the grounds below. In time, the sunlight gradually shined in place of the shadow and made its way towards where Father chose to rest.

When the sunlight had passed over the pale alicorn's head, his eyes opened up narrowed with ambition "It's time..." He slowly rose up onto his feet and stared forward at Canterlot while it rested behind the large magic barrier created yesterday "We shall become one once more, God...and this time..." He unfurled his wings as he glared "I will not be distracted..." Father took flight towards Canterlot without a moment to lose.

Around the castle walls, guards stood at their posts with spears in hoof as they surveilled the city below them. They were relieved to know that everypony in Canterlot were willing to listen to Luna's warning about the changelings and chose to seclude themselves into their homes. One of the guards looked up and his stone-faced resolve faltered when he caught a foreign sight flying towards the shield "Hey! Up there! What is that?"

Some of the other guards around the one that spoke looked up to where he did to see Father nearing the shield without pause. The pale alicorn examined the shield and scoffed "A trifle...It is good to know that it can be easily handled..." His horn glowed with a threatening red aura and shot a small beam that connected with the shield to open a gap for Father to fly through.

The guards noted this action as a threat and the pegasi that witnessed the pale alicorn's arrival flew up towards him with their spears at the ready. Father watched them and chuckled "Adorable..." His horn began to crackle with red static.

In the castle's infirmary, one of the royal nurses unwrapped the bandages around Wrath's right wing "There you are, Captain Wrath! You're right wing should be just fine now! Just be sure not to cause yourself any more pain like last time." She gave the furious pony a compassionate smile.

Wrath returned it with one of his own "Much appreciated, madam. I'll be sure to keep that in mind. It actually healed at a good time, knowing the heightened security the city has been placed under. We cannot be too careful for any danger that would choose to reveal itself..."

The infirmary windows reflected a lethal red as the sound of crackling electricity loudly echoed outside of the castle walls and earned the attention of Wrath and the nurse. A guard then galloped into the infirmary and noticed Wrath as he called out to him "Captain! A strange alicorn has breeched the walls! We need assistance!"

Wrath grunted and gave a curt nod as he galloped out with the guard and left the paranoid nurse by herself.
_____

The remaining guards outside stared up with indescribable fear and bemusement in their eyes. They watched as Father licked his lips as his body was coated with red static. The pale alicorn would gladly turn the rest of the guards in his sight into Philosopher's stones, but he had higher priorities to deal with. He looked around and noticed what appeared to be the throne room up on one of the higher towers. Father grinned to himself and flew upward.

He reached one of the vacant windows and glided through it to land inside the center of the throne room, much to the surprise of Celestia and Luna. The pale alicorn turned to the regal sisters with a wicked smile "At last..." He uttered with darkened joy.

Celestia and Luna rose up from their thrones and stared down their intruder while he slowly approached them "After all this time, we finally meet again..."

Celestia kept a defensive stare on Father "I'm unaware of your presence or your intentions and I do not exactly recall meeting you sometime in my life. Who are you?" She asked in a commanding tone.

Father gave a dark chuckle "Oh, I am most hurt from your statement...Surely you remember me from our time at Amestris...We were one in the same and were the most perfect being to ever exist!"

Celestia stopped her glance for a moment to think on Father's words.

"A country called Amestris. Have you heard of it?"

"No, I cannot say I have. Where is this Amestris?"

"From another world..."

The solar princess stopped her thought to speak "Have you emerged from the Gates of Tartarus as well?"

Father responded "Was that the name of the dreadful place that I woke up in? The monsters there were most hospitable..." He gave a smile "I heard word that my children have escaped from there as well. Am I correct?"

Celestia glared "Before I answer your question, I expect a firm answer! Tell me who you are and why you stormed my kingdom!"

Father huffed and hung his head down with closed eyes "How callous...You really have wiped me away from memory..." He spoke in a bitter tone. The pale alicorn then smiled as he rose his head back up at Celestia "No matter, I shall re-introduce myself since we are together once more!" He held up a hoof to his chest as he kept his smile "I go by many names...Dwarf in the Flask...Homunculus...but I prefer the name Father." His smile widened "And along with my children, I seek you, God! For the longest time we've been separated, but now we shall become one again!!"

Celestia gasped 'Homunculus...' Her gaze was now one of fury "So you're the one who was responsible for the upbringing of your children!?"

Father nodded "Yes...and I already miss them. I want them to witness this glorious moment..." He trotted forward towards Celestia "Come, God...Come and become one with me again!!" He grunted in pain as he felt a blue beam push himself back a few feet. His chest was singed, but it gradually mended while it crackled with red static.

Father turned to see the perpetrator with a glowing blue horn and a look of anger and resolve on her face as she bellowed in fury "THOU SHALT NOT HAVE OUR SISTER FOR THINE OWN PERSONAL GAIN! PREPARE THYSELF FOR A DEVIL OF A SKIRMISH!!" Celestia stood beside Luna with a glowing horn of her own as they both focused two beams on Father, one bright yellow and the other the same blue one that struck him before.

Father scoffed as he awaited the dual beams. Instead of hitting him, it collided brutally with a magical red shield that revealed itself in front of the pale alicorn. The two regal sisters did not relent on their beam while Father stood idly by "Must you waste your energy on me when I will claim it once again?" He grunted as he focused his shield to expand and push back Celestia and Luna, throwing off their beams and sending them into the wall behind them. He canceled out his shield as he went to trot over.

"Stop right there!!"

Father hummed in question as he looked back towards the entrance to see a group of ponies including Wrath, Shining Armor, Cadence, and some guards, all of which glared at the pale alicorn with pure disdain for his actions. Father examined the group until his eyes fell on Wrath, causing him to smile when he recognized his familiar features "So the sentry was telling the truth...You do reside here in Canterlot, Wrath..."

Shining Armor widened his eyes as he turned to Wrath "You know him!?"

Wrath begrudgingly confessed while his uncovered eye was locked on Father "He's...the patriarch of the family I was brought into..."

Shining Armor could not contain his shock as he directed his gaze back towards the pale alicorn glaring back with his red eyes as he smiled wickedly "Your father?" He whispered.

End of Chapter 36

Chapter 37

Futile Struggle

Father kept his gaze and smile on Wrath "It is most gracious to see one of my children alive and well once again. I was beginning to think I was alone in this world..."

Wrath scoffed "I am no longer your child, and you are not in any way my biological father!"

Father laughed at Wrath's words "How petulant of you, Wrath! My blood flows through your veins! You're my son in more ways than many, even if you have started out as a mere human!" He shifted his eyes back to see Celestia and Luna recovering "I shall spare my time with you soon enough. I am busy at the moment..."

Cadence noticed the regal sisters' wounds and gasped "Celestia! Luna!"

Shining Armor looked back at the guards present "Don't just stand there! We have to help them!"

Wrath perked up at Shining Armor's words and jerked his head to face the guard captain with a warning glare "You'll do no such thing! He is capable of powers beyond imagination! Would you throw away your guards so recklessly!?"

Shining Armor glared back at Wrath "The duty of the Royal Guard is not only to guard the citizens of Equestria, but the princesses who govern its lands! I'm not going to sit and watch my rulers struggle!" He turned to the guards "Go now! For the princesses!!"

One of the guards turned to Shining Armor with concerned "But sir! Your injuries-"

Shining Armor snapped "Don't worry about me! We must protect the princesses!! To battle!!" The guards sounded their battlecries as they flew towards Father, who's smirk widened at their approach. His horn crackled with red static.

Wrath recognized the static as his eye widened "You fools!! Fall back at once!!!" His calls fell on deaf ears when the guards closed the distance between them and Father.

The guards yelled out in pain and anguish when they were frozen in the air and enveloped in the red static. They all glowed brightly until their screams had ceased and were reduced to Philosopher's stones. The stones all levitated in the air by Father's magic, and were all trailed into his mouth as he consumed each drop one by one. He licked his lips as more static was exerted from him, and he looked upon Shining Armor with a smile "Thank you for the meal. The trip here HAS left me rather winded..."

Shining Armor and Cadence watched the guards reduced to stones and swallowed up by Father with unrivaled shock. Shining Armor's pupils trembled at the sight "No...What happened to them?"

Wrath grunted and looked down "Philosopher's stones..."

Cadence withdrew her shock to turn to Wrath "What? What did you say?"

Wrath looked up "He turned the guards present into Philosopher's stones. They are made of pony lives, and enlist remarkable power towards those who harbor it. And he, the alicorn in front of you, has acquired more power to himself..."

Shining Armor's face slowly went from shock to anger as he activated his horn to levitate one of the spears that laid in front of Father "He may have slaughtered some of my men, but he won't get by my wife OR the princesses!!"

Father raised an eyebrow towards Shining Armor "What's this? You're projecting feelings of fealty, determination, and affection? And who are you to tell me what I can or cannot do, hm?"

Shining Armor pointed his spear "I'm Shining Armor! Captain of the Royal Guard! I won't let you harm the princesses!" He growled as he galloped into battle despite his wounds.

Wrath saw this and galloped after him "No!!"

Father perked up when the guard captain identified himself "Shining Armor? I've heard a great deal about you..."

Shining Armor roared as he held up his spear and went to jab it at Father, only to have it collide with a red shield that revealed itself around the pale alicorn. Shining Armor tried pushing his spear against the shield while Father stared back at him with a bored expression on his face.

The pale alicorn then levitated Shining Armor in a magical aura as he examined him "I heard that you brought up the shield protecting this city with the help of your wife, correct? Would you be so kind as to bring it down?" He asked nonchalantly.

Wrath galloped forward and slashed Father along his right side while he was distracted, causing the pale alicorn to grunt in pain and drop Shining Armor.

Father's large wound gradually shut away at an ample rate as he glared over at Wrath "How dare you...Are you trying to follow Greed's example as well, Wrath? I cannot abide such disobedient behavior from my children!"

Wrath glared at Father "I've already told you...I am no longer your child and you're in no way my father!!" He looked over at Shining Armor "Shining Armor, are you alright!?"

Shining Armor grunted as he recovered "I'll be fine! We just have to keep him busy!"

Cadence trotted up to Shining Armor's side as she stared down Father with him. Celestia and Luna recovered and stood behind Wrath, all three of them glaring at the pale alicorn as well. Father looked around "You would engage in battle with me?" He unfurled his wings as his body was coated in red static "So be it..." Father roared as he exerted a wave of red energy that expanded and hit all five of his opponents.

Everypony but Shining Armor managed to recover from the wave of energy while Father was charging up for another one. Wrath turned to Shining Armor and Cadence and barked orders to them "Princess Cadence!! Take Shining Armor to a secluded area so that you may keep the shield intact!!"

Cadence held Shining Armor and looked back at the others "But what about you and the princesses!?"

Celestia called over "We'll be fine, Cadence! You must move while we handle this!!" Her horn glowed as she glared at Father "Equestria's safety depends on it!!"

Cadence nodded as she hoisted her injured husband on her back and galloped out. When she reached the door, she was wrapped in a red aura and frozen in place. Father leered over at the couple "I'm afraid I cannot let you do that...Your shield proves to be a nuisance!" He went to drag the couple back, but a beam shot by Celestia struck him in the back and elicited another pained grunt from the pale alicorn as his concentration broke.

Wrath yelled to the couple again "Go!! Now!!" He was satisfied to see Cadence recover with Shining Armor and gallop out of the throne room.

Father slowly turned back to the remaining fighters with a darkened glare in his eyes while his wound mended itself "You are a fool to defy me like this, Wrath...It is time that I punish you before I become one with God again..." His horn glowed and he fired a red beam at Wrath.

Wrath's eye widened as the alarm bells in his head rang at the sight of the beam. He dodged to the left to avoid it, but then he noticed Father shooting another beam to make him dodge back to the right.

Luna fired a beam of her own, but it was stopped by another shield and she earned the attention of Father as he levitated her "You stay out of this! This is a matter between family!!" He then flung Luna into a wall. He turned back to Wrath to see that he kept his glare on Father as he calculated his next move. This caused the pale alicorn to chuckle "You would fight me without showing me your full potential, Wrath? I'm very disappointed in you!"

Celestia charged her horn for another beam "What are you getting at, Homunculus!?"

Father smirked "You'll see, God..." He then fired more beams along the right, near Wrath's blind spot, as the furious pony dodged in a less professional fashion. Celestia took notice in confusion "Stop holding back, Wrath! Show me your power!! Show me the power that I myself bestowed upon you!!" He then managed to skim a beam along the left side of Wrath's head as it scorched some of his head and ear along with his eyepatch.

Wrath grunted in pain while the eyepatch glided off of him 'Does it really have to come to this??' He kept his Ultimate Eye shut.

Father scoffed "Impudent child!! I command you to show it to me at once!!"

Luna recovered and shook off the damage that was dealt to her, but then noticed Wrath's predicament 'Show what? Is Wrath hiding something from us?'

Wrath growled in defeat as he slowly opened his left eye to reveal his Ultimate Eye. Celestia and Luna gasped at how his left pupil was replaced with an Ouroboros symbol. Father, however, smiled in satisfaction "Yes...It is still there. The gimmick that had earned you the name of the Ultimate Eye!! Now let us see if your age hasn't caught up to you yet!!" He then fired a volley of beams at Wrath.

While the furious pony felt defeated in revealing his Ultimate Eye, he was relieved to know he now held more clairvoyance while he had it open. Wrath managed to dodge each beam sent to him while they pierced through the wall behind him. He continued dodging while Father had an entertained smile on his face.

Celestia watched in awe 'Incredible...So he was holding back against Shining Armor this whole time...' She snapped out of her thought to remember that Father was now distracted, and charged her horn to fire a beam.

Father was firing his beams, and did not expect Celestia's beam shoot across the left side of his own face and scorching it harshly as he snarled. He ceased his fire and glared over at Celestia while his face recovered "Must you interrupt me while I am punishing my child?"

Celestia glared at Father while Luna came up to her and Wrath's side "You invaded my kingdom with delusions of unity and the deaths of our soldiers!! Dwarf in the Flask, Homunculus, your actions prove to be unforgivable!!" Her horn charged with more magic "We shall see that your wicked goals remain unmet!!"

Luna's horn charged as well "Indeed! Thine contemptible actions shall be met with proper comeuppance thusly!!" She turned to Wrath "On your feet, Wrath! We must be resilient!"

Wrath unfurled his swordlike wings and leered at Father "Yes, princess..."

Father's eyes narrowed "How disappointing...To think you would even deny me my dream. I came all this way for you since our separation and you choose to push me away..." His body crackled with red static again while his horn glowed as well "I will not be hindered by meager threats!! My moment of glory is close at hand!!" Father then activated his horn and levitated all three of his opponents and thrashed them onto the ground. From there, he reared onto his hindlegs and slammed his forelegs onto the floor to send off a powerful current of red electricity that covered the entirety of the throne room's floor.

Celestia, Luna, and Wrath screamed in pain as the electricity coursed through their bodies. Father kept his glare upon all three ponies as he intensified his power to add to their misery. When he felt he had inflicted enough pain, he canceled out his power and looked down at the writhing trio as his body crackled with more static and steamed as if he were a working boiler "Are you happy? You made me waste more power on this meaningless conflict. This should be a joyous occasion! But we cannot celebrate alone..." He trotted up to Celestia and looked down on her "I never thought I would see you like this, God...Beneath me and in pain...But rest assured the pain shall pass when we've met our own quotas." He kneeled down to where they were face-to-face as Celestia glared weakly at Father "It is a disrespectful gesture, but I wish for a taste of your power before we become one in the same again. Show me your power..." He leaned in and touched his horn with Celestia's. When they connected, magic from Celestia's horn coursed into Father's as he had his eyes closed in concentration.

Luna watched as she struggled with her immense pain "S-...Sister..." She uttered weakly.

Wrath grunted in pain "No...Princess Celestia..." he uttered as well as he attempted to move.

When Father had finished, his eyes snapped open with surprise and wonder as he grinned "Yes! This shall benefit me greatly!!" He rose up and faced the ceiling of the throne room "Now I hold some of God's memories, including access to more amazing spells! I already feel much stronger with this acquisition of power!!" He then looked down "Now to put it to use..." He searched through Celestia's memories and the span from two days ago suddenly caught his interest "So...They're in the town of Ponyville, hm? How nice...I believe it is time I sent for a messenger while I snuff out Shining Armor and Princess Mi Amore Cadenza." He closed his eyes and channeled his magic.
_____

At the changeling hive, Chrysalis had already sent for a battalion of changelings towards Canterlot thinking that Father already handled the shield covering the city. She chuckled to herself at the thought of Celestia being humiliated before getting crushed, but the sound of approaching buzzing caught her ear "Huh? Who is that?"

She looked up to see a changeling flying into the room and glared "Just what do you think you're doing, you imbecile!? You're supposed to-" Her anger left when she inspected the changeling "Wait...you're not with the battalion. What news do you bring me?" The changeling hissed and clicked as it explained its message to Chrysalis, who was outraged "What!? A rogue changeling!? That's impossible!! And you say this was from Ponyville?" The changeling nodded "What else is there!? Tell me!!" The changeling hissed and clicked some more "A group of strange ponies aiding the elements of harmony..." She rubbed her chin with a hoof "What are their na-"

"Chrysalis..."

The changeling queen flinched and looked around in surprise "What? What is this?"

"Chrysalis...It is me..."

Chrysalis looked up at the ceiling "Father? Where are you? How are you doing this?"

"That matters not. I have a favor to ask of you..."

Chrysalis continued looking around and confusing the changeling in front of her "What is it?"

"I am going to send you to Ponyville so that you can inform my children of my presence and tell them to meet me at Canterlot."

Chrysalis looked angry "How can you do that when you are merely talking into my mind!?"

"I've subjugated some of Celestia's power as my own...Now I know more than I could ever wish for. But enough about that. You shall be the messenger to my children. When the shield dies in Canterlot, that is your signal to come back so that you may exact proper revenge on the city..."

Chrysalis widened her eyes "So you've managed to come so far and challenge the princesses without any effort!?"

"Yes. And you're free to do as you please with Luna. But Celestia...is mine...Prepare yourself. I am sending you to Ponyville shortly. Send my message...Oh, and say hi to Envy for me..."

Chrysalis noticed a red aura surround her and slowly built up to where it almost covered her. Before it covered her completely, her expression of surprise turned into an evil grin as she cackled. She was then gone in a flash of light, leaving behind a scared and confused changeling.

End of Chapter 37

Chapter 39

Dark Messenger

Lust levitated the sunglasses towards her side and bowed to Rarity "I apologize if I have made you uncomfortable with my behavior, Rarity. I can't really help myself sometimes..."

Rarity gave an awkward chuckle "No trouble at all, Lust! But, erm..." She blushed again as she looked away "Let us never speak of this again, okay?"

Lust nodded with a smile "Understood. I'm going out for a moment, if you'll excuse me." She trotted out the door with the sunglasses.

Rarity watched her leave and contemplated the random and steamy moment that had passed earlier. What Lust had done seemed similar to what Rarity had performed on the red dragon on the mountain or the colt with the asparagus. Her face went into an incredulous expression "Have I just been...played? Did she just toy with my emotions to get what she wanted!?" She then moaned as she flailed her forelegs "Lust, how could you~!?" She yelled in a whiny tone before she gave an adorable pout with upset eyes. Never has she been more fooled in her life. However, she had to credit Lust for her ability to handle a mare like her so easily.

Greed waited outside and noticed the door open as Lust stepped out. The avaricious pony grinned "Took you long enough! Were you enjoying yourself in there?"

Lust closed her eyes "In a way, yes. And would it kill you to say 'thank you' for what I've done for you? You were just dying for these sunglasses."

Greed groaned "Yeah, I suppose you're right...Thanks for helping me out again, Lust. Maybe you aren't such a bitch after all!" He flashed his older sister a genuine smile "Now, the shades?"

Lust nodded "Yes, here..." She levitated the pair of sunglasses to Greed, who took them with his own magic with an eager grin on his face.

He took them in his forehooves and felt them before he tried them on. Needless to say, Greed felt like himself completely once he tried them on "Yes...Now I feel like a king again!!" He grinned proudly while he admired his new attire.

Lust sighed as she shook her head "You are such a child..."

Greed scowled at Lust "Don't ruin my fun! I just got these things for God's sake!" Suddenly, a large red light was seen building up in town square, earning the attention of the two unicorns "What the hell is that!?"

The boutique's door flew open as Rarity came out "I've seen a strange light through my window! What is that?"

Greed turned to Rarity and Lust "Let's go check it out!" The three unicorns then galloped towards their destination.
_____

At Sweet Apple Acres, Sloth was pulling in several carts containing all the apples that were harvested so far. He moaned in tiredness and displeasure but he continued towards the barn.

Applejack watched the indolent pony work with a smile along with Big Macintosh and her grandmother Granny Smith. Applebloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo watched in wonder as well. Granny Smith gave a low whistle "Y'all really know where t' find them stallions, Applejack! Ya made yer granny proud!"

Applejack smiled at how hard Sloth managed to work "Ah never thought Sloth would be able to carry all them apples by himself like that. He's mighty nice with his work despite bein' such a lazy stallion!"

Big Macintosh nodded as he chewed on his wheat straw "Eeyup."

Applebloom watched in wonder "How'd he even get so big?? He's bigger than Big Macintosh!"

Scootaloo smiled "Yeah! He's probably stronger than him, too!" She then cringed and drooped her ears as she turned to Big Macintosh with an apologetic grin "Er, no offense..."

Big Mac waved a hoof "None taken."

Sweetie Belle tilted her head "I wonder if Rarity would ever make a suit for Sloth with how big he is..."

Scootaloo grimaced at Sweetie Belle "Why would you even imagine him in a suit to begin with?"

Applebloom rubbed her chin "Ah see where Scoots is comin' from...would take a mean amount o' fabric to make a suit THAT size!" She pointed at Sloth as he slowly trotted out of the barn.

Applejack chuckled at the fillies and their thoughts on Sloth. But they were onto something. How would Sloth present himself if he were ever invited to the Grand Galloping Gala? Her thoughts were ceased when she noticed a disturbance over the horizon of Sweet Apple Acres "What in tarnation?" She gazed at Ponyville from her position to see a building red light and donned a serious gaze when she turned to her family "Big Mac, watch th' kids!" She then turned to Sloth "C'mon, Sloth! We're headin' t' town!"

Sloth turned to Applejack with his unchanged expression "What a pain..."
_____

At Ponyville library, Twilight read one of her books at her table while she thought to herself. She had thoughts about the night before with Greed.

Greed smirked at Twilight while she laid on the basement floor and kept her nose in her book on carbonization with her collected data on Greed sitting next to her "You got what you need, Twi? We may be pulling an all-nighter, but we don't exactly have all night to read and not perform spells!"

Twilight scoffed as she strayed from her book and glared at Greed "I'm trying to read! I need to go over these spells so I know which similarities pertain to your Ultimate Shield form!"

Greed held up a hoof in a halting position "Alright, alright, read your book! Can't say I've ever seen you do anything else other than partying or fighting changelings!" He smiled at Twilight "Have you ever gotten some fresh air away from those books?"

Twilight looked back at Greed with a smile "You don't know me well enough, Greed! I happen to have had my fair share of adventures away from home, myself!"

Greed chuckled "Whatever. Just hurry with the book so I can see what you've got!"

Twilight kept her smile "I'm almost done with it!" She focused her attention back to the book and read each line diligently "Say, Greed..." The avaricious pony hummed in question "As a homunculus, were you okay with being considered as a monster towards other people with or without your form?"

Greed scoffed "Of course I was. We homunculi were very different, but that's what makes us awesome!" He smirked proudly "Besides, let them think if I'm a monster or not! So long as I get whatever I want out of it!"

Twilight groaned, but smiled nonetheless "I've already said this, but you really do live up to your name, Greed. This may sound strange but...while you think of me and my friends as possessions, I'm glad you think I'm special..." She looked away from her page with a faint blush.

Greed raised an eyebrow "You're still on that? I told you not to let that get to your head!" He pointed a hoof while looking irritated "I gotta remember to hold you to whatever it is you choose to say to me next time!"

Twilight laughed at Greed's behavior "My mistake!" When she felt she took in enough of the book's information, she stood onto her hooves and turned to Greed "Okay! I think I'm ready to try it now!"

Greed smirked "Well that didn't last long! Okay, Twi, let's see what you got!" He conjured his horn and shifted into his Ultimate Shield form. He looked at Twilight with his piercing red eyes and spoke in his metallic tone "Now give it a try! Take whatever it was you managed to piece together out of those books and put it to use!"

Twilight took a deep breath and held a look of resolve on her face "Right...Here I go!" Her horn lit up while she closed her eyes, and after a brief moment, she gave off a flash as the entire basement went white.

Twilight sighed contently while she forgot about her books and dwelled upon the events of last night with a smile on her face. She jumped when she heard the front door to the library swing open loudly to see Spike catching his breath while resting a claw on the doorframe "Spike? What happened? Weren't you supposed to be at Rarity's?"

Spike caught the last of his breath and smiled to himself when his previous adornment of embarrassment had subsided inside of him "I was, but I'm here again now! And I-" A red light was seen outside of the library at town square. Spike turned around and looked "Holy Guacamole! What's that?"

Twilight galloped to the library's door to get a better look "Whatever it is, it doesn't look good! Stay here, Spike!"

Spike groaned "What? Why can't I come wi-" He then waved a claw and waddled inside with an angry expression on his face "Aw, forget it..." He muttered to himsef.
_____

Pinkie ran through the Everfree Forest screaming in terror while she was being followed by an enormous monstrosity. She barely avoided a large green foot that destroyed more of the trees around it. The party pony looked up to see her predator in full form.

There was a large and grotesque monster with six legs and weird bodies bulging out of its body. It had long black hair flowing from its head and its face resembled a lizards, though one of its eyes were black with a purple pupil. The large monster gave a loud roar before it resumed its chase with a screaming Pinkie. It bellowed in laughter as it watched Pinkie struggle and spoke in a warped tone "Yes! Run! Run you little bitch! Run for your life!"

Pinkie tripped over a branch before she picked herself up and avoided another large foot "Envy! Why are you doing this? I thought we were friends!!"

Envy bellowed in laughter again while it chased Pinkie "You didn't get the message? WE'RE NOT FRIENDS!! NOW DIE!!!" It yelled while it continued to chase the pink pony who was now in tears.

Pinkie sniffled "Envy, you have to stop! This isn't you! Envy! Envy! Envy!" While its name was being repetitively called, the scenery became blurry.

Envy's name was now being called by Rainbow Dash while the jealous pony spaced out with a smile on its face "Envy! Envy! Envy, get up already! You're spacing out!" She gave a forceful nudge onto Envy's side to bring it back to reality.

The jealous pony shook its head rapidly "Huh? What?" It looked around to see that it was still in Fluttershy's cottage with her, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie, and Gluttony. Envy noticed Pinkie and sneered "So I did space out, huh?" Envy's sneer worsened when the party pony giggled.

Rainbow Dash jabbed at Envy's shoulder "Focus on your lessons, palm tree head! This is for your own good!"

Envy scoffed at Rainbow Dash "I don't remember this actually being for my own good!!"

Fluttershy tilted her head "Are you not satisfied with what I'm telling you? I'm sorry if it's not good enough for you..." She looked down dejectedly.

Envy stared at Fluttershy with a dumbfounded expression "Why the hell must you apologize to me when it isn't your fault? Couldn't you be more assertive?"

Fluttershy looked away "Um...Actually, I have learned to be more assertive." She then looked sad "But all I've done was act so cruel towards other ponies! I even made Pinkie cry with how I acted..."

Envy perked up and shifted its eyes to Pinkie before turning back to Fluttershy "No way..." It pointed a hoof at Fluttershy with a skeptical glance "You..." It then directed its hoof towards Pinkie, who only smiled "...made HER cry?" Envy then leaned in with a curious glance "What did you do?"

Rainbow Dash glared "Don't get too excited, Envy. All she did was say some hurtful things to Pinkie and Rarity. She didn't physically hurt them!"

Pinkie nodded "Mhm! She did hurt this one stallion in a taxi, though! But he accepted her apology when she visited him in the hospital!" She smiled.

Envy scoffed and looked away 'Figures...' It then looked back and stared at Fluttershy for a moment 'Well, she's not so bad despite being a coward and all...Maybe there's more to her than just her bleeding heart.' It then rolled its eyes "Well you could to better. I mean, are you even assertive after that whole phase?"

Fluttershy looked ahead "Well, I've learned to be more assertive around my animals, and I was able to stay away from the dragon migration..." She turned to Rainbow Dash "Sorry about that again, Rainbow Dash."

Rainbow Dash waved a hoof "Don't worry about it, Fluttershy. It was only a couple shots to the stomach!" She then pointed "But you still owe me for making me go to the butterfly migration!"

Envy watched with a grimace 'Not only do I have to feed on love, I have to deal with this twenty-four seven...How can I even manage to put up with this crap?' The jealous pony grunted and placed a hoof on its head 'Dammit! There's gotta be somepony to feed off of without having to feel like this!' It looked around and stopped its gaze on Rainbow Dash while she talked with Fluttershy. It stared at the cyan pegasus in silence while they talked.

Pinkie placed her forelegs on Envy's shoulders "Hey, Envy! Why are you looking at Dashie like that? Are you spacing out again? Space is for astronauts, silly!"

Envy grunted and pushed Pinkie off "None of your business!" It looked to see Rainbow Dash with a raised eyebrow and it flinched "Yeah, I was spacing out again...Nothing else..." It looked away and tried not to meet Rainbow Dash's or Pinkie's gaze.

Gluttony blinked at Envy "You don't look so well, Envy! Should we tell you a joke?" The voracious pony smiled.

Pinkie turned to Gluttony "That's a great idea! A good joke always gets anypony going!" She turned back to Envy with a wide smile "You ready for a good joke, Envy?"

Envy narrowed its eyes at Pinkie while she grinned "Does it involve you jumping off a cliff?"

Pinkie giggled "Silly Envy! That's what coyotes do when they chase road runners!! But this is gonna be different! Okay, now what do you get when-" A faint red light was seen out the windows of the cottage, startling Fluttershy as she hid under her table.

Gluttony looked outside with a smile "Ohhh, pretty~!"

Pinkie scratched her head "Well that wasn't where my joke was going, but it IS pretty!" She looked out the window with Gluttony.

Rainbow Dash joined the two earth ponies at the window "It's coming from town square! What do you think it is?"

Fluttershy shivered "Wh-Whatever it is, it can't be good..."

Envy sneered down at Fluttershy "Grow a spine, you! Let's just see whatever the hell's going on!" It then trotted to the door and opened it up. The jealous pony turned back "Well? You guys coming or what?" Gluttony and Pinkie nodded vigorously as they raced out the door and breezed past Envy. Rainbow Dash pulled Fluttershy out of her hiding spot and the two trotted out as well. Envy was the last to leave, but held a shiver down its spine 'Why am I feeling like this?' The jealous pony unknowingly harbored a bad feeling about the red light in Ponyville, but followed the others after it shut the door.
_____

Some of the ponies around the building red light screamed and ran away while others stared at it curiously. Greed, Lust and Rarity were the first to arrive and gaze upon the light with the other townsfolk. Greed stared upon the color of the light and grunted with a sneer 'It can't be...could it?' He then noticed Twilight about to join "Twi! Over here!" He waved for her to join the others.

Applejack and Sloth were next to join, though the indolent pony paid the light no mind. Applejack turned to the others "Hey, y'all! What in the hay is goin' on here!?" Her answer came in the form of a bright flash from where the light stood.

When the brightness subsided, everypony gasped to see Queen Chrysalis stand for a moment with her eyes shut before they shot open and peered about nefariously "So this is Ponyville? Such a drab little village..."

Greed looked at Chrysalis over his glasses "Who's this bitch?" He asked with a quizzical glance.

Chrysalis snarled at Greed "Such a vulgar little pony..." She then noticed Twilight and hissed "And there is Celestia's pet right next to him! So nice to see you again, Twilight Sparkle..."

Twilight gasped "Chrysalis! How did you get here!?" She asked as she assumed a defensive stance.

Lust examined the new creature in front of her and her horn glowed "You're a changeling..." Rarity held a defensive stance of her own next to Lust.

Chrysalis chuckled "And you are quite the observant mare, aren't you? I am queen of the changelings, and I am here to send a message to the element bearers and some children! Can any of you tell me where this...Envy is?" She looked at the group with genuine curiousity.

Greed grinned "I don't think that matters! Why don't you send us the message while we're all here!"

Applejack snapped "What do y'all want with Envy anyway!?"

Chrysalis laughed "So much hostility from you miserable little ponies! But I suppose I musn't stall for time! I am here to bring tidings of a new age courtesy of the one called Father!"

Greed grunted "What did you say?" He hissed in disbelief. Twilight looked at him in confusion while he held a face of trembling stress.

Chrysalis scoffed "Are you deaf, you insubordinate unicorn? The alicorn known as Father desires an audience with his children! Tell me, are you one of them?"

Greed growled "What if I am?" He glared at Chrysalis while he bared his sharp teeth. His horn began to glow while he stared the changeling queen down.

Chrysalis chuckled "Then I guess he was correct in assuming you are here! For those of you present that are considered his children, he wants you at Canterlot post haste so that you may witness the moment of him becoming one with Celestia!"

Twilight perked up at the news and snapped "What have you done with Celestia!?" Her horn glowed as well.

Chrysalis brushed her chest with a hoof as she looked bored "Nothing as of late. It was all Father's doing. Trust me when I say I'd wish to have at that pompous pony myself and take her down, but that alicorn wants her all to himself!" She then looked at everypony who looked ready to fight and laughed defiantly "I would save your energy for Canterlot, my little ponies! It won't help to engage in combat right now!"

Rainbow Dash and her group finally arrived and noticed what was going on "Chrysalis!!" She glared and flew forward at her incredible speed, only to be held in front of Chrysalis and her magic.

Chrysalis glared at Rainbow Dash while she was being held "I wouldn't do that if I were you, Rainbow Dash!" She growled the cyan pegasus' name behind her teeth.

"Let her go, you bitch!"

Chrysalis broke out of her glare to see Envy show up with Fluttershy, Pinkie, and Gluttony behind it. The jealous pony glared at the changeling queen "Nopony hurts the prismatic prick but me!!"

End of Chapter 39

Chapter 40

To Envy One's Existence...

Chrysalis noticed the jealous pony leer at her with hate in its eyes and laughed "And who are you to order me around, you worthless pegasus?"

Envy bared its teeth "The name's Envy! And if anypony's worthless, it's you!!"

Chrysalis growled and sneered at Envy's words, but perked up when she looked into the jealous pony's eyes. After a brief moment of staring, she began to laugh.

Envy was agitated by the sudden laughter "What's so funny!? Did you realize you're outnumbered!?"

Chrysalis dropped Rainbow Dash and trotted up to Envy with the same smile on her face "Far from it, child! I've heard word about one of Father's children having the ability to shapeshift!" The other ponies watched in confusion and murmured while Chrysalis continued "And I've recently received word about a rogue changeling that loused up their confrontation with all these other ponies!" She looked around the element bearers before she stopped onto Envy again with the same smile "And I look into your eyes...and the answer is right in front of me..." She then gave a wicked grin as she conjured her jagged horn to lift Envy.

Envy perked up and struggled in the air "Gah! Let me go, you ugly bitch!! What do you want with me!!"

Rainbow Dash noticed and glared "Leave Envy alone!!" She flew up to Chrysalis only to be stopped by another telekinetic hold.

Chrysalis smirked at Rainbow Dash "Save your quarrel for this one, Rainbow Dash!" She then shifted her eyes on Envy "I would hate to see the looks on everypony's faces when they see this frightening truth!" The changeling queen spoke in a teasing tone with a smile that betrayed no joy in Envy's suffering.

Twilight turned to Greed "What is she talking about? Do you know something about this, Greed?"

Greed knew just what was about to happen. He grunted and looked down in defeat as his former cockiness was gone "Just watch..." He said in a despondent tone. Twilight tilted her head at Greed's mood, but chose to do as he said.

Chrysalis then released her hold on Rainbow Dash and leaned her horn towards Envy's forehead. Envy struggled more "Back off!! What do you think you're doing!?"

The changeling queen's eyes narrowed and her smile widened when the tip of her horn connected with Envy's forehead "Revealing your true nature, my child..." She whispered as a small flash developed onto the jealous pony's head and began to shroud it all around.

Envy growled and struggled while the flash gradually covered its body to reveal its true changeling form head to toe. Everypony but the former homunculi gasped at the sight.

Rainbow Dash was speechless 'Envy's a changeling!? How is this possible!?' She stared slack-jawed at the real Envy in front of her eyes.

Chrysalis scoffed and then dropped Envy onto the ground "Yes, a changeling in its true form!" She looked down with a condescending stare "And judging by your fatigue, you haven't had a good meal in a long while. But I suppose you have yourself to blame for not being under my guidance!" She leaned down to Envy with a smile "But that can change, my child...Come with me to Canterlot so that I may embrace you as one of my own! Think of me as a mother while I nurture you-AUGH!!" She yelled in pain as she felt something stab into her side. She shook herself to see what had caused her pain.

Greed jumped back while in his Ultimate Shield form and glared up at Chrysalis with his piercing eyes after he jabbed his horn "That's my family you're messing with! You're fucking stupid to think that you're Envy's mom, let alone ours as well!" He narrowed his eyes "Dad sent you, right? Tell him to wait for us! And make sure you mention Greed in your message! He'll be delighted to get a reply!"

Chrysalis snarled and glared daggers at Greed "You're lucky he wants you alive!!"

Greed managed a smirk under his sharp teeth "Wouldn't want it any other way..."

Chrysalis then leered about the other ponies who cowered at her sight and then looked over at Canterlot in the distance. She noticed the shield beginning to crumble and she forgot her pain with a triumphant laugh "It is all coming together smoothly! Now my changelings may feast well once they arrive!!" She then turned to the element bearers and the former homunculi with a wicked smile "Enjoy your moments together while they last, my little ponies! You all will make fine meals for my changelings!!" She cackled as she unfurled her wings and flew off, though she stumbled a little in her flight because of Greed's injury.

Twilight noticed the shield crumbling and gave a low gasp as she held a look of sadness in her eyes "No...Shining Armor! Cadence! They've failed!"

Greed scoffed "This just keeps getting better and better..."

Gluttony tilted his head "Father's alive? Does he want to be a happy family with us again??" He looked up at Lust with a smile, but it left his face when the lascivious mare shook her head with closed eyes.

Envy grunted as it picked itself up and looked around to see the many faces of fear and anger surround it "What!? What are you all looking at!?" It snapped.

One of the ponies roared out "That changeling's one of them!! We need to take it out before its friends show up!!" They begin to storm after the Envy, but they were stopped by the other former homunculi.

Gluttony glared at the angry mob and stood his ground "Stay away! Envy's one of us! You can't eat Envy!"

A mare from the angry mob then shouted out "I knew they were monsters! They shouldn't be here if they attracted the changeling queen herself! Drive them out of our town!!" The crowd then resounded yells in agreement.

Twilight looked around with stress building inside of her and her friends felt the same way, except for Pinkie, who held a microphone out of nowhere with a face of determination. She shoved it in Twilight's hooves and waved one of her own to signal her to talk. The lavender bookworm was reluctant at first, but she had to remember what she was dealing with: A new crisis involving Celestia, her brother and foalsitter, and the former homunculi. She took a deep breath and found her voice as she spoke into the microphone "Everypony stop!!!" They all turned to Twilight after her command "It wasn't their fault that Chrysalis invaded Ponyville! And we've just explained that they aren't monsters!!"

Another mare in the crowd spoke up "Then how do you explain the changeling being one of their own!? They all could be changelings!!" There were more shouts in agreement.

Twilight grunted and shouted "The others are not changelings! And we shouldn't even be focused on them right now! We have bigger problems to worry about!! That's why we're heading to Canterlot so we can make things right!! And for the record, these 'monsters' have actually helped us with the changelings that showed themselves in town! We owe them our thanks and respect!!" She felt disheartened to know that most of her speech went unheard.

Rarity looked worried and turned to Twilight "Twilight, we're only sending mixed messages with your words! We need to find some other way to quell this uprising!"

Envy never thought that it would cringe against a crowd, feeling weak while being guarded by its own siblings. It grunted in anger and frustration and then turned to look over at Rainbow Dash, who held an uncertain glance while her head was hung. Envy then bared its sharp teeth and growled as it moved its way past Gluttony.

The voracious pony noticed Envy slip away and gallop off into the Everfree forest "Envy! Come back!" He called out to the changeling, but when its figure disappeared into the woods, Gluttony's ears drooped while he watched it leave with a sad frown.

Greed shifted his piercing eyes and canceled out his Ultimate Shield form as he looked ahead with a firm gaze "Now we're down a fighter because of these assholes! I'm not one for comforting Envy, and that pony sure as hell wouldn't want us going in there neither..."

Pinkie turned to Greed "But Envy's a changeling! You can't say she's a pony if she's a changeling!" She spouted cluelessly, oblivious to the thickening tension in town.

Applejack shook her head "Well, whatever he likes bein' called, it don't matter now! We gotta get ready t' head t' Canterlot!"

Fluttershy looked at the forest and couldn't help but feel pain and sympathy for Envy. She was aware of the town's anger and even understood their paranoia towards changelings, but she still favored Envy as a friend. The timid mare turned to Rainbow Dash, who remained silent the whole time "Rainbow Dash, we have to go after her! She could get hurt!!"

Rainbow Dash sighed to relieve some of her stress "Fluttershy, I don't know what to do at this point..." She spoke in a dull tone "Everypony here now knows that Envy's a changeling, and we can't be sure if Envy is with us or not...It's best to just go on without-"

Fluttershy looked stern "So you would just go back against your own promise like that?" Rainbow Dash perked up and snapped to attention as she stared at Fluttershy in surprise "You promised yourself that Envy wouldn't leave your sight when we figured out where she and her siblings would live! While she may have chose to be cruel to us, we still stood by her the whole time! And now just because she's a changeling, you're just gonna leave her to go out into the heart of the Everfree Forest!?"

Rainbow Dash paused before she spoke "Fluttershy, are you listening to yourself?" She asked in a surprised tone.

Fluttershy glared "I could ask you the same question!!" Her outburst made Rainbow Dash flinch "She helped us fight off the ones that invaded Ponyville even when she was one herself. We know Envy can be the meanest pegasus in Equestria, and we even know that she's a changeling now, but she's still our friend no matter what!! She needs us!"

Rainbow wanted to retort Fluttershy's declaration, but the timid mare spoke the truth. Even as a changeling, Rainbow Dash made it clear that she would stay at Envy's side no questions asked. It started out as a minor grudge and a mission to keep Fluttershy safe, but she came to understand Envy better as a pegasus much rather than a changeling. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and then smiled at Fluttershy "Thanks for the pep talk, Fluttershy. You're right! Envy's our friend and we're gonna need that changeling if we're gonna tip the scales on this next fight!!" She stood up tall and proud "Let's go into the forest! Envy couldn't have wandered too far!"

Pinkie hopped up with a grin "Me and Gluttony will come with you!"

Fluttershy winced at Pinkie "Umm...No offense, Pinkie, but this is something that me and Rainbow Dash should do on our own..."

Pinkie looked upset before she perked up "Oooooooooh~! It's one of those moments!!" She gave a knowing smile and nodded "Okie Dokie Loki! It's all you, girls!"

Greed smirked at Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash "You two do what you gotta do, then! If all goes well, meet us at the library so we can get this show on the road!"

Rainbow Dash saluted with a confident smile "Gotcha! Don't wait up for us!" She then took to the skies "C'mon, Fluttershy! Let's move!" The two pegasi then made their leave into the forest entrance.

Lust hummed and looked back at the frenzied crowd "Now that that's out of the way, what should we do about the rest of Ponyville?"

Sloth moaned in complaint with how loud the ponyfolk were shouting. Some looked ready to throw things at him and his siblings. The indolent pony groaned as he slowly reared onto his hindlegs and then quickly brought them to the ground with a mighty thud. There was a small tremor that instantly quieted the crowd, the element bearers and former homunculi included, and they all focused their attention on Sloth as he looked at the citizens "You're all noisy...Go home...Get some sleep...Let us take care of this problem ourselves..." He spoke in his monotonous and tired tone.

Greed smiled up at Sloth and directed a stern gaze on the rest of Ponyville "You heard the big guy, people! Just head back to your homes and let us take care of this problem ourselves!!" He called out to them "We may be monsters now, but when we come back from Canterlot, we'll be FAVORED monsters!! Count on it!" He put on his sunglasses and smiled.

Twilight looked at the disoriented crowd and spoke into the microphone she still held "Please, listen to them! They mean you no harm and they want to help us out like last time! We're talking about the fate of Equestria and you choose to alienate these ponies as monsters!!" She looked at the crowd with a pleading glance.

This time, the crowd managed to listen as they murmured among themselves. Slowly and surely, they all donned faces of shame and guilt as they turned back to the group. Mayor Mare trotted up out of the group and gave a knowing nod "Twilight Sparkle, we apologize for this petty conflict...If Equestria really rests on your hooves as well as your friends, then we will not stop you! We wish you the best of luck in fighting off the threat that has befallen Canterlot! You have Ponyville's support!"

Twilight beamed at Mayor Mare and nodded back to her in gratitude. She then turned to Greed as the crowd began to disperse back to their respective homes "Come on! We have to get ready if we're dealing with something big!" Greed nodded, and he along with Twilight and the rest of the group made for Ponyville library.
_____

Envy was almost out of energy as it trudged along the only trail it knew well. The changeling could not see straight with how utterly downcast and weakened it felt 'It's no use...I can barely go on...' It tried to muster its next step and felt something squishy after it placed its hoof down. Envy looked down at what it had stepped in.

It was the remains of one of the changelings that was dumped into the forest after the battle, only it was severely mangled with some of its body parts missing and its innards torn out. There were spots of green blood all around the defiled corpse. Envy noticed there were more bodies in the same condition around other areas ahead and the changeling felt more of a sinking feeling as it collapsed onto its hooves and shuddered in newfound sadness.

"Come on, Envy. If it makes you feel any better, I kinda get caught in my own moments of crying as well. I try not to let these moments get me, but they just happen. Even I don't know why. But with you, I'm kinda surprised...Here I thought you were the worst pegasus I've ever met, totally alien to being sorry, but all this time it was just jealousy. Sheer jealousy. I guess I have a lot to learn from you after all..."

Envy bared its teeth after the random memory coursed through its mind "No..." It uttered breathlessly "No you don't..." Envy almost felt like crying again, but it bit back the tears when it had its end planned out 'I don't have the energy to go out...So I'll just wait for one of them beasts to show up and do the deed...Yeah. Then it'll all be over...' It shuddered again and clenched its eyes shut.

"Where is she?"

Envy thought it heard the distant sound of Fluttershy. If it had the energy, the changeling would grimace 'She'd still stick it out for me even when I'm screwed? This girl's either very crazy or very stupid...'

"Envy could be anywhere around here! We just have to keep looking!"

Envy gave a weakened gasp at the next voice 'No...' It thought it heard the familiar sound of a certain cyan pegasus 'No...' The changeling tried to muster energy to move away from its current spot 'No!!'

Nearby, Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash hovered through the woods and scoured over the many corpses of the changelings from yesterday. Both pegasi winced and crinkled their noses at the pungent scent of decay each body gave off. Fluttershy looked around and then noticed a moving changeling "Look! Rainbow Dash, over there! Do you think that's her?"

Rainbow Dash noticed the feebly struggling changeling and halted her advance as she hovered and examined the new sight "Only one way to find out..." She then glided over to the scrambling changeling and looked down "Hey! Envy, is that you?"

Envy grunted while it struggled, but when it heard Rainbow Dash's voice up close, it tried to hiss at her to throw her off. Sadly, it only succeeded in hacking and coughing.

Rainbow Dash deadpanned "Yep. It's you alright..." She then carefully lifted up the weakened changeling and leaned it on its back up against a nearby tree, away from the bodies. Rainbow Dash looked at Envy jerk its head left and right to try and wriggle out of the cyan pegasus' hold. She narrowed her eyes "Man, you're stubborn! About to hit rock bottom and you're still fighting against me?"

Fluttershy came up next to Envy and looked saddened at the changelings' condition "Oh my...Envy! You poor thing!" She almost shedded a tear while she looked upon it.

Envy gave a weak grunt and tried to glare "Wh-What does it matter? You shouldn't even be coming after me-" It coughed again "It was stupid of both of you to follow me out here!"

Rainbow Dash sighed "Trust me, I almost thought about doing just that a moment ago..." She then turned to Fluttershy with a smile "But I remembered I had a promise to keep!" Rainbow Dash looked back at Envy with a stern glare "You aren't supposed to leave my sight no matter what! Not at least until I can trust you to be by yourself!"

Envy stared at Rainbow Dash in silence before it became another glare "You don't trust me anyways...It doesn't even matter anymore...Your town hates me...Your friends hate me-"

Fluttershy blurted out "That's not true!" Envy turned to Fluttershy and tried to manage a quizzical glance. The timid mare smiled warmly at Envy "Envy, we don't hate you at all, even if you haven't been behaving properly. You're still a good friend to us even if you're a changeling..."

Envy coughed and gave a dry chuckle "Funny...that's something I'd expect Pinkie to say..." It then sneered "Where is she anyway? I figured she'd follow you two just to annoy me..."

Fluttershy smiled "I was aware of that. So I told her to stay behind so we could tend to you ourselves...We only want the best for you and your family, Envy."

Rainbow Dash nodded "Yeah, and besides, Greed and the others need you as well! We can't have you back down on us like this when we have to fight your dad and Chrysalis!"

Envy gave a weak growl "It's bad enough to know that bitch thinks she's my mom...but to know that Father's here, too...we might not win this..."

Rainbow Dash tilted her head "What makes you say that? Is your dad THAT strong?"

Envy gave a nod "And knowing how strong your princess is, no doubt he'll be coming after her...You're wasting time on me since I'm too weak to fight or even walk back to town."

Fluttershy looked sad "We know that Ponyville's afraid of you, but we can convince them that you're not the kind of changeling they think you are! We just need you to come back with us!"

Envy grunted "You don't get it, do you? I'm a changeling, not a pony!" It then looked down "I'm not a homunculus either..." It muttered in defeat.

Rainbow Dash scoffed "Of course not!" Envy looked at the cyan pegasus "You're more than just a changeling, a pony, a homunculus, or whatever you are! You're our friend! And we need you..." She smiled "I need you..."

Envy choked at Rainbow Dash's words "N-No...No, you don't need me...Even if you understand me inside and out..."

Rainbow Dash shook her head "I may not know you inside and out, but I know what you are and what you prefer!" She smiled "You're a creature that feeds off of love from other ponies and you prefer mares! Knowing that anypony won't go for you other than us, we can give you all the strength you'll need!"

Envy hacked and gave a curious look at Rainbow Dash "And how much of it could you give me if I even felt like doing this?"

Rainbow Dash paused for a moment and stared back at Envy before she moved in and met her muzzle with Envy's. Fluttershy gasped at the sudden gesture and cover her mouth with her hooves.

Envy's eyes widened and a new feeling coursed through its body along with the whirling strength that was being collected from what Rainbow Dash had offered. Slowly, the changeling transformed into its original pegasus form with the same wide-eyed expression and tears in its eyes while it was being kissed.

After what felt like an eternity to Envy, Rainbow Dash broke the kiss and gave a smirk at the jealous pony "That enough for ya?" Envy only stared back in silence and disbelief while tears streamed down its face.

End of Chapter 40

Chapter 41

Travel Light

At the library, Twilight and Greed sat down at the kitchen table and discussed their plans on approaching Canterlot while they waited for Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, and Envy to return. The lavender bookworm noted the serious look on Greed's face and felt concerned "Greed...You don't seem to happy about going to Canterlot. I can't believe that your father was the one responsible for all of this! Is he dangerous?"

Greed scoffed "Dangerous is an understatement, Twi...My Dad once managed to swallow up God to achieve a crazy amount of power." His eyes narrowed when he remembered how he managed to take down Father with the last of his strength.

Twilight tilted her head in confusion "But who is God?"

Greed shifted his eyes to Twilight "By the looks of it, he thinks Celestia is with how she runs the place..." He pulled off his sunglasses and examined them in his hoof "I wouldn't blame her with being so well-known and able to move the sun at will. And my dear old dad won't stop there once he absorbs her...He'll probably turn us all into Philosopher's stones..."

Twilight could not be more curious as she was confused about Greed's explanation "Philosopher's stones? What in Equestria is a Philosopher's stone!?"

Greed set his sunglasses on the table "I can explain on the way, but right now, we gotta think of a way to make an entrance..."

Twilight nodded "The only fast way to Canterlot is the Friendship Express, but we can't bring Sloth around with his massive size! So it's only best we gather supplies and trot our way there!"

Greed chuckled "I guess that's the only good plan we have. But we'll have to be quick. We don't wanna keep the old bastard waiting..."

Pinkie hopped into the kitchen with a chipper smile on her face "Heya Twi! Hey, Greedy! You both almost ready to go yet? This battle's gonna be a real doozy!"

Greed smirked at Pinkie and then looked at Twilight "Her confidence is admirable. Is she always like this when shit goes down?"

Twilight rolled her eyes "Pretty much. Almost nothing can stop Pinkie from being herself."

Pinkie giggled "Well, what are we waiting for? The others are waiting out in the library and we cannot wait no longer!"

Twilight looked concerned "But what about Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, and Envy?"

Pinkie waved a hoof "We're not gonna leave without them, silly! All I'm saying is we're up and ready to go!"

Twilight sighed "Well, we'll need to find an alternate route of transport if we're all going together! No doubt our balloon won't be enough to fit all of us..."

Greed rubbed his chin in thought and slammed it onto the table with a smile "Sloth!"

Twilight cocked an eyebrow at Greed "Isn't he our main concern about transport, Greed?"

The avaricious pony nodded "Yeah! But he's gonna be our solution as well! He's big and he's fast! All we need to do is coax him into running while pulling a cart or two with all of us and we could be at Canterlot in no time!"

Twilight tilted her head "But Sloth's so lazy...sure he could pull all of us, but he can't be that fast."

Pinkie shook her head "Nopie Dopie! Gluttony and Envy told me and Dashie that Sloth was the fastest out of their family! I think Greed is onto something here!" She grinned at the avaricious pony, who returned one with his own.

Twilight thought about it for a moment before she smiled "Okay! But the first thing we'll need is some carts if he's going to pull us all! I'm sure the folks in Ponyville will help us out!" Twilight and Greed rose up from their seats and joined Pinkie in walking out into the main part of the library where the others stood and waited.

Applejack looked out the window "So yer pappy's the one responsible fer all this trouble? And with Chrysalis?"

Lust nodded "I'm afraid so, if what she said was true. He seems so eager for us to meet him in Canterlot for a family reunion..."

Gluttony looked up at Lust with a frown "But I'm sure Father will be happy to meet us once we arrive!" He then smiled "Maybe he can help us out with learning the Magic of Friendship!" The voracious pony chimed obliviously.

Spike looked up at Gluttony with a deadpan expression "Gluttony, I doubt your dad would wanna help out with friendship lessons when he's causing trouble in Canterlot!" He looked away with a wince "I just hope Celestia and the others are okay..."

Rarity looked devastated as she draped a foreleg over her temple "Of all the worst things that could possibly happen, this is-"

Applejack turned to Rarity with narrowed eyes "We get th' point, Rarity! No need t' be overdramatic about it!" She looked out the window again "We still have t' wait fer Dash an' th' others t' come back..."

Lust trotted over to the window next to Applejack and peered out towards the distant city of Canterlot. She was nervous to meet Father after a long period of separation between her and him. The lascivious mare felt conflicted between embracing her father and creator once more and staying with the friends she had made in Ponyville. She was thankful for Rarity's hospitality despite her being so clingy at first, and Equestria in a whole was beginning to grow on her. This new world gave her a sense of purpose and almost a whole new outlook. With a sigh, she looked away with closed eyes 'This could be the fight of our lives once more...'

"Get ready, folks!"

Everypony turned to see Greed, Twilight, and Pinkie trot over with their own expressions on their faces. The avaricious pony continued "We got ourselves a plan to move onto Canterlot quickly!"

Applejack smiled "Well that seems promisin'! Let's hear it!"

Twilight trotted forward and explained "With how the Friendship Express is out of our reach with Sloth's size, we're only limited to traveling to Canterlot on hoof! But thanks to Greed and Gluttony's explanation, we can have Sloth pull us to Canterlot!"

Applejack's brightened mood dimmed at the mention of Sloth "Y'all better be kiddin', Twi..."

Twilight shook her head "Trust me, I'm not! Sloth's the fastest out of the homunculi! If we can get ourselves some carts, we can use Sloth to bring us to Canterlot easily!"

Lust shifted her gaze to Twilight "Did Greed mention Sloth's inability to control his speed OR his direction?" She asked in a curious tone.

Twilight paused and turned to Greed with a light glare. Greed looked back and scoffed "Look, if it's a straight trail, we can handle it! Sloth's good at moving straight! Let's just get us our carts so we can get out of here! We're wasting time!" Everypony agreed and made their way outside.

Before she joined the others, Twilight turned back to Spike "Spike, I need you to-"

Spike nodded "I know...It's gonna be big if it involves all of Greed's family and you girls..." He waddled up to Twilight and looked sad "Just be careful out there, okay? I know you fought against the changelings before, but I don't want you to get hurt..."

Twilight gave a reassuring smile "Don't worry, Spike. I'll come back safe with Greed and everypony else. I just want you to wait for me once we do, okay? Make sure to keep the library in order while I'm gone."

Spike smiled back and nodded "Yeah. I will! Good luck in Canterlot, Twilight." Him and Twilight then shared a big hug before she trotted out the door.

When the ponies gathered outside with Sloth, Pinkie hopped up and pointed at something in the sky "Hey! Over there! It's Dashie and Fluttershy! And they got Envy!" She beamed at them approaching. The others turned to see that what Pinkie said was true.

The three pegasi were flying back toward the rest of the group and landed in front of them with smiles on their faces.

Gluttony noticed Envy and galloped at it "Envy! You're back!" The jealous pony reared back and gave a displeased grunt when it was tackled by Gluttony "Yay! We're a family again! Now we can all meet Father without leaving you behind!"

Envy groaned and pushed Gluttony off, then brushed itself along with its clothes "Yeah, I'm back. So what's the plan?"

Greed pointed at Sloth "You're looking at him!" The indolent pony groaned after Greed made mention of him.

Envy stared up with a deadpan expression "You gotta be kidding me...How's Sloth gonna get us to Canterlot?"

Greed smirked "You'll see!" The group then made their way towards a cart and strapped a makeshift harness to Sloth.
_____

At Canterlot Castle, Shining Armor and Princess Cadence were held under the same paralysis spell as Celestia, Luna, and Wrath as all five laid in pain. Father paced back and forth with a sour expression on his face 'Where are they? I want them to see this for themselves!' He heard a buzzing noise and turned to the window expectantly, but then his mood dropped when he noticed an injured Chrysalis land and trot her way towards Father after flying through the window. He greeted her with his bored expression "Did you send them the message?"

Chrysalis growled and snapped indignantly "I despise your children!!"

Father nodded to Chrysalis "So a yes then." He then noticed the gaping hole in Chrysalis' side "That won't do at all..." The pale alicorn then aimed his horn at the hole and conjured his magic to heal the wound and seal it shut "Much better...Now tell me, who or what was responsible for that scar of yours?" He asked in his calm tone.

Chrysalis scoffed "Only the one called Greed! He wanted to tell you to wait for him and his siblings along with those wretched element bearers!! Tell me, are your children so ill-disciplined!?" She was angry, but it left when she noticed the new expression on Father's face.

It was a face of pure rage as he bared his teeth and growled "Greed..." He hissed with ire in his voice as his body was crackling with red static "So that little whelp managed to come here as well, hm?" The pale alicorn held the vague memory of how his own son along with his old friends thwarted his goal of becoming the perfect being.

Chrysalis took some steps back while Father fumed "Are you worried about their arrival? Were you not expecting Greed?"

Father remained silent for a small moment and took a deep breath as the static subsided along with his anger "No...As a matter of fact, I'm happy..." He trotted over to the window and gazed out at the distant town of Ponyville "For all I know, he could be a changed boy ever since our last...encounter...and with the help of his siblings, I'm sure they all cannot wait to arrive..."

Chrysalis scoffed, but then smiled as she trotted towards his side "You know, once this is over with you becoming one with Celestia, where would that leave me, hm?" She looked over at Father, who looked ahead out the window.

The pale alicorn responded "Your changelings are free to do as they please with the rest of these citizens..."

Chrysalis nodded "Of course. Thank you for your kind gift." Her smile widened as she leaned her head near Father's "I'm sure with Celestia out of the way, it would technically make you the next king of Equestria..." She extended a hoof to Father's cheek and directed his gaze onto hers "Perhaps you would desire a queen to be at your side? Your child Envy happens to be a changeling, so it's only proper..." She batted her eyelashes at him. On the inside, she wanted to know how much power she could leech out of Father if she managed to sway him.

Father stared back for a moment before he moved and walked away from Chrysalis with his bored expression "I'll think about it..." He spoke in an uninterested tone. The changeling queen snarled in displeasure over Father's response.
_____

Sloth stood in front of the exit that lead to Canterlot attached to a chain of carts that contained the group in two divisions. Greed was in the front cart along with Twilight, Pinkie, Gluttony, and Lust while the rest were in the back cart. The avaricious pony called with a confident tone "You ready, big guy?"

Sloth only gave a moan "What a pain..."

Greed nodded "I'll take that as a yes!" He looked ahead at the path in front of him and grinned with pleasure "Alright, Sloth! Full speed ahead!"

Sloth moaned again as he went to take his first step. Pinkie giggled and shivered with excitement at what was going to happen next.

Rainbow Dash sat in the back with a skeptical look on her face "I still don't see how Sloth's the fastest out of your family, Envy! He's so huge!"

Envy chuckled "You'll see..."

Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes "But he can't be the fastest when he's so super laz-YYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY~!!!!" When Sloth took his first step, he then bursted into a mighty blur of speed that broke most of the path he breezed through.

Everypony but the former homunculi were screaming while they were being pulled by Sloth. The avaricious pony noticed how bigger Canterlot was getting in his sight and laughed "Score one for Greed!! We're coming for your ass, pops! We got this in the bag! Soon, we'll-huh!?" He noticed there was a large left curve in the path with a large rock in front of them and widened his eyes "SLOTH! MOVE LEFT! FOR THE LOVE OF GOD MOVE LE-" It was too late. Sloth, along with everypony in their carts crashed into the large rock.

When the dust settled, the group moaned in pain and crawled out of the wreckage. Rarity complained immensely when she spotted several wood chips in her mane. Gluttony nibbled on some of the cart's remains with a smile. Rainbow Dash came out, and while she looked angry, it slowly turned into a look of excitement "That...was...AWESOME!" She zipped over to Sloth as he picked himself up out of the rock's rubble "I can't believe you could go that fast! Envy and the others were SO right about you! We totally gotta race sometime!!" She beamed at the indolent pony while he moaned at her rambling praise.

When they all recovered, everypony but Rainbow Dash and Sloth glared at Greed as he shifted his glances between the many sets of angered eyes "Okay, I get it! My bad! How was I supposed to know it wasn't gonna be a completely straight trail from here!? At least we're almost to Canterlot with how far Sloth got us!"

Twilight looked back and noticed that Canterlot was just a stone's throw away. She sighed as she rubbed her head "He has a point...But we're gonna have to pick up the slack if we'll make it in time!"

Envy trotted past Greed and jabbed him in the stomach, causing him to fall with a groan and clutch himself "You dumbass..." It muttered in annoyance. Soon after, the group picked themselves up and trotted to Canterlot the rest of the way on foot.

End of Chapter 41

Chapter 42

A Father's loving children

The element bearers and former homunculi were lucky enough to make it to the main gates of Canterlot in a small amount of time. When they went through it, the group looked around to see that all of the streets were deserted. Greed trotted forward to get a better look "Well I'll be damned. Looks like he hasn't caused any problems outside of the castle yet...Well, unless he turned everypony here into Philosopher's stones." The element bearers fell ill after Greed's last statement.

Gluttony sniffed at the air and shook his head "They're all alive! They're in their homes like the first time we came into Canterlot!" At that, the element bearers gave a relieved sigh. The voracious pony then perked up and sniffed at the air "Somepony's coming!" Gluttony noticed a growing shadow around a building corner.

Greed scoffed and assumed a defensive position with the rest of the group. What they didn't expect was the faint sound of sobbing. Greed's position dropped and he looked disappointed to see a crying Blueblood trot towards them, unaware of their presence "Oh, woe is me!! I've doomed Equestria and placed it in the hooves of a powerful lunatic!!"

Rarity and Envy perked up and glared "Him again!?" The two then stopped and looked at each other in confusion.

The fashionista raised an eyebrow "You had a run-in with this cretin!?"

Envy sneered "This bastard had the balls to think of me and the others as freaking circus ponies!!"

Greed rolled his eyes and called out to Blueblood "Hey! Prince!"

Blueblood ceased his crying and noticed the element bearers and the former homunculi. For a moment he gasped with joy "Oh, thank heavens! Not all hope is lost!!" He galloped over and stopped in front of the crew, but not before he noticed Rarity stand in front of him with a look of hate on her face "M-Miss Rarity!"

Rarity trotted forward while she kept her hate-filled gaze on Blueblood "Just what exactly did you mean when you said YOU'VE doomed Equestria, Blueblood?" She spat with venom in her voice.

Blueblood trotted backwards "I-I-It wasn't entirely my fault, I swear! Aunt Celestia and the others are in dire need of assistance!! Shining Armor and Princess Mi Amore Cadenza wished to warn you both before things got worse! That strange alicorn who claimed to be Lust's father threatened to kill me for their location!" He gave a relieved sigh "It's good to know they sent their message..."

Twilight looked down in sadness and Greed saw with a sympathetic grunt. He then turned to Blueblood with a light glare "You fucking pansy..." He muttered "Actually, some bitch named Chrysalis came by and told us herself! We didn't get anything from Twilight's older brother or his wife!"

Blueblood gasped "So that means this won't end well for us! What do we do now!?" He looked at the group with genuine worry.

Envy glared "What do you mean we, you pompous dick? You've done enough here!!"

Greed scoffed and trotted up to Blueblood "Listen up, pansy! If you're actually serious about helping us, you better bring it all to the field!"

Blueblood winced "But do I really have to fight like this??"

Greed grinned "You brought this among yourself! If you wanna help, you're coming with us! If not, the exit's right there!" He pointed behind himself towards the main city gate "Your choice, pansy!!"

Blueblood looked hurt "I'm most certainly NOT a pansy! I am a-"

Greed waved a hoof "Yeah, yeah, yeah! You're a prince! Well you're not gonna be one no longer if dad manages to get what he wants! We're going after him with or without you, so make your decision quick!" He trotted past him with a determined look on his face "See you around, pansy! C'mon, everypony! Let's go!" He called out to the group as they followed after the avaricious pony and left a conflicted Blueblood behind.
_____

Chrysalis looked out the window and huffed to herself as she peered over the horizon to see a dark spot in the air slowly growing 'I forget just how lazy my changelings can be when it comes to flight...' She then smiled to herself 'But at least they can feast well once they arrive...' The changeling queen then turned to see Celestia under Father's paralysis spell and laughed at her as she trotted near "Isn't this wonderful, Celestia? I get to see you crumble and burn and I barely had to lift a single hoof!! If only Father would let me have my way with you before you're gone forever!"

Celestia struggled before she glared up at Chrysalis "You're wrong to be aiding him, Chrysalis. Once he gets what he wants, he'll only cast you aside! Too much power can corrupt even the strongest minds!!"

Chrysalis gave an amused laugh and rolled her eyes "Oh please, princess! If anything, Father owes me for all the help I have given him in the past! I'm just glad he was able to get me this far!" She looked down with a wicked smile "And to think, all he wanted was you, his children, and nopony else..."

Ceelstia grunted while she was being held by the paralysis spell and heard Chrysalis' every word. But then an idea sprang into her head as she shakingly managed a smile "Are you jealous?"

Chrysalis raised an eyebrow "Jealous? Jealous of what?"

Celestia chuckled "He came to you for help, but aside from his children all he wanted was me and not you...I deduced you two would make a fine pair, but I noticed he snubbed you when you tried to sway him..."

Chrysalis snarled "Watch your tongue, Celestia!! Are you honestly implying that I would fawn for him!?"

Celestia chuckled again "Well, yes and no. You said he was after me and nopony else...Where does that leave you, I wonder?"

Chrysalis growled as her horn began to glow "Stop your incessant wordplay at once, you deluded wench!! Why would I be jealous of you when you're in that condition and about to be gone!?"

Celestia weakly rolled her eyes "I wouldn't technically be gone if I was to become one with him...and he would hate it if you tried placing me in more harm than I am in now. For all we both know, he would probably cast you aside once he gets what he wants...and I would remain with him for all eternity..." Chrysalis grew more infuriated with Celestia's words and she managed one more chuckle while the changeling queen's jagged horn grew brighter "You mad?" Chrysalis roared and went to zap Celestia with a beam.

"Chrysalis!!!"

The changeling queen stopped her action when she heard Father's voice, and looked back to see him with an irate expression. Chrysalis stammered before she growled again "This one is running at the mouth while we're wasting time waiting for your precious children!! Why must you let her live long enough to act like a defiant ignoramus before you see your goal through!?"

Father scoffed "Leave her alone! Do what you want with the others, but God..." he narrowed his eyes to slits "Is mine..." He uttered in his grave tone.

Chrysalis glared back at Father for a moment before her jagged horn ceased to glow. She shot a look of pure hatred towards Celestia and the other contained ponies before she trotted to the window to pout at her denied privilege of harming Celestia for her insolence. She looked down and perked up to see a group of ponies trot in the road "Father! They're here!! Your children have arrived!!"

Father turned to Chrysalis and raised an eyebrow "Oh?"
_____

When the group went through the castle's main gates, they stopped in the middle of the courtyard to look up at the towers. Greed looked around with a smirk 'Heh, the place hasn't changed a bit...' He looked up at the towers and grinned "Alright! Let's go pay dear old dad a visit!" He went to gallop into the castle before he was held by a magical aura.

Twilight looked at Greed while her horn glowed "We can't just rush into battle like that! We need the elements before we can do anything else!"

Greed looked back with an annoyed sneer "I figured you'd have them on you! Where are they?"

Rarity turned to a distant building with large gates "We need to get to that building over there!" She pointed "But we need to hurry if we'll have to put an end to all of this!"

Greed stared at the building before he nodded to himself and looked at Twilight "You and your friends get to the elements, Twi..."

Twilight turned to Greed "But what about you?"

Greed smiled "You forget my dad's expecting me and my siblings? He's probably not gonna expect your elements! You just get them and meet us at the throne room, okay? We'll be waiting for you!"

Fluttershy looked concerned "But it could be very dangerous..."

Greed groaned "That's the whole point! Just get the elements so we can do this thing!" He smiled reassuringly at the element bearers "Don't worry about us, alright? I've been through this kind of thing before!! And my family's tough! You've seen Sloth, right?"

Applejack sighed "Ah suppose yer right...In that case, y'all be careful inside th' castle, ya hear? Don't go out on us like this!!"

Greed smirked at Applejack "Done!"

Twilight trotted up to Greed and looked at him with more concern than Fluttershy "Are you sure about this, Greed? This is Chrysalis and your father!"

Greed sighed and looked at Twilight as he activated his horn. Twilight was then wrapped in a silver aura of magic and pulled towards Greed, where he embraced the lavender bookworm into a hug. Twilight blushed furiously while she was hugged, and Greed only smiled "Stop worrying about me, you nerd...I'll be fine." Despite the minor insult, there was a warmness to Greed's tone. He then broke the embrace and smiled at Twilight while she stared back "Now get going! We're burning daylight, and your princess isn't gonna save herself so easily!"

Twilight stared back long enough before she snapped out of her trance and nodded back to Greed with a determined smile "Okay. Good luck, Greed!"

Greed nodded back and turned to his siblings "Let's go. We don't wanna keep him waiting no longer..."

The other former homunculi held neutral stares as they nodded in reply and followed Greed while the element bearers made for the element chamber.
_____

Greed led his siblings through the castle's vestibule and trotted up the stairs with a cold feeling in his spine "This whole place is dead as a doornail..." He peered around when he noticed that there wasn't a soul to be found so far.

Envy narrowed its eyes "Knowing Father, he already cleared the place! Let's just meet up with him and get this over with!"

Lust nodded "Yes...But tell me, Greed. Do you honestly think it would be wise to confront Father knowing he is about to obtain the hightest level of power?"

Greed stopped and looked back at Lust with a sneer "You sound like you wanna come crawling back to him once we see his ugly face! Don't tell me you're gonna bail on us, Lust!!" Lust flinched against Greed for the first time and looked away in silence. The avaricious pony narrowed his eyes at Lust while she averted her gaze "Before you do anything stupid, let me tell you one thing, Lust...We may be monsters, but those ponies still welcomed us with open arms! I wouldn't let them die out just for the sake of power..." He then turned back to look ahead as he continued his march.

Envy looked down and thought to itself in silence, and then noticed Greed leaving as it caught up to follow "Hey, wait up!"

Gluttony stayed behind with Lust and looked up at her "Lusty? Is Father doing the right thing up there? He is, right? Right?" He smiled innocently and waited for an answer.

Lust grunted "I..." She choked and looked down as she remembered all of the memories she held with her time at Ponyville "I don't know..."

End of Chapter 42

Chapter 43

Disowned

At the element chamber, Twilight pushed the doors open and galloped for the magic door with her friends in tow. When they skidded to a halt in front of it, Twilight composed herself and trotted over to the door with a look of resolve on her face.

Applejack tilted her head "Not t' dampen th' mood, but won't we be needin' th' princess fer this?"

Twilight turned back to Applejack "Desperate times call for desperate measures, Applejack. I'll have to tap into my deepest reserve of magic if we're going to open this door!" She narrowed her eyes "We need the elements for this, and we'll have to do whatever it takes to get them!"

Pinkie squealed "Oh! Oh! I think this is gonna be one of those Deus ex machina moments!! The kind where you manage to do the impossible and get whatever's out of your reach! Do it, Twilight! Doitdoitdoit!" She hopped up and down with glee.

Twilight nodded "Right..." Her horn glowed as she licked her lips "Here I go!" She then inserted her horn into the door's circular lock and began to channel more of her magic. Sadly, the door did not respond to Twilight's current magic output. Annoyed, she grunted as she focused more magic into it.

Rainbow Dash looked worried "C'mon, Twilight! You can do this! They need our help!"

Twilight had a strained look on her face as she continued pushing more magic into the door with no response 'I can't quit now! This is for Equestria!!' She was beginning to feel exhausted, but she shrugged it off as she tried even harder.

Rarity was more worried than Rainbow Dash "Oh dear! She can't go on like this!"

Pinkie stopped her hopping "We have to help her! C'mon, girls!" She then trotted over and placed her hooves on Twilight while she focused.

Rainbow Dash noticed and looked annoyed "Pinkie, we can't pull her away from the door! Get away from her!"

Pinkie looked serious towards Rainbow Dash and the others "Just get over here and do what I'm doing! Twilight needs our help, right? Well let's help her!! We're in this together!"

Fluttershy was confused until she got what Pinkie was saying "She's right. The elements are behind that door, and we need them to respond to us..." She trotted over and placed her hooves on Twilight as well.

Rarity looked at both Pinkie and Fluttershy and sighed "While this does seem crazy, we particularly have no other alternative..." She did as Fluttershy and Pinkie have and placed her hooves on Twilight.

Applejack nodded "Pinkie's right! We're in this together! We gotta help Twilight since our elements are in there as well!" The cowpony then joined the others.

Rainbow Dash was the last to glance at the group of ponies grouped together in front of the door. She felt reluctant with how funny it looked, but she wondered if Pinkie and the others were onto something "Guess I'm in, too! Let's do this!" She glided over and joined the rest of the element bearers with Twilight.

Twilight was almost running out of focus while she kept her horn on the door 'No...I can't lose now...We need the elements...' She almost felt lost until she finally recognized her friends at her side. The lavender bookworm opened her eyes and weakly shifted them about to look at them smiling back at her 'I'm glad to have friends like them...They've been with me ever since I first came to Ponyville, and now they're helping me with this new problem ahead of me.' She closed her eyes as she managed a sincere smile 'Thank you, girls...You're the best...'

With that, she focused more, and a mysterious wave felt from beyond the door managed to strengthen her. Her horn glowed brighter than before, and the door slowly lined itself with luminescent lights and finally bursted open. The element bearers flew back, but recovered when they noticed the gem-encrusted chest in front of them. Twilight smile "We did it!" The element bearers cheered and made their way to the chest.

Twilight levitated it over to them and opened the chest to reveal all six elements glimmering brilliantly. She then passed them around to each respective owner with determination "Alright, everypony! We got what we needed! Now we should hurry and help Greed and the others!" She galloped off with the other element bearers. While Twilight galloped, she looked up at the castle with concern 'Greed...Please be okay in there...'
_____

The former homunculi trotted long enough before they finally reached the throne room containing Father, Chrysalis, and their five prisoners. Greed looked to see the approaching alicorn and sneered.

Chrysalis saw Greed and growled indignantly "You again!" While she glared at Greed, Father trotted up to him and the others and stopped in front of them with a stoic glance.

Father looked at Greed's group and greeted them with a smile on his face "You've come...I'm glad you got my message..." He spoke in his calm tone.

Greed scoffed "Well we wouldn't miss it for the world! Never thought you'd have Celestia, Luna, AND Cadence on the ropes like this!"

Father chuckled "And I've never thought you would emerge into this world along with the rest of your siblings. But tell me...where is Pride?"

Greed smirked "He couldn't make it here. And besides, we're a whole lot better without him, since all he'll do is kiss ass to you!"

Father snorted "If anything, you should join him in being wiped out of existence...But I should forgive your actions knowing I'm closer to greatness once again..."

Greed gave a dark grin at his Father "You're too kind! Afraid I might kick your ass again, pops!?"

Wrath grunted when he noticed Greed and the others "Greed...n-no...run!" He struggled.

Father sneered "I've expected better from you, Greed. To talk to your father like this...I would advise you to not make any more mistakes and end up like Wrath." He looked back at Wrath with a dark glare. He then shifted his gaze back to the group "But now that you're here, now I can finally get down to business..." He trotted over to Celestia's side and smiled at the former homunculi "Take a good look, my children! I have God at my side this very moment! Soon, I shall merge with her and become the perfect being once more!"

Greed growled "Are you stupid!? Celestia's not God, you idiot! And have you forgotten how your last plan ended up!?"

Father narrowed his eyes at Greed "It was all loused up by you and those humans! But I won't make the same mistake twice..." He smiled "This time, I will have no distractions." He looked around at the former homunculi "And maybe...just maybe I could let you live so we can all be a family again...I'll even provide you with all the power you could ask for...What do you say?"

Lust gave a small gasp and looked down. This was it for her. It was either abandon her friends and come back to her father, or fight for her new home and her new life. She then turned to Greed, who looked at her with a glare. But this glare was not full of anger, but with an urge for understanding from his younger brother. She then turned to Gluttony, who looked innocent and uncertain as he tilted his head. The lascivious mare then finally turned to Envy, who frowned at Lust at first, but then smiled. She did not need anything from Sloth, knowing his answer as well. With a deep breath, she opened her eyes at Father and simply uttered "No..."

Father's smile dropped at the answer "What was that?" He asked in his calm tone.

Lust took another deep breath as her mind was made up. She realized that she would only be treated as a tool by her own Father once more "I said no. While I owe a certain debt to you for bringing me into this life, I refuse to turn my back on those that have not only took me in as one of their own, but have treated me with trust and respect. You are only seeking power through destruction, and I do not wish to go that route once again...I've learned a lot from them, and I wish to know more about this world..."

Father did not change his frown "You do realize that I can grant you that knowledge along with immortality? Are you not listening to yourself, my daughter?"

Lust narrowed her eyes "You disgust me with how you still consider yourself my father after what you put me and Gluttony through! We've done your bidding for the longest time for your personal benefit alone! You've given no thought to our own desires while we've broken our backs for you! And for that, I refuse to see your goal through!"

Gluttony shifted his glance from Lust to Father until he finally answered hesitantly "If Lusty doesn't want to be with you...then neither do I! Sorry, Father..." He whimpered as he looked away "Besides...Pinkie is the best friend I've ever met. She gives me all the delicious food I could eat! And she likes me for it!" He smiled "I love you, Father, but I love my new friends even more!!"

Envy scoffed and gave its own reason as well "I'd say I've given you enough of my time, old man! I'm not going because I don't trust your judgement like I used to anymore! Those princesses you captured actually gave me a chance to live again! Not only that, I have somepony who would stick with me to the end!" It then sneered at Chrysalis "And I sure as hell ain't coming back so I could consider that ugly bitch my mother!!"

Chrysalis was taken aback before she roared with rage "How dare you!? You insignificant parasprite!! You are a changeling at heart! Would you defy me even like this!?"

Envy matched its rage with the changeling queen "Watch me!! I don't owe you or my father shit right now!! The power's tempting, but I'm not coming back!! You're not my mother, and I'm definitely NOT your child!! Get used to it!!"

Sloth raised himself to stare blankly at Father "Working for you is a pain..." Those words were all he needed to state his answer.

Greed grinned at Father "Well, dad? I guess you got your answer from all of us! What do you have to say about that!?" He said as he assumed a defensive position.

Father stared, and his expression slowly contorted into rage "Foolish..." He uttered quietly as his body began to crackle with red static "You're all FOOLISH!!" The pale alicorn reeled his head back and jerked it forward as his horn shot a beam of red electricity that shocked the entire group. They all growled and struggled in pain while Father glared at all of them with untamed rage "You would defy me!? The one who gave you life!? Who gave you the abilities that you have made good use of in the past!? Foolish!! All of you!! You all shall become stones as you have before!!"

Greed had his teeth bared as he grunted and looked to see his body gradually glowing 'N-No...Dammit!!' He looked up and glared back at his Father while his transformation was taking place 'Twilight...I'm sorry...'

Before Father could finish, a projectile flew at him over his children and earned his attention. He ceased his static and defended himself with a magic shield. He saw that the projectile slid down his shield in a gooey yellow and red mush, then he looked behind his children to see an orange mare tossing an apple up and down in her left hoof while wearing a golden necklace and a determined glare on her face "Don't y'all be messin' with my friends, pardner..." She was then accompanied by five more mares.

Rainbow Dash soared in and noticed Envy picking itself up and flew down to it "Envy! Are you alright?" She placed her hooves on the jealous pony's shoulders while looking concerned.

Envy caught its breath and felt itself before smiling at Rainbow Dash "Yeah...You and your friends came at a good time as ever. I see you got them elements, too!"

Rainbow Dash chuckled "Trust me, it wasn't easy neither!! But we're here now! We can still win this!!" She picked up Envy and the two stood ready for a fight.

Greed picked himself up and chuckled when he saw Twilight in her ornate tiara "Good timing, Twi! Thought we were finished there..."

Twilight smiled and nuzzled Greed "I'm glad you're safe, Greed! Now we can take care of this problem!" She looked ahead and gasped when she noticed Celestia and the others trapped in a paralysis spell.

Shining Armor tried to look when he heard voices, and he managed a sad smile when he saw Twilight and tried to speak through his weakened state "Hey there...Twilie...Sorry you have to...see me like this..." He spoke through each breath.

Twilight widened her eyes, and then she was angered when she looked at Father "You did this, didn't you!? Why would you do such a thing!?"

Chrysalis chuckled to herself at Twilight's rage, but then she gasped when she looked at all of the element bearers "The Elements of Harmony!! We need to stop them!" She blurted out in shock. Even the changeling queen knew of their power.

Father dropped his shield and looked at all of the element bearers "So, these are the elements of harmony..." His horn glowed as he lifted all of the element bearers off their feet. When they were in the air, Father narrowed his eyes and he managed to strip the elements off of each mare before dropping them.

Twilight picked herself up and widened her eyes "No! The elements!"

Father nonchalantly levitated the elements into his sight and went through them "Honesty...Kindness...Laughter...Generosity...Loyalty...Magic..." He labeled each element and stopped on Twilight's tiara. After a small glance he smiled and bunched them all up in front of his eyes. He then reared onto his hindlegs as his forelegs gave off red static. Father growled as he slammed his forehooves into the elements. When his hooves along with the elements connected to the floor, each of them broke as if they were made of glass.

The element bearers and the former homunculi watched in shock. Greed growled as he watched the shards fall onto the red carpet "No!!"

Father took a deep breath as the static on his forelegs subsided "You see, my little ponies...Your dreams are like these elements..." He smiled, but then narrowed his eyes to slits as he scowled and hissed "They're meant to be shattered..."

End of Chapter 43

Chapter 44

Adversity

The group watched the shards on the ground and their hearts sank as Father lifted them up with a smug smile.

Pinkie inspected the elements before she smiled herself "HA! Joke's on you, papa! You can smash all those elements into itty bitty pieces, but they'll keep coming back so long as we channel our-"

"Friendship? I'm well-aware..."

Everypony present looked shocked at Father's interruption as his smile widened "What? You didn't think I would just shatter the elements and not expect you to bring them back with your spirit? Thanks to Celestia's memory, I know your precious elements inside and out...I'm actually enthralled by their unimaginable power."

Twilight glared at Father "How were you able to get Celestia's memories!?"

Father gave a light scoff "It does not matter...What matters now is disposing of the elements' remains."

Pinkie flailed her hooves "But didn't you hear me last time? You can smash them into-"

Father finished with a bored tone with an expression to match "-Itty bitty pieces? That was only the first step..." He then gave a devious grin as he swirled them around himself "The next is keeping them out of your reach." He jerked his head to the left and the shards flew out the window at bullet speed.

Greed watched and galloped for the window "No!" He was then lifted up by a red aura and dragged over to Father. He gritted his teeth while he glared "You bastard..."

Father smiled "Don't despair, Greed...I've only gotten rid of the obstacle in front of me. As for you and your siblings, I'm willing to give you a second chance..."

Greed narrowed his eyes "You know damn well what my answer is, don't you?"

Father shook his head with a smile "You only run at the mouth...You forget what I can grant you if you would just cease this pitiful 'delayed rebellious state' and listen to reason..."

Twilight watched with worry "No! Greed!" She galloped over, but then she was stopped by Chrysalis, who smiled sadistically while she stood in front of her with a glowing horn.

Greed scoffed "Just what the hell are you getting at, old man? Do you honestly think I'll believe you when you say you'll actually give me what I want?"

Father's smile widened "You don't have to take my word for it...I know you full well, Greed. You were born from my own avarice, and you've proven to be a capable child despite your upbringing. You wanted immortality all your life, haven't you?" Greed flinched at his words "Yes, aside from the world you live in, you've also craved to live forever so you can bask in your possessions. I'm willing to forgive you and cast aside my doubts on you if you're willing to come back to me...You don't need these ponies, Greed. And they don't need you..."

Greed pondered about what Father had said up to his last sentence. He looked back at Twilight, who looked over Chrysalis with sadness in her eyes. The avaricious pony flashed Twilight his signature cocky smirk 'Fucking liar...No way she doesn't need me...' He then turned back to face Father, only to inhale through his nose and spit in his eye, eliciting a grunt of displeasure from the pale alicorn as he turned his head away"Bite me, pops!! I may have wanted immortality and the world..." He narrowed his eyes with a smile "But I wanted friends, too...and plenty of them! These ponies behind me belong to me! They're my possessions AND my friends! And I'll be damned if you think I'm giving them up for your sake!!" Twilight and the others heard Greed's every word and smiled at him despite his position.

Father slowly turned back to Greed and give him the most hate-filled glare Greed had ever seen with his open eye. He spoke in a low and dangerous tone "Why you insolent little BRAT!!!" He jerked his head to the left and threw Greed out with his magic. Instead of going out the window, he was slammed harshly through a wall as he soared out of the tower. The group watched in surprise and shock.

Twilight gasped and watched Greed fly out "Greed!!!" Tears welled up in her eyes while she stared at the hole the avaricious pony had made.

Chrysalis rolled her eyes "Oh, boo-hoo~...He had it coming for a while, didn't he?" She spoke nonchalantly before she giggled at Twilight's misfortune.

Gluttony looked sad "The elements are gone..." His ears drooped as he looked down "And now Greed's gone, too..." He whimpered.

Rarity looked almost devastated "What do we do now!?"

Lust sighed "The only thing we can do..." Her horn glowed as it then extended into her Ultimate Spear. She looked ahead with conviction "We fight. There is no other alternative we have left if we wish to save Equestria..."

Sloth groaned "Fighting is a pain..." He then took a step forward "But Father's a bigger pain..."

Father looked down at the group with contempt "You, too, would engage in a futile struggle? I gladly welcome you to try...You'll only end up just like those wretched humans..."

Twilight clenched her eyes shut while her tears dripped from her face. Soon, her horn began to glow.

Greed gave a low whistle at what he had beheld "Not bad! You actually got it all down to the letter! I'd say this all-nighter was a good idea after all!"

"I have you to thank. This wouldn't have been possible without your help!"

Greed rolled his eyes and waved "Yeah, yeah! You gave me a place to stay and food to eat so I suppose I SHOULD owe you. Not to mention, I don't wanna get on Celestia's bad side being myself!" He chuckled to himself.

"What do you see in Celestia?"

Greed smirked "Enough power to do whatever I damn well please, that's for sure!"

"Language!"

Greed groaned "Would you relax? We're all adults in this house! I'd say your buddy Spike's well on his way to becoming a man himself!"

"Hehehe, I suppose you're right...Now about this spell..."

Greed snapped to attention "Oh, right! Well, if you got all the info down while you casted it, I'm sure you've got nothing to worry about! You're a living shield now like me!" He smirked again "Congrats, Twi! Now all we gotta do is wait til you have to use it again!"

Twilight sniffled while her horn glew brighter '...til you have to use it again...' She bared her teeth as she hissed in anger "You're a monster..." Father looked down at Twilight and hummed in question. Twilight raised her voice along with her horn's brightness "You're an unconscionable monster! To do that to your own child, along with the rest of Canterlot!! What kind of pony are you!?"

Father looked bored "An alicorn, last I checked...why do you ask?"

Twilight growled while she stood her ground and almost overwhelmed Chrysalis "I fail to see how you could even call yourself a Father after giving birth to children and treating them like dirt!! And for your own personal gain, no less!! It sickens me to think that there are ponies like you that exist in Equestria!!" Her body was gradually consumed in her own flash "With the help of my friends, I'm going to put an end to your sick goal!!" The flash subsided, and a new pony stood in place of Twilight.

Her body was a brilliant violet and her mane and tail were not seen on her at all. There was no mouth seen on her muzzle, and her eyes were blackened with glowing lavender pupils. Her horn was sharp, and her cutie mark glistened along with the rest of her body.

The element bearers dropped their jaws at the sight while the former homunculi (save for Sloth) watched in awe.

Rarity stammered "T-T-T-T-...Twilight!? Is that really you!?"

Gluttony blurted out "Hey! She's just like Greed! Look at her!"

Envy and Rainbow Dash stared in disbelief and spoke simultaneously "No way..."

Lust was just as stupified "Incredible...She mastered Greed's Ultimate Shield form..." She uttered to herself.

The new Twilight's eyes narrowed to a fierce glare at Father as she spoke in an altered metallic voice despite not having a mouth "Okay, Father! We're ready for you!!"

Father was almost stunned, and he nodded "Impressive...It would seem that Greed is beginning to rub off on you...Let us see if your magic is as good as Celestia claims, Twilight Sparkle!!" His horn crackled with static as he fired a beam.

Twilight shoved Chrysalis aside and made a dash for Father. She dodged to her left away from Father's beam as she galloped further.

Rainbow Dash saw this and yelled "Come on! We gotta help her!!" She dashed forward, only to be held in a telekinetic grasp courtesy of Chrysalis.

The changeling queen smiled viciously "You think I would let you just forget about me, you simpletons!? Come! Come and fight me-AUGH!!!" She was swept away by a chain that came from the right and knocked her into a wall.

Rainbow Dash moved freely again and looked to see Sloth reel his right foreleg back along with his chain. She smiled gratefully "Thanks for the assist, Sloth!"

Sloth groaned "Obstacles are a pain..." He looked ahead "Help Twilight..."

Rainbow Dash looked ahead and nodded "Right! Got it!!" She dashed ahead to Twilight's aid.

The new Ultimate Shield dodged more beams sent by Father before she directed her horn at him in a charge. He fired a last beam at her, and it ricocheted off her forehead. She collided with a shield while Father glared down at her. He then lifted her up with his magic and canceled his shield "As I thought...His dense mind is beginning to corrupt your intellect...What were you thinking?"

If Twilight had a mouth, she would smile "This!" On cue, a multicolored blur breezed over Twilight and collided with Father's head before it flew up and back. Twilight dropped from the pale alicorn's hold and focused her horn to charge and fire a beam at his chest, singing his coat and his flesh as he gave a pained grunt.

His wound mended while covered in red static as he sneered at Twilight "Clever girl..." He conjured his horn and threw Twilight back towards the others with his telekinesis. After that, he focused up at the blur that flew around before he conjured his horn and stopped Rainbow Dash in her tracks as well. Father then slammed her to the floor and tossed her back to the group.

Envy jumped up and caught Rainbow Dash before she could collide with the floor again "You okay!?" It spoke in an obnoxious tone, yet it showed genuine care.

Rainbow Dash recovered and rubbed her head "I'll be fine! Your dad's something else if he can actually catch me!"

Envy gave an eager smile "Nothing a little bum rush couldn't fix! Let's go!!"

Rainbow Dash smiled back at Envy and the two shared a hoof bump before they flew back into battle. The rest of the group followed suit with vigor.

Chrysalis picked herself up from the wall and growled "Not so fast!! I'm still he-AUGH!" She was then flung to the wall again by Sloth, only with his left foreleg.

The indolent pony groaned "Stay down..." He then began wailing on Chrysalis with his forelegs. It was a surprise to him, but Sloth was reminded of how he did the same to Alex Louis Armstrong in his previous life.

Chrysalis never thought she would be given this much pain from just one pony. It was an outrage to her. She mustered her strength during Sloth's onslaught and managed to halt his advance with a telekinetic hold "I refuse to be defeated by a mere earth pony!! Begone with you!!" She then threw him away as he flew near the others.

Applejack noticed and widened her eyes "Look out, y'all!!" They scrambled and barely managed to avoid succumbing to Sloth's massive build as it collided with one of the walls.

Chrysalis growled as she charged a beam and shot it at Sloth while he was down. The blast knocked him further into the wall and buried him under the crumbling rubble.

Twilight saw this and narrowed her eyes. She then turned to her friends "Applejack! Gluttony! Go help Sloth!" The two earth ponies complied and galloped towards the indolent pony.

Envy saw this and glared at Chrysalis before it turned to Twilight "I'm going, too! Sloth's my brother, and I need to teach this whore a lesson myself!!"

Rainbow Dash nodded "I'm helping, too! Envy can't do this without me!"

Envy perked up and glared at Rainbow Dash, but it left when she gave a sly smirk. At that, the jealous pony grinned back "Yeah...Alright, we're doing this together!" It turned to Twilight "These guys are a threat if paired up! We're gonna be trimming the fat before we can actually fight! Just give him a good one for me, okay?" The two pegasi then flew towards Chrysalis without hesitation.

Twilight had no time to argue and felt that Envy's judgement was clear enough. They needed to fight in groups and manage themselves if they can fight off both Chrysalis and Father. She then joined the others that were charging for the pale alicorn while he simply waited for them to approach.

Father saw that Lust extended her horn and narrowed his eyes as another shield appeared and clashed with the lascivious mare's Ultimate Spear. He then noticed that Twilight joined alongside her and charged into the shield in hopes of dimming it down. Rarity joined them as she focused her horn and shot a basic magic beam at Father's shield. Fluttershy kept her distance with fear building in her heart, and Pinkie Pie was nowhere to be found.

The pale alicorn shifted his eyes between the mares while they tried to match his shield's force "How admirable...You understand the gravity of the situation, and yet you all choose to fight down to your last breath. This only reminds me how much of a waste your lives truly are!" His shield gave off a wave that pushed back all three unicorns and had them all sprawled on the floor.

Fluttershy saw this with a small gasp and glared at Father "How dare you..." Father looked ahead at the timid mare as she flew up and repeated at a higher volume devoid of her former paranoia "How dare you!?" She trotted up to Father with courage and anger "Now listen here, mister! Just because you're a big and powerful alicorn doesn't mean that you should cause all of this destruction!! Who do you think you are!?"

Father lifted Fluttershy up with his telekinesis, and surprisingly, she did not waver while she kept her glare on the pale alicorn. He gave a light sneer "I am close to becoming a being of the highest power, and here you are scolding me like a mere child...Am I to be afraid of you?" He raised an eyebrow at the timid mare.

Fluttershy narrowed her eyes for a brief moment before she opened them wide and graced Father with 'The Stare'. The pale alicorn was caught off-guard and fell victim to it, dropping Fluttershy out of his grasp while he stared back with wide eyes. The timid mare landed on her hooves and kept her stare on Father so he could remain in place, extremely vulnerable to attack.

Twilight saw this and gasped in realization as she turned to Rarity and Lust "He's open! Get up and let him have it!!" The three mares hopped onto their hooves and galloped back into the fray.

End of Chapter 44

Chapter 45

Holding out

While Father was stunned, the three unicorns rushed in and attacked him around all angles. Lust kept impaling at Father's sides with her Ultimate Spear, Rarity continuously punched at Father's muzzle, and Twilight rushed in and rammed at the pale alicorn wherever he was open.

Celestia, despite her current position, beheld Twilight's new form and could not be more impressed with her student's findings. She managed a weak smile while she watched Twilight fight it out 'So it seems Greed has taught her a lesson of his own...Letting him learn the values of friendship in Ponyville was no mistake...'

Shining Armor was next to notice the new Twilight taking on Father 'Twilight...Is that you, Twilight?' If he weren't in a weakened state of magical paralysis, the guard captain would express his shock in full detail.

Father grunted at each successful hit around his body, and his regeneration rate could not keep up with each hit piled up on him. When his eyes were shut, it was enough to snap him out of the Stare and allow him to focus his energy. He growled as he stomped his forehooves "ENOUGH!!" Another magic wave was exerted, and it barreled over his attackers, including Fluttershy. He was severely mangled all over, but his body mended each wound in ample time.

Rarity watched in shock "It's no use!! He'll only come back from whatever we throw at him! What should we do?"

Lust grunted as she picked herself up, and she glanced at the paralyzed group laying behind Father. The barriers that held them dimmed for a short moment, and the lascivious mare perked up "Keep fighting!! It may seem we're at a disadvantage, but we're wearing him out!"

Twilight turned to Lust and nodded "Got it!" She then looked around "Wait...Where's Pinkie Pie?" The other mares looked around as well.

Father snorted, but even he was curious to the party pony's location. He scouted the throne room and saw neither hide nor hair of Pinkie.

"BANZAI!!!"

The pale alicorn perked his ears up when he heard the shout above him, but before he could turn his head to look up, he was knocked down by a familiar pink pony. Pinkie then hopped off of Father and joined the others. Father watched in disbelief "How did you-"

Pinkie Pie greeted Father with a serious stare "Do you know who I am, Father?" She then grabbed Rarity, who yelped as she was pulled into Pinkie's grasp with her horn pointed at Father. Pinkie grasped Rarity's tail with a hoof as her eyes narrowed at the pale alicorn "I'm Pinkie Pie..." She whispered before she began spinning Rarity's tail rapidly. By unknown circumstance, several magic beams shot out of the fashionista's horn towards Father at the same rate.

Father noticed this and brought up his shield to fend off each beam. While he defended himself, he noticed how much power he used up from the ponies' earlier onslaught and the beams he was currently deflecting. He growled to himself 'They will not relent...But neither shall I!' Father grunted as he held his own against Pinkie's assault.
_____

Applejack and Gluttony focused thoroughly on digging up Sloth out of the bed of rubble he was under. The cowpony grunted as she moved another large rock "Sloth, y'all better not be dead or sleepin' under there!!" She noticed Gluttony put his back into it with his digging 'He really is stronger than he looks...an' he must really care about Sloth an' 'is other siblings so much!' She flashed a quick smile of respect for the voracious pony before she went back to her own digging.

Chrysalis noticed the two earth ponies and chuckled "I don't think it's wise for you to help your friend when you're about to join him!" She was about to fire a beam at them, but she then noticed Rainbow Dash and Envy flying towards her and sneered "These distractions are working my nerve!" She turned to them and fired a beam.

Both pegasi easily dodged away from it and closed in on the changeling queen for a dual frontal check. They were lucky to knock her back a few feet and manage to hold steady. Rainbow Dash zipped towards Chrysalis and curved behind her back to lay a buck to her flank that sent her forward, and Envy flew directly at her to deliver a hook with its right hoof across Chrysalis' face.

The changeling queen growled and grasped Envy in a telekinetic hold, to which she jerked her head to the side and made the jealous pony crash into Rainbow Dash. Both pegasi were hurled across the room and rolled along the floor "Weaklings!" She snarled "None of the lesser changelings would dare challenge me, let alone with a pony!!"

Envy picked itself and Rainbow Dash up as it glared at Chrysalis "Well that's all the more reason why I don't consider you a mom!! I'll gladly kick your ass and come out the victor!!"

Rainbow Dash glared as well "And you don't know what we're capable of!!" She turned to Envy with a smile "Get going, Envy! Show queeny here who's boss!!"

Envy felt invigorated when she took in Rainbow Dash's words. It was as if they were tinted with hidden affection. The jealous pony then flew in at Chrysalis. The changeling queen fired a beam at it, but and it barely managed to avoid it without singing parts of its wild mane. Envy growled and pushed onward before it collided with Chrysalis's chest and propelled her into a wall. It flew back away from her and examined itself in surprise 'Wow...I never thought I'd get THIS strong...' It turned over to see Rainbow Dash grinning at its successful hit and gave a thin smile 'Guess you're not much of a prick after all...'

It then jerked its head back to glare at Chrysalis as she recovered from the wall and snarled at the jealous pony "Lucky shot! But let's see you do it again after recovering from this!!" She then conjured her horn and wrapped Envy in a telekinetic hold, then slammed it onto the ceiling and the floor in a repetetive cycle.

Rainbow Dash steamed from her nostrils and zipped towards Chrysalis while she was focused on Envy. She gave a strong check to her side and caused her to break her hold on the jealous pony "Back off!!"

Envy recovered and rubbed its head after enduring so much pain from the attack, and then glared at Chrysalis as she picked herself up "No you fucking don't!!" It then zipped over and tackled Chrysalis, then began to unload a flurry of punches onto Chrysalis' face with its forelegs. But before it could continued, it was lifted up and tossed away by the changeling queen's magic.

She managed to pick herself up and rub the sides of her mouth to see they were stained with her green blood. Chrysalis widened her eyes 'It can't be! Envy's only a lesser changeling! Where could that little gutter snipe even gather enough strength to-' She looked ahead and focused on Rainbow Dash, then gave a knowing smile full of malevolence 'Of course...' She flew at Rainbow Dash and stopped in front of her as the cyan pegasus took flight. Before she could fly away, she was caught in a telekinetic hold and was drawn near her as she grinned wickedly.

Envy picked itself up and went to attack Chrysalis again, but stopped when she noticed Rainbow Dash at the changeling queen's side "I seem to have forgotten how you've managed to collect so much strength since our last encounter, hatchling!"

Envy growled "Who're you calling a hatchling, bitch!? Let her go!!"

Chrysalis shook her head as she drew Rainbow Dash closer to her jagged horn with her magic "I think not, little one! Why don't you be a good changeling and bow to your queen before I see to your power supply shedding off her mortal coil?"

Envy narrowed its eyes "To hell with that!" It went to advance on Chrysalis, but stopped to see Rainbow Dash struggle in the changeling queen's hold. The jealous pony grunted in anger and frustration to know it can only hesitate for the sake of Rainbow Dash's life.

Chrysalis laughed triumphantly "MUCH better! Obedience is very becoming of you, little hatchling! Now get on your knees and proclaim my greatness as your queen!"

Envy gritted its teeth "Just because I'm not gonna attack yet doesn't mean I'll bow to you, you idiot!!"

Chrysalis hissed "As expected from one of Father's children..." She went to end Rainbow Dash, but then a shadow loomed over her head. Chrysalis looked behind in confusion, but it turned to shock to see Sloth standing over her with his blank stare and a moan "Not again..." She uttered.

Sloth then jabbed Chrysalis into the wall opposite of the one Greed flew out of, but it then broke as she soared a good distance from being hit hard "Changelings are a pain..."

Rainbow Dash hovered when she was free of Chrysalis and glided down to Envy, who smiled at the hole made by Sloth "You're so lucky to have a brother like, Sloth! You know that, Envy?" The cyan pegasus smirked at Envy.

Envy chuckled "Yeah, he may be a bit slow upstairs, but he's not bad for a little brother..."

Rainbow Dash widened her eyes at Envy's words "Little!?"

Gluttony smiled at Sloth, but then looked back to see Lust hurt and looked saddened "Lust..."

Applejack gave a soft jab at Gluttony's shoulder as she held a sympathetic smile "Go on, sugarcube! We can take it from here!"

Gluttony turned to Applejack with a grateful smile and nodded "Okay!" He then galloped towards the other group "I'm coming, Lust! I'm coming, Pinkie!"
_____

Pinkie continued blasting at Father's shield with vigor in her eyes "Say hello to my little friend!!!" Little did she know that Rarity was getting exhausted after she fired so much of her magic from her horn.

Father grew tired of having to be pinned down by Pinkie and canceled out his shield for a new trick as his horn glowed. One of the beams nearly hit his face, but it stopped and formed into a small sphere of energy. The other beams flew by as well, but instead of hitting Father, they all collected into the sphere of energy and made it grow in size.

Twilight saw this and gasped as she turned to Pinkie "Pinkie, stop!! You're only fueling his next attack!!"

Pinkie continued firing despite the new sight in front of her, but her determination faltered when she noticed the beams she shot grew weaker "Oh no! I'm running out of ammo!" She looked down at Rarity with a pleading glance "C'mon, Rarity! We gotta pick it up!"

Rarity was panting and sweating "Pinkie, you wore me out with that random trick of yours! I can't go on!"

Twilight noticed the large sphere of light about to be launched by Father and her eyes widened "Pinkie! Rarity! Get out of the way!" The two mares did as they were told once Father launched the sphere of energy. Twilight hopped in front of it and took the full brunt of the blast, and was then hurled across the throne room towards the doors.

Lust gasped and galloped towards Twilight "Twilight! Are you alright?" She asked while the new Ultimate Shield laid down.

Twilight grunted and staggered, but she managed to pick herself up and take some deep breaths "I've hung out with Rarity for so long, and I never thought she had that much energy inside of her! I'm a little sore, but I'm alright!" She was actually surprised to know that her Ultimate Shield spell absorbed such a large amount of magic, and she inwardly smiled to herself 'Greed...Thank you so much...' She then narrowed her eyes "Come on! We have to try harder if we're gonna wear him out!" The two unicorns then joined the others.

End of Chapter 45

Chapter 46

Back in the game

Outside of the castle, Greed laid battered on the grass and writhed in pain as he gave shuddered breaths. He bared his teeth and clenched his eyes shut when he felt a sharp pain on his back 'The old fart did a number on me...' He popped open one of his eyes and looked upon a strange sight next to him 'Good thing the statue broke my fall...' He thought sarcastically.

The statue he referred to was serpentine in structure, and was composed of body parts of different animals. It was wavy in design, and the face of it was draped with fear in its eyes. The avaricious pony was confused as to why Celestia would keep something so ugly in her royal gardens.

But it didn't matter to him now. Greed tried to gather his strength despite being flung out through a wall and bouncing off of a weird statue. He clenched his eyes shut and gritted his teeth when he tried picking himself up "Damn!" He growled as he felt pain course through his body "I know I'm not the homunculus I used to be, but I'd kill for some help right now..." He looked up at the castle while he breathed deeply 'Twilight...and my bastard of a dad's up there. I need to be up there, too! But how can we beat him without the damn elements!?' He moved a hoof and planted it on the ground "Ow! Crap!" He blurted out as he inspected his hoof.

What pierced his hoof happened to be a golden shard, and Greed's eyes slowly widened when he remembered something.

"What? You didn't think I would just shatter the elements and not expect you to bring them back with your spirit? Thanks to Celestia's memory, I know your precious elements inside and out...I'm actually enthralled by their unimaginable power."

"-Itty bitty pieces? That was only the first step...The next is keeping them out of your reach."

Greed stared at the sharp embedded in his hoof long enough before he darted his head around "I need to find more of those shards! I gotta-Rrgh!" His legs caved in and he looked around to see some of the shards that Father threw out 'If only I weren't in so much damn pain! I could've wrapped up all these shards in a minute! I need some help...'

"It's you!"

The avaricious pony's ears perked up and he turned left to see a familiar royal unicorn approach him "Just what are you doing out here? Aren't you supposed to be inside fighting your father?" He asked in confusion.

Greed groaned at Blueblood's question 'He doesn't even know what it feels like to be tossed out of a high tower through a freaking wall, does he!?' "The better question is what are you doing here, pansy? Are you actually thinking about fighting?"

Blueblood fumed at Greed's insult "For the last time, you ignorant dolt, I most certainly am NOT a pansy!" He took a deep breath and his mood softened "I actually contemplated on what you've said earlier, and I realized that I wouldn't be deemed worthy to be a prince if I leave my subjects at the hooves of your deranged father! But I realize that it would be absolutely insane to rush head on, so I took the time to stroll around the castle to come up with a plan!" He said with a confident tone. He then frowned as he lifted a hoof and levitated a shard from it "But wherever I roam around this area, I keep coming across these bothersome shards! I remembered our groundskeeper Hayseed managing the royal gardens just before all of this happened!"

Greed deadpanned at Blueblood's explanation "How freaking smart of you..." He then grunted as he tried to pick himself up "Listen, I never thought I'd ask this from you, but I need you to help me! Those shards are very important!"

Blueblood tilted his head at Greed "They are? Is it because they consist of gold and gems?"

Greed gritted his teeth "More than that! They're the elements! My dad smashed them to pieces and no doubt they're all scattered out around here! I want you to work whatever magic you know and heal me so I can get cracking!"

Blueblood gasped "The many shards I came across were of the Elements of Harmony!? Oh, what hope do we have left now!?" He weeped in shock and despair.

Greed fell to his knees again as he took some deep breaths "We still have a chance, idiot! All we need to do is gather every single shard around here and bring them up to the throne room! Twilight and the others can do the rest!"

Blueblood looked at Greed inquisitively "But are you certain that they could prevail even if the elements are shattered?"

Greed grunted "Definitely! But enough talk! We're wasting time out here, and my dad could be victorious up there! Just heal me so we can find the damned things!!"

Blueblood took a deep breath as he nodded in comprehension "Understood! Lucky for a unicorn such as yourself, I happen to know some medical magic just in case I were all alone and injured!" His horn glowed with a blue aura and he directed it on Greed while he struggled to lift himself. The ignorant prince narrowed his eyes "Stay still, you! I cannot work with you moving so much!"

Greed did as he was told and laid on the grass "Just hurry it up! I can't let them die!" He tried hard to relax, but tension filled his body along with pain. The avaricious pony was antsy to try and make sure the same mistake made in Amestris wouldn't be repeated in Canterlot. After a small moment of waiting, he felt a large pinch in his body, followed by a cooling sensation that flooded his system. Greed lifted himself and winced in pain, but he inspected himself to know that he could at least move decently despite being sore. He nodded to Blueblood in respect "Not bad, pansy! Never thought you had it in you!"

Blueblood held his head up with a smug smile "Well, when you're a prince like me, knowledge is hoof-delivered to you on a silver platter!" He then glared at Greed "And for the love of my aunt, stop calling me a pansy! I'm helping you, you know!"

Greed sighed "Yeah, I suppose you're right. Well, let's get to it then! Spread and search for the shards and we'll gather them together here! I'm counting on you!"

Blueblood nodded "As I am you! Let us be off!" The two unicorns parted ways and began scouring the gardens for every last one of the shards.
_____

Fluttershy tended to Rarity from a safe distance while the rest of the group fought Father and Chrysalis. The timid mare whimpered "Why did it have to come to this? Without the elements, this battle is too close for comfort!"

Rarity looked around in sadness "Nopony said it would be easy, darling. But I'm happy to see that Lust and the others are willing to fight against all odds! We need to be resilient like we always have in the past!" She held a look of resolve as she recovered.

Fluttershy looked at Twilight and the others fight with the aid of Gluttony and sighed "You're right. We overcame many things in our time, and maybe we can win this with the help of the homunculi!" She looked down in sadness "I just hope we manage to survive this..."

Rarity smiled at Fluttershy "I'm sure we will, Fluttershy. We have friends at our side." She picked herself up and shook herself "Alright! I think I can manage for another round! Shall we, Fluttershy?"

Fluttershy shivered "Um...Y-You go on ahead...I don't think I can fight." She looked away.

Rarity frowned at Fluttershy "Come now, Fluttershy! You need to remember that we're fighting for Equestria! I'm not all for fighting myself, but I'll raise arms for my home if I have to!" She poked her chin in thought and perked up with an idea "Take the time to be more assertive! Only do so around Father and nopony else!"

Fluttershy thought over Rarity's words, and then she stood up as her eyes narrowed "You're right..." She glared at the pale alicorn "Nopony should even be suffering because of him! Let's go!" Fluttershy and Rarity then dashed back into battle.

Twilight rushed at Father and caused him to cast another shield to fend her off "You'll have to yield sooner or later, Father!! You can't keep this up forever!"

Father sneered at Twilight with contempt "You deluded fool..."

Pinkie hopped over Father with a smile and landed behind him while Twilight took him on at the front "While I may not have Rarity, I still have this baby!" She pulled out her party cannon out of nowhere and aimed it carefully "Steady, steady..." While a fuse was hanging on the top of the cannon, Pinkie pushed it down as if there were a button, and her cannon shot out a large stream of confetti while a party blower noise sounded.

The confetti hit Father from behind and snapped him from his focus on Twilight. The lavender bookworm took this advantage and blast another magical beam on Father's chest, to which it mended quickly.

The pale alicorn looked behind and wrapped Pinkie and her cannon in a red aura. Pinkie frowned "Uh oh!" She was then flung around and knocked against Twilight and Lust. The three mares were bunched in a pile and tried to recover from the hit.

Gluttony saw this and gasped. He slowly turned to Father with anger "You hurt Lust...and you hurt Pinkie!" Gluttony trembled as he bared his teeth "Father, you're mean!! They didn't deserve that!!" He then galloped forward and latched himself onto Father's right foreleg with his mouth.

Father yelled in pain and he used his magic to yank Gluttony from his leg as the voracious pony left a massive bite mark from it. His wound recovered while he lifted Gluttony and glared "You impudent child, Gluttony! Perhaps you would like to join Greed outside?" He then jerked his head and tossed Gluttony through the hole Greed flew out of.

Lust picked herself up and noticed what happened "No! Gluttony!" She seethed with anger and she turned to Father "Now it's personal...He did not deserve such a fate by your hooves!"

Father huffed "He was the simplest of you children barring Sloth. It was merely a kindness..." The pale alicorn charged another beam "Besides, you should worry about yourselves!!" He then blasted a beam at Lust while she prepared to dodge.

Twilight jumped up and she stood in front of the beam, only to be knocked into a wall harshly and land on the floor with a thud. The lavender bookworm picked herself up and brushed herself off as she inspected herself "This shield is amazing! I feel so much stronger with it on!"

Lust called to Twilight "You have to focus! We need to win this battle!" She said as she galloped over to Father.

The pale alicorn expected her, but he turned to see Fluttershy and Rarity rush at him as well. He grunted and activated yet another shield to protect him from all three mares "I am beginning to think that you are at the end of your rope, my little ponies...This game is soon to be over!" Fluttershy glared at Father and her eyes almost shot open for another Stare. The pale alicorn's eyes widened before he clenched them shut and wrapped Fluttershy in a telekinetic hold to fling her into Lust "The same trick will not work twice!!" He grunted when he received a hit from Rarity.

Rarity glared at Father as she drew herself back at a safe distance "Take that, you ruffian!" She then looked shocked as he glared at her and wrapped her in a telekinetic hold. Rarity was then flung into Pinkie before she could advance with the others.

Twilight growled as she watched her friends get knocked around "This is getting us nowhere!" She then looked over at Father's prisoners and noticed their barriers dimming again 'Unless...' She looked over at the recovering mares "Keep him busy, girls! I have an idea!!"

Pinkie picked herself up and saluted with a smile "Roger dodger, Twi!" She then turned to Rarity "You ready for the second wave, Rarity?"

Rarity raised an eyebrow "Second wave? What are you-AH!" She was then grabbed by Pinkie and her horn was positioned at Father as Pinkie grabbed a hold of her tail "Pinkie! Not again!"

Pinkie yelled "Leeroooooooooy Wingkiiiiiins!!!" before she unleashed another torrent of magic beams upon Father.

Father growled as he gathered the energy "This again!? Have your mistakes taught you nothing thus far!?"

While he was distracted, Twilight galloped towards Celestia and the other captive ponies and examined the barrier with squinted eyes 'Hmm, let's see...I've studied this spell before! Earlier, it was too strong even for me, but now I think I can dispel this force with the proper concentration!' She closed her eyes and made her horn glow 'All I need is some time...' The barriers began to fade away 'Almost got it...almost...'

While he gathered the energy, Father noticed Twilight behind him and widened his eyes "NO!!!" He then took the large sphere of energy and directed it at her, knocking her through Celestia's throne and into the wall behind it. Sadly, it left him open as he was pelted with more of Rarity's beams.

Pinkie smiled "That's it, Rarity! Hit his weak point for massive damage!!"

Rarity yelled "How do you even know his weak point, Pinkie!?"

Pinkie laughed maniacally "I have no idea~!!!" She continued her onslaught without a moment to lose.

Lust watched in awe and confusion "How is she able to do such a thing all on her own?"

Fluttershy gave an embarrassed smile at Lust "I often wonder the same thing, Lust, but even I don't know."

Lust looked over at Twilight recovering and narrowed her eyes "I'll need to provide her cover just in case Father gains the upper hoof. Are you able to handle yourself, Fluttershy?"

Fluttershy was nervous, but she nodded "I can hold my own. But it will be hard since Father will know when I use my Stare..."

Lust smiled "It's good to know you are willing to fight. Be careful now." She then galloped towards Twilight while Father was being bombarded.

Father managed to bring up a shield and allow himself to recover from every earlier shot thrown at him. He growled in annoyance with how persistent Pinkie was 'They will not get far in this fight!!' From the corner of his eye, he noticed Twilight and Lust gather to dispel the paralysis barriers. Twilight focused on each fading barrier while Lust stood over her protectively 'No...NO!!'
_____

Outside, Blueblood sighed as he levitated another shard into his small pile and trotted to the next one "I've never thought I would be subjected to such petty work! I know this is for Equestria's safety, but this is certainly most unbecoming of me!" He then heard screaming as he looked up and noticed a large chubby object coursing at him. His ears drooped "Mommy..." He squealed before he got squished by Gluttony.

Gluttony shook his head and looked around "Hey! I'm outside!" He heard muffled moaning and looked down at his backside "Hm?" The voracious pony then hopped off to reveal an injured Blueblood and glared "You! You flirted with Lusty!!"

Blueblood groaned "Glad to see you remember me...I was busy finding the elements' shards before you bumped into me!"

Gluttony blinked "Elements?" He then beamed "The elements are here!?" He pulled out Blueblood into a hug "We can still win! We can still win! Where are they!?"

Blueblood struggled and pushed himself away from Gluttony "They're scattered into pieces around the gardens! Me and Greed are busy-"

Gltutony gasped "Greed's alive!? Where is he!?"

Blueblood looked back "He's around that area looking for the shards like myself! If you're willing to help, we must hurry-" His mane breezed in the wind when he noticed Gluttony gallop away from Blueblood in search of Greed. His eyes widened in disbelief at Gluttony's pace "What kind of erratic family are these ponies!?"
_____

Greed scrambled through the grass and managed to grab another shard to add to his pile "This is taking forever...I gotta pick up the pace, but these things are so damn hard to find!" He then heard galloping, and he turned to see Gluttony stop and look around before he proceeded his pace again. He perked up when he remembered Gluttony's trusty nose and he waved over "Hey! Gluttony, over here!!"

Gluttony noticed Greed and grinned widely "Greed! You're alive!!" He galloped over and went to tackle him, but he was held in place by a silver aura.

Greed groaned "No time for hearty reunions, Gluttony! I need that nose of yours!"

Gluttony smiled "For the elements?"

Greed nodded with a smile "Yeah! We're-" He flinched as his eyes widened "Wait! How did you know that!?"

Gluttony turned to one of the castle corners with a smile "Blueblood told me! He's gathering shards right now!"

Greed nodded "I knew that pansy could do well..." He turned to Gluttony and presented his pile of shards with his magic "Get the scent, Gluttony! We gotta help Twilight and the others!"

Gluttony nodded with a curt grunt and sniffed at the shards. He then drew himself back and sniffed at the air. He then pointed over towards a grass maze "Over there!"

Greed noticed and looked angry "Great...Just great..." He followed Gluttony into the maze with hopes of gathering the shards in due time.
_____

Twilight focused on the shields as they almost dissipated completely 'Almost there! We can still win this!' If she had a muzzle, she would smile at her success.

Father growled as his body crackled with static "You will not take her from me!!!" He then exerted a wave that knocked Twilight, Lust, Pinkie, Rarity, and Fluttershy off of their feet. He glided over to Twilight and lifted her up with his magic. He then turned to the window "I believe it's time you joined Greed and Gluttony! You've proven to be nothing more than a nuisance to my goals!"

"That nuisance is my student!"

Father perked up and noticed that his prisoners have escaped from his hold and glared at him. Celestia took a step forward as her horn glowed "You would be wise to leave her be, unless you wish to invoke more of our combined fury!!"

Chrysalis managed to fly back into the hole she flew out of, and her eyes widened to see Celestia and the others free "What!? Father, what is this!?" Sloth went to hit her, but she lifted him with her magic and slammed him into Applejack, Rainbow Dash, and Envy. She soared over to his side and glared at her enemies "How did they get free!?"

Father growled "Celestia's star pupil did this!" She tossed Twilight towards the others and stood his ground "I need more power..." He turned to Chrysalis and examined her "Yes...More power..."

Chrysalis nodded "Yes, and I'll make sure they stay down once we work together!" She raised her eyebrow at Father "Why are you looking at me like that?"

Father took a step forward "More power..." He uttered monotonously.

Chrysalis gritted her teeth "Of course we have more power! Why are you looking like some kind of zombie!?"

Without another word, Father lunged forward and jabbed his horn into Chrysalis' chest as she yelled in pain. Everypony around him gasped at the sight. Father then began sapping at the changeling queen's energy, and she slowly withered into a husk with dilated pupils. When he drew his horn back, Chrysalis fell to the floor and gasped hoarsely for air.

Twilight widened her eyes "I can't believe you!! You would do that to your own teammate!?"

Celestia closed her eyes with a solemn frown 'I tried to warn her...'

Father grinned as his body crackled with red static "You don't get it, do you, Twilight Sparkle? When you notice an insect on the ground, do you stop to consider it a fool?" The static around him grew worse "The life of an insect is so beneath you that it would be a waste of your time to even consider judging it!" His grin widened as he directed his inequine eyes at the group surrounding him "That would be an accurate summation of my feelings towards you ponies!!!"

The static died down, but then the pupil on his cutie mark shifted from left to right.

Pinkie noticed and gasped "Everypony, look at that!!" She pointed at Father's cutie mark as it moved on its own.

Soon, the blackness around his mark instantly began to spread around Father's entire body, enveloping him in a dark shroud. Father roared in anger as the darkness covered his body completely. Not a single sign of his face was seen, and his mane and tail disintegrated after they fell off of his body until only his ominous cutie mark was seen. His horn and his wings extended, and then suddenly, several eyes in different sizes showed themselves all over Father's body and shifted their pupils frantically until they stopped on Celestia and the group. Finally, a wide grin slowly formed on the new pony's muzzle as all eyes were on her and he spoke in a warped tone "I do not wish to become a pony...I wish to become the perfect being..." His grin widened after these words.

End of Chapter 46

Chapter 47

Dwarf in the Flask

Everypony beheld the new sight in front of them with shock. What was once a pale alicorn with delusions of merging with Celestia became a blackened beast devoid of feelings other than ambition of obtaining power. Fluttershy hid behind Sloth when Father began to shift his several eyes around.

Wrath gritted his teeth "So this is Father in his true form..." He uttered with aggression.

Father directed all of his eyes onto Wrath and they all squinted as his grin widened "Surprised? I supposed you have not noticed me in this form throughout your life, Wrath. But I suppose it is my fault for not paying much attention to you..." The furious pony narrowed his eyes and flared his swordlike wings, to which the black beast laughed "You would still attack me, Wrath!?"

The rest of the group prepared themselves as Celestia spoke "We all shall do whatever it takes to bring you down!! You're a plight unto our world, and you must be stopped!!"

Luna chimed in with anger in her eyes "Yes! Thou hath caused destruction to our precious city, and have dispatched loyal soldiers in the mix!! Thou shalt harm our ponies no more!!"

Father grinned as he conjured his horn. It glowed with the same threatening red in his previous form, and it wrapped the shriveled and gasping form of Chrysalis in a magic aura that lifted her up "Then what do you make of her, hm? Clearly she was another threat to you, and yet you focus on me..."

Twilight glared "Even if she was a threat, she didn't deserve what you've done to her!!"

Father barked out in laughter "That's another reason why I loathe you ponies! A vast majority of you are so naive and sympathetic, even towards your enemies!!" He then tossed Chrysalis onto Celestia's ruined throne as she gasped for more air "I think I just might teach you some lessons before you become more of my stones!" He flared his own wings to reveal eyes large and small dotted over the inner span. The pupils in his wings began to glow brightly.

Shining Armor perked up at their glow and shouted "Everypony, shield yourselves!!" The guard captain, along with the three alicorns, shielded themselves in seperate groups as rapid-fire beams shot out of the many pupils from Father's wings.

The black beast laughed as more beams shot from his wings without pause. Sooner or later, the shields would have to crack...
_____

Gluttony sniffed around a hedged corner of the maze and buried his muzzle into the bursh before he drew it back and called over behind him "I found another one, Greed! Over here!"

Greed, now carrying a larger pile of shards with his magic, rooted out the shard that Gluttony was referring to and added it to his towering collection "Good work! We're almost done out here! Did we miss anything else around this place?" Gluttony took the time to whiff at the air before he shook his head at Greed. The avaricious pony grinned "Excellent!! Let's meet back with Blueblood and see how far he's come himself!!" The two former homunculi then galloped out of the maze with the shards in tow.

Blueblood had a large shard collection of his own as he looked around for more "This is getting frustrating! Unless I've actually covered every inch of the gardens, I cannot find more of the shards anywhere!" He then noticed Greed and Gluttony and perked up "You two! Is your search for the elements' shards faring well?"

Greed and Gluttony approached Blueblood with their own smiles as the avaricious pony spoke "Judging by the size of your pile, I'd say we're both drawing this little scavenger hunt to a close!"

Blueblood gave a heaved sigh "If only you were correct in that statement. I fear we may not be looking hard enough for the rest of the shards!"

Greed frowned "The hell are you talking about!? We did a good rundown on where the shards would end up! What makes you say we aren't doing well in our search?"

Blueblood winced and looked away "I'm just severely nervous, okay!? It's too much to think about what is currently going on up in the throne room!" The trio heard loud noises as they looked up and noticed several flashes and the faint sound of crazed laughter. Blueblood grimaced as the sound flooded his ears "Oh dear..."

Greed sneered "Doesn't sound good..." He turned to Blueblood "Let's just tally up the shards while Gluttony looks for the rest of them if we missed any!" He jerked his head to the voracious pony with a tense glance "Can you do that, Gluttony? You have to be fast about this!! This is for Lust and Pinkie!!"

Gluttony paused when he heard the name Lust and Pinkie, and he snapped to attention with a salute and a determined glare as he galloped around the garden once more.

Greed and Blueblood watched them leave, and the two unicorns nodded before they made an accurate inspection of the shards they collected. The avaricious pony grunted as he sorted through his findings 'God, it's like a freaking jigsaw puzzle!!' As much as it annoyed him, he had come so far and he couldn't stop now.
_____

The beams grew worse, and the four shields were beginning to crack under the pressure of Father's unrelenting force.

Celestia gritted her teeth while she held her own alongside her group, but even she knew that it was pointless to continue shielding. She called out to the others "Everypony! On my signal, drop your shields!!"

The other shieldbearers reluctantly complied and awaited the order. Celestia gave a strained grunt before she yelled "Now! Scatter!" At that, the shields were pierced, but the group were lucky enough to dodge away from the beams. However, Sloth grunted several times as he took some beams to his midsection while he moved at his sluggish pace. He was then knocked onto his side and moaned in pain as he laid down.

Fluttershy gasped and went to tend to the indolent pony "Sloth!" She was unaware that she was now being targeted by Father as he grinned at her approaching Sloth with eyes of concern.

Rainbow Dash noticed that Fluttershy was being targeted, and she flew in on Father and slammed her forehooves into the side of his face. His eyes widened with shock and he gave a toothy frown at first when his gaze shifted to Rainbow Dash, but it was quickly replaced with a grin and squinted eyes as the cyan pegasus felt herself being pulled into the black beast's face "Gah!! My hooves!" She struggled, but she kept getting sucked in "Darn it! I need help!"

Envy widened its eyes and flew in "Rainbow!" It then grasped Rainbow Dash's sides and yanked furiously while she was being sucked in. Sadly, the jealous pony was unsuccessful as over half of Rainbow Dash's body was pulled in along with both its forelegs. Envy growled and bared its teeth while it continued trying to pull the cyan pegasus out.

To Fluttershy's surprise, Sloth slowly got up and stumbled to face Father while he was close to absorbing Rainbow Dash completely "What a pain..." He took a step forward before he broke into a destructive blur towards Father.

The black beast did not anticipate Sloth to come in like this, and he was knocked away harshly into the wall, dropping his hold of Rainbow Dash and Envy in the mix. He quickly recovered and flashed a sadistic grin at Sloth and the others "An impressive shot, child! But your moves, along with the rest of you ponies, only prove to be futile!"

Twilight narrowed her eyes "You'd be surprised just how far friendship between ponies can take you in the heart of battle, Father! We may be weak by ourselves, but together, I'd say we're strong enough to take you down!"

Father laughed at Twilight "A heartwarming speech! Perhaps I should hold you to it while I take each of you down one-by-one!" His horn crackled with red static, and he began to charge at Twilight with his horn pointed forward. Twilight followed suit with her horn glowing as well. When they closed the distance, Father hoped to unleash a head-on beam capable of piercing Twilight's shield, but he did not anticipate the lavender bookworm to teleport. This left Father in a state of confusion as he looked around.

Wrath saw this and turned to Shining Armor with a curt nod, signalling him to join for a surprise attack. With their weapons drawn, both Shining Armor and Wrath rushed towards Father without a word. They got close, but the eyes along the black beast's midsection landed on them. Wrath's eyes widened in alarm "Jump back!" At his words, both ponies jumped away from Father's attempt to harm them with his wing.

When they were at a safe distance, Shining Armor decided to toss his spear at Father like a javelin in hopes of harming him. He was successful in impaling the black beast's chest, but it was absorbed inside of Father's body as he grinned "I'll bet you want it back, don't you?" Shining Armor grunted and sneered as Father squinted his eyes "Well, here you go!!" He opened his mouth wide to reveal a larger version of Shining Armor's spear fly out towards him.

Wrath pushed Shining Armor out of the way as the spear went through the wall behind them and soared out of the castle. The guard captain watched in shock "This can't be right! It's as if nothing we have could make a dent in him!" He turned to Wrath "We need a plan!"

The furious pony shifted his eyes around "I would be as concerned your sister's whereabouts rather than a concise strategy for this battle, Mustang..."

Shining Armor looked around "You're right...Where is she?" The two ponies perked up when they noticed Father shoot a beam towards them and dodged out of the way. Their time to ponder Twilight's location would have to wait.
_____

Outside in the gardens, Greed and Blueblood had just finished up counting out the shards they had found. The avaricious pony heaved a sigh "Damn it! So close, but we've missed some! Good thing we sent Gluttony to sniff out the rest of them!"

Blueblood winced as he looked up at the throne room "Oh, I hope he wouldn't be too long!" Both unicorns were startled when they noticed a shining light a few feet away from them. It then subsided to show Twilight in her Ultimate Shield form looking around. Blueblood was instantly frightened by her appearance "AAAAH!! Another monster has breeched our walls!! We're doomed!!"

Greed spotted the form in front of him and grinned "Twi! Is that you!?"

Twilight's ears perked up at the sound of Greed's voice, and she canceled out her form as she turned to face him "Greed?" The avaricious pony nodded in response, and his eyes widened when Twilight galloped over and crushed Greed into a hug "Greed! You're alive!! Oh, thank Celestia!! I didn't think you would make it!"

Greed chuckled and lightly returned the embrace "Truth be told, I was on my last legs while I was out here!" He then pointed to Blueblood with a smirk "Then this guy came along and made me better!"

Twilight turned to Blueblood with confusion "You chose to help us after all, Blueblood?"

Blueblood nodded with a smile "But of course! Canterlot, along with the rest of Equestria, is my home!! And though it is most unsettling, I must fight to uphold my honor and ensure the safety of my subjects!"

Greed then turned to Twilight "But enough about that! What are you doing out here? What's it looking like up in the throne room?" He asked with a tensed tone of voice.

Twilight looked sad "Father absorbed Chrysalis' power and has taken on a new form! But I was able to free Celestia and the others before that! I only came out here because he's grown too powerful, and I know that we would be eventually outmatched!" She looked around "I just have to figure out where the element shards were scattered..."

Greed laughed as he pointed to the pile of shards he and Blueblood combined "One step ahead of you!!"

Twilight gasped in awe, but then snapped out of it with another question "But if you're alive...then where's-"

Greed flashed his cocky smirk "Gluttony? He should be here in a second..." He looked over to see the voracious pony in question gallop towards them with a wide grin on his face "Speak of the devil!" Greed shouted with joy.

Twilight smiled and forgot Gluttony's nature to give him a hug as well "You're both okay!"

Greed raised an eyebrow "Where are the rest of the shards, Gluttony? You didn't put them in your mouth, did you?"

Gluttony shook his head and pointed to his back to show a small pile of shards "Pinkie taught me some tricks while we were in Ponyville! This was one of them!!"

Greed gave a triumphant grin "This is great!! We got all the shards now! All that's left is to go back up there and wrap this up before things get worse!!" He then looked up with a scowl "If only I knew how to teleport..."

Twilight gave Greed a cocky smirk of her own as her horn glowed "One step ahead of you! Everypony, gather around!!" The quartet of ponies, with the shards in tow, winked out in a flash of light.
_____

The three princesses all focused their own beams on Father while they hovered in the air, and all he did was laugh as he absorbed each one and directed it back at them into a large super beam out of his mouth. They all dodged out of the way as it caused a massive hole in the ceiling.

Envy growled in anger and frustration "Dammit!! Nothing's working!! All he's doing is throwing whatever we have back at us!!"

Applejack backed away as she kept a defensive stance "Ah don't know what else t' do, everypony! We need a ringer fer this one!"

Sloth groaned as he stood "Dying is a pain..."

Applejack jerked her head to Sloth as she glared in annoyance "How in the hay can you be so dang calm about this, Sloth!?"

Lust shook her head "Nevermind that! We need to press on and hope for a miracle!"

Fluttershy whimpered as she drew herself back and cowered "I just wish we had our elements for this fight..."

"Wish granted!!!"

Everypony present, even Father, turned to see Twilight, Greed, Gluttony, and Blueblood stand at the throne room doors with the shards at their side.

Pinkie gasped and beamed "Twilight!! Greedy and Gluttony, too!! And there's Prince Blueblood!!" She then tilted his head "But wait, can't he not fight?"

Blueblood flinched and looked hurt "H-Hey!!"

Twilight smiled "He won't have to! C'mon, girls! Fall into formation, and quickly!"

Greed grinned "Do what she says, girls..." His horn glowed as he went into his Ultimate Shield form and narrowed his piercing red eyes "I got a score to settle with pops..." He spoke in his metallic tone.

Blueblood jumped at Greed's transformation "You, too!? Why didn't you tell me you could do that sooner!?"

Greed shifted his eyes to Blueblood "Cuz I knew you'd scream and run if I did!! Now take a seat, pansy!! Let me show you how it's done!!" He galloped into battle as the other element bearers galloped to Twilight's side.

Father's many eyes leered upon Greed's approach "No matter how many times I smash you, you just keep coming back like the filthy cockroach that you are!! It was a mistake to give birth to a worthless peon like you, Greed!"

Greed laughed as he approached "The feeling's mutual about being born from the likes of you, bastard!! Let's finish this!!"

Cadence saw Greed close the distance and gasped "Greed! Get back! It's what he wants!!"

Greed heard Cadence's call and halted his advance until he was in front of Father. He noticed his wings become several sharp tendrils similar to Pride and he began dodging every attempt of hitting him "Twilight! Any time now!!"

Twilight and her friends stood as the shards began to glow and surround each of the mares to reform into their pristine state. The element bearers then began to float with their elements and built up power.

Father saw this and stopped attacking Greed as he focused his tendrils onto them "I refuse to have you take away my power!!" He then felt a jab in his chest and saw Greed jab his horn into Father's chest to halt his attack. He grinned as he began to suck a surprised Greed into his body

Twilight saw with fear in her eyes "Greed!! No!!"

Father cackled as Greed struggled "You fool! I'll only add you to my power along with God!! I shall-Rgh!!"

Father turned to his right to see Wrath lodge himself onto his midsection with conviction in his eyes "Then I shall join him if it means giving the elements time to work!!"

Shining Armor called out "Bradley!! What the hay do you think you're doing!?"

Wrath grunted as he turned to the guard captain with a friendly smile as he was pulled in "Carrying out my duty as a member of the Royal Guard...You were an amazing soldier, Mustang. I probably won't be able to give you that rematch we promised on..."

Father glared his many eyes at Wrath "You would act this foolish knowing you'll die!? You disgust me!!" He then felt a jab on his left side and noticed Lust latch her horn through Father's left side "What is the meaning of this!?"

Lust narrowed her eyes "If it costs me my life, I'll keep you still for the others!! This has gone on long enough, Father!"

Another jab on the left was felt by Father, and he shifted his eyes to see Gluttony at Lust's side with his teeth sunk into
Father's body. He muffled some words, but he guessed that he valued Lust and his siblings for their choice and wished to join them "You're making a mistake!! This is by far the most foolish move you all have made as my children!!" He grunted as he felt yet another hit onto his right side.

Father noticed Envy with a final taunting grin "Looks like I'm stuck with you and the rest of these assholes after all, huh, Father!?" The jealous pony kept its grin despite it being absorbed by the black beast.

Rainbow Dash noticed and widened her eyes "Envy!! What are you doing!?"

Envy called out to the cyan pegasus "Don't worry about me, you prismatic prick!! Just keep up your power already!!!" It spoke in a harsh tone, but Rainbow Dash knew that the jealous pony was doing this for the better. She nodded as she fought back tears in her eyes.

Father roared as he shook himself "You vexatious worms!! You're only delaying the inevitable!!" He felt something large seep into his back, and he could only guess who would do such a thing.

Sloth slowly struggled while he groaned "You're noisy...The elements will shut you up...permanently..."

Father shook himself more while the former homunculi were being absorbed. Twilight saw Greed and yelled "Greed!! I can't do this with you and the others surrounding him!!"

Greed turned to Twilight and yelled back to her "You don't have much of a choice!! He won't hesitate to attack you!! This is the only way we can make sure you girls do your thing!! Don't worry about us! Just do what you have to do!!"

Twilight looked frightened, worried, and sad all at once "But-...But what about you and your siblings!?"

Greed managed smirked "I think we'll be fine, Twi! Trust me! Forget about us for a moment and use the elements!!" He grunted as more of his body was pulled in "Go on!!"

Twilight shuddered, but she shut her eyes and gathered with her friends to activate the elements. Her eyes shot open to reveal glowing irises, but they were flooded with tears as the rainbow stream shot out and flew at Father and his children.

While they were inside of the rainbow, Father yelled in anguish as the darkness around him gradually vanished to reveal his previous form. The former homunculi were floating around him while being overwhelmed by the elements' power. Father then felt his body crackled red static on his own, and he gasped in confusion before he roared in immense pain. Out of his mouth, several red souls flew out in an enlarging funnel pattern before they vanished into thin air. His body then began to wither away as the rainbow stream transformed into a blinding light that surrounded the throne room.

End of Chapter 47

Chapter 48

Everything Thereafter

The light finally dimmed, and the element bearers along with the princesses, Shining Armor, and Prince Blueblood opened their eyes to see what the elements have done to Father and the homunculi. They all widened their eyes at the new sight in front of them.

The former homunculi were all scattered around the room with burn marks, sprawled in their location. But in the middle of the room, there stood Father, who looked severely wrinkled all over his body while he gave shuddered breaths. His head was popping with veins, his teeth bared widely in a scowl, and his eyes bulging with shrunken pupils. It was as if he lost complete semblance of his former self as a pony. They shifted about before they locked on Greed's body "Y-You..." He weakly uttered with contempt as he slowly approached him "Y-You~!!" The pale alicorn drew closer.

Twilight saw this and went to stop him, but a hoof from Princess Celestia stopped her in her tracks. She looked ahead with a solemn gaze at what was going to happen next.

Father gasped for air as he glared at Greed with his soulless and bulging eyes "You shall be my next..." He gasped for a moment "...stone!" The pale alicorn reached out with a hoof as his horn began to crackle with red static. But suddenly, his horn stopped glowing and his outstretched hoof began to disintegrate into thin air. Father gasped as he focused on it and shifted his eyes all over to see his body slowly fade away. His wings were next, followed by his tail and hindlegs, then his horn "No..." Father uttered in disbelief "No..." He paused before he raised his head to the sky and yelled "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!" He shifted his eyes to Celestia, who looked at him with her solemn gaze. With only his head and left foreleg remaining, he stretched it out with his eyes on her as he vanished "GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD~...." The last thing that showed before his voice trailed off was one of his threatening red eyes. It then faded out of existence.

Celestia stared ahead and gave a relieved sigh "It's over..." She muttered with closed eyes.
_____

The pale alicorn found himself in a familiar purgatorial realm with a gate in front of him. He stared up before he gritted his teeth and yelled "It can't be!! No!! It's not fair!!! I was so close!!! I would have become the perfect being once more!!"

"Hehehehehehehe!! A second chance and you STILL don't get it, huh?"

Father turned to see a white silhouette of a pony without a mane, tail, horn, or wings grinning at him "It was so cute of you to think that Princess Celestia of all ponies would be God! Did you forget me for so long?"

Father glared at Truth as his horn crackled with red static "You're not God nor I!! You are not the perfect being that I was about to become!!"

Truth frowned "Sheesh, Sloth was right! You ARE too noisy..." The silhouette then grinned again "But that doesn't mean we can't shut you up..."

The gate behind Father opened to reveal the ominous blackness followed by the large grey eye. Tendrils flew out and began to constrict the pale alicorn as he yelled and struggled "I can't go back there again!! I can't!! I wanted to be perfect!!"

Truth shook its head as it grinned "You haven't learned your lesson in Amestris, and you failed to learn once again in Equestria...Your children are indeed better off without you...I suppose there are other places that are better suited for you..."

Father roared with contempt before his eyes widened in fear "I don't want to go!! I DON'T WANT TO GO!!!" The gates closed in on him as the pale alicorn was sent to a place unknown.

Truth's grin only widened "Too bad..."
_____

In the throne room, everypony looked around at the former homunculi as they laid around unresponsive. Prince Blueblood winced at the damage done to them as well as the entire throne room 'An acceptable loss to get rid of that lunatic, I suppose...' He then looked sad 'I never got to thank them properly for their help...'

Twilight instinctively galloped over to Greed with sadness in her eyes. She sat down and lifted his head with her forelegs while she sniffled "Greed...Greed, no...Don't leave me." Twilight continued to stare at Greed's unmoving body and almost felt like crying right then and there.

Shining Armor trotted to her side along with Cadence and rested a comforting hoof on her shoulder. He then looked to see Wrath's body a few feet away and stared, before he gave a salute with narrowed eyes 'You were the best soldier the Royal Guard could ask for...' Cadence shedded a tear for the furious pony as well.

Applejack took off her hat and held it to her chest "So they're gone, aren't they?" She looked down in sadness "Sloth was big an' lazy, but he did a whole heep o' work in th' end..."

Rarity looked down as well as her ears drooped. She comforted a sobbing Fluttershy while she looked around "Lust was always the smartest one of the group...I suppose what she did was for the better." She said in sadness as she patted Fluttershy's back.

Pinkie's hair went straight as whimpered "I never even got to show Gluttony more of my tricks...or let him eat more of my cupcakes..."

Rainbow Dash stared ahead and bit back tears before she hovered in the air "Where!? Where are you!?" She called out in anger, though sadness was plentifully mixed in. When she noticed the body of a changeling, she darted down and picked it up as she glared at its face with tear-stained eyes "Don't you dare go out on me like this, palm tree head!! Get up!! I said get up!!" She shook the body furiously, but her strength softened as she began to sob "G-Get up..."

Luna noticed the changeling body and gasped in shock 'So that was Envy all this time!? Unbelievable...' She looked at the rest of the former homunculi "A strange family, but they have indeed shown the greatest resolve..."

Celestia nodded "What the homunculi have done was indeed noble. I am happy to proclaim them as heroes of Equestria..." She looked around for a moment, but when her eyes fell on Greed, she felt something and began to smile "I wouldn't cry just yet, my student..."

Twilight turned to Celestia "I-I can't? Why?" She felt Greed's body twitch in her hooves and she instantly turned to it with widened eyes "Huh?" She then noticed Greed's hindlegs twitch before they began to move, his forelegs following suit.

The avaricious pony then murmured before he groaned and stretched, then opened his eyes to blink for a moment. His vision cleared and he looked up at Twilight "Err...Twilight?" He murmured "You okay? What happened?" He weakly raised an eyebrow.

Twilight's lip quivered while her jaw hung open, but she smiled as tears went down her face "Greed..." She whispered as she stared.

Greed rubbed his eyes "The hell are you crying for?" He then inspected his hoof after he rubbed himsef "...And why am I covered in soot? Am I in Tartarus again?"

Twilight pulled Greed into a hug "No...You're in Canterlot. And you're alive...You had me worried..." She began to cry as she buried her face in Greed's chest.

Greed weakly grinned "Well, I told you that I think we were gonna be fine. Did I ever lie to you before?"

Twilight brought herself to face Greed before she smiled again and wiped her eyes "No...I guess not..." She then nuzzled his cheek, despite him being dirty.

Shining Armor looked down in surprise "If you're alive...then that means-" He darted his head to Wrath's body and galloped over to stand over it. In a small moment, the furious pony began to recover with a tired groan. The guard captain was speechless, but he smiled as he held out a hoof.

Wrath was on his knees, and his vision picked up to see Shining Armor's hoof in front of him. He looked up to see him smiling down at him, and offered one of his own as he took the guard captain's hoof and was picked up.

Applejack, Rarity, and Fluttershy looked around dumbfounded "What in the hay!?" The cowpony galloped over to Sloth and inspected him. She looked infuriated when she heard light snoring "You dirty little-..." Fluttershy couldn't help but giggle as she wiped the tears from her eyes when she heard Sloth snore. The timid mare decided to meet up with Rainbow Dash and Envy.

Pinkie gasped and she galloped to Gluttony with hope flickering from her eyes. When she spotted movement from him, her mane puffed back to normal "Yay!! They're alive! They're alive!!" She hopped around Gluttony with joy.

Gluttony picked himself up and shook his body before he noticed Pinkie and joined her in hopping with laughter. He stopped when he noticed Lust and he whimpered "Lust..." When Pinkie heard the voracious pony, the two ceased their hopping and galloped towards her.

Rarity joined the two earth ponies, and she gasped with a smile to see the lascivious mare recover "Lust!! You're okay!" She then inspected her dress and moaned "Oh dear, and your dress is a complete disaster!!"

Lust grunted as she stretched, but then she inspected herself to see her dress was tattered and dirtied "I wouldn't worry much. It was either the dress or Father..." She smiled up at Rarity "Which would you choose?" Lust was then knocked down by Pinkie and Gluttony as they trapped her in a group hug.

Rarity giggled "I suppose you're right, darling. I can always repair it when we get home!"

Rainbow Dash looked around, and then looked back at Envy, and she grinned when she heard tired moaning "Yeah...that's what I thought..." She murmured with tears of joy. The cyan pegasus noticed Celestia and Luna trot towards her and perked up as she stood her ground "Princesses, please wait!! This isn't what it looks like!"

Celestia smiled "You mean that isn't Envy behind you?"

Luna nodded "Fear not, Rainbow Dash. We mean Envy no harm. In fact, we applaud that thou would express feelings for the changeling behind thee..."

Rainbow Dash was confused at first, but she smiled hopefully "So you won't take Envy away from me?"

Celestia shook her head "That wouldn't be a proper way to treat a hero of Equestria, now would it?"

Rainbow Dash sighed in relief and wrapped Envy in a hug. Slowly, it changed into its original pegasus form and shook its head as it moaned "Did...Did we win?"

Rainbow Dash brought Envy's head off her shoulder to look at it "What do you think?" She smiled at the jealous pony while it rubbed its eyes.

Envy's vision became clear, and then it noticed Rainbow Dash smiling, and Fluttershy trotting towards them "You guys...Never thought you'd stick it out for a changeling like me..."

Rainbow Dash scoffed and gave Envy a light jab at its shoulder "You're our friend, remember? Forget that you're a changeling for once!"

Fluttershy smiled "I'm glad you and the others are okay, Envy...We all thought you were gone forever..."

Envy scoffed and looked over at Twilight embracing Greed "Looks like my dumbass brother was right all along..." It then turned back to Rainbow Dash "So we really did it, huh? Father's nowhere to be found?"

Rainbow Dash looked puzzled "Yeah! He just turned to dust when he wanted to get Greed! He looked super ugly after we hit him, too!"

Envy chuckled "Just like the homunculus he is..."

Rainbow Dash leaned her head forward towards Envy's "Envy..." The jealous pony did the same, but did not expect Rainbow Dash to wince "Your family's weird!!" She then smiled "But you're still awesome!!"

Envy gave a toothy smirk "Well you didn't expect us to fall that easily, did ya, prismatic prick?"

Rainbow Dash flinched and glared "Hey! I cared about you for a moment!!" She got in Envy's face to where their noses touched "If it weren't for us, you'd be gone!"

Envy pushed its face "So would you, but you just couldn't stop looking at me!!"

Rainbow Dash pushed her face back "Well your mane sticks out like a sore hoof! Why wouldn't I stare at it, palm tree head?"

Envy added more force "The least you could've done is focused on more important matters, prismatic prick!!" The two began to bicker, and Celestia and Luna giggled in amusement while Fluttershy looked worried.

Twilight managed to lift Greed up onto his feet, and the two unicorns were approached by Blueblood, who cleared his throat and held out a hoof "I suppose some thanks are in order...You weren't bad for a unicorn, Greed."

Greed stared at the hoof before he gave a friendly scoff and shook it with his own "Not too bad yourself. Guess you're not much of a pansy after all..."

Blueblood sighed "Oh, but it could take weeks to repair all of this damage!"

Greed rolled his eyes "Chill out, would ya? It's only the throne room! Nothing else is messed up around this place!" He then turned to Celestia's throne to see Chrysalis' weakened form and narrowed his eyes "Speaking of..." He called out to Celestia "Hey! Princess! We still got that bitch to worry about!" The avaricious pony pointed at the throne.

Celestia hummed to Greed in question before she realized that Chrysalis was still around "Yes, of course." She trotted over to her throne, and everypony turned to see what the solar princess was about to do next. Celestia stared at the changeling queen as she slowly shifted her eyes and gasped for breath "It saddens me to see you this way...But don't worry..." Her horn glowed, and she tapped it on Chrysalis as her form slowly changed back to normal.

Envy stood up and glared at Celestia "What the hell are you doing!? She's gonna attack us if you bring her back on her feet!!"

Celestia finished healing Chrysalis, and the changeling queen got up looking like herself. She glared at Celestia while she held a neutral gaze "And just what do you hope to accomplish by healing me, Celestia? Do you expect a favor?"

Celestia shook her head "No...I expect you to disperse from my city immediately. Unless you want to be handled by all of us, you will call off your approaching fleet and leave at once!" She narrowed her eyes "This my only token of mercy for what has happened to you earlier. Don't take me lightly..."

Chrysalis flinched before she growled and trotted to the window. She saw that her battalion of changelings were nearly close to Canterlot, and she sighed in defeat before she let out a screech.

Envy plugged its ears and gritted its teeth "Dammit!!!" Rainbow Dash was at its side to comfort the jealous pony.

Soon enough, the battalion halted in the distance and began to fly back the way they came. Everypony watched in astonishment, but then Chrysalis turned to sneer at the group "Don't think that this is a temporary truce between us, ponies!! We shall give you the peace you deserve, but we shall return for what is ours...someday..." She then flew out the window to join her fading fleet of changelings.

Envy galloped over to the window's edge and called out with a glare "Good riddance!! Glad to know you're not my mother, you bitch!!" It tried to ignore Greed's laughter after its outburst.

Rarity turned to Celestia in confusion "But your majesty! Why did you even choose to heal Chrysalis knowing she's your enemy!?"

Applejack nodded "Yeah, princess! Shouldn't she be kept in th' dungeon or executed fer what she did?"

Celestia turned to Applejack and Rarity "I understand where you come from, my little ponies, but even Chrysalis is a ruler of her own domain. If she were to pass on, who would watch over her children?"

Greed grinned "Father's right! You really are naive and sympathetic to your enemies!"

Twilight shot a look at the avaricious pony "Greed!!"

Celestia laughed "Do not worry, my faithful student. Granted, it may seem surprising what I've done, but that doesn't mean we'll be ready to fend them off if they decide to confront us again."

Greed smirked "Yeah, you're probably right! Those changelings really put up much of a fight. They really know how to spice things up!"

Pinkie smiled "This is great! We took down one of the biggest baddies in a while!! Do you know what this calls for?"

Celestia laughed "I think it would be wise to take care of things before we make your thought a reality, Pinkie..."

Pinkie nodded "Okie Dokie Loki!" Everypony joined in laughter to take a load off of what was a close battle.
_____

The citizens of Canterlot came out of their homes and looked up at the castle when they noticed the shield was gone. They all beheld the sight of Celestia with Luna and Cadence at both sides "My subjects! It is with a happy heart that I announce that the horrible threat of the changeling swarm has now subsided!!" The citizens resounded their applause almost instantly "It is also my duty to inform you that Equestria now holds new heroes that have aided the Elements of Harmony on their mission!" She signalled the former homunculi and Blueblood to come in over the balcony. They were hesitant at first, but they cheered as well, knowing that Celestia's words held truth.

Greed gave a cocky smirk at everypony below and nodded "I could get used to this! All I need's a crown..." He felt a light bump on his head and turned to see Twilight casting a stern look at him. The avaricious pony looked away with a disgusted frown.

Gluttony and Pinkie waved frantically at the cheering citizens, while Lust looked down with a thin smile 'I never thought I would be adored like this...Perhaps there is more to life than what I had experienced in the past...'

Envy looked down and sneered at the crowd, but it softened when it heard their cheers 'Guess this is my new life, huh? Well, it beats having to lay around helpless...' The jealous pony managed a smirk as well.

Blueblood held his nose in the air as he was cheered for "Yes! This was the recognition that I was seeking all these years!! They love me! They really love me!"

Sloth groaned at Blueblood "What a pain..."

Rarity rolled her eyes "Tell me about it, darling..."

Wrath looked down "This takes me back...These ponies are very welcoming."

Luna came up to Wrath's side "And they shall remain as such so long as thou offer them protection from threats. We art grateful for thine service in the Royal Guard and the battle against thine father!" She smiled down at the furious pony.

Wrath looked up to Luna with a smile "Much obliged, your majesty. I wish to carry out my services longer as a member of the Royal Guard if necessary."

Shining Armor gave a friendly pat on the furious pony's back "Knowing your strength and skill, I think we can work something out!" Wrath and Shining Armor smiled and waved at the crowd, but the guard captain turned his attention away from the crowd and approached Greed "So, you're the one who taught my sister that spell, huh?"

Greed smirked at Shining Armor "The one and only! She definitely put it to good use, didn't she?"

Shining Armor nodded "Indeed she has! I guess I should thank you. To be honest, I kind of thought you would take advantage of her..."

Greed laughed "Can't really do that considering she's smart as hell!" He smirked despite the glare he earned for his response.

Twilight gave her brother a reassuring smile "Don't worry, B.B.B.F.F. Greed just loves to talk the way he does..." She looked at Greed "But I definitely owe it to him for his help! He's taught me so much in such a small amount of days!"

Greed chuckled, but stopped when he heard the strange term "B.B.B-...What the hell?" He cocked an eyebrow at Twilight.

The lavender bookworm giggled "Big Brother Best Friend Forever! I just hope you two would get along!"

Greed rolled his eyes "I'm sure we will since he likes my brother as well!" He then pointed at Shining Armor "Can I trust you to take good care of Wrath while I'm gone?" He asked mockingly.

Shining Armor laughed and gave a mock salute "He's in good hooves." The two then shared a glance of respect towards one another "You and your family are something else, Greed. Hard to believe you're older than Wrath..."

Greed shrugged "What can you do?"

Shining Armor then smirked "I find it even harder to believe he can easily beat you like he did me..."

Greed flinched and glared at Shining Armor "Hey!!" Twilight and Shining Armor then shared a laugh. He was disgusted, but he smiled "Fine, I'll let it slide for now...Besides, you have him to deal with for the time being."

Twilight turned to Greed "Wouldn't you write to him while you're both separated?"

Greed laughed "You don't know how we work, do you, Twi?"
_____

Later at night, everypony celebrated out in the royal garden with the help of Pinkie and her party cannon. Many ponies danced while others mingled or ate the food. Others steered clear of Gluttony while he ravaged most of it, but was able to be kept under control thanks to Lust and Pinkie.

Sloth rested on the grass, and he moaned as many animals took refuge on his back. Fluttershy and Applejack laughed while this happened "Guess yer not th' only one that wants t' sleep, Sloth!"

Sloth groaned "Partying is a pain..." He then buried his face in the ground "Being used as a bed is a bigger pain..." Fluttershy and Applejack laughed again.

Rainbow Dash and Envy looked at the dancing ponies before they looked at each other. The cyan pegasus looked away for a moment before she looked back at Envy "Hey. Wanna dance?" Envy stared before it looked away with a reluctant wince. Rainbow Dash chuckled in response "Yeah, me neither. I don't really even consider you the dancing type, let alone singing!"

Envy looked at Rainbow Dash with a deadpan expression "You honestly think I'd enjoy such a thing?"

Rainbow Dash huffed "You really gotta broaden your horizons, palm tree head! You're hanging with us now, for Pete's sake!"

Envy rolled its eyes "Yeah, I guess you're right. But I can't really make any promises if you even decide to break out into song and dance!" The jealous pony then smiled as it spoke in a soft tone "Thanks for the help back there. Bad enough you were the first to understand me, but to go for me altogether."

Rainbow Dash held a smug smile "Well I do have a promise to keep, and you're gonna need all the love you can get if you're gonna survive, right?" She then looked serious "But I have a condition..."

Envy raised an eyebrow "A condition? That's a first...What is it?" Rainbow Dash pointed to a dancing Pinkie in the distance behind her while she kept her gaze on the jealous pony, who grimaced and yelled in complaint "Oh come on!!!"

Rainbow Dash narrowed her eyes "Either make nice with her or this thing ain't happening between us! She's your friend, too, Envy..."

Envy grunted in frustration and looked away "But she's so annoying..." It muttered.

Rainbow Dash sighed "I know that. But like I said before, you'll get used to it! Just let her hyperactive randomness take its course for about a month or two! You'll feel better!"

Envy sneered while it averted Rainbow Dash's gaze "I'll try..." The jealous pony felt heavy trying to accept Pinkie as a friend in exchange for Rainbow Dash's love 'Twist my arm, why don't you...' It was comforting for Envy to notice the cyan pegasus smiling out of the corner of its eye.

On the dance floor, Greed was dancing with Twilight while the avaricious pony was wearing his shades. Greed flashed a grin while he was being stared at "Like what you see?"

Twilight smiled "They look good on you. Did Rarity give them to you?"

Greed smirked "Lust did actually..."

Twilight looked over at Lust keeping an eye on Gluttony "Looks like her generosity lessons are paying off..." She focused back on Greed "But I still have a lot to teach you about magic!"

Greed chuckled "As long as you put it in good context! I know you're smart, but you gotta explain things better!"

Twilight gave a smug smile "Oh? Like how you explained how special I was to you as a possession?"

Greed flinched and looked away "You kinda roped me into it, okay? But I can't help it if you're smarter than Lust! I mean, you mastered my signature move in one night! You're amazing!"

Twilight's stare became half-lidded "Do you mean that?" She asked in a playful tone.

Greed turned back to Twilight with a smirk "You still think of me as a liar, Twi? I'm shocked..." They stared, and Twilight's horn began to glow. Greed was taken by surprise when his head was wrapped in a purple aura, and was even more surprised as he was pulled in to meet his muzzle with Twilight's. The avaricious pony's eyes widened while he was kissing Twilight, but he soon went along with it.

Shining Armor and Cadence were dancing, and the princess smiled as she watched Twilight and Greed "They look so cute together..."

Shining Armor watched with a protective stare "I never thought Twilight would see something in that stallion..."

Cadence giggled "Don't act that way, dear! She's old and strong enough! And she looks so happy!"

The guard captain looked at Cadence before she looked back at his sister as she kissed Greed "Yeah...I suppose you're right." He smiled as he danced with Cadence 'He better watch himself if he tries anything on her, though...'

Twilight and Greed broke the kiss as they stared into each other's eyes. The avaricious pony had to admit that it felt good being kissed by a woman after so long, and by one who taught him some amazing tricks to boot 'Hehehe...I can honestly get used to this life...' The two unicorns looked up at the stars with a smile 'Thanks for the help...Ed and Ling...You both really have taught me the value of friendship before I got here...' His smile widened 'Thanks a lot...Friends of the soul...'

End of Chapter 48

Epilogue

To A Better Place

1 week later

It was a bright afternoon in Ponyville, and at the library, Greed was practicing his levitation with books "Come on, Twilight! I know levitation like the back of my hoof! Can't we just move on to teleportation or beams?"

Twilight was reading a book on the table, and she shook her head "Uh-uh, Greed! I have to make sure that your levitation is in good execution! You have to remember that magic isn't all that easy to master!"

Greed sneered at her words "Says Celestia's star pupil..."

Twilight rolled her eyes with a smile "I was born for this sort of thing like you were for fighting! I can't really have you practice kicking somepony else around while you have so much to learn!"

Greed looked bored "I'd say I learned enough about telekinesis..." He muttered.

Twilight sighed and got up from her book as she trotted over to Greed's side to give him a nuzzle "Alright, I guess you deserve a break for your hard work."

Greed chuckled "That's more like it!" He reshelved the books onto each case he had his eyes on.

Twilight frowned "You do realize you've set them all in the wrong spots, right?"

Greed shrugged "No big deal! I can set them back later!" He then smiled at Twilight "What say we go for a walk? Enjoy some fresh air?"

Twilight smiled "That would be great." She looked over to see Spike sweeping "Spike, could you watch the library for me?"

Spike waved a claw "All over it, Twilight! You two have fun, but try not to get too mushy, okay?"

Twilight shot the purple dragon a glare while she blushed "Spike!"

Greed laughed as he kept Twilight at his side "No promises, little man! We'll be back, though!" The two unicorns then walked outside and left Spike inside. As they trotted outside, Twilight and Greed looked up at the sun "See, this is what your friends wanted you to experience!"

Twilight scoffed and lightly bumped Greed's side with her own as they trotted "Stop it! I get plenty of exercise each morning!"

Greed nodded "Yeah, with your brain! Your body matters just as much, though! If we're gonna be together, I gotta make sure you shine! Make you live up to your name as I do my own!" He smirked at Twilight.

Twilight looked away with a blush and a smile "Geez..." She then looked ahead to see Gluttony galloping towards them "Huh? What's with Gluttony today?"

Greed looked as well with a raised eyebrow "Gluttony? What's going on?"

Gluttony skidded in front of the pair and hopped up and down with a giddy smile "Pinkie taught me a new trick! Pinkie taught me a new trick!"

Greed chuckled "Well, let's see it then! I'll bet it's good..."

Twilight looked unsure "I don't know, Greed. You know how Pinkie can get sometimes..."

Gluttony grinned as he trotted near Greed and bowed his head "Greed! Grab my head!"

Greed raised an eyebrow "Is this the trick?" He then laid a hoof on Gluttony's head for a moment "...I don't see it, Gluttony. What's the-TRIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIICK!!!" To his and Twilight's surprise, Greed flew into the air with Gluttony on a rainbow trail.

Gluttony, while flying in the air with an eager grin and a bewildered Greed strapped to his head, simply yelled out "ADVENTUUUUURE~!!!"

The lavender bookworm stared up with her jaw dropped before she sighed and looked down "Pinkie, we don't need another one of you around Ponyville..." She muttered before she trotted back to the library. She then looked up at the sky 'I wonder how Shining Armor is doing with Wrath...'
_____

Out in the royal gardens, there was a large memorial for the lost soldiers made of pure obsidian. Shining Armor stared at each name carved onto it while his mane blew in the wind. His eyes were mixed with sadness, determination, and conviction all in one. He felt bad for losing them to Father last week.

"Paying your last respects, Mustang?"

Shining Armor snapped out of his brooding and turned to see a smiling Wrath stand behind him. He was without his eyepatch, his Ultimate Eye staring at him. Thanks to Shining Armor and the princesses, he is now a captain of the Royal Guard as well. Shining Armor sighed "Yeah...I just can't let this loss go. They were some of the best soldiers ever recruited in the Royal Guard..." He said morosely.

Wrath nodded "It is indeed a burden for the life of a soldier to have lost your most precious comrades in the field of battle..." He trotted to Shining Armor and rested a hoof on his shoulder "However, while mourning for the departed is a wise and appropriate gesture, you must know that you should keep moving on for their sake. Even if it is your most cherished loved ones, you cannot stop living when they themselves have passed on..."

Shining Armor stared at Wrath before he smiled at him "That's right. I forget that you had more experience with the horrors of war. Thank you for the advice, Bradley." He paused before he tilted his head with a quizzical glance "It's weird..."

Wrath held the same glance "The fact that so much has happened in the past week?"

Shining Armor shook his head "Not so much that, but your eye..." He pointed at Wrath's Ultimate Eye "So you've had that covered under your eyepatch the whole time..."

Wrath nodded "And you remember that Celestia and Luna beared the same reaction of shock. This is indeed my Ultimate Eye. It provides me with unrivaled clairvoyance in battle along with strength.

Shining Armor pondered as he stared at Wrath "So...in a way..." He then glared as he pointed "You've held back against me ever since our first sparring match!"

Wrath nodded with a smirk under his moustache "More or less...You were still a worthy adversary in our little duel. But now..." He pointed at his Ultimate Eye "...you have proper incentive to train harder before our next match together. I want to see how far your training takes you before you finally catch up to my own age..."

Shining Armor snorted "You really know how to set me off, Bradley!" He looked angry, but he smiled at Wrath "But yeah, now I do have more of a reason to better myself before I take you on! I'll be your equal soon enough!"

Wrath chuckled "We shall see...Perhaps we should go back onto the training grounds and monitor the guards' session. Shall we, Mustang?"

Shining Armor nodded with a smile "Yeah. Let's go." The two captains then trotted back towards the castle.
_____

Envy and Rainbow Dash rested on a cloud while they enjoyed a small nap. The jealous pony smirked "I guess I owe you for letting me skip kindness lessons today, Rainbow. Thanks..."

Rainbow Dash smiled "You proved to be good enough in my book! You could use a day off before you have to go back there!" She looked stern "But you still gotta act better around Pinkie!"

Envy groaned "Fluttershy's a better friend than her. And I said I'll try!"

Rainbow Dash sighed "You're just so difficult, palm tree head..." She then gave the jealous pony a nuzzle "But you're on your way!" She then noticed a rainbow trail fly over her and Envy and both pegasi looked up dumbfounded "Was that-...?"

Envy twitched an eye "That wasn't Gluttony flying with Greed, was it?"

The two paused before they held a deadpan stare and spoke in unison "Pinkie..."

The jealous pony looked away "I told you she was annoying..."

Rainbow Dash watched the rainbow trail fade "Never thought Gluttony would be her protege of all ponies! Go figure!" She then smiled "Say, why don't we grab a bite to eat, huh? I'm starving!"

Envy grinned "Where to?"

Rainbow Dash looked over and smiled "Let's just head on over to the cafe! You definitely need to try their hay fries!!" The two pegasi then flew off the cloud and towards the cafe.
_____

Sloth slept under a large tree with Applejack at his side. Applejack had her hat cover her eyes while she leaned on the indolent pony "Heh, maybe Ah needed a break after all..."

Sloth moved his head slowly away "I told you...Working is a pain..."

Applejack moved her hat up and looked at Sloth "So is slackin'! Ah'm only takin' a small break 'fore we get back to working! Hopefully, y'all can learn th' other elements as well as honesty!" She smiled "Ya really are a hard worker fer bein' so lazy, Sloth! Thank ya kindly fer yer help 'round here!"

Sloth moaned "Sure..." One of his ears slowly perked up "Pegasus..."

Applejack looked at Sloth "Pegasus? Ya think it might be Dash?" She looked up, and her eyes widened to see Gluttony fly with Greed while the avaricious pony was screaming. She stared for a long moment before she hung ehr head and sighed "Consarn it, Pinkie..." She muttered before she trotted over and laid next to Sloth "Move over, sugarcube. Maybe Ah oughta enjoy a small nap like y'all 're doin..."

Sloth did not move, but instead he said "...Copycat..."
_____

At Carousel Boutique, Rarity just finished repairing Lust's dress while she wore it "There we are, much better!" She smiled at her success "Good as new, and you look just as ravishing as ever!"

Lust inspected herself and nodded with a smile "Thank you, Rarity. I suppose I should be paying you for this."

Rarity shook her head "Oh nononononononono! You will do no such thing! This is only hospitality and the need to improve your image!"

Lust nodded "I see..." She then trotted up to Rarity and leaned her head in with a seductive gaze "Are you sure there is no other way at all?" She spoke in a sultry tone.

Rarity instantly widened her eys and blushed "N-N-Now, Lust! We talked about this!!" She blurted out in a nervous tone.

Lust gave a cute laugh "I'm kidding, Rarity. But I am serious about returning the favor. Perhaps I can help around the boutique while I learn more magic."

Rarity gave a touched smile "You would do that for me? But there could be other places!"

Lust shook her head "You've done so much for me, and I can't turn my back on your care. Besides, this place is suitable to my interests and my talents..."

Rarity smiled "If that is what you wish, then I thank you for lending a hoof around here."

Lust nodded with a smile "Perhaps I shall pay Twilight a visit and read more spellbooks. I could use more knowledge on my end." She then opened the door with her magic, and she looked up to see Gluttony fly with Greed screaming. She kept her stare with a glance that betrayed her shock.

Rarity trotted out "Lust, darling, what's wrong? Did you see something up there?"

Lust did not move as she finally spoke "I am beginning to question our safety around Pinkie..."

Rarity looked away with a wince as she scratched her head 'She's done it again, hasn't she?'
_____

Fluttershy and Pinkie were at Sugarcube Corner as they sat and talked. The timid mare looked sad "Envy or Rainbow Dash didn't show up today. Do you think that they were bored?"

Pinkie giggled "Of course not, silly! You know how much Dashie loves to nap! And now she has somepony to nap with!" She then thought "Or should we say somechangeling...hmmm~..." She then shrugged with a grin "Oh well!" She then took a large bite out of a cupcake.

Fluttershy smiled "Well, it is nice to see Rainbow Dash and Envy get along together...Maybe they could use a break." She took a small bite of her own cupcake "I'm glad that we were able to stop the homunculi's father. He was so..." She shuddered "Scary..."

Pinkie gulped her cupcake and narrowed her eyes "I'll say! And MAN was he mean! It's a good thing he's gone and his kids got to stay!" She smiled "Now maybe I can play with Gluttony and Envy more!"

Fluttershy flinched "That is...if it's okay with Envy, at least..."

Pinkie waved a hoof "Eh, I'm sure she won't mind!" She then stopped before she looked around "Hey! Where's Gluttony? I figured he'd be back for cupcakes by now!"

Fluttershy turned to the front door "Maybe he's on his way right now outside..." The two then trotted out, Pinkie with a tray of fresh cupcakes in tow.

When they were outside, they looked up to see Gluttony fly in the air with Greed screaming. Pinkie grinned "Ooooooh! Now I remember! Gluttony's showing that new trick I taught him!"

Fluttershy looked worried "But Greed is with him! What if he gets hurt!? Twilight won't be happy..."

Pinkie thought for a moment and nodded "You're right, Fluttershy! We better stop this!" She then pulled out a megaphone and spoke into it "Gluttony!! Cupcakes!!" Fluttershy gritted her teeth at the megaphone's volume.

In the air, Gluttony heard Pinkie loud and clear as he made a direct course for Sugarcube corner. His tongue was hung out in voracious abandon while Greed hung on for dear life. The two former homunculi then crashed into the tray of cupcakes and Greed managed to be okay.

The avaricious pony recovered and wiped his forehead with a sigh of relief "I better stay away when Gluttony knows a new trick..." Fluttershy and Pinkie giggled at Greed's words. Greed smiled himself "But it's exciting to know Gluttony's learning for once!"

Pinkie patted Gluttony's head while his face was buried in the tray "He'll be another me in a matter of months!" She smiled, but it left when she looked at Gluttony "Watch the drool, mister! This is a good tray!"

Fluttershy smiled "So, Greed...Are you and Twilight...um...enjoying each other's company?" She blushed lightly.

Greed chuckled "We're not moving that fast, Fluttershy! But yeah, her company's more than enjoyable!" He sighed "If only I could have her along with Canterlot, though..."

Fluttershy looked away in embarrassment 'He really is selfish...'

Pinkie giggled "I'd say Ponyville's all the Canterlot you'll ever need, Greedy! Twilight chose this over Canterlot since she first came here, you know!"

Greed raised an eyebrow "She'd trade a life of luxury for friends?"

Pinkie held up her hooves "Duh! Wouldn't you do the same?"

Greed stopped and thought for a moment before he smiled at the trio "Yeah...Yeah I would. Because that's all I wanted other than the world." The mares beamed at him, and Gluttony joined after he finished off the cupcakes. Greed then looked back "I should probably get back to the library! Gotta learn more magic before I train! See you girls later!" He trotted back to the library at a casual pace.

Pinkie nodded "Okie Dokie Loki! See ya later, Greedy! Tell Twilight I said hi!" She waved as the avaricious pony trotted off.

In time, Greed trotted back to the library and opened the door to see Twilight reading a book. Donning an evil grin, he snuck in and tip-toed near the couch she sat on. When he got close he jumped at her in hopes of surprising her, but his eyes widened when she teleported.

He then landed on the couch, and he suddenly felt a weight on his back as a giggle was heard "Nice try, Greed." He looked up to see Twilight smiling playfully at him "I told you I get plenty of exercise..."

Greed scoffed with a smirk "With your brain! I'd figure you would at least counter me better!"

Twilight huffed with a smile "I dunno, it might be too complicated to explain to you..."

Greed scowled "Don't act like Lust..."

Twilight laughed before she patted Greed's spikey mane "Don't worry, I won't! But it's good to see you're back! Now what say we teach you some more magic?"

Greed nodded with a smirk "Sure thing. It might take a while to learn this whole 'Magic of Friendship' thing, though."

Twilight raised an eyebrow "You just now realize this? I figured you would be more confident and narrow-minded."

Greed rolled his eyes "I say this because of generosity! I don't think I can handle it...That's just going against everything I stand for!" He looked away in disgust.

Twilight leaned her head down and hugged Greed as she nuzzled him "We all reach that point in our lives sometimes, Greed. And this time, you'll have friends to help walk you through it all. You can count on us!"

Greed turned to Twilight and looked in her eyes "Maybe I can..." The two then shared a passionate kiss.

Spike watched from the kitchen in disgust "Aw come on, you guys! I said no mushy stuff! Can't you take it upstairs or something?"
_____

At the royal gardens, the weird statue Greed fell on stood with its fear-stricken face, and a faint laughing noise was heard from it.

Out of nowhere, a blank flank zebracorn wearing a fedora trotted in nonchalantly and stood forward as he cleared his throat. After that, he took a deep breath and said three words that can chill a pony to the bone...

"Dun Dun Duuuuuun~!"

The End

Chapter 1

Into the Pits

"Goodbye...Friends of the soul..."

Those were the last words he heard himself say before vanishing into nothingness. And he actually meant it with how a simple alchemist and his friends have made a large impact onto his life. He only wished he were stronger so he could battle the one considered to be his father for much longer. Now there was nothing to do but think about his life and its ups and downs. He wondered how his fellow family members have passed on. At one point, he couldn't care less given their attitude, but they were family nonetheless.

"Hey..."

Funny. He thought he heard a voice 'Wait a minute...isn't that...?' It sounded strikingly familiar, but it was on the tip of his tongue.

"Get up..."

There it was again. The memories began to pour in, and he was about to come to the conclusion, that it sounded like the same person that killed him the first time. He began to feel warmness and wondered if he were sent to hell for his crimes 'Heh...Wouldn't be the first time I had to bask in something warm...' He almost felt himself smile, but it was replaced with a forceful nudge as the voice called out again.

"On your feet! We have problems! Hrm...the boy's probably dead..."

He wouldn't be dead if he felt that jab into his nonexistent sides. With the hit and the words, his vision managed to slowly return as he gave strained grunts. He saw what appeared to be a floor of brimstone. Wait, brimstone? If that wasn't enough, it felt as if both of his hands were cut off from the wrist region once he regained feelings in his arms. With a groan, he managed to speak "Where am I? Is this...hell??"

"Ah, you're awake...You could say that with where we are standing."

He gave a cough "The place could use some cleaning...I can taste the air around me." He smacked his lips and felt a cocky smile on his face "Is that charcoal? How fitting..."

"Not as fitting as your current form..."

Current form? He brought an arm to his face to see that it was a hoof instead. This was enough to startle him "Wh-What the!?" He looked at his other arm "What the fuck is going on!?" With the strength returned to him, he looked around and saw what appeared to be a blue pony standing with a small black mane and moustache, its left eye clenched shut. There was a familiar red Ouroboros tattoo on his flank

His open green eye was narrowed with resolve, and there were what appeared to be wings on both of his sides. He scoffed and smiled under his moustache "Surprised to see me, Greed? You should see the look on your own face..."

The one called Greed forgot himself for a moment as he gave a loud snicker and roared into hysterical laughter. He fell on his back as he spoke between laughs "Y-You're kidding me, right!? Wrath, is that you!?" He couldn't believe his eyes while he laughed even more.

Wrath's open eye glared as he frowned once again "Have you looked at yourself other than your arms, boy? You shouldn't even be laughing like this..."

Greed stopped his laughter and focused his attention back to both of his arms. They were hooves like he saw before. Knowing he was on his back, he figured it would be best to look at his feet. He gasped when he noticed that they, too, where replaced with hooves "No..." Greed plopped himself onto all fours and looked at himself. He was a small black pony with a spikey brown mane and tail, sporting a horn on his forehead and the same magenta eyes he was born with. His eyes widened while his teeth were bared in panic and bemusement "No...freaking...way...I'm a pony!?"

Wrath shook his head "I'd gladly utter a quip or a witty remark, but now's not the time." He turned his head to his left and pointed with a foreleg "Look over here."

Greed did as the pegasus had said and trotted over to his side. He noticed that the two were behind bars, in a prison of sorts. Outside of it, however, was a different story.

It looked just like the many priests had described it in their lore. He laid his eyes on what would seem like a proper characterization of Hell. Pillars of fire could be seen bursting out of certain cracks from below, but other than that, there were more prison cells as far as the eye can see. Some are empty, but others aren't. And what made matters worse were that some demons resembling gargoyles can be seen flying around and monitoring each cell. Painful and sad moaning noises waxed and waned in his ears, and Greed noticed a battered pony pleading while being carried by two demons escorting him and tossing him into a vacant cell.

Despite his previous actions, Greed was baffled to think he would end up here of all places "Talk about depressing...I wouldn't be surprised if our old man ended up here as well!"

Wrath closed his eye "I wouldn't exactly dream of it. And to be fair, he's not my biological father..." He opened his eye and stared out at the horrid background behind bars "We have to get out of here unless we become the demons' playthings for all eternity."

Greed turned to Wrath with a raised eyebrow "Seriously? In case you've forgotten, we're trapped in hell! While looking like something a girl wants for her freaking birthday! If anything, we're shit out of luck!"

Wrath did not focus his attention to Greed "Not quite..." This caused the cocky unicorn to keep his inquisitive gaze "If we were actually without any hope, then I wouldn't have bothered to either wake you up or take in my surroundings without a plan..." The mustachioed pony looked out and noticed a demon opening a distant cell occupied by a stallion and began to beat him around despite his already battered state "These demons usually take their time and torture their prisoners for sport..."

Greed glared "So what does that do with us? Are you saying we should just sit here and take it?" He examined himself "More importantly, how come we aren't messed up like the others yet?" The avaricious pony would draw himself to the conclusion that he managed to arrive here in mint condition after the fight in Central City. He noticed what looked like his signature Ouroboros tattoo on his flank as well 'What the hell?'

Wrath looked up "We've only woken up here out of unknown circumstance. It's best that we do not question good fortune and wait for the opportune moment to strike."

Greed gave a cocky grin towards the furious pony "Heh! I'd never expect to work with the last person, or in this case pony, I'd want to. So what do you have in mind, Fuhrer?"

Wrath gave a chuckle at the question "To think you'd have the formality to address me by my former rank..." He perked up when he noticed two distant demons soaring towards their cell and hissed "Quickly! Drop onto the floor!" The two imprisoned ponies sprawled themselves onto the dirty floor and feigned injury and tiredness.

Greed smiled inwardly when he pieced together the furious pony's plan 'Aaaaah, I get it...Surprise attack followed by an escape. Well played, Wrath...'

The two demons landed in front of the cell and one of them managed to open the door concealing the ponies and made their way inside with wicked smiles on their faces "So these are the newest additions? They seem pretty unique with what was usually brought in here." One spoke in a deep and gruff voice.

The other demon spoke in a throaty voice "I never expected them to just 'pop' into this cell like that a while back...where in Equestria do you suppose these two come from?"

The former demon shook his head "Doesn't matter at this point. Let's just wake them up so we can give 'em a proper Tartarus welcome!"

Greed thought about this 'Tartarus? What kind o' name of hell is that?? Meh, doesn't matter...' He contained his grin and his shaking anticipation for what was about to happen next.

The former demon waddled towards Wrath's body and hovered over it with curious eyes "Wonder how this one will sound if I give it a good ki-OOF!" The demon flew back and slammed against the prison bars while the other stared in surprise. Wrath plopped his hindlegs onto the floor after giving the demon a good buck to the stomach.

"Wh-What the-GAH!" The other demon slammed face first against the bars after he received a similar buck to the back courtesy of Greed.

With both the demons stunned for a moment, Wrath jerked his head and barked to Greed "Let's move!" The two broke into a gallop out of their cell, and the demons removed themselves from the bars and growled in anger as they gave chase.

Wrath and Greed galloped across the trails, breezing past each cell that came into view. The avaricious pony never thought that if felt so good to be free despite his current location, but then noticed the demons gradually closing the distance behind them. He gave another cocky grin as they galloped further "A game of chase in a place like this? You're a crazy pony, Wrath!"

The furious pony focused on the path unwinding with determination in his open eye "Even if I've led a fulfilling life before now, I do not plan on rotting away here! We'll find a way out of this even if it means fighting off these demons!"

Greed kept his eyes on Wrath as they ran away, and then an idea clicked in his head "Hey, Wrath! I realized something!" Wrath shifted his eye towards Greed awaiting his discovery "You have wings! Shouldn't you like, I dunno, FLY!?"

Wrath glared "You forget that they can fly, too! Besides, I haven't felt the need to tap into the use of my wings with how tight security can be!"

Greed looked back and noticed the demons getting closer "Good point...You know they're gonna catch us eventually, right? What do we do now!?"

The furious pony knew that Greed was right, and gave a deep breath "What do you suppose we do in situations like these?" He skidded to a halt and turned to face the demons closing in. Greed did the same, though he was a little nervous about himself.

The two stared down at the approaching demons, and Greed bared his teeth in anxiety 'What I'd do right now to get into my armored form...' He clenched his eyes shut and gritted his teeth 'C'mon...' Unbeknownst to him, his horn began to glow, earning the attention of Wrath 'C'moooon~...' In a small flash, his body gradually turned into a shimmering silver, his mane and tail disappearing during his transformation. His head resembled a skeleton's, only he had sharp teeth and red lines along his eyelids. The horn on his head also became sharp and pointed after the transformation.

One of the demons lunged forth and clawed at Greed's head, but it had little effect as the avaricious pony stood still. He opened his eyes to reveal piercing red eyes, and he noticed the baffled look on his attacker's face and examined himself. He struck a victorious hoof and yelled in an altered metallic voice "Alright! The Ultimate Shield is back in the game!!"

Wrath was equally baffled 'Incredible...Managing to retain his power ever since he passed on. I've never thought it to be possible with our current form...' He looked at his wings and wondered if they had equal potential to Greed's horn. After a curt grunt, he flared them open, and they seemed to make the sound of a sword being drawn from its scabbard. Each feather seemed more rigid and battle-ready in appearance. Not wanting to stop there, he decided to open his left eye to reveal it had no pupil, but a red Ouroboros tattoo in its place 'So we've managed to procure our capabilities in our old lives...This shall benefit us greatly...' With renewed vigor and hardened conviction, he glared at his opponents alongside Greed with resolve.

Greed gave Wrath a short glance and scoffed "Never thought we'd fight together like this..."

Wrath's eyes narrowed as he stared down the demons "The feeling's mutual..." With that, the two prepared for battle as they ran in along with their opponents.

The two former homunculi engaged into combat with the winged monsters and clashed with their own might. Greed managed to impale his opponent in the chest with his horn and bashed him away once he made his injury. While the injury seemed harsh, the demon recovered midair and snarled as it charged at him again and ignored his wound. Greed jumped away from the attack and turned himself around, where he positioned himself to buck the demon square in the face. The force was enough to send the demon reeling and falling down further in the depths.

Wrath was blocking the blows and trading his own with his strong wings, while his opponent did the same with his claws. This took the furious pony back to when he had to prove himself to lead Amestris with the harsh regime he had taken place in when he was an orphaned child. He was not going to lose to this one. Using his Ultimate Eye, he was able to predict the demon's next move and stepped aside from the attack. This left him open for attack as Wrath lunged in and breezed past his opponent with his wing. It sliced the side of the demon's chest as he gave a roar, but was silenced when Wrath gracefully twirled into the air and sliced along his neck, silencing the demon as blood trickled from his wound. After his landing, he kicked the demon off of the edge of the trail.

The demon Greed fought flew back up and was found bleeding in the chest as he growled indignantly. A nearby demon noticed the skirmish and shirked its duties to join the fight. While the demons drew close, the avaricious pony grunted "Bring it on! I'm not afraid of you pissants!"

Wrath turned to Greed "We can't draw too much attention! Let's just finish these ones off so we can continue!" The two ponies assumed defensive positions and awaited their confrontation.

When they closed the distance, Greed finished what he started when he jumped up and latched himself onto the demon's right eye with his horn. The demon roared and flailed about in pain, but Greed managed to kick himself off and recover back onto the path.

While the first demon fell down once more, the other one hovered cautiously over the depths and carefully analyzed his targets. Wrath saw this and turned to Greed "He's growing anxious. Wait here." He flared his wings and took flight towards the hovering demon. When he reached him, the demon inched itself away from Wrath's attempts of approach and prepared for a counterattack.

Wrath anticipated this and avoided the attack by flying away from the demon's claws. He flashed a taunting smile towards his foe and baited him into an aerial chase. This was what the furious pony wanted. He lured the frenzied demon towards Greed's location and zoomed past the avaricious pony "Now, Greed!"

Greed narrowed his eyes "On it!" he leaped forward and clamped his forelegs across the demon's chest. When he was tightly locked, he focused his horn and jammed it in the demon's neck, striking his jugular without hesitation. The demon gave a pained hack, then coughed up blood before his life was gone and began to fall. Greed quickly pulled his horn out and made a leap for the path only to have his upper body collide with the edge "Gah...Crap!" He struggled as his forehooves grasped onto the edge while his hindlegs dangled in the air. The avaricious pony began to slip "No...No...NonononoNO!" When he lost his grip, he found his hooves being gripped by another set. He looked up to see Wrath staring down at him while he was pulled up from certain doom.

Greed caught his breath as he laid on the pathway "Never thought I'd say this but...thanks..."

Wrath gave a curt nod, then turned towards the unfolding path "No time for resting, Greed. We need to find a way out of here!"

Greed got on all fours and shook off his fatigue "Where do you suppose we go from here? It's like a maze!"

Suddenly, there was the sound of a large collision, followed by a small tremor. The two ponies looked around in bemusement, then Greed broke the silence "What was that just now?"

Wrath looked around, but then focused back on the current matter "We shouldn't be thinking about this right now. Come on, Greed! We need to get moving!" He began to gallop along the given path.

Greed shrugged "Right behind ya..." He followed after Wrath and eventually caught up with him. As they kept their pace, Greed couldn't help but think 'While I'm glad we have our abilities...Why the fuck are we PONIES!?'

End of Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Family Reunion

Wrath and Greed traveled along the paths of Tartarus for what seemed like hours. They made sure to stay under any passing demon's radar while they made their way around each twist and turn their routes had to offer. Greed was beginning to grow bored and impatient with how far him and Wrath went without any sign of changes. While they ran, the furious pony noticed one of the vacant cages looking different "Hey, Greed!"

The two skidded to a halt and Greed turned to Wrath with a raised eyebrow "What is it? You found something interesting?" The furious pony nodded and trotted back for a moment to view the cage he had his sights on. Greed followed and noticed with widened eyes "Huh..."

Upon further inspection, a majority of the cell's bars were gone as if someone busted out with immense strength. Greed looked closer and noticed that there were bite marks along each of the remaining cells. The avaricious pony poked his chin with a hoof and turned to Wrath "You don't think...?"

Wrath looked back "Only one way to find out. Forward!" He resumed his gallop with Greed following.

Their continued journey along the bowels of Tartarus proved to be just as fruitless as when they started until they reached a corner and noticed two demons flying down from patrol duty and landed a few feet away. The two former homunculi silenced and hid themselves as they eavesdropped on any possible conversation.

The first demon spoke up "Some of the newer additions to this place are nothing but trouble! They're making our jobs seem even harder with how they're escaping!"

The other demon shuddered "Don't remind me! I heard one of the new escapees managed to eat one of our patrols like a mere snack! I just hope the reinforcements manages to hold him down!"

The first demon scratched his head "I think I saw him before, but wasn't he with somepony? She looked rather stunning actually. Way out of that monster's league, if you ask me! But then again, we're technically monsters ourselves...Ah, geez, this is getting weird! We can't be afraid of some simple ponies, even if one of them's bat-shit crazy! Let's find and help the others!" The two demons took flight and made their way along the prison.

Greed could barely contain his grin when he noted what he had just heard "Yep...definitely them..."

Wrath managed a small smile "And they managed to end up here together...How fitting. Let's follow those demons and see if we can help them." The two ponies galloped and followed the flying demons at a safe distance. If what they think was true, then it could be possible to locate the rest of their family.

After a large period of travel, Wrath and Greed noticed a trail of blood and a small amount of body parts belonging to deceased demons. Greed stifled a laugh to make sure not to expose him and Wrath. The furious pony only looked ahead "We're getting close..."

Greed rolled his eyes "You don't say? I figured this mess was our doing..." He remarked sarcastically.

Wrath gave the avaricious pony a short glare before he perked his ears to hear munching noises. The two stopped and Greed eventually picked up on it, too. They cautiously trotted along the trail of blood and looked around as the sounds grew in volume. Greed looked up and noticed the demons appeared startled when they gazed to the right. "There! There they are! Let's get 'em!" One of them pointed at the undistinguishable scene and swooped down out of the two ponies' sights, and there was a loud chomp followed by a scream of pain and agony.

The hovering demon watched in fear and disgust and winced at the unseen carnage "I'm gonna need some help with this one..." He flew away quickly before he was noticed.

Wrath and Greed looked at each other, and then they galloped along the trail leading to the scene. Both of them managed a smirk at what they saw.

In the short distance, there sat a very round dark brown pony with no mane or tail and pupilless eyes. The arm of an unfortunate demon stuck out of his mouth as he chewed it up. On his flank was yet another Ouroboros tattoo, leading Greed to believe that he was definitely what him and Wrath were looking for.

Standing next to him was a slightly tall, slender, and beautiful lavender unicorn mare with a long horn, a flowing black mane and tail, and an Ouroboros tattoo on her flank as well. Her dazzling indigo eyes looked down at the pony chewing the arm and spoke "Have you had your fill for today, Gluttony?"

The one called Gluttony finally swallowed the arm and wiped his muzzle with a hoof "I'm still hungry..." He perked up and sniffed at the air "Th-That scent..." He continued to sniff until he caught the sight of two smiling ponies. He paused and blinked for a moment, then galloped over and sniffed them once again, and grinned ear-to-ear as he gasped with joy "Wrath! Greed!" He leaped and gathered the two former Homunculi in a hug.

The mare looked ahead to see Wrath and Greed wrapped in Gluttony's embrace, then hummed and smiled as she trotted over to get a better look "Never thought we would meet each other like this..."

Wrath looked over and smirked at the mare "None of us did, Lust...Despite the location, it's good to see a familiar face save for Greed."

Greed feigned sadness "Awww, and I figured you'd be happy to see me for the first time in a while~!"

Lust chuckled at the avaricious pony's sarcasm "So where do you suppose we are? Rather fitting given our previous crimes, is it not?"

Greed looked over at the lascivious mare and replied "We figured it was Hell with the scenery and all, but we heard from one of the demons that this place is called Tartarus...sounds like a kind of toothpaste or something..."

Gluttony broke the embrace and flashed a hungry smile "It sounds delicious! But it's nice to see you two again!"

The four former homunculi perked up and looked around when another large collision sounded with another small tremor. Greed shifted his piercing eyes "There it is again...What the fuck is that?"

Lust looked up "I'm not sure...Me and Gluttony felt it before, but we figured it was some kind of small disturbance..." Her eyes widened when she noticed a distant group of demons flying towards them "We have to hide! They're coming back!"

The others took notice to the advancing group and quickly fled to the deeper reaches of Tartarus to hide away from the demons.

The group of former homunculi, now numbering four, trotted along another trail and passed many prison cells. They saw folks, and noticed that some of them weren't ponies at all. Some resembled the chimeras they commanded in their time, only they were more of a cross between a hawk and a lion. Gluttony trotted innocently while the others kept a cautious pace, on the look out for any patrolling demons ahead.

Lust looked at Greed and Wrath and was curious about their appearance. She never expected them to tap into their old powers like this. The lascivious mare was unsure about her own powers managing to awaken, but she was lucky to have Gluttony defend for her. The voracious pony was always fond of her when they lived their lives as homunculi. She wanted to know how it was possible "Greed...Your power. How are you able to activate it like this?"

Greed turned his attention to Lust "What, this? Funny you should ask. I never thought I would be able to get my powers back, but somehow I've managed to keep it with me this whole time!" He struck a pose and chuckled "Pretty good, don't you think?"

Wrath sighed "What Greed meant to say was that his horn glowed and gave him his power...Have you not activated your own power while you were here, Lust?"

Lust shook her head "Sadly, no...But I'm happy to be protected by Gluttony." She smiled down at the round pony while he nuzzled at her side with a look of pure bliss "I hope I can be able to join the fight soon..."

Greed raised an eyebrow "Why not give it a shot while we're on the safe side? You know, so you could have some time to prepare for the next fight?"

Lust stopped and stood still as she stared up at her horn. She hummed in thought and closed her eyes. Before she could focus, Gluttony blurted out "I smell something!" That was enough to snap her out of her concentration as she looked down at the round pony while he sniffed the air "It's another familiar scent!"

Greed chuckled and grinned his sharp teeth "Nothing ever gets by your nose! Lead the way, Gluttony!" With that, the group followed a trail with Gluttony taking point.

They followed the voracious pony as he sniffed out the trail where the scent lingered, and then he stopped and pointed like a bloodhound at a nearby cell. The other three ponies traded curious looks and made their way towards the designated cell.

The group peeked inside to see a very odd creature snoring. It looked like a cross between a pony and an insect, with myriad holes poking out of its legs. There were insect wings and what seemed to be a fish-like fin in place of its mane and a tail with as much holes as its legs. It even sported a horn like Greed and Lust, and its skin was more black than Greed's coat. Its ears were mangled, and there were two sharp teeth visibly shown from its mouth.

The group, save for Gluttony, were all confused, and Lust looked down at the voracious pony "Gluttony, are you sure that this is where the familiar scent of yours led to?"

Gluttony looked up and nodded at Lust like a child "Uh-huh! I smelt it! It's coming from there!"

Greed rolled his eyes "We heard you the first time, Gluttony! Let's just give this little thing a wake-up call..." He banged on the cell door "Hey! Hey, you in there! Wake up!"

The odd creature was woken from its slumber and quickly planted onto its forelegs and leered its glowing blue pupilless eyes at the group "What the hell do you want!?" it spoke in a raspy and all-too-familiar harsh tone that caught the group by surprise.

Wrath peered inside after hearing the voice and paused for a moment "...Envy? Is that you?"

The one called Envy scoffed "Who wants to know!? Are you in cahoots with those asshole demons in this place or something!?" Its words spat venom.

Greed laughed at how the odd creature was flailing its rage "Go figure! We've all been given ridiculous looks, but yours just takes the cake! I mean, look at yourself!"

Envy sped up to the bars separating the group and growled "Hang on..." The odd creature leered at Greed and the others, and then its expression turned into shock and bemusement "How did you guys get here!? Where are we!?"

Wrath smiled "I'm glad you recognized us. We wouldn't have found you without the use of Gluttony's sense of smell..." He looked at the round pony while he pawed at the bars with a smile.

Gluttony continued to paw at the bars and spoke "Hello, Envy! Your legs look like cheese! Can I have a bite of it?"

Envy glared at the voracious pony "No way! You know better than to eat me, Gluttony! But enough about that!" the odd creature looked at the group "Get me out of here! I'm already sick of this place!"

Lust nodded with a small smile "Gladly..." She looked down at Gluttony "Go ahead, Gluttony..."

The round pony flashed a hungry grin and giggled while drool flooded through his teeth. The drool dripped from his mouth and each drop seered at the rough floor. Gluttony then opened his mouth and sunk his teeth into the bars while Envy hopped back and let him enjoy his meal. He teared through a good amount of bars before finally swallowing his fill and rubbing his belly "That was delicious!"

With the cell open from Gluttony's hunger, Envy hopped over and grouped with the other former homunculi. The odd creature raised an eyebrow "So how did you guys escape?"

Greed looked at Wrath "Me and the Fuhrer here duped some demons that went into our cell and we kicked their asses to oblivion!" He then turned to Lust and Gluttony "As for those two...you get the gist of it..."

Envy smirked at Gluttony "Why am I not surprised?" Envy then perked itself up and turned to Greed "Wait a minute! How are you in your Ultimate Shield form!?"

Lust closed her eyes "The same reason Wrath kept his Ultimate eye and Gluttony his insatiable hunger..."

Envy scoffed "Well if they have their powers, then that must mean..." The odd creature shut its eyes and stood still. A small green aura quickly flickered over Envy and transformed it into an exact replica of Lust.

Gluttony gasped and changed his gazes between both Lusts "Two of them?!"

Lust chuckled "Impressive...You've managed to retain your power as well."

The other Lust smirked and spoke with her exact voice "This will come in handy if we manage to bust out of this dump..." The blue aura from before flickered over the other Lust and transformed it into a replica of Wrath, voice and all "So what's the plan from here?"

Greed looked around "I think you just answered your own question. We should split before more of them demons show up!"

The other Wrath scoffed "Well I can't go in this form..." Envy then went back into its original form "And I sure as hell ain't going like this! I look stupid!"

Wrath narrowed his eyes "Why don't you improvise and save yourself time to complain?"

Envy growled, but then shut its eyes. It tapped into its memory and made sure it would look presentable. The small green aura from before flickered over the odd creature and gave it a whole different transformation. Envy was now seen as an androgynous green pegasus pony with the same black headband and clothes worn from its old life. Its dark green mane resembled the wild hairstyle from before and matched the tail as well. Just like the rest of the group, it was seen with an Ouroboros tattoo on its flank. The odd creature opened its purple eyes and gave a wicked grin "How do I look?"

Greed shrugged "Like a million bu-" There was another collision sound and a tremor, only it was louder, and the tremor was worse. The avaricious pony looked around with a glare "Okay, this is seriously starting to piss me off!"

Envy looked around in confusion "What was that anyway? Did something break?"

Wrath stepped forward "We can worry about that at a later date! We've already wasted enough time standing around! Let's get moving!" The others, save for Envy, nodded in agreement and followed the furious pony along another path.

Envy stayed behind for a moment and sneered at Wrath's actions "Who died and made you king?" The odd creature then galloped after the rest of the group.

End of Chapter 2

Chapter 11

New Beginnings

Around the barren wastelands where the former homunculi escaped from Tartarus, a lone pony trotted along his own path with his head hung down and buried in his pale yellow mane.
_____

A demon opened a cell door and made his way inside, then sighed to himself "I shoulda just went with the others to handle the escapees. Why do I miss out on all the fun?" A collision sounded followed by a tremor that agitated the demon "And just what in Equestria is that racket!?" He then groaned in defeat "Nevermind. Let's just see who's in here..." In one of the cell's corners, the demon looked at one of the newest additions to the pits.

It was a very rare sight to behold. A shriveled up alicorn with a light grey coat. The pony was so wrinkled, the cutie mark could not be distinguished easily. His face was buried in his pale yellow mane as he trembled in weakness. The demon was amazed for a moment before chuckling to himself "So they send some old pony in here? Talk about hilarious! Hope you can handle some torture, buddy, cuz I'm not holding back!" He walked forward while cracking his knuckles. When he got close, the pony murmured something in a withering tone "Huh? What did you say?"

The alicorn murmured again, and unbeknownst to the demon, there was a faint sense of red static coming from his horn.

The demon scratched his head, confused for a moment. Then he spoke once more "Didn't quite catch that, old man! Are you begging for mercy oooooor are you just dealing with arthritis? If it's the latter, then it sucks to be you! No special treatment here!"

"S-...Stones..."

At that, the demon leaned in, curious "Say that again?"

The alicorn, his face still hidden, procuded more red static in his horn as he found more strength in his voice "Stones..."

The demon walked up and knelt beside the alicorn "Stones? Are you dense or something?" He then shrugged "Doesn't matter. You're gonna deal with your punishment anywa-Huh?" He saw the static on his horn and glared "Oh no you don't!" He then grabbed his horn with the intention on snapping it. But when the demon touched it, the red static from the horn coursed into his hand and along his body "Wha-What the!?" He tried to release his hand, but it was as if it were glued to the horn. Soon, the demon gradually found his body covered in a glowing red light, and then screamed in fright before the light reached his head.

The light that covered the demon then shrunk down to the size of a gumball, and subsided to reveal a glowing red liquid substance on the floor. The wrinkled alicorn stared at the droplet through his long mane and slowly leaned his head down. He then weakly lapped the substance into his mouth and gulped it down.

For a moment, nothing happened, but then the alicorn grunted when red static enveloped his being. While he was wrapped in the red energy, some of his wrinkles slowly vanished.
_____

The alicorn managed to trot out of the wasteland, but then found himself in a much more mangled territory. Everything around him seemed more lifeless and threatening. Up ahead, he noticed what seemed like some kind of giant insect hive. Curious, the pony gathered his strength and continued onward.
_____

Another stray demon was turned into the strange liquid like before and devoured by the alicorn while he casually trotted along a trail with most of his wrinkles gone. He noticed a trail of blood and body parts and stopped to sniff at them. The alicorn then craned his head back and grunted in disgust as he carried on.

When he thought he was near the entrance of his newest prison, he noticed a pile of bruised demons groaning and moaning in pain. He heard them managing words while he trotted close.

One demon moaned "How can one pony manage to take on all of us like this?"

Another spoke "Not to mention how was it so fast when it was born huge? It's like the guy wasn't even trying!" He grunted in pain while he laid on the pile.

The alicorn managed a smile on his muzzle while his face remained hidden in his mane. He lit up his horn while the group was unaware.
_____

He did not forget how easy it was to leave when he noticed a three-headed dog lay unconscious near the entrance of the gate. It was best not to question good fortune. What mattered now was his location. He couldn't care less about his form knowing he was still able to make 'stones' out of whomever he chose. When he neared the hive structure, he noticed groups of creatures that resembled ponies and insects.

The creatures noticed the strange pony and assumed the presence of agitated beasts as they hissed and snarled at the alicorn.

One part of the alicorn wanted to do away with the approaching creatures, but another part wanted to know who they served. He decided to let the creatures 'capture' him so they would take him to their leader. While he was forcefully escorted, he could not help but chuckle to himself.

Some of the creatures were confused towards his laughter, but more confused when they noticed his strange cutie mark. It was a black spot with faded edges that paled in comparison to his light grey coat. In the middle of the black spot was an ominous eye staring out at the world, as if a figure resided in his flank. The creatures that paid attention to his cutie mark shuddered to themselves, but carried on for the sake of revealing a prisoner to their leader.

The alicorn was lead into a room that had egg sacks and cocoons sticking out of the walls and ceiling. At the end of the room sat a larger and more regal versions of the creatures that captured him. She leered at her captive with seductive but cold green eyes. Unlike the others, this one had flowing but holed turquoise hair and what seemed to be a growth resembling a crown resting behind her jagged horn. Her tone betrayed no malevolence after she chuckled "Well done, my pretties...Begone now. I'll summon you when I'm through with this one!"

The creatures then left the room while the alicorn remained with his head hung and buried in his mane. The head creature raised an eyebrow "What? Are you not going to beg for mercy or is your old age catching up to you, alicorn?"

The alicorn, after he heard the remark, could not help but laugh "I haven't heard that since I left my previous destination...But no, I'm below such petty actions." His tone was cold and arrogant.

The head creature nodded her head at the alicorn, impressed with his audacity "You DO realize you are in the heart of my domain, don't you? Do you honestly think yourself powerful when you're surrounded by my children??" She rose from her crooked seat and snapped at her prisoner "Do you know who you're dealing with, old fool!?"

She expected her prisoner to tremble, but the head creature succeeded in eliciting another laugh from the alicorn when he replied "Not exactly. I'm rather new to this whole world...Your 'domain'..." he added the word with a condescending tone "seemed to pique my interest, so I decided to see what was there. Now I know..."

The head creature hummed in irritation and thought. She glided from her seat and approached the alicorn and began to circle him. He was surely a rare sight to be seen around Equestria. Was he serious about being new here? What made her all the more curious was that she detected no feeling to feed off of him other than his coldheartedness and arrogance 'What kind of alicorn is he?' With her examination over, the head creature flew back to her seat "What is your name, alicorn? I've not seen anypony like you around Canterlot before..."

The alicorn only replied "Ladies first..."

This impressed the head creature even further "An arrogant prisoner with manners? How utterly divine..." She flashed a smirk.

The alicorn held a smirk of his own "Divinity is a goal of mine, actually...Now, your name?"

The head creature nodded "Very well." She rose to a proud stance "I am Chrysalis, Queen of the Changelings! You have such admirable gall to trespass onto my territory. Who are you to do this exactly?"

The alicorn was silent for a moment "Nothing of dire concern to you..." He lifted his head and his pale yellow mane flew back to reveal a handsome stallion's face with his eyes shut. He then opened them to reveal that the pupils in his eyes were a threatening red. He leered at Chrysalis with a vicious smile.

"Just a father searching for his lost children..."

End of Chapter 11

Chapter 38

To Obtain

Father gave a sigh after his exhausting teleportation spell and turned to the throne room's entrance "Now that that has been taken care of, I believe it's time to find Shining Armor and Mi Amore Cadenza." He trotted off, but stopped himself as he looked back "Oh yes, that's right..." The pale alicorn looked upon his fallen opponents as they writhed in pain "You're bound to recover shortly, so it's only best I keep you at a fixed position before I return..." He turned to face the three ponies and zapped a red beam at them, wrapping them all in a red aura that kept the trio still "There...That should keep you well-contained for the time being." He smiled at the three "Be glad. A new age is dawning for us all, and you'll be met with a familiar face once the shield dies..." He then turned away and made his leave while Celestia, Luna, and Wrath were trapped by Father's paralysis spell.
_____

At the castle's vestibule, Prince Blueblood trotted in and looked around "Aunt Celestia? Aunt Luna? Where are you? I came here because I noticed a disturbance at your castle from one of my manor's windows! Hello?" He trotted up the stairs and made his way towards the throne room, only to be bumped into by Cadence. The ignorant prince shook his head and gave a light sneer "Really, Mi Amore Cadenza! If you're to act like a proper princess, at least watch where you are-"

He was cut off as Cadence galloped past her with Shining Armor on her back "There's no time, Blueblood! You have to get out of here!! We're under attack!!"

Blueblood turned to Cadence with a raised eyebrow "Under attack? But everything in the castle looks just fine! What is going on with Aunt Celestia?"

Cadence stopped and glared at Blueblood despite fearing for his life "She, Luna, and Wrath are handling a strange alicorn in the throne room! But that's not important! Leave the castle before things get worse!!"

Prince Blueblood was confused at Cadence's snapping "Well, just where are you two going then!? It is most umbecoming to have your husband hoisted upon your back!"

Shining Armor grunted as he found his voice after being bombarded by the energy wave earlier "We're heading for Celestia's bedroom! We need to warn my sister and her friends about this new threat!! Please, Prince Blueblood, just run while you can!!" After his firm warning, Cadence then galloped in search of Celestia's room so that she could send a letter to Ponyville.

Prince Blueblood looked down in confusion 'My aunts are in trouble and even require the aid of that new elderly pegasus? I have to help them if they are suffering through harsher times!' He looked up with newfound determination "Do not worry, Auntie! I, Prince Blueblood, shall step into the fray and handle whomever has the audacity to storm our proud walls!" He then turned to gallop "I am co-Huh!?" Blueblood was stopped in his tracks when he noticed a tall and pale grey alicorn standing in front of him, leering down at Blueblood with red eyes. He already felt threatened under the glance "Wh-Who are you!?"

Father examined the unicorn in front of him and searched through Celestia's memories to get a clear grasp of his identity. When it was reached, he narrowed his eyes "Prince Blueblood..." He took a step forward, to which Blueblood stepped back reflexively "The pinnacle of foolishness..." He took another step forward while the ignorant prince took another step back "To think one such as yourself held the courage to flirt with my daughter Lust."

Blueblood perked up and forgot Father's intimidating stare "So you're Lust's father? Well, I can see where she gets her looks from! But can you explain to me why you had to bring up such grotesque siblings after her!?"

Father glared at Prince Blueblood "The better question to ask is...Where can I find Shining Armor and Princess Mi Amore Cadenza? Will you tell me where they are?"

Blueblood flinched at the question 'Was this the strange alicorn that Mi Amore Cadenza mentioned?' He then casted a stern gaze upon Father "Who are you and what have you done to my Aunt Celestia!? I refuse to answer your questions if you have caused trouble here!!"

Father sneered and his horn glowed as he levitated Blueblood near his face "Tell me where they are, unless you desire sheer torment?" Despite his calm tone, he glared at the ignorant prince as he shivered.

Blueblood's eyes widened "Y-Y-You wouldn't harm me! I am a unicorn of royal blood!! I could have you executed for your crimes!" He tried to maintain an authoritive tone past his fear.

Father tilted his head with a bored expression "You would make threats when you exploit fear? You really are foolish. But I digress...Tell me where Shining Armor and Mi Amore Cadenza are hiding. My patience wears thin..."

Prince Blueblood despised getting hurt, especially by one who claims to be the father of Lust. Just by looking in his eyes, he knew that Father was most serious. He swallowed and stammered in fear while sweating bullets at his predicament. The ignorant prince whimpered before he blurted out "They're headed towards Aunt Celestia's bedroom!! They wish to send out a distress call to the Elements of Harmony!!"

Father stared for a moment before he nodded and canceled out his hold on Prince Blueblood, causing him to drop on the floor. He then trotted past the ignorant prince nonchalantly as if he were an inanimate object. Father smiled to himself when he remembered the exact location Blueblood was referring to through his acquired memories from Celestia. His horn began to glow while he trotted away from Blueblood.

Prince Blueblood scrambled to his hooves and looked at the pale alicorn leaving "You would spare me?" He asked in bewilderment.

Father continued trotting "You've given me all that I need...Besides, one such as yourself isn't worthy of becoming a stone, even if you've acted as a stepping stone...Insect." He then winked out with his destination set.

Blueblood sat on his haunches and contemplated on his actions only to wear a face of sadness and guilt 'Aunt Celestia...Aunt Luna...I have failed you both!!'
_____

Cadence galloped up the stairs with conviction, though carrying her husband on her back had taken a toll on some of her stamina. She continued on as she thought about Celestia, Luna and Wrath 'Oh, I hope that they're alright...' She shook off her doubt and continued up further.

Shining Armor tried to hang on and looked back to see no shadows behind them "Wrath...I can't believe that alicorn's his father." He then grunted "Why did this happen all of the sudden? Our city being invaded, and by an alicorn who has the ability to turn ponies into stones, no less!" He cursed himself for not being able to defend his fellow soldiers or his rulers.

Cadence inwardly grimaced to herself on the truth about Wrath "I never imagined Greed and Wrath's father to be so strong! Perhaps them escaping Tartarus was no mistake!"

Shining Armor held an expression of displeasure "How can we trust Wrath and his siblings now that their father decided to pay us a visit? I'll bet they were in on this the whole time!"

Cadence looked ahead with an expression of worry "I'm not sure they're on his side, Shining Armor. Especially when we heard Greed two days ago..." The princess heard genuine hate from his words when he spoke at the dining table and wondered if he had a personal vendetta with his father.

"Let's just say my father's a fickle bastard and leave it at that..."

Shining Armor glared "But how can we be sure that they won't side with him once Greed and the others arrive? Doesn't this concern you at all!?"

Cadence mustered her strength while she carried Shining Armor "I'm just as concerned as you are, but we need to press on! The fate of Equestria rests on your sister and her friends! The Elements of Harmony are all we have left if Celestia is unable to handle this!"

Shining Armor nodded "Yeah, you're right. If they won't, then who will? I hope we can reach them in time..." On the inside, Shining Armor was concerned about Greed being with his younger sister, hoping that she is at least dealing with whatever problem may arise.

Cadence smiled when she reached the door and caught her breath briefly before she focused her magic on the doorknob. She looked back at Shining Armor "We can! All we need to do is send our message and we may have a better chance!" When she opened the door, she turned back to have her hopeful smile turn into a fearful frown as she gasped at the sight of Father in front of her.

Father smirked down at the couple with his horn crackling with red static "That will not be necessary, princess..." He spoke in a grave tone.
_____

Greed growled and roared in displeasure "Aw, come on!!!"

Rarity huffed "You must control that volume of yours! Are you trying to imitate Princess Luna with that outburst?" She glared at Greed with contempt. The two were facing each other at Rarity's doorstep.

Greed waved a hoof at Rarity "You're supposed to be the element of Generosity! Can't you just spare me one of those awesome shades in that boutique of yours? You'd be doing me a favor!"

Rarity kept her glare on the avaricious pony "The only favor I would be doing is stimulating your atrocious nature of hoarding! Honestly, you should take a lesson from Spike about this! I will not have you take advantage of my element so easily, Greed!"

Greed looked away "It's not so much me taking advantage of your element but because I don't have any spending money! That, and those shades could be gone soon! You don't really need them!"

Rarity deadpanned "Oh, of course~! Silly me~!" She spoke sarcastically "I also do not need my myriad collection of dresses and suits in my boutique neither! And they end up gone as well! Do you wanna know how, darling?" She smiled at Greed, who leaned in with an inquisitive glance. Rarity then scowled "They pay for them! Like everypony else!"

Greed drew back and growled again "You made a free dress for Lust! A free freaking dress! Why give her a gift and not me as well?"

Rarity held her nose in the air "I made a dress for Lust specifically because she's my guest and she gave me the most wonderful ideas for some of my newest outfits!" She smiled as she stated Lust's attributes "She is also proper, well-mannered, and mature about situations!" The fashionista then frowned as she muttered "Unlike somepony I know..."

Greed twitched an eyebrow as he glared at Rarity for her jabs "Couldn't you turn a blind eye just this once? I'm looking to improve my image, and you have the only thing I need in there!" He smirked "Besides, it's what friends do right?"

Rarity nodded "Indeed, but they also don't squander their trust OR their goodwill like you are now! Come back to the boutique when you have enough bits, Greed! And don't you think about stealing them neither!" She then went inside and slammed the door.

Greed growled again and stomped at the ground "Element of Generosity, my furry ass..." he muttered to himself as he trotted away with a sour expression. Before he departed from the boutique, he snuck a peak at the window to see the shades he had his eyes on.

They were perfect for him. Circular lenses with the finest tints he could as for. And he was downcast and outraged because the very Element of Generosity denied him the privilege of owning and wearing them. Greed grunted and looked away with a huff 'I don't pay for things I want! I take them!' He then looked down with a wince 'But that bitch has her guns on, and that leaves me without a plan to get them...' He rubbed his hoof as he sat on his haunches and pondered .

"You're thinking...Such progress from you, Greed..."

Greed snapped out of his thought to see the image of his older sister stare down at him with a teasing smile. The avaricious pony sneered as he glared up "Eat a dick, Lust! Shouldn't you be with Rarity right now?"

Lust flicked her mane as she closed her eyes "Were you unaware of my absence from the boutique? I only trotted over to Sugarcube Corner to enjoy some of Pinkie's delectable tarts...They make for a good meal in the morning. And I must say that I am happy that Gluttony managed to find somepony else to play with."

Greed rolled his eyes "Yeah, Pinks can sure keep him occupied with her food supply. And she usually eats as much as him! They're made for each other!" He then dismissed the off-topic discussion and went back to moping and thinking "I gotta find a way to get those shades..." He muttered.

Lust focused her attention back to Greed and leaned her head down to him "What was that? Do you need something to add to your towering pile of possessions?"

Greed sneered at Lust "Don't fuck with me, Lust..." He looked back at the boutique "But yeah, I really do want those shades that the so-called Element of Generosity is keeping from me!"

Lust feigned sadness as she placed a hoof on her cheek "Oh my, that is so sad...If only I was skilled in the violin..." She then offered a teasing smile "You know, this isn't a total loss. You could always PAY for a pair of sunglasses, Greed."

Greed growled as he jerked his head to Lust and snapped "Up yours! Everything in this world is mine! In case you haven't noticed, I don't actually share!" He then jumped onto his four hooves "If only that bitch Rarity got the message! She's more into you than anything el-" He stopped as his eyes widened. The avaricious pony then slowly developed a smile that grew in width as his eyes narrowed deviously 'That's it...' He turned to Lust "Hey, Lust...Do you ever miss manipulating folks to get what you want?"

Lust paused for a moment before she sighed with a nostalgic smile "Now that you mention it, I forgot how fun it was to have someone be putty in my hand..." Her memories went back to when she manipulated Havoc's hormones in order to obtain information "But what are you getting at? Are you planning something?" She raised an eyebrow at her younger brother.

Greed smirked at Lust "Aw, it's nothing special..." He flashed a grin as he explained "You think maybe you could stroll into that boutique and sweep Rarity off her feet so I can get me those shades?"

Lust chuckled "Your thoughts are amusing, Greed...It's bad enough you wouldn't pay for a simple pair of shades, but to have me do your dirty work in order to get them for free?"

Greed spread his forelegs while he frowned "I'm just asking a favor from my older sister! Is it too much that I can count on you?"

Lust huffed "Well, you seem awfully insistent about me getting you those shades. But I suppose it can't be helped seeing as how you're so adamant of your nature as I am my own..." She smiled "Not to mention, my actions will also count as generosity, even if Rarity does find out the truth..."

Greed smiled expectantly "So you'll do it then!?" He asked quickly with joy in his eyes.

Lust gave a condescending pat on Greed's head "I'm only doing my duty as an older sister for my baby brother and nothing else..."

Greed growled "You forget Wrath's the baby out of us, right?"

Lust trotted past Greed with a mischievous smile "Age does not equal maturity, Greed. Just wait here and you'll have your sunglasses so that you will not turn to the heavens and cry like a baby..." She opened the door to the boutique and made her way inside.

Greed crossed his forelegs and scrunched his face 'If she weren't giving me my shades, I'd kick her ass...'
_____

Rarity was busy going through her dresses and inspecting their details before she decided to go into her back room to work on more. She heard the door open and expected Greed to come back with a scowl on her face, but it left when she noticed Lust "Ah, hello, Lust! Did you enjoy your time at Pinkie's?" She smiled at the lascivious mare.

Lust smiled back at Rarity 'I hope she can forgive me for what I'm about to do...' "Yes, I did. Pinkie can really bake her confectionaries professionally..." She began to sashay towards Rarity as her eyes took on a half-lidded stare at the fastionista "But I suppose she couldn't do better..." She spoke in a sultry tone.

Rarity noticed the approach Lust was taking and raised an eyebrow "Are you feeling okay, Lust? Pinkie didn't place anything weird in her tarts again, did she?"

Lust shook her head as she drew closer "Not at all. But that shouldn't be a matter to think on knowing it was just a simple meal..."

Rarity widened her eyes and began stepping back while Lust closed in on her "W-Well, I wouldn't say simple, darling! Pinkie's the best baker in Ponyville!" She said while she drew herself back shifting her eyes "I-I mean, I do not have my suspiscions on one of my friends, though you surprise me with your current mood!" One part of Rarity felt uncomfortable, but she could not help but almost be swayed by Lust's seductive behavior.

Lust chuckled "I assure you, Pinkie had nothing to do with this little...change...But I'm sure you do not mind in the slightest, right?" She spoke again as she batted her eyelashes at Rarity.

Rarity's coat began to abandon its whiteness to be replaced by a light red while Lust continued her little prowl. She gasped when she noticed she had backed into a wall, and shuddered when Lust invaded her personal space with the same seductive gaze on her face. Rarity wanted to question the way Lust was acting while it began to grow hot around her "L-Lust! I'm won't contempt you f-for this sudden mood shift, but could you perhaps maybe relent a bit with your...a-approach, please?" She forced a smile while she blushed furiously.

Lust gave a mock frown as she stroked one of Rarity's cheeks with a hoof "Does this not suit you, Rarity? I was under the impression you would be into something like this..." She spoke in a tone that feigned hurt feelings. She inwardly smiled at how good it felt to be herself again 'I haven't really charmed a lady in a long while...'

Rarity frantically shook her head "No! N-Not in the slightest! But I have to admit that it's a little uncomfortable even though you are a guest here!" She blurted out while she tried fanning herself with her own hoof 'Oh my...Why is she doing this!? Why am I enjoying it!? This has to stop!!' She swallowed as she spoke again "E-Er, Lust? Is there any way at all that could make you hold off on this little advance? A new dress perhaps? Anything at all!?" She blurted out the last sentence in a loud and desperate tone while she forced a shaky smile.

Lust looked down and feigned thought "Well, I suppose there is ONE thing..." She looked over at the sunglasses Greed wanted and smiled "Those glasses would look simply dashing on my figure. It would help to hide my eyes so nopony would feel so obligated to look back at me without acting hypnotized..." She looked back at Rarity with an expression of mock hope "A lady like you would understand, right? You've been so helpful to me the last couple days and I do not wish to ask for too much..." She slowly drew her muzzle near Rarity's.

Rarity's heart was beating fast when she noticed Lust about to close the distance between their faces completely and she then blurted out "Take them! I understand the plight of anypony who would lose themselves in a lady's eyes! Anything to help you out and avoid this steamy venture, just take them!!"

While the arousing scene took place, the front door to the boutique opened to reveal Spike waddling in with a smile and closed eyes "Heya, Rarity! I just finished cleaning around the library today and I just dropped by to see what you are-GUAAAAAAAAAH~...." He opened his eyes and they became as wide as dinner plates as his jaw hit the floor while he witnessed Rarity and Lust so close together.

Rarity noticed Spike and noticed his reaction as she forced another smile with awkward eyes "Er...H-Hello, Spike! Do you wish to aid me around here?" She then realized her position and how well they connected with her words in the wrong sense 'Gah! Stupid, stupid, stupid!'

Lust smiled nonchalantly at Spike "Greetings, Spike. I was just asking a favor from Rarity and she gladly obliged...Is there something that we can help you with?"

Spike kept his reaction and quickly turned around "I-I-I better get going! I think I came at the wrong time! Sorry if I bothered you! See ya!" He dashed out the door.

Outside, Greed leaned near the front door with all his legs crossed and a satisfied smirk on his face 'Those shades are as good as mine...' He then noticed Spike bolt out the door "Hey, kid. Rarity kick you out or something?" He asked in an amused tone when he saw how shocked Spike looked.

Spike shuddered as his arms locked beside his legs "I have the weirdest feeling!!!" He yelled out randomly.

Greed chuckled "I'd gladly throw you a bone, but I see you've already got one..." He looked away with an amused grin.

Spike was confused to what he was referring to until he inspected himself and jumped before he waddled away covering himself "Don't tell Twilight, Greed! PLEASE don't tell Twilight!"

Greed laughed as Spike ran off "Not to worry, Spike! You're secret's safe with me!"

End of Chapter 38