My(stara's) Little Ponies: Friendship is Adventuring

"Ain't nothing wrong with that!" Applejack said angrily. "What I do helps people!"

"I agree. My family sells food, after all. But it isn't natural. To be civilized, intelligent, that is the antithesis of nature. Nature is the dragon eating ponies because it is hungry, the wolf at the throat of the sheep, the poisonous plants trying to fend off predators. Predators like US. Remember, you may not eat meat but plants are alive too." Apple Blossom swirled her drink and finished it. "Nature is chaos, wild and untamed and dangerous and unlivable by civilized folk like us for long unless we tame it and change its nature. You aren't natural any more than I am."

Applejack clearly had no idea how to answer that.

"RELEASE ME, MORTAL!" Marjorie shouted; she and Flutterdragon sent the clogdancers scampering, though I noticed Pinkamena and Pinkie both worked the disruption into their routine. But poor Mr. Turnip...

"MY CABBAGES!" he shouted as his cart was crushed and his cabbages scattered. He began to cry and Pinkamena tried to comfort him by drawing him into the clog dance with her.

"I will get you more," she promised him urgently. "I know they matter so much to you."

As Pinkamena comforted Mr. Turnip, Spike and Spikey continued their brawl and Rarity and Clarity their arrow duel. Unfortunately, Dragonfly was now chasing Keen Eyes and the remaining soldiers around the room and here came the tide of angry monsters who just wanted to eat everyone.

Worse, Rarity was oblivious to the coming onslaught of a half dozen giant fungal puffballs bouncing along towards her, tossing spores every time they hit the ground; they were green and pink but I suspected they would do far worse than mess up her dress' dye job.

I turned and set them on fire, but this let Sammy knock me down and now he cast a spell and I got grabbed by those damn black tentacles. The burning fungi went crashing into everything and now the place began to catch fire.

Of course it caught fire.

Damn me.

I writhed and Rarity yelled angrily but she was too busy trading shots with Clarity to be able to help me and... okay, Keen Eyes was never going to actually come help me but if the whim had struck him, he was busy anyway. And Twilight was caught in the same damn spell as me.

How the hell does this copy get to be a better wizard than me AND a better swordsman, anyway?

Hopefully, this is where Don Diego bursts in and saves me.

A few screams from me later, it was clear that Don Diego was NOT coming to the rescue this time.

The tentacles got tighter and I cursed everything ever.

But not Rarity, as this isn't her fault.

DAMMIT.

And where the hell is IVAN? Stupid shadow tricks, thinks he's so big, GET ME OUT OF THIS.

****************

LYRA-O-VISION:

You know, this whole riding thing looks a lot easier than it is, though really the spear rig is in the way. I banged into a wall again.

"If you'd stayed a pony, you wouldn't keep hitting the wall," Bon-Bon said irritably.

She has me there, but I have a plan and I need HANDS for it.

It is a simple plan that simply MUST have hands.

However, my difficulties with riding are making me worry.

We reached the engine room before Fire Swallow; it consisted of a lot of complex machinery hooked to giant hamster wheels with earth ponies running to drive the engines. We now concealed ourselves and waited for Fire Swallow.

She now flew in and took a swig from a flask. Fire Swallow was about to spit fire on everything when I strummed my harp and cast Tasha's Irresistible Dance on her.

She is strong of flesh and weak of spirit and began to dance wildly. This is why I stayed in Bardic school despite my sometimes lazy nature.

BECAUSE I LOVE BEING A BARD.

"CHARGE!" I shouted.

As Fire Swallow did the Manehattan Shuffle, Bon-Bon knocked her down with her massive candycane spear; it struck hard as I knew it would, for she commands candy. Then I jumped on Fire Swallow and put my hands over her eyes, wrapping myself around her. When the spell wore off and she tried to rise, she couldn't see, and inside here, she had little room to maneuver.

The two of us grappled her over to where Apple Bloom told us to, then shoved her through a sliding panel into a chute down into trap city.

This is why I need a spell that creates magic hands. This form does have its uses.

Still, victory! I hugged Bon-Bon tightly. "You are the best girlfriend ever," I told her.

She blushed. "You too," she mumbled.

I also need to learn that enlarging spell before I ever try riding Bon-Bon again. Having my legs drag on the ground... not fun.

I hope Dash can... hah, of course Dash can handle Crash. Easy wins for us, I think.

Other than my aching butt.

************

Marcus-O-Vision:

So... I was getting my ass kicked by Twilight's tentacle spell which apparently Dawn Gleaming had taught Sammy but which I have been unable to master. He was busy laughing at me which really pissed me off.

Unfortunately, a surge of fighting spirit does not, in fact, make me more powerful. If anything, it just makes me more frustrated that I am getting my ass kicked by a clone. Or an alternate universe me or whatever exactly the Elements of Power and hangers-on are.

Wait a second. I have an artifact sword. It must do things beyond just hack people and shapeshift, right? I couldn't swing it with my arms pinned but I still had it.

"SWORD! DO SOMETHING! ANYTHING!" I shouted.

Sammy kept laughing as I got crushed.

I got flashes of past lives. Mining for gems deep beneath the earth with my friends. Kissing Dona Carlotta. Sailing off to the Isle of Dread with my party. Freeing my friends in Alphatia. Ivan, Helga, and I drunk off our ass in Glantri City and tearing up a bar for no good reason. Man, that bartender flung so much lightning at us.

However, heartwarming images of good times with those I care about was NOT going to get me out of these tentacles. I don't gain miraculous power from being reminded of my friends, unlike some people. And I can flashback under my own power, anyway. Even when I don't want to.

Of course, I now had a COMPLETE FLASHBACK. Dammit, I need lightning or fire, not MEMORIES!

****************

FLASHBACK-O-VISION:

"See, I know someone who is a really good athlete," Rainbow Dash began.

"I'm sure Applejack would be happy to help you improve your skills," I told her.

"..."

It was pretty obvious, really.

"See, she c..." Rainbow Dash looked at me, then sighed. "We never did quite settle which one of us is the better athlete."

"A good rivalry helps you both improve," I told her. "Anyway, I'm not a specialist like you ponies, so I have to be flexible and find ways to turn weaknesses on people because I never win head-to-head. Even at cards, which I'm good at, I have to outthink people to win."

"Doesn't that mean you're a specialist at out-thinking people?" Rainbow Dash said, grinning.

"I..."

Okay, she has me there.

"I never thought of it like that. Thanks, Rainbow Dash." I couldn't help smiling a little.

**************

BACK TO REALITY FOR MARCUS:

Dammit, that's not even something that happened very long ago! If I have to waste time while being crushed on that...

I saw Captain Keen Eyes get smacked by a huge red-furred bear with vines growing all around it. The vines now grabbed him, raising him up.

And of course his daughters are too busy fighting each other to save him.

I felt my brain smack itself. "Clarity!" I shouted. "Are you going to waste time while your father gets eaten on a duel you know you can't win?" Actually, I couldn't tell who was going to win.

Rarity and Clarity both saw their father now and they both got very angry looking. Then arrows rained down on the bear, which crumbled into a mass of vines. WHAT?

Then they both ran over to him and began shelling the various monsters who were busy whipping the soldier pegasi.

This was good for them...

BUT I WAS STILL BEING CRUSHED.

DAMMIT!

**************

Rainbow Dash's 20% Cooler Point of View:

I'm faster, but I have to say that Rainbow Crash manuevers like crazy. We zigged and zagged through the branches of the tree, trying to get the upper hand on each other, while various weapons tried to shoot her and sometimes nearly hit me. We both crashed into bits of tree; somehow she'd shrunk a little relative to me, giving her more room to manuever, but it wasn't enough.

Distantly, I could hear Ditzy yelling about how that stain would never come out and Cruisin' making pained noises.

Don't know.

Don't WANT to know.

And then I saw Scootaloo come rushing out onto a branch on her scooter; she no doubt wants to help me. Now I have to fight this idiot and protect her at the same time.

"Scootaloo, you are supposed to be driving the ship!" I shouted.

"How am I supposed to drive this thing if the death ray doesn't work and the wave motion cannon only makes ocean noises?" she shouted.

Okay, those are problems, but I still need her out of here.

I whacked my head on a branch. I'm too big... we're both too big to manuever well at much speed in these branches. I could see Crash ram headfirst into a tangle of branches and now was covered in sap and bits of wood.

"Hah, you suck!" I shouted back at her.

Then *I* hit a tangle and now we were both a mess.

Scootaloo was zipping around, positioning herself ahead of us. Because she is crazy. I know how she feels but courting suicide is not a way to get a cutie mark.

Shut up!

*I* knew what I was doing.

"Pass me to port!" Scootaloo shouted.

What the hell does that mean? Isn't a port where ships dock and dump their passengers and goods and take on passengers and goods? Like Manehattan or Baltimare.

Her pirate costume must be warping her mind or something.

But I could certainly pass her. "Take cover! This is a fight for adults!" I shouted.

My Element began to pulse, trying to tell me something.

But I had no clue how to interpret it. It was getting stronger and stronger as I got closer to Scootaloo. The signal, that is. She was glowing. But seemed unaware of it. Crash either couldn't tell or couldn't care or possibly is just too stupid to realize a glow might MEAN something.

She's going to do something insane because she wants to help me.

I suddenly was keenly aware as never before of how much she admires me and looks up to me and wishes she WAS me. I was like that with the Wonderbolts as a kid.

But I didn't get to be around my heroines and heroes when I was a kid. So it never got this intense.

She annoys me sometimes; she wants to hang out but she can't actually DO any of the things I do for fun. But despite me blowing her off all the time, she admires me anyway.

I don't even understand why. Okay, I am cool, but none of the other pegasi kids in town like me THIS much. I'd think it was a crush but she's too young and I can tell it's not. It's loyalty and I don't even know why.

I ought to know why.

I suddenly felt guilty. Which I *hate*. Guilt sucks.

Okay, I'll do this for her. Guide me, Element.

Port is her left. Why? Why not just say left?

I flew close by her to her left. Rainbow Crash chased after me, intent on catching up. And then Scootaloo jumped on her.

"..."

"You crazy kid, what are you doing?" Rainbow Crash yelled.

Scootaloo wrapped herself around Rainbow Crash and leaned. The weight forced Rainbow Crash to arc leftwards and downwards and pretty soon, Scootaloo steered her right out of the tree and across the line of fire of the tree's weapons. Crash dodged them but she got clipped several times and Scootaloo was laughing like a maniac.

I followed after them, worried that Scootaloo was going to get herself fried; she was in the zone, that state of mind where nothing exists but you and your immediate surroundings and actions. I go into the zone all the time and it usually ends with me stuck into a tree or buried under a house.

What used to be a house, anyway.

We plunged through the clouds as Rainbow Crash spun, trying to throw Scootaloo off. But stubbornly, she clung and with a pony body, you can't actually reach someone on your back with your legs. All you can do is buck them. But Scootaloo would not be bucked. Instead, she chivvied Rainbow Crash down and down, faster and faster, until she was zooming at blazing speed towards... the front gates of Marjorie's fortress, set into the cliff surrounding the huge swampy troll-riddled depression known as Trollhattan (according to Marcus and Twilight).

Trolls were watching us, in fact, as we blazed towards the fortress. They looked confused. I'd be confused too if I didn't know Scootaloo. I flew up alongside them. "Scootaloo, you're going to be squashed flat if you keep riding this fool!"

"I'm going to make her go fast enough to do a Sonic Rainboom and blow it open, so we can storm the place!" Scootaloo shouted. "Don't worry! I know what I'm doing!"

"Sonic Rainbooms are MYTHS," Rainbow Crash said. "I tried so hard and I could never do it! Grow up, kid! I'm the fastest flyer in Equestria and I can't do it!" She tried to pull up but Scootaloo forced her to stay on course. "We're both going to die if you don't let me pull up!"

"Wow, you're a really bad copy of Rainbow Dash if you don't have any confidence in yourself," Scootaloo said. She sounded pretty disappointed. "And you SAW Rainbow Dash do one!"

"It had to be a trick!" Rainbow Crash said stubbornly.

Wow, evil-me is a real blockhead. "It's TOTALLY real," I told her. "I kicked your god's ass with it!"

"If by kicked her ass, you mean she's off kicking your friends' ass right now," Rainbow Crash said angrily. "Kid, get off me!"

We were running out of time as the front wall got ever closer. People were shooting arrows at us through slits in the walls but the winds around us deflected the arrows.

Scootaloo got this look.

It's hard to describe but basically, it scared me. A lot. It was an evil schemer look.

She pushed and suddenly, instead of heading for the fortress, Crash plunged downwards towards the swamp. "You idiot!" she said, struggling to pull upwards

I tried to force her up. "Scootaloo, don't be crazy!" I shouted.

"I HAVE A PLAN!" she said, laughing maniacally.

Ack.

We nearly slammed into the ground but suddenly, just before we would have hit, Scootaloo stopped pushing; we now arched upwards but the shifts in air pressure sucked a bunch of trolls off the ground and up into the air, tumbling them along in our wake.

Further, Crash now went EVEN FASTER as Scootaloo kicked her. "I can't do it! We are going to DIE!" Crash shouted.

"You can do it! A copy of Rainbow Dash is STILL Rainbow Dash! You just have to WANT IT," Scootaloo said.

"I'm a master of manuevers but you won't let me manuever!" Rainbow Crash shouted.

"If you don't do it, you'll be crushed and your Princess Marjorie will go down before Rainbow Dash and her friends and you'll have failed her! Do you want that?" Scootaloo shouted. "Do you want to be the one who can't keep up with the others?" She sounded pretty pained. Her wings were flapping like crazy. "Who they can't count on to carry their own weight?"

Scootaloo... I suddenly felt terrible for her. All her friends have cutie marks and are doing incredible things and she can't even fly unless she rides on someone.

"Scootaloo," I said. "Two evil Wonderbolts are attacking the ship. We have to finish this fast or all your friends will be in grave danger if we don't help them. They're counting on you to deal with this. I'm counting on you."

I'm about to take a huge risk. All three of us may well be crushed flat if Scootaloo doesn't rise to the occassion. But she believes in me. And I'm going to believe in her.

I felt a surge of power from my Element and I grew more confident.

"I can do it!" Scootaloo said, smiling brightly and looking utterly determined. Her wings began to beat with an absolutely ferocious speed. That has got to hurt, but she didn't care.

"If I do this, I'm going to level Princess Marjorie's fortress and she'll be pissed even if I do survive to save her!" Rainbow Crash shouted at me as the wind rushed around us.

And that's when I saw the Dragonflies coming in from the North, across the mountains and badlands of the brokenlands. Not the fake Fluttershy. Those insectile flying ships that the Glantrians use. Coming to rob Marjorie's fortress while she's distracted, no doubt. They're flying... some flag. Which has NO significance to me whatsoever, but I assume is Glantrian.

But then they arced upwards towards the clouds.

Towards the Moonraker.

They must want it for themselves.

Which I can understand. It's pretty awesome and they could probably beat the hell out of their enemies with it.

And who's it got to defend it? Lyra, Bon-Bon, Ditzy, some kids, and a handful of soldiers.

And a death ray that doesn't work.

"Crash! The Glantrians are after the kids!"

"What?" she said, then looked. Scootaloo made a noise. "Why did you idiots let the kids come out on this mission, anyway?"

"It wasn't MY idea!" I shouted. "Pull up! We have to stop them!"

"I can't pull up because this kid wants me to..."

It was, in fact, too late to pull up. Even I wasn't going to be able to pull up. Too much yakking, too much accelerating, our only choice is for me to push it and to try to level the fortress enough they could fly through the wreckage.

Except Pinkie's family, Luna, and the Radhirajah may be in there.

FUCK.

"You can do it! Trust me!" Scootaloo practically begged Rainbow Crash. "We can do it together!"

No time to think.

"Do it," Rainbow Crash said, surprising me with the urgency of her voice.

"Grab on and help!" Scootaloo said and I tangled my legs with Crash, effectively turning us into a triple-winged pegasus.

And then the power of my Element flowed through us all.

Here's the thing. With one set of wings, you can only do so much to pull out of a dive.

But with THREE sets, that's another story. I pushed up, Crash pulled up, and Scootaloo threw her weight back and realigned her wings, giving the final push that tipped us from 'DEATH' to 'AWESOME SAVE'. At the last minute, we pulled up and shot up the wall of the fortress, trailing a rainbow. We also flung all those trolls into the front gates, which collapsed. The trolls were squashed flat, but being TROLLS, they began to heal and soon peeled themselves off the doors and ran amok.

Because this is what trolls do best.

"Sweet Heavens," Rainbow Crash said. Rainbow light was whipping around us, forming into a great spinning cone, a giant drill of multi-colored energy, not just my usual colors but with Scootaloo's colors worked into it as well. She stared, eyes wide and then she laughed for joy.

"Good job, Scootaloo," I told her. "You saved us. Like I knew you would."

As we zoomed up towards the dragonflies, Scootaloo began to glow, and her wings suddenly grew larger and stronger and her flank shone like the sun and on it was a ship's wheel made out of rainbow. She flapped them more powerfully and we sped up and the rainbow spun faster around us.

The ships opened fire on us, though many of them were vanishing into the clouds. Dammit. But we hit the rest of them, rushing through their midst and flinging them like tenpins, our rainbow wake smashing them apart.

Some of the crews took to the air with magic or even sprouted wings and a few were pegasi who then saved others.

But a bunch of them were falling to their deaths now.

DAMMIT.

"Split up and save them!" Scootaloo shouted.

"They're going to try and kill your friends!" Crash said, baffled.

"We can't let people die!" she said. "Even if they need a spanking!"

So we split, blazing off to save them and Scootaloo took flight and as she flew, she laughed and so did I.

I hope the kids can handle the rest, though, as this is going to take us a while.

Even at my speeds.

******************

Marcus-O-Vision:

Pinkamena, Pinkie, Sir Lintsalot, Madame LeFlour, Mr. Turnip and Rocky went clog-dancing past me, having forgotten it was a contest and just enjoying themselves.

All well and good EXCEPT I AM BEING CRUSHED.

Admittedly, I will reincarnate, but then Sammy may well kill me again.

At least we won't look like each other then.

OH HOH HOH.

Twilight was being crushed too, while Dawn Gleaming taunted her with... a vocabulary quiz of her knowledge of Nithian?

This is not the time to see who knows what the undeadperfect tense is for!

They'd lost track of us and... oh hoh hoh...

"DAWN GLEAMING!" I shouted, making my sword look just like Sammy's. "Save me, that bastard Marcus has overpowered me!"

"No, I'm Sammy and HE is Samus Marcus!" Sammy protested. He made the tentacles squeeze. "Stop lying!"

I tossed my sword as best I could, making it look like I dropped it. "Oh no, now I can't cut myself loose! He's trying to kill me! Save me Dawn Gleaming! PLEASE!"

Rarity now saw the condition I was in; her father was out of danger, and she was about to come to my rescue when this hideous giant brain with tentacles grabbed her and she had to start fighting it.

GET OFF MY GIRLFRIEND, YOU OVERGROWN GRELL!

Being super-pissed off meant now I could...

Run my blood pressure really high.

Dammit.

Keen Eyes looked right at us and pointed at...

Sammy. "Get over here and save Rarity, you coward! I've always hated you and now I hate you MORE for leaving her here in trouble while you play sex-games with your evil twin!" Keen Eyes roared.

One, for instantly cluing in and helping me like that, I would tip my hat if my limbs were not pinned.

Secondly, phrasing it that way means now I feel incredibly creeped out by this spell and not just crushed by it.

"Sammy! I'm coming!" Dawn Gleaming said, running over.

Which left Twilight free to grab my sword with her magic and cut herself loose. Cue giant lightning swarm blowing Sammy and Dawn Gleaming across the room, OH YEAH.

Rarity now flicked an arrow out of her bags and shot it down the grell's beaked mouth. Huge amounts of foam began to froth and it began to make gurgly noises; it dropped her and began trying to dig the foam out of its mouth.

"Fire-retardant arrow," she told me, smiling.

HAH.

Then she shot me loose and Twilight and I rallied to her side.

I could see Dragonfly; she was trying to do something which seemed to involve hovering in the air, making weird noises and grunting a lot. "Mistress, help me! I want to help you but I can't turn into a dragon!" She looked utterly embarrassed.

"BLAST HER!!!" Marjorie shouted, trying to get loose.

So Dragonshy unleashed a wave of lightning onto Flutterdragon, who yelped and fell off her. Flutterdragon turned and said, "That wasn't nice at all!"

Marjorie flew up to Flutterdragon as Flutterdragon coiled around, readying for a pounce. "My dear little Dragonfly, your loyalty touches my heart." She gently nuzzled Dragonfly, who turned a little red. "I will give you my power and we will blast this FAKE DRAGON to bits." She seemed quite bent out of shape over the impersonation.

"I won't let you hurt my friends!" Flutterdragon said. "If you care about your followers, why aren't you helping them!"

Monsters were, in fact, coming at both our side and theirs and now everyone was running around wildly, trying to avoid being eaten by the seemingly endless tide. Applejack and Apple Blossom were STILL arguing over what it means to be 'natural', I will note.

I'd be pleased she was deeper than I thought if not for the likelihood it will get them eaten while they debate.

"You were trying to CRUSH ME," Marjorie said. "Why were you attacking me instead of helping them?"

"Because you were attacking my friends!" Flutterdragon roared. "I won't let ANYTHING hurt them!"

"We'll see about that!" Marjorie said. "BLAST HER! Then we'll deal with the monsters!"

Dragonfly hurled lightning and now Flutterdragon breathed fire. They met in the air in a giant storm, neutralizing each other. Except that dragons have limited breath and druids...

Can do lightning for a long time.

I had to do something but now Sammy was coming at me again and some kind of freaky devils with beards were after me too.

DAMMIT.

****************

Sweetie's Point of View:

Dinky's mom looked kind of clobbered when she stumbled back onto the bridge, then gave everyone a hoof up. "Cruisin' is down for the count," she said.

Everyone cheered and she smiled. Dinky ran over and hugged her, then ran back to her station.

That's when the Dragonfly Ships flew up out of the clouds and called on us to surrender or be destroyed.

ACK.

"General Hooves, what should I tell them?" the conn officer asked Dinky's mom.

I wondered when she had become a general. But adults often don't tell fillies everything.

Or ANYTHING important, really.

I did a spread of cards. There's a dragon about to attack us. I didn't SEE a dragon but maybe it's invisible. A very powerful dragon. And it's friends.

"Do we have any functional weapons?" Dinky's mom asked, looking panicked.

"All weapons functional except the two main guns, one of which does nothing, while the other makes soothing ocean noises," one of the soldiers said, looking irritated.

"You'd think the store that says it sells EVERYTHING would have demi-liches, but NO, they yelled at me for even ASKING," Apple Bloom said bitterly.

"Dear, you will get ripped off if you believe advertising slogans," Dinky's mom said kindly to her. "Do we have any fighters?"

"We have hanglider troops but they'll be shot down before they can reach the Dragonflies, unless they get a distraction."

Dinky's mother closed her eyes for a few seconds.

"I could make a fog and hide the troops!" Dinky said excitedly.

"If I do a full dive, they would have to follow us into the clouds, and then we'd have cover to launch the gliders!" Twist said.

"The gliders would get lost in the clouds," one of the soldiers said. "Otherwise, that would be great."

"I can lead them," Dinky's mom said. "I am a mailpony and the mail MUST GO THROUGH, in wind and weather, in storm and drang, in pomp *and* circumstance!"

I wonder what 'drang' is.

The marines saluted and followed her as they ran to the glider bays. "Sweetie! Keep our foes distracted until we're ready to dive and launch!"

I ran over to the comm officer. "This is Divination Officer Sweetie Belle of the Moon Raker," I said. "Captain Lunette is busy looting and pillaging. Please repeat your demands in the form of a bulleted list."

"In the form of a what?" a confused, angry man said through the comm line.

"A bulleted list," I told him. Father likes to say that, but I'm not sure what it is. "We can wait if you need to collect enough male cows."

"First of all, there is no such thing as a male cow," the man said to me. "Cows are female BY DEFINITION. Secondly, male cattle are called bulls. I know you all drink milk, so you have no excuse not to know the difference between male and female cattle. Thirdly, I see no point in attaching sling bullets to our demands."

"That's a bulleted list," I told him, trying to be helpful. "Do it like that."

I could hear Twist laughing as she reoriented the propellers for rapid descent when Dinky's mom gives the signal.

"That's a NUMERAL list," he said pedantically, reminding me of Twilight. "Each list item has a number, not a sling bullet. What would even be the point of using a sling bullet?"

"The Equestrian military makes extensive use of bulleted lists," I told him. "Obviously they're more advanced in list technology than a backwater like Glantri. I guess you're just falling behind because you spent all your time making flying machines when pegasi can fly with their wings."

I shouldn't be so mean to the poor man but I have to keep him from thinking about how he could be blowing us up instead of arguing with me.

The pegasi on the bridge all snickered and high-hoofed.

"I will have you know that Glantri has the FINEST military in this region of the Known World!" the man said angrily.

"Don't you always complain they won't give you enough money for the military, sir?" I heard someone say distantly behind him.

I heard the human say something about staying in character; it sounded muffled. He probably put his hand over the speaker.

I did a quick divination draw. The King of Flames. He's some kind of powerful wizard.

"What is your name?" I asked.

"Herr Ukvarth, Dragon Hunter," he said.

"We're not dragons, sir," I said.

"We're ready," Twist said softly.

But Dinky's mother wasn't ready yet.

Or forgot to signal. She can be kind of forgetful.

"You serve a dragon," he said angrily.

"No, no, we're not servants of a dragon!" I said.

"You were just anchored over a major dragon's lair for fun," he said dubiously. "I was not born yesterday." He paused. "Wait, you're Equestrians?"

Are we supposed to be?

"We're dread pirates!" I said. "Completely not affiliated with the Equestrian government AT ALL, and thus it did not send us here, AT ALL." That should cover our tracks.

Why is Twist making the 'you screwed up' face at me?

"Buy us five more minutes, almost ready," came in over the comm line from the glider decks.

"I see," he said. "They'll have no reason to complain when we take your ship, then." He had that moderately obssessed / angry sound Spike gets when you try to keep food away from him when he really wants it. "Certainly you're not putting it to any useful use and I would."

Uh oh.

Umm...umm... CELESTIA'S MOTHER, IF YOU ARE LISTENING, HELP ME! I THINK WE'RE GOING TO DIE!

Flames roared up in a pillar next to the empty Captain's chair and now a red coated Unicorn mare appeared. It was Cunning Thought, Celestia's mother!

"Dear child," she said kindly, nuzzling me. "I never got to give you your present."

"Please, do something! The Glantrians are about to blow us up!"

I could see weapons arming as we spoke.

"Well, I don't have any demi-liches on tap. They're so hard to keep from eating your other pets," she said. She made a bag appear. "But I DO have a Slaad, so it will have to do."

She and Apple Bloom shoved the giant frog monster down a chute into the death-ray engine as it howled and cursed and invoked someone named 'Timrek the Uneasy'. Then we couldn't hear it any more.

The death ray button pinged. "Deathray fully charged," the earth pony now manning Twist's old station said.

"One minute!" Dinky's mom told us remotely.

"This ship is now FULLY ARMED. Surrender or be destroyed!" Apple Bloom said over the com line.

"You would have used it already if you had anything," the man said dismissively. "You surrender."

"Uncle K would be very disappointed if I gave up my treasure without a fight!" Apple Bloom said.

Man, Scootaloo's going to be disappointed she missed this.

"Ready!" Dinky's mom shouted.

"FIRE!" I shouted.

Apple Bloom hit the Death Ray Button with her tail.

For a moment, nothing happened, but then....

A huge rainbow wave of ever changing rays of light erupted from the death ray cannon. Trees began to rain from the sky. Dogs and cats were living together on the wings of the Dragonflies. One of the Dragonflies turned into a winged sheep. One of them began firing brightly colored streamers at us.

"Oh god, I'm a TURTLE!" someone shouted.

"I can see the blank spaces between the lines!" someone shouted distantly. "When you speak!"

"What have you done? WHAT IS THIS?" Herr Ukvarth shouted. I heard someone meowing behind him. He took his pet cat on the mission?

"DIVE!" I shouted.

"THIS IS CHAOS!" Cunning Thought shouted over the comm line, laughing and laughing and laughing.

And then we dove into the clouds and the gliders launched as the Dragonflies tried to descend after us. We could hear the battle but not see it.

"Sensors indicate it will take one day to fully recharge the Chaos Gun," the officer at Twist's station said.

"Thank you," I said to Celestia's mother. "You saved us."

"You all saved yourselves. You had a good plan, I just made it easier. You should all be proud of yourself. I know my daughter will be pleased with you all." Cunning Thought said grandly.

"Are you really Princess Celestia's mother?" Twist said, shocked.

"I am indeed," she said and now everypony bowed to her.

I started to bow, but she said, "You need not bow, dear little one. Look at your cutie mark."

It had CHANGED. I was stunned. Now each of the cards was a Queen of one of the suits. At the scale, it was hard to tell, but the Queen of Stones had red hair and the Queen of Winds had purple hair like Scootaloo and the Queen of Waters had blonde hair and the Queen of Flames had pink-purple mixed hair like me and the Queen of Shadows had hair like Twist's.

"Cutie marks can CHANGE?" Twist said, stunned.

"Not so much a change as a revelation. Your destiny is chosen and set now. Scootaloo got her cutie mark," Cunning Thought said kindly. "The five of you, one day, will be great. You shouldn't count on me to always be there, for I am very busy helping many others, but I will always be your friend and helper."

Lyra and Bon-Bon now reached the bridge. "What's going on?" Lyra asked. "Why did..." She saw Cunning Thought and her jaw dropped. "I... you..."

Bon-Bon said, "It's a pleasure to meet you, ma'am. Are you one of Big Macintosh's relatives?" She paused. "Oh, you're a unicorn," she said and sounded VERY embarrassed.

"Well, if he and my daughter get married one day, I will be," she said, smiling. "I wish Celestia luck. Men can be hard to deal with."

Bon-Bon looked stunned.

"She is CUNNING THOUGHT," Lyra said urgently. "She's Celestia's mother!"

"I know, I met her before," I said. "Don't worry, she's very nice."

Lyra flailed her arms in the air, then grabbed her own head with her hands. I do not understand why.

"I could make you a human if you like, forever," Cunning Thought said kindly to Lyra. "Your lady friend too, of course."

Lyra looked very tempted, which seems weird to me. Though I admit I am kind of curious what it would be like. Rarity seems to like it.

Bon-Bon, though, looked crushed.

"Bon-Bon isn't interested in being a human all the time, thank you," Lyra said weakly. "And I won't leave her behind. This is fun for me, but it has to be a part-time thing. I love her and I won't leave her behind, even for... " Her voice trailed off. "Not for anything." She ruffled Bon-Bon's mane and Bon-Bon smiled.

And then there was a swirl of shadows and Lunette, the Ghostly Gang, and the Radhirajah stepped out of the shadows.

"Okay, what's going on here? We secured... MOTHER?" Lunette said, staring, mouth open wide.

"Darling, I am enjoying this glorious mess you have made," Cunning Thought said. "Come and give your mother a hug. I love you so much, Luna." Her voice was very warm and kind.

"Mother, get away from that filly," Lunette said angrily, striding towards us. "Clyde, take the Radhirajah to a secure room and keep him safe. I will deal with mother."

The Ghostly Gang grabbed the hapless looking Radhirajah and vanished through the floor.

"It's okay! She's very nice, really!" I guess Princess Luna and Princess Celestia must have had a big fight with their mother and never made up.

I have to help them!

"Mother says you should never go to bed angry with each other," I told them. "You should hug and make up."

Cunning Thought dropped down to squat on her hind legs and held her forelegs out for a hug. "Come and get a hug, dear. Everyone else forgave you for trying to create Eternal Night, so I forgive you too."

This just seemed to make Lunette even ANGRIER.

"Don't mock me, mother," Lunette said angrily.

"Sir... ma'am, General Hooves is leading a glider attack on the Glantrian dragonflies right now," one of the soliders said. "She could probably use your support."

"GO," Lunette said, pointing at her mother.

"You should at least give her a hug before she goes," I said solemnly to Lunette.

"Mommy and I love to hug all the time!" Dinky said proudly.

"It's okay," Cunning Thought said, nuzzling me. "I'll see you later, Sweetie. You need to feed the Slaad a bushel of garbage a day or it'll try to eat its way out of the Chaos Gun Engine."

"Okay," I told her. I know how important feeding pets is. One time, I had to take care of Opalescence and...

Umm...

Well, I don't have pet fish any more because I forgot to feed her.

Let's leave it at that.

"You gave Sweetie a SLAAD for a pet?" Lunette said, mouth open wide.

"It's not for Sweetie, it's for your ship, dear," Cunning Thought said. "Though I should get you a pet, my darling daughter. And tell Celestia it's traditional to date someone who resembles your FATHER, not your mother." She nuzzled me, then stepped back and vanished into a pillar of fire which soon vanished. As she faded, she shouted to Apple Bloom, "You can tell Keraptis that I'm impressed by how much he taught you! Good job, Apple Bloom!"

She beamed brightly.

Oh man, she didn't get to give me a present again!

But I shouldn't be greedy, so I won't nag.

Also, I think I may have to keep Princess Luna... Dread Pirate Lunette... from exploding.

But I'm good with people. That's what Mother and Father both always tell me!

I hope this will make them proud.

*****************

Applejack-O-Vision:

I looked around gloomily at the chaos; everypony was running around, zapping monsters or trying to avoid being eaten, while Fluttershy the Dragon duelled determinedly with Dragonfly and Marjorie. It wasn't going well for her but the rest of us were trying to avoid being killed.

I myself was being chased by this huge yellow puffball fungus creature which bounced around off the walls like an animate cue ball (painted yellow) from a game of pool.

Apple Blossom ran alongside me, continuing to hammer away at me with words. "If you really wanted to be natural, you'd stop talking and go live in a wild herd where some male pony ran the show and chased off any rival males and you had to compete with a bunch of other women for his affections. Like our totally natural ancestors did."

I grimaced at that. It ain't that I don't like stallions; I like me a good strong hard-working man. But finding one who wants to farm apples who ain't already my kin ain't easy. Seems like they either just want to bump rump and run or they DO like me but they can't see buckin' apples the rest of their life.

Dammit. I really liked Coltson too.

I guess I'm married to my farm.

The farm I OUGHT to be at right now.

But life keeps pulling me away from it.

"I should just buck the hell out of that damn puffball," I grumbled.

"It will spew spores onto us and tiny puffballs will eat their way out of our flesh," Apple Blossom said to me.

Which is why I haven't done it. "If yer so great, why don't YOU do something about it?"

"If I try and use my fighting skills, they require contact like yours, even if they are more graceful. And I fear my superior social skills do not, in fact, work on giant fungus bouncing balls," she said ruefully.

"So much for your superior city education," I said, frustrated.

"And I don't see YOU doing anything either," Apple Blossom said irritably.

The building being ON FIRE did not make me any happier, either. It was hot and I was sweating. Not honest work sweat but 'Applejack is overheating and about to get heat exhaustion due to fire' sweat.

"Drink," Apple Blossom said, flinging a bottle into my mouth.

I drank. It was orange brandy, I think, in a small snack-sized bottle. I felt better, though, refreshing my fluids.

Or maybe I was too drunk to care now. "Thanks," I said. I do have manners, you know.

I was suddenly keenly aware my ancestors would have been killed by this thing before they got changed by humans. They were a lot closer to those non-sentient ponies and horses a lot of human communities have. They're a little creepy but also endearing. I guess for us it's like with humans and monkeys. Close and yet so far.

I ain't natural. That cuts to the quick. Whether I am a country girl or a city girl, either way, I got changed from what nature intended, a long time ago.

But being like those pet ponies... that ain't natural for me. I dunno what is natural or not.

I do know my friends are in trouble and need me to act, not to just whine and feel sorry for myself like that fool I dated in high school. I dunno WHAT I was thinking.

He was cute, I was young, I got urges, everyone does, right?

Watchin' this thing bounce after us, it had a very predictable bouncin' pattern. I could exploit that.

"I gotta plan," I told my evil twin. "You gotta stick by my side, follow me exactly." This was gonna be kinda risky.

We raced around the room, dodging monsters and shouts and chaos, while Fluttershy the Dragon and her evil twin and Marjorie flew around zapping each other above us. I spotted a fire and ran for it.

"We can't run through that fire!," Apple Blossom said in a panic.

"Gonna have to jump it at just the right time, so our new friend lands in it," I told her.

"I'm not good at jumping," she confessed.

"You'd better learn fast," I said. "Don't worry, I'll help you."

In fact, I scooped her up and we LEAPED over it. It wasn't natural. But there's more important things than what's natural, like helping kin and friends and folks and fighting for those you love. Each and every one of my friends would help me with this thing if they could and I'd do the same for them.

And really, Apple Blossom ain't evil, she's just kinda vain and stuck up. I just clash with her because she's a low-budget version of Rarity.

My element surged, I could feel it, and we cleared the fire by a mile. Which is good, as it made me pretty nervous. Something in a pony's gut knows to stay away from fire.

The puffball, runnin' on instinct, couldn't think to avoid the fire and it burned up, obeying its nature and dying.

I'm a pony. I have instincts. Natural or not, they guide me. But I'm also a thinking animal. And I can overcome those instincts, like fear of fire, when I have to. I am what I am, wherever that am came from, so to speak.

"Look, if we all keep fighting each other, these crazy things are gonna eat us all," I told Apple Blossom. "We gotta talk your boss down. At least for now. Deal?"

We shook hooves. "Deal," she said. "So, I wasn't able to shake you," she said, disappointed.

"You shook me pretty good," I told her. "I needed a good mental bucking, knock some rotted branches down. I've got a clearer head, thanks to you, sister," I told her. "Now, let's see about settlin' this riot."

How we're gonna get Marjorie's attention... that's another question.

*****************

Ivan's Point of View:

I would like to say that Niccolo and I had a graceful, elegant battle full of barbed wit and clever sayings.

What we actually had was a brutal knockdown drag-out brawl up the stairs in the library, where we'd basically adjourned from the chaos to get down to mauling each other.

Hopefully no one really wanted the remaining items here as we were busy throwing them at each other, hitting each other with chairs, etc. He'd tried to psych me out, he'd failed, and now he was slowly getting his ass kicked because he couldn't get the mental edge on me.

He probably would have, if I hadn't met Luna. I've never been very strong willed. That's how I let Cufen... Marcus... whatever he is now... drag me into all these things. He'd have some crazy idea and I'd tag along because that's what I do.

It was fun, he was a good pal, and I was young enough to do crazy things just to show how badass I was.

Until I tried to go home. I wasn't going to stay; I just wanted to show off.

I never got there because I saw too many things which reminded me what a mess my homeland is. It's getting better but there's still a lot of bad things going down and it isn't just Thyatians oppressing Traladarans. We do it to each other too.

I had to decide, if I was going to do something about it or not.

After seeing a village starving because its lord wouldn't let them grow food because he wanted to grow expensive crops for export, I made my choice. Lord Valescu probably still wonders where all his money went. Assuming he's actually made it back from Norwold, yet.

Damn, shipping rates are HIGH.

I'm guessing that 'Niccolo' decided to see about taking his wealth and wiggling into the aristocracy. Not me. I'm going to bring them DOWN.

Marcus would probably try to find out Niccolo's backstory, work his mind, bring him around. He'll probably end this by stealing Dawn Gleaming from Sammy and run off with all the ponies he can find.

Then they'll kick his ass for doing something stupid.

That's Marcus for you. He's crazy but he's my best friend, so that's why I'm here fighting my evil twin in a library. Well, also because I want to help Luna.

I find it odd that I feel a kinship to a divine pony who is Loki's daughter, but we both sought immortality for exactly the same reason. Our people were being crushed by wolves (metaphorically) and we wanted the power to help them.

For all that Sind deserves a huge shaking up, I won't let Marjorie pit them against Equestria. It's not perfect, but it's a good country. Stupid dragon. I do not know how we're going to stop her, though. If she's an Immortal, and she likely is, she's beyond mortal power. Though hopefully Luna can neutralize her.

Marcus will probably try to get her to date him.

He is the definition of inability to keep it in your pants.

Though seeing Rarity as a human, I can see why. Or Lunette.

Focus.

My musing got me hit in the head with some sort of encyclopedia, but I knocked him down with a chair and then jumped on him, rolling around, until he threw me into a bookcase. It fell on me and I slipped into the shadows as Luna taught me. It feels creepy when I do this, flickering from shadow to shadow. I about screamed when she first showed me this.

I'm not even sure how it works. Something to do with the plane of shadow or something... I'm going to have to ask for metaphysics lessons once this is over. I know some things, I've been trying to study but it doesn't come easily to me.

"Running away? Not surprising," Niccolo said. But while his words were light, he stayed wary. Smart man.

I jumped him from behind and pinned his arms, then banged his head on the table. "Give up. I don't want to kill you."

"I never give up," he said stubbornly.

We have one thing in common.

So I beat him down until he passed out, then dragged him down the stairs. I am going to have to stash him in someone's bag. Not a very elegant victory but I need to pitch in and help with the real fight. I expect Marcus has accidentally married Marjorie AND the bone devil by now.

And it'll be my job to get him out of it.

******************

Marcus-O-Vision:

I was riding Twilight and Rarity was riding her father, Captain Keen Eyes, both of them enlarged, of course, while Spikey AND Spike rode on Clarity, breathing fire everywhere. We were plowing through eldritch horrors. How many of these damn things are there?

That being said, if I have to fight endless tides of fungus, extraplanars, plant monsters and giant insects, this is a pretty good squad for it.

But I have to do something to help Flutterdragon. She's basically being overwhelmed but none of the rest of us can get up there to help her. "Twilight, we have to help Fluttershy," I said as I cut down a giant tiger beetle and Spike burned the remains.

"Cover us," Twilight said to the others. "I am going to get Marjorie's attention." She enlarged herself further, until she was as big as Celestia. I licked my lips nervously as she did so; I could feel the power throbbing through her.

But then Applejack shouted up at Marjorie. "Hey, your highness, we gotta make a truce or we're all gonna get 'et!"

"She's right," Apple Blossom shouted. "We can settle our differences later when we're not in danger of being eaten!"

"I won't let you trick me!" Marjorie shouted. "Or let this FAKE dragon challenge me!" She sounded quite angry over that.

Applejack closed her eyes and then when she opened them, they glowed. "I am the Element of Honesty and I swear by my Element and by the power of Harmony itself that we will not betray or backstab you if you help us stop this menace before it destroys us and your servants, the Elements of Power. Don't you care about them?" I could feel the truth of her words, her honesty. You couldn't deny it. There was no room to hide from it.

"I... I..." Marjorie's voice wobbled and she looked down at how battered and torn everyone was, how her own followers were scattered while she obsessively focused on destroying Flutterdragon, who was a mess herself. She looked at herself and said to Dragonfly, "These things can't be natural, can they?"

"I haven't seen where they came from, but I am wondering why they hadn't already killed each other off and why they're cooperating," Dragonfly said.

"I THINK WE NEED TO FIND OUT," Applejack said, her voice echoing oddly. Twilight stared at her and I got this odd shivery feeling. "ISN'T IT THE JOB OF DRUIDS TO PUT AN END TO THREATS TO NATURE?" she said.

Dragonfly gulped as if a student being dressed down by the headmaster. "Yes," she said weakly.

"AND OF IMMORTALS TO DEAL WITH THREATS TO THIS DIMENSION?" Applejack said.

"Yes," Marjorie said. "But I didn't do it!"

"I DID NOT SAY YOU DID. THEY WOULD NOT BE ATTACKING BOTH SIDES. WHICH MEANS WE HAVE A MUTUAL FOE," Applejack said. "CAN WE NOT MAKE A DEAL?"

"My little ponies," Marjorie mumbled, then looked stunned.

Spend too much time in a form and it starts getting into your brain, I thought. I've seen that.

"YOU DON'T LIKE SEEING THEM HURT."

Marjorie looked mortified, but then she looked down at Dawn Gleaming, Clarity, Pinkamena, everypony one by one. "AGREED," she said, her voice booming to match Applejack's. "WE WILL DEFEAT THIS THREAT AND THEN SETTLE OUR DISAGREEMENTS AFTERWARDS. ELEMENTS OF POWER! RALLY TO ME!"

Apple Blossom's nostils flared. "Well done, sister," she said, sounding honestly congratulatory.

And then we rallied all our forces. Ivan appeared from whereever the hell he's been goofing off and handed a potion to Flutterdragon. She downed it all and some of her wounds healed up. "I didn't mean to take it all," she said. "Now you don't have any!"

"You needed it," he said to her, then stuffed Niccolo in her bags. "You'd better take a form which will fit downstairs.

Flutterdragon became Fluttershy and now we all began pushing against the tide; we had to get to its source. Before it was too late.

***************

Ditzy-Vision-Redux:

They really need to install proper safety glass on these Dragonflies. When I kicked the window in, it flew everywhere in jagged shards! Somepony could get hurt!

Mind you, one of the crew was now a highly armored turtle, another one had turned two-dimensional and a third was now a tree.

Fluttershy will be very jealous.

Herr Ukvarth now had a duck on his head. In fact, I think he was wearing Fluttershy's duck hat. But how could he have even stolen it?

For a few seconds, we stared at each other through the broken window. Then he grimaced. "YOU," he said. "I know you! You're the infamous extradimensional criminal Derpy Hooves!"

"I am not a criminal and that is not my name and I don't even know how this got started! Also, your vehicle is TOTALLY unsafe for children. Look at that broken glass!" I said. "Someone could cut themselves!"

For a moment, there was a deep and terrible silence.

Then the two surviving allies of Herr Ukvarth drew wands on me. "Waste her?" one of them said.

"YES," he said and pulled out a black metal rod, shaped like an L, which spat lightning. Another one shot a stream of acid and the third shot glowing arrows at me.

So I whipped the cloud into a bubble shield and listened to them burst as I rose up to one side, then landed on one of the wings. The whole vehicle rolled over now and I heard yelping and something about roots.

Now it began to plummet, unable to fly upside down, unlike me.

Which means they're going to fall to their death.

This kind of forgetfulness is why my pay gets docked half the time at work.

Frantic jumping got it righted, much lower down in th cloud, before they could all die.

Herr Ukvarth now gave a cry like a man who has seen the end of time and space.

I know this because I've been there and watched someone see it.

I nearly fell in too but the Doctor saved me.

"ENOUGH!" he shouted. "NO MORE SUBTLETY!"

If this was subtlety... oh dear.

First I saw a bunch of bright flashes inside the Dragonfly. Then a huge dragon with crystalline blue scales erupted out of it, breaking it to bits. Two men rode it, the ones from before; one had a sling bag over one shoulder with a tree branch sticking out of it.

It was HUGE and ANGRY and I guess Herr Ukvarth summoned it, except I don't see him anywhere. Did he turn into it?

"HOOVES! YOU WILL FINALLY PERISH FOR YOUR MANY CRIMES AGAINST LAW AND ORDER."

"No pony will ever kneel to tyrants again!" I shouted defiantly, my knees knocking. I am going to be eaten and Dinky is going to have to go live with her father, who will probably sell her to buy paint and then I will be punished in the afterlife forever for being a BAD MOTHER.

He sounded crazed, like someone pushed too far. "YOU WON'T BE ABLE TO KNEEL BECAUSE YOU WON'T HAVE ANY LEGS." And then he spat lightning at me. I got clipped as I fled and then the thunderclap which followed sent me tumbling through the mist, to where he couldn't see me.

So I bolted upwards, hoping I could warn everyone in time.

*****************

Marcus-O-Vision:

Fighting through the endless hordes of monsters would have taken us forever, but Twilight had a clever plan. She teleported us all; I would have expected this to tire her out, but she was only a little winded by it. Her eyes were glowing and she looked determined.

We landed just outside the door into the restricted area. Creatures were being herded out by humanoid figures covered in chains; chain devils. Beyond, you could see a sickly purple glow and labs crowded with monsters.

For a second, they stared at us in shock, then one of them said, "Agents of law AND chaos? Working together? The Daydream Dimension is even more insane than Master Baalzebul said!"

"SERVANTS OF NIGHTMARE," Marjorie bellowed in an echoing voice. "LAW AND CHAOS STAND TOGETHER TO DEFEND THIS DIMENSION AGAINST THE INTRUSION OF YOUR KIND INTO IT. THIS IS WHY THE IMMORTALS EXIST. DEPART IMMEDIATELY OR BE DESTROYED!"

"This world will belong to Master Baalzebul! Your own kind opened the way!" the chain devil shouted.

As I understand it, devils serve the Masters of the Nightmare Dimension. The Masters are to them as the Immortals are to us. But in the Nightmare Dimension, there is only one Sphere aligned with law instead of four, known as the sphere of Order. And they're the troublemakers of the system, instead of Entropy and Chaos, which is divided into four spheres. Devils serve the Masters of the Sphere of Order, mostly. (Demons mainly serve the Immortals of Entropy in our dimension.)

That explains why all these monsters are fighting together; they're under the influence of Nightmare Order. The way sometimes in your dreams, everyone is out to get you.

At least in my dreams.

Who the hell could have opened the way except the Bone Devil, though?

The guy who summoned it and probably blew a hole into the Nightmare Dimension, then tried to seal it off.

ACK.

YOU STUPID NITHIAN MORON!

I think I know what ACTUALLY happened to Rathanhotep. He got eaten by the Nightmare Dimension, that's what.

From inside the chamber beyond, Pinkie now said, "Hey, if I throw a muffin into this huge glowing hole, it turns back into the stuff I made it from!"

The chain devil monster chivviers froze up.

"WHAT AM I DOING IN HERE?" Mr. Turnip shouted from the room in a panic. "No, you can't have my cabbages, you crazed howler monkey!"

Wild ululating now echoed through the air.

Pinkamena, Pinkie, and the half-real gang had somehow all gotten ahead of us into the room.

"KEEP HER AWAY FROM THE GATE!" Someone shouted in the room and now all hell, of course, broke loose.

***************

Luna-O-Vision:

As I tensely tried to monitor the battle within the limits of this mortal identity and the ship's capacities, I felt a growing confidence at first. Our forces were taking out the Dragonflies and the attack was going well. For us, that is.

Then Ditzy emerged from the fog shouting about how she's sorry and she'll never be late to work again and something about flowers. This couldn't bode well.

In fact, it boded the arrival of a massive Sapphire Dragon. THAT didn't bode well, especially because it had Glantrians riding on it and... is that a tree? Does he have a sling bag of holding with a tree in it?

This really shouldn't surprise me, given what the ESS Moonraker is.

"We need to use the Chaos Ray!" Dinky said urgently. "We have to save Mom!"

"It won't recharge for hours," Apple Bloom said. "And the Wave Motion Cannon... doesn't work like I thought it would. And he's kind of big for most of my traps... Maybe we could feed him that cake Scootaloo tried to make."

"I already disposed of it as a health hazard," I told them. "Lyra, any chance you could charm a dragon?"

"Ahahahaha," she said nervously. "I could try. It beats just being eaten."

I am restricted in the power I can deploy in this form, or even my Luna body. Under the rule of the Immortals. And Celestia and I prefer to encourage ponies to take the lead when possible. It is our duty to help them to raise themselves up, not to simply protect them as you do children.

"AHAH," Apple Bloom said. "I have a PLAN. Dinky, you can carry something light inside your bubbles, right?"

"Yes," Dinky said.

"We can feed him some of the candy, then trick him into shapeshifting into something else!" Apple Bloom said.

"Put it inside a hunk of meat," Lyra said.

"He'll suspect it's poisoned if we just offer him meat," I told them.

"Oooh, if he sticks his head into a glider bay, I can shut the door on him and someone can throw it down his throat while his head is stuck," Apple Bloom said.

Rainbow Dash is nearby, but I don't know if she's free.

"I have hands," Lyra said. "I can do it."

"You will distract him as best you can with music," I told her. "Then I will throw the candy; I can sneak in close to him like this."

We rushed down, with me casting a spell to link me to Apple Bloom so she could trigger on my command and telling Ditzy to make for the hanger.

Lyra began playing a tune as the dragon and Ditzy came into sight. I slinked into the shadows.

o/~ You're going to love me

o/~ With all of your heart,

o/~ Love forever will bind us

o/~ Never will we part.

The dragon's eyes flickered but he threw off the spell with ease.

Ditzy, however, got hearts in her eyes! "Oh yes, my love!" she shouted and bee-lined for Lyra.

Lyra froze up.

"Fools! This ship will be mine and the ETHENGARIANS WILL BE DESTROYED!" the dragon shouted.

Oh hoh hoh. This dragon must work for Jagger. I'd heard rumors he studied Dracology. It's a secret art where you gain dragon-like powers and eventually can turn into a dragon.

In fact, this might be Jagger.

Someone's not used to controlling his transformation, I think.

Lyra and Ditzy wildly dodged acid but the one with the glowing arrow wand, the arrows chased them, nailing them both in the posterior. They stumbled around shouting.

The hangar door came down CRUNCH. It won't hold him more than a few seconds. But that's enough.

I darted in and threw the candy down his throat. Then he blew me across the room with lightning.

"PRINCESS LUNA!" Ditzy said in a panic.

I haven't actually been really hurt in a long time, not counting when I was Nightmare Moon and the Elements blasted me. That felt strangely good.

This did not.

Now Apple Bloom said, "Surrender or I will turn you into a cute fluffy kitten!" over the loudspeakers.

"A cute fluffy kitten?" he said.

Blink, cute fluffy kitten.

The two guys on his back now plunged down the side of the Moonraker, though Applebloom caught them with a net.

"You probably think this is funny," the dragon-kitty squeaked. He had dark blue fur and black ears.

"SO CUTE," Ditzy said and started to run over.

Then he turned back into a dragon.

"CHEATER!" Apple Bloom said as he tore the hangar apart. Ditzy saved Lyra and I leaped onto his back.

"Are you dragon or dracologist?" I asked him.

"I am Storm Front the Mighty!" he shouted.

Never heard of him but that could mean a bluff or that he's just a Sapphire I don't know.

Ditzy hugged Lyra tightly. "My dear sweet love!"

"Aargh, Ditzy, it wasn't supposed to affect you!" Lyra said. "I have a girlfriend!"

"It's okay! I can share!" Ditzy said. "Dinky will be happy to have three mommies!"

Lyra laughed nervously.

"Storm Front, this is an Equestrian Ship. Do you wish to experience the wrath of Equestria?" I said.

"It's a ship with Equestrians in it. It's not on the official registry," he said. "And you've violated several countries' airspace if this IS an official ship."

He tried to buck me off and I clung to him.

And then Rainbow Dash, Rainbow Crash, and Scootaloo flew up together to us. "Hey, dragon," Rainbow Dash said.

"My divination tells me that he likes cheese!" Sweetie Belle said, sounding frustrated. "Cards, I need a better answer." I had a tap running to the bridge as well. Magic has its benefits.

"One of the Elements of Harmony," Storm Front said, then frowned. He blinked. "There are two of you."

"And me!" Scootaloo said proudly.

"You are irrelevant compared to them," Storm Front said.

Scootaloo frowned. "I have a cutie mark and I WILL KICK YOUR ASS!"

One of the Rainbows held her back. Dash, I think.

"There's two of us because we move so fast we are always in two places at once," Rainbow Crash said.

"Oh Lyra, let's go make a love nest!" Ditzy said.

"Take me somewhere stable so I can dispel this!" Lyra said frantically.

Ditzy flew off with Lyra, no doubt looking for a stable.

He eyed their necklaces. I wondered again if Crash's necklace does anything or if it's just jewelry. We're still not fully sure of their nature.

"We dumped off all the falling guys," Dash said to me. "So they won't go splat."

"SPLAT," Scootaloo said enthusiastically.

"Mercy in war is the Equestrian way," I said to Storm Front as he opened his mouth.

"Thank you," he said roughly. "But I must have your ship."

"Do you really think you can take this without destroying it?" Bon-Bon said from the wreckage of the hangar. What is she doing here? She advanced as close as she could, candy-cane spear rig on her back. "We will fight with all our strength. Maybe you can take us, but even if you do take it, the rest of the Elements of Harmony will return."

He frowned at that.

"And we both know they defeated an Immortal. Are you immortal?" she asked Storm Front. "Is this place really worth leaving your men in a monster-infested swamp next to a dragon's fortress so you can destroy this place trying to capture it?"

He peered down through the mists, frowning.

"Of course, you might think clearer if you went back to your natural body instead of letting your dragon form think for you," she continued. "It's seductive, I know. I've been there." She shivered a little.

"I would fall to my death," Storm Front said, but now he frowned more.

"Then land and change," she said. "I promise you won't be attacked."

I nodded. "We are willing to negotiate. It is the Equestrian way."

He studied her curiously. "You are a shapeshifter?"

Nervously, she pulled a candy out of her pack and ate it, then turned into a human.

A naked human, since she wasn't wearing any clothing, except a necklace. Okay, a mostly naked human wearing a candy cane rig. It was rather silly looking but she was, of course, utterly shameless, being a pony and used to nudity.

"Come here," she said softly. "We can talk this out, I'm sure."

He put his paws over his eyes, which was the cutest thing I have seen in a long time. "Young lady, you are naked."

"I was naked before," she said.

He cast a spell and she was now clad in an elegant Aalbanese style military uniform.

Then he flew over and turned into Herr Ukvarth. He stumbled, then grimaced. "I see," he said, sounding calmer now.

"I know. This body tells me all sorts of things, but I don't have to listen and neither do you," she said to him.

He sighed and looked at me. "Let us forget this ever happened," he said. "I will say nothing if you will not."

"I will say nothing," I told him, shaking hands with him. Thank you, Bon-Bon, I thought.

Bon-Bon now began talking quietly to him about her experiences. This is a sight I'd never have thought I would see today.

Now I need to find out how everyone is doing at the tower. And decide on a response.

**************

Pinkie-O-Vision:

"Man, this is the best toy ever," I said, throwing a rubber chicken through the portal just to see what would happen.

I never found out because Pinkamena suddenly shrieked. So did our mutual friends, as they suddenly flickered into being shadows instead of people, then back, then into shadows again.

For a few seconds, I stared at them in horror. Then I realized that devils and monsters were both rushing towards the portal from the other side AND from our side.

I could hear fighting outside the large laboratory, where the air was torn by a roughly circular gash in the air; beyond it was a huge city of iron and stone buildings; a perpetual drizzle fell and the streets teemed with monsters being herded by devils.

But I couldn't try to do anything about that yet, because my first priority had to be to keep my friends and Pinkamena from evaporating.

Somehow.

I had NO CLUE what to do.

ELEMENT, DO SOMETHING! I shouted at it. Normally, I just do my thing and it helps. But all I know is bardic magic and half the time I even forget I have that.

I began playing a wake up song and singing about not evaporating. It really was NOT my best work. But I felt power surge and everyone solidified. I could hear shouting in the hallway and Marjorie sounding really angry. But I ignored that and focused on keeping my friends from evaporating. And my sister.

"Pinkamena, you have to stop them while I keep you alive," I told her.

She nodded and turned to the portal, while Sir Lintsalot, Rocky, Mr. Turnip, and Madame LeFlour formed a perimeter. They began clobbering monsters while I sang and played and Pinkamena studied the onrushing forces.

"If you kill him," she said to one devil, who was on fire, "Your bosses will write him off as a casualty of fighting us and you can take his power."

He didn't jump the other, but now they eyed each other warily and began herding their monsters to accidentally collide, leading to them accidentally eating each other. Soon, a giant monster brawl was clogging traffic, at least for the moment.

"That was kind of a mean thing to say," I said to Pinkamena. VERY mean.

"These are Devils. They would hang our souls up and torture us for a thousand years," Pinkamena said flatly. "I do what I must to hold this line until we are reinforced."

"Yes, but there is such a thing as going too far," I told her. "Egging people on to fight each other is BAD, sister." I continued playing frantically. "It's why I didn't want to have to fight you."

"You fight your way, I will fight mine," she said. More softly, she said, "Thank you, sister."

"For what?" I said and now she began to cry and I don't even know why.

Fire rushed around us, frying several fungi and a giant beetle, but a devil with huge horns and a pitchfork didn't care and rushed right at Marcus and Twilight as Twilight blew the doorway in and made her own highway into the room. She's so huge like that, nearly as big as Celestia and far angrier.

Celestia's big, though, is comforting, whereas Twilight's big was kind of scary, though I know she'd never hurt me.

She grabbed the devil with magic and held him in place, then Marcus stabbed him and he began to burn from the blow. Marcus looked surprised, then pleased. The devil fled and I let him escape through the portal. Better they run away, right? He was still burning, though.

"Don't worry, I will dispel this," Twilight said. She concentrated and even I, the Earth Pony, could feel the wave of magic.

And I saw the portal get bigger.

Twilight's jaw dropped and so did Marcus'.

A flock of winged devils with spears flew down from the other side of the portal, but arrows punctured their wings, causing them to crash, then returned to Rarity and Captain Keen Eyes. The rest of our friends were breaking in and now Marjorie stormed towards the portal, studying it.

"It ate my power and got bigger," Twilight said, frustrated.

Marjorie reached out at it and it grew again. She looked extremely frustrated. Devils rushed at her and she hurled acid at them; they ran screaming as it ate away at them. OWW. Man, she can be mean.

We held the line for a few minutes; with our forces here, we could repel the attacks, but more and more kept coming forwards. Some of our people were rearguard against the monsters we'd bypassed and Marjorie sent a message to Rainbow Crash and Twilight to Rainbow Dash, hoping they were both still conscious.

They soon joined us; Marjorie took over sustaining Pinkamena and friends, freeing me up, though I didn't know what to do, beyond introduce more monsters and devils to the joy of pie.

"I think this is Maladomini," Twilight said. It's one of the realm of the Masters of the Devils of the Nightmare Dimension. I haven't studied the planes a lot. "An endless city of evil which Baalzebul constantly rebuilds and destroys, an ever growing mound of cities piled on the ruins of cities which he destroyed for their flaws. Each time, he hopes the new city will live up to his standards, but it never is. And so he levels it, and builds on the rubble."

"But a city built on rubble can never be perfect. He does not clear the ground in his impatience. Instead, he makes the same mistake over and over, for he is a creature of Order," Dawn Gleaming said. Then she flicked lightning at an onrushing puddle of slime which now blew up. "As with all devils, he is driven to repeat himself, locked tight within the bonds he has forged for himself. In Gashpodel's Bestiary, Volume XI, he identifies the central trait of Order creatures as this binding to certain habits they cannot discard even at the risk of their life."

A whole lot of blah blah academic I am so smart me too and me and me too followed with Sammy, Dawn Gleaming, Marcus, and Twilight competing to show how much they know it all. It slid off my brain as I contemplated the real problem here.

These devils and their monsters are the biggest frowny-faces I have EVER seen. None of them were happy, not even when they scored a hit on one of us.

They were also awfully vulnerable to Pinkamena playing with their heads, when she guessed their bents. That's what I call it; they were bent; I could see this now, like someone had reached into them and grabbed their hearts and twisted it into evil balloon animals.

I felt terrible for them and wondered who had done it. Pinkamena could see it too; it's how she could reach into their hearts, grab the jaggedy bits and twist.

I could see her heart too; someone had reached into it and bent it around too. But there were some soft spots; it wasn't all hardened like with the devils. For her friends. For Marjorie. For me. That made me smile.

I didn't know how I knew this. I can usually intuitively sense what makes people happy, but I could see deeper now. Was it my Element?

I looked at Twilight and I could see her love of knowledge, her desire to prove the strength and skill of that love, her affection for Spike, her... what a mess that is. She had a wound, from the whole business with Marcus. It's healing but it's still there. But for now, she had forgotten it, the current crisis taking priority. She loves us; we are all in her heart, and seeing the tiny me inside her made me smile.

I was tempted to look at everyone, but even I knew I had to focus. Thoughtfully, I began misplaying my instruments. Many of my friends looked annoyed but the devils REALLY hated it, plugging ears or trying to kill me harder. I dodged fire and ice, plunking random notes and playing different tunes on different instruments.

Now they were REALLY mad and I had to kick a few of them back into play. Marjorie's eyes derped for a few seconds and Twilight's teeth were chittering. Dawn Gleaming too.

"Can you please get in tune?" Captain Keen Eyes asked urgently.

This is going to be tricky, I realized.

Marjorie seized an on-rushing tide of beetles and flung them into a pack of howling monkeys (on fire) who devoured them. "Dawn Gleaming, study the gate. We need a way to close it, or eventually, they will overwhelm us."

"If you're really an Immortal, can't you just close it?" Spike said.

Now she looked quite irritated. "I am not part of the Council of Intrusion. I have never seen a portal to the Nightmare Dimension. And your mistress didn't do any better."

"We don't have time to fight each other," I said quickly. "We can have a pillow fight later to resolve this. Can you call this council?"

For some reason, Applejack looked at me oddly. I studied myself, but I am not covered in eggs this time.

I'd tell you, but it would take far too long.

"I would have to depart and by the time I rousted them out, you might all die and they'd break through," Marjorie said. "And the Elements of Power would be vulnerable to whatever is affecting them." She grimaced. "I will not let what is mine be taken away from me," she said fiercely. "Not by devils, not by the Nightmare Dimension, not by ANYONE."

I could feel her heart throb with determination and her followers all smiled, clearly pleased by her devotion to them, though really, being that possessive never ends well.

"I suppose Spike's spell wouldn't work all the way to the Moon," Marcus said, cutting off a devil's head; it dissolved away, which was rather creepy.

"There are protections against surprise visitors which would stop him and stop me going straight to them," Marjorie said tensely.

"Ahah!" Dawn Gleaming said. "I have an idea! If all the unicorns pool their strength, we can shake up the rubble which underlays this part of the city, cause a massive sinkhole and create a physical barrier to buy us some time!"

This worked quite well, though soon our foes began herding monsters to fall into the pit so as to plug it up.

That's one of the most horrible things I've ever seen and I felt determined to close this hole before anyone else got hurt.

"Maybe the Applejacks and Pinkamena and I could hitch ourselves to the edges, pull it tight, and then the Rarities could sew it shut," I said, trying to be helpful.

"How exactly would you hitch yourself to the edge?" Dawn Gleaming asked. "It's an energy field, type III."

"Maybe the Elements of Harmony together can do what I could not," Twilight mused.

Dragonfly and Fluttershy were talking some kind of druid tree plant talk thing. It went WOOSH over my head, circled around, went WOOSH again, then when I wasn't looking it tapped me on the shoulder.

And when I turned?

WWWWWOOOOOSSSSHHHH!!!!!

"We need chaos," Dragonfly said. "Chaotic energies on a large scale to cancel the Nightmare Law. Twilight is strongly aligned to Law, therefore she only fed its power."

"But I am of a Sphere aligned to Law," Marjorie said, frustrated. "Where are we going to get enough Chaos?"

"Pinkie," Twilight and Marcus said in unison. "And my sword and I," Marcus said. "Which by extension would mean Sammy too."

"We have a whole chaos firing cannon but the Slaad got too tired from the first shot," Scootaloo said, frustrated. Her head was sticking out of Dash's saddlebags.

"HEY, I told you to GO IN THE SHIP," Rainbow Dash said frantically, staring at her in shock.

"You didn't seriously think I'd do that, did you? I HAVE A CUTIE MARK NOW. I CAN FLY! This is going to ROCK!" she crowed.

"Get back in the bag until this is over or your mother will KILL ME," Dash said, trying to shove her down.

"I hate to say it," Marcus said slowly, "But the Cutie Mark Crusaders are one of the biggest sources of Chaos we have."

"I can't put my sister in this kind of danger!" Clarity and Rarity both said, then looked at each other.

"I bet if we did a double rainbow, THAT would close this gate," Scootaloo said.

"BACK IN THE BAG," Dash said; she and Crash both tried to cram Scootaloo back down but she kept popping up.

I was about to help them as it looked fun, but then I remembered, I have to close this gate.

"Pinkamena, you have to help me," I told her.

"I am not very chaotic as you may have noticed," she said, frowning as the pit slowly filled up.

Marjorie's nostrils flared. "Baalzebul is coming. I will have to engage him."

Marcus made a strangled noise and Sammy buried his face in his hands.

"It doesn't matter," I told her. "Marcus, turn your sword into a needle. You too, Sammy."

He blinked, concentrated, then stared in surprise at his sword as it turned into a giant needle. Sammy did the same.

"Applejack, make a rope out of honesty. Apple Blossom, make one out of elegance," I said. "Rarity, Clarity, use your powers to make thread. First you're going to sew the pull lines to the edge of the portal, then we'll pull it shut and you will sew it in place. Then Dragonfly and Fluttershy will grow a trellis of vines in a grid to hold it together and Dash and Crash will warp the woof with rainbows," I said.

"We'll do WHAT?" Crash said. "That sounds kind of obscene," she said. "I have a boyfriend!"

Rarity crossed her arms in a t shape. "Warp and woof are the two kinds of threads in a weaving. You'll wiggle the rainbows through her frame."

"And Dawn Gleaming and I?" Twilight asked me.

"How the hay do I make a rope out of honesty?" Applejack asked.

A good question to which I do not actually have an answer. "Improvise," I told her. It's what I do best, after PARTY party PARTY.

"You two and Marjorie and Sammy and Spike and Spikey and Marcus will have to fend off our foes while they try to kill us, and then kind of capstone what we do," I said. "I think you'll know what to do when the time comes."

"And me?" Scootaloo asked.

"I need a substitute rubber chicken," I teased her.

She kicked me and I had it coming so I didn't mind. "You will need to defend Marjorie from incoming monsters," I said.

Scootaloo hopped onto Marjorie's back. "Let's kick some ASS!" she said.

Marjorie tensed, then said, "You are an enthusiastic young filly," softly.

"HELL YEAH!"

"This is very dangerous, you know."

"I know. But that means winning is more AWESOME when I beat the odds."

Majorie got an odd look on her face, then said, "Well, let's roll the dice, then." She drew herself up, then opened fire on the devils trying to fill the pit with monsters.

And so we began.

*************

Marcus-O-Vision:

Standing in the breach, I could feel the difference between the world beyond and our world. Here, law is on the defensive against chaos, its worst tendencies less well represented while chaos has fallen prey to its worst tendencies and is less about freedom and more about selfishness and destruction. Law and good are not synonomous, but law is more inclined towards good.

In the Nightmare Dimension, Law is corrupted into Order, as our world's Chaos has become Entropy. Chaos are the heroic rebels against evil authority. And we stand before that authority unleashed. I can feel the Chaos in me responding to it. It HATED it. I could feel my contrary side, the part of me that wouldn't let me bow to Marquetta when it would have made me less likely to die, rising up in defiance.

But it wasn't easy. The strength of Law, doubly of Order, is its monomaniacal focus, its utter certainty, its lack of doubt, its focusing of its entire resources on what it chooses to do. Thus, though Chaos may drive Order back, though Entropy may drive Law back, in the end, neither Chaos nor Entropy can focus or cooperate enough to finish the job. Whereas, outside pressure causes Law and Order to cooperate even more intensely to push back.

When Chaos is too strong, it becomes a thug, destroying without creating. But when Law becomes too strong, it becomes a bully, pushing others around and remolding them to its vision. I remembered Twilight's words to Marjorie. "Anyone who relies only on their strength to get their way is no princess, nothing more than a bully," she had said. "You might be stronger," Twilight had continued. "But you are not better. You misuse your strength instead of using it to defend others. I will not bow. None of us will bow."

I had not been strong enough to stand on my own against Marjorie's will, but Twilight had. But her strength, it was the strength of Law. It was born of patience and hard work, a keen mind honed to perfection by long practice, through specialization and finding her place. And through her network of friends, who always strengthened her, present or not. Personal strength knotted together with that of others to form the collective strength of Law. So long as her connections to her friends hold, Twilight can not be broken by Immortal or mortal alike. Beaten, slain, yes, for she is not invincible. But she will not be broken. You cannot force her to bow to you.

Rarity's strength came from Law as well. She is precise, deft, orderly in word and deed. Like Twilight, she has honed her skills to a fine edge and they give her strength. Where Pinkie, our little bundle of kindly Chaos, cannot stand formal occassions, Rarity thrives in them. They reward her fine qualities. And on top of all of that, she is a generous soul, free and helpful with her gifts, and I love her more than I have loved in a long time.

But sometimes we clash, for I am Chaos and she is Order, I have been a free spirit and she turns always to the habits of work and discipline and the rewards of industry that her father gave her. While I have always had rather an eye for the main chance. The adventuring life is high risk but the rewards are huge for short term, though dangerous work. I would rather be wealthy than work to get it. This is why I always went back in the dungeon rather than settle down.

And Chaos cannot stand before the tide. That is not its strength. To take on the enemy head on, holding always firm and stable, that is the way of Law. But like Pinkie, I feel that call of Chaos, if not so dramatically as her. My strength is my flexibility, my inventiveness, to find people's levers and push them.

Even Baalzebul has levers. As a creature of Order, he ESPECIALLY has levers, because he can't escape his nature. "What do we know about Baalzebul?" I asked.

Twilight called forth a small army of tentacles which began grabbing monsters and devils and crushing them. "He's the enemy of Mephistopheles and Dispater, and he's married to Baftis and Lilith," she said. "He looks roughly human and he's obssessed with perfect creation. He wants to build the perfect city, but it's never good enough."

"He's coming. I can feel him," Marjorie said, grabbing creatures with magic and hurling them out of the pit across the city.

"Baftis is very subservient but is rumored to have been imprisoned by Baalzebul for defying him when he lost patience with yet another city and destroyed it. He fights a lot with his current consort, Lilith, who used to be Moloch's consort before Moloch foolishly defied Asmodeus, the Lord of the Devils. She's beautiful and strong-willed and is worshipped by a lot of witches and people seeking magic, beauty, or both," Dawn Gleaming said, hurling lightning through a mob of green chitinous insectoid monsters being herded towards the pit.

I glanced back and saw Pinkie and Pinkamena rolling around in strands of taffy as Sir Lintsalot, Rocky, and Mr. Turnip tried to disentangle them and Madame LeFlour cast spells into the taffy, which got more plentiful as a result. It throbbed with the power of Chaos. Pinkie was laughing and Pinkamena looked... overwhelmed, really.

Dash and Rainbow Crash were throwing rainbows back and forth, while Scootaloo... I won't pretend I understand what exactly she was doing but she kept running between them as more and more rainbow formed between them. She was supposed to stick close to Marjorie, but being Scootaloo, so much for following orders.

Rarity and Clarity were busy tentatively testing how to thread the sword-needles through the edge of the portal, while Captain Keen Eyes stood protectively between them and the onrushing hordes of Deviltry, shelling them with arrows.

Applejack and Apple Blossom were drinking orange brandy and looking somewhat frustrated; I'll say I have no more idea how to make a rope out of honesty or elegance than they do.

"Rarity," I said to her. "I think they need help."

Rarity nodded and she and Clarity turned to Applejack and Apple Blossom while Dawn Gleaming and Twilight continued to brief me on Baalzebul and we all blew things up with magic.

Rarity went to Apple Blossom to my surprise, Clarity to Applejack. "It is so nice to see another pony who appreciates fashion," Rarity said to Apple Blossom, who smiled.

"Clarity means well, but she is all work and no play, except with Spikey," Apple Blossom said. "But we understand that elegance is *fun*, that to look good and be stylish is something to enjoy. It requires work but in the sense being good at sports is work. Work to achieve better enjoyment." Her Element began to shine.

"A hard working pony like you is someone I can admire," Clarity said, and now Applejack looked first surprised, but then pleased.

"I hafta say you're a pony of great skill," Applejack said to Clarity. "Industry's a virtue I respect." Her Element began to shine softly.

"Your lasso can snare things like ghosts and clouds, which a normal rope would pass through, right?" Clarity said to Applejack.

Applejack nodded. "My mother passed it on to me," she said. "It once got used to snare four ghosts at once and throw them into a river. Story's too long to tell right now with wolves at the door, to speak, though."

"You can tell me later," Clarity said warmly. "Then this will be our basis. We will weave hard work and honesty into it, and I will use it as my rope and Rarity can use Apple Blossom's. Show me."

Soon Applejack was spinning her rope around and doing tricks at Clarity's command.

Meanwhile, Rarity said to Apple Blossom, "What is your favorite item of clothing?"

Apple Blossom produced a supremely fancy dress, clearly unsuitable for use in the field or any sort of fighting, eight layered and I honestly have no idea how an Earth Pony could even get it on.

"We will have to unravel this and make an elegant thread with it," Rarity said. "I promise you, I will make you another to whatever specifications you like, but you will have to give this up in order for us to make it."

Apple Blossom stared at the dress, horrified by the idea. "It's so beautiful," she said softly. "Aunt Orange gave it to me." Her voice trembled.

"I know it is not easy," Rarity said. She now pulled out the dress she wore the night we danced together. I couldn't help but stare and then remember that. "I wore this the first time Marcus and I danced together. The first time we kissed. When he became a pony for my sake. Because he loved me. It is precious to me."

Apple Blossom stared at it, eyes wide.

"I will unravel it and weave it together with your precious dress. Together we will make a thread so strong that no force can sever it, and our sacrifice will enable you to pull this gateway shut," Rarity said, shivering a little.

I touched my hat, which Rarity gave me, and now I felt guilty I still had it.

She noticed and shook her head at me. I would contribute otherwise. This was her gift, of her essence, for she is the Element of Generosity. "Elegance and Generosity must go together, for to those who have been given much, to them is the duty to give generously of what they have received. I give up this dress, but the memory of that night, I will forever treasure in my heart. You remember when she gave it to you, right?"

That memory, though is a lie. She is a creation. A shadow of possibility made flesh by Marjorie's power and Keraptis' arts. In the face of stern Order, she and the others would dissolve if Marjorie did not sustain them.

But to her, it is real and the sacrifice... How can we know that WE are not but shadows to beings more real than ourselves? Called forth by their will and dispersed as easily?

And they must know now, they are shadows. That they could evaporate at any time. But they do not despair. I could see Fluttershy and Dragonfly together, singing songs and growing plants. Dragonfly's clearly not good at it; she's more in tune with weather than animals, I think. But together, Fluttershy could call them forth and Dragonfly nurture them with the light and water they need; her hoofs struck rock and it became soil in which they grew.

If anyone had reason for despair, it is them, but they will not give up.

And if shadows can fight, so much harder must we.

And then, as I glanced at Sammy, I understood. He is a being of law. He is focused and disciplined and steady by contrast to myself. There has to be a way for us to use that.

Apple Blossom let out a great sigh. "Together," she said. "Let it be done before I lose the will to say yes."

And then Rarity began to unravel the two dresses and twine them together into a great cord.

Meanwhile, Clarity now took threads from her bag and with Spikey and Spike both helping her, she began weaving them into the rope, while Applejack twirled it around like some sort of weaving machine. Studying it, I could see she was using Applejack's tail like a needle, the tricks were like operating a sewing machine or maybe a loom with Applejack as the bobbin. As Applejack expressed her true self, she fed power into the rope, and as Clarity's hard work paid off, the rope became ever more powerful from her as well.

I now came up with a plan. Whether I would survive it...

That's another question.

***********

Twilight's Letter to the Reader:

Marcus' plan made sense, but really, it should be Rarity doing this with him. However, she has to sew the gate shut while we attempt psychological warfare on an Immortal. Hopefully this will be a mortal identity but we may well have bored into his home plane.

Well, not US but the gate maker.

In which case... No, I will be brave. I could smell Marcus' terror and I hoped that Baalzebul does not have pony level senses. He didn't show it, but I could smell it.

We gulped down the candy and he turned into Dispater and I turned into Lillith. Dispater is tall, 21 hands high, and Lillith fairly tall too; he looked mostly human, though not like Marcus, with a short beard and a shaved head and tiny horns. I, on the other hand, screamed 'DEVIL' with red skin and large horns and a tail and everything. I was also fairly naked and Marcus tried not to look at me. I put an illusion on my crown and made illusionary clothing just to avoid making him uncomfortable.

Which would give us away, too.

Having to pretend to be secret lovers bothered me, both from not wanting to hurt Rarity and from it reminding me of how I had loved him once. Part of me still did. Everyone says that never totally fades, but I need it to. How can I be a good friend to both of them when I feel things like this?

But there's no one else here to do this except Dawn Gleaming and she has a boyfriend.

They'd hitched the magical ropes already when Baalzebul came with his guard of pit fiends. Apple Blossom, Applejack, Pinkie, and Pinkamena were pulling the gateway shut as it tried to fight them, and Rarity and Clarity stood ready to sew. Dash, Crash, Dragonfly, and Fluttershy stood ready to further seal the gate. We'd rigged the taffy as a line of defense at the lip of the pit in front of us, though I'm not sure exactly how that works.

The hard part of this is that we have to hold the line until the gate is almost shut, then duck in and let it slam, but stay here long enough to prevent anyone getting in to wedge it open.

And Marcus doesn't have his sword. If something goes wrong...

No. Trust in my friends. That is my strength. Pinkie's plan is WORKING. I do not understand how but I don't... Okay, I really, really want to understand how it works. But I can find out later, once the world is safe.

Marjorie looked confident but I can't tell if that's arrogance or properly based in reality. She is an Immortal, though. Ideally, she'll cancel out Baalzebul and the rest of us will handle the enemy long enough.

I could feel Baalzebul's power before I saw him and... the amulet! I still had it. I checked it. He was at full strength. But he can't cross over into our world without alerting every Immortal, right? And Marjorie...

Is a lot weaker than him.

I winced, then made myself not wince. We can do this. Nightmare Moon was an immortal. The elements united, we can't be defeated and now, it's not just us, it's the Elements of Power too.

Working with them instead of against them feels so good. It's Harmony in action.

It's *right*.

We can do this.

Baalzebul was a tall man, only slightly devilish looking, wearing a suit of bronze armor over most of his body. He rode on a creature which resembled a giant fly. It buzzed constantly and he smelled TERRIBLE. This form doesn't smell well, but I could smell him.

"Dispater, your presence here is a violation of the laws of the Hells. Lillith, what are you doing here?" he said.

I was doing my best to draw power and feed it through us so we would 'smell' Immortal. With the Element of Magic, I could do it; Marjorie had advised us to do it.

I embraced Dispater. "Baalzebul, you fool," I told him. "I am going to take your plane as the Hag Countess took Moloch's," I said, hoping I got that right. It's a long sordid story of 'love' (what Devils call love) and betrayal and stupid revolts against Asmodeus. "You will die fighting these mortals and then we will turn on them and be rewarded for stopping their 'invasion' of this plane. And being ponies, they're so stupidly trusting that they'll walk right into it!" I was speaking in the language of the Hells thanks to a spell Marjorie cast. I hoped it came off convincing.

"Hi, I'm Twilight Sparkle, a very trusting pony," Dawn Gleaming said. "Not nearly as cool as Dawn Gleaming but she was busy mastering yet another spell I don't know yet, and couldn't come to the invasion. I wasn't doing anything useful, so here I am to smite you!"

My leg twitched but I pretended to ignore it, since Lillith wouldn't care.

'Dispater' (Marcus) fondled my shoulder and I shivered, feeling odd.

"Also, I advised Baftis to defy you, telling her you'd respect her more if she was stronger. Oh, what a foolishly trusting sucker she was. And now you've imprisoned her in the ruins you built over, where she will stay, since you're going to die here. Best of all, if we die, this isn't our home plane, so we won't stay dead," I told him. "I have bound myself to Malboge. But you never noticed."

"I noticed," he said. He pulled out a gem and crushed it. "And there goes your tie. If I die, you go with me, TRAITOR. Do you think I did not anticipate this? The only question was who you would spread your legs for, you whore!"

I suddenly wondered if we'd managed to somehow make up a real plot or if he was just that paranoid.

Baalzebul smiled angrily, dark blue eyes flashing. "I can see your surprise. Did you think me a fool? The Hag Countess has fallen and Glasya rules there now. She did not want you having influence over her plane. She was quite amenable to root out your anchor and pass it to me, and the power of the daughter of Asmodeus is not so easily noticed if she does not wish it to be."

Glasya... Asmodeus has a daughter? I think the Hag Countess got turned into a house or something... I forget why. Or how she got to be the boss when Moloch got overthrown.

Then he turned to Marjorie. "You are bold but foolish. Your Immortal allies cannot save you here. By entering this realm, you belong to me. I will enjoy tearing you down and rebuilding you."

She looked nervous, but then she said, "You are going to die. You tore a hole into our world and now you will pay for it."

Baalzebul waggled a finger. "Now, now, it was one of your people who opened the way. It always has to be, since the Compact."

The Compact is a poorly kept peace treaty between our dimension and the Nightmare dimension. Among other things, mortals on the other side have to open the way, though covert agents and accidents happen sometimes too.

The gateway was shrinking. If we are fortunate, he'll keep threatening us until we're ready to escape. I could feel Clarity and Rarity starting to work, felt the gate getting smaller. Not too much longer and we'll be able to retreat.

"I will not let you take what is mine!" Marjorie shouted, but this time, she meant the whole world. She is so fierce, and even Baalzebul was taken aback.

Now he gestured and the pit suddenly healed, sealing up, full of rubble but crossable. "I am the lord of the Seventh Layer of Hell! Those who would challenge me here are FOOLS."

Let's hope he's not right.

Then we got hit by a wave of his power. Our disguises were ripped away and we both turned back to normal. Sammy and Dawn Gleaming started to dissolve, but Marjorie managed to save them. She growled angrily and now breathed a huge gout of fire at Baalzebul and company.

This did nothing at all.

In fact, I think they enjoyed it.

"Retreat," Marjorie said to Dawn Gleaming and Sammy. Her voice brooked no denial.

"I can't just abandon you!" Dawn Gleaming said urgently as our foes rushed forwards.

"He can destroy you utterly beyond my power to remake you and I will NOT HAVE THAT," Marjorie said fiercely. "I did not make you so that some fool could destroy you with his conjuring tricks."

Conjuring tricks?

Baalzebul looked VERY unhappy, though he now pointed at Marcus and I. "I commend you on a good lie! Swear to me and I will spare you! I can use someone both clever and powerful!"

I suspect he's lying. "Ponies bow to no one!" I said proudly. I felt his aura rush at me but it skidded off my power. This both pleased me and scared me a little. I've grown so strong. But this road eventually leads away from everything I've known. I want to make Celestia proud, I want to protect ponykind. But this kind of power, it always cut me off from others. Though some of that was my own fault.

I could have had friends before this, but I let those who did hate me drive me away from those I could have been friends with. Lyra, Octavia, Moondancer and others.

I couldn't do this without everyone else. I can't walk this road without them. I hope they all will walk it with me. I need them. I'm not used to needing people. Except my parents and Celestia.

But I need them all. When they hurt, it hurts me. When they smile, I smile. The bond I have with them is so precious to me, I don't even have words for it.

I have *a* word. Friendship. But it's... it's more than that.

No, not in a bad love story sort of way.

We complete each other. Friendship makes us all more than we are. With them by my side, I can face anything. *For* them, I can face anything.

Baalzebul had a mace and now Marcus concentrated and it flopped around in his hand. "I serve Princess Celestia and Princess Luna and I love Rarity, the Element of Generosity!" Marcus shouted. "None of us will bend knee to you, Lord of the Flies!"

"Then, DIE," he said and his word of power reached out and grasped Marcus and tried to kill him but I shattered the spell with a thought, outraged, power flowing through me.

"Go," Marjorie said again to Dawn Gleaming and Sammy. "You would die before I could save you if he did that to you."

They retreated, but they looked very guilty about it. She looked relieved and then she hurled lightning; a half dozen pit fiends went flying; the power was incredible. She could cut loose here, not hold back as she must on Mystara to avoid getting in trouble.

But Baalzebul suddenly appeared right next to Marjorie, then smacked her with his mace and she went flying back through the gateway.

"..." I stared in shock as she cried out in surprise.

"Run, you fools!" Pinkamena shouted at the two of us.

He moved smoothly to cut us off, but now the taffy rose up and lashed at him like a snake, holding him for several seconds, burning him. He flailed and Marcus and I both got flung by massive amounts of power in opposite directions as the world began to ripple and buckle. The taffy burned away but now Baalzebul sort of... melted. He became this hideous giant slug monster, still clutching his mace with a pseudopod, but his beauty and grace were gone like the masks they were.

This was the form Asmodeus had punished him with for past rebellion. He must be able to take on a prettier form for a while but his concentration lapsed.

He turned his hideous multi-faceted eyes on us and his aura hit us like hammers, now fully unleashed. Captain Keen Eyes fired through the sliver of gate remaining but the arrows just bounced off his eyes. So did a half dozen apples and a hurled bottle of orange brandy, though the liquid briefly blinded him.

"Come on!" Pinkie shouted urgently.

"Baalzebul," Pinkamena said grimly. "I think you need to change your name to Lord of the Midden. You smell like yesterday's vomit. *Cat vomit*."

"Oooh, I think it's more like when you try freebasing sugar mixed with cinnamon and it BURNS IT BURNS and then you try to wash it out with vinegar and you accidentally drink it and you get GAS and you start drifting high into the sky until pegasi find you and then... it all comes out at once and they all nearly die." Pinkie made a face. "Never do that, by the way."

I see.

He gave a howl of rage and we tried to run but he just kind of arched over us, blocking our escape. But then Marjorie leaped on him, kicking and biting and howling and spewing fire everywhere.

Unfortunately, now his pit fiends were coming at us. Huge red-skinned and muscular, giant bat wings, horns, fangs, swords and whips. I flung one into another, driving back a third with lightning.

Marcus, on the other hand, wasn't strong enough to hurt them much with magic but kept trying to lure them away from me.

"Marcus, run," I told him. Without his sword, he can't defend himself; I'm sure it would hurt them but his magic isn't strong enough.

"I am not going to leave you here!," he shouted. "I can't make it up to you if you die!"

"You can't make it up to me if YOU die," I shouted, flinging back a pit fiend about to stab him. "Rarity, how is it coming?"

"We're ready to close it!" she shouted. "Get out of there!"

"Princess Marjorie, we need to retreat!"

Only we couldn't. She was tangled up with Baalzebul as they fought in hideous immortal slugfest. He was oozing acid on her and she was battering and chewing on him, lost in a fighting frenzy.

Marcus looked at her, looked at the gate.

We could leave her here. I can tell he's tempted. I'm a little tempted, to my embarrassment. She's caused us so much trouble... she was going to start a war between Equestria and Sind! Many innocents would have died.

I couldn't understand why she was made an immortal.

But I see why, now. Colored dragons value fiercess, strength of will, defending what is yours, and cunning. And she embodies all of those. But those values don't have to be used to hurt the innocent. They can be used to defend our world, to defend those important to you.

They're not the general virtues of ponies.

But this world isn't just ponies. If I am to be an immortal, I will have to deal with beings that don't share our values. To work with all the Spheres against the things that would come from outside to destroy us.

Even to work with enemies. Because we all have bigger enemies, and this world belongs to all of us.

Celestia's mother is Loki. He's a terrible person.

He's on our side when it comes to dealing with things like this.

Baalzebul would make our entire world into his city, then destroy it over and over when it failed to please him.

Marjorie... she's like a child with the power of a god. Did she even really understand what she was doing, trying to get even with us? Can she even help it? Other creatures don't think like we do, as I have become aware with Marcus, with Ivan, with Spike, though he's pretty close to a pony in all but body. Are all colored dragons like that?

But she's starting to change. She cares about the Elements of Power, even though she made them as tools. And they care about her. They were made to, but... do they have free will?

I glanced at Pinkamena, who looked horrified by Marjorie and Baalzebul's fight. She believes she grew up with a family who didn't care. But Marjorie cared, and she loves Marjorie.

Like I love Celestia.

I don't know if we'll ever be real friends. But we have to be able to work together one day, much as Immortals sometimes squabble and fight. And maybe this will turn her energies in more productive directions.

"We have to save her," I told Marcus.

"She wants me dead," he said softly.

"NEVER," I said hotly, then felt embarrassed. "I won't let her hurt you but she is an Immortal and we cannot abandon her when she fights for our friends and our world."

For a moment, he looked haunted, then looked back at everyone and then said softly, "I should come back if I die, but if I do not, take care of Rarity."

"You are NOT going to die," I told him.

Baalzebul slammed Marjorie down and began hammering her; I could barely keep his devils back, even with my Element going full tilt. But everyone was pinned down being ready to close the gate.

Baalzebul reared up to strike Marjorie down with a pseudopod. But as the blow came down, a lance stabbed into him and he howled. Sir Lintsalot and Rocky stood over her defiantly, and then Mr. Turnip hurled a cabbage at his face, and Madame LeFlour conjured salt and dumped it on him; he howled as it burned his slug-like flesh. Pinkamena said, "I will DIE BEFORE I LET YOU KILL HER! SHE CARES ABOUT ME!"

And then, grimly, she began to sing and dance and I felt magic; she was trying to trap him with the Irresistable Dance spell.

It bounced off him. He's an Immortal, not easily compelled, especially not by a construct.

Marcus stared at her; he looked at me, then looked determined. He took Pinkamena by the hands and wove his magic with hers. "Use us as your focus," he told me, and I understood.

I reached out to the others and we joined powers. The Elements of Power joined their power to ours as well and then our power flowed through Marcus and Pinkamena into the spell and Baalzebul began to dance to his utter horror and as he danced, he screamed, for Chaos was flowing into him.

Pinkamena and Marcus looked very strained by this. Neither of them was made for this much power. And then Baalzebul struck at them, hurling balls of fire at them.

And then there was a flash of light and Rarity interposed herself, firing a barrage of arrows which melted but stopped the attack. I could see she'd passed Marcus' sword to Fluttershy.

Why Fluttershy?

***************

Fluttershy's Point of View:

"Dragonfly," I said. "If I die, you have to take care of Angel Bunny and Slither."

She blinked. "If you die, it probably means we will both die."

"I don't think our lives are linked," I told her. At least, if they are, my powers from Mother Nature aren't telling me any such thing.

"I mean, if you die, it likely means the entire group is going down," she said. "That being said, if you intend to kill our foe with that sword, I am in. His city is an abomination in the eyes of nature. Every tree is gone, the grass, the sky itself choked with smoke and flame... Nature groans in chains and howls for revenge." She got increasingly angry, which made me more nervous.

"If you're going to kick some ass, we're in," Rainbow Dash said.

"YEAH!" Scootaloo said, sticking her head out of the bag.

"GET IN THE BAG," Rainbow Dash said, trying to push her back down. "Your mother has very sharp teeth, you know!"

Dragonfly and I both stared, mouth open wide, for the first time united in common thought.

"What exactly have you been doing with my mom?" Scootaloo said suspiciously.

"Don't you have a boyfriend?" Rainbow Crash said suspiciously.

"Don't you all need to stay here and be ready to seal the gate?" Apple Blossom said. But she looked at Marjorie, who was writhing in pain on the ground, and looked very worried.

"Fluttershy, PLAN, NOW," Rainbow Dash said. "And I didn't do anything with your mom! She got mad at me and... forget I ever said anything!" She waved her hooves around frantically.

"Oh my," Dragonfly and I said in unison, then blinked.

"I need you to cover me while I heal Marjorie, then we're going to destroy the city," I said. "Or at least... some of it. A little of it." I felt very nervous about this. It was hideous and evil but even devils need a place to live. One set of instincts said to destroy it and another that I shouldn't and I wasn't sure which was right.

"I bet I could set the surrounding area on fire... but I think they like that," Dragonfly said excitedly, then deflated.

"Building levelling coming right..."

A giant buzzing fly had been wandering around confused after its master... got off it? Fell off? I hadn't noticed. But now it was about to dive bomb Rarity, who was too busy parrying attacks from Beelzebub to notice.

"Fly, now!" Rainbow Dash said and launched. Rainbow Crash and her charged into the fly, slammed into it and crashed off through buildings, sending bricks and rock and bolts flying everywhere.

Clarity looked indecisive, then turned to Spikey. "What do you think?"

"I think everyone on our team needs to stand ready to close the gate or else Beelzebub may erase you while Princess Marjorie is down, even though..." He grimaced. "She's hurt."

"You all throw supporting fire and be ready for more sealing, since the gate's mostly shut," Applejack said. "I'm gonna go plant some horseshoe marks in some devil butts. Dragonfly, you'd better stay here."

"I have to go," she said.

"We will hold the gate," Dawn Gleaming said. "Dragonfly, you can lay down supporting lightning from here. If we evaporate, we're no use to the Princess."

I couldn't wait any longer. I charged out with Applejack covering me. She kicked away a devil covered in chains and hooks and axes and spears, then grabbed one of his chains with her teeth, spun him around and tangled up a huge red devil thing and threw them both at a huge fat one with a massive spear and they all tumbled away.

I ran with a sword in my teeth and I jabbed it into the ground long enough to cast some healing on Marjorie, who now stared at me, eyes wide. "You healed me," she said softly.

"We're on the same side against deviltry," I told her. "And I cannot stand to see someone as hurt as you were." Her coat charred, her flesh torn and bleeding... it had been horrible.

"Even though I tried to kill you," she said softly.

"We're not enemies any more," I said.

She started at that, and then looked guilty. She rose now over me and said, "I see why you bear that." Then she pointed where I had stuck the sword.

A tiny vine was growing up through the rock where it had struck and the rocks and bricks around it were crumbling into soil. Applejack looked, then grinned and reached in her pack, throwing a bag of seeds to me. "Some of my finest, I carry 'em for emergencies."

Marjorie clearly didn't understand why Applejack does that, but I understand. "Applejack, you are a dear friend and I thank you," I told her. Sword in teeth, I carved the ground and as I moved, Applejack planted seeds. They were already sprouting a little, even as Marjorie turned and spat lightning at Baalzebul. Soon she, Twilight, and Rarity were having a huge magical / energy / missile battle as Marcus and Pinkamena continued to dance, distracting Baalzebul's concentration.

Then the Dashes and Scootaloo came back. "Scootaloo," I said. "Can you grip a sword in your mouth?"

"I can try!"

"Dashie, I need lots of rain." Maybe that was too demanding. "If you don't mind."

Rainbow Dash and Crash now went to work making rain, while the battle raged near us. Dawn Gleaming and Dragonfly had some sort of lightning throwing contest, I think, in fact.

It made me rather nervous, but I tried to focus myself and keep plowing the ground. As I worked, I noticed the tilled ground spread further the more I worked at it, so I worked harder and it spread even more.

Unfortunately, this drew the attention of some giant with a trident and two heads and four tails. He rushed right at me, though Dashie jumped on a cloud and made lightning hit him. He stumbled and I dodged his attack, then Applejack bucked the back of his leg; she couldn't actually reach his knee. He stumbled, his knee dipped and she hit it; he fell and Dragonfly now dropped more lightning on him and he passed out.

I took the sword, moved to the middle of my work, then jabbed it into the ground and began to pray, focusing my power through it and calling upon Mother Nature to bring her power to this cold, dead world. This sword came from her sphere, the sphere of Matter, my sphere, for it is not just the sphere of earth and rock but of all that lives and grows within that, the sphere of life in all its shapes and forms.

This world had been scourged of life and left only with death and despair.

It was up to me to return it to greater balance, if only for a little while. I am not so vain as to think my power can overthrow a Master of Devils.

But this is how I can fight him. Not by drawing blood or hitting people.

But by championing life in the face of death, for that is the call of the druid. Death has its place; but the death we embrace is part of the cycle of life. In time, I will die and my body will become food for worms who will return it to the soil and from that soil, beautiful trees will grow, to purify the air and turn soil into fruit for animals. They will scatter the seeds of the trees and more trees will grow.

But here, the cycle has been destroyed. There is nothing but endless city, stone piled on metal on stone. Everything that lives suffers at the whims of its hideous master, who cannot stand imperfection.

Life IS imperfection. Druids do not believe in perfection. There is always room to improve but change is constant. You cannot fix things at one point and stay that way forever.

I struggle with that. A part of me wishes the good times would last forever, fears that if they stop, everything will go downhill. I am nervous and change frightens me.

But Druids are bringers of change. We combine law and chaos, for nature is ever changing, yet it changes in predictable cycles. And slowly, those cycles change. The world grows warmer or colder. Species come and go. I mourn for the fallen, for creatures now long gone or dwindled only to remnants in hidden valleys and places time forgot like the Thanegioth Archepelago, where the Isle of Dread is found.

I am not chaotic by nature. I am lawful. In a shy way. Dragonfly rages with change and chaos. She'd do this better than me. But she can't; if she enters Baalzebul's realm, he may well unmake her before Marjorie can save her. Or Pinkie. I don't know how Pinkie did that, but I wish I knew how.

But I have to find that chaos inside me to do this. To force the wheel of time, frozen here to Baalzebul's will to change. The sword can do it a little. I can see the the seeds sprouting.

But it's not enough. I watched Dash and Crash jump from cloud to cloud, making rain and lightning come down, laughing as they go. They have no fear. Crash could be erased with a thought and she is not afraid.

I feel a certain empathy with Marcus, because he understands fear as I do, if for different reasons. And it's one of the reasons I can bond to many of my animal friends. They know fear. To be an herbivore, like many of them are, like ponies are mostly (though we can eat eggs and things made with them), is to know fear. When Blackmoor changed us, they removed a lot of our fear. We have more than humans but less than, say, my mice friends.

Fear is a survival instinct. It's what keeps us alive in a dangerous world. But ponies don't need it as much because, like humans, we're smart enough to make tools and use them, to think our way out of problems, to fight with less fear if we must fight.

Baalzebul rules by fear; I can smell it on his servants. Cunning, fear, lies. This sort of all out assault is only because he didn't have time to think of a good lie and Marcus and Twilight fooled him into becoming too angry to think. But this world is full of violence even if it is not his first choice. Pain. Suffering. Misery. Even the rocks cry out to me for mercy, for release.

I am a healer; when I see pain, I want to end it, to heal it. Even with someone like Marjorie. Who scares me. But her pain... I had to set her free.

This world is pain and I must end it, if only for a little while.

I rose into the air, enough to 'stand' on the sword, a hoof on each crossbar, and I spread my forelegs and wings as I hovered. I became like the trees which would now rise from the land.

And then I heard Dragonfly begin, haltingly, to sing the song I intended to sing, which speeds the growth of plants. She wasn't good at it, for where I am best at growth and healing, she is better at clearing the ground for new growth. But we need that here as well. Her destruction and my creation, together we would turn the wheel.

Her destruction and my creation, in harmony we find our union. My Element began to shine.

I have studied philosophy, I just don't feel the need to talk about it all the time like Twilight and Marcus and Dawn Gleaming and Sammy do. In part because I'm never so sure of being right as they are. Which can be just a little annoying sometimes.

Don't tell them I said that! I didn't...

Okay, I meant it but I don't like to criticize people because I spent too long being criticized all the time. I wasn't fast enough for Father or my uncles and all the boys liked to pick on me and some of the girls at school. Mother always comforted me but it wasn't enough.

Without Dashie, I probably would have gone completely insane. Having someone to stand up for me who wasn't...

I know Mother really loves me. I love her. I love Father. But... parents love their children by their nature. As a druid, I especially know about instincts.

Dashie had no instincts compelling her to be my friend, to love me. But she did anyway, and that was a great comfort to me, rude as she could be sometimes.

Please don't think I hate my parents or something! It's just my nature to fret.

Anyway, druids study nature and part of that is experienced and part of it is intuitive but part of it is learned and deduced too. It gives us a balanced approach instead of trying to learn everything from books.

Some things have to be felt, like the dirt on your hooves and the wind in your mane and the gentle smile of a squirrel whose leg you have just set in a cast. Without me, he would have suffered, maybe even died.

But I changed his life for the better and now he will have many children and hide many nuts.

Every day, I can make this world a better place.

I will make *this* world a better place. For the time that I can. For I know, as a druid, that all things come to an end.

But that end is also a beginning of something new.

And sometimes, something better.

"Applejack, drive your heels into the cracks and push," I said. I'm getting too bossy again. "Please, if you're not busy with anything else."

She nodded and dug in her heels, and now her Element began to glow.

I began to sing and the clouds swirled and lightning struck me but I rode the lightning.

My body changed and my mind as well; I felt Dash and Crash's swirling, wild joy and I felt Scootaloo laughing through my skin, for she had slipped out of the bag and was jumping from cloud to cloud, feeling amazingly grownup. Their joy flowed down through the lightning into me, into the sword, the well of chaos inside us all. I could feel Pinkie Pie's delight at the rain; she loves a good storm, to feel the water on her skin.

I normally run and hide under the bed, but now I felt her joy and I knew it and I changed.

The ground cracked and Baalzebul shouted with rage and turned to stare at me but now Ivan stepped out of the shadows. "He's right here, your highness!" he shouted, laughing, and then a huge red-skinned woman, remarkably naked for a human, though she did wear jewelry, appeared from flames and shouted, "Baalzebul, you have betrayed me and destroyed my anchor! Now you will PAY!"

And a horde of devils charged at him at her command.

I felt the lightning course through me and I welcomed it, drawing its power into the sword, and using it to drive the wheel of change. The seeds sprouted and grew, and the ground cracked and trees rose swiftly. Too swiftly, but the world hungered for them. I could not deny that hunger.

"When the fruit is ripe, you must buck the trees, Applejack," I said. "When she does this, Dash and Crash and Scootaloo, you must whip up winds and fling the fruit as far off across this world as you can in the time we have," I said.

They will take root, breaking up buildings, making soil and spreading themselves. Creatures will eat the fruit and spread the seeds. Perhaps in time, Baalzebul will root them all out.

But I don't think so. Seeds will be buried every time he levels his home, and they will wait, until conditions are right. And eventually, they will be. There will always be little seeds of chaos to disrupt his perfect order. And because he can not make perfection, nor accept anything less, he will be unable to turn his attention to hurt others.

Or so I hope.

And so I called down Mother Nature's power, my heritage as both a Pegasus Pony and a druid and prayed to her, that she might give her gift of life to this dead world.

And she heard me and soon Applejack was busy kicking down quick-grown apples and Rainbow Dash, Crash, and Scootaloo were busy spreading them as far as we could reach.

I could feel Dragonfly's song in the air, calling down power, spreading the roots; they ripped up brick and stone, tore down buildings and turned all around them into soil. She destroyed, but her destruction furthered the growth of life. More water reached the roots and the trees grew faster.

And some of the monsters stirred and stared at the trees and ran to them, their masters chasing them and raging, but the power which pulsed in the trees drove them back, for Chaos flowed through the trees and the devils were creatures of pure Order, unable to abide its touch.

I gave them all the love I had, for they would need it here.

Fly free, my children. Bring joy and healing to this world. Live while you can. Everything dies, but your death will bring new life.

One day, I too will be a tree who helps others. Show them what could be, that they might dream of something better, my friends.

I could feel Mother Nature's gentle embrace, her love and approval and it made me smile. I am part of something greater. We all are, pony and man and devil alike. But now, for once, I could fully feel it. And it felt wonderful.

But I would soon have to let it go. Everything changes in time, especially when channeling chaos.

This must be why Pinkie is always so happy.

And now, for a little while, I was very happy too.

**************

Applejack Speaks:

Seeing the trees come up, it pleased me, even though trees shouldn't grow that fast. But this place needs trees. Every tree was different. They didn't look quite like normal apple trees. But then, normal ones couldn't live here.

Their nature had to change to thrive in new circumstances.

And seeing that, I understood.

Nature ain't a static thing. And what feels natural to me, growin' up in Equestria, ain't necessarily natural somewhere else. Places change. Ponies change. The whole set a' Pony species changed, both by natural causes and manmade. But humans are part a' nature too.

And it ain't like Ponies ain't remade Equestria. We didn't take it as it was, we made it the way we want to be. All the nature of my farm's only natural 'cause other Ponies and I made it that way.

'Cause that's our nature; I dunno if we got it from humans or it just comes with bein' able to think.

Apple Blossom and I both have a hankerin' to reshape our world, to build a little empire, even if mine is apples and pigs and hers is oranges and drinks and whatnot. I've been breedin' apples and my ancestors been breedin' apples for centuries. Maybe millenia. I think one of those wall ponies was the start of the Apple Clan.

What the humans did to us, we've done as well.

I wouldn't do it to nothing that could think; they got the right to decide their own future. But the impulse... the urge to change what happens if thinkin' critters don't intervene... the orchard would go wild and go downhill without me constantly changin' what nature wants.

What we've done is to harmonize it. Nature by itself makes a mess. That's what I've seen in places like the Malpheggi. We put our brains in and make it work for everyone's benefit.

My element shone as I finally understood what I've been doin' my whole life.

And I bucked like I'd never bucked before.

****************

Marcus-O-Vision:

Pinkamena and I continued to dance, Pinkie's power flowing through us to assail Baalzebub, who was trying to fight off Lillith and her supporters, while his minions fought hers.

"I think this is our cue to RUN LIKE HELL," Ivan said urgently to me.

I spun Pinkamena around, then dipped her down low; she is as nimble as Pinkie, which helps this a lot. "I agree. Twilight?"

The ground rose up and formed a gate between us and our exit. In the air, there floated another Master of Devilkind, Dispater, who I had impersonated. "YOU WILL PAY!" he shouted at me.

Then his horde of flying devils went after Dash, Crash, and Scootaloo, while his ground forces rushed at us and he blasted me across the ground with his rod. Pinkamena went tumbling as well.

She rose with an insane grin, despite looking battered and bruised. "Lord Dispater, your plan to kill Beelzebub is going well," she said. "Strike him now and you can easily destroy him!"

"I am not so easily moved around the board by a *fake* Pony," he said and blasted us again, even as I tried to cast a spell.

Twilight sent him tumbling with a huge storm of lightning, but he then caught it with his staff and threw it back at her. She blocked most of it, went tumbling, then had to fight off some pit fiends.

Pinkie tried to charge to our aid but now she was under attack, her instruments getting smashed up.

Battle was raging everywhere and it was too much. We had to get out of here. "Fluttershy, I need my sword!"

She threw it into the air with her teeth, then turned into Flutterdragon, caught it, then crashed through everything in her path to get to me. "I'm so sorry. Oh no, your hat! Oh dear, I hope you didn't pay much for that trident. I'm sorry, that looked like nice armor." And so on.

Ivan had vanished again.

Dispater pointed at Pinkamena and she began to bend and twist and fade. Marjorie was in the throes of fighting a horde of devils and was being driven back.

And then Flutterdragon gave me the sword. I knew what I had to do.

If Pinkamena dissolved, Pinkie would never forgive herself. She'd be broken.

"Get us to Pinkie," I told Flutterdragon and we rode her with me trying to use my magic to keep Pinkamena from dissolving. I was going to lose that fight. I can't match Dispater's power.

But once we reached Pinkie, I handed her the sword. "Pinkie, you have to use the reincarnation spell to make Pinkamena into a real person," I told her. "Let her be reborn with true flesh."

"But what if you need it?" Pinkie said urgently.

"Do it before it's too late!" Pinkamena was down to two dimensions and I felt my power being pushed back.

Pinkie took the sword and hugged it between her and two dimensional Pinkamena, singing urgently. Her element began to glow as she sang of being alone and the friends she'd made for herself and how now she'd found new friends. And Pinkamena was one of them, her sister who she loved.

Pinkamena began to cry, but then she looked determined and she pointed at Dispater. "I do *not* forget or easily forgive. There will be a reckoning," and he laughed with a cruel laughter.

But then Flutterdragon pounced on him. "I'm so sorry to scuff up your nice clothing but you shouldn't be so mean!" she said urgently and I laughed for joy.

What a glorious mess this all was.

There had better be some treasure for this.

Pinkamena turned three dimensional again; she looked brighter. More vivid. Still cranky, but real. She stared at herself.

"Okay, let's get out of here," I said.

The wall burst as our friends on the other side of the gate smashed it open. "Come on!" Dawn Gleaming shouted.

We began a fighting retreat; Pinkie gave me my sword back once they didn't need it. Yet more devils were coming as the storm raged across the city and trees began to grow across it and the land shook with the throes of rebirth.

I then saw Dispater doing a spell which is quite famous and would be quite hideous for us.

Meteor swarm basically dumps a swarm of fireballs on people. Which was going to fry everyone as they withdrew.

Twilight and Dawn Gleaming began a dispel, but I feared it wouldn't be enough. "Flutterdragon, we're going to have to block it," I said. "If you augment yourself with your element, combined with being a gold dragon, we can block most of it."

"But what about you?" she said urgently.

This is going to hurt so much. My common sense chose this moment to reassert itself. I HAVE TO GET OUT OF HERE BEFORE MY FIT OF INSANE HEROISM FRIES ME.

Then I saw Rarity withdrawing with the others, shelling arrows down on inrushing monsters.

I can't abandon her.

My safety net is gone. I could fry to ash here.

But this fire will be order-tainted. Which means my sword should help stop it.

If I want to be an Immortal, I can't leave Flutterdragon here alone.

"I won't abandon my friends," I told Flutterdragon and she smiled and then we rushed the fire with me focusing my own fire through the sword.

The good news was that we stopped the fire and everyone escaped.

The bad news was that I don't become more powerful from my determination to protect my friends and the woman I love, so, in fact, I fried.

I'll spare you the excruciating details, but I stopped too much of it with me instead of my sword.

And when I awoke, I was somewhere else.

***************

I woke up in a nice, soft, fluffy bed, wearing a nice soft bathrobe and feeling oddly relaxed for someone who just burned up. "Hello?" I said.

"Hello, Marcus darling," Celestia said. "How daring of you, climbing into my bed." Her voice had her usual teasing tone.

Oh bloody hell. I tried to jump out of bed, but landed on MORE BED.

In fact the bed was HUGE, bigger than some rooms. I am not sure why Celestia needs a bed which is something like twenty by thirty feet. Especially given her human form is only six foot two.

Wow, she's as tall as Helga.

For a moment, I had to be sure this wasn't actually Helga messing with me, but Helga is not as tanned as Celestia, and doesn't have the same diaphanous rainbow hair. She wore not a princess outfit but sturdy black pants, a dark green blouse, a white and yellow vest over that, and she had a nice wide-brimmed hat on an end table nearby. Her feet, though, were bare; brown socks were tossed by the hat, black boots sat on the ground. She was closer to the edge of the bed than me.

"Are we in Canterlot?" I asked groggily, checking myself. I was, in fact, naked, but the second I thought about it, clothing appeared and I now wore a nice travelling outfit and Rarity's hat appeared on my head. More precisely, the one she made me.

"You are in my quarters within my home plane," she said. She reached over and put her socks and hat on, then got off the bed and put her boots on. "Come with me."

I followed her, donning my own boots with a thought. We went out into an ornate hallway, decorated with her mighty deeds, then into a side hallway, which showed my past lives. "We are being recursive," she said.

"What?" I said in confusion. Then I paused. "Hey, I was Maeglin Woodwalker?" I said in surprise.

"Yes," she said, standing by me.

The picture showed a somewhat scarred Elf busy driving back a purple worm (the several hundred foot long kind) with blasts of fire as Elven children ran for cover. Another Elf lurked nearby behind a tree, paging through a book of spells.

"Not very pretty," I said. "But brave." I remember when that happened. My apprentice screwed up and managed to trigger a monster break through at the bad magic point; Alfheim has certain 'knots' in the magic which sustains it and the ones which cause trouble are 'bad magic points'.

"He was your first life," Celestia said, hand on my shoulder. Her presence was comforting. "You had many lives on your quest, all of them relatively brief, because once you grew strong enough to recover the sword again, you were reincarnated. Or if you died in the process."

I touched my sword.

"It will no longer reincarnate you," Celestia said. "But Mother Nature has agreed to waive any further need for reincarnation; the sword was only given that power by Bastet so she could bypass proper channels. You were not formally approved as a candidate due to her meddling."

I winced. "All of that was for nothing?" That really annoyed me.

"Not nothing," Celestia said firmly. She ushered me down to another painting. Bofur Shattershield of the Everrast clan. He was busy disarming a complicated trap on a door in a tunnel while other dwarves kept watch. One of them was Fundin; he was a Skyrlist but unlike most of them, a great warrior. Maybe too great, as he tended to run off and get in trouble.

I could remember more of his life as I looked. Marla. She was our cleric. Too vain about her beard, but kind and gentle and hardworking. I'd been saved by her many times.

"They are all inside you; when you return, you will remember their wisdom. Instead of the tight focus of my children, you will have a great deal of flexibility," Celestia said. "As Ivan has begun to master shadows, with time, you will master this ability as you continue your path to Immortality with the others."

That could be really useful. "And if I die?"

"Success or failure in the quest is not measured by death but rather whether you master the virtues of your sphere and succeed, in the end, in the tasks assigned. For people at the level you operate at, the real challenge becomes moral. Not 'can I succeed' so much as 'what are the consequences of my actions'," she said. "The Council of Intrusions... they're not happy you died, but they are happy with you for your willingness to die for our world. Thus, they have approved you for the path of Immortality in the Sphere of Matter. There will be more for you to do under Luna's and my guidance, but you will find us more helpful mentors than Bastet." She said the last word with sadness after previous joy. She sighed. "She has been punished by being assigned to spend a lifetime without her powers as a mortal to remind her that mortals are not toys."

"And Marquetta?" I said. I don't know what to think about her. She wants me dead, but she fought hard for our world and cooperated fully with us in the fight. But if she's going to go back to causing us trouble...

"Considers your death protecting her people to be a quitclaim between you," Celestia said. "And has been informed she is not allowed to claim your sword. Hopefully, we won't have more trouble with her for a while. And she's matured a little."

"I would think you would want someone a lot more mature before making them an immortal," I said, frowning as I studied the picture of Dmitri's death we were now studying.

"I would not want to be the Great One," Celestia said, shaking her head. "Chosing a Moon Dragon is difficult because Colored Dragons are difficult. But she will cause us no more trouble at least for now."

"So what is my next task?"

"You all will be given a rest, but part of your task will be learning to be comfortable as both Pony and Human. For Immortals are not Human or Pony or Dwarf or Troll. Even the draconic immortals must come to transcend the speciation of dragons. This is especially important for Polymaths, for the sphere of Matter is also the sphere of all living things," Celestia said.

We stood before Odo now; he was climbing the rigging of a ship and smiling. I envied him; he was so full of joy. He didn't know how hard life could be.

"It's not easy," I said softly.

"I know," she said. "Luna and I still tend to think of ourselves as Ponies. They are special to us. But an Immortal must cultivate a broader perspective. It is one of several difficult balancing acts. But the others will help you. And one day, you will help them, for they will have to learn that lesson as well." She stretched, adjusted her vest, and smiled. "This is how I am known on the Savage Coast to the west." She had repeating crossbows on her hips, I noticed. Those miniature ones they use, often with trick ammo.

It won't be easy, but I will do it. "So what all DOES my sword do?" I asked her.

"We can discuss it later. Luna has a report for you. But we must meet Twilight and Fluttershy and meet with the Council of Intrusion and get you back before Rarity has a heart attack."

I nodded. "Where is everyone else?"

"Fretting over your body until your soul comes back to it. Luna has restored your flesh but right now, your soul is here with me. So we must make this quick so you can return and relieve their worries," Celestia said.

I do not want Rarity to worry even MORE, so I agree. Let's get this show moving.

**************

We found Twilight in Celestia's library. She looked... almost stoned, trying to read four books at once. "This is amazing! I thought every copy of the Amadil Engravings had been destroyed during the Boldavian Vespers!" she said frantically.

"I'm sorry, dear, but we have to go," Celestia said.

Something now sunk in. Twilight was substantially taller or I had shrunk. A quick check showed me that I seemed to be the same height and was still human.

"Hello, Twilight, I see you've grown," I said softly.

She ran over and pounced on me and without Celestia I would have fallen down. "Marcus!"

"I'm okay," I told her. "We have to make this quick; Rarity must be very worried." I wondered why Celestia hadn't brought her.

"Mother Nature wants to see Fluttershy and the council wanted to see Twilight," Celestia said to me.

Twilight said, "Should I take on a human form?"

"It's up to you," Celestia said. "As I told Marcus, part of Immortality is that you have to abandon being attached too much to any one kind of body. As our concerns are more than just any one species, dear as my ponies are to me." I suspect she's still struggling with that herself.

"Which is why you need us," Twilight said softly as we now walked along.

"Yes," Celestia said. She took us through a door and into a garden where we found Fluttershy feeding the birds. She had grown larger too and wore her druid robes. I got a gentle hug from her.

"Has everyone grown?" I asked.

"All six of us," Fluttershy said. "I am so sorry I couldn't protect you," she said, sounding guilty.

"It's okay," I told her. "I chose that risk so I could help you protect the others." It was only then that I realized I felt this strange relief. Peace, even. I wasn't afraid here.

I knew in my gut I was safe.

"The council is Nyx for Entropy, Ixion for Energy, Noumena for Thought, Father Time for Time and Mother Nature for Matter, correct?" Twilight said.

"Ixion and Nyx in the same group?" I said, stunned. She seems to alternate between trying to destroy the sun so her undead can flourish and trying to seduce him, from what I have heard.

"They can be professional and Nyx is still easier to deal with than many Entropics," Celestia said.

Ahahaha.

************

Father Time was a grey haired old human sitting on a throne, wearing blue robes with a golden hourglass woven into them. He looked very serious.

Four other thrones were here this time. A dusky-skinned man with red hair, clad in golden armor, sat to the left of Father Time. Ixion, I suspect. He had a flaming sword propped against his throne, burning merrily. Left of him was a brown haired man, short and brown skinned, mostly naked except for a fancy Nithian hat and a skirt and sandals. His eyes seemed unfocused as if he was paying attention to some distant vista. He must be Noumena, of whom I know little.

To the right of Father Time was his wife, Mother Nature, Djaea, black haired and brown skinned, with bright brown eyes; she was the darkest skinned of all those present. Laurel crowned her head. And to her right sat Nyx, a pale skinned, raven haired immortal, clad in a slinky black dress. She was smiling, showing her fangs.

A sixth immortal stood, but not in a throne. She was curled up off to the left of Noumena, a huge red dragon with eyes that resembled the moon. The Moon Dragon, Pearl, who I have known as Marquetta and Marjorie.

"Was this the meeting that had you confused about why I wasn't dead?" I asked him.

"It is complicated," he said. "Time is a very complex thing."

"Indeed," Noumena said.

"I was not yet aware of the full extent of what had happened with you," Father Time said. "And your time thread was ambiguous."

Fluttershy kneeled, pony-style, before Mother Nature.

"Rise, daughter," Mother Nature said. "You have pleased me greatly." She rose, walked over, and placed her hands on Fluttershy's head. "You followed my teachings well and at great risk to yourself." She touched Fluttershy's golden torc; it rippled and turned to platinum. Then she tucked a bag into Fluttershy's saddlebags. "You can give this to Applejack, who served us well as well."

"Thank you, Mother Nature," Fluttershy said humbly. I noticed she remained kneeling.

"Rise," Mother Nature said and she became a pony scaled to Fluttershy's size, chestnut coated and green maned.

Fluttershy looked her in the eye, then turned her head away.

Gently, Mother Nature guided it back and then looked her in the eye and smiled. "Be proud. I am proud of you."

Fluttershy turned red and then Mother Nature returned to her throne, turning back to human form.

Ixion raised his hand. "Let this meeting of the Council of Intrusion begin." He frowned. "Pearl, why did you not report this breach?"

"As I told you, there was no time. And originally, I thought it could be handled without any need to disturb the council. It is my duty as an Immortal to guard the walls of this world, is it not?" Pearl said sulkily, like a child who has been sent to her corner.

"Ixion, dear," Nyx said, fluttering her eyelids at Ixion, "She did her duty to the world, and even forsook a blood feud to do so." Is she flirting with him?

I decided to try to not notice.

"So what is the problem?" Nyx asked.

"The problem is that, with no experience in such things, she tried to handle it in a mortal identity without reporting to us. We have procedures for a reason," Ixion said.

Ixion is a god of law. Classic example.

"Well, we did it too," Fluttershy said, surprising me. "She just wanted to protect our world and so did we. So if you're going to punish her, you ought to punish us too."

DO NOT VOLUNTEER ME FOR SHARING PUNISHMENT WITH THE DRAGON WHICH WANTED TO KILL ME.

Ixion and Pearl seemed equally flummoxed by this.

"Truly the Element of Kindness," Nyx said. "I incline towards clemency, since she is inexperienced in such affairs. And she did her duty as an Immortal in the face of temptation to do otherwise."

Ixion frowned at her as well.

"She is new to her duties," Noumena said. "I see no need to punish her for success. If she had not reported in, we would not have even known this happened. Best not to discourage honesty."

"She wanted to go, but we all would have died by the time she came back," Twilight said. "Her staying kept us all alive."

That's ponies in a nutshell.

Too kind to enemies for their own good.

"We agree," Father Time said. "There is no need for any punishment. She did well in defense of the world and most Immortals would not have bothered to come running to us unless they thought they could not handle it or did not wish to. I think we can move on, since these mortals need to return to their flesh soon."

Ixion grimaced, then nodded. "Let it be recorded," he said and I felt a burst of magic. "Samus Marcus, the Council of Candidacy has ruled that you may continue your path to Immortality under the sponsorship of Celestia and Luna. I believe Celestia has briefed you on this?"

"Yes," I said, bowing.

"Very well. Good luck. Keep your nose clean and your past transgressions will be forgotten," Ixion said sternly. "And clean up your messes."

"Yes, sir," I said. Never argue with this type of person; look good and compliant and they will be more merciful.

He looked pleased. "Twilight, candidate for Immortality under Celestia and Luna as well. You have done well so far."

She cast a spell, became human and curtseyed. She was, however, still naked.

Ixion's eyes widened, Nyx laughed, Noumena closed his eyes, Father Time blinked, and Mother Nature smiled broadly.

Then she looked at herself. "Oh dear." She cast another spell. Sweatervest. And another gave her a skirt. "My apologies."

"Ixion may have to blind himself now for thinking dirty thoughts," Nyx said, laughing.

"I have seen women naked before," he grumbled.

"Is that a come-on?" Nyx asked, leaning forwards, which rather showed off her chest.

"Enough," Ixion said, making an odd hand gesture at Nyx. "Apology accepted. Twilight, please give our thanks to the bearers of the Elements of Harmony."

"Thank you," she said, and bowed.

"I advise you to consult with Marcus to avoid further breaches of etiquette like that, however," Ixion continued.

Noumena studied Twilight in a manner which made me a little nervous. Not a sexual or a hostile look, but something... She had his attention and I got the impression mortals rarely did.

Then again, he is of the sphere of Thought.

We now had a bit of a formal ceremony of thanks, and then they let us go. Celestia took us back to her castle and then, bamf, we woke up back in the Moonraker.

**************

Rarity's Point of View:

Lunette sat on the bed, holding one of Marcus' hands; I was in human form, holding the other one. She was keeping him alive until his soul returned. I was holding on so I would not completely freak out; Sweetie was asleep next to him, Twilight on the other side of the bed and Fluttershy on the floor. The others were in the next room, playing cards and waiting.

Fluttershy stirred first, then Twilight, then Marcus, just as I was ready to die. He pulled me down and kissed me softly, holding me close.

I embraced him and felt my worries fade away. I'd been terrified that I'd lost him, that after everything, he was dead and gone forever.

I started crying as we kissed as everything I'd held tight until I was sure, absolutely sure, now burst forth. The others cleared out and left us alone; they had to pry Sweetie off him, mind you.

"Never do that again," I said urgently. "You have nothing to prove to me."

"It wasn't about proving, it was about me trying to help ensure everyone else got out okay," he said, holding me tightly. His voice was urgent. "Tell me you're okay."

"I'm wonderful," I told him. "We all got taller."

"I know," he said, kissing me one more time.

I feel very strange. It's a good strange, though. "Father wants to see you but it can wait."

He made a gurgly noise and I smiled. "Scarier than Devil Masters?" I teased him.

"Much," he mumbled, but then he leaned on me. "I love you," he said. "Whatever may come."

"I love you too," I told him and kissed him one more time.

We snuggled for a while and I began trying to decide if I should broach more intimate matters.

"I'm sorry about your dress," he said to me.

"I will make ten better ones," I told him. "If you cling to anything and try to hold it back for yourself forever, it will come to lose its glitter in time anyway. But now we will both remember it and what it stood for even more vividly."

He touched his hat, the one I made him, and then he touched mine. "You are the best of all women," he said. He gave a happy sigh. "I feel so good. Which probably means the Moonraker will now explode."

I laughed. "I think we'll have a peaceful trip back." But if it explodes, I don't mind so long as my shop doesn't explode. My poor customers are probably losing their minds by now, with me gone. I will have SO much work.

But that's okay. I like to work hard and to create under pressure.

And I can use Marcus as my model for a men's fashion line. I need to improve my skills there, anyway.

I was half snuggling and kissing and half musing on how Marcus and I would grow my fashion empire when Pinkie shouted through the door, "There's a cake waiting and it may well vanish forever if you don't come join us!"

"Coming," I said. I kissed him one more time. "Come on, my love."

We went out to join the others.

*****************

Spike's Point of View:

I could smell that bastard Marcus was coming. My fists clenched and I scarfed down three donuts at once in my frustration, then nearly choked.

Then I nearly fell down when Marjorie whacked my back gently with a hoof. I coughed up the stuck bits of donut. "Thanks," I said to her. So she's a dragon. But I guess her dragon body wouldn't fit here. We were on the Moonraker in what Pinkie had turned into a party room. All the traps were, in theory, turned off.

"It's hard to let go," she said softly to me.

I'm kind of stunned we're here, not killing each other. But all's well that ends well, right? "Yeah, I know," I told her.

"Dragons do not forgive easily, not even the lawful ones. Maybe even more so," she said. "Because some chaotic dragons will just get bored with revenge and never finish. Or get distracted."

"I want to kick his ass, but he's too tough for me," I told her, feeling frustrated. "I just know he's going to screw things up like he did with Twilight."

"I am the worst possible person to tell you this," Marjorie said hesitantly. "But you need to let it go. I don't like him either. Letting go of this feud doesn't come easily to me. Letting go of anything doesn't. It's not my nature," Marjorie said.

"Donut?" I said to her, holding one out to her.

She ate it quickly. "Thank you, young one," Marjorie continued. "But I am not a dragon any more. Not only a dragon, anyway." She sounded somewhat lost.

I don't know what I'd do if I stopped being a dragon. "What are you?"

"Immortal," she said softly. "As your master will be one day."

"She's not my master, she's..." I struggled to explain it. "She's Twilight. We work together. Sometimes she helps ME," I said. I don't know how to define it, exactly. She depends on me and I want her to. I love her. Not like I love Rarity but... maybe more like a cool big sister.

Yeah, like that.

"The bond of parent and child, sibling and sibling, is weak among our kind. We are so strong, we have little need for others," Marjorie said.

Which is why you made your own set of minions. I smell denial.

"I'm a lot more sociable than other dragons," I told her. "Sometimes I wonder if Twilight got a little pony in me."

"You are something new, Spike," Marjorie said.

My eyes widened.

"I will be curious to see how you develop," Marjorie continued.

I could see Rarity talking to everyone now, that damn punk Marcus by her side, being all, la la...

Marjorie patted my shoulder awkwardly. "It's okay. You are very young and will likely find many more... potential mates in the future. It's going to be okay." Her voice wobbled oddly; she clearly didn't know the right tone to strike.

But she was trying. Was it the instincts of her body? Because we're both dragons? "I hate him so much."

"So do I, but sometimes you have to let go of hate. Do you know how much time I spent contemplating his doom? Do you know how much he even remembered me?" She sounded very disappointed. "I was Tuesday to him. Just another encounter, just another death. He didn't hate me. He didn't even REMEMBER me."

I had not the slightest clue how you even reply to that, so I passed her a donut and ate one myself.

"Anyway, we have to forget them," Marquetta said to me.

Some part of my brain was screaming 'RUN AWAY', but I ignored it, not being a coward like Marcus. Bastard.

"Don't try anything," Sweetie said sternly and I jumped.

"Hello, young one," Marjorie said. "Are you enjoying the party?" she said after a pause, as if consulting a book of phrases in her head.

I glanced around but no sign of Dawn Gleaming feeding her lines from a book of etiquette.

"Very much, Princess," Sweetie said, curtseying to her as best a pony can (which is to say, it looked rather odd). "Spike, you have to let go. Marcus and Rarity are going to be together FOREVER." She had the emphasis on this that only a naive little filly can have.

I'm old enough to know better. Or maybe I've just read too much to not know better.

Though I kind of hoped Rarity and I would beat the odds.

"He's... I can't trust him," I told her. I wish I could. I remember the old days, when we were good buddies. I thought he and Twilight... that we...

Dammit, I got my drink on my eyes somehow or something.

Sweetie Belle suddenly looked mortified, while Marjorie studied me in confusion. I looked at myself. Okay, I do have a few crumbs but I look basically normal. Why is Marjorie confused?

Human-Rarity is so beautiful... It's weird. I can see the beauty in her both ways. "Do you think she's beautiful, Marjorie?" I asked her.

"Sweetie seems too young for mating but when she's a little older, she would likely be a good choice if you want a Pony," Marjorie said very hesitantly. "Her coat is clean and her mane well cared for, with no flaws in her teeth, hooves, or eyes. She possesses a strong Cutie Mark and is likely to be as or more potent than her sister some day. I don't know her ancestral tree well enough to study that, though," she continued.

"..." I stared at Marjorie in shock.

Sweetie stared, jaws wide open.

You know, she does have really clean, well-shaped teeth.

"I meant RARITY," I said urgently.

Rarity's head turned and now she began coming my way.

I panicked and ran, and she began chasing me, then Sweetie ran after me and then ALL HER FRIENDS joined the chase, laughing and shouting and now Ditzy chased after them. "Come back, fillies! This is an INDOOR party!"

I glanced back; EVERYONE was gaining on me. Dammit, why do Ponies have to be so fast? And humans so long-legged?

I thought about Rarity's legs and got my happy feeling, which stopped me long enough for everyone to crash into me and each other.

When the dust cleared, Ditzy herded the kids away and Rarity took me into a side room.

Then we nearly fell in a pit trap and she had to disarm swinging blades.

This place is DANGEROUS.

After that, we sat at a table. "Spike, I've avoided saying anything about this because I didn't want to hurt your feelings," Rarity said, looking nervous.

"Who told you? It was supposed to be a secret," I said urgently.

"Telling secrets is BAD," Pinkie said, stepping out of the closet.

"Pinkie, go," Rarity said firmly.

"Who blabbed?" Pinkie said urgently.

"I am not blind," Rarity said, slumping a little. "I just did not want to hurt Spike and I did not know how to handle it." She sighed.

"Okay," Pinkie said, then hugged me. "We all love you, you know," Pinkie said to me.

"Me too," I mumbled, embarrassed.

She let go and left.

"I don't know what to say," I said to Rarity's hands as they rested on the table.

"Neither do I," she said, sounding sad, which made my heart ache. "I like you, Spike. You're a dear friend and I would gladly fight to protect you. But I do not love you. And I'm sorry. I should have said something long ago, but I kept hoping you would give up and spare me having to do this."

"I forgive you," I said. How can I not? I love her.

"Spike, you shouldn't forgive me so easily," she told me. "I have taken advantage of your good nature too many times." She fingered her necklace. "It was unworthy of my role as the Element of Generosity. I would like to make it up to you. Within the limits of us being friends."

"He's going to hurt you," I said bitterly to her hands. I glanced at her and she looked so sad and guilty and now I felt horrible.

"This isn't about Marcus," she said. "It's about us. I suspected you had a crush on me and I did nothing about it. I liked it, even though I wasn't interested." She sounded very guilty now. "I can be vain if I am not careful."

"Only because you are so beautiful and kind and generous," I told her. "Sharing your beauty with us." For a moment, the pain faded.

She smiled, then made herself stop. "You are the generous one. You always helped me. Let me help you. I want to do something special for you as an apology."

"I want a moustache," I said, then forever regretted it.

"I am not sure if your kind of dragon can grow one except for a temporary magical one," she said. "Though Steven had a truly magnificent one." She tapped her cheek thoughtfully. "I will see what I can do for you there. But I should do more than that."

I can't decide if having her make me a suit would be the BEST or the WORST thing ever. Or both at once.

"Sweetie, stop spying on us and go play with your friends," Rarity suddenly said loudly, sounding irritated.

"I'm not spying!" Sweetie said in the hallway.

Now I REALLY wanted to die.

"Go back to the party!" Rarity said sharply. "This is between Spike and I."

Sweetie ran off. Stupid filly. Thinks she's so big. Worships stupid Marcus and the ground he walks on. Blah, blah, look what Marcus taught me, blah. He's probably going to make her into glue.

I suddenly realized I was curled up, somehow wetting my leg with my face, while Rarity patted my shoulder. I wanted to hug her but knew I couldn't.

DAMMIT.

"I'll think about it," I told her. "I have to go check my pet rock."

I ran and ran and then I ended up trapped inside a spinning crystal sphere somehow.

Twilight found me, got me out and took us back to her room, then held me while I shook and tried to pull myself together. "I know how you feel," she said softly.

"You should hate him," I said urgently. "What he did to you was WRONG. You cried so much and I just... I HATE HIM!" I shouted.

Her legs were so gentle around me, her body so warm. She looked very sad. "It will pass," she told me. "I know it feels like the end of the world, but it will pass. And one day, you and Rarity will be friends again without anything bad between you. And all you will remember is the good bits of this and not the bad." She kissed my forehead. "I'm here for you, Spike. I love you very much."

"Me too," I mumbled. "Do you think we can trust Marjorie? I want... She is a dragon but lots of dragons aren't very nice."

"We'll have to see," Twilight said to me. "She was quite worried about you, and confused. She's not very socially adept."

I was laughing and sad at the same time. "Hello, Mrs. Pot."

"Hey, I am the element of FRIENDSHIP," Twilight said defensively. "My studies of it are coming along VERY well."

Her 'studies'. I felt a little better. She's so cute when she tries to feign being as socially smooth as I am.

And I'm a *dragon*.

"Ready to face the party?"

"No, but now I'm hungry and thirsty," I said.

"No more donuts or you won't sleep before we reach Sind," Twilight said firmly to me.

"I'll have cake."

"No more sugar."

I got up. "You have to stop me."

"SPIKE!"

She chased me all the way to the party; I felt a little better by the time I got there.

Just a little.

******************

Dash-Vision, 20% Cooler Than Yours:

It's strange. Looking at Marjorie and her flunkies, I can see their bond to her and hers to them. Our bonds to each other, the Cutie Mark Crusader's bonds to each other. When Marcus and Rarity came out, I could just look at him and see his firm loyalty to all of us.

And how much he believes in me, which is a little embarrassing. But then, I think he still kind of has a thing for me, even if he is pretty firmly loyal to Rarity. Which is only logical; if you're going to be into mares, I am pretty cool.

He looks like he's shrunk but I know he hasn't. We're all bigger. I am fourteen hands high now!

Oooh...

After Rarity took off running after Spike, I sidled over to Marcus. "Come on, we have to make you scream now."

Marcus stared, mouth open wide.

"Flying," I said, grinning. "I have a boyfriend, you know."

"Sure," he said. "I guess you don't need the spell any more."

"Hah! I bet I'd be as big as Celestia with that spell," I told him. I feel so strong. I'm even taller than Big Macintosh!

Pretty soon, we headed down to a hanger. I put on my magic goggles and we took off.

I think I am faster but it's hard to tell. I feel so vigorous. Like I could fly forever.

He wasn't shaking.

Much.

Just a little, but given he can't fly, that's reasonable, though of course, I'd never let him fall. The one bad thing is that we're flying over the clouds, so it's kind of cold (for him) and you can't see the landscape. I think we're over Darokin; we're on the way back to return the Radhirajah.

I zoomed upwards, then plummeted.

Now he screamed. It was oddly reassuring.

"So what's it like, coming back from the dead?" I asked him.

"You get used to it," he said. "Celestia has a nice palace on her home plane."

"Man, when I am an Immortal, I am going to build a cloud the size of a continent. It'll be nothing but sky forever and cloud islands," I told him. "I guess I'll need a few solid bits for visitors, though." Do all immortals fly? I guess they shapeshift into something that can fly.

"Better make an alarm so you don't nap away a few centuries," Marcus said and I laughed.

He laughed too, and he sounded so happy. He's usually kind of melancholy; it takes someone happy like me to buck some cheer into him.

"I wish I could see the land," I said.

"Nothing stopping us dropping down. I doubt it'll compromise the mission," Marcus said.

So I plummeted through the clouds and now I could see the landscape spread out before us, the great lake in western Darokin with a fancy name... called... something...

"Lake Amsorak," Marcus said. He began humming a tune; I dimly remembered singing it with everyone when we ballooned back to Ponyville after White Plume Mountain. I began humming it as well.

Ships were crossing the waters, some of them strung out along a long line of navigation, others scattered about, fishing. White and blue and yellow sails caught the wind, pulling the ships to the great cities on the eastern and western shores, far below us.

I dove lower and I could see the crews hard at work, hauling goods. I could tell who they owed allegiance to at a glance, even if I don't know much about Umbarth House or Toney House or Franich House or Corun House. I could see their rivalries and enmities and the bonds built by shared labor.

We learned about some of this in school but I forgot it all. It was all lines on paper and the teacher droning on about how they skillfully tan monster hides in Corunglain and ship it to the Ethengars, who steal porcelain from the Heldaan Freeholds and trade it for the hides.

But there weren't any people in it.

But now I can see the old man piloting that ship. He's done it for decades, and he would die to save his ship, for it has saved him many times. He's been hauling spices from Sind to Akorros since before my parents were born. And he plans to do it until he dies. It's what he loves, the feeling of the wheel in his hands and the water below his ship.

He serves Franich House and has grown a strong loyalty to it, and it's loyal to him for he has served it well. Franich House is made of people.

I guess that sounds kind of silly, but I can see that now.

I can sense, dimly, the huge web of loyalties which holds Darokin together, feel threads extending into other countries too, a giant web of interconnections.

It was a little overwhelming but somehow reassuring. All of them were part of something larger, and yet they were themselves.

I flew down low and buzzed the ships; some of them waved, others shook fists and some just stared. Marcus waved, clearly enjoying the attention, even the insults.

"Feels good doesn't it?" I asked him.

"It feels wonderful," he said, smiling.

A letter landed on us. 'Scootaloo tried to follow you but I think she's lost. Can you find her? Twilight'.

That kid is going to be the death of me. But I know how she feels. I smiled a little. Kid's got a very bright future ahead of her.

If she doesn't get killed for being so rash.

Stop laughing, Marcus!

**************

Rarity's Tale:

I leaned on Father, embracing him around the neck. He looked slightly confused and I held him quietly. Poor Spike. He's a good guy, and he's been a great help to him but I've taken advantage of him too many times. He needs to move on and find someone his own age, like maybe Sweetie or Apple Bloom. Or Twist, who is a very sweet girl and needs someone bold and out-going like Spike.

Seeing Clarity and Spikey being all snuggly certainly can't help his state of mind. I could sense how much they share with each other; I can feel people's generosity or lack thereof. It started after I sewed the world back together, I think.

Clarity came over now and shyly nuzzled Father, who nuzzled her back. "We should send Mother a letter," she said to Father. Then she glanced at me.

I said nothing and just held onto Father. I could smell him at least a little like this and it comforted me. Father is always a pillar of strength.

"Yes. She'll be happy to have another daughter," he said warmly and she smiled brighter now. "Even if it's complicated to explain."

"So will you all be going back to Marjorie's base after this party?" I asked.

"Yes, though I plan to come down to Canterlot and see Mother soon," Clarity said. "We have a large mess to clean up and it's best we don't go back to Sind." She looked rather embarrassed.

What on Earth are we going to tell them? I know Luna told the Radhirajah some sort of story of what happened, but I'm not sure what it is.

And we need to contact the ambassador and make sure war hasn't already begun or civil war.

Fortunately, I am rather silver tongued. I should sit down with Twilight and do some cramming. She's a good leader, but she doesn't have my skills in this area. I really should have taken the lead more on it during our first visit but I was too busy being frustrated with father and snuggly with Marcus. I love him but I need to do my duty too.

We talked quietly for a while, until Marcus returned with Dash and Scootaloo. Ditzy now gave Scootaloo a lecture, while Dash and Marcus strode over. All the Elements of Harmony are taller now in pony form. My human form's taller too but it's not as noticable. "One boyfriend returned with virtue intact," Dash said cheerfully.

Clarity blinked and Spikey laughed loudly. Father snorted.

Ah, yes, this. I could feel his lack of generosity towards Marcus and it greatly annoyed me.

"Father, don't even say it," I told him. "Marcus is my boyfriend and I love him. So you can accept him or go crazy."

Marcus looked, understandably, tense.

Father sighed. "I do not like you but I am a wise enough man not to hit my head against a wall forever. If you hurt her, I will make you regret your own birth." I could feel how tense he was. "But you fought well and bravely. You can... have some cake," he trailed off lamely.

Dash laughed at that. "Oh, he'd do that anyway. Come on! CAKE TIME."

And with that, she dragged us away.

**************

Pinkie's Pie-Laden Point of View:

We just about squished Pinkamena in a big family hug before she had to go. It's one of the things families are for. I was very sad to see them go but I'm sure I'll see them again soon.

"Know that I'll always love you," I told her firmly.

"Nothing is eternal, you know that," she told me softly. She looked sad. But I could tell a spark of joy had been lit in her heart by this. And I was sure she'd fan it into a bright flame with time.

I've always been able to see joy a little but I can see it brighter now; the happiness around me makes me feel so good.

Except for the Radhirajah, who I guess is a gloomy gus by nature, though ADMITTEDLY, being kidnapped is one of the better reasons to be sad.

I suppose he's not looking forward to catching up on work. I expect the grease trap has started hunting live prey by now without me to clean it. I'd better see if Twilight has any good mystic cleansers.

"What was that about grease?" Mother asked.

"I will likely have to clean the grease trap when we finally get back to Ponyville," I said. "If I die there, you can give my astral sugar to Pinkamena, Inky, and Blinky," I told her. "Oh man, I bet I could make demon and devil-smacking pies with it!"

"Here, come with me, I'll show you how," Mother said. This is how I ended up in the galley during a PARTY, cleaning grease traps.

But Mother was enjoying it so much, I couldn't say no. We scrubbed them together. It's been a very long time since we last did chores together.

Mother gave a happy sigh when we finished. "Nice and sparkly clean," she said. It gleamed like fine bronze now.

I hope it's supposed to be bronze colored.

Mother likes everything neat and tidy and just so.

"Remember, always clean the kitchen after you cook," she said sternly.

"Yes, mother," I said. It's so easy to slide into old habits; they're comfy like well worn boots.

"My little Pinky, out saving the world," she said softly.

"When I become Immortal, I can take Kagyar a message for you if you want," I told her.

Her eyes widened. "You shouldn't joke about such things."

"I'm not," I told her. "It won't be easy but I am going to do it. For Pinkamena and our friends and all the people of this world who need some joy. For everyone who lives in darkness and doesn't even know light exists. I've seen what happens in a world where joy is dead." I shuddered at the memory. "One day, even the devils will laugh." I squatted on my hindquarters and put a hoof to my heart. "Whatever it takes, wherever I must go, even if it involves... math..." Just saying 'math' is like dunking my head in acid. Not the tasty kind. "I will do. One day, I will make them all laugh at me and I will laugh too and then we'll probably all ascend to whatever the next rung of the ladder is."

"Do you remember the Book of Embers?," Mother said softly. It's the final book of the holy texts of Kagyar. It's a prophecy of the end times.

"Orcus laughs but only at pain," I said, frowning. He's Kagyar's greatest enemy, Orcus the destroyer, who tears down all things and ensures nothing endures. All the works of our hands, he reduces to ashes and then he laughs, cold, mocking laughter at the idea of permanence or eternity.

He's mean.

"'Then sounds the final trump, when naught is left but Embers, and a hand comes down and lifts it all up,'" she quoted. "'For then return the great makers, to make the world anew, stronger and better. Pray you will join them on that day, when Immortal and mortal alike come before them for judgement. Then shall be judged how well you crafted and to what end. Then shall be made something higher and better. Something so beautiful we cannot even imagine it yet. A new day is coming, for every end is a new beginning. Be ready.'"

"No one really understands what that means," I told her. "All our preachers always skipped over it."

"Long ago, your father and I stumbled on something in a dungeon. Five Immortals worshipping something higher still. Maybe it keeps going up," Mother said hesitantly, strangely afraid. "Or there is a peak, beyond our ken. But I suppose it doesn't matter for us here and now."

I guess I am going to find out. I'd like to hope there's always something new to find, new to explore, new goals to follow. I like new things. "We need to go while cookies remain," I told her. "Thank you, Mother."

She nuzzled me gently. "I love you. I am proud of you. Please be careful."

"Says the great SECRET heroine," I told her. "So tell me about your adventures."

That kept us busy as we went back to the party AND made her happy.

Double score!

**************

Sweetie Belle's Lemon Scented Viewpoint:

As the ship headed for Sind to take the Radish-Rajah home, the five of us slipped off for a meeting before bedtime. "Well, we've come to the end of our first crusade," I said. "Everyone has their cutie marks now."

"FINALLY," Scootaloo said, sighing happily.

"But it's pretty clear this isn't the end for our club," Apple Bloom said, swishing her tail around, idly picking things up with it. "We never did get to go to the South Pole, for one thing."

"Or the north," Dinky pointed out. "Also, there's an OARD to be rooted out of Ponyville!"

If they're real, though it seems like they are.

"That should be our first order of business," Twist said. "Maybe I can make a candy to reveal them."

We began excitedly discussing plans for how to catch the evil time traveller.

TIME MONSTER BUSTING CRUSADERS GO!

Our first adventure is over, but our quests are just beginning. There's so many places to go and so many things to do. And I can do anywhere and do anything with my friends at my side.

Because this is where I belong.