Pony Fantasy X

by Codex92

Rating: teen
Tags: Romance, Adventure, Crossover, Alternate Universe
Length: 184377

Rainbow Dash, a rising blitzball star player, is suddenly thrust into the world of Spira, where she must survive in this world with her companions to save the land from a massive fiend, called Sin. Will they succeed, or will they fail?

In the world of Spira, the land is constantly ravaged by a monster everypony calls Sin, a beast who comes and goes, destroying all in its wake. It is up to Rainbow Dash, a young blitzball player, and her companions she encounters along the way, to survive in the dangerous world where fiends roam the roads and magic is used by every creature while trying to make her way back home to the massive city that never sleeps, Zanarkand. But how can she go back home when it's been destroyed a thousand years ago?

This is the story of Final Fantasy X, but with ponies taking the role of the characters, while the monsters, world, and storyline stay the same. Some of the characters may act and develop differently compared to the roles they play.

Final Fantasy X is owned by Square Enix and My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic is owned by Hasbro. Characters and story belong to their proper owners.

Published 1970-01-01 00:00:00 UTC
Last updated 2016-05-06 16:12:46 UTC

Prologue

The sun was setting on the horizon at the base of a nearby mountain, overlooking what remains of what used to be a grand city in the distance. Resting on a small hill were a few objects near a group of ponies and a wingless dragon: a blue and white ball with rough ridges, surprisingly used as a deadly weapon than a toy, a staff fit for a magical caster, and a blue sword that shone in the light of the descending sun, almost like it was the reflection off the water's surface.

Around the campfire, the seven travelers seemed to have had a long journey, and it showed on their weary faces. They all seemed to dread what lies in wait for them at the end of their path, taking this momentary break to relax before the worst of circumstances happened to them. Some were fidgety, some were afraid, but all of them had to keep going, even if the end of their travels seem fruitless.

One of the travelers stood up, a cyan pegasus mare with rainbow hair, wearing a strange uniform that was meant for a sport, not for traveling long distances. She walked by one of her companions, a yellow pegasus with long pink hair that nearly touched the ground if she stood on all fours, wearing a white and purple dress that was worn by specific magic wielders. She looked up at the blue pegasus, her eyes making her stand out as a unique mare: one eye was blue, while the other was green. The athletic pegasus gently laid a hoof on the other mare's shoulder, both mares exchanging a small smile, though the yellow pegasus quickly looked down at her hooves.

Feeling solemn, not in disappointment, but in the fears of knowing what will happen to them all, the rainbow-haired pegasus made her way up one of the nearby hills that overlooked the ruined city. As she reached the top, she looked out at all the destruction all around her, watching small lights floating around her and beyond the crumbled path to the ruins nearly a mile away. She was in utter disbelief, leaning against a nearby piece of the ruins as everything that lead them up to this point in time came flowing back into her.

"This...may be our last chance," she said. "I need to find something soon...before it's too late..."

Zanarkand. A massive city that never seems to sleep, lights shining all around the many tall buildings keep the city alight in the night. It also had one of the biggest harbors as many of the city's inhabitants prefer to live in boat homes, especially since the greatest forms of entertainment was a sport known as blitzball. Luckily enough, one of the biggest matches were about to take place this evening, and many of the ponies that live in Zanarkand were excited to see their favorite teams and players compete.

Down in the harbor, many fans grew excited as one of the star players was about to leave to the stadium, all of them rushing down to where the player lived. While nopony was around, a small creature walking on two legs appeared and disappeared, wearing a black cloak concealing its body as it walked in the same direction as the crazed fans. They waited on the boardwalk as they all cheered when the pony showed herself, a cyan pegasus mare with a rainbow mane and tail.

The mare took in a deep breath, smelling the scent of the ocean as she viewed the ponies vying for her attention. "Ahh. My public awaits."

She walked off her boat home, getting a lot of attention from the ecstatic foals and a few stallions around her age, most of them carrying a blue and white ribbed ball, which was the type of ball used for playing blitzball. The young blitzball star basked in the adoration of her fans, being approached by the young foals first.

"Rainbow Dash! Can you sign my blitzball!?" one of them asked eagerly.

"No prob, squirt." She pulled out a pen from her outfit's pocket, signing her name on the filly's ball.

"Please!?" another begged, almost shoving his blitzball in Rainbow's face.

"Alrighty!" she said, signing the colt's ball before having another one ready to be signed.

"Me too! Me too!" the second colt begged, bouncing up and down.

"Hey, take it easy! I only have one mouth." She signed the last of the eager trio's blitzballs, the foals laughing with joy as they got their idol's signature.

Rainbow Dash was soon approached by the two stallions holding blitzballs, just as excited to meet with the pegasus as the foals were. "Can you sign ours, Miss Dash?"

"You can just call me Rainbow," she said, signing one of their blitzballs.

"Good luck in the sphere. We're rooting for you and the Zanarkand Wonderbolts," the other stallion praised, handing his blitzball to the mare to sign.

"Heh. Luck's not even necessary, dude." After signing the other stallion's ball, she spun the ball on the tip of her hoof, tossing it up in the air a little and headbutting it back to him. "But luck is on your side, boys. If I score a goal, I'll do this for you guys."

She struck a pose, standing on her hind legs as her wings flared out, getting the two older fans excited. "Cool. We're in the east block in the front row."

"Fifth from the right," the other stallion finished his friend's description of their seats.

"Got it." After doing enough signings, she checked the time located on one of the buildings in the city, almost time for the blitzball game to start. "Well, I gotta get going. Game's not gonna start without little old me."

"TEACH US HOW TO BLITZ!" the three foals shouted after one of them silently counted them down.

"Whoa, guys. The match is gonna start soon," Rainbow said, trying not to dash their hopes.

"Then teach us after the game!" the filly said excitedly.

"Uhh...Tonight?" Rainbow scratched her head, thinking it over.

"You can't tonight." She suddenly looked over at the crowd, spotting the owner of the voice coming from the cloaked figure standing in front of the other adults.

What was strange to Rainbow Dash was that she was able to hear him, sounding like an young adolescent male, but nopony else even acknowledged his existence. Ignoring the strange child, she looked down at her eager young fans as they waited for an answer.

"How about tomorrow? I'll give you all some really good lessons when I get a good night's sleep after kicking some butt. Promise." The foals cheered, placing their blitzballs down as they simultaneously stretched their hooves out to the side, bringing their forehooves together to create a sphere and bowed, a sign for victory for the blitzball player and her team.

After her time giving her neighboring fans some attention, Rainbow Dash jogged along the road as other ponies were headed straight for the coliseum, all of them excited for the big game. She decided to travel by hoof instead of fly to warm up her legs, since pegasi players using their wings wasn't allowed, and unicorns using magic was also illegal so they won't cheat for their team. The pegasus took a small break, looking up at the nearby skyscraper, but as she looked at the board placed on the building, she leered at it.

An image of a pegasus stallion, matching her unique mane colors with the color for his rugged facial hair. His coat was a faded dark blueish-purple, and he posed with a cocky grin. The writing underneath his mugshot was a dedication to this stallion, a memorial for the greatest blitzball player in history as it had been over ten years since he went missing and was presumed dead.

Rainbow scoffed, despising him. She ignored the blitzball star and ran down the road, focusing all her attention on the biggest match of the year. She passed the many wandering citizens of the impressively lit city as she overheard some of them exclaim her appearance or talking about the statistics for each player on the team. The pegasus made it to the entrance of the coliseum, but not without a large flock of fans waiting to get in, noticing her presence.

"Oh my gosh! It's Rainbow Dash of the Zanarkand Wonderbolts!" one shouted with excitement as they all crowded around her.

"Ahh, hey! Come on guys, I'm gonna be late!" Rainbow tried to shove her way past the eager crowd, hearing them all shouting their praise to her incredible skills and feeling her tail being tugged by younger fans. "Ow! Let go! I'll give you all signatures after the game! Cut me some slack!"

She finally pulled herself free and walked up the ramp to meet up with her team in the locker rooms. Before she entered, she turned around, giving her fans one last pose as they cheered her name. Getting the crowd excited, she ran inside and met up with the rest of the Zanarkand Wonderbolts, all of them wearing the same outfit she was wearing.

"There you are, Dash," the captain said.

"Sorry about the wait. Nopony could keep their hooves off me," the pegasus gloated.

"Yeah, yeah. Youngest member of the team, and you let that ego get to your head." The captain slammed his locker, alerting the rest of the team. "Just don't go around showboating when, and if, you score a goal. You may be a prodigy of Jet Stream, and you have the skills to back up that ego of yours, but keep yourself in check so we don't get called out by the refs."

"Psh. Whatever. I'm better than that drunk," Rainbow muttered, her ears twitched at the mention of her father's name.

The coliseum was very dark, the only light in the massive arena coming from the lights along the steps for the many fans entering to take their seats and in the large ring with some water in, the light reflecting off the surface. Leaning back on that ring was Rainbow Dash, a blitzball floating next to her on the water, her breathing calm as she waited for the moment the fans would all be waiting for. Soon, loud music began to play, the pegasus opening her eyes and flicking her ears up, the center of the arena lighting up with electricity as it began to form a massive sphere of water.

The crowd erupted in excitement as the sphere condensed itself smaller and smaller, more spectators clambering inside and quickly filling up the seats. Rainbow Dash stood up, carrying the ball under her wing as she watched, everypony cheering at the favored blitzball player basking in their presence. The sphere soon exploded in a blinding flash, everypony flinching as the blitzball field was set up, a massive sphere with two holographic goal posts on either end, along with matching starting positions for the players to stand on before the ball is set into play, where it would shoot up from the center of the field.

"Let's blitz," Rainbow said to herself as she and her team dove into the sphere, along with their opposing team they will be playing against, getting themselves into position.

Far from the coliseum and in the busier section of the grand city of Zanarkand, standing on one of the rafters of a tall building was a unicorn mare in a red haori. Her coat was white and her dark purple mane was curled in an elegant fashion, though its beauty slightly marred by a few small streaks of gray. It was hard to tell since they were easily hidden under the curls, but it didn't deter her. She also wore a pair of fashionable black sunglasses on her nose, not doing much to conceal the scar over her right eye, though what caused this injury didn't keep it closed, thankfully.

She looked out at the ocean as a massive wave began to rise up in the distance, catching sight of something inside of the large mass of water. The unicorn lifted a jug up toward it, which was holstered to her hip. The liquid inside of the jug began to rise up in small orbs and flew right toward the growing wave.

"Right on time," she said.

The game was already underway as the players began fighting for the ball, the captains first going for it as it shot up in the center of the field. Ponies were tackling each other and passing it around to deter their opponents. Rainbow Dash managed to catch the ball as it was passed to her, quickly being grappled by an opposing earth pony stallion, trying to snatch it away from her. Elbowing him hard in the abdomen, she scoped out any open teammates and passed it to her captain.

He managed to grab it, but was shoved hard from behind and the blitzball fumbled out of his grip. One of the enemy team grabbed it and was about ready to pass it to one somepony else, only to be rushed in by a powerful tackle by Rainbow Dash, sending the mare flying out of the sphere and into the stands. It wasn't a foul since the ball was fumbled out of the mare's hoof, and the timer was still going, with the ball picked up by one of Rainbow's teammates. As the water formed back to normal, the pegasus smirked at the dazed player, getting back into the game to take advantage of the temporarily knocked out mare.

The unicorn walked calmly down the road as she was passed by a few ponies who began to panic as they saw the massive wave slowly engulf Zanarkand. It began to turn into a sphere, glowing eyes shining through the water as the buildings around it began to warp into it. It was as if the mare wasn't even concerned about the well-being of her life, just looking at the windows of some of the nearby stores, perusing the wares that would soon be destroyed.

"Ooh," she squealed, looking at a beautiful diamond necklace. "That would look lovely...It's too bad I don't have the bits at the moment, or enough time to acquire it."

She continued on her way, heading for the coliseum with the strange being inside of the massive sphere of water heading in the same direction.

With the first half of the game reaching two minutes remaining on the clock, the Zanarkand Wonderbolts managed to score a goal, the audience cheering loudly as the team high-fived each other. They soon got back into position to continue with the first half, the other team taking the ball as the timer continued from its mark. They quickly lost it as it was taken back by the Wonderbolts, sailing far across the aquatic field. Rainbow swam fast up to the top of the sphere, breaching the field as she began to slowly flip backward, her wings spread out to show off her first of many scored goals. The blitzball was tossed up after her as the pegasus prepared to kick it back down hard and into the opponent's goal for another point.

Unfortunately, just as she was about to kick, she caught sight of a giant sphere of water out in the distance. The creature inside it shot out several energy bolts, striking the city and decimating many of the buildings with each explosive blast. She gasped as one of them struck the coliseum, sending a large piece of debris flying toward her, smacking one of her wings. She yelped in pain as she fell, the audience screaming in terror as they scrambled to flee, the blitzball field dissipating as the mechanism keeping it whole was destroyed.

As Rainbow fell, she quickly grabbed onto the ledge with a hoof, struggling to pull herself up as she cringed in the pain her wing was in. Not knowing if it was broken, she couldn't risk flapping and injuring her wing further, loving flying as much as she does swimming. The coliseum quaked from the crumbling destruction, her grip falling short until she eventually fell, screaming as she disappeared under the mist of the evaporated arena and dust from the destroyed building.

All of Zanarkand was in peril, everypony in the city either running for their lives or unfortunately killed by the crumbling skyscrapers or struck by the powerful energy bolts' explosive force. Little did any of them realize that this marks the beginning of a never-ending nightmare, where everypony will fear the monster that is an unstoppable force.

Chapter 1: It All Begins Here

The faint sounds of screaming reached Rainbow Dash's ears as she slowly regained consciousness. Squinting her eyes open, she was surprised she had actually survived the fall, winding up at the ruined ramp up to the now destroyed coliseum with only a broken wing from the surprise attack earlier. The pegasus slowly got up, wincing in pain as some survivors desperately made a break to leave the city before whatever's destroying Zanarkand makes it all crumble to the ocean.

After gaining her bearings, she headed down the ramp to escape with everypony else, but stopped when she noticed somepony standing near one of the destroyed statues outside the coliseum. "Rarity!?" she said, running up to the oblivious mare. "What are you doing here!?"

"I was waiting for you," Rarity replied, giving Rainbow a bottle with green liquid. "Drink this. You'll need it."

"What?" Rainbow looked at the strange liquid as Rarity headed off down the road, but toward the dangerous threat and not where the others were evacuating. Curious, she drank the liquid, nearly coughing it back at the horrible taste. "Ugh! The hay is this stuff!? It's awful!"

As bad as it was, it did give her some energy back and helped eased some of the pain she was experiencing, though she didn't risk moving her injured wing until it's properly mended. Rainbow ran off to chase after the older mare to try and turn her around so they could leave Zanarkand and live. Many ponies ran past her, nearly shoving her over as they escaped until a stallion managed to knock her off her hooves and on her back. Her eyes closed in pain as she bumped her wing on the road, not noticing the world had flashed around her.

Opening her eyes, she noticed the same hooded figure from earlier standing before her, feeling his eyes look at her underneath the cloak he wore. Rainbow stood up and approached him, but before she could tell him to find a way out of the city, she noticed that the screaming and destruction had turned to silence. She turned her head, her jaw dropping as the fleeing ponies had somehow been frozen in time, having no idea what was going on aside from the destruction of Zanarkand.

"It begins," he said, confusing Rainbow Dash as she turned to face him. "Don't cry."

"...What?" The world suddenly flashed, the chaotic sounds returning as time went back to normal. The hooded boy had somehow vanished before her eyes, only confusing the pegasus more. "What the hay is going on?" She looked further down the road, spotting Rarity standing in the middle of the road as she looked out at the burning city. Rainbow ran up to her and got in her line of sight, averting her gaze for a moment. "Rarity, what are you doing!? We're supposed to be running away from danger, not run toward it!"

"Turn around," she said, the pegasus obeying her and looking out at the city. Rainbow wished she didn't as she stared in frightened awe. Hovering above the city was a massive sphere of water, able to see a large creature inside of it, though it was hard to tell what it was inside the rippling ocean water. "We call it Sin."

"Sin?" Rainbow questioned.

Suddenly, something shot out of one of the buildings nearby, a strange, blue tentacle wriggled from it as it shot scales off its body, sending them out onto the highway. The scales suddenly transformed into insect-like monsters, skittering their way toward the two mares. Rainbow tried to fight them off with her hooves, but they didn't seem to do much as they ganged up on her. One of them slammed into her, knocking her on her back, Rarity shaking her head as she pulled out a curved sword.

"Here, darling. Take this." She held the weapon in front of Rainbow Dash with her magic, the pegasus grabbing the hilt with her teeth as she was lifted up by the unicorn's powerful telekinetic grip. Her blue aura around it disappeared, making Rainbow fall to the ground, misjudging the weight of the sword as she lifted it up with her hooves instead. "A little gift from Jet Stream."

"My dad!?" Rainbow snapped out of her surprise as she remembered they were being attacked.

She swiped the sword at them, only to fall back to Rarity as she found it more difficult to wield an actual sword than a toy one she sometimes had when she was younger. Rainbow got back up, noticing the unicorn mare had her weapon already pulled out, a heavy looking katana made entirely out of diamond resting on her shoulder.

"I hope you know how to use that." Rainbow scoffed as she grabbed her sword in her mouth, getting used to the weight as they stared down the nearly endless hoard of monsters. "Cut through the ones that matter and make a run for it."

"No need to tell me twice." Rainbow struck first, slicing through the scale monster as it fell, its body disappearing as strange lights flew out of their bodies.

The two mares ran through them, slicing through the ones in front of them as more scales flew down after them, slamming into the highway as they formed into more monsters. As they climbed up a hill, Rainbow saw another one of those tentacles sticking out of the road, Rarity continued running toward it with her katana ready. The pegasus groaned, thinking the unicorn had some sort of death wish, but she followed her lead as the tentacle had a few of those scale monsters.

"How rude. You're all in the way." Rarity grabbed the hilt of her heavy weapon, staring down the twitching insects and blue tentacle. "You beasts should know not to block a lady when she's on a tight schedule!"

The unicorn leapt up high into the high, surprising Rainbow Dash at the height she got at without having wings, then slammed back down to the ground, shoving her blade down into the road. The monsters were suddenly struck by flames that came out from the ground, killing off the scale insectoids and greatly damaging the tentacle creature, some of the smaller limbs next to the longer one on top disappeared.

"Whoa," Rainbow said in awe, never knowing the older mare was this powerful or agile, even with a heavy blade weighing her down.

The tentacle whipped down at them, but it didn't strike them. Instead, a gravitational force threatened to suck the life out of the mares, injuring them slightly. Rainbow had no idea what had happened, but Rarity didn't seem all that concerned.

"Hmph. Demi," she said. "Not a spell that would kill, only to easily weaken foes."

"You think you can tell me what the hay is happening, Rarity!?" Rainbow asked, wanting answers from the cryptic mare she knew growing up.

"Soon, Rainbow Dash. For now, we keep fighting." Rarity ran forward, slashing her katana several times into the side of the tentacle pillar, making more of the smaller ones disappear.

She leapt back as the bigger limb tried to whip her. Rainbow Dash decided to find out after all this is over, keeping a firm grip on the sword in her mouth as she crouched low. Taking a running start, the pegasus cartwheeled, then backflipped, and with a powerful leap into the air, somersaulted rapidly as she sliced through the monster, destroying more of the glowing tentacles.

"Showoff," Rarity muttered as they continued slicing into it as they were struck by the Demi spell it kept casting.

Eventually, it was beaten, the tentacle whip flailing in agony as several lights flew out of it, turning it into an immobile husk. Rarity ran on ahead with Rainbow right behind her as they continued heading toward the threat that was the root of Zanarkand's destruction. The pegasus recognized the road they were on, looking up at the building that had the same commemorative picture of the blitzball player.

"They hay are you laughing at, you old fart?" Rainbow uttered to herself, stopping as soon as Rarity did. "Rarity, we gotta get out of here before you get us killed!"

"...We're being expected." She stared at the unicorn quizically.

Suddenly, they heard thousands of scales flying through the air, a large group of them surrounding the mares on the highway, many of them turning into monsters as they caught them in a pincer formation. Rarity and Rainbow Dash slashed through them, killing each insectoid instantly, but another would replace its fallen comrade, keeping them trapped.

"There's too many of them!" Rainbow shouted, narrowly avoiding another one as she ran it through with her blade.

Rarity calmly looked around, spotting a destroyed tanker nearby, its fuel cells still active. "Aha. Rainbow, knock that down!"

"Huh!?" She looked over at the tanker, then back at the unicorn like she was crazy. "That's gonna get us killed!"

"Just do it!" Rarity continued fighting back the monsters while she gave Rainbow Dash cover to destroy the tanker.

Having no other option, the pegasus ran toward it and slashed the machine until it was completely cut off. The tanker was sent hurtling off the edge as it caught on fire, exploding as it hit the ground down below, causing the skyscraper next to it to lost its foundation. Rainbow Dash quickly got out of the way as it fell toward them, slamming into the highway and destroying a majority of the scaly insectoids in their path.

As the building sunk, Rarity motioned with her head, telling Rainbow to move forward despite the building close to blowing up and destroying the road. Left with no choice, they both leapt onto the skyscraper, Rainbow lagging behind as the explosions nearly threw her off. Rarity had reached the other side, but Rainbow Dash didn't look like she would make it. Taking a powerful leap, the pegasus jumped off right as the building began to blow, managing to make it to the edge, dangling for dear life as she tried to pull herself up.

"Rarity!" she cried out, unable to use her wings to help her up because of her injury. "Rarity, help me up! I can't fly! I hurt my wing earlier!"

Rarity looked down at Rainbow Dash as she struggled to pull herself up. Above them, the large monster from the sphere hovered over them, the unicorn looking up, hear ears twitching as if she was listening to its silent words. The highway as well as other buildings and fixtures began to get pulled into the strange gravitational force it had, giving the pegasus an easier time to lift herself up.

"Are you sure?" Rarity asked the creature.

She looked down as she heard Rainbow grunt, saving herself from falling to her death. "Thanks for the help..."

"...This is it, darling." Using her magic, Rarity grabbed the collar of Rainbow's shirt, lifting her up closer to the monster as the road was pulled closer to it.  "This is your story, Rainbow Dash."

"T-The hay are you doing!?" Rainbow shouted, unable to break free from the mare's aura, completely terrified of the fate that awaited them.

"It all begins here." Rarity was unfazed by the gravitational pull as Rainbow Dash felt her mane and tail being pulled closer to the beast above.

She was soon swallowed up by the core underneath the monster, with Rainbow unable to tear her eyes away as she felt every single part of her being sucked along with her, screaming as she saw nothing but white. She soon felt like she was underwater, struggling to see through the brightness as she tried to figure out which way was up and down.

"Hey!" an older male voice called out to her, her ears perking up as she recognized the pony it belonged to.

As soon as she was able to see, she found herself floating over the city of Zanarkand, where pieces of the ruined walkways floated above. There was also a large letter "J" burning in a myriad of colorful flames floating in the center of the floating platforms, and standing on one of them Rainbow saw what looked like her father watching it burn. She swam down to him, but his body shifted like an illusion and instead saw herself as a filly. The filly version of her glared at the flames, her mane more of a mess than the real pegasus's and bare of any clothing.

Suddenly, Rainbow began to feel faint, whether from the pain from her wing, her spirit finally succumbing to her unfortunate death, or her brain suffering from the illusion she was seeing at this moment. Her eyes grew heavy and her body went limp as she passed out, wondering if this would be the last dream she would have before embracing death's door.

Chapter 2: All Alone...Or Am I?

Thunder could be heard far in the distance, along with some silent chirps from a few birds that decided it would be a good place to make a nest in some ruins. Rainbow Dash slowly woke up, still alive, though her wing still felt too injured to move. She lifted herself up as her lower half was in water, looking around in a panic as she saw the ruins of what looked like an old civilization that drowned in a massive flood.

"Hello!? Anypony out there!?" Rainbow shouted, earning a thunderclap as a response in the distance. "Rarity!? Somepony!"

There didn't seem to be any form of life other than the few avians in the area and possibly dozens of aquatic life in the water. Since she was unable to fly, Rainbow Dash had to swim across the water, passing by crumbled pillars and eroded buildings. Far in the distance of the dim environment, she spotted a temple, where she figured somepony had to have lived there, unless of course she wound up in ruins.

Climbing out of the water and onto dry land, the pegasus shivered, fearing she might end up freezing to death with how long she must have been in the water for while unconscious. Rainbow walked up the steps and out to a stone walkway, which didn't seem safe to walk on as a connective bridge. It was the only way to reach the temple without flying, so she had no choice but to be careful as she walked.

Unfortunately, as her luck would have it, she made it halfway across and stopped to hear some bubbles popping up from the water below her. Then, the bridge finally gave out under her weight as she fell in, surfacing to the top as she grumbled in frustration.

"Are you kidding me!?" Slapping the water, she sighed. "Better find another way in."

While swimming around to find a lower entrance inside, seeing as that bridge was the only way to reach the temple, Rainbow Dash was oblivious to know she was being hunted by something in the water. She soon felt something was wrong and grew cautious. Suddenly, leaping out of the water and over her head were three monstrous fish, nothing she had ever seen in Zanarkand or even heard of ever existing. Since they weren't exactly friendly, she dove into the water and swam around to face them.

Rainbow pulled out the sword given to her by Rarity, leering at the aquatic monstrosities, battle ready. They attacked her first, only to miss with her incredible flexibility under the water. Swimming into them at blinding speed, she slashed through the first one on the left, killing it instantly, then the one on the right. Now it was one on one, the pegasus smirking at the easy victory she would take. While staring down the last monster, the water shook as she heard something coming from one of the underwater caverns nearby.

Her jaw dropped as she stared at what looked like one of the most deadliest of fish she had ever seen. It had glowing antennae on its head, it's large rib cage was actually visible with no skin covering it, and it was a mix between an amphibian and a bloated shark. Even the smaller monster seemed terrified of it as it fled, making it roar as its opened maw lunged right for it. Rainbow swam out of the way, getting her bearings after flipping several times from the powerful torrent its fins let out, watching it chomp on the small fish and toss its body aside.

Knowing it was either kill or be killed, Rainbow held her sword tightly in her mouth as she swam at it as it turned around to face her. She slashed at its rib cage, but the sword just bounced off its bones, doing barely anything to it. The creature punched the pegasus hard, sending her flying back a bit as it injured her more than ever. There was no possible way she could kill this thing on her own, a losing battle before it even started.

It roared and began to chase after her, leaving the mare no choice but to swim away. There was no way out for her to escape, all of the pool she was trapped in blocked off by crumbled ruins, the ground the temple rested on, or nothingness back the way Rainbow woke up from. As it lunged for her, she managed to dodge out of the way in time, making it slam hard into the wall of the submerged temple. It was not happy, shaking off the impact like it was nothing.

Rainbow Dash swiftly swam to the surface, desperately trying to find a way out. "Oh man! Not good! Gotta get out of here!"

She soon saw an entrance that lead into the temple, big enough for her to enter and too small for the carnivorous beast to squeeze through. Rainbow swam as her life depended on it, the monster faster than she thought it would have been as she made a break for the safe zone. It began to suck the pegasus into its mouth, the vortex it made making it harder for her to escape. She was so close, the monster's maw ready to chomp down on her in one gulp, but by pure luck, she managed to make it through, sent spiraling across the water as the fish monster roared, losing its non-aquatic meal.

Its impact into the temple caused the entire structure to shake, Rainbow hurtling past the entrance right as large stone blocks of debris fell and blocked the path. She caught her breath, the air around her freezing as she could see her breath, but began to laugh as if the monster was able to hear her mocking him.

"Take that you giant fish...thing! You ain't gonna be eating any of this! Ha ha ha!" Her triumph quickly went as it came as she shivered, getting out of the cold water and carefully made her way up through the broken stairway into the main room of the temple. It was obvious there was no sign of life anywhere, the roof leaking with dripping water, the pillars and walls of the temple looked eroded from long exposure to the moist air, and frigid air that could match a climate of a frozen tundra. "I-I...am...f-freezing...N-Need a fire...r-r-real bad..."

As lightning struck, giving the temple some illumination, Rainbow Dash spotted a campfire in the middle of the room, the wood still dry and able to be burned. Having been to camp before as a filly, all she needed was some tinder, along with something to start the fire, then she'll have a warm fire to curl up to. But, since she had no idea where she was, she hoped there was still something intact to help her survive. She searched in a nearby room that seemed nearly destroyed, finding some flint rocks in an open drawer, still in good condition and untouched by the elements.

With her "lighter" kept safe in her pockets, she searched around some more, hoping to find something to burn that wasn't soaked in rain or ocean water. Many of the rooms downstairs were blocked off or locked tightly, so she decided to see if she would find any luck up the stairway. As she walked up the stairs, she saw some bouquets resting in vases, but they were all overwatered, withered up and dead. She did manage to find a dried up bouquet further up, perfect to start burning the bigger logs in the campsite. Taking them in her mouth, she cringed at the horrible taste, their dry stems practically absorbing all her saliva even though they were already dead.

Being careful her tinder didn't get too wet from the random waterfalls of rainwater flowing from the cracked roof, she placed the bouquet down, spreading it out along the wood evenly to help set them on fire. Taking the flint out of her pockets, she began to smack them together, making them spark as she prayed for the embers to light the withered flowers. She finally got the fire started, watching the flames rise up as she was met with warmth.

"Thank goodness. Sweet, sweet fire." Rainbow sighed, sitting down and warming her hooves. It was still pretty cold, but there was enough warmth to keep her from freezing to death. Her stomach began to rumble, nearly echoing in the empty temple as she fell on her side, staring at the fire. "I'm so hungry...Should have kept one of those flowers, even if they tasted like cardboard..."

She began to close her eyes, hoping some sleep will distract her hunger, bathed in the warm glow of the fire.

In Rainbow Dash's home, the pegasus sulked as she watched the recording of her latest game. Rarity soon walked in, catching the pegasus's attention.

"The hay do you want, Rarity?" she questioned.

"That was a really horrible play out there." Rarity made herself at home as she watched the game, seeing Rainbow Dash constantly shooting and missing several times. "The whole team lost because of your stubborn attitude."

"It was not my fault!" Rainbow shouted, looking away from the older mare.

Rarity looked over at the nearby shelf, seeing a picture of a grumpy filly Rainbow Dash with her mother and father, Rainbow's mom a pink pegasus with a blue mane that was just as wild as hers. "...It's been ten years, you know." The pegasus gave Rarity a dirty look, making the unicorn chuckle. "I thought you would have been crying."

"Yeah right," Rainbow said, watching Rarity stand up and head for the kitchen.

While she wasn't looking, the same boy Rainbow had seen in Zanarkand ran in and looked at her, lights floating around him. "You cried," he said, surprising the pegasus with his sudden appearance.

As Rainbow Dash's limbs twitched in her sleep, something up above in the rafters watched her, waiting for the right moment to strike. It climbed up on one of the statues along the balcony, revealing itself from the dim floor. It had sharp claws on its blade-like legs, a long and thin tail protruding out its back, its tiny eyes staring at its meal.

The pegasus snorted awake after being surprised by seeing that hooded boy appear out of nowhere, curling herself up to keep warm. Her ears perked up, realizing there was less warmth from the fire as it was close to burning out.

"No no no! Please don't go out on me!" she pleaded, watching as the embers began to shrink. "Ok, ok. Just stay lit while I find some more wood!" She was about to run off to see if there was any dry wood or furniture she could use to keep the fire going, only to stop as the lightning flashed, revealing a shadow that was moving from above. Rainbow turned around, spotting the creature eyeing her, its mouth salivating and its eyes glowing. "Oh come on..."

The monster began running around on the balcony to try and confuse the pegasus, who quickly pulled out her sword as she prepared to defend herself. It leapt off the second floor and slammed its feet on the remains of the campfire, snuffing out Rainbow's only source of heat. It lunged for her, slashing its claws at Rainbow, only for her to block the incoming attack and slash it away from her. She was already badly hurt from getting struck by a piece of the coliseum, getting sucked into a giant monster called Sin, punched in the chest by a giant fish monster that wanted to eat her, and nearly freezing to death.

The two went back and forth, slicing, dodging, and blocking, Rainbow managing to get a few hits off the beast, but she was running out of energy. It was looking bad for her, until a loud explosion alerted the two of them nearby, one of the doors that led inside the temple blown off by explosives. Ponies began to run in, all of them wearing skin tight outfits, hiding most of their features, including their tails. They even wore goggles or masks, concealing their faces. They got into formation, many of them holding out rifles, aiming them at the monster, while one of them stood in between them, putting on a glove with small claws on them, almost like a feline's. Rainbow could make out that pony's coat to be pink from what she could see from their face, and their hair was really poofy, almost like cotton candy, though it was a slightly darker pink.

The center pony walked forward, or in this case, bounced forward, past the exhausted pegasus and taunting the monster. "Wait, so you're with me? Thanks."

Rainbow was about to attack, but the pony shoved its hind hoof into her chest, knocking her down. The jumpsuit wearing pony turned her head then shook it, telling her not to do anything. Facing back to the monster as they pulled out a grenade from their pocket. Tossing it up and down to tease the beast with its eventual demise. Taking the bait, it lunged at the pony, only for them to pull the pin, shoving the grenade in its mouth as it flipped over it, swiping something off of it as it blew up in its maw, screeching in agony as its primary target was the one who shoved that explosive bomb in its jaws.

Furious, it charged at the pony, throwing another grenade at it, making it explode in the monster's face again. Completely stunned, the pony slashed its clawed hoof repeatedly in the face, leaving comical scratch marks behind. They pulled out the last of the grenades they had, bounced off the monster's back, unpinned the grenades and rolled them underneath it. They pulled out a pair of sunglasses and put them over her their goggles, slowly walking away as the grenades went off, killing the monster, white lights floating out of the disappearing body.

"...Wow...That was...over the top, dude." The pony approached Rainbow Dash, discarding the shades. She prepared herself to fight in case her savior wanted to double-cross her. They soon began to pull of their goggles, revealing the pony's eyes. To her shock, Rainbow was looking at a pair of blue eyes, from a mare. "...You're a mare...That's kinda cool, too. Though, I could have handled that thing. I was just not feeling well, is all."

While distracted by bragging, the other ponies surrounded the pegasus, holding their rifles up at her. She dared not move, otherwise they would end her life in an instant.

"Fryd ec drec?" one of them said in a language Rainbow couldn't understand.

"Y fiend! Eh buho teckieca!" the one standing behind the pegasus said, holding a knife up to her neck.

"Whoa whoa, hey! Easy! I'm not your enemy!" she pleaded.

"Fa gemm ed?" the one behind her asked.

"Fyed!" the mare quickly said. "Fryd ev ed ec buho?"

"Drao yna dra cysa eh taydr," the same stallion said, pointing the knife at the young mare.

"E vunpet ed! Fa pnehk ed fedr ic." The stallions lowered their weapons, though kept Rainbow Dash from escaping.

"Look, I don't want any trouble. I got nothing on me you can steal. I swear," Rainbow said as she watched the young mare bounce up to her.

She leaned in close to the pegasus, the blitzball player frozen solid, unsure what was happening. "Cunno," her savior said, suddenly thrusting her hoof hard in Rainbow's chest, knocking the wind out of her. She felt her vision fade as she struggled to breath, falling to the cold, hard ground. The last thing she saw before blacking out was her "heroes" dragging her out of the temple to who knows where.

Chapter 3: Forced Labor

Out in the middle of the ocean, several miles away from the temple Rainbow Dash wound up in, a large ship sat in place, searchlights beaming through the surface to search for something in its depths. On the deck, the unconscious pegasus began to stir, groaning as she could feel a bruise form on her abdomen. Once again, knocked unconscious by someone or an injury and waking up somewhere else that got her more lost only irritated Rainbow. It didn't help that her stomach was growling more, demanding food right now.

"This is perfect," she muttered, sitting up, wincing slightly at her still injured wing needing medical attention. "First, that giant...Sin thing swallows me and Rarity up, then I almost get eaten by a giant fish monster, got attacked by another monster, and having ponies I thought would save me end up kidnapping me. Will I ever catch a break!?"

The door leading to the cabin of the ship opened up, two of the stallions Rainbow encountered earlier walked out and approached the mare. She stood up, only to have the butt of one of their rifles shoved hard in her chest, shoving her back down to the ground.

"Ced, lybdeja!" he warned.

"Ow! You know that hurts, right!?" Rainbow rubbed her already sore chest as she glared at the firearm wielding stallions.

"Hu sujehk, rayn?" the second stallion said, both of them keeping their weapons aimed at her.

She decided to stay quiet for now, watching two more ponies walk out on the deck, the doors closing behind them as they walked out. One of them was the mare that helped her against the monster and also knocked her out, while the other was somepony that wasn't with the "search party" of theirs. His mane was just as poofy as the young mare's, though it was brown instead of pink, and his coat was orange. He wore a tropical shirt under the overalls he was wearing, his eyes covered by a pair of goggles around his head.

"Caynir ran!" the new stallion ordered as the mare helped Rainbow Dash up.

As soon as she stood up, the stallion began pantomiming diving and swimming, making grunting noises to try and get his point across to the pegasus. She had no clue what he was doing, staring blankly at him.

"Uhh, yeah. I'm not good at charades," she said.

"Tu oui hud cbayg?" the stallion questioned, pulling out a pair of goggles and pointing them to his face, making more grunting sounds.

"Dude, speak Equish! I don't know what you're saying!" she complained, unable to understand the strange language they were speaking.

One of the stallions thought she was retaliating, holding the rifle up to her head. "Ehcumahla!"

"Fyed!" the mare quickly said, keeping them from getting too trigger happy. "He said you can stay with us if you do some work for us."

Rainbow blanched, turning to face the pink earth pony as she was able to talk to her like a normal pony. "Wait, you can understand me!?" The pegasus was suddenly smacked in the back of the head by a stallion's rifle, growling in frustration after getting hit so many times. "Will you quit hitting me already!? I'll work! Sheesh!" She rubbed the back of her head, having enough abuse to last for a lifetime. "Can you at least give me some food and something for my wing?"

"Work first, then food!" the mare exclaimed, making Rainbow groan as she felt her stomach begin to eat itself. "Oh yeah, before I mention what we're going to be doing, I wanna show you the Sphere Grid!"

"The what?" Rainbow asked, greatly confused as the young mare pulled out a video screen, holding it up to the pegasus.

"You see, if you want to improve your strength in battle, you're going to need to use spheres in order to upgrade your stats, or even learn a few cool moves that can help in the future!" She began going through the massive board, showing Rainbow Dash's position, her own spot, and several other silhouetted images in different areas. "Once you earn enough experience, you can move your pointer up another space, though I recommend waiting until you get a few levels up so you can upgrade more than just going one space every time. But be careful; it gets harder to gain experience every time you level up, so you'll have to fight tougher fiends consecutively so you can get stronger! Just make sure you have the correct sphere for the parameters you're near, and you're all set to go!"

After she finished her explanation, Rainbow was completely lost. The other stallions just shrugged their shoulders when she looked at them, obviously no help to figuring out this mare's thoughts and randomness.

"...I don't get it," she finally said.

"Of course not! That's why the player chooses what's better for us, silly billy!" The pink mare tossed the screen into the ocean, not making a splash as it disappeared over the side. "Now, for the nitty-gritty. Under the ocean, as I speak, is an ancient temple underwater. There should be some power left inside to help us seek out our prize we can salvage deep in the ocean floor." Rainbow nodded her head, understanding what she really wanted her to help them do, though what the prize is was a mystery. "So, let's head on down there and get this party started!"

"Alright then. As long as I don't get smacked around by your lackies." Rainbow leapt up on the railing of the deck, saluting to the ponies that are holding her captive, vaulting off the rail and doing a few flips as she dove into the water.

The pink pony leapt off and cannon-balled into the water, floating alongside Rainbow Dash as she pointed them down, where they could sort of see the ruins down below. The ship was grounded into the wall the ruins were held on by its anchor so it wouldn't be thrown off course by the shifting waves. Rainbow was forced to lead the way as the two mares swam down along the chain. They ran into a few piranha fiends, only slowing them down as they were easy to kill. Though, Pinkie kept stealing stuff from them, somehow getting more grenades from the sharp toothed fish.

After mostly being annoyed by the fiends, they finally made it inside where it seemed to be safer. Inside, Rainbow could see that it almost looked like Zanarkand's technology, though she was absolutely clueless on how it all works as she chose to be an athlete rather than a technician. Knowing she was going to be ordered to do all the work, Rainbow fiddled around with the control panel that was still active, finally getting the doors opening up to the power core deeper inside. Again, they were met with a large group of the piranha fiends, only a minor nuisance after swimming down the flooded corridor.

While the pegasus messed around with the core, banging on it a few times, the two mares didn't notice something much bigger was stalking them, disturbing its territory. The power soon turned on, lighting up the ruins as the building hummed to life, scaring some of the less dangerous aquatic fauna. With their short mission accomplished, Rainbow and the pink mare headed back down the corridor, when suddenly, the random pony began flipping uncontrolably in place. She began to panic, grabbing Rainbow Dash and pulling her out of the circular corridor just in time as a giant octopus fiend came swimming through, almost ramming into the pegasus.

With this fiend on a rampage, getting what they needed would be troublesome if it ran loose. Rainbow pulled out her sword and the other mare tightened her claw glove, both of them rushing toward it at blinding speed. Rainbow Dash hacked one of its tentacles off, making the fiend screech in agony, only to be annoyed by the pink pony as it swam around it, scratching it with her claw weapon while also snatching some more grenades from it. If Rainbow wasn't underwater at the moment, she would be questioning her as to how the heck fiends are able to carry grenades when they have no clue how to use them.

The monster retaliated, grabbing the mare in its tentacles, threatening to squeeze the life out of her. Thinking quickly, Rainbow swam and tackled into it, freeing her captor while slamming the evil invertebrate into the wall. Swimming back, the mare pulled out a few more grenades and threw them at it. Surprisingly, they were able to work underwater, blasting the fiend, leaving its body singed. It soon swam away from them, the two thinking they beat it, only for it to come back on the other end, ramming through the two of them, smacking them into the walls of the room.

It was about to do the same tactic again, but Rainbow pointed the mare in one direction in order to pincer strike the fiend so it wouldn't get them both again. They split up and trapped their foe, as more grenades were flung at it with the pegasus slashing the octopus when the blasts disappeared. With it on its last legs, Rainbow Dash swam at it, thrusting her sword deep in its head as it screeched, the fiend's body shuddering as it faded into nothing but small lights. With the threat taken care of, the two mares relaxed after getting out of that hairy situation.

Now that the power was up and running, the other stallions dove in to reroute the power to the lights on the ruins, lighting up the ocean floor a lot more than from the surface. Curious as to what they were searching for, Rainbow Dash swam down to find out what it was. As the lights made contact with what they were finding, her eyes widened as she spotted what looked like a large vessel sunk to the bottom of the sea. It was really big, able to maybe fit two or three ships like the one on the surface, though she had no clue what this was supposed to be.

"Fa vuiht dra airship!" one of the stallions said as most of the crew were back up on the ship.

"Ruf yna fa kuehk du tnyk ed ib?" one of them asked as they walked over to the cabin doors.

Rainbow Dash climbed up over the railing, shaking herself dry. "Ugh. I think I've had enough of the water for one day..."

She was about to walk in with the others, only to be shoved back out on the deck by one of the crew members. "Oui, uidceta!"

"Hey! The hay's your problem!?" The doors began to close, the pegasus growing frustrated. "I did all of the work! You idiots just swam around and looked at what that thing is!"

They closed tightly, leaving her out on the deck by herself, alone, hungry, exhausted, and still injured. She grumbled, feeling so unlucky. Her stomach growled loudly, making her whine as she begged for some kind of miracle to give her some slack. She was even desperate to eat a fish in the ocean, alive and raw, even if it was one of those annoying piranha fiends. Rainbow was just about to complain when she felt someone smack her flank, trying to get her attention.

She turned to punch the stallion who was trying to cop a feel on her, stopping as she saw the earth pony mare standing behind her. She was balancing a tray of food on her poofy mane, setting it down in front of the pegasus, staring at the delicious meal with her lips salivated by the aroma. Without needing to be told it was for her, Rainbow sat down and stuffed her face, not even bothering to chew half the time as she filled her empty stomach.

"Uhh, I wouldn't eat that-" Rainbow suddenly began to choke, struggling to breath with her mouthful of food going down the wrong tube. "-fast..." The mare got behind the pegasus, giving her a few hard pats on the back. Rainbow managed to swallow it all down, panting heavily as the mare dropped a canteen of water in her lap, taking long swigs to ease her sore throat. "I tried to warn you."

Rainbow didn't leave a crumb on the tray, making sure to slow down her binge eating as she licked the tray clean. Satisfied with her stomach finally full, she got up and stretched out her exhausted limbs. Sighing in relief, she turned to face the only nice pony she had met since being sucked up by Sin. Even with how weird she may have been, she could easily trust her more than the others.

"Uhh, thanks...What's your name?" Rainbow asked.

"Pinkamena Diane Pie. But I just prefer Pinkie." Pinkie yelped as she was suddenly spun around by the pegasus, who giggled with glee.

"You can understand me! I'm not crazy after all!" She soon stopped celebrating, pulling Pinkie closer as she bumped her forehead against the pink mare's. "Why didn't you say anything earlier!? I could have taken less abuse, and you didn't have to punch me in the gut!"

"I couldn't that easily," Pinkie explained. "The guys all thought oui were a fiend."

Rainbow stared at the earth pony, her brain trying to understand what she meant, though confused by the language she and the others were speaking. "...Uhh...what do you mean by 'we'?"

"Oh. 'Oui' means 'you' in Al Bhed," she said, which only confused the pegasus further. "Wow. I'm surprised you've never met an Al Bhed pony before."

"I have no clue what the hay an 'Al Bhed' is, or where I'm even at." Pinkie breathed a sigh of relief while Rainbow tried to figure out where in the middle of the ocean they were.

"I thought you would have been one of those Al Bhed haters, especially after being roughed up like that. Where you from?" she asked.

"Psh. I think you should know that by who I am." Pinkie only stared at Rainbow as the pegasus struck a pose. "Come on. Rainbow Dash? Blitzball star player from Zanarkand, playing for the Zanarkand Wonderbolts?" She flipped up onto the railing, leaping up as she pretended to kick a ball in the air, flipping back down on the deck, acting cocky. "Youngest rising star in the sport? Ring any bells?"

"...Ok. I know others say I can be loco in the cocoa, but I think you hit your head pretty hard to say stuff like that." Rainbow fell over comically, getting back up to glare at her.

"You guys kept hitting me!" she shouted. "I didn't do anything to you guys and you practically kidnapped me, forcing me to help you get whatever you found down there!"

"Oh. Sorry," Pinkie apologized. "Is there anything you remember before we found you in the temple?"

Rainbow told Pinkie everything that had happened to her before winding up around that temple. She talked about her home, Sin's attack on Zanarkand, getting sucked up into it, then winding up outside of the temple where she was almost eaten and nearly froze to death. Pinkie said nothing, completely shocked as the two leaned over the rail as Rainbow Dash finished telling her exhausting tale.

"...Did I...say something strange?" she asked, afraid of her new friend's silence.

"You were that close to Sin, AND you're still alive!?" Pinkie whistled, commending Rainbow's luck. "You are one lucky pony. No wonder you're making up stuff like that. They say your head gets all funny whenever you're near Sin and its toxin."

"...So you're saying I'm poisoned or something?" Rainbow asked.

"Not life threatening. Just makes you loopy and say random things." The pegasus groaned, looking down at the water, feeling just fine. The only thing that was wrong with her was her injured wing, not her head. "Besides, Zanarkand doesn't exist anymore. Hasn't been for a thousand years. Nopony plays blitzball in a destroyed city, after all."

"Psh. There's thousands of-" Rainbow froze, quickly turning her head to Pinkie, her pupils shrunk in fear. "WHAT!?" She pounced the earth pony, slamming her down on the metal deck. "The hay do you mean 'a thousand years ago'!? I just saw Sin attack my home and kill everypony I knew there! That's impossible!"

"Well, that's what happened. I'm not making it up, Dashie." Rainbow Dash got off Pinkie and began pacing back and forth across the deck. She didn't want to believe her home was truly gone, her fans, her team, even her mother had all been killed or they no longer exist anymore. "Maybe somepony might know you in Luca."

"...Luca?" Rainbow stopped her pacing, never hearing of a place called Luca.

"Yeah. You play blitzball, and that city's the only place where it can be played. Maybe you may recognize somepony or they could recognize you!" Pinkie bounded back on her hooves, patting the stressed pegasus's back. "We'll get you there! Or would you like to stay with us?" Rainbow leered at Pinkie. "...Ok. Luca it is." The bubbly mare bounced back to the cabin, only to quickly turn around, remembering something important. "One more thing, Dashie. Don't tell anypony you're from Zanarkand. Faust says that it's a holy place, so you might end up getting somepony upset and have them hate you."

"...Alright..." Rainbow sat down next to the railing, soaking in all this new information, her mind reeling with so many emotions.

"Okie dokie lokie! I'll be back up in a little. I'm baking cupcakes for dessert, and I'll save you one! Be back in a flash!" Pinkie headed back inside the ship, bouncing happily while singing a little tune, leaving Rainbow Dash on the deck by herself once again.

Rainbow had no idea how much time had passed. She couldn't sleep, not just because of the cold, metal floor of the deck, but also the reality of her situation. She had somehow been transported through time by a thousand years, an entire millennia, and was now in this new future. Everypony she knew was gone, her home was nothing but ruins now, and she has no idea what to do anymore. She paced again, getting more stressed as she began to despise Rarity for dragging her through this.

And the strangest thing was Rarity wasn't with her, and they were sucked in by Sin together. Either she was now dead or lost somewhere in this future in another location. She should have left the older mare to her own demise instead of listening to her.

"...This can't be happening to me," she uttered, seething with frustration as she walked over to the crane set on the ship. "There's no way this is real! This is a bunch of ponyfeathers!"

She bucked the side of the crane hard, but as she hit it, the ship was suddenly struck by something massive, knocking the pegasus over. She tumbled back against the railing, keeping her from falling off the ship as the Al Bhed ran out on deck. Suddenly, a pillar of water shot out from the distance, and was getting closer to the vessel.

"Sin!" one of the crew exclaimed. "Sin ec lusa!"

"Ihtan ic! Ihtan ic!" Pinkie said, her chest covered in frosting after being interrupted from her baking.

The pillar shot up underneath the ship, shooting water up and threatening to pull anyone off the deck and into the water. The Al Bhed managed to keep a firm grip on the railing, but Rainbow wasn't so lucky. She fell off the side and fell into the water, taking one last, terrified look at Pinkie and the other stallions before being swept off by a whirlpool, disorienting her until something hard struck her in the head, causing her to black out.

"Cra ec kuha...Aydah po Sin," one of them said as the whirlpool disappeared, finding no sign of the pegasus anywhere.

Tears welled up in Pinkie's eyes, the pony she wanted to help was forever lost to the sea, or eaten alive by Sin, who's attack stopped just as quickly as he appeared. "Dashie...Cra tet hud ajah kad ran liblyga..."

Chapter 5: Crusaders and Summoners

Rainbow Dash wandered around the small village of Besaid, looking around at what little there was to see. The only things that did seem important was the Crusader's Lodge and the temple. She found a shop that sold some supplies for traveling on the road, seeing a large variety of those bottles of green liquid Rarity gave Rainbow earlier back in Zanarkand when they met again. Unfortunately, whatever bits she did have wouldn't do much, since the only form of currency they take is something call Gil, which are like her own bits, but they were made out of some kind of rich copper than gold.

"Pth. Didn't want to buy anything, anyway..." Seeing there was nothing of value for her to buy, and being unable to buy anything at all, she decided to get to learning about what she had missed in the past millennium, to her chagrin, starting with these Crusaders. Entering the lodge, she saw two mares sitting at the nearby table, one of them a gray earth pony with long, elegant black hair, and the other a white unicorn with a messy electric blue mane, wearing a pair of purple tinted sunglasses. "Uhh, hey. You guys work for the...Crusaders?"

"Yes, we are," the earth pony answered. "Are you wanting to enlist?"

"No," Rainbow shook her head. "I was kinda wondering what the Crusaders are."

"...Are you serious, dude?" the unicorn said, lifting up her glasses to reveal her red, suspicious eyes. "How do you not know what the Crusaders do?"

"Vinyl, don't assume." The mare calmed her partner down, giving Rainbow an apolegetic look. "Sorry about her. She's also new to the Crusaders, though she joined because she couldn't stay away from me...no matter how much I tried."

"Aww, you do care about me, 'Tavi. Come here, buddy!" Vinyl was about to pull the other mare into a hug, only to have her hooves slapped away.

"Vinyl Scratch, stop calling me 'Tavi." The unicorn whimpered, feeling dejected. "My name is Ocatvia Melody, and this is Vinyl. She's not exactly serious about a job that's highly important throughout all of Spira, but she has the spirit. And the reason why this mare does not know about us, 'buddy', is because she washed up ashore, possibly suffering from Sin's toxin."

"...Oh. That was her out there?" Ocatvia slapped her forehead, irritated by her friend's obliviousness.

"She also has a very poor memory." She received a glare from the unicorn as she lowered her glasses back down over her eyes. "If Sin was close to the island, then it might attack at any moment, but it hasn't yet...It's really unnerving."

"Try being near that thing twice," Rainbow mumbled, her words actually heard by the shocked Crusaders.

"...Wow. Your head must really be screwed up then." Octavia slapped Vinyl in the back of the head, slamming the unicorn's face into the table.

"She can also be insensitive." The dazed unicorn lifted her head back up, her glasses askew as her eyes rolled in her head. "I better explain to you what the Crusaders do. You see, it's our duty to make sure Sin doesn't destroy the villages and towns throughout Spira, where we have different outposts all over the world. Anypony's free to join and aid our struggle. The Crusaders were founded around 800 years ago, founded by a soldier named Mi'ihen, the Crusaders formerly known as the Crimson Blades. Afterwards, ranks began to grow, and we were given the newly named organization, The Crusaders."

"Wait, so you guys have fought that thing for 800 years, and you still haven't beat it!?" Rainbow exclaimed.

"...Yes, unfortunately, but that's not the case," Octavia corrected. "We're enforced to protect the towns, temples, and ponies from Sin, steering it away from them rather than kill it. It's impossible to kill it, unless of course you're a summoner."

"Summoner?" Rainbow questioned.

"That knowledge is out of my hoof. You can learn about them in the temple." She looked outside the tent at the temple, watching a few ponies enter and exit the doors. "Maybe you can pray there and Faust can help regain your memory."

"Ok..." Rainbow left the tent as Vinyl babbled in her delirium, knocked too far for a loop after insulting the pegasus's "condition". "Maybe I don't really know that much because I have no idea how everything works in this time period. I'm not mentally insane...though I thought I was when I met the Al Bhed and Pinkie...Why does nopony like the Al Bhed anyway? The machines they use?"

As she pondered why Pinkie said the Al Bhed were looked down upon and hated, Rainbow entered the temple. Her ears perked up when she heard what sounded like a choir singing a hymn the moment she walked in, but it echoed all throughout the temple and nopony was singing. It sounded familiar to her, but she had no idea where it came from.

Inside, she saw many of the ponies inside praying to some of the statues in the room. The biggest out of all of them were two mares, both of them with a horn and wings, something she had never seen before on any one pony. She approached some of the other statues, taking note of one of them that looked recently sculpted. It showed a pegasus stallion, wearing a robe and held a staff in his right hoof. Whatever he was, his face didn't seem like the type to be depicted as a heroic pony, or a symbol of heroism.

"It has been ten long years since Lord Kindred Heart became high summoner." Rainbow turned to face a monk as he spoke, not knowing if it was to himself or to her. "Now, we finally received a statue of him in his honor."

"...What's a high summoner?" The whole temple broke it in shocked gasps as they all stared at the pegasus like a blasphemous heathen. Growling in her head, she had to break out the 'Sin's toxin' card, yet again. "Uhh, sorry. I kinda got too close to Sin and...my head's all fuzzy from its toxins..."

They soon murmered apologetically, some of them praying to her for being so lucky to be alive. "How tragic," the monk said as he prayed to her, which Rainbow still found weird about their method of prayer. "Allow me to enlighten you, miss. The summoners play an important role, sworn to protect the ponies of Faust all throughout Spira. They must travel on a pilgrimage, visit the other temples and earn the entities of great power that rest inside: the aeons. They are the blessings sent to us by Faust."

The monk gave the prayer bow again, though Rainbow still couldn't get all of this information through all the way. "So, summoners call these...aeon things to help them fight, and they use them to fight Sin?"

"Well, in a sense yes, but not with the aeons they acquire on the way to their final destination. It is a test to show their worth to wield the Final Aeon, which they must summon as they confront Sin, and defeat it." Rainbow nodded her head, somewhat understanding how the summoners do their job.

After getting enough information, she decided to head back outside and meet up with Applejack. She didn't want to say it out loud, in case others wanted to beat her to a pulp for being ignorant to something she doesn't know, if the summoners were supposed to stop Sin, then how come it's still around after a thousand years when possibly hundreds of summoners tried to kill it? As much as she wanted answers, she didn't want to cause a scene and risk being thrown out of the village.

The moment she entered the tent her new captain was in, her mouth watered at the aroma of baked apple goods were being made. "Food ready yet?"

"Not yet. Should be done in a few." Rainbow whined, her stomach growling louder than ever. Applejack stood up, grabbing a first aid kit and approached the pegasus. "Now, let's fix up that wing of yours. Which one's hurtin'?" She touched the left wing, making Rainbow Dash wince. "Welp, that answers that. Since ya don't need your wings in blitzball, we're gonna patch ya up with some water-resistant bandages. If we need ya to practice, we can't have that cast all soggy."

"I'm starting to get sick of water at this point," Rainbow glowered, flinching as Applejack eased her injured wing open to straighten it.

"Hmm...Doesn't seem to be broken. Probably just sprained." Applejack began to bandage the wing, being careful not to put too much pressure on the pegasus's muscles. "Ya got some pretty strong wings, sugarcube."

"I usually prefer flying most of the time, but playing blitzball was kind of like a challenging way of flying," she said. "Through the air, I feel free, and being in the water is kind of similar to that, the only difference is holding your breath and feeling sluggish."

"Never actually saw it that way." Applejack finished dressing up Rainbow Dash's wing, the pegasus slowly unfurling it back to her side. "That should get better in a couple days. More than enough time before the tournament. Food'll be ready soon."

"Can soon come now?" she asked, practically begging.

"Cookin' takes patience, Rainbow." Rainbow sulked, only to let out a big yawn as the previous days' events had really taken a big toll on her. "Why don't ya take a nap? You look like ya haven't had a good night's sleep in a week.

"You have no idea." Applejack pointed out to the nearby bed, which Rainbow gladly took.

As soon as she felt the soft mattress under her hooves, she collapsed on the bed, sighing deeply as she immediately fell asleep. After sleeping on solid ground for the past few days, her body needed something comfortable to rest in. She would prefer a cloud, but the soft feather mattress would do.

While resting, her ears twitched as she overheard Applejack as somepony walked into the tent. "Applejack." The same monk Rainbow spoke to earlier in the temple caught the mare's attention, greatly worried. "We need to find out what's going on in there."

"Ya know Ah can't interfere right know," she said. "It's a rule we have to follow."

"But it's been nearly..." Their voices soon droned out as Rainbow moaned in her sleep, having another flashback to a moment in her life from hearing those exact words.

At Rainbow Dash's home in Zanarkand, there were a few officers standing at the docks, along with a few other ponies who were watching. The pegasus's mother stood before them, her face matted with tears.

"It's been nearly a day, ma'am. There's been no sign of your husband yet." The mare sobbed, fearing the worst. "We'll have the city look everywhere for him. Everypony wouldn't want to have Jet Stream disappear on us, being the famous athlete he is."

"Thank you so much." The officer left and began putting out an APB on Jet Stream, many of his fans helping assist the distraught mare.

Rainbow Dash, as a filly, overheard what had happened, hiding behind the door to her boat home. She walked out as soon as the other ponies were gone just as her mother turned around.

"I don't care if he comes back or not," she said. "He's nothing but a stupid drunk."

"Honey, how could you say something like that?" The pink pegasus crouched low to look the filly in the eyes. "He could die."

"Fine! Let him!" Rainbow turned away from her mom, crossing her forelegs in spite.

"...Dashie...do you really hate your father that much?" The filly nodded her head. "...If he dies, you may never tell him how much you hate him." Rainbow scoffed. Her mother tried to hug the angry filly, but she shrugged away from her embrace and ran back in the house. "Oh honey...Why are you so mad at him?"

Rainbow slowly stirred awake, the memory of her father's disappearance still haunting her to this day. She sat up, smelling the already cooked fritters cooling on the table. She expected Applejack to sneak up on her and pull another prank, but the blitzball captain was nowhere to be seen.

"Applejack?" Rainbow got off the bed, snatching a fritter as a little snack before looking outside the tent. She saw a few of the villagers rushing into the temple, almost in a panic. "What's going on?"

Chapter 6: Besaid Temple

Rainbow followed the villagers inside the temple, licking her lips of the crumbs from her fritter to settle her stomach from complaining. They were all gathered around the stairs leading further inside, hearing murmers from the crowd as they seemed to worry about something. She made her way past the crowd, spotting Applejack closer to the stairs.

"Applejack, what's happening?" she asked.

"The summoner hasn't come out yet," she said. "...Well, more like apprentice summoner. See, summoners have to go through a Cloister of Trials in each temple, and beyond those rooms is where they pray."

"And they get the aeon in the temple too?" Rainbow asked.

"Eyup. But it's been a whole day." The pegasus looked at Applejack in shock. "It's forbidden to go in there unless you're a summoner or a guardian."

"What!?" Rainbow ran up the stairs, turning back to face the captain while the villagers stared at her in shock. "And you're all gonna stand there and do nothing!? What if the summoner dies!?"

"Get away from there!" the monk shouted. "The precepts must be obeyed!"

"Like I give a flying feather!" Everyone gasped in horror as they watched the pegasus run inside the Cloister of Trials.

Applejack shook her head as she rubbed her forehead. "That darn pegasus is gonna get it big time..."

"I can't believe these ponies," Rainbow mumbled to herself as she descended the stairs. "How stupid are they!? You help somepony important if they're in danger!"

At the start of the Cloister of Trials, Rainbow paused as she was looking at nothing but a dead end. All there was was a glyph on the wall on the opposite side, and some strange glowing letters she couldn't decipher on the right. Confused, she approached the wall with the glyph, the arrows on it glowing clockwise, starting with the one pointing up.

"They hay is this?" Curious, she reached out a hoof and touched the wall, the glyph began glowing along with the wall with the glowing characters. The words disappeared and were replaced with the same shaped glyph like on the wall. She touched this glyph, making it glow and move part of the wall up, revealing another pathway. "Oh. Cool. It's like a mysterious dungeon...except it looks like I have to solve puzzles...Yay."

Rainbow trudged down the new pathway and was greeted by a pedestal that had a glowing green sphere resting on it. There was an image of the glyph shown above the sphere, the pegasus groaning as she was right about the puzzle solving. Taking the sphere in her mouth, she continued heading down until she was met with a door. Luckily, there was an indent in the center, a perfect fit for the sphere to fit in.

After placing it in its new home, the door opened the way to a new hallway. She walked down the "U" shaped hall, seeing another indent in the wall on the left in the first section, more of the strange characters on the right along with an empty pedistal on the left in the second section, and nothing but a dead end in the last section. Walking back to the middle, she touched the words and made another glyph appear, opening the wall to reveal a room with a different colored sphere that was glowing blue. The indent it was inside made a lot of blue lines glow all along the room, which was kind of cool looking to the pegasus.

Rainbow took this sphere out, the lights disappearing without its source. Turning around to the pedestal, she placed it in its new home, making the wall disappear and freeing it. Now that it was free, she was able to move the pedestal, spotting a shining glyph in an square imprint on the floor, the perfect size to fit the mobile pedestal. After pushing it over it, the pedestal sank into the floor.

"Have ya lost your mind?" Rainbow nearly leapt out of her fur as she heard Applejack behind her. She stood next to the pegasus, though the mare wasn't mad at her. "Don't worry about it. Only summoners and their guardians can enter here."

"...So, you're a guardian?" Applejack nodded.

As the pedestal shrank into the ground, the floor turned into an elevator, its sudden movement surprising Rainbow Dash. "Along with summoners, their guardians are allowed entrance, since some of the temples can be dangerous. Summoners go through here and pray to the Chamber of the Fayth, where they'll receive the aeon of the temple. A guardian's job is to protect their summoner from any danger. Two of them are already down there." Applejack began to worry as they got closer to where the rest of the guardians were. "One of them, Ah got no clue what he's thinkin'. And the other...Ya'll do NOT wanna tick her off, especially when it comes to rules."

They reached their destination, both mares entering the room that lead to the chamber, where it rested up the stairs. The hymn this time was sung by a mare only, making it almost ominous, even though the song was kind of soothing. The guardians that were currently waiting was a purple scaled dragon with a green underbelly and spines on its back, and a lavender unicorn mare wearing a dark purple dress, holding a hoof-made stuffed donkey wearing blue and white polka dot pants. On the back of the dragon, Rainbow could see what looked like stubs, either where his wings are growing in or where they were ripped off.

The purple dragon saw them, growling angrily, catching the unicorn's attention. "You cannot be serious, Applejack." As she stood up from where she sat on the stairs, the one thing that surprised Rainbow Dash was the doll she had in her hooves move on its own, rushing at the earth pony and leering at her with its mismatched button eyes. "Did you really think we couldn't handle waiting for this long?"

"N-No. It's not that, Twi..." The unicorn stood in front of them, her doll climbing up on her back and stood on her head. "Told ya she gets mad," Applejack whispered to Rainbow Dash.

"And who in Spira is this?" Both she and the doll pointed at Rainbow Dash. "She's not a guardian! Do you have any idea how many precepts she's already broken just for being here!? Several, Applejack! Se-ver-al!"

"Hey, if you wanna blame somepony, blame me!" Rainbow said, smacking the unicorn's hoof away. "I'm the one who ran in here because I was doing something you and scaly over there aren't doing, which happens to be saving your summoner!"

"Excuse me!?" The mare glared daggers at Rainbow as steam began to rise from her mane.

Before they were going to fight against each other, the door to the Chamber of the Fayth began to open, averting their attention. Coming out from the chamber, a yellow pegasus mare with a long pink mane that covered most of her face staggered out, her face matted with sweat and on the verge of fainting. She wore a white and purple dress, a special design of clothing showing she was a summoner, though it wasn't as large as the one that was depicted on the statue of Kindred Heart. It was a shock for Rainbow to seeing a mare around her age was the summoner everypony was worried about, thinking that all of them were supposed to be stallions.

The mare began to step down the stairs, only to lose her footing as she fell. The others panicked, but the dragon quickly caught her before she tumbled down and hurt herself further. She mumbled something to him, probably thanking the not as terrifying dragon as she leaned against him for support, shakily getting back on her hooves. She brushed away some strands of her mane out of her face, opening her eyes to reveal a strange pair of eyes, making Rainbow's jaw drop. One eye was blue while the other was green, a strangely unique pair of eyes she had ever seen.

"I did it," the young summoner said exhaustively. "I'm a summoner now."

The group made their way out of the Cloister of Trials and back out to the main lobby of the temple. Everypony in Besaid breathed sighs of relief as they saw the summoner finally exit with her guardians. They soon surrounded her as she got down the stairs, crowding around her as they had worried for the mare after praying for a whole day. As soon as Rainbow Dash was seen after following the others, many of them gave the brash pegasus dirty looks, her entering the Cloister without the status of guardian or summoner definitely putting her on the list of untrustworthy heathens to allow in the temple.

Everypony began to head outside the temple and to the center of the village, with the pegasus summoner standing before everypony in the middle of the square. Rainbow made her way over to the crowd, staying far in the back since the whole village hates her. She was about to turn back and hide in the temple for a little, only for somepony to bite on her tail and be dragged through the crowd.

"Ahh!" She couldn't even pull herself away, fearing a beating from the entire crowd.

As soon as she was pulled up to the front of the audience, Applejack helped her back up, being the culprit for dragging the pegasus by her tail. "You're gonna want to see this up close, Rainbow. Ready, Fluttershy!?"

Fluttershy turned her head toward Applejack, nodding her head, though feeling really nervous with everypony watching her. She had a staff in her hooves, standing on her hind legs with perfect balance, even without using her wings.

"Uhh, what's she doing?" Rainbow asked.

"Ya'll are gonna see a summonin' with your own eyes." Everypony fell silent as they watched Fluttershy.

She took in a deep breath to calm her nerves, not only with the several ponies watching, but this was going to be her first summon. After taking the time to calm down, she stepped back and held her staff behind her, wings flaring out as she cast her magic. A glyph began to appear underneath her, shooting out four orbs of light up into the sky. They soared up high until they ran into each other, creating a shockwave of light, and appearing from that light was a giant avian, something that Rainbow had never seen before in her life.

The creature unfurled its massive wings and dived down, soaring over everypony until it flapped its wings, halting its decent as it hovered gently until it landed. It stood before Fluttershy, giving out light, monstrous sounding squawks as it looked at the pegasus as if judging her. It didn't seem hostile, at least to Rainbow Dash's knowledge, despite it looking like one of the fiends she had encountered in the past. Fluttershy, however, wasn't all that scared of it, slowly approaching it as the avian's head bent lower to her.

She held out her hoof, allowing her to pet it. "Wow," Rainbow said as the rest of the village applauded for Fluttershy's success at her first summoning. "What is that thing?"

"An aeon," answered Applejack. "That's Valefor. She's the first aeon many summoners get first before their pilgrimage begins."

"That thing's a girl?" Rainbow looked at the aeon a lot closely, unable to tell what gender it was.

Applejack and the unicorn approached Fluttershy and praised her for her rise from an apprentice to a full-fledged summoner. Valefor soon took off and flew up into the sky, disappearing from sight as it was dismissed. Rainbow watched it disappear, having just watched the coolest thing she had ever seen in her entire life.

Chapter 7: Celebration to Adventure

Day soon turned to night as the village was busy to celebrate Fluttershy's feats at becoming a summoner. A variety of food was cooked, a large bonfire was set up in the center of the square, and ponies were already giving her gifts as if she was already a worldwide celebrity. While the village partied, Rainbow Dash stood in front of the Besaid Aurochs with Applejack, the pegasus realizing that the whole team were earth ponies.

"Alright, everypony, we have ourselves a new teammate!" Applejack announced to the stallions. "This is Rainbow Dash. She was so desperate to join, Ah couldn't say no." She grabbed the pegasus into a headlock, Rainbow breaking out of her hold while lightly punching her in the foreleg. "Don't mind her if she says somethin' stupid, even though she did run into the temple without the proper authentication."

"Ok, I get it. The whole town is constantly reminding me I shouldn't have done that. I don't need to be lectured while I'm being introduced to the rest of your team," Rainbow said, falling to the ground as Applejack slapped her back hard.

"She has a mouth, but she's got the skills to prove she's pro blitzball player material." The pegasus got up, feeling like her spine had been dislocated with how much strength the earth pony had. "So, what's gonna be our goal this year?"

"To do our best!" they shouted with enthusiasm.

"Wrong," she corrected. "Our goal this year is victory! We're gonna win every single match and take the cup, show the other teams what for! Our previous years of losin' will be forgotten when we score more goals than any of them! So, what's our goal!?"

The stallions were a little skeptical at first, but their captain's speech was so moving that their uttering "Victory!" grew louder and louder, turning into chanting as they pumped themselves up for the next tournament. While the team cheered, Rainbow took a glance at Fluttershy, who was sitting with an elder couple and a few foals. She noticed the young summoner was looking right back at her. Slinking away from the celebrating Aurochs, Rainbow approached her, only to get struck in the face by a pebble thrown by one of the foals.

"You heathen!" the elder stallion insulted.

"Stay away from the summoner!" the elder mare warned.

"You're a bad mare!" one of the foals shouted, ready to throw another rock at the pegasus.

"Wait, don't be mad at her," Fluttershy said, keeping them from hurting Rainbow Dash further. "It was my fault I worried you all. She only did what she thought was right." She stood up, assuring the overprotective villagers that she was fine and walked over to Rainbow. "Sorry about their hostility."

"Eh...I kinda deserve it, I guess," Rainbow said. "I mean, I thought you were dying and nopony wasn't doing anything. So, I thought 'screw rules' and ran right in."

"I'm sorry," the summoner apologized.

The two were met with awkward silence, looking away from each other. Already, Rainbow was doing a crappy job trying to be friends with the shy pegasus, and disobeying the world's religious rules was only making things more awkward.

"...Uhh, that aeon thing was pretty cool," Rainbow finally said after a few minutes of silence. "What was its name? 'Vale-fort'?"

"Valefor," Fluttershy corrected. "She looks scary, but you can tell she's not such a bad aeon."

"So it is a girl. I thought Applejack was joking about that." While the two talked, one of the foals grabbed Fluttershy's dress, tugging on it to get her attention.

"Lady Fluttershy, come and play with us some more!" she said, leering at Rainbow Dash to try and keep her away from the summoner.

"Ok, just give me a few minutes." Slightly disappointed, the filly blew a raspberry at the cyan pegasus, running back over to her friends giving her the same look.

"Boy, everypony sure loves me, don't they?" she joked.

"I'm sorry," Fluttershy apologized again, Rainbow finding her constant apologies getting a little annoying. "Tomorrow, we're going to be on the same boat, right?"

"Boat?" Rainbow asked.

"Yes. You're on the Besaid Aurochs, right?" She nodded, the blitzball player having no clue what she meant. "We're going on the same boat together, to start my pilgrimage. We can talk more tomorrow." She turned around to head back to the group of foals, stopping for a moment to turn her head back to Rainbow. "Maybe...you can also tell me about Zanarkand, too."

That caught Rainbow Dash off guard. She stood there, paralyzed, wondering how Fluttershy knew about Zanarkand as she watched her leave. Before she could try to ask her, she was nudged by Applejack.

"She's kinda cute, huh?" she asked, throwing the pegasus into a stammering mess.

"W-Whoa, hey! I-I don't swing that way!" She tried to avert her eyes from her new captain, but the sudden bashfulness was easy to tell. "...Ok, maybe a little...just out of curiosity. Not for real or anything."

"Just don't get any ideas, sugarcube." Rainbow grumbled, trying to calm herself and keep her blush from growing out of embarrassment.

"She probably won't like me anyway. I mean, I'm a 'heathen', breaker of very important rules of the temple because I actually cared about her well-being." Applejack chuckled, smacking Rainbow's shoulder hard, making her wince.

"Ah'm just messin' with ya. Let's head on off to bed. We got a long day tomorrow." Rainbow Dash rubbed her sore shoulder, wanting some more rest after all the chaos that occurred today.

Rainbow rested in the Crusader's Lodge, which had also served as an inn for visitors or tourists. As she slept, she kept tossing and turning, her dreams and memories of the past haunting her yet again.

In her dream, Rainbow sat at the docks on the shores of the island where she woke up next to earlier today. She stood up and walked further down, spotting Fluttershy waiting for their ship.

"Where's that boat at already?" she complained

"Everypony else is gonna be here soon." Fluttershy turned to face Rainbow Dash. "Rainbow Dash, will you take me to Zanarkand with you?"

"Dashie!" Pinkie suddenly appeared, popping into Rainbow's sight upside down. She yelped as she backpedaled away from the pink earth pony, wondering how she even got here. "You said we were gonna go together! Are you cheating on me!?"

"W-Wait, Pinkie, we didn't say anything about us being together! Where did that come from!?" she asked.

"You fooling around with some fillies!?" Rainbow's ears pressed against her head, recognizing that masculine, rugged voice. She turned around, finding her father, Jet Stream, standing on the shoreline, leering at her with a smirk on his face. Pinkie and Fluttershy stood behind him as they watched. "Hah! I knew you would be a fillyfooler! Though you pick up dates worse than you can catch balls!" Rainbow had suddenly shrunk to the size of a filly, trying her hardest not to cry as her father's words echoed in her ears. "What's the matter, crybaby? You gonna cry, like you always do!?"

"...I hate you," the filly muttered.

"What was that?" Jet asked, holding a hoof to his ear.

"You have to speak up, Rainbow Dash," Fluttershy said, encouraging Rainbow as she stood up, glaring at her father.

"I hate you!" she said louder.

"Didn't quite catch that," Jet mocked, digging out his ears to hear better.

"Yeah! Just like that, Dashie!" Pinkie cheered, waving pom poms while wearing a cheerleader's outfit from out of nowhere.

"You can do it!" Fluttershy encouraged further.

"I HATE YOU!" Rainbow shouted, waking up from her strange nightmare.

Realizing it was just a dream, she was afraid she woke up anypony else sleeping in the tent. Thankfully, she didn't, groaning in frustration. Her father just couldn't stay out of her head, always taunting her and making her hate him even more.

"He's dead, Applejack. Get it through your head." Rainbow's ears perked up as she heard somepony talking outside.

She crept up to the tent's flaps, peeking through them and seeing Applejack and the purple unicorn talking. "Twilight-"

"Just stop, Applejack. I'm sick and tired of hearing this." The doll resting on Twilight's back seemed to glare at Applejack with the same intensity as her, making the pegasus wonder how it was able to move like that. "There is no way Big Macintosh is still alive or reincarnated as a mare. Whatever you see in that blasphemous pegasus, there are no similarities between them at all. You shouldn't have even brought her here in the first place!"

"But...she needed our help, Twi," Applejack said. "Ah know ya miss him too, but-"

"No buts. I'm sick and tired of your excuses. Learn to face the facts instead of tossing them around like a blitzball." Applejack wilted as she was scolded by her fellow guardian and friend.

"But-" She was silenced when the stuffed doll leapt off Twilight's back, slapping the earth pony in the face.

"Shut up. No more, Applejack." Twilight stormed off to Applejack's tent, her doll running after her on two legs.

Sighing in defeat, Applejack rubbed where the doll hit her. Though it wasn't exactly painful, it still hurt her on the inside. She headed toward the Crusader's Lodge, gasping in surprise when she found Rainbow Dash wide awake, having overheard their conversation.

"You two have a pretty abusive relationship. I thought that dragon was going to be the angry one, but wow were you right about her." The upset earth pony trudged off to the beds, sitting down on one of them while Rainbow sat on hers. "So, who's Big Macintosh?"

"...Mah older brother," she said. "He had the same stubborn attitude ya'll had, especially when it came to other ponies' safety." Applejack looked down at her hooves, feeling tears well up in her eyes. "...He died last year, joinin' the Crusaders to try and stop Sin..."

Rainbow understood Applejack's feelings, now knowing why she quit playing blitzball the previous year. "I'm sorry," she said, offering her condolences. "...So, did you want to be a guardian to avenge him?"

"Mhmm." The mare took off her hat, laying it down next to her pillow. "Now Ah'm too focused on beatin' this year's tournament than Sin...I'm gonna be a guardian full-time after we win." She looked up at the pegasus, feeling a little guilty. "Ya probably think Ah'm just usin' ya cause I'm desperate to win just one match before retirin'...but Ah ain't. Honest."

"...Don't worry about that, AJ." Applejack looked up at Rainbow, who held her hoof out to her. "I owe you a lot for helping me out today. As soon as we get to Luca and play against the other teams, I'll help you win that cup with my eyes closed."

A moment passed between the two mares, Applejack finally grinning and bumping her hoof with Rainbow's. "Ah know we'll win with ya on our side."

The next day, Rainbow woke up fully rested, only needing another day with her bandages on her wing for it to feel better. Applejack and Twilight were already up, the former hiding something behind her back. Twilight kept her icy glare on the pegasus, the doll pounding its felt hooves together.

"Morning." Rainbow looked around, Fluttershy nowhere to be found. "Where's Fluttershy?"

"Still in the temple, getting some of her things. But hey, Ah got ya a little somethin'." Applejack pulled out her gift to her, a blue sword that shimmered like the surface of the water gleaming under the sun.

"Whoa. Cool!" Discarding her older sword, getting rid of the one given to her by Rarity from her father.

She gave it a few practice swings, which was far lighter than the other one, and felt stronger. "That's the sword you were going to give Big Macintosh."

Rainbow looked over at Twilight, who looked miserable as she stared at the blade. "He didn't use it," Applejack said.

The pegasus felt bad, given something that was supposed to be for her friend's brother. "A-Are you sure I should take this? I mean, I can just use my old sword."

"That thing is rusted and its durability won't last for much longer," Twilight said, examining the old weapon. "I'm surprised you actually fought fiends using this thing."

"Besides, that's still pretty brand new. Go on and keep it." Reluctantly, Rainbow accepted the gift, though she wished Applejack didn't have to. They kept waiting a while longer for Fluttershy, but their boat was going to leave at any moment. "Where in sam hill is that mare at?"

"We are taking the same boat, right?" Rainbow asked.

"Eyup. Ya see, Fluttershy came to this village about ten years ago when the last Calm started." Rainbow wondered what the Calm was, but decided not to ask if she was going to tick off the moody unicorn standing next to Applejack. "She's kinda like a sister to us."

They soon heard Fluttershy yelp as she tried to carry a suitcase with her. She picked it up, trying to keep it from falling over.

"Fluttershy, you don't need that much luggage," Twilight said.

"I-I know," the pegasus said, the suitcase moving on its own slightly as she kept it still. "T-These are just gifts. For the other temples." Suddenly, it fell over and opened up, releasing a few birds and some small critters native to the island, skittering or fluttering around her as she sheepishly grinned in embarrassment. "Oops..."

"Flutters, we know ya like animals, but ya can't bring your friends everywhere with you," Applejack said. "Ya need to leave them here."

"But they'll be lonely," Fluttershy begged. Unfortunately, they wore her down with their stares as she let her friends wander off. "Oh...I guess you're right."

She left her now empty suitcase behind and walked along with the others, leaving Besaid. Before leaving the entrance, Fluttershy turned to the village and bowed, offering a prayer as they began her pilgrimage. As they walked down the path, they were suddenly attacked by canine-like fiend, barking at them as it prepared to attack them.

"A Dingo. Guess we're gonna be fightin' while we get to the docks." Applejack said as the others prepared their weapons.

"I think I can take this thing out." Rainbow ran toward the fiend, slashing through it and killing it instantly. "Aww yeah! This sword is perfect. Just as awesome as yours truly."

Twilight rolled her eyes, but the group was met up with a strange avian fiend. "A Condor? Perfect for me. Flyin' enemies are mah kind of target."

Applejack threw her blitzball hard into the Condor, smacking it so hard in the face that it plummeted to the ground. After taking care of them, they were met with another fiend, only this one seemed gelatinous and creepy looking.

"A Flan," Twilight said. "This one is mine."

"Uhh, why don't you let somepony with an actual sword kill something this flabby, Twilight? You can play with your little doll while you let AJ and I do all the work." Twilight's eye twitched at the brash pegasus's ignorance. Rainbow Dash ran toward the Flan, but as she tried to slash at it with her sword, it got stuck in its body, unfazed by the blow. "W-What the-!?"

She struggled to pull her weapon out of it, getting some assistance from Twilight as she used her magic to pull it out of the fiend. Her doll leapt off her head and began pummeling its soft hooves over her muzzle.

"You are such an idiot. Do you have any idea what a Flan is?" she asked as Rainbow grabbed the stuffed toy, holding it away from her.

"...A dessert?" she answered.

"Oh dear sweet Faust." Growing irritated, she dragged the pegasus over to her, taking back her doll while keeping Rainbow Dash sitting next to her. "First of all, do not make fun of Smarty Pants. And before you even ask how she moves, I cast an animation spell on her, making her a second pair of eyes and ears and emote the same feelings I do." To prove her point, Smarty Pants smacked the pegasus on the nose. "Second, Flans are elemental fiends. Many fiends in Spira tend to have magical properties, and they have elemental attributes and resistances to certain status ailments.

"The four main elements well known are fire, water, ice, and lightning." Rainbow groaned as she was lectured, not really caring about how to fight when she can't use magic in the first place. Though, strangely enough, as Twilight kept talking, the Flan was just sitting there, biding its time as if waiting for someone to make a move. "Fire and water oppose each other, as does water and lightning. What we are facing right now is a Water Flan, so tell me, which element do you use to deal more damage?"

Rainbow scratched her head as she thought, trying the unicorn's patience, Smarty Pants tapping her leg as they both waited for her answer. "...Uhhhh...Grass?"

"...That's not even one of the elements I said!" Twilight groaned, ignoring her lesson plan and struck the flan with a Thunder spell, killing it as it melted into mush as it disappeared. "The answer was lightning! It's so simple! Have your brain cells deteriorated completely when you got hit by Sin's toxin!?"

"Hey, I'm not dumb! I'm not used to knowing all of this!" Rainbow argued. "I had a different life compared to all this, so why don't you cut me some slack and just chill!?"

"Do you want to know what it's like to be frozen in a block of ice?" Twilight threatened.

"Ok, cut it out, girls!" Applejack quickly stopped the fighting before things got worse like yesterday. "Twi, ease up on Rainbow Dash. Rainbow, please listen when Twilight's tellin' ya somethin'. She's real book smart, and knows how to deal with all kinds of fiends." The two looked away from each other, not likely going to apologize anytime soon. "Now, we gotta hurry and get to the shore. Our boat's gonna leave without us."

Despite the momentary setback, they continued on their way down the path up the hill. Since the path Applejack and Rainbow Dash took yesterday was nothing but a lake with no way of climbing up the cliff, they were all going to take the other fork to reach the beach. As the pegasus was about to head off, she noticed the others had stopped at a strange looking monument, her captain/teammate and Fluttershy praying to it.

"What are you guys doing?" she asked.

"Prayin' for a safe travel," Applejack answered. "It's a custom for anypony who's gonna leave Besaid."

"Pth. Kinda superstitious, don't you think?" Rainbow received a glare from Twilight as Applejack and Fluttershy looked over at the pegasus. "...Ok. Uhh, I'll just go on ahead and see if I can keep the ship from leaving. Take as much time as you need."

She headed off down the path, wanting to get as far away from the moody unicorn as much as possible. She was never going to get used to this world's ideas for customs and overly superstitious religious methods. She began to walk under some more ruins of the old cities that once existed on this island, unaware that she was being watched by something stalking her from above. Suddenly, leaping down from the ruins, the purple dragon slammed down on the path, making Rainbow leap back in surprise as he growled.

"Whoa!...Wait, you're that dragon from inside the temple." He dug his sharp claws into the dirt, his growls growing louder. "Uhh, w-what are you doing?"

The dragging slammed his fists into the ground, stood up, and expelled green flames out of his maw as he roared at her. He then pulled out a spear, aiming the sharp point at the frightened pegasus. He lunged at her, making Rainbow evade as she pulled out her sword to defend herself.

"Hey! I'm not your enemy!" She kept dodging and blocked his thrusts, amazed at how agile and powerful the dragon was. "What's your problem!? Is it cause I called you scaly!?"

Rainbow flipped back after nearly being pummeled by his fist. He backed up and leapt up high in the air. Rainbow squinted in the sunlight, unable to see him, only to be flung hard into the wall of the nearby ruins, knocking the wind out of her and losing her grip on her sword. She tried to stand back up, watching the crazed dragon staring her down, her weapon too far from her to defend herself. He rushed at her yet again as the pegasus cringed, awaiting her inevitable death.

"Spike, that's enough!" The dragon stopped after hearing Applejack, the tip of his spear mere inches away from being thrust in Rainbow's face.

Spike grunted, pulling his spear back. He stomped off down the path, confusing Rainbow Dash after he just attacked her out of nowhere with no warning. As she picked up her sword, she felt her previous injuries begin to heal up, courtesy of Fluttershy and her healing magic.

"What the hay was his problem!?" she complained.

"That's Spike. He's from a tribe of dragons that live further up north of Spira," Applejack explained.

"He's another of my guardians," Fluttershy said. "He doesn't talk much, but he seems to have a close bond with me and Twilight. He actually watched out for me ever since I was a filly."

"That doesn't explain why he just attacked me for no reason!" Rainbow watched the silent dragon disappear around the corner. "He could have killed me!"

"Maybe he just hates ponies who are ignorant to surviving against fiends on the road." Twilight shoved past the pegasus, Smarty Pants taunting her by shaking its rump at her.

They continued on down the long pathway around the other side of Besaid, the scenery peaceful with flowing waterfalls flowing from the cliffs above. That moment of peace is ruined when they heard the screech of a large avian fiend flying toward them.

"Whoa. We're gonna need a huge cracker for this big bird," Rainbow joked as they prepared to fight. "You can take that thing out, right, Applejack?"

"True...but these big fiends can be troublesome." The earth pony had an idea, looking over at Fluttershy. "Why don't we let our summoner handle this Garuda?"

"Fluttershy!?" Rainbow exclaimed. "You're supposed to protect her!"

"Ah know, but that don't mean she can't fight." Fluttershy nodded, stepping forward with her staff at the ready.

Glaring intensely, she summoned Valefor, the aeon screeching as it flew down and began attacking the Garuda. Both avians pecked and clawed their talons into each other, the others watching the battle up close. Rainbow's jaw dropped as she was witnessing one of the most epic monster fights she had ever seen. Eventually, Valefor successful vanquished the Garuda, letting out a victory screech as it was dismissed.

Struck with awe, Rainbow turned to look at Fluttershy. "That was awesome! Those aeon things can easily get us through roads if it's that easy!"

"Don't count on it." The pegasus looked at Twilight, who was about ready to give her another lecture. "Summoning an aeon is used as a last resort. They aren't immortal creatures a summoner can call every single time. They can be defeated in battle, but they don't die. In order to revive them, you'll have to wait several hours for them to regain their strength, or use one of the Save Spheres located all across Spira." Rainbow just stared at her blankly, most of the information going over her head. "...You do know what a Save Sphere looks like, right?"

"...Applejack might have mentioned them yesterday?" she said, completely unsure.

Twilight sighed in irritation. "If I were to give you a test on traveling across Spira, you would fail in a heartbeat."

Before Rainbow Dash could argue with the unicorn further, another Garuda appeared, but Valefor was already too weak from the last one to fight it without being defeated. "Another one," Applejack said. "Ah think we can take this out."

Taking out her blitzball, Applejack, to Rainbow's surprise, was able to use some kind of magic, watching the blue and white ball emit a dark aura. The blitzball captain threw it at the Garuda's face, landing a direct hit to its face as it screeched in pain. It began looking around, trying to find where its prey was, flapping erratically as if it became blind.

"What the hay?" Rainbow questioned as they watched the fiend slam its head into the side of the cliff.

"Like I said before: fiends can be susceptible to elemental spells and status inducing attacks," Twilight said as she cast Fire spells at the fiend. "The one thing you never want to do is think everything can be taken down by a simple swing of a blade. Strategy is key to survival, and you lack that aspect."

As the Applejack and Twilight kept attacking, the former using her Dark Attack skill when the blindness on the avian wore off, Rainbow Dash was growing more irritated as she was constantly scolded by the unicorn. Spike had appeared from the top of the cliff and ended the Garuda, thrusting his spear through its head as it disappeared in a flurry of lights. After dealing with the second Garuda, they continued on their way down the path, Fluttershy and Rainbow taking the rear.

"What is wrong with her?" Rainbow Dash asked. "I mean, seriously, I don't know what the hay's going on, and she assumes I'm supposed to know everything. Does she hate me like that dragon?"

"Twilight gets very serious when it comes to being a guardian. I really don't know that much about her. She always stays quiet and studies a lot." They safely made it off the pathway and headed down to the shore, where several villagers miraculously made it through the fiend infested road without running into any, just to see Fluttershy off. "She's nice once you get to know her."

"Yeah right," Rainbow scoffed. "The day Twilight ever becomes nice to me, I'll give up playing blitzball, or flying."

Fluttershy giggled as they spotted their boat waiting at the docks. The villagers all gave Fluttershy some last minute gifts, either being Gil, some healing items for the road, and even a special ring the summoner can use to help defend her in a dangerous battle. Rainbow was admittedly jealous, never really given gifts by her fans, but it didn't really matter much to her as long as everypony noticed her.

They boarded the ship, along with a few other travelers and the rest of the Besaid Aurochs. The crew pulled up the ramp as they were ready to shove off to the next island, which Rainbow heard was somewhere called Kilika. As the crowd waved goodbye to Fluttershy on the docks, many of them teary-eyed as they watched them leave, the young summoner offered a prayer to them all.

"Goodbye," she whispered as the island got smaller, their ship heading off to the start of her pilgrimage.

Chapter 8: Sin Strikes Again

Out on the ship, dubbed the S.S. Liki, it slowly sailed off across the calm sea to the first stop on Fluttershy's and her guardians' journey, Kilika Island. It would take the rest of the day for the vessel to reach the island, and without being able to fly around, Rainbow Dash was left bored, sitting on the deck with her head resting on the railing, looking out at the vast ocean and clear skies.

"Ugh. Bored!" she whined, wishing the S.S. Liki moved faster.

Looking to her left, she spotted one of the crew members holding a pair of binoculars, looking out at the sea for something. Smirking, she snuck up on the unsuspecting stallion, too busy scoping out the seas for any land. Rainbow leapt up on the stallion's back, surprising him as he tried to shake her off.

"Hey, what are you doing!?" The pegasus balanced her forelegs off his shoulders, vaulting off him, spiral flipping onto the railing.

"Mind if I borrow this? Thanks!" Rainbow snatched the binoculars away from the crew member.

She looked out at the sea, managing to spot a small speck of land miles ahead, which had to be Kilika. It made Rainbow anxious, wanting to see what's in Kilika now rather than later this evening. She turned around and began scoping out the ship, looking around at the other passengers. The Aurochs were busy making their strategic plays as they strived to claim the cup in the tournament, Spike was sitting on the upper deck, watching Fluttershy as everypony wanted to meet her, and Twilight was by herself with Smarty Pants, looking through a bestiary.

As Rainbow looked at Fluttershy, she spotted her looking, giving her a wave. "Hey!" She looked down, the stallion leering at her angrily as he tapped his hoof. "You mind giving those back? I need to keep a lookout for fiends!"

"Eh. I was bored looking around anyway." Leaping off the railing, she tossed the binoculars back at the crew member.

Before she could get the chance to speak with Fluttershy, she was immediately crowded by more passengers. Groaning in annoyance, she spotted Applejack walk up next to Twilight. As much as she wanted to speak with Applejack, she did not want to be talked down to by the grumpy unicorn. Reluctantly, she had to know why Fluttershy was this popular, and if she was going to be given a hundred lectures by Twilight, she would just drown her out.

"So, you guys wanna tell me why Fluttershy seems to be liked by everypony right now?" Rainbow asked.

Twilight sighed in irritaiton, but stayed silent. "Fluttershy's the daughter of High Summoner Kindred Heart. He defeated Sin ten years ago," Applejack explained.

"Oh...That's why..." It was odd to know that Rainbow had something in common with Fluttershy: their fathers were famous for what they did, and they were looked upon to uphold a family tradition. Unfortunately for her, the young blitzball player hated being known as Jet Stream's pride and joy. "It's tough when you're father's famous."

Applejack stared at her, wondering what the pegasus had meant. Eventually, the crowd finally dispersed, leaving Fluttershy alone. Taking this chance to finally speak with her, Rainbow nonchalantly walked up to the bow of the ship, leaning against the rope railing as they looked out at the ocean.

"It's a nice day out today," Fluttershy commented.

"Yup." The pegasi were quiet for a moment, just looking out at the scenery. Some of the seagulls began to perch near Fluttershy, almost as if she was able to communicate with them. It was pretty funny to see her try to smuggle some animals with her on her pilgrimage, even when she knew it was going to be dangerous on the road. "...Sooo...How did you know I'm from Zanarkand? Applejack?"

"Mhmm," she replied. "But you know what, Rainbow? I actually believe you." The rainbow-maned pegasus did a double-take. "I heard Zanarkand is supposed to be a beautiful city, always awake when night falls, and with the biggest stadium in all of Spira where blitzball is played."

"...H-How...do you know that?" Rainbow was practically on the tips of her hooves, desperately wondering who else had actually told her about her home.

"A stallion named Jet Stream told me." And just like that, her curiosity turned to anger at that name. "He was one of my father's guardians."

Rainbow Dash looked down at the water, trying to calm her anger over her dad so she wouldn't blow up on Fluttershy. She just couldn't stay away from her dad, whether by name or by his feats. But Jet Stream has been dead for the past ten years, or assumed dead.

"...My dad's name is Jet Stream." The summoner gasped with delight, fate having brought the two together. "Don't think that the Jet you knew is my dad...He died ten years ago...I think. One day, he was busy training out off the coast of Zanarkand, and then he just disappears suddenly."

"Ten years ago?" Fluttershy gasped again, making a realization. "That's the day he came to Spira!"

"What?" Rainbow questioned in disbelief.

"It's true! I met him ten years and three months ago, the same day my father left on his pilgrimage!" Rainbow's mind reeled, wondering if it was even possible that Jet Stream had actually wound up a thousand years in the future like her. It made sense that he was lost at sea, thinking Sin must have been around ten years ago and sucked him forward in time. "It makes sense, right? If he wound up here, then maybe it happened to you too."

"...Fluttershy, I don't think-" The boat was suddenly struck by something, sending it tilting over and throwing everypony to the deck. Unfortunately, with Rainbow and Fluttershy standing on the front of the bow, where no side rails would keep them from falling off, the cyan mare grabbed the summoner's hoof while holding onto the rope railing tightly. "Hang on, Flutters! Wait, you're a pegasus! Can't you fly!?"

"I'm not a strong flier! I never learned that much when I moved to Besaid!" Fluttershy said, struggling to keep her grip on Rainbow's hoof.

"Oh great. Of all the worst luck." The ship suddenly rocked to the other side, the sudden movement weakening their hold on each other. Rainbow couldn't hold on much longer, accidentally letting go as Fluttershy was sent tumbling over. "No!"

Before she could fall off, Spike was quick to come to her rescue again, grabbing her just in the nick of time. Something behind the ship shot up from under the water, spraying everyone on board. Sin shot up from the ocean, and was dangerously close to the S.S. Liki.

"SIIIIIIIIIN!" somepony shouted as everypony began to panic.

Sin passed by the boat and was heading directly toward Kilika, the ship not its intended target of casualties to inflict. Fearing for the safety of the village, two of the crew members manned the harpoon guns mounted on the bow, aiming the massive bolt turrets toward the hulking, invincible monster.

"What in tarnation are ya doin'!?" Applejack shouted at them. "If ya stick one of them harpoons in it, Sin'll drag us all down in the ocean!"

"We have families in Kilika!" one of them said. "We have to distract it! Please forgive us, Lady Fluttershy!"

"Oh, this is not good," Twilight muttered.

The stallions took aim at Sin's fin, both of them firing at once, the harpoons flying at it with ropes tied with them, connected with the ship. One of them hit their mark, the rope suddenly going taut as Sin began to drag the boat along its path, knocking the passengers and crew over while also splashing salt water on everypony.

"Great goin'!" Applejack sarcastically congratulated the stallions.

"Quick, everypony get in the ship and stay there until we handle Sin!" Twilight ordered, none of them needing to be told twice as they scrambled to get inside where it was a little safer. Smarty Pants bounced up and down on the unicorn's back, getting her attention as it pointed at the fin. Looking up, she saw something shoot off from it and head right toward them. "Sinscales!"

"Huh?" Rainbow looked back after getting her bearings, leaping back as she saw those same fiends back in Zanarkand popping out from their scale-like state. "This thing can't give me a break, can it?"

Everyone pulled out their weapons as they faced the three Sinscales that jittered before them, keeping their balance as Sin shifted the boat around. "Ok, here's what we're going to do!" Twilight said, getting the party's attention. "We have to hit Sin's fin! Applejack, you and I are going to attack Sin!"

"Got it!" Applejack said, rolling her shoulders, preparing herself for a really powerful throw.

"Rainbow Dash, you and Spike protect the three of us from those Sinscales!" They both nodded as they stood in front of the three mares, sword and spear ready to strike the scales. "Fluttershy, you focus on healing any injuries we may sustain, and if needed, summon Valefor if I run out of mana."

"Ok." Fluttershy nearly fell over as Sin shifted the ship again, getting back up as she prepared her Cure spells if anypony gets seriously hurt.

Applejack threw her blitzball hard, sending it sailing across the water. It bounced back after smacking the fin, but it didn't seem to do much to faze it. Twilight cast spell after spell, needing lots of focus to cast each one. Fire, Blizzard, Thunder, and Water spells struck the fin, but not even magic seemed to do anything to it either. Sin was just far too powerful for any mere pony to kill, only feeling small pokes when their attacks hit.

Rainbow Dash slashed through one of the Sinscales as they all either tackled her and Spike, or shooting at them with spines from their glowing fins on their heads. As scary as it was to be attacked by the spear wielding dragon, she was glad he was an ally, if only for this moment. Spike was stabbing each Sinscale without sustaining any damage, avoiding each attack aimed at him. Even when he did get hit, he pulled off some kind of move that absorbed energy from his foes, just by thrusting his open palm in the fiend's direction, clenching his fist tightly, and pulling his arm back.

Once they took care of the scales, more just kept shooting out, an almost endless supply of the fiends constantly growing on the monstrous fiend's fin. "There's no end to these things," Rainbow uttered, quickly backing up as all three of them began to threaten to fling her off the ship. "It's just like back in Zanarkand..."

The others kept fighting, Applejack catching her ball again after kicking it hard, starting to get weary. "Nothin's workin'! There's no way anypony can stop Sin unless they have the Final Aeon! We're not gonna make it!"

The rope suddenly broke as Sin managed to tug the harpoon turret connected to it off the ship, causing everypony to crash to the deck as it bounced off the waves. Sin slammed its tail down into the water, splashing the ship with water as the massive fiend dove into the water, keeping on its route to Kilika.

Panting in exhaustion, everyone got back up, slightly shaken, but grateful to be miraculously alive. "Is everypony alright?"

"Ah think so," Applejack answered for Twilight. As she looked around the deck, some of the passengers came out to investigate to see if the coast was clear, but out of the ones in her group, she counted two mares and one dragon. "...Wait...Where's Rainbow Dash?" The others looked around, but there was no sign of the pegasus. She soon noticed the torn off harpoon turret was gone, which happened to be the last place Rainbow was when she was cornered by the Sinscales. She feared the worst, looking down at the water, finding no sign of her on the surface. "Oh shoot! MARE OVERBOARD!"

Applejack dove into the water to find her, alerting the captain of the ship to keep the boat from sailing off until she came back. Fluttershy soon began to worry, fearing losing her friend that was related to the stallion Jet Stream, somepony she had grown fondly with after meeting him ten years ago.

Chapter 9: The Sending

Underneath the sea, not too far from the S.S. Liki, Rainbow floated in the water, completely unconscious. The turret Sin had pulled off managed to fling a large piece of it off, smacking the pegasus upside the head and knocked her off the ship. It wasn't exactly safe in the water, some Sinscales that fell off of Sin were left floating around in the water, and they were homing in on the mare. They swam into her with their sharp, scale bodies, knocking her around and injuring her further.

Applejack dove down deep, catching sight of Rainbow's colorful mane as she was struck by the Sinscales. She kicked her blitzball hard across the water, ricocheting it off the fiends and scaring them off. Catching her ball again, the blitzball captain grabbed the mare's tail by her teeth, pulling her a bit closer to the ship so they don't get lost at sea. Seeing they were close enough, she took off her hat, pulling out a red and yellow feather from inside it. Putting her stetson back on her head, she tossed the feather in Rainbow's direction, disappearing as its power glowed around her.

Revived by the magic inside of the feather, Rainbow was startled from unconsciousness, holding in her breath as she was about to breathe in a lung full of water. She felt incredibly sore, sporting a bruise on her cheek where she was struck, wondering what had hit her. She looked over at Applejack, giving her a look of concern. She nodded her head, easing the earth pony's worries.

Their ears perked up as they heard dolphins screeching, fleeing from something as they swam past the two mares. They were right to flee as they were running away from a massive jellyfish fiend, though its presence seemed far more dangerous than any of the normal fiends. Applejack stared at it in shock, knowing exactly how dangerous this creature was while Rainbow was ready to take it out.

The fiend had backup with it, several of those Sinscales floating next to it, and with how exhausted Applejack and Rainbow Dash were from their fight on the ship, it was going to be an overwhelming fight. The large jellyfish threw out its tentacles, spinning them around to create a whirlpool that sent the two mares spiraling wildly. Rainbow was quick to recover from it, using the momentum to swim through it, spinning rapidly with her sword ready to slash it. She made contact, cutting off one of its tentacles and stopping its disorienting attack.

Applejack recovered, throwing her ball at the fiend, making it bounce off it and smacking into the Sinscales. She managed to distract the dangerously big fiend from grappling Rainbow Dash as she swam back to her partner. With the fiend down on its last legs after having some of its tentacles cut off, Applejack focused her power as she held her ball out before her. After some time, it began to spark with electricity, spinning around rapidly in her hoof. The earth pony tossed it up and kicked it, sending not just one, but five blitzballs, flying at the Sinscales and its jellyfish leader, shocking them all to death.

They watched as the fiend shuddered and dissipated into nothingness, dozens of lights flying out of it. With the threat gone, Rainbow Dash winced, succumbing to her previous injuries, thankful that nothing else on her was broken. They both swam up, the pegasus gasping for breath as she nearly felt her lungs collapse, swimming toward the ship where the crew dropped a ladder for them to climb back up.

"Applejack! Rainbow Dash!" Applejack was the first to make it back up on the ship, helping Rainbow up as she fell to the deck, coughing out any water that got in her lungs. As she sat up, Fluttershy used her Cure spells, healing her guardian and friend from their injuries. "Are you two ok?"

"Yeah, we're fine," Applejack said. "There was a Sinspawn underneath the ship, but we took care of it. Though, Rainbow did most of the damage. Had to use a Phoenix Down I was savin' to wake her back up."

"A Phoenix what?" Rainbow asked, stretching out her forelegs. "No wonder I felt something warm wake me up. Saved me from dying."

"Phoenix Downs can only wake you up after taking too much trauma when attacked, Rainbow Dash," Twilight explained, pulling out another one to show. "I assume you know what a Phoenix is, right?"

"Duh. Magical birds that burn up and come back to life from their ashes. One of the coolest kind of bird to have if they were real," Rainbow said.

"...They do exist," Twilight blandly said. "But they can't bring back the dead. Only when you fall unconscious, with your limbs and organs intact...You can't bring back the dead..."

She began to trail off as she looked at the feather, her attitude shifted from annoyed to sad. Rainbow looked at Applejack, who seemed to be as miserable as Twilight, having saved that for something, or maybe her brother. It would have been useless after Big Macintosh had been dead for a whole year.

"Oh no!" Everypony was alerted to a distraught crew member who was from Kilika, looking out over the railing to see the silhouette of Sin under the water out in the distance.

Out in the peaceful fishing village of Kilika, everyone living there minded their own business, running errands, or for the colts and fillies, kicking a blitzball around. Unfortunately, that peace was about to be ruined as Sin created a massive tidal wave. Many of the villagers were unfortunately swept away by the wave, mares, stallions, foals, even many of the buildings weren't able to stand up to the massive wave. Their torment didn't end yet as Sin rose up from the water.

Screams could be heard as many ponies were swept up in Sin's gravitational hold, lifting up trees, pieces of the docks and homes, every bit of debris hovering over it like a makeshift halo. Victims were badly torn apart by the sharp pieces of wood or drowned from the previous tidal wave, their screams slowly turning to dreadful silence. It felt like hours of torturous death as the many villagers had suffered, young and old. After causing enough damage, Sin left, dropping his chaotic wrath into the water, sending many bodies and debris splashing into the ocean.

No words could be spoken on the S.S. Liki. Everyone on board had just witnessed Sin attack Kilika, and they all feared the worst for the villagers. They all heard their screams and cries for help, but there was nothing they could do. Some of the crew that lived in Kilika had tears in their eyes, scared to find any of their loved ones were victims of Sin's latest attack.

Rainbow Dash felt sick to her stomach. Being caught in the middle of Sin's attack may have been scary, trying to desperately escape, but watching the carnage that had just taken place was a horrifying sight. Hearing the villagers of Kilika scream in agony and hearing nothing but silence was by far the worst moment she had ever witnessed in her life.

"...I will defeat Sin," she heard Fluttershy whisper. "I must defeat Sin."

The sun began to set as the S.S. Liki approached what was left of the docks, where they miraculously saw a few villagers from Kilika still alive, having been further in the jungle away from Sin's destructive wrath. Fluttershy was led by some ponies as she got off the boat, followed by Twilight and Spike. Rainbow Dash and Applejack walked down the ramp, looking over the destruction.

"What a mess. It couldn't be helped even if we tried." The captain turned back to the ship, the rest of the team heading down the ramp. "Alright, everypony. We gotta help out these poor ponies fix their home as best as we can. Tomorrow mornin', we're all goin' up to the temple to pray for victory."

"Yes, captain!" they said, running down the docks to help the others repair and rebuild the town.

The two mares walked along the docks, though Applejack noticed Rainbow had been quiet ever since they saw Sin destroy Kilika. "Ya ok, sugarcube?"

"...No. I just saw an entire village get slaughtered, and we failed to save it." She looked at the mess left behind, cringing at the many lives that were lost today. "Does this happen all the time?"

"Sadly, yes. Many of us just get unlucky." Applejack patted the pegasus on the shoulder. "One day, Sin will be gone and the Calm will begin."

Rainbow didn't feel like asking what the Calm was. After being near Sin again, she had sort of hoped it would take her back to the past, but it didn't seem like it. Applejack began helping repair the village while Rainbow wandered around, heading over to the group of ponies surrounding Fluttershy. She spotted Twilight and Spike watching on the docks, overlooking what seemed to be a graveyard of coffins in the water, each of them littered with wreaths and flowers to commemorate the loss of their loved ones. There were even small ones, meaning foals had lost their lives to Sin as well, making Rainbow feel even more depressed.

"Twilight?" The unicorn and Smarty Pants looked at her. "What's going on? A funeral?"

"In a sense, yes. But we're also going to watch Fluttershy perform the sending." Twilight looked down at the crowd. "Summoners perform this ritual to ease the suffering of the dead. When ponies die, their spirits tend to refuse being at peace. Eventually, they'll grow angry and resent the living, turning into the fiends that roam across all of Spira. If the deceased aren't sent to the Farplane, or for your toxin filled mind, the afterlife, then they'll end up turning into one of the many monsters we face on the road."

"...I didn't even do anything to tick you off to receive a lecture," Rainbow said, actually taking in this new information to heart. She had no idea if the fiends really are the angered, unsent souls of the dead, but after the last week, she'll believe anything now. "Why?"

"To give you some common knowledge...and I kind of ended up rambling subconsciously." Twilight rubbed her head, pulling out one of the books she carried on her with her magic. "A con of being a scholar, where you spout out intelligence, yet some ponies don't seem to listen too much."

"...Egghead," Rainbow muttered, trying to cheer herself up by making fun of the unicorn, but it didn't do much to make her laugh.

She watched Fluttershy bow to the elder of Kilika, given permission to perform the sending. Rainbow Dash was going to see how it was done for the first time, and she was afraid to see how it would go. Fluttershy looked out to the underwater graveyard, her staff in her mouth as she stepped forward. The cyan pegasus's eyes widened when she saw her walk on top of the water, not even using her wings to hover over it. Back in Zanarkand, she never though pegasi and earth ponies could actually use any kind of magic, but because it was one thousand years in the future, it might be possible for everyone to learn magic. Maybe she could in the future, though she had no clue how to use any of it.

Fluttershy stopped at the center of the coffins, standing up on her hind legs as she held her staff in her hooves. She took in a deep breath and began the sending. As she started, Rainbow could swear she heard the same hymn from Besaid Temple, only it seemed to sound more somber and depressing. The summoner twirled her staff around as she danced, which almost seemed hypnotic to the pegasus. She could hear the villagers of Kilika sobbing as they watched, mourning for their friends and family as their spirits were being put to rest.

She then saw spirits begin to float out from the coffins, circling around Fluttershy as she spun her staff around, acting as a vortex to bring the orbs of ethereal light up to the Farplane. Rainbow flinched when all the torches in the area began to glow blue, though Twilight and Spike didn't, too transfixed on watching the summoner dance. Turning her attention back to Fluttershy, Rainbow stared in awe as the water underneath the yellow pegasus rose her up like a pillar, still dancing as she beckoned the spirits to rest.

Her mind had completely zoned out, her hearing lost to the song of the sorrowful hymn, overpowering the cries of the mourning ponies standing before her. Her vision was fixated on Fluttershy's graceful movements, spirits floating in her line of sight and surrounding the pegasus. As beautiful as the sending looked, it was what Rainbow Dash had feared; it was depressing. Those spirits floating around and being sent looked exactly like the lights expelled from the fiends she had killed, Twilight's words ringing true in her mind.

After what felt like forever, Fluttershy finished her dance, sent the restless spirits to the Farplane where they belonged, the pillar lowering her back down to the water's surface. She walked back to the docks, offering a prayer for those mourning and joined Twilight and Rainbow Dash.

"Did I do ok?" she asked.

"You did wonderfully," Twilight assured. "They're in the Farplane now, and they won't turn into fiends." Fluttershy nodded, eventually heading off to the nearby inn to rest, greatly exhausted from today's events. Rainbow was still frozen in awe, snapped out of her daze by Smarty Pants bouncing on her head. "You alright, Rainbow Dash?"

"Huh?...Uhh...yeah...That was...something..." She grabbed the old, animated doll, gently placing Smarty Pants down on the docks. "I think I need some sleep..."

Rainbow headed off to the inn to rest, though she wasn't going to get that much sleep tonight. She laid down in her bed, looking up at the ceiling as so many things raced through her mind. The fiends were the spirits of ponies who were unsent, enraged at the living as their time was cut short. Everypony treats Sin's attacks like it's an every day occurrence, feeling sorrow for a while until the Calm begins, whatever it was supposed to be. And seeing just how depressing the sending was earlier, she didn't ever want to see Fluttershy do that ever again.

"Rainbow Dash?" She sat up, finding Fluttershy was still awake. "You don't look so good."

"...I'm fine," Rainbow said, looking down at her hooves. "...I'm just so confused..."

"You didn't like the sending..." Reluctantly, she nodded. "I'm sorry...Nopony really does. But it has to be done."

"I know..." Rainbow laid back down, but couldn't get to sleep. She heard Fluttershy head back to her room, sighing dejectedly. "This future sucks..."

Chapter 10: Madness in the Jungle

As morning arrived far sooner than Rainbow had thought, she got out of her bed, though she had been restless the previous night. The reality of the past few days had come crashing down on her like a tidal wave, which only reminded her of the carnage that too place yesterday. She walked down the stairs, yawning loudly, not feeling as energetic as she should be. At least her wing was finally better, the bandages taken off and giving her the ability to fly once again.

She exited the inn, nearly tripping over a colt who was running around excitedly, unsure if she overheard him saying something about being a blitzball. She couldn't tell, too distracted by the other day's events. One of the Aurochs ran up from the docks that were still being repaired, approaching the tired pegasus.

"Hey, Rainbow Dash!" he greeted, though his name was lost to the mare. "Captain Applejack's been looking for ya. She's down fixing the docks."

"Got it." Before she was able to walk down to the docks, they overheard somepony crying nearby. Rainbow headed the other way, gasping in shock as she saw a filly in the middle of a crumbled hut that would threaten to collapse at any minute. She accidentally moved and began to panic as it shook. "Whoa!" Reacting quickly, Rainbow Dash grabbed her and leapt out right as the foundation fell, the heavy material probably would have trapped the filly under the water and make her drown. "You ok?"

"T-Thank you, miss." After making sure she was alright, the filly ran down the docks to her family.

"That was a close one," the Auroch said, breathing a sigh of relief. "You got some serious speed. Unlike most of us on the team."

"Is that why your team is basically all earth ponies?" Rainbow asked.

"Uhh...well...maybe," he said, completely unsure. "I mean, other teams have a variety of ponies, and there's even an all dragon team. They can be pretty brutal."

"Yeah. As if getting attacked by one dragon's not enough, I'll be facing a whole blitzball team of them too." Rainbow groaned, imagining getting herself beat up by several clones of Spike in the blitzball field.

She followed her teammate over to the repaired docks, where the others were hard at work finishing up. Applejack spotted Rainbow, wiping her brow after doing what she could to fix Kilika.

"There ya are, Rainbow. Thought ya were gonna sleep in on us," she joked, oblivious to the pegasus's exhaustion. "Alright, ya'll! Huddle up!" The Aurochs stopped their work and stood before their captain. "We've done all we can to help this poor town. Now, let's head on up to the temple to pray for victory!"

"Victory!" they cheered, running on ahead as they were psyched up for the coming tournament.

"Wait, I thought we were going to rest in Kilika for the night, then get on the ship to Luca," Rainbow said.

"We gotta stop here first anyway. One of the temples Fluttershy has to visit is here," Applejack explained.

"Oh." The pegasus understood, though having to go up there just to pray for a win in the tournament just seemed ridiculous to her.

"Are ya feelin' ok, sugarcube? Did ya sleep at all last night?" Applejack asked, worried about her friend's condition.

"No. I'm still trying to...let all this sink in..." She rubbed her eyes, trying to stay awake. "And why are we going to pray for victory? Are you superstitious or something?"

"Are ya serious!?" Applejack exclaimed, fully waking Rainbow at the sudden shout. "Every team prays at the temple before leavin' for Luca! Blitzball is the only sport that's been around for so long, and it steers everypony away from the pain and sufferin' that Sin causes. Without all the teams competin', Ah don't think anypony could live with their losses."

"...Whatever you say." Rainbow was technically right; Applejack was superstitious.

Blitzball's a rough contact sport, something fans would get fired up over to see their favorite teams and players win and ram each other. To Rainbow Dash, it was the exact opposite of alleviating sorrow, building up adrenaline and rage if their team loses. She had a few instances where fans had rioted in Zanarkand when her father always won for the Zanarkand Wonderbolts, ponies going mad as they destroyed part of the city in celebration.

Putting those horrible thoughts aside, she followed Applejack out of the slightly repaired village and toward the jungle on the island. Twilight, Spike, and Fluttershy waited for them near one of those Save Spheres Rainbow was told about, though the former two seemed to be glaring at the pegasus.

"Twi, what's goin' on?" Applejack asked.

"...Fluttershy wants HER to join us," the unicorn said with disdain, both her and Smarty Pants pointing at Rainbow Dash.

Fluttershy approached Rainbow, despite the other three guardians' protests. "I would like to ask you if you want to be my guardian...That is, if you want to."

"Whoa, hold up, sugarcube!" Applejack shoved Rainbow aside, the pegasus leering at the earth pony. "Ah know Rainbow's a pro blitzball player, but she ain't that smart when it comes to fightin'."

"Hey! I survived on my own in some random temple in the middle of the ocean before meeting you guys!" Rainbow said, offended by Applejack now seeing her as an incompetent fighter.

"And she's also suffering from the worst case of toxin in Spira's history," Twilight uttered.

"Ok..." Fluttershy perked up after her suggestion was overruled by her protective "sisters". "Then I just want her nearby."

Smarty Pants fell comically off Twilight's back as the unicorn, Applejack, and Rainbow Dash held shocked expressions. "...I think she's trying to come onto me," Rainbow whispered to her captain, receiving a hard jab in the chest.

"For the love of Faust..." Smarty Pants climbed back up on Twilight's back, the doll rubbing its temples as if it had a headache. "Can we discuss all this when we're not in a dangerous jungle filled to the brim with wandering fiends!?"

Thankfully, they were distracted from the awkward situation, hearing Spike fighting a fiend nearby. The dragon was fighting some sort of strange plant monster, shooting a large seed out of its bulb, hitting his chest. Rainbow was about to help, but Applejack stopped her.

"What are you doing!? Spike's in trouble!" Rainbow exclaimed.

"He can handle a Ragora. Besides, you'll see just how unique Spike is as a dragon." They continued watching, leaving Spike room to fight the plant fiend.

He used the same energy absorbing skill he had used on the Sinscales back on the S.S. Liki, stealing some of the Ragora's life force. Spike smirked, taking in a deep breath, but instead of flames, he shot a seed at the fiend, damaging it more than it used that same attack on him. Rainbow's jaw dropped, having no clue how in Spira the dragon was physically able to do that. He then ended the plant's life, watching it disappear.

"...What. Was. That!?" Rainbow finally said after a moment of silence. "How did he do that!?"

"Dragons know the fiend's way of fighting," Twilight explained, holding out a book detailing the dragon tribe. "Dragons have an ability they use that can regenerate their health and mana by stealing it from their foes, which is called Lancet. Not only is this a power they can use to heal injuries in desperate situations, but they can also copy specific abilities from fiends and use those abilities against them. This is known as 'Dragon Rage', unleashing any of their skills in desperation or with enough trauma inflicted upon them to release any ability they copied."

"...That...is...AWESOME!" Rainbow flew up to Spike, grabbing his shoulders as she was dangerously close to his face. "What other awesome moves can you know!? Can you increase your speed!? Or maybe even punch something so hard, they fly all around the world, slamming into the ground mere feet behind you!?" The dragon growled, baring his fangs, deflating the pegasus's excitement as she backed away, chuckling sheepishly. "Or...you can just say nothing...and not kill me."

Fluttershy giggled at Rainbow's excitement while Applejack and Twilight shook their heads. They made their way through the jungle, having to take a different path when the Crusaders warned them of a fiend named the Lord of the Wood. Ironically, the ones that warned the group were Octavia and Vinyl, both mares being on the S.S. Liki on some kind of delivery mission for the Crusaders. Heeding their warning, they traveled along a different route to avoid the giant pitcher plant fiend, finding it worth going around a longer route than risk getting killed by the dangerous monster.

Along the way, they encountered more fiends, quickly taken care of as they hindered their progress. They finally reached the steps leading up to the temple in Kilika, finding the Aurochs waiting for them. They were doing some stretches, all of them smirking as they had some kind of challenge for the new member of their team.

"So, Rainbow Dash," one of them said. "I told the others how quick you were saving that filly back in the village. We're kind of wondering to see just how fast you really are."

"Oh. You guys really wanna race me?" Rainbow stomped her hoof, accepting the challenge. "You have no idea who you're messing with. You guys are gonna eat my dust."

"No flyin' though," Applejack warned, joining her team as they lined up.

"Pth. I'm not gonna cheat. I don't need my wings to leave you all a mile behind." Rainbow stretched as she boasted, the whole team crouching as they prepared to run.

"Fluttershy, care to do the honors?" Applejack asked, the summoner nodding her head.

"Ready?" She lifted up her hoof to start the race, only to run on ahead while giggling.

"Huh!? Hey! You cheater!" The Aurochs chased after her, while Rainbow Dash stood aghast as Fluttershy became an added racer, and cheated before starting it.

"And Applejack accused me of cheating." Twilight facehooved, unable to hide the grin on her face, and Spike shook his head, a smirk the only positive emotion he had ever shown since Rainbow met him.

The fun quickly died as they heard Fluttershy scream in terror, the Aurochs quickly fleeing from something that lied up ahead. "Twilight! Spike! Sinspawn!"

The two guardians immediately ran up the stairs after hearing Applejack, Rainbow chasing after them, greatly worried about Fluttershy's safety. As they reached a flat portion midway up the temple, the pegasus gasped as she saw the young summoner caught in a tentacle-like hand, along with another similar one with a strangely gigantic shell in the center. Applejack was busy throwing her ball at the shell, but it didn't seem to do much to it.

Spike leapt up at the tentacle gripping Fluttershy as it tried to squeeze the life out of her, stabbing it with his spear, forcing it to let go of her. Rainbow flew up and caught her as she fell, setting her back down on the ground.

"You ok?" she asked, receiving a nod from the slightly shaken mare.

The tentacle tried to lunge at the two, only to have Rainbow slash its appendages as she protected Fluttershy. As the group fought, Twilight tried to cast her magic, but her mana was being absorbed by the tentacles.

"Oh no. I'm completely useless with those tentacles sapping away my magic!" Twilight exclaimed in fear.

"I thought you knew everything, egghead!" Rainbow said, getting smacked away by the other tentacle.

"Sinspawn are always different, and not one of these kinds of fiends are ever written in any tome or beastiary because they're not common fiends!" Twilight quickly avoided a tentacle's strikes toward her, very evasive for a mare wearing a dress that looked like it should hinder her movements. "And don't call me an egghead!"

"Then let's take out them tentacles first!" They all heard the shell behind them give out a sigh, expelling a foul odor that made them gag and hurt them. "Ugh! And fast!"

Applejack, Spike, and Rainbow Dash, being the only stronger physical attackers, struck down the tentacles. Finally freed from the magic absorbing appendages, Twilight was freely able to cast spells, though she had no idea what spell to cast. It looked like a giant shellfish, though looks can be deceiving if something inside of the shell was something that could absorb an elemental spell she'll accidentally cast and heal the enemy.

"Twilight, don't just stand there! Shoot magic at it!" Rainbow yelled, rushing at the Sinspawn, her sword bouncing off the hard shell.

"I can't just cast black magic like crazy, Rainbow Dash!" she argued, all of them coughing yet again as it breathed out its disgusting stench. "Some fiends may be weak to one element, but they can also absorb or resist other elements, and I don't want to wast my mana for nothing!"

Spike leapt in, stabbing his weapon right through the shell's defences, growling intensely as he began to pry the fiend's shell open to reveal what was inside it. He managed to pop the shell open, revealing a strange plant creature, smaller tentacle hands similar to the larger ones that were already slain.

"Ok, NOW you know!" Rainbow rushed at the Sinspawn again, but the fiend thrust one of its appendages at the pegasus.

One of the tentacles managed to pierce her skin, sending her tumbling back to the others. The moment she stood up, she suddenly felt incredibly ill, her cheeks turning green as she was poisoned by the fiend. Rainbow could barely moving, feeling like she was going to vomit as the poison slowly began to drain away her health.

The others quickly took care of the Sinspawn, smacking it, stabbing it, and blasting Fire spells in its face. Eventually, the dangerous fiend disappeared in a flurry of spirits, leaving behind the craters it made from its appearance. Fluttershy approached the ill pegasus, pulling out a vial of clear liquid from her dress.

"Here, Rainbow Dash. Drink this." She took the antidote, gulping it down in one swig, feeling the poison leave her body instantly. Rainbow cringed at the taste, which was far worse than the potions, but at least her face was healthy again. "I'm sorry I don't know Esuna just yet. I know antidotes taste bad."

"Bleh...The hay is Esuna?" Rainbow coughed, unable to get the horrible aftertaste in her mouth. "And what's a Sinspawn? I heard Applejack say that big jellyfish thing we both fought yesterday was one of those things."

"They are what they're called; the spawn of Sin," Twilight explained, going into another lecture. "They fall off it and are left behind after Sin wreaks havoc. They're very dangerous if left alone. Sin will come back for its spawn, and its destructive rampage will only get worse if they aren't killed."

"...Oh...Well, good thing we took care of the other one in the water too." Rainbow puffed out her chest. "I did most of the damage to that thing. Applejack can back me up on that. Guess that means I can be guardian material, huh?"

"Don't count your cockatrices before they hatch," Twilight said, deflating any praise Rainbow expected as they continued walking up the stairway to the temple.

As they continued up the long stairway, Applejack decided to strike up a conversation. "So, Rainbow, do they have fiends in Zanarkand?"

"Yeah. But it was kind of a big deal, everypony panicking and-" She froze, turning to face the mare. "Wait a minute! When did you start believing me about Zanarkand!?"

"I was thinkin' some things," Applejack said, not noticing the angry expression growing on Twilight's face. "Maybe, if Sin kills somepony, they aren't really dead. Sin might have taken them through time, maybe several years in the future. Then, one day, they might just pop back, like nothin' happened."

Rainbow's eyes widened as she chuckled nervously over the irony of Applejack's theory. "Yeah...That would be a little funny. Heh."

"Oh. Yeah, sure. That sounds logical, Applejack," Twilight said sarcastically, gaining everyone's attention. "Every single time you want to face reality, you have to have some stupid theory about what really happened to Big Mac, when all it ever is is just that! A flawed theory that makes no sense!"

"But, Twilight-" Applejack was immediately silenced as Twilight actually slapped the mare in the face, the sound echoing through the jungle.

"NO!" the upset unicorn shouted, tears welling up in her eyes. "I'm sick of hearing it back in Besaid, and I'm sick of hearing it now! Big Macintosh wasn't 'taken' anywhere! He was CRUSHED by Sin! Nopony can came back to life, especially when their entire body is smashed into a pancake! He can't come back! Big Mac can't come back! And neither can Sir Jet Stream or High Summoner Kindred Heart!"

Smarty Pants suddenly reacted the moment Twilight had mentioned "him", somepony she had known and the others didn't. Before Rainbow could ask who she meant, the unicorn shoved her way past Applejack and the pegasus, stomping up the stairs to the temple, the doll falling off her back. It looked up at the others, shaking its head sadly as it leapt up the stairs after her.

The cyan pegasus turned back to Applejack, the earth pony's hat veiling her eyes as she looked down, a red hoof mark beginning to appear on her cheek. Rainbow was about to ask her if she was ok, but she began to trudge her way up the steps depressingly. Hoping for an answer from Fluttershy, she didn't seem to know what to do either.

Rainbow looked up at the stoic dragon. "Got anything to say, big guy?" Spike just stared at her, offering no change in emotion, or even a grunt. "...Yeah. I thought you'd say that..."

Chapter 11: Kilika Temple

After climbing up the several flights of stone steps, they finally reached the entrance to the temple in Kilika. Rainbow spotted Twilight sulking next to a nearby pillar, her nose buried deep in what looked like a novel. Smarty Pants was trying to cheer her up, but couldn't get her attention. Twilight and Applejack's falling out was already tearing this group apart, mostly affecting Fluttershy. If they don't make up, then Spike would have to pick up the slack, though it didn't seem like he minded as he lived for the thrill of combat.

Up ahead, exiting the temple came a group of ponies wearing what looked like blue and white uniforms for a blitzball team. The one in the center seemed to be the team's captain, a turquoise pegasus mare with an orange and gold striped mane. The trio spotted the Aurochs, smirking as they sauntered over to the team, Applejack's hat tilted over her sad eyes.

"Well, well, well. Look who we have here, boys," the mare said mockingly. "If it isn't the worst blitzball team on the face of Spira. The Besaid Losers." The three laughed at them, the Aurochs sneering at the team. "You guys come here to pray? To 'do your best' again? What's the best you losers even got anyway!?"

"Hey, back off, you jerk!" Rainbow stepped forward. "This year, the Aurochs are going to win while you guys will be the losers!"

"...And who are you?" The mare looked over Rainbow's shoulder and at the depressed earth pony captain. "What's the matter, Applejack? Too much pride to speak to me while you have some newbie talk for you? You and the Aurochs don't stand a chance against the Luca Goers. Always losing to us in the first match, just to warm us up for the real competition."

"I said back off!" Rainbow headbutted the pegasus, glaring angrily at the insulting mare. "We're having a rough day, and you don't seem to give a flying feather about sportsponyship! You mess with my team, you'll be dealing with me!"

The mare slugged Rainbow hard in the face, knocking the pegasus down to the ground. "You might as well just quit while you're ahead, rookie. The Luca Goers are the greatest blitzball team you'll ever know. You're all going to be humiliated in front of all of Spira once you set hoof in the sphere."

Lightning kicked dirt in Rainbow's face, the Goers laughing at them as they headed down the stairs and back to Kilika. The pegasus got back up, rubbing her sore cheek as she leered at the heartless team.

"Stupid jerks..." Fluttershy healed her bruised face as the pegasus seethed with anger. "Putting others down like that as if they were spoiled gods being worshiped...They're worse than my dad."

"B-But Sir Jet was a kind and gentle stallion. He was never like that," Fluttershy said.

"Pth. Not my Jet." Rainbow sulked, hating having to be reminded of her father by somepony else who acted all high and mighty like he acted.

After a while of waiting for Twilight and Applejack to calm down from their argument, the group entered Kilika Temple. The Aurochs began to pray around the main hall, but Rainbow didn't feel it was right to do something this superstitious. She was still mad at Lightning Dust after hearing her making fun of a team that always played their hardest, even if they lost many times. At least she was only a nuisance in Zanarkand for showboating a few times, never once showing any disdain toward any other teams she played against before that lost more than won any matches. She at least respected her opponents unlike that braggart.

She looked over at the entrance to the Cloister of Trials for the temple, Fluttershy and her guardians not going in. She got her answer as to why when two ponies walked out of the entrance, a summoner and a guardian. The guardian was quite obviously the incredibly buff white pegasus stallion, his wings too tiny to even lift him off the ground with his bulky muscles rippling out of his limbs and chest. The summoner was an odd case: she was a blue unicorn mare with a blueish-silver mane, wearing a lavender cape and hate littered with blue stars. The mare noticed Fluttershy, walking down the steps with her bulky guardian following her.

"Well, if it isn't High Summoner Kindred Heart's daughter," she said. "What an honor."

"Who are you?" Fluttershy asked the mare.

"You are in the presence of The Great and Powerful Summoner, Trixie Lulamoon. And this is my guardian, Bulk Biceps." Trixie pointed at the stoic pegasus stallion, Rainbow staring at him and wondering how he got so muscular. Trixie looked at the other three ponies near the pegasus summoner, as well as the overprotective dragon eyeing her. "Hmm...Trixie seems to count four other guardians. Last Trixie heard, your father only had two guardians, and Trixie only has need of one guardian. Right, Bulk Biceps?"

"YEEEEEEEEEEEEEAH!" the stallion yelled, flexing his muscles while snorting out air from his nostrils.

"It's not a competition, Trixie," Fluttershy said. "I only have as many guardians as there are ponies, or dragons, I can trust. I think it's a blessing to have so many guardians I can trust with my life, knowing they can protect me no matter what happens...But I won't question how you go about your pilgrimage." Trixie scoffed, ignoring the young summoner's words. "Now, please leave us and continue with your pilgrimage...if you don't mind."

"Hmph. Trixie does not care. Let's go, Bulk." Trixie left the temple with her guardian in tow.

Even though Rainbow Dash wasn't considered a guardian by the others, Fluttershy viewed her as one. Guardians were supposed to protect their summoners, meaning there had to be some trusting bond they had to have as they journeyed across Spira. She looked back at the yellow pegasus, who was looking at her awkwardly, brushing her hoof against the stone floor in bashfulness.

They soon headed into the entrance to the Cloister of Trials, stepping onto the elevator heading down to the actual test. As Rainbow stepped on, Spike immediately pushed the pegasus off.

"Ahh! Hey!" She turned around, leering at the silent dragon despite how terrifying he was. "What was that for!?"

"Sorry. You're not a guardian yet," Fluttershy responded, Twilight and Applejack still staying silent. "Don't worry, Rainbow Dash. We'll be back soon."

"Oh sure, like tomorrow soon?" The elevator went down as they disappeared down below. "Great. More waiting, and eventually, I'm going to wait a whole day, barge inside, and get scolded by everypony for trying to save her."

"They actually left you behind?" Rainbow turned around, finding Trixie and Bulk Biceps behind her. "Trixie actually feels sorry for you."

"I'm not a guardian, so I'm not allowed down there. That's the rule, right?" Behind the pegasus mare, the elevator rose back up to their level.

"Not a guardian, huh?" Trixie looked at Bulk Biceps, motioning her head toward Rainbow Dash, obeying her silent command.

Before she could react, Rainbow was picked up by the buff pegasus stallion, getting tossed onto the elevator. "OW! Hey!"

"Have fun down there." Before she could try and escape, the elevator began to slowly descend to the Cloister of Trials. Rainbow flew up to confront Trixie, only for the unicorn to cast a barrier around the opening, making her smack into it and fall back down to the moving platform. "No escaping! If you want to be a guardian, you have to always be with your summoner!"

The unicorn laughed as Rainbow Dash reached the bottom. "Oh great...Everypony is going to kill me..." Having no choice since she saw the barrier still blocking her only way out, she had no choice but to go through the trial and face the music. "Hopefully they'll believe me when I tell them Trixie threw me down here..."

It was no or never, either going the the Cloister of Trials and getting yelled at sooner, or just waiting by the entrance near the elevator for almost a day to be scolded later. Rainbow entered a room where a doorway was blocked off, a circular recess next to the door that could fit a sphere. Luckily, there was a sphere in the room resting on a pedestal, glowing red and emitting flames like a makeshift torch. She grew cautious as she reached out to grab the sphere, quickly removing it to avoid the flames, but the fire only seemed to be an illusion.

Wondering what the Kilika spheres are supposed to do, she placed the sphere next to the door, an orange light flowing down to the underside of the door, setting it on fire. The flames burned brightly, somehow revealing a flaming cell wall in place of the destroyed door, still blocking her path. Taking the sphere out, the fire disappeared, giving her access to the next room. Inside this room were three empty recesses on the walls with a mobile pedestal that held a Glyph sphere.

Rainbow groaned in annoyance as she encountered a dead end, completely clueless to where she needed to go and what to do next. Just by taking a wild guess, she placed the Kilika sphere in her mouth into the center recess, the flames igniting the wall. To her surprise, it managed to reveal a scorched glyph on the wall. Grinning at her stroke of luck, she took the sphere out and placed it on one of the side recesses, dousing the flames blocking the glyph. Heading back to the wall, she touched the glyph and made the wall rise up, another pathway into another room that had roaring flames spewing out from the lower walkway leading to another blocked door.

"Heh. I'm a genius with these puzzles," Rainbow said to herself. "Maybe they're not as bad as I expected them to be."

As she walked into the next room, her grin of success turned to a frown, the flames so intense that there was no way for her to even fly over them. Even if they're an illusion, it still felt like a real fire roaring in the small ditch. Rainbow followed the lights where the fire's source was coming from, which came from an indent in the wall on the right, a Kilika sphere activating the barricade of flames, along with three empty ones up above that don't have any spheres in them.

Taking the one sphere out, she expected the flames to die out, but they were still burning strong. Grumbling in thought as she scratched her head, she looked back at the wall, noticing that the wall looked like a doorway that could be opened. And conveniently enough, there was a Glyph sphere in the other room that might open it up. Heading back, she placed the Kilika sphere in the empty recess that was left available, taking the Glyph sphere from the pedestal and went back into the fire room.

Placing the sphere in the wall, just as she predicted, it rose up and blocked the spherical indents up above, extinguishing the flames blocking her way. Now with nothing blocking her way, Rainbow flew back to grab a Kilika sphere, inserting it next to the door to burn it away. She could see a stairway leading up, the end of the Cloister being this doorway. Taking out the sphere to expel the flames, she walked down the path, but as soon as she reached the stairs, the sphere disappeared from her mouth as she tried to take it with her.

Figuring it was only meant to be used inside the temple only, Rainbow Dash didn't question how it worked. All she cared about was making it through the maze of puzzles that lead up to the Chamber of the Fayth. As soon as she entered the room, the other three guardians glared at her.

"Are you kidding me!?" Twilight shouted. "Again! You did this again!"

"Hey, don't blame me! Blame Trixie and her steroid injected bodyguard! They trapped me down here, and I couldn't get back up!" They still kept their angered expressions, not believing the pegasus. "Oh come on! I'm telling the truth!"

"Even if you are, which I highly doubt, Fluttershy is going to face serious consequences when she gets out of the Chamber of the Fayth!" Groaning in frustration, Twilight headed back to her spot, staring angrily at the book she was reading. Rainbow expected Smarty Pants to run at her to try and smack her in the snout of punch her forelegs, but surprisingly, the doll only seemed to look at its owner in sadness. "She might get excommunicated for this happening. Twice! Do you ever think about the rules, or do you just like to break them whenever you feel like becoming a delinquent!?"

"I don't know the rules!" Rainbow argued back. "It's not my fault this keeps happening! Back in Besaid, I was doing something nopony else was doing to help Fluttershy, and this time was by complete accident because of Trixie! What was I supposed to do!?"

"Wait outside the Cloister of Trials, so none of the precepts can be broken!?" Twilight slammed her book closed, her horn sparking up, threatening to shoot a spell at the pegasus. "Do you ever think before you act!?"

"Chill out, Twilight! It's not like I'm hurting anypony!" Twilight growled as she was ready to incinerate Rainbow Dash. Before she could shoot a spell, Spike firmly gripped the unicorn's horn, dispelling her spell she was about to cast as she forced her to lay down. It was surprising to see the dragon was actually saving her, trying to calm the disgruntled unicorn before she exploded, literally and figuratively. "Sheesh. What is wrong with you? You get mad at just about everything."

Twilight growled, quickly silenced as Spike began to give the mare a massage to calm her stress. She was still frustrated, but she wasn't going to try and blast Rainbow to smithereens. With the room now silent, the pegasus could hear the hymn again, this time sung by a masculine voice echoing in the chamber. She sat next to Applejack, not wanting to risk getting yelled at by Twilight...again.

"Ya know, Fluttershy really will get in trouble," Applejack said.

"Nopony else in the temple even knows I'm really a guardian. Trixie thought I was, so what's the point?" Applejack just shook her head, still considered wrong even if nopony else even knew. As they waited, Rainbow tapped her hoof impatiently after about ten minutes, looking at the door leading to the inside of the chamber. "So, what exactly is this 'fayth'? Is it in that room?"

"Eyup," the blitzball captain responded. "The fayth were ponies who willingly gave their spirits to Faust to fight Sin. Their souls are trapped in statues in those rooms. When a summoner comes around, their spirit turns into an aeon, heeding the call of the pony who calls them." Rainbow nodded her head, understanding how the aeons are called. "Only summoners can enter these chambers. It's considered taboo for guardians to enter with them."

"...Thanks for telling me that now. I would have broken more rules, huh?" Rainbow chuckled, only to be smacked in the face by one of Twilight's books.

After another half hour, the chamber's door opened up, Fluttershy stumbling out, looking greatly exhausted. She noticed Rainbow Dash, and unlike the others, she wasn't upset at him for following them inside. While the guardians tended to the tired pegasus mare, Rainbow was feeling conflicted as her ears twitched, hearing the hymn's tone echo around them. There had been so many similarities between Spira and Zanarkand, and the ones that made her feel homesick were this song that kept repeating constantly in the temples and blitzball still being around.

As the party left the temple, nopony was any the wiser when they saw Fluttershy leave with her guardians, Rainbow technically not one of them. They might not have seen any rules broken, but the moody unicorn, the blitzball captain, and the silent dragon knew they would eventually suffer the consequences with their summoner. Trixie and Bulk Biceps are nowhere to be found, having left as soon as they heard Rainbow enter the Cloister of Trials. When they exited the temple's hall and Fluttershy was surrounded by her adoring fans, it made the blitzball playing pegasus flashback to her own fame in Zanarkand.

They were about to head down the steps to head back to the village, but Rainbow stopped, feeling so much anger boiling to a breaking point. It's been nearly a week since she was forced to travel a thousand years in the future, her home in Zanarkand gone and never able to return. She's being treated like an unintelligent pony because of the "toxin" lie she had to keep spewing just to avoid being whip-lashed verbally by very religious ponies. Any questions she actually asks makes her feel stupid, especially when Twilight has to lecture her like she constantly failed a test given out every single day. She wants to know about the world, but everyone puts her down because of her lack of knowledge in this horrible world she lives in now.

Not to mention knowing that her father, Jet Stream, who had disappeared from Zanarkand ten years ago, was actually in this timeline throughout those same years. He was Fluttershy's father's guardian, he was considered a kind stallion when nopony else knew how much pain he made her suffer through as a filly. He just can't stay out of her mind, his insults and mockery toward his own daughter constantly echoing in her head, which only made them worse when Lightning Dust behaved just like the stallion.

Fluttershy paused, noticing the pained expression on the cyan pegasus's face. "Rainbow Dash? Are you ok?" She shook her head, gritting her teeth. "...What's wrong?"

"...I...I feel like screaming at the top of my lungs..." A moment of silence had passed, then Rainbow reached that breaking point, seeing her father laughing at her in her mind. "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"

Everypony present had turned in surprise as they heard the pegasus yell out in frustration, her voice echoing out to the jungle as flocks of birds fled from the noise. It didn't really help quell her anger much, still feeling a burning hatred to the stallion who ruined her foalhood, ruining any chance for her to ever be truly happy. Being in Spira didn't help matters, only making them worse. Her life will never get better, no matter what she tries.

Chapter 12: Reconciliation

Day turned to evening, the group making it back to Kilika safely and immediately boarded the next ferry to Luca on a new ship called the S.S. Winno. It seemed more passengers were on board this ship, though it was going to be a rough ride as the ship will arrive in Luca by tomorrow morning. Not only was tension running high between Rainbow Dash and Twilight, but there was more backlash on the Aurochs when all of the Luca Goers were on the same boat. It was going to be a long night, and she had no clue if she would ever get anymore sleep now.

Rainbow leaned against the wall inside the cabins, wanting to be left alone as she tried to calm herself down. If Spike liked her better, she would have asked him for the same massage he gave Twilight back in Kilika temple. Though it didn't seem like it worked for the unicorn, she did seem a little more relaxed. What she couldn't figure out was why she didn't like her, aside from lack of knowledge of how this world works, and who else Twilight was talking about. Smarty Pants was supposed to show similar emotions to how Twilight was feeling, but instead of lashing out, the doll was more depressed than mad.

Heaving out a sigh, she decided to head out on deck to get some fresh air. When she opened the door, she heard a yelp as she accidentally smacked the door into somepony's face. Peeking around the door, she accidentally hit a brown earth pony stallion with a suavely combed black mane, carrying a saddlebag filled to the brim with many different items.

"Oh gosh. Sorry." Rainbow helped the stallion up as he rubbed his sore forehead. "I didn't know anypony was behind the door."

"No worries, miss," he assured. "This boat is quite crowded. Hard to find a place to rest, especially when the  tournament in Luca is coming up. Great for business." The stallion bowed to Rainbow Dash. "Filthy Rich's the name. Selling wares from potions to weaponry, and all sorts of miscellaneous items for your everyday needs."

"Oh. You're a salespony?" she asked.

"A traveling merchant. I'm hoping my daughter will continue passing down our family's trade to her children, and so on and so forth. She's elsewhere in Spira at the moment, but she's a tough little filly. Probably around your age, maybe a few years younger." Filthy took off his bags, opening up his endless satchels of wares. "Anything you may be interested in?"

Curious, Rainbow Dash looked around at what was inside to see what he had. So far, nothing seemed to catch her eye, until she found some kind of red, fuzzy ball attached to a string of yarn, connected to something buried under the wares. She carefully lifted it up, holding a strange, white furred plush doll. It had a red nose, its eyes closed, and on its back were a pair of bat wings, which seemed odd at first, but it looked kind of cute.

"Uhh...what kind of stuffed bear is this?" the pegasus asked.

"Ahh. That's actually a Moogle doll," Filthy explained. "Moogles, as I've heard, once used to exist in Spira thousands of years ago, but it was all just a myth. They a mysterious creatures that might hold magic nopony else knows, and despite their tiny appearance, they're stronger than they seem. That, and fillies can't get enough of how cute they look. Care to buy one? They'll go fast as soon as we reach Luca."

"Hmmm..." Rainbow pondered, looking over the plush creature. "...How much is it?"

After making her purchase, Rainbow headed up to the deck, carrying a small present on her back. The moment she walked out, smelling the salty ocean air, she spotted Fluttershy speaking with some of the Luca Goers, one of them being Lightning Dust, Spike watching them from a distance.

"You actually believe that newbie player?" she overheard Lightning say to Fluttershy.

"What's going on?" Rainbow made her presence known, the Goers smirking at the pegasus.

"And here's the idiot of the century, right on cue." The rival team circled the pegasus, Lightning getting up in her face. "So, anymore words you want to say about how you'll win the cup?"

"You have no idea how good I am, Lightning. Unlike you, I actually respect the enemy team, but you're team is becoming an exception," Rainbow said.

"She's right," Fluttershy spoke up, gaining their attention. "Rainbow Dash was the star player of the Zanarkand Wonderbolts!"

"What?" The team began to snicker while Rainbow tried to tell the summoner to stay quiet.

"It's true. And Zanarkand does exist!" she kept persisting. "It's a big city with lots of lights and buildings!"

"...Hmph. Whatever you say, Lady Summoner." The Luca Goers began to head down into the cabins, Lightning shoving Rainbow Dash aside, nearly dropping her present.

As soon as they were gone, the Aurochs heading up to practice a little more, Rainbow approached Fluttershy. "They hay are you doing?"

"They were being rude to you," Fluttershy said. "But I believe Zanarkand really does exist. Your father's told me everything about it...I want to see it for myself one day, and see your home."

"...Sure." Fluttershy grinned, unaware of the sarcasm in Rainbow's voice. She walked around a bit, not only to find Twilight, but also to calm her nerves while imagining the scenario of her and Fluttershy actually heading to her home in Zanarkand. "'Here we are, Flutters. My house; nothing but rubble and debris, with a hint of water to really give it that mushy texture under your hooves.' Urgh...I hate this..."

"This is all your fault, Applejack." Rainbow's ears perked up as she heard Twilight on the upper deck. She crept up the stairs and crouched low, overhearing the conversation the two were having. "Because of Rainbow Dash, we had two very close calls to having Fluttershy's family legacy die before her journey even began."

"Ah wanted to help her, Twilight. What was Ah supposed to do?" She received an icy glare from the unicorn.

"Leave her to drown in the ocean," Twilight said coldly. "And to make matters worse, she's actually the daughter of Sir Jet Stream."

"Is she really his daughter?" Applejack asked, receiving a blank stare from the unicorn.

"...Seriously?" Seeing her partner was still confused, she groaning in annoyance, pulling out a book and flipping through the pages. She held out the illustration of Jet Stream, noting out all the similar features he and Rainbow had. "It's obvious the two are related! The only way anypony can have this kind of similar hair color is if they were genetically passed down! Clearly, they're like twins!"

"Oh..." Twilight put the book away, almost wanting to smack the mare with it.

"And the ironic thing is that she hates him. Fluttershy wants Rainbow Dash to be her guardian, yet she has no clue what the hay she's doing." The unicorn sat down, holding Smarty Pants in her hooves. "...Even if we do say no, it's up to her if she wants her to join us...She's just going to make things complicated."

"Maybe ya should just ease up on Rainbow," Applejack considered to the angry mage. "She's tryin' to remember everythin' because of Sin's toxin messin' with her head."

"And oddly enough, she shows no symptoms of the toxin's effects, yet she claims to have it. When one is afflicted by it, they act out like wild animals, even if they're told the truth about certain events that had happened to them, but she hasn't behaved that way at all!" Rainbow cringed as she heard Twilight slam her hooves into the deck. "...She just has to keep bringing back memories I want to suppress...I wish she never arrived in Besaid at all..."

Having had enough, Rainbow stepped up to reveal herself, walking up to the unicorn. "...Look, I know you don't like me. If you think it's the toxin, then fine. Just don't treat me like an idiot. I'm sorry if I keep making you miserable, but I don't mean to do any of that. I'm just doing what I think is right, asking questions to things I don't know, and helping ponies when I THINK they actually need it when nopony else does." Ignoring the hateful glare, Rainbow dropped the present down in front of her. "I've had a pretty crappy week, and a miserable life as a filly with my dad being a prick to me and my mom. I wanted to give you something to make up for my stupidity and any mistakes I made that ticked you off...Maybe start everything over and actually be friends..."

Minutes had passed as Rainbow sat before the two mares, Twilight eyeing the gift sitting before her and Applejack watching the two. After what almost felt like an eternity, the unicorn dragged the present closer, untying the bow and lifting up the lid. Her eyes widened as she pulled out the Moogle plushie, which happened to be the same size as Smarty Pants. The old doll seemed excited, either meaning Smarty Pants had a new friend or Twilight actually appreciated the gift, she just didn't show it on the outside. Rainbow thought she didn't like it, but they shifted as she saw the unicorn cast a spell on the plush, the Moogle doll now animated and began to move on its own.

It stretched its limbs as if it had just woken up from its slumber, looking around at the mares in confusion. It looked down at Smarty Pants, gently set to the ground and approached its new friend. The two shook each other's paw/hoof and began running around, playing with each other. Twilight looked up at Rainbow, though it was hard to tell if she was able to accept her apology.

"...I always wanted a Moogle doll when I was a filly," she finally said. "...Maybe I have been a bit...harsh."

"And too serious about everything," Rainbow chimed, receiving a glare from the unicorn, which faded away as quickly as it came.

"...Alright, Rainbow Dash...I'm willing to let your ignorance of Spira slide, but I'm still cross with you for disobeying the precepts." Rainbow groaned, never going to live those moments down when one of them was forced upon her. "...Thanks for the Moogle."

"No problem...So, who else did you mention back in Kilika when you blew up about Sin not bringing anypony back?" Rainbow's pressing only gave her that same glare again. "Alright, alright, I get it...Too personal. Sorry. Though, what about you and Applejack's brother? What chemistry did you two have?"

"You're pushing it, Rainbow Dash," Twilight warned, now having both Smarty Pants and the Moogle glaring at the pegasus with the same intensity that she was.

"Oh great. You even have MY gift to you staring at me like that! And it has no eyes!" Rainbow heard Applejack stifling her laughter, ignoring the earth pony. "Urgh. Whatever. We're cool now. That's all that matters to me."

As she flew off the deck, the two toys went back to playing with each other, leaving the two guardians to themselves. "That was nice of her to do that. Though Ah don't see why ya like them Moogles."

"They're mythical creatures, rumored to have existed once many years ago." Twilight dragged the Moogle closer to her, petting the fuzzy antenna on its head. "I couldn't get one as a filly, since they were really expensive back in Bevelle...That's why he...made me Smarty Pants..." She held it close to her chest, feeling tears well up in her eyes. "...Darn it...She keeps bringing back memories..."

Applejack didn't want to get Twilight upset further as much as she wanted to ask who she was talking about. Ever since the two had met years ago, she never revealed anything about her past, always being reclusive and focused on her studies. She sighed as she looked up at the stars, thinking about the fond memories she had with her brother.

While the two reminisced and what positive memories they had, Rainbow Dash trudged along the deck, pacing around the bow of the ship. The Aurochs took a break from practicing, the pegasus noticing a lone blitzball sitting by itself. She began remembering some memories too, though they were never happy when it came to blitzball.

At Rainbow Dash's boat home in Zanarkand, the filly placed a blitzball down in front of her, backing up to take a running start. She crouched low and ran toward it, but as soon as she was about to kick it, she tripped on her hooves, sliding across the deck until she stopped a few centimeters away from the ball.

"What do you think you're doing?" The filly sneered, turning her head to look at her father, Jet Stream. He smirked, having watched her trip and fail to kick the ball. "Still trying to pull off MY move?"

"Shut up," she muttered.

"You know, I charge for lessons, kid. But, since you're my daughter, you're unfortunately an exception." Rainbow growled as her father shoved her aside, going to show off again.

The stallion stood up on his hind legs and began to pull off his signature move. He kicked the ball, making it bounce off the front of the small home/vessel and back to him. As it returned, her punched it with a forehoof, then headbutting it hard as it rebounded and curved up high into the air. Jet leapt up high in the air, without using his wings, spinning around rapidly like a top, his rainbow tail making it look like a blurred ring of color around his waist. He slowed down as the ball began to descend, kicking the ball hard with perfect accuracy, the force so powerful it caused a small shockwave of prismatic light from the impact, a rainbow trail sailing off over the ocean as the ball disappeared in the distance.

Jet Stream landed back down on the ground, cracking his neck as he turned to look at his unamused daughter. "Don't bother trying. You'll just get yourself hurt." He approached the filly, giving her a hard noogie. "I'm the best blitzball player around. Nopony else can match my skill, not even my own flesh and blood."

He laughed as he went back inside, making Rainbow angry as he was going to impress her mother by bragging about his special shot. Growling, she grabbed another ball and tried to copy his technique, only to have the ball hit her face when it bounced back at her.

As that humiliating memory faded from her mind, Rainbow approached the blitzball, facing the bow of the ship as she stood on her hind legs. As she stared at the ball, she didn't notice the Aurochs, including Applejack, and Fluttershy were heading toward the bow, all of them watching the pegasus. The latter of the group gasped, remembering the way Jet Stream had stood when he once showed her his unique blitzball shot.

In her mind, Rainbow could hear her father's voice ring in her head, throwing the same insults she received when she tried to practice playing blitzball. Her ears twitched as she used his words as fuel, wanting to prove to Jet that she's better than he was. After so many years trying to perfect his technique, tonight was going to be the night she would finally pull it off.

Rainbow kicked the ball, sending it bouncing off the front of the ship and back to her. She punched it, just like Jet had, bouncing back and leapt up to headbutt it. The blitzball curved up and soared high into the air, following the momentum of the moving ship. Rainbow then leapt up into the air and spun around rapidly. She began to ignore Jet's mocking words as the ball began to fall, slowing her spiraling as it got closer. With perfect accuracy, she struck the ball hard with her hind leg, the impact creating a rainbow shockwave that lit up the night sky as the blitzball was sent flying across the sea, a rainbow trail following in its wake.

As she fell back down to the boat, the pegasus watched the ball disappear on the horizon, successful in pulling off her father's special shot. Her shock soon turned to joy, her giggling turning into uproarious laughter as she celebrated, showing her dad what for if she ever met him again.

"Who's the best now, huh!?" The pegasus began a victory dance, unaware of the audience watching her, still shocked at the incredible move. "Aww yeah! I'm awesome! I'm the bestest! I'm the mare! Who's the best!? Me, me, me-!" As soon as she had turned around in the Aurochs' and Fluttershy's direction, she stopped her dance, awkwardly sitting down as her cheeks turned pink in embarrassment. "...Uhh...how long have you guys been standing there?"

"How long have ya'll been hidin' THAT from us!?" Applejack tossed a blitzball at Rainbow, quickly catching it. "Ya gotta teach us that! What is it called?"

"...Uhhh...I don't have a name for it," Rainbow lied. "But with enough practice, anypony can pull it off."

As she was about to show off Jet's move, Rainbow noticed Fluttershy had watched her as well. After pulling it off again perfectly, the Aurochs began imitating each individual step, but as they leapt up and spun around, they all got dizzy and crashed to the deck. While the stallions kept practicing, despite so many failed attempts, the young blitzball player walked up to Fluttershy, who began giggling.

"That was a good victory dance." Rainbow blushed, wishing she didn't showboat in front of an audience she DIDN'T want to have right now. "That was the Jet Shot, wasn't it?"

"...Yeah...He showed you back then, didn't he?" Rainbow asked, to her dismay.

"Mhmm. He called it the 'Supremely Epic Jet Shot Mark III'," Fluttershy said. "I always wondered why."

"Cause he wanted to psyche you up if you want to see 'Mark I' and 'Mark II' when he plays. It's a stupid name, and everypony just ate it up...even my mom believed it..." Rainbow leaned over the railing, looking out toward the sea, Fluttershy joining her. "...Hey, Fluttershy? Do you really think my dad's still alive?"

"I'm not sure," she said. "Sir Jet Stream was my father's guardian, and everypony knows him too."

The cyan pegasus groaned, her dad being just as popular here as he was in Zanarkand. "Don't you find it a little difficult to have your dad's legacy resting on your shoulders? Everypony expected me to be just like my dad when I was a filly, and I didn't want to end up like that drunk, egotistical moron."

"...Don't you ever miss him?" Fluttershy asked.

"Of course not!" Rainbow shouted. "If I ever saw him again after a decade, I'd pop him in the nose! Hard! Even after everything he had done to me and my mom! She didn't see through his ruse, but I did: he always gets drunk when he doesn't play, he actually cheats on my mom when she's not aware of where he's been late at night, and he makes fun of me! His own daughter!

"Whatever illusion of a stallion you saw in him when he wound up here, you shouldn't have ever believed him! He's a liar! He's a drunk! And he's the worst father I ever had!" She sulked, hanging her upper body over the rail as she stared angrily at the calm ocean water.

Fluttershy rested her hoof on the mare's shoulder. "Ponies can change." Rainbow stood back up, staring at the summoner like she was crazy. "If your dad was as bad as you said he was, and he was different when he came to Spira...he might have seen the error of his ways."

"...Hmph," Rainbow grunted. "If my dad actually changed, that'll be the day I turn into a unicorn."

She was then struck by a blitzball, hitting the mare hard in the back of the head. "Hey, RD! Show us that move again!"

"How about you quit hitting me with that blitzball!?" Grabbing the ball, Rainbow threw it back at Applejack. She turned back to Fluttershy, her mind struggling to side with either her thoughts or the yellow pegasus's. Spira was far different from Zanarkand, and she doubted that Jet Stream would have changed his ways. "...I'm gonna go and get some practicing in."

"Ok. Just don't do that victory dance again if you score a goal tomorrow." Fluttershy giggled as Rainbow blushed heavily, the mare turning away and ran back to the Aurochs to continue training.

"That was so embarrassing," she uttered as she grabbed a free blitzball and continued honing her father's shot, intending on using it for the tournament tomorrow.

Chapter 13: The City of Blitz, Luca

Rainbow Dash woke up bright and early, right as the sun was rising into the sky. As soon as she crept out of the cabins and onto the deck, she flew up to the top of the mast, watching Luca come up close as the ship headed for the docks. She stared in awe at the city, spotting the stadium stationed near the harbor. She could hear the announcers' voices reverberate all across the city as they introduced the beginning of the tournament. She was able to see water shooting up in the center of the stadium, filling up the sphere with water in what she figured was considered the old fashioned way.

She did find it a bit odd. When filling up the sphere, and keeping the water contained in its shape, they had to use machines in order to keep it stable and fill it up. If machina, as weird as a term it was for Rainbow to say, let alone think, are supposed to be illegal to use because it brought Sin, then how was it that Luca seemed to be completely unharmed? As much as she wanted to know, she didn't want to keep making the "toxin" excuse if she asked. The ship was about to dock at second numbered dock, where she heard the announcers a lot more clearly, everypony on the ship getting up and ready to disembark.

"Good morning, Spira!" the first one, a stallion, said loudly. "Today is a beautiful day for a blitzball tournament here in Luca, and boy have we got a good day for one! I'm your host, Echo!"

"And I'm Reverb," a second announcer chimed in, also a stallion, though a lot more calmer than his co-host. This year's blitzball tournament is sponsered by Faust, as we celebrate the 50th anniversary of Maester Star Swirl's leadership throughout all of Spira."

"Wow! Fifty whole years, and the stallion's still kicking! And it looks like we have the rest of our teams arriving in from Kilika down at dock number two!" As Echo commentated, a sphere recording everything for all of Spira to see showed the teams that are disembarking. "Coming straight from Kilika, we have the Kilika Beasts making their way off the ramp! Unfortunately, folks, Sin attacked Kilika just the other day."

"A tragic event for their hometown," Reverb said. "Hopefully this year, they might win the cup and bring it home to honor their lost friends and family."

"Up next is...the Besaid Aurochs." Echo sounded annoyed as he spoke of the Aurochs, which unnerved Rainbow Dash as she walked off with the team. "I honestly have no clue why this team is still in after over two decades of competing, and not making it past the first round in every tournament. It's amazing to see these guys live out on an island like the Kilika Beasts, yet they suck horsefeathers when it comes to playing in the sphere."

"Oh come on," Rainbow complained. "Are they serious!?"

"Oddly enough, it looks like they got a new team member, and it's not an earth pony," Reverb commented. "The Aurochs might have a new strategy in place this year, adding in a small variety in their lineup."

"Moving on to our very own Luca Goers, coming down the ramp!" The crowd went nuts as the Goers walked down the ramp, waving to their fans. "For the last few years, being lead by Lightning Dust, this team has been dominating every other team! They are quite the favorite not just for Luca, but the rest of Spira as well! Power! Speed! And perfect teamwork!"

"You never know if that streak will run out, Echo," Reverb said to his co-host. "There might be a chance another team will blow the Luca Goers out of the water, however slim it may be."

Rainbow growled as everypony's attention was on the worst team to ever show some respect to other teams. Even if the Besaid Aurochs were that bad, a marvelous feat of losses she had ever head of in forever, that didn't mean nopony should bring them down. The pegasus grabbed a nearby megaphone, flying up on top of some crates to put in her two Gils worth against the Goers.

"Hey, Goers!" She got everypony's attention, including Lightning Dust's. "Don't celebrate just yet! Just you wait! We Aurochs are gonna take the cup this year! So wipe that dumb smirk off your faces and get ready to eat our bubbles!" After saying what she had to say, she leapt down and headed back to her teammates, ignorant of their disappointed stares. "I think that's got them shaking in their stuck up tights."

Applejack pounded the pegasus's head hard, slamming her down to the ground. "What in tarnation did ya go and do that for!?"

"Ow..." Rainbow rubbed the bump beginning to form on her head. "I had to say something to those idiots. They have no respect for us as a competitive team!"

"And ya think actin' out like that's gonna make things right? Ya'll are no better than Lightnin'!" Rainbow scoffed, not caring if she acts like a jerk to the rival team.

"Hey! Maester Star Swirl is here!" somepony said as several others began to head down to the upper class at the third port.

"Who the hay is-" Rainbow's question was interrupted as she was trampled over by Twilight, running off to the docks with the other ponies.

Applejack helped the pegasus back up, staggered in a daze at the excited unicorn's hooves stomping over her. "Oh boy. Twilight's gone off the deep end." Rainbow managed to shake the cobwebs out of her head, hoping somepony will answer her interrupted question. "Maester Star Swirl is the leader of all of Spira. The tournament's bein' held in his honor, bein' Maester for fifty years."

"Fifty? Wow, he must be old...But, why did Twilight run off like that?" Rainbow asked.

"Maester Star Swirl was also a very powerful unicorn mage," Fluttershy answered. "Twilight's a fan of his work."

"...Twilight? Actually excited and happy, not moody?...Did I die, or did that really happen?" Rainbow couldn't believe Twilight, the unicorn that was always grumpy, always angry, was actually fangirlling over somepony who's over a hundred years older than her.

She followed the summoner and her two remaining guardians as they made their way to the third docking bay, where it was a lot more regal than the other four docks, with a red carpet and everything. The ship that was anchored at the port had flags that bared the symbol of what Rainbow imagined to be Faust, their god or goddess everypony seems to worship. As everypony waited, a band began playing music to announce the arrival of the VIPs on board, which happened to be strange creatures the pegasus had never seen before.

The first to show themselves on the ship was an odd looking unicorn walking down the ramp. He had a white coat with light auburn hair, wearing a long blue robe, but the difference between this stallion and a normal pony was how he looked: his forehooves had claws, prominent veins able to be seen on his face, and his  coiffure almost seemed plant-like. Overhearing some of the onlookers ahead of her, this stallion called a Guado, whatever that was supposed to be.

He turned around after disembarking, facing the ship and gave the prayer bow, the others following suit except for Rainbow Dash. Another pony appeared from the ship, this one an older gray unicorn stallion, wearing a blue robe with dozens of stars with a similarly colored wizards cap with the same pattern of stars. He sported an amazingly long white beard, wearing a pair of bifocals on his nose. He descended the ramp and stood before the Guado. Rainbow could see Twilight up near the front of the crowd, watching her jitter in excitement along with her two dolls, which scared the pegasus to see her this happy.

"Ponies of Spira, thank you all for this wondrous welcome," he said, the stallion lifting his hoof up to the Guado pony, asking him to rise, which he obeyed. "Please rise, everypony, as I present to you the son of Maester Orion Guado, who had unfortunately departed to the Farplane a fortnight ago. As of now, he has been ordained as a maester of Faust."

The new maester bowed to everypony as he introduced himself. "I am Blueblood Guado. It is quite the honor to receive this title. I vow to carry on my father's legacy, to ensure the relationship between pony and Guado, and fulfill my duties as maester to the best of my abilities."

Most of the crowd bowed to him, but Rainbow didn't. She couldn't help but feel like something was off about Blueblood, and she shouldn't trust this stallion. Before the maesters left, the Guado locked eyes with Fluttershy for a brief moment, the young summoner looking away in embarrassment. He gave her a grin and followed Maester Star Swirl to the stadium.

In the locker rooms the Besaid Aurochs were set up in, all five of the stallions waited impatiently, almost in fear. They perked up when they heard the door open, only to wilt when it was just Rainbow Dash.

"Wow. Thanks for the welcome guys," she said sarcastically.

"It's not that, Rainbow Dash," one of them said, a heavy stallion named Keepa, who was the team's goalie. "We're a bit on edge at the moment."

"The captain's at the matchups right now," another said, his name Datto, easily recognizable since he didn't have any hair on his head.

"We always keep going against the Goers every year for the past few years, and lost to them," the Auroch with a brown buzz cut said, named Letty, the other two remaining teammates, Jassu, yellow buzz cut, and Botta, red hair, nodded their heads.

"So, that's why you never make it to the finals. That's unfair, always fighting the same team for the first match every year." Rainbow growled, wondering how the officials for the game keep screwing up the match lineup. "No wonder everypony keeps thinking you aren't good."

A moment later, Applejack walked into the locker room, wearing an excited smirk. "Good news, ya'll! We got seeded!" The whole team gasped in surprise. There were only six blitzball teams, meaning only two of the teams, one on each bracket, would only have to win two matches to win the tournament. "And the better news: we ain't goin' against the Goers first! We're up against the Al Bhed Psyches!"

The stallions cheered, finally catching a break this year. Applejack joined her team, only for the locker room door to open back up, Fluttershy storming in and panting heavily.

"R-Rainbow Dash! I'm glad I found you!" she said, almost like she was panicking. "I heard somepony saw Lady Rarity at the cafe here in Luca!"

"R-Rarity!?" the cyan pegasus exclaimed in shock. "Seriously!?"

Having a gut feeling the Rarity Fluttershy was talking about was the unicorn she knew, Rainbow was about to book it out of the locker rooms, only to be held back as someone grabbed her tail.

"Hold on a minute!" Applejack spat out the pegasus's tail. "The match is gonna start soon!"

"AJ, relax," she assured the freaked out earth pony. "You guys can handle the Al Bhed Psyches without me. I'll be back as soon as possible. I want to know if Rarity's actually here."

"Mrf...F-Fine. Just make it quick." Even though Applejack gave Rainbow permission to go, she was really nervous about the match.

Fluttershy went on ahead, passing by a couple team members from the Al Bhed Psyches standing in the hallway. The two stallions eyed the summoner through their goggles.

"Y myto summoner!" one of them exclaimed.

"Fa sicd nabund." Rainbow exited the locker rooms, accidentally bumping into the stallions.

"Sorry...Oh, hey! You guys are the Al Bhed Psyches, right?" Rainbow asked, receiving no response from them. "Ok, last week, I ran into some other Al Bhed who saved me, and there was this mare named Pinkie Pie who gave me food and uhh..." Rainbow realized that they had no clue what she was saying, and she had no idea how to speak Al Bhed. "Umm...you guys don't know what I'm saying...Ok. If you guys see a pink earth pony, who is Al Bhed, with a pink mane that looks like cotton candy, can you tell her I said 'thanks'?" she said, speaking slowly while also miming out what Pinkie's hair looked like to them. No reply still. "Oh, and good luck out there. May the best team win!"

Rainbow ran off to catch up with Fluttershy, leaving the two Al Bhed alone. "Tu oui ghuf fryd cra cyet?" one of them asked their partner.

"Hu etay," the other said, shrugging his shoulders.

"Ok, I have no idea where the hay I'm going." Rainbow Dash wandered around Luca trying to find Fluttershy, having no idea where exactly the city square was supposed to be.

Leaving the stadium's entrance, she headed down to a three way intersection, making her way past the several hundred blitzball fans and locals. In the distance, she could see a building that looked like a theater on the left pathway, and the city proper up ahead. She managed to see Spike, being one of the few dragons that have come to Luca for the tournament, and ironically enough being the only purple one amongst them, which meant Fluttershy had to be nearby.

As luck would have it, the summoner was indeed close to the silent dragon, being interviewed by a reporter. Thankfully, they had just finished up, the reporter and the camerapony leaving to get another scoop. It was so strange to see somepony using a clear sphere to record something, actually growing curious as to how it all works. Fluttershy spotted her among the crowd, waving her down.

"Fluttershy, can you not run off too far from me?" Rainbow asked. "Kinda hard to find out where you are in a new place I've never been in."

"Sorry," Fluttershy apologized, making the cyan mare roll her eyes from her constant apologies. "I was just as excited to know Lady Rarity was here. She was my father's other guardian too."

"'Lady Rarity'? So she was actually from here?" Rainbow muttered to herself, confused as to how Rarity ended up back in time when she actually lived in the time period.

"I think the city's over at the mainland." Fluttershy went on ahead with Spike following her. As she reached the bridge leading to the city, she heard a shrill whistle come from behind her, nearly startling her at the high pitched sound. Turning around, the whistle came from Rainbow Dash, who began giggling at the summoner's surprise. "W-What was that?"

"Back in Zanarkand, pegasi do this to cheer blitz players." Rainbow moved one of her wings, bringing a few feathers up to her lips a certain way, blowing out a whistle similar to the one she made earlier. "We could use this if we ever get lost, like earlier."

"Oh. Ok," Fluttershy said, eager to learn how to do it.

"Ok, just put a couple primaries in your mouth-" Rainbow demonstrated, using the tips of her wings, her voice muffled by her feathers. "-lukhe fifsh." Fluttershy mimicked her, getting a little assistance from Rainbow to blow on the feathers in the right spot. "There, like that. Then you blow."

She tried to recreate the whistle sound, only she ended up puffing out air. "I-I don't think it worked."

"Just keep practicing. Until then, let's just stick together." Fluttershy gave a mock salute with her wing, making the two laugh as they continued on their way to find Rarity.

As they arrived at the square, the whole area was bustling with tourists and blitzball enthusiasts, all of them unable to wait for the matches to start. Shops were selling merchandise, blitzballs, varieties of different snacks, anything a sports fan would need to enjoy a big game.

"Yeesh," Rainbow said, impressed at the size of Luca. "This town is huge. Though it would have been like Besaid or Kilika."

"Luca's actually the second biggest city in Spira," Fluttershy said. "We usually don't want to have big towns. If too many ponies gather..."

"Sin comes and destroys it," Rainbow finished, the young summoner nodding. "Then Luca's not exactly safe, huh?"

"No, but the Crusaders to what they can to protect everypony. Blitzball's the only kind of entertainment we have these days." Rainbow winced, unable to imagine how everypony in Spira can only live on blitzball to distract them from everyday life. It was either work, play, kill fiends, and avoid Sin as soon as the seasons are done. "So, tell me, Rainbow Dash; is Zanarkand like this too?"

"Are you kidding? Zanarkand is way bigger than Luca!" The cyan pegasus lifted her hooves up into the air, hovering off the ground a bit. "The city is massive! Hundreds of skyscrapers as far as the eye could see, thousands of shops and apartment buildings, and the stadium is at least twice as big as the one here in Luca!"

Fluttershy looked up to the sky, imagining how tall the buildings would be from the ground, stumbling a little. "Oh my. That's really high."

"You're a pegasus, remember? You can fly," Rainbow said, reminding the summoner of her appendages tucked against her sides.

"I'm not a strong flyer...I never really learned all that much," she admitted, though not ashamed of her lack of flight. "I prefer the ground, anyway. I just love all the little animals I take care of."

"Yeah. Try taming a fiend, then everypony will be highly impressed." Rainbow chuckled a little at her joke. "Well, let's find this cafe Rarity was seen in. I got a few choice words I need to say to her."

Fluttershy nodded as they searched around for the cafe, Spike following the pegasi, keeping a close eye on them.

The Aurochs were finishing going over their strategies for their match against the Al Bhed Psyches, ready to finally win their first tournament after the team kept losing for over two decades. As Applejack went over the signs she'll give to the anxious stallions, she heard a knock at their locker room door. Wondering what it was, Twilight went up to answer it, only to find what looked like a note slip under the door.

"What's this?" As the unicorn's eyes trailed down the writing, Smarty Pants and the Moogle doll she decided to name Mog early this morning moving their heads along with her eyes, all three staring in horror at what was written. "Applejack, we have a problem."

Twilight hovered the letter over to the captain, her pupils turning to pinpricks as she read through it all. "Oh no...Them cheatin' sons of-"

"Applejack, you have to throw in the match," Twilight said.

"No way in hay am Ah gonna do that! We finally have a chance to win the cup, for once in our lives, and them cheatin' varmints are gonna..." Applejack yelled in anger, tearing the note apart.

"Applejack, don't freak out." Twilight began to pace back and forth as she tried to think of a plan. "...Ok. Maybe you won't have to throw in the match."

"How?" Applejack asked, nearly desperate.

"Do you think you can stall the match long enough until she's absolutely safe? Once I'm with them, I'll shoot a purple light up in the air, signalling you that she's safe and you can go all out and win." Applejack thought for a moment, looking back at her team as they began to fear having to throw the game because of the threatening note.

"...A-Ah think so...But, the Al Bhed Psyches are known to be pretty strong...Ah don't know how much abuse Ah can take out there." Applejack sighed, unsure of Twilight's plan.

"You can pull this off," Twilight assured, patting her friend's shoulder. "We won't let the Al Bhed kidnap Fluttershy."

Chapter 14: Save the Summoner!

Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy found the cafe and entered the establishment. Inside, there were several patrons dining as they watched some clips of previous blitzball matches recorded in the past, filler for the events that will be seen today. Many of them were drinking some of the specials served at the bar, while others placed their bets on who would win the tournament. Unfortunately, there didn't seem to be any sign of the purple haired unicorn mare inside.

"She isn't here," Rainbow said in disappointment. "We must have missed her..."

Fluttershy went around to see if anypony had seen Rarity. Spike walked into the cafe, but as soon as he approached the bar, he began growling as he caught sight of two dragons inside, knowing them. One was a tall red dragon while the other was a slightly shorter, portly brown dragon. They were both taller than the purple dragon as they stood up and approached him.

"Well, well, well. Look who we have here, Clubba," the red one said. "If it isn't the wingless outcast, Spikey."

Clubba guffawed, relishing the anger in Spike's face. "How long has it been, Garble? Ten years? It's been too long, punching bag."

The tubby dragon shoved the smaller dragon, catching Rainbow's attention. "What? You think you're too cool to talk to us, Spike? I'm sure the elder would love to hear how you've been doing living with these namby pamby ponies, being the weakest dragon to ever be hatched."

"The hay is going on?" Rainbow asked, alerting the two bully dragons.

"Oh look! This must be one of Spikey's owners!" The two began laughing at him.

"Spike, you know these guys?" Spike only growled, leering intensely at the two dragons. Rainbow noticed that these two dragons had wings compared to the small stubs on the purple dragon's back. "Well, don't just stand there. Beat the living hay out of them."

Taking the pegasus's advice, Spike bent his knees, ready to fight them. That only made Garble and Clubba laugh harder, only for it to end when Spike punched the both of them in the face.

"Hey! No brawling in my pub! Take it outside!" the manager said, distracting Spike long enough for the two dragons to pounce him and getting the three into a fist fight.

Some of the patrons egged them on, entertaining themselves before the actual matches started. The manager could only groan and shake his head, knowing nothing will stop a dragon fight, letting them deal with the problems themselves with no intervention. Somepony notified the rest of the establishment that the games were about to start, the sphere screens broadcasting the stadium, showing the team captains standing before the maesters.

"Oh great. The match is gonna start." Ignoring what the maesters have to say, she noticed that Applejack looked really worried. "The hay's wrong with Applejack? She's not gonna crack, is she, Flutters?" She waited for a response from Fluttershy, but didn't get one. "...Fluttershy?" She looked around the cafe, finding no sign of the pegasus anywhere. "Fluttershy!?" She was gone. Rainbow only turned away for a second, and she disappeared. "Spike! Fluttershy's gone!"

The dragon lifted his head up in shock, his face sporting bruises from his fight, leaving him open to getting sucker punched by Garble. He crashed into a few tables, the bully dragons cracking their knuckles for some more fighting, but Fluttershy's safety is more important than dealing with them. He ran out of the cafe, ignoring the laughing dragons as Rainbow Dash hurried after him, looking around in a panic for the pegasus summoner.

Twilight ran into the square, spotting the dragon and cyan pegasus. "Rainbow! Spike! Where's Fluttershy!?"

"Ok, before you get mad at me, I only looked away from her for a second, and she was gone!" Rainbow flinched, waiting for a possible physical lashing from the unicorn or one of her two dolls.

"Oh no...They took her already." Rainbow stared at Twilight, greatly confused. "The Al Bhed Psyche kidnapped Fluttershy!"

"What!?" the pegasus exclaimed.

"They want the Aurochs to throw the game if we want her back! They're blackmailing us!" Rainbow growled, stamping her forehooves to the ground.

"You gotta be kidding me! They're cheating!" She pulled out her sword, ready to show the Al Bhed blitzball team a thing or two. "Applejack's not gonna toss their chances to win after getting their one chance to make it to the finals!"

"She won't throw in the towel. Once rescue Fluttershy, I'll signal Applejack so she won't hold back anymore. Let's hurry! They might be holding her hostage on their ship at dock four!" Mog and Smarty Pants nodded their heads, pointing to the stadium.

"Then let's go!" Rainbow led the way as Twilight and Spike followed, only having such a small amount of time before the match between the Besaid Aurochs and the Al Bhed Psyches ended. Running past the crowd, they reached the stadium's entrance, but as soon as they were about to head to the right where docks 4 and 5 were, the way was blocked by several suitcases and crates. "What the hay!? Was this all here before!?"

"They must really be desperate to keep them from winning. We have to go the other way!" Twilight took the lead as the trio were forced to take the long way.

As soon as they arrived at the second dock, strange machines blocked their path, clanking loudly as they walked. "Whoa! The hay are these things!?"

"Machina," Twilight said. "These things are constantly salvaged by the Al Bhed, but they're no problem to me."

"Uhh, they weak against lightning?" Rainbow asked, surprising Twilight at her guess.

"Y-Yes...How did you know their weakness?" she asked the uneducated mare.

"Hey, I'm not dumb. I know when machines get overcharged, they blow up. Learned that the hard way when I zapped a lightning cloud on a light pole in Zanarkand." Rainbow chuckled at the memory. "I kinda got in trouble, but it was worth it to tick my dad off."

They made quick work of the machina, Twilight easily destroying one with a Thunder spell, while Spike and Rainbow Dash double teamed the other. Running past the broken down robots, they were met with two more at the central dock. Repeating the same strategy, they made it to the fourth dock, only this time, there seemed to be several more of them. They weren't that strong, so they didn't do much damage to the party, but they quickly destroyed the machina before being overwhelmed.

"How many of those things did they have?" Rainbow rhetorically asked.

"No idea, but those things are forbidden for a reason." They soon began to hear the game going on on one of the screens above them.

It was already four minutes into the first half, and the scores were tied two-all. This is an incredible match so far, everypony!" Echo announced as they saw Applejack catch the ball that was passed to her. The Aurochs are tied with the Psyches, doing an impressive job and-" As the captain was about to charge in, she was suddenly tackled hard by one of the Al Bhed Psyches, knocking the ball out of her hoof. And again, she was rammed into, her body heavily battered. "OH! A bad hit for Applejack!"

"The referee isn't even calling a foul on that," Reverb said. "Applejack does not look good folks. It's like the entire team is out to get this poor mare, and with it being her last year in her career, she's gonna be walking home with broken bones."

Applejack went limp as the time reached the five minute mark, an alarm blaring to signal the end of the first half. "And saved by the bell, too. Hopefully Applejack will have enough time to recover after getting smacked around like a ragdoll," Echo said. "Don't go away, Spira. We will be back in a few to commentate on the second half, an exciting match for those who are still loyal to the Besaid Aurochs with their losing streak."

"She does not look good," Rainbow said. "She's gotta hang in there for the second half."

"...She won't last much longer." Rainbow stared at Twilight, finding it rude for her to say something like that to her friend/partner. Looking down the docks, they saw the Al Bhed ship as it began to take off. "They're leaving!"

"I don't think so!" Rainbow flew on ahead while Twilight leapt on Spike's back, his speed far faster than hers.

The cyan mare made it with ease thanks to her flight, and Spike had made it just as the ship had set sail out to the ocean, leaping off the ramp and landing on the deck. Twilight leapt off the dragons back as they were prepared to fight off the kidnappers. Instead of ponies, they were facing a machina that began to rise up from the inside of the ship, and it looked like a dangerous blitzball shooting machine.

"Ok, this is not good," Twilight said, greatly worried. "There's no way we can stop something like this."

Rainbow looked around, spotting a crane sitting next to her. It looked like the same one she saw on Pinkie's ship, a little disappointed yet also glad this wasn't her ship. She pressed a few buttons, but it wasn't active.

"Darn it. Hey, Twi, you think you can give this thing some juice!?" Twilight noticed the crane, deep in thought as to how it would do anything to the machina.

Her train of thought was lost when the mares and dragon were suddenly shot at by a barrage of blitzballs, knocking them over and almost off the ship. "Urgh...I don't know how that's gonna work, but whatever you have planned, go for it. Just cover me until then!"

"On it! Let's go, dragon boy!" Rainbow and Spike protected Twilight as she began to cast Thunder spells on the crane while the defenders alternated guarding the unicorn and attacking the mobile blitzball machine.

With each jolt of lightning shot down on the device, it whirred to life a little, but it wasn't active just yet. Rainbow and Spike were being constantly hit by dozens of blitzballs, coming from some endless source inside it. After five total Thunder spells, the crane finally came to life and stayed on, humming and shaking with its engine slightly fueled. Twilight hurried over to the control panel, but was absolutely clueless as to how this thing worked.

"Uhh...Darn it," she uttered. "Machina's forbidden, and there's never been a tome written in Equish that explains how to operate these things. If only I learned the Al Bhed language!"

"Here, move over!" Rainbow quickly shoved Twilight out of the way, pressing a few buttons to move the crane around. Maneuvering the claw over the oblivious machine, she dropped it down and grabbed its engine, lifting up over the deck. "Jackpot! Let's claim our prize!"

Due to the weight of the machine, its lower intelligent half fell back to the deck, sparks shooting out from its body, on the verge of shutting down for good. To add insult to injury for the unfortunate machina, Rainbow controlled the crane, hovering the engine out above the sea, dropping it into the sea as it sank to the bottom of the ocean floor. With it completely defenseless, Spike thrust his spear through the machina, making its sparks fly out uncontrollably as it blew up into tiny pieces.

The door to the cabin opened up, the three ready to face any of the Al Bhed on board. But when the stallion walked out, he collapsed to the ground, several large bumps on his head from being smacked by a blunt object. Looking down the hall, Fluttershy walked out calmly, as if she wasn't even a victim in a kidnapping.

"Fluttershy!" Twilight grabbed the summoner with her magic, making her yelp as she pulled her and hugged her tightly. "Thank goodness you're alright! What did they do to you!?"

"Nothing," Fluttershy said, confusing Twilight and Rainbow Dash. "They didn't really hurt me. Though..." She looked over at the unconscious stallion. "I think I was the one who did the hurting."

"Were there anymore Al Bhed inside?" Rainbow asked, feeling somewhat hopeful, but Fluttershy shook her head. "Oh. Just that guy you beaned over the head with your staff?"

"What are you talking about?" Twilight questioned.

"Well, I did say I was in a temple before I washed up on Besaid the other day. I was saved by some Al Bhed, though I kinda had to work for them to stay on their ship. I thought this would be the same one, but it's not." Rainbow sat down, staring at the deck sadly. "Maybe they didn't make it. We were attacked by Sin before I arrived at Besaid..."

"Was there a stallion named Cid on that other ship?" Fluttershy asked. Rainbow shook her head, only knowing Pinkie Pie, disappointing the mare. "Oh...I thought my uncle would have been with you."

Rainbow looked up in shock. "W-Wait a minute! Your uncle is an Al Bhed!?" The summoner nodded. She looked at Twilight, surprisingly not as shocked as her. "...Twi, did you know she was part Al Bhed!?"

"I had, yes." The unicorn approached Rainbow, almost threateningly, Mog and Smarty Pants holding the same gaze on the pegasus. "You can't tell Applejack about this. She hates the Al Bhed, and we don't want her to overreact over Fluttershy's lineage."

"Applejack!" Rainbow shouted. "We gotta tell her!"

"What did I just say!?" Rainbow slapped her forehead at her poor choice of words.

"Not about Fluttershy! The game!" Twilight gasped, having completely forgotten.

Looking out to the stadium in the distance, she charged up her aura and shot up a bright magical flare of light up in the sky, giving Applejack the signal.

Back in the sphere, Applejack was even more bruised than ever. They still kept the tie at two points each, with about a minute left in the second half. She looked up, clutching her side, her eyes widened when she spotted the lavender light from Twilight's magic. Getting the signal, and knowing that Fluttershy was safe, it was time for her team to finally play hard.

"We have thirty seconds left on the clock, and it looks like the Aurochs are going on an all-out offensive!" Applejack ordered her team to go on ahead to give her some cover as she swam behind them. Letty stayed behind, holding the ball, throwing a long pass in the captain's direction. "A long pass from Letty...and Applejack catches it! This could be it, folks!" She swam as hard as she could to the other side of the sphere, her team managing to block each of the Al Bhed Psyches except for one. She faked a pass, getting rammed hard in the chest, but didn't let the pain stop her. She flipped over the stallion, pushing off his back hard to get closer to the goal and made a last minute shot. "She shoots!"

The goalie wasn't able to stop the ball as it landed in their goal, alarms blaring right as the time limit ended the last half. "Aurochs' score one more point just in the knick of time, winning 3-2. I don't know about everypony, but this is quite the miracle. The Besaid Aurochs are moving on to the finals."

Applejack winced, clutching her chest as she began succumbing to her injuries. She smiled though, glad to move her team to the finals after so many years. With the help of Jassu and Botta, they escorted their brutally injured mare out of the sphere and into the locker rooms. It was too soon to celebrate, and they all knew it as they were about to face their rival team in the finals match: the Luca Goers.

Chapter 15: Aurochs vs. Goers

Applejack laid on one of the benches in the locker room, groaning in pain from the beating she had taken from the Al Bhed Psyches. The rest of the Aurochs were glad to make it past the first round, but without their captain in the state she's in, there might be no chance for them to win the finals.

"Captain, are you sure you want to keep playing?" Datto asked.

"You look like you can barely move," Jassu said.

Applejack, as stubborn as she was, tried to get up, only to collapse back down on the bench. The locker room door opened, Rainbow Dash entering along with Fluttershy, Twilight, and Spike.

"'Sup, guys," Rainbow said. "You guys miss me?"

"Please forgive me, everypony," Fluttershy apologized, bowing her head low.

"Ya'll sure do pick the worst timin'." Applejack managed to sit up, cringing in pain with each movement she made. "Don't let them Al Bhed kidnap ya again. Them ponies are nothin' but trouble." She looked up at Rainbow Dash, panting in exhaustion. "The finals are gonna start soon."

"I'm ready to take on those jerks," Rainbow said with enthusiasm, clapping her forehooves together.

Applejack nodded, slowly standing up and facing Aurochs. "Listen up, ya'll. Ah got an announcement to make. After this game, Ah'm gonna be retirin' from blitzball. So win or lose, Ah'm quittin'." The stallions all mumbled to each other, a little worried about their future matches without her. "Hey, don't be poutin' in front of me! If ya'll are gonna see me off, Ah expect us all to win!"

They quickly changed their attitude, nodding to their captain with a grunt. "Uhh, am I gonna sit out?" Botta asked as they wondered what their lineup was going to be.

"Ah'm gonna warm the bench." Applejack approached Rainbow Dash, resting a hoof on the pegasus's shoulder. "Rainbow Dash is gonna take mah place and be mah co-captain. Ya listen to her and give her the ball, we'll surely win."

"...Wow. A co-captain? Aren't I considered a rookie?" Rainbow asked, sort of honored to help Applejack lead her team, but she didn't feel like it was deserved.

"Not with what ya'll have shown us in the past." A few seconds passed as the two mares stared at each other, Rainbow giving Applejack a determined look, nodding her head.

"Alright. I won't let you down." The pegasus approached the team, ready to begin her first match as a captain. "Ok, boys! You heard the captain! What's our goal!?"

"VICTORY!" the stallions cheered.

"Victory!" Rainbow thrust her hoof forward, the others following suit. "Let's make those Goers goners!"

"YEAH!" they cheered, the team heading out to await the start of the finals match.

Fluttershy and Spike left the locker rooms to find a seat to watch the match, the summoner excited to see how well Rainbow Dash will play, leaving Twilight alone with the beaten Applejack. The unicorn approached her, noticing the exhaustion beginning to affect the earth pony.

"...I saw you get beat up out there...I'm surprised you're still able to stand," she said.

"Ah may not be mah brother, but Ah can take a few hits." Applejack tried to walk closer to Twilight, only to suddenly pass out, quickly being caught in the unicorn's magical aura before she hit the ground.

She laid her down on one of the benches, letting the captain rest. "...You were amazing out there."

Outside in the stands of the stadium, everypony was going wild as the finals were about to start. One pony slowly walked up the steps, her eyes hidden behind her sunglasses as she reached the floor she was assigned to, carrying a glass of wine with her in her blue aura. Rarity approached the railing, ready to see the main event unfold, taking a small sip of her beverage. Looking out to the rest of the stands, she was able to spot Fluttershy watching the sphere with eagerness.

"There you are," she whispered, giving a small smile as she fixed her curly mane. "You've grown up, Fluttershy..."

"Hello again, Spira! Welcome back to this years blitzball tournament, the finals already underway!" Echo announced with excitement. "Who would have thought that this year's tournament finals match would be between long time rivals!? The Besaid Aurochs, having finally lost their first round losing streak as they are now in the finals, against our very own Luca Goers!"

"This is quite a historic match we have here," Reverb commentated. "And here we have the teams entering the sphere. It looks like the Aurochs have replaced Applejack with their newcomer pegasus, named Rainbow Dash. It might be because of Applejack's previous beating in the last match, she probably can't move after all that abuse."

The two teams swam into the sphere, meeting in the center of the field to wish their opponents luck. Unfortunately, that respect is thrown out the window with the Goers, all of them with smug grins on their faces, letting their egos overshadow the potential the Aurochs have. Lightning Dust just irritated Rainbow Dash as she looked like she was laughing at her.

Lightning approached the cyan pegasus, holding her hoof out to her to shake. Rainbow didn't accept it, not wanting to give her the respect she doesn't deserve. Rainbow Dash turned around and got into position, the rest of the team following her to their starting points mapped out on the field.

"Well, it seems as though Rainbow Dash is being a bit of a poor sport," Echo said as the Goers got into position.

"Well, for the last few years, Lightning Dust is known to be a bit reckless in her career as the Goers's captain. Sometimes, being too famous can get to your head, and it may end up being your downfall if you can't observe our opponents. And with newcomer Rainbow Dash for the Aurochs, we have no idea what she has in store for us." The teams crouched down on their platforms as they waited for the horn to signal the start of the first half.

Rainbow's ears twitched, counting down the moment the blitzball will shoot up as she and Lightning Dust, being in the center field position, will race to get the ball. The horn blared, and as the ball reached the point where the pegasi would swim for it, Rainbow Dash sped off like a bullet, shocking the Goers, the crowd, even the announcers.

"Holy Tonberries!" Echo shouted over his mic, able to be heard leaping out of his seat in the announcer's booth. "That was fast! Seems like Rainbow Dash has some skill with speed that can rival the fastest of fiends!"

While distracted by her impressive start, Rainbow took the opportunity to swim past the the runners and the defenders. She was met with little resistance as she kicked the ball hard, shooting it toward the goal and scoring, the goalie too slow to react. After only ten seconds on the clock, the Zanarkand star player scored a goal for the Aurochs, earning a delayed cheer from the crowd.

"And Rainbow Dash scored the first goal in ten seconds flat. That has got to be a world record, and Echo is fangasming behind me as I speak," Reverb said as Echo's voice could be heard in the background.

The rest of the Aurochs didn't move from their spots either, just as surprised as their opponents, though they cheered for their co-captain as she swam nonchalantly back into position. She smirked at the flabbergasted Lightning Dust, telling her not to underestimate her during this match. Lightning sneered, not allowing the losing team to score another goal. The timer resumed as they got back into position, this time it was the Goers's ball, the captain speeding off with her left and right fielders swimming on ahead.

She threw a hard pass to one of them, quickly intercepted by Rainbow Dash as she headed back to their goal. Just as Lightning had planned, she swam hard toward the pegasus and rammed into her hard, sending her flying out of the sphere and fumbling the ball. The audience groaned as the cyan mare was thrown out, the game still in play as Lightning took the ball back, shooting a goal as she got close enough, tying the score.

"Ooh. That has got to hurt," Echo said, back to his slightly calm state as the Goers scored at the one minute mark. "The score's tied, one-all." Rainbow groaned, knowing how it felt when she did the same thing to rival team member before Sin attacked, shaking it off and diving right back into the sphere. "Rainbow Dash is ok and is making her way back into position, four minutes left in this exciting first half."

The game was back on, the teams going back and forth for the remaining time in the round. Teams were tackled around, shots were intercepted or blocked, the crowd going crazy as many of them were actually cheering for the Aurochs more than the Goers. As the timer reached the five minute mark, Lightning was in the middle of a last second shot, but the alarm blared as the ball made it to the Auroch's goalkeeper, Keepa, ending the first half at a tie.

"And that does it for the first half. The score is tied, 1-1, and quite a surprising turnout for the Aurochs this year." The teams headed back to their locker rooms to take a momentary break before the second half starts. "They usually never get a single goal, but with their newest teammate, Rainbow Dash, the Besaid Aurochs just might have a chance to turn their losses around. Stay tuned for the final round in just a few minutes."

As the Aurochs entered the locker room, Applejack was up on her hooves as she had watched a little bit of the first round on the sphere inside, Twilight having gone back up to the stands with Fluttershy. "Come on ya'll! We got this! Show some defense!"

"The Goers are tougher than I thought," Rainbow said, still feeling sore from the rough tackle she was given.

"Well then, we're gonna have to use your special shot in order to get us ahead." The pegasus nodded, though she had no idea how the shot was supposed to work when there were several players that would try to stop her if she pulled it off. "Now, get out there! Shoot like crazy, Rainbow!"

"YEAH!" the Aurochs cheered, heading back out to begin the second half.

The teams dove back inside the sphere and got into position. The round began as the ball was in the Aurochs' hooves. Rainbow passed it to Letty as she swam on ahead. The team began to pass it around as Rainbow Dash got in position, the ball whizzing past the Goers' front runners and into her hooves. She turned to the goal, Lightning Dust and her two defender teammates blocked her path. Along with the goalie, she had to deal with four blockers, knowing this was going to be a tough shot.

"Uh oh. Looks like Rainbow Dash is gonna have a difficult shot to make if she's going to score another goal," Echo announced.

Rainbow figured it was now or never, deciding to use the Jet Shot to score another goal. She kicked the ball hard, but instead of heading for the goal, the ball swerved and hit one of the defenders, knocking them out cold. Shocked, Lightning and her other teammate, along with the crowd, they couldn't believe what had happened, only to be reminded as Rainbow punched the ball back as it rebounded off the first Goers's face. The second defender was knocked out, leaving Lightning Dust by herself.

The pegasus headbutted the ball back, missing the captain and bouncing off the rim of the goal, soaring up out of the sphere. "What in Spira is going on!? What is Rainbow Dash up to!?"

As the ball headed back down, everypony watched as Rainbow spun rapidly, unhindered by the density of the water as her tail formed a ring around her spinning body. The blitzball splashed through the sphere, the cyan pegasus slowing down, kicking the ball hard as she released a shockwave of colors that made everyone gasp in awe, a rainbow trail following the speeding ball. Moving too fast to attempt to block it, Lightning dived out of the way, as well as the goalie. The blitzball smacked into the goal, the alarms blaring as the Aurochs received another point.

"The Aurochs score! And with an incredible shot technique made by the pegasus that's wowing all of us! And the refs aren't calling a foul, meaning that was a legal move! That's going to be called the Sonic Rainboom Shot!" The audience exploded in applause, Rainbow able to hear Fluttershy cheering louder than anypony else around her as she bounced up and down in her seat.

The knocked out Luca Goers had recovered and headed back to their positions, Lightning was still frozen solid at the move she pulled off. Her shock soon turned into seething rage, watching Rainbow Dash hoofbumping her teammates as they saw the shot in action on the field. She swam back into her place on the field as the game continued from the one minute mark, Goers's ball.

Lightning passed it to one of her teammates as she waited for the right moment, desperate enough to kick the cyan pegasus out of the sphere, even if it had to be a serious injury. As she predicted, Rainbow Dash managed to steal the ball, heading straight for the goal. While the mare's back was turned, Lightning Dust sped off toward her with a manic grin on her face, sucker punching the back of Rainbow's head, sending the unsuspecting mare spiralling uncontrollably, the audience all gasping in shock at what they had just witnessed.

Lightning was about to grab the ball when the alarms blared, the lights inside of the sphere turning red as a foul had occurred. "Unsportsponylike conduct! Rough contact with the back of the ball handler's head! Foul shot: Besaid Aurochs! the referee announced, the audience booing at the Luca Goers's captain.

"What a dishonorable move made by Lightning Dust," Reverb announced, sounding disgusted at what the hosts had witnessed. "This is the first I've ever seen a foul this severe, especially to whom everypony was rooting for since this morning."

"It looks like the Goers seem to be mad at their captain as well. I wouldn't blame them if somepony was that desperate to try and injure their opponents just to win." As Echo had spoke, the Goers were miffed at Lightning Dust.

Rainbow rubbed the back of her head, feeling a bump form from the sucker punch. With a new ball shooting up under her, she grabbed it and got into position for the foul shot, the other players spread out so they don't interfere with her free shot. She had to take the shot from halfway across the sphere, not a difficult feat for her, but she did feel a little bit dizzy, almost feeling a concussion. She shook her head to clear out the cobwebs building up in her head, focusing on making this shot.

She kicked the ball hard, sending it swerving across the field as it got closer to the goal. She managed to confuse the goalie and score another goal, the score now three to one. The audience cheered as the teams headed back to their spots, Lightning Dusts's position switched around for another teammate's, demoting her status as captain. But before the match could resume, starting around the two minute mark, some of the audience members began to chant out Applejack's name.

Soon, the chanting began to grow louder as the entire stadium was up on their hooves, stomping them in rhythm to their chants. "Uhh, what is going on with the audience?"

"Sounds like they're all wanting Applejack. After seeing all of what Rainbow Dash can do, they should be cheering the rookie on." As the teams looked around in confusion, Rainbow knew that she wasn't the real star of the day. They all knew Applejack was going to retire, whether many of them heard it as a rumor or not, and they wanted to see the blitzball player finish her last match, not have a newcomer steal the spotlight from her. The pegasus alerted a referee, calling a timeout as the horn allowed this temporary break. "Rainbow Dash is calling a timeout?"

"Seems like that unfair blow to the head by Lightning Dust must have been harder than we though." The Aurochs watched as she swam out of the sphere, heading straight to the locker rooms.

As she walked into the room, Rainbow was met with the confused gaze of the captain, having seen her leave the arena. "I think I got a concussion, coach," she said, rubbing her head.

"...What are ya doin'? Ya can take a Sinspawn harder than a blow to the head...Why are ya givin' up?" Applejack asked.

"...I'm not," the pegasus answered. "I know you hear the crowd out there. They're calling for you." The earth pony looked back at the screen, hearing everypony cheering for her. "This isn't supposed to be my game, as much as I want to help you win...I at least gave you guys a little head start. Just keep up your defense and go all out with a bang. Make this the biggest sendoff for your last game."

Applejack looked back at the pegasus, her hoof held out to her. She was still pretty sore from the last match, but she figured she had enough rest for the rest of the second half. She bumped Rainbow's hoof, tagging in to replace her and get back in the game, for the crowd's sake.

"Heh...Ah didn't think everypony wanted to see me keep playin'." The mare scratched her head in embarrassment. "They should really be cheerin' for ya instead."

"Hey, I'm just a newbie," Rainbow said. "I can rise up to fame some other time."

Taking a deep breath, Applejack left the locker room and headed for the sphere. Inside the room, Rainbow noticed some writing left on the wall.

Mah best memories are here.

-Applejack, Captain of the Besaid Aurochs

Outside in the stands, everypony was still cheering out for Applejack. "Ok, this is getting a little ridiculous. The crowd is getting restless...Wait, hold on a second." Applejack dove into the sphere, swimming up to her teammates as the audience went wild. "It's Applejack! She's coming back in the game!"

The stallions were all happy to see her back, though they were worried for her injuries. She ignored their concerns, ready to give the crowd what they want. She held out her hoof, the Aurochs doing the same as they gave an underwater cheer, psyching them up for the last three minutes they have left. They got into position as the game resumed, the Goers taking the ball. With their newly promoted captain, it was a rough three minutes for them as the Aurochs put up a good defense.

With only a minute remaining, Applejack managed to swipe the ball and swam out to the goal. She headed straight for Lightning Dust, a complete wreck after her stupid move, failing to tackle the mare as she was easily avoided. Deciding to try her own special shot, she smacked the ball up in the air, turned her back to the goal, and with perfect timing, bucked it hard toward the goalie, slipping it past him and scoring the last goal of the game.

"And it's all over! Ten seconds remaining, there's no chance for the Goers to come back after this! The Besaid Aurochs win the cup!" The crowd went into an uproarious applause, the Aurochs celebrating as they danced around in the sphere at their first tournament victory. "This was a blessing brought to Besaid by Faust herself, folks! The Aurochs have actually won the tournament! No joking or editing have been made, Spira! This is real!"

"And what a surprise it is, Echo. This does it for the blitzball tournament, everypony. We hope to see the Aurochs pull through again next year to defend their title." Reverb closed out the announcements as the audience celebrated.

While the Luca Goers berated their ex-captain, Applejack winced as her injuries came back to haunt her, falling limp in the center of the sphere pool. She opened her eyes, spotting Rainbow Dash diving in and swimming toward her. To show her she was ok, Applejack pumped her hoof up weakly in the air, the pegasus knowing nothing could bring the earth pony down. Their ears perked up when the cheering fans had suddenly turned into screams of terror. Without warning, fiends began to storm the stadium, aquatic fiends splashing into the sphere, Garudas flying in from above, and land fiends from the stairways. Their celebrating will have to wait until they're all safe, though how fiends got into the city was beyond anypony.

Chapter 16: Sin is Who!?

The whole stadium was in a panic, everypony fleeing for their lives as fiends had somehow wound up in Luca and began to attack. In the sphere, the Goers and the Aurochs, aside from Rainbow Dash and Applejack, swam away from the aquatic fish fiends the pegasus had encountered back in those ruins. They may be experienced in beating other players to snag the blitzball, but against fiends, they were defenseless.

Lightning Dust tried to swim away, but was surrounded by the several dozen fiends. Before she was about to become fish food, Rainbow swam in, slashing through some of them, diverting their attention to her instead. Glaring at the rival pegasus, she pointed her hoof out of the sphere, telling her to get out before she gets killed. As much as she hated Lightning for smacking her upside the head like that and her egotistical arrogance, she didn't want to see anypony else get killed.

Applejack helped distract the fiends, helping her teammates and the rest of the Luca Goers escape the sphere. Even if she was badly hurt from the game, she still had enough steam to take down some fiends. Both mares began to kill off the waves of fiends until there didn't seem to be anymore of them left inside. Applejack caught Rainbow's attention, pointing up to meet up with Fluttershy, Twilight, and Spike and maybe try to stop this sudden invasion before lives are lost.

Rarity looked out at the chaos ensuing in the stadium, calmly sipping at her wine as ponies behind her screamed in terror as they tried escape from the fiends. One of the fiends walked up the stairs, a giant heavy scaled reptile, breathing out orange flames from its maw. It eyed the white unicorn, finding it easy prey as the mare stood there. Hearing its growl, she turned her head toward it, slowly walking away from the railing as she downed the rest of her beverage.

Licking her lips, she held her glass out toward the fiend, her horn glowing brightly as her blue aura engulfed her glass. As she smirked, it took the shape of her diamond katana, the blade shooting out into the ground as it took its form. The unicorn flipped her curly mane back, lifted her sword up over her should, and stomped a hoof down, causing the ground to crack under her hidden strength to scare the fiend into underestimating her.

It didn't deter the lizard as it slowly lunged for her. Grabbing her blade with her hoof, she slashed right through it as it ran past her, collapsing to the ground as it released a weak roar as it died. After easily killing the fiend, Rarity fixed her mane and began to head around to the other side of the stadium. Rainbow Dash and Applejack ran up the steps, both of them spotting the white unicorn.

"Rarity!" Rainbow shouted, catching her attention.

"Lady Rarity! Ah can't believe ya'll are here!" Applejack said, making Rainbow look at the earth pony in shock, her suspicions of the unicorn's actual life were indeed true.

"So you guys do know her." They soon heard the screech of a Garuda as it saw the three mares, hovering near the railing as it attacked them. "Oh come on! One of these things again!"

"I suggest we catch up on lost time after this predicament has been dealt with." Rainbow and Applejack took out their weapons as they decided it was better to talk once the fiends were dealt with.

Applejack blinded the avian fiend using Dark Attack, easily avoiding its beak as it tried to peck them. It took a while to defeat the Garuda, far more powerful than the ones the others have encountered back in Besaid, but it was easy to defeat constantly blinding it and missing them. As soon as it was slain, another flew down and several other fiends surrounded them.

"Ok, how many of these things got in here!?" Rainbow questioned, avoiding one of the lizard fiends.

Down in the VIP section of the stadium, Star Swirl and Blueblood stood calmly as the fiends invaded. The Guado stepped up to the railing and gave the prayer bow. As he bowed, a dark void appeared from the sky, shooting down a chained hook, slamming into the ground to create another larger void. The hook began to rise up, lifting something up from inside it. Rainbow managed to catch sight of what was happening, gasping in horror at the monstrous creature being risen up, almost like it was coming up from Tarterus itself.

The creature was almost like a horrific looking undead being, only having half of its body risen up from the void, the hook slipping off its bandaged face as it gave out a demonic roar. The only thing visible on the creature's face was one of its eyes and its mouth filled with sharp fangs. Most of its body was tied in chains, constricting its clawed forelegs to its chest. It looked terrifying, but for some reason, Rainbow Dash thought it was sad, depressed even.

It began to roar as its eye began glowing, incredible power forming in it. Suddenly, its head whipped back from the sudden force, almost breaking its neck as a beam of energy shot out, hitting the Garuda blocking the trio, obliterating it into smithereens. It fired more out into the stadium, killing off the rest of the fiends, saving everypony from getting killed. All the while, Blueblood stood behind his summoned beast, grinning as he watched the lights floating out and around the stadium. Eventually, the chaos had finally subsided, the last of the fiends slain by the massive beast as it roared, everypony staring in awe as the Guado maester had rescued them all from the invasion.

A few hours passed after the fiends had been dealt with, everypony in Luca having calmed down after the chaotically random invasion. Waiting on the balcony near the start of the road where Fluttershy and her guardians must travel down to reach the next temple, the young summoner, lavender unicorn mage, and purple and green dragon waited as they watched Applejack down in the city, saying her goodbyes to the Aurochs, giving them the cup they had won.

She headed up the steps and met up with the waiting group. "Sorry for the wait, ya'll. Time to be a full-time guardian now." Applejack rubbed her shoulder, trying to ignore the pain constantly bugging her from the last few hours. "So, any idea what exactly happened?"

"Nopony knows," Twilight said. "The fiends came out of nowhere. Thank goodness Maester Blueblood summoned that aeon, saving all of us and Maester Star Swirl."

"It was so strong," Fluttershy whispered. "But...it felt so...miserable..."

Rainbow slammed Rarity into the wall of the stadium at the fifth dock, having searched all over for the unicorn as she disappeared on her after the chaos settled down. The unicorn didn't even flinch as her back hit the wall, staring at the ticked off pegasus through her sunglasses with a smirk on her face.

"This is all your fault, Rarity!" Rainbow shouted, clutching the collar of the older mare's clothing. "Getting swallowed up by Sin, winding up in Spira, unable to go back to Zanarkand, EVERYTHING! It's all your fault! I hate you!" Rarity gave an unladylike snort and began to laugh, only angering Rainbow Dash further. "What they hay is so funny!? I should kill you right now!"

"S-Sorry, darling," Rarity said, calming herself. "I thought the first pony you would ever say that to would be your father."

The irate pegasus backed away, unable to look the unicorn in the eyes. "This is impossible. How the hay is it possible for you to be in two different time periods!? You know my dad and Fluttershy's, yet you somehow found a way to go back in time! It makes no sense!"

"I was asked by your father to look after you, by his own words." Rainbow grunted, turning away from Rarity and pouted. "He wanted me to bring you to Spira."

"Oh great," Rainbow scoffed. "That old codger still lives, and he has to ruin my life even further in a future a thousand years from my time just to infuriate me even more! PERFECT!"

"That depends on what you mean by 'alive', Rainbow." She turned around, Rarity slowly approaching her with a serious look in her eyes. "You must have felt something when you were near Sin, right? Something familiar? A burning hatred for somepony you despised ever since you came out of your mother's womb?"

Confused, Rainbow tried to figure out Rarity's cryptic questioning. It took a moment for her to realize what she meant, her eyes widening in shock. She remembered, after being sucked into Sin in Zanarkand, she saw Jet Stream and actually heard his voice speaking out to her. And the moments where Sin had attacked her in Spira, there was a faint glimmer of anger that welled up in her subconsciously, as if she really wanted to loathe Sin more than just as a chaotic fiend that destroys everything it comes in contact with.

She backed away from Rarity, completely horrified as her guess was actually right. "...Y-You can't be serious...You're joking..."

"It's true, Rainbow Dash," Rarity said. "Sin is your father, Jet Stream." Rainbow looked down at the ground, her forelegs trembling, unable to believe that Sin really was her father. "If you wish to know everything, then you should come with me."

"...If I say no?" Rainbow asked, her voice quivering as she was close to blowing up for a second time this week.

"Every story has to have an ending." Rainbow stomped her hooves, glaring intensely at Rarity as her anger reached a boiling point.

"Screw you and your stories!" she shouted. "I'm not going to believe a word you say! You pretty much lied to me about your whole life for the past ten years, and I'm sick and tired of living in this future! I just want to go back home!"

"Fine then, act like a three-year-old throwing a temper tantrum," Rarity said with a lack of sympathy for the pegasus. "Stay here for all I care. It's your decision."

Rainbow Dash yelled in frustration, getting in Rarity's face. "Is it really my decision!? I don't have a choice to say in the matter! I have no idea what to do, which means I HAVE to come with you by force! How is it my decision when everypony keeps holding my hoof and treating me like a stupid little kid!?"

Rainbow turned away and sulked, breathing heavily. "Are you really irritated?...Or are you just afraid to be on your own?" The pegasus's ears drooped. She didn't want to admit to Rarity that she was actually afraid to be by herself, having no clue what to do on her own. She barely made it out alive in that old temple when she wound up in Spira. She flinched as she felt Rarity gently lay a hoof on her shoulder. "It's ok. I know your frustrated right now, but everything will make sense in due time."

"...Rarity? Will I ever go home again?" Rainbow asked, pleading for the possibility.

"That's up to your father," she replied. Rarity's answer didn't help lift the pegasus's spirits up. "Come. I'm going to offer my services to Fluttershy. You as well. Oh, and keep this between us. We don't want the others to know we're 'crazy' or suffering from Sin's toxin."

Rarity headed down the docks and out toward the city, Rainbow trudging along after her. So many things went through the pegasus's head: anger toward her father, shock at figuring out he was still alive AND was Sin, confused as to how it even happened, greatly frustrated at the lack of answers, and upset at her terrible luck this past week. Even after her father was assumed dead, he's now making her life even more worse and is trying to kill her.

After passing by the locals and blitzball fans, all grateful to be saved by the new Guado maester, they made it to where the group was waiting, Applejack and Twilight bowing to the greatest guardian in history. "Rarity!" Fluttershy ran up to the mare, pulling her into a hug as the unicorn hugged her back.

"You've really grown up since I last saw you, Fluttershy." They pulled away as Rarity got a better look at the young summoner. "We'll have to catch up on lost time. And a perfect opportunity, too. I want to be your guardian, darling."

Applejack's and Twilight's jaws dropped, surprised at the honor of being graced by one of Kindred Heart's guardians. "Of course! I accept!"

"Splendid. Also-" Rarity drags Rainbow Dash forward with her magic, putting the mare on the spot. "-she comes along with us."

"What!?" Twilight yelled. She approached the older guardian nervously, chuckling sheepishly, not wanting to say anything wrong in front of her. "F-Forgive me, Lady Rarity, but, Rainbow Dash? Joining us?"

"Yes. As a guardian." Mog and Smarty Pants fell off the unicorn mage's back, Twilight absolutely stunned at the response.

"...B-But, you have no idea how many rules she had broken in the past week at the temples!" she shouted. "Two separate ocassions, she went through the Cloister of Trials, not a guardian, and could have gotten Fluttershy's status as a summoner revoked!"

"Well, you should also know some rules are meant to be broken." Everyone could hear Twilight's mind shatter like broken glass as she stared at Rarity in utter shock. Mog and Smarty Pants climbed on the lavender unicorn's back, completely frozen solid as they poked her awake. "Besides, I promised both Jet Stream and Kindred Heart I would watch over both their daughters for them."

"Is Sir Jet still alive?" Fluttershy asked.

"I haven't seen him in ten years. We'll probably meet him at some point." The summoner grinned, hoping to see him again. "So, where are we heading to next?"

As Rarity spoke with Applejack, Twilight too stunned to even express any words at the blasphemous words the experienced guardian said, she noticed that Spike was occasionally glancing her way. When she turned to look at him, he would look elsewhere, his expression still stoic though his cheeks were slightly tinged red. As the guardians talked, Fluttershy approached Rainbow Dash near the railing overlooking Luca, noticing she was a bit depressed.

"Rainbow Dash?" She didn't move, her eyes glued to the city as she stared out in the distance. She managed to catch her attention, whistling loudly the same way Rainbow did. "Look. I did it."

"...Great. Happy for you," she mumbled.

"You don't sound happy. You want to scream again?" Rainbow shook her head, no amount of screaming would help calm her. They were both quiet, looking out at the city. "...You know, I always think that summoners and their guardians are a ray of hope for Spira, everypony depending on us to complete our pilgrimage, no matter what comes our way. I sometimes practice smiling if I'm sad."

"Pretty ridiculous to do," the cyan pegasus uttered.

Her head was suddenly grabbed by Fluttershy's hooves, turning to face her. "Let's see what you can do."

"Wait, are you serious?" Fluttershy nodded her head, dead serious. Knowing she was probably going to bug her about this, she went along with it. Rainbow gave an awkward, toothy smile, pulling her cheeks back when she was losing it. She began to giggle, looking so weird trying to be happy when she wants to be upset. "This is the strangest thing I've ever done."

"Now try laughing out loud." Rainbow gave her an odd look, but again, she was being serious.

Sighing in defeat, she looked out to the city, taking in a deep breath. " AHH HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!" Rainbow laughed awkwardly, catching the others attention as they all stared at the pegasus. "Ahh...AHH HA HA HA HA HA!"

"Umm, ok, I think that's enough laughing," Fluttershy said, but her words fell on deaf ears.

She wanted her to laugh, she'll do it as much as she wants until she had enough. "AHH HA HA HA HA HA HA! AHH HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!"

Fluttershy began to giggle, deciding to join Rainbow Dash as she took in a deep breath. "HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!" they both sarcastically laughed, until they both began to snort in real laughter.

They couldn't hold it in any longer and laughed as hard as they ever had. Rainbow ended up falling on her back, clutching her ribs as tears ran down her cheeks in hilarious agony. The pegasi could barely breathe, probably looking like a bunch of goofballs if anypony else had seen and heard them.

"I-I can't breathe!" Fluttershy gasped, trying to regain the lost oxygen in her lungs as Rainbow grabbed the railing to lift her back up and support her.

"It was your idea!" Eventually, their laughter subsided, turning to stifling giggles as they calmed down. "A weird, strangely dumb idea that somehow worked..."

"Rainbow?" The cyan pegasus looked at her. "Thank you."

"...What?" she asked.

"I want my journey...to be full of laughter...and happiness." Fluttershy ran a hoof through her hair in bashfulness, looking at her new guardian. "And, if we're ever seperated...just whistle. Right?"

"...Yeah. And...thanks for cheering me up. I kinda needed that." The summoner nodded, glad to have helped, even if it was awkward. "Alright. Let's get going." The two turned to the others, noticing the odd stares coming from them. "...Uhh, why are you looking at us like that?"

"...You see, Lady Rarity, this is why it's not a good idea for Rainbow Dash to be a guardian," Twilight said, after recovering from her shock. "Her head's too messed that it's actually made her lose her mind, and its contagious because Fluttershy began laughing with her!"

"Oh come on. Blaming me again!?" Rainbow complained. "Blame Fluttershy! It was all her idea!" She heard the summoner pegasus giggle, turning her head to the mare. "Did you set me up so Twilight can yell at me some more?"

"No," she admitted. "Sorry, Rainbow, but I did warn you earlier to stop." Rainbow Dash groaned, wishing she did stop. "Now, it's time to head of to the temple of Djose. Don't forget to smile, everypony."

Chapter 17: Mi'ihen Highroad: Duels and Chocobos

The party of six began their trek down the Mi'ihen Highroad, a long road that was several miles long that started from Luca down to Djose Temple, where Fluttershy was supposed to head to next on her pilgrimage. As a dangerous road that should be traveled with caution, Rainbow Dash noticed there were lots of ponies, adults and foals, that are walking along the path. She thought everypony in Spira was either crazy to wander around with fiends present in the fields, forests, and jungles, or they were a lot braver than she thought after what happened in Luca earlier.

Soon, they were met with one of the fiends that inhabit the highroad, a small beast-like creature, its arms like heavy shields. "This thing looks pretty slow."

"Yes, but they also have very thick skin," Rarity said, trying to keep the brash pegasus from acting before thinking. "I'll handle these types of fiends."

"I got this, Rares. Don't want you to ruin your mane!" Rainbow lunged at the fiend, her sword barely able to make a dent in it as it moved its arms up to defend itself. "...Uhhh..."

"Urgh. Amateur," Twilight uttered. "Raldos are heavy armored fiends, Rainbow Dash. Their armor can only be struck with Piercing weapons."

"Which is why I told you to leave these to me." Rarity ran forward and slashed through the Raldo, killing it for the pegasus. "Please learn to only take down opponents you're specialized in attacking. You're as irrational as your father."

"Tsk. I could have killed it," Rainbow mumbled, humiliated by the older mare.

She at least took Rarity's advice to heart when confronting the canine fiends on the road. The others dealt with the other fiends they can take out with no problem: Twilight against elemental foes, Spike assisting Rarity with the armored fiends since his spears could pierce through enemies, Applejack with flying or highly evasive foes, and Fluttershy healed anypony's injuries with her magic. The summoner may not be that good of a fighter, but without her, their journey would have been more troublesome.

Up ahead, Rainbow's ears perked up when she heard a strange "kweh" sound down the road. Coming into view, three large yellow birds the pegasus had never seen before appeared, wearing armor on them and running very quickly on their feet. Riding on their backs were three pegasi, the leader a gold-yellow mare with a fiery orange mane, the one on the right a light blue mare with a gray mane, and the one on the left a pale blue stallion with a dark blue mane.

"Hey. Are any one of you a summoner?" the leader asked. Expecting a response from Fluttershy, Rainbow looked back at the pegasus, who was staring at the large birds with utter excitement, fidgeting her hooves as if she was a filly unable to wait to see her favorite idol. "Uhh, is that mare ok?"

"To answer your question, miss, this young mare is a summoner, and we are her guardians," Rarity answered for the eager yellow pegasus. "Pay her no mind. She has a fascination for animals that are not bloodthirsty fiends."

"I see." The leader saluted, along with her companions. "I am Spitfire, captain of the Chocobo Knights in Djose. These are my two lieutenants, Fleetfoot and Soarin."

"There's been some reports of a large fiend attacking chocobos on this road," Fleetfoot said. "Be careful if any of you decide to travel Mi'ihen by chocobo."

"Thank you very much. We'll be careful." The Chocobo Knights sped off on their mounts to warn other travelers along the way. Fluttershy kept her eyes on the land-dwelling avians, completely oblivious to the others' slightly amused expressions. "Darling, are you alright?"

"Can I ride a chocobo!? Please!?" Fluttershy asked, begging the white unicorn.

Rainbow snickered at the summoner's excitement, her love for animals almost addictive. "...Maybe. As long as it isn't too expensive. We need to save our Gil for important stuff, such as supplies."

Fluttershy hugged the guardian tightly, Rarity patting her head while the others watched. They continued on their way, the young summoner skipping gleefully, unable to wait to see more of those chocobos. As they continued on their way, they spotted a cart that held a cage, holding some fiends inside as they were pulled by a chocobo. Rainbow spotted Vinyl and Octavia flanking the cart to keep their steed from going off the path. Whatever they were doing, she didn't want to disturb the Crusaders from their work.

"Excuse me." The group stopped as they were met with a pink pegasus mare, her mane in streaks of pink, fuschia, and pale yellow. "Are any of you by chance a summoner?"

"Yes, I am." Fluttershy gave the prayer to the mare. "I am Summoner Fluttershy."

"Ah. High Summoner Kindred Heart's daughter." The mare bowed to her in respect. "My name is Cadence. I, too, am a summoner. I was wondering if I could test the skills of your aeons. I may even teach you a few things about them as well."

"You mean...a duel?" she asked.

"Yes, but not to the death. Do you accept my challenge?" Fluttershy nodded, a little interested in testing her bond between her aeons. The guardians gave them room as the pegasi summoners faced each other. Cadence held out her hoof, an orb of fire appearing from it as it dropped to the ground underneath her. The Kilika Temple's symbol appeared, turning the ground into molten rock as it rose up, the pink pegasus being lifted up along with it. Resting inside of a sphere of lava was a monstrous beast, breaking free from it imprisonment, sending the summoner up into the air. She landed gracefully next to it as it fell to the ground with a thud. "I'll be choosing Ifrit. Choose your aeon, Fluttershy."

"Ifrit?" Rainbow asked, staring at the aeon of fire.

"An aeon received from the temple in Kilika," Twilight explained. "Not all aeons are similar. Some of them, like Ifrit, have elemental attributes, some of their skills far more powerful than others."

Fluttershy summoned Valefor, the avian aeon flying down from the sky as it hovered in the air, facing its opponent. The two summons began to fight, both powerful creatures lunging at each other with speed and casting their unique magical spells and skills. Seeing two different aeons fighting was a thrill for Rainbow Dash to see, and despite Cadence's expertise in her aeons, Ifrit was losing as it couldn't face up to Valefor. Finishing the flaming behemoth off, Valefor flipped up into the air, flipping its head, making the hair extension on the back of its head twirl in front of it, creating the same glyphs that it came from. A beam of light appeared in its mouth as it fired in the glyph, shooting out dozens of beams down upon Ifrit, making it disappear as it was defeated.

"My, my...I'm impressed," Cadence congratulated Fluttershy, approaching the young summoner after dismissing Valefor. "I clearly underestimated you. You just might be able to defeat Sin with some more training."

"Thank you, but I think you might beat Sin before I do," Fluttershy said.

"I can't." Everyone stared at Cadence in confusion. "Or...I should say I wasn't able to..." They were silent, wondering what the pink pegasus summoner meant. "...I hope we meet again, Summoner Fluttershy."

Cadence flapped her wings and flew off down the highroad. Whatever the mare was hiding, they didn't question it, continuing down the Mi'ihen Highroad, fighting off more fiends. They ran into a few more fans of the young summoner, a little filly asking her if she'll bring the Calm. Rainbow had asked what the Calm was finally, being told by the others that it was a small window of time where after Sin is defeated, peace returns to Spira for a short while, and then Sin comes back to life. She did find it odd that Sin was still here after Fluttershy's father defeated it a decade ago. As much as she didn't want to say it out loud, she couldn't help but think it was all a lost cause.

Up ahead, they spotted a Crusader arguing with a disciple of one of the temples, a light amberish gray earth pony mare with a pale light cyan and opal mane. "B-But you can't do that. The teachings-"

"I've had enough of this!" the Crusader yelled, making the mare flinch. "We're stopping Sin any way we can, even if it means disobeying the teachings! Out of my way!"

The stallion marched off down the road, leaving the miserable mare behind. Feeling bad for the poor acolyte, they approached her to help cheer her up.

"Is everything ok?" Fluttershy asked.

Looking up, the mare gasped, bowing to the pegasus. "Lady Summoner! It is an honor!" Even though she was excited to meet Fluttershy, her enthusiasm died as she recalled what had happened earlier. "I-It's the Crusaders...They were planning some kind of operation up near Mushroom Rock Road, and they were going to use machina."

"What!?" Applejack exclaimed. "Are they serious!? Disobeyin' the precepts like that!? What for!?"

"I overheard a few Crusaders before I arrived in Luca," Rarity said. "'Operation Mi'ihen' they called it, a plan to stop Sin. It won't even work."

"They didn't even listen to me." The mare drooped her head in sadness. "I'm still just a lowly acolyte..."

"What's your name?" Fluttershy asked.

"...Coco. Coco Pommel," she answered.

"Well, Coco, I just started my pilgrimage a week ago, but I can't let everypony down," Fluttershy said, slowly bringing the depressed earth pony's spirits up. "Everypony depends on all of us, to keep the teachings from being broken and to repent for our sins from our ancestors using machina. You can't give up after one pony puts you down, right?"

"...Y-You're right, Lady Summoner...I'll continue my training and spread Faust's words throughout all of Spira." Coco bowed to Fluttershy, her words giving the mare hope and courage to continue following her beliefs.

They passed by her and continued walking down the path. They reached a travel agency, reaching the halfway mark of the highroad, though to Applejack's dismay, it was run by the Al Bhed. Rarity walked toward it, feeling a little exhausted.

"Let's rest here for a while, everypony," she announced.

"No way! This is an Al Bhed shop!" Applejack said. "None of them varmints believe in Faust, and they kidnapped Fluttershy back in Luca!"

"Where were her guardians, then?" The earth pony was about to argue, but she didn't have a perfect excuse.

"Well, I technically wasn't a guardian at that point when that happened, so I'm in the clear." Rainbow grinned, only to fall to the ground as Applejack smacked her upside the head.

"Applejack, Lady Rarity's just concerned about your health," Twilight chimed in. "You took a pretty nasty beating in the tournament, and your fatigue is showing."

"Ah ain't tired!" she lied, her eyes darting around, looking at anything but anypony.

"Well, I am. And a lady always needs her beauty sleep." Rarity ignored Applejack's resisitance and headed into the shop to assign them rooms.

They soon heard another "kweh" from a chocobo nearby, the shop also having a small ranch of chocobo they rent to those who wish to travel on Mi'ihen without the fear of fiends. "Chocobos!" Fluttershy dashed off to the docile birds, petting one of them as they immediately took a liking to her.

"Sorry, Applejack, but you're outnumbered. I think we all need some rest after today's chaotic tournament." Twilight walked in the travel agency, Spike following her with a dazed Rainbow Dash dragged with him by her tail.

"...Great...Just great." Applejack grumbled, marching into the shop, having no say in the situation. "Ah hate the Al Bhed..."

As the sun began to set on the horizon, everypony was relaxing around or in the Al Bhed travel agency. Applejack pouted inside, not wanting to be anywhere near the ponies running the place, Twilight searching through some of the wares they had for sell, mainly books, though they were written in Al Bhed, none of them translation guides. Outside, Fluttershy had her fun petting the chocobos, though got in a little trouble with the rancher because they always kept flocking to her like she was one of their own. Rarity and Spike were outside watching her, though Spike would occasionally look at the white unicorn from time to time on his perch on top of the shop. Rainbow Dash was just waking up from unconsciousness after getting hit in the head again.

"Why am I always getting smacked in the head by something every single time since I got here?" she mumbled to herself, rubbing her sorely abused skull. She walked out of the shop/inn, gasping in awe at the scenery as the sun cast its setting glow on the landscape. "Whoa...What a view..." She walked forward, spotting Fluttershy sitting next to the cliffside overlooking the ocean, some ruins of an old city able to be seen in the distance. She approached the oblivious summoner, who seemed to be whispering something, though Rainbow couldn't tell what she was saying. "Hey, Flutters! What'cha up to!?"

Fluttershy squeaked in surprise, quickly hiding something as she turned around to look at Rainbow Dash. She sat down next to the summoner and watched the sun set with her, the two pegasi enjoying the scenery.

"I wish I could live in a place like this," Fluttershy said after a few minutes of silence. "Just to live in peace, never having to worry about fighting."

"After you beat Sin, that is," Rainbow said.

"But Sin will always come back," the summoner sadly said.

"Then beat it again. You managed to do well against Cadence earlier, beating that Ifrit of hers." As much as she tried to lighten the mood, Rainbow failed to do so, for both her and Fluttershy. As Rarity warned, she had to keep her knowledge of her father being Sin a secret, though she wished she could tell somepony. "...You know, that's one thing that's still bugging me. How come Sin always keeps coming back?"

"...Sin punishes us from our ancestor's past choices many years ago," Fluttershy said. "It won't go away until everypony atones for our sins."

"Is it really about the machina?" Rainbow asked. "How is it all a bad thing? I mean, in Zanarkand, we used tons of machina for everyday life. It makes no sense."

"...I never really thought of that." Fluttershy looked at Rainbow Dash. "But, I don't think I have an answer as to why it's bad. It just is...I'm as clueless as you."

"Thank you!" Rainbow exclaimed, standing up. "Somepony actually understands my confusion and wanting to find out what the hay is going on! Twilight should be scolding you more instead of me because of my desire for knowledge...even though I messed up in school a lot when I was a filly because I hated learning." Fluttershy giggled, never imagining somepony like Rainbow Dash would ever like to learn anything and just jump in headfirst toward the action. "Though, I gotta say this, Fluttershy."

"Hm?" She stared at the cyan pegasus in confusion, wondering what Rainbow Dash had in mind.

"When you confront Sin, it's best not to worry about anything else until it's truly dead. It's kind of like putting all my focus into a blitzball game." Rainbow hovered around as she began to explain her simile. "You can't think, 'Hey, look at that stud watching me play fifth seat from the right!' And you can't think about trying to ask that colt out on a night out on the town and freak out about what his personality would really be, because then you'll lose that focus and miss the shot, or lose the game. Know what I mean?" Fluttershy nodded, understanding what she meant. "...Well, unless stallions aren't your thing, then maybe that's not what your mind is going through and you think of mares. N-Not that I'm saying I'm into mares or anything! I mean...I-"

"I get it, Rainbow Dash," Fluttershy giggled as Rainbow Dash blushed as she dug herself a hole with her sexual preferences.

"R-Right..." She chastised herself, feeling like a blabbering idiot when she looked at Fluttershy, which only made her nerves worse with the sunset's light bathing the summoner in its glow. Taking a moment to calm herself while trying not to look into her different colored eyes, which seemed to shine at the angle she was hovering in, she finally found her voice. "But the big question is how you're supposed to stop Sin."

"The Final Summoning," Fluttershy said. "The goal of a summoner's pilgrimage is to receive the Final Aeon, where the Fayth awaits the summoner in the far north, the only aeon that can defeat Sin. That Fayth lies at the world's edge...in Zanarkand."

Rainbow's eyes widened, the last aeon Fluttershy would need was up in Zanarkand. "She means the ruins of a city that USED to be Zanarkand." The pegasus yelped in surprise as Rarity had somehow quietly snuck up on them. "You'll see for yourself when the time comes, Rainbow Dash. Fluttershy, let's go inside. It's getting late."

Fluttershy nodded, Rarity headed back to the building, where she looked up at Spike, who quickly leapt down and avoided her gaze, heading inside the travel agency. The two pegasi were left alone, though Rainbow Dash still didn't want to believe Zanarkand was really destroyed. "Well, we should get some sleep. Good night, Rainbow."

"Yeah. 'Night, Flutters..." The summoner headed inside and to her room, Rainbow trudging along after her.

"Smooth move, by the way," Rarity said, making the pegasus turn her head to face the older mare. "'Not that I'm saying I'm into mares?'"

"I'm not!" she exclaimed.

"Oh please," Rarity scoffed. "I've heard of your little flings as soon as you reached puberty back in Zanarkand." Rainbow's cheeks turned red, mostly in embarrassment, trying to hide it by glaring at the unicorn in anger. "I wouldn't get too close to her, Rainbow Dash."

"Why not?" the pegasus questioned.

"It's just a warning." Rarity headed inside for the rest of the evening, leaving Rainbow confused with her answer.

"How about you just tell me instead of being cryptic!?" Rainbow groaned in annoyance, forgetting about Rarity's idea on 'letting her find out everything on her own' and headed inside, feeling exhausted from today's shenanigans.

As the sun rose to signal the start of the day, Rainbow yawned tiredly as she walked out of her room, stretching her limbs awake. The others were already up, either outside or browsing through what the shop had to sell. Before the pegasus could exit the Al Bhed travel agency, she accidentally bumped into a blueish gray earth pony stallion with a lighter blueish-gray mane with pale gray stripes, wearing tinted sunglasses that covered his eyes.

"Byntuh sa," he said.

"Uhh...what?" Rainbow asked, having no clue what he said.

"Oh. Sorry," the stallion apologized. "I meant to say 'pardon me', but it came out in Al Bhed by mistake."

"You're Al Bhed?" The stallion nodded as he bowed.

"Indeed. I am Hoity Toity, owner of Hoity Toity's travel agencies around Spira. Hela du saad oui." Unfortunately, Rainbow had no clue what he said, only understanding that "oui" meant "you". "That means 'Nice to meet you.'"

"Oh! Well, helly doo sad wee to you too!" The pegasus seemed a little proud to actually say a sentence in another language, but Hoity Toity didn't seem impressed.

"...Close enough. Here, if you wish to learn about our language, more fluently, you can have these." Hoity gave Rainbow Dash a few small books, each of them a book on learning how to speak Al Bhed. "It's a fun experience to learn several languages, understanding our culture and even understand what we say."

"Yeah...Kinda sucks that the Al Bhed aren't liked much," Rainbow said, pitying the ponies prejudiced by others because of their lineage and using machina.

"Ed ec y crysa," Hoity sighed.

"AHH! Somepony help! It's here!" somepony outside screamed in terror.

"Everypony, outside!" Rarity said to Rainbow, Twilight, and Applejack.

They quickly met up with the rest of the party outside near the ranch. Everyone present heard a loud roar come up from the top of the shop along with the frightened "kweh" of a chocobo. Looking in the sound's direction, everyone gasped as they saw a large fiend with long arms and a large maw with two tongues. In one of its hands was a chocobo, trying to escape out of its grip.

"What the hay is THAT!?" Rainbow shouted.

"A Chocobo Eater!" She didn't need much more information on the fiend, its name explaining for it.

Saving the poor bird, Applejack threw her blitzball at its face, making it drop its breakfast and leaping down at the party. Both sides had their backs toward cliffs, the fiend's back facing the cliffside looking out at the ocean, while the ponies and dragon were close to a lower road of Mi'ihen that had sealed off a second pathway.

They were ready to fight the Chocobo Eater, but Fluttershy seemed deadly serious. "How...dare you..." Confused, Rainbow looked at the summoner, the others slowly backing away from her. "You...actually eat...innocent, cute little chocobos!?" The fiend grunted in confusion, watching the puny yellow pegasus begin to approach it, her mane blocking her face. "You...will not...eat...ANY OF THEM!!!!!!!!"

"Oh no," Twilight said in fear, giving the mare some distance. "Rainbow Dash, back up."

"W-Why?" She got her answer as the summoner screeched in fury, ramming into the fiend's abdomen and knocking it on its back. "W-What the hay!?"

Fluttershy began spanking the fiend's backside with her staff, making it yelp in pain as it began to sport red welts from the metal symbol on the end. Each hard smack echoed along with the Chocobo Eater's cries of pain, sending the fiend skidding along the ground every few inches. Giving one last grunt, the pegasus smacked it one last time, sending it sliding back over the cliffside. It hovered in the air for a moment, making grunting noises that sounded like it said "uh-oh", then screeching to its death as it fell into the sea, drowning to death as spirits flew out from the water.

She turned around, instantly back to her calm, chipper self. "The chocobos are saved!" she announced, the chocobos in the ranch the only ones rejoicing as they all surrounded the pegasus, giving her their thanks for saving them from their predator.

Everypony else was quite stunned, even Spike lost his stoic expression. "...Well, now you know why. Mess with animals she adores, she turns into a 'fiend' to save them."

Rainbow was speechless, her mouth dropping to the ground as her wings flared out from her sides. Hoity Toity approached his store/inn's savior, applauding her bravery.

"Thank you so much for saving my chocobos, miss! Quite a feat for one such as yourself," he said. "How can I ever repay you?"

"...Well, there is one thing, if it's ok with you," Fluttershy said, petting one of the chocobos.

Chapter 18: Applejack's Rage

"La la-la-la la la-la la la laaa," Fluttershy sang as she rode on the back of a chocobo as they continued further down Mi'ihen.

The pegasus requested to rent a chocobo for free for the remainder of their travel down the highroad, which Hoity Toity gladly accepted to repay her for saving his corral of rental mounts. Oddly enough, the chocobo sang along with her as the two sang a very catchy an addictive tune. There wasn't much of the highroad left for them to cross as they were approaching a checkpoint between Mi'ihen and Mushroom Rock Road. They caught sight of Vinyl and Octavia walking through with their wagon, other Crusaders blocking the route after they passed. Having had her fun riding on a chocobo, Fluttershy climbed off the avian, giving it one last nuzzle as it headed back to the corral at Hoity Toity's Travel Agency.

The party tried to pass, but the guards stopped them from going any further. "Lady Fluttershy, forgive us, but we can't let you continue further. Operation Mi'ihen is going to commence at any moment."

"It's for your own safety," the other guard said.

Unable to get by, they had no choice but to wait. As luck would have it, or to Rainbow Dash, bad luck, Blueblood came cantering down the highroad with two Guado guards. The guards didn't have horns though, which was quite odd. The others, excluding the suspicious pegasus, silent dragon, and Rarity, gave him the Faust bow, as Rainbow decided to call it after a week of seeing that annoying prayer so many times, the maester bowing back to them.

"Lady Fluttershy," Blueblood said. "We meet again, as if fate wanted us to be together." Rainbow stifled her groan, not liking the way he was eyeing the young summoner. "You seem a little troubled."

"Y-Yes, Maester Blueblood," Fluttershy stammered.

Without needing to explain their predicament, Blueblood understood. "I see. Wait right here."

The Guado approached the Crusader guards, saluting to him. "Maester Blueblood. I'll show you to the command center."

"Hold, please," the Guado maester said, holding up a hoof. "I have a request to make. I would like Summoner Fluttershy and her guardians to pass and join me at the command center." The two guards seemed to worry, shocked at the maester's request. "I shall take full responsibility for their safety if any of them are harmed."

"...Y-Yes, Maester Blueblood." Following his orders, they allowed them to pass.

The stallion looked back at Fluttershy, giving her a wink, then continued onto Mushroom Rock Road. "That stallion's freaking weird," Rainbow muttered as she followed the others through the checkpoint.

As they walked down the next area, the land was pretty grim, the whole landscape a large rocky canyon. The were some that seemed to actually be shaped like a mushroom, as the name of the road implied. Many Crusaders, even the Chocobo Knights, were busy at work to put Operation Mi'ihen into effect. They noticed Blueblood approaching, all of them ceasing their duties as they saluted to the maester.

"Brave Crusaders of Spira, your deeds shall be witnessed on this day for your courage under Faust's guidance! Believe in the path you have chosen, and let your strength guide you on your mission!" The Crusaders saluted to the stallion again, then carried on with their assigned duties.

"Why is he goin' along with the Crusaders?" Applejack asked, feeling conflicted at the maester's acceptance to the operation. "They're gonna use Al Bhed machina! That's disobeyin' the teaching's we've been followin'!"

"Why don't you ask him yourself?" The ex-blitzball captain looked up as Rarity asked, freezing up as the Guado approached them.

"I assume you had little trouble making it through?" he asked. His attention was soon turned to Rarity, who leered at the stallion underneath her sunglasses. "Ah. Lady Rarity. An honor to meet you personally. You seem to have disappeared and haven't been known in over ten years. I am interested to know what had happened to you."

"No comment," Rarity huffed, walking past him and smacking him in the face with her tail.

"...Touchy." Blueblood wasn't deterred by the smack as he looked back at the others. "Yet, she is a legendary guardian. You are quite lucky, Fluttershy."

"Umm...Excuse me, your lordship," Applejack said, getting Blueblood's attention. Twilight facehooved, along with Mog and Smarty Pants, watching the earth pony make a fool of herself. "W-Why exactly...are ya present here...presently...in our...presence?"

"Please, speak to me like you would anypony else." Rainbow would gladly say a few words against this stallion, especially with his random ogling at Fluttershy like a creepy stalker.

"R-Right." Applejack took a deep breath, trying not to look angry. "Uhh, this operation is usin' machina, and it goes against what we've been taught in the temples. Shouldn't ya stop them?"

"...True. I should. However, the Crusaders, and even the Al Bhed supplying the machina only wish for peace in Spira." His answer did not help ease the mare's concerns, making her faith in the teachings feel worthless in this moment. "I know Operation Mi'ihen is sacrilegious to Faust's teachings, but all of their intentions for this mission are completely pure. As Blueblood Guado, the stallion, not the maester, want to wish them luck with their endeaver."

"B-But the machina are illegal! They're never supposed to be used because Sin destroys any town that uses them!" Applejack argued, hoping to get him to change his mind.

"Pretend you didn't see them." Fluttershy, Twilight, and Applejack gasped in shock, unable to believe their ears.

"M-Maester Blueblood, that ain't somethin' ya'll should say!" Applejack exclaimed.

"Then pretend I didn't say that." Blueblood walked off, leaving behind the utterly horrified mares as they watched him leave.

Applejack's hat slowly slid off her head, floating next to her hooves as her face turned pale. "...Ah think Ah'm gonna be sick."

With the road leading to Djose blocked for the time being because of Operation Mi'ihen, the group of six made their way down the left path, where the operation's command center was set up. More fiends inhabited the other pathway, the most annoying of monsters Rainbow had ever fought were the Funguar, red mushrooms that spewed out pollen that put anyone that attacks it physically to sleep. She found out the hard way as she rushed at it without heeding Twilight's warning on the commonly encountered fiend, passing out as she inhaled the spores it expelled as soon as she slashed it with her weapon.

Aside from the annoying run ins with fiends, it was just a long and winding path up to the command center, rising up to certain levels of the canyon with odd glyphs on certain pieces of land, activating them to rise up like a pillar. They reached a lift that was made by the Al Bhed to rise up to a cliffside that overlooked the operation from above. Near said lift was Vinyl Scratch and Octavia Melody, the two mares arguing about something.

"Come on, 'Tavi! I can fight too! Just let me help!" Vinyl shouted.

"You are ordered to guard the command center, Vinyl," Octavia calmly said. "We have to listen to our superiors, especially you."

"Screw them! If we go down, we'll both go down fighting!" The gray earth pony kept her stern glare on the unicorn, Vinyl eventually giving up. "Fine then. Go ahead and die out there without me! See if I care!"

Vinyl ran to the lift, activating it and rising up to her post. "Vinyl..." As Octavia was about to head back down the path to her position for the operation, she saw Fluttershy and her guardians were here, heading for the lift. "So, they actually let you guys in?"

"Thank Blueblood for that," Rainbow said, earning a hard jab in the side from Twilight.

Applejack leered at the Crusader, stepping forward. "So, mind tellin' us why the Crusaders are fightin' in this stupid job? Aren't the machina enough to do the deed!?" she questioned, practically spitting out the word that caused Spira's millennium long suffering.

"The Crusaders are around in order to keep Sin at bay while the Al Bhed finish setting up the machina." Applejack growled, wanting to beat the gray earth pony mare to a pulp. She turned away and sulked, though Octavia seemed to look guilty about something. She took in a deep breath and sighed. "...Applejack...I might not be able to have another chance to tell you...It's about your brother, Big Mac."

"Octavia, don't tell her!" Twilight blurted out, only to quickly cover her mouth, looking at Applejack in fear.

"What?" The guardian looked at Twilight, then back at Octavia, Smarty Pants and Mog trembling in fear as they saw the rage in Applejack's eyes. "...What about mah brother?"

"...I was the one who convinced him to join the Crusaders." Applejack's pupils shrunk as Octavia lowered her head. She slowly looked at Twilight, tears welling up in her eyes as she looked away from her, unable to look at her friend. The orange earth pony panted heavily, her legs shaking with anger as she rubbed her head, knocking off hat as it fell to the ground. "I'm sorry, Applejack..."

The mare snapped, rushing at Octavia and punched her hard in the face, almost knocking her off the cliff with how far she flung her. Applejack was about to pummel the Crusader, but she was held back by Rainbow Dash and Spike, both the pegasus and dragon using all their strength to hold the enraged earth pony back.

"Applejack, don't! It's not worth it!" Rainbow said as she pushed her back.

"Ya got mah brother killed! Mah only family!" Applejack shouted, being pulled away by Spike, being forced to sit down while he held her down. "Big Mac was gonna propose to Twilight after we won the cup, and instead, he gets himself killed because ya'll convinced him to join the Crusaders!"

Octavia got back up on her hooves, rubbing her face as she felt the sting of the earth pony's hoof. "...I didn't know..." She looked up to Twilight, who was shocked to know Big Macintosh was going to propose to her at some point, which was startling news for Rainbow Dash to know. Now she knew how sensitive she was on the subject of Applejack's brother and their relationship. "But, you brother joined by his own will...I didn't force him, just telling him what could benefit for him if he joined; not only to protect his fiancee from Sin...but also his little sister."

Even though her brother had thought about her safety just as much as Twilight's, it didn't help quell her anger. Applejack looked at the lavender unicorn with a disappointed glare, her outburst earlier telling her she had found out before her. She no longer resisted under the dragon's hold, Spike letting go of her, though staying cautious if she was going to attack Octavia again.

"Twi?" she growled. "How long have ya known?"

"...Since we left Besaid..." Twilight sobbed as Fluttershy pulled her into a comforting embrace, Mog and Smarty Pants helping to console their owner.

"Twilight also hit me...with magic." The Crusader lifted her mane up, revealing a star shaped scorch mark on the back of her neck. "Still burns after the few days I got it."

"Attention all Crusaders!" Octavia looked up, spotting Fleetfoot from the Chocobo Knights flying over the path to alert everypony's attention. "Operation Mi'ihen is about to start soon! Crusaders in the vanguard report to the Djose Shore immediately!"

"...Guess it's time." Octavia began to head down Mushroom Rock Road to the beach, where they would hold Sin at bay until the Al Bhed finished their preparations.

Applejack watched her leave, her day today only getting worse and worse with each minute that had passed. It was bad enough that they had to rest at an Al Bhed shop yesterday, Maester Blueblood was practically breaking rules and allowing machina to be used to stop Sin, Al Bhed are assisted by the Crusaders to try and defeat Sin, and she just now found out her brother was enlisted in the Crusaders by Octavia, and felt betrayed as Twilight hid all this from her.

After Twilight had calmed down a little, Applejack grabbed her hat and placed it back on her head, the rim veiling her eyes as she glared at the ground. They got on the lift, the disgruntled earth pony staying far away from the lavender unicorn as much as possible. As they reached the top, they saw the bluff had several cannons facing out to the ocean, a large building out in the distance, a much larger cannon mounted on top of it. Growling, Applejack approached one of the nearby cannons, glaring at the metallic weapons of destruction.

"Consarn these stupid-!" Applejack bucked the cannon, immediately regretting it as it nearly broke her hind hooves. "AUGH! Why do they even exist!?"

"I know Applejack's pretty ticked off, but why exactly does she hate the machina?" Rainbow dared to ask.

"...Big Mac left the sword you're using behind...and he fought with an Al Bhed machina weapon," Twilight mumbled as she held her head low.

"That ain't it, Twilight!" Applejack shouted, wincing as she tried to walk after hurting her legs on the artillery weapon. "Ah hate these confounded things!"

Rainbow Dash pulled out her sword, or she should say Big Macintosh's sword. She stared at her reflection in the brilliant blue blade, feeling bad for both Applejack and Twilight. The former lost a brother, hating Al Bhed machina more as the stallion had used one in place of the blade she now holds, the latter lost a lover, along with somepony else in her life she doesn't wish to say. They were going to be sisters-in-law, but now their friendship was diminishing, the pain of their losses threatening to tear them apart.

The pegasus sighed, putting her sword away. "So much drama...How many lives are you going to destroy, dad?" she whispered to herself, following the others as they headed to where Blueblood awaited them to arrive, to her dismay.

Chapter 19: Operation Mi'ihen

The summoner party walked along the bluff as they inspected everything that was going on. Down below, several hundred Crusaders were down on the shore, many of them on chocobos as they prepared to call Sin. In a large cage, there was a gigantic fiend held captive, obviously a spawn of Sin. It was an amazing feat that someone was bold and dumb enough to keep a Sinspawn alive, the ponies forcing the smaller fiends Vinyl and Octavia were pulling earlier to feed it.

"You've got to be kidding me? They actually kept a Sinspawn alive?" Rainbow questioned as they heard it roar out, banging the cage to try and escape.

"It won't work," Rarity said. "The only thing that can defeat Sin is the Final Aeon. They're all going to die for nothing."

They continued on their way to the command center as Rainbow watched more Crusaders and Al Bhed finishing preparations. What horrified her was that there were young colts, probably no older than ten years old, and they were going to fight alongside the adults. They shouldn't even be forced into doing something like this, or even by their own will. Their lives will end too soon before they could even reach adulthood, which only made the pegasus loathe this future more than ever.

Reaching the entrance to the command center, they saw Vinyl standing guard, pouting as she stood at attention. "Everypony check all your equipment before the operation starts," she said in a monotone voice.

"You alright?" Rainbow asked.

"No! You think I sound alright!?" she shouted. "I don't know why the hay my dumb bosses can't put me done out there with Octavia! Screw rules! Screw protocol! Screw all of this!"

"If you want to be proven as an experienced Crusader, do the jobs you've been given instead of acting out of line," Rarity scolded the ignorant unicorn mare.

"It's not that!" Vinyl argued. "I've known Octavia ever since we were fillies, and we've been inseparable. Then, a few years ago, she decided to be a Crusader, and was stationed out in Besaid. So, I decided to become a Crusader so she doesn't go and get herself killed!"

"I think it's the exact opposite," Rarity countered.

"She's not a fighter. You don't know 'Tavi like I do...She can't do this on her own down there..." Vinyl drooped her head, kicking the dirt under her hooves. "...She was happy to see me when I decided to join the Crusaders, practically crying with joy...If one of us goes down, we both go down..." She sighed, taking off her purple-tinted sunglasses. "But...I should obey commands given to me...I'm just afraid of losing my best friend..."

"...I see..." Rarity rested a hoof on the unicorn's shoulder. "There may be a slim chance she could make it out alive."

"...Against Sin?...I doubt it." They walked into the command center, leaving the blue-haired unicorn Crusader to herself as she stayed at her post.

In the wide space that made up the command center, they saw Blueblood overlooking the beach along with a pale gold earth pony mare, her mane a cobalt blue with light azure stripes. The Guado maester alerted her of their presence, her eyes widening in surprise as she focused all her attention on Rarity.

"Rarity! I though Blueblood was joking when I heard you were around after a whole decade!" The mare approached the guardian, pulling Rarity into a friendly embrace. "Marefriend, you have got to tell me what you've been up to!"

Rarity gently shoved the mare back, an unamused expression on her face. "I'm not exactly in a good mood, Sapphire Shores. I should be asking you what you're doing here."

"Hmm...Well, you seemed to have missed out on everything the last ten years," Sapphire said. "I just so happen to be a maester of Faust."

"...You? A maester?" The mare nodded. "...Pardon my enthusiasm, but I believe they chose the wrong mare to be one of the four maesters that lead Spira. Need I remind you how you were lucky to even be a part of the warrior monks if I wasn't around to help you?"

"Well, here I am now, girl. A maester of Faust, in the flesh." Rarity grumbled, despising her old friend's attitude.

"Maester Sapphire!" One of the Crusaders alerted her to his presence, saluting to her. "The troops are all ready by your command, ma'am!"

"Seeeensational! Dismissed!" The stallion headed back down to the shore, Sapphire smirking at Rarity. "Along with being maester, I also command the warrior monks AND the Crusaders."

"This little operation is going to get them all killed," Rarity said.

"I know it won't. We'll let them dream for a little bit longer." The guardian growled, her glare intensifying. "Now, tell me, Rarity. Have you seen Zanarkand?"

Rarity didn't feel like talking with Sapphire Shores, walking away as she scoffed. The maester headed back to Blueblood while the white unicorn kept her cool before she lost it.

"The hay was that all about, Rares?" Rainbow asked, a little curious of their relationship as friends.

"Nothing important," she replied. "Just an old friend's shell that was left behind after years of arrogance and an ego that makes her think she's better than others, rotting her heart until she turned into the fiends that plague Spira."

"...So, you used to be friends, and now you're not. Got it." Rainbow looked over at the maesters, glaring at Blueblood as he began to stare at Fluttershy again.

Operation Mi'ihen was about to begin, the cage holding the Sinspawn rising up into the air as everyone waited for what would be a fight to their demise. Soon, the cage began to shock the fiend inside, making it screech out in agony, calling on Sin to save it. It began to bang into the steel walls of its prison, finding some way to escape. It managed to, breaking down the door as it wasn't sealed up properly, leaping out of its cage and onto the bluff and making the ponies around the command center scatter in fright.

The Sinspawn was a large, almost centipede-like fiend. It had two large arms shaped like shields on its sides, a mouth on its torso, the same height as the shield arms, and an upper head on top, leering down at the party as they prepared to fight it off. It was mad, and now that it was free, it was going to get its revenge on the ponies that trapped it and shocked it.

"Well, so much for that plan!" Rainbow shouted. The Sinspawn began to move its upper head erratically, building up something from inside it. "Uhh, what's it doing!?"

"Rainbow, Twilight, Applejack, attack the head!" Rarity ordered. "Spike, you and I will take out the arms and body! Fluttershy, you stay back!"

"Might as well take out mah anger on somethin'!" Applejack threw her blitzball hard into the upper head, nearly snapping its neck back at the sheer force, but it did stop its erratic shaking.

Rainbow Dash took to the air and flew into the top head, slashing at it with her sword while avoiding its small set of teeth. Rarity and Spike rushed forward, splitting up to take an arm to themselves and hacking through them, destroying the protective hands it had. With its natural shields gone, they began to strike its body, avoiding its swiping legs and large mouth.

As Fluttershy watched from a distance, knowing she was being protected by her guardians, she took a glance at Twilight, who was struggling to try and cast a spell. The lavender unicorn was so distressed, she couldn't concentrate enough to even keep her horn glowing for more than a few seconds.

"Twilight? What's wrong?" Fluttershy asked, greatly concerned at the unicorn's trembling body.

"I-I can't...I can't focus..." She strained to fire something, anything, just to do something to help, but nothing would come. She eventually gave up and sat down, Mog and Smarty Pants trying to motivate her to get back up and keep trying. "T-They just...keep coming back...M-My..."

"Twilight, stop standin' around and help us!" Twilight flinched and pressed her ears into her skull, hearing Applejack shout for help. The earth pony kicked her weapon hard at the upper head as it began to move again, stopping it and turning its red face gray. "For Faust's sake, shoot some fire! Rain lightnin' down! Freeze the Sinspawn! Anythin'!"

She looked up at the earth pony, her teary eyes widening as the Sinspawn began to charge at the mare. Unable to see it coming, Applejack was smacked hard by one of its arms, having regenerated to the others' surprise, sending her tumbling across the ground. Just from seeing her friend lying on the ground, her hat knocked off her head, getting more injured than ever in the last few days made the unicorn snap.

Her horn glowed brightly as her eyes began to turn white, practically glowing as her magical aura began to grow powerful by the second. Mog and Smarty Pants backed away, feeling their owner's magical power growing far more intense than ever before. Twilight turned her head in the Sinspawn's direction, screamed at the top of her lungs, and began unleashing her power.

The fiend was hit by a barrage of powerful magic spells, and they were the strongest of spells any magic caster would wish to learn to destroy the monsters that threaten to kill them. The Sinspawn was buffeted by Firaga, Thundaga, Blizzaga, and Waterga spells, powerful explosions of flame, compressed blasts of lightning, giant ice pillars striking underneath, and its body encased in large spheres of water to suffocate it, all of them greatly damaging the powerful fiend. After one last Firaga spell blasted its torso, the Sinspawn screeched as it fell over, passing out from the sheer pain.

The fiend was still alive, not dead like it should be, the others slowly turning to face the lavender unicorn in sheer awe. Twilight's horn began to go dim and her eyes turned back to normal, panting heavily in exhaustion as she unleashed so much pent up power. Her eyes rolled up into the back of her head, passing out as she hit the ground, Mog and Smarty Pants rushing up to her to see if she was ok.

"...Holy horsefeathers," Rainbow finally said as the bluff went quiet. "Since when could Twilight do that!?"

"An emotional magic surge." The pegasus looked at Rarity, landing back down next to her as she questioned what she meant. "Do you know about unicorns with uncontrolable surges, Rainbow?"

"No...Is it dangerous?" she asked.

"In a way, it can be, depending on the magical potential a unicorn has." As Rarity explained, Applejack was back on her hooves, limping over to Twilight after getting hit by the Sinspawn hard. She was just as surprised as the others when she woke up to see her unleashing powerful spells on the fiend. "As foals, unicorns can't control their magic when they're born, having uncontrollable surges that are relatively harmless. However, if one who dedicated their life to studying and increasing their magical potential, like Twilight, they can unleash the most powerful of spells in their repertoire on their foes."

"Wait, so she knows that level of magic and didn't use it to help us earlier!?" Rainbow asked. "She could have easily taken out the machina back in Luca when Fluttershy was kidnapped! Why was she holding back all this time!?"

"Traumatic emotions," Rarity said, silencing Rainbow's further complaints. "Twilight seems to be a sensitive mare, just from one glance. If you look at her eyes, you can see a lot of pain she's kept bottled away inside of her, haunting her for years. Lose control of your emotions, and you may risk losing control of your magic." Rarity looked down, lost in thought as she continued explaining. "Even when depressed or highly stressed, our magic might not work due to the conflicting emotions running through our hearts or minds, lacking the focus to cast anything. That's why she hides her pain and force herself to feel nothing: to do her duty as a guardian, and to keep herself from losing control with what power she has."

"...So, losing Applejack's brother was that strong?" the pegasus asked as she looked at the unconscious unicorn.

"Possibly...Or it could stem back further in her life, when she was a filly." As much as Rainbow wanted to find out what had happened to Twilight, it was better not to ask and wait until she felt comfortable telling everyone her past.

Suddenly, everypony in the area heard a low rumbling growl come from the sea. Wondering what was going on, Rainbow Dash flew up to investigate, her jaw dropping as Sin's silhouette appeared under the water's surface. The massive being of destruction rose up from the water, and as soon as it appeared, the cannons around the bluff fired, hitting the fiend's barrier. Small Sinspawn fell out from its body as it was struck, the small fiends swimming up the ocean, the militia of Crusaders charging toward the sea to slay the spawn.

"They're just making things worse," Rainbow muttered as she saw thousands of Sinspawn rushing in from the ocean.

Sin suddenly shed its outer shell, a sphere of energy forming around it as the artillery fire was eradicated by the barrier. "LOOK OUT!"

Applejack quickly lifted Twilight onto her back as everypony ran for cover. Sin soon expanded the energy it created forward like a beam. A blinding flash stunned the party as they managed to flee just in time, the unlucky Crusaders down below were vaporized by the attack.

A moment later, the smoke cleared and the flash began to fade, Sin's energy having destroyed most of the bluff, leaving behind a massive crater. Fluttershy began to wake up from her daze, staring in horror at the damage that was made. Her ears perked up when she heard scuttling behind her, turning around to only gasp as the Sinspawn they just fought earlier was still alive and caught its second wind. Catching sight of her, it charged right for her as she squealed in terror, curling herself into a ball.

Blueblood swiftly ran up to Fluttershy out of nowhere, pushing the fiend back before it managed to sink its torso mouth into the pegasus. When she looked up, she was surprised to see the maester had saved her, showing his incredible strength nopony knew he had. With a powerful grunt, he managed to shove the heavy Sinspawn back a few yards, giving them some distance from it. As Fluttershy readied her staff to fight, Rarity walking in having survived Sin's attack, Blueblood held his hoof out to stop the two mares.

"Ladies, stand back. I shall deal with this fiend for you." Reluctantly, the young summoner nodded as the stallion pulled out a collapsable staff, forming it together with his magical aura.

The Sinspawn's upper head began to move, but Blueblood wasn't going to let it stay moving for long. Thrusting his staff like a spear, it lodged into the fiend's head, making it screech in pain. Smirking, the Guado's horn glowed, casting a powerful Thundaga spell into the staff. The electricity began coursing through its body, immediately killing the upper head and destroying the shield arms. While it was stunned, Blueblood charged into it, leaping up to snatch his staff back and fell back down to the ground.

With his weapon back, he cast a Firaga spell on the end of his staff, thrusting it forward until the magic was in the fiend's mouth. The flaming spell blew up inside its mouth, making it screech in agony as it died, disappearing in a flurry of lights, leaving nothing behind. As it faded away, Blueblood walked back to the two mares, fixing his mane as he grinned in victory. Fluttershy was highly impressed while Rarity wasn't, her leer on him still resided.

"Oh my..." Fluttershy soon gasped, looking around to find no sign of Rainbow Dash, Twilight, Applejack, or Spike. "Where are the others!?"

She ran over to the cliff's edge, Sin still around as it began to face the tower on the other end of the shore. The cannon on top of the structure began to spark, charging up to unleash a powerful stream of electricity, point blank into the massive fiend. Its energy barrier held it back as both the stream and shield fought for dominance. Blueblood stood behind Fluttershy as they watched the fiend struggle with the Al Bhed machina weapon. Unfortunately, their hopes had faded when the machina was about to breach Sin's barrier, only for the monster's energy to slash through tower, causing it to blow up as the explosions and crumbling structure killed the Al Bhed stationed there.

Rainbow's ears perked up as she heard the explosions, groaning in pain as she woke up on the debris filled beach. As she got up, she checked her surroundings, staring in pure horror at the dozens of dead bodies littered along the shore, even the colts that were up on the bluff just moments ago. She slowly walked along the sands, unable to look away from the dead ponies, her breath shakey as she had witnessed more deaths from the monstrosity known as Sin.

She soon saw Vinyl Scratch, lying face down in the sand. "Vinyl!" She ran up to the unicorn, rolling her onto her back, fearing the worst. Thankfully, she was still breathing, her glasses broken on her face, though she was relatively unharmed. She began coughing heavily, spitting out the sand that got in her mouth as she sat up. "Oh thank goodness..."

"Urgh...My head..." Rainbow helped the dazed unicorn on her hooves. "...W-What happened?" Vinyl looked around, her pupils shrinking as she looked around at the carnage in a panic. "N-No...Please no! 'Tavi!? Octavia!?" She looked all over, her eyes resting on a gray hoof that was sticking out from under a large boulder. The unicorn ran up to the boulder, using her magic and her hooves to lift the heavy rock out of the way, but it was too late to help Octavia. "...N-No...Octavia, no..."

The gray earth pony was already dead, unmoving, crushed under the boulder along with her hind legs vaporized by Sin's energy barrier. Vinyl wept as she mourned the loss of her best friend, burying her face in her mane as she sobbed. Rainbow's body shook with anger, sorrow, and hatred, her hearing lost to her as Fluttershy attempted to try and summon an aeon to stop Sin. Blueblood stopped her, telling her it was not worth it, her strength as a summoner too weak to take on the fiend.

Rainbow looked out at the ocean, watching Sin, her father, begin to laugh, having caused enough damage as if she was deliberately taunting her. "Where do you think you're goin!?" she shouted at the fleeing beast. "Why don't you just finish the job, huh!? Come and fight me, you coward!"

The pegasus sprinted out to the sea, diving into the water and chased after Sin. Sin was far too fast for her, even if she poured in all her adrenaline swimming after him. She didn't care. She wanted to kill him. She wanted to get revenge for those that have lost their lives by this indestructible monster. Her energy began to waver after losing sight of him, her vision going white as she seemed to have passed out.

As Rainbow Dash woke up, she found herself in some strange realm, the environment looking like it was made out of crystal as the sky spiraled wildly above her, almost making her feel nauseous. She then soon saw all the Crusaders and Al Bhed who were a part of the operation, wandering around as they faded in and out in this place. Octavia soon walked past her, not even noticing her as she shook her head, knowing full well she had died.

Before she felt sick to her stomach, the pegasus saw the same dark cloaked kid she kept seeing walk toward her. He shook his head, turning to leave as a blitzball flew straight at her face. Blinded by the spinning ball, she soon found herself back in Zanarkand, her boat home. She wasn't in control of her movements, but she recognized the hooves she was "walking" in; they were her father's. She saw herself as a filly on the upper deck, pouting at the city to avoid his gaze.

"What's with that look?" Jet said, his voice loud and clear as if it was her own voice as she spoke.

"They say you're gonna retire...cause you don't practice," the filly sourly said.

"Psh. Let them talk." He lifted his head up as he chugged down an alcoholic beverage held in his wing, Rainbow cringing as she practically tasted the foul liquid.

"It's because you drink all the time." He looked down at her, leering at his disrespectful daughter.

"I can quit anytime I want, you little brat!" He finished down his drink.

"Then do it." Jet nearly spurted out his beer, looking down at the filly pegasus. "You said you can, so just stop!"

"...Hmph," he shrugged. "Maybe tomorrow."

"Why not today?" Rainbow asked.

"Why do today what you can leave for tomorrow?" Those words hurt Rainbow, both past her and now. To her, it was a double meaning: his drinking and his life with his wife and daughter. Every time he got drunk, he turned into a jerk, making her hate him more as he insulted her and ruined her self-esteem. And his faith was immediately broken with her mother when she actually saw Jet with other mares, several times, and his wife was never the wiser. Filly Rainbow ran away from him, tears rolling down her cheeks. "There she goes crying again."

Her vision faded again as everything turned white, the sting of her father's words painful than any injury she had ever received in her life.

As Rainbow Dash woke up once again, she was back on land, feeling the sand of the beach on her back. She was in another part of the Djose Shore, but the carnage could still be seen in the distance. The pegasus sat up, seeing the many bodies that were recovered from Operation Mi'ihen's losses, Fluttershy dancing as she performed the sending.

"That was a stupid thing for you to do." Thankfully, her attention was turned away from the pegasus summoner as Rarity stood next to her. "Many stories have ended today. Yours still goes on."

"...I'm in no mood for your stories," she mumbled.

Rarity was right about Sin; Rainbow did feel her father was somewhere inside of that fiend. What was word in that strange dream she had was the pain that she felt in her heart was not only hers, but his as well. She had no idea if that was the case. All she wanted was to go back home and forget the despair Spira suffers from.

Chapter 20: Road of Defeat

Fluttershy had finished performing the sending, the spirits of the departed Crusaders and Al Bhed brought to the Farplane as their bodies rested on the shore. Again, Rainbow Dash had to see the pegasus dance, and again, she hated seeing her being so graceful to ease the souls who had died. So many lives have already been lost in a span of a week, and many more will keep dying, which means Fluttershy would keep dancing.

While taking this moment to relax after another run in with Sin, Applejack paid her respects to the Crusaders, even if they had thought using machina would have been a good idea. She walked back to Twilight, who was awake after her fainting spell from unleashing so much magical power on the Sinspawn. She sat next to her as Mog and Smarty Pants grew cautious around her.

"...Ya alright, Twi?" Twilight didn't answer, looking down at her dolls. "...Ah ain't mad at ya, Twilight."

"Yes you are," she mumbled.

"...Ok, maybe a little...but Ah know ya didn't want me to know because of how mad Ah got." Applejack took off her hat, looking down at the worn out headgear. "Mah brother was the only family Ah had...We lost our parents when we were little, when Sin came to Besaid...Ah don't know how we both survived that day...

"Then, when ya came around a few years ago, everythin' changed...for all three of us. Ya didn't like me that much, but ya had a thing for Big Mac." The earth pony began to chuckle as she reminisced. "It was kinda funny when Smarty Pants tried to give ya signs to kiss him. Not a very social pony, and it surely showed." She didn't get any reaction from Twilight, sighing sadly. "Ya never really talked about your life much, always readin' your books. And when ya don't have pages pressed against your nose, ya always wanted to be around him.

"Ah know I shouldn't pry, and Ah won't, but Ah want to know more about ya aside from ya bein' smart and, apparently, more powerful with magic than Ah thought." Twilight still looked down at the ground. "Ya can tell me anythin', sugarcube...We were gonna be family, and Ah considered ya a sister even before ya got hitched with Big Mac..."

"...I know..." She finally looked up at Applejack, an apologetic look in her eyes. "But...I can't tell you...It's...too painful..."

"...Ah understand." Applejack stood back up, putting her stetson back on. "If ya'll are ready, Ah'll listen. We're still friends?"

"...Yeah." Twilight got up as well. "I have no choice since we're Fluttershy's guardians," she said, giving the ex-blitzball captain a grin.

The two laughed, their friendship slowly mending back together. Though, as one pair of friends were still together, another old pair weren't any closer than they were moments ago.

"Are you happy, Sapphire?" Rarity asked the maester. "Those faithful to Faust still live, while those who betrayed her teachings are dead. And you weren't one of them, running away like a coward."

"It's called a tactical retreat," Sapphire argued. "There's a difference."

"It still means the same thing; running away." Rarity huffed as she turned away from her old friend, Sapphire not showing any remorse for the ponies who died as she headed off down the road.

As Rarity walked down to the shore to meet up with Rainbow Dash, Blueblood stood with Fluttershy, sensing her trepidation from the events that had transpired today. "Are you well, Lady Fluttershy?"

"N-No...I wish I could have done something to stop Sin," she said.

"I know. But do not lose faith, m'lady," Blueblood said, gently taking her hoof in his. "Everypony in Spira is counting on you, relying heavily on your strength to defeat Sin. You are Spira's hope. Do you understand?" The pegasus nodded. "Do not be afraid, Lady Fluttershy...Allow me to be your pillar of strength. Just as Celestia had with her sister, Luna."

The Guado bowed and gently kissed Fluttershy's hoof, leaving her as he hurried after Sapphire Shores before she got too far. Rainbow had watched them, sneering as Blueblood's lips touched the young summoner's hoof. Even if he had helped save her and everypony else from the Sinspawn, she still didn't trust him.

"Jealous?" Rarity asked.

"Shut up." She hoped they don't see Blueblood again."...You were right, Rarity. I did feel my dad inside Sin. Why is he doing this?"

"He is showing you what Sin does," the unicorn answered. "He wants you to kill him, to stop Sin before he can kill anymore."

"I didn't need to know that after Zanarkand and Kilika. How do you even know about all of this anyway?" Rarity said nothing as she walked back to the group. "Hey! Stop running away from me when I want answers!"

"I'm not the one running, Rainbow Dash." The pegasus groaned, hating how cryptic Rarity always was when she speaks.

After paying their respects to the fallen ponies, the group continued on their pilgrimage, the Djose Temple not too far away. Rainbow Dash fell behind the group, so many thoughts going through her head. It was bad enough that she's seen so much death, but hearing from Rarity that Jet Stream wanted her to kill him, as Sin, was odd. Fluttershy's words to her earlier, saying ponies can change, she still didn't want to believe that her father actually had a heart. But that painful feeling in her heart when she saw that memory as she fell unconscious; it still bugged her.

Sighing, she didn't realize where she was going, bumping into Spike. He looked down at her, the same stoic expression on his face, with those same reptilian eyes looked at her like a rival he wished he never knew. Being so quiet, he never expresses himself at all.

"You know, Spike, I don't know how you deal with all this," she said, knowing she won't expect an answer. "I don't know why Fluttershy wants us to be happy when so much has been going on. Sin comes and goes, he kills without leaving many survivors, and everypony's still miserable once a summoner beats him. Even I know she has to have her limits on the dread going on here."

"...When dark times come, somepony has to be the shining light," Spike said, sounding not as gruff as he looked, almost like a teenage male who had reached adulthood. "Fluttershy tries her hardest to do what she believes is right, and if we begin to worry, she'll keep trying harder and harder until she grows weary."

"Yeah...After dealing with that Chocobo Eater thing, she won't be going do-" Rainbow blanched, having just now noticed that Spike was ACTUALLY talking to her. "Whoa! You actually talk!?"

"Yes," the dragon said.

"...I-I thought you were mute or something! And now you're talking...to me...Why now?" she asked, growing more confused and curious.

"I keep my thoughts to myself, unlike you." Spike crossed his arms as he said that, leering at the pegasus.

"And your reason for attacking me in Besaid?" Rainbow questioned.

"One; I wanted to see how well you are in combat. You failed, by the way." She scoffed, staring at Spike with a deadpanned expression. "Two; you did deserve that for breaking the rules."

"Urgh. Can you please stop reminding me!? I know I screwed up! I got enough of a lecture from Twilight!" Spike snickered as he laughed at the pegasus's anger.

"We're going to keep reminding you, now that you're considered a guardian." The two continued walking down the road as the others noticed them falling behind, letting them catch up.

"So, I noticed those two dragons back in Luca that were messing with you had wings," Rainbow said. "...Are you gonna grow yours at any time?"

"I did have wings, when I was born," Spike grumbled, pointing at his back. "They were hacked off by Garble, that skinny red one that started the fight."

"What!? Why would he do that!?" Rainbow shouted, unable to believe the nerve of Garble.

"I deserved it." Rainbow gasped in shock. "I acted out of line, he tossed me over a cliff on Mt. Gagazet, where my kind lives, and I had to climb back up to prove I'm not as weak as he thought I was...He and Clubba are considered the strongest in the tribe, and I was sick of him making fun of my size over ten years ago. I fought him, lost and humiliated to be called a dragon, and was deemed banished by my home."

"...Then, you became Fluttershy's guardian?" Spike nodded. "...But, why?"

"...There was a mare I met when I was climbing up that mountain back then. There was a harsh blizzard that day, so I couldn't see her face that well...She died, her last words were 'Protect Lord Kindred Heart's daughter.'" The dragon looked up at the sky, the memory vague in his mind as he was pretty young, and the pain from having his wings cut off along with the harsh blizzard didn't help him remember it clearly. "With nothing I could do and considered an exile, I found Fluttershy, and I've been her guardian ever since."

"Hmm...So you became her guardian because of some random traveler who was dying...Fate must really suck, huh?" Spike only shrugged, catching up with the others as they continued on their way to the Djose Temple.

Along the way, they saw a few surviving Crusaders, some of them greatly injured or helping those critically injured to the temple to be given medical attention. A couple of them seemed to look insane, Sin's toxin affecting them in some way. At least Twilight wasn't giving Rainbow Dash anymore lashing with her mental health deteriorating from it anymore. They soon reached a fork in the road, after taking care of some fiends that crossed their path, one way leading to the temple while the other continued the rest of their journey.

"So, how much longer until we reach Zanarkand?" Rainbow asked, Twilight pulling out a map of the world for the pegasus.

"It's still a long way away." She pointed out each location, along with where they were now with her magic. "We're stopping here at Djose for Fluttershy's next aeon, then we cross the Moonflow to Guadosalam, the Guado city, then past the Thunder Plains to Macalania."

Rainbow groaned as she saw how big the world of Spira was, and how far each location was. "And we can't skip anything because the other aeons are needed for the Final Aeon, right?" Everyone nodded, making her droop her head. "Great! I love waiting and walking for miles to wait some more!"

"I think you're doing fine, Rainbow Dash," Fluttershy said, hoping to ease the impatient pegasus's mind.

As they headed down to Djose, Rarity stopped Rainbow Dash as she held her back with her magic. "Hold on a second, newbie."

"What do you want, Rarity?" Rainbow turned around to face the older unicorn.

"I'm making sure you heeded my warning, keeping Jet Stream as Sin a secret," she said, making the pegasus roll her eyes. "I don't want you to tell Fluttershy about this especially. He was like an uncle to her."

"Yeah, yeah. I'm not that stupid to reveal something that will make anyone freak out," Rainbow said in annoyance. "...Actually, why tell me?"

"Better to know something now than at a critical moment and get emotional." The pegasus growled as she glared at the unicorn.

"Get emotional? Seriously?" she questioned.

"I heard you were quite a crybaby, Dashie." Rarity chuckled as she walked down the road to the temple, catching up with the others.

"I did not cry!" Rainbow half expected that same annoying kid to show up out of nowhere like he always seemed to the past few days, but didn't as she ran after Rarity.

On the bridges leading to the temple, they caught sight of Spitfire, Soarin, and Fleetfoot, but with only one of the chocobos that were with them from earlier. "Lady Summoner, we're happy to see you're ok," Spitfire said as they saluted to the group. "We managed to escape with our lives...but we lost all of our chocobos except for this big guy."

The chocobo let out a sad "kweh", making Fluttershy tear up at the horrible news. "Without chocobos, we're not considered the Chocobo Knights," Soarin said as he petted the avian's neck. "We deserve this after going back on Faust's teachings."

"Once we rest up, we're going to see if we can get some more chocobo from the Calm Lands," Fleetfoot sighed. "It's gonna be a long trip on hoof. We don't want to leave him behind on his own."

Wishing the Chocobo Knights luck on their safe journey, they continued on their way to the temple, the ground suddenly beginning to quake. But as they reached what looked like there was a temple, all Rainbow Dash saw was nothing but the dead end of the cliffs. The ground began to shake more and, to the pegasus's surprise, the rocks attached to the temple break off the building and began to orbit it via an electrical core in the center of the roof.

"Whoa! That is awesome!" Rainbow exclaimed.

"The Lightning Mushroom Rock is active," Twilight said. "That means a summoner's already praying to the fayth."

"Another summoner? It better not be Trixie. I do not want to run into her again." Rainbow would do anything, even do the Faust prayer a thousand times if it meant not running into that third-pony speaking unicorn and her steroid injected guardian.

They walked inside the temple, electricity sparking in the air along with a large family of small monkeys roaming around the temple as their home. As soon as Fluttershy walked in, they all ran up to her, chittering around as they climbed all over her, making her giggle as they already took a liking to her. They didn't have to wait much longer as the summoner finished praying to the fayth and exited the Cloister of Trials. Three ponies walked out, one a white unicorn stallion with a blue mane, an elegant blue moustache on his upper lip, a white unicorn mare with a light magenta mane with white streaks, and a white earth pony colt with light brown spots on his body, his mane a dark brown.

"Hmm? I say, is that who I think it is?" The stallion pulled out a monocle from his robe, using it to better see. "Ah. High Summoner Kindred Heart's daughter, in the flesh!" The three walked down the steps, the colt bouncing down as he stood next to them. "I have heard of your father's achievements ten years ago. I wish I had met him. Allow me to introduce ourselves.

"I am Fancy Pants, a summoner just like yourself," Fancy bowed as he introduced himself. "And this is my family, as well as my 'guardians', though I don't wish to put them in too much danger. This is my lovely wife, Fleur Dis Lee, and our adoptive son, Pipsqueak."

"Hello, Lady Fluttershy!" Pipsqueak greeted, the tiny colt bouncing in excitement.

"Ever since your father had defeated Sin, he had inspired me to do something to help Spira and become high summoner like himself." Fleur nodded as Fancy spoke. "I believe you might uphold Lord Kindred Heart's legacy, seeing a glint of his potential in you."

"I-I don't think I'm that talented," Fluttershy said modestly. "I mean, I only just started out as a summoner not too long ago."

"Of course, but you are progressing faster than any other before you. I wish you all luck with your pilgrimage, Lady Fluttershy." The family bowed as Fluttershy and her guardians made their way up the stairs to enter the Cloister of Trials. Rainbow Dash walked up last, only to be stopped by Fancy Pants, garnering her attention. "Excuse me, miss?"

"Ugh. I am a guardian. I'm not breaking any taboo laws or anything," the pegasus groaned, fearing she was going to be scolded.

"No no, I was not going to say anything like that. I can see serious guardian strength in your eyes." Fancy looked behind him, seeing Fleur and Pipsqueak were about to leave the temple. "On a serious note, miss, I've been hearing rumors about summoners disappearing on their pilgrimage around this road as of late. Just a little precaution before venturing further, eh?"

"...Alright. Thanks. I'll be sure to tell the others." Fancy bid Rainbow Dash farewell, giving her the Faust bow as he hurried to join his family to continue their pilgrimage. "Disappearing summoners...This isn't gonna be good."

Chapter 21: Djose Temple

After receiving some forewarning from Fancy Pants, a summoner Rainbow Dash actually liked that wasn't as arrogant as Trixie, she headed into the Cloister of Trials. At least this time, she was allowed inside now she was an official guardian, and she didn't have to go through these confusing puzzles on her own.

"Ok, finally gonna get through this without being on my own." She caught up with the others, all of them looking at her. "Uhh, sorry I fell behind. Fancy Pants wanted to talk to me about something. So, how are we going through this?"

"...We all came to an agreement," Rarity said. "Due to you breaking the rules, we thought it would be a fitting punishment for you to complete the rest of the temples' Cloister of Trials on your own."

"WHAT!? That's not fair!" Rainbow complained. "I thought we were all going to solve this thing together!"

"Sorry, Rainbow Dash," Fluttershy apologized.

"...Urgh...I should have stayed outside..." The pegasus grumbled, having no choice but to solve the trial while being watched by her superiors.

She finally took a look at the first room, which was a simple one: one door blocking the way with two recesses for spheres, and two of those spheres are on opposite ends of the room, glowing a bright blue as they sparked with electricity. Lines underneath where they were placed glowed and went underneath the door, no idea where they ended up. Taking the Djose spheres, Rainbow placed them in the door and opened it up.

Up ahead, there was a mobile pedestal in the center of a symbol, two parts of it glowing brightly. As everyone picked a spot in the central part of the room to watch the pegasus suffer for her crimes, she continued trying to solve this temple's puzzles, and it was going to be a lot more complicated than Kilika's. In the room, the pedestal had a Djose sphere on it, there was one on the wall that sparked power to one of the glowing parts of the symbol, another on the other side that connected to a wall, and two more recesses that connected to a pedestal stuck to the ceiling, a glyph sphere connected on the pathway to power it.

Scratching her head in thought, she figured there had to be something about the spheres and that pedestal. Leaving the sphere on the grounded pedestal alone, she took the others and put them in the wall that connected to the device, which she could swear is almost like a complicated machina. After placing them in, she pushed the pedestal underneath where it was supposed to be placed. An overwhelming green bolt of lightning shot down and struck the sphere, powering it up.

Taking this newly upgraded sphere, she wondered where it should be placed. Rainbow did notice a symbol for the temple had shown up on the wall when the other sphere was inside it. Curious, she placed this powered sphere in that same indent, making the wall rise up to reveal a smaller room. Inside it was a sphere placed in a movable podium across a pit of electricity. Unfortunately, the room was so narrow, it wold be impossible for the pegasus to fly over.

Moving the pedestal back in the center of the room, she tried to see if she could use it like a platform to get across, but it fell right into the pit. "Ok, that didn't work. How am I supposed to get it back?"

The others said nothing as they watched in amusement, Fluttershy giving subtle hints toward the small stairway on the left side of the room. Rainbow did take those hints, noticing seeing these sparkling glyphs in the previous temples. She never knew what they did, but she decided to try and find out. As soon as she stepped on it, the room flashed white for a moment, then her vision went back to normal. When she looked back, the pedestal was back in the center of the room.

Now that her makeshift platform has returned, she tried to figure out how to reach that other side. Knowing that the Djose spheres were sparked with electricity, they might have some way to reflect the electricity sparking in the pit to create some kind of magnetic force. Putting her theory to the test, she grabbed the spheres and placed them on both sides of the pedestal, finding it irritating she could only pick up one sphere at a time. After putting them in their new home, she pushed it into the pit, and just as she guessed, it rose right back up and hovered in the air, held in place by the flowing energy sparking around it.

Leaping over to the other side, she pushed the sphere into the wall, making it spark to life as the line it connected to lit up the center eye of the symbol on the floor.Jumping back over, she brought the pedestal back up and closed the wall leading to the previous room, taking the super sphere and putting it in the other wall. Now, the only thing left that wasn't glowing were the wings of the strange symbol, though Rainbow didn't see any other recesses that connected to the remaining two parts.

It took a moment for her to figure out what to do, remembering that the indents in the previous room seemed to have lead in the central room of the Cloister of Trials. Having no other available solutions, she grabbed one of the Djose spheres and headed back to the first room. Placing it in one of the recesses, the electricity flowed down the hallway and lit up one of the wings. Groaning at the constant backtracking she had to do, she grabbed the last sphere and put it in the last indention, fully lighting up the symbol and created a lift, the pedestal sinking into the ground as the platform appeared.

"Urgh. Finally!" The group walked onto the lift as it carried them up to the upper floor. Thinking they were done, Rainbow groaned as she saw five more pushable podiums that each lead up to a ring above the floor. "Oh come on. How much more is left!?"

Grumbling, none of the others assisting because this was still considered her punishment, she walked over and pushed all five of them into the wall. Electricity sparked down at the floor, lighting up a path to one of the walls, revealing the stairs that lead to the Chamber of the Fayth. Rainbow trudged behind the others and walked up the stairs, the guardians picking a spot in the room to wait while Fluttershy prayed to the door, opening up for her and giving her access to pray to the fayth inside.

"Well, that was an easy trial we passed," Twilight said in spite of Rainbow's transgressions earlier in the week.

"Yeah, cause I did all the work," the pegasus said, disgruntled at her "teammates". Now, they began to wait, and after only a few minutes, Rainbow Dash was bored. The others waited patiently, Spike guarding the door to the fayth, Twilight with her books, along with Mog and Smarty Pants to keep her company, Rarity and Applejack resting against the walls in the room. Every agonizing minute, the impatient pegasus twitched and fidgeted in her spot. "I'm bored."

"It's only been a few minutes, Rainbow Dash," Twilight said, not looking up from her book. "This takes time."

"Like a whole day!? I can't wait that long!" Rainbow groaned as she sat upside down, her back against the wall as she stared at the others. "I'd rather keep solving the Cloister of Trials's puzzles than sit here and do nothing! Fluttershy, hurry up in there!"

Applejack kicked her blitzball hard at the pegasus's abdomen, making her wheeze as it struck her chest. "Ya can't interrupt her, sugarcube. This all takes patience, and Fluttershy needs all the concentration she needs."

Flopping onto her stomach as she coughed, both from the landing and the ball knocking the wind out of her, the pegasus sat back up and sulked. After half an hour, a pair of ponies Rainbow didn't wish to see walked into the room, Trixie and Bulk Biceps.

"Oh, what do we have here?" the unicorn summoner said as she observed the waiting guardians. "Still traveling with Kindred Heart's daughter's guardians, or did you try to sneak in again?"

"Oh great. You again. In case you don't know, Trixie, I'm an actual guardian this time," Rainbow said.

"Good for you. Trixie does not care." Trixie turned to Bulk Biceps, only to see him staring aghast at Rarity. "Bulk! What are you doing!?"

"Y-Y-You...You're Lady Rarity, are you not?" the buff pegasus stallion said, almost hopeful.

"Indeed I am," the guardian said.

"...C-Can I...shake your hoof?" Bulk asked. "It is an honor to meet you personally, and I was inspired by your heroism to become a guardian."

"...Oh, why not?" The stallion nearly squealed with delight, taking out a clean handkerchief to wipe his hoof, almost as if it was a sin to make contact with his idol.

"Ugh. Bumbling oaf," Trixie mumbled as the two shook hooves. Bulk Biceps acted like a colt, vowing never to wash his hoof ever again. After waiting several more minutes, Fluttershy finally walked out of the chamber in exhaustion, Spike catching her just as she nearly collapsed. "You are such a frail pegasus. Having several guardians to protect you, including your father's guardian, just to keep you safe? No wonder Maester Blueblood has quite an affection for you. You're too easy to please, just from your presence alone."

"Hey, back off, Trixie!" Rainbow growled, getting in the unicorn's face.

"And you have your bodyguards defend you as well." Trixie shoved Rainbow Dash out of the way and walked past the weakened pegasus summoner. "Try standing on your own four legs for once! They can't protect you forever."

Trixie walked inside the Chamber of the Fayth as Fluttershy's guardians leered at the unicorn as the doors closed shut. "How do you deal with a summoner like her, Bulk?"

"I tune her out," he simply said. The stallion looked down at his hoof, acting all giddy. "I can't believe I have met with, talked to, and shook the hoof of the greatest guardian ever! So lucky!"

"Or you do something weird like that," Rainbow muttered.

The next day, Rainbow woke up in the inn next to the temple. Many of the Crusaders that were brought here for treatment had left to head back to their homes, not welcomed near the temple because of their blasphemous use of machina the previous day. Some, unfortunately, succumbed to the worst of their injuries and had passed away, sent by Fluttershy once she had recovered from praying. At least she didn't see the summoner dance again, but the memory of watching it firsthoof was still burned in her mind.

She walked outside, breathing in some fresh air. When she looked at the temple, she spotted Vinyl Scratch leaning against the wall, her eyes bloodshot and baggy. After what had happened yesterday, she must have been a total wreck after her friend had died. She did see her last night in the very same spot before heading to bed, sobbing uncontrolably with a bottle of liquor next to her. That same bottle laid next to her, empty.

"Hey, Vinyl." The unicorn looked up, saying nothing as Rainbow approached her. "...You alright?"

"...No...'Tavi's gone..." Vinyl lifted up the empty bottle, tipping it over, no liquid pouring out of it, having been drunk dry. "I should have gone down there...I should have fought with her...We both could have died."

"Stop thinking like that!" Rainbow shouted, smacking the empty bottle away from the Crusader. "You're still alive, and Octavia wouldn't want you to think like that! What happened, happened...I'm sure she would want you to move on, not think about committing suicide because of your regrets..."

The depressed unicorn looked down at her hooves as the pegasus's words rang in her hungover head. "...You're right...She wouldn't want me to think anything that stupid..." Vinyl stood up, clutching her head at the small migraine beginning to pound her skull. "I think I'm gonna go back to Besaid...take a long, long vacation...Good luck on your pilgrimage."

"Same to you getting back to Besaid in one piece." Rainbow left the unicorn to herself, meeting up with Rarity, Spike, Twilight, and Applejack outside the temple. Fluttershy was nowhere to be seen as the cyan pegasus wondered where she was. "Hey, where'd Fluttershy go?"

"She must still be inside the temple. Rainbow, can you get her so we can reach Guadosalam before evening comes around?" Twilight asked, Rainbow nodding as she headed inside.

She asked around the temple to find Fluttershy, the priests and nuns pointing to one of the side rooms inside. As Rainbow walked in, she found the summoner sleeping in the bed, her outfit folded neatly on a nearby dresser, several of those little monkeys sleeping next to her on the bed. She must have been exhausted last night after healing the Crusaders' injuries and sending those that had died in the temple. It was kind of funny to see all the monkeys huddled up to the sleeping pegasus as if she was one of their own.

Before she could even try to wake the mare up, Rainbow had frozen in place as she kept staring at Fluttershy. This was the first time she had ever seen the summoner without her dress on, and she couldn't help but blush. She was pretty skinny as a pegasus, but that didn't make her seem weak, especially after seeing her wail on the Chocobo Eater when it was clearly stronger than anypony else. She even caught sight of her cutie mark that was hidden under her clothing, a trio of pink butterflies, which explained why she loved animals that much.

Quickly shaking her head, getting rid of the dirty thoughts running through her mind as she was already ogling her like a creepy stalker, and the mare was asleep, which made it even more awkward. Smacking her cheeks to snap her back into focus, she began to wake Fluttershy up, only she didn't have to as the pegasus stirred awake. She sat up, the monkeys waking up along with her, letting out a yawn as she rubbed her eyes, her mane a frazzled mess and sticking out of place.

"Morning, Fluttershy," Rainbow said.

"Hmm? Morning?" Fluttershy gasped as she was now wide awake. "It's morning!? Oh my! I slept in!" She flailed out of bed, the monkeys skittering about as she fell out, quickly getting up and running around the room. "I-I'll be ready in a second!"

"Flutters, we don't-" The summoner didn't listen as she struggled to put her outfit back on, gathering her belongings in a frenzied panic. Leaving her to get herself ready, she headed outside to the others. "She'll be out in a sec."

Exactly a second later, Fluttershy barged out of the temple, her mane more of a mess than when she woke up, stumbling over her hooves as she ran to her guardians. "I'm so sorry! I was so tired, and I slept in!"

"We're not in any rush, Fluttershy, though we might be delayed because of your hair." Twilight giggled as Mog and Smarty Pants leapt up on the summoner's back, messing with her mane.

"Did ya let them little critters in the temple give ya a makeover, sugarcube? That mane won't do for a summoner!" Everypony soon began laughing as they poked fun at Fluttershy.

"Why didn't anypony wake me?" she asked.

"You're a really heavy sleeper," Rainbow said, not wanting to let Fluttershy know she was watching her sleep for a few minutes before waking up.

"Darling, this won't do at all," Rarity said with a giggle. "Once we fix up that ratty bedhead of yours, we'll head off."

They all laughed again as Fluttershy scrunched her face in confusion. "Why is everypony picking on me today?"

Chapter 22: Ze Shoopuf Dishashter

With Fluttershy's mane fixed back to its long and smooth state, they set off down the road to the Moonflow, a large lake between Djose and Guadosalam. Newer fiends were seen on the pathway, easily taken care of with each party member's abilities. Up ahead, Spike growled as they caught sight of Garble and Clubba harassing a pink earth pony teenage mare with a violet mane with white streaks, tossing around a tiara that had belonged to her.

"Give that back!" the mare shouted as she tried to leap up to grab her headpiece back. "I swear, when my daddy hears about this, he'll sue you so hard your scales will fly off!"

"Gotta jump higher, pony!" Garble mocked as he held the tiara higher. As the two dragon bullies looked down the road, the red dragon dropped the headpiece, not feeling the teen buck his leg in frustration as she ran down the road to the Moonflow. "If it isn't ol' Spike. Want another round so you can fail again, you twerp?"

"He's hanging out with more of those ponies." The two laughed in mockery, angering the purple dragon.

"Wanna say that to my face?" Spike said, stepping forward.

"As much as I'd love to pound you into the dirt again, we don't have time to mess around. Elder Yiazmat's got us running errands, and you know not to mess around with him, Spikey." He growled at the two bullies as they rubbed salt in his wounds, reminding him of his humiliation. "Plus, we've been hearing summoners have been going missing. Heed the warning and don't lose that namby pamby pony summoner, or we'll just keep making fun of you for being a weak, pathetic, and wingless dragon!"

The two laughed again as they flew off, leaving the dragon more furious. "I hate those two..."

"We'll help back you up, Spike." The dragon turned to face Rainbow Dash, holding out her sword. "Next time they come around, I'll cut their wings off to get payback for you!"

Spike quickly swiped Rainbow's weapon out of her grip, glaring intensely at her. "Don't. Help. Me."

He dropped the weapon and march on ahead, running his spear through fiends to let out his anger. "...What they hay is wrong with him?"

"Dragons deal with their own problems," Twilight said as Rainbow picked up her sword, thankfully not broken or cracked. "A dragon's pride is important to them. If they can't find a solution to their conflicts, they'll keep finding on on their own. Without anypony's help."

"I would be more concerned with the disappearing summoners," Rarity said.

They soon continued their journey, and up ahead, Cadence was waiting for them as she rested on the side of the road. "Lady Fluttershy and her guardians! I heard you all took part in Operation Mi'ihen." The pink pegasus sighed, shaking her head. "Machina won't solve our problems. They'll only cause more of them, and Sin will fix it by destroyed everything around those deadly weapons.

"But, let's not dwell on the bad. I want to see just how much stronger you are. Another duel?" she asked.

"Sure," Fluttershy said, prepared for another friendly duel.

"Excellent. I'm going to use Odin this time." Cadence summoned an electrical spark from her hoof, a portal of electricity forming behind him. A moment later, a strange bipedal figure leapt out from the portal, wearing golden armor with a sword and shield, all expelling electrical energy from the metal on him. He stood twice as tall as Spike as held his shield out in defense like a true knight, prepared for combat. "Let's see who you'll choose."

Fluttershy decided to summon Ifrit, calling forth the flaming beast aeon as it broke out of the earth it called from, roaring at the opponent before him. As the two fought, Rainbow thought Fluttershy would easily win, but Cadence's Odin had a few tricks up its sleeve. It cast Haste on itself, increasing its speed and easily overtaking Ifrit. Along with its now lightning quick reflexes and shocking magical strength, Fluttershy's aeon fell as it disappeared. The same results happened with Valefor, too slow to evade and even land an attack on the bipedal aeon, quickly defeated.

"Oh no," Fluttershy said, disappointed at her loss.

"It was a good try, but I can see you have gotten a little stronger." Cadence approached the yellow pegasus, giving her a glowing red stone. "Take this Summoner's Soul. You can use this to increase your aeons' strengths and give them access to magical skills and abilities they can learn."

"Thank you, Cadence." The pegasus began walking down the path, awaiting the next time they would meet in the future.

"Aww man. I thought you had her, Fluttershy," Rainbow said. "That aeon of hers cheated!"

"Odin didn't cheat. It used Haste, a magical spell that increases the speed of the caster or its party," Twilight explained. "You could probably learn it since you're pretty fast."

"I'm a pegasus, not a unicorn, Twi," the cyan pegasus counter-argued, though everypony gave her an odd look. "...What?"

"Fluttershy knows White Magic. Healing magic. And she's a pegasus too." Rainbow scratched her head in confusion as Twilight shook her head, Mog and Smarty Pants mimicking her. "You need to study more on magic spells, Rainbow Dash."

They continued walking down the road as Rainbow was lost in her thoughts. She recalled Pinkie saying something about a Sphere Grid back on her ship, something about upgrading stats and learning new abilities. The thought was tossed aside as she had listened to an Al Bhed mare that seemed to defy any sense of logic. It also made her wonder if she was still alive after Sin had suddenly attacked them that day.

After facing more fiends and walking down the path, they reached the Moonflow, the massive lake that seemed like a boat ride to Guadosalam, where Blueblood lives. Rainbow stared in awe at the nearby lilies floating on the surface of the water, seeing what looked like the same glowing lights that came from the fiends they killed and the spirits of the deceased.

"Wow...This place is cool," Rainbow said.

"These are moonlilies," Twilight said. "There was a study somepony made on this lake, the small lights of the pyreflies gather in large groups in the night, making the surface of the Moonflow look like a sky filled with stars."

"Neat...Ooh! I have an idea!" Rainbow exclaimed.

"We're not waiting until nightfall," Rarity said, diminishing the pegasus's excitement.

"...Ok, then. After we beat Sin, we're coming back here!" Though Rainbow Dash was eager to see the starry spectacle of the Moonflow, the others didn't seem as cheerful. She noticed the depressing expressions on their faces, even Fluttershy's. "Come on, guys. It'll be cool!"

Ignorant of their sudden sadness, they headed off to what appears to be a harbor of sorts, though on a lake was confusing to Rainbow. Suddenly, they saw one of the largest creatures she had ever seen, a large blue creature with a long snout and black eyes. The cyan mare was in awe at the sight of it.

"Shoopufs!" Fluttershy exclaimed, fluttering toward the giant beast to pet it.

"A shoo-who?" As she looked up at the creature, she imagined a few different names to call the Shoopuf.

"A shoopuf," Rarity corrected. "Hmhmhm. A funny story about them ten years ago." Rainbow groaned as she was about to hear a boring story from the unicorn. "Jet Stream met his first one here. He swung his sword at it and hurt it pretty bad."

"Drunk?" Rainbow asked, knowing that was the only reason her father would attack a docile creature.

"Mhmm. He thought it was a fiend." The unicorn looked over at the shoopuf, looking at a large scar on its right hind leg, strange blue bipedal water beings taking care of them. "Seems like the one he struck is still working. We had to offer every piece of Gil we had to pay for the damages. Jet vowed never to drink again."

"Pth. Like I'm gonna believe he quit drinking cause he hurt something," Rainbow scoffed, still resenting her father.

"Shoopuf ready for launchin'!" the strange blue being said to alert passengers. "All aboardsh!"

"...Are those things shoopuf babies or elders?" Rainbow asked, curious of the amphibious, yet sentient, beings.

"They are called Hypellos. They take care of the shoopuf here." The others grouped back up as the Hypello only allowed Fluttershy and her guardians access to ride, their pilgrimage important than the other passengers.

As the lift raised them up to the howdah on the shoopuf's back, the creature headed off to the lake and swam across the Moonflow, one of the Hypellos guiding the gentle giant. Unfortunately, this was one of the slowest creatures to ever glide across the water, making Rainbow groan in irritation. Sighing in boredom, Rainbow looked down at the water, nearly falling overboard as she saw what looked like a sunken city down below.

"Hey, guys! There's a city in the lake!" Rainbow said.

"Eyup. That's a machina city from a thousand years ago. Built it over the lake, thinkin' they can defy nature," Applejack said in disdain. "Who in the hay is that stupid to think they can build a city over water like that!?"

"Uhh, convenience?" Rainbow asked. "I mean, free water, maybe food if anypony liked to eat fish? Besides, you use machina too, like in the stadium."

"That's different, Rainbow," Twilight said. "Faust approves only certain kinds of machina, and the ones used in Operation Mi'ihen are the prime example of machina nopony should ever use."

"That's...That just doesn't make any sense," Rainbow said, highly confused. "Machina is bad, but some are ok? Then what's the point of having any if it's supposed to be looked over by Faust!?"

"War." She looked at Fluttershy, immediately ending her eventual frustration, questioning everypony's beliefs. "Over a thousand years ago, ponies used machina to fight and kill others. Some of them were rumored to be so powerful that they could end up destroying Spira...Then, Sin came...and destroyed the machina cities, along with the machina they created."

"Which is why Sin's our punishment for our ancestors goin' berserk usin' them ungrateful things." Rainbow shrank back in her seat, not wishing their words were true. She lived a thousand years ago, and there was no dangerous war that was going on, or machina weapons used to kill. Maybe Zanarkand wasn't involved in this war, and everypony in the city was oblivious to it. "And that's why the Al Bhed keep makin' a mess of things far worse than ever! Always usin' machina when we ain't supposed to!"

Rainbow was about to retort, telling her they aren't all bad, but was interrupted when a rumbling shook the shoopuf. Everypony looked over the sides to figure out what was going on.

"Fluttershy, darling, sit back down," Rarity ordered.

"S-Sorry." Suddenly, an Al Bhed stallion leapt up onto the shoopuf, Fluttershy yelping as he dragged her overboard and into the Moonflow.

"Fluttershy!" Rainbow and Applejack dove off and chased after the Al Bhed.

They lost sight of the stallion in the underwater ruins, both mares worried about Fluttershy as she couldn't hold her breath as long as they could. The two searched around the ruins, looking around for air pockets they might be in. Rainbow Dash and Applejack met back up, having no clue where they disappeared to. What they didn't notice was, floating above them, having hidden very well with the rest of the underwater ruins, was a machina in the same shape as the blitzball machine the cyan pegasus, Twilight, and Spike fought, only it was made to submerge in the water. On top of the machina was Fluttershy, inside of a protective dome that allowed her to breath.

"Applejack! Rainbow Dash! Look out!" Fluttershy warned too late as the machina dropped salvos underneath it.

The explosions knocked both mares back to the bottom of the lake, disorienting them as the surprise attack also temporarily blinded them. While unable to see, the machina took the opportunity to shoot them with missles as they tried to gather their bearings. Rainbow was the quick to recover after the surprise attack, swimming toward it at incredible speed, slashing into the metal chasis of the machina. She tried to slash the dome Fluttershy was in, but the glass was far stronger than any metal, even stronger than the metallic captor it rested on.

Applejack, growing sick and tired of seeing machina, kicked her blitzball hard into the machina, punching it repeatedly as it ricocheted off the enemy. They were able to finally avoid its missles and stay clear of its dropped charges when it tried to swim above them. After smacking and hacking the machina enough, it began to shake as sparks shot out from its body. It exploded, detaching the dome keeping Fluttershy captive as the body sank to the bottom of the lake.

Water had flowed into the dome, Fluttershy taking a deep breath as she was submerged into the water. Rainbow Dash swam toward her and helped her back up to the surface before she could drown, Applejack swimming after them. They breached the water, the summoner taking a deep gulp of air as she sputtered out water. Rainbow helped Fluttershy back to the shoopuf, the creature lifting her back onto the howdah with the others.

"Ish ebullipony ok?" the Hypello asked as Applejack and Rainbow Dash climbed back up, feeling sore after getting blasted by the machina.

"Yes. We're all on board," Fluttershy said, wringing out her soaked mane.

"Okie shmokesh! Shoopuf, full shpeed aheads!" The shoopuf began moving again now that the unexpected attack had been dealt with.

"Consarn them Al Bhed!" Applejack shouted. "The hay do they want with Fluttershy?...Wait, are they mad because they lost the tournament!? No, wait! They're mad about Operation Mi'ihen!"

"Applejack, I don't think they can be sore losers at blitzball, or fault us for Sin being too powerful for the machina they used." Twilight began to ponder as the ex-blitzball captain fumed. "Those two dragons warned us about summoners disappearing...Were the Al Bhed the culprits they were talking about?"

"So they were behind this too!?" Applejack questioned, only further escalating her anger. "Them no good varmints! Sin should kill off every single Al Bhed on the face of this planet!"

The furious mare didn't notice, but saying she wanted the Al Bhed dead hurt Fluttershy. She was half Al Bhed, and was considered a member of those ponies that use machina. They didn't harm her the first time, only taking her hostage, without bounding or gag her. Either they must know her in some way, or they don't intend to harm their captives.

"...AJ, don't sweat it," Rainbow said, hoping to get the earth pony's mind off her prejudice against the Al Bhed. "As long as we're Fluttershy's guardians, we won't let anything bad happen to her. That's good enough for me if we can bring her back safe and sound. Isn't that what matters the most?"

"...Ah guess you're right." Applejack relaxed a little, though her mind wasn't deterred by her hatred to the Al Bhed.

Fluttershy uttered a small thank you to Rainbow, who gave her a wink, helping keep the summoner's lineage a secret to Applejack. The group relaxed the rest of their shoopuf ride to the northern wharf, which was less then a mile away from the Guado city of Guadosalam.

Chapter 23: Pinkie Joins!...Finally!

As the shoopuf made it safely to its destination, the group disembarked after the long and relaxing ride. They could have continued on their way to Guadosalam, but Fluttershy was immediately swarmed by fans of her father, all of them wanting to speak with her and pay their respects for Kindred Heart's feats. It looked like they were going to be stuck at the wharf for a while, so Rainbow decided to wander around for a bit.

She looked around some of the shops, finding not useful weapons or souvenirs that interested her. It still bugged her earlier back on the southern end of the Moonflow when nopony actually spoke up over her idea of coming back to see the pyreflies when night falls. Sin is important to defeat and all, but that didn't mean they were on some sort of time limit. It didn't hurt to take a bit of a break every once in a while.

As Rainbow walked along the shore, she spotted something laying face down up ahead. "Huh?" She got closer as she saw a pony wearing a familiar jumpsuit, though the pony's pink mane was straightened out and soaking wet. "...Uhh, you're not dead, are you?"

The pony began to wake up, standing up on her hooves, shaking herself dry. Her mane and tail instantly poofed out, Rainbow staring at the mare in shock at the familiar manestyle. The mare began to slowly take off the skin tight suit she wore, taking it off in the most suggestive method possible in front of the pegasus. Rainbow could only stare awkwardly as she finally got out of it, revealing her clothing she wore underneath. What she wore did not help the matter any easier with her pink tank top and blue short shorts.

"Gah!" she said, taking off her goggles. "I thought I was gonna die!"

"Pinkie Pie!?" Rainbow said in surprise, happy to see her alive, but also really confused. "I can't believe you're alive! How'd you get out here!?"

Pinkie swiped her hoof over Rainbow's face, leaving behind scratch marks with her claw weapon attached to her hoof, not leaving permanent scars, though it stunned the pegasus. The pink mare rubbed her head as she winced in pain.

"Why the hay did you wreck my machina like that?" she asked. "You ruined everything, Dashie!"

"...Wait, that was you in that thing!?" Rainbow asked. "You attacked us first!"

"It's not what you think, though!" the Al Bhed defended, though Rainbow didn't believe her for a second.

Before Rainbow could argue with her "attacker" any further, the others had come walking down the road searching for her, Fluttershy's followers finally ceasing their praises toward her. The pegasus began to panic since Pinkie was a full-blooded Al Bhed, and Applejack wasn't in the best of moods after the pink earth pony attacked them in the lake.

"Hey, Rainbow! We were lookin' all over for ya." They noticed Pinkie Pie standing nearby, the mare slowly dragging her hind leg back to the water, discarding her suit while they paid attention to her. "Who's this? Friend of yours?"

"I'm Pinkie Pie! Dashie and I are the bestest of best friends!" she shouted, nearly crushing Rainbow's neck as she gave the group a big toothy grin.

She wrestled out of the hyperactive mare's grip, rubbing her sore neck. "Yeah. Fluttershy, Twilight, I told you about Pinkie before back in Luca. She's the Al Bh-"

Suddenly, Rainbow had a cupcake stuffed in her mouth, silencing her in the nick of time before she slipped out Pinkie's lineage. "Here, Dashie! I promised you that cupcake before you 'left' that one day! And now is that day!"

"Oh. So ya'll have been holdin' out on ponies ya have known elsewhere aside from Lady Rarity, huh, 'Dashie'?" Applejack chuckled as she playfully mocked her friend, the young blitzball star leering at the orange earth pony.

Rainbow ate the cupcake, which was surprisingly more delicious than anything she ever had before, licking her lips clean of frosting and crumbs. She did wonder how she had a fresh cupcake on her after she was underwater and didn't have any way of carrying it with her without ruining it. She didn't question it further as she began to feel a headache. When she looked back at Fluttershy and Twilight, they were quick to figure out what the pegasus was going to say.

"Right. Pinkie, we need to have a little talk," Twilight said.

"Okie dokie loki!" Pinkie bounded her way to the summoner and black mage. Applejack was about to join them, but the Al Bhed stopped her. "Mares only!"

"Ah am a mare," Applejack said, confused with the pink earth pony's antics.

"No mares with funny hats allowed!" As Pinkie chatted with Twilight and Fluttershy in private, the orange mare scratched her head in confusion.

"The hay is up with that mare?" she asked.

"I don't know either, AJ. I'd just leave her randomness a mystery." Rainbow Dash rubbed her head, that headache slowly coming back. "Trust me."

After the three mares talked, Fluttershy approached Rarity, a little nervous compared to her little bit of excitement when talking with the pink mare. "Umm, Rarity? I want Pinkie to be my guardian...Is that ok?"

"Hmm..." The unicorn approached Pinkie, who shrank under her gaze. "...Let me see your eyes."

"Why?" Pinkie asked. "I have a coltfriend, just so you know."

"Just show me your eyes." Pinkie winced, keeping her eyes shut as she faced Rarity. She slowly opened one eye, showing her blue iris. What Rainbow didn't notice was that the mare's pupils had a strange swirl no other pony had in the group. The unicorn looked at Fluttershy, her blue eye matching the same swirled pupil as Pinkie's. It would be hard to tell if one didn't look closely enough. "...I see."

"I'm not allowed?" Pinkie asked, sounding disappointed.

"It's all up to Fluttershy, darling." Pinkie gasped with joy, looking to Fluttershy as she nodded her head.

"Yay! Pinkie Pie, Guardian Extraordinaire, at your service!" She stood on her hind legs and posed, joining the party and adding more protection for Fluttershy.

With the new addition to the group, they continued on their way down the road to Guadosalam. As they encountered fiends, the others were surprised to see how versatile she was for an earth pony. A lot faster than Rainbow Dash, and even a bigger nuisance to distract the fiends while the others dealt with the worst ones while their backs were turned.

"Oooooooh!" Pinkie spotted a treasure chest sitting in the middle of the road, her eyes sparkling at the shiny treasure. "MINE!" She ran up to it, used her claw weapon to unlock the chest, nabbing the goodies that were stored away inside. "Yay! Free stuff for me!"

"Pinkie, look out!" Rainbow warned too late as one of those shield arm fiends came out of nowhere, ramming into the unlucky mare.

Pinkie stumbled to the ground, falling on her back after getting back attacked. "Ow..." As she got up, her mane and tail had deflated, her coat and hair color turning darker. The surprising, and very distrubing, change in her appearance seemed to make everypony shiver in fright at the aura around her, even Spike, Rarity, and the fiend. "You...made me really...really mad..." She turned her back on her attacker, giggling maniacally as she began doing something with her hooves. The moment she turned her head around, the air immediately went cold as she sported a creepy smile like a crazed psychopath, her pupils shrunk to the size of pinpricks. "Time to die."

She pulled out a glass vial she hid from everyone's view, glowing a bright red as she shook it up. She began to laugh louder, throwing it at the fiend, and the moment the glass shattered on it, several explosions engulfing the shield armed monster until there was nothing left but ashes and spirits. With the fiend taken out with an overkilling method, Pinkie's mane and tail inflated and her colors returned to normal, celebrating her victory as she turned to her comrades.

Everypony was astonished, jaws dropped to the ground, and were very scared of the newest member of their group. "...W-What...the hay...was that!?" Rainbow was the first to speak as everyone thought the same thing.

"What? My Overdrive?" They still stared at her in shock. Pinkie sighed as she pulled out a sphere. "You guys seriously don't know what an Overdrive is? Haven't you guys even used them when in a desperate situation?" More silence. "...I think this'll explain everything. Always with the tutorials, eh, RPGs?"

She rested the sphere down on the ground as it activated a pre-made recording, showing Pinkie inside of it with a holo-screen behind her. "Hello, and welcome to the tutorial on 'Overdrives', with me! Pinkie Pie!" The screen changed to a still-frame of Rainbow Dash facing off against an Ochu on her own, a bar above her that showed numbers in HP, MP, and a yellow bar underneath them. Recorded Pinkie pulled out a pointer from her mane and highlighted the yellow bar. "This little bar beneath our health and magic points, or HP and MP, is the Overdrive Gauge! This can be filled up in a variety of ways, but for simplicity's sake, it'll fill up when the pony takes damage!

"Let's watch what happens when Dashie gets hit by the evil plant lord, Sir Ochu the Demonic and Crazy! Who also likes chocolate chip cookies!" The image began to move as the Ochu slapped the pegasus with its vines. As Rainbow got hit, the yellow bar filled up a little. "As you can see, the bar filled up a teeny tiny bit, and it stays that way after every battle until it fills up and turns orange, or somepony uses their unique Overdrive moves and empties the bar!

Now, we see an example of an Overdrive used!" The screen faded to Rainbow having a full Overdrive Gauge. A cursor appeared above her, choosing a command called Spiral Cut. Once chosen, the pegasus powered herself up as a bar appeared with a few seconds running down, a cursor moving around the bar until it stopped on the center spot of the bar. The example pulled off the same move as Rainbow Dash had back on that tentacle fiend back in Zanarakand, slashing the Ochu with thousands of points of damage inflicted on it. "As you can see, it is very powerful, and should be used at critical moments! Or if you ever run into a boss that will get very very annoying later on your journey! Each pony has their own unique Overdrives to use, and some can be very helpful for the worst of foes!

"Spoiler alert: It's somepony you may know who you thought is a good guy when really he's not," the recorded Pinkie whispered, though her words weren't heard by the still shocked mares and dragon. "That does it for Overdrive Tutorials with Pinkie Pie! Back to you, Pinkie!"

"Thank you, Pinkie!" The recording ended as the real pink mare waved good-bye to herself, almost as if it was planned out from the beginning.

She picked up the sphere and put it away in her mane. As she awaited their responses, they were still staring at her, confused, overwhelmed, confused, surprised, and even more confused.

"...Uhh...what?" Rainbow asked, voicing everyone's thoughts.

"Oh come on! Really!? I put a lot of time and effort editing that!" Pinkie groaned and sulked, looking past her friends and toward the screen. "At least you guys get what I'm saying, right?"

Rainbow turned her head, only to find nopony else behind them, not even fiends. "Pinkie, you are so weird."

"Urgh. Forget it. Nopony understands everything but me. Let's just get on down to Guadosalam so I can do something else useful." Pinkie trudged down the path in a sour mood, the rest of the group slowly following her while keeping their distance.

"Are ya sure we shouldn't question her still?" Applejack asked Rainbow Dash.

"I don't think we ever should." It wasn't long before they reached the entrance to Guadosalam.

Inside of the massive caverns, Rainbow looked around at the Guado city in awe. There were several Guado going about their business, but unlike Blueblood, all of them seemed to lack a horn and were more like earth ponies. Most of the environment and buildings were cavernous in nature, along with roots growing all around the place as if it was an underground swamp. The party was soon approached by an elder looking Guado stallion.

"Ah, Lady Fluttershy, we have been expecting you," the stallion said. "My name is Tromell, loyal servant Lord Blueblood. He has important business to discuss with you, m'lady."

"What about?" Fluttershy asked.

"You'll see. And your guardians are allowed to join us as well. I shall escort you all to the manor. This way, everypony." Tromell began to guide them to Blueblood's home, only for Pinkie to drag Rainbow Dash aside.

"Hold on, Dashie! I got a surprise for you!" Pinkie pulled out Rainbow's sword, somehow having swiped it away from the pegasus when she wasn't looking. Before she could yell at her for stealing her weapon, she noticed it looked a little different: the blade seemed to look sharper and stronger, and small bubbles began popping up from it like it was actually made of water. "Ta-da! I powered up your cool water sword! Now it really is a water sword!"

"Whoa..." She took her sword, watching the bubbles popping out from it. "What did you do to it?"

"Customization! Pretty easy to do with the right materials and avaliable slots in the weapon, or a shield! I would love to give you another tutorial, but you'll all shrug it off and go '...What?'" Pinkie said, going cross-eyed as she mimicked their expressions earlier.

"...Pinkie, you are so random," Rainbow said with a smile. "Thanks for this."

"No problem, Dashie!" Pinkie bounded on ahead as the two caught up with the others as they entered Blueblood's mansion, having no idea what the Guado Maester wants to meet with them about.

Chapter 24: The Farplane

After entering Blueblood's manor, Tromell lead the party inside the great hall, where he left them to retrieve Blueblood. In the main entrance, there were several pictures of the previous lords of Guadosalam, even showing a smug portrait of Blueblood next to his father's Orion Guado. And just like the previous leaders, they all didn't have a horn. Twilight had mentioned that Orion had married a unicorn mare, hoping to bring the relationship between their two races together in peace, which was why Blueblood was a unicorn.

As they waited for their host to meet up with them, Pinkie indulged in the spread of food laid out for a possible banquet, or it was meant for them, they just weren't told it was. That didn't bother the mare as she helped herself to the variety of fruits and desserts, stuffing her face to her heart's content. The others were a little wary, wondering if they were in any trouble with the Maester, all except for Rarity and Rainbow Dash.

Finally, after several minutes, the Guado arrived with his loyal servant. "Welcome, Lady Fluttershy and her trusted guardians. I hope you are enjoying yourselves and helping yourself to this wonderful course my servants have made."

"Sure am!" Pinkie said, sliding a few pastries down her gullet.

"I hope this is quick, maester," Rarity said, keeping her eye on the stallion. "Fluttershy has an important task ahead of her, and we do not wish to stay for too long."

"Forgive me. It has been such a long time since I've had guests," Blueblood said as he bowed in apology. "Since my father's passing, it has grown too quiet. But, I wished to show you all something. Something that I'm sure you would all be surprised to see."

Blueblood stood before his guests, lighting his horn with magic. Soon, the dining hall began to change, Pinkie letting out a disappointed groan as the tables of food disappeared as the Guado used his magic to expand a sphere's simulation. What they saw next astounded everyone; it was an exact reconstruction of Zanarkand, Rainbow's home.

"No way. Zanarkand," Rainbow whispered as they all watched the city fly over them as they stood staring in awe.

"Indeed. Zanarkand as it was a thousand years ago, reconstructed from the deceased who once lived in this metropolis." The simulation began warping as they stood in the middle of thousands of ponies wandering about to different areas of the city, passing through the ponies and dragon. Fluttershy was very impressed, exactly how she imagined it when Jet Stream had told her about it. "Grand, isn't it?"

"It is..." The sim threw them out of the busy streets as they flew along a track used to travel to and from different sections of the massive city, which was almost nauseating to some of them.

"Even she once lived in this machina city," Blueblood said.

As they wondered who they were talking about, the sphere changed their location again, this time inside of a regal bedroom that overlooked the city. Sitting on the king size bed was a white unicorn mare with long pink hair, similar in color to Fluttershy's. She looked upset about something as she stared at her hooves.

"Lady Celestia," the summoner whispered.

"Yes. Lady Celestia, the first pony to defeat Sin." As they continued watching the scene before them, a blue pegasus mare with a light azure mane stepped through Fluttershy, seeming concerned as she looked at the unicorn. "When confronting Sin, she wasn't alone. Her only family, her younger sister, Luna, was there for her. In order to defeat Sin, it requires an unbreakable bond of love-whether it be the love between friends, family, or lovers. Without that bond, Sin would be unstoppable and would have destroyed all of Spira."

The two sisters hugged, as if it seemed like it would be the last time they would ever be together. As the scene played on, Blueblood stepped closer to Fluttershy as she watched Celestia and Luna. The stallion whispered something in her ear, making the young summoner's ears perk up and her face turn bright red. She looked up at him as he nodded, giving her a gentle smile.

As the sphere's recording had ended, they were all back in the dining hall. Fluttershy looked away and hyperventilated, quickly grabbing a glass of water and chugged it all down. Curious, Twilight, Applejack, and Pinkie rushed up to her.

"Wow, Fluttershy! Your face is all red!" Pinkie suddenly gasped. "Did he give you a flu spell!? Are you burning up!?"

"...B-Blueblood...H-He," Fluttershy stammered, trying to find her voice as her cheeks would threaten to explode as her face grew more red. "...He...asked me...t-t-to...m-marry him!"

Everyone was shocked, but Rainbow Dash was absolutely furious. "WHAT!?" She flew up into the smug Guado's face. "Are you serious!? You don't even know her that well!"

"Blueblood," Rarity said, joining Rainbow Dash as she stepped closer to the stallion. "Fluttershy has a duty to uphold. You know that."

"Of course, but you see, this is more than just defeating Sin," Blueblood said. "All summoners have a task to bring peace to Spira, help to end the suffering for everypony, a leader to our salvation. I proposed to Lady Fluttershy as a Maester of Faust."

"This is not a game," Rarity interjected. "It may bring amusement to everypony who watches, but nothing changes."

"Yet the players must abide by the rules." He then bowed to Fluttershy, hiding her face behind her mane as she looked at him. "You don't have to answer me right this moment. Think it over. I gladly await your reply, m'lady."

"Gladly. Let's get out of here." Rarity began to march out, but as she about to reach the door, Blueblood teleported in her path, his nostrils flaring slightly.

"...Why are you still here?" he asked.

"Hey, we were gonna leave, you idiot!" Rainbow shouted, causing Applejack and Twilight to gasp at her rudeness. The former couldn't stop the pegasus in time as he flew right back into Blueblood's face. "You stopped Rarity from leaving, so get out of her way before she hacks you up with that giant diamond katana of hers!"

"...Forgive me," he apologized as he bowed to the white unicorn mare. "We Guado are keen to the scent of the Farplane. My mistake."

He stepped out of the way and approached one of the tables, taking a fresh apple and sinking his teeth into it. Strangely curious, Rainbow Dash began sniffing Rarity, only smelling her expensive perfume. She received a hard shove to the floor, the unicorn's eye twitching as she quickly left the manor before anything else could happen.

While the others talked about the sudden marriage proposal Blueblood had given to Fluttershy, Rainbow sulked as she fumed at the proposal. It was completely out of nowhere, and she had a bad feeling it was for something more than just for Spira's salvation. She was glad to distrust him the moment he set hoof off that boat in Luca, just looking at his face was enough to tell him he was downright dirty. He disobeyed the teachings and flat out ignored any consequences in Operation Mi'ihen, yet he was a maester, somepony who was supposed to uphold those teachings.

"This is so stupid," she mumbled to herself. "Coming out of nowhere, asking her to marry him...'Hey, Fluttershy, I'm a maester, and more important, so I get what I want. Marry me because I say so cause I'm a dumb moron!"

"Are you jealous, Dashie?" Rainbow yelped as Pinkie had ended up behind her.

"Who said I was jealous!? I'm not jealous! Who's being jealous!?" she kept questioning, though her behavior didn't deter the pink earth pony.

"You clearly are when you tried to sound like Blueblood," Pinkie said.

"...Look, he's being stupid. Fluttershy's pilgrimage comes first before anything else, right? That includes sightseeing, relaxing, and getting hitched by some stallion who barely even knows her like I do." Pinkie crossed her forelegs and raised a brow, giving her a serious look. "...What!? Why are you looking at me like that!?"

"You are jealous." Rainbow growled, turning away from the Al Bhed. "Don't hide your feelings, Dashie," Pinkie said, though sadly. "It might be too late..."

Before she could ask why her attitude shifted when she warned her, Fluttershy walked up to her, still pretty frazzled by the proposal. "Rainbow Dash, we're going to the Farplane. I want to see my father and think about my...proposal."

"The Farplane?" Rainbow asked. "We can actually go there? Without dying? How is that possible?"

"We can access the Farplane here in Guadosalam. And...maybe we can find out if your father's still alive." As much as she didn't need to know Jet Stream was still alive, she thought it would be cool to see what the Farplane looked like.

She followed the group along the pathway leading to where the Farplane lies, though how they were supposed to reach the land of the departed was a mystery to Rainbow Dash. They soon reached the steps leading up to what looked like a portal of sorts, pyreflies floating about. Rarity and Pinkie didn't follow the others up the steps, the former somehow going pale while the latter seemed fine.

"Hey, you guys gonna come or what?" Rainbow asked.

"I-I...don't belong there..." Rarity mumbled.

"Ohhhh...You're scared to see dead ponies in there, huh?" Rainbow mocked, only to yelp as Rarity pulled the pegasus's neck down, looking her dead straight in the eyes.

"Don't push my buttons, Rainbow Dash. I'm CHOOSING not to go in," she said, almost growling.

"S-Sorry," Rainbow apologized, backing away from the unicorn.

"It's not actual spirits, Dashie," Pinkie said. "It's more like memories of them. The pyreflies react to your thoughts, and the lights they make create an illusion of that pony you remember. That's all."

"You're not coming in either?" she asked.

"Nope. I'd rather not remember sad stuff. It's always been miserable in the past with Sin destroying things." Pinkie sat down on the steps to wait for everypony with Rarity.

"Ok, then." Rainbow ascended the steps and looked at the strange, thin psychedelic wall that separated Guadosalam from the Farplane. She walked through and wound up on a floating piece of land, but when she looked out at the landscape, it was like they were floating up high in the sky, clouds shrouding everything around them. The clouds began to dissipate, revealing the Farplane's true realm. "Whoa..."

Down below were large fields of flowers, floating lights that were either pyreflies or spirits, resting on cliffs where tons of waterfalls could be seen spanned out in the distance. This looked more like a paradise for retired couples or nature lovers than a land meant to be the resting place for the dead. Sadly enough, it really was the resting place for the dead, seeing Fluttershy standing before her parents and Applejack standing before a stallion, who happened to be her brother.

Fluttershy's father, Kindred Heart, looked exactly like her, only his mane was far shorter than hers and his eyes were green. Her mother was an earth pony mare, her eyes exactly like Pinkie's eyes, which meant her Al Bhed traits came from her. She had a light pink coat and her mane was a dark red, her hair reaching down to her shoulders. To Rainbow, they looked like a perfect couple, but their lives had to be cut short in their youth, leaving Fluttershy behind.

Applejack's brother was a deep red earth pony stallion, pretty muscular, though not as buff as Bulk Biceps, he looked pretty strong. His mane and tail were orange, and his eyes showed a kindness that didn't seem to fit his bulk. Rainbow noticed Twilight watching Applejack, or more specifically, her brother, holding both her dolls close to her.

"Hey, Big Mac," Applejack said, speaking to the illusion of her brother. "Ah was gonna visit ya earlier, but we kinda got in a bit of a pickle. Sorry...Oh, we actually won the tournament this year. Ah decided to bring in a newcomer, and she's not all talk and no action. She helped us win the cup...She's probably as stubborn as ya'll...Thought there was a little of you in her, but Ah was just bein' too hopeful...

"Oh. And, about that mare, Ah gave her your sword." Rainbow pulled out her weapon, rightfully belonged to Big Mac, though untouched by the stallion. "She really likes it...Though it looks better on her when she wields it. Ah didn't know blue was your color..."

The pegasus sighed, keeping a weapon that was once Applejack's older siblings, always reminding her of him. Putting her sword away, she walked over to Twilight. "You gonna say anything to Big Mac?"

"I don't even know where to start," the unicorn said sadly.

"Hmm...I can see why you like him. He's pretty good looking." Rainbow smirked. "I bet he's as 'big' as his name, huh?"

Twilight punched Rainbow hard in the shoulder, the pegasus wincing as she was struck with about enough force as an earth pony. "We didn't go that far...Unlike you, I'd rather save myself for when I'm officially wed..." She looked down at the ground, remembering Applejack saying Big Macintosh was going to propose to her. "That'll never happen, though...I sometimes think I liked him because I...I saw something similar in him to somepony else I knew."

"An ex who treated you like crap, except Big Mac was a lot nicer?" Rainbow questioned.

"No..." Twilight looked down at Smarty Pants, the doll wilting as they both thought the same thing. "Just another stallion who was like Big Mac..."

"...I get it. Too much info..." She looked out at the Farplane, getting a little idea to see if Twilight's other stallion was gone like Big Mac. "Is he in the Farplane now?"

"...I don't know..." The unicorn held her old doll closer, ending their conversation.

Rainbow sighed, at least giving her curious thoughts on who Twilight meant a shot, walking over to Fluttershy. She was deep in thought, probably going through the proposal Blueblood gave her, which the cyan pegasus hoped she would quickly decline.

"I've decided," Fluttershy finally said after a few more minutes silently speaking with her parents. "I'm going to continue my pilgrimage."

"Good! No need to marry that dumb Guado! Let's go tell that stallion you're not interested!" Rainbow ecstatically said, heading out to leave the Farplane.

"But, maybe marrying Blueblood might not be so bad." The cyan pegasus's smile turned upside down, backing up as she stood next to Fluttershy, staring at her in shock. "I want ponies to be happy...And, if marrying him can do that, I might say yes."

"Are you kidding me!?" Rainbow exclaimed. "Do you even love him!?" Fluttershy shook her head. "Then why!?"

"I don't know." Rainbow Dash groaned, flopping onto her stomach. "I just want Spira to live happily, and distract them from Sin."

"Great." Rainbow stood back up, leering in the distance. "It's like an arranged marriage for a stallion who's popular, but is gay, and weds a mare to divert the public from finding out he is gay...By the way, I think Blueblood actually is gay."

"Rainbow Dash!" Fluttershy gasped, appalled.

"Hey, don't go an blame me! I don't trust him as far as I can throw him. And I'll gladly throw him off a cliff!" Rainbow pouted, looking at Fluttershy's parents, wondering what they would think about this situation if they were still around.

"You shouldn't say stuff like that to somepony important. But, it's your opinion, I guess..." Fluttershy looked at her parents some more, already missing them. "Well?"

"Well, what?" Rainbow asked.

"Call Sir Jet Stream." Deciding to just get it over with, Rainbow began thinking of her father. She already knew he was still alive, as Sin. She didn't want to see him, dead or alive. "See? He's still alive, right?"

"Pth. I don't even care. Even if he is still alive, just not being anywhere around him ticks me off! He's done nothing but cause me and my mom so much-" Rainbow froze as she was suddenly met with the illusion of her mother, standing before her and smiling. "...M-Mom?"

"That's your mother?" Fluttershy asked. "She's real pretty."

"...B-But how?...My mom...she wasn't sent to the Farplane. There weren't any summoners to send her..." Rainbow felt her eyes water, looking at her mother.

"Maybe she died peacefully? She accepted her death?" As much as Fluttershy tried to help ease Rainbow's worries, it really didn't do much.

The cyan pegasus looked down at the ground as memories resurfaced in her head. "...I think I know why I really hate my dad..."

Rainbow Dash back in her boat home in Zanarkand, as a filly, walked up on the deck, trying to find her mom. Her ears perked up as she heard giggling, coming from her parents. She poked her head up, seeing Jet Stream wooing her mother, both of them looking out at the city as they brushed their sides against one another

"Heeheehee, honey! Not my ear!" the mare giggled as her husband nipped on her sensitive ear.

"Can't help it, babe. I'm crazy for you." Rainbow sneered at Jet as the couple began to make out, her father's wing draping around his lover. "I could take you out for a night on the town, if you're up for it."

"Jet, Dashie needs somepony to watch out for her," she said. "We can't exactly find a sitter after the chaos she caused as a foal, flying around at near breakneck speeds across the whole city. A troublemaker like her father."

"Psh. She wants to cause trouble whenever you try to make us bond. No idea why she hates me." The filly growled, knowing he knew exactly why she hated him.

"Mom! I need you for something!" she said, trying to get her mother's attention while keeping her away from Jet Stream.

"Just a moment, honey!" she called out, too focused on having her time with her husband.

Yet again, whenever he was around, her mother always gave her attention to Jet and not her. She ran away, hating her father more and more. She ran off before deciding to hear out something she never would have expected to hear Jet Stream say.

"Ah, just go to her, babe. She'll just cry if you don't," he said, nuzzling his beloved.

The next moment flashed forward to a few months after Jet Stream's disappearance. Rarity walked up to the docks, spotting the filly sitting on the ledge on the upper deck of her home. Looking into the window, she could see doctors tending to Rainbow's mother. The mare looked pale and malnourished, having grown deathly ill a couple weeks ago and getting worse by the day.

"Rainbow Dash?" The filly didn't move. Rarity approached her, sitting behind her. "Is your mother doing ok?"

"Why do you care?" Rainbow said coldly.

"Darling, if your mother dies, I wouldn't know what to do to help," the unicorn said.

"Don't say she's gonna die!" Rainbow shouted, turning to face Rarity, tears streaming down her cheeks. "She's not gonna die! The doctors will fix her!...S-She can't..."

The filly sobbed, unable to hide her emotions anymore. Rarity reached out to help comfort her, but Rainbow ran away, scared to face the truth. The unicorn sadly sighed, watching her flee and escape from the harsh reality.

"Rainbow...I'm sorry..." Rarity headed back down and looked in the window again, watching the doctors slowly pull a white sheet over the filly's mother.

Fluttershy held a hoof against her mouth as she heard about what had happened to Rainbow's mother, feeling sorry for the horrible memory in the pegasus's life. "...Because he disappeared...Mom gave up on living...and left me alone...Some old mare told me what happens when a lovebird's mate dies: they give up living to be with its mate...She died, thinking she could be with...him...He was still alive...She died for no reason..."

"...Oh Rainbow Dash...I'm so sorry." Fluttershy gave her a hug, consoling the grieving pegasus.

Rainbow accepted it, looking at her mother again. She couldn't help but shed a tear, quickly wiping it away before anyone else noticed. She didn't want to cry, not after being teased for it by her father every day in her youth. She was at least grateful her mother didn't turn into a fiend. It would have made fighting those out in the field more difficult if she never knew she was at peace in the Farplane.

Outside of the Farplane, Pinkie and Rarity occupied themselves playing tic-tac-toe, with Pinkie winning every single one. "I win again!"

"...How the hay do you keep doing that?" Rarity asked. "...Best out of seventy-one."

The others walked out after seeing their loved ones, Guado climbing up the stairs to check on the gateway to the land of the departed. "Sorry to keep you two waiting," Fluttershy apologized.

"Ahh! Lord Orion!?" The group turned around, gasping in shock as something tried to leave the Farplane.

The recently deceased Guado Maester, Orion Guado, slowly walked over to the shocked Guado, almost sluggishly like a zombie. "Fluttershy, send him. He doesn't belong here."

"O-Ok." Fluttershy walked back up the steps to send the undead Guado back to the Farplane.

While everyone was distracted, none of them noticed Rarity groaning in agony, nearly collapsing as she swatted pyreflies away from her. After the summoner sent Orion back to the Farplane, a sphere dropped from where he stood. Curious, she took the sphere, the other Guado not noticing it.

"Urgh. We're leaving, now," Rarity said desperately, wanting to get far away from the Farplane.

"What the hay just happened?" Rainbow asked, though everypony else seemed clueless about what had just transpired. "Was he even sent?"

"Possibly," Twilight said. "Maybe something kept him attached to Spira, some kind of powerful emotion that bound him, as if he feared passing away."

"What exactly happened to him if he 'passed away peacefully', like that Maester Star Swirl said?" Rainbow was suddenly struck by Mog and Smarty Pants, both dolls trying to injure her with their fabricy hooves/paws.

"Don't you DARE say anything bad about Maester Star Swirl! He wouldn't lie!" Twilight scoffed as she headed down the stairs, Rarity already long gone.

Rainbow groaned in annoyance as the dolls kept trying to beat her up. "You know, 'Mog', I bought you for Twilight, right? You should be on my side." The Moogle doll shook its head. "...Figures...Betrayed by my gift for a moody unicorn who's more terrifying than Rarity."

Chapter 25: Thunder Plains

As they headed back to Blueblood's manor, Fluttershy began to seek the Guado out while the others waited outside. While waiting, Rainbow noticed Rarity fanning herself, panting heavily. She had no idea why she's freaking out, the mare not as tough as she claims to be. As much as she wanted to find out what was wrong with the experienced guardian, she didn't want to risk getting scolded by her, knowing how scary she can be.

And Orion's sudden appearance from the Farplane was a mystery as well. Everypony was told he had passed away, though the knowledge of his sending wasn't known. He somehow comes back to life, leaving the Farplane as a zombie, which must have meant he clearly wasn't sent. But he was supposed to turn into a fiend, not retain his normal self while having the mindset of a fiend.

"Urgh. This is so confusing..." Rainbow wandered around Guadosalam, too confused and emotionally distraught from earlier to think straight. The Guado city was pretty boring, none of the citizens having anything useful to say or any good wares to sell in the stores. While the pegasus wandered about, she headed down to the pathway leading in and out of Guadosalam from both sides. She soon noticed Coco near the exit leading to a place called the Thunder Plains. "Coco?"

"Oh, hello. You're one of Lady Fluttershy's guardians," the acolyte said. "Where is the Lady Summoner?"

"At Blueblood's, trying to find him," Rainbow grumbled, loathing the disturbing stallion.

"But, I just saw Maester Blueblood head out toward the Thunder Plains," Coco said. "He's going to the temple in Macalania. He's also the high priest of the temple."

"Are you serious?" Rainbow groaned as they waited around for nothing. She thanked Coco and headed back to the others, where Fluttershy left the mansion, having no luck finding the stallion. "No luck finding Blueblood?" Fluttershy shook her head. "Well, that's cause that jerk's already gone. He's down at some place called 'Macaroni'."

"Macalania," Twilight corrected.

"Whatever! Point is, he ran off, and didn't bother telling us where he went!" Rainbow scowled.

"Rainbow, are ya feelin' alright?" Applejack asked. "Ya seem a bit...ornery after we left the Farplane."

"I'M FINE! I'M NOT ANGRY! I'M JUST IRRITATED! DO I LOOK ANGRY!?" Rainbow growled, her eye twitching as she scowled at the others.

"...I'm gonna say maybe," Pinkie said.

The others walked on ahead, though Rarity stayed behind with the seething pegasus. "You saw your mother, didn't you?"

"...None of your business." Rainbow sulked away, quickly pulled back by her tail. "Leave me alone!"

"Stop running away from everything, including your emotions," Rarity warned.

"Stop telling me what to do." Rainbow grabbed her tail out of Rarity's aura and followed the others, the unicorn shaking her head in disappointment.

The next road the party would have to traverse is the Thunder Plains, a road that seemed to break Rainbow out of her sour mood. The whole pathway had storm clouds all across the sky, lightning striking erratically all across the mile long road, striking the ground with incredible force. All along the route were towers that absorbed the lightning bolts, giving safe travel to those who dared to step hoof in this dangerous place.

As the others didn't seem all that startled by the flashes of thunder and the cracks of lightning striking the earth, Pinkie shuddered violently, her ears pressed against her skull at each bolt. "N-No...N-N-Not here...Not this place!"

"Ok, this place is so weird," Rainbow said. "How do we cross this place?"

"As long as we stay close to the towers along the path, we won't have to worry about getting shocked," Twilight explained. "Just don't stay out in wide open spaces far from them."

"Psh. Yeah right. Lightning can't strike that accurately." Rainbow trotted out, unable to be warned in time as a lightning bolt flew down, shocking the pegasus, and sending her flying back to the group, her body slightly singed as her body twitched from the electrical shocks. "...Ow..."

Rarity began to giggle, laughing at Rainbow's shocking surprise. "You should have listened, Rainbow." After recovering from the lightning strike, the pegasus glared at the unicorn. "Your father thought he was invincible when we passed through the Thunder Plains ten years ago. He had to show off to us, getting his just desserts for having his ego get in the way of rational thought."

A younger Rarity, no scar over her eye or glasses worn on her snout, stared blankly out in the stormy fields of the Thunder Plains with Kindred Heart sitting next to her under the safety of a lightning tower. The pegasus summoner held a sphere in his hooves, recording Jet Stream out and away from the safety of the towers.

"Remind me why we're doing this again, Lord Kindred?" Rarity asked.

"Well, he wanted to prove he can dodge infinite strikes of lightning here in the Thunder Plains," the stallion said. "Might as well indulge him. Pegasi are able to tolerate a few lightning strikes if they connect."

"HEY! Keep that thing on me! The show's about to start!" Jet shouted, getting both of their attention. A flash blinded the ponies as Jet Stream managed to avoid a bolt. "Hah! That's one!" Suddenly, more kept striking down, pinpointed directly on the cocky pegasus. "Oh. Oh jeeze! Too much! Too much!"

Jet was suddenly bombarded by lightning strikes faster than he could blink. He got hit a few times, sent sailing back to Rarity and Kindred under the safety of the tower. The summoner couldn't hold back his laughter as Jet's body was scorched, his limbs twitching as he fell unconscious. Rarity, on the other hoof, groaned at the pegasus's immaturity, despite him and Kindred being a few years older than her.

"What an idiot," she muttered as Kindred ended up falling on his back, still laughing and clutching his sides.

"He was so confident, he thought he could defy avoiding nature striking him down, and he gets burnt to a crisp." Rarity giggled at the hilarious memory, even though she didn't really laugh back then.

"Ha ha. Hilarious," Rainbow said sarcastically. "He was probably drunk when he did that, right?"

"No. He just wanted to show off. Now, let's get moving." Rarity walked on ahead, sidestepping lightning bolts as each one set off to try and hit her, Rainbow hoping she had gotten hit.

The group trekked through the dangerous pass, dodging lightning strikes or staying close to the nearby towers. Pinkie was a frazzled mess as each bolt struck, leaping out of her fur, a few times literally, staying under a tower until screaming like mad running to the next. After reaching the halfway point, another bolt of lightning nearly struck Applejack, having quickly backed away right as it struck where she stood.

"Hoowhee! That was a close on!" Applejack chuckled at the close call.

"Hehehehehehehe..." Pinkie laughed eerily. The others turned around to see the lagging mare, growing cautious as her mane went straight again, her hair hiding her terrified gaze as she stared at nothing. "Ehehehe...hehe....he..."

"Uhh...Pinkie? You ok?" Rainbow asked, everyone afraid to approach the random earth pony.

Another lightning strike, and Pinkie immediately crouched low to the ground. Another flash made her skitter like an insect toward the others, none of them knowing if she's gone crazy or is going to try attacking them. Pinkie grabbed hold of Rainbow Dash tightly, scared out of her mind as she squeezed the life out of the pegasus.

"I wanna go home! I don't wanna be here anymore! I hate lightning and thunder!" she cried, her shuddering making Rainbow shake too. Looking past the suffocating pegasus, she spotted one of Hoity Toity's travel agencies, protected by a tower to shelter weary travelers, or those who got shocked one too many times by the lightning. "There! Shelter! I'm saved!"

Pinkie sped off to the Al Bhed inn, taking shelter from the never-ending storms. "That filly's more messed up than a Tonberry in a rack of animal plushies."

"If she's hoping the Thunder Plains will stop storming, it won't ever happen." They approached the inn while avoiding lightning, Pinkie trembling in fright as she pleaded them all to stay. "Pinkie, it's faster to make it through the Thunder Plains as soon as possible, not spend an entire afternoon here. Learn to grow up and face your fears."

"B-But I hate lightning!" Pinkie said, flinching as another flash blinded them.

"Then we're leaving you behind," Rarity said cruelly.

"What!? NO! Don't!" Pinkie begged as the others followed Rarity, all of them wishing to get out of this path before getting struck by lightning more than they ever should in their lives. "You guys are mean! I don't want to die!"

Pinkie's whining grated Rarity's ears as she grinded her teeth, growing irritated until she finally caved in. "ALRIGHT, FINE! We'll...stay."

"YAY! I'll get us rooms!" Lightning struck again, Pinkie running straight inside out of fear as Rarity growled.

Deciding to rest because of Pinkie's fear of lightning, the all headed inside the Travel Agency. "Umm, I'm feeling a little tired," Fluttershy said.

"You alright, Fluttershy?" Rainbow asked, getting a little worried.

"I'm just...a little exhausted." The summoner headed for her room, leaving Rainbow curious to her sudden behavior.

"No choice but to stay now," Rarity grumbled, leering at the quivering earth pony huddled in a corner.

"Hey, Pinkie, what's with you and lightning anyway? As long as you stay by the towers, it won't hit you, right?" Rainbow questioned, curious about the pink mare's fear.

"W-When I was a filly, my sisters and I were playing on the beach," Pinkie said. "We were attacked by a water fiend, and my older sister, Maud, tried to use magic to stop it." Lightning flashed, making Pinkie yelp. "I got in her way by accident, trying to distract, and I got hit instead! By a Thunder spell! I've been afraid of lightning ever since!"

"Thunder works well on aquatic fiends," Rarity said. "Though, the next time you try to distract a fiend, don't. Magic spells take full concentration, and one wrong move could redirect the attack and either miss or hit a different target." Another flash, Pinkie cringing as she curled up in a ball. "You're more of a pain than the storm..."

As they waited for nightfall, Rainbow kept herself occupied, reading through the Al Bhed Primers Hoity Toity generously gave her back on the Mi'ihen Highroad. It looked pretty simple to learn on the pages, though practicing them out loud was not a good idea with Applejack around. She didn't want Twilight to see these either, otherwise she would take them and keep them to herself. Growing bored studying the Al Bhed language, she decided to turn in, heading off to her room.

While passing by Fluttershy's room, Rainbow thought she heard something going on inside. It sounded like an elder stallion, though his voice seemed a little bit staticky. Leaning closer to the door, she pressed her ear against it to try and hear better. Unfortunately, the door was slightly ajar as she pushed, sending her tumbling into the room with a yelp, surprising the yellow pegasus.

"R-Rainbow Dash!?" As the cyan pegasus sat up, she caught sight of a recording of Orion Guado saying something, only for Fluttershy to quickly shut it off.

"Sorry. I thought I heard something," Rainbow said, feeling a little embarrassed at the fall. "Hmm...Wait, wasn't that that Orion Guado pony?"

"...Y-Yes. It's his will," Fluttershy said. "He said...'Take care of my son.'"

"Blueblood?" Rainbow groaned. "I know how to take care of that guy; a good pounding to the face."

Fluttershy excused herself and walked out of her room, which was odd to Rainbow as she couldn't go anywhere else. Curious, she looked at the sphere where she saw Orion, slowly walking up to it as she wondered what was going on and where it came from. She was too focused on the sphere to hear Applejack walk in, an irritated look on her face as she watched her 'barge in'.

"What in tarnation do ya think you're doin'!?" Applejack pulled Rainbow into a tight headlock, the pegasus struggling to break out of her hold. "Ah swear, one minute ya disappear, and the next, ya'll are doin' somethin' stupid like stalkin'!"

"F-Fluttershy...was acting weird!" Rainbow said as she struggled to breath.

"She'll tell us if anythin's wrong WHEN she wants to! So keep them shorts of yours on until then!" The orange earth pony finally let go, Rainbow gasping for breath as she clutched her neck.

Admittedly, Rainbow did deserve that for snooping around, but she wanted to know what Orion was saying. She forgot about it, not wanting to risk getting into trouble, heading back to her room to get some rest.

Morning greeted everyone, though it would be hard to tell with the Thunder Plains constant storm clouds striking the land beneath it. While everyone else was raring to go, Pinkie was still terrfied, cringing more as lightning flashed and crashed.

"Why is it not stopping?" Pinkie asked herself.

"It never stops," Rarity said. "You'll be detrimental to Fluttershy's pilgrimage."

"You can at least try to help me instead of being a big meanie!" Another clap of thunder and the pink mare cringes. "...I'm not scared! I ain't afraid of no flickering lights and sounds of bowling balls crashing into pins!"

She yelped as another bolt struck the ground, Rarity rolling her eyes as they continued on their way down the path. The Thunder Plains were highly dangerous to pass around the northern section, especially when fiends can ambush them at certain points. Many of them practically thrived on the lightning striking them, which Twilight easily took care of with Water spells.

"Umm, everypony?" The guardians stopped and turned to Fluttershy. "I have something I need to say."

"Here!? Now!?" Pinkie asked in a panic. "Can we not until we get somewhere where there's no lightning anywhere!?"

"But it's important," the summoner said. Pinkie pointed out a sheltered tower nearby, everyone hurrying next to it before any of them were zapped. "...I-I...I've decided to marry Blueblood."

Rainbow groaned in disapproval. "Seriously, Fluttershy!? Is it because of Orion's will on that sphere or something!?"

"What sphere?" Twilight asked, Rarity quickly approaching the young summoner as the others wondered what Rainbow meant.

"Show it to me," Rarity almost demanded.

"I can't. It's...really personal. I want to speak to Maester Blueblood first," Fluttershy said.

"...As you wish, darling." Rarity turned away, looking back at the summoner as she turned her head. "But-"

"I won't quit my pilgrimage, if that's what you're going to ask." The white unicorn nodded her head in understanding.

"What!?" Rainbow looked over at the others, who were actually agreeing with Fluttershy's decision. "Guys, come on! You aren't going to stop her!?"

"Rainbow," Rarity said, catching the pegasus's attention. "As long as she continues her pilgrimage, it doesn't matter what we say. Her decisions are final with her personal views."

Sighing in defeat, Rainbow Dash looked down at the ground. She wasn't the only one who was upset at the idea, Pinkie having the same feelings about this as she was.

"Fluttershy..." She reached out to grab the yellow pegasus's shoulders, freezing up as another bolt of lightning crashed. Pinkie looked up at the clouds and glared at it through her straightened mane blocking one eye. "Hey! I'm talking here!" As comical as it was to see Pinkie yelling at nature, it didn't lift Rainbow's spirit up. "...I wish there was some way we could help you."

"I'll be fine, Pinkie," Fluttershy said, hoping to ease her friend's worries.

Rainbow Dash grumbled to herself as they continued down the remaining path of the Thunder Plains. She didn't have much of a choice anymore, thinking Fluttershy would end up saying no to the proposal. She wanted to do this for Spira's happiness, not her own. The summoner was going to be wed to a stallion, who looked like a sleazeball just by his appearance, and his smug attitude held every single hint of bad news that no one else seemed to notice except for Rainbow and Rarity. Pinkie thinks she was being jealous, and it could be the case, but the cyan pegasus mare was more worried about protecting Fluttershy from harm, as her friend, not as her summoner she was sworn to protect.

Chapter 26: Jet's Sphere

After traversing through the dangerous storms of the Thunder Plains, the party had entered the Macalania Woods. The trees, leaves, and the floor of the forest seemed to be made out of crystal, glittering faintly in the dim lighting shining through the clear foliage. As soon as they were far enough away from the thunderstorms, Pinkie was back to her energetic self, her mane and tale inflating back to its poofy style.

"Whew! No more thunder! Yay!" Pinkie bounded on ahead, Rainbow and Rarity lagging behind as the pegasus had so many thoughts running through her head.

"You're worried about Fluttershy, aren't you?" Rarity asked, Rainbow Dash's silence all the answer she needs. "We're all in the same boat, Rainbow. All of us are concerned."

"Then why the hay did you all just agree to this marriage?" Rainbow asked back. "This is by far the dumbest thing Fluttershy has ever thought of to make everypony in Spira happy. Isn't stopping Sin enough?"

"Nopony truly knows what true happiness is. Fluttershy is naive, never asks for help as every single living being relies on her to save the day...Even she doesn't like the idea of marrying Blueblood." Rainbow growled as Rarity began speaking cryptically again.

"Then she should just say no! It's like she's being forced into marrying him! I don't want that to happen!" the pegasus shouted.

"Because you love Fluttershy?" Rainbow stammered as she blushed, unable to hide it any longer as she lowered her head. "...You're bad at running away from things, including your feelings." She didn't say anything as her ears drooped. "Don't look away from the harsh reality in front of you. Things tend to happen because of the choices a pony makes. Stories either continue with the next chapter, or they end abruptly with an epilogue never expected to happen."

"...I don't understand what's with you and stories. Is this supposed to be some kind of metaphor or something? Cause it's really ticking me off more than Fluttershy wanting to marry Blueblood just to make everypony else happy." Rarity didn't reply, walking back to the others and leaving Rainbow more confused than ever. "And just leave me without any answers...Find the answers on my own, huh? How can I find answers when everything around me just gets more complicated?"

She caught up with the group and made their way across the winding trail of roots. The fiends in the Macalania Woods were tougher than any others in the previous areas, dealing massive amounts of magical damage or annoying status ailments, like poison or silence. It was a bit hilarious to see Twilight unable to actually speak while inflicted with silence, though it mostly hindered her ability to use her magic to easily take care of elementally weak foes.

Rainbow hovered over the others as they walked along the winding maze of roots, incredibly bored as she overlooked the pathway for any fiends while still conflicted about everything since coming here to Spira. Up ahead, she spotted a familiar white and buff pegasus stallion, running in the opposite direction in a blind panic. Ironically, Trixie wasn't with him, either something happened to the unicorn summoner or she laid Bulk Biceps off because of his overbounding muscle mass.

"Hey!" He ran up to the party, looking all around to find no sign of his summoner. "Have you guys seen Trixie anywhere!?"

"No. What happened?" Fluttershy asked.

"I don't know!" the stallion guardian shouted. "We got separated as soon as we got here in Macalania! I've looked all over, and I can't find her! I'm the worst guardian in the history of guardianship!"

Rarity walked up to the freaked out stallion, slapping him in the face. "Calm down. In order to find your summoner, you have to control your emotions. Lose your cool, then you'll lose your head. Understand?"

"...Y-You're right," Bulk said, immediately calmed down by his idol. "I lost myself. Thank you, Lady Rarity! I always looked up to you for a reason!"

He bowed to her and ran past them, determined to find Trixie. Pinkie was about to chase after him, but stopped. "Uhh, Pinkie? What were ya doin'?" Applejack asked.

"...I uhh...wanted to wish him good luck!" Pinkie giggled nervously, getting back with the group as they continued on their way.

Now Pinkie was acting strange again. Though, as Rainbow thought, Pinkie was always strange since the day she met her, but everything she's done after being reunited with her again just fell under the suspicious category of strange. The Al Bhed mare tried to kidnap Fluttershy, no sign of the other stallion who was helping her after destroying her machina, rumors of summoners disappearing are actually true, and now Trixie was somehow gone, though her guardian was still alive.

The pegasus growled, getting a migraine. Over a week being in Spira has already gotten her nearly killed several times, learning all the terrible and pointless customs of this world of chaos and destruction, and finding nothing logical is applied to the use of machina, stopping Sin, and Blueblood's proposal to Fluttershy to make Spira overlook the sorrow and depression they were suffering in. It was bad enough memories of her past resurfaced, her hatred toward her father growing stronger after learning he was now Sin, somehow, and remembering how much her mother had suffered after he disappeared.

Her emotions were going to tip over the breaking point again, wanting to scream it all out. Take it out on something, somepony, anything. While lost in her overwhelming thoughts and memories of her youth and the horrible events that happened recently, the party down below were fighting one of the toughest fiends that roamed the Macalania Woods; a chimera, a bipedal fiend with the heads of a bull, an eagle, a wolf, and a snake as the tail. Looking down, she saw the perfect dummy to vent out her anger.

Pulling out her blade, she screamed ferociously as she dove down onto it, slicing off the bull head clean off. Before it or the others could react, she slashed into the beast, cutting off the snake head on the chimera's tail, then repeatedly thrust her sword deep into its chest several times, even as it fell from her blind fury. Her thrusts slowly died down as the fiend disappeared in a flurry of spirits, panting heavily.

"...Rainbow?" She turned her head to look at her friends, more specifically at Fluttershy. She was really concerned about her, as well as the others with her sudden berserk state. "Are you alright?"

"...No." Rainbow looked away, unable to look at the summoner. It wasn't out of spite or anger toward Fluttershy for her decision. As much as she wouldn't want to admit it, Rarity was right as she had been fleeing from her own feelings; she lashed out not in anger, but in sadness and confusion. "I saved you from that thing...It was about to attack you..."

She trudged forward on the path, not feeling up to flying anymore, the others catching up to her, but giving her some space. Rainbow just wanted something to go right for once. No conflicts. No death or remembrance of those she knew who died. No Blueblood. No Sin. But this was the world she had to live in now, and it only made her more miserable with each day, no matter how much she hid her true feelings away.

After finally making it through the winding root trails of the forest, they were getting closer to Macalania, feeling the temperature drop as it got colder. Before she could venture further, Rarity grabbed Rainbow's tail with her magic, dragging her back to some crystal roots blocking a pathway.

"Hold on, darling." Rainbow groaned, not wanting to stay in the forest any longer. "I want to show you all something, especially you, Rainbow Dash."

"What?" she asked.

Rarity pulled out her diamond katana, slashing her way through the bark of the trees until the path was clear. The others followed the unicorn to a special spring, the water similar to what was used to create those recording spheres back in Luca.

"This place is where spheres are made, preserving the memories of ponies with each one made. Jet Stream left one here ten years ago." While the others were amazed, curious to know what Jet had made, Rainbow wasn't all that interested. Suddenly, from the water, a massive sphere of liquid seeped up and floated in front of them, a nucleus resting in the center of the strange amoeba fiend. "Although, fiends also like to come around here, especially Spherimorphs like these."

"Spherimorphs!?" Twilight exclaimed. "My magic is useless against them!"

"It's a giant ball of water, Twilight!" Rainbow shouted, pulling out her sword. "Just zap it with lightning!"

Before she could lunge at the inanimate fiend, Twilight pulled Rainbow's tail and dragged her back. "No, you don't understand, Rainbow! I can't use any magic unless I know what spell it casts! If I use the wrong spell, I'll end up healing the Spherimorph instead! Even weapons imbued with elemental properties won't work as well! And these fiends use 'Shift', changing their element to something else to confuse its prey, or keep it the same without any physical changes to its body!" While in her panicking lecture, she snapped out of her shock when she saw the bubbles forming out of Rainbow's blade. "...Wait, since when did the sword do that?"

"Ask Pinkie," the pegasus grumbled. "So, I'm useless as well, having no other weapons to help fight!? Perfect!"

"Rainbow Dash, you can assist the others," Fluttershy said to try and help make the sour pegasus feel better. "Maybe you know some spells?"

"I DON'T KNOW MAGIC!" she shouted, having no clue how to even use any magic when the others clearly could.

"Let's just kill this thing before it kills us!" Spike rushed forward, spear in hand, thrusting it into the floating amoeba.

As soon as he leapt back, the fiend countered the purple dragon by firing a spell, freezing him with ice. Taking the advantage as she saw what spell the Spherimorph used, Twilight cast a Fira spell, dealing a good amount of damage to it. The nucleus began to shudder as its clear blue body began to glow green for a seconds, then return back to normal.

"And it just shifted," Twilight mumbled, no clue what its element is now.

"Well, as long as we're findin' out what it uses, we'll hopefully take care of this thing before it takes care of us!" Applejack struck it with her blitzball, getting burnt by a countered fire spell.

Twilight was just about to cast Blizzara, but the fiend was too quick using Shift, changing its element and leaving it as a mystery again. "Urgh! This thing is a nightmare!" Spherimorph began to hover over everyone, changing its body's shape into a large block. "And it's gonna crush us."

"INCOMING!" Pinkie screamed as everyone scattered just in time before the fiend could crush them. As they recovered, the mare had a crazy idea, but she didn't know if she could pull it off revealing who she was. "I have an idea! All we gotta do is-OH NO! CHIMERA BEHIND US TO ASSIST THE SPHERIMORPH!"

Everyone panicked as they looked in the opposite direction, except for Rainbow, still sulking even after avoiding getting crushed. While they weren't looking, Pinkie pulled out a few grenades she kept safely in her tail, pulling out their pins and shoving them all deep in Spherimorph's liquid body, planting them right next to its core. Thankfully, the explosions were muffled inside its body as they blew up, destroying the nucleus as its form shuddered to try and keep itself solid.

Its body began to melt down into liquid as the remains of the core disappeared, spirits flying out of the used to be amoeba. "...I can't believe the others actually fell for that," Rainbow mumbled.

"I saved the day!" The others turned around to see the spirits floating out from where the fiend used to be, Pinkie doing a victory pose. Whatever it was Pinkie did, they were glad she dealt with it. Behind the Al Bhed, a small sphere dropped down from out of nowhere, the pink mare turning to look at it. "Hey! It's a sphere!"

She showed the others, which seemed pretty old and worn out. "That's Jet's sphere. Just what we were looking for." While Twilight, Fluttershy, and Applejack were excited to see what was on it, Rainbow didn't want to know what her father had recorded. "Play it."

With no choice, Rainbow took the sphere from Pinkie and played it.

As the sphere began playing back its recording, it showed Jet Stream looking into it, testing to see if it was working. "Ok...I have no clue how the hay this thing works. Whatever happened to a 'Record' button with a lens to view from?"

"What in Spira are you doing?" The camera turned around, recording a younger Rarity without the scar and sunglasses and Kindred Heart approaching the stallion, walking away from a grand city.

"It's gonna be a long trip, right? I thought I'd record our adventure to show my wife and daughter." Rarity groaned, shaking her head as she sneered at the pegasus recording them. "By the way, Kindred, where the hay's the celebratory farewell!? No cheering fans? No crying mares worried for your safety? No mares to spend a night with before leaving? Oh wait. We have Rarity to fit that role."

"How dare you!?" The unicorn fumed, pulling out a diamond from her robes.

"What? You gonna throw a gem at me?" Jet taunted.

He ate his own words as Rarity's aura surrounded the rich gem, transforming it into her patented diamond katana. "Ever hear of transmutation?" Behind the sphere, Jet shook his head, his terrified look unable to be seen in the sphere's recording. "Well, I'm sure you know the meaning of 'castration' and 'neutering', because I will do that to you if you cross me."

"Rarity, relax," Kindred said, resting a hoof on the disgruntled mare's shoulder. "I chose the both of you as my guardians for a reason. Your strong for a mare of your stature, and Jet can provide us some entertainment on our pilgrimage. And to answer your question, Jet...I don't like long goodbyes." The summoner looked back at the city sadly. "It makes leaving more difficult, thinking twice about their decisions."

"...Whatever. But after we beat Sin, we're gonna party hard!" Jet cheered as he flew up, the recording ending at that point.

The sphere flickered on again as it now showed Macalania Lake, snow falling down in the area as Jet and Rarity were in front of another Al Bhed Travel Agency. The pegasus stallion posed as they were being filmed, though the unicorn mare leered at him from a distance.

"Rarity, stand next to Jet Stream," Kindred said from behind the sphere.

"I'd rather not," Rarity muttered, able to be heard by the sphere.

"Aww, come on, Rares! I don't bite!...Hard." Jet Stream wiggled his eyebrows at Rarity, making her growl. His attempts to flirt with the young mare falling flat on his face, he turned his head back to Kindred. "Hey, Kindred! You should make one of these for little Flutters! She'll love to see her dad beat Sin over and over again! Plus, she's as cute as a button, more adorable than any fan I've ever had!"

Jet squished his cheeks together in his hooves as he gushed over Fluttershy. "You know you have your own daughter, right?" Kindred asked. "I'm sure she's just as cute."

"Psh! Dash!? She's nothing but a pain, always crying and whining about everything!" Jet crossed his hooves and looked away from the sphere. "With my career as a blitzball star, she could have had anything she wanted, but instead, she just keeps complaining about what I do."

"Can we please move on!?" Rarity exclaimed. "We're wasting enough time as we speak!"

"Hey, lighten up, Rarity," Jet said, only further angering the unicorn with his arrogance. "We got plenty of time. I think you need to get laid, get rid of that bug stuck up your plot."

"THAT'S IT! I'm going to kill you, you sick excuse of a stallion!" Rarity shrieked as she lunged at the pegasus, beating Jet as he tried to defend himself from the surprisingly strong unicorn.

"Rarity, stop!" Kindred ran up to them as the sphere shut down, ending the recording.

"...So, you wanted me to see my dad acting like an idiot? On a sphere?" Rainbow Dash questioned Rarity.

"Wait, Dashie! There's still some more left on here!" Sighing, she looked back at the sphere as the rest of the recording continued playing.

As the sphere resumed playing, it showed the same spring everyone was currently at. The sphere was placed down on the ground, slightly lopsided as Jet Stream came into view, sporting a black eye from his scuffle with Rarity earlier. He sat down, looking a little conflicted as he cleared his throat.

"Uhh...Hey, Dash. I don't know if you'll ever get this, but...if you're watching this...then you're stuck here in Spira, like me." He looked down at his hooves, rubbing the back of his head. "...I wouldn't blame you if you start crying, lost in this strange world. But, there are times where you have to stop crying and be an adult, move on with the crap you've been dealt with.

"And remember...You're my daughter. And I...uhhh..." Jet took in a deep breath as he struggled to find the words to say. "I...I lo-...Mrf, forget it. I'm not good at this sappy stuff." He stood up and quickly approached the sphere, picking it up and holding it closer to see his slightly bruised face. "Anyways...just take care of your mom for me, if you can...Be a good girl...And...yeah. Bye."

He turned the sphere around and recorded the forest around the spring for a few seconds before ending the recording, ending the last of the playback on the sphere.

Rainbow stared at the sphere, then back at Rarity. The others were pretty shocked at Jet's immaturity when Kindred Heart began his pilgrimage, who was just as clueless as the pegasus mare before them when she arrived in Besaid.

"Jet always talked about Zanarkand on our pilgrimage," Rarity said. "He wanted to show you everything Spira had to offer, but as he went along with us, he had changed from the immature, drunk, egotistical, and perverted blitzball star he used to be and became a different pony. He was a lot more tolerable as he viewed Spira in a whole new light, staying by Kindred Heart's side to the end of his journey to defeat Sin."

"...So...he gave up trying to get home?" Rainbow asked.

Rarity nodded, and the pegasus knew the rest. Jet Stream became Sin, and runs amok in the world, ruining others lives against his will. He accepted his fate quicker than Rainbow did, and she still wanted to believe she could go home, even if it was a false hope. The others left the spring, mostly to give Rainbow Dash some time to reflect on her father's message, Rarity staying behind as she watched the confused pegasus look down at the sphere.

"Your father loved you, Rainbow Dash. He just wasn't able to express it that well." The young blitzballer cringed, wanting to smash the sphere to pieces, but couldn't bring herself to do it. "He really had changed."

"Enough about my dad!" she shouted. "If you think this is going to change my mind about him, it doesn't!"

"...I just wanted you to know. You'll change as well further on down the line." Rarity turned away and walked out of the area, leaving Rainbow Dash behind with Jet's sphere.

She wanted to smash it, hack it up with her sword, get rid of anything that had her father's face on it. She ruined her life, got her mother killed because of his disappearance, actually insulted her in front of Rarity and Kindred Heart ten years ago, liking Fluttershy more than her, and he thought acting like a father at the end of this sphere was going to change her perspective on the stallion that caused her so much emotional pain. But she couldn't, no matter how much she wished she could destroy it.

Instead, she put the sphere away in one of her pockets. Rainbow had no clue why she's keeping it. Either to keep it as fuel to unleash her rage against him on some unfortunate fiend, or some part of her wants to forgive him for his faults. The latter was quickly erased from her mind, not wanting to ever forgive him no matter how much he apologized, catching up with the others as they were about to head to Macalania Lake before Rarity dragged them to a detour on their journey.

Chapter 27: Pinkie's Secret Revealed

Rainbow shuddered as she felt the chilly winds of the tundra of Macalania, the lake frozen over as it leads to a pathway that supposedly headed off to the temple out in the distance. The rest of the group waited for her as she slowly made her way over to the inn. She couldn't focus on anything other than her anger. Since arriving in Spira, she was lost and alone, able to find some help from Fluttershy, Applejack, Twilight, and Pinkie, helping her get used to this future of sorrow and destruction. Everything she believed in Zanarkand was fading away as she had to cope with all these new rules, all of these depressing moments that have come up in the past week, and constantly reminded of her father no matter where he was.

Fluttershy wants her guardians to smile. She wants them to have a happy journey. How was Rainbow Dash supposed to stay happy when all she feels is misery and anger, all while having all of her questions remain unanswered and more confused with each vague response? Why did Jet Stream want her to kill him while dragging her into this horrible future where all she sees is death and pointless religions that don't solve anything involving Sin and repentance?

"Rainbow Dash?" Fluttershy snapped the pegasus out of her thoughts, looking up at the summoner. "Are you feeling ok?"

"...I think I need to blow off some more steam. I'm still really ticked off," she said, kicking the snow underneath her hooves. "I'm trying to be happy, Fluttershy. I really am. But how can I when, for the past week, so much has happened? I wish I never wound up here and was back in Zanarkand. I'd rather stay at home, play some blitz, or just sleep."

"I'm sorry...Maybe things will get better soon, once Sin is gone," Fluttershy said, receiving a scoff from the sour pegasus.

"And you'll marry Blueblood because the public demands it." Ironically enough, leaving the shop were some Guado with fliers, holding pictures of both Fluttershy and Blueblood together, a heart between the two. That only irritated Rainbow Dash further. "Oh come on! How fast does word travel about this stupid wedding!? It's like they planned all this!"

"...I-I don't know." Fluttershy seemed a bit nervous as the Guado passed by them and began to alert all of Spira about the wedding.

Up ahead, walking over from the lake, Tromell and a few Guado guards approached them, the elder servant bowing to Fluttershy. "Lady Fluttershy, we have been expecting you. Forgive us for leaving so abruptly without telling you. Though it's a surprise to see you all having come so soon."

"I have a question, Mr. Tromell," Fluttershy said. "If I marry Maester Blueblood, will he allow me to continue my pilgrimage?"

"Of course, m'lady!" Tromell said excitedly. "He wouldn't want to stop you from fulfilling your duty as a summoner. Come, we shall escort you to the temple, and send more guards to guide your guardians. Guado tradition, after all."

"Ok." Fluttershy followed the Guado, but stopped for a moment as they reached the lake to look at Rainbow Dash. Bringing the tip of her wing to her lips, she let out a shrill whistle, catching the pouting pegasus's attention. "In case I need your help, Rainbow Dash."

That brought a smile to her face, getting her out of her little rut, if only for a moment. Rainbow nodded her head, promising to come to her rescue. Unfortunately, the moment was ruined as they heard the sound of engines rumbling in the distance.

"Oh no!" Pinkie exclaimed in fear. "Not now!"

From the hills around the lake, Al Bhed rode in on snowmobiles and surrounded the Guado and Fluttershy. "Consarn Al Bhed!"

The guardians all hurried down to the lake and protected Tromell and Fluttershy from them. With the guardians taking care of the Al Bhed, Tromell tried to bring Fluttershy to safety, but the summoner refused and stayed with her guardians, fighting alongside them. Before they could try and fend them off, the stallions all rode off as a blueish gray mare with a gray short mane and tail, almost the same style as Pinkie's was when she freaked out in the Thunder Plains, stood on the snowbank.

"Pinkamena!" They all looked up, spotting the earth pony Al Bhed mare, with a deadly gaze that could pierce the soul of the scariest of fiends. "Tuh'd ehdanvana un oui kad drec!" Suddenly, rolling up the side of the hill was a heavy artilary machina tank, a large turret resting on its base along with several smaller ones hidden behind the treds that served as its wheels. "Ouin bnaleuic magic yht aeons yna caymat!"

"Uhh, what the hay did she say!?" Rainbow asked as she pulled out her sword.

"She's using the anti-magic machina on us!" Pinkie shouted in fear.

"Kad dras!" the mare said, pointing her hoof at the unfortunate group.

The machina rolled down the hill and stopped in front of them, looking really dangerous with its massive size. Before Twilight could cast any Thunder spells on it, a small drone popped out from the tank, glowing brightly while negating her magical aura.

"Nrgh!" Twilight strained to use her magic, but nothing came. "I-I can't use my magic!"

Even Rarity had no use of her telekinetic grasp, resorting to holding her katana over her shoulder and use her hooves. "Whatever this machina is, it's negating magic, including telekinesis."

"Applejack! Attack the Negator!" Pinkie ordered as Applejack stared at her in confusion. "Do you want to die!? Kill it so Twilight and Fluttershy can use their magic!"

"How in tarnation do ya-!?" Applejack was interrupted as the group was suddenly bombarded with gunfire coming from the small turrets.

Deciding not to ask anymore questions until the Al Bhed are dealt with, Applejack threw her ball hard at the floating drone above the machina, smacking it hard enough to destroy it. With their magic able to be used again, Twilight began casting her Thundara spells on the machina. However, in destroying the magic nullifying drone, the tank shook violently as a light humming sound could be heard in the large barrel of the cannon turret. Along with the low noise it made, as any one of them struck it, it charged forward, attempting to ram into the party.

"Ok, this thing is really annoying!" Spike complained as he was rammed into by the machina after thrusting his spear into it.

The humming noise began to grow louder, the Al Bhed watching from afar as they knew exactly what the machina was about to do, even Pinkie knew as she began to panic. "Oh no! This is bad! Fluttershy, summon an aeon thingie! Hurry!"

"W-Why?" Fluttershy asked in fear.

"Just do it! It's gonna fire its lazers!" Heeding the Al Bhed's warning, Fluttershy decided to summon Odin.

Her staff began sparking electricity, swinging it over to the empty space that remained on the lake. She seemed desperate to not get struck by whatever the tank had planned, the sparks around her staff growing more powerful as she put all her strength into it. The portal opened up, Odin leaping out as he held out his sword to the machina.

The aeon thrust his sword into the ice and tossed his shield aside temporarily as he unleashed his powerful attack. Lightning storms appeared around him, striking the blade with a bolt, making it spark. He pulled the blade out, along with a chunk of the earth, making it look like a hammer than a sword. The mallet began sparking dangerously as he held it out at the machina, shooting a beam of electricity into the tank, sending it floating up and spiraling wildly in the air as it was shocked repeatedly by the dangerous volts being poured into it.

Keeping the machina held aloft, Odin reared his arm back and flung his makeshift hammer into the orb of electricity, causing a powerful explosion of sparks as it connected to the tank. As the blast subsided, the machina fell hard to the ice with a thud, sparks flying out of its body as it was gravely damaged by the electricity and heavy hammer that struck it. Odin's sword returned back to him, the piece of earth having shattered as it connected with the machina, along with his shield. The machina fell apart, unable to function and blowing up, leaving nothing but scattered, smoldered parts of the unstoppable machina.

"Pinkamena! E femm damm Marble, Maud, yht Vydran!" the mare shouted, glaring angrily at Pinkie.

"Limestone, E ys dra guardian uv Fluttershy! Fluttershy ec cyva! Fa femm kiynt ran!" The mare on the hill growled as Applejack stared at Pinkie in shock and confusion.

She was silent for a moment, only to sigh in defeat. "Veha. Oui tu drec ymuha, cecdan!"

The Al Bhed soon left, having been defeated. As the others looked at Pinkie Pie, Tromell and his guards lead  Fluttershy down the path toward the temple. She was caught by Applejack, having no choice but to speak Al Bhed to stop the mare before she did anything drastic.

"...W-Why were ya speakin' Al Bhed?" Applejack questioned as she grew suspicious.

"...Because...I'm Al Bhed." The ex-blitzball captain's jaw dropped, her eye twitching as she stared at Pinkie in shock. "And that mare was one of my sisters, Limestone Pie."

"Weird," Rainbow said. "I didn't see her on the ship when you guys found me. Who was that stallion who ordered me around? Your brother?"

"Cheesie's not my brother! He's my coltfriend!" Pinkie blushed as she explained. "That would be weird if he was related to me! Why did you think that, Dashie!?"

"Sorry. I just thought he was your twin or something. You both had the same poofy hair, and he seemed just as weird as you were." Having completely forgotten that Applejack was standing with them, it only further aggravated her.

"Wait, did ya'll know she was an Al Bhed!?" she accused, looking over to the others, who apparently also knew as well. "...All of ya'll knew!?"

"Yes, Applejack, we did," Twilight said, Mog and Smarty Pants nodding their heads. "Because if you knew, you would have thrown a fit like back at the Djose Shore."

"...Unbelievable. Ah've been travelin' with an Al Bhed, ponies that use machina, always bringin' Sin back because they're a bunch of no good heathens!" Pinkie appeared in front of Applejack as she turned around, glaring harshly at the orange earth pony.

"No we're not! We have nothing to go against Faust's teachings!" Pinkie argued. "Show me proof! They say the proof is in the pudding, and since I don't see any pudding, chocolate or vanilla, then there's no proof we're 'evil'!"

"Ah don't need any proof," Applejack snarled as she gritted her teeth. "Sin will be gone once everypony atones for YOUR sins, and we get rid of them stupid machina!"

"Sin won't go away, even if we destroy every single machina, even those that are hidden in the ocean's depths!" The two earth ponies butted heads as they kept countering each other's arguments. "Sin always keeps coming back anyway, so why bother getting rid of machina when you all clearly use it in Luca!"

"That's different! The stadium's acceptable because of blitzball! If we all abide by Faust's teachin's, then Sin will finally be gone, somethin' ya dirty grease monkeys don't seem to understand!" Pinkie eventually gave up, Applejack too stubborn to listen.

"Why do I even bother?" Pinkie sighed as she huffed away.

"Pinkie? Can you fix this?" Rarity stood next to one of the discarded snowmobiles left behind by the Al Bhed.

"Hmm? Yes! It can still run!" Pinkie bounded over to the mare, fixing up the injured components of the snowmobile.

"Uh uh! No way in Faust's name are we usin' them contraptions!" Applejack complained.

"AJ, just shut up, will you!?" She turned to face Rainbow, who was getting sick and tired of the mare's prejudice against other ponies. "You got along well with Pinkie earlier! Even if she used machina, so what!? She's a pony like you! And unlike you, I don't know everything about Spira, or the Al Bhed! And you know what I see!? Pinkie as Pinkie! Not some kind of freak who deserves to be hated!"

Applejack stammered, trying to find the words to argue back at the pegasus, only to growl and march off down the path to the temple on hoof. "I think we should let her walk it off," Twilight said. "I'm sure she'll come around...eventually." Twilight approached one of the snowmobiles, looking over the strange vehicle. "...Uhh, do you know how to drive this thing, Rainbow?"

Rainbow Dash was about to answer, only to hear Spike grunt as he flipped over one of the vehicles that fell on their side. Not even bothering worrying about how to control it, he started it up and began driving it over to Rarity, offering her a ride. She accepted it and leapt up onto the back, the two driving off to the temple.

"Well, a lot better than Spike can." Pinkie got on the second one, speeding off as she caught up with the other two. Twilight seemed a little bit nervous about riding on the machina, but Rainbow knew what she was doing, having been around machina since she was born. "I'm not gonna do any insane tricks off this thing, if that's what you're scared about."

"No, it's not that...I just...kinda wanna know how it all works," Twilight admitted.

The two got on the last one and rode off down the icy pathway, a calm and relaxing ride, one that Rainbow needed after the emotional roller coaster she's been through. They passed by Applejack, who grumbled sourly as she disliked the others using machina, the two hearing something about bad luck from the disgruntled mare.

"So, Twi. What do you think about Pinkie Pie, being an Al Bhed and all?" Rainbow asked, sparking up some conversation as they calmly rode down the road.

"She's...random. But she's pretty helpful. And since she's an Al Bhed I know I can trust, I want to study their language." Mog and Smarty Pants hopped over both mares and sat on the handlebars, enjoying the fun ride.

"Of course you would, egghead," Rainbow teased. Knowing how smart Twilight was, she decided to ask a risky question. "So, Twilight, can I ask you something?"

"You actually want a lecture this time?" Twilight asked.

"It's just a theory...Is it possible for somepony to become Sin?" Rainbow asked.

"...I really don't know," the unicorn said. "Sin just came out of nowhere. It's our punishment for everything our ancestors have done in the past. All we can do is run or fight it."

"That's all, huh?" Twilight shook her head as she looked back at Applejack, still trudging along down the icy trail.

"You really do live in a world where Sin doesn't exist." She looked back down at the pegasus, worried about her emotional state after seeing her look at her mother and hearing kindhearted words from Jet Stream. "Rainbow Dash, are you alright? You've been pretty agitated the past couple days."

"...I'll be fine," she lied as they caught up with Rarity, Pinkie, and Spike.

They waited a bit longer for Applejack to catch up, her glare centered on Pinkie Pie. This was going to be a long pilgrimage if the mare was going to be constantly hating the Al Bhed earth pony, since Fluttershy had allowed her as her guardian.

Chapter 28: Blueblood's Betrayal

The guardians headed down the long, frozen path leading to Macalania Temple out in the distance. The entire temple looked like it was build on a frozen stalactite, where the Chamber of the Fayth can be seen down at the bottom of the spire. Rainbow Dash was astonished at how well built it was, despite it looking like it could break off to the water down below if spring or summer came around, melting the ice bridge and blocking access to the temple. Though, with how cold Macalania is, that wouldn't have been a problem.

As they reached the temple, the whole building seemed to be bustling with activity, as everyone was already beginning to celebrate Fluttershy and Blueblood's wedding. This only made the pegasus groan in annoyance as they seemed to be celebrating the wedding reception already, before they were even properly wed. Before they were able to walk inside, they were stopped by one of the priests as he noticed Pinkie Pie with the group.

"What's she doing here? Her kind are not welcomed in this holy place!" he said.

Rarity approached the priest, almost threateningly. "You are going to deny access to one of Fluttershy's guardians?"

"W-What!? An Al Bhed a guardian!? Preposterous!" the stallion said, aghast at the worst of ponies being a guardian to a summoner.

"She is willing to give her life to protect her summoner," Rarity said. "I believe that constitutes her right to enter, despite her race."

"...Fine then...She is allowed entry. But if anything happens, it will fall under all of your heads." With the priest's warning in mind, they headed inside, where the early celebration was already underway.

Music was playing, the priests and nuns of the temple were excited for the wedding, and it irritated Rainbow Dash. Along with the happy ponies, Coco spotted them and ran up to them, just as ecstatic as the rest of her peers.

"Isn't this exciting!?" the acolyte asked. "I can't believe that Maester Blueblood and Lady Fluttershy are getting married! All of Spira will rejoice once the wedding takes place!" Coco soon realized that none of them seemed as happy as the temple with the news, especially Rainbow Dash. "What's wrong? You don't look happy."

"...It's complicated, Coco...Where is Fluttershy, anyway?" Rainbow asked.

"She went into the Cloister of Trials with the maester." Another groan escaped the pegasus, Fluttershy all alone with the stallion and nopony else around to protect her from him.

"AHH! Lord Orion!?" A mare came out from one of the side rooms in a panic.

Figuring it was the sphere Fluttershy had with Orion's will, the guardians rushed passed the distraught nun and found the sphere resting on the table. "Judging from the surprise, I'm guessing we're going to get some answers from Blueblood's dad's will."

Rainbow played the sphere back, the previous Guado maester appearing in the recording, looking terrified. "To anypony who finds this sphere, I implore you to hear me out, for I don't have much time. I am going to tell you the truth about my half-blood son, Blueblood. I love him as much as my wife, but I fear he is not to be trusted. I sense a darkness in his heart, and as of right now, he is using Faust, the Guado, and even the summoners. If my son is not stopped, he will destroy all of Spira, far worse than Sin will. Because of me being unable to help him, he has turned into a twisted, sadistic monster, a fiend in pony form.

"The prejudice cast upon him and his mother in Blueblood's youth had made him suffer and turn this way...I do not blame him, for even we Guado were hated by the ponies of Spira, not as bad as the Al Bhed, but the principle of hatred remains the same...For my punishment, I will die by my son's hooves, and quite soon as I make this." Suddenly a knock was heard in the recording, the Guado looking over at the door on the other side of the sphere.

"Father! Are you in here!?" Blueblood said, Orion growing more fearful with each powerful knock.

"Please, whoever is watching this. Stop Blueblood! Stop my son before it's too late!" The recording ended as the Guado shut off the sphere, possible to hide it on him as soon as he was killed.

Out of the group who was horrified at the disturbing truth, Applejack was more pale than Twilight, almost wanting to lose her lunch. Rainbow Dash's suspicions were right all along, knowing there was something up with the Guado the moment she laid eyes on him.

"Good. Now I have the perfect excuse to kill him and end this stupid wedding!" Rainbow was about to run out to rescue Fluttershy, only to have her tail stomped down by Applejack.

"Rainbow, what are ya thinkin'!? Blueblood's a maester!" she argued, though completely unsure of herself as she didn't want to believe what she saw and heard.

"Applejack, come on! You saw that, right!? Blueblood killed his own dad! I knew he was no good, and there's proof, recorded proof, that he's a no good killer!" Applejack stammered, trying to find a way to argue her way out of this situation, but Rainbow Dash didn't give the mare a chance. "That explains why Orion stayed behind when he wasn't sent! This explains why he didn't give a flying feather about Operation Mi'ihen! He doesn't care about anything other than himself, and Fluttershy's alone with him! He's gonna kill her!"

Swiping her tail away, Rainbow ran on ahead and the others followed. "This can't be happenin'...This just can't..." Applejack slowly caught up with the others, still feeling conflicted.

Shoving their way past the celebrating ponies, the group made their way through the icy corridor of the Cloister of Trials, though to Rainbow's surprise, they didn't have to solve it. As they reached the room before the Chamber of the Fayth, the guardians brandished their weapons as Blueblood stood patiently at the door for Fluttershy, along with his two Guado guards.

"Blueblood!" Rainbow shouted, holding her sword out to the backstabbing stallion.

"Hush. Lady Fluttershy prays to the fayth," Blueblood said.

"I'll hush you up, you killer!" Blueblood slowly turned around, revealing his smug grin as he climbed down the steps, his guards flanking him to defend him. The door to the chamber opened, Fluttershy walking out as she found the others with their weapons out, though Applejack was hesitant to fight. "Fluttershy, get away from him!"

"Why are you here?" she asked.

"We saw Orion's sphere!" The summoner gasped, having forgotten about it when she took it with her. "He killed his own father in cold blood...His will to 'take care of Blueblood' meant to stop him. And we're going to do that!"

"So, you knew too, Lady Fluttershy?" Blueblood looked at Fluttershy as she ran over to her guardians, her gaze looking anywhere except for him. "Why did you come here?"

"...I..." Fluttershy looked up at Blueblood, pulling out her staff. "I came to stop you."

"...Hmm...So you came to punish me? What a pity." Rainbow Dash stood in front of Fluttershy while the others surrounded their summoner, prepared to defend her from the maniacal stallion. "I see. The Code of the Guardian. 'Protect the summoner at the cost of one's life.'" Blueblood began to chuckle, sounding more sinister than he had before. "If you all are willing to end your lives so soon...allow me to take them!"

"I'll fight you too!" Fluttershy said. "I'm not going to let you hurt my friends!"

"W-Wait!" Applejack shouted. "Why is this happenin'!? Maester Blueblood, ya didn't really kill your pa, did ya!?"

"...I did." Applejack wilted as Blueblood admitted to murdering Orion Guado. "And I loved it! Just as I'll enjoy taking care of you all, make Fluttershy my bride, and then kill her!"

"Not if I have anything to say about it!" Rainbow rushed forward to slash at Blueblood, but his guards were a lot faster to protect their leader, despite his murder.

One of them grabbed the blade between their clawed hooves, tossing it away with incredible strength while the second kicked Rainbow back to the others. "I'll end your life first!"

Blueblood began to cast his black magic spells, aiming them at Rainbow Dash. However, before any of the spells could hit her, she, along with the rest of the party were shrouded by four glowing orbs, each of them holding the color of an element: red for Fire, blue for Blizzard, teal for Water, and yellow for Thunder. The red orb disappeared, nullifying the harmful effects of the Fira spell the stallion cast.

"I said I'm not going to let you hurt my friends!" Fluttershy said, spinning her staff as she recast her Nul spell on Rainbow. "I will fulfill your father's wish to stop you, even if it means having to kill you to save Spira!"

"...Your eyes burn radiantly with resolve." Blueblood shuddered as he relished Fluttershy's boldness in the most disturbing way possible. "I love it!"

"You are sick." Rarity rushed forward, along with Spike, both of them attacking the Guado bodyguards. They couldn't match the unicorn's incredibly powerful and heavy diamond katana or Spike's enhanced speed as he thrust his spear with incredible reach. They both were easily felled, giving Rainbow enough time to grab her flung sword and defend Fluttershy again, Rarity pointing her blade at Blueblood, undeterred by the loss of his bodyguards. "Your father was right about you on that sphere; you're no stallion. You're just as bad as the fiends. Not even Sin would look at you as an ally if it was able to think."

"Sin is of no concern to me," Blueblood said. Rarity leapt up in the air and slashed her blade down on the half-Guado unicorn stallion, only for the blade to be stopped by his hoof, stopped by his more than average pony strength. "Not even death will stop me." He managed to swipe the heavy blade out of Rarity's grasp, threw it aside, and bucked the mare hard in the face. Spike quickly caught her before she hit the ground. "Feel my pain...Anima! Destroy my enemies!"

Like before in Luca, Blueblood summoned the powerful aeon from the ground with the same hook shooting up from the ceiling. Anima was dragged up and looked down at upon the party. Seeing how strong it was, taking out every single fiend that attacked the stadium, it could easily take everyone else down without even batting an eye.

"Ok. We may actually die," Rainbow commented.

Fluttershy stepped past the cyan pegasus, looking up at the depressing gaze in Anima's eye. Holding her staff in her hooves, she lifted it up before her, a small flurry of snow cascading around her. She crouched low, pillars of ice shooting out of nowhere and striking the ground behind the pegasus. From the snow, an ice blue unicorn mare, standing a few inches taller than Spike's height, floated down into the ice, her face being reflected off the pillars of ice.

With a swipe of her hoof, the aeon shattered the ice into pieces, tossing aside a blue cloak she wore as she arrived. Fluttershy caught it as she stepped away, the cloth smoother than silk and warm to the touch, despite the chilly air around her. Rainbow stared in awe at the new aeon the summoner called, though she was wondered how something as small as this aeon was supposed to take down Anima.

The demonic aeon began to roar as its eye glowed, prepared to unleash the same move it used to kill the fiends in Luca. Anima fired, but the entity of ice leapt out of the way, missing her as she sent shards of ice raining down on the immobile aeon. Each shot missed as the graceful aeon of ice as she continued to strike the overpowered aeon.

"What the hay is that aeon?" Rainbow asked.

"Shiva. The aeon of ice," Twilight answered, amazed at how versatile Shiva was as she avoided Anima's instant-kill beam blast of energy. "It's...more powerful than Blueblood's aeon."

"So, that thing IS an aeon? Then Blueblood was a summoner." Rainbow noticed Blueblood was looking at Shiva, holding that manic grin on his face as his pupils began to shrink, growing more insane by the minute. "...Why?"

As Anima was close to being defeated, Shiva summoned all of her magical power, casting a harsh wind that made the ground around the aeon freeze over. Her horn began to glow brilliantly as the air grew colder around her, charging a massive sphere of freezing winds over her head. Flicking her head, aiming her horn at Anima, a powerful blizzard shot out from the orb of wind and directly at the enemy aeon, freezing the being in place as its body turned to ice. After unleashing her power, she lifted her head up and lightly tapped her hoof to the ground, the sound echoing in the silence as the ice shattered.

Anima screeched as it was defeated, its large form disappearing. "That power," Blueblood whispered. "I want it...I need it...I must have that aeon for myself!"

The manic stallion began shooting out a barrage of spells at the group, each one nullifying their damage as a random orb disappeared surrounding the party. "Ok, that's it! He's going down!"

Having enough of Blueblood's constant spellcasting, and his growing insanity, Rainbow Dash rushed forward, avoiding his spells as Fluttershy continued casting magical nullifying spells to negate his magic's attack. The pegasus halted his constant casting by punching him hard in the face, followed by a few good slashes to his body. Before he could recover, Rainbow ended the stallion's life before he could counter, thrusting her blade straight through the stallion's abdomen.

Blueblood let out shuddered gasps, slowly looking down at the blue sword stabbed into his body. Blood seeped out of the wound, staining his robes, coughing up blood as he struggled to breath. Rainbow Dash pulled her sword out, not even concerned she killed somepony with her own hooves, knowing he had this coming since Operation Mi'ihen. Even though the others were glad to have ended the stallion, Applejack felt sick as she had watched in horror, unable to fight back because of the possible consequences they would all suffer.

"...Fluttershy...Do you...pity me now?" Blueblood let out one last breath as he fell on his side, dead.

"Good riddance." Rainbow felt a heavy weight lift off her shoulders. There was going to be no wedding out of Spira's sake. There was going to be no more problems with Blueblood. She felt a whole lot better now, wiping the blood on her sword on the stallion's robes. "Let's get the hay out of this place."

"Lord Blueblood!" Tromell rushed in, along with a few more Guado guards, approaching their deceased lord's body. "What have you done!?"

"Hey, your so called leader was dangerous!" Rainbow argued.

"Fluttershy, send Blueblood, now," Rarity said.

"Oh no you don't, traitors!" Tromell shouted as the Guado guards lifted the stallion up and carried him away. "You will all regret this!"

"What the hay are you doing!?" Rainbow shouted as the Guado ran out of the room. "Blueblood's the bad guy here! Not us!"

"It's not going to be easy to convince everypony else," Rarity said. "Let's hurry!"

As they ran out into the icy corridor, the group stopped as the pathway suddenly disappeared, leaving nothing but pillars spread out too far to leap across, leaving the non pegasi grounded to the actual Cloister of Trials below the used to be bridge.

"Oh come on! I thought the Cloister of Trials were already completed!" Rainbow complained.

"No. The puzzle begins as soon as the summoner finishes praying to the fayth," Rarity explained. "Not every temple has the same rules, testing them and their guardians' wit along with their faith."

"Then let's hurry up and solve this stupid thing and tell everypony that Blueblood had gone mad!" As irritating as it was to have to solve the trial, they needed to do it quickly before everyone was considered a traitor for killing a corrupted maester.

Chapter 29: Escape to Bikanel

The Macalania Cloister of Trials were a lot more complicated than the previous ones, and with everyone on a strict time limit, they had no time to lose. Blueblood's death is going to strike them as traitors if Tromell and the other Guado tell the priests, but as long as Orion's sphere is still safe and sound, they have the proof they need to excuse themselves for killing the stallion. Though the puzzle inside this room was a major pain.

In order to create the icy corridor, they had to place three of the Macalania spheres in the pillars, creating one piece of the hallway. Unfortunately, the farthest pillar's recess to place the cold and icy spheres was a floor below, the only way to activate it was to push a pedestal with one of the spheres into it, fitting it in like a puzzle piece. In order to fit it, they had to use some of the spheres to create a slope leading down to the lower portion, create icicles in the path of the pedestal to stop it otherwise it would fall off the edge as it slid along the icy ground.

With the pedestal put in place, and everyone was out of the lower section, they quickly placed the remaining Macalania spheres in the remaining recesses, completing the walkway out into the main hall of the temple. As soon as they walked out, they were greeted by the ponies that were celebrating as they looked at them in horror. They must have seen Blueblood's body.

"Great. We're screwed," Rainbow whispered.

"Everypony, please!" Fluttershy said. "We can explain what happened!"

"There is no need." Tromell walked up from among the crowd, several Guado guards slowly coming closer to the group. "I know what to tell the maesters about your crimes. Lord Blueblood was a leader of our kind before becoming a maester, and he wouldn't want any of you to survive."

"We're innocent in all this! Orion's sphere will clear out name!" Fluttershy said, pleading to the crowd to believe her.

"You mean this?" Tromell held up the sphere in his hoof. He then crushed it under his clawed hoof, their proof destroyed by the old servant. "Guado take care of Guado affairs..."

The Guado guards slowly approached them, ready to take them in, but Pinkie reacted quickly, pulling out a grenade. "Hold your breaths, everypony!"

Doing as the Al Bhed commanded, they party took a deep breath as she threw the grenade. As it exploded, it released a blast of smoke that covered the entire room, everypony unfortunate to breath it in coughed heavily while they couldn't see. They charged their way through and out the doors, running down the path and escaping from the Guado.

"W-What in the hay was that thing!?" Applejack asked as she internally panicked while all of them ran.

"A smoke grenade! Useful for getting out of sticky situations, and that was a really stick stucky one!" Pinkie shouted.

"This is bad...This is really, really bad! We've become traitors of Faust! And we killed a maester!" Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes as Applejack kept complaining.

"Blueblood had to be stopped, Applejack!" Twilight said. "There was no way Orion would ever lie if he was that scared of his own son! Blueblood lost his mind, and he was going to kill the mare he proposed to for power!"

"But I couldn't send him!" Fluttershy said. "Tromell took him away! He's going to turn into a fiend and kill the Guado!"

"Forget them, Flutters!" Rainbow said coldly. "They're trying to kill us! They actually have a right to be hated by us if they were planning to stab us all in the back!"

They soon heard the Guado guards running after them, far faster than the group with their enhanced endurance. They managed to catch up to them, blocking their path and fought them, but not without assistance. To the party's shock, they summoned fiends to fight along with them. They quickly eradicated the fiends and killed the Guado before the rest of them could catch up.

With no time to hitch a ride on their new rides waiting on the narrow pathway, the group headed out to the lake, where they were blocked by a couple more Guado. One of them whistled, and barging through the snowbank was a dangerous ogre, roaring angrily as it obeyed its Guado master's command.

"Ok, this is getting ridiculous!" The Guado attacked, Spike and Rainbow holding them off while the others faced the humanoid fiend. "You know, I'm glad to kill off your leader! I was sick of his smug face! Reminded me of my dad!"

Rainbow began slashing the Guado soldier, unable to back away from the speedy pegasus and was slain. Before it went down, it turned to face the fiend, casting a Protect spell on the ogre before falling to the ground. The other one cast Shell on it before Spike slammed down on him while impaling him through with his spear. Now the fiend was a lot stronger on the defensive side, for both physical and magical attacks, and with its hulking frame, it's going to be difficult to survive against it.

At least it wasn't as fast as anypony, able to avoid its swift punches as it attacked. As it grew weaker, it lifted up its arms in a boxer pose, and once any of the party struck it, it immediately countered, sending those that struck it physically flying back across the ice. Rainbow Dash didn't pay attention to its now dangerous countering, getting knocked out as she was flung into the others. Roaring in anger, the fiend slammed its fists hard into the lake, causing the ice to crack around them. With one last pound, the ice beneath them shattered as they all fell through the dried out lake and down to the water several stories below.

After being unconscious for who knows how long, Rainbow groaned as she sat up. It was a bad idea fighting that dangerous fiend, but at least she survived another long fall. Looking up, she could see the lake where they had fallen, and the bottom side of the temple. Surprisingly, no one actually noticed them.

"Rainbow Dash, you ok?" She looked over at Twilight, who seemed a little weary, though grateful to be alive.

"Yeah. I've taken worse falls." Rainbow stood up, rubbing her sore limbs as she wandered about the strange mass of land they were on. "Where are the others?"

"They're ok. Applejack's busy sulking about what we all just did, and Fluttershy's still unconscious." Twilight sighed, rubbing her forehead while Mog and Smarty Pants fixed the unicorn's frazzled mane. "I'm also kind of in shock about all this too...I can't believe you actually killed Blueblood."

"Well, it doesn't matter. I'm glad I did anyway." Rainbow looked up at the temple, her ears twitching as she could hear the hymn being sung by a feminine voice. "I didn't want there to be a wedding anyway. Fluttershy marrying a heartless killer, and we're supposed to pity him because he had a crappy life as a kid? Not gonna happen."

"You're a hypocrite, Rainbow." The pegasus looked at Twilight in confusion. "Though you also had some issues, they were more focused on your father. Only, I could understand why; he actually insulted you in front of others and he was sincere when he was alone."

"Can you all stop reminding me about my dad? Please?" Rainbow begged. "I just got better after ending that killer's life. It's all just a lie anyway. My dad doesn't care, so I shouldn't either."

"Then why was this in your pocket?" Twilight pulled out Jet Stream's sphere. Rainbow panicked, looking around her clothing, regretting taking it with her or letting it stay in one piece. "It fell out when you were unconscious."

"...I should just break it," Rainbow muttered.

"It's a memento of your father. Why would you want to break something that may be the only thing physically left of your parent?" Twilight asked, only receiving a grunt of annoyance from the pegasus. "...I know you hate him, but be grateful you knew him...I didn't know my parents when I was little...They were probably killed by Sin...All I had was..."

Twilight went quiet, not wanting to finish her sentence as she gave Rainbow the sphere back and headed off elsewhere on their small island of peace and quiet. Rainbow just put the sphere away, unable to look at the thing. She decided to just wander around what little of the land she could out of boredom, and to clear her head. After a while, Fluttershy finally woke up, and everyone began to figure out what they were going to do.

Rainbow muted the others out, overhearing them being considered traitors of Faust, Rarity considering they continue the pilgrimage, even after being wanted. She was too busy relaxing, looking up at the temple as she listened to the hymn. Now she fully recalled where she heard the hymn; she always heard Jet Stream sing the hymn, getting it in her head as she began to hum it. He always sang it whenever he was warming up, or if he was ever drunk, though poorly with the latter. She had always wondered why he liked it, but she understood as it sounded calming, even if it also sounded somber.

"Rainbow Dash?" She looked up, seeing Fluttershy sitting next to her. "You haven't really been motivated to speaking with everypony about what we're going to do."

"...Sorry...I just wanted to relax a little." Rainbow sat up, letting out a deep sigh. "Why didn't you tell us about Orion's sphere when you saw it?"

"I didn't want you all to panic." Fluttershy fidgeted her hooves as she looked at the ground. "Blueblood seemed nice, but I didn't realize how dangerous he was, especially after seeing Orion looked so terrified."

"I knew he was up to no good. You should have said no." Fluttershy didn't look up at her, worried she had upset her with her decline of their forced marriage. "...I'm sorry. I had a hunch, and I was right, but I'm not gonna gloat about it...After everything I've seen in the past few days, I'm not sure anything can fully cheer me up."

"I should be sorry. I thought I could have handled Blueblood on my own. I didn't want to burden you all," Fluttershy said.

"You're not a burden, Flutters." Rainbow gently touched Fluttershy's hoof, the summoner peeking through her mane to look at her. "We're all supposed to protect you. That's what we are as guardians, right? Guard you until the bitter end?" The yellow pegasus hesitated for a moment, but she nodded her head. "Good...Because I'm glad knowing I can keep you safe...I hate to say this, but...It's like...what my dad did for your dad. Protecting him on his pilgrimage, just like us...Maybe it was fate that allowed us to meet. Even if I think it's been mostly bad luck for me."

"...Maybe." The two remained quiet, both their cheeks turning pink as they kept a hold of each other's hoof. Rainbow looked away, trying to shrug off the awkward moment as she stretched her forelegs out. At least the others weren't around to see them, otherwise Pinkie and Rarity might poke fun at her. Fluttershy cleared her throat, trying to find her voice as her slight blush remained on her cheeks. "Umm...We're going to head off to Bevelle next, once we find a way out of here. That's where my next aeon to acquire is, and maybe we'll talk with Maester Star Swirl about Blueblood's betrayal against all of Spira."

"I don't ever want to hear the name 'Blueblood' again. Just the name makes me want to punch something." As Rainbow leered out at the distance, she flinched when she felt Fluttershy hug her.

"...Thank you," she whispered. "I don't know how I could have continued my journey without you."

Rainbow's heart raced, looking down at the summoner as she held her closely. Sure, it was a friendly gesture, their pilgrimage rocky with so many depressing moments where they both needed comfort in these troubling times. She returned the embrace, draping a wing around Fluttershy. As much as she wanted to admit her feelings, she didn't want to ruin the peace and quiet they were relaxing in, taking a momentary break from all the chaos in the past few days.

Confused at the sudden lack of the hymn, Rainbow Dash perked her ears up and looked at the temple, the singing had somehow stopped. "Hey, what happened to the music?"

Fluttershy looked up too, the area eerily quiet as the others had realized the sudden silence too. "The fayth stopped singing." Suddenly, the ground beneath them shook, the yellow pegasus clinging to Rainbow at the quake. "W-What's happening!?"

Everyone's skin crawled as they heard the low grumbling sound of Sin. The land shifted as they had actually landed on top of the sleeping monster of mass destruction, not having reacted as they fell on it earlier.

"Sweet applesauce! We're standin' on top of Sin!" Applejack exclaimed as the others began to panic.

"Don't breathe in the toxin!" Twilight warned as everything around them began to go fuzzy, everyone except for Rainbow Dash trying to find a way to escape.

The cyan pegasus looked down at Sin, sitting down as she could feel her father somewhere inside of the gigantic shell of a fiend. "...You were listening to the song..."

As Rainbow's vision faded and returned, she was seeing what her father wanted to see. She found herself back in Zanarkand, the thousands of ponies roaming around as the buildings were lit up.

"You homesick, too?" She was soon brought to their boat home, several blitzballs littering the deck. "Sorry, dad. You can't exactly go back home. You don't belong there anymore." The balls disappeared as she saw herself as a filly looking out at the city as she sat on the nearby docks. "Hey, I'm an adult now. I don't look like that anymore."

Her vision soon went dark. She then saw Jet Stream standing before her, his back facing her as he looked down at the ground sadly, though it was hard to tell. He must have been suffering, spending ten whole years as Sin, causing nothing but destruction and misery to everyone in Spira. Rainbow was a little surprised at herself, feeling sorry for Jet at his predicament, forced to kill against his own will, following the instincts of a wild beast that follows no pattern of the disasters it causes.

"...Don't worry. We'll find a way to end all this...I promise."

Rainbow Dash opened her eyes, trying to breathe, only to begin inhaling water. She poked her head up to the surface, hacking up the water she just swallowed. As she got her bearings, she found herself floating in an oasis, miles and miles of sand stretching out from the only source of water.

"Oh great. Dad put me in a desert," Rainbow Dash muttered as she swam to the shore. "Let me guess; you took me another thousand years in the future, or you wanted me to die from dehydration?" With no sign of the others anywhere in sight, she had no choice but to try to find them, if they're still alive. A loud shriek caught her attention as a massive black avian similar in form to the Garuda flew in, eyeing the pegasus as its next meal. "What the hay is it with me nearly drowning or running into something that wants to kill me!?"

She pulled out her sword, ready to defend herself as the fiend lunged its beak at her. Flipping away from it, the fiend slamming its face in the sand, giving her the opportunity to slash it a few times before it pulled itself out of the shifting minerals. Before it could attack again, it was suddenly struck by a powerful bolt of lightning, Twilight running in to assist the pegasus.

"Rainbow, are you ok!?" she asked as Smarty Pants and Mog put their arms up at the fiend, as if they were going to fight it.

"Nearly drowned again, but I'm sort of alright!" Before she could attack the fiend again, Rarity came in from out of nowhere, leaping up onto its back.

Swinging her katana down hard, the unicorn slashed through the avian's neck, hacking off its head as its body fell and disappeared. "'Sort of alright' means you probably aren't fully prepared to deal with fiends of this size."

"...I could have handled it without you guys," Rainbow mumbled. "Where are the others? Where's Fluttershy!?"

"We all got separated after Sin's toxin knocked us unconscious. Thankfully, we haven't suffered any of its effects." Rainbow and Rarity rolled their eyes, the toxin having done absolutely nothing to any of them. "But being in this desert, I don't think we'll last without water for more than a day. I'm sure we haven't split up too far."

"I hope Fluttershy's alright." Rainbow flew up to look over the dunes, spotting the others not too far away from the oasis.

Applejack was sitting under an old machina to hide from the sun, Spike was trying to climb up the dunes to get a better view of the dry climate, and Pinkie was fixing something, though it was hard to tell in the glaring sunlight and the distance she was from where she hovered. Twilight and Rarity followed her as she located them. The first of their group was Applejack, who glared at the destroyed pieces of machina around her.

"Applejack!" The earth pony looked up, spotting the trio coming up to her.

"Where's Fluttershy?" Applejack asked. Receiving no response, having no clue where she is, the mare kicked the ruined, metallic construct, though not too hard this time to injure herself. "Perfect! First we're treated as traitors, then machina keep tryin' to kill me, and Fluttershy's missin'! Can today get any worse!?"

"We'll find her. Let's hurry and find the rest of the group." Despite Applejack's frustrations, they continued forward and met up with the others.

Spike gave up trying to climb the shifting sands as the others arrived to pick him up, and as soon as they met Pinkie, she was trying to fix up an old machina device. It broke apart, unable to hold itself together.

"Aww man." The rest of the guardians arrived, but as Pinkie looked over them, there was no sign of Fluttershy. "Hey, what happened to Fluttershy?"

"Oh great. Where could she have gone!?" Rainbow began to panic as she flew up, scoping out wherever the summoner was.

"Uhh, I know where we ended up." The guardians looked at her, though Applejack glared at her. "This is actually where I was born and raised. Sin must have dropped us off at Bikanel Island, a desert island all of us Al Bhed reside. And there's this big building we call Home."

"And why is this important to know?" Applejack questioned as her glare intensified.

"Stop looking at me like that, and I'll tell you why I know Fluttershy is at Home!" Rainbow flew down the moment she heard Pinkie mention Fluttershy. "Earlier, some of my friends tried to take Fluttershy, but it wasn't to kidnap her. They must have found her and brought her Home to safety! The desert is kind of dangerous, with dangerous fiends and some out of control machina."

"I've never heard of 'Bikanel'," Twilight said. "It's not on any maps I've ever seen back home."

"That's because we want to keep it a secret," Pinkie explained. "This is our home, and if anypony who believes in Faust knew, then we might get into some more trouble like before."

"Ya probably deserve it." Rainbow smacked Applejack in the back of the head, knocking off her hat.

"Will you cut it out, Applejack!? You think we can discuss your racism until AFTER we find Fluttershy!?" The orange earth pony picked up her stetson and put it back on her head, grumbling to herself.

"You guys have to promise not to tell anypony about the island, and that means ANYPONY." The others agreed, with Applejack hesitating for a second. They soon heard metallic steps run across the sand as they saw two different types of machina approach them. "Uh oh! I got this guys!" Pinkie jumped in and rapidly flailed her hooves around the two machina. She leapt back, holding a few potions with some Al Bhed symbols on them, the machina falling apart and deactivated. "I can deal with the machina, even without using Thunder spells!"

Pinkie began to shudder at the thought of the dangerous lightning spell. She calmed down and began to lead her friends across the desert, defeating fiends that resided in the climate and several more out of control machina. Though, with how the Al Bhed was leading them around, it looked like they would have gotten more lost than when they woke up.

"Pinkie, are you sure you know where you're going?" Rainbow asked.

"I am positive!" They arrived at a fork in the path of sand, one leading to more desert while the other lead to some old machina buildings from several hundred years ago. "Ok! This way!" Pinkie bounded off to the left, where the ruins were. She froze as soon as she saw a massive worm slither by, its gaping maw drooling as it scoped out its next meal. "Not that way! Bad place! Bad place!"

Pinkie ran away from that direction and lead the others further into the desert. They ran into a few quicksand pits that held some plant fiends that dwell in them, catching prey if they were unfortunate enough to get sucked into it. The guardians had to kill one of them as a pit blocked their way to Home, but it was taken care of with Twilight's magic.

"How much further is this darn Home of yours? Ah think you're makin' us run around in circles!" Applejack complained, wiping the sweat off her brow.

"It's just up ahead! I know this exact sand dune!" The others groaned at Pinkie's enthusiasm, wondering if they were going to keep walking around the desert. "After we get to Home and tell the others you can keep our home a secret, we'll all celebrate with any other summoners they rescued and have a big par-AAAAHH!!!!" As Pinkie looked down from the top of the dune, she began to panic. "NO!"

"Pinkie?" The mare immediately went down the slope and the others hurried after her. As soon as they reached the top, they all gasped as the large building that was Home was under attack by fiends of all sizes. The entire structure looked like it could collapse, fires burning out on different floors as the Al Bhed were being attacked. They even caught sight of a few Guado, chasing after them as they summoned more fiends. "Oh no..."

Chapter 30: The Truth About the Summoner's Pilgrimage

As the Al Bhed Home was under attack, Pinkie ran down the sandy slope, rolling the rest of the way as she tripped. Landing perfectly on her hooves, shaking off the sand that got on her, she ran to the entrance of the base, where many of her Al Bhed brethren were killed, their bodies strewn about the metal ground. Her mane deflated in her sorrow, the others having caught up with her as they saw the carnage around them.

"Oh my goodness," Twilight uttered in shock. "What is going on?"

"It's like a war's goin' on," Applejack said. "Between the Al Bhed and Faust, them Al Bhed are losin'."

"Dryd ec fnuhk! Guado ku vun dra summoner." They looked up as they saw a rugged, dark red earth pony stallion approach them, more specifically, Pinkie. He didn't have any hair on his head, but his tail was as red as his coat. He patted the mare's head, consoling her as he understood her pain. "Hey, you guys with Pinkamena?"

"Yes, but who are you?" Rainbow asked.

"No time! We gotta kick them Guado out of our Home!" The Al Bhed stallion ran on ahead, fighting his way through the fiends with his own hooves.

"Might as well help them if the Guado are actually obeying their deceased leader's commands." Twilight ran on ahead with Spike, Rarity, and even Applejack.

Rainbow Dash helped Pinkie back up on her hooves, seeing how distressed she was. "Who was that, Pinkie?"

"...Cid. My dad," she answered sadly.

"So, that's Fluttershy's uncle...Wait, then that means you and Fluttershy are cousins!" Pinkie nodded her head.

"We gotta save her and the other summoners." The two hurried inside with the others, catching them just in time as they took care of a few fiends being controlled by the Guado.

While navigating their way through the steel corridors, they fought their way through the endless amounts of fiends and Guado soldiers. Whatever they could try to do to end the fight, it wouldn't do much difference. Home was already badly destroyed, and many Al Bhed had fallen and died trying to protect their home. Pinkie lead the way to someplace she called the Summoner's Sanctum after hearing Cid speak out to her in Al Bhed to get underground. The reason why, she didn't explain as they had no clue what he said in Al Bhed.

As they reached another hallway, entering a room leading down to where the Summoner's Sanctum lies, there was no hope to saving Home. "Ah don't think there's any way of savin' this place."

"I know," Pinkie said sadly. "I can't believe this is happening again...Sin destroyed our previous island we used to live, and all of us were scattered across Spira. My dad brought the Al Bhed back together again, made Bikanel our new Home, working together to rebuild what we lost...Now...all of this..."

Applejack began to feel guilty. As much as the Al Bhed should be hated, Rainbow was right. They were ponies too, and they suffered under Sin's wrath too. Maybe all her beliefs had blinded her to the struggles the Al Bhed really had, hated because they used machina, even though she knew it was considered forbidden to use. She kept viewing them as hated all her life, despising the Al Bhed and the machina more after her brother died, but that hatred only grew because Big Macintosh chose to use a machina weapon to fight.

Putting aside her resentment to the Al Bhed, she approached Pinkie and hugged her. "...Ah'm sorry, sugarcube. Everythin' Ah said about ya...and your home...Ah'm so sorry." This had surprised the others, hearing Applejack apologizing and making up with Pinkie Pie. The pink mare returned the hug, feeling a little better, but losing her Home to the Guado attack didn't help raise her spirits. "The hay are the Guado doin'?"

"Pinkie, what's the Summoner's Sanctum supposed to be?" Twilight asked, Applejack letting go of Pinkie.

"It's where we keep the summoners safe." She received a stern glare from the ex-blitzball captain, though not in anger, just baffled at her and the Al Bhed's plans to kidnap the summoners. "...I know its against the teachings and all...but-"

"Ah understand now, Pinkie," Applejack assured, promising her she wasn't mad at her anymore. "I just don't understand why ya had to do this."

"Well, I don't have a clue either, AJ," Rainbow said. "I mean, are the Al Bhed worried about the summoners getting hurt, Pinkie? That's what guardians are supposed to do, right? Protect the summoner from anything until they beat Sin. So, if we do a good job as guardians, then Fluttershy will stay safe! And if Sin comes back, we can just fight it again until it gets sick and tired of fighting us! Right!?" She received silence among the group, all of them looking just as miserable as they had back at the Moonflow. "...A-Am I right?"

"...It's starting to get quiet," Spike said, breaking the silence, but not answering Rainbow Dash's question. "Let's keep moving."

Time seemed to slow down around Rainbow Dash as she looked at everyone, begging for some kind of explanation. She saw each of their faces as they all turned away to head into the sanctum, Spike already gone on ahead. Twilight looked away when she met the pegasus's gaze, both Mog and Smarty Pants just as miserable as their owner as she headed down the stairs. Applejack avoided her look, pulling down her stetson over her eyes. Pinkie had tears welling up in her eyes as her pink colors grew darker and darker in sadness. Rainbow looked over at Rarity, her expression neutral as she followed Applejack and Pinkie. Even she wasn't able to give her an answer.

"Guys?" Confused, Rainbow Dash chased after them.

As soon as she entered the sanctum, the pegasus gasped as they all witnessed the state of the room. The entire sanctum was a wreck, bodies of the Al Bhed strewn about. The summoners that were kept safe were Trixie, whom Bulk Biceps was trying so desperately to find, and Fancy Pants, no sign of Fluttershy anywhere. The two summoners performed the sending for the deceased stallions and mares, keeping them from turning into fiends.

"What an unfortunate fate," Trixie said after the two unicorns finished the sending. "The Al Bhed died trying to keep us safe from those Guado."

"I'm sorry to say that Fluttershy is no longer here," Fancy added, praying to the fallen stallions and mares. "The Guado took her hostage...They all tried to stop them, but they were powerless."

"What!? Where did they go!?" Rainbow asked, now more worried than ever.

"We don't know." The pegasus growled in frustration.

"Dang it, Pinkie! If your friends didn't take Fluttershy here, we wouldn't have to lose her!" Rainbow shouted. "And if that sleazeball Blueblood didn't tell the Guados his plan to destroy everything, we could still be leading Fluttershy on her pilgrimage!"

"They have to stop." The pegasus turned to Pinkie, her body trembling as tears rolled down her cheeks. "If Fluttershy...makes it to Zanarkand...and she defeats Sin..." She began to sob as her tears were practically streaming down her face, looking at Rainbow in the most painfully sad expression the pegasus ever saw her. "She'll die!"

"...W-What?" Rainbow stared at Pinkie, even more confused than ever as the mare cried, burying her face in her hooves as she wept.

"The Final Aeon." Rainbow turned her head to look at Trixie, holding a same sorrowful expression as the others, along with some anxiety. "A summoner's pilgrimage takes them all the way across Spira, where their final destination is Zanarkand. We receive the Final Aeon, the only aeon that can defeat Sin, and face it in the Calm Lands. But, once the Final Aeon is called...it destroys Sin, and its summoner."

As this was now brought up to answer Rainbow's questions, she regretted ever finding out. She slowly shook her head, unable to believe that Fluttershy would die if she beat Sin. Trixie had to be lying, but if she was, then the others would have called her out.  She looked back at the others, their expressions telling her that it was true. And it shattered her resolve.

"...It can't...No...That can't be..." Rainbow's emotions began running through her like a raging rapid. She was greatly upset, more confused than ever before, but all of that disappeared as she began to get angry. She looked at Twilight and Applejack, both their heads lowered. "...You all knew about this!? Why the HAY did none of you tell me!? Why did you hide this from me!?"

"...We thought ya knew, Dash," Applejack said, unable to look at her.

"What were any of us supposed to say about something like this?" Mog and Smarty Pants climbed down Twilight's back as they ran off to comfort the depressed Pinkie Pie.

"We tried to stop her...We knew what she was gettin' into, but she wanted to do it..." Rainbow Dash growled, her anger rising, wanting to take out her frustration on something, anything.

"I thought she was like family to you two!" she shouted. "You should have stopped her! Forced her to stop thinking about being a summoner!"

Both mares began to shed tears, having tried several times to deter Fluttershy from her fate. "She's like her father." Rainbow Dash looked at Rarity, finally speaking after remaining quiet for so long. "Kindred knew about his fate once he became a summoner. Your father was ignorant of this knowledge too, until it was too late to back out. Summoners end up sacrificing themselves, just so Spira can have some semblance of peace for a short while...Even I find it as despicable as much as the others."

Suddenly, dangerous fiends began to appear behind everyone, born from some of the lingering spirits Trixie and Fancy Pants had overlooked. Facing the fiends, they both summoned an aeon: Trixie calling Valefor and Fancy calling Ifrit.

"This is the choice we have made," Fancy said. "Even if we have to give up our lives to bring peace, we will follow through with our pilgrimage, no matter what!"

"Even if some of us may be scared of what awaits us, myself included, it's better to know everypony would be safe from Sin's wrath, no longer fearing they will die in their sleep!" Trixie said, a surprise to hear her not speak in the third person.

Even though their words were reaching Rainbow Dash, it still didn't help quell her rising anger. She began recalling every moment she had with Fluttershy, as if she was already dead. Meeting her in Besaid, chatting with her about their fathers, the awkward moment back in Luca where they laughed like idiots, only to laugh uncontrollably at the stupid moment. They all kept flashing back to her, wishing she didn't say all those things, saying they should fight Sin over and over and coming back to the Moonflow to see the pyreflies. She felt so stupid, trying to bring everyone's hopes up for a depressing victory.

"I want my journey...to be full of laughter...and happiness." Those words echoed in Rainbow's head, finally breaking through her emotional dam.

Unable to control her anger any longer, Rainbow Dash screamed and rushed at the fiends to vent out her frustration and sorrow, only to be blocked by Valefor. "I'M! SO! STUPID!" the pegasus screamed out as she punched the avian aeon's abdomen, tears streaming down her face, not even caring if anyone saw her cry. "Everything I said...Everything I promised her! I was going to take her to Zanarkand! I wanted her to beat Sin! And...and all this time..." Her punches got weaker as she leaned against the aeon, Fancy Pants's Ifrit dealing with the fiends in the background. "...She just smiled..."

As Rainbow silently wept, Valefor wrapped its wings around the pegasus, comforting the pegasus. All this time, she thought it was a stroke of bad luck when a summoner fights Sin and gets killed. All this time, she never knew that ponies, who become summoners, end up sacrificing their lives for some false peace, safe from Sin for only a few short months. And all this time, no one told her about it because it was painful, everyone always staying happy as they continued Fluttershy's pilgrimage, until the day she died.

Now, she didn't care about what others thought about her. She harbored feelings for Fluttershy the moment Rainbow laid eyes on her in Besaid. She wanted to tell her her feelings, even if it meant being rejected. It wouldn't matter if she could say it before reaching Zanarkand. Now, Fluttershy was taken away, the Guado kidnapping her, destroying the Al Bhed's Home just to find her. Rainbow Dash had no idea what to do anymore, no other ideas to save Fluttershy, even if she tried to force her to quit her pilgrimage.

Rainbow had no idea how much time had passed as the aeons defeated the fiends. "Dashie, come on...we gotta go."

She looked up at Pinkie, the others heading toward what looked like a hanger as she was dragged by the Al Bhed. Where the walkway lead, she looked up at the massive machina that sat there, which looked a bit familiar to her. She dried away her tears, glaring intensely as she began to loathe the Guado, unable to wait to kill them for causing more trouble than Sin ever had to Spira, more than her own father treating her like nothing and ruining her life. She wasn't going to give up on Fluttershy.

"I'm not going to let her die...I'll find you, Fluttershy...I'll save you," she whispered to herself as they entered the machina.

Chapter 31: Wedding Crashers

Inside of the large machina vessel, the guardians all made their way to the bridge of the ship. Inside, Cid, along with a few other Al Bhed, were messing around with the several controls on the many consoles in the room. One of them was the same stallion working the controls up at the helm Rainbow met on their boat when they found her, Limestone fiddling with a visual feed on the side, a light gray mare with a dark gray mane with dark green streaks, similar to Limestone's hairstyle though a bit longer and draped over one side of her face, pressing some commands in one of the navigation seats beside the helm, and a dark gray mare with a violet mane on the other side, her hair shorter and bland, though it fit with her expressionless gaze.

"Rinno! Oui ymm ryja one minute du kad drec drehk eh dra yen!" Cid commanded.

"Fa yna fungehk yc vycd yc fa lyh, Vydran," the dull looking mare said in monotone.

"What in tarnation are we in right now?" Applejack asked as she looked at the steel bridge with advanced technology.

"You all ever hear of an airship?" Twilight and Applejack stared in shock, never hearing anything like it before, though Rainbow was a bit interested.

"Airship?" She thought back to the moment she worked with Pinkie excavate the underwater ruins, recalling the machina at the bottom of the ship was what they were in right now. "Wait, you mean this is the same thing Pinkie and I found?"

"Yeah," Pinkie said. "Took a while, but we got it cleaned up and running."

"Now that it is, I'm gonna rescue my niece from those Guado punks and give them all a taste of what this baby can do." Cid turned around, leering at Rainbow Dash. "Saw you freaking out in the sanctum and cry like a little baby. You said you wanted to see my little niece fight Sin."

"I didn't know what a summoner actually does," Rainbow said. "I said all those things without knowing what was going to happen to her."

"And you want to sacrifice her, just like every other fool who thinks it's smart to kill themselves to defeat Sin?" Cid questioned.

"I don't want to lose Fluttershy! I'm not going to let her die!" Rainbow shouted, nearly about to butt heads with Pinkie's father.

"And how are you gonna do that!? Huh!?" Cid shouted back, egging the pegasus on.

"...I don't know, but I won't let her die! Not as long as I live!" The bridge was silent as the stallion and pegasus stared each other down.

"...You better hold to that promise, runt. If anything happens to my niece, I'm gonna beat the living snot out of you." Rainbow didn't need to be threatened by Fluttershy's uncle to remind her of her promise to keep the summoner safe.

"Cid! Ajanodrehk ec ymm cad!" the stallion at the helm said, turning his head to him and saluting.

Cid chuckled in excitement. "Mad'c kad drec bibbo vmoehk!" Soon, the airship began moving, rising up from the hanger it was resting in. It soon moved forward and shot out from its hiding place, flying in the air as it escaped from the ravaged Home with the remaining Al Bhed still alive in the flying vessel. Everyone was amazed, and nearly fell over from the incredible power the large airship had as it began to speed off. "Ymnekrd. Mad'c keja dra Guado y byndehk kevd fedr drec."

The Al Bhed mares and stallion turned to face Cid, his expression serious as he closed his eyes. A moment of silence had passed until they began to sing the hymn played in the temples, the stallion driving starting the song. Confused, the others watched, but Pinkie teared up, knowing what was going to happen.

"What's happening?" Twilight asked.

"...We're going to...blow up our Home..." Pinkie's ears drooped as she wilted, another home gone far too soon.

"And we're going to be using the forbidden machina equipped on the airship." Cid approached one of the consoles next to Limestone, opening a glass case that had a big red button on it. "Vena!"

The stallion slammed his hoof down on the button, firing off a barrage of missles from inside of the airship and sending them flying off at Home. The blast was so powerful as they struck, the blast radius catching up to the ship as it soared over the desert sands. They all luckily made it out before the explosion could engulf the airship, flying off at incredible speeds despite its massive frame.

Now that they were in the clear and flying over the ocean, the Al Bhed all sadly looked at the feed, their home destroyed for the sake of their protection. "Gone again," Pinkie whispered.

"Uhh, don't feel so down," Applejack said. "Ah mean, we got rid of them Guado and fiends...Doesn't that count for somethin'?" The Al Bhed leered at Applejack, though the light gray mare looked sad and the gark gray mare still held a blank expression, but looking at her eyes made her cringe more than Limestone, and she always looked angry. "...Ah'm just gonna shut up now."

As Applejack backed away, making herself public enemy number one to them, not wanting to make things worse with any racist remarks she might accidentally spout. Cid approached a sphere in the center of the bridge, showing the entire world of Spira on the blue orb.

"Do you know where Fluttershy is on that thing?" Rainbow asked.

"With the sphere oscillo-finder, I hope so." She wanted to ask Cid what exactly it was, but judging by how new this airship was, it didn't seem like he had the answers. "If it weren't for them Faust believers saying machina were taboo, we could better understand them without flying in blind."

"You mean you have no idea how this thing works!?" Twilight exclaimed, Mog and Smarty Pants holding onto each other for dear life as if the airship would crash into anything at any moment.

"Nope! But that's the fun of it! Ain't it a rush of adrenaline!?" The others began to worry, knowing exactly where Pinkie Pie gets her enthusiasm from, and her psychotic excitement.

"So, even if you find Fluttershy, what are you going to do?" Rarity asked as she approached Cid. "Are you really going to let her give up her pilgrimage?"

"Yes," he replied. "I'll have to force her to stop if she gets any of that stuff in her head."

"Against her will?" she asked.

"As long as I keep my niece safe! No law or teaching is gonna tell me otherwise! If she reaches Zanarkand, it'd be like killing her in cold blood!" Cid looked up at Rarity, giving her a deadly glare. "If anypony gets in my way, I'll deal with them myself. Even you, lady."

"...Whatever the captain says." Rarity walked back and decided to rest in the corridor leading to the bridge, the doors closing shut behind her as she passed.

"...She's weirder than Pinkamena," Cid uttered under his breath as he went back to searching for Fluttershy.

While the Al Bhed stallion began searching around the oscillo-finder for Fluttershy, Rainbow decided to wander around the airship. There were several Al Bhed around that had made it out alive from the Guado attack, even Hoity Toity was here for some reason. She figured he must have traveled to Bikanel to meet up with his fellow Al Bhed, only to get wound up in the chaos and managed to get to safety. Along the stairway, heading upstairs to the viewing deck, there were several screens that were lit up, showing some of the scenery that spanned out at least a mile from the vessel.

As she reached the deck, she looked out the window, watching the clouds fly by above them and the vast ocean below. She had never been on anything this big that could fly this quickly, and she had never even heard of airships back in Zanarkand. Rainbow Dash felt like standing at the top of the airship, wanting to feel the rush of wind in her face to ease her mind. She needed it, after figuring out the true purpose of a summoner's journey.

Sighing, she turned to head back to the bridge after watching the sky for a while, only to leap back in surprise when the dull mare from the bridge stood next to her.

"Rammu," she said, though sounding and looking bored.

"...Uhh, no? I'm not this 'Rammu', if that's who you're looking for," Rainbow said, confused.

"I said 'Hello' in Al Bhed," the mare said, speaking perfect Equish. "You and my sister, Pinkie, seem to get along well. She told Limestone, Marble, and me about how strong you were when you helped find the airship. And Cheese Sandwich is somehow jealous when she clearly likes him more, being just as wild as she is."

"Oh...Uhh, thanks...I guess?" Rainbow felt a bit awkward as she was being looked at by Pinkie's sister. She assumed the stallion was her coltfriend she mentioned earlier, who she nicknamed "Cheesie", and the other mare must have been her other sister, Marble. "So, you must be...Maud?"

"Yes. And you're Rainbow Dash. Easy to tell because your mane and tail are a rainbow...Funny." As much as Maud admitted her hair ironically matches her name, she wasn't laughing.

"...Yeah...Heh. Funny." The two stood in awkward silence. "...Did you...come up here to get me for something?"

"Actually, I was trying to look for- Oh, there he is." Maud leaned down and picked up a small rock. "Boulder, I told you not to wander off. This is your first time on the airship, and you could get lost."

"...Ok. You named a rock...and you don't seem all that emotional with anything you say...You always like this?" Rainbow asked, feeling more awkward by the moment being around Maud.

"I don't show as much enthusiasm as Pinkie, or Vydran," Maud dully said as she pet Boulder.

"...I can see that." More awkward silence. "...Well! I think I'm gonna head back down to the bridge! Maybe your dad found Fluttershy."

"Maybe." The two walked back down to the bridge, and as luck would have it, Cid seemed to have some good news to tell everyone.

"Ha ha! Found Fluttershy! She's in Bevelle!" Cid announced.

"Bevelle? Why did the Guado take Fluttershy to Bevelle?" Twilight asked.

"Wait, Fluttershy said the next aeon is there, right?" Rainbow asked, only getting more confused. "I don't get what the hay those Guado are doing."

"Well, let's see what's going on in that city." Cid looked over at Marble, nodding her head as she pulled out a visual feed of the grand city of Bevelle down below.

What they saw at the top of the city shocked and horrified the guardians. Climbing up the steps to what looked like a location set for a wedding, they watched Fluttershy climbing up one set, wearing a wedding dress, and Blueblood in a wedding robe for male Guado on the other side. Blueblood was actually alive when he was supposed to be dead, the two ponies meeting up to begin walking up the central set of stairs.

"W-W-What the hay!?" Applejack exclaimed, being the first to break out of the silence.

"That's not possible," Twilight muttered. "How is he still alive!? Rainbow Dash killed him!"

"He is dead, but his spirit lingers in Spira and manifests in a physical form," Rarity said, the others looking back at the unicorn in shock. "He was just like his father, Orion, back in Guadosalam. He didn't turn into a fiend, and he wasn't sent to the Farplane."

"Then, why is there a wedding!?" Rainbow asked, her anger coming back, only this time, it was all on Blueblood and his undead corpse.

"Fluttershy might plan to send him if she goes through with it. But, with all those guards down there, it'll get pretty tough," Rarity said.

"Tough, shmough! He's not gonna lay a hoof on her ever again!" Rainbow ran out of the bridge and headed up to the deck, the others following after her. The ship began to rumble as fiends ended up appearing all around the vessel. The Guado must have given them a hidden surprise in the cargo bay before they left. Fighting their way up to the deck, as soon as Rainbow looked out the window, she stopped and looked out as she saw a large, sky serpent-like fiend flying toward them. "What the hay is that thing!?"

"Evrae, a guardian wyrm," Rarity explained. "It looks like Bevelle's personal bodyguard is going to stop us.

"Wait, that thing's a fiend!? And it 'protects' one of the cities!?" Rainbow questioned. "Ok, are fiends supposed to be deadly or can they be tamed!?"

"Rainbow Dash, we saw Guado summoning fiends back in Macalania AND the Al Bhed's Home! Of course they can be tamed, but it takes so much time!" Twilight shouted. "Evrae as been around for centuries, but it's supposed to stop evil threats like the Guado at this moment...Why is it disobeying?"

"Blueblood...That's it! He is going down, and his new pet!" Ignoring her comrades' pleas to control herself, Rainbow Dash ran over to the lift and flew up to reach the upper deck.

As the others used the lift to reach the deck, they saw Rainbow Dash stand near the edge as she looked out at Evrae. "Rainbow, you have no idea how strong Evrae is!" Twilight warned. "It might end up destroying the airship! And I want to know how badly this thing functions!"

"Well, too bad, missy!" Cid said over the intercom. "We have no choice but to fight that thing if we want to get to Fluttershy! Though this thing isn't like a speedboat! It's not as agile as it really looks!"

"Oh great. So much for wondering how an airship functions," Twilight whined as she lowered her head, her dolls mimicking her disappointment.

"Twi, ya really want to learn how machina works?" Applejack asked, feeling a little skeptical to her friend's want to learn about using machina.

"I'm just curious." The group heard Evrae screech as it began to fly closer, also hearing the silos opening on the sides of the airship to fire at the fiend.

"Dashie?" Pinkie said as she watched Rainbow just stand where she stood, looking at the fiend. She finally opened her wings and leapt off the side of the airship, her body disappearing under the clouds as the ship flew off without her. "Dashie! What the hay is she doing!?"

"Don't worry," Rarity assured as the others panicked at her sudden leap. "If you thought she was fast in the water, just watch her speed when she flies."

After Rarity finished speaking, the all saw a rainbow blur shoot out from the clouds and fly faster than the airship. Rainbow Dash, with her sword held in her mouth, flew off and headed toward the guardian of Bevelle. Issuing the pegasus's approach as a challange, Evrae flew toward her, her sword clashing with its sharp claws as they met.

As the rest of the guardians watched from the airship as the furious pegasus flew circles around Evrae, managing get a few hits in before it slashed at her, they all stared in awe at her incredible speed. It far surpassed the guardian fiend's, even without casting Haste to increase her agility even further.

"Wow. She is fast." Cid soon began to fire a volley of missles out toward the fiend and the pegasus.

Rainbow Dash flew away just in time as she heard the missles shoot out from the airship. Each one hit the fiend with perfect accuracy, only irritating the guardian as it shrieked angrily. It flew away from the pegasus and swooped around to reach the airship, taking out its vulnerable prey on the upper deck. Everyone prepared to defend themselves. Instead of getting slashed at by Evrae's claws, its eyes shone as it glared at Spike, his body instantly turning to stone.

"Evrae can petrify!?" Twilight panicked, only to suddenly turn to stone as well from Evrae's gaze.

"Oh boy. Good thing I stole some of these from the machina back in Bikanel!" Pinkie pulled out the potions labeled in the Al Bhed language, throwing one in the air as the healing properties shrouded everyone on the airship.

Spike and Twilight were freed from their petrification, almost feeling their lives flash before their eyes. "W-What the hay was that!?"

"Al Bhed potions! Healing your injuries and deadly of status effects when you have no white mage in your group!" Pinkie exclaimed as if she was endorsing the potions. "Does not include reviving anypony from the dead, doesn't cure the common cold, or soothe aches and pains. Ask your Al Bhed doctor if you are pregnant and/or nursing to use this product safely."

Everyone stared at Pinkie as she grinned and held out the somehow slowly rotating bottle, even Evrae was looking at her strangely. The moment was thankfully averted to the matter at hoof when Rainbow Dash flew in and slammed the fiend's head down onto the airship. She held on tightly as it tried to shake her off, getting in a few stabs and a chance for the others to deal any damage they can on the fiend.

Evrae managed to fling Rainbow Dash off of it, sending her spiraling down below the clouds. She quickly righted herself back up, growling at the annoying guardian fiend's persistance to stop them from getting to Bevelle. She needed to be faster and kill it before it could hurt the others.

"What can I even do? I don't think I'm doing enough to take that stupid thing down. I need to be faster than it...Wait. Twilight said something about 'Haste', some kind of spell anyone can learn..." Rainbow groaned, flying fast to catch up to the airship. "I'm a pegasus! I don't know how to use magic!...But, everypony else is able to. Fluttershy summons and can heal, Applejack does that weird blind shooting attack, Spike can copy other fiends' abilities..."

She looked down at her hoof, trying to will some kind of unknown power inside of her, but she was completely clueless as to how it works. Twilight was able to cast spells easily since she was a unicorn, but how did the others use their magic: their own will, some kind of stone, learned through a book? Growing frustrated, she just punched her hoof at a nearby cloud to break it into air, but suddenly, she felt a strange rush of adrenaline course through her body, and she felt a lot lighter and faster. Even for a brief moment, she saw an orange aura appear and disappear around her.

As she continued moving forward, she was already catching up with the airship and sped past it within a millisecond. She stopped a mile away from the ship, astonished at the possible magic spell she cast, wondering if she really did use magic. Trying it again, she thought of increasing her speed and thrust her hoof forward, the same orange glow appeared around her, though her speed increase was already in effect. She smirked, now gaining a better advantage on the fiend and sped off, ramming right into Evrae and knocking it far away from the airship.

"Whoa! Was that Rainbow!?" Applejack asked as the group managed to avoid a really dangerous attack Evrae was about to unleash.

Pinkie pulled out a pair of binoculars and peered over the edge of the deck, spotting a quick blur of rainbow spiraling around the guardian of Bevelle. "Yup! I think that's her! But how is she faster than before!?"

"...Rainbow Dash must have cast Haste!" Twilight figured. "She must be able to reach Mach 2 speeds with that much agility!"

"She finally realized she could use magic," Rarity whispered.

"Should we help her?" Applejack asked as they watched Evrae getting overwhelmed by the faster pegasus.

Evrae was too slow to react as Rainbow Dash continued hacking away at the fiend. She soon felt an unknown power coursing through her veins, backing away from the flying serpent. With her enhanced speed, she flew toward Evrae, giving a powerful slash, then turned back around and struck again, her agility increasing as she continued hitting it. After another few more times, she flew up high in the air, out of everyone's line of sight, falling back down as she reached the apex of her ascent. Flapping her wings hard, she increased her speed, faster and faster, a mach cone forming in front of her hooves.

She broke past the cone and unleashed a sonic boom right as she made contact with Evrae, while also creating a massive shockwave of rainbow lights, able to be seen for miles. That final blow also ended the guardian fiend's life as it screeched in agony, several spirits flying out of its body as it expanded out along with the shockwave.

Down in Bevelle, Fluttershy and Blueblood were walking up for the procession at the top of the city. The summoner didn't want to be anywhere near the undead Guado next to her, but hoped that she can execute her plan. Suddenly, everyone heard a large explosion coming from the skies, a shockwave of multicolored lights spreading the clouds away as they looked up. Along with the sudden sonic boom, many of the warrior monks on the lookout for intruders gasping in shock as they saw Evrae disappear.

"What in the world was that!?" Sapphire Shores asked, watching over the proceedings along with her monks.

As the clouds cleared away, they saw a rainbow trail flying around and heading toward Bevelle, along with the Al Bhed airship following after it. "Rainbow Dash," Fluttershy whispered, recalling seeing the same shockwave when Rainbow used the Jet Shot back in Luca, only it was a lot bigger.

"I see, your friends," Blueblood grumbled. "Come here!"

The Guado began to drag Fluttershy up the steps, not wanting his plans to be foiled as he gave the command for Sapphire to attack. The monks all carried machina rifles, aiming them up at the sky, along with several stone machine built with cannons. Giving the command, every monk opened fire at the rainbow blur flying toward them, along with the airship.

Seeing them trying to fire at her, Rainbow Dash dodged the oncoming shots, not letting them get a chance to shoot her down. She was not going to be defeated, not when Fluttershy is in trouble. She spotted Blueblood pulling the yellow pegasus up the steps forcefully, angering her as she picked up her pace. Rainbow took down the machina artillery firing at them, keeping the airship from sustaining damage as the others would jump down to safety.

With less fire focused on the airship and more on the incredibly swift pegasus destroying their weaponry, Cid fired off grabbling cables, striking the lowest point of the walkway. With their bridge from the vessel to the battlefield connected, everyone leapt onto the cables and slid down the whole way to help Rainbow Dash. They leapt off just in time as the lines snapped, the airship leaving before it could get damaged even further after using up most of its power escaping Home and avoiding Evrae.

"W-What the...?" As the others ran forward to join Rainbow Dash, Applejack froze when she saw all the warrior monks wielding rifles and flamethrowers, along with the artillery machina and tall bipedal ones with a lack of arms all over the place. "W-Why are there machina here???"

Before she could be shot at, Spike saved the utterly shocked mare, thrusting his spear through the stallion's abdomen. "Applejack, have a nervous breakdown when we're not in any trouble! Focus!"

"R-Right." As much as she wanted to throw a fit about what the monks of Bevelle were doing using machina, she was at least able to let out her anger against them, using her blitzball to ricochet off each of her foes hard, knocking some of the stallions' helmets off.

The guardians fought their way up, taking out a majority of the soldiers and machina. Pinkie distracted many of them, swiping some valuables they may have had on them, and while their focus was on the Al Bhed, Twilight cast spells around them, killing some of them or knocking them unconscious. Spike leapt around the roofs, keeping many of the machinas' focus on him as he struck down the ones placed on ledges too far for the others to reach. Rarity blocked the bullets fired at her with her diamond katana, none of them making a single dent in her impenetrable blade. As she got close enough to one of them, she swung it hard, sending an unfortunate monk flying off the building and out of the city. The remaining soldiers who witnessed the mare's power turned tail and fled, only to be knocked unconscious by Applejack's hard hitting blitzball.

Rainbow Dash landed on the stairway, her Haste having timed out, looking up the steps as Blueblood watched them. She ran up the stairs, sword in mouth, ready to slice the stallion into pieces so he can't come back whole. Unfortunately, he didn't notice Sapphire Shores leap in, smacking her hard in the back of the head with the butt of a rifle, slamming her to the ground.

"I don't think so, dearie." The maester held her aim on the pegasus, causing the others to stop fighting.

"Sapphire, even you!?" Rarity exclaimed, leering at her old friend in disgust.

"There are exceptions," Sapphire said as Rainbow Dash stood up, keeping her weapon aimed at the pegasus.

"Lame excuse," Rainbow said, remaining quiet as the rifle was held against her neck.

Blueblood smirked as he turned to his "bride", only to see the summoner standing defiantly against him, her staff in her hooves. "...Really? You're going to send me?"

"Yes...I'm not going to let you hurt anypony," Fluttershy said, raising her staff to begin the sending.

Star Swirl suddenly teleported behind Blueblood, surprising the summoner. "Are you really going to give up your friends' lives to kill Blueblood?" Fluttershy looked down the steps, seeing her friends held at gunpoint. "Either you save them or end them. Your choice."

Twilight was utterly appalled, hearing her idol actually saying something like that and siding with the Guado. Star Swirl leered at Fluttershy, almost tormenting her to make the right decision. Eventually, she did. Fluttershy dropped her staff, the weapon tumbling down the stairs as she looked down in defeat, stopping at Rainbow's hooves.

"A wise choice, my dear," Blueblood said smugly. "Now, let us seal the deal, Lady Fluttershy."

Blueblood calmly approached his "bride", the pegasus slowly looking up at him as he gently grabbed her shoulders. The guardians could only watch as the stallion moved closer, Rainbow growling and wanting to beat the Guado up. If only she weren't held at gunpoint, she would gladly shove his undead plot off the edge of the platform. Blueblood moved his face closer, and only further ticking the cyan pegasus off, kissed Fluttershy, wedding bells ringing as they were "officially" married. No one noticed the summoner's let foreleg quiver, hating this just as much as the others.

"You son of a-" Rainbow froze as she felt the gun press against her neck harder.

As the kiss broke, Blueblood held Fluttershy against him, then looked out at the others with a sadistic grin on his muzzle. "Kill them."

The summoner gasped, the warrior monks aiming their rifles at the guardians. "You're all a bunch of hypocrites," Rarity said darkly as she looked at Sapphire. "All machina are supposed to be forbidden to use, right? How come Bevelle is using them, Sapphire? Care to explain?"

"Shut up!" Sapphire ignored Rainbow Dash and aimed her rifle at Rarity. "We won't listen to you after you had gone missing for ten years and decided to show up now! Learn to get with the times and changes in Spira!"

"And that change is going against Faust's teachings? Tsk. Reckless back then, and still reckless now." Sapphire growled as she was about to pull the trigger.

"Throw down your weapons!" Everyone looked at Fluttershy, having snuck away from Blueblood while he was too distracted watching the others die. She stood next to the edge, ready to jump off. "If you don't let them go, I'll jump!"

Blueblood began to chuckle. "You're a pegasus. You can fly."

"I'm not a good flier, and the dress you picked out for me is kind of constricting my wings." Fluttershy's wings were indeed underneath her wedding gown, making flight for her impossible without taking it off. She wouldn't want to do that when it's her wedding day, even if by force. "So, let them go, or else."

The Guado grumbled and gave in, waving his hoof to signal the monks not to fire. Sapphire wanted so desperately to shoot Rarity, not wanting to listen to orders, but Rainbow sucker punched the maester in the face, knocking her out for getting in her way earlier.

"Fluttershy, come on!" Rainbow said as she climbed up the stairs to get to her.

"Don't worry about me, Rainbow Dash. I'll be ok," Fluttershy assured.

"You're an idiot," Blueblood said, leering at his "wife". "You'll die if you jump!"

Leering back at him, she wiped her mouth with the back of her hoof, spitting at his hooves in disgust. Fluttershy looked back at Rainbow, reassuring her she will be ok. Rainbow Dash hesitated, but nodded, backing away. Without any warning, Fluttershy leapt off the edge, Blueblood and Star Swirl looking down as they watched her plummet to her death. Catching their attention, Valefor's glyphs appeared underneath her as she summoned the avian aeon. Screeching loudly, Valefor flew down across the sky, got underneath Fluttershy, and caught her on her abdomen, hovering them to safety elsewhere around the building.

Knowing she was going to be ok, Pinkie pulled out a grenade and threw it at Blueblood. "Cover your eyes!"

Heeding the Al Bhed mare's warning, the guardians shielded their eyes as the monks, Star Swirl, and Blueblood looked at the grenade in confusion. Suddenly, it exploded, emitting a bright flash that blinded everyone unlucky enough to look at it, the others hearing the Guado shriek like a mare as he temporarily lost his sight.

"What kind of bombs do ya even carry, Pinkie!?" Applejack asked as they all rushed to safety, shoving past the blinded monks.

"All kinds of bombs: water bombs, shrapnel bombs, party bombs, every kind one might need in case of an emergency! And flash bombs are always useful in any emergency!" Pinkie said.

"Where's Fluttershy even going!?" Rainbow asked.

"She's probably heading to the temple here in Bevelle to receive the aeon here!" Twilight answered, Mog and Smarty Pants hanging onto her mane for life as she ran.

"We'll meet her there!" Spike said, leaping ahead of the others in case more guards try to stop them.

As much as she didn't want to leave Fluttershy on her own, Rainbow Dash had to trust her. She's able to handle herself fine on her own, but not for long. They'll have to meet up with her inside the temple, in the Chamber of the Fayth.

Chapter 32: An Unfair Trial

After slipping past the monks as their sight tried to recover from Pinkie's blinding flash bomb, the guardians found refuge inside one of the nearby towers. A spiral staircase lead down to where the Cloister of Trials were located in Bevelle, but the one thing that shocked them was a panel on those stairs. It was a machina, used as a lift to get from one point of the staircase to the others, going up and down along the route for quicker travel.

"Why in tarnation is there machina bein' used in Bevelle?" Applejack asked, completely horrified at the unknown truth about the grandest city's heavy beliefs on Faust's teachings.

"Well, might as well use it if it's handy!" Pinkie bounded up to the controls and activated the lift.

As much as Applejack didn't want to use it, she was completely dumbfounded. Bevelle used machina, the monks were using machina, and Maester Star Swirl didn't even bat an eye at it when he teleported next to Blueblood. They reached their destination, and yet again, more machina consoles, this one keeping a barrier before the Cloister of Trials.

"Pinkie, Ah want to apologize again for...sayin' all that horrible stuff about the Al Bhed. After seein' all this...Ah don't know what to believe anymore." Pinkie patted the distraught guardian on the back.

"Yeah, well, I didn't know Bevelle had machina either. They should practice what they preach!" Pinkie said.

"Here, we see Bevelle's true face. Betraying their own teachings and spitting on all the true believers' faces, acting high an might," Rarity uttered as they all walked inside.

Even the Cloister of Trials itself seemed to be a machina puzzle. The entire trial was just traveling along a glyph that floated down many corridors, either running into dead ends or normal walkways where they had to gather other spheres to continue on their way. It was a confusing mess, leading them up and down to grab Bevelle spheres, placing them on the pedestal that acted as their ride along the corridors as long as they had a Bevelle sphere on the pedestal. Even on forks or crossroads, it was confusing to know where to go as they would end up starting back to a certain point if they get too far.

After over half an hour of figuring out where to go, they finally made it to the end of the trial, the guardians quickly entering the waiting room next to the Chamber of the Fayth. "Fluttershy!?" Rainbow shouted.

"She might be inside." Rainbow Dash ran up to the door, trying to lift it up to get inside. "Rainbow, what are ya doin'!?"

"Stuff it, Applejack! I'm finding Fluttershy, no ifs, ands, or taboos are gonna stop me!" The pegasus grunted, barely able to lift the stone doorway up.

Spike came over to help Rainbow, lifting it up slowly until he managed to open the entire way up. She quickly ran in and found Fluttershy sitting before a glass case that held a statue inside of it, which was the fayth. The statue showed what looked like a young dragon boy stuck in the ground, one his side showing a giant wing that was several times bigger than him, almost like he was mutated. Rainbow looked up from the statue and Fluttershy, gasping in shock as she saw the same boy she had seen so many times in her life back in Zanarakand, his body floating above the fayth statue, almost like a ghost.

"W-What the hay?" The young dragon's eyes looked up to her for a moment, then back down to the praying summoner before him.

"That is a fayth," Rarity said as she walked in the chamber. "Those of sentient thought who fight to protect their home become living statues, their souls trapped inside by ancient Faust rites. They join with the summoner, receiving the aeon together."

"But I saw that kid before in Zanarakand," the cyan pegasus said, still in disbelief. "...He's...nothing but a ghost...How was he always stalking me?"

Soon, the young hooded dragon flew into Fluttershy, giving her the aeon for the temple of Bevelle. She soon collapsed on top of the glass dome, falling unconscious. Rainbow had panicked, but breathed a sigh of relief when she had just passed out.

"We're getting out of here," she said, picking up the unconscious pegasus, though wishing she could tear off that wedding dress.

"Wait! Don't come out!" Pinkie warned too late as Rainbow Dash and Rarity walked out.

They were soon met by the warrior monks, all of them cornering the group as they trained their rifles at them. Sapphire was among them, a bruise forming on her cheek where Rainbow slugged her as she was distracted earlier.

"You are all going to stand trial of all your transgressions," the maester said, leering at Rarity.

"Innocent until proven guilty, I hope," the white unicorn, returning the cold gaze back to her old friend.

"...Unfortunately, yes." With no choice, they were lead out of the Cloister of Trials and further into the massive palace of Bevelle.

Moments later, the party was brought into the trial room in Bevelle, where they would await their punishment from the maesters, at least three of the four of them. Fluttershy was awake and was told of the situation, putting her old clothing back on and discarding her wedding gown. The summoner took the stand as the others watched, Star Swirl, Blueblood, Sapphire Shores, and the dragon maester looked down on her.

Rainbow noticed Spike wilting when the dragon maester set his eyes on him. "Spike, you ok?"

"N-No...That dragon...he's the elder of my tribe...Elder Yiazmat," Spike whispered, sounding afraid just mentioning the elder dragon.

Yiazmat was a pure white dragon, his wingspan far surpassing Garble's. He was also quite strong by his build, deserving the title of the strongest member of his tribe. Along with his robes, he had a few small glyphs hovering around his body, one under each of his wings, and one on his chest. If his form didn't faze anyone, his piercing red eyes would make anyone turn tail and run.

"The High Court of Faust is now in session," Yiazmet announced, his voice deep and powerful. "Summoner Fluttershy, you have been sworn to protect the ponies of Spira, yet you have done such traitorous actions. Inflicting dire injury on Maester Blueblood Guado, while also conspiring with the heathenous Al Bhed with their insurrection upon Faust. You'd better have a good reason as to why."

"But I am not a traitor, Your Grace," Fluttershy responded, standing her ground despite the dragon's glare. "The real traitor is Maester Blueblood! He killed his own father with his own hooves!"

Yiazmat looked at Blueblood in shock, while the other three maesters weren't all that concerned. "Oh. You weren't around to hear the unfortunate news, Maester Yiazmat. Sorry."

"Not only that, but Maester Blueblood is also dead! I must send him immediately before he causes more destruction, as his father, Orion, had warned me in his will!" Fluttershy said, desperate to end the stallion's existence in Spira.

"...Send Maester Blueblood?" Star Swirl asked, the summoner nodded feverishly. What made the guardians' blood run cold was the ominous and cynical laughter coming from the old maester. "...Send the unsent?...Then you should send me too."

The party gasped as they saw small spiritual orbs floating out of the unicorn. "He's dead too!?" Twilight shouted, both horrified and shocked as her idol was an undead being.

What was worse is that Yiazmat wasn't all that deterred by the fact that his predecessor is unsent, along with Sapphire. "Grand Maester Star Swirl is a wise leader," the dragon maester said. "Without him, all of Spira would crumble."

"Life is only a passing dream," Blueblood said. "But the death that follows is eternal."

"Everything, even the continents themselves, must die at some point," Star Swirl said, the spirits floating back inside him. "The power of death commands Spira, and resisting its power is futile."

"But what about Sin!?" Fluttershy asked. "All the summoners before me, even my father, tries to stop it before it can cause more death...Is what we do in vain? Our sacrifices mean nothing?"

"It is not in vain," Star Swirl said as he stroked his beard. "No matter how many summoners risk their lives, Sin can never truly be defeated. You give Spira hope, but the rebirth of Sin is eternal. It is not futile when it comes to the life or death of a summoner."

The others were horrified to learn of all this, how all the work that the summoners do to save everyone really was just some false hope to those who don't know the truth. All this time, Faust's religion seemed nothing but a conspiracy from the very beginning, which only made Applejack more sick to her stomach as her religious faith was all a scam. What would the point of death be if it means one can still live in a suffering world, acting like gods in a broken period of time.

"This can't be happening..." Fluttershy uttered, all of her beliefs and acts as a summoner would mean nothing.

"Those who question these truths are nothing but traitors to Faust and all of Spira!" Star Swirl slammed his hoof down on the podium he stood upon, the sound echoing the silent courtroom. "You are all considered guilty of your treason and will be placed under arrest, where you will face your sentence in the underwater caverns of Bevelle!"

"Let me out of here!" Rainbow shouted as she shook the cage she was in. "You punks scared to fight a mare!? You should be, cause I'm gonna kill every single one of you!"

"Rainbow Dash, calm down," Rarity said, watching the pegasus from another cage. Rainbow calmed down, kicking the steel bars. "Try not to waste your breath. It was inevitable we would be sentenced the moment we were caught."

"I swear, if they do anything to Fluttershy..." She sat down, the only ones in the cell room of hanging cages being her and Rarity. "Why the hay does this future suck? Ponies dying everywhere...Still alive, even after they died..."

"The spiral of death." Rainbow Dash looked up at Rarity. "Summoners challenge Sin, and end up dying at the end of their journey. Guardians risk their lives to protect their summoners. The fayth are souls of the dead. Even the maesters are unsent." The unicorn let out a scoff as she looked down at her hooves. "That's all Spira is; death. Sin is the only one of us who is reborn. More death ensues when it comes back, becoming a never-ending cycle."

"...Great...What would be the point of performing the sending if anypony else can defy death by staying connected to the living?" Rainbow slammed her head back into the cage bars, knowing there had to have been something wrong with the way Spira worked.

A moment later, Sapphire Shores walked along the catwalk with a few of her warrior monks, stopping in front of Rarity's cage. "Your sentence has been decided."

"Oh, how lovely. Is it going to be a firing range with machina weapons? Or are you going to chop my mane into pieces?" Rarity taunted, further angering her old friend.

"Just get out," she growled as the cell door opened.

Rarity walked out and obeyed, taking her punishment in stride as Sapphire followed behind her, the monks standing before Rainbow's cage. "You're coming with us. Don't try anything stupid."

"Oh goodie." Rainbow leapt out, following one of the guards as the other stayed behind her to make sure she didn't try to escape. They led her to the entrance to what looked like a flooded labyrinth underneath the entire city. "Ok, so my punishment is going swimming? Not that big of a deal."

She was suddenly bucked into the water, the mare resurfacing as she glared at them, their rifles held out to her. "Get moving."

"Where are the others!? Where's Fluttershy!?" Rainbow asked.

"Somewhere down there. Good luck surviving." Seeing there was no choice but to go through the flooded maze of corridors, Rainbow swam under and began wandering around.

As she turned a corner, she bumped into somepony, ready to kill them off. Luckily, she didn't need to, running into Applejack and Pinkie Pie. The trio of swimmers surfaced, at least glad to know they wouldn't have to go through their "punishment" alone.

"I'm so glad to see you guys," Rainbow said. "Did you find the others?"

"No. They expect us to die in here," Applejack said.

"It's pretty dumb since we can hold our breaths for a long while! I mean, seriously!? Executing us would be a lot simplier!" Pinkie said.

"I know...Let's see if we can find an exit and wait for the others." Pinkie and Applejack nodded as the three mares swam through the labyrinth, hoping to find Twilight, Rarity, Spike, and Fluttershy before something happens to them.

In the council courtroom, Blueblood, Star Swirl, and Sapphire stood as they held a meeting, though Yiazmat was not present. "Are you serious!?" Sapphire shouted. "Yiazmat left!?"

"Sadly, he has. Seems as though me killing my father had riled him up." Blueblood scoffed. "We didn't need that dragon. Though, Fluttershy...she could still be useful if she lives."

"She is a traitor, Blueblood. She must die." Blueblood's eye twitched slightly, but his expression remained unchanged as he bowed to Star Swirl in understanding.

As soon as the grand maester was gone, Sapphire felt a little wary around Blueblood. "Just let Fluttershy go. Nopony's ever survived down in the Via Purifico. Even if they do, I've placed several of my monks around the exits, ordering them to shoot on sight if needed."

"Why is that, Sapphire?" Blueblood asked as he turned to face the mare, his eyes glinting with malice as his features remained neutral. "Do you not trust me?"

"...Would you trust somepony who had killed their own parent?" Sapphire questioned back.

"...Touche." Blueblood smirked as he left, leaving Sapphire with an chill down her spine at the odd feeling she had over the stallion's behavior.

Down in another area of the Via Purifico, Fluttershy took in a big gulp of air as she swam through a long corridor. She wasn't that good at holding her breath as long as Rainbow Dash or Applejack could, but she at least managed to find some dry land. Climbing out of the water, she shook off what water she could on her, though her dress was absolutely soaked.

"Oh my," she whispered as she looked around the maze. "I hope the others are ok."

Chapter 33: Escaping Bevelle

Fluttershy wandered around the Via Purifico to find her guardians, hoping that they were ok. She had heard this place was dwelling with fiends, a harsh punishment for those who commit heinous crimes or shun nonbelievers of Faust. Now she and her friends were the prisoners, wrongfully put down here because of corrupted maesters, two who are unsent, and allowing the use of machina in her home.

While creeping around the dimly lit halls, she heard magic being cast from afar, along with a few grunts and sounds of weapons piercing through flesh echoing in the maze. Peeking around the corner, she yelped as she ducked her head back, a fiend getting flung back into the wall as it was blasted by a Firaga spell.

"Twilight?" Fluttershy asked as she peeked around the corner again.

"Fluttershy?" The unicorn turned around the corner, happy to see her as she ran up to her. "Are you ok?"

"I'm fine. Where are the others?" she asked.

"I don't know. As soon as I was thrown down here, I've been getting ambushed by fiends, and I think I'm running low on mana." Smarty Pants and Mog dug around Twilight's pockets to find some potion bottles, but the last one she had on her was empty. "And I used up the last of my ethers I kept in an emergency. I don't know why the guards didn't confiscate our weapons or items. It's so illogical if it's supposed to be a death sentence."

"I hope they're ok. This is all my fault." Twilight gently lifted Fluttershy's head up to look at her.

"No it's not. None of us knew any of this. We'll make it out of here," Twilight reassured the pegasus. "I mean, we actually took down Evrae...Well, I mean Rainbow Dash did, but you get the idea." The two mares soon heard a dragon roar echo in the halls as it sounded really close. Spike came charging in, stabbing a fiend into the wall with his spear. "Spike!"

"They call this place a punishment?" Spike scoffed as he whirled his spear around. "The fiends on Mt. Gagazet are more dangerous. In a blizzard."

"Now now, Spike, no need to show off," Rarity said, walking around the corner. "Though I can see you have quite the muscle to take down anything. Perfect attributes to being a guardian."

The dragon rubbed the back of his head as he grinned, subconsciously flexing his muscles to try and impress the white unicorn. "Well, seems like Spike's finally coming out of his shell," Fluttershy whispered to Twilight as the two mares giggled.

"While we were thrown down here, I managed to find an exit. Follow me, everyone." Rarity lead the way as Spike, Fluttershy and Twilight followed.

After navigating through the maze, they found a long hallway that seemed to be an exit. As freedom was in their grasp, somepony walked out from his hiding place behind the stairway. It was Fancy Pants, though he seemed to be blocking the way.

"Fancy Pants? What are you doing here?" Fluttershy asked.

"Trixie and I had rode in on the Al Bhed's airship after getting off of Bikanel. It landed in the Calm Lands, needing some repairs for its first voyage. Quite a thrilling experience to fly through the air." The stallion took off his monocle and cleaned it, looking away from the others.

"So, were you captured too?" Twilight asked.

"...No." Fancy put his monocle back on as he leered at the four prisoners, though he seemed a bit hesitant. "I was...ordered by Maester Star Swirl to 'deal with the traitors in the Via Purifico'...and it had to be you and your guardians."

"Wait, we were falsely accused!" Fluttershy exclaimed. "We've done nothing wrong!"

"She's right, Fancy Pants," Twilight added. "Blueblood and Star Swirl are unsent, and they're ruining all the teachings we were all taught for so long!"

"...I believe you two. I know you aren't one to lie, Lady Fluttershy...but I have no choice." Fancy's horn glowed as he began to summon, standing on his hind legs.

"What of your family, Fancy? They aren't going to watch you attack those who are considered innocent?" Rarity asked, almost making the stallion falter.

"...No. I don't wish for them to see me do something like this...They would only loathe me for harming somepony as innocent as you." Fancy summoned Ifrit, calling the beast from the depths of the earth as he broke free from his molten prison. "And if I have to, I have no choice but to kill you to keep them safe from the maesters if I fail!"

"...Fancy..." With no choice but to fight, Fluttershy summoned Shiva, the aeon breaking free from the icy pillars as she faced the fire beast. "...I understand why you're doing this..."

"I'm not going to go easy on you. I won't lose my wife and son!" The two aeons began to fight as they were commanded by the thoughts of their summoners.

Even though both Shiva and Ifrit opposed each other by element, the aeon of ice had a better advantage on speed and agility, along with magical power. Ifrit's claws couldn't hit the icy mare, constantly evading each attack while countering with a hard kick to its face. It didn't last long as Shiva shot a barrage of icicles on top of the flaming aeon beast, defeating it as it disappeared. Shiva was dismissed, and Fancy was suffering heavily from the loss.

He then summoned Valefor while Fluttershy called her Ifrit. Like before, Fancy held no chance against Fluttershy's aeon as the avian aeon was obliterated by her Ifrit's powerful attack. The flaming aeon leapt up in the air, shooting out two orbs of fire from its hands directly underneath Valefor, shooting a large pillar of flames from the ground. While it hovered in the air, Ifrit shot out a large ball of fire, almost resembling a meteor, shooting it at the trapped aeon as it struck, trapping it in a large sphere of fire. The fire aeon landed on the ground, digging its claws into the earth and lifting a large chunk of the floor. Ifrit flung it up at Valefor, causing the orb to explode and deal a massive amount of damage to Fancy's aeon, the summon avian falling to the ground as it disappeared.

"N-No...I-I can't...I can't let you pass!" The stallion began to grow desperate as he summoned the last aeon in his possession. From above, a glyph appeared above the ceiling, a large dragon-like beast crashing through it as it dove to the ground. It righted itself up and landed on the ground with a thud, standing twice as tall as Ifrit. Its body was black, its wings don't look like it was physically a part of it as they seemed solid spread out, connected to its back, and hovering behind it was a symbolic halo. "I'm stopping you here, with Bevelle's aeon, second powerful compared to the Final Aeon, Bahamut!"

With Fluttershy staying with Ifrit, her aeon rushed forward to attack. Bahamut grabbed Ifrit's arm, stopping its attack and flinging him hard into the ground. While it was down, the massive dragon punched the fire aeon hard, defeating it and making it disappear. Twilight was astonished, seeing how powerful Bahamut was, though Rarity and Spike knew Fluttershy had faced tougher aeons from Cadence.

Fluttershy wasn't going to back down. She needed to stop Blueblood and find the rest of her friends. She summoned Valefor to help her, feeling pity for Fancy Pants, able to see the desperate determination to keep her from progressing any further. Valefor screeched as it attacked, avoiding Bahamut's fists and wings while striking at it from all angles. Thanks to Cadence for helping her increase her aeons' attributes and abilities, her Valefor struck Bahamut with a barrage of elemental spells and special attacks.

In a last ditch effort to take the avian down, Bahamut roared as it flipped back, landing on all fours as it dug its claws into the ground. Energy began to form in his mouth as the halo on its back began spinning faster and faster. As soon as the beam had finished charging, it fired off a powerful beam of magic, Valefor quickly shielding itself with its wings as it took the full force of the powerful attack.

"Heh...Sorry, Lady Fluttershy. You should have learned to summon Bahamut and use him before-" Fancy suddenly gasped as the smoke cleared away as Valefor was still alive, its increased defense protecting most of it from the devastating beam. "N-No...H-How did Mega Flare fail!?"

"I'm sorry, Fancy Pants, but I need to keep moving. I need to continue my pilgrimage and find my other friends." Valefor screeched as it hovered higher into the air, rearing its head back and fired a small beam to the ground, the energy exploding underneath Bahamut as it finished the powerful aeon off.

As Bahamut disappeared, Fancy Pants watched in horror as he was beaten. His monocle fell off his eye as it broke off its chain, the glass shattering as it hit the ground. Fluttershy bowed in apology to him as she, Twilight, and Spike walked past the broken stallion summoner and up the stairs. Rarity stood before him, slowly looking up at her as tears fell down his cheeks.

"Your pilgrimage ends here," she said coldly. "I hope your wife and adoptive son are proud of you for attacking Kindred Heart's daughter. That is, if they find out about this."

Rarity soon left Fancy and caught up with the others, leaving the stallion alone as he wept, failing his duty, but more upset as he had possibly lost any faith his family had for him.

Deep under the flooded caverns of the Via Purifico, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, and Applejack swam through the water as they struck down any aquatic fiends that got in their way. With how confusing the labyrinth is, they wound up coming back to the same hallways several times. After figuring out where they were going, they seemed to reach a long corridor that wasn't as closed in like the previous halls. Since the exit must be nearby down this path, they figured it was where they needed to escape this fiend infested dungeon.

As soon as the trio reached a large room adjacent to the corridor, the three mares froze as they heard a creepy, guttural growl come from one of the crossroads along the labyrinth. They turned to face the fiend confronting them, their jaws dropping as they saw Evrae again. It was once beaten, but it had a strange gross hue to its body, as if it was resurrected from the dead, just like how Blueblood and Star Swirl were unsent. Even in death, this guardian wasn't going to stay down, and seeing the pegasus that challenged it and defeated it made it seek out revenge for its defeat.

Before Rainbow and Applejack could fight the undead fiend, Pinkie let out a bubbled sigh of annoyance as she dug around her mane. She pulled out a few Phoenix Downs and tossed one at Evrae. While the two mares were confused at the action, the reviving feathers actually injured the fiend greatly, letting out a screech of agony as the healing lights damaged it rather than do nothing. Pinkie threw one more, which ended up killing the guardian fiend, hopefully for good, as it disappeared yet again with several more spirits flying out from it.

Both blitzball players' jaws dropped as Pinkie had just beaten the fiend, with Phoenix Downs, not her own weapon. Pinkie put away the remaining feathers and, somehow, bounded down the now empty corridor underwater. Both mares quickly grabbed the Al Bhed and swam up to an air pocket to speak with the pink mare.

"Pinkie, what the hay did you do!?" Rainbow asked. "I mean, I can't believe you actually killed Evrae, who somehow came back to life after I killed it, but...What the hay is going on!?"

"Ah think what Rainbow's tryin' to ask is how ya killed Evrae with Phoenix Downs. They revive those that fall in fights and are useless to anypony alive!" Applejack said.

"Well, duh, that's why they worked on Evrae! He was a zombie!" Pinkie explained, only receiving a more confused look from the other two.

"...Is this another one of them random things ya do?" Applejack asked.

"Nooooo. Did you not see Evrae's status? It was a zombie, and what do zombies hate?" Pinkie waited for an answer, but Rainbow and Applejack remained silent. "...Seriously? Do I have to pull out another sphere explaining status effects?"

"Just explain, Pinkie. Please?" Rainbow begged, not wanting to see herself getting smacked around by random fiends in a simulation.

"Fine," Pinkie sighed, moving some of her wet, yet still poofy mane out of her face. "We probably won't encounter undead foes until we reach Zanarkand. Just a big hunch. Those that are zombies, or inflicted with zombie status, have complete differences when it comes to healing. Normally, when Fluttershy uses white magic to heal or if we use potions, then we get back health we lost. And we use Phoenix Downs to revive teammates if any of them get knocked out.

"However, the exact opposite happens for a zombie, where healing them actually hurts them, but only doing half of what's expected to heal when it damages. Which is why Phoenix Downs are useful to take down the undead, though you'll need to use two cause it deals half damage always." Both mares took in this information, though it was still quite a shock to see how easy the undead fiends could be vulnerable to. "Plus, I saved us all from swimming away from Evrae and possibly getting us all killed with its same moves it had when it was still alive. You're welcome."

Pinkie took in a deep breath and swam back down to find the exit. Rainbow Dash and Applejack looked at each other, shrugging off the thought of what would have happened if they did fight undead Evrae without using those Phoenix Downs and swam after her. After navigating down the long passageways, Pinkie swiping some treasures along their way, they finally found their exit out of the long labyrinth underneath Bevelle. The three poked their heads out of the water as they tasted sweet freedom, winding up next to the long walkway that lead to the palace.

Climbing up on the road, they shook off the water they've been in for who knows how long as they looked around. "Well, we're out. Now all we need to do is find the others."

"Rainbow Dash!" The three turned to look toward the palace, relieved to see the others are ok and had managed to escape.

Fluttershy nearly tackled her pegasus guardian to the ground and hugged her tightly. "Heh. Easy, Flutters. Glad to see you're ok too."

"You all won't be for long." They all turned to the palace, seeing Sapphire Shores standing before them, holding her rifle out and aiming it at them, mostly at Rarity. "Attempting to flee from your doom is deserving of death."

"Sapphire Shores, think about what you're doing," Rarity said, standing her ground as she held her katana over her shoulder. "You know this is wrong. Why do you keep doing this? Is it because you believe you're powerful as a maester?"

"I'm not the same mare I was before you left with Kindred Heart and Jet Stream a decade ago!" Sapphire fired her weapon, only for the bullet to miss as Rarity dodged it, quickly running up to her as she held her katana up to her friend's neck.

"Yet I remained the same, holding true to the teachings I was taught ever since I was a filly," Rarity said. "You have changed, Sapphire, into a traitor. I am following what I believe is right, while the maesters have turned their backs on the rest of Spira and abuse their power, just like what you've done at Operation Mi'ihen. Others die for you because you're so important, yet you hide behind them like a coward." Rarity slowly backed away, changing her blade back to its original gem with her magic. "I want the Sapphire Shores I knew growing up. The Sapphire who trained with me, who I helped train when you weren't ready enough to meet the warrior monks' standards...I want my old friend back, away from the corrupted system of power in this city that lies to all of Spira."

She held her hoof out to the maester, Sapphire's hooves on her rifle wavering as she looked at the unicorn. Memories of their time together in their youth flashed through her mind, reminding her of the fun they had and the rough times they shared in training. After standing with her cursed weapon for a long while, she looked down at it, realizing she had made so many mistakes when she became a maester. She grew mad with power and got several ponies killed in Operation Mi'ihen, not even caring that lives had been lost as she acted coldly to those who barely made it out alive, even to Rarity and her fellow guardians and summoner when they did more to help than she had.

Sapphire lowered her rifle, tossing it aside. "...What have I become?...I'm no worse than Sin..." She looked up at Rarity, feeling guilty for her behavior. "I think I should throw myself in the Via Purifico for a month after all I've done...I'm sorry, Rarity. I've sinned more than I ever had, too blinded by the power I gained."

"...About time you finally came to your senses." Rarity grinned, glad to see the old Sapphire back.

Sapphire approached her friend, ready to quit living in the corrupted life of a maester and rekindling her broken friendship with Rarity. Before her hoof could reach out to hers, a sword dove down over the mare, stabbing her as it pierced through her back. Everyone gasped in horror, Rarity's eyes widening in terror as Sapphire's breath began to waver, blood spilling out from her wound and out her mouth. Appearing behind her, Blueblood teleported before them, a few of his Guado soldiers running toward them from the palace, stopping just behind him.

"You know, Sapphire, you were right not to trust me," Blueblood whispered in the dying mare's ear. "A bit too late for you to escape from your fate, unlike Yiazmat."

He pulled the blade out with his magic, lifting the mare up on her hind legs a little as blood splattered on his robes. Sapphire fell on her side as she breathed her last breath, her injuries greatly severe as she was killed by the manic Guado.

"N-No...Sapphire," Rarity uttered, her eye twitching as she clenched her jaw as she glared at Blueblood.

"Now now, don't be too upset, Lady Rarity," Blueblood calmly said, though his eyes showed a glint of sadism as he tossed the sword aside. "I merely saved your best friend from her possible fate in the near future. You two would have just kept fighting each other." The unicorn growled as she transformed her diamond back into a katana, the blade stabbing itself hard into the ground. "Why fight it? I'm doing all of you a favor.

"If everypony were to die, all life in Spira passing away in an instant, then nopony will ever suffer." He turned his attention to Fluttershy, pointing to her with his hoof. "This is why I need you, Fluttershy. Come with me to Zanarkand. With death on our side, me taking your strength, your life, becoming the next Sin...I will save us all, destroying this cursed land of despair and torture!"

"Blueblood, you're insane!" Rainbow said.

"Am I?" In the blink of an eye, Spike lunged forward and thrust his spear into the stallion's chest, growling at the maniacal Guado as he buried his spear deeper into him. He didn't bleed, which began to concern the dragon. "I see you wish to be the first to die before the time comes..." He soon lifted his hoof up as he began absorbing the life of his guards and the body of Sapphire Shores. "Let me grant you your death!"

Blueblood's body soon began to transform into a monstrous being, his body and clothing growing pale as he seemed to look like a floating statue with a twisted grin of malice, his pupils and irises disappearing as his insane laughter echoed around them. Appearing from behind the transformed stallion was a strange looking mechanical insect that rested over his shoulder, looking like a floating scorpion-centipede hybrid. Blueblood grabbed Spike's spear and pulled it out of his body, leaving behind no scars or wounds.

Knowing this was going to be a fight he wasn't going to win, Spike turned back to the others. "Get Fluttershy out of here, now!"

"Spike, we're not leaving without you!" Rainbow tried to run in to help him, only to be blocked as Rarity swung her sword in the pegasus's path.

"Just go," she quietly said, her head hung low as she leered at the stallion. Rarity looked back, still seeing Rainbow Dash standing there. "I SAID GO!"

"Rarity, are you-?" Rainbow quickly ducked as the enraged unicorn swung her katana at her. "Ok, ok! I'm going!"

The two quickly ran down the bridge after the others, leaving Spike to fight against Blueblood by himself. As soon as they caught up with the others, Fluttershy stopped as she looked back at the palace, watching Spike fighting Blueblood and his mutated form.

"...I'm not going to leave Spike behind!" she said.

"He's a guardian, Fluttershy. His main priority is protecting you from harm," Rarity sternly said.

"I don't care! Spike's my friend!" Fluttershy argued back.

"Same here." Rainbow Dash walked next to Fluttershy, looking back at the others. "Nopony's getting left behind and fighting on their own. Besides, we're Fluttershy's guardians. Anything she says goes, right? No ifs, ands, or buts?" She looked at the summoner, giving her a grin. "Anywhere you go, I'll follow. No questions."

"...Ok. Then let's save Spike!" The two pegasi ran back down the path to help Spike, leaving the others dumbfounded.

Pinkie was the first to snap out of her shock, bouncing high in the air as she pulled out a small, mobile cannon. "Hey! I'm not missing out on the fun! And the free AP!"

Sitting on top of the cannon, aiming it away from the palace, she pressed the button to fire it, shooting out a blast of confetti as it was pushed back by the powerful force it had for being smaller than the ones back in Operation Mi'ihen. None of them questioned how she was able to store a cannon that big on her, brushing off the bits of confetti that got on them.

"Might as well get back at that no good liar for puttin' us in this mess." Applejack ran on after them while Twilight followed, after giving Rarity an apologetic look.

The unicorn watched them as she let out an amused snort. "...Whatever Lady Fluttershy says...I feel like I'm getting too old for their shenanigans...What I wouldn't give to be young again."

Rarity ran forward and caught up with the others, assisting Spike as they struck him with their unique abilities and magic, surrounding the stallion. Rainbow and Applejack struck Blueblood with their weapons, Pinkie distracted the creature assisting the transformed Guado, and Fluttershy and Twilight using their magic to assist their friends, the former healing Spike's previous injuries to try to sacrifice himself and the latter casting the most powerful of spells she had at her disposal.

"Fluttershy, I don't understand why you all came back," Spike said as he took a small break to recover.

"Nopony's going to fight their battles on their own. Especially you, Spike." After finishing healing Spike, the dragon readied his spear to continue fighting.

"You all must really wish to seek freedom from your pathetic existence," Blueblood's voice said, his mouth unmoving as he continued casting magic at them, all of his elemental spells blocked by Fluttershy's Nul spells.

"Why don't you just shut up and stay dead!?" Rainbow shouted, slashing his insectoid helper as it lunged for her.

"I will never die! I am immor-!" The stallion was interrupted as Rarity leapt up from behind him, thrusting her katana straight through his back and slamming his body into the ground.

"Nopony is immortal. Not even you." She flipped off him as his pet lunged at her, stabbing it as soon as it reached her. "You were lucky for only a moment when Spike stepped in to do the deed for me...but I see you're still stubborn to stay dead." Her weapon swung around in a blur, and as soon as it stopped, the creature that came from Blueblood's body was torn to pieces, disappearing into nothingness. "Now you'll face my wrath. You killed my best friend, just as she was coming around to her true self. I'll make sure you never come back again. Not even the Farplane will accept you if you are sent!"

"How bold. You will meet your dear friend soon!" Blueblood thrust his hoof at the unicorn, encasing the mare in stone and petrifying her.

"Oh no! Rarity!" Thinking quickly, Fluttershy summoned Bahamut, the aeon quickly flying down from the sky and blocked the petrified mare from getting struck by the fiend-like unsent stallion.

"Whoa," Rainbow said, staring at the dragon aeon in awe. "That's the kid I kept seeing back then?" Now that having an aeon keeping them safe, Bahamut could easily crush Blueblood without a second thought. "Let's see him try to beat that thing."

"Death awaits you." The stallion shot his hoof forward, casting some kind of spell at Bahamut that made the aeon fall to its knees.

"What!?" Bahamut began to disappear as he was automatically dismissed, or more likely defeated. "Are you serious!? What the hay did he just do!?"

"He...somehow dismissed Bahamut," Twilight said, just as astonished as the others. While Blueblood was too busy watching the aeon disappear, Pinkie bound over to Rarity and used a Soft on her, getting rid of her petrified state. "That's...impossible."

"I am a god!" Blueblood laughed as he held his forelegs up above him. "Not even aeons are a match for my might! FEAR MY POWER!"

As soon as he threw his hooves to the ground, the area went dark as everyone was engulfed by a powerful blast of magical energy, as hot as a powerful Fire spell but lacking the burns it left. Everyone was flung back by the powerful multi-cast, their bodies scorched from the searing energy, all except for Rarity. She managed to hold her ground as she kept herself up with her katana, planting it hard in the ground. Having enough of the Guado, she lifted her sword up as she prepared to unleash her rage on him.

Taking the jug she has with her, she takes a swig of the liquid inside it, but doesn't drink it. Holding her blade before her, she spat out the liquid onto it, the diamond katana beginning to charge with unknown energy as it shook in her grasp. "This is for Sapphire Shores, you heartless demon!"

Rarity slashed her sword down, shooting out arcane magic out from the blade as they flew toward Blueblood. He wasn't able to block it as they went through his hooves, sending him staggering back as his entire body shook, the damage to him overwhelming. The stallion began to disappear as he was killed yet again, the spiritual light floating up in the evening sky. With him hopefully dead, Rarity raised her sword and hefted it over her shoulder as she looked up at the sky, a few tears rolling down her face.

As the others got up, greatly injured by Blueblood's magical attack but thankfully alive, they grouped back together as they had just barely survived. "What the hay was that?"

"Flare," Twilight answered, shivering slightly as she felt the magical energy that came from Blueblood. "One of the most powerful of black magic spells to use...It was...horrifying."

"And we're still alive." Rarity wiped away her tears, looking at the palace where everyone could have probably heard the chaos outside. "We better go, or we'll be thrown back in the Via Purifico." The others nodded and ran out of Bevelle, heading straight for the Macalania Woods to wait until the heat dies down. "...Sapphire...I'm so sorry..."

Chapter 34: Suteki Da Ne

The stars shone in the night sky as the moon dimly lit the forest of Macalania. Bevelle was in an uproar after hearing what had happened near the palace, after witnessing the airship fly in earlier today and that amazing phenomenon of rainbow colors flying out in the sonic boom Rainbow Dash made. Hiding deep in the forest, the group rested far from any of the patrols in their campsite. All of them had taken off their clothing after being nearly torn to shreds going through Bikanel, invading Bevelle to try to stop the wedding, and surviving the underwater labyrinth of death known as the Via Purifico.

Fluttershy and Spike weren't with them at the moment, though they were hidden safely from the patrolling warrior monks as the dragon watched her. After everything that had occurred earlier today, she was a little shaken up and wanted to be alone for a little. Realizing Bevelle was lieing to everyone in Spira, her faith in Faust's religion was broken. Rainbow Dash could tell this was heartbreaking for her, her father having followed the path of a summoner and possibly knew about Bevelle Temple's machina. Everyone else was pretty much broken too, hearing the maesters had known all about their unsent grand maester, spitting on Faust's teachings using machina, despite them being told that they were allowed under her consent, and being accused as traitors by the corrupted leaders. At least the dragon maester, Yiazmat, safely left and was just as appalled by what they kept secret from him. Whether out of racism against dragons or not, at least the dragons aren't a part of this false religion anymore.

While they relaxed, Rarity was busy fixing up all their torn clothing, making them good as new after they were dried off from being thrown in the flooded dungeon. "Sheesh, Rarity. Do you always carry a sewing kit with you?"

"Rainbow, you should never underestimate how useful travel-wear can be when on a long journey," Rarity chided the pegasus. "Besides, one can't wander the world without fashionable gear. It gives the pony a certain aire to them that tells them their personality. Your father in his blitzball uniform showed his personality all too easily: egotistical, a drunkard, and a stallion who fools around with mares. Sounds like somepony else I know, only without the 'drunkard' category."

"Oh ha ha. That was so funny I forgot to laugh," Rainbow said in a sarcastic tone.

"Dashie doesn't know how to laugh anymore!? I'll fix it!" Pinkie bounced in front of the pegasus and began making weird faces to try to make her laugh.

This only annoyed Rainbow as she gently lowered her head away from her face. "Face it, sugarcube. Ya'll are also pretty stubborn. Ya jump at the chance to do somethin' good when ya don't know what ya get into. Though, when ya do say ya'll can do somethin', ya don't really back down and prove ya could."

"And, as much as I disliked you at the start, you did have good intentions, breaking the rules or not," Twilight said, Mog and Smarty Pants smoothing out the unicorn's mane and tail. "Seeing just how corrupted Bevelle is...I guess you were right to be suspicious about everything. Especially Blueblood."

"I hope he stays dead this time," Rainbow grumbled, never wanting to see that creep of a Guado, or anymore Guado again. She got up from her spot on one of the branches in the nearby trees, hovering down to the ground. "I'm gonna go check on Fluttershy. Just to make sure she's ok."

Rarity looked up from her sewing as Rainbow Dash left the camp to find Fluttershy and Spike, shaking her head as she smirked. "About time."

"'About time,' what?" Applejack asked.

"Oh nothing. Rainbow Dash is going to help Fluttershy feel better is all." The unicorn looked at her work, having finished repairing Fluttershy's clothing. "At least, I hope so."

Thankfully for Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy and Spike weren't too far away. She found them at another spring similar to the one where they found her father's sphere, the only difference was that the area seemed peaceful and no fiends were around. Spike watched Fluttershy from afar, the yellow pegasus standing in the middle of the spring.

"Hey, Spike." She got the dragon's attention, who seemed a bit worried. "Why don't you head back to the camp? I'll look out for Fluttershy."

"I really don't want to leave her alone with you," Spike teased, receiving a glare from the pegasus. "I am a bit tired though...Maybe I should get some rest."

"After you tried to take on Blueblood by yourself and nearly died? You deserve a medal for being the dumbest dragon in Spira." Spike slapped Rainbow hard in the back, sending her crumbling to ground.

"And the rest of you deserve one for coming back and putting Fluttershy in danger," he said.

"B-Blame Flutters...It was her idea," Rainbow weakly said.

"Same lame excuse." Spike chuckled and headed back, able to trust Rainbow Dash to watch Fluttershy.

Groaning in pain, the pegasus got back up, cracking her back as she felt her spine had been aligned awkwardly from Spike's hard slap. As soon as he went back to the others, Rainbow walked up to the water's edge. She seemed to be looking at the tree, lost in thought. She wanted to cheer her up, get her mind off of all of this: her pilgrimage, Blueblood, the maesters' lies, the machina in Bevelle, all of it.

"Hey, Fluttershy." The summoner turned around, watching Rainbow Dash joining her in the water. "You doing ok?" She shook her head and looked back at the forest. Rainbow sighed, trying to figure out what to say to her. As much as she didn't want to bring up the truth about her pilgrimage, she had to tell her that she knew. "...How come you didn't tell me about what happened to you when your pilgrimage is over?"

"...They told you?" Fluttershy asked as she turned back to Rainbow Dash.

"Yeah." The two stood in silence. They both had felt guilty, Fluttershy for hiding this from her close friend, and Rainbow for everything she said over her ignorance to the truth. "...I'm sorry, Fluttershy. I mean, everything I said about going to Zanarkand...and going after Sin...I know why you didn't tell me, but still..." Seeing that she was only making her apology seem worse as she grew more guilty, Rainbow groaned in frustration. "I'm such an idiot."

"I'm sorry," Fluttershy apologized.

Sighing, Rainbow swam around for a little as she looked at the stars. This didn't seem to be working as well as she hoped. She looked at the distraught pegasus as she lazily floated in the water.

"...Why don't you just give up your pilgrimage?" Rainbow asked, surprising Fluttershy as she looked up at her. "Just forget about fighting Sin, and being a summoner. Live a normal life."

"B-But what about the others?" the yellow pegasus asked. "I-I don't think anypony would want me to give up, even if I did say yes."

"Pinkie would obviously understand." Rainbow swam up to Fluttershy. "By the way, why didn't you tell me you two were related?"

"Huh?" Fluttershy had no idea what she meant.

"Back at Bikanel, we met your uncle, Cid. He's Pinkie's dad, which makes you two cousins!" Rainbow exclaimed. "I kind of wondered why your eyes were different colors, and I think it makes sense since you're part Al Bhed...I always thought they were kind of cool."

"R-Really?" Fluttershy asked as she blushed. "I-I didn't think they were."

"Sure they are!" Rainbow assured. "And if the others don't agree with you quitting, I'll have to annoy them all into accepting it! Even Rarity and Twilight. Those two can be a bit too strict with all those dumb rules."

"I-I know...But, what can I do if I do quit?" The two began to think, Rainbow swimming around to figure out what Fluttershy can do if she quits being a summoner.

She did like animals, especially chocobo. It was pretty funny to see the tame and docile creatures always flock to her. Rainbow Dash did wonder if she really was able to talk to them if they instantly liked her. She soon began thinking of some of the animals she saw growing up as a filly back in Zanarkand. Maybe, if it was possible, they could go back in time and live in the city, where Sin won't actually appear and they could live in peace.

"I got it! Let's go to Zanarkand!" She received a confused gaze from Fluttershy. "...Uhh, not the one here in Spira. My Zanarkand! We could all fly there on that awesome airship, and we'll have a party at my place!"

"And we can watch you and the Zanarkand Wonderbolts play blitzball?" Rainbow nodded her head, managing to cheer Fluttershy up a little bit. "And we can all watch you play...But, what about after the game?"

"Then we go out into the city and have even more fun!" the cyan pegasus said.

"Late at night?" Fluttershy asked.

"Of course! Straight through dawn! Zanarkand's a city that never sleeps!" Rainbow exclaimed, swimming around as she explained everything she never told Fluttershy about her home. "There's lots of things we can do downtown! There's a bunch of restaurants we can eat at, tons of shops to look at, and I think there's a zoo somewhere. Haven't been there in a while, but I think it's still there.

"And I gotta show you this awesome spot, right when the sun's about to rise." Rainbow looked up at the sky as she tried to hide the growing blush on her cheeks, imagining how the moment would play out in her head. "The lights go out in the city, the stars fade away, and as soon as the sun peeks up over the vast ocean, it makes the water glow, almost as if it was a gentle fire...Then it spreads to the sky, then the buildings in the city...glowing brighter and brighter until it fully rises.

"...I know I'm being a little sappy, but...it's actually really...pretty." Rainbow scratched her head, trying to compose herself. It was a romantic spot to see, and she really wanted to show Fluttershy. It would have been a lot better than the sights they've seen throughout Spira. "I know you'll like it."

"...I'd like to see it...someday," Fluttershy quietly said.

"Of course you can." Rainbow turned around to face Fluttershy. "I'll wake us up bright and early to-" She paused when she saw the summoner's head slightly lowered, her damp mane hiding her face. She saw the water ripple under head head as her tears streamed down her cheeks. "...Fluttershy?"

"...I-I can't...I just can't." Fluttershy sniffled, unable to hold back her tears as she sobbed. "I-I can't go...I never will...None of us can!"

She broke down and cried, everything Rainbow promised would never come true. She knew they would never see her Zanarkand. She knew there was never going to be any peace whether she continued her pilgrimage or not. Everything would never get better. All of her life, as well as others in the past millennium, have only known suffering and despair, from Sin, wars, racism, fiends. Even if she wanted to, she never be truly, even if she sacrifices herself.

Rainbow's ears drooped as she watched Fluttershy cry. She never once saw her this upset, and it hurt just hearing her sob. The pegasus only fooled herself, thinking they could go back to her home, and it only made Fluttershy feel worse. There didn't seem to be anything in Spira that could cheer anyone up, even after realizing the truth about something they believed in ever since they were young that turned out to be nothing but a lie. She's been through too much. Everyone has. All Rainbow Dash suffered through was a father who ignored her, losing both her parents and growing bitter against her dad for ruining her life. Even after being tossed into Spira for over a week, she hasn't experienced the same amount of pain Fluttershy has.

"...Flutters..." Rainbow needed to do something to make her feel better, though telling her how she really feels about her might not be a good idea with her this upset.

Ignoring the worst case scenario that might occur, she was going to go through with it. Rainbow Dash gently pulled Fluttershy closer, wrapping her hooves around her. Confused, the summoner looked up at her, tears staining her cheeks. Swallowing her inhibitions, Rainbow gently moved her head forward and pressed her lips against Fluttershy's, kissing her softly.

The summoner's eyes widened in shock as she was kissed by her pegasus friend and guardian. Her mind couldn't process what was happening, frozen solid with her wings having flared out in surprise. Though her first kiss was wasted on Blueblood through their staged marriage, she hated it because it was the lips of a Guado with evil intentions, who was also dead, that touched hers. But with Rainbow's, it was a lot different, both of them mares and it was with one of her guardians. And surprisingly, she liked it.

She began to kiss her back, shutting her eyes as she leaned closer to Rainbow. Their kiss deepened as the summoner wrapped her hooves around her guardian's neck. Rainbow held her closer as the two pegasi were lost in pure bliss, alone in the spring with the moon shining down and making the crystals deep in the water sparkle.

They soon went under the water and floated down to the deepest part of the spring. They grabbed each other's hooves as they broke their kiss, looking into each other's eyes, not even caring they were underwater. All that mattered to them was each other, both mares relishing this moment as much as they could, having gone through too much for it to end. Keeping a firm hold on each other's forehooves, they floated around the water, keeping their gazes on each other.

Even though it was a gutsy move on Rainbow's part to kiss Fluttershy like that, but it at least helped a little. It was a surprise to know she also felt the same way about her, fearing she would have pushed her away and thought it would have been weird for the two to ever be together. She was gladly proven wrong, though if Fluttershy knew about her feelings, her subtlety not that great in the past when she tried to hide it, or if she really felt the same way about her, it didn't matter anymore.

They both pulled each other close to one another as they stared deep into each other's eyes. Fluttershy blushed and looked away, feeling Rainbow's hoof gently brush against her cheek. She looked back at her guardian, her friend, her lover, happy to have met the cyan pegasus mare, happy to have her by her side through all the rough patches on her pilgrimage. She leaned closer and kissed Rainbow Dash, gladly returning it, the two pegasi continued floating in the depths of the spring, wanting this moment to last forever.

After spending almost an hour under the water, Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy sat on the shore of the spring, enjoying the silence of the forest as they cuddled. They had no idea how they were able to hold their breath that long when they floated underwater. Whether it was by some magical force or the water of the spring actually was made of oxygen, they didn't care. All that mattered was each other's company.

Even though they should be happy, they weren't. Rainbow Dash knows that Fluttershy still wanted to continue her pilgrimage, unable to argue with her about the subject. She wanted to help Spira, and she still wanted to sacrifice herself just to keep Sin from destroying everything. It worried the pegasus, as they seemed to be getting close to the end of their journey, and time was running out.

"...Fluttershy?" The summoner looked up at the pegasus, sensing the sorrow in her voice. "...Please don't continue your pilgrimage...I'll understand if you keep going, but I still don't think it's worth it to get yourself killed..."

"...I'm sorry, Rainbow Dash...I have to keep going." Rainbow sadly sighed, nuzzling her marefriend.

"Am I gonna get fired from being your guardian?" she asked as a joke to try to lighten the mood.

"No," Fluttershy said. "I want you to stay with me...until the end."

"Not until the end." Rainbow gave Fluttershy a soft kiss on the lips, holding her tightly as she rubbed her cheek against hers. "Always..."

"...Ok. Always, then." While the two nuzzled, they didn't realize that they were being watched by Spike from behind the trees. He grinned and headed back to the campsite to leave them alone for a little more before they headed back and caught him spying on them. "I think the others are going to wonder where we went...Maybe you should head back first."

"Alright." Rainbow stood up and stretched her limbs. "Whatever you say, boss."

She gave a mock salute, along with a wink, and began to head off to the camp. Before she could even leave the area, she heard Fluttershy run up to her and accidentally bump into her as she stopped.

"Uhh, actually, let's go back together," Fluttershy said.

"Can't make up your mind, huh?" The two giggled as they both walked back together, Rainbow draping a wing over Fluttershy as they intertwined their tails.

As they reached their campsite, the others had been waiting for them, though by the looks on their faces, they seemed to have known what had happened between the pegasi. That and the way Rainbow had her wing over Fluttershy explained any questions they didn't need to ask.

"So, you two enjoy yourselves?" Rarity teased, making Rainbow pull her wing back to her side as she blushed heavily. "Oh quit hiding it, Rainbow Dash. You're not the most subtle of ponies."

"Figuratively AND literally! I mean, have you seen your hair color!? You stick out like a sore hoof in a claw factory!" Pinkie said.

"N-Nothing happened," Rainbow denied, though she wasn't changing their minds.

"Umm...everypony," Fluttershy said, diverting the others' attention to her. "...I'm going to continue my pilgrimage. We'll leave at dawn...I'm sorry I have to put you all through this."

"Don't apologize, darling," Rarity assured. "We all knew what we were getting into. Let's all get some rest. The Calm Lands are just ahead, and these plains are quite large to cross in order to reach Mt. Gagazet."

While they got to sleep, Twilight had frozen in fear at the mention of the Calm Lands. Even Smarty Pants was frightened, but Mog looked confused, despite its expression looked neutral with his closed eyes. She wasn't able to fall asleep a half hour after the others, trying to control her emotions before she broke down.

By the next morning, everyone set out from the woods, making sure to stay far enough away from the entrance to Bevelle. It wasn't too far as they climbed up the hill that overlooked the Calm Lands. As soon as they reached the top, Rainbow stared in awe at the vast plains down below, where many pieces of the land seemed to have been struck by earthquakes, or something smashing the land repeatedly. This would be the place where Fluttershy, and many summoners before her, would have to face Sin, calling the Final Aeon to destroy it and their summoner.

While the rest of the group stared at the landscape, Twilight tried to compose her shivering as she looked beyond the plains. "We're here," she whispered. "...That place...It's just beyond here...We won't go in there...Just walk past it...To Mt. Gagazet."

"You say somethin', Twilight?" Applejack asked as she heard Twilight muttering to herself.

"N-Nothing! L-Let's get going! Don't want to get caught fighting tons of fiends when we get to Mt. Gagazet!" Twilight nervously chuckled as she began heading down the hill to the ground level of the plains.

On Twilight's back, Smarty Pants was shuddering in fright, though it had gone unnoticed as she was walking. Applejack shrugged it off as they caught up to the lavender unicorn mage before she ran into the fiends that roam the Calm Lands.

Chapter 35: The Cavern of the Stolen Fayth

The Calm Lands were a pretty peaceful stretch of land, if one doesn't include many of the dangerous fiends that wander the plains. As long as they didn't wind up anywhere in the northwestern part of the field, they won't have to fight one of the worst creatures everyone warned Rainbow Dash about; the Malboro. Just from hearing the name of such a fiend, it was obviously something no one should ever mess with. The rest of the fiends weren't much of a problem, along with some random machina running out of control, which Pinkie easily took care of.

Up ahead was a rest stop in the middle of the Calm Lands, run by some of the Al Bhed. "Let's stock up on supplies before heading to Mt. Gagazet," Rarity said. "This is pretty much the last rest stop we'll have after passing the Calm Lands. No more towns or villages past this point."

They soon entered the small rest stop and took a small break. As Rarity and Fluttershy bought the supplies they'll need, Rainbow began to panic as she tried to think of some other possible way to keep the young pegasus summoner from sacrificing herself. As she thought, a gray pegasus mare with blonde hair walked in the rest stop, her eyes a unique feature as they seem cross-eyed. The mare noticed Applejack and Twilight, though how she was able to with those eyes, Rainbow would never know.

"Applejack! Twilight!" The mare caught their attention as they approached the pegasus, obviously knowing her. "I thought you two were back in Besaid!"

"Lady Derpy, it's been a while," Applejack greeted, though Twilight remained quiet and fidgety. "We're helpin' Summoner Fluttershy on her pilgrimage this time."

"Oh! Lord Kindred Heart's daughter! I heard you guys became traitors." That brought a little bit of worry to Rainbow Dash as they might be hauled back to Bevelle. "I don't believe a word those monks say! You two would never do anything bad!"

"Thanks, Derpy. Glad to hear you're on our side," Applejack said, grateful for the mare's beliefs in them.

"Of course!" Derpy looked over at Twilight, who was always looking toward Mt. Gagazet. "Twilight? You ok?"

"Huh!? Y-Yes! I'm ok!" Twilight assured, although she didn't seem to be too honest.

"...Ok. Well, good luck you guys. Maybe you'll be able to touch the foot of the mountain today, Twilight." The unicorn wilted as she clutched her dolls tightly in guilt. "Don't worry, Twilight. I didn't really feel up to making it all the way to Zanarkand that day, anyways. Hope you all stay safe!"

Derpy bowed to the two mares and wished the others luck as she left the small inn and headed out, only to turn around and head back to Bevelle. Curious, Rainbow Dash walked over to Applejack, seeing that Twilight's on the verge of a nervous breakdown.

"Who was that? Was that mare a summoner?" she asked.

"Eyup. That was Lady Derpy Hooves," Applejack explained. "Twilight and Ah used to be her guardians a couple years ago. We got pretty far, though she kinda stopped before we even reached Mt. Gagazet."

"So, she gave up?" Applejack nodded her head.

"Afraid so...Except, the day she quit was when Twilight freaked out and couldn't go near the mountain." She looked over at Twilight, highly anxious and shivering in fear, brushing the tops of Mog's and Smarty Pants's heads. "We had no idea what happened...She didn't even tell us. The only thing we got from her when we came back here to help her calm down was her mumblin' 'Ah don't want to be here.'"

Rainbow Dash looked over at the nervous unicorn, never seeing her this panicky before. "Wait, you mean you didn't make it to Zanarkand?"

"Nope. Though, Ah'm startin' to worry about Twilight...Ah'm afraid she might have another panic attack." After gathering their supplies, they headed out on their trek down to the canyon leading to where the entrance to Mt. Gagazet lies.

After a long walk through the Calm Lands, the party reached the northern end of the fields and headed up to where they could see the entrance to Mt. Gagazet's trail. There was a gorge down below, leading to possibly more dangerous fiends. As they reached the bridge, Rainbow Dash peeked over the edge and spotted a cavern not too far from the hill leading down.

"Hey, is there anything down there?" she asked.

"Hmm...I remember there being something down below," Rarity pondered as she looked down. "There was a rumor I was told, where somepony managed to steal a fayth from a temple and dragged it through the caverns. I didn't go down there with Kindred and Jet back then. We didn't really give it much thought."

"Somepony stole a heavy statue?" Rainbow asked. "Why would he do that?"

"Ooh! I know! Maybe he wanted to stop summoners from continuing their pilgrimages! No fayth, no journey!" Pinkie exclaimed.

"...But, it's not needed...Maybe it's something more powerful than the other aeons Fluttershy knows. I say we check it out!" Pinkie leapt up and down, wanting to see what was down there as well, along with some curious agreements from the others, except Twilight.

"W-Wait! W-Why do we have to go down there!?" she asked as Smarty Pants and Mog tried to calm her down to no avail. "I mean, yes, the fayth may have been stolen some hundred years ago, but it's not necessary to get for the Final Summoning! Let's just get going before it gets too late!"

Twilight began to walk across the bridge, only to have her tail tugged by Rarity's aura, pulling her back with the others. "We're going to see if the rumors are true."

"Hooray! Let's excavate some caves!" Pinkie shouted as she now wore some heavy and bulky green armor and wielded a pickax of the same color as the armor.

"...Where did you get that?" Spike asked as he scratched his head in confusion.

"I was saving this for a special occassion! But if there are any Creepers in there, I am so getting out of there!" Ignoring Pinkie's randomness, they headed down into the gorge as they dragged Twilight, her protests failing to voice out as she stared at the cavern.

Inside the caverns, a strange purple miasma was being expelled from crevices. It screamed dangerous, as the place seemed to be infested with pyreflies, or wandering spirits. There were fiends that seemed really dangerous to encounter, especially one specific green creature.

"Oh no. It's one of those things!" Rarity exclaimed as they spotted one of those fiends.

"What's the big deal? Doesn't look that tough," Rainbow said as she looked at the fiend. It was completely green, had yellow eyes that held no soul, wore a tattered brown cloak, and carried a small butcher's knife and a lantern that emitted an eerie blue flame. "I think I can kill that thing in one strike."

"Not against a Tonberry, Dashie! They're worse than Creepers!" Pinkie threw a smoke grenade at the Tonberry, pulling the pegasus far away as the others fled. "Phew. That was close."

"Never mess with a Tonberry, Dash, unless ya'll are askin' for a death sentence." After narrowly escaping from the deadly fiend, they continued carefully making their way through the hoof-made, cavernous maze. Applejack noticed Twilight had been completely silently and blindly following the others, her mane was a total mess and was shuddering in fright. She wasn't helping the others fend off the fiends that weren't Tonberries, looking around everywhere as she clutched her dolls tightly. "Twilight? Are ya alright?"

"I-I don't want to be here...I want to go home," she mumbled, growing more frantic by the minute.

"Just how deep is this cave, anyway?" Rainbow asked as they seemed to reach what was supposedly the halfway point. They all stopped as they watched hundreds of pyreflies floating around one of the corners of a passage on the other side. A pale white hoof stepped forward, revealing a unicorn stallion wandering from the four-way passage, his mane a pale-gray blue. "There's somepony here?"

"No. He's an unsent." The stallion slowly walked toward them, his dull blue eyes glazed over as he stared at them.

He stopped, blocking their path, pulling out a lance he had on his back. As the others prepared to fight the stallion, Twilight gasped in horror as she looked at him. Her breathing grew heavy, almost as if she was having an anxiety attack, tears rolling down her face as she couldn't tear her eyes away from him.

"...N-No...S-Shining?" Twilight slowly made her way up in front of the others, confusing them as she gently shoved past the physical fighters. "...I-It's you..."

"Twilight? What are you doing?" Applejack asked, but she didn't seem to hear her.

"S-Shiny...It's me...Your baby sister." Everyone stared at the lavender mare in shock. "Don't you remember me?"

The stallion didn't respond. He just stared at Twilight with his dead eyes. She tried to approach him, only for Spike to hold her back, none of them having any idea what was wrong with her.

"Twilight, what are you talking about? Do you know him?" Fluttershy asked, feeling a little worried at the unsent stallion's power. "Who is he?"

"...My big brother...Shining Armor," Twilight slowly answered, weakly struggling out of Spike's grip to reach out to her undead brother. "He's still...alive...after I failed...ten years ago..."

"You had a brother too?" Applejack looked at Shining Armor, the stallion waiting patiently as he waited for one of them to strike first. "...Twilight, was he-"

"Fluttershy, send him. He doesn't belong here," Rarity said.

The summoner nodded as she stepped forward. Just as she was about to perform the sending, the stallion leapt forward and thrust his lance at Fluttershy. Rainbow Dash quickly blocked the attack and pushed the unsent unicorn back. Fluttershy was about to try again, but Shining somehow shot out some kind of shockwave that disturbed her.

"Ok, he really doesn't want to get sent." The pegasus guardian got ready to defend again as Shining Armor brought up a hoof.

The area soon got dark as peach blossoms began to fall all around them. A peach tree appeared out of nowhere, and leaning behind the tree was a taller stallion samurai, about as big as Shiva was. He stepped away from the tree and stepped forward, standing alongside the unsent stallion as he was also assisted by a fiend-like canine that stood next to him.

"What in tarnation did he just do!?" Applejack asked as the others were also surprised.

"He's a summoner. That's an aeon," Rarity said. "This is bad. We have no choice but to fight him in order to rest his spirit! Fluttershy, summon an aeon and take his down!"

"Ok!" Fluttershy summoned Shiva to help assist her in this fight as the others stood behind them.

As the two aeons fought, Twilight was lost to what was happening around her, unable to look away from her brother. She hyperventilated as memories she wished to repress for the rest of her life came flooding back, the day she ended up failing her older sibling.

Walking down the hill leading down to the gorge, two unicorns approached the caverns where the rumored stolen fayth lies. Filly Twilight Sparkle, carrying her favorite hoof-made doll, Smarty Pants, walked alongside her older brother, Shining Armor. The two siblings stood before the entrance to the cave, the young filly feeling a little nervous.

"A-Are you sure there's really a fayth in here, Shiny?" Twilight asked as she held the inanimate Smarty Pants tightly. "Y-You just became a summoner a week ago. What if it's just a rumor?"

"I know, Twily, but I need to know," Shining said, holding his lance tightly in his magical aura. "I wasn't told anything about this aeon being important. Better to find out if it is necessary so we don't come back down here later."

"Why not later?" she pleaded. "We have to go up to Mt. Gagazet anyway."

"I think we can make it. After all, I've spent a few years under the monks' tutelage, and passed with flying colors, and I've got a powerful little guardian who can turn a Flan into mush with her incredible magic," the stallion praised, erasing any of the filly's fears.

"Yeah...Yeah! I studied every magic spell and cast them successfully!" Twilight exclaimed. "I'm gonna be the best guardian ever! Guardian Twilight and Smarty Pants ready to do our duty!"

The filly saluted, using her magic to make Smarty Pants salute with her. The two ventured forth into the caverns to seek out the stolen fayth. Despite their young age, they were able to take out the worst of the fiends that rested inside the miasma filled depths, though they knew to stay clear of the Tonberries. They wandered around, finding lots of dead ends and secret passages. One thing the filly had noted was that there was a glyph placed in the first room, though with how dangerous the caverns were, she didn't have enough time to look at it closely and find out what it did.

After going through a majority of the caves, they reached a dead end, where all they found was a large room with what looked like more passages, but they were blocked off by rocks, the passageways having collapsed on themselves. There was another one of those glyph platforms like back in the earlier room near the entrance. Curious, Twilight walked up to it and examined it.

"I wonder what these glyph things are?" she wondered. "Is it...machina?"

"I don't think so." Twilight sat next to his sister and looked at the platform. "I think I remember seeing one of these when the monks took me down to see the Via Purifico. They're some kind of transportation device to maneuver around the dungeons."

"It looks like the same one back near the entrance, so we can use this to get back out without backtracking!" Twilight clapped her hooves together, Shining seeing that glint in her eyes as she wanted to learn more about something. "But how does this thing work?"

Her questions would remain unanswered as the unicorns heard lots of growling coming from behind them. As their luck would have it, a large group of fiends, lead by a lone Tonberry, rushed into the room and surrounded the two.

"Oh great. They decided to be smart." Shining stood in front of Twilight to defend her, though with the amount of fiends around them, he couldn't take them down on his own. "Twily, you got any spells that can hit all of them you can cast?"

"I-I don't know," Twilight said, completely terrified. "I don't know if I can."

"What about that new spell you found? Ultima?" Shining asked.

"I-I can't cast that! It's dangerous! I don't even know what it'll do!" She yelped as one of the fiends lunged at them.

Shining ran it through with his lance, throwing its body away from them. "Just try! I know you can do it! I don't know if I can keep any of them at bay, and that Tonberry's getting closer!" The Tonberry was slowly getting closer as the other fiends distracted the stallion, trying to protect himself and his sister. Twilight tried to cast the powerful spell, but she was so scared and nervous that her horn always fizzled out before she could complete it, hiding behind Shining as the fiends attacked them. "I know you want to protect me, Twily, but I have to protect you more...This is my fault. We shouldn't have come down here."

"I can't do it! I can't cast it!" Twilight began to panic, failing her brother as the guardian she was supposed to be.

With the filly broken down, and the Tonberry getting closer as the fiends kept the young stallion from focusing on the menacing creature slowly walking toward them. There was no way they could survive, and he blamed himself for being unprepared and too overly curious over the stolen fayth rumor. He brought his little sister down in this dangerous cavern, and he wasn't going to let anything bad happen to her. He looked back at the platform they stood by, seeing there was no room for the both of them to use it together.

"Twily, I'm not going to let them hurt you. As soon as you get to the exit, run back to Bevelle, and don't look back." Before Twilight could question what he meant, Shining Armor shoved the filly onto the teleportation glyph and activated it to send her back to the entrance. "...I'm sorry."

"Shiny?" Before she was transported away from danger, she saw the Tonberry leap up behind the teenage stallion, about to thrust its knife into his back.

As soon as she disappeared, knowing she was safe, Shining screamed in agony as the Tonberry's knife was thrust in his back, causing more pain than any normal stabbing would. Fighting through the pain, he threw the small fiend off his back and smashed the platform to pieces. He knew Twilight would try to come back after sacrificing himself like this, neither one of them wanting to be apart from each other.

"I'm sorry, Twilight," he weakly said, feeling his life drain from the bleeding wound left by the knife. "...I'm leaving you on your own...Some responsible older brother I turned out to be..." Shining turned around, facing the several fiends still alive, as well as the Tonberry that stabbed him. Ignoring the pain, he held out his lance and pointed it at the small fiend. "...I'm sorry, mom...dad...Guess I'll be joining you in the Farplane."

As Shining was ready to go down fighting, Twilight ended up back near the entrance, the platform deactivating after he had broken the other one. She wanted to help her brother, she was supposed to protect him, but she failed him. She wanted to look back, hearing the stallion's grunts and shouts echo throughout the cavern as he fought off the fiends. Eventually, she did as she was told and ran away, tears streaming down her face as she fled.

She didn't look back. She didn't want to look back. She had lost her parents when she was barely a toddler, the only family she had was her brother. They were supposed to protect each other. He learned how to fight with a weapon, his favorite being his lance, and she studied everything she could involving black magic and the fiends throughout Spira. She was a prodigy in magic, able to cast advanced spells for a filly her age, even using the most powerful of black magic that could take the most experienced of mages several years to master. Now she lost her older brother, and she failed to save him while he saved her.

She didn't stop running as she ran through the Calm Lands and reached the gates of Bevelle. She was safe, but felt overwhelming guilt as her magic failed to save them from the ambushing fiends. She ended up tripping on her hooves, her never-ending tears blurring her vision as she had broken down, panting heavily and bawling her eyes out. She held Smarty Pants close as she curled in a ball and cried, catching the attention of a few ponies as they saw the distraught filly. They couldn't get any answers as to what was wrong with her as she spent the rest of the day mourning her loss and failure.

Shining's aeon was a lot more powerful than the others had expected. Though it was the same size as Shiva, its attacks looked brutal as it attacked with several different swords and even tossing kunai at the deity of ice. Thankfully, Shiva was an expert evader and managed to triumph over the samurai aeon, Fluttershy's commands more tactical than the unsent stallion's. It disappeared as it fell on its knees, defeated by the pegasus summoner's power. But the battle wasn't over, Shining Armor running forward and running his lance through Shiva, defeating it easily as she was too tired.

"Wow, he's tougher than he looks." The unsent unicorn stallion looked up at the party, readying his weapon as was prepared to charge at them again. "Let's just send him before he summons anything else."

"No! Don't take my brother away!" Twilight shouted as she broke out of Spike's grip. Rarity and Rainbow Dash quickly blocked the mare from getting any closer, but that didn't stop Smarty Pants as it ran up to the stallion, his eyes focused on the ragged doll that stopped in front of him. To everyone's surprise, he lowered his weapon as he picked up Smarty Pants, the doll reaching its forelegs out to him. "Shiny? You remember Smarty Pants?

"You made her for me on my birthday...You wanted to get me a good gift, but you didn't have any Gil to buy a doll for me, and I really wanted a Moogle doll. You made her with old and used materials, and I never wanted to be apart from her," Twilight said, feeling a little hopeful as she was seeing her brother coming back.

The others watched, more wary than accepting, the undead stallion looking at Smarty Pants in some sort of curiosity. Shining blinked, looking up from the doll and at the teary-eyed face of the mare who was his little sister. She thought she would bring him back and she didn't care if he was unsent. If he was able to retain his memories like Blueblood had, then maybe she could convince Fluttershy not to send him.

Unfortunately, her hopes would be shattered. Shining lifted up his lance and tossed Smarty Pants in the air. As soon as the doll fell, he thrust his weapon straight through it, ripping Smarty Pants to shreds. Pieces of the ragged doll laid about the room, the spell on it dispelled as it was "killed", Smarty Pants's head rolling over to the shocked and horrified lavender unicorn.

"I'm sorry, Twilight," Rarity said as the distraught unicorn collapsed to the ground. "He's not your brother anymore...He's a fiend, just like the others. His spirit doesn't belong here."

Shining thrust his lance into the ground, causing a small quake as it alerted several fiends throughout the cavern. They surrounded the party as they awaited the undead stallion's command. While the others prepared to fight for their lives, Twilight felt her world shatter again. The memories of her and her brother flooded back after repressing them for several years to avoid the heartache she suffered. Smarty Pants was the only thing that helped her stay sane, especially after animating her so she wouldn't feel alone.

Now, her favorite doll was destroyed by Shining Armor, no longer remembering her. The stallion she saw as her brother was no longer there, only a fiend who led the others like the alpha of his pack, exactly like the Tonberry had back then. Her happiness was broken, her failure to protect the one she cared about plaguing her until she grew cold around others to keep herself from failing under others' expectations of her. Any hope she had of being happy was always taken away from her, believing she was cursed after getting her brother killed when she couldn't save them back then.

Her emotions began to overwhelm her as the pain came flooding in like a blazing fire spreading a large forest, her magic sparking brightly as she couldn't contain it any longer. Her eyes began glowing white as she screamed, her voice piercing through everyone's ears and managing to terrify some of the fiends. Her magic exploded as she unleashed a powerful spell, the area turning dark as several orbs of non-elemental energy formed around the fiends in large groups, imploding multiple times and killing every single fiend within them.

The others backed away from Twilight as they saw her unleashing all of her magic, surprised to witness the spell that was cast. The same sphere appeared around Shining Armor, the unsent stallion thrusting his lance forward to break free, only to shatter his weapon from the magical force keeping him trapped. He was unable to escape as his body was wracked with explosions, the magical blasts slowly destroying him with each implosion that was released. As soon as it ended, he fell to the ground, his body slowly disappearing as the pyreflies around him, who miraculously survived the magical spell, flew away, his spirit finally released from his connection to the living.

As the last of the fiends disappeared, Twilight's magic finally subsided and greatly exhausted her, the mare passing out as she collapsed to the ground. Now that things have calmed down, and there didn't seem to be anymore fiends around for the time being, everyone took a moment to relax after the near-death experience they were about to receive.

"...Ah didn't know Twilight had a brother," Applejack mumbled as she looked down at the unconscious unicorn.

Pinkie Pie picked up Smarty Pants's pieces, though it didn't seem like Twilight's special gift from her older brother could be repaired. "Maybe it was a bad idea to come down here after all."

"But that aeon...The stolen fayth must really be here," Fluttershy said. "If Twilight's brother was a summoner, how was he able to call an aeon?"

"Some memories can still be retained from an unsent pony," Rarity said. "Most of them are more based on feral instinct: see any movement or feel threatened, strike their opponents, and kill or be killed. And he managed to prove there was an aeon nopony's ever seen."

"Then why don't we look for it?" Rainbow asked. "This place can't be too big."

"Ah'll take Twilight out of this place." Applejack lifted the unconscious unicorn up onto her back, Mog sitting on top of the mare's hat as it mourned the loss of its felty friend as Pinkie gave the pieces to the Moogle doll. "Ya'll go and find that fayth. Ah'll wait at the foot of Mt. Gagazet."

The rest of the party nodded, wanting to get Twilight out of here before she might have another breakdown if she woke up. As soon as Applejack made it safely outside the cavern, the others continued on their way through to reach a dead end in the cavern. In the center of the room was a broken transportation glyph, and the rest of the passages were caved in, no sign of the fayth statue anywhere.

"Hmmm..." Pinkie stood over the platform and inspected it. "Seems broken. But I think I can fix it." With a bit of tinkering that only lasted for a few minutes, the Al Bhed mare fixed the transporter good as new. Stepping on it, she pointed the arrow up to the northern end of the room, disappearing as she was teleported to another part of the cave. She came back, bouncing excitedly. "I found it! I found it! I found it!"

"The fayth?" The mare nodded her head. "It's really here?"

"Yeah! I'm guessing these transporter thingies must have been used as a shortcut. Rightfully so because the room was blocked off by heavy rocks that SOMEHOW can't be moved to free the way after a bit of digging. Teleporters fix everything though!" Pinkie pulled out a blank blueprint sheet and began drawing out the schematics for the transporter. "I wonder if I can make one that can transport more than one pony."

"Well, let's see what it is!" Rainbow excitedly said as she walked on it first.

After arriving in the caved in room with the fayth inside, the pegasus spotted the statue in a dug out ditch, yellow caution tape around it to act as some kind of dome or warning anyone not to step on it. It was hard to tell what the fayth was supposed to be with its long hair, but it was definitely a pony holding a sword in one hoof. Fluttershy arrived in the room, the others waiting for them to come back out. The summoner prayed to the fayth, and an illusion of the fayth appeared, along with a dog that sat beside him. The stallion seemed to look like a mercenary, his face concealed by his hat, similar to that of the aeon.

"Greetings, summoner," he said. "I am the blade of vengeance, those who resent me dare to whisper my name: Yojimbo. What do you need of me?"

"Yojimbo, I wish to defeat Sin and bring peace to all of Spira, where everypony will rejoice in happiness," Fluttershy said.

"...I see...Then, if you desire my strength, you must pay my price." Both pegasi stared at the fayth, aghast as they were being forced to pay an aeon for their help.

"Are you serious!?" Rainbow complained. "You can't be serious!"

"I am serious. For the price to pay...how about three hundred trillion Gil?" Rainbow's jaw dropped at the expensive price.

"W-We don't have that much money," Fluttershy admitted.

"Then you waste my time," Yojimbo said coldly. "Come back when you have the money, and then we'll see if you are worthy of my skills."

The fayth disappeared, leaving the two mares flabbergasted. "What a cheap prick! She's fighting Sin, you stupid spirit thing! Why do we have to pay you to summon you!?" Rainbow groaned and sat down, yelping as her rump landed on something hard in the dirt. "What the hay was that?"

She dug up the area where she sat at, finding a sphere. There was dried blood on it, with Twilight's name written on the side of it.

"Is this...Shining Armor's sphere?" Fluttershy asked.

"Maybe...but how did it end up in here if that thing was broken?" Rainbow carefully placed the sphere in her pocket as the two pegasi ignored the cheap fayth and met up with the others.

With Twilight having fallen unconscious, the party spent the rest of the day near the foot of Mt. Gagazet, setting up a campsite as they seemed to be safe from any fiends. She did wake up a while ago, though she seemed drained of any emotion as she stared at the fire. Rarity was struggling to try to fix Smarty Pants, but Shining's lance had done a big number on the already worn out toy, turning it into a dilapidated mess.

"Ugh...Clothing is more my specialty, not stuffed animals." She gave up trying to return Smarty Pants to her former glory, giving the remains back to Twilight. "Sorry, Twilight. Not all unsent can act like Blueblood or Star Swirl. Even if your brother did  behave normally, he still shouldn't exist if his time had come."

Twilight didn't respond. Everyone felt bad for the mare, having gone through a pretty traumatic experience that she kept silent about for over a decade. It was no wonder she ended up acting strangely as they reached the Calm Lands and didn't want to go down the gorge. Out of all of them though, Applejack understood exactly how Twilight feels, though her depressing loss was when she was only a filly.

They both had older brothers who cared about them, and they died in the worst ways nopony could ever imagine. And the pony she had mentioned back in Kilika when she brought up the theory that anyone who was killed by Sin couldn't come back, but her brother didn't die from Sin. She must have accidentally slipped it out as she thought of Shining Armor again.

While the camp was quiet, aside from the crackling fire in front of them, Rainbow Dash pulled out the sphere she and Fluttershy found. "Hey, Twi? This sphere had your name on it...I think it might have been your brother's."

Twilight looked up and noticed the sphere, recognizing the writing on it. She took it in her telekinesis, and played it with a shaky hoof.

The sound of painful groans could be heard behind the sphere as it recorded the inside of the collapsed cave where the stolen fayth rested. It kept a visual on the statue for a moment until the pony recording it turned it around to look at it. Shining Armor was a wreck, his body covered in wounds as his body began to turn pale, blood staining his white coat. He wrote out Twilight's name on the sphere before he set it down, panting heavily in exhaustion.

"H-Hey...If anypony finds this...then, congratulations. You found the stolen fayth...rumored to be in these caves near Mt. Gagazet...for hundreds of years." Shining took a moment to catch his breath, feeling like he was on the verge of passing out, or on the verge of death. "And...if you do find this sphere...please...give this to my little sister...Her name's written on this sphere...

"Twily...if you're watching this...I barely made it out alive, but I got them." The tired stallion lifted up a small knife that belonged to the Tonberry that got him, still stained with his blood. "Got the little bugger." Shining chuckled, only to begin coughing heavily and hacking up blood. He controlled his breathing as he looked at the sphere. "At least...I know you're safe...I'm not going to make it...I still can't believe I fought them all and won...while also slipping through the caved in room for safety.

"...I know you're probably mourning for me...but I don't want you to blame yourself, Twily. It was my fault I dragged you outside of Bevelle...and to this place...I'm not mad at you for being afraid to cast any magic...I only wish I didn't believe those rumors..." He weakly slammed his forehoof into the wall he leaned against out of frustration on his careless actions. "...I put my own baby sister in danger...I think I deserve to die for being the worst brother in Spira's history...At least I protected you and gave you the chance to flee...

"...I hope you're doing ok without me...I hope you're safe." Tears began to roll down Shining's cheeks as he was about to lose consciousness. "I'm sorry, Twily...If I get sent, if any summoners do make it down here...I'll say hi to mom and dad for you...I love you...L.S.B.F.F..."

He reached out to the sphere to end the recording, and as the screen went dark, Shining fell over as he breathed his last breath.

As the last of Shining's dying message to Twilight ended, she just stared at the sphere, letting his final words sink in. The others worried as Twilight was eerily quiet, half expecting her to blow up again and half expecting her to cry. At least the ones who questioned the unicorn's moody attitude understood why she behaved this way, feeling sorry for her as she seemed to go through the worst traumatic moment no one should go through at a young age.

Applejack moved closer to Twilight, resting a hoof on her shoulder. "Twilight?" She slowly looked up at the orange earth pony, tears slowly beginning to well up in the unicorn's eyes. "...Why didn't ya want to tell us about this? Losin' your brother?"

"...I-I...I didn't want to remember," Twilight said as her tears ran down her face. "I didn't want to remember my failure...Shiny needed me to help him, and I couldn't do anything...I mastered every spell I ever read, and I froze in fear in that stupid cave! I was his guardian, and I was supposed to protect him like he does for me! I let him down...and he...he..."

Twilight couldn't hold it back anymore, burying her face in Applejack's shoulder and cried. She gently patted the lavender mare's back as she let out all her pent up sorrow. Applejack heard Twilight mumbling apologies as she sobbed: to her, Shining Armor, everyone she had lashed out at from her frustrations while keeping her depression from coming back.

"Ah'm sorry, sugarcube," Applejack consoled the unicorn, holding her tightly as she wept.

A while later, Twilight managed to calm down a little, everyone else having fallen asleep while she stayed awake. She looked down at the remains of Smarty Pants, somewhat fixed up thanks to Rarity's attempt to repair her, but her animation spell wouldn't work on her special birthday gift as it was now. For so long, she kept Smarty Pants as a memento, both as a reminder of her brother and her greatest failure as a guardian. For so many years, she was afraid Shining Armor hated her for being unable to use her magic to save them, but hearing him blame himself and understanding her fright back then in that situation eased her mind a little. He kept her safe like the protective older brother he was, always looking out for her when they were oprhans.

"...Shining...I hope you're in the Farplane, resting peacefully now..." Twilight gently brushed the remaining bits of mane left on Smarty Pants's head. "...I miss you so much...If only I was strong enough..."

"What more could ya have done as a filly?" She looked over at Applejack, pretending to sleep as she watched Twilight. "It sounded like our big brothers were alike after seein' that sphere. They were both makin' sure we would be safe, even if what they thought was a good idea ended up bein' stupid." The earth pony guardian sat closer to Twilight, looking at the destroyed doll that was once alive. "When ya'll were datin' Big Mac...did ya see your brother in him?"

"...A little," the unicorn admitted. "I was...actually afraid when I was with him...I didn't want to feel happy, scared of losing somepony I wanted to be close to, just like Shining...I felt like I would never be happy ever again after what happened to him...That's why I wanted to shut any positive emotions away. I didn't want to go through that pain anymore, losing the ones I love..."

Twilight choked back a sob as a fresh wave of tears began to run down her cheeks. "Twi..." Applejack hugged her, understanding her pain. "Ah know it was hard for you to even say somethin' that painful...Ah'm glad ya did. Ya shouldn't bottle anythin' inside forever. Ah felt like explodin' a month after what happened to Big Mac." After Twilight kept herself from crying any further, she held Smarty Pants up before her. "...What are ya gonna do about Smarty Pants?"

"...I can't bring her back to life like this...She's too badly torn apart, killed like a normal living being..." She looked down at the fire, still burning brightly as it illuminated their small campsite. "...I kept Smarty Pants to remind me of my failure...but now, I feel like a small weight's lifted from my shoulders after hearing Shining's last words..." Twilight looked up at the night sky, wondering if her family is watching her. "...I love you too, B.B.B.F.F...Take care of Smarty Pants for me..."

To Applejack's surprise, Twilight gently hovered Smarty Pants's remains into the fire. She watched as the doll burned, imagining her doll's spirit would reach the Farplane and be with her big brother as her gift turned to ashes. As the last of Smarty Pants burned away, Twilight held Mog tightly in her hooves as she leaned against Applejack. She had fallen asleep moments later, greatly exhausted, but at peace with herself.

"Hey, Twi?" The unicorn's ears twitched, listening to Applejack as she slept. "Ya know what that spell was ya cast down there? It was pretty powerful."

She shifted a little as she recalled her magical burst in her distress, knowing exactly what the spell was. "Ultima..."

Chapter 36: Dragon's Pride

As morning light shone over Mt. Gagazet, the party was up bright and early as they were ready to trek through the mountain, wanting to climb over before nightfall. Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash told the others about the aeon Yojimbo, and how ridiculous the fayth was with its expensive payment to have him join the group. Deciding to ignore getting the cheap mercenary aeon for now, they began to hike up the freezing mountain, just a distance away from Zanarkand.

Even though Twilight had gone through a lot yesterday, she was ok to keep going, wanting to fulfill Fluttershy's wishes to go through with her pilgrimage. She may have lost her brother again, and her favorite doll her older sibling made for her, but she's able to move on now, keeping the sphere Shining Armor made for her as he clung on desperately to life to say his final farewells to his baby sister. Smarty Pants may not be around to slap some sense into the others if Twilight was annoyed, but she at least had Mog, willing to do anything it can to help the unicorn if she was ever upset.

Snow began to fall as soon as they climbed up the path into Mt. Gagazet, passing under stone archways that have been made several hundred years ago. Surprisingly, there seemed to be a lack of dragons around, none of them even flying around in the air. It wasn't a harsh blizzard, so it seemed ok for a dragon to fly around, but where did they all go to?

Answering their concerns, Elder Yiazmat flew down in front of them, blocking them access further up the mountain, along with several more dragons hiding from the rocky slopes. "Summoner Fluttershy and her guardians, you are not allowed here. Mt. Gagazet is a scared mountain of Faust. We will not allow the feet of infidels like you tainting our mountain."

"I no longer follow the teachings of Faust," Fluttershy said. "Their teachings have been warped by corruption and greed for power by the maesters of Faust, and have betrayed everypony in Spira."

"Then you will all die where you stand." Garble and Clubba stepped up from behind Yiazmat, ready to take care of the traitors.

"But you left, didn't you, Yiazmat?" That caught the dragon elder off guard. "You saw how horrible the teachings have been defied, even when you found out about Orion Guado's death. And you're protecting Mt. Gagazet from others as a dragon elder, not a maester, right?"

"Elder, don't listen to those stupid ponies!" Garble said. "Let's just kill them! They've already made a mess in Bevelle!"

Before Garble and Clubba could charge at them, Yiazmat grabbed their tails and flung them to the ground behind him. His strength showed he was deserving to be a leader of his tribe, having dazed both of the strongest of his dragons before they could do anything reckless. The elder looked down at Fluttershy, standing her ground despite his power.

"You've been branded as a traitor, all seven of you," he said. "You aren't going to flee, knowing you're surrounded by my tribe?" Fluttershy shook her head as she kept her eye contact on the white dragon's. "And you're willing to continue your pilgrimage after casting aside the temples and lose everything you have worked hard for?...What exactly are you fighting for?"

"I fight for Spira," the summoner answered. "Even if I throw the teachings away, knowing that they're nothing but lies, I want to bring the Calm to everypony and stop Sin. I may be a traitor, but that's what everypony believes the corrupted maesters. Those who truly know me know I'm not, and I wish to end everypony's pain, if only for a while."

The mountain was silent as Yiazmat took in Fluttershy's words. He left as a maester because of the corruption he clearly saw, never told about Orion's death and what had really happened. Even if he knew Star Swirl was unsent, it felt wrong for him to have to keep this secret from the world. He even questioned how he became a maester, aside from following the teachings up until the trial against Fluttershy and her guardians.

After pondering over her decision, he finally made his. "...For a frail pegasus like yourself, you have a stronger will than myself. Dragons, let them pass! We will allow only those who seek to follow the true teachings of Faust! No longer will we let those with ill intentions and disregard the teachings on our mountain!" As much as the other dragons didn't seem to trust Fluttershy's group, they obeyed their leaders orders, knowing how corrupted the teachings were as Yiazmat told them they were dropping out of Bevelle's ideals. The crowd of dragons dispersed and went about their business, showing no hostility toward them. "The sacred heights of Gagazet await your presence, Summoner Fluttershy."

"Thank you, Elder Yiazmat." Fluttershy bowed to the elder dragon as they were allowed entrance.

They continued on their way, but as they passed the other dragons, they seemed to be eyeing Spike. Rainbow Dash remembered him telling her he was cast out of his home for disrespecting his tribe. It was bad enough to be called an outcast, and along with being kicked out of his mountain home, he had his wings torn off. Before they were able to get any further on the trail, Garble and Clubba flew down and blocked their path.

"Oh great," Rainbow grumbled. "What do you two bozos want!? We're allowed through!"

"Yes. Elder Yiazmat said you ponies could pass." Garble pointed his claw at Spike. "But Spikey's not allowed."

"He's Fluttershy's guardian!" the pegasus argued.

"He's a disgrace to us dragons!" Clubba argued back. "He humiliated himself in front of all of us over ten years ago, thinking he could beat us. He failed in front of Elder Yiazmat and is considered a pathetic dragon by Mt. Gagazet's presence."

"He's lucky he was only kicked out when he climbed back up after I threw him down the mountain," Garble mocked as Spike growled as they brought back that horrible memory. "He's better off staying down with the rest of your puny pony friends back beyond the Calm Lands."

"Then I'll prove my strength," Spike said as he stepped forward. "I'll take both of you on with everything I've got."

"And I'll help!" Rainbow said, only to have Spike's spear shoved in her mouth.

"By myself." Spike walked up to the small area near the cliffside, Garble and Clubba mocking the purple dragon. He looked down the edge, remembering the exact ledge where he was tossed down a decade ago. "You two were lucky Fluttershy was kidnapped back in Luca...I'm a lot stronger than you think I am. This time, I will win."

The two dragons laughed, several other dragons standing along the mountain ridge as they watched, including Yiazmat. It was as if they knew he would be tested to prove his worth if he ever set foot back home, and Spike was going to have the entire tribe watch to see if he would fail or succeed.

"We'll see how weak you are, Spike." The three dragons prepared to fight, staring each other down.

It was bad enough to watch Spike fight two of his tribe's strongest fighters by himself, but after seeing him take down several powerful fiends on his own, even standing up to Blueblood after his transformation back in Bevelle, the mares knew he could do this. The dragons, however, didn't seem to hold Spike in high regards. They all knew he disrespected their customs and Yiazmat, and if he was able to prove himself, then they might accept him back.

After the two sides sized each other up, Garble and Clubba flew forward and were going to ram straight into Spike. The smaller dragon held up his claws and grabbed their heads as they pushed him back into the wall of the mountain. Thinking they knocked him out, Spike only smirked as he used Lancet on both of them, sapping away their strength while also mimicking some of their unique abilities. Spike took in a deep breath  and expelled a powerful torrent of water out of his mouth, sending both bullies flying back as the water on their scales turned to ice.

"Go, Spike! Kick their tails!" Rainbow cheered as the others rooted for the young dragon, Pinkie somehow wearing a cheerleader's outfit while wearing pom poms.

"Fight, Spike, fight! With all your might! Gooooooo, Spikey!" Pinkie chanted as she bounced around.

Garble and Clubba got up, shattering the ice that caught on their skin as they leered at the purple scaled dragon. "Did he really just copy your Aqua Breath?"

"Cheating little punk," Clubba grumbled. "Let's knock that twerp out."

Garble charged first and threw a punch, only for Spike to dodge it and thrust his palm into the red dragon's chest and used Lancet again, stealing another move. He then slugged Garble hard in the face and knocked him back. Clubba took in a deep breath and shot out a blast of water from his mouth at Spike. Before it could hit him, the dragon guardian clenched his fist as two magical barriers formed around him, along with the four elemental nullifying spells appeared and orbited around him. The water Nul spell disabled the aquatic breath, leaving the purple dragon unharmed.

"This fight didn't have any rules, so I'm not exactly cheating," Spike corrected the tubby brown dragon. "I'm proving to you how strong I am, and that includes using our tribe's Dragon Rages. You gonna keep complaining, or do you want to keep fighting?"

Garble growled as he stood back up. "You're only getting lucky! You're dead meet, Spike!"

The two dragons charged again and the three got into a fist fight, but Spike was clearly winning despite the handicap of two against one. Each punch they threw was easily blocked or avoided and he countered back. Even if they did strike him, they didn't do much damage with his added defensive barriers. Garble and Clubba were too focused on beating Spike up and neglecting to use their Dragon Rages to gain the upper hand, while he used them against them while easily avoiding their attacks.

Their fight seemed to last for nearly an hour, the two bullies not letting up or staying down while Spike seemed to remain unharmed as he also healed any minor injuries by using Lancet to steal their health. Yiazmat was actually impressed to see how strong Spike had gotten after watching his humiliating defeat, even the other dragons wanted to see him win. He had come a long way after being disappointed with the young dragon for his behavior back then, a memory that stayed with him for many years.

Yiazmat watched as two of the young dragons in the tribe had fought against each other as the young Spike challenged Garble. Unfortunately, for the small purple dragon, he was no match for the young red bully. He disrespected the young dragon fighter in front of the elder, insulting his skills when he barely utilized his own Dragon Rage abilities. As his punishment, Garble ripped off the small dragon's wings off his back and tossed him off the side of the toughest cliffside to climb up for his disrespect. He was surprised to see Spike actually made it back up after a couple hours, his determination far surpassing what the elder expected of him.

Spike panted heavily as the stubs that used to be his wings bled a little, but the wounds were slowly closing. "...You managed to survive and climb back up...Not many dragons could make it back up without their wings."

"I did," Spike said, ignoring the pain in his back as he squinted through the blizzard rushing in his face.

"...Yes...But this does no justify your insolence," Yiazmat coldly said. "You are hereby exiled from Mt. Gagazet. If you value your life, then I suggest you leave this instant before I finish what Garble started."

"...I understand, Elder Yiazmat." Spike walked down the trail and left the mountain, forever banned from walking among the rocks that formed Gagazet.

"So long, loser!" Garble taunted, only to receive a smack upside the head from the elder.

"Garble, still your tongue," Yiazmat scolded the young dragon. "I hope you realize you made me exile that young dragon from your constant teasing."

"W-What?" the red dragon asked, confused.

"Spike was an orphaned egg before he hatched, and I promised his parents I would look after their child as Sin attacked, where they died as the last summoner fought it in the Calm Lands." He watched as the young purple dragon disappeared down the slope. "...He has latent potential only known to his family line...Maybe in time among the ponies, he just might be able to fully master his family's ability copying technique; Lancet."

Garble scoffed as he rubbed his sore head. "Whatever...He's not special."

Spike had managed to knock Clubba out cold as the elder was lost in his thoughts, Garble badly injured as he was close to passing out while the young purple dragon was unharmed. He really had mastered Lancet to the fullest potential, where many other dragons could only learn fiend abilities by being struck by the attack and living to use their power. Spike has become a powerful dragon after a decade of exile, maybe becoming the dragon tribe's future leader. Even with all the hardships he had faced growing up, Yiazmat watching him as he was constantly teased by his other peers, he didn't let their heckling bug him as he kept his pride from diminishing his lifestyle.

"J-Just...stop avoiding me and fall down!" Garble shouted as he charged once more.

Spike leapt up high in the air, avoiding the red dragon and shot fireballs down at him. As he the bully fell, Spike used Lancet on Garble again as he fell back down, thrusting his leg forward until he struck his abdomen, making the experienced dragon wheeze in agony. Seeing he wasn't getting back up, Spike backed away, though keeping a cautious gaze on the two dragons.

"Had enough, Garble?" the purple scaled dragon asked.

"...I-I...I yield...You win," Garble said, barely able to move, let alone breathe.

The ponies cheered for Spike's victory as the other dragons were impressed at his skills. As the cheering died down, Yiazmat approached the purple dragon, Spike standing vigilantly, awaiting what the elder will say to him.

"...I am quite impressed, Spike," Yiazmat said. "After ten long years, after humiliating yourself in my presence and being cast out of Gagazet, you managed to prove yourself that you still kept that stubborn pride and have won back respect to your home. The mountain has seen your triumph and hardships, and you are allowed to walk among these lands once again."

"...Thank you, Elder Yiazmat," Spike said with a smile. "I do apologize for the trouble I have caused."

"Your victory has already detained any disrespectful actions of the past. Just promise me, as a dragon, you grow stronger and protect your summoner with all your might." Spike nodded, understanding his elder's promise he intends to keep for a lifetime. Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie tackled Spike as they and the others congratulated him on his outstanding victory against the bullies that messed with him. Yiazmat turned to Fluttershy, who was pleased to know Spike would still stay by her as her guardian. "Summoner Fluttershy, continue on your pilgrimage to Zanarkand. In your honor, we will build a statue in your honor and make sure to keep any ponies from chasing after you."

"Thank you, Elder Yiazmat," Fluttershy thanked, appreciative of their understanding of their situation.

As the group was about to leave, Yiazmat stopped them for a moment. "Wait! One more thing!"

"Oh come on!" Rainbow complained. "What more is there you want to do to us!?"

He was silent for a moment, then, to the group's surprise, Yiazmat began to sing the hymn. The rest of the tribe sang along with him, their voices echoing across the mountain in a crescendo. The dragons were wishing them all luck on their journey up the dangerous mountain and safe travels as they reach Zanarkand. Even Garble and Clubba were singing, even after they were beaten by Spike.

With the dragons on their side, they headed off on their way up the mountain to reach the other side of Gagazet, where Zanarkand was only a steep climb downhill away. As they walked along the dangerous rocky pathways, reaching from ridge to ridge, no one noticed a robed stallion hiding along the mountainside near the entrance to Mt. Gagazet, a sinister grin slowly growing on their face.

Chapter 37: Why Won't You Die!?

The party walked along the rocky trail, passing by makeshift gravestones of summoners that didn't make it through Mt. Gagazet and met their ends at certain points. Many of them might have turned into fiends as previous summoners might not have sent them in time. Even if they didn't make it to Zanarkand, they ended up dying, along with their guardians who had failed to protect them.

As they carefully made their way across the rocky bridges, Pinkie and Rainbow took the rear as they were getting closer and closer to Zanarkand. "We're getting closer to Zanarkand...Closer to Fluttershy's eventual demise."

"I know," Rainbow agreed with the Al Bhed. "I can't think of anything we can do to save her...There has to be some other way to stop Sin without sacrificing anypony." They continued on as they were close to the upper part of the path, a cliffside overlooking a long stretch of ocean. While the others continued moving forward, Pinkie and Rainbow stopped as they struggled to find some solution to save Fluttershy. "Maybe something will come up if we reach Zanarkand...I don't know what, but it might be something good."

"Maybe, but how are we supposed to beat Sin without the Final Aeon if it's the only thing that can stop it?" Pinkie asked. "So many ponies keep sacrificing themselves, and Sin keeps coming back without any reason as to why."

"Yeah, that bugs me too." Rainbow tried to figure out what it was about Sin that kept coming back. Right now, her father, Jet Stream, was the current Sin, which meant other ponies had to have been Sin. The only thing that can't be explained is how it happens. "Urgh. Everything in Spira doesn't make any sense: Faust's teachings, machina considered taboo, crazy ponies seeking power over a corruptive government...It's like the world's turned upside down."

"...So, are you really from a thousand years ago?" Pinkie asked.

"None of you seem to believe me all that much, but yes! Everything was a lot simpler back in Zanarkand. No fiends. No summoners. No unnecessary sacrifices." Rainbow Dash groaned, wishing this future would have been more peaceful and advanced with technology, not reverted back hundreds of years from her time with monsters running around. "Of all my bad luck, huh?"

"...Weeeeeell, then you wouldn't have met any of us," the Al Bhed said. "You wouldn't have met Fluttershy and got all kissy kissy with her!"

"W-What!?" Rainbow blushed and looked away. "W-We didn't-"

"Liar! You two made out back in Macalania! We all knew it." The pegasus growled in embarrassment as Pinkie laughed at her.

"So, Fluttershy appreciates mares more." Both mares leapt out of the fur as they turned around to the cliffside, their jaws dropped as they saw Blueblood standing there. "Hello, daughter of Sir Jet Stream."

"You've gotta be kidding me," Rainbow muttered, pulling out her sword. "Pinkie, get the others."

"You're going to fight him by yourself!? Nuh uh!" Rainbow Dash looked back at her, not fooling around.

"Pinkie, just go!" Pinkie hesitated, but nodded, quickly running ahead to alert the others. Rainbow glared at the unsent Guado, after somehow coming back and still clinging to life. "You just never know when to stay dead, do you? And how do you know my dad?"

"He's quite popular among Kindred Heart. That, and it was clearly obvious you are his child, sharing the same mane colors." Soon, the rest of the group arrived, holding out their weapons as they saw Blueblood was still alive. "And here comes the rest of your pathetic friends."

"Shut it, Blueblood," Rainbow growled. "I'm sick and tired of seeing your face everytime you show up! Fluttershy, send him before I kill him over and over again!"

"Ah...Before you do, I'd like to have a word with the last dragon before you send me." The Guado began to chuckle as he looked at Spike. "I have to say. You dragons sure are an aggressive bunch. As soon as they saw me, they tried to bar me from passing to reach you, throwing themselves away...One...after...another..."

His laugh turned more cynical as they now realized what he meant. The dragons tried to stop Blueblood, and the Guado ended up killing them as they tried to keep him from getting to them. Killing his father for power was one thing, sicking his ponies on them and sacrificing their lives just to give him power was another, but he wiped out an entire tribe of powerful dragons, and he was growing more insane by the minute. Spike clenched his spear tightly, almost about to snap his weapon into pieces as his rage grew.

"You sick, twisted excuse of a living being," Spike growled, having just gained his respect from his tribe back moments ago. He wanted to kill Blueblood where he stood, get rid of that smug, sadistic grin on his face and spill his blood a thousand times over if he needed to. "For my tribe, for everyone you ended up killing out of your own stupid philosphy, I'm going to make sure you die! Very! PAINFULLY!"

Spike let out a loud roar that echoed all throughout Gagazet as he charged at the Guado. He thrust his spear, only for Blueblood to grab the sharp tip with his hoof, halting his momentum and snapping the weapon's point off. He began to choke the dragon with his magic, Blueblood's aura constricting tightly around his neck, Spike struggling to break free to no avail.

"Let me ease your pain, dragon," Blueblood said, his grin growing wider as he choked Spike. He soon lost focus of his magic as Applejack's blitzball slammed him hard in the face. Rarity and Pinkie quickly dragged Spike away from the mad stallion before he could try to kill him again. "Why do you stop me? All I wish to do is end his suffering."

"Suffering that you caused!" Rainbow shouted.

"Suffering is everywhere." Blueblood held up his hoof, watching some blood seep out of the small nick when he blocked Spike's spear with his hoof. "Spira is nothing but a spiral of death. Depression, sorrow, suffering, loss, all winding down to death. I will become Sin and help mend this world to create a new world. And with your help, Fluttershy, that dream will come true."

He held his bleeding hoof out to her, but Rainbow stood before Fluttershy, wanting him far away from her marefriend. "You touch a single hair on her, and you're dead."

"Technically, he's already dead," Pinkie said. "I mean, he's dead dead, so he's undead yet still alive, which means he already is dead and keeps coming back to life-"

"We get it, Pinkie!" Rainbow yelled, silencing Pinkie's rambling. "The point is you're not taking Fluttershy again!"

"Oh...Do you not want to save your father from his fate?" Blueblood asked. "If I become Sin, then he will be freed from his torment as the destructive beast he became."

Rainbow nearly dropped her sword, shocked to know Blueblood somehow knew about his father. The others were just as surprised about this news, unsure if they should believe him or not. But as they looked at Rainbow Dash, she didn't even seem surprised, already knowing Jet Stream was Sin ever since Rarity told her in Luca.

"...Rainbow Dash? What is he talking about?" Fluttershy asked, receiving no answer from the pegasus.

"None of you knew?" the manic Guado questioned, acting surprised. "I thought that Lady Rarity would tell you, since she was with your fathers ten years ago and saw everything that happened. Hiding some dark secrets of your past?"

"That's none of your concern," Rarity said, ignoring the looks given to her by Fluttershy, Pinkie, Twilight, Applejack, and Spike. "I find it better to let others discover the truth on their own, rather than have everything blurt out of somepony else's mouth. An example you should learn, being a true villain by keeping your father's murder a secret instead of gloating about it like the insane fiend you became."

"Say what you will, but your words won't matter." Blueblood stepped backwards off the edge, levitating in the air as he began to change again. Like before, he seemed to turn pale and statue-like, only this time, he was sitting in a large, ship-like fiend, a large and foreboding lance in the Guado's hoof. "All your hopes end here, along with your miserable existence!"

Blueblood hovered the lance over him and aimed it straight for Rainbow Dash. It flew straight at the pegasus, far too quick to avoid as it struck her, though it didn't kill her. Her body suddenly turned pale as a black haze formed around her eyes. Rainbow groaned, feeling even sicker than when she was poisoned, noticing the pale coloration of her hoof.

"Ugh, what did that do?" she asked. "And why do I feel like eating brains?"

"He turned Dashie into a zombie!" Pinkie exclaimed. "Did anypony buy Holy Water!?"

"What the hay's Holy Water got to do with me being like this!?" Before Rainbow Dash could get an answer, the ship Blueblood sat on began to move its arms up and cast a spell on her.

A bright light shone down on the cyan pegasus, coming down from the heavens through the clouds hovering over Mt. Gagazet. The light didn't seem to look dangerous, but Rainbow Dash felt the full effects of its power, groaning in pain as she collapsed to the ground.

"Rainbow!?" Rarity quickly rushed toward the fallen pegasus and pressed a Phoenix Down to her back.

Revived from the feather's revitalizing magic, Rainbow Dash gasped as she held felt her heart had stopped when the light hit her, but at least her colors were back to normal. "W-What the hay just happened to me!? Did I die!?"

"Full-Life on a zombified being," Rarity explained. "He plans to take us out in the cheapest way possible: inflicting Zombie on us while his little helper he's sitting on casts that healing spell on the inflicted pony."

"I knew I should have stolen some Holy Waters before coming here!" Now knowing to be careful of the lance Blueblood had on him, they had to be careful from getting stabbed by the unholy weapon.

Everyone attacked, though Spike had to resort to using his fists until he fixed his spear or made a new one. Seeing how Blueblood was able to instantly dismiss any aeons, it was going to be difficult to figure out when to use them as defensive walls for his worst attacks or any spells he decides to use. It didn't help when the mini airship fiend of his kept itself near the cliff, occasionally swooping around to try to swipe at them all. What really annoyed them was the transformed, unable to stay dead Guado's lance that instantly inflicted Zombie status on them while his "assistant" used Full-Life to kill them.

He began to change his tactics after taking enough abuse from the party's attacks. Twilight began to cast a powerful Firaga spell on Blueblood, stopping too late as he cast a shimmering barrier over himself. Her spell bounced off and blew up on Rainbow Dash, sending the mare flying backward.

"Ow! Twilight, watch where you're aiming!" she shouted.

"He cast Reflect on himself! It bounces magic spells away from him!" Blueblood began to cast another spell, this time on himself, the Reflect spell bouncing it off and enveloping Rainbow Dash in a powerful pillar of non-elemental flames that shot out beneath her.

"Rainbow Dash!" Fluttershy screamed as she watched her lover collapse to the ground, still conscious but greatly injured.

She was about to heal the cyan pegasus, only to be quickly picked up by Spike as he rescued her from another reflected spell, nearly avoiding the pillar of magical energy spire where she stood. "He's constantly casting Flare on himself! Fluttershy, you have to get rid of it!"

"B-But what about Rainbow!? She's hurt!" she said, greatly worried.

"We're all dead if we can't get rid of Blueblood!" he argued. "I want him to suffer for what he did to my home!"

Blueblood was about to cast another Flare, but Fluttershy quickly used Dispel, getting rid of the magical deflecting spell. He realized too late as he struck himself with his own spell, shouting in pain as a pillar erupted from his seat. He growled, but smirked as they were in for a deadly attack, far worse than his magic.

The ends of his miniature airship began to spark with electricity, shocking everypony that was standing. It then flew up as it fired several missiles down at them, each one exploding around them in a near endless barrage. Blueblood's laugh echoed around them as it flew in after releasing the last of its missiles, causing a bigger explosion as he passed by them, sending everyone flying back toward the rocky wall behind them.

"It's over," the stallion said as he hovered back near the cliff's edge. "Just accept your death. I will become Sin, I will rend this world asunder, and resurrect Spira into a new and rejuvenated world!"

As Blueblood continued laughing maniacally, Rainbow slowly got back up on her hooves, fighting through the pain inflicted on her. She looked over at the others, looking just as badly injured as she was. She watched Fluttershy try to get up, only to fall back on her side, too hurt to move. That riled the pegasus up as she turned back to the insane Guado stallion, refusing to stay dead, having hurt Fluttershy and her friends.

"That's it," she muttered, feeling her Overdrive kicking in. "I have had it with you, your ugly mug, and your stupid morals." Her sword began to shine brightly, slowly going from bright white to a myriad of colors. She held her weapon in her mouth, glaring at the out of control stallion. "You've ticked me off for the last time! You're never going to be Sin!"

She ran toward him, avoiding his lance and Flare spells as she got closer. Leaping off the edge of the cliff, she stomped her hooves down on his face, jumping higher above him without using her wings as the blade shimmered brightly. Once the energy was fully charged, Rainbow Dash began spinning rapidly in the air, sending multicolored energy balls raining down on Blueblood and his mount, each one exploding in a wide radius around him.

Taken too much from the explosive energy, Blueblood screamed in pain as he disappeared in a flurry of spirits, defeated once again. Rainbow slowly hovered back down to the ground, panting heavily as she watched the orbs of light flying up to the sky. "And...stay dead," she uttered, passing out and falling on her side, her injuries taking its toll as her rage and adrenaline were drained out.

After nearly an hour, Rainbow Dash woke up, her body no longer in pain as she found herself now leaning against the wall of the nearby mountain ridge. As soon as she looked up, she was surrounded by the others, all of them staring at the pegasus in disbelief.

"...Rainbow Dash?" Fluttershy asked, being the first to speak up as Rainbow was met with silence for a while. "...What Blueblood said...about your father..."

"Your father, Jet Stream, is Sin!?" Twilight practically shouted. "How!? Why!? What!? When!?"

"Easy, Twi," Applejack said as she pulled the frantic unicorn from squeezing information out of the pegasus. "Is there somethin' ya ain't tellin' us?"

Rainbow Dash looked over at Rarity, who only shook her head, telling her not to answer their questions. When she looked back at Fluttershy, she was desperate to know what Blueblood had meant, and seeing her this upset about her father being Sin worried her. Sighing, she had no choice but to speak.

"...Sin is my dad." She was met with silence, but their expressions said what they were all fearing. "I don't know why he's Sin, but I can tell he's in there...I didn't want to believe it myself, but after what happened in Macalania, when we were sitting on top of Sin...I felt him somewhere in there...He's the cause of Spira's suffering right now..."

"...Ya sure ya'll aren't...havin' a bad toxin dream or somethin', sugarcube?" Applejack asked, only to see the serious and sad expression on Rainbow's face. "...Urgh! Ah don't know what's what anymore! Mah brother was killed by...and all of the teachin's...Ah think Ah need to lie down."

"This makes no sense," Twilight mumbled. "How is it possible for somepony to even be Sin if that's true? It shouldn't be possible..."

Fluttershy looked at Rainbow sadly, knowing her surrogate uncle, her marefriend's father, was going to be her opponent when she learns the Final Summoning. "...Rainbow...I-I...I'm...going to fight...Jet..."

"I know, Flutters," the cyan pegasus said, slowly getting up on her hooves. "Don't worry about it. I think my dad wants to be freed from Sin. Even if it kills him."

"And Blueblood said Rarity had some...dark secrets..." Twilight slowly turned to look at Rarity, only to see the older unicorn mare walking on ahead. "Rarity!? What are you doing!?"

"We're moving forward. Rainbow Dash is fine." Before she was out of sight, Spike leapt in front of her path, keeping her from running away from the subject.

"Rarity...you knew about this, didn't you?" Spike asked, pleading with the mare, wishing she was just as clueless as they were.

She remained silent as the others surrounded her to keep from running off. "...If you wish to know, then we'll find out near the end. Everything will be explained once we reach Zanarkand." Though they weren't getting anything from the cryptic guardian, they took her word, waiting until they made it to Zanarkand. Rarity's horn suddenly sparked a little, her eyes trailing over to a spot in the nearby wall. Ignoring the confused gazes of the party, she slashed through the rock wall, cleaving it in two with her diamond katana, revealing a decently sized diamond. Using her magic, she transformed it into a diamond halberd, a far better weapon for Spike compared to his now useless spear. "Here you go, darling. Better to have a stronger weapon with a longer durability than that old spear of yours."

"...Uhh, thanks..." Spike reluctantly took the new weapon from Rarity's telekinetic grip.

"Now, let's get going. We've wasted enough time no thanks to Blueblood. It's already midday." Rarity walked on ahead, leaving the others behind.

No longer willing to question the experienced guardian's motives or else facing her tremendous strength, they walked along after her. Spike lagged behind as he held his new halberd out before him. He looked back out to the horizon, having lost his tribe by Blueblood's hooves as he mourned the loss of his dragon brethren. He had no idea if any of them survived. Walking over near the edge of the cliff, he took his broken spear and stabbed it into the earth, leaving it as a makeshift grave to commemorate the dragons who had lost their lives to keep them safe from Blueblood, if only a while. With his new halberd in his claws, he hurried back to the others before they wondered where he went, striving to bring his tribe back after Fluttershy's pilgrimage was over.

Chapter 38: Dreams into Reality, Reality into Dreams

As the group continued walking along the summit, weary of the fight against Blueblood earlier, they continued on. When the ponies and dragon reached the bend, they all stopped and stared in awe at the sight: along the side of the cliff, several thousand bodies were embedded in the walls, almost like fayth, a pillar of water rising up from the small lake down below. The fayth were all glowing a blue aura, almost as if they were in use, but what it was summoning was a mystery.

"Wow. Are these all fayth?" Fluttershy asked.

"That's way too many fayth to summon one aeon," Pinkie said, looking over at Rarity. "You know anything about this, too!?" The unicorn remained silent, refusing to speak. "Hey! Stop hiding secrets from us!"

"If you want to know, seek the knowledge on your own, not on another's. Sometimes, you may get the wrong answers from an unbiased source," Rarity said, only irritating the others.

"Stop speaking in riddles! I'm bad at them, and I'm confusing enough as it is!" Pinkie whined.

"She's right," Rainbow said, surprising the others as she walked up to the wall. "...This is our...No. This is my story."

Now the pegasus was confusing the group, Rarity giving a smirk as she used her own words. Rainbow reached out to touch the fayth, finding their presence somewhat familiar to her. As soon as she touched one of the pony statues, she suddenly felt ill, her legs giving out on her as she collapsed to the ground, unable to hear everyone panic as she passed out.

Rainbow Dash woke up from unconsciousness, finding herself back at the dock of her home in Zanarkand. She stood up, looking around at the evening sky, the city in the background lit up like it always was when the sun completely set.

"Back here again...What happened?" She headed for her boat home and walked inside, stopping at the doorway when she spotted the same boy she had been seeing several times in the past, including back in Bevelle. His hood was off, revealing his black scaled face, looking at her as if he knew she would come. Though it was hard to tell, his eyes were bloodshot, almost as if he was tired. "You!?"

"Welcome home, Rainbow Dash," he said, walking over to the fridge to pull out a bowl of sapphires. He sat down at the table, where the pegasus slowly approached him and snacked on a small sapphire. "I know you remember me. We met back in Bevelle."

"Yeah, along with the several hundred times I saw you back in Zanarkand when I was a filly!" She stood over the calm dragon boy as he munched on some more sapphires. "You're some kind of fayth who was spying on me from a thousand years in the past? Who are you!?"

"I'm Bahamut, the fayth of Bevelle, and the massive dragon aeon Lady Fluttershy summons when she needs my aid." He held out the bowl of sapphires to the pegasus, only to have them slapped out of his claws. Bahamut sighed, licking his claws of the residue from his gem snack. "Before you lash out like a toddler, like you always do, I've known about you for a long while. Longer than you may think."

"...So do I somehow...What's happening to me, kid?" Rainbow asked, wanting answers from the young dragon.

"Rainbow Dash, wake up!" Applejack said as a ghostly image of her appeared behind Rainbow Dash for a moment.

"Dashie, now's not the time to sleep! You were already doing that after fighting Blueblood!" Pinkie shouted, her voice almost directly in her ear as her image appeared behind Bahamut for a few seconds.

Rainbow looked around her home, realizing now she was asleep and dreaming, or seeing things. "...Is this a dream?"

"Yup." Bahamut got up off his seat and began heading toward the door, only to be stopped by Rainbow Dash.

"Hey, you're not going anywhere! I want answers from you, you brat!" she shouted, getting in the dragon's face.

Bahamut let out a fierce growl, far deeper than what she expected him to sound like from his age and size, making the pegasus back away in fear. "You should learn about patience and respect those who are far stronger than you, Rainbow Dash. You do not want to cross the youngest and most powerful dragon in the history of Spira." She didn't want to believe this small dragon was powerful, but that feral growl he gave changed her mind in an instant. Bahamut sighed, rubbing his tired eyes. "Besides, you're not the one dreaming. YOU are the dream."

"...W-What?" Bahamut walked out of the boat house, leaving Rainbow Dash to process what he meant. She hurried after him, running outside but seeing no sign of him on the docks. Hovering in the air, she found him standing standing on the railing on the upper deck, overlooking the city. "Hey, what did you mean!?"

"Long ago, there was a war that waged between Zanarkand and Bevelle," Bahamut said, ignoring Rainbow Dash's questions. "Bevelle had more advanced machina than Zanarkand, and they were assured that their victory would end everything from the very beginning."

"Are you going to answer my-!?" She stopped as Bahamut gave her a terrifying glare. "...I'll shut up now."

"Your questions will be answered with this tale. Everything about you, Zanarkand and Bevelle, and why Sin was created." With the pegasus now silent, he continued telling the history lesson. "Anyways, Bevelle's machina could have torn this world apart if they could. The summoners of Zanarkand were doomed, as well as the city itself. This is why we tried to preserve Zanarkand, if only by memory alone."

"What do you mean?" Rainbow asked.

"The remaining summoners and ponies that lived in Zanarkand that had survived the slaughter all became fayth. Those fayth are the ponies you saw on the walls of Mt. Gagazet's cliffside that you touched." The pegasus stared at the dragon in shock.

"...Wait...So, those ponies...Is Sin a massive aeon?" she asked.

"No," Bahamut said as he shook his head. "The fayth keep this Zanarkand alive. Their dreams are what made this Zanarkand, your Zanarkand, keeping the memory of the buildings and ponies that lived here over a thousand years ago."

Rainbow Dash stared at the young dragon in horror. "...Y-You mean...I'm a dream?"

"Exactly. You, your mother and father, the ponies you knew growing up, your home, every single inch of Zanarkand is dreamed up by the fayth. And, if we stop dreaming..." Bahamut slowly dragged his claw across the air, the landscape changing and only terrifying Rainbow Dash even more.

Zanarkand was completely gone, nothing but fire and a gloomy sky where the city once stood. The only thing that was left of her home was the dock and her boat house, warped and surrounded by fire, almost as if it's slowly dissolving until there was nothing left. She began to panic, afraid she might end up disappearing, not wanting to die and be a forgotten memory.

"No! NO! Bring it all back!" Rainbow begged, practically on her knees before the young fayth. "I don't want to see this anymore! I don't want to be a dream! I'm real! Not a figment of somepony's imagination!"

Bahamut brought Zanarkand back to the way it was in the dream, easing the pegasus's fright, but the thought of what she really was still scared her. "You are a dream, there is no denying that. But you, Rainbow Dash, are manifested into reality by one connection; Sin. Both you and your father have been touched by Sin, the being that Spira revolves around in the spiral of death. You two have come here, to Spira, becoming more than a dream." Bahamut suddenly yawned as he sat down on the railing, rubbing his bloodshot eyes. "We've all been dreaming for so long, and we're so very tired."

"Rainbow Dash, wake up! Please wake up!" Fluttershy appeared this time, greatly worried as she seemed to look like she was trying to shake Rainbow Dash awake.

"...Maybe we can hold out just a bit longer." Bahamut leapt down from his railing, looking up at the distraught pegasus. "You just might be the dream that can end our dreaming."

He walked past Rainbow Dash and disappeared down the docks, leaving her more confused, and more worried than ever. She was a dream, made by the fayth, the Zanarkand she knew was a dream, her life is supposedly nonexistence, yet she's real. Nothing seemed to make sense to her anymore. She began to wonder what will happen if they do kill Sin for good. Will she disappear? Will it feel like dying in an unimaginable fashion? Will her friends remember her if she goes?

Rainbow opened her eyes as the dream began to fade, but everything Bahamut told her about her true self stayed with her. The moment she woke up, Fluttershy pulled her into a hug, scared out of her mind.

"Are you ok, Rainbow?" she asked, nuzzling her. "I thought you weren't going to wake up."

"...Yeah. I'm fine," Rainbow assured, though she really wasn't. She stood up, hiding her fear as the others seemed to worry about her health. "I must have gotten hit by Blueblood harder than I thought."

"You sure you're alright?" Twilight asked. "You just passed out for no reason. Fluttershy's magic healed all of us after Blueblood's powerful magic spells hit us. There's no way you should have blacked out."

"Maybe I'm not good with magic hitting me?" Rainbow said, trying to sound convincing.

"Yup!" Pinkie said, pulling out a sphere showing everyone's stats. "Dashie is not good with magical defense. She's all about speed and decent physical attack and defenses. Not that good with magic. We can fix that if she ever decides to go along Fluttershy's or Twilight's sphere grids."

"...Right...Let's just keep moving." After making sure Rainbow Dash was perfectly ok to keep going, the party headed onward through Gagazet as they were about to enter the caverns, where more powerful fiends will await them. The cyan pegasus lagged behind as Bahamut's reveal of her destiny, her life, kept lingering on her mind. "...Why does everything in my life have to be complicated? Especially with me being...a dream..."

Chapter 39: The Trials of Gagazet

The six mares and dragon entered the caves, and as they expected, the fiends in here were large and quite dangerous. The rocky caverns weren't as confusing and twisted like the caves containing the stolen fayth, Yojimbo, though this place seemed to be testing those that want to reach Zanarkand in order to obtain the Final Aeon. Their path leading out had a large gap the others couldn't leap across, the only passage they could go down was a path going left, leading to a flooded section of the cave.

Since Pinkie, Applejack, and Rainbow Dash had a better chance of surviving underwater, the trio of swimmers went on ahead to see what they could find to help progress through the cave. There were some aquatic fiends in the water, but they were easily avoided or killed. The three mares reached the other side, stepping up onto land as they saw a glowing white orb hovering over a chasm, a couple barriers slowly spinning around it with a few gaps in between them.

"I wonder what that thing is supposed to be," Rainbow pondered.

"Maybe it has somethin' to do with blockin' us off?" Applejack pulled out her blitzball, being the only member of the group to use something long range that wasn't a machina rifle. "Ah think Ah can hit it."

Taking careful aim, Applejack waited for the right moment to throw her ball into the orb. She threw it hard, sending it sailing between the gaps of the barriers and smacked the orb, the light dimming as the cavern began to quake a little.

"Wowie! The mountain is alive!" Pinkie said. "I wonder if Mt. Gagazet is actually a giant dragon living in a permanent sleep, and we poked its punching bag hanging in its mouth!"

"Pinkie, if we were in a giant dragon, Ah'm sure Spike would have told us if there was one," Applejack said as Pinkie kept spouting nonsense. As the orange earth pony looked over at Rainbow, she didn't seem to be annoyed by the Al Bhed mare's randomness, looking a little depressed. "Ya'll alright, sugarcube?"

"Huh? Oh! Uhh, yeah. I'm just a little...you know...after I passed out earlier..." Rainbow Dash couldn't come up with anything excusable from her sudden depression, though it seemed to have worked.

"Ok...If ya need more time to recover, ya'll can just stay with the others," she offered.

"I'm fine. I just had a little...episode, I guess." Rainbow hated lying, even if it meant this time she HAD to keep this a secret from everyone. Lying about Sin's toxin was one thing, lying about her home was another, even denying her feelings for Fluttershy was obvious. It was hard enough trying to keep everyone from freaking out about her being some dream created by the fayth. "Let's just get through here before we get killed by whatever fiends are in here."

The pegasus dove back into the water, avoiding discussing her change in attitude. Pinkie and Applejack followed, not wanting to bother Rainbow Dash on the subject, even though they were concerned. They regrouped back with the rest of the party and headed back. The gap was now no longer present as the quake had moved part of the cavern up, creating a small flight of stairs.

Their way out was up on a higher ledge the non-pegasi could leap up to, so they had to find another small puzzle to help get them up there. Another flooded cavern lead down to another room as the swimming trio made their way through to see what they could solve. This time, there were three different colored circles glowing in the wall under the water: one green, one blue, and one red. With a little trial and error, they managed to solve it: Pinkie swimming into the green circle, Rainbow Dash in blue, and Applejack in red. The mountain quaked again, where it would create a pathway up to the higher ledge.

Swimming back, they regrouped and spotted a rocky stairwell created by the quake. It was a bit of a surprise for the non-swimming members to see the mushroom rock-like steps appearing out from the wall during the quake. They continued on their way, but Rainbow began to worry more as they were getting closer, and with no clue how to defeat Sin without the Final Aeon.

"Hold on a moment," Rarity said, stopping everyone before they reached the exit. "We're going to be expecting some...unfortunate company as soon as we leave the cave."

"More secrets," Pinkie said, not surprised by all of the lies and hidden truths everyone's been told the past couple days. "What else are you hiding from us, Rarity!? Is your mane a wig!? Are you involved with the mafia!?" She gasped loudly as she pressed her face against the white unicorn's. "Are you actually a stallion pretending to be a mare!? What's under that robe of yours!?"

Pinkie tried to undress Rarity out of her clothing, only to receive a slap upside the head, stopping her before angering her further. "Pinkie, please refrain from making assumptions while trying to be comical. I'm actually warning all of you about what we'll come across since now is a good time to tell you all."

"Is Zanarkand that close?" Fluttershy asked.

"Yes...but we're going to be tested even further. Far worse than the temples' trials." Rarity looked down at the ground, her eyes covered by her glasses as she glowered in disdain. "She's sent fiends our way to test our strength, to see if we're worthy to meet her."

"'She'? Who are you talking about?" Twilight asked.

"...Celestia." The rest of the group gasped in surprise as Rarity mentioned the first summoner to ever defeat Sin.

"L-Lady Celestia herself!?" Twilight questioned. "...B-But how is she still alive!?"

"Take a wild guess," Rarity said, suppressing a growl. After some thought, they figured that Celestia was an unsent, just like Star Swirl and Blueblood. "Exactly...This is the last stretch. She won't stop at anything to let us in freely. All of you be prepared for what we'll face." With the rest of the party steeling their resolves, they nodded and began to head out of the caves. Before Rainbow Dash passed her, Rarity pulled on her tail with her magic while the others walked ahead. "What's wrong?"

"What do you mean?" the pegasus asked.

"Your attitude had shifted after you passed out back near all the fayth on the mountainside." Rainbow avoided her gaze, keeping silent. "Tell me what happened."

"...I can't tell you," she replied. "As much as you want to know, it's better for you to find out what I'm hiding on your own. Isn't that what you said?"

"I'm withholding everything about Zanarkand because every summoner and their guardians will know the truth at some point. I'm doing this so Fluttershy doesn't have second thoughts on the matter, but your story is a lot different than hers." The two mares glared at each other, remaining silent for a while. "...Tell me."

"No. I just can't, Rarity." Rainbow Dash walked on ahead to catch up with the others, wanting to avoid the subject as far as possible so she wouldn't break down and let her true secret be revealed. "Learn to mind your own business..."

The others waited for the two mares to catch up and stood near the exit of the caves. The sun looked like it was about to set as evening took in, though Zanarkand wasn't in view just yet. Having no clue what to expect, they were wary of what would come their way next. Rarity stepped forward, her ears slowly twisting around, trying to hear out where their first fiend Celestia will sick on them.

"...Here it comes!" Rarity warned as a large fiend dropped down from the top of the summit, blocking their way toward the trail that led them safely down the other side of the mountain. It was massive, even as it stood on four legs, its wings protruding from its back more like dozens of antannae, a long tail that could easily sweep them off the mountain if it flicked in their direction, and dangerous pincer-like teeth on the sides of its face. "Sanctuary Keeper. Celestia's first of her pets to test us."

With their weapons ready, they split up so the Sanctuary Keeper wouldn't get them all at once and stayed far away from the cliff's edge. Before any of them could try to attack it, its "wings" flared out up to the sky, energy beams shooting out from the tips that began raining down on the party. Everyone quickly got out of the way as they exploded around them, Rainbow Dash being unfortunate enough to get hit by one of them while the others got away unharmed.

As soon as she got up, her eyes began to go cross-eyed as her vision wavered violently, her body slowly blinking in a new status ailment that made her feel weaker than usual. "Ahh! What the hay!? I can't see!" Squinting her eyes, she tried to find where the Sanctuary Keeper was, her head spinning as she couldn't tell which was which. Grabbing her sword, she swung it, only to smack herself with it, which thankfully got rid of her confusion. "Ow!...Ugh, I think I'm getting a headache."

"I knew we should have gotten Holy Water! Now Dashie's all cursed!" Pinkie shouted, quickly ducking as the fiend's tail flew over her head.

"The hay does curse do? Make me smack myself in the face!?" the cursed pegasus asked.

"No, that was confusion," Twilight explained as she cast a few spells toward the Sanctuary Keeper. "Being cursed means your strength is hindered, and, as Pinkie Pie explained our unleashed potential, diminished your use of your Overdrive."

"Well, can't Fluttershy heal me!? I don't like the fact I'm blinking like this!" Rainbow ducked and flew up as the fiend's tail aimed for her.

"Esuna can't cure Curse. Sorry." Fluttershy yelped and ducked low to the ground as the tail headed her way.

Rarity leapt over the tail and lunged at the Sanctuary Keeper, cleaving her diamond katana against the fiend's mandibles. "Hello. Remember me?" she taunted, the gigantic monster's jaws snapping toward her as she kept her distance, slashing at its face. "You do. No wonder Celestia finds you as her favorite pet to scare off summoners. You just keep coming back." It opened up its mouth, a small orb of light building in its jaws. "Uh oh. DUCK!"

The unicorn quickly fell flat to the ground as its attack finished charging, shooting out a powerful beam where Rarity stood and out beyond the horizon. Thankfully, no one else was in its trajectory as it flew over the unicorn's mane.

Spike and Pinkie Pie leapt on top of the Sanctuary Keeper, the former thrusting his new diamond halberd into its back while the latter annoyed it by scratching at its eyes with her claws. Its antennae began to rise up into the sky again, shooting out more explosive beams of energy to rain down on the annoying dragon and Al Bhed. They both quickly got out of the way as it hit itself with its own attack, making it roar in pain.

Not willing to let anyone else get hit by the fiend's dangerous attacks, Fluttershy summoned Bahamut, the dragon aeon slamming down onto the Sanctuary Keeper's back, crushing its appendages. Everyone backed away as the aeon leapt back, getting down on all fours as the halo on his back began to spin rapidly. After charging up its powerful attack, Bahamut unleashed its Mega Flare, engulfing the fiend as it roared in agony from the large beam of non-elemental energy exploding around it. The explosion sent Sanctuary Keeper flying over the edge of the cliff, spirits flying out of it as it tumbled down the mountain, having been beaten and proven to Celestia that they were worthy to continue forward.

With the legendary summoner's guard dog defeated, everyone took a momentary break, Rainbow's curse wearing off as the Sanctuary Keeper was slain. "Thank goodness I've stopped blinking. As if I didn't stand out enough with my hair."

Rarity began to walk along the path, the others wondering why she was still moving. "Rarity! We need a break!"

"We're almost at the summit. We'll rest later," she replied, not turning back.

Pinkie popped up in front of her, having somehow dug a hole from where she stood next to the others and barring the unicorn's path. "Well, yeah...we're getting closer...And I don't want to get closer."

"Pinkie Pie, delaying the inevitable will only bring about anxiety and second thoughts. You either do something, or not." She stepped over the mare and continued onward, disappearing around the bend.

Pinkie's mane deflated, though it was really close to being completely straight. "But...I can't think of anything we can do to save Fluttershy..."

The rest of the group caught up with Rarity as she stopped, waiting for them to follow. She looked out over the horizon as they caught up, and as soon as they saw what she was looking at, they all stared in shock and awe at what laid before them. Rainbow Dash's ears drooped as she stared at the ruins of Zanarkand, her home, completely destroyed. There was barely anything of the grand city from a thousand years ago that was left standing. At least seeing this ruined city of her home was easier to stomach than what Bahamut showed her if they had stopped dreaming before Sin was completely destroyed.

"...Zanarkand," Fluttershy murmured. "We're here..."

"...Yeah..." Rainbow couldn't believe it, but it was true.

Her home was gone. Everything in the past couple weeks since arriving in Spira crashed down on her. A thousand years thrust into the future, seeing so many ponies suffering through this spiral of death that never ends, the truth of a summoner's pilgrimage ending in their deaths, her father being Sin through unknown means, and now finding out her life was nothing but a dream manifested into a real pony by the fayth. All of it only made her more depressed than losing her mother, more than having her father insulting her, whether it was in her presence or not, and even worse when all of her enthusiasm to Fluttershy was dashed when she realized she will die once she beats Sin.

She wanted to cry, but she couldn't. She wanted to scream, but she couldn't. She wanted to smack her hooves and sword into the wall of the mountain, but her body didn't want to listen. The end was already coming closer, and nothing could be done to save Fluttershy and the world without sacrificing the other. Rainbow Dash wanted to lie down, fall asleep, and wake up back in Zanarkand. But this was reality. No dreams can keep a dream like herself from hiding from the inevitable end. Fluttershy nuzzled her, seeing her sorrow and confusion written all over her face, but the pegasus's body was numb, lost in her thoughts as her eyes were glued to the ruins of Zanarkand.

Chapter 40: The End is Near

The sun was starting to sink beneath the land as the dimming glow of its light set upon the ruins of Zanarkand. Everyone was still letting it all sink in as they stood on the summit of Mt. Gagazet, examining every small detail of what used to be a miraculous city of machina. They came so far, gone through a lot of tragic ordeals, in the past and only moments ago, but their happy ending will never come to be a reality once they reach where the fayth is in Zanarkand, as well as Celestia.

"Mah gosh," Applejack said after a long moment of silence. "This place is bigger than Bevelle."

"On the surface, maybe," Twilight said. "But still...This used to be a real place. And Sin destroyed it."

"...I've only heard rumors of this city when I was a hatchling," Spike said. "I lived closer to Zanarkand, but it was forbidden for any dragons to go past the caverns we walked through...Sin could have destroyed Gagazet if it wanted to..."

"Let's just turn back and not go down there!" Pinkie shouted, though Rarity gave her a look.

"Fluttershy is not stopping her pilgrimage." The Al Bhed began to panic, trying to stall long enough to think of something.

She ran up to Fluttershy, growing desperate. "B-But there has to be some other way, Fluttershy...You don't have to kill yourself to save all of us. We just need more time."

"...I know, Pinkie," Fluttershy said. "I wish I could stop...but I've come so far already...I knew this would be my fate...I'm glad you all came with me this far."

"B-B-But..." Pinkie's hair finally went flat as she began to bawl, tackling Fluttershy to the ground. Rainbow saw a sphere fly out from one of the sleeves of her outfit, landing next to her as the depressed pink mare hugged the summoner tightly. "Don't do it, Fluttershy! I don't want to lose you!"

"I know," Fluttershy consoled, hugging her cousin back. "I'm sorry, Pinkie...If anything happens to me, will you tell Uncle Cid thank you for me?"

"No! Don't say that!" Pinkie sobbed. "You can tell him yourself...We're gonna see him again...You'll meet my sisters, and Cheesie..."

It took a while for Pinkie to calm down, but she was still upset. No one wanted this, not even Fluttershy herself, but they all knew there was no other choice. The group continued down the trail, unable to bear the unfortunate fate that will befall the young pegasus summoner, but Rainbow Dash remained sitting. Her ears heard what was happening around her, but all her focus was on this sphere that Fluttershy had dropped.

She carefully picked it up and examined it, finding small writing on the side of it.

To my guardians/friends.

"What is this?" Rainbow played the sphere and watched what Fluttershy had recorded on it.

The sphere began recording the cliffside back in Mi'ihen Highroad, where the Al Bhed Travel Agency was. The sphere turned around, revealing Fluttershy holding it out in front of her, the inn in the background, able to record Spike and Rarity outside, along with several chocobo in the stables.

"Ok...Umm, hello, everypony...If you're watching this...then, I already defeated Sin, and I am...well, you know." Fluttershy fussed with her mane, struggling to find the words to speak. She took a deep breath to calm herself, though she was still a little flustered. "I wanted to say a few words to everypony before I forget...or if I'm too afraid to say anything before it's too late.

"First, to Rarity. I'm glad I got to see you again after ten years. I knew you growing up, always following my father while you were a warrior monk and protecting him, being an important part of Bevelle as an apprentice summoner. I think you had a crush on him, but you didn't want to tell him." Fluttershy giggled at those moments she spotted Rarity eyeing Kindred Heart, even though he was married before, and widower. "You looked tough, but you were still a mare. You liked fashion, and you always made me cute little dresses I liked to wear as a filly. You should have been a designer. I'm sure everypony would have loved your work if you weren't so devoted to the teachings. But now that you're my guardian...I'm a little excited, and I hope we can catch up on lost time the further we go.

"Next, Spike." Fluttershy looked up at the sky in thought. In the background, Spike leapt up onto the roof of the inn and looked down at Rarity as she leaned against the wall. He looked like he wanted to say something to her, but during his silence in that moment, the moment she looked up at him, he looked away, hiding a blush growing on his face. "I was a little surprised when you came down to Bevelle, seeking me out. It had been a few months since my father left on his pilgrimage, and a month after he beat Sin...which came back. I thought I was in trouble with the dragon tribe, having nothing to do with their customs, but I was glad I wasn't.

"You grew a lot faster than I did, and you were adorable back then, acting all tough, saying, 'I'm looking for the daughter of Kindred Heart.' You were a lot stronger than I thought you were back then, becoming my guardian in a heartbeat. You took me to Besaid, where I would be a lot safer, and our journey there was pretty fun." She giggled again as another memory crossed her mind. "I remember on the shoopuf, crossing the Moonflow, I wanted to get closer to the shoopuf to pet it, but I ended up falling off and into the water. It picked me up with its nose, and I was having so much fun. But when I got back on its back, you were in a panic and scolded me for being reckless. I had fun though, my first time ever riding on a shoopuf.

"But, when we got to Besaid, you were going to leave me. I didn't want you to, screaming, 'Please don't go! I want you to stay with me! You're too cute to be out in dangerous places in Spira!' You gave in and stayed with me. I was really curious about dragons, seeing some of them in Bevelle and their blitzball team on the sphere, but I didn't know much about them. You really don't talk much anymore. Maybe you said all you needed to say. Oh well. You're really helpful and sweet, despite how scary you look now. But that's what you are.

"Applejack and Twilight...I know I'm not going to forget my days with you two in Besaid, though it was a few years after I came to Besaid when you showed up, Twilight. I considered you two like you were my big sisters. I always wanted to have siblings when I was little, but after I lost my mother, I didn't know if my father would remarry. But he chose his path...and so did I. You and Big Macintosh tried to stop me, Applejack, but I became a summoner anyway...Sorry.

"I still remember all the fun the three of us had playing blitzball. Your brother was far better than you were, Applejack, but we did have fun. I couldn't hold my breath long when we played in the water. I didn't want you two to go easy on me, but you did anyway. And Twilight, you were always really smart, always reading any new book you've never seen before, but you never talked that much. It was as if you didn't want to get too close to me, though you did break out of your shell with Big Mac. I thought it was pretty funny when Smarty Pants tried to get you to kiss him on the spot. It was pretty cute, being able to bring life to a doll. I think it was your inner feelings trying to get you two together. You and Big Mac really do make a cute couple."

Fluttershy laughed, remembering the times the two had with their awkward moments when they thought they were alone. She took a moment to breathe, all of the happy moments she remembered only making the sphere's recording saddening when she dies. She looked out to the sea for a while, then back down to the sphere, needing to address one more member of her guardians.

"And...To my newest guardian, Rainbow Dash..." Fluttershy began to blush, the blitzball player the one mostly stuck in her mind far longer than the rest of her guardians. "...I-I...I know we've only known each other for a few days...But...I'm really glad we met. You might not know a lot about Spira, but you're perfect as a guardian..." As the summoner tried to calm her heart rate, in the background, Rainbow Dash could be seen exiting the inn, looking out at the sunset. "You're very loyal...brave...caring...You're like your father in a way, even though you hate him...And...It hurts, just trying to tell you...I-I...I don't know if I can say it...I...I lo-..." She swallowed a lump in her throat, too nervous to finish her sentence, not noticing Rainbow Dash walking up to the cliff where she was sitting. "No, I can't say that. I need to start that last bit over. It's bad enough to have these feelings when I'm-"

"Hey, Flutters! What'cha up to!?" Rainbow called out, surprising Fluttershy as she quickly stopped the recording and hid it away in the sleeve of her dress.

As soon as the sphere finished playing Fluttershy's last words, Rainbow stared at it, completely silent. The sphere was her will, her final words to everyone while they were on their way through the Mi'ihen Highroad. And right at the end, Rainbow Dash knew exactly what Fluttershy was going to tell her, and even in that moment, she was afraid to tell her her feelings because of how Rainbow would react if she knew the truth. Now matter what situation they were in, whether Fluttershy sacrifices herself or if Rainbow Dash finds some other way to defeat Sin without a summoner using the Final Aeon, their love would end in tragedy.

"...Flutters..." She looked back out at the city, her destroyed home, no escape from the pain either side will end up being in. Shaking her head, she began to snap out of her depression, determined to make sure Fluttershy won't give up her life. Even if it meant disappearing forever once they stop Sin, she didn't care anymore as long as Fluttershy was safe. "I'm not going to let you die...Nopony's ever going to see this."

She stuffed the sphere in her pockets and ran after the others before they wondered where she was. After catching up with the rest of the party, they continued down the slope until they reached the edge of Zanarkand's borders, or what was left of it. Deciding to take a small break before heading off toward the city, they set up a small campsite and sat around it, everyone laying their weapons down nearby.

Rainbow looked around at the others, seeing some of the worry and exhaustion on their faces. Rarity and Spike were stoic, though the former seemed to glance at Zanarkand every once in a while. Pinkie stared at the fire, a little depressed, but her mane and tail were slightly poofy, though not by much. Having so much family in her life around her, she didn't want to lose anyone related to her or anyone that's willing to sacrifice themselves for everyone's safety. Twilight and Applejack were worried as they glanced at Fluttershy, the former occasionally petting Mog's head while the former contemplated everything she believed in that was all a lie a few days ago. Nopony's had a fun adventure, and nopony was smiling, something Fluttershy had wanted during her pilgrimage.

Letting out a sigh, she stood up and walked up to Fluttershy. She gently rested a hoof on her shoulder, both mares looking each other in the eyes, the cyan pegasus assuring her everything will hopefully be ok. Their small smiles were short-lived as the pegasus summoner looked down at her hooves, knowing the end of their journey was getting closer. Rainbow Dash walked away from the campsite and climbed up the nearby hill, standing next to a piece of the ruins as she overlooked Zanarkand. All of her home laid in rubble and debris, a pathway up ahead leading to what looked like a massive ruined building in the distance, a makeshift bridge that led safe travel over the ocean.

Everything in the past few weeks caught up with the mare, all of the good and bad times, but the ones that stuck with her more were the worst of them. She had to think of something fast, or else Spira would continue going down a spiral of death, continue suffering from a corrupted religion spouting lies to the public and a monstrous beast that wrecks the world whenever it pleases. Rainbow leaned against the ruins as she began to think.

"This...may be our last chance," she said. "I need to find something soon...before it's too late..."

Night fell as the fire cast a little light under the bright moon and stars above them. Rainbow Dash was unable to come up with a solution for a long while and sat back with the group. During that time, everyone talked about what had occurred on the pilgrimage, in their pasts they want to reveal, just to pass the time and delay the inevitable for a short time.

"...So, what about that one time?" Rainbow suggested, though she had run out of topics to discuss. "I mean...Well, it uhh..."

"I think we should stop, Rainbow Dash," Fluttershy said, silencing her. Rainbow had no excuses anymore. It was time for them to go. "Let's go."

Heeding their summoner's call, everyone got up and gathered their gear. Applejack and Fluttershy picked up their weapons while Pinkie, Twilight, Rarity, and Spike held onto theirs, either being small enough to hold or wield or not wanting to be apart from them. Rainbow Dash was the last to grab her sword, pulling the blade out from the earth as she watched the aquatic blade's reflection. She imagined not seeing her face in the ocean-blue sword, almost as if she was dead, but she cast aside those thoughts for now.

Even if she is a dream, Bahamut said she was the dream to end everyone's suffering, including the fayths' constant dreaming. No matter what, even if her life ends, she's going to keep fighting and find a way to save Spira, and Fluttershy. With her resolve set firmly in her subconscious, Rainbow Dash caught up with the rest of her companions as they headed down the long road into Zanarkand, where the Final Aeon and Celestia wait for them.

Chapter 41: Zanarkand: Trials and Memories

The long road to reach the only standing building in Zanarkand was long, and littered with fiends that were from Mt. Gagazet's caverns. As they traveled along the broken debris, they saw hundreds of pyreflies floating around, more and more appearing in clusters as they got closer. It was as if Zanarkand was a living version of the Farplane, only the place was more of despair and destruction than peace and serenity.

After trekking through at least a mile of broken buildings and roads, they finally arrived at their destination, which was a shock for Rainbow Dash to see where it was; the blitzball stadium. Just like before she was brought to Spira, it was in the exact same state it was destroyed in when Sin attacked and nearly killed her. If the fayth was inside the stadium, she was afraid to see how ruined the interior of the building was. And the strangest thing was she never even knew there was an aeon here. Even Celestia was still a mystery to her, despite being known as the first summoner to defeat Sin and having existed in her time. The fayth should have at least given her some knowledge on somepony like her, and in her life, the only celebrity everyone fawned over was Jet Stream.

While pondering what will lie before them, somepony, not a fiend, walked down from the entrance, an old stallion priest. "Ah, a summoner hath arrived." He made his way down the still stable ramp and approached Fluttershy. "Name yourself, traveler."

"I am Summoner Fluttershy. I have come from the isle of Besaid," she said, bowing to him.

"Let me see your eyes, my dear." The two stared at each other for a moment until the stallion nodded his head. "Very good. You have come a long way. Lady Celestia awaits your presence. Go to her, along with your guardians."

Pyreflies began to fly out of the priest, everyone gasping in shock as he walked past them, physically phasing through them as he slowly disappeared. It was obvious nopony would be insane enough to live in this dead city, but it was still a shock to know someone, even unsent, would risk living in a dangerous, fiend infested ruins.

"Ok, this is spooky," Rainbow said as she looked back at the stadium.

The party headed inside and began making their way across the destroyed stadium, Rainbow Dash cringing at the damage that was done to her favorite place to play blitzball. The path was a winding trail of fallen debris from the building, and it was infested with undead warriors and machina similar to the ones in Bevelle. It was bad enough if there were normal fiends, but the stadium was far too dangerous with the out of control golems and zombie soldiers carrying machina weapons.

While carefully making their way across the winding trail, the stadium suddenly flashed as the area turned blue for a moment, almost as if it was a giant sphere replaying some kind of memory. Running past them, two mares in Crusader armor ran forward, stopping a few yards ahead of the party as they panted heavily. One of them was a light tan earth pony, her mane a cobalt blue with a light fuschia stripe down the middle, the other a light aquamarine unicorn, her mane a pale light green with white highlights.

"We're almost there," the earth pony said, looking at her comrade in worry.

"I know," the unicorn said. "If it means sacrificing my life, then I'll gladly do it. Take my life, Bon Bon, and I'll help you get rid of Sin."

The memory faded, the others growing confused at what they saw. "Wait, 'Bon Bon'? Did she mean Summoner Bon Bon!?" Twilight gasped. "Lady Bon Bon's sacrifice was over a hundred years ago, though!"

"Since this area is infested with pyreflies, the ruins of this stadium is like a gigantic sphere." Rarity swatted away one of the glowing orbs of light as one got close to her. "We'll be seeing our predecessors from several years who passed here, or even just recently. And their thoughts stay here. Forever."

They continued on for a while until another memory played out. There was a colt crying while and adult unicorn mare limped over to him, seeming exhausted from taking out the machina and zombies that tried to attack them. What surprised them all was that the colt crying was a young Blueblood, nothing at all like the psychotic stallion that's been trying to kill them.

"No, mommy! I don't want you to be a fayth!" Blueblood sobbed as tears streamed down his face.

"There's no other way, sweetheart," his mother said. "This is the only way everypony in Guadosalam will accept you. You must use me in order to defeat Sin."

"I don't want to! I don't care! Mommy, don't!" Blueblood buried his face in his mother's chest and held her tightly, crying harder.

The mare looked like she was on the verge of passing out, holding her foal close. "...I don't have much time left...Blueblood...Orion..."

The memory faded away, leaving the group stupefied. "...Was that seriously Blueblood!?"

"And his mother..." This only brought so many more questions about Blueblood's motives, and his status as a summoner. "They were out here in Zanarkand?"

"But what did she mean?" Twilight asked. "She said, 'You must use me in order to defeat Sin.' That was the same thing Summoner Bon Bon's guardian said."

"Who cares?" Rainbow coldly said. "If seeing this means we should feel bad Blueblood, I say screw his past! He wussed out as a summoner, and he became a madpony bent on killing everything to 'heal' Spira! Does anypony actually feel bad for him?" She looked back at the others, seeing confused expressions on their faces, but they all agreed Blueblood shouldn't be pitied for his actions against them. "Right! I hope he rots like the corpse he is."

Continuing on, they were about to enter another part of the blitzball stadium when yet another memory flashed in. This time, it showed Kindred Heart, Jet Stream, and Rarity from ten years ago, panting in exhaustion as they made it through the dangerous fiends that lurked in the stadium.

"I can't believe all this. I used to blitz here," Jet Stream said, looking over at Kindred Heart. "Kindred, we don't have to do this, you know. We can just go back to Bevelle."

"We've gotten this far already, Jet. I can't turn back now." Jet sighed, unable to change the pegasus's mind.

"Kindred, for once, I'm agreeing with Jet Stream," Rarity said, more worried about going through with this than the two older stallions. "I don't want to see you die when you face Sin! What would Fluttershy do when you sacrifice yourself!?"

"Rarity, I'm grateful you're concerned about me," Kindred said, resting a hoof on his guardian's shoulder. "You knew this would happen. We all did."

"I didn't," Jet grumbled, able to be heard by the two.

"...Yes. Forgot about that." Kindred shook his head, looking back at Rarity. "Rarity, you know this is the only way to end Spira's suffering. When I defeat Sin, I'll be protecting the world from its wrath. And protecting my daughter before anything happens to her."

The moment faded as they ran further inside the ruins, the present party following after them. Jet Stream was just as clueless about a summoner's pilgrimage as much as Rainbow was, but he seemed to have taken it better than she did. Another memory played out as they followed Kindred's party up to the entrance that lead down to a section of the building Rainbow didn't know about before.

"Let me guess; there's going to be some kind of annoying puzzle in here?" Jet asked as Kindred pressed his hoof against the nearby Save Sphere, healing their injuries. "I'm gonna take that as a yes. Ugh! I hate solving these dumb things! And where's the festivities when we got to the final temple!? Parades and fireworks, mares to welcome us, confetti all over the place!?"

"You can ask for all that once I beat Sin." The trio headed down into Zanarkand's Cloister of Trials, Kindred and Rarity ignoring the comment about mares congratulating them.

"Wow, Rarity. I thought you would have smacked my dad upside the head for that." Rarity just looked at the entrance, her eyes hidden beneath her glasses. "Rarity?"

"After we solve the Cloister of Trials, we'll be tested by another fiend." Ignoring Rainbow Dash, she moved on ahead.

"What's up with her?" Rainbow Dash asked.

The others shrugged, having no clue what the unicorn seemed upset about. She wanted to get all this over with, never wanting to take a break, and whenever something important about her journey with Kindred Heart and Jet Stream could help the others at this point, she flat out ignores them. As much as they need to discover things for themselves, they were in dire need of answers.

Heading downstairs, they watched Rarity already begin working on the puzzles for them, having opened the doorway leading to another room further in. From what they could gather, the tiles on the floor lit up in different colored and shaped blocks, needing to activate them by pressing on specific ones with a light in the center, making a certain shape around it. There were pedestals on the sides of the small room, two of them pushed in already as Rarity came back, pushing another one in.

"Rarity?" The unicorn didn't answer as she headed off into the next room. The others followed as the found her walked around the larger room with more tiles, matching the same tiles to the one that appeared on the monitor. In the center was a hole that lead down, six circular platforms around the edge. "Rarity, what's wrong?"

"I just want to get through with this annoying puzzle is all," Rarity said, though by how she began to stomp down on the tiles that made the blocks glow, it looked like it was more than the puzzle that's irritating her. "The sooner we get through this, the faster you can all understand what's really going on..."

"This is so stupid." Rainbow Dash stepped on a random tile, messing up the one portion of the puzzle, resetting the glowing tiles. "Rarity, stop being cryptic and tell us what the hay's going on!"

"...Get your hoof off that tile," the unicorn growled, almost threateningly.

"Not until you tell us what you're so ticked off about. You've been wanting to rush us ever since you showed up in Luca and became Fluttershy's guardian, you keep brushing off our problems like they don't mean anything, and now your getting mad at the fact we're here, when you clearly wanted us to be here!" Slowly, Rarity brought out her katana, glaring at the pegasus refusing to obey her. "Oh, you think you're so scary! What are you gonna do next? Put me in a dress?"

"Get off of that tile and let me finish this stupid puzzle!" Rarity shouted.

"...Make me." Setting off the unicorn's temper, Rarity ran at Rainbow Dash, intending to kill her.

Before she got closer, Spike pounced on her and pinned her to the ground, knocking her weapon away and temporarily disabling her telekinesis. Even though Rarity was strong enough to life a magically transformed katana that weighed more than a boulder five times her size, she was no match for the dragon's brute strength as she struggled to get out from underneath him.

"Rarity, please calm down," Fluttershy said, trying to calm the situation before either mare made it worse.

"Calm down!? How can I be calm when I have to have everything that happened here ten years ago come back to haunt me!?" Getting sick and tired of secrets being hidden from her, Rainbow Dash shoved Spike aside and slammed the enraged unicorn's head into the ground.

"You know, I'm getting sick of this, Rarity! Every time there's something none of us now about, someone has to keep something hidden because they don't want to say anything tragic or they're being an idiot withholding something IMPORTANT to all of us! You fall under the last category, and I'll beat everything out of you if I have to!" The two mares began fighting, tumbling around the room as they exchanged a few blows as they argued.

"Don't you dare patronize me, you brat!" Rarity stood over Rainbow Dash and began punching her, the pegasus blocking her hooves with her forelegs. "You have no idea what I've been through! Don't act like you're wiser than me when you're clearly more immature than your father!"

Spike grabbed Rarity and pulled her away from Rainbow Dash while Applejack kept the pegasus from lunging at the unicorn. "Rarity, Rainbow Dash, cut it out!" Twilight yelled. "Now isn't the time to be instigating anything when we're in a lot more danger than we already are!"

"Yeah! Not to mention the bright and colorful tile puzzle that I must solve because it looks fun!" Pinkie added as she wandered around, wanting to solve a Cloister of Trial's puzzle.

Fluttershy walked up to Rarity, growing worried at her sudden change in demeanor. "Rarity, we all saw you were really scared when the memory of you, Sir Jet, and my father appeared. Please, tell us what happened here."

Rarity finally controlled herself, though she still seemed miserable just by being here, looking away from the others. "...I can't say it...It's better if you find out from her..." Seeing she had calmed down enough, Spike let go of her. "...You're all going to have second thoughts when you see Celestia down here."

"Again with this!? Just tell us already!" Mog leapt up on Rainbow's head and tugged her ears hard, shutting her up before her big mouth angered Rarity again. "Augh! Dang it! I bought you, you stupid doll! Whose side are you on!?"

"Rainbow Dash, shut up." Twilight used her magic, zipping Rainbow's mouth like a zipper before she instigated another fight.

"Like I said before...you'll find out soon," Rarity said, her magic returning to her as she grabbed her katana with her aura. "...I'm not as tough as I seem...Back then, I was terrified. I didn't want to lose Kindred Heart...I didn't want anypony to die as much as you all do...What happened here...was so painful for me to even recall. Even if I did tell you everything, what chance was there for all of you to turn around and stop you from continuing this journey?"

"Then how come my dad didn't come back with you and he's now Sin?" Rainbow asked.

Rarity didn't answer, but was thankfully distracted when the lights dimmed down and the circles in the center of the room began glowing different shaped glyphs. Pinkie bounded, having completed the puzzles while the others stopped Rainbow Dash and Rarity from killing each other.

"It's alright guys! I solved the trial!" she exclaimed. "It was kind of annoying because there tiles that made white squares, but I managed to finish it!"

"...Pinkie, did you seriously just complete the puzzle?...Right now?" Rarity asked.

"Yeah...Why?" The room suddenly got darker as the party was dragged onto the glyphs, turning into platforms as their environment changed into some strange dimensional void.

More glyphs appeared, forming a circle, some large stone platforms outside of the circle for anything bigger than them to stand on. "Oh great. Spectral Keeper's coming."

"Who?" From the center of the circle of glyphs was a dangerous looking spiritual fiend, rising up from the red void down below.

Its arms were long, able to spread out to the glyphs around it, with dangerously sharp claws. It had no legs, but its tail was like a third arm, the blade at the tip sharper than its claws and could only hit something that was directly facing it. Everyone was standing on individual glyphs, fourteen of them in total instead of six, unable to move from their starting glyphs.

"W-What the hay is going on!?" Twilight exclaimed as she tried to move her hooves.

"Spectral Keeper is a different kind of fight," Rarity explained. "We have to move around with our will to a free glyph in order to avoid its attacks. We're all sitting ducks if we just stay in one spot."

"Perfect. Another gimmick that nopony likes! And having Blueblood dismiss aeons and getting rid of our buffs was something that everypony hated because he was unfair!" The Spectral Keeper looked at Pinkie and whipped its tail at her, smacking her up in the air a little. Her body twitched a little as her coat and mane began blinking a dark red, her expression turning into blind rage. "Now I feel like ATTACKING FOR NO REASON!"

Pinkie swiped her claws blindly, and surprisingly hitting it despite her entire being glued to the center of the glyph. "And his tail can cause Berserk and get her more killed if it decides to release Glyph Mines! Twilight, Fluttershy, stay behind it as much as possible! Rainbow, provoke it so it pays attention to you while Fluttershy heals you!"

"What!? Why am I the scapegoat!?" Rainbow complained, everyone, quickly spreading out as the dimensional fiend began to attack the others. "Are you seriously that mad at me!?"

"I was Provoked by you, Rainbow Dash. You didn't realize it because you wanted answers, but there was some magic in your words that wanted me to strangle you." The pegasus only stared at Rarity in confusion. "Remember when you fought Evrae? Your speed increased drastically when you finally cast Haste. You're now realizing the latent magical power you've had. Utilize it."

"...You're kidding? Taunting fiends can distract them that easily?" Rainbow asked.

"Just Provoke the Spectral Keeper and defend! We'll do the rest! Just make sure to avoid the-" The fiend let out a screech as black glowing spots appeared on a few of the glyphs, one of them being directly under the berserked Pinkie Pie. "Glyph Mines..."

Seeing Pinkie was in danger of the mine underneath her, Fluttershy quickly cast Esuna to heal her from her enraged status. "...I saw red, and now I see pink...ie Pie!"

"Pinkie, move! You're on a Glyph Mine!"

Looking down, the Al Bhed yelped and quickly moved to another glyph, making it just in time as the ones that had been set blew up. Seeing how dangerous this fiend was compared to the Sanctuary Keeper, Rainbow Dash had to go along with Rarity's plan and hope it didn't kill her in the process. Since she's going to be keeping quiet about everything until they discover what's bugging her, Rainbow had no other choice but to wait and see what she's been hiding. With the rest of the group spread out and the pegasus alone, she decided to try and taunt the Spectral Keeper and get its attention.

"Hey, ugly! Over here!" Rainbow Dash caught its attention, and it looked mad. "Yeah, that's right! Bet you can't kill me!"

Her Provoking worked as its eyes were now fully on her, adding in a few more taunts by making faces at it. Now with its focus on Rainbow Dash, the others began attacking it while the pegasus defended herself from its sharp claws. While Fluttershy used her healing magic to cure her injuries, they had to change their formations around to avoid the Glyph Mines that were randomly set underneath them. It took a while, but they managed to defeat the fiend with Rarity's strategy. As the fiend disappeared, the room began to shift back to normal, the glowing glyphs forming together over the hole and forming a lift leading down safely to another level.

Hopeful that the last of their tests were done and over with, the group took a small break, Fluttershy healing any further injuries Rainbow Dash had sustained as the scapegoat. Now knowing she had some skills other than Haste, she had to be a little careful when she spoke. After Fluttershy was sure Rainbow Dash was fully healed, she stepped onto the lift and headed down, where the Chamber of the Fayth laid in wait for her.

"What!? What the hay do you mean there's no Final Aeon!?" The others looked up in confusion as they heard Jet Stream's voice echo from down below.

Suddenly, they heard Fluttershy gasp in shock, exiting the chamber. "Everypony! Come down quick!"

"Fluttershy? What's going on!?" The lift rose up, though the summoner wasn't on it.

Worried, everyone else got on it and headed down to the chamber, fearing there was another fiend Rarity didn't know about and Fluttershy was in danger.

Chapter 42: Two Lives for the Price of Nothing

The guardians rushed into the Chamber of the Fayth, finding Fluttershy kneeling over the statue of the fayth, staring at it in shock. There didn't seem to be any fiends inside, no sign of any danger at all. Not wanting to be careless, Rainbow Dash walked over to Fluttershy with her sword ready, looking down at the statue of the fayth. Though it showed a mare from its back, it was clearly the body of Celestia's sister, Luna, though the visage etched in stone looked like a darker version of her. It wore armor and, where Luna was a pegasus from the past memory they saw back in Guadosalam, it also had a horn like a unicorn.

"Fluttershy, what happened?" Rainbow asked, feeling a little creeped out at the scary being that seemed like what the Final Aeon would look like.

"The fayth...it's not here," the summoner said. "It's just an empty statue."

"That is because the statue had lost its power as a fayth long ago." Everyone looked up, seeing the same priest they met back at the entrance to the stadium, having arrived out of nowhere. "Lady Luna, the first fayth to become the Final Aeon, her soul no longer rests in this statue. It is gone."

"T-Then...that means there's no Final Aeon?" Fluttershy asked, feeling a little hopeful.

"Not to worry, Lady Summoner. Lade Celestia will assist you on the matter further." The priest waved his hoof, and appearing on the wall opposite of the entrance to the chamber was a door. "Lady Celestia awaits you all."

The unsent priest prayed to them and slowly disappeared. The rest of the party looked at Rarity, having known the Final Aeon's fayth was empty. She remained silent as all their questions will be answered in the next room. They entered, one by one, arriving in an extravagant hall, a lot brighter than how the rest of the city looked with the undead and decayed ruins.

"Ok, so where's our unsent host?" Rainbow asked, seeing no sign of the thousand year old unicorn mare.

Eventually, she did show up, walking out from what seemed to be her private chambers in the back. The group stared in awe, nothing like the mare they saw in Guadosalam. She was taller than the average mare, almost around Spike's height, if not a little taller. Her mane was no longer pink and hung low along her head. It was now in multicolored hues, seeming bright and vibrant, and her mane and tail seemed to flow in an invisible breeze. As soon as she left the corridor, she spread out a large pair of wings on her back, looking like a holier version of the terrifying image on her sister's fayth statue.

"Lady Celestia?" Excluding Rarity, they all stared at the first summoner to defeat Sin.

Celestia held a calm, gentle smile on her face as she gazed down upon the ponies and dragon from the top of the steps. "Welcome to Zanarkand, travelers. I must congratulate you, young summoner. Your pilgrimage is finally at its end. I shall bestow upon you the power of the Final Summoning, so you may defeat Sin." Rarity glowered at the unsent demi-goddess, the truth will finally be shed to light where she couldn't speak of it. Fluttershy stepped forward to receive the Final Aeon, the other guardians' hopes dashed as the end of her life will come. "Now, summoner...Choose."

"...I-I'm sorry?" Fluttershy questioned, the other guardians looking at Celestia in confusion.

"You must choose one of your guardians in order to change them into the fayth, to become the Final Summoning." The mares and dragon gasped in shock.

"What!? What's that supposed to mean!?" Rainbow exclaimed, voicing everyone's thoughts for them.

"It means what it means," Celestia calmly said, smiling in obliviousness at what shock she had caused. "In order for this to work, a summoner and the chosen fayth must have a very close bond with one another. That is what the Final Summoning embodies: Whether it is two lovers, a mother or father and their foal, or between close friends with an unbreakable bond. With this bond, it is powerful enough to vanquish Sin.

"A thousand years ago, I had chosen my little sister, Luna, the only family I had left, as the fayth. Our bond was inseparable, and she knew her sacrifice would not be in vain. And with our sisterly bond, I had obtained the Final Aeon." Everyone hearing the oldest summoner in the history of Spira felt sick to their stomachs. How somepony, who claims to have had a close bond with their family, could speak so highly of sacrificing her sister and not bat an eye was beyond them. She ends the life of Luna, her sister, and isn't choked up at the horrible act she had committed. "I see you need some more time to think. Understandable, seeing you have six guardians at your disposal.

"Just know, Summoner Fluttershy, that your father, Kindred Heart, had chosen the same path. Soon, you and your chosen fayth will no longer feel pain and anxiety of the fears of loss. Death is the ultimate and final liberation of all living things, and the Final Aeon will end your life as soon as you summon it. When you are ready, I shall wait in my chambers for your decision." Celestia turned away and walked back down the hallway she came out from, folding her wings back to her sides as she left the stunned and flabbergasted group alone.

No one could say a word. What could they say? Fluttershy had to make a choice, to kill one of her guardians so they could become the fayth for the Final Aeon, and have that pony or dragon kill her once she beats Sin. Even if they defeat it, Sin will come back after some time, meaning not one life will be lost, but two. This had been going on for over one thousand years, and Celestia brushed it off like the lives of the living were non-existence, just little flies that are swatted away and flicked aside.

While they stood in their shock, another memory began to play out before them, Kindred Heart, Jet Stream, and younger Rarity in the same predicament as the others present. "...She isn't serious, right? I mean, as hot as she is for a dead mare, she's gotta be joking, right?"

"It seems not," Kindred said, ignoring the comment Jet made on the older summoner. "I can't turn back though. I wouldn't want this to fall upon another unfortunate summoner and their guardians."

"No!" Rarity ran in front of Kindred, keeping him away from the stairs where they saw Celestia leave. "You can't do this! There has to be some other way, Kindred! None of this is worth it! Let's just go back home...I'd rather suffer when Sin attacks than have two of us die."

"Rarity..." Kindred looked down, greatly conflicted at the unfortunate news given to them all.

"I'll be the fayth." The unicorn and pegasus summoner looked back at Jet Stream, his expression serious, something Rainbow Dash had never seen him in this way. "If it means keeping everypony safe, I'll give my life and be the Final Aeon."

"Jet..." While Kindred commended his friend's bravery in this grueling situation, Rarity ran up to Jet Stream and slapped him hard in the face.

"Nopony is going to kill themselves over this!" she shouted, tears welling up in her eyes while the dark cyan pegasus stallion was unfazed by her hoof. "You and Kindred both have daughters! You have a family you should be going back to! What will they think if they know you two died!?"

"...I don't think Dashie would mind if I did die," Jet sadly said, surprising Rainbow as her father called her 'Dashie'. He never once called her that in her life, not even when she was a toddler. "I'll never see her or my wife again, anyway."

"Yes you will!" Rarity turned to look at Kindred. "I'll be the fayth! I don't have anypony to go to! Choose me!"

"Rarity, stop it!" Jet Stream turned the unicorn around, leering at her as he kept her gaze focused on him. "...Don't you dare say that. You have every right to keep living. I am not going to let you throw your life away to help me rekindle my relationship with my daughter."

"B-But-" The stallion quickly shoved a hoof in Rarity's mouth, silencing anymore protests she had.

"No...You listen to me, Rarity; I've told you and Kindred I don't know anything about Spira. I was clueless to how things work, and as soon as I learned one new thing after the next, my outlook on living changed. Even if you don't believe me, I'm just going to keep saying I've been sent a thousand years in the future, and I will never see them again." A moment of silence passed as Jet lowered his hoof, Rarity's complaints on his decision gone silent. "I've been thinking about this ever since I woke up near Bevelle and was thrown in jail, and I've made my choice.

"You have a life to live. You're still young, you're a strong mare who can lift a heavy sword that not even I can lift, and you have looks that would make any stallion fall head over hooves for you." As the present party watched the memory, Rarity began to shed tears as her younger self began shedding tears as well. "I know I've been acting like a mule to you, but you could rival my wife in good looks. And there's a good reason why I act like an idiot and hit on mares and annoy everypony who knows I have an over-inflated ego; I'm actually terrified on the inside and do stupid things to hide my fears.

"For so long back in my Zanarkand, I was a hotshot blitzball star, wealthy and famous, and I married the greatest mare to ever come into my life. Then, when my daughter came around...I was afraid of being a father." Rainbow Dash remained silent, unable to voice her opinion on him as she heard him out, Jet having no clue she was watching this moment in time. "I was scared I wouldn't be a good father, being this huge celebrity everypony adored and having the paparazzi hound over me and my family. I didn't know what to do, but I wasn't going to give her up and be the worst father in the history of fathers to just abandon the foal you helped give life to...Instead, I made things worse with her, ignoring her...insulting her...putting her down as she tried to follow in my hoofsteps and become a blitzball player.

"I always kept taking her attention away from her mother, my wife too infatuated with my looks. I wanted to push her to being a good player, but I ended up shoving her hard into the ground, making her resent me more and more with each day. Every time she looked at me, I know she hates me for being such a jerk, but she's also afraid to tell me face to face because she'll think I'll hurt her physically." Jet Stream's voice wavered a little as he felt awful putting Rainbow Dash in the situation she was in as a filly. This was the first time she had ever seen her father be this sincere about her, and he knew he could never go home. "If anything, I deserve to die. For all I know, my wife and daughter are already long gone...I'm never seeing them again, and I regret everything I did to hurt her."

"...But what would be the point?" Rarity said, her voice cracking as she struggled not to break down. "Sin will just come back after the Calm...There has to be another way..."

"I'll find a way to break the cycle, Rarity." Jet Stream surprised Rarity by pulling her into a hug, never showing any friendly affection since Kindred's pilgrimage began. "Sorry for being a pain in the flank. Take care of Kindred until he confronts Sin, ok?" The unicorn whimpered as her tears flowed more freely down her cheeks. After a while, the stallion let go of the distraught mare and approached Kindred, a few tears running down his face as he heard his friend's heartfelt words. "Don't you go bawling on me, Kindred. Rarity's already got it covered for all of us."

The summoner let out a sad laugh, wiping away his tears. "Is that your fear making that joke?"

"Yeah. It is," Jet said. "Maybe the cycle will finally be broken if this works." He slammed his hooves together, ready to become the fayth. "A tie game with only a few seconds to go, and I'm not backing out from that goal."

"...Right...Let's do this." The two stallions headed up the stairs to have Celestia turn Jet into a fayth, leaving Rarity behind as she collapsed and cried.

The unicorn's sobs echoed in the room as the memory kept going, the others now knowing why she couldn't tell them everything. How Sin was defeated was heart-wrenchingly painful, having to choose someone they care about die to become a fayth the worst decision anyone could make. There didn't seem to be a choice at all when it came to Spira's future. Even if Sin is defeated and the summoner that defeated it brought the Calm, it always comes back, and in this moment, Sin did come back. They viewed Rarity as a wise veteran, everypony seeing her as a strong-willed fighter who holds true to her beliefs, but she was still a mare, and seeing her broken down like this made them feel pity for her.

They looked up as they heard Rarity's diamond katana drag across the stone floor, watching her slowly walk toward her younger self. "Rarity?" Fluttershy tried to get her attention, but her words fell on deaf ears.

Slowly, the unicorn took off her sunglasses, revealing her tear-stricken face as she glared at her past self. She stood there in silence, gritting her teeth as her ears twitched with each sob the memory of her let out. She finally cracked, screeching as she threw her glasses at herself, making them shatter as they hit the wall. Grabbing the hilt of her katana in her hoof, she began to swing wildly, trying to kill her past self to no avail, each slam of the blade smacking the ground causing the spot to crack as she screamed in anger and sorrow.

The memory began to fade away, Rarity slamming her weapon down one last time where she laid collapsed in despair ten years ago, her breathing labored as she stared at the spot she stood. She broke down, just like before, and cried, dropping her katana to the cracked ground beneath it. These memories stayed with her after a decade, her biggest regret to let her friends go and getting them killed weighing heavily over her heart in guilt, wishing it was her who died instead of them.

"...And...the cycle...continued...It didn't matter if they sacrificed themselves..." Rarity sobbed. "...Now you know why...Why I hid all this from you...Two lives are given up...for nothing...Every. Single. Time..."

While the mares were frozen still where they stood, unable to believe their pilgrimage is more depressing than they imagined, Spike approached the depressed unicorn mare. He kneeled down next to her, gently resting a claw on her back. Rarity immediately sought comfort in his arms, burying her face in his scaly chest as she let out her sorrow. Like Kindred Heart, Jet Stream, and Rarity ten years ago, they were going to have to make the toughest decision they will ever face since their already long and painful journey across Spira; Who will be willing to give up their life to save Spira and die with Fluttershy in order to defeat Sin?

Chapter 43: No More False Hope!

Rainbow Dash had no idea how long the room had been quiet for. Celestia had told Fluttershy to choose someone to become the fayth to earn the Final Aeon, which meant killing one of her guardians, one of her friends, to gain the power to defeat Sin. How was anyone supposed to make a decision like this? It'd be like committing murder, yet it's considered justified because it's for Spira's future. She knew something was wrong the very moment they discovered the fayth of Luna was empty of her soul, and now they know that two lives are lost, not one.

Rarity was really out of it after re-watching the tragic moment of her past ten years ago, watching Jet Stream and Kindred Heart confront Celestia to make Rainbow's father the fayth. What really confused the pegasus was the fact that her father was now Sin, yet he was supposed to be dead. It didn't make any sense. After a moment thinking about how this was possible, her eyes widened as she remembered what Blueblood had said about freeing Jet Stream from his torment as Sin and why he was desperate to have Fluttershy "use" him as a sacrifice.

She didn't want to voice out her theory if she was right, not wanting to sound crazy. Looking around the room, everyone was still in shock and actually considering going through with this pointless endeavor. Fluttershy was conflicted, unable to choose her close friends and those she considered family to sacrifice. Pinkie Pie was desperately trying to come up with another solution to beat Sin while they had the chance, but with no results. Applejack and Twilight were completely silent as they still couldn't believe this was really happening. Rarity was being comforted by Spike, having slightly recovered from her outburst, but still a little shaken up.

Growing tired of the silence, Rainbow Dash finally spoke up. "This is not happening! We're going to break this cycle!"

"Are ya out of your mind, Rainbow?" Applejack questioned. "There's nothin' we can do."

"This is the only way we can stop Sin," Twilight said. "...If anypony's going to be the fayth, Fluttershy, choose me."

"Nuh uh! No way are ya gonna sacrifice yourself, Twilight!" the stetson wearing earth pony argued. "Ah'll do it!"

"No me! I'm it!" Pinkie exclaimed, appearing between the two mares. "...Wait, who are we it for?"

"Becoming the fayth," Twilight said blandly, annoyed at Pinkie's obliviousness.

"Oh! No! I don't want to be it! I'm trying to find a way to NOT get anypony killed!" Pinkie shouted.

"No one is going to be killed, because I'm gonna find another way," Rainbow said.

"Do ya have any idea how much of a foal you're bein', Rainbow Dash? Ya'll are gonna get nothin' if ya want everythin'." The pegasus scoffed, her discovery being a dream more depressing than what they all just learned recently.

"Ok. Fine, Applejack. I'm acting like a foal. So let's hear what the adults are gonna do. Hmm?" Rainbow held a hoof up to her ear in the mare's direction. "I'm waiting to hear what mature solution the grownups have." Receiving no answer, she turned away from Applejack and Twilight. "Exactly. But just because there's no other option, that doesn't mean I'm gonna give up finding a better way, so nopony dies. I am not going to let Fluttershy die, and I am NOT going to let any one of us to sacrifice ourselves!"

"What are you gonna do, Dashie?" Pinkie asked.

"I'm gonna march right up to Celestia and tell her that all of this is nothing but pony feathers! If she's as powerful as she claims to be, turning somepony into the Final Aeon, then she has to have a safer solution if she's being as sadistic as Blueblood killing ponies!" Rainbow flew up the stairs and looked down at her friends. "This is my story! If I'm going to die, then I'm gonna die trying on my own terms, not by anypony else's!"

"Then it's my story too." Fluttershy walked up the steps and stood next to Rainbow Dash. "I know I've always followed the path I had chosen, and I knew where my fate would end up, doing it for everypony in Spira...But Rainbow Dash has a point. As much as I don't want to lose any of you, there might be another idea if we ask Lady Celestia."

"Right. Let's go, guys!" Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash walked down the corridor, leaving the others behind.

"...Is there really another way?" Twilight asked.

"There might be." Rarity stood up from Spike's embrace, picking up her discarded katana and hefted it on her back. Her puffy eyes looked up at the stairs, ignoring the loss of her shades as they were only a shield to hide the pain in her eyes. "This time, I know things will change...We've all suffered long enough, and I'm sick and tired of doing nothing, letting everything I strived to do for Spira become nothing but a twisted game for her..."

She followed after the pegasi, ready to confront Celestia again. With no other choice, the rest of the guardians headed up the stairs after them, worried about the outcome of asking the powerful summoner another way to stop Sin.

As soon as Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash passed through the corridor, they walked up a flight of stairs, only to wind up in another dimensional realm. Thankfully, it was unlike the one the Spectral Keeper brought them in, the world outside of the small stretch of ruins surrounded by stars. It was as if they were in space. Soon, the rest of the party walked in, just as amazed as they were at the realm they walked into.

"Wowie! This is some cool interior decorating!" Pinkie said. "Are we really in space? Where's the moon!? I heard it's made out of cheese!"

"Pinkie, the moon is a giant ball of earth with no atmosphere to sustain life," Twilight said.

"Ooooh. Maud would love a moon rock." The lavender unicorn slapped her forehead, Mog following suit as they both shook their heads.

A while of looking around the majestic realm later, Celestia walked up from a flight of stairs on the other end of the room, where it didn't look like there was any passage from any other angle. Seeing the summoner party were all here, she approached the center of the room, standing on top of a glyph that signified Zanarkand's aeon.

"It appears you have made your decision," Celestia said, feigning ignorance of the party's expressions of anger, confusion, or sadness. "Now, who will become the fayth and become the next Final Summoning?"

"Before I decide, may I ask a question?" Fluttershy asked, the powerful summoner nodding her head. "If I defeat Sin using the Final Aeon...will Sin come back?"

Celestia began to chuckle, as if she was hearing a joke. "Of course Sin will always come back. Sin is eternal. Every aeon that defeats Sin becomes Sin in its place, reborn after some time."

While a majority of the group was horrified of the winged unicorn's answer, Rainbow growled, her guess being right on the dot. "I knew it. That's why my dad is Sin now. That's why Blueblood wanted Fluttershy to have him as a sacrifice. You've been doing this on purpose just to screw around with everypony for a thousand years!"

"...As much as you'd like to make that claim, you cannot fault me for Sin's creation." Rainbow Dash seemed to have struck a nerve with Celestia, seeing a small glint of anger in her eyes before it disappeared. "Sin is an inevitable part of Spira's destiny. It is immortal, always in a never-ending cycle."

"But, we've been atonin' for our sins in the past," Applejack said, swallowing the lump in her throat as she spoke to the demigoddess. "If we keep followin' the teachin's, then Sin will go away, right?"

She laughed again, unnerving everyone. "What hope is there for every single sentient being to do such a thing? You have an Al Bhed in your group, and they are considered heathens because they still use machina."

"That's racist!" Pinkie shouted. "I haven't touched a single machina in a couple days, only dismantling them! That counts for something!"

"B-But this is wrong!" Twilight exclaimed. "For the last millennium, everypony's been atoning all this time so that it may exorcise Sin! It's the only hope that we've had for the longest time!"

"Hope?" Celestia questioned. "What a word it is; hope. A want of something to happen...So powerful, yet meaningless at the same time. Hope allows us accept fate, even the ones that end in tragedy." Everyone was appalled to hear the mare say something like that, practically spitting on all of Spira's face like nothing matters if the world suffers. "How painful reality can be once that hope comes crashing down like a tidal wave."

Rainbow Dash growled, growing sick and tired of hearing Celestia talk. She was far worse than Blueblood, but at least she didn't want to destroy Spira. Instead, she's leading summoners to their death and lost her heart a thousand years ago. She even wondered if she really was upset when she sacrificed her own sister to stop Sin back then if what they saw in Guadosalam was nothing but a falsified tale made up by the manic Guado stallion.

The pegasus was about to rush at Celestia with her sword held out, only to stop as the realm flashed as a memory was playing back, hearing the sound of a mare screaming her head off as they came running into the room. Young Rarity ran past everyone as she skidded to a halt before the past Celestia standing before the present one, her diamond katana slamming hard into the ground as she glared at the summoner with tears streaming down her face.

"Y-You...You...!" Rarity seethed as she tightened her grip on her blade. "You're worse than Sin! Kindred Heart followed the teachings and believed in them, getting killed by the Final Aeon! Jet Stream believed in him and sacrificed himself, only to kill him in the end! You killed my friends!"

"I only did what was necessary for Spira's hope," past Celestia said, the present mare grinning as she watched the growing anger on past Rarity's face. "They chose to die because of that hope."

"...You monster..." The unicorn growled, unable to hold back her rage. "Sin came back...you got two fathers killed...I'LL KILL YOU! NOPONY WILL EVER HAVE TO GO THROUGH THIS EVER AGAIN!"

Rarity screamed as she ran toward the powerful deity before her, leaping up in the air to cleave Celestia in half. The memory seemed to slow down as they watched the two. Past Celestia closed her eyes, then opened them again as they flashed white. A barrier formed around the one thousand year old summoner, blocking the heavy and unbreakable katana mere inches from her head. She then thrust out a hoof, shattering the barrier and turning it into sharp shards, sending them flying into Rarity as she screamed in agony, one of them managing to hit her eye, the same spot where she currently has her scar.

The unicorn flew back and tumbled across the ground, deep gashes on every part of her body as she slowly skidded across the ground. Her katana, flung away from her as she lost her grip on it when she was struck, fell toward her, landing mere inches away from her face, cutting off a small bit of her mane. Everyone, except for the Celestias, stared in horror, Rarity wincing as she recalled the excruciating pain she received in that moment. Past Celestia walked away as the memory slowly faded away, present Celestia watching herself walk away as she left the unicorn's unconscious, bleeding body.

"Faust's teachings and the Final Summoning give Spira hope," Celestia said. "Without hope, everypony would just wallow in their sorrow, lost in an endless sea of despair." She held out her hoof out toward Fluttershy. "Now, choose which of your guardians will be the next fayth. Who will be Spira's new hope?"

Celestia waited for a response, but she was met with silence. Fluttershy looked back at her guardians, not wanting to give up any of their lives. She didn't even give them the answer they wanted, if there was any other way to defeat Sin without giving up two lives, where one of them would end up as the next Sin. Sin always came back because of this tradition, which is the true cause of Spira's never-ending suffering. Fluttershy looked back at Celestia defiantly, making her decision.

"I choose no one." The elder summoner raised a brow in confusion. "As much as I want to save Spira, gladly giving up my life, but not like this! The Final Summoning should never be used again if we want to end this cycle, throwing away this miserable tradition!"

"You do not seem to understand, summoner," Celestia said, her calm stare slowly turning cold. "This is our only hope. Your father sacrificed himself to give Spira hope."

"He didn't want this! My father wanted to end Spira's suffering for good, not cover it up with lies!" Fluttershy shouted.

"Sorrow will never disappear. Your words are meaningless," Celestia said as her mane seemed to billow a little wildly.

"Then if my words fail, I'll take action, without using the Final Aeon." Fluttershy looked back at the others, seeing Rainbow Dash backing her up with a determined grin. Though the rest of the party seemed skeptical, they knew all of this was wrong. All their beliefs, all of their atonement, none of it mattered with this endless cycle, and they were willing to fight to find another way, no matter how futile their search may be. "I loved my father...and I was so sure he was doing the right thing...After what I saw..." She looked back at Celestia, holding out her staff. "I'd rather live in sorrow than die to bring false hope. For every summoner after you, who gave up their lives, and every guardian that became Sin, I will find another way to end Spira's suffering. I will defeat Sorrow and refuse to follow this tradition any longer."

Celestia let out a sigh, closing her eyes and shaking her head in disappointment. "You poor, unfortunate pegasus...You would rather throw away your hope and die in misery..." She opened her eyes, glaring harshly at the party, no longer the peaceful mare she was just moments ago. "Fine then. If this is what you desire, then I will grant you all your death. I shall liberate you all from your suffering, so you can die with hope than continue living in despair!"

Her wings flared out and her mane and tail waved erratically in the air as if she was in a hurricane. Spirits around her flew out of her body as she unleashed an aura of power. As strong as she claims to be, no one stood down, Rarity stepping forward as she held her katana over her shoulder.

"Now is the time, everypony!" she said. "This is where you make your choice! Would you rather die and be free of your pain, or will you live and tackle your sorrows head on and conquer them!?" The unicorn held her blade out at Celestia, ready for a rematch against the conceited mare of the past. "Now is the time to shape your stories! Your fate lies in your hooves, not in anypony else's!"

Spike stepped forward, twirling his halberd as he readied himself for the fight of his life. "I humiliated myself in front of Elder Yiazmat and shamed my tribe. They accepted me again after I proved my strength, and they died because of a power-hungry Guado who wanted to be Sin! If I die, then I just shame my dragon brethren more for my failure! I'm never going to back down!"

"Me too!" Pinkie exclaimed bouncing up and down as she tightened her claw weapon to her hoof. "No more death! No more pain! No more losses! I'm going all in!"

"...Ah can't believe this is really happenin'," Applejack muttered.

"So you're just going to give up?" Twilight asked, seeing she was ready to fight, Mog putting up his paws in a boxer's stance on top of the unicorn's head.

"Ah didn't say that," Applejack countered, clutching her blitzball tightly as she lifted up her stetson, revealing her determined gaze. "If Ah back down now, Ah'll never forgive mahself. Even if Ah die!"

"My thoughts exactly," Twilight said, her horn glowing as she prepared to cast her magic.

With everyone ready to fight for their lives, Rainbow Dash stepped up next to Fluttershy. "Fluttershy, let's see this through together." The pegasus summoner nodded as the cyan pegasus held out her sword. "This is our story, Celestia! We're not letting you decide what'll happen to us! This cycle you hold so much is going to end here and now!"

"You are all fools." The party spread out, staring down Celestia. "The cycle will last forever. It cannot end!"

For being deemed as a powerful summoner, Celestia wasn't as quick as she seemed as Rainbow Dash flew at her in a blur, slashing at her and breaching past her barrier. Confused, she was left open as she was struck with a barrage of powerful elemental spells coming from Twilight, followed by a hard smack in the face by Applejack's blitzball as the smoke cleared away.

Growling, Celestia spotted Rainbow Dash charging at her again. She thrust her hoof out at her, sending out a powerful force at the pegasus, sending her flying back to the others. Her horn began to glow a golden hue as it shot out at Rainbow, the aura absorbing energy from her. It flew back to her, healing any injuries she had sustained. Before she could mock the pegasus, she felt her own energy being absorbed from her by Spike, stealing the regenerated health she had taken. He used one of his abilities using Dragon Rage, a calming white wind blowing against the him and his friends as they were reinvigorated by the breeze.

Rarity ran forward and slashed her katana, managing to cut the mare's chest. "Hope you're ready for round two, fiend. I'm going to enjoy killing you after what you've done to them."

"...How did you even survive!?" Celestia exclaimed as she saw Rarity's eyes, recognizing the older mare.

"Must have been lucky!" Rarity was about to cleave the mare in two, only for her blade to be stopped by the summoner's aura.

Pinkie quickly distracted Celestia, leaping onto her back and clawing at her eyes. Yelling in pain, trying to shake the Al Bhed mare off of her, Rarity slashed away, leaving more deep gashes in her. Growing irritated at the weaker ponies and dragon actually getting the upper hoof on her, she shoved the two mares away from her with her magic, glaring at the party.

"Don't any of you realize who you are attacking? Don't you see what will happen if you kill me!?" Celestia slammed her hooves down, making the glyph she stood upon glow brightly, which then turned dark as a void appeared. She began to rise up as a dozen demonic tentacles lifted her up, sitting down on them like it was a throne. "You will not destroy the only hope Spira has! I will not allow it!"

She thrust her hooves down, sending the tentacles buried in the ground toward the mares and dragon. They rose up in front of them and stabbed each of them, inflicting Zombie status on all of them. While they were stunned, she cast a healing spell on Rarity, wanting to end her life before she could get her revenge. The powerful spell damaged the unicorn greatly, but she still stood.

"Oh come on! Enough with the Zombie stuff!" Pinkie complained. "Do something useful, not cheap!"

"I am; killing heathens who wish to destroy this land!" Celestia continued casting healing magic on them, hurting them in the status that they're in.

Fluttershy could barely do anything to heal everyone while inflicted with the Zombie status. No form of white magic can help heal this dangerous ailment, only Holy Waters, and they didn't have any on them. The only way it can wear off is if any of them falls over from their injuries and she could revive them with a Phoenix Down or a Life spell. She had to do something before Celestia could kill them.

She decided to summon Bahamut as a shield, distracting Celestia for a while until she could heal her friends' ailments. "Sorry, everypony. This will only hurt for a second."

Fluttershy began casting healing spells on the others, killing them to get rid of their Zombie status and reviving them using Life. It was a shock to know that the guardians' summoner had killed them, but she had the right idea of doing this. Now the only problem was to help her.

They didn't have much time as Bahamut was defeated, though the dragon aeon seemed to have dealt a lot of damage to Celestia and the tentacles she sat upon. She began to grow desperate as the demonic appendages began to lift up something else from inside the void that the glyph created. What came out of it made everyone sick to their stomachs: the tentacles were actually large strands of hair that came from the head of an undead pony head, its face almost resembling Luna's as the abomination screeched.

"Your lives will end here! You will not destroy what she has made for so long!" Celestia's aura began to turn a dark black, the pony head beneath her letting out a demonic roar.

Appearing before them was a cloaked figure, a pony skeleton wielding a deadly scythe laughing menacingly at its prey. It teleported over everyone, slashing the curved blade through them all, stealing all their souls except for Fluttershy's. It brought the souls it stole in front of it, slashing through them as the guardians' all fell over, instantly killed by the devastating attack.

Fluttershy gasped as she had watched her friends and marefriend killed by the grim reaper itself. She was spared, realizing that it didn't take her life because she was considered undead to it. She was on her own to fight Celestia, the thousand year old summoner snarling as one of them remained standing.

Having been fully prepared for any of the worst of circumstances, Fluttershy pulled out a Phoenix Down she hid in her sleeves, this feather glowing brighter than the average ones they always used. She swallowed the lump in her throat, knowing this was going to hurt her as a Zombie, but it will help bring the others back with just this one feather. Tossing it up in the air, several lights shined down from the heavens on the group as the feather disappeared.

The guardians were fully revived, some of them almost feeling like their lives flashed before their eyes after feeling their souls snatched out of their bodies. "Whoa...That was terrifying." They soon heard Fluttershy scream in pain as the healing light killed her. "Fluttershy!" Rainbow shouted, quickly running up to the fallen summoner in a panic, taking out a Phoenix Down from her pocket.

"A Mega Phoenix Down," Celestia grumbled, unable to use her instant killing spell after some time.

"For being somepony who seems like a goddess everypony worshiped, you seem to like death far too much." Rarity held her katana tightly as she knelt low to the ground, the air around her whirling violently as she was about to unleash her Overdrive. The others backed away, feeling the wind beginning to pull them in, Rainbow Dash holding Fluttershy as she revived the pegasus. Rarity began to spin around, swinging her weapon around to increase the force of the tornado she formed around her, sending it soaring at Celestia as it engulfed her in its powerful storm. "Why don't you burn in Tarterus where you rightfully belong?"

Taking the jug attached to her hip, the unicorn flung it into the tornado, shattering in the razor sharp winds as it engulfed the tornado in a fiery blaze from the liquid inside of the jug. The undead head screeched in agony as it was burnt alive, Celestia screaming in pain as the fire burned her. The mare couldn't stay on her perch for long as she was sucked up in the burning twister, the undead tentacle beast disappearing as several spirits flew out of it.

The tornado calmed down and disappeared, Celestia falling to the ground, unable to hover down to safety with her wings badly singed. She landed hard, but she wasn't dead yet. Not wanting to give her the chance to recover her injuries with her own healing magic, Rarity rushed at Celestia to deal the final blow. Celestia cast a barrier around herself as the unicorn thrust her weapon toward her, however, it wasn't going to end like last time. Her katana pierced through the magic shield and ran itself right through the summoner's chest.

Celestia's mane and tail had ceased flowing and drooped, letting out struggled gasps as blood seeped out of her impaled chest and mouth. She looked down at Rarity with terrified eyes, her demeanor drastically changed from cynical to frightened.

"...W-What...have you done?" she weakly asked.

"What I needed to do to keep you from killing anypony else." Rarity swiftly pulled her blade out of Celestia, the mare collapsing to the ground as she hung on to what life she had left. "Sin will never come back now."

"...Y-You...You just killed...S-Spira's only hope..." Celestia let out a shuddered gasp. "You've...doomed us all..."

"We'll find a new hope," Rainbow said as she approached the dying deity.

"E-even if you do...F-Faust will only...create...a new Sin...no matter what you do..." She began to fade away, the spirits around her floating away from her body. "L-Luna...Forgive me...T-These ponies...took away...Spira's light of hope...All...that remains...is.......sorrow..."

As Celestia finally succumbed to her death and disappeared, everyone looked at each other in confusion. She mentioned Faust, the deity Spira worshiped and obeyed teaching created by it, and Faust was an actual being who does exist. And Faust was the creator of Sin, but how it was possible was beyond them. Though the others couldn't believe they killed Celestia, they at least got rid of the one thing that kept bringing Sin back.

"Well, now what are we gonna do?" Pinkie asked.

"We beat Sin without the Final Aeon," Rainbow said. "I don't have a clue how we're going to do that, but I'll think of something." They soon took their leave of the realm, Rainbow Dash staying behind as she drooped her head. "That is IF I can think of something to stop something that big..."

Chapter 44: The Promise

As the party exited the spacial realm where they had just attacked and killed the legendary summoner they all thought she was in the past, they were at a loss at what they were going to do now. How would everyone in Spira react if anyone found out that Celestia is dead, along with their "hope" of calling the Final Aeon? At least no one else will sacrifice their lives and become the next Sin, but now they had to find some other way to defeat Sin, and they don't have a clue how to do that.

Rainbow Dash was the last to leave as she began thinking, the others having already left the now darkened waiting hall for Celestia. Without her presence, the room seemed to fall into despair. As she stepped down the stairs, she noticed Rarity sitting near the bottom, almost like deja vu as it brought back the moment the pegasus's long and difficult journey began. She knew there was something the unicorn wanted to tell her that only she was supposed to hear, not knowing if it was going to be about her father or something else.

"Let me guess, Rares. You wanna tell me something in private that nopony else should know?" Rainbow asked.

"Am I really that predictable?" Rarity sighed, looking at the gem she used to form her katana. "They say revenge doesn't solve anything...I felt no satisfaction after I impaled Celestia, even though she deserved death. Nopony else will have to suffer the same fate as your father and Kindred ever again..." She held the diamond up to Rainbow Dash, holding it to her eye level. "The brightest of gems are not what they seem. To the untrained eye, you might not be able to see how tarnished it is on the inside, where you're too busy being infatuated with the outside."

"...Is this some sort of lesson?" the pegasus questioned, not understanding what Rarity meant.

"No...Take a closer look at my eyes. There was a reason why I wore those sunglasses, and it was not to shield my eyes from the sun, or hide my true emotions." Wondering what the unicorn was trying to imply, Rainbow moved closer and took a better look at Rarity's eyes.

Squinting her eyes, she tried to see what was wrong with the older unicorn's eyes. She soon found out what it was; her irises are slightly grayed, though they still retained their azure hue. As strange as it was to see Fluttershy with two differently colored eyes, it was unnerving to see someone with eyes like hers. It then clicked as she had seen similar eyes like Rarity's before. Blueblood had those same dulled eyes, the same eyes that were slightly lifeless, almost like the pony was dead.

"...Oh my gosh," Rainbow uttered as she backed away. "...You're...Celestia killed you..."

"Yes." Spirits began to fly out of the unicorn. "I'm an unsent, like Blueblood and Star Swirl..."

"...I thought you acted weird...Back in Guadosalam, you didn't enter the Farplane...You stayed far away from Fluttershy when she performed the sending. And the pyreflies..." It seemed pretty obvious after everyone saw Rarity attack Celestia ten years ago and failed, her injuries seeming fatal after she didn't move when that memory faded. "...Don't tell me you're going to turn on us because you're alive again."

"I'm not as sadistic as Blueblood, Rainbow Dash," Rarity said. "Just because I'm unsent doesn't mean I'm going to have a different personality. Besides...being dead does have a few perks. I was able to travel to your Zanarkand on Sin and watch over you, like I promised Jet Stream."

"When did he say that?" Rainbow questioned.

"It was...thankfully left out of the earlier memory in here...I'll show you what happened to me as well." Rarity pressed a hoof to her chest as the spirits around her flew out and began playing out Rarity's own memories of the events that transpired ten years ago.

Seeing everything from Rarity's point of view, tears ran down her face as she was given a final goodbye from Jet Stream, the stallion approaching Kindred. He stopped halfway across the room, looking back at her.

"Hey, Rarity? Can you do me a favor?" he asked, Rarity slowly nodding her head. "...You think you can watch over my family for me in my Zanarkand?"

"...What? How am I supposed to do that if they're already gone?" Rarity asked, finding the favor seemingly impossible.

"I managed to get here from a thousand years ago. There might be a way back if it's a one-way trip." Jet scratched his head, seemingly unsure if it was possible to travel back in time. "If you do, just don't put Dashie in any of your frilly dresses you made for little Flutters. I know she'll hate wearing those."

"...How can you keep making stupid jokes like that, and still be sane enough to continue doing this?" Reluctantly, Rarity nodded her head, despite her odds of ever seeing her. "I'll take care of them, Jet..."

"Thanks, Rares." Jet approached Kindred as the two talked, their words fallen on deaf ears as Rarity knew she couldn't keep a promise like this.

A while later, Kindred Heart came back out, looking pale as he had just had one of his friends sacrificed to be the next fayth. Time skipped forward as Rarity was now on her own in Bevelle, promising Kindred to look after Fluttershy for him once he brings the Calm. He knew she was going to break down when he confronted Sin and left her to that task, not wanting her to see him die by their loyal friend. She was already broken, just imagining what would happen to the summoner already killing her emotionally.

She did keep her promise to Kindred and watched over Fluttershy, struggling not to cry in front of her as her face kept reminding Rarity of Kindred Heart and his sacrifice. At least the other monks looked out for her when she wandered around Bevelle on her own after a week since the Calm started. The unicorn drank hard alcohol, trying to numb the pain in her heart as she had lost two friends she held dear, all while knowing the full truth behind all of their beliefs being nothing but endless death.

It had now been nearly a month after the Calm started, Rarity leaning against the balcony of one of the tallest towers in Bevelle, overlooking a majority of the Calm Lands. She was sober, but nothing would ever fill the emptiness in her heart. Fluttershy always put on a brave face whenever she showed up, knowing her father is gone, but Spira was saved thanks to him. Rarity didn't have the heart to tell her about what happened to Jet Stream and why her rainbow-haired uncle didn't come to visit.

She was about to head back downstairs when she heard something come from the Calm Lands, a low roar that made her heart stop. It was the exact same roar that came from Sin. And as she looked out to the land, she saw it had come back, lounging in the ocean where Kindred had last killed it. It came back in less than a month, her friends' sacrifices meaning nothing.

"...No...Jet...You said you would find a way to stop it..." Feeling her anger boil past its breaking point, she slammed her hooves down onto the railing, shattering it to pieces. "Celestia...You're no saint...You're a killer..."

The memory flashed in and out as Rarity ran out of Bevelle, through the Calm Lands, up Mt. Gagazet, run through the ruins of Zanarkand, and confront Celestia, slashing her way through any fiends that had gotten in her blind rage. Rainbow Dash knew what was going to happen next as Rarity lunged at Celestia to cleave her in half, only for the summoner's barrier to block her, shatter, and pierce through her body several times, sending her tumbling across the ground with fatal injuries, her katana landing inches away from her head. She slowly lifted her head, watching as the last of Celestia's flowing mane and tail disappeared down a flight of steps in the back, having failed to kill the mare who had killed so many for Spira's false hope.

Despite her wounds, she managed to find the strength she had in her to get up, leaning against her blade as a crutch to keep her standing. Rarity began making her long trek back to Bevelle, tears streaming down her face, along with blood from her scarred eye, weakly limping away. She failed to avenge her fallen friends. She failed to stop Celestia from sacrificing more possible lives for future summoners and their guardians. She failed to keep her promise to Jet Stream and Kindred Heart to watch over their daughters. She failed to be strong and lost control of her temper, and her price to pay would be her inevitable death.

She had spent an entire day, limping back home, surviving on potions to keep her alive. Rarity had run out of what she kept on her as soon as she made it through the caves of Mt. Gagazet. A terrible blizzard struck the mountain that day as the cold numbed her already tired and dying body. No fiends bothered attacking her, knowing she was already dying and waited for her to become one of them. Her vision grew blurry from the storm and her life finally, yet slowly, succumbing to her injuries. She barely reached the end of the trail as a powerful gust pushed her back, unable to fight it as she lost her footing and fell over the side of the nearby cliff.

She tumbled down the rocky cliff side until she seemed to hit solid ground, her body gone limp as she now rested on a small landing on the side of the cliff she fell. The unicorn was still alive after the fall, but her life was slowly fading as she desperately clung on to the living, scared to die out her, by herself.

As her vision began to grow dark, her ears perked up when she heard something climbing up the mountain, hearing the sound of a young boy's voice grumbling. "Stupid...Garble...Every time...he picks on me...and he thinks he's so great...Ripping off my wings like a-" He stopped talking to himself when he felt something soft compared to the rocky surface of the mountainside. As the boy climbed up, Rarity could barely see what it was, but she saw a blurry purple and green figure lifting himself on the platform she was on. He sniffed the air and moved his claws over her legs and side, feeling her clothes and fur. "Blood? Oh my gosh! Are you alive!?"

She could barely lift up her head as the boy tried to keep her awake. He pulled out a potion, gently lifted the mare's head up, and slowly poured the healing liquid into her mouth. With little strength returning to her, her vision cleared up a little as she saw a young Spike kneeling over her. Seeing this was her only chance to try to make up for her carelessness, she hoped she could keep Fluttershy safe and carry out her message to this young dragon.

"I-I'm...not going to make it," Rarity weakly said as tears welled up in her eyes.

"Don't say that. I'll climb up and get the elder. He can help." Spike tried to gently lay Rarity's head down, but the unicorn managed to muster up what strength she had left in one of her hooves, stopping the young dragon.

"I-It's too late..." Her tears rolled down her cheeks as she weakly clutched Spike's arm. "D-Don't leave me..."

"...Ok..." Spike stayed where he was.

Though he couldn't tell what this mare looked like with the blizzard shrouding his vision, he honored her wish to not die alone. "...I-I...I failed..." she whispered. Rarity looked up at Spike feeling the last of her life fade away. "P-Please...grant me my...final wish..."

"What is it?" he asked.

"...F-Find...the daughter of S-Summoner...Kindred Heart," Rarity uttered, her vision slowly fading black. "T-Take her...somewhere safe...P-Protect her...D-Don't...let anything...happen to her..."

"...Ok. I'll fulfill your wish, ma'am." She nodded her head, thanking the dragon as she finally embraced death's door, passing away in Spike's arms.

A moment of darkness had passed, nothing going on for some time. Rarity slowly began to open her eyes, feeling alive, even though she had just died. Instead of Mt. Gagazet, where her resting place was supposed to be, she found herself in some strange realm, which looked exactly like the same place Rainbow Dash found herself in when she was sucked in by Sin in Zanarkand. She stood up, looking over herself, all of her injuries having healed themselves.

"W-What happened to me?" she questioned, thinking she would have become a fiend as she wasn't sent to the Farplane.

Appearing next to her hooves was a letter, though how it showed up out of thin air without a unicorn's magic was a mystery to her. She opened it up and read it to herself.

Hey, Rarity.

Well, I hate to say this, but you kinda died. After you kicked the bucket, I thought for sure you would have turned into a fiend, like many other ponies we saw when they got killed on our pilgrimage. Turns out your just as stubborn in death as you are in real life. At least you're not a zombie...sort of.

Anyway, I found your body on Gagazet and actually sucked you in here. And, yeah...by in here, I mean Sin. I'm the bad guy now. Whoop dee doo. Celestia wasn't joking after all...I couldn't really stop it. So, I screwed up. But that doesn't mean you're going to go back on that promise you made for me. You'll probably pass out after you wake up and read this, and you'll be seeing my Zanarkand as it was a thousand years ago. Better get used to being around machina.

But don't think this will be all for nothing. I have a plan. In the next ten years, I'll come back to get you and Dashie and bring you back to Spira. Look out for her and my wife for me when you get there. My house is located in the southern docks, the last boat down. She might not like you that much if you mention you're one of my friends. She's going to think differently with your beautiful looks. Just make sure she doesn't cry a lot.

Jet Stream

P.S.: Nice scar. Makes you look like the badflank you are with that sword of yours.

Before she could question what Jet Stream meant in this letter, she passed out, just as he had predicted. A while later, the sounds of a city reached Rarity's ears, waking her up as she rubbed out the headache she was given. The moment she realized where she was, she gasped as she was on the outskirts of Zanarkand. Jet's Zanarkand.

It was just like he had told her and Kindred while on their travels: bright lights, tall buildings, the hustle and bustle of ponies going about to shops and restaurants, dozens of colts and fillies running around wearing their favorite blitzball team logos on shirts or jackets. Rarity was really out of place with this grand city, especially when it came to her clothing looking ancient compared to this present's fashion style. Ignoring the idea of being in this machina city, taking Jet's advice to get used to living with forbidden technology.

While wandering around the many stores, she managed to catch a glimpse of herself in the reflection in the  window of a nearby sunglasses store in a shopping district. She finally got a good look at her face and saw the scar Jet mentioned over her right eye, along with her slightly dull irises.

"Oh my...I'm an unsent...I shouldn't be alive..." She didn't bother hiding the scar on her face as she made the realization. She knew why she was still alive, why she wasn't a fiend yet, why her spirit lingered to the living. Her promise she made to both Kindred and Jet Stream weighed her down, even if she deserved to die from failing them. This time, she intended to keep her promise to Jet now that she was here. She also wanted to end Sin's resurrection once and for all, believing her friend's plan will succeed, whatever it will be. "...Jet...I hope you know what you're doing..."

While she was busy reflecting on her ties to the living, she decided to buy a pair of sunglasses, paying with the Gil she had left on her. The clerk didn't seem to mind it, seeing the differently shaped currency as some form of foreign money that was worth more than the current bits they used. She put her new glasses on to hide her eyes from the rest of the population.

After asking around to find where Rainbow Dash and her mother lived, she found the docks where several boat homes sat, spotting the last one being the right home. It was clearly obvious this was Jet's family home, finding a young Rainbow Dash kicking a blitzball around on the deck of the ship. She looked almost identical to her father, unable to believe the stallion would say anything bad about a filly like her for so long since she had known him. Steeling back her nerves, she approached the deck and stopped a blitzball that rolled up to her after Rainbow smacked herself in the face with it.

She looked back to get the ball, noticing the strange mare standing in her home. "...Can I help you?"

"Is...this Jet Stream's house?" Rarity asked, receiving a sneer from the filly.

"Oh. You must be one of those mares...Dad's disappeared, and we don't know where he is," Rainbow coldly explained, Rarity definitely seeing the disdain toward her father.

"N-No no! I'm actually an old friend of his from school!" the unicorn lied, hoping it was believable. The pegasus filly crossed her forelegs together, giving her a look of disbelief. "...I know you don't believe me, but I really am a friend of his. I know of his...uhh-"

"Sleeping with other mares? Flirting with them?" The unicorn was appalled to hear Rainbow bluntly saying what infidelities the stallion had committed, nodding her head as she was also one of those mares he tried to hit on. "You expecting some sort of fun night with him?"

"Absolutely not! He's a pig!" Rarity shouted, quickly covering her mouth before the other neighbors heard her badmouth the popular blitzball celebrity gone missing.

"Hmmm...So, you hate him too, huh?" Rainbow pondered after hearing Rarity's outburst against her father. "...You two didn't do anything together, right?"

"Y-Yes," Rarity replied, clearing her throat as she calmed herself down. "He was more of a perverted nuisance where I wanted to just kick him where the sun doesn't shine."

".........Alright. You're cool." As quick as it was for Rainbow Dash to like her over Jet Stream's stupid antics and adultery with other mares, at least she liked Rarity. "I'm Rainbow Dash."

"Nice to meet you, Rainbow Dash. My name is Rarity." Rarity's memory faded out, both mares knowing what happened next as the past decade went by.

After the last of the memories Rarity wanted to show Rainbow Dash ended, the spirits flew back inside the unicorn. The two mares stood in silence as the pegasus processed everything that had happened to Rarity before the two met each other in Zanarkand.

"That's why I'm still here," Rarity finally spoke after some time. "I kept my promise to Jet Stream, and I'm still going to keep you safe for as long as I can. And once Sin is finally beaten, once and for all, I'll be able to rest peacefully."

While going through what she had just seen, she realized something in the unicorn's memory when she was about to die. "...That dragon who found you was Spike...Back in Djose, when he finally spoke to me, he told me about why he became Fluttershy's guardian; to fulfill your promise."

"...It seems so. I barely recognized him when I saw him back in Luca." Rarity chuckled as she straightened out her clothing. "He thinks I don't notice, but he's trying to flirt with me...I don't think he even knew I was that same mare who died in his arms as he kept his word to fulfill my dying wish. I wouldn't blame him for not being able to tell with that blizzard that day."

"...Gross." Rarity laughed a little harder at the disgust on the pegasus's face, just imagining the two in a romantic situation.

"I'm sure you know the deal, learning all this?" Rarity asked.

"Yeah, yeah...Keep my mouth shut or else everypony's gonna flip." The two mares left the room, glad to be leaving this place as they caught up with the others outside.

As the rest of the party waited for them outside of the stadium, the sun was beginning to rise on the horizon. What they didn't realize was that Sin was practically a quarter mile away from them, staring at the crumbled ruins of the stadium where the Final Aeon rested. Where they expected a fight, Sin didn't do a thing, just staring at them.

Rainbow Dash knew why it showed up; Jet Stream felt Spira's "hope" was finally gone. It was as if Sin knew its never-ending revival was finally coming to an end. She could feel its eyes looking at her, despite not knowing exactly where its eyes were on the massive face of the fiend.

"Just a little more time, dad," the pegasus whispered. "The Final Summoning's gone, but I'll think of something to help you."

As if it heard her hushed voice, Sin slowly nodded its head and began to turn around, either to cause more chaos or rest somewhere. From the sunrise, the party saw the large airship approaching Zanarkand, practically brushing past Sin like they were brushing shoulders as they went in opposite directions. Sin didn't even pay it any attention as it left, leaving the airship alone and intact, definitely not how the dangerous fiend was supposed to react.

"...Wow. That had to be the dumbest idea dad had as they drove the airship next to Sin," Pinkie said. "I wonder if everypony inside panicked?"

Inside the airship's cockpit, Cid, his daughters, excluding Maud, and Cheese all had shocked and scared expressions on their faces, having just brushed past Sin and survived. "...That...was not the smartest thing to do..."

Cheese, sitting behind the wheel, passed out in fear after he had parked the airship next to the stadium to pick up the group. Maud looked over at Cid, her face as neutral as it always is.

"Next time, I'm driving," she said.

Chapter 45: Exploring Spira: Baaj Temple

As the party boarded the airship, the guardians guided Fluttershy through the vessel to reach the bridge. Walking inside, they spotted Cheese breathing heavily into a paper bag, curled in the fetal position away from the helm. He was the only one in a deep panic while Pinkie's family was slowly recovering from brushing past death as Sin could have easily crushed them. Cid turned to face them as he heard the doors open, their picked up passengers making their presence known.

Pinkie immediately ran up to Cheese, seeing him in the state he was in. While she comforted him, Cid and the pink mare's siblings spotted Fluttershy with them. The summoner stepped toward the Al Bhed stallion, meeting her uncle for the first time. He had a serious look on his face, almost like he was mad at her for choosing to be a summoner. Even though she was taken to the Al Bhed Home, she didn't get the chance to see him when they were under attack by the Guado.

"Uncle Cid. It's nice to...finally meet you..." Fluttershy bowed her head, hoping her uncle was nicer than her looked.

"Don't bow to me," the stallion said, his voice quivering. She looked up, expecting him to stay mad, only to see Cid's expression far from what she expected. The stallion was in tears, looking at his niece with sad, yet relieved eyes. He held out his forelegs to her and smiled. "Come give your long-lost uncle a hug." Fluttershy did need to be told twice, running into her uncle as the two hugged each other tightly. "I haven't seen you since you were in diapers...You're just like your mother, if she was a pegasus."

The others left Fluttershy alone to reunite with her long-lost relatives, wandering about the airship to begin thinking of a plan to stop Sin without the Final Summoning. Needless to say, this was going to be a tough strategy to formulate when the only way to defeat Sin was now no longer around. Rainbow Dash headed up to the upper deck on top of the airship as the vessel cruised along the skies away from Zanarkand. Being out in the open air, feeling the wind rush against her face as she flew was a better way for her to get her ideas flowing.

Unfortunately, after several hours of thinking, she was at a complete loss. She couldn't think of anything that could stop Sin, not even for a moment. Growing frustrated, Rainbow Dash headed back inside, finding Rarity looking out of the windows as the airship flew over the ocean.

"Any ideas?" the unicorn asked.

"No." Rainbow groaned, rubbing her sore head. "This is a lot harder than I though it would be. You could think of something too."

"Well, let's go over what we do know. Jet Stream is Sin, and you have a link to Sin. It might be the key we need." The pegasus's eye twitched as Rarity, once again, confused her with the lack of information.

"That's it!? Come on, Rarity!" Rainbow complained.

"That's all I know, darling." Rarity began to head back down to the bridge. "Besides, wasn't this your idea to find a different solution?"

"You started it ten years ago!" the pegasus argued.

"But you were the first to have the courage to voice it out to the rest of the group and follow through." Rainbow growled, forgetting trying to get any help from the cryptic mare.

"You're still no help after you showed me your worst memories." She followed after her back to the bridge of the airship, seeing the others inside as they struggled to think of another way to stop Sin. As soon as Rainbow walked in, Cid somehow appeared in front of her without any sound, causing her to bump into him. "Jeeze! Scared the hay out of me!...I see where Pinkie gets her randomness. From the schizophrenic father who can change his attitude at the drop of a hat."

"I'm gonna ignore that remark and accept the compliment for Pinkamena's behavior since she's as wild as her pops. Fluttershy told us that you all killed that Celestia summoner and got rid of the Final Aeon." Cid scratched his bald head. "I don't know whether to be grateful for you keeping your word in saving my niece from getting herself killed, or strangle you for dooming us all."

"What!? Only me!?" Rainbow exclaimed. "Rarity was the one that actually killed her!"

"I know when to not mess with a mare that can kick my plot into last year, and that unicorn screams 'Touch me, and you'll die just from my gaze alone.' Besides, everypony's saying it was your idea to find another way, so the fault's on your head." Rainbow's jaw dropped at the accusation, looking over at Fluttershy, who seemed guilty for telling her uncle.

"Sorry, Rainbow Dash," Fluttershy apologized, though it didn't help make the cyan pegasus feel better.

"So, while you're thinking of a way to kill Sin, might as well explore different parts of Spira to see if you can find any answers." Cid walked over to the sphere showing the entire map of the world, resting his hoof on the top of the device. "We can go anywhere in the world as long as you give the right coordinates. Just point it out, and Maud will take us there."

"What about that other stallion?" Rainbow asked, looking over at Cheese.

"Cheese Sandwich? He's been demoted from pilot to weapons mechanic after he drove us near Sin and almost got us killed!" Cid leered at the poofy haired stallion.

"Tuh'd pmysa sa! Oui fana zicd yc clynat yc E fyc!" Cheese shouted, pointing a hoof at the stallion.

"Crid ed!" Cid ignored the pouting Al Bhed stallion, looking back at Rainbow Dash. "Go ahead and look around."

Taking control of the navigation, Rainbow touched the sphere and was given a bigger view of the map of Spira. This was the first time seeing the world map, and it was pretty big, mainly a massive stretch of land with a few small islands scattered about. She clearly recognized Besaid and Kilika far down in the south, surprising to see just how far they had traveled on foot up to the far north in Zanarkand.

Seeing some other islands out in the distance away from the mainlands, she zoomed in on some of the islands far to the west, close to where Bikanel was located. She spotted a small mass of land out in the ocean a little south-east of the cluster of islands south-west of the desert island. Zooming in more, she managed to get a visual feed on the location she pointed out, finding the structure very familiar.

"Hey...I've seen this place." Everyone was looking at the same ruined temple Rainbow Dash wound up in when Sin transported her from Zanarkand. This was also the same place Pinkie and her group of Al Bhed search team found her, bringing back those harsh memories when the mare knocked her unconscious. "Yeah! This is where I washed up before!"

"Hey, I remember this place too!" Pinkie said. "Remember when we blew the door open and we fought a fiend in there!? And after I showed off my epic grenade killing moves, the others held you at gunpoint thinking you were a fiend and I punched you hard in the stomach to knock you out!?" The Al Bhed sighed, reminiscing on their first meeting. "Good times."

"...Yeah. Sure. That's when you guys also kept hitting me and forced me to do all your dirty work to find this airship." Rainbow turned to Cid. "All the credit belongs to me for finding it while Pinkie just helped lift the thing. You're welcome."

"Pinkie, you have a knack for finding things. Good girl!" Rainbow growled as Cid completely ignored her, though Fluttershy giggled at her marefriend's misfortune.

"A temple out in the middle of the ocean?" Twilight stepped closer as she looked at the map. "There's been no geographical updates to the usual maps of Spira in the libraries I've been to. How was there a structure like this made when nopony's ever been out in this section of the ocean?"

"Maybe Sin destroyed it?" Rainbow figured.

"No...By the looks of the building and the ruins...they look far more preserved than ruins left for hundreds of years." Twilight began to think, along with Mog as the Moogle scratched its chin. "I want to see these ruins up close and investigate."

"No problem! Take it away, Maud!" Cid shouted, his non-expressive daughter saluting as she received the coordinates, flying the airship toward the abandoned temple.

After the airship landed nearby, the party filed out onto the crumbled stairway. This place didn't seem to change much since Rainbow Dash wound up here, storm clouds still shooting lightning out in the distance. Twilight began inspecting the stone walkways and pillars where she didn't have to swim out to, examining every feature the temple had.

"This is so strange," she murmured. "The architecture is more present than hundreds of years old. I'd range its date of completion only by decades. Because of the elements in this location, this might be one reason why this temple is so decrepit."

Applejack looked out at the stone walkway that was a bridge toward the temple, noticing a gap in the pathway. "Doesn't look like we'll be gettin' in this way."

"Yeah, that was my bad," Rainbow said. "I walked along this way and the thing gave out on me." Pinkie began to open her mouth, but the pegasus shoved a hoof in there before she could say a word. "And don't make a fat joke! I'm an athlete! I'm not fat!"

"Actually, how DID you break the bridge?" Twilight wondered. "You could have flown over."

"My wing was still busted when I was here. I didn't get any medical help until I got to Besaid." Rainbow leered at Pinkie, giving her an apologetic look. As the pegasus looked down in the water, she didn't see any sign of the giant fish fiend that nearly ate her whole. "Please tell me that thing died of starvation..."

"What's wrong?" Fluttershy asked.

"I nearly got eaten by this giant fish fiend when I fell down in there." Rainbow shuddered, recalling how close she was to getting chomped on. "It was even creepier than those other fish things that were in Luca."

"Creepier than Sahagin? What did it look like?" Twilight asked.

"Well...It had a creepy mouth, glowing lights on its face, it was five times bigger than me, and I could see its rib cage." As Rainbow Dash had explained the dangerous creature, everyone else was horrified. "...What? If it that bad?"

"Geosgaeno swims around here!?" Pinkie exclaimed, rapidly shaking Rainbow Dash. "Why didn't you say anything about that thing!? That fiend could have killed us when we were in the submerged ruins not too far away from here!"

The pegasus smacked Pinkie's hooves away from her before she shook out her brain. "Is that thing really dangerous?"

"It's been known as one of the most dangerous aquatic fiends in the ocean, aside from Sin. It's like a Sinspawn, only it's not necessary to kill, just avoided," Twilight explained. "I know you're fast in the water from the blitzball match in Luca, but Geosgaeno could easily catch you! How did you manage to escape from it!?"

"I guess I was lucky..." Rainbow looked back down at the water, having a bad feeling Geosgaeno was still down there.

"Well, the only ones out of all of us who can fight underwater are you, Applejack, and Pinkie Pie," Rarity said. "Hopefully, one of you knows how to cast Thunder spells."

"Ah don't think we do," Applejack said. "How are we supposed to fight somethin' as dangerous as Geosgaeno with just us three? We'll get killed down there."

"I think I have an idea," Pinkie said. "All we need is some bait."

"What bait are you talking about, Pinkie?" Rainbow asked.

Rainbow Dash glared at the Al Bhed as she was tied up tightly, hanging over the water by a large fishing rod Pinkie had somehow crafted out of nowhere. "Pinkie, this is not what I had in mind!"

"Come on, Dashie! Just look at the sky! I bet Geosgaeno just wants to taste the rainbow!" Pinkie laughed at the terrible joke while the others were unsure with what the mare had in store.

"Get me out of here!" If Rainbow was able to break free of her bindings, she couldn't cut herself loose since Pinkie had managed to swipe her sword away. "Fluttershy, talk some sense into your crazy cousin before I throw her off the airship when we're flying!"

"Dashie, trust me! This is gonna work! I have a secret weapon!" A low growling sound echoed from underneath the water. "And here comes Big Bertha!"

Rainbow looked down, spotting Geosgaeno exiting his underwater home, feeling its eyes looking up at her. Pinkie began to lower the pegasus down to the water, beginning to panic as she struggled to squirm out of her bindings.

"Pinkie, pull me up! I'm serious!" she shouted, her bouncing around only enticing the fiend to move closer.

"Not yet..." Geosgaeno got closer, and just as it breached the water, she reeled Rainbow Dash up before its mouth could snatch the pegasus. "Come on, you big, ugly fishie. Wider..." Pinkie continued to tease the fiend, keeping its free snack out of its reach while Rainbow screamed in terror as it kept leaping after her. "Wider..." With one last leap, Geosgaeno had enough and leapt as high as it could, its maw opening as wide as it was able to go. "Gotcha!"

Grabbing a couple of objects she held in her mane, she quickly mixed them together and threw a large sphere into its mouth, mere inches before it could nick Rainbow's hooves. The fiend gulped down the orb and splashed into the water, the sphere exploding like a bomb inside of its rib cage as powerful volts of electricity coursed through its body. With it submerged in the water, it conducted with the electrical discharge, making it more powerful than the small sphere seemed.

Everyone watched as the fiend began to disappear, completely devastated by the dangerous combination as several spirits flew out of its body and rose out of the water. With the dangerous fiend killed, the electrical sphere ran out of power and crumbled to pieces as it sunk to the bottom. The group looked at Pinkie, now wearing fishing gear as she held out a small fish that almost looked like Geosgaeno and a smaller line, like some kind of trophy.

"...W-What exactly did you do?" Twilight asked.

"My Overdrive. I just mixed a couple thunder orbs together and made a bigger one! Didn't think it would take care of Geosgaeno in one go." Pinkie ripped off her outfit and tossed her "trophy" aside. "Oh well! Adult swim time!"

She dove into the water and began swimming around to find another entrance into the temple, leaving Rainbow Dash to remain hanging. "Hey! Pinkie! Untie me!"

"Hold still, Rainbow Dash." Twilight shot out a small Fire spell that held the pegasus, freeing her from her bindings as she fell into the water. "Well...it worked. Let's see what's inside this temple."

The rest of the party leapt in and followed Pinkie and Rainbow Dash. The cyan pegasus remembered the old passage she took when she fled from the fiend weeks ago, completely demolished by debris when Geosgaeno crashed into the wall. The only other way inside was an entranceway that looked like it was meant to be one of the many temples that housed the fayth for summoners to obtain the aeons. They swam through and breached the surface, climbing out of the water via the sunken stairway and on dry land.

Like in the other sections of the temple Rainbow Dash escaped into, it was just as worn away by the constant streams of rain water from the storms above. They entered a door nearby, though they were cautious in case anymore fiends still roamed about the large building. Inside the next room, they heard someone singing the Hymn of the Fayth like in the other temples, but the sound of the feminine voice sounded sad. On the other side of the room was a door just like in the chambers of the fayth, though it was blocked by a barrier.

"The hymn is playing," Fluttershy said. "There's a fayth here?"

"Strange. I didn't know there was one here," Rarity said, walking over to the barrier. She reached a hoof out and touched it, pulling it back as she felt it shock her. "And guarded by a powerful barrier."

As they figured out what to do about the magical barrier blocking their way, Twilight noticed there were six statues in the room, each one holding a different colored orb on their grasp. "Hmmm..." The unicorn reached a hoof out to touch one of them, the sphere lighting up a light azure color, revealing the temple symbol for Besaid. "That's Besaid's symbol..."

Curious, Pinkie bounced over to one of them, touching it as the sphere lit up in an orange flame, Kilika's symbol appearing over the statue. "Oooh."

"Kilika's symbol?" Twilight looked over the other four statues, slowly putting the pieces together. "Six statues...Besaid and Kilika's symbols and spheres are here...Which means..."

"Each of these statues has some familiarity with the temples and aeons?" Fluttershy asked.

"I think so...And that means the other statues must also have Djose's, Macalania's, Bevelle's, and Zanarkand's symbols too." Twilight looked over the spheres, wondering how they could have gotten out of their places in the other temples. "If these are all active...maybe the barrier should disappear."

Deciding to test this theory, they touched the other spheres and activated them. They did indeed have the other temples' symbols on them, along with their respective spheres. With all of them glowing, the barrier blocking their access to the fayth shattered. They walked inside, not bothering if they were summoners or not and entered the chamber.

There was a fayth inside, though the statue in the glass dome was something everyone knew what the aeon was the moment they saw it; Anima. It depicted a unicorn mare trapped inside of a large venus fly trap, the bottom of the mouth covered in chains. Fluttershy sat before the fayth and prayed to it, the fayth showing herself to the party, and the fayth was Blueblood's mother.

"No way..." Rainbow uttered.

"Hello, young summoner," the mare greeted.

"You are Blueblood's mother," Fluttershy said, the mother bowing her head in shame.

"...You know who I am...You all must hate my son, don't you?" Anima asked, receiving silence from the group. Though they didn't say anything, she knew Blueblood had caused so much trouble for them. "...I don't blame any of you. It was all my fault...I should have done right by him when he was a colt, but instead, I only made things worse.

"I wanted Blueblood to be accepted by both sides like Orion and I. I wanted my son to be strong, and to have everypony accept him, I became a fayth for him, and became his own, special aeon." Tears began to roll down Anima's cheeks. "...But...he began to want more and more power. He was obsessed with power, despising me the moment you had bested me with Shiva...It was all my fault...He was so alone. No friends. The Guado looking down at him like a freak...I regret ever turning my baby into a monster..."

The room turned blue as Anima showed them what had happened to her and Blueblood in the past as she silently wept.

In Guadosalam, a young Blueblood sat all alone near his family's manor, watching the other Guado foals playing with a blitzball. None of them wanted to play with him, receiving dirty looks from them and the other Guado that see him. He didn't fit in, being the only unicorn Guado in history, and he was being treated more harshly than his mother. Anima watched him from the window, feeling bad for her foal being mistreated like this. Even though her marriage with Orion Guado, the leader of Guadosalam, helped accept her as a member of the city, they didn't want to accept Blueblood with his mixed blood.

"Anima?" Orion walked out of their bedroom, standing next to his unicorn wife as they watched their son sitting by himself. "Blueblood hasn't been accepted by the other Guado still..."

"He's just like the rest of the Guado, only with a horn and more powerful magic." They continued watching as the ball rolled up to Blueblood. He was going to give it back to them, but they just sneered at him and walked away, ignoring their blitzball and leaving the colt alone. "If only everypony understood..."

"I know. But I can't just change their minds so simply. It took so much convincing to allow you to stay with me." Orion wrapped a hoof around his beloved's shoulders, pulling her closer as they nuzzled each other. "There must be something we can do..."

There was something that they could do, but what Anima had in mind could mean the death of their child. She didn't voice out her opinion and kept it a secret from Orion. The memory skipped forward as the unicorn mare carried Blueblood all the way through the land to Zanarkand, where she would help her son gain some confidence by sacrificing herself as a fayth. Her husband was unaware of her true intentions, only telling him they would go to their little vacation home far from Guadosalam.

With her son crying, begging his mother not to do this as they arrived in Zanarkand, Anima was already greatly exhausted trying to keep him safe from the fiends on their travel. They reached the waiting hall where Celestia greeted them, even though neither of them were a summoner and have gone through the trials in the other temples.

"Lady Celestia, I ask for a request from you," Anima pleaded.

"Neither of you are summoners, yet you have come all the way to Zanarkand to ask me something." Celestia grew curious as she looked down at the mare and the sniveling colt. "...Very well. What is it?"

"I want you to make me a fayth for my son. I want him to be strong so every Guado back home will see him as a future ruler and not ridicule him for his blood." Anima watched as Celestia began to mull over the idea.

"...I cannot make you as the Final Summoning from your lack of completing the trials...However...a new, lesser aeon, I believe I can do just that." Blueblood cried harder, clutching his mother's leg, begging her not to do this. "Name the location where your fayth statue will be placed, and I shall grant you your wish."

"Thank you, Lady Celestia. Please, make me a fayth, and have my statue placed in my family estate far to the southwest of Spira; Baaj Temple," Anima said, grateful for the summoner granting her request.

Celestia began to cast her spell, her eyes glowing white as she began to turn the mare into a fayth. Blueblood was pushed back as he watched in terror as his mother began to slowly die before his eyes. Her body began to turn to stone as her statue was created, becoming the statue she is now. Grinning in satisfaction, Celestia transported both Anima and Blueblood to Baaj Temple, their private home away from home.

As Anima's statue rested in place in a small room, Blueblood could only stare at what her mother became, unable to stop her from sacrificing herself. Her spirit hovered over the statue and flew into him, giving him her aeon. The colt felt overwhelming power flowing in him, his mother's love resting inside of him. What she thought would be a good thing only made her son's life worse, but instead of being miserable, she felt malice beginning to grow in his heart.

From her fayth statue, she heard Blueblood giggle with glee, slowly becoming more sinister as his pain wanted revenge on those who hurt him. He looked down at her, his eyes filled with evil intentions, granting him what she wished for him; to become stronger. The colt wandered around the temple home, surprising some of the pony servants hired to keep the building clean. Wanting to test his new summoning powers, Blueblood summoned his mother's aeon, dragging the disturbingly terrifying aeon up from the ground, Anima unable to stop herself as she saw everything from her new body's point of view.

She tried to tell him to stop, only letting out a screech of sorrow, her words unable to reach out to her foal. Forced to obey his command, her eye glowed and shot out her devastating bolt of energy at one of them, killing the servant instantly. Her attacks didn't cease as she began decimating the beautiful temple and killing everypony inside, hearing Blueblood laugh maniacally like an insane, power hungry sadist as he watched everything around him break or get blown up.

After several hours, the temple was still standing, but was now in the shambled state it was in now. He sat before Anima's fayth statue, feeling absolute bliss from his high of killing and destroying. The mare had made a grave mistake, only making her foal's life worse as he was now a killer. He then hugged the statue, caressing the stone as if his mother was still a living being.

"Thank you, mother," he said, his voice no longer sounding like the Blueblood she loved. "I do feel stronger now...But I want more power..." The colt chuckled demonically. "I'll have to bide my time until everything falls into place...And don't worry. I'll tell father you died protecting me while we were attacked by a dangerous fiend as soon as we were getting close to the continent." He nuzzled his cheek against the statue, but she felt no love from it. "I love you, mother...I won't let anypony ever have you."

The colt left the chamber and began to head out, casting a barrier against the door to keep anyone from trying to make their way through. As he left the temple, storm clouds began to form around the destroyed family home, signifying Anima's sorrow as she ruined her foal's life and was responsible for turning him into the madpony he became several years later.

Even though what the group had seen that Anima showed them was supposed to be sad, none of them felt any pity for Blueblood. They didn't blame the mother for trying to help him feel accepted by his peers and races, but she chose the wrong mare to put her trust in to make him gain some confidence in himself. And with his lust for power, it was no wonder why he wanted to become Sin. An unstoppable fiend that can never be killed, only able to be defeated by the Final Aeon, which doesn't exist anymore thanks to them.

"I have seen the pain he has brought from the eyes of the aeon I became. His deceit against Spira, and using the Guado to fulfill his dark wishes...Even killing Orion in cold blood, and nopony even batted an eye in the high council..." Anima looked at Fluttershy with pleading eyes. "Summoner, I have felt the Final Aeon has been destroyed, and I am grateful for that. Blueblood will stop at nothing to try to become Sin. Please, use my power to aid you, and stop Sin. End his obsession with power, send him to the Farplane if you must...The only regret I have was trying to be a good mother, to make my son happy and feel welcomed in his home."

Fluttershy nodded her head and was given Anima's power. "I promise, Anima...When I see Blueblood again, I will end his suffering and ease yours."

"I hope we don't see him again," Rainbow grumbled. "Now we know what happened to her and how she became a fayth...No thanks to Celestia, twisting her words around and making Blueblood go crazy."

"Though Anima was tricked by Celestia back then, she feels guilty for being a mother just trying to do what she could to help her child," Rarity said, looking down at the depressing fayth statue. "The parents do what they can to guide their foals on the right path, but in the end, what the foal decides is where their story will flow."

The party soon left the chamber and began heading back to the airship. Though they may not have gotten any ideas on how to stop Sin, they have a wish they want to fulfill for a mother who desperately wanted to help her son when he was lonely. Blueblood may still be unsent, and he will continue lingering in Spira until he finally succeeds in becoming Sin, but the next time they meet, he won't stay among the living for long.

Chapter 46: Exploring Spira: Chaos Ruins

After leaving Baaj Temple, the party headed back on the airship, having no other business in the ruined temple. It was getting late as the airship set off and cruised along the ocean, the night sky finally able to be seen as they flew away from the storm clouds surrounding the area. Luckily, inside of the vessel were lots of rooms for crew members to rest while the ship cruised in the middle of the night.

Since the group had gone almost a couple days without sleep, they needed some rest after beating Celestia and searching around Baaj Temple. While everyone headed for their own available rooms, Rainbow Dash kept thinking, yawning loudly as she looked out the window on the observation deck. Her exhaustion was taking its toll on her as she began to nod off. She felt a hoof on her shoulder, reacting on instinct from her tired state and pounced on whoever touched her. The pegasus relaxed when it was Fluttershy who was getting her attention, her cheeks blushing madly as their snouts were inches away from each other.

"Fluttershy, don't sneak up on me like that," Rainbow said, getting off the summoner as she sat up.

"S-Sorry," Fluttershy apologized. "I was wondering where you were. You didn't come down to the cabins with the rest of us."

"Oh...Sorry. I'm still trying to think of how we can stop Sin." Rainbow yawned again, too tired to think anymore. "I have no idea how long it's been since we slept. I'm gonna pass out at any moment."

"W-Well...umm..." Fluttershy looked away, fiddling with her long mane as she struggled to find the words to speak. "...I-I uhh...was wondering if...If we..."

"What?" Rainbow asked, being patient even though she wanted to sleep in the next five seconds.

"...Do you want to...sleep with me tonight?" the summoner asked.

If Rainbow Dash was tired, she was wide awake after hearing that request. "...W-What?"

"I-I mean, I'm just asking...Oh, it was a stupid question. I shouldn't have said anything." She was about to walk back down to the cabins, but Rainbow stopped her as she stepped on her tail.

"Wait. I didn't exactly say no," Rainbow said, her cheeks tinted pink as she scratched her head. "I was just a little...thrown back by that..."

"Oh..." The two stood in silence as they stared awkwardly at anything but each other. "...W-Well...Do you?"

"I kind of want to know why you're being so bold right now." As much as Rainbow Dash wanted to sleep together with her marefriend, it was going to be an awkward moment if anypony caught them the next morning. And with Cid around, being very overprotective of his niece, he'd probably do the same thing Pinkie did to her earlier at the temple, only off the side of the airship near the engines. "Kinda risky with other ponies on the same ship."

"...I don't care." Rainbow's heart skipped a beat as her blush deepened a little. "I want you close to me. If we confront Sin when we find another way to beat it...then I want to spend as much time together with you as long as I can."

The cyan mare's blush disappeared, now realizing what would happen if they win or lose. If Sin kills them, then they're dead and Spira will remain suffering under its power. If they kill Sin, she'll disappear. Of all the worst times to ever remind her of who she really was, it only made keeping her being a dream a secret much more difficult. They had only just gotten together after escaping from Bevelle and learned of their treachery against the teachings. And only a couple days later did Bahamut finally reveal to her she's a living illusion created by him and the rest of the fayth.

She worried about how the others would react when they find out. Especially Fluttershy. Should she just tell everyone now and get it over with before it's too late? Would they stop trying to defeat Sin after telling them or will they still follow through with stopping it? Will her relationship with Fluttershy end? So many questions ran through her head, and she was afraid of the negative outcomes after going through so much pain since coming to Spira. Rainbow Dash thought she had a normal life, but it was all a creation, like a puppet given life for only a moment before its new soul would be sucked away once it felt emotions.

She had to keep this a secret, like Rarity had kept the truth about the pilgrimage a secret and her status among the living. If she was going to disappear as a memory, she may as well spend what time she does have left as a physical pegasus with Fluttershy. Maybe leave her a small message before it was time on one of those spheres.

"Rainbow Dash?" Fluttershy got her attention after she just stood there, not answering her request. "Are you ok?"

"...Uhh...Yeah, yeah...I uhh...I think I spaced out for a minute," she chuckled, trying to play off her silence with her exhaustion. "I must be really out of it. Let's head to bed before I crash on the floor."

The two pegasi headed to the cabins and entered an empty room together. Just the sight of the soft, comfortable bed made Rainbow just want to plop down on it and immediately fall asleep. Rainbow took off her clothes, discarding them on the floor and leapt into the mattress, sighing blissfully as she made herself comfortable in the cloud-like bed. Before she was able to fully fall asleep, she felt the bed shift, watching Fluttershy climb in with her, her dress taken off and folded neatly.

They snuggled closely together, Rainbow wrapping a wing around Fluttershy and holding her close. The two looked in each other's tired eyes, moving closer as they kissed, softly and passionately. The summoner nuzzled her cheek against Rainbow's chest as she fell asleep in her embrace, her forelegs wrapping themselves loosely around the cyan pegasus's body. As she fell in a deep sleep, Rainbow looked down at her lover, feeling guilty for keeping her inevitable fate from Fluttershy.

She was tired, but she couldn't sleep now. Her mind was pulled away from the truth of who she is when they fought Celestia, discovered the secrets in Baaj Temple, and figure out another way to defeat Sin. But when they do, everything they had done together will only bring up sad memories, and Fluttershy didn't want that. Eventually, sleep began finding Rainbow Dash as she laid in bed, feeling Fluttershy's warm body against hers and her slow, calm breathing. Before closing her eyes, she placed a soft kiss on the yellow mare's head, holding her tightly with her wing and hooves and nuzzling her muzzle against her soft, pink mane.

As morning rose on the horizon, the crew on the airship was up bright and early as they worked on the controls and weapons on board. In one of the rooms, Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy were still sound asleep, though the former was sprawled on the bed as she snored. She began to wake up, smacking her dry lips as she squinted her eyes open, staring up at the ceiling. Rainbow rolled on her side, feeling Fluttershy's hooves tighten a little around her barrel, wanting to sleep for a few more minutes.

The moment she turned, her eyes widened when she saw Cid leering at her, having somehow snuck into the room without making a single sound. "What the hay are you doing sleeping with my niece!?"

Rainbow yelped and backed away, accidentally sending both her and Fluttershy off the bed and crumbling in a heap on the floor. Groaning in annoyance, she apologized to the startled pegasus she fell on, standing up to glare at the overprotective uncle.

"They hay's your problem!?" she shouted.

"You are my problem!" Cid leapt over the bed in a single bound and tackled Rainbow Dash away from Fluttershy. He easily pinned her to the ground, the pegasus unable to break free from his earth pony strength. "Just what exactly were you doing to Fluttershy in that bed!?"

"We were just sleeping! She's old enough to do whatever she wants!" Rainbow squirmed, but she was trapped underneath the Al Bhed stallion.

"Likely story! I'm gonna have to keep an eye on you before you think about knocking my niece up!" he said.

"I'm a mare!" Rainbow shouted, growing annoyed and finding it hard to believe that Cid and Pinkie carried the same random, and annoying, genes.

"Well, by your attitude and the way you walk, you look like you got a pair growing under that fruity tail of yours!" Cid lifted the pegasus up and dragged her out of the room. "Out!"

"You are worse than Pinkie Pie!" she shouted as she was dragged out of the room by her tail. "Fluttershy, tell your uncle to stop picking on me!"

Rainbow yelped as she was flung down the hall by Cid's strength, crashing into the wall of the corridor in a heap. While in her daze, her clothes were tossed at her, draping over her head. After clearing her head, she grumbled as she put her outfit back on, ruining a good morning for her. In the room she ended up next to, Pinkie poked her head out of the doorway, her poofy mane messier than usual as she spotted Rainbow Dash.

"Dashie? Were you sleeping outside?" she asked.

"No. Your dad threw me out of a room when he saw me and Fluttershy sleeping in the same bed." As the pegasus looked up at the Al Bhed, whose cheeks were more pink than usual as she blushed. "...We didn't do THAT! And Cid thought I was gonna get Fluttershy pregnant! That's impossible for two mares to do!"

"...Weeeeell...Actually, it is possible if a unicorn casts a little spell that gives one of them-" Rainbow quickly shoved her hoof in Pinkie's mouth.

"Did NOT want to know that!" The pegasus growled, rubbing her sore head when she smacked into the wall after being flung out by her marefriend's uncle. "I'll be on the bridge, looking around the map."

While Rainbow trudged down to the bridge, Cheese poked his head out of the same room, a red balloon stuck in his mane. "Fryd rybbahat?"

"Nothing, Cheesie," Pinkie said, taking the balloon out of his hair. "You know, you need to learn how to speak Equish so everypony can understand you, especially the author. You know how annoying it can be to go to a translator to copy/paste what he wants you to say with a made up language?"

The stallion sighed after some thought. "E paddan cdynd maynhehk, drah."

"Good for you, Cheesie!" Pinkie kissed the stallion on the cheek, then pulled out a book titled "How to Speak Equish for Dummies". "Now, get to reading while you have nothing to do. I'm off to do some more thinking."

The pink mare bounded off to meet up with Rainbow Dash on the bridge, leaving her Al Bhed coltfriend to look through the book, sighing dejectedly. "Paehk yh NPC cilgc."

Rainbow Dash blindly searched around Spira on the map as she waited for everyone else to get up. She was hoping to spend a little more time waking up with Fluttershy in bed, but, as her luck always wound up going south when things were going so well, Cid just had to be the responsible adult and kick her out of the room. After about an hour of looking around the large mass of land that was a majority of Spira, the others arrived on the bridge, as did Cid.

"Hi, Rainbow Dash." Fluttershy walked up next to the sour pegasus, nuzzling her cheek. "Sorry about...what happened. I didn't think Uncle Cid could be so..."

"Annoyingly overprotective?" Rainbow scoffed. "Can I never get a break and have some kind of fun without something ruining everything?"

"Hey!" Cid appeared between the two, pulling out a ten foot pole from behind him. He gently pushed Fluttershy back until the pole separated them by that same distance on the bridge. "This far apart is the minimum space you two should be. At all times."

The Al Bhed uncle poked Rainbow's head with the pole, further annoying the pegasus as she tried her hardest to ignore him. "Uncle Cid, don't blame Rainbow Dash. I wanted her to stay with me last night."

"No way, Flutters. I'm gonna be keeping a close eye on this tie-dyed maned hotshot." He poked her again with the pole, making Rainbow growl. "I got eyes in the back of my head."

"Will you quit poking me with that thing!?" Rainbow shouted.

Cid finally let up on his tormenting and left the pegasus alone, though he kept his eyes on her and Fluttershy getting too close. While Rainbow Dash finally had some peace as she examined Spira, she spotted something odd as she looking over a group of islands to the far east on the map. One specific island was completely different compared to the others around it, looking like something that belonged in a random circus show.

"What in tarnation is that place?" Applejack asked as she looked at the mountain island made out of cotton candy, chocolate, everything that was ever made from sugar.

"That place used to be known as the Omega Ruins several hundred years ago," Rarity said. "But, after a certain monk during that time defied the teachings, he was sentenced there to his death. That traitor's name was Discord, and as he turned into a fiend, he was far different compared to the other fiends around Spira. Some say his form turned twisted into something unlike anything anyone had ever seen, gaining powers that defied all logic and sanity. Considered unsent, but his mind is lost to the magic he had gained in his time there, which explains how twisted this island is compared to the others.

"It's strange he hasn't roamed about with what he has. My guess is that a part of him knows what he had turned into and stayed there to keep himself from hurting others, or he stays there and serves his punishment." Rarity looked over the mess of an island, the chocolate mountain spewing out globs of molasses out of a few craters, along with the same kind of purple mist that was seen back in the caverns where Yojimbo's fayth lies. "Ever since ponies spotted this strange occurrence, they changed the name to the Chaos Ruins, because of the unknown and unbelievable changes."

"I've...never heard of this," Twilight said. "Did Bevelle...hide this secret, too?"

"Yes, especially since Discord was once a monk of Bevelle. Being a monk myself, I was allowed access to certain archives, and I wandered across this information years ago." While the others watched the random changes happening, Pinkie was drooling like a waterfall at all the delectable sweets on there.

"Wait. If Discord betrayed the teachings...maybe he might have some idea how to stop Sin," Rainbow said. "There might be something in there he kept when he was alive, and his fiend is keeping it safe."

"I say yes!" Pinkie exclaimed. "My dream of an island filled to the brim with candy and sweets and goodies has come true!" The mare bounced excitedly, freezing in midair as the others gave her a look. Pinkie giggled sheepishly, floating back down to the ground. "And...maybe stop Sin too."

"Then let's head there." With the coordinates set in place, Maud steered the airship toward the Chaos Ruins.

The moment the airship dropped the mares and dragon in the entrance inside the mountain at the top, Pinkie shuddered in place as her eyes widened and sparkled. The inside of the mountain was just like the outside: the walls and ground smelling of chocolate, random assortments of sweets sticking in the walls like gemstones, stalactites made of peppermint, and cotton candy clouds floating in the endless abyss at the bottom, along with the purple miasma leaking out from the colorfully chaotic summit of sweets.

"I think I've died and gone to the Farplane," Pinkie sighed in awe. "MAKE WAY! ENDLESS GOODIES READY TO BE EATEN!"

As she was about to zoom off to eat whatever to her heart's content, Rarity grabbed a hold of her tail with her magic, dragged her back to her, and slapped her in the face. "Pinkie, don't even think about it."

"Why did you hit me?" Pinkie pouted as she rubbed her cheek.

"You'll end up dead before you stuff your stomach full of this land." The unicorn stabbed her katana through one of the hard candies embedded in the wall, pulling it out as a smoke cloud of miasma seeped out from the walls. "These lands were filled with poisonous gas that can be fatal if inhaled at close range. You eat anything here, you'll suffer and die a very painful death."

Pinkie watched in sadness as Rarity pulled off the poisonous candy from her weapon and threw it over the cliff. "...My dream is ruined..."

"Don't assume anything is good in this place. Looks can be deceiving." Though Pinkie was upset her fantasy come to life was nothing but a deathtrap, she continued with the others to see if they could find anything of Discord's belongings if he had any answers about Sin.

The fiends in here were deadly and were the only things that stood out among the bright and colorful landscape of chaos. They followed the path of chocolate, avoiding confronting some of the worst of fiends that were in the Chaos Ruins, especially the fake treasure chests known as Mimics, pretending to have hidden treasures inside to lure greedy treasure hunters and thieves. As they looked down the cliff side, they could see a large room that seemed too normal to fit in with the rest of this mountain.

While they continued walking along the only possible route to reach the end of this chaotic dungeon, none of them realized a pair of yellow eyes spying on them from the walls. Distracted by looking around at the interior of the lair of the chaotic being, the eyes floated on ahead, a low laughter echoing in the caverns as the yellow eyes peeled themselves off the walls, its body slowly appearing in the shadows of the wall it hid behind. Holding out a talon, it snapped its claws, creating a large insect-looking fiend blocking the transporter glyph.

When the party got closer, the creature snapped its talons again and disappeared. As soon as they arrived, they gasped in shock at the monstrous fiend.

"Oh great. This thing is a lot bigger than the rest!" They prepared to fight the fiend as it roared at them. Rainbow struck first, flying straight into it. But the moment her sword touched it, the massive fiend popped like a balloon, stunning the pegasus as everyone tried to figure out what just happened. "...What? Di-I...Uhh...Did we just win?"

"That wasn't Discord," Rarity said, walking over to the remains of what was supposed to be the dangerous fiend. "As I mentioned before, Discord became a different kind of fiend, not like the small delay he tried to give us to scare us away. In other words, he's a lot smarter than the mindless fiends in this place."

"Define 'smart' if he made a land filled with sweets that can KILL US!" Pinkie complained, tempted to lick the chocolaty ground beneath her.

Rarity began scrounging around the animated balloon of the "deadly" fiend, finding an oddly colored sphere that was hidden inside of it. Unlike the usual ones that were blue, this one was a mismatch of random colors, almost like an uglier version of a rainbow. Everyone gathered around it as the mare played it, a large image of a creature none of them had ever seen before appearing before them. Whatever it was, it was a huge mismatched creation, its body parts a different animal all over him, having yellow eyes with red pupils.

"Hello, everypony!...And dragon. So nice to have guests after so long!" the creature said with glee, obviously a he by the sound of its voice. "Oh, how long as it been since I've seen another pony since I've been here?" He snapped his taloned fingers, creating a calender out of thin air as the pages flipped over to thousands of different months. "Oh, that's right! Over seven hundred years! Seven centuries of loneliness finally paying off with my patience!

"I'm sure you beat my little 'minion', since he's nothing but a hot air balloon. You at least passed my test to prove you're not a coward, and I thought one of you would have been tempted to eat my land of candy delights!" The creature eyes Pinkie as he mentioned the candy, as if the recording was actually him speaking to them via the sphere.

"Big jerk making a delicious island that has deadly candy," Pinkie pouted as he leered at him.

Suddenly, the creature's bear paw reached through the sphere and honked Pinkie's nose, surprising all of them as Rarity dropped the sphere. "Now don't be like that, Pinkie Pie. I thought you were supposed to be the happiest member of the group. Why don't you turn that frown upside down?" He began turning his head around, only for it to pop off and roll all around his body, then rested back on his neck, upside down. "I loved what you did to Rainbow Dash back at the Baaj Temple! Now, if I turned her into a giant worm, then she would have really been fish bait!"

"Wait, you know us!?" Rainbow questioned.

"Of course I do! I read the script!" He made a thousand pages appear, showing the title named "Pony Fantasy X". "Lovely little reenactment, I'll say. Can't wait to see what the ending will bring. I hope he makes a sequel!"

"...What?" He made the pages disappear, confusing the group with his antics being more confusing than Pinkie's, even making the Al Bhed's randomness drown in shame.

"I might as well get to the point. Seeing as you're here in my dungeon of punishment and land of chaotic glory, yes, I am Discord." Discord made a picture of himself as a pony appear next to him, though most of his body was silhouetted  and only his eyes were able to be seen. "As Rarity had pointed out back in your little airship - looks fun, by the way - I was sentenced here in this place to my death, but I just couldn't stay dead." He then changed the picture to the city of Bevelle, his gaze turning sour as it replaced his picture. "I was arrested because I betrayed the teachings...yet Bevelle has been doing this for far too long."

"You mean you knew about Bevelle using machina?" Fluttershy asked.

"And a summoner's pilgrimage. I knew all about it before you all did days ago." Discord growled as he grabbed the picture of Bevelle and tore it to shreds. "Because I did the right thing, those fascist priests being the one cause of Sin causing so much trouble in Spira. Hypocrites, every single one of them in the machina city. And Celestia...she made me sick. Known as a great summoner of her time, yet she still lived on and brought other summoners to their deaths, keeping the cycle of death going for a millennium. Thanks for killing her, by the way. Now all of Spira will be 'doomed', when it has been since the beginning."

"Then that means you know of another way to defeat Sin, right?" the summoned asked.

"...Unfortunately, no." The bad news disappointed the others, sending them back to square one. "You'll find the answers you seek when you get an idea of how Sin works. And before you think I can deal with Sin, you're insane. Only the Final Summoning can deal with that thing, but it always brings Sin back once it was beaten."

"Great," Rainbow groaned. "We thought you had something for us."

"Sorry...Although, since you are all here...I have a small, teeny-tiny favor to ask of you." Discord looked down, the ponies and dragon watching him as he seemed upset. "...I want you to end my life."

"What?" Fluttershy asked in shock.

"As much as I'm being friendly with you all, and almost got one of you killed with a poisonous chunk of candy...I'm considered unsent, and I turned into this...thing." The depressed being looked down at his mixed up body. "I was all by myself in this place, having gone made from isolation and tried to kill myself to escape from the pain...But when I woke up, I lost most of my sanity and gained these...uncontrollable powers. I couldn't leave the Omega Ruins, unable to control myself, or else risk causing more destruction that Sin had already done. I've gone mad with this chaotic power, as if Faust herself cursed me for defiling her teachings and kept me alive while turning into this!

"I have wanted to die for so long, but I can't kill myself. Anything I do to myself is only the power in me keeping me from suicide." As an example, he summoned an ax and tried to hack his head off, only for his head to leap off his neck as the blade swiped under it, attaching itself back on his shoulders. "See!? You may think I look like I'm having fun, but I'm laughing in sorrow, not enjoyment! I have lived for centuries, praying beyond all hope to have somepony strong enough to kill me and finally send my tormented soul from this infernal body of mine!

"Celestia made Spira suffer by killing summoners and one of their guardians to be the Final Summoning, but this world is already suffering enough from the constant chaos of ponies who want power, who are racist to each other and other races, and always causing a war over something stupid like a small patch of land!" Discord shouted as his frustrations grew. He buried his face in his paw and talon, greatly distressed. "...I'm waiting in my room further down...Take the transporter in front of you to reach the pathway down in the chasm...If you grant my wish, I will warn you; I will not go easy on you. I'm more dangerous than you think I am when you confront me...Please...end my suffering..."

The sphere stopped and Discord's image disappeared, the sphere disappearing with a pop. Though their lead to solving their solution to stopping Sin led nowhere, they all felt bad for the unfortunate stallion turned into the creature that he was now. He was in pain, betrayed by Bevelle as they saw him as a true traitor, and was begging for death to end his immortal torment with his madness.

"...Well, what are we gonna do?" Spike asked after a few moments of silence.

"...I think we should help him, even if Discord says he's dangerous," Fluttershy said.

Everyone nodded, agreeing with the summoner as they stepped on the transporter, sending them further down in the Chaos Ruins. They walked along the narrow stone pathway leading to the large mass of not chocolate stalactite in the center of the chasm of pink cotton candy clouds and miasma. They managed to reach where Discord was living in without any confrontations from the fiends, finding the interior of the makeshift room normal compared to the outside. It was as if keeping a part of the island as it was before altering it with his magic made him feel somewhat sane.

"So, you did come after all." In the shadows of the room, they could see Discord's mismatched yellow eyes glowing in the dark corner. "I thought you would have just left and moved on to another part of Spira, training more for the worst fight of your lives where it wasn't Sin."

"Discord, we're here to help you," Fluttershy said as she stepped forward. "We heeded your warning, and we won't hold back on you either. When you're unable to fight any longer and fall, I will send you to the Farplane and ease you of your suffering."

"...Heh...You're too kind, Fluttershy," he said. "Even with something as powerful as I am, you won't back down from helping those in need..." Discord stepped out of the shadows, revealing his mismatched body in all its chaotic glory. He looked relieved, though he seemed unsure if they would be strong enough to slay him. "I did warn you...No turning back now."

Everyone pulled out their weapons as they surrounded Discord, ready to help him and send him to the Farplane. "We've faced worse, Discord...And if we can beat you, then we may have a chance of beating Sin, once and for all."

"...We'll see." Discord closed his eyes and breathed out a sigh, opening his eyes as a powerful aura burst out from his body, unleashing his full power.

It was far more overwhelming than anything Sin had done when it attacked during Operation Mi'ihen, and this fight would be more intense than any other they had faced, even against Celestia. Rainbow acted first, flying toward him with her sword ready to slash through him, but as the pegasus was mere inches away, she was immediately held back by an invisible force, keeping her immobile.

Discord turned to face the bound mare, his talon reaching out to her forehead. He gave a light flick and sent Rainbow Dash flying into the wall at breakneck speed, creating an imprint of her crashed body in the wall. Before she was able to even utter anything out of pain, Discord curled his talons in a fist, grabbing the pegasus and sending her flying across the room into the opposite end of the room.

Before he could toss her any further, Pinkie leapt in an tossed a flash grenade in his face, blinding Discord as he flailed about, creating cotton candy clouds in the room. Some of the party managed to avoid them, not knowing what they could do, while a couple, like Twilight and Applejack, ended up getting stuck to the sticky surfaces.

"Hey! Ah can't move!" Applejack shouted as she struggled to break out of the sticky cloud.

"Me neither!" Twilight said, quickly casting a spell to try to get rid of the annoying fluffy clouds.

Fluttershy healed Rainbow Dash from the bone shattering slams into the wall, though she tried to avoid the clouds that got in her way. Pinkie, Rarity, and Spike lunged in, the latter two slashing through the clouds and attacked the blinded unsent, getting a few hits on him with their weapons. As soon as he was able to see, Discord shoved his attackers off him with his telekinesis, sending them into a free cloud and trapping them. He began moving the clouds around the room, sending them all spiraling out of control as they formed together to make a bigger cloud above him.

Discord's arms began glowing as he began morphing the clouds. They began to implode against the constricted mares and dragon, creating a miniature supernova that was far powerful than any spell anyone had ever lived through. They were all sent flying across the room, greatly injured, but miraculously still alive. Fluttershy was the first to stand up, struggling to stay standing as she saw the pain in Discord's face. They weren't dead because he was trying to hold himself back on purpose, not letting the chaotic power in him to end what he wanted for so long.

The pegasus stood on her hind legs as she transferred her Overdrive energy to one of her aeons, more specifically, her newest received aeon. The hook shot down from a void in the sky and dug itself in the ground in front of Discord. Anima began to rise up from the void that appeared, lifted up from the depths it came from as it screeched.

"...This is new," Discord uttered. Before he could attack this new aeon, a void opened up underneath him as he was sucked down into the ground. He floated around in the strange red and black blurry void, seeing the underside of Anima that was hidden under the ground. Her "legs" began moving, but they weren't legs. It was actually another upper body, more horrifying than the bandaged upper head, looking at its prey with its arms bound by chains. It screeched as it broke free of its bonds, and as much as Discord tried to snap his talons to teleport away, he was trapped. "Oh boy...This is gonna hurt."

Indeed it would as the terrifying bottom half began punching him hard. Its punches increased in speed until its arms were nothing but a blur, each blow causing an explosion that was more powerful than the last. After it felt like it did enough damage with just its fists alone, the bottom head roaring as it created a massive orb of energy around Discord, the air around him growing in pressure as it imploded into a massive explosion, sending him back out of the realm in a crumbled, scorched heap.

He wasn't down yet, getting back up on his feet, his legs shaking as he tried to stay standing. Glaring at the powerful aeon, he thrust his paw at Anima, surrounding her in an Ultima spell, the magic imploding around her as it instantly defeated the aeon. With Discord on his last legs, Fluttershy needed to deal the finishing blow, the others far too injured from the powerful supernova he unleashed.

Light magic began to build in her hooves as she focused all of her power into a magical attack. "This will be over soon."

Thrusting her hooves forward, a large sphere of holy light surrounded Discord, and instead of healing, it actually hurt him. He let out a scream of anguish as the light injured him, the light pushing him hard against the wall as it disappeared. As soon as his back slammed into the wall, the unsent being collapsed to the ground, spirits beginning to fly out of his overly-injured body.

Seeing Discord was no longer able to fight anymore, Fluttershy healed herself and the others with her white magic, healing their injuries. She and the rest of her guardians approached the prone creature, slowly opening his eyes, unable to move as he groaned in pain. Rarity had backed away, wanting to stay far enough away from Fluttershy as she performed the sending. As the pegasus danced, spirits flew out from Discord as his body began to shift, his variety of animal ligaments and limbs disappearing as he turned back into a normal stallion, his coat a grayish brown like his face and his mane and goatee a grayed white.

When he opened his eyes again as he began to fade away, the sclera of his eyes now white and his pupils yellow, he gave Fluttershy a relieved smile. "Thank you..." he whispered as he closed his eyes for the last time.

Discord was finally freed from his torment, the stallion finally resting in the Farplane. Rarity looked outside of the entrance to the stalactite room, watching in awe as the chaotic mess of deadly sweets and the scent of chocolate and sugary delights disappeared, bringing the ruins and the entire island back to normal as Discord's chaotic power disappeared along with him. Now the mountain was dark and dreary, a place no one should ever go into, even by a stupid dare.

Fluttershy looked up at the ceiling of the room, watching the last of Discord's spirit peacefully sent to the Farplane. "You're welcome, Discord. Rest in peace," she uttered to the now sent stallion.

The Chaos Ruins, now returning as the Omega Ruins, were free from the chaotic magic. The group headed back through the caverns and returned to the airship, having helped a victim of Bevelle's deceitful ways and curing him of his immortal torture. Though they had many questions about Bevelle from Discord calling it a machina city. How long had the "holy" city been using machina when they were supposed to not use them when Sin came around? What was the point of staying true to the teachings when Bevelle had been lying to all of Spira of what lies inside? Why banish someone who was only trying to do the right thing after being lied to and have them suffer a life living in insanity and anguish in a dangerous location? And if Discord was able to control himself, despite being immortal as an unsent stallion turned into an abomination, would he have been a reliable ally in helping them stop Sin?

Chapter 47: Exploring Spira: Remiem Temple

Back on the airship, the vessel hovered over the ocean after leaving the Omega Ruins. It was a shock to see the entire island go from its colorfully, candy coated landscape to the original island it once was several hundred years ago, possibly causing some commotion for some who looked looked out to the island. Though the ruins were back to normal and Discord's tormented soul is finally set free, everyone was still busy searching for a way to stop Sin, and again, no results.

As the airship rested somewhere along the southern islands of Spira, gathering supplies for the next takeoff, Rainbow Dash laid on a cloud over the resting vessel as she went back to thinking. Unfortunately, there was still no solution. What she knew was that Sin was connected to her and Jet Stream. Both pegasi are dreams created by all the fayth, mostly the ones on Mt. Gagazet. Faust had created Sin, but what Faust really was only complicated matters as Sin was created by it, from what Celestia said with her final words. Something so powerful that only the Final Aeon could destroy, yet it always came back, where that Final Aeon would become the next Sin.

Rainbow groaned, her head hurting as she kept thinking, wishing for some answer to pop up. Sadly, nothing came, giving up for now as she flew back down into the airship. This was going to be a lot tougher than she thought. She headed down to the bridge to look around Spira some more, looking around for any other unknown spots Twilight or the others didn't know about. Thankfully, Cid wasn't around to constantly nag and pick on her, but seeing how he and Pinkie shared the same randomness, it was highly unlikely she would find any peace.

While boringly scoping around the world, Fluttershy walked in with some fruit she bought while she was in the closest town. "Hi, Rainbow. Find any new places?"

"Hmm? Oh, hey, Flutters." Rainbow stopped looking around and faced the summoner. "And no. For a world this big, I thought there'd be more...you know, places on these other islands scattered from the main stretch of land. I'm guessing Sin destroyed any of those islands in the past?"

"I think so." Fluttershy lowered the bags she carried on her back, setting them down on the ground between them. "I thought maybe we'd have lunch together and brainstorm a way to stop Sin."

"Well, my brain's fried...though, food is good." Rainbow pulled out a fresh apple from the bag and chomped on it, sating her empty stomach. "Is Cid anywhere around? I don't want him poking me with that dumb stick of his."

"He's busy working with the airship's engines to make sure they work fine. I don't think he'll...barge in on us again," Fluttershy said with a slight blush in embarrassment.

"Ugh. Good thing I didn't meet your dad. I'm sure he would have been constantly checking on us over and over every minute." The cyan pegasus finished her apple, tossing the core aside as she fished around for another fruit. Though, as she began thinking about family, Rainbow was a little bit curious about what happened to Fluttershy's mother, seeing her with Kindred when they were in the Farplane. "...So, uhh...Touchy subject I want to go on, but...What happened to your mom?"

"...Oh...Well, you did tell me about...what happened to your mother..." Fluttershy looked down at her hooves, her sadness apparent on her face as she remembered the horrible moment in her life. Rainbow didn't want her to tell her if it was too painful, but after everything they've been through, having their faith and hope known as lies was painful enough. "...I think you can guess what happened..."

"...Sin?" The summoner nodded her head.

"She was heading off to see her family where the Al Bhed were living at in that moment...Then, Sin destroyed the boat she was on...Nopony survived..." Rainbow wanted to punch herself in the face, making her marefriend miserable with recalling the loss of her mother. Fluttershy's loss was worse than hers, killed by the fiend that could never die, while her mother committed suicide because of Jet Stream's disappearance. "After hearing the bad news, my father became a summoner, wanting to end the pain and suffering everypony experienced when Sin shows up..."

"...Fluttershy..." Rainbow pulled Fluttershy in a comforting hug, feeling bad for the poor mare. "You didn't have to tell me...I'm sorry." She gently nuzzled her cheek, rubbing her back to calm the shivering mare. "At least my dad wasn't Sin at that time."

"Mhmm. It happened before I met him..." Fluttershy backed away a little, wiping her tears away. "But what happened to your mother was more sad than mine."

"Don't remind me..." Rainbow grabbed another apple and bit into it, this one more juicy than the last one as it accidentally squirted some on Fluttershy's muzzle. "Oops...Sorry."

Fluttershy brushed her hoof against her nose, but she didn't get most of the juice off her lips. "Did I get it all?"

"...Not really," Rainbow said, grinning a little as Fluttershy smirked. She didn't get it all on purpose, and the pegasus was willing to help. "Here. Let me get it." She leaned forward and planted a kiss on the yellow mare's lips. Fluttershy moaned a little, feeling Rainbow's tongue gently brush against her lips as she licked the apple juice that splashed on her muzzle. To her disappointment, Rainbow pulled away, licking her lips teasingly. "There. Much better."

Fluttershy cheeks flushed heavily, wanting more. "I-I think you missed a spot."

"Oh, did I? I better make sure I'm...thorough with cleaning the mess I made." Rainbow pulled Fluttershy closer and kissed her again, this time more passionate and intimate, the summoner squeaking at the sudden contact.

She instantly relaxed and kissed her lover back, shuddering in bliss as she felt Rainbow's tongue tease her lips. Her cheeks blushed deeper as she opened her mouth a little, allowing the cyan mare's slick organ inside and deepening their kiss. Fluttershy's heart pounded in her chest, feeling Rainbow's tongue gently coaxing hers to play with it. She pressed herself closer as she moaned, wanting to stay like this with her lover forever. Sadly, she needed air, pulling away as she panted, a thin line of their saliva separating from their parted lips.

"W-Wow..." Fluttershy stared at Rainbow with half-lidded eyes, feeling euphoric from the kiss.

"Hay yeah, wow." Rainbow gave the dazed pegasus a light peck on the lips, gently pressing her snout against hers. "We'll work on your lung capacity a little later so you can last a little longer when we make out. Playing blitzball and staying underwater while holding your breath can increase your stamina greatly. I once lasted a full hour underwater, while swimming laps, without coming up for air."

"M-Maybe I should...p-practice," Fluttershy stammered as her cheeks grew brighter.

"You'll get the hang of it. Just takes a lot of time and endur-" Rainbow was suddenly pushed back hard as a pole thrust into her chest, sending her slamming into the window of the cockpit.

Fluttershy leapt back in surprise as Cid had appeared out of nowhere, holding that same pole he used to separate them earlier. "Minimum...space...What of my warning did I say did you not hear, fruit loop!? This pole's distance! Ten feet!"

"Uncle Cid!" The stallion pet Fluttershy's mane, keeping the pole pressed against Rainbow Dash as she slid down the window.

"No need to thank me, buttercup. You good ol' Uncle Cid's got this covered." The summoner groaned, her uncle having ruined her private date with Rainbow Dash.

With the airship packed with supplies, the ship began continuing its cruise across the ocean. Rainbow Dash's eye twitched, occasionally looking at Cid as yet another moment with Fluttershy was ruined by his overprotective nature. She looked around the map again, grumbling to herself until she stumbled upon something interesting that caught her eye near the Calm Lands. Resting in the mountains was what looked like a temple fit for a fayth to rest in, its location surrounded by a large chasm where a rope bridge connected the small mass of land to the canyon.

"What's this place?" Rainbow asked.

"It's...a temple...Wait, where is it?" Twilight asked as she got a closer look at the map. "Near the Calm Lands?...Where exactly...?"

As Twilight pondered which pathway this hidden temple was from the geographical map of Spira, on the viewing feed, the others spotted a pink pegasus flying down from the top of the canyon and landing in front of the temple's doors. "Wait a minute! Is that Cadence!?" The pegasus looked around, revealing that it was indeed the summoner that tested Fluttershy back on the Mi'ihen Highroad and the road toward the Moonflow. "That is Cadence!"

"Who's Cadence?" Cid asked.

"A summoner we met on our journey," Fluttershy answered as they watched her enter the temple. "What's she doing there?"

"Let's find out." With the coordinates set out, Maud steered the airship toward the hidden temple.

The airship hovered near the cliff side where the temple could be accessed, the vessel too big to make a landing in the canyon. Rainbow noticed some pillars that used to hold a bridge located near the entrance to the vast plains from Bevelle. The supports were destroyed by something and had been that way for several years, no one bothering to repair it for others to access this hidden temple.

As they reached the canyon, they carefully crossed the rope bridge, surprisingly intact, making it to the temple. Rainbow Dash opened the doors, though instead of the interior looking decrepit from lack of use, it looked like it was recently renovated. The torches were lit with a pink flames, lighting up the abandoned temple with a warm glow, decorated with some plants and heart shaped ornaments.

"Wow. This looks like some sort of love den," Rainbow said.

"Love den!?" Pinkie asked, rubbing her hooves together with a mischievous glint in her eyes. She pulled out a table and a couple chairs from out of nowhere, placing some romantic decor on the table while planting Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy in the seats. The Al Bhed quickly ran behind a pillar and back to the table, wearing a waiter's uniform with a fake moustache, playing a romantic song on a violin she pulled out of her mane. "Time for these two to finally have a romantic moment. EVERYPONY ELSE OUT!"

Before Rainbow could yell at Pinkie for putting her and Fluttershy up on a rushed date, a powerful energy wave flew at them and shattered the table, sending both pegasi flying out of their seats and Pinkie fleeing for her life. Before the others could defend themselves from whatever is attacking them, a fast orange blur sped by all of them, and it was faster than Rainbow Dash. It knocked them all together in the center of the room, too fast to avoid. They weren't able to escape after being grouped up, becoming paralyzed as a green aura enveloped them.

Their attackers finally appeared in a triangle formation around them, three mares as tall as Spike surrounding them. Each of their faces were concealed by a red scarf connected to a cape that billowed behind them, though their eyes were visible underneath their long, differently styled manes. One of them was a yellow earth pony with a red mane, wearing a long pink bow. One was an orange pegasus with a wild and messy purple mane, her wings three times larger than a common pegasus's wings. And the last of the trio was a white unicorn with a light pink and fuchsia swirled mane, her horn twice as long and sharper than a normal unicorn's, the same green aura around her horn that was binding the party in place.

"Who dares enter this forbidden land!?" Cadence walked in from one of the adjacent rooms next to the door leading to the chamber of the fayth in the temple. The moment she spotted Fluttershy and her guardians, she stared at them in shock. "...Lady Fluttershy? And her guardians?" With a wave of her hoof, she commanded the three mares to back away, the unicorn's magic freezing them in place dispelling and freeing them. "What are you all doing here?"

"I think we should ask you the same thing, Lady Cadence," Fluttershy said, the group watching the three taller mares walking behind the pink summoner, standing stoic like soldiers.

"I made sure that passage leading here was destroyed..." She looked down at her hooves, then looked back up at her guests. "To think I could have murdered Kindred Heart's daughter, just to protect this place from her curious eyes."

"'Murdered?'" The group stared at Cadence in shock, unable to believe somepony as nice as her would be that willing to kill anyone. "...What are you talking about? What is this place?"

"...This place is known as Remiem Temple. This place was well known in the Calm Lands several hundred years ago...but Sin made this land lost to all of Spira one day. Once it attacked the Calm Lands, one of its attacks managed to reach what used to be a cavernous city, the temple spared while several lives were lost and the area closed off by the canyons to hide the devastation." Cadence bowed her head, as well as the three mares, all four of them shedding a tear. "I grew up here, along with these three aeons."

"Aeons?" Rainbow looked at the taller mares behind Cadence, all of them unable to believe they were aeons by how normal they seemed, the only difference being their height and longer appendages.

"Yes...Though they look like strong mares, they are only three young fillies. I was actually a witness to them becoming the fayth, their sacrifice heartbreaking to me as I had raised these three when they were orphaned from a terrible war in the Calm Lands." Cadence wiped away her moist eyes, looking at the door to the Chamber of the Fayth. A blue heart shaped barrier glowed in front of the door, preventing others from attempting to access the chamber. "It was...horrible...knowing just how cruel ponies can be when they seek power...Even from three fillies who are innocent to the pain of the world."

"But...if you're still here after several hundred years...?" Twilight questioned, only to realize Cadence had been hiding a secret similar to Star Swirl.

"I am unsent, unable to pass away after living through the pain I had witnessed." Cadence closed her eyes as spirits flew out from her body. "Remiem had suffered from Sin, a power struggle against two tribes who wanted to claim land, and even robbers who wish to steal everything that was sacred to this once known temple. The first two I was unable to prevent, but..." She looked down at her hooves again, the pink coat on her forelegs slowly turning a dark red, the scent of blood filling the air. "I was not going to let anypony hurt this land, or use these three fillies' power to their own misdeeds. Though it's not in my nature, I had to preserve this land from being tainted by the liars of Bevelle and those wishing to abuse their fayth's power..."

"...Were you...going to kill us?" Fluttershy asked.

"...How can I? When you are the one pony who just might end everypony's suffering?" The blood disappeared from Cadence's hooves as she called the spirits back in her body. "These three told me they felt the Final Summoning has been destroyed, Celestia slain and Sin's rebirth would finally end after a thousand long years...From the moment we fought using our aeons, Fluttershy, I knew you were the one pony I feel could very well stop this spiral of death. I'm sure you've used the Summoner's Soul to your advantage, taking care of your aeons like they were loyal pets as if they were your family."

Fluttershy nodded, pulling out the special stone Cadence had given her. "It has helped us in the past...My aeons were stronger than any others thanks to you." She put away the stone and pulled out her staff. "If you wish, I can send you and end your pain."

In an instant, the three mares immediately stood in front of Cadence in a threatening stance, protecting the unsent pegasus. "Girls, calm yourselves," she calmly said, the aeons hesitating slightly before they stood down and wilted, thinking they had upset her. "I know you three don't want me to go, but I'm not supposed to be among the living anymore..."

The three looked at Cadence, the earth pony unveiling her face wrapped by her scarf. On her cheeks were glowing symbols: on her left was a heart while on the right was a shield with an apple on the inside.

"We don't want ya to go to the Farplane," she said, sounding more like a young filly than a grown mare, her being able to speak surprising the party. "Ya'll deserve to be here."

The other two took their scarves off, both their left cheeks showing a similar heart like the earth pony aeon's. Though on their right, the insides of their shields were different: a music note in the unicorn's and a lightning bolt in the pegasus's.

"You don't want anypony else here after what Bevelle tried to do back then," the pegasus said, her voice just as young as the earth pony's. "After what that priest did to us that made us like this! I knew we shouldn't have trusted him and and those other stallions!"

"We know you didn't want us to become like this," the unicorn said, another young filly voice as she spoke. "Being forced to watch as...as Celestia did this to us...I'm glad she's dead, and we don't want anypony else here in our home...I don't want the same thing to happen again."

"I know, girls." Cadence pulled the three aeons into a group hug. "All of our pain will end soon...even yours. She's the one who will finally end everypony's suffering." The four mares looked at the group, though more specifically at Rainbow Dash. Cadence broke the hug as she stepped forward. "Before you send me, Fluttershy, I would like to have one more duel with you."

"Another duel?" The pink pegasus nodded.

"This will be your final test. As I had traveled to other temples and trained the other available aeons I was able to acquire, none of them are as powerful as my fillies: Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo." The three aeons stepped forward, prepared to fight as they await their summoner's/caretaker's command. "They are the Cutie Mark Crusaders, three powerful fillies with unique abilities and work together as one. If you can stop them with the aeons you have with you, then I will allow you to send me and gain the power to use these fillies. Out of every summoner I have met on my hundreds of years of traveling, you are the only one I can trust to take care of them until you beat Sin once and for all."

"...Ok." The guardians backed away to give the summoners room for the aeons to fight. Fluttershy summoned Valefor, the avian flying through the ceiling as it hovered beside the yellow pegasus. "Cadence, if I do beat you, I promise I will keep this place a secret and keep your girls safe, only using their power for my defense and to help others."

"I know. Thank you. Now, let's begin." The party of three aeons began casting spells on themselves to make their fight more troublesome for their opponent, increasing their speed and their defenses in both physical and magical spells.

The duel began as Valefor let out a screech, swooping down to attack them. Apple Bloom stood up and blocked the avian, holding it back and leaving it open to her teammates. Scootaloo flapped her wings and sped off around the room, beating Valefor with her hooves at a rapid pace, while Sweetie Belle cast a multitude of powerful spells. The aeon was able to break free from Apple Bloom's grip, pecking her hard in the face and flapping away, shooting a powerful sonic boom from its wings. The force of wind managed to disrupt Scootaloo's flight as she fell into Sweetie Belle, interrupting her spellcasting.

Valefor flipped her head and caused a glyph to appear before her, charging her energy beam and shooting into it to send out a barrage of explosive bolts down on the Cutie Mark Crusaders. As the smoke cleared, barely any of them took much damage as Apple Bloom stood before her comrades, a barricade of stone shielding them from the explosions. Taking the earth-made dome, the earth pony punched it into the avian, making Valefor shriek as it hit the wall, pinned back by the heavy piece of stone. She then manipulated the earth, shattering it to pieces by a stomp of her hoof and sending the several sharp shards deep in Valefor's body, defeating her and making it disappear.

Fluttershy was astonished at the power the three aeons had, working together as one and protecting each other from harm. Even if they were powerful summons, they had stamina to burn, and if she planned her strategies well, she could take them down by exhausting them of their mana and strength. She summoned Ifrit and continued, not wanting to yield and prove to Cadence she can keep her promise and defeat Sin when they find a way. As the battle kept going, Cadence began looking back on her memories, recollecting the moments where her happiness turned to sorrow and despair.

Cadence walked along the bridge leading to the temple, humming a little tune as she carried a few bags of groceries on her back. She looked around at the canyon walls, seeing ponies going about their business in the peaceful cavernous city of Remiem. Though many ponies that grew up in this city live in peace, some had unfortunately met the untimely demise of a war that happened recently, leaving some of the foals orphaned. The pegasus offered to take care of all of those who had lost their families, becoming a big sister to the colts and fillies she helped raise.

She walked along the inside of the caverns to where she lived, along with the dozens of foals playing games with each other like the siblings they became to each other. It was a struggle for her to take care of so many children, but she loved her job and the little ones looked up to her like they were her second mother. As she reached the kitchen, she spotted her three helpers and the first of three foals she took in: Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle.

"Cadence!" The three nearly tackled the pegasus over as she giggled, hugging them tightly.

"There you three are. I was about to get you girls. Want to help me make lunch for us?" The trio were highly eager to help as they bounced around her.

"Yeah! And maybe we'll get a cutie mark in cooking!" Sweetie Belle exclaimed, making Cadence roll her eyes with their antics.

"Still no luck finding those special talents of yours, huh?" They shook their heads as the older mare laid out the food she got. "I'm sure you'll find something you're good at. Don't let your youth go to waste."

"Less talkin' and more cookin'!" Apple Bloom said, grabbing some fresh apples. "Oooh. Can we make apple pie tonight!?"

"Hmmm...Apple pie...I think there's enough apples to make a big enough one for everypony." Cadence began to think, making the fillies' anticipation heighten. "...Ok. Apple pie for dessert it is!"

"Yay!" they cheered as they helped prep the food.

Their happiness today would end up in horror as the entire canyon quaked violently, screams outside the caves alerting everyone inside of something. From the Calm Lands, a summoner was fighting Sin, and it shot a powerful beam at Remiem. As it struck, the whole place began to crumble as many ponies were unfortunate to get caught in the beam and disintegrate into nothing while others were crushed under the crumbling rocks and debris from the ceilings.

Cadence pulled Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo close to her as she cast a powerful barrier around them, shielding them all from the cave in of her home. Tears streamed down the mare's eyes as she heard the screams of the foals in the other room cry out for her help, only to hear nothing but the crumbling canyon city. After what felt like an eternity, the canyon ceased shaking, her magic keeping them safe, but leaving her guilty with the others lives she failed to save.

Keeping the three scared fillies close to her, she slowly pushed through the heavy rocks and broken bodies of the colts and fillies unfortunately buried from the catastrophic quake. After about an hour shoving her way out of the entrance to her home, the four ponies stared in horror as they heard nothing but silence. The only thing left standing was Remiem Temple, still intact, while the canyon city was nothing but rubble. She guided Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo inside the temple, their home left with nothing except for broken furniture and mangled bodies of their friends. She tried to stay strong for them, but when she entered the second available room in the temple, Cadence broke down and sobbed, losing everything and the colts and fillies she failed to protect.

Months passed after the horrible incident, their lives in despair as they tried to continue living peacefully in the temple they now call home. As Cadence was preparing breakfast for her and the three fillies she did save, she ended up buying more food than needed, an impulse from taking care of so many foals and feeding the several mouths she loved to feed. It hurt her and haunted her every single day, wishing none of this happened. As she was about to bring breakfast to the fillies, she heard the doors of the temple open, finding a few mysterious stallions walking in.

"Can I help you?" she asked, wondering if they were tavelers seeking refuge.

"Sorry. We didn't realize there would be anypony here," one of them said, the leader a priest and his subordinates wearing warrior monk armor and helmets, concealing their identities. "This place seemed empty, but there does seem to be some locals here after all."

"...I'm sorry to say this, but it is empty," Cadence sadly said. "We...suffered a traumatizing event a few months ago...There are only four of us left here in Remiem."

"...I see...I am sorry for your loss. Praise be to Faust." The stallions offered a prayer to the mare, though it didn't seem to lift her spirits. "Why have you not come to a safer place, like Bevelle for instance?"

"This place is my home. I can't leave it, no matter how quiet it is..." Cadence sighed. "If you need shelter, you're allowed to stay. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to feed my three fillies."

"Actually, miss, maybe there's a way we can help you." The mare froze as she looked at the priest. "We heard in Zanarkand, there was a powerful summoner who lives there who can grant wishes to those with a terrible past. She might be able to bring life back to your home, erase the tragedies that have befallen you and your girls."

She didn't notice the conniving grins on the stallions' faces as she looked at the room where the fillies were still sleeping in. She wanted Remiem to be lively again, everypony to be back from the dead, especially her children she couldn't save. Blinded by hope, she agreed and set off for Zanarkand the next day with her entourage, bringing Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo with them.

Being a reclusive city, Cadence had no knowledge of what Zanarkand was like or how dangerous it was. She was confused when she and the fillies saw the ruins of what used to be a grand city. They were protected by the warrior monks and priest, unaware of what they had planned for them. As soon as they reached the stadium, they were greeted by Celestia after dealing with her tests.

"None of you are summoners. Why are you here?" Celestia asked as she leered at the intruders.

"...A-Are you the summoner who can help me?" Cadence asked, receiving a strange look from the powerful summoner.

"...Help you? With what?" she questioned.

"These gentlecolts...they told me you could grant wishes to those with a tragic past. My home of Remiem was destroyed months ago, and many ponies have died...I-I wish...everypony didn't die in the horrible catastrophe." Cadence bowed her head, but heard dark chuckles come from the stallions.

"...Who said such foolish lies?" Celestia asked, confusing Cadence and the fillies.

"B-But they said-" Cadence yelped as the priest smacked her hard in the back of the head with his metal staff.

"Cadence!" The fillies tried to help their caretaker, only to be held back by the warrior monks. "Urgh! Let us go, you liars!"

Scootaloo was quickly silenced as one of them held a machina rifle against her head. The priest chuckled, grabbing Cadence's mane and pulling her head up forcefully.

"You are the most gullible pony in all of Spira. Nothing can bring back the dead. Not even a dead city." He kept a firm grip on Cadence's hair as he looked at Celestia. "Lady Celestia, make this mare a fayth so that I may wield the strongest aeon beneath your Final Aeon!"

As Cadence stopped seeing stars, hearing what the priest was trying to do to her, she looked at Celestia, who was actually grinning at the request. "Now that is something I can do." Her grin slowly melted into a frown as her aura examined the pegasus. "...Unfortunately, this mare does not have the power you seek. She is frail and weakhearted from her losses."

"What!?" The priest tossed Cadence aside, another monk holding her back before she could try to get away. "I came all this way to Zanarkand to receive a powerful aeon, and she is worthless!? I don't wish to fight Sin! I just want control of Spira!"

"Then there must be another sacrifice." Celestia looked over the other stallions, only finding them unsuitable to becoming a fayth. But as she looked at the three fillies, she grinned. "...And those three little fillies are perfect to become your desired fayth."

"The three brats?" The priest looked at the terrified fillies, his smirk growing wider, taking what he can after getting this far. "...Very well. Make it so, Lady Celestia."

"No! Don't hurt them!" Cadence shouted as she began struggling out of the stallion's grip on her. "Please! Just take me! Let them go!"

"Shut up!" One of the monks slammed the butt of his weapon into Cadence's head, silencing her complaints as the priest dragged Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo up to Celestia.

Celestia's eyes began glowing as her golden aura surrounded the scared fillies. Cadence was forced to watch as the fillies screamed in terror, their voices dying as they were molded together to form the fayth they were being turned into. As the light faded, the fayth statue was created: the three fillies were in a triangle formation, their forelegs outstretched to touch each other's hooves, a shield in the center of the statue with a heart inside of it. With Remiem Temple as Celestia's chosen location for the fayth, she teleported the stallions and distraught mare back to the temple, the statue of the fillies placed inside of the empty chamber inside the temple.

Cadence wept as she was lied to, betrayed by the stallions who promised to help her, and killed the last of her foals. She didn't hear their laughter or words, too lost in her sorrow to fight back. She was blindfolded and forced to move forward, being lead out the door and left to stand at the edge of the platform. Her wings were tied tightly to her sides, feeling the edge where the deep chasm lied at several hundred yards from where she stood, a fatal fall to anypony.

"Thanks for the new base for our world conquest, missy," the priest said. "We'll end your suffering. All you'll feel is a little pain, but it'll be swift. We'll take good care of our new slaves."

The monks held up their rifles and aimed them at the depressed pegasus. She heard several loud bangs, gasping as she felt a couple sharp pains strike her body, falling over the edge as she lost her strength from being shot by the traitors. She felt her life fade before she hit the ground, her tumbling body smacking the ground as the sharp rocks cut her bonds, her lifeless body in a crumbled heap in the darkness of the pit that was once Remiem.

After some time, she felt air return to her lungs, her eyes still blinded by the blindfold the monks put around her. She untied it and regained her sight, surprised she was alive, but the memory of what happened to her came flooding back like a tidal wave. Her sorrow crashed down on her, as well as something she had never felt in her entire life: anger, hatred, rage. Whatever wounds she was inflicted with earlier were gone as she looked up at where she fell.

Flapping her wings, she flew up and saw the state of Remiem Temple littered with machina weapons, her home defiled by the stallions that she trusted in her depression. She heard the sounds of some kind of party coming from inside, her ears twitching as her anger grew, recognizing a few of the voices of the stallions that killed her and turned her fillies into a fayth. She slammed the doors open, silencing the party as several more monks were with the priest, staring at the enraged mare in shock.

"W-What the...? How did you live!?" Cadence didn't answer, glaring daggers at the backstabbing, smug stallion. He stood up, no longer surprised by her survival. "I guess it doesn't matter, fiend. You won't survive once you see the power I've gained from those little fillies."

He then summoned the new aeons, an orange feather, a pink bow, and a green sphere appearing around the priest in a triangular formation with him in the center. A blast of earth erupted under the bow, the feather exploded into several, and the sphere burst into a bright light, revealing the now transformed fillies as the aeons they were. Obeying their summoner's will, they leapt forward to defend him, their eyes widening as the fillies saw Cadence as their opponent.

"...Girls..." Cadence saw the new looks they had, almost looking like adults. Their capes were something the mare knew all too well, as they were a symbol of their little club to find their cutie marks before losing everything. Their faces were masked with scarves, but she could see the pleading look in their eyes. They were forced to listen to a stallion that hurt them all and got her killed, having done terrible things under his control. "...You sick, twisted stallion...Look at what you did to them."

"I turned them into the most powerful weapons in all of Spira. Sooner or later, Bevelle will fall, and I will begin my conquest to control this world before Sin destroys it all." The corrupted priest thrust his hoof at her. "Kill her, this time for good!" A moment had passed, but the mares ignored him. "...I said KILL HER!" No response. The priest growled, pulling out a machina rifle and shoving Apple Bloom aside. "Worthless little brats! I'll kill her myself!"

Before he could pull the trigger, Scootaloo slammed the weapon out of his hoof with incredible speed, shocking the stallion before he was punched in the face by the pegasus. As he was flung back into the other monks, the three aeons glared angrily at them, tears running down their faces. They took down their scarves, revealing the heart shaped marks and individually unique shield marks on their cheeks, their faces glowing brightly as they unleashed their devastating combination attack.

The glow brightened as all of them, including Cadence, were now in a spacial realm. The stallions all tried to escape, only for a barrier to form around them, trapping them inside as an intangible prism surrounded their prison. Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo flew up in the air, Cadence floating up with them as they hovered over the panicked monks and priest, forming a triangle with the pegasus mare in the middle. Sweetie Belle cast a protective barrier around all of them, a pink heart floating around the magical shield as Apple Bloom formed a powerful ball of energy in her hoof.

She threw it up at a ball of light above them, shooting down red, blue, and yellow lights into the aeons as a triangular beam began to form under their power. Cadence watched in awe as the white light grew brighter, seeing a pink heart form in the center. The fillies disappeared in the light as the triangle came together into an orb of light, shooting a powerful beam down on the scared stallions watching in horror. As soon as it touched the prism, it caused a massive chain reaction of explosions, their screams of agony quickly disappearing as they all suffered a very painful death. Cadence was spared from the blasts under her fillies' protection, the realm disappearing as they returned back to the inside of the temple.

With their summoner dead, no bodies remaining in the flurry of lights slowly fading away, the aeons began to fade away, each leaving behind a teardrop as it fell down their cheeks and dripped to the stone floor. Cadence slowly approached what she knew was an empty room they never used before this happened, she walked inside and saw the fayth statue that held the fillies' spirits. Tears fell down her face, her guilt weighing heavily in her heart as she put them in danger.

"Oh girls...I'm so sorry...It's all my fault..." Her tears fell on the glass dome, the illusions of the fillies appearing before her. They had tears rolling down their cheeks, happy to see Cadence again, but miserable at the fate that befell them. "Come here, girls."

The trio flew into Cadence, giving her the power to summon them at will. She exited the chamber and summoned Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo, the four ponies hugging each other tightly as they were reunited in a teary embrace. They had each other, but with the fates given to them, they shouldn't have existed. Unable to trust anypony after being betrayed, they didn't want to suffer the same pain they had before.

Cadence sealed the Chamber of the Fayth with her magic, which could only be broken unless she disappears for good. Any of the foolish ponies who dared to enter their home would have faced death, either by Cadence's hooves or by the Cutie Mark Crusaders, especially those who hail from Bevelle, the city of deceit and con artists who only wish to seek power. To make her message known, Cadence even destroyed the bridge leading to Remiem, her home no longer a safe haven for travelers. They hoped that, one day, Spira will stop falling into chaos and somepony who is truly trustworthy will be allowed to be considered their friend, Cadence traveling across the world to challenge any who would be worthy, using the other aeons from the other temples and keeping her girls' aeons a secret from those who only seek their power.

Hearing the sound of Anima screeching in agony as the aeon disappeared brought Cadence out of her thoughts. She knew the Cutie mark Crusaders were capable of dealing with a fight on their own, though she knew they had their limits. The trio were growing exhausted as they had dealt with Fluttershy's other aeons: Ifrit was able to do a great amount of damage to them before Sweetie Belle killed it with a powerful Blizzaga spell, Odin matched them in speed even with the heavy armor he wore, bested by Apple Bloom's strength, and Shiva was able to counter the unicorn aeon's magical spells, quickly beaten by Scootaloo's superior speed. Anima did the most damage, being the most resilient along while being the most dangerous with her powerful, deadly blast of energy shot out from her eye.

The three of them were heavily exhausted, trying their hardest not to lose, but their strength was beginning to fade. They were completely out of mana to heal or use special abilities to take out their bigger opponents, and they had just unleashed their combined Overdrive on Anima. They wouldn't last long, and Fluttershy's aeons had grown stronger since the last time she fought her. The yellow pegasus had one last aeon left in her arsenal, summoning Bahamut to end the duel. The dragon aeon roared as it unleashed a barrage of dark orbs upon them, the attack exploding as they made contact with the fillies, the last of their strength gone as they were defeated.

They collapsed beside Cadence as they slowly began to disappear. They lost, but she knew they tried their hardest, Fluttershy a far superior summoner than she was. She patted each of them on the head, glad to have them fight at their strongest with their close bond for several hundred years. The aeons shed tears, knowing this will be the last time they will ever see her again. As they had finally left from their defeat, Cadence looked up at Fluttershy, bowing her head.

"You win. I am glad to have fought against you, Summoner Fluttershy." She lifted her head back up, a sad smile on her face as tears flowed down her cheeks. "You have surpassed my skills as a summoner. I've stayed my welcome in Spira for far too long...I'm ready to be sent now." Fluttershy nodded and stepped forward, performing the sending for the unsent mare, spirits beginning to fly out of her. "Girls...I'll see you soon...In the Farplane...Take care of them for me..."

Cadence disappeared as her restless soul was sent to the Farplane, freed of her guilt and pain, entrusting her home and fillies in Fluttershy's hooves. With the mare now gone, the barrier blocking the Chamber of the Fayth was no longer active, allowing access to the group. They entered the chamber and saw the fayth of the three aeons, only being fillies, but their friendship kept them inseparable and gave them incredible strength. Fluttershy prayed to the fayth, Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo appearing before them.

"Ya'll bested us and won...But if Cadence trusts you...then we can too," Apple Bloom said, the trio already missing the pegasus.

"We didn't want to lose...It's just not fair," Scootaloo pouted.

"I'm sorry," the summoner apologized. "I'd like to ask you three something that may give us some ideas on how to beat Sin. Is there anything we can do to weaken Sin?"

"We don't know," Sweetie Belle answered. "We don't have as much contact with the other fayth. We always stayed with Cadence as she summoned us, staying as a family."

"But she said you guys have what it takes to stop all this," Scootaloo responded as she leered at them. "Beat that thing soon so we can see Cadence again, or else I'll kick all your plots to the moon!"

"Don't worry. We'll stop Sin. I promise." Holding true to her word, the fillies flew into Fluttershy, giving them their aeon.

With no other possible leads, the group headed out and left Remiem Temple. Making sure nopony else would ever stumble on this hidden land for others to defile it and misuse the Cutie Mark Crusaders, they blocked off the passage leading to the rope bridge with heavy boulders. Even though they couldn't find any help in Remiem, they at least eased another troubled soul by keeping the ruined city a secret from the rest of the world. The party had another resolve to stop Sin and end all of Spira's pain and suffering.

Down in the caverns of the stolen fayth, Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash appeared in front of Yojimbo's statue, both mares a little irritated and tired as they and the rest of their friends spent countless hours killing fiends and taking the dropped Gil they left behind. The stallion appeared before them, but before he could speak, Rainbow through a massive bag of Gil at his hooves.

"Here's your stupid money," Rainbow said in annoyance. "Join us. Now."

"...Very well. You have met my quota. I am honored to-" Rainbow stomped her hooves, interrupting the fayth.

"JUST JOIN US ALREADY! WE HAD A LONG DAY!" the pegasus shouted.

Without another word, Yojimbo gave Fluttershy his power to summon him when needed, the bag of Gil disappearing along with him. "At least we have all the aeons we know about."

"I swear, if there is one more we don't know about, I am going to bang my head against the wall of the airship until I get a concussion! Let's get out of here and sleep." The two left the caverns, not wanting to be in this dangerous place any further and headed back to the airship, finding obtaining the cheap aeon nothing but an annoying chore as the stallion cared only about filling his pockets.

Chapter 48: Finding a Plan

Days had passed, the airship floating around as the Al Bhed engineers made sure this ancient machina was running perfectly, and unfortunately for the ponies and dragon, they were still thinking of some way to stop Sin, with no results. In Rainbow's room, the pegasus grumbled as she nibbled on the pencil in her mouth, scribbling some kind of plan, but all she kept getting were a bunch of imaginative ideas that would get them killed. Growling, she grabbed the paper she was currently writing on, crumbled it into a ball, and threw it away in a corner in an overfilled trash bin.

"Darn it! I can't think of anything!" She banged her head on the desk, groaning in irritation. "This is tougher than I thought. Way to go, me! You just HAD to be too optimistic, and everypony's going to die!" Rainbow looked up, staring at a poorly drawn picture she made while her brain couldn't think. It was of her and Fluttershy, though the quality looked like that of a five-year-old crafting something this terrible, and a five-year-old could do much better. Sighing in defeat, she got up from her seat and plopped on the bed. "What am I gonna do?...Dad, is there something you know that you can't tell me? What plan did you have in mind bringing me here?"

Her door opened up, Fluttershy letting herself inside. "Rainbow Dash, I think I have an idea."

"Really?" the pegasus asked.

"Yes...Though, it's actually from somepony else we know. Maester Star Swirl." At the mention of the unsent unicorn stallion, Rainbow growled in disdain.

"Him? Why do you want to talk to that backstabber?" Rainbow questioned, thinking Fluttershy lost her mind while she thought.

"Maybe he knows something about Sin that he's been hiding from us, just like everything else in Bevelle." Though it seemed like a dumb idea to waltz back into Bevelle and confront the stallion, but there was nothing else she could think of.

"Might as well tell the others," Rainbow sighed, already given up with thinking for the day.

The two pegasi headed to the bridge where the others were waiting for them, Applejack walking up to them with an excited grin on her face. "Ok, Ah think Ah got an idea how we can finally beat Sin!"

"No!" Pinkie shoved Applejack out of the way. "It was my idea! I'll tell it!"

Applejack shoved Pinkie back, but the two mares began pushing each other back. "It was mah idea, Pinkie!"

"No, mine!" The earth ponies began wrestling each other to voice out their idea.

"We think the Hymn of the Fayth might be the key we need to defeat Sin." Applejack and Pinkie ceased their fighting, groaning in sadness as Twilight spoke for them. "Back in Macalania, Sin was actually docile when it heard the Hymn. Your father likes the song, right?"

"...Yeah. And when it stopped, he moved..." Rainbow's gears were beginning to grind as she was back to thinking. "If we're able to play the Hymn, maybe we can get the jump on him!"

"How odd Sin can be," Rarity said. "A dangerous, cruel beast that creates havoc in its wake, yet it is a peaceful giant at the sound of music."

"We may have a better chance at defeating Sin if he's docile, but how are we supposed to actually deal the finishing blow?" Twilight asked, which no one seemed to have an answer for.

"Told you it was my idea," Pinkie whispered to Applejack, receiving a hard jab in the side from the orange mare.

"Well, while we think about that, Fluttershy's suggesting we see Star Swirl. She thinks he might know something we don't, since he's dead." The summoner nodded her head as Rainbow spoke for her.

"Even if we're wanted, it won't matter when we finally reveal the terrible truth to that unsent traitor," Rarity said. "We'll see how he likes it when something he doesn't know about gets shoved in his face."

"Sounds like a plan to me!" Cid exclaimed as he popped up between Rainbow and Fluttershy, spreading the two apart the minimum distance from his overprotective nature. "Let's raid a city!"

"First, Cid, we're going in. Not you," Rainbow said. "And second, QUIT SPLITTING US APART!"

"Not until you learn to keep your dirty hooves and wings off my niece!" Cid argued as the two ponies butted heads.

The others watched as the Al Bhed leader and rainbow-maned pegasus fought, again. Pinkie approached Maud, who was boringly watching their father fighting with her friend.

"Uhh, Maud, just take us to Bevelle," she said.

"Got it. Everypony hold on." The monotone Al Bhed mare steered the airship in Bevelle's direction, overhearing her father berating Rainbow Dash on her cousin's perfect romantic partner that the pegasus wasn't.

Setting foot at the entrance to Bevelle, the party walked down the road to the city. Before they could reach the front gates to the palace, a couple warrior monks blocking the doors spotted them, holding out their machina rifles at them.

"Hold it, traitors! You're not allowed here!" one of them said.

"We will kill you here in Faust's name!" the other said, both soldiers aiming at the group.

"Blah, blah, blah. You guys are a bunch of idiots," Rainbow said, provoking them to try and shoot them.

"You're asking for it!" They were about to shoot, but from the palace doors, Coco ran up and turned their weapons down.

"Stop this instant!" she ordered. "Lady Fluttershy is not to be harmed! Her being a traitor to Faust is nothing but a rumor spread by the Al Bhed!"

Pinkie was about to protest, but Twilight quickly shoved a hoof in the mare's mouth before Coco's bluff was ruined. "B-But captain-"

"That is Maester Star Swirl's order! Stand down now!" The two soldiers obeyed and stood down, heading back inside the palace.

"Since when was a nun like you appointed to a captain for the monks?" Rarity asked in curiosity.

Pinkie spat out Twilight's hoof, leering intensely at the acolyte. "And what was that about us spreading rumors!? RACIST!"

"Sorry...I really have no idea what's going on," Coco said. "Everything's gone to chaos in Spira. I mean, just a couple days ago, Bevelle had asked of me to be captain of the warrior monks, and I have no history of combat in my entire life!"

"Well, you sure did have the attitude of one," Rainbow commented, amazed to see how much Coco had changed from when they first met.

"I think it is because of Lady Fluttershy giving me the confidence to inspire me to become a better believer. I don't believe any of you are traitors, but I still have no clue why all this is happening." Coco scratched her head, trying to ponder what was going on.

"We need to speak to Maester Star Swirl," Fluttershy said. "Can you take us to him?"

"Yes. I'll retrieve him while you all wait in the courtroom." Coco allowed them inside the palace, making their way to the courtrooms to wait for Star Swirl to meet them.

Pinkie was all grumpy as, yet again, more lies were spread about the Al Bhed when they have been trying to help Spira in their own way. Everyone waited in the courtroom, recalling the terrible trial held against them by the corrupted maesters. Now, instead of being the guilty party being prosecuted, it was their turn to backstab the unsent stallion. He finally arrived, surprised to see them before him.

"Why are you all here?" Star Swirl asked. "You have received the Final Summoning from Celestia, have you not? Go and defeat Sin!"

"Yeah. Bad news for you, you dead liar!" Rainbow flew up and got in the maester's face. "We met her. We fought her. And we killed her, WITHOUT the Final Aeon in our possession." Star Swirl gasped in horror, the pegasus smirking as the horseshoe was on the other hoof. "Sucks to hear something so shocking, doesn't it?"

"W-What!? You idiots!" He tried to flee, only to bump into Spike, the dragon growling as he held his halberd tightly in his grip. The others began to surround him, keeping him from running away. "Do you have any idea what you've just done!? You destroyed a millennium long tradition and killed our only means of stopping Sin!"

"Don't you dare run away from us, Star Swirl," Rarity glowered, bringing the blade of her katana against the stallion's neck, chipping off some hairs on his long beard. "You had known all this time that summoners and one of their guardians were sacrificed to 'save' Spira, when in reality, all it has ever done was keep causing more pain and suffering. And I LOVED ending that mare's life, her blood stained on my blade."

"We're finding another way, and you know something that you've been hiding for however long you've actually been alive!" Rainbow shouted. "Now talk!"

"Y-You fools...You...You killed Spira's only hope," Star Swirl quivered, now completely terrified, but not by their threats. "Faust's spiral of death will destroy the world...Death is nigh, destruction inevitable...I don't want to die!"

"Celestia also mentioned Faust before her life faded away." Rarity pressed the blade deeper against the stallion's neck, ready to cleave his head off his shoulders. "She mentioned it like the deity was actually a living being. Who is Faust!?"

"...She...She is who crafted the armor from the souls of the dead," Star Swirl mumbled, his voice barely audible, but the others can hear him clearly. "The armor is unholy, Sin being the shell that keeps her invincible as she dons it like a powerful reaper of never-ending destruction..." He looked at the guardians and summoner glaring at them. "You heathens destroyed the weapon that could pierce that armor, and now all of Spira is doomed...Thanks to you, everypony will die...And I will not pass on."

The cowardly maester disappeared into a flurry of spirits, whether he did pass on or not was a mystery, but now they had more questions that needed answered on Faust. "Coward. So high and mighty, yet he can't even take his death like a real stallion!" Applejack growled.

"I can't believe I looked up to him," Twilight muttered.

"I can't believe Faust exists and made Sin," Fluttershy mumbled.

"I can't believe it's not butter!" Pinkie exclaimed, holding a piece of buttered toast. Applejack slapped the toast of of the Al Bhed's hoof for not taking the matter seriously. "Nooo! That was my breakfast for dinner snack!...You owe me two Gil.

"Well, now what do we do?" Spike asked.

While they began to think of what to do next, Bahamut walked up to them, Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy the only ones that could see him. "Meet me in my room. I need to talk to you in private."

"Ok." The dragon boy left back to his chamber, though everyone else stared at Fluttershy.

"Who were ya talkin' to, sugarcube?" Applejack asked.

"Nopony," she said. "I need to go and see Bahamut's fayth. Maybe he might help give us some answers."

"I'll go with her," Rainbow said. "Don't want to get ambushed by anymore monks."

The two pegasi made their way up the palace to meet up with Bahamut in his room. It was annoying to have to go through the Cloister of Trials again, but whatever the fayth had to say, it might be important. They entered the chamber, finding the dragon boy hovering over his statue as he waited patiently for them.

"I'm glad you finally arrived. We all knew the Final Aeon has finally been destroyed, feeling its power fade from Celestia's death. Bahamut crossed his arms, a toothy grin appearing on his mouth under the hood. "Now Sin can finally be beaten for good."

"Yeah, but we don't have a clue how to truly stop it," Fluttershy said as they put together what they do know.

"Well, what will stop Sin?" Bahamut asked.

"...My dad is Sin right now...and back in Macalania, he was near the temple listening to the Hymn of the Fayth," Rainbow said. "If Sin heard the Hymn, then maybe it might make it sluggish and open to attack without getting killed...kinda."

"Perhaps, but there's a problem with that. Your father has been Sin for over ten years. It's a possibility that he might not be able to hear it clearly at this point." He poked his head, letting them know they were on the right track. "The Hymn may be able to make Sin docile, but the real problem is not on the outside. When thinking around a box, you have to think both inside AND outside..."

"Inside and outside...?" Rainbow's eyes widened as she discovered the root to stopping Sin. "Faust...We kill Faust!"

"Bingo. Faust is the problem for Sin's constant return and invulnerability," Bahamut praised.

"But...who is Faust?" Fluttershy asked. "Star Swirl said that Faust created Sin, a giant shell that protected it."

"Faust was once a summoner a long time ago. She was strong and had good intentions, but now all she does is live with one purpose in mind: summon, summon, and summon," the fayth explained. "Neither good or evil, awake while also dreaming...This explains why the Final Summoning keeps bringing Sin back after some time. Every time it's defeated by the Final Aeon, Faust still lives. Conjoining itself with the Final Aeon, she creates a new Sin, and the cycle continues, never-ending."

"An eternity of summoning and causing all sorts of chaos," Rainbow uttered.

"And the only way to stop Sin is on the inside..." Fluttershy whispered, a little frightened at what might be inside of Sin if it didn't swallow them whole.

"Right." Bahamut stepped up to the summoner and grabbed her hooves. "Do not be frightened, summoner. There is a way to finally end Faust. When you confront her, call upon all us aeons you have gathered, and we will aid you in the fight. Your weapons and magic will not be enough to stop her. Promise me that you will summon us."

"...I promise, Bahamut." Taking her word, the dragon nodded his head and floated back over his statue.

"It'll all finally be over," he said. "We will finally wake, and our dreaming will be put to rest. Our dream will vanish without a trace."

"Yeah...You've been dreaming for far too long," Rainbow said, confusing Fluttershy as she looked at her.

"I'm terribly sorry for this, Rainbow Dash," Bahamut apologized, bowing his head to her.

"Don't be. I'm glad to do this." The fayth disappeared back in his statue, baffling the summoner with their private conversation.

"What are you talking about, Rainbow?" Fluttershy asked.

Having forgotten Fluttershy was still with them, Rainbow looked away as she tried to think of an excuse. "Uhh...nothing! Just a stupid gag between us! I mean, I have seen Bahamut a lot of times when I was a filly, and he was like...an old friend?"

"When you came from Zanarkand, where Sin never existed and you never knew about a summoner at all?" the mare questioned, growing suspicious with her marefriend hiding secrets from her. "That makes no sense, Rainbow Dash. What are you hiding?"

"N-Nothing!" Fluttershy stared with such intensity at the cyan pegasus, her glare practically piercing through her soul with her unblinking eyes. "I-I swear, Fluttershy! Stop looking at me like that! Let's go tell the others what we're gonna do to stop Sin!"

Rainbow Dash quickly ran away before the summoner's stare could force the truth out of her. "Rainbow...You're a terrible liar..." Fluttershy sighed as she followed after her, growing worried about what her lover was hiding from her, and it scared her more than facing death.

After regrouping with the others, Rainbow Dash explained what they were going to do, which was a surprise to the other guardians when they were going to take Sin out from the inside. It was worth a shot, along with using the Hymn of the Fayth to soothe the savage beast of a fiend. When Coco Pommel showed up, wondering where Star Swirl was, the group told the mare to alert all of Spira of their plan; when they see a giant airship fly over the land, it will play the Hymn loudly, and when they hear it, everypony in Spira should sing along with it. A little confused why she wanted to deliver this message for the world, Coco reluctantly agreed to do as she was told and went off to spread the word.

On the airship, the Al Bhed were hard at work not only on increasing the volume of the speakers for Spira to hear them, they were also busy fixing up a powerful piece of machina that was more deadly than the missiles they used on Evrae. While the mechanics and technicians were busy preparing everything for the final showdown against Sin, the party rested up for the fight of their lives. Though it was nerve-wracking, Fluttershy was more scared of Rainbow Dash hiding something from everypony else like Rarity had when they reached Zanarkand.

It was late in the night, but the summoner couldn't sleep, tossing and turning in her assigned cabin. What Rainbow and Bahamut were saying to each other confused her. She knew something she didn't, and it bothered her after being held back by secrets kept hidden by Bevelle and the lies of their religion nothing but endless death and despair. Fluttershy needed to know, and did not want to be lied to again, not by the mare she loved.

Getting out of bed, she searched around the airship to find Rainbow Dash. She wasn't in her room, the others were asleep and the Al Bhed were busy making preparations for the battle, none of them having seen her. She knew one place where she might be; outside the airship. She made her way to the upper deck, finding the pegasus standing by herself under the light of the full moon, bouncing a blitzball on her head.

Rainbow didn't hear her rise up the lift to the deck, too busy focused on the ball. "Rainbow Dash..." She heard Fluttershy call out to her, standing behind her. The ball balanced on her nose as she looked up at the sky, breathing out a sad sigh as she dropped it down to the deck. Rainbow turned to face her, seeing the pained look on her face, hating herself for letting her secret out a little. "I need to talk to you..."

"...You should be in bed, Fluttershy." Rainbow Dash picked up the ball, spinning it around on the tip of her wing. "We have a big day tomorrow."

"Stop hiding things from me," she sternly said. "What were you and Bahamut talking about? How could you have known him when he didn't exist before you saw Sin a thousand years ago?" Rainbow remained silent, making Fluttershy worry more. "What's going on?"

"...Flutters..." Rainbow lowered the ball, resting it in front of her hooves. "Don't worry about it. It's nothing."

"No it's not!" the summoner shouted. "Stop lying to me! I'm sick of being lied to! Everything I believed in growing up hurt me when my home was keeping secrets from everything! All of Spira's hope was fake using the Final Aeon, and many ponies have lost their lives because of all of this! My father died, trying to do what was right, and your father is Sin!" Tears rolled down her cheeks as she got more upset. "Please, stop lying to me and tell me why you know Bahamut!? What were you two talking about!?"

Seeing Fluttershy crying made Rainbow's heart break, but she had to stay strong for her. She had no idea that she would disappear from her life forever once this is all over, win or lose. The blitzball player approached the summoner, gently brushing the yellow pegasus's pink mane out of her face.

"...I want to tell you...but I can't." That only upset Fluttershy more, looking away from her as she sniveled. "Fluttershy, please understand," Rainbow said, gently touching her cheek and moving her head to face her again. "This is something I have to hide. It's like with Rarity when she hid the truth about Zanarkand and what happens with the Final Summoning. It's too painful, and you'll end up changing your mind.

"I'm not like Star Swirl, Celestia, and Blueblood. I'm not keeping secrets to keep causing more pain once my plan has been revealed, not caring about others. I'm hiding this because I know this will hurt all of you, especially you, Fluttershy." Rainbow pulled Fluttershy closer and hugged her tightly, the summoner wrapping her hooves tightly around her as she wept on her shoulder. "You'll know the truth when the time is right...I'm sorry, Fluttershy, but I'm keeping quiet. I don't want our last night to end with us arguing with each other."

Fluttershy wanted to say that tonight won't be their last, but she was too choked up to talk. They've faced worse in the past and managed to survive from the ordeals with only a few scratches, a feat everypony in all of Spira would be proud to know. They could stop Sin. They were strong enough to take the fiend down now that they know what to do, and they were going to be fine. Nopony would suffer, nopony will die, and peace will finally be permanent in all of Spira.

Rainbow pulled back, drying away Fluttershy's tears. She then gave her a gentle kiss, calming the distraught summoner as she wanted to ease her stress before it got worse when they fight Sin tomorrow. She didn't want any tearful goodbyes if they succeed, knowing it would be the worst possible thing she would do as she would feel guilty when she leaves. How she disappeared still worried the cyan pegasus, but either way, it was going to hurt the both of them.

Rainbow guided Fluttershy back inside the airship, wanting to spend one last, quiet evening together. No more yelling. No more stress. No more worries. So much had happened in the past month, and everyone was nervous about the inevitable, final battle against Sin and the being hiding inside of it. As they walked down the corridor to Fluttershy's cabin, Cid was waiting for them at her door, leering at Rainbow Dash as she was not within the minimum space he wanted them to be.

"What is it, Cid?" Rainbow asked in irritation. "You want to hit me again? Punch me into my room? Tell me I can't be with Fluttershy? After everything we've been through, more than you ever have in your old age, are you just gonna keep ticking me off until I finally snap and buck you off your ship, captain? Because right now, I'm in no mood to scream, shout, and exhaust myself before we face Sin, kill Faust, and save Spira."

The two ponies glared at each other for a moment until Cid sighed, walking past the pegasi. "I'm too tired to care. Just make sure my niece isn't harmed, or I'm really gonna knock your lights out."

Rainbow was surprised to not get involved in a confrontation with the Al Bhed stallion after trying to split her up with his niece. Ignoring the sudden change, skeptical of his exhaustion if he was fast enough to appear out of thin air, she walked inside the room and laid Fluttershy down in bed. Rainbow laid down next to her, wrapping her hooves and wings gently around Fluttershy, nuzzling her nose against hers.

"R-Rainbow..." The yellow pegasus was silenced as Rainbow gently pressed her lips against hers, kissing her softly.

Rainbow gently pulled away, looking in Fluttershy's tear-filled eyes. "I'm not going anywhere. If I do go...just whistle. I'll be by your side in a heartbeat."

Before she could protest, Rainbow kissed her again, slowly easing her fears and felt her kissing her back. Tonight, she wanted one last night with her. One final night of love, of being a living pony, not as a dream fearing to be faded from memory. Tomorrow was going to decide everything: Spira's future, the lives of everypony in the world, the fayth and their never-ending dreaming, bringing true hope for those who wish for salvation and peace. And tomorrow will be the last time Rainbow Dash will fight alongside her friends, the dream who will fulfill everyone's wishes of ending their one thousand years of pain.

Chapter 49: Showdown with Sin

As day broke along the horizon, everyone on board the airship was wide awake, ready to end this long war against despair once and for all. Everything was all set to lure Sin out of hiding, the crew taking their places on the vessel as the others on the bridge were psyching themselves up for the deadly encounter with Sin. This was it. This was the day Sin will finally fall, no longer making it come back to haunt the world and kill more than it already has.

Rainbow looked back at the others, ready as they'll ever be for the toughest fight they'll ever have to endure. "Let's do this."

On the controls, Limestone began playing the Hymn of the Fayth, the song playing inside the airship. She routed the speakers to the ones outside and cranked up the volume, those anywhere near the vicinity of the airship as it flew over the land looking up at the machina vessel in shock.

"Hope everypony gets the message," Applejack hoped, knowing word can travel fast in Spira, like Fluttershy and Blueblood's marriage.

Maud steered the ship around, alerting everyone down below to let them sing along. After a while, the plan seemed to work as everypony down in Spira began to sing, having gotten the message. Then, out in the ocean, near the Calm Lands, Sin popped up from the water, hearing the strange music like the curious beast it was.

"There he is," Rainbow whispered, ready to get her father out of that gigantic shell of a creature.

"How exactly are we supposed to enter Sin? If we go in its mouth, it might eat us," Twilight worried as Mog bounced around, punching its paws at the air, battle ready despite being the size of an ant compared to Sin.

"We'll blow a hole in that thing," Cid cackled, a dangerous glint in his eye. "We got ourselves a powerful machina that we've been fixing up for the longest while. And it's attached to this airship. It's gonna let out a big blast that can easily rip open a new mouth!"

"Daddy, don't go firing it off like crazy!" Pinkie scolded, sighing as she shook her head. "And everypony thinks I'm insane."

"Let's head on up to the deck and see if everypony's singing." As the party began to head up, Cheese stopped the pegasus before she left with the others.

"Fyed." The Al Bhed cleared his throat as he wanted to say something to Rainbow Dash. "...You...Protect...Pinkie...Or else...I shoot you...out cannon."

"...Heh. Now worries there, buddy. Pinkie can handle herself fine." Cheese leered at her, being completely serious. "Don't worry. Nopony's dying today."

Rainbow Dash hurried up to the upper deck where the others waited for her, hearing all of Spira singing along to the Hymn of the Fayth playing on the airship. "Wow! I can hear them! Everypony's singing!"

"I can't believe it really worked," Twilight uttered as she couldn't believe her ears.

While lost in awe at the song's powerful effect, Rainbow Dash walked over to the edge of the ship, pulling out Fluttershy's sphere, her final words to her guardians. She turned around and held it up.

"Hey, Fluttershy! You won't be needing this, right!?" The summoner looked over to her, shocked to see her sphere in Rainbow's hoof as she felt around her clothing. She didn't even notice it was missing after being pounced by Pinkie back on Mt. Gagazet. "No need for a will if we're going to live, right?"

Without needing her permission, Rainbow Dash threw the sphere out into the sky, watching it fall through the clouds as it would hit the ground down below. Fluttershy was actually glad that her sphere wasn't heard by the others, not wanting to make herself look sorry while she said everything she wanted to her family. Suddenly the airship began to shake as the air around them began to blur, nearly knocking everyone over.

"Uh oh!" Applejack said as she saw Sin was flying in the air as a massive ball of gravitational energy began to form in front of its face. "This ain't good! What's it doin'!?"

As Sin began charging the powerful sphere building up, it unleashed a shockwave that knocked the party to the deck of the ship, the gravity suddenly turning heavy. Sin rose its head up and let out a powerful roar as it began pulling in everything close to it with the gravitaitonal pull it had in the orb. The clouds spiraled around it like a funnel, and it even pulled the moon closer to the planet with the amount of force the fiend was able to unleash. With its powerful spell fully charged, it unleashed that energy, sending a few smaller orbs shooting out around it, shifting the earth and the water they passed through.

The gravity lightened a back to normal as everyone shakily stood up, seeing what damage Sin was able to pull off with its unleashed potential it had been holding back. They gasped in shock as they saw one of the orbs' trails, having created a cylindrical tube of demolished earth, curved water from the ocean, even the clouds were punctured by the attack.

"Holy moley..." As Pinkie looked down the destructive trail, she pulled out a pair of binoculars, zooming in on the carnage. She gasped as she saw explosions of water coming toward them, coming back toward Sin as the endless chain of blasts got closer. "Maud! Move the ship!" She leaned over the side and planted her face on the window where the bridge was. "MOVE THE SHIP!"

The torrents of water being blown up by the aftershock reached the nearby land, the explosions more dangerous as they got closer. The airship was unable to fly back in time as the others were buffeted by the force and knocked unconscious. Inside, the crew panicked as they were rocked around by the explosions, Cid, his daughters inside the bridge, and Cheese Sandwich hanging on for dear life as the ship was pulled closer to Sin.

"If I could curse, I'd use every curse word known to pony kind!" Cid shouted as he struggled to stay on his hooves. While being wracked by the explosions, the stallion saw a small gleam coming from Sin around its long fin-like arms, the sun reflecting off of something attached to it. "What the hay?"

A while later, everyone on the top of the airship groaned as they woke up, miraculously unharmed after being in close proximity to the explosions caused by Sin's powerful gravity defying attack. Rainbow Dash sat up, shaking her head as she wound up near the front of the ship. As soon as she looked up, she was mere inches from Sin's face, the fiend growling menacingly as it was very close to the airship.

"So, you finally decided to stay and fight like a stallion this time, huh, dad?" Rainbow whispered, standing up with her sword at the ready. "Let's do this."

"Hey! Everypony, I saw something shining near Sin's arms! It might be a weakspot!" Cid announced over the intercom.

"Vydran, we have a problem," Maud said as her monotone voice could be heard on the intercom.

"Maud, for goodness sake! Can you please show some other emotion!? I swear, all my fillies each have their own personal emotion they were born with, and you show nothing! And you're the oldest!" Pinkie nodded, agreeing with her sisters each having a certain emotion as soon as they were born.

"We're being pulled in by Sin. We can't pull out." Silence was all that was heard as the stallion on the bridge went quiet.

Just as Maud had said, the ship began to be pulled in hard by Sin's gravitational pull, sending the group trapped on the upper deck as they hung on for dear life. The airship was pulled up to the left side of the massive fiend, very close to its left fin. As Cid had alerted them earlier, there was indeed something that was near the base of its fin. It was a purple gem that glowed brightly, an obvious weak spot.

"I think we see that shining thing, Cid!" Rainbow said.

"If it can weaken Sin, then we have a better chance of getting inside of it," Rarity said, carrying her katana over her shoulder. "Let's destroy them before Sin can destroy us!"

Before they could attempt to attack Sin's arm, the fiend smacked its shoulder into the airship, sending a shockwave that threatened to push everyone off and falling to their deaths. Not going to take that risk, all of them attacked using their weapons and skills they know. Rarity charged her magical aura, turning red as she charged first, her katana slashing through the weak point as it eradicated what armor was surrounding the vulnerable gem. With its defenses weakened, Rainbow, Pinkie, and Spike rushed in, hacking, slashing, and thrusting away to shatter the vulnerable spot.

As they were getting close to destroying it, the gem began blinking rapidly as the air around them began to grow heavy. "Oh crud! What's happening!?" Rainbow asked.

"It's about to use that same gravity spell it used earlier!" Twilight groaned, unable to stand from the increasing weight falling down on her.

"Dad, get us out of here before we get turned into pancakes! And I don't want to be a Pinkie Pancake! I'm a Pinkie Pie!" Pinkie shouted.

"Hang on! We're pulling back!" Staying low to avoid flying off, the airship pulled back, though still caught in the gravitational hold around Sin, keeping them from escaping from it.

They managed to escape just in time as they saw a powerful black sphere around Sin's arm, shoving the air around it down hard around it. "That was close. We need to stay far away from Sin."

"Twilight, the rest of us have weapons designed to get up close and personal," Rainbow said, swiping her blade around. "The only way we could safely break that thing without getting knocked off or crushed is with your magic, Fluttershy using her aeons, and Applejack's blitzball!" The pegasus did a double-take after mentioning Applejack's long range weapon, grinning as she got an idea. "Hey, AJ? Feel like teaming up and dealing some damage?"

"...Ah think Ah get what ya mean. First one to break the crystal wins?" Applejack goaded the pegasus.

"You're on!" Putting away her sword, the two blitzball players readied themselves as Applejack threw the ball hard, smacking it into Sin's weak spot.

The ball ricocheted back to the ship, Rainbow Dash running forward and kicking it hard, sending it flying back and hitting Sin again. Then Applejack hit it and the two alternated, smacking the blitzball around back and forth as they wanted to break the crystal before the other could. Twilight shook her head, Mog mimicking her annoyance as the two were busy competing in a dangerous situation.

"Of course. Just make fighting the most dangerous monster in all of Spira a game, where our lives depend on saving us all from a thousand years of suffering." Twilight leapt back as Rainbow Dash moved back to knock the ball high in the air, leaping after it to perform the Jet Shot. "Ok, that's it! This isn't a game, you two!"

"Actually, Twilight, this is a game," Pinkie interjected, standing next to Twilight as she watched. "Actually, it's a story FROM a game where we're actually taking place as the roles of the major characters. Many details might be altered a little bit, especially a lot of backstory for us and other ponies that either played an important role in Spira's history, making it more sad and feeling pity for the unfortunate-"

"Yeah, yeah, whatever, Pinkie. I'm ending this before their friendly competition winds up costing us our lives!" As Pinkie pouted at her, not even listening to a word she said, Twilight began charging her powerful black magic spell she had learned as a filly, but was unable to cast.

Taking in a deep breath, she poured enough mana into the spell and unleashed its power. As the sphere surrounded the small section of Sin's arm, the explosions caused Rainbow Dash to miss her kick, sending her spinning wildly as she fell to the airship in a crumbled heap. Applejack grabbed her blitzball before it rolled off, not wanting to lose her only means of defending herself. After the Ultima spell ended, they all heard a loud crack as the weak point was destroyed, leaving Sin's left arm useless.

"D-Did I break it first?" Rainbow asked in her daze.

"Alright! Now, let's use the machina and blast that thing sky high!" The airship turned around as the front end faced the fiend, a pair of large, cannon-like needles jutting out from the vessel. They began charging up with electricity, the current running up and down the prongs faster and faster. Cid's laughter, now turning maniacal, was heard on the intercom. "Let's see what this puppy can do! FIRE!"

The ship rumbled as the new weapon fired off a powerful bolt of lightning at Sin, aimed right in the same spot where the crystal used to be. It managed to pierce through Sin's body and actually ripped off its left fine, sending the piece of it falling to the ocean beneath it.

"Whoa. That came from the ship?" Fluttershy stared in awe, astonished at what the machina was able to do unlike the ones that almost breached Sin's barrier in Operation Mi'ihen.

"Ooooooh yeah...That felt gooooooooood!" Cid moaned, almost sounding like he was enjoying it too much. "Time for the other side! Break it! Break it! Break it!"

"And there goes my dad being a weirdo again," Pinkie sighed, everyone holding on tight as they flew off to the right side of Sin, spotting the same colored gem near the base of the remaining arm.

Using the same tactics as before, they stayed clear enough away when the powerful gravity crushing spell charged up to unleash itself on them. While far away, Twilight cast her magic, though with how much Ultima needed so much mana, she had to be careful not to overdo it. While close, they had to stay close to Sin when it slammed into the airship with its right fin to avoid getting blown off. Eventually, they broke the second gem and pulled far enough away to shoot off its other limb.

"Yeah! Let's have ourselves some barbecued fish tonight!" Cid shouted as the main guns zapped the other arm off. "More! MORE! Let's blow open a new blowhole in that giant whale!"

"Vydran, dra syeh kih ec picdat! Ed lyh'd vena ykyeh!" Limestone said through the intercom.

"Wait, what!? What do you mean it's busted!?" Cid tried to fire up the gun again, only to have the powerful machina weapon sputter. "...Son of a...Alright, you guys get back inside! We need another plan!"

"No way!" Rainbow argued. "We're going in! We've got the ball now! I'm not going to lose the chance to score the winning goal!"

"...Alright! Whatever you say!" Maud maneuvered the airship over Sin, where they could see another gem, this one bigger as the main core on the outside of the massive beast.

"Move it or lose it, everypony!" Pinkie bounced over the edge and dove down on top of Sin, the others following after her, leaving Rainbow Dash behind as she shook her head.

"And everypony thought I always jumped the gun." The pegasus ran off and dove after her friends, the non-pegasi bouncing on Sin's rubbery skin as they face the core.

Unfortunately, it wasn't defenseless as a Sinspawn, similar to the strange shell one back on Kilika waited for them. Since this one was still attached to Sin, it was far stronger than its predecessor. If it was like the other one, the Twilight's magic would be useless to strike the core if it could absorb her black magic. The fiend popped out of its shell, screeching at them, leaving it open to attack. Rainbow Dash held back, her weapon unfortunately a water elemental weapon thanks to Pinkie's fiddling with it in Guadosalam since it was a plant-like fiend, but it didn't matter. The rest of the group took it down with no trouble, avoiding its poisonous tentacle fingers as Rarity, Spike, and Pinkie rushed it while Twilight cast Firaga and Applejack attacking from long range.

With the Sinspawn gone, there was nothing standing in their way, the core vulnerable to attack. It wasn't long before they managed to destroy the final core, avoiding getting crushed by the Gravity spell it would have unleashed as they shattered the weak spot. Sin let out a low groan as it began to plummet to the ground, the party quickly leaping off of it and landed back on top of the airship as it came around to catch them. Sin hit the ground hard, near Bevelle, possibly horrifying everypony in the city as they saw it crash near them.

As the group hurried back inside, they saw Sin on the sphere feed as it began to stir. "Great job! Sin's down and out!"

"No it's not. We need to take out Sin from the inside! Faust is who we're supposed to be dealing with!" They soon heard Sin groan loudly as it stood up on its hind legs, now sprouting out wings on its back. "It's not over yet. We've just started, and Faust is desperate to keep fighting on the outside."

"Darn it. There's no time to work on the main gun and repair it," Cid said as he was in tears. "Two shots and it craps out on us! It's the best machina ever, and it sucks!"

"Let's hurry back up to the deck!" The party ran back to the upper deck as they arrived in time to watch Sin leaping up onto Bevelle's palace, hovering down on its new roost as it looked in the direction of the airship.

Rainbow flew on ahead while Fluttershy summoned Bahamut to help aid the cyan pegasus attack Sin's face head on, while only Twilight and Applejack could deal whatever they could from the distance they were from Bevelle. Sin wasn't doing much to defend itself as Rainbow and the dragon aeon attacked it, though they didn't seem to be doing much to it, even with the help of magic and Applejack's blitzball flying in and smacking it on the snout. It let out a roar and began sucking the airship closer to it, shoving Rainbow hard onto Sin's face from the powerful pull.

"Darn it! Just! Give! Up!" Rainbow shouted, stabbing her sword in Sin several times.

Sin pulled the airship closer and closer until its nose was against the bow of the airship. Now that they were close enough, Pinkie, Rarity, and Spike could finally attack it head on with Rainbow Dash. While trying to weaken Sin with everything they got, it began to slowly open its mouth, charging its powerful beam it used in Operation Mi'ihen, only this time, it wanted to make sure it killed them and then some.

"Not cool. Not cool! NOT COOL!" Pinkie said, her hooves a blur as she scratched Sin's nose, only making it feel like a small itch to the fiend. "Kill it! Kill it with fire! Ice! Lightning! Drown it! Blow it up before we get blown up!"

With none of them making any progress, Sin's mouth began to open wider, the ball of energy slowly growing inside its maw. Rainbow Dash flew back down to the airship, running out of time before they, along with the airship and possible a majority of the land would be eradicated into nothing. Holding her sword tightly in her mouth, she felt powerful energy flowing through her body as she unleashed her Overdrive. She flared out her wings, and rushed Sin's face, slashing it repeatedly, ending her combo with a double slashing backflip and slamming her sword down on it.

Rainbow stabbed her sword in the airship and leapt off of it. "AJ! Toss your blitzball!"

Having no clue what Rainbow Dash was doing, Applejack threw her blitzball up at the pegasus as she flipped backwards at a rapid pace. Time slowed down around the pegasus, the ball right where she wanted it to be as she glared at Sin. Her back hooves glowed brightly as she aimed her shot, kicking the ball hard, sending it flying at Mach 5 speed into Sin. As the blitzball connected, it created a powerful blast of prismatic light and energy, a roar of pain coming from the fiend as the explosion caused a rainbow mushroom cloud to fly up from the impact.

Rainbow's powerful Overdrive caused the airship to fly back a little and nearly knocked the others over from the shockwave it produced. Sin roared in agony with its mouth open, but the energy forming in its mouth morphed from a charged beam to some sort of portal, the fiend remaining motionless as it was rendered unconscious, surprisingly. The cyan pegasus flew back on the ship and grabbed her sword, holding onto Applejack's blitzball.

As she turned to look at the others, she held back a snicker, her attack having blasted the mares' manes back from the shockwave her attack unleashed. "Uhh...oops?"

"Do it again! I wasn't looking!" Pinkie complained, her poofy mane now spiky and sticking out behind her head.

After taking a small break from surviving a deadly encounter with Sin, and winning, everyone stood on the airship as Maud carefully drove the airship toward the unconscious beast, its mouth wide open with a glowing light seeping out from its maw. Now it was time to get to Faust and enter inside of Sin, some of them hoping they weren't going to go through the fiend's intestines. While they waited in anticipation, Fluttershy stood next to Rainbow Dash, still worried about what her marefriend was hiding.

"Rainbow Dash?" The cyan pegasus looked over at Fluttershy. "What's going to happen?"

"We're gonna win, that's what," Rainbow replied.

"I meant about the fayth...I know Bahamut said we should call them all when we confront Faust...but what if Faust takes one of them?" Fluttershy asked.

"Then we'll have to take them down too." Fluttershy fidgeted in place, afraid to ask Rainbow Dash what she's hiding.

"...What did Bahamut mean...when he said they wanted to stop dreaming?" Rainbow gently rested a hoof on the summoner's shoulder.

"They've been dreaming for a thousand years. They're getting sick of dreaming. So we're going to help them finally rest and end all this...along with their dream..." Just from hearing Rainbow's tone, Fluttershy was afraid to know if what she thinks is really going to come true.

She trusted Rainbow Dash with all her heart, believing in her no matter what others think of her. She stayed loyal to her, she never ran from a fight, and she was willing to help others, no matter how dangerous the situation. Ever since the pegasus had found out about the truth about her pilgrimage and her passing out on Mt. Gagazet, she was scared of something, and she couldn't tell Fluttershy or anypony what it was. Was Rainbow Dash an unsent too? Did she do something horrible that nopony else knew about?

Fluttershy shook those thoughts aside, knowing Rainbow would never betray anyone. She stopped worrying as they began to enter Sin's mouth, flying through what seemed like multiple realms almost reminiscent to the Farplane. As peaceful as the flight seemed, the party heard a familiar chuckling echo around them as a small glimpse of a certain stallion they didn't wish to see again appeared in front of them.

"Oh, you have got to be kidding me," Rainbow groaned, unable to believe he was back again.

Chapter 50: The End of a Madpony

The airship landed as they were deep enough inside of Sin, winding up in the strange world that made up the massive shell of armor Faust was hiding in. Unable to travel further with the vessel, they had to continue on foot, stepping down on the watery pathway. It looked like an endless sea with a bleak sky, the liquid beneath their hooves solid yet still wet.

"It's like a whole other world in here," Twilight whispered, fascinated by the inner workings of Sin.

"And I think my dad's somewhere further in...but I think we're expecting more company than him and Faust." Prepared to face the challenges ahead of them, the party walked along the long road of empty seas, Rainbow leading the group as they treaded carefully inside Sin.

There were some tough fiends that they ran across, but after dealing with Sin itself and surviving, they were no threat. All they ended up being to them were nuisances, blocking their way and tiring them out before they could reach Faust. It was as if the deity herself commanded them, though they acted on their own accord.

It took them a while to navigate the endless realm of sea, not knowing which way was a path and which way lead into an invisible wall. There were some glyphs to point out crossroads where they need to go, but they had to go around a specific way to reach them, and smacking into an invisible wall was an annoyance. After some navigating, they finally made it across, finding a stairway leading up to another portion of Sin.

As soon as they reached the top, however, all seven of them groaned in annoyance as they spotted the one pony they wished would just stay dead and get out of their lives. Standing in the center of the room, looking up at four circular glyphs with the symbols for the main elements in magic was Blueblood, the insane Guado with a sad backstory, only to have no pity after being turned into a demon as a colt. The stallion cackled, practically insane as his mane was a disheveled mess. He turned his head to face the party, his pupils shrunk to the size of pinpricks as he giggled with sickening glee.

"Welcome to my lair," Blueblood tittered, brushing his mane out of his eyes, only making his appearance worse. "See? Sin has chosen me to become its next vessel. I am a part of Sin, now. I. Am. Immortal..."

"You've lost your mind," Rainbow said. "Sin didn't choose you for anything. And you won't be Sin once we finally get rid of it."

"It is impossible. Sin will never die! Sin is eternal!" Blueblood began laughing harder, winding up on his back as he lost his balance. He managed to stand back up, glowering at them with a manic grin, his eye twitching in his insanity. "I should thank you all for stupidly killing Celestia. There will be no more Final Aeons that can stop me now! I will learn to control Sin from inside, having all the time in the world while it destroys the land! Spira will end! And I will be unstoppable!"

"You should have just stayed dead, you lunatic." Rainbow Dash pulled out her sword, flipping it in the air and catching it, pointing the aquatic blade at Blueblood. "We met your mother, who became a fayth just to give you some confidence to stand up for yourself. She showed us what you became, what you've done. When you asked for pity back in Macalania, you don't deserve any of it!"

"...So...you met my mother," Blueblood growled, his maniacal expression turning dark, glaring daggers at them. "My worthless...pathetic...aeon...My mother, who was weaker than a weak ice aeon...She is mine, and nopony else's."

"Yet you completely ignored her," Fluttershy said as she and the rest of the guardians pulled out their weapons. "She cared about you, and you're disowning her. What you turned into killed who you really were inside, Blueblood...and it hurt her to see you like this. Can't you feel her sorrow when you summon her? She's crying out for you to turn back to who you were as a colt, but you aren't listening."

"SHUT UP!" The circles behind Blueblood began to move, all of them flipping around until all of the red spheres pointed at one another. "She doesn't matter to me! She's a unicorn! I'm a Guado! SHE'S NOTHING BUT MY SLAVE THAT YOU STOLE!"

"You're not even making any sense, you idiot! Did you want your parents or did you not care about them at all!?" Rainbow asked as Blueblood hovered in the air and began transforming again.

"Nothing matters but my power! My immortality!" His body grew as he became intangible, leering down at them with soulless eyes. "I will end all your lives, and you will never stop me! NEVER!"

"...Yeah. He's too far gone. Time to send you to Tarterus where you belong!" Everyone spread out as they were about to take on Blueblood, again, and hopefully for the last time. "No more coming back from the dead!"

"I am immortal! I WILL NEVER DIE!" Blueblood's horn lit up as he cast a spell, its power multiplied by the elements pointing at him.

The party was buffeted by powerful Firaga spells, the flames far more powerful than Twilight's level of magic. They suffered through worse spells, standing back up as they were slightly scorched. Spike, using his Dragon Rage, surrounding himself and the mares with all the Nul spells and added defenses against Blueblood's magical spells. Rainbow Dash, now learning more about her hidden magical potential, increased everyone's speed with Hastega, giving them a better edge over Blueblood in agility.

"You already died!" Pinkie exclaimed as she threw up an Al Bhed Potion, healing everyone's injuries in one go. "Nopony gets a second chance at living! It's not right!"

"What's the point of living when death is inevitable for you peasants!? As long as they all know who has the most power, they will bow before anypony who saves them from an unfortunate fate!" As Blueblood was about to cast another spell, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Spike, and Pinkie attacked the glyphs around the stallion, flipping them to different elements and ruining his magic's power. "Everypony's lives were meaningless, and even if I didn't save everypony in Luca, I would have enjoyed watching them all be ripped to shreds by our fiends!"

"What!?" Twilight gasped. "Those fiends that attacked Luca that day was your fault!?"

"I should have known," Rarity said. "That stupid grin plastered on your face said it all. A perfect ploy to garner everypony's attention to their newest and powerful maester, despite the Guado being untrustworthy before Orion tried to make peace. Know that you have just doomed your race after everything you've done to the rest of Spira!"

Rarity rushed forward and leapt up at Blueblood, slashing away at him with blinding speed, the stallion trapped in place as he was struck several times. His aura grabbed the unicorn and began to crush her, his horn glowing darker as he began to cast another spell.

"I don't care. Let the Guado rot after they denied me as one of their own. I was more a Guado than a pony, yet they saw me as a freak." Blueblood's laughter echoed as he crushed Rarity harder, making the unicorn scream out in pain. "A half-blood freak of a child, yet everypony like mother more than me...Let them die. They're no longer worth my cause. Just mere pawns! And speaking of second chances-"

Before Blueblood could finish his monologue, Spike leapt in and let out a roar, thrusting his halberd right in the Guado's eye. As he yelled in pain, his magic failed as the spell he was about to cast dissipated and dropped Rarity. The enraged dragon pulled out his weapon and pushed himself off the cringing stallion, catching the white unicorn before she hit the ground.

"You're nothing but a psychopath!" Spike shouted as he lowered Rarity down to the ground, the unicorn wincing as her body was almost crushed. "You really think killing everything will make you happy!? You killed my tribe! You're destroying your own kind! Maybe they had a right to hate you because of how you turned out!"

"...You...stupid...filthy...dragon," Blueblood growled as he held a hoof to his injured eye. "You really want to die that badly, don't you? Then why keep fighting death!?"

"Because we want to live. And if you so much as kill any of my friends, especially Rarity..." Spike stabbed his halberd into the ground, thrusting both his arms at Blueblood with his palms out. "I'll tear you to shreds!"

Blueblood was about to laugh, only to grunt in agony as he felt his life being sucked away from him. Spike's hands began glowing as he began to absorb the Guado's energy with his Lancet ability, only this time, he didn't absorb it into his own body. His scales began glowing brightly, continuing to steal more of Blueblood's life until he had taken just enough. He grabbed his diamond halberd, fueling the energy he had taken into his claws as he jumped high into the air.

At the peak of his jump, his weapon glowed brightly with power, adding more to it with his unique green flame breath. Taking aim, he threw his halberd into Blueblood, the weapon multiplying into several hundred copies as the stallion was rained down upon with magical spears. Many of them stabbed through his intangible body, sticking out from his limbs and chest as he felt his mana was being sucked out by the glowing magical spears. Spike pulled his arm back, sending them flying back to him as the halberds pulled Blueblood out of his place between the elemental circles, sent soaring in the air toward the dragon.

The halberd returned to Spike as he gained more power from the magical copies, his scales glowing brightly as the mana he absorbed began to form illusionary wings that were far bigger than Bahamut's. He let out a powerful roar as he soared down toward Blueblood, thrusting his spear straight through the Guado's chest, shattering his form and reverting him back to normal. Spike slammed the stallion hard into the ground, his weapon thrust deep in Blueblood's chest as he uttered a painful gasp, blood pooling underneath him as it leaked out of his wound and out his mouth.

"...That...was for the dragons of Mt. Gagazet." Spike's scales stopped glowing, along with his fake wings, leaving his weapon embedded in the beaten stallion. He looked over at Rarity, greatly concerned as she was almost compressed by Blueblood's telekinesis. The dragon approached her, using what little energy he stole remaining in him to ease her pain. "Are you alright, Rarity?"

"I'm fine," Rarity said. "You really are an impressive dragon, Spikey." The unicorn gave Spike a peck on the cheek, the dragon's purple face turning dark red. "A reward for my hero rescuing me."

Spike stammered as he was flattered for the "reward", quickly standing up and turning away in embarrassment. As Rarity chuckled at his reaction, the others surrounded Blueblood, the Guado staring at the fake sky inside Sin as he desperately clung to the living.

"...I-I...can't...die..." His eyes slowly looked over at Fluttershy as she held her staff close to her, ready to perform the sending to him. "...Y-You're...sending me..." Blueblood weakly chuckled as the summoner began to dance, the spirits in him flying out of him, unable to escape his fate now. "...Even if I'm gone...Spira's sorrow...will still exist...You'll...never win..."

"Just shut up and stay dead," Rainbow said as Blueblood was finally defeated and truly dead, whether his spirit was really sent to the Farplane or Tarterus was up to the afterlife's decision. As soon as the stallion's spirits finally disappeared, everypony breathed a sigh of relief. "Finally! Fighting that jerk four times is four times more than I will ever take!"

"Ya'll said it, Rainbow," Applejack agreed.

"Thank the heavens that he's finally dead! Reoccurring boss fights like him irritate the living hay out of me!" Pinkie groaned. "And his last fight was more of a pain than all of them! What is wrong with RPG developers making story-line boss fights hours before the final boss harder than they should!? It's unfair!"

"...I'm just going to take that as a grateful expression of relief that we won't ever see him again," Twilight said.

"Couldn't have translated that better myself, Twilight!" Pinkie said. "Now, on to kill Faust!...And Rainbow's dad...Oooh. That's not gonna be a good family reunion..."

"It's alright, Pinkie," Rainbow said, though a bit sadly. "I think he knew this was going to happen...Let's see what else Sin has to offer."

With Blueblood finally out of their hair, the party continued making their way through whatever other realms Sin has inside, Spike picking up his halberd where the stallion once laid. They were getting close to ending Spira's suffering, and for Rainbow Dash, the end of her and Jet Stream's lives as living dreams. The pegasus was finally going to confront her father, face to face, after ten long years. She was nervous, afraid to see him after seeing the moments where the stallion was actually sincere about her well-being, admitting he was a horrible father because he was afraid of being the terrible father he was to her. Rainbow swallowed her fears, but her body trembled lightly, terrified to hear his response if she told him how she really felt about him after all these years. She can't back down now, not when they were so close to ending Spira's pain.

Chapter 51: Father/Daughter Reunion/Battle

From the endless sea of emptiness, the party now found themselves in a metallic maze, where the fiends in here were far more dangerous than in the last realm. It was difficult to navigate this area, some of the paths getting blocked off by walls shooting up from the floor, glyphs etched on the side in some language that not ever Twilight could translate. Not only were the several passages getting blocked off at random instances, some of the steel bridges shifted under their weight, causing them to trip and slide down climbable pits, becoming more of a nuisance than a trap.

They finally arrived on the other side of the confusing and irritatingly living maze, finding a long and endless corridor with nothing but the night sky able to be seen over the walls. As they began to walk down the endless road to wherever Faust was, something sparkled up in the starry sky, growing brighter as it got closer. A giant pillar of a meteor came hurtling down their path, crashing into the ground hard and knocking everyone off their feet as it shook the maze violently.

"I don't know what is going on in here!" Pinkie exclaimed. "Are we outside!? Are we on another planet that lives in Sin!? This is like the Chaos Ruins all over again, except there's no fake looking sweets that can kill me!"

"I think we should be more concerned about this...strange meteor?" As they stood up, they noticed there was a glowing portal in the piece of fake space rock that barred their only means of reaching Faust. "...This place really is stranger than the Chaos Ruins."

With no other possible way around the pillar, they entered the portal and found themselves in another realm. This was the exact same place Rainbow Dash saw when she chased Sin after Operation Mi'ihen, where she had seen the several ponies who lost their lives in the dangerous mission. The small patch of dreary forest, the sky spinning rapidly above them in an almost dizzying manner, only without the slain Crusaders and Al Bhed that took part in that terrible battle.

"Ahhh! My eyes are spinning! Don't look at the sky!" Pinkie said as her eyes began rolling around in her head.

While avoiding looking up, Applejack yelped when a crystal pillar shot up from the ground next to her, almost impaling her. "Whoa! Ah don't think we're safe!"

Several more began shooting up underneath them, the party avoiding them as best as they were able to. While moving around, Rainbow noticed some spirits floating down to the ground, creating small crystals as they touched down. She grabbed it before it disappeared as it created something in her hoof, which looked like a black cat with a small crown on its head.

"What the hay?" The pegasus leapt back as a pillar nearly ran itself through her face, spotting another crystal near Spike. "Hey guys, pick up those crystals!"

Each of them managed to grab a crystal, all of them turning into other objects, like weapons, shields, and even spheres. As Rainbow Dash picked up the last one that fell, the area turned white as they were all transported somewhere, safe from the dangerous crystal pillars that tried to kill them all. Their vision cleared and they now found themselves in another familiar area, both for Rainbow and Rarity.

Everyone stood on the floating platform hovering over the illusion of Zanarkand from a thousand years ago, a flaming "J" lit ablaze, the letter made up of different portions of crumbled buildings, highway roads, and much more bits of the city. Standing near the edge, watching the fire burn was Jet Stream, the pegasus stallion's ears twitching as he heard their hoofsteps slowly approaching him.

"Rarity, you're late," he said. "You took way too long to make it here."

"We ran into some trouble, Jet. I didn't think you of all ponies would be fixated on keeping to a schedule."  Jet chuckled as he turned around to face them.

"Boy, have I missed that alluringly, naggy voice of yours." Jet doesn't notice Rainbow Dash hiding behind the others, the pegasus too afraid to confront her father. He does recognize Fluttershy, her pink hair a lot longer than when she was a filly. "Fluttershy...Wow, you sure have grown a lot. You were at around my knees the last time I saw you."

"Y-Yes...but you're still taller than me," the summoner said.

"Well, I am Sin. Of course I'd be taller," Jet joked, though he didn't laugh at the depressing truth of his situation. "...I don't think messing around is going to make anything easier, huh?" He spotted Rainbow Dash's mane hiding behind the group as she tried to back away. Rarity forcefully dragged her to the front, wanting the two to make amends and find closure with each other before they fought. The stallion stared at his daughter, having definitely grown up after ten long years. She was no longer a filly, being a fully grown mare, though he could still see the look of fear and disdain in her eyes as she avoided his gaze. "...Dash..."

"...H-Hey, dad," Rainbow timidly said.

"...You grew up too...You're not the little squirt I thought you were anymore, huh?" The two pegasi grew quiet, making things awkward as neither father nor daughter didn't know what to say to each other. Jet scratched his head, curious to know how her life had been, but unsure if she would speak to him. "...So...how's your mom been?"

"...She's dead," she said, her voice cracking with sorrow as he brought back that painful moment in her life.

"...Well, of course she would be. It's been a thousand years." Jet was oblivious to Rainbow's pain, knowing his wife would have met her end a long time ago. "Stupid question."

"She committed suicide." The stallion stared at her in shock. "She killed herself...a few months after you disappeared...Mom thought you were dead, and left me...to try to be with you again..." Rainbow felt tears well up in her eyes, but she couldn't cry in front of her father. She refused to look at him as the pain of losing her mother came back. "She died because of you..."

Jet Stream was speechless, looking at the painful look on his daughter's face, unable to believe what had happened to his beloved. He looked at Rarity, the unicorn nodding her head sadly, having witnessed his wife's passing that depressing day. The stallion lowered his head, feeling responsible for her passing, along with more guilt for causing his daughter more pain.

"...She never could stay away from me," he uttered, rubbing his forehead with his hoof. "I really do deserve the reward for the worst husband/father in the history of the world...I'm such an idiot..."

"Dad..." Jet looked up to see Rainbow looking at him, anger and sadness in her eyes as tears threatened to flow down her face. "...I hate you..."

Though those three words stung the stallion's heart, he was glad to hear his daughter finally speak her mind about him to her. "...I know...I deserve to be Sin for everything I've done...What's worse is that I just might become Sin permanently." Jet sighed, beginning to feel what control he was keeping slowly start to waver. "It's already hard for me to hear the Hymn...I'm gonna lose it soon...You know what you guys have to do.

"Once we start...I won't be able to hold myself back. So none of you hold back either." The mares and dragon nodded, Rainbow wiping her eyes to try to get rid of her welled up tears. "Alright...Let's do this. Final play, all or nothing. Let's go!"

Suddenly, Jet's chest began sparking wildly with power, making the stallion yell out in pain as the energy grew into a sphere, covering most of his body. The others watched in horror as he stumbled backwards, clutching a hoof to his chest as the sparks shot wildly out of him. As he approached the edge, he took one last look at everyone before he would face his inevitable demise.

"No! Dad!" Rainbow shouted as she ran up to him to try to save him before he fell over. She didn't react fast enough as Jet Stream fell off, desperately reaching out a hoof to him as she watched him plummet to the rippling lights beneath them. "...Dad..."

She couldn't see any sign of him through the light, unable to save him. As much as she wanted to kill him for what he did to her and to prevent him from losing himself as Sin, she didn't want to at the same time. She already lost her parents once, her mother never coming back. She felt she didn't say how much she hated her father, too scared to speak out or shout at him over how much she wished he was dead. Jet Stream's words from his sphere to her in Macalania and in Zanarkand before he gave up his life to be the Final Aeon now affected her, not wanting to lose him despite them both being dreams.

As Rainbow stood up, she noticed something in the light, and it seemed to be getting closer. Seeing it shooting up at her, she gasped and leapt back, nearly avoiding a large black hoof clad with a dark blue gauntlet slammed the platform. Before whatever nearly crushed her pulled itself up, two strange, mobile pillars floated up to either side as everyone stared in bewilderment at what looked like the Final Aeon itself.

After the massive pony aeon rose itself up, it was a terrifying sight to behold: Jet's body was now completely dark, his body covered in dark blue and black armor, his mane and tail now ethereal, though maintaining his rainbow colors as his hair billowed wildly, he also had a long, sharp horn on his forehead that matched his large wingspan, and as he grinned, he now had a row of sharp fangs. He looked down at them, completely lost to his transformation as he growled. Everyone spread out on the platform and got into position, Rainbow being the last as she pulled out her sword and pointed it at her father.

"I promise this is gonna be quick! Give me all you've got, dad!" The pegasus increased everyone's speed using Hastega and flew toward the Final Aeon.

He held up a hoof and blocked her blade, Rainbow flapping her wings hard to push back against him. She managed to break through and repeatedly slash at his armored head, making him roar in pain. She flew back and avoided a swipe, having dealt some damage to him. Unfortunately, the two twitching pillars beside the aeon hummed and began twisting around, shooting an electrical current in his horn, healing any injuries and giving the Final Aeon more power.

"We have to get rid of those pillars!" Twilight said. "Applejack, you and I need to take those out!"

"On it!" Both mares began attacking the pillars to destroy them and avoid having any damage they deal healed up by them.

With the pillars being taken care of by the two long-range mares, the rest of the party focused on the Final Aeon. The aeon slammed its hoof down on them, Spike quickly grabbing it and holding it up, preventing them from getting crushed flat with his strength. While grabbing the armored hoof, he used Lancet and began absorbing his energy. Though it didn't seem to do much to weaken him, Spike absorbed enough to have his scales glow again. The Final Aeon made a mistake to fling the wingless dragon up into the air, pulling out his halberd as he dove down, stabbing his weapon down on the massive stallion's head, unleashing a powerful blast of energy upon impact using the energy he absorbed.

While the aeon tried to swat Spike off, his halberd buried deep in his head, Pinkie was busy mixing something with a couple of items she had stored in her personal inventory space. The moment she turned around, she pulled a massive cannon out of nowhere, placing a giant cannonball inside it, lighting a long match across the ground. Without warning, she lit the fuse on the dangerous machina, covering her ears as it fired the heavy ball straight in the Final Aeon's chest, the stallion wheezing heavily as he got the wind knocked out of him, cracking the armor around his chest.

As he struggled to breath, he looked up at Rainbow Dash as one of the pillars healed some of the aeon's pain, having revived itself after it was rendered "unconscious", unable to be destroyed so easily. "I'm not going to lose to you!" the pegasus shouted, which had greatly affected him as he frowned with a sad look in his eyes.

He immediately lost the energy he gained from his pillars and hesitated to attack, Rainbow flying in and slashing away at his face again. On the inside, Jet was trying his hardest to lose, fighting back against the being controlling him to end all this misery for all of Spira. The cyan pegasus backed away as she and Spike regrouped back on the platform, but the fight wasn't over yet.

Growling, the Final Aeon roared as the hilt of a sword shot out from the crack in his armor, disintegrating the chest plate. With his hoof, the gauntlets melded with the hilt, he pulled out a massive sword from his chest, the blade made of what looked like the night sky manifested into a physical form.

"That's a big sword," Pinkie pointed out, everyone quickly ducking as the Final Aeon slashed at them and missing them by mere inches. "Really big sword!"

He was about to swing again, only to be blocked by Rarity's diamond katana, stopping the blade of stars on a Gil with her incredible strength. As the two tried to push each other back, Fluttershy cast Holy in the aeon's face with Twilight's Ultima spell, distracting him while also getting struck by the powerful light and dark magic spells. While he recoiled from the sudden blast of white and black spheres of mana exploding in his face, Rarity ran along the sword and leapt up at the Final Aeon, hacking away in the powerful stallion's face.

Rarity quickly leapt back before getting smacked away by the aeon's hoof. Before he could slam his blade into the platform and crush the guardians and summoner, Rainbow Dash flew in and distracted him, letting out her frustrations on the Final Aeon as she whizzed past him in a rainbow blur. One hard smack to the face managed to knock the helmet off his head, sending it falling down into the abyss that was Zanarkand down below.

"You're not going to beat me, you hear me!?" The aeon was about to slash at the pegasus, only to falter as he froze, a pained look on the stallion's face. "After everything you did to me! After everything you did to mom!...You made my life miserable, AND I HATE YOU!"

Rainbow screamed as she began stabbing her sword repeatedly in the Final Aeon's head, constantly shouting "I hate you!" over and over in his face. While still dazed from the hateful words of the pegasus, she flew up high in the air, pouring in all her speed with her enhanced agility and immediately pulled off that same sonic boom she made over Bevelle when they rescued Fluttershy, lighting the false night sky with a rainbow shockwave. Faster than anypony could even blink, Rainbow sped by the aeon and flew around him, slashing him harder and harder as her screaming turned into shrieks of rage.

With one last U-turn, she flew straight through his back and out his chest where his sword came out of, the Final Aeon roaring in agony as it was defeated. Along with the pegasus, a strange, amorphous, spiritual red and white blob flew out from his chest, an image of a mare's head inside with a horn on her forehead shooting off and began circling the realm. As the strange spirit left, possibly being Faust, the Final Aeon fell forward and disappeared as Jet Stream's body landed harshly on the platform, greatly weakened, but still alive.

As the others relaxed, having defeated the Final Aeon on their own, Rainbow landed next to her father, panting heavily as tears ran down her cheeks, unable to hold back her emotions. Jet groaned, rolling onto his back, glad to be back to his normal self and freed from the spirit that was inside him. He squinted his eyes open, finding his daughter crying over him.

"Heh...I lost...I usually hate losing," he said. "But...I think I'll take this loss over anything else."

Rainbow sobbed, weakly slamming her hooves into his chest as she let all of her remaining anger out on the stallion, most of it taken out on his aeon form. "I hate you...I hate you so much...You ruined my life..."

She couldn't hold back anymore, burying her face in her father's chest and cried. "I knew you were gonna cry...You always cry..." Jet began to tear up, draping his hoof around his daughter as she let it all out. "You're gonna make me cry..." He sniffled, holding her little filly close. "Darn it...Why is crying...so contagious?"

As father and daughter wept, having rekindled their relationship a little, the others watched, some of them misty-eyed at the heartwarming moment. After a while, Rainbow helped her father sit up, still very weak from getting beaten and transforming into the Final Aeon. Fluttershy approached them, holding her staff out to perform the sending, Jet's life close to fading.

"Jet?...S-Should I send you?" she timidly asked, not wanting to shorten the pegasi from making up with each other.

"There's no time, Fluttershy. You all still have a job to do," Jet Stream said, wiping his eyes with his hoof. Speeding down over them, Faust tried to fly back in the stallion, only to pull out his sword and swing it at the spirit. "You stay the hay away from me, you parasite! Fluttershy, the aeons!"

Behind the group, Bahamut appeared. "We aeons!"

"Call them!" Jet shouted.

"Call us!" the fayth said as he appeared behind Jet Stream.

The stallion soon began to fade as spirits flew out from his body, looking at Rainbow Dash. "End this...for all of us."

"I will," Rainbow said. "And dad?...For the first time in my life...I'm glad you're my father."

Jet smiled warmly, closing his eyes as he finally faded away. Though their time was brief and they were in the middle of ending Spira's spiral of death, Rainbow was glad to finally have some closure with her father after all this time. And, once they met each other again once this over, maybe they can start their relationship as a family over and begin anew.

"Look out! Here it comes!" Rainbow looked up as Faust came flying in again, blinding everyone as they were transported somewhere else, the final fight against the corrupted entity about to begin and the fate of Spira resting on Fluttershy and her six guardians.

Chapter 52: Faust's Demise

After the party's vision had cleared up after seeing nothing but white, they found themselves in a distorted realm where all they could see was nothing be a red void all around them. Beneath them, they stood on a larger version of the Final Aeon's starry blade, chains wrapped around it as the stars had disappeared, almost as if the sword was corrupted. While looking around at their surroundings, everyone noticed that they all had halos floating above their heads, filled with powerful holy light.

"Uhh, did we all die?" Pinkie asked. "Did we lose before we even got the chance to win!?"

"No...These halos..." Fluttershy reached a hoof out to touch the golden ring, her hoof passing through it, feeling a gentle warmth coming from the halo. "This is...Auto-Life."

"Auto-Life?" Twilight asked, Mog trying to poke the ring floating above the unicorn's head as she looked up at it. "Why do we have them? These immediately revive us if we fall in combat..."

"I didn't cast the spell though," the summoner said, wondering why Auto-Life was given to them.

They didn't have enough time for an answer as they heard Faust show up, flying around the sword, searching for something to take control of. "Fluttershy, summon the aeons!"

Fluttershy nodded as she stepped forward, facing her friends as she was ready to summon. It was going to be difficult to do this to the creatures that were willing to fight for her, but if it was the only way to truly defeat Faust, then she had no choice but to lose her summons for the sake of Spira. Those same two pillars that aided Jet when he was the Final Aeon appeared behind her, paying them no mind as she began summoning.

The first aeon was the first one she had earned before her journey started; Valefor. The avian flew in through the void and hovered in front of Fluttershy. Faust sensed an aeon, taking anything she could at this point, even if it wasn't what she needed to keep Sin alive. The dangerous spirit flew into Valefor, the aeon shrieking in agony as its body began to turn dark, now in full control of her. Rainbow Dash stepped forward, her sword at the ready as she was going to take this aeon down solo.

The avian and pegasus took to the air and clashed, Rainbow's sword blocking and deflecting Valefor's beak and talons. The pegasus was a lot faster than the aeon, though what it lacked in speed made up for it with strategy. Valefor flapped her wings hard, sending out a powerful sonic boom that flung Rainbow into the ground. The aeon screeched, its voice distorted from being controlled by Faust, diving down toward the pegasus. Rainbow Dash quickly flipped back up on her hooves and charged forward, running her sword through Valefor's abdomen, expelling Faust from the aeon as she was defeated.

As the avian aeon faded away, Fluttershy winced as she had felt like she lost a part of herself, especially when Faust took complete control over Valefor. She fought back against that pain as Applejack stepped up to take on the next aeon, summoning Ifrit from his molten rock cell from the ground. Faust flew in once again and took control of the flaming beast, turning its fiery body darker in her control.

Fighting against Faust to them was a bother to them with constantly manipulating the less powerful aeons. Applejack easily avoided Ifrit's attacks, even countering his special ability, a large ball of fire shot out of his mouth, with her blitzball, juggling her weapon after bouncing off of the aeon. She was able to defeat it without a scratch, Faust fleeing from her new host and flew around again as Ifrit disappeared.

Pinkie stepped forward as Fluttershy summoned Odin, Faust taking control of the bipedal thunder aeon, turning his golden armor black. Odin ran forward and tried to slash his sword at the Al Bhed mare, Pinkie kept avoiding the tall being's attacks while taunting it. Though her gloved claws were unable to make a dent in his armor, she still had plenty of explosives at her disposal. While randomly popping up around Odin, she planted several grenades in his armor, disappearing when he looked around or tried to shake her off, continuing to fill him full of bombs. After one last bomb, placing it directly in the center of Odin's helmet, Pinkie leapt off him and looked back at the aeon, holding a small device in her hoof.

"Time to end Odin's lightning storms-" Pinkie took out a pair of shades and put them on. "-and blow him away."

Pressing the button on the device, it caused the bomb attached to Odin's helmet to blow up, causing a chain reaction of explosions inside his armor with the other grenades she stashed in him. Faust flew out of the smoke from the blast, Odin disappearing as he was defeated. Despite everyone else's groans at the terrible pun, they refocused their efforts on Faust as Fluttershy summoned Shiva, another aeon taken over as her coat turned gray.

Twilight stepped forward this time, both magical unicorns shooting their well known magical spells at each other. Shiva cast powerful Blizzard spells while Twilight countered with Fire spells, their black magic avoided or exploding as the magical energy connected along their trajectories. Their magic duel lasted for a while until Twilight managed to get the upper hoof, the ice aeon distracted by Mog as the Moogle doll bounced on Shiva's head. A Firaga spell struck the aeon, incinerating Shiva and killing her, Faust escaping from her fourth lost host.

Next was Bahamut, the dragon aeon diving down before the party and taken under the unrelenting spirit's power. Spike was next, spinning his halberd around as he faced the king of all dragons. If any of his tribe were to see him slay Bahamut on his own, every dragon in Spira would immediately look up to him as their elder and leader. Though their sizes made it seem like the aeon was the strongest of the two, Spike's latent powers using his Lancet ability could make Malboros cower under his skills.

Bahamut's massive fists tried to pound the smaller dragon into the spectral sword, only for Spike to evade him, stabbing every part of his limbs with his diamond weapon. After an intense and gruesome duel the two dragons were in, Spike managed to succeed, thrusting his halberd straight into Bahamut's heart, shoving out Faust as the aeon roared, disappearing before them.

Fluttershy grew weak, having to summon so many aeons left and right to lure Faust into fighting them instead of hiding inside of her temporary shields that were the aeons. She continued on, desperate to save Spira, not wanting to give up so soon. She then summoned Yojimbo, the mercenary aeon stepping in through a flurry of petals. Once he and his canine companion were taken over, Rarity stepped forward to duel the aeon, Yojimbo pulling out his sword from its scabbard.

The two stared each other down, the aeon's pet growling as it looked like it was ready to pounce. The warriors finally moved, both of them rushing forward and clashed blades, their strikes shooting sparks as their swords were a blur. Even though Yojimbo was a fayth whose expenses to use him are too pricey just to obtain him, he had the skills that paid that expensive bill. The aeon was good with his swordplay, but Rarity had more strength in her katana and abilities. Rarity parried Yojimbo's thrust and slashed her katana through the aeon, the mercenary went still for a moment until he dropped his sword.

The unicorn thrust her katana through the aeon, shooting Faust out yet again. As soon as Yojimbo disappeared, Fluttershy called Anima, bringing the depressing aeon from the depths of the void of darkness. The spirit took control of Anima, her shriek more painful than ever as Blueblood's mother was manipulated by the ex-summoner. The aeon attacked, shooting its deadly beam from its eye, hitting Rainbow Dash and sending her flying across the giant sword. The Auto-Life activated itself as the pegasus was killed by it, the halo reviving her as the healing light levitated her back on her hooves.

"Ok. Now I'm glad we didn't get hit by that," Rainbow said, looking up at the halo still resting over her head.

"That's not possible," Twilight said in disbelief. "That halo is supposed to disappear once it's been used...How is it still on Rainbow's head?"

"Maybe Faust wants us to kill her?" Pinkie asked. She was soon struck by the same instant killing beam from Anima, falling over dead, the Auto-life reviving her automatically and remaining over her head. "...Was that a yes or a no?"

"Whatever's going on, it doesn't matter!" Rainbow said. "We have to be tiring Faust out! We have to keep fighting!"

It took everyone's effort to take Anima down, all of them getting hit by her devastating death beam at least once. Since it was trapped where it stood, it didn't take long before everyone used their combined powers to end the aeon and free her from Faust's control. With one last aeon to defeat, Fluttershy summoned one last time, bringing the Cutie Mark Crusaders out to finally irritate Faust enough to have her fight them with her own power. The summoner keeled over, panting heavily as she exerted so much energy summoning several times in a row.

The dangerous spiritual being flew into all three of them, splitting into three clones of herself in order to control the mares. Their dark appearances were a lot more threatening than the previous aeons, their coats hair a grim, pale color, pupil-less eyes, and their capes and scarves in tatters. With how powerful these three were after Fluttershy had used a majority of her aeons to take them down, it was going to be difficult fighting them without any of them. At least they can't really die while in this specific void inside Sin, otherwise their efforts would be all for nothing.

Each of the guardians split into three groups of two to easily take down each aeon: Rainbow and Pinkie against Scootaloo, Applejack and Twilight against Apple Bloom, and Spike and Rarity against Sweetie Belle. Under Faust's control, the Cutie Mark Crusaders didn't work as one unit, only trying to kill her intruders and use their powers on their own to defeat them, which would only easily bring her final vessels down to the last of their energy.

Rainbow Dash kept up with Scootaloo's incredible agility, both pegasi exchanging blows in the air while Pinkie used elemental objects she found from fiends or from her long travels before reuniting with Rainbow and joining the others on Fluttershy's pilgrimage. Apple Bloom's defenses against Applejack's blitzball kept the aeon distracted while Twilight shot spell after spell at her, weakening the earth pony aeon further as she was hit with every elemental spell.  Rarity and Spike charged forward, avoiding Sweetie Belle's magic as they took advantage of the unicorn aeon's weakness in close quarters combat, attacking with their diamond weapons and dropping Sweetie Belle's focus to cast her spells.

With the lack of mental communication between the trio, they were bested by the party. Rainbow slammed into Scootaloo, Applejack slammed her blitzball hard in Apple Bloom's face with her hind legs, and Rarity smacked Sweetie Belle with the blunt side of her katana, making the three aeons ram into each other as they crumbled in a heap, disappearing and rendering the last aeon useless for Faust to control.

With all the aeons now defeated, all that was left was the spiritual being, now deciding to take care of matters on her own. Rainbow Dash helped Fluttershy up, the summoner still woozy from both the physical exhaustion of calling the aeons and feeling their power sucked out of her as Faust possessed them, bringing her back to the rest of her guardians as Faust hovered between the pillars, charging the destructive spirit's power. Though the spiritual summoner didn't seem to do anything, being more docile than it was controlling the aeons, Rainbow Dash took this momentary break to look at everyone, now being the perfect moment to tell them she was leaving.

"...Guys...I need to say something," she said.

"Can it wait until Faust is truly gone?" Twilight asked, chugging down a couple ethers to restore some of her mana.

"It's important." Rainbow took in a deep breath and exhaled. "...After this, I'm...gonna disappear. After Faust is killed."

While most of them stared at the pegasus in confusion, Rarity looked like she seemed to understand, but Fluttershy looked depressed. "...Dashie, you're kinda loco in the cocoa! We're not dying today, remember!?" Pinkie said.

"...I'm just warning you guys..." Rainbow looked down at her sword, staring at her reflection in the aquatic steel. She then pulled out a sphere from her pocket, not her father's sphere, but a recent one. "I know I'm sounding selfish and I'm not explaining everything...but I don't even know how to tell you all everything face to face...Once I'm gone, I want you guys to watch this." She gave the sphere to Fluttershy, the summoner staring at it in confusion. It wasn't her sphere, seeing Rainbow throw hers off the ship earlier. "This is my story. And it's going to end here, with Spira finally at peace!"

She turned to face Faust and charged in, leaving the others to look at the sphere Rainbow gave Fluttershy. They cast their confusion aside and joined the pegasus, the summoner putting the sphere away in her sleeves. Sadly, the final fight against Faust was uneventful, only when it came from the spirit. With no aeons to use as armor, Faust was constantly healing herself, her injuries slowly healing with each attack dealt to her, along with the aide of her pillars. The guardians didn't let up though, putting their all in to end Sin's revival and rid Spira of its never-ending spiral of death.

It felt like hours had passed as the party chipped away Faust's health, her healing spells always healing a majority of her injuries. They had to stop the pillars beside the spirit several times, finding them as a nuisance along with Faust's annoying healing and no attacks. For something that caused destruction by pure accident in the past and constantly bringing Sin back because of an impulse, she didn't even try to do anything to stop her opponents from killing her. Maybe some part of the spiritual deity knew the end was near and was only delaying the inevitable for as long as possible, but it was going to end after a thousand years.

Rainbow Dash dealt the finishing blow, speeding forward into Faust and thrusting her sword deep in its body. There was no sound that came from Faust. No screams of pain. No roar of defeat. The dangerous deity was slain, falling to the ground as the pegasus pulled her blade out. The spirit shuddered as small explosions wracked its amorphous form, slowly disappearing from existence as thousands of spirits flew out from it.

The cause of Spira's true misery was finally gone. Soon, the realm around them disappeared as everyone saw visions of the world, everypony celebrating in each of the towns and villages as Sin was finally beaten. There were glimpses of some of the ponies they met on their journey: Vinyl Scratch looking up at the sky in besaid, wearing a new pair of purple tinted sunglasses, Trixie and Bulk Biceps down in Kilika, the latter of the two celebrating more than the former, Spitfire, Fleetfoot, and Soarin from the Chocobo Knights in the Calm Lands, with their new flock of chocobo prancing around in celebration at Sin's defeat, even Fancy Pants, Fleur de lis, and Pipsqueak down in Bevelle, though the stallion still seemed down, having told his wife and adopted son his crimes some time ago when they escaped Bevelle. Along with the world cheering for their permanent Calm, they even caught site of the fayth in each of the temples, turning into nothing but stone as their spirits were going to finally rest, seeing Bahamut's fayth grinning at them before he faded away.

They soon found themselves back in the same realm where they fought Jet Stream. Fluttershy performed the sending, wanting to make sure that all of Sin was truly sent to the Farplane, including Faust if she was still here. As the guardians watched her dance, Rarity closed her eyes as she was now ready to finally pass on. Twilight noticed some spirits floating around them, looking over at the white unicorn and gasping in shock.

"Rarity!?" She alerted everyone to the veteran guardian, Fluttershy stopping her dancing as she and the others were surprised to know Rarity was an unsent. "W-When were you an unsent!?"

"You knew what happened," Rarity calmly said. "I just didn't show you how stubborn I was trying to stay alive. Keep going, Fluttershy. I'm ready to be sent."

"B-But..." Fluttershy was conflicted, not wanting to send somepony she knew when she was a filly.

"It'll be alright. I've been alive for far too long. I stayed to see Sin finally be put to an end, and now I can finally rest." Rarity held up her katana, magically transforming it back into the original, sparkling gemstone it was. She then grabbed Spike's arm and placed it in his palm. "Thank you for granting my request ten years ago, Spike. You did a much better job keeping Fluttershy safe than I had in my state of mind."

"Wait...What request?" Spike tried to remember when he ever made a request to Rarity, but the only time he ever met her was back in Luca.

"Back on Mt. Gagazet, ten years ago. I know it was hard for you to see me in that harsh blizzard that day, my coat blending in with the snow." It took the dragon a moment, but he now realized what she was talking about. Rarity was that mare he met that was dying, granted her request to find Kindred Heart's daughter and protect her. He was with her as she died, and now she was alive again, as an unsent. What's worse was the fact that he actually had a crush on the older mare, and she was going to finally leave again, only this time for good. "I thought you would have recognized me, but I almost didn't recognize you with how much you've changed."

"...I don't believe it..." Spike fell to his knees, staring at the diamond Rarity had given him.

"I'm sorry, Spike." Rarity gave the depressed dragon a soft kiss on the cheek, gently closing his fingers around her gem she gave him. "My story ends here." The unicorn stepped away and approached Fluttershy, nodding her head to the summoner, wanting her to continue her sending. "This world is yours now. Farewell, everypony."

Fluttershy continued performing the sending, disheartened to lose the mare who traveled with her father, Rarity disappearing as the spirits inside her dispersed, her soul finally able to rest now that Spira would no longer suffer under Sin's power, nopony else will be sacrifices to keep this pointless cycle from going, and peace may finally come back to the world. While Rainbow Dash was glad to know Rarity was finally at peace, the other guardians were confused and heartbroken, having lost a friend and a reliable ally in their cause.

"...I thought nopony was gonna die...and Rarity WAS dead..." Pinkie scratched her head, her brain unable to process what had just happened. "...I don't even know anymore!"

"Ah can't believe Rarity was unsent...How did she die?" Applejack asked.

"Celestia," Rainbow answered. "She killed her trying to get revenge for all the ponies who gave up their lives to stop Sin, destroying the false hope she gave, including both my dad and Fluttershy's...Her injuries were fatal, but she struggled to stay alive and make it back to Bevelle." The pegasus looked back at the grieving ponies and dragon. "She showed me what happened when we were leaving Zanarkand."

"...What else could possibly make our victory feel like a loss?" Twilight asked herself, though Rainbow knew they were going to lose more when she finally disappears, especially for Fluttershy.

Chapter 53: Goodbyes Aren't Forever

The party had made their way back to the airship, quickly flying out of Sin before it shut its maw. While floating above the clouds, the sunset casting a golden glow around them. The group, sans Rarity, stood on the upper deck as they saw all the aeons hovering in place, able to see what was under Anima when it was summoned. Fluttershy continued dancing, sending the fayth, along with Sin. All of them disappeared, sending several spiritual orbs out of their fading bodies, millions of them exploding out of Sin as they began to rise up into the sky, phasing through the airship to reach the Farplane.

Now the fayth have finally all been put to rest from their millennium long dreaming. Spira was finally freed from its torment thanks to Fluttershy and her guardians, no one never having to fear Sin causing destruction to their homes and senselessly killing those unfortunate to get in its way. Unfortunately, everyone's happy ending won't be so happy on this day.

While the mares and dragon looked up at the floating spirits flying away, Rainbow Dash began feeling a little strange. She looked down at her hooves, her eyes widening as they began to fade away a little. It was time for her to go, watching them go back to being physical again. As soon as she looked up, Fluttershy saw what had happened to her. Her eyes welled up with tears, shaking her head in disbelief. Rainbow Dash was going to leave them, just like she said earlier.

"No...Rainbow Dash," Fluttershy whispered.

"...I'm sorry, Fluttershy," Rainbow said, keeping her emotions in check as she was about to leave everyone behind. It hurt just to have to say goodbye, but she wanted it to be quick before it got too depressing. "I have to go...Sorry I couldn't show you guys Zanarkand in its heyday..."

"Rainbow Dash, what are you talking about?" Twilight asked, the rest of them still confused by Rainbow's choice of words before they fought Faust.

"...Everything will make sense when you all view that sphere." The pegasus began walking up to the front of the ship, stopping for a moment next to Fluttershy. "Goodbye..."

As Rainbow walked past Fluttershy, she watched her, tears streaming down her cheeks. "Why do you have to go? You promised me you weren't going away!" Before the cyan pegasus could reach the edge, Fluttershy ran up to her. "I don't want you to go!"

Rainbow quickly turned around to catch the upset summoner as she leapt into her, but the moment they were about to touch, Fluttershy went right through her. The others stared in shock, Fluttershy collapsing to the ground as she practically pounced air and landed hard on her stomach with a painful thud. Rainbow Dash was just as stunned, though with her entire body slowly beginning to disappear, it saddened her as she couldn't even touch anyone anymore.

"W-What the hay is going on!?" Twilight asked, completely baffled by what had just happened. "I-Is Rainbow an unsent too?"

"Why is this happening!?" Pinkie cried, tears shooting out of her eyes like waterfalls as she sobbed. "Why is the world so cruel!?"

"Nothin' makes a lick of sense anymore," Applejack mumbled, hiding her eyes underneath her hat. "She's really gonna leave us...Ah thought we were all gonna make it..."

"But now...everything's going to fall apart on us...without Rarity...or Rainbow Dash." Twilight teared up, now about to lose another friend, and it was the one pony who remained optimistic over saving the world while everypony else wanted to give up.

Spike said nothing, only bowing his head while Twilight, Pinkie, and even Applejack shed tears, forced to see Rainbow Dash disappearing on them. Fluttershy slowly stood up, ignoring the painful flop as her heart hurt more than her belly. Her fear had come true after all. She didn't want to lose Rainbow Dash, not after all they had gone through. She had so many questions, but the cyan mare couldn't answer them because it was a more painful goodbye than watching a loved one die before their eyes.

No longer will she be able to be with her. Her romance with Rainbow Dash ended far sooner than she expected. Fluttershy wished she could stop this, but what could she do? Rainbow wasn't dead. She isn't an unsent. Fluttershy had no choice but to watch her lover leave her though unknown circumstances that only Rainbow knew and she couldn't say. She should have realized just how serious Rainbow Dash was last night, wanting to spend her final hours of peace with her, to leave with positive memories of their love.

If Rainbow was going to leave, then she had to say one last thing before she was gone forever. "...I love you, Rainbow Dash."

The cyan pegasus's ears perked up and turned her head to Fluttershy. They drooped down, seeing just how depressed the summoner already was, and she didn't fully disappear yet. This was what Rainbow didn't want, but either way it went, it was going to be a sad goodbye. She slowly approached Fluttershy and sat next to her, carefully wrapping her forelegs and wing around her shoulders, parts of her phasing through her, but enough to make it seem like she was really hugging her. It hurt being unable to feel her fur brush against her marefriend's, but the gesture was as close as it could be with the little time she had left.

"I love you too, Fluttershy," Rainbow whispered in Fluttershy's ear.

While in Rainbow's embrace, Fluttershy slowly reached a hoof out to touch the mare's foreleg, only to have it go through. Eventually, Rainbow needed to go before she truly faded away in front of everyone. She let go of the summoner and walked past her, her wing phasing through her body as Rainbow walked forward. Rainbow wanted to look back, to have one last look at her friends and marefriend before she left, but she didn't want to make her farewell more depressing than it already is. Taking a deep breath, the pegasus ran off, leapt up into the air, and dove down into the clouds, her body disappearing from sight as she truly left Spira.

Flying through the clouds, Rainbow made it to the Farplane, where she saw several others who had lost their lives and were sent. She spotted Rarity and Fluttershy's father, Kindred Heart as she flew past them, but out of all the deceased, she was focused on two ponies she was headed toward; her parents. They saw her approaching, holding out their forelegs as she ran into them, embracing them tightly. Despite all their faults and terrible actions they had made in the past, the three pegasi were happy as they were ready to start their lives as a family over in the Farplane.

"I knew you could do it, Dashie," Jet said, surprising his wife as he had called their daughter by her nickname.

"Yeah, but that's because I had an awesome dad," Rainbow complimented, only confusing the older mare.

"Ok, what's gotten into you two?" she asked. "Rainbow, I thought you didn't like your father."

"Well, we've been through a lot. And I finally said I hated him in his face...But, he was afraid of screwing up when it came to being a dad." The two rainbow haired pegasi looked at each other, Jet Stream giving Rainbow a wink. "I feel a lot better, and I'm ready to start over with him...Though that's gonna be hard to do since I'm not a filly anymore."

"Then how about we have some family bonding time with some blitzball?" Jet grabbed a cloud, forming it into a physical blitzball. "You two against me. But don't think I'm gonna go easy on you just because you're mares."

Rainbow and her mother stared blankly at the cocky stallion as he spun the ball around in his hoof. "Oh you did not just say that. Jet, you have no idea how much I want to hit you for disappearing on me."

"Then show me that aggression on the field!" Jet threw the ball at his wife, too slow to react as it hit her chest.

"That is it! Get back here, Jet!" she shouted as she chased after the guffawing stallion, Rainbow grabbing the cloudy blitzball and chasing after them.

Even though it hurt to leave Fluttershy and her friends in Spira behind, Rainbow Dash hoped that what she made for them wouldn't be all for nothing. Being a dream, she had no idea if her influence would still be with their memories or if they were wiped out the moment she disappeared, but she was glad to know Fluttershy was safe. She didn't sacrifice herself to stop Sin. She didn't let her die by Blueblood's hoof. She was going to live out the rest of her life in a peaceful world with everyone else in Spira, and maybe in time, the two might meet each other in the Farplane one day.

Several hours passed as the sun had set and night rested over Spira. As much as everyone should be celebrating saving the world, inside the airship was a different story. While most of the crew were grateful for Fluttershy and her guardians for defeating Sin, Cid, Pinkie's sisters, and Cheese noticed they were missing two members of their group. It was hard enough just retelling what had happened to Rainbow Dash, having disappeared through the clouds, the ponies on the bridge not even seeing her fade away from existence.

"'Disappear?' How the hay is that possible?" Cid asked, though the answer was a mystery to the grieving party.

"None of us know," Twilight responded, her tears dried away by Mog holding a tissue. "She didn't even tell us the reason why..." The unicorn gasped as she recalled Rainbow's warning before finally confronting Faust. "Wait. That sphere she gave Fluttershy. She said that would explain everything..."

Remembering the sphere, Fluttershy pulled it out from her sleeves, all of them curious about what Rainbow Dash wanted to tell them. She set the sphere down on one of the nearby consoles and played back what was recorded. The sphere showed the night sky on top of the airship, the view turned from the calm, starry sky over the clouds to Rainbow Dash's face, setting it down as she made sure it was working. She backed up until she was in full view, looking a little sad.

"Hey, guys," the pegasus said, rubbing her foreleg with one of her hooves. "If any of you are watching this...then you know that I'm gone..." Rainbow let out a deep sigh, having no clue where to start. "...I know this is hard to understand, but I'm not exactly what you think I am. And no, I'm not unsent...At least, I don't think it's like that...I didn't really find out until I had suddenly passed out back on Mt. Gagazet, after we killed Blueblood...again.........I'm not supposed to exist, because...I'm a dream created by the fayth."

Everyone present gasped in shock and confusion. "A dream?"

"I don't know how I'm real, and I can't explain it any better way. I was told that by Bahamut when I was out cold." Rainbow grumbled, her explanation given to her by the small dragon only brief with little information as to how it was possible. She looked back at the sphere, looking worried. "...Fluttershy, we both talked to Bahamut in Bevelle, and we had our own little conversation about his and the other fayths' with their dreams...This explains how I knew him in Zanarkand, before Sin ever arrived a thousand years ago. My life, my family...MY Zanarkand...all of it was a dream by the fayth...A living dream, destined to stop their dreaming, and ending Sin.

"Just like how Rarity hid everything from us about Zanarkand, I didn't want you guys to stop because of me...If anything, I would rather fade away from existence and leave you guys in a safer world than living and having Sin destroy everything...Though, I don't know what'll happen if I disappear." Rainbow let out a dry chuckle, messing with her mane. "I'm actually scared about what'll happen. How I would disappear? When it would happen? Would I feel pain or nothing when I leave? Will you guys still remember me when I go, or will I just be a distant memory that fades along with me?...I really don't know, and I hope this sphere doesn't disappear too.

"...Now I'm rambling like Twilight with her lectures about Spira and things I still can't understand." Twilight grumbled at Rainbow's comment on her rambling, though she couldn't deny she does do that when explaining anything. "Anyway, that's all I can explain as clear as I could about me...but...I guess that's that...Being in Spira had really made me see just how screwed up everything this world had, and I was right to be suspicious about everything...Even though there were a lot of depressing moments, ponies getting killed, horrible truths none of us wanted to know...I'm really glad I went on this long journey with you all.

"...And Fluttershy?...I'm sorry I had to lie to you." Fluttershy whimpered, all of them watching as Rainbow Dash had tears in her eyes. "...I know you hate me for hiding this from you, but I had to stay quiet. I didn't want you or the others to stop after we found out how we can stop Sin once and for all...I can understand if you don't trust me anymore. All I care about, right now, is to leave you and the others in a safer world, where nopony has to give up their lives just to live in a world of false hope and death...In my crappy life, you, Fluttershy, made me happy, no matter what happened to us in the past month." The pegasus wiped away a tear that began rolling down her cheek, calming herself before talking again. "As long as you were safe, as long as you were happy...I was genuinely happy.

"I don't want you to be sad when I do leave...If you still remember me...then I want you to remember the good times we had together. Even that stupid laugh you made me do that got me into trouble." Fluttershy did think back to that day, when Rainbow Dash finally became her guardian and she was down in the dumps. It brought a sad smile to her lips, remembering how hilarious it was when Rainbow continued laughing just to have her join in and guffaw until their lungs detached themselves in their ribs. "Even if you do forget, I'll never forget you.

"Maybe we'll meet each other again someday...But, that depends on the fayth, I guess." Rainbow Dash pulled out a blitzball from behind her back, rolling it around on her wings as she tried to think of anything else to say. "...I think you were right about us meeting together, Fluttershy...Maybe fate did bring us together, like our dads' ten years ago...I guess that's all I can think of to say for my final words before we face Sin tomorrow. So...That's it." The pegasus approached the sphere and picked it up. "Stay safe, everypony. Lead Spira into a better future...I love you, Fluttershy. With all my heart...Goodbye..."

The sphere's recording ended as it faded to black, the bridge of the airship quiet as it all sunk in about Rainbow Dash's disappearance. It was still confusing to hear that the pegasus was a living dream, but they could understand why she had to go. Being a part of the fayth, she had no choice in staying or going, but to them and everyone in Spira, Rainbow won't have to worry about her existence being forgotten anytime soon. And even though Fluttershy will miss her lover, she believed that, one day, they will be back together again. When and how, nopony knew.

"Lucky little pegasus," Cid grumbled. "If she were here after we saw this, I'd have bucked her so hard she'd be orbiting Spira in less than ten minutes! If she loved my niece that much, then she should have the right to stay here and be rewarded with the biggest medal in history!"

"Captain...is...weirdo," Cheese uttered as he continued learning to speak Equish.

"The hay did you call me!?" Cid leapt on Pinkie's coltfriend and began choking him. "Say that to me in Al Bhed, you little runt! Just be lucky I'm not on your plot when you're going out with my daughter!"

"GAGH! H-How...know!?" Cheese gasped, failing to break free from the older stallion's grip with his lanky legs.

"I'm no idiot! I got eyes in the back of my head! That's why I lost all my mane; to make sure punks like you don't mess with my girls!" Cid let go of the gasping stallion as the captain of the airship hummed in thought. "Actually, you could probably give Maud some excitement. She needs more emotion in her life."

"He's too young for me," Maud said, being the only one out of the group who didn't look sad.

"...Well, dream or not, Rainbow Dash was real to me," Applejack said. "If it weren't for her, the Aurochs would have still been losin' for another ten years."

"And many of our confrontations in the past month would have been fruitless without her speed," Twilight added, grabbing Mog in her hooves, petting the pom pom on its head. "Even with the truth about a summoner's pilgrimage explained to her, she didn't want to give up trying to save Fluttershy...I guess I envy her in some way."

"Then I say we all throw a party tonight!" Pinkie exclaimed as she pulled everyone together into a group hug. "Not just for saving Spira from an endless spiral of suffering and despair, but for Dashie for being the greatest hero everypony could ask for! Her memory will live on forever and ever! Right, Fluttershy?"

Fluttershy nodded her head, unable to speak as her mind lingered on Rainbow's final words. Ironically, her own little speech in her tossed out sphere was sad if she had really given up her life to keep Spira safe. Even if the others heard what she said, with what Rainbow Dash had said, her life would have faded either way. She hung onto that hope that they will meet again, no longer bound to relying on false hope with an endlessly terrible outcome.

A few days had passed since Sin was defeated, everyone in the world still abuzz with celebrating when word spread that they would no longer have to fear the fiend that destroys everything in its path. Summoners would no longer have to go on pilgrimages and sacrifice their lives to "defeat" Sin, and no guardians will be used as fayth to resurrect Sin with Faust's power. Many lives, young and old, have been lost in the last thousand years, but now nopony will have to worry about Sin anymore as everyone is now calling this the Eternal Calm, a Calm that would last forever.

Down in Luca, Fluttershy stood at the edge of one of the docks, looking out at the calm ocean waves. She brought the tip of her wing to her lips and whistled, trying to call out to a certain somepony. She continued whistling for a while, but with no results, still holding onto that hope of seeing Rainbow Dash again, even though it had only been a few days since then. As the ex-summoner continued looking out to the sea, Twilight walked down the docks, getting Fluttershy's attention.

"Fluttershy, it's almost time," the unicorn said.

Fluttershy turned her head to face Twilight, nodding her head and followed her into the stadium. As they got closer, they could hear a large crowd inside, but the ponies weren't here just to enjoy a blitzball game. Both mares made their way up to the same private booth Blueblood and Star Swirl sat in during the tournament, Pinkie, Applejack, and Spike already there as they waited for Fluttershy to show up. With her friends standing behind her, the pegasus stepped up to address the crowd, everyone going silent as they listened to their saviors' speech.

"Everypony, today marks a very important day in all of Spira," she spoke, her voice amplified by Twilight's magic making it reach out to the whole stadium. "Sin is finally gone for good. Spira belongs to us now, for every one of us to rebuild what has been lost to us: homes, friends, family, dreams, everything. All of us lost something precious in the past millennium of sorrow...including myself. Though this journey may be difficult, we at least have plenty of time, rebuilding Spira, and paving a way for a better future, one where we don't have to fear a sudden attack from a terrible fiend who strikes with no warning."

The crowd cheered, knowing now that everyone was safe from any harm and their children can rest easy. She wasn't done speaking yet as she held up a hoof to silence to audience. After they quieted down, Fluttershy set her hoof down and looked up to the clear blue sky, catching a glimpse of a fading rainbow at he edge of the skylight.

"And...one more thing." She looked back at her friends, all of them nodding to her, then looked back to the crowd. "To those who have been lost, or dreams that have faded away..." Fluttershy then began recalling everything in her past with Rainbow Dash, all the happy memories she wanted her to remember. From the first moment they met, to their private conversations, every one of them was filled with happiness, laughter, and smiles. But the one memory that lingered on her mind that she will never forget was that evening in Macalania Woods after fleeing from Bevelle; her kiss with Rainbow Dash, both mares expressing their love for each other after being struck with the harsh truths they didn't want to know. That moment was what made her the happiest. She closed her eyes, not seeing a pyrefly with prismatic light shining around it, gently brushing past her cheek as it fly by her. "Never forget them."

Epilogue...?

It's been a few months since the Eternal Calm began. Peace was a big change for all of Spira, but everything has been great...or so everyone thought. About a month after the Eternal Calm started, the Al Bhed brought machina into Spira, many no longer fearing betraying the teachings since most of the populace discovered they were nothing but a hoax. At least they were helpful for defending travelers along the dangerous roads, provided they don't malfunction, and even transporting them from point A to point B. Though the weapons were supposedly looked down upon since Bevelle had been using them, deemed "acceptable" under the spiritual deity known as Faust, they were better at taking care of fiends that would easily kill somepony in the blink of an eye.

Since many secrets were kept from Spira, no thanks to Bevelle hiding the machina held inside their palace, there was a pony who created a group who he called Seekers. Their goal was finding spheres made in the past, calling the ponies in this organization as sphere hunters. Along with these sphere hunters, two more groups were made in that time, and they were constantly fighting against each other. One was New Faust, where the ponies who still believed in the teachings tried to uphold those rules and brainwash others to follow the religion that led to everyone suffering from Sin. The other was the Youth League, countering New Faust's ridiculous ideals by giving everyone the chance to be freed from the clutches of the past, while also trying to dig up secrets over Bevelle's hidden history kept away from the public.

For being in a time of peace, it only turned into more chaos as it stressed a majority of Spira, especially when the remaining mares and dragon who saved Spira were off on their own to relax after the long journey that had. Spike had to leave the group behind and head back to Mt. Gagazet, appointed as the dragons' elder, leading what remaining dragons there were after Blueblood's massacre back then. Pinkie helped the other Al Bhed teach other curious ponies about using the machina to help them with daily life or travel, a difficult mission since not many ponies had the knowledge to utilize them for good and only seeing them as evil. Fluttershy, Applejack, and Twilight headed back to Besaid to finally relax, welcomed back by the villagers when they returned and spent a few days celebrating the pegasus's successful pilgrimage.

Down at the shores of the small island home, where the boats dock for travel across the seas to Kilika, Fluttershy sat at the bottom of the sea, her breath held tightly as she mentally counted how long she had been underwater, no longer wearing her summoner outfit. She wasn't too far out from the shore, only a few feet beneath the surface. Her cheeks began turning red as her lungs burned with need for oxygen, quickly swimming up and taking a big gulp of air once she breached the water. She spat out some saltwater that got in her mouth, breathing heavily as she swam back to the shore.

"Two minutes and three seconds," she said, moving some of her wet mane out of her face as she stepped on the warm sands. "I beat my best by about seven seconds this time...I wonder if Rainbow Dash would enjoy that much time if we..."

Fluttershy stopped that thought before it escalated into a perverted fantasy, her cheeks blushing heavily.  Even though months had passed and no sign of Rainbow Dash was heard from anyone in Spira, she didn't want to give up on that hope to be reunited with her marefriend someday. Since she had returned to Besaid, Fluttershy had spent every day coming down to the ocean, swam a few laps, and practiced holding her breath to increase her lung capacity underwater. Most of the time, she had the peace and quiet tropical climate of Besaid, allowing her the freedom to do whatever she wished, which was getting stronger for Rainbow, and being something to do. The other times were either from fans who wanted to visit Spira's heroine summoner, or they were stallions who wanted to court her.

She declined many of those offers, but most of them came from messengers for the praeter of New Faust, who was the leader of the group and a leader of sorts for all of Bevelle. Fluttershy grew annoyed whenever they came around, always pestering her about these proposals when she had a bad enough experience with Blueblood's. At least the Guado, now thankfully dead after he kept coming back several times from the dead, had the decency to actually make the proposal to her, not send his lackeys to give her a message about the proposal. Besides that, she already has a special somepony, who actually loves her and doesn't want to be with her because she's a popular celebrity. Thankfully, they stopped coming around after hearing there was a new praeter that stepped up, and whoever it was, she would gladly hug that pony for not "asking" for her hoof in marriage.

After she dried herself off with a towel she brought with her, Fluttershy sat on the beach, looking out at the ocean waves gently lapping at the shore. She let the sun warm her damp fur as she began thinking about what she could do with Rainbow Dash when she comes back. They could play a round of blitzball, swim around the ocean, make out under the water like they did in Macalania. Fluttershy quickly shook her head before more intimate thoughts of the two could plague her mind again. As much as remembering the good times they had was to keep Rainbow's memory preserved for Spira to know, they always escalated to something involving the two in some...specific ways.

Maybe it was Rainbow's personality that may have rubbed off on her, but Fluttershy was positive her marefriend would have thought the same thing. It was embarrassing at times to stare off into space while thinking about what they could do in the privacy of a bedroom, but the longer she waited for her lover to return, the more she longed to share a moment like that with her. Luckily, her thoughts were interrupted when she heard someone calling out to her.

"Hey, Fluttershy!" The pegasus turned her head toward the path leading toward the village, finding Applejack walking down to the beach. "Ya'll been out here swimmin' again?"

"Yes. There's nothing I can really do anymore now that the fayth are gone." As Applejack got closer, Fluttershy could see the earth pony was a little worn out. Her mane was a little disheveled, her hat was missing, and her neck seemed to be littered with bite marks. "Umm, are you ok, Applejack? You look like you just woke up and...you got bitten by something."

"Huh?" Applejack touched her neck with a hoof, feeling the small bites. She tried to hide them with her mane, though it was a bit too late to do so. "Heheheh...Uhh...Well, funny story about that."

"Applejack...are you dating somepony?" Fluttershy asked, feeling a little curious as to who Applejack was with.

"...Ya'll could say that. Ah didn't think she'd be a biter, though," Applejack said.

"'She', huh?" the pegasus questioned. "Just tell me who it is, Applejack. You're not that good of a liar. All of the villagers in Besaid know that."

"...Oh, alright." The ex-blitzball captain hesitated a bit, taking a deep breath to calm her nerves. "...Ah'm datin'...Twilight."

Fluttershy's jaw nearly dropped to the ground, completely surprised. "...You and Twilight!? J-Just recently!?"

"Eyup...For the last three months," Applejack admitted, chuckling nervously.

"How come I didn't hear about this!?" Fluttershy asked, though she realized she had been busy with her own daily schedule. "...Never mind. But, why? What made you two...click?"

"Well, it ain't cause Ah'm related to Big Mac that she likes me that way," Applejack said. "After we got back to Besaid from beatin' Sin, Twilight and I began hangin' out more, and she was more open with everythin' than she had before Rainbow showed up. She ain't the moody mare we knew back then anymore. But a couple months back, we were havin' a little friendly chat, sippin' on some of mah home brewed apple cider, and Twilight began actin' a little out of it. Couldn't really hold her alcohol down after a couple rounds.

"So, she was gettin' drunk while Ah was a little tipsy, and then..." Applejack blushed, fiddling around with the bands keeping her mane tied up. "...She uhh...leaned a bit close...and......kissed me."

"...Really?" Fluttershy asked, already interested in what happened next.

"Mhmm...It's a little embarrassin' to say this, but Twilight was mah first." Applejack wished she had her hat on her to hide her face, seeing the excited grin on the pegasus's face. "Ah didn't want to take advantage of her, but she's a lot stronger than Ah thought she was...So Ah began enjoyin' it a little...kissed her back...but before it got too crazy, she passed out, layin' her head down on mah chest and leavin' me confused, but excited.

"By the time mornin' came around, Ah told her what we did, and she was just as flustered as Ah was. We both sat in silence for a few awkward moments, until Ah asked her how she felt about me." She sighed, rubbing the back of her neck. "She said Ah was kind of like mah brother, only as a mare. Ah did care for her, and after we found out about her brother, Ah understood her pain when losin' an older sibling...though she kept her loss a secret for a decade because they both weren't supposed to go in them dangerous caves.

"She no longer felt like a burden if she ever felt happy around somepony, and all that pent up longin' for affection came out from some liquid courage. Ah admitted to her Ah actually liked the kiss, even though it was an accident, and Ah wanted to see where our relationship would go from there. A couple weeks later, goin' on a few private dates, we became a couple." Applejack rubbed the hickeys on her neck as last night flooded back to her mind. "Kinda went a bit wild last night. Boy can unicorn magic have so many strange spells."

"And you hat?" Fluttershy asked.

"Twilight was wearin' it. Ah think it looked cuter on her than on me," Applejack chuckled as she blushed.

"I can't believe I didn't even notice..." Fluttershy looked down, feeling a little sad. She was happy to know Applejack and Twilight were together, but it only made her long to have some romantic moments with Rainbow Dash. She sighed and kicked the sand weakly. "I wish Rainbow Dash came back..."

"Ah know, sugarcube." The orange mare hugged Fluttershy, knowing how badly she missed the cyan pegasus. "Ah'll bet she wanted to be back here too."

"HEY!" Fluttershy and Applejack looked out toward the docks, spotting Pinkie Pie bouncing toward them with one of the Al Bhed ships resting nearby. "Fluttershy! Applejack!" She leapt on them and wrapped her hooves around them. "Don't leave me out of a group hug! I can smell it a mile away!"

"Good to see ya too, Pinkie," Applejack said as she patted the Al Bhed's back.

"I know! It's almost been forever since I've talked with you guys!" Pinkie bounced away, taking a closer look at Applejack. "Somepony gave you some good hickeys, AJ." The orange earth pony stammered, hiding her love bites with her mane. "Anyways, I am so glad I finally got a break. I good news, more good news, and strange news. Which do you want to hear first?"

"...Umm...Let's hear the good news," Fluttershy said.

"Ok. Good news, I think I'm finally done teaching as many ponies as I can about using the machina mechs, repairing them, upgrading them, and making sure they don't malfunction and do anything stupid." Pinkie sighed, her mane deflating a little in exhaustion. "You have no idea how stupid some of the eager teens wanted to learn to use them as battle bots! They're meant for defenses for ponies out in dangerous areas, like in Bikanel! We're not using them as tools to hurt or kill anything! I swear, some of them thought it was a good idea to stare down the barrel of a rifle, while it was fully loaded, functional, and the triggers could easily go off if they shake it like a soda can!"

"Pinkie, can you get on with the news?" Applejack asked, both her and Fluttershy more interested with the other two bits of news.

"...Oh. Okie dokie. The more good news is that Cheesie and Maud went off on an expedition to the north of Spira, and they found another airship!" Pinkie exclaimed, surprising both mares. "It took them about a month to fish it up, and it looks way better than the one we have now! All it needs is some cleaning, draining out the water in the engines, see if the controls work, and it'll be up and flying in no time!"

"Another airship?" Applejack questioned, unsure of the quantity of the sunken airships under the vast oceans of Spira being few or several.

"I'm sure Spira will have lots of airships flying around in the future, and many of them might be created instead of pulled out of the ocean," Fluttershy said, feeling a little excited about a future like that, wondering if it was like that a thousand years ago.

"Maybe, but that might take another thousand years. I mean, if Zanarkand was an advanced city, then we all reverted back to the medieval ages...Except for Bevelle," Pinkie grumbled as she pondered what other machina they had been hiding from them. "...But...here comes the strange news. You guys know about the sphere hunters nowadays, right?" Fluttershy and Applejack nodded their heads, hearing about them for a while. "Well...when I went to visit Spike on Mt. Gagazet, he said he found this sphere on the mountain...and...I think it's better for you two to see this."

Pinkie pulled out the sphere she was talking about from one of her pockets, showing it to her two friends. It was hard to tell how old the sphere was if it was under the ocean for centuries. Feeling curious, Fluttershy took it and played back what was recorded. It was pretty fuzzy, but they could still see what was going on. The pony holding the sphere aimed it at a cage, where Applejack and Fluttershy gasped when they saw who was inside it; a cyan stallion pegasus with a shaggy rainbow mane and tail. He was wearing an entirely different outfit that Rainbow Dash wore, but it looked almost similar in design, and what was strange was that he actually resembled Rainbow if she was a stallion.

"Let me out of here! I haven't done anything wrong!" he shouted, banging into the cage he was in to try and break out.

"Quit your complaining, prisoner," one of the guards said, shocking the stallion with an electrical wand. Though it hurt him, he didn't stay down. "You know you're in a lot of trouble."

"Look who's talking," the pegasus grumbled. "I get in trouble for using a dangerous weapon YOU idiots made, just to save her! I was going to use it to save the summoner from her death, and you morons are just going to let her die!"

"Sheesh. This kid just won't shut up," the sphere holder whispered to the guard.

"I won't be silenced! Let me out of this stupid cage and fight me like a real stallion, if you have balls to mess with me!" The stallion was shocked again, crumbling to the cage floor with the added voltage to try to knock him out. "...I-I need to see her...Let me out..."

"We're not going to get anything out of him at this rate." The recording ended as the guards gave up trying to interrogate the pegasus.

After viewing what was on the sphere, Fluttershy and Applejack looked up at Pinkie in shock. "...W-Was that...? Was that really Rainbow Dash!?"

"I don't know. I mean, that's a stallion, obviously...but, he looks so much like Dashie." The three mares stared at the sphere, unable to believe what they saw was real, but it really was. So many questions ran through their heads. Where this place was? Was that stallion really Rainbow Dash? What weapon were they talking about? Just how old was this recording? "...I'm just as surprised as you guys...If only I made some kind of machina device that can tell me how old a recorded sphere was."

"What if it was a thousand years in the past?" Fluttershy suggested, feeling her hope increasing. "What if Rainbow Dash really did exist, but reincarnated as a mare?"

"Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash said she was a dream made by the fayth. How in Spira is that even possible?" Applejack asked, getting worried as the pegasus looked desperate.

"...I don't know...but I want to find out if she...or he is really out there. If we find anymore of these spheres, maybe we'll find out more about Zanarkand, and anything else Bevelle hid from us." Pinkie was bouncing with joy while Applejack was terrified.

"Fluttershy, ya'll are gettin' your hopes up too high! Ah know ya miss Rainbow, but Ah don't think there's any way she could come back!" Applejack exclaimed, trying to get the pegasus to change her mind.

"Oh come on, Applejack!" Pinkie shouted. "Fluttershy's been doing nothing for the past half year! There just might be a chance to see Dashie again, even if she was really a he and there's no possible clue to know if this was a recent sphere! Everypony's been living out their dreams after Fluttershy's speech in Luca, yet hers are stuck in yucky, sticky molasses that tastes like vinegar, unable to move forward or backward!"

Applejack wanted to argue further, but she didn't want to upset Fluttershy, and Pinkie was going to keep countering any objections with what the pegasus's heart desires. She sighed in defeat, rubbing her forehead.

"Ah'm just gonna be gettin' more confused and backed into a corner by you two," the earth pony mumbled. "Ah just don't want ya more hurt than when Rainbow left us, Fluttershy...Ya sure ya want to try and find her? Er, him?"

"I'm sure," Fluttershy said, nodding her head. "To be honest, I'm sick of relaxing...I want to go on another adventure, and learn more about Spira's true past, not the lies we were given. And who knows if there might be some way to bring her back again? I'm willing to chance it like we all had against Sin without the Final Aeon."

"That's the spirit, Fluttershy! But, if we're gonna be going out in Spira, you're gonna need a little makeover." Pinkie pulled out two different spheres, though their designs were a lot different than the ones used to record moments and the ones used in the temples. "That, and we're gonna need to give you a new hairdo so nopony can recognize you with your long mane. Luckily, I'm an expert stylist!"

The Al Bhed pulled out a pair of scissors from her mane, surprisingly not cutting off any of her own hair. She dragged Fluttershy behind a screen, appearing out of nowhere, the pegasus yelping in surprise and the sound of snipping could be heard. Applejack didn't question how Pinkie was able to do all of this and just let it be, though she was curious to know what she was doing to the ex-summoner. As soon as Pinkie finished, she moved the screen away and revealed her work, the orange earth pony's jaw dropping in awe.

"H-How do I look?" Fluttershy asked.

"...Uhh...very different. In a good way," Applejack said, giving her honest opinion.

"Told ya! Now, let's scoot your boot on the boat and find Cheesie and Maud at their private hanger!" Pinkie pushed Fluttershy across the beach toward the docks. "You can help us fix the new airship! Tell Twilight I said hi, Applejack!"

"Wait, Pinkie! Ya'll are takin' Fluttershy now!?" Applejack quickly ran up to the docks, but was too slow to reach the ramp before it was pulled up. With her relaxing too much and being with Twilight, she hadn't gotten much exercise after they beat Sin. "Pinkie Pie!?"

"Don't worry! Auntie Pinkie Pie will take care of Fluttershy!" Pinkie shouted as the ship left.

"Ah'm pretty sure Fluttershy's older than ya!...And ya'll are cousins!" Pinkie didn't seem to hear her as they entered the metallic vessel, Applejack sighing in defeat as she watched the boat disappear. "Just be careful out there..."

The ex-blitzball captain began heading back to the village, hoping Fluttershy would be ok on her own. The pegasus was an adult, and she could take care of herself. What really bothered her was how Twilight would react to finding out Fluttershy left to try to find Rainbow Dash, knowing the unicorn would overreact to many things. As she reached Besaid Village, she made sure to hide her hickeys from the other villagers under her mane as she made her way to her hut. She spotted Mog waving her down, alerting the mare that Twilight was finally up.

Applejack walked inside, finding Twilight sitting in front of a mirror and combing down her bedhead, still wearing her stetson. The unicorn saw her marefriend in the reflection, facing her with a grin.

"Howdy, sugarcube." Twilight giggled as she mimicked Applejack's accent. "I was wondering where you were."

"Ah was lookin' for Fluttershy." Applejack approached the smirking mare, snatching her hat back and putting it back where it rightfully belonged. "Ah believe this is mine?"

"You didn't complain about it last night." Twilight pulled Applejack closer with her telekinesis, bringing her into a deep and tender kiss. "Was I a bit too rough last night?"

"Ah think this might answer your question." The earth pony moved her mane back, showing the many bites the unicorn gave her.

"Heh...oops." Applejack nuzzled Twilight, already forgiving her for the hard nips. "So, was she still training out in the ocean like she does every morning?"

"She was...but then...somethin' came up..." Applejack began explaining to Twilight what happened on the beach, but thankfully for her, the unicorn was in shock and she didn't freak out.

"...So...she's going to try to find Rainbow Dash?" Twilight asked. "...And she's actually a stallion?"

"Well, if Rainbow was a dream, Ah think the fayth might have been able to alter her...appearance." The two sat in silence for a moment, Applejack waiting for Twilight's thoughts on the possibility. "...That could happen, right?"

"I really don't know, Applejack. The fayth were the ones keeping the Zanarkand they knew alive in their dreams, and Rainbow was a part of that dream." Twilight sighed, unable to find any logical solutions to the new spheres the sphere hunters are finding about Spira's true past. "I'm glad Fluttershy's finally doing something besides going through the same routine day in and day out. I know she can be safe on her own. You remember how easily she bested that Chocobo Eater back in Mi'ihen, right?"

"Ah wish Ah didn't," Applejack said as she shivered. "Kind and gentle on the outside, but a tickin' Bomb on the inside if the right buttons are pushed. And if it involves animals that aren't fiends, there's no chance anypony could survive her rage."

"And you all thought I was bad tempered," Twilight joked as she giggled. The two mares embraced each other, spending the rest of the morning together. Knowing that Fluttershy finally had something to do eased their minds, and she would be ok as long as Pinkie was with her. "She'll be fine. She's not a filly anymore."

"Ah know." While the couple cuddled, Mog climbed up on Twilight's back and watched them. "So, what do ya wanna do today, Twi?"

"...Well...I've been looking around for some different spells to try out, and there was one specific spell I want to test." Twilight levitated the spellbook she looked through, a growing blush on her face as she flipped to a specific page. "I know it's weird, but...I'm kinda curious how well it would do with what it can do."

"What are ya talkin' about?" Twilight stopped on the page and held it up for Applejack to read. After reading what the spell was, the earth pony slowly lowered the book, her eyes widened and her cheeks flushed as heavily as her unicorn marefriend's. "...R-Really?" Twilight nodded her head as Applejack saw Mog giving her gestures on what the unicorn was thinking of. "...Uhh...S-So soon? We've only been together for a couple months...And shouldn't we be married first before...that?"

"How about we just elope? You do love me, right?" Applejack nodded her head, unable to speak as Twilight pounced her, locking their lips together in a heated kiss. The unicorn broke the kiss, keeping their muzzles close as she nuzzled the speechless earth pony. "I don't think I could handle a wedding, anyway. So, will you marry me, Applejack?" Again, Applejack nodded, receiving another deep kiss that left her in a daze. Twilight pulled away again, holding the book with the spell in front of her so she doesn't mess it up. "You want to try it on or should I?"

"...U-Uhh...me?" Applejack finally spoke, feeling unsure but excited at the same time.

"Goodie!" Twilight cheered as she clapped her hooves together. "Now hold still. It's supposed to tingle a little bit. And don't worry, it's not permanent. Just temporary."

As the unicorn's horn glowed, Applejack gulped nervously as she waited for the spell to hit her. If it really worked, then Fluttershy, Pinkie, and Spike will be greatly surprised at the results in almost a year's time.

Chapter 4: Welcome to Besaid

Seagulls cried as they flew over the ocean, the sun shining down, the calm waves reflecting the light of the rays. Not too far from the shore of an island, Rainbow floated on the surface of the water, face down, and still alive. She breathed in, startled awake as she inhaled water, raising her head up and coughed, getting some air back in her lungs. Treading water, she looked out to the ocean, yet again lost and having no clue where she was.

"Pinkie Pie!?" she called out, but there didn't seem to be any sign of her ship or any of the Al Bhed. Suddenly, she was smacked upside the head, slamming her face down in the water as she grumbled, angrily blowing out bubbles from her nostrils. Floating up next to her line of sight was a blitzball, her anger ebbing away as she grabbed it. "A blitzball?"

"Hey!" Rainbow turned around, spotting the shoreline of an island. Standing on the shore were some ponies, all of them dressed in similar outfits, one of them the only mare in the group. She was an orange earth pony with a brown stetson hat, her blonde mane and tail tied in a ponytail. "Ya'll alright out there!?"

Judging by how they wore similar outfits, they must have been a blitzball team, the pegasus spotting a few more blitzballs on the sand. "Hey!" She waved at them, letting them know she was ok, at least mostly. She looked down at the ball and smirked. "Maybe I should show these guys how to blitz the pro way."

Rainbow swam down until she rested her hooves on the shallow, sandy floor. Looking up, directly underneath the ball, she shot up from the ground, breaching the water a few feet with the ball tossed up with her head. Flipping backwards, she kicked the ball hard, sending it flying across the water's surface toward the ponies. The mare gasped and ducked just in time, her hat knocked off her head as the blitzball flew up and over the other side of the shore.

The whole team was surprised as they tried to find where the ball ended up, the mare quickly recovering as she picked up her hat, chuckling in excitement. She placed her hat back on after brushing off the sand, turning back to the ocean as she saw a lot more potential in the washed up pegasus than she thought.

"She's got some skill." She looked over at the path leading deeper into the island, spotting a couple ponies gaining her attention. "Alright! Ya'll keep on practicin'! No shirkin' off!"

The stallions went back to practicing while Rainbow swam up to the shore, shaking off the water soaking her fur. She only managed to catch a glimpse at who the ponies the earth pony mare was talking to. Soon, the whole team approached her, not knowing if they were going to be hostile toward her. The captain came back, seemingly impressed by her earlier move.

"Uhh, hi?" Rainbow said nervously.

"...Ya wanna show us that move again?" she asked.

The rainbow-haired pegasus grinned, nodding her head, her ego kicking in as she wanted to impress the ponies that already admired her. One of the stallions tossed a ball up, letting it bounce off Rainbow's head. After getting it up high in the air, she leapt up, impressing the others without using her wings, since she can't use them at all at the moment, flipping back and kicking it hard, sending it flying out toward the ocean. As she landed, she heard them exclaiming in awe, only boosting her ego more.

"How was that?" she asked.

"Ya'll ain't no amateur, sugarcube. Who do ya play for?" the mare questioned.

"The Zanarkand Wonderbolts!" Rainbow exclaimed.

Unfortunately, the reaction she received was the opposite of what she expected, hearing them all mutter and staring at her in confusion. "Ah'm sorry, what did ya just say?"

Realizing her mistake, as she was still in this future, the pegasus chuckled nervously as she tried to figure out how to back up her poor choice of words. "Uhhh...Well...I actually don't know what I'm saying. You see, I kinda got too close to Sin the other day, and I...have no clue where I am, or how I got here..."

Surprisingly, they somehow bought her lie. "Sin's toxin. At least ya'll are still alive. Praise be to Faust." They all soon began to give Rainbow the sign for victory for blitzball, which only confused the pegasus all the more. The rest of the team continued their practice drills, though they seemed to do poorly. "Name's Applejack, captain of the Besaid Aurochs."

"I'm Rainbow Dash." Rainbow's stomach suddenly growled, the mare groaning at her empty stomach.

"Heheheh. Starvin'? Ah don't blame ya," Applejack said. "Come on. Ah'll take ya to the village. Ah make some pretty good apple fritters that'll make ya beg for more."

Applejack led Rainbow down to the path leading into the jungle to reach the village. She had to know if what Pinkie said about her home really was true, and it was possible for her to go back, hoping all of this was a bad dream. Applejack seemed like the honest type, so she had to find out if this really was happening and she wasn't imagining things.

"Hey, Applejack?" The earth pony stopped and turned to look at her. "...Is it true Zanarkand's really destroyed a thousand years ago?...Nothing but a giant pile of rubble?"

"Eyup," she replied. "Ya see, Spira had many large cities way back when with all kinds of machina-- machines--that they always run every single day. Ponies let them things do all the work while they did nothin' but do whatever they wish. Then...well, just take a look around ya." Rainbow looked out to the area, seeing a few ruins of buildings strewn about. "Sin came around one day and took out them machina cities. Sin became our punishment, all because of some ponies usin' them confounded things so many years ago.

"The best thing we can do is repent for our sins, and maybe one day, we'll all be free from Sin's wrath." Rainbow's ears slowly matted down to her head, feeling her heart sink as Applejack had just told her the worst case scenario. Zanarkand really was gone, just like Pinkie Pie said. She already felt miserable, and after encountering Sin again, it didn't bring her back in time. She heard Applejack laugh, yelping as she felt her powerful foreleg wrap around her neck. "But ya'll comin' from Zanarkand!? That was a pretty funny joke! Ah bet that hoity toity team would be pretty easy to beat, huh?"

"Heh...yeah...Funny joke..." Rainbow tried to hide her misery, though her charade was clearly able to be seen through. Applejack chuckled some more as she continued walking down the path, the depressed pegasus staying behind as she looked out at the ocean. She sighed, already feeling homesick. "...I guess I gotta start my whole life over...Worst moment of my life since Sin attacked..."

Rainbow trudged down the path, following Applejack as she waited patiently for her. As much as she appreciated the cheering up from her earlier, it wouldn't really make her feel better. They reached a fork in the road, the captain leading Rainbow to the right. They soon reached a lake overlooked by the nearby cliff, the view absolutely breathtaking. It was a different site compared to being in the big city.

"Hmm? Hey, what's that down there?" Applejack pointed out, looking down from the edge.

Curiosity taking hold, Rainbow Dash looked down, finding nothing but crystal clear water. Applejack snickered, quietly sneaking behind the pegasus, then bucked her off the edge and into the water. She dove in after her, unable to help herself as she resurfaced and was met by Rainbow's glare.

"They hay was that for!?" she shouted.

"Ah couldn't help mahself," Applejack laughed. "Ah thought ya would have flown, but ya fell right in the water."

"I can't exactly do that when one of my wings have been struck by a...falling rock," Rainbow lied, not wanting to be accused again by mentioning Zanarkand.

"Oh. Sorry, sugarcube. Did ya try any of the large blue spheres? They can heal injuries real quick." Rainbow did seem to notice a few in the past few days, but didn't pay them any mind, thinking they were just for show. "Huh. Must not have worked if your wing's broken. We'll see what we can do about that wing when we get to Besaid Village."

"Thanks." Both mares began swimming through the clear waters to reach the village.

Just like in the ocean, more of those annoying piranha fiends were back and were quickly taken care of. To Rainbow's surprise, Applejack actually used a blitzball as her weapon. She throws it with so much power, Rainbow could swear she heard the fiends' bones cracking as they died, and it always rebounded back to her. As bad as the rest of her team was, she was the star athlete of the Aurochs, and it certainly showed. They continued swimming along until they were close to the small cavern that led to the end of the lake and back to the road.

"So, Rainbow Dash, Ah got a question for ya," Applejack said.

"You want me on your team?" Rainbow asked, already knowing what she was going to say.

"That obvious, huh?" The pegasus mare floated on her back, looking up at the clear sky. "We got a big tournament comin' up in Luca, and the competition's gonna be tough. Maybe somepony might recognize ya and help get your mind workin' again. What do ya say, sugarcube?"

"...Sure. Whatever." Figuring she could at least get rid of some steam playing blitzball again, she wanted a challenge, having no clue about any of the other teams that will compete.

"Great! This is gonna be a fun year!" Applejack exclaimed, both mares swimming under the cavern and arrived back on land.

After climbing up the hill, Rainbow got a good look at the village down a steep pathway. A few large tents made up the buildings, and in the back was a temple. As Applejack had mentioned earlier that everypony in this world, which was apparently called Spira, was repenting for using machina, and somepony by the name of Faust was considered to be some kind of god/goddess they worship. If she had to learn about any religious stuff, it was going to bore her to no end.

"Well, there it is," Applejack pointed out. "Besaid village. Born and raised here."

"Pretty small village," Rainbow noted.

"Yeah, but it's home. Ah started playin' blitzball when Ah was a filly, then Ah joined the team at thirteen." Applejack sighed, thinking back to her time in the Aurochs. "Ten whole years, and we haven't won a single game. I quit after last year's tournament and got this new job...Problem was, Ah couldn't get mah mind off the games."

"...Wow. After seeing how hard you can throw a blitzball at those fish, I thought you would have been scoring goals left and right," Rainbow said, unable to believe Applejack would have lost so many times in over a decade.

"It's a lot different fightin' for your life than playin' blitzball. The first match last year was mah big chance, but Ah just couldn't focus. Somethin' else kept poppin' up in mah mind." Rainbow rolled her eyes, finding her excuse a lame reason for messing up.

"Whatever you say. So, what's gonna be our goal for this year?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"Ah don't think it matters," Applejack shrugged. "If we can just give it our all, Ah can walk out of that stadium happily."

"Whoa whoa whoa! Hold up, AJ. When I ask 'What's our goal?', you need to say 'Victory!'" The pegasus thrust her hoof up in the air, intent on seeking victory for the lousiest team she was drafted in.

"...Are ya sure?" She received a nod from Rainbow Dash, highly determined to see the Aurochs win for once. "...It would be a nice change of pace...Alright then. This year, we're gonna win!"

The two hoofbumped, then made their way down to the village. As the two entered the village, Rainbow's senses were overwhelmed with some food being made in a nearby tent. Her stomach growled, wanting to find the source of the delectible scent.

"That smells sooooo good." Rainbow licked her lips. "When do we chow down?"

"Ah'll make somethin' for ya in a bit in that tent there," Applejack said, pointing out a tent to the right of the entrance, the center one out of the three set there. "Now, knowin' ya'll are a little bit muddled with everythin', ya'll can learn a bit about everythin' ya can here. On the left, in that blue tent is where the Crusader's Lodge is. A couple mares I know who are part of that group will explain what they do." Rainbow took note of the special tent that stood out from the others. "And when ya get a chance, take a gander at the temple."

"Ok." Applejack began to head off so Rainbow Dash can do some exploring, only to turn around and walk back.

"Forgot one thing, sugarcube." She led the confused pegasus behind the walls of the entrance, having forgotten to tell Rainbow one other thing. "Ya do remember the prayer, right?"

"...Uhhh...prayer?" she asked.

"Hmm...Must have forgotten that too. Here, Ah'll show ya." Applejack sat down and showed Rainbow the prayer. Ironically, it was exactly how the blitzball sign for victory was: spreading out her forelegs, bringing them close to make a sphere shape with their hooves, and then bowing. "See? Now your turn." Rainbow Dash hesitated a bit, but awkwardly did the prayer. "...Not that bad. Ok, once ya'll are done searchin', we'll have some lunch and Ah'll see what Ah can find for that injured wing of yours. Have fun, sugarcube!"

Applejack ran off to her tent, leaving the flabbergasted pegasus to herself. Rainbow looked through the sphere her hooves made, unable to believe that something that was meant to be a sign of victory was now used as some sort of religious prayer.

"This has to be the weirdest future I will ever experience," she uttered to herself. "And why are machines that bad? They helped us out in Zanarkand..." Rainbow sighed, never going to find the answers she wants. "Might as well get to know about what goes on in 'Spira'...and I hate learning..."