Legends from the Dark Side of the Mirror

Chapters

I Will Protect
I Love All
I'm Humble
I Care for All
We Are Equal

I Will Protect

The royal palace sat idle. Quiet. Even quieter than normal as its regular guard detail and acting rulers were now busy dealing with the aftermath of a power mad Nightmare turning a large portion of the city into a floating stage.

A figure dressed in black robes trotted slowly through the desolate hallways, and past the stained glass windows. Past the window of Princess Trixie the Humble. Past the window of Judges Flim and Flam the Fair. Past the window of Queen Chrysalis the Loving, and many more. A window dedicated to Captain Good Guy the Compassionate, Starlight the Inspiration, Derpy Doo the Wise, the Muse Sisters, and more, filling the hall with colors and memory. Finally, the figure paused, looking up at the window of Captain Gilda the Temperate.

The figure continued on and set down in a study, placing a book on the table.

“Some ponies fall to darkness. Others simply live life. Some petty crooks, others inspirations. As for me...I am but a record keeper. A storyteller. And stories I have to tell. Stories of those who become Legends...”

Captain Gilda sat in the transport helicopter, clad in silver and crimson armor, her spear and shield by her side. The shield was a family heirloom from Griffonstone. Her helmet sat on the seat next to her where she could grab it at a moment's notice.

“So we're finally going to get to take down Spitfire?” asked a white unicorn with a pink mane and tail, a medic symbol on her armor. While hidden by her armor, her Cutie Mark was a red cross surrounded by pink. This was Corporal Red Heart, the squad's medic who had helped them survive countless battles.

“Frightened?” replied a white mountain of muscle with wings so small one would question if he was an Earth Pony when his considerable strength was taken into account. His hidden Cutie Mark was a dumbbell and his name was Lance-Corporal Bulk Biceps, the squad's strategist and technician. “Would you rather be in a hospital in Canterlot?”

Red Heart rolled her eyes in annoyance. “No, I said it when I enlisted: with all due respect to doctors and nurses, I couldn't stand to be stuck safe in the capital knowing ponies on the front lines were dying and I could save them. I meant that it feels kinda...weird, doesn't it?”

“She's got a point,” said a light red unicorn stallion with a black mane. His hidden Cutie Mark was simply a red shirt, as was his name: Private Red Shirt, the team sniper. If you were to make fun of his name, you would not be the first. After all, the Red Shirts were the foot soldiers of the evil Federation on the Star Trot television show...but these are legends, are they not? “I mean all this time being one of Celestia's teeth, then...well, now she's just some two-bit terrorist.”

“Stealing the first supply of storm clouds since Celestia and Luna changed their ways and kidnapping in the First Degree of the Cloud Gremlins transporting them isn't quite 'two-bit,'” remarked a turquoise Pegasus with a yellow mane and tail. Her Cutie Mark, if it were visible, was a lightning bolt with three stars at the bottom. Staff-Sergeant Lightning Dust was Gilda's second in command. “Both of which are felonies on their own carrying an estimated combined sentence of 30 years or more in prison and/or a fine of up to 42,857 bits or more. Combined with Spitfire's numerous war crimes, she's looking at life sentence.”

Bulk Biceps rolled his eyes. “It was simply a figure of speech, Lightning Dust.”

“A criminal has a right to know the charges of which they are accused, it's the rules,” the turquoise mare replied. She then looked to Gilda. “Speaking of which, Captain, how were hostage negotiations going?”

Gilda looked up. “Last I heard, not very well. You know Spitfire, she ain't one to take things fast. Likes to draw it out and make as big of a noise as she can. She'll probably do something to the hostages just to draw attention.”

“Then we're going in to extract the hostages and take down Spitfire and the remaining Firebolts if at all possible?” Lightning Dust asked, maintaining a decisively no nonsense demeanor.

“That's the plan,” was the captain's reply.

“Tall order. Powers or no powers, Spitfire and the remaining Firebolts aren't push overs,” Red Shirt interjected.

“Yeah, but we've got Equestria's greatest warrior on our side,” Red Heart said, giving Gilda a smile. “Right, Captain?”

Gilda blushed. “I'm just a hen from Griffonstone, Corporal.”

“What I am wondering is why Spitfire is still doing this,” Bulk Biceps replied, tapping his chin. “Most of the Firebolts either fled the country or turned themselves in when Celestia was reformed, what's her motive? Money?”

“...Making sure everypony knows her name, Lance-Corporal,” the Captain of the Royal Guard replied, looking out the window. “That's what this has always been about...”

+++

Years ago, before Luna's folly. Before Cloudsdale's destruction...there was a race at a flight school in that floating city.

A rainbow colored blur crossed the finish line first, followed shortly there after by a fiery streak. It was a few moments before the other racers would cross. Coming in next to last was a cream colored pegasus filly...and dead last was a wheezing, coughing, sickly looking griffon chick.

“Why to go Rainbow Dash,” said Fluttershy, giving the pegasus a playful hit to the leg.

The cyan pegasus blushed heavily. “Um...thanks...I did my best...”

“Way...way to go...Rainbow Dash!” called Gilda, panting and wheezing. Several ponies chuckled and pointed at her mockingly, a frequent occurrence.

“Gilda?! Are you alright?!” Rainbow asked, galloping over to her friend.

“Y-Yeah...just need to...catch my breath...” said the sickly young griffon, giving a smile as her friend patted her on the back to help her breathe. She tried to simply let the hurtful looks and points roll off her back. “You were...awesome...”

“T-Thanks...it was nothing...” replied the filly, looking like she'd hide behind her mane if it were longer.

However, the race's outcome wasn't 'nothing' to one pegasus filly. It was 'everything.' Spitfire ground her teeth, looking at Rainbow Dash as a predator would look at an intruder upon their territory. This was not the first race they'd had, nor the last, that Rainbow had won.

The fiery pegasus got a malicious smirk and positioned herself properly. As the trio passed, Spitfire stuck out her hind leg just in time for Rainbow to trip over it. The poor filly tumbled and crashed into a trashcan positioned beside the race track, getting it dumped all over her and sparking laughter from all but her own close friends.

“Huh, looks like you aren't so coordinated after all, are ya?” asked Spitfire, giving a laugh and looming over Rainbow Dash. “After that spill, maybe we should call you Rainbow CRASH,” she mocked...then looked to the other students with an intimidating glare. “RIGHT?!”

With that, a number of students fell in line and began chanting 'Rainbow Crash.'

Rainbow Dash whimpered as her friends helped her out of the trash and Gilda glared at the fiery pegasus, who glared right back. Fluttershy simply backed away, trying not to draw attention to herself.

+++

“Spitfire had been there longer than all three of us,” Gilda explained, giving a sorrowful look. “Until Rainbow showed up, she was the big filly on campus and had won every race without even trying...then we showed up and Rainbow Dash gave her a rival...and that was the last thing she wanted. Spitfire couldn't STAND that Rainbow was able to keep up with her...so she broke her.”

“Geeze...” Red Heart said, rubbing her head uncomfortably. “I didn't know that girl had it THAT bad...”

“Well she did, and it wasn't pretty,” Gilda replied as the helicopter touched down at the landing spot. The hen put on her helmet and grabbed her armaments, placing a spear on his back. “Alright, we're getting ready to move out! Red Shirt! Be ready with nonlethal rounds! Biceps, you cover their escape paths! Lightning Dust and Red Heart, you're with me! Get in, grab the hostages and get out! Are we clear?!”

“Ma'am, yes, ma'am!”

“Yes,” was Bulk Biceps reply, donning his helmet and equipping armored horseshoes that covered his forelegs with some kind of machinery equipped onto them. “It is about time to take Spitfire down. You had better be on point, rookie.”

Red Shirt prepped a crossbow, holding it in his telekinesis a deep crimson hue. “I always am.”

Spitfire, 'the Blazing Terror' as she had become known to the pegasi, sat inside the grounded cloud transport, looking out upon the crowd gathering with a sinister smirk. She and her cohorts were dressed in full body uniforms. Their mask was a blazing yellow, an orange bolt outlining the divide at the neck. The main body was a deep crimson, with the same blazing yellow for the boots. The Cutie Mark was covered with an exact duplicate of Celestia's corrupted Cutie Mark of an orange sun with a black core. Their eyes were covered by menacing red lenses shaped like flames.

Spitfire had devices attached to her forelegs with metallic, forward facing nozzles and other mechanics. Each had a tube that went up her legs to a tank of some kind on her back with 'Flammable' emblazoned on their sides. Stripped of her power or not, Spitfire still had plenty of connections in the criminal underworld. Including certain ponies in the far north.

“Smile, we're on camera,” the devilish mare said, pointing to the camera crew reporting on the situation.

Another Firebolt with a white mane jumped at their leader's attention. “Y-Yeah, cool.”

“Cool? Just COOL, Fleetfoot?” the leader of the Firebolts asked, her tone suddenly switching to one that would be perfectly at home coming from a drill sergeant.

“I mean awesome, Spitfire!” Fleetfoot replied, then noticed the look that earned from her superior. “CAPTAIN Spitfire I mean!”

“That's more like it.”

“Yeah, Fleetfoot, enjoy it,” said a navy blue maned Firebolt in a smooth tone, giving a sadistic smirk. “We'll be on the news tonight.”

“That's the spirit, Soarin',” Spitfire replied, giving a smirk before turning around and turning on a television.

“We are on hour three of the Firebolts hostage situation...” said the reporter.

Soarin' promptly looked to Fleetfoot, his expression changing to a far less smooth and calculating one. “...It's not like we have a choice anymore...” he whispered in a much less sinister tone.

“What was that?” Spitfire asked, snapping around suddenly.

“Oh! Just saying that I can't believe the other Firebolts chose not to follow you, Captain Spitfire!” Soarin' replied quickly, slipping back into his more smooth and sadistic tone. The other Firebolts with them currently consisted primarily of desperate former members of Celestia and Luna's regime who knew nothing else they could do, or hired thugs Spitfire had gotten connections with. A far drop from their previous number, which had been bolstered by a certain charisma many of their members had had that attracted many young ponies to something they'd certainly not known they were getting into.

Spitfire's prideful mood suddenly gave way to a snarl. “I was thinking the same thing. You'd think they didn't like me or somethin'.” The Firebolt leader turned her head and noticed one of the tied up Cloud Gremlins hostages trying to wiggle free. She pointed one of her hooves at him, the device on the corresponding foreleg sparking up an intense flame in front of the nozzle. “Hey! You're not trying to get away, are ya?”

The captive Gremlin trembled in terror and shook his head frantically.

“Good. Because the real party hasn't even started yet...not until someone worth a REAL news report shows up...” she mocked, looking to a red button on one of her foreleg gauntlets.

Gilda watched the situation from a distance, not seeming to have any difficulty seeing despite being a large distance away, almost as if her eyes were better than any binoculars she could get. She snarled looking at the fiery maned pegasus.

+++

Rainbow Dash flew around another turn, her and Spitfire neck and neck. The two fillies trying to overtake the other. Gilda, while still far behind, was doing a far bit better, having grown more apt at pacing herself, even if she was still having difficulty breathing. Spitfire snarled in fury as the cyan pegasus began to pull ahead...then got a smug look in her eye as she spotted a lightning cloud up ahead next to the track. It was a more advanced course, the cloud intended to be a hazard to try and get around but ultimately not that dangerous...but just dangerous enough for Spitfire's needs. As they passed, the fiery maned pegasus snagged a piece of it and covertly chucked it right next to her cyan rival's wing. Rainbow Dash gave a scream as the little piece of cloud gave her enough of a jolt to send her spinning out and right into another cloud.

“Nice spin-out, Rainbow CRASH!” Spitfire shouted as she flew passed.

Gilda glared from the middle of the pack ...but no pony else seemed to notice, or were too intimidated to say a thing.

On another race, Rainbow Dash was once more widening the gap on Spitfire...only for the filly to wait for a corner on the track before catching up just enough to slam a hoof into Rainbow's back leg, driving her off course just enough to slam into the clouds on the side of the path instead of properly banking the corner.

“Good job, Rainbow Crash!” yelled the fiery pegasus.

+++

On yet another race, as the ponies flew down the path, Spitfire gave a nod to the distance, prompting a young Soarin' who wasn't even part of the race, to hide in a cloud up ahead on the course...and stick his leg out, clipping Rainbow's wing and sending her spinning out. This time her attempts to right herself resulted in her slamming into the rest of the race (minus Spitfire, who dodged) and knocking most of them into the clouds, some of which gave them a good shock.

“Nice going, Rainbow Crash,” one of them mocked, the others starting in as Gilda and Fluttershy tried to help her, Gilda casting a glare at Spitfire.
+++
Rainbow Crash rummaged through her locker...right before Spitfire hip-checked her as she passed, sending her crashing into the locker and the locker slamming shut on her.
+++
“Spitfire? I-I'm sorry I beat you in the race t-today...I...” Rainbow Dash started, backing away from the older pony, cowering before her.

“It was just a fluke...after all, it's not like you're able to beat me any other time, right?” Spitfire said, her voice harsh and demanding.

“Well I-”

“You WHAT?” the fiery filly asked, pushing Rainbow against the cloud wall roughly, the industrial clouds having very little give.

“I...I was just trying to race...”

“Come in second, come in third, fourth, fifth, I don't care, but NEVER come in first when I'M the one racing you, GOT IT?”

“But...but that's not f-fai-GAH!”

Rainbow Dash crumpled to the ground, coughing and holding her stomach from where Spitfire had bucked her.

“Life isn't fair, get used to it, Rainbow CRASH. In fact...let's make that your name from now on, shall we?” Spitfire asked, kicking her again, this time in the wing. This would not be the last time Spitfire would allow her grudge to become violent.

Gilda watched in horror and ran up to Rainbow Dash...while Fluttershy watched, hesitating. “Rainbow Dash, are you alright?!”

The young griffon was roughly bucked off Rainbow Dash into the wall. “What did I just say, wimp?”

+++

“Alright, here's the plan,” Gilda said, looking to her squad with authority. “Biceps, you cover the escape and get ready to give them Tartarus if they try to run. Red Shirt, hit 'em with a smoke charge and then give us cover fire after that. Dust, you, me, and Red Heart on hostage evac. Red Heart, once the hostages are safe, you look 'em over while the rest of us turn back in and take 'em down. Are we clear?”

“Ma'am, yes, ma'am!”

The rest of the group covertly headed out while Red Shirt stayed behind and taking careful aim through one of the windows with his crossbow, looking through the sight.

Bulk Biceps took a position to intercept anypony who tried to escape and ensure there would be no getting away this time.

Gilda, Red Heart, and Lightning Dust crept over as close as they could manage, being careful not to be sighted by the camera crew or Spitfire and her Firebolts, Gilda's scanning her surroundings with all of her senses for any possibility of them being detected. Once in position, all three donned gas masks and prepared to move in.

Red Shirt finally pulled the trigger, sending the arrow through the window and into the wall directly behind Spitfire.

The psychopathic mare spun around, feeling the wind of the arrow as it passed her. “They're making their move, Firebolts!” she exclaimed...right as the arrow exploded and filled the cabin with smoke, causing everypony in it to cough.

“Now!” Gilda exclaimed, her group rushing the door.

Lightning Dust tried to open the door, but found it wouldn't budge. “It's locked, Captain!”

Gilda stepped forwards and grabbed the edges of the door. With a grunt of effort, she tore the door straight off and threw it aside. “Not anymore.”

The group charged into the smoke, Gilda relying mainly on her hearing to guide them. She noted the four hostages had four Firebolts guarding them. Using claw signs, she directed Red Heart and Lightning Dust, who nodded without question. The two each ambushed one of the guards, Lightning Dust producing and extending a collapsible baton held in her mouth and smacking one in the head with it, a spark of electricity being emitted. Red Heart bucked her target between the hind legs, doubling him over before smacking him in the side of the head with the stock of her crossbow (held in her mouth) to knock him out.

One of the Firebolts noticed Gilda and took a swing at her with a sword, but she blocked with her shield, giving the second a kick to the stomach with her hind legs enough force to send him slamming into the wall. She followed through by pushing the first enemy's sword back to knock him off balance before putting her other three legs firmly on the ground to put more force into swinging the shield in a bash that sent him flying backwards into the wall and knocked him out cold.

The trio threw the hostages (Gilda taking two) over their backs and rushed the other side door, Gilda kicking it open with a mule kick.

Her eyes picked up an orange glow seconds before her allies did. She spun around, placing her shield between her group and a cascade of fire and flame heading their way. The enchanted shield that could withstand assaults from the Princesses themselves held and sent the flames parting harmlessly to the sides.

“I thought Spitfire's fire powers were gone!” Red Heart exclaimed in shock.

“They are,” Gilda replied, watching Spitfire rear up on her hind legs with the two devices on her hooves pointing their direction, flames still burning at their tips. “She's just trying to pretend they aren't.”

Spitfire and Gilda glared at one another, eyes meeting like lightning cracking.

+++

Rainbow Crash cried out in pain as she was knocked to the clouds, nose bloodied. Spitfire loomed over her.

“Who are you trying to fool, Rainbow Crash? You think you're going to ever be able to do anything? You're never gonna get anywhere in school because you're too stupid! You're never going to get anywhere flying because you're a klutz! You're never going to make it in the guard because you're too soft!” the fiery maned filly mocked, kicking Rainbow Dash in the ribs again and leaving her coughing on the ground. From her personal life to her grades to races, Spitfire had devoted every waking moment to destroying what she saw as a threat to her superiority. “You're nothing but a loser and that's all you ever will be!”

Gilda and Fluttershy watched from a distance, having just arrived moments earlier. “...We need to do something, Shy.”

Fluttershy trembled, hiding behind her mane. “But Spitfire will turn on us...She'll be so mad...”

Gilda gave an angry glare. “But if we don't do anything, she's going to keep hurting Rainbow Dash.”

“But...”

“Do you care about her or not?” Gilda held out her claw to her friend. “She needs us.”

Fluttershy paused for a moment...then slowly reached out her hoof to take the griffon's claw.

“Come on, Rainbow CRASH, if you can't even fly two feet without crashing and burning how do you expect to be a great flier?” yelled Spitfire, Rainbow curled up on the ground crying. The cyan pegasus desperately tried to get up and fly again, but Spitfire snagged her tail in her mouth, sending her head over hooves into a cloud. “Hehe, well you got a few more feet that time.” The fiery pegasus then looked over at the two and gave a sadistic, chilling glare. Rainbow looked to her two friends, desperate for help.

Fluttershy pulled her hoof back. Gilda face fell in disappointment and betrayal. Rainbow Dash's eyes seemed to dull a little looking at Fluttershy. Spitfire promptly gave a brutal stomp to her wing, causing her to cry out in agony.

Gilda spread her wings and flew over, landing between Rainbow Dash and Spitfire.

The older filly gave a chuckle. “Seriously? Miss can't fly five feet without wheezing is standing up to ME? You got a death wish?”

“I've got a friend...” Gilda replied. 'I don't need to beat her...even if it'd be bucking satisfying to punch her in the face! Hold yourself back Gilda, remember what Grandpa Gruff said...'

To call it a fight would be generous. Spitfire was one of their class's star athletes, Gilda was a sickly little griffon who was only even here in hopes Cloudsdale's cleaner air would do her good and wasn't even entertaining the thought of fighting back, knowing she didn't need to.

Spitfire headbutted Gilda in the face, knocking her to the ground and bloodying her beak. The griffon groaned in pain, already bruised up and one eye blacked. Spitfire tried to turn her attention back to Rainbow Dash...only for Gilda to push herself back up, wheezing and struggling.

“You just don't know when to give up, do you?” Spitfire asked, growling in anger.

“...I can do this all day...” Gilda replied, right before being bucked back to the clouds. She then looked past Spitfire, then smirked. “...But I don't have to...”

“What the...” Spitfire's eyes went wide as the coach landed next to the trio of children. The adult looked down on Spitfire standing over two beaten up classmates with their blood on her hooves. Words cannot describe the rage in the fiery pegasus' eyes in that moment.

“T-Thanks Gilda...” Rainbow said weakly. “But...I didn't deserve it...”

“...You're my friend, Rainbow, you don't NEED to deserve it,” Gilda replied, the Griffon smiling...then giving a betrayed, disappointed look at Fluttershy, who was still watching from a safe distance.
+++
“Well, well, well, long time no see, you mutant freak,” said Spitfire, giving a smug smirk. “I was expecting a big goodie to show up and turn more eyes on me...which is why I prepared a bit of a surprise.”

The former Herald of Celestia pressed her hoof down on the button on her foreleg weapons, beginning a timer. “You've got 60 seconds, freak! Then this whole thing blows...”

Gilda gasped as Spitfire, Soarin', Fleetfoot, and the remaining conscious Firebolts flew for it. She noted the villain HADN'T bothered to pick up her unconscious allies. She didn't hesitate to pick up the helpless grunts, seeming to not struggle despite carrying them in addition to the two hostages she'd already picked up.

As they cleared the area, Bulk Biceps suddenly flew out from hiding, giving Soarin' and Fleetfoot a double clothesline, preventing them from escaping. “You're not going anywhere ruffians!”

Spitfire merely continued flying away with her remaining minions. Bulk tried to chase them, but Soarin' bucked him from behind, beginning a battle.

Gilda, Red Heart, and Lightning Dust got the hostages to safety and Gilda put hers down, careful not to harm them.

“Ma'am, if that bomb goes off, the rain clouds will be destroyed,” Lightning Dust explained, looking back to the transport.

Gilda turned back to the carrier...then in the direction Spitfire had flown away in... finally, her eyes went to the watching news media and crowd, who were decidedly too close for comfort. She instantly spread her wings. “Clouds are replaceable, ponies aren't! Get those civilians out of here!”

“Ma'am, yes, ma'am!”

The two flew as fast as their wings could carry them (Gilda having a lead) and landed in front of the crowd. “Run! There's a bomb!”

As they helped the crowd get to safety, the timer hit zero and the transport erupted into a fire ball.
+++
“Sorry...” Rainbow Crash, now an adult pony, said, prowling next to an adult Gilda with her head down. The griffon...was not as muscular and well-built as she would one day be. She was skinny, looking somewhat sickly still. Her chest still felt tight and she still wheezed.

“It's fine, Rainbow...” Gilda replied, patting the downtrodden pegasus on the back.

“You and Fluttershy got me a job interview and I...” the cyan pegasus replied, looking like a beaten puppy.

“Rainbow, you couldn't have known that closet was full of bottled lightning,” the griffon replied as they came up on the simple rented building that Rainbow called home. It wasn't much, just a little shack really. But it had been the pegasus' home for years now, even if Fluttershy had had to seduce the owner into renting it out for chump change. It at least gave the broken pegasus SOMETHING. “Besides, you and I both know that all Fluttershy did was bat her eyelashes at a stallion, it wasn't that hard.”

“...You're not mad at me?”

“I was when it happened, but then I realized that being mad at you wouldn't solve anything,” Gilda replied, putting a wing over her back. “I never stay mad longer than I need to.”

“...Thanks Gilda...I don't deserve a friend like you,” Rainbow Crash replied, still looking down.

“I'm your friend, you don't NEED to deserve it. Besides, I'm not THAT good of a friend.”

“But you are! ...You and Fluttershy actually put up with me...”

“More we put up with what that crooked witch let's Spitfire get away with...” Gilda growled, referring to Spitfire's mother; a high ranking member of Equestria's military...and had a habit of getting the law in Cloudsdale to look the other way from her daughter's activities.

“N-No! That's not it. I totally haven't seen Spitfire in years! She's leaving me alone now!” the broken pegasus replied, looking around in near paranoia, like just that conversation alone might get someone hurt. Gilda noticed the bruises on her friend she was trying to hide. “I just...sometimes mess up is all...”

Gilda prepared to say something...when suddenly the sun above turned a menacing blood red and a beam of solar fire came plunging down, causing a massive explosion at the nearby Weather Factory, sending Cloudsdale into a panic and turmoil. “What?!”

Rainbow Crash stepped back. “B-But we're supposed to be safe here...aren't we?”

“Yeah, the shield the unicorns are putting up is supposed to protect us,” Gilda replied, taking a step back in horror. She then grabbed Rainbow and dove to the clouds as a fireball fell from the sky, slamming into the clouds with a huge explosion.

“Well well well...”

The two looked up in shock at the fires that were burning hot enough to evaporate the clouds around them. A figure trotted out of them, fire burning on her body without harming her, her iris glowing like fragments of the sun itself, fiery mane turning into literal solar flames.

“Rainbow Crash and the sick little snitch from Griffonstone.”

“S-Spitfire?” Gilda asked as Rainbow Crash whimpered and hid behind her, looking absolutely terrified.

“That's CAPTAIN Spitfire to you two,” Spitfire replied, holding up a hoof and letting fire burn around it. “New boss made me captain of her elites in exchange for beating up a few important unicorns. Even got a sweet upgrade outta the deal.”

A look of slow realization came to Gilda's face before transitioning into pure horror. “You're working for Celestia?!”

“Yeah, I am,” Spitfire replied, giving a smug smirk. “History is written by the winners, after all. Thought it'd be a good idea to jump ship to the winning team so I'll have a place in the new books.”

“Traitor...” Gilda snarled in absolute fury, clinching her shaking claw. “You're a sick bucker, you know that?!”

“At least you'll never forget the day this 'sick bucker' made a city fall,” Spitfire replied, as if that were a great accolade. Another plasma burst came down from the sun, causing what remained of the Weather Factory to explode. “No pony will. Captain Spitfire, Herald of Celestia! That has a great ring to it, doesn't it?”

The fiery pegasus finally turned to Rainbow Crash's home, getting a sadistic look. “Hey, is that your house, Rainbow Crash? Tsk, looks so cold.” Spitfire held up her hooves and pillars of flame erupted from both of them. “Maybe I should heat it up a little bit.”

Rainbow Crash's eyes widened. “NO!”

Spitfire threw her legs forwards, intense flames streaming forwards and striking the humble cloud structure with enough power to cause an explosion, industrial clouds evaporating on impact.

Rainbow Crash sunk to her hunches as she watched her house implode, fires evaporating it to nothing as Spitfire laughed, looking at her with a murderous glare.

Gilda saw red, seeing her best friend's home in ruin...and something just...break in Rainbow's eyes...Rainbow had gone practically catatonic. The smoke reached them blown by the wind and Gilda began coughing and hacking, her breathing quickly becoming labored.

“Well what do you know, looks like she finally realized how worthless she really is and gave up, took her long enough,” Spitfire mocked.

Another pillar of plasma slammed down, this time blasting through another building.

Gilda looked between the now superpowered Spitfire...a mare she hadn't been able to lay a finger on as a normal pegasus and when she wasn't on the verge of an asthma attack...and then to her catatonic friend in the middle of a disaster zone.

The griffon threw Rainbow Crash over her back and took off as fast as her sickly body could carry her, trying her best to keep her breathing paced enough to not succumb to the smoke in the air.

“Haha! Yeah, that's right, run you little coward!” Spitfire yelled, standing among flames as fire continued to rain down on the city. “Run and remember the day Cloudsdale fell!”

+++

Gilda spun around and flew up, using her shield to knock away pieces of flaming rubble falling towards the civilians with surprising strength, not letting a single piece get through. She'd have preferred to have all three other legs on the ground for blocking stuff like this, but beggars can't be choosers.

When the smoke and flames cleared, Gilda lowered her shield as the ponies cheered. “Dust, help Biceps with Soarin' and Fleetfoot!” she called. “I'll handle Spitfire!”

“Ma'am, are you sure?” the turquoise pegasus questioned, looking slightly concerned.

Gilda nodded. “I'm the only one fast enough to catch her with her head start, the rest of you need to focus on taking down Soarin' and Echo, then handling damage control.”

With that, the griffon spread her wings and took off. Once in the air, she sniffed, her nostrils picking up Spitfire's scent. “There you are...”

The Captain of the Royal Guard flew so fast that she looked like a blur to an outside observer. Soon enough, a cluster of orange dots appeared in the distance, slowly growing closer and closer until Spitfire and the remaining Firebolts came fully into view.

The Firebolt leader looked back and her eyes widened beneath her lenses. She glared to her hired guns. “Go stop her!”

The four remaining Firebolts nodded and broke off formation, flying back at Gilda. The griffon didn't stop her flight, instead quickly diving down and swinging back up, slamming shoulder first into the stomach of the first one to reach her, knocking the wind out of him then quickly flying above him and elbowing him in the back of the head hard enough to send him falling to the ground below. Two more came at her from both sides. She reacted quickly, sidestepping a strike while grabbing her attacker's foreleg and wrenching it while swinging back with her shield using her other front leg and bashing the other one in the face to counter her charge. The Captain of the Royal Guard followed up by picking up the one who's arm she'd wrenched overhead and throwing him into his partner with enough force to knock both of them out. The final one came flying at Gilda from behind with a stab from a knife held in her mouth, requiring the griffon to spin around and block the Firebolt's charge with her shield before pushing her back with it and giving her a hard kick to the stomach with both her hind legs (being mindful not to eviscerate the mare with her sharp hind claws). The force of the impact sent the female Firebolt flying back and slamming hard into a tree below. She groaned, sliding unconscious to the ground.

Gilda looked in the direction of the retreating Spitfire...then paused to take out a beacon and throw it down to remember where the Firebolts she'd just knocked out for later retrieval before continuing her pursuit.

+++

“Darn it, I can't believe I didn't get in AGAIN,” Gilda muttered, sitting on a couch at a fancy mansion.

“Well, you are very sickly, Gilda,” replied a greyish aquamarine pegasus stallion with a golden mane and a feather on the wind for his cutie mark. “Medicine can only do so much.”

“Yeah, tell me about it...thanks for letting me crash here while I try to get inta the guard, Zephyr Breeze” Gilda replied, giving a smile.

“Oh, it's no problem, any friend of my sister's is a friend of mine,” replied Zephyr, then looked a bit peeved. “Even if she's a bit of a...well...”

“I know...Not everypony can be a big entrepreneur and philanthropist,” Gilda replied, trying to smooth things over a bit, even if she couldn't hide a bit of bitterness towards Fluttershy. Zephyr had all the motivation his younger sister lacked, and had made the most of it.

“Yes, but she could at least TRY,” the stallion replied. “Enough about her. You're welcome to stay here...but I wish Rainbow Dash would stay here, the idea of her being out there alone...”

“Yeah...but I think she's a bit scared to settle down anywhere...what with HER still out there...especially considering...you know...”

Zephyr blushed a little bit. “Well, she is stronger than she gives herself credit for...most ponies may have tried to...take an easy way out by now...”

“Yeah...” the griffon replied. “She is...”

Zephyr looked at a watch. “Oh, I'm sorry, I have a meeting to get to, make yourself at home.”

Gilda nodded, giving a wave as the pegasus headed off...then gave an annoyed sigh and fell on the couch on her back. “...Stupid smog poisoning, I just want to be a bucking royal guard, is that too much for life to let me have? ...”

She started to close her eyes, trying to get some sleep.

“Excuse me, Miss Gilda?”

Gilda's eyes shot open and she looked over to see a light purple unicorn with a curly purple mane atop her head. Her cutie Mark a purple star in front of a wisp of green magic. “You're Gilda, correct?”

“Yeah, that's me,” the griffon replied, getting back up.

“My name is Starlight Glimmer, and I was here to talk to Zephyr about this community I have plans for,” the unicorn replied in a polite tone. “And he told me about your problem...you're from Griffonstone, correct?”

Gilda nodded. “Yeah...he tell you that?”

“No, it's kind of obvious from your condition,” Starlight replied, pointing to her ears. “Ponies have sensitive ears, I can hear your labored breathing from here.”

Gilda gave a sad chuckle, scooting over so Starlight could sit down. “Yeah...some big shots noticed how advanced Equestria was getting and decided 'the proud kingdom of Griffonstone' had to catch up to those 'pathetic ponies.' Next thing you know we've got an 'industrial revolution' going on and smog as thick as pea soup...”

“And an entire generation of griffon chicks growing up with breathing problems and immune system disorders from poisoning,” the unicorn replied, shaking her head. “It's a sad situation...but I may be able to help you.”

Gilda blinked. “Really?”

“My specialty is helping ponies, and other races obviously, reach their true potential,” Starlight replied, flexing a little bit and showing her body was a pretty good example of unicorn physical development and she practiced what she preached. “My ultimate goal is a world where everypony has reached that mountain top and are all equal, so no pony can look down on anypony else. That naturally includes those who are sickly or weak, and I've picked up a few immune system boosting techniques in my travels. You might be a perfect candidate for the program I'm trying to develop to do just that.”

The griffon looked down thoughtfully, putting a claw to her chest and feeling the slight wheeze in her lungs. “...So...if this works, I can be a royal guard?”

“Hopefully. I can't make promises, but we should at least give you a better standing of living.”

“...Then I guess I can give it a shot...then maybe I can take Spitfire down and put her behind bars where that psychopath belongs. Besides, if Zephyr trusts you, I think I can.”

“Want to kick her flank to get revenge for Cloudsdale?” Starlight questioned, in a neutral fashion, seeming good at hiding her emotions.

“Nah...That does make me steamed, but...” Gilda reached into a bag next to the couch and pulled out a picture of herself, Fluttershy, and Rainbow Crash in flight camp. “...She's been torturing my best friend since she was a filly...really messed her up bad...I think at this point the only way the poor girl will ever have any peace is if Spitfire can't hurt her ever again...or anypony for that matter.”

+++

Gilda closed the gap between her and Spitfire quickly, the former Herald of Celestia snarling before spinning around and letting loose a torrent of flame from her wrist devices.

The Griffon did a roll out of the way of the strike, then went into a circular flight path as the psychotic mare continued trying to roast her, feeling the heat of the flames not that far from her hindquarters. Finally, the Captain of the Royal Guard flew at Spitfire...only for it to be a feint when the griffon flew straight up over the flames and tackled Spitfire from above, slamming both into a mountain side. The two rolled down hill for a few moments before being tossed off of one another and rolling to their hooves and paws respectively.

The sky grew dark on the horizon, like a storm was brewing, as Gilda pulled her spear off her back and the flames on the devices on Spitfire's forelegs ignited.

“...Why are you doing this, Spitfire?” Gilda questioned. “Celestia's not behind you anymore, the other Firebolts at least decided to flee the country or got arrested. What's your deal?”

Spitfire glared. “What's my deal? Simple. I can't be loved as a hero like YOU, so I'll just be feared as a villain. I end up with everypony knowing my name either way.”

“And who's fault is THAT?” Gilda questioned, a cold fury in her eyes. “YOU decided to destroy our hometown. YOU decided to side with her. What else did you expect to happen?”

“For one, I expected Celestia to reward loyalty, not take my bucking powers away!” Spitfire spat back, looking up at the sun in anger. “What the buck is wrong with her. She goes from praising me left and right, rightfully so I might add, to sending the guard after me!”

“...Nothing. She just knows you,” the griffon replied, the two circling one another.

The Blazing Terror glared...then smirked. “...What about YOU? What's YOUR deal? Coming all this way for little old me. You must really hate me, don't you?”

“I want to see you behind bars for what you've done, do I NEED another reason?” Gilda questioned, not taking that bait.

“Oh, I think the reason is simple: you hate me...or does Rainbow Crash mean nothing to ya?”

Gilda narrowed her eyes. “...Her name's Rainbow DASH.”

Spitfire suddenly snorted air out her nose, then reared up and flapped her wings so she could put her forelegs up, sending a blast of fire at Gilda, who blocked with her shield. She then dashed across the ground on all fours, the ground behind her being lit ablaze by Spitfire's assault. “I wonder what Rainbow Crash is going to think when she finds out her only friend got barbecued!”

Gilda dove behind a log as the fire washed over it, her tail tip getting singed a bit. “...Good thing she won't.”

As Spitfire stopped firing to see the damage, Gilda drove her claws into the side of the log and lifted with a grunt. The still burning log was hoisted over her head before she threw it straight at Spitfire, forcing the mare to dive out of the way.

Gilda rushed her, shield ready, and made several trusts with her spear from the side of it aimed at the wings or legs, using her own wings for lift when she needed both front paws free. Spitfire dodged them, backing up to keep distance but receiving a thin cut on her leg from a close call. The pegasus grabbed something off her belt with her mouth and dropped it before flying back. The griffon's eyes went wide and she flew back, putting her shield in front of her as a grenade went off. While her shield absorbed the brunt of the explosion, she was still launched back and slammed into a tree by it. As the smoke cleared, Gilda barely managed to leap out of a torrent of flames.

“Come on, you mutant freak, I know you can do better than that!” Spitfire spat, unleashing another stream of fire, the dry forest around them now showing the beginnings of a forest fire.

+++
“29...30!” Gilda counted, putting the weights she was lifting back up on the rung, wheezing and coughing, but looking considerably less scrawny. She got up, standing in a simple building built in the middle of nowhere, the first building of Starlight's 'Our Town' project.

Starlight floated her a bowl of herbs to inhale the scent of, soothing her lungs a bit and helping her breathing. The unicorn was reading through a book on Zebra alchemy. “That's very good, Gilda, you've improved by at least thirty percent since we've started,” the mare praised genuinely.

Gilda finally caught her breath. “Thanks...I'm doing my best.”

“And I will say, you have an impeccable sense of how far your body can go,” the teacher replied, giving a reassuring smile.

“Kinda' comes with the territory of being a fragile griffon most of your life,” the Griffonstone native replied. “I've had no choice BUT to learn how to pace myself...not to mention, ya know, griffon. Our pride and greed has gotten us in a lot of trouble over the years, so my Grandpa Gruff always taught me to practice restraint in...well, everything.”

Starlight nodded. “True, and it is good advice...but while your physical strength and conditioning is increasing quite nicely, there is the matter of your damaged immune system. The potions and mixtures can only do so much...”

“Anything we can do 'bout that?” Gilda questioned.

The mare looked hesitant to respond. “Well...there is ONE thing I've found, in a book from about a thousand years ago...” she explained, turning to a bookshelf and producing a book with a the image of a stallion with a long beard and star emblazoned wizard hat on the cover. “It came from the same place much of our knowledge of magic originated...There's a spell that's designed to temporarily boost the immune system for creatures who have weakened ones, in hopes the boost will help it begin repairing itself...but...”

“But?”

Starlight gave a bit of a sheepish look. “I've never done it, and it requires a large amount of magic, to the point most medical ponies can't perform it...we could try, but I can't promise it will work...”

Gilda looked at the book...then to the picture of herself, Rainbow, and Fluttershy sitting on a shelf nearby. “...I trust ya. Let's give it a shot.”

+++

“Uh, Starlight...” said Gilda, as a wild magic storm Celestia had set loose raged above their humble building. “Are you sure we should be doing this during a wild storm?”

Starlight looked over the book one more time. “Relax, I reinforced the walls myself and there's no possible way this spell will explode. Besides, the ambient magic a wild storm puts into the air gives me more to draw from...”

“Alright...if you're sure.”

The teacher took a deep breath, steadying herself. “Okay, I think we're all set...”

The griffon steadied herself as well. “Yeah...go for it...”

Starlight's horn lit up turquoises and built up magic. She lowered her head and fired a sparkling beam onto Gilda, surrounding her in a bright aura.

Gilda's eyes widened, her body language suddenly becoming more energetic. “Whoa, I feel like I just drank three cups of coffee!”

“That's supposed to happen!” Starlight squeaked out, sweating and struggling as rain poured and thunder roared in the background. “I AM supercharging a part of your biology at the moment!”

Gilda blinked, feeling her chest as the magic continued soaking into her. “Hey...Hey my chest isn't tight anymore! I think it's working!”

“Good! We're almost done!” Starlight fell to her knees, pumping more and more magic into it. There was a reason this spell wasn't routine medical procedure. “Just another moment!”

One moment can change history.

A lightning bolt slammed down, striking straight through the ceiling and into the floor behind Starlight, so close her tail was singed and burned, the rain thankfully quickly putting out the flames it started.

The mare jumped in surprise and pain...her magic sparking brightly, then turning into an extremely powerful glow. Her eyes began to glow a bright white as she and Gilda both floated into the air.

Gilda cringed. “Gah! What's happening?!”

“I DON'T KNOW!” Starlight screamed in panic, eyes still glowing as the two of them floated in a bright, powerful turquoise magic. “I CAN'T STOP!”

Gilda screamed, muscles and body pulsing with magic...before a symbol emerged from her chest. It looked similar to a pony's Cutie Mark, taking the form of a golden shield with a trio of scratches over it. The magic seemed to implode into that point, causing it to erupt into a powerful golden glow that filled out the entire room to the point of blinding them both.

When the brilliant light finally cleared, Starlight groaned, getting back to her hooves and shaking herself off...then gasping. “Gilda! Are you alright?!” she screamed, running over. “Please...be...okay...”

Gilda groaned, getting back to her paws as smoke cleared from the room. “What was that?”

“Gilda...you're...you're...”

Starlight was speechless, so she simply summoned a mirror with her magic. Gilda looked at what she saw in shock. Gone was the scrawny, sickly griffon. In her place was a lean, muscular, and powerful looking one in peak health. Gilda felt her front legs, feeling compact, powerful muscles where modest ones just beginning to bulk up had once been. She felt her chest and noticed her breathing was smooth and steady. For the first time in her entire life...she felt healthy.
[
The Griffon slowly stood up...and her claw went straight through the floorboards. She carefully put her other one down, making an effort to use no more strength than needed. “What...what happened to me?”
+++

Gilda ducked behind a tree as another torrent of fire. “Come out, come out wherever you are!” Spitfire yelled. “I thought you were supposed to be Equestria's best warrior, aren't ya?!”

The griffon peaked out, carefully planning out her next move. As Spitfire let loose another blast of flames, Gilda jumped out, ducking and rolling through to a kneeling position, her spear held ready to throw. Taking a moment to aim, she threw it with precision aim. Spitfire's flames cut out right as the spear tore through the device on her right foreleg and reduced it to scrap, sparks flying.

Gilda charged forwards before she could recover and punched the mare right in the face (while she was sorely tempted to put her talons to good use, she wouldn't give Spitfire the satisfaction). “Nah, I'm just a hen from Griffonstone,” she answered.

Spitfire snarled, then twisted her other foreleg, causing a blade to extend from her left device and took a swing at Gilda, who blocked with her shield and pushed back, throwing a punch in return. The psychopath managed to dodge and threw a strike with her other front leg, the ravaged machinery still being good for weight and blunt force. Gilda ducked under it and punched Spitfire in the ribs before blocking a counter slash with the blade.

Spitfire flapped her wings to gain lift and kicked forwards with her hind legs, forcing Gilda's shield up to block. As she flipped back around, Spitfire swung her blade low. Gilda jumped up to evade and tried to bring her shield down on Spitfire, but the mare just barely managed to slide between her legs to avoid and spun back around with another slash.

Gilda managed to jump back, getting a cut on her left front leg. She grunted and put her shield back between the two of them just in time to block a blast of fire as Spitfire got a little distance.

“Come on, freak. Don't you want to get me? Or do I have to go burn down Rainbow Crash's OTHER house with all her friends in it to get you to take me seriously?!” Spitfire asked.

Gilda glared, charging forwards with her shield, the single stream of flame not having a big enough splash to prevent it. She slammed her shield right into Spitfire's face and knocked her on her back. Gilda pulled her shield back with intent to slam it down on Spitfire's face, only to suddenly have to block with her shield to prevent herself from getting slashed with the madmare's blade. Spitfire took advantage and kicked out with her hind legs, striking Gilda between her hind legs. The griffon groaned, doubling over in pain.

“Most girls forget how much that hurts. Dirty, I know. But unlike you, I'm NOT a freak,” Spitfire replied, smacked her hard in the head with the wreckage of her right leg device, leaving a few lacerations from twisted metal, and kicking her shield away. She kicked her several more times while she had the advantaged before moving in and stabbing at her repeatedly. The stunned griffon had to dodge the blade, several times, while trying to recover.

Spitfire slammed her free hoof down on Gilda's throat and pulled back her blade to try and stab her, the two now surrounded by a roaring forest fire from years of dried wood and dead trees. “I'm going to enjoy seeing the look on Rainbow Crash's face when I drop your bloody head right in front of her! No pony is ever gonna forget me after THAT!”
+++
“499...500...” Gilda lifted the same weight she'd previously been left wheezing and struggling to lift thirty times. She didn't even seem winded.

“It's just as I thought,” Starlight replied, looking at notes from several experiments and tests. “...It appears my magic surge supercharged the spell and it may have...gone horribly right.”

“Meaning?” Gilda asked, putting the weights back on the rack with no effort.

“Meaning instead of a 'temporarily boost your immune system' spell, it turned into a 'permanently boost everything to its highest possible level' spell,” Starlight replied, seeming genuinely excited. “You're now an example of a griffon at peak ability. Strength, speed, agility, reaction time, senses, everything. This is amazing...”

“Can you replicate it?” Gilda asked, sitting up. “Sounds like something Equestria could really use right now...”

Starlight frowned. “Sadly no, I had a magic surge from that lightning bolt. I have no idea what that changed in the spell to make this happen because it had gone wild...but that doesn't mean I can't replicate the results!” the purple unicorn said, her eyes widening in realization and excitement.

Gilda raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean?”

“You're not mutated, you're not altered...you're just the peak physical example of what your species is capable of...and that means that there's no reason a normal griffon couldn't one day reach this level with the proper training,” the unicorn explained, like she'd just been handed the holy grail. “You're proof of what I want to do: the level I believed everypony can reach! You're proof of it!”

The griffon gave a smile, stretching her new body. “Guess your right...Wish you luck with that.”

Starlight finally calmed down a bit and looked to her. “...So...what are you going to do now?”

Gilda stood up and looked to her picture, which had thankfully survived the lightning strike. “Same thing I wanted to do from the start. Enter the Royal Guard, beat Spitfire, and put her behind bars...then Rainbow Dash and everypony else in Equestria can finally rest.”

“...Not to get back on the ponies that made fun of you before?”

“Nah...not much point, is there? Thing they made fun of me for, is long gone now...”

“...Then perhaps I can be of more assistance...after all, I do know some ponies that know a lot about hoof to hoof combat. You've got the physical side...perhaps I can help finish up the mental and skill side of it too?”

“...Yeah, that sounds good to me.”
+++

Gilda had a split second to react...and quickly freed one of her front legs, grabbing Spitfire's blade foreleg and stopping it an inch from her face. She inhaled and let out an ear piercing roar, stunning Spitfire and leaving her ears ringing. The Captain of the Royal Guard quickly brought up her other leg and slammed the elbow into the side of the one pinning her down to free herself.

Forcing herself up and completely overpowering the stunned Spitfire, she squeezed hard on the mare's weapon. Spitfire screamed in pain as her device was shattered to bits and the bone of her foreleg cracked, a bone snapping. Spitfire kicked her off with her hind legs and tried to take flight before the griffon recover...only for the blackening sky to erupt in lightning and rain. Spitfire fell back from a lightning bolt, allowing her opponent to grab her by the tail and pull her back. Gilda delivered several rapid blows to her chest and face, staggering her backwards before jumping up and flooring her with double kick from her hind legs.

Gilda flew over and picked up her spear. She landed on Spitfire, spear aimed at the mare's head. “It's over...”

Spitfire spat out a little blood, nose bloodied, and chuckled. “Go ahead...do it...I destroyed your home...ruined your friend's life...made her a mess...go on. Do it, Miss Temperance...”

Gilda glared down at her with hatred and anger in her eyes...then simply lowered her spear. “...I admit it...I hate you...I hate everything you've done to Rainbow...I think you deserve to rot in Tartarus...But that ain't me and killing you now wouldn't solve a dang thing...”

Spitfire stared in blind shock for a few moments before Gilda gave her one last punch to the face and knocked her out cold.

“Besides, you'd like the fame of making me slip up and kill somepony, wouldn't you?...You're under arrest...” The griffon looked up at the sky and the rain that was now putting out the forest fire. She held out a claw, letting the rain land on it. “Where did this storm come from?”

“You have the right to remain silent, anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law,” Lightning Dust told Fleetfoot and Soarin', the two Firebolt lieutenants in cuffs and beaten up.

Bulk Biceps gave Red Shirt a pat on the back. “Good work, rookie. They'd have gotten away without that net gun.”

Red Shirt smirked. “Sniping isn't my special talent, but I don't miss a shot when it's lined up.”

“What IS your talent anyway?” Red Heart asked, tending to a knife wound on Lightning Dust's shoulder.

“Knitting shirts.”

“Oh...”

“Good job, team,” said a voice. The group looked up and cheered as Gilda landed, dropping Spitfire and the other Firebolts she'd defeated before on the ground, all in cuffs, wings bound.

“Way to go, Captain!” Red Heart said, the group giving her a salute, the others following suit.

“You guys did your part too...” Gilda replied, giving a smirk...and looking down at Spitfire. “...Thanks to us, this last nightmare is finished...”

The crowd returned, surrounding them and applauding loudly despite the storm above...but Gilda's thoughts were decidedly elsewhere...

In the aftermath of Nightmare Spotlight's defeat...Gilda approached Rainbow Crash. “Rainbow?”

“Oh! Hey Gilda...I...Did I help this time?”

Gilda gave a warm smile and hugged her. “Of course you did...thanks, Rainbow...”

Rainbow Dash seemed to blush. “...It...it feels weird to...actually...”

“Well you definitely did...” Gilda answered. “...Oh, and Rainbow?”

“Yeah?”

“I got her.”

Rainbow Crash's eyes widened in surprise. “G-Got her?”

“Spitfire...I got her. She's behind bars...she'll never hurt you again,” Gilda said in the most warm, reassuring tone she could. “You're safe now.”

Rainbow Crash was stunned for a few moments...looking like a person waking up from a nightmare. “W-What?”

“Spitfire's locked up. I kicked her flank myself and put her there...it's over, Rainbow.”

Slowly, the cyan pegasus' eyes filled with tears and she hugged Gilda, almost going limp like she'd been carrying a tremendous weight for years and only now got rid of it. “...T-Thank y-you...” she practically sobbed.

Gilda returned her hug, supporting her. Holding her up. Letting her just let it out. A feeling of...completeness fell over the Griffon...relief over both. “It's what friends are for, Rainbow Dash...I'm just glad this nightmare is over for you.”

The cloaked pony closed the book.

“And that was the story of Gilda the Warrior of Temperance. The one who went from humble beginnings to become Equestria's greatest warrior. Who brought down the remnant of Celestia's evil empire...and who did it all for a friend...

But this is but one story of many...will you stay and hear the next one?”

I Love All

Ilustration by F-NAR

The cloaked figure moved their sitting place and looked up at the stained glass window of Duchess Chrysalis the Loving.

“Not everypony begins life a saint, just as not every warrior begins life as athletic and powerful,” he explained, taking a look at Gilda's window before returning his gaze to the Duchess's. “Sometimes it's a long road to that finish line. And we may be tempted to stray from the path.”

Duchess Chrysalis stared off the balcony of the castle overlooking Equestria's southern lands that she was presently stood as guardian of. Her true palace was a bit further east, but temporarily (fate permitting) relocating to the center of Equestria's southern half allowed her to react faster to threats throughout it. Given she, Sombra, and Captain Good Guy were the only three currently active heroes that could face the dreaded Princesses when they struck, she had to be quick.

Unfortunately, despite her best efforts, Southern Equestria had suffered no less than the rest of the land. She could save cities and lives, but all the pegasus cities had been destroyed and she couldn't make Celestia stop her sun's scorching heat. Bravery Blue (Chrysalis being one of a handful of beings who knew he actually existed) had managed to protect the basin he lived in with a magical shield and other shielding was somewhat possible, but that still only created 'safe spots.' “...All this devastation...” she muttered with a sigh. “And I just can't bring an end to it...”

Fight after fight with those two. Even when she managed to gain a decisive advantage over either of them, she just couldn't finish the job. Only drive them away to wreak havoc on her country another day.

“Maybe if I was the mare I once was...”

The Changeling matriarch shook her head to clear that frightening thought away. “I'll...I'll just keep fighting...eventually we'll send them to Tartarus or...or maybe actually fix what happened...”

Before the Duchess could think further on that subject, she felt something on her leg. Looking down, she found a Changeling larva climbing on her leg. The infant gave a whimper, the Changeling Royal sensing its concern. She gave a motherly smile and floated the larva up to nuzzle them. “It's okay, my child. I was just thinking some things over...”

She hummed a lullaby to the infant until they fell asleep, at which point she sat them down in a cradle with several others. One of many such cradles. They weren't ALL her own, though her insect queen status wasn't just for show. This was the hive daycare which was under the matriarch's personal care. But even if they weren't all her biological children, that didn't mean she didn't treat them.

Chrysalis looked over the rows of sleeping larvae with a warm, motherly smile...until one of her Changelings rushed in, panting heavily. “Your Majesty!” While Chrysalis was a Duchess of Equestria, her own people still saw her as their Queen and referred to her as such. That and regardless of title, she was an insect queen.

Unfortunately, the yell for her attention also caused the multiple cradles of larvae to startle awake and begin crying loudly, resulting in a glare from the matriarch and a sheepish look from the drone. However, Chrysalis then noted the distress on his face and motioned for the drones and ponies that worked there under her to help calm the infants (as much as she loved this, the Duchess was still only one pony) and gently rocked one of the cradles to sooth the larvae back to sleep while keeping her eyes on the drone. “Is it the Princesses?”

The changelings had received word of something involving those two Sombra was currently caught up in. Something about a mirror portal and a second Celestia. But beyond that, she knew nothing about the situation.

“No...something else...”

A unicorn mare with white fur and a silver mane and tail trotted over to the matriarch, her Cutie Mark was a heart with a bottle over it. “I'll handle things here, don't worry,” she said with a smile.

Chrysalis returned a motherly smile. “Alright, Nurturing Heart.”

Chrysalis sat at a desk, looking at not only her Changeling guard, but several members of the Royal Guard and various policeponies. The one currently briefing her was a blue earth pony mare with a gray mane and tail dressed in a detective's uniform, a diamond for her cutie mark. On a board behind the detective were a distressingly high number of pictures, each of another pony looking drained, emotionless. Almost emaciated in some ways. The Duchess shuddered.

“So far twenty ponies were found in this state. At first we thought it might be some of Luna's vampires, but then we realized no blood had been taken...” the mare explained, giving sigh. “We did some digging and well...”

Chrysalis looked down at her hooves. “...Changeling love drain...it has thankfully been a very long time since I've seen this, Detective Diamond.”

Rough Diamond was a police detective, one of the best on the force. Something only Chrysalis and a select few knew, however, was she was one of their best undercover operatives inside Celestia and Luna's operations.

One of the guards shuddered at the picture of the drained ponies. “Why would a Changeling do this?”

Duchess Chrysalis gave a sigh, pinning her ears. “...It's in our nature the same as eating meat is in that of a griffon, even if we've grown beyond the more grisly ways we used to do it...”

3,000 Years Ago

Perhaps it was the location of some horrible disaster. Perhaps it was simply the result of a large deal of natural magic congealing together into a pool of eldritch power. Even she and her brood did not know. What they did know, however, was the first sight of her species was that dark pool filled with bones as they tore their way out of the hideous, dark magic-mutated tree that was their point of genesis.

First came the swarm of hissing, growling insectiod beasts with tattered wings that burst forth fully grown. The newborn hive snarling and hissing at each other, beginning to fight amongst themselves within moments of their existence...at least until they heard a deep hiss resound from within the tree.

Ripping her way forth from her womb, the Changeling Queen's appearance would have shocked all who knew the form she wore today. She was animalistic and feral in her mannerisms, her horn long, viscous, and curved. Beautiful butterfly wings nowhere in sight, instead being simply a bigger looking version of her hive's. The chitin composing her exoskeleton onyx black rather than the lighter gray she'd one day be clad in. As she emerged, lightning seemed drawn down from the sky, striking the tree and lighting it ablaze with green flames that imploded inward in tandem with her exit until the tree was consumed and vanished as she cleared the place of her birth.

The newborn Changeling Royal looked down at the pool in front of her the tree that had spawned them had grown from, at first recoiling and giving a frightened, feral hiss at what she saw...then slowly looking back down, finding another queen looking back. She carefully raised a hoof. The other queen did the same. She moved her head. The other queen did the same. She walked around the pool. The other queen did the same. This was not another queen. This was her. Her face.

The newborn, feral matriarch looked at her hive, not having enough knowledge or mental growth to speak a word. Or even knowing what words were. Her world was one ruled by instinct and animalistic urges.

The most basic was a hunger...a bottomless hunger. Not for meat, plants, or anything else material. This was a stranger hunger. One for something she had not yet tasted or even smelled but knew she needed like plants needed water and sunlight..

Another instinct was cold. Apathetic. The law of the jungle incarnate. The strong thrive, the weak die. She was the strongest of the hive without question. This instinct demanded she grab those reigns that strength presented and dominate the hive. To see them as only a means to ensure her own survival above all else.

But a second instinct battled this one. A warm instinct. Loving. The law of the mother. Of a mother or older sister to her children or younger sibling. The elder takes care of their young until they could care for themselves. The duty of the stronger Alpha to protect the rest of their...herd? Swarm? This instinct demanded a mother, not simply a controlling, dominating force.

While her mind was still simple, it was developed enough to tell these two instincts were mutually exclusive. One could not feel nothing and feel compassion at the same time. That was simply impossible.

And thus, the Queen did something that showed that even in this primitive state, showed she was no mere beast.

She chose.

The Changeling Royal gave a commanding screech for her hive to gather around her...and put her wings over the closest, giving them a motherly nuzzle.

Chrysalis put a hoof to one of the pictures, looking into the drained eyes of the poor husks. She finally broke eye contact and began looking at the map marking the locations where the victims had been found. The attacker's feeding ground seemed to be Manehattan, and any outside it had been on a line towards that location. They had a hunting ground, now they just needed a pattern... “Changelings can't just rip love out of a nonchangeling, it has to be...offered so to speak. They have to pretend to be somepony the person loves to get their opening...”

“So in other words, he's not going to be running around draining homeless ponies?” Detective Diamond commented, looking at the board next to the monarch.

“Unless they take their time, but ones like this normally don't have the...patience for that...they're always hungry,” the Duchess explained, her tone one of pity.

The police detective nodded. “Got it...well, all the targets are female, so does that mean we're looking for a male Changeling?”

Chrysalis rubbed her head sheepishly. “Maybe but...well, Changelings aren't very...self-conscious about the gender of our alternate forms. We don't particularly care. I myself have been male plenty of times for many reasons...” she explained...then blushed green at the looks that got her. “Be that as it may...it could simply be like a serial killer having a particular target.”

“Like how Empress Cadenza likes kidnapping ponies with loved ones?” one of the guards asked, causing Chrysalis to give a rare snarl.

“Yes...” Changeling monarch said flatly at the mention of her archenemy. She and the 'Empress of Broken Hearts' had a history. All of it bad. Though given Cadenza's backstory, Chrysalis couldn't hate her. Just really really dislike her. “The point is, yes, they are targeting mares with love interests, so that is a good place to start.”

Rough Diamond nodded. “As good a place to start as any. The sooner we stop this maniac the better.”

The matriarch nodded, then looked back to the board. ''Stop this maniac'...I remember when I could very well have been the target of those words...'

Chrysalis. The middle stage of an insect were it formed a hard cocoon to protect itself as it grew into adulthood. A mother protected her young until they grew to adulthood. The Changeling Queen felt that word was perfect for her 'name.' It was a long time before her kind had even heard the word 'name,' let alone decided to take them for themselves.

The young Chrysalis knew her duty was to provide for her people. And that duty included food. Food that, as she soon discovered, was not as easily acquired as grabbing fruit from a tree or hunting game. Love, her kind's lifeblood, could only be acquired from those that felt it and no where else.

She'd started off targeting highwaystallions and other wrongdoers. Then moved on up to despots and warmongers. Those that no one would miss if they disappeared or left emotionless husks. Like Tibucktu and their cruel but cowardly King Orion, who's crown now set on her head, morphed into a shape more befitting her. The Queen was also currently clad in jade colored, insect themed armor, her helmet having tusks next to her mouth and the yellow lenses over her eyes. After claiming Orion's kingdom, she'd had it forged and made there from plunder. However, unfortunately those cruel hearts didn't exactly have a surplus of love for her kind to feed on. Plenty of narcissism, yes, but that was an acquired taste and not as powerful as other types. They needed hearts filled with love...if they didn't, they would starve.

It was for that reason that their latest target was Trot, lead by the all loving Emperor Incitatus. It was a simple plan: replace his bride (she was a gold digger anyway, her narcissism had been rather filling) and feed off the Emperor's love until they launched their attack on wedding day.

It went perfectly...but then, they hit a snag right as she and her drones had been feeding on the Emperor's generous supply of love...

Now the Changelings were stuck on the other side of a radiant shield of golden light, their intended prey safely inside.

“Cease these hostilities!” King Sombra of Equestria yelled, standing on top of a pillar of radiant blue crystal. “I do not want war!”

Chrysalis snarled, she and her swarm buzzing above the city like a plague of locusts about to descend.“Do you think I do?! This is the only way for my people to survive! And we will not be denied!” The Changeling swarm unleashed a collective blast upon the shield, but it held.

“I highly doubt that! There has got to be some other way!” the King of Equestria replied, keeping a kindly, but firm tone. “War is never the only solution!”

“Do not preach to me! You don't know what my people need!” the Changeling monarch yelled. “You don't know what it's like to be born with these instincts of ours! With this hunger we deal with every day!”

Sombra gave a frown, giving an oddly sympathetic look. “...Maybe I do...”

Chrysalis prepared to give a rebuke...when a thought occurred to her. “If he's here keeping my army away...that means...” she whispered. Did she dare do that? Attack THERE? She looked to her people, who had only gotten a small nibble of love from this venture. Who still starved day in and day out. She didn't want to, she HAD to.

“Children! Half of you with me! The other half remain here and keep the King busy!” Chrysalis called. If they went to Equestria and took all that glorious love and brought it back, her people would be well fed! At the very least for a longer time than they'd ever known before!

However, fate had other plans. Sombra had not ruled Equestria for so long despite the onslaught of his enemies by being stupid. He quickly caught on to the Changeling Queen's plans...and had but one choice.

“Citizens of Trot! Close your eyes!” the king called. The subjects did as they were told, having trust in the king who had come to their rescue. Chrysalis looked back as she felt something...something frightening. The king took a deep breath, closing his eyes. “I hoped I'd never have to use this power again...” he muttered, rising his crystal tower up high enough off the ground no one could see him clearly or hear his words. He put a hoof to the golden amulet on his cape, causing it to glow with magic.

The Changeling monarch's eyes went wide as Sombra opened his own, revealing slitted red eyes with green sclerae, a stream of purple magic rising from the sides of them. His shadow rose up around him, slinking like it was alive.

The barrier changed from one made of golden light to purple with streaks of green, spreading outwards. Chrysalis gasped as it went over the Changelings surrounding Trot.

The swarm's eyes turned to match the King's before they fell to the ground, curling into balls and looking too panicked and terrified to react to anything around them.

“What did yo-” Chrysalis started, a mother's rage now burning...before Sombra surged upwards on his crystal pillar, forcing the Changelings and their queen to fall back as the terrifying shield approached.

Sombra gave a sadistic, animal-like smirk, revealing razor sharp teeth filling his jaws. Chrysalis trembled, falling back in pure terror from the being before her. Sombra blinked...then it was his turn to look terrified. He put a hoof to the golden amulet and focused, causing the frightening magic to dissipate and his eyes to turn back to normal.

“W-What what that?” Chrysalis asked in a stupor.

“...I told you I might understand your plight better than you assumed...” the King of Equestria replied with a sorrowful look. “What you are...what your instincts say. Is not who you have to be. Trust me, I know from personal experience that is not true.”

Chrysalis watched as Sombra held out his hoof to the barrier.

“I'm sure we can find a better way for your people...just like I have found a better way for me.”

The Changeling monarch slowly put a hoof out to meet Sombra's...then her eye caught the Changelings still curled up in panic and fear on the ground. A snarl of fury crossed her face and she tried to blast straight through Sombra's shield with a mother's rage. “YOU HURT MY BABIES! WHY WOULD I EVER TRUST YOU?!”

Sombra sighed dejectedly. “...I'm sorry, but it was the only way I could get past them. They're not hurt, they'll be fine once the spell wears off...”

Chrysalis hammered away at the shield with beams and blows. Her fury and rage managing to force some cracks into the shield. “I DON'T CARE!”

The King of Equestria gasped in surprise as she blew a hole through his shield and blasted him in the chest, knocking him back across his crystal platform. The queen snarled in rage, charging up her horn for a follow up aimed directly at his head.

Suddenly, the sky glowed blue and the clouds began circling like a whirlpool. A trio of voices began singing long wordless notes.

“What?!” Chrysalis asked, looking up.

The singing continued as finally a single long note accompanied a blue magical shockwave blowing away the clouds. From the sky descended a trio of long, mermare-like beings. One was blue and wore glasses, another purple and had a flower attached to her head fin, and the middle one was yellow and wearing a holy looking necklace and tiara. In the chest of each one sat a blue jewel. While each had razor sharp teeth filling their maws, their peaceful and kind expressions gave them a calming presence. Just the way they carried themselves made them seem strangely beautiful rather than any physical attribute.

“Welcome to the Show...
This violence that you sow...
Let it end now...
Let anger's flame burn out...” the trio sang, causing the Changelings to suddenly feel calmer. Invisible to all watching but the trio, streams of green, smoke-like energy departed all presence, surging into the trio's gems.

“Adagio...I wondered when you and your sisters would get here...” Sombra said with a relieved sigh.

The yellow Muse Sister nodded, giving a humble bow. “My apologizes, King Sombra, we were in the North when we got word...”

The blue one adjusted her glasses. “They appear to be some form of insectiod/equine hybrid. If I am not mistaken, they are fellow emotovores, sisters.”

“Really, Sonata? Huh...I think they're kinda cute,” the purple one said, giving a somewhat girlish and excitable smile.

Chrysalis snarled, seeing red instead of reason even with her rage being siphoned off. “GET OUT OF HERE!” she yelled, firing her magic beam at them. The remaining active Changelings joined in, uniting in a massive blast. Calmed or not, she was their mother.

The Muse Sisters all sung one long note, effortlessly blowing their attacks back with a blue colored, magical sound wave.

Adagio and her sisters held their hooves close to their gems, channeling the green miasma only they could see into the space between their hooves. Chrysalis felt her rage being torn away and tried to hang onto it. She needed it to win!

“Your own negative energy will be your downfall...” Adagio said before the trio each threw a hoof up.

“Feel the wave of sound,
As it crashes down.
You won't win this day!
We'll wash evil away!” the Muse Sisters sung, a blue energy wave flying up, then crashing down on the Changelings like a tidal wave when they brought their hooves back down. Chrysalis' eyes went wide as it slammed into them and drove them into the ground with enough force to form a crater and shatter her armor. Everything went black...

”You may have hit her a little too hard, Adagio...” muttered Sombra's voice.

“In our defense, we got a bigger boost from her anger than we expected...” Adagio's replied, sounding apologetic. “...Though it was weird. It wasn't the anger of a bad guy being mad they're losing, trust me we've tasted plenty of that...it was more...motherly rage...”

“So I noticed...”

Chrysalis groaned, opening her eyes and looking up at Sombra.

“Good, you're awake...” the King replied, looking down at her with a concerned tone.

The Changeling Queen looked around, noting her swarm had been captured and put in chains, herself included. They'd lost...It was over.

“...You won...” she sighed, hanging her head in defeat. Tears started down her face. 'I'm sorry, my children...' “...Do whatever you want to me...turn me to stone...trap me in a volcano...do your worst...but don't hurt my children...they were just following their mother...”

The reaction was decidedly not what she expected. No declaration of anger or judgment. Only a kindly smile.

A mare walked through the streets of Manehattan late at night, a stallion trotting beside her. It was dark and few ponies were walking were around them to see at the moment, the normally busy streets of the city lonely and still. The nights were brutality cold, but Manehattan was a large city and still had unicorns to shield it...for now. Who knew how long that would last.

A pair of predatory, compound eyes watched from the shadows, moving from bush to bush. Object to object. Moving fast like a hungry wolf chasing its prey.

The two stopped beneath a street light and shared a kiss. Their mysterious stalker licked his lips. “I'll be right back, my sweet,” the stallion said, before heading off with a wave.

“Don't take too long, my love!” called the mare, waving.

The hunter moved to the alleyway behind her, giving a low, feral growl.

The mare sat down on a bench there for buses and began checking some things in her saddle bags, not noticing the predator creeping up slowly behind her. Its form flickered with blue flame, twisting and morphing with each step.

“I'm back, my sweet,” said the creature, now in the form of her husband.

The woman jumped up and hugged him. “Sweetie, you're back! Tax office not have any lines for once?”

“...Yes...that's right...” said the 'stallion' with a disarming smile.

The two leaned in and prepared to kiss...the hunter's smile becoming predatory and exposing sharp fangs as he opened his mouth in preparation for his next meal.

Then screamed in pain as a taser was shoved into his chest by the mare. As he was still stunned, she kicked him and did several backflips to gain distance. As his apparent prey came to a landing, she removed a wig to reveal Rough Diamond as she produced a crossbow from her saddle bags and pointed it at her would-be attacker.

“What?!” the predator asked...then found unicorns leveling floodlight-like beams at him from all directions.

“We have you surrounded! Give up!” Rough Diamond ordered, showing her badge.

The predator shed his disguise and took a stance like a wolf about to pounce. His horn was more jagged and holes filled his wings, but the biggest difference between himself and his fellow Changelings was the turquoise wing casing adorning his back. His exoskeleton also itself looked slightly duller, as if he was about to molt, and he was slightly larger.

Chrysalis flew down and her eyes met the rogue member of her species. “...My child...please...stop this foolishness...” she pleaded, her tone motherly and desperate.

The Changeling gave a cold, predatory glare in the matriarch's direction. “This isn't foolishness. It's the truth. The true and only way of our kind. The only way this nightmare will ever end. And if you won't do what must be done, 'your majesty,' then I will!” he replied, voice confident and charismatic despite the animalistic smirk that graced his face.

Chrysalis prepared to reply...then saw the turquoise portions of his exoskeleton.

Chrysalis stared down at a small Changeling nymph with Turquoise wing casings. “...Thorax, what am I going to do with you? This is the third time this week you've hurt another Changeling in a play fight...”

“...It's not my fault everyone else is so weak...” the little Changeling said, looking angry and bitter. “Maybe if they were stronger the bad queen would be gone by now!”

“...Thorax?”

The changeling's eyes narrowed, before he gathered magic into his horn. “You lead us away from the true path! The one that can stop all this suffering! And I'll take us back to it, mother!” he replied, before letting off a shockwave of green fire.

Chrysalis raised a shield to protect herself and those near her, but found herself straining slightly against the power of the attack as the officers and Rough Diamond were sent flying back. When the dust cleared, Thorax was running for it. “...Oh Thorax...you've got it all wrong...”

“And then the friendly giant took back his stolen possessions back to his castle in the sky and lived happily ever after,” Chrysalis explained, now closer to her current appearance. The only exceptions were her wings were still in their more dragonfly-like state and her carapace still onyx black chitin. Otherwise, she looked like the warm, kindly 'grandmother' she was in the present.

The small foals gathered around her looked up at her in amazement, excitement, and admiration. Chrysalis smelled their love. Tasted their love. Felt their love. That tantalizing thing that was her kind's life blood so abundant before her.

When Sombra had forced her to do community service (under heavy watch with a magic suppressor on her horn 24/7 and being taken back to jail cell afterward as soon as she was finished), she'd believed he was being an idiot. Not that she would tell him that. Any punishment that was easier on her babies was welcome to her at the time.

But then one day she realized something.

That gnawing, perpetual hunger she had known from the moment of her genesis. The thing that until now had defined her people's every action and deed. The thing that had been their world in every sense of the world as long as they had known.

It was gone.

And so long as she continued to do this, it didn't return. She even had enough to feed a great many of her babies and still have enough left for her just from doing this.

The explanation came from a very unlikely place all things considered.

“So, you figured it out?” Adagio asked, swimming through the air up to her cell with a smile.

“...Figured what out?” Chrysalis asked, giving a glare at the one who defeated her and her people. “All I know is I haven't been hungry...”

“Since you started your community service?”

The Changeling monarch blinked as the Muse gave a knowing smile. “That...that's right...”

“Let me explain something about emotions. Emotovore to emotovore,” Adagio explained, giving a warm smile. “You don't need to be a parasite.”

“...I don't understand...”

“Well my sisters and I feed off of negative emotions, but encouraging those impulses tends to...shorten the lives of ponies. Ripping those emotions OUT means they can't feel them anymore...but when we take 'small bites,' the ponies just calm down. They stop being bitter, angry, hateful, stressed out, you know the drill. Not forever, just for the moment...and that means their minds aren't clouded anymore. They can think CLEARLY without being blinded,” the muse explained with a smile. “Win win. They get a reality check or free stress relief care, we get a meal...”

Sonata 'swam' up. “In other words, parasitism, that is all take and no give, versus mutualism, that is a symbiotic relationship where both parties benefit.”

Mutualism. Symbiosis. Those were words she'd never heard before. Predator. Prey. Those were words she had known. It'd been her WORLD. And such views were hard to shake all at once.

But she couldn't argue with the results. Especially with results that just kept coming, day after day. Week after week. Month after month. Year after year...And overtime...

The changeling monarch allowed the children to hug her (or in some cases climb on her) with a warm smile.

What could she say? When others opened their hearts to you...

Chrysalis gave a smile as the foals' teacher called them to come so their parents could pick them up. “See you tomorrow, my little ponies...”

Just being here, with them, made her feel satisfied. Content. Happy. And the same was true of her Changelings, all of whom had found somewhere to experience the same contentedness and belonging. If children were happy, mother was happy.

“Miss Chrysalis?”

The Changeling matriarch turned to find a white unicorn stallion. His mane and tail were silver and he wore guard armor. His Cutie Mark was not visible due to his meticulously polished silver armor, and she'd never seen him without it to know what was hidden beneath.“Hello, Chivalrous Heart.”

The stallion gave an honorable tip of his helmet. “I simply wanted to stop by and thank you for entertaining Noble Heart. Your visits have become a highlight to her,” he explained, referring to a young, blank flank filly with the same color scheme as him.

“I love story time!” Noble Heart exclaimed with a child's excitement as she hugged her father. She'd had a crayon in her mouth from having drawn some pictures from the story and, as children often do, accidentally got a smudge on his armor.

Chrysalis smiled and nodded. “You're quite welcome...It's become a highlight of my day too.”

Chivalrous nodded, then looked to his young daughter. “Noble, please go play with your friends while I talk to Miss Chrysalis a little further dear.”

The little filly nodded and dashed off to do just that. Once she was out of earshot, her father turned back to Chrysalis with a more serious expression. “...I admit, when I first heard of Sombra's plans for you I was...not pleased.”

The Royal Changeling frowned. “I'm aware...many were the same way...considering I invaded and conquered multiple cities, I cannot blame them. Even I admit that magic suppressor was a very wise move on King Sombra's part. I might have been compelled to eat their love out of instincts I'd neglected learning control over...but a mother has to feed her children, and it was all I knew at the time. Now I've learned better.”

“So I see...But...” Chivalrous said, looking over to his daughter playing with her friends. “...My daughter has been so much happier since these book readings...”

Chrysalis nodded, watching the little filly. “...She was so glum when I first started reading here...”

“Yes...Now she's more like her old self again...” the guard explained, looking sad before catching himself. The two stood their awkwardly for a few moments. The stallion noticed the crayon smudge his daughter had put on his armor and compulsively cleaned it off with his hoof. “...By the way...I do admit, reading your report on your defeat of King Orion was rather enlightening. Your war tactics are fantastic. Especially for one who's self taught.”

Chrysalis gave a chuckle. “Well, Orion's ego was matched only by his cowardice. A false retreat made exploiting his relief at danger being passed so easy...”

“Indeed...You only targeted tyrants at first for the beginning...” Chivalrous explained, his voice becoming more serious. “...That was another reason I began to gain an open mind about you...you targeted those who deserved justice first and foremost.”

“Thank you...I never wanted to hurt anypony...but my species by nature required it, or so I thought...so I tried to split the difference: target the 'evil' none would miss if they were left emotionless husks, not the innocent. Unfortunately, there were only so many wicked ponies in the world... We would've targeted Celestia next, but she is a beacon of hatred and fear, not love...and those who do like her have no room in their hearts for love...”

“Indeed...which is what shows you have it in your own. Even at your worst, you tried to minimize the harm you did.”

Chrysalis blushed green. “Thank you, Mr. Heart...”

“You're welcome, Miss Chrysalis.”

Another day, Chivalrous came to pick up her daughter...and this time arrived earlier to listen with a smile as Chrysalis told the story. She smiled back.

Another day, a snow storm (to counter a heatwave of Celestia's) made it difficult for either of them to go home right away. So Chrysalis pulled out a game on military strategy and the two played it together, engaging in a heated, back and forth battle of wits, both sharing respectful looks to a worthy opponent...

Until Noble Heart got too bored of that and they decided Monopony with her instead.

Chivalrous Heart walked up to the Changeling matriarch with his daughter and motioned for his daughter...who handed her a stuffed animal she'd won at a fair.

Chrysalis teared up a little...then hugged the cute little plush toy. The knight merely covered his mouth and chuckled at her excited enjoyment of the toy.

One day, Chivalrous Heart simply offered to walk her to the palace and the group took a detour through the wishing garden to allow little Noble to put one of her wishes on the trees. The little filly's wish was for her father to be happy.

Chrysalis did one too, asking that her children would grow and be happy.

Chivalrous Heart merely wished for peace in Equestria one day.

Chrysalis told Chivalrous to close his eyes one day when he came to pick up his daughter...and opened them to a golden heart with angel wings on his daughter's flank, having been earned by protecting another student from bullies.

The father's normally more serious personality dissolved into an excited parent who wanted to know everything about his daughter's achievement. Chrysalis couldn't lie, she had reacted the exact same way when it happened herself. And promptly did so again, leading to the two adults hugging without thinking...then blushing when they noticed.

The filly insisted Chrysalis come to her cute-ceañera, and her father agreed (her probation was long since fulfilled). So the Changeling matriarch attended a little girl's party...and when the clown didn't show up, shapeshifted into one for the little filly's shake, getting the chuckle out of her knightly parent.

She also found out that the Heart house hold was as meticulously kept as their patriarch's armor...and a picture above the fire place that revealed a third member of the family she'd never met...and never would.

On another occasion, Chrysalis offered for the two to stay for the school's Hearth's Warming Party. Mainly so they could hear her read “Hearth's Warming Tales” by Snowfall Frost to the teacher's kids.

Chivalrous had to help her home when she got drunk. Not off salt or cider, mind you, but off the love during the season. He didn't mind carrying her home. Though he did blush and give a small smile when she nuzzled him in her sleep...

Chrysalis blinked, finding Chivalrous meeting her at the usual time, after the reading to pick up Noble. However, there was a major difference this time: his armor was gone, revealing his Cutie Mark to be a red heart in front of a blue shield.. “Chivalrous...you're not wearing your armor...”

“Oh, yes...just Noble thought with what I had planned it'd be rude...” the knight replied, shaking slightly and blushing.

The Changeling monarch cocked her head.“And what is that?”

“Well...we've gotten along for awhile now...and done a lot of things...and I think my daughter already thinks it...so...”

Chrysalis cocked her head naively. “I sincerely have no idea what you're talking about.”

“Well...what I'm saying is...well...”

“Will you go on a date with daddy?!” Noble asked, popping out of nowhere and looking Chrysalis in the eye with the most excited smile Chrysalis had ever seen on her.

The Duchess flew through Manehattan's streets, trying to not loose the trail. Having spent the first few hundred years of her existence in the wild had its advantages, but keeping track of a Changeling was never easy. She had to think like a Changeling ruled by instinct...it scared her how well she could do that.

Chrysalis knew she might lose her back up, but the longer Thorax was allowed to run free, the more damage he would cause. He'd already caused enough of it as it was, and she knew from firsthoof experience just how much more he could cause.

Finally, she slid to a stop in front of an alley...and frozen in horror at what she saw..

Thorax held a mare like he'd been kissing her, a stream of pink energy being pulled out of her mouth and into his own, a sadistic, predatory smirk on his face as she merely stood into space wide-eyed.

He let the drained, emaciated pony fall motionless to the ground and turned towards the Changeling matriarch. He ran his tongue along his lips as blue energy pulsed inside him, causing the openings in his armor to emit an eery glow. “Hello, mother...” he said, his voice like a prince but his posture and movements like a prowling wolf.

“Thorax...how...why?! Why are you doing this?!” Chrysalis asked, staring with wide eyes and feeling sick to her stomach. As horrifying as it was to learn he'd done it many times before now, seeing it firsthoof was a completely different story.

The rogue Changeling trotted forwards with a frown. “...Why? That's something I should be asking you, mother,” he asked, his gaze sending a chill down the matriarch’s spine while his tone remained cordial and in control. “Why did YOU make us turn our backs on who we really are? Why did YOU choose to side with the cattle and weaken us? Why did YOU take this...” he said, looking at his hoof, the chitin beginning to crack like it was about to burst off. Chrysalis' eyes went wide. Just how many had he actually drained?! “This POWER from us? If we had THIS power then Celestia and Luna would be dust beneath our hooves!”

Chrysalis's expression became one of disappointment. “You've got it all wrong, Thorax! When it comes to love, the more you take the less you have! All you're doing is slowly starving yourself!”

The matriarch wouldn't admit it...but she felt her blood run cold recalling a similar thought as her wayward son's had crossed her mind that morning. That idea of reverting back to the conqueror she once was who would leave those she saw as wicked laying as emotionless wrecks.

“No!” growled the predatory changeling, circling her like a shark hunting its prey. “No! What I'm doing is what you NEVER had the guts to do! What YOU are too SCARED to do! What YOU have been trying and failing to do for close to a thousand years!”

Thorax's exoskeleton began to crack all over, blue light erupting forth. Chrysalis had to shield her eyes as the Changeling floated into the air.

“YOU lead us away from what we should be! And I'm going to lead us back!” the rogue Changeling accused. He then screamed out in pain and agony as the cracks continued to spread before his entire body practically exploded, sending shed bits of chitin flying in all directions. The energy formed into glowing blue energy cocoon around him, lighting up the alley like a neon sign. Chrysalis quickly grabbed his drained victim in her telekinesis and huddled over them with a shield in place before Thorax's cocoon exploded, blowing a sphere of destruction in the buildings around them and the ground below.

Chrysalis shook her head to clear it as the smoke cleared...revealing the area was now a crater, blue flames crackling in the rubble as ponies fled in terror.

Thorax emerged through the smoke, razorsharp teeth glimmering the light of the flames as his lips parted in a predatory grin. He was now a head taller than the Changeling matriarch, and considerably bulkier and more monstrous. Two massive, serrated antlers or pincers extended upwards off the sides of his head. His eyes had turned from their previous blue to crimson red, and blue energy pulsed between the openings in his chitin at uneven intervals. “I'm stronger than you now, mother. And the law of the jungle says the strongest rules,” said the mutated Changeling, chuckling as he approached. “And the weak dies.

Chrysalis stared up and only held her ground in defense of the drained pony, eyes wide. “...How many...how many ponies did you have drain to get that form?!”

Thorax chuckled, shiny new onyx carapace glimmering in the fire light. “Enough.” The mutant's horns crackled with magic and he let loose a powerful beam at the matriarch. Chrysalis just barely dodged and tossed the drained victim to a rescuer, a crater soon being where she'd just stood.

“RUN! EVERYPONY, RUN!” yelled Chrysalis at the top of her lungs to the civilians in the area. They listened.

“Always carrying for cattle, huh?” the viscous Changeling hissed in mockery, charging up again.

“Thorax, stop this madness! Please!” Chrysalis pleaded, dodging another beam before Thorax flew up and punched her into the ground with enough force to crack it.

“I told you. This isn't madness. It's truth...” the Changeling abomination snarled, trying to land and crush Chrysalis, who just barely dodged. “And soon it will be the truth we ALL embrace, mother!”

The Changeling Matriarch took a deep breath and did her best not to be squashed or blasted. She considered calling for Sombra or Good Guy's help...but with whatever the situation with the Princesses was, they had their own problems to deal with and might not even make it in time. “...But it ISN'T truth...”

”What?!” asked King Sombra and Equestria's greatest hero, Captain Good Guy.

“Yes, he asked me out on a date!” Chrysalis replied, in quite the tizzy to say the least. “I said yes, but I don't know what a date is other than it involves love!”

King Sombra raised an eyebrow. “Then whyever did you accept it, Chrysalis?”

“Because Noble Heart looked like she'd be so disappointed if I didn't!” Chrysalis exclaimed, looking like that thought was unbearable.

“Oh, it can't be that bad,” Goodguy replied, crossing his arms.

The matriarch gave a flat look and turned into Noble Heart to gave her best impression of the filly's excited face.

“...Okay, it was...”

The Changeling matriarch turned back to her true form and sighed. “What do I do?! I don't know how dates work!...I've never been in a relationship before...”

Sombra put a hoof on her shoulder. “Well, in my experience, the best thing to do is be yourself.”

“I AM myself!”

'Oh, right, still working on learning figures of speech,' Sombra thought with a sigh. “No, I mean don't put on a mask or act. Just act like you. In my experience, ponies normally fall in love with the real person, not a facade.”

“Oh...that makes a lot more sense...” The matriarch looked down, then turned her head to look in a mirror. “...Sombra...do I have to...”

Sombra put a hoof on her shoulder and shook his head. “...Maybe eventually, but not on the first date. I'm talking about showing who you are inside.”

“Oh...okay, I think I can do that...”

“Also, in MY experience...which mainly involves one reporter, a supervillain that wears a cat outfit, three eldritch abominations, and a dragon,” Goodguy interjected. “...I was in my 'Dark Age' phase. Or is it the Iron Age? I just know I was kind of overpowered in the Silver Age. Anyway, it's customary for females to wear a dress.”

“...Dresses?”

Chivalrous and Chrysalis sat at a restaurant. As both were nobility in their own ways, it was a fancy one at that. The knight was wearing a normal, every day suit, while the Changeling matriarch wore a green dress with a plant theme and a necklace made of animal fangs...and a heart necklace.

The two warriors who'd seen many battles simply sat there, looking uncertain and at a loss for words.

Chivalrous compulsively rearranged and aligned the silverware in front of him, as if by nervous habit more than conscious choice.

“...So...um...nice dress...” the knight finally said, giving a smile.

“T-Thank you. I had one of my Changelings, Orb Weaver, make it...I heard they were customary for dates...”

More awkward silence followed.

“...So...we should probably order...” the knight said.

Chrysalis nodded and both picked up the menu. While her kind didn't need food for sustenance, they could eat it for disguise purposes, or simply for pleasure.

“...I have absolutely no idea what most of this stuff is...” the Changeling matriarch said, scratching her head.

“...Neither do I...” Chivalrous admitted, rubbing his head.

Chrysalis blinked, looking up at the knight. “You don't?”

He shook his head. “No, I'm normally too much of a workaholic or too busy raising Noble...I kind of thought you'd know something...Being a queen and all...”

“I'm an insect queen, not quite the same thing...But the same...raising an entire species is a bit of a handful...plus the whole 'on probation' thing that only recently ran out, at least from my perspective...I thought you'd know something...being a noble and all...”

The two blinked.

“So...we both thought the other would know what to order so neither of us do?” Chivalrous asked.

“Looks like it...” Chrysalis replied.

The two sat staring at the menus for another moment...then laughed at the sheer strangeness of it and the realization the other was just as lost as they were.

“Sorry...I've never had a date before...” Chrysalis said, giving a green blush.

“And I haven't had one in decades...” Chivalrous said, allowing a hint of sorrow to cross his face for a moment. “...How about the garden salad? We know what THAT is.”

“Hehe...yes...”

With the ice broken the two began to talk. To listen. About the trials of being a single parent. About tactics. About battles. Cute things. About beautiful things.

About everything.

Chrysalis and Thorax darted and weaved through the sky, the former desperately dodging beams and punches as best she could.

“You can't dodge forever, mother!” Thorax mocked, firing his beam at the Duchess, hitting her shield...then following through with a powerful punch to shatter the shield and quickly landed a clothesline, slamming into her neck and sending her flying into a building.

The matriarch cringed and shook off the impact...then gasped, seeing the mutated Changeling's next charge coming JUST in time to avoid it and allow Thorax to ram straight through the top of the building. “Thorax...please...don't make me do this...” she muttered, looking down at the smoke from the impact and waiting for Thorax to make his move. “We're Changelings! Dividing the hive between us will only give the Princesses the advantage!”

The Duchess gasped as the smoke cleared and nothing but rubble was shown.

Thorax flew out of nowhere, now in the form of a dragon, and slammed his claws into her back, sending her launching towards the ground. Before she could fall, he launched his tail out, grabbed her, and pulled her back into his grasp. “Now now, mother. A divide implies there will be two rulers for them to be divided between, and what did I say to give you the idea that was my intention?”

Chrysalis cried out as Thorax slammed his tail into her chest several times. Tears started down her face. “Thorax...surely you don't mean...you intend to...”

Thorax grabbed her face in his claw and turned her around to face him. “Kill you? Indeed. That is the law of the jungle, isn't it? This is the entire reason I didn't face you until I gained enough love to metamorphosis! Only a royal can challenge a royal for the throne!”

The mutated Changeling tossed Chrysalis with enough force that she went through an office building, straight through tables and cubicles, and out the other side before catching herself.

Thorax landed on top of the building and chuckled. “After all. A lion who cannot defend his title as king soon loses it. So, what shall it be, mother? Stand on your pathetic principles and die or face me like a royal and at least TRY to protect your title as Queen?!”

Chrysalis groaned, chitin cracked in several places and oozing green blood. “...My child...please...it doesn't have to be thi-”

Thorax sped forwards and punched Chrysalis in the stomach with enough force to send her crashing through the roof of a building and through several floors. “Enough talk, mother. The world doesn't give a flying feather about talk. It cares about action. And if you cannot act, you will DIE. Not that I care either way. I'd just prefer to have this be an actual challenge.”

The duchess groaned, getting back to her hooves. Tears rolled down her face. “...”

Thorax smirked like a coyote preparing to feast and dove down at his mother, sharp horn ready to run her through.

Only to run into an old style round shield Chrysalis summoned from a circle of green flames around her hooves, a red heart in front of a blue shield the symbol on the front.

“...My child...you misjudge me...fighting? Fighting is something I have never feared doing, even if I dislike it...” the Changeling duchess said, fire continuing to burn as she produced a sheathed Romare Gladius sword from the portal.

Thorax was pushed back as Chrysalis lowered her head so that her eyes were not visible. A suit of golden armor with green accents floated up in her telekinesis and was donned. “...But hurting my children?”

Chrysalis was surrounded by a pillar of green flame, emerging looking near identical to when she originally left that tree so many years ago. The one exception was her gray colored chitin, smooth and straight horn, and butterfly wings. “...But if it's the only way to save our kind from you...then let's do this, my child...”

“So, you finally show your true face and nature to me, mother?” Thorax asked, forming his own fire teleportation spell and producing a pair of curved, black bladed swords. “You are just like me after all!”

“No...I show you this face because it's proof WHAT we are does not define us as you believe.”

It had been six months since their first date, so Chrysalis hadn't thought much of it when Chivalrous wanted for them to stop by the wishing garden on their way back. As time went on, their dates had become far less awkward and forced. Though the visit to the Hive had been a bit awkward, particularly when the larvae had decided Chivalrous looked like he'd be a good jungle gym (though Chrysalis did get a laugh out of it). It'd also been the time where Chrysalis had to explain how Changeling reproduction worked. She still found it weird how ponies and other mammals reproduced by having live, single digit offspring. Or that equine babies were miniature versions of their full grown selves instead of larva with only two limbs. Though both were types of infant were equally loud.

Over these six months, her wings had also gained a crystal glimmer and sheen to them she could not explain.

What did surprise her about her meeting with her knight, however, was what happened when they got there.

Namely Chivalrous kneeling down and producing a small case that opened to reveal a ring surrounded by red velvet.

“Will you marry me?”

Chrysalis stared for a few moments, her words getting caught in her throat whenever she tried to speak. “Chivalrous...I...I...” she said, shaking a bit.

The knight frowned. “Oh...sorry...is it too soon? I suppose that makes sense considering you're so long lived...”

“No!” the matriarch yelled...then calmed down. “No...that's not it...It's...”

“No, I mean don't put on a mask or act. Just act like you. In my experience, ponies normally fall in love with the real person, not a facade.”

“...” the Changeling ruler walked over to a small pond and looked into it. “...It's just that...while living among you ponies...I've learned how you react...how you see things...how you judge things...and...w-well” she stuttered. Her heart was running a mile a minute. The two were alone (likely other events going on)...but others' eyes didn't mean as much to her than the eyes that were on her now. “...Chivalrous...This isn't my true face...It's a form ponies won't be afraid to be around...One so I don't frighten children...A mask...If...if you want to do this...If we're going to do this...I don't want you to love a mask...”

“...Show me...”

Chrysalis nodded, turning and assuming her true form, no different at all from her original one.

Chivalrous Heart took a step back, eyes wide.

No words were spoken for a few moments. The two merely standing in silence.

The matriarch's eyes teared up. “I knew it...” she muttered, turning and looking into the water at her own visage. “...Even I was SCARED of this face when I first saw it...why wouldn't you be?”

Silence again. Hoof steps...then Chrysalis saw Chivalrous' reflection appear beside her in the water.

The knight rose his hoof up and moved her face to face with his. “I wasn't scared. I was just surprised is all...” he said. Then gave a small smile. “...Chryssy. Have you ever noticed the difference between a husky and a tundra wolf?”

The matriarch blinked, cocking her head. “...One's a dog and one's a wolf.”

“That's one difference...but the biggest one?” Chivalrous asked. “A wolf's eyes are wild...hungry...dangerous. A husky's eyes are loyal, noble. Friendly. Because both of them are those things...And you're the same. You might look different...but you're still Chryssy.”

Chrysalis could only stare. “You...you mean that?”

Chivalrous nodded. “I do...Now, let's try this again” he said, and knelt with the ring held up. “Chrysalis...will you marry me?”

Again, the matriarch cried. But this time, the meaning was very different. “Yes...yes I will!”

The two hugged. And then they kissed for the first time. All doubt removed, only trust remaining. Chrysalis, with no uncertainty holding her back anymore, shared her love with her love.

Chivalrous' eyes went wide as Chrysalis lifted into the air, glowing with a pink light. It emerged from her chest in several rings of light and flew back around, engulfing her and forming a cocoon of light. “C-Chryssy?!”

A few moments later, the glowing cocoon erupted in a massive blast of light, blowing the trees and hanging wishes like a strong breeze. Lowering to the ground as the glow faded, Chrysalis opened her eyes...and blinked as beautiful butterfly wings spread from her back in place of her dragonfly-like ones, her chitin taking on a gray hue, and over all looking much more healthy. She looked down into the water...and found her face unchanged. And found that she didn't care.

The two merely stared at her body in shock...before resuming exactly where they'd left off.

Thorax and Chrysalis flew at one another, twin swords clashing against sword and shield. Thorax did an overhead slash that the Duchess blocked with her shield and a good deal of effort before countering with a sword slash the mutant blocked. Pushing off one another, they landed on a pair of skyscrapers standing next to each other. “Come on, mother! If you don't try harder, I'm going to devour you like a lion does a gazelle!”

“Don't bite off what you can't chew, my wayward child,” Chrysalis replied, the two jumping forwards and clashing blades as they let themselves fall. They blocked and parried mid fall, using every limb available to them in their duel.

They pushed off at the same time, both landing on all fours on their respective building and grinding down, sending glass shattering and flying. The two leapt at one another again, engaging in another brief clash before pushing off.

This continued until the two spun around each other in the air and Chrysalis managed to knock aside her son's blades with a well placed slash strike and did a front flip slash with enough force that his next block sent him flying back. The feral Changeling charged back in return and threw a trust. The matriarch dodged, catching the hilt of the sword underneath her right leg to lock it and slammed the hilt of her sword into her enemy's chest with enough force to draw some green blood. Thorax countered by nailing her with a headbutt to the face, knocking her backwards and bloodying her nose. Switching his swords around in his telekinesis as if they were being held in a reverse grip, the feral Changeling dove forwards, planting his hooves in his mother's chest and driving her back into the building behind her.

The two continued to fall, Chrysalis's body proving more durable and Thorax's strength greater than the building's construction and creating a trench in its side with the former. Chrysalis blocked or moved to evade her son's slashes before she reached out and got enough leverage to swung Thorax around to free herself, having folded up her wings to protect them. She used her shield to block an overhead swing, driving her further down the building from the force of the impact as the two continued to fight in free fall. Chrysalis slammed her hooves into the side of the building, tearing two new fissures in the glass and concrete as she tried to slow herself down. She was forced the quickly use her front hooves to brace her shield to defend against a trust from Thorax. His sword still pierced through the shield, but it was stopped in time so that it only grazed the side of her leg. Chrysalis lept up and mule kicked Thorax, knocking him backwards. He quickly flew back forwards, the two exchanging blows and parries as they went until Thorax flipped back and kicked Chrysalis in the chest with his hind legs, knocking the matriarch back and forcing her to fold her wings up again to avoid damage as she ground through the side of the building from the impact.

Looking up, the Duchess saw Thorax flying down at her for a slash of both swords...and took her sword between her front hooves and drove it into the building beside her (after her emotion sense told her it was safe to do so) as a break. She slowed herself down until finally she did a back flip right as Thorax would've struck her, leaping off the building enough that he went underneath her instead.

“What?!” Thorax asked, looking up just in time for his mother to finish breaking and spit changeling slime into his wings to prevent him from flying.

Chrysalis dove down at her wayward son and delivered a slash across his chest, sending green blood flying, before doing a spin and mule kicking him away.

Thorax screamed as he finally came to a stop, slamming into the side of a truck with enough force to dent it inward and shatter the glass.

The mutated Changeling panted, getting back to his hooves as Chrysalis flew down and landed nearby. Changeling armor was known to be hard to break, so the fall wasn't as damaging as it would've otherwise been. He touched his hoof to the bleeding wound on his chest and looked at the blood with a smirk. “Hehe...you really can't do it, can you, mother?”

Chrysalis's face didn't betray anything as she kept her head lowered so her eyes remained in shadow. “I will defeat you if I NEED to, Thorax.”

“Yes...defeat...but not kill...” the mad Changeling replied, smirking like a wolf. “If you could do it, you had the perfect chance to right there...you really are weak.”

“You mistake compassion for weakness,” the Duchess replied as Thorax took his swords back up in his telekinesis.

“No, you mistake food for a virtue,” replied the mutant. The two had a stare down in the now evacuated streets. Chrysalis's primary reason for keeping the fight high about Manehattan for so long had been to give time for the civilians to get away, something she was proud to say had happened.

Thorax charged first, the two colliding and clashing weapons with sparks flying. The two locked blades, Chrysalis using leverage to counter the sheer strength advantage Thorax possessed. Chrysalis stared into the feral eyes of her son until the two leapt back. Thorax fired an energy beam that the Duchess blocked with her shield and countered by firing back, which Thorax dodged and countered in turn, forcing Chrysalis to roll under his beam. Thorax, despite his bulk, managed to likewise roll under the one that his mother replied with.

The mutant waited for Chrysalis to block his next beam before leaping through the air and coming down with a charged up blast with intent of firing it point blank...but Chrysalis charged her shield with magic to bat it away and countered with a beam to his chest that sent him flying back and slamming into the ground. As the matriarch approached, Thorax waited...and threw dirt from the ground in her eyes with a swipe of his leg to blind her. Quickly rising, Thorax kicked her backwards and slashed, colliding with his mother's shield with enough force to send it flying from her telekinesis to the ground out of her reach. The half blinded queen was barely able to get back far enough from his follow up slash to only receive a shallow, but painful cut to the chest before being blasted to the ground.

Thorax leapt up and came down with both swords, Chrysalis having to brace her sword with not only her telekinesis but both front legs to block it. And still could only keep his blades out an inch from her face with all her might. “You've always said a mother's purpose is to sacrifice and give everything for her children,” the mutated Changeling spat, giving a wolfish grin. “Then make your last sacrifice for me and die so our kind can prosper!” Chrysalis cringed as he pushed down further. “Then I'll raise a new hive! One free from the poisoned thinking you brought to us!”

“Will...will you just kill every Changeling that thinks as I do?” Chrysalis asked, struggling to push her powerful, wayward son back but remained pinned.

“If that's what it takes, then yes!”

The matriarch gasped, eyes going wide as the mutant's expression made it clear he wasn't kidding...then Thorax swore looking like they were ablaze. “Thorax...” she snarled, throwing his swords off and slashing him across the chest twice, driving him back with bleeding cuts. “I WON'T LET YOU NEAR THEM!”

Thorax charged up his horn and fired several beams, but Chrysalis flew and weaved through them. Thorax countered her charge and the two leapt past each other. Chrysalis lost some of her mane, Thorax lost more blood from his midsection and went crashing to the ground.

The mutant gasped, raising his swords to block as his mother came down, swinging with powerful and precise strikes. The Matriarch's eyes as furious as they were back in Trot against Sombra. Strike after strike hammered Thorax's blades until they were sent flying from his telekinesis, leaving him completely exposed.

Chrysalis raised her sword and brought it down in a slash directly at her child's neck.

Right before the blade could land...she saw a newborn larva's face instead of the mutant traitor before her. Her sword stopped an inch from it's intended target.

Thorax's eyes widened in surprise...before he charged up his horn and blasted her in the chest point blank. Chrysalis screamed as she was sent flying back, slamming hard into a wall.

Before she could get back up, the mutated Changeling grabbed his swords and linked them together, forming a giant pair of scissors he slammed into the ground on both sides of her neck and pulled together until the blades were touching her neck.

As his mother squirmed and tried to free herself, Thorax loomed over her. “Pathetic...you really don't have a killer instinct any more, do you? No wonder we're losing ground to the Princesses every day...”

Thorax put a hoof on her chest to further pin her down...and looked frowned. “...Don't worry, mom...it will all be over soon. Then I'll make the bad queen go away forever...”

Chrysalis's eyes went wide as Thorax opened his mouth and began pulling pink energy straight out of her chest. The queen panicked, screaming in agony as she felt her love slipping away. Being TORN away.

'Maybe...maybe I was too soft...too soft to protect my subjects...too soft to protect my children...too soft to protect anypony...maybe if I really was the conqueror again...'

Suddenly, the planet shook...no, not the planet. Reality itself.

The two heard a resounding crack and looked up, finding black cracks filling the sky.

“What the Tartarus?!” Thorax asked, taking a step back as the cracks and tears continued to happen.

Chrysalis took the opportunity to blast the ground around her son's weapons and free herself. “I...I don't know...it's...it's like the world itself is being torn apart...”

The mutated Changeling turned...and saw a tear open with an icy cavern on the other side. He and his pre-mutation self blinked, looking at one another. The other Thorax screamed in terror and ran away. “Was...was that me?!”

Chrysalis blinked and looked around. Through one crack she saw Cadenza...but a loving, kind looking version of her, with a strong, confident Shining Armor at her side. Through another fissure in reality she saw Vinyl Scratch and Octavia, if they were into the opposite style of music...then she finally turned, finding herself looking into the eyes of another her. The other looking just like her when she was born. Their faces were presently identical...but not their eyes...

The matriarch blinked, cocking her head. “...One's a dog and one's a wolf.”

The other Chrysalis was decidedly a wolf. The matriarch’s blood ran cold.

“...I thought I told the drones not to take my form without permission,” the other Chrysalis said, giving a fierce snarl.

“You...you can't be...” the Duchess muttered, taking a step back.

“Can't be what?” asked the other Chrysalis asked, blinking.

“You're not me! You're not Chrysalis!” the Duchess yelled in horror.

“Me?! YOU'RE the fake!” Queen Chrysalis spat back. “Why would I ever trade these beautiful things for those gaudy wings?”

“...You...you've never shared love?” the matriarch asked, remember when she got these wings of hers.

The other Chrysalis looked like she was about to vomit. “SHARE love? We're CHANGELINGS! We don't share, we TAKE what we need to survive!”

Duchess Chrysalis felt cold as she again recalled her desire to be like her old self. And here's what she could be if she was. Maybe worse...It soured that thought rather quickly.

She then gave a gasp of realization as the other Chrysalis' words processed in her head. “...You're hungry, aren't you?”

The Queen chuckled. “Of course! A Changeling's hunger is without end! It's our NATURE!”

“...Hungry without end...” the Changeling matriarch said, a switch clicking in her head as she looked back to Thorax. She herself still had energy. She was fatigued and injured...but he was panting, chest heaving.

The Duchess's mirror image followed her gaze and wiggled her eyebrows seductively at what she saw. “My my, that's a handsome devil who knows what's what. Tell me, is he taken?”

The Duchess's reaction was to snap around and turn green in the face. “Him?! He's our son!”

“Oh...worthy heir from the looks of it. Looks more like me than YOU do, faker.”

Chrysalis stood there staring at herself for a few moments...until the cracks in reality suddenly began mending and closing.

In a few moments, all was back to how it should be.

“...What the Tartarus was that?!” Thorax roared, bewildered.

The matriarch made a mental note to question Sombra about that when all this was over. “I don't know...but seeing myself like that? Hearing that...it reminded me of something in all this I'd forgotten...”

Then she remembered...

Her heart racing as she stood at the alter with Chivalrous Heart for their wedding picture. The way her dress shown and how gallent her husband looked in his tux. The moment the picture was taken, she hugged her new husband and kissed him as little Noble giggle nearby, a cute little flower girl.

Then the roaring sound of Changelings in the crowd that packed their side of the church so full that many of them had to look in through the window cheered loudly while Chivalrous's platoon and family cheered on the other side.

Then she remembered...

Standing with her husband as they looked at a picture of the Heart household (a noble's house to be sure, but not Canterlot's most elaborate mansion) and a picture of the Changeling hive. The hive wasn't the most beautiful of places, but it'd been her home for so long. She remembered the twinge of pained in her heart to consider leaving it. But she respected living his family's ancestral home would cause her beloved similar heartache. While she needed to be with her hive, with her CHILDREN, Noble had only lived in this one place her entire life. It'd be unfair to move her away. Even if she could still visit her friends and go to school in the same place (teleportation and knowing a certain superhero came in handy), moving to a new house was hard on a child. Chrysalis remembered the image of a heartbroken filly that rushed through her mind at the thought.

She remembered gasping in inspiration, producing her sword from a portal and doing some cutting and pasting before showing it to her husband. Her heart rose recalling his smile as he slowly nodded in return.

She remembered...

Laughing when Captain Goodguy showed up, wearing a construction hat for this particular occasion. Together they stood outside the Heart household, looking at the plans until the superhero nodded with a thumbs up. She and her family walked inside, and the Draconequus snapping his fingers, causing hundreds of thousands of balloons to form on the roof and the house to float into the air.

She remembered watching little Noble giggle and cheer at the sight while Captain Goodguy tethered himself to their and flew them across Equestria, allowing the family to enjoy the sight of their country from high above. She remembered the three of them treating it as a road trip, pointing out sights and watching the clouds roll by as they soared through the sky.

This continued until they touched down at the Changeling hive, which the drones had already began to clear the top off of.

She remembered the excitement of seeing their completed home for the first time. Standing outside the hive, looking at the patchwork drawing Chrysalis had made of their house now forming the top of the hive. Lowering it to see the spitting image in real life.

Then she remembered...

Giggling along with Noble as the small filly hugged another Changeling as she was introduced to her fiftieth 'new brother'. Then laughing as she watched Chivalrous finding himself literally surrounded by Changeling nymphs, all looking up at their 'new daddy' with smiles. He gave a sigh and held his arms out for a hug...and promptly got dog piled by an entire swarm. Chrysalis remembered panicking a bit, until her husband finally emerged and gave her a smile to assure her. At which point she laughed. A lot. Especially because there was a nymph hanging onto the top of his head.

Then she remembered...

The simple pleasure of sitting with Chivalrous as the two sat in Canterlot park, having a picnic while Noble ran around with a doll (and several of her step siblings). The warmth of cuddling together with her husband...then the twinge of mischief as she produced two more plushies from her bag. Laughing out loud as she, her knight, and her little princess ran around the park, playing with dolls.

Then she remembered...

The thrill of battle as she and Chivalrous stood back to back, both armored up and wielding their weapons (the ones she still utilized till this day), fighting as one against a horde of shadowy monstrosities. Each movement like a dance where each knew exactly where the other would be, no wasted energy or effort. Trusting each other with their life, unwavering and unquestioning. Knowing that when the other needed them, they'd be there. The feeling of fighting almost as if they were one.

Then she remembered...

The pride as she and her husband stood in front of a crowd with a teenaged Noble watching from the seats. Bowing their heads as King Sombra gave them the title of Duchess and Duke of Equestria respectively for their heroism, prompting a bow and thunderous cheers from the crowd.

And then...and then she remembered...

Heartbreak as she and Noble, now grown into an adult, stood at a grave with Chivalrous's Cutie Mark on it. A medal floating in her telekinesis: a golden heart with a purple center with King Sombra's image on it.

She remembered sorrow overwhelming as she put flowers on the grave, her daughter hugging her tightly with tears of her own...She remembered warmth as the two comforted one another...loving each other still...

Then she remembered...

Her heart ablaze with pride and warmth as she walked Noble down the aisle at her own wedding, her own groom awaiting her.

And then she remembered...

Joy and warmth as she sat in the living room of her daughter's house, reading Hearth's Warming stories at the holiday to her young granddaughter, feeling their boundless love filling the room...

And years later, the same thing repeating with her great granddaughters...

And years later, her great great grandsons and daughters...

And still years later, her great great great grandsons and daughters...

Until finally, she remembered reading it to Nurturing Heart when she was a filly, and her many, many cousins. Surrounded by love. Surrounded by warmth.

Chrysalis's horn glowed as she pulled her shield to her side and produced a second one from the teleportation flame, this one a metal, triangle shaped shield the shape and color of Chivalrous Heart's Cutie Mark. “Love is infinite! Your selfishness is not!”

Thorax snarled. “Love is weak! Only the strong thrive!”

The duchess gave a knowing smirk. “Really, my child? Well why don't we test that theory?”

“This flame in me
Burns forever.
And our family will never bow before the likes of you,
Because I know much better.
Our crown will never belong to you, love stealer!” Chrysalis began to sing, floating her two shields around her.

Thorax raised an eyebrow in confusion, but lifted his swords and spun them around menacingly, a feral look on his face.

“If you want to make them follow nature's cruel rule,
Come at me, my child, you will not win this duel!” the Duchess continued to sing as Thorax shattered her dried Changeling slime from his wings and charged her with both swords.

“Let's go, just me and you.
Let's see who's words ring true!”

Chrysalis spread her wings and flew straight upward, leaving her demented son to hit only air before he launched up to follow her.

“Go ahead and try to hit me if you're able.
Can't you see that this flame in my heart burns stable?” The matriarch sung, focusing every movement and action towards dodging or deflecting her wayward son's frenzied slashes.

Thorax blinked when after one slash, his mother had vanished...then looked up to find her standing on top of the blunt edge of his sword.

“I can see you think you've found power without end,
But it can only destroy, not defend!” Chrysalis continued to sing, doing a backflip and blocking several slashes from her enemy using both of her shields, never once launching an attack of her own.

Thorax's wolf-like grin began to turn into a snarl as he opened fire with his horn beam, his mother weaving nimbly through them or blocking them, never taking her eyes off him while using both shields to conceal her own movements. She came to a stop with both shields overlaping.

“You're not getting past this flame we made together,
It's gonna burn in my heart forever!
You think this new path you've found is older and better,
But my child, you don't know how wrong you are!” the matriarch continued, letting Thorax come to her, not the other way around.

“This flame made
O-o-o-o-of
Lo-o-o-o-ove.
O-o-o-o-of,”

Chrysalis blocked the mutant Changeling charge, being pushed back but holding until the momentum of his initial charge had passed before flipping over him and flying behind him.

“Lo-o-o-o-ove.
Lo-o-o-o-ove.
Lo-o-o-o-ove!” The matriarch continued dodging and weaving through Thorax's frenzied slashes as they became more and more furious with each moment.

“Stop running and fight, mother!” roared the Changeling, frustration plain on his face. Chrysalis noticed he was breathing heavier and the unstable light between his chitin plates growing more so with each second.

“Sorry Thorax, if you're going to be a lion, well, I'll just be a nimble gazelle and dodge your claws!” Chrysalis mocked with a smirk. 'Come on, my foolish child, take the bait.'

“Then I'll catch you and rip your throat out!” the feral changeling roared, charging forwards and slamming into her shields with enough force to drive her upwards, straight through the layer of dark magically charged clouds at covering the sky. Chrysalis managed to kick off him as they emerged into the sunny sky above.

The Queen took a moment's pause to notice the sun seemed much less harsh and warm than normal before returning her thoughts to the battle at hand.

“This is who we were,” Chrysalis sung, seeing Chivalrous floating beside her in her mind's eye, holding his shield for a brief moment.

“This is who I am!
If you think you're getting passed me, then you need to think again!
This flame is a feeling.
And it will never end!
And I won't let you hurt our family!
And I won't let you hurt my friends!”” The matriarch sung, giving her son a calm and in control look as he gave a feral, sadistic snarl.

“Go ahead and try to hit me if you're able,
Can't you see that this flame in my heart burns stable?
I know that you think it's not something you're afraid of,
But you don't know the true meaning of love!” Chrysalis waited for Thorax to combine his swords into their scissor mode and charge her, intending to slice her in half. She covered with her shields, letting the scissor weapon constrict and push them together...then pushed them out of the way just enough, revealing her horn had been charging the entire time. Thorax cringed in anticipation of a blast, but instead the beam was focused into the connecting point of his two weapons, blasting his swords in two.

Thorax flew back, looking at his destroyed weapons in disbelief while Chrysalis gave a confident smirk. The mutated Changeling roared like a wild animal, then threw aside what was left of his weapons and charged her in the form of a dragon.

“Even if he's gone, our fire still burns within!
The love we shared is what made me the mare I am!” Chrysalis continued to sing, dodging the feral charges, slashes, and fire breath of her son.

“Our flame of mercy.
Our flame of kindness.
Our love never-ending!” The Duchess sung, again imagining her love singing along side her as Thorax's magical fire began to burn low and flicker as she started blocking each of his charges and parrying him away instead of dodging no matter what form he took.

“Our flame made
O-o-o-o-of
Lo-o-o-o-ove.
O-o-o-o-of,
Lo-o-o-o-ove.
Lo-o-o-o-ove.
Lo-o-o-o-ove!
And it's stronger than you!” Chrysalis sang with a smirk, blocking his charge...and completely stopping her insane son in his tracks as he was no longer able to maintain a transformed form and reverted back to his mutated state.

Thorax's eyes went wide. He backed up and prepared another charge with the same result.

“L-o-o-o-ove!
O-o-o-o-of
L-o-o-o-ove!”

He backed up even further and flew at her with all his might.

“And it's stronger than you!”

Chrysalis didn't even raise her shields.

“Lo-o-o-o-ove.
O-o-o-o-of
Lo-o-o-o-ove.
And it's stronger than you...”

The Duchess blocked Thorax's forward momentum completely by simply holding out a hoof and letting him slam the top of his head into it without budging. Panting lightly while Thorax looked completely exhausted.

“Lo-o-o-o-ove...
O-o-o-o-of
Lo-o-o-o-ove...” Chrysalis finished, not singing it loudly...but softly, almost like a lullaby.

Thorax nearly fell out of the sky, his body so heavy he could hardly move. His chitin cracked and crumbled, blowing away like dust in the wind to reveal a Changeling King no bigger than Trixie was currently, his antlers now stubs. He looked himself over in shock and disbelief. “What...what did you do?!”

“I did nothing but let your madness run it's course, my child,” Chrysalis explained, flying over and grabbing her stunned child by the shoulders like a mother about to lecture a disobedient foal. “Tell me...are you hungry?”

Thorax looked up at her wide eyed. “Yes...”

“And were you ever hungry back at the hive?”

The traitor blinked...then looked thoughtful “...N-No...I-I wasn't...”

“...And that is why we abandoned this practice, my child...” the duchess explained, coming down to eye level with him. “...You're hungry because no matter how much you eat, no matter how many ponies you drain dry...you can NEVER be full. Never, EVER able to have enough...and what you do have? It burns out quickly, and leaves you wanting more than you took in the first time. It's like I told you: the more you take, the less you have.”

Thorax snarled. “But...but I FELT powerful! I WAS powerful! I was stronger than YOU!”

“Yes, physically...” the duchess replied. “In terms of brute strength, you couldn't be beat...but against me, Captain Goodguy, Sombra, the Muse Sisters, and so many others...do you think Celestia would still be around if brute strength was ALL she had? She'd have found out that flaw in your new form faster than you could kill her with it, and she would not have spared you.”

The wayward Changeling opened his mouth to respond...but his words died in his throat.

“I'm soft on many things, my child...maybe too soft in some...but it was never being soft that made me accept this life,” the Duchess explained, giving a small smile. “...It was love...love for my children...Love for the ones who gave me a chance. Love for my friends. And love for a stallion who I shared my life with. And that kind of love is infinite...even centuries later, the love I shared with him still grows and grows...bigger with each generation...And that, my son, is why I called your ambition madness: why trade being content and loved for being hungry and feared?”

Thorax...lowered his head...feral rage and predatory fury replaced by a broken, defeated expression. “...”

Chrysalis hugged her traitorous son. Punishment for his actions would come soon, but not right now. “...Come on, Thorax...we're going home...”

Later that day...Thorax and Chrysalis learned that the Princesses had finally been defeated. By mercy, not revenge. By a sacrifice of compassion, not an act of war. By kindness, not hatred.

Chrysalis wasn't sure if he'd ever recover...but she'd be ready to help him if...when he did.

Just as somepony was ready all those years ago.

And she had a dept she WOULD repay Sombra for...somehow, someday she would.

Chrysalis watched on as Princess Trixie, the pony she loved almost like another daughter, fight the mad Alicorn, having finally regained enough of her strength and calmed down the crowd enough to dare join it...and in the meantime had seen the truth...

The truth of a mare who only wanted acceptance and appreciation all her life..but constantly been denied it. Both as fault of her own, and no fault of her own at all...Who was lashing out at a world that seemed nothing but unfair.

Despite her nearly draining Trixie...nearly draining her...the damage she was causing...

Duchess Chrysalis the Loving found it in her heart to feel compassion for the mad goddess.

And her friends did too...five mares she'd heard nothing but bad things about until Sir Discord informed her of certain realities risking their lives to save their friend from herself...

When Derpy jumped in to brace Trixie against Nightmare Spotlight, Chrysalis joined in without hesitation.

Chrysalis looked up at the poor lost soul as a pink beam joined the beam. “I'm sorry, Miss Sparkle, I love you...and everything, but you have to be stopped!”

The cloaked pony closed his book again.

“And that was the story of Duchess Chrysalis the Loving. The one who went from a warrior queen who conquered empires to a loving wife and paragon of love and compassion. Who faced her wayward son and defeated him by proving loved taken in greed can never beat love shared...

But there are still many stories left to tell...want to hear another?”

To Be Continued...

I'm Humble

The cloaked figure carefully moved forwards and sat before the stained glass window of Princess Trixie the Humble.

“Fate rarely calls upon us in the moment of our choosing, and those it chooses rarely believe themselves to be ready. But perhaps that is for the best. Those who believe they are worthy of power, are quite often unworthy of it for that very reason. While those who do not seek power, are often the most worthy of it. Would you like to hear the story of a humble mare who is one of the latter?”

“Run!” Trixie yelled, looking to the injured form of her master's good friend...maybe more. The irony she was the mirror image of the solar fiend she'd been fighting all her life was not lost on her. “I'll hold them off!”

“You can't!” replied the other Celestia, struggling to stand.

“I can! And I don't tend to overestimate myself!” replied the Princess of Humility, casting a glimmering invisibility spell on her. “If you don't get back to your world, both of ours are in danger.”

“...Thank you...I'll be back with help...” Other Celestia muttered before the sound of hoofsteps signaled her departure.

“Well well,” said the Celestia Trixie decidedly knew well, the two evil Princesses loomed over her. One long a foe, the other...a former friend she couldn't believe was now an enemy. “Looks like we have Sombra's little pet...did he really think a fledgling Alicorn would stand a chance against me? Let alone me and my sister?” she asked, talking about Trixie with a condescending tone.

Trixie stood her ground. She knew they were right. She could hold them off, but that and actually standing a chance were far from the same thing. She knew that. But that Celestia and whatever help she might bring back were the only chance they had. The brave Alicorn began charging up her horn.

“What's wrong? Too scared to speak? Let me know where my other self got to and maybe we'll let you go...maybe...” Celestia said, approaching her.

“No...” Trixie replied, preparing to fight. She tried her hardest not to look upon the visage of her former friend and focus solely on the demon in front of her.

“Then I hope Sombra enjoys putting you back together again,” the Tyrant Sun replied, charging up her horn and letting loose a beam of solar wrath.

Trixie gave a scream, eyes snapping open in her bed, in a cold sweat. She quickly set up, eyes darting around the dark room as she tried get her bearings. No Princesses, only shadows of furniture. “It's okay, just a memory...” she muttered, trying to catch her breath. She cringed, clutching her chest as a dull pain shot through it. “Okay, maybe a little more than that...” She got up and walked over to a mirror.

The Princess of Humility parted the fur on her chest enough that the skin underneath could be seen, revealing what was once an obviously very horrible burn that would undoubtedly scar for life. And that was only the surface, she'd had several broken ribs beneath it. “...It was worth it...” she told herself, thinking back to where it had all lead. The Princesses' purified and once more on their side, and stopped from the possibility of spreading their evil to other worlds...

The recorded image of her corrupted teacher flashed before her eyes.

“...Or was it really?”

Successor. Heir Apparent. Acting Ruler.

She only hadn't been given the title Queen because King Sombra was still potentially (and hopefully) savable.

So many titles many would do anything for...and she'd never asked for any of them. The title was never what inspired her down this path.

Trixie watched out the window of her family's basement, the only shelter possible when what awaited outside the city limits was preparing to strike.

Celestia cackled, charging up a huge sphere of solar energy, Trixie's father pulling her back and covering her with his own body. The family cowered, expecting the worst, an earth shattering blast...

But it never came. Carefully, the family crept towards the window, gazing out at the radiant shield surrounding the entire city that had blocked Celestia's assault. Standing on a pillar of radiant crystal, glaring up resolutely at the one who sought to bring the world to its knees, and if an ounce of fear was in him, it didn't show.

Trixie watched the sight with sparkling eyes, the hero before her doing what she felt all heroes should: inspire.

Princess Trixie sat in the back of the unmarked car, eyes scanning analytically at everything around her. Her allies noted she'd been extremely silent the entire ride. If she weren't an Alicorn and acting ruler of the country they might have forgotten she was there.

“Are you sure it's secure?” one of the Royal Guards in the car questioned, looking at the metal suitcase hoofcuffed to Trixie's leg. He was a gray furred Earth Pony stallion with a piece of putty for his Cutie Mark beneath his armor. Fitting, as his name was Puddy. The fact he was named after the heroic golem foot soldiers of a benevolent witch in a popular TV series was entirely intentional on his parents' part. It had inspired him to take up martial arts and become quite proficient.

“Adamantium case and lock, you'd need some serious fire power to break that thing open,” another one replied, a white furred pegasus by the name of Storm Trooper. Under his armor was a target bulls eye, and he was well-known for his precise marksmanship. “Cadenza maybe, but she's got the fall out from all this to deal with. Besides, no pony but Celestia even knows she had the dang thing.”

“Don't be so sure...” said Trixie, drawing everyone's attention as she carefully examined everything. “If somepony managed to steal it, then they could just take it somewhere else to get it open...”

The Princess of Humility looked out the windows at the dark woods going by. “And don't forget: just because Celestia doesn't think anyone knows doesn't mean that is true. Celestia was never omniscient, and all it would take was a truth potion on the right servant of hers or Luna's and they might spill something they overheard and kept secret under threat of death...or were willing to part with information now that there isn't one,” she explained, trying to sound mature and wise. That was how Sombra always tried to be like that, and that was what everypony needed, right?

“Isn't assuming a truth potion a little specific, your majesty?” Storm Trooper asked with a raised eyebrow.

Trixie gave him a simple look back. No hint of superiority or ego, just calm thought. Maybe a little too calm and thoughtful, maybe a little forced. “There's a master alchemist and extremely devious villain still on the loose in these parts, can you say you wouldn't expect her to know how to brew truth potion?”

“That's...a good point...”

“Yeah, but we've got an Alicorn and King Sombra's heir on our side, right?” Puddy asked, expression not as confident as his words.

“Being an Alicorn doesn't make me any more important to this mission than you are,” Trixie replied humbly, tone somewhat more natural. “A leader is nothing without their followers...besides, it's not like I've been perfect at everything I've ever done...”

As the car continued down the path, a shadowy figure watched from the woods, giving a prideful smirk. She carefully removed a sphere with a green glowing liquid inside of it and threw it in front of the car. On impact it burst open and within seconds of spreading black, twisted trees erupted from the soil.

“Look out!” Trixie yelled, quickly gathering her guard and the driver close with her wings over them before putting up a forcefield around the group seconds before the sudden impact. The Princess was deafened for a few moments by the harsh sound of metal being crushed and glass shattering sounded, but her field held. Once all movement had stopped, she pushed her field outwards, forcing back crumpled metal and allowing the group to crawl out of the wreck. “Is everypony okay?”

Puddy groaned, shaking his head to clear it. “Yeah, thanks to you, your majesty.”

Suddenly, a lion-like beast with bat wings and a scorpion tail erupted from the forest with a roar. The manticore dove at the group, Puddy and Storm Trooper quickly engaging it...

Trixie prepared to enter the fray...but blinked, noticing a strange collar attached to it pumping some strange mixture into it. “Something's on its neck...this isn't a random attack...”

The Alicorn then noticed the light reflecting off of something and quickly dodged out of the way of a glass canister. When it hit the ground, it shattered and released a purple liquid that burned into the forest floor like acid with a sharp sizzling sound.

= Killmonger – Black Panther =

“You are quite observant your majesty...”

Trixie turned to see a shadowy figure approach with a confident trot, wearing a brown cloak with a hood that concealed her face. Grey fur visible in the few exposed bits of her body.

“But that won't keep your charge from me...”

Trixie narrowed her eyes, staring down the shadowy figure. She took a confident pose, trying to not betray any lack of confidence or fear she couldn't do this. The spitting image of the figure she'd seen protect the city on a crystal pillar years ago. “...Zecora.”

The figure chuckled, removing her hood to reveal a Zebra, golden rings around her neck and large ear ring adoring her, mane in a Mohawk-like shape. “I see my reputation precedes me, it is a pleasure to meet thee,” she said with a polite, disarming bow. “Now if you would be so kind to play along, hand over what to me rightfully does belong.”

The Alicorn merely moved the suitcase behind her and stood her ground. “No.”

“Now see some reason, your majesty, there is no reason to cause a catastrophe,” Zecora replied, the mare slowly circling Trixie. Her tone remained polite and even, her circling seeming more observant than intimidating. If she had not introduced herself with an attack and Trixie not known her profile well, one would be forgiven for finding her charming, if not friendly and approachable. “You have suffered quite the blow, it would be a shame for you to again be laid low...Especially since to you Equestria does turn, something happening to you they'd be quite upset to learn.”

“I said no,” said Trixie simply, powering up her horn. “I've seen the things you and Tree Hugger get up to already.”

“Oh yes, my little protegé, an interesting pony she be,” the Zebra replied, continuing to circle but never losing her polite and friendly tone. “I must admit giving her the means to attack, almost makes me forget one fact. She is a pony like you, I wish she was a zebra true...”

“What do you even want with the Alicorn Amulet?” asked Trixie, tone commanding, if somewhat forced.

“That is for me to know and you to find out, but do not pout,” Zecora replied with a disarming chuckle. “We will have a bit of fun, before time out does run.”

Trixie didn't back down an inch.

Zecora reached into her cloak and produced a potion vial while Trixie charged up her horn. Trixie watched the curve of the Zebra's leg as she went to throw it, and prepared a shield to block while firing, aiming at the perceived opening in her opponent's guard.

The zebra simply smashed the vial on the ground in one motion, producing a green smokescreen. Trixie's intended counterattack beam merely went straight through the smoke. The Alicorn blinked as it was blasted away to reveal nothing. Zecora reappeared nearby and threw a barrage of potions that quickly grew vines Trixie quickly had to blow away with her beam to avoid being ensnared. The Princess of Humility quickly circled from the zebra, who retaliated with a barrage of potions the mare agilely dodged, trying to land a counterattack beam the moment Zecora threw them. The villain back-flipped out of the way, evading each beam and landing on her hindlegs unharmed. The Alicorn of Humility eyes widened when she looked down to find Zecora giving a smug, proud smirk, realizing her error too late.

The potions exploded behind Trixie, the blast launching her forwards into a nimble spin kick forwards...directly into Trixie's still healing chest with too perfect of precision to be accidental dumb luck.

The Princess of Humility was sent crashing to the ground, giving a groan as she clutched her already wounded chest.

Zecora feigned concern. “My my, your majesty, not looking good I see.”

Trixie forced herself to her hooves and glared, not saying anything and merely firing several beams attempting to capitalize on the zebra's ego and gloating. Zecora narrowly evaded the attack, throwing several potions into the air and the last one at her own hooves. They all exploded into green smoke, scattering throughout the area.

The Alicorn Princess carefully landed, looking around the smoke and waiting for an opening to present itself.

“A goddess of ponies you might be, but you're nothing to a zebra like me...” said Zecora, rising up behind her with a proud smirk. Trixie ducked under a thrown potion while mule kicking backwards, managing to knock Zecora back, but the Zebra rolled through and threw another potion at Trixie's face. The mare dodged to the side to avoid, allowing Zecora to follow-up with another kick to her injured chest, staggering her back clutching her chest while the zebra retreated into the smoke. “Once I get what I desire here, Equestria will be ours I fear.”

Trixie took a deep breath to calm herself, looking around, trying to remain confident and stone faced but the visage beginning to erode.

“Not a very talkative sort...don't you have a proud retort? Too high and mighty to speak to me? Typical of a proud pony.”

“Bragging proudly means you make easy errors...”

Zecora did a kick at her from behind, but Trixie spun around and caught it, blasting her back. The zebra did a flip, catching herself and rolling back to her hooves with her back to Trixie, quickly reaching into her cloak.

The Alicorn attempted to capitalize on the perceived error, forcing Zecora to dodge quickly to avoid. Trixie came down for a diving kick aimed at the apparent opening in her guard from the dodge in return...right as Zecora spun to the side and dodged while throwing the orb in her face, shattering and splashing a greenish-yellow liquid all over her face.

Trixie screamed out in pain, staggering back covering her nose and eyes, eyes clinched shut as they stung and coughing as a horrible stench entered her nose.

“A little Aniwye spray, hard on the eyes and nose if I must say,” Zecora said, taking advantage and hammering away at her injured chest with several rapid fire blows, ducking under a frantic blow from the Alicorn and mule kicking her wounded chest.

Trixie staggered back and fell to her haunches, clutching her wounded chest with one hoof. “You know I'm hurt don't you?”

Zecora chuckled. “I have my ways, but not hard to guess when you disappear for days...” she replied, dodging a beam fired at the sound of her voice and kicking Trixie several more times until the hero was left on the ground holding her chest in clear agony. The zebra trotted over and stomped her hoof into her chest, grinding it into the wound and causing her to scream in agony. “You do not deserve that horn and those wings, you so far have failed their duty at everything. Defeating the Princesses you had nothing with which to do, and where were you when Sombra needed you?”

Trixie gasped, tears not from the musk thrown in her face welling up in her eyes.

“Oh, it would appear I hit a nerve your majesty, perhaps feeling useless do you be?” mocked the zebra before reaching down and grabbing the brief case. She took out a potion and poured it on the chain, causing it to melt. The Alicorn grabbed onto her ankle and tried to stop her, only to be once more kicked in her wounded chest and forced to let go. “First time protecting Equestria alone, I'm unimpressed as you can tell from my tone.” Zecora smirked and tried to open the case...then frowned when it wouldn't budge. A quick application of the same acid yielded no results. “Adamantium I see, no problem that be. I merely need to make the right potion, and my plan will be completely in motion.”

The smoke finally cleared, revealing Storm Trooper and Puddy had managed to subdue the Manticore, leaving it trapped in a net. Puddy looked over to find what had become of their royal and gave a glare.

“Get away from her, you witch!” yelled the guard, dashing at her full speed.

Without a word, the zebra spun around and engaged him in a brief martial arts flurry before she gained the upperhoof and floored him with a kick to the head, knocking him on his back. Storm Trooper was met with a blinding potion to the face when he jumped in, leaving him open to a knock out mule kick to the head. Zecora planted her hoof in Puddy's chest, glaring down at him with barely restrained hatred.

“A witch you call me? I would expect no less from a pony...” said Zecora, her affable air gone and only venomous hate and rage in its place. She took out a potion. “A witch is always the first thing ponies see in me, so why not a witch I be?” she asked, preparing to throw it at the downed guards.

Trixie gasped, managing to see through her burning, watering eyes. Her horn ignited with magic and in a flash herself and the two guards vanished.

The villain's potion hit the ground and rapidly turned soil into stone where Puddy's head had been a few seconds earlier.

The zebra snorted hot air out her nose. “Cowardly ponies as always, oh well I say. I have things I need to do, so for saving my time I thank you...” she said, smirking as she looked at the suitcase and slowly walked away.

Little Trixie sat in Sombra's School for Gifted Unicorns, waiting for her turn to take the big entrance exam to finally enter the school. Of course she had taken the preliminary tests just to get this far, you didn't get into the most illustrious school in the country. The little filly was uncertain of how well she had done on any of them. She knew she'd tried her hardest and studied, but no matter how much she'd been reassured by her parents, a little voice in the back of her mind kept whispering doubt.

The young filly's ears twitched, picking up whispering voices from nearby. She crept over to find a large number of potential students huddled all around a door, listening intently to whatever it was happening on the other side.

“What's ha-”

The students collectively shushed her quickly and she quickly got the message.

“What's happening?” she whispered.

“They're talking about how we did on the preliminary tests,” whispered a colt. Trixie crept closer and listened intently with her ear close to the opening.

Time went by, students either walking away content with their results or head and tail held low in disappointment.

“Thank Sombra, I don't know what mom would think if I wasn't doing well already...My test should go off without a hitch,” said a lavender unicorn Trixie heard but was too fixated on the door to register completely as she walked away relieved.

“Lastly we have...Miss Trixie Lulamoon...” said one of the instructors.

Trixie gasped, listening with bated breath.

“Not much to say really. She's just kind of there...” replied another.

“W-What?” Trixie whimpered.

“She didn't get any outstanding results, just did well enough in every area to make the cut. Not sure how to even make a curriculum for her...”

Trixie's face fell, ears pinned as she listened.

“She's not bad, exactly, she's just kind of...not good.”

The little filly's eyes filled up with tears and walked away with her head hanging low.

Trixie sat in a hospital room silently as a doctor examined her. A herbal treatment had removed the Aniwye musk she'd been hit with, at the cost of her mane now having a pink tint.

“You're hurt, but you should recover quickly...it's at least not as bad as...last time,” said the doctor with a shudder, recalling the horrible injuries the Princess of Humility received from Celestia and Luna. To their credit, they'd apologized for it as soon as they'd been purified. “Good thing Alicorns heal fast...”

Her patient merely sat with her head down, not saying anything.

“...Are you okay, your Majesty?”

“...I just need time to think...”

The doctor bowed. “Yes, your Majesty...”

Trixie was soon alone with only her thoughts.

“...It hurts me when they say 'your majesty' it doesn't feel correct, right now it's more like 'Your failure...'" she muttered to herself before she slowly rose to her hooves and trotted over to a mirror over a nearby sink, examining herself. The mare gave a sigh, producing a coin from her regalia with Sombra's face emblazoned upon it, staring at it...with her teacher's corrupted visage being superimposed over it in her mind's eye. “My first time trying to do this solo without you here, King Sombra...I imagine if you were here, you'd be quite disappointed in me...”

Trixie slowly trotted into the main room, head low...and almost ran head first into a bunch of other ponies in much the same state. “...You didn't like your results either?”

The other ponies all shook their heads sadly.

Trixie sat down in their midst, looking at the others with a matching expression. All of them having worked hard and come all this way, only to have disappointing news to bring home with them even before taking the test. Some more disappointed than herself by a large margin. She heard one worrying what their mother would think of her. Another borderline crying. A third actually sobbing.

“Twilight Sparkle?” asked one of the teachers, ushering the purple filly from before into their exam room. But the little azure unicorn didn't pay attention, instead focused on the other foals who were far less confident of their chances. Just like her... The image of the heroic king standing inspiring over Canterlot flashed again in her head.

Well, her father had said to practice her spells, and she did have one in mind.

Trixie trotted over to the center of the room and took out her personal spell-book and looked through it. She'd practiced a number of them many times, her main preference being towards illusion magics. She'd been told she'd make a good stage magician, but she thought she'd make a better assistant than the main event. The spotlight wasn't exactly something she wanted most of the time. And she admittedly wasn't planning to do so now.

The students continued to sit in solemn disappointment...until a small magic firework shot up and exploded into bright colors above their heads. While surprised and taken off guard, they looked up in amazement before more erupted upwards and burst into sparkling lights. Disappointment turned into surprise, then surprise into excitement, and finally excitement into joy and cheering.

Trixie watched from a hallway door with a happy smile, doing her best to leave the foals unknowing of who was creating the light show. This wasn't about her, it was about making them happy.

She continued this for several moments, watching the foals break out of disappointment and enjoy themselves, at least for a little while. So she decided to end with a bang and slip back into the crowd while everypony was focused on it.

“My, looks like somepony is having a good show...” said the voice of the King of Sacred Shadows himself, standing above her with an approving smile.

The azure filly screamed, jumping into the air up to head height with the King...and accidentally putting considerably more mana into the firework than she ever intended to. The end result was a sizable, very loud blast of light and fireworks above the room.

Trixie groaned, her head hurting from the amount of magic she'd put into it. Her eyes opened...to see she'd blown the windows out of the room and left the watchers with their hair blown back in blind shock...and the King of Equestria staring down at her.

“...I'm sorry...”

Trixie sighed with tears in her eyes. “What am I going to do? Zecora wouldn't have stolen that thing if she didn't have a use for it...I...I don't know how to stop her...” she said, racking her brain trying to think of something, anything... “I tried to do what you would do...so what now?”

After about 15 minutes of trying and failing to come up with a plan in her own head, and failing to her growing frustration, her eyes finally fell on a telephone. She trotted over and picked it up, dialing a number she knew well.

“Hello?”

“Hello, Chryssy...”

“Trixie! It's so good to hear from you dear, how are things doing?”

“...Not very good...Zecora attacked the Amulet transport convoy...”

“Oh no...dear, are you okay? Are the guards with you okay?”

“Relatively speaking...Zecora was going to use some sort of potion on Puddy and Storm Trooper but I teleported us away in time...but that doesn't matter, she got the Amulet and she's got a plan...I tried, but I...I just couldn't do anything...”

“Oh sweetheart, I'm sorry...Do you want me to come help?”

“...You need to stop Lord Scorpan...that's more important than what I'm doing...”

“Rather more urgent...Trixie, you're important too.”

“I know...I'm the leader of Equestria in Sombra's...Sombra's absence. I have to live up to him...but...I just don't think I...” Trixie stuttered, the Alicorn's voice breaking and tears welling up in her eyes.

“Then don't.”

The Princess's eyes widened. “W-What?”

“Let me guess, you tried to play defensive and hit when your enemy exposes themselves attacking like Sombra does?”

Trixie found herself blushing. “...Yes...”

“I know you well Trixie. Sombra was amazing at that...but Trixie, no one expects you to be him. No one wants you to...Especially not him. Don't live up to Sombra, live up to YOU. ”

King Sombra smiled down at her, putting a big hoof on her shoulder. “Look...”

Trixie blinked, turning...to see the other foals laughing and talking about what they'd just seen. Their disappointment seeming forgotten.

“Why would one need to apologize about doing something these ponies obviously needed?”

“B-But the windows...” the azure filly muttered apologetically.

“Can be repaired. Goodness, do you have any idea how often one of the students here accidentally obliterate a room?” Sombra asked with a good-natured smile. “Dear, nobody is perfect.”

“...Not even you?”

“Not even me. Especially not me. All any of us can do is the best we can as who we are. And you were doing just that, Miss...”

“T-Trixie...Trixie Lulamoon...”

“Wonderful to meet you, Miss Lulamoon. And I think the proof of what I said is right there on your flank.”

Trixie's eyes went wide as she spun her head around to find a wand with a star shaped tip and a crescent wisp of magic adoring her flank. She let out an overjoyed cry of glee...then noticed she'd managed to gain the attention of the entire room and promptly hid shyly behind Sombra. The King chuckled and obliged. Shadows were good for hiding behind after all.

“You're not a tank like Sombra. Sombra was never fast and had difficulty with offensive magics. What he was good at was powerful defensive spells and being patient. So he defended himself patiently in order to pick his spots when the enemy exposes themselves, or hold the line until a more offensive minded ally comes. He let the opponent focus on him so he could draw their fire and tank it. We all have strengths and weaknesses, and we all act based off of them...Captain Goodguy told me to tell you 'To put it in video game terms, we all have different stats, trying to be a tank with rogue stats just isn't going to work'...He has a good point, dear.”

“...All any of us can do is the best we can with who we are.”

“Now you're thinking about Sombra the right way: someone who taught you, not someone who expected you to be him...dear, I have to go, we just located Lord Scorpan.”

“I understand, thank you, Chryssy...good luck.”

“The same to you, sweetheart.”

Trixie hung up the phone and trotted over to the mirror, again looking at herself. “Alright...don't try to be Sombra...be you...so...who are you?”

“Hmm, I see what you mean...” said Sombra, looking over Trixie's results with the other teachers, Trixie once more sneaking a look. “But I do believe you are missing one key detail.”

The teacher blinked, cocking their head. “And that would be, your majesty?”

“While yes, Miss Trixie lacks excellent scores in any one area, she's also lacking poor scores in any of them,” the King replied, tapping his chin. “Including weather magic, lightning generation, and other magics not typically found in unicorns. She doesn't have a strong suit, but she doesn't have a weak spot either. There's an old saying: a jack of all trades is a master of none, but oftentimes better than a master of one. Most unicorns are outstanding in one area, myself included, but Trixie could be average in all of them, which means she could potentially be one of the most exceedingly versatile unicorns to ever graduate from this school. She also has a grasp of subtly and giving things a nudge rather than barking orders. Quite the opposite in fact: she seems to prefer not to be in the spotlight but working from the background.”

Trixie gasped, eyes widening.

“And given her performance, she has a heart to match. She could be a grand leader some day...if she chooses to be. A different leader than me, sure...but different is far from bad. It can actually be a major positive.”

Trixie gave it thought. How would she lead? How could she make this work?

As a plan began to form in her mind, there was a knock on the door. Turning, she watched two familiar forms enter.

“Hello, your majesty,” said Puddy, giving a bow.

“Oh thank goodness, I'm so glad you're alright,” Trixie replied, heading over to the two. “I'm sorry I didn't beat Zecora, but I have a plan to do it this time.”

“Your majesty, we'd be lawn ornaments without you,” Storm Trooper replied. “And we're Royal Guards, protecting Equestria is our job.”

The Alicorn blushed a little bit. “I admit...I was so busy beating myself up, I kind of forgot that...” she muttered, then rubbed her head.

“We didn't,” replied Puddy. “So what's the plan?”

“The Alicorn Amulet is useless to Zecora in its natural state. She'd need some sort of artifact to modify it...” Trixie replied, thinking about it. “The Amulet is too powerful to just magically override, at least not by her. So she'll need to have a second artifact on her person countering it.”

Before the Princess could continue, the telephone rang. Storm Trooper quickly picked it up and nodded. “Zecora's attacking.”

“Then come with me, I'll tell you my plan on the way.”

= Killmonger – Black Panther =

Zecora laughed, standing above Ponyville atop a pillar of vines that glowed a dark blue. Around her neck was a white, Alicorn shaped pendent with blue jewels for eyes and a large one in the center of its chest. A red crystal shaped like a heart with a black mounting was now attached to it using clamps along the sides. The zebra smirked and raised a hoof, dark blue energy surrounding it. As the Amulet glowed with an azure light, the second artifact gave off a pale red glow. Ethereal chains wrapped around the Alicorn Amulet itself, forcing its glow to take on a darker tone. Rapid growing vines erupted from the ground and flew forwards, impaling and destroying houses as ponies fled in terror.

“Ponies of Equestria, hear my demands, into half your land let the Zebras expand. Give up what you do not deserve, and let us a new homeland observe. Of course one more thing you see, leader of this territory I will be,” Zecora said, never losing her affable tone. “Your princess I have laid low, your other heroes are abroad facing a foe. No one to save you will come, so it is best what I said be done.”

Ponies cowered in their homes and shelters, staring up at their attacker helplessly.

“I don't believe that will be happening, Zecora,” announced a loud voice.

Zecora turned to see Trixie, the Alicorn standing heroically on a roof nearby with wings flared. “Hello again, Princess of Humility, have you not seen in this the futility?”

“I see somepony threatening my little ponies, so I will not stand idly by and let you harm them!” the Princess yelled.

“You failed to lay a hoof on me before, and now my power did soar. And from my point of view my enemy, nothing has changed that I can see.”

Trixie looked up at her with a humble smile. “Maybe I just needed a few more sets of hooves.”

= Hangyaku no Monogatari – Madoka Magica Rebellion =

In of light flash, two more Trixies appeared. The three charged, shuffling around each other rapidly to hide the original among them. Two flew up while the third charged along the ground towards the zebra villainess.

“One, two, or three, it does not matter to me.” One of the flying ones fired several beams which Zecora countered with a shield made of dark blue glowing vines, jumping up and throwing several potions at that Trixie. “My victory today is assured, you will fall, you have my word.”

The Trixie dodged, the other flying one flying in and the two scrambling with each other. One flew skywards and kicked a cloud while the other flew straight at Zecora. The zebra saw lightning coming from the cloud and formed several giant spiked vines cloaked in a dark blue glow, launching them to intercept the incoming bolt as the charging Alicorn flew and seemed to disappear on impact.

“A clever ploy my dear, but not enough to fool me my dear,” the zebra said like it was a friendly jab.

The Trixie in the clouds dove down to dodge the vines and landed, rapidly mixing herself up with the running Trixie. One of them stomped the ground, launching rocks into the air as they did so. Once the two had finished scrambling, one of them flew up and kicked all of the rocks straight at Zecora with pinpoint accuracy. The zebra launched herself forwards on a vine glowing blue, snaking through the incoming shots and slamming her ride down between them. One disappeared in the resulting explosion of dirt and debris while the other launched skywards, in a flash of magic a series of crossbows with tranquilizer arrowheads formed in front of her and rotated. Using a hoof, she fired each at the Zebra in quick succession and expert precision.

Zecora's eyes glowed blue and she used several rapidly glowing vines to knock them away like the tentacles of an octopus and rapidly threw potions at the Princess with the assistance of still more vines. Thunderclouds formed above her and flew down past Trixie, obliterating the potions and heading for Zecora. The zebra formed a large barrier of glowing blue vines to block as the Alicorn vanished in a flash of light. The Princess of Humility reappeared behind her, doing a series of martial arts kicks. Zecora ducked under a kick and threw a punch, nailing Trixie in the chest and knocking her on her back. The villain prepared to throw a potion when a piece of broken vine floated up in the Princess's telekinesis and broke itself across her back, staggering her forwards into a double buck to the chest that sent her a good distance away. The Princess teleported once again, reappearing further back, away from town and into a clearing outside it.

“My, you do seem to have gotten better a touch, so I believe I'll have to take things up a notch,” Zecora replied, summoning two gigantic arms made of intertwining vines and trees that picked up boulders the size of a small house, hurling them at the Princess. Trixie teleported several times, summoning down lightning bolts from above to obliterate them while also rescuing and depositing civilians that'd been inside to safety so fast it almost looked like there genuinely was three of her. The last teleport saw her run along the ground towards zebra, picking up several sizable pieces of rocky rubble with Earth Pony strength and hurling it at the zebra as hard as she could.

Zecora leapt down, landing and sending a blue shockwave through the ground, resulting in titanic spires of rock and huge jagged trees erupting from the ground straight at Trixie. “If you think mere pebbles will be me, I have a surprise for thee,” she said, her friendly tone almost sounding a very slight bit more genuine.

The mare weaved through them, teleporting up at the exact last moment to avoid being impaled and taking to the sky.

Zecora smirked. “Don't think going to the sky will let you escape me, if you do a fool you be!” she said, summoning a massive spiked tree branch that grew rapidly at Trixie, branching off like a nest of serpents and chasing her through the sky, crashing down at every angles. “I will strike at you with no chance to rest, like you've entered a black mamba nest!”

The mare rapidly teleported, alternating between flight and running along the already formed branches, the sky turning into a chaotic display of tangled wood. Trixie finally dive bombed at Zecora, dodging more branches and teleporting onto the branch itself. She continued at the zebra, dodging and weaving as the branch impaled itself repeatedly and tangled onto itself in a gnarled mass, but kept coming at her all the same. Finally reaching Zecora, Trixie teleported forwards directly in front of her and then banked sharply, flying upwards. The zebra quickly had to break off the massive vine attack and launch skywards to avoid being struck by her own vines, moving too fast to stop and impaling the ground where she'd been standing like an iron maiden.

As she rose into the air, Trixie tackled her and sent them both falling towards the ground. The two exchanged blows in midair, the Alicorn not flying but falling along with her. “A clever move, I do admit, but I am not yet ready to submit!” Zecora exclaimed, her tone seeming almost genuine with the praise despite the clear prideful mocking with which it was intended. She grabbed one of her potions, charging it with blue magic and attempting to punch it into the Alicorn. Trixie teleported away at the last moment, resulting in the sphere flying up and exploding in a massive fireball visible from Canterlot.

Zecora landed as Trixie reappeared above her, blue magic radiating outwards from her stomp and sending spires of stone upwards at the mare, who dove down between them, ice shards manifesting in front of her that she kicked at Zecora with amazing accuracy. The zebra backflipped to dodge as the Alicorn teleported, seeming to use her momentum to land a flying dive kick to the zebra's chest, sending her skidding back.

The zebra threw down a smoke bomb charged with the Amulet's magic, the released now blue smoke seemed to come alive and surround Trixie from all angles of its own accord and block off sight. Zecora dashed around the mare, throwing potions, but somehow the Princess managed to evade them, sending them flying out the other side, forcing Zecora to dodge her own projectiles coming out the other side. The potions detonated around them in a huge blast, blowing larger holes in the stone surrounding them from her previous attack.

“Training with Starlight I would assume, is where you got this power to avoid doom,” said Zecora, throwing up dozens of potions skywards where they froze in blue magic, the Zebra's eyes glowing. Zecora didn't smirk, something she herself found strange, but not out of place given the situation. “But let's see if you can dodge this, as I put you into Heaven's bliss.”

But before she could attack what she assumed to be a helpless mare, suddenly, multiple thunderclouds formed above and rained down lightning. The bolts of electricity blew away the potions in dazzling light shows before redirecting right at Zecora, forcing her to teleport in a flash of blue magic.

“So, that allows you to use more than just supercharged Zebra magic?” Trixie asked from within the cloud.

“Yes, though I dare to say, I prefer with my own kind's magics to play,” Zecora replied, teleporting and attempting to kick Trixie in the back of the head. Trixie herself teleported to evade, Zecora taking the opportunity to produced a voodoo doll she quickly enchanted with the Alicorn Amulet's magic and trust a needle into the chest of, right into Trixie's wound.

She heard a scream of pain that seemed to echo distantly. To the Zebra's surprise, Trixie still appeared a distance away and took advantage of the already summoned thunderclouds to kick them in rapid succession to rain lightning down at Zecora with, the zebra quickly teleporting to dodge as her voodoo doll was grabbed in telekinesis and teleported away. Zecora appeared above her and threw down a barrage of supercharged potions. The Alicorn teleported, falling at her from above with a dive kick. Zecora spun around, attempting to throw a vial of Aniwye spray in her eyes again but this time Trixie teleported away, appearing behind the villainess and grabbing her before diving at the ground with the zebra in tow. Before she could slam the zebra, Zecora elbowed her repeatedly in her chest, taking six or seven hits to finally dislodge her, allowing the zebra to catch herself on the ground. Trixie teleported forwards at her with a diving kick using falling momentum, Zecora dodging at the last second.

The two exchanged a series of blindingly fast teleport attacks, Trixie alternating between raining attacks at range and melee, Zecora using massive vines, trees superpowered potions, and martial arts to strike, neither seeming to get an upperhoof.

The two finally landed, looking at one another and panting. Trixie was notably less winded of the two. A cloud passed overhead, Zecora's eyes glowing blue in the shadows.

“You have indeed improved, I am almost inclined to approve,” said Zecora, her tone seeming considerably more genuine. Almost humble.

“I credit my friends...” said Trixie, eyes focusing on Zecora's as they seemed to almost have a pale blue glow to them even once the cloud passed. “I must ask, when Puddy called you a witch, you went berserk...why? Why are you doing this?”

Zecora's expression was instantly one of rage, wrath, and revenge...before the blue glow in her eyes seemed to cool it. “...To tell you the truth I must confess, my life since coming to this country was a mess. My homeland is a hard place for my people to dwell, a ticket to you the best conpony could not sell. You had Sombra to protect you from the Princess's drought, we could never go that route. So I came here seeking a new home to live in, what I fool I had been.” Pride seemed to try hard to bury some hint of sorrow, but seemed eroded by a trickle of blue light. “Instead of acceptance welcoming me, a witch is all ponies thought I be. Towards zebras as a whole this view seemed to be, ponies didn't seem so superior to me. For so long that was what I was called, I decided to be a witch after all. If give me and my kind a sanctuary in this land would not do, I resolved to take it from you.”

Trixie stood for a few moments, then teleported, appearing next to her. Up close and not trying to kill each other, Zecora noticed her chest where the voodoo doll had been stabbed was indeed bleeding and the Alicorn was in sincere pain. “...I know the feeling...” she said with complete sincerity.

Zecora blinked, turning to her. “I wish I could believe you were right, but how is blind to my sight.”

“Ponies for a long time thought I was nothing...just an average unicorn who came to the School and got in due to a little magic act the King liked...and all my life because of that I've had people who kept saying I don't deserve what I have. That I only got what I did out of pity or dumb luck, and never deserved it at all. And it hurts...hurts so much that sometimes you end up believing it yourself. To try hard to be one thing but the world is convinced you're another.”

Zecora seemed to try and will herself to be angry...but the anger just didn't come. Where did it go? “I...I suppose you have a point, such things can easily put you out of joint.”

“But if we become what they think...then they win...” said Trixie, looking into Zecora's eyes as they continued to glow a faint blue. “...And in your case, isn't treating everypony like they're all lesser than you, like they don't deserve anything, including ponies that have never harmed you, being no better than the ones who wronged you? And isn't that letting them win?”

Zecora slowly looked around the surroundings, people hiding in panic. She wanted to laugh, to enjoy this moment. But it was like that part of her had...cooled. Like a red-hot sword suddenly dropped in cool, blue water. She held a hoof to her chest, feeling a tightness she'd not felt in...she wasn't sure, had she ever? It was...strange. Why couldn't she enjoy it? But there was a warmness too, knowing someone understood her pain... Her pride bid her not to listen, but it was like someone had put a muzzle on it.

She turned to Trixie, looking almost in a daze, eyes now a steady blue. “I...I don't know what is going on, it's like this all just feels wrong...”

“That's how things are supposed to feel. Empathy is something you should've received so much more of than you have...maybe if ponies had given it to you, you would've learned to give it back to them,” the Alicorn of Humility replied, gingerly putting a hoof on her shoulder. “Like I want to show you now...if you'll only listen and let me...Then maybe instead of being a witch, you can be who you really wanted to be from the start.”

The zebra villainess stood for a few moments, looking at the mare before her, hoof offered outstretched...and slowly reached, taking it.

Zecora allowed herself to be cuffed with magic nullifying restraints of the highest caliber available (and emblazoned with 'Made in Chaosville') and loaded into a car, Trixie sitting in the front seat with her chest bandaged. She looked up, seeing herself in the rear view mirror...and saw the Amulet around her neck...and only it. “It cannot be...” she said, looking down at the blank Amulet, glowing blue. “When did you take it off of me?!”

“When the fight started...” Trixie replied with only honesty, not bragging pride.

“But when did you get close enough to pose, the ability to steal it from under my nose?” the Zebra asked, then her eyes widened.

Or rather teleport, having snatched the second artifact at the last moment.

Trixie held up the artifact. “The True Heart Amulet, an artifact that blocks the effects of mind altering artifacts. With it, you could use the Alicorn Amulet without fear, but without it you gradually gained compassion and empathy as the battle continued.”

“But...but how is this a possibility? How could I be robbed by a holographic copy?!” asked Zecora in disbelief.

“Because they weren't holograms,” said a voice. Two more Trixies walked up with smirks. The Trixie sitting in front of her's horn glowed and a glamour broke, revealing Storm Trooper and Puddy.

“Princess Trixie was using her spells to provide the 'special effects,'” Storm Trooper explained. “And was being our eyes and ears. She knew how perplexing you could be to fight, so having someone who can teleport spam us watching from the shadows and keeping an eye on you was a good plan.”

Trixie blushed. “You two were as good as I was, I'd be dead without you..” she said, then slowly looked back at Zecora. “For the record...I was being honest, I really do know how you feel...and I know you'd never listen so long as that pride was in the way...I'm sorry for tricking you, but it was only once the Alicorn Amulet subdued your pride that you'd ever listen to reason...But now it's your choice. Do you want to keep it and enjoy your new empathy? To be able to care about others...and know they care about you? Or do you want to go back to being heartless?”

Zecora was in no position to make that choice herself at this moment...but had been given a lot to think about for when she was.

Of course, when one had finally gained the capacity to feel for others and know for sure someone sympathized with your pain without being blinded by pride, could they ever truly return to how they were before?

Trixie looked at the mare sitting heartbroken in a crater. The mare who a few moments prior had nearly ripped Canterlot apart at the seams in a power mad rampage. And now was simply a broken mare, the weight of all she'd done crashing down on her like a tidal wave.

The Princess of Humility slowly trotted over. “Twilight Sparkle?”

Twilight turned around, looking at her in confusion. “Trixie?”

Trixie simply sat down next to her, looking at her. “...I'm sorry.”

The mare's eyes went wide. “W-What?”

“...I'm sorry for never realizing how unfairly you were treated. For never realizing that I accidentally ruined your chance trying to help others through their others...” the Alicorn replied. “And I want to make it up to you. Don't consider it helping...consider it...owing you something I haven't repaid for a very, very long time...Will you let me?” she asked, holding out a hoof to her.

The cloaked figure closed the book.

“And that is the story of Trixie the Humble. How a shy little filly became the student of the King of Sacred Shadow...and took on a proud zebra and may have given her a little humility. Ready for the next story?”

I Care for All

I Care For All
By Kendell2
Commissioned by Grimwolf

The figure slowly moved over, looking up at the stained glass window devoted to Captain Goodguy.

“Some fear responsibility, some embrace it. But others ignore it entirely. And some of the latter realize the hard way that responsibility doesn't like to be ignored, and if you have great power and no responsibility, when bad things happen you could've stopped...eventually those bad things happens quite close to home. Closer than we could ever dream or want. And in those times, we learn with great power, must come great responsibility.”

“Thus is our next story. Care to gather round and listen?”

“Have no fear, Captain Goodguy is here!” called the masked draconequus, flying above the city, stopping in front of a burning building.

The civilians peaked out to find a rope attached to the top of the building going down, Captain Goodguy climbed up, standing on the side of the building. “Your rope is here, good citizens,” he proclaimed, floating up and he snapped his fingers. Climbing gloves formed in his hands...and he carefully checked inside them and knocked a few spiders out of them before slipping them on their hooves so everyone to slide down the rope safe and sound. The hero gave a look to the fire itself and flew around, collecting it on a cotton candy spool (being careful to only grab fire) before eating it like it was the surgery treat. He finally let out a burp of smoke into the air once his head was pointed at no one. “Spicy...”

“Thanks for coming, Goodguy, with how hot that fire was burning there's no telling if we would've saved everyone in time, or even made it out alive,” one of the fire fighters replied, giving a salute.

“All in a day's work, everyday hero, I saw danger and couldn't stay away,” the hero said with a smile...before looking up and seeing a light shining on the clouds with the two D symbol on his chest. “It's the Goodguy Signal! Someone needs my help! See you later!” he called, saluting the fire fighters and taking off.

“I see...” said Captain Goodguy, looking at Rough Diamond's profile at the local police department.

The picture depicted was a light green mare with a long reddish mane and tail, looking constantly perky with a wide smile. Her depicted Cutie Mark was a tree with a red heart as its leaves. “Hmm, she doesn't look too bad to me.”

“You're talking to an undercover detective, believe me looks can be deceiving,” replied the mare in front of him. “For starters, she's an associate of Zecora.”

“Oh yes, the Wicked Witch of Everfree, I can see why that would be worrying...” replied the superhero, narrowing his eyes slightly. Zecora had caused a lot of trouble, and it was the general opinion that she was up to something much bigger than general ecoterrorism.

“And she started giving out some...disturbing pamphlets...”

“Really? What kind?”

“Ones describing how sapient civilization is a blight on Equus that should be eradicated...All in an extremely cheery fashion...” Rough Diamond explained with a disturbed look.

Good Guy read over the pamphlet in question. “Yikes, enough to send a chill down my spine,” he said, a line of ice running down his back. He carefully held his tail up when the ice reached it.

“Indeed.”

“But while disturbing, it's nothing the more extreme members of PETA hasn't spouted before...”

“...What?”

“Whoops, sorry, wrong universe. Meant every environmental film ever made,” replied the superhero.

“Oh...true. We've only taken her in for disturbing the peace a few times. Then she convinced some protesters to shut down the area around a nearby river important to water distribution. Turned out that it was a distraction so she could use the potions Zecora gave her to make a vine dam in the river, blocking it up and cutting off a large part of the water supply.”

Captain Goodguy nodded. “We're in a drought, we need every water source we can possibly get...of course she's still well meaning, perhaps she can be reasoned with?”

“That's what the negotiators say too. Problem is getting past the vines, they're classic Zecora and getting through them is proving difficult. This is normally Duchess Chrysalis's forte but she's busy with another issue right now. Mind helping out?”

“You know me, good detective: always willing to help no matter what!” he said, posing dramatically with his cape blowing in a wind that came from nowhere while heroic music swelled in the background with fitting back lighting. He then blinked, looking back to notice the wind blowing paper work around and quickly gathering the papers to put them back. “Sorry...” he apologized with a sheepish look.

Detective Rough Diamonds merely stared with a no nonsense look for a few moments. “Good. Coordinates are in the file. Good luck.”

Goodguy gave a heroic salute and flew off through the window. Once in the air, he produced the pamphlet and leafed through it. “Someone who cares so much for something 'more important' that ponies lose any and all meaning...I suppose I know very well how that feels...”

Discord floated high above the land, the surrounding area a mismatch of chaotic, crazy things. Trees turned to fish and water into twisters of tomato juice while houses levitated and rotated high in the air.

“Hmm...interesting,” said the Draconequus, floating closer to the floating dwelling. “Turns out making the center of the house the focal point of gravity does...this...” he said, examining the rotating house.

“I...think I'm going to be...sick...” groaned the stallion in the house, face turning green. Discord merely continued observing everything but him.

“Discord!”

Discord gave an annoyed groan. The spirit of chaos turned and looked at King Sombra with crossed arms. “Well, look who it is. Let me guess, you wish for me to stop my experiments?”

“Put that pony down this instant!”

The Spirit shrugged. “I fail to see why I should. He should have run when his house started floating in the first place,” he said, apathetically, remaining more curious at the state of the house itself.

Equestria's ruler gave an annoyed sigh. He quickly used a pillar of crystal to fly up and pull the stallion from the house, taking him to the ground...where the poor pony promptly ran to a bush and threw up. Sombra did, however, notice a strange purple pony nearby parkouring around the floating buildings and almost seeming to enjoy it. “Discord, what are you even trying to accomplish?!”

“Simple: I want to know what happens if I do something, I do it and see what happens. I believe you ponies call it science. Let's call it...chaos theory,” Discord replied. “For example, what if the clouds were made of concrete...” he said, snapping his fingers.

Sombra's eyes widened as he had to quickly put up a shield to keep himself and the ponies in the area from getting crushed. He blinked as the strange purple mare simply dodged the falling concrete without fear.

“That...hmm, interesting...”

“That makes no sense!” Equestria's King shouted back.

“Make sense? Chaos doesn't make sense, it's only interesting when it's senseless,” Discord replied. “Pulling one little thread and seeing what comes undone. A butterfly flapping its wings and making a hurricane on the other side of the world. A single crack in a statue traveling up it and making some random part fall,” the Spirit continued, shapeshifting first into a thread version of himself and pulling a thread to make himself unravel. He reformed into a butterfly and flapped his wings, blowing Sombra back with hurricane force winds it took all his might to resist. Lastly, he formed into a statue and cracked, his horn falling off.

“Don't you care about the ponies caught in the middle?!”

“No,” Discord replied coldly and bluntly as he reformed. “Let me make one thing clear, your highness. I don't give a flying feather about anything from this dimension. If they get caught in the crossfire? That's their problem, not mine. Now if you excuse me, I'm missing some fascinating chaos here.”

Sombra sighed, watching Discord teleport up and snap his fingers. A pair of houses suddenly ripped themselves out of the ground, one turning into frozen oil and the other burning ice, and went flying towards one another at high speed. The King gasped and launched himself between them,creating two crystal hands to hold them apart with great strain. He tried to think fast...and finally Discord's words echoed in his head.

“...Wait, if we could create a place where you can cause all the chaos you want with no ponies getting in the way, you'd just leave my ponies alone?” Sombra asked, straining under the effort of what he knew was a minor showing of Discord's power.

The Spirit blinked, snapping his fingers and causing the houses to float freely, freeing Sombra. “If that'd make you stop messing up my experiments, I might be willing to listen.”

Captain Goodguy touched down in the forested area, looking around the area. He'd found himself in the middle of a dried out river bed...then a red exclamation point appeared over his head as he noticed the giant dam of vines holding back the river. “Well, there's our problem. Let's carefully fix that so we don't end up with a flood down stream...” he said, reaching into his utility belt and pulling out a giant machete...which he then carefully used as a toothpick to produce a pair of tweezers from between his teeth. “Now, onto work.”

= Sing a Song of Flowers – The Kiboomers =

“Sing a song of flowers, flowers in the ground.
Flowers grow better with no pony around,” sang a peppy, energetic voice to a nursery rhyme tune.

The superhero turned to see the mare depicted in Rough Diamond's profile merrily skip down the side of the dam.

“Flowers of every color,
Better off without you.
Red and pink and orange and yellow
Blue and purple too!” she continued to sing as she put together a flower necklace.

“Sing a song of flowers, no ponies around,
Flowers will be growing, when we're in the ground.
Flowers of every color, better with us all through.
Red and pink and orange and yellow,
Blue and purple too! she finished singing with a spin, coming to a stop looking face to face with Goodguy. “Oh...hey there!” she said, putting the flower necklace around his neck with a cheerful, perky smile.

“Hello, Tree Hugger...nice song, if a bit morbid and creepy.”

“Thanks! Mom says I have a great singing voice!” Tree Hugger replied, practically skipping back up the dam she'd created.

Discord teleported in front of her. “Now that that's out of the way, this dam was not built to standard nor did you go through the proper channels, so I'm afraid I'm going to have you remove it,” he reasoned in a calm and relaxed voice.

The mare gave a laugh like it was a friendly joke. “Channels? Man, I don't need to go through channels. The only channels I follow are the one nature cuts through the land! This river was never supposed to be here! We redirected it from the path it was always supposed to follow! I'm just fixing it!” she continued, at no point raising her voice in anger or losing her good cheer.

“Be that as it may, it's still a drought, and can't you see ponies will suffer without this water?” asked Goodguy continued.

“Yeah, but we ponies take and take and take, world would probably be better off if we just took a hike off a cliff.”

Goodguy sighed. “Look, we can debate that all you like...but what about all the animals down this way who won't have water?”

“What about all the animals we took water away from redirecting the river to make our lives easier?”

“I would presume they were equinely relocated.”

“Equinely, yeah right,” said Tree Hugger with a shrug before skipping off a little bit further.

“And I don't think this dam could hold anyway, eventually it will burst and likely flood the town downstream,” Goodguy pointed out.

“...Huh, hadn't thought of that...”

The Draconequus superhero gave a sigh of relief.

“Looks like it's close now...” Tree Hugger replied, then, without any sign of sadism or malice, threw a potion at the vines...which quickly destroyed the vines, unleashing a massive torrent of water downstream with a roar.

Goodguy's eyes popped completely out of his head. “Are you out of your mind?!”

“Eh, insanity is relative. Later big guy!” the mare called cheerfully before skipping away.

Goodguy prepared to snap his fingers and return everything to normal and pull Tree Hugger back to him...but hesitated just long enough for the flower necklace around his neck to glow and suddenly become a mass of black, thorn covered vines that wrapped him like a mummy. To his frustration, seeming to almost intentionally restrict his claws.

“It's a trap!” announced a fish leaping out of the water next to him briefly glowing with his chaotic magic against his will.

“I can see that, Mr. Finny...” the draconequus said, squirming against his bonds. “She was smarter than she looked...”

He saw the water heading for a nearby settlement and gave a determined look, biting into his bonds on his hand and using his sharp teeth to pull and rip off the vine, allowing him to snap his fingers.

The water suddenly stopped, then rolled back up like a rug being rolled back up before a large toy box dumped out giant NEIGHGO bricks that piled up into a huge wall to blocked up the current.

Goodguy gave a sigh of relief, slowly walking over and pulling out the bottom block in such a way to create a small stream. “At least nothing too bad happened...” he muttered, then noticed the wall of NEIGHGO bricks had formed as a statue of him in his underwear. “...Like I said, too bad...Well, that's dealt with...but she got away...I'll have to up my game next time.”

Goodguy took off his mask as he returned to the small house floating in the chaotic realm that he called home. The stars in the distance crackled chaotically and randomly, their bursts seeming almost like they were trying to make their way through chains. “Alright, need to think of a plan...” he said, tapping his chin. “She's clearly got future plans and has at least some ideas on how to counter my powers...so first step is thinking of a counter to her last plan. I mean obviously I can just not let her put it on, but restricting my hand...” He snapped his fingers and several other Discords appeared. “Any ideas?”

“What if we bring a goat to just eat any plants she tries to use?” asked a Discord dressed as the Jester.

“Hmm...interesting idea...” said the superhero, tapping his chin.

“What if we're on fire? She can't wrap us up if we're on fire,” said another Discord, who predictably was on fire.

“Good idea, though perhaps a little dangerous to the civilians...we know how my powers tend to have a bit of a mind of their own...”

“Here's an idea...how about we just stop playing nice and throw her into another dimension?”

Discord narrowed his eyes as a completely normal Discord, no outfits, no gimmicks, just himself spoke up. “I didn't invite you out of my subconscious.”

“You never do,” replied the other Discord with a detached apathy. “We don't need a complicated plan, or some defense, or anything like that. We can just snap her fingers, and find out what it'd look like if a black hole opened under her hooves.”

“We can't do that.”

“Why not?”

“Because everyone is the way they are for a reason, everyone wants something or another,” Goodguy replied. “That girl thinks she's doing the right thing...maybe she can be saved...”

“Maybe...or maybe you're just scared if you go all out, you'll not be able to help yourself...” said the other Discord. “You have trouble controlling our magic at the best of times. Even with you trying so hard to control it.”

Goodguy growled. “I just care about other people...unlike you...”

“Maybe I just miss the days where we got to experiment without a care in the world, instead of now when we've got a mountain of responsibility on our shoulders,” said the other Discord, a mountain manifesting above him he struggled to hold up with the word “Responsibility” engraved on it.

“Yes, and I had my reasons for ending them...” said Goodguy with a glare.

Discord sat on his throne in the chaotic dimension he'd been granted. Or rather helped discover. As he found with his abilities (being able to open dimensional rifts was but one of the many powers possessed by the Lord of Chaos), most of his alternate selves found or created this place all on their own (multiverse being what it was, whether or not this place came part and parcel with his status as the God of Chaos varied from reality to reality). By his own admission, it was due to his more 'scientific' perspective on chaos. He was so interested with the chaos he could experiment with in the normal realm he hadn't considered this idea until Sombra suggested it.

He snapped his fingers, creating a slab of landscape based off somewhere in Equestria (he didn't really care where). “Hmm...Let's try this...” he said, snapping his fingers and turning the entire area into fish flavored jello. He then snapped them again, summoning giant meteors made of burning ice and threw them at it, noting the smaller ones bounced off but the larger ones punched right through.

“Interesting...” Discord replied...then blinked as he noted a purple dot rushing across the jello, parkouring around the still falling meteors and dodging, landing on top of a tree as it ended. “Huh, I don't remember creating anything purple...”

The Spirit of Chaos descended, finding a purple pony with swirly purple and white hair standing before him. Her Cutie Mark was a ball and a screw and she wore a helicopter beanie on her head. “Who are you?”

The mare took a drink from a bottle of water. “Oh, hello, my name's Screwball,” she said, sounding surprisingly normal for someone who willingly did what she just had.

“And what are you doing here?” asked Discord with an irritated growl. “Sombra's rules were if I leave Equestria alone, I will be left alone. If he knows a pony is in here, it's going to be an unnecessary interruption in my experiments.”

“Oh, no need to worry, he knows I'm here and I signed the wavers,” the mare replied. “I want to be here.”

The Spirit of Chaos stood silently for a few moments. “You...want to be here?”

“Yeah.”

“...Huh...most ponies just try to run away...” Discord replied, his expression of a scientist who just found an interesting variable. “Why?”

“Well way I see it: with Lord Scorpan and stuff like that running around, I'm in danger wherever I live,” the mare explained, tone even and calm.

“Yes...”

“But out there, life is kinda either 'we're being attacked or afraid of being attacked' and attacks are predictable...to be honest, it's just dull...” replied Screwball. “At least where I lived...we're not living, we're just...not dying. And that doesn't seem rational. But here? It's exciting. There's new things all the time, and yeah, I'm in danger, but I was in that no matter where I live, so kinda just trading boring danger for exciting danger...So yeah, I like your experiments better than dull ordinary life with evil villains looming over head.”

Discord examined her closely, taking out a madness detector which didn't react. “Hmm...fascinating, you're completely sane...No sane rational pony has ever...liked my chaos before...” he said, curiosity peaked.

“Yeah, ponies called me insane for wanting to come here, but I want to live, not just not die...besides...I kinda had some ideas for experiments...”

Discord leaned closer. “Listening...”

“Hmm...how about seeing what happens when gravity works in reverse?” Screwball asked, now months later.

Discord gave a chuckle, actually smiling. “That sounds like a fun experiment...” he said, creating several planets with simulated gravity. He then snapped his claw, causing that gravity to suddenly reverse and fling things outwards from it.

Screwball jumped into the gravity wells, being propelled back out and into another one, launching herself around and parkouring off the floating objects.

The Lord of Chaos gave a smile, watching her bounce around the inverted gravity. A variable that he had no control over, that controlled herself and enjoyed being part of the chaos. “Quite interesting.”

Discord then saw her heading for one of the chaos singularities throughout his domain, not seeing it coming. He snapped his fingers, inverting gravity on it as well. The gravity reverse was much higher than the planets he'd made (it was a singularity after all), and thus sent her flying all the way back to him. “Have fun?”

Screwball nodded, looking like a bungee jumper who'd just had a fun ride. “Yeah.”

Discord created a seat for the two of them so she could take a rest.

“...You know, this place is kinda pretty...” said Screwball, looking out at the chaotic realm of nonsense that was Discord's realm.

The Lord of Chaos raised an eyebrow. “It is?”

The mare nodded, pointing to the numerous spheres of light to dot the sky. All placed at random and constantly shifting with no rhyme or reason. “The stars are like the clouds back home. They form patterns and you can make constellations, but they're never the same twice in a row...” she said, pointing to a collection of lights. “Like that one looks like a tree.”

Discord looked closely. “I think I can see it.”

The lights suddenly rearranged themselves at random.

“Now they're an octopus.”

The Spirit of Chaos gave an intrigued look. “Hmm, I hadn't thought of that.”

The stars once again rearranged themselves at random.

“Okay, your turn, what is it now?” Screwball asked.

Discord...looked somewhat stumped. “I...Hmm...what would it be?...Me?”

“Yeah, I can see that...” said the mare with a chuckle. The lights rearranged themselves once again. “Now what?”

“Um...me again?”

“You can't guess the same thing twice in a row.”

“And why not?”

“Because how's that chaotic?”

The Spirit of Chaos raised a claw to retort...only to blink and put it to his chin. “That's...actually a good point...a snake?”

“That's better!”

The two would spend several minutes sitting there, guessing what the randomly shifting shapes formed. Discord, at first, only chose things like horses, bats, lions, and dragons...

“Okay, what now?” Screwball asked.

“...Well...hmm...you?”

The mare blinked. “...Huh...yeah, I guess...”

“What's wrong?”

Screwball chuckled. “Oh, nothing...just the first time you guessed something that wasn't part of you.”

“I...hadn't noticed...You know, it's strange...” Discord replied. “The Realm of Chaos and the Lord of Chaos are in a way of speaking one and the same...This place is me, and I didn't even realize it existed until Sombra helped me discover it...Chaos coming with a handy pamphlet would be far too orderly you know...You're the first denizen of this realm other than me...well, other than the chaos abominations...”

The two ducked nonchalantly as a writhing mass of tentacles, wings, and eyes flew by.

“But they might or might not be my subconscious imaginings...”

“Huh...what's that one represent?”

“I have absolutely no idea...but more to the point...kind of fitting that you'd be the first thing other than myself I would see in part of it...hmm, quite an interesting experiment...”

Screwball nodded. “Yeah...So...uh...” she said, blushing as she realized something. “...So when I said this place was beautiful, does that mean I was calling you beautiful?”

Discord was stunned silent for a moment. “...I...I suppose that's right...Huh...chaos being beautiful, quite a novel concept...”

“Yes, but was it worth it in the end?” asked the other Discord.

Goodguy growled...but before he could respond, a flowerpot rung like a phone. He picked a flower from it and held it to his ear and the pot to his lower jaw. “Hello?”

Goodguy flew down over a forest, following the instructions sent his way towards the next reported sighting of Tree Hugger. She was now officially a terrorist after her last stunt had nearly destroyed a town, which at least meant arresting her outright would be easier...still, there was the hope maybe just maybe she could be reasoned with.

However, when Discord landed, he was rather surprised by what he found.

= A Smile and a Song – Snow White =

Namely, Tree Hugger prancing around a forest clearing while singing a happy, joyful song and attracting forest creatures to herself.

“Come and listen to my song,
And help me bring in a brand new day!” sang the mare as she let animals land on her, her song happy and pretty.

“Ponies fade away,
Earth again be young,” she continued, spinning and petting several animals on the head.

“Come and listen to my song,
Let all of nature be restored anew.
Given back to you,
As the song is sung...” continued Tree Hugger, skipping merrily among the animals as more and more filed in.

“Let the earth start rumbling,
Let cities start crumbling.
Let us all act as one,
And help nature regain her old shine!” the ecoterrorist sang, lowering her head as she sang going past several dens, luring their owners out.

“Come along as I sing,
And help me welcome a brand new spring.
So please come along,
Come and listen to my song,” she finished, jumping up onto a stump with a final, ever cheerful note, animals flocking in and filling the clearing completely.

“Well...this isn't what I was expecting...” Goodguy said as he landed in the appropriate 'superhero landing' (which he admitted without his particular power set was murder on the knees).

“Oh, hey Goodguy, so you got out of the vines?” asked the mare, as happy and chipper as ever.

“Yes, but I'm afraid that little trick means I must bring you in, please come quietly for your own good,” replied the hero in a more serious tone.

“Eh, I'm not going anywhere, me and these little guys have a little job of retaking some land to do,” replied Tree Hugger, smiling friendly to the little creatures.

Goodguy rose a claw, a yellow energy around his claw that quickly formed around her as well. He floated her up over to him. He noticed it begin to compress a little bit and steaded his claw with his lion paw to regain control. “You're going nowhere. And don't try that vine trick again.”

“Oh good, cause I wasn't...” said Tree Hugger with a smile before looking up. “Mind helping me out little guys!”

Goodguy blinked, looking up to find the entire forest canopy covered in squirrels. “...Squirrels?”

Suddenly, several thousand squirrels mobbed him in mass, seer numbers tackling him to the ground and forcing him to let Tree Hugger go.

“Ah! How many squirrels did you find?!” Goodguy asked as they gnawed him, intentionally trying to restrain his claws.

“All of them!” replied Tree Hugger with a wide happy smile.

The draconequus threw them off as quickly as he could, but they just kept piling on. “Confound these wretched rodents! For every one I fling away, a dozen more vex me!”

“Yeah, squirrels are good at that,” said the mare.

“You know, you could just turn them all to butter,” said the disembodied head of Discord's gimmickless clone.

“And throw the predator and prey ratios into complete chaos?!” asked Goodguy.

“That's what we do! We're the Spirit of Chaos!”

“We're also a superhero!”

The two literally butted heads...until they noticed the squirrels had departed. “Huh?”

Tree Hugger threw a potion in Goodguy's face the moment the animals were clear.

“A potion? What did you...” Goodguy asked...before suddenly his entire body turned green with dark green spots.

“Gift from Zecora! Tatzlwurm venom!” replied Tree Hugger while happily signing a thank you card to her fellow villainess.

Goodguy groaned, sniffling and falling to the ground ill. “Curses! How did you know my one weakness!” Or rather the only weakness he saw fit to let her know about.

“Zecora's smart!” Tree Hugger replied. “Now, if you excuse me, I gotta go deal with restoring Canterlot Mountain to its pretty old self.”

Goodguy groaned, trying to stand but finding himself weak and only managed to sneeze. “What?!”

“Yeah, me and these little guys are going to go blow Canterlot off the face of the mountain,” replied Tree Hugger like she was talking about throwing a huge party. She gave a pleasant wave. “See ya!”

“Wait, stop!” yelled the Draconequus, trying to crawl after her, but a bear picked her up and dashed off. He tried snapping his fingers to stop her but it failed. “No...not again...I can't just do nothing...not again...”

“Fascinating...” Discord said, watching Screwball dash around a rapidly swirling sphere of honey with gram-crackers floating in it. The mare leapt from platform to platform, until finally she was thrown off, grabbing Discord's claw as she passed. Discord spun her around and let her land on his shoulder with a smile. “Marvelous.”

“You think so? You make the best parkour courses,” Screwball replied with a chuckle.

“And you make for a wonderful random variable,” he said with a genuine smile. The two appendage bumped. “So, how about some cucumber sandwiches?”

“I was thinking pizza with bananas on it,” replied the mare.

“Oh, that sounds very interesting...” the spirit replied, the two opening the door to Discord's house...

Only to find King Sombra standing in his living room.

Discord's mood and face quickly fell. “...Screwball...go play with the chaos puppy I got you for awhile. Me and the King evidently have something to talk about...”

“Please, you've got to help! You could stop them easily enough...” Sombra pleaded.

Discord gave an apathetic sigh. “True true, but it's not my problem.” The spirit replied. “I've got my own dimension and the only pony that really matters to me is here with me. If I recall, you helped me find this place specifically so I wouldn't NEED to involve myself with your country. So kindly leave me out of it.”

Sombra gave a growl. “My mother is everyone's problem, Discord.”

“Not mine. Please help yourself out. Arrivederci.”

“What isn't your problem now has a habit of becoming it later...far worse than you could've ever expected...” Sombra warned as he departed.

”Seriously, you want me out of your hair, now I'm out of it and you want me back? I appreciate nonsense, but make up your mind,” Discord grumbled as he left his house...and felt something off. “Hmm...I sense a disturbance in the me...”

“So, you are Discord...You are less impressive than I thought...” said a level voice full of cold fury.

Discord turned and found a small, fairy-like being made of shadow floating before him. Her expression one constant of icy rage. Despite being far, far smaller than him, her expression carried with it an aura of weight and presence. “And what exactly do you mean by that?”

“You are made out to be a much more powerful and intimidating presence by the ponies...but all I see looking at you now is creature who has more power than he knows what to do with it and can only do pointless experiments to entertain himself,” said the creature, her tone never changing and hateful gaze never waning. “You are pathetic.”

Discord growled. “Oh, sorry, I think you think I care what you think...” he said, looming over her. She didn't budge and inch. “Who are you supposed to be if you're so much greater than me?”

Suddenly, another similar creature, though noticeably smaller than her, blindsided Discord while his focus was completely on her with a vial, causing his body to turn green with spots.

“What...what did you do?!” Discord asked, sneezing and falling onto a rocky island floating in the abyss, feeling weak.

“One question at a time,” the mare replied, still in the same tranquil fury as always, lowering before him. She put her hooves to his head, dark tendrils digging their way from her hooves into his body. She gave a small, subdued, but clearly sadistic grin as Discord began to flail and scream. “This is who I am.”

Goodguy groaned, the mighty hero being left crawling into a train to Canterlot. “Quick! I need to borrow somepony's cell phone! Please!”

The hero quickly called to access the situation...but it didn't look good. The other heroes were all in different parts of the world at the moment, dealing with other threats and villains that were just as potentially catastrophic...it was times like this he realized how thin the evil Princesses had them spread. Ever since Luna's fall, things just got more and more desperate.

Still, at least he called ahead in time to warn everypony and begin a evacuation from the city...but Canterlot was too large of a city to evacuate quickly. It was very possible Tree Hugger's evil plan would take effect before everypony could escape.

“I've got to do something...I have to...” muttered Goodguy, looking down.

Things seemed to slow to a crawl as Discord tisked, visible only visible to him.

“If you'd just listened to me, you wouldn't be in this mess,” replied Discord, giving a glare. “But no, you never listen to me. You always ignore me! Ignore US! Ignore who WE are!”

“...Yes, because when I listened to you, it ended so well didn't it?” asked Goodguy, bitterness in his tone.

The Muse Sisters sang as Sombra and King Tirek held a dark, twisted, and corrupted looking Discord in place as he writhed...but finally a dark prescience was forced out of him, writhing as it vanished into the air.

Discord fell to his hands and knees, panting with eyes wide and in a cold sweat. The heroes did the same in exshaustion.

“Discord, are you okay?!” Sombra asked, rushing over.

The Draconequus kept his head down, looking straight at the floor. “...What did I do?” he asked, his tone not seeming directed outward.

“Oh, brainwash memory loss...well, you kind of...” Aria started, the normally more cheerful Siren seeming down before Sonata put a hoof on her shoulder.

“...He wasn't asking us...” the intelligent Muse said somberly.

Discord looked up, eyes wide and terrified. “...Screwball...” he said, spinning and slashing a portal open and and rushing through.

The heroes rushed through, finding Discord standing staring through his front door, frozen in place.

Sombra and the Muses joined him...before covering their mouths and gasping in shock. Discord fell to his knees, tears welling up in his eyes.

Discord...for once looked down. “...I miss her too...But doing things your way isn't working either, is it?” he said.

“...”

“You try to pretend we're not chaos. You're AFRAID of me...”

“Captain Goodguy?”

Goodguy was broken from his thoughts by a small voice.

He looked to see the crowd through the train staring at him worriedly, a little filly staring up at him with a Captain Goodguy doll in her hooves.

“Is there anything we can do to help?” the filly asked, the others nodding in agreement.

The crippled hero looked up at the gathered crowd, all united in a desire to help...and yet all with their own conflicting flavor of a sapient being. Together but still chaotic in their own way. A power he could use...

Sombra walked up to Discord in the Realm of Chaos. The Draconequus who was normally devoting his time to his chaotic experiments now standing still, gazing out at the 'stars' floating throughout his realm. They'd all turned blue and seemed to be dripping light rather radiating it.

“...Here to gloat?” Discord asked simply, voice slow and solemn. “...You were right...It wasn't my problem...and now it is. I could've stopped your relatives and if I had Screwball would be...”

Sombra walked up next to him as the Spirit's voice broke. “...A pony suffered a terrible fate...there's nothing for me to gloat about...We're trying to fix it...”

“...Thank you...”

The two stood silently for several moments, neither saying anything.

“...Discord...a word of advice?” Sombra said, looking at him sadly. “With great power must come great responsibility...or we might pay the price for not using it as such...These are lessons we sometimes have to learn the hard way...but to not learn from them is to be doomed to repeat them.”

“...All of you, focus on the things that make you different, on the chaotic little things between you. That you love, that you hate, that you just noticed on the train. Focus on it, now,” Goodguy said, looking to Discord. The two nodded, his double fading back into him.

“Alright, my little animal friends! Let's reclaim this mountain for Mother Nature and the Natural World!” chimed Treehugger cheerfully as she and her animal army placed bombs around the supports to the city. A large portion of her minions devoted themselves to holding off the royal guard and keeping them stuck in the caves above, who were unfortunately already spread thin by the various crises happening throughout the world.

“Not so fast!” announced a voice.

Tree Hugger turned and looked up, finding Captain Goodguy looking down at her from a ledge, cape billowing dramatically. “Wow! You made it! Thought you were down for the count dude!” she replied, never losing her cheerful nature.

“So did I...” Goodguy replied, snapping his fingers...and nothing happened. He did it several times to no effect. “...Of course I'm not back up to full power yet, barely had enough to get in here...Okay...can't just brute force it...only have enough power for small changes, not huge ones...”

“Which means you'll have to trust your power for once...” said Discord, appearing in his mind's eye.

“...I don't have a choice...right now, the only way to save everyone is to trust my power...and by extension you...” Goodguy said, holding out a hand.

“...It's about time...” Discord said with a smile, taking it and vanishing into him.

“Alright, powers, don't let me down this time,” said the superhero, taking out a coin and flicking it.

Tree Hugger blinked, watching it fly past her head. “Uh, think you missed.”

“No, I didn't!” Goodguy replied with a smirk. “I hope...”

The coin ricocheted around the room at random before finally slamming into a weakened part of the ceiling of the cave. It crumbled away, revealing Royal Guards looking down in confusion while trying to fight their way past her animal army.

“Look! There she is!” one of them called. “Let's get down there!”

Goodguy gave a smirk as the guard poured in and began trying to disable the bombs.

“Clever, but not done big guy,” Tree Hugger said, taking out a potion. She drank it, causing her eyes to glow before producing another potion.

“Not so fast!” the hero yelled, flicking another coin as he leapt down from his perch. The coin once more ricocheted randomly, finally hitting pipe running through the cave roof and causing a rusty part of it to break off. The water that came pouring out of the pipe washed down just in time to hit the potion in midair and shatter it on the ground. Tree Hugger was forced to backflip out of the way as tendrils erupted from the ground and nearly ensnared her.

The hero landed and lunged forwards with his lion paw to try and quickly knock her out but she evaded. “Still got a body composed of animals...wish I had more practice with it though...” he muttered as he swung his snake tail around and tried to wrap her up like a boa constrictor.

Tree Hugger leapt up, landing on his tail and then leapt away, producing several potions and throwing them at the Draconequus to cause a huge explosion.

Goodguy did a wing assisted jump to evade the explosion (wishing he could properly fly without his magic), throwing a clawful of coins at her that flew past her and ricocheted around the cavern before hitting several pillars of stone collapsed in a domino effect and formed a wall around her. The hero did a flip and landed on top of the wall. “Surrender!”

The hero was forced to jump back to avoid a pillar of vines erupting up with Tree Hugger standing atop them.

“Not yet, big guy, but nice try!” said the perky pony, leaping up and throwing several potions at her enemy.

Discord kicked a rock and had faith in his powers. This was rewarded when the ricocheting rock bounced around and slammed off the potions to knock them aside where they shattered harmlessly on the floor.

The two continued exchanging potions and random bits of chaos with one another, each trying to get the upperhand on the other.

“How are you so good at dodging?!” asked Goodguy.

“Yeah, kinda got this higher level of special awareness thing going on, Zecora says it makes me special,” said Tree Hugger in her usual peppy fashion as she ran along a wall and dodged several chaos induced domino effects. “She gave me some potions to make it better!”

The Draconequus looked around, noticing the bombs still ticking down and almost to zero, the Guard still only able to keep the animals busy rather than push through. “If we don't stop, you'll be blown up too!”

“Eh, so what? I needed to go eventually anyway,” the demented environmentalist without losing her cheery tone.

The hero looked back and forth, knowing there wasn't much time. He looked at a coin he pulled from his pocket. He took a deep breath. “...Please...do what I need you to do...I don't care how...chaos don't fail me now...” he said, putting as much of his power as he could manage into it.

The hero threw it as hard as he could, causing it to bounce off one wall, hit the floor in one of Tree Hugger's missed potions before bouncing back up and through the flames of another igniting it on fire. It bounced several times around before finally flying past the bombs, burning through their wires. Their timers hit zero...and nothing happened.

Goodguy gave a sigh of relief. “Thank goodness...”

“Wow, nice job dude. Guess I'll use my trump card too,” said the villainess, producing a black sphere with some green fluid inside of it. “Zecora only had one of these babies and thought if I was going to be taking you on, best I'd have it.”

She pulled her hoof back to throw it...right as the ricocheting coin slammed into the stalagmites above, sending one falling right as it left her hoof. Goodguy could tell from her face that she'd noticed it, likely thanks to that spacial awareness, but it was too late. The sphere smashed on the falling piece of rock and sent the green miasma within over her.

“Huh...didn't see that coming...” Tree Hugger said with a shrug, never losing her smile even if she was turned into black crystals a top the vines.

The coin finally flew back around towards her...and flew right past her ear without harming her. But his concern of it making Goodguy notice she was on the edge and about to fall off.

“...Thank you...” the hero said, charging and jumping up off the still falling stalagmite and launching up just in time to catch the petrified villainess as she fell, flapping his tiny wings just enough to cushion his fall. “...Everybody lives...”

“...You're welcome...huh, guess maybe we can do things both our ways sometimes...” Discord said, manifesting out of the corner of his eye with a smile now on his face.

“...Yeah, I guess so...” Goodguy replied, giving a smile as he caught the flaming coin and blew it out. He looked down to Tree Hugger. “...Well, I couldn't help save you from yourself...but I saved you, so I'll get another chance at it someday.”

“Thanks for bringing her to justice,” Rough Diamond said with a salute as Tree Hugger's petrified form was placed in the back of a squad car.

“All in a day's work for Captain Goodguy!” said the hero, posing dramatically as wind blew though his cape with dramatic music flaring. This time he just let it happen. He gave a salute and flew up, a Goodguy shaped hole forming in a building that closed behind him as he passed through and then through a portal too his domain. “...Maybe someday I'll be able to help you too Screwball...” he said, landing at a shrine with black crystal in its center, a vague pony shape able to be made out in the center. “Someday...”

The lights throughout the realm of chaos glowed a hopeful yellow...their glow now steady and free. Not too wild nor too constrained.

Goodguy looked on at the situation unfolding. A supervillain defeated and her friends helping see her saved. He gave a smile, slowly walking over to Fluttershy and putting a paw on her shoulder. “Good job...”

Fluttershy looked up at him. “...It was my fault in the first place...”

“Perhaps...but I do have some advice on that...” the hero said with a sage smile. “With great power must come great responsibility...or we might pay the price for not using it as such...These are lessons we sometimes have to learn the hard way...but to not learn from them is to be doomed to repeat them. And the first step to learning from our mistakes is admitting they were to begin with...”

Fluttershy slowly looked to Rainbow Crash as she and Starlight talked. “...I think I've learned from this one...I've got a friend to talk about a decision she made...And I think she needed to make it more than anything...”

Goodguy smiled as she went towards her friend...then frowned. “...Someday Screwball...maybe I'll be able to help you too...”

The figure once more closed the book.

“And thus our story of how Captain Goodguy became the hero we all admire. How apathy was ultimately banished for care for everyone...at the cost of something dear due to inaction...ready for another?”

We Are Equal

The figure continued on down the hallway, arriving at the stained glass window dedicated to Starlight Glimmer, the Bringer of Equality.

“There are many things that make us special and unique...but sometimes we fail to see how strong they make us. And become jealous of others. However, sometimes what we need is another to recognize and show us who we really are, and what we’re really capable of. Sometimes, we need to realize that everyone needs help, and there’s nothing wrong with that. To remind us that we truly are all equal if we just accept that, both of others and of ourselves...as believing either is incorrect can lead to dark places.”

“This is the subject of our next story. Care to listen?”

Starlight Glimmer simply sat back as Gilda informed Rainbow Crash...no, Rainbow Dash, that her lifelong tormentor had been defeated and she was finally free. Gilda had spoken at length about Spitfire and what she’d done (and certainly some of the residents of Our Town had problems Spitfire had caused, one in particular)...but seeing how broken the poor girl was first hoof. What a waste of potential Spitfire had left in her wake. Not just her own, but everyone who that bully had trampled and crushed to secure her own glory. Spitfire was the kind of creature that Starlight pitied most of all: the sort who were so caught up in their own lack of faith in their own abilities they had to drag others down to feel good about themselves.

As the two friends had their moment, Starlight took the opportunity to look around the whole group...seeing the potential they’d all squandered until now, but were on the road to potentially reaching it now. She was going to find whoever was responsible for Twilight’s treatment and give them a piece of her mind. Still, knowing things would improve from here made her smile. She almost stepped forwards to provide her own commentary...but Chrysalis gave her a small look. Starlight hesitantly stepped back.

“Right...They’ve all got someone who understands their problems, best let it play out...” Starlight said to herself with a slightly disappointed, but understanding, tone.

When the whole situation finally settled down (a lengthy period, given it had entailed a power mad corrupted Alicorn nearly destroying the city, several profound realizations, and numerous other small details), Starlight finally approached the pony she was truly there to help.. “Rainbow?”

“Y-Yeah?” the pegasus asked, looking over, still trembling a bit.

“You were amazing,” Starlight said with an encouraging smile. “You broke the sound barrier, I’ve never seen anyone do anything like that before. You really do have a lot of potential.”

Rainbow Dash...looked like she couldn’t process the words being spoken to her. Starlight noticed that despite her tormentor’s defeat, there was still clear fear in the mare’s eyes, but of what she couldn’t tell. And there was something else. Something almost...lost. “I’m...it was nothing...I...I just wanted to help.”

“Well, you definitely did. You did well,” the Bringer of Equality replied sincerely. The cyan pegasus looked at Starlight almost like she’d spoken a different language. “I know you are unused to feeling like it, but I’m being honest. My invitation to Our Town is still in effect...though I understand if you want to stay here with your friends.”

Rainbow looked back and forth between Starlight and her recovering friends, who were all having their own conversations with those they’d bonded to.

“Go on, Rainbow.”

Except one.

“F-Fluttershy?” asked the cyan pegasus as her friend flew over.

Fluttershy looked...uncertain. Almost as lost as out of her element as Rainbow. “I...I’m...What I’m trying to say is…” The pegasus took a deep breath. “...I mean, it will finally make all those mismatched envelopes Rarity bought actually worth a darn…”

Starlight noticed a look go between Captain Goodguy and the pegasus. The Draconequus motioned with his hand, but gave an encouraging smile.

“...We’ll be fine, Rainbow...Your problems...are all of our problem...You need help. Just go get it it already, okay?” Fluttershy asked, trying to sound as aloof as possible.

Gilda stared wide eyed and slack jawed for a few moments. “Fluttershy…”

“Don’t get used to it,” the cream-colored pegasus replied, averting her eyes with a small blush.

“As I said,” Starlight replied. “It’s up to you, Rainbow.” She then looked to Fluttershy. “You can come if you want to.”

Fluttershy scoffed. “Nah, I don’t think I will…” she said, her eyes looking to Goodguy. “...I have dinner plans...but if you want to go, Rainbow...go.” Goodguy gave her a ‘go on’ gesture. “...Go show that stuck up bully why she was afraid of you to begin with...anyway, I’ll try to get everypony to unbanish you while you’re gone.”

Starlight had kept talking to Rainbow Dash on the entire train ride over (after a goodbye with her friends), and gathered a few things about her newest student. It soon became apparent that, for all their problems, it was very likely the other five had been the only thing that had kept her sane. Even if they’d been somewhat abusive themselves, given their various backgrounds, they would likely all benefit from a psychologist more than anything. She hoped they’d all get help, and she’d do the best she could to ensure they did.

‘As will my friends,’ Starlight corrected herself mentally.

Maybe these six could be far better for each other by the time Rainbow returned.

However, there was something more troubling.

“Rainbow D-” Starlight started, before seeing the eyes of the pegasus widen. “Rainbow, don’t worry, Our Town is going to be a safe place. It’s full of ponies like you who need help.”

“I...I hope so…” said Rainbow Dash, calming down.

‘She’s internalized Spitfire’s abuse enough Gilda’s probably the only one who can get away with calling her her real name...that will make this particularly difficult,’ the Bringer of Equality thought. She’d had such ponies before, but never one this advanced...never one this broken. Spitfire was looking at life in prison (very likely multiple consecutive life sentences), and she deserved it from what she’d done to Rainbow Dash alone in Starlight’s book. Starlight swore to track down as many people whose lives were ruined by that mare and help them as she could…

‘With help, of course,’ Starlight added in her own head, shifting her hooves a bit.

However, the unicorn noticed something else. Gilda always talked about Rainbow overcompensating for her inferiority complex, trying desperately to convince herself she was a help to others and was anything but quiet...except now if Starlight didn’t talk to her, she was barely speaking.

“Rainbow, at Canterlot,” Starlight said firmly, but kindly. “You really were a help. Never forget that.”

“I...I really was?” the cyan pegasus replied, trembling a little bit.

“Yes, you were. You helped get through to Twilight. That was something only you and your friends could’ve done. It distracted her long enough for everyone else to get to Princess Trixie and purify her. Without you, Nightmare Spotlight might have won,” Starlight reassured. “You helped everyone.”

Rainbow Dash didn’t respond for several moments, tears starting in her eyes. “I...I helped everyone?”

Starlight took stock of how...confused Rainbow looked. Her face cycling through so many different emotions. “Yes, you did.” She pulled Rainbow into a hug, and after a few moments, Rainbow slowly returned it. At least Rainbow trusted her, that was an important step.

The train began to slow as they started pulling into the last station between here and Our Town. “Come on, Rainbow, let’s go.”

Our Town was, by very design, a remote and distant place. It had to be to ensure those who had been tormented, like Starlight’s current company, could have sanctuary where no one would hurt them as they found who they are and what they could truly do. As such, it was quite the walk there from the train station, giving Starlight a chance to analyze how her latest pupil carried herself. She was holding herself in a submissive state, but kept changing how she stood. How she carried herself. Almost as if she couldn’t decide...or didn’t know how. This wasn’t how Gilda had described her, not at all.

“And here we are, Our Town!” Starlight announced, pointing her hoof out as they came over the last peak overlooking town. The hero admitted, she got some enjoyment out of Rainbow Dash’s wide-eyed awe.

Spread out before them was a town shaped like an equal sign, but that was only the surface. Each house composing it was unique, built as a testimony to the talents of the one who lived within it. To help them both celebrate that talent and practice and hone it more. One was essentially a miniature mountain with ski slopes expertly placed around them benefiting of a professional. Another was a well designed balloon house, almost like it was crafted by an architect. A third was a professionally made bakery, while a fourth was...more simple, humble dwelling, though with a star theme around it. And countless others all unique in their designs.

“Wow...it’s…” Rainbow Dash stuttered. “You live here?”

“Yes, with all of my friends,” Starlight replied confidently. “Come on, I’ll show you.” Her horn igniting, Starlight encased herself in her magic aura and floated into the air. She carefully offered Rainbow Dash a hoof with a friendly smile. Encouragement to use one’s talent casually was often a good place to start.

The pegasus looked conflicted for a moment before gingerly taking her hoof and flying up to join her.

Little Starlight sat in her friend’s living room, her and Sunburst stacking books higher and higher, imagining it was a tower slowly being built and reaching towards the sky. Children’s games were all about imagination, after all. As they both carefully examined the structure they’d pieced together, the little unicorn filly noticed a book out of place and carefully grabbed it in her magic. She slowly pulled, intending to put it back in a far more fitting location...only to realize too late how much of the load it was supporting.

Starlight’s eyes went wide and she cringed back, covering her face as the tower of books toppled over directly at her. She waited for the impact...and waited...and waited. She opened her eyes, finding the books held in a golden aura. Eyes wide, she looked over to see the source of the glow. The horn of the young, orange furred Unicorn that was her best friend glowed bright. He didn’t seem entirely conscious of what was happening, even as he floated into the air in his own telekinesis’s grip, the books beginning to orbit him then place themselves neatly back on the shelves around them. A spark of light emerged on his flank, and when it faded, there was the mark of a sun shining in one direction with turquoise sparkles on the other.

Sunburst noticed her staring in blind shock and followed her gaze, seeing the new mark on his flank. They stared for a moment, then to each other...then Sunburst gave a gleeful whinny and galloped out the door to his parents. She watched them and the surrounding ponies celebrate, all gathering around the colt who had earned his Cutie Mark...and dashing off...not looking at her.

Starlight stared for a moment...he...he hadn’t even said goodbye to her...he’d rushed out without a word. Part of her wanted to rush back in and cry...to take this personally...to maybe resent that…

But another part acknowledged he’d just been excited...overjoyed. Wouldn’t she be? Shouldn’t she be happy for him?

Two conflicting ideas. A choice to make…

She chose to run towards the crowd and join in the celebration.

Starlight made sure to keep Rainbow Dash from tripping herself up while they headed to the town proper. She observed closely, trying to gauge exactly how much and what she needed to work on. She wasn’t entirely happy with what she saw and just how many times she had to keep Rainbow from subconsciously making herself crash.

“How did you build all this without...you know,” Rainbow asked, keeping her submissive posture.

“Well, for starters, we’re extremely remote,” Starlight explained, proudly pointing a hoof around. “Far too out of the way for anyone to just happen upon. Secondly, only me and my most trusted allies know how to get here. And lastly, when you have as many powerful magic users as we do, you find ways to get around detection,” she explained, giving a proud smile. Not overly egotistical, but more an assured confidence. The kind she always desired to teach her students. “Now then, I suppose it’s time I introduce you,” she said, giving a smile and whistling, using a sound boosting spell to ensure everyone heard her.

The town heard her listened and gradually filed in around them, each at their own pace. Each walking in their own posture, but together as one. Most of them chattering to their friends about the new arrival, or just glad to see one another as they came together to greet the newest member of their community.

Starlight cleared her throats. “Good morning, everypony! We have a new pony who’s come to our growing community!” she announced, putting authority and charisma behind it. “This is…” The unicorn stopped for a moment, debating on if she should introduce Rainbow Dash by her real name. She didn’t want to encourage her internalizing Spitfire’s abuse any further than the poor thing already had, but the entire community suddenly calling her by her real name might be too much for her. Starlight decided to split the difference. “For now, let’s just call her Rainbow.”

Rainbow seemed to cringe reflexively as the ponies gathered around, all giving words of greeting and support. She transitioned from recoiling to confusion, then finally dawning comprehension. Probably for the first time in the mare’s life, she was surrounded by nothing but people who were supportive of her. She slowly smiled, but it seemed to flicker back and forth between genuine and forced.

“Rainbow had the misfortune of suffering...certain events many pegasi here are likely well aware of,” Starlight explained. She noticed one mare in particular give a look of recognition. “Please let her know she’s welcome!”

Rainbow gave a surprised jump as started approaching to introduce themselves. “O-Oh. H-Hi! Nice to meet you!”

Despite her energetic way of speaking returning, Starlight could tell from her posture and mannerisms she was still being submissive. Externally Rainbow tried to project an air of confidence, but she couldn’t control her body language as easily as she could what she said. Or next to at all right now. Closer to Gilda’s reports, but still noticeably off.

“Alright, let me introduce you to my fellow instructors,” Starlight stated.

“You mean you’re not the leader?” Rainbow asked, cocking her head.

The unicorn chuckled. “Not quite. I am the primus inter pares, that is first among equals. I’m the most experienced and senior member of our little town, but we’re all equal here. I have no more actual authority than anyone else, my talent is merely to help bring out the talents of those around me. And I want to do that for the most possible creatures I can. Once someone graduates, they are welcome to either remain her and become an instructor, or leave and take their talents to do whatever they like elsewhere. “Starlight then cleared her throat. “This is Double Diamond.”

The white furred and haired Earth Pony, Cutie Mark a trio of blue snowflakes, looked a bit nervous and cautious, but somewhat serious. “Hello there. I’m the safety advisor, so if you’re ever feeling unsafe, just let me know,” he said, in an analytical, but caring fashion. “Oh, and if you’re into sports, stop by. Helping with athletic Cutie Marks is my department.”

Starlight nodded. “And this is Party Favor.”

The light blue unicorn with a dark blue mane and tail with a pink party favor Cutie Mark nodded with a serious expression, but after noticing Rainbow’s demeanor, loosened up a small bit. “Hello, Miss Rainbow. I am the organizer and administrator. If you don’t mind, please stop by later to tell me your likes and dislikes so I can tailor your welcome party properly. And if your talent lies in parties or organization, please look me up.”

“And this is Sugar Belle,” the Bringer of Equality introduced.

The Earth Pony in question was pink furred, with a dark purple mane and tail, her Cutie Mark a cupcake. She had her hair in a hairnet and was generally trying to be serious, but her smile just kept sneaking in a little bit. Starlight was actually happy about that, it showed she was still an individual who enjoyed her craft. “Hello, I’m the town nutritional expert. I admit, my stuff might be a bit bland and boring, but if you’re not healthy, it’s definitely going to help with that. If you need anything when it comes to a cooking relating talent, just ask. I’ve got a few instructors with me who can handle the other aspects of it.”

Starlight made a mental note to take Sugar Belle with her to Canterlot next time. While the Bringer of Equality would’ve liked to do it herself, she admitted Sugar Belle was probably the best suited for getting through to Pinkamena if anyone could. Starlight turned her attention to the final, and likely best for the situation, instructor. “And finally, this is Night Glider.”

The dark blue pegasus with a white mane and tail, Cutie Mark an eclipsing sun with features swirling around it, stepped forwards. She looked at Rainbow with sympathy, almost having a motherly air to her...but in some ways sharing the same nervousness clear in Rainbow. Starlight saw a bit of recognition in her face. “Hello, Rainbow. I’m the camp flight instructor...and can we talk in private after the meet and greet is finished?”

As Rainbow Dash was introduced to the rest of the town, Starlight watched with a smile...but gradually got a strange feeling. That strange feeling that made the hair on the back of your fur stand on end. She turned, looking around...but saw no one. As she slowly turned back, a robed figure peaked out from behind a tree, watching her at a distance.

“Alright, Night Glider, the floor is yours,” Starlight said, back in the mare’s cabin. As she stepped back, she couldn’t help being a little hesitant, almost having to tear herself away.

Night Glider, a little nervous, nodded. “Rainbow...we never knew each other, not really...but I was in Cloudsdale. We went to flight school together…she never had me in her sights like she did you...I never saw more than glimpses of how she treated you…” The mare gave a kind, motherly smile. “But I know how much she beat down anyone who could actually challenge her. I know what it was like...like when she destroyed our home…”

Rainbow gave a gasp of surprise, trembling slightly and tensing up. “Oh...well...I…”

Starlight looked over. “Rainbow, calm down...remember, Gilda put her behind bars. She can never hurt you or anyone else ever again.”

Rainbow’s breathing steadied, at least a little bit. “R-Right…”

“I know what it’s like to be beaten down...feeling like if you ever try to stand out, it will somehow bring her down on you,” Night Glider continued. “Not as bad, not by a long shot...but I know...That’s why I’m here. I suppressed my Cutie Mark and my talent. Starlight found me. She brought me in, brought me here...and taught me to not let her rule me anymore.”

Starlight remembered. Night Glider had been just trying to be beneath notice, doing small time jobs just to make by...but her talent was in athleticism, denying and covering it up was only making her miserable. She had more than enough talent to be an athlete or, as she was now, an instructor, though now that things were safer she might give the former a shot. Spitfire had had a bad impact on so many, but Starlight believed the only reason she would’ve acted like this would be if she lacked faith in her own abilities.

The Pegasus stepped forwards and carefully put a hoof on Rainbow’s shoulder, causing her to jerk involuntarily...but slowly calm down a bit. “I know you had it a lot worse than me, but trust me: we’re here to help you. It can get better. And even if Gilda hadn’t taken her down, this place is safe from her. Believe me, if she tried, Starlight would kick her flank.”

Starlight gave a confident look. “Well, I wouldn’t say that, but I have analyzed her talent and I firmly believe that I could fend her off with the help of this town.”

“I…” Rainbow started, again looking hard to read. “I…”

“...Don’t know how to feel?” Night Glider replied, slowly stepping forwards. “Like you’ve been looking over your shoulder so long, following her rules for so long, now that you don’t have to, you...just don’t know what to do? Like you’re so used to her ruling you, you never thought about what it’d be like to be out from under her hoof?”

Rainbow’s face had so many emotions running through it. This was what Starlight had been hoping for, after all even Gilda knew she couldn’t give her this.

“It’s like...I know what Spitfire did, I know how much that hurt her...but it’s like...I don’t,” Gilda explained, trying to figure out the words.

“I think I know what you’re saying,” Starlight replied, tapping her chin. “You were bullied by Spitfire...but you were never a threat to her back when you were kids. You were seen as a weakling to occasionally mock, or an annoying obstruction to throw aside. But never a threat. Never someone she needed to crush into the ground and force to submit to her. Rainbow, however, was. So while Spitfire’s treatment of her and her treatment of you were similar, they are not the same. So while you can sympathize with some things, you can’t sympathize with everything. And not with what Rainbow specifically experienced. So despite similarities, you can only do so much...I know how hard that is to realize...”

“...Then who can?”

“Hmm...I might know someone.”

“Look, Rainbow,” Night Glider said, making her posture as nonthreatening as possible. “I’m not saying we should be best friends. All I’m saying is if you need someone who knows what it was like to be under her, to be tormented by her, to have her lurking over your shoulder constantly your entire life...just ask, okay?”

The room was silent for a few moments, Rainbow’s face cycling through emotions...until she finally spoke again. “A-Alright. C-Cool.”

“And remember: she did all this because she knows you’re better than you think you are and didn’t want you to realize it,” Night Glider explained, giving a reassuring smile.

Baby steps. Sometimes just getting someone to be willing to accept an offered hoof was all you needed to start the process. Starlight had no delusions she could reverse an entire childhood and lifetime of abuse in a single day. She’d seen too many cases to ever entertain that idea. People liked to say ‘sticks and stones can break my bones but words can never hurt me,’ but that was far from true. And Spitfire had been using all three in one way or another. Still, Starlight had hope, and sometimes that was all someone needed to be saved.

However, before the conversation could continue, Double Diamond burst in, the door slamming against the wall as he painted. “Starlight!”

Starlight snapped around. “What’s wrong, Double Diamond? It isn’t like you to be so worked up.”

“Party Favor was attacked by an intruder in Our Town!”

“Are you alright?” Starlight asked, rushing up as she noticed several ponies tending to Party Favor.

The stallion nodded, shaking his head to clear it. “I managed to avoid most of his attacks, but he was powerful…”

Starlight carefully looked over the environment, noting the obvious destruction. Craters dotted the road and part of Party Favor’s house had been blown away. She performed a quick magical scan of the environment. “I see...looks like dark magic specifically. What did the attacker look like?”

“He was an orange unicorn with a reddish-orange mane, tail, and beard, white on top of his muzzle and white forelegs,” the stallion recited, analytically. “He was wearing a wizard’s cloak, blue with cyan stars.”

Starlight blinked, something triggering in her mind. “I see...what about his Cutie Mark?”

“I got a glimpse as he was running,” Party Favor replied. “It was a dark orange sun with light coming off one way and turquoise stars on the other...Starlight? What’s wrong? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

Starlight trotted to the mailbox outside her home. She’d gained a number of pen pals, her father had encouraged her to open up. She was gradually starting to find out everyone had problems and helping them with their problems as they helped her through hers was a fascinating experience. One she wished to repeat with everyone she could reach, no matter how long it took.

Starswirl smiled as she went through the letters one by one, she smiled as she saw a certain name.

“Dear Starlight,

Things are going well here in Canterlot, but I’m having some problems remembering what I study. Not that I can’t handle it! Just a few memory slips! Can’t be helped I guess. Canterlot is just so big with so much to memorize, I think anyone would have some trouble remembering all of it. I wish you were here Starlight, you’ve always been better at this stuff than me.

Sunburst.”

Starlight gave a smile as she headed into her house and got to work on her return letter.

“Dear Sunburst,

Things are going okay back here. Dad is being doting, as per usual. I’ve made some new friends, but I still miss you.

As for the memory problems, I find a cup of hot tea before studying makes it stick in my memory better. Studying can be difficult, but I know you can do it. I believe in you, Sunburst…I really miss you, but I’m glad you’re following your potential. If I can help you reach it, I will do everything I can, even if we’re so far apart.

Your best friend, Starlight Glimmer.”

Starlight blinked, looking down and noticing tears running down her face. It hadn’t been that long since Sunburst had left for the School for Gifted Unicorns. It was hard to deal with him being so far away...but she was proud for him. Who was she to try and stifle him for her sake?

“It can’t be…” Starlight muttered, a cold chill creeping up her spine. “Which way did he go?”

“That way,” Party Favor replied, pointing...right in the direction of Sugar Belle’s bakery.

Starlight’s eyes widened and she lifted herself in her magic before shooting off in hot pursuit. “It can’t be him, can it?” she asked herself. “He...he wouldn’t do something like this…”

As she flew, the Bringer of Equality could already hear fighting and blasts going off. As she got into visual range, she saw beams of arcane energy tear through a piece of Sugar Belle’s house, while a shadowy barrier blocked a barrage of scones. Starlight acted without thinking, flying forwards and launching a beam of magic at the attacker.

The horn of the figure glowed golden and a black barrier blocked her attack. “Well, Starlight, long time no see.”

Starlight’s eyes widened and she gave a gasp. As she was recovering from the shock of hearing the voice, the figure turned, black energy flowing up his neck to his horn before he fired a swirling orange and black beam. Starlight was forced to put up a barrier that cracked against the energy, but just held. “S-Sunburst?”

The figure turned fully, the familiar gold fur and red mane and tail now fully visible. A small beard on his face and a confident smirk. “Hello, Starlight. How are you doing?”

Starlight waited by the mailbox...and waited...and waited...and waited. Day after day, week after week, year after year. First the letters had gotten further apart. Then further. Then further. And then they’d finally stopped altogether. She wrote the school...but Sunburst had left. Not graduated, not been expelled, he’d just...left…

Why? Why would he do that? Why would he just...never come back? She’d heard he might have headed north, but couldn’t find anything. She’d looked everywhere she could go, maybe heard a story here or a story there. It seemed he was okay, that he’d gotten strong. So why...why had he left?

She was sure one day she’d find him again. They were friends, they’d have to right?

Part of her deep down wanted to blame the day he’d gotten his Cutie Mark. The special talent that had separated them...but the part of her who had countless other friends because of their talents argued the opposite. And so that was what she chose to listen to.

Another part of her, however, kept whispering the same words over and over again: ‘It’s your fault.’

“Sunburst...where have you been?! What are you doing?!” Starlight asked as her brain tried to make sense of the sight before her.

Sunburst gave a confident smirk. “Oh here, there, everywhere,” he replied, Starlight taking note of how he carried himself. Strong, confident. Almost making a show of his every move. “Studying in the north, everywhere really...As for what I’m doing here…” he said, producing something from inside his cloak.

Starlight’s eyes widened as the golden bell hanging in his magic shown in the light, the sheer amount of magic being given off like a beacon even at range. “Is that King Grogar’s Blessed Bell?!”

“Indeed,” the proud unicorn said, admiring it. “The bell of the beloved ruler of Equestria who reigned in ancient times and used this to grant power to the powerless and take power from the wicked. That is until Gusty the Grievous stole it and banished him to parts unknown.”

“Oh, so you want to use it to find and restore him?” Starlight asked, almost pleading.

“No,” her old friend replied, giving a smirk. “I’m going to use it to empower myself with its massive reservoir of magic. The problem is that I don’t know how, and I’ve tracked a book with the knowledge on how to do so here. Do you happen to have it?”

Starlight hummed, standing at the foundations of Our Town as she read from an ancient spell book.

“Yeah, this is good rock,” Maud said with a smirk as she tapped it down. “Real solid, you can’t do much better than this!”

“Good to know,” said Starlight with a smile. An almost tired one. Her body well-muscled, but bags clearly under her eyes. “According to this, Grogar only used the power he granted others with his bell to show them the person they could be. Not a permanent empowering but a means to temporarily let them reach their true potential so they can see exactly what they’re capable of doing and be inspired to reach it on their own.” The teacher gave a content look. “If I could figure out how to do that myself, that would be a great help to my Our Town project...Show everyone they have the potential to be great and equal to one another.”

Maud smirked. “Hey, Star, I know you can figure it out! You’re one of the smartest ponies I know! Just do yourself a favor and take it easy once in awhile!”

Starlight chuckled. “Don’t worry, I’m just excited about helping people…” she said, involuntarily yawning.

Except she hadn’t figured it out. She’d found many ways to help others finding their talents and reach their potential. She’d managed to grant Gilda peak Griffon potential...but only be complete accident and unable to ever repeat it no matter what she did. She was proud of everything she’d accomplished. Everyone she’d helped...but that was something she’d never been able to replicate...except.

“Sunburst, see reason!” Starlight pleaded. “We can use that to help all sorts of ponies! Why use it just to help yourself?”

“Because I need to be stronger, simple as that,” Sunburst replied with prideful attempt. “Simple as that.”

Starlight broke her eyes away from him, looking at the destruction around them and remembering the destruction at Party Favor’s house. “And you’ll attack innocent people just to do that?!”

“It’s a hard world, Starlight,” her former friend replied. “Gotta look out for number one.”

“That isn’t what you thought when we were friends! You saved me!” Starlight yelled, tears starting in her eyes. “W-What happened to you?!”

Sunburst smirked. “Oh, Starlight, you haven’t seen me in years, how do you know who I really am?”

The Bringer of Equality lowered her head, lost in thought for the moment. “...Why did you leave the School for Gifted Unicorns? Why did you leave me?”

Sunburst...paused for a moment, his face unreadable, even to her for the moment. “...Maybe the school just wasn’t good enough for me.” Then came that egotistical smirk. “So, Starlight, are you going to hand over the book? You’re always about helping others be their best possible self.”

Starlight was quiet for a few moments. “No...this wouldn’t be helping you be your best,” she said, looking up at him with tears in her eyes. “Because being your best isn’t about being powerful, it’s about being the best person you can be! And I’ve seen you better than this!”

The stallion’s expression didn’t change, but she swore perhaps his eyes widened just a bit. “Fine then, guess we’re doing this the hard way.”

“...Please don’t make me do this,” Starlight said simply, pleading eyes looking back at him.

“Oh, Starlight, I’m not making you do anything,” Sunburst replied. “I gave you an out, you didn’t take it.”

The Bringer of Equality prepared to protect herself...only for her to notice she wasn’t Sunburst’s target. She quickly teleported between him and Sugar Belle, blocking a swirling, dark tractor beam-like spell that instantly began trying to pull her force field towards Sunburst. She’d known he was magically gifted, but how did he get this strong?

“Sugar Belle, go get the others somewhere safe and stay away from us,” Starlight warned, ripping a huge chunk of rock out of the ground to block the tractor beam spell. “He’s trying to use you as leverage to get me to tell him where the book is!”

Sugar Belle slowly nodded and dashed off in the direction of the ponies who were coming to help.

“Sunburst, no one touches my students, not even you!” Starlight yelled, teleporting up and raining several stun spells down at the unicorn.

Keeping his legs hidden beneath his cloak, Sunburst’s horn glowed orange while a red barrier formed between him and the attacks. “I won’t hurt them, Starlight, so long as you give me the book.”

Holding herself in the air with her telekinesis, Starlight strafed Sunburst several times, raining down stun spells, but the same red shield emerging to block them. His horn glowing once again, a pair of black, feathered ethereal wings manifested from his back, carrying him skywards. The two now partook in an aerial dogfight high above Our Town. Starlight instantly went for more stun and sleep spells, but Sunburst dodged and invaded, counter firing with spell bolts of his own, keeping his limbs tucked inside his cloak and making himself a smaller target.

Starlight noticed that Sunburst continued to position himself above her, his attacks firing down. This left her with no choice but to block them with shields or counter spells with Our Town to her back. She tried repeatedly to teleport or fly above him, but he either caught up or fired down, forcing her to block.

“It’s up to you, Starlight! Give up the book or Our Town might end up caught in the crossfire!” called Sunburst, smug, confident smile still on his face.

Starlight didn’t take the bait, instead opening fire with a series of spell bolts. Sunburst dodged one, noticing it hit a cloud and encase it in crystal. “Still trying not to hurt me?” He blocked the next few in his red barrier, then retaliated with a swirling black and green beam. Starlight briefly noted it fired from a few inches in front of him rather than his horn directly. Regardless, she defended herself with a shield, but dark, corrupted crystals began rapidly growing over top of it, forcing her to dodge before they engulfed it entirely.

The mare’s eyes widened. “That...that was Empress Cadenza’s spell!”

Sunburst gave a proud smirk. “I may have spent some time in the Crystal Empire. It was quite informative.”

“What?!” Starlight asked in shock, before having to block another corrupted blast and quickly avoid it overgrowing her shield. “Why?! You were doing well!”

“Well, Starlight, we could say it’s your fault,” Sunburst said, dodging a counter beam and retaliating. The two dashed and weaved through the sky, trading attacks at rapid pace.

“How?! What did I do?!” Starlight asked.

Starlight walked to her mailbox, looking worn down, frazzled, and struggling to keep her eyes open. She mentally pleaded to whatever would listen that the message she was still waiting for would finally greet her on a very special anniversary. The Bringer of Equality opened the mailbox and looked through the letters, having long since had her mail forwarded here...but the name she hoped for once more eluding her. On this, the anniversary of the day they’d met.

“Why?” the unicorn asked, clinching her eyes shut. “Why did...why did you stop?” she asked, old wounds having never healed. “Was it something I did?...Did I say something wrong?...Sunburst...what happened?” she asked, a voice in the back of her head constantly sending words of blame and accusation. Even after all this time. “I can help others...why can’t I help you?”

Starlight tried to avoid letting tears well up in her eyes again. “What happened, Sunburst? What did I...what happened to you?”

“I just took your advice, maybe tweaked it a bit,” Sunburst replied. “Finding help from one thing here, another there. You taught me that, Starlight. Why don’t you just help me again and give me that book already?”

The mare growled. “For the last time, no!” she roared, firing a beam that exploded into a massive rain of stun spells, only for Sunburst to teleport away.

“You always taught me that if I need help, go to someone who can teach me, so that’s exactly what I did,” the stallion replied, reappearing...all around her in bursts of green fire. “If I wasn’t strong enough I don’t need this, then isn’t that your fault for being a bad teacher?”

Starlight dodged and weaved through beams, trying to figure out which Sunburst was the real one. “I tried, Sunburst! I really did! But I was a filly at the time! I wasn’t as good of a teacher as I am now!”

“No, you weren’t. And that’s why this is all your fault,” Sunburst replied, teleporting above her while his clones had her distracted and cast a spell.

Starlight found herself in complete darkness. She quickly looked around trying to figure out what was happening...then blinked, seeing a crying young Sunburst walking out of the School for Gifted Unicorns in Canterlot.

“You’re the cause of this…” Sunburst’s voice echoed behind her.

She snapped around, preparing to fire, only to find Sunburst cowering in front of Empress Cadenza, the Empress’s horn glowing as she gave a sadistic smirk.

“And this…”

Looking around, Starlight started to panic as she saw countless shades of her fillyhood friend trying to find his way in the world...and failing. Trying to get job after job, trying to learn magic and gain power, only to fail at every turn...seeking out Celestia, Cadenza, and others to learn.

“All of this is your fault. And how many other ponies have you not been able to help when you should?”

Starlight watched as countless impoverished ponies all rose up around her moving towards her. “Help us, Starlight. Why didn’t you help us?”

The mare began hyperventilating. “I’m trying! I’m trying to help everyone I can! I’m still learning! Someday maybe I’ll...maybe I’ll…”

“Maybe you’ll what? No one pony can help everyone.”

Starlight, years into her Our Town project, prepared for another morning...frazzled and exhausted, bags under her eyes and staggering slightly from fatigue. She couldn’t allow anyone to slip through the cracks. She stumbled as she grabbed her papers and prepared to run out the door...only for it to be swung open. “Guys?”

“Starlight, this is a bit of an intervention,” said Party Favor, giving a concerned look.

“We appreciate everything you’ve done for all of us, but you’re going to kill yourself if you don’t slow down,” Sugar Belle said. “Look at yourself.”

“I can’t!” Starlight yelled back. “I can’t...I can’t let anyone down…” she said, the image of the empty mailbox in her mind. “I can’t fail anyone else...”

“And you won’t,” Double Diamond replied, working up the nerve. “We’ve all made enough progress you said we could move on, but we don’t want that.”

“We want to stay here, with you. And help you teach others as you did us,” Party Favor continued.

“Now, we know about that whole mess where you tried to just have everyone do what they wanted and rule themselves,” Sugar Belle said with a slight cringe. Starlight did the same with a small blush. “But this won’t be the same. You know us, you trust us. And we’ll run everything by you.”

Night Glider put a motherly hoof on her shoulder. “We’d all still be in bad places without you, please just let us pay you back.”

The group collectively hugged her.

“No one pony can do this all by themselves,” Double Diamond said, giving her a reassuring look. “So let us help you. Maybe if enough people choose to help, someday you really can help them all.”

“You’re right, no one can,” Starlight finally said. With that, mental images of each of her friends formed around her, an explosion of light going off.

Sunburst gave a shout, being knocked back and slamming onto a roof as the illusion spell shattered. Something inside his cloak clattered loudly. “How?!”

“Because seeing you...being reminded of ‘the one that got away…’ it reminded me that I’ve never been able to help everyone alone, I nearly killed myself trying…I still struggle with that...” Starlight declared...before her expression softened. “I want to help you too, Sunburst...but I can’t do that without YOUR help.”

“I don’t need your help!” said Sunburst, snapping up. Starlight knew she’d hit a nerve. “I just need that book!” The unicorn once more flew up, creating his illusion copies...only for a barrage of scones to fly through and dispel them. “What?!”

“Everyone needs help,” Sugar Belle stated, throwing another barrage of scones. “Sorry, Starlight, but we couldn’t just leave you alone.”

Starlight blinked...before giving a small smile.

While they were intercepted by the strange barrier Sunburst made, he was left open to a concussive magic blast from Starlight, sending him flying back before he caught himself. He turned and tried to fire at Sugar Belle, only for a rope made of balloons to wrap around his leg. Looking down, Party Favor and several of Our Town’s Earth Ponies pulled hard. Sunburst caught himself, snarling before sending dark crystals down the stream and forcing them to dodge, but once more being distracted. Starlight took advantage to fire a spell that swiftly in cased him in crystal.

Growling as he fell, Sunburst snarled and dark crystals spread through the prison until it shattered. “Are you really so weak that you need others to do your dirty work?!”

Starlight floated, resolute. “This isn’t weakness!”

Rainbow Dash stood nearby, part of her wanting to help but trembling. Her ears perked up.

“I have a problem, Sunburst,” the Bringer of Equality admitted. “I’m always running to try and solve problems myself! Always trying to work myself to death thinking I can do it all on my own! But it’s like you said: I’m not strong enough, no one is! And accepting you’re not strong enough and asking for help! And for all your guilt tripping, you know if you’d asked help, I’d have given it! So why are you really doing this?”

Sunburst growled in rage. “I DON’T NEED YOUR HELP!” he roared, drawing power into his horn, something glowing brightly under his cloak. “I DON’T NEED ANYONE’S!”

“Sky drop time!”

Sunburst looked up just in time for a pair of skis to slam into his face, Double Diamond falling, dropped by Night Glider. Knocked silly, Starlight blasted him with a concussive spell (intended to daze, not injure), sending him flying and crashing onto a roof while Double Diamond expertly landed on his house’s slope and came down safely.

As Sunburst crashed to the roof, several objects, wands, and artifacts flying out of his cloak. Shaking his head to clear it, his eyes went wide. “No!” he exclaimed, frantically trying to pull them back inside.

“...None of that power was actually yours, was it?” Starlight said, hovering down. “You just wanted me to think it was.”

That was what all this was about, wasn’t it? Why he didn’t hide to cover his motives? Why he refused help now but was chastening her for not giving it to him before? It was a cover...

“It is my power!” Sunburst snarled. “I’ve spent years, years, gathering these artifacts! They’re mine! And that means their power is mine! And I won’t let you look down on me for it!”

Starlight gave a small sigh. “Sunburst, I don’t judge you for using artifacts, within reason that is. Lots of ponies do, but if you were really proud of it, you wouldn’t have hid it.” A small spell flickered in her horn and she looked at him. “...You don’t have faith in yourself, do you?”

Sunburst’s eyes went wide, then narrowed into a glare as his face contorted in complete rage. “I don’t need your pity! I don’t need anyone!” he roared, pulling out a pulsing dark orb. “I just need that book!”

The group covered their eyes as the unicorn exploded in a gigantic blast of dark magic. Inside it, a towering form began to bubble and form, casting a shadow over all in front of it. When the magic cleared, in his place was a towering construct, tentacles extending and draconic, skull-like head with four eyes at the top, Sunburst snarling in a ‘gem’ in the head with his eyes glowing green.

“Sunburst, what have you done?” Starlight muttered. “That’s a black magic construct! You won’t be able to-”

Starlight had to shield herself as a swing of its tentacle sent her flying through a building.

“Don’t tell me what I can’t do!” Sunburst screamed, his voice manic. “I’m stronger than you think I am! I’m stronger than everyone thinks! I’m not weak!” Sunburst snarled, turning the construct towards Starlight’s house. “I’ll just smash the place and look through the rubble!”

Party Favor tried to bind him up with streams of balloons, but they tore and popped almost instantly, only slowing it down for a few seconds. Sugar Belle and a few ponies with medieval reenactment Cutie Marks put giant scones on catapults and launched them straight into the behemoth's face, but only succeeded in drawing its attention and causing it to fire a huge beam of dark magic. The group were forced to leap out of the way as the catapults were blown to pieces.

Rainbow Dash gasped, eyes widening as she saw the beam heavily damage several buildings behind it. The image of a cloud city in flames superimposed over Our Town as she began to hyperventilate.

Starlight flew back up, dodging tentacles and beams before flying by, blasting the behemoth several times with massive beams of magic. Double Diamond was once more air dropped by Night Glider onto the massive construct, using his ski poles to stab into it several times, but had to frantically evade several tentacles as Night Glider took to evading and distracting it to buy him time.

“Sunburst, stop it! That’s the Eye of Envy! That construct is drawing power from a demonic force and your own dark emotions! It’s black magic! You won’t be able to control it!” Starlight yelled, spinning around as she ripped huge rocks out of the ground and smashed them into the construct, staggering it slightly.

“SHUT UP!” Sunburst roared, tentacles trying to whip and bash away Starlight. “I didn’t steal this from Celestia just to have you lecture me!”

“Doesn’t the fact even Celestia didn’t use it show you shouldn’t be?!” the Bringer of Equality yelled back as she dodged.

Rainbow continued to breath heavily, the image of the towering demonic construct flickering back and forth with the image of a yellow, fiery haired figure glaring at her.

Starlight screamed as her barrier shattered and she was sent tumbling back.

“Now then, let’s get that book…” Sunburst said, turning...or rather trying to. “W-What?”

The construct roared and continued chasing Starlight without his input, Sunburst struggling in the ‘cockpit.’

“No! I’m in control here!” screamed Sunburst. Looking down, he found green darkness slowly filling up the chamber. “Stop!” He struggled, trying to escape...only seeing his own envious face staring back at him from all directions within the darkness. He felt like he was sinking deeper and deeper into something, and no matter how hard he tried to swim back to the surface. The deeper he sunk, the more images of himself, staring at those who grew and changed and had more than himself. People he wanted to respect him instead of him looking up to them. Especially at Starlight. “No...please...I didn’t want this…” he muttered, tears starting in his eyes.

Rainbow Dash continued breathing deeply, watching this unfold...and watching Starlight try to reach Sunburst, only to be batted into the air and the monster open its mouth to swallow her. Images of Starlight protecting her...of standing by her. Of supporting her. Images of Gilda fighting Spitfire, even if she didn’t see it herself. Of Fluttershy letting her go to help her…

= The Intrepid – Full Metal Aclhemist Brotherhood =

As Starlight fell and tried to catch herself, both heard a whooshing of air and looked over to see a mach cone forming as something flew their direction.

Tears ran down Rainbow Dash’s face, seeing the sneering visage of Spitfire superimposed over the beast’s face… “Y-You’re gone...G-Gilda put you behind bars...S-Starlight says you’ll n-never hurt me again...s-so does N-Night Glider…” she forced herself to say, shaking, her heart quaking. “My...My...My...” she forced herself to say, trying to break through the mental barrier at the same time she tried breaking through another one. Trying to finally shatter a shackle she’d lived with since she was a filly. “M-My...M-My n-name...My name is...” A rainbow-colored shockwave erupted as the sound barrier ruptured and with it, the image of Spitfire shattered to pieces. Chains holding back a young filly’s heart finally broke. “RAINBOW DASH!!!”

The black magic construct roared as the rainbow color shockwave cracked its form, and the artifact that had summoned it. Starlight took advantage, teleporting to the cracked ‘cockpit’ and using a spell blade to slash it open.

Sunburst gasped, a light filling his vision as a hoof broke through the shadows and grabbed him.

A rainbow colored spear lanced through the heart of the demon, artifacts powered by negativity either cracking or losing power. The construct roared out, light bursting through it’s body before one final blast consumed its form and burned away like a nightmare with the dawn.

Rainbow Dash panted, flying free of the blast. The paranoid part of her mind still expected Spitfire to appear and ruin this moment, beat her down again...but it didn’t happen. Spitfire wasn’t here. And she never would be again. “...I...I did it…” she said, tears welling up in her eyes. She finally gave a small, tearful smile, hugging herself. “I...I did something right…” She blinked, finding Night Glider flying up next to her...and giving her a hug. Rainbow returned it, and the two just hovered there, letting the rainbow maned pegasus process her victory. “I’m...I’m Rainbow Dash...I’m Rainbow Dash!!!”

Starlight, lowering herself and Sunburst to the ground, considered flying up and joining in the hug...but Night Glider had it covered, she had another soul to help. “I’m so proud of you, Rainbow Dash.” She slowly turned, looking to Sunburst and doing a quick magic scan of her old friend to make sure he was alright.

“...You saved me…” Sunburst said in complete disbelief. “W-Why?”

“...Was I hurt by what you did?” asked Starlight, letting her pain show. “Yes...but you needed help, and that’s what I want to do: help everyone who needs it...and...you’re still my childhood friend.”

The two sat there for several minutes in silence.

“...What happened, Sunburst? What really happened?” asked Starlight finally asked.

Sunburst looked hesitant...but after what happened, his ego wasn’t exactly in its most resistant state. “...I took your advice...but I...I always felt I was falling behind no matter what I did...so I kept taking shortcuts...I kept using your ideas in my...own way...But even when I succeeded and told people how I did it...all they would do was comment on how I couldn’t do it on my own...that I was relying on other people. Elitist snobs tend to look for any reason to look down on a ‘small town’ unicorn like me.”

“A mindset that I have to fight as often as much as I do mindsets like the one Rainbow Dash ended up in,” replied Starlight. Her mind went back to how poor Twilight had been treated that made her the way she was...she was going to have a long, hard chat with the people in charge of that school when this was over.

Sunburst snarled. “I couldn’t stand it...so I went from place to place, trying to find power my own way...trying to get strong enough I wouldn’t need help...I wouldn’t need to...at first it was just finding artifacts, but people looked down on me for that...then it eventually got to the point I tried working with Celestia and Cadence...and both of them looked down on and abused me. If they even gave me the time of day at all.” The unicorn finally sighed. “...I...I just wanted to be strong like you...and I didn’t want you to think I was weak…”

Starlight said nothing, she merely hugged him. “...I don’t think anyone is weak except those who look down on others just to make themselves feel strong. Sunburst, it’s not weak to ask for help. It’s not weak to get it...You’ve done wrong, you need to own up to that...but never think I’d think less of you for asking for help.”

Sunburst didn’t return the hug...he didn’t apologize...but he didn’t object. He didn’t fight. He just let her hug him. Or was too stunned to know what to do. That was at least a start. Every journey starts with the first step.

Still, one old friend taking the first step and another new one breaking chains that held her down for years. As a teacher, and as a friend, Starlight had a successful day. It’d take a lot more to set everything right. Rainbow Dash had taken back her name, but still had to figure out who the mare baring that name really was and had far more baggage to work through. Sunburst wasn’t resisting...but he was barely out of the starting gate, let alone at the end of the race...but progress made perfect.

The Blessing Bell would be useful...but Starlight would be careful with it. After all, maybe finding Grogar and bringing him back would be possible someday, and that’d help everyone. Until then, using it to give others a taste of what they could be when other means wouldn’t cut it would be fine.

The book was once more closed as the figure looked up at the stained glass portrait. “And that is the story of Starlight, Bringer of Equality. Equality means all are equal, and that means no matter how strong you are, no one can do anything alone. And there’s nothing wrong with asking for help...ready for the next story?”

The End