The Heart's Shell

“That cloud thing took my sister!” Applebloom complained.

“That cloud thing also took my sister!” Sweetie Belle argued.

“What does Rainbow Dash want to do with them now?” Scootaloo asked.

Since the rest of the mane 6 were captured, all that was left were the CMC and Blue Streak just staring at the sky. Luckily no harm actually came to Ponyville. What the mane 6 saw were just projections of what could happen. But that didn’t mean that it wasn’t going to happen. The CMC looked at Blue Streak who hadn’t said a word since the rest of the mane 6 were captured. She was busy looking after Tank who was still not coping well. He was getting worse and worse.

“Maybe that thing captured them so that they wouldn’t cure Tank” Scootaloo said. The other CMC looked at her in confusion.

“You mean that song that my sister was talking about?” Applebloom asked.

“That must be it! We have to find a way to get them back” Scootaloo replied.

“Blue Streak, or whatever your name is, do you know where that thing took them?” Sweetie Belle asked. Blue Streak hesitated, trying to come up with an answer. She couldn’t focus on that right now, more memories were flowing back to her and it was driving her crazy.

“Um, I have absolutely no idea. Even though I know the demon foals myself, Tenebris is a being that’s really unpredictable. I have no idea what she could be planning” Blue Streak then looked at Sweetie Belle and got an idea. “Sweetie Belle, you’re a unicorn. Can you teleport to where the mane 6 could be? Or maybe you can project where they are or something?”

“I’m sorry. Even though I am a unicorn, I’m only good at levitating objects. I’m not good at teleportation or that other thing you mentioned” Sweetie Belle replied.

“Oh well, it was worth a shot. I’m just worried about them. Where has Tenebris hidden them?”

“Hey, Twilight. I was just sorting out past papers for your random snow research and…” Spike had jogged to the scene of the crime and stopped to find out Twilight wasn’t there. He scratched his head in confusion. “Twilight?”

“Twilight isn’t here” Blue Streak replied.

“Where is she then?”

“Spike, it’s terrible!” Applebloom replied.

“It is?” Spike asked.

“It’s dreadful!” Sweetie Belle also replied.

“It is?”

“It’s absolutely diabolical!” Scootaloo also replied.

“It is? I mean, what is?”

“Applejack, Rarity, Twilight, Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy have been captured!” the CMC all yelled in Spike’s ear. He fell on the ground and dropped the parchment he was carrying.

“What!?” he asked, finally understanding the question, he got up and dusted himself. “Captured?! By who?”

“Well, ya see Spike. It would be someone ya don’t suspect” Applebloom replied.

Spike thought about who could have possibly kidnapped them.

“Is it Queen Chrysalis?” he asked.

“No” Applebloom replied.

“Is it Tirek?”

“No” Sweetie Belle replied.

“Is it Starlight Glimmer?”

“No” Scootaloo replied.

“Well those are the only villains I could think of because Nightmare Moon was turned back into Princess Luna, Discord is reformed and I think King Sombra exploded or something”

“Rainbow Dash has captured them!” the CMC yelled again. Spike fell down yet again but got up ok. This time he was just confused.

“Rainbow Dash has captured them?” he asked. “But she’s their friend, that doesn’t make any sense”

Obviously he forgot that Rainbow Dash had to be sent away to fight her demon foal.

“No ya don’t understand, Spike! It’s Rainbow Dash’s evil self that has captured them!” Applebloom replied.

“Oh, wait what!?” Spike was freaking out.

“She threatened to get rid of winter so she could take over!” Sweetie Belle panicked.

“I’m surprised she hasn’t done that yet” Scootaloo replied.

“So you’re Spike the dragon” Blue Streak commented. Spike turned around to see the new mare behind him.

“Yeah. Who are you?” he asked.

“My name is Blue Streak. I’m a friend of Rainbow Dash. Well I was until the Tenebris took over her body”

“Tenebris?” he asked. “What’s that?”

“A creature that feeds off one’s grief. She’s using Rainbow Dash for her plan. Though I don’t know what she needs the rest of her friends for”

“Spike, you can send letters to Princess Celestia right? Maybe they know where they are” Applebloom commented.

“Sure. I can do that!” Spike replied. He got his quill and started to write.

Dear Princess Celestia and Luna

We have just found out that Rainbow’s friends have been kidnapped. We need you to find out where they have disappeared to. P.S: The one who has taken them is a creature called Tenebris. If we don’t find them, Tenebris threatens to destroy winter. Yours Sincerely; the Cutie Mark Crusaders, Applebloom, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo.

The princesses read the letter and worried; especially Princess Celestia.

“What should we do, sister?” Luna asked.

“I don’t know, Luna. I didn’t think that Tenebris would strike again, but how wrong I was” Celestia replied.

“But what could Tenebris want with the rest of Rainbow’s friends?”

“Something terrible I bet. I can use my magic to project a portal to where Tenebris has hidden them, and then I can reply to their letter”

Princess Celestia used her magic to project the portal. They saw the rest of the mane 6 acting crazy. They seemed to be tearing things apart by the looks of it, like wild Timber-wolves.

“It seems that they are more than captured. Tenebris must have done something to them” Luna responded.

“This is bad. I must write the letter to the CMC right away”

“We should get a reply any time soon” Spike responded to the CMC. Suddenly, he burped out the response letter and read it:

Dear Applebloom, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo.

We have got your message and we know where the rest of the mane 6 are. They have been transported to a special prison in Tartarus. But they are not the same as they usually are. Tenebris has done something to them, something terrible, and we sadly are the ones to blame. When we were fillies, we created Tenebris as a magical toy, but then it absorbed grief so we had to get rid of it. Come to Canterlot Castle immediately whilst the portal is still open.

Princess Celestia and Luna.

“There’s something wrong with Applejack?” Applebloom asked.

“There’s something wrong with Rarity?” Sweetie Belle asked.

“There’s something wrong with Twilight?” Spike asked.

“There’s something wrong with Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy?” Scootaloo asked.

“This is worse than I thought. We have to heed the Princess’ advice and go to the castle right away!” Blue Streak responded.

“But how are we going to get there?” Sweetie Belle asked.

“I’m a Pegasus. I can fly us there. Scootaloo, maybe you can carry one of your friends too”

“But, I can’t actually fly” Scootaloo sadly responded. Blue Streak just sighed.

“Fine. I’ll carry all of you”

“Are you sure? Won’t that extra weight weigh you down?” Applebloom asked.

“I think I’ll manage. I’m pretty strong”

Blue Streak then proceeded to carry four children on her back; Applebloom, Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo and Spike. For a normal pony, it would be a challenge. But Blue Streak was managing without struggling at all. The CMC were amazed.

They had made it to the castle in time. The portal was about to close. They jumped in, but the princesses didn’t because they were securing the portal. Blue Streak looked at her new surroundings, they were dark and damp. Luckily there was some form of light around them so they could see where they were going. Finally, after trekking for a bit, they found the cell where the mane 6 were. The gate was locked tight. And a good thing too. They were acting as vicious as Princess Celestia described.

“Applejack and Rarity. They don’t usually act this way” Applebloom commentated.

“What could have made them act this way?” Scootaloo asked.

Suddenly, Blue Streak’s ears perked up. She could hear another pony’s sobs. She was trying to figure out who’s they were.

“Do you hear that?” she asked the CMC.

“Hear what?” Applebloom asked.

“I hear another pony. She’s crying”

“I don’t hear anything. Do you Sweetie Belle?”

“No, Scootaloo?” Sweetie Belle responded.

“Me neither” Scootaloo replied.

“That’s strange. Why am I the only one that can hear it?” Blue Streak asked herself. Then, she recognised the voice. “It’s Rainbow Dash!”

“What?” the CMC asked in unison.

“I can hear Rainbow Dash. And only I can hear her. Maybe I might communicate to her too” She then looked up and put her right hoof on her ear. “Rainbow Dash. Can you hear me? It’s me, Blue Streak”

Rainbow stopped crying and heard Blue Streak’s voice come through.

“Blue Streak?” she asked.

“Yes. Now where are you?”

“I’m trapped inside the mind of Tenebris” Rainbow stopped for a second and looked confused. “Wait, how are you able to communicate to me?”

“I don’t know. I just heard your voice when no pony else did. And somehow, I am able to communicate to you”

“That makes no sense whatsoever!”

“Anyway. Your friends are acting really strange. Do you know what happened to them?”

Rainbow Dash hesitated. But she knew she had to tell them. Maybe she could help them escape.

“Well. Tenebris kidnapped them. Then she showed them images of Equestria in flames because of my plan to get rid of winter. Then she corrupted them. She corrupted them into hating me forever! That’s why they’re acting like this!” Rainbow began to tear up again to those words.

“Equestria in flames?”

“Yeah”

“But Equestria is fine. The snow is still there. Tenebris hasn’t done anything yet”

Rainbow Dash blinked.

“Are you serious?”

“Yes. She hasn’t completed her plan. Not yet anyway. There still might be a chance to do so before she does. Maybe we can also set you free”

“I don’t know about that. She said that the only thing that can stop her is a Sonic Rainboom. And I’m the only one able to do it. That’s why she’s using me for her plan, to get revenge on the princesses. By the way, how is Tank?”

“He’s still not coping well. We only have about an hour left until the three days are up, so we’ll have to act quickly”

“An hour?!”

“Yes, sadly that’s the reality here”

“Please make sure you do cure him before then”

“I will. And I will save your friends too”

“Thank you”

The CMC were confused as to what just happened, so was Spike.

“This makes no sense! You’re a Pegasus! How are you able to communicate to Rainbow Dash like that?” Spike asked.

“I don’t know; I’m just able to do it. Come to think of it, I have discovered some strange things since I arrived back in Ponyville. Like for example, I’ve seen flashbacks of myself. I think I know how I came here. How I ended up here. Because before I arrived, I couldn’t remember. Which reminds me; Rainbow Dash, do you know how to unlock it?”

“Unlock what?”

“The cell that your friends are in. I think I have an idea of returning them back to normal”

Rainbow thought about it, and then she got it.

“The bad news that the gate can’t be opened by magic or a normal key”

“I know that. Is there another way”

“The good news is that there is”

“And what is that?”

“Is Spike with you?”

Blue Streak looked at Spike, then back up at her head.

“Yes”

“I overheard Tenebris mention that the claw of a baby dragon is the only way to unlock it”

“That makes sense! Just by looking at the shape of the hole itself. Of course that would be the only thing that would work!”

Blue Streak looked at Spike again. He was feeling uncomfortable.

“What? What did Rainbow Dash say?” he asked.

“She said that the only way to unlock the gate is by using your claw” Blue Streak replied. Spike looked at his hand.

“That’s the only way?” he asked.

“Yes. Apparently the Tenebris didn’t know that you existed, which I think is very peculiar”

Spike sighed and opened the gate. The rest of the ponies reacted quickly. They turned their anger towards Blue Streak and the CMC.

“Look what we’ve done! We’ve just made them mad!” Spike complained.

“They’re comin’ right toward us!” Applebloom shouted.

“Are you sure this was such a good idea?” Scootaloo asked.

“Trust me. I know what I’m doing” Blue Streak replied. The corrupted Mane 6 came slowly towards the others.

“She destroyed our food!” Applejack said, angrily.

“She destroyed our clothes!” was Rarity’s line.

“She destroyed my home and my family!” Pinkie angrily replied.

“She must be punished for doing industrial damage!” Twilight said.

“I’ve turned her into a monster. I will never forgive her!” Fluttershy said.

“ENOUGH!!!!!!!!!” Blue Streak yelled across the room. The ponies looked at Blue Streak in annoyance. “Listen to yourselves! All of you! You’re all saying you hate Rainbow Dash because of one little mistake? She’s your friend! She’s the element of loyalty, she looks out for you! You all have just been corrupted by Tenebris into thinking otherwise. The real Rainbow Dash is trapped inside the psyche of Tenebris letting all of this happen. But she didn’t want it to. When the spell was completed, she burst into tears. She never wanted this to happen to any of you. Sure she only cared about Tank at the time, but Tenebris only showed you what could’ve happened. She hasn’t even done anything yet. And when there is still time, we can still stop her from completing her plan. Who’s with me?”

The ponies stayed silent for a little bit. Then they lit on fire again. When it had disappeared, the ponies had returned to normal.

“Of course we will stop her!” Twilight replied, getting back up again.

“Twilight!” Spike yelled happily as he ran to hug her.

“Applejack!” Applebloom also yelled.

“Rarity!” Sweetie Belle yelled.

“How did you unlock the cell? Tenebris said that not even Alicorn magic could break it” Twilight responded in confusion.

“Well after you guys were corrupted by Tenebris, I found out I had the ability to talk to Rainbow Dash. She’s trapped in the psyche of Tenebris. She told me that the only way to set you free was to use a dragon’s claw” Blue Streak replied, pointing at Spike. Twilight face palmed.

“The way to set us free was to use Spike?” she asked.

“Yep”

“Hold on darling, did you say you could talk to Rainbow Dash through the psyche?” Rarity asked.

“I’ll explain later. But now we have to get out of here, whilst the portal is still open

The ponies leaped through the portal back to the throne room of Princess Celestia and Luna. Celestia closed the portal and was happy to see them again. She hugged Twilight. But it didn’t mean that Celestia didn’t have bad news.

“I’m sorry. Whilst you were saving the others, Tenebris preceded her plan. We tried to stop her, but our magic was no use on her” Princess Celestia said.

“WHAT!!!” Pinkie yelled.

“You mean she has already destroyed everything?” Fluttershy asked.

“I’m afraid so” Celestia replied.

Blue Streak just sighed and walked over to the far end of the castle. She knew there must be a way to stop her, to stop Tenebris, she just couldn’t figure out how. The other mares tried to comfort her, but then Blue Streak had an idea.

“We should go and save her, save Rainbow Dash I mean” she said. But even her friends had doubts.

“I don’t know, Blue Streak. It might be risky. And as the princesses said, if we can’t stop her with magic, I don’t know what we could do” Twilight replied.

“What do you mean, save Rainbow Dash?” Princess Luna asked.

“I know this may sound crazy, but I gained the ability to talk to her. The real Rainbow Dash. She’s trapped in the psyche of Tenebris and she told me how to return the others to normal” Blue Streak responded. The princesses looked confused.

“I know, it’s weird. I’ve never seen any pony being able to do something like this. Not even I could perform something like that with my magic. And she’s a Pegasus!” Twilight whispered into Celestia’s ear.

“I think I might know one creature able to do that though” Princess Celestia said.

“What creature?”

“An illusion”

The rest of the ponies and Spike stood there stunned and looked at Blue Streak.

“An illusion?” Blue Streak asked. “What’s that?”

“An illusion can be anything that can perform any types of magic even being a different type of pony like you. But the sad truth of the matter is that an illusion doesn’t actually exist in this world” Princess Celestia replied. The other ponies were shocked. Blue Streak just hung her head. She knew all along what was going on. Why she had all of these abilities.

“But she does exist! Look she’s right here!” Pinkie Pie argued.

“That’s right. You can’t just accuse a pony not being here or existing if we can physically see her” Rarity argued.

“They’re right” Blue Streak sighed. “What they’re saying actually makes sense”

“What are ya talking about sugarcube?” Applejack asked.

“Fluttershy. You know how you talked to Rainbow’s mother, and discussed about Rainbow’s grandmother? Her name was Blue Streak. I am Rainbow’s grandmother”

“But that doesn’t make any sense. Why are you in this time then?” Twilight asked.

“Because I’m in a coma” Blue Streak cleared her throat. “Ever since I came to Ponyville, more memories are flowing back to me very slowly. I remembered that I was a brand new Wonderbolt at the time. Then there was this storm. I tripped over and got struck by lightning. Then I was sent here, to your time, somehow. And I met my granddaughter who is the same age as me”

“You’re, you’re in a coma?” Fluttershy asked. Blue Streak nodded. Then, suddenly, she felt intense amounts of pain and collapsed on the ground. The other ponies ran towards Blue Streak in concern. “Oh my goodness. Are you ok?”

“I can feel myself waking up, in about 15 minutes or so I’ll be back in my own time” Blue Streak replied.

“That’s the same amount of time we have left until Tank succumbs” Twilight said in amazement.

“That’s quite a coincidence” Blue Streak replied as she got back up.

“This makes more sense. Maybe you were sent here for this particular mission. To save your granddaughter”

“But why you? It could’ve been any other pony” Applejack argued.

“It’s me because I was the original source of Rainbow’s demon foal”

“What do you mean, darling?” Rarity asked.

“I mean before Tenebris went back in time and altered history, I was the real source for Rainbow’s demon foal not Tank. The first time she experienced grief was when she was 10 not 5”

“What?” Fluttershy gasped. “That means she would’ve already had her cutie mark by then!”

“That’s right. Demon foals can only be created after the filly gets her cutie mark. So Tenebris killed me 5 years earlier so that Rainbow would have a demon foal that was a mare to succeed with her plan”

“Blue Streak is right. There has to be a way to get Rainbow back. If she’s only trapped in the psyche” Twilight told Celestia. Celestia thought about it, then she noticed the gems on Tank’s neck.

“Actually, there is a way to save her” she replied. “See those gems on Tank’s neck. When activated, they can defeat Tenebris once and for all”

“But Rainbow already tried to use them, they didn’t work” Blue Streak argued.

“That is because she didn’t know how to activate them”

“What are those precious jewels anyway?” Rarity asked, intrigued.

“They are your demon foals”

Rarity quickly backed away.

“That’s not very pleasant” she replied.

“You ponies need to activate them. Activate them with your grief”

Twilight gasped in shock.

“So we could’ve gone with her all along!? We could have avoided this whole mess!” Twilight argued.

“Not necessarily. The gems still wouldn’t have worked even if you were with her. The Tenebris would have to succeed with her plan first” Luna replied.

“It looks like she already has!” Scootaloo commented as she pointed out the destruction and flames. The rest of the mane 6 began to feel sad.

“Maybe that Equestria is in flames, your parents will come back” Pinkie Pie commented.

“What do you mean?” Applejack asked.

“I mean, you even said yourself that they were busy travelling. If the flames are covering all of Equestria, then that means your parents will return”

“No it doesn’t!” Applejack yelled.

“But that’s what you told me, isn’t it?”

Applejack sighed.

“My parents are not travelling, they’re…they’re…dead. They died whilst trying to rescue Rarity from a raggedy bridge when we were fillies. They fell to their deaths”

Applejack hung her head in shame. She finally admitted it. But surprisingly, she felt better.

“I’m so sorry” Applejack wept. Pinkie Pie came up to Applejack and comforted her.

“You could’ve just said so. I’d understand” she replied. Applejack looked sadly at the window, at the remains of the trees of her orchard.

“She has destroyed the orchard; all of my hard work is gone!” Applejack cried. The topaz lit up on Tank’s neck. The CMC ran towards it and were amazed. They didn’t mention anything though.

“My clothes and my lines are completely destroyed!” Rarity complained. The diamond lit up.

“She really did destroy Sugar Cube Corner! That meanie!” Pinkie Pie cried. The sapphire lit up.

“She has destroyed the castle, and everything we hold dear” Twilight cried. The amethyst lit up.

“She’s destroyed Cloudsdale! I can’t see how that’s supposed to make her happy!” Fluttershy sobbed. Finally, the opal lit up.

The whole bracelet was activated now. The others looked at what was going on and reacted.

“What’s happening?” Twilight asked.

“They are only activated when the owners of the gems, or demon foals, feel grief once again and give the gems powers. Not for bad but for good” Luna continued. The mane 5 and Blue Streak gathered around Tank as the gems magically came off and into the ponies. The ponies lit up and magic surrounded them, they felt like they were transforming.

Twilight’s mane and tail turned a bright lilac as shoes for her hooves and a necklace with a star shaped amethyst appeared on her neck.

“I will never give up. If I do fail, I will keep trying until I succeed! Amethyst of Magic!” she yelled out.

Applejack’s mane and tail turned a bright yellow as she got the same accessories with a necklace with a hexagon shaped topaz appeared on her neck.

“Even if my parents are gone, I will continue to live my life and protect my friends and family! Topaz of Honesty!”

Rarity’s mane and tail turned bright silver getting the same accessories with a necklace with a diamond on her neck.

“Clothes making is my passion! Even if I receive negative criticism, I will use it as constructive criticism and learn from my mistakes! Diamond of Generosity!”

Fluttershy’s mane turned a bright pink, lighter than her original mane colour. As well as the rest of the accessories, she got a necklace with a triangle shaped opal on her neck .

“Though I lose a pet I care about, that won’t stop me from taking care of them, instead that will help me look out for others! Opal of Kindness!”

Pinkie Pie’s mane turned a bright blue. She got the accessories as well as a necklace with a rectangle shaped sapphire on her neck.

“I love to plan parties and make other ponies smile in return, and I won’t let one mistake get in the way of that! Sapphire of Laughter!”

Lastly was Blue Streak. Her mane turned a bright red. She received all of the accessories and a necklace with an oval shaped ruby on her neck.

“I will protect my friends no matter what, and I will save you Rainbow Dash, I promise! Ruby of Loyalty!”

The ponies had completed their transformation as they soared up to the sky. Tenebris looked at them and was now scared.

“How is this even possible? I thought they couldn’t be activated?”

“They needed to be activated by the ponies that created the demon foals!” Twilight replied. “And that is us!”

They shot out gem beams from their necklaces around the demon foal. She was completely surrounded. She began to light up herself. They tried their best to destroy the demon foal, but it was not working. Even when they had powered up. Blue Streak then had an idea. She looked at the Tenebris. Because she was an illusion, she knew it was the right thing to do.

“Twilight, I’m going in to rescue Rainbow Dash” she said. Twilight looked at her in shock.

“Are you crazy? You might not make it out!”

“It’s the only way. Since I’m an illusion and the original source to her demon foal, then I’m the only one that can do it”

Twilight just sighed.

“If that’s what you want. We’ll never forget you”

“Thanks”

Blue Streak proceeded into jumping into the Tenebris. There she saw Rainbow Dash, saddened by what was happening. She couldn’t bear to open her eyes.

“Rainbow Dash” Blue Streak tried to get her attention. Rainbow turned around to see powered up Blue Streak in front of her.

“Blue Streak, what’s going on?”

“Rainbow, I have to confess something. I am an illusion”

“You’re a what?”

“I had unintentionally travelled to your time to save you. I am the real source of your demon foal after all, that’s how I was able to communicate to you. The truth is, I’m in a coma. And by midday, I will wake up from it. Back in my own time”

Rainbow looked at the time. There was only 3 minutes left.

“But, that means I’ll never see you again!” Rainbow argued.

“I know, but it has to be done I’m afraid”

Blue Streak ran to hug Rainbow Dash.

“I’m sure gonna miss you!” Rainbow cried.

“It’s ok, I won’t be far away” Blue Streak replied as her voice changed. Rainbow noticed it too and looked at Blue Streak. She was staring at a familiar elderly figure.

“Grandma!” she gasped.

“As long as you have Tank, you will always remember me. I won’t be far from your memory” an elderly Blue Streak replied.

“But, I never got the chance to say goodbye to you!” Rainbow was trying her best to wipe her tears away, but was not doing a good job at it. Blue Streak just smirked.

“I thought you were tough. I thought nothing was strong enough to bring you down that easily”

“For the record, I am not crying! I forgot I collected onions sometime this week. And I may have accidentally opened them!” Rainbow explained.

“Oh Rainbow, you have not changed!” Blue Streak said as she started to disappear.

“Wait! Don’t go! I still want to spend time with you!” Rainbow cried out as she started to light up.

“Don’t worry. You won’t forget me. And one day, you will become an amazing Wonderbolt!”

“Thanks!” Rainbow sniffed. Blue Streak completely disappeared. Rainbow Dash then transformed into the ruby of loyalty. “It’s over!”

She shot magic beams from inside the psyche. And miraculously enough, that was enough to finally defeat Tenebris.

“Noooooo!” Tenebris cried until she suddenly exploded. As that happened, everything went back to normal. The snow came back, the houses were no longer in flames, the apple orchard was ok again and Cloudsdale was back. Not just that, but the demon foals were all destroyed and so were the caves they lived in. So that also meant that the magic of the demon foal gems wore off and the ponies returned to normal.