A Future of Friendship, a History of Hate

Chapters

The Fight for Friendship, part 2
Fight or Flight
Pearls before Mine
Episode listings *WARNING* MAJOR SPOILERS
Growing Pains
The Fight for Friendship, part 1

The Fight for Friendship, part 2

Previously, on my little pony…

“It’s the Spring Equinox Celebration. The one day of the year that the sun and moon share the sky at the same time, the day that symbolizes true harmony between the two celestial bodies that govern our world.”

“All that you know is at an end…”

“even if there is a time where you must face adversity alone, remember your friends, and they will be with you in spirit”

*CRRRRK* *CRRSH**KRRRRT*

“FREE. AT. LAST.”

“My name is Ruinate, and I’m going to be taking over this world.”

“T-t-twi…light…the elements…of harmony…you…must…unlock…Amity’s…”

“prepare for an everlasting age of bloodshed and agony…and welcome YOUR NEW GOD!!!”

My Little Pony, My Little Pony

Ahh, ahh, ahh, ahhh…

(My Little Pony)

I used to wonder what friendship could be

Until you all shared its magic with me

Big adventure

Tons of fun

A beautiful heart

Faithful and strong

Sharing kindness
It's an easy feat

And magic makes it all complete

You have my little ponies

Do you know you're all my very best friends?

The battle for friendship, part 2

Panic. Terror. Abject paranoia. This was what coursed through every pony’s mind as the screams resumed. Hooves pattered every which way and bodies collided with one another as everypony scrambled to try and get as far away as possible from the black towering giant that single handedly defeated their almighty rulers with but a solitary swipe of his claw.

Ruinate’s laughter quelled as he took in the cries of anguish like he was drinking fresh nectar from a honeysuckle.

“It never gets old. The despair, the hopelessness, and pure simple fear. Now then…” He rubbed his claws together. “Step two, if I’m going to get this world back into tip top shape, I’ll need a few helping appendages.”

The shadows beneath him suddenly stretched out, encompassing as much ground as possible. The ponies froze in their tracks as all routes of possible escape where cut off by the dark pools. From them, glowing violet eyes opened, and shapeless primordial forms emerged from the ooze.

“Hello my darling wraiths, I got some new bodies for you!”

Immediately, one of the shapes lunged out and completely enveloped its nearest victim.

“Bon Bon!” cried out the sea green unicorn next to her.

A muffled scream came from the cream colored equine as she flailed flat on the ground. But as the shape started to condense on the pony’s form like a shell covering it, the struggle soon stopped altogether. Slowly standing up, the pony-wraith turned back towards Ruinate, stepped forward with a few staggers, and kneeled down in deep reverence.

“Hail…Ruinate!” came its twisted and hollow voice.

The screams started up once again, but slowly died down as more and more of the townsponies fell victim to the shadowy body snatchers. Crossing his arms in satisfaction, Ruinate let out a deep chuckle.

“Soon my dear planet, you’ll have lava fields and noxious swamps coating your surface yet again. Oh, and let’s not forget all the dear species I’ll have to re-genesis. I think I’ll start with the dreadnaughts…”

One of his three eyes then swiveled back at an open space where six ponies had been standing. It narrowed as it saw no trace of the six or that his wraiths had taken them.

Twilight scrambled through her chest of personal treasures as she fished for her element. “Why is it, that the things I need right away are always at the bottom!?”

Her head jerked up as she heard the door open. Applejack, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, and Fluttershy all rushed in, wearing their elements of harmony, necklaces that bore a colorful gem matching their cutie mark. Ever since the changeling invasion, Celestia had decided it would be safer to entrust the most powerful artifacts that ensured Equestria's stability with the ponies that could actually wield them instead of keeping them locked in a vault out of their reach. It certainly saved them a trip to Canterlot in this case. A split second later, Rainbow Dash crashed in through her second story window with the same.

“We got our elements Twi, what next?”

Twilight finally levitated a large tiara with her cutie mark gem embedded into it out of her chest. “We confront this Ruinate, defeat him and restore the princesses.”

“Will…will it really be that simple?” Fluttershy worried. “He…he won against the princesses so easily… and he’s so big…and frightening.”

“Pony up Fluttershy! The elements have never failed us before! Well, there was that one time with Discord, but that didn’t count!” Rainbow Dash reassured her nervous friend.

Twilight started to fasten the tiara to her head. “Right, and hopefully, we’ll have the element of surprise on our side as well-”

The library was suddenly flooded with a pitch black darkness as an unknown force ripped the elements from her telekinetic grip and off the necks of her friends. Individual barriers of malignant energy burst through the floorboards and trapped the six mares as a large visage of three glowing red eyes and a large fanged grin greeted them from the seemingly endless nothingness that was once the room they were in.

“SURPRISE!”

Ruinate chuckled deeply as the blackness dissolved and converged onto him, bringing his form into view as he held the elements in one claw, and Twilight’s friends, still trapped, in the other.

“Seriously though, this is quite the unexpected turn of events. No wonder the alicorns were so much weaker than I anticipated. The elements had forsaken them for new bearers! Though why they chose an even more inferior gaggle of specimens is beyond me.”

“I’ll show you inferior you giggling fume-brained lummox! Let us out!” Rainbow Dash banged her hooves against the barrier.

“Ah ah ah! You didn’t say please.” Ruinate taunted as he shook the little marble the brash pegasus was in, rattling her around until her eyes spun. “Like I’m dumb enough to let my sister’s handiwork even a chance to work on me twice anyway! I never make the same mistake twice.”

“Sister? Twice? What are you going on about?” Twilight demanded as she switched from her friends, to the elements, and then to her enemy.

“Oh, that’s right. Your dear ‘rulers’ barely even recognized me, of course you’d be in the dark.”

He then ripped a wall out, and fashioned a makeshift chair out of it while keeping his captives levitated, and sat down with his legs crossed, leaning backwards in a relaxed fashion.

“Since I’m going to be dominating this place for a long long time, I might as well take some of it to enlighten my new subjects. Let’s start at the beginning, which was a long long long time ago…”

“Oh, boy! Story time!” Pinkie Pie squealed as she clapped her hooves. “ I really hope there’s a fairy godmother in it!”

Ruinate waved his hand to create a large portal-like window to act as a screen. “I’m a race called the sentiox, sention for singular. We were the crafters of worlds, holders of the eternity code, and wielders of the causality engine, in a more perspective view for you, gods.”

Images of large and imposing beings appeared before the screen, each remotely different in appearance. One was tall, stick-like with three legs and arms and one giant blue eye, and another one was gaseous with a cloud-like body, hovering with no legs and had ball shaped hands. Another still seemed to be nothing more than a pair of floating eyes with a top hat and two six fingered floating gloves.

“We were also shapeshifters, having no true form, we left it up to our imagination and picked our favorites as the norm.”

“Were?” Twilight inquired.

“I’m pretty much the last one around. The others have either moved on to another plane of existence, never to return or…” He gave a slicing motion across his neck with a finger. “kkkssssst!”

The picture then changed to a large maui head taking large clumps of clay, soil, and other earthly material, and sculpting it into a rotating sphere.

“As I mentioned, this was eons ago. Not a lot existed back then. But we decided to change that. Each and every one of us crafted our own little worlds, habitariums to decorate the vast emptiness and fill it with life.”

As he finished, the maui-like sention lifted a large torch and blew heavily, the flames emptied from the tip and swirled into a ball of burning gas, a sun. Then it took the ashes from the tip of the torch spread them over the surface of the rock, clapped its palms together in a prayer fashion, and from the ashes, soot like creatures crawled out on five legs, their beady brown eyes extended from their round bodies to survey their surroundings.

Several more sentiox and their worlds flashed by. A large bipedal sention with a slender dirt body and long leafy hair held up a world with deep blue oceans and thick green forests, populated by what appeared to be almost hairless apes that tirelessly worked to cultivate the land. Another was a giant metal figure that pieced together a metal planet that looked like it was held together with bolts and screws. After inserting a large piece of energy from its chest into the core, the planet began to move on its own, its surface folding out huge skyscraper cities with autonomous shape shifting machines like an assembly line. A third sention, a bulbous headed octopus-like being, swirled together a huge sphere of water that was held in place by thirty different moons. Massive whales with elongated snouts and winged seals breached the surfaces.

The ponies stared in awe and fascination at many wondrous terrains and lifeforms the sentiox created, Fluttershy particularly.

And then Ruinate materialized in the window, holding a battered and scarred planet. “And then there was my creation. A wasteland of veritable proportions. Filled with nothing but fiercest and grotesque life to bask in its neverending pain.”

Everypony gasped as they got a closer look at the planet. Volcanoes blasted non-stop in the distance, raining fire upon large misshapen lizard-like beings that were cannibalizing each other while maggot-like leeches wriggled beneath their skin. Another scene showed massive insects trying to fly away in a toxic swamp, only to have their too small wings fail them as they fell into the muck and drowned while fanged carnivorous plants roasted them in acid to digest, then ignited themselves when the swamp vapors caught aflame. A sea of sand swirled as bony spiky felines, shuffled along in agony, emancipated and smoking as if they were literally evaporating, collapsing into the sand as winds buried them underneath the dunes.

“Such a beautiful sight, wouldn’t you say?”

“Certainly not!” Rarity exclaimed, “How barbaric! How disgusting! How morbid and uncouth!”

“You…you created a world and filled it with life just so it could enjoy watching it suffer? W-what kind of a god are you?! You’re a monster!!” Twilight cried.

“You big bully! You’re the biggest Meanie McMean Pants I've ever met! And that’s saying something because I've met quite a few meanies!” Pinkie waved an accusatory hoof at him.

“Yes, my brothers and sisters thought the same thing. They just couldn’t appreciate the beauty of my artistic devastation.”

“Ah’m surprised them other sentiox just up and let you make a world like that!” Applejack’s hooves stomped angrily as she threw her two bits in while Fluttershy had her eyes squeezed shut with a mixture of whimpers and sobs coming from her mouth.

“Whoever said they did?” Ruinate crossed his arms as the image now flashed to a group of sentiox, who approached him and forcibly yanked the planet from him.

“’No no no’, they said. ‘This is a blatant misuse of your powers. If you can’t treat a world and its life properly, then you don’t deserve one!’ They just took it away. My jewel, my perfect creation! I never complained about how they structured their respective Edens, what gave them the right to critique mine? Oh, but only if it had ended there. No, they had to cross yet another line!”

The screen switched to a scene where the other sentiox handed Ruinate’s cracked and torn world to a small sentiox equine in appearance.

“They went straight to my little sister, Amity, the most serene and gentle of us all. They told her ‘Please ‘heal’ this world and its inhabitants, do not let them suffer for our brother’s misguided views’. And so she did.”

Ruinate’s words started to drip with venom as Amity cast her arms over the surface. The feral jungles shrunk into quiet forests and lush meadows. The stormy skies filled with acid rain over the dead seas vanished as the water turned from a menacing brown-red to a clean blue. Many volcanoes became snow capped mountain ranges, those that remained stopped exploding and only dribbled slow flows that spread rich life giving ash.

“My deadly landscape became calm and peaceful.”

Amity then cradled the rabid and grotesque creatures in her arms, warm energy emanating from her, slowly transforming the eldritch beasts in the more recognizable creatures the ponies knew that, while still dangerous in ways, were much friendlier and mild in appearance.

“My beasts became tame and docile!”

Amity then extended her hands once again, placing a ball of light in the middle of the circle of the less scary creatures.

“And the final straw….”

Out from the ball of light stepped little foals with both wings and a horn.

“She placed her own primes in, practically stating to the entire cosmos that this was now HER world!”

The little alicorn foals playfully nuzzled the now tame monsters and galloped over the fields, laughing in joy.

“MY IDEAL PARADISE! STOLEN! DEFACED! DEFILED! AND I HAD NO SAY IN IT WHATSOEVER!”

He then coughed as if he was regaining his composure. “So I did what any child would do if they had toys taken away from them. I got even.”

The screen faded to black and lit up again as it now showed Ruinate hovering over a large green planet covered with tree like creatures.

“They wanted to wreck my world? Fine, I’d wreck theirs.”

His claw morphed into a monstrous chainsaw and sliced the planet in half, then quarters, then eighths, then into fine sawdust all the while laughing. Everypony gasped again as they heard the shrieks of that world rise up and die out in but a second.

“In retrospect, I actually have to thank them for giving me the idea. Tormenting one world was a gas, but a couple million? It was like an all-you-can-eat buffet of nothing but desserts!”

Ruinate now gleaned over a planet that’s surface seemed to be coated and decorated with assorted candies and had various gummi creatures roaming around. He then took a huge bite of it, chewed thoroughly as he tossed up the remainder and hocked a spitball at it, splattering it to the stars.

“Each world had such a new and unique flavor, and I had so many ideas on how to ruin them, how could I not try them all?”

Ruinate rose up, blindfolded, to an icy planet with glistening mosaic patterns etched on the surface with animated crystals, and shattered it with a makeshift bat-arm.

“Yes…it was as my brethren said. Why should I create, when it feels so much better to destroy!”

Ruinate grabbed a smooth metallic planet, and crept on his toes and rolled it into a set of other planets lined up like bowling pins, which all exploded on contact.

“Of course, my siblings didn’t just sit there and watch me stomp all over their precious worlds.”

A large winged figure with no lower body, a masked face with cross markings, and lances for arms rose between Ruinate and a crescent shaped planet that had an army of feathered serpents and lizards rising from it to join their creator.

“No, they tried to defend their little creations. They rallied their strongest genesis and confronted me as I approached their gardens.”

The sention immediately began to clash with Ruinate as they traded blows.

“But there was one little difference between them and me that made their efforts futile.”

The flow of the battle started to become one sided as Ruinate savagely tore off his opponents limbs.

“The willingness to do ANYTHING it took to get your way!”

He plunged his arm through the other sention’s chest, and its body dissolved into a mess of feathers and disappeared.

“Yes, ‘evil’ as I was, they still thought of me as their brother. They hoped to merely ward me away and teach me a lesson, but they would never ever think of actually offing me on the spot.”

A massive gear with eyes on each of its eight spokes rotated several pearl chains and binded Ruinate with them.

“Too bad for them I had no such qualms.”

With a flex of his arms, he broke free, grabbed his foe, and with a headbutt split it in half.

“After all, it was just as fun to wreck other sentiox as it was their creations!”

A trio of small fairies, each a different color, encircled him, trapping him a vortex of energy.

“So while they held back, I pulled no punches!”

His tail shifted into a sharp sword, and skewered all three in the head at once as he inhaled the barrier.

“And so, after several dozen bouts of mirthful rampage, I came round full circle, back to the place my little sister now called her own.”

He slowly approached the once barren and repugnant world, now brimming with wonder and beauty, Equus.

“To my surprise though, it was not Amity that greeted me, but her prime race, the alicorns, all by themselves.”

An army of winged and horned mares and stallions hovered at the rim of the atmosphere as the belligerent creator descended to meet them.

“In fact, she was nowhere to be found. It seemed hilarious. Amity, the most the caring and nurturing out of us all, abandoning her children to save her own life.” Ruinate laughed in the image as he spewed forth his miasma to consume the pitiful battalion. “Thus, I let my guard down.”

The alicorns lifted six glistening gems and poured their magic into them.

“Amity had played a nasty trick on me. Instead of combating me directly, she had done something that no sention had ever thought to try. She purposely stripped herself of almost all her power, and crafted it into artifacts that she gave to her offspring to wield against me.”

A blinding light melted away the torrent of malice and enveloped Ruinate as his expression changed from smug confidence to stunned surprise.

“I did not realize her deception until it was too late.”

The energy began to swirl as the space around it folded and opened.

“But like the others, Amity would not finish me off, and neither would her children. So instead, they decided to open the void, the boundary between dimensions, and stuff me in there, where I could do no harm and ‘reflect’ upon my actions for a very very long time.”

The screen vanished as it showed Ruinate roaring in anger as he was sucked into the abysmal nothingness, and the folds of reality came together and sealed him in.

“T-that’s how the elements were made? That’s how we came into existence?” As much as Twilight knew how dire their current situation was, she could not help but feel utter fascination and excitement at the startling revelations of origin that had just been revealed to her.

“However…Amity was as naive as she was nurturing if she thought a simple ‘time out’ would make me change my mind! No, I decided I would just wait until they all left to cultivate more worlds in other dimensions. And then…well, here I am. Ready to take back what’s mine, and then the rest of this universe’s playthings. And none of my family is here to get in my way this time!”

“Oh yeah? Well, we still are! And so are the elements!” Rainbow Dash spat back triumphantly.

Her swagger quickly deflated as Ruinate pulled her close to his face, his eyes giving a fiery glare that chilled her to the bone. “Which is exactly why I’m making it priority one to rid this world of these pathetic trinkets once and for all!”

And with a deep, hearty, laugh, he melted into a shadowy mist again and whisked out the opening, taking the elements and Twilight’s friends with her. They all cried out in panic for help as Twilight bounded to the jagged edge of the opening, and pulled herself up just in time to see the dark pulsing mass disappear into the sky, leaving only a black swirling vortex that stretched to the horizon.

“No…no! NO NO NO NO!”

Twilight’s eyes fought back tears as feelings of helplessness came over her. The princesses were gone, Ponyville was in ruins, everypony in town was possessed by shadows, the elements had been lost, her friends were captured…

Everything she knew…was at an end.

She curled up into a fetal position, on the verge of bursting out into sobs. Suddenly, a flicker of movement in the sky, caught her attention. She barely had time to look up when a grayish Pegasus with a large saddlebag fell through the roof. Shaking her blonde mane of dust, her uncoordinated eyes looked at both Twilight and the bookshelf twenty paces to the left from her, and she giddily grinned as she pulled out an envelope.

“Mail call!”

“D-ditzy?” Twilight was at a loss for words. “Wh-what are you-? How did-? And you-? What’s going on here?!”

“I’m doing my civic duty of course. Express letter for Sparkle Twilight! Neither rain nor snow nor sheets nor walnuts will keep me from-”

“No Ditzy! What I mean is, how did you escape from the wraiths? I was barely able to teleport myself and my friends away during the confusion!”

“Oh that’s easy! The Doctor came and saved me and my muffins with his screwdriver!”

“Who?”

“Oh, that’s right. Only I call him Doctor, everypony else only knows that alias thing, uh, whatever that is. What was it again? Time…Twister? Anyways, he told me to give this to you while he got my muffins to safeway.”

“You mean safety.” Twilight then opened the envelope and looked at the letter only to nearly drop it.

This was princess Celestia’s hoofwriting! B-but the princess was currently a lifeless crystalline figure! How could she have written this? “Wait. How did this Doctor get this?! Ditzy wait! Where are you going?”

Ditzy turned from just outside the opening of the wall. “Oh, I gotta get back to the TARDIS now. The Doctor said something about symbiotes, wormholes, rift jumping, and inter- collisionary dimensional energy, and that he needs my help if he’s going to be saving the universe from the other end. See ya later!”

“The what? The who? Wait, Ditzy! None of this makes sense!”

The wall-eyed pegasus had looped out of earshot already though, leaving Twilight to look at the message that should have been impossible to write.

My dearest Twilight Sparkle,

If you are reading this, then Equestria and the worlds beyond it are in peril from the sention called Ruinate, and both your friends and the elements have fallen into his clutches. But there is still a way to prevail against these odds. Make your way to Canterlot. Ruinate is holding the elements and their bearers in the palace hall. Enclosed with this letter is a crystal that will be able ward off the sention’s power, but it only has one use. Use it wisely.

And remember Twilight, your friends are always with you in spirit. You will not be facing this threat alone.

Celestia

Twilight read the letter over again, then once more as a feeling of determination set in. This was not the time to give into despair! There was still a chance for her to overcome Ruinate’s plan and save Equestria! She was going to head to Canterlot, rescue her friends, and unite the elements of harmony to defeat that evil crafter of worlds for good! Not even he would be able to overcome friendship! Packing her saddlebags with necessary provisions and the crystal that had been in the envelope, she boldly leapt out of the hole in her wall, and briskly galloped off towards the walled city in the distance.

“Just you wait til I get out of here! You ugly excuse for a dung heap!” Rainbow rammed her shoulder against the walls of her containment yet again.

Ruinate just simply stood there and laughed. “Wow, still no luck? Don’t worry, twenty-sixth time’s the charm!”

He had propped the ponies into tube-like chambers of his miasma, while the elements sat adjacent from them on a pedestal. The wide throne room they were in was completely devoid of any decorum or color, only darkness illuminated by bone-like torches with purple flames.

“Just what are you planning to do with us?” demanded Applejack to his turned back.

“Didn’t I make myself clear back at that hovel I spirited you away from? I’m going to destroy the last threat to my conquest, albeit it an infinitesimal threat, the elements of harmony!”

“I highly doubt you’ll succeed,” Rarity scoffed. “Cretins and villains before you have tried and failed miserably!”

“Ah, but they did not have the one thing I do. Inside knowledge. I know more about how those elements of yours work than even you.”

He began to pace back and forth before them, eyeing each one of them as he passed.

“Amity was a clever little goddess, I’ll give her that. Not only did she infuse her power so that would be compatible with her creations, she installed a failsafe by allowing them to be bound by their bearers, a binding that keeps the power intact even if the physical vessel is eliminated. And it works both ways as well. I can’t destroy the elements, they’ll just regenerate inside you. And I can’t simply off you either, the elements will just find new bearers."

“Then it looks to me like yer wasting yer time trying to get rid of the elements if’in there’s no way to put them out of com-ission!” Applejack snarkily declared.

“Oh, but there is,” Ruinate stated with a raised finger. “The elements need a medium of sorts if they are to remain bonded to their bearers, and Amity’s choice of medium just happened to be the essences of your souls that are tied to that power. All I need to do is eliminate that medium and the flow between the item and the wielder will vanish while the connection remains, rendering both useless.”

He leaned in close to the chamber holding Fluttershy. “In other words, I rip out your souls, smear them against the walls, and the elements go bye bye forever!”

The meek pegasus squeaked and huddled beneath her hooves.

“And just how do you plan on doing that?” asked Rainbow Dash, trying to get him to focus his attention away from her timid friend.

“Easy.” Eleven hands emerged from his back, five clasping the top of each of the tanks, the other six grasping the elements. “I attune myself to the elements’ essences while draining and debilitating yours. When I’m finished, I’ll be able to simply reach in and fish out the part of you that houses your element’s power to devour, smash, mince, blow up, or decimate in any way I deem acceptable. Then you’ll be nothing but a living husk that your element will be unable to utilize. Easy peasy, one two threesy, and then I’ll be laughing all the way to the four corners of the globe where it’s a blue light special on death and destruction twenty-four-seven.”

“I believe you’re forgetting one important detail,” Rarity chided. “Twilight Sparkle.”

“Yeah! Twilight’s not gonna just sit there and let a big meanie like you do whatever he wants! She’s going to save us and then we’ll use our elements of harmony on you! Pew pew! Friendship beam! Super effective! And easy peasy, one two threesy, we’ll be the ones laughing all the way to the we saved Equestria from big dumb meanie Ruinie party!”

Ruinate regarded Pinkie Pie with a sly grin.

“Oh, I didn’t forget. The elements only work together. I left her behind on purpose! Once I’ve plucked your essences out, I’ll be sure to dispose of her as well. And as for her rescuing you? I highly doubt she’ll get here in time if she ever gets here at all. Especially since I left a few surprises on the way.”

He then waved his claw to bring a pool of vision into view for the ponies to see. Twilight came into view as she galloped up the path to Canterlot.

“Let’s see just how well her little rescue mission goes shall we? Oh, by the way, I’m going to start the attunement now. Just so you know, it’s going to hurt.”

The mountain trail to Canterlot was not the most ideal path Twilight could think of for those in a hurry. Even at full gallop the journey would take at least half a day, but she had no other choice. The train station was too heavily guarded by the wraith-ponies, and her balloon would make her a sitting duck to the fierce storms overhead. She wouldn’t be discouraged at the exhausting sprint ahead though, she was Equestria’s and more importantly, her friends’ only hope.

After about a half hour of running, she finally reached the mountain base, where a narrow, stony road cut through the white cliffs. She had taken only five steps inward however, when the ground began to shake. Turning around, she saw a wall of stone rise up, cutting off the way back. A low, growling chuckle echoed around her. Looking to the way forward, Twilight saw a large fork in the road, and the two diverging paths were blocked by huge stone paws, paws that were connected to a large beast with two heads, one feline, one draconic. They gazed at her with toothy grins.

“Trapped you are in our deadly snare,” hissed the raspy voice of the cat head.

“No way back, but two ways forward. But to safe haven only one,” boomed the dragon head.

“Who are you?” Twilight asked.

The two heads looked at each other with devilish smiles.

“We are the Duo Sphinx, blockers of the routes of many.”

“Two ways there are to go from here, but only one we will open for you.”

“One shall lead you closer to your destination.”

“The other certain doom!”

Twilight looked to one stony paw, then the other. “I take it you’re not going to just tell me which is the right way are you?”

“You have but to ask, a question for us each. Then choose the path you believe is correct.”

“Be forewarned though, one of us tells only the truth, and the other only lies.”

“A hint for you we grant, the way of the liar is way you should avoid.”

Twilight pondered this awhile, and her eyes lit up.

I’ve read about this riddle before. Two towns, the town of liars and town of truth sayers. The pony on the path belongs to one of the towns and we want to go to the town of truth. So the correct question to ask is…

“Which path are you guarding?”

The dragon head nodded to his right, and the cat head glanced in the same direction.

Bingo! The right way is to the right! Does Ruinate really think he can divert me that easily?

Twilight was about to announce her choice when she looked closer at the Duo Sphinx. Their expressions had not fallen, in fact, they seemed to be smirking gleefully more than ever now.

I just solved their riddle, shouldn’t they be more disappointed?

As Twilight pondered this thought, another one came to her, a memory of her and Applejack…

“Here you go Twi, a good half a dozen fugis. That’ll be twenty four bits.”

“Thanks Applejack. Here’s a little tip as well.”

Applejack eagerly accepted the extra two bits. “Golly! Thanks Twilight! That’s another two bits I can put towards that new plow.”

“You still haven’t gotten that yet? I’m surprised. You sell out almost everyday. It can’t be that expensive to maintain your farm.”

“Yer right, it’s not like I’ma runnin one of them fancy smancy factories, but the problem is, I don’t make as much as you think. When you got as much land as I do, you get a pretty hefty tax at the end of each season. And the stuff I sell is only a smidgen of what the orchards produce, the rest of it gots to be made into preservatives or put in storage for the winter, and a large chunk of the crop rots before then, which eats into even more of the farm’s profits.”

“It sounds to me like you’re in need for an unsaturated market.”

Twilight turned to notice a tan stallion with several black spots and a covered wagon cutie mark approach the stand.

“Trader Joe, at your service. I happen to run shipping company and couldn’t help but overhear that you have an outrageous surplus towards the end of every harvest. I believe I just might have the answer to your problems.”

“And that is?”

“An offer of my services. If you will allow it, I will provide transport of your goods to other neighboring towns, and send the profits back to you. Simple supply and demand, a larger customer base equals a greater range of lucre.”

“That sounds great!” Twilight said. “This could solve all your problems, Applejack.”

Trader Joe then slid a large stack of papers over to the orange farm pony. “Of course, there are a few legal matters that must be settled before we start working together. Just a mere ten year business contract that requires the proprietor’s consent.”

Applejack glanced at the papers, then back up to the overly smiling stallion, looked long and hard with an unmoving expression, then calmly smiled. “No thanks, mister Joe.”

Twilight and Joe seemed surprised at her response. “Are you sure? This deal is basically win-win for both of us. You sell more apples, I get another contractor, we both wind up with more bits.”

“That ain’t all ya’ll be getting though if I sign that there slip of paper, won’t it?” Applejack stated, her voice neither rising nor falling the whole time.

“What do mean Applejack?” Twilight asked.

“Ten years right? Seems an awfully long time fer a deal just to trot some apples to another town.”

“There’s nothing unusual about wanting a lifelong partnership.”

“True, but there is something unusual about an entire book just needing one little hoofprint of mine on it. Your idea sounds nice and all, but I think I’ll ask somepony else about selling my ‘surplus’ if’in you don’t mind.”

“Very well. But if you change your mind, my card.” The stallion slid a thin business card with a mailing address and name over, and then trotted off. Twilight, meanwhile, was flipping through the pages of the contract left behind and her eyes widened on some fine print.

“Hey! This contract implies a ninety-five percent tariff on all exports! And fifty-one percent ownership of the other party’s assets! You were right Applejack, that stallion was trying to cheat you! But how did you know?”

“Sometimes a pony just knows these things. Guy there was a little too eager to hear me say yes if you know what I mean.”

“Huh?”

“I speak from experience, not just as the element o’ honesty, but if you really got nuthin’ ta hide, there’s no reason to be so expecti-ant of an answer.”

“I’ll keep that mind, AJ.”

Twilight continued to look at the Duo Sphinx’s sinister grins as she thought back to the riddle, then back to Applejack, and it dawned on her. They wanted her to answer right based on the riddle…and now she knew exactly why.

“I’ve made my decision,” Twilight declared as she looked to the right path.

“Then proceed with haste utmost,” the dragon head chuckled as it began to raise the right paw.

“Hold on now, I didn’t say I chose the right path.”

“Oh? Excuse us then, please go on,” the cat head rasped as it started to lift the left paw.

“No, I’m not taking the left either.”

“Huh?” both heads bore a look of utter confusion as Twilight grinned with confidence.

“Because neither the left nor the right is the correct way.”

Before the either of the heads could pipe up, Twilight continued her lecturing rant.

“You said that one of you was liar and one of you spoke only the truth. But that were really true, the liar would never admit to that, which contradicts that very statement, leading to only one possible explanation…” She pointed a hoof in accusation.

“You’re both liars!”

The two heads suddenly reeled back in horror.

“Which means I can’t believe anything you’ve said, that there are only two choices to make and that only one leads to a dead end.” She glared intensely at the guardian as it cringed. “The path I choose to take…is the third one, the one you’re hiding behind your back!”

The creature roared in defeat as it lurched upwards, its faces cracking and its body crumbling to dust. With a final screech, it shattered into fine sand, revealing a trail it had kept hidden from view. The paths to the left and right now revealed nothing but a deep cavernous pit nopony could ever hope to climb out of without wings. With a smile and a skip, Twilight resumed her gallop towards the marbled walls in the distance.

“That’s showin ‘em you clever little filly!” Applejack whooped and gave a self-satisfied glance at a slightly disappointed Ruinate. “Looks like you got yer work cut out fer ya if ya’ll think that’ll keep our Twilight down!”

She then crouched, wincing in pain as she felt what seemed like another piece of her life get sucked right out of her by cackling purple electricity. Ruinate’s smile reappeared as an eye swiveled to meet the orange mare’s gaze.

“I’ve only just begun to torment our wayward heroine, Apple-joke.”

Twilight bounded up the stairs until she came to a large ravine. The gap was too far to jump and was completely dark, indicating it was a long way down. There was a narrow stone straightway across, but sitting square in the middle of it, blocking any way past, was a large stone troll. A creaking of rocky skin was heard as he raised an eyebrow at the approaching mare.

“Where do you think you going?” he grunted in an almost unintelligible manner filled with mocking.

“To Canterlot castle, which is across from here,” Twilight stated.

The granite beast waggled a taunting finger. “Uhn uhn uhn…this is Craggle’s bridge. No one cross unless Craggle say so.”

“Okay…so can I cross?”

But Twilight had skeptically anticipated the answer.

“Hmmmm…no. Craggle not like you. You no pass.” And then he guffawed, sounding like two slates being rubbed together.

“Fine then, I’ll teleport pass you.”

Twilight tried to concentrate her magic, but the energy refused to build up. After several minutes of scrunching her face and moaning, Twilight began to feel a headache. Slouching down and panting, she then got a closer look at the troll’s stony skin. It was manatite, a magic absorbing mineral. Looking at the surrounding cliffs, she realized the entire area was covered in the stuff. She groaned in annoyance. This bridge was a magic deadzone!

Craggle bellowed out in laugher. “HAH HAH HAH. You funny little pony. Craggle still don’t like you though. But Craggle do like games. Tell you what. We play little challenge, you win, you can pass.”

The mighty statue-like keeper gave a quick pound against the bridge, and from the end behind Twilight, a big stony cage rose up from the ground. Inside that cage were several large rocky canine beasts, growling deeply at Twilight.

“Shalehounds, the timberwolves more aggressive mountainous cousins…”

“You get Craggle to move aside before hounds break out, you win.”

“So it’s either I make you move or I become lunch for some rabid rocks? That hardly seems fair!”

“Like Craggle said, Craggle don’t like you.” He then laughed again.

Twilight looked back at the cage. The shalehounds were already starting to claw and whittle at the bars keeping them locked up. She then looked back at her teasing blocker, who had his arms crossed and an insulting smile on his face.

“Fine!” She reared up and attempted to push with her front hooves. Craggle didn’t budge, but he did give a chuckle.

“That’s tickles…”

Twilight then attempted to buck him repeatedly. Not even a flicker of movement, but more laughter that irked her to no end. She then stepped back as far as she could without getting too close to the cage, ran a hoof in the dirt and snorted, and then charged at the troll with all her might. She was rewarded with a massive headache, spinning eyes, and yet another laugh. Seething silently, she almost forgot about the danger behind her as she fixated on that sick sense of humor that stone figure had.

Sweet Celestia, he’s almost as giggle brained as Pinkie…

Another memory snapped into her as the laughter echoed in her ears.

“Wakey wakey, easy bakey!” Pinkie bounced over Twilight’s bed as the scholar groaned.

“Pinkie…it’s Sunday, the library is closed…how did you even get in here? Both the windows and doors are locked.”

“Silly filly. I have a secret passage into everypony’s house in ponyville!”

“That explains sooooo much.” Twilight pulled the pillow over her head.

“Come on Twilight! Up and at’em! You’re gonna just sleep the whole day away?”

“Well I didn’t go to bed until four, so that was the plan…”

“Now that’s just silly. It’s already lunchtime and you’ve clearly missed breakfast. So get up and we’ll have a nice breakfunch, or…lunchast? Which do you think sounds better? Breakfunch, or lunchast? Breakfunch? Lunchast? Breakfunch? Lunchast?”

“Pinkie! Knock it off!”

“Hey, stop being such a grumpy grump and get out from under those covers!”

“I’m not budging from this bed today.”

“Oh, reeeeeally? I know what’ll make you move.”

Pinkie drove under the covers and proceeded to wiggle her hooves over Twilight’s flank. Twilight squirmed at the sudden sensation.

“P-pinkie?! What are you doing?”

Her sudden movement exposed her underbelly, which Pinkie immediately pounced on.

“Gitchy gitchy goo!”

Twilight’s face convulsed and her eyelids scrunched as she felt her nerves tingle.

“H-h-hey! Mmmmph! K-knock it offFFFFFFFFFFT! Ha HA HA AH AH HA!”

“Heeheeheeheeheeheehee!” Pinkie replied back with a smile that showed every inch of her pearly whites. With legs flailing and bodies rolling, they went off the bed and tumbled down the stairs all while being cushioned by the blankets.

“P-p-piiiiihiihiiiiinkiiiihiihiiiiieheeheeheehee…I’m up! I’m getting up!” Twilight finally sighed in relief as her poofy-maned tormentor relented, giving her room to breathe. She actually didn’t feel cranky anymore and was now hungry.

“Thanks Pinkie, I actually feel a lot more motivated now.”

“Well duh! Nopony can sit still after they have a good tickle! Now come on! Let’s get some breaklunchfast!”

The shalehounds managed to break off one of the bars as they rammed the cage, but Twilight kept a devilish grin on her face.

“I know what’ll make you move…”

Digging into her saddlebags, she pulled out a quill with her teeth. Holding the feathered end outwards, she brushed it against the immobile figure vigorously.

“Hey. What you doi-hee hee hee…”

Craggle’s toes twitched as Twilight’s quill glazed over them. He began to rock back and forth as his chortles grew.

“HA HA HA HA! AH HA HA HA HA HA! HA HA-AAAAAAAA!!”

He rocked so hard he fell to his side, and rolled off the edge of the narrow path. Twilight grinned as the way forward was now in clear sight. Now all she had to do was run ahead and lose the shalehounds before they could break out and-

“HEEEEEEEELP!”

Twilight froze at the grainy, panicked voice coming from over the edge. Peeking over, she saw the stone troll clinging to the walls.

“P-please! Help! D-don’t leave Craggle like this! Craggle don’t want to die!”

Twilight’s first impulse was to just ignore the plea and resume her escape from the shalehounds. After all, Craggle had done nothing but demean and impede her. She couldn’t waste her time helping him when all it would do put her back to having a stone troll block her path, leaving a pack of rock predators to chew her up at their leisure.

But as she prepared to sprint off, she caught a look of the troll’s eyes, deep blue eyes that reminded her of certain kind pegasus…

“SNAAAAAAAAKE!!”

Twilight shot to the roof, clinging to it with her magic. She had gotten Fluttershy to come to the library to investigate what she thought was a rat’s nest behind one of her bookshelves, only to find it was an adder’s hovel.

“GET RID OF IT! GET RID OF IT!”

“Oh, Twilight. Shush…you’re scaring the poor thing. It won’t harm you…”

“Are you kidding me?! That’s a copperhead! They’re poisonous! Of course it’ll hurt me!!”

“Shhhh…” Fluttershy whispered, and then crept slowly to the hissing viper.

“It’s okay. You dear little thing. You must have holed up here last winter when you couldn’t find a good place to burrow. Let’s see if we can find you a proper place to live, okay?”

The copperhead gave a violent hiss and lunged without warning, sinking its fangs into her outstretched hoof. She winced in pain.

“FLUTTERSHY!” Twilight gasped. But Fluttershy looked up with her eyes narrowed.

“Shhhh…”

“B-but the venom…”

“Shh…” Fluttershy gazed deeply into the serpent’s eyes, doing nothing but giving it a sweet smile as sweat started to form at her brow, the poison already starting to affect her. After a minute…it slowly loosened its grip, and unhinged its jaw. It quietly hissed mournfully as it licked the wound it had inflicted. “That’s right…I’m your friend…good little snake…”

The copperhead then bit into her again. Twilight was about to scream again when she then heard a sucking sound. Looking closer, she realized the snake was now sucking the venom it had injected out of the pegasus. When it was finished, it curled around her leg lovingly.

“There we go. Now let’s get you to a new home.”

As Fluttershy eased her way out the door in manner that wouldn’t disturb her passenger, Twilight hesitantly levitated down, still keeping her distance.

”That was really dangerous Fluttershy, it…it could have killed you!”

“Oh, but I knew it wouldn’t,” Fluttershy reassured her ophidiophobic friend. “As my mother once told me, kindness given is always kindness returned.”

Another bar broke from the cage. Twilight’s neck snapped towards the almost free pack, and then down to the whimpering bully.

She couldn’t do it.

She just couldn’t leave the bridgekeeper, jerky as he was, to fall to his doom while she saved her own skin. Fluttershy wouldn’t, not even if she had a hundred dragons on her tail. Reaching again into her knapsack, she lowered a rope off the edge of the walkway. As Craggle grabbed the rope, she gritted her teeth and heaved.

Slowly but surely, the stone troll made his way back up, and just as his three fingered hand managed to clutch the rim of the cliff, the cage holding the shalehounds crumbled. Twilight flinched and shut her eyes, knowing escape was impossible now.

But instead of feeling the hard toothy maws of the wolves sink into her flesh, she heard the smack of rock hitting an even harder rock. Opening her eyes, she saw Craggle now sitting firmly between her and the shalehounds. The pack tried again and again to attack, but they just bounced off the troll’s stony hide.

“You save Craggle. Craggle save you. Craggle never leave debt unpaid.” A genuine smile without any contempt spread across his face. “You go now funny pony. Craggle says you pass.”

“Oh, thank goodness,” Fluttershy sighed. “I was so worried for a moment there. I’m glad neither of them got hurt.”

“Ha Ha! Take that!” Pinkie Pie leapt up on her back hooves and shook a hoof at Ruinate. “Twilight beat you again!”

They both squeaked as the attunement kicked in once more. Coughing a little, Pinkie kept her grin as wide as possible. “I-is that all you’ve got, you big meanie?”

“You haven’t seen anything yet…” The nefarious sention chuckled to himself.

Twilight could make out the outlines of the gates now. Just a few more hills and she would be at Canterlot. As she got closer, she began to outline several ideas on how to infiltrate the castle city as she fished out the crystal from her saddlebags.

Ruinate more than likely has everypony there under his wraiths control right now. Fortunately, I still have this crystal, provided it works. But I may want to save it for Ruinate himself. Either way, I’m definitely going to need it if I’m going to get in the castle and-

A roar echoed from the direction ahead and stopped Twilight in her tracks. Another obstacle was guarding the way forward, and this one sounded much bigger and fiercer than the last ones. Twilight steeled herself with another boost of bravery. She had made it this far, nothing was going to force her back when she was this close! She galloped over the crest of the hill, ready for the worst…or at least what she thought was the worst, but she couldn’t have been more wrong.

Standing before her was a small wraith processed figure. It stood upright and flexed its claws as it let loose several bursts of green fire from its mouth. Twilight nearly fell to her knees in dread.

“S-s-spike?!”

The implications hit her harder than a wall of bricks.

Oh no…Spike! I…I completely forgot all about him! I lost track of him when Ruinate appeared and then he must have got…I’m so sorry Spike!

Shadows converged on the wraith dragon, swelling him up to five times her size, with an equally larger roar to boot. With a swipe of his claws, he attempted to scoop up his former caretaker in an iron grip. Fortunately, Twilight was quicker and managed to slide underneath. Wraith Spike then proceeded to scorch the area after several more attempts when it became apparent he was not fast enough to catch her. Ducking behind a rock, Twilight contemplated what to do.

I’ve got to find some way to incapacitate him so I can keep going, but I have nothing big enough to restrain him! A spell…that’s my best bet. But what would work?

She scooted some distance from the boulder as the heat began to sear through. She noticed it was starting to glow orange and parts of it were melting. An idea sprang to her right then.

A simple transmutation of hard rock to soft rock, that could work!

Poking her head out just enough so she could see the ground her possessed assistant was standing on, she began to concentrate. As her horn glowed, the area around the dragon began to quiver and shift. Suddenly, Wraith Spike found himself sinking into a pool of sand and mud, with no outcropping or foothold to gain balance on. Another roar of discontent emerged from him as he finally stopped at neck point, unable to do anything but spew fire aimlessly.

“Sorry Spike, I promise I’ll treat you to some rubies after all this.”

Twilight started to leave when another roar came from the wraith dragon, this time it sounded more pained than angry to her. She winced as thoughts turned to the baby dragon still within that beast, and she looked to the crystal she was still holding in her hoof.

If…if this thing really works…maybe I could save Spike with it. But then I’d lose my ace against Ruinate…

Her mind then recalled another time when there was gem short in stock Spike needed.

“Oh, the poor darling. Is he going to be alright?” Rarity asked as she looked over the basket at the baby dragon that looked more green than purple and had splotchy turquoise spots all over him.

“Not to worry Rarity, I’m almost done with the Mercurium Detox potion. Spike will be one hundred percent soon and hopefully know better than to use my mineral regents for a snack.”

“I thought it was an amethyst…” the sickly dragon groaned.

“That still doesn’t give you the right…uh oh.” Twilight grimaced as Rarity peeked her head over her shoulder.

“What’s wrong darling?”

“The recipe calls for three milliliters of crushed alexandrite. I don’t have any.”

“Alexandrite? Oh! Not to worry, my dear. I’ll be right back.”

Rarity trotted out of the library, and within fifteen minutes, she skipped back in levitating a large silk gown with a whole spectrum of gems embedded in the lacing. With a sharp tug, she yanked a large one from the midriff area and floated it over to Twilight. “I believe this should suffice.”

Twilight then looked at the gown. “But, Rarity. Isn’t this the dress you were going to have delivered to Fleur De Lis tomorrow? I can’t possibly accept this if it’s going to ruin your design!”

“Oh pish posh, Twilight,” Rarity dismissed her protest as she daintily waved a hoof.”Lady Fleur is a very understanding mare. So I’ll need to find another extremely rare jewel to finish the gown. I’m sure she’ll agree to push the deadline back a few days with a modest discount.”

“I, I don’t know what to say,” Twilight said as she began to file the gemstone into a fine powder.

“Think nothing of it darling. The well being of our dear Spikey-wikey far outweighs any petty needs I have.”

Twilight nodded to herself as she made up her mind.

Spike’s already suffered enough at Ruinate’s clutches, he needs this more than I do.

Whisking around she sent the crystal flying into the dragon’s maw as it opened to roar again. With a sudden choke and swallow, the wraith dragon suddenly wreathed and sputtered as a light seemed to build inside it. Then with a deafening splatter, the beast exploded into a hazy mist. As the mist cleared, Twilight could make out a little bleary-eyed purple and green dragon lying on the ground with a claw to his head.

“Unnngh, that was trippy-uff!”

The still slightly dazed dragon found himself being squeezed as tightly as possible without the danger of his spine snapping by the purple unicorn, a tear running down her cheek.

“Oh Spike! You’re back! Thank goodness it worked!”

“Urrrmph…where…did I go?” He struggled to breathe out. “Ah! Wait! I remember! There was a huge crack in the sky, some weird shadow came out at me, and then…aw, goad stones…I didn’t go on another rampage through Ponyville, did I?”

“No, Spike,” Twilight reassured. “But our friends are in big trouble right now, and we’ve got to find a way into the palace without getting caught.” She then looked over to the high walls of the city. “I just don’t know how I’m going to get through the city without any more of those wraiths spotting me.”

Spike scratched his chin, and then broke into a wide grin. “Hey, I got an idea! That spell you used just now. Can you use it on the ground beneath Canterlot?”

“Well yes, but what good would that do? It’s not like I can just hollow out a huge tunnel all the way to the castle, that would take way too much magic.”

“Or…” Spike cracked his knuckles, “A steady set of dragon claws!”

Twilight’s face brightened. “Spike, you amaze me sometimes!”

“Well I’m not your number one assistant for nothing!”

“Bravo! Good show darlings!” Rarity cheered as she clapped her hooves. “Now keep going and we can show this ruffian what for!”

Ruinate intensified the enfeeblement and she moaned in discomfort. “Do as you will, you savage ragamuffin! You can’t stop Twilight from reaching us, and you certainly won’t succeed in breaking us!” She defiantly shouted.

“Funny you should say that since…well no, that would be spoiling it…”

The soil upturned and scattered as a purple claw broke through the earth. “Canterlot royal gardens, last stop,” Spike announced in his best conductor’s voice as he and Twilight poked their heads out of the ground.

“Nice work Spike. We’re almost there!”

But Twilight's enthusiasm was cut short as they peeked around the corner to see at least fifty possessed guards standing watch at the front steps.

“Well, that was a short lived victory march…”

Spike looked to the immense garrison, then back to Twilight. “I’ll distract them, Twilight. You can use that opportunity to sneak inside.”

“WHAT?! No! Out of the question! I am not tossing you into the proverbial hornet’s nest just to get by unnoticed!”

“Come on Twi, we don’t have time to argue over this! You’re the one that needs to make it to the throne room, not me! This is pretty much the best I can do to help you at the moment.”

“B-but…”

“I’ll be fine Twilight. I’ve still got that crystal thing inside of me, that should keep me somewhat safe. Besides, you’re looking at the guy who outran a full grown dragon once.”

Twilight tried to think of a more feasible counterplan, but came up blank. She finally looked Spike square in the eye. “Just promise me you’ll hide and stay out of sight as soon as you lose them.”

“No prob, as long you do me one small favor.”

“Which is?”

“When you get Rarity out of there, be sure to tell her how brave I was.”

Twilight rolled her eyes with a giggle. “Okay Spike. I’ll give her every detail.”

Spike then paraded out into the middle of the courtyard. “Hey, shadowy evil guard ponies!”

The entire group zeroed in on the intruder.

“Your mothers were a bunch of three-legged mule chasers! *PHBBBBBBT*” He waggled his clawed fingers as he blew the biggest raspberry he could at them. The guards all looked at each other in confusion, then whinnied angrily as they stampeded at him.

“Yipe!” Spike took his cue to exit stage left as Twilight tip-clopped around to the front door.

She had just managed to discreetly close the entryway behind her when she felt a heavy breathing next to her. Yelping in alarm she tumbled back, horn at the ready, but stopped in time to see a bedraggled palace guard that was not wraith possessed.

“T-twilght Sparkle!” he panted. “Oh, thank Celestia! I was worried I was the only free pony left in the city!”

“A-are you okay?” Twilight cautiously asked.

“I-it came out of nowhere…shadows all around. We couldn’t see anything until it was too late. The entire royal guard…the noble consul…everypony…gone!”

“Ruinate…their leader…where is he? The throne room, right?”

“Y-yes…I was there. I had managed to hide myself when he thought everypony was captured.” He then gave scared but triumphant smile. “He let his guard down just a moment ago…and I was able snatch these!”

He levitated a tiara and five necklaces in front of Twilight, and her face switched to surprise, shock and then elation.

“The elements of harmony!”

“His captured servants are combing the palace left and right. We have to get out of here now if we’re going to get the elements away from that demon!”

Twilight’s excitement dampened as the words sunk in. “But, my friends! He still has them…”

“It’s too late for them. There’s nothing we can do. We have to leave or we’ll end up like them!”

“But they’re bearers of the elements like me! We’ll need them if we’re going to use the elements of harmony against Ruinate!”

“We can always find new bearers! Her majesty was able to do so and so can we! But we can’t make new elements! This is our only chance to save Equestria!”

“But…”

“If you’re not going to help me evacuate the elements of harmony, then I’ll do it myself! But I highly doubt there’ll be anything you can do without the elements by staying here!”

A nagging voice tugged at the mind of her mind as she tried to digest the sudden turn of events. The elements have managed to find new wielders in the past, so long as they remained from Ruinate’s grasp, there would always be chance to defeat him. Escaping with the elements was by all reasoning the logical choice.

But somewhere else in her head another voice, brash, confident, and stubborn, spoke up at that moment, holding a vivid memory that defied it with all its might…

“Thanks again for helping me harvest these snow chrysanthemums Rainbow Dash.” Twilight said as she scooted up the narrow snow capped mountain trail.

“Hey, no prob. I know how dangerous these mountain ranges can get during the winter season. You made the right choice picking me to be your buddyguard.”

Twilight giggled at the cyan pegasus’ pun as she reached for a crystalline-like flower growing in a small crevice on the edge of the path, when a strong wind suddenly blew by, pushing her hooves over the edge.

“Woahaohooooooh! WAAAA!!”

She was quickly caught and hoisted up by two strong wings.

“I gotcha Twilight. Not going to leave you ‘hanging’.” As she laughed at her pun, a slip of paper fell from her mane and onto Twilight’s nose.

“Hmm? What’s this?”

“Huh?! Oh, uh, that’s nothing!” Rainbow nervously replied.

Twilight grabbed the small stub in her hooves anyway and got a better look at it. “This is a ticket to the Wonderbolts decennial spectacular, an aerial carnival that only happens once every ten years. And…it’s dated for today?”

“Well….uh…you see…remember that huge raffle in Cloudsdale a week back? I…sorta won and…that sorta was the prize…”

“But then why didn’t you tell me? I would have let you go.”

“Yeah, and then that wind just now would have knocked you into a grave at the bottom of this mountain.”

“I would have just rescheduled my regent gathering!” Twilight protested. “…for the next winter,” she sheepishly relented.

“Look, I’ll admit it. I’m not too happy about missing perhaps the biggest airshow in all of Equestria. But I made a promise to you months ago about this task. And the Dash doesn’t go back on her promises.”

Rainbow Dash then gave Twilight a playful noogie and stuck her foreleg around her. “I’d rather stick with a friend for life than live the dream for one day.”

The voice filled every inch of Twilight’s thoughts as it screamed those final phrases. Twilight then gave a serious look at the guard in front of her.

“It’s not about whether I can help them or not. It’s about being there for them, because they’re my friends. And elements or no elements, I’m going to stand by them until the very end.”

The guard then scowled deeply. His eyes turned blood red as his body melted away into his shadow.

“You should have fled when you had the chance, wielder of magic. Now your fate is sealed.”

And with that, he was gone, and elements floating before her faded away like an illusion. Twilight raced down the corridors faster than ever. She was but moments away from freeing her friends.

“Yeah! Game over Ruinate!” Rainbow belted through the surges of energy battering her as she rammed against the tube for the umpteenth time. “Twilight’s moments away from busting in and getting us out, and you’re out of tricks!”

Ruinate, however, still held his smile as he crossed his arms. “Yes…the game is indeed over…”

The doors to the throne room burst open as Twilight leapt in. “Ruinate! This ends now!”

The five trapped ponies all cheered at the sight of their friend while Ruinate towered over her, giving a slow clap. “Well, well, well, miss Sparkle. How nice of you to join me in my hour of triumph.”

“You’re sorely mistaken. This is the hour of your downfall! It’s time to put you back in the void and end your reign of hatred!”

“And just how do you plan on doing that? You may have made it past all my deterrents, but as you can clearly see, I still hold all the cards. You’re up against the entirety of my power all alone, the elements are still in my possession, and your friends are still in a helpless state.”

Twilight heard a small tapping sound, and noticed Rainbow Dash pointing at the edge of her tank with a wicked grin on her face. Squinting, Twilight saw a very tiny crack in the field of energy, and her grin immediately matched Rainbow’s.

“Not as helpless as you might think.”

Summoning as much strength as she could she could in a split second, she fired a blast of energy from her horn straight at the crack just as Rainbow leaned backed and rammed it again. A massive crackling noise echoed throughout the halls as the dark barrier dispersed, releasing a prismatic streak that darted all around. It knocked the remaining four containers over and snatched the elements from the sention’s grasp quick as a wink. As the other four tanks shattered when they collided with the ground, the rainbow blur whizzed over each of the four ponies clambering out, endowing them each with a necklace that matched their cutie mark. It finally stopped over Twilight, where the cyan pegasus eagerly appeared and propped the tiara over her head.

“Looks like WE’RE calling the shots now!” she boldly declared as she fastened her own lightning bolt necklace.

“Time fer some payback!”

“Have at you, brute!”

“Hasta la vista, Runie!”

“Um…we’re going to defeat you now…if that’s okay…”

The elements began to give off a bright light as they charged. “The elements stopped you once, now they will stop you again!”

Ruinate, however, did not step back in fear. Instead he stomped down in a kung-fu stance, rolled his head and flicked his fingers in a coming motion. “Bring it on my little ponies!” he bellowed.

The multi-color stream of light shot forth from the elements and swirled around Ruinate, but sention winded up his arm and swung hard.

“Ruinate…punch!!”

A shattering explosion knocked the ponies back as the rainbow light dispersed before them. Twilight groggily stood up on her hunches, feeling completely drained all of a sudden.

“It…it failed? But how?”

“Oh, did I forget to mention? I finished my attunement mere seconds before you entered. In addition to being able to pinpoint the source of the elements’ energy, I had also been able to boil down a lot of it to mix with my miasma. Granting me somewhat of a…how do you say…immunity against their energies.”

He flicked his claws playfully as a wry smirk danced across his face. “It also gives me the ability to do…”

With an outstretched palm, a dark beam of light shot forth, snatched Twilight up and placed her square into his claw.

“THIS!”

He plunged his other claw deep into Twilight’s chest. Her eyes and mouth filled with a white light as she screamed in pain. Her friends, who had been knocked back further than she had, regained their senses just in time to see Ruinate pull a glowing, misty ball of purple light from her.

"TWILIGHT!”

“The soul’s essence of magic…the spark that connects it all. And now…”

With a snap of the wrist, he snuffed the light in his tight grip, a splintering crunch sound following it along with a sudden spasm of the unicorn.

“It is gone forever!”

Twilight’s body slowly floated to the ground, her colors slowly fading into a sickly pale white. As she touched down, she lay flat on her side, her eyes completely empty, and her mouth hanging open and silent. Her friends all rushed to her and leaned over her, worry and panic stricken on their faces.

“Twilight! Are you okay?” Pinkie poked the still mare.

Applejack shook her when she gave no response. “C'mon Twi! This ain’t the time to playin’ games with us! Up and at’em!”

Fluttershy whimpered. “Is…is she…?”

“She’s not dead if that’s what you’re thinking,” Ruinate snidely remarked, “Though I can’t really consider her alive either. Her emotions, her inspirations, her very will to live, they were all contained in that little ball of soul I permanently removed.”

Rarity suddenly gasped in horror. “G-girls! Her element!”

They all watched as the gem on Twilight’s tiara turned stone black, and the circlet holding it crumbled to dust. Their eyes widened in shock as they saw the same happen to each of their own necklaces.

“W-what’s h-happening?” Fluttershy stammered.

Ruinate laughed in triumph. “Poor Amity’s failsafe has just backlashed on you! Without the spark of one element, the rest fall victim to the same fate! Poetic if I do say so, that the life of one little bug can affect the lives of so many others. You stand together, you fall together!”

“YOU!!!” Rainbow Dash thrust herself at the chortling giant with all her rage and fury. She came up a few feet short of his face as she bounced off an invisible barrier. But as quickly as she ricocheted, she came back with hooves ablaze.

“GIVE HER BACK! BRING HER BACK! BRING TWILIGHT BACK!!” She punched, she kicked, she rammed, bucked, and pounded at the wall separating them, all the while screaming at the top of her lungs. Ruinate simply folded his arms and smiled in silence as he watched the pegasus beat herself silly over the next few minutes.

“GIVEHERBACKGIVEHERBACKGIVEHERBACK!!!”

Her cries became hoarse and her bruised hooves started to slow. Her vision blurred as sweat poured down her face and it became harder and harder to fight back the tears. Finally, she crumpled down at his feet, unable to keep her wings flapping, her eyes shut and tears now freely streaming down her face. Her shout was now nothing more than a sniveling sob.

“G-g-give her back…..p-please….”

Ruinate leaned down with a finger extended. “Aww…look who finally remembered her manners. Too little too late though.” And with a flick, he swatted her back to the rest of the group.

“My, what a thrilling and epic battle this turned out to be, this calls for a little memorialization. I think I’ll take a little victory lap around the planet, leave a trail of disaster in my wake, let you stew in your melancholy for a while as you watch the rest of this world fall to match your mood.”

He started to disappear out the door as his body dissolved into a black smog. “Oh, and if you decide you’d like to join your little friend’s state of limbo, just give me a call. Ciao!”

And then they were alone in the big empty throne room, huddled around the motionless pony, the pony that had brought them all together, the pony that had made so many happy memories with them, the pony who had learned with them what it meant to be friends…the pony who would never again share in any of that.

“Twi…” Applejack choked, “Yer…yer really gone aren’t ya?”

A tear ran down her cheek, then another, and then the floodgates opened. She buried her face deep into the unicorn’s side, sobbing as loudly as she could. The others instantly followed suit. With each drop of water shed, another memory surfaced, another pained feeling gripped them.

Memories of Twilight helping Applejack harvest her orchard and then enjoying a home cooked meal together.

Feelings of joy and excitement when she tried breaking out new dance moves with Pinkie Pie at her parties.

Images of teatime at Fluttershy’s cottage, where she always enjoyed listening about all the new animals Fluttershy had met since the last time.

Remembrances of fashion montages on the walkway when she helped Rarity model for new designs.

Reminiscences of all the times she cheered for Rainbow Dash’s new tricks and athletic feats.

The tears poured out, drenching their coats and covering Twilight. The pain would not go away for any of them, they just could not let enough out. Pinkie raised her head to the ceiling as let out her most mournful cry ever.

“TWIIIILIIIIGHT!! COME BAAAAAAAAACK!!!”

The mass of memory filled tears trickled down the blank-stared mare’s coat, and dripped onto the blackened gem that remained of her element. Then, the gem began to glow, a faint light at first, but as more of the tears disappeared into it, the radiance grew.

Nopony noticed it at first, but then Fluttershy felt as if Twilight’s body was starting to move. With a start she backed up, and her jaw dropped. The blackened jewel was now a brilliant white as it began to float upwards. A stream of white magic energy leaked from it and wrapped around Twilight. By then, the other ponies had noticed it too, and backed away in bewilderment. Twilight’s body began to rise to meet the glowing gem, as it nestled itself into her chest. Her empty eyes glowed in radiance as her lavender hue returned. Her gaping mouth closed into a warm smile as a voice as motherly and serene as Celestia’s came out it.

“My dear little ponies. You need not cry anymore.”

“T…twilight?” Rainbow Dash asked.

“Yes, she is here…as well as many others among my eternal herd that have borne the spark of magic.”

The five all shared dumbfounded expressions coupled with unease and hope. At last Applejack approached. “Who are you?”

“I am the mother of all ponies…the shepherdess of this land…I am Amity.”

Silence reigned again as each of the ponies’ heads suddenly swam with questions.

“But…didn’t Runie say you weren’t here anymore?” Pinkie finally asked.

“It is true, I speak to you not in body, but in spirit. When I crafted the elements of harmony, I instilled a portion of my conscious as well as my power. My brother believed I made the elements solely as a weapon against him, but he is mistaken. My elements were forged so that I would always be connected to my children long after they grew up and I departed for a new genesis.”

She paused as she allowed the five of them to fully understand the circumstances. “Worry not. Ruinate has indeed destroyed this poor child’s soul, but the soul’s reach is not limited to one’s self.”

“What do you mean?” Rarity asked.

“The element of magic is the spark that unites the other five, but is not the sole link amongst harmony. Each element is connected to and supports each other in their own way. Honesty, Laughter, Generosity, Kindness, Loyalty, they exist in every pony...including this child. Your memories…your feelings…your own element of magic…they resonate within her now.”

“Element of magic…in us?” Fluttershy asked.

“Yes…her soul…lives on in each of you…and you have given it back to her.”

Then gem then separated from Twilight, and she dropped to the ground with a plop, released from the light. Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, and Fluttershy all stared in disbelief, as she slowly opened her eyes.

“Everyone…”

“T-twilight? Sugarcube? Is that really you?” Applejack whispered.

A smile slowly blossomed on the lavender pony’s face. “Yes. It is. I…I felt you all. I…was so empty inside, like I had been discorded again, only so much worse. My spark hadn’t just been flipped, it was…gone."

"And then…you filled it all back up. My memories…my happiness…my…friends.”

Tears fell from all six of the ponies once more, but this time they were of pure, unbridled joy as they all squeezed in around Twilight in a group hug. “TWILIGHT!”

They nuzzled, they embraced, they laughed and they cried. They would have continued for hours, if not for the increasing luminosity around them. Breaking apart, they saw the purple gem’s light now pick up the other five blackened gems, and they began to shine with bright color too as Amity’ voice rang out.

“The bond you six share, it reflects itself in the elements. And the elements reflect what lies in your soul, let them come together upon each of you, and in their light…unlock your true self…and power.”

The six mares breathed in awe as the six jewels swirled around them in a dazzling display, latched onto them, and began to transform.

Pieces of rainbow burst forth from Rainbow Dash’s emblem and raced around her body, they molded into her sleek form and vanished, revealing a multi-colored barding that glistened and glimmered with the gem embedded in the chestplate. A winged helm similar to her best fliers tiara appeared on her head, and a rose and silver trimming marked her wings.

Vines of all sorts wrapped around Fluttershy, weaving themselves into a coat of flowers as soft, cottony wool covered her legs and hooves and a laurel of feathers nestled in her hair.

Rarity’s jewel multiplied and revolved around her body, piecing together into gemstone gown, hard and precious as diamond, yet it flowed like silk as it slid on, changing colors as it gleamed in the light, accompanied by a matching set of earrings and diadem that wrapped around her forehead while several rings of gem dust continued to orbit her like a planet.

Earth and wood poured from Applejack’s gem and consolidated on her until it was like she was wearing a leathery bark hide from her neck down to her flank. And from the hide, actual apples of all kinds grew, giving a crisp fresh fruity scent.

Pinkie Pie’s gem popped all over body, and with each pop, it left behind a patch of clothing in polka dots, plaid, stripes, and other wacky patterns and zany colors. By the time it stopped, Pinkie was fully adorned in a mismatched, but very well put together clown suit with bells, toys, and even scratch and sniff spots, along with a jester’s cap.

Twilight’s gem spun around her as it produced threads of light, the threads came together to form a flowing robe and cowl that seemed to project like the hide of a zodiac beast. Star patterns moved in the mystic fabric as it were an actual night sky.

As the warmth of the transformation ended, they looked upon their new element forms in wonder. Rainbow broke the stunned silence as she posed in one of the stained glass windows reflection.

“Awesome! This is like, a thousand percent cooler than my old element! Rainbow armor! How radical is that!”

“Absolutely amazing!” Rarity sang.

“It’s…nice.” Fluttershy commented with a smile.

“Well ain’t this the bees knees, I could get used to duds like these,” Applejack said. She then heard a jingle followed by a crunching noise and turned to see Pinkie munching on one of the apples growing on her tail.

“Fou thaid it! I fish I thad foo grothing uf by skim…”

“In…Incredible…” Twilight felt the ethereal fabric of her hood. “Our elements, our spirits…there’s virtually no physical separation anymore. We don’t just hold the power…we are the power.”

The light around them began to fade, as did their mother sention’s voice. “Now go my children…give this world back the spark that you have regained. And please, do not bear ill will towards my brother. I have already forgiven him…”

Ruinate playfully juggled several houses between his fingers as he strolled around the now devastated landscape around him and circled the tiny wreckage that was once Ponyville.

“Not bad for a first draft,” he monologued to himself. “Nice to see my exterior decorating skills haven’t completely rusted over.”

He then caught a bird’s eye view of the two incapacitated alicorns in the smoking craters he left them in.

“Oh, yes.” He instantly shrunk down to meet their height. “In all my rush, I completely forgot about my trophies. I simply can’t leave you here where no one can see you. No, I’ll have a nice commemorative shelf built for you lickity-split. You two will go so well right next to my ping-pong tourney ribbon.”

“I don’t think so!”

Ruinate’s eyes widened and his smile suddenly flipped into a frown. “That voice…no…it’s…it’s not possible…”

In an abrupt turn his frown deepened into a scowl as his gaze caught the six ponies before him, his three pupils narrowing at the lavender one in the front. “That’s not possible! You shouldn’t even be moving! I destroyed your soul!! I felt the very essence of magic snub in my grasp!!!”

“A soul can’t truly be destroyed, not as long as there are those who hold you deep within their own,” Twilight stated. “And the same holds true for the elements of harmony. Their true power exists in everypony!”

Ruinate’s arms burst into a swarm of hands as he lunged them at the six.

“Fine then! I’m still attuned to the elements’ energies! I’ll just rip all your souls out this time!”

But a glowing barrier formed as the onslaught of claws came down on the ponies, and they dissolved like litmus paper over a fire.

“WHAT?!”

“The elements are more than just harmonious energy, Ruinate. They’re an extension of our true selves, our bonds and our feelings. That’s something you can’t adjust to merely by knowing it.”

Her eyes glowed as the light from her and her friends began to extend the field of light.

“Amity didn’t just give us the elements of harmony, we earned them, through our friendship and love. And as it has grown and evolved, so have they!”

An explosion of color and warmth spread throughout the land, encompassing all. The wraith-possessed ponies evaporated leaving behind the restored townsfolk, all smiling in salvation. The ruins of the town were restored as the light passed over them. The endless vortex of nothingness gave away to clear skies. And as the light shone upon the crystallized alicorns the figures cracked, and then, like a butterfly emerging from a chrysalis, the regents of the sun and moon burst out with a joyful whiny.

The vile shadows shrunk around Ruinate as the light threatened to consume him.

“NO! NO!”

He blasted back at it with all he could, but the brightness still overtook him, and he screamed in agony as if it were burning him.

“Even now your sister still bears no malice for what you have attempted,” Twilight’s voice echoed, “So neither will we. But this world no longer has a place your wanton ravaging, so you must leave and never come back.”

Ruinate was edged back towards the gaping tear in the void that he had cut by the six mares. Suddenly, a black stream of power pierced the heavens and closed the hole into the void while breaking the field of light. It collided with the six bearers with a great bang, and sent them flying into the air, landing in messy ponypile. Pinkie Pie’s eyes spun as she was the first to lift her head.

“Did…did anypony get the number of that chariot?”

“Mm hm hm hm hm…”

All the ponies cast their eyes on the weakened Ruinate. He was kneeled over and shuddering, but a deep and confident chuckle came from his lips.

“Mmm heh heh heh heh…It would seem that you are correct Twilight Sparkle…Amity’s toys are indeed not like they were when I first beheld them, and therefore I failed to correctly gauge them. However…”

He stood upright as the dark vortex in the sky returned. It did not blot out the entire horizon as it did before, but it still billowed and swirled as violently as any hurricane.

"However...as I said before, I never make the same mistake twice!"

Six streams of black funneled down from the vortex as they circled Ruinate. "I spent a whole half-eternity in the void. Did you really think I wouldn't have made more than one plan? I had always wondered to myself, why did Amity willingly give up her strength for her creations, knowing full well she would never truly recover it all? Why did she think her children could wield it just as well as she, if not better? So I figured, why not find out the only way I knew how, craft my own elements."

With a thunderous crash, the six funnels connected to the ground around Ruinate's feet, and as the wind died down and the dust settled, the ponies all gasped as they made out the six unknown equines that had appeared before them during the festival preparations.

"I must say, thank you for the lesson Twilight Sparkle. Because now I know that my experiment was more rewarding than I ever could have imagined." Black lightning flashed as he boldly proclaimed to the heavens.

"Arrogance!"

"Envy!"

"Sorrow!"

"Vengeance!"

"Fear!"

"and Doubt."

"These are the elements of my hatred, and they..." he motioned to the ponies standing at his feet, "are the six chosen to wield them as my heralds. As strong as your friendship is...their hatred for it is stronger."

The six heralds reared up and neighed as they proceeded to circle around Ruinate, kicking up a swirling tornado of his miasma.

"This is far from over, Amity's spawn. So go ahead. Enjoy your little victory. For it is but a fleeting one."

His face vanished into the cyclone of darkness as it disappeared deep into the vortex above.

"YOU HAVE WON THE BATTLE MY LITTLE PONIES, BUT THE WAR...HAS JUST BEGUN!!! MWAHAHAHAHAHA!!!"
His laughter echoed out as the storm above departed with a cracking bang, leaving behind nothing but a clear sky.

Rainbow shot to the spot where the sention once stood. She scanned the ground and then the air for any trace, but came up empty-hoofed "He's...he's gone! Dang it!"

All of a sudden, their elements glowed as they returned to their original forms, and a light sprang from each of them to create a projection of an equine form. She stood slightly higher than the princesses, and for her chest up, she had smooth silky tanned skin with an extra pair of appendages each with five fingers. Her face was round with hair that flowed like the princesses a white comet's tail hue.

"Amity..." Everypony immediately gaped as they saw their princesses bow before the apparition, and once they had gotten over the concept of their absolute rulers kneeling before anypony else they instantly followed suit.

"Dear Celestia, and Luna. How wonderful it is to see my trusted disciples again."

"You...you know her?" Twilight asked, peeking her head off the ground.

"But of course," Celestia sweetly replied. "Luna and I once beheld the elements of harmony ourselves if you do recall. But never have we been able to actually see our foremother. We could only hear her voice. For her to be able to conjure her image from the elements...you and your friends truly have the closest connection to the elements in the entire history of their creation."

"Do not deem so little of yourself, Celestia. Our bond has not been severed by the soul. You have remained strong, benevolent, and wise even after a thousand years without my guidance, and I could not be more proud of you as I am them." She preened Celestia's mane lovingly then looked to Twilight and her friends with an equally warm smile. "You have done well today, bearers of harmony. This world remains peaceful and joyous."

"But...Ruinate's still out there...and he has elements of his own now."

Amity nodded solemnly, but still held her smile. "Yes, the trials before you have not ended yet. And my brother's craft is very dangerous indeed. Hatred is a very powerful force that can evolve and grow just as much as friendship. But there is one key difference. Hate only grows alone, but friendship is cultivated together. That is what makes it so easy to share. I believe that you can grow even stronger than you have now, and hopefully...you can save those six wayward children of mine as well."

Her image faded away as the elements fell silent again. The six mares steadily picked theirs up and gazed at them for a long time in silence.

Pinkie was the first to break the quiet as usual. "Hey! We just saved Equestria yet again, y'know what this calls for? A PARTY!!"

Everypony jumped to their feet and cheered as confetti flew and music began to play. "Indeed," Luna concurred, "We still have an equinox to finish."

As the crowd all rushed to the center of town to resume the festivities, Twilight lingered behind, sill fixating on her element. She hadn't realized she had a small group behind her until a small purple claw tapped her shoulder. "Huh? Wha-?" She looked down to see her assistant in a half grin, half scowl.

"Nice job saving the day again...but you could have at least given me a ride back this time."

Twilight looked down at his slightly sore feet. "Oh, sorry Spike." She then saw that her friends had stayed behind as well along with the princesses.

"Is something on your mind, my faithful student?"

"The heralds of hatred...they were ponies just like us once, right? What could possibly have caused them to become like that? To turn to some...thing like Ruinate?"

"I'm afraid I have no answers, Twilight. The heart is a very sensitive and profound matter, each one born unique and shaped by experiences."

Twilight once again looked at her element of magic. "They'll be coming for us though...that much we do know."

"And you can bet your bottom bit we'll be ready for them!" Rainbow Dash said.

"Don't get too ahead of yerself, RD," Applejack said with a hoof bump. "Them anti-elements are a whole new breed of varmints. I reckon we got a long road ahead of us."

"Well, duh! This is only episode two! We got at least twenty-four more shows to do before we take that meanie Runie down!"

"Uh, what?" Everypony looked at Pinkie Pie with a puzzled expression.

"Ah, nevermind! Let's party!"

As the six galloped off to join in on the fun, Celestia looked towards the horizon in the direction the storm had left.

"A history of hatred against a future of friendship. I expect some very interesting reports from you in the foreseeable future, Twilight Sparkle."

Fight or Flight

Lightning flashed as sheets of rain poured down on Rainbow Dash and her weather team. It had been at least two hours since they had engaged the storm blowing in from the Everfree's north front, and they were all feeling the fatigue.

"Raindrops, get Flitter and Cloudchaser to cover the left edge in a reverse chevron formation!" she called out to her second in command over the din of thunder.

"Uh, there might be a little problem with that," the jasmine teal-maned pegasus yelled back.

"What problem!?"

"AAAAAAHHHH!!" The two of them ducked just in time to avoid colliding with the periwinkle pair as they spun to the ground by a sudden downdraft.

"Agh, Thunderlane, give me some extra tailwind, I'm gonna try and-"

*CRACKOOM*

A blackened, and sightly charred stallion with his mane completely frizzled, dropped like a rock to her right.

"He just got hit by lightning didn't he?"

"Uh huh."

Raindrops gripped Rainbow's right hoof in order to keep her wings steady under the increasing G-force gales.

"Captain, we have to fall back! Over half the team has been grounded, we just don't have the wing power to push back a storm of this magnitude!"

"We can't just run away from this!"

"I'm not saying that, but we need reinforcements! We can regroup at Cloudsdale and request a backup squad."

"Do you know how long that's going to take?! If we give this mess of feral clouds another inch, it's gonna hit Ponyville!"

"We don't have a choice, there's no other way to combat this!"

"There's always another way!" Rainbow Dash huffed up and began to pump her wings. "The RAINBOW DASH WAY!"

Oh my stars, is she trying to... "Rainbow Dash! No!" But before Raindrops could pursue the prismatic streak, another gust swept her back. Her purple friend, Cloud Kicker, managed to catch her before she crashed into a high hanging branch.

Rainbow Dash flipped and spun as barrages of lightning clipped and grazed her wingtips. Her target was a huge bubbling wall of cumulonimbus in the middle of the storm. Flipping her goggles on, she gritted her teeth for the incoming shock as she burst the skin of the thunderhead and disappeared into the field of electricity.

The rest of the team watched in silence as the storm suddenly started to swell and swirl. The winds diverted inward, and the entire surface seemed to cackle with sparks. Then, all at once, a rippling explosion of water destroyed the storm, cloud by cloud as a column of lightning erupted from the center where Dash had disappeared into. Every pegasus shielded themselves with their wings as they were knocked back by the incredible torrent.

Raindrops was the first to peek through her feathers afterwards, and saw Rainbow Dash, hovering in a now clear sky, her body buzzing with sparks. She immediately flew up to her with an angry look on her face.

"No thanks necessary, just your friendly neighborhood Rainbow Dash doing her-"

She was cut off as a hoof conked her on the noggin.

"Forcing a storm-wide cloudburst all on your own?!"

"Yeah, I'm just that awesome." Rainbow Dash rubbed her head, still holding her grin as Raindrops glared.

"More like you're just that stupid! Do you realize how much electricity you were channeling through that body of yours? That was way too dangerous to try by yourself!"

"Hey, danger is my middle name!" she retorted as Raindrops was joined by the rest of the squad.

"I thought your middle name was Miriam," Medley, a pine green pegasus, commented.

Raindrops ignored her teammate's obliviousness, and continued to lecture her captain. "Look Rainbow, you're not a one pony weather army. You can't keep punishing your body like this. Sometimes, you've got to know when to cut your losses and tag out."

"Yeah, but I don't lose. And I especially don't run away like a chicken!"

"I'm not saying you're a chicken! What I'm saying is-!"

The two proceeded to argue with each other as they flew back towards the town. As the rest of the team followed, a dark shape emerged from one of the black cloud remnants now hovering harmlessly over the forest.

A dark pony shape, in black armor with fiery yellow eyes...

My Little Pony, My Little Pony

Ahh, ahh, ahh, ahhh…

(My Little Pony)

I used to wonder what friendship could be

Until you all shared its magic with me

Big adventure

Tons of fun

A beautiful heart

Faithful and strong

Sharing kindness
It's an easy feat

And magic makes it all complete

You have my little ponies

Do you know you're all my very best friends?

Fight or Flight

Rainbow Dash lazily pulled a cloud over Sweet Apple Acres, she really needed a nap after that earful she got from her sub-captain.

Raindrops would just not shut up today. So I pull a few violations to protocol, it's not like it's that much more paperwork for her. And why does she always think I'm literally going to kill myself every time I pull off some stunts on duty? The Wonderbolts do that sort of thing everyday!

She snuggled down into her soft, fluffy bed, shaping a comfortable groove in the middle. Ah, well. Can't exactly outright blame her entirely. This was the fifth storm this week that blew in. Of course she'd be stressed out, everypony on the weather patrol has had it rough. It's like someone's making these things and just sending them our way...nah.

As she was blissfully about to crawl into slumberland, a loud honking made her almost leap off her cloud.

"Hi Dashie!"

Pinkie hovered behind the pegasus, wearing her element outfit. Her jester's cap sported a spinning beanie propeller that kept her flying, and the arms of her suit were sporting two large horns.

"What the-? Pinkie, what are you doing?"

"Just playing with all the features my laughter suit has. I've found a new one every hour since I got this! Look! Laughter feature number four-hundred-seventy-six!" She pulled a chord on her flank's left side, and a flower popped up from under her collar spurted out a spicy liquid. "Hot sauce dispenser!"

Rainbow Dash sighed. "Very nice Pinkie. Now would you mind if I get back to my nap?"

"But Dashie, I just had a super wonderfully funnerific idea we could do with feature number two-thousand and three! That's the paint shoes, by the way."

"What, do you want to decorate every apple in this orchard with polka dots?" Rainbow asked with a roll of her eyes.

*GAAASP* "Dashie! You can read minds now?! Is that one of your Rainbow Armor's new powers?! Oh boy! That's so neato! Wait wait! Tell me what I'm thinking now! No hold on, scratch that! I just had a more interesting thought! Now read my mind!"

"Pinkie Pie, you are SO random..."

"Right again! Ok, now I'm thinking of a number between one and-"

"Pinkie Pie, what's taking you so long?"

Rainbow Dash peeked over her cloud to see Applejack, Rarity, Twilight, and Fluttershy below.

"Hey guys, what's up?"

"You and Pinkie, obviously," Twilight deadpanned. Pinkie keeled over laughing, and Applejack caught her on her back as she fell. "As for us, the cafe at the corner of Maple and Oak is offering a special today for groups of four or more, so I thought we could all get together for lunch."

"When they got to me," Applejack continued. "Ah told them ah couldn't break fer chow until ah was done prunin' the south field, so they stuck around to get it done faster."

"And then I spotted you pulling up for a nap on your cloud just as I was discovering feature seven-thousand-two-hundred-ninety, which was the horn collar, and I thought, 'hey pinkie, you haven't had a good joke with dashie in thirty-four hours!' So I activated feature three-hundred-twelve, Pinkiecopter mode, and-"

"Ok! ok!" Rainbow glided off her perch to join her friends on the ground. "Lunch, huh? I could use a snack as much as a nap."

"The more the merrier. Oh, one moment Rainbow Dash, you've got a bit of a bedhead there." Rarity reached over to straighten out a bang, and a sharp static discharge zapped her hoof. "Ah!" she jumped back, rubbing her hoof. "My word, Rainbow Dash, what have you been doing?"

"Ooh! Let me try!" Pinkie grabbed a tuft of the rainbow mane, and shivered as the charge tingled through her for a second. "Tingly!"

"Oh, yeah, guess I still got some charge left from my Thundertower Thrasher."

"Your what?" Twilight asked.

"Ah, just some on the fly trick I pulled to get that latest thunderstorm on the Everfree's edge to blow up. I bet it looked even more awesome from the outside of that thunderhead than-"

"Wait wait wait wait wait," Twilight interjected. "You dove straight into a thunderhead? That's insane! The electrical field of a single supercell has an average charge of ten gigawatts, and that's just for a level one T-storm!"

"Ugh, you're starting to sound like Raindrops. Making out every single thing I do as 'too risky'."

"Risky is an understatement! Even if none of the lightning hit you, the sheer amount of ambient energy in the cloud could have fried you alive!"

"Look, if I hadn't done that, the storm would have reached Ponyville! I was protecting you guys!"

"A storm we can handle, losing you is entirely different story!" Rarity chided.

"Come on. All I am is a little tired and hungry." Rainbow Dash leaned back against one of the apple trees waving a reassuring hoof. "As long as I'm in the sky, there is nothing, I repeat NOTHING that can ever get the better of me!"

Just then, a large explosion sounded from town. The six mares turned to see smoke rising from the town hall, and for a brief second, an armored figure seemed to circle around the smoke before disappearing behind the building, where another explosion sounded off.

"Run! We're under attack!!"

Flames danced around the houses as trails of lightning ignited the straw roofs. The winged assailant stopped over a huge flower cart that Daisy, Lily, and Roseluck were trying to haul away and dropped straight down, creating a smoking crater of burning potpourri. The three mares scattered for their shop all the while crying in fright.

"He's going to burn the entire town and roast us alive!"

"We're all doomed!"

"The horror! The horror!!"

The large stallion raised a hoof as it ignited in flames, and with a stamp, sent a shockwave of fire crashing into Quills and Sofas. Davenport emerged from the smouldering wreckage coughing.

"Why...what does everypony have against the quills?"

A slightly singed Mayor Mare finally manged to safely navigate out of the burning town hall with a megaphone in her hoof.

"Everypony, please remain calm! Return to your homes at once in an orderly fashion and-" her speaker clattered to the ground as she fell silent, mouth agape as the attacker hovered inches away from her. Her eyes widened in fear as he raised his hoof once more.

"Alright! That's enough demolition out of you!"

The stallion turned to look at the entrance to the square. Standing with their elements equipped, were the bearers of harmony with Rainbow Dash leading the pack. Her eyes narrowed as she recognized the ashen chains and crimson scarring, along with a large sword mark over the metal that covered his flanks.

"You..."

"Elements of harmony. I knew this would draw you out," the armored stallion coldly stated.

"Next time just knock on our doors," Applejack spat back.

Disregarding her completely, he swooped in low and planted his hooves firmly in the ground before them, sending a small tremor outward with the force of his landing.

"We were never properly introduced." He shook his mane to side and looked at his foes with a burning gaze. "I am Fury Cross, the herald of vengeance. And I am here to complete what my master has started."

"And that would be?" Twilight pressed.

"Destroying the elements of harmony!" With a nicker and snort, he stamped a hoof in finality. "The world he and I envision have no room for such a weak and pitiful ideal like friendship!"

"We'll see who's the weak one after you've had a few rounds with me!" Rainbow Dash said trying to stamp her hoof in the same manner.

"Hmmph." Fury Cross opened his wings as he turned to the side, distancing himself a bit. "That's laughable, considering you couldn't even touch me the first time."

"Oh, yeah?!" Rainbow lunged forward only to be jerked back by the tail from Applejack.

"Easy there RD," she said through her teeth. "Don't let 'im rile you up."

"You'd do well to listen to your apple-loving comrade," Fury Cross said. "She has the common sense to know what's out of her league...and back off like a good coward."

"Coward?! COWARD?! Nopony calls Rainbow Dash a coward!"

"Really? You could have fooled me, the way you and your friends cling to each other like a tortoise to its shell!" And with that, he went straight into the the air, kicking up a cloud of soot.

"Come on element of loyalty! Show me what you've got unless you're scared!"

"You....you...." With a mighty buck, Rainbow Dash forced her farmer friend to release her jaws as she rocketed off after him.

"YOU JUST SIGNED YOUR OWN DEATH WARRANT, BUB!!!"

Applejack tumbled back into one of the overturned vegetable stands, a basket landing on her head.

"Applejack, are you okay?" Twilight asked as she rushed over and lifted the basket off. Fluttershy and Rarity gasped in their respective horror and disgust as Applejack now sported a lovely black eye.

"We gotta git Rainbow back here 'fore she hurts herself...and so ah can pay her back for this lovely new shiner."

Streaking across the sky, Rainbow followed the smoking trail with steeled determination.

"You're gonna be rubbing iodine over those smoking chains for a century when I'm done with you, you-"

"And just who are you chasing?"

Rainbow suddenly turned her head downward left to see Fury flying below and behind her. In an abrupt turn he veered off in another direction.

How? When did he-? Ah, forget it! Screeching to a halt on all fours in mid-air, she arched her wings up and dove after him. Flying over a blanket of alto-cumulus, she brought herself down with a mighty kick at his head.

"Gotcha!"

"I'm over here."

Her head swiveled so fast she almost felt her collarbone snap. Fury was hovering twenty meters to her right, the trail of smoke indicating that he had somehow managed to move that far in less than a millisecond. And another millisecond was all it took for her to see his figure shrinking into a dot in the sky as he sped away again. She ground her teeth as her hooves shook.

"Oh you wanna play this the hard way? We'll play this the hard way!"

Straining her wings to the limit, she caught up a third time, winging just over the herald. With a quick motion she lunged to grapple his neck, but came up with nothing but air. She looked upwards to see him and grabbed again, then to the left, and then right in front. He positioned himself directly underneath her with his back to the ground and his forelegs nested behind his head and his hindlegs crossed. His wings weren't even flapping that hard as they raced above the clouds.

"I'm not much for childish taunts, but I believe the phrase goes as such: Neener neener neener~"

"RRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGH!!" Rainbow's face went as scarlet as the scars on Fury's armor as she swung again and missed. This stallion was flying circles around her and not even trying! Her! The fastest flyer in Equestria!! He throttled off again under the sea of clouds, and Rainbow dived bombed after him, a look that spelled murder on her face.

That cocky air-headed windbag of flames!

She could feel the resistance building in front of her.

I'll teach him not to take me seriously!

The air started to cone as she squinted to shield her eyes.

He wants my best shot...HE'LL GET IT A HUNDRED AND TWENTY PERCENT!!!

A ring of multi-colored light exploded outward as a rounding boom shot her like a notched crossbow bolt straight at her foe. Fury Cross had just enough time to turn around when the shockwave sent him reeling out of control. He had not even stopped spinning when a blur of cyan struck him hard in the chest. They whirled downwards back into the town, where Rainbow Dash directed the stallion's backside right into the clocktower. They crashed right through and she skidded him across the nearby rooftop before releasing him over the edge. She relaxed her legs as she heard a crash below.

She had only a second to catch her breath when Fury Cross rose to meet her again at eye level.

"So, that was the infamous sonic rainboom..." he murmured. "Not bad. But for a legendary skill, it leaves something to be desired."

Rainbow Dash was as infuriated as she could get. He was still mocking her? And her signature move no less? There wouldn't be a grave deep enough to dig for him!

But before she could do anything, a lasso of vines suddenly flew up and snagged Fury's lower legs. In a quick motion Applejack tugged hard and brought the surprised stallion to the ground with the makeshift rope she had fashioned with Fluttershy's coat of flora.

"NOW EVERYPONY!"

She whipped the vines over him in a hogtying manner as Rarity shot her orbiting gems in a fierce barrage. They stuck to the folds of the armor joints and pinned him down as Twilight levitated several dozen barrels and crates over, collapsing it on him. Pinkie honked a polka-dot just little below and left of her belly, and a large pair of turrets shot up from her shoulders. They let loose a stream of white and brown gooey liquid that covered and hardened over the debris.

"Laughter feature ninety-four, cake batter and molasses cannons!"

The five mares looked up to Rainbow Dash, glad to see she hadn't been gravely injured, but were surprised to see that her expression did not share their relief.

"Hey, what gives?" she exclaimed. "I had him right where I wanted and you cut me off!"

"You're welcome Rainbow Dash," Rarity reminded her ungrateful friend.

"I didn't ask for an assist!"

"Didn't need ta. From what we saw down 'ere, you looked like you were gettin' your flank kicked eight ways ta Sunday."

Rainbow Dash butted her head against Applejack's as she locked her magenta eyes into the farmer's green ones. "Did you not catch that last awesome move there? All I needed was my second wind!"

"Come on girls, he's down and out, that what matters right..." Twilight stopped as she sniffed the air. "Do you smell burning pancakes?"

They all turned to look at the sticky rubble prison that was smoking and blackening with intense heat. With a crack and a zap, the pile flew away in charred remains as Fury Cross emerged, his armor sparking as if was ready to burst into flames any second.

"Well, element of loyalty, I must say I'm disappointed in more ways than one if this is all you can amount to with such craven tactics."

"Craven?"

"It means-"

"I can guess what it means, Twilight!" Rainbow Dash shot a dirty look at her egghead friend and an even dirtier one at her enemy. "And just what about my tactics is so 'craven'?"

"Pushing me into a six on one ambush in the middle of our duel? The weak and gutless are the only ones who resort to that sheer level of outnumbering. Are you so afraid that you need others to fight your own battles for you?"

"I. AM. NOT. AF-AWP!" Applejack came down on Rainbow's backside with a full body tackle, pinning her on all fours.

"Oh no ya don't RD. You are not gonna take his bait again!"

Fury Cross harrumphed again as he began to climb the sky. "Clearly I cannot expect a fair fight here and now. I'll be seeing you later...cowards."

Rainbow Dash screamed and cursed as he disappeared into the vast blue. "LET ME GO! LET ME GO!! WE CAN'T LET HIM JUST GET AWAY WITH THAT! NOT LIKE THIS!!"

"That's precisely what we're doing Rainbow Dash!" Twilight said. "If we continued to battle here, it could cause a lot of damage to the town and a lot of ponies could get hurt. Just look at what collateral your little skirmish did alone!"

"Come on, it couldn't have been that bad!"

A large clock face fell to the ground in the background with a deafening clang. "I'm fairly sure the Mayor and Time Turner are not going to agree with you on that point," Rarity hinted.

Fluttershy then got closer to inspect the areas underneath her friend's wings. "Oh my, Rainbow Dash, you're hurt!"

Rainbow looked to her side and lifted her right wing. Sure enough, underneath on an unprotected spot of her barding was a gash that went across the length of her side.

Huh, must have gotten that when I crashed into that smoldering brickhead. "Ah, it's nothing. I don't even feel it. What I do feel though, is a need to beat the tar out of that jerk who gave it to me!" She then winced a bit as she suddenly felt a twinge of pain when she flared her wings.

Twilight shook her head. "Our priority right now should be assisting the town with repairs and helping the injured or trapped anyways. We can deal with Fury Cross later."

"Yeah, Dashie! Turn that frowny upside downy! There's a lot of ponies here that need a quick pick me up after this morning and we're going to be ones to give it with a 'we successfully defended Ponyville from the herald of vengeance' party!"

"More like we held each others hooves and got labeled as scaredy-cats party..." Dash muttered to herself as she started to walk off and pick up some broken planks.

"Oh, yeah, Rainbow Dash? One more thing."

She turned to see Applejack with a hoof raised. "Yeah? What is it A-"

"I am so spiking her next cider glass with some liquid rainbow."

The cyan pegasus sourly hauled a large cart full of debris towards the outskirts near the Everfree with her inward yellow friend, who was fixated on the fresh black and blue ring around her eye.

"Don't worry, Rainbow Dash. I have ointment that can clear that right up. Oh, and I should probably get some to Applejack as well."

She then looked at Rainbow's right wing, which had been clutching its side ever since. "And...I really think you should let me look at injury there...if that's okay with with you."

"You know what Fluttershy? It's not okay with me. It's just a little cut that can heal on its own. I'm not one of your little animal patients that needs to be babied around every minute on the minute! So quit smothering me like you're my mom!"

She winced both in pain and regret as her cut started to flare up and Fluttershy backed away a few paces like she had been struck on the nose.

*sigh* "Sorry, Flutters. I've...just been in a bad mood today. I'm the fastest, toughest, and bravest pegasus around, and yet nopony seems to be thinking of me like that lately."

"For good reason too, if you ask me."

The nearby tree to the side of the road burst into a bonfire as Fury Cross stepped out from behind. Fluttershy immediately squeaked and she dove behind Rainbow Dash as he approached with a clanking in each step.

"I had hoped to eventually meet with you one on one. But it seems you can't go anywhere without at least one your entourage to help you to your hooves. You didn't even bother to come after me."

"You've got it all wrong, metal mouth! I stayed behind because my friends needed me. I wasn't scared to chase you!"

"Words are cheap. And the more you bark, the more I wonder if it's really you that depend on them. When danger threatens, you never meet it head on, you rush to their side like they were some security blanket. You may have fooled yourself and the others that you're protecting them, but I see the truth. You're protecting yourself. Your ego, your life, your very place in history. You're too afraid to try anything without somepony nearby to rescue you should you fail."

Rainbow could feel the pain at her side grow sharper as she flared her wings, but she didn't care. "I don't need anypony to rescue me! I don't need a bodyguard, a cheering squad, a medic or anyone! And I certainly never FAIL! I could clip your wings with one hoof tied behind my back...SOLO!"

"Prove it."

Fury circled to the side, never breaking eye contact with Rainbow. "I have an encampment at Rider's Ravine due south of here. In three days time, I will leave that encampment at ten on the morn for Ghastly Gorge to the west. Meet me in combat and we shall see how brave you truly are."

"There and done," Rainbow spat back with her hoof clenched up, already psyched at showing the herald up at his own game.

"Good. I shall be seeing you soon." Fury turned away, and after walking a few steps, he paused before addressing her one last time. "And Rainbow Dash..." He slowly craned his head over to the scowling mare.

"You had better come alone."

An eruption of fire consumed his image, and he vanished as the flames died out.

Rainbow Dash unfastened her harness to the cart as she smirked with spunk. "I'll be there alright. And I'll kick your tail to the curb so hard you'll have change your name to Fury Loss!"

"R-rainbow Dash...you're not really going to fight him by yourself are you?" Fluttershy peeped from underneath the cart.

"Of course I am! That pompous jerk already made the top of my list the minute he called me a coward! Once I batter him out of the sky, nopony will ever have the nerve to call me that again!"

"But...Ghastly Gorge is really dangerous, you got trapped there once and almost starved to death!"

"My wing was stuck under a rock for fifteen minutes," Rainbow Dash did not have to reserve to admit that those exact thoughts had passed through her mind before Tank had helped her. "I know that place better than anypony else. If anything, the advantage is mine! You got nothing to worry about."

"But...uh...well...I suppose if the others think-"

"NO!" Rainbow Dash's face pressed firmly against Fluttershy's."The gang cannot know about this! If they find out I'm heading off to scrap with Fury, I'll never be able to meet him alone! And I'll never be able to prove I'm not a wimp who hides behind her friends!"

"But...um...well..."

"I'm serious Fluttershy!" Rainbow poked her hoof at Fluttershy's chest. "You cannot tell them anything! You have to promise me to- no, Pinkie promise me you won't blab about what just happened here. That's how important this is to me."

"But...I...I-"

"Pinkie Promise me Fluttershy!"

"But-"

"Pinkie Promise!"

Fluttershy gulped, and with a few hurried squeaks she went through the motions of crossing her heart, flapping the ends of her hooves, and then sticking one in a closed eye.

"Good! Thanks Flutters!" Rainbow Dash showed her first genuine smile for the day, and then took to the air towards her favorite practice spot.

"Wait! Rainbow Dash! Where are you going?" Fluttershy called out after her.

"I got three days to train and I'm not going to waste a single second of them!"

The sun peeked in through the window of Applejack's bedroom as it crested the orchard below. The warm, gentle rays tickled the earth pony as she stirred from her warm bed.

Mmmm...crack of dawn. Time to git up and start today's chores. That topsoil'll need turnin' before the dew dries out. She snuggled against her soft, comfy pillow as her old foe lethargy came at her in full force. Agh, it's just one of them mornin's when even I don't feel like getting up. Maybe just a 'nother ten minutes...I can let Big Macintosh cook breakfast today...

*WHUMP*

"Eh?" Applejack forced her eyes open as the unusual thumping sound happened again.

*WHUMP* *WHUMP*

Stretching out of bed and hopping over to the window, she looked over the sill and towards the barn out back. Then a bale of hay flew right out the top of it and into the front garden.

"Good gravy! What in tarnation?" Applejack was wide awake now as she slapped on her hat and galloped down the stairs and out the front steps. She rounded the side of her house just in time to dodge another projectile of bundled grass from the loft window. She marched right up to the large double doors and kicked them open.

"Alright, I don't know who'll ya'll think ya...Rainbow Dash?"

Her expression switched from confrontational to quizzical as she watched her athletic friend proceed to punch and toss the haybales all over the inside like they were punching bags.

"Uh, Rainbow...whatcha doin'?"

"Working out. What's it look like I'm doing?" Rainbow proceeded to smack her next target with a, no pun intended, haymaker.

"Looks ta me like you're makin' a mess out of my barn," the farmer retorted, her initial surprise now giving way to annoyance.

"I'll clean it up when I'm done." The brash pegasus proceeded to to lie flat on her backside as she piled several stacks on her hooves in a makeshift bench press with a couple spare boards of wood. "Hey, AJ. While you're here, think you can stack a few more bales on top here?"

"Uh, sugarcube, I don't know what kinda special training this is, but this doesn't look safe ta me."

Rainbow Dash grunted as she proceeded to lift and lower her load. "No pain, no gain. I started last night with only two blocks of this stuff, now I'm up to seven!"

"You've been thumpin' round on those boards all night?! Rainbow, you really oughta get offa there now, that loft ain't built to take that kind of stomping."

"I'll be done in a minute, I got ten more reps to go."

"Seriously, Rainbow, ya really should stop that."

"Why? Cause it's too dangerous?" Rainbow snapped at Applejack, her eyes narrow and piercing. "Cause you're scared of what will happen to me? Well don't be! Because I'm not scared! There's nothing to be scared about when you're as tough as I am! Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go back to feeling the burn!"

Her scar then burned deeply as if on cue. She clutched her side at the sudden spasm of pain, and the tower of hay unbalanced itself and collapsed upon her. A creaking sound of warped wood filled the barn, and the loft gave away sending the mass of straw tumbling down to the floor, pegasus and all. A bruised Rainbow poked her head out to meet her orange friend who had worry in her eyes, but displeasure on her mouth.

She looked up to the new hole in the second floor and sheepishly chuckled. "I can clean that up too."

Twilight busily scanned through some notes as she dropped some magnesium in a beaker.

"Spike, can you fetch me the Periodics? I need to double check the melting point of cobalt," she called upstairs. She waited for a minute, but heard no reply, not even the pitter-patter of little dragon feet.

"Spike? Spiiiiiike~?" Sighing, she switched off her burner and proceeded up to the foyer of the library above. "You better not be napping on the job again."

When she reached the top of the steps however, she found that the library was deserted, no sign of her foster baby dragon, asleep or otherwise.

"Spike? Where are you? This isn't the time to be playing games with me." Suddenly, she sniffed the air as some salty aroma wafted across her nostrils. Was somepony cooking something just outside her library? Curious, she trotted to her door to open it up, then proceeded to open her mouth as well and scream.

There, tied to a skillet over a bed of hot coals, was Rainbow Dash, her coat singed and sweaty as she breathed heavily. And turning the skillet while feeding his fire to the coals, was her little purple and green assistant. He jerked his head to meet the flabbergasted unicorn, a bead of sweat rolling down his head.

"Uh, this isn't what it looks like Twilight."

That was all he could get in before Twilight charged and tackled him to the ground.

"HOW COULD YOU SPIKE! I RAISED YOU BETTER THAN THIS! IS THIS ANOTHER ONE OF YOUR DRACONIAN INSTINCTS KICKING IN?! IF IT IS I PROMISE I'LL DO EVERYTHING I CAN TO KEEP YOU FROM BECOMING A PONY EATING MONSTER!!"

"Hey Spike! Why'd you stop?"

Twilight's neck suddenly snapped to see Rainbow Dash lifting her chin to see what was happening.

"Oh, hey Twilight. Would you mind letting go of Spike so we can get back to my training?"

"....Ponybeingroastedalivesaywhat?" Twilight's eye twitched as thought of Rainbow Dash wanting her assistant to grill her into ponyburgers sank in.

"Yeah, I kinda had the same reaction when she asked me to do this too," Spike said from underneath her hooves. "Apparently RD here wants to build up her tolerance to heat."

"And you thought the best way to do that is to broil yourself over an open fire?!" Twilight's emotional swing went a full one-eighty from psychedelically paranoid to outrageously upset and irked. "Rainbow! You scared me to death! I thought Spike was trying to cook you!"

"Heh heh, yeah. That was pretty funny. You should have seen Rarity's reaction when she saw it." Rainbow then nodded her head over to the side and Twilight saw sprawled out on all four legs on her back, eyes rolled into her head, her fashionista friend, fainted dead away. "Three whole hours and she still hasn't woken up."

"What?! You've been at this for over three hours?!" Twilight immediately levitated a bucket of water over Rainbow, doused her and the coals, and yanked her off as she undid the ropes. "Rainbow Dash! Of all the reckless things you've done this week, heck, this lifetime, this takes the cake!"

She then directed a glare at Spike. "As for you mister, back inside, upstairs, NOW. I'll be up shortly so we can discuss the consequences of today's actions more thoroughly."

Spike grimaced, he knew all too well what was coming with that tone Twilight used. No gems for a year if he was lucky. He trudged back inside the library with his head hung low, and as he closed the door behind him Twilight once again cast her disapproving glare on her friend.

"And you. I really don't know what's gotten into lately but-"

"What's gotten into me? What's gotten into you?" Rainbow Dash shook her hoof at Twilight. "I used to zoom and flip and even crash all the time with you encouraging me to get up and try again, harder, cooler, and stronger. Now all I'm hearing from you and everypony else is 'don't do this Rainbow Dash!' 'It's too dangerous Rainbow Dash!' 'Worry worry worry, scared scared scared!' I'm still the same awesome, cool, and most of all, brave Rainbow Dash you've always known, so why can't you treat me the same way?"

"Rainbow Dash, crash landing into a field of flowers and charring yourself over hot coals are two completely different things! I'm concerned because you've never acted this way before, what are you trying to prove?"

Rainbow Dash leaned in close as she practically spat in her face. "I'm trying to prove that I don't need my friends to fuss over every little thing I do! Which I wouldn't have to do...if they actually did let me do it in the first place!"

And with that, she zoomed off, leaving the dazed scholar in a cloud of dust all the while holding her cut which was blazing even more than her body.

"It's been two whole days since I last spoke with Rainbow Dash," Fluttershy quietly said to her bunny Angel as they walked back from the market. "I haven't seen her since. I hope she's alright. She looked even more antsy and agitated than when she wanted to break that storm record."

Angel just gave a tug on her mane and shook his head as he hopped on her back, tired of hopping along. Fluttershy just smiled sweetly at him. "Oh, you're right Angel. I shouldn't worry so much to point where I can't do anything but worry. It's just that I feel that we should be doing more for Rainbow Dash, but we can't do anymore if my friends don't know about her- *gasp* oh no! Did Rainbow Dash not want me to tell you either? I'm so sorry if she did, I-"

Cannonfire sounded in the distance, and Fluttershy's wings locked in instinct. Angel snapped her out it by tugging her mane like some reins, and she was suddenly galloping towards where the noise was. Peaking over a large rock, she saw Rainbow Dash with Pinkie's party cannon and a large pile of rocks.

Rainbow stuffed several hoofuls of the melon-sized stones into the barrel, and then snapped the trigger to automatic as she flew into the air. The cannon fired the huge chunks of solid earth at the pegasus at an alarming rate. She ducked, dodged, and looped around the incoming projectiles, batting some back every so often as well. One round came out in a rather erratic flying pattern, and Rainbow misjudged the trajectory, leading up to her attempt to block it with her hoof with a smash to her head.

"Ohmygoodness!" Fluttershy immediately flapped over to catch her friend before she hit the ground.

"Ughn...that's gonna bruise...what the-? Oh, hey Fluttershy."

"Rainbow Dash, is this....your training?"

"Yep! I was able to get Pinkie Pie to lend me her party cannon so I could hone my dodging, dexterity, and stamina. I gotta be able to take what I can dish if I'm gonna send Fury packing!"

Fluttershy looked all over Rainbow Dash's body. She was covered in bruises from top to bottom, her wings were ragged with some feathers out of place, and of course that scratch from before was still there, but for some reason it looked like it had grown instead of shrunk.

"Um, Rainbow Dash? Are you sure you should be doing this? This fight, I mean. Maybe there's a less...painful resolution?"

Rainbow's face hardened as she crossed her forelegs. "Yeah, you'd like to talk it out right? Avoid conflict or maybe just run away and hide like a little mouse? Fluttershy, maybe you're comfortable with the title of timid hovering over your head, heck, maybe you like it. I know I wouldn't have you any other way. But that's not me. I don't back down from anything, I'm not a coward. Fury Cross wants a brawl, and I'm gonna give it to him."

"But all this intense training...it's looks like you're just beating yourself up..."

"Hey, I'm taking care of my body. In fact, it's time to rehydrate."

She winged over to a large canister she had to the side of her cannon and took a huge swig. She convulsed back as she clutched her stomach, biting her tongue.

Wondering what kind of drink would make her jerk so much, Fluttershy took the container and peeked inside.

"T-this is liquid rainbow!" she gasped. "Why would you be drinking something so bitter and spicy that our bodies can barely digest?"

"Gotta...*hurk*...train my insides too...compared to this...Fury's assaults are going to be like pillow fights!"

"Rainbow Dash...um...I really think you should tell Twilight and the others about-"

"I said no!" Rainbow Dash was once again up in Fluttershy's face. "Don't you get it Fluttershy? They're part of the problem. It's not just Fury that's questioning my nerve now, everypony else is doing it too! I know the gang thinks they mean well, but they just don't understand that they're hurting me some other way at times. I mean, what good is being the most awesome flyer in all of Equestria if you don't have the cred to back it up? A mare's gotta do what a mare's gotta do."

"Well, at least...maybe I could..."

"No, Fluttershy," Dash's voice was softer now as she couldn't stay aggravated in front of her unassertive friend for long. "You can't come either. Fury wants me and me alone. Even if you just stand there, it'll defeat the purpose of this whole duel."

"But...it's really really dangerous! Fury's really really dangerous!"

"All the more reason I should go by myself. The less ponies that get hurt, the better." Rainbow Dash cocked her head to the side as she gave Fluttershy a comforting nuzzle. "Come on, Flutters. You know all those years ago back when we were fillies, all the times I stood up for you at Cloudsdale Academy, even took a few punches?"

"Yes."

"Well just think of it like that. I went against the odds all on my own and never backed down, and I always came through for you. So have a little faith in me. I know if anypony genuinely knows my courage, it's you."

"Yes...I-I know. B-but that doesn't mean everypony else doesn't-"

"I know, I know. Applejack, Pinkie, Rarity, Twilight...I know they really don't think I'm actually a wimp after what Fury said. And I don't really need to prove anything to them...but, I just want to do this for myself, is that so bad?"

"Well...that is..."

Rainbow Dash patted Fluttershy on the back of her head. "Hey, it's not like I'm trying to harvest every orchard in Sweet Apple Acres in a day. This is just one pony I'm up against. I'll be fine."

She then looked into her eyes with a warm smile that Fluttershy had not seen in a long time. It was not the cocky, brash smile she usually wore when she was laying back, having a good time, or bragging about her stunts. Nor was this the super giddy grin she had after a good prank or when she was geeking out about her idols. This smile, was the kind of smile Rainbow had only ever worn for her, and more recently, her close circle of friends. It was a glowing, devoted smile that a mother would give her filly as she tucked her into bed, promising that there were no monsters underneath or in the closet, the kind of smile she had on when they first became friends.

"Fluttershy, I'll beat Fury Cross, and I'll come back a-okay. I Pinkie Promise that. Okay?"

Fluttershy felt a growing smile on her face match Rainbow's as she nuzzled her back. "Okay Rainbow Dash. Just please be careful."

"No prob." Rainbow Dash then left Fluttershy to her groceries as she went back to reload the cannon. "And hey, you can get a victory party prepped if you want too!"

Fluttershy gingerly open the door to her cottage and set her bags down. "Angel, I'm thinking a nice cucumber and eggplant medley with a parmesan garnish tonight. Would you mind rinsing the vegetables?"

As her little white friend hopped off into the kitchen, Fluttershy's thoughts turned back to Rainbow Dash. That warm smile flashed in her mind again, the smile of a true blue friend she had known longer than anyone, a smile that filled her with joy and comfort.

Then that smile disappeared into a wall of fire and lightning as the twisted metal chains of Fury Cross appeared, growling as he stamped every last speck of cyan into oblivion.

Fluttershy squealed in horror as she desperately tried to wipe the image from her mind. No. No. Rainbow Dash said she'd be fine. Fury Cross wouldn't be able to...he-he couldn't!

She then heard a loud crack outside, peeking out her window, she saw Rainbow Dash off in the distance. She charged right into a large boulder, smacking against it like a thrown pie.

"Agh, he made it look so easy..." she muttered. Rearing back to a cloud's height, she came at it again. As her hoof connected, there was a bit of a crunch sound as she squeezed her eyes shut in pain, and as she opened them again her mouth blossomed into a grin as she inspected a large gaping crack that went all the way down the rock. "Perfect! Now for a bigger one!"

Fluttershy bit her lip as Fury's indomitable form haunted her again. Rainbow Dash...she loved her so much. Growing up, she was like the sister she never had. And...and...she was suffering so much right now, going off to try and patch her ego by taking on one of the most dangerous ponies in the world all by herself. A pony who could....could...

Her face scrunched with conviction as she wiped a tear from her eye, she knew what she had to do.

Rainbow Dash lazily glided back to her house. Her wings ached and her legs were sore. But it was all worth it! She was officially prepared for anything Fury Cross would throw her way tomorrow, and with a hearty dinner and a good night's sleep she'd be a hundred and twenty percent by sunrise!

Errn...dinner. I forgot all I got left in my fridge is that week old takeout and some nachos. Aw well, I'll sneak an apple or two off AJ's farm in the morning on the way over and pay her back later.

She took a few untroubled steps into the darkness after opening the door, and it slammed shut behind her. Jerking her head around, she saw Applejack standing squarely behind her, her backhoof on the knob.

"Hello Rainbow Dash, we's got to talk."

Rarity flipped on the lights as Twilight magicked all the windows shut and Pinkie locked the vents.

"What the heck's going on here?" Rainbow exclaimed as she was boxed in by her friends. "What are you all doing here?"

"Like I said, we's got to talk," Applejack coldly stated. "'Bout you and little bout with that Fury fellow tomorrow."

"WHAT?!"

Rainbow Dash quickly scanned the group and found who she was looking for. Her angry eyes narrowed in on a trembling Fluttershy, tentatively peeking out from behind Rarity. "FLUTTERSHY!! YOU TRAITOR!! YOU PINKIE PROMISED YOU WOULDN'T TELL!!!"

*GAAAAAAAAAAAAASP* Pinkie Pie was instantly upon Fluttershy, her scowl almost as big as Rainbow's. "Fluttershy! You never told me you Pinkie promised Dashie!" She tapped her hoof on the long wavy locks of her friend like she was scolding a puppy that wet the floor. "Bad! Bad friend! Bad! Bad! Bad!"

Before she could get to the forevers, Twilight pushed her away and turned her back to Rainbow Dash. "No, Pinkie. Fluttershy was right to tell us this, even if it was done under the wrong circumstances." She then gave her cyan friend a look of utter annoyance. "Rainbow Dash, why in Equestria did you try and hide this from us?"

"Because I knew you would react this way!" Rainbow threw her hooves into the air as she flittered in a circle. "All obsessively worried and nosy! Clinging to me like I'm gonna kick the bucket any moment, like I'm some frail and sickly foal who can't face down a single pony in a fair fight!"

"Fair fight? Does the sayin': 'it's a trap' mean ANYthing to you?" Applejack said with incredible wonder.

"Indeed, it's quite clear that savage is anything but honorable," Rarity agreed. "And even if that weren't the case, gallivanting off all on your own to an insanely dangerous location just to prove some silly point is outrageously foalish."

"Some silly point?! SOME SILLY POINT!? I knew you wouldn't understand!" Rainbow Dash's voice was so loud, it felt like the pillars of cirrocumulus holding the building together would fall apart any time. "You know what? I couldn't care less what any of you say at this point! I'm not letting any of you come with me to Ghastly Gorge!"

"You seem to be misunderstanding something Rainbow, we're not going to be accompanying you to Ghastly Gorge," Twilight matter-of-factly stated.

"You're...not?" Rainbow Dash floated only inches above the floor in a puzzled manner.

"Yep, cause you ain't goin' either!"

Before Rainbow could react, Applejack pulled her lasso from underneath her hat and roped Rainbow down. "Git her wings girls!"

Rainbow screamed in frustration as four of her five friends piled on, binding her body every which way. When they all finally stepped back, she looked more like a huge misshapen lump of yarn than a pony.

"Get me outta of this you turd-stuffed turkey brains!!"

"Nothing doing Rainbow," Twilight expressed with great finality. "You're staying like this until tomorrow evening."

"Why can't you get it?" Rainbow rocked back and forth, struggling as much as she could against the ropes. "If I don't meet that stallion on his own terms, he'll think I'm a loser forever! This is my only chance to prove him wrong!"

"Honestly, Rainbow Dash, is satisfying that pride of yours against one pony really worth tearing apart your own body and throwing your life to the wind?" Rarity asked.

"YES!"

"Wrong answer, sugarcube!" Applejack tightened the knots and hefted her up the stairs. "Now yer goin' ta bed and yer not leavin' this house fer the next twenty-four hours!"

"You'll thank us for this later Dash," Twilight said as she began to roll out some sleeping bags for an overnight watch.

Fluttershy peeked out from behind Rarity again, and nervously met Rainbow's gaze, her lips quivering. "I-I-I...I'm sorry Rainbow...but I-I-I...really...thought this was for the best....I didn't want to risk losing you."

"SHUT UP FLUTTERSHY!! I'VE STUCK MY NECK OUT FOR YOU DOZENS OF TIMES, AND THIS IS HOW YOU REPAY ME?! WE...ARE OFFICIALLY EX-FRIENDS AS OF NOW! I HATE YOU!!!"

Applejack slammed the door behind her as she bucked the yowling pegagus onto her cloud mattress. "For someone more gift-wrapped than a heartswarming eve present, she sure can be a hassle ta carry."

She stopped in mid-step at the bottom of the stairs as she noticed, along with everypony else, Fluttershy's big aqua eyes beginning to water as a high pitched whimper began to emanate from her bitten lip.

"F-fluttershy? Hon? Don't let what Rainbow said get t'ya...I'm...I'm she didn't mean-"

Fluttershy buried her face into the sofa cushions and sobbed quietly before another word could get out.

"Is she alright yet?" Applejack asked Rarity as the ivory unicorn joined them in the kitchen to help make breakfast.

"Afraid not," Rarity said with a sullen glance back towards the living room. "She's been crying all night. The poor dear, she must really be beating herself up about this."

"Well I certainly can see why Dashie would be so upset at her," Pinkie pouted with her forelegs crossed as she finished flipping a pancake. "I mean, she broke a Pinkie promise! Nopony breaks a Pinkie promise. Not unless you want to lose a friend's trust FOR-"

Withering glares from the other three ponies were cast on the poofy-maned party pony, and she immediately gave a nervous grin. "Uh, I mean, I guess she could forgive her. But she has to do something super duper extra special to make up for it. Like maaaaaybeeeee....a 'I'm very sorry I had to save you from killing yourself by breaking a pinkie promise' party! One that would last for an entire week! With presents, cake, and a super fun obstacle course!"

"I think for this situation...we should try something a little more discreet," Twilight said as she levitated a couple of the flapjacks onto a plate, poured some boysenberry syrup over it, and put it on a tray next to a bowl of fruity cereal with a glass of pear juice. "For starters, we can give Rainbow Dash her favorite breakfast. I'm sure she'll be in a much better mood with a full stomach and willing to listen to us afterwards."

Twilight crept with the tray into the living room and looked over the back of the couch. Fluttershy lay there, head nestled deep between the cumulus cushions, completely damp from tears. "Fluttershy?" she cautiously asked.

A muffled mewl answered her.

"Fluttershy, we made breakfast. Would you like to help me take Rainbow Dash's tray up to her?"

The sofa cushions mewled again as the pegasus squirmed further underneath the fortress of fluffy pillows. Twilight sighed. It was still too early to try encourage her meek friend to patch things up. She and Dash probably needed more time to let things settle.

Carrying the tray up, Twilight knocked on the door of Rainbow's bedroom. "Rainbow Dash, I have breakfast. I'm coming in." She turned the knob and pushed inward. "I know you're still mad at us, and a part you has a right to be, but-"

The platter fell to the floor, spilling everything as Twilight dropped her hold on it. The bundle of ropes that held Rainbow Dash were laid out all over the bed, each one frayed and chewed through, and just above the bed, a large hole in the ceiling just big enough for a pegasus to squeeze out of had been pounded out.

"She's gone!"

No sooner had those words left her mouth, Twilight found herself shoved aside by a butter yellow pegasus who had miraculously leapt from the couch to the second story at a pace equal to a Wonderbolt.

"No...Rainbow Dash..."

"That doggone RD, when I git my hooves on her, Fury is gonna look like a cute little kitten compared to what I'm gonna put her through!"

"Let's focus on saving her first!" Twilight said to Applejack as the perilous rocky valley came into view. Galloping right to edge of the cliffs, the five mares looked left to right, north and south.

"Um, Twilight, darling? There's nopony here."

Twilight squinted her eyes, trying to focus further out. "But she has to be here, Rarity! There's no other place that she could have gone. Fan out girls! And if you see either Rainbow or Fury, signal to us."

"What kind of signal to want?" Pinkie asked, "Do want something subtle like..." She leaned close and mumbled softly into her ear with cupped hooves, "memobemomememomummble..." She then stood on her hind legs with her hooves waving wildly. "Or do you want something like: CAW CAW!! CAW CAAAAAAAAAW!!! RIIIIIIIIIIIIICOLAAAAAAA!!" Her yodeling melody filled the canyon with echoes as her friends stared at her in wonder.

Twilight shook her head slightly in order to regain herself. "Subtle, let's go with subtle."

Rider's Ravine was not nearly as long or as dangerous as Ghastly Gorge, but the wide walls and large plateaus made for a much better suited arena. It still had its hazards though. The particular wind currents that passed through blew in a way that eroded many portions of rock into sharp jagged edges, and the numerous high overhanging arches that resulted from rainwater taking more of the bottom than the top were brittle, making rock and mudslides frequent in this area.

Rainbow Dash had not gone that far in until she found what she was looking for. In one of the deeper depressions of the bedrock, beneath a huge ringed column of sandstone, Fury Cross stood in the shadows, his armor glowing in the dimness like smelted iron.

"You're early," he greeted her as she descended. "Guess your head is not all muscle if you were able to deduce my message's true meaning."

"Why else would you mention where you were holing up prior to our showdown? Ghastly Gorge was just a decoy to get my friends away."

"The fact that you determined that can only mean you wouldn't come alone to our agreed destination after all."

"Well I'm here alone now!" Dash shouted as she adjusted her helmet. She fought the urge to cringe in front of Fury. Her gash had been acting up all night, and it was beginning to hurt again as she thought back to how her friends tried to prevent her from proving herself. "Now put your dukes up and let's rumble! The faster I knock you silly, the faster I can rub it in their faces!"

Fury Cross took off like a shot, angled so that he would sharply turn over in the air and stomp Rainbow just above her head. Rainbow swerved to the side, and corkscrewed around to his back with jab. A mighty retaliating buck struck her hard into the side of the walls. The pain felt a hundred times worse than Pinkie's party cannon.

Rainbow Dash wiped her face of the rubble and lunged back out, curving upward. Even if it was wider than Ghastly Gorge, Rider's Ravine was still a pretty closed space, so the advantage had to be the high ground, or in her case high air. Fury Cross was instantly upon her, landing several more hits to her chestplate as they flew parallel to each each other. Rainbow Dash kicked back in turn, but it seemed to be having less impact on him, as if he had been chucking boulders with a catapult whist she was flinging pebbles in a sling. Out of the corner of their deadlock, Rainbow noticed a wide cluster of stone tower formations coming up across the lowland run.

Time for a little game of Chicken!

She kept her gaze mostly on Fury, making sure he was keeping close enough to her when they reached the obstacles. The spires were getting closer. Fury was not even bothering to look ahead. After all, he was strong and fast enough to break through solid rock. But what about several dozen rocks? The pillars were close enough so that any pegasus that collided with it at the speeds they were going at would end up bouncing off them all.

Thirty feet. She tensed her wings, ready to pull to the side at any second.

Twenty feet. She could feel the adrenaline pumping through her.

Ten, nine, eight, seven...she hadn't felt a rush like this since she saved Rarity that day at the young fliers competition.

Five...

Rarity...she was probably worrying herself sick for no reason right now at Ghastly Gorge with the others. Twilight, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, and Fluttershy...

Four...

Fluttershy...how Dash hated her right now.

Three...

She was one pony that should have believed in her no matter what! Countless years of rescuing her flank, keeping her safe from bullies, and she still didn't have the faith in her to think she could hold her own against this stallion!

Two...

Trying to get her to back out? To run away and keep her safe? To Tartarus with those crocodile tears of hers!
Fluttershy didn't care at all about how she felt!

One..

And she didn't care for Fluttershy either!

The scar suddenly burned. Fury Cross broke away effortlessly. Rainbow Dash tried to bank, but the sudden pain caused her wings to lock. In a series of cries, she found herself thumping left and right against multiple stone columns, each collision threatening to snap her spine in two. She could have fanned her wings to try and stop, but at this point the rocks would tear them apart before she got enough drag.

Finally, she cleared the chamber of crashes and slowed enough to get her bearings. She had barely enough time to notice a shadow cast over her and look up, when a blazing hunk of bridled fury came crashing down on her.

Twilight reappeared on another cliff edge. "Anything yet?"

"Nope!" Pinkie appeared right behind her hanging upside down from a large underpass with binoculars in her hooves.

"We've searched high an' low, Twi," Applejack said as she overturned a large rock at the bottom. "Neither hide nor hair of anypony!"

"This makes no sense!" Twilight rubbed her head to placate a headache that had come from all the teleporting she had done. "This was the only place Fury Cross could be at this time!"

Fluttershy suddenly poked her head out of a shrub she had been investigating. "Wait, time? What time is it?"

Pinkie pulled a hoof watch from her mane. "About...a quarter til ten! Why?"

Fluttershy opened her mouth...

You cannot tell them anything! You have to promise me!

Have a little faith in me. I know if anypony genuinely knows my courage, it's you.

WE...ARE OFFICIALLY EX-FRIENDS AS OF NOW! I HATE YOU!!!

And she instantly shut it. Rainbow Dash couldn't even stand the sight of her now. If...if she told them she knew where she was...she'd loathe her forever.

But...but Rainbow Dash is in big trouble right now!

No! I broke her trust already once! I don't want her to hate me even more!

I don't want her to hate me too, but...but I don't anything bad to happen to her even more!

Eyes closed tightly, she argued with herself as the others grouped around her.

"Fluttershy? Dearie? Do you know something?"

"Please Fluttershy, don't be scared, we're here for you."

"Pretty please? I won't let Dashie get mad at you."

Rainbow Dash...

Thoughts of her friend filled her memory all of a sudden. The time she weathered her first thunderstorm below the clouds cuddled with her for comfort.

Rainbow Dash...

The time she went after one her chickens into the Everfree forest...and Rainbow Dash put off her practice time so she wouldn't be going in alone.

Rainbow Dash...

The day Rainbow Dash got her first second place ribbon at the Cloudsdale sports festival, and how she cried together with her in private before making her swear not to tell anypony.

Rainbow Dash......I'll always love you...no matter what you think of me.

She rubbed another tear from her eye as she looked to her friends with cold determination.

"I know where Rainbow Dash is."

Rainbow Dash plummeted into the ground for the tenth time. Her body screamed to her head to just lay down and play dead, but she just yelled back at it harder to shut up and employed her aching wings once more. Gunning herself at the stallion, she attempted an Immelmare turn to try and get a clear shot at his wings. Grounding him was her best chance at this point. The burning sensation at her side forced her to freeze up at the critical juncture though, and she fell against the face of the cliff.

I should be able to do this stuff in my sleep! What's going on?!

"You seem even weaker than before, element of loyalty," the herald of vengeance spoke as he soared overhead. "You wouldn't have happened to have sustained some sort of injury prior to our engagement, have you?"

WHAT? Her cut! He knew! It...he gave it to her on purpose!

"You...what did you do to me!?" she demanded. The helm Fury wore masked all facial expressions, but Dash could swear by the glint in his eyes, he was grinning right now.

"That's no ordinary gash on your side. It is a wrath wound, an infliction that feeds upon your rage. The more angry you get, the more it saps your strength."

Rainbow lunged out at Fury only to be caught by the neck by a single hoof. She pulled against him with her forelegs and kicked as hard as she could with her hind ones, but by now it was like flailing bags of jelly rather than flexing muscle.

"You...tricked me..."

"You have no one to blame but yourself, Rainbow Dash. Had you but kept your emotions in check, the wrath wound would have done nothing. Yet you allowed your enmity against me to stew whist you waited. Anger is a powerful tool, I use it often myself. But it is a poison unless utilized properly, which you have failed to do. Though I must admit, I did not expect you to be this drained. Could it be I was not the only one you bared resentment to these past three days?"

Rainbow's eyes widened as she suddenly recounted every moment she snapped at her friends during her training. How she berated them for thinking she wasn't tough or brave enough. How she didn't care that she was worrying them to no end...and that every time she did, the wound hurt more and more.

"No...I...I-"

"Congratulations are in order, Rainbow Dash. Today you have proven you are not a coward. You are something worse, a fool."

With a roundhouse swing, Fury flung her to the ground. Hearing a sickening crunch from her backside, Rainbow didn't need the pain to tell that her wings had broke.

"Let this be your final lesson, champion of loyalty. There's a fine line between bravery and ignorance, a line that apparently for you, does not exist."

With a mighty neigh he jammed his hoof straight into the bluff, forcing the entire wall to crumble into an avalanche.

"FAREWELL RAINBOW DASH!"

Rainbow Dash's face broke out in panic as boulders twice her size rumbled down towards her.

No! Dang it! Move, body! MOVE!

But not a single fiber in her frame obeyed, all she could feel was the unbearable pain that spread from her wound to the rest of her being.

The rocks were nearly upon her now. It was in that moment, Rainbow Dash knew she was not going to be able to escape. She was going to be buried and crushed under twenty feet of sedimentary rock.

And yet, it not fear Rainbow Dash felt, what she felt was an unbelievable sadness. Her friends had been right all along, she had been stupid. Not only that, she had been an outright jerk. She had bitten off more than she could chew and had blown up at them for trying to say otherwise. Twilight, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Fluttershy....oh, Fluttershy. All the nasty creatures and ponies she had defended her timid friend against in her life, and yet she had been the nastiest of all. Just because she had tried to shelter her from one little thing.

A tear escaped her as she closed her eyes and braced for the end. "I really blew it big this time. I'm...I'm so sorry guys."

"That's okay Dashie! We forgive you!"

Rainbow Dash's eyes shot open to see a happy pink face smiling over her.

"Wha-? Huh? B-buh-?" She looked up to see the rockslide had stopped in mid-air, suspended by an aura of purple and white. Turning her head to the back, she saw Twilight and Rarity wearing their elements on top of one of the arches, levitating the gravel away.

A roar of anger erupted from Fury Cross and he dove straight at his wounded quarry to finish her off himself. But he had only made it halfway when a blur of yellow and pink collided with him, smashing him against the bedrock below.

"How....dare you...." Fluttershy fully bared her teeth as she screamed him with a voice even louder than she used at the gala. "HOW DARE YOU HURT MY FRIEND!!!" She picked him up and swung him over upside down in a frankensteiner with her vines.

"Woah, nelly." Applejack could not help but stop and stare for a moment at the sheer audacity and forcefulness of the overprotective mama bear she saw before her while she tried to help Dash to her hooves. "It's always the quiet ones, ain't it?"

"Whoo Hoo! Go Fluttershy! Teach that meanie a lesson!" Pinkie said as she rah-rahed with a set of pom-poms.

"No sense in lettin' her have all the fun," Applejack said, turning the brim of her hat back with a grin while passing Rainbow a golden apple from her neck. "Here sugarcube, chew on this. Ah found out the other day these apples on ma hide are plenty powerful. Hey, Fluttershy, let me have o' piece that there action!" With a flying body slam, she came down on Fury Cross like a giant sack of potatoes.

Steam hissed from Fury's armor again, his anger crystal clear now, only to get extinguished by a mess of tangerine foam, stunning him long enough for Fluttershy and Applejack to piledrive him again.

"Laughter feature two-eighty-eight! Orange soda fire extinguisher!"

As Pinkie Pie bounced ahead to give the pair a helping hoof, Twilight teleported right next to Rainbow, who was hesitatingly munching on the energy restoring apple, with Rarity in hoof. "Rainbow! Thank goodness we made it in time!"

Rainbow looked away, her shame still fresh on her mind. "Guys...I...uh..."

"No need for words darling," Rarity said as she busily molded a splint from her gem gown and fastened them to her wings. "Right now all you need is to sit back and let us-"

A bolt of lightning whizzed by her and she immediately turned to send her floating jewels at her attacker. "Do you mind?! We are trying to have a civilized and tender heart-to-heart moment here!"

As the white unicorn became embroiled in the heat of battle, Twilight finished the first-aid as she concentrated a restomancy spell on her, and peeling off a rune from her cloak, she pasted it on the wrath wound, sealing it away. "Rainbow Dash, you know we're not doing this because we think you're weak or scared, right?"

"Yeah, I...I do."

"And Rainbow Dash? We're sorry. For everything. We love you Dash, and there's no way we would ever want you to think we don't care...about yourself, or your pride."

Rainbow Dash turned her head away again, only this time to hide that she was blushing. "Yeah...thanks. You're the most awesome pals a mare could ask for."

Fury, finally breaking out of the momentum, proceed to get airborne and reclaim the advantage. But with a quick barrier spell, Twilight had him rebound and land face-first in the dirt. His eyes turned to gaze up at Rainbow Dash, now standing right in front of him.

"So...it all comes back to this, doesn't it? Hiding behind others when it all seems hopeless? Unable to take defeat like a proper warrior?"

"You know what, Fury?" Rainbow Dash snarked. "I just realized something. I have a wonderful life, a good home, and some of the best buddies in the whole world who always think I'm the bravest, bestest pony to ever fly the skies.

As long as I got that, what do I care what you think?"

Fury was then blasted into the air by Twilight, and got pounded down in mid-air by Fluttershy, took a blast from Pinkie's party cannon over to Rarity, who stuck him full of sharp garnet edges while passing him to Applejack, who gave him a solid tree breaking buck back to Rainbow, who lifted her hoof, her lightning shaped emblem on her chestplate glowing brightly, and sent Fury crashing into the wall with a right hook. The arch right above him broke apart, and with a surprised cry, the herald of vengeance now lay thirty feet under a pile of bedrock.

Rainbow Dash looked to each of her friends as they now crowded around her. She scratched the back of her neck.

"Well guys, I....really don't know where to begin. There's just...so much I...well...you know."

"We know apologizin' ain't yer strong suit. So we'll just settle for a simple sorry, RD. No need to go blubbering on us for the next few hours," Applejack said with a shrug.

"And a thank you," chimed in Rarity, "Especially for a certain dear courageous pegasus with a heart of gold without whom we wouldn't be having this conversation now."

She parted to make room for the shy, yellow pegasus, no longer in Flutterage mode, who slowly crept up inch by inch to Rainbow Dash.

"I...I'm sorry Rainbow...I told them again. Are you...mad at me?"

Rainbow's hubris told her to fight back the tears, but her heart said aw, what the heck?. Fluttershy suddenly found herself being squeezed very tightly by her fillyhood friend, whose speech was choking on every other word.

"How...could I possibly be mad...at the very best friend who I love so much? Thank you Fluttershy, after all the times I've saved your hide...today...you're my hero."

Fluttershy sniffled, and although her cheeks grew wet, her smile only widened. She eagerly returned the hug, and it wasn't long before the others joined in as well.

Twilight's nose twitched suddenly as she sniffed the air. "Um, girls...do you smell brimstone?"

The rubble pile from corner of the ravine exploded as Fury Cross reappeared, seemingly unscathed. His armor no longer looked like it was on fire, he literally was awash in flame now.

"Elements of harmony....you have made me very...very...angry. And this display of such pathetic camaraderie only furthers my ire!"

Rainbow Dash stood firmly in front of the group as they stared off. "You may think it's pathetic, but hey, we're not the ones who got their flanks handed to them today! And before you try that coward line again, let me just say this. As long as I'm there for my friends, they'll be there for me. Their cowardice is my cowardice, just as my bravery is theirs!"

Fury's eyes darkened, as if something Dash said had touched a nerve.

"....you will see one day Rainbow Dash, the only pony you can ever truly count on...who you can be loyal to...is yourself!!"

Having had the last word for the day, he disappeared into a mushroom cloud of intense heat, leaving behind nothing but scorched earth.

Applejack turned back to look at Rainbow, who held a small wry smile on her face. "What? You're not goin' to being all we gotta go after 'im?"

"Meh, discretion's the better part of valor as somepony once said. Besides, if anything, he's the one acting like the coward now."

And then they all laughed.

Dear Princess Celestia,

Today I learned that being brave doesn't mean you have to go looking for trouble every chance you get, and it certainly doesn't mean letting other ponies pressuring you to do...less than bright ideas. Having others fight some of your battles for you isn't a sign of weakness, it's a sign of companionship. There is no I in team after all. Sometimes, the real brave thing to do is to admit when you're in over your head before you actually do lose your head.

Sincerely,
Rainbow Dash

"A buddy system?" Raindrops was in disbelief at what she just heard her captain suggest.

"Yep, I'm petitioning that all weather patrol jobs have a minimum member requirement of two or more. Everypony needs someone to watch their back, even pegasi as awesome as me."

"That's so..."

"So what?"

"Brilliant! This could eliminate so many work related accidents and cut response times in half! But I never thought you would be the one to try and push it forward!"

"What can I say? Wouldn't be that awesome if I didn't surprise everypony once in a while. So here, get these petition forms filled out, while I head to Cloudsdale to make the proposal official."

"Yes captain!"

Raindrops hummed to herself as she sat down and begin to write. This will great. Work will be much easier to manage if this bill goes through. Multiple teams sharing the duties, sharing the productions, sharing the documentation-

She blinked, looked down at the stack of papers, slowly drawing the epiphany that her captain had just stiffed her the paperwork that she herself should have been doing...again.

Raindrops took off like a shot after the rainbow trail. "CAPTAIN! Oh, captain? We need to have little talk about how buddy systems work!"

Pearls before Mine

"Thank you ever so much for your assistance, dear Blossomforth," Rarity eagerly expressed her appreciation to the straight-haired white pegasus in hot pink and green bangs as they picked with precision nearly clear stone drops that seemed to sparkle from one color to the next from the ovaries of a patch of glistening orchids.

"It's no trouble at all," her companion replied. "It takes a good eye to know which flowers have condensed and matured enough to make a dew pearl, and a steady set of hooves to remove the fragile little gems. I can see why you came to me. You working on a new dress?"

"Actually, it's a jumper, but yes. I was thinking of giving it a glassy look, but the smooth kind, not the type of luster that comes with sapphires or rubies. The first thing that came to my mind were rhinestones, but Celestia forbid I use such garish and ersatz ornamentations. And then I remembered what Daisy said the other day about these magnificent little baubles that could only develop beneath the stigma of these flowers, and I knew I just had to use these!"

She carefully scooped several more into a small pouch, filled to the brim with the seed shaped crystals, and delicately and neatly closed it with a bow knot.

"That should be more than enough. I should be able to complete at least five complete garments with this amount. Perhaps I could fashion one just for you, my good mare? A little token of my appreciation as it may."

"Nah, nah. That's fine of you to offer, though. Anyways, I gotta hurry back to the station. My sis is going to chew my hide out if I'm late for another rainstorm shift."

"Rainstorm?" Rarity's eyes showed a hint of alarm. "But thought that wasn't scheduled until tomorrow afternoon."

"Last minute change of plans, it was bumped up to this evening when we got word of an incoming heat wave. The cloud factories will be at minimal production to keep the water reserves from going completely dry. So we got to get this downpour over with before then. See you later!"

As Blossomforth took off, Rarity looked up at the orange eventide that was already beginning to darken and gray.

Oh, dear. I just came out of the spa this afternoon, and me without my umbrella! I have to get back to the boutique before my perm is ruined!

She had only managed to gallop out of the woods when she felt several drops touch her backside.

Oh nononononono! Please! Don't rain yet!

Her pace increased as the drizzle escalated into showers, attacking her groomed curls.

My mane! Oh my poor, beautiful mane!

If fact, she was so focused on the damage that was starting to form on the top of her head, that she was not paying attention to the road in front of her. A circumstance that, as luck would have it, caused her to trip over a loose flagstone and right towards a large muddy flowerbed.

Rarity cried in dismay and squeezed her eyes shut in fright for the inevitable disaster that was about to befall her coat. What she felt next though was not the cold, dirty embrace of wet soil, but a warm, muscular leg that suddenly caught her around the midriff. Opening an eye, she felt her heart skip a beat as she gazed into the deep violet eyes of a handsome tall, white stallion with a long red mane.

"My goodness, that certainly wouldn't have ended well. Brown is certainly not the color for a mare like you."

Her hero levitated a large blue and gold umbrella over her head as he picked up the bag of pearls she dropped and smiled deeply. "Let's get that pretty little hair of yours somewhere wind damage free, shall we?"

My Little Pony, My Little Pony

Ahh, ahh, ahh, ahhh…

(My Little Pony)

I used to wonder what friendship could be

Until you all shared its magic with me

Big adventure

Tons of fun

A beautiful heart

Faithful and strong

Sharing kindness
It's an easy feat

And magic makes it all complete

You have my little ponies

Do you know you're all my very best friends?

Pearls before Mine

Rarity daintily stepped through the doors of Carousel Boutique, her thoughts still slightly disoriented from the events that had played out moments ago. Stepping in front of the nearest vanity mirror, her mind cleared as she was able to inspect her mane more closely, and to her relief, the harm inflicted on her hair had been minimal. A quick stroke of a brush plus a twist of a curler and she was perfection again.

"Quite a lovely place you have."

Her heart skipped again as she was quickly reminded of how her mane had been spared from the harsh elements in the first place. A quick preen of the eyelashes, and she then turned back to get a better look at her savior.

As she inspected the tall stallion, her mind began to muddle again in a daze. His shoulders were so tall and broad, not an ounce of muscle was out of place from the torso down. And his mane, it's sleek and wavy luster draped the back of his neck like luxurious scarf, adorned by a long, polished, ivory horn. He wore a glossy silver windbreaker, bejeweled with coral encrusted pendent of aquamarine that matched his cutie mark, a golden crown, with crossed tridents and laced by an angelic halo.

"A grand display of beauty that stands out among everything else, much like it's owner."

She simply melted at the sound of his deep and rich voice, ardent and inviting, with a touch of acute apprehension, like he was a jeweler who was judging the cut of diamond, and pleasantly found no flaw. Rarity finally managed to regain the strength in her knees, and coyly batted an eyelash at him.

"Why thank you ever so much, my good sir. And I must say, you certainly are no stranger to the pretension of elegance yourself, what with that marvelous attire just perfect for this weather, and it goes so well with that...dashing figure of yours."

His smile deepened as his strode up to a desk where he placed her satchel of dew pearls.

"But of course. I expect and accept nothing if not the finest. Something we are apparently both akin to judging by this assortment you have gathered."

Rarity beamed, sashaying up next to him. "Oh, these? They're a little something I picked up to decorate my latest project. One of them will actually be a birthday present for my friend Fluttershy."

She then swished her tail, glazing over his coat playfully as she turned towards her kitchen near the backroom. "Speaking of gifts, I have yet to show my gratefulness for your chivalry. Let me put on some tea and show you some Ponyville hospitality while we wait this dreary rainstorm out, mister..."

"Regal Rule, if you'd be so kind."

"Charmed, you may call me Rarity."

Within moments, the fashionista had table for two with a small plate of crumpets laid out among some fine china set in the reception area of her shop. She gently poured the teapot with her telekinesis as Regal took a lovingly whiff of the blend.

"Mmm...Trottingham Darjeeling. Exquisite, a fine eye and fine taste."

"Nothing but the best for my guests. So tell me, sir Regal, what brings you to Ponyville?"

"I'm on my way to Canterlot, I have business amongst the mainland nobility, and wish to pay my respects to my grandaunts while I'm there. This town was actually a bit of a scenic detour I chose en-route, though I am quite glad I did. It has given me the time to appreciate the more elusive sights." He slyly narrowed his eyes and the edge of his irises have a quick twinkle.

Rarity's inner schoolfilly screamed in excitement and she fought to keep her calm demeanor from breaking. She then noticed he was no longer looking at her, but at a rim of his sleeve that was slightly torn. For a moment, it seemed as if his expression had evolved into a look of outright disgust, but Rarity simply dismissed it as she too found the flaw appalling.

"Pitiful, it seems my vestment has suffered at the hooves of nature. I'll have to discard this for a new one."

"Oh, don't you worry about a thing, Sir Regal. Allow me to fix that."

Regal shook his head. "A mere repair cannot change fact that it was flawed. No patch or hem performed can ever fully amend the faultless state of what untorn cloth should be."

"Then you my friend, have yet to witness the skills from a seamstress of my caliber. Allow me to demonstrate."

She quickly stood up from her seat and pulled his windbreaker off, trying her best not to think naughtily about the fact that she was, in a way, striping a handsome male down in her private studio. "And if you are not at all satisfied with my work, then allow me to make you an entirely new outfit, free of charge."

It took her several minutes to find an appropriate thread color and material that would match the quality of the fabric, and soon she was propped over her machine, her design glasses fastened firmly to her eyes.

"So, Canterlot, you say? How delightful! I've only been there on a few occasions, but each time was such a rewarding experience for me. And with the nobility no less! Did you know my wares are critically acclaimed by quite a few members of the high society as of late?"

"Are they?"

"Oh, indeed. Ever since I became connected with Fancy Pants, my recognition has skyrocketed. Are you aware I was the dressmaker for Princess Mi Amore Cadenza's wedding?"

"Really? A tailor worthy of an alicorn's attention is certainly worth his or her own weight in gold."

Rarity hid a playful smirk at the compliment behind her hoof, and then neatly folded up her finished work and presented it to her client. "Viola! Your jacket is as good as new if not better."

Regal looked carefully at the coat, then felt around the once damaged sleeve. Finally, he gazed up at Rarity with a bewildered smile.

"Perfect...simply perfect...even more than the one who made this in the first place."

His smile broadened as he suddenly grasped her hoof. "You did this...you didn't just craft purity, you made it from something improper. You...have no idea just how wonderful a talent you have. To make something perfect...a true Rarity indeed."

Rarity found herself teetering on the edge of losing her composure with those words being said with such passion. "W-well, of course! A-anything less would be an insult to both of us!"

"Yes, indeed. Miss Rarity, you have won another patron of your art today. I would love to have you fashion for me some suits for my personal occasions. I can see only you deserving enough...to create a garment worthy of a king."

Rarity's elation was near gushing. "I would be delighted to! Now, let's get you back into this and we can converse on-"

And then her heart skipped two beats. Her hoof, having run down the side to affix Regal's windbreaker, touched something feathery. Body frozen, her eyes swiveled to the edge of their sockets to look upon the stallion's being, and fell upon two long swan-like wings tucked in at his sides.

"Y-you....you're... an alicorn?"

"Oh, did I not mention it before? I am none other than the-"

"Prince!" A set of quick raps upon the door sounded off, and before Rarity could even reach out for the door, the handle turned and a stout brown pony in a thick button down vest of green came barreling in. His cutie mark was a scroll of seaweed papyrus. "There you are! I've been combing this town top to bottom for you!"

"Ah, squire Hardpress, impeccable timing, though rather intrusive. I just had a need to announce myself."

"A-announce? Here? Whatever for?"

"The reason is right before you."

He motioned over to Rarity, whose mouth hung slightly agape. "P-prince?"

He looked back over to the short newcomer. "If you please, it is part of your duties."

The pony called Hardpress immediately cleared his throat as Regal stood to full height, and spread his wings in a brilliant radiance. "Uh...Presenting his illustrious highness, monarch of the nation of Corralica, Prince Regulus de Cordelia!"

Rarity collapsed on her knees, the sheer magnitude of the news too much for her to take in all at once. "P-p-prince?" She repeated at last.

"Indeed, I am the ruler of Corralica, heart of the Antlertic Ocean. And may I say, it is the most wonderful of places to be a sovereign of."

"My prince, we must depart now. We are expected at the palace within the hour! Please!"

"Now, now. I have yet to thank this paragon of virtue for allowing me sanctuary from this weather, and so much more. She has been quite the perfect lady so far, and I wish to better aquatint myself with her."

Regal's squire gave his prince a dreadful look of urgency. The alicorn sighed as he lifted Rarity's hoof. "My apologies Miss Rarity, but it would appear I have lingered a bit too long as I must be at Canterlot palace by moonrise. Would it be alright if we discussed our business at a later time? I promise you will be amply rewarded for such patience."

"O-oh! Yes! Most definitely! I would be...honored to meet with you again!"

"Excellent, you shall be hearing from me soon." He leaned forward and kissed her hoof before turning to the door. "May this be but the first of our many...engagements...my Rarity."

The door then closed, leaving the alabaster unicorn alone on her shop. A minute passed as she stood stiff as a stick. Then she slowly felt her kissed hoof, and exploded into a series of delighted squeals and shrieks. She flopped down on her sofa, and rolled around clutching one of the cushions tightly to her chest. It's happened! It's finally happened!

"MY PRINCE HAS COME FOR ME AT LAST!!!"

"Oh, I'm so happy for you," Fluttershy said as she clapped softly as she paused from handling Twilight's teacup.

Rarity could simply not keep to herself and had immediately proceeded to spill the beans to her friends when she met with them the next day at the Golden Oaks library.

"Oh, yes. I can just imagine it now! The wedding at Canterlot will seem like a mere trifle compared to mine! A entire symphony orchestra to play our march to the altar, flowers from every corner of the world adorning the chapel, and an exquisite butter-cream cake five miles high!"

"Better make it six miles if Pinkie's on the guest list," Rainbow Dash joked without even looking up from her copy of Daring Do and the Griffon's Goblet.

"Easy there Rare," Applejack said as she wiped Pinkie's slobbering mouth. "We're getting a mite ahead ourselves, aren't we? Yeah, he's royalty, and he certainly appreciates yer clothes better than most, but ah'm not so sure that there's proof enough to be sure he's interested'n romancin' ya."

"Oh trust me Applejack, a mare just knows these things. It'll be that much clearer to you once you find your soulmate one day."

"I'm just sayin', you seem fixed on jumpin' the wagon a little too fast for mah tastes. Wouldn't want ya to get yer expect-itations dashed like that time at the gala. Hooo-wee, that was catastrophe in a can back there."

Rarity cringed at the memory, and have a quick harrumph. "Regal Rule is nothing like 'he who shall not be named'. I witnessed for myself that he is a true gentlecolt of the utmost decency. After all, he did save-"

"Your gorgeous hair, yeah, yeah. We heard that from you about ten times already." Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes, trying only slightly to hide her gagging motion. "Just where is this Corralica, anyways? Sounds like some made up kingdom if you ask me."

"Corralica is an independent sovereignty of several dozen arpeggios just east of Equestrian waters and south of the Baatic sea," Twilight said, nose stuck in an atlas. "Founded by the Delmara clan in 515. It's three main exports are coral, kelp, and seabed pearls. While territorially it remains non-partisan to the mainland, its leaders have sworn unofficial fealty to the Equestrian crown, making it recognized by the political view as a provisional state."

"Uh, what does that mean in non-egghead terms?" Rainbow asked.

Twilight rolled her eyes. "It means it's a kingdom of many islands that are very close together that consider Equestria as a mother country."

"Really? This Corralica is Equestria's baby? Who's its daddy? Wait, how do countries give birth anyway? I mean it's not like they can love each other very very much my mommy and daddy did. Or can they? Oh, hold on. That brings up another question, it's a kingdom of islands right? Does each island count as a child? Or is it like a Siamese landmass or something?"

Twilight looked at Rainbow, Rainbow looked at Applejack, Applejack looked at Rarity and Fluttershy and they looked at each other. With a unanimous shrug, they all smiled and spoke together.

"Pinkie Pie, you are so random."

A mighty conch horn trumpeted outside, and Rarity's heart sang as she heard a knock on the door along with a familiar voice. "Miss Rarity? Are you there?"

"Cooo-miiiing~" she falsettoed as she danced over to the door. Opening it, she was greeted by the prestigious white alicorn, sharply dressed in a cerulean tuxedo. "Why, Sir Regal! How marvelous it is to see you again so soon! And might I add that wonderful ensemble is even more magnificent than the last!"

"Do tell. I ascertained from the locals that I would find you here at this time." He surveyed the others in the room with a vacant smile. "Associates of yours, I take?"

"Oh, yes! Do forgive my lack of manners! Allow me to introduce my dear and invaluable friends! Applejack."

"Howdy."

"Rainbow Dash."

"Hey."

"Twilight Sparkle."

"A pleasure."

"Fluttershy."

"H-hello."

"And Pinkie Pie."

"Heya Regie! I know this is actually your second time here in Ponyville, thus technically you're not a new pony in Ponyville. But since I didn't get to throw you a welcome to Ponyville party then, we might as well have it now since-"

Rarity stuck her hoof into Pinkie's mouth before she could continue. "Ah hah...do excuse her eccentricity. She's...affable to a fault."

Regal seemed to stiffen at the word fault, but he kept his polite smile. "I'm sure it is omittable. As I am sure you are all privileged to be acquainted with Lady Rarity. She only accompanies the finest there is to offer."

"Oh yes! Indeed! I could not possibly think of a better circle of companions in the entire world than these mares right here!"

She then gave Applejack a smug I told you he was nothing like you know who look.

"Well, thank ya for the compliment ah suppose." At least ah think that there was a compliment. Applejack thought to herself.

"Now, to the matter at hoof. Miss Rarity, you said you are within Fancy Pants' circle of socialites?"

"That I did, and please. Just Rarity is fine."

"Well then Rarity, allow me to extend an invitation to make up for my abrupt departure last evening. I am attending a luncheon he is hosting today, and believe this would be an opportune time to resume our discourse from before. In fact, he seemed rather elated at the prospect of your appearance when I mentioned it. I know it would be an honor for him if you allowed me to grace him with your presence."

"Really?" Rarity's eyes sparkled at the thought of a day in Canterlot, reconnecting with her high society compatriots and perhaps establishing some new ones. And with him by her side all day, the things they could do together in that magical city! Lost in her fantasy, she did not notice that Rainbow Dash was trying to get her attention until the pegasus finally spat of her hoof and rubbed it against her ear. "Hey Rarity!"

"Aah!" Rarity jumped back, quickly rubbing the saliva away with a handkerchief. "Rainbow Dash, what was that vulgar display for?!"

"Be glad I went for a wet-willie instead of a purple-nurple," she tartly responded. "As I was trying to say, didn't we plan for a picnic today? That's why we all gathered here at Twilight's in the first place?"

"Oh. Oh! You're right. I already did make plans didn't I?" Rarity fidgeted a bit as the forecast of a luxurious date began to fade.

"Oh, uh. That's okay. You don't have to join us today," Twilight said, noticing the disappointment in Rarity's face, which turned slightly hopeful at her response.

"Truly? You don't mind my imposition to accompany Regal?"

"Aw shucks, ain't no skin off our noses if'n ya miss one get together with us. S'not everyday you get to smooze with those hoity-toity Canterfolk you admire so much...with a certain somepony ta boot." Applejack playfully nudged her frilly friend with that last remark and winked. Rarity blushed and tittered in return.

"Yeah! A party's still a party even if one pony can't come! I'll even save you some cake for when you get back!" Pinkie chirped.

"It's alright with me....uh...that is...unless you don't want to go," Fluttershy softly said.

Rainbow shrugged. "Eeeh, yeah, I guess it's fine. Might even turn out to be more enjoyable without all the drama."

"Oh, thank you so much girls!" Rarity lightheartedly squealed. "You really are the most absolute best friends in the entire universe!"

"Think nothing of it, Rarity." Twilight smiled back. "Your happiness is our happiness."

The edges of Regal's lips curled upward. "Truer words could not have been spoken. I can see now Rarity's choice in confidants is as flawless as her other traits." He then extended a hoof to his consort to Canterlot. "Shall we be off? My chariot is just outside."

Rarity skipped along side of him, turning back only once to wave at her friends. "I promise to get you all a nice present while I'm up there!"

The door to the library closed, and the other five mares leaned in close around the table and started to gossip.

"So, what do you think of him?" Rainbow asked.

"He's...nice," Fluttershy said.

"You say that about everypony!"

"He ain't the biggest stuffed shirt ah've met, ah'll admit. Rarity was right in that aspect. Still, fer some reason it kinda felt that he only liked us cause she likes us," Applejack weighed in.

"Well, what do think her chances are? For real?" Rainbow wagged her eyebrows.

"I think they make a cute couple!" Pinkie said.

"I dunno...like I said, I really think it's too early to be thinking whether or not that colt's the right type for her. But....it kinda seems promising. I'm just hopin' she doesn't get a little too forceful should he fail'n meeting one of her assumptions."

"Hmph. He's all wrong!"

The five ponies turned to see a certain dragon child sitting at the base of the stairs with his arms crossed and his face pouted.

"I'm sorry, what do mean by that Spike?" Twilight asked her assistant.

"I'm saying that Regal guy's nothing but trouble! I know my Rarity, and that 'prince' is definitely not the one for her!"

"And just what makes him out to be so bad?" Twilight said as a smirk was beginning to grow on her face.

"Just a feeling I got in my gut. Dragon instincts and all that."

Applejack chuckled. "Oh, yer feelin' somethin' alright, lover boy. But ah don't think it's yer 'dragon instincts' that's tellin' ya that."

The others joined in Applejack's little chortle while Spike turned his back trying to act as indignant as possible.

"See if I ever give a hoot about your love problems."

"Hoot."

Spike shot a look up towards the rafters. "Et tu, Owlowiscious?"

"Rarity! How good it is to see you again after so long!"

Rarity politely shook hooves with her blue maned, monocle wearing associate in the private gardens of his estate. "The feeling is mutual Fancy Pants. I have pined for quite a while to hear another of your amusing excursions."

"Ah, then I have just the anecdote for you. It was three months back, and Fleur and I had just arranged for a week long holiday in Neighpon. I had retired to my room after a dinner with the prime minister, and she had partaken a little heavily on the sake. Then...here's where it gets amusing, have you ever seen or worked with a kimono before?"

"I daresay I have admired their intricate designs, but never have designed one myself."

Rarity thought to herself. Hmmm...a kimono. That would be a smashing gift for my friends! I should make a note to purchase some extra silk and a tea ceremony set while I'm here.

"Well, Fleur had discovered a little game some stallions play with their mare in that ensemble. It involves..."

He whispered the rest delicately into her ear, and Rarity's cheeks grew hot as she stifled a giggle. "Oh! Fancy Pants! You naughty little colt! I take it you were a little tipsy yourself at the time?"

"More sober than you think my dear."

Rarity tittered as she playfully waved a dismissive hoof. "Oh ho ho, Fancy Pants! Naughty, naughty!"

"And that was just the first night, I'll tell you."

Rarity continued to enjoy herself listening the elite unicorn's amusing escapades over the world, all the while elegantly showing off her latest outfit that she had stopped by her boutique to fetch before departing for the city. It was a goldenrod sun dress with a purple satin lace trimming the outlines. A down padding was sewn underneath to give the frills more volume and exemplify the soft textile better. She hadn't planned on unveiling it just yet as she was thinking of finding a brooch to along with it, but Regal had provided one for her from one of the many jewelers around once he learned of her dilemma.

She had also taken upon herself to get one for each of her friends while she was at it. She had promised to get them something while she was up there. Rainbow's and Applejack's were of course more practical in design, being that they'd probably only wear it if it didn't hinder their work. Regal had been impressed with Rarity's reasoning, thinking what was best for her friends. "Many would not think to give their best if it did not benefit them," he had said to her at the counter. "That is such a one sided creed to live by. Giving is as much an aspect of life as taking, if not treated similarly, it is an appalling reflection of one's own worth." Rarity wholeheartedly agreed at his words. Being the element of generosity did not simply mean hoofing anything away freely, only the best...from the very best! That was her.

Thinking of which, Regal soon joined the duo, a glass of wine floating behind. "Enjoying yourself I take it?"

"Oh, I'm having the most divine time!" Rarity trilled. "I even managed to receive some requests for a late spring gown. Not to be rude to Pinkie but, I have been craving a chance to practice my more refined senses, and her soirees are not exactly eloquent for socializing at a relaxed pace."

Fancy Pants chuckled. "I suppose not. But what is life without a little whimsy? Just hearing that name has me recalling the time she downed that entire chocolate fountain in one gulp. Makes me wonder how one of my trips would go if I took you and your five companions with me. And speaking of gowns, I think you'll be quite pleased to see what my dear Fleur is wearing for this occasion."

Rarity curved her neck to glance at approaching model unicorn. Her snow white, slender frame was slipped beautifully into two layers of cauliflower blue silk, a triplet of rainbow opals adorning the two sides while the back collar had several ribbons interwoven to give the impression of a rainbow stream mixed in her pink hair as she walked.

"Oh my, is that...my dress? The one that was ordered two months back? Goodness, it looks even better on you than I thought it would Lady Fleur!"

"I'm pleased to hear that," Fleur replied. "Of course, I already knew coming from you, any outfit made would certainly be the creme de la creme of any situation."

"Oh please. I'm not that world renowned."

"Do not be so quick as to dismiss yourself inferior," Regal said. "Such dispositions will only invite the more undeserving to step on you."

"While I don't feel that's the most appropriate way to say it, I must agree with Lord Regal to some point. You should take some more pride in your work, despite any criticism you might face," Fancy Pants noted. "Success is 90% attitude and 10% aptitude after all."

"By the by," Regal Rule turned to Fancy Pants. "Have you given more thought to my proposition?"

"I have. And you will be receiving the first fleet once the development is complete."

"Proposition?" Rarity asked.

"I hold several enterprises within my affluence," Fancy explained. "One happens to be researching new forms of air travel. My R&D department has made a breakthrough in which we will finally be able to construct large passenger ships that exceed current balloon capacities fifty-fold and their speed by at least ten times."

"That's astounding!"

"Quite, but the means to acquire the materials and assemble even one of these currently goes beyond the fiscal budget. Lord Regal here has offered to dedicate a portion of his capital to allow for further advancement, provided I give to him several ships of his own once complete."

He then faced Regal with a more serious look on his face. "I will however, not accept the port under my name. I have no intention of inheriting any titles that come with it."

Rarity blinked in confusion. "Why would you receive any titles for simply making a new vehicle?"

"For ships that large, Regal Rule would need an additional docking center made simply to house them. He has also offered to build the port under my husband's ownership, and inadvertently, the land it is constructed on. The amount of territory under a noble's name greatly influences his or her peerage amongst the court."

Rarity slowly nodded at Fleur's explanation, only to double take when the realization hit that he had just passed up a chance at a promotion in the aristocracy.

"You're saying you do not wish to be anything more than a viscount?" Regal asked with a raised eye.

"Hardly!" Fancy Pants laughed. "But said shipyard will be coming from your money, not mine. I know it's rather old fashioned for a stallion of my age, but I like to see myself as a 'self-made' noble. When the time comes that I am allowed into the more powerful circles, it will be by my own hooves, not another's."

"I do apologize if this is unfavorable to you," he quickly added.

Regal seemed as if he was in deep thought for but several seconds, and a small smile crept up from his face. "Not at all. In fact, I probably would have been more wary if you had accepted. Sacrifice nothing for gain, that shows that everything you've achieved up to now is worth holding on to, as is mine. Your assertiveness to your ideals marks you trustworthy in my ledger. You can expect more great opportunities from me in the foreseeable future."

Rarity wasn't sure of it, but Regal seemed to cast a fleeting look to her the moment he said 'mine'.

"Again, not exactly how I would have put it, but you are right in aspect. When it comes to felicity, there are some things you cannot compromise just because someone else disagrees."

The silver and ivory chariot came to a stop as the twin sea-blue pegasuses parked themselves right outside of Carousel Boutique. Rarity stepped out, a large bag of assortments levitated after her.

"Today was perfect," Regal said from his seat as he leaned over the side to nuzzle her cheek. "You made it perfect."

"R-regal, please," Rarity flustered. "I should be saying that to you."

"Then let us say we were both perfect." He then signaled for his drivers to begin heading back. "I shall see you on the morrow, my Rarity."

Rarity softly waved until the chariot disappeared from sight. Sighing lovingly, she floated over to her door. The stallion of her dreams still swam in her eyes as she faintly thought on how to surprise her friends with her little gifts.

"SURPRISE!!!"

"Aah!" Rarity was struck out of her stupor as the door burst open and streams of confetti poured out along with a gaggle of hooves that pulled her in. Her five friends were all huddled in a tight circle around her, and Pinkie lifted a plate of strawberry shortcake in front of the shocked unicorn.

"You're finally back! I told you I'd save you some cake! And by the way, welcome to your congratulations on your first date party!"

Rarity shook her head a few times to make sure she was completely oriented. "You...you've all been here, waiting for me?"

"Waiting is an understatement," Rainbow Dash said. "We've been here ever since the picnic ended at four. I mean, what gives? How long can a lunch last?"

"Oh, I see. Well, it wasn't just the lunch I went to. Afterwards, there was an auction I attended where I got a lovely maredarin rug. And then there was that philharmonic performance that started in the hall over that I just had to stay around for. By the time that was done, it was already well into the evening and so Regal offered to treat me to dinner at a Roamanian restaurant he knew well."

She swooned at his mentioning. "Aaaaah...Regal. How he doted on me every minute, and I cherished every moment of it! His chivalrous character guarding me with every step on the streets, as if I were made of gold! His soft touch as he wrapped his hoof around me as we sat before the orchestra! Like caressing the petals of lilacs!"

Rainbow Dash smirked mischievously as she tuned out most of Rarity's dialogue. "So, what, did you make it to second base or what? Dish it!"

Rarity frowned, it was clear not everypony here was as romantic as she was. "Honestly, Rainbow Dash. Can't you go for a single conversation without degenerating to a curt remark?"

"Aaah, she don't mean no harm Rarity. We're just all a little curious to see how well you two are hittin' off," Applejack said.

"No worries about that. After today I am most positively sure that he is...the one!" Rarity's eyes twinkled as she looked starward. "As a matter of fact, he's invited me again tomorrow to attend the grand opening of a new opera house, with box seat tickets, no less!"

Rainbow's brow suddenly knitted. "Wait, you're going back tomorrow? But tomor-"

Twilight cupped the mouth with her hoof. "That's wonderful news! What's the program?"

"Song of the red nightingale. An eleven act tragedy with an average running time of ten hours, excluding intermissions."

"Ten hours!" Rainbow Dash jerked Twilight's hoof off her muzzle. "So you're going to be there all day? Then you're definitely gonna miss-"

Applejack's hoof was promptly inserted before Rainbow could get another word in. "Sounds like you got a full schedule all set up with that prince of yers, ah'm hopin' things go as smoothly tomorrow for you as they did today. We all do, right?" She directed a glare at Rainbow.

Rainbow, having gotten the point, slowly nodded with Applejack's hoof still stuck in her mouth.

"Oh yes, one more thing. I did promise to get you all something while I was up there, didn't I?" Rarity levitated the brooches out of the sack, along with some other assortments such as a mint condition third edition art encyclopedia for Twilight, a small box of exotic truffles for Pinkie, a bottle of hyacinth potpourri for Fluttershy, etc.

She then proceed upstairs, nibbling a bit on Pinkie's cake. "Now, if you'd be so kind. I would like to take a warm bubble bath and then retire early for the night. I will be departing at eight in the morning."

"Okie dokie lokie! Nighty night Rarity!" Pinkie bounced right out with the others in tow, each saying goodnight as well. When they were all finally a good distance away from the boutique, Applejack finally pulled her hoof out of Rainbow's mouth.

"Have you tasted yourself lately?" Rainbow asked rhetorically, wiping her tongue. "Cause that is not apple I'm trying to get out of my mouth."

"Weren't exactly an enjoyable moment for me neither," Applejack replied dryly.

"So why didn't any of you point out that tomorrow was the Wonderbolt derby? The biggest race of the season that I got us all tickets to last week?"

"Now Dash, don't go havin' crabapples on us now. Rarity's havin' a good time at the moment, and it'd be gosh darn inconsiderate if we spoil it fer her."

"Applejack's right," Twilight agreed. "Everypony needs some time to herself now and then. And I'm sure she'll have a much more enjoyable time with Regal Rule in Canterlot than she would sitting in a hot, crowded balloon in Cloudsdale."

"Yeah, listening to a bunch of artsy-fartsy actors in monkey suits belch out tunes in a dead language for ten whole hours is way more entertaining than watching high flying, adrenaline pumping, gravity defying, no holds barred racing ten thousand feet in the air."

"That does sound fun! Burping gibberish in song for ten hours! That's so hilarious! That's gotta be a world record! Hey! I bet I can do eleven hours easy! In fact, that's a great idea! I'm going to try to go a whole day burp singing!" And Pinkie then proceeded to eruct a cacophony of gobbledygook in a deep bowel moving voice emanating from her stomach.

"Um, I'd like the opera better...if that's alright with you."

Rainbow Dash groaned, thinking in hindsight that her argument would probably have been stronger if she hadn't mentioned heights in front of Fluttershy and burps in front of Pinkie Pie.

The satin cushions felt heavenly as Rarity nestled down, spectacles in hoof. The lights dimmed as the overture ended. "This is delightful," she whispered to Regal, who sat beside her. "I've always wanted to attend a theatrical performance as grand and brilliant as an opera, but never could find the time."

"I often find myself in situations where the rules of the clock try to dictate my movements," her alicorn host replied. "That is when I make time. There is no sense in putting so much effort into a result you do not want. It is why I have made difficult decisions sometimes for the good of my nation."

He then dismissed the subject with a smile. "But there's no need to bring up such political jargon on an occasion like this. Let us enjoy what the thespians have to offer."

The curtain opened to a red pegasus, wearing a rose tinted flock to make her look more like a bird than a pony and in a large golden cage. She began to sing of how she loved her owner, yet the feelings reciprocated were not of the same context, for to him, she was but his songbird, and amore could not be thought of between a pony and his pet.

The scenes continued from her invoking a cursed ritual to transform into a pony, the male lead's anguish at the sudden disappearance of his companion and the haunting feelings of nostalgia that came with the appearance of the mysterious maiden, to the heartbreak of the transformed bird as she learned of a betrothed that was not her. Towards the play's end, she had binded the other mare with the price that she had to pay for the curse instead of herself, in hopes of securing her love. But the specter of guilt visited her as she watched her love mourn in despair for losing yet another love. Thus, she cast herself off the cliffs, believing to be undeserving and her love watched her perish as she returned to her original form, prompting him to leap into the jaws of death after her.

As the actors stood for the third round of ovation. Rarity felt a wing drape over her. "How did you find the performance, my Rarity?"

"It was a wonderful display of lovelorn and lost. As good as any of my novels, still..."

"Yes?"

"The one playing the engaged noble..." Rarity lifted the program pamphlet to look up the name. "Canon Da Capo. That dance in act 5, stanza 3...she was off a little in tempo. Not that anypony other than I could have noticed it but-"

"I did."

Rarity craned her head to see Regal staring down at the said actor on stage. His calm demeanor betraying a look of disappointment. "An excellent eye for detail as always, Rarity. That gives this imperfect performance a silver lining so to speak."

"I'm sure it wasn't intentional. If anything, she just seemed to lack a little passion in articulating the more subtle movements."

"All the more reason to express criticism. Rarity, would you ever allow a dress with a loose seam be sold under your name?"

"Of course not! That would be an affront to my standards!"

"Precisely, when that mare became a performer, she realized a dream. A dream should never be pursued halfheartedly. By faltering even the tiniest bit, she showed hesitation, she showed regret, she showed defeat."

He led her out pass the lobby and into the courtyards. "It is the same for many I have met outside my kingdom. They show they have acquired their talents, yet do naught to master them. The fire in their hearts does not burn to exceed their predecessors. They are imitators, not innovators."

"My, that certainly sounds most distasteful. I suppose I too would be offended if somepony did not care about the discipline that went into their own work and merely hoofed it off to another."

"Verily. I never stop halfway. To pause would invite squander to opportunity. My steadfastness is what has kept my kingdom strong and superior to neighbors three times Corralica's size." He plucked a rose from a nearby bush, and after inspecting it, he passed it over to Rarity. "You show no lapse in your work either. You stand with absolute confidence that what you present to others is exactly what they want. It is because of that they are not disappointed." He felt the auburn blazer he was wearing with one wing along with the sleeve of Rarity's amaranthine evening gown with the other, both of which had been crafted by her for the occasion. "I know I am not."

Rarity beamed as she eagerly accepted his token of affection. In the back of her mind though, an inkling of thought prodded at her as if she was forgetting something, something about today.

No, no. I'm sure it wasn't important if I can't recall it. Besides, I can always...hm hm hmm...'make' time should I do remember it.

Yes. Regal was correct! She had no regrets. Regrets were for those in the wrong! And this being here with him, the most gentlecoltly and handsome stallion that ever graced her in this lifetime, the pony that melted her heart with such soft words and elegant praise...felt so right!

"She's not coming back tonight, is she?"

Rainbow Dash crossed her hooves as she slumped down on Carousel Boutique's roof. Spike mimicked her posture and expression perfectly one floor down.

"I'll second that notion. I'll bet he's holding her hostage in some high class love shack, forcing himself on her! Stripping her of her innocence against her will!"

"I wouldn't say she's that innocent given the books AB found under her bed that one time she had a sleepover with Sweetie," Applejack joked.

"E-QUEEEEESTRIA! E-QUEEEEESTRIA! SUN SHED YOUR LIGHT ON THEEEEEEE...." Pinkie burped in the background.

"For crying out loud and the umpteenth time Pinkie, that is not what I meant by opera singing, so cut it out!"

"B-UUUUUUUT IIIIIIT'S SO FUN DAAAAAAAAAAASHIIIIIIIIIE!"

"Yeah, it was for the first two hours..."

"Come on Spike," Twilight said as she nudged her assistant. "It's past your bed time, and we open at six tomorrow."

"Aww, Five more minutes Twilight, please? I just know she's going to be back any moment!"

"Didn't you just assume she's being forced down in bed thirty seconds ago?"

"All the more reason not to go to bed! We should ride out to Canterlot and save her!"

Twilight sighed and gave her little assistant the look a mother would give her disobedient child. "Spike, I know you're feeling jealous right now, but that's no excuse to go making a mountain out of a molehill. Rarity is-"

"COMING THIS WAAAAY BUR-LAP!"

Everypony's attention snapped to the skies as a small, one ponied chariot landed. However riding it was not Rarity or Regal, but a lanky tawny earth pony with a courier's cap that had the emblem of Corralica etched on the brim.

He looked upon the group standing before the boutique. "Oh, are you Lady Rarity's friends?" he asked in a rather scratchy and high pitched voice.

"Uh...yes?" Twilight answered.

"Oh, good, that saves me time." He reached into the carriage and hauled out several gift baskets which he placed before the five mares and the dragon. "Carry On, part of the Corralica porter corps. I'm here to deliver these gift baskets and retrieve several articles of importance from Carousel Boutique. That's this place, right?"

Before he get his hoof on the door, Applejack barred the way. "Now hold on there partner! What's all this bargin' inta our friend's house and takin' her stuff about?"

Carry On unfurled a short list that everypony recognized had Rarity's hoofwriting. "His royal highness, Prince Regulus de Cordelia, has coordinately invited Lady Rarity to stay overnight as a guest in Canterlot palace. Upon acceptance, she has formally requested the following items to be moved to her suite for the duration of her stay."

A few moments passed in silence...minus Pinkie's burp-boxing to the song 'Smile'.

"So let me get this straight," Rainbow finally said. "Rarity is going to be staying with his royal highness for the night instead of coming back here...which means we waited around for nothing again?!"

"Well, it's not like she knew we were expecting her back," Twilight affirmed. "In fact, it probably would have been more practical to wait until tomorrow morning to try and check up on her."

"If I may, can I be allowed to fulfill my task?"

Applejack shrugged and let her hoof drop. "Carry on, Carry On."

As the porter disappeared behind the door, Spike turned to Twilight with his hands on his hips.

"What did I tell ya? Bad news. That prince Regal's turning my dear Rarity into a total flake!"

"Spike, you're overreacting. So Rarity's going to spend an extra day in Canterlot. That only makes it three days. Keep in mind she's taken trips there that have lasted over a week."

"Yeah, after she clears her schedule of other events ahead of time, like tomorrow's book club meeting?"

A painful cry of "Aaah! Nice kitty! Down! Into the carrier!" accompanied by an annoyed yowl of Opalescence sounded off while Twilight mentally facehoofed. Book club! I completely forgot our monthly book club meeting too! Fluttershy and I were looking so forward to sharing our opinions of Cribnote's 'Sailing of the Moonlighter' with Rarity. I guess we'll have to hold it some other time unless-

Then Twilight had an idea. "Hey, girls. None of us are doing anything particularly important tomorrow, are we?"

Rarity sighed in bliss as she sunk beneath the steaming waters of the immense scented bath. A hoofmaiden was busy filing her hooves while another gently massaged her shoulders. Heaven...she was truly in heaven. If only she could start every morning like this.

"Caress, was it? You have the most magnificent touch. Better even than Aloe, and that is something I do not say lightly."

"Most appreciated madam." The servant gave one last squeeze around the collar, and then proceeded to rinse the shampoo off her mane. "Shall I prepare your attire for the day?"

"Just the towels will necessary. Dressing myself is a luxury I tend to enjoy personally."

As the other wrapped up polishing the tips of Rarity's hooves, she proceeded to rise from the tub, and wrapped both her body and mane in the rose-magenta towels that were soon provided for her.

"Master Regal will be a bit delayed joining you in the dining hall for breakfast. He is currently engaged in a meeting with princess Celestia in the audience chamber."

"Is that so?" Rarity levitated a sky blue dress with a snow white petticoat underneath as she teased her eyelashes. "Well, no sense in starting without him. Perhaps I'll pay the princess a visit myself."

"I certainly appreciate your consideration on such a short notice, Princess Celestia." Regal bowed before his monarch as he concluded his business.

"It is no trouble at all. My sister and I would love to have you tonight. It is always a pleasure to indulge in the company of family." Her highness straightened up as the Prince of Corralica raised his head. "Talking of which, how fares Lord Silver?"

"My father's condition, I'm afraid, has not improved, but neither has it worsened. As it is, he may be bedridden until the end of his days. Worry not though, as I'm sure your auditors have noted, Corralica remains prosperous under my watch and has even grown in territory and wealth. And with my ascension all but a formality now, both he and you can rest assured that the nation is in good hooves."

"I have no doubts in your abilities, and I am sure your parents do not either. Still, I would love to talk with my nephew personally after such a long time since we have last seen one another. Perhaps I may arrange a visit myself to Corralica someday."

"I would be most most honored to have you in my home. To have the grace of the our sun's shepherd would be a blessing onto Corralica itself."

"You've never been one to avoid laying it on thick were you?" Celestia said with a chuckle.

"I speak nothing if it is not forthright. For all your actions and merits, there is none other worthy of the stature you hold."

With a final bow, he dismissed himself from her presence.

For now...

Pacing back and forth before the huge assembly doors, Prince Blueblood took note of the large grandfather clock to the left of the hall.

9:05...five minutes late! Who could possibly have the audacity to keep me from my scheduled audience with auntie for this long? Doesn't anypony in this castle realize how important I am to the integrity of this land's social structure? That I have important business to conduct elsewhere? Matters of extreme consequence to attend to? And yet here I am, forced to stand idly by whilst some figure of lesser significance has his say first with my dear aunt. Without proper appointment to say the least! A fine start to the morning this is! What's next? An assault from an assassin around the corner?

At that moment, he turned around to collide snout to snout into a white unicorn mare that had just turned into the corridor. Rubbing their bruised noses, the two pairs of eyes took a moment to undaze their focus, then narrowed at each other in abject horror.

"YOU!" they both exclaimed.

"Who let this commoner in here? Guards! Come quick! Someone escort this demoness out of my sight immediately!"

"Excuse me?!" Rarity choked a gasp of revulsion at the sudden outburst and insult. "How dare you address me like that! If anyone's the monster around here, it's you! I can see you haven't improved your character in the slightest since last time!"

Blueblood skirted backwards from her pointed hoof. "Keep away from me, you plebeian creature! I will not be violated in my own home again!"

"Violated?! If anything, I was the victim that night! Forcing me to wait on you hoof and mane for every little thing like a beast of burden! The disrespect you showed my friends as if they nothing more than clumps of sod! Oh, and let's not forget the cake-AUGH!"

Blueblood had unwittingly chosen to shield himself with a nearby vase of carnations, which poured out as he swung it around to protect his face, soaking Rarity and her dress to the bone. Peeking a half-closed eye out, he saw her gritting her teeth, cheeks flushed and eyes narrowed. "Oh, oh dear..."

"So that's how you want to play it? Fine then, Blueblood...IT. IS. ON!"

She was instantly on top of him with several more of the vases in the halls, slathering him in a mess of dirty water and cut roses as she pinned him to the ground.

"HEEEELP!!! GUUUARDS!! I'm being defiled by the most vile of all harlots!!"

"Keep digging yourself deeper, you insufferable-awp!" Rarity was seized and hoisted by the forelimbs from a pair of burly white pegasus guards, bearing the compass rose insignia of house Blueblood on their chestplates.

Blueblood looked over the mess of his coat as he stood up and then glared at Rarity with as disdain as he could muster with dignity. "Time to do what I should have done months ago. Throw this...villain into the dungeons immediately!"

"That will not do, Blueblood."

The doors opened wide to allow Regal Rule to step in between the two drenched ponies. Blueblood's disgust quickly turned into a scowl of deeper contempt as he met Regal's gaze. "Regal...I should have known it was you who kept me delayed. And I take it you are responsible for...her being here as well?"

"Lady Rarity is here as my guest. Any mistreatment to her is mistreatment to me."

"Lady? That is so poor a joke I cannot even bring myself to laugh at its absurdity. No decorum, no pedigree, not even a inkling of respect for the hierarchy's mannerisms. This common mare is anything but."

Regal towered above Blueblood, his eyes boring into the indignant stallion. "There is nothing common about Lady Rarity. Impugn her again at your own peril."

Rather than cringe in fear or disgust as she had always seen him do, Blueblood attempted to stand higher than Regal to Rarity's surprise, as if he felt there was an advantage he could press without consequence. "Know your place, Marquess Cordelia. Your word may be absolute in that backwater hinterland of islands you call a country, but in this court, I outrank you!"

Regal was quick to retort. "I am well aware of my position, Grand Duke Blueblood. Though I call into question yours if you believe you can condemn without trial for something as trivial as a wet mane. Especially since I saw you throw the first volley."

He cast a withering glare at Blueblood's guards, and they slowly lowered Rarity back to the floor. "We shall leave you to your royal duties as I'm sure we've wasted enough of your time. After all, being the figurehead of a completely autonomous society is a rather crucial linchpin in the pony nobility."

Rarity could not help but titter behind her hoof as they walked away from the sputtering unicorn prince. "Y-you disrespectful upstart! I'm telling auntie on you! You will not get away with such insolence this time!"

"Yes, yes. The nepotism card worked so well for you the last forty-four times you tried to press an issue against me, why should it fail now?"

As the two moved out of earshot, Rarity felt a tinge of regret creep up her spine for having a go a Blueblood in such an uncouth way. "So...you saw me, yes?"

"Do not concern yourself over such petty displays. Your behavior, though undignified, was justifiable. I know it is considered poor taste to openly admonish somepony, but to be frank, he deserved much more than that. Ponies like Blueblood are the kind I despise the most."

Rarity's interest was piqued as they continued to the dining hall. "Am I to presume you have a history with him?"

Regal stopped for a moment and plucked a rose from one of the unturned vases. "That stallion holds many office names under his title, one of them happens to Grand Veneur, whom determines any changes to the borders of territory in Equestria. He has attempted for years to properly annex my country merely for the sake of using his position to directly influence their revenues in his favor. I've managed to deny him at every effort however, as my nation's welfare fares better than his coffers, leaving him no legal recourse."

He held the rose close under his chin as he began to pluck the petals one by one. "Even if he hadn't such an obsession with making my kingdom a 'proper' state of Equestria, my enmity with him would not deter in the slightest. He is a stallion undeserving of his power. It was handed to him on a platter. As far as I'm concerned, he is opposite of above me regardless of rank. When I took charge over my father's rule, I showed that I was worthy of such privilege. Blood, sweat, and tears were shed as I worked to secure my country's prosperity. My neighbors bowed in fealty and respect not because I asked them to, but because I gave them a reason to. Blueblood has done none of that. All he has ever done is whine at his vassals and relatives for what he wants, and whatever is given is treated poorly or completely ignored soon after, squandered at his hooves and never to be brought forth and utilized by a more capable leader."

He crushed the now bare stem with his hoof. "Opportunity ill merited, opportunity wasted. I'd wager the only way he could ever learn to be a noble befitting his position is if he were to relive his foalhood or perhaps the worst day of his life a million times over. Take these words to heart, Rarity. True fulfillment cannot be received, it must be seized. And do not let anyone deny you of what is rightfully earned, lest some other undeserving takes it away."

Rarity silently agreed as Regal approached the door and held it open for her. It would be like somepony else taking credit for a dress she designed. Underhoofed, atrocious, and simply pathetic. She would never let herself become a doormat to another pony's narrow minded whim, and the fact that Regal felt the same only furthered her admiration. There is just simply no flaw in him whatsoever... she thought dreamily as she sat herself down.

"But enough of such tiresome affairs. Wheatgrass and seaweed medley with a side of grapefruit please. To more pleasent topics, I have come to learn of a charity ball being held in the lunar sanctum of the palace tonight. And after speaking with dear Celestia, am pleased to say-"

"What do mean we can't go in?"

Twilight and the others stood before a pair of Corralica soldiers as they barred the entryway to the east wing. The train ride up to Canterlot and the walk up to the castle had gone relatively smoothly and uneventful. The guards at the palace entrance had even regarded the five mares and dragon with stoic smiles, and had informed them of where Rarity and Regal were currently staying. But when they had passed through the halls and entered the inner courtyard to cross over to section of the castle reserved for the Corralica emissaries, prince Regal's elite immediately halted them before they could take even one step past the gates.

"This area is off limits to public access, no entry," the black pegasus on the left grunted.

"That's absurd!" Twilight argued. "I'm princess Celestia's personal student! I've walked through every inch of this castle when I was a little filly and never have I been restricted from passage!"

"Orders are orders," the gray and white spotted earth pony on the right stated monotonously. "This section of the palace has been reserved for Corralica dignitaries only. None may pass without Prince Regulus de Cordelia's consent and his alone."

"Are you kidding me? I did not waste a sick day on the weather team to come all the way to Canterlot just to get sent back empty hoofed!" Rainbow leaned so close to one of the guards their muzzles nearly touched. "Either you let us through, or we're going through!"

"Rainbow Dash, no!" Twilight pulled her back with a spurt of magic. "We're going to get kicked out for real if you assault a guardspony!"

She then proceeded to herd the group back towards the main hall. "Let's just see Princess Celestia in the throne room. I'm sure she straighten this situation out."

"Twilight's right RD, no sense in gettin' violent when we can have the princess handle all that red tape."

"Really? Tape comes in that color? Neato! Think the princess will let me have extra so I can hang my pennants and flyers instead of using that boring old clear scotch tape? Why do they call it scotch tape anyways? I mean, it's not like it has any alcohol in it, I should know, I tasted it. And why are we talking about tape in the first place? I thought we were trying to find-"

"Rarity!"

"Actually, I was going to say the royal kitchens, I'm starving! But yeah, we're looking for her too."

"No, I mean, Rarity! She's over there!"

Everypony turned in the direction Fluttershy was pointing. Sure enough, towards the other end of the courtyard, having just exited the pavilion and heading across the garden towards the carriage stables, was their white unicorn friend being led by the alicorn prince.

"Rarity! Hey Rarity! Over here!" Rainbow Dash and Spike waved their hooves and arms respectively, but their display went unnoticed.

"I don't think she can hear us from over there," Twilight remarked.

"Then we'll just have to get closer, hop on, Romeo!"

Spike eagerly swapped mounts, and the two took off like a shot...for half a second.

"You will not be warned again," the guards said in unison as they barricaded the view. "No trespassing."

"Come on! She's right over there! LET. US. THROUGH!"

Her obstructors said not a word as they continued to stare the cyan mare down in cold indifference.

"That's it. I've had it up to here with your 'protocols' and 'credos', OUTTA MY WAY!"

She shoved them aside in a surprise rush and whizzed right for the courtyard pair, leaving her friends wide-eyed and flabbergasted as the guards were back on the their hooves and after her in an instant.

"Rainbow Dash, NO!"

"Halt! You are ordered to halt!"

Even with her dragon passenger, Rainbow was still easily able to outpace the pursuers. She was almost within shouting distance as Regal opened the door for his accompaniment, letting her disappear within the walls of the palace again when he looked up to see the multi-colored blur approaching.

"Regal! Hey Regal! Hold that door for us! And call off your guards while you're at it! We're here to see Rarity!"

Then Regal Rule did something completely surprising to Rainbow Dash. He stepped beyond the double doors, turned one last time to eye the approaching pegasus, a sinister smirk plastered all over his face, and slammed them shut just inches away from her.

Rainbow peeled her face off the wooden embroidery, the taste of mahogany fresh in her mouth. She stared at the shut doorway in stunned silence as her mind tried to catch up with what just happened. Righteous fury then bubbled up from inside.

"W-why that...that pompous jerkwad! He snubbed me on purpose!!"

"Now do you believe me when I say that guy's bad news?"

"You're darn right he's bad news. Time to give that smug foreign snob a piece of my-APGMPH!"

Rainbow Dash and Spike were promptly reminded that they had guards chasing them only a few moments back as their faces met the cobblestones. Fighting back to escape their grip proved futile and only succeeded in getting them into a full body restraint by the burly stallions.

"Ow! That...leg doesn't bend that way!" Spike protested.

Rainbow Dash looked up to see a large four ponied carriage fly overhead and out of sight from the stables she had tried to get into.

"Crud...now we've missed her."

"Rainbow Dash!"

The other four mares had finally manged to catch up and were now doing their best to huddle around and coax the guards off the two.

"Consarn it, Rainbow Dash. Why do you always gotta think with yer wings instead of yer head?! Now we're all in trouble."

"Hey, Rarity was right in front of us, about to fly off who knows where for who knows when! What I was supposed to do?"

"You were supposed to stick to the plan and let Princess Celestia handle getting us inside! She would have come back eventually, and-"

Twilight was cut off as a large spear crossed her face. The group nervously looked around to see at least a dozen more of the Corralica guard surrounding them, weapons pointed inward.

"Anypony got some idea on what we should do now?" Applejack asked, a bead of sweat dripping down her neck.

"Uh...panic?" Fluttershy meekly suggested.

"You are in violation of diplomatic martial law. As per rule dictates, you will now be personally escorted off the premises, and barred from entry into Canterlot castle from now until the leave of Corralica's emissary. Failure to comply will result in the permission for use of force."

Twilight tried to regard the soldiers with as much pleasantry as her nerves could muster up, resulting in a goofy awkward grin. "I don't suppose we could talk to the Princess first and have this misunderstanding cleared up?"

The steel spearhead edged closer to her snout.

"Yeah, that's what I thought."

The morning greeted Rarity with a loving warmth as she slid out from underneath the silken sheets of her bed. The past week for her had been everything she could have fantasized and more. A tour of Manehattan, starlit dinners with a firsthoof look of Luna's aurora, a masquerade party where she had been crowned queen of the ball. And all the while...he had been by her side. Whispering soft comforts into her ear on occasion, nuzzling her tenderly when intimacy had been socially permissible, treating her as if she was the most precious pony ever to walk the land. And last night, right before she retired to bed, when he nipped her ears playfully...oh! She thought she was literally going to drown in ecstasy.

Oh, how I wish this could last forever...

"Miss Rarity."

Rarity paused before her vanity mirror to address the hoofmaiden waiting by the door.

"Good morning...Saving Grace, was it?"

"Yes. I am honored. Master Regal is the only other pony I've served that has bothered to remember his servants' names."

"Now, now. You're much more than just a servant. You attended me only once that afternoon two days ago, and I could tell you were a mare of impeccable taste. The floral arrangement you provided was the perfect mix of both colors and scents, the flower trio I know back in Ponyville could not have done a better job."

Her compliment was received with a slight curtsy and a smile. "I am here to inform you that master is by the central courtyard fountain. He wishes to speak to you in private."

It didn't take long for Rarity finish her morning touch up routine. A simple spring scarf and sunhat was all she needed to look ready for a stroll in the gardens. She approached the appointed destination and found Regal in a similar attire, a silk necktie and some white cuffs around his hooves.

"My dear Rarity, please, right this way."

He led her towards a nearby gazebo where both nobles and workers in the palace stopped to admire the decor in a panoramic view.

"You wanted to speak with me, Regal?" She asked as she sat herself down against the alder benching.

"Yes." Regal solemnly glanced out towards the tiny waterfall that poured from the brook that ran across the gardens. "My stay in Canterlot is coming to an end. I have concluded all dealings with my mainland associates...and I will be departing for my home this evening."

Rarity's heart sank. She knew as royalty from another land, he could not stay forever but....but tonight? No, it was just too soon! She wanted more time with the stallion of her dreams, she needed to have more time!

Regal quickly addressed her as he noted the worry in her eyes. "This brings me to why I've called you here. There is something you need to know. I did not come all the way to Equestria's capital merely for my vocational duties. I came to find a suitor amongst the nobility."

His gaze became fully focused on the mare as stepped closer to her. "However...despite the wealth of available ladies in the court, none have left my heart with wanting...none more so...than you."

Rarity felt as if time had stopped. Could he be...w-was he really...?

A horn engagement ring extended from his hoof answered her question before she could even finish piecing it together.

"My Rarity...will you bless my beloved Corralica...as it's new queen?"

Rarity's answer could only be one thing.

Rarity danced and pranced gaily all the way down the sunset lit street as she exited her carriage, singing to herself like a giddy songbird. She had to let her friends know, she had to let EVERYpony know about the happiest moment of her life!

First on her list, Fluttershy. She would certainly take the news with the utmost delight. Rarity twirled and floated as her cottage on the outskirts of Ponyville came into view. Lightly tapping on the door in a rapid motion, she bounced in place with an excitement that could rival Pinkie Pie's until she heard the click of unlocking. Wasting no time, she immediately leaped in finding, to her surprise, not only Fluttershy, but all the rest of her friends gathered around her. Pinkie immediately perked up at the sight of her, Fluttershy and Twilight seemed to give weak smiles after recovering from the initial shock, but Rainbow Dash and Applejack had large scowls plastered all over their faces.

"Well, look who's here!" Dash said as she waved a presenting hoof in a sarcastic manner. "The last pony we ever expected to see at this hour!"

"Rainbow Dash, shh!" Twilight warningly hissed.

Rarity was too enamored to dampened by the sudden negative outburst, if anything, this announcement would raise their spirits. "Oh, good. How fortuitous, you're all together. This saves me the time of going back and forth around town."

"Well, duh! Why wouldn't we all be together today?" Pinkie answered.

"Yeah, all of us were together for the whole day except her..." Rainbow continued coldly.

"Rainbow Dash, calm down." Twilight stepped between them and approached her fellow unicorn. "So, Rarity. You look like you had a good time up in Canterlot."

"Oh, I had the most wonderful time!" Rarity sang. "Come here, all of you. I have...the greatest story to tell you since the history of sliced bread!"

The five mares, and the little dragon who had been squished behind the open door, leaned in close, all expressions now of pure curiosity.

"This morning. Regal brought me out to the most romantic spot in the royal gardens...and he proposed! To me!"

Six mouths went agape as the romantic fanatic went on. "My dream has come true! I'm going to be next shining pearl of Corralica! Together with my true love for all eternity!"

Twilight's brow furrowed as she fit the clues together. "So, you're going to marry him."

"Technically, it is only an engagement at the moment, BUT YES!"

"That means...you're going with him? To Corralica?" Applejack finished.

"Indeed. His ship leaves tonight. I understand it's quite a short notice, but-"

"TONIGHT?!" Rainbow erupted. "You're telling me, you've finally came back from Canterlot, only to pack your bags and let us know you're leaving Ponyville?!"

"Oh, I know what you're thinking darling. But not to worry, Regal has already promised to have a new boutique made for me in his kingdom, and my old one will be converted into a summer villa. I'll be sure to grace you every holiday I take, oh and of course you're welcome to visit anytime. Any traveling expenses will be paid for by yours truly."

"GRACE US?! VISIT?! THAT'S THE LAST STRAW!" Rainbow's nose honked against Rarity's as she backed her against the wall. "It'll be a cold day in Tartaurus before I let you waltz off across the ocean with 'his royal heinie'!"

"Uh, actually, there is a location in Tartaurus known as the frigid wastelands where-"

"Shut up Twilight, I'm trying to say she can't marry that chump!"

Rarity was aghast in disbelief. "W-what is this?! I came here bearing exceptionally good tidings, and you're all acting like it's the end of the world! Honestly, I'd thought you'd be happy for me! Whatever happened to my happiness is your happiness?"

"O-oh! Um, we are happy for you Rarity. It's okay that you're moving to Corralica, really."

But Fluttershy's hushed words only fueled Rainbow's ranting. "No. No. No, it isn't okay, Fluttershy! And it should especially not be okay with you after what she did today!"

"What I did? Rainbow Dash, darling, I haven't had any involvement with Fluttershy today at all!"

"Exactly!" When Rarity only answered that retort with a puzzled expression, Rainbow's face darkened as she lowered her voice to a murmured whisper. "You really haven't a clue, do you? Wow, Rarity. For being the element of generosity, you sure are acting awfully selfish all of a sudden."

"Selfish? Did I not send you all the most wonderful presents everyday while I was with Regal? That marvelous VIP voucher for this year's Wondercon in Fillydelphia? Oh, and Twilight, that lovely new reading lamp I know you've wanted ever since you saw it in the windows last winter when we went up for that pageant. And those hoof carved spice racks? Don't tell me you haven't been using them in your kitchen Applejack."

Applejack narrowed her eyes at the what she interpreted was the most sorry excuse to buy somepony's way out of a situation. "We don't want your fancy schmancy pricy gifts Rarity, what we want is for you to actually be here!"

Pinkie Pie then bounced her way to the front, pushing Rainbow Dash and Applejack to the side.

"You can't go Rarity! We depend on you for so much! Who's going to make us all those pretty dresses? Who's going to coin up that extra bit for when Dashie forgets her wallet at the restaurant or when Fluttershy needs that extra cherry at the market? Who's going to get those moonstones that my sister Limestone likes so much before my family reunion? And whoooo's gonna cook us her famous triple berry garden herb quiche on every third Wednesday of the month?"

Rarity's mouth went into a little 'o' shape as the string of questions that barraged her, then her brow furrowed as she drew the connection between them along with some thoughts fresh in her memory.

When it comes to felicity, there are some things you cannot compromise just because someone else disagrees.

Never stop halfway. To pause would invite squander to opportunity.

Do not let anyone deny you of what is rightfully earned, lest some other undeserving takes it away.

"Oh...oh I see how it is now." Rarity's tone suddenly became icy cold. "You all praise and admire me for my unyielding beneficence and purity of soul as long I promise to give you my anything and everything, selflessly donating my time and resources to your frivolous indulgences and then some when nopony else will. But when I have one tiny little want of my own that could mildly inconvenience you, you all turn on me like a pack of ravenous timberwolves!"

"What? Oh no no no no no! That's not it at all!" Twilight tried to protest.

"Oh yes it is! Sugarcoat it all you want, but the simple fact is that you don't want me to be with Regal because then you won't have me or all the things I do for you all to yourselves! I can't believe after all we've been through together you would act so inconsiderate and insensitive!"

"Oh, we're the insensitive ones? We're inconsiderate? If that's how you genuinely feel, then maybe you and Regal are a perfect match!" Rainbow Dash huffed.

"Um, uh...please don't yell at each other. I don't like when ponies fight."

"We're doing this for you Fluttershy!" Rainbow argued. "It's time somepony made it clear to this prissy snob that has replaced our friend we don't take jerks for buddies!"

"Well I never!" Rarity stood tall, her cheek turned at the brash pegasus. "So that's it then? The only way you'll appreciate me is if I discarded my most precious and treasured dream that I have nursed since I was but a little filly, just for you to ask favors of me every single day? Well I'll have you know, Miss Dash, the reason I've always been so benevolent and altruistic to your needs, is because I understand how important they are to you even if they aren't that important to me! I believed from the bottom of my heart that you earned my benediction, as you would always return it in kind. Though after today's events, I'm not so sure you do. I am a mare with desires of my own, and if there's anything my beloved as taught me since we've met, it's that such desires as not worth having unless you're willing to go the whole nine yards for it! And...and if you can't support my aspirations like I would yours, if you're not willing to give just a little back after all I've given you over the course of our friendship, then...then maybe I should dedicate my generosity to somepony more deserving of it!"

She then marched to the door, stopping for a moment to calm herself, and then addressed her friends without a hint of anger in her voice.

"My carriage for Baltimare will be departing in an hour. Despite what has just transgressed, I am still more than willing to allow you to accompany me and see me off at the harbor. I bid you good evening, ladies."

"All set. Just the bare necessities for the initial trip," Rarity said to herself as she stacked her eleventh suitcase by the front entrance. "The porters should be able to fetch the rest later as I settle in."

Opalescence meowed unpleasantly from her carrier and Rarity gently cooed her. "Oh, I know Opal, you hate these things. Just please bare with it a little longer, unless...you'd like Sweetie to care for you from now on?"

Her feline companion hissed at her sly remark, memories of last month's CMC petsitter business fresh in her mind. And then, as if on cue, the little imp in an angel's body trotted in.

"Hey, Rarity. What's with all the bags?"

"Oh, Sweetie Belle." Rarity acknowledged her little sister with pat on her curly haired mane. "Well you see, I've just been courted by the most magnificent stallion who lives overseas. And well, he's invited me to his kingdom! I'll be moving my business as well, so you're going to be sleeping at mother and father's for awhile until I get settled down. Then you can all come see me in my new home whenever you like!"

Sweetie Belle seemed silent for a moment as she looked around the somewhat empty shelves and dressers, once loaded with trimmings and fabrics that were now loaded into the suitcases.

"So, you're...leaving?" she asked quietly.

"Um, yes..." Rarity suddenly felt a tension in her heart start to mount. Did Sweetie Belle sound sad? Now that she thought about it, this was much bigger than simply moving out of the house to start her own business. But...it wasn't like she was leaving forever. Regal would certainly let her visit whenever she wanted, so she wouldn't be missed too much...right?

Her nagging doubts were immediately dispersed when Sweetie Belle looked up at her with sparkling eyes and a huge grin. "Does that mean I can run Carousel Boutique?!"

Rarity nearly burst out laughing at her ecstatic little sister. "Well, I suppose you could. Hmm mmm mmm! But I think mom and dad would want you to finish school first!"

Sweetie Belle's ears drooped a bit. "Oh, yeah. I guess so."

Rarity then affectionately nuzzled her adorable little sister. "There, there. I'm sure you have plenty of other things you can do before you're old enough to be owning your own shop. By the by, was there a reason for paying me a visit at this hour?"

"Oh, yeah. I was wondering...um...maybe you didn't because I forgot to ask ahead of time, but did you save an extra piece of the cake for me?"

"Cake? What cake?"

"The birthday cake! The one Pinkie made for Fluttershy today?"

"Oh, don't be ridiculous Sweetie Belle, Fluttershy's birthday isn't...until..."

A half shriek, half gasp escaped Rarity's throat as made a mad dash for her calender/day planner/order deadline monitor. N-no, no! It couldn't be! Her birthday's on the 22nd, a-and...today...today is...

Her nose pressed hard against the paper hanging against the wall as her eyes frantically searched and stopped at what could only be the present date.

The 22nd...

Her back legs gave away as she flopped down, her mind in a dread stupor. Come to think of it, hadn't she caught glimpses of banners and ribbons decorating the background of her living room when she had walked in her cottage that evening? And...the faint smell of frosting too. And, and of course, that would certainly explain why all her friends were there and not just Fluttershy, it was because...because of...

Fluttershy's birthday...I...I missed Fluttershy's birthday.

Her eyes once again fell upon the monthly agenda and continued to dilate in horror as she backtracked the days.

No...not just her birthday. The book club meeting, the Wonderbolt derby, Applejack's taste tasting for the Hoofington bake off, Pinkie's talent night at Sugarcube Corner...I missed them all. I wasn't there for any of them, instead I was with...with...

"Hey Rarity."

Rarity snapped back to the present as Sweetie drew attention to a satchel on the counter. "Rarity, aren't these those dew pearls you said you were getting last week? I thought you told me you were going to use them for Fluttershy's birthday present. Did you change your mind?"

Rarity slowly plodded to the counter, and gazed at the bag in utter disbelief. It was just as it was the night she placed it on the table...unopened, unused, and forgotten. The implications of it sitting there sent her mind reeling. It was even worse than when she had fashioned Twilight's birthday gift last year. She hadn't just nervously told herself there would be time later for it, in Fluttershy's case, she had completely brushed it off, out of sight and out of mind, not even a simple base design had been planned.

For being the element of generosity, you sure are acting awfully selfish all of a sudden.

what we want is for you to actually be here!

maybe I should dedicate my generosity to somepony more deserving of it!

Her lips trembled as she clutched the edge of the table, her breathing deathly quiet.

"What...have I done?"

Her complexion paled has a rapt knock sounded off from her boutique's doors.

"Um, Rarity? There's a couple stallions and this really huge and fancy carriage parked just outside. Are you expecting them?" Sweetie asked as she peeked out the window.

The ride to Balitmare had been eerily surreal. Rarity had mulled over the onslaught of revelations that had come from missing just one week and a half with her friends. Her mind was still trying to get a grasp of the situation as she trotted with her escorts through the busy streets and into the harbor.

So much was happening so fast, how could she have ever thought that leaving with Regal wouldn't impact those around her so much? There...there had to be some scenario she had overlooked, some idea that could solve this sudden dilemma, some way she could make up to her dear friends that she had unknowingly stiffed and still be with her beloved. But as the large white liner came into view over the designated dock, and her mind still drew blanks, it became obvious to the fashionista that there was none, only an impossible choice.

Regal Rule politely addressed the porters as they proceeded to carry Rarity's belongings up the gangplank before speaking to her himself. "It's good to see you had no trouble finding your way here. And you're just in time too. All preparations for voyage are finished, and we can cast off immediately."

He lead her up the platform, inhaling the salt air with a sense of satisfaction. "We are but moments away my little pearl. Our true happiness awaits just beyond these waters."

"Yes...true happiness," she answered automatically as she glanced back towards the docks. No one stood there. Of course her friends hadn't come to see her off. After how she had neglected them, admonished them, and then just stormed off in a huff, she wouldn't be surprised if they didn't even consider her their friend anymore.

My friends...

Twilight Sparkle. Studious, modest, and who placed her friends above all else. She always made the best of decisions...most of the time. And of course, the mare was always the first to accommodate any personal issues that she had.

Pinkie Pie. So silly and annoying at times, but one you got to know her, who could possibly live without that bundle of excitement? Always filling everyone's life with joy and energy whenever possible. She could make watching grass grow fun. In fact, she had that one time right before the Clover derby.

Rainbow Dash. Protective, bold, outgoing Rainbow Dash who had even saved her life once or twice. Though not always the most pleasant of company, there was nopony more concerned with another pony's well being than her...even if she didn't express it properly.

Applejack. Hardworking, forthright, and down to earth. Yes, she was stubborn and actually liked getting dirty as was her work ethic, but she was always courteous where and when it counted. And she was the anchor that often kept her relationships strong whenever things were strained.

Fluttershy. A pony with a heart of gold, so serene, motherly, and caring. As her spa partner she was reliable conversationalist, and a valuable critique on beauty. She even pitched in with a bit of sewing of her own when Rarity felt pressed against a backlog of orders. Above all, she held the warmest of smiles that genuinely said 'I care about your problems, and am willing to listen, even if I can't do anything to help', which she always did.

And Spike. That adorable baby dragon who was always ready to lend her a helping claw, whether it was for a gem hunt, hosting a fashion show, or merely carrying some of her fabrics. So witty and smart for his own age, at least he liked to think that, and of course remained steadfast as a companion, even if they both knew she didn't feel the same way about him.

She looked again at the empty dock, an equally empty feeling springing up in her heart as a wistful sea breeze wafted through her mane.

No.

She couldn't do it. It was just too much to give up. Even if she could visit them and they could visit her however as often as they wanted to, it would still mean they could not participate in the wonderful slice of life outings as they had done before, events she had missed for over a week, activities...she longed for.

"My dear Rarity, is something wrong?" Regal asked as he noticed her solemnly and slowly approaching him on the deck.

"Yes, I'm afraid so. Regal...you are the most charming, chivalrous, and eligible stallion I have ever met. And knowing that you reciprocate my feelings has made me the happiest I've ever been. But...I'm afraid I cannot accompany you to Corralica. Please understand, my darling. I love you more than life itself, but I also love my friends and home just as much, and recent events have enlightened me to a startling epiphany. I will not be able to share or convey that love should I come with you."

Regal's face remained stoic as he intently listened to Rarity. "My Rarity, are you saying you do not wish to accept my betrothal?"

"Not at all! I would love to be your queen! But I want more than that. I want above all else, to be able to express my adoration to everypony I care for. And that's something I can only accomplish if I stay here. I truly am sorry for marking our paths as a star-crossed fate, but I'm not ready to leave Ponyville, not yet."

A silence of what seemed to be an eternity passed, and then Regal unemotionally turned about towards the railing, gazing out at the horizon.

"So...it came to a choice of either them or me, and you chose them."

"Yes, please understand."

"I do. And you have clearly much thought on this matter, and there is nothing that will change your mind, isn't there?"

"Indeed."

He sighed. "Such a shame." And then he turned his head back at her with a malicious smirk. "Because you're coming back with me whether you want to or not."

The walkway fell away as the gate rails slammed shut behind Rarity. The alabaster unicorn jerked her head in surprise, only to find a pair of armored guards stationed by the edge, blocking any way of jumping over back to the docks.

"Wha-What is the meaning of..."

Rarity's mouth went agape as she turned back to the alicorn prince. He was grasping his pendant as it gave a glaring glow. The glow enveloped him and his whole body began to shine as his white nautical captain's uniform began to transform. Golden plating rippled and chinked with silver ribbons of steel. Diamonds bloomed from the skin of the grandiose armor and a billowing royal purple mantle emerged from the back of the encrusted collar. And the stallion's face disappeared under the shadow of an immense, intimidating and tall imperial crown, a crown that Rarity had seen only one other time.

"Y-you're...you're-!"

"Yes!" he proclaimed loudly. "Revel in your fortune, element of generosity! For today marks your engagement not only to Regal Rule, crown prince of Corralica, but also to the most powerful pony in the entire world, the herald of arrogance, Megalos Tyrant!"

"No...NO!" Rarity scrambled back on her hooves, tripping over one of her bags. She flailed around in an attempt to get back on her hooves in a panic, and met the dark glowing eyes of her captor, who hovered over her, his pursed lips opening to show a devilish smile.

"Since I was born, I have dedicated every moment to building the perfect empire, purging every impurity from myself, my nation, and my ponies, leaving only supremacy behind. And after many years I have succeeded. The most powerful, richest, and happiest country in the entire Antlertic. Corralica, the perfect kingdom, ruled by me, the most perfect leader! Only two things remain for my ideal, the perfect world for my dominion to exist in, which my master Ruinate will help me carve, and the perfect mate to continue my perfect bloodline. I will settle for nothing less than what I deserve, perfection!"

Rarity felt the all too familiar hoof caress her neck as his face nearly touched hers, only this time she did not melt at its tender touch. Rather, she felt revolted as she could feel his warm breath beat down on her muzzle. "And you, my pristine, precious pearl, I deem perfect."

"As flattered as I am at your adulation..." Rarity fished around the bags beneath her, taking care never to break his gaze until she found what she needed. "I do not consort with dastards!!"

With a quick spring of her hind legs, she sucker bucked the herald right in the chest. As he staggered back, she pulled out her element necklace, and with a brilliant flash, she stood strong and proud in her gem gown, her orbiting jewels flittering around like a swarm of angry bees.

"No hard feelings, my 'prince', but I think we should see other ponies from now on!"

The mob of gemstones surged forward like a rain of arrows at Megalos. He made no movement however, except a single raised hoof.

HALT.

The mass stopped in mid-air inches away from him. His lips did not move, but his illuminated eyes pulsed as the command on par with the royal Canterlot voice emanated from him again.

TURN.

The army of precious stones swiveled round to now point at Rarity.

SEIZE.

Faster than before, the orbiters were instantly upon their former controller. Rarity yelped in alarm as she was pinned on her hooves, restrained and binded as the gems consolidated into a massive crystallization, gluing her from the waist down to the deck and rendering her immobile.

"No! No! No no no no!" She tried in vain to will her gems back under her control, but to no avail.

"Your command over your element's powers is exquisite," Megalos Tyrant said triumphantly as he slowly marched back towards his prize. "But in matters of magic, my powers of dominance overrule all!"

Rarity shuddered in fright at the looming figure that now had her helpless under his hoof. "HELP!" she screamed at the top of her lungs. "Somepony! Anypony! HELP!"

"Do not waste your lovely voice on pointless words," Megalos oily chided her in a low tone. "Anypony wandering these docks this evening are under my charge. And your friends...I think we both know they're not going to be within a hundred miles of you after your misunderstanding with them today."

Rarity was dumbfounded at said statement. "You knew?"

"Twas only natural such an initial reaction would be provoked after I kept you away from them for so long, but necessary. Worry not, my Rarity. They will realize in time along with everypony else how truly wonderful it is to be under my graceful wings."

He lifted her head up to lock in his deep gaze again. "As will you, my prize. Come! Your new, and better life awaits!"

Rarity shut her eyes in mournful resignation as she heard the sails unfold and felt the slight jostle of waves start to push the vessel out the bay. Megalos was right after all, her friends would not be coming. She had stupidly pushed them away, and for what? Some childish fantasy that she wouldn't even enjoy unless they were there with her? If anything, she was getting what she deserved. Trapped forever, a prisoner of love to one of the most evil ponies alive...alone.

"Goodbye girls...I only hope you can find happiness without me."

Suddenly, the ship lurched to a halt. Megalos tripped over the sudden jerk and Rarity swung her head towards a voice that called out, "It's not goodbye until we say so you stubborn frou-frou filly!"

A lasso of vines was roped around the stem of the ship, and pulling it on the edge of the pier, were Ponyville's resident rodeo champ and animal caretaker.

"Twilight! Pass me the Macintosh growing on mah left shoulder!" Applejack said through her teeth as she began to slide forward.

Twilight plucked a juicy orange-red apple from the bark hide that the cowpony's element produced and levitated it in front of her.

"No, that's the Jonathan, ah said the Macintosh! Sheesh, for a brainiac you sure don't know yer apples."

With a roll of her eyes, the bookish unicorn corrected her mistake and the farmer wrapped her front hooves around the floral rope in order to keep her grip as she opened her mouth and bit deep into fruit. A surge of power rippled through her muscles as she swallowed.

"HEAVE...HO!"

With a tug of titan-like brawn, she brought the ship crashing back into the dock in one swift motion.

"Macintoshs equal temporary super strength," Twilight footnoted to herself as she took a moment to write that down on a list from under her robe labeled 'Element of honesty apple powers' right under 'Golden Delicious = extra energy'.

Meanwhile, Pinkie Pie bounced up the tethered vine and cartwheeled up and over the side to lower the gangplank and Rainbow Dash rocketed over the masts tearing multiple holes through the sails.

"Not that it's a good time to say I told you so, but I told you so!"

KNIGHTS. DISPOSE OF THE INTERLOPERS.

A dozen or so of black and gold armored stallions soon joined the two current guards on deck. The four pegasi among them immediately took to the air after Rainbow Dash while the remaining divided themselves into trying to catch the bouncing pink clown and barring the way for the other three mares and dragon.

"Twi, now pass me the Jonathan," Applejack said. As she chewed away, her hooves shuffled and jittered in anticipation to the approaching guards. With a gulp, she barreled up the walkway at an incredible speed, knocking anypony in front of her over the side and into the water.

'Jonathan = super speed**' Twilight wrote.

Sliding around on a pair of roller skates, Pinkie weaved and spun as the soldiers flopped and collided with each other trying to restrain her.

"Missed me! Not even close! Oh, wow. You guys really stink at playing tag!"

As more guards came from the hold to even the odds, Spike snuck his way under the legs of many to reach his fair maiden in distress.

"Spike! You're...you're all here," Rarity barely spoke above a whisper.

"Of course! Now don't you worry, hun! I'll have you out of this in no time!" And he zealously went to work doing what he did best, eating gems.

"My hero," Rarity playfully crooned as he freed one of her legs, and she gave Spike a quick peck on the forehead. Spike scratched his cheek, blushing fervently.

"Tis nothing my lad-AIEE!"

A burst of magic sent the little dragon wheeling back. The floor stop spinning for him just long enough for him to catch a glimpse of a gold encrusted hoof banging his skull to the planks.

"Keep your filthy, substandard scales off my property," came the low growl of the herald.

"I am nopony's item! Especially not yours."

Megalos turned to see the the seething unicorn grinding her teeth, a fire in her eyes. "And you...have just made the gravest mistake ever in assaulting my little Spikey-wikey."

*Crack*

"IT."

*Crackle*

"IS."

*SNAP*

"ON!!!"

All Tartaurus broke loose as Rarity burst out of her confinements in a manner that only be compared to Twilight's bursting into flames temperamental spasm. The shattered shards regrouped and molded to form a glittering prism rapier and swung to her side as she plunged down on her adversary in pure rage. Megalos Tyrant answered swiftly, shaping an ethereal sword of his own with his shimmering aura of power.

Another two soldiers went over the railing as Applejack delivered a cracking buck. "Land sakes, ah know this is a pretty big ship and all, but how many fighters does this prince need?"

"I never mentioned that Corralica has the third largest military force in the entire world to date did I?" Twilight said as she and Fluttershy backed their flanks against their friend as a squad of fifteen boxed them in.

"Ohmygoodness, Ohmygoodness." The timid pegasus looked left and right so many times trying to find a way out. "Um...mister guards? I know you're doing your jobs in trying to stop and, uh, possibly hurt us. But, umm, would it be too much to ask that you let us go?"

Twilight was also looking for an opening to escape, and found it by spying a the main mast's boom ten meters above them. "Applejack, quick. Lasso the rigging above us."

Applejack borrowed a couple vines off Fluttershy's element ensemble once again, as she hooked the wooden support Twilight prepped her horn and held on to Fluttershy's back. "Reel us in!"

In but a half a second, Fluttershy had hoisted the three of them upwards and Twilight fired her magic right at the spot were they had been standing. Without warning, the wood around the guards began to warp and open, and they all soon lost footing and fell into the lower decks.

*Whew* "That was close."

"Duck!"

"Um, actually Applejack, those waterfowl perched there are pelicans."

"No, Fluttershy. Ah mean-"

"Outta the way!"

Rainbow Dash could not bank enough at the speed she was going and next thing anyone knew, there was a huge pony wrecking ball swinging around the mast.

"WooAAAAOooaaAAAooooH!"

The pursuing pegasi could not slow down enough in time either, and were soon knocked clean out of the air. The impact also caused Fluttershy to inadvertently loosen her vines' grip, and the four tumbled down right in the direction of Rarity and Megalos' duel. Oh, and Pinkie Pie stood in the way of the trajectory just for the fun of being included of bowling over the stallion.

Crashing against a set of crates, Megalos felt the ponypile come crashing down, as well as his capacity for this interference.

ENOUGH.

The throng of mares was flung aside at the sheer ambiance of his voice. They landed around Rarity in a disorganized heap. Rainbow Dash was the first to try and stand back up, and was also the first to suddenly feel an invisible weight pressing down on her as Megalos spoke again.

NO. STAY DOWN.

"AGH!" Rainbow's legs finally buckled as her belly became well acquainted with the floor. "W-what's going on? My whole body feels like lead!"

"Ascendancy magic," Twilight realized in apprehension. "His power is in his words."

"Ooh, I bet he's never lost a single game of Simon Says hooves down!" Pinkie figured.

Megalos Tyrant leisurely paced himself to the disabled group. "Now do you see? The futility of it all? Going against the will of the grandest being to ever walk Equestria?"

He gave a quick glance to each of his new captures. "It is either my way, or my way. Friendship is no match for my prepotence. Harmony, like everything else, will submit to my discretion."

He then grasped Rarity by the chin as he brought her in close. "And you...now belong...to me."

"RAAAGH!"

Spike leapt out of hiding from behind her and latched himself right onto the stallion's face. Blinded and muffled, Megalos thrashed about trying to dislodge his bold assailant as his clung on for dear life. "Leave...Rari...ty...alone!" the dragon enunciated as he was swung every which way.

With a glow from his horn, Megalos finally zapped him off against the foremast. His shadow mounted over Spike as his horn began to charge. "Subspecies scum! It's time an example was made out of you!"

"Oh Reeeegal~"

The herald of arrogance turned abruptly to have a gob of amorphous crystal come into contact with his muzzle. Rarity grinned as she hardened her placid minerals over it. "Put a gem sock in it."

"Mmmmph! MRRRGH! MRRRRN!" He clutched and struggled with the diamond gag, but to no avail. His eyes then widened as he saw the other mares start to stand up once again.

"Consider this the first smudge on your flawless slate of social transactions," she continued as she began to glow a bright rainbow aura along with her friends. "You have been officially dumped!"

The light of harmony lashed out in a powerful beam, sending the alicorn rocketing off the ship and into the bay with a smothered scream followed by a deafening splash.

After a few passing moments, Rarity finally let out her building anxiety in a relieved sigh along with the rest of the group.

"Well, that's that," Applejack said, dusting off her hooves. "'nother herald beat and sent packin'. Nice split second thinkin' there Rarity."

"Yeah, that was so awesome! The way you stuffed your gems down that big pie hole of his, got him shut up and free us! And the look on his half frozen face when we blasted him...priceless!" Rainbow Dash laughed, but soon fell silent when she realized that Rarity had not spoken a word in return, and was instead gazing at them all intensely with a blank expression.

"You all came for me," she flatly said at last.

"Of course we did," Fluttershy replied sweetly.

"But why?"

"So we could save you of course," Spike said as if it were the most obvious statement in the history of statements."Like I was going to let some vile follower of an evil god whisk you away."

"No, I mean, why? After everything I did, everything I said. How could possibly find it in your hearts to approach me like you still cared?"

"Because we do care," Twilight stated. "You were right, Rarity. We should have been happy for you, and we were. Even if it meant we couldn't see each other as much we would like, you still deserved our support becuase that's what you would give us. That's why we came in the first place, to let you know that if this was what you wanted, then we would let you follow your dream without a heavy heart weighing against any of us."

"Yeah! I mean what kind of friends would we be if we didn't throw you a proper going away party? And it's a good thing we decided to do that too, because then we never would have found out that Regie was one of those six meanies until it was waaaaay too late and now we can have a 'you're not moving away after all' party and that will be so much fun because not going away which means you can make us all those pretty dresses, coin up that extra bit for when Dashie forgets her wallet at the restaurant or when Fluttershy needs that extra cherry at the market, get those moonstones that my sister Limestone likes so much before my family reunion, aaaaaaaand cook us her famous triple berry garden herb quiche on every third Wednesday of the month!"

"It's like you said you said before, give a little back. And your happiness really is our happiness."

Rarity's eyes watered as she lifted a hoof to steady her quivering lips. She dramatically burst out with open forelegs leaning against the closest pony in reach. "Ohhhhhhh...Celestia be praised! I truly have the most wonderful, most admirable, most beautiful, precious, and compassionate friends in the entire universe! I am blessed! Blessed beyond a million four leaf clovers!"

Applejack gave her head a slight shake to herself as she straightened her overly grateful friend off her shoulder with a small grin. "Well, ya may not have lucked out with royalty yet again, but at least ya'll always be our drama queen."

And they shared a little laugh, right up until the ship began to rock violently. With a unanimous silent agreement to make for terra firma, they all galloped off the ship with Rarity's cat carrier and Spike on their backs just in time to watch the boat splinter and shatter down the middle of the hull. A displeased and scowling alicorn flew up through the sinking wreckage, his crown slightly dented and unconscious guards in tow with his magic.

YOU HAVE BUT DELAYED THE INEVITABLE, MY RARITY. NO ONE DENIES ME WHAT I WANT.

And with that, he flew off with his attendants and disappeared into the sunset, leaving behind nothing but an excessively gleaming gold trail and a vow of return.

NO ONE!

Dear Princess Celestia,

Today I learned that the goals you have in life, while sometimes self serving, can never truly be gratifying if you have it all alone. Dreams and fantasies existed to be shared with others, so they can enjoy them just as much as you yourself would, and perhaps help you achieve it as well. And above all else, simply being there to support another's ambition is a fulfillment in life itself. After all, their happiness is your happiness, and vice versa.

Yours truly,

Rarity

"Ta daaaaa~" sang Rarity as she unfurled the bluish green bejeweled jumper in front of her canary colored spa partner. "Happy belated birthday, Fluttershy!"

"Oh, it's lovely," Fluttershy replied. "Is that real silk I'm feeling?"

"But of course! I know it cost a little extra, but it was the least I could do after everything that's happened this past week."

"That's okay." Fluttershy squeezed her figure into the short sleeved dress. "We already told you we forgive you for missing out on being with us."

"Even so, I want to dedicate this entire next week to doing what you all want, no exceptions! Speaking of, we should be moving along soon if we're going to make this month's rescheduled book club meeting!"

"Okay, get give me a moment to finish watering my ferns." Fluttershy trotted across her living room to fetch her canteen as she continued to admire her new outfit. "Oh, and these dew pearls really add to the silky texture."

"Oh yes, it was quite a chore getting them out of those orchids, even with Blossomforth's help, but I just knew it would be worth it to see the elation on your face."

Fluttershy's head poked out of the closet in alarm. "Y-you got these pearls from orchids?"

"Uh, yes. Is...something wrong?"

"Oh...oh dear."

"Fluttershy? Did I make a mistake? Is something wrong with the gift?"

"Oh, oh! No, no. It's lovely. I-I really mean it. The pearls compliment this perfectly. It's...just uh, that..."

Rarity nearly fainted as large blotchy purple spots began to appear all over the pegasus' face.

"I'm allergic to orchids."

**keep away from Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie

Episode listings WARNING MAJOR SPOILERS

Author's Note: Seeing as that summer is over and my studies are dragging my time out a lot. I will not be able to crank out episodes as fast as I want. Just to keep you interested while you wait, I will provide the season's upcoming synopsis' to help your patience and anticipation.

HOWEVER, for those of you that would rather wait patiently for the full package, I tell you now, ignore this section now and leave.

Episode 6
A garden va-rivalry:
A massive super store has set up shop in Ponyville, and is threatening to put every farmer out of business, including Applejack. Though stubborn in her ways, Applejack soon becomes desperate to get customers back with a strange fertilizer offered to her by an even stranger pony. The more she uses it however, the more she seems to be changing...along with her apples. And on another note, will anypony be able to endure Pinkie's newest fad, ventriloquism?

Episode 7
Nightmare on Maple Road:
The denizens of Ponyville are suddenly plagued by night after night of horrible dreams. And after a week of sleeplessness, the good nature of the residents starts to take a turn downhill. Twilight and the others are clueless to find the cause of this phenomenon, until Twilight decides to try a spell that will allow them to enter another's dreams. Getting in each other's heads is easy, but when they find out who's behind it, they will find getting out will be next to impossible.

Episode 8
The candy crave:
Pinkie Pie has become hooked on this strange candy nopony has ever heard about called Crav-zee bars. It's her breakfast, lunch and dinner! Her friends at first consider this just another Pinkie phase, but when Pinkie starts pawning off her party supplies just to buy more from her unknown supplier, they begin to worry there's more to these strange snacks than just sugar...

Episode 9
Abra Catastrophe(THIS is the main reason why I had to include the alternate universe tag. Consider this my own version of Magic Duel):
Trixie returns! And while it seems her ego is still starved for humble pie, she apparently seems to have the skills to back her claims this time. After some cajoling by her friends, Twilight reluctantly agrees to answer Trixie's challenge in a contest of magic. To her surprise, and everypony else's as well, she is not only bested, she is creamed in every event! A startling turn of events that get Twilight thinking that maybe she's not the most worthy candidate to wield the element of magic after all.

Episode 10
Griffon another chance:
Twilight, Rainbow Dash, and Pinkie Pie accompany Princess Celestia on a goodwill mission to the Griffon highlands in order to settle a mounting series of territory disputes. Upon arrival, Rainbow Dash reacquaints herself with a former friend, and unless the two of them can reconcile long enough to stop a conspiracy against both nation rulers, Equestria may soon be facing one of the biggest wars in over a millennium.

Episode 11
Royally Screwed:
Meanwhile, Princess Luna is tasked with managing the royal court on her own for the very first time! Rarity, Applejack, Fluttershy, and Spike stick around to help, but each one of them as their own idea on how to handle palace affairs. Add a dash of mischievous Philomena to the mix, stir together with several feuding houses, topped off with the temptations of the heralds of fear and doubt, and you've got a five-star recipe for the biggest royal Canterlot mental breakdown in the history of Equestria!

Episode 12
Reflections:
Picture Perfect, big time romance movie producer and host of this year's Miss Equestria beauty competition has come to Ponyville to hold a preliminary for the role of Miss Ponyville. Naturally, Rarity convinces the others to participate with her. However, between the unusual vanity mirrors provided to each contestant, tempers flaring and mudslinging amongst even the closest of mares, and Picture Perfect's elusive assistant popping in and out at the most strangest of times, there's something awfully peculiar going on in this competition...

Episode 13
Ditzy Dilemma:
Cloudsdale High is having their school reunion, with honorary alumni Spitfire as VIP speaker no less. As self volunteered president of this year's homecoming committee, Rainbow Dash is more than certain she can make this night perfect for her idol and get in good with the Wonderbolts, until she finds out who else joined the committee...Ditzy Doo.

Episode 14
Holding out for a hero:
The mysterious mare-do-well is back? But none of the mane six are posing as her, so who is she? Whoever she is, she seems to bear a rather heavy grudge against those who previously took up her mantle. And the others soon find themselves as Ponyville's most hated when the masked vigilante starts saving the town from disasters she ends up pinning them on! Tempers flare, old wounds reopen, and startling revelations will be visited as the elements of harmony investigate this new savior and find out their 'hero' stunt may have ended up affecting more than just Rainbow Dash.

Episode 15
Speak your mind:
Miss Fortune has decided to give a little gift to the ponies of Ponyville, her ability to read others thoughts. And everything that goes on in their heads isn't always nice. If the elements of harmony can't find a way to get rid of her 'blessing', or at least teach Ponyville to control their thoughts, there might not be a single friendly pony left within days.

Episode 16
Lightning Strikes Twice:
A mystery armored mare has arrived on the scene, claiming to be Fury's new apprentice. And her targets, the Wonderbolts, are taking the fall one after another. Rainbow Dash wants nothing more than to pay this pony back tenfold for hospitalizing her idols, but following the eye for eye policy just might mean playing right into Fury's hooves.

Episode 17
The night the moon stood still:
Twilight wakes up to find herself in a world where her friends don't know each other, a world where Nightmare Moon won, a world where she never existed. How did she get here? Can she get back to her own world? And will she be able to reunite the elements even though they want nothing to do with her?

Episode 18
To walk in another's hooves:
The elements of harmony catch wind of Miss Fortune's plot to repiece the 'vanity' mirror and ambush her, only to fall into her trap and wake up in each other's bodies. Can they find a way to get back to normal before their clashing lifestyles tear each other apart?

Episode 19
Times are a Changeling:
The elements of Harmony receive a distress call from the wastelands to the far south. There is a problem with answering the call though, the messenger is a changeling hatching claiming the hive has been enslaved by...ponies? Twilight is in no mindset to believe a thing any changeling says, and neither is her brother Shining, who happens to have received the same cry for help. Cadence is a bit wary and the other elements are skeptical at best with the exception of Fluttershy. Will the element of Kindness' benefit of a doubt lead to a race's salvation? Or is this yet another trap by the most deceitful civilization in all of Equestria?

Episode 20
High seas Hijinks:
Zecora has received a letter calling her back to her homeland for a ceremonial duty performed once every generation, and the elements of Harmony are going to be accompanying her! The journey across the sea, however, will be more eventful than they anticipate courtesy of three certain stowaways and a band of shellfish pirates.

Episode 21
Heart of the Serengeneigh:
The ponies have arrived in Zecora's homeland, Savannaca, and are welcomed as guests under her name. But things are done very differently in this land, and when the mares end up ruining the festivities by trying to make things 'sensible', Zecora must take the blame and is ostracized from her clan. According to her fillyhood friends Grazelle and Giraft, the only way they can redeem her is if they inoculate themselves into the tribe by taking the trials of kin, by seeking out the heart of the Serengeneigh. And there's a certain herald of envy that is not about to make it easy for them.

Episode 22
The little mermare:
A trip to the beach soon turns into a tale of drama, romance, and suspense when Fluttershy is swept under the waves and spirited to a lost city under the ocean. Can she and her captor, prince Atoll, solve the mystery of his lost sister and clear a decade long misunderstanding before ancient wounds are reopened? It might be difficult with her friends adding to the confusion along with the return of a certain pirate crew.

Episode 23
Before the fall, part 1:
On the way back to Equestria, Sweetie Belle comes down with a sickness that will only get worse if they stay in open waters. Fortunately, an inhabited landmass comes into view where they can rest and resupply. Unfortunately, it turns out to be the kingdom of a particular antagonist. Now holding them as prisoners of the Corralican crown, Megalos Tyrant is willing to grant them proper sanctuary, on one condition...

Episode 24
Before the fall, part 2:
With Rarity as his new queen, the herald of arrogance has given the rest of her vassals the finest hospitality available along with high positions of importance. Will the elements of harmony be brainwashed into becoming Megalos' dutiful peons? Is Corralica really the stable paradise the ruler believes he has made it? Perhaps a little sibling bond is all that will be needed to solve their problems, including Regal's.

Episode 25
The wind at your back, part 1:
An old nemesis of Fury's as finally been hunted down and seeks shelter in Ponyville. He beseeches the elements of harmony for help, and the element of loyalty is more than happy to oblige. But things began to get complicated when a band of elk warriors come gunning for the stallion as well. They don't appear to allied with Fury, in fact they're at odds with him too. So why are they after Rainbow's new charge? Just who is the real villain here?

Episode 26
The wind at your back, part 2:
Fury's broken history of betrayal and abandonment finally comes into light, and Rainbow Dash could not be more determined to free the herald from the chains of anger that bind him. The situation only gets more dire though, when both of them find their elements stolen and misused. If Rainbow Dash can't get through to Fury Cross, it just might be the end of them both.

Episode 27
Misery needs company, part 1:
Pinkie Pie is in a bit of a party funk, and with Heartwarming Eve so close too! So when Miserain appears before her, offering to take away her sadness so that she will smile forever, how can the pink pony say no? After all, being happy all the time couldn't possibly be bad...right?

Episode 28
Misery needs company, part 2:
Miserain's true form is exposed, and the remaining heralds have left her to rot. Alone and abandoned deep in the Foggy bottom bog, she cannot control the element of sorrow anymore. A storm unlike any other begins to brew around Ponyville, and only Pinkie can delve into the broken glass that is her memories and fix it.

Episode 29
Leap of faith, part 1:
Miss Fortune has brought to light a centuries long loan to the Equestrian bureaucracy, and the closest living debtor that the invoice must be shifted to...is Applejack. If she can't find a way to scape up a million bits by the end of the month, she can kiss Sweet Apple Acres goodbye.

Episode 30
Leap of faith, part 2:
As Ponyville's new Baroness, Miss Fortune has full control over every property in the area. And she utilizes her power in an attempt to convert the elements of harmony to her ideology of thinking. But the game of politics may prove too great of a challenge for even the all-knowing herald of doubt to overcome as she soon finds herself with enemies on every side. Can Applejack save her from becoming a pariah on death row? And more importantly, does she even want to help her if her punishment means getting rid of another of Ruinate's minions and solving all the problems she's caused for her farm?

Episode 31
Flutter and the beast, part 1:
Fluttershy comes across a mysterious egg with no caretaker for it. Being the motherly figure she is, she takes it upon herself to hatch and raise whatever is inside. What she doesn't know though, is that this egg was stolen from Tartarus by Terror Bell, and the creature inside can only bring pain to those who care for it.

Episode 32
Flutter and the beast, part 2:
The herald of fear is out of control. Having taken the essence of Tartarus' flames directly into his element, he has transformed into a ravenous demon with only goal, proving Fluttershy wrong, a monster does not deserve love. But why is he so adamant to try and push her away? A melding of souls will give the timid pegasus the courage to find out and the avatar of fear the strength to face what he fears the most.

Episode 33
Share the magic, part 1:
Forsworn Oath is the last remaining herald, but that does not matter, now that she has finally perfected her spell siphons. Now, not even the princesses themselves will be able to resist her draining their powers. Which is exactly what she makes a beeline for. Upon confronting Celestia, a startling truth will be revealed to Twilight, a truth that will force her to never see her mentor or nemesis the same way again.

Episode 34
Share the magic, part 2:
Celestia's pleas for forgiveness go unheeded, and the herald of envy proceeds to take everything that Twilight holds precious to her. But Twilight will not give up on trying to get Forsworn Oath to be thankful for what she has, for they have more in common than the herald is willing to admit. Meanwhile, Ruinate pays a small visit to a certain wayward creation of his to collect his due.

Episode 35
The elements of tolerance, part 1:
Ruinate's heralds have all been turned, and he cannot hide anymore. Not that he wants to, for he claims his ultimate plan has finally come to fruition. Twilight and her friends finally corner him in the smoldering wreckage of Canterlot castle, but when they try to use the elements of harmony, he is seemingly unaffected. Why do the elements no longer have any power? What has Ruinate done to Equestria? A return visit to their hometown provides the answers for the six mares in the worst way possible.

Episode 36
The elements of empathy, part 2:
Ruinate has won. The land is devastated, the princesses are now puppets for him to command, and the elements of harmony are powerless, for friendship no longer exists in the hearts of any living creature, only hatred. Broken and empty, the six mares can do nothing but lie in their beds, and wait for the end. It will take a miracle now to bring back their power, a miracle that will come from six of the most unlikely of allies.

Episode 37
The elements of empathy, part 3:
Ruinate just doesn't know when to quit. Immersed in his own strife and miasma, he is willing to destroy both himself and Equestria just to be rid of friendship once and for all! The elements may be back at full power, but all they seem to be doing is fueling his rage. The hatred is just too strong to be destroyed, so what can be done? What can the ponies do to end this history of hate?

Growing Pains

The bell rang for the daily three o' clock stampede out of Ponyville elementary, and leading the herd was the spunky orange pegasus filly Scootaloo. Breaking away from the crowd at the school gates, she pulled out her scooter and wagon that made up the ever proud Crusadermobile. She looked back towards the schoolhouse at her fellow Cutie Mark Crusaders who were only halfway down the path, rocking her handlebars back and forth with a grin of glee.

"Come on girls! We gotta move it!"

"What's the big hurry Scootaloo?" Sweetie Belle asked. "You have something big planned for today?"

"The biggest!" Scootaloo fished a rolled up flyer from under her helmet and unfurled it for her two friends to see. "Rad Moves' skate park! It's been under construction for over a year, and now it's finally going to open up, today! And we're going to be first in line to show off our awesome moves there! We're going to be Cutie Mark Crusaders extreme skateboarders!"

Sweetie gave a slight frown of nervousness. "Sounds like it could hurt."

"Cain't be as painful as when we tried ta be Cutie Mark Crusader bungee jumpers," Applebloom said. "Ah'm in!"

They then looked at the last member to approve. "Okay...I guess I'm in too," Sweetie Belle finally relented. "But I get to pick what we crusade for next!"

"Fine by me," Scootaloo said as she began to buzz her wings while the others strapped themselves in. "But it'll have to wait until tomorrow, cause the skate park's just the beginning!"

"What else you got in mind for this afternoon?" her yellow-cream passenger called over the rushing wind as they rode off down the lane.

"It's half-off day for fillies and colts under 13 at the amusement park, remember?"

"Oh yeah...we were saving up our allowances for that," Sweetie piped up before pursing her lips in an 'o' in realization. "Uh, we need to stop my house first."

"Mine too," Applebloom said. "Ah fergot it was today."

"No prob, I and know what I'm going to go on first!"

"The Storm Bringer?" her two riders asked in unison.

"The Storm Bringer!" the driver answered triumphantly.

"Scoots, you try to get on that ride every time we go there!" Applebloom complained. "And you always get the same turnout, 'yer too little ta ride'!"

"Not this time, AB. I've got a foolproof plan!"

Sweetie gave Applebloom a look that said 'and we all know exactly how those go', and Applebloom silently nodded.

"Anything else on the Ite-iten...er... any other plans?"

"Just saving the best for last!" Scootaloo swung to the side as the Crusadermobile skidded to a halt outside the large concrete compound. "I'm heading to Rainbow Dash's house for flying lessons! She's taking a day off, just for me!!"

She squealed as she bounced off her ride, gushing all the way to the rental center as the other two hopped after her with infected enthusiasm. "I'mfinallygoingtohavesometimewithRainbowDashandsoonI'llbeflyingwithherandeverythingand-"

"Hey hey hey."

The trio of fillies crashed into an outstretched hoof from a brown shaggy-maned, teal pegasus with freckles and a neat cyclops shades. "Hold up there little dudettes, where do you think you're going?"

"Inta the skate park o' course!" Applebloom chimed. "We're gonna be-"

"CUTIE MARK CRUSADER EXTREME SKATEBOARDERS!! YAY!"

"More like, nay girls. I'm always psyched to see new hot doggers ready to grind the rails, but I think you might want to take a gander at that sign there first."

The three fillies turned in sync to the board he was pointing to labeled SAFETY REGULATIONS:

NO FOOD OR DRINK IN THE PARK
HELMETS AND PADS MUST BE WORN AT ALL TIMES
....
....
NO CHILDREN UNDER THIRTEEN ADMITTED WITHOUT ADULT SUPERVISION

"Awwwwwwwww...." they chorused.

My Little Pony, My Little Pony

Ahh, ahh, ahh, ahhh…

(My Little Pony)

I used to wonder what friendship could be

Until you all shared its magic with me

Big adventure

Tons of fun

A beautiful heart

Faithful and strong

Sharing kindness

It's an easy feat

And magic makes it all complete

You have my little ponies

Do you know you're all my very best friends?

Growing Pains

"Cheer up Scoots. Ah'm sure ma sis will be glad to take us some other time," Applebloom tried to comfort the pouting pegasus as they approached the amusement park on the edge of town.

"It won't be the same," she argued. "Anyways, forget it. You all got your money ready?"

"All set!" Sweetie Belle toted a tiny purse her big sister had made for her that was nearly bursting with bits.

"Yup!" Applebloom procured an equally bulging makeshift satchel made from an old hoofkerchief.

Scootaloo hefted her heavier than usual schoolbag, and when they reached the ticket booth, they all poured the bits in a messy pile in front of the cucumber green earth pony. Her sigh gave the implications that this wasn't the first time today she would have to spend counting up the change from a clutter of coins and broke off three one day passes from the reel next to her and passed them to the bouncing fillies.

"First up, the Storm Bringer!" Scootaloo declared proudly as they raced inside the park, and stopped in front of a long line to a colossal roller coaster that seemed to bend and pass through several small thunderclouds.

"Soooo, what's yer big plan to meet the height requirement?" Applebloom asked.

Scootaloo fished through her bag, and pulled out a large bottle of hair gel. "This!"

Dabbing heavily into the goo and plastering her hair, the little filly's mane was a tall column that nearly doubled her height in a matter of moments. "Pretty slick, huh?"

Applebloom did her best not to giggle while Sweetie Belle simply covered her eyes in embarrassment. "That's not going to work Scootaloo."

"Says you! Just you watch. And when it does work, I have enough for you two to join me."

Not a chance. Rarity will have a fit if she sees me with a hairdo like that.

And give ma big sis and brother one more thing to have a good tease at? I don't think so.

Scootaloo marched right up to the ride operator when her turn came, and confidently leaned her head against the height check board. Her hair just barely touched the red line. "Yes!"

The dark goldenrod unicorn operator did not look amused. He pulled out a long ruling stick and stuck it to the top of her hair.

"H-hey! W-what are you doing?!"

He firmly pressed down.

"N-NO! Wait! Stop! Don't do that!"

The matted, gelled tuffs sank below the red line.

"Noooooooooooo!"

The operator let a tiny bemused smile crack from his lips as he gently nudged the dismayed filly out of the line. "Nice try, kiddo. It was at least better than your stilts attempt last year. Now why don't you run along and find something more safety appropriate for someone your size, like the spinning teacups?"

She grumpily scuffled back to her two friends, one looking smug, the other sympathetic.

"We told ya it wouldn't work Scoots."

"Shut up! It was worth a shot! And besides, the teacups are for babies!"

"Hey! I like the teacups!" Sweetie Belle squeaked.

Applebloom led the trio away from the ride and towards a concession stand. "Aw, don't fret none, Scoots. Come on, ah got some extra bits. Ah'll buy ya a candy apple!"

Scootaloo didn't speak a word until after they had sat down with a treat in each of their hooves.

"If only I were older..." she finally muttered.

Sweetie looked to her friend with a puzzled expression. "But, if you were older, you wouldn't have been able to get that discount today."

The little pegasus bit sourly into her apple. "What good is a discount if all the cool rides are off limits?"

Buzzing out of the park, Scootaloo's mood soon improved as she caught the flowing rainbow fountain of her all-time hero's cloud house in her sights.

"Well, the amusement park may have been a bust, but this is more than gonna make up for everything today!"

"That's the spirit, Scoots! Law of averages says you gotta luck out sooner or later!"

"Yeah! And we'll be here to cheer you on too!"

Applebloom and Sweetie Belle clapped their hooves together. "CUTIE MARK CRUSADER CHEERLEADERS! YAY!"

"RAINBOW DAAAASH!" Scootaloo called out in an equally loud voice as she parked under the shadow of the house.

A rainbow maned, cyan head poked out of the window with a huge grin. "Heya squirt! Ready for your most awesome day ever?"

"You know it!" Scootaloo quivered in glee as the greatest pegasus ever swooped out of the window and gave a quick loop de loop to the ground with a ten point landing.

"Oh, oh! Before I forget! I made these for you!" she poke her head into her backpack and returned with some aluminum tipped coverings filled with cotton on the inside.

Applebloom and Sweetie Belle were at a lost to figuring out what those things were, but any pegasus worth their weight in feathers could tell what this was supposed to be.

"Wing guards?" Rainbow Dash guessed as she felt the soft insides compared to the shiny sleek outsides.

"Yeah! Took me two whole weeks in arts and crafts to finish, but I'd knew it'd blow you away!" Scootaloo gave a huge grin expectantly, and Dash knew what she had to do next.

With a small smile of resignation, she slid her wings into the homemade gear. It was surprisingly comfortable and warm, though would probably last only three to five flights maximum given the materials weren't professionally refined for high altitudes. But still, it did look kinda cool, especially with that rainbow racing stripe painted on the edges.

"Heh, pretty good for a first time, squirt. You may have a future in this."

Scootaloo's pearly whites nearly took up her entire face.

"Now then, first things first. Let's see what you already know. Flap for me."

Rainbow watched with an unusual dignified calm as her trainee buzzed her wings harder than ever before. Her back arched as she went six inches off the ground, then fell back down.

"Wow! That's your highest yet!" cheered Sweetie Belle.

"Well you certainly got your thrust down," Rainbow said with cool demeanor. "But you're moving too much with your wings and not enough with your legs."

"Huh? You need your legs to fly?"

"Of course! Think of your legs like a set of weights. How're you going to move forward or turn if you don't shift them the right way?" She then pulled one of Scootaloo's wings out to full length and continued as she inspected it. "However, given your wing growth, I wouldn't recommend trying to work both at the same time. Let's start you off with some glides. There's a nice hill right over there where we can-"

"Captain!"

Rainbow looked up to see her light green-blue haired sub-captain descend upon her training session. "'Sup, Raindrops? How's it hanging?"

Her teammate regarded her nonchalant greeting with concern. "No time for small talk, you're needed back at the station."

"What? Oh, come on! It's my day off! I actually filled the correct forms and everything myself for once!"

"And no one is more appreciative of that than me, but there's a huge thunderhead brewing up south, and the chances of a tornado forming are 80%, we need a team organized to take that thing out asap!"

"So grab the squad and do it, you're the mare in charge when I'm not."

"You know I have courier duties on Fridays. I can't afford to lead a hours long weather mission when Ditzy needs all the help she can get during the express rush."

"I'm surprised you two still have that job after last spring's incident."

That earned a very nasty look from Raindrops as she crossed her forelegs.

"Uh, nevermind. Fine, what about Thunderlane?"

"Sick in bed with the pega-pox."

"Again?! Geez, when is that guy gonna get over his fear of needles and take his shots like everypony else? Ok, Cloudkicker?"

"You know she cracks under pressure, that's why she never opted for that promotion. Besides, it's gotta be you, Captain."

"Why? What's so special about this particular stormcloud?"

"This particular stormcloud is raining fireballs."

Rainbow Dash's mouth went agape at Raindrops last sentence, then clamped up as she narrowed her eyes in grim determination. "Fury..."

She shot up to Raindrops level in the blink of an eye. "Ok, run a message to the station, I need teams Arcus and Blue Watch to meet me at the low pressure zone 15 clicks southwest from here while everypony else remains on high alert. Oh, and if Doppler's in today, get him to authorize a wind sheer overlimit protocol, we may need to bypass a few safety rules if we want to get rid of this in time, and that'll save us some paperwork."

"Hey!" Rainbow Dash and Raindrops turned their heads to a slightly panicky orange filly. "What about my lesson?"

Rainbow Dash scratched her brow, hating to dump Scootaloo like this. But if she didn't the ponies of Ponyville could end up in serious danger, her included. "Uh...sorry squirt. It's an emergency. You know, part of my job as an element of harmony and all that. I'll make it up to you later. I promise!"

But Scootaloo didn't want it to be later. It was always later, and then later still! Her mind clawed in desperation for a way to stay with her hero a little longer. "T-then let me come with you! Maybe I can help!"

Her foalish exclamation was met by a very disapproving stare from the yellow pegasus. "No offense kid, but this is a grown mare's job. Just don't worry your pretty little head over it, keep playing with your friends, and let the adults sweat the hard stuff."

And with that, the two adults were gone, leaving the trio of fillies all alone with nothing but a whispering breeze to keep them company.

Applebloom and Sweetie Belle looked worriedly at their crestfallen friend. The silence between them was deafening.

Sweetie Belle finally broke the tension. "Uh, Scootaloo?" She bit her lip as her friend looked up with a glum face. "Are you okay?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah...I'll be fine," she murmured halfheartedly.

"Hey, I know what'll cheer you up! S'more crusading! With all the bad luck you got today, there's gotta be some good luck waiting for you now! Like getting your cutie mark!"

"Uh, yeah!" Sweetie tried to match Applebloom's enthusiasm. "I'll even let you even have my turn next! We can do what you want, like...um...rock climbing!"

"CUTIE MARK CRUSADER ROCK CLIMBERS! YAY!"

But Scootaloo didn't cheer.

"Cutie mark crusader rock climbers?" the two tried again.

"Uh, no thanks. I kinda don't feel like crusading anymore today." Scootaloo unhitched her scooter and wheeled it off by her side as she walked off. "You two can go ahead without me. See ya tomorrow..."

Scootaloo kicked some pebbles aside as she trudged along the dirt path in Whitetail woods.

"This stinks..." She felt raindrops start to fall on her as she continued on. Scootaloo figured it was runoff from the storm Rainbow Dash left her to fend off. "Of course. Rain...just kick a pony while she's down why don't you?"

Propping her scooter against the cover of a large maple. She sat down by the trunk to try and wait it out. After a while, she took a moment to view her surroundings. Shrubbery lay all around, giving the grove of spruces and hickories more foliage. Beyond a pair of bushes right next to the maple she was under was a small pond, where she caught a glimpse of her reflection. Walking over to the edge of the water, she looked closer at the filly staring back at her over the rippling surface. The young, tiny, and unimportant filly who couldn't do anything. Scowling deeply, she smacked the water, distorting the image with a splash. Everything that had gone wrong today was the result of one simple fact.

"I hate being a kid."

"And why do bear such feelings to your youth?"

Scootaloo jumped. Turning behind her she saw the source of the sombre voice. An indigo, chrome covered pegasus stood next to her in the rain. The drops slid down her emotionless black glass mask in a way as if she was crying.

"Who are you?" Scootaloo asked, somewhat surprised and somewhat agitated that somepony had snuck up on her and listened in on her grumbling.

"Just a kindred soul...that was drawn by your sadness."

"I'm not sad!" Scootaloo belted out defensively. But the unmoving gaze of the stranger's lapis lens finally made her relent after awhile. "Fine. I am sad. It's just...nothing went my way today, and it's all because I'm a filly."

She looked back at her reflection again and sighed. "A tiny, good for nothing filly. If I were an adult, I wouldn't have any of these problems."

"Is being a child truly such a suffering endeavor?" her mysterious companion asked as her reflection became visible as well.

"Are you kidding me? It's the worst! When you're a little kid...when you're just a child..."

Scootaloo looked to the rainy sky as she open her mouth and let loose her feelings with all her heart.

"When you're a little filly, no one takes you seriously at all.
They say you're just not old enough, you're too young and too small.
What good is being little if you can't do anything?
Why can't I help? Why can't I try? Why can't I spread my wings?

She leapt up onto a large rock outcropping the pond, raising her levitation as she continued while the wind rustled through her hair.

"If only I were grown up, how awesome that would be!
I'd show the world and everyone the wonder that is me!
I'd fly so high and clear these skies, leaving not a speck of grey.
And I'd be with her all the time...if only I was grown up right away!"

"Would being a grown up really bring an end to your troubles? Would it truly make you happy?"

"Of course!" Scootaloo answered her audience. "Do you know what I could do if I was an adult?"

"I'd fly over the highest mountain, brave the fiercest storm.
I'd face against the impossible, feats no one's dared perform.
And I'd kick back on adult delights when the day's all through and done.
No age limit, no kiddy rides, just cool and awesome fun!

I wish I was a grown up, then life would be so great!
No one would tell me what to do, I'd master my own fate!
No obstacle would be too huge, I'd prove myself and how!
I don't care what fillyhood brings...I wanna be a grown up now!"

She stomped her hoof in totality, and then gazed down at her reflection once more. "If only there was a way."

"Perhaps there is."

Scootaloo's head perked up at the statement, and her mouth opened wide to see her company standing in front of her...on the surface of the water.

"How...how are you doing that?"

She did not answer her, but instead touched the crystal emblem embedded in her chest that was shaped like a cracked heart. A sliver of liquid procured from it and hardened into a teardrop shaped diamond. She held the gem in front of the little filly.

"This is the Tear of Covet. It has the power to grant the deepest and most longing of aspirations, but only if the yearning is deemed worthy."

Scootaloo's mind brimmed with questions to this mysterious gift she was presented with, as she held it in her hooves, only the biggest and most important one was able to leave her lips. "How can I make it worthy?"

Her unknown acquaintance slowly skated over the ripples, graceful as a swan, her voice echoing in a beautiful but solemn tune.

"Pray. Open your heart.
Let your desires flow into the tear.
Wish. Let the jewel in.
Let it embrace the feelings you hold dear.

Give it your hope. Give it your dreams.
Wish with all your might, and deserving it'll deem."

Scootaloo held the jewel tightly to her chest. She closed her eyes and thought of nothing but what she wanted.

"Wish."
"I wish I was a grown up."

"Wiiish."
"I wish I wish I wish I was a grown up."

"Wiiiiiiiish."
"More than anything in the world, the only thing that could make me happy, I wish I was a grown up!"

A warm sensation started to ebb from the tear, it wormed it's way into Scootaloo's chest. Her head started to feel light, and then...everything went white, then dark.

"Awaken."

Scootaloo blearily lifted her eyelids. Why was she sprawled out on the ground? Did she pass out?

"What...happened?" Her second word ended with a hint of surprise. A deeper voice she did not recognize was coming from her mouth.

"The Covet has found your wish worth granting. I welcome you to your new life."

Eyes suddenly wide, Scootaloo was up on her hooves. She was now at eye level with her glass plated stranger. Rushing over to the pond, she looked down at her reflection and gasped. Looking back at her was not the tiny underdeveloped filly she had always seen, but a tall, fully grown, orange pegasus mare, her round face now longer with her purplish mane outgrown and extending down to her neck. She turned to look down at her longer legs, and then up to her larger and well-toned body, stopping at her wings. Her wings! Her long, beautiful wings brimming with streamlined feathers!

"I'm...I'm a grown up."

She flapped her wings, and to her delight, she found herself moving up...and staying there!

"I...I can fly!"

She looked back to her new friend, who she now thought was the greatest mare in the world...next to Rainbow Dash of course.

"Thank you! Thank you so much!"

"I did nothing but provide you the window. Now go. Realize the certainties of your dream."

Scootaloo spun upwards breaking through the blanket of gray and into the clear open blue yonder, her voice crescendoing into a uproar of unbridled joy.

"Now I am a grown up! There's nothing I can't do!
I'll soar the skies with wondrous speeds, and earn my cutie mark too!
And best of all, I'll be with her! And with her I will stay!
Never again will I be blue...cause I'm a grown up todaaaaaaaaaay!!~"

The giddy mare streaked off, leaving an orange aftertrail behind, all the while the stranger continued to stand under the rain, which now shrunk and consolidated around her alone.

She sighed. "Such joy that comes with actually grasping the illusion of a fantasy, it will only make the inevitable despair that much greater."

"Umph! Come on, Sweetie! We're almost at the top!"

Applebloom groped another outcropping as she and Sweetie Belle continued up the small rocky wall of a sheer hill at the edge of Sweet Apple Acres orchard.

"Um, Applebloom? I know it's a little late to say this, but don't we need ropes or something for this?"

"Naw, that's only for the big cliffs. Besides, the extra challenge will be sure to give us our cutie marks!"

"But...what if we fall?"

"We won't! Just...don't look down and we won't."

Unfortunately, Applebloom was not destined to get a cute mark in child psychology, because Sweetie Belle did just that. It was a pretty small cliff, granted. But to a non-pegasus filly, ten feet up can seem the same as a hundred.

"A-a-applebloom..." Sweetie Belle clutched her friend's hind leg tightly. "I'm looking down!"

"Woaaah. Easy Sweetie, don't panic or ah'm gonna lose mah-"

The clump of soil Applebloom was clutching gave away, and the pair were free-falling towards the mud below, screaming their heads off. But as soon as the screaming started, it stopped as the two fillies suddenly found themselves scooped into the air by a set of steady orange hooves.

"Nice spill. But I don't think you guys want mud diving cutie marks."

"Huh?" Applebloom looked up at the spunky pegasus who saved them. "W-who are you?"

"Yeah, that's what I said when I looked at my reflection two minutes ago."

Sweetie Belle squinted at the beaming face, then her eyes shot wide open. "Scootaloo?"

The smiled widened. "The new and improved grown up Scootaloo to be exact!" she added with a wink.

Her two friends then began to babble excitedly as she settled down on the top of the hill near a lone apple tree. When their speech finally managed to become coherent, Applebloom asked, "How? How'dya become like this?"

"I met this really awesome pony in the woods, and she gave this magic crystal that could grant my wish, and bam! I'm all coolified up!"

"That crystal?" Sweetie Belle pointed to a tear shaped gem that was embedded into Scootaloo's chest.

She looked down at it with a slight curiosity. "Hey, yeah. That's it. I was wondering where it went after I made that wish."

"Ooh! ooh! Do you have yer cutie mark now that you're grown up?" Applebloom asked energetically as she sneaked a peek at her grown friend's flank.

Blank.

"Not yet, I guess. I wished to be grown up, not get a cutie mark." Scootaloo easily dismissed it. "Not to worry though. With this awesome adult body, I'll be sure to have mine by the end of the day, tops! There's so much I've been wanting to try that I can do now!"

"Whatcha gonna do first?" Sweetie asked.

"It's obvious, ain't it?" Scootaloo cracked her forehooves as she stretched her beautiful wings. "There's a big storm going on south of Ponyville that Rainbow Dash and her team need help fighting, and there's a certain radical orange mare who gonna come and save the day!"

Her two companions cheered as she sped off to meet her destiny.

"You go Scootaloo!"

"Yeah, Scoots! Go get'im...ah nuts!"

"What is it Applebloom?"

"Ah fergot to ask Scoots where ah could find this pony. Ah wanted one of them crystals too."

Rainbow Dash weaved and ducked as best as she could from one pegasus to the next. Between the wind, sleet, and inconceivably, fire, they were holding the line. But they weren't making any progress in dispelling the squall. And every minute that storm prolonged itself was a minute closer to it evolving into an even more devastating tornado.

She directed her attention to a pink, brown maned mare holding a barricade against the winds for the rest of the squads along with two blond stallions, one pale green and one pale yellow. They were being forced back.

"Airheart! You're losing windspeed, you gotta push back harder!"

"I...I can't!" she groaned. A sudden burst of air was all it took to send the three flying.

"Parasol! Get Merry May and Lightning Bolt, and regroup with Airheart's band to reinforce the blockade. Brolly, Drizzle, you're with me on cloudbreaking! Keep your wings slanted up!"

The trio of yellow, green, and white dove to fetch their companions, while a nervous blue maned stallion and a light purple mare took to Rainbow's left and right respectively. Arching above the thunderhead, they skimmed towards the edge in a slicing formation. The cut was clean and definite as a huge chunk broke off when they passed by, but when Drizzle looked back and gasped, Rainbow Dash somehow knew it wasn't as effective as they thought.

"Captain! The piece is trying to reconnect!"

Rainbow Dash looked to where she was pointing and saw the broken clump stretching like a tendril towards it's larger portion. "Punch it away!" She belted quickly.

Brolly was the first to react, but when he went in between to push it aside, he was socked backwards into Drizzle from behind. "C-captain! It punched me back!"

Curse you Fury, how are you doing this?!

A groan and a roar from black bubbling supercells below drew her focus to a large funnel beginning to swirl. "Dizzy Twister! Dust Devil! Anti-circumforce pattern! Now!"

The two tornado cutie-marked pegasi whizzed around in the opposite direction of the growing column's flow as fast as they could while Rainbow continued to bash and buck as much cloud away as she could. After finally managing to clear a large hole in the storm, she gleaned at the action below the clouds.

Even with the two best tornado chasers on the team leading the charge, the funnel was still growing closer to the ground. She was ready to rally her reserves to back them up when she noticed a large lump near the eye swelling up. The two mares working around the column were too busy to see it, but Rainbow could tell, the bulge was positioning itself directly at the flight pattern of the pair.

Rainbow lunged out as fast as she could with speed just short of a rainboom, just as the growth exploded into a massive bolt of lightning. The two cancelers finally gazed up in the direction of the boom, too late to get out of the way of their own. Dash was faster though. Shoving herself into the windstream, she pulled the ash colored mare out of the way just in time. The arcing electricity hotly grazed her wings as she spun away with her teammate in hoof. Briefly looking to the side, Rainbow Dash caught a charred outline on silver covering her wings.

Heh. Came in handier than I thought.

"Dizzy! Where's Dizzy!"

Rainbow's mind went into sudden overdrive at her passenger's outburst. Frantically turning her head everywhich way, the weather captain finally caught a glimpse of the rose maned, pastel orange pony unconsciously plummeting to the ground, her wings completely scorched.

"No!"

She was about to let go of her still flight capable companion to save her non-flight capable one, when another blur of orange intercepted the falling pegasus. The streak of orange curved upwards, riding the wind, and a purple maned, orange pegasus appeared out of the tangerine aftertrail, her comatose rescuee safely in her hooves.

There was something about this mare that seemed familiar, but Dash couldn't place her hoof on it.

"Don't worry Rainbow Dash, I've got your back!"

Yep, definitely something familiar. That energetic voice, that spunky smile, that bare flank-

Wait, BARE FLANK!?

Rainbow Dash's wings almost froze in mid-air as her eyes bugged out. "Squirt?!"

"Can't exactly call me that now, can ya?" Scootaloo said with a smirk.

"But...I- How-?"

Thunder cracked in the background as funnel touched down.

"We can talk later. For now, it's time for action! You ready to rock this storm?!"

Dash's mind continued to race for a few moments, but looking at her number one fan's confident smile slowly pushed the jumbled thoughts aside, and in no time she matched it with a grin of her own.

"Let's blow it away!"

Passing Dizzy Twister to Dust Devil, Scootaloo and Rainbow Dash sped off and hovered near the roaring tower of flame and lightning beginning to churn the ground below.

"Shoot. This is what I was hoping to avoid. Stopping a thunderstorm is one thing, but a tornado is near impossible!"

"Awesome pegasi like us eat impossible for breakfast though, right?"

"It's not that easy. Once a tornado touches down, it uses the ground as an anchor to keep the winds stable and the clouds above to keep the flow strong. Running a cyclone the opposite way with our current numbers would only slow it down, not break it."

"...What if we made it faster instead?"

"Huh?"

"Remember that airshow we saw two months back? Misty, Silver Lining, and Fleetfoot did that huge vacuum trick that sucked up all the clouds and squeezed them into a ton of waterbursts?"

"THE WHISTLING WIND WHIRLPOOL!" they shouted together.

"Yeah! If we can't break this storm, we'll just burn it out! Nice thinking Scootaloo!"

Tensing her wings, she gripped her partner's hoof tightly. "We'll need to be in the eye to pull this off. That means breaking the wind wall. You ready?"

"Grown ready!"

The two corkscrewed into the onslaught of gales and disappeared behind the walls. The rest of the weather squadrons were gradually being able to approach the center of the storm as the winds shut off around the outside to intensify the destructive capabilities of the tornado. They finally halted in a encircled formation around the traveling funnel.

"What do we do now?"

"We can't break a tornado."

"Where's the captain?"

"Hey, wait, shouldn't the sky be darker?"

They all looked upwards at the strange phenomenon going on above them. The large black blanket was shrinking inward to the eye. The vortex was swirling so fast and furious that the team was forced to pull back aways to prevent being sucked in. After a minute the huge array of dark clouds had diminished to the rim of the tornado, and still the winds circled even faster. As the last of the grey and black matter circled the drain of the whirling winds, the cyclone began to sway. It spluttered and coughed for more fuel, but all it could breathe now was empty air. Unsightly seams began to rip along the once indomitable bulwark of wind and debris as it rippled, leaking streams of rainwater. The wobbling and teetering grew more intense with each gasp the now dying maelstrom emitted. Until finally, the instability became too great. The remaining winds refused to hold each other together any longer and scattered harmlessly around.

Scootaloo and Rainbow Dash hovered in air above the squad. Their bodies soaked from the cloud density, but their cocky grins said it all.

"Mission accomplished!"

In no time at all, the two were hoisted by their backsides by every pegagus in the area as they cheered and whooped for the two.

"I still don't know how you got to be this way, but I ain't complaining! You're one heck of a partner, squirt!"

"Partner? Me? Omigoshomigoshomigosh!" Scootaloo gushed all the way as they were carried back towards Ponyville to celebrate.

It's just as knew it would be, being grown up is the most awesomest thing ever!!

The morning sun peeked into the windowsill of Ponyville's latest housing addition, a small, one roomed cloud house just on the edge of whitetail woods. It's simple, domed shaped appearance made it seem more of tent than a house, and the unsmoothed lumps made it seem not much more different than a regular cloud. Still, it was home to Ponyville's newest 'independent' mare.

Scootaloo rubbed her eyes groggily. What a party it was last night. When Pinkie Pie found out the second guest of honor at the 'Rainbow Dash and team saved Ponyville from Fury's tornado' party was her, she threw a second party there on the spot, a 'congratulations you're all grown up now Scootaloo' party. And then came all the missed birthday parties Pinkie felt she had to make up for.

The Cakes still didn't know how she was able to find four times the capacity of buttercream in their larder.

Twilight seemed to be the only damper to the celebration. She kept trying to analyze Scootaloo and the gem in her chest. 'There's no such magic that can permanently make a foal an adult, it shouldn't exist!' she kept saying. She finally gave up after an hour of no results and left the party early to try and read up on this Tear of Covet.

But enough about last night, what mattered was here and now. Today was going to be Scootaloo's first morning as a grown pegasus. There were so many plans she had for the day! And she probably would be more giddy about it if it weren't for the fact that she had enjoyed the adult privilege of no set bedtime a little too much.

"Unnngh...is this why grown-ups like coffee so much?" she said to herself as she crawled out of her fluffy sheets. Her room wasn't much, just a bed and a table, but she'd get more furniture and space later. After munching on last night's leftover cake(cake for breakfast? But of course! Grown-ups could eat whatever they want, whenever they want!), the buzz of sugar turned that tired frown into a perky grin.

Flapping out the door(boy did she love being able to fly now), she stood on the porch steps waiting for you-know-who to arrive. She didn't have to wait long. Rainbow Dash zoomed by and looped the building once before settling above her.

"Morning squi-I mean Scootaloo. All psyched for your first day on the job?"

"You bet, Rainbow Dash! It's gonna be so awesome that...that I'm gonna run out of awesomes to say!"

As Rainbow began to lead her grown up fan towards her new job site, she gave a quick look back at the unfurnished cloud house. "You made that yourself too?"

"Just like you did!" Scootaloo chimed. "Only worked on it for about an hour before I tuckered in, but I'll add to it later! Plus, the location is so choice!"

"Yeah, it certainly is." Rainbow looked at the surrounding area below. It was a pretty prime spot to build a cloud house. Not too far from the outskirts for easy access to the town, while still out of the way enough to keep most of the noise out, especially from Vinyl's night club. Easy commute, excellent view...now that she thought about it, why hadn't she built her house in this zoning area? There was...something about this airspace that...completely escaped her mind. Ah, well. Maybe it'll come to her later. For now it was time to show the rookie the ropes.

Cloudsdale. For any other pegasus it would have just been a ordinary, bustling city like any other in Equestria. But for Scootaloo, it was a majestic wonderland. An immense metropolis of clouds, shaped in beautiful designs and breathtaking houses, each one different. Even the businesses were uniquely tailored to their owner's tastes. Immense rivers of rainbows and crystal clear water cascaded down fountains of every height. The gigantic areodome where every pegasus proved themselves in annual competitions towered to her left, decorated with ionic pillars against a grand archway. The lighter than air feeling that came with every bounce she took on the outer tufts of the city limits where her hero grew up in. All her life she had wanted to see the capital of the pegasi, her capital, her roots, and now she was here! On her own two wings!

But why was she here? Rainbow Dash only came here for contests, airshows, and the occasional cloud pickup. She didn't live here anymore. Not that living here wouldn't be the coolest thing ever! Rolling around in a place where even the streets were cushiony, and so many cool colors and shapes that one could be relieved of boredom just by watching the city for days.

Rainbow Dash didn't lead her companion that far in when they stopped in front of a large pillared complex with about a dozen fountains and stacks that puffed out mist and cloudy puffs. A lilac pegasus with a hot pink mane and bubblegum streak greeted them at the gates.

"Morning, Rainbow. Is that her?"

"Yeah, Scootaloo, this is Starsong. She's the director for weather factory #12. She's going to be your supervisor."

Scootaloo looked at Rainbow Dash with surprised disappointment. "Huh? I'm working here? But I thought I was gonna be on your weather team."

"Sorry, Scoots. Ponyville's weather patrol is already overstaffed. I could try and ask the board for an exception, but then it'll probably go into a mountain of paperwork involving budgeting, redistributing work areas, and a ton of blabbity blah that I barely understand that will more than likely end up with the answer still being no."

She then quickly addressed the growing discouragement on Scootaloo's face with an energetic motion of her hooves to the factory doors. "But hey! I was able pull some favors and get you a job here. I mean, I only direct the weather, you get to make it! Plus, you're actually getting a higher pay cut than me!"

"Than I, Dash," her factory friend corrected.

"But I wanted to work with you..." Scootaloo said, somewhat dejectedly.

Rainbow Dash gave the less energetic mare a comforting smile along with a little noogie. "Hey, don't sweat it. It's just for the job. We can hang right after work, just you and me, that cool?"

Scootaloo didn't answer for a minute, but then she gave her best smile possible and nodded at Dash. "Alright, can we try a round of thunder tag this afternoon?"

"You bet! Hopefully you'll be better than my last partner." And with that the two pegasi high hoofed and parted ways. Rainbow heading back to her patrol route, and Scootaloo being lead in by Starsong.

The rhythmic clinking and pumping of machines swam in Scootaloo's ears as she watched devices of all sorts pour, mix, press, and roll out clouds of all kinds as she walked by in her white worker's uniform and helmet. Fascination filled her eyes, looking at the various buttons, cranks and levers pulled, pushed, and turned by her fellow workers. Some were even kneading the clouds like dough as rain was poured in. All this cool equipment, maybe Rainbow was right. This job would be a blast! And there were so many ways she could think of earning her cutie mark here too. She especially hoped she would get to work one of the charging stations that was loading the clouds with lightning bolts. And when she was done, she'd rush on over to Rainbow's place for some wicked neat adventures!

"This way," Starsong directed the new recruit pass all the equipment and into a long corridor of offices. As they entered the one second from the right, Scootaloo blinked. Were they still in the same building? There were no large vats of rainbows or massive cloud making machines here, just a bunch of desks with maps and graphs all over the walls. It looked like she was back in Cheerilee's geography lesson.

"You can hang your coat and helmet here," she continued, pulling a small rack from the side of the doorway.

"What is this place?" Scootaloo asked.

"Forecast department. Here's where we assign where everything goes." Starsong brought her to a corner desk next to a huge map with a ton of funny lines and symbols over it. "You're lucky you started today, it's the start of a high pressure week. You'll be able to ease into the filing system at a leisurely pace."

She opened a cabinet and looked through some folders before pulling one out. "Ah, good. The Los Pegasus weekly chart is ready. You can start with that."

She placed the stack of papers in front of Scootaloo, who looked down at it like she had just gotten extra homework. She wasn't too far off in her opinion when she asked, "What am I supposed to do with these?"

"Take a look at the conditions, match requests and adjust inventory and factory budgets accordingly, and allocate the resources along with the weather teams lists for the next week's weather in the area."

Before Scootaloo could comment on her supervisor's explanation. A large knock came from the office door followed by yellow-orange stallion walking in. "Uh, boss? Nimbos is having a bit of a problem with the repairs on the blue pipeline for station #3, can you give us a hoof?"

"No sweat. Oh, and Scootaloo? If you need anything, just ask Silver Script or April Showers." She pointed to two other ponies working the papers at their respective desks, one a teal-green mare and the other a royal purple, gray maned stallion, who both gave a small wave when mentioned before resuming their work.

All Scootaloo could do was keep looking at the papers in front of her as her boss left. This was her job? Filling out weather orders? And all these numbers and charts...it was like she was back in math class.

Well, alright. I guess I could try and do this. Nothing ventured, nothing gained right? I mean, I'm pretty much deciding when and where it rains. Can't be more boring than school, right?

Ugh, this was soooooooo BORING!! And it was so much harder than any math she knew.

Half of these symbols on the map she couldn't make heads or tails of, not to mention the words on the forms were so complicated and dragged out the issue.

'humidity level increase by 2.09...300 cubic liters...altostratus...' Agh! Why can't they just say, 'we need these many clouds, here, here, and here'?

She looked to her two co-workers. Maybe she should ask for help? No, that would be embarrassing on her first day. She could figure it out, she just had to....to....

Oh forget it. You know what? Just 'yes' to all. She scribbled and hoofprinted the approval sections on all the forms and stuffed them back in the folder. There. All demands satisfied. Everypony's happy.

She then opened the file cabinet across from her desk to put the folder back, and gawked at the numerous others stuffed inside that still needed to be filled out.

I can't do this all day! I'm on the verge of wigging out from just one of these! There's gotta be something else I can do here!

Fate answered her pleas when a cool gray pegasus with a fuzzy and shiny indigo and lavender mane and tail burst in.

"Hey Peppermint," April greeted as she looked up to the newcomer. "Bringing in another snowflake count update?"

"Actually, April, I was hoping you had some extra time on hoof. Snow Catcher got his leg caught in the cooling unit and has to take sick leave. We need someone to fill his remaining quota for the day."

"Sorry, I've only made it halfway through the Colton files. Won't be done until-"

"I got nothing else to work on, I'll do it!"

A trio of heads turned to the zealous orange mare waving her hoof frantically.

"Okay, you ever worked in snowcraft before?"

"Oh, sure. I'm the snow champ back home," Scootaloo bragged, recalling how every winter, she always came out on top during the snowball fights at recess.

"Okay, grab your coat, and let's get you stationed. Hopefully Northern Lights has a spare condensing rod since Snowy broke his in the process....boy that's another one coming out of his paycheck.

Yes! No more stuffy paperwork offices for her! Now she could do some real work and make some real weather! Scootaloo was so excited at the prospects before her, it had completely slipped her mind to ask what a condensing rod was and why she would need one.

The temperature seemed to drop fifty degrees as Scootaloo entered the winter weather section. She eagerly accepted a pair of earmuffs and scarf Peppermint Crunch passed to her.

"Alright, you're going to be operating here." She led her to a large table beside a long convertor belt-like tube. There was a small glass hatch on the tube's side. Flipping a switch on the small console on the table, Peppermint slid the hatch open as a cold and wet stream of air began to flow through the clear pipe.

She stuck her hoof in for a second, then smiled to Scootaloo as she twisted a knob to the number 5. "All set. Cutting tools are in blue box to the left, your condensing rod is over there, and the remaining quota count is 178. Make sure to check off the log when finished."

Scootaloo looked blankly to the workstation before her. "Um...what do I do again?"

"I thought you said you had experience with making snowflakes?"

"Uh, yeah! But that was years ago," the orange mare lied. "I think I may need a refresher?"

Peppermint raised an eyebrow, but didn't regard it any further. "Alright, stick the rod in tube to collect the water into ice crystals. The knobs here control the rate of flow and water density which affect crystal size and shape. Then take your tools and cut the formed crystals into flakes. The examiner device on the wall next to your station can check if it's an acceptable piece when you're done. If it passes, place it in the green cooling bin where we'll empty the contents into cold storage for next winter. Fail, and toss it into the red one, where it'll be recycled for more material."

Peppermint demonstrated as she stuck the rod into the hatch opening, and pulled it out a minute later with a small six pointed crystal on the end of it. Placing it on the table, she opened the blue box and took out one of the many different knives, scissors, and other splicing knick-knacks and proceeded to trace and carve over the crystal with delicate precision. When she was done, she held up a glistening snowflake, which she placed on a small dish over a machine that shone a light over it. The machine beeped pleasantly as its green bulb blinked, and she deposited the finished work into the small green freezer at the end of the workstation.

Seems simple enough. "Ok, I got it! Thanks!"

Peppermint nodded to her before trotting off. "Oh, and remember the three absolutes in snowflakes. Symmetrical, hexagonal, and unique."

Scootaloo rubbed her hooves together as grinned with glee at the tools before her. Yeah! I'm gonna make the coolest snowflakes in the history of snowflakes! I'll bet I earn my cutie mark after only my first three! This is so much funner than that boring stuffy paperwork!

*BZZZZZT*

The machine buzzed it's red light again as it spat the crooked flake on Scootaloo's nose.

"Oh come on! That was my best one yet!" She banged her head against the table and looked at the huge mess of broken crystals that made up the steadily growing reject pile.

Not a single one had passed since she began.

So much for this being funner...maybe if I set the power a little higher.

She turned the flow gauge to its maximum. Then, placing another sheet of ice she fished out on her table, she once again tried to cut it up as carefully as she could. After a numb inducing five minutes, she held up the pristine flake.

No bumps, no bends, no rough spots. This is it! This has to pass!

She held her breath as she placed her latest work under the tester. A green light beeped.

"Yes!"

*Bzt* *Bzt*

The red light flicked for a second as the words WARNING: NOT UNIQUE temporarily flashed in front of her.

Scootaloo stood rigid, and swore as best as an eight year old in a twenty-three year old's body could. "Are you kidding me?! I finally get one right and now you tell me somepony else already made one like this?!"

She jammed her rod back into the pipeline in frustration. There had to be an easier way to do this? What would Rainbow Dash do?

Wait.

Rainbow...

Her eyes lit up. Of course. Her snowflakes just needed to be unique now. What could possibly be more unique than a rainbow snowflake?

Glancing around to see in anypony was watching, she took her flake and tip-clopped away from her station towards the next room over. Pools of liquid rainbow could be seen all around. Each vat had a pegasus occasionally stirring it to keep the colors mixed. Grinning gleefully, she snuck up to the nearest one and gingerly dipped her hoof in it. She pulled out the crystalline artwork, now soaked in a seven color hue. It was beautiful.

Awesome, I don't know why anypony thought of this before!

Then it melted into a sticky residue of pigmentation.

Oops. Guess that's why.

"Hey! What are you doing?"

Scootaloo eyes widened at the approach of an orange, white maned stallion with four green gems for his cutie mark. "You can't stick your bare hooves in there! You're contaminating the entire tank!"

"Oh. Sorry! I-I'll just be going now-"

She took a step back, and slipped on some of the offspill. Sliding back uncontrollably, she crashed rumpside into the next worker over, pushing her in the pool.

"Abbppht! Help! It burns my eyes!" she screamed as she flailed in the colored water.

"Ack! Sorry! Let me help you!" She hovered over and yanked the disgruntled worker out. Too bad the fluid all over the other pony made her very slick to the touch, or she might have been able to hang on long enough to avoid dropping her on yet another pegasus carrying several cans of cloud dye.

"I got it!"

Scootaloo leapt up to catch the free-flying cans. One, two, three...she just had the last one and...*BAMF*. Ouch! Smack dab into one of the holding tanks! Scootaloo rubbed her head, and heard a large creaking noise.

Uh oh.

The tank was tipping! In a panic, she scrambled to the other side and pushed with all her might to steady it...just a teensy bit too hard.

Swinging the other way, the larger container collided with the one next to it, and that one hit the one afterwards. Scootaloo gaped in horror as the domino chain reaction released a torrent of color into the workstations. The workers tending to their vats only had time enough to look up before they were swept away by the river of rainbow. When the tide finally settled, the rainbow pools were now more like a rainbow swamp, a swamp filled with very peeved rainbow muck monsters all looking at Scootaloo.

"Uh...my bad?"

"What's going on in here?!"

Scootaloo's guilty grimace only furthered as Peppermint fluttered up to her. "What are you doing away from your station?"

"I...I just wanted to make my snowflakes cooler."

"Did you at least turn off your pipeline's valve before you left it unattended?"

A powdery explosion from the winter weather department answered the question for her. The two of them rushed in to find the entire floor in pandemonium as pegasi galloped to and fro trying to catch scattered snowflakes everywhere. The two of them marched up to her station, where a large hole in the tubing next to it had been the epicenter of the blast. Peppermint jerked the frozen over condensing rod from the open hatch, and glared at Scootaloo.

"You left the rod clogging the tubing while the flow was at maximum power! Did you not think something was going to happen with all that built up pressure?"

"Sorry?" was all she could squeak out.

Peppermint sighed as a large whistle blew throughout the complex. "You know what? It's lunch break. Just...just go out, get something to eat, and hopefully we can sort this out afterwards without anypony blowing their stack."

Scootaloo brooded as she walked the cloudy streets in search of a restaurant. Her first day as a grown-up certainly wasn't turning out like she thought it would. Half a factory demolished by her. Well, how was she supposed to know all those unwritten rules on workstation responsibility and safety? She was just a kid.

She stopped cold and shook her head hard. No! She wasn't a kid, she was an adult now! You can't keep thinking like this Scootaloo. That's why you got in trouble back there! And when I get back from lunch, I'm going to do the adult thing and apologize to everypony there and clean up my own mess! And then- oh! A Burger Wings!

She galloped into the fast-food establishment and skidded to a halt right in front of the counter. For the first time in her life, she didn't need to be hoisted up to see the menu overhead.

"Can I help you?" the peach stallion with the employee cap and uniform asked as Scootaloo checked her cash supply. 23 bits, that should be enough to hold her a few days until she got her first paycheck. Another perk of being a grown up. You could earn your own money to spend on your own.

"Yeah, I'll take the little wings combo number 2, please."

The stallion raised a surprised eyebrow at her request. "The...little wings combo?"

"That's right."

She got a weird look for half a second, but then the cashier just shrugged it off. "You get ponies of all kinds in this business, I guess."

Scootaloo watched in anticipation as the colorful red box was wrapped up and presented to her. Placing 4 bits on the counter, she nabbed it and proceeded to a nearby booth. As she opened it up and dug into her daisyburger, she fished around with her other hoof for the Wonderbolt card and figurine that came with it.

Nice! High Winds! I don't have her yet! Ooh, nice stats. They got her hair color a little off though.

Before she could critique the newest addition to her collection any further over the hayfries, an obnoxious laughter invaded her ears. Glancing up, she suddenly saw that almost every pony in the entire restaurant was looking at her strangely. The laughter, however, was coming from three jock stallions in weather factory coats at the other end of the room.

"Heh heh. Check it out. It's that noobie that blew up building 12."
"Is she seriously eating from the kiddie menu? Oh man, what a baby!"
"Hurr hurr hurr..."
"Oh, oh. I think she noticed us."

Scootaloo marched right over to supposed leader of the trio, a dark brown stallion with a large sandy fringe reaching to his eyes.

"Were you three just laughing at me now?"

"Well, what do you know boys? She's got a brain in there after all."

Scootaloo leaned her face in angrily as they had another laugh. "Just what is so funny?"

"Oh, nothing. It's just the fact that a grown mare who still plays with the toys that come in the foal size lunches is enough to split my sides."

"They're collectable action figures, what's wrong with that? They're cool!"

"Yeah, that's just the thing an eight-year-old would say. What a kid!"

"That's probably why she's still a blank flank there, eh Billy?"

Fire flashed through Scootaloo's eyes at the remark from the tannish orange pegasus on the left. So, even grown ups had bullies, huh? Good thing for her she was a A-rank bully stomper!

"Say that again! Call me blank flank one more time! I dare you!" She was almost nose to nose with the three now.

The brown one smugly smirked. "Really? You think I'm not afraid to hit a girl? I've tussled with Rainbow 'Crash' herself, y'know. It's no skin off my nose if you want that pretty face bruised."

"WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY?!" By now, everyone was focused on the escalating rage that was Scootaloo. "NOPONY INSULTS RAINBOW DASH IN FRONT ME! EVER! YOU TAKE THOSE WORDS BACK NOW!"

"What's it to you?" he retorted in return, seemly pleased he struck a nerve. "You her fillyfriend or something?"

"I bet she is. Makes perfect sense once you think about it."
"Hurr hurr hurr!"
"Yeah! Losers of a feather flock togeth-"

Passerbys on the cloudwalk quickly dispersed as shattered cloud glass decorated the area around where a brown stallion with a bloody nose landed with an orange mare pinning him down.

"YOU READY TO TAKE THAT BACK NOW?!" Scootaloo screamed. Her raised hoof was suddenly caught though by the large gray stallion of the three. The other one leglocked her forelegs and hoisted her up effortlessly as she struggled to get free.

The brown stallion got to his hooves and wiped the blood from his nose. "Hoops, Score. Hold that foal of dam steady for me!"

He walked up to the squirming mare and gave several hard punches into her soft underbelly. Scootaloo gasped in pain at each one. "Now then, how about you say you're sorry before things get any uglier?"

What these three didn't know, however, was that Scootaloo was used to odds like these. Whenever she tried to confront Diamond Tiara for something mean she said at recess, the snobby filly always managed to get the colts in her class to ponypile her instead while she got away. She learned to scrap her way out of that eventually. Compared to this, three jocks only a quarter of a pony taller than her were nothing.

With a quick snap of her jaws, she bit right into her attacker's nose. He cried out in surprised pain as his two compatriots loosened their grip in stunned surprise, giving her the chance to flip them both right on top of him. They didn't stay that way for long. In no time at all they were all up and circled around Scootaloo in a three pronged frontal. Each one trying to come in close for a hit when she turned back to hit another.

This kept up for several minutes as each of them accumulated bruises upon their various body parts. Then suddenly, Hoops nudged his friends and pointed down the street.

"Pull out, it's officer Crowd Control."

With a nod, the three broke off began to pussyhoof away. Scootaloo, oblivious to the situation, took the chance to pound them against the wall.

"Where do you think you three are going? You still haven't taken those words back!"

*PHEEEEEEEEWT*

Scootaloo suddenly found herself pinned to the ground and hoofcuffed by a large navy blue stallion in an officer's hat.

"For crying out loud, it's way too early in the day for domestic disturbance."

"Hey! What are you doing?!"

"The more you resist ma'am, the worse you're going to make it."

Scootaloo managed to pull her head up from the fluffy pavement just in time to see the jock trio flying off as inconspicuously as possible.

"Hey! No! Don't let them get away! They're the bad ponies! Arrest them! Arrest them!" she shrieked as she flailed against her bonds.

An electric joint then ran through her spine, and she passed out.

Scootaloo bleary opened her eyes to find herself in a large grayish holding room. The only things visible were a small hanging bench, a window too small to squeeze out that was the only source of light, and the large row of stratocumulus bars fencing her in.

Wait, BARS?!

Jumping upright and placing herself against the blackish-gray pillars holding her in, her eyes swiveled down the long dimly lit corridors to find matching rooms as far as she could see. I'm in a jail cell!?

No, no, no this wasn't right! Only bad ponies go to jail! Okay, maybe Cheerilee gave her a few detentions for some 'misconducts unbefitting a filly', but-but jails were for robbers, villains, and monsters! She was just a little kid!

No...I'm...not a kid...I'm a grown up now... she realized as she slumped back down away from the bars. She lay down on her hooves, trying her best not to tremble. "And grown up ponies...have grown up punishments..."

Was...was she going to spend the rest of her life here? Stuck in a cold and lonely little room forever just because she went a little out of control back there? She could feel her chest tighten in fear and her breath come in shorter intervals. Her blood then froze as she heard the sound of approaching hoofsteps.

Swiveling her head back to the cell door, she saw the same officer that had subdued her lumber up to the lock, fish through a long string of keys, and then slide the door open after he found the correct one.

"Alright, lass. Your pickup's here."

Scootaloo shakily took a step outside the cell, and saw Starsong waiting for her down the corridor leading to the entrance of the station. The orange mare quickly broke into a gallop towards her boss, and swung her forelegs around her tightly.

"Oh thank you, thank you, thank you! I so scared I was going to be in there forever! I mean, I wasn't really scared or anything, but didn't think anyone would-"

She was pushed abruptly from the hot pink pegasus' chest to a talkable distance from her, and was met with very stern and irritated eyes. "Scootaloo, would you mind telling me what exactly happened earlier this morning in my factory?"

Scootaloo's wave of relief ebbed with an onrush of guilt. "Oh, did Peppermint talk with you?"

"Not yet, but it's nice to hear you admit your involvement with that as well." She lead her out of the station while fishing in her coat pocket for something. By the time they reached the street corner, she pulled out folder and some papers.

"I just received a report from the Los Pegasus weather station, who got their delivery about an hour ago. Are you aware that your paperwork scheduled three monsoons and a hurricane there all on the same day?"

"What? But, I was just-"

"The San Palomino desert has turned into one gigantic mudball, and to make matters worse, the surplus you assigned emptied our warehouse for what was supposed to be reserved for Vanhoover's dry spell relief. Their crops are going to suffer because we don't have enough clouds left for the scheduled rainfall!"

"I-I was just trying to give everypony what they asked for."

"That doesn't mean checking every approval box on the sheets! Distribution, workforce, and available resources have to be factored in! Why didn't you at least add the resulting figures together and compare them with the factory's supply? Or at least double check the form with the other workers? It's almost like you didn't even finish elementary school with answers like these!"

Scootaloo's eyes averted her gaze as she winced at the irony of those words.

"Scootaloo..." Starsong's voice was low and heavy. "When Rainbow Dash came to me asking me to hire you, you had no credentials, resume, or list of applicable skills I could reference. This position was given to you solely on Rainbow's recommendation, that's how much I trust her judgement. So when you perform badly, it reflects on her credibility."

Scootaloo's heart sank at the bombshell that was dropped right before her. "What? But Rainbow's-"

"I know her well enough not to think that, but there are a lot of other ponies who don't, and she'll have a hard time moving up in the world if she has to appeal to those ponies with a damaged reputation. It's a horse eat horse world out there in the big leagues, no matter how much one hates to admit. Not every pony can live the dream when there's only so much room at the top."

Scootaloo didn't want to hear anymore, this was not like any scolding or lecture she ever received. She had often had talks about hurting other ponies feelings, or messing with stuff that wasn't hers. But...this seemed like something a simple apology couldn't fix. This was huge mistake.

A grown up mistake...

Starsong's features finally softened a little, but still held a firm, stern look. "You can go home for today. I can see you've been through enough. But tomorrow, we're going to have serious talk about work ethics and we'll see if you can keep this job after that."

Softly gliding back into Ponyville's outskirts, Scootaloo made a beeline for the Ponyville weather station. It was a rather small building compared to the massive cloud structures she had seen in Cloudsdale. Heck, the simple array of radio antenna used to communicate with the other stations on the roof made up about a third of its size. But considering it was the only commercial building aside from the airmail loading platform in the area that needed to be on a cloud, it could have been the size of a fruit stand and you still wouldn't be able to miss it.

Scootaloo pushed open the doors to the facility, trying to buck up the cheeriest face possible. If anything could make her feel better about this day, it would be practicing a few tricks and having some fun with Rainbow Dash.

That thought brought her back to Starsong's conversation. Her idol's reputation could have been hurt because of her today. She'd have to find a way to make it up to her, but how? She didn't really want to admit she messed up something Rainbow stuck her neck out for on the first day. This was a lot bigger than confessing she got nightmares from scary stories. She'd...probably find some way to ease into it while they hung out. Maybe Rainbow Dash, as cool and awesome as she was, made a few slips ups on her first day too.

Before Scootaloo could deliberate any further, she bumped into a mare charging out from behind the reception doors. She recognized her right away as the same pegasus who dragged Rainbow away for duty the other day.

"Ow! Oh, good. Are you the relief temp from Fillydelphia?"

"Uh, no. I'm...here to see Rainbow Dash?"

The yellowish mare sighed in stressed disappointment. "Ugh, another complaint. Don't worry. I promise our teams are doing everything we can to clear up the mess as quickly as possible. Just bear with it a little bit longer."

"Uh, what mess?"

"Oh, so you're not here to yell at us? Well that's a relief. Afraid the captain's not in right now. Apparently some rookie at the Cloudsdale factories screwed up a bunch of orders, including a flash flood to Los Pegasus. And the runoff is building up into a huge fog bank over Galloping Gorge. Almost everypony in the station has had to put in unwanted overtime to contain it!"

The air in the room seemed to grow five times heavier as Scootaloo continued to hear the implied accusations.

"Believe me, the last thing anypony here wanted is to work late on a Saturday. Captain seemed especially steamed. Kept saying something about being held up from hanging with her new wingmate or something. Boy, I tell you, if I ever find out who turned half the western coast into a disaster area I will personally-"

Raindrops paused to suddenly note that she was talking to empty space in front of her now.

"Huh. Guess whatever she wanted wasn't that important."

Scootaloo felt like she was six under despite being a mile high. Not only had she probably gotten Rainbow Dash in trouble for her trouble, but she had also caused her and so many other ponies extra work and aggravation.

No way she's going to be in the mood to hang when she gets done, not when she finds out it was because of me. Maybe I'll just go home and lie under the covers for the rest of the day.

She slowed up for a landing at her makeshift bachelorette pad...when a huge delivery truck being hauled by a pair of pegasi smashed right into it!

Scootaloo gaped at the messy remains of her 'house' as a gruff, unshaven brown stallion flew up from the fluffy, splintery wreckage.

"Hey lady! What's the big idea setting up shop in the middle of our delivery route?! Don't you know this is restricted airspace?"

"What? Restricted?"

"Don't tell you built this without even going to the zoning office first! They have laws against this kind of corner cutting you know!"

"I-I'm sorry. I didn't know-"

"Well, 'sorry' isn't going to get my carrier back in working condition in time to avoid late fees, now is it?" He pointed to the crumpled cargo bay where his two drivers were trying to reattach a bent wheel that kept popping off.

"Well, maybe I can help-"

"You wanna help? Beat it! I already have enough bumbling mares in the service that do nothing but get in the way, I certainly don't need another!"

Gulping at yet another unfortunate series of events she ended up involved in, she sank into the woods below. I can't even make my home without making a big mess of things...

She wanted to just curl up and sulk away all her failure right then and there as she touched the ground, and she almost did if she hadn't heard a series of voices coming not too far off. Creeping up to a large shrub near a clearing, she poked her head halfway up through the leaves to see a sight that made her want to laugh as loud as she could.

There, sitting with a ton of stamps and used envelopes stuck all over their bodies and overly sized mail caps covering them, were Sweetie Belle and Applebloom. Beside them with an equal amount of postage covering was a palish purple gray unicorn filly Scootaloo recognized as her classmate Dinky. Her mother sat next to her with her saddlebag and delivery cap on as she peeled a large half bit sailboat off her nose.

"Well, ah guess we can cross cutie mark crusader mailponies off the list," Applebloom said as she fussed with a rather stubborn stationary tangled in her mane.

"I actually thought we did pretty good today," Dinky said.

"We got yelled at by that big scary stallion fourteen times," Sweetie deadpanned, "and that was only at the sorting boxes."

"Exactly! That's a record low for momma!"

"Well, we still didn't get our cuties marks," Applebloom grumped.

"It was fun though wasn't it?" Dinky asked. "Especially when Sweetie got her tail stuck in that printing press."

"It wasn't fun for me," Sweetie said.

"But we all laughed at those photos that came out of it in the 'end' right?"

Dinky giggled, then Applebloom, and Sweetie relented too as Ditzy joined in.

"And you know what goes best after a good day's work? Some muffins!"

"Cutie mark crusader muffin eaters! YAY!" The pair cheered as Dinky bounced around her mother singing a cheery tune.

"Do you know the muffin mare?
The muffin mare~ The muffin mare~
Do you know the muffin mare?
She lives on Derpy Lane!"

After a few verses, the other two joined in the song, hopping and giggling around the bubbly mare as she fished through her sack.

"Banana Nut!" She passed the first one to Applebloom.
"Chocolate Chip!" Sweetie eagerly took that one.
"Blueberry for me and...orange cranberry!"

Scootaloo's mouth watered. Orange cranberry, her favorite flavor. And then her eyes began to water as well as she watched Dinky snatch it up and chomp into it merrily. Watching the three foals and the mare, her chest swelled in pain as her vision replaced the pale unicorn next to Applebloom and Sweetie Belle with a small, orange pegasus filly wiping the crumbs off her cheeks. Her vision was interrupted as a twig snapped under her hoof, and Sweetie turned towards the source of the noise. Their eyes met for but a second.

"Scoota-"

The figure in the bushes disappeared before another syllable could be uttered.

Galloping as fast she could, her breathing heavy, Scootaloo finally flopped down underneath a large maple, her eyes on the verge of leaking. Memories of fun, foalish adventures racing through her mind.

Fun she could never have again...because she was a grown up now. That's why Dinky was with them now, right? Because she couldn't be. She couldn't mess around and go crusading anymore because that was for kids. Burying her head in her hooves, she felt her left one touch a metal wheel. Looking up, she saw this was the exact same spot she had ended up yesterday, and laying right there was her scooter, which she had just remembered she left behind last time. It looked significantly smaller now and another painful though flashed through her mind as she came to that conclusion. Grimacing, she carefully tried to mount her favorite ride, but the standing platform was too narrow to fit her legs on. Straining for balance, she bent down to the handle bars to steady herself, but all the extra weight caused it to topple over to the side. She landed with a thud in the ground next to the edge of the pond. As she pulled herself up, the image of a disheveled and heartbroken mare looked back at her on the pond's surface.

"Nothing's changed...no, now it's even worse. I still don't have my cutie mark, I still can't hang with Rainbow Dash, I can't even ride my scooter anymore or be with my friends!"

Her eyelids finally gave way to the rush of tears that trickled down her cheeks.
"I can't do anything as a filly..."
The tiny stream edged down her neck.
"I can't do anything right as a grownup..."
A long drop broke off onto her chest.
"I'm...I'm...I'm worthless..."
And it touched the crystal embedded there, which suddenly started to glow with a bright intensity. Scootaloo suddenly broke away and stared at the jewel in surprise, which was suddenly starting to pour water out at an alarming rate. As more liquid oozed out, it started to spread around her body and gel.

"W-what's going on? What's happening!"

"The induction of the Covet's tear."

Thunder boomed as rain suddenly began to pour down. Scootaloo turned to see the strange chromed pegasus standing right behind her.

"What do you mean? What's that?"

With a sigh, lazuli lens gazed into Scootaloo's eyes with cold indifference. "The Tear of Covet is not just a stone. It is an egg. An egg for a magical creature known as a woebeghoul. They feed on sadness and misfortune, thus they incubate their eggs by granting their hosts with what they believe is true happiness."

She wistfully turned her head, staring off into the horizon as the condensing flood began to murken. "If only I were taller...prettier...richer...if only I was that instead of this. Such thoughts grasp at what they believe is an ideal, but is it really? There is a saying...the grass is always greener on the other side. When that side is reached, and you find that even there, your fantasy has not come true, it is then that you realize...that is all it is...a fantasy. And that realization gives birth to a great sadness. Such sadness...and when that sadness reaches it's peak, the being will mature and emerge in your carnation."

"W-what?" Scootaloo tried to struggle, to reach up and pull the tear out of her, but her body could not move against the growing gelatinous mass that was now up to her neck.

"Now rise, my new soldier of despair. It is time to spread your mournful feelings to everyone else...for my master Ruinate."

"EEEEEEEEEEK!"

Scootaloo jerked what little muscle control she had left towards the sound of the screech. There, standing paralyzed in fear, were Applebloom, Sweetie Belle, and Dinky.

"M-monster!"
"It's eating Scootaloo!"

"Guys! Help mff-!" The ooze reached her mouth and drowned her voice out as a massive tentacle shot out from the body beginning to take shape. It seized all three in one fell swoop. Uncontrollable tears flooded from Scootaloo's eyes as she watched the thing dangle the helpless fillies over her. Her friends were being hurt, and it was all because of her.

A cry of bravery rang out through the woods as Ditzy flew in towards the watery beast. But unfortunately, she had only manged to knock her daughter out of its grip when a second appendage struck out and grabbed her. Dinky fell to the ground and scrambled to her hooves, kicking newly formed mud up to her knees. She looked back in alarm as the woebeghoul approached.

"Mommy!"
"Run my muffin! Get help!"

Dinky sprinted off back towards the town as the creature slowly proceeded to pursue. Only Scootaloo's pupils remained above the surface as the monster continued to grow and take shape.
This never would have happened...if I didn't even exist...
That was the last coherent thought that passed through her as her mind grew hazy and her body sank underneath the sea of tears.

"Ugh, what a day."

Rainbow Dash lazily hovered over Ponyville feeling exhausted. Not because she had to do a fog cleanup all the way over in galloping gorge, she had that over with ten seconds flat(in her mind at least), but because she had looked over the town top to bottom twice over when she had gone to Cloudsdale and found out that Scootaloo had already gone back.

Where are you hiding squir-I mean, Scootaloo? Geez, it's gonna take me longer than I thought to outgrow that nickname.

She spotted Applejack by her apple stand chatting with Rarity and Twilight. Hey, she's always hanging out with AJ and Rarity's sisters. Maybe I can find her if I find them.

Swooping down with renewed vigor, she poked her head right between the two unicorns with a cheeky grin. "Heya, guys. What's happening?"

"Nothing much, just Rarity here trying to get a crazy idea of an apple beauty product in ma head thanks to Twilight here."

"All I just mentioned was that apples hold a large amount of B5 and B9 in combination with vitamin C, a key blend in anti-aging skin cream."

"Just think, Applejack. Your apples could appeal to a whole new clique of ponies. Oh, and of course, I would certainly be thrilled to be your first customer."

Applejack shook her head stubbornly as she gestured to a tray full of tarts and pies. "This is the fifteenth time ah'm gonna tell ya, Rarity. Apples are fer eating, not rubbin' all over yer coat!"

"Yeah, yeah. Hey, you pause talking shop for a sec? You know where your sisters are?"

Applejack adjusted her stetson as Rarity and Twilight moved aside for a customer. "Well, last ah saw of her, AB was going over ta CT's ta fetch a cup o' molasses fer granny."

"And I believe Sweetie Belle had a playdate today with Dinky."

"Come ta think of it," Applejack paused to hoof over her patron's change and three fritters, "They should be in the same place, what with Ditzy being roomies with her and whatnot."

A high shrill and squeaky scream pierced the market square as everypony's necks snapped in the direction of a frantic unicorn filly bounding across the cobblestones as much as her little legs could. As she careened towards the crowd of ponies, her hoof hit a crack in the ground as she tumbled into a roll straight at Applejack's stall. Luckily for her, there was an awesomely heroic pegasus there to catch her before she got her horn wedged in the planks.

"Oh, well whaddya know? Hey Dinks, how's it going?"

"M-monster! W-water! Aliveeatfriendshelprainruncomingsavemommyhelp!"

"Woah woah woah. Breathe there, little filly." Applejack ran a hoof across her back gently. "Now back up fer a moment an' start over slowly so's we can understand ya."

"Wasn't Sweetie Belle supposed to be with you?" Rarity then stood aghast as she glanced at Dinky's muddy hooves. "Oh don't tell me you all have been splashing in puddles again! She's already had two baths today!"

"Sweetie's in trouble!"

Rarity's fussbudget attitude quickly changed to worried. "What? Sweetie Belle? What happened? Is she hurt? Is-"

"Rarity? I think you're squeezing her a little too hard."

Rarity snapped out of her panic to find that she was nose to nose with the filly, her hooves firmly pressed against her cheeks and lifting her upwards. She gave Twilight a sheepish smile and settled Dinky down. "My apologies. But do be a dear and please tell us what's happened from the beginning?"

"Well, I got up this morning and went downstairs. Auntie Carrot Top was making her carrot cobbler for breakfast and-"

"Uh, Dinks? Fast forward a bit."

"Oh, okay. So me, Sweetie, and Applebloom had just gotten out of the post office and were enjoying some muffins mommy brought when-"

"The horror! The horror!"

Everypony's heads swiveled again to catch the flower trio fleeing from their shop, which was under attack by a towering behemoth seemingly made of water. Its large, amorphous torso rested upon a gushing column of water that foamed at the ground like a moving waterfall. Two pairs of muscular arms, the length of its body grasped their sticky spherical claws around the shop and effortlessly tore off a huge portion of the wall as the myriad of watery tentacles on it's back fished inside the opening. Lifting what was perhaps Daisy's entire stock of sunflowers, forget-me-nots, and petunias, over it's small, single, unblinking crystalline eye that belied its huge gaping maw similar to a cave opening, it let out a slithery, frothy roar.

As per usual, the trio's infectious panic soon spread to the entire town. With a rallied cry of hysteria, and a stampede of hooves, both heavy and light, the square was deserted within seconds with the exception of four mares and a filly by an apple stand. Two of which eyed a particular pair of tentacles holding flailing blobs of yellow and white in a wild panic.

"Applebloom!"
"Sweetie Belle!"

"HEEEEEELLLLP!!!" the filly pair chorused as a greyish set of hooves from a swaying appendage on the other end kept trying to swim over to the endangered couple.

"Mommy!" Dinky cried.

"What is that thing?!" Twilight exclaimed.

"Dunno, but in a few moments its gonna be toast!" Rainbow shot off at the monster, nimbly dodging the ballistic missiles of flora it hurled at her. With a one swift motion, she angled her wings and cut through the three hostage holding limbs like they were water, which in this case was more of a literal sense than metaphorical.

Drenched in salty liquid, a foal in each hoof and a wall eyed companion grasping her mane and inadvertently covering her own eyes, she came in for a one point landing back at the apple stand. Sweetie Belle and Applebloom were immediately snatched up in their sisters' hooves while Dinky pounced right on top of Ditzy and Rainbow.

"Mommy!"
"Oh, my little muffin!"
"AB, you alright?"
"Yeah, Applejack, I knew you and yer friends would save me!"
*Sniff* "Sweetie Belle! My one and only sister! You don't know how much I was worried about you!"
"Rarity...I can't breathe..."
"Uh, girls? We still have a problem over here."

Everyone barely managed to perk their heads up to Twilight only to duck them down again as half a cartful of pears sailed over them.

"No, prob. Like I said, I got this." Rainbow pushed Ditzy off her back and shot again at the creature with a swift karate kick. It lodged and stuck within the monster's left side, along with her. She flailed and flapped to no avail as a tentacle wrapped itself around her. "Okay, I don't got this. HELP!"

A large bottle rocket suddenly jammed itself into the base of the creature's arm. With a colorful bang, a huge cascade of gushing water flushed Rainbow into the dirt where she washed up beside Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy. Both were wearing their element forms.

"Heya Dashie! Can I ride that thing next?"

"P-pinkie Pie?" Rainbow sputtered though her soaked mane. "What was that?"

"Laughter feature 74, firework slingshot!" She held up a large sling with another bottle rocket loaded in the band, which disappeared under a trapdoor in her fabric moments later. "It's the strangest thing. I was at Fluttershy's cottage, preparing to use this put on a little show for her sick chickadees, when all of a sudden I got a nose itch and a slippery hoof, which meant my Dashie needed 500 mg of sodium nitrate launched in her general direction soon or else she was going to be in biiiiiiig trouble!"

Then her tail twitched and Fluttershy was barely able to yank both away to a safe distance before a three fourths of a chimney was dropped on them by the creature. Everypony watched in amazement as the creature, which had looked like a cookie that somepony had taken a really big out of now, reformed its entire left side in a swelling motion.

"That there thing is tougher than the side of a brick wall fastened by my second uncle Bismarck's homemade mortar," Applejack noted. "Anypony got any idea on how ta put the kibosh on that beast?" They all dove behind her stand as a katamari of windows and shutters rolled through. "Preferably before half of Ponyville is leveled?"

"I guess we could always try using our powered up elements, but I left mine back at the library."

"Gotcha covered Twilight!" Pinkie placed Twilight's tiara on top of her head.

"....Pinkie, why do you have my element with you?"

"Well, right after I got the nose itch, hoof slip combo, I got a wiggly left molar and an ear tickle. That means Twilight's gonna want our elements of harmony on hoof soon!"

"You know, your Pinkie Senses are getting more and more oddly specific these days."

"Quit lookin' a gift pony in the mouth an' let's get ta beatin' this here varmint!" Applejack said as she slipped her element on and began to grow her leathery bark armor.

She hadn't taken half a step towards the rampaging bulk of water when her little sister grabbed her legs. "Wait AJ! Don't hurt 'er!"

"Applebloom! Let go an' git on back where it's safe! That there thing is dangerous! It almost ate you and it's destroying the town! It's-"

"IT'S SCOOTALOO! THAT THING IS SCOOTALOO!"

Rainbow Dash's blood ran cold as she and everyone else's jaws dropped. "W-what did you say?"

"It's true!" Sweetie Belle piped up with Dinky behind nodding vigorously. "That thing came out of the gem in her chest and- and- and she melted into it!"

"The little ones are correct."

A flash of lightning announced the presence of the mysterious pegasus perched upon one of the rooftops. She looked down upon the group with her faceless chrome mask as rain suddenly began to pour down from out of nowhere. "The one you call Scootaloo now serves as the host for my woebeghoul."

"Hey! It's Blue Gloomy again! Hi Blue Gloomy! You wanna have that welcome to Ponyville party now?"

A flash of lightning blinded the ponies for a moment, and 'Blue Gloomy' was now suddenly right in front of them at ground level. "Poor Scootaloo. Enticed by my Tear of Covet's promise, and broken by the disenchantment of her delusions. She is nothing more than a well of anguish now, trapped within her own melancholy. Destined to forever be my agent of sadness. Such pitiful, unbearable, sadness."

Rainbow jumped to her hooves as her element fully armored herself, pointing an accusatory hoof. "So you're the one responsible for this? You got a lot of nerve showing your face then! Just who the heck are you!?"

A tense moment of silence passed as nopony moved in the pittering rain. As a rumble of thunder broke it, the mare's somber, melodic voice echoed in the air.

"...Miserain...herald of sorrow..."

"I kinda like Blue Gloomy better."

"Pinkie!"

The woebeghoul frothed some more as it clasped its arms together, lifted and brought them down upon a thatched roof.

"Sorrow...everlasting sorrow...it is the one true feeling that will never leave a heart. Happiness, wonder, desire, affection...they are but fleeting aspects that cannot remain in a pony indefinitely. And when it is gone, there is nothing left but sadness. No matter how often it is filled back up, it will only empty again, leaving more regret than before, just like no matter how strong or lasting friendship is, it will eventually drift apart and fade, leaving only bitter memories behind."

Several more walls were bashed away as a large tower collapsed upon the square's well.

"That is the true nature of this cruel, unforgiving world. The only thing that will remain when everything is destroyed by my master Ruinate. I am merely...facilitating its inevitable conclusion."

"Facilitate this!" Rainbow's armor glowed crimson as she lunged straight at the herald of sorrow.

Another sigh of indifference, another flash of lightning, and Rainbow was headfirst into a bunch of watermelons piled in a crate directly behind where Miserain once stood.

"Ya think she would've learned by now..." Applejack muttered as she rushed over to yank her out. Rainbow struggled with a full head of rind before popping it off and spitting a string of seeds out.

*Phbt* *plah* "Why can't anypony we fight not have some freaky powers?"

"One problem at a time Rainbow. First, we got to stop this woebeghoul." Twilight tapped her chin and tugged at the brim of her hat. "Let's see...did I read anything about them in my exotic creatures bestiary?"

"Forget it! Let's just blast it with our elements!"

Twilight annoyingly frowned at Rainbow with skepticism. "Rainbow, we can't just haphazardly sling our powers at it like we first thought. If what Miserain says is true, then its using Scootaloo as a heart!"

"All the more reason we need act now!" Rainbow's face wore a mask of indignation rimmed at the eyes with a hint of worry and belied a twitch of guilt on her lips. "Every second we spend 'strategizing' is another second Scootaloo is trapped all alone inside that thing! There's no way I'm gonna leave her hanging like that any longer than I have to!"

"But we don't know what could happen to her! She's clearly bonded with that thing on a biological level. Any effect the elements will have on the woebeghoul could affect her as well. It could accidentally destroy her for all we know!"

"And that thing won't?!"

"Incoming!" Rarity immediately fastened her orbiting gems into a dome that consolidated the group together as woebeghoul spewed a mini-river into the streets. As they pressed together under the shield, Twilight could feel Rainbow trembling in frustration against her skin.

"It wasn't supposed to be like this. This was supposed to be her day, I wanted to make it her day! She should be soaring the skies with me right now, playing hoofball or outcooling each other with loop de loops! Enjoying herself after a hard day's work. But no, I got stuck pulling overtime and ended up leaving her stranded at the weather factories, which I found out after I got there had a huge accident because nopony there was looking out for her or showing her the ropes, something I could've stayed behind to do and be late for work by only ten minutes! And now look! She's been monsterfied by one of Ruinate's creeps because no one was there by her side to stop it from happening!"

Her eyes weren't tearing yet, but Twilight could tell from the misty eyed look that Rainbow was beating herself up about this. "I promised her...I promised I'd take her under my wing...like a sister. And yet, I keep ending up leaving her behind. It doesn't matter what the reason is, saving Ponyville from some freak storm, having to deal with paperwork, pulling an extra shift, it doesn't change that I wasn't there for her when I could have been, I could have made time for her. You make time for stuff that's important." Her ears drooped as she gave her lip a tiny bite."Some sister I make..."

"Rainbow Dash..." Twilight brought her hoof around her neck and squeezed against her for a brief moment. "Alright, let's try it. Let's not keep Scootaloo waiting for you any longer."

The two of them then nodded to the others, who nodded back as their emblems began to glow brightly. "Rarity, when I give the signal, drop your gem shield."

The rush of water around them finally ebbed as the woebeghoul began to crawl towards the ponies for a more direct attack. When it covered roughly half the distance across the venue, Twilight shouted. "Now!"

The diamond dome came undone as a wave of rainbow light shot forth and enveloped the woebeghoul. For about half a minute, it rooted the creature in place like a binding rope. But eventually, the beast slowly inched forward, straining against the bonds as a deep dark indigo light from inside it began to shine and overtake the rainbow light. Soon, the light from the elements of harmony had completely dissolved into the woebeghoul, swallowed up like a tall glass of fizzy pop.

"But...but that's impossible! How could the elements have done nothing?" Twilight exclaimed.

"Because the child's sadness is greater than your friendship."

Miserain hovered over her immense minion as it lumbered towards the group. "How sad...truly sad. It is futile, yet you still resist. You chase false hope in the belief that your ties can endure any tribulation, but bonds were made to break." She gave a forlorn glance at the insignia on her flank, a cracked heart shedding a tear, then touched the lapis jewel around her lower neck and chest that held the same shape. "This woebeghoul's seed, the Tear of Covet, was procured by my element of sorrow. Its power is derived directly from its influence. So long as her heart belongs to sorrow, nothing can overcome it."

Rainbow Dash's mind raced. So Miserain's element is canceling ours out? For the love of Luna, these things were supposed to be our ace in the hole! There's no way I'm going to let this pony of the opera freak get away with this! I gotta save Scoots! I just gotta!

Grunting in frustration, she stomped a hoof to the ground and looked to her friends, hoping they had an idea. When her eyes fell on Applejack, they drifted from her face to her legs where she saw Applebloom huddled underneath for comfort. Her gaze turned next to Rarity, who had Sweetie Belle nestled safely behind her. Then she looked at Ditzy. As she watched Dinky cling tighter to her mother's neck as she lay on her backside, something clicked in her. She looked up at the dim light emitting from the woebeghoul's body with a steadfast heart.

I know how I can save her...

"Guys..." She took a deep breath and puffed out her chest as she took a few steps forward. "Hang back for a bit. I've got an idea. It's crazy, it's dangerous, but then again, when have any of mine not been?"

"Rainbow? What are you-?"

Rainbow cut Twilight off. "I'll be right back with Scootaloo. Just step away, and don't freak out at what you're about to see."

Before anyone could say or do anything else, Rainbow opened her wings and flew straight at the woebeghoul's open jaws.

"RAINBOW!" they all cried.

The adversary's mouth widened to catch the incoming pegasus. She licked her dry lips as a dark abyssal expanse was all she could see ahead.

Miserain's voice rang out from above. "You cannot save her. I can feel her endless sadness, she is too far gone. It is impossible."

"You clearly haven't heard of me then. Rainbow Dash makes the impossible possible!"

The sticky, gooey rows of thick and jagged fangs closed in around her.

"I'M COMING FOR YOU SCOOTALOOOOOOOOO!!"

*GULP*

Rainbow opened her eyes in the bubbly, murky, midnight blue depths. All around her was an eerie, inky expanse. It was like she had dove so far into a lake she couldn't see the sun peeking through from the surface anymore and still couldn't find the bottom. There was one thing she could make out though, a faint glowing sphere somewhere below. Tucking her wings in and straightening her body she streamlined like a torpedo for the only distinct feature in the emptiness. She soon started to feel her lungs ache as she approached. In hindsight it might have been a good idea to take a deep breath before she literary went into the belly of the beast. But she couldn't turn back now, she was not going to leave her number one fan behind again!

As her mind reminded herself, her armor seemed to resonate a vibrant red aura. Rainbow suddenly felt her aches disappear and her muscles moved with renewed vigor. She then realized she was breathing, and yet none of the liquid was filling her lungs. So my Rainbow armor has a built in scuba feature, huh? That's good to know for future fights.

Reaching the large bubble, she peered in and made out the shape of pony curled up into a tight little ball. She pounded against the skin of the prison. "Scootaloo!" her voice gurgled out in bubbled burps. The pony inside did not respond. Rainbow rallied again, trying to force her way in. "Come on, Scoots! You gotta fight this! I know you can!" After the fifth try, she finally heard something other than her own voice. A muffled, whimpered, sob, echoed from bubbled until it felt like it could be heard from all around. The sound pierced Rainbow's heart as she winced and scowled. "That's it. Let me in you stupid bubble! LET. ME. IN!"

Backing away a bit and coming back in a full body tackle, Rainbow slammed into the filmy ball and pressed with all her might. She could feel herself squeezing through bit by bit. And with a sudden pop, she found herself squished together with a droopy maned pegasus inside a tight, milky greenish container.

She pressed her hooves against her resecuee, prompting her with a little nudge. "Scootaloo. Scootaloo! Get up! It's me, Rainbow Dash! I'm going to get you outta here!"

Scootaloo did not look up, she simply shuffled her wings at Rainbow's touch, murmuring softly. "Rainbow? No...no...you shouldn't be here. Now I've caused you even more trouble. Just...just go. Stay away from me from now on."

"We both know that's not happening. Get it together, pal! This woewhatever is going to trash Ponyville and everypony in it! I need your help to stop it."

"I can't help. I can't do anything but cause problems. None of this would have happened if it wasn't for me..."

"Scoots, I know about the incidents at the weather factory, Starsong told me everything. It wasn't your fault-"

Scootaloo abruptly uncurled herself, the crystal in her chest glowing a sickly blue. She glared at Rainbow with empty purple eyes that continued to release uncontrollable tears. "Yes it was! Everything happened because I was selfish, stupid, and useless! I made the wish to grow up to this monster crystal because I didn't want to be treated like a little filly anymore, but it didn't change who I was! I wanted to be an adult when the truth was I didn't know the first thing about being an adult, and so everything I tried to do as one only ended up hurting me and everypony else! I even hurt you! I was the one who caused that giant fog you had to clean up! I was the one who caused you and so many others extra work! I ruined your name at the factories!" Her voice cracked and broke as she fought a sniffle. "I gave up my fillyhood, my friends, even my scooter, for what? A series of never-ending failures? To drag everypony else down? Creating a monster that's going to hurt everyone I know and love? You don't deserve a pony like me, Rainbow Dash. Equestria doesn't deserve a pony like me. A pony...a pony who would be better off if she wasn't even born!"

Rainbow Dash slapped her hoof square across the bawling mare's cheek. "Don't you dare say something like that ever again! Do you hear me?!" She held Scootaloo's face up and looked deep into her eyes. "I couldn't care less about any of the bad stuff that's happened today, I couldn't even care if you ran Cloudsdale into the ground! I wouldn't give you up for anything, not even the Wonderbolts! And it's not just because I'm loyal either, it's because I genuinely care about you. Remember our camping trip to Winsome Falls? When I said I was up for taking you under my wing? That wasn't some decision on a whim, I meant it. You are, or were, the coolest filly I ever met. You had spunk, moves, the biggest can do attitude, and plenty of other stuff you did right by my book...and you still do now."

Scootaloo panted heavily as she stared back in mournful disbelief. "Then tell me, Dash. What have I done right? Give me one single thing since this entire mess began that I've done right."

Rainbow couldn't help but grin smugly. "I can think of two." She opened her wings out of her armor one at a time, displaying a silvery sheen with a rainbow stripe. "This. And this."

Scootaloo blinked twice as Rainbow gestured to her right wing, then left. "My...wing guards?"

Rainbow flexed them a bit to show the burnt part that hadn't been cleaned off yet. "You know, right before you arrived to help me blast away that crazy storm, these things really saved my bacon. They actually deflected a rouge lightning bolt targeting my squadmates. And they didn't have anything to do with whether you were a kid or a grown up, all that mattered was that you made them."

She then hoisted Scootaloo into an upright sitting position as she settled herself down. "And that's another thing. Your plan to stop the tornado. Was that because you were a grown up? No, it was because you were you. You came up with it all on your own. Sure, you needed my awesome self to pull it off, but I never would have even had the idea if wasn't for you."

She then reached deep behind her wing, looking for something under the folds of her feathers. "And if that isn't enough to convince you how much you're an awesome part of my life, I'll bet this will." She pulled out what appeared to be a small keychain. Attached to it was a cracked lens that had been fashioned into a charm of sorts shapely vaguely like a wing.

Scootaloo's eyes widened at what she was seeing. "You...you still have that?"

"Carry it with me all the time, being that it's attached with my house key. Still, how could I not? Not when it reminds me of the day I got my first fan...my number one fan."

Scootaloo buzzed through town, completely bored out of her skull. Ponies took it slow on Sundays, but in Ponyville, it was practically a freeze frame. Every pony that wasn't at the market for their weekly shopping trip was either sitting at home lounging around or sitting outside lounging around. Which pretty much meant she had to find something to do all by herself yet again. Maybe some stunt jumps near the stalls? Nah, Cherry Berry hadn't had enough time to cool off for her last poppin' wheelie knocking over three whole baskets of her wares. A snack? No. That would only kill ten minutes at best anyways. The swimming hole? She'd been there three time already this week!
Parking in the park, Scootaloo looked around again. Bon Bon and Lyra chatting it up on the benches, yawn. Junebug picking flowers, snorefest! Key Lime, was she-? Really? Watching a ladybug crawl across a leaf? Sighing with resigned mentality, Scootaloo wheeled over to a patch of grass and flopped down, ready to just lie there until the sun went down. She had to face facts, nothing exciting ever happens in Ponyville, because no exciting ponies ever come here.

Suddenly, a flash of a rainbow contrail decorated the skies above her. Startled by the sudden appearance of bright color, Scootaloo sprung up a little too hard and tumbled over backwards. Regaining her hoofing, she galloped as fast as a pegasus filly could after the trail, eager to find the source. Her chase led her to an open clearing full of low hanging clouds. There, spinning and whirling with incredible speed and dexterity, was a cyan pegasus with a rainbow mane and tail, clearing the skies at remarkable speeds in her weather patrol goggles.
Scootaloo watched in amazement as the mare loop-de-looped around a rather large one, shaping it into a bullseye and then running right through the center. Then she scooped a small tuff into her hooves, came down low to the ground dribbling it, then rocketed up and slam dunked it into the cloud she pulled it off of. When she sheared one to vapor with a corkscrew, Scootaloo could contain her energy no longer.

"Yeah! Yay!" she cheered as she stomped her hooves as hard as she could. The cyan mare suddenly stopped to notice the little spectator below her.

"Huh? Hey squirt. You enjoying the show?" she hovered down low to get a better look.

"Are you kidding? That was the raddest thing I ever saw! You're amazing! You're awesome! You're...you're the most coolest pony I've ever seen!" Scootaloo gushed.

The cool pony obviously ate it up as she took the praise with a cheeky grin. "Well, I am pretty awesome." She rubbed her hoof against her chest, then blew on it as she continued to ham herself up. "I mean, it's practically my middle name. Rainbow 'Awesome' Dash. But that was just me doing a little weather cleanup. I wasn't even trying back there."

"Really?" Scootaloo's eyes glistened in awe as she inched closer to the swelled mare. "What else can you do?"

Delighted to show off, Rainbow took to air. "Take a seat kid, you're about to see the greatest show of your life!" She climbed up high into the air and then began veer on her side. "I call this one the Fantastic Filly Flash!" She somersaulted into a downward spiraling dive and then lifted up inches from the ground, sending a rush of slipstream through the filly's mane. "And this one's the Buckaneer Blitz!" Scootaloo squinted at the amazing flash of lightning that spewed out as Rainbow K.O.'d a row of clouds with one hoof.

"And now for the grand finale!" Rainbow zoomed up higher than before until she was just a speck in the sky. She then came down faster than ever, gaining speed with each second. Her lips rippled against the G-force building up as a cone of air began to build up in front of her. Scootaloo held her breath as she watched her get faster, and faster, and faster until...she bounced off the backlash of air and went careening into the trees at the edge of the meadow.

"Omigosh! Are you okay?" Bounding up into the thickets, she found Rainbow with her head against the trunk of an old spruce, eyes spinning as little stars whirled around her head.

"Oooog. I really thought it would work that time." Shaking her head, she looked down at the orange filly who was looking up at her with judgmental eyes. "Uh, heh, squirt? Can we pretend that last bit didn't happen?" she chuckled nervously.

"It's okay! You're cool even when you crash!" Rainbow tried her best to focus on the word cool and not the word crash as Scootaloo said it with an enthusiastic smile. She then noticed some green shards sitting on her legs. Feeling up, she pulled off her goggles and noticed the one of the lens was completely smashed while the other was cracked beyond repair.

"Aw, geez. This was my favorite pair!"

"Oh, sorry." Scootaloo drooped a bit.

Rainbow immediately patted her on the head. "Hey, no worries, squirt. Not your fault. It's not that big a deal anyways. It's just, they don't make lenses like these anymore. This pair was probably the last intact one for miles around. One-of-a-kind in a sense, made me feel like, I dunno, they were lucky."

"Lucky?" Scootaloo's eyes lit up. "Hey, I got an idea! Be right back!" She ran galloping off to where she left her stuff, and a few minutes later she was back with some sheets of clear litmus wax. "My friend Sweetie Belle learned how to do this from her sister!" She arranged the broken lens pieces into a rough wing shape around one sheet of wax, folded it over to wrap all around the shape, then applied several more layers to hold it in place. "There! Your lucky goggles are now a lucky flight charm!" Her smile faltered as Rainbow took it in her hoof and looked at it with a discerning eye. "D-do you not like it?"

Rainbow's mouth curled into a sleek grin as she pinned it under a fold in her wing. "You kidding? It's awesome! You made it, like, 20% cooler now!" She then gave Scootaloo a quick rub in her mane. "Heh, you're alright squirt. You got a name?"

"I'm Scootaloo!" the filly belted out excitedly. "And-and staring today...I'm your number one fan! That's cool, right? I can be that?"

Rainbow's head swelled so much, any more ego and it would have exploded. "Hey, it wouldn't be cool not to be a fan of the Rainbow Dash! And you're pretty cool yourself kid!" She playfully punched the filly as she gave a little squee of delight.

"Do you think...I could be as cool as you are someday?" Scootaloo asked hopefully.

Rainbow cocked her head with a hotshot nod and a wink. "Hey, stick with me squirt, and you'll go places. I guarantee it!"

Scootaloo had remained entranced, staring at the charm in her hooves, when she felt the warm, feathery embrace of cyan wings wrap around her body.

"Scoots. There's a lot of things I'm naturally awesome at, but...being a role model isn't one of them. I don't always make the right choices at first. Heck, my first day on the weather team made blowing up a factory look like foal's play in comparison. But I'll tell you this, I don't stay that way. And it's not because I'm cool like that, even if I am. It's because I have ponies who count on me. Ponies that look to me with a smile, even if I fail. Even if I make the worse of a situation, they're willing to pick me up, nudge me in the right direction, and get me to try again. They're ponies that give me that drive to be more awesome than I could ever be. Ponies like Twilight, Fluttershy, Applejack, even Ditzy..." Rainbow then wrapped a hoof around Scootaloo's neck. "And you, Scootaloo. You keep me going everyday. I'm the luckiest pegasus in the world to know I'll always have ponies like you."

Her warm hug grew tighter she felt the mare's body shudder. "And you'll always have me...always. So don't ever give up trying, even if it's just a little bit at a time, because I won't let you.

I love you Scootaloo."

"R-r-rainbow D-d-d-dash...." Scootaloo's dark eyes finally regained their violet luster, and she buried them deep within the side of her companion's neck, sobbing tears, genuine tears...of pure, unbridled joy. Rainbow just smiled and just took it in for a full minute or two, all the feeling, all the warmth, all the release.

"And if you ever tell anypony I was this mushy," she finished, pulling Scootaloo out of the hold, "I'll noogie you 'til your mane falls off. Now come on, let's show that herald of sorrow you can't keep a good pegasus down!"

Scootaloo nodded, wiping the tears away with a grin. "Yeah, and I've already got another good idea how to beat this thing. You up for one more tag team trick?"

"Always! What's the play-by-play?"

"Blaze and Fire Streak's trademark duet..."

Rainbow's bright red aura began to build up again and envelop Scootaloo as well as they announced at the top of their lungs, "FIRESTREAM FIRECRACKER CROSS!"

"That's it. Ah'm goin' in after her."

Twilight barred Applejack's way with a stern look on her face. "Rainbow told us not to engage it. She was going to get Scootaloo out."

"It's been five whole minutes. Ah cain't wait any longer! Whatever plan RD had, it obviously didn't work, and now we got two ponies in need of savin'! Personally, Ah'm surprised we even let 'er try one of her harebrained schemes in the first place. That pony's got as much common sense as...as a Pinkie Pie!" Applejack stepped to the side only to be blocked by Pinkie, who had some strange mouthpiece masking her mouth and a hoof extended in front of her face.

"I find your lack of Pink disturbing..." she rasped in a low, metallic male voice.

"What the-?"

Pinkie Pie giggled at the taken aback farmer as the mouthpiece retracted under her collar. "Laughter feature 222! Voice changer!"

"And why did you use it just now?"

"Cause it's the only way that line would have worked, duh! It would have worked even better if you started to pretend choke too. I mean, really! And you say I don't make any sense!"

"Ya still don't..."

"Wait a minute! Look girls! Something's happening!"

Everypony looked to where Rarity was pointing. The woebeghoul stood paces away, carrying a stand in each arm. The small structures fell from its appendages as it suddenly convulsed when the dark light from its chest began to glow red hot. Staggering back, the foamy trail it left behind transformed into vapors of steam. Its tiny eye disappeared underneath the surface of its watery membrane as bubbles began to erupt from its body. It hunched over, arching its back in pain. Then, slowly but surely, it began to rise into the air, seemingly carried by the bright light making its way towards the head of the creature. Pools of steaming water fell from the monstrosity it as pushed above the rooftops, its jaws frothing like a sick animal. Portions of its body started to bulge and spike, like something was banging against its insides like a pinball. As it eclipsed the sun in the mares eyes, the extra light pouring through it revealed a fiery helix of pure power spinning at an insane speed inside. Time seemed to slow up at that point, as in the stance of half a second, the floating hulk of water burst into a deluge of rainfall, painting the sky with multiple rainbows as a stream of fire emerged from the epicenter of the explosion, skyrocketing above the clouds.

Inside the climbing tower of flames spun two pegasi, both wearing an expression that could only be described as adrenaline induced ecstasy. Both were so engrossed in the spur of the moment, neither one noticed the red aura of Rainbow's armor enveloping the tear in Scootaloo's chest, which began to crack and emit a blinding light of its own, adding to the brightness. When the rush finally stopped, Scootaloo managed to open her eyes as her ascent slowed. Did Rainbow Dash suddenly seem bigger to her? Her chest felt slightly odd. Feeling it, she realized she couldn't feel the crystal embedded in it anymore. She looked down to confirm it and gasped. Not only did she see that it was gone, but she also saw a pair of stubby, little hooves. She felt her face, checked her wings and tail, shook her legs a bit, and a smile stretched across her face from ear to ear. "I'm a filly again!"

Her smile vanished as quickly as it came as she realized the implications of what just happened, where she was, and what it was going to mean in a few seconds. Uh oh, I'm a filly again...

Buzzing her once again tiny wings as fast as she could, she hovered for a fleeting moment, and then started to drop like a rock. She waved her forelegs screaming as fell...right into a blur of rainbow that scooped her up. "I gotcha squirt!"

Scootaloo looked up into the smiling face of her hero, and nuzzled her tightly. "Rainbow Dash, you really are the best."

Rainbow gave a light chuckle. "No Scoots, we're the best."

Landing smack dab in the center of the wreckage, Scootaloo had taken two steps out of Rainbow Dash's reach when she was ponypiled by her two best friends.

"Scootaloo! You're back to normal!"
"We were so worried about you!"
"Eh, it was no sweat. Not when I had the coolest pegasus around to help me out of a jam."

After a minute or so of excited babbling from the the trio, alongside an equally group of five mares around Rainbow Dash. Scootaloo gave a nervous cough as Dinky slinked her way into the circle. "Uh, so. Now that I'm...no longer...you know, is it okay if I can go crusading with you guys again?"

Applebloom gave Scootaloo a look one would give somepony who just asked if the sky was blue. "Whaddya talkin' about Scoots? You've always been welcome to come crusading with us!"

"Huh? But, you were with Dinky...and she was eating my favorite muffin..."

"Orange cranberry is your favorite flavor too? That's neat! We can be muffin buddies!" Dinky chirped. Ditzy then marched right up and fished another orange cranberry muffin from her sack.

"I was wondering why I had an extra one of these on me this whole time that wasn't my special emergency muffin. Now I know!"

"You had one for me this whole time?" Scootaloo gave a small gleeful smile that was matched by Sweetie Belle and Applebloom.

"Of course! That's why we followed you back in the woods, so you could join us! Once a crusader, always a crusader!"
"Yeah! Crusaders fer'ever!"

The fillies brought their hooves together has every mare brought theirs to their ears, knowing what was going to happen next.

"CUTIE MARK CRUSADER BEST FRIENDS FOREVER! YAAAAAY!!!"

*BOOM*

Rain pattered down from out of nowhere as everypony whipped their heads to face the stoic herald that walked out from behind a pile of broken crates.

"The tear has been destroyed...my woebeghoul is no more. How? Were your dreams not shattered? How has my servant been pulled from the fathomless abyss that is sorrow?"

"It's because I have them," Scootaloo pointed to her friends. "Yeah, my dream didn't come true and I ended up making a big mess of things too. And at some point, I believed I had nothing left worth having in life, which you wanted me to think. But I was wrong and so were you! Cause I still had them." She then looked up at Rainbow Dash who now protectively circled around her, glaring intensely at Miserain. "And I had her."

"So..." Miserain reiterated. "You freed yourself from my element's grasp...through your bonds with those you love. You had someone there for you in your darkest hour...willing to share their happiness, and your pain............how sad, truly sad..."

"Sad? I've never been more overjoyed in my-"

"For me..."

The dark cloud above her shot a massive bolt upon her, and with one final flash, she was gone along with her rain.

Dear Princess Celestia,

Today I learned that being an adult is not all fun and games, nor is it the best thing in the world. When I got my wish to grow up, temporary, I found out I couldn't do anything right as a grown up, because I had skipped all the important stuff that was supposed to come in between. It took me becoming a giant monster born from sadness and a daring rescue from all my friends to make me realize something important. Growing up doesn't just mean becoming older, it means learning from your experiences and encouraging yourself and others to improve upon your mistakes. So from now on, I'm going to enjoy my fillyhood the way it should be, playing, learning, and helping with my friends in the here and now. And some day, I'll be a better mare than I ever was today.

Your raddest little filly,
Scootaloo

P.S. Any chance I can play with princess Luna again? Preferably on my next sleepover?

Scootaloo carefully wheeled over to the edge of the half pipe at Rad Moves' skate park in her in-line skates. She peered over the large drop, then back to her two crusader companions. "You guys ready yet?"

"Almost, I just need finish strapping on this last knee pad," Sweetie said as she fumbled with the protection on her back. "Aren't you supposed to be wearing one on every knee?"

"Aw, come on. The sign just says I have to wear helmets and pads. It never said how many," she pouted back.

"Hey now. She's right you know. Safety first." Scootaloo gave a reluctant smile as the other three pads were fastened onto her.

Applebloom shakily wobbled up to the edge, falling onto her rump when she tried to stop. "You know, ah was surprised when you said you wanted to come here again. Ah thought you said it wouldn't be the same with some grown up foalsitting us here."

"You're right. It's not the same." Scootaloo looked up to the cyan, rainbow haired mare who had filed away another vacation day at the weather station and put on the knee pads for her. She received a little wink as they both leapt off edge, spinning and gliding the pipe in joyful tandem.

"It's better!"

Author's Note

Woo. Finally done. Making full episodes really takes a long time. I probably won't finish the main series I've planned until I'm over 30! But hey, I'm going at it slow and steady because I like it. And maybe things will go a little faster once I get someone to volunteer prereading and editing.

The Fight for Friendship, part 1

A silhouetted figure blazed through the night sky, his trail leaving a smoldering sickly stain of smoke over Luna’s majestic midnight blanket. Slowly descending over the immense and wild growth of the untamed forest known as the Everfree, he circled twice before finding his intended destination: an enormous ruin positioned just offside a ridge, surrounded by the tallest and most gnarled of trees, the ancient castle of the royal sisters. Landing just outside, the mysterious stallion trotted through the crumbled archway and deep into the winding corridors, until he arrived at the expansive altar that once held the fabled elements of harmony. There, standing in the center of the chamber, were five other ponies.

“Last to arrive as always.”

“You know my alliance is not to you but to our master. I come to you only because he wills it.”

As the last member of the unknown group joined the circle one of them stepped closer to the center.

“The time almost upon us, the prison is finally at it weakest. All that remains is to sow the seeds of destruction so that the beacon of his return is ignited.”

“Has a location been chosen?” asked what appeared to be the smallest of them.

“The advent shall occur here.” The pony in the center raised her horn. It glowed as an image of a small, colorful but homely town appeared before the dawning sky, a large white castle city seen in the distance on the cliffs.

“It is called Ponyville.”

My Little Pony, My Little Pony

Ahh, ahh, ahh, ahhh…

(My Little Pony)
I used to wonder what friendship could be

Until you all shared its magic with me

Big adventure

Tons of fun
A beautiful heart

Faithful and strong

Sharing kindness

It's an easy feat

And magic makes it all complete

You have my little ponies

Do you know you're all my very best friends?

The battle for Friendship, part 1

Twilight Sparkle busily shuffled through her saddlebags, quintuple checking her organizational equipment. “Spike! Are you ready yet?”

“Coming, coming,” the little purple dragon said as he desperately tried to keep his balance while carrying the overly sized bundle of checklists down the stairs. “I don’t see what’s got your tail in such a knot today. It’s not like this is the first festival you’ve overseen.”

The lavender unicorn levitated her little assistant onto her back and immediately drew out one to the checklists he was holding. “But this is the probably the most important yet! It’s the Spring Equinox Celebration. The one day of the year that the sun and moon share the sky at the same time, the day that symbolizes true harmony between the two celestial bodies that govern our world. Owlowiscious, lock up for me, okay?”

“Who.”

Twilight trotted out towards the square, it was only seven in the morning and already everypony was up and about in a flutter of activity setting up stands, decorating the town, and cleaning the area.

“And this year, Ponyville has been chosen to host the festivities, both Princess Celestia and Princess Luna are coming to grace us with their presence. Everything must be perfect.”

“Kinda strange that it’s always Ponyville the princesses choose to visit,” Spike commented as he attempted to free up his claws by stuffing the lists into Twilight’s saddlebags.

“Princess Celestia does not choose favorites if that’s what you’re thinking,” Twilight argued.

“Oh, I’m not thinking that. I’m just wondering if there aren’t any other towns that can handle the calamity that follows with a visit from the Princesses.”

“WHAT?!” Twilight skidded to a stop and Spike almost fell off. “You’re insinuating that the mere concept of Princess Celestia’s upcoming presence is a harbinger of doom?! How can you rationalize that?!”

“Let’s see….there was Nightmare Moon at the Summer Sun celebration, the parasprite infestation, that incident with the phoenix, oh, and who possibly forget-” Spike stopped listing things off his finger as his eyes met a very annoyed Twilight. “I’m just saying, things always get crazy when you two go together.”

“Well it’s not happening this time. This time, things are going to be perfect. Not a single event or plan will go off hitch, the princesses will arrive to raise the sun and moon in harmony, everypony will be happy, and nothing will go wrong.”

She then gave a small smirk as she trotted to where she would meet her friends near the fountain. “Besides, every villain and monster we’ve ever come across are either defeated, sealed away, or millions of miles away from us, who or what could possibly ruin this event?”

“Howdy Twi.” Applejack waved her hoof as Twilight approached the orange earth pony and her cart of delicious baked apple treats that she was hauling.

“Hey Applejack, everything on track with food?”

“Yep, the carrots, the onions, the grapes, every farmer’s got their best bushel already set up and prepared. Plenty of chow fer everypony. And as you can see here, I already got half a dozen of my famous apple fritters straight out of the oven and ready to eat.”

“Make that half a dozen minus one,” Spike said as he grabbed one of the fritters and stuffed it into his mouth, earning yet another disapproving glare from Twilight. Applejack just chuckled.

“Ah, don’t fret none sugarcube, this is just the first batch. Granny’s cookin up a storm back home, she’s even bustin’ out her legendary apple dumplings.”

Twilight gazed up at the sky. “Speaking of storms, have you seen Rainbow Dash? I need to check up on her as well.”

“Somepony call?”

The cyan, rainbow-maned pegasus’ face blotted out everything else as it suddenly appeared inches from the lavender unicorn’s face. Twilight yelped and stumbled backwards, right into a mud puddle. Rainbow Dash giggled as she fell back onto a low hovering cumulus. “Heh heh, just like when we first met, huh?”

“Ha ha,” Twilight remarked, picking herself up before adding, “And I can clean myself off this time thank you very much. Did you get those cirrus clouds from the Cloudsdale factory as per requested?”

“All taken care of! They even tossed in a couple nimbostrati since they were having an inventory reduction, can I cut a deal or what?”

“Excellent, so they’re in place already right?”

Twilight was met with a moment of silence before Rainbow scratched the back of her neck. “What? They have to go up now?”

“Rainbow! It takes at least half an hour to reach the proper altitude and set a stable cirrus cloud! And that’s just one! We’re supposed to have twenty five decorating the airspace around Ponyville before noon!”

“Hey, half an hour…for the average pegasus. You’ve got the number one weather pony to back you up. I can have it done before nine.”

“Then do it now! Get the rest of your team and go!”

“Sheesh, you’re always so uptight about the silliest things,” Dash said as she flapped off. “Whenever the princesses are involved, you turn into a total Rarity.”

“And just what is that supposed to mean?” The alabaster unicorn with her purple mane brushed and curled to perfection called out as she approached the group. She then turned to Twilight. “Oh Twilight, just the mare I was looking for. I need your help.”

“What is it Rarity? Is coming wrong with the decorating committee? Are you short-hoofed? Did we run out of material? Was there an accident? Was somepony hurt? Did-”

“Ah, tut tut tut.” Rarity reached over and shushed Twilight while fixing a few stray hairs in her mane. “Remember what I told you about those worry lines I found under your eyes the other day. You need to stop assuming the worst.”

“Oh, so it’s nothing big or important?” Twilight sighed with relief.

“Oh, but it IS important!” Rarity implored. Twilight mane let loose the stray hairs Rarity fixed plus a few extra. “My attire for the festivities is in complete disarray!”

“Your what now?” asked Applejack as she finished setting up her stand.

“I had planned to attend the festivities in a wonderfully new ensemble that would dazzle and amaze all. But then, when I checked my makeup cabinet this morning, I found out I had run out of Midnight Moonrose number twenty-three, the only eyeshadow that could perfectly compliment my dress! There’s no time to order more, but you can synthesize a quick batch in that laboratory of yours right? I even have the list of ingredients right here on the back of the container.”

Twilight sighed again, this time in exasperation. “Rarity, I don’t have time to mix up some makeup in my lab, I have to supervise the preparations. Can’t you just go without?”

“GO WITHOUT?!”

Twilight winced at Rarity’s outburst, realizing all too late that she had said the wrong thing.

“Twilight! Every proper lady knows that clothes make the mare, and what would those clothes be without the right accessories?! Why, to show up in front of the princesses in an incomplete outfit would be an insult to them! It would imply that I would not think them worthy enough for my full attention! I would be forever shamed! Never to be able to show myself in public again! It would be THE. WORST. POSSIBLE-”

“Rarity! Why don’t you just choose a new outfit? Something that doesn’t need your eyeshadow!”

The hysterical unicorn suddenly froze as gears turned in her head. “Something that doesn’t need eyeshadow…?”

She then gasped as her eyes lit up. “No, something that doesn’t need makeup entirely! No blush! No liner! No lipstick! A wardrobe that expresses the pristine beauty of the au natural Spring! An outfit that projects nothing but ‘simply’ Rarity! IDEEEEEA!”

As Rarity galloped back towards her boutique, Twilight called out after her. “Wait, Rarity! What about the decorations?”

Rarity paused before turning around the corner. “Oh they’re fine, darling! All set up! Now if you excuse me, I need to hurry if I’m to be presentable by the time the celebration starts! Speaking of, you should really wash up before that mud starts to cake.”

Twilight looked over herself, and sighed. A quick survey of the grounds, and she would head back to the library for a quick shower and be back in time for the arrival of the princesses. She turned around…and and was nose to nose with a fizzy haired, overly bubbly, bouncing pink earth pony.

“YAH!” Twilight stumbled back and fell in the mud puddle for the second time. “Pinkie, what are you doing?”

“Somepony mentioned cake, so here I am! By the way, what kind of cake is it? Is it chocolate? Lemon? Strawberry? Coconut? You know, a lot ponies don’t like coconut and I don’t know why, it’s sweet and has a really funny texture that just tickles your tongue and throat when you swallow and-”

“Pinkie! Please! We are on the epicenter of perhaps the most important event to happen to Ponyville in years! This is no time for you to be…Pinkie!”

Pinkie Pie cocked her head in a quizzical manner.

“But… if I’m not Pinkie, then who am I? Oh, oh! Could I be Bon Bon? I’d love to make candy for a living! No wait! I wanna be Cheerilee! Then I can work with little fillies and colts all day and teach them how to be as party-tasic as me! *Gasp* Gummy! Make me Gummy! I’ve always wondered what life is like as an alligator! No, can I be-”

Applejack stuffed a whole apple pie into the party pony’s mouth before she could talk their ears off.

“I think what Twi’s trying to say sugarcube, is save all that partyin' energy for when the party actually starts. Think you can do that, hon?”

As Pinkie swallowed the pastry down whole, she gave a vigorous nod.

“Okie dokie lokie! I need to finish placing those sprinkle confetti poppers along the streets anyways. When the royal carriages arrive, it’ll be like an exploding rainbow runway that you can eat!”

“What? No! Pinkie! I told you, the royal carriage is going to be greeted by a flock of doves guiding them in with a chorus of robins, blue jays, and cardinals that Fluttershy has been training for weeks.”

“Um, uh… we could do both… that is…if it’s okay with you. I’m sure the birds wouldn’t mind,” came a meek voice from behind Pinkie.

Pinkie turned to the butter yellow pegasus, hiding slightly behind her long silky pink mane as if she just said something offensive she regretted.

“Really? Oooooh, maybe they can carry the poppers! Yeah, they’ll form a big smiley face in the sky! It’ll be just like fireworks! And who doesn’t like fireworks!”

Twilight motioned Applejack to hoof her over another treat. Applejack obliged and a baked apple was jammed right between Pinkie’s lips as Twilight moved her aside to speak to her socially inward friend.

“Is everything ready, Fluttershy?”

“Oh yes, all the little birdies are well prepared and rested. I gave them all a nice big breakfast and plenty of water. I also mixed in a little honey because it makes their voices so much sweeter. Oh, but, did you not want sweet? I’m really sorry if that is.”

“It’s alright Fluttershy, you did good.” Twilight felt herself starting to relax simply being in her demure friend’s presence. My friends want to make this day perfect just as much as I do. No sense in splitting hairs when we’re all in the same boat.

Any further thoughts were interrupted as Rainbow Dash came swooping back in, knocking Twilight into the puddle for the third time.

Now if only I could say the same about this mud…

“Oops, sorry again Twilight,” Rainbow said with a sheepish grin right before she puffed up her chest and turned to Spike. “So, how was my time?”

Twilight looked to her assistant, who had a stopwatch in one claw. “Five minutes, three seconds, it’s a new record!” he proclaimed.

Rainbow didn’t seem impressed though. “Awww come on! Three whole seconds? I knew I should have kicked that last one over instead of carrying it.”

“Spike, you were timing her?” Twilight then looked at Rainbow Dash. “Rainbow, you’re done already?”

“What? I told you it wasn’t a problem for Equestria’s number one flier. Take a good look!”

Twilight peered up at the now sliver streaked sky that portrayed light wisps that gave the atmosphere more volume without any obstruction to the sun’s light.

“Hmmm… that third one from the left is a little out of place…”

Everypony gave the studious unicorn a deadpan look and she cleared her throat as she got the message. “Uh, I mean, you did great Rainbow Dash. Good job and I’m proud you gave it your best effort.”

Okay Twilight, everything is going smoothly. Just a quick trot around the rest of the square and then I’ll clean up and get back to-

“Awp! Pinchy knee! Itchy eyebrow! Ticklely tummy!”

Her pupils shrunk. “No, no. Nononononono! Not a Pinkie Sense! Not here! Not now!”

“Easy Twi!” Applejack gave a firm grip on her head before she could start prancing in a panic. “It may not be a bad thing!” She then looked over to Pinkie. “Is it?”

Pinkie sat down, hoof to her chin. “Mmmmmm… I don’t know! This one is new! At least I think it is.” She then fished out a huge list from her poofy mane at unrolled all the way to the town limits. “Let’s see… pinchy eyebrows…twichy nose…twisty tail…ooh, I forgot I had that one…puffy cheeks…jittery teeth…yep! This is definitely a new one!”

“Okay, so we got an unknown happenstance that going to occur any minute on what is going to be the most important event of year. It’s fine, really,” Twilight tried to reassure herself. As much as she had accepted Pinkie’s Pinkie sense, she still didn’t like having factors beyond her control messing with her planning. “I mean, what’s the worst that could happen?”

A defining explosion filled the sky as a streak of ash careened across the sky, defacing the beauty of the pristine sky as the pegasus leading the trail smashed the thin clouds to pieces. With each hoof that connected, the clouds shattered in ear-splitting thunder into shards of ice and lightning, raining down onto the buildings below. Ponies scattered from the scene, running about to a fro in a sudden panic, all expect Twilight, who stood there in a state of shock.

“What in tarnation?!” Applejack ducked behind her stand as a large piece of cloud debris slammed in front of her. “Who the hay is that pony and what does he think he’s doing?!”

“I dunno, but he’s not gonna be doing it much longer!” Rainbow Dash shot into the air after him shouting at the top of her lungs. “HEY! JERKWAD! THOSE CLOUDS TOOK ME A WHOLE FIVE MINUTES TO SET UP!”

Twilight finally managed to snap back to real time, and was just about to condense some instructions for everypony to stop the sudden panic, when a shrill voice of a filly broke her train of thought.

“AJ!” Applejack turned to see her little yellow-cream colored sister running towards her, her red mane in a mess and missing its trademark bow, eyes wide in panic.

“Applebloom? What in Sam Hill are you doing here? I thought you were helping Big Mac with the harvest.”

“TH-TH-TH THE- THE AP-THE APPLE-APPLES-” The out of breath filly struggled to form a complete sentence as she pressed her front hooves against her sister.

“Breathe, little filly.” Applejack patted Applebloom’s back firmly to try a coax her down. “Now what about the apples?”

“THE APPLES ARE ALL DYING!”

“WH-WH-WHUT?” Applejack’s face seized up as her stetson hat fell from her head.

“It’s true! Big Mac and I just finished loading our cart, when they started turning all brown and mushy! T-then, the ones still on the trees started doing the same!”

She had barely finished the last word when orange farmpony whizzed right by her making a beeline for Sweet Apple Acres. “Watch the stand AB!” she called back in the distance without even turning around.

Fluttershy, meanwhile, was too frightened and flabbergasted to do anything expect curl up low to the ground and hide under her mane as best as possible. She squeaked the tiniest yelp possible as she felt something poke her flank. Turning to the side, she saw her favorite snow white rabbit tapping his foot impatiently.

“Oh, Angel, it’s just you. You scared me for a momen-”

She stopped. Angel had expressed many emotions in their time together. Annoyance, worry, sadness, happiness, even mischief, but the look in the serious bunny’s eyes was one she had never expected to see from him.

It was a look of abject terror.

“A-angel? What’s wrong?” Angel grabbed the shy pegasus’ mane and gave it a sharp tug, motioning over in the direction of her cottage. “D-did something happen to the other animals?” Angel just tugged again, the look in his eyes more fearful than ever.

“Oh-oh, I’m…I’m sorry Twilight, but I have to go. Something is seriously wrong back home. I think-” Angel tugged so hard Fluttershy was actually dragged a couple inches back. “I’ll be right back.”

That left Twilight with Pinkie, who waved a hoof in front of her friend when she saw she wasn’t even blinking.

“Hellooo? Twily-wily? Are you having a staring contest? Cause if you are, it’d be a lot more fun if you had somepony to have it with.”

Twilight then bolted off so fast Pinkie did not even have time to see her go.

“NONONONONONONONONONONONONONONONONONONO!”

“Okay! I’ll see you later then Twilight!”

A drop of water hit Pinkie on the nose. Looking up, she saw there were some rainclouds over her. A soft drizzle dabbled down over her as her ears perked up to hoofsteps behind her. Turning around, she saw one other pony standing with her in the enclosure of the rain. It was a pegasus, completely covered head to hoof in an indigo glass-plated armor. Her head was concealed in an expressionless obsidian mask and her wings covered in an amethyst chrome finish. Not even her tail was visible under her garments, but that was not the first thing Pinkie noticed about her.

*GAAAAASP* “A new pony! You’re a new pony in Ponyville! You have to be a new pony because I’ve never ever seen you before and I don’t know your name and I know everypony’s name in Ponyville and what they look like! And if you’re a new pony then that means I need to throw you a party! A welcome to Ponyville party! Because I throw every new pony in Ponyville a welcome party and you’re a new pony in Ponyville! And this is super exciting because we’re already going to be having a party today with the princesses so now we can make it a double party! Double the games, double the cake and ice cream, double the presents, double the fun, double everything! Well not EVERYthing double. I mean you can’t exactly double a pony. But now that I think about it, how much fun would it be if there were TWO of me? Oh, by way speaking of me, I hadn’t introduced myself yet! Silly willy nilly me! Introductions are the first and foremost rule to greeting somepony, especially if you want to be friends. I mean what kind of friend would just say ‘hey you!’. So, my name’s Pinkamena Diane Pie, but everyone calls me Pinkie Pie, so you can call me Pinkie Pie too! What’s your name?”

The pegasus simply stood there for the longest time, unmoved and unspoken throughout Pinkie's one pony conversation, and finally lifted her head to meet the eyes of the party pony, gazed into her through the lapis lazuli lens, and spoke with a mournful voice that sounded like the echoes of an ocean’s wake in a seashore cave.

Rainbow Dash sped through the sky, her prismatic trail cutting and overlapping the fiery smoke and lightning of the other pegasus.

“Just where do you think you’re going?!” She screamed from behind him. “You think you can just waltz into Ponyville, make a huge mess and just fly off! Not when the Dash is here!”

The chase went on for another minute, whoever this pony was, he sure knew his stuff. Every time she thought he would zig, he zagged, every time she thought he would zag, he zigged, putting more and more distance between them. She chased him into a grove in the whitetail woods, rounding several trees before she saw him zipping by her in the other direction.

When the two were back out in the clearing, she attempted to run him towards the ground by taking the high route and diving him while he passed a narrow ridge with his sides flanked by cliffs. To her surprise though, he immediately spun downward in a near vertical angle as if he was attempting to crash himself, but then began to spin into a cyclone of fire and electricity, shooting right into the earth like a drill and then, moments later, popping out of the ravine edge unfettered and unslowed.

That…was awesome.

Rainbow had to admit, for a jerk, he sure pulled some pretty cool stunts with reckless abandon. But still, she had to catch him!

As he sped towards the tall lonely mountain, she pumped her wings towards a nearby jet stream she knew would loop around the landmark. With the extra wind at her back, she swung right by him, winged around the snow capped peak and halted right in front of him, where she got a good look at her adversary for the first time.

He was a broad and tall stallion, clad in black ash armor with crimson streaks running down the edges like scars. The leggings of his mail were laced with wrought iron chains, and he wore a full mask helm that left only his eyes and mane visible, both burned a yellowish red like they were on fire.

Rainbow tried her best not to think of how cool and tough that getup looked, and simply sucked in her gut, put her hooves on her hips, and flared her wings to look as intimidating as possible.

“You put up a good chase, I’ll give you that. But nopony can outfly the Rainbow Dash! Now what say you give me an explanation of why you literally crashed our celebration?”

Moments passed as the two stared each other down, and with each passing second, Rainbow’s irritation grew.

“Well? Talk! Or do we have to do things the hard way?”

Her silent antagonist finally spoke up in a deep, erupting tone that rumbled like thunder.

Rarity gazed at her newest masterpiece as she held it up to the sunlight. It was a simple one piece dress similar to the one she had made for Twilight back in Canterlot, however there were some noticeable differences that could be seen. It was a vibrant lime green with an emerald dust around the hem of the skirt to make it glimmer like the fresh morning dew. The shoulders and sleeves were garbed with an almost transparent white silk lace, giving it a gossamer finish similar to her butterfly wings that one time. Finally, its accompaniment, a daisy yellow sun umbrella, had several floral patterns of lilies, cherry blossoms and tulips that were arranged in a way so that if you spun it, it would seem as if their petals were scattering to the winds.

As she fitted into her spring attire and gazed into her vanity mirror, a smile as wide as the sky spread over the fashionista face as she gave a coy wink to herself. Yes! This was the beauty of spring in its purest form! A veritable gem of only the most natural and pristine! And this would only be the first of her spring designs. As soon as made her debut at the celebration, she was sure word would get around about how fabulously wonderful she looked, and orders for entire wardrobes would come pouring in, everypony wanting to be as gracefully simple as her!

Giggling to herself, she trotted down from her fitting stand and over to her closet where she kept some odds and ends.

Mustn’t forget the hat. That little straw one with the flat brim should do it if I could find that pink ribbon…aha! There!

With a skip in her step, she bounded out, but slowed to a stop when she glanced towards the front doors. Somepony was standing there, a tall stallion, completely adorned in golden armor with silver trimming the rim and diamonds studding the edges. He wore a large helm in the shape of a tall imperial crown that completely shadowed his face, and a majestic royal purple cape covered his back all the way down to his tail. Rarity could immediately tell this was a high class pony, though perhaps his outfit, while grand, was maybe a little too overbearing, especially for a spring getup.

“Oh, welcome to Carousel Boutique, my good sir. I’m terribly sorry, but I’m afraid we’re closed for the Spring Equinox celebration today. If you like, however, you can tell me a quick order and I can get started with rough design on the morrow, and we can discuss the details and payment on a later date.”

The mysterious visitor merely lowered his gaze to Rarity, as if he was looking down on her, and then bellowed in a deep condescending voice that rang with pride and authority.

As Applejack sped across the dirt road to her farm, she managed to get a few glances at the other orchards and gardens on her way. It wasn’t just the apples, every fruit and veggie was looking sickly, and the rest of the farmers were as shocked and panicked as she was. Was this some sort of blight or curse? And what was responsible?

She finally reached the front gate, and as she rushed by the barn and out into the orchard, she fought back tears to sight she saw. It was just as Applebloom had described, not a single speck of red, green or yellow fruit could be seen on the trees, only brown, gunky, and mushy balls decorated the vibrant green leaves.

Wait a minute…

Applejack approached one of the trees and looked closer, she felt up the bark and plucked a leaf from a low hanging branch with her teeth, tasting it. The trunk was firm and strong and leaves were juicy and rich.

The trees are perfectly fine…it's only the apples that are being affected.

A small wave of relief washed over Applejack. Every tree in the orchard was as much family to her as any member of the Apple clan, the fact that they were healthy meant the world to her. But that didn’t help the current situation. Their fruit was rotten and inedible. Sweet Apple Acres had its share of bad harvests before, but this took the cake!

Ah need t'go back and find Twilight, she can figure out what’s wrong here. Ah just hope what we managed to make so far will be enough for the celebration.

Suddenly, she noticed somepony was standing near one of the trees. She was a unicorn, probably several years older than her little sister. Draped in a heavy white cloak that concealed her entire body, and a black sash covering the bottom half of her face, all that could be seen of her were two teal eyes that seemed to gaze deep into the soul. But the most peculiar feature about this young mare that right above horn…was a second one, barely hidden by her red and white striped mane.

“Uh, howdy there stranger. Is there something I can help ya with? Cause if not, I’d kinda like it if you’d leave, as you can see this place is in o’ bit a pickle here.”

Gaze never faltering, the two horned mare’s voice rang out in a soft, sadistic, and uncaring manner, and it felt as if the voice was emanating straight from Applejack’s mind.

As Fluttershy ran closer to her cottage, she could hear a cacophony of squawks, cries, and roars in the distance that only spurred her faster. Upon reaching the door, she rushed in to find her house in a complete state of disarray. Critters of all kinds were jumping and scurrying to and fro, knocking aside anything in their way as if they had lost their minds. The gardens and pens in the back were in even worse shape. The birds she had been training for weeks were scattering and peeping in panic whilst the larger creatures below were upturning the earth and banging against the walls and fences as if they felt a need to escape.

For the first few minutes, Fluttershy could not even comprehend what she was seeing. All her animal friends had never been in such a frenzy before. So much rage, pain, and fear overwhelmed her senses that she instinctively crouched down to make herself as small as possible. But after the initial rush, her motherly nature kicked in to attempt to quell her little ones, and some big ones, before they hurt themselves.

“Oh, oh, please. Everyone calm down. It’s okay. Don’t be scared.”

But her soft melodious voice was drowned out by the mass hysteria of her pets.

“Um, uh, please? Can everyone please stop? I’m here. It’s okay. Oh, don’t knock that over! Wait! Come back! Oh no no no no no, don’t do that. You’ll hurt yourself.”

After several more minutes of unsuccessful chasing and pleading, Fluttershy realized she could not get their attention. She took a deep breath, knowing she would have to resort to that. Planting her feet firmly on the floor, she stood right in a frazzled badger’s way, and applied the stare. The critter froze and trembled for a few seconds, seemingly paralyzed by his caretaker’s gaze. But then, he started to snarl, and with a quick swipe of his claw, attacked her left eye as if she was some sort of monster.

Fluttershy squeaked as she fell back, hoof on her hurt eye. Once again, the incredulous turn of events stunned her for a few minutes as she tried to piece together what had just happened.

My…my stare didn’t work…

My animal friends…attacked me…

They…they hurt me…

Suddenly, Fluttershy felt very uneasy. As she looked around her trashed home, her unease grew into anxiety, and her anxiety grew to panic. She had never noticed that so many of her little animals had such sharp beaks, claws, teeth, or other things that could inflict bodily harm. Her furniture was damaged with deep marks that scarred the wood, marks caused by her animals. Her breath came in shorter intervals, and she felt the walls close in as she glanced from one creature to the next. Their eyes didn’t look at all friendly, they seemed full of malice. Wait! Were they looking at her now? W-were their mouths foaming?

Th-There were so many of them, and they all looked so angry… and mean… and hungry.

A single raccoon took a solitary step towards her, and she screamed, bolting out her door as fast as her wings took take her. She had only gone past her mailbox when she crashed into a huge stallion even larger than Big Macintosh. His tattered robes of gray rippled in even the slightest breeze like a reaper’s cowl, and his bony, long face procured menacing blood red eyes that pulsed almost as if they were bleeding. His hooves wore spiked greaves and shoes that twisted into goring shapes like growing briars. And he bore a wicked sneer, his teeth all unnaturally sharp and pointed.

He towered over the whimpering ball of yellow and pink, and from his mouth rasped with a chilling voice that echoed like a pebble clattering into a dark, bottomless abyss.

“Twiiiiiiiliiiiiight!! Slo-o-o-o-o-o-o-ow do-o-o-o-o-o-ownnnnn!!” Spike cried as he desperately clutched the end of her tail, flailing about like kite trying to get into the air.

Twilight had gone from zero to sixty in ten seconds flat, sprinting back into her library and up the stairs, finally halting and sending the dazed dragon flying into the air and onto her bed as she frantically threw boxes aside from her closet.

“Panic kit! Need the panic kit! And the disaster kit! And the first aid kit and the heavy duty clean up kit and the emergency repair kit!”

“Pack the calm the heck down kit while you’re at it,” the little dragon said as he dusted off his green frills. “So we’ve got a few messes popping up. That’s no reason to wig out and start adding to the chaos. We’ve dealt with much worse in the past without you flying off your handle.”

“Found it! Now where’s that ponyocalypse scenario set?”

“TWILIGHT!” Spike shouted at the top of his lungs, snapping her attention to him.

“Look at me. You gotta get it together! I really don’t want another repeat performance of that friendship report escapade or the future Twilight incident! Now take a deep breath, and tell yourself, everything is going to be fine.”

Twilight took several deep breaths, and slowly but surely her worry ebbed. She gave Spike a warm smile and sighed. “You’re right Spike. I need to look at this rationally. Running about in a tizzy has never gotten me out of the situation before and only added to the problem. The ponies out there are going to need a level-headed organizer who can properly access the damage and work out a step by step recovery plan."

She then packed most of her emergency kits back into the closet. “And that will be me. Let’s get back out there and rally a clean-up crew to salvage anything undamaged, and work from there.”

Twilight proceeded to climb down the stairs, and then found herself facing an unknown pony at the foot of the steps. She was fully robed in dark green garments that portrayed strange and eldritch symbols of the arcane. Her mane and tail glowed a sickly yellow as it waved and flowed on its own. A magic veil hid her face as she glowered at the scholar with contempt with her olive green eyes.

“W-who are you? What are you doing in here? Is there something you want? Do you know something about what’s happening out there?” Twilight asked nervously as unease began to creep back into her.

Leaning close, the intruder spoke in a tone that lingered in spite, her words dripping with venom.

“All that you know is at an end…”

“The prophecy of destruction shall be completed…”

“The gate beyond the void will open…”

“The true master will return triumphant…”

“The disillusionment will envelop all…”

“And hatred will rule once more.”

“W-what?” Twilight gaped in horror at the stranger’s words. “What are you talking about?! What gate? What master? WHAT PROPHECY?!”

But the other unicorn simply turned and walked away, dissipating into a mist that faded out as if she was never there.

“WAIT! I HAVE TO KNOW! WHAT’S GOING TO HAPPEN!? WHO’S RETURNING?! WHAT IS THIS PROPHECY?!”

Every single hair on Twilight completely frazzled out as she went into full meltdown.

Everything I know…gone? Hatred ruling?! WHAT’S GOING TO HAPPEN TO EQUESTRIA?!!

“Uh, what?” Applejack cocked her head suspiciously at the words the young mare had said. “Wait, do you know what’s goin’ on round here? Are you responsible for this?”

The twin horned pony started to walk away, ignoring her.

“Hey! I’m talkin’ to you! Git over here now and start explaining!”

Applejack leapt at the stranger, but with an eerie blue glow, the unicorn became nothing but a transparent outline and Applejack passed right through her, smacking herself into the tree she was standing behind. An avalanche of mush covered the dazed earth pony and she poked her head out of the mess just in time to see the outline vanish in a wisp of smoke.

“Dang that fancy unicorn magic. Ah better let Twi and the others know about that there weirdo and that strange mumbo jumbo she spouted.”

“I…beg your pardon?” Rarity answered the gleaming stallion before her.

He said nothing more, and craned his head high. Then his armor shone brilliantly until it seemed as if the sun itself was inside the boutique. Rarity squeezed her eyes shut, blinded by the golden light, and when she opened them, he was gone.

“My word…what a mysterious stallion. And those words… even stranger. Still, it was awfully rude for him to just barge in here like nopony’s business just for that. And not even a fine ‘how do you do’ either. Oop! Almost forgot, I still need to get that hat. There’ll be time to think about mysterious encounters after today’s soirée.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?! Are you threatening me?” Rainbow Dash threw an accusatory hoof at her opponent.

He said nothing in return and instead started to fly away in the other direction.

“HEY! YOU’RE NOT GOING ANYWHERE, YOU BIG DUMB-”

Rainbow Dash’s pursuit was cut short as the other pegasus jerked his neck back at her with a withering glare and emanated a huge gale force wind from his body. Rainbow spiraled backwards face first into the mountain wall.

“Oooch, agh…that was a cheap shot!” she spat as she peeled herself out of the indent she made into the rock. But when she scanned the skies east to west, there was no trace of her quarry left to find. Huffing to herself in frustration, she flew back towards Ponyville to start cleaning up the mess that was still there.

“Um….I’m…sorry?”

Fluttershy trembled at what seemed to be the scariest pony since Nightmare Moon, and squeezed her eyes shut, hooves over her head, since she was too scared to go back the other way. She then felt a poke at her flank and squealed in horror jumping a full ten feet. She recoiled into a bush, eventually poking her eyes out to see Angel, tapping his foot. The other pony was no longer anywhere to be seen.

“Oh, um….I’m sorry Angel. You scared me again. Um…if it’s alright, can we go back to Twilight and the others? I-I think I need some help calming my…..animals….down. If that’s alright with you.”

Angel’s eyes now had a look of sympathy as he hopped over and gave her face a quick reassuring hug. Fluttershy smiled and almost forgot about everything scary that had just happened to her as she crawled out of the bush and nuzzled her caring and protective rabbit in return. A sharp shrill cry of a dozen birds in cottage behind her broke her serenity, and she started galloping back to Ponyville at full speed.

“Wow…that’s a pretty long and strange name. How about I give you a nickname to make it easier? Maybe…Miss Rainy? How about Shiny Wings? Oh, oh! Blue Gloomy! Blue Gloomy!”

The seemingly emotionless pegasus released a sigh, and in flash of lightning and a boom of thunder, she was gone, along with the rain and the clouds. Pinkie turned her neck an almost full three-sixty as she looked around.

“Oooh! That was a neat trick! She’s going to have to show me how to do that next time!”

Spike shook his head as he massaged the spot between his eyes with an index finger and thumb. The library was in shambles, books were laid everywhere but the shelves and notes plastered everywhich way as if a tornado had hit the interior. He bent over to pick up a page down large dictionary with its spine bent over just as another paperback hit him square in the face.

And to think I thought I could avoid one of Twilight’s insanity sprees…

The bookish unicorn was sprawled out on her desk, switching between four different reference books at a page per minute. As she finally reached the end of one, she immediately slammed it shut and threw it aside with her magic.

“NO! Nothing in here either!”

“Twilight! You’ve gone through every book in the library for about two hours now! The festival’s gonna start any minute now!”

“If I can’t find out what that warning was pertaining to, there may not even be a festival, or an Equestria!” Twilight tossed another almanac aside.

Spike peeked out the window to see two large chariots approaching the town from the sky, one midnight blue and the other ivory laced with gold.

“That’s certainly going to put a damper on their royal highnesses spirits to know there’s no celebration after coming here.”

Twilight’s eyes lit up. “Of course! Princess Celestia! She’ll know what to do!”

She rushed out of the library, and skidded to a halt right in front of where the chariots landed, nearly crashing in the guards that pulled it. Everypony bowed as the white alicorn stepped out, her benevolent smile radiated as she glanced from one pony to the next. Her younger sister Luna soon joined her side from the other carriage. Together, they appeared to be the most beautiful beings anypony ever saw. Their manes flowed and overlapped, mixing a wondrous aurora spectrum with a canvas of midnight stars. Their regalia shone with an aura of warm serenity and power.

“Rise, my little ponies. We are happy and pleased to see you all in good spirits.”

Celestia’s smile shrunk a little as she saw her faithful student approach her in such a disheveled state. “Twilight Sparkle, is there something wrong?”

“Princess Celestia, Princess Luna-”

“Twilight!” Rainbow Dash barreled into her yet again, pushing her yet again, into the mud. “Finally found ya! Listen, I gotta tell you something, that weird pegasus that wrecked my clouds? I chased him all the way to the dragon mountain and he said some weird things that I-”

Then she realized who else she was standing before and quickly bowed. As she did, Twilight picked herself up and was then knocked down into the mud again as Fluttershy bumped into her.

“Oh, oh, I’m so sorry Twilight. I was j-just in such a rush to find you that I-”

“Hey Twi! There you are!”

The crowd parted ways as Applejack squeezed her way through, followed by Rarity and Pinkie Pie.

“Listen Twi, I found somepony I’ve never seen before at my farm and I think she’s up to some shenanigans cause she started spouting some mumbo jumbo I couldn’t make heads or tails of. I was wondering if you could-”

“Wait? Are you saying there’s more than one new pony in Ponyville?” Pinkie exclaimed. “Oh my gosh! This calls for a triple party! I’ve only held two of those in my entire life! Three if you count the time I found a lost world in that closet in the attic and-”

“Hold on now. You’ve both had an encounter with a mysterious stranger? How peculiar… I had one just in my shop this morning. And he also said something out of the ordinary, something about a prophecy-Oh! Twilight! What did I tell you about that mud caking?”

Twilight’s eyes continued to widen at each of her friends’ updates. She then turned to her ruler and mentor, doing her best not to let panic ruin her composure.

“Princess, we need to speak, in private, now. It’s imperative.”

Celestia lowered her head and gave her panting pupil a reassuring muzzle. “Of course, my faithful student. My sister and I will gladly hear any concerns you have.”

Back in the halls of the library, Celestia and Luna both sat before the six ponies as each one recalled their fateful encounters that morning, their faces stoic and calm, never betraying any hint of worry and at the same time expressing deep concern.

“This is rather disturbing news,” Luna stated in a controlled voice. “It is clear that there are ill intentions at work here. Unfortunately, my sister and I have no knowledge of this prophecy that these six strangers spoke of either, or whom this master they refer to is.”

Twilight’s worry hit an all time high. It was only the presence of her beloved monarchs that kept her from erupting in a spastic outburst. “B-but…if even you don’t know anything about this, how can we prevent it? All of Equestria may be plunged into disaster at any moment!”

“Twilight,” Celestia once again cast her loving smile upon the scared little unicorn. “There is no need to fear. Yes, we do not know who these strange forces at work are, what their goal is, or the magnitude of their predicted advent. But something I do know is that should it come to pass, everypony will do their best to overcome the hardships that follow. And I have faith in them.”

“Yeah, Twilight. So what if some big bad meanie decides to come out and be a big party pooper? We’ll just party even hardier!” Pinkie said as she groped a hoof around her friend’s shoulder.

“You know it! Anypony tries something, they’ll be answering to us!” Rainbow Dash air boxed and gave a quick roundhouse kick.

“Well then, if’n we’re all on the same page here, let’s get back out there and get this celebration underway!” Applejack said as she opened the doors to the library.

“Indeed! Let us look to the day with positive view! It just might be we’re concerning ourselves over nothing!” Rarity agreed as she twirled her umbrella on the way out.

The group all trotted out with renewed spirits, ready to greet the day with vigor. Twilight and Celestia were the last to head out, as the unicorn hesitated at the door.

“Is there still something troubling you, Twilight?”

“It’s just that…when those other ponies confronted us, it’s as if they knew we were alone at the time. Like they had purposely tried to separate us when they showed up. When I found myself staring face to…well, not exactly face of that other pony, I felt helpless. My friends and I have always managed to overcome any danger together, but at that moment, a fleeting thought lingered in my mind. They’ll always want to be there for me, but if they can’t be there? What if something forcibly prevents them from being there with me…that they can’t help me…and I can’t help them?”

Celestia leaned in close and gazed into her eyes softly. “My dear little pony, let me ask you. If your friends were a million leagues away from here without away way to return, would you stop thinking of them?”

“What? No! Never!”

“And would they stop thinking of you?”

“Of course not!”

“Then there will never be a time when you cannot be there for your friends nor them for you. Friendship…true friendship, is something that surpasses any boundary, whether it is material, emotional, or spiritual.”

She lifted her head up, giving a faraway look through the window at the sky. “When my dear little sister became Nightmare Moon, and I was forced to seal her away, I felt more turmoil than I ever had in my long rule over this land. But beneath my anguish, I held on to one simple thing that kept me strong over the next thousand years, my love for Luna. I knew she was still in there, behind that veil of jealousy and spite, was my sweet and adorable sister who was fearful for what she’d become, and who loved me in return. Not a single day went by that I kept that love in my heart and nurtured it, because I knew as long I had it, I would never lose her. She would come back one day, and neither of us would ever take our relationship for granted ever again.”

She turned again to Twilight, her eyes glazed with emotion from her moment of nostalgia. “Each of the elements of harmony exists within everypony, and they are what connect them together. So even if there is a time where you must face adversity alone, remember your friends, and they will be with you in spirit, supporting you until the very end.”

Twilight felt her very being soothe as Celestia’s words washed over her. “Thank you so much, Princess Celestia. I feel much better now.”

Celestia gave a warm chuckle. “Now come, Twilight. It’s time to begin the Spring Equinox.”

Not a single inch of the entire square was empty as every pony in the town, and some from the neighboring ones gathered around the platform the princesses stood on. Mayor Mare stood next to the podium, opening up for the princesses. To the left of the stage, right below were six bearers of the elements of harmony.

“Sweet! Front row seats for the aligning of the sun and moon! Executive privileges rock!” Rainbow said.

“Now Rainbow, I’m sure it looks just as spectacular from the back of crowd,” Rarity chimed in.

“Shh! The Princesses are about to make their opening ceremony speech!” Twilight shushed. She watched Celestia approach the podium with confidence.

Celestia’s right. My friends will be there for me as long as I hold the same for them. After all, there is nothing stronger than friendship.

Or is there?

Twilight’s ears twitched, and she scanned the crowd, the skies and buildings. That was the same voice of the mare who had cornered her in the library that just spoke in her head now! But she was nowhere to be seen. Did she just imagine it or-

“CITIZENS OF PONYVILLE! AND ALL THOSE WHO HAVE JOURNEYED HERE FOR THIS MOMENTOUS OCCASION!” Luna’s royal voice cut off her train of thought, and perhaps her right ear’s capabilities. “IT IS WITH GREAT JOY AND PRIDE THAT WE ARE PLEASED TO HONOR YOU THIS YEAR. SUN AND MOON, THE BODIES THAT GUIDE THE LIVELIHOOD OF THIS WORLD AND ITS DENIZENS. NEITHER CAN BRING SERENITY ALONE, AND THIS DAY SYMBOLIZES THE MIRACLE THEY BRING BY WORKING IN TANDEM.”

Celestia gave a playful nudge to her nervous sister as everypony’s hooves shot to their ears. “Lulu, dear, remember those voice exercises.”

Luna cleared her throat as she sheepishly let her sister take the stand. “S-sorry…Tia,” she whispered.

Celestia resumed Luna’s speech from where she left off. “The union of the sun and moon on this day hold a much deeper meaning than equal day and night. They symbolize the wonders that all relationships bring, what can happen when beings of all sorts work together to create something greater than the sum of their efforts alone, and the joy that comes with it.”

The Princesses horns glowed as the sun positioned itself in high in the sky and the moon crept up from the horizon to join it. Rainbows cast themselves over the buildings as stars twinkled into existence. The two spheres stopped as their edges overlapped, as if they were hugging each other.

“May harmony grace our lands and hearts forever.”

“Pinchy knee! Pinchy knee!”

*CRACK* *BOOM*

The blue sky immediately turned a sinister black, eating up the rainbows and stars as lightning and thunder erupted from nowhere. Vicious winds suddenly howled up, screaming into every pony’s ear.

“What in the name of all things good and wholesome is goin’ on?” Applejack screamed over the din as she clutched her hat.

“Um, girls…the sky is cracking…”

Everypony looked to where Fluttershy was pointing. There was a large crevice over the darkened sky, as if it were a window that had been battered by a rock.

And it was growing.

*CRRRRK* *CRRSH**KRRRRT*

With a deafening shatter, a piece of the sky roughly the size of a small boulder gave away, revealing from behind a swirling miasma of purple, grey, and black. From the depths of the strange darkness there was large claw gripping the edge of the opening, and a leering, glowing red orb peered out, followed by two more. And then, an oily, deep voice resounded.

“HM..HMM HMM HMM….FREE. AT. LAST.”

An explosion burst the hole into a larger one the size of a small mountain as the miasma poured out in a sickening waterfall of black mist, all the while the voice growing in a raucous and maniacal laughter. It swirled and twisted as it built up. After several moments of amassing, it started to take solidify and take form.

A massive figure appeared form the dense cloud, tall as the houses around it. Two long webbed feet stepped forward, carrying an immense and sleek veined torso and spiked club tail. Long arms adorned both sides, each with sharp four-finger claws. And on top, was head with long, tentacle-like hair. It had no nose, just a mouth with many jagged fangs, and three narrow slit red eyes with yellow pupils. All the while, the being continued to pulse the miasma, shrouding it in a hazy purple aura.

“Ahhhh…” It breathed deeply as it took in its surroundings. “My oh my, this place has certainly changed since I last saw it. So much vibrant life…such clean air and calm waters… how sickeningly disgusting. Well, I’m just going to have to have to do something about this, don’t I?”

“Who the heck are you?!”

One of the eyes swiveled to look at Rainbow Dash being restrained by Applejack. The other two eyes then leered in at the huddled and frightened masses in front of him. He gestured with his right claw in a theatrical presentation.

“Ah yes, it appears I have a captive audience. Do excuse my oversight.”

In a mocking courtesy bow, it dissipated into a black mist, swirled around the crowd and rematerialized directly in front of them in a smaller form about the size of a full grown pony. His grin was wide and sinister as it bared its teeth.

“My name is Ruinate, and I’m going to be taking over this world.”

The newcomer then cracked its knuckles as it switched its gaze to the nearest building. “First things first, though. A little foundation to set for my first base of operations."

And with a flick of his arm, it morphed into a huge cannon, and a stream of black fire decimated the house to ashes. Ponies screamed in horror as the realization of the danger this creature presented finally sunk in.

“Now this is a proper welcome committee,” Ruinate laughed. “Such delightful screams…”

A blast of powerful magic connected with his backside, but he simply stood there as if it had done nothing, and then turned to see Luna and Celestia.

“Ahhh…the alicorns, impeccable timing as always for a prime race.”

“WE KNOW NOT WHO YOU ARE NOR WHENCE YOU CAME, BUT YOU SHALL NOT ENDANGER OUR PONIES!” Luna boomed, readying, another spell.

Ruinate’s face then twisted into a confused state. “Hmm? That’s odd.” He tapped his chin. “I know the latter behind me is clueless, but you don’t realize who I am? Now that I think about it… why are there only two of you? Unless….”

He then burst out in mocking laughter. “I was expected to never get out? Didn’t they realize that the only way that possibility would happen is if they actually finished me? And look at how their numbers have dwindled! I had an army of the little god pets facing me last time, this is what is expected to stop me?!”

“YOU BE A FOOL TO UNDERESTIMATE THE REGENTS OF THE SUN AND MOON!”

Luna’s magic burst forth in a powerful moonbeam that reverberated shockwaves that could force ten full grown stallions back. But her opponent simply grinned, and in a swift motion, his arm grew and stretched as his claw swelled to massive size, chopped away the energy like it was a stack of toothpicks and seized the moon goddess.

“I believe it’s the other way around.”

With a malevolent guffaw, she swung her around like a doll, smashing her through the nearby dwellings and pounding her into the dirt.

“Goodness gracious, you’ve not only shrunk in number, but in power as well! I would have at least been scratched by now!”

He then held her up high as his eyes gave a deep neon glow. “This is going to be much easier than I thought.”

A massive surge of energy channeled through his arm and up to Luna. A screech of incredible pain pierced through the air. The clawed fingers then unfolded and released its catch to the ground with a thud. There, lay a large lifeless crystalline alicorn shape where Luna had been.

Twilight and her friends gasped. “PRINCESS LUNA!”

“One down, one to go.” Ruinate turned to the sun goddess, her eyes glowing hot white and her mane and wings ablaze. “Oooh, flashy. Let me guess, she was a family member and now you’re angry.”

“BEGONE DEMON!” Celestia boomed in her own royal voice as she raised her horn to the sun. A stream of intense light and fire poured down and enveloped him.

For a moment it seemed as if the attack worked, but then a dark mist began to leak out of the tower of light, and suddenly a myriad of tentacles shot forth and ensnared Celestia. The pillar then faded away, revealing the monstrous being even larger than when he first appeared, the tentacles coming right from his chest. Dragging her close until their faces were nearly touching, his lips curled in a sneer.

“How pathetic…out of all the misplaced Sentiox faith in their offspring, Amity’s was clearly the greatest!!”

“Amity?” Celestia’s eyes suddenly widened in horror. “No…you’re the Ruinate?!”

“Ah…so my name does ring a bell!”

“But…but you’re…”

His eyes glowed with a very deep red as his manic smile stretched to a point where it could have split his face.

“I rest assure you, I am very much real and very much alive. And you can thank your dear sention for that, has well for inheriting her naivety, mercy, and weakness! Now…say goodbye to your little ponies.”

Celestia screamed in agony as the same crystallization that happened to Luna started to take her. Twilight watched in disbelief as the mare she looked to as a second mother writhed in agony.

“PRINCESS CELESTIA!!!”

With the last of her strength, the regent of the sun turned to look at Twilight. “T-t-twi…light…the elements…of harmony…you…must…unlock…Amity’s…”

The crystallization enveloped her head, and she was silent. Dropping her in the same fashion as he did Luna, Ruinate turned to the mass of the quivering ponies, holding his arms out in proclamation.

“Let those who have witnessed these events, relay this message to every living creature on this planet. The true keeper of this world has finally returned. Today marks the day of destruction, where the land shall return to its intended state of ruin! So prepare for an everlasting age of bloodshed and agony…and welcome YOUR NEW GOD!!!”

His laughter, now louder than ever echoed through the ears of Twilight and her friends as they watched the swirling vortex of the void in sky continue to grow, enveloping the sun and moon, leaving nothing….but an empty existence.

TO BE CONTINUED….