Chapter 11: Rediscovery

After some teary reunion with the Happy Townians... okay, let us be precise, teary reunion from their point of view. From our heroines point of view, it was pretty annoying to be pushed from hoof to hoof like some kind plush toys for children. And also to be covered in tear and snout was certainly not helping. Regardless, they came to the conclusion that before going away searching help, they had to stop at Happy Town and talk to them. Those ponies were after all involved in that story as much as them if not more. They could not leave them in the dark even if our mares did not know how much Happy Town knew.

So then they all went towards the town, or more specifically, toward the plaza where the cubic monitor was because most of citizens were still there, gathered around it. A lot were still in a daze after that show. The mayor was the worst of the bunch. The moving sea of dark clouds above was not helping make the ambiance less bleak. And so, it was in that grim scene that this theater continued for our heroines.

As the mares and dogs approached the big conglomerate of ponies, they saw more clearly that they were in a very somber mood. A far cry of what they were before. And contrary to the ponies that had looked for them at the guesthouse, those ones simply turned their heads to acknowledge the new comers, nothing more. Applejack, at this sight, held her hat more tightly.

‘’Sheesh, ah had seen funerals that were jollier than that. Ya think they saw our debacle and that they know that their angel was the true ringleader Twi?’’

The princess nodded.

‘’I think that's a safe bet. You see that that big cube is made with the same material as the ruins. I am sure it is one of the monitors she had mentioned. So we really were watched by all! Still hard to believe. I thought I would feel disgusted or violated but... I find out that I don't care. Should I see that as a bad sign?’’

‘’Ah don't know sweetie. Ah too ah'm wondering the same thing. But we have already so much to worry about so, regardless if it's bad or good, ah say let's rejoice we at least don't have that on our plate.’’

‘’Heh, can't argue with that logic. Alright, I suppose I should go talk to the mayor. I am curious about what he thinks.’’

The alicorn went towards the big earth pony who was sitting on a small crate, probably because he had no more strength to stay up. His head was slumping down and his eyes were vacant. He was no longer the impressive symbol of joviality and good life. He even looked as if he was twenty years older. It was when Twilight came close to him that light, although dim, was starting to appear in his iris.

‘’Oh. It's you. You're really are fine! Thank goodness. We were not sure of what had happened to you. When I was told you had been seen at the guesthouse I was nearly afraid to have hope. But you are all here safe and sound. At least one good news.’’

‘’Yes, we are alright. More or less at least. Sorry, I feel stupid to ask that question but I need to. Do you know that... I mean that Floral... was...’’

He had said nothing. Instead, his face contorted in pain which was a clear answer for Twilight.

‘’So, you do know that she was Mel for all this time.’’

‘’After... you trying to escape... that cube shows us... I don't how to describe it... our Flo... in... days of the past when all was fine. And also... Mel... guuh... dy, ing, in a such a horrible way and... and... our Flo... becoming him and engineering that... that... it's just too hard to believe! It... it had only took ten minutes maybe.’’

Twilight turned her head towards the monitor that was now showing only buzzing statics.

‘’(I see. So the monitor had also shown the memories of Floral. But only ten minutes! Must have been a condescended version. But it seems it had shown the essential.)’’

The mayor nearly jumped on Twilight, putting his hooves on her shoulder, looking kinda desperate.

‘’Tell me. This can't be right, right? It has to be some sort of mistake.’’

‘’*sigh* No it is the sad truth. Floral had//

But a stranger shouted at her from somewhere.

‘’LIAR!’’

Twilight jumped at that sudden accusation. She wanted to see who had spoken with such venom. It was a pony from the crowd. And he was no longer looking at her like somepony to idolize, but instead like she was a blasphemer.

‘’Don't you dare say those lies. Don't you dare sully the name of our angel. Flo is the greatest pony on earth and she would never do that.’’

And more ponies came to speak their opinions.

‘’He's right. Mel is the true monster and we won't be tricked by him.’’

‘’And we will not forgive those who will speak bad of our Flo, not even you.’’

The lavender alicorn was aghast. Were they’re serious! After all they saw! How could it be! How could it be possible to be such in denial!

‘’What... ... but what is wrong with you?! You are telling me that you still believe that Mel had anything to do with that! That Flo is innocent! But you must have saw her when disguise went away. She had even confessed herself that she was guilty. You had even seen her past.’’

‘’THOSE WERE LIES, IT MUST BE LIES. Those were tricks, yes, that what they must be. It's Mel, it's always him.’’

‘’Yeah, that all there is to know. Mel ruins everything and Flo is our angel.’’

‘’And you, you are supposed to be on her side. You are supposed to make us feel better, not worse.’’

More and more ponies screamed their indignation at the princess could not help but to back off before them.

That was when came the noise of the air horn.

All stop speaking at that sound so loud and annoying that all ponies had to cover their hears. When it stopped, they all looked at the source. Pinkie Pie, sitting on top of the monitor, looking not amused at all.

‘’Good, I got all your attention now.’’

Rainbow Dash flew towards her, rather angry.

‘’Pinkie, what's the big idea? We are not at a hoofball match.’’

‘’Oh that. I always bring one air horn with me in case of an emergency cheering. Now, as for 'what's the big idea' you were asking? Well, I may be a party pony and a maker of glee extraordinary, but still, I know when somepony needs a prescription of reality check.’’

She pointed her hoof toward the crowd.

‘’And you all Happy Townians, it's not a prescription that you need but a horse remedy. ... ... Gah. That gag was lame.’’

She had say pushing down her hoof, which accidentally hit the button of her air horn, which tortured once again everycreature with its bleeding noise while Pinkie juggled with her air horn in her panic.

‘’Wo wo wo wo sorrysorry, that one was not intentional. But anyway.’’

She tossed the air horn somewhere and from the sound of it, it landed in a place where there is a lot of trash cans and alley cats. Then, she jumped from the monitor, made many saltos in mid-air and landed before the crowd on her upper-limbs, her head upside-down.

‘’Anyway anyway anyway, I suggest you reverse your way of thinking so that you can see how awful you all are.’’

Naturally, those ponies did not take it well.

‘’Awful! Us awful! How can you, you of all ponies say that?!’’

‘’And why do you talk as if it was our fault? Are you saying is our fault!’’

And Pinkie answered:

‘’Well yeah, it's kinda your fault.’’

The crowd of Happy Townians was taken aback. If they were angry before, now a bile of rage was forming in their throats, asking to be let it-out.

‘’Shut up. We did nothing wrong. We are always searching joy and pushing away all negative thoughts. We are having the most optimal life.’’

‘’But now it might be ruined forever. You Mane 6 are supposed to help us at having our old life back but until now you are only making it worse.

‘’... ... ... Them, them. Seriously, are you even listening to yourselves.’’

She jumped and landed back on her four feet.

‘’First off, I don't appreciate that you treat me and above all, my friends, like some kind of one-dimensional figures that exist only to bring you positivity. We are people for ponysake. I too feel sad, depress and afraid sometimes. And I know other does too. I don't deny it. Even I know it is important to acknowledge it because it's part of life. And you, you had done none of that. You have been mean to Melancholia just because he did not agree with your views of happiness. Even if, and I could tell, he knew more about happiness than you.’’

The mayor, seeing as things could degenerate even more, found the strength to get up and tried to intervene.

‘’Miss Pinkie please, you have to calm//

‘’NO YOU ARE LISTENING TO ME. You have also been mean to little Flo. You made her believe that she had to be somepony too perfect to be realistic and that she should feel bad to have bad feelings.’’

‘’What! But... please, you must understand. I... none of us could have ever imagined this was how she was feeling. She was always special and such a strong pony.’’

The mayor was telling the praise of Floral. But this was only serving to make Pinkie even more angry.

‘’She is a filly that is only thinking about others and rarely about herself.’’

His was making her face contorted into a grimace.

‘’She is never crying and knows only how to smile.’’

And clenched her teeth in anger.

‘’And she never get angry at anything//

‘’SUCH A GIRL CANNOT EXIST.’’

The mayor lost his voice before this outburst.

‘’You never saw her for what she really was. Only the image in your heads and because of that she had ALWAYS, ALWAYS BEEN ALONE. And being alone when you are in pain is the worst thing to do. That is why she had deteriorated even more. You were not there for her. And I don't care if you didn't mean it. You had abandoned her. All because you were joyous and contend and saw this as an excuse to stop thinking. You... YOU EVEN MAKE ME ASHAMED TO BE A BRINGER OF SMILES.’’

Loud gasps came. Gasps from all Pinkie friends. Even the dogs. Their mouths were wide open as if they had forgotten how to move them. No, they probably did forget how.

As for our pink pony, she was panting. She didn't realize until now how much she had been angry at them. On how much they were twisting her ideal without truly trying to. And, although she knew it was unfair, how they were in a way responsible for all the anguish that had happened to her and her friends because of their blissful negligence. She was panting because so much feeling has exploded in one burst. It was taxing in a way. She felt a hoof on her shoulder and turned around to see it was Starlight.

‘’My my Pinkie, you go girl. You sure are brave to stand-up against so many ponies.’’

The unicorn looked at the crowd.

‘’You instead, are rather disappointing.’’

The Happy townians were beginning to be sick to be belittled that much by the ones that were supposed to approve them. They were becoming even more furious.

‘’What is your problem with you? Why do you treat us like bad ponies when we had done nothing to deserve that.’’

Starlight, at the opposite, was becoming cold and inscrutable. From the point of view of her friends, they could not help but to feel a chill in their hearts.

‘’... Oooooh! What my problem, you say? I will tell you. Did you know that since I arrived here, I had an uneasy feeling. Everything looked nice and yet, I could not understand why I could not enjoy it. Because I had the vague impression that something uncomfortable was hidden. But I did not take it seriously because I could not put my hoof on it. But now I understand. It's obvious. You're just like my village.’’

She had managed to conceal it but Starlight did not feel well. The similarity was bringing back guilty memories. A hint of panic was constricted her throat. But she took a deep breath and found back control.

‘’When I made my village, not once it came to me I might have chosen wrong. I wanted to make a perfect society and seeing how the ponies in it were content, all seemed to show that I was the right way. But it was not. For my society of equality to exist, I had to make sure that certain things were not allowed to exist. There was just one thing allowed to be and nothing else. Also especially, there were opinions that were not allowed to be expressed. Those ponies might have seemed content and might have truly believed it but... but how can you truly know it without being allowed to question yourself. I... had shut up their voices. And it's the same here. The difference is it is more subtle, build-on unsaid rules, and had been here for many generations. But that also means it is more difficult to free yourself from it.’’

Her speech seemed to have made an effect. The mayor was shaking from shame and was looking like he wanted to crawl into a ball like a guilty child.

‘’But... but we are trying to be happy. What is wrong with that? Does happiness is not the meaning of life?’’

‘’But you don't see that being only happy is just plain horrible. If being happy is the only thing ponies are allowed to be, the only thing they are allowed to think, then you shut-up their voices. You had shut up the voice of Mel and you had shut up the voice of Flo. And I am sure that pressure must have been suffocating. So much that Flo had gone insane.’’

‘’But... but our Flo would never...’’

‘’Oh you're so unbearable, OPEN YOUR DAMN EYES. Do you realize that the last trial was mainly for you all? Have you any idea what would have happened if it had gone as planned? Twilight would have killed Floral and because an enchantment can't stay if the wearer die then the disguise would dissipate and not only you would understand that the pony you hated the most was the one you loved all along, but also you would have saw the pony you venerate being killed by the other pony you venerate. Diabolical is not even enough of a word. This's just... so sick.’’

She was not lying. So disturbing it was that she was shuddering. Paternal expression was one of wild shock as clarity finally came through him.

‘’So then our Flo really wanted to get revenge on us for how we treated Mel!’’

‘’I'm afraid so. Well, it must be more complicated than that. But at least now that you understand, it might not too late to//

‘’SHUT UP. DON'T SAY ANOTHER DAMN WORD, WE HAVE ENOUGH.’’

Another interruption came but this one was more intense. The one who had said that was an earth pony and this one was not simply angry but was looking like an enraged animal.

‘’Why you making it all wrong? Why all of you are making it wrong? Our lives were perfect before. But you ponies, who were supposed to keep it that way, go to ruin it. You, who say we are wrong. That hateful Mel, who never stopped playing the stubborn. Even... even... EVEN FLO BETRAYED US. How could she do that after all we did for her? Now it's all ruined, our lives are never going back as before, what are we supposed to do now, WHY COULD YOU NOT DO SOMETHING AS SIMPLE AS NOT CAUSE TROUBLE?’’

The unicorn at the left of the screaming pony was one of the affectionado cheese club and so, he was dressed in an elegant and debonair look and more importantly, he had a tick cane to match the look. Thick cane snatched violently from his levitated grasp, at the shock of his owner, by the angry pony. With weapon in mouth, he charged with a war cry in blind rage towards Starlight. Her friends, fearing for her, wanted to rush towards her to protect her. But Starlight horn lighted with cyan magic and to their greatest surprise, it was them that were caught by her levitation and they were stopped on their tracks. They no longer could move an inch and were powerless to help her. The enraged pony reached her and lunged his weapon at the unicorn, hitting the side of her face.

Starlight didn't even flinch.

A painful snap had been heard. The cane was now halfway cracked. Did the sound came from it? Or something else?

A nasty bruise had formed on the right check of Starlight. A dark blue with taints of red.

Yet, the only thing she did after, was calmly opening her eyes with dead serious iris.

‘’It is not pain that cause evil. It is what we do to run away from it. See what happens when you don't know how to deal with it? When you make effort not to acquire experience with it? How many times did you all cause hurt without knowing simply to avoid pain and discomfort? How many ponies have you rejected because they had a different view on happiness than your?’’

As if a spell had been lifted, after he had hit her, the anger of the earth pony had disappeared like if it had never been here and he could not believe what he had done. He dropped the cane as if it was on fire, stepped back from it like if he was fearing it and his eyes were tearing with panic and remorse.

‘’I, I, I, I'm sorry, sorry, I, I, it was too much, I, I just wanted it to stop.’’

He felt on his rump, not knowing what to do with his hooves, visibly shaken. Other came towards him to surround him and awkwardly comforting him. They were all as shaken as him. They all saw a part of them they did not know was there.

Even mayor Paternal had to bow before the obvious. But it's just hard to give up like that your whole way of life. He still tried desperately to cling to it. Even him must have realized how pathetic his attempt was.

‘’But... alright, maybe we really were cruel to those two and we were too blind to see it. But... the way of Happy Town could not be all bad... right? I'm sure it did some good... right?’’

‘’LIARRRR.’’

A voice screamed that word with all the anger and indignation of the world. And what was more surprising, is that it was not the voice of an adult, but that of a child.

The ponies surrounding her stepped aside and looked at the little filly shaking and crying with anger.

‘’Leafy Twig!!! But... why...?!’’

‘’Everypony say that I must be happy. That I must never cry and always smile. Because that's what my dad who is gone would want. And so I did. I pushed back the pain and grabbed tightly on my happier memories. It was hard but yet, I was seeing nothing wrong with it. You were all telling me it was the right thing to do. Flo was telling me I must do it. But those months had been hell for me. I wanted to cry, to show my love for him by showing what his absence was doing to me. But I was ashamed of it, I thought there was something wrong with me while all the smiles and joy I'd felt were rotten. I was too dumb to realize it until tonight! All because you don't allow pain. And you did the same to Flo too. No, it was worse because you have given a responsibility far too heavy for her when she was a child just like me. Seriously, a child being the role model for the whole town! How can nopony saw it was so wrong!?’’

‘’But... but I really thought you were happy! I thought you were doing better!’’

‘’I THOUGHT TOO BUT WHAT IS THE POINT OF BEING HAPPY IF YOU ARE DISGUSTED BY IT? Why I am not allowed to cry, what is wrong about pain, I want it, I want it so much. Please, let me, just let me, WHAAAAAAHAAHAAHAAHAA.’’

She bawled torrent of tears and let herself drop on the concrete where she unleashed months of pent-up sorrow, not caring to be watched by so many ponies who were not sure what to feel anymore. No matter how much the plaza was crowded, her cries were the only thing that was heard.

Twilight, taking advantage of this situation, trots towards her pupil and tenderly touched her harmed cheek with her glowing horn. The healing spell did its work and Starlight cheek slowly came back to its magenta color.

Then Twilight, with her wing, sternly slapped Starlight on the back of her head.

‘’Ouch!’’

‘’What were you thinking? That was way too reckless.’’

‘’Sorry, but I had the feeling I needed to do this otherwise they would never have wakes-up.’’

‘’Oh seriously! I see your point but... ... it's fine. Just... let me deal with this from now on. Okay.’’

After a final gentle stroke on Starlight, she walked towards the crowd and faced all the Happy Townians. Normally, she does not like using her princess persona, she felt she was putting a mask that was fake. But they were in great need of a stern lecture. That's what she thought. But after the outburst of this little filly and her sobbing that was still going on right now... what's more was in need to be said? Except perhaps

‘’Enough. That's enough. It has to change.’’

And in the end it was all that was needed. All the Happy Townians were affected. But they all had a look of uncertainty, showing they were no longer blind but they were all hesitating to change because changing requires courage. But does the fact they were uncertain was not a good sign in itself? Does it not mean the possibility for a better path was open? Twilight was seeing things like that and the princess of friendship had the hope that gradually, they will see the error of their way and improve for something better. That, she was sure of it. She was ever the optimist, even now.

And it was on that optimism thought

That the disturbing noise came and put everything upside-down.

That noise came out of nowhere and saying it was annoying would be a kind comment. It was worse than a cacophony because cacophony is usually born from accidents. But this was clearly designed to be nasty for the nervous system since it grew worse and worse until it vanished without warning just like it appeared. But for Twilight, it was nothing compared to

‘’There you are. I found you my little ponies.’’

That voice, or rather those voices, were those that she could never forget. Her bravery and calmness from earlier was gone. That had been enough to bring back her fear of her recent captor. The faces of the many ponies before her, mixed with too many emotions to discern, was giving her all the answers she needed to understand what was happening.

The afraid alicorn turned slowly her head to look behind her. Slowly, painstakingly slow, her head rotated around, even though she was dreading it, fearing each inch she was gaining. Her purple iris meet eventually the source of those voices.

The screen of the monitor was on, showing to all the angel of Happy Town. Well, more like how fallen she had become since that child was now looking more like an old witch with her red mane a mess and her eyes gleaming with madness. The filly was sitting on her throne, bathed by blackness and sick-blue light. Her head was twitching but it was like she was not aware of it.

‘’You know, I am glad to see you are alright. No really, I do. It is hard to believe to understand, I know, but you six are the ponies I admire the most. Wait! Do I still admire you? Hum. It is... not clear. It's like the feeling inside me refuse to stay still. Very confusing. Confusing, confusing, con...anyway, I'm sure this is the last thing you want to hear for me but I am in still in need of your precious help.’’

Her terror before that child was so great for the princess that for a moment she was believing she was back into the ruins playing that horrible game. But she did not want to cower before her so mustered all the defiance she could and raised her wings wide to be, or at least pretending to be intimidating.

‘’Floral. Damn you. So you are still after us. What more can you want from us?’’

From her chair, Flo leaned more towards the screen.

‘’It was so close to being perfect. But because of that interruption, my show, my message is just... only nearly perfect. I was prepared to fail, really, but when it nearly could have been such a crowning achievement. We... I find that... upsetting. So, although it is unfair for you, I must make another ending. I must do it, you understand? No of course you don't but not that it matter.’’

And to make matters worse, Flo was constantly shifting from her normal voice to her uncanny imitation of Mel and that, seemly without reason or rhythm. Seeing a filly acting in such a deranged way was sure... quite disturbing.

‘’Your game is done, your script is ruined. Just give up already. What plan have you in mind?’’

‘’We... I... don't have one. I sincerely don't know what to do with you. I did not expect I would still be alive. ... ... Then, I guess it means I will have to improvise. I am pretty good at that.’’

‘’You think me and my friends will just happily come to you? You are delusional.’’

‘’It does not matter that you want or not. You are, you are too precious for me. I will force your hooves. I had done it once, I can do it again. For the good of all Equestria.’’

‘’Floral, I implore you, come tough your sense. You are sick and you need help. We know now why you had become that way. We can still end that peacefully if you let us all help you.’’

At first... she was saying nothing, giving hope to Twilight that she maybe had managed to get through her. But instead... the compulsive twitching of her head spread from her extremity though her whole body.

‘’Oh! Sick... I am? Hahahahahaha. Because you mean it is only now that you notice it? Yes. Yes, that's right, we are so sick... no. No I am not sick. It's the world that is sick. Sick with a dangerous and naive optimism. But somepony must fix it. I... can fix it. I... have become a monster... but fight poison with poison. For the good of the world, I must do it. I must, I must I must I must ImustImustImustImustImust.’’

Her whole being was shaking uncontrollably as if she was no longer master of her body. Then, while still doing her hysterical rant, she felt from her floating chair before everypony and silence came. The whole crowd was not sure what to think of that until without warning

she reappears from below, so close from the screen that it displayed, in close-up, her unblinking green iris shining with insanity for then to disappear the next moment into buzzing static.

This... gave a hell of a jumpscare to all.

The Happy Townians were in utter shock. Seeing their angel acting like... they couldn't find the words... was too jarring. They could not process it. Some of them went to cry in hysteria, shaking their head in disbelief, not being able to comprehend what was happening.

Twilight was spooked and gasped when she realized that without noticing it, she had held back her breath for quite some time.

All the other ponies just stayed still but their furs had noticeably paled. Except for Rarity, for an obvious reason. But her over-the-top fainting was sure helping at conveying her current mood. The only pony who took it well was Rainbow Dash.

No scratch that. She had jumped in fright into the arms of Dust, her hair and tail all bristled like a scared cat.

‘’O-kayyy, that, was something alright. Is it me or she had looked like even more loony than before?’’

‘’I know what you mean. Even I had never seen the boss like that.’’

They looked at each other eyes and they finally noticed the position they were both in. Which made their face grew red. Embarrassed, Dust dropped the pegasus and she fell on the ground. At her displeasure. Said displeasure she was very verbal with a language not quite fitting for children’s ears.

But her rant was interrupted when she heard her friend Pinkie laughing in a hysterical manner. Rainbow was finding this unnerving.

‘’Hey wo Pinkie, yes, that was quite the jumpscare but no reason to panic.’’

‘’Heheheh. Well. I think that we should be very afraid. Yes sir-re.’’

‘’Pinkie, I know her speech was foreboding but still, it's important to keep your cool.’’

But she realized... that Pinkie Pie was not facing the monitor.

‘’But I was not talking about her. I was talking about them. THEMMM.’’

She pointed her pink hoof with strength and when all heads were turning to the direction it was pointing, they could not believe their eyes.

At one of the main streets, with blue flashlights like eyes and clicking sound coming closer, were spider like machines. Spider-bots, crawling on the paved alley just like big bugs with such fluidity that you could believe for a moment they were alive. Some of them were even walking on the walls of houses as easily as walking on the ground. There were a dozen, no, way more than the ponies would like to count.

Most ponies were just looking at them dumbfounded. Who could blame them? They had never seen anything like this. Except Rarity, whom the sight not just one but many, was enough to trigger the traumatic experience she had with one of those bots. Afraid, the fashionista walked backwards, bumping accidentally on Dirt. Feeling her shaking, he put his paws on her shoulders to reassure her.

‘’Don't worry Miss Rarity. I feel every... everything will be fine.’’

‘’You really think so?’’

‘’Yeah. (No, forgive me. That's a lie. We are toast.)’’

The robots interrupted their tracks and stayed still before all the stunned ponies. They were sweeping their gaze from left to right with uncanny methodicity. And once they found their targets, their six targets, their eyes shone brighter with a deadly intensity. Between their mechanical mandibles, thin profusions, looking like mini turrets, came out and

Lightning fell from heaven, blinding all in a flash of pure white.

a ray of blue light flew across all the plaza and the screen of the monitor exploded in a screech. Sparkles flew and Dirt and Rarity, who were just below it, were directly showered by them feeling their heat on their furs.

That was the signal for hell to be unleashed on Happy Town.

The spiders-bots mouths shouted lasers at the crowd. It could have ended up badly if not for the quick reflexes of Twilight. The alicorn flew before the volley and cast a shield between the machines and the ponies. She was an expert in magic and was confident in her power but at her surprise, her shield taking the brunt of the salvo of lasers was already taking serious damage in just a few seconds of assault. Cracks were forming on the magic surface and Twilight knew she could not hold it for long.

‘’EVERYPONY, RUN AWAY, NOW. I COULD NOT HOLD THEM BACK FOR LONG. GET OUT OF TOWN, HURRY.’’

She did not have to say it twice. The nerves of the Happy Townians were already on thin rope after all that happens but that genuine threat on their life was too much. They were overwhelmed with uncontrollable fear and they ran away, screaming in terror way before Twilight send them her warning. It was utter chaos. All galloped in every direction not seeing where they were going, bumping at each other and some even fell and got trampled by other ponies. But they got up and pursue their running, too busy being afraid to feel the pain. The mayor, too stunned to react, was being taken away against his will from the scene by the wave of fleeing ponies, and when he noticed it and come back to his sense, all he could do was held powerlessly his hoof.

‘’What? What! No... no wait... let me go, please, I must... Flo... Flo, don't do that.’’

The plaza was quickly emptied, leaving only the Mane 6 plus Starlight and the two brothers. And just in time because the shield shattered. Having the spell that she had powered broken, caused a recoil in her horn and she was pushed back to the asphalt. The alicorn painfully rises up, a look of annoyance on her face.

‘’Fine. You want violence? I show you violence. Go back to the historical dumpster from which you came.’’

In a split second, her horn shouted a purple blast who hit a bot. Except...

As the ray of magic approached the robot and was just at a few centimeters from contact, the purple magic composing the blast mysteriously dispersed itself for the end disappearing as if it had never been there.

‘’Wait wha!!! But... but how!’’

Not understanding what was happening, Twilight threw lasers left to right but the same thing happened again. No blast was reaching their targets. They were all vanishing.

‘’But, but that's impossible! Gyaah!!!’’

Sensing no danger, the spider-bots came back to their jobs of shooting blue lasers. One of them nearly hit her and instead just grazed the tip of one of her bangs, burning it. Twilight got frightened and get down, making herself the smallest possible to avoid the assault of lasers. Panicking, she decided to do something simpler and to just levitated the robot far away from her. But as her horn cast the spell, she realized the levitation field was refusing to form around the robot.

‘’Why it won't work, is there something wrong with my magic?’’

She then no longer felt the ground in her feet. Dust had grabbed her with one paw and was running from the shooting.

‘’Miss Twilight, forget that. Magic does not work on them. We have to take cover.’’

He and all the others ran towards the huge cubic monitor and hide behind it. It served as a good protection. Its front was submitted to the restless assault of the bots but it was resisting even though its front face was now damaged and charred. But it was only a momentary protection. The spider-bots were smart, they knew shooting mindlessly was useless. So they stopped their barrage and crawled closer of the monitor. The pack separated into two groups so they could ambush them from both side and they were walking at a slow pace, showing their cautiousness.

The mares and dogs were well shielded but they were tightly packed since there was not a lot of places to hide.

‘’Well antes are sure not in our favor.’’

Had say Applejack.

Twilight, still in the pawn of Dust, was shaking her head in disbelief.

‘’How can it be? How can it not work? It defies so many laws and I know my scientific laws.’’

‘’I told you, magic don't work on them. The ex-boss once told us that the spider-bots were capable of emitting an anti-magic field around them that nullify all magical energies. But I had no idea she had so many of those bots at her disposition.’’

‘’What! Anti-magic field! But that does not exist. It's just a pipe dream from science-fiction novels oh, right right, I forget, science-fiction has come through our doors.’’

At that, Starlight made a cocky smile and lighted her horn.

‘’Really. Then if magic does not work...’’

Dozens of rocks pieces of concrete, made by the lasers impacts, got caught by the cyan magic and flew all behind the unicorn.

‘’So let us use brute strength. You're catching my drift AJ?’’

Applejack, at first confused, made a ''oooh'' of comprehension and went to crack loudly the joints of her bones. Both mares then jumped to each side of their cover making them right in the open.

Dirt held his paw to warn them.

‘’No, wait!’’

Starlight, with her magic, threw her improvises arsenal while Applejack, with rocks on her back, threw them into the air then jumped and with amazing skills, hitting them with so much strength that the air itself shook and the rocks became bullets who would soon pierce apart those bots.

That was the plan anyway.

Once their sensors detected the projectiles, in least than a second, the spider-bots retracted into their dodecahedron form. They still got hit by the rocky projectiles like no tomorrow but the only thing it did was making them rolling a few feet back. Quickly, the two mares were out of ammo and the bots went back into their arachno-form and continued their march as if nothing had happened. That at the obfuscation of AJ and Starlight who felt it was cheating. When they shot lasers once again, our ponies ran back behind the monitor screaming. AJ in particular was short of breath.

‘’*pant**pant* Well that was a bust.’’

‘’I tried to warn you. The bots can also retract themselves in their shell if they feel they are under a physical treat. And their shell is nearly indestructible.’’

‘’Dirt, it will have been nice if ya had told us that sooner. Guess all we can do is run away.’’

But Fluttershy vehemently waved her hooves in negation.

‘’Oh no no, we can't do that. Right now those robots are only after us and only us. But if we run away, they will follow us and then the ponies of Happy Town might be caught in the crossfire.’’

Rainbow Dash was looking carefully from the corner on how the bots were progressing. And to Flutteshy, she answered:

‘’What! Are you mental? So you want us to serve as living targets for them! Do you want to die that much?

‘’I will not be responsible for other loss of lives. Flo wants us alive. But bystanders, less much. So by staying here, we guarantee their safety.’’

‘’Look, I understand what you say but seriously, have you saw how unhinged she had become. If she wants us alive, she is not doing a good job at it. Normally, I would be overjoyed to trash them down, hell, it has always been a dream if mine to fight an army of robots since I was a filly but this GYAAAH!!!’’

She was interrupted mid-sentence when lasers narrowly missed her and instead, made a small crater on the concrete where she had been just a second ago. If she had not ducked her head back to cover in reflex, she would have perished. As she flattened her back on the white surface and felt gravel particles hitting her face, she started to panic.

‘’Ah! ... Ohmygoshohmygoshohmygosh we're gonna die, we're all gonna die. There's nothing we can do, we can't even escape.’’

Applejack went to Dash and slapped her repeatedly on the face.

‘’Will ya snap out of it. What's wrong with ya, usually ya are the first one to laugh at danger?’’

In her irritation, she went to slap her again but Rainbow Dash blocked her hoof with furious strength before shouting:

‘’WELL THAT WAS BEFORE A FILLY SHOWED ME THAT I AM NOT AWESOME BUT WEAK AND THAT THE TRUTH IS THAT I HAVE SO LITTLE CONTROL ON MY LIFE.’’

Applejack was aghast. She lost all her strength. She could hardly believe she was hearing those words from Dashie. That pony was always filled with overconfidence, bragging to the point of making her sick and often challenging her, never doubting she would win. It was enough for AJ to forget momentarily they were in danger. She was feeling... she didn't know. It was so unthinkable for her.

Rarity decided to intervene.

‘’Alright darlings, we all under a lot of stress, understandable. But it is in time like this that you have to keep calm and use our minds. So for the moment, let us bury this dread and... ... bury!’’

It was then that sparks of light took life in her deep blue eyes and her face became one of overjoy. Her friend recognized that. The sign that she had been blessed with inspiration.

‘’Idea! But of course, I should have thought of that sooner. The solution is you two.’’

She pointed at the two brothers who looked at each other perplexed.

‘’Huh?! Us?!’’

‘’Yes. You are Diamond Dogs. The best diggers in all Equestria. I had experienced it first-hooves. You can go underground and tear through rock with sheer ease.’’

At first they were confused. But clarity came through their yellow eyes and they were aghast.

‘’Oh by a thousand gems, she is right little bro, we can do that!’’

‘’We have spent so much time with ponies that we completely forgot that.’’

‘’Then I suggest we show them the pride of being Diamond Dog and do what we are best at.’’

‘’It will be just like old times. Together, nodog could surpass us.’’

They gently pushed away the ponies and with their massive paws, digs through the concrete as easily as if it was sand. In a matter of seconds, their whole persons were already far underground and Rarity came closer of the big hole, shuddering.

‘’Ewww. I just realize that I will have to get dirty. Deadly perils are really terrible for your mane. Oh well. Alright girls, time to exclude ourselves.’’

As Rarity jumped into the tunnel, the other ponies followed.

Inside the house, now empty of its tenant, knocking sound came out of the wooden floor. Same floor was soon smashed to pieces when fanged gray paws rose from it. When the dogs came out from the hole, ponies soon followed them and after, not even taking the time to catch a breath, blocked that hole with everything they could find, using both muscle and magic. In a record time, they managed to make quite a pile of furniture to seal the underground entry. More big than necessary even. Dirt allowed himself to wash the sweat off his forehead.

‘’Fiouf. With this, they should not follow us. At least, not this way.’’

Rarity was levitated a hoof-made mirror, busy fixing her mane.

‘’That great darling, but I had wished I'd didn't have to remember the inconvenience of going underground with your kind. Gosh I hate dirt and dust. Huh? Why are you two making those faces? Oh no no no, I did not mean you two, you two are great.’’

Twilight as for her, rushed towards the window, looking at the outside in a discreet way.

‘’That's good, they don't seem to know we here. In fact, from the look of it, they seem to search in the opposite direction of us, towards the town hall. Great. This should give us the time to formulate a plan of attack. Oh, and before you ask, no Pinkie, showering them with sprinkles and streamers cannot be considered a plan of attack.’’

Everypony was expecting to hear a ''aww shucks''.

Except it never came.

Blinking her eyes in surprise, she turned around and she was hit by horror.

In their rush... they didn't notice that not all had followed through the tunnel.

‘’But... WHERE IS PINKIE AND DASHIE!!!’’

‘’Alright girls, time to exclude ourselves.’’

Had said Rarity before diving into the tunnel. All other ponies followed her lead one by one. First Starlight, who because of her cast, had preferred to go there with her own levitation magic, then the shaking Fluttershy, followed by Twilight and Applejack. Rainbow Dash was among the last ones, or rather was adamant to be among the last ones because she wanted to make sure all her friends were safe before caring about her own life. Always the loyal one. And there was only one friend left.

‘’Okay Pinkie, it's your turn. ... Pinkie?’’

She turned her head to look at her pink friend. Pinkie was sitting down, her back turned toward Rainbow and she was looking up.

‘’Pinkie, stop the daydreaming, we...’’

Somehow, she could understand that if Pinkie was not moving, it was because something was forbidding her. She looked up and just like her, she saw that the culprit... was fear.

Resting at the top of the monitor, was one of those mechanical vermin, looking down at Pinkie with its blue flashlights serving as eyes. Pinkie was so afraid that she had even forgotten how to blink. It was when the sound of the turrets charging came that her brain decided to work again and she jumped away in-extremis from the lasers, screaming. But she landed in the open. And all the spider-bots, seeing an easy target, converged towards her and encircled her. This was too much traumas that were reawake, she was as defenseless as a weeping filly. She just stayed there covering her eyes, shaking. As the robots charged their laser, Rainbow Dash went wide with panic.

‘’PINKIE!!!’’

Without thinking, she opened her wings wide and flew towards her pink friend and grabbed her. Alas, one laser grazed one of her wings. The only thing she could feel was the heat and the smell of cooking meat. Then after, the pain came.

‘’GYAAAH!!!’’

She lost control of her flight trajectory and was about to crash. But desperately wanting to save Pinkie, managed to go with difficulty to the safest place she could see, the town hall. As she came closer of the door, she turned around to make sure her back will receive all the hurt. The impact was so much that door was burst open and both ponies landed hard on the floor of the hall. Rainbow was hurt everywhere but she was considering that a blessing in disguise. All that pain was distracting her from the smearing one on her wing. Besides, she had more important matters to deal with.

From the doorway, she could see the bots crawling towards them. Her hooves walked on her own and closed the door, that was half out of its hinges, for then pushing every furniture she could find to make a makeshift barricade. Once her work completed, she lay her back on it and allowed herself a moment to breath.

‘’Fiouf. At last a little break. This should hold those tin-can for a bit, right Pinkie. Pinkie!’’

At her great sorrow, Pinkie was looking at her with her blue eyes, big as saucer, filled with water.

‘’Dashie... your wing...’’

‘’Oh you mean that. Bah, don't worry about that. I got lucky, it had just grazed me. You know I, Rainbow Crash, has been in far worse accidents than a simple hurt wing. It will be quickly healed.’’

She was not exactly lying. The lasers had only touched the upper surface of her right-wing, leaving a slight burn mark on her feathers and skin. The pain was distracting but she could still use her wing to fly. Though, she could forget about flying at her usual full capacity and top speed for the time being. She considered it was better not to mention to Pinkie that detail.

‘’But... it's... it's all my... and now we...’’

Even Rainbow could understand that her injury was too similar to what happened to Righto Dough and Lefty Sugar. Scratch that, it was almost identical. It had been caused by the same kind of weapon.

‘’Hey. Listen well Pinkie. It is not your fault at all.’’

‘’But//

‘’Not your fault, you hear me. Sometimes, fear is too much to bear. There is no shame in that. It happens to everypony. Well, everypony except me.’’

‘’Say the pony who screamed hysterically, ''we all going to die''.’’

‘’Heheh, okay okay, you got me there. I was pretty lame back there. I have really lost my mojo... haven't I.’’

Her head slumped down, ashamed of herself. But Pinkie used her hoof to chin her up. Her watery blue eyes were filled with a glitz that was so warm.

‘’You saved me Dashie. You flew right in the midst of danger to protect me without caring about your well-being. So in my book, you're still the oh-so loyal and awesome Rainbow that you are.’’

‘’Well I could just leave you there. My body was moving before I realized it. Guess I just did not care if I could do it or not. ... ... Wait? No, no that's not that! It's more complicated. You... may find me strange//

‘’It's me we are talking about.’’

‘’Right but what I mean... I think I did not really believe that I would be able to save you. I think I was sure that if I went to save you and, and that if I try, then the only thing I would accomplish would be me dying with you. Sorry. Say it like that, I do sound like a jerk. And do you know what was the strangest part? It was not important!’’

Both Rainbow eyes went wide open. She seemed surprised at her own words.

‘’Wait? That's right. That's right! It was not important. I genuinely couldn’t care less if I could save you or not, I had to try. Because if I did nothing, it would have been worse than dying trying to save you. Oh my gosh. I really think what I am saying! What is wrong with me? I am not used to being that deep.’’

Her improvised barricade shook and she could hear the sound of wood cracking under the assault of many blasts.

‘’Hum, I think it will be best if we find somewhere safer.’’

She grabbed Pinkie and leads her away. In their hurry, they went into the living room where the bell of the clock tower was still half imbibed into the roof. They heard a scary sound that made their fur bristle. At the only widow of the room, a bot at the outside was walking on the glass surface just like a true spider, its feet making screeching noises at each step it was making.

‘’Seriously, they never give up?’’

Say Rainbow Dash while pushing a antique closet to block the window before the bots could see them.

‘’Now could we at last have a moment of quiet?’’

But noise came again. And this time there were many. And they seemed to be coming from everywhere. It was easy to guess what was happening. The spider-bots were crawling on the outside walls and even on the roof. Searching every nook and cranny for the best way to invade the room where the ponies were. The numerous steps of the machines on the wood was a torture for the nerves, remembering them that each split second could well be a split second closer to demise.

Rainbow was forcing herself to be courageous and was taking a posture of attack. But she heard a soft giggle behind her. The most perturbing aspect for Dash was this one had not a trace of laughter in it. And that was so unthinkable.

‘’Pinkie, there really is nothing funny in this.’’

‘’Heheh, but yes. Yes, it is funny. None of this make sense. We all are going to die and none of this makes sense, hahaha. Yesterday was just such a wonderful day but without warning, it all went bonko. We were tortured because we were model ponies, two of my acquaintances had been hurt all to tear apart the thing I love the most, and now after escaping Floral, all I had mentioned is happening again and we all gonna die afraid. And the worst part, it really does sound funny. Ha. Ha. She was right in the end. Humor does have a touch of fear in it.’’

‘’Pinkie!’’

‘’You know, I know people think I am a crazy pony. But the truth is that I had always thought that life had rules. Like if you stay positive then it will be alright in the end. I mean, that how it has always worked so far. Even in time of danger. But now it's like as if our storyline had been hijacked by another author, a very maniac one by the way, and painted it into a darker tone from which we could never come back from. That how I feel like.’’

‘’Okay, you lost me there. What are you trying to tell me?’’

‘’Those rules I had believed, never existed because life had never had any of those in the first place. And Floral made me understand that humor exists to hide how scary that is. But it is impossible to hide from the truth. Life is absurd and always will be.’’

‘’... ... Well duhhh. Of course life is absurd. I should think it's obvious.’’

‘’!!!! Wait whaaaah! But... is it not the part where you telling me it's wrong and//

‘’No, I won't say things that I don't believe. Especially not to my friend. I understand why you react that way but during my life, so many random stuff had fallen on my head. Random stuffs that came from out of nowhere, that I could not see coming and that had no rhyme. I mean, we are living in Ponyville for Celestia sake, it comes with the territory. I quickly understood that it was better not overworking my head over that. It's just stuff that happens, that is all.’’

‘’But are you not scared that anything, especially what you can't imagine, can happen at any moment?’’

‘’Well, sure, but... (seriously, what I am doing? We are about to die and me, I am doing a philosophical debate! Do I really have the time for that?)’’

The tapping noise was growing more furious. A sign that the spider-bots were frantically searching for any way in. Rainbow looked again at her trembling friend, her blues eyes now red from all the crying.

‘’(Who I am kidding, this might be the only time that I have. I won't let Pinkie die in sorrow.)’’

She took a deep breath and held Pinkie head by her chin.

‘’Okay, listen Pinkie. Do you want me to give you a trick for that? The secret... is to be arrogant like no tomorrow. Screw the world. Screw its meaningless. Make your own meanings for yourself and push them arrogantly at it. Because nothing can decide how you should feel about it. I am going to tell you something. But you're better not to tell at anypony... hum... well anyway, for along as I remember, I had ambition as high as the sky and I wanted to be the best at everything. But, and I know you will be surprised... I was at the same time self-conscious that it was an absurd goal.’’

‘’You Dashie, self-conscious!’’

‘’I know. I hide it well. But I still really wanted to be the best at everything, especially flying. So, you know what I did? I fought that absurdity with my own absurdity and created my own definition of winning. I did not care, no, more like I forgot about 'being able' and 'not being able'. So that then not matter how it finished, I will be satisfied of how it end. And so, regardless in which position I end up in a competition or if I fail it outright, I feel awesome. And that how I can backup the confidence that I always had and became the awesome pegasus that I am.’’

‘’Fight absurdity... with your own absurdity! But... I am still scared. Life is still scary.’’

‘’Oh yeah, yeah. Life is scary. Believe me, I know something about that. But you see, being courageous doesn't mean pushing away your fear. It means being alright with being afraid. That how I can be so daredevil all the time. Well, I admit there is sometimes where I am so afraid, I can barely move. We all saw today that it's true.’’

‘’You are still the bravest pony there is. But... would I be able to do like you.’’

‘’Pinkie. You remember the first day Twilight came to Ponyville. When we went to the Everfree forest. You had told us that your grandmother had said something to you.’’

‘’Granny Pie! Yes. That's right. She had said//

She could not finish because she, no, both of them, were submerged by an uneasy feeling. They had not noticed before, but the noise had stopped. But it was not reassuring. The total silence was suffocating. Then, the clicking steps came back. Only one this time. Just one. But the curious part, was that it did not seem to be walking on wood, but on concrete. Then they understood where the sound was coming from. There was a chimney foyer in that living room.

And the sound was coming from inside. The spider-bots had found an entry and had sent a scout unit first. It was easy to guess that the spider was going down and that it was just a matter of seconds before it comes inside.

Pinkie Pie went back to shake in fear. But Rainbow went in front of her, ready to defend her with her life.

‘’Don't worry Pinkie. I'll protect you.’’

‘’Really? You promise?’’

‘’Yeah. I swear I will not break it.’’

‘’But... could you fulfill it?’’

‘’... ... No.’’

Her head dropped a little.

‘’I cannot lie to you. With how I am, I will probably fail.’’

‘’Oh. ... Well, that's alright. You know, it's strange, but I think, I feel fine.’’

‘’Well not me. I would have much preferred to die in a big spectacle like a badass hero. But come to think of it, I suppose dying with your best friend is not so bad.’’

In the heart of the foyer, the blue eyes of the predator appeared. It came out in the open, walking closer of the two mares, electrical arcs coursing between its mandibles. Rainbow opened wide her wings, using her body as a shield for her friend.

There was no longer a speck of fear in her.

‘’Go on. Do the worst that you can.’’

The robot, insensible to that act of genuine bravery, went into position to lunge at the pegasus.

That was when the bell felt on it.

When Flo, in Mel disguise, had detonated the bomb inside the clocktower, simply to set an example, the explosion was enough to send the bell flying and landed on the roof of the living room. That roof was not that sturdy so it was a miracle that this bell, weighing tons, had just ended up half-encrusted in it instead of smashing it. But the roof old age coupled with gravity, slowly worked together to finish the job. And turned out that it chooses this moment among other to let it fall.

The robot did not even have the time to look up before it flattened it with one final bell chime. The robot, with all its mechanical visceral flat as a pancake, jerked its leg, the part only still intact, towards the ponies before it fell flat, its last speck of life gone.

Rainbow Dash... could only blinked at that.

‘’Huuuh. Huuuuh okay, what just happened?’’

‘’Pffft. Haha. HAHAHAHAHAHAH.’’

‘’Pinkie!’’

At her surprise, Pinkie went into a fit of laughter. Again. But this time, it could not be compared. She was rolling on the floor, holding her cramped belly, laughing with all that her lungs could give and crying tears like no tomorrow.

That laugh... felt genuine.

‘’Okay, now that's it, she had truly lost her mind.’’

‘’No hihihih, it's just, hahaha. This is just too much. Don't you see?’’

‘’Hum, no.’’

‘’Here I am, convinced by her that scary absurdity rules on all, about to be shot by the very machines that helped her to make me believe that, which I highlight would have been the final nail to that coffin. But instead, BAAANG, her tool for absurdity was absurdly crushed by that bell, 'which' would not be here if Floral had not blown up the tower, 'because' she wanted to make the point that absurdity is all. We were saved from absurdity by absurdity itself. That's just, pfttt, that's just gold. Hahahahahahaha oh my sides. If irony was blueberry, we will swim now in smoothies. Seriously, who is writing that? Bwahahaha.’’

‘’Pfft. ... Bwahahaha. Hahahahahaha. Okay. Okay, it is true say it like that. Guess even irony is not safe from itself.’’

Rainbow Dash followed the example of her friend and laughed to the point of having stomach cramps. That was just simple laughter. But for them, it was like it was liberating them of a weight and all their tension was going away.

‘’Oh my gosh, I sure was needing that.’’

‘’Yeah. I feel reborn.’’

‘’Me too. ... Say Pinkie. It seems now to me that we been pretty out of our game. What do you say that we go face this danger like we used to. Like the two complete idiots that we are. It is after all how we have always given our A-game.’’

‘’Hihi. Yeah, it's true being serious is not our style. And who knows, maybe we could actually win.’’

‘’Hell yeah we can. I believe it once again. And once all will be over, let's go celebrate by, hum, I don't know, baking cupcakes. I will even help you.’’

‘’*Gasssssp*’’

Pinkie jumped on Rainbow and grabbed her cyan cheeks.

‘’Dash, you're a genius.’’

‘’Huh! But of course I am. ... Hum, why I am a genius?’’

‘’You have given me a hell of a crazy-maddy idea. But it is not the time to explain it, it is best to not spoil it.’’

‘’Spoil? To whom?’’

‘’Those who look at us from beyond.’’

‘’Huh?’’

‘’Them.’’

The pegasus look at the direction Pinkie hoof was pointing and up there, beyond the hole in the roof, the spider-bots were just standing there, gazing down on them like spectators that were not too sure to understand what they were watching.

‘’Oh right, them. For a moment I had forgotten about those guys.’’

‘’No time to speak, it's time to run.’’

‘’But where can we WHOA!!!’’

Rainbow was swept off her feet by Pinkie who was standing on two feet and was holding the whole body of Dash on her shoulders.

‘’Hum, Pinkie, it's, it's because, I'm not invalid.’’

‘’Buckle up Dashie. Those spidies just gave me the escape route.’’

‘’What!’’

‘’We will be safe. We will just have to fear Rarity throwing a fit at us.’’

‘’What!’’

‘’Charrrrrge.’’

She ran full speed towards the chimney. The bots jumped from the hole at the same time which was not a good idea since they were in the way of each other and could not properly chase them. They tried to shoot their lasers but Rainbow noticed that each time one robot was in the crossfire of another, their turrets shut-it down immediately before they could shoot. Before they had the time to do anything, Pinkie with her cyan load was already inside the heart of the fireplace.

‘’Alrighty, time to climb that chimney.’’

‘’Wait, you’re serious! I mean, have you done that before?’’

‘’Nope but there's a first time to everything.’’

And hop, she jumped right inside. What had followed, it is not quite sure on what they did. There was a lot of cartoonishly noises, some bricks were semi pushed away from their seams in their climb and Rainbow shouted a few swears. Swears from pony standards that is. At the end, a screaming pegasus, covered in soot was ejected thought the outside air and she fell. But used her wings to land safely on the ground. The pink pony, who was no longer that pink, followed suit, jumped from the chimney and used her puffy tail as a pogo stick to bounce back, which also had the benefit of putting away all the soot from her fur.

‘’Hey! You know that would make a super way to secretly give surprise gifts at the houses of my friends. Hum, nah. That would probably be consider trespassing. Are you alright Dashie?’’

‘’Oh yeah yeah, I just have bruises on my bruises. It was quite a ride. Also I did not know ponies could bend that way.’’

‘’It's still not over. We need to deal with these robots once and for all. I have an important job for you.’’

Rainbow Dash stiffen. The tone Pinkie had used was a serious one. She was not used to hearing her friend speak like that so she knew she had to listen to her.

‘’What is it?’’

‘’There is a construction site not far from here. I want you to go there and to bring me one of those big cylinder things that is put underground.’’

‘’A concrete pipe!’’

‘’Yeah, that. Bring it down the street, you will know where it must go. It's very very important.’’

‘’What!’’

‘’As for me, I also have to go.’’

‘’Go! Where?’’

‘’Going searching baking supplies.’’

Her back-legs turned around like wheels and she ran far away as fast as a racing car, leaving a trail of dust on her wake and a bewildered pegasus.

‘’... ... What! Just... what! Pinkie, this is no time to make cake. No. Wait. I trust Pinkie. Even if we don't understand her way, she usually find solutions that work. Usually. Alright, then I better go searching that concrete tube. I don't know for what but Pinkie ideas are always awesome. Those pieces of junk won't know what had hit them, that's what my guts say.’’

*knock**knock**knock*

*knock**knock**knock*

‘’*yaaaawn* No but what is the big idea to knock at my door like that? It's clearly said that my shop is closed. And do they not know which hour is it? It's not my age to be woken up so early.’’

Sturdy Counter was an old unicorn of green color and his gray hair and glasses with thick lenses were good hints of his advanced age. He was running a general store, which was also serving as his house, in Happy Town and he was always serving his customers with delight. No wonder his cutie mark on his flank was a shelve full of good. Because he was not so young, each time he was sleeping at night, he was sleeping like a tomb. Nothing could wake him up. That is why even after all the chaos that happened tonight, he had slept soundly in his bed for all this time and missed all. He didn't even knew something had happened. But all that pounding on his door was loud enough to wake the deads. And him. That why that elderly pony in night gown went to open that door whose knocking was becoming more frantic.

*knockknockknockknock*

‘’Fine, fine, I'm coming. Seriously, who could come at that hour?’’

With the magic of his horn, he turned the handle and opened the door and a pink blur came in and stormed his shop.

‘’SorryIneedflourlevuresugarandotherstuffsmyfriendsareindangernotimetoexplainthanksandgoodbye.’’

Once that pink tornado was gone and the dust settled, Sturdy Counter saw to his surprise that the shelve specifically made for baking goods, and it was a big shelve, was now completely empty. All its articles were gone.

‘’Heh, but you have to pay for them!’’

The pink blur came back and exits as fast as it enters. The only trace of its passage was a generous amount of bits falling and landing on the wooden counter with a metallic sound.

‘’Oh! Never mind.’’

A small wind was rattling the glass window. From it, Twilight took a peek. A discreet one. She did not want to be seen by the horde. AJ came at her side.

‘’So Twi, anything new?’’

‘’The robots seem to have lost interest of the townhouse. They came out in number from it.’’

‘’And what about Rainbow? And Pinkie?’’

Twilight sorrowfully shook her head in negation.

‘’I have not seen them. I suppose it could be considered a good sign.’’

‘’Do ya think they were in that house?’’

‘’It's possible. I did hear a big noise but I'm, oh wait! The bell. On the roof. It's gone! That explains it. It must have fell.’’

‘’Have they something to do with that?’’

‘’I don't know. I just don't know. I had heard no scuffle but still...’’

‘’Hey. It's Rainbow and Pinkie we are talking about. If there are two ponies who can get away from any danger, it's them. Ya should know that.’’

‘’Yes. Yes you're right. Of course they will be fine. Better that I stay optimistic. Alright, so here what I propose. We are waiting that they clear up and then we will discretely search for...’’

She did not finish. If at her first she was full of tension, now it was clear that tension changed into full panic.

‘’Oh no! Oh no no no no noo.’’

‘’What? What is it?’’

‘’The robots. They are coming towards us. I think... they know that we are here.’’

‘’What! But how?’’

‘’I don't know. I made sure not to be seen, I swear. Wait. I see one, no, two going out of the tunnel. They must have deduced where we were from the layout of it. It's simple, yes, but I did not think machines would be smart enough to make the deduction.’’

‘’This is no time to praise them. We have to run.’’

Twilight turned around to look at all her friends who were trying their best to hide their fears, only half succeeding. She was worried sick for their safety.

‘’We can't. There is no back door or back windows. If we want to get out, we will have no choice but to go into the open.’’

‘’Can't ya not teleport us?’’

She sadly shake her head in negation.

‘’I did not completely recover. My reserves of magic are low. By myself it would be very simple but I cannot teleport such a large group. I could do it for a few before all my reserve depleted but not for all. Unless... but yes, if I combine my magic with Starlight//

‘’Sorry to disappoint you but forget that.’’

Had say Starlight.

‘’I'm sorry. I wanted my hoof to heal faster than necessary so I had cast a healing spell on it. It took it most of my juice. I must have less than you.’’

Of all types of magic, healing spells were among the ones that were the most taxing for unicorns. The body is delicate and complicated, the spell to repair it requires a lot of intricacies that put it to work in many directions. It rarely heals immediately and had to be maintained for a lot of time. In brief, it requires a lot of energy. And that was especially true if the caster was throwing the spell at itself. The energy was used the heal the recipient of the energy itself after all and it's a tricky balance to maintain. That is the reason why healing magic was rarely used and instead, ponies relied on good old-fashioned modern medicine. Not a lot knew how to cast it anyway.

‘’If only I had not been so impatient.’’

‘’Don't blame yourself, I know you just wanted to be ready for action. Nopony could have predicted such a force of attack.’’

‘’So what were are doing?’’

Applejack readjusted her hat more firmly.

‘’Isn't obvious. We fight them hard as nail dangit.’’

All ponies and dogs grabbed an improvised weapon from the pile and held them fiercely. Even Fluttershy grabbed one in her hooves. It was an umbrella by way. Not very encouraging was what Twilight was thinking. She looks back at the robotic army approaching and grinded her teeth.

‘’This so frustrating. If I could use my magic against them, they would be already a pile of ash.’’

It was then that Starlight approaches her.

‘’Hey, I am thinking of something. It is true that they are protected against every spell we can throw at them.’’

‘’Yes?’’

‘’But not against the aftermath of them. Remember that winter where snow and cold were being tardy and we had to improvise an ice ring for the little kids?’’

‘’!!! Ahh but yes, I should have thought of that.’’

Rarity tilted her head in pondering.

‘’Darling, what do you have in mind.’’

‘’Something that will give us a literal field advantage. Stay there.’’

Both Twilight and Starlight disappeared in flashes of teleportation before anypony or anydog could protest.

The spider-bots were all gathered before the house, ready to attack. But it was then...

‘’Were you searching for us, tinheads?’’

In perfect synchronization, they all turned their gaze towards the roof of another house. On it, two mares were standing there defiantly under the night sky, their manes floating wildly with the wind. From where they were, they were only dark silhouettes. Except for their horns shining brightly with purple and cyan magic and their eyes reflecting their colorful glints. Their horns touched each other to combine their powers for one powerful spell. A ray of magic was blasted from them but it did not hit the robots. It was not even aiming at them. Even the robots seemed surprised. It instead hit the ground and ice was forming at the impact. That layer of ice quickly expanded and gained more ground, forming even under the feet of the bots and in lest than a minute, covered the entirety of Central Plaza. The whole place was now an ice ring of pristine frost. The bots are protected against any spells but our two magical gifted mares understood that they had no protection against any physical change on the terrain by said spell. And now that they had no longer any friction under their feet, they could no longer move properly//

No no never mind. They were walking just fine without slipping as if the ground was still concrete. As for our two badass mares, they screamed their bewilderment, their eyes nearly popping out of their orbits.

Going back to the rest of the group still inside their shelter, they all saw that colossal failure. Applejack lowered her hat in shame.

‘’Well shuck, that sure was a bust.’’

They were blinded by the lights of a salvo of lasers whose targets were very obvious. The next moment, two flashes of teleportation materialized at their sides and from them came a hyperventilating alicorn having a panic attack and a unicorn who was perplexed that she was smelling something burning. And then noticed that her own tail was on fire and ran everywhere.

Twilight was trying her best to catch-up her breath without success.

‘’*pant**pant* But *pant**pant* but how?’’

Dirt put his paw on her shoulders.

‘’Ohhh. You really should have warned me before that it was your plan. I don't know the details but the spider-bots have a, hum, gravity thingy at the tips of their legs. That how they are able to walk on walls. They don't need friction.’’

The poor princess was at her limit and screamed while grabbing her bangs.

‘’GYAAAAAH, IT CAN'T BE. WHY DOES THAT ANCIENT TECHNOLOGY MUST BE THAT RIDICULOUSLY EFFICIENT?’’

‘’Darling, please calm down. It is quite a shame but we will have to go back to the original plan and fight them. Honestly I find that quite barbaric but damn if me, Rarity, will let herself be taking down that easily.’’

Fluttershy warmed them that ''they're coming, they're coming'' and were all preparing themselves for the fight of their life. Even if they were not delusional about the aftermath. The bots were in position, charging their turrets and as they were about to strike...

An air horn rang, diverting their attention while the ponies and dogs had to cover their hears.

Twilight, and all the others, were finding that noise very familiar.

‘’Wait! Is it me or that sound a lot like... Pinkie!’’

The robots had all forgotten about the house where they were hidden to instead focusing all their attention to the new target that was working very hard to be noticeable. Once she saw that all their deadly blue eyes were all concentrated on her, she stopped ringing her horn, casually tossed it and from her puffy mane, she took a megaphone.

‘’Ladies and gentlecolts... hum, no no no that's wrong. And I think, also offensive. Okay then. Automatons and death rays on legs. Tonight is your lucky night. You want targets to go pew-pew on them? Well rejoice because one came to you on a silver platter. The one and only... Pinkie Pie.’’

She held her arm high and an explosion of confetti and streamers flew in the air. The other ponies and dogs watching her, were horrified.

‘’What is she doing! She will get herself kill.’’

But the pink pony continued to advance nonchalantly towards the metallic horde.

‘’But you only can get me if you managed to shoot me. So aim well wo wo wo slippy slippy, does winter had come without me noticing!?’’

Once she walked on the ice, she nearly tumbled down but she got her footing back and she even slide on it with so much precision that you could believe she had ice skates on her hooves. The spider-bots of course tried to shoot at her but with the help of various twitching on her body, she could tell where they would be in advance and like a pro, slides with expertise to avoid them. From a outside perspective, it might have seemed as if she was dancing on ice more than being in a life-or-death peril. The bystanders in the house could not believe their eyes.

‘’But... how does she do that?’’

Had say Dirt. And though that, Fluttershy replied:

‘’I'm... not sure but it looks like... Pinkie senses! She got them back!’’

‘’By a thousand gems, you mean it was a true thing! I was sure it was an urban legend.’’

The pink pony even had the audacity the slide across the metallic horde on just two hooves. Her back was bending backwards like a professional skater and she was turning around whiles screaming: ‘’Wheeeee’’.

And still, no laser shots could hit her. That sliding earth pony even went far from them and enter into an alley.

‘’Awwww, you all miss me. That shuck. You don't have many chances left. If you want me, try to catch me.’’

She disappeared in the dark but not before leaving an explosion of pink glitter. The robots, insensible to this display and weirdness, all blindly went after her. Some went into the narrow alley like her. Some just climbed the houses. Once they all were gone, the plaza was filled by a silence that was almost unreal.

Now, for the other spectators, they all jumped when they heard the door being violently open by Twilight herself.

‘’Hurry, we must go after her, she is in trouble.’’

They didn't waste time, their feet all went running before they were aware of it.

As for the bots, they were dead set on catching Pinkie Pie. Which was not hard since she had left a trail of glitter on her way. They just had to follow it. They eventually went into the open, to one of large main streets. They looked at every direction but they didn't have to search for long. Right at the heart of the street, painted on the walls of two houses was resting two arrows made of the same glitter, pointing to another alley. Anyone else would have found that weird but machines are incapable to understand the concept of strange. The pink pony they were hunting even partially came out of that alley and waved her front hooves at them.

‘’Right there, right there. Come on, it's your last chance.’’

She disappeared once again into it and her pursuers crawled blindly into the alley where she went. That one was bigger than the last one and had enough space for all of them to walk inside it, albeit on a tight group. But barely a few meters of fast-walking that they had to break their course because their target was there, facing them at the end of the alley, just sitting on the floor, not moving, not making any attempt to escape. Lightning had struck, filling all with white, changing for one instead the pink pony into an obscure one. Except for the blue of her eyes and the white teeth of her smile.

‘’Awwww. Too bad. You are too late. You didn't get me. But at least you get my consolation prize.’’

Her grin grew bigger and became maniacal.

‘’Let me present to you my little friend. Mister Spare, the party cannon of spare.’’

From beyond their sight, Pinkie grabbed a cannon with the number two written on its feet and put it right in front of her. Its nuzzle was aiming right at the metallic horde and Pinkie was firmly holding the trigger rope. The spider-bots made a jerking motion that may very well look like surprise. They recognized it as a cannon, an object that can shout projectiles, but could not know the difference between a party cannon and a normal one. They retract themselves into their dodecahedron form to protect themselves from the soon to be impact while Pinkie Pie...

Had lost all her mirth and was now a dead serious pony.

‘’That, is for Sugar Lefty and Righto Dough. Enjoy.’’

She hit the base of her cannon, rising up its firing angle and she pulled the rope. The cannon fired with a boom its projectile in the air. The bots were expecting an impact but seeing that nothing was coming, went out of their geometrical form and walked towards Pinkie, ready to fire. But then, a shadow came, covering them and becoming bigger. They noticed it but they just had the time to raise their heads before it was too late.

A brown sludge splashed on everything. All the bots, no, all the alley was covered with this slimy substance that was yet emitting a pleasant and sweet smell. This whole mess was looking like a kitchen disaster.

‘’Aww. Do you like it. It is my top-grade gingerbread made with the best molasses and cake paste. Extra, extra sticky batch. Hummm. Nopony can get enough.’’

There was so much gingerbread that the bots were half buried in it. Some were trying to get away from it but it might as well been glue. They were trying to lift their legs but could barely move them and could not even make a single step forward. Some other attempted to shoot lasers but because their turrets were also covered, the only thing they managed was making bubbles that exploded on their faces, blinding them.

The rest of the group catches up and noticed the pink arrows. But once they arrived, 'perplexed' was not enough to describe what they were feeling.

Rarity was rubbing her eyes but the view before her was still the same.

‘’Hum... my dears, I am not quite sure at what I am looking.’’

Dust was sniffing the air, the sweet odor was quite strong.

‘’Wait, is that gingerbread I am smelling!?’’

And then, they heard something coming their sides and so they turned their head to see to source.

If things were already weird, now they were downright bizarre.

On the road, very close, was rolling something that look like a concrete pipe. And a very sturdy one at that. You expected to find that at a construction site but here, it felt really out of place for everyone. What's more, they were hearing what was seemingly grunts of effort. When it rolled past them, they saw that a pony was pushing it and then that pony was a pegasus with the name of Rainbow Dash. She turned her head and interrupted her work when she saw what she saw.

‘’Heh, what's that. What those pink arrows are doing here? That is clearly signed Pinkie, no doubt. Does she want to tell me something? Is that what she meant? ... Huh!?’’

She then after, noticed that all her friends were here, looking like as if their brains had shut down.

‘’Oh. ... Yo.’’

She had said as a salute. This was the last straw for poor Twilight who was close to having a brain meltdown.

‘’Ah buh ah heu I, I ummh, I mean, what! Rainbow! What are you doing here?’’

‘’Believe me, I would like to know myself. I am supposed to bring that big roll down the street until I see a sign. But now that I saw it, I do what?’’

It was at that moment that Pinkie dashed out of another alley and she was bringing a lot of flour bag on her back.

‘’Dashie, AJ. Hurry up. I need you two to use that tube to make that cool trick again and to beat those nasty robots with it.’’

Applejack, perplexed, raised her Stetson.

‘’A trick? Again? Ah am lost. What cool trick?’’

‘’Do a barrel roll.’’

Rainbow Dash and Applejack looked at each other, not understanding what she meant. But then, something clicked in their head and devious smiles crept on their faces.

With not a second to lose, Applejack galloped and jumped inside the tube while Rainbow flew and landed on it. Combining both of their strengths, they ran on it and this made the concrete pipe rolling with ease. They put themselves into position before the sticky alley and ran backwards to gain more momentum. Once in position, they ran their hooves with all their might while Pinkie with one powerful swing, threw the bags of flour in their air where they opened up and spilled all their white content on the floor, making a big flour slick to which the roll went across it. The roll was being covered on all its surface by the powder before slipping into the gingerbread alley.

The first spider-bot on the front saw that compressor roll of death coming towards it and wanted to retract in its protected state but the sticky substance was making impossible for it to close up and it was powerless to stop its whole being from getting crushed in an explosion of spark. The dimension of the roll and that of the alley was a perfect match so no bots could escape and because on the flour on it, the concrete tube didn't get glued on the gingerbread and was acting just like a baking roll flattening the dough. The two mares operating it gave even more strength while screaming a battle cry, leaving on their wake sparkles and broken machinery.

Eventually, the concrete tube finished its job and went out into the other street. Both Applejack and Rainbow Bash who had given their all, were tired and were panting. They went to look if there was any bots left. It was sure quite something to see. The gingerbread was now well flattened and mixing with it was lifeless junk. Not an appetizing sight. But for our mares, it was a delicious victory.

AJ was bewildered, not able to believe her eyes.

‘’Do ya see what ah see?’’

‘’We... we did it! We did it. We have destroyed all the robots.’’

‘’Well, call me a rattle snake. We really did beat them all.’’

They did one hell of a hoof bump to celebrate their victory. At the other side, the rest of the group mouths were wide open, wondering if this was real. But the pink pony, dancing with joy, was more than enough proof that it was indeed real.

‘’Pinkie.’’

Rainbow Dash flew above the houses while holding Applejack to rejoin the rest. She dropped the farm girl down with rudeness and jumped on Pinkie. Both rolled on the floor while laughing like little fillies, each one having a tight hold on the other.

‘’Pinkie, that's, you, you are, that was insane. That's the awesome thing I had ever seen. How did you get the idea?’’

‘’How did I get! It's you silly who give me the idea.’’

‘’Me!’’

‘’Yeah. I was thinking about those robots and what they did to Righto and Sugary and then you say we should bake cupcakes and I was thinking about baking while I was still thinking about what I'd say and then bam, ding ding ding, a light bulb lighted up and the idea came by itself.’’

The earth pony was against her will grabbed by a raspberry-colored aura and floated towards an alicorn with bloodshot eyes.

‘’Pinkie, this, I mean, how did you manage to do that?’’

‘’Hum, is not the same sentence that Rainbow Dash had said but formulated differently. If you recycle the same line, it's lazy syntax.’’

‘’I am serious. How? I mean yes, it's you Pinkie we are talking about but this is on a whole new level. How did you know where to find a concrete pipe in the first place.’’

‘’Well duhhh. Did you forget the time I was stuck in the air with a paraglider? I could see and memorize the whole town from up here. That's how I knew about the construction site and where to find the alley with the perfect dimension. Oh oh, and also where was the nearest general store. Good thing somepony open me-up because if not I had the intention to use a brick to//

‘’Wo wo wo, stop stop. Are you telling me that you had memorized the layout of the WHOLE TOWN!’’

‘’Sure I did. If I want to make the best party on a new place then I need to know where is where.’’

‘’What! But, oh... oh you.’’

At that moment, she had so much feeling that she had to express them and so she threw herself at Pinkie to hug her.

‘’Pinkie, you are a beautiful genius, you know that?’’

‘’Well what do you think. I know I have a lot inside.’’

She emphasized by poking her skull repeatedly. They all at first made small giggles, but it grew in intensity and those giggles became burst of laughter and this is what made them understand that yes, it was indeed a moment to celebrate. That they had won.

A whirring like noise came out and they all jumped of fright at it. They turned to the source and saw there was one bot who had survived. The first one on the line. Although, survive was a big word. It mangled remains had lost all shapes and it had no longer any appendages. Not that it could have helped it to get out of that muck. All it could do was emitting something like the cry of a wounded animal. Naturally, all our ponies and dogs got defensive and Twilight was already charging her horn. But then at their surprise, Pinkie brandishing her hoof to her side, making sign to them not to intervene. She walked towards it with no hesitation even if her friends were telling her to not coming closer. A shadow fell on the half-dead robot and it looked up to see the pink pony towering over it.

‘’... ... Come on, speak up. I know you were watching this whole time Flo.’’

From her chair in her dark corner, Floral could see from the floating screen, Pinkie Pie. The pink pony was firm and serious. Not something you often see out of her.

‘’Come on, speak up. I know you were watching this whole time Flo.’’

She had deduced correctly. The spider-bots were being more just following Flo instructions. They also were her eyes. And although they were fairly autonomous, she could manipulate them with a simple thought. But the inconvenience, one she had learned only recently, was that she was accidentally transferred her shock at the machines each time she was surprised. Which thought her annoyance, at happen quite a lot in the last minutes. She supposed that it was the giveaway that she was controlling behind the scenes.

She knew Pinkie was sharp. Very smart in her own way even. Flo was even constantly bragging that nopony could better see the hidden depth of Pinkie than her.

But she could not understand.

How did she get her fighting spirit back?

It was not supposed to happen.

So she decided to do as she had said and talked to her.

‘’So you did not despair? Where did you find the strength to stand up?’’

The voice of the filly who was responsible for all their problems did indeed come from the remains of the spider-bots. This surprise them all. Except Pinkie of course, who was still uncharacteristic placid. However, the voice she used to speak was full of her usual cheeriness in contrast.

‘’Hum, that's a doozy question you are asking me.’’

‘’I guess... it was my fault. My lesson must have not been convincing enough. All it had taken was for absurdity to feel on me for you to forget that you can be prey to it at any moment. But believing that because something happens to somepony is the proof that it won't happen to yourself. This is just lazy thinking//

‘’Oh no no no, no that's not that. You really super-duper good at making your point. It took time for me to fully digest what you were teaching me but in the end, I realized something. You were right.’’

A silence came. Floral did not reply back instantly. It seems that the answer of Pinkie was one she did not expect at all and this was making her confuse.

‘’But then... why... I understand even less. Why can you still fight?’’

‘’You were right. Life is indeed full of absurdities. I had told so many jokes but I had never envisaged that my life or that the ones of the others could be a joke. Hummm. Noo, maybe we all already did know that but we were too scared to admit.’’

‘’...’’

‘’But in the end, we can't escape that reality. Our belief may crumble. Right and wrong become too hard to understand. And a stupid death may fall on you without any warning. And whatever you might do, you may not able to make any sense out of it. But but but... I remembered something. Something that you had managed to make me forget.’’

‘’What?’’

‘’You had said that humor exists to protect from that fearful concept hidden in our everyday. And yep, I concede, it may be the reason it had been invented at first. But still, is it really all that is? No. I refuse to believe that. The reason if I like to make jokes is not just for levity sake. It's because I do love the absurd part of life. Or at least try my best to. And I want to teach to other ponies to love it too. Because it is possible to embrace it. Even if it's scary and painful. It might seem impossible, but if you don't believe, you won't even try.’’

‘’But//

From where she was, Floral was maintaining her placid expression but still it was clear that she was frazzled by Pinkie Pie speech coming from her holographic screen.

‘’But//

‘’You are our biggest fan. So you should know that when I was a filly, I was quite the scary-cat and used to have a lot of nightmares. But Granny Pie once told me something. Do you know what is was?’’

‘’Heh?! ... Yes... but...’’

‘’She had told me that when you are afraid, the best thing to do is to laugh at what scare you. It is now I understand its true meaning. It wasn't about making fear go away. It was about learning about being fine at being afraid. That is why I could still fight. Even though I was still afraid and that I could lose, I accepted all that and decided to build new meanings for myself. So sorry, but let me tell you something. We are still kicking and we going to stop you and save you.’’

‘’What! Save... me! This is not making any sense, even for you. Why would you want to save after all I had done to you?’’

‘’Because, when I saw you on that monitor, you were looking like a child who was having a nightmare. So brace yourself because we are going to wake you up from it no matter what.’’

She raised her pink hoof and smashed it on the screen and it changed into static. The contact with the spider-bot, lost.

‘’... ... Some... thing is wrong.’’

Thought her surprise, she saw that her hooves were trembling. Until it dawn on her that the truth was that it was her entire body that was shaking but from what, she could not understand. Soon, it was her brain and her thought process that was trembling. Her head was cradled in her forelimbs, hiding her emerald eyes twitching uncontrollably.

‘’This can't be, how can they... have they learned nothing, they are ruining everything, everything, everything... EVRYTHIIIIIIIIIIIGH.’’

The huge empty space was filled with her cry of rage and the walls and floor took life, becoming pistons, going up and down with the same frenzy as their angry queen. Then, without warning, as if it had never happened, Floral scream stopped just like that. And although her head was still held high, no emotion was conveyed from it. The walls and floor had gone back through their usual self and as if a switch went on, the dark whooshed away and all came back into a pristine and blinding white.

Floral slouched back on her throne, tilted her head toward her side and spoke back with the voice of her big brother.

‘’Stay in control. All is not lost. I can still do something. I just have to do it in a crude way. A shame. But it can't be helped.’’

With a swing of her hoof, another screen appeared, a smaller one.

‘’I really wanted not to resort to this. There is no lesson in it, it's just plain violence. But they are forcing my hooves.’’

She held her member towards it, the tip nearly touching the digital button. But she was hesitating. This was going farther than she had planned. But those doubts linger for just a moment.

‘’For my brother. All for my brother.’’

And, she pushed it.

At some place inside the ruins. There was only darkness. Thick darkness. And silence.

But all this changed.

Two pairs of blue lights that may as well be two pairs of eyes came out from nowhere and violently took presence in the blackness. The faint sound of something moving also came out but it became louder and louder and was sounding a lot like wings flapping at a furious pace.

Mount Heaven, towering over the forest and slumbering under the moving dark clouds was quite a somber but yet majestic sight. Especially coupled with the sound of the wind continuously blowing. From the top of it, came the silhouettes of two flying things that soared to the sky for then spiraling on themselves and darting down towards the forest.

On the other side of the mountain, there was a small rock quarry. It lay there unperturbed until a shaking made the rock rolling.

Now back to Happy Town, the ponies and dogs seem to be caught by a case of stupor after Pinkie bold claim. It took time for their brains to click what had just happened. But it did not stay like this for long. They burst of joy and they all grabbed and hugged the pink pony that had been so bad-ass. And the pink pony in question was surely enjoying that gesture.

For a moment, they felt like, no, they were back to their usual self.

But it was now time to ask the important question. What's next?

They all look towards their leaders for guidance. And Twilight knew well what to do.

‘’We are still sticking to the plan. We are going out of this town and came back with help. We have managed to thwart her attack. This is a good opportunity. It might take time before she prepares the next one.’’

‘’Bah, who care. I say let's go after her. We can trash everything she throws at us.’’

Had said Rainbow Dash while pumping her fist-hoof.

‘’Rainbow, please, be reasonable. This time, we had beat her but it was in-extremism. Who says we could still win the next time.’’

Rainbow landed back to the ground, her ears slumped to her head.

‘’Yeah, I... guess say it like that.’’

Fluttershy was the next to speak.

‘’What about Happy Town. What if she decides to go on a rampage while we're away.’’

‘’I had thought about that. You are going to search for help while I stay behind.’’

Naturally, they were obfuscated and were arguing their objections but Twilight shut them down with a gesture of her right wing.

‘’Don't argue please, I know, I would disagree if I was at your place but it is the most reasonable solution. While you go for help, I will stay with the civilians to organize a mass evacuation and to defend them if there is another attack. If it comes. I have the power of an alicorn and yes, I know, anti-magic technology. But now that I know those machines have that, I can better plan//

*grumble*

She never could finish, she had interrupted by the group shaking, if just for a moment. It was not intense but it was enough to make them all momentarily lose their balance and make them alert.

‘’What in tarnation was that? An earthquake?’’

Rarity was looking at the mountains, her sapphire eyes wide as saucer and she was pointing her hoof at it.

‘’Look. Mount Heaven.’’

Her artist mind was the first to notice the tiny detail, even in the dark of the night. But soon all noticed as well. A crack that was not there before, was now resting on its rocky surface. And with a noise that made their furs bristled and threw a cold at their bones, the crack length expanded, coursing across all the face of the mountain.

What does it mean, they did not know. They just knew one thing.

More trouble was coming.

Author's Note

And there it is. The chapter 11 is at last complete. (After 'four' long mouths at making you wait. Yeesh. That not very uplifting for me.) Still, I am glad to have made it. That chapter had been quite difficult to make. First because I was dealing with complex topics where I had to seriously ponder and dive deep inside myself to find answers that make sense and that I also genuinely believe. I insist to highlight that those the answer I believe and not 'the' answers. You could very well contradict me. It's just that I have an obsession (on pathological level, I suspect) about finding clear cut answers on the questions that haunt me. I just hope sharing them may help some?

Secondly, making the resolution of the action scenes while working in tandem with the life lessons had sure been tricky. I may have a knack for putting myself into corners. But when the inspiration came for Pinkie plan, oh boy it had been quite a rush. Not only it was making so much sense about what happened in the previous chapters but also it was so much in the character of our favorite party pony. You know the expression 'the story was writing itself'? Well that was exactly how I was feeling.

Anyway, hope you liked it and before the next chapter came out, there will be another intermission just like 'tales of two brothers'. This one would be much shorter so hopefully, you wouldn't have to wait long for that one.