Magical and beautiful stories of Anguish

by La Clown

Rating: teen
Tags: Adventure, Main 6, Drama, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Sad, Original Character
Length: 233863

The Mane 6 go to a joyful place called Happy Town but all is not as it seems. And a pony named Melancholia show them how what you believe can easily be daydream.

What if your happy convictions were are in fact fragile and easy to break?

Our six mares have learned al tot during their lives about how better find happiness and self-fulfilment. Strange and ancient ruins of a lost civilization had been discover and they are being sent on a mission to investigate them and in their way, they will come across Happy Town, a strange town venerating the concept of happiness.

They will be caught into a bizarre tale mixing ancient futuristic technology, a mad artist, toxic positivity and a cruel game questioning all in which they believe in. The time for the greatest challenge of the Mane 6 may have come.

Will their friendship will prevail against anguish? Or...

[Although the firsts chapters have a light and humoristic tone, it quickly and brutally change to become a emotionally painful story. Be warned.]

** (The cover image is made by Pridark, a artist of great talent.) **

Published 2019-01-24 03:50:01 UTC
Last updated 2021-08-19 02:40:05 UTC

Chapter 2: Hi-jinks

Chapter 2: Hi-jinks

By a stroke of luck, our girls got the train wagon all for themselves. They were all having a good time, relaxing with the comforting shaking of the train and doing fun activities. Twilight was reading a book, Fluttershy was discussing calmly with Starlight and Rarity, Rainbow Dash was napping, and Applejack and Pinkie Pie were playing cards.

‘’Haaa! Ha have what ya may call a winning hand. So ya better hold yer hand because, hummm, ha have absolutely confident in mine and stuff.’’

‘’Well play Applejack. But you can hide nothing from me, miss honesty. Ha, check this out, one pair and three of a kind. Sorry, but when it is question of games, I am here to win and eliminate the competition without mercy.’’

‘’Wooooo, not so fast partner, hold your horse.’’

The nervous face of Applejack immediately disappears and was replaced by a cocky smile. She then holds her cards on her hoof and spreads them like a fan.

‘’Behold, FLASH ROYAL. Now who says that Miss honesty can’t bluff, hahahaha.’’

Pinkie Pie jaw drop to the floor, for her case, literally, and Rainbow Dash awakens with sand in her eyes.

‘’Hey, keep down a level, I nearly miss this vacation so I want to profit it to the max.’’

This got the attention of Twi.

‘’Eh Rainbow, what is this story about nearly missing it?’’

‘’Well you see, I was supposed to have Wonderbolt training today, but all training has been canceled because the halls must go to some serious renovations due to the accident. The academy is nearly impracticable to use.’’

‘’An accident! What accident?’’

‘’Oh, that is a very funny story. You see, Spitfire was training new young cadets on how to properly transport mini thunder clouds with safety and efficacy. It is harder than it sounds. Anyway, the objective was to take those clouds to a goal right above the academy and when they did it, Spitfire ordered them to warp-up and to make the salute. Turns out, theeey really should have done the wrap-up first. They accidentally punch the clouds they were holding, who at their turn, accidentally activate them and the lightning blows up the hall. Luckily the cadets had the reflex to run away. Well, Spitfire, her, was not so lucky. Did you know that gold medals of honor could attract lightning? How come nopony has ever guessed that until now?’’

Though she had said that as a joke, Fluttershy was horrified to have heard that.

‘’Oh my gosh Dash, that terrible!’’

‘’Oh oh no, don't worry about Spitfire Fluttershy, she is fine. Just a little roast. But our sergeant is made of hard stuff, she will be out of bed in just one week. And luckily, it made her forget about the incident. Because otherwise I really would not want to be in the shoes of these cadets. Anyway, the damages are so serious that we had to even hire several workers coming from outside Cloundsdale. But it means I can be with you sooo let’s thank those cadets. I suppose.’’

‘’Oh. Huuum anyways let’s talk about something else. You know, this is the very first time that I heard of this Happy Town. It sure doesn’t ring any bell.’’

‘’Well darling, I am pretty sure that no one of us have ever heard of this place. We must say that it is often the major cities that we go traveling like Manehattan and Applelossa.’’

‘’And you Twilight, did you ever hear of it?’’

‘’I am like you on that level. But I did some research on this town yesterday. Allow me to tell you what I had found.’’

She then had taken from her bag a bunch of notes. Seeing that, Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes.

‘’Great. Another Twilight history lecture full of fun trivia and cultural facts. I was sarcastic if you did not have guess.’’

‘’Well it is important to know about where we are going. Do you want to look like a tourist? So embarrassing.’’

‘’But... but we are tourists!’’

‘’There is tourist and tourist. Although, there is not much to say. From what I read on it, Happy Town was founded ten years before Ponnyville. Apparently, the settlers were ambitious ponies and want to create a place that will be a true paradise on Equestria.’’

Starlight was a little taken aback.

‘’Paradise? What did they mean by that?’’

‘’That part is rather ambiguous. All I can say is that it was their own words. And that among the first buildings was a clock tower that they use as a symbol for the town. From what I gather, the size of this town is rather modest, I will say as modest as our town, and it is rather isolated and the citizens rarely go outside its borders.’’

Fluttershy, who was prone to an anxious imagination, answered:

‘’Oh my! Does... does that mean that... that they don’t like strangers?’’

‘’No. No it’s… rather the opposite. They are known for being very welcoming and cordial. You see, the reason this town is call… ‘’Happy’’ town, is that it venerates the concept of happiness in some sort. All the tourists that come to visit it say that it is a place where it is good to live and that everypony is so nice to everypony. They are always trying new things to have fun so at least a new shop or attraction always open each two years.’’

‘’Oh, sounds like my kind of pony. This place look like super-duper fun.’’

Hearing that, Starlight felt she could relax.

‘’You know, you were right. It does sound a lot like Ponyville.’’

‘’Humm, maybe Celestia was right by saying they were similar. But from my research, all show that it will definitely be a nice place to stay.’’

‘’Perfect, I will surely like a relaxing vacation for a change. … ... Say Twilight, does this mountain we see could be Mount Heaven?’’

Everypony went to look through the window Starlight was pointing and saw at the horizon, coming ever closer, the huge rock spire that was Mount Heaven. This mountain, this ancient volcano, was a sight to behold under the vivid blue sky. Its height was rather modest and only with a quick look you could see that it was easy to climb, but still, it was like this gray formation was giving a kind of majestic air. That was at least what was thinking the ponies who were looking at it with awe.

‘’There is no doubt, this is it. So, that Mount Heaven. And in its deep are hiding the remains of the ancient civilization. Ooooh I can barely contain myself, my hooves are shaking, look, look how much they are shaking. Alright girls, we are nearly at our destination. The station is at a few distance from the town so we will have to walk for a little bit. But don’t worry, it should not be long.’’

‘’Great, so I take back my job as a heavy lifter of books. Geez that was not really what I had in mind when I took the post of your personal student. Sometimes I think I am Spike number 2. ... ... Oh! Please don’t ever tell him I said that.’’

Once they all boarded off the train to the station, the only thing they could see, except for the mountain, was a vast expanse of green at perpetuity and the wind softly blowing on the grass. Without a word, they immediately went walking on the gravel road that will bring them to civilization.

A few minutes were spent and still the only thing they could see was grass and a few trees and hills. But it was mostly because they were trotting at a relaxing pace to enjoy the peace and the perfect weather. And then, a butterfly went flying before the eyes of Fluttershy. Its wings seem to shine and its color to change between blue and pink.

‘’A rosea hyacinthum kaleido! Here! But this is far from the region where they live!’’

Fluttershy was known for being a diehard enthusiast of butterflies and her knowledge on them was nearly encyclopedic. And naturally, seeing this rare sight was tickling her interest and forgetting about her friends, she went to follow it, flying softly and slowly to make sure to not scare the beautiful insect. Her friends, although annoyed a little, couldn’t help but to find that endearing and stop waiting for her. The yellow pegasus went so far to go flying up a hill, but once to the summit, she stopped right on her track and let herself land delicately on the ground. She then stood there to just look at the horizon, making back to her friends. Slightly worried, they went running to see her.

‘’Fluttershy? Fluttershy, is it something wrong? Have you seen something?’’

‘’Yes. A piece of heaven.’’

Not understanding what she meant, Twilight went to see what Fluttershy was looking at and once she did, she was aghast and could not say a word and soon, all the others were doing the same. At the foot of the hill was one of the most beautiful ponds they had seen. Its size was quite impressive. The sun was at its zenith and so it gave its light directly from above and the reflection was making many shining spots on the spring, as if pure light was floating on the calm but still moving water. Like if the water was a diamond. It was a beautiful sight straight from a fairy tale. Water lilies were floating and on some of them were growing flowers shining with a fluorescent magenta color. Twilight recognized them immediately.

‘’These are Midnight Lotus! They are rare flowers shining with a light even more beautiful at night.’’

Butterflies of all colors were flying in all directions and birds were nesting on a nearby tree, chirping harmonious sounds. But the final thing that was making this sight perfect was a voice. A singing voice that seems to come right from an angel. Searching where it came from, they saw that resting on the trunk of a twisted tree overlooking the water, a young mare was looking intensely at the spring and reciting a simple melody.

The smiles into your heart

seem like now far apart

The colors that used to stay

change into sad gray

But true beauty is never took

if you know how to look

Your treasure

you never should misspend

Always there

with you as a friend

The ponies, who had walked to the bottom of the hill, felt the notes going directly at their hearts, filling them with peace. Rarity and Fluttershy even shed a few tears. Once the young mare had stopped her singing, the ponies couldn’t resist and clap their hooves to congratulate her.

‘’Who's there!?’’

Surprise that she was not alone, the young mare had lost her footing and nearly fell on the water but at the last second, Twilight grabbed her with her magic and levitated her to the ground.

‘’Oh I am so sorry, we didn’t want to scare you nor eavesdropped. We were just so impressed by your beautiful voice that we couldn’t just help but to listen. Please accept my apology.’’

‘’Oh no it’s alright, it's quite alright. I am the one that shouldn’t have reacted like... that… ...!!! Is that you!’’

‘’What?’’

Twilight didn’t understand what she meant. She takes the opportunity to give a better look at her. The mare was younger than everyone but a bit older than the CMC. Her fur had the color of wheat and her hair, which was as red as a sunset, was arranged in a braid hanging to the right of her face. The cutie mark on her flank was of a sunflower and the color of her eyes was of a vivid green emerald. Speaking of her eyes, they seem to look at her with a kind of admiration.

‘’It’s you it’s you it’s you it’s you, it is really you!’’

‘’Um yes, yes it’s me… … who I am supposed to be?’’

‘’You are Twilight Sparkle, the one and only. I can believe that you are here right in front of me. It is like a dream come true.’’

‘’Oh yeah, yeah of course, whole princess of friendship thingy. I always forget that.’’

‘’No you don’t understand, I was a fan of you way before you became a princess and… and how could I have not noticed all your friends! Applejack. Pinkie Pie. Rarity. Fluttershy. Rainbow Dash. And even Starlight! You are all here! All of you.’’

Our heroines were perplexed and were throwing looks at each other in confusion. Especially Pinkie

‘’Ummm I am kinda lost. Have we become somehow so famous that ponies talk about us?’’

And to that, both Rainbow Dash and Rarity answered with perfect synchronicity.

‘’Of course we talk about us.’’

‘’Well let’s put aside the two egos, ah must remember you all that we did save the world a dozen times. Which for some reason, not many seem to know it. Ah always find it very strange.’’

‘’Well yes, I do know about your heroic exploits but that is not the main reason that I am such a big fan of you. You are such an inspiration, you have a natural to bring out the best in everypony and and… *cough**cough* I am very sorry, of course you must be confused. I knew you would come but I have been a little overwhelmed to see my idols without preparation. Let’s start at the beginning. First allow me to introduce myself. My name is Floral. But everypony calls me Flo. I am a pony living in Happy Town and my job is… a little special. It is nice to meet you.’’

Twilight was also a little overwhelmed before such praise. She has never been able to get used to it.

‘’Oh well, the same is for us Flo. So, you knew we were coming?’’

‘’Oh yeah, the entire town awaits you with impatience.’’

‘’Heh, the… entire town?!’’

‘’I could explain to you buuut it would be much simpler to show you. I could guide you to the town if you want.’’

‘’That would be very nice of you. Alright, we in your care.’’

‘’Thanks. Then follow my lead. … … But before, I… I must warn you. The ponies of Happy Town are very nice but with you all, they might be… a little too welcoming to say politely.’’

Rarity tilted her head in incomprehension.

‘’I do not understand.’’

‘’I am just asking you to prepare yourselves. (If it is possible in the first place.)’’

‘’Let me first describe to you in more detail my little town. The layout is built as a circle that continues to grow year after year. It has seven main streets that go from the border to meet at the center of the city called Plaza Central. What is particular is that it is at the sides of the main roads that you can find the majority of shops, service establishments and attractions. All the rest in the angles between those rows is generally the houses and habitations. It is in Plaza Central that there are all the administrative buildings like the town hall, the courthouse, the bank and so forth because they are the firsts and oldest buildings to have been made by the first settlers. I have fun to imagine that my town is like a pretty ever-expanding star at seven branches.’’

‘’I see. But I find that it is a rather unusual way for a town to grow. I mean yes it gives the advantages that all the shops and commerce are all in easy access roads for receiving delivery and also it is hard for any of them to be ignored since they are all in plain sight. But... I don't know, it's like your house are in second plan.’’

‘’You have to understand that entertainment and distraction is the heart of this town. After they completed the plaza first, which contained all the essential needs for a town, then they immediately went to all the shops and the roads and after, the houses. The settlers had even resorted to live in temporary housing building before making their homes.’’

Applejack made a small chuckle.

‘’Really! And me who thought that mah family was dedicated but that is a whole new level.’’

‘’I understand that we are kind of unique compared to the rest of Equestria. But I personally do think it is our charm. Ah, and now it is time that I show the very symbol of Happy Town. The clock tower. That you can all see in front of you.’’

Our heroines were, at present, in the place called Plaza Central and before them was the famous clock tower. Though she wasn’t that imposing. The walls were old and have seen better days and the red roof was missing a few tiles. But the clock seems to be in a state as pristine as the day it was made. Rainbow Dash was not really impressed.

‘’I am not really impressed. Our clock tower is bigger.’’

And Flo made a cocky smile at the pegasus.

‘’But wait, you have not yet seen what makes it the pride of our town. It won’t be long.’’

The clock was only a few seconds before the big and the small hand reunited themselves to announce noon. And when the twelve hour came, bells were ringing from inside the tower. And to hear them was simply pure beauty. The sound they made was of purity and the harmony between them was perfect, making it sound like it was not bells but a choral that they were hearing. Rarity was so touched that she couldn’t hold back her tears while also covering her mouth with her hooves in pure awe.

‘’Beautiful! It’s… like the notes go directly into me to hug my heart.’’

And Fluttershy was closing her eyes to listen calmly to the music while her pink mane was floating by the wind.

‘’I feel so serene just by listening to it. You were right, it is really a wonder.’’

‘’I know. This town was built on the concept of happiness. The settlers had hired the best mechanics of their time to build what would be the very symbol of our philosophy that would last for generation and generation. They wanted something that will remind us to always find joy in life. This is its purpose. Oh look at that, I see mayor Paternal. Let’s go see him, he will be overjoyed to see you all.’’

The clock tower happens to also be the Town Hall. From a window, they could see a grown stallion drinking coffee at his table with a relaxed air. His fur was brown and he had a short red beard who was beginning to have gray hair. His cutie mark was an open book with writing quill on it. Even though he was a fairly elderly stallion, one look and you could immediately see that he still had the spring of youth in him. Flo then leaned on the open window for better talk to him.

‘’Hello mayor Paternal, it is good to see you.’’

‘’Ah, is not our little angel. It is always a pleasure to see you. Didn’t you have a pleasant trip to the spring?’’

‘’There is something more important than my usual trip. I am here because I brought some visitors that//

‘’Visitors! Could it be they have arrived?’’

‘’Yes, yes they have more than arrived, they are right here behind me. Look.’’

‘’Greeting mayor and thank you for your hospitality. I am Twilight Sparkle, the//

She never could finish her sentence because she was interrupted by the sound of the coffee cup falling on the floor with half of its contents. It was mayor Paternal that dropped it and its eyes were wide open. He stayed there still for a few seconds but then, went running with energy through the hall. The noise of galloping was soon followed by those of broken ceramic and falling furniture. Twilight was hit out of nowhere by a dreadful feeling.

‘’(I don't know why but I feel a disaster will fall on us).’’

Flo, her, was slightly annoyed. A subtle hint that this was not the first time.

‘’Forgive him, his enthusiasm can be out of this world but he is a really nice guy. But now that I think about it I really should have warned you that he, no, that all the citizens//

But she was interrupted when Mayor Paternal opened the door with near hysteria and nearly tripped on the stairs.

‘’It’s you, it’s you, it’s really you, all of you. YOU HAVE FINALLY ARRIVED!’’

Everypony that was going to their occupations, stopped dead on their tracks by hearing this. And in several houses, doors and window shutters were simultaneously opened by curious residents. And once they saw our heroines, it was like a switch had flipped in them and they all came rushing to the plaza. So many ponies were coming that the ground was shaking.

‘’Whoa whoa, what in tarnation is happening, an earthquake?’’

‘’I don’t like where this is going. (I feel more and more that a disaster is coming.) Flo, can you explain what HEY WHERE ARE YOU GOING!!?’’

Flo was running away discreetly on her tip-hooves then turn her head to them and whisper something like:

‘’Sorry to abandon you, but I don’t want to be crushed by them.’’

‘’What did you say? How can I understand you when you whisper from so far?’’

But she ignored her and went galloping at the distance, leaving them all alone in the middle of a plaza. They were right now encircled by an incalculable number of ponies. Rarity was so in panic that tears started to form on her eyes.

‘’Oooh oooh. I do love a little attention but this make me feel claustrophobic.’’

All the ponies were now coming closer to our mares, slowly, so slowly, fixating them with strange looks without even blinking. Fluttershy was terrorized and went hide behind Applejack and Rainbow Dash who were ready to fight. Rarity and Pinkie Pie were holding each other in fear. Starlight Glimmer used the mountain of books as a barricade. As for Twilight, she exploded.

‘’Okay, I am scared to death now. Can sompony can please explain to me what going on here?’’

‘’… It’s them… it is really them… OURS IDOLS ARE HERE IN OUR TOWN!’’

And all the plaza was filled with cries of joy and they all rushed to grab them. Except Starlight who was well protected in her barricade. They make them fly in the air again and again in shouting ‘’hip hip hooray’’ Our heroines were so lost that their brains had stopped working.

‘’My citizens! My citizens, please, I understand your joy but those poor girls must be confused. Give me a least the time to explain to them.’’

The Happy Townians listen to their mayor and drop them on the ground. More like letting them fall flat on the concrete. Which did not please Rainbow.

‘’Ouuuch! Right on my muzzle. All right now, what is that circus!’’

‘’Yes yes. First as mayor, let me say sorry for everypony. We were just so excited, me include, to see in person the six mares that we admire so much.’’

Again with that. Twilight was starting to be really, but really puzzled.

‘’Admire? I don’t understand?’’

‘’ It’s quite simple. As the name of our home suggest, we citizens of Happy Town venerate the concept of happiness in all its forms for generations. We are always on the lookout for new ways to bring joys and beauty to our lives. But then long ago, we learned about six special ponies representing friendship. And they quickly became such an inspiration for us. And of course I am talking about you. Applejack, the element of honesty. Pinkie Pie, the element of laughter. Rarity, generosity. Fluttershy, kindness. Rainbow Dash, loyalty. And Twilight Sparkle, the element of magic who then became princess of friendship. By simply being you, you constantly give valuable lessons about forming valuable bonds and how well nurturing it and that for years. How can we not admire you? In fact, you have enriched our lives so much that you have become the biggest celebrities of all the town.’’

‘’Whaaaaaaaaat!’’

‘’Come on everypony, they need to have a proper greeting. Let us all give our best salutations to these wonderful mares//

Two pegasus went flying above them, each carrying the end of a large rolled poster, then went and stuck it to the wall of the clock tower to unroll it, revealing the image of our six mares.

‘’and our greatest idols, THE MANE 6.’’

And every single ponies stumps their hooves on the ground again and again as cheer clapping, filling the entirety of Happy Town with this sound of adulation for our dumbfound Mane 6.

From the inside of his chamber, one pony could clearly hear the clapping that was only slightly muffled by the wood walls. He slowly comes closer to the window covered by a white curtain. With his gray hoof, he softly pushes out the ivory silk to see outside and look at the plaza with our heroines at the center encircled by admirers.

‘’They’re here. At last… they’re here.’’

Applejack suddenly got the strange impression to be observed. She turned her head to look at a building with blue walls and saw at the window of the second floor, a pair of eyes fixate on her. It was too dark to see to whom they belong and anyways, he promptly covers the window with the curtain.

‘’What was that?’’

She could not help but ponder.

‘’Wo wo wo, please stop. Just... stop. How this story of admiration or whatever you call it, did even start?’’

‘’Yes Miss Twilight, allow me to explain. It all begins during the summer sun celebration when Nightmare Moon came from her thousand years of imprisonment to plunge the world into eternal night. One of our citizens was in visit in Ponnyville and when he came back, he told us an amazing story. About six amazing mares who go on a heroic adventure and who manage to free princess Luna from the darkness with a mystic and divine power call the Elements of Harmony and reunited two long-lost sisters. Naturally, we were all intrigued by this. You may have guess it but we all are admirers of stories with happy endings, especially if it is about real events. But then, it is about you that we became intrigued. Who were those six ponies who become heroes and why they represent friendship? We were just overwhelmed with an urge to know more about you. So we regularly send some scouts to observe you discretely.’’

Rarity was shocked beyond belief.

‘’*gassssssp* YOU WERE STALKING US FOR ALL THESE YEARS!!!’’

‘’Oh no no, I assure you that it was very legal. They were always at a safe distance but they never invaded your privacy. We will never dare to do that to our idols. But we were not disappointed. We soon find out that you had the gift to go into all kinds of crazy adventures that always end in a valuable moral lesson. Hell, ever since the incident with the tickets for the Gala, we quickly wanted more and more. And more, you were always providing. Then, even before we get aware of it, it was like you became a part of our town and of our lives. We all became diehard fan of the legendary Mane 6.’’

‘’The… Mane 6! … That's a little… I mean… is it really how people call us?’’

Twilight was looking at her friends, AJ, Dashie and Pinkie and they all had different reactions.

‘’Don’t look at me like that Twilight, that the first time ah hear that.’’

‘’I am not sure I like that nickname. It’s a little cheesy. It looks like a superhero group name.’’

‘’Personally, I kinda like that name. Go go go Mane 6!’’

As for Fluttershy, she was more interrogated by something else.

‘’Wait, I find had to believe that you could learn so much about us just by observing us from afar?’’

‘’Oh we also interviewed several witnesses, do a trough check on your backgrounds and got all the friendship reports Twilight send to the princess.’’

‘’What! ... ...WHAT! My reports! How did you get them?’’

‘’Oh I reassure you we did not steal them. The ones we have are only copies of the true ones. We paid somepony to make copies of the one in Celestia office.’’

Twilight could just not believe what she had heard. They will really go as far as to ransack the belongings of their ruler! It was so unthinkable that she had difficulty at forming coherent sentences.

‘’Her off... off, off, office... Cecececelestia quarter... you you... the princess... ... ... well... come to think of it, I suuuupose these reports are not really secrets of state.’’

Rarity was murmuring under her breath:

‘’I find more and more that it really looks like stalking.’’

‘’And don’t forget the journal that you had given to the public. It was a true gold mine and nearly every citizen has one. Like this one I have in my hoof.’’

Mayor Paternal took out from his jacket a purple cover book with a horseshoe and the elements of friendship on it. At its sight, Twilight pushes herself backward with panic.

‘’No no no no, not this again. Now I see where this is going. I thought this mistake was finally behind me.’’

‘’Oh I can assure you that we are not at all like those… superficial fans. We admire you because of what you represent and how you enrich our lives. All my citizens will agree. Is it not?’’

Two ponies from the crowd then came forward.

‘’Yeah, thanks to you, my friendship has become stronger and intense than ever.’’

‘’You give us hope that everyone have the potential to get along with everyone.’’

‘’You see. When Princess Celestia says that she will send you to investigate those ruins in Mount Heaven, you cannot guess how we were all overjoyed. Also, I am sorry to say but I couldn’t have resisted and asked her that Twilight brings all her friends so that all the Mane 6 could be here. Please understand, it was the chance of a lifetime.‘’

‘’Oooh so that's why she made that suggestion! (But wait! At that time...)’’

[… … No… no you will know soon enough.]

‘’(So she knew it would happen! Oh princess, you may be the mentor that I admire and respect so much but sometimes I hate your damn humor. Well, in her defense, I doubt even she could have guessed that they would be so… fanatical.) But will you still help me for the job I have here? You know it is the main reason I am here?’’

‘’Of course. We have already prepared a housing house for all your friends and luggage. You will have the whole building for you alone.’’

‘’Great but Twilight may have forgotten to say that another was added on the list of guests.’’

Starlight finally decides to come out of the barricade of books when she hears that although strange, these ponies were harmless. But as soon as she opened her mouth, every single face turned their sight to her, giving her a massive dose of anxiety.

‘’Hum did, did I… say some, something wrong?’’

‘’IT’S STA STA STA STA STA STARLIGHT GLIMMER! THE SEVEN MEMBERS OF THE MANE 6!’’

A bunch of ponies went running to her to the pink unicorn who was now like a statue and showered with praises and compliments.

‘’I can’t believe that you too also came. It is like a dream come true.’’

‘’When you rejoin the group, you immediately became my favorite.’’

‘’You are a true symbol of hope, showing that no matter how far we fall, we can always redeem ourselves and find happiness. Can I have your autograph?’’

That was so confusing for her and she was not sure how… well, how to think.

‘’… … Hum, sure.’’

She grabs the pen and paper with her magic and signs her name on it, not knowing if she should feel warmth for being accepted or feel uncomfortable.

‘’Wait! I am the seventh member and we still call the MANE 6?’’

‘’What's wrong with that? Evereypony know that there are four musketeers in the three musketeers.’’

‘’(There are so many things wrong with that!)’’

As for the mayor, he seemed to be even more overjoyed than usual.

‘’You have brought Starlight Glimmer too! We felt that it was already a huge favor to ask for all the six that we did not dare ask for more. This is really the happiest day in our lives. Miss Sparkle, you will not tell me you also bring Spike?’’

‘’No. He had no choice but to stay behind.’’

‘’What a shame. Many fans of this little dragon will be upset.’’

‘’(First the Crystal Empire, now this town. How does he do it to be so popular?)’’

A young voice then came from afar.

‘’*sigh* I knew this would have happened. You really need to know how to control your enthusiast.’’

Floral force her way between passersby, and everyponies seems to calm down by seeing her. Twilight on the other hoof.

‘’There you are Flo. Thank you for having abandoned us.’’

‘’Forgive me all but I know them, I had to go hide to safety.

She then turned toward the Happy Townians and looked at them with severity.’’

‘’As for all of you, you shall be ashamed of yourselves. You think they will want to stay if you scare them like that? I mean I understand your feelings, I am myself the number one fan of the Mane 6, but this is exactly why we should treat them with restraint. Don’t you think that as fans you will love nothing more than to receive their thankfulness?’’

For all her speech, she did not raise a single time her voice and she keeps a serene and kind look. Everyponies smile and nod affirmatively at each other. Twilight was finding it strange that such a young filly could have so much authority. Flo turned back to her, clearly stroked by an idea.

‘’I know! You should take the occasion to go exploring our little town and see what it can give. It seems to me that the princess did not give you a time limit to do your job. So that means that you have free time for some fun. And believe me, having fun is kinda the specialty of Happy Town. And it will give us the chance to show you that we can be a proper host. Sometimes. What do you think mayor Paternal?’’

‘’That sounds like a wonderful idea. We will be glad to bring your stuff to your chambers while you go exploring our home. I am sure you will love it. And nothing will please more my citizens to give them the chance to bring you joy.’’

Soon everyponies in the plaza go happily beg them to give to this idea. The wings of Twilight go flap down from all this pressure and discomfort. She really did not know what to decide. It is then that Pinkie Pie came closer and put her hoof on the shoulder of Twilight in a reassuring manner.

‘’Come on Twilight, you will not miss an opportunity to have fun. I admit they can be a little weird but, just take a look at them. They are nothing more than a bunch of nice and innocent ponies. Nothing to be scared off.’’

‘’… …(I guess she is right. And I am the princess of friendship, I am supposed to be friendly with every nice person no matter how weird they are.) I did say that we will have some time to have fun. *sigh* Oh what the hay. Why be so reserved? So girls, what do you say that all of the Mane 6, *pfftt*, go see if the hospitality of Happy Town is really top notch.’’

‘’Woohoo, now you talking.’’

Even Fluttershy and Starlight became more relaxed.

‘’I’m game. They surprise me a little but now I am sure that they all very nice.’’

‘’Then it will be best that we all separate to see the most and then come back later at the plaza to be reunited. Though I still feel a bit uncomfortable so I would like to go with you Twilight.’’

Seeing that all had agreed to their idea, Flo and the mayor could not be happier.

‘’I see that it is decided then. I guarantee that you will not be disappointed princess.’’

‘’I suppose you’re right, mayor. That let us seperate and let us meet here in,umm let’s see, two hours. Is it alright? Good. Then I guess there is only one thing left for me to say. Go have fun.’’

So to celebrate, the Mane 6 went all around Twilight who announced:

‘’All right girls, are you all ready? Theeen…’’

‘’LET’S GO.’’

And the Mane 6 go separate themselves to take each one of the main streets, except Starlight who went with Twilight. They did not know but they will soon have the time of their life.

Way of speaking.

Rarity was walking on the street, looking at the shop on what will be good for her while not taking attention at the gaze of the many fans. Or rather, she was doing her best not to take attention.

‘’(Well I never thought I would say that, but being the center of attention can be a little overwhelming. Oh woe is me, popularity can be such a burden to bear. But I will not let it ruin my day. I just need to find HUMMM!!) What is that?’’

She was looking at a boutique where the showcase was showing all an assortment of jewels shining with so many bright colors. The shop sign was saying that it was called:

‘’Starry Sky. Go come here to wear the stars on yourself. Ooooh that look like the place just for me.’’

She enters the door who then makes the soft and relaxing sound of a bell door that Rarity knows so well. She also could hear that someone was approaching.

‘’Alright alright, I coming.’’

The one who said that was coming from the back door. He was a little higher than Rarity. He enters walking backward and seems to carry a crate in his hands. Oh! It was not a pony.

‘’So, how can I help the little Madame?’’

He turned around, revealing his gray fur, his yellow eyes and his canine face. He was a diamond dog. At his sight, flashes and images come by force in Rarity mind, remembering her the time when she was kidnaped by them and were forcing her to find gems. Instinctively, she grabbed a chair with her hooves and handed it as a weapon.

‘’Stay back ruffian!’’

The dog just stayed there with an exasperated face.

‘’Racist.’’

This commotion alerted those who were in the back store.

‘’Heh what happening back there?’’

From the back store came two other people. The first one, the one who had talked, was a female pegasus of cyan color, brown hair and wearing a shop clerk vest. The second was another diamond dog who was twice the height of the first one. The fur on the side of his face made him look like he was wearing side whiskers and Rarity could not resist to note that his eyes were exactly the same as the little one. Speaking of him, he nonchalantly pointed his index to Rarity, saying:

‘’Oh it is alright Miss, just a little lady who have too much prejudice.’’

‘’Oh my, oh my, but it’s Rarity! Please I swear there is no reason to be afraid of them, they are just my delivery boys. I work with them for long so I can assure you they are very good dogs.’’

‘’Can you not have used another expression?’’

Being now aware of what she just did, she immediately fell guilty to have treated so bad just because of how he looks. The very thing that she loathes the most. She drop the chair and bow her head as an apology.

‘’I am so sorry for how I treated you. What I did was so rude and I will understand if you could not forgive me.’’

‘’… … Tch. Bah, let’s just forget that.’’

Though his tone seems to suggest that he was only half-sincere. But he tried his best to go looking cordial once again.

‘’Well, I suppose I should at least give a proper introduction. Here my card.’’

He gave to her a simple white card where she was reading:

''The brother Dirt and Dust, extraordinary jack-of-all trade''.

‘’That right Miss. I am Dirt and the big one is my little brother Dust. We do nearly all kinds of jobs. Delivery, builders, movers, bouncers and so forth. If you ever need capable hand, you know who to call.’’

‘’Hummm thank, I will think about that.’’

Dirt went to drop the crate on a corner and turned to talk to the clerk.

‘’All right with that, that would be all. Sorry to go early but we still have to make a delivery to Mel and you know we can’t make wait our best client.’’

‘’There’s no problem, all the rest will be easy for me alone. You did a good job. And you to Dust. Have a good day.’’

Dirt exit by the door with his brother, but not before slightly waving his flat cap as a salutation gesture. The clerk then came back to talk to Rarity.

‘’They can look rough, but they are no more hard workers than them. They recently, about a year I think, were called here to do work and since then, they often receive demands from our town. But oh my gosh, I can’t believe that the great Rarity herself have come in my boutique.’’

‘’Hohoho, great is a tad exaggerate, I just a humble fashionista.’’

‘’Oh no no no no, you are simply amazing. You build a small fashion empire by yourself. It inspires more than one.’’

‘’(I do not think that three shops can count as an empire.)’’

‘’I am almost ashamed to have only modest articles to offer you.’’

‘’Nonsense. Anything has beauty. The trick is to simply know how to see it and to understand that there is always a way to accentuate it. Oh! Oooh! If I may say, your collection is quite sublime. Do these jewels were made here?’’

‘’No, the majority were brought here from outside. Actually, we often bring things from outside. We of Happy Town, we have eyes for what is great and fun. We tend to stay all our life in this city. This place is such a paradise that no one has any desire to live. But we are always on the lookout for what good things the outside can offer to us, and we bring it here to make our paradise even more beautiful. When you think that way, it is like having the best of both worlds. Stay in your comfy house and bring the best part of the outside world to you.’’

‘’I see, I see. (But I do think this way of living is a little… no, no, that would be impolite to say my opinion.) So can I try some before buying them?’’

‘’Of course, you can try as much as you like.’’

‘’A huge grin was slowly forming on her lips and Rarity was looking frantically in all directions. She then went to massage the temples of her head.’’

‘’Yes, yes, I can feel the creative juice coming into me. So many choices, so many possibilities. Ha! Something came to me, something big! I think I will try that and this and then this, oh this will be perfect to accentuate it, of and of course this and this and this.’’

She was taking jewel after jewel in gestures that may look like dancing. When her hooves were full, she levitated her precious bounty and took it with her to the fitting room. After only a minute, since she was good at quickly changing, she opened the curtain to reveal to the clerk herself wearing so many jewels that she had managed to assemble them in a way they accentuated each other, making them even brighter, giving off a blinding light. No, literally a blinding light. The eyes of the clerk went red from the burn and mascara was dropping from them.

‘’AAAAAAH MY EYES MY EYES, I AM BLIND, I AM BLIND!!!’’

In her panic, she went running out of the store to the street, still shouting her ocular woe. But Rarity understood this the wrong way.

‘’Oh my! She was so impressed by my dazzling beauty that she has lost her sight. Quickly, I need to find a mirror so I can see my result. Ah there it is AAAAAAAAH!!! MY EYES MY EYES, I DID IT AGAIN, I AGAIN WENT OVERBOARD!’’

‘’Wooo, I now blind.’’

The reason if Pinkie Pie had said that is a long story. She was bouncing on the road with her usual squikies sounds, wondering where she should start when appearing out of nowhere, a pony with a camera came before her and started to take many snapshots as fast as a riffle, dilating her pupils to nearly the size of the tip of a pencil. Okay, in the end it was a very short story.

‘’Annnd my view came back. Fiouf, I was nearly scared I could no longer see and it would have taken me years of training for blind pony to bake cupcakes and do party decoration. Oh by the way, who are you?’’

The pony in front of her was of a pale yellow. He had a scientist coat who has seen better days and he was wearing a pair of glasses so opaque that you cannot see his eyes. Which was not necessary to see how much he was jubilating.

‘’Me! Oh I am not important but what is important is that you are Pinkie Pie, the scientific wonder that seems to break so many laws. Since I heard about you, I have always been fascinated by this pink pony who can do so many exploits that others can’t do. And you are her in front of me. Oh I must study you to finally understand the mysteries hiding in you. You have to come at my lab.’’

‘’Well, I am always eager to help another. And it was asked so nicely. I presume.’’

‘’Splendid, then let go right now, every second count.’’

He grabbed her by the front hoof and dragged her with him, leaving a deep trail on the dirt. Pinkie didn’t resist and just kept smiling.

‘’Alright mister scientist, I am just behind you. Seriously, with how strong your grip is, I can’t be anywhere else.’’

*latter at the laboratory*

‘’Backer, we’re here. Look who I bring.’’

They were in a room full of machinery, gadgetry and chemicals. Though Pinkie noted that the way they were disposed of was a little sloppy. The scientist was talking to a female earth pony wearing chemist glass, brown hair arranged in a ponytail and a scientist coat with burn marks.

‘’I must be hallucinating! Pinkie Pie! The scientific wonder!’’

‘’Again with this strange surname! You know, I come here to help but I do wonder what you find so special about me. I am just a normal pony.’’

Pinkie then felt that her tail was twitching and that can only mean one thing. She had taken a step backward and a piece of metal piping went to fall to where she was a second earlier.

‘’Fiouf, this could have given me a big bump on the head.’’

The two ponies that had seen this were aghast with wonder and were running all around her to observe her in every angle.

‘’See, this is exactly what we were talking about. Your ability to predict to a degree the future. Your Pinkie senses.’’

‘’That! It just something that I always had.’’

‘’But not a single pony can boast to have such a unique talent. What could it be, a gift of super deduction?’’

‘’There also how you are capable of controlling your hair and tail like they were additional limbs.’’

‘’You mean like this.’’

Her hairs were moving by themselves and wrapped themselves around the piping piece and grabbed it like a tentacle.

‘’It is fascinating, it’s truly fascinating!’’

‘’I don’t know, I could always do that since as long I can remember.’’

‘’The answer must be in how your body works. We are going to do an experiment to understand its working.’’

‘’I got a feeling of déja vue. Twilight has already tried to do that without success.’’

‘’For us it will be different, we thought for years on how to understand you. Backer, prepare the mixture, I will install Pinkie Pie in the machine.’’

The scientist put her on a metallic chair and tied her up with a belt. She was beginning to have second thoughts and then she remarked that the assistant Backer was mixing a bunch of chemical with her bare hooves.

‘’Wait! You don’t use any protection equipment.’’

‘’Ah to hell safety. We are here to find great discoveries that will advance science and above all else improve the daily lives of society. That noble quest brings to us so much joy that we simply don’t care what happens to us. No time to lose when you create wonders. Here, the mixture is ready.’’

Backer had brought to Pinkie a backer full of green liquid. Without fear, Pinkie had it and drank all the mixture in one gulp.

‘’Humm, fruity. So mister scientist, what exactly I should do?’’

‘’Just stay sitting there. This machine will send you an electrical discharge. The mixture will make it easier for us to read how your electrical drive circulates in your brain and nervous system by a process of [a lot more of scientific terms ridiculously complicated that seem to look like what he says is clever but in reality make no sense] and that is how it works. Oh and reassure yourself, the electrical discharge is absolutely no lethal.’’

‘’Oh great, hehehe, abs… absolutely no nerve wracking, not at all, haha, should be fun. Wait, did you at least test this machine before?’’

‘’We are doing it right now.’’

And he pushed the lever of activation. From outside the house, you could see through the window light flickering on and off with short-circuit sounds. In the end it had caused a major blackout to all the town that luckily did not last for even one minute. When the light went back in the labo, Pinkie, who had just received a massive shock, seemed to be perfectly fine.

‘’Ho! That's all! It was not that terrible in the end.’’

She turned her head and saw her reflection on a silvery machine. And the thing that jumped through her eyes was her hair. The electricity had made them stand up into long pink spikes, making her look like she was dressing like a punk.

‘’… … Interesting. Maybe I should keep that look.’’

‘’Well, ah know ah say that I will go have fun but there are just so many things, it so hard to choose.’’

Applejack was having difficulty choosing where to begin. But then, a male unicorn with a red beret burst from a door and talked to her.

‘’Miss Applejack, I couldn’t resist hearing what you had said. Then should I propose that you try my atelier.’’

‘’Heh! Now that is coming out of nowhere. Atelier! What kind of atelier?’’

‘’The one where we build monuments that will last forever. Where we show all our skills in crafting. Where we assemble part to create ultimate beauty.’’

‘’(Wait, do she’s talking about… masonry? Sound awfully like it. Now that sound like a mighty fine idea. There is no better that mah in this domain.) Ooooh ya got mahn attention. Ah’m in.’’

‘’I knew you will agree. It’s just thought that door.’’

‘’Ah show them all that Applejack can do wonders with a wood chisel. Wait, what in tarnation!!!’’

Once she had entered, she saw a bunch of ponies punting paint on canvas. That was said nicely because in reality, they were throwing paint furiously without even using brushes and then using their hooves with a near-maniac glint in their eyes.

‘’Okay, that kind of crafting. Hum listen, ah’m not sure this is a place for meh.’’

‘’You don't need a place to do painting. You don’t even have to be good. All you need is to let flow your creativity like a wild beast devouring flesh and tearing everything on his way.’’

‘’Hum, ah’m sure you could have found a better metaphor but seriously, ah’m more a practical pony than an artistic one. It is just not my style. So ah afraid WAHHH INCOMING!!!’’

With high reflex she grabbed a canvas for protection against a bullet of black paint, making a big splash on the white rectangle.

‘’This is not atelier, this is a warzone! Okay ah getting out of BLUUURG!’’

She had received another bullet, this time of white paint, right on the face. It was ideal to conceal that her orange face was changing to red.

‘’Oh you want war? Ah give you war! Give me that pot.’’

She was holding this metallic recipient of ivory high for throwing it at the group, but she got distracted. Outside a pony was running frantically on the street and she was shouting things like: ‘’I AM BLIND, I AM BLIND.’’.

‘’… … … Ya know, something tells me that ah don’t want to know what this was about. BLUUURG *kouf*kouf* Oh not again.’’

In her distraction, she had accidentally dropped all the white paint on her, making her a unicolor pony. And if it was not enough, she then had received many black splashes on her person. A fragile rope snapped in her head, making her only think about hitting back.

*LATER AFTER CALMING DOWN FROM HER BATTLEFIELD RAGE*

‘’I am sorry everypony for the way ah… turn lunatic. (At mah defense, ah was just trying to go at your level.) The good news is that by a miracle, ah think ah made a masterpiece. Maybe it is a revelation. So tell me, what do you think?’’

She showed to everypony the canvas who was bearing the painting she made in the paint battle. And once everypony had taken a glimpse at it, their faces… stiffened. Actually it was more than they were scared.

‘’Hum… hum… Miss Apple. I am afraid to say that picture is a little… disturbing.’’

‘’Heh really! … … Okay, after taking a look, ah admit it could be the case but does it mean that it is bad? Disturbing and scary could be good art ya know.’’

‘’Sorry to say that but in Happy Town this kind of thing is… well… how I should I say that politely?’’

The pony with red beret was visibly embarrassed and was softly scratching the wooden floor with his hoof in a nervous tic.

‘’The thing is, we principally make happy and uplifting things. If we show them the opposite, there is a risk that it can bump them out. And that is the last thing that a citizen of Happy Town would want. So… you understand?’’

Applejack was silent and then made an irritated scoff.

‘’Oh ah understand. It is impossible to escape critique.’’

She then went outside, fuming and threw away the canvas in the garbage can. Many ponies were running away at the sight of that angry earth pony.

‘’And here’s how my new passion to become an artist, which had begun a few minutes ago, was just crushed in another few minutes. … … … Woooo! It sound so stupid say at high voice.’’

‘’There you are Miss Bovine. We’ve searched everywhere for you.’’

‘’Heh what what!’’

A grown and muscular stallion had interpellated her and was looking at her with a gentle smile.

‘’I was waiting for you with impatience. It is hard for the brotherhood of the barrel builders to do work without their lead cow chorister.’’

‘’With just one sentence ya give me so many questions. Do ah really look like a cow choristerrrrrrr… … ohoh!’’

In this pandemonium, Applejack completely forgot that she was covered in white paint with black stains on her. In other words, she was the spitting image of a cow.

‘’No no no no you are mistaken, ah am not a cow! There is an explanation for that.’’

‘’Oh it is alright, you don’t have to come with a poor excuse just because it’s your debut. We’re not a hard audience. We will love your performance, we can promise you. Boys, let’s show that we will give her a warm welcome by helping her to go to the factory.’’

Other muscular stallions came from the sides and they all grabbed Applejack and brought her with them. She was moving her arms frantically and legs, trying to claim again and again without success that they got the wrong person.

‘’No please listen to me. My anatomical size is clearly all wrong. Ah am really not a cow. A cowgirl maybe. But not a cow.’’

‘’Oooooh, I like what I see. This is where I should be.’’

That’s what Rainbow Dash had proclaimed in front of a big building with flashlights of all colors and a billboard made of neon saying: dancing club.

‘’That looks like a cool place just for me. Flashy, colorful, loud and full of action. Just like yours truly. Wait, is it narcissism? Hummmmm... nahhh. But regardless, I was starting to get bored and I now have the urge to move like crazy. But above all, it could be the perfect occasion to... heheh... use that. Alright, time to skyrocket this party to the stratosphere.’’

She wanted to make an awesome entry and so she had burst open the door with her front hooves and had shouted:

‘’Guess who here.’’

However… the music was so loud that it snuffed out any sound that was coming from her mouth and the sound wave was so powerful that it knocked her to the ground and made her rainbow hair now all mess up. The music then came to an abrupt stop and all dancers turned their heads to the new visitor.

‘’Look, it’s Rainbow Dash! The coolest, awesome pony in the world.’’

‘’Haha, glad you heard of me. Although, can you help me get-up? This position is so, but so embarrassing. (Way to make an entrance.)’’

They did not lose time and brought her inside. The dancing club was rather spacious with lamps of all the colors of the spectrum, a big and iconic and unavoidable disco ball on the ceiling and a stage with a floor made of colorful panes also known as disco dance floor.

‘’Awesome! You really go all-out on this.’’

‘’I am glad you like it. We wanted to bring our passion to the highest high. But nothing will make us happier that you share a few steps with us. Do you know how to dance?’’

‘’If I know how to dance! Heheheh. BWAHAHAHAHAHA. I guess it is time to unleash my secret power. You see, I might be known as the fastest pegasus of all Equestria, but I am also in the shadow an extraordinary dancer.’’

‘’What, it’s true?!!’’

‘’Oh yeah. Even my friends don’t know that, but I practice in the confines of my living room to perfect my moves. (But I think it would be best to say that my main motive for learning how to dance was to show off. Hehe.)’’

‘’No! Nooo! You. Got. To be. Kidding us. Then please you have to show us, you could not do to us a greater honor.’’

‘’That all I wanted to hear.’’

She went flying to the stage and when the music went to a start, Rainbow was rising high her right hoof to the sky, proclaiming:

‘’ARE YOU READY FOR A SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER?’’

And she went moving to the rhythm of the energetic music. But let me tell you something about her dancing style. Although it was showing that she knew some rudimentaries, her coordination and rhythm was far from being… top-notch. She was principally relying on big and flashy move sets that, though amazing, was also helping in hiding her less than stellar performance. Having wings also helps in doing elaborate stunts, especially if you know how to use it. But for these hopeless worshippers, her dancing was like coming from the goddesses of disco herself.

‘’Come on everyponies, check all my sick moves.’’

She then did even more amazing stunts like spinning on her head like a spinning top or doing the reverse moonwalk.

‘’And now the big finish.’’

Rainbow went running and then slid on her knees on all the stage when suddenly, all lights went flickering and then shut down completely, leaving everything in a complete blackness and it seems that some ponies heard the noises of a commotion. By the way, I think we all know what the cause of this blackout was. It did not last and the light and music quickly turned on again. But the dancers saw to their surprise that Rainbow Dash had mysteriously disappeared.

‘’But! ...But where she is!’’

‘’I got it! She must have used the blackout to make a last second exit. Because she must have understood that a mysterious disappearance would have made the greatest finale. Oh such a genius, such a showmare.’’

Behind the stallion who was singing the praise of Dashie, another stallion was transporting a metal cart full of towels. Nopony took notice but something seems to be moving inside the pile of towels. And from them came out a bleu hoof waving frantically and asking for somepony to free her.

‘’*mufle**mufle**mufle**mufle**mufle**mufle**mufle*’’

But unfortunately for her, not a pony had taken notice of her cries for help.

‘’To have been blessed by her presence of… coolness. Even for Such a short time. to her. But we have to take an example of her awesomeness and at least come to the closer that we can be of her magnificence. I know! The best way to celebrate a dance is with another dance. So are you ready? LET’S DANCING.’’

Rainbow Dash, frustrated to be ignored though she was right under their muzzle, did her waving and muffling with all the energy she could give. A hopeless endeavor against these airhead ponies. The unicorn pushing the cart, used his horn to levitate another huge pile of towels that he had put on the top of the one in the cart, burying for good her hoof, voice, and all chances to escape. Rainbow Dash was full of angry thoughts, saying to herself that it was the last time she went dancing and that the others surely had a better day than her.

‘’It is really nice of you to accompany me. I was feeling anxious to be on my own in this town that I know nothing about. I wanted to try to be brave but I guess I should have gone with somepony. I hope I don’t indisposed you.’’

‘’Ah of course not Miss Fluttershy, it's instead a great honor to accompany my favorite of the Mane 6. Besides, I have a lot of time in the end since my job was canceled. I think it is at least. I was supposed to be a chorister for the brotherhood of the barrel builders but they never came to the rendezvous point. A little rude if I may say. But this give the opportunity to meet you so I say I am a winner.’’

The person Fluttershy was talking to was none other than the cow Miss Bovine. A rather amiable person who seems to be the perfect fit with the shy and polite pegasus.

‘’I must say, I have not often the occasion to talk with cows which I find a shame. Even though my friend Applejack has a lot on her farm. … Strange when you think about it. So you are a moorister? Oh my! Did I really did this bad pun?!’’

‘’It’s alright, I hear it so many times. Yes, I just debuted in the profession and it was supposed to be my first day. What a shame that it was canceled. Especially because of this new job, I had no choice but to give up my position as judge WAIT! ... Wait. I just got a genius idea.’’

Miss Bovine grabbed Fluttershy by the shoulder and brought her closer to her. Fluttershy was beginning to feel nervous. It was too familiar for comfort.

‘’You see, there is today a special contest that happens every year. A humorist contest. I have always been a big fan and this year was my chance to be a judge until my first day job came the same day. But now I can still take my position and here is the best part. You should come and be a judge too.’’

‘’Me! But I know absolutely nothing about humor. It is more Pinkie Pie domain.’’

‘’That is not a problem because the trick is not to take it seriously. This show is so dumb that it is awesome. There is no greater feeling than to take your brain to holiday. I always laugh so hard that my throat becomes sore. You will love it and everyone will love you too.’’

‘’Hum, I am flattered but it really doesn’t look like my cup of tea. I am afraid I can’t accept.’’

‘’But we are already here.’’

‘’What!’’

She was right. Without noticing it, Fluttershy was brought up during the conversation inside a room full of a cheering crowd.

‘’But... ... but I was sure we were outside just a few seconds ago!’’

‘’Ah, too late, now you have no choice but to accept. Hey everyponies, look who I have brought to become judge of the best show ever.’’

Miss Bovine takes Fluttershy to put her in front of the eyes of all the crowd whose cheer intensified at the sight of this yellow pegasus. Pegasus who had a look of absolute confusion.

‘’Wait what! I’m suppose to be what?’’

White projector lights went on and went moving in all directions, illuminated a stage. And then, loud speakers took life to broadcast the voice of the announcer.

‘’Are you all ready? Today it is the tenth annual day of our contest: Are you retarder or what! The show where you go beyond the limit of stupidity, making us die of laughter as we become as dump as them. Let's celebrate our loss of IQ. But first, let me show you our judges for the contest.’’

The projectors turned their lights to show a table where three people were sitting. They were wearing jester hats on their heads and on their neck they were wearing baby pacifiers.

‘’At the left, we have the ancient contestant who became the favorite for years and is here now to show his expertise: HILARIOUUUUS TROWUP. At the middle, the biggest fan of the contest who by miracle could have come: MISSSSS BOVINE. And to the right, the one that needs no introduction and who had kindly accepted to judge us! It is really a great honor. Give your applause to FLUUUUUTTERSHY.’’

Fluttershy was frantically looking everywhere, confused, and had no idea how she got her or of what she was hearing.

‘’Hummmm... I humm... I am... I am where exactly?’’

‘’And now, let us bring our first contestant.’’

‘’Look I… I really think I have no place here OH MY GOSH YOU NEED TO HAVE NO SELF-RESPECT TO DO THAT!!!’’

*LATER AFTER... ... THINGS BEYOND COMPREHENSION HAPPEN*

Fluttershy exited the building by the back door, throwing on the way the jester hat and pacifier to the garbage. Her eyes were in a daze and she seemed to have no destination in mind.

‘’… … … I think I just lost many brain cells.’’

Since I don’t want your brains to go to rot, I won’t describe you on just how stupid this show was. Trust me.

Twilight escapade compared to the other was rather uneventful. Actually, she even had a good time. She was returning to the Plaza Central with Starlight and she was happily liking a caramel ice cream cone floating with her magic.

‘’I tell you Starlight, this town is amazing. The ponies are so nice, there is always a thing to do and the food is amazing. No wonder it is a popular tourist spot. This may even be my most relaxing adventure. I think I may come back in the future.’’

‘’I must agree with you, Happy Town is a very nice place. Everypony accepts me and even admires me, though that part is a little baffling. And everyone has a genuine smile on them. … … Although…’’

‘’If only I could find a library or a bookstore, my day would truly be perfect. How can we have found no one?’’

‘’They must simply have none in the road we were. If we go to another, I am sure we will find at least one.’’

‘’Yes, you must be right. … (Something is wrong. There is something she is not telling me.)’’

Twilight stopped in her tracks and quickly swallowed her entire cone in a few bites. Once she finishes, she turns to look at Starlight with a smiling but emphatic look.

‘’Starlight, is there something wrong? I notice that you were not all there.’’

‘’Oh! … Oh you saw it. I was trying to hide it. Is not a big deal, it’s just I kinda feel… nervous.’’

‘’Why is that?’’

‘’I don’t know. It’s… it’s this town. As I say, it is a great place and ponies are so nice, I really think that. … But… I don’t know. Something in this town makes me feel uncomfortable.’’

‘’What make you feel uncomfortable if you think this place and its peoples are all right?’’

‘’That's just it, I don’t understand it myself. But I cannot shake the feeling that… that… urghh I don’t know. I have really no idea if it is serious, if I am just upset over a small detail or if it is just my imagination. That's why I wanted to say nothing. I did not want to throw a dark cloud on your good day when I have difficulty to take what I feel seriously.’’

‘’Oh Starlight, we are friends and you should not feel obliged to hide your worry for my sake no matter how small you think they are. After all, friends share everything. The good, and the bad stuffs.’’

She put her hoof gently on the cheek of Starlight and at this warm contact, Starlight felt all her worries dissipate.

‘’Thank you Twilight. I already feel way better thanks to you.’’

‘’Glad to help. I know! Why don’t you decide where we should go next?’’

‘’Well, now that you mention, why don’t we go to this chapel-like building. I would like a calm and relaxing place.’’

She pointed to the direction of an old but still well preserve building that all seems to tell this was a chapel. Its look was simplistic yet beautiful, like it was showing its pride in its humbleness. The bricks were of a perfect white and its doors were made of brass, reflecting the light in a welcoming way.

‘’Then to the chapel it is.’’

They went in its direction and opened the doors to enter and once inside… they become breathless because for a moment… they thought they went to heaven. The eight windows were letting the light flow inside in a way that they did not look like rays of light, but like curtains of white silk. But the most striking was the melodious voice singing with great acoustics. It was so beautiful that they did not immediately recognize the owner of this voice. It was Flo, standing on a podium and singing eyes closed for an audience of ponies sitting on benches. They were in awe before her. But a serene awe. Starlight was pointing an unoccupied bench to Twilight.

‘’Let us sit here and let not disturb anypony.’’

And so they did and quietly sat to listen to this wordless intonation. The first time they had heard her singing was nothing compared to that. It was like the angels of heaven had come to take them in their warmth embrace, filling them with love and peace. When Flo ended her song, our duo could not stop crying. A testament of how it touched them.

‘’Ah yes. It always makes this effect the first time you hear her.’’

Surprised, they turn their heads and see that without knowing, mayor Paternal had sat with them.

‘’Mister Mayor! We did not see you.’’

‘’So, how did you find her? Though I think I don’t need to ask this question.’’

‘’It was… it was… I simply find no word. It is the most beautiful thing I have ever heard. So that’s what Flo does? She is amazing! She has said that her job was special and I see now why.’’

‘’Wellll I don’t think that is what she meant. Her position in our community is… rather unique. You remember when I had said that you were the biggest idols of Happy Town? Well, the truth may be that our true greatest idol might be… our dear Floral.’’

After taking a few breaths, Flo went singing another wordless song, filling the chapel with her crystalline sounds.

‘’Allow me to tell you two of her story. Only a few days after she was born, her parents died in a landslide. They were… *sigh* the kindest and best ponies our town could have and it was a hard time for all of us. And they were gone before Flo could even know them. Anyway, we all did our best to make sure she could have a happy life, but even at a young age we could all see that she was special. When she was a filly, she was always smiling, and was kind beyond her years. She had an air of maturity that you do not see even in adults and she already had the voice of an angel. And she was always eager to help just like her parents, if not more. When someone feels sad, she always finds the right words to bring them a smile. When we proposed that it should be her profession, she was overjoyed, saying how she could not have understood something so obvious. But you never guess what? It was then that her cutie mark appeared. A sunflower. The flower that always grows upward to the sun. There could be nothing more fitting. And that was when she officially became the angel of Happy Town, doing her best to bring smile and happiness.’’

‘’What a beautiful story. That she can do all that at such a young age!’’

‘’Even now, she still amazes us. Often, she also goes to sing in this chapel to fill our hearts with peace. But she will soon be finished. Would you like to accompany me? There is something I would like to show you.’’

After the recital, they went to the cemetery at the back of the chapel. Mayor Paternal silently told our two mares to discreetly stay at the entryway and to watch Flo. She was walking in the direction of another young mare who had the same age as her. This other mare had fur and a mane with the color of mocha and she was sitting before a tombstone with a smile that was a mixture of sadness and happiness. Flo went to sit beside her and put her hoof on her shoulder.

‘’Still thinking about your father.’’

‘’Yes. Most days I feel alright, go about my daily life without problems and have a good time with my friends. But… sometimes without me knowing why… the days feel just empty without him. And then my feet just seem to guide me here by themselves. It just… feels a little good to be here. Afterwards, I can have normal days. Is it weird?’’

‘’No. No, not at all. As long as it doesn't stop you from smiling, I think it is all right to say hello from time to time. The importance is to remember that you always have the strength to go forward and see all the good things life can offer you. I know you do have this strength.’’

‘’You really think so?’’

‘’I do not think so. I am sure of it. Besides, I am sure that what your father wants the most, is that you can be happy.’’

‘’Thank you Flo. You always find the right words to make my depression go away.’’

‘’That what friend does.’’

Flo grabbed her with more strength to do a hug and they both burst in laughing. Twilight was rubbing a little tear from her eye with her wing and Starlight was speechless.

‘’You were right. She is unique.’’

‘’Yes. She constantly goes to give advice to those who have problems. Especially to her friend Twig Green. She knew she was here and she told me she would go to see her after her recital. You see now why she is so special to us. We all try to find happiness but nopony does that better than Flo. Just looking at her is an inspiration to go further and further.’’

‘’That's enough mister mayor. Why do you always have to sing exaggerate praise about me?’’

They had seen that without noticing it, Flo had joined them. They were all uncomfortable though Flo seemed more amused than bemused.

‘’Oh Flo! Well, hum, I just… I just wanted to show them, hummm…’’

‘’Also you bring these two to spy on me. Why I am not surprised. Please don’t listen to a word he said. I am not the great mare that everypony said, I am just a normal girl.’’

‘’I have no doubt. But you also seem to be particularly wise for your age. I think I may have to learn a thing or two from you.’’

‘’Please Miss Twilight, not you too. Let us change the subject. How have you found our town until now?

‘’I simply love it. This place is simply so peaceful and great. Now if I can just find a little literature it will be perfect.’’

‘’Humm. I don’t know much about the places concerning that domain but if you are searching for literature, then maybe you should try the blue house. It is a little boutique in Central Plaza not far from here and I think you will love it.’’

At this mention, for a strange reason, the mayor got a little worried.

‘’Wait Flo! I know why you propose it but maybe//

‘’Do not dare finish that sentence.’’

Flo immediately interrupted the mayor and changed her face to one of cold irritation. The mayor was aghast and then felt remorseful and our two heroines could see that there was some history between these two.

‘’I am sorry Flo. You know this was not what I mean.’’

‘’I wonder. Anyway, back to the topic, you should certainly go. But please, don’t find the clerk of the shop off-putting. He can be… a little eccentric.’’

‘’Do not worry, dealing with eccentric ponies is kinda what we do. We will go at the end of the day. I would like to keep the best for last.’’

Author's Note

And here is the first half of my comedie chapter. The other will come soon.

You know, I feel a little conflicted about this chapter because I am not sure I have truly managed to make it... well, funny. Ironicaly I feel more confident in writting drama that comedy. At least I have try my best to make it original. (And that I am sure, no one would have seen those scenes coming.) I also wanted to take this opportunity to clearly show what twon is Happy Town, how its citizens thinks andwhat make it different compare to all Equestria. You could nearly said that the town is also a caracter in this story.

Stay tune for the other half for seeing the Mane 6 in more ridiculous situations and also... ... ... you will see.

UPDATE:To those who want to know how little Floral look like, here is a image that I had commissioned from Scheadar. Thanks a lot Scheadar. A true ray of sunshine is she's not?

Chapter 2 again!: So many hi-jinks

Chapter 2 again!: So many hi-jinks

‘’For the damn last time, will ya all put me down!’’

‘’Of course. We have arrived.’’

The ponies transporting Applejack with their hooves finally put her on the ground. Happy to at last feel the ground on her feet, she saw before her was a big building made principally of wood that everything seemed to point that it was a kind of workshop and to the right there were barrels staking one at the other, forming a little mountain.

‘’I see where ah am. Now listen up brotherhood of airheads. Ah said it once, ah said it twice, ah said it many times I am not yer chorister, hay ah not even a cow. Ah am OH! A barrel of water! Just what ah need.’’

She took it and spilled all its content on her, washing all the paint and giving her back her beautiful orange color.

‘’Hum Miss, you will have to pay for the water. Two bits.’’

‘’Later. Now as yer can see, I, am, a, pony. So definitely not the one you seek.’’

‘’Wait, I recognize her. It’s Applejack! It is even better. We will have Applejack at our founding anniversary!’’

‘’What! Geez, ya really no good at listening to others. All right, first explain to me what his this story of song and anniversary?’’

The stallion, who seems to be the leader of the other, went to take a dignified pose.

‘’We are… the Brotherhood of the Barrel Builder.’’

All the stallions went shouting ‘’the brotherhood’’.

‘’We are very proud of our job and the barrels we make are one of the most important exports of the town. To make our work even greater, we sing as we build those cylindrical marvels. We are famous for that. And today is the anniversary of the foundation of the brotherhood.’’

All the stallions went shouting ‘’the brotherhood’’.

‘’Not now guys! So we wanted to celebrate by bringing a chorister that will make our work song even greater. But now that you here, this could become the best anniversary that we ever had. So that why, I ask, well more we ask you Miss Applejack a huge favor.’’

And then all the stallions bow down to her in a respectful and pleading manner, their head nearly touching the ground.

‘’Please Miss Applejack, we would like you to join us in our work. Of all the Mane 6 you have always been our favorite because of your dedication and hard-work efforts. Plus you are known as one of the greatest wood builders. With you at our side, it will be a day that we will never forget.’’

But in-front of all this devotion, Applejack was giving to them a fixed stern look, staying like this for a few seconds and then, raised her right eyebrow.

‘’Let me get this straight. Ya want me to work and sing with ya, in a job that has absolutely nothing to do with ma, even though ya just drag me across yards against ma will without listening to ma, which means that technically ya’r the one that owns me? … … Do ya really think ah am that nice?’’

*LATER*

‘’Eeyup. Ah am that stupidly nice. Why it is so hard for ma to say no?’’

You will have guessed it, Applejack complied. She agreed to work with them in making barrels and also to do it in singing. They were looking at her with very pleading eyes, a cheap trick she had difficulty to resist. She also instantly understood what the initials of her favorite barrels BBB was now standing for. And the praise of her masonry skills, albeit an exaggerated one, boosted her pride and was the final nail to the coffin.

She was doing it with a bit of reluctance at first, but soon, she admitted she was starting to have fun. And she was respecting the way those stallions were working. They were doing their tasks in perfect harmony in a way that was even more synchronized than an assembly line. Cutting the staves, putting them into metal hoops, make a fire inside so that the heat can bend the wood, making the heads and polishing them.

And their tune was so catchy that it was hard for AJ not to move her feet at their rhyme. And so she did and was quickly infected by their enthusiast. It was so fun that she was even doing some backflip with them, some polka dance and drinking cider, all that in singing. And don’t ask me what link it had with making barrels.

Everything was fine and dandy, that is until she had so much fun that her head was spinning that she had lost her balance. And then accidentally trips inside an empty barrel. Of course, nopony noticed her because they were having so much fun, but when the barrel head was put on and Applejack saw the light being snuffed out, there she found it less fun. They even went to transport her to the pile and because of the music, nopony heard her complaints. And so she was put at the bottom with the other barrels. Oh, and her head was upside-down. Very uncomfortable.

‘’Oooh the hay. There is always something like that going on. Like if some prankster wants to turn ma life into a cheap comedy. The only thing missing is that in the struggle for going out ah fell *hompf* yeah just like that, and then that it finishes by rolling on the hill until I could not stoooowowowowowo AAAAAH COME ON!!!’’

‘’I tell you, there is no greater feeling than to fly in the sky on a paraglider. For too long the pegasi were the only ones to know the joy of flying among the clouds. Even with all the flying contractions we made, we could never feel the rush of adrenaline to make one with the wind. But we, the 'lover of thrills' had found a way to be like them and use the sport of paragliding to fly like birds. We will gladly let you try for free.’’

‘’Oh that look like super-duper fun! I am actually used to flying, I went into balloons all the time and sometimes I put balloon on me, though I guess it is technically more floationg than flying, oh oh oh, there was once when I free-fall from a pirate airship, gosh that was a fun ride. Ah, how could I forget, I had also built a flying bicycle thingamajig with things I'd found in my garage but it crashed down on my first try because of a grumpy griffon. And before I had the chance to patent it, can you believe it.’’

‘’Waaaa, I'd always known your life was so rad!’’

‘’But I have never flown on a paraglider before. This should be great. I am sold. Even if you had brought me here without my consent or opinion but, oh well, I am used to it anyway.’’

Pinkie Pie was talking to three young earth ponies who were all wearing colorful punk hairs and behind them were several paragliders with a few already flying in the sky with ropes connecting them to the ground. The one who was wearing his red mane as mohawk, the one that seemed to be the leader of the 'lover of thrills' was clapping his hooves like a happy foal.

‘’Oh yeah, I knew it, I knew you will be stoked for this.’’

‘’Ah thank you but... what makes you so sure?’’

‘’Don’t you wear the emblematic hairstyle that all thrill seekers of Happy Town wear? I assumed that you wanted to dress like us as a sign of enthusiasm.’’

‘’Emblematic what?!’’

Pinkie was confused by what he had said. But she just looked up a little and see that her hairs were still in spiky mode from the electrocution of before.

‘’Oh right, I completely forgot.’’

She put her hoof on her mouth, took a big expiry and her hair inflated and deflated like a balloon to come back to her fluffy style.

‘’There, much better. Sorry guys, the truth is that I never heard of you. But still this does look so fun, so would you let me try? Please, it’s like my dream. My dream from twenty seconds at least. Still count right?’’

‘’This is good enough for us. So now, prepare to have the experience of your life. Go take a seat Pinkie Pie.’’

They nicely went to install her on the seat and put on her head a helmet. Afterwards, a pegasus used her wings to create a wind below the paraglider. That wind propelled in the air and Pinkie Pie with it. Then, the ponies on the ground pulled a crank, giving more rope and giving Pinkie more height. At first, she was a little afraid and was gripping the ropes like she was gripping for her life. But then, the fear quickly left her out and something else took place. A feeling of rush and adrenaline surged in her and gave her a burst of giggling.

‘’ Oh! Wow! WOOOOOOOHOO! They were right. Hehehe… HAHAHAHAHA. The thrill, the thrilllll. This is nothing like riding a hot air balloon or my flying thingamajig. I feel like I am a bird flying proudly in the bleu expanse. Hey, you below. Higher. I want to go higher.’’

‘’Higher she said! She speaks our language. Alright then, let’s go all the way.’’

They turned the crank like crazy, bringing the pink pony to more heights.

‘’Let us bring her all to the top. By the way, just to make sure dude, you did make sure the noose you made was solid?’’

‘’Made? I thought that was you who had that job.’’

‘’Then to what the rope is tied to... Oh crap!’’

Not losing a second, he stopped the turning crank but it was too late. The rope circling the cylinder had already finished unwinding. Its untied end gently flew away. Pinkie was not aware of it and continued to monologue with her hooves reaching out to the heavens in a poetic way.

‘’Higher. I want to fully bask in the divine glory of the sun. I want to see all the beauty of Equestria from above. I want to become a sister with the white citizens from above. Higher I say. Higher to the heaven.’’

And that was when she looked down, seeing the rope dangling pitifully, cutting her link with terra firma.

‘’Wha!? … … Less higher less higher less higher LESS HIGHERWHAAAAAAAAAAAA!!! SOMEPONY GET ME DOWN!!!’’

The poor Pinkie went flying powerlessly to the distance until for the ponies on the ground, she was nothing more than a silhouette on the sun.

‘’Dude, she’s so lucky. It remembers me my first time.’’

Mayor Paternal was calmly walking on the street but then he saw a yellow pegasus with pink hair who seemed to not know where to go.

‘’Ah Fluttershy! Good to see you. How are you?’’

‘’Well, I just came from, hum, actually I don’t really know what I had seen and I think I prefer to forget it. I am actually searching for something to make me think at something else but hum… do you know something that would be perfect for a quiet introvert animal lover.’’

‘’Yes, the thing is I have just the thing. Why not see the kelpies.’’

‘’The kelpies! I never heard of them. Which is rare.’’

‘’There is a little lake at the outskirt of our town and this lake is the only place where they live. They are very gentle marine creatures, a little shy, but if you know how to gain their trust, they become very affectionate friends. Once each week the rental boat shop opens a kelpie tour to see these creatures. In the quiet and the respect of their intimacy of course. And it happens that today is the day of the tour. It sounds like something perfect for you. It is just in this direction and if you go now HEIN!!! ... Miss Fluttershy?’’

He had just looked elsewhere for a moment but Fluttershy had disappeared. He turned to see behind him and saw a trail of dust clouds going to the direction he had pointed.

At the lake in question, on the small dock, was a small house that was used as a ticket booth. The clerk was about to change the sign from open to close but before he could do it, a yellow hoof was put on the sign, two bits were placed on the counter, and Fluttershy gave a sweet and apologetic smile that no one could resist.

‘’Is it too late for a ticket?’’

The boat was rowed by four ponies with one of them being Fluttershy with an orange life vest and a fisher hat. She was all giggling and was gazing at the water with excitement. She will after all see a species of animal that she has never heard before, it will be such a great moment for her. The boat was now way past the center and had arrived at the border where high grass was coming from the water and the place was filled with the lullaby song of toads and crickets. Then they all saw a big shadow swimming in the deep.

‘’I see it, I see it! Is it one of them?’’

‘’Yes, there is no doubt, it is a kelpie. That was quick. But there is a chance that it will not surface. They are very shy creatures.’’

‘’Wait. Let me try something.’’

Fluttershy went flying just a little above the water and started to sing a sweet melody. At first, nothing seems to happen, until the shadow rises again and starts to emerge in a huge trail of water, revealing its brown fur. And Fluttershy had her eyes shining before this massive animal. It looked a lot like a seal but with long and elongate horse arms with fins on them.

‘’Oh my! You are so beautiful. Come here little one for that I can give you a good scrubby scrubby.’’

The kelpie instantly came closer to make himself scratch to the neck by the flying pegasus and make some noise to show that it was happy.

‘’Oh yes you are a good kelpie, yes you are.’’

He quickly took a liking to Fluttershy and gave her a lick to the cheek which she responded by a laugh.

Mayor Paternal was coming back to his home when he suddenly stopped in his tracks because he had remembered something important.

‘’Oh dear! I have completely forgotten to tell Miss Fluttershy that once a kelpie befriends you, he has a very unique way to show his affection. I hope she will not find it too off-putting.’’

‘’*mumble**mumble**mumble**mumble**mumble*’’

Let me tell you something. The method the kelpies use for showing their love to no-kelpies consist of... put them inside their mouths. As strange as it sounds. Fluttershy upper-body was presently in the mouth of the kelpie while her legs were moving in the air with panic. You could see in the eyes of the kelpie that he was only playing and was very happy. To Fluttershy, it was not a game at all.

‘’Damn, she is so lucky. Only to those the kelpie trust the most do they do their ultimate proof of affection. And she did that on her first meeting. She really is a pro.’’

The kelpie turned her way and went to the horizon with still the yellow pegasus in her mouth. Yellow pegasus whose panic intensifies.

‘’And now he takes her to his home! How I wish to be at her place.’’

‘’You deserve it, Rarity, you fool. I thought I would learn the lesson after all the mistakes I made with my over exuberance, but no Rarity, you did it again and you even went to hurt poor innocent ponies. Me include.’’

Rarity had wandered into the town, mascara dropping from her eyes and her vision was not restored and was very blurred. She could see enough for not bumping into passersby but not to know where she was or where she was going. And if she was capable of doing a monologue to herself, it was probably because she could not see the faces of those dumbfounded by her strange behavior.

‘’Why do I have such difficulty tempering myself? It is true that creativity is what I live for, but it is not a reason to let my demons command me or other cliché rationales of artists. … Ahhh! At last, my view is back to normal. … … Where did I wander?’’

‘’That was exactly what we were asking ourselves. Why are you doing in our houses?’’

Rarity had nearly jumped of fright from these three strangers sitting at a table. And she was even more surprised to see that she was no longer outside but that she had barged without noticing it inside the house of someone else.

‘’… … … Malaise. I am so but so sorry for my poor manners, I did not want to intrude. I had reasons but I won't bother you with that. Please, have a good day.’’

‘’Now just wait a moment! You know, now that I think about it, don’t you find that she looks a lot like Rarity?’’

‘’But yes you are right, it is her! The famous Rarity is here in our club! This changes everything. Come here we will be glad to have at our table.’’

The three ponies were wearing thick mustaches, monocles on their eyes and elegant hats. You could tell from one look that they were from high society. Normally, she knew well not to accept invitations from strangers, buuut she also never missed an occasion to mix herself in the crème de la crème as she said.

‘’Weeell, it was said so nicely so I be delighted I suppose.’’

‘’Splendid. Gus, go quickly grab the plate and bring it here. You will love our little club Miss Rarity. We are a very close circle where only the elite can come. The ones who have the most refined taste. The ones who know true splendor.’’

‘’Yes that me.’’

‘’The ones who recognize true quality.’’

‘’Yessss that definitively me.’’

‘’The one and only exclusive cheese lovers.’’

‘’Yes... wait, say WHAT!’’

A plate of cheese was deposited before her, hum, more like a mountain of cheese of all kinds appeared before her.

‘’You… are cheese lovers!?’’

‘’That right. We simply looove so much those delights of lactose that we have formed a club where we can regroup ourselves and explore all the possible savors that the cheese can give us. Each reunion is a pure delight for us.’’

‘’Ummn, perfect texture, scented but nor overabundant, and a small taste of onion.’’

‘’Creamy to the point it spill naturally in my throat, a mixing of so many savers and the taste kick right in the brain.’’

Rarity had found out that this circle gentlecolt was not what she had in mind and she now even doubted that these ponies were high society in the first place. But she thought that it would be impolite to just go, especially since she was the one who had barged uninvited. She decided then to humor them and took a bite of cheese with her magic. Although it was good, she did not understand the appeal of venerating it. The three ponies however had such huge smiles. They were so happy that their hobby was appreciated by others and especially by somepony like Rarity. They could not resist and offered her slice after slice completely unaware of her fidgeting pose, her nervous eyes and her face who was beginning to transpire. Because she did not have the heart to say no.

*LATER*

The white unicorn went rushing to the street. Even though she was now more green than white. She had eaten too many cheeses and was feeling sick. But she was still trying to do her best to say her thanks to the three ponies, her hoof over her mouth.

‘’Thank you, guuh, thank you so much for the invitation. It was really delicious che, blurg... no I can’t say the word. It was a fuurh, heum fun moment so see you... see you... see you soon and… oh damn!’’

She did not have the strength to finish and go running faster than she had ever run.

‘’Hum, maybe we should have been a little more moderate with her. This hobby can be overwhelming for newcomers.’’

‘’But we have so much of the joy of life that we have difficulty imagine everypony are not the same.’’

‘’So true. … So, what do you say we go grab more cheese?’’

‘’Oh excellent idea.’’

Rarity was desperately searching for somewhere to puke, frantically looking in all directions while running like crazy which did not do good at her already poor stomach. But then she found an empty trash can and put her head inside to do what she no longer had the strength to stop.

‘’Blablebluuurrrrrrrgh… bleblarrrgh… … oh that was brutal. I am pretty sure that I will never ever eat cheese in my life. *sigh* See the good side Rarity, a least tell yourselves that this day cannot be worse.’’

‘’RARITYYYYYYY.’’

‘’Pinkie!!!’’

What surprised her was not to have heard her friend but that her voice was coming from above. She had turned her head up, her eyes dilated because she simply couldn't understand what she was seeing. But then she remembered that it was Pinkie she was talking about. She seemed to fly in a paraglider with what appears to be the leftover of a rope following her like a tail.

‘’Rarity, helps me. I can’t stop. I don’t want to crash.’’

Pinkie Pie quickly went past the dumbfound Rarity and Rarity, who finally understood that her friend was in danger, freed herself from her stupor and went galloping to her while avoiding the surprise passersby.

‘’Don’t worry Pinkie, I am here to rescue you.’’

Seeing the dangling rope, she jumped to grab it, but instead to take Pinkie down it was her that was dragged with her.

‘’Maybe I should have thought a little more carefully.’’

A big gust of wind came blowing and took the paraglider even higher, high-above the roofs of the entire town. Rarity was screaming in fear and was wiggling her bottom-legs with mass hysteria.

‘’HAAAAAAAAAAAAAA! I had always dreamed of becoming a star in the heaven but that is not at all what I was having in mind.’’

‘’I am sorry Rarity, I did not want to drag you into my problem. Oh well, at least I have company.’’

‘’How did you manage to get in this situation?’’

‘’Heheh, it is a long story but the truth is even I am not sure how. With perspective, it was a reaaaly weird adventure.’’

‘’All right, regardless, do you have any idea how to go back to terra firma? In safe landing of preference.’’

‘’Huuuuum nope. I guess the only thing we can do is wait for a miracle.’’

‘’Great. Now it can’t really be worse. Hoo... heeeeek! Pinkie can’t you say something, anything, to distract myself from this scary height?’’

‘’Weeeell... OH! I think I finally found an answer to why I can move my hair. Apparently I possess a unique ability to instinctively control something a scientist calls biofeedback. It is also why my hair goes down when I get depressed. Though I didn’t quite understand all the mumbo-jumbo jargon he used. Does it interest you?’’

‘’At this state anything could become the most fascinating conversation I ever heard.’’

On a greenly field, several ponies were doing some warming-up. Another was pushing a metal cart full of clean towels.

‘’You know it is really nice of this dancing club to let us borrow some of their towels. Especially since we waste the majority of our budgets in our activities. But it is not because what we do is extreme that it is a reason to neglect our hygiene. Hey guys, clean towels for everypony.’’

They all went to take each one to sweep their sweaty skins. And that was what it was needed for Rainbow Dash to break free of her prison and emerge like a volcano.

‘’GAOOOOOOO. Ah, freedom at last. It was so boring to be trapped in these towels that I had the time to take a nap. So where I am now?’’

‘’No, I must be dreaming! It is Rainbow Dash! The most//

‘’Yeah yeah, the most awesome pony in all Equestria and yadda yadda, I already know the song. But who are you?’’

‘’What we are! Well, we are simply humble fans of danger and thrills.’’

‘’Oh oh oh, that sounds like ponies who speak my language. So you are sportponies?’’

‘’In a sense, yes. We passionate about finding and doing feats that are the most extreme possible.’’

‘’Extreme you said, hum. Like, how extreme!’’

‘’Like, extreme extreme.’’

The wings of Rainbow Dash went straight up and she was starting to giggle under her throat. The other pony saw an opportunity to gain another follower.

‘’Would you like to join us? I am sure that the legendary daredevil will love our extreme way of life.’’

‘’Oh yeah, there is no greater thing than sports that force you to exceed yourself. I am in.’’

*LATER*

‘’Why did I accept? I’m not in, I’m not in at all!’’

And the reason she was saying that was because she was walking with her lower legs on a tightrope several meters off the ground, her wing bound by a rope and she had a balancing pole on her upper hooves. In other words, she was doing funambulism. And she was not happy at all. No, she was so terrorized that she could not move and so, she took all her frustration on the flying pegasus beside her.

‘’Are you out of your mind? What if I fall?’’

‘’Ah don’t worry, you can’t die from this height. Many have confirmed it.’’

‘’You could at least put a safety net.’’

‘’And where would be the fun in funambulism if there is no ambulance?’’

‘’First I am pretty sure that is not how it got its name. And second, I thought you were a sports club?’’

‘’Yeah we are. The Dangerous Sports Club. The ponies addicted to life-treating moments. That what we meant earlier.’’

‘’(... Of course... there is always a catch.)’’

‘’We do ridiculously dangerous feats where we have more chances to get hurt than to succeed. We pride ourselves in the number of time we had to go to the hospital.’’

‘’That’s sick.’’

‘’I know that’s so siiiiiiick. Oh it makes me think, I should show you the photos of our other members. This one with the smiling face and several teeth missing is Geronimo after a bad landing from his cannonstalion trick. That mare with an alligator biting her butt is Adrenaline Rush after an intense wrestling session with this reptile. Even today she still proudly shows us her scars. That one on the chair and the full-body cast is Risky Trick after one of the fastest-go-kart races that ever was. You cannot tell but under all this plaster, he had such a beaming smile. Because he had won.’’

‘’Okay, I am in a madhouse because everypony in this town is CRAZY. Wait, what that noise.’’

It seems to Rainbow that she was hearing a strange and faint noise that came from far. And seem to be coming closer. At the distance it was looking like something was rolling down a hill and after further inspection, Dashie was surprised to see that it was a barrel and even more surprised to hear someone calling for help from inside the barrel.

‘’Wooo wowowo woooooooo. Hey you know, it begins to be fun.’’

‘’AJ!!!’’

No doubt it was Applejack. But it had shocked her so much that she had lost her balance and fell while doing a huge scream. Fortunately by reflex, she made the tip of her pole hit the ground first. It bent like a jumping pole and it then propelled her in the sky like she was a pole vault athlete. Of course, she could no longer fly and she landed her lower feet right on the rolling barrel, forcing her to run on it with just two hooves. To her grief.

‘’Wowowo oh come on come on come onnnn! Why do those things always happen to me? It’s a curse. I must be cursed.’’

‘’Is it ya Dashie?’’

‘’Yes it’s me. How have you manage to get into… whatever you are now?’’

‘’You know what, ah was asking myself the same thing. It’s like some malicious god was having fun making our life a comedic segment. At least we are now both in this together.’’

‘’Yeah, biiiig consolation. Oh well, let’s just roll with it.’’

‘’That was not funny.’’

‘’I know.’’

And those two poor ponies were having no choice but to continue to roll and roll to the horizon. The flying pegasus was damn impressed by the performance of Rainbow.

‘’Woaaah... this is just too insane! We must definitely add this activity to our list.’’

Now as for Twilight and Starlight, their walk into town was once again very peaceful. If their friend knew that, they would surely be pretty jealous. Like they had promised, they had decided to finish their exploration with the blue house in Central Plaza that was serving as a boutique of some sort. Of what, they did not know.

‘’There it is. We had promised Flo that we would take a look. I can’t wait to get my hooves on some books.’’

‘’You know Twi, I find that this place contrast with, well, every building that we have seen.’’

The words of Starlight were a little justified. It was a two-story house with blue walls. But the blue paint was peeling at many places. The wood had many fissures and although its appearance did not give the impression the building was neglected it also showed that it was not well taken care of. It was an old building, you could see that with one look. But what Starlight meant was that contrary to all the other old buildings of the plaza, it was showing for this one that it was ancient.

‘’Oh Starlight, you should never judge a book by its cover. Let go see inside and see what it has to offer.’’

They went climbing the wooden stoop to the door. It had a little window so opaque that it was impossible to see inside. Twilight went to knock on the door but no answer. She went to knock a second time, still nothing. She then turned the knob with her teeth and saw that it was not close. She opened it full way and a little bell jingled for saying they were welcome. They entered and the door closed itself behind them.

And all the sounds from the outside were completely shut down. Like if the world of Happy Town never existed. But it was not the only thing that was slightly off-putting for them. The inside was full of various things that were giving some sort of… vibe. It was subtle and hard to describe but it was like this place was drastically different from all the rest of the town. And then they understood why they were feeling strange. For one moment, they thought they had gone to an all different world.

‘’Hello. Anypony here?’’

But instead of a greeting, what welcomed them was a sweet melody. The music of a piano was playing and it seemed to come from upstairs. It was a simple and sweet song that gave a gentle feeling. The pony who was playing it was pushing the keyboard at a leisurely speed. It also seems not to have noticed our two mares.

‘’Should we go upstairs to tell the clerk that we are here?’’

‘’We probably should but… it is such a beautiful melody. I will feel ashamed to interrupt it. Let go explore this boutique in the meantime, I don’t think it will cause problems.’’

To their right was a counter, empty of course, with a little bell for customers on it. To their left was a mess and for the studious and organized Twilight, such neglect was making her teeth grinding a little. It was a jumble of various things but mostly of musical instruments. On the wall were hooked two violins, and on the corner there was a mini organ. There was also a big harp which Twilight could not resist waving her hoof at the cords and making a sweet sound. It made her smile a little. At the north wall which was facing the main door, there was at the middle an entryway to the u-shaped stairs to the floor. Beside it, the wall was covered in shelves who although not full, were still well garnished with books.

‘’Ah, now we are talking.’’

Twilight went to them while maneuvering between the stacks of things. She lit her horn to take several and went to take a quick look at their pages. They seem to be all novels and they were all written by some pony named Melancholia. She had never heard of this author, which was rare for Twilight. Starlight was more interested in the west wall where there was an entryway with no door but a white curtain blocking it. Feeling curious, she entered it. The inside was actually a small corridor. To the side were metal shelves with various canvases. And at the end was an easel with a canvas half finish and it looked like nopony touched it for some time. She went to see what the others looked like, and the least thing to say was that they had given her a reaction. One was an abstract image of strokes and spirals composed only with taints of black and red that gives a creepy feeling. Another one was the portrait of a pony with a face of the deepest despair, even though the pony was drawn on a sunny and vivid landscape of vegetation. Starlight did not really have the courage to see in detail the others. She just gave a quick glimpse and saw that they had all something in common, they were all… powerful Starlight would say. Powerful because they all gave strong emotions. Emotions she could feel in her guts.

‘’Heeesh, this place is starting to give me the heebie-jeebies. I propose that we tell the pony upstairs that we are here.’’

‘’I guess you're right. I wonder how he did not notice us.’’

They had decided to go to the stairs. For all this time the music of the piano had never stopped playing but right before they could have touched the first step, the player interrupted his play by crudely stomping his hoof on the keyboard, which had scared our mares to hell and nearly made them stumble.

‘’Ah, visitors. It has been a long time since I had one. I don’t know who you are but you are welcome.’’

Was what the pony musician was saying from where he was as he waved its hoof on all the keys in one swift gesture.

Our duo could hear the pony descend downstairs, taking each step slowly. Once he reached the floor and was under proper lighting, they could fully see his appearance. He was a young stallion who looked like he had their age, if not, a little more. His fur was of a gray color and his hair was a cyan that was nearly white. They were arranged into a bang that was covering his right eye. Speaking of his eyes, they were also of a dull gray. On his neck, there was a white necktie scarf with at its heart a hexagonal blue jewel that was used as a brooch. An accessory that Rarity would have loved, what Twilight was thinking. This pony went to them and made a reverence to the two mares.

‘’Greetings, I am the clerk of this shop. My name is Melancholia. But everypony calls me simply… Mel.’’

‘’Oh… my! Oh my oh my. I recognize you. You are Twilight Sparkle and you are Starlight Glimmer. You are here to investigate on the mysterious happenings on Mount Heaven I am right?’’

‘’Oh, hum, well, no need for introduction I suppose, hehe. (It’s so awkward.)’’

‘’I must say, I never had the occasion to talk with celebrities before. What brings you here in my humble shop?’’

Twilight was having difficulty feeling comfortable with him. His voice was soft and polite, but she detected a small hint of emotional detachment in his tone.

‘’Oh well, a little filly name Flo had proposed this place.’’

‘’Did she? I am not surprised she would do that. At the state I am, she may be my only supporter. So, if you find anything that picks your fancy, tell me. I could even give you a generous price.’’

She could not help to find him strange. There was something in his eyes. It was like they were seeing what was in front of him but instead… gazing at the images inside of his head for lack of better words. That was the impression this Mel was giving to her. He was moving to his goods and Twilight could see his cutie mark. It was an intricate design of blue lines forming a raindrop. At least… she thought it was a raindrop. For shaking off the malaise, she decided to change the subject.

‘’Soooo, you are a shop clerk. But I still don’t quite understand what shop it is.’’

‘’Ah, the truth is managing this shop is just a secondary job for me. My true profession is to be an artist.’’

‘’Really, you are an artist! In what domain?’’

‘’Well, in all kinds actually. I paint on canvas, I play music, I write, oh especially writing. This is where I take the majority of my time. And then I sell what I create.’’

Hearing that, all the worries of Twilight melt in an instant. In her dictionary, anypony who was writing could not be bad. Starlight, who was feeling a little left out, decided to burst into the conversation.

‘’Did you really write all those books! That's impressive! What are they about?’’

‘’Tragedy. That is mostly what I write.’’

‘’Oooh! I… I am surprised, I… didn’t think to find that here.’’

‘’Hahaha, you will see that I am considered like the black sheep of Happy Town.’’

‘’And you manage to sell to those happiness fanatics?’’

‘’What do you think? Of course not. Those ponies have an allergy to everything that is depressing or disturbing. They wouldn't even read my stories if they were free. Even after I wrote so many and converted them in book format myself, I have never sold a single one.’’

Twilight was aghast and found it so tragic. Even though tragedies was not a genre that she often went to, she, who has great love for literature, could not help but find it so unfair that all those efforts were not rewarded.

‘’Mister Mel, I… I just don't know what to say. It is just so sad.’’

‘’It is the same for my paintings. They find it too creepy so they accumulate dust. As for the music I wrote, they give them too much of a bummer so nopony wants to listen to them. In the end, I have given up and decide to sell my instruments but as you can see… guess they don’t even want to come close to me.’’

‘’Come on… you cannot be serious.’’

‘’I am afraid that they tolerate me just because Flo is my little sister.’’

‘’What… … WHAAAAT!!! FLO IS YOUR LITTLE SISTER!’’

‘’Oh, she did not tell you? But this place is our house. To both of us.’’

‘’But… but… you…’’

‘’Look nothing alike. Sometimes I wonder to myself why our destiny was to take two paths so opposite of each other. By the way, I presume that you know about our parents. They were pretty well lived so when they died, they had left us in inheritance a good fortune. Not enough to live in luxury but well enough to live decently without troubles. Even though my shop is a disaster.’’

‘’Look, I can understand why it is not working in Happy Town, but why not try outside? I am sure that many publishing houses would love//

‘’Oh you think I didn’t try that. All those I tried had refused. My stories are too intense for them. You know, this is a problem not just limited to Happy Town. Oh sure, this place takes the cake, but Equestria itself has a tendency to treat the sad things as things that must disappear for that only beauty can be. But I do think that pain and ugly feelings are important. That we must not forget them and that it can teach us many things. That why I cannot work on any other subject, even though I know it is a vain cause.’’

Our two mares were at loss for words. What he had just said was very deep and it had made them think about things they have never thought before.

‘’Hooo, there I go again, breaking the mood. A bad habit of mine. Let’s go back to the subject at hoof. My adorable Flo had proposed this place and I think I know what the true reason is. Come, follow me, you will be very surprised.’’

They didn't notice it but on the north wall in the right corner, there was a door. Mel opened it with his teeth and once inside he pushed the switch that lit two simple light bumbles hanging from the roof. The first thing they saw was a writing desk with all the essential tools.

‘’My workshop. When you write, it is always better to do it in a corner. But what will truly interest you are at your right.’’

They turned their heads and looked at a small corridor full of bundles of paper stack. They were everywhere, on the floor, on another desk and in shelves that were full.

‘’Fiouuuu, that is an impressive collection. Are all these stories you wrote?’’

‘’No, this time these were written by so many citizens of Happy Town. Stories… about you all.’’

‘’Stories about… us? … … I don’t follow.’’

‘’Humm how to explain? Do you know what the term fanfiction mean?’’

‘’It’s a fiction about characters and settings from an already established fictional work, written by fans and not the author. I once tried that when I was young. But why… oh no! Oh no, oh no, they did not dare!’’

‘’And yes. They veneered you Mane 6 this much that they simply love to create stories about you. It is one of their favorite activities.’’

‘’But, Twilight and all the others are not fictional, they are real ponies!’’

‘’I did not say they were ''actual'' fanfictions. Just that they were similar to that. They don’t go near me very often but since they all know I am a writer they decided that I would be perfect to be the caretaker of their literature work. Another thing to thank my sister.’’

‘’They… they write stories… about me and my friends. What kinds of stories.’’

‘’Oh all kinds. Simple mundane days. You in comedic moments. A lot of that. Big and epic adventures where you are heroes. Some shipOH NO, you better not see them.’’

‘’… … I think I am feeling violated.’’

‘’Wait, is it even legal? You know, right of the person and privacy and those stuff.’’

‘’If we do not sell them, yeah it is legal. Equestria laws can be pretty lax sometimes. And anyway, these stories never leave Happy Town. I know it may be embarrassing but you should really try them, some of them are pretty good. I leave you here, there is a matter I must attend. You have all the time you want. See you soon.’’

‘’Eh wait//

But Mel didn’t listen and simply went away, leaving them behind.

‘’What are we doing now Twi?’’

‘’You know what, since we here, we should take advantage of this.’’

‘’You serious!’’

‘’Yeah, when you think about it, it is an interesting idea. Stories of me and my friends where we are the protagonists. Even for an avid reader like me, this will be such a new experience. And it could be fun. Oh you know what, I suddenly have more and more of the need to read them. Come here fanfics and show me what you have in the gut.’’

She installed herself on the desk with a smile full of enthusiasts.

‘’So many to choose, which to go first? Hum, <<cupcake>>, Hooo, probably a story very soft and sugary. Come here on my taste buds’’

*5 minutes later*

‘’… … I am traumatized.’’

‘’I guess that it was not as fluffy as you think.’’

‘’It was a horror story. One of the worst I have ever read. I don’t even dare to describe it to you. It will stay in my mind for long. I need to read another story to forget it. Let seeeee, aha, <<rainbow factory>>. What could go wrong with that? Sunshine and rainbows, here I come.’’

*5 minutes later*

‘’HAAAAAAAA!!! I will do nightmares for weeks.’’

‘’Maybe you should give up.’’

‘’Oh no Starlight. This time I learned my lesson. Those who have innocent titles all happen to be horror stories. That means I must choose one with a title straight from a horror story and it should be fine. So by logic it should be… <<silent ponnyvile>>.’’

*15 minutes later*

‘’It was not.’’

‘’Oh poor Twilight, you really have no luck. Although I find hard to believe those worshippers would write horror stories about you at all.’’

‘’If you want my opinion, I think they were all written by a certain somepony. I suppose horror could also be considered a kind of tragedy. (Though I don't know what to think about that.)’’

‘’Well contrary to you, all the ones I read were so hilarious. Especially the one where you are in. Like this one. Where you are crying ‘’The salads are free’’. Hahahahaha. Oh yes, I definitely see you doing that. Or this one where you write a story very hummm no, no it is best I don’t tell you about it.’’

‘’Well glad to be the butt joke.’’

They had heard the bell of the boutique chiming. Curious, they went to the hallway to see who had entered. It was two diamond dogs transporting a crate. Mel had also gone down the stairs to meet them.

‘’Hello Mel. The delivery you wanted so much is here.’’

‘’Wonderful. Take it upstairs.’’

He then saw that the two mares were also there.

‘’Have you finished? These two are the brothers Dirt and Dust, my favorite delivery boys. So did you enjoy your time?’’

‘’That was, hummm, a unique experience. But I see it is getting late and we have promised to meet all at the plaza.’’

‘’Then I wish you all a happy day. It is our specialty after all.’’

They had said their thanks and were preparing to go away, but Twilight stopped on her track, had turned around and used her wings to propel herself in front of Mel.

‘’Mister Mel, when my job is done I will come back to purchase several of your novels. Then I will make sure to talk about them on everypony of my literature circle.’’

‘’That very nice of you but I think it is too much honor.’’

‘’No, I insist. It is simply too unfair that you have no recognition simply because the personal preferences of others don’t match with what you think it is your duty to talk about. I just got a quick glimpse of what you have done but I can already tell that you have a lot of talent and it should not go to rot. Believe me, I am kind of an expert in this domain. And when art and literature are looked down upon, then it becomes personal for me. So please, let me do that for you. At least between two lovers of novels.’’

She was not sure but it seems to her that the permanent smile of Mel just got slightly bigger.

‘’It is… very nice of you. I appreciate. … Sorry if I have no better thank you word, I just… made myself to the idea that I will be the only appreciator of my craft.’’

‘’Well the least I can promise is that you at least will have another one.’’

‘’Even though my style might be too gut-stabbing to you?’’

‘’You will be surprised, but I am more attuned to pain than my adventures tell. Besides, it might be true that I may need more hum, gut-stabbing as you call it. Hahaha.’’

‘’Glad to hear it. I think you may learn new things.’’

After all was said and done, our two mares opened the door, making a soft chime, and went outside with their hooves waving a goodbye to Mel who answered by doing the same.

Even after they were gone, Mel continued to wave at no one, until he stopped and mechanically let down his hoof.

‘’Learn new things… … or maybe start to finally learn something.’’

He then slowly walked to the window and looked at Twilight and Starlight happily talking to each other with smiles on their faces. At this sight, Mel tilted his head to the side with his usual vacant stare devoid of all sparkle.

‘’You know… I was sincere when I wished you a good day. These are important to make your life more beautiful. … … But you know… … good days can be a reminder that things have changed for good and that they are never coming back. A reminder… of what was forever lost.’’

‘’Ah Miss Sparkle, Miss Glimmer.’’

‘’Mayor Paternal!’’

‘’It’s good that you are here. I just had a great idea. We should take a photo of you so that we could keep a keepsake of your stay in our town. We could put it in our town hall so that everypony could see it for generations and generations.’’

‘’(Oh boy, here we go again. Seriously, those ponies are even more over-welcoming than… well, than my first time in Ponyville. Which is a lot to say. But I suppose it will be impolite to say no.) Oh we will be glad to do that for you as a sign of friendship.’’

‘’Splendid! There is already a camera and a photograph posted in front of the clock tower.’’

‘’Already! You seriously don’t lose time.’’

‘’We are just so excited. Let not waste a second and let go there.’’

Even though it was just a few walking steps away, the mayor was so ecstatic that he was pushing our two mares behind.

‘’Wo wo, calm down, slow down!’’

‘’We can walk by ourselves you know!’’

But it seems he was too overjoyed to hear them. He brought them before a unicorn with brown fur who had already made the adjustments to his tripod camera. Twilight and Starlight then went into position and gave their biggest smiles. Their smiles were a little too big to be natural. Then they even went to speak under their teeth to each other.

‘’You know Twi, I know they are nice ponies and that it is not their intention but it begins to look like coercion.’’

‘’Just smile. It will be over soon.’’

Starlight was trying what she was asking but a shadow was cast on her face. A literal one. She lifted her eyes and saw a huge kelpie. Her eyes were wide as saucers. But the most strange thing was that he had inside its mouth something yellow with a pink tail and a butterfly cutie mark. And that thing seemed to talk inside the creature.

‘’Humm… are we there? In the plaza?’’

The kelpie answered with an affirmative nod.

‘’Thank you very much for having brought me here, that was very nice of you. Oh hum… now… could you please… you know… release me?’’

The kelpie had gently obeyed and opened his mouth, freeing Fluttershy and she fell on the ground. Starlight side-step in-extremis before being touched by the covered in saliva pegasus. The kelpie waved his arm in a goodbye salute and went to the distance. Fluttershy did the same though it seems more by reflexes because she was looking… very out there.

‘’Thanks again. See you later. … … … Wo. That, hum, that was intimacy.’’

‘’Fluttershy, what has happened to you!’’

‘’I… am not even sure myself.’’

‘’PLEASE, ANYPONIE COME RESCUE ME WHAAAHAAAHAAA!’’

‘’That voice! Rarity!! And... Pinkie!!’’

At the horizon they saw that flying in the sky, going right to crash to them, was Pinkie Pie sitting in a paraglider and Rarity hanging for her life on a rope.

‘’Ooooh, hello friends. Don’t mind us, we just… hanging there.’’

‘’PINKIE THAT WAS NOT FUNNY. FIND A SOLUTION AND QUICK… oh no… NOT THE CHIMNEY, NOT THE CHIMNEY!’’

There was a chimney ejecting a thick cloud of smoke right on their path. Rarity was shaking her feet like crazy to stay away but it was simply hopeless, she flew right in the cloud and the white unicorn had become a black unicorn. Seeing what she had turned into, she cried a huge scream and let go of the rope. But Starlight was fast and grabbed her with her magic and put her gently on the ground beside her. Once safe, she let go of all her emotions and went to bawl like a baby and cry torrents of tears. As for Pinkie Pie, a sudden wind changed her trajectory and had sent her flying beside the tower. Having an idea, she detached her harness.

‘’I hope it works. Here go nothing.’’

She jumped from the paraglider and grabbed the giant poster of the Mane 6. As the paraglider went flying away, Pinkie could finally breathe a sigh of relief to be at last safe. Relatively speaking. Twilight exasperated, flipped her wings to go up and lighted her horn.

‘’How the hay did you manage to… on second thought, maybe I should not know. Alright Pinkie I am going to take you safely down and HEY!!! … What’s that at the distance? ‘’

Twilight could see something strange on the road that was making a lot of dust. Something that was coming their way. And it looks like... no... ‘’I must be wrong’’, Twilight was saying to herself. There is no way it could be a pony running on a roiling barrel.

‘’EVERYPONY, GET OUT OF OUR WAYS, NOW.’’

‘’Wait, it’s that… Dashie!! At what she playing?’’

Rainbow was still fast running on the rolling barrel. And she looks so tired. And all the ponies on the road were pushing themselves off her passage from fear of being crushed.

‘’You know AJ, once this is over, remember me to do more exercise on my legs. I clearly neglect those muscles.’’

‘’Ya not the only one in pain. Ah am starting to have a serious need to puke. Can ya not found something soft that can stop our track?’’

‘’Oh I just saw a standpipe. Does it count?’’

‘’What! No no no no, ah say something soft, something soft. How it can be counted as soft.’’

‘’Ah listen, right now I am so tired that I wish sweet death would come to deliver me. Besides, I see nothing else on this road. We will just have to take a small trip at the hospital, seem a small price to pay.’’

‘’RAINBOW DASHHHHH!’’

The barrel had hit the standpipe and it exploded in a burst of splinters, ejecting Rainbow and Applejack in the air. Applejack had hit her face right on the dirt, sliding on the ground until she joined the group in front of the camera. Her head was supporting all her body and her legs were facing forward. Ponies can be very flexible creatures. As for Rainbow Dash, who still had her wings tied up, was going to land on Starlight but she saw her coming and ducked to the ground, making Fluttershy the next target of the bleu missile. The still in-daze and cover of saliva pegasus had managed to wake up and catch in extremis Rainbow… putting them in a strange dance position. Twilight looked down at this pandemonium, sighing, but then heard a not reassuring noise. Effectively, the giant poster that Pinkie was grabbing, was starting to ripe itself more and more.

‘’Oho! Oho! OHO! AAAHHHHH BOMB AWAY!’’

She did not fall for long as Twilight quickly levitated her. But this distracted Twilight from the Mane 6 poster failing on her. And when she saw it, it was too late.

‘’Oh no, crush by the weight of my own success!’’

Twilight was completely covered by the image of… Twilight, and fell. She could have landed on Starlight, but she teleported one second before she could have been used as a cushion. Since the princess wasn’t that high, she did not hurt herself. But when her levitation spell broke and Pinkie fell right on her head... that, that was another story. But Pinkie was just fine.’’

‘’Ohhhh! I’m not hurt? And no. Thank a lot Twilight.’’

‘’Happy to help. Happy to… *sigh*… help.’’

Starlight reappeared and looked at the mess that was her friends. Pinkie was sitting on a Twilight trapped in a poster. Applejack was in a weird and embarrassing position. Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash were covered in drool and looked like they were dancing the tango. And Rarity was as black as a cat of misfortune and still whining.

‘’Yeah, that will make a nice photo. *sigh* Honestly, why do you always manage to go into those embarrassing situations? At least I always make sure to be careful not to lose face ATCHUM!!!’’

*SNAP*

That was the moment the camerapony chose to take his shot. And so that was how the most embarrassing photo of the Mane 6 was born. Including Starlight, immortalized with her sneezing face, the mouth wide open and coughing so much dribble.

Once the photo came out, Mayor Paternal grabbed it and admired it with nearly shaking hooves.

‘’Oh my Celestia! You just have given us the most unique photo ever possible to make. This could very well become the greatest treasure of Happy Town. Oh I must quickly install it in the town hall.’’

Mayor Paternal went running at top speed to the clock tower, leaving behind the Mane 6 stunned and embarrassed that they will be remembered that way. All except Pinkie Pie of course. It was at this moment that Flo decided to see them. She was a little surprised but a quick glimpse and she understood immediately.

‘’So many hi-jinx?’’

Twilight came out from under the poster with annoyed eyes.

‘’Yeah, so many hi-jinx.’’

‘’You really seem to have the gift to attract them.’’

-‘’Well to tell you the truth, we never had them like today. It really takes the cake. …Pffft. Heheh. Bwahahahahahaha.’’

Twilight just exploded in laughter. So much that she pressed her arms against her stomach and tears were dropping from her closed eyes. Her laugh was so contagious that very soon, all of her friends followed through and burst into uncontrollable laughing. Flo was looking at them like they were strange creatures.

‘’Why do you find that funny? Does this day was not horrible?’’

But regardless, they all found that it was precisely why they should laugh. Twilight, Applejack, Fluttershy, Rainbow, Pinkie, Rarity. Each one had their own reason and each one gave them to Flo.

‘’Yes hahaha, it was horrible for us all, I can tell. However I have difficulty to tell why but, pffft haha, it likes it has not importance.’’

‘’Yeah, ah never had so much bad luck in my life but when ya look back, all those bad things suddenly change in very funny things.’’

‘’I have lived today so many things that I want so much to forget. But I have the strange impression that it is already done.’’

‘’Everypony was looking like a true loonie. Hum I mean relatively, relatively. (No, they really are loonies.) But now I feel like I should not care at all.’’

‘’There were moments where I was very scared. But to be with you, remember me something. I love to be scared.’’

‘’Just like I find myself stupid to have been so emotive. Thinking back, it was not so terrible.’’

But this was making Flo even more perplexed.

‘’... How do you do it?’’

So it was the turn of Starlight to explain things.

‘’It took me time to understand the same thing. But the answer is simple. Friendship.’’

‘’Of course, the classical answer.’’

‘’And for a good reason. By sharing our bad moments with our friends, it’s like weight becomes lighter. And when they share theirs with us, we feel less lonely in our misery. Also it might be a little cliché to say that but the love and warmth between friends have the gift to infect forlorn feelings. It does not deny they did happen, but instead, change them into something else. Like into something funny.’’

‘’I guess there is a reason why you are our role model. Not that we did not know it already.’’

Twilight was finally able to get out of her fit of laughter and was weeping the tears with the tips of her wings.

‘’Haha. Yeah about that, we may have been chosen by the forces of harmony but, I don’t think we are that special.’’

‘’I am not so sure of that. I only meet you for a moment and already you have confirmed to me that you have something that inspires other.’’

‘’If you say so. On another subject, I think, or more than we all think that we had enough excitement for the day. And it begins to be late. We need rest if we want to explore those ruins. We must not forget that the reason we here.’’

‘’Then I will warn mayor Paternal. The housing lodge where you will stay is just to the west behind those buildings at the outskirts of the town. It was used as a temporary settlement for workers during the founding. It is rather old but it is still very comfy, I can assure you. And all your stuffs must already be there.’’

‘’That's great. I really need some time to cool off.’’

‘’Don’t worry. After all that, I am sure that tomorrow will be a day far less strenuous. How can it be worst?’’

‘’I don’t see how.’’

And it is with these words that they all went to their bed chamber for a rest well deserved. The rays of the sun were warm and soft and a refreshing breeze was blowing on their hair. And they all were feeling confident that tomorrow would be a beautiful day.

… … If only, they knew. But… nothing could have prepared them for what to come. No. It is more like all Equestria could not prepare.

Prepare for the worst show ever.

Ponyville: the Grassy Pentagon

The park was now filled with so many ponies. And they were all gathered around the strange cube with… strange windows. An object so curious that appears suddenly in such a public place is bound to be noticed. And once a few passersby saw it, it went to hear and it quickly spread like wildfire. Very soon, all the town was aware of the existence of this strange device and the weird thing it does. And it picked the curiosity of so many. Ponies of all kinds and of all ages were surrounding this cube that they simply didn’t know what it was. And of course, everypony were talking about the even stranger message that this thing was giving. At first they were afraid of the statistics and each time the split-second image appeared, they were startled. But after seeing it many times, they recognized the letter and could read the message concerning a game. They were still afraid but they were even more intrigued. Even more so because the message seems to change at every hour. Indeed, the number of hours before the game is supposed to begin to go down as the time passes. The ponies quickly realized that it was a sort of countdown. Countdown to what? That was the true mystery.

Even Lyra and Bon-Bon could not have resisted the urge to see this strange cube. Bon-Bon was looking at it with suspicion but for Lyra it was the excitement to see something new.

‘’Whoa, that's cool. This… this thing. I don’t know what it is but I already like this thingamajig. I wonder if it does something else. Pssst, Bon-Bon. As an ancient agent secret do you have any idea of what it is?’’

‘’I have never seen anything like this in my life. This cube is so strange. I have no idea how it works or how it shows those images, whatever they are. Why show them that way? So creepy. And what about this message? ‘’The game will begin in four hours.’’ What does it even mean?’’

‘’Huuuumm… it looks like… something important… will happen… in four hours. Some kind of game. … What game? A sports game? A gameshow? Is this a game where we can participate?’’

‘’I really don’t know. But I don’t like this.’’

‘’Don’t be paranoid. What can this thing do to us? So, when the four hours will have passed, will you come?’’

‘’Even if this thing gives me the goosebumps, I know I could just not miss it. I think that nearly all Ponyville will come watch it.’’

Indeed. And you can hardly blame them. What you would do if you were at their place. Would curiosity not be a temptation too strong to resist? But there is something that these ponies ignore. Something important. You see… Ponyville was not the only place where those giant ivory cubes were. They were dispersed in nearly every corner of Equestria. Attracting curious bystanders.

In Appleloosa, the recently formed town of western ponies, one of these cubes was right in the middle of the only alley. So of course, no ponies could take off their sight from this anomaly that was so blatantly contrasting with everything. The citizens just didn’t know what to do with that.

‘’What is that thing? How did it get here?’’

‘’It came by delivery. But it was just saying to bring it here. Not what it was.’’

‘’Delivery! Who ask for this?’’

‘’I don’t know. But the important thing is what we are doing with this? And what will happen in four hours?’’

‘’I don’t know. I guess… there is just one way to find out. Wait until the timer reach zero.’’

It was also the same for Manehattan, the great metropolis. A cube was placed at a busy crossing where it was impossible to miss it. Many could not look away because they thought it was an elaborate publicity stunt.

‘’What will they invent? Though I must say, it is very creative. Even though I don’t know what it is about.’’

‘’That’s why it is so fascinating. Such a mystery!’’

‘’But why give this… countdown this way? Each time it appears for a split-second it jump scares me.’’

‘’Yes, I know. That's why this countdown did not leave my head for all day. I could not think of anything else even if I wanted to. That brilliant.’’

Even Cloudsdale, the floating city of pegasus, was not spared. Right in the middle of a marketplace, another cube was placed on the ground of clouds. And once again, so many pegasus were captivated by this thing and this message. With both wonder and worry. And they could not explain why this cube was giving birth to those two feelings. Not completely.

‘’Have you seen that sister? What do you think will happen in four hours?’’

‘’I don’t know. But I find it so creepy. The way this message is displayed is… unsettling. It makes me a little sick.’’

‘’That much! So guess you would not be there when the four hours will be spent.’’

‘’Oh no, I definitely be there.’’

‘’Why? You say it was creepy.’’

‘’Morbid curiosity I suppose. Because I dread to see what will happen I can’t stop staying here so that I can see what I dread so much.’’

‘’Yeah, I kinda understand your feeling.’’

But these were far from the only places. The truth is in nearly every major’s city of Equestria there was a giant white cube showing static and then occasionally for a split-second the letters. And each was successfully doing their job to attract the masses. And each one was showing to them the same and ominous message:

The game will begin in 4 hours

Author's Note

And with that, the chapter 2 is completed. I had at last managed to introduce every important characters of this story. I know that many will wonder and ask myself: Where are you going with all that? But I promise you that in the end, everything will make sense.

And you may have remarque that there was a clear parallel between the citizen of Happy Town and the MLP fandom. So before you ask me, (because we all know it will happen,) I will say: NO, I DO NOT TRY TO DO A CRITIQUE OR A CARICATURE OF THE FANDOM. What I am trying to do is to use a phycological trick so that the readers can connecte more with the people of Happy Town to amplifie the effect my story will do on you. Also I need for Happy Town to be fanatical of the Mane 6 because OOOOOH I nearly say to much.

Stay tune for the chapter 3... … … tone shift.

Chapter 3: Tone shift

Chapter 3: Tone shift

The room where all the beds were was known for one thing: its simplicity. Not a single decoration, no tapestry. Just a simple wooden floor with wooden walls and beds with simple white covers. But the beds were really comfy and that was all they were caring for. Even Rarity, who would normally have made a dramatic rant about this affront, was simply too tired to notice it and jumped on the mattress and after only three seconds, you could already hear her snoring. Pinkie Pie, her, was instead having a bouncing session on her bed like a little filly. But she missed a jump and landed straight on her neighbor, Rainbow Dash. It has flattened her with her tongue sticking out. And while she was lashing out to her, Twilight was looking frantically at her pile of books to see if they were alright.

‘’Fiouf. They had taken good care of my babies. And also my lists of theories on this new magithecnology. And my lists of unexpected problematic scenarios that may come and how to deal with them. And my lists of things to do in our free time. And//

And everypony in the room shouted loudly: ‘’Oh come on’’.

‘’Hey don’t complain girls, there has to be somepony who must do this job. Even though I admit it might be a little excessive. And even though I admit it is principally to reassure myself because I love a little order. (I might be having a problem.)’’

It was then that they all heard a voice coming from downstairs.

‘’Hello girls. I am just here to see if you are well settled.’’

‘’It’s mayor Paternal!’’

Fluttershy seem to be uncomfortable and was softly rubbing her leg.

‘’I know he only wants us to have a good day but I find him a little insistent. It is like his main motive is to pass the most time with us.’’

As an answer, Twilight gave her a slightly annoyed face.

‘’Yes, I am afraid that you are right. Don’t worry, I will deal with him. I have a little experience with this kind of fans.’’

She then climbed down the stairs to meet him. He had on him a warm and welcoming smile that was making it harder to be angry at him. And was also frustrating for Twilight because precisely she wanted to be angry at him. Even though a little.

‘’Ah Miss Twilight. Does the room is at your taste?’’

‘’Why yes it is simply perfect. I must say, your hospitality is simply top notch. In all the places I have been I had never seen ponies so kind and welcoming. (Too much maybe but there is no way I have the guts to say that.) We really have so much gratitude for your kindness.’’

‘’YOU, YOU, *inhale**exhale*, HAVE SO MUCH GRATITUDE FROM*inhale*exhale**inhale**exhale*’’

The mayor was so overjoyed to hear that it looked like he was having an asphyxia crisis. Actually, that might well be what was happening to him.

‘’WO WO WO WO! Slow down, take a deep breath! It won’t be such a great day if you die asphyxiated!’’

‘’Right. Right. I am very sorry for this outburst. It is just… … *sigh* when you think about it, you must surely see us all as strange weirdos.’’

‘’I may have this little impression. (No, a big one.)’’

‘’But it is just that we love happiness so much that we want it more and more. That why we go jump on every symbol of it.’’

‘’Like us or your little angel.’’

‘’Yes. To simply know that you exist is enough to bring inspiration to us to go even more forward. What is so wrong with that?’’

‘’I... guess not much.’’

‘’We are sorry if we might have been a little overwhelmed. I am not that blind for not having seen that. We just veneer you that much.’’

‘’Oh fine, I guess I can’t be mad at that. … You know, now that you are here there is something that I would like to ask you.’’

‘’I am listening.’’

‘’I had met a particular pony named Melancholia. He had said that his work was not well appreciated and that he was not that well accepted. But I find it hard to believe that it is possible in this town full of so nice ponies.’’

Right at the mention of this name, the warm smile of the mayor changed for one of embarrassment.

‘’Oooooh. I see. So you did meet Mel. I suppose it was inevitable after his own sister proposed it. Even though I would have liked it if you had avoided this… creepy weirdo. What did it say? He was not impolite or did he have scared you?’’

‘’I did find him a bit unsettling but beside that he was pretty okay guy.’’

‘’Well, I suppose he is, I must do justice to that. It is true he is a nice guy who has never caused any problems to us. But he had always been a very strange boy, even when his parents were still around. I guess you could say he is the black sheep of Happy Town.’’

‘’He did mention that.’’

‘’You must have seen what constitutes his work craft. Writing tragedies. Painting scary canvas. Doing sad music. You must understand that those things do not really have a place here. No matter how much we say it, he still stubbornly continues to do that again and again. Since as far we can remember, Mel was ever only capable of seeing the saddest things in life. Even at a tender age, each time there was something beautiful, he had the uncanny gift to always find an argument that says it is actually ugly. It is sad isn’t.’’

‘’I kinda see what you mean but… but is it really a reason to isolate him?’’

‘’Oh Miss Sparkle, it is not like we did not try to help him, I assure you. We try so many times to show him that there is a better way to live and that it is always possible to find happiness if you search for it. But… he is so stubborn and has always stuck to his way of life. In the end, it came that nearly everypony avoids him since like you say, he can be so unsettling. Not that he was the social kind in the first place.’’

‘’But what about all those, *cough**cough*, fanfictions about us. (Which is a questionable thing but I won’t mention it.)’’

So he had shown you them. Yes, it is a pretty popular activity in this town. But we needed a place to stock them all. And we did want to give Mel something to do for the community. You know, for showing him that even if he is strange, we do not forget that he is one of us. And since literature is one of his passions, it seems a match made in heaven. It was his sister, Flo herself that had given the idea. Aaah Flo. She really is special. Even if they are so opposite, she still loves his brother very, very much. How can we be mad at him when he has such a great sister?’’

‘’Oh really. Interesting.’’

A third pony had talked. The door behind the mayor opened itself at a slow pace revealing that Flo was the one who had given it a push. Mayor Paternal, realizing what he had just said, was now feeling embarrassed and had difficulty looking at her straight. As for the little filly, she was still smiling. But her eyes were not smiling at all.

‘’You know... it almost sounds like the only reason you tolerate my big brother is because me, your dear angel, always say that she loves him.’’

‘’No Flo please, don’t twist my words, you know this was not what I mean.’’

‘’Hum, I wonder.’’

Twilight, seeing that the situation was going very personal, felt the need to go away discreetly. Not that she could.

‘’Believe me, we do consider Mel like one of us. But even you must admit that he is a little funny in the head.’’

‘’Okay I agree. So what? Just because he is weird does that mean he is a bad pony?’’

‘’But we do not think he is a bad pony. However he had never adapted to our way of life.’’

‘’Or maybe you had never give him a chance.’’

Mayor Paternal came closer to Flo and put his hoof gently on her shoulder in a very compassionate way.

‘’You really are a good sister. But sometimes I am scared that because of your love you see him with pink glasses. Your brother has many things to work out. Look, tomorrow we will have a party to celebrate the arrival of the Bearer of Harmony. And if your brother comes, we will all welcome him with open hooves. If he decides to come. Let us finish this conversation. I don’t want to upset you and I don’t want you to see me in a bad way. Goodnight Flo. And goodnight to you Miss Sparkle.’’

‘’Goodnight mayor.’’

‘’Goodnight.’’

The mayor went to the door and closed it behind him. Once he was gone, Twilight breathed a sigh of relief.

‘’Fiouf, that was awkward.’’

‘’Sorry Twilight about that, but when it comes to my brother, it often strikes a nerve. It feels just so frustrating that they cannot see him like how I see him. But what do you think, Miss Princess of Friendship? Do you think my brother is a lost cause? Do you think just because someone has difficulty to fit in that we should not give it a chance?’’

She was a little stunned that she went to ask such an important question. Guess it really struck a nerve in her, Twilight was realizing. At first she did not know what answer but then… she went to think of many faces of ponies who had difficulty fitting in. Her friend Starlight who felt abandoned and went to a self-destructive path when she was left on her own. Then there was… herself. The one for whom the concept of friendship was for a time a difficult concept to grasp. If Celestia didn’t have given her a chance, she may have been stuck in an eternal isolation for the rest of her life, even if she still had her family. She then smiled, knowing exactly what to answer.

‘’That's easy to answer. Of course we must always give a helping hoof to those who struggle to fit in. And sometimes, it turns out that the only thing they really need is just a little support. If you are one of my fans, then you should know that I am the living proof. I know... that having a head that thinks differently compared to the majority can be... a burden. Something that can really isolate you from everyone. In the end, the reason I could not make any friends was because friendship itself was a concept hard for me to understand. Family, that I could understand but not friendship. And might have stayed like that if I had not received just a little helpful push. I know, pretty weird to hear the princess of friendship saying that she had difficulty to comprehend what she represents.’’

‘’No... no I find that what you say make a lot of sense.’’

‘’So understand that I will never look bad on ponies like your brother. Especially not when I find that we are similar.’’

‘’Glad you see things my way. Even though I know the rest of the town would never truly understand him. He seems alright by himself but there are times when... I feel like he had only me in the world. That I am his only ally.’’

Flo then walked to the open window and stood up to see the sun that was slowly going down, bathing the sky in the twilight of dusk and shining a golden light on her fiery hair.

‘’Yet still, I will not give up hope. Hope that one day, Mel will surprise them all.’’

The night sky was being watched by Mel from his window. His eyes were fixing the shining stars like if he was searching for something in them. But he closed the curtain, putting the room back in the dark. He turned around and walked at a leisure pace to his desk. He then grabbed the pencil pot and spilled all its content on the wooden surface. Among them, there was a simple skeleton key. Mel took it with his mouth and used it to open a drawer. And from this drawer he pulled out a white object of rectangular size. It was made of a familiar material.

Once he tossed out all the pencils and put the rectangle right in the center of the desk, he pressed his hoof on a big button. Circuitry of blue light appeared on the ivory surface and the big button lighted on and projected a big and flat holographic map of Equestria. This hologram was bathing the room with its cyan light, though the contrast was making, in a way, more dark. And also… it was giving the soft smile of Mel a sinister touch. On the map, there were several blinking dots and they were spread across all the country.

‘’Good. Until now, everything went according to plan. Soon. Very soon all Equestria will receive his wake up call. Now then. Dirt. Dust. Have you done every of my instructions?’’

From the shadow step out the two diamond dogs brothers. Dirt tried to look professional but Dust looked uneasy and his eyes were cast downon the floor. Dirt took a step further and went directly right behind Mel.

‘’Yes boss, we did exactly as you have told us. We have sent by mail all those giant white cubes, that you call monitor, to all the towns on your list. It was so easy, they did not even question what was in those crates. Oh, we have also made sure to send each of them at the moments you insisted. Calculating the distance, they all should have already arrived today.’’

‘’Yes. I already know that. This map shows me that indeed all the monitors are safe and sound to the places they should be and that they all work just fine. Good job. And what about our little… devices.’’

‘’All have been installed personally by our paws.’’

‘’Discretely?’’

‘’Don’t worry. We have been very careful. No one has even the slightest idea that they are there.’’

‘’We will see that.’’

Mel waved his hoof in front of the holographic map and the dots changed to be replaced by other ones. These ones were at different locations than the precedents, but the majority were concentrated at one specific place.

‘’Great. They are all there and ready to be activated whenever I want. I am really impressed with you two. But now we have arrived at the trickiest part. The one that could easily ruin everything. We will have to be careful and prepare.’’

‘’Ooh don’t worry about that, to be prepared, we are. Hey Dust, bring the crate of goodies we have stolen.’’

‘’… Yes big brother.’’

Dust disappeared to the door and quickly came back, pushing on the floor a crate. The very same they had brought here this afternoon. Dirt then took a crowbar and forced it open. Revealing... many things.

‘’When the wonderbolt academy was struck down by lightning, they were in need of such a big number of extra workers. We took this chance and applied. It was such a mess that they did not notice that a few of their equipment were gone missing. This added arsenal should make our job a cinch.’’

Although not a single time did Mel turn around, they could easily tell from his posture that he was very pleased.

‘’You have surpassed all my expectations. I have really chosen the right guys for this. The ponies definitely did not treat your talents at their just value. But you must, but must not, underestimate them. The Mane 6 are a bunch of tricky ponies. This part will be the biggest gamble in my plan. You have studied the reports I made on them carefully.’’

‘’Yes. Each of them. What they can do, their personalities. We know with what we will soon deal.’’

‘’Then I guess we can only hope that everything will work out. Excellent work Dirt. Now, as for you Dust.’’

Dust had not spoken and had stayed by himself for all the duration of the conversation. Mel did not need to look at him to see that he was not feeling well. Finally, Mel turned around and looked at Dust with a soft and empty smile.

‘’What is wrong, Dust? You have been awfully quiet all the time. Is there something on your mind? It’s alright, don’t be shy, speak.’’

‘’Is just… … boss are we really going to do this?’’

‘’Is it not what you and your brother have prepared for?’’

‘’I know but… … we have done everything you ask us without question. We sent those monitors thingies, we planted those… gadgets, even though we have no idea what they were. But this… boss, this is kidnapping! What we are going to do is simply criminal.’’

‘’Yes. It is a crime. So?’’

‘’BOSS! Please, are we really have no choice but to do that?’’

Dirt, even though it was smaller than Dust, angrily grabbed his little brother by the collar.

‘’Dust, you stupid brother of mine! Are you getting cold feet now? We are so close to having at last a tranquil life. I won’t let you ruin it.’’

Mel went closer and put his hoof on the shoulder of Dirt to calm him down.

‘’It’s alright, let me do the talking please. Dust. Do you remember the reason you doing that?’’

‘’Yes but//

‘’You are doing the jobs I ask you to do and I will fulfill my promise. Tonight is the very last job I will ask you to do. And in exchange, I will give you all my fortune. I have already prepared several documents to transfer the money from my bank account to your. You did open your own bank account like I had suggested, didn’t you?’’

‘’… yes.’’

‘’Then all you need is just one signature. Signature that you can only get from me, willingly. It is a generous sum. With that you will be set on for many years. Years that you could use to leisurely find a way to get steady income for the rest of your life. Is it not your ultimate goal? Unless you prefer to return to your harsh life?’’

‘’No, I don’t want that!’’

‘’You two brothers have been banished by your pack. And although the ponies are known to be nice they are actually rather afraid of those who are not ponies. You had a hard time finding jobs and you are barely meeting needs. That is why you need my generous offer. Remember, this is bigger than you alone. You two are in this together. You are holding each other shoulder, and brothers always support brothers.’’

At these words, the brothers looked at each other's face and gulped down. And Mel was still continued to speak with his detached tone.

‘’So… are you in... or out?’’

‘’… … (*sigh* For my big brother). I am in.’’

‘’I never had any doubt. Then let's not lose time and go right now. After all, my game will begin in only three hours. Oh, and let's not forget those… precious tools given as a present from the ancient civilization.’’

Mel went back to the drawer where the device once was. He took out from it with his mouth two white stick things that he tossed out to the brothers who each caught them with dexterity. Those sticks were made of stone and they each have handles to grab. The brother pressed on a specific part of the handle and electrical arcs were projected noisily on the surface of the sticks.

‘’Only one physical contact with these sticks and anypony would be instantly knocked out. Added that with your arsenal, it should be a cinch as you say.’’

‘’And like you promised, we won’t have to deal with the princess or her student.’’

‘’Don’t worry about those two powerhouses. I will be the one to deal personally with Twilight and Starlight. That will only leave you the five others. But like I say, do not underestimate them.’’

‘’What you will do with these two?’’

‘’It’s simple. I will tell them//

‘’You want to guide us personally to the ruins this very night! It’s… out of the blue.’’

Twilight was talking in the hallway of the second floor of the boarding house to Mel who had come to her to make a proposition that she did not expect.

‘’Yes, I am sorry to have come here unexpectedly. But you see, I had already the intention to go there and so I told myself that I shall take the opportunity to bring you here. I am familiar with their layout which will make me the perfect guide. And you have been so nice to me that I feel I shall pay you back.’’

‘’I don’t know what to say. How do you know so much about the ruins in the first place?’’

‘’Twilight. Who is this stranger?’’

From the doorway in the hall, appear one after the other and one on top of the other, the heads of each of her friends who were curious to see to whom she was talking. Seeing them, the gray pony waved his hoof at them.

‘’Greetings everypony, I am Melancholia, the big brother of Floral, but please call me Mel. So you are the legendary Mane 6 that are venerated by all the town. I must say you do look like normal ponies.’’

And to that Rainbow Dash responded:

‘’Oh great, finally one who sees us for the simple mares we are. I tell you I was so tired of being elevated to godhood level and to constantly receive kisses on my feet. ... Did I seriously was the one who had said that!’’

*Gassssssp*

Pinkie was running like a racing car and went moving in all the directions around him at a supersonic speed.

‘’Oh my gosh, it’s you the writer of tragedies that Twilight tell us all, it is crazy how much you made me think to my sister Maud, when it’s your birthday, is it true that you have no friend in this town because that just too sad, then here something for showing that someone appreciates you.’’

She had burst a party popper who exploded in confetti. From which Mel calmly took a step behind and not receiving any on his hair.

‘’My my, thank a lot Miss Pinkamina. But I must say I did not expect to receive your support since we are literally opposite.’’

‘’Oh silly you. It is not because I dedicate my life to give smiles to everypony that I consider sorrow and pain my enemy.’’

‘’That… unexpected. (If only they were more like you… … let not think about that. It is pointless.)’’

Twilight, seeing that the conversation was derailing, got it back on track.

‘’Let's not get distracted from the subject at hoof. I repeat my question, how do you know so much about the ruins?’’

‘’Because I often go there on expeditions. I find that this is an inspirational place.’’

‘’You often go in there alone!!!’’

‘’That’s right. And that’s also why I can confirm that this place is perfectly safe.’’

‘’But… but why nopony had told me about that?’’

‘’Because they don’t know. First they have nearly no interest in these ruins. Secondly, to whom I could talk about. And third, they barely make attention to what I do.’’

‘’Oh! … ooooh.’’

‘’I am rather happy to finally share something with someone. I can be hard to have a hobby that practically no one practice.’’

‘’(Super, he plays the guilt and reciprocity card at the same time.) Look, I find this offer very interesting but we all had a hard day and we need some rest.’’

‘’Oh please. I know you are dying to go right now. Besides, something tells that anyway you will be so excited to explore those ruins that you could not sleep.’’

‘’Heh that’s not… … Okay, touché. Well, when it is said with such good arguments. STARLIGHT, CHANGE OF PLAN, WE ARE GOING IN THE RUINS RIGHT NOW. WHO NEEDS TO LOSE TIME WITH SLEEPING?’’

‘’Starlight is here, ready for adventure.’’

Starlight appeared from the doorway with bags on her back.

‘’Wait, you have already prepared.’’

‘’What do you think, we are talking about you Twi. Of course I knew right from the beginning that you could not resist going to these technological marvels wonderland like a little filly throwing herself to her Heart Warming Eve gifts. He got you right to a T.’’

Twilight did an embarrassed giggle and her iris nervously darted from left to right.

Twilight and Starlight were outside under the night sky. Even though the sky was mostly covered. The air at this hour was rather fresh and Starlight was feeling a chill. But Twilight was feeling none of that. Instead, the excitement was making her blood boil and she frantically could not stay put on her feet. She was looking right now just like a little kid.

‘’Hurry up, hurry up, hurry up, I think can’t wait a second more.’’

Mel followed them and closed the door before locking it with a key.

Or rather simulated to lock it.

‘’We’re all ready. Follow me now. The ruins are waiting for us. You will love them, I’m sure of it.’’

Our three ponies then went at their pace on a trail leading them to the mountain. Blissfully unaware that two pairs of yellow eyes hiding in the bush were spying on them like the eyes of ferocious beasts. And once the ponies were out of their sights, the two diamond dogs came out of their hideout without making any noise. They then turned their heads to the window of the floor where there was light and where you could hear the noise of ponies having fun. Dirt, knowing now where his targets were, did a nod to himself.

‘’Good, they are all here in one place. This is perfect. Mel should have left the door unlocked so we could enter the boarding house unnoticed. We will attack them using the element of surprise, they will see nothing coming. But prepare yourself if something goes wrong, we can’t afford to fail. Are you ready Dust? … … Dust! Your paws are shaking!’’

That was true. The furry gray hands of Dust were trembling at an alarming rate and his fingers could not stay in one place. And his eyes were at the verge of hysteria.

‘’Yes brother, I am afraid. I, I, I really don’t want to do this. These ponies did nothing wrong. We don’t even know them. I am not sure I will be able to forgive myself.’’

As an answer, Dirt gently grabbed the hands of Dust and it stopped the shaking instantly.

‘’I understand little bro. It is the same for me. I know that what we will be doing is wrong but we have no other choice if we want to survive. So please, I really need you to be there because I could not do it on my own. Dust… we need that money.’’

This was all he needed. He has after all once made a sermon to himself. That he will do anything, but anything for his brother. His eyes were now focused and his face had changed. It was now the face of a hunter.

‘’All right big bro. There won’t be any hesitation anymore. Let’s go.’’

‘’Thank you little bro. Yes, let’s go.’’

The two dogs placed themselves discretely right next to the entry door. They gave each other a silent nod and covered their faces with what was resting on their heads. Gas masks. And it is with deep breathing noise that they slowly put their paws on the doorbell.

‘’The sky is covering. Sinister.’’

Was what Rarity had said, looking through the window to see her two friends disappear in the distance.

‘’And here they go. It seems we will have the night to ourselves alone. It makes me feel a little left-out.’’

Applejack had step-forward to put her hoof on the shoulder of Rarity to console her.

‘’Haaah don’t make that face. Do ya think we will have been in the mood for that tonight? Besides, it is not like it will be the last day we take here, there will be plenty of occasions to help Twilight with her research. At least ah think we could offer help of some sort. Which makes me think. Pinkie, why ya wanted so much to give a welcoming parade to this Melancholia guy? Ah know that it is yer thing but it is usually for the new ones in Ponyville. Not when we going outside town.’’

‘’Oh that. Hummm how should I say this? I think is because I just felt that I should do it.’’

‘’What do ya mean?’’

‘’Remember when I said that he was like my sister. Well, there is one key difference between him and Maud. Even though Maud is expressionless the majority of the time, okay all the time, well, you could still see like a subtle spark shining in her eyes each time she felt something. Without bragging, I consider myself an expert in noticing them. However, for this Mel, I did not see a single sparkle in his eyes. That made me feel sad and I thought that he must be because he feels so lonely. So I tried to cheer him up but it seems to not even have made a dent. A shame.’’

Rarity could not help but to agree with Pinkie.

‘’He does seem to be a particular fellow. But at least he has good taste in accessories.’’

It was then that Rainbow, who was starting to get bored, did a loud yawn.

‘’Yaaawn. On another subject, what are we going to do tomorrow? I would love to avoid having a day as exhausting as this one.’’

Fluttershy landed on the couch next to her.

‘’Don’t worry Rainbow, this time it will be different. Our mistake was that we were separate. But if we all go together, it will be easier. No matter what will fall on us, we will know how to overcome them.’’

‘’I did not think I hear you say that one day Fluttershy.’’

‘’What can I say, with you around I learned more and more to be courageous. Well, at least a little bit.’’

Seeing how far she had grown, Applejack made a warm smile.

‘’She is right. We have faced many dangers and perils together and we have always been victorious. So what a few crazy days for us?’’

‘’Personally, I am not against some loony days.’’

All shouted ‘’Yeah Pinkie, we know.’’ But then Rarity made her face saying she was hit by an idea.

‘’You know, all this talk about our friendship is pretty inspirational. Like, humm… like: we serve as the strength of each other and together we are as indestructible as a shining diamond. Ooooh, this actually gives me an idea for a new dress.’’

‘’So dramatic. But now I am pumped up and I got my energy back. Alright, let them give us everything they got. With friendship power and our awesomeness, we will all knock them down.’’

Applejack did a small embarrassed chuckle.

‘’Geez, how did it lead up to us spurting out such cheesy speeches? Heheh.’’

While Pinkie rolled to the center of the room so that she could attract the attention.

‘’Ah who cares, we should never miss an occasion to remember the most precious thing we have. And I think the last thing to do is crown this moment. WITH A RAIN OF CONFETTI.’’

She took her famous party cannon from who knows where (where was the point to question it) and aimed it high at the ceiling with a huge grin. However, even Fluttershy could see her true goal.

‘’It sound to me like you just want an excuse to celebrate something.’’

‘’So what. Detail. Besides, it is a special blend of confetti that I was saving for an occasion like that. Now everypony, TO OUR INVINCIBLE FRIENDSHIP.’’

And all of them shouted at the unison ‘’To our invincible friendship’’.

And she pulled the string, making the cannon burst a cloud of confetti, but like she had said, they were very special. They were not made of paper but of a kind of aluminum reflecting beautifully the light of the room. They were made of seven colors, each representing the members of the Mane 6. And once they no longer had momentum, the cloud of sparkling scraps of paper stopped his ascension and fell at a slow pace. And the ponies could see that each color was arranged and positioned in a way that accentuated each other making it a true work of art. They immediately understood that Pinkie must have made many efforts and been very meticulous to create this and it was no wonder that she wanted to use it so much. They could not help but admire with shining eyes this living symbol of the bond that united them.

And… ... it was at this moment... that their happiness was shattered.

A kind of object, something like a metal cane, came flying through the confetti cloud, bursting it and ruining the beautiful harmony. And with perfect timing, or maybe bad timing, the light of the room went flickering in tandem each time the cane bounced on the floor with a metallic thud. Once it finally settled down, each pony, even Pinkie, looked at it with incredulous looks.

‘’… … Hum, that was not supposed to happen.’’

From the cane then came a continuous spray of white gas that was starting to spread over all the room. The ponies were transfixed because they simply did not understand what their eyes were showing them. All except for Rainbow Dash. She too at first was too surprised to comprehend what was happening, but she was a Wonderbolt and this thing was looking just like those canes of gas they were using for calming potential riot. Their use was extremely rare but they were effective. Could it be… … At this thought every muscle and neuron of Rainbow Dash tensed up to the max.

‘’SLEEPING GAS! BREATH IT AND YOU WILL BE KNOCKED OUT!’’

She acted by instinct and flew through the window smashing it with her own body. It did take only a second apart for her to do the same with the second from the outside. But she did not stop there and immediately she flew around the window in circles, faster and faster, until she became a blue twister, creating a vacuum sucking the gas before it can reach her friends and expelling it to the air outside. Applejack was the second to become aware that they were in danger. She took the advantage of this opening and ran to the metal cane still streaming the gaseous sleeping agent. Then she gave it a powerful kick that propelled it to the doorway and then to the hall. Very quickly, the white gas invaded the corridor and the doorway was covered in an opaque fog. She then shouted:

‘’EVERYPONY GET BEHIND ME.’’

This order awakens them and they all went to refuge themselves behind Applejack who was ready to defend herself. Rainbow, who had just finished clearing the rest of the gas, flew to AJ and took a position to mimic her. Rarity, behind them, was in shock and disbelief.

‘’But what the hay is going on!?’’

‘’Is it not obvious. Somepony is attacking us.’’

‘’Who is it, ah don’t know but we will not go down without a fight. Wait, Rainbow! Ya hurt!’’

From the forehead of Rainbow was streaming a thin stream of blood made when she had hit the glass. Without averting her gaze, Rainbow nonchalantly wiped it with the tip of her right wing.

‘’Not important. We have those to deal with. HEY YOU KNUCKLEHEADS. STOP HIDING LIKE COWARDS AND SHOW YOURSELVES.’’

Only silence answered her back and nothing was coming from the cloud covering the doorway. But then, two pairs of yellow lights appeared in the nebulous fog and step by step, they were coming closer. Until two figures came out of the gas to be bathed by the light of the room, showing fully the appearance of the assailants. They were by no way ponies. They were bipedal and their hands were showing gray fur. Their faces were covered by creepy gas masks with yellow slits for eyes. For those innocent ponies, it makes them look like creatures coming straight from a nightmare and the hard breathing noise didn’t arrange things. Also, these two were wearing heavy jackets with pockets full of tools not made for peaceful acts. In short, they were showing that they were here for business. They looked familiar to Rarity.

‘’Wait is that…’’

‘’Who the hay are ya and what in tarnation do ya want with us? We did nothing wrong.’’

The little one, Dirt, answered with a voice that was distorted by the mask.

‘’Sorry. Nothing personal. But you must come with us.’’

With synchronicity the two brothers took the lightning rods from their pockets and with a swing, turned them on and made them buzzing with electrical arcs. The ponies did not know what those things were but they could know one thing, they must not be touched by those rods.

Dirt went sprinting to them, his weapon ready to strike. But Rarity stepped front and used her horn to levitate one of the beds and threw it at him. Every unicorn could use levitation, even at a young age. It's one of the most basic spells. But it had a major default. For most of them, the levitation spell is only proportional to their natural strength. That is why they often use it on very light objects. For particularly heavy stuff you will need to be proficient in magic to bypass this weakness. But Rarity could have lifted the bed because in this moment of danger she had felt adrenaline rushing through her body. But Dirt easily grabbed the bed with one grip of his hand. Diamond Dogs have very strong arms. That is why they are such good diggers. And that is why he could easily overpower the levitation and throw at his turn the bed to the Mane 6, who all had to split to avoid it in extremis.

The bed crashed in splinters on the wall and Dirt resumed his course. Rainbow Dash was feeling it was enough and became aggressive. She flew at the speed of lightning and punched Dirt's arm, making him throw the rod which went slipping on the floor to go hide under a bed. She did not stop there, she flew all around him and hit him, punch after punch, everywhere and she was too fast for Dirt to do anything.

Take that. And that and that and that, ouch, and that and that and even more. No one hurt my friends.

She interrupted her attacks and flew a little away. Dirt had received too many hits and fell on his knee.

‘’Ah, did you see that? I am too fast for you. Now I give you one chance to stop and to leave us alone and maybe there will be no more hurting for you.’’

‘’Heh! And tell us why ya are attacking us.’’

‘’Oh right, right. But before telling us what the big idea is to go after us and then, you could go away. And you better do it now without any nasty trick or I swear I will get very angry and WOAH!!!’’

Rainbow Dash suddenly fell on the floor with a painful thud. Once she got up on her hooves, she tried to flip her wings but only managed to flip the left one. The right has gone limp.

‘’Hey what gives!’’

Fluttershy, seeing her childhood friend that she was considering the strongest pony in the world, being hurt and vulnerable, was making her so but sooo worried.

‘’Rainbow, what wrong!’’

‘’It’s... it’s my wing. It does not move like I want. And I think… I think I no longer feel it!’’

She did not understand what was happening to her and a feeling of panic was starting to submerge her. A pegasus could not fly with just one wing. Now that her main attribute was gone, what was left of her, was what she was thinking. It was at this moment that Dirt did a malicious smile, even though it was hiding under the mask, and he began to chuckle. Everyponies turned their heads to him, and noticing the attention, he lifted his paw and showed to them a mini syringe with a needle hidden in his jacket sleeve under his wrist.

‘’This syringe contains a powerful muscle relaxant. We knew that you, Rainbow Dash, will be the biggest threat. And because of how fast you flap your wings, the blood, with the product in it, had quickly circulated in them. Now you are nothing more than a vulnerable pony. And what are you doing brother just standing there? After them!’’

The big one went like a rampaging rhino to knock them with his shoulder. Rainbow was feeling defenseless, something that was extremely rare for her, so much that she could not move. But Rarity stepped in and pushed her off the way with her horn glowing.

‘’Time for a change of strategy.’’

This time instead on a whole bed, it was just a sheet that was levitated by the blue aura. And just as she and Rainbow get off the track of the dog, she throws the sheet at Dust, covering him and his vision. It could have been electrocuted by his own rod if he had not instinctively shut-it down. And like a wailing ghost, he continued to run blindly to the wall, not to pass across it but to hit it with violence. And once he fell, he simply could not free himself from the sheet no matter how much he had to struggle.

‘’Get that thing of me!’’

Seeing that, Pinkie made the face of somepony who had an idea.

‘’And what a great idea it is. Fluttershy, go and take Rarity with you though the broken window and once outside go search for help. We three will soon follow you.’’

But Fluttershy, who was so shocked to be a witness of such out of nowhere violence, was a little out of it.

‘’Huh!... What!’’

Dust, tired of struggling, had instead opted to use his fangs to tear the sheet apart. Pinkie knew she had to be fast.

‘’There is no time to explain, you have to do it now.’’

Pinkie went to walk on two legs and grabbed Rarity with one arm like she was a roll up carpet.

‘’Heh what! No wait Pinkie, I am not exactly in agreement. No no no no no noooo WAAAHHHHHH!!!’’

Pinkie was not listening to her and threw her away to the outside. Which had awokwen Fluttershy.

‘’Rarity!!!’’

And she went flying through the broken window and caught Rarity in-extremis. Pinkie did a sweep of her forehead.

‘’Fiouf, nothing bad happened. Okay, it’s my turnnnn.’’

Dirt had recovered enough to stand on his legs. Pinkie Pie went to bed and jumped on it as if it was a trampoline. She did not stop there and she went from bed to bed, while doing some impressive aerial acrobatics and also while crying ‘’weeeeeeh’’. Dirt tried to catch her without success and when Pinkie had enough fun, she did a backflip and landed on the chest of the masked diamond dog, putting to the ground and cutting his breath and as a mockery she had said:

‘’Ten points.’’

She then goes running to the doorway still covered in gas, even though the cane had nearly emptied its content.

‘’Time for you all to see my mastery of my own biofeedback. Aww that sounded better in my head.’’

She made her fluffy tail turn around so fast that it became a fan and with it, she turned around and made it blow on the smoke, which was already at its last reserve, dispersing it and creating a safe passage to the alleyway.

‘’AJ, Dashie, run for your lives.’’

That's what they did. Dust freed himself at last but only to see his target going away for good. Panic submerged him and vivid images of a past time were coming by force in his head. A time he rather forgot.

‘’No, no, I must not fail!’’

He was running with the energy of despair and didn’t even notice that he had brutally pushed aside his dear brother. It was not to the door he was running but to the wall and with a burst of all his strength, smash through the old wood. The ponies could do nothing but stop in their tracks. How you will react if a gargantuan figure with a creepy mask went through a wall and blocked your passage. Dust was panting from his effort and spread his arms, using his own body as a barricade to forbid them to take the L-shaped stairs, the only way out.

‘’You *pant* are going *pant* anywhere.’’

Okay now I am fed up with this. I will show you who the vulnerable pony is.

Rainbow had accumulated too much stress and she could no longer contain it. She charged toward him like a fury, jumped while making a war cry and pushing him through the stair with her. The hit was so strong that they went flying across all the steps and pulverized the handrail before Dust back had met painfully the hard surface of the floor. But even if he was feeling so much pain that it was numbing his senses and that his strengths were nearly depleted, he was still struggling the most he could against the blue pegasus who was doing her best to use her hooves to make him stay on the floor.

‘’Oh no, you stay there you big brute. AJ, Pinkie, go, NOW.’’

Applejack and Pinkie Pie throttled the stairs with Dirt following them with difficulty. AJ didn’t even take the time to open the door and instead opted to give her a kick with her back legs, which broke the door off its hinges and fell on the soft ground of the outside.

‘’Okay now let’s go.’’

‘’You two run away and go searching for help. I stay here keeping him busy.’’

She was saying, her teeth clenching and with the most aggressive look she could muster.

‘’But Rainbow, we can’t abandon ya.’’

‘’I, said, GO AWAY RIGHT NOW, I WILL KEEP HIM BUSY. Don’t worry, have you forgotten that I am the most awesome pony in the world. No one can beat me.’’

‘’Rainbow, we… we will come back quickly. You better respect yer promise.’’

Then went to the cold air of the exterior. Dirt had at last taken the last step off the stair.

‘’Dirt, go after them.’’

‘’What! No you don’t little doggie.’’

This moment of distraction was a grave mistake for Rainbow because Dust had taken the advantage and grabbed her by the neck.

‘’You mine now.’’

And he threw her all the way to the kitchen. A noise of broken dishes was a good hint of what had happened to her.

‘’ Go big bro, I will take care of Rainbow Dash. I will come back to you after.

‘’Alright. Please be careful.’’

Dirt went outside but I could not see any of the ponies. But diamond dogs have an excellent sense of smell. So he had taken off his mask which had become useless anyway. After having taken several sniffs of the air, he could smell two tracks. But since he could only take one, he had decided to take the one on his left, hoping that his brother would take the other.

And so the hunter went tracking his prey. And like to emphasize how grim this story has become, the sky was covered by a curtain of dark clouds.

‘’The sky is really becoming dark.’’

Was what was saying Twilight as she and Starlight were following Mel across a path between a forest and the foot of the mountain. The sky looked like it was coated with dark clouds in its entirety. No single centimeter was clear. No little peek at the beautiful tapestry of Luna. And no stargazing for Twilight. What a shame. Also, the curtain of clouds was in constant movement like a slow and flowing river, which was adding to the ominous appearance of the sky. But Mel was looking at it with a smile.

‘’Yes, the weather pegasi had said that it will be like that all night. Apparently, they had been stuck with a surplus of dark clouds and have decided to get rid of them in one shot. But don’t worry, there will be no rain or thunder. They are too thin for that anyway.’’

‘’Thanks but what I was really saying was that it was making the night… eerie.’’

‘’Really! I find rather that it is a pretty view and the perfect ambiance for… …’’

‘’For what?’’

‘’… for inspiration.’’

‘’Ah, of course. (Damn, I have so much difficulty reading him.)’’

Starlight went to talk to Mel.

‘’You know Mel, there is a question that was on my mind for some time.’’

‘’Yes Miss Glimmer.’’

‘’How is that you have explored those ruins in the first place?’’

‘’Their discovery was too recent so they did not have the time to put restrictions to stop ponies to enter them.’’

‘’No I mean, why you go to them?’’

‘’When this big pillar of light appeared, it gave quite the scare to the whole town. Everypony went out of their house and looked at it with fascination. But for me I was principally curious to know what the cause of this phenomenon was. After the investigation team had told us that ancient ruins were hiding in our mountains, I knew I had to go see them. So I did it. Many times. Because I find the idea of a whole world that had today completely disappeared so fascinating.’’

‘’But wait, if everypony can go when they please, what about the other inhabitants of Happy Town? They are not curious? Those ruins are at only two steps of their home and they had produced a big column of energy. They are not even a little bit worry?’’

‘’Not at all. They have only seen that as a beautiful show and then they have decided to let the authorities deal with that. They also hope that one day these ruins could be used as a future attraction for tourists.’’

‘’You're kidding right. They cannot be carefree at this point!’’

‘’Oh you have no idea. We will follow this path.’’

He had pointed his gray hoof to a section of the mountain that looked like he was easy to climb.

‘’This is a natural path that leads to the entrance of the cavern. It is very safe to take, I have used it many times. Alright, follow the guide.’’

He started to climb the rocky path and Twilight and Starlight did the same.

‘’It will be soon, Starlight. Soon we will see a place of many wonders. I feel like I was a little filly once again. This could be the best day of my life.’’

Dust had entered the kitchen while making mechanical breathing noises and slowly pushing the door open. Contrary to the other rooms, the roof lamps were not lit. The only sources of luminosity were the night sky from the window, which was not much, and the rectangle of light made by the open door. It was dark but you could still see where you were going. And he could see Rainbow Dash leaning against the cabinets and a lot of broken plate shards on her, her head and all around her, that were clearly coming from the dishes cabinet above her with one door smashed and its content nearly empty.

‘’Guuuuh. *cough**cough* Hey… you think it is a way to treat a lady? You really did a number on me. Damn I am sure you just give me a lot of bruises. Well, good thing I am already blue.’’

‘’Still conscious. I had really hoped that it was not the case. Then I will no longer have to use violence. But I guess luck it’s not on my side. Now I would like it if you please OH DAMN THAT THING IS BOTHERSOME. It is useless anyway.’’

The gas mask was seriously tampering his vision and it was uncomfortable. With irritation he grabbed it, took it out of his face and tossed it.

‘’A diamond dog! I should have known. Nothing good comes from you.’’

As an answer, Dust grabbed his lightning rod and turned it on.

‘’I know I am the bad guy in this story and you have the right not to forgive me. No. You should not. I'm just asking you, to let me hit you with this, and it will be over in an instant.’’

‘’Are you kidding, what kind of deal it is!’’

‘’Then you leave me no choice. You are pretty hurt, you can’t fly and I am better equipped. You know you have no chance to win.’’

And Rainbow was thinking the same thing. She was not that dense, she knew that the odds were against her. And that was making her afraid. So afraid. The light shining from behind Dust was ironically making him a shadowy figure, slowly approaching her with his dangerous weapon and his glittering and evil yellow eyes. Something terrible will soon happen to her but she could not even imagine what, or rather could not dare to imagine. She tried to tell herself, in her thoughts, that she was not scared the hell of her mind. But the noise of her clattering teeth was proving her it was a lie. ... … However…

‘’Aha. Bwahahahahaha. Don’t you know who I am? I am Rainbow Dash. And I never back down from a challenge. Especially the hard ones. For me, the greatest pleasure in life is to surpass myself. To push back my limits. I did it countless times. Sometimes I lose… but sometimes I am victorious. So I have no chance to win? HA. This only pump me even more.’’

She went back on her feet and by forcing her teeth to stop clattering, she gave the cockiest smile she could muster. Then she put herself on her back legs and went moving and hitting the air like a boxer.

‘’So come here, so that I can kick your butt.’’

‘’As you WISHHHHH.’’

He rushed to her, ready to electrocute her. But even though she could no longer fly, she still had the best reflexes in the world. He had swung his rod like a knife, leaving a trail of blue light in his path. He first went to a vertical strike but she had avoided it by going to the left. But within a fraction of second, he did a lateral swing that Rainbow avoided in extremis by doing a back jump. So Dust instead opted to do a stabbing to the head which he once again missed when she tilted her head to the side. But it was so close that she could feel the electricity tickling her cheek.

‘’(Wo, too close! Too close for comfort. I need to get rid of this rod otherwise I am toast.)’’

Rainbow Dash was caught in this moment of dread and made a misstep that made her fall. Dust saw this as his chance and got ready to trust his rod. In her panic, Rainbow saw a half-open drawer and took the first thing she could get her mouth on. And used it to protect herself against the rod. Luckily, it was a kitchen clamp and she was using it like a sword to parry the rod. Normally, the metal would have conducted the electricity to her poor flesh but luckily again, the handle was in plastic so Rainbow was safe. She got back up using the clamp to parry every hit his adversary was giving her. From an outsider point of view, it may have looked like a sword fight. With strange swords. Every time they were hitting each other, bleu sparks were flying in the air. The courageous blue heroine got an idea and grabbed the rod with the clamp and with a powerful thrust, knocked it out of Dust paw.

The rod went flying high in the air with the two looking at it avidly, throwing their hands to catch it. But it fell on the side of Rainbow who did a powerful jump and kicked it, sending it to the top of a hanging cupboard. It was now out of reach for anyone.

‘’Haha, now what are you going to do without your toy GYAAARG!!!’’

Dust had given her a punch that made her fall and then grabbed her and sent her flying right to the sink with such strength that her body smashed it. Literally. The sink had been ripped off the wooden structure, which had become a pile of splitter, and even the plumbing was broken, making water spilling freely on the ground. It was a miracle that our bleu pegasus didn’t have any broken bones. Though she was still in pretty bad shape. She was spread motionless on the floor on a bed of broken wood and a puddle that was slowly becoming bigger and the detached sink was resting on her face. An embarrassing sight. But then she finally expressed a grunt.

‘’Heh, out of my ways sink.’’

Rainbow got back on her feet again and this time she had an irritating face on her like if this ordeal was just a simple annoyance. Dust ran to her to grab her but because of the dark he didn’t see the wet floor and slipped off his feet. She had used this as a chance to run on the table in the middle of the room to get some distance. She then jumped to a counter, was looking intensely at Dust, kicked with her back leg the wall. The choc had the effect of opening a plate cupboard which was making all the plates fall. Without even looking away, she raised her right front hoof and all the plates landed on it on a perfect pile.

‘’Let play frisbee Fido.’’

‘’Oh no, not that jokeHAARG!!’’

Rainbow was hurling one plate at a time with her mouth, at a rate faster than a throwing baseball machine set at high difficulty. Dust tried to protect himself with his big arms as a cover but it was still hurting. When Rainbow had no more ammunition, Dust entered into a blinding rage and made a huge scream.

That... was exactly what Rainbow Dash wanted.

As he was lunging to put down this blue pest, she had jumped before he could catch her, landed on the extremity of the table and quickly dived under it. Dust wanted to follow her and follow the same road as her. But of course, he was way too big to go under the table. It would have been simpler to just lift it but anger had made him no longer capable of rationalizing. Rainbow sprinted to the other side of the table and once there, she waited to see his assailant lift his head. He did and was not happy. But Rainbow Dash was.

‘’(There's your ugly muzzle. Sorry, but I will make it even more ugly.)’’

She pounded her hooves at the end of the table. This created a pendulum effect, propelling the other end right to the chin of Dust. The choc was brutal, his vision went blurry and his ears were buzzing. Seeing that as her chance, Rainbow went running on the table and used the last of her strength and did a great jump, clung herself on his shoulder and did a head-butt on his skull.

This blow... was too much for his brain. He staggered on his feet and then fell on his back, unconscious. It was finally over. Rainbow Dash breathed a sigh of relief. It was then that all the fatigue and the damage finally caught on her and she allowed herself to fall on the side. On the wet floor. Wanting a comfy position, she leaned her back on the drawers and looked at the mighty adversary that she had beaten.

‘’Haha… ... I really have done it. I won. I WOOOON. I bet that you had not seen that coming. (To be honest, me too.) BWAHAHAHA. It's me Rainbow Dash, the one that no one can vanquish. ‘’

But fate can be very cruel.

It was at this moment that the rod, which was in a precarious balance, was at last conquered by gravity and fell. It first bounced on the counter then he did many flip in the air... like it was mocking her. Seeing that, Rainbow could do nothing but shrink her pupils in terror as this electrical weapon hit the puddle.

And then, all the kitchen was brightened by a bleu and flickering light, casting on the wall the shadow of a pegasus convulsing and wriggling in every way.

Dust opened his eyes when he felt cold water hitting his feet. He got up while grumbling and rubbing his head that was hurting him. Then it all came back to him. What he was doing and what had happened to him. He looked around to find where the multicolored menace was and…

Rainbow Dash was there, spread on the water, inert, the mouth wide open and her eyes were now a pure white. She was unconscious. Dust could do nothing but cover his mouth with his paw because of how much he was shocked to see what had happened to this poor pony. And above all else... shocked that he was the one responsible. He also saw his lightning rod loitering farther and understood immediately what had happened. He took it and tried to activate it without success.

‘’Drat, it must have been short-fused. It's useless now. *sigh* Come one Dust, go back to your feet. One down, only four left. Rainbow Dash will be knocked out for quite some time, I can leave her here and go search the others.’’

He was ready to go but he had stopped on his track then looked at Rainbow. After a painful moment of silence, he decided to take her unconscious body and put her delicately on the table.

‘’Here. At least you will be dry and comfortable. It’s the least I can do. … … What I have done! I could never be able to atone for this. ... ... In what I have embarked myself?’’

He exited the kitchen the fastest he could, because it was way too hard for him to stay here a minute longer.

‘’Hurry Fluttershy, we must quickly find help. But why the hell must they all sleep like logs!’’

Rarity and Fluttershy had managed to flee to the populated area, but everypony were fast asleep at this hour and the streets were devoid of life. So Rarity opted to bang on the doors and plead for help in a rather hysterical way. But our two mares had the rotten of luck because nopony answered them or were even showing the little sign that these houses were habited.

‘’Oh dammit, it is the six one! What is their problem, they all have taken sleeping pills before going to bed and now they all knock out? Well that's it! To hell with politeness, we are going to break a window, trespass, slap a pony in his bed and finally come back with help to save our friends. … Fluttershy?!’’

She then finally became aware that Fluttershy had stayed silent during all this time. She took a look at her and saw that the pegasus was shaking uncontrollably and was hyperventilating. The clear signs of a panic attack.

‘’Fluttershy! Are you alright?’’

‘’I... I am sorry Rarity, I know, I know it’s not the time to get scare, and I I I know I must come back to my senses and act because our friends are in danger but… but…’’

In addition to the shaking, water was starting to flow from her eyes and her voice was changing to a panic one.

‘’Why is this happening to us? Who are those two guys? Why are they attacking us? What do they want? It was so out of nowhere, none of this make sense! We were just having a good time. We were just sharing happy moments of friendship full of joy and without warning it changed in a split-second into danger and fear. It’s not supposed to happen just like that. It's like I am in a nightmare and I can’t wake up. I just can't. Why Rarity? Why is this happening to us?’’

‘’I… I don’t know. I have really no idea. (Though I may have one on who were those guys.)’’

‘’And now anything could have happened to our friends. I know that panicking is useless and I really try so why… why I just can’t.’’

‘’Stop Fluttershy and listen.’’

Rarity had gently put her hoof on the check of Fluttershy to calm her down and she looked at her like a mother who wants to reassure her child.

‘’There is no shame to be afraid. I too am scared but it is perfectly normal. And you should not worry about our friends. You know them, they would not let themselves go down so easily and they have seen others. And we will come back with help and stop those ruffians.’’

‘’You really think so.’’

‘’I am sure of it, everything will be alright.’’

‘’THERE YOU ARE!’’

Dirt appeared at the other end of the street, wielding his rod whose sparks were giving a menacing blue glow to the diamond dog and his maw full of pointy fangs. Rarity stepped before Fluttershy and stretched her hoof to the side, silently telling her not to move.

‘’Stay behind me. And don’t worry, I know how to deal with these brutes.’’

She then went forward to face him. She felt no fear. For the reason that she was too busy protecting her friend.

‘’I recognize you. You are Dirt the handyman. What do you want with us?’’

He was coming closer at a slow pace while keeping his eyes fixated on the ponies.

‘’Just another job. Someone has asked to capture you. Who and why, that I won’t tell you. I could ask you to simply surrender without complications but I am not that stupid. If I was at your place, I will defend myself to the death.’’

‘’Well, you’re RIIIGHT.’’

Rarity lighted her horn and threw a rock at his face. It worked and he received it right at his eye.

‘’GAAAAH!!!’’

‘’Quick Fluttershy, let’s run!’’

‘’I thought you knew how to deal with them?’’

‘’Something tells me the usual tricks of seduction and whining will not work with him.’’

They had managed to outrun him and they ran to a dark and thin alley. She then saw a barrel and she got an idea. First she took off the lid, then she levitated the entire body of Fluttershy, which made her do a squeak of surprise, and put her in the empty barrel. Rarity puts back the lid and half closes it to be able to speak one last time to her friend.

‘’Stay here darling, you will be safe. I will come back later when there will be no more danger.’’

‘’Rarity no! I can’t leave you alone with him!’’

‘’Don’t worry, everything will be fine. You know that if there is one thing I am not, it is a damsel in distress. I will give him the lesson of his life until his face becomes the ugliest thing in the world. Then tomorrow we will forget that all this awful thing happened and we will all come back to have fun. That is what will happen. I promise.’’

‘’Rarity!’’

But the little crevice of light disappears, along with it the reassuring blue eyes of Rarity. And she was left in complete darkness, alone with her fears and anxiety.

As for Rarity, she had heard footsteps approaching and indeed, here he appeared. The dog, now more wolf than dog, was showing his teeth like a rabid beast. But the young mare showed that she had the courage of a warrior by facing him. Because there was somepony she had to protect no matter the cost.

‘’You know, I was feeling very guilty to have misjudged you only because I had a bad experience with your species. It was not fair and it made me feel like trash. But now, here you are, showing me that I was right to be wary of you. That an even worse feeling.’’

‘’It is no use to give me morals. I know that what I am doing is bad and criminal. But I still chose to do it. And it’s not with tears that you will change my mind. I… I am just too much in need of the money.’’

‘’In that case, I will show you no mercy.’’

She had put herself upright and with her arms, proceeded to do very exaggerated martial art moves.

‘’Yuuuuuuuuh. Whuaaaaaaah.’’

‘’… You know the kung-fu!’’

‘’A girl must know how to defend herself.’’

It was like seeing a samurai movie. The two put themselves in attacking positions but didn’t move an inch. Dirt ready to jump at her and Rarity ready to counter-attack. They were like statues except for their hairs that were floating on the wind.

That it’s until Rarity turned around, galloping at fast speed, and disappeared at the crossroad of the alley while Dirt stayed there like an idiot.

‘’… … Heh! Hey wo wait waitwaitwait come back!’’

Realizing far too late what just happened, he went running to find the target that had cleverly escaped from his grasp. But at the moment he too exited the alley, a white hoof emerged and struck him at the side of his head, making him fall on his back.

This retreat was just a feint.

Rarity quickly took his weapon in her mouth, walked brutally on his belly and put it and the dangerous sparkles at just an inch of his face.

Even in his precarious state, I could not help but to compare the blue eyes of the unicorn to two blue sapphires, since Diamond Dogs were fascinated by gems after all. But two sapphires shining with hatred and rage. A beautiful and terrific as hell vision.

‘’Play time over, you will leave me and my friend in peace. Do I make myself clear?’’

Dirt was scared out of his wits, so by reflex, he punched her in the face. The blow was so powerful that she was thrown across many meters and she had dropped the rod. When she got up, she had a big and nasty bruise on her cheek and an air of serious indignation.

‘’*gasp* You dare hit a lady!’’

‘’Yeah, and I will do it again.’’

The tables had turned. She knew her only chance now was to escape. She searched frantically for a way out and saw a double door of a big building. Without even thinking she burst it open with her magic and ran inside. And she found out that she had entered a huge warehouse full of crates stacked in piles. But especially, she found out that there was no way out.

‘’Ooooh I did not think this through. That what you get for running on panic.’’

‘’That right little missy, now you are trapped. So please, be gentle and let yourselves be electrocuted nicely.’’

‘’A coward. That's all you are. You nothing more than a stupid coward.’’

Fluttershy was finally in a moment of quietude where she could be alone with her thoughts. But this had the side effect of letting all her fears sink in. She was shaking and her blood felt cold since she couldn’t stop thinking about how a dog could soon open the lid at any moment and show his mutt to her, trapped and defenseless. However… there was also another feeling, far stronger, that was gnawing at her heart. Guilt.

‘’Your friends were afraid too, I could see that in their faces. But they did not falter. No, they were brave and faced the danger head on. They all did. All, except you. You were so frozen by fear that you could not move and you could do nothing for them. The only thing you are useful for is to be protected by others. A chain ball, that what you are.’’

Her self-loathing was growing so big that she could hear the word coward being repeated again and again in the dark, making her remember her shame. Some past fillyhoad traumas, that were already vanquished, were dangerously close to being awakened again. Her face was contorted by emotional pain, but slowly, she started to grind her teeth and forced herself to shut up the voices in her head.

‘’NO! This is no time for self-pity. My friends are in danger and they need my help. Does all the past times you put yourself on the line to protect them mean nothing? Do all the steps that you have taken for being more courageous and assertive were useless? I won’t deny the progress I made. Who cares if I am scared to death? Because for my friends… FOR MY FRIENDS I COULD GIVE MY LIFE WITHOUT HESITATING.’’

She then burst from the barrel while doing a big cry that she was using to kill all the fear in her. And then she fell on the ground. But she put herself back up and did another war cry while running to rescue her friend, with tears in her eyes.

Rarity could no longer go backward, her back was hitting the cold wood of the crates. Dirt was slowly raising his rod with not a hint of mercy in his gaze. The unicorn had no longer any hope for her fate and she was wondering if it would be painful or not. It was enough to make her gulp. But in the corner of her vision, she glimpsed at a rectangular wooden pole and it made her remember a scene of one of her favorite novels. Acting on an impulse, she levitated it and used it to at the last second block the strike of the rod. Now with her new weapon, she used her magic to turn it around like a fan, making her enemy stand back and gaining more ground. Dirt wanted to retaliate but Rarity juxtaposed each time the pole to parry each strike in a rain of blue sparkle.

‘’Nice tool. I always knew that reading Shadow Spade would one day save my life.’’

‘’You can’t do that eternally. At one point you will get tired and you will lose your concentration and then GAAAAH!!!’’

Dirt had just received a whole crate on his head that had been demolished in contact. His ears were buzzing and he was rubbing the big lump under his cap.

‘’Ouch… what was that!?’’

Wondering both where it was coming from, they saw Fluttershy standing on the crates with an angry look.

‘’Fluttershy! What you are doing here, I told you to hide?’’

‘’I'm sorry Rarity. I know you wanted to protect me but there is no way I could just leave you alone. Friends protect each other.’’

‘’Well, here goes my dramatic sacrifice. Oh well, I kind of had the feeling it was to end this way. So darling, what do you say we put him down together.’’

‘’I promise I won't back down in fear. Now as for you.’’

The fire in her turquoise eyes was first that Dirt could not believe that she was the same pony from earlier. She placed herself into position to kick the crates beside her.

‘’Take that, and that and that you big bully.’’

The shy pegasus was throwing crate after crate by kicking at them. Fluttershy was known for being rather frail but adrenaline and danger can make everyone do wonder. As for the poor dog, the continuous assault was so fierce that he was literally on his knees. That was when something clicked in Rarity head. An idea.

‘’Fluttershy, the ceiling lamp.’’

Understanding quickly what she meant, Fluttershy went flying to the only lamp of the entire warehouse and kicked it. It went swinging widely and with it the sole ray of light. Using the advantage of this moving spotlight Rarity was vanishing in the brief moments of darkness after reappearing under the light at a different place. And each time, she was striking Dirt with her pole with the talent of a swordmare since levitation allow to bypass the limitations of joints. Also, she couldn’t resist giving each strike by doing a gracious and dazzling pose before disappearing in the dark and doing all that again. Dirt could not follow her nor parry, he could only be her punching bag until the last hit had made him drop his weapon. He had received too much damage and nearly all his strengths were depleted. Seeing that they had won, Rarity pointed her pole to his throat.

‘’It is over Dirt, give up now.’’

‘’*pant**pant* No *pant* I can’t give up. I am not allowed. This is not the first bad time I have had. I will overcome it like all the other times.’’

‘’Please, stop this madness!’’

Was saying Fluttershy flying down to the ground.

‘’You don’t want to do this. I can see it in your eyes.’’

‘’Shut up! You couldn’t understand. It does not matter that I want it or not, I have no choice but to do it.’’

‘’That's false and you know it. Nobody should be forced to do things against their morality. If you have a problem there must be a solution without involving crime.’’

‘’Where is the point! I have already gone too far to be forgiven. Too far to stop.’’

‘’Pufft, oh please, it is not like you are the first lost soul that has chosen the wrong path that we see. We have a reputation for being a pretty forgiving group. We could also do the same to you.’’

‘’She is right. We may even give a helping hoof to you, if you give us the chance. I know it may sound hard to believe, but not matter what you have done, it is never too late to make the right choice.’’

‘’(No, no please stop, don't look at me with these kind eyes! You only make things more difficult. But if I don't... Dust! My promise!) No no no I can't stop, I can't fail, I am in a corner and I can't escape.’’

The ponies were taken aback. They have never seen so much distress in someone.

‘’I am the big brother, I must take care of my little bro! And for him, FOR HIM I WILL CROSS EVERY LINE! AaaaAAAAAH’’

In a fit of desperation, he summoned the last of his strength and grabbed by force the levitated pole and threw it at Fluttershy who was nearly hit if she did not have the reflex to get down. But it hit the pile of crates behind her, shaking them precariously. One of them at the summit tilled down until gravity exerted his force and made it fall. And unfortunately, on his track, was the poor Fluttershy who could only look up and had only the time to say:

‘’Oh dear!’’

And it smashed her. Breaking into a pile of wood, in a noise spreading across all the warehouse, leaving only behind complete silence. The only thing that was visible of Fluttershy, now buried under the wreckage, was her yellow hoof that was moving slightly, for then falling flat. And no longer moving.

‘’FLUTTERSHY!!!’’

Rarity went rushing to her side, her iris shrinking and her brain refusing to acknowledge what she was seeing. Feeling her hoof, she was still sensing a pulse but no sign that she was conscious. She was at first at shock, but it quickly disappeared to leave place for anger so great that she was biting her lips so much that they nearly bleed.

‘’How… dare you.’’

She turned around to show to Dirt a face filled with murderous rage and her horn summoning magic like she never did, taking the form of an intense and all-consuming flame.

‘’HOW DARE YOUUUUUU.’’

Dirt was so afraid it could not stop looking at this vengeful fury. He desperately wandered his hand on the ground to find something, anything, that could help him protect himself and when he touched the rod, he did the first thing that came to mind and threw it like a dagger. Luckily, or unfortunately, it landed right between her eyes, hitting all the body of the fashionista with a shock of many volts.

When she had stopped convulsing and she had no more lightning coursing through her flesh, Rarity stood on her feet, motionless, her eyes now nothing more than a white expanse.

‘’… … You… ruf… fiannnn…’’

And with the last of her consciousness gone, she fell ungraciously for then no longer moving. Leaving Dirt alone… to fully grasp what he has done… and looking with terror at his now shaking paws.

‘’After this natural bridge, the doors to the ruins are not far.’’

The three ponies were inside the mountain, exploring the tunnel that was rather spacious. And each time they talked, their voices reverberated in echo in this cathedral of rock. As Mel and Starlight were crossing the crevasse, Twilight gaze was wandering at all this mineral beauty until she sighted a strange pile of falling boulders. She wanted to come closer but//

‘’Miss Twilight, if I were you I would stay away from these. This area can be unstable. I do not want you to be crushed.’’

And she went backward with a slightly shocked face.

‘’Oh right, right, better stay away. But I can't help but be amazed by these caverns. They are beautiful and by them alone they can be worth this trip.’’

‘’Ah sorry Twi but I do not think these are caverns. Well, I mean, those walls do not look natural but instead ponymade. You see, the formation of this tunnel is not rugged but instead looks nearly symmetrical and it goes forward in a straight line. Also the cuts look clearly to be made by tools.’’

‘’Now that you mention it, you're right. How do you know so much about tunnels?’’

‘’Ha you see, when you spend some time with Maud, you learn a thing or two about rocks and caverns.’’

‘’You are correct Miss Starlight. This tunnel, except for this crevasse, use to be a mine very long ago.’’

‘’Oh! So that is why I spotted a few diggings tools. They seem so decayed they could fall in dust with a single touch.’

‘’Allow me to explain. Since I started to explore the ruins, I was interested to know how this tunnel came to be so I did some research. It was even before Happy Town was founded. Some diggers had found that a generous gold vein was resting in Mount Heaven. So naturally, they opened a mine to collect this resource for making bits. But it turns out that this generous vein was not so generous after all. And yes. The gold was principally concentrated in one spot but scarce elsewhere. But still, the diggers had still hoped to find more so they dig deeper and deeper in the mountain, until they gave up and abandoned the mine.’’

‘’And they never find the ruins!’’

‘’You will soon understand. Look, here the doors to the ancient ruins.’’

They were all standing before the massive double doors made of an unknown white material. They were staying there in silence before this wonder, like if something was compelling them to pay respect to this eon-old wonder. Twilight then noticed many stone fragments on the front of the doors and what seems to be the outlines of a natural stone wall.

‘’Ah, I see you starting to understand Miss Twilight. The reason why the diggers never find it. When they had abandoned the mine they had no idea they were just a few steps from these doors. It’s really such a shame, if they had still continued to dig just, but just a few centimeters… then instead of gold they would have found the biggest archeological site in all history.’’

‘’But then how this stone wall crumble?’’

‘’I don’t know. But it is so thin, anything could have done the job. Maybe some tremor did it. Come to think of it, I think I felt it some months ago. But enough distraction, it is time to taste the main dish and... ohoh. And I think one of us can’t just wait.’’

Obviously, he was talking about Twilight whom the enthusiast was so intense that she was hyperventilated. Mel chuckled.

‘’Alright, I understand, enough with ceremonies. Follow my lead. And don’t worry, there is not a single trap. Trust me I have come here many times after all.’’

Mel went first to the door and opened it easily. It made a loud and ominous sound just before he went inside without a trace of hesitation.

‘’Starlight, starlight, this is it! This, is, it! In a few seconds we will see so, but I’m sure, soooo many scientific and magical wonders that will blow our minds. Can you imagine?’’

‘’I don’t know Twi. You don’t think there is something wrong? Maybe//

‘’AAAAAH THIS IS TOO MUCH. I CAN’T WAIT A SECOND LONGER, I MUST GO!’’

Twilight deployed her wing and went flying inside the ruins with a nearly crazy glint shining in her iris.

‘’Twi wait! … Twi… I have a bad feeling about this. (This Mel guy... he knows way too much.)’’

Two young mares were running under the curtain of moving dark clouds covering the sky. A perfect metaphor of their dire situation. They were nearly forgetting what they were running away from. Just that they had to get away the most possible from this danger. They, at first, were galloping in any precise direction because of their half-panic state but a little sense came to them and so went straight to the town. But for Pinkie Pie, there was a sense of worry that was buried under the panic, just wanting to emerge. These kinds of thoughts have the gift to invade us when we are less expecting it. Which had happened to be right now, and when it did, she could not think of anything else. So much that she had to share her worry.

‘’Applejack.’’

‘’Not now Pinkie. We must… we must get help. Find ponies... for help.’’

‘’Applejack, stop right now.’’

For forcing her to stop galloping, she had caught her blond tail with her teeth, making Applejack fall head first on the dirt.

‘’Ouch! … Pinkie Pie what’s the big idea?! Ya want me to break all mah legs?’’

‘’Applejack, we have to come back. We can’t abandon Dashie.’’

All anger instantly left her face. She had just remembered what she had done and what she had ashamedly tried to forget.

‘’She is all alone with this brute and she can no longer fly. I know she had told us to trust her but… but I can’t help to be afraid.’’

‘’That exactly the reason we are going to search for help.’’

‘’But it might be too late!’’

It may have looked like Pinkie Pie may have been in control of herself but the truth was that she was nearly snapping. You could see in her eyes that they were full of fear. Fear for her friend. And Applejack knew that if something could scare the pony who finds fun in everything, then it was damn serious.

‘’If she ever loses to him then… then who knows what horrible things he might do to our Dashie. I don’t even dare to imagine.’’

‘’Hey hey, calm down sugarcube, ah know it looks grim but it is Rainbow we are talking about. This girl is a fighter. She is the strongest, bravest and she never gives up. If she says she could deal alone with him, then we have to trust her. Well… even if she is not the type to think things thoroughly. Even if her ego had often cloud her judgement, that she stupidly never back down from a challenge, that she has many times bite more than she could chew, that she mess up a lot and that if her friends are in danger she will only think of their safety while disregarding her own AAAAAAAAAH!!! But what the hay ah was doing, there is no way ah can leave that idiot alone, come Pinkie Pie, we are going back to rescue her.’’

Although her fear did not completely dissipate, she was now overjoyed.

‘’Alrighty AJ, I follow your back.’’

And so they went back their way to return to the old inn. The inverse travel had taken less time than the first. It seems they had run faster than when they had run away. But before they could have entered, they stopped on their track because the front door just opened. They had hoped that it will be Rainbow Dash that will exited and that she will brag no stop about her glorious victory. But alas, their hope was shattered when they saw the massive figure of Dust.

‘’… … You two came back. You really are loyal friends.’’

‘’What have ya done with Rainbow Dash?’’

‘’Rainbow? I have defeated that feisty pony.’’

‘’What! Ya lie!’’

‘’No. And you will be next.’’

He had taken a few careful steps toward them. Pinkie Pie wanted to do the same but Applejack stepped in front of her and stood a hoof, blocking her way.

‘’Go hide in the forest, he will never find ya there. Ah will deal with him.’’

‘’What are you gonna do?’’

‘’Ah will make him pay.’’

Her voice had a tone that did not allow any to doubt her promise.

‘’But//

‘’JUST GO.’’

She was startled from this outburst, but she knew it would be useless to discuss further, so she complied and went galloping to the forest. Dust did not go after her nor did he move. He knew that the cowgirl pony would not let him go without a fight. No matter what, he had to deal with her first. And he knew it wouldn't be an easy fight. She was strong and he had nearly run out of tools, he had to use brute force.

So without saying a word, he ran toward AJ to lunge at her and then gave hit after hit of his fists from left to right. But Applejack managed to avoid them all each time by a combo of backsteps and side steps. During the years in working on the farm she had to deal with many animals. Some of them can be a tad aggressive, and that especially true in rodeo. You need to have good reflexes. With all the experience, she had become so good that she could predict what they would do by instinctively observing their muscle movements. Dust tried to be more aggressive and give her a diving punch but she saw that as a chance, jump to the side in an acrobatic way and give him on his lowered face a kick of her back legs. He was propelled and fell head first on the grassy ground.

He got up, while coughing dirt, but then, he could not help but stay frozen before the sight of this mare. The continuous blowing wind was making her blond hair and tail floating on her side and her hat was shadowing her face which was accenting the determination shining like iron in her emerald eyes.

‘’Ya know… ah don’t like violence. And I hate hitting on people. It’s just not in mah nature. If there is a chance, ah immediately prefer to solve problems with a peaceful solution. But… if someone dares to hurt mah friends, no, to hurt ‘’my’’ family, then ah won’t hesitate to use force on whoever will hurt them. Ah leave ya one last chance. Leave us in peace and get the hell out of here. Or ah beat you to a pulp.’’

‘’… Unfortunately... I am not allowed to give up.’’

‘’So be it.’’

She went fast running without fear at the massive canine. He tried to grab her with her two big arms but she slipped past between his legs and once behind him, kicked him in the back. Once he fell on his knees, Applejack went jumping on him and grabbed him by the neck. He tried to shake her off by moving frantically in all the ways but she stayed firmly on his back like a rodeo champion.

‘’Yeehaw. It’s no use, ah tamed more savage beasties that you.’’

‘’ENOUGH.’’

Losing patience, he grabbed her foot with her paw, threw her in the air just like a ragdoll and gave her a punch to her guts that sent her flying a few meters. Earth ponies were known for their strength and that was especially true for those whose talents were physical labor and those who constantly worked their muscles, like our apple farmer. However, their capacity to take damage was the same as everypony. Which means not that great. And as she was lying down, her back against the ground, trying to find back her breath, the dog jumped on her, his maw full of pointy teeth. But he never had the chance to even touch her. AJ used her legs to give him a brutal kick in ‘’his’’ gut. The kick was so powerful that a cloud of dust went flying into a wave around AJ. Oh and our ''Dust'' also went flying, for his first time. And once landed on terra firma, they were not sure, but it seems for both of them to have heard something like bone breaking.

Because of this fight, they had become so tired and were staying immobile for a time so that they could recuperate. Then in synchro, they sat back, looked at each other in a silent stare that was saying a thousand words. And once again, lunged at each other to beat the crap of their respective enemy. Applejack went upright on her two back legs and assaulted him with a barrage of punches and Dust did the same. Hooves against fists, fist against hooves. Again and again, faster and faster.

It was then that Dust had decided to change tactics and so he opened his fists and grabbed Applejack hooves, putting the two adversaries in a deadlock.

‘’I got you now tigress.’’

‘’The tigress will show you what she can do.’’

They each tried to overpower the other by pushing with all their strength. And although they seem to be on an equal footing, Applejack was slowly gaining the advantage.

‘’You... are... strong... but... not... enough.’’

She grinned her teeth and pushed her muscles to their limits. And with a final jump, she managed to push him down with her on top of him. And once he was at her mercy, she raised her hoof to soon punch him in the face.

‘’Now, take a good nap for me would ya.’’

It was mentioned before that Dust was nearly out of tools. Nearly. And seeing that his chance had come, he did an evil smile and as fast as lightning, grabbed in his vest his can of sleeping gas and opened right at AJ. And she received, right at her face, a stream of white gaseous soporific.

‘’What *cough**cough* what in tarnation!’’

She knocked the can far away and moved away from him but it was too late, the deed was done. Sleep had already invaded her brain. Even though she tried her best to fight it.

‘’No! No, this is… no time to sleep. Ah must… ah must protect mah friends.’’

She tried to move but it was like her body had become lead. Everything felt so heavy and it took her a huge effort just to take a step.

‘’Come on legs… move. Why… won’t ya obey me?’’

Her eyes were closing without she could do anything. She was using every inch of her will to stay conscious… but she knew she could not win. But she just could not accept it.

‘’No… ah can still… ah can still… mah friends, they count on me… ah must protect them. Mah friends… my… friennnd…’’

Dust then gently put his hand on her forehead.

‘’It’s alright. You did the best you could. You can fall without shame.’’

And her consciousness was finally conquered by slumber and she fell down. She had only the time to say to herself a final thought.

‘’(Forgive me. Ah fail you.)’’

Pinkie Pie had watched the entire fight. She didn't listen to Applejack plead. She had already felt that she had cowardly abandoned Rainbow Dash and doing it a second time was just beyond her. But she could also not disobey her friend so she had opted to quietly watch them hitting each other while she was hiding behind a tree. And she was tempted many times to go help her but she seems to be winning. But her eyes opened wide with horror and she felt all her breath disappear when she saw that her dear friend was defeated. And when Dust turn slightly his face to her direction and show her his ferocious yellow iris, she couldn't help but do little cry of fright. Contrary to what she had believed, she wasn't hiding that well. He knew she was there from the start. So she did the first thing that came to mind: run away. ... ... Again.

And so she galloped and galloped between the trees, with tears in her eyes blurring her vision. Until she could not even see where she was going. And it nearly could have ended in disaster. If her pinkie senses did not activate, she would have run straight into a ravine. And if she did not have brakes at the last second and pushed her legs frantically backwards once at the edge, she... no need to repeat, let's just be happy that it did not happen. And seeing what could have happened, she tried to catch her breath and then to calm down, she had shaken her head like no tomorrow.

‘’Brouhwhouhwhouhwhouh. Ah. Much better. This is no time to panic or get sentimental. This big meanie has ruined our fun time so it came to me to punish him Pinkie style and to save everyone. Haha, this should be nothing compared to planning my massive giga parties. Yeah. Youuuu can do it. Yeah, should be easy, haha.’’

But the truth was that she was only half convinced and was trying her best to lie to herself. But she then spotted a stone-pit. The cogs in her head were starting to turn at full speed until a light bulb flashed on.

‘’That's it! I know what to do. I may be the best party planner in Equestria but I am also coming from a proud line of rock farmers. Ho ho, this boulder will be perfect. Now let see if I did not get rusty.’’

She put the boulder on her lap and after having taken a deep breath, went to hit the rock at a supersonic speed with her hooves that were moving like jackhammers. And she was constantly changing the angle of the boulder when she felt the need to polish another face. She was working with the deep concentration and precision of an artist. It even got to the point where droplets of sweat were forming on her forehead. After not more than a minute of work, she finished her craft when she had reached in her eyes a satisfying result. She then proudly brandished her finished product: a boulder that had become nearly spherical in shape.

‘’And doooone. It’s perfect. My parents will be proud of me. This thing will make the perfect cannonball. Now I just need my eternal companion.’’

Pinkie Pie went behind a tree and came back pushing one of her precious party cannon. How she had hidden that huge thing in ways that seem to defy the law of physics… don’t ask me, it’s Pinkie Pie. Don’t question it.

‘’It is a good thing that I had hidden a spare in the forest right in the middle of nowhere. You know, just in case of an unexpected excursion in the woods. Which when you think about it is what is happening to me right now. Now I just have to install it inside and I will be ready to... ... wait. Will I just use my party cannon, my tool to bring fun... has a weapon?!’’

Pinkie just realized what she was doing. She looked into the distance as if she could find some answers for her questions.

‘’Would I look at it the same way as before after that? No, more like, will I be able to forgive myself after that? This... goes against everything I worked for. Everything I believe. ... ... No. It is not the time to think about that. Not when my friends must be rescued. I will worry about that later and even if I do will feel guilt, then it will be a small price to pay for seeing again the smiles of my friends.’’

Having made her decision, she put the improvised cannonball in the cannon.

Dust was walking inside the forest. With his hand over his ribs and a leg that was limping... but he still had the determination in his gaze. He was also constantly sniffing the air with his muzzle, tracking her scent.

‘’What a rotten day it was. Nothing went according to plan. The boss did warn us that it could have happened. At least finding that Pinkie Pie will be easy. She thought the forest would be a good hiding place but this pony stinks of cotton candy. Wait *sniff**sniff* her smell grow stronger, I am getting closer.’’

Dust then went faster and faster as he felt that he was not far until he found something that he did not expect at all. Before him, attached to a tree, was a wooden panel with big ink letters painted on it. The ink was fresh and recent. They were saying: Pinkie Pie went this way. There was also an arrow under the words, pointing to the right.

‘’... ... Seriously! No but does she really think I will fall for a trap as crude as that!!? Beside the smell clearly comes from the left.’’

Ignoring the signpost, and feeling a little insulted, he went running to find the source of the smell that was growing so strong. He arrived at the place where the track stopped: the ravine. But no pony in sight. He was very confused and did not understand. Could it be that she fell in the ravine? He tried to get closer to the edge but then saw something curious. On a bush, stuck to a branch was a tuft of pink hair floating softly in the wind. Dust then understood everything far too late.

‘’I got myself play like an idiot.’’

‘’Oh don't look down on yourself. You were just not lucky that you had to go against Pinkie Pie the genius.’’

‘’What the *gasssssssssp*.’’

He had turned around at the sound of this playful voice and at his horror, saw Pinkie Pie. Within her hooves her party cannon pointing right at Dust… and a very crazy smile.

‘’Ingenious trap is it not. I am a master at making pranks. Alright little fellow, here is how we will play. Instead of my usual confetti, I had put in my cannon something more, humm, punchy, if you see what I mean. And all I have to do is just to pull this rope and you will be here for a world of hurt. Maybe worse, I don’t care. You have nowhere left to run so there is only one thing left to do. Leave us alone, go far away and never come back or I use my cannon on you. I’m not joking by the way.’’

All traces of fun were now gone from her face and she was of the utmost seriousness. Which was very rare for Pinkie. On the other hand, Dust was so scared that his feet were shaking. He was ready to receive at any moment a projectile that will insanely end his life and he could see in the eyes of the pink pony that she will not hesitate to… to… … wait! At this moment, all his fear was gone and he became as serious as her.

‘’You are bluffing. You don’t have what it takes.’’

He even started to walk toward her.

‘’Hey stay where you are, I had said I will do it.’’

‘’No you can’t. You don’t have the face of someone ready to do anything, but anything, to get out of hell. And I do recognize that face. Have you ever faced hunger so terrible that you have felt your stomach shrinking so much that it had become painful for days and days?’’

‘’I had said stay back!’’

‘’Have you ever been at the mercy of the cold? A cold so intense that you could feel it seeps in into your very heart?’’

‘’I will do it! I will really do it!’’

But he continued to go forward, so much that Pinkie was starting to take steps backward with her cannon.

‘’And also, have you ever been left on your own in this cruel world with no one to teach you how to survive, so you have no choice but to do it yourself by learning the hard way? Again and again. Oh that I'm sure you didn't.’’

‘’Stay back. St, stay... back.’’

All confidence and bravado had now completely left Pinkie Pie and she was now like a scared little filly. And Dust has at last reached her. She couldn’t have put any of her threats into action. He had laid his hands on the metal of the cannon and had cut the trigger rope with his fangs.

‘’You see, you don't have the will. You had much too happy of a life to be able to do it. And I envy you so much for that.’’

‘’Hey get... get your paws off me!’’

Dust had grabbed Pinkie who was struggling like a chimpanzee in fury. She had accidentally kicked the base of the cannon, turning it around in the opposite direction. In their wrestling, they had lost their balance and fell flat on their stomachs on the cylindrical weapon. Which had the consequence to cause a click sound. Which in turn, made the two of them to stay as frozen as statues. They were looking silently at each other with fear of what they had just done… and what they dread will happen.

Yes, they had accidentally fired the cannon, which burst the boulder in a noise loud as thunder. It also did not help that in the haste, Pinkie Pie has completely forgotten to put the brake of the wheels. The force of propulsion was so great that it had sent the cannon, and the two riding it, right at the ravine where it pummeled into the abyss along with two pairs of screams.

Luckily, Pinkie landed unharmed on a stone ridge. At first, she had difficulty believing that she was, well, fine. What were the odds after all? But once the realization started to sink in, the big grin formed on her face and all negative thoughts were quickly washed out by a torrent of jubilation.

‘’WHOOOOHOOO! I am saved! What luck I have. Guess miracles can happen. What I’m saying, of course I always knew it. No matter how grim or sadpressing things are there is always a way to bring sunshine back if you believe in it. Now there is no more danger, I can find back my friend and do a bye-bye trauma party WAIIIIIIIT! I am an idiot, what about the puppy!’’

Fearing the worst, Pinkie Pie went to look down, and there he was. Dust was precariously grabbing from one hand a root sprouting from the rock wall. It was now his turn to have all his bravado gone away. And how scared he was. The root couldn’t obviously support his huge weight eternally, it was tearing apart more and more after each passing moment. And each time, Dust was crying a whelp of fear. Seeing that was making Pinkie morally torn-up.

‘’(Oh no, what should I do, what should I do, what should I do? Should I help him? Should I let him fall? That meanie did attack me and my friends. He deserves it. … … What are you thinking Pinkie, this is not you. Of course there is only one thing to do.)’’

She went to the edge of the ridge, turned back and let her fluffy cotton candy tail hang in the void.

‘’Hey you. Quickly grab my tail and use it to climb up.’’

‘’What! Why would you do that!? After all I did.’’

‘’Good or bad, it has no importance. If someone is in danger, I must save it. Now hurry up, my pinkie senses says there is not much time.’’

He simply could not understand why she was showing her so much altruism. He was the first to say that he was deserving of his fate. But like she had said, now the root was only holding on by a few filaments. He tried his best to extend his hand but his fingers were only grasping air and missed several times the tail by a few. It was only when the root had snapped that he finally grabbed it. Pinkie Pie was giving all the strength she could muster to support this heavy weight, so much that she was grinding her teeth and her pink face was turning blue, and it was with difficulty that she was taking a few steps forward while Dust was climbing the ridge. And when the diamond dog was at last safe, they both collapsed on their back, breathing and recovering from this oh so strenuous effort.

‘’Fiouuuuf, that was intense. Even for me and I usually love intense. Well, now that it is over, what do you say that we forget all this bad episode and we become friends because in stories when bad guys are saved by the good guy that when they see the error of their way and stuff and that what just happen so by logic we should//

‘’You really should have abandoned me.’’

He grabbed by the neck to pin her on the ground. The shocked pink pony could do nothing except watch powerlessly Dust raising his arm in a fist… and his remorseful face with so much tears, streaming like torrents, from his yellow eyes.

‘’I’m so sorry.’’

She could not help but to think that he was looking like a helpless child before he smashed his fist on her with a big thud and everything went black.

The weather was still terrible. Dirt has managed to come back to the old inn while transporting two unconscious ponies on his shoulders. Everypony was fast asleep so no one noticed him walking through the town. He then saw on the grass the orange pony with the cowboy hat. He came closer to have a better look. Though she was not moving, he could notice a faint breathing.

‘’I see that for him, things didn't also go easy. But where is this brother of mine?’’

Right on cue, Dust came out of the forest with Pinkie Pie in his arm.

‘’Dust! You are all right!?’’

‘’Well, I wouldn't say all right. They give me quite a beating. I am sure it will hurt for days. I see you got them.’’

‘’Yeah but... ... *sigh* let's just say I would have liked it to go more smoothly. Hey what happens with the blue pegasus Rainbow Dash?’’

‘’Do not worry. She in the kitchen, completely knockout.’’

‘’Then that means we have the five of them. That... good. Let us put them in the chariot and let go quickly to the secret entrance of the ruins.’’

‘’Wait! Before we are supposed to put the monitor that is in the house of the boss, right at the plaza.’’

‘’Crap, I completely forgot. Do we really have to do that? We are already so late on schedule.’’

‘’The boss had clearly said this was one of the most important parts and that we should not skip it. Come on, I know it is frustrating but we can't afford to displease the boss. Not when we are so close of the goal.’’

‘’Alright then let's do this quickly. I take these two, you take the other three. Now let’s hurry up cause I want to get rid of this dirty job the fastest possible.’’

Not many know but the blue house of Melancholia had a backward warehouse where one of these cubicle monitors was hidden. And it was from there that the two brothers transported it to the plaza. Even if it had a big size, its composition was making it relatively light. Enough for two diamond dogs to lift it without problems. And it’s right at the center of the plaza, which was also the center of all the town, that they left it so that it can be seen by everypony.

They looked nervously around but it seemed that no one noticed them. They sure know how to sleep like lugs. Once their job was done, they quickly ran to the chariot where our five ponies were… ‘’resting’’. After, Dirt and Dust went to the hitch and pulled the chariot themselves to go straight to the mountain.

‘’This is the last thing we have to do. If one of those ponies awake before we arrive, I just have to… zap them again. But after that we will be able to put that day behind us.’’

‘’If we are ever able to do that. Big bro! What wrong, you look so sad?’’

‘’Oh. It’s nothing, I just... I just thought… that things could have been different if I had met those ponies way before.’’

‘’I… I feel the same way.’’

Author's Note

Now you understand why I had to complete the first four chapters before publishing my story. It is because you will have not understand the true tone of this fanfic.

One of my favorite authors once said that when you writting a scene of pain and tragedy, it is important to write before a scene of mundane and happy life. Because the clash between these two contrasts will create a emotional roller-coaster for the readers. But this chapter was only a little aftertase.

Stay tune for the next chapter: happy denouement.

UPDATE: Thank to the help of SkyeyPony, I can finally show you what the ponies I had created look like.
Here a image of Flo and Mel, the pony of happiness and the pony of pain.

Chapter 4: Happy denouement

Chapter 4: Happy denouement

‘’This place is a dream! Yes, I must be dreaming. What I am saying! Of course not, this go way beyond any dream I ever have. Is such a deep well of knowledge and I am swimming, NO, drowning in it. It’s that good everypony, that goooooood.’’

Mel was looking at Starlight with an amused look.

‘’A Twilight brain meltdown is it not?’’

‘’Yup… a Twilight brain meltdown. It’s so embarrassing.’’

As you may have guessed, Twilight was frantic about seeing the interior of the ancient ruins. She was teleporting literally everywhere, looking at every nook and cranny, giggling like a maniac.

‘’Twilight please, you have to control yourself.’’

‘’Oh! ... ... *cough**cough* Yes Starlight you are right. In time like these, it is best to have a calm and analytical mind. Let first examine this.’’

Twilight levitated a piece of broken machinery. It was not giving any hint of what its purpose was with just his appearance. The scholar was constantly shifting its position to observe it at every angle. Her face was of the upmost concentration but after several minutes, she burst in maddening laughter like she was a mad scientist.

‘’Hahahahahaha! It's wonderful, it's incredible, it's so mind blowing.’’

‘’What, what! What have you discover.’’

‘’I discover... that I do not have a single idea how those machines work.’’

‘’... Wait... that it.’’

Starlight answered sarcastically.

‘’Don't make that face. I tried to learn anything I could about magic. However these ponies were using it in a way that I… no… that any of us are incapable to understand. That only means that they must have discovered news laws on magic that we still have no grasp. Princess Celestia was right when she had said it was the biggest discovery ever made. If we understand how this magitechnology work, our society could make a leap of many centuries. Well, if it is possible to understand it in the first place. Ooooh I need to bring several of these artefacts to my castle so I can dissect them. And even then I am not sure I would learn that much. It beyond all I had ever studied.’’

‘’Whoa. It's that impressive? Then I don't think I could offer you much help. In terms of magic you have always been the more studious. As for technology, I know nothing in this domain.’’

‘’Glad you two are enjoying yourselves but don't forget its historical value and also the forgotten tale of those lost people. Personally, it's the part that captivates me the most.’’

‘’Oh yeah, I completely forgot! This might also completely change what we know about our history. This place is a true wonderland I tell you. But we sure need to go deeper if we want to truly learn more. This room is so empty, it telling me nothing.’’

‘’That might be problematic, I never went as far as this room. There is a door over there but I never could open it. And neither the archeological team.’’

Mel was pointing a futuristic-looking door that was far away. To its right, there was a small panel of opaque glass. The trio immediately went to it.

‘’Oh that right. The report that Celestia sent me did mention that they were incapable to open it. And they did try many things. Hum? What is that thing? A window? A glass display? I have doubts since I can't see anything. Wait! It familiar! I think I already see this. That right! It was when I went to the human world. They were on those things they call cov... com... computer I think. And this glass is a screen. It likes a glass that shows you image. Another proof that they were advance. But I can see this one has no power. If we activate it, maybe we could use it to open it.’’

‘’Or, we could simply use a far simple and direct approach.’’

She was saying that while her horn was charging with lots and lots of deadly magic. Twilight went flying to stop her and was looking at Starlight like if that unicorn was about to commit murder.

‘’And wo wo wo, are you crazy! You can’t do that.’’

‘’Why not? It’s just a door.’’

‘’It is an archeological site, it is important that everything must be preserved as they are. The slight damage could steal us precious data. Yes, I dead serious. Beside we don’t know what could happen if you break this door. Maybe the corridor behind it will crumble. Or the roof above our heads now that I think about it.’’

‘’Yeeeesh! Okay, I see your point. I should have thought more about it.’’

‘’Sometimes you can be really reckless. We need to find another way in. Mel, you been here longer than us. Are you sure there are no other ways in? ... ... ... What?!’’

As she has turned her head to speak with Mel, she was surprised to see... nothing! Where he should had been, there was now no pony. Not a single thing. Just an expanse of nothing. Like if he had disappeared into thin air. Or like if he never was here.

And that was scary.

‘’How...??! But how it can be?! Starlight, where is Mel?’’

‘’I... I don’t know! He was just here a second ago!’’

‘’But where is he? Pony don’t just disappear like that! Did he hide? No there is no place to hide. Did he go away? No I’m sure we will at least hear him. Did he teleport? He is not a unicorn, how can I even propose that! What going on, it just doesn’t make any sense?’’

For these two mares, this was incomprehensible. Inexplicable. And this moment, all enthusiasm that Twilight had, was now gone into smoke to leave instead in its place anxiety. Something was awfully wrong, she could feel it and this was sending a cold to her spine.

‘’Starlight, I think that we must go to search for him WHAAAA!!’’

A noise then came from behind her, which startled her and made her heartbeat skip a beat. They turned around and to their surprise, the screen was now lit. Several symbols from a language they did not understand were flowing on electronic device and soon after, the door open by itself while making a futuristic noise.

They simply did not know what to do. For Twilight, she was like hypnotized. Too many things was going on in her mind so when the door opened she felted she has to enter because that what you normally do when door open. And that what she did. Starlight, realizing too late what her mentor just did, snap out of her trance and went running to catch her up.

‘’Wait! Twilight come back. All this is too fishy.’’

But once she passed the doorway, it closed itself behind her, leaving the two mares in a dark room. But it was not for long because it was soon light up by lights on the floor, filling the circular room with a cyan hue. They could feel the ground under their hooves shaking for then going up to the interminable shaft above them, bringing them with it.

‘’We are in an elevator! Incredible. After all these centuries it still working just fine.’’

‘’Twilight, now is not the time for that. Don't you see, we have to go away, NOW!’’

‘’Huh! Starlight, what is happening to you, you scare me?!!’’

Because Starlight was having now a face of pure panic, which the light was making more unsettling. The pink unicorn was frantically shaking her mentor.

‘’We are all in grave dangers, I can just feel it. That why we must go away before it’s too late.’’

‘’Dan, dan, dan, danger!’’

‘’Listen well Twilight. This Mel guy is not somepony we can trust, I’m sure of it now. At first I always find that there was something strange about him but I had preferred to say nothing because I was afraid I might be prejudiced. But then he comes to us and proposes the guide us to the ruins before we even decide to go. Like he wanted us to be there.’’

‘’Yeah, I understand what you mean but still//

‘’There is even more! His story just doesn’t add up. He says he just occasionally come here from about a month but for a guy who just casually stroll in ruins, he knows way too much. And I am sure he know far more than he lets appear. And now he just disappear like that and the next second, the door open like an invitation to come through. Twilight, we faced many villains who have plotted against us, hell, I even carelessly been trapped by one and I feel that was it is happening to us. I did want to say nothing because I thought I was paranoid but now… now everything is too fishy.’’

‘’… … You’re right. I see it now. I was too blind by the wonders these ruins could offer to think clearly. But now I will trust your instincts. Let us come back to our friends and discuss this.’’

She lighted up her horn and the big flash of magenta magic appeared to cover her. Normally she was supposed to disappear with it but instead she finded that she was still at the same place.

‘’What! How can I have failed, I did that countless times?’’

She tried again and again to teleport, but each time the flash of teleportation appeared, Twilight was still where she was standing.

‘’Aaaah is no use, I just can't teleport.’’

‘’Wait, let me try.’’

Starlight tried to do the same but no matter how many times she cast the spell, it simply refused to work.

‘’It is the same for me, I can't teleport. What is going on?’’

‘’Wait! I just remember that for some reason the team of archeologists could not go to the other side of the door even by teleporting. Now at least we know why. There must be something in this place that stop leap in space movements to happen. Some sort of security device like those that our banks or the most protected wings of Canterlot castle use.’’

‘’So that means that we are really stuck here. What are we going to do now?’’

‘’I... I guess the only thing we can do is to wait to see where this elevator will take us... and be prepared for everything.’’

‘’That not really reassuring.’’

The climb seemed to them to be endless. But when the platform arrived at its destination, the two mares were welcomed by light so blinding that they had to cover their eyes with their hooves. Once they had the time to adjust, they could see more clearly where they were and was making them speechless.

The room where they were was huge. But so huge. Twilight had made some mental calculations and deduced was nearly as big as Canterlot castle. Its shape was that of a dome and the reason it was so bright was everything was made again of this ivory material but this time it was so pristine that it was like the walls were shining. But what was curious was even if there was so much space, it was all occupied by nothing. That was enough to make everypony agoraphobic. Well, it was not completely empty.

Right at the center of the dome was kind of conical altar and at the summit of it, there was a big throne like chair. It was rudimentary and without any ornaments. And right in front of this throne... standing there like he was waiting for them... a pony who was turning his back to them. This pony… was Mel.

‘’Please, allow me to tell you quite a tragic tale.’’

With a simple wave of his hoof, the room became darker. And from out of nowhere, a holographic image of blue light appeared in the sky of the dome. Twilight was just not knowing what to say to this sight. I was like the spell Celestia had shown her in the throne room, the one she had found impressive. But it was nothing in comparison to this. It was so huge and so detailed that you could easily mistake this projection for the real thing.

The hologram was showing what was looking like a city that was similar to the Crystal Empire since it had a big structure at the middle that look like a palace. The big difference was that this city was at least triple the size of the empire. That... and also that this city was literally flying in the sky, casting a huge shadow above the mountains.

‘’I am dreaming? A flying city!’’

‘’Millennia ago, far before Equestria was called Equestria, was living an ancient civilization of ponies that very advanced in all domains and were living in a paradise on earth. And they too were following the principle of harmony. But with a twist. You see, they were only united with themselves, those who were belonging to their nation. So to make sure that their nation could prosper, they were constantly invaded bordering nations to steal their resources. And why should they care. They were ''us'' and the other were ''them''. And naturally, the other nations were not alright with that. So that why the ancient civilization was constantly in war with everyone and that for countless centuries.’’

‘’(War!!! But I was sure that a society so advanced would have been peaceful!)’’

‘’I can already tell Miss Twilight that you wondering: how a society so advanced cannot be peaceful? But you should know that knowledge is in itself is not enough to be wise and to also not enough to know which path lead to true harmony and prosperity. You of all ponies should know that. It takes more than intelligence to make true intelligence. But they never learn it, and they have paid dearly the price.’’

The hologram changed and was now showing the flying city being constantly bombarded by explosion while it was floating over a field of fire. But then it appears to be losing altitude and was slowing descending to land. No! They had realized that it was not landing. It was crashing. And when it hit the ground… Twilight and Starlight were not sure of what they were seeing. It was like a massive explosion of magical energy had burst out in every direction while the ground was splitting open, bursting out magma like massive fresh wounds. Then, the holographic vision had become buzzing static for in the end, shut down completely.

And it was something the two mares were grateful because they did not want to see more. It was like seeing a vision of hell. And they were not even convinced that what they had seen had really happened.

‘’Helas, I can’t show you more because there is simply nothing more to show. Now it is only conjuncture but I think the destruction was so massive that it nearly wipe out every life of the world.’’

‘’WHAT! WIPE NEARLY ALL LIFE! But that impossible. How could anypony could not know about that?’’

‘’It was eons of today. I presume that this apocalypse had changed the very nature of the world and then after, had started to regrow itself. A second birth in a sense. As I had said, there is so little that I know on this point. But don’t you think it was strange that there was not a single remains of the ancient civilization. Well, all except for this place. The catastrophe has also caused a massive volcanic eruption that had destroyed the rest of the city. All, except for the royal palace that has survived and has sunk into the depth of the volcano. Now I am sure you understand now that the volcano has become was is today Mount Heaven. And that this place is the royal palace.’’

‘’Alright, now enough of all this exposition that no one had asked.’’

Was saying Starlight with an angry look that could kill and a horn bursting with destructive magic.

‘’You had lied Mel. You had lied to us all this time. You know far too much to be just a casual roamer of ruins.’’

It was then that Mel finally turned to face them. Starlight was expecting a cocky evil face but instead… he had the same polite and disinterest look that he always had. Which didn’t make things easier.

‘’Yes. I lied. The truth is that I had found this place years before the archeologists. I will spare the boring details of how it happens. As for how I learned its history, I had found numerous archives that describe it to me. Of course, I don't understand its language but luckily for me, the ancient civilization had the habit of adding in their texts very elaborate illustrations. It was as easy as understand the story of a children’s book with just the pictures.’’

‘’*sigh* Now let me guess. You want the power that those ruins can give for then conquer all of Equestria. Or you are a descendant of the ancient civilization and you want to take revenge for the fall of your ancestors. ‘’

At these accusations, Mel has stayed silent but then burst into a soft chuckle.

‘’Oh dear noooo. Miss Starlight, you are reading too much Daring Doo.’’

‘’Wha wha... what! (How did he knew?)’’

‘’Ruling over all Equestria. Who would want to bother with that? And no, it has nothing to do with revenge or those kinds of things. I have no diabolical plans.’’

‘’Oh really. But you do have the villainous expository monologue part.’’

‘’Oh that. It was just a distraction.’’

It only had taken one second for Starlight and Twilight to get what he meant, but longer for the two to dare look around and confirm their worry. And they saw that they were surrounded in all directions by floating white blocks. They were the ones princess Celestia had shown to Twilight. But much bigger and much more numerous.

‘’They all around us! How we didn't notice?’’

‘’That must be what he means by distracting us.’’

‘’Sorry to have bothered you with this… exposition, like you said. If it was not necessary, I swear I will not have given you this boring history lesson. Speaking of which, there is a favor I would like to ask. And that is... to please forget everything I had just said.’’

‘’What? You mean… all about the ancient civilization?’’

‘’Yes. Because the truth is... that the ancient civilization has absolutely nothing to do with this story. And those ruins are nothing more than a perfect tool for me. And a perfect stage. Noting more, nothing less. So don't bother with the minor details.’’

They were all dumbfounded and did not know what to think anymore. ‘’What the hay is going on?’’ ‘’How did we find ourselves in this out of nowhere story?’’ ‘’In what Celestia name was the deal with this Mel? Is he insane?’’ ‘’Is this even happening?’’ These were all thoughts that were crossing their minds. But Twilight still had a faint hope that Mel could still be reasoned. She opened her wing to fly at his height even though Starlight had tried to stop her since she was sure it was a bad idea.

‘’Look Mel, I am sure there something we could help you but… but please could you explain to us what it is exactly you want with us. Because right now, we are so lost.’’

‘’What is it that I want? … Oh. … But that simple. Very, very simple. What I want is just

To make a point

With this declaration he jumped backward and landed his butt on the throne where he sits comfortably and looked at the confused Twilight while resting his chin on his right hoof. But then, something strange happened. Lines made of cyan light were coursing through the extremities of Mel and were spreading across all his body. It was looking like he had electronic circuitry in his very flesh. Another bizarre thing on the list that Twilight did not understand which was growing more and more her anxiety. But she had faced many perilous dangers and she knew how to push it aside when it matter. Regardless, she felt too stressed to be polite and also felted that he did not deserve it so she had burst out and cried loudly:

‘’SERIOUSLY, WHY YOU HAVE TO BE SO AMBIGUOUS! I UNDERSTAND NOTHING OF WHAT IS HAPPENING AND I HATE THAT! SAY SOMETHING CLEAR FOR ONCE OR I WILL GET REALLY MAD!’’

‘’Everything will soon be clear. You will see. For make a quick resume… let just say I plan to make a very special game and I want you to be a guest of honor.’’

‘’… … oh sure. That explains everything. NO IT DOES NOT! You really think I would want to have anything to do with your business? What if I say I don’t want to participate in your game?’’

One block went flying at high-speed and hit her at the stomach. It had stolen all breath in her lungs and the shook made her cry a silent scream that was spitting her saliva. Without leaving her the time to recuperate, another block came from above and had hit her in the back, throwing her like a billiard ball on the hard floor. Starlight went running to her while crying her name. Once Twilight got back up, with hardship, she went into coughing fit while vomiting bile and her eyes were nervously shaking. Starlight was now making a face of pure rage and was charging a deadly laser to Mel.

‘’You MONSTEEEERRR!’’

But a block went to hit her on the face, deviating the beam far away from the gray pony. It had left a nasty bruise on her check. Mel did not show a single shred of fear and seemed instead amused.

‘’You know, I am aware that you two had faced in the past many perils and that many villains have threatened you with violence. But I am sure this is the very first time you have to suffer the actual pain of receiving senseless violence. So, how does it feel? Do you now realize how deadly the dangers you had found yourselves were? Do you understand that you must feel fear? Well, time to wake up at last to reality.’’

‘’Shut the hell up you mad pony.’’

Mel was a little taken aback to have heard Twilight using such a cold tone of voice

‘’Ooooooh! I didn’t expect to hear the princess of friendship using such words. What has happened to your usual persuasion and compromise method?’’

‘’I may the princess of friendship but that doesn’t make me naïve. I know there is just some pony that can’t be reasoned with words no matter how hard you try. It is then that you need to slap them to knock some sense into them.’’

She then shoots a magenta magic laser to Mel. Block came to block its way, taking the full blow of this attack, exploded and leaving the still abnormally calm Mel unharmed. He then raised his left hoof and one of the blocks, a little one, came flying through just to a centimeter of the tip of his hoof, where it stayed there turning around. Then without warning, the block separate itself into four blocks and then after, into sixteen.

‘’Wonderful invention is it not. Even I who have not so much interest into magic can’t help but be captivated. They built them to be the perfect construction material. Not only can they stick together to increase their size but you can assemble them to build any structure. You have no idea how it is exciting for an artist like me. Normally, anypony can move them individually buuut the royals wanted to make sure they could keep absolute control over them. That why they had built this throne. Anypony who sit on this chair can move the totality of these blocks with simple thoughts.’’

That was beyond revolutionary, was what was thinking Twilight. And normally she would have been impressed but right now, she could only see that as a dangerous thing to be used against them. Mel continued his monologue like if they were not there.

‘’And also they never run out energy. They had managed to make these machines to auto-charged themselves. The only drawback is it creates an excess of magic that grow bigger over the years. Even shut down, they had accumulated quite a bit over the millennia. So… meheheheh. So I had decided to get rid of all the excess in on big swoop.’’

Twilight was annoyed to have again heard a long explanation on something she did not want to hear. But then something clicked in her head. And she understood what he truly meant to say.

‘’Wait! *gasp*… Of course… It was you! You are the one that had caused the column of light. I should have guess it sooner.’’

‘’Yes, it was me again. Though to tell the truth, the machines could still go to work just fine even with this excess in them.’’

‘’Then why did you do that?’’

For the very first time, Mel was giving a genuinely smile. But this smile combine with his sparkless eyes was giving him such a creepy vibe.

‘’I wanted to attract attention, that all. Actually, I was sure that it would have given a flashier display. Think about it, if ponies see such a bombastic light that came from out of nowhere, don't you think they would want to investigate the source.’’

Twilight was once again lost. Is he saying he wanted to be found?

‘’And if they find ruins and technology using magic in a way never see before, don't you think they would have sent the biggest connoisseur of magic in all Equestria?’’

Twilight went frozen. … Could it be… she did not dare go through the end of her thought.

‘’And think about it. Do you think that this town who worship the Mane 6 would not have jumped to the occasion when they would have heard that Twilight was coming and would not have begged for the other to also come?’’

What she had feared the most has been realized. She felt like reality itself has crumbled and that underneath was hiding another one far more menacing.

‘’… …It… can’t be. This… light that came that day… that everypony has seen… that I humorously thought was a wild party… was actually… a trap! Just for me and my friends! (But how could have I known?)’’

‘’Now you finally understand. It was all so that you can come to me. You Twilight Sparkle, but also Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash. It was a bet I admit, but one where I felt very confident about the odds. Hell, you have even brought Starlight Glimmer as a bonus.’’

And Twilight knew he was telling the truth. No, knowing everypony involved in this story, she knew that his scenario couldn't have happened any other way. And this realization was making her shake, no matter how much she tried to stop it. Because it means that for one month, one entire month of daily life, without knowing, they were all already in his grasp. How could this be possible? But all that was swept away by a far more alarming thought.

‘’Wait, you want my friends too! What do you want with them?’’

‘’I also want them to participate in my game. That why I sent my... goons, to apprehend them and to bring them here for me and that at the very moment as we speak. It is even possible that they have already finished.’’

Twilight eyes went wide open and all her muscles went tense.

‘’What did you just say?’’
‘’I here to deal with you myself because they would have no chance to win against you. On a side note, I give them weapons for that they can easily subdue your friends.’’

Twilight went walking to Mel, slowly, so slowly while fixing her gaze on him. Her teeth were also starting to grind together.
‘’So of course, I doubt it was done peacefully. I am sure they have taken the beating of their life.’’

‘’NOW YOU CROSS THE LINE YOU PSYCHO!!!’’

She went flying into a blind rage to Mel and shoot a magical beam to him. She had hoped that the sudden proximity would have left no room to use his blocks as a shield. But of course, Mel expected this reaction and without making any sound, the throne where he was sitting detached itself from the column and went flying straight upward, making the beam miss its mark.

‘’(What! The throne can also levitate! It must be made from the same material as the blocks.)’’

From where he was, he was looking at the princess with a calm and confident smile. But then he noticed that something was missing.

‘’(Wait where is Starlight? Come to think of it, I was so focused on Twilight that I barely notice her. Could she have taken advantage of that and…) Oh, the devious little one.’’

And the levitated Starlight, flying above him, shut down her invisibility spell and from her horn came a giant net made of blue light falling right through Mel. But the gray earth pony just lifted a hoof and dozens of cubs throw themselves on the net. This spell was made to capture everything it touch. So at their contact, it closed itself, becoming a spherical cage with just a bunch of blocks as prisoners. But Mel did not stop there. He arranged other blocks under the cage to form a path going down. And so the spherical cage went rolling down right to Twilight. Fearing to be crushed, she in her panic, erected a barrier to protect herself.

Getting angry that he had dared to use her attack against her mentor, Starlight went charging a more powerful beam. Before she could have finished, she had the good reflex to look behind her for sneaky attacks and indeed, a cube went charging at her. She had no choice to throw at it her half-charged beam to destroy it but before the destructive magic could touch it, the block separated itself into many smaller blocks, avoiding the laser. Then they went flying past Starlight, reformed themselves behind her back and then ram at her with violence.

Twilight, using all her strength to maintain the barrier, saw with horror her pupil plummeting. She forgot all about safety and went flying to her. The barrier broke and the cage fell, nearly crushing Twilight in the process. And before Starlight could have touched the floor, Twilight had caught her in her hooves and went flying far away from the maniac.

‘’Starlight! Oh Starlight, please tell me you alright!’’

‘’Yes... yes I'm okay. Just give me a few seconds... the time you stop being a pair of twins.’’

‘’If you can joke then I suppose it is a good sign. Starlight, I am afraid that will not be able to settle this peacefully. We will have no choice but to go all out and break his face.’’

‘’Really! Whoa I never thought I will one day hear you say those words.’’

‘’When somepony wants to genuinely hurt my friends, I just lost all patience. (Besides, on a personal level, I also feel betrayed. I thought we were similar.) Let us combine our power and then even him and all his tricks could not win against us.’’

Starlight answered with a simple nod. They both lighted their horns and were preparing to cast spells when an idea came to Starlight.

‘’Or we can simply use our magic to give them new command like when you once told me. Or maybe just use levitation on all those things.’’

‘’Of course! How can I have not thought of that?’’

Twilight had dispersed her magic and in it, there was a simple thought, or rather command: stop moving. Starlight, her, was trying to levitate the most block possible. But both their magic refused to make a single effect. In fact, it was like the magic was rejected by the white machines.

‘’Aaaaaah it doesn’t work, I don’t understand! The first time it was working too well with less magic.’’

‘’Oh Mademoiselles, it is no use. Did you think it will be that easy? It is true that the blocks can move with any magic. But orders send by the throne have absolute priority. Those orders cannot be overridden. And they all equip with natural anti-levitation protection. I think it is my turn now.’’

He held his arm forward and dozens and dozens of blocks went flying around him. He was like a commander commanding a flying armada. He then throws them at the two mares, leaving them with only the time to constantly evade but none to cast spells.

Mel was not stupid. He knew he was dealing with the two most powerful magic users of Equestria, second only to the royal sisters. What he was doing was risky. A single mistake and they could easily beat him. That is why he has studied intensely the two mares and even a little on magic even though he was an earth pony. Twilight had genius level intellect and her knowledge on the domain was astronomical. Her deep understanding of the arcane science was allowing her to use magic in more than a thousand ways with intelligence and creativity. Starlight, though her knowledge was far superior compared to nearly all unicorns, it didn't equal that of Twilight. But she was compensating it with a sheer amount of power that was just overkill. Especially if she uses it for destruction.

Yes. Everything was showing that Mel was in a serious disadvantage. But in all his studies he had managed to find one weakness to unicorns. For casting spell it was necessary to have a good dose of concentration to build the spell inside their heads. And more the spell was complex, more it was true. So if a unicorn cannot concentrate, he was vulnerable. In other words...

‘’(The solution is to leave them no respite.)’’

The blocks went flying around Mel faster and faster to the point it became a tornado of flying cubes with Mel safely in the heart of the cyclone. A perfect offense and defense. And with the indiscriminate cruelty of a natural disaster, went slowly but surely to the two mares. But this was not the worst because more cubes came from the twister and assemble themselves to form two whip appendages who then went to strike the two mares.

‘’Twi, get down!’’

‘’On it.’’

They avoided being hit by the two giant whips and landed on the floor. Quickly, Twilight encased the two of them into a magenta dome. The best protection spell she has ever made.

‘’ (Thank you Big Brother to have taught me that shield.) Listen well Starlight. ’’

‘’Heh! Hum yes, my ears are open.’’

‘’I will assure our protection, he won't be able the break that shield easily. This will leave us the time for you to prepare a spell that will take him down. You better make it count.’’

Starlight went to make a very devilish grin.

‘’Ooooh! Oh totally, and I already know what to do. This will be rock n' roll.’’

She stood firmly on the ground and charged her horn with blue magic. Power was quickly going higher, small strands of lightning were bursting from her horn and even the ground was starting to shake. The whip like appendages were furiously giving hit after hit on the dome but didn’t seem to make a dent. In fact, the dome was so hard that each time they were hitting, the shock was making the whips disassemble themselves for then reconstruct themselves in matter of seconds. Twilight was holding firmly and she was confident she could hold for quite some time. And Starlight will soon cast her spell way before that. They had managed to turn the tables and to go to the checkmate.

And that was exactly what Mel wanted them to believe.

With a childish smile, he did a light double tap on the armrest of his throne. And all the surface of the floor came to life! Square tiles elevated themselves for then going down and elevate and going down again and again in a piston like motion. This motion was following a pattern like if waves were coursing to the floor. No, not like. This was exactly that. Mel had changed the totality of the floor into a solid wave pool.

And this was making Twilight and Starlight jump off their feet and they were powerlessly forced to bounce back and back like if they had become just like two poor fillies that were trapped on a trampoline. To see them, helpless, wriggling their hooves without understanding what was happening to them was a kind of pathetic sight. Obviously, maintaining their concentration was just impossible and so the spells fell apart. Now that they were more vulnerable than ever, they knew that they will be safer in the air. So they took flight once again, Twilight with her wings, Starlight with her magic. Once they had taken altitude, they could fully see what was happening.

‘’Twilight, what… what just are we seeing?’’

‘’Crap, the floor is also made of blocks! Does everything in these ruins are… … *gasp*’’

A realization had just struck her. One that was giving her so much fear that it had stolen all breath from her throat. And Starlight didn’t like to see her mentor like that.

‘’Oh no! Oh no no no no no! This is bad Starlight, really bad!’’

‘’Twilight, what wrong?!’’

‘’Everything. Mel had said that all this palace was made of these blocks but I did not think literally. That mean he can move all the structure of this building and change its shape at will. It’s a polymorphic palace. It is a polymorphic palace Starlight! Don’t you get it! He doesn’t have the field advantage, THE ENTIRE FIELD IS HIS WEAPON!!’’

And to confirm what she had just said, dozens and dozens of blocks detached themselves from the walls and went flying to them. The walls also came to life and became sliding puzzles to fill each gaping holes that were formed. It was a very strange and bizarre thing to see. But it was also making the two mares feeling so weak and seeing being surrounded, they put their guard up.

They did not know that all that was actually a clever distraction and the attack came from a place they did not expect: below. After all, it is not a reflex to wonder if the floor we usually walk could be a potential danger. A big cube detached from the ground and fly straight up to Starlight. There was nothing she could do instead of express a *oomph* while the cube had flattened her and was still going on its way, bringing her with it on its top. The strength of the velocity was too great for her to be able to move and as she was going higher, so to her terror. Then the cube stooped. Abruptly. But Starlight, now a poor victim of the laws of the momentum, was catapulted and flew even higher, being turned around in all direction. Two other big cubes went levitating around her in circles like if they were birds of prey. Being so helpless and disoriented, she got a brief glimpse of her mentor and hold her hoof to her in desperate attempt to be rescued.

‘’Twilight, help me//

She never finished. Mel clapped his hooves together. One of the two blocks lunged at Starlight and like a billiard ball, had sent her straight to the other and… … … it was just so violent. She was thrown at such strength that she had smashed the white surface so much that her back was now encrusted in it and cracks were coursing everywhere. Twilight was not sure but it seems to her to have heard like a sound of wood that breaks. But then realized it couldn’t be wood... but bones.

‘’STARLIIIIIIIIIIIIIIGHT!!!’’

Was crying Twilight who simply could not accept what she was seeing. She was feeling like if her blood has frozen over and that her heart had stopped beating. ''This couldn't be true'', ''this cannot be happening'', ''it is not allowed to happen''. That and many other things were what was coursing in her head at lightning speed. She and her friend had often confront danger but maybe she did not truly understand the true meaning of danger. And now its true meaning as come, slapping her in the face.

Starlight was still stuck, shaking at some places but it was more involuntary nervous reactions from a damaged body. And with a final grunt she slumped her head down and fall into unconscious. Satisfied of the outcome, Mel opened a hole in the wall, make the blocks with Starlight go through it and the wall closed itself. He then looked at Twilight like if nothing interesting at happen.

‘’Do not worry about your star pupil, she is fine. Well, I suppose fine is not the right word. But I need her alive so I had made sure to not be too violent. This place is equipped with the best medical equipment possible, she will be on her feet in no time. However, she may have hoped that//

‘’Shut up.’’

‘’… … Oooooh!’’

‘’Shut up, shut up, shut up shut up shut up shut up shut up shut up.’’

Twilight had her eyes tight closed with tears streaming from them and her face was soon filled with anger. She was feeling emotions that she did not think could exist. It was like a dam in her heart had been demolished and it will not have normally been possible if she had not seen a line that should not have been crossed being crossed. She did not make any effort to stop those feelings to explode. She burst opened her eyes that were now filling with blinding light and had let a bloodcurdling cry escape from her throat.

‘’OoooooaaaAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!’’

Purple lightning came from her horn and formed around her a sphere of pure destruction. Slowly, it took more and more expansion and this made Mel worry a lot because he knew it won’t be long before the magical energy reaches him. Even though his face had not changed at all.

‘’(Hum, this is not good. I had hoped that making Twilight angry would have made her reckless but this could have been a bad move. If I don’t do something, I am toast. Guess at this point there is no more need for plans or strategies.)’’

With a wave of his hoof, the blocks went straight to the princess of friendship in an unceremoniously fashion. But they could not even get close to her because each time they enter in contact with the ever-expanding lightning, they exploded before they could even fly one meter. Feeling that his only chance to win was to use the strength of numbers, he had sent a mental order to the biggest numbers of blocks he could to throw themselves at Twilight. They came from all corners of the room, the walls, the floor, the roof. It was like it a rain of asteroids had come and the center of gravity was the young alicorn. But it changes nothing. The room became a stage for a light show of sparkling purple and blazing explosions. The ground was filled with debris of those machines who had now lost all luster. The lightning was still growing bigger and it wouldn't be long before they reach the flying throne with the derange artist on it.

Speaking of him, although he was sure that his defeat was imminent, he did not seem to care that much. Hell, he was even nonchalantly playing with a strand of his hair. An outsider will probably have thought that from the beginning, he was just here for the heck of it.

‘’(*sigh* Too bad, I am afraid that this is the end for me. But I always knew that this part of my plan was the most risky. I made a gamble and I simply lose. What a shame, I was so close. It is bothersome to think of all the lessons I could have given to... ...) Bothersome!’’

Mel had stopped playing with his hair like if he has been struck by an idea.

‘’This could work. Why didn't I think of that before?’’

He did a faint smile and all the blocks just went to a complete stop, staying immobile in midair. It may have been like time had frozen if it was not for the lightning moving widely. But soon, all of them joined themselves in groups of two. Then... went to rub themselves between each other. That was a very bizarre thing to see and it seems to have no meaning. But as they went faster, the noises they made became horrible. It was like the sound of nails grinding a blackboard. No. It was like there were more than a hundred blackboards that was producing that maddening sound.

Soon all the room was filled with this insane cacophony and the good acoustic of the walls was not helping. Twilight was quickly effected by it. She tried to cover her hears but it did nothing. It was so horrible that she could not even hear her own thoughts. The light in her eyes was blinking, a sign that she was losing control of her magic.

‘’AAAAAAAAARH ENOUGH, ENOUGH. MY HEAD WILL EXPLODE, MAKE IT STOP, MAKE IT STOOOOOOOOOP!!!’’

Even Mel was affected by the noise. His normally placid face was now distorted by a maniacal grin and his eyes were twitching. But he was still giving all his strength to maintain the movement of the blocks. But for Twilight, she was in so much pain that she was crying.

‘’PLEASE I BEG YOU, STOP THIS TORTURE, MY HEAD WILL EXPLODE. GAAAAAAAAAAAuuuuuhuuhuuhuu.’’

Having reached her limits, she had lost all control and the magical energy was dispelled like a snuffed candle. As the noise had finally stopped, a cube from above strikes at Twilight, making her falling down to the top face of another one below. It then quickly went flying to in front of Mel, who knew that he had won, for that he can at his leisure admire his prize.
The princess of friendship was now in a pitiful state. Her hair was in disarray and seems like all spark of will have left her gaze. She had lost. She knew it too well. Cubes went flying around her and then divided into smaller ones, staying inanimate like if they were waiting for something. As for what… she did not dare to think about for even a fraction of second since it was enough to make a cold run in her spine and make her sweaty. She tried to work her brain, or at least the best she could manage, but only find that there just one solution left. And that is... beg for mercy.

‘’Mel, I… I ask you to… please come back to reason. I do not understand why you are doing that. But I ready to listen. When you have a problem, speaking about it can make things least heavy. And who know, I may even be able to help. What you have done… is bad and it cannot be denied. I can’t even scratch at what can motivate you to be so violent. But if there one thing I know is that it is never too late to make the right choice. It may be hard but I promise you that you will not have to do it alone. I am sure you find it difficult to believe but I… can find the strength to forgive you. I am not the princess of friendship for no reason. So please… stop this madness. And let us me and all my friends go.’’

‘’… … … … … ... ... I refuse.’’

The little blocks became throwing rocks and went to hit Twilight on all sides with a ferocity without names. The many violent impacts on her flesh was making her body jerking in all directions. Some may say that she was looking more like a rag doll that a living being. And everything was so fast that her brain did not even the time to acknowledge the visceral pain her body was feeling.

Mel had ordered the blocks to stop. Twilight was standing there upright, her pretty appearance now tainted by brutality, her head hanging down, and she was as immobile as the lifeless machines. After what seems an eternity, she fell to her side. She had fainted. Mel had finally allowed himself to make a faint smile.

‘’At last... it is over. You may have tried to convince yourself, but I know forgive me would have been simply beyond you. Everypony have a limit on what they can tolerate of others. I know that too well. Well, trying to win my sympathy was not a bad move. But you have to understand that there exist some people that just don’t know what this feeling is. … … … Now be prepared Miss Twilight. Soon… very soon… you, and all your friends, will become free to feel pain. True pain. And after that... everything will change forever. Ha ha. Ha ha. Ha ha. Ha ha. Ha ha. Ha ha. Ha ha.’’

And for a bit of time, Mel was continuing to look at the falling princess while doing this creepy laugh like a broken record.

‘’Heh heh heh. Heh heh heh.’’

‘’Please big bro, I know you are nervous but stop laughing like that. It gives me goosebumps.’’

‘’Nervous! Who tells you that I am nervous?’’

Even Dirt was aware that it was a pitiful lie. Not only was he doing that nervous laugh but since they had entered the ruins, he did not have stopped to constantly rub his own big paws.

‘’Sorry little bro. There is no use to hide it, yes I am so anxious. Our reward that will make our lives much easier is nearly at hand. When you are so much close of the goal, you can't help but fear that you might lose it at the last second. It will be such a shame. Especially after all we have done.’’

He turn around to look. The rectangular room they were was spacious, especially because there was absolutely nothing in there except white walls. This room was actually a secret entrance well hidden in the feet of the mountain at a spot near Happy Town. Mel had dug, well more like smash this entry point by moving a part of the palace that had pulverized the rock wall. The goal was to be able to access the ruins more easily. Still the entrance was well concealed and unless you already know it is there, it is nearly impossible to find it by accident.

What Dirt was previously mentioning was the five of the Mane 6 they had captured. They were spread on the floor behind the two brothers, unconscious. They had stayed like that during all the trips. It may seem like they were just sleeping. Even though the truth was far crueler. Moreover, it was hard for Dirt to look at them and so he turned away and returned at the subject at hand.

‘’Right, so who could blame me for being anxious? What if the boss want to cancel the deal?’’

‘’I… never ever think of that. Wait! What if he even takes the ponies and refused to pay us! You think he will do that?’’

‘’Who know? He had asked us to do… … this. For somepony as shady as him, it would not be strange to be disloyal to us.’’

‘’What we will do if he does that?’’

‘’We will have no choice but to use violence against him.’’

With his pawn he pointed to the lightning rod that was in the back pocket of his pants.

‘’Big bro! Not… again!’’

‘’Don’t worry. I already did it many times. That mean I should not have problems to do it again, heh heh. ... Heh.’’

But Dust knew his big brother. He could see that he was not very convinced that he could do it again. It was then that a noise came that nearly give the two a heart attack. An opening came from the wall in front of them and from it, come out Mel himself with two saddlebags on his bag. The wall then closed behind him, giving no hint that there was a door before.

‘’Dirt, Dust. I see that you have come. Did you succeed?’’

‘’You can see by yourself. Look.’’

He pointed to the five young mares. Mel slowly went closer to them to examine the five in detail. He went to see if they were alright. Relatively speaking.

‘’You really have done it. I… still find it hard to believe. The five of them… they are here in front of me. It is perfect. It is simply perfect. You really have done astounding job. Was it hard?’’

Even though the words he was saying sound like if he was pleased, his expression did not change at all. Dirt has always hated that. That damn pony had always but always a smile on his face. So he was never able to tell if he was happy or not. And even less to understand what he was thinking. So Dirt wanted to quickly be done with it.

‘’Was it hard? Oh you have no idea. Nothing went to plan and things have nearly gone sour more than once. Those five are no ordinary ponies.’’

‘’Yes. Indeed. I am not surprised. This was the most risky part of my plan. I half expect that my projects would be ruined even before they begin. But I see that my gamble has paid off. And you have succeeded even with all these complications. I knew I had picked the right handyman.’’

‘’Thank you boss but… (please do not thank us for that). But now it is time for//

‘’Ah yes. My end of the bargain. You want your reward. The one you want so much.’’

He walked slowly to the diamond dogs with his still indecipherable eyes. The two brothers couldn't help but to feel a chill. Dirt was even discretely stretching his paw on his back just at a few inches to the rod, just in case. And once Mel arrived before them, he… just opened his saddleback and had taken with his teeth a bumble of paper.

‘’Here. With these documents, all my fortune is now yours. I made the precaution to transfer my money to another bank in Manehattan so that no one can find you easily. All you have to do is to go to this address, show them those papers and take as much as you want. It is as easy as that.’’

The two canines were just staring there, dumbfound. Dirt had taken the papers in a mechanical way, not truly sure if it was real.

‘’A problem?’’

‘’You… really going to give all your money just like that?’’

‘’What, you expected that I will double-cross you like some stereotypical villain does?’’

He had said that while tilting his head to the side. Which was not giving confidence.

‘’I know it is what we have agreed but admit boss that… it is hard to believe.’’

‘’I really have no need for money, simply as that. What I will accomplish tonight will be worth far, far more than vulgar bits. After that I will no longer care what will happen to me. The authority will surely capture me but I don’t give a damn. Oh and naturally, I promise not to talk about you two. I have too much gratitude for you. So I suggest you start to go to the farthest of Happy Town that you can right now.’’

‘’Right. So… thank you Mister Mel… for all you have done. We… will not forget your generosity.’’

They went their way with that as parting words since they did not want to stay there a second longer. But then//

‘’Wait, I nearly forget.’’

He had taken something from his other bag. It was a little cube that he was holding by biting a corner of it, for then tossed it at Dust who had caught it.

‘’What is that, a monitor?!’’

‘’Yes, a portable version. I was sincere when I had said that I was feeling a great gratitude for you. So I would like if you use that monitor to see my game just like all Equestria will soon. I would not want you to miss it.’’

‘’Humm… thank. We… will be sure to think about it. … … Say, what will you do with these ponies?’’

Dirt had thrown a disapproving look at Dust for this unnecessary question. But Dust was just too worried to notice it. He knew he should not have asked it but this question had haunted his head since all day. Maybe even more. So he just could not resist. Mel did not seem to take it bad but… there was something strange in his eyes.

‘’You really want to know? I have no problem telling you. Buuuut… you sure you really want to know? When you are doing dirty jobs, putting some distance is something necessary. Because if you don’t, you get swallow by guilt. So if you close that distance, you may find difficult to sleep at night. No. More like if you do that you may find that you don’t deserve your reward. If it loses his interest then you could not profit of what you have sought for years. And also accordingly, making this questionable act useless in the end. Do you really want make that all for noting?’’

He had cleverly strike at the heart of the problem and Dust became very reluctant to pursue this discussion. He only had the strength to make a last pitiful attempt.

‘’Can you at least promise me that they will be fine?’’

‘’I promise you that their lives will not be in danger. I just need them for oooone night.’’

‘’Oh! … Then… … is good then…’’

‘’Come on little bro, let’s go. What is done is done. Let us put that all behind us.’’

Dirt had grabbed is little brother by the arm and pulled him to the exit door that had just opened. But Dust did not advert his gaze from the five young mares. Even as the doors were closing, soon separating the outside from the ivory world of Mel, the diamond dog was still looking at them until the last second, probably as a measly attempt of sympathy for the ones he has done harm.

Once everything was sealed, Mel for the very first time made a genuine expression. One that had many feelings mixed together.

‘’Please take care of each other. After all, nothing is more important than family.’’

But it disappear as fast as it appears. And the legs of the artist were starting to shake. Not of fear or guilt, but excitement of the soon to be masterpiece he will create.

‘’That it. That, it. Now, every piece is at their place. I did not dare to think my plan will work so well. There is nothing that could stop me now. And soon the world will change forever. Dear Mane 6, you might think that what just happen to you was horrible but the truth is it was just a before taste of the true anguish that will come. And when it will arrive, everything that you have believed until now will crumble and all the lessons that you have learned will seem to have been all for nothing. You will see life for what it truly is. And after you will, everypony will soon follow your example. Mane 6, be prepared. Because everything until now was nothing more than an introduction. It is now that the true story begins.’’

And for emphasis this, he stomped his hoof on the floor.

*Knock* *knock* *knock* *knock*... ... *knockknockknockknock*

‘’Mayor Paternal! Mayor Paternal, it is an emergency. You have to wake up, fast.’’

Flo was the one who was knocking like crazy on the door of the mayor. Panic was oozing from her eyes. When the mayor finally answered from his bedroom and had said that he was coming, it was soon followed by the noise of a pony failing down the stairs in a long and painful way, and strangely it ended by the sound of cymbal and klaxon horn and a crying cat. Wait what! Flo, even though she was anxious, could not help but do a facehoof.

‘’(Seriously, again! Why can't he control more his enthusiasm?)’’

And it is with enthusiasm that he opened the door and welcomed her with a huge smile.

‘’Aah Flo, so good to see you. Sorry for this commotion, I just had missed a step, which was the first one so technically I miss all of them and also landed on a box full of instruments for the concert I would like to organize tomorrow in honor of our idols. Sooo nothing too bad happens. What can I do for you my little angel?’’

‘’There is no time for my little angel, it is serious mayor. Something has happened to the Mane 6, they have disappeared.’’

‘’What do you say!? Dis… dis… disappeared!’’

‘’I went to stop a bit at the old housing lodge to see if they were well installed but then I noticed that the door was wide open. Inside there was not a single trace of them but yet, all their things were there. And I have seen signs that there was a struggle. Something no good must have happened.’’

‘’Wo wo, calm down Flo. Don't overdramatize and think about worst-case scenarios. I am sure that there is an explanation for that. Which one, I don't know but there must be one.’’

‘’Overdramatize! The kitchen is so mess up that I am not even sure to still call it a kitchen. It is the time to think about the worst, they may be in danger! I have already called for help from other ponies.’’

‘’You have done that! I am not sure what to think about you doing my job. But... yeah it does sound like there is an emergency. Maybe it will better to be safe and... ... what happening?’’

It was then that the mayor noticed that in front of his house there was a huge number of ponies gathered in the plaza central and they seem to all look at something that was right at the middle.

‘’Flo... what all those ponies doing here?’’

‘’It was another thing I wanted to talk to you about. When I feared the worst for the Mane 6 I quickly run to the plaza to find my brother and that when I find this strange cube just sitting there. But the worst was that my brother was nowhere in the house. I got really scared so I knocked at every door to find help, who at their turn, went to wake up others and so nearly all the town knows about this strange cube.’’

‘’Your brother too has disappeared! A cube?’’

‘’Yeah, come with me, it will be easier to show you.’’

She guided him to the crowd by holding his hoof. They bumped into many ponies while politely saying sorry. Once at the front, mayor Paternal could see at his surprise that all the plaza was full, forming a circle of equines gather around the middle. The pegasus were flying a little above to leave more places to those who have no wings. There was even ponies sitting on the rooftops of houses to have a good view. And they had all their eyes fixing on the center where the cube Flo was mentioning was.

The mayor had found this object very peculiar since he could not imagine how the hay it got there. It has four strange windows in four of their faces so that everypony in the gathering could see them. Yes, he understood why they were all fascinated by it. He saw that the professor (without true doctorate) was at his side and was thinking that maybe it was him the responsible for this.

‘’What is that... that thing? Professor, are you the one that bring it here?’’

‘’Oh no, mister Mayor, it was not me. I also ask around and nopony know who had brought it here. As for what it is… oooooh what a marvelous invention! The way it is working is simply pure breathtaking. How I would have liked to be credited for is creation but sadly there is no way I could have built it.’’

‘’Okay but what it is?’’

‘’Well, I admit it makes me think a lot at… to… I mean it looks like… like… you know, at//

‘’You have no idea what it is.’’

‘’Hum... no. No, I am blank.’’

‘’And is it true about the ponies missing.’’

At the right of the mayor was the jewelry store owner and it was her that answered him.

‘’I am afraid it is true. We all search all the town but no sign of the Mane 6. And no sign of Mel either. I also tried to ask the help of Dirt and Dust but they were not in their apartments. Nopony has seen them.’’

‘’What! Them too! Then that mean there are... ten who are missing! What is going on? (And how is it that I was the last that they wake up?)’’

It is lucky he didn't have asked this question out loud because nopony would have dared to answer it. But more importantly, he saw the little Flo, hanging her head low, obviously worry to death. It was so rare to see her like that, her that is usually so radiant.

‘’Mayor… … I can’t shake the feeling that something horrible is happening. First something has happened to the ponies I admire the most in the world, then that, whatever it is. And now…’’

The words were stuck in her throat. It was hard for her to say them.

‘’My… my brother is gone. Mayor, what do you think has happened to him? Do you think he is fine?’’

Mayor Paternal wanted to reassure her but when he had opened his mouth, no words were coming out. Because he couldn’t find any. His speciality was giving motivational speech to give enthusiasts but… but he understood now that finding comforting words was a big weakness of him. Feeling ashamed not to offer any help, he just went to do the same as everyone else and look at this strange structure.

The windows were showing statics even though he did not know that was how they were called. But the most curious was that at the occasion they disappear to leave places to writing words. After a few glimpses of them, he understood that it was a countdown of sort for… something. This must also be why they were all fascinated by that thing, the mayor was saying to himself. They were all wanting for the end of the countdown.

But he could not help to find all that… eerie. Why, he did not know but this gut feeling just did not want to go away. All that was just too bizarre. And what we fear the most is what we don’t understand. He soon went to dread when the countdown will reach zero. But he could not also advert his gaze because of some morbid curiosity. Maybe it was how everypony was feeling. Being afraid and fascinated at the same time. One thing for sure, this fear was little by little growing larger and larger as time was passing because they knew they will not have to wait for long. The screens were showing to all this hypnotized audience those words:

The game will begin in 10 minutes

Author's Note

Now that I have finish to publish my first four chapters that I had write in advance, the rest will come at a normal pace. (Tough my publishing of the first four has been slightly delayed because of some last minutes corrections. I won't bother you with the details)

Anyways, it is now that we enter into the meat of the story, THE GAAAAAAME. I have been really impatient to show it to you. And before you get any ideas, no, there would be no bloodshed in this game. That would not mean it wouldn't be brutal. Psychologically brutal.

Stay tune for the next chapter: game of deconstruction

Chapter 5: Game of deconstruction

Chapter 5: Game of deconstruction

This might have been the most unnerving ten minutes in all the history of Equestria. So many ponies were reunited around the monitor to finally see what will happen once the countdown will reach zero. You could even say they were afraid to just blink from fear that they will miss something. But this phenomenon was not just specific to Happy Town. Oh no. It was the same for all the major cities of this kingdom with the notable exception of Canterlot. Cloudales, Mannehatan, Appaloosa, Rainbow Falls... and of course... Ponnyville. Many ponies had decided to sacrifice their sleeping hours to be there, making that the sizes of these gatherings were becoming huge. And why should they not? Everything pointed that an extraordinary event will soon happen, their curiosity was just too high to be ignored. And the time it will be answered was soon to be. The screens were showing that only... one minute was left. No ponies, no matter where they were, were saying anything. It was a complete silence. A silence so great that you could almost hear the accelerated heartbeat of the crowds.

From where he was, Mel was also observing the countdown. And though he was not showing it, deep down, he was making the most maniacal rictus he could muster.

‘’Yes, YES. It's happening! The moment I have waited for so long is here. The hype has been built for long enough. After all the wait and foreboding, they will be incapable to avert their eyes from the show. They literally will become trapped by their own anticipation. But let not making wait our viewers any more longer, it is time for my performance. In just a few seconds. A few seconds.’’

A few seconds was all that was left. Ten seconds. And during those ten seconds the tension was so great that they forgot how to breathe as they watched the last digits going down.

10

9

8

7

6

5

4

3

2

1

…

…

…

0

A loud and screeching noise came from the monitors, screaming like a cry of agony. All ponies had to cover their hears as it became louder and unbearable. It then disappear as fast as it appeared, leaving space to the now fully lit screens showing a gray pony comfortably sitting on a white throne. A moment of discomfort was thrown at them without warning and so, when it had stopped, the feeling of relief was forcing the viewers to listen, with nearly gratitude, at every word coming from the pony. A devious psychological trick.

‘’Greeting to all of you, citizens of Equestria. It is a pleasure to meet you. Allow me to present myself. I am just a simple pony with the name of Melancholia. But please, call me Mel.’’

All ponies that were watching this were aghast and could not say a word. But it did not stay like that for long and soon they all were whispering with energy to their neighbors. They didn't know what would have happened but certainly not that. It was like watching a projected movie except there was no projector, that it was in color and that the quality of the sound was so top-notch. In the end, comparing them was nearly an insult since those diffusions were so realistic. So realistic that many ponies genuinely believed that this Melancholia guy was actually inside the cube. But they were clever enough to understand that this was not the case and that what they were seeing was a marvel of technology. They were now hooked. So much that they have forgotten the important question: why did it happen in the first place?

But for other ponies, their reaction was at all higher level. Because all recognized the pony on the screen far too well. He was known by all Happy Town after all. After they saw him, the surprise made them all took a step back and nearly all of them shouted: ‘’WHAAAAT!!!’’ Then they also went to discuss frantically to their neighbors. But the difference compared to the others was that the shock was making them desperate for answers. Even though no one could give them.

‘’It's Mel, there is no doubt about that!’’ ‘’What he is doing here and why this thing show images of him?’’ ‘’Does that mean he is the one that had placed that big cube here?’’ ‘’Is it another of his art crafts?’’ ‘’What is going on, I don't understand?’’ ‘’What are these talks about a game?’’ ‘’He is the one that had invented that cube?’’ ‘’Don't tell me he will still try to depress us all.’’

But Mel was deaf to their questions and continued to make his speech.

‘’Before we begin, I must tell you that you are not the only ones to see this diffusion. I had sent many identical cubes like this one to several towns across all the country. And they all show the same images as you see right now. That means that nearly all Equestria is seeing the same show that you are watching right now.’’

The whispering had begun anew. All Equestria was seeing that? In a moment, things had sure gained importance. From his chair, Mel did a little bow to all the viewers.

‘’The reason I did that is that I wanted to make sure that everypony, or at least close enough, could see this wonderful show. But I am sure that you have many questions like: what we will see or why he shows us that? As I had promised, you will all see a very particularly game and I, Mel, will be the host. As for my reasons... I consider myself as a teacher. And so there is a lesson that I would like to give you. To all of you. So it is important that you don't miss any second of this game and that you never forget what you will see. Since I know none of you will like what I will soon show you.’’

And all chatter fell to a complete silence. ... ... What did he mean by they will not like what they will see? Their enthusiasm was now toned down. It might be more just to say that they were now fearing a little what will soon come. But it's another argument for staying.

It was the same for Happy Town but their fearful feelings were not vague. They knew Mel pretty well and so they thought they had a pretty good idea about what he had in mind for them. They were wrong. So, so wrong.

‘’Now... I would like to talk about six ponies. Six very special mares who possess hearts filled with virtue and love. Many of you know them as the Bearers of the Elements of Harmony. The very same who have saved Equestria countless times with the power of friendship. But I consider that the true reason they are so extraordinary is they are true life-models and also inspiration for becoming better ponies.’’

The screen then changed and was showing in succession as he was speaking, an image of each of the Mane 6.

‘’Applejack, representing the element of honesty. Pinkie Pie, representing laughter. Fluttershy, kindness. Rainbow Dash, loyalty. Rarity, generosity. And of course, let us not forget Twilight Sparkle who represent the element of magic, who became the princess of friendship and who had even opened a school of friendship to teach to the whole wide world this virtue.’’

Now, the reaction was very mixed. Some were surprised to hear those names and if those heroes were involved then maybe it could not be that bad, whatever it was. Other had heard of them but they did not know much so they didn't know what to think.

‘’I am sure that many have at least heard about them. Six mares who by simply being themselves are capable of teaching us valuable lessons of life. Life lessons that help us to grow and become wiser. ... Or... are they really?’’

It was the first time that Mel was showing a hint of emotion. Bitterness. But it didn't stay long and he quickly came back to his usual safe.

‘’But let’s not get carried away. I had said that I will show you a game. But who will be the contestants? Why but those six ponies themselves. But you have to understand something before you misunderstand things. They... did not choose to participate. The truth... was that those innocents were kidnapped. By my hooves. And it will be by force and not willingly that they will play my game. All that just so I can send a message to you, viewers. You probably think that it makes me a villain... and you will be right. Because that's how far I am ready to go to truly educate you.’’

He then stopped talking for that he can calmly take a depth breath. It seems this little speech was more taxing that he had let it appear. But he re-raised his face to look at the viewers and resumed his talking like if nothing had happened.

‘’Unfortunately, the Mane 6 are presently in more bad shape that I had hoped. I am very sorry about this setback it is entirely my fault. So I ask you please to just wait a little longer the time that I get those six ponies back on their hooves. It won't be long, I promise you. But when the game will officially begin... I would like if you burn the images of what you will see in your eyes. Meheheh. Enjoy the show.’’

The screens had shut-down and silence came again. Their brains had a hard time to process what their ears had heard. Although Equestria was far to be a candyland, ponies, compared to us, were still relatively innocent creatures. And so, they did not have a lot of imagination for going into... grim territory. ... It took time... but eventually... even though it was just a glimpse... they finally grasped that something bad had happened... and that more will come.

And that... how Mel had managed to cause mass panic across all the kingdom with just a few words.

**Appleloosa**

The only alley of the town was full of a mixing of earth ponies and buffalos. Today was a day where the appleloosians were giving free apple pies to the tribe since the deal. And it just happens that they had decided to stay a little to have some good time with their friends. Normally, both groups would be fast asleep because of all the hard work of the day but there was no way they could have ignored that monitor. And now... there surely was no way they could ever sleep tonight. They were standing there like statues until somepony was cutting in the crowd and pushing other to be at the front. It was yellow pony with a western jacket and hat. He was such in a panic that in his frenzy he had dropped his hat but he didn't take it back. He didn't notice it or maybe, did not care.

‘’Applejack! ... He got Applejack! It's mah cousin. He got mah cousin! What... what he gonna do with her? What he gonna do with her!! It can’t be real!! Please, somepony, anypony… tell me it is not real!!’’

He was looking frantically at the crowd, searching desperately for someone that could give him answers. But alas, none could give him any.

**Cloudsdale**

‘’Rainbow Dash had been kidnapped! They all been kidnapped! But... but this is a crime.’’

‘’What kind of game it is! This is no game, this is... this is sick.’’

As for the pegasus, their reactions was more hysterical. Something bad was happening, it was now confirmed. They had the feeling that there was something they must do but... they just didn't know what. And this made them panic. So they flew in all directions while screaming like if it could help them to find the answer. It was not until one of them managed to cool off enough his head to tell the other to stop and to go warn the Wonderbolts. One their star member was after all kidnapped, this was unprecedented. But after that... what next. What could they do... except staying here and watch more?

**Manehattan**

The ponies of the big city had taken it more well. That is if you consider being dumbfounded and at a loss for word a better way to take news of that kind. Nopony knew how to react. Until somepony screamed at the top of her lungs. This awakened the others and they all looked at who did it. It was a young mare with cream color and an aquamarine mane with a flower hair clip on it. She had a grocery bag with her but in her fright, she dropped it, spilling all its contents on the asphalt. Especially the eggs who had broken and all their inner fluids were now disgustingly spread. As for the young mare, she was in choc and she had instinctively put her hoof on her mouth to stop herself from screaming more.

‘’Miss Rarity is in danger! ... ... Oh no, oh no, it is horrible. ... ... We cannot stand there, we are to do something, anything, we have to help them. The police, please somepony call the police! Police. Police. Police.’’

She could no longer think straight and so went galloping on the street, under the look of all passersby, searching for the police. Even though she had no idea where they were. And as she was running, she was repeating the word police again and again because this word that implies security and order was helping her not to slip into hysteria and to go screaming again.

‘’Police police police police police poliiiiiice.’’

**Ponyville**

Of course, the reaction of Ponyville was much more personal. What they felt... was a genuine terror. All the town was knowing them well. More than that, their presence was so important that you could literally consider those six the heart of Ponyville. They were doing so much good but were also causing a lot of problems. And they were loved by all. And yes, they knew they had a tendency to going into a lot of adventures but Ponyville usually learns of them after the facts. And now... the villain who had them in his clutch was announcing, directly to them, that they were at his mercy. That was just a lot to take. Too much to take. And they were not prepared. Ironically... they just did not know how to react. There was so much feeling of dread inside them that did not know how to express it. What a shame. If they had panic, at least a little of these awful feelings in them could have been set free, but instead, they were trapped, eating them from the inside.

Some wanted to scream, but they couldn't manage to form any sound in their throats. Some were just feeling really cold and their legs were shaking. They only one who could manage to express their fear were the children. Those simple souls. One young filly, who was with her mother, even went to cry before everypony. Her mother tried to reassure her child the best she could.

‘’Please, please don't cry. It's not as bad has it sound. I am sure they will make everything alright. They always do. (At least I hope.)’’

But the truth was that she, no, that not many was believing what she had said. Not completely at least. Ponyville had seen its share of disasters but this… felt different without being able to explain why. But one pony had managed to keep her composure and knew that action was required. It was Mayor Mare. She felted that it was her duties as a civil servant to bring guidance to those ponies. So she did not lose time and jumped on the top of the monitor to speak to all the crowd.

‘’Listen me well everypony, now is not the time to just stay there dumbfounds. Our friends are in grave dangers, they need our help.’’

‘’Yes but… what exactly can we do?’’

She was taken a little aback. That pony was right. What can they do? It was not like they could go straight where they were and rescue them. They didn't even know where they were restrained. But she took back hold of herself and she remembered what her job as a bureaucrat had taught her. If you can't do the big stuffs, then concentrate yourself on the small stuffs.

‘’What we must do is contact the authorities. And the fastest possible. Somepony go find Spike. He can send letters instantly to the princess, she must be made aware that the bearer of the elements have been kidnapped.’’

Bon-Bon and Lyra had stand-up in the crowd and made a military salute.

‘’We two are volunteers. Lyra will go searching for Spike and me, just in case, will send letters directly to the castle. I know many private ways to do that.’’

‘’How do you know how to do that?’’

‘’Please don't ask.’’

‘’Hum... very well. We are counting on you.’’

The two mares went galloping in two directions. Another pony went to the mayor to ask her something.

‘’Mayor mare, do you think we should also warn the families of those six?’’

She found herself pondering. That was a very tough question. True, it might be considered a moral obligation to quickly tell parents that their children are in danger but when you think about it, what good it will truly do. Okay first, the majority of them did not leave in Ponyville. And anyway, that Mel guy had said it will be broadcasting across all Equestria. That mean they will know very fast without their help. That was leaving the Apple family.

She knew them and she knew that after a hard day of farm work they were fast asleep at this hour. So there was no way they could know, at least until tomorrow morning. If she warned them, there might be a risk that they try something desperate. What she was talking about, of course they will do something desperate. Then maybe it was best to leave them in the dark and to wait at least how the situation will progress. Even if they might hate her for that.

Now then, there was another problem. Would it be best to tell the ponies of Ponyville to stop watching? Regardless if it was good or bad, she did not think she could convince them to stop. Not because they wouldn't want but because they couldn't. She was not even sure that she herself could. When all she had done all she thought she could to help those six mares, the feeling that she was making a difference was now gone and all that was left now was that she felt powerless and useless. It was such an awful feeling. Maybe that was what all those ponies were feelings, the mayor was wondering. Maybe that why they felt that the only thing they could do was watch.

**Happy Town**

Of course, let's not forget about Happy Town. Because their reaction was the most intense. For as long they can remember, the citizens of this town have always tried their best to master the art of being happy. And so they have always tried their best to take away any negative thoughts and fill their head with positive ones. So, to hear right here right now that their idols have been kidnapped to play an absurd game and that the responsible was one of them, the black sheep, but still one of them, was unthinkable. So when the unthinkable happened, they were not capable of thinking.

And when they did understand what was happening, they still could not believe it. But they also could not not believe it. This contradiction was making those ponies unable to stay still on their feet. Some of them were even believing that reality itself had broken.

‘’This... this can't be happening, it's a joke, a bad joke.’’

‘’Do you seriously think this is a joke!’’

‘’Why is it happening? Why is it happening? How can Mel can do that to them? To us? He... he... he betrays us all!’’

‘’I knew that one day this rotten apple will do something as depraved as that.’’

‘’What going on in his head! He is a psycho. How come we never notice it before?’’

‘’We never should have accepted him as one of us. He had never wanted to adapt to our way of life anyway.’’

The mayor was a little uncomfortable to hear his own townsfolk spurting such hateful words. He had never realized but the truth was that nearly all Happy Town had a serious disdain for Melancholia. You see, it was not they were considering open expressions of pessimism and of depressing thoughts a crime. But... it was also not something that was welcome. They consider that the goal of life is to have the most enriching one possible and so, pain and sorrow was considered like things that go in the way. So that why that when you have sad thoughts, then you must do you best to push them away and comeback to have happy thoughts filling your head.

And that was also why a pony like Mel was not only consider weird but also a counter-productive member of society. And that was especially true if the pony in question was stubbornly working very hard to show the grim sides of life despite the numerous, but many numerous attempts from Happy Town to show him the errors of his ways. They just could not understand what was the point to this way of life.

Flo was right. They never had accepted Mel. They were just tolerating him... like we tolerate tumors. A tumor to society. Of course, the citizens of Happy Town would never outright admit that they despise him. To only have positive thoughts is considered their pride after all. They will be very ashamed to realize they were capable of such hateful feelings and so, they were subconsciously buried those feelings deep inside their minds.

But now that Mel had dared to do an atrocity without names... all those buried and ugly feelings came out without any restriction. Which prompted the mayor to intervene. Because there was more important things to do... or because it was unbecoming of the motto of the town?

‘’My citizens... my citizens, please calm down. This is not the time for that. Right now we need to... we need to... (Oh damn. What are we supposed to do? I don't know. I really don't know. Wait! *gasssp* Oh no. ... Flo.)’’

It was then he understood something he should have way earlier. He turned around to look at little Flo to see how she was dealing with this.

Even though the screen was now showing noting more than a: PLEASE BE PATIENT, the eyes of Flo were transfixed on it and her iris had shrunk so much they were now the size of tiny green marbles. Her mouth was left wide open and you could see that her body was trembling. To say she was in shock... wouldn't be enough to describe what she was feeling.

‘’... ... it's a lie. ... ... it can't be true.’’

It was just as Paternal has fear. If not worse. And why should she react other way? It was her big brother. Her beloved big brother. Her brother who had just said from his own mouth that he had now become a criminal and that, without a trace of remorse.

‘’It can't be. It just cannot be.’’

‘’Flo, please, get a hold of yourself.’’

Mayor Paternal had tried to put his hoof on her back as a comforting gesture but Flo reject it like if his hoof was made of burning iron and turned around to look at him. He was at a loss for breath, he never could have imagined that she could be capable of making a face of such distress.

‘’Those are lies, everything is a lie! There is no way it's real, I know my brother, he will never even hurt a fly! You know that.’’

‘’Flo!!’’

But Flo could not hear him and she went running to the crowd and was speaking with them, half-mad with hysteria.

‘’You know it can't be true. Don't tell me you believe it's true! You know that no matter how weird and unsocial he can be, he is deep down a good pony! You know that! Please somepony, anypony, tell me I am right! Mel would never do that, MY BROTHER WOULD NEVER DO THAT!’’

It came more as a supplication that as a confirmation. And was clear for all those ponies that Flo was not even believing what she was saying. They did not know what to say to this child in distress until one of them decided to go forward and talk to her.

‘’But Flo... it... was your brother on this... thing. We all recognized him and he spoke just like him... there is no way it could be somepony else.’’

‘’No! This... this is some kind of mistake.’’

‘’And the Mane 6 are gone just at the same time as Mel. It was yourself that was saying to all of us that they were in danger’’

‘’No... no... it can't... Mel couldn't...’’

But another pony had also decided to come forward and to speak. With a much aggressive tone.

‘’For Celestia sake will you stop denying what is in front of you! You just trust your brother blindly just because he is your brother.’’

‘’Huh!!!’’

‘’You are always there to defend him and we were always listening to you. But I see that by doing that we were encouraging his unhealthy behaviors when it should have been reprimanded. It's... it's not like we blame you for sticking to family but you have to take away your pink glasses and see the obvious. Mel is a bad pony.’’

‘’Please... stop.’’

But more and more ponies came to express their feelings. And more and more Flo could not help but to step back against their verbal assaults, even though she was not the target. And as much she did not want to hear them, their words full of disdain were freely flowing from her hears to her head where they were making a maddening cacophony.

‘’No... no... noooo, I refuse to believe I refuse... refusenononoNOOOOOOOOOOO!!! ’’

Having reach her limit, she screamed at the top of her lungs and went galloping across the crowd for then going far, far away from them. She did not seem to have any destination in mind, she just wanted to no longer be with them. The ponies just stayed there. That had realized what they had just done. That they have gone too far and that was making them ashamed. Even mayor Paternal did not go after her because of the same reason as earlier. He could not find any comforting words to say to her. Feeling despair over his uselessness and over the situation they were now, the only thing he could do was looking once again at the monitor still showing the words: PLEASE BE PATIENT.

He could not help but to think that was Mel mocking them.

‘’(... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Where... ... ... where... I am?)’’

Twilight had just barely got out of unconsciousness and her memory was a hazy fog. But slowly, her thoughts were starting to become more coherent.

‘’(I don't know where I am... but... it's nice... in there. It's comfy... I feel like I'm floating... and I never felt so good)’’

Soon, the sensation of her own body was coming back to her. So she tried to move her hooves but it was hard since they were still feeling very groggy.

‘’(It's hard to move. What happed? Did I... just wake up?... Was I... sleeping? I remember... I was having one of the most awful dreams ever. Where... where... ... ... *gasp* IT WAS NOT DREAM!)’’

Remembering all at once Mel, the beating she had to endure and that her friends were in danger, she opened wide-open her eyes and could finally see where she was.

‘’(Wha, wha, wha, wha... what the hay!? My friends!! What is happening to you?)’’

It was hard for her to understand what she was seeing. Before her was five of her friends. But they were all into strange capsules thingy. Theses capsules were filled with water that was glowing with a cyan hue. And all her friends were floating in this liquid, well awake. As they saw that Twilight had opened her eyes, they all went to knock at the glass with their hooves. Twilight wanted to talk to them but when she opened her mouth, instead of sound, bubble came out of it. That was when she had realized why she felted she was floating and that she was in the same boat as her friends. She panicked, being sure that she will drown and tried to hold the most of her breath... until she had realized that she could breathe just fine.

‘’(... ... This is so strange. How it can that I am just fine? It makes me think a lot to the time that the changeling took me and put me into one of those green cocoons. Eyuuuu, a memory that I prefer not remember. But when I was in there, my head was all woozy-wooby. But here, I feel just fine. No! More than fine, I feel in tip-top form! And... and all my wounds are gone! How?)’’

A quick look at herself was enough for her to notice that all the bruises that she was supposed to have were no longer here like if they were never there in the first place. Also, she was feeling warm inside and bursting with energy.

‘’(Now I remember. Mel had said that he had the best medical equipment. So is it what those machines do, healing? And what more, it seems to do work of my metabolism and fill me with energy and oxygen. Well, no wonder I was feeling so good, it like I had come back inside my mother woOOOHH I better not go to the end of this thought. But those machines are beyond fascinating. But wait, where is Starlight?!)’’

Twilight looked around her and noticed that there was missing one of her friends, Starlight. She was nowhere to be seen but she spotted something interesting. One of the capsules was empty and open but the inside walls were wet, implying that it had recently been used. But Twilight did not have the time to ponder because the capsule where Pinkie was had made a sound and a hatch at the bottom opened. And the water, along with the scared Pinkie Pie, was just washed away down the drain. And once she was gone, it was the turn of Rainbow Dash. Then it was the turn of Applejack. Then Fluttershy. And finally, Rarity. Once they were all gone, Twilight panicked and hit the glass with the energy of despair. That is, until she had heard her own capsule do the same sound and guessed, what she should have done sooner, that her turn had come.

‘’(Oh please, I had just woken up. You got to be kiddinggggggggg!!!) WUAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!’’

She was falling into a tunnel shaped like a twisted water slide. With the fun in less. What Twilight was doing was not laughing but screaming as she was going in all directions until the ride stopped and she was propelled into the inside of a big and empty square chamber where all her friends were.

‘’Twilight!’’

Pinkie, overjoyed, jumped with open hooves to catch her in her fall. It had failed. Their two faces collided with each other, flattening them in a cartoonish way and strangely making a metallic sound. Shockwaves coursed through their bodies which were staying fix in mid-air until gravity had remembered that it had a job to do. Once they fell on the floor, stars were turning in circles above the head of Pinkie.

‘’Woooooo, woooooo, since wheeen did we get outside? Twinkles, pretty twinkles, the sky is so full of twinkles.’’

‘’Ughhhh... ... worst... wake up... ever. ... ... Girls! Girls, you alright.’’

Having realized that nearly all the gang was here, safe and alive, all her friends did not lose time and throws themselves at Twilight and went to hug her like dear life. The relief they felt was so great that they all went to cry tears of joy and they laughed to their hearts’ content. For them, the simple fact to be together was enough to melt all the bad things that had happened this day.

‘’Oh girls, you can't know how happy I am to see you. But how did you get here? Did Mel also hurt you?’’

All her friends jumped with surprise at the mention of this name.

‘’Mel ya say! So ya mean that this fellow is the responsible for the mess we are!’’

‘’I'm afraid that yes. What it did to you?’’

‘’Well darling, we will tell you but it is not a pretty story.’’

‘’I'm... sure of it. I will also tell you all that I know.’’

That was when everypony briefed each other on the adventures, rather misadventures, they had to endure. The attacks throw at them and how they had no choice but to defend themselves. The fear, the anger, the hurting. And for finish, Twilight explained to them the ruins they were trapped, the technology Mel could use and that they were all there to play some sort of game, even if that part was still not clear.

Once everything was said, the face of Twilight crisped and she was biting her lips.

‘’I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. It's all my fault. I had not so much enthusiasm about those ruins then I never would have followed blindly Mel and I wouldn't leave you all alone with this nightmare. I could have protected you. But I have only thought about myself. It's all my fault.’’

The ponies were feeling sad to see their friend beating herself like that. She always had the bad habits to take everything on her shoulders.

‘’Please sugarcube, don't talk like that. You can't believe what you say.’’

‘’But it is my fault. I have abandoned you. And we are trapped in who knows where in the clutch of a madman who can use a technology that I don't understand how it works and I have no idea what his plans are for us and Starlight is still missing and I can't imagine a single plan to get us out of here.’’

Twilight, being submerged by a mixing of anxiety and guilt, was hit by a panic attack while at the same time she was crying torrent of tears. Fluttershy quickly went to the her and gently rubbed her hoof on her purple back.

‘’Shhhh. It's alright Twilight, it's alright. Nopony think this is your fault. Because it's not. You cannot know and control everything. And I understand that you are scared but don't forget that we are all here with you. You don't have to this alone.’’

She had succeeded at calming Twilight. Already she could breathe more easily and she was wiping her tears with the tips of her wings.

‘’Thank Fluttershy. Thank you all. I will be nothing without you.’’

‘’Oh, and another thing. You better not thinking about hating and restraining your passions. Because a Twilight that love to learn is the Twilight we love the best.’’

‘’What bu bu but I was not thinking that. ... ... Okay, maybe a little.’’

She was saying, looking down, ashamed to have been read so easily. But she really did feel a huge relief. Seeing that her friend was now okay, Rainbow Dash made a huge grin.

‘’Glad to see our Twi is back. But you should not worry. We fought so many times against the forces of evil and each time we have won. So who cares what this Mal, Meli-Melo or whatever his name is, has in store for us. Once we will put our force together, we will beat the crap of it. Hou, haa.’’

She did a few karate moves to emphasize the castagne she will soon give him which had made everypony burst in laughter. Even Twilight.

‘’Hahahaha, oh I'm sure Rainbow, I'm sure. ... ... However... something tells me that this one will different compared to all the other villains we have faced. He is clever and sneaky. I mean... he made this column of light a literal beacon to attract us all. Plus, I am pretty sure that he is not alright in the head. We will have to put our guard up because I have no idea what his next move will be.’’

At this warning, all the ponies got really worry. Except Rainbow of course. And Pinkie who had still a glimmer of hope.

‘’Oh oh, but he must surely be the one that had put us in these machines that have healed us since all those fancy gadjety are all belonging him and so that mean that he at least care a little about us and so he might be not that bad.’’

‘’I am afraid not Pinkie. I think that it is more that he, need, us in walking form to fulfill his design. Believe me, I have seen... more like feel directly what it he is capable of.’’

Remembering that was enough for making her legs shaking. Rainbow, her, was more intrigued by something else.

‘’Huh, was that about healing? It that what those tanks full of water were doing? Then that mean...’’

Rainbow went to flap her wings a little, and then faster and faster. She was so happy that stars were shinning in her eyes.

‘’Oh my gosh, my wings! My wings are back to normal. Rainbow Dash has officially resurrected from the dead.’’

Naturally, she went to fly at a supersonic speed all around the room, shouting cries of joy. All the ponies were founding her happiness intoxicating and it gave to Twilight a burst of confidence.

‘’I guess I should take example on her. Hahaha. That true, there is no reason to worry. After all, when we team up, we're unstoppable.’’

‘’Glad to hear that Miss Twilight. I would have expected nothing else.’’

They were all freaked out because they have all heard an unknown voice that was definitely masculine. And what more, that voice seemed to come from everywhere in the room. The light of this closed room went off and the surface of one the four walls lighted on with a cyan light which formed itself to become a holographic screen with the size of a house. And it was showing Mel, sitting on his throne.

‘’Mel!’’

‘’You know, patching you up had sure took more time than I thought. We are already fifteen minutes behind schedule. But now I am glad to announce that we can finally begi//

‘’Hey you, let me give you some tasty salad of fisthooves.’’

Rainbow Dash went charging with her front hoof brandished right to the giant face of Mel. But she passed through the virtual projection and the only things she could hit was the hard and cold wall. With her own body. Which was now flattened to its surface.

‘’Owwww... oh give me a break. Why the universe should think that all physical comic gags should fall on me?’’

Her contact with the hologram had at least disturbed the projection until it shutdown. Rainbow was sliding down the walls while making a teeth-grinding noise that was not reassuring. But all that has been useless because another screen appeared behind the ponies.

‘’... ... Did you have your fun Miss Dash? I rather that you don't do that, I would not like to be interrupted at each minute.’’

Twilight was feeling her anger burning up like an inferno. He had coldly hurt her and her friends and he was still talking cordially like if nothing had happened. How arrogant and insensible he could be? But then a cold ran through her back and was giving her goosebump. Because she realized that Mel was not his usual self. Not quite. His voice was still polite and pleasant sounding... but his eyes... seemed more out of here that usual. Twilight founded that he was looking like a pony who was having a dissociative episode. A very upsetting thought. But she decided to put her anger and fear aside and to be rational. There was no way for them to escape, they were at his mercy. Also, she did not tell anypony but she could feel that there was some unknown force that was restraining her magic. So bursting out by smashing all was also out of the window. So right now, if she wanted to have a chance, there was one thing she needed to collect. Information.

‘’Mel, you have made the promise that you will eventually explain to me everything. Now I think it is the right time to do it.’’

‘’Ah, right to the point. Excellent. Then without further ado...’’

And then Mel went to spread his hooves in a theatrical gesture.

‘’Welcome Mane 6 to the wonderful game I have made. And I have personally chosen you as contestants.’’

‘’It's that yer idea of a joke! Because it's a very bad one. Ya mean to tell us that you did all those awful things to us just so we can play a stupid game?’’

‘’Yes I did bring you here by forces. But I had no choices. If you knew my designs, you will have never accepted to go with them. Now the question is does my acts were evil and reprehensible? The answer is yes, without a doubt.’’

Before this uncaring pony, the courage of Fluttershy disappears for a moment and the terrible memories of what had happened that night came back in force. She became like a frightful child.

‘’Please, let us go!’’

‘’After all I did, you think I would let you go just because somepony beg me? Oh, be reasonable please.’’

‘’Why are you doing that to us?! What have we ever do to you?!’’

‘’Do to me? ... Nothing. Absolutely nothing. There is in me not a single trace of bad blood against you. You were just the perfect candidates and I needed you. That is all.’’

Twilight was becoming exasperated that the question was constantly dodging.

‘’Alright, alright, we get it, it's nothing personal but will you finally explain to us, what, is, that, game?’’

‘’It is simple, really. They are... trials. Or rather six trials, one for each of you.’’

On the screen, a display appeared at the right of Mel showing a rotating 3D model that Twilight recognized as the palace buried in the mountain. The very place they were. The model was constantly shifting form, modifying its structure.

‘’As I have already told you Miss Twilight, the reason if took interest in these ruins is because of their polymorphic nature. With that I can build without problems a stage for each of your trials. You will all took them one at a time. Alone. Without help. But what those trials will consist that you will know only when it is your turn. Because I insist that you took them unprepared. The more raw your anguish will be, the more powerful the effect on the viewers will be.’’

‘’What?! Wait a minute, what is that story about... viewers?’’

‘’Did you think that I be the only one to see your struggle? You are watched right now, by so many ponies across the kingdom.’’

‘’What! Impossible!’’

‘’It is true. But why don't you show yourself them, dear viewers.’’

Other screens appears all around them. And they were showing ponies of all kinds, looking at them with a fascination that was scary. From the backgrounds, they could deduce they were from many regions, some that they even recognized. But they just could not understand what was happening. They were so taken aback that they instinctively flinched until the six were stuck back to back.

‘’Before I kidnap you, I have sent monitors to most important towns of Equestria so they can see the game and you playing it. Those ponies were watching since the moment you entered this room. And they will be watching you as you will struggle during your trials. As for you, viewers, don't ever dare to think that is all fake. See, those are true ponies that can watch you watching them. Why don't you say hello to the Bearers of Harmony.’’

Nopony on both sides of the screens... just knew how to react. They were staying there, dumbfounded, their eyes wide as saucers, unable to understand this absurd situation. It was the same for Pinkie. Since Mel had said the word welcome, a part of her brain thought she should do that and so she mechanically waved her hoof in front of the ponies. Some of them even answered her and did the same and waved at her. Until they realized how ridiculous it was and dropped down their hooves.

When the holographic screens disappeared, Mel was showing to the six mares, at last a little bit of enthusiasm.

‘’You may have thought that this game will be just for you and me. But no. This game is destined to ALL EQUESTRIA.’’

Rarity was the first to awake when she realized something.

‘’Wait! All... all Equestria is watching me! Oh... oh my. But but but, but I am not in condition to be seen, I have no outfit, no mascara and... this is not the time for such frivolity is it not?’’

The others just nodded. Twilight, her, could not process what he was trying to do. But then... she thought she finally saw a fault in his plan and she grabbed with hope that silver lining.

‘’Heheheh. HAHAHAHAHA. Oh poor Mel, you just dig your own grave. I admit, your plan until then was clever and well troughs but, ohohoh, announcing to all Equestria your dastardly deed. That, was dumb from dumb. Now that they all know that we are in danger, people will come to rescue us.’’

‘’Really? And who? The police? The Wonderbolts? The royal guards? I just need you for a few hours and after that, I will let you go. It will take too much time to go where I am and once the game is finished, I will not care about what they will do to me. And even if they manage to interfere, I possess the most powerful technology in the world. Let them dare trying to stop me.’’

‘’But you forget something. I am Princess Celestia faithful student. And when she hears of my predicament, she will come along Princess Luna to save me.’’

‘’I know. That why I purposely send no monitor to Canterlot. A shame really but it was necessary.’’

‘’Hum, okay, that was well thought but it only retards the inevitable. Somepony will eventually warn the princess. And once it is done, they will come here in one instant and they possess enough power to blow this whole mountain. Well... after making sure we are safe first. Anyway, my point is that when the princess will know, you will have a lot to worry.’’

‘’That is why to be extra sure, I have sent them on a wild goose chase far away.’’

‘’... ... ... Heh!’’

Somewhere in the sky above South Luna Ocean

‘’We are getting closer Luna, I can feel it. It’s still far but we are gaining ground.’’

‘’But at such a slow pace. We could be here all night at this rate.’’

‘’Don’t complain. I am supposed to sleep at this hour. But there is no way will could ignore this. This power. That magical signature. It’s just unprecedented. Luna, just to make sure, you are certain?’’

‘’Yes, there is no doubt. It the same thing that I have felt one month ago. But instead of just disappear, it comes back and go away and come back. I do not understand, it is like that… whatever that thing that does this, expels magic like they were waves on the ocean. I never felt anything like this, I just cannot understand.’’

You will have guessed but both the princess of day and night were hovering above the sea that the ponies call South Luna Ocean. Earlier, the princesses have felted those waves of magic for lack of better description, and this had made them very worry. First, because like they had mentioned, it was the same signature from the column of light once coming from Mount Heaven. Second, because it was a very powerful magic. And third, it was coming from such an odd place, above the sea. And what more, the thing that was doing this was moving and going further away. At first, the princesses could feel that the source of those waves was close to the shores but more time passed and more it was going farther and farther from the continent.

So they decided that they had to act fast and went flying to find what it was. Contrary to Happy Town, the weather here was fantastic. The sky was so clear, except for a few light trails of cloud. There was no trace of wind and everything was bathed by the soft lights of the stars and the moon. So much that you have no problem seeing the two shadows of the flying alicorns sliding on the calm and obsidian water.

‘’Tia, more that I think about it, more I find it strange. Why it appeared now and why in the middle of nowhere? Tia are you sure it is even wise to go to the source. I mean yes it is strange but it seems inoffensive and it also it is going away from Equestria.’’

‘’I understand what you mean but such a powerful and unusual magic could be dangerous. There is no way we could ignore this. We must investigate what it is, then we will decide what to do after.’’

‘’ Should we not have taken a few guards with us?’’

‘’ They never would be able to fly this distance. Beside… I rather not involved them if things get dangerous. Who knows what the source of this signature can do. That why Luna… I ask you to be on your guard and be prepared to anything.’’

‘’Do not worry sis, I am prepared.’’

She answered with a look of determination worthy of a monarch ready to put her life on the line for her people. The tension had become so tense you could cut it with a knife. But since she knew they won’t arrive to source before a bit of time, she decided it was best to light the mood a little and to change the subject with something that had bother her for quite a while.

‘’You know Tia, it is the first time I noticed it but… I have a whole ocean named after me! Actually, made that two if I count both north and south.’’

‘’Yes, I have too an ocean named after me. What your point?’’

‘’Don’t you think it is a little… hum... conceited? I mean, that just my opinion. Still...’’

‘’Don’t look at me like that, I am thinking the same. But it was alas not my decision. It is my subjects that had come with those names. It was during the time where their adoration was borderline fanatical. Also annoying if I may add. When they named that sea after me, it was already too late. Since the harm was done, I did insist that there was at least one or two seas named after you since I… ...’’

‘’Tia! You mean...’’

‘’Anyway. After all this time I just stopped noticing them, it becomes an everyday thing.’’

‘’Look, I understand you but don’t you think we should, I don't know, named them anew? It is really embarrassing.’’

Celastia looked at her sister with a sarcastic look.

‘’What a good idea. Let us change and rewrite all our maps and geography books just because my sister feel embarrassed. It should be not that much of a work.’’

‘’You don’t have to use that tone! All I am saying is think of the message we are giving to the other nations. 'Hey, look at us, we are so full of ourselves that we princesses are naming those waters, that technically should be considered international waters, after us as if they belong to us and that without listening the opinions of others because we don't need to listen to other.’ How do you think the foreign nations will see us?’’

‘’Oh you should not be worry after that. Othercreatures does not care about our naming covention. They call every places as they want anyway. That is, when they even care about giving a name to places.’’

‘’Sooo, that' mean if we become more united, the rework our geography will be murder?’’

‘’Indeed it will. I can already feel the headache.’’

This sister banter was for them a good way to relive their stress and they smiled at each other, knowing that they had both to support each other. If only they knew that what they were searching was so... anticlimactic.

At miles and miles of where the princess where, many meters above the water, was floating a peculiar object. This machine, not that large but not that small, was shaped like a flying saucer and was made from a familiar gray material. At its bottom there were three protuberances gleaming with a cyan light, which were actually anti-gravity devices that were allowing the disk shaped machine to hover in the sky. But more importantly, there was at his heart a shining mechanism that, although it could not be seen by naked eyes, was constantly expulsing wave after wave that were caring in them a magical signature. That… was the very thing the royal sisters were unknowingly chasing.

A rotating 3D model of the very same machine was being shown through a screen, presented by Mel himself to the Mane 6.

‘’A simulator of magical signature device. This machine has the ability to create false but convincing signals to make believe that powerful magic is being used. It was once used by the ancient civilization to confuse their enemies and trick them about the whereabouts of their most dangerous weapons. Or for me, to use them as a literal flying red herring. When I had taken possession of these ruins, I have also found an arsenal of futuristic weapons of all kinds. Really convenient to have a warehouse full of deus ex machina. I had put in advance this machine on a beach and set in on just a few hours. So right now, I am sure the princesses have already notice its presence and went chasing after that disk flying far, far away from Equestria. So if I were you Miss Twilight, I wouldn’t count on them.’’

The mouth of Twilight was wide open and she was unable to get any sound out of it except for a few grunts. This might seem comical but in reality, her heart has sunk deep into her. It was her biggest hope and she was counting on it. But now, it dawn on her that she was trapped in here. With him. But their friends came to surround her and put their hooves on her back. It’s crazy… to see that the simplest of things have the power to give you back your confidence. Twilight raised her head and faced Mel with determination.

‘’It’s no use Mel, you will never break our spirit. Not with our strength combine’’

‘’Yeah, like she says. There is no way we will fear a coward that taunts us from far away.’’

‘’Well said Rainbow. You may hide behind a mask of civility but a ruffian always stay a ruffian.’’

‘’You think maybe you scare me… okay a lot, but I know that big meanie bullies are in reality dump and stupid like all baddies are.

The words of Fluttershy had managed to make Mel react to something. Which was an exploit. His eyes were still devoid of emotions but his smiling face was now contortioned by nervous tics.

‘’Dump! Stupid! You don’t realize that although what I am doing is evil it is still all for a noble goal.’’

‘’Noble goal, mah flank. Ah bet it’s simply that hurting ponies is yer way of getting yer kick.’’

‘’If that true Mister Mel then I am really sad for you and a game that is not fun cannot be called a game. Seriously, the only one that think causing pain for others is fun are loony-doowy just good for the asylum. And when we are here, I also retire any nice words that I had once said to you. One of the biggest Pinkie grudges ever DONE.’’

‘’SILENCE! ALL OF YOU! YOU OF ALL PONIES SHOULD HAVE NO RIGHT TO JUDGE… YOU KNOW NOTHING ABOUT… ABOUT… … …’’

They were all in shock before this uncharacteristic outburst. But realizing he had lost control, he closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He then reopened them and it was like nothing had happened.

‘’… … Let me ask you a question, bearers of the element. An important one. I know that all of you have taken a lot of time to see my town and its peoples. That your stay has been quite eventful and that you have been quite intimate with the way of life of my home. So here is my question and please answer me truthfully. How did you find Happy Town?’’

They were not sure what to answer, it was a question they did not expect. Not only them but also the ponies of Happy Town, that were looking from the plaza through the screens at the mares whom the question had been asked. After a moment of silence, Twilight decided that it was best to answer.

‘’I… found that it was a pleasant place to live. And the ponies there are so kind and welcoming. Sure they might seem a little strange at first but when you get used to it they can be pretty entertaining. And I think that their pursuit of happiness is inspiring and contagious since just a little time was enough for that it rubs off on me. So think, yes, Happy Town is a wonderful place. That is... my answer.’’

‘’... ... ... ... Really... ... that all. I am upset. You, no, all six of you are clever ponies. I am sure that you couldn't have not noticed all the subtle flaws hidden in this way of life.’’

‘’Flaws! What do you mean? If you are talking about the fact that you are not recognized then//

But Mel had shut-up her by raising his right hoof in a gesture of silence.

‘’Do not dare to say that this story is nothing more than a pitiful revenge born of resentment. I am sure that you are more aware of the underline problems hiding in their way of life. To only see the best things in life. Sure, it may sound great on paper. You always see your glass half-full, you get the motivation to strive for a better tomorrow. And all the happiness you collect help you to polish the purest part of your heart since all knows that the happiest are the most nicest. But if you take the time, just a little time to think, then you start to see all the big inconveniences that start to sprout from this idyllic lifestyle.’’

‘’Like what?’’

‘’Did you not notice that the ponies of this town have a tendency to be… in their own head. I do not say that they lack sympathy, they have plenty of that. I say that they lack empathy, the ability to understand, or rather see the pain of others. They make so much effort to build the most perfect worldview that they don’t want to look outside of it because they fear to see bad stuffs. A lot of problems had fallen to you at this day. And those ponies were unaware of it not because they didn’t want to see your troubles but because they had genuine difficulty to step out of their perfect little pink bubbles.’’

The wings of Rainbow went flapping open, remembering how the ponies she had met acted and seeing them now in a completely new way. It was the same for Rarity who just remember a… nauseous episode. Mel didn't stop there.

‘’The reality is that to understand pain, you need to experience it. If not, you become ignorant on that domain. And it also makes their brains rot. And why it should be otherwise, they are so content in their life so why should they work their brains? Some even sincerely think that a brainless and ignorant life is a better life.’’

At these words, the mouth of Fluttershy went wide open because she could not find any word to counter him.

‘’ Yes, all this naivety can indeed make you more carefree. But too much carefree can be a bad thing. I have seen many ponies having a disregard for their safety because they no longer are able to see danger. For a happy life, fear is not welcome. They just don’t want to understand that you NEED to see bad stuffs if you don’t want that bad stuff happens to you.’’

Pinkie, thinking about her day, went to a realization and realize that her bad day that in the end became good… could have been more, more bad than she had thought. In fact, she could have been seriously hurt if she had not been lucky.

‘’And another thing. To making their happiness the most perfect, they work extra hard to shoo away every bad stuffs. The bad stuffs around them and in their head. Actually, they do the first because of the second. Displeasure, scary things, depressing thoughts. All those things are seen as diseases, estranged bodies that have no place to be. So talking about those stuffs is taboo. It’s not a rule. More like an unwritten rule. Did you really think that, I, am the only one who have been asked to correct his behavior? I am just the only one who have never flinched while the other had converted. So, the community has pushed me out of town without really pushing me out of town.’’

Applejack wanted to object, saying that that there is no way it could go that far but… something came back to her and she embarrassedly rubbed the back of her head while saying a big ‘’Ooooooooh’’.

‘’I see that you are starting to realize what truly is Happy Town. How… toxic… life in this city is. And it is not a today problem. Their ancestors had taught them that from generation to generation. And surely the actual generation will teach the same things to their kids. Although the founders had the best of intentions, they unknowingly sow the seed of a religion. The religion of happiness. A dangerous religion. Saying that you should always smile is like saying you are not allowed to cry. People could see Happy Town as a paradise but for me… … it is a grotesque rainbow colored chunk of meat.’’

It was easy, to detect the genuine disgust in his voice. He was thinking all he was saying, there was no doubt for our six mares. As for citizens of Happy Town, they were aghast and could not believe theirs hears.

‘’*gasp* Is… is that really what he thinks of us!’’

‘’All we want to do is to always went to the pursuit of happiness. What is wrong with that?’’

‘’How dare he is saying all… all those lies about us! Even if he was so weird we were seeing him as one of us and that how he treats us!’’

‘’But… it is true that we kinda have isolated him//

‘’Shut up! We have done nothing wrong. We have done… … nothing wrong.’’

But doubt was starting to sprout in their minds, no matter how hard they were trying to push them away.

As for the Mane Six, still trapped in the ruins. Because for them, they had no choice but accept the obvious: Mel, was, right! After all the arguments he had given, they were seeing the ponies of Happy Town with another eye. They could see now that the way they were acting was harmful and that he could be a serious problem if it persists that way. And the worst part… was that in a way… they already knew. They had noticed some hints in their behaviors that were showing a serious problem. But they did not want to be judgmental or pessimism so they had pushed those concerns in the back of their minds. But now those subtle hints were no longer subtle but had now become blatant and they knew that they could no longer see them otherwise. It was then that Twilight had a flash and remembered what Starlight had once said.

[I don’t know. It’s… it’s this town. As I say, it is a great place and ponies are so nice, I really think that. … But… I don’t know. Something in this town makes me feel uncomfortable.]

Now she understands what she meant. Starlight had always been more perceptive than others. She must have saw more clearly that something was wrong. Another proof to the list. But still…

‘’But still, you are going too far Mel. You are right on Happy Town, it had a serious problem.’’

The ponies of the central plaza were feeling sad, even betrayed to see on screen their favorite idol talking and thinking of them like that.

‘’But Mel, you seriously think you are going to solve anything by showing to all Equestria innocent ponies being hurt? Where is the logic in that?’’

‘’Or maybe, it is really necessary. Let me ask you a second question. Do you really think that the problem of Happy Town is a problem, JUST, limited to this town?’’

Applejack felt obfuscated and pointed her hoof in a accuse way to the mad artist.

‘’Heh wo wo wo, what in tarnation are ya saying! In what are we like them?’’

‘’Oh I won’t deny, the ponies of Happy Town are the champions when it comes to being obsessed with happiness. Or maybe I should say poster model. But don't you think that ponies in general follow the same principles in some way. Ponies are... very pure creatures. No no, don't object. Sure many are able to stray from the righteous path. We do have criminals that can do things that are deplorable but never that can be truly considered unthinkable. That is because it is clear to me that ponies do not have a good imagination to go into dark and depressing territory.’’

Twilight just did not understand him. It was bad in what way? Was is not something to rejoice!

‘’I don't get you! Where are you going?’’

‘’Where I am going is that we ponies are fragile. And not that clever on the emotional level. We are good to be optimistic but when it is time to deal with the tragic things of life, we are left with not a lot of cards in hooves to face them.’’

The wings of Twilight had spread wide open and she was looking at Mel with the utmost serious face.

‘’Now you are looking down on us. We do know pain and we do know what it is to be hurt.’’

‘’But is it well enough? Does Equestria had not been the victim of invasions many times? Like the one with the Storm King. Yes, you have saved the situation each time but that the point. You did, not the rest of Equestria because what had happened were things they could not imagine and so they did not know how to react. If you had not intervened, do you think us ponies would have learned how to revolt against tyranny or we will have let ourselves be spineless slave? Does the fact that Equestria always need saviors is it not the proof that Equestria cannot protect itself?’’

‘’Well, hum, I I I, I mean, hum, it's more like, they were...’’

‘’And you must not forget that for a long time ponykind had avoided most contact with other species. Not because they hate them or even that they fear them, but it is more that they worry that their different lifestyles may clash with them and cause disharmony. So ponies prefer to stick between them. Oh wait, you don't find that it sounds like a certain place I had mentioned earlier?’’

And so, the wings of the princess went wimp and her eyes were not so confident than before.

‘’But... ... but we are trying very hard to change things. That why I have built a school for friendship.’’

‘’But it is mainly you that is causing change. Would the others would have started to change without your help? Open your eyes, ponykind does not have strong hearts. We have managed to cover life with a warm blanket of optimism and the illusion of harmony but the truth is life is absurd... but so absurd. Regardless if you want to see it or not. Everything can become a source of pain and especially from where you didn't expect to see it. To live, is to feel pain. That a fact. And every semblance of logic and reason are destined to eventually crumble. And we are not prepared for that.’’

‘’OBJECTION! Pinkie objection.’’

Shouted Pinkie Pie while pointing defiantly her hoof toward Mel.

‘’I know that you are a tragedy writer but that no excuse to have such a warped view of life. Now I take it personal. It is true that life is full of sad stuffs but it is filled with far most of fun things if you know how to look. Life does make senses and tragedies just don't happen like that, only pessimists think the opposite. Saying that life is absurd is just... well absurd.’’

‘’Yes in the end you must surely be right. What I must say must be as ridiculous as you all being attacked out of nowhere in the safety of your bedroom on your leisure day and all that because of an insane pony that you know nothing had scheme a diabolical plan old of many months and all that for the baffling goal of forcing you to play a ridiculous game and do the unthinkable of diffusing your torment to the whole wide world and cherry on cake, the mad one win absolutely nothing in this and just want to make the point to show to all that life is absurd. Yes. You're right. There is noooo way that something soooo absurd can happen. Even I cannot believe what I am saying. ... ... Oh but wait... what I had just said did happen to you. ... ... Ah, I guess what supposed not to happen can happen.’’

‘’Haaaaaaaa...’’

‘’And why do I have the feeling that even if I let you go without playing my game, you will from now on feel the need to lock tight all the doors of your homes and to look under your beds each time you will go to sleep. Seem I at least did a good job at showing you that life is least safe that you thought.’’

‘’Wait wait, just give me a few minutes or hours to find smarty arguments against yours.’’

‘’Sorry Miss Pie. Objection denied. But that is only the beginning. My show will brutally change forever how Equestria will see the world. So much that they will be no longer able to avert their eyes from the painful and ugly truth. Then, ponies will finally start working on how truly face pain. You see, that the whole reason. That why I have brought you here. With your assistance you will help me to cause to Equestria a REVOLUTION OF THOUGHTS. So Mane 6, help me bring evolution to Equestria by breaking all that they believe.’’

After a moment of silence, our six mares went forward and put themselves in a horizontal line before Mel. Then they looked at him through the eyes, stomped their hooves on the ground and shouted at the unison: ‘’NO WE WON'T.’’

‘’Why in Tartarus we should play your stupid game? If you think we will do it just because you are asking us then you are even more nuts than I thought. You have kidnapped us, you have hurt me and my friends. We will never do as you say.’’

‘’Twilight is right, we must never encourage the barbaric behavior of degenerate criminals or they will stay degenerate all their life. ’’

Wanting to top Rarity comeback, Rainbow Dash lift herself off the ground and cockily pointed her hoof to the giant muzzle of Mel.

‘’Yeah you hear that you stupid head. Go and gives us all you got and we will be sure to kick your ass. No matter what you will do to us we will never, but never, obey you.’’

Although they could not know, all the ponies that were watching them went to yell and cheer in honor of their defiance. Because this was giving them hope. Hope that those six mares will not let this bad guy have the better of themselves and that they will beat him like they have beat the other villains. But Mel was not upset by their words. No instead… he just smiled. And all enthusiasm disappeared in an instant. Because they all knew that if he could smile, then it was not a good sign.

‘’Tsk tsk tsk. Seriously, did you really think that after all the complex planning I had made that I would really neglect the part where I give you the adequate motivation? Then I guess it is time to show you that I mean business.’’

Mel took from somewhere a little object with which he amused himself by making it bounce on the palm of his hoof. That little object was like a hexagonal faceted gemstone of gray color but instead to be made of stone, it seemed more to be made of cheap plastic.

‘’As I had told you, I have found an arsenal full of nice little toys. Like those little devices.’’

A little white block then went flying at his side.

‘’First, you can stick those things to nearly any surface just like this.’’

He was saying while he was putting the gray object on one of the faces of the cube. This activated a gravity device hiding on the surface of the device that was making it stick to the white surface so well that it was like it was sculpted on it.
‘’And here come the fun part. Look what happens when I turn them on with just a little push.’’

A virtual display appeared before him. He honored his word and did a light tap on it. Then the jeweled shaped devices went flashing in red while making a bip bip sound. The cube went flying behind Mel with the device still on it, farther and farther. The red flashes and the bips went faster and faster until it sound became annoying and//

BANNNNG

The fiery explosion was so powerful that the shockwave, even though the distance, was enough to make the hair of Mel flying. His face, on the other hand, was still unflappable. Our six heroines were so in shock that they could not help but to step-back.

‘’What… what, in, tarnation was that?’’

‘’I think… I think that… was a bomb. *gasp* No way! It it it… it can't be! It’s that what you mean by motivation?! If we don’t do as you say you will blow us up?’’

The smile of Mel went larger of just a few millimeters. But it was enough for Twilight to think that if the devil exists, his face would be just like Mel.

‘’Who have said… that those will be used… against you?’’

They did not quite understand what he meant. Just… that the answer will terrify them.

‘’You see, it happens that I have secretly installed a lot of these bombs into places you hold dear. For each of you. I can make them detonate with nothing more than a simple tap. And there are very big chances that those places are not empty. There might be a chance… to some of your love ones can be turned into ash.’’

This… was something they could not see coming. Not even in their worst nightmares. Their eyes had now lost all gleam. They felt the need to puke and it was like the temperature of the room had gone to freeze.

‘’No… no… how could you?’’

‘’All the country might now know that I have put bombs but it is of no consequence to me. The bombs are very well hidden. And anyway, I have given them the instruction to explode if anypony tear them away from where they are glued. So here how we will proceed. You play my game or… or I just let you go like that. I promise. Well, I let you go but at the possible cost of the lives of some of your love ones. That too is a promise.’’

Rarity was now so in rage that she had thrown away all sense of decorum.

‘’You damn monster! Tell me where you put those bombs before I eviscerate you!’’

‘’Sorry I am not telling you. Not now at least. After all, is it is vague, then you will imagine that could be anywhere. And that will put a much greater pressure on you. So, are we now in agreement?’’

Twilight looked at all her friends, terrified and shaking. She felt disgust at what she will soon say but she had no other option.

‘’Girls, it pains me to say that but we have no choice to give him what he wants. We have to play his game. I have seen what Mel is capable of. It won’t hesitate, I am sure of it. I hate myself to tell you to cooperate with him but… but…’’

Twilight did not need to finish. They knew well that it was now bigger than them. Now they had a responsibility to protect their loves ones and they would take it gladly. And so, they all answer Twilight with a simple nod and eyes filled with all the determination in the world. It was enough to make Twilight shed a few tears.

‘’Everypony… thank you.’’

‘’But you know, now that I think about it, I am not so sure that you take my threat seriously enough. Hummm, maybe in the end it will be necessary to give you an... example.’’

‘’What!!! No no that won’t be necessary, we are convinced that you are serious so you don’t need to do that!’’

‘’But the more that I think about it, more I realize that you must be hoping on a subconscious level that I am bluffing. That there is no bomb. Who could blame you? Nopony would be able to truly believe something so outrageous.’’

Twilight panicked and opened her wing to fly before the huge screen while Mel had made appear another display ready to be pressed.

‘’Stop Mel, we believe we believe, did you not hear us, we had just said we will play your game so it's useless to do that!’’

‘’And I think it is really important that you see how huge the scales are for you. So open well your eyes.’’

‘’ I TOLD YOU WE ARE CONVINCED, PLEASE STOOOOOOOP!!!’’

But without mercy, he pushed it.

The ponies of Happy Town were so tense that they didn't even dare to blink. They were anxious but because they were anxious they could not help but to stretch their faces closer to the screens to see more clearly what tragedy will happe//

BANNNNNG

Their hearts all stopped beating for one moment and they all turned their gazes to the source of the noise and their eyes went wide with horror. The clock tower, their precious and beautiful clock tower, had now become a blazing column of inferno rising to the dark sky. One of the bells fell on the roof of the house of the mayor, smashing it. In its falling, it had made a sound that could very well be a wailing death cry. A giant gear, now engulfed in flame, was propelled by the explosion and fell to the ground where it went rolling in the plaza. The ponies, afraid to be crushed to death, were running away from it while screaming in terror. When the gear had lost all momentum, it fell flat to the dirt at the feet of mayor Paternal. But he did even react because he was fixated on the burning remains of the tower that will now never, ever more play its beautiful music.

‘’Our... our clock tower... the symbol of our town... gone, forever!’’

Dust had dropped the mini monitor after what he had just seen. His paws were shaking uncontrollably and he was fearfully moving backward for the little cube like if it was the most fearful monster he had ever seen.

‘’Bro! They… they… they were bombs. They were bombs! We have planted bombs in all those places! Ponies will die all because... all because aaaaaah! WHAAAAAAAA!’’

Dirt could no longer breathe and his yellow eyes were filling with panic tears. His big brother grabbed him to bring him a little comfort.

‘’Calm down Dust, calm down. We must calm down. We must… we must… oh dear mother.’’

But he soon did the same as him and the only thing they could now do was fixating the screen, crying while hugging each other with the strength of despair.

This time it was the reverse. This time this scene of destruction was shown to our six mares who had seen it all from the giant screen. Their eyes had become glass, reflecting only the orange light of the fire. To receive so many shocks in such a short lapse of time couldn’t certainly not be good for their mental health. Nopony could react, that is, until Fluttershy went into a hysterical crying.

But she was not the only one who reacted badly. Mel had shown the clock tower becoming a torch to all the country causing all kinds of reactions like cries of fear and panic attacks. Many were still hoping this could still be a joke, however how small this hope could be. But now, they knew this was serious. And all Equestria was now covered by a blanket of dread.

Going back to our heroines, seeing Fluttershy so demolish was enough to reawaken the rage of Twilight, in a far stronger form.

‘’You monster, why did you that?! We have said we will cooperate.’’

‘’And I had said that it was necessary.’’

‘’You did not care what we will have answers, you will have blow-up that tower anyway. You hypocrite, I knew you do have vengeful feeling for your town.’’

‘’Think what you want, it is not important. But I think we have lost enough time with talking. Now, are you ready to play?’’

‘’Alright alright, we will do it! You terrible to listen to other you know that.’’

‘’Happy to hear it. So without further ado.’’

On the floor, six squares lighted on with cyan light.

‘’Each of you, go walk on those squares. They will bring you to isolate rooms where each of you will stay until your turn come.’’

‘’Wait. Before, I have one question.’’

‘’I'm listening.’’

‘’You think that I didn't notice that Starlight was not here. Where is she?’’

‘’Completely healed, I can promise you. I have only made six trials for you six, I didn't have one prepared for her. But I am still keeping her. See her like, hum, an additional hostage. Do as I say and I will release her too.’’

‘’… … You officially become the being I hate the most. (But I guess that another reason to play that game since Starlight count on me.) Alright but please at least give me a little time with my friends.’’

He did a nod to give her permission. Twilight looked at her friends and found that like her they did not know what to say. So they did what came naturally to them, they went to a group hug. The most tight they ever went. She had tried her best to look brave. She really did. But thin layers of tear came streaming from her eyes. But her friends just smiled at her and gently caress her face.

‘’Thank you so much. Remember girls, even if we are separate, our bond is still there and it will give us the strength to come across anything.

They all nodded at her, showing silently that they were thinking the same thing.

‘’Then let’s go show to him what we are capable of.’’

So with confident steps, each of our six mares went to the squares looking at Mel defiantly.

‘’Twilight, Mane 6, I repeat once again. Are you sure you want to do it? It is not too late to change your mind. Once it starts, there will be no going back. And it will be by your owns decisions. Soooo?’’

‘’… You already know our answer.’’

‘’Then so be it’’

The cyan squares sank into the ground bringing the ponies with them. Once they were out of sight, the holes went to close themselves like if there was never anything there. And Mel smiled. A true and authentic smile for once.

‘’Let the game begin.’’

Twilight castle

Spike was walking in the hall of the castle while humming a happy tune. In his claws he was carrying a cardboard box with what seems to be a letter on top of it. When he arrived at the door of his bedroom, he opened it with a light tap of his foot. Once in his sanctuary he dropped the box on a table and smiled like a kid who will soon open his Hearts Warming Eve presents.

‘’Gosh, my day could not be better. I can believe that Rarity has sent by mail a souvenir from where she is. Just for me. And it is only a half a day since she went away. This must mean she must really think about me. Nothing could make me more happy. Haaaa, a gift from my sweet Rarity who has the most beautiful heart in the whole wide world and who can look at you in a way that makes you feel so special and… … *cough**cough* anyway, what I mean… hey, why I am acting embarrassed, it is not like people can know what I am saying right here right now by some interdimensional way. Wow… that was such a random thing to say. I sounded like young Twilight in one of her paranoid moments. When she thought that Celestia could gaze at her at distance no matter where she was. Brrrrr, luckily this dark period didn't last long.’’

He quickly came back to think at Rarity and even went to reread the telegraph of her with shinning eyes.

My wonderful Spike

I am sorry if this is a little sudden but during my séjour in Happy Town I had found this superb art piece that had captivated my eyes and I was certain that you will like it. I just could not resist and decided to send it to you immediately. Take good care of it.

Lots of kiss, Rarity

Once he had done with the reading, he hugged the telegraph close to his heart.

‘’Awwww, I must be the most lucky dragon in the world. Now, what I must do with that. A part of me can’t wait to see what she had sent me but another part wants to savor the moment. … … Oh Spike, you know well how it will end.’’

He threw himself at the box and used his claw to tear down the cardboard.

‘’Rip rip rip, shred shred shred, show me what Rarity had sent for… what! What is that?’’

The object inside the box was taking all the place. It was a simple plain sculpture of white material shaped as a geometrical figure that Spike knew was called dodecahedron. You could thank Twilight for teaching him that. But it was sure a peculiar thing to send as a gift.

‘’This… is art? Is it what they call avant-garde? I know that I know nothing on art but even I am not sure it could be considered that. What I am supposed to do with that? Use as a paperweight? It's far too big for even that. That does not like something that Rarity would even like. … … Wait a minute.’’

He turned his back and looked intensely at the telegraph and found…

‘’Something does not add up. Rarity does not use the word superb. She uses the words sublime or gorgeous but not superb. And she does not end her letters with lots of kiss, that too much, even for her. She writes instead love, Rarity. And above all else, she does not call me wonderful Spike, our relationship is not that close, as much I find it a shame. At what I am looking? It’s like if somepony were trying to lousy imitate the style of Rarity.’’

He was so perplexed that he didn’t notice that the white dodecahedron behind him… was moving. Four of the five lower faces opened with the help of retractable mechanical limbs. Each of the four faces separated themselves into two, making that the machine was now walking on eight legs like a spider. Two of the higher faces also opened, revealing an interior of machinery and a red lens that could very well be an eye. But more importantly, that thing had two metallic mandibles where electrical arcs were coursing between them. The sound of cracking electricity didn’t go unnoticed by Spike. But it was too late.

The spider-bot jumped with the merciless fitting of a cold machine.

Lyra Heartstring, with quite some force, opened with her magic the door to Spike room and burst inside with her hair wet from sweat.

‘’Spike, this is an emergency. Twilight and the others are in grave danger and we need your fire breath to annnnnd you not here. Oh shoot, but where he could be? Don’t tell me that after running a marathon I now have to run in all the room of this castle! This place is huge. Ohhhh fine, let's go since we must.’’

So went galloping again in the hall while screaming Spike name at the top of her lungs. In her rush, she didn’t notice that at the end of the hall on the wall behind her, there were two shadows moving. The shades of a small thing dragging with difficulty another small thing, until they disappear out of sight.

Author's Note

Alright, alright, I confess, this was not the official star of the game but I promise you, next chapter we will go straight to the trials of the Mane 6. I admit I am a little uncertain about the quality of this chapter since it had basically served as a info dump and I had once heard that it was never a good idea in literature to use info dump moments. But it really was necessary to put in there to rise the stake and at least, I think I had made a pretty good job at making entertaining and to give some tension.

Anyway, from now on, the disposition of the next chapter will be... a little special. The chapter six will actually continue and be divisive in several parts, each one concentrating on each of the trials of our mares. 6.1, 6.2 and etcetera.

So stay tuned for our first mares on the list, Rainbow Dash.

6.1: Rainbow Dash trial

6.1: Rainbow Dash trial

Restless, restless, restless.

That was how one pegasus was feeling right now. Restless.

Like Mel had promised, each of Mane 6 had been sent to individual rooms like the one they were before, except they were smaller.

And it was in one of them that Rainbow Dash was, walking in circles around it. Once she had come here, she was not capable of staying still. Oh she had been stressed since a long time but before, she was able to put a brave front for her friends. But now that she was alone, all her depressive feelings came free. She was never good with being alone and not receiving support. Encouragement was in a sort her fuel. So to avoid feeling blue she tried to distract herself by moving the most possible, which in this small room was not a lot. She went walking in circles, fly a few short, very short, lapses and even went to do some wing-push-ups. And that was not even five minutes she was in there. Feeling that she could no longer take anymore, she exploded and shouted toward her captor.

‘’AAAAH COME ON, how long will you make me wait! You are so afraid that I will ace your trial that you want to make me die of boredom, that it! For pete sake, just in the moment where I was feeling my blood boiling with excitement because helloooo, all Equestria is watching me, it is my chance to give to them one of the coolest, awesome and spectacuderful show ever. … … … … You know, I just realized that when there is nopony to hear you bragging, you really look like an idiot. *sigh* I am so tired of waiting, PLEASE SHOW YOURSELF!’’

Right on cue, a screen appear behind Rainbow Dash.

‘’You call, so I appear.’’

‘’GYAAAAAH!!!”

It surprised the hell of out her, making her panic. Afraid, she went running and she tripped on her hooves, fell down and went rolling toward the wall. She was now upside down, her head on the floor, looking annoyingly at Mel. Needless to say, she felt so humiliated.

‘’Why it always happens to me? It’s a curse, it’s must be. And you idiot never do that again, you nearly give me a heart attack!’’

‘’Oh that won’t do. I need you too much.’’

‘’Yeah everypony needs Rainbow. With sunshine. But you, you clearly need them more than the others.’’

‘’But there are some that find their radiance ridiculously flashing for nothing, like if they want to brag about how awesome they are.’’

‘’… … I hate you.’’

She used her wings to fly off then, went to hover in her upright position with her upfront hooves crossing.

‘’Sooo, are we here just to do lame banters or we will get down to business?’’

‘’Right, right, I am here to tell you that your trial will begin. Dash, you’re the first.’’

‘’Sweet, right into the action. Well, although I admit nothing could make me happier to quickly show what I am capable of, if I were at your place, I would have left the best for the last.’’

‘’Oooh such ardor. But does all this bravado is it not a hint that deep down you are afraid and that you want to hide it?’’

Rainbow leaned closer to Mel with the smuggest face she had ever done.

‘’It’s not bravado if it’s a fact.’’

‘’Hahahahaha, oh your arrogance knows no limit. … … No… no you are probably right. You really are extraordinary Miss Rainbow Dash. To deny that would be foolish. But I am not talking about the incredible physical feats you can do… but about how you manage to do them in the first place.’’

‘’Huh what now!?’’

‘’You do not have a blind trust in your talent. When something will be a tough challenge, you know it will be a tough challenge. But regardless, you never find it daunting, quite the contrary, you face it head-on with bravery. And more importantly, under your air of arrogance, you do know the importance of hard-work. That is why you train constantly, working your muscles until they are tired and go to pushing further and further your limit.’’

‘’Hum, well yeah, a victory without challenge has no savor.’’

‘’Yes. And that why Rainbow, you shine so much. You are a living symbol. A symbol that show that with hard-work you can accomplish anything and that no dreams are beyond out of reach.’’

Rainbow Dash just did not understand where Mel was coming. Though she admitted that all this praise was flattering her ego to the highest heights.

‘’But you know Rainbow, I consider that's not even your greatest quality. What so special about you is that you have the genuine desire to teach to other about how be as great as you just because you want to share to them the joy of being proud of yourself. And indeed, I can guarantee you that many ponies look up to you. By seeing you, they start to believe that they can become as awesome as you, or at least close enough, if they just give their all and never give up. Right now I can think of two pegasus in particular. Your confidence is that contagious. That is what I think make you so special. You are a diamond that changes the others into diamonds.’’

Rainbow, before so much praise, could feel her face turning red. Embarrassed, she turned her back from Mel and shyly scratched the back of her head while giggling.

‘’Ohohoho, well I wouldn't say you wrong, I do make this effect to ponies, who could blame them? But even I wouldn't go as far to say I'm as extraordinary as you say... ... that how you would have like I reacted, is it not?’’

Rainbow faced Mel once again, showing that her demeanor from earlier was just an act to mess up with him.

‘’Good try Mel. Good try. But it would take more than praise and compliment to let my guard down.’’

‘’That was not my intention. And everything I have said, I think it. But tell me, are you... sure that what you do is a good thing?’’

‘’What do you mean?’’

‘’I have said too much. You trial will now start.’’

‘’Good. Now do your worst because I am ready to take you on.’’

‘’...You may regret those words. Here how we will proceed. Your trial is an obstacle course.

‘’Aha, I see you speak my language.’’

‘’The goal is to arrive at the end of this gauntlet where you will find a button.’’

‘’Heh, a button! What does it do?’’

‘’ It deactivate a bomb. As I had said earlier, I have hidden a bomb in a place that is dear to you. If you don’t finish the race and push the button before the countdown reach zero, the bomb will explode. And the place in question happens to be//

‘’ Oh no need to tell me. After all I will surely succeed with awesomeness and make sure nothing blow-up. So it really does not matter to know//

‘’*sigh* It’s the Wonderbolts academy.’’

Rainbow Dash fell right on the floor. Although it had hurt, she could not notice the pain. All her cockiness was now gone and at its place she had the face of a young kid who had just seen the spookiest thing ever.

‘’Huh!’’

The truth is that she didn’t want to know where the bomb was because it was helping her to make herself believe that nopony was in danger. As stupid as she knew how it sounded. But now… the height on her shoulders seemed so heavy.

‘’Or rather the dormitories of the Wonderbolts, well hidden under the floor. You know that at this hour, many of your
colleagues must be there, sleeping. ‘’

‘’No. Don’t.’’

‘’Feeling not so confident now? Those ponies are after all your friends. Maybe you could even call them brothers and sisters. Can you handle the pressure? If you find it is too much to bear, I can you know just blow them up myself here and now.’’

‘’NO!! Hum, I mean… I’m… I’m not scared. … I’m not scared.’’

But her word didn’t have a lot of weight in them.

‘’Happy to hear it. Now let me give you the details of the track.’’

Another 3D image appeared on the screen. It was a skeletal model of an L-shaped corridor with the feet of the L going straight up while the other part went to the right.

‘’Basically it is separate into three parts, each with their own obstacles. The first one, the corridor that go at the vertical possesses a fake and moveable roof that serve has a barricade that block the passage to the horizontal corridor. To access it, you will have to push the roof with all you got until an opening come for you to go. Basically, it will serve as a test of raw strength.’’

Rainbow Dash was saying nothing but instead was looking at the screen and listening with the upmost concentration. She knew it was no longer the time to jest.

‘’Then once it's done, you will be on the second corridor. Your path will be blocked by two special vault doors that can only be opened by… hehe, that would actually be a surprise. It would be better if you took that test unprepared.’’

Annoyed, she could not help to do a small grunt toward his arrogance.

‘’And finally beyond the two doors is a straight line to the goal. But the wall around you will also be moveable and will try to stop you. You will have to fly fast but also with agility to avoid them without losing speed. I think this one should be the most easy part for you since you are used to flying through obstacles. So did you get it all?’’

She didn’t answer immediately. Instead she was rubbing her right-front hoof on the ground like if she was a bull ready to strike. She was already getting prepared to go into her inner deep well of drive and letting it loose.

‘’Yeah yeah I get it, pushing very hard, a no fun surprise and my usual routine, that about sum it up. I just have one question. How much time I have to reach that button?’’

‘’Seven minutes. That all you will have before the bomb explodes. Do you feel up to the challenge?’’

‘’Like it’s my style to give up before having even begun.’’

Mel did a small smile and the roof of the room open itself up revealing a dark vertical shaft only lighten by light cyan lights on the walls. From where she was, she could not see how far it was going.

‘’Very well Dashie, it is time to see if you can really do anything. The countdown will begin when I say go. Which I just did right now.’’

‘’Wait what! DAMN YOOUUUUUUUUUU.’’

As she was shouting her indignation she went flying straight up, knowing that if she wanted to save her friends, then she didn't have a second to lose. Gaining altitude faster than a rocket, leaving a rainbow trail behind her, she quickly reached the roof in a matter of seconds. Knowing that it was a fake one, she didn’t hesitate and sprinted right to it, her hoofs held before her and as she touched it, instead to be crushed on it, the roof did indeed was pushed up.

‘’It had really worked! It’s just like Mel had said, this roof is really moveable. Now I just have to push higher and higher until I see an opening. *huff*… Oh gosh it’s hard.’’

Although the fake roof was not as heavy as a true roof, it still had a considerable weight. For Rainbow it was like lifting a heavy dumbbell and it was already strenuous for her muscles. Not only she had to flap her wings like crazy for staying in the air but the biggest work was given to her arms who had to push the roof with all the strength they could give, if not more. Rainbow was an athlete but she was principally a flying athlete. Although she had more strength than the average pegasus, that did not mean that she was as strong as somepony who was doing weight training.

‘’*huff**huff* Oh dammit, I really should have worked more on those legs of mine. Once everything is done I promise in the name of Celestia that I will buff everything else instead of just my wings. Damn it, it's... it's just horrible. Do I have still have for long?’’

The roof was indeed going higher but for Rainbow, the pace was painfully slow.

‘’Too slow, too slow, too damn slow, I don't have a second to lose, I must give more strength. Come on. Come, ooooon.’’

So she went to press her shoulders and even her head against the ivory surface and pushed more harder. She was already giving her hardest but now she went even beyond that. And it succeeds, the roof was going up faster. But if before it was strenuous, now it was a true torture.

‘’(Gosh it's hurt. It's hurt so much. Please somepony make it stop.)’’

Quickly her face had become red and tears were streaming from her eyes. Every muscle in her body was crying in pain, begging her to giving them just a little moment of rest. But she knew it was forbidden for her.

‘’(I can't stop. I can't even go slower. If I want to save the Wonderbolts then every second is precious. Every second count.)’’

But it was more easily said than done. The temptation to release her push just for an instant was becoming stronger. She could feel her body reaching its limit and that it will soon release its grip any time soon.

‘’(No no no no. I, ghuh... I won't... make it. It's... it's just too hard. I won't make it. I won't make it. Why I must do that? Why it is happening. I'm hitting a wall, I can't go over it. Oh no, my mind... my mind too, I feel it going out! Please somepony, I don't want that my friends die. Please help me. Anypony help me. I... I...)’’

|***|

‘’Nighty-eight. Nighty-nine. One hundred! Good job Fluttershy, you have really surpassed yourself. Ah, don't you all feel much better now.’’

‘’Please... somepony kills me.’’

Rainbow Dash, wearing sports clothes, was looking proudly at her friends Fluttershy who had just done one hundred wing push-ups. An exploit for her. But she was also worried for her since her yellow face was now a red face and her eyes were vacant.

‘’Eeeeeh, right, we maaay have gone a little overboard. Here Fluttershy, take a good sip of my bottle.’’

Rainbow took a plastic water bottle and put it right in the mouth of Fluttershy since she was now too weak to even raise a hoof. She did not lose time to suck all its fresh content in one go like a vacuum to the point that the now empty bottle was all compress from the inside. Dashie looked at what was left of her bottle with a scared look.

‘’Yeaaah, I see you really need it.’’

‘’Thank Dashie. I feel much better now.’’

‘’Glad to hear it. I can't still no believe that you of all pony have come to ask me to help you to do some workout training. Usually it's me that must beg you to do some exercise with me. (Beg you and trailing you by the tail I must add.)’’

‘’Oh well, how should I explain? You remember when the pegasus of Ponyville had to give water to Cloudsale so that it can produce rainclouds?’’

‘’How could I forget. You were so awesome.’’

‘’Well to do that I had to train like I never have before and that was when I had realized that with time I had neglected my body and it was time that I strengthen it more.’’

‘’Attagirl Fluttersy! Maybe you even rejoin me on my flying training session. We could become sports buddy’’

‘’Don't get your hope up, there is no way I will a sportmare. My... body is too frail to even follow your rhythm.’’

‘’Oh! Right, right.’’

‘’Don't make that face, it's just a fact. But think I must stop using that as an excuse. No. No it's more like that I tend too at staying in my comfort zone and never step out of it. So I guess that on what I am truly training or something like that.’’

‘’Fluttershy, you impress me! What had made you think like that?’’

‘’Hehe. What had! It's you silly.’’

‘’Me!’’

‘’It's... a little embarrassing to say but you kinda been somepony I had always admired. You are so brave and strong that I had often wished to be just a little like you. For long I thought it was a silly fantasy but you always encourage me and push me forward again and again. So much that I had started to believe that I can do more than I can already do. All thanks to you.’’

Rainbow, embarrassed, was rubbing her hair.

‘’Oh shush. That sure is special to hear. Well, what can I say if I often make that effect on other ponies. Though I begin to think that question bravery, you may surpass me in that domain.’’

‘’What was the last part?’’

‘’Nothing! Nothing. So, what do you say that we now do ten flying laps around the park?’’

‘’What! You mean there's more! No please, mercy Dashie, mercy.’’

‘’Come on little buddy, just a few more and you will beat your record. You can do it.’’

‘’I try *huft* the best *huft* I can.’’

Scootaloo was in the air, just under Rainbow dash, flapping her wings as fast as a dragonfly. She was trying to reach the encouraging open hooves of Rainbow but she was missing them from just a few centimeters and no matter how much effort she was giving, she could not manage to gain more height. She then felt, exhausted, and fall on the dirt.

‘’Shoot, I was so close.’’

‘’It's alright Scoot, you have worked hard. Maybe it is time to call it a day.’’

‘’Oh please, just a little more. I am feeling confident today.’’

‘’I like your attitude. Alright, let's go once more. Remember, focus more on the rhythm of your wings than about lifting yourself.’’

‘’You got it. And thanks again for tutoring me. To receive lessons from you it's like a dream come true.’’

‘’Well as you recently new honorary sister it is my duty to make sure my little sis can become a flyer as awesome as me.’’

Scootaloo eyes went glittering with awestruck and admiration.

‘’You know, it's strange but when you say it, I have no problem believing it. For as long as I remember I had always believed that I never be able to be, well, a flyer at all. Because... *sigh*... you can see I was born with bad wings.’’

Rainbow was slightly looking away. Everypony had noticed that fact for a long time but they all felted it was a subject too uncomfortable to talk openly.

‘’But I remember like it was today. The day you came into Ponyville. I surprised by luck one of your training sessions and... and was just out of this world. That speed, those loops, those acrobatics, it was just so... so...’’

‘’Awesome.’’

‘’No it was more than that. It had given me hope. You are more than just a mare who can do Herculean tasks, I could immediately see that you were working hard to attend that level. Then I thought that if I was working as hard as you then maybe, just maybe that one day I may be as incredible as you Rainbow, regardless of wings problem or not.’’

At this declaration, Rainbow Dash was speechless.

‘’You know what kiddo, I think that one day you may even surpass me and become more awesome than me.’’

‘’Wha wha wha wha, whaaaat!’’

‘’But if you want it to happen you will have to train. Besides, sappy emotive dialogues had not my cup of tea so what do you say we come back to working those muscles of yours.’’

‘’Ri, right!’’

Scootaloo went to flap her wings again with all she could muster, trying so hard to reach her beloved idol.

‘’That it kiddo, you are so close, just a few inches, just, a, few, inches.’’

She was trying as hard she could, her eyes shut tight and her face was sweating. Everything seemed to show that she would not succeed but then, Scootaloo managed to grab a little bit of more energy and she flew right into the warm embrace of Rainbow.

‘’You did it, you really did it, you beat your record! WHOOHOO!’’

Feeling so proud, she flew high in the sky while turning around on herself with Scoot in her arms, shouting her joy to the blue expanse. Although she didn't notice that she was giving nausea to poor Scoot.

**|**

Rainbow did not know exactly why but in this moment of despair, the images of the two ponies who had a special place in her life came to appear in her mind. Two pegasus that were looking up to her and who claimed to have changed thanks her help. Somehow, just thinking about them was seemingly making, like some sort of magic, her weight less heavier.

‘’(Oh... that right. Them. Scootaloo, Fluttershy. The two ponies Mel says I have influenced the most. These two are really incredible. They were born with serious disadvantages. Disadvantages that were showing that it will have been best for them to give up. But regardless, they were still moving forward without giving up. All because I inspired them. Yeah what a joke. The truth is that it was more me that was inspired by them. I had worked hard sure, but I had already raw talent to help me to be confident. But those two who had nothing, went up with just raw courage. I love surpassing myself but those two takes the cake. Well, I think it is a great time that I finally take example on them. What kind of mentor I would be if I disappoint them.) OooooaAAAAAAAAAAAH.’’

With this battle cry, adrenaline was rushing through her veins, decoupling her strength. The roof was now being pushed at an even faster pace and though it hurt, she was ignoring the agonizing pain coursing through her. But as she was looking at the sliding wall in front of her, she then at last saw appear an opening to the corridor that Mel had previously mentioned. Not even waiting for this opening to be fully revealed, she flew toward it in a burst of speed, the muscles of her hooves thanking her for this sweet release, as the fake roof dropped down behind her.

Still, this ordeal has been so strenuous for her body. When her feet touched the ground, they were too weak to support her weight, making her trip. She had managed with a mix of reflex and desperation to catch herself on her hooves but it only made her stumble once again, falling face first on the hard floor. Enough for making a small stream of blood flowing from her muzzle.

She, however, did not stay put for even more than a second on the ground and used her wings again to propel her own body straight forward. It did not take long before Rainbow could see at the distance a wall but the line in the middle was suggesting that it was more like a vault door. She also saw that before it there was a small column that was more like a pedestal with a screen on top of it. Connecting the dots and quickly understanding that what was on this screen was the way for her to open the door, she landed on it, well more like crumbled on it and grabbing like if her life depended on it, and looked at the words written on the screen with a proximity certainly not good for her eye.

Tell me who I am

Like the rain I fall
Yet more than pegasus have dominion over me

I am a symbol of beauty
Still everypony fears me

I may look tasty
But you will only find bitterness

Who I am

‘’... ... NOOOOOOOOOO! WHY? WHY IT HAS TO BE A RIDDLE OF ALL THINGS WHEN I SUCK SO MUCH AT THIS, I AM NOT A EGGHEAD!’’

Rainbow Dash then went to slap her own face several times to regain the control of herself.

‘’(Stupid, stupid, it's not the moment for that. You cannot use that as an excuse, that surely what that jerk wants. So who cares if you are dumb NO NO, don't say that you are dumb, you are the best prankster in Equestria and that requires brains. You never back down from a challenge and this is a challenge, just another kind so stop being a pussy and start using your head for once. Think Rainbow Dash, think, THIIIIINK.)’’

Like Rainbow had said, it was not that she was stupid, but the domain of intellectual problems was one where she hardly ever goes there. It was more Twilight thing. No, more than that, of all six, she was the one who had the least ability in that. A fact she was seriously regretting now. But having not a second to lose on self-pity she forced her brain to give more juice than usual and started to ponder over the riddle. To ponder at triple speed.

‘’(It falls like rain so it's not rain, something about weather, I know all about weather, no it's controlled by more than pegasus so it couldn't be that, taste bitter, something that you eat, but what food fall? Wait apple fall! That doesn't make any sense, in what an apple is feared? A symbol of beauty, I know nothing about that, what I will gonna do. Takes upon yourself dimwit! Dress, aerobic figures, no no it’s too obvious that the beauty and fear part must be a metaphor but I am bad in metaphor!)’’

Even her brain was giving her all, Rainbow was still feeling that her thoughts were not going fast enough. So with the strength of her will she make it work even more harder. Normally the brain only use thirty percent of its capacity but it is possible to raise the percentage and sometimes even to go at full capacity just like with a body filling with adrenaline. And that especially true in stressful and dangerous situations.

‘’(Rain cloud thunder, leaf, wait, no, apple sugar tea soup cooper gemstone snowflake star moon, maybe, no, leaf wind flying bird light butterfly animal friend home store leaf ghaaa, body life sun princess pony accomplishment hope victory answer leaf STOP REPEATING THIS DAMN WORD AGAIN AND AGAIN! Smuree, fruilly, krouchou, lali, rogi, mou, blui THEY ARE NOT EVEN WORDS! Why do you have to be such a stupid retarded?)’’

The pressure was starting to get on her nerves to the point that her vision was getting blurry. Until she realized that the true reason was that she was crying. She wiped her eyes with the tips of her right wing and then…

‘’Wait! ...That it. THAT IT!’’

Fast as lightning she typed on the screen to write what she thought was the answer.

TEAR

And the answer was right! As that word was written, the double door separated themselves and sink into the walls. But Rainbow did not wait for the door to open completely and as soon as there was an opening for her, she did like a cannonball and charged right through it. It did not take more than three seconds before she stumbles before another pedestal and another door. On this pedestal there was an incrustation with many little blocks of white and blue color. Seven rows of seven making in total fourthly-nine cubes. No, fourthly-eight cubes since there was one space that was empty. One look was enough for Rainbow Dash to understand what it was.

‘’(A sliding puzzle where I must make the shape of Mel cutie mark! And it's me who we accuse of being a megalomaniac. Don't distract yourself with useless thoughts, GO!)’’

She did not lose time and went to start to move the blocks. At first she was only doing it randomly but since she could only move one at a time she knew she had to do that more fast and especially more efficiently.

In a sense, the frenzy she had been because of the previous riddle has been a nice warm-out for her brain. Her usual ways of thinking could not just cut-up and she knew that. So she had to go beyond what she was normally capable. At least that was what she was telling herself.

So she blocked any useless thoughts for only thinking about the puzzle before her. Her eyes were looking with intensity at the cubes without blinking even once. And soon, she could see patterns in the arrangements, allowing her to not only knew what move she should do but also what future moves she should make after them.

But still feeling that it was not enough, she boosted even more her brain capacity, entering into a state of concentration close to madness. She could probably could not even notice the cold sweat on her skin and that her heart was beating at a painful rate. But because of that, she was solving the puzzle at a record speed. If you knew Rainbow, then you will understand that what she did was nothing short of an exploit. But she could have done it only because the stakes were so high. The cutie mark was nearly formed and there was only a few moves left. She decides she could release her concentration.

‘’(Fiouf. That sure was intense. But for Celestia sake, don't ever ask me to do that again.)’’

The sliding puzzle was at last completed and the door didn't lose time to open. How Rainbow Dash would have liked to take the time to be proud of what she did. But it was a luxury that was not allowed for her and she instead automatically went forward.

‘’Good, this is the last stretch, the obstacle course. And I always fly like a ace on those tracks. Now go and give me your worst WHOOA!!!’’

As soon as she had said that, columns like structures emerge from all four walls, moving like pistons. To avoid hitting them or worse, being rammed by them, she had to use her legendary agility to constantly alter her flying course to slip around those moving obstacles. The tricky part was that because time was of the essence, she had to do it in a way that did not make her lose speed which mean she had to coordinate her trajectory in split-second decisions. A feat the pegasus was feeling very confident. That is until one of those piston came from below, hitting right on the belly and knocking out all the air in her lungs. She nearly could have fallen on the ground if she did not have in-extremis made a nice move that propelled forward

‘’*cough**cough* Heh what give! How can I have made such a beginner mistake, I never do missteps like GYAAH!!’’

Another one had hit her at her right wing. She could still fly but the pain was bothersome.

‘’(Oh no, crap crap crap, all that has been too much for me, I am no longer in top form!)’’

The two previous trials were now taking their toll on Rainbow. The lifting of the fake ceiling had depleted a lot of her strength and energy and the time she had to solve the puzzles was not enough for her to recuperate. And speaking of those, she had to push her brain to the limit to find the answers the fastest possible. In simpler words, she was very tired, physically and mentally. Now Rainbow Dash understood. She understood why Mel had chosen to put what was supposed to be the most easy ordeal right at the end.

Another one had hit her at one of her lower legs making her tumble but luckily landing her foots on a wave of moving columns, running like dear life on them as they emerged, for then jump and returned to gliding. She was now starting to lose confidence over if she could manage to succeed and it grew worse when her vision was getting blurry and she could feel that her mind was going to faint at any moment. In a last-ditch effort to stay conscious, she had burst a primal scream to grab the last bit of strength left in her.

‘’AHHHHHHH. I WILL NEVER GIVE UPPPPPPPP.’’

With a last burst of speed she managed to avoid all obstacles with instincts that even her did not knew she was capable and at last, exited the corridor to enter a big open room just like the one she was trapped at first, with the only difference was that right in the middle there was a pedestal just like the ones with the riddles, except there was a big square button on it. Not wasting a nanosecond, she flew to it and pushed it and then collapsed on the floor, her goal now accomplished.

‘’Sa... saaafe.’’

Finally, she could feel that she was allowed to relax. She could no longer feel anything in her body and she was inhaling and exhaling like a locomotive. With a slight fear that every breath could be the last. But nothing could erase the profound feeling of pride that she was having and that she was sure was well deserved.

‘’ ... ... well, would you look at that. Look like I did a miracle. Again. Hahaha*cough**cough*... urrgh, probably should not do that, I feel like I could throw up. But still, you can take that you dumpass because I have won, oh yeah, I have won your damn trial. I have saved everypony.’’

She was saying while raising her hoof in a victory sign.

‘’Hell I have even impress myself. Oh gosh it was torture. But nothing, but I said well nothing is impossible when Rainbow Dash set her mind on something. Ohhh I can't wait to tell to all the guys how I have saved them fro... heh! ... ah, aaaaaaaah!’’

At first she didn't had notice until she had raised her eyes but there was in this room a big screen on the wall in front of her. It was turned on. And it was bathing the face of Rainbow Dash with its sickening light. Her face painted with horror.

‘’No... no... why... but...’’

She could not understand what she was seeing. She did not want to understand what she was seeing.

The screen was silently showing a view of the Wonderbolt academy or more precisely, the dorm of the recruits. Consumed in gluttonous flame and a thick column of black smoke raising above it. If this projection had not been on silent mode, Dash could have heard the sirens of the fireponies coming to extinguish the fire though it looked like it could well extinguish by itself since there was already not a lot for it to consume.

Rainbow could no longer breathe. And the exhaustion had nothing to do with that.

‘’I... I'd failed! But, how?’’

In her daze she didn't have saw it but at the bottom of the screen there was a flashing chronometer that had stopped counting. The number on it was twenty-two. No, negative twenty-two.

‘’Twenty-two seconds! I, was, late from twenty-seconds! But... but why? How can it be? I didn't slow down at any moments. I had not given-up until the end and still, after all that I... let everypony down. What did I do wrong?’’

The screen on the wall became blurry until it was only showing static. And another one appeared at the right of the pegasus, showing Mel with his usual and irritating detached attitude.

‘’Don't misunderstand Miss Dash. You did fight valiantly. You have even surpassed my attempt of you. It's just that it was not enough.’’

‘’Youuuu...’’

Filling that word with a cold rage, she wanted to lunge at him but she didn't have the energy to lift herself off the floor. She didn't even have enough to scream. All she could do was filling her eyes with tears of anger.

‘’You monster, how could you do that! The guys... my colleagues... all gone by your fault. And you dare to give me false hope by giving me a impossible challenge. I had given my hundred, no, my hundred and twenty percent, there no way I could have given more.’’

‘’... ...You are right. You are absolutely right. This challenge was designed to be impossible to win. It just gave the illusion that was feasible but realistically speaking, nopony could win it. Not even you.’’

‘’Why... why are you doing that?’’

‘’To teach a lesson. A lesson about not only you but how all of us are more powerless than we think. You see, as I had said before you constantly giving to the world one message. That if you give your all and work hard, you can accomplish anything. And ponies do listen to it and as a result gain more confidence to surpass what they were at their beginning. At first glance, it seems a very good thing. However... too much of this belief can be a very harmful.’’

The blue pegasus wanted to reply but her head had stopped working. So she just listened in silence.

‘’Nothing is truly impossible. You are able to accomplish anything. Now those are pretty words. But in the end, they are so so false. There are things that are just impossible. There are limits that are just insurmountable no matter what you do. We are less in control on our lives than we think. Tragedy and misery on which we can't do nothing. But people choose to deny. They don't want to accept their powerlessness and that there exists such a thing as not rewarded efforts. Why don't we take a look at you Rainbow Dash and on what you have done. Yes, what exactly have you done? You have been given a ridiculous and unfair challenge and yet you didn't have run away from it. You managed to endure an exercise that was not in your zone of comfort. You have excelled in an intellectual challenge even though it was your biggest weakness. Even though your body was failing you, you had managed to get to the goal with sheer force of will. Don't you see? You did more than giving your all, you have surpassed yourself. And yet-

it was not enough.

At this moment, the magenta eyes of the reckless and adventurous pegasus had lost all trace of light in them. It was like seeing the eyes of a dead mare.

‘’It... was not enough!’’

‘’This is how life work. There exist situations where no matter what you do or what you may try, it is, just, not, enough. A fact which I suspect that you, above anypony else fear to be true. But now do you still think that there is no hardship that you could not overcome. And do you still think it is a good idea to spread that optimism philosophy when you no longer believe it yourself? Think deeply about what had happened tonight. Think about how you will now see the world and about what you can do about it. That all I ask of you from now on. Farewell Miss Rainbow Dash.’’

The screen disappeared, leaving Rainbow Dash alone. With not even the strength to shout.

To say she was devastated wouldn't be able to do justice to the despair she was in right now. She had lost a lot of her friends in an instant and there was nothing she could have done to change that fate.

‘’Useless. It was all useless. All those efforts would have changed nothing if I did them or not! No, it can't be true, it can't be true. Then why... what was the point of all I did in my life.’’

She could feel the tears starting to flow from her eyes. She wanted to hold them back because she did not want to give him the satisfaction to see her crying. But it was a losing fight and her tear came silently coursing across her cheeks. In a last act of defiance, she stomped her hoof on the floor, again and again, stronger and stronger but it changed nothing.

‘’It's hurt. It's hurt, it's *sniff*... its hurt so much. I never feel so weak and useless. My friends, they, guhhh... they all dead and I should just accept that as fate? I think... I think I will have felt better if they died by my fault.’’

The exhaustion and the feeling of defeat got the better of her. Her eyelids became heavy as lead and she fell into a dreamless sleep.

Her last thought was how she would like to never wake up.

Rainbow Dash trial
You are powerless

The ruins: a isolated chamber

‘’Rainbow Dash! Rainbow, please hang on! Rainbow, Rainbowwwww!’’

As Melancholia as promised, the torment of Rainbow Dash, from beginning to end, didn't go unnoticed from prying eyes. All the country had seen this great heroine struggle, conquer and in the end, lose in a cruel game rigged for failure. And the ponies who had watched did not stay unaffected. Many were horrified to learn that the Wonderbolts just... died in an explosion and many had their hearts broken at the sigh at that poor pegasus. Which by by-product made sure that the words of Mel stay in their head. So they could not help but to seriously ponder them. But there was also somepony else who were watching this diffusion. And that was none other than the princess of friendship herself, poor Twilight Sparkle, writhing in anguish, feeling the pain of Rainbow as it was her own.

When she was brought to this empty and dark room, only illuminated by the pale cyan lights, she had tried her best to be strong and to stay in control of her emotions. But like so many times, it was the presence of her friends that was her moral support. Without them around her, she could feel a wave of panic growing bigger and bigger in her until she was submerged by it and could no longer breathe. How she had wished to have her paper bag with her to blow into it. But all she could do was cower in fear.

Even after the panic attack was gone, the fear did not dissipate. She had listened when Mel had said that they were filmed and that all Equestria was watching them. So Twilight could not help to wonder if she was watched right now by thousand and thousand of eyes looking at her miserable and pathetic self. More she was worrying about that, more she was feeling sick and as a result, she was worrying even more about being watched. It was enough to reawaken old traumas.

You see, when she was a filly under the tutelage of Celestia, she was on adoration before her and her deepest wish was to make her proud . So naturally she was fearful to do mistakes and disappoint her and so she was making her possible to not doing anything wrong. But then one day came through her a thought. What if Celestia could use her magic to observe her even in her daily life. It was nothing more than a silly and childish thought that she had quickly dismissed but as more days come, more she could no longer put that idea out of her head.

It didn't help that her house was one day invaded by a swarm of ladybugs and that her brother Shining Armor had joked that their black spots were extra eyes that were watching you. It was a innocent sibling prank, but Twilight took it seriously and Twilight associated ladybugs with her new phobia of being observed making it even bigger than before.

That fear had become so terrible that she could no longer sleep at night, imagining tons of judging eyes watching her in the dark of the night. If Twilight had not burst in tear into Celestia chamber pleading her to not watching her from distance and if Celestia had not console her for hours to ease the fears of that poor filly, who know how long that phobia may have stayed.

Now today, she had forgotten all about that period of her life, probably because she was ashamed of how silly she was. Her fear of ladybugs has stayed but that was because she had forgotten its true origin. But now, all the stress had made her relapse and her irrational fear came back in strength.

Oh wait. It was no longer irrational. There were thousand of eyes watching her in the dark.

But then a screen appeared before her. One showing her friend Rainbow Dash. One look at her loyal friend was enough to dispel all her fears. Because she was now too busy fearing for her. She galloped to the screen in one second flat and fixed her gaze at a proximity not healthy for her pupils. She saw her friend Rainbow being Rainbow which was helping Twilight to smile once again. She saw her ferociously struggling against the cruel trials throw at her and was cheering her up none stop even though she knew she couldn't hear her.

And she saw her... losing.

Being demolished

Her heart shattered

Losing all hope

And now with a scar in her that might never heal.

The screen had shut down, showing only pitch black.

This... was worse than all Twilight could have imagined. She could not hold back her sorrow and cried like a little filly. But quickly it was soon replaced by cold and venomous rage that was making her bite her lips until they bleed and she could find only one way to free herself from this anger: shout at the one responsible.

‘’Demon, how could you, how could youuu! Rainbow didn't deserve any of that! None of my friends deserve any of that! What give you the right to torment us? You will pay. I will make you pay. Stop hiding and show yourself you degenerate. You are deaf, I had said show yourself before me! Come here Mel, Mel, MELLLLLLLLLL!’’

‘’No need to shout princess.’’

Another screen appeared behind her. A giant one covering the all the area of the wall, showing the diabolical mastermind. As Twilight turned her head to face him, she throws at him a gaze filled with a hatred without names. If look could kill, Melancholia would be nothing more than dust.

‘’Ohhh scary scary. Are you sure so much hatred is worthy of a princess of friendship.’’

‘’If there is one with whom I will never give my friendship, it's you. And for once I don't care if this make me a failure as a princess.’’

She was not sure but it had seemed to her like if the smile of Mel had slightly grew. Which infuriated her even more.
‘’What give you the right to do that? What have we done wrong to deserve such things?’’

‘’All I am doing is just the same thing as you. Teaching lessons.’’

‘’Lessons? Lessons! How can you call that a lesson?! All you have done is... poison the head of Rainbow and take all her hopes and dreams. She could well never get over it. You dare call that a life lesson when all you have given is despair?’’

‘’Yes, exactly. You see, you are sorely mistaken when you say that the goal of life lessons is only to give hope and to help improve ourselves. They are parts of life that are just too real to deny. Painful parts.’’

‘’Again with that. You really love to make that point.’’

‘’I am a realist contrary to the rest of you. That is reason why you and your friends are not that of good life models.’’

‘’I am so tired of that. All I have ever wanted was to make the world a little better, what is so wrong with that? I have never asked to be a role model hell, I didn't even know me and my friends were such important educative figures until today.’’

‘’Yes it's unfair. In the end you are simple ponies with the purest of intentions who just had the bad luck to fall under the eyes of so many. But life is unfair. It doesn't change that, regardless that you want it or not, you are a bad influence under the guise of a good one and that you are making the world more naive than it already is.’’

‘’ (Oh please it's ridiculous. And what next, it will say that I make our poor children more dump?)’’

‘’That it's why I had chosen you for my game. You have managed to become the poster children of the optimist of Equestria and if I can convince you how truly grim life is, then I can convince everypony.’’

‘’Stupid stupid stupid! I can't believe that you put through this torture for such a demented reason. It had never come to you that your pessimism may be as wrong as the optimism that you hate so much?’’

‘’I... I had once my doubts. But not anymore since...’’

‘’Since what?’’

‘’... ... It doesn't concern you. Anyway , like I had shown to Rainbow, there are things that you cannot have any control. So it might be best to accept your fate. You and your friends are destined to be trapped here and to wake up to reality.’’

‘’Never! We will stop you. And if not, somepony else will. You can't expect//

‘’Silence you damn fool.’’

Floating white blocks came from the walls and encircled the lavender alicorn. Bringing bad memories, she sheltered in her wings and wanted to be the most little possible. It did not help that the voice of Mel had now taken a tone so robotic.

‘’For too long we have supported your poisonous influence. For too long we thought your words were brilliance.’’

More screens appeared everywhere, one after the others, and they were all showing a close up of his empty eye. For Twilight to be surrounded by those soulless gazes, it was like her worst nightmare had come true.’’

‘’You shall stop at last to fear pain and to recognize its beauty.’’

One of those screen appeared even at the feet of Twilight which made her jump scare and flew above. For every angle around her, the only things she could see was the iris filled with detached madness staring at her very soul and blocks that could lunge at her at any moment. Hysteria was filling every pore of her being and soon she was crying uncontrollably while Mel continues to barrage her without mercy with his speech devoid of emotions.

‘’Pain is the only thing in my heart. Pain is the only thing I can see. Pain is the only thing to see. All shall bow to its magnificence.’’

Then all light disappeared, leaving the room in a pitch-black darkness. The only thing filling that emptiness... was a childish and chilling whisper.

‘’Don't break-down yet, it had only just begun.’’

Author's Note

At last, 6.1 is here. Sorry to have took so much time, I was in a kind of down period. You know, losing confidence in your writting skill, thinking that the ideas that you created are dump. I'm sure that all of you fanfic writter had been there. (Probably. I hope at least.) Anyway, I won't bother you with that and I reassure you that I have no intention to give up and that I will write all the story until the end.

So here was the first trial. I hope that it had succed to give you a variety of emotions. Next time is Applejack turn. So don't break-down yet, it had only just begun.

~~Oh yeah, on a side note, I will serioulsy search for artis to draw for me a better cover page. Because I had notice that I had the, but~~ the ~~most ugly cover ever made. (At my defense, I had to learn how to use~~ Ilustrator ~~for the first time in my life.) Hope it won't be long.~~[Already done. Thanks a lot to Pridark.]

6.2: Applejack trial

6.2: Applejack trial

One lone orange earth pony was leaning on the wall, sitting comfortably, her cowboy hat tilt in a way that was covering her eyes. To any onlookers, it might seem like she was in a deep sleep, but it was the farthest from the truth. She was preparing, preparing mentally for whatever Mel might throw at her. She knew it was best to prepare for the worst so she was making sure to shoo away any unnecessary thought and not to think about winning or losing the trial but about just doing it.

The face of Melancholia then appeared before her through the holographic window.

‘’Greeting Applejack. I am here to tell you that your turn has come.’’

At first, our mare did not react but then, she just uses her right hoof to slightly raise her hat, showing to the gray pony her emerald eyes shining with the determination of a desperado ready for a deathly showdown.

‘’Ya sure had took yer sweet time. Ya had made me wait so much ha nearly took a nap.’’

She got up and went to stretch her muscles and limbs. They made audible cracking noises.

‘’Alright, now ah would rather that we don't lose time and get this show on the road. Cause ah quickly want to get rid of this foolishness.’’

‘’My my, you go straight to the point. But tell me AJ//

‘’Only mahn friends call AJ. Yer not one of them.’’

‘’... ...But tell me Applejack, you are not the slightest bit afraid that you may fail? Or that your friends may have already failed?’’

‘’Don't need. There is no way ah will lose to somepony like you. And ah know mah friends. They won't bite the dust that easily. Ah have a blind trust in them.’’

‘’Oooh, not an ounce of doubt! You really are a special mare. Not that I already knew that. You may at first glance to be the pony the least shinning compared to all your friends, but I know nopony is a better support than you.’’

‘’What in tarnation are you babbling about?’’

‘’I mean that you are a true symbol of diligence. Day after day you are working tirelessly without complaint on your farm and orchard to give food to your town. And all that with a smile on your face. It's just in your nature. And all of Ponyville recognize it. It will be no exaggeration to call you an important pillar of Ponyville since you give to it so much and not just with your day job. Such a good neighborhood you are. They all know well that you are a pony of ethics and integrity, so much that they see you as a true role-model who has deserved the trust and gratitude she constantly receives. Even if you don't like to brag, you will surely not deny that?’’

‘’...’’

‘’But even among all this praise, you stay down-to-earth and find joy in the simple thing of life. Like family, oh yes, especially family. You see it for what it really is. One of the most precious treasures there is. Even I can relate to that. The love that you have for your is just bottomless. And I am pretty sure that your see your dear friends also as a family. After all, are you not the big sister of the group that keep them grounded.’’

‘’... Are ya done now?’’

She answered with a deadpan expression. Something that made even Mel flinch for a second. But just a second.
‘’Yes... yes I'm done.’’

‘’Good. Because like ah had said, ah want to get rid of it the fastest possible.’’

Mel at first did not answer her and instead, looked intensely at this orange pony without blinking. He stayed like that, not moving like a statue but then, as if he had found something in his scrutiny, Mel half-closed his eyes and smiled softly. It was enough to freeze AJ blood.

‘’I seeee. You have understood right from the start who were those that may lose their life. You dear family.’’

But Applejack didn't react to this cruel comment and stayed in control of herself. Even though she couldn't help but to grind her teeth and her right-front hoof was pressing on the floor with such a strength that tiny cracks were coursing on it.

‘’Indeed Miss Applejack, a bomb is inside your house and well conceal. It had been put behind one of your walls on the second floor. Where, at this hour, everypony is sleeping.’’

‘’What! But how... Ohhh but of course, when all the family went to the trip to Appleloosa, the house was left with nopony inside. But wait, it was from a good three months. *gasp* Darn it... ya wanted to hurt us from that long!’’

Her rage became murderous and she was thinking that Mel could count himself lucky to have walls of concrete between them because if not... she rather not imagine. But she distracted herself from those dark thoughts when before her, the wall open up itself revealing a long and dark corridor.

‘’I hope that you are ready because your trial is just right ahead. I think I have no need to say what will happen if you refuse to participate.’’

‘’If ah go, would ya promise mah family would be safe?’’

‘’That it all depends on you. Tell me, what you will be willing to sacrifice to protect them?’’

‘’Everything.’’

‘’We will see then. Let's us begin.’’

She didn't even wait that he had finished talking that Applejack went running straight ahead, even went across the flat holographic projection without caring about it. Mel simply smiled at the straightforward attitude of this mare.

AJ just keeps running and running in this poorly lighted corridor with a face that could very well be the symbol of composure. But inside, her heart was beating with the fast pace of fear. She could lose her most precious treasure. That was the kind of thoughts that were submerging her though she was not even daring, or more did not want, to fully pronounce in her head that they could... die. It was just beyond her strength.

Yes, contrary to appearance, Applejack was nearly on the verge to lose herself in panic and to go into a fit of screaming. But she was forcing herself to stay in control for that she could save the ponies she holds dear. And for pushing away those intrusive thoughts, she was thinking about moments that were remembering her what was at stake.

|***|

‘’Granny Smith, please, ah think after all that time ah should know how to make a good apple pie.’’

‘’Hey ah just saying is that adding a bit of cinnamon, it will perfect. In mah time//

‘’Ohoho no, not that rambling about yer time. Ah all about traditions but this time ah'm confident that the student had beat the master.’’

‘’Heh! Oh reaaaly. But ah didn't teach ya all mah tricks. Maybe it's time ah tell ya about, hum... my secret ingredient to make mah pies mouthwatering.’’

‘’A... secret ingredient! Oh please do tell.’’

‘’Come a little closer. It would be a surprise but the secret ingredient is none other than... vinegar.’’

‘’Vinegar! In a pie! Yer pulling my hoof.’’

But against her better judgment she decided to put a dose of vinegar in her apple pie, put it the oven, waited thirty minutes and when it was well baked, she took a slice, tasted it and to her surprise... tasted so awful that her face shriveled like a dried dead pony on the dessert. As she was spiting that abomination in the garbage, Granny Smith was cackling like a witch.

‘’Hahahaha, ah can't believe you fell for that. Seriously, who put vinegar in a pastry.’’

‘’Ah admit ah got myself fooled like a turkey under the rain. That was pretty sneaky from you.’’

‘’Well an old coot like me must have some fun at the occasion before she goes to other horizons’’

‘’Heh no talk about that. Knowing ya, we will be stuck with you for decades more. Wait, that's exactly what worries me, heheh.’’

‘’Fiouhi. There, all done. That sure was all a hard day work.’’

‘’Eyup.’’

‘’Before we take those apples to the farm, ah think we deserve a nice break. What do ya say we go to rest on there.’’

Her head was pointing to a small hill. Once on top of it, Applejack went to a tree that was hollow, putted her head inside and took from it a tray that she was holding with her teeth. On this tray was two mugs full of cider that had long lost their mousse.

‘’Surprise. Ah hide those two mugs in the morning. Just an idea that came to mah. Ah thought we could have some quality sister-brother time. Hope ya don't mind cider at room temperature, humm, outside temperature more ah think? Anyway, is it a problem for ya?’’

‘’Nope.’’

The two earth ponies sat on the soft grass and looked with serenity at the sunset and at their beautiful orchard being bathed by the golden light of the soon to be sleeping sun.

‘’Ahhh no matter how many times ah see this it just never get old. May our simple and beautiful days may stay forever.’’

‘’Eyup.’’

And it was with a perfect synchronicity that each took a sip of their ciders and savor the specialty of their family. And then spited them out like geysers and rubbed their tongues with disgust. Hearing chirping noises, they turned their eyes toward the tree and saw a squirrel angrily shouting at them. The squirrel went then inside the tree and came out with a towel and a bath brush on his arms and furiously waved these objects to them.

With their tongues still out in the open, both brother and sister slowly turned their head toward each other having both came to the same grim realization.

‘’Little sis... let's never talk about this embarrassing moment to anypony.’’

‘’Hum... eeeyup.’’

‘’Come on Applebloom, more strength, more authority. Those sheep will not get into their pent by themselves.’’

‘’Righto big sis, ah show ya what little bloom is capable of.’’

Applejack and Applebloom were galloping among a flock of sheep and were forcing them to stay in line and to follow the direction of the pent. It was a first time for Applebloom since AJ had judged that she had become old enough to do this chore with her supervision. Naturally, Applebloom had seen that has a chance to impress her sister and show to her that she had the quality of a true farmer.

‘’Alright sheep, you are better to follow me because now ah am your troop leader.’’

‘’That good Applebloom but don't overdo it. Remember it's yer first time.’’

But she was too eager and once she saw one sheep deviate from the other, she had tried to tackle him to keep him in check but she missed her shot from a few inches and had hit noting. This made her stumble, making her to frantically try to regain control of her feet. But she failed and then she fell. She was preparing herself for her nose to painfully kiss the dirt but it never came. Applejack had run behind her and had used her head to lift her in mid-air and she safely landed on the back of her big sister.

‘‘Fiouf that was close. Are you alright sugarcube?’’

‘’Yes ah'm fine. Sorry Applejack. Ah really wanted to show you ah can do it but ah messed up before even begin.’’

‘’Hey there is nothing to be ashamed for, as ah had say, it is yer first time. It is normal that you do mistake, it was the same for me when ah had begun. That why ah am here to help ya.’’

‘’Thank sis. But ah getting more and more worried that ah probably won't get my cutie mark in apple farming.’’

‘’What wrong with that?’’

‘’Nothing but... even if my destiny is not to be a farmer, ah want to at least be able to help you all. But what if ah end up good at noting.’’

‘’Oh sugarcube, there is no need to rush. It has always been a bad habit of yer. Give time and you will learn eventually. And don't act like if ya will have to do it alone. We are a family. And family is there to help each other when things get tough like right now. No matter what happens, family stick together, so ya can take easy. Now, do ya feel better?’’

‘’Ah... ah guess so! Thank sis.’’

‘’Always happy to help. Now enough talk, what do you say we show to those sheep what the Apple sisters can do.’’

‘’You bet. Full speed ahead.’’

**|**

‘’Full speed ahead heh. Sometime, you know how to say fine words.’’

Those memories of fun moments with her family were squeezing her heart. But they were also giving her the strength to run even faster.

‘’Applebloom. Bic Mac. Granny Smith. Hang in there, your Applejack is here to rescue you all.’’

And after a long galloping that she thought will never end, she at last reached a huge open room where there was nothing except... for something that was leaving Applejack perplex.

‘’... ... What in tarnation! What the meaning of this?’’

Like Mel had said, there was indeed a big square button on a pedestal. But the problem was…

‘’Ah don't understand! Why there are two buttons?’’

That's right. There was not one but two pedestals besides each other separated by a few feet. Applejack, not knowing what to think about that, just wandered her gaze from one to the other.

‘’Aaaah I bet you didn't expect that there will be two.’’

On the wall in front of her, a screen appeared with the gray earth pony behind it. He had a light trace of smug in his smile.
‘’Do you like my surprise.’’

‘’Mel, at what game are ya playing? Why there is two buttons? Which of those will stop the bomb that threaten my family? Do ah must push both of them?’’

‘’Wellll, even though I did not lie I also didn't tell you everything. The truth is that for your case, I did not plant one bomb... but two.’’

‘’TWO BOMBS! You mean ah have to worry about two bombs! Why? Why did ya do that? Where is the second one?’’

‘’Let me tell you how we will do that. As you already know, the first bomb is in your farm where your family is.’’

Mel pointed his hoof to the left and a screen appeared behind the left button, showing the Apple farm under the night sky, all windows without light and the grass being caress by a gentle and ominous breeze.

‘’Nowww, as for the second one, the place where I had put is none other than a hospital.’’

Mel pointed his hoof to the right and a screen appeared behind the right button, showing a hospital and Applejack recognizes it instantly because she had seen it so many times.

‘’The Ponyville hospital!’’

‘’Indeed. The bomb is hidden in one of the wings of this hospital. If it explodes, it will cause massive damage and even if that establishment is rarely busy, there is no doubt that many lives will be lost.’’

The only thing Applejack could do was grind her teeth. Not only was he putting her family in danger but he also dare to hurt sick and injured ponies!

‘’And once I activate the timer, there will be five minutes before they both blows up. Got it? Five minutes, no more. Each of those buttons can deactivate one of the bomb. For the bomb in the farm, the left. For the one in the hospital, the right. But here the catch. You see, pushing one button does indeed shutdown its respective bomb once and for all... but it also shutdown the other button. Rendering it useless.’’

‘’What!’’

‘’In other words... deactivate one of the bombs mean that the other is fated to detonate. The farm is saved, then the hospital blow up. The hospital is saved, then the farm blow up. Two bombs, but only one can be shutdown. Only one of those places can be saved. So I ask you to choose.’’

‘’Wh... what! You ask me to choose!’’

‘’That right, you have to decide what is the most important thing to do. You are a community pony right? Then you should understand that if you chose to sacrifice the hospital then first, many defenceless patients will die but also many doctors. Doctors who have the capacity to save many future lives I must add. Seeing their number and importance, I think it is safe to assume that saving them is the choice that will give the most to the greater good.’’

‘’I... I...’’

‘’But on the other hoof, does your family is not supposed be the most important thing for you? So does that not mean that sacrifice them would be like denied the love that you have for them? You really have a tough choice.’’

This was too much for Applejack, she couldn't bear more to hear more of this cruel voice saying things that she wouldn't even imagine in her worst nightmares. So she did something that surprised everypony, even Mel. She put herself on her knees, her face against the floor... and took a posture of begging.

‘’Ah... ah beg you, please... please don't make me do this. There is no way ah can choose, it's... that... nopony should make such horrible decision.’’

‘’But you will have to make your choice or both bombs will blow up when the five minutes will be spent. And we will both agree that would be the worst scenario. Hum... but now that I think about it, it could be considered a third choice if you prefer to have no responsibility in this.’’

‘’AH BEG YOU, DON'T DO THIS!’’

She had shouted with all her might. All her strength had left and she was now like a terrified filly. Her pupils had shrunk and tears of panic were falling from her eyes.

‘’I promise ah do anything but anything if you stop. Mah life! Take mah life instead. The value of ponies should not be weighed//

‘’The countdown had already begun.’’

‘’Hun!?’’

‘’What will you choose? Your integrity to your town, or your personal feelings? Let us all find out.’’

‘’No come back!’’

But he didn't listen and the screen changed to now show a simple countdown. And it was already at four minutes and fourthly seconds.

The poor mare was at the loss of her wits. She let herself fall on the ground while holding her head in disbelief. And as much as she would want, she could not advert her gaze from the two buildings that may or not soon no longer be.

‘’This... can't be happening. This can't be happening. It's a nightmare and ah'm soon going to wake up right?’’

But the numbers going down were proof that it was real. And she now had least than four minutes.

Applejack soon found out that she could hardly breathe. So she held out her front hooves wide open and grasped the floor like if she wanted to hug it, maybe hoping it will hug her back and give her a little comfort. She turned her head constantly to look at both the farm and the hospital and the heavy weight of this responsibility was crushing her beating heart.

Only three minutes and thirty seconds was left.

‘’Ah... ah can't sacrifice my family. Not mah siblings and grandmother. They are everything to me. They are mah whole world. There is no way ah can just imagine to... to... let them die! Ah can't ah can't ahcan'tahcan'tahcan'tahcan'tahcan't.’’

Only two minutes and fifty-four seconds was left.

‘’But ah cannot either sacrifice those ponies in this hospital, they have nothing to do with this. If ah choose my family over them, it will be like I betray those ponies, they don't deserve this BUT WHAT AH'M SAYING, nopony deserves this! But... but what ah am suppose to do, there is no right choice!’’

She saw that only two minutes and twenty-one seconds was left. Her distress was so great that it was making her lose her mind and each second lost was breaking her more and more, so much that she had regress to the mind of a child and was begging time itself to stop. Again and again she was in her head screaming at the countdown ‘’stop moving stop moving stop stop stop stop stop’’.

But if there is there one cruel reality in life is that nothing, nothing can stop time to move forward. And so the counter continued to mercilessly going down.

Only one minute and fifteen seconds was left.

‘’Ah can't do it, ah can't do it, why ah have to be put through that?! Somepony, anypony, please make it stop, it's just to muchhhhh. Make it stop, just *sniff*... make it stop.’’

She felt trapped. And in a way she was. No matter how much she was thinking she could find nothing and soon, she was no longer able to think clearly. There was just one thing she felt she could still do and that was praying for a miracle. That somepony will come to save the situation, that the machines will suddenly broke or simply that she will soon awake in her bed. But she knew well that it was nothing more than make-believe and that it will never happen. She was even starting to find the third choice, doing nothing for the goal of having no responsibility, very tempting.

The countdown was now at twenty seconds. As for Applejack, she had sunk so deep into hysteria that she was feeling... a surprising feeling of calmness. She went upright on her four hooves and adjusted her hat.

Ten seconds. Nine. Eight. Seven. Six. Five. Four. Three//

Fast as lightning, AJ pushed with all her might on a button... her face looking down and her eyes obscured by her hat.

And when the deadly countdown reached zero, all the room was filled by sound of an explosion. And the source was... the right screen. The one showing the hospital.

The left wing of the building had disappeared in a fiery blaze. The shockwave from that explosion was so powerful that any intact window burst on its silage. And soon the entry hall could no longer hold back and crumbled, leaving only the right intact, like a mockery remembering us what that hospital once was.

Applejack had seen nothing of that but she did not need to, she could visualize it in full detail. Her hooves were still pressing hard on the button and she was not moving an inch... except for a few shaking.

‘’Ah, figures. So you choose your family over everypony else. I would like to say I did expect that but the truth is I am no surprise at all.’’

The face of Mel appeared right behind her, no caring to leave the cowgirl mare a moment to her alone. But AJ didn't even react to this despicable intrusion.

‘’I mean, everypony knowing you just a little would easily guess that there couldn't be any other result. I'm even sure that you had already made your choice at the first second. You just wanted to prolong it the most possible because you did not want to do it. Not do it but you still had chosen it easily. I am right?’’

‘’Ye... ... yes.’’

How much she wanted to be angry at him. She was trying with all her might to be angry at him. But she couldn't muster any rage. The sorrow was taking all the place. Streams of tear were dripping on her cheeks. She turned around to look at Mel, and she had the face of the most miserable pony in the world.

‘’Why... why did you force me to do that?’’

‘’Why have you chosen to save them and not the others?’’

‘’How could ah have done any other way? Those are mah brother, mah sister and mah grandma. They are the most important ponies in mah life. Not to save them... was just impossible to me.’’

‘’Ahhh. There. You say it. They, are, the most important. The ponies that you love are the most important. Have... you any idea of where I am going?’’

Seeing that Applejack was too stunned to properly react, Mel sank deeper into his throne and nonchalantly rested his head on his right hoof.

‘’Since you are a good nature one, I am sure you make your motto to treat everypony equally. It is indeed a beautiful value that was told so many times in our society. But in reality it is not truly feasible because of one element that throw a mess at it. And I am not even talking about intolerance or prejudice, no, I am talking about the purest feeling of all... love.’’

Mel allowed himself to do a small chuckle.

‘’Let us think about it. By definition, love is to have special feelings over someone. And vlam, right here. Special. To feel love is to put special meanings to a person, to give him more value compared to the others. Have you not said yourself many times that your family is the most precious ponies in your life, hummm.’’

‘’Yes but... but that does not mean...’’

‘’But yes, it means that treating everypony equally is not truly possible. For you or anypony else. We may not be aware because it's rare than that concept may be tested. But now you, no, all could now see that love create inequality. If a choice like that had to happen again, what will you choose?’’

AJ orange face turned pale her pupils were shrinking of fear at the simple suggestion that she will have to relive that nightmare a second time.

‘’Don't make that face, your trial is all done. Anyway, I can already know that you will do the same thing again. The majority would choose to save their love ones over strangers. Well, some might instead choose to do the greater good but even there it will be because they love doing the right thing more than anything else. See. Love once again interfere in the equation.’’

Her legs were now shaking so much that she could no longer stay upright and fell on her hips.

‘’What are you trying to tell me?’’

‘’I am sure that those ponies in the hospital were the loves ones of many. But they were not saved because you were preferring saving your loves ones. So is it not said that tragedy hit those loves ones because of love itself?’’

‘’*gasp*’’

‘’And if the situation were reversed, that somepony else had your place, choose the same thing as you and that it was your family that had perished then would it wouldn't mean that those you love were stolen from you because of love itself?’’

‘’Please stop.’’

‘’But think about it. This scenario happens more often than you think. Well, rarely so intense but the point is that we are rarely all weighed the same. So that mean what has happened to you right now may well happen again and in any positions. That reality. But don't despair. All creatures on this planet is on the same boat as you.’’

It was then... that something happen to the young mare. It was like... like if everything had changed. The world that she thought she knew well... seems to have completely changed. No, it was more like could no longer see it the same way as before, present and past. Like if she was used to seeing the world painted by one color but now, that color had disappeared to be replaced by another. And she was not sure to find it pretty.

‘’It is time for me to say to you goodbye. I am sure that lesson will be very enlightening for you and our viewers. Farewell Miss Applejack.’’

Once Mel was gone, Applejack was left all alone in this dark and cold room. Alone with grim thoughts that were consuming her. She took her cowboy hat from her head and pressed it hard again her chest while she was nervously shaking and sobbing. She wanted to scream, but she knew well that no sound will come out of her mouth.

Applejack trial
The favoritism of love

Ponyville: the Grassy Pentagon

The ponies who had seen what just happen were dumbstruck. But they had listened to what Mel was teaching. Many would want to think all that as nonsense but... family, couple, friend... they could not help but to look at each other, and then at those around them wondering if they could be potential enemies. Even though they didn't want to think like that. But there were three ponies who were not preoccupied by that. Because they were too busy worrying about that poor farmer pony.

‘’Big sis. Please, hang in there, it's not yer fault. Sis.’’

It was the Apple family. They had just seen the entire ordeal of their beloved Applejack and it was heartbreaking that they could do nothing to help her. They could not have helped but to shout at her, first encouragement and then warnings, even though they knew well that she could not hear them.

As for why they here, well although it was true at first that Mayor Mare was against the idea to uselessly worries them, she soon quickly changed her mind and realized that as a family, they have to be there to see this. Which means that in a cruel twist of irony, for all this time, the Apple farm was empty and AJ family was safe of any dangers. And that means that in the end, she had made that hard decision for nothing.

But of course, she had no way to know they were safe. So maybe mentioning that was useless.

The screens of all the cubic monitors lighted up to show Melancholia.

‘’This is a brief interruption of the show. So please listen attentively at the words I am saying. You just had been witness of ponies who had fallen victims of tragedies and misery. You all well aware that they must be in so much pain. You are probably even saying to yourself that you know how much and that you are feeling their pain. But that is not truly possible because you can't truly comprehend a tragedy that is not yours. I can guarantee you that what those ponies feel is much worse than what you think. So when you will witness the rest of their misery, remember that what they will feel will be much more than you will feel. Then maybe you will be closer to understand what they are living. That is all.’’

Mel disappeared and the screens showed static once again.

Author's Note

And another one done. Fiouf, let me tell you, the moment when you reread and publish a chapter is the worst. All the joy and the excitement of the writting process is gone in a instant and instead you are submerge by self-doubt and you find what you have done bad. Did my writing style is easy for the readers to read? Did I fail to convey the emotions in those paragraphs?

It take me a lot of courage to publish a chapter on that site, trusting that in the end I did writ something good. Anyway, I hoe you will like it, I have sure worked hard on it.

6.3: Rarity trial

6.3: Rarity trial

‘’It's a farce, truly is a farce. This is without contest the, worst, day, in all my short existence and oh Celestia know I had a lot of especially bad days in my life. *sigh* Come on Rarity you are better than that. You are a grow mare and you're resourceful. Your friends count on you and you know we will eventually find a solution to this, urgh, predicament. So right now this is the time to act like a lady and be in control of yourself.’’

So Rarity did what she had said, sit down and acted in a calm and composed manner.

For a good twenty seconds.

Very soon, her lower lip went to shaking uncontrollably and eventually, she went into a huge bawling where she was crying torrents of tears that were quickly forming a pool.

‘’Whaaaahaahaa, we will die, we will all die, this the end of Rarity, le dénouement. Oh woe is me, the world would soon be deprived of my talent and so many of my fabulous dress will never know the joy to be born. Well, at least I will die young and beautiful and... and what just I am doing!!!’’

Rarity repeatedly slapped herself on the face the point of making her cheeks red.

‘’Now that not the time to be a diva, you are not the one that is the most in danger of dying. My little Sweetie Bell and my parents are the one that could die, I am sure of it. So right now is not the time to be weak but to instead have the heart of a brave amazon. Let Mel come here, I will crush him with my wits and elegance.’’

So to regain composure she sat down again and breathed slowly. At first it seemed to work, but her breathing went faster and faster until it reached a hyperventilating point that culminated in a hysterical scream and the white mare went rolling on the floor.

‘’AAAAAAH, why why why that uncouth must worry me so much with the wait, is worse than torture. It’s driving me mad, MAAAAAD.’’

Her hysteria had reached such a paroxysm that she grabbed her purple hair and stretched them to the limit while making a face that was simultaneously creepy and goofy. But mostly goofy.

‘’WHEN WILL HE SHOW IS UGLY FACE TO ME?’’

The screen appeared before her.

‘’Greeting Miss Rarity, I hope I didn't make you wait too heeeeh!!!’’
…
...
…

Time... has stopped. For both of them. It seems they were so dumbstruck that they had forgotten how to move. The eyes of Rarity, full of dripping mascara, were shrinking in embarrassment and words were stuck in her throat.

‘’... ha... ha...’’

‘’????? Just... what are you doing? A grimace contest?’’

After another few moments of stillness, Rarity darted to the wall behind her and fast as lightning, took out cosmetics from who know where, applied so much on her that she was engulfed in thick cloud of pink smoke and came out of it in pristine condition like if she never had this nervous breakdown. Well, more than she would like she never had.

‘’We both forget what just happen. Understood?’’

‘’Hum... very well. (I am better not mention that more than a thousand have just seen here doing... whatever she was doing.) *kouf**kouf* well that comedic moment was good to alleviate the tension but we must go back to business.’’

‘’Which by that, I'm sure you mean it's my turn to play your sick game.’’

‘’Yes it is. And let me tell you, I could not wait for your turn to come. You kinda are a favorite of mine.’’

‘’Urrk! I think I just vomit a little in my mouth.’’

‘’Hoho, do I disgust you that much? Figure. But I am sincere, you do are a favorite of mine. Call it an affinity between artist.’’

‘’I would like please, that you DO NOT INSULT ME, *inhale**exhale* do not insult me by comparing me to you. *humf* I am a true artist who creates beauty. Compared to you who I only saw doing things that are unspeakable.’’

‘’Ah yes, yes, that is what makes you so fascinating. Some may call you superficial but you are far from that. You are a mare on a mission. On a perpetual mission to find beauty. And with this ideal in mind, you have quickly understood that it can be found in anything. And especially in the heart of others. But you don't contend yourself to just admired it, you find that beauty so fabulous that you generously want to share it to everypony. That the whole idea of your dresses and passion for fashion is it not? Your works of arts are not here to add beauty but to complement, no, more like to act as magnifying lenses that can help to show to all the beauty that is already there.’’

‘’... ... Grrr. Why the one that finally understand me so well had to be him of all ponies. Such a sick joke.’’

‘’But what I consider your best quality is that you don't just admire beauty, you are trying your best to have a beautiful heart. Which you do very well. You never see yourself as superior like the snobbish high society that you admire. You instead always treat other as equal and do your best to act in a noble way. All that because of your wholeheartedly pursuit of your ideal of beauty. And nopony can better understand the pursuit of a ideal as me. However...’’

‘’What? However what?’’

‘’I have a little fear that although you may see beauty, you may be blind to the ugliness inside pony hearts.’’

‘’That so wrong. I do see this ugliness. It is right in front me.’’

‘’Hahahaha, oh Rarity, nopony, not even me, will deny that. But I am speaking about ugliness more subtle. More hidden.’’

Rarity tilled her head to the side because she could not understand about what Mel was talking about.

‘’What I mean is that nopony is perfect. We all have flaws. But it not always obvious and not always with bad intends. Without even knowing, we constantly hurt each other with little acts, words or even just with simple way to be. Even to our love ones, oh no no no no, especially with our loves ones. There are the ones with whom we lay our bare self and they lay their bare self to us too. Which means that they are at their most vulnerable while we show of all our sides to them. Including our ugliest ones.’’

‘’Are... you trying to teach me something? Because what you are telling me look more like common sense.’’

‘’Oh it is common sense but the point that all are missing is, how, deep, you can hurt somepony. That even the purest of ponies can so naturally stab somepony right at the heart.’’

‘’Look, I had tried to be polite and to let you express yourself but now I am lost. What are you trying to tell me?’’

‘’I am telling you... that the heart that you find so beautiful is a gem far less polished than you think. And I am afraid that your veneration of beauty makes you completely blind to it.’’

The screen disappeared and the wall in front of Rarity opened up itself to reveal a dark corridor.

‘’Now go Miss Rarity. Your trial awaits ahead.’’

Dead silence was now the only companion of Rarity. Although she had wished so much that he shut his trap, she was now finding that silence so oppress... no let's not exaggerate, nothing can be worse than to hear the rambling of that lunatic, she was thinking to herself. But now she knew the only thing she could do was to advance forward into that creepy corridor. Even if she was scared to death. So she took a deep breathing to calm her nerves.

‘’Be brave Rarity.’’

And with that small self-encouragement, she entered the corridor and walked through it at a slow pace. She was on high-alert since she was sure Melancholia will unexpectedly throw at her a trap or something like that.

She had not even walked a dozen of meters than a screen, showing Mel, appeared on the wall at her left, making her jump in fright. Feeling obfuscated, she didn't even deign to look at him and she just continued on her path with unmasked disdain. But as soon a she was out of his view, Mel just made the screen disappeared and reappearing right at the left of the fashionista, again and again, like he was following her which in a way, was exactly that. And it irritated Rarity to no end to the point where it was making her right eye twitching.

‘’Now that is stalking. Can you not leave me in peace? What do you want?’’

‘’Don't make that face, I just want to have a casual conversation.’’

‘’Too bad, because a lady like me has nothing to say to a degenerate criminal like you.’’

‘’Ouch! Okay, that is justified. But I was really hoping that we could do small talk on everything and nothing. Wait, I just found a subject! What if we are talking about Spike.’’

The hooves of Rarity came to a complete stop.

‘’... Hun! Sp, Spike! Why are you bringing him?’’

‘’Weeeeell I don't mean to be intrusive but I could help to notice the obvious... very obvious hints that this little dragon has romantic feelings for you.’’

That, Rarity did not take it well. First it was a delicate subject to think and even more so to speak, second it was very outrageous, even for him, to openly discuss about... that, and finally, it was the last thing that Rarity was expecting Mel would throw at her so she was taken by surprise and could no longer think straight. Her blue pupils were moving nervously and her throat was becoming dry, though she could not tell why she was reacting so strongly.

‘’Wh, wh, what's the big idea goujat, you can't just speak freely about the private and personal feelings of somepony else in front of... *gasp* in front of thousands of ponies! How, how could you sink at that level! My Spikey-Wikey is a pure and innocent dragon and you dare play with his feelings!’’

‘’Oh don't worry, in my town, the little crush of that dragon is a well know fact since a long time. It's even went to the point where it is one of the favorite subjects of discussion in Happy Town.’’

‘’AND THAT IS SUPPOSE TO MAKE ME FEEL BETTER! (Ooooh dear, oh dear, in Celestia name, please make that Spike is not watching us right now.)’’

But it was then that Mel smile grew slightly larger.

‘’But the important part is, you just admitted that you already knew that Spike had romantic feeling for you. And very serious ones by the way. I mean, he is not very good at hiding it, even a blind pony could see it from miles away. You knew it from a very long time are you. Even you couldn't deny it.’’

The white unicorn felted suddenly nervous and looked away from him.

‘’Hum, I, heu, I don't know what you're talking about.’’

‘’But the strange part that I had always found curious is that even though you clearly knew for all this time, you have never neither respond nor deny his love for you.’’

She did give him no answers but instead, silently bitted her lips.

‘’Now Miss Rarity. Why do you think we are talking about him?’’

‘’Instead for being dreadfully rude, I don't see any other... o... ther...’’

At that moment, the heartbeat of Rarity grew faster and faster until it reached an alarming speed. And she slowly turned her head to face the pony that she had called with many pejorative names... and understood that they were not doing justice to the true evil he was.

‘’It's... not my family or Sweetie Bell that are in danger. There are no bombs in my boutique or in my parents' house. The one dear to me that is in danger is... Spike!’’

‘’Ah, finally. It sure took a long time for you to understand.’’

Something came from behind the throne of Mel, something climbing its back while making disturbing sounds that in no way could come from something alive. Once it displayed its full appearance, Rarity could not help but to take a step back. It indeed was not alive but looked like a creepy bug, no worse, an oversized bug walking on four legs and with two protuberances that could pass for mandibles. And Rarity nearly gagged when she noticed that you can see with clarity the mechanical innards inside it. To say that this machine was poorly imitated life would have been generous. And the fashionista had none for what she was now considering the most ugly, grotesque... and menacing thing she ever saw.
And just like a true bug, that machine creepy-crawled all the way down to the armrest where Mel, without even looking at it, caressed the thing with care.

‘’Impressive is it not. Those weapons are another gift from the ancient civilization that I affectionately named Spider-bot. I had sent one just this one by mail to Spike. And yes before you ask, I have installed a bomb into that bot and I can make it explode in any moment.’’

‘’It.. it can't be!’’

‘’My bot had already taken care of him and took him to a isolate wing of Twilight castle where he is now unconscious. My bot should at least be in less than a meter from him.’’

‘’You.. you are lying! There is no way he can be taken down that easily. Spike is clever. Once he sees those, those things, I am sure he will quickly understand how not safe they are. Then he will get rid of that abomination or get the farthest possible//

‘’Oh I have also write a letter saying that thing was a gift from you.’’

‘’He... had no chance!’’

‘’So you better hurry up and go do your trial. Well unnnless...’’

Mel raised his hoof and smashed it on the Spider-bot whom he had once shown care just a few seconds ago. The arachna automaton was now no longer more than a pile of junk crunched by the gray appendage of his master. It was emitting electrical sparkles and one of its legs was pathetically moving in spasms.

‘’Unless you prefer that this number one assistant no longer assists anyone. Forever.’’

She did not lose time, she went galloping like a crazymare while shouting ‘’SPIIIIIIIIKE’’ at the top of her lungs. She was already on edge but the treat of Melancholia was the coup-de-grace and she was now running on full-panic mode. But it didn't take long because before she knew it, she was now in an open room cover in a pitch-black darkness. She stopped her track and she could hear the opening behind her closing itself, snuffing the last trace of light and trapping her in this darkness black as ink. Afraid and in choc, the only thing she could do was to make a pathetic moan.

She just stayed there, unsure of what to do. When she decided to take a step, a projector light came from above, lighting something in front of her. Getting closer as she enters inside the cone of light, she saw that it was a sort of little monolith made with the same white material that... well that everything in this forsaken place was made and that Rarity was starting to consider the epitome of dull. That monolith also has a screen, a glass one this time, at the height of the unicorn head.
But then she noticed that this screen was showing something and upon closer inspection realized that it was... Spike!!! The poor dragon was lying body and face against the floor. She throws herself at the screen, her eyes nearly touching the glass. It was barely noticeable but Rarity could see light breathing patterns coming from him. That mean…

‘’(Spike is alive! Oh thank Celestia.)’’

Reassured, Rarity resumed her breathing, realizing only now that she had stopped it in the first place. She then tried to find hints about where he was. The room where Spike was was being dimly lit but she recognized the crystal wall and knew it was a room of Twilight castle although she didn't recognize the room specifically. The castle of her friend was huge and there was a lot of vacant rooms that were uses for nothing.

To her joy, she saw Spike moving one of his clawed hand and she also heard him do a grunt.

‘’He is waking up!’’

‘’Ha, perfect timing. I wouldn't have to give him a brutal awakening.’’

A holographic screen appeared behind the monolith, showing Melancholia looking from high at the white mare.

‘’Oh leave me alone you//

‘’Silence Rarity. This is where your trial begins. Right now, Spike cannot see us or heard us. So you’d better listen to me attentively because I will not repeat myself.’’

Mel held out his right hoof to his side and a holographic display materialized at just an inch of the tip of his hoof.

‘’What you are seeing is from the point of view of the Spider-bot. All I would need would be just a little push and boom, the bot explodes, bringing Spike with him. Even though dragons are impervious to flame and heat, the shock-wave of the explosion, which is known to be worse than the explosion, would be more than enough to pulverize every ounce of this little boy.’’

‘’Nooooo! No please don't do that. I do everything you want.’’

‘’Perfect, perfect. Here how we will proceed.’’

He was smiling at her in an inscrutable way and Rarity was wondering how in Equestria is it possible to speak of death and murder and yet act like if you have a nice conversation with an acquaintance. What madness was possessing him she was asking herself. He did not once move his arm from its precarious position, even when he continued to speak.

‘’Soon a screen will come from the bot. Then Spike will be able to see you and hear you and both of you will be able to communicate and talk to each other. What I want of you is for you both to have a conversation.’’

‘’What?! I, I don't get it?’’

‘’And I want you to speak about a specific subject and that you make him do something. Do that for me and I promise that I will deactivate the bomb and the bomb will be shut-down forever. But fail to comply and I initiate the explosion myself.’’
‘’... And... what do you want me to do?’’

‘’Don't worry. I just a little thing that will ask little effort of you and will have little consequences. Whaaat I want you to do is to make Spike

admit is love to you

... ... ... She... was not sure to have heard right. No, thinking more about it, she must surely not have heard it right, right? There is no way it could be true.

But... but that was indeed what she had heard. At first, she did not fully understand what it means but... quickly it dawn on her what she will have to do and what it will imply. And as she realized with a painful clarity what cruelty he was forcing her to do, she felt her heart being squeezed tight by feelings of fear, remorse and... other sentiments she couldn't describe. She took many steps back in fright and looked at her tormentor with the look of a child that had just learned that one of her relatives had died.

‘’No! No no no no no no please not that, all but... but not that!’’

‘’Hum, curious. Why do you react like that? Isn't suppose to be a simple task? Why are acting like it must make you feel guilty, huuuuum?’’

‘’No I am serious, ask me anything else. It's... it's just too cruel and it will hurt him so much. Why are you doing that? What are you winning ?’’

‘’You will see. But if you want him to live, you will have to do as I say and to do it seriously. I suggest you that you go right on the heart of the matter with him and to lay bare your feelings.’’

‘’But//

‘’I will have my eyes on you. If you fail to make him admit his love for you, that I find that you are stalling for time or that you are derailing the subject of the conversation, I will make as your Spikey-Wikey go bye-bye.’’

Rarity was becoming so anxious that she was hyperventilating. But Mel didn't give a damn.

‘’Wow, I nearly forget to say the most important part. You, are, strictly forbidden to tell Spike that he is in danger and to give him the reasons as to why he must admit his feeling to you. If I hear the slightest allusion, mehehe, seriously, do I really need to say it.’’

‘’I... I can't do that.’’

‘’You are the star of that show Miss Rarity. It's up to you to decide which it will be best to break. His life, or his heart.’’

‘’*gasp*’’

‘’Are you ready? Theeen, action.’’

At first, the first sensation that was coming back to him was a faint throbbing pain in his skull. But it did not stay faint for long. It grew more and more pronounced to the point Spike felt that his brain was constantly being hit by a sledgehammer. That in itself was fine, along he was not capable of coherent thoughts to give meaning to this hell of a headache. But unfortunately, the part of his brain governing that function decided to turn on, and he could understand in full clarity the headache that was assailing him. His first full-sentenced thought was:

‘’(Uuugh. What a pain in the asHEAD!! Yes that, what a pain in the head, that what I wanted to say.)’’

He tried to move his arms but found he had difficulty to make them so. Not just them but all his body felt numb like it was made in jelly. Even his eyelids would not open. For Spike, they felt as heavy as tons.

‘’(Okay, this is a little alarming. Why I am on the floor and what had happened to me? Did I hit my head on something? Yet as an assistant I am used to receiving things on my head and I am generally fine. Let's... let's try to remember what had happened. I was... doing my chores, right, and then... I think the mailmare gives me a package from Rarity and... THAT RIGHT!!!)’’

It all came back to him. The package, the strange sculpture and more importantly, how it could not have been Rarity who had sent that. Then he had the vague notion that something had just attacked him and the fear of danger was enough to make disappear his lethargy and he jumped screaming in fright. Once he landed on his knees, he quickly looked around his surroundings. The room he was devoid of any furniture and was dark except for a widow casting the light of the pale moon on the floor and on the little dragon. It was like Spike was on a safe island of light, surround by a menacing sea of blackness.

‘’Heh, this is an unused room of the castle. How did I get here, I don' remember ever coming here? Did I sleepwalk? No, that absurd. Alright Spike, Twilight always say that you have to think things rationally. So if I could get here on my own then that means that something must have... ... wait! What if the thing that had attacked me is the one that had brought me here! AND WHAT IF IT IS STILL HERE!!’’

As if it was a signal, Spike heard strange and unnatural noises. Then from the shadow came the Spider-bot, walking under the moonlight just before Spike. The young dragon had never seen something like this nor than he had any idea what that thing, clearly not alive, was. But he understood that this machine was bad news and flew away from it while looking at it with fear.

‘’Gyaaah! Ge, get away from me or, or, or I, I turn you into ash.’’

But the automaton didn't move and instead kneels before him. The upper part of the machine open-up, bizarre contraptions came from it and assembled together to form what was like a screen. Then, the black surface was soon replaced by buzzing static. Spike didn't understand what was before his eyes and he was close to run away like a scary little bat. But the static changed now showing the last thing he was expecting to see. The screen was now showing//

‘’Rarity!’’

There. Just there was the most beautiful pony with the most beautiful heart and one look at her blue eyes was enough to fill the world with light. As cheesy as it sound, that was genuinely how Spike was seeing Rarity and in one instant, all his fear and even his headache had disappeared because just looking at her was always making everything better. Although he knew it was not wise, he landed in front of her with the most innocent smile.

‘’Rarity! Rarity, I can't believe is you. Gosh it is so good to see you.’’

‘’It's... good to see you too. Tell me... are you... hurt?’’

‘’Well I wouldn't call myself in tip-top form but I guess I am not hurt. But I had no idea what just happen to me. Actually I still have no idea what is happening.’’

‘’It's... fine. Trust me... everything... will be fine.’’

‘’I... look, it's not that I don't believe you but, but is just that everything is strange. Where are you? What is that... that thing that is showing your image? Is it an invention of Twilight because it does not like something she will make? Did it was really you that had sent it? And why are you speaking to me through that thing? And... ... Rarity! What happened to you?!’’

Spike became alarmed when he saw than Rarity was in pain. She was not showing it but Spike know her well, he could guess with just one look how she was truly feeling. And right now she was in so much distress. And not like her usual dramatic tantrums. Rarity was the type of mare to be very open and verbal when she was not well. However... she seems to be in a pain so great that she could not express it. Quite the contrary, she even seems to hide it in an obviously fake smile... even though her blue eyes were crying.

‘’Rarity, what's wrong, why are you like that? Did something bad happen to you? Is there something I can do for you? Rarity, tell me what wrong. Rarity. But talk to me please!’’

‘’... ... Spike... there is... something important... that I want you to do... for me. And I am sorry but... I cannot explain... why I want you to... to do it. But... believe me, it's... something important.’’

‘’Of course Rarity, you can ask me anything. You know I will always do everything in my power to help you.’’

‘’(No no no no no please, stop being so kind. And stop looking me with these eyes. You only make things harder.) Spike... I want you to... ... I want you to... ... I... I wan, wan, want you to... to...’’

It was so hard for her to say the words. Her lips did not want to stop shaking... even when tears came streaming over them.

‘’... to... please admit your love for me, right here right now.’’

...
...
…
‘’Heh!’’

Spike could not believe what he was hearing. To say he was shocked would be light to the intense confusion he was right now since his mind went to a complete blank. Before he realized, his hands had become sweaty.

‘’Rarity! Why... are you asking me this? No... no come to think of it I'm must surely have heard wrong//

‘’Stop that, I am serious! I cannot explain why but I need you to do it. You have to trust me.’’

‘’Heh! Hey hey hey hey, you cannot be serious, it has to be a joke, right. Right? I mean how can you know in the first... ...!!!’’

He had tried is best to keep his composure. He knew that this moment would one day arrive but... today he was just not prepared and tears softly came pouring from his eyes even before he noticed them.

‘’You... knew then. Ah, I see. You knew from all this time. Haha, well of course, you won't ask me if you don't.’’

‘’Spike?’’

‘’I mean, I'm not stupid. I kinda knew that... I was not that good to hiding it. Yeah come to think of it, it seems rather obvious. A young dragon that is always awestruck each time he sees his favorite pony. Who always accept in a heartbeat to help her each time she is in need. And who also constantly sing her praises at the slightest opportunity. ... Wow, hehe, when you say all that then it is no wonder everypony noticed it, even a blind pony could see clear as day. That... nearly funny with a little hindsight. I feel really dump haha.’’

‘’(Please don't make that face. I'm so sorry.)’’

‘’But I really how could I do any other way? You... are you. So generous, always thinking about other, always seeing the beauty in everything. Please don't laugh but in my eyes, you are a true angel. Even your quarks and flaws I can't help but to find them beautiful. I admire so much that I guess I have to express it one way or another as corny as that sound.’’

‘’(Oh Spike, I am none of those things.)’’

‘’So yes in a way I knew you could not help but to notice it. But... you have never shown any sign of it. I mean here I am, always following you like a puppy but you never seem to be aware of my feelings. I know it was childish to think like that but I couldn't help but to think that maybe, just maybe, even if all could see my feelings for you, you Rarity was the only one that could not read them. Yes, it is dumps but after weeks and weeks, you have never shown any hints that you know. Well, there was that time when I became giant but even then we have never discus it after. So I went to truly believe that without truly believe it but also genuinely believe it. Confusing, I know.’’

‘’It's... not your fault. You have never done anything wrong.’’

‘’Rarity... please I need to know. Did you really knew from all this time and you just... never told me?’’

Rarity lips went to shake uncontrollably. She knew she had to tell the truth. But it was so hard, more than she anticipated it.

‘’... Ye, ye... yes. Yes. That right. I knew it. I knew it since day one. Like you say, it was impossible to miss. I am still remember it well. I could nearly see the hearts in your eyes and you were so awestruck it was hard to believe. But... I am really sorry to say that but at that time I did not really take it seriously. I had... saw that as just a childish crush and so not to be impolite I had made like I didn't notice it.’’

‘’Oh! ...Ah. Yes, I figure has much. I mean if I could have looked at myself, even me I wouldn't have taken myself seriously.’’

‘’Please Spike that not what I mean, I//

‘’But... but...’’

Spike had tried his best to keep his composure until now. To show to Rarity that although it was harsh, he could take it. But he was at his limit and started to tremble. And his crying intensified because more tears were added to the mix and they were more than tears of sorrow. Ones filled with a sentiment that Spike didn't want to feel against her, but could not manage to contain.

‘’Even so... even so it does not mean that my love for you was superficial. Sure, I admit, at first it was just because I was thinking that you were the most beautiful mare, no, the most beautiful creature I had never seen. I still think that. But then, I quickly realized that you were much much more than that. That... it was your heart that was making you so beautiful. You see quality in everyponies and want to find the best way to display it at the light of day and you have such a creative mind that came with bright ideas to the point it makes me feel a little jealous and the way that you always put other above yourself and so, so much more reasons that I can't find words to describe. What I mean to say is that it was with you that I understood the true meaning of beauty. So much that I wanted to be always close to you and... even become somepony as noble as you. Or at least a bit closer.’’

Before this declaration, the unicorn, shocked, covered her mouth with both hooves and cried some tears. She knew that the young dragon was in admiration before her but she didn't imagine it was that intense. But he did not end there.

‘’But if there is one thing you cannot do and that is saying that my love is just a childish crush. That the one thing I won't allow you to do.’’

Spike founded himself surprise to be able to talk like that against her, but the words were just coming out without he could do anything.

‘’My feelings are the real deal. I love you so much that sometimes its hurt. So I don't understand how can you ask me to... tell you everything just like that. It's, it's beyond me, I can't, I just can't.’’

‘’No Spike, don't go away! If you do that you will...’’

Realizing with horror what she had nearly done, she looked up and saw Mel waving his hoof in scolding manner while making a silent ‘’tut tut tut’’. Also his other hoof was waving dangerously in front of the activation display. Rarity felted trap in a corner as she saw that there was really only one way to save Spike no matter how she did not want to do that. She had to stab Spike heart. And her own too.

‘’Spike it is not what I mean. It is true that at first I thought that it was just a crush but then... I quickly realized that you were truly in love with me. Your eyes that were shining each time you see me was telling me enough. But... but what were you expecting me to do? You are a child Spike. And I am an adult. It is impossible to me to reciprocate your feelings, I cannot do what I cannot do. Spike, I... I... (you have to say it at last). I cannot and I do not love you. I really try but... I simply cannot.’’

A... heavy silence was all that was given like answers. Spike eyes were looking downcast but even hidden, tears were still pouring from them. The young dragon then fell on his knees.

‘’But I knew it. I knew from the beginning that I had no chance. Of course I am a child and of course it was impossible. I was not deluding myself contrary to what everypony was thinking. But still I was enjoying being in your presence and that was enough for me. Sure, more time I was spending with you and more I was falling in love with you. But still, it was nothing more than a fantasy. Really, just a fantasy. But... there were times where I couldn't get you. Where you seem to reciprocate without truly reciprocate. At those times I could not help but to have hope... for then be haunted by doubts that I misinterpret you. Again and again. It's a really painful rollercoaster you know. And now you are telling me that you knew for all this time? Then why Rarity, why...’’

‘’(Nonononono, please don't ask that question, don't ask the question I am so ashamed of.)’’

‘’Why did you never confirm me that it was impossible?’’

‘’Because...’’

This was too much for Rarity. The guilt made her not even be able to look at him in the eyes.

‘’Because I... was enjoying the attention.’’

‘’Huh!’’

‘’I... am somepony who has always craved attention. And to have a young dragon who is always awestruck at my presence just felt good. It boasts your self-esteem to be so adored. It was too much for me to resist. Please, don't ever think that you were just a tool to me because there is nothing more far from the truth, you are an irreplaceable friend and I do really think you are an incredible dragon. But you are right, I voluntary keep things ambiguous all for that I can still bathe in your admiration and like the foolish of fool it is only now that I realize how cruel it was.’’

‘’... ... You mean... that really what it was! I... find hard to believe. Did you... really put me into that kind of limbo for that reason?’’

‘’I did not have bad intentions, I swear! It's just... with time it had become natural. It had come the point where I was doing it without even noticing. When something becomes daily, you hardly question it. (Oh Celestia, it sounds even worse said out loud.) I swear to you if I had even known that it was hurting you I would have said outright that I could not love you but not once it came to my mind that I was doing you harm. Not once. But I still did it and that's the painful truth.’’

Spike was so dumbfounded to hear that confession the he fell on his butt he looked up with a distant gaze in his puffy eyes.

‘’Wow. Did I really see nothing? Then I changed my mind, I really was delusional. Guess I am more dumb than I thought, heheh.’’

‘’Spike. I am so so so sorry but right now there still something I need you to do for me. I know it is selfish of me and that I don't deserve it, I know it is cruel to ask you that and even more not to give you explications but you need to trust me on this. Even *sniff* if it is the last time you have to do that.’’

‘’It's... really important for you?’’

‘’Yes. More than you think.’’

Spike lowered his head to look straight at Rarity. Seeing him both smiling and crying was splitting in two the heart of the unicorn.

‘’Everything for you my sweet Rarity.’’

Spike took a deep breath. Even if right now he was so angry at her... turning down one of her request was something that he was not capable of. So even if the hardest he had ever done, even though he was still in tear, he gathered his strengths and gave to his love a beaming smile showing all his white canines.

‘’I... love you. I always did.’’

Now that the deed was at last accomplished, Rarity looked up at Mel who answer her with a approved nod. With a swing of his hoof, the virtual display disappeared and at the same time, the spider-bot in front of Spike retract itself and became once again a harmless white polyhedron. Though Spike was too busy crying to even notice it.

The only thing filling the dark room was the quiet sound of Rarity sobbing. And it was nothing like her usual outbursts, no, the pain in her heart was too deep to be fully expressed. She felt that now she had done something irreparable and that because of that she had lost a dear friend forever. Self-loathing was submerging her. Loathing for never having realized how selfish she has been. Loathing for not having treated his friend like he deserved it. When she opened her eyes, the screen before her was shut-down, its black surface reflecting the image of a sad mare.

That was when the heart of Rarity exploded with rage.

Furious that this tragedy without name was allowed to happen, she putted all her hatred at that image she could not support looking. Screaming like a banshee, she went to hit with an insane strength over and over on her reflection because it was a hideous repulsing ugly offensive revolting foul gross loathsome thing that was not allowed to exist.

‘’WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH, WAAAAAAAAAAAAAH, WHAAAAAAAAAAAAH’’

Losing her mind, she went to hit faster faster and faster without even be able to notice the pain in her hoof or the bleeding until at last the glass of the screen broke. Cracks were spread in all its surface like a spider web, distorting her reflection into a grotesque image of herself. In a way, she was finding it... fitting.

The holographic window showing the stallion who just doesn't know how to read the atmosphere appeared behind her.

‘’Revolting is it not. It is always the awful things we do without even realize it that shock us the most to the core.’’

‘’... ... It... was not supposed to happen like that. That discussion would have eventually happen one day but not like this. Not, like, this.’’

‘’Are you sure it would have happened in the first place? You have said it yourself, you didn't realize you were hurting him until I forced you to confront it.’’

Rarity turned around to face him, showing her wet and apologetic face.

‘’I did not want that to happen. I was not trying to be mean//

‘’Of course. Of course you did not have any bad intentions.’’

Mel head went down in a somber way.

‘’It is sad but it happens so often. So many ponies, who are good and who do good, manage to yet be harmful for those that are close to them and that without notice it. So you see, what you did was not special. It's just how life work.’’

But then he smiled with cruel glee.

‘’But that does not make it less bad is it not. Does not make the consequences less real. After all, an innocent sin is still a sin. But you already knew that.’’

Rarity, faced against this verbal assault could not help but to do a fearful hiccup.

‘’Now Miss Rarity, after all this, are you still convinced that your heart is so noble and beautiful as you were thinking?’’

‘’...’’

‘’Hum, no response! Then let me ask you a question. Do you think it was the first time you have hurt somepony without realizing it? And do you think it will be the last? And do you think it only applies to you? That other, no, that all on this planet do not sin without being aware and without being able to do to anything about it? We have all many flaws which means they have to be some we cannot be aware, it is just impossible to look at the entirety of our soul. And that is why it is impossible not to hurt. To live is to hurt.’’

The unicorn didn't want to hear anymore words because she felt that more he was talking, more the colors of the world were fading away.

‘’That, Rarity, is the ugliness I was talking about. The one that we are all stuck with, that is nether corrupting, hidden or overwhelming but that is, simply, is. I hope that with that lesson you will now learn to take out your pink glasses. Farewell Miss Rarity.’’

And just like that, he disappeared, leaving the white mare alone with her misery. In a last moment of defiance, she pulled all the anger that was left in her and shouted at the top of her lungs toward the dark ceiling.

‘’You monster! Curse you Mel. CURSE YOU. And... curse meeeee. ... Curse... me. Hurk!’’

A violent nausea came through her and she vomited all the contents of her stomach.

‘’Bluurrrrrrrrghurkh... urkh*kouf*... *kouf**kouf* Forgive me, Spi... .’’

Having no more strength in her, she staggered blindly since her vision had gone blurry until she had hit a wall, fell and remain leaning on it. She was finding the cold sensation on her cheek a little comforting. Because she was feeling so miserable that she had no motivation to get up. She just wanted one thing. To go back home, to sneak into her bed and to curl up in her blanket like a cocoon for days. Where she could quietly and silently crying in peace.

Wanting to find back a little but at least just a little bit of hope, she tried to think about the dresses that were waiting for her to be complete, the ideas that she was impatient to give life and the customers that will soon be overjoyed to receive her craftsmareship, what she always found to be her biggest reward. But then something had hit her. A realization, or rather, a grim question.

‘’(Does I am still worthy to create beautiful things?)’’

Rarity trial
The ugliness inside all of us

Happytown: Somewhere in the outskirt

So many had just seen the torture Rarity had been put through. But there was one soul that had taken it particularly bad just like he did for the two previous mare. From the little monitor on the grass, Dust the Diamond Dog had been witness of the valiant fights of those ponies. Fights that have until then always ended in tragedy. And this was leaving him sobering and hyperventilate without control, his paw covering his mouths since he could not find words to describe... the unspeakable before him.

When the two brothers came out of the ruin with the prize of their quest, they were worried to be seen by ponies so they went through the forest knowing they will meet no one there. After an undetermined period of time, they found a small clearing although the dark silhouettes of the trees around them was making this place nerve-wrecking since because of the clouds, there was no even a bit of moonlight to cast away the shadows.

But Dust could not pay attention just like during the whole trip he could not pay attention at none of his surroundings. Because his thoughts were all preoccupied by the five mares, scratch that, seven mares that were now in the clutches of this loony pony. Mares that he and his brother had hurts and throw right at his hooves. He did not want to do that but he has been pressured no stop by his big bro and so in the end he had given in. But now he was submerged by guilt and could not stop to think and think and think about those ponies and about what will happen to them. It had become an obsession, so much that he could feel his head splitting in two.

It was then the he remembered the monitor he was holding. He gaze at it with a mixing of fascination and dread.

‘’(That right. Melancholia had said that with that monitor we could see what he foresaw showing to all Equestria. Then maybe I will find answers about what he will do to them. But... Dirt will not be happy.)’’

He was not stupid, he did have try to put some distance to the deed he had done and if he knew what was the fate of those mares then it will become more difficult to detach himself. But he realized he probably won't be able to sleep well so the harm was already done. Besides, if he didn't satisfy his curiosity he probably go crazy. He clicked on the well-hidden button since he knew how those machines work. The screen lit-up and was showing the infamous countdown. Dirt noticed was his brother was doing and he was clearly disapproving his action.

‘’Bro? What are you doing? Don't tell me you will really listen to Mel and watch his... his show or whatever he calls it! Hey bro, bro, are you out of your mind!’’

‘’I'm sorry, I know it's not wise but I can't do any other way. I need to know what he will do to them.’’

‘’No, what you need to do is to forget those mares ever existed. Seriously Dust, what good it will bring you to know?’’

‘’None, I'm sure of it. But it changes nothing, I need to do that if not, I will lose my mind.’’

‘’Listen me well. Our lives have been execrable for years and we have worked hard for that we can finally find peaceful days. And now we can finally have them I won't let you spoil them with guilt. You throw away that thing and we going the hell out of here NOW. UNDERSTOOD.’’

Dirt had always been the most clever of the two and the one that had always protected his little brother. That why Dust was always following his lead and thrusting his decisions.

But not this time.

‘’No big bro. I will stay here and watch that show. It is no use arguing.’’

‘’Wha!! You speak to me with that tone! Now you will//

‘’It is, no, use, arguing.’’

Dirt was shocked and did not knew what to say. The authority that his brother was using was one he didn't recognize and for the first time in his life, he was scared of him. So he reluctantly leaves Dust to watch the show that was just about to begin.

And watch it he did it from the beginning to now. And what he had seen was far worse than he could have imagined. First, he learned that without knowing he had planted bombs in so many places and that Mel was using pony lives as blackmail against the Mane 6. Which would not have been possible without him and his brother help. This was making the weight on his shoulders much more heavy. So much he could no longer move.

Mel had given to the two brothers a lot of background information on those six to study. It had helped them to apprehend them but in consequence, Dust and Dirt were knowing them more they had wished. Those mares were in a way no strangers. And when the diffusion had begun, Dust had only needed a few moments to understand that those ponies were possessing the purest of hearts in the whole world. They did not deserve that torture, was what Dust was thinking. Forget that, he wouldn't even wish that to happen to his worst enemy.

Dirt, him, was more watching his beloved brother from the side and he could feel his pain like if it was his own. He had sworn that he will protect him and he felt like he was failing that job. At that moment he genuinely did not know what to do. Except asking himself the question that was haunting him for days.

‘’(How did we have come to this?)’’

Author's Note

Finally done. And I am very proud of it. But you don't know how hard it was. This trial is actually the very first that I have imagined but gosh, how much I have hesitated to write it. I mean, we are talking about Sparity, one of the oldest and most know shipping of the fandom. (And also a favorite of mine. And I just went to say this shipping cannot be possible!!! I am weird.)
I had to work days for this chapter to be painful and dramatic while making it credible, also making sure that the characters of the show stay in characters even though they go to a breaking point and make sure it is philosophical enough to change the perception of the readers, that is to say you.

Let me tell you, it has been true murder. So, how did you like that chapter? Oh I hope it has been uncomfortable.

Anyway, now that we have done three trials on six, I think it's time for a little break since I know otherwise it would have been too much. The next chapter would entirely serve as a backstory. But be warned, there will be a lot Diamond Dogs speaking like actual Diamond Dogs. Oh boy. Hope you will like it.

* Can you believe that I had completed that chapter, just a few days before came the dragon dropped episode? Life can be strange sometime. Oh well, I still find my version of their relationship better.

6.4: Fluttershy trial

6.4: Fluttershy trial

‘’Hum... hello... hellooo... anypony there? Can somepony hear me? Hum, it's just that, well, I am been here for a long time and nothing had happened. Did we forget about me? Wait, is that it! Did we forget about me! I am to be trapped in that empty room until I die of hunger?! Please, I beg you, if somepony can hear me then just give me a sign. Please... it's lonely in there.’’

Fluttershy, feelings the tears coming back once again, used her yellow wings to cover herself like a blanket. This was helping her to relax a little and she felt a wave of drowsiness coming to her.

When she was brought there she immediately went into a panic and flew at every corner to find an exit or an opening. Once a time, at the ruins of the Castle of The Two Sisters, she feels into a trap where she was also stuck a tight room and was separated from her friend Angel Bunny. When she got up and find him again, let just say, it nearly could have ended badly. This had been traumatic for her and since that day she had developed a small claustrophobic phobia because being in tight space remember her that awful time that she had been separated from her little friend. And now, the fear had come to her once again. Time three. Because this time she was now separated from all her friends and they could be in serious danger. The dread was too much and she was hyperventilating. But she tried to calm herself, sit and to just wait for her turn to come. But after all this time, intrusive thoughts that she could have been forgotten came through her and, well the rest you already know it.

In her sleep she dreamed. Maybe it was to retreat in pleasant memories. Or maybe it was to remember her what she could lose. But her dreams were of happy moments of her life. Moments where she had been brave. Where she had stood up for her friends. Like when she had learned to sing in front of others. Or when she vanquished her fear of the eyes of others. All that remembered her that today she had become a braver pony, a pony she could be proud of.

Fluttershy had awakened from a brief sleep. Even though she did not feel more rested.

‘’Did... I dozed off? I wonder how I had managed to do that?’’

To pep herself up, she slapped her two checks.

‘’What I am doing! This no time to be a scaredy-cat. You have proved many times that you are not the same Fluttershy of the past. I just had said I would gladly give my life for them and I will stick to my words.’’

‘’Is it true? Good. Very good.’’

Fluttershy felt a cold running on her back. She had never realized that for a long time, the colorless eyes of Melancholia were watching her from behind. And after hearing that unexpected voice, her first reflex was:

‘’Eeeeekk!!!’’

She jumped forward, stayed spread on the floor and covered her eyes with her hoofs.

‘’Oh sorry sorry, I did not mean to scare you. It is just that your speech was so inspiring, I did not want to disturb it. You not offended are you?’’

Fluttershy did not move but instead she started shaking uncontrollably.

‘’Oooooh, scared are you. Where did go all your courage? After all, your turn has come Miss Fluttershy. Are you ready?’’

The yellow pegasus turned her head and showed to the game master not a face of fear... but a face of pure rage!!!

‘’YOUUUUUUUUUU.’’

She flew before the screen to fully display to the gray stallion all her rage.

Fluttershy was the type to repress what she does not consider acceptable feelings, and especially anger. At the single hint, she buries it deep inside her subconscious even before she realizes she had them in the first place. And nopony was making her angrier that Mel whose methods were repulsive to her. Just hearing him talk was enough to make her blood boil and making her shake with rage. Quickly, the dam was crushed and all those emotions exploded in her in an inferno of hate she thought she would never be capable.

‘’How dare you! How dare you do that to us, you big meanie! Who gives you the right to treat us like toys for your enjoyment ! We're not toys, we are people. Will you like if somepony did the same to you? And not only you openly hurt ponies but you hurting my friends and you made a spectacle out of it! My, friends. You do not, you do not, HURT, MY, FRIENDS.’’

The fury of that yellow mare being angry was sure quite something. The time with the dragon was nothing compared to that. Remember, thousands of ponies could see her. Her and her rage were enough to give to many a fright that went to their very soul.

But it seems that Mel didn't have one. Because his face did not move an inch and his expression was still as perfect as a marble statue. Which raged the pegasus even more.

‘’Don't you dare make that smug face to me! How could you smile like that? You will stop that cruel joke and let us all go and apologize to all of you have hurt. Why are you not responding?! But would you at last stop to make that damn smile! SAY SOMETHIIIIIIING!’’

‘’... ... ... Your turn has come Miss Fluttershy. Are you ready?’’

This... was a hard blow for Fluttershy. Not a once, not a single once of him had been affected. The feeling of futility was enough to snuff out all anger in her, leaving her drain, so drain that she fell flat on the floor, looking at that gray pony like if it was an incomprehensible creature.

‘’You... you really do have no heart.’’

‘’Humm, you may be right. But let us not talk about me, let us about you. You are the star of the show.’’

‘’I don't want to be.’’

‘’Too bad, you have no choice. And for good reason, there is no way I will deprive the audience to see the angel of the Mane 6. Which is you.’’

‘’I... think you are exaggerating.’’

‘’Non non non. It's the truth. At first glance, you may appear nothing more than a simple shy introvert but you are much more than that. Although you are more fearful than the average pony, you don't let that controlling you. Over the years, slow but surely, you have managed to become more brave and to get out of your comfort zone. And believe me, that is a true inspiration to many.’’

The yellow mare was confused and that was making her more nervous. Why does he compliment her like that? She was tempted to feel pleased. If it was not for that sick feeling building up in her stomach. And it didn't get better as he was continuing to sing her praise.

‘’But how do you manage to do that, to surpass your weakness? Very often, the answer is... love. Indeed, your infinite love for all that live is your driving force Fluttershy. With love you are able to make it fall the wall that is your fear. With love you are able to face mortal peril to save your friends. I mean, you just had proved it today.’’

‘’Well, I guess that kinda true. But why//

‘’But all I had mentioned are only half of your qualities. You're somepony who cares and show kindness on all creatures but what I consider your greatest attribute is the effect you have on others.’’

‘’I, I don't understand?’’

‘’What I mean is because of your empathy, you touch them on a deep level and inspire them to be better. And many had become better person because of you. Even you won't deny that. Yes, that what makes a true angel. A pure heart one that inspires others to follow its example. Or at least, to be closer of that example. However... let us finish here. It's not like we have all night.’’

The wall behind the screen opened-up, revealing a corridor.

‘’First, go that way. Then I will tell you what to do next.’’

‘’And... *gulp* and if I don't?’’

Mel casually brushed his hair.

‘’If, you, don't, then you can say goodbye to your precious sanctuary because it will burn to the ground. Oh and probably a lot of your critter friends.’’

The iris of poor Fluttershy shrink in terror and she lost all her breath. Another screen appeared, showing a map of her sanctuary and the forest around it. That and three blinking dots at different locations

‘’Evidently, it was impossible to put the bombs in there because since it is always occupying we will have been noticed for sure. So instead, three bombs had been placed in strategic spots around it. If I detonate them, it will cause fires that will quickly combine themselves to forming a firestorm sustained by its own wind system, practically impossible to extinguish.’’

And to emphasize his point, the dots became fire that spread on the forest for then becomes one single fire that grew in size at a record speed until all was just a sea of fire.

‘’Your sanctuary is for wounded and unwell animals, right? Some of them could escape to safety... but surely not all of them.’’

‘’No!!! No no no please don't, they just innocent animals, they have nothing to do with this! How can you be so cruel? You must do this.’’

‘’Oh, if not, what will you do to me?’’

‘’I will never forgive you.’’

‘’Ahahahaha!’’

Mel went into an uncontrollable fit of laughter, his face resting on his hooves.

‘’Hahaha, is it, haha, is it really the best you can do?! You really are a pure-hearted angel. ... You remember me a lot of a certain little filly.’’

He shook his head momentarily to find back his seriousness.

‘’Let's not get distract. If you want to save your sanctuary then all you have to do is go forward. But if you prefer otherwise, I have no problem//

‘’Stooop!!! Alright alright, I will do it.’’

And with not even taking the time to wait for his answer, she flew straight toward the opening as fast as Rainbow.

At the end of the tunnel only blackness was waiting for her. She could see nothing but she could hear the doors behind her closing, trapping her here. As she was about to ask what to do next, light came from above, lighting her and blinding her. Then other lights came to be, lighting more and more the room before her. She was not sure to understand what she was seeing because it looked like a pool. A large pool that was taking nearly all the room, minus the dry land where Fluttershy was.

She went closer, her muzzle nearly touching the water when an electrical arc crackled in front of her eyes. She jumped back in fright realizing the water was electrified. But that was not all. Torrents of fire came upwards out of the water, making Fluttershy back off even more. The poor pegasus was trembling, hiding behind her wings and looking through the gaps between her feathers.

‘’What is all this? What does he want me to do? Oh dear, oh dear, I have a bad feeling about this.’’

A final light came, lightning now the very end of the room. To reveal that right there was//

‘’The kelpies! But... So... so horrible! How can he do that?!’’

That right. At the end of the pool there was a cubic platform serving as a little island, with on it, a cage with two terrified kelpies inside. The cage was electrified. And before it was a big, weird, gizmo tower thing with thunder coursing through it. No need to be an expert to know this was the power source.

While she was contemplating in horror, Mel appeared behind her on screen like the good little 'not being able to read the room' guy he was.

‘’Ah, I see you have met the surprise guests of this game.’’

‘’I... I just have no word. How much must you hurt until you're satisfied?’’

‘’Until my message gets clearly understood. Those two are kelpies that had been captured from our local lake. And they will soon get a bad time. Now you see the dynamo? And do you hear the beep coming from them?’’

Indeed, Fluttershy could hear a continuous beep noise coming at intervals from the gizmo.

‘’Those beeps serve as a countdown. As more the interval between them becomes shorter, sooner the dynamo while send to those kelpies a hit of many volts. And before you say anything, yes, there is a way for you to save them. You see, those dynamos are quite fragile. A single contact with anything can disturb them and make then short-fuse. Why you in luck, it turn there is a nice pile junk to your left.’’

She turned her head to the left and he was right, there was a bunch of mismatches broken things, mostly made of metal. Clearly it was not there by coincidence.

‘’And you want me to... *gulp* to traverse those traps?’’

‘’Oops, I forgot to mention a detail. You are not at all forces to save them. You can well leave without consequences. For you at least.’’

To her right, the wall open-up to reveal an exit.

‘’What! But... but but but... I am so confuse now. What about my sanctuary?’’

‘’Sanctuary? There is no sanctuary involves.’’

‘’But you had said//

‘’I had said that I will spare your sanctuary if you proceed forward. And that you did. So as a reward I had shut it down the bombs once and for all without any hope they be activated again. It also means that I no longer any incentive to force you to play. Good for you. Too bad for me.’’

‘’ (What! Wh, wh, what he is playing at, it doesn't make sense?)’’

‘’And by the way, I can tell you have a grave misconception. The current the dynamo will give them is not lethal.’’

‘’It's not!’’

‘’No. It has as much voltage as the lightning rods, well, a little more considering their sizes of those two, so the only thing it will do is knock them up. It will maybe hurt them a little but they will live. So, in the end, it's your call. You could decide to risk your life and saved the kelpies from an unjust bad time, or if you find it's not worth the risk you can just go and no consequence will fall on you and although the kelpies won't like that, nothing irreparable will truly happen to them. Your, call.’’

The pegasus was a little taken aback by the choice Melancholia was giving her. But then she looked at the Kelpies. These two creatures, though massive, were now like little frightening animals, looking desperately for a way out but not moving from the center of the cage out of fear of the electrified bars. Fluttershy could imagine what has happened to them. They must have been taken by force to be thrown into this madness, like her. They must be feeling helpless and not being able to understand anything around them, like her. They were looking at her, supplying to save them. To not abandon them.

The choice was not hard to make.

‘’You really expect me to just go my way and let those poor animals being tortured. How can I do that? Even if they will not die, they will be hurt and be traumatized for the rest of their life. They will become afraid of everything, no longer being able to have a good night sleep and feeling they are all alone in the world. That won't happen. Because I will save them, I will show them that somepony cares. You had said that with my love, I am able to push back my fears. Well, that what I will do and I don't care how dangerous your fire traps are. That what you wanted to do isn't. You wanted me to run away and show that I didn't truly grow and ponies can't be courageous. Well guess what, I am not the old Fluttershy and I have the strength to vanquish my fears. You hear me Mel?’’

She turned around to face Mel. Only to saw there was nothing behind her. Mel had gone away.

‘’... You don't even believe I can do it. You are looking that down on me? I don't care. I will show you that you are wrong. And as for you my poor kelpies, don't worry, I will soon get you of this nasty cage. Then that day would be like nothing more than a bad dream. I promise.’’

The kelpies looked at the yellow mare and through her turquoise eyes could see shinning in them the care and love that could come of a mother. This was enough to reassure them and making them less agitated. As for Fluttershy, she went to the pile of junk, scavenging for what would be the most useful.

‘’Not that. No, this won't do. Certainly not that. Oh!! This should do.’’

She decided to settle to an iron bar, long and easy to transport. She grabbed with her mouth but decided it was then time to hurry since she noticed that the interval between the beeps was getting shorter.

‘’Alright, time to go. Now what I have to do is... fly... over those... traps.’’

Although she was full of confidence before, now, looking at those flamethrowers spitting those merciless fire liking the roof and the water below them shimmering with an electrical blue hue was giving her cold feet.

‘’(If... if that fire touches me, what will happen? Would it be as painful as I think? Would it be more? Wait, if get it I will surely fall in the water! What it's like to have electricity coursing through you? Wait there is worse! I never could get out of the water that mean one plunge and I will, I will... die NO STOP!!! Get those thoughts out of your head. Right now they are more scared than you so you have to be the brave one. Be attentive Fluttershy, if you look carefully, you notice there is a pattern at when the flamethrowers light on and off. If you fly slowly between them and time yourself carefully, there should be no problem. Okay go.)’’

She flapped her wings and flew to a careful pace across the booby-trap pool. She stopped at the first fire before her and waited that it was extinguished. When it was gone, she quickly charged. The fire came back and went up. She was at a safe distance. But she could feel the heat penetrating her back. And when it was gone, cold took its place. This was making her nervous. At the moment she was surrounded by deadly flames, too close for comfort, that were making her sweat a lot. Not just because of the heat.

A other shut down, she flew through it, then another. So far, she had made good progress. She had done half of the path and that was making her confidant that she could pull it without problems. But in this moment of inattention, she nearly not noticed the fire trap before her and it threw its inferno, nearly roasting her muzzle.

‘’Eeeeek!!!’’

In her fear she dropped the iron bar from her mouth but recatch it in extremism with reflexes she did not know was capable. The tip of the bar was just at a few millimeters from the electrified water.

‘’It was too close. This not the moment to panic, you must stay focus, you have nearly arrived.’’

Taking a deep inspiration, she finds back her calm and proceed. She traversed another row but then noticed that the beeps were more frequent.

‘’I am running out of time, I need to hurry up. I think it possible for me to fly between them but it is risky.’’

Indeed the spaces between the spits of flames were large enough for one pegasus to fly through but one mistake or wrong move and she was doomed. Her heart was beating at a painfully pace. But mustering all the strength she could in her, she decided to take her chance and flew between two fiery pillars. The heat was high but supportable. Then two others came before her and with address, turn herself around so her body passed at the vertical between them. And right now, she had achieved her goal and had reached the cage.

‘’I did it! I did it, I really did it. In the end it was easier than it looked.’’

The kelpies whined to her because they wanted to quickly get out of here and also they could partially understand that time was running out.

‘’Oh right right, I need to shut down that thing. But how? He had said only one contact would be enough. But if the bar touch it, I will be electrocuted too. Maybe... I should just throw it at it.’’

Settling on the method, she held the bar high, building power and threw it at the dynamo. It was not a strong hit but Mel had told the truth, only one contact was enough. The electricity coursing through it became wild and erratic and it seems it had disturbed an already precarious balance. The machine emitted sparks and soon it broke with a shutting-down noise as a dead cry. Now that the dynamo was devoid of all juice, buzzing electricity was no longer coursing through the cage or the water and even the fire traps had stopped working. All the room was now filled with silence. Except for the cries of joy of a certain pegasus.

‘’I did it! This time I have truly did it. There is no more danger anymore, you are safe my precious kelpies.’’

The cage was not sticking to the floor and was light. It was easy for Fluttershy to lift it and throw it in the water. She went to the kelpies to give them a big hug but they were way ahead of her and jumped on her, crushing her with all their weight and licked her face for showing their affection and gratefulness.

‘’Hahaha, heh stop, that, hahaha, that tickle hahah. Alright alright, me too I am happy that we all fine. You poor little softies. You did nothing wrong but yet you had been thrown into that nightmare just because one jerk had said so. But rest assure, it's all over now.’’

The kelpies clapped their front hooves in joy and to say thank you, one of them gulps her and once again her higher-half was in the mouth of one of those affectionate to a fault creatures.

‘’Again! Oh and why not. It is in way kind of relaxing. ... ... ... ... Okay, that, hum, that enough, it's kinda hard to breathe.’’

The kelpie put her down and released the a little stunned pony. He was feeling guilty but Fluttershy gently stroked his cheek.

‘’Oh it's alright. I know this is just your way of showing love. Nothing to be ashamed of. Now, do you know a way to get out?’’

The kelpies nod with affirmations and dived in the now safe water. They swam to the entry of an underwater tunnel and bid their farewell to their new friend. As they went in, Fluttershy waved at them.

‘’Goodbye kelpies, it was nice to see you again. I hope you will find your way home, please be safe. (I am glad everything turns out alright in the end. And I had shown to all that I am a pony that can be quite proud of herself.)’’

Once she was alone, Fluttershy took the previous entryway leading to she don't know where. She was still afraid but now was way more confident that and felt that she could take on anything. Eventually, she ended up in another not very bright and empty room though a little narrower than the two previous ones
.
The only thing greeting her was, nearly fixed on the front wall, another holographic window displaying Mel, clapping at her.

‘’Bravo Miss Fluttershy. Well done. What you had shown was truly an inspiring show. You, risking mortal perils to save poor creatures that you barely know all from just the kindest of your heart. You, who so scare of nearly everything had just shown that even the most cowardly pony had the potential to become the most courageous with the help of love. What a display of courage. What a display of selfness. Not that I expected anything else.’’

‘’Well I don't really feel better to be complimented by you. Anyway, as you had seen, I had succeeded your challenge. So I see no reasons to stay her and I politely ask that you let me go heh hold on wait!! Did you say that... that you expected me to succeed?!’’

‘’But naturally. Anypony who just know a little about you could tell that it would be impossible for you to resist the urge to protect them.’’

‘’But...? but I don't understand, if you know in advance what I will do it then why test me in the first place?’’

‘’Because it would have been inspiring. And inspiring it was. I assure you it's not sarcasm, I genuinely feel you were inspiring. It is a shame you could not see yourself. It was like... ahh how could I describe that, it was not like seeing a heroine but more like... more like seeing a mother. Like if the love that you have for those creatures, for all creatures, is so strong that it could be called motherly and that you were protecting them like if they were your children.’’

She sure did not expect to hear that and she blushed like a tomato.

‘’Sorry sorry Miss Fluttershy. It's just the image that comes to my mind when I see you. Heyyy you know what, this actually makes me think about one story, a story that I had written myself but that I never could publish. Would you like that I tell you the general lines of it?’’

Once again she felt goosebumps on her skin. ‘’Why nothing he was doing was making sense’’ she was telling herself. But it did not matter because the game master continued to do what he wanted.

‘’Once upon a time, there was a mare who had a son. For this mother, her child was her most precious treasure. Just seeing him being himself was the greatest joy she could feel. But she also wanted to make sure he would be a decent pony. So she had taught him at a very young age how to be kind, how to always help those in need and how to care about others. And she succeeds. That colt had managed to grow into a model of virtue. He had become a stallion and was guaranteed to have a bright future. Something the mother wished more than anything. But one day... one day a cart on a slopping street had a malfunction, broke and roll down without its pony driver. At the same time, a young mare was crossing the street and did not know she was on the way of the cart and that she won't survive the collision. But the young stallion was there. And when he saw that mare in danger, his legs moved by themselves and he pushed her out the way, saving her life... but losing his in exchange. Although it was a heroic act, the mother was inconsolable, of course, since she had forever lost his irreplaceable son when he was supposed to have a bright future. For days she tortured herself with the same questions: why did it happen and why he risked his life for a complete stranger. But then a horrible realization came though her. It was 'her' that had taught him that. It was 'her' that had taught him how to think about other before himself. He had died because of the lessons she had given him. And as she realizes that, she fell even more in despair. ... ... ... So how did you find it.’’

‘’Depressing. Very depressing. I don't want to be rude but it seems coming from out of nowhere.’’

‘’Quite the contrary. But what I want to emphasize is parents fear for their children and that why they feel it is their duty to give them advice. But what they fear even more is that they inadvertently give them advice that will in the long run be harmful to them or even cause their death. To have their children die because of the advices they give them. Make no mistake, this is, the, worst, nightmare of all parents. But you know, it does not only apply to parents and children.’’

‘’Look mister Melancholia, I am getting tired of your nonsense and randomness and my patience begins to run thin. I have succeeded your trial and I esteem I have the right to go home.’’

‘’Succeed? Oh Miss Fluttershy.’’

Mel rested his chin on his front hooves and made a soft and back chilling smile.

‘’Who had ever said that your trial had even begun.’’

‘’What!!’’

‘’Oh you thought that your trial would have been a simple test of courage? But no, it was just a simple bonus, a sort of a side-show with the simple goal to be inspiring. For them.’’

He pointed to the right and a part to the wall went-up like a sort of solid curtain, revealing behind it a giant glass window showing another empty room. Empty except for two of these dynamo things, close to the window and buzzing with current. The yellow mare was once again lost but in the other room, a door opened up and from there, none others than the two kelpies she had saved.

‘’The kelpies! What are they doing here?’’

The kelpies once they saw Fluttershy across the window made cries of joy to see her again. At least she thought they were doing that since the glass was seemingly blocking all sound.

‘’Why aren't you home, I thought it was over for you too? Mel, what are you doing with them.’’

‘’It is now that your true trial begins. But don't worry. Because for you, I had prepared a very simple trial that will be super easy. All you will have to do is watch. Yup, that right. That all you will have to do. Just, watch.’’

‘’Watch? But watch what?’’

‘’The nightmare of all parents.’’

The curtain that had gone up was now going down to cover once again the window. But this time it was moving at a slow, slow, very slow pace. But what was the most scary was that the attitude of the kelpies had changed. Gone was their joyous mood and instead they were panicking, jumping in all the place and looking afraid of something. Or for something.

‘’But, but what, what is going on? Why are they panicking? Mel what are you doing to them.’’

‘’There is something I must tell you. This glass is special. Not only is it soundproof but the important part is that it can create a optical illusion. Not from your side but from them, welllll... better that I show you.’’

The holographic screen changed and instead of showing Mel, it shows the window from the side of the kelpies. Fluttershy, at first, wasn't sure of what she was seeing. She could see herself through the glass but her image was weird. Like if from that side, she had more.... deep for like of better words. She understood now what he wanted to mean by an optical illusion. She found it was like seeing one of those 3D image stamps that were all the rage in youngsters. It was especially true for the lowering curtain that was looking like... like…

‘’*gasp* (Oh no! That's the reason why they are panicking. From their sides, this curtain look like the roof! It likes if the roof is lowering itself to flatten me! They are not scared for themselves, they are scared... for me!!!) Mel, stop that, you scare them for nothing.’’

‘’Sorry but even me can no longer stop it. Now, what do you think the kelpies will do?’’

‘’What do you mean? They probably

BA-BUMP

The confusion was now gone. All the pieces were assembling themselves with painful clarity. She thought that all the bits Melancholia was saying and doing were just random nonsense but they were all parts serving to fulfill a diabolical goal.
The illusion optical was enough to even fool a pony. For a time. Then it will quickly realize it is just an illusion. But the kelpies were not pony. Their views were not working the same way. And Fluttershy know that animal had a tendency to be easily fool by those kind of trick. So course they will believe Fluttershy is in danger to be flattened to a pulp. And they will naturally think that the only way to stop that contraction was

BA-BUMP

was to short-fuse the two dynamos. They know how to do it. Fluttershy had shown them how. It is by

BA-BUMP

It is by throwing something at them. But their room was empty, there was nothing to use. So their only way was

BA-BUMP

was

BA-BUMP

BA-BUMP

BA-BUMP

BA-BUMP

to throw their own body at them.

‘’I see you have realized. And before you ask, this time the voltage... is deadly.’’

Fluttershy dashed to the window and hammered the glass with the energy of madness.

‘’Nononono, don't to that, it's a trap, I am not in danger. You don't have to sacrifice yourselves.’’

She gesticulates wildly, often doing an X sign with her front hooves. But the kelpies clearly were misunderstand her since they could not hear her. They stop panicking, looked each other in the eyes and nod at each other. Then, they both went toward the dynamos.

‘’I beg you, listen to me! It is not the roof, see.’’

She flew up higher than the curtain to show them it was just a curtain. I quick glimpse at the screen was enough to realize that from the other side she was looking like she was desperately pushing backing the moving roof. I was not working.

The curtain was now half-closed. The kelpies were in front of the two dynamos, afraid and hesitating. She went back to the window and no longer able to listen to reason, was hitting it with both front hooves, hoping to break it.

‘’Please, I beg you to stop, you don't have to do that. It is not because I had risked my life to save you that you have to do the same. I did that so you could be safe. What is the point if you throw that away? You don't have this obligation, I won't blame you if you go away. Please stop stopstopstopstop don't do the same as me. I DON'T WANT YOU TO DIE!’’

‘’You do realize that from their point of view it looks like if you are screaming for help. I'm afraid you are making things worse.’’

Was the taunting Mel thrown at her. The curtain had nearly finis its decent. The pegasus had to lean to still see. She was still hammering the glass without losing speed, hoping to smash it. A faint trace of blood, the blood of her hooves, was starting to form on the transparent surface.

The kelpies had no longer any fear in their eyes and looked at Fluttershy and gave her smiles as a goodbye.

‘’I BEG YOU, DON'T DO THIS.’’

The curtain had closed. But not before having leaving enough space to let a flashing blue light invaded all the room. And let Fluttershy know of the fatal conclusion.

‘’NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!’’

The poor yellow mare was resting on the floor for quite a while, crying all the tears she had. The face of the game master appeared behind her and his detached attitude was a clear sign that he did not have a once of sympathy for her.

‘’Very tragic is it not. I do not deny that I am the author of it but still, it is also true that you all could have decided not to follow the script whenever you wanted.’’

‘’Why *sniff*, why did they do that?’’

‘’Can you blame them? You had the courage to selflessly save them in their darkest hour. Is it not normal the kelpies wanted to take example on you?’’

‘’I never *sniff*, I never wanted them to take example on me.’’

‘’Of course you didn't want. But you see, the problem is that each of our actions send a kind of message. People, and even animals listen. They see the act of someone and naturally think there is a lesson to learn. We all learn principally by imitating others. So seeing from that angle it is not really possible to never teach something.’’

‘’But... but how could I know it will happen? I just wanted them not to be hurt, how could I know they will be in an even more deadly danger because of it. I just wanted them to be fine. I did not care what would happen to me.’’

‘’First, don't say: ‘how could I know’, it's the most stupid thing to say. Secondly, what you say is very hypocritical. You are willing to sacrifice your well-being but not that the others do the same! Like if you want to keep the monopole of sacrifice for you alone. Well, what you just say is the paradox of selflessness. Because true selfless doesn't want other to be selfless. If those we care care more about others than themselves then it is a little unproductive. But you just had experienced that yourself.’’

‘’Y, y, you're a monster. Why did you do that?’’

‘’I felt it was the only way to make you, no, to make all understand that the so valorize action to make other better is a double-edge sword. One that is hard to see but that I consider is very well here, have consequences and all must open their eyes to it. That kindness and selflessness might be their own enemy, as baffling it may sound. I do not say they have no place to be. But they might hurt you when you expect it the less. Maybe something similar will happen again. Or maybe it is already in the process of happening.’’

The poor Fluttershy jerked in choc. She did not want to listen to him but his words were like poison sipping into her skull, changing the colors of the world into a much darker tone.

‘’I am sure nopony would thank me for changing a virtue into a grim thing. But I don't care, life is full of cruel absurdity and being blind to it would change nothing. So think well the next time you show care for another. Farewell Miss Fluttershy.’’

Mel went away, leaving at last the yellow pegasus alone in her misery. She didn't have the will to get up and was feeling another wave of tears coming up. She tried to hold them back to at least show to herself a little bravery. But she failed and soon, the only thing she could do was to go into a fit of crying like she had never done before in her whole life.

Fluttershy trial
The lessons that we teach

|***|

*knock**knock* *knock**knock*

‘’Mel. It's time to eat, dinner is ready.’’

*knock**knock* *knock**knock*

‘’Come on big bro, you have been in that dusty atelier for ages. You need some fresh air.’’

*knock**knock**knock**knock**knock**knock**knock**knock*

‘’I warn you, I can do that for aaaall day.’’

‘’Alright alright, I'm coming. Shesh Flo, I was on a roll with my painting. Inspiration was flowing like water.’’

‘’That is not an excuse to forget that the outside world exists.’’

‘’Hey there was nothing I could do. My demons were forcing me.’’

‘’Oh no, you will not use that excuse on me. Again. Sometimes I fear that without me, you will become a loony living in his own world. So what about your painting? Is it progressing well? Can I see it?’’

‘’See it! Hum, well, the truth is, well, I rather not. It is not finished and you know how hard is it for me to show incomplete work.’’

‘’Yes, you and that annoying quirk of you. Do you like to tease?’’

‘’Sorry Flo. It is just that I have often crippling doubts until I put the finish touch. I can't help to have those intrusive thought that tell me that what I am doing is... trash.’’

‘’Oh Mel. You really should not think like that. You are one of the greatest artists on Equestria. I had seen the sheer quantity of stuff you have done. Just give a little time and you will see that people will soon see the true genius that you are. If only you just stop letting yourself be so isolated. Well, coming to a family dinner might be a good start. So come upstairs and let's go eat at last.’’

‘’Yes mom.’’

‘’Oh shut up you big doofus.’’

**|**

The young filly Floral felt her heart being crushed. This happy memory did more harm than good. Water was even starting to pour from her eyes.

‘’Wait for me big bro. I promise you, I will fix everything. Just... just wait for me.’’

Author's Note

And here we done with Fluttershy trial, another one I was impatient to write. Of all trials, this one is the one I am the most proud of. I just hope that I had managed to well convey its message. It is a pretty complicate stuff to explain.

Anyway, hang in there, we have nearly finish with the game of Melancholia. Only two more. Next is Pinkie Pie turn. Stay tuned.

6.5 Pinkie Pie trial

6.5: Pinkie Pie trial

‘’Bored. Bored. Soooo bored. I'm all alone and boredom is my only companion. But the saddysad part is that she is an awful companion. Gaaaaaah.’’

Say the pink pony spread on the cold floor after a long time being trapped in a room filled with no stimulation which for a pony as hyperactive as Pinkie could be considered a kind of slow torture.

‘’Geez, when that gray pony who sees all in gray will finally come talk to me because I had been here for like forever doing nothing so much that my brain had started to rot which is the opposite of the joyous festive mood I much prefer to have. Phoey. The only thing I can do is play with the fourth-wall. This wall. The one I am pointing with my hoof. And that is right in front of my eyes. Is it not right Wally?’’

The white wall opened up its big mouth and said to Pinkie:

‘’You know I had always wondered how can you know I am the number four. I mean we all look the same, it is not like there is an order in the first place.’’

‘’Hahaha you are so funny. Good thing I have you my new imaginary friend. Well, there's also the roof but it does not want to talk to me because he thinks he is above me. ... ... I am lonely. I already miss my friends. Can you not tell me how they are doing?’’

‘’Hum, I don't know if you have noticed but I came from your head so I can only know what you already know.’’

‘’Hey! Are you saying I am loony!’’

‘’Must I emphasize that you are talking tough a wall. Walls don't talk if you have forgotten.’’

‘’!!!! ... ... Should I find it weird that my delusions have more common sense than me?’’

‘’*sigh* I am not being paid enough for this.’’

‘’Pay! You are a product of my imagination, you are not being paid for this. Hum hello? Hello! Hellooooo! ... ... ... Annnd he ditched me. That's not nice. Now that I think about it, why did I imagine a stingy imagery friend. Sometimes I wonder if I should worry with how my brain work. This is lame. Playing pretend had only made me feel more depress. Nothing can replace true friends in the end.’’

Having failed to make her boredom disappear, the pink pony on the floor took from her puffy hairs a deflated rubber balloon with the same color as her. She blew in it to inflate its elongated form and twisted to make a puppy figure. Then she disassemble it and rearrange it into other figures again and again with a sur-pony speed and the ability of a master. And a disinterested face.

The projection of Mel finally decided to come.

‘’Ding ding ding, it's me Miss Pinkie Pie. Didn't wait too long?’’

‘’Whaaaaa!!!’’

In her fright, she had let's go of her balloon and it flew in all directions, making an annoying sound. Mel, waiting to put a first word at his sentence, just followed with his eyes the flying pink annoyance until it can finally stop making noise. Which seems to take an absurd and law-defying amount of time.

‘’This is ridiculous.’’

Losing patience, he just sends a block and with deadly precision, it smashes it to the ground. And a cloud of confetti exploded from the deflated balloon.

‘’What the!!!’’

‘’Surpriiiiise. At last you're here, the boredom was killing me. I had thought long and long about how to make you less, hum, cynicmeanie and the answer was obvious. I had improvised a small party that will bring your smile back. Is it not great?’’

With a wave of her hooves, confetti and ribbons came flying all around. She took from her hair a party hat that she put on her head.

‘’There is nothing more like a party dedicate to somepony to put back a smile on a lonely soul like you. Once you see that even your prisoner care about you, you will surely change your way. Well say like that it seems a little twisted and a cause for concern but, mehh, details.’’

‘’*sigh* How did I make for not seeing that coming?’’

The pink pony had put a party blower in her mouth and took from her hair a accordion, don't ask how, and played it while singing and bouncing on her tail under the rain of glittering confetti.

‘’Alright, and a one, and a two. Welcome welcome welcome, pony who is gloomy. Smile smile smile, today is your day. Your friend Pinkie is wholly, here to show you, somepony care for you, so don't be lonely. Come on Melly, sing along. No need to be grumpy, life is lovely. No need to be so vile, it is best to smile. So let me give a hoof, by playing the goof. What are you doing, play along. Where is your sense of enjoyment? *FWEEEEET*’’

*SMASH*

In an instant, two blocks came and crushed between them the still blown party blower.

‘’Ah I'm sorry but I'm afraid my sense of enjoyment is very flat.’’

The blocks went away. Time seemed to be frozen, except for the iris of Pinkie shrinking in fear and looking at the now all flat and useless blower.

‘’*fweet**fweet**fweeeeee*’’

Also, she accidentally snaps her accordion in two.

‘’Do I have your attention now Miss Pinkie Pie.’’

‘’Hum, yeah, yeah. I will calm down.’’

‘’You have pulled quite a stunt, I admit it. It is hard to predict your next move, you can be so random sometimes. Wait, did I say random! Oh that wrong, that so wrong. Many would probably see you like that but I know there is more in you than meet the eyes. I can see there are actually a lot of methods in your madness. And I can somehow tell that your brain is like an engine always working in turbo mode and going in all directions for the goal of fulfilling your life goal. And what is that goal. Why, it's to spread joy and happiness to all ponies.’’

‘’Ah, at least somepony who understands me. You have no idea how many think that I have, how they say already... no deep. I don't know why.’’

‘’You're just no good to translate your unique mindset to others. But let us go back to your personal quest. In a way, you are the opposite of me. You find great joy in life and you make great efforts to share it with others to the point to make it an art. Bigger than life parties, tasty confections, hilarious gags, there's just no end to your arsenal of weapons to bring laughter.’’

‘’Truuuue. I don't want to brag but I am pretty proud of that.’’

‘’But at first glance, it may appear like if you are a pony who is always happy and never sad. Consequence, it makes you look like a pony who is not sincere.’’

‘’Arrh, here we go again.’’

‘’But that the point, but I say 'the point', that makes you so special Miss Pinkie Pie. You are not obvious or blind to pain and sorrow. You do feel them sometimes, I'm sure of it. But regardless, instead to stay gloomy, you find back, no, you fight back for your happiness. And because you can, you know your neighbors can do the same and so you show them the way by making them laugh. And I must mention you do have a natural for that.’’

Another screen appeared at his side and showed a successive series of images. They were all about Pinkie in various funny situations.

‘’Hey that me during a party where I had tripped face first on the cake. We had all laughed so much that we had stomach cramps. Now that's me with my head stuck in a bocal, don't ask how it happens. Now that's me after a wrong experience of Twilight that had made me become a blonde with white fur. And the most comic is that I had noticed nothing for an entire day. What a surprise. And that hey waitwait, how did you get those images in the first place!!?’’

‘’Oh that. They are just photos taken by the fans of you and your friends. The fans coming from Happy Town of course. They always send at least one photographer in lookout in Ponyville. Especially toward you. They just love you that much and your hi-jinks. At their defense, they far to follow you in perpetuity, it's just that you are a magnet to funny situations. It makes their job so easy.’’

‘’Well, if they can get a laugh out of it, that's neat. And a liiitle creepy. But still neat.’’

‘’But this brings me to ask you a important question.’’

‘’Sure, shoot away.’’

‘’... ... What is humor?’’

‘’Huh!’’

‘’I mean, why humor exists? What are the reasons for ponies to have invented it.’’

‘’I... I don't understand the question.’’

‘’That alright. That pretty alright. For now. Instead, I think it is time for your trial to begin.’’

‘’Ooooh, that do look fun. What will I have to do?’’

‘’For the moment, the only thing I can tell you is that this trial will be separate into two parts. Go through that corridor so you can go to fulfill the first one.’’

‘’Okie dokie lokie. I'm sure I will ace it.’’

Once the wall opened itself, Pinkie Pie went to it, bouncing joyfully. Mel just stayed where he was, silently following her with his eyes until he opened his mouth and say:

‘’You know, you are tricking no one.’’

She stopped dead on her track, stay completely still for a moment, and then... turned her head to look at him with her usual cheery disposition.

‘’Huh, I don't see what you mean?’’

But there was nopony to greet her sight. The screen had disappeared. She was all alone.

‘’Hum, what a strange and silly fellow, heheheh.’’

She went to the corridor while still giggling to herself. But as the doors closed behind and everything went darker, her eyes and laugh took a more nervous tone.

The pink mare went into a room exactly like the first, which for her meant boring and dull. Well, not quite. She noticed that right at the center, there was a cubic pedestal. This, of course, tickled the curiosity of Pinkie. She approached it, but she then felt apprehension and stopped. Then she walked toward it again and stopped again and again and again, until she at last reached it.

She was there and there was something on it. A small object, so little compared to the big surface of the pedestal. It was of round shape, made of gold and had the Equestria crest on it. In other words, it was:

‘’A... bit!? What is a bit is doing here? If it is for pocket change well then that silly since he owns the place then he could give me anything for free so having money is useless. No wait, stay concentrate Pinkie, that can't be right! There must something special about it.’’

She hides behind the pedestal with only her eyes peeking above and precariously extended a hoof toward the token and gently tapped it many times like if she was fearing it makes explode. But when nothing happens, she realized:

‘’But... it is really nothing more than a normal bit!’’

‘’But yes. Just a bit. A simple coin.’’

‘’Whaaaa!!!’’

Pinkie Pie nearly had a heart attack. She turned around, grabbing behind her the pedestal like for dear life and saw Mel who was resisting laughing. This made her annoyed, which was rare.

‘’COULD YOU PLEASE NOT DO THAT! Usually I love surprise, but not today.’’

‘’But I know that. However it's not time for fun, the first half of your trial begin. And now, a simple game.’’

‘’A game!’’

‘’I you want to take that bit, flip it and play a game of coin toss to see if it land on head or tail.’’

‘’Wait, you telling me it's really all I have to do?’’

‘’That is all.’’

‘’Really! Ohoho, you have scared me for a moment. I thought I will have to do something hard but that easy-peesy. Should I must choose heads or tails?’’

‘’No, you don't even have to choose. Just flip it and see the result.’’

‘’No problemo Melly. ... ... Do I win something based on how the coin land?’’

‘’Well, although the result would be important, I can assure you that you will win or lose nothing.’’

‘’(That...! What does he want with me? Not once I was capable of reading his intentions. Even my Pinkie Senses didn't act a single time. He is making me anxious to death and I don't like being anxious to death. It's like, the worst kind of being anxious. But I guess all I can do is doing what he wants.) Alrighty, then time to flip that bitsy.’’

She took the bits and flipped it in the air.

The coin went up, nearly flew. Even if it had the weight of two fates on its shoulders. But only one of them could become real and soon it will have to choose. As it spin around, nearly with mockery, it shows for just a split-second which face Lady Luck will select for then reject it and choosing is opposite for then repeating the cycle again and again. The tension was so high that it was like time itself had slow down and the bits seemed to move at a nerve wrecking low speed. And as it started its descent, while it was in a state of being head or tail at the same time before//

Pinkie stomped on the coin in mid-air and flattened it on the white surface.

‘’Sorry, it was becoming ridiculously dramatic for nothing.’’

She took off her hoof to look at the golden coin.

‘’Oh oh, it's tails. The bit landed on tails.’’

‘’I see. Tail it is then.’’

‘’Well that was rather ordinary. If it was me that was in charge, I would make far more fun and interesting games. And parties too. You should see what I planned at the last one it worked so well everypony became so competitive that it end in a food war and//

‘’Hahahahahahaha.’’

‘’Wh, whaaat!? ... Hey... hey, why are you laughing, I didn't say anything funny? Stop that please. Stop that I had said, you, you not making any sense.’’

But he didn't pay any mind to her and just continue to laugh. Until he stops. Abruptly. Without hints. Like if it had never happened. Or maybe it was a sign he was just faking it.

‘’Sorry but I just never see somepony trying so hard to be in denial.’’

‘’I, hum, I don't see what//

‘’Enough games Pinkie. You are the poor prisoner of a madpony, me, and lives are on the line. You just cannot be that obvious. We, after all, had both agreed that you are a pretty clever and aware pony. The proof is your attempt at throwing a party at me. It might seem wacky but it was not dumb, it was actually pretty smart. Showing care to our captors to awake his sympathy. A very sound tactic. It just happens that your captor has a very cold heart. As I had said, humor is your best weapon. But not only for helping other but for helping you to keep a cherry disposition. By believing something that is not. Like that something scary is not. But if something is scary, it is often because it is dangerous. And believing it is not scary does not change its dangerous nature. It is still a treat of some kind. Like right now. You think I did not notice that not a single time you have asked about the bombs? About what lives I had used as incentive.’’

‘’Bahh. I know that you are not serious about your threat, that it is just a hoax to make me comply. I'm an expert of pranks. I mean, who could send somepony to ba-dabim ba-daboom town just like that.’’

‘’Ah! You are not believing a single word of what you say. Then I suppose you are not interested to know that one explosive is hidden at Sugarcube Corner and that if I detonate it, the Cake family might perish and you will never see them again.’’

‘’Whawha, WHAAAAT!!! ... ... Nooo no no no no no, you won't get me with your tricks Melly. Besides, when would you have the time to... to... (Wait! Oh no! OH NO!)’’

|***|
two months sooner
Sugarcube Corner

At the kitchen of the bakery, the repairman was busy putting his repair to the oven of the Cakes. Pinkie Pie came from the doorway, bouncing happily with a tray of cupcakes on her head.

‘’Howdy blue collar canine friend. How is it doing, not too much hardship? Weeell, III imagine it must be after the mess I made. I don't know what happens, I just wanted to experiment on a new recipe but I may have been too experimental and used weird ingredients, which half may have been questionably approved for pony consumption guidelines, and when it baked in the oven it just went BOOM. You should have seen the mess I'd made yesterday. Miss Cake had said it was one of my records. Well... anyways, sorry to have bothered you, you are a real lifesaver to have.’’

The little Diamond Dog turned his head from the pink pony and used his buckball cap to hide his eyes.

‘’Oh no, no, it's, it's quite alright, it's been no problem, I, I just have finished.’’

‘’Oh I see, you are quite shy. It's alright, I have a friend who is like you. But still, in thank for your hard work, I had decided to give some of my best cupcakes, free of charges.’’

The Diamond dog turned his back on her like if he was ashamed.

‘’Nono please, I can't accept them, I don't deserve *kouf**kouf*, hum I mean I can't take them because, hummm, I have diabetes.’’

‘’*gasssssssp* The worst disease in the world! Oh my poor fellow, I cry for you. I know, I am going to throw a party at you with my best sugar-free desserts. Wait! Now that I think of it, I had never seen you before. *gasssssp* That mean you are new in town! So I have to also throw you a welcome to Ponyville party. Or I could combine the two to form a super-mega party, that should super-duper fun and maybe I hunnnn... but where did he go?!’’

The dog and his toolbox was no longer there. She frantically look around and saw that the backdoor closed itself, implying he gets out in a hurry.

‘’... ... ... Was it something I'd say?’’

**|**

‘’(Ooooooh. That's why it seemed to me those dogs were looking familiar.)’’

‘’I see you realize I'm quite serious. Well, don't misunderstand, it is not like I am mad at you for laughing the situation out. You even make things easier for me. What you did is after all a practice so common. But still I want you to keep in mind that if you don't complete the second part, there will be serious consequences. Unless you want that a happy couple and a pair of adorable twins die and be reduced to nothing more than ash. Ohhh I wonder, have you ever made a party for funerals? You will see, it is like a birthday, but in fact... all the opposite.’’

‘’!!! S, sorry, I'm, I'm not a big fan of black humor, never really was, hehe... heh... heh...’’

But Mel didn't answer back. Instead, he just stared at her with an inscrutable expression without moving. Well, not quite. He was also tapping at the armrest of his throne with the tip of his hoof. Two little taps, then silence, then two little taps again and so forth and so forth.

It was like hearing a heartbeat.

And for Pinkie it was like hearing her nervous heartbeat. Numerous anxious thoughts were swirling in her head since the beginning, but she had tried her best to push them away with happy thoughts. But now they were taking all the place. And like as if he could read in her head, the tapping of Mel was going faster and so the beating of her heart and so her dread and, and…

No longer able to contain it, it explodes in a vile wave ensnaring her heart in a tight grip and Pinkie charged to the next hall, running and screaming like a hysterical.

In the third room came the party pony running as fast as a car. Once she arrived, she brakes. Seriously, she even made the sound of a braking car. Her legs were shaking, not just from exhaustion, and she had difficulty to find back her breath.

‘’*pant**pant* Okay *pant* okay I'm here so what I have to do so I can at last get rid of this game that doesn't deserve to be called a game.’’

‘’Hey hey, that not like you. Where did your levity went?’’

‘’Like you had said, things are super duper serious and this is no time to laugh.’’

‘’Well that a shame because that exactly what the second part is, to give me a big laugh.’’

‘’Wha!! OH COME ONNNNNNN. Why do you play with my nerves, it is for torturing me that's it, torturing ponies is how you get your fun, huh huh, well guess what, that suck and you suck and I officially put you in my black list of ponies who don't deserve to be invited to my parties and you will be the first one on it because I had just invented it.’’

‘’Oh my, coming from you it means a lot. But let us not get distracted. What you will have to do will be very easy. First, you will have to go to that corridor//

‘’What, another go to point A to point B! That begins to be repetitive. But I suppose it can be tolerable if it still follows the rule of three//

‘’And that you laugh during the whole trip inside. No need to be a big laugh, I just demand that there be no interruption until you reach the end. And also no running. You must walk. Break only one of those conditions and... well, you know.’’

‘’Oh great, now you want me to laugh when I don't want to. YOU REALIZE YOU ARE MISSING THE WHOLE POINT. Urrrrh fine, let get over with it. Ha. Ha. Ha.’’

‘’Now wait. Before, there is something I want to show you.’’

Two other screens appeared at the sides of the one showing Mel. The one to the left was showing a mare unicorn with white fur and black hair and the one to the right was showing a pegasus stallion with brown fur and red hair. Pinkie Pie was very surprised because she knew to those two ponies very well. She was seeing them on a daily basis.

‘’Do you recognize them Miss Pinkie Pie?’’

‘’Why yes, they are Sugar Lefty and Righto Dough. They are my supplier of sugar and flour. Those two are really nice ponies, always have the time for a joke. Well except if those two are in the same room because then, ooooh, they produce enough sparks to light the room ablaze. ... But... why are you showing them to me? What do they have to do with anything?’’

‘’I admit I had some difficulty finding a trial perfect for you. So I had to dig very deep about you to find something. And then I found out about those two acquaintances of yours. And it was like fate was on my side. Sugar Lefty, through her ingenuity, had managed to create a process, using numerous precise spells from her horn, that change cane sugar into a white sugar and that with an optimal quantity ratio. Righto Dough, he had invented an unusual method using his wings to purify the grains and his pegasus abilities with weather to bring them to the perfect moisture. Those two are like reflection of each other. Ambitious and prideful.’’

‘’Yeah but I still//

‘’And because they are so similar, they always compete to surpass the others in sales. To the point that it became their life goal for years. Their bickering and rivalry had become for all Ponyville a sight as common as a natural phenomenon. Nopony expects that constant to change and nether you or those two, I'm sure of it.’’

‘’(And he rambles and he rambles. Gosh, he must really love the sound of his own voice.)’’

‘’So why don't we change all that, shall we?’’

‘’Huh?!’’

‘’It turns out that I have given to those two, special gifts.’’

‘’Hum... good gifts?’’

‘’No. Baaad gifts.’’

At the heart of Ponyville, there were two buildings next to each other that were so identical that they might have been reflections of a mirror. They were quite large. But only the floors above were used for housing. The floors below were purely used for using industrial complex.

Lefty Sugar and Righto Dough were sure ambitious ponies. They had decided to create their own company by themselves, borrowed massive sums of money from the bank to buy their equipment. And now, they had prolific sales. At Ponyville. And sometimes outside. But principally at their local town. It's not that their products were bad, quite the contrary, they were top-notch. But there only so much they could do alone, even if Ponyville was grateful of what they offer to them. Still, they were both enterprises that were very profitable. Say what you want but having a company with only one employee have a gift to spare costly expenses.

A shame that what they truly desire is to be the best in the industry.

These two have the very same dream. And bad luck over bad luck they had bought the buildings the very same day. And went they meet for the first time, they did not see each other with a good eye. They wanted to be the best and so they saw another having the same ambition as an obstacle to climb. And that rivalry had quickly rise in intensity so much that their bickering could be now considered a natural landmark of the town.

But in the end, the true reason they could not tolerate each other was because they were identical.

Tonight, they did the same thing they did nearly all night. They are working very late to produce their selling products. That why they were blissfully unaware of the commotion happening at the park. Lefty Sugar was in front of her lab table full of interconnected alembics and distillation apparatus. She had the outmost concentration, constantly using the magic of her horn to heat some apparatus to a precise degree and add the right dosage of ingredients with the delicacy of levitation. On the other hand, Righto Dough was busy using his wings to make an air current as powerful as an industrial fan and blew it on his grains to take away all impurity lighter than the grains. Then, he took the grains, put it on a silo, lifted a small cloud above it, tap it, and small droplets of water fell on the silo, filling its inside with moisture that will help separate the husk from the grains before the grains will soon go to the grinding machine.

But he made a mistake and tapped too hard, it made the cloud made a strike of lightning. It was an inoffensive one, not dangerous, but it made a loud noise, enough to startle Lefty, making her put too much of calcium dioxide, ruining her sugar processing. Her face was becoming red and steam was pouring from her hears.

No capable of holding her rage, she galloped to the window facing of her neighbor, open it and shouted:

‘’You big doofUSSSSS. My batch is ruined because of you. Go back to pegasus school and learn to properly handle clouds instead to have your head in them.’’

Righto did the same and opened his window to face her.

‘’Well excuuuse me but it's not my fault if you are such a klutz. You should leave that job to the professionals.’’

‘’You did it on purpose, I am sure of it now. You feel threatened so you sabotaging my production.’’

‘’Ah, you wish. You need no help for that. If you want my advice, you are getting too old for that work, you senile.’’

‘’You're one year older than me idiot! You're the one that should close shop at last, the world will be better.’’

‘’OH GO BACK ON YOUR DINOSAUR.’’

‘’WHAT THAT'S EVEN MEAN?!’’

‘’Hum, well, FIGURE IT OUT YOURSELF.’’

And they both shut the window with violence.

‘’Witch.’’

‘’Cretin.’’

Having used all the stupid insults that had come in their heads, they both went back to their daily work. But then, they both heard a... strange noise.

They at first were confused and were at lost at what it could be. It was a continuous noise that was sounding like an alarm of sort. Those two ponies were so perplexed, nothing in their respective mini factories could make that kind of sound, it just didn't belong. They stretched their hears to find the source of that peculiar sound. And they both found it. For Lefty, it was coming from one of her shelves. For Righto, the source was on his desk. They were both coming from a pair of white sculptures.

Dodecahedron.

What more, those things didn't just produce sound. A red blinking light was flashing from the top of those weird sculptures, like if they were beckoning to passersby to come closer. Which our two ponies did. They both found it weird and were not sure to what they were seeing but they were not afraid. Not really. Curiosity was taking so much place that there was no room left for fear. Sure, it was bizarre but still, what harm those things could do, they were telling themselves subconsciously. And so slowly, they came closer to their respective dodecahedron.

From the point of view of Pinkie Pie, she could see the face of those two acquaintances of her being display on two other screens. She would normally have found their perplexing look very comical. If the situation was not so tense.

‘’Do you see that, Miss Pinkie Pie? We are seeing those images from the two machines that I send them by mail this very morning. Ah, I had written that they were prizes from a made-up association, given to talented entrepreneurs. I knew they will joyfully treasure them. There is no more reliable people than prideful people.’’

By Pinkie could hardly hear him. She had a very, very bad feeling about this and a sickening cold was forming in her chest.

‘’And... what... do you want to do with them?’’

‘’I am going to show them, no, to show to all that great misfortune can fall any days. Without warning. Without any defense against it.’’

‘’You... are going to hurt both of them!’’

‘’No. Not at all.’’

‘’!!! Oh... ... fiouf.’’

‘Just one of them.’’

‘’Wait, WHAAAT!’’

‘’But tell me, how do you think I will choose the one among those two, hummm?’’

The cold that was trapped in her chest was now spreading all over her body.

‘’I see that you have guessed right, Miss Pinkie. That's right. The coin toss. I will decide with the results with the coin that you had tossed. I had told you the result will be important. Now what it was?’’

‘’No... no please, don't.’’

‘’Ah yes, the bit had landed on the tails side. But which of the two is tails? Hum, which one it shall be, which one it shall be?’’

‘’I beg you... don't.’’

‘’Well, the answer is...’’

Lefty Sugar, no longer able to hold back her curiosity, decided to stretch her hoof to touch that weird sculpture. But just as she was about to graze it, the alarm and blinking stop. A click noise came from its inside and at the surprise of Lefty, that thing transformed before her very eyes. It had only lasted a instant but that thing was no longer a geometrical figure but a machine looking like a menacing spider.

‘’Hun, wh, what is that!?’’

It was so out the blue that the unicorn did not know how to react. She was in such a shock that the idea of running away was not even coming through her mind. As for the bots, it fixed its eyes, or the closer of what it could be considered eyes, on the unicorn as if the robot wanted to establish a lock-on on the scared mare. Which what was exactly what he did and once he had her in its sight, it…

Did absolutely nothing.

The robot just went back to re-becoming a dodecahedron like if nothing had happened. Lefty was even doubting she saw something happen in the first place. She just stay sitting here, having no idea what to do. Except twisted her face in bewilderment.

‘’HuuuUUUN! ...Wh, what was that all about?!’’

‘’AAAAAAAAAAAH!’’

A blood-freezing scream of pain scared the hell out of her. It was enough to make her believe for a moment her heart had stopped. That scream was not coming from here but from her neighborhood and she could have heard it even thought walls were separating them. And she knew to whom that voice belong far too well.

She was terrified but even before she realizes it, her hooves moved by themselves and she went galloping to the outside, nearly smashing the door. Once in the cold air outside, she dashed to the reflection of her workhouse-house and once she barged in, she could see her lifelong rival wriggling in pain on the floor. And before him, on a desk, was one of those spider like machines. This one had two mandibles shaped like two mini cannons. They were red from heat like if they were iron coming out of a forge. The robot retracted into its inoffensive shape, its deed apparently accomplish.

But lefty could barely took notice of the thing. All her attention was focus on that poor pegasus that was agonizing.

‘’Righto! Oh Righto, what does that thing did to *gasssssp*!!! (Oh no!)’’

When she saw what was his injuries, she was so in shock she had to use her hooves to hold-back screaming.

There were two gaping holes on the wings of Righto Dough. Two holes of nothing in the flesh and feathers, made in clear cut circles which the borders were still slightly burning, explaining why there was no blood gushing out from the wounds. And also why it was so painful. As for the pegasus in question, he was crying like a child, all ounce of pride he had was now gone.

‘’It's hurt, it's hurt, make it stop, make it stooowhaahaahaahaa.’’

‘’Don't, don't worry, I, I, I will go get help, I won't be long I promise.’’

She went galloping faster than she had ever galloped in her life and once outside, she screamed at the top of her lungs:

‘’HEEEEELP. SOMEPONY PLEASE HELP. A PONY IS INJURED, HIS WINGS ARE BADLY HURT. CALL AN AMBULANCE, HE NEEDS A DOCTOR, FAST. PLEASE HELP, HE... HE NEEDS HELP PLEASE.’’

Her cry was working. Many windows that were dark before were lighting up, showing that ponies were waking up. She was not sure if it was wise but she decided to get back inside to see how Righto Dough was doing. She could not bear to leave him alone.

The poor was still crying hysterically. So she embraced him to try to reassure him.

‘’It's hurt, my wings hurt so much.’’

‘’Shhh it's okay it's okay, help will soon come. I will stay here with you, I am not going anywhere.’’

The panic of Righto was soon given to Lefty and her too was starting to cry hysterically just like him. Righto wanted to see how his wings were but it was a bad idea. No need to be an expert to see they will never be used again.

‘’My wings!! My wings are ruined! I, I, I will never fly again! It's over, my job is over, I can no longer do my job! ’’

‘’Don't speak like that, everything will be alright. (Nononononono, not like that. Please Celestia, I don't want to win like that. Not, like, that.)’’

‘’Who did this? Why me? Why did it happen? Whyyyyy?’’

The whole debacle had been transmitted through the holographic screen before disappearing into static. Static being reflected on the now empty eyes of a pink pony.

‘’What... what did I just see? It was a joke, right? A bad joke, right?’’

‘’A bad joke, indeed it was. But one very real. Because the coin you had landed on tails, one pony had lost forever his job and dream while the other had obtained her dream in her way that repulses her so in a way, she had also lost her too.’’

‘’No.. this... it's not my fault. There was no way I could have decided how the coin would have landed. It's not my fault!’’

‘’But of course it is not your fault.’’

‘’Hun!?’’

‘’Making you feel guilty was never the goal of that trial. If you had obtained head instead of tail then Lefty would have lost her horn and then it would have been her that will have lost her job and dream while Righto would have become the best of the two in a way that will make him incapable to enjoy it, that I am sure of it. All the opposite, but at the same time, all the same. So you see, it really had no importance how you will have landed the coin.’’

‘’Then why doing it in the first place? It's just... ridiculous.’’

‘’Ridiculous, humm. Oh I think you have no idea how 'much' ridiculous it is. Let's recap. Their lifelong goal had been forever ruined like vlam, in an instant and it was impossible for them to predict it and it happens, because, their fates have been sealed by something as innocuous as a coin toss, but, the result had no importance so cursing their luck would be useless and, the one, who threw the bit was none other than their biggest purveyor, because, she was forced to do it by a madpony who had threatened to blew-up her friends and all the ponies mentioned before were dragged in this cruel game, because, the madpony that happen to be me had their sight on them for months, all for, the simple goal to be ridiculous for the sake of being it because I want to teach ooohohohohoh oh no oh no please stop, just stop ohohoh even I can take that seriously, it's, it's just too absurd to happen. ... ... ... Oh! Who would have thought. It really did happen.’’

Pinkie realized just how true it was, she just couldn't deny it no matter how much she was trying. Normally she would laugh at something so absurd, finds it goofy but instead... ... instead she was feeling as if the group beneath her feet was crumbling and that she was falling, falling down.

‘’Let's go farther, shall we. I had just proven that absurd moment could happen. So, does it not mean it could still happen in the future? But thinking about that, does it not also mean that it could have already happened in the past and that we just don't know it? Or... ... maybe we do know it. Know it well. So well that we constantly cover our eyes and ears, to no longer know it. Tell me, what do you think?’’

‘’I... I...’’

‘’Ah that's alright. I think you are already starting to realize what I mean. And anyway, we have wasted enough time with chatting. You still have your task to do after all.’’

‘’Huh! My... my what?’’

‘’You mean you forgot! Remember, you are suppose to walk through the end that corridor while laughing.’’

‘’What, but, but, but there's no way I can laugh after... after that happen! It will be like laughing at their misfortune, there is nothing funny in that.’’

‘’Curious. I though laughter and humor were most often used to make something not funny, funny. But if you are not comfortable with that, I can still...’’

Mel took a relaxed position on his throne, rested the side of his head on his hoof while the other was dangerously close of a holographic display and it was pretty obvious what its function was. His detached eyes lowered to look at the pink pony who was at the verge of crying.

‘’Miss Pinkie, I will do you a favor. I will not ask for a sincere display. You can do it half-hearted if you want. If it is too hard, you only have to tell yourself that you are not at fault and that all the blame repose on me. It's the truth anyway. But, you, must, laugh.’’

‘’... ... ... ... Ha ha. Ha ha.’’

And so she did. Having no real choice, she complies and laugh or at least, did a parody of a laugh that had no strength and no sincerity. She went forward at a walking pace since she had no right to proceed other way. Once inside the corridor, she continues to do that fake laugh like if she was a broken answering machine looping the same message. She just wanted to be quickly done with it and the walk felt like a painful eternity.

But it was then that they appeared. Holographic windows on the walls. They were displaying frozen images of Pinkie Pie in unexpected comedic moments. The same images Mel had shown to her at the beginning. The surprise had nearly interrupted her but she knew she was not allowed to stop until the end so she forced herself to continue her faking. And right now, she was not capable of finding them funny because it was making her think about the cruel nonsense that had befallen Lefty and Righto because... because... ... ... because they were just like that sick joke that had befallen Lefty and Righto! Unexpected. No way to defend. Mind-boggling.

Absurd.

Could Mel be right, was what Pinkie was telling herself. Could absurdities like that was happening constantly, even on normal days? Does there was truly something funny in the first place? Or the reason we all laughs at things like that was that in truth it was for hiding how... ... how terrifying it is to be constantly the helpless preys of absurdity?

The laugh of Pinkie a little more strength. The fake one was changing into a true one. One of nervousness. And she continued her walk, she was starting to wonder what was truly funny while she was assaulted by the uncaring words of the gamemaster.

‘’Yes. As I had said before, the world is absurd. And it is why humor is our most ancient weapon. But because it is called a weapon, it necessarily mean there is something we need to be protected from. We try our best to hide ourselves from the fact that the universe is always laughing at us and that we serve as its playthings. And we can do nothing about that. The best we can do is deluding ourselves. But no matter how we try to deny it, the truth is still the truth and it will eventually bite us one day. Farewell Miss Pinkie Pie. And learn well that lesson which is

Pinkie Pie trial
All humor is derived from fear

One child at Ponyville was taking pretty bad the last attempt of Mel at being... pedagogic. The child in question was the colt at whom a bucket of water had fallen on his head this morning. Sure, it had been traumatized and he was sad for Pinkie since Pinkie Pie was for him the most fun pony in the world and he was even admiring her. But there was more. He did not like the message of Mel saying that life was more scary than you think. He did not want that to be true and was shaking his head without stopping chasing the terrifying idea from his head.

But of course he did not succeed. And then, came to him an intrusive thought. He came back to the little incident this morning, the one about the bucket. All the water came to him first and then the hollow side but... what if it had happened differently, he was telling himself. What if the angle had barely been different? Then all that heavy weight would have fallen on his head and…

Was he right to have found that funny?

‘’Good. Very good. What I am saying there, it was more than good, it was perfect. Even in my wildest dreams, I had never expected my project to go so well.’’

Was what Melancholia was telling himself while he was softly rubbing the blue jewel of his necktie. From many screens, floating around him, he could see the ponies around the many monitors spread across Equestria. And the faces they were making were pleasing him. He had made an impact on them. Feeling satisfied, he dismissed the screens with a wave of his hoof and they all disappeared. Leaving him alone, sitting on his throne in a room of pure ivory, so huge and empty one couldn't help but to feel it had the majestic of a cathedral.

‘’You know... I was sure something would have gone wrong. Sure, I had meticulously planned everything to make certain all would work but... but you know, I just had ranted about how life is absurd and that was just a few minutes ago. Anything could have happened. A gizmo who works wrong, an outside force who wants to intervene, or even one of the Mane 6 could have surprised me with their behaviors. That all went so well make me feel really bliss. I could even believe that the heaven want me to succeed. And now, here we are to the last part. The conclusion. If this to go well, then I will know for sure that my game will shake the citizens of Equestria to the core. Do you want to know what finalé I have plans? Ah stupid question, of course you don't want. Miss Starlight.’’

From above came a monolith as white as everything else. And fixing on it was the unicorn Starlight Glimmer, spread like a cross. Electrical arcs were surrounding her hooves and seem to serve the same role as clasps. As for the prisoner, she looked bored but a spark of hatred was shining brightly in her eyes.

‘’I would prefer if you do not speak to me like if we were buddy. It is so enraging.’’

‘’Oh, this was what it looked like? My apology. Please don't take personally, sometimes I have a lot of difficulty interacting with others.’’

‘’And take that damn smug look out of your face. I do not see of what you can be proud. You act as if you had created something wonderful. But all I see is a monstrosity. All I see is you mutilate the hearts of my friends. If I could still use my magic, believe when I say I would make you pay right now without blinking. So much that you will fear me for the rest of your life.’’

‘’Hum. Sound fair.’’

‘’Why you! Don't think you will get away with this. All Equestria know your evil deed, there is no way for you to run away. Someday at least, somepony will make you answer for all you have done.’’

‘’As I have told before, it is of no importance. As long as I can complete my project and spread my message, nothing else will matter.’’

‘’!!! You... you really don't care about yourself.’’

‘’No, not at all.’’

A quick glance was more than enough for Starlight to see there was no lie in his eyes. He sincerely, genuinely, does not care about his well-being. A cold spread all over her body, washing the anger away. It is hard to see the point of wanting to hurt those who couldn’t care less about being hurt.

‘’What... is wrong with you?! All the villains we have faced had at least self-interest like motivation but you don't even have that. Why are you doing this? I just can't understand. Is it just because you are being rejected by your town? Don't you see you justify all the bad things they are saying against you if not worse? What your little sister will say?’’

‘’It is sad but it is something I must do. As we are now, ponies are too innocent. Too pure.’’

‘’Oh yeah, having a pure heart is suuure to be a bad thing.’’

‘’*sigh* Looks. I understand that from your point of view, what I say does not make sense. But trust me, being innocent and happy-go-lucky at that level is not a good thing. Pain always finds a way to find you. If you are not capable of imagining all the forms and ways, it will come to you... then when it will hits you, you won't be prepared. You won't have the tools necessary to deal with it. And then, there is a danger they try to escape the pain by doing awful things. It happens.’’

Starlight wanted to retort but the then past come back to her she bitted her lips in frustration.

‘’Well... I... kinda see your point. But does it excuse to hurt ponies?’’

‘’Alas yes. If I just tell my lessons, they will fall into deaf hears. I know that far too well. The innocence of ponies is just too ingrained. If I want to make a change, I need to show them something brutal. Something that will stab them at their hearts.’’

‘’*sigh* Looks Mel. I... I too did the same thing. I too had once tried to change the world, to... make a revolution of thoughts as you call it. At a time, I had truly believed that cutie marks were evils, that demarcation was only creating barriers that were stopping us to truly be united. That belief was so powerful that I was sure that it realization was justifying everything. So I had made my point of view be understood by using extreme methods. But I was wrong. I was no more wise than my neighbor and was I was doing was plain brainwashing. So please Mel, don't make the same mistake as me.’’

But the gray pony did not give her any answers. He just stays there, looking down.

‘’Mel, open your eyes! Don't you see that you’re breaking ponies to the point of never being repaired? Don't you see you are taking lives? How can you think that this is right?’’

For the first time, maybe the very first time, it might have looked like if a true expression of sorrow was forming on his face. His smile was still there but it was now a smile so sad. Starlight was finding that he was looking like a child that was lost. So lost that he did not know how to express it.

‘’'Right', you say. It... is a long time that I no longer know what is right or wrong. I am sure you must think I am crazy. Insane. Well guess what... I am sure you are right. Even I can't help but notice that my head no longer works the way it's used to be. But you know the funniest part? I am not even able to care.’’

‘’Mel! What has happened to you to make you that way?’’

‘’Let's just say... that isolation has a way to break a pony.’’

But this display of genuine melancholia quickly evaporates, like if it had never been there, and instead came back his usual amiable and serene disposition. It was like seeing a happy face painted on a doll.

‘’But now it is not the moment to be sappy. The great conclusion is coming so I have to work hard to make it unforgettable. I have after all a princess to put under the spotlight and thousands of viewers to satisfy.’’

At the mention of her friend and mentor, all the pity inside Starlight went away, pushed back by her anger who came back in double strength.

‘’Don't you dare hurt Twilight! I won't let you. You have done enough harm like that. I will make you stop!’’

She tried her best to break off her restrain by sheer will but she was incapable to muster any strength in her muscles. It seemed that those electrical restrains were also somehow making her hooves numb.

‘’It is no use Miss Starlight Glimmer. Those restraining steles had been designed to nullify every possibility for a prisoner to escape. And I have another bad news. You won't stop me. No instead, it is all the opposite that will happen. You will help me to hurt Twilight.’’

‘’Me!’’

‘’You remember during our confrontation? When I had said I did not expect that you will be coming with them? That you were a nice bonus. I meant what I had said, you were a happy miscalculation for me. With you added to the lot, my plan for her is sure to succeed.’’

‘’And... what... do you plan to do to Twilight?’’

The plastered smile of Mel grew slightly. Combined with his empty eyes, it was the face of pure malice.

‘’Tell me. You did not find it weird that I had shown to Twilight the diffusion of all the trials of her friends when I had shown nothing to the other fives?’’

‘’What do you mean?’’

‘’You will know soon enough. But for now, to make sure the finale will be perfect, it is time for you Miss Glimmer...’’

The blue circuitry lines went coursing once again on the skin of the gray pony. Floating blocks, the sizes of little birds, came from upwards and downward to regroup behind the levitating throne of Mel. They were like a pack of birds of preys just waiting from the order of their master.

‘’To go on a little makeover session.’’

And now that the order was given, they flew toward their target. The defenseless Starlight.

‘’Oh no, no, mercy. I beg you, please don't do that, no no NOOOOOO!’’

Author's Note

Fiouf. That one was not easy. When Mel had say he had difficulty finding a trial for Pinkie, it was also the truth for me. Pinkie Pie trial had been the most hard to design. I only had the vaguest of idea when I had begin that fanfic. I was afraid that I would not have succeeded to well convey the message of that trial and that it may have become the worst of the bunch. But surprisingly, it may in the end have turn out the best one.
And yes, the reason if I had came out with the characters of Lefty and Righto at the start, was precisely for that moment. I am sure that when you had read the chapter 1, many had say: ''What was even the point to put those two out off-context ponies in the first place?'' Well now you know.

Alright, now only Twilight is left. Soon it will be time for the grand conclusion of the game. But it will be far to be the conclusion of the story. Anyway, I hope you will like it.

Oh right! I had nearly forgot. It is 25 December. It might be one day late but

Merry Christmas everypony.

6.6 Twilight Sparkle trial

Hi there friends. Let me tell you a little story. In the far distance, there is a place call the magical land of Equestria. And on that country live in harmony the gentle creatures called the ponies. Not all of them were the same. Some could fly. Some could use magic. But they all have something in common. The marks symbolizing their destinies. Cutie marks. Each ponies are born with a talent. Something that only them can do. And they were using their talents to make the world more beautiful. Some are good to make delicious apples. Some can do incredible things with magic. And some have a natural to bring happiness in the hearts of others. Yes. You could say that their talents were more like gifts. Gifts that the ponies were giving to their fellows and their community to tighten the harmony unified them.

However... one pony was special compared to rest of them. One pony was born with a very unique talent and a unique way to bring harmony. A very strange gift to give to others.

Pain.

6.6: Twilight Sparkle trial

Although it was undeniable that all ponies who were watching that diffusion had difficulties taking it, it was also undeniable that those who were taking it the hardest were the ponies of Happy Town.

It was after all the town of happiness and to have the concept they veneer to be attacked like that again and again was all a blow for their particularly innocents and vulnerable hearts. And the fact that it was done by somepony they were all knowing was making that blow more personal. Mel was not just showing them a horrible spectacle, he was stealing the magic of happiness itself by making it fragile. And to make matters worse, he was good at it. So good. His arguments were well-thought and impeccable, the ponies of Happy Town could just not say that what he was telling was wrong. No matter how much they wanted it. And now, they were fearing that what they had the most precious was soiled forever and that they will never get it back like before.

Some were trembling with shivers. Some went into sobbing. There were even some that got a panic attack.

The mayor was no better. He had difficulty standing on his hooves. So some fellow, one of those cheese lover, was kind enough to give him a chair to sit.

‘’Geez mayor Paternal, you look terrible.’’

And that was true. His face was drenched in sweat, a sign that his nerves were failing. He was constantly wiping it with a handkerchief.

‘’Oh. It is that obvious. Ah, what leader that makes me.’’

‘’Don't beat yourself. It is understandable.’’

‘’I suppose you're right. I had never felt that bad since... well forever.’’

‘’You know, you don't have to be here. If it is too painful for you to watch, I think it is alright for you go away.’’

‘’No no, it... will make me feel like a coward and an incompetent mayor. (Even if I already feel like one.) It's alright, it is just... still hard for me to understand that anything of this is real.’’

But he took a look at the clock tower, or more what was left of it, and knew that it was very real. He turned then his gaze at this accursed monitor.

‘’Hey Doc, anything new on that machine?’’

The doctor came from behind that big cube, but he had lost all eager and took off his glass.

‘’I am very sorry mister mayor but I am afraid I just don't know how this machine work. It will be more just to say that I understand nothing of it. Even less how to stop it.’’

‘’I see. I had hoped we might have found clues for... I don't know, something. *sigh* Maybe we will have more chance with our troop. If we can call that a troop. Any news about them?’’

The pegasus clerk of the jewelry flew closer to the mayor. She was rubbing her front hooves and was looking embarrassed.

‘’I was just about that to warn you, they have already come back.’’

‘’Already! But it had been so soon since we send them. (And I should have sent one sooner. Another failure to the list.) What had happened?’’

‘’Well mister mayor, you see, the thing is...’’

In the mine tunnel leading to the ruins, a group of ponies were marching forward. That group of ponies were consisting of the brotherhood of barrel makers, because they were the strongest, and the club of dangerous sports, because they were a daredevil group. They... were the best Happy Town could find for forming a rescue troop.

As they got closer of the white doors, they stopped dead on their track because they heard a noise. The entrance was covered in a pitch blackness. And it was impossible to see beyond. But in the darkness, appeared a pair of blue dots of lights. For those ponies, it was like something alive was looking at them. Something not friendly. Then another pair appeared next to it. Then more and more and more, even on the walls and roof. And as the dark tunnel shaft was filled with those predator’s eyes, they were coming closer to the ponies while making footsteps noise that can in no way coming from something alive.

The ponies went afraid for their lives. Those of the brotherhood were just well fit, they were no warrior at all. As for the club, they were loving danger but this was too alien, too strange for them. So they all ran away. Some even cry with fear.

‘’And that the gist of it mister mayor.’’

‘’*sigh* It's alright, it's not their fault. So there is really nothing we can do? He stops us to get where he is. He makes so we can't bear to watch and not watch at the same time his show. The only thing we could have done was sending urgent letters to the castle and even that is useless because he had made all Equestria in the know anyways and yet we still have no help. Mel had really thought about everything. Well that part doesn't surprise me. Even as a kid he had always been one smart colt.’’

Talking about him, made Paternal going back to days of past. He remembers when Mel was so small. Even then he had that sad smile on his face. Paternal had tried everything to cheer him up but although he had never rejected his attempts, Mel had just stayed the same. Still, he was a very kind boy. He had even played to him a solo violin recital just for him. So young yet so talented. The mayor was wondering how can such a sweet pony has become so scary. Well he mean, scary scary after he had already become scary for years.

‘’You know... I been thinking. If we had not been so distant with him... if we had not let him be so isolated... then maybe nothing of that will have happened.’’

‘’What are you saying mayor!’’

A pony came from the crowd quite angrily.

‘’You have nothing to reproach. And neither do we. All the fault of that damn Melancholia. Why he is doing that is simple. He is crazy and unnatural. He has always been an unnatural child. And he was the one that was never able to find any interest in our way of life. And now that he had shown his true colors, it is clear that we should have kicked him out of town because he had always been a parasite to our idyllic life.’’

Many other ponies were agreeing with what he had said. Mayor Paternal, him, was very unsettled by their behavior.

‘’Guys... are you listening to yourselves! You should not talk like that.(Oh Mel. Look at what you are doing to us. Unless... ... could it be... that we have always been like that NOnonono I should not have such depressing thoughts, it is not good. I must be an example of optimism for my people.)’’

‘’Sir! It... it starting again.’’

‘’What! Ooooh, another torture session has come for us. (Such example you turn up to be.)’’

‘’I know but... at least it will be soon over. There is after all only one pony left.’’

‘’There is nothing to rejoice. It is no brainer to know who will be next. Oh sweet Celestia, please protect our poor princess.’’

In the solitude of her cell, was resting the final contestant. The lavender alicorn, Twilight Sparkle, was resting belly-flat on the white marble, her wings lazily and unceremoniously warped around her person like if she had wanted to use them as a make-up comfort blanket. Her hair was a mess and dirty with sweat and she was looking drained. The kind of unrest that makes the inside of your brain sticky.

Since the moment she had been trapped in that poorly lighted prison of emptiness, she was forced to watch the nonsense her friend had been forced to play for then, fighting valiantly. For in the end, not matter at all. And above all else, she was forced to watch the anguish of her friends. Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Rarity, Spike, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie. All of them. Her dear friends, her precious friends. She was feeling their pains like if it was her own. At each time, it was as painful as if she had received a stab in the heart.

In the past, many bad guys, villains, had tried to hurt her and her friends. It had been to the point where she had kinda get use to it. But this... called it 'a whole new level' won't even be enough to make it justice. Who could have imagined that it was possible for a pony to deliberately hurt in such a meticulous, pain-stalking detailed way that strike you at the very core and that, for the single goal to hurt? And it had worked. Their whole view of life had crumbled, leaving only a bleaker one. Something in her was saying that things would never be the same again.

At first, Twilight was a nervous wreck and a pony drown in sorrow. The first trials were so sad that she could not hold back her tears. But as more and more trials went on, it became numb and number. She was losing her energy to the point she no longer could move. Her previous fear and neurosis was now gone because she was no longer seeing the point. She could not even longer cry because she had already spent all her tears and her heart was becoming dry. Though it still was as painful, each times it was getting stabbed.

But it was then that, without warning, a change happened in her. It was as if a switch went on and made her tired of being tired. She gets back up and looked upwards defiantly.

‘’Mel, saying that I am sick of this hell wouldn't even be one fifth of what I am feeling right now. So don't waste my time in making me wait. It is my turn after all. ... ... You know, it is a little strange to say that but I am almost relieved. Because nothing you will throw at me could be worse than the horrors that you had shown me. I don't know what you have in plan for me but frankly, I do not care one bit. So come here so that we can finish with it quickly. Don't you don't agree, Mel?’’

Slowly, so slowly, she turns her head around to glimpse behind. And with her cold eyes, meet the face of the pony she was now hating the most in the world. Melancholia.

Well except... ... he was not there. That was more what Twilight was sure would have happened. But there was just a blank wall. No holographic screen. Which made the right eye of Twilight twitch.

‘’What... a waste of a badass speech. (Uurrrr how infuriate he is. Usually he always barges in when we expect it the least. He did that to my friends, so why change now? That damn son-of-a...)’’

The dam holding her anger back was starting to break down and in her rage, she was grinding her teeth.

‘’Are you mocking me, Melancholia? I said I am ready to do your damn trial. You should be overjoyed to hear that. So come here at last. I am tired of you. I am tired of that game. I am tired of your points. I AM TIRED OF ALL THAT! COME HERE RIGHT NOW AND PLEASE MAKE THAT NIGHTMARE STOP BECAUSE I AM MORE THAN DONE WITH IT! MEL, ANSWER MEEEEEEE!’’

But alas... there was only silence. The only thing responding that cry charging with both anguish and rage... was silence.

Wait! That was not quite right.

Twilight hears perked up as it seemed to her that she was hearing a faint sound. She tried to concentrate on her sense of audition to confirm if she was correct and indeed, there was a noise.

‘’It's that... music! Violin!’’

It was weak but there was no doubt, it was the tune of a violin. And it seemed to be coming from everywhere. Twilight was wondering what was the meaning of this when the wall before her opened-up. But it was not like with her five friends. This time it was the 'whole' wall that opened-up and as more the opening expanded, a pristine white light came from it and bathed the once dark room, blinding the lavender pony. Once her eyes had the time to adjust, she had difficulty to believe she did not change place. It was like day had come in the middle of the night. All was now as shiny as a field of snow. And the music has now become louder.

Seeing all that as a sign for her to advance, she swallowed her hesitation and walked forward. At a slow pace, she walked in the corridor, though it would be more fitting to call it a hall.

There was so much open space that it was causing a slight anxiety to Twilight. More she was advancing, more the music was becoming louder. The violin rhythm was not quite fast but not quite slow either. And it was quite good to convey a feeling of mystery and anticipation which the alicorn would normally enjoy. But not tonight.

Screens materialized on the walls around her. It was like if she was walking on a art gallery. What they were showing were photos of the citizens of Happy Town doing various activities. Some happily chatting between them. Some happily doing their work. Some happily entertaining other ponies. Some happily playing. All were photos of smiling ponies under the bright sun. If things were different, it would have lifted her mood but with her heart in pieces, those images were powerless.

But more than that... she noticed something odd. Being now so depress, knowing what Mel was thinking of Happy Town and now seeing more clearly their flaws, it was like she could now see a hidden detail.

‘’(I could not quite put my hoof on it but... if I am comparing the happy ponies against the happy ponies of Ponyville that I had seen that morning... I am not sure if I am thinking too much... but it is as if the happiness of the ponies in the photos... the happiness they are having seem... excessive? Or... distorted? I don't know. Maybe I am wrong and anyway, it just doesn't matter. I bet Melancholia want to remember me the raison d'être of his project. As if I care and as if anything could justify his crimes.)’’

Twilight had arrived to the end. A giant double door without handles was blocking her way. She stretched her hoof to try opening it but it was not necessary, the door opened up itself onward at an ominous pace. Twilight saw that as the sign of an invitation. And of arrogance. She hesitated for a moment, not wanting to follow him blindly but realized she didn't really have a choice. She hardened her resolve, opened wide her wings and flew forward while the doors closed behind her.

And once inside, she could not help but to feel at awe at the sight before her. If the hall was huge then that room was gigantic. She at first, though she had come back to the dome room where her and Starlight had fought Mel but it was not shaped like a dome but more like a cylinder going so high that she could hardly see the roof. It was enough to give vertigo. But the most important and the thing you could not miss was that huge platform that was occupying the majority of the floor. It had the size of an arena. There was a stairway on its surface that was leading to the top but the alicorn did not bother and instead flew above it.

The top was just not a plain face. On it, incrusted, there was Melancholia cutie mark, the teardrop with the curved lines around it. But it was not all. Inside the very cutie mark was another cutie mark, Twilight one. The six-branched star with the five little stars around it.

‘’He made that! Well of course he can. Mel can change the layout of those ruins as much as he wants. It must be as easily as doing a sliding puzzle. But what is the meaning of this?’’

She landed on the platform. The music was now so loud that she might have believed that she was in an orchestra hall, like the ones in Canterlot that her parents took her when she was a filly. Seeing that nothing was happening, she looked at every direction, and when she looked up above... she could not believe her eyes.

Up there, in the sky, there were these floating blocks dancing in a big circle. No, literally dancing. Each one was in a pair of two, turning around each other while still going in circles. It was like seeing people dancing on a ballroom, something the violin was helping to crystallize that image. There was also one single block that was just standing right at the center of that valse. As they continued their descent, they came closer to the central one and once they were all now at the eyes level of the lavender pony, the blocks made their final spinning steps and broke formation and glided apart like theater curtains to reveal the gray pony Mel sitting on his block. And to the princess, he did a reverence as the violin music reached its final crescendo.

‘’Greeting, princess of friendship, Twilight Sparkle. And also, welcome to great final.’’

‘’Mel! You have come here in person!’’

‘’But of course. Are you surprised? But this is the conclusion of all. This is too important for me not to be here.’’

He was waiting for a reply from Twilight. But hearing nothing, he opened his eyes and saw the alicorn burning with a silent hate.

‘’Ooooh ohoho, so scary. You hate me that much?’’

‘’If I could still use my magic, I will blast you right now. What you have done, I... I could never forgive you. Ever. You have hurt... so many. And for what? For nonsense. Nonsense that will haunt me for the rest of my life.’’

‘’Huuum! Nonsense and haunt in the same sentence! If it is really nonsense then why wouldn't it leave your head?’’

Twilight grunted in frustration. She tried to go toward her enemy but before she put her hoof down, a little block flew like a throwing rock and bounce at one inch of her hoof which made her back off in fright.

Mel raised his hoof full of cyan luminous light and like a faithful pet, the block flew to the top of it and twirled at a slow pace.

‘’Easy easy my little pony. One thing at a time.’’

‘’Mel. I am too tired to play your sick game. I, am, leaving you one, last, chance to use the little neurons that you have and to finally see reason. Stop that madness and free my friends before I use violence.’’

‘’Your friends! But they are right here.’’

He stomped his hoof on the ground with such a strength that the sound echoed in all the vast expansion. Which from it, came down five other blocks. But those were much bigger than the usual ones and when they end their descent, but were still at a good height from the ponies, Twilight could see those blocks had glass panels, showing the cubes were hollow inside.

No, not quite hollow. Because inside, there were

‘’Girls! Girls it's you!’’

To her surprise, they were there. Trapped like prisoners in jail. Rainbow Dash. Applejack. Rarity. Fluttershy. Pinkie Pie. And they all look like they had seen better days. Twilight, feeling moved to see her friends in real and not through a projection, used the tips of her wings to cover her mouth while she was crying. And her friends saw her too. They lunge at the glass, pressed themselves against it and said silent words that conveyed relief and fear at the same time. Silent words because no sound was coming from their mouths.

‘’Sorry princess, but I am afraid that those compartments are soundproof from their sides. But instead, they can hear everything we are saying.’’

‘’FREE THEM, NOW.’’

‘’Hummm, no, don't want to. They will stay trap in their cages forever.’’

‘’Youuu//

‘’Stop. Do you realize what I truly mean? What 'I will keep them in their cages forever' intend? Tell me, if I never open them, then how they will receive food?’’

‘’!!! ... ... No... how cou... my friends... they had enough...’’

‘’I had promised that no bloodshed will fall on them and I always follow my words. I had heard that malnutrition and dehydration is a painful way to die. Very slow. Very anguishing. To the point of making you delirious. Oh! Wait. They will die of suffocation well before that.’’

In a cry of rage, she flew toward her friends but the cubes circling the arena, aggressively blocked her path. With a wave of his hoof, Mel sends other ones toward Twilight. She had just barely dodged the first two but the third one had hit her wing, making her plummet down. She tried to get back up with difficulty and a sore shoulder while the gray pony walked slowly toward her, blocks hovering with him.

‘’You care so much about your friends, much more than yourself. It is easy to see they are the center of your universe. So please, so me how much they really matter to you.’’

He did a pirouette on his back legs like a dancer and cubes lunged toward Twilight. Flying in a circle around the arena was all she could do to avoid the blocks that Mel was constantly sending like cannonballs toward her. They were always darting right behind her and the sudden movement of air was making a nerve-wrecking sound each time while Mel was still sending blocks and dancing around with perkiness.

‘’You were once one pony that was not interested in friendship. You were a analytical one, a cerebral, one pony with little interest in the matter of the heart. Those kinds of people are generally the less prone to seek bonds. But you are the living proof that anypony, no matter how hard it is for them, can find the hard to define spark that fill the world and the heart with magic.’’

‘’Enough!’’

Irritate at his endless rambling, she decided to take a chance and to lunge in mid-air toward Mel. But at the last moment, four blocks reunite themselves to form in front of Mel a wall to which Twilight crashed into it. The wall flew fast away from Mel, bringing the alicorn with them, then exploded back into individual blocks. Twilight was knocked back to the ground, the air leaving her lungs. And looking high-up, there was Melancholia, floating in the air within a surreal sea of cubes under a blinding light.

‘’Having difficulty? Then allow me to offer you a little help.’’

He had claps his hooves twice and then, Twilight could not understand how but she could feel her strengths coming back into her horn.

‘’What did you do?’’

‘’I had reduced the magic dampener, giving you back a fraction of your power.’’

‘’Big mistake.’’

She sends him a magic bolt but the block he was sitting easily glided down and other blocks turned around him at a deadly speed.

He continued to speak like if nothing had happened.

‘’Such a talent at magic. But although you may be the element of Magic, it is clear to me that it is not referring to actual magic. What would be the sense in that? No, it's about a virtue that is hard to explain in words. The power to deliberate put to things a divine beauty that is beyond logic and comprehension. You may call it a kind of faith. Just like how you all consider friendship a concept that is above all. Yes, you Twilight Sparkle had understood that this special spark was necessary, otherwise the world would be plagued by a disenchantment and would become quite bleak.’’

The lavender pony flew once again toward Melancholia but this time, she put a barrier in front of her who enter in collision with the rotating ring of blocks. It was like a rock hitting a chainsaw, making a rain of sparkles. The raging face of Twilight was so close of the serene one of the mad artist.

‘’Then what could be wrong with that? Tell me Mel, what fault can you possibly find in that?’’

‘’The fault! The fault is if you're taking it too far, if that spark is too pure and bright then it makes you blind and naive. And blindness and naivety are two elements that can rotten any magic into a sick disgusting repulsive obscene wicked curse. And you and your friends are guilty to have propagated that danger around all Equestria.’’

‘’Liar! That not what we represent//

‘’But even without your helps, the citizens our dear country are already very close to become sickening fools. Just like my HATEFUL LITTLE TOWN.’’

In his anger, he explodes his ring of blocks, shattering the lavender barrier. Twilight was pushed back but managed to land on her feet. While Mel was creepily giggling like a broken disc. Twilight was thinking that she should find that disturbing but was surprised to found out that she did not give a damn. The alicorn was now panting heavily.

‘’I *pant* don't care of *pant* what you think of me or your reasons. Give, me, back, my friends.’’

‘’Ha ha. Ha ha. Ha ha. Ha ha. Ha... ... ah yes, your friends. You want to save them no matter the cost. If you really want to save them, there is one way and only one way do it.’’

‘’WHAT?’’

All was now plunged into a complete silence. And anypony, not even the five trapped, were moving. They were all as stiff as statues. And then... Mel did a soft smile. Slowly, very slowly, he lifts his hoof. And then... still slowly... made a slicing gesture across his throat.

Twilight... she... she was not expected that... din't know how to react... din't know how even think... her vision was becoming blur…

‘’You!!! ... You really would go that far!!!’’

‘’That right Twilight. If you want to save, no, if you want to end that nightmare, you have to eliminate the gamemaster. I swear on my life that I will never open those cages no matter how much pain or torture you inflict me. You know I am crazy enough to do that. Convincing me is useless. Making me unconscious is useless. Only when the master of those ruins took his last breath that all the machines will shut-down. So princess, this is your trial. Prove me that you will do anything for the center of your universe. Kill me, AND SHOW TO THE WORLD HOW FAR THE MAGIC OF FRIENDSHIP CAN GO.’’

Twilight Sparkle trial
All in the name of friendship

At the outside, in the forest, the two brothers Dirt and Dust were still there, completely lost about what to do. Dirt was away, knowing he was not welcome to be near his little bro but also because he did not want to see that accursed diffusion. Even though he could not help but to constantly take a peek. Dust him, had his eyes glued to the little screen. Never darting his eyes. And with so much guilt that he didn't know what to do with it.

The blanket of clouds in the sky was now moving two times faster. It was like an angry sea. Fitting for the mood of those two dogs.

Dirt was turning his back to Dust. It was too hard for him to look at his bro. He tried to hold them back, well more like he had tried for the whole night, but he was at his limit and tears poured from his yellow eyes and he went into a sob. In silence.

‘’Dust. We... cannot stay here forever. I know you want to stay... *sniff* to atone a little but... face it. There is nothing we can do. We can't go back in time and fix ours mistake. ... ... ... Why are you saying nothing! You still blame me! You want me to say I was wrong! THEN FINE. I WAS WRONG. I never should accept the jobs of that madpony and I never should bring you in this mess. I never thought it will turn like... that. Who could have imagined. ... ... ... Oh okay, fine, it's a stupid excuse. I knew well that what we were doing was wrong. But we were in so much need of help. I thought, I really had thought I would be capable of not having any guilt but I see now it was stupid. I feel so bad. I'm sincere bro, I felt bad since the beginning and now it is unbearable.’’

In a mix of sorrow and anger, he hit the ground with his fist.

‘’And now I know that like you I would never be able to profit from that money because of all that damn guilt. Are you happy now, because thanks to you we have done all those crimes for nothing. Why? Why you had to watch that stupid show?’’

The sobbing now went to uncontrollable crying.

‘’There is nothing we can do to fix this. All we can do is run away. Please Dust, will you at least tell me you still want to be with me? I... I could not bear all that guilt alone. It's too painful. ... ... ... Dust, will you at last talk to me! I... Dust!!!’’

Dirt turned back around but... Dust was not there. Only the little monitor still turn-on and the wind grazing the grass and making a desolate sound.

‘’Dust? Where he... !!! Oh no! Oh no, it can be true! That idiot, he didn't dare?’’

He got back up and ran like a mad dog across the wood, toward the mountain, his tears of sorrow changed into tears of panic.

‘’Nononononononono.’’

Mel didn't even give time to Twilight to say a word and with a stomp of his front hooves, cubes spiraled in front of him, gathered together to form two snakes like structures and slithered in air toward the lavender pony at a deadly speed.

She shoot lasers at one of them but each time one block was destroyed, the others were filling the void. They rammed into her but she teleported just before the impact and reappeared behind them. From her horn came purple magical ropes which ensnared the bigger one and throw it at Mel. The floor in front of him elevated like a stalagmite and protected from the impact. At the same time, Twilight threw at the little one a salvo of small but numerous rays, pulverized it in a smoke of dust. Mel retaliate, and send all the cubes in his field view toward the cloud. But when they smashed it and dispersed it, Twilight was nowhere to be seen.

‘’!!! Oh. Sneaky little one.’’

With his thoughts, he used the now disassembled blocks to send them flying behind him. Just in time to protect him from a bunch magical spires who deeply pierced the marble. Spires threw by the flying alicorn behind Mel. The light of the spires grew in intensity, which surprised the gray pony, and they exploded. The breath of the explosion pushed back Mel across the arena and he barely landed on his feet and slipped on the floor before coming to a stop. Twilight landed on the floor full of marble dust, panting. Using those spells with her potential reduced was taking a toll on her.

‘’Oho Miss Twilight, that sure was a deadly move. So you really want me dead.’’

‘’I had given you chances to see reason. Many times. But you blatantly refused each time. I have no right to choose you over my friends. No. I do not care about rights or justice. I just want they no longer be your playthings. If I have to kill you to end their hell, so be it. You have forced me to do it.’’

‘’That's good. Very good. This might be the best lesson you will have ever given.’’

‘’I know all are watching me. But for the first time, I just don't care how they will see me. Let them despise me as much as they want. I am no longer worthy of being a princess of friendship. And I just don't care.’’

Twilight charged her horn with so much destructive energy that purple lightning was cracking from it. Mel just smile at her.

‘’Oh! And what about your friends? Do you care about their opinions?’’

The magic went out like a candle and she looked up at her captive friends.

They were all doing the same thing. Hitting the glass like there were no tomorrow, looking at Twilight and shouting none stop. Even if she could not hear them, she could very well guess what they were saying. Their eyes were telling all. ‘’Don't do it’’ ‘’Please Twilight, stop’’ ‘’You must not kill because of us’’ ‘’We could not bear it’’.

Twilight looked away. It was hard for her to watch. Once she raised her head to face Melancholia…

Her face was that of a cold and emotionless determination. And her eyes were as empty as the ones of a certain gray pony.

‘’It’s... fine. I know them well. I know they would not want me to bear that sin. I will do the same for them. But you were right at the end. They can be shocked, afraid, or even hate me. It won't matter. Because they really the center of my universe. I will sacrifice everything for them. For my friends... ’’

She opened her wings wide and lighted her horn.

‘’I won't hesitate to become a demon.’’

And charged forward.

Forward, always forward Dirt was running, not caring about how many branches were scratching his muzzle. When he came at last out of the forest, he could saw the silhouette of his little brother entering the secret entrance. He did not lost time to run after him.

Dust once inside, went straight to the elevator. He went there and with a punch of his fist, hit the button. He turned back and saw his big brother, running toward him, his paw extended for him.

‘’Dust, wait!’’

And also saw the door closing on him at the last second.

Twilight closed the distance between her and Mel and throw him a ray of magic. Which Mel easily avoided with the help of the block he was sitting, serving as a makeshift hovercraft chair. For a time, those two continue to play cat and mouse. Mel, constantly in movement, send cubes to the flying alicorn, who easily avoided them, while she teleported at random places and threw magical blasts at Mel who had no problem to manoeuvring around them.

Of course, he was not seriously trying to attack her. It was just the appearance of it. What he wanted was to lose after all. He was just doing a show as a incentive to force her to deal the killing blow. But after doing the same things over and over again, he felt that something was wrong.

‘’(Still hesitating, but it's close, I can feel it. A little push. Just a little push is all she need. Then...)’’

Blocks went flying in the sky to combine and forming giant blocks. Then let themselves be summit to the force of gravity and tumble down. The shockwave pushed Twilight through meters and when she landed, she was hit by a wave of dust. After a fit a coughing and the dust dispelling, she saw that Mel had disappear. But it didn't take long to find him up in the sky again. Cubes were turning behind him, forming an intricate and vertical mandala figure.

‘’You know, now that I think about it, this is not new. You have been put into mortal peril by dangerous people constant times. But in a way you were lucky. No wounds, not even a scratch. The fact that you always went off uncast had made you blissfully unaware of how death was close to get you and your friends. Well, another illusion to break I suppose.’’

Mel spread theatrically his hooves behind him and the cubes all flew away, revealing what was hidden behind them. A pony fixed on a stele like structure. That pony was

‘’STARLIGHT!’’

Was what Twilight was screaming. Her pupils dilated and she galloped toward her dear friend and student to get a closer look at her.

It... she did not want to believe what she was seeing was true but she also could not advert her eyes. Starlight was not in good shape. No, those are words too kind. It was horrific. Her magenta skin was full of bruises in everyplace. Except the face. They were of all kinds of colors. Blue, purple, some even had an inch of red. But the most sickening for Twilight was not them but to imagine how they were made.

Starlight Glimmer open-up her eyes and once she saw Twilight, she did a faint smile.

‘’Oh. Twilight. It is so good to see you're fine. I feel better already.’’

She did not look like she was completely there because she didn't seem to notice the in choc and hyperventilate face of her mentor.

‘’Starlight! Wh, wh, wh, what he, he, what he did to you?!’’

Starlight looked at her own body.

‘’Oh that! Oh it's nothing and it's less worse than it looks like. He made sure they were superficial, there is no inner bleeding. It's... ... Twilight listen. I don't know what he wants to do with you but I can have a good idea. Please Twilight, no matter what you must not fall into his trap. Do not worry about me. Do not let him get under your skin.’’

Mel hovered at the side of the trapped unicorn and caressed her chin.

‘’Are you sure Twilight that you should listen to her. What I did was despicable. I'm sure nopony in Equestria will blame you if you take me down. After all, who will ever forgive me//

He shakes his tail in one whip motion and from it came out an object spinning in the air. And when, with his mouth, he grabbed it by the wooden handle, a silver gleam ran though the tip of the blade.

After THIIIS.’’

And planted the knife into Starlight left arm.

At first... the unicorn didn't quite understand what had happened to her. It felt like he had punched her. But when she looked at the blade stabbed in her flesh, she got scared and it was like her hoof was in fire.

‘’Gyyy... yyaAAAAAAAAAARH!!!’’

Mel took out the knife and with a swift motion, threw a trail of blood on the white floor before Twilight. There was even a droplet that landed on the cheek of the traumatized alicorn. That red stain was spreading its warmth on her skin. The only thing that could wake up her was the noise of the bloody knife hitting the ground.

Mel looked at her like if nothing had happened.

‘’I can tell this is your first time seeing blood being spilled that way. It has quite an effect on new comers. It reminds you of what ponies are truly made of inside. How life is so fragile. And especially how uncaring the world can be to us.’’

‘’AAAAAAAAAAAAAH!’’

‘’Ah. Yes, yes. Now that's the murderous rage I wanted to see.’’

Even though weak and in pain, her dear mentor was still the only thing Starlight could think.

‘’No... Twi... light... don't... sink to his level... because... of... me.’’

‘’Don't interfere Starlight.’’

With a gesture of his hoof, Starlight went away and he went down to the level of Twilight.

She was now hardly recognizable. Her eyes were bloodshot, her teeth clenching and her horn was charging with dangerous electrical arcs. And as they both looked at each other, one with passionate fury, the other with cold detachment, they broke their inertia and charge at each other.

Dust was pushing any buttons at random he could without having a single idea of what they were doing. He had used the elevator to the monitors room. It was a room of modest size where nearly all walls were occupied by big monitors with consoles full of keyboards and buttons. And Dust was on the main one, with the monitor showing the full battle between Melancholia and Twilight.

If the throne was the primary way to control the ruins, then the monitors room could be considered the secondary one. You could do everything that the throne could do with those consoles. But in a more complicate way than simply think about it and above all else, the orders of the throne have always priority and cannot be overruled.

Still, there must surely be something he could do from here, Dust was telling itself. As sweat was forming on his forehead, the doors of the elevator opened-up behind him and from it came his big brother Dirt who was out of breath.

‘’*pant*pant* Dust *pant* you're not doing what I think you think? Are you out of your mind! Mel would want to revenge on us, who know what it will do. Bro, that's madness.’’

‘’No Dirt. I am stopping that madness. Don't you see? It is our chance.’’

‘’What! But what are you talking about!?’’

‘’This trial is different. Mel is just not carefully watching. This time he put himself in the heat of the action. That mean he is distracted and he won't notice us using that machinery. We cannot waste that chance.’’

‘’Ooooh you big, dummy. Have you any ideas in the first place of what you want to do?’’

‘’I don't know. Something. Anything that could put a wrench in his plan and help those ponies.’’

‘’He will hurt you or worse. It might be already too late.’’

‘’Well I don't care. I am so disgusted with myself to care. I want to at last do something right. And I know you feel the same. You too you want to correct your mistakes, I'm sure of it.’’

‘’But... there is nothing//

‘’I am tired of hearing that. I never was confident enough to think by myself. But not this time. This time, I have never been so sure of myself. This is something I want just like when I abandoned my pack for you. So I will help those ponies and that's that. If you want to leave, then you can go. I will not blame you.’’

He turned back to his console. But then he heard his brother laughing like he had never laughed. It was like he could not control his hilarity and though his pawn was covering his eyes, Dust could still see tears streaming on the cheeks of Dirt. And, the laugh of Dirt changed into a cry of anger.

‘’WHAAAAA, why by all the gems I have to be stuck with such a stupid softie?’’

He immediately calmed down and readjusted his cap. He then went toward the console and push-away his brother so that he can take his place.

‘’Make room for me please.’’

‘’Dirt!!! You... you serious, you... really want to help me?!’’

‘’Yeah since you just can't stop whining about it. Besides, I know better than you how to operate those thingies. Contrary to you, I did pay attention when I saw the boss using those monitors. It is easier than it looks. Even if you can't read that weird language.’’

‘’For real! You know what to do!’’

‘’What to do! Oh no, not at all. I had just learned the general ideas and there are just too many things to control from here. What more, when Mel will notice us, and he will notice us, we are toast. So I am sure we only have one chance, just one. But what to do? What's the one things that could help them? Dust, I am not sure I could find it.’’

The ferocity and the speed of that fight have reached their paroxysm. Nopony were staying still and no attack was hitting targets. And for the viewers watching this, the tension was so high that they could not breathe. They could tell that, well, all will soon come to an end. One way or the other. Twilight perishing by Mel. Or Mel perishing by Twilight. But the public both simultaneously wish the end to come quickly or to delay. Because both ending were so dreadful they didn't want to imagine then to happen.

Mel knew the tension of all the viewers was at its highest. And so he judged that the playtime was over. As a final move, he gathers a lot a cube around Twilight and order them to crush her. She put a bubble to protect herself, but the blocks keep pushing, creating cracks on the magenta surface. It was a strain on her. Her horn was overheating, it was causing her a headache and her brown was drenched in sweat.

Or so it seems.

She disappeared in a flash of light and all the cubes hit each other instead. Mel looked behind him but there was nothing. Then he looked above, all around but she was nowhere in sight. It was then that his hears heard like what seemed to be the sound of a magical blast charging. And so he understood.

Twilight was lying on her back on the floor, just right below him. Without mercy, she threw her laser at the block where Mel was sitting. It exploded and the gray pony was propelled miles away and landed on the floor quite brutally, each hit on the marble sending to his body waves of numbing pain.

He tried to get back on his hooves, stumbled, and get back up again. Once his vision got back to normal, he saw before him a big cloud of dust made by the explosion. It was thick and he could not see what was hiding inside. But then a purple light shone from it. And it was like an invisible explosion came inside the cloud because the dust runaway meter apart, like in fear, of the alicorn with her wings wide open and her fully charged horn. And her silent hatred for the pony before her.
Mel, knowing it was the end for it, just smile at her and simply said:

‘’End it.’’

Twilight threw a blast at him. It did not know if he was feeling like being punched, burned or electrocuted but the impact pushed him back. And got back up but was hit once again, this time on the face, then on the chest, on his head again, each hit forcing him to make a step back. Another ray made him fall and he was hit once again before he reached the ground and even down he was being hit and hit making him roll on the ground.

He was giggling during the whole ordeal.

Twilight was charging another ray but this time, no magic came out. She had wasted all her reserve. She falls on her knees, panting heavily. Mel, with his thoughts, made a column rise behind him and use it to rest his back on it. He had a taste of blood on his mouth. Yet... smiled at Twilight.

Her anger without name has in no way subsided and the buzzing in her head was making her deaf to all other sounds. She then saw it.

The bloody knife resting before her.

It was automatic for her. She took the handle with her mouth.

Then with difficulty, she got back up on her hooves.

She looked at the monster in front of her. And his breathing chest.

She took a step that took an eternity. Then another one that was as hard.

But the next step becomes easier. And soon she was walking faster. And then running.

She screamed a cry of rage while pointing the tip of the knife toward the cold heart of Melancholia.

For all, it was like time was slowing down. Leaving to all the leisure to taste the horror of the soon tragic end of all those tragedies.

Twilight

jumped

to plant the knife

and took a life

‘’TWILIGHT’’

But it didn't happen!

The blade has never reached its target. It fell unceremoniously on the floor.

Twilight had never reached Mel because she had been stopped dead on her track. She had been tackled in mid-air from all sides by five ponies.

The five mares that had shouted her name, wanting to save her from that fate. Rainbow Dash. Applejack. Rarity. Fluttershy. Pinkie Pie. Her five friends.

Mel looked at them with something that was not thought possible. A genuinely surprised expression.

‘’(What!!! ... ... I didn't plan this at all!)’’

‘’You did it bro. You have really did it. Oh what a relief.’’

‘’In the end, freeing them what the only thing I could do. Fiouuuf. It was nerve-wrecking. Just two or three seconds too late and it would have been a very sad end.’’

Twilight, tackling on the ground by her five friends pushing her down, was struggling like a madmare to get free.

‘’Let me go! Let me go.’’

‘’Never surgarcube. Never.’’

‘’GET OUT OF MY WAY!’’

‘’NO! Forget that. We will hold ya down until our last breath if it stops ya to be a killer.’’

‘’Yes darling, we cannot let you do something that you could never take back. Our Twilight is a pacifist, sweet and wise girl who harbor violence. We never could let you have blood on your hooves and we certainly refuse to let you become a demon.’’

Fluttershy grabbed tenderly and in tear the neck of Twilight.

‘’Especially if it is done in our names. We could never forgive us, it would be too much to bear.’’

‘’But I have to. It's the only way to end that nightmare.’’

Rainbow Dash angrily shoved her hoof on Twilight face.

‘’Idiotidiotidiotidiot. I thought you were supposed to be the nerdy-egghead, then how can you not see you are doing just what that jerk want. Are you that dump to let him win?!’’

‘’Then what are you expect me to do?! You want me to let you die?! Is it what you expect a friend to do?’’

‘’That not what I'd said Twi. And it's not like we blame you. I mean... I mean if we had been in your place then *sniff* then we will have done the same thing as you. Each of us too will have killed him to save our friends. But even so... even so...’’

Pinkie burst in tear that came out as fountains from her eyes.

‘’Even so it will be just too saaaad, bouh hou hou. To know that friendship could lead to that is so, so, I don't even find the words whaaahaaahaaahaaa. But it is because we will have done the same that we know how horrible it will have been if you, if you*sniff*.’’

‘’YOU GIRLS DON'T GET IT. NONE OF YOU DOES.’’

After her fit of anger, she finally stopped struggling and like her friends, she cried too.

‘’You don't know how agonizing it was. He shows me each of your trials. He had seen your anguish, how he broke each single of you. And I was powerless to do anything. All I could do was watch. All I could do, was, watch. You my friends losing all hope and having your deepest beliefs being twisted beyond repair. Yes, I knew I was giving him what he wants but now that I had a chance to do something for you, you wanted me to do nothing? To just watch, again? When you are already so damage?’’

Fluttershy did a soft smile and tenderly caressed the check of Twilight.

‘’I won't sugar coat it. It is true that we are a bit broken. And I am not sure we could ever be repaired. But even if we are broken and we no longer know what to believe does not mean we stop caring about our friends.’’

‘’It's as Fluttershy says. Ya shall know we are not just anypony. We are like six hearts beating as one. So iffin one of us is hurt, we are all hurts.’’

‘’Darling, I may understand how you may think throwing away your morality for us might have been a noble sacrifice, but believe me. It would only have led to more pain. Which I'm sure would have led to even more pain.’’

‘’What we have been trying to say using a lotsy of complexy wordy is... we care about you Twi, and we want you to be fine.’’

‘’Girls! I... I... I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I did not knew what else to do.’’

She did not know if it was the physical contacts of her friends or their reassuring voices, probably both, but the buzzing in her head was at last silenced and she went to wail like a baby. While she was being gently comforted by her friends.

Up above, there was Starlight tied down that had seen the whole scene. Her left hoof was no longer bleeding profusely, but was still bleeding. It was still giving her a searing pain and was now feeling very cold. And she didn't care at all. She did a sigh of relief that took out all the tension of that day and she was feeling like she was free of all the worries of the world.

It was that time the electrical claps decided to disappear.

‘’Hun wait wait what, oh come onnNNNNN HAAAAAAA!’’

She fell like a rock, waving her arms wildly like if they were wings. But before she catches the ground, her fall was stopped by the aura of a levitation spell. Twilight and Rarity had combined both of their magic to save her and bring her with the rest of the group.

‘’Fiouf. Thanks girls. I'm glad you are all okay.’’

Fluttershy took the bloody hoof of Starlight and caressed it.

‘’Poor Starlight. What he did to you was so awful.’’

‘’That! Puff, it's nothing, nothing more than a flesh wound. And I now realize that it is a least comforting expression that I thought.’’

To stop the bleeding, Pinkie Pie, with watery eyes, took from the inside of her puffy hair a ribbon for warping present and used it as a makeshift bandage. She could not resist, however, to attach that ribbon as a cute bow tie. Twilight, her, used the little magic left in her to cast a healing spell on the purple unicorn. All her bruises vanished in an instant. Starlight wanted to play it cool and thanks them again but she was hit by a wave of gratitude so big that she did like her friends and burst into tears.

The seven mares all went into a group hug. That for one moment make them forget all the bad things that happen today.

Mel was still sitting at the same position with a dumbfounds expression, listening with a distracting hear what the mares before him was saying. He was so lost he did not even know how he should feel. But when order came back into his brain, a question haunted him.

‘’How did it happen? The machines should not do something I didn't order unless... unless!’’

With a wave of his hoof, a little screen materialized before him. At the same time, a giant one appeared behind the two Diamond Dogs and they got scared to see the big cold eyes of their former boss.

‘’I seeee. It was you two. What a surprise.’’

Before they could even take a step, the floor opened up at their feet and they fall while screaming. They were not sure what happened during their descent, even if they were going down in the first place but they soon found themselves on the open sky of the giant room, flying on blocks. Blocks that didn't lose time to throw them away like garbage at the feet of Mel. The dogs on their stomach opened their eyes and gazed at Mel looking down on them like if he had seen good old friends.

‘’Why hello my dear ex-goons. I presume our deal was not that to your liking if you have come back to ruin it.’’

The two brothers, afraid, crawled backward away from him. The column behind Mel disassembled into little cubes floating beside the gray pony like a personal army of drones. He calmly walked toward the dogs and not once he raised his voice.

‘’You know, the true reason if I had chosen you two as helping hooves was because I was sure you were the kind of guys with too much on their plate to care about other problems. Those who have nothing often don't know how to be caring after all. But that you happen to have enough morality to feel guilty and to dare ruin my show! I had tried to parry every eventuality but that I admit I really, but really, did not see that coming. Now my plan has derailed and I will have to improvise. Nowww... what will I have to do to with you two?’’

‘’No mercy please.’’

‘’I think I should ghuuh!!!’’

He couldn't finish his sentence because both Applejack and Rainbow Dash kicked him at the chest, just where his blue jewelry necktie was, and sends him far from the dogs. A barrier made by Starlight came to protect the dogs and the cowgirl and the flyer stand ferociously before them and Mel.

‘’Ya better not touch a hair of them.’’

‘’Yeah. We maybe refuse to kill you but that will not stop us from changing your visage into the most ugly face in the world.’’

The Diamond Dogs could just not believe what the ponies were doing.

‘’What! You really are going to protect us! After all we have done to you?’’

‘’Don't misunderstand. We still have forgiven you for the beating and the kidnapping.’’

Answered Rainbow Dash.

‘’However, sound like ya'll save us. And in our dictionary, that mean we have debt over you.’’
Answered Applejack.

Twilight and other get all up and stood proudly.

‘’Melancholia, you got your way for far too long. This time we will not let you do as you please. We are all unite and you are alone. We will beat you and we will escape that horrible game.’’

Mel also got back up, coughing from the hit.

‘’*cough**cough* I'm afraid I can't let you do that. Not when I am so close to change the world for the better. Now I would like if you please//

*crack*

‘’What!?’’

After that cracking noise, silence came. Mel lowered his eyes to look at the blue jewel of his necktie and saw that a white crack was running from bottom to top, surely due from the double kick. But then another formed, followed by another and fast, the blue surface was covered by a spider web of fissures.

‘’You can't be serious!’’

The blue jewel exploded into thousands fragments.

‘’... ... Ah shoot. It was supposed to be a surpriseeeee.’’

Something strange happens. It was like the skin of Mel came alive and changed into electrical static. Soon, his whole body followed and he became a living distortion on hooves. The mares and the dogs didn't understand what was happening and all instinctively took a few steps back.

The distortion surrounding Mel intensified and in one instant, vanished into thin air and revealed...

No one's brain was now working properly. They were all sure that their eyes were playing tricks. Or even that reality itself had broken. Twilight too was no exception and the only thing she could say was:

‘’It... can't, be!’’

But it was far too real.

The pony before them tilted his... her head in a playful way, dangling her braided hair and say with a crystal-clear and young voice:

‘’Oh but it is. Now that my disguise is gone, I am sure everypony must be so confuse. Oh well. I guess I now need to do a second introduction.’’

And that pony went to do a bowing to all.

‘’I am the true identity of the gamemaster. And I am the one that had been the host of all your trials and broadcast all your anguish. The angel of Happy Town

Floral

All of Happy Town was now dead-still.

They were as immobile as statues and they were so aghast that all their mouths were left hanging open since they all forgot how to close them. Yet no sound was coming out from them.

At that plaza where time was frozen, there was on a corner a stack of not-that-well-stacked barrels on precarious balance. It was at this moment it chooses to fall down in a cacophony.

It was like a signal for them.

The silence leaves and in its place came unite screams of bewilderment crossing all the town. It was so strong that the air itself could tear apart. And they no longer could stay immobile and were bumping between each other without noticing and it was dangerously close to be turned into a stampede. For them, this... couldn't just be happening.

One pony was shaking his head in disbelief.

‘’This is a lie, it's as to be a lie! Our Flo is the sweetest of girls, she can do that! It's a dream, it's as to be one.’’

Another was crying hysterically.

‘’Why did she do that? Why did our angel as betrayed us?’’

Another one was angry, or rather was desperately trying to be angry.

‘’Of course our Flo can't do that. It's... it's Mel! That monster must be forcing her to do that, it's as to be. It's as to be.’’

There was only one pony who could not react. Mayor Paternal. Still as still and mouth as agape as when that revelation came. Even though panic was around him, he was deaf to them. His complexion had paled and his iris were shaking with despair.

Back at the ruins of the ancient civilization, the seven mares and the two dogs were just at lost for words. They did not know how to react to those innocents emeralds eyes. But Rainbow was the first to break the silence and flew up in disbelief.

‘’Wowowowowowo, time up. Time up. Did I hear right! The degenerate psycho that kidnapped us, put us into that torture and gave us twisted lessons that nearly broke our minds was... you!’’

At the words of Rainbow, the impossible idea was beginning to sink in for all. Dust was pointing his shaking finger toward the little filly.

‘’Bro... does that from all this time we have taken our orders from a child?’’

To which the child in question answered:

‘’Ohoho. Forgive me all for this... little deception of mine. I had personal reasons for this.’’

This was too weird for the group. And what's more unsettling was that her mannerisms was not that of the young child they had met but they were instead as polite and cordial as that accursed gamemaster. Twilight head jerked in comprehension as she finally understood.

‘’Wait! That jewel! It was a magical jewelry. One that allow you to cast a optical illusion on yourself.’’

‘’You are quite right Miss Sparkle.’’

Flo gently tapped the blue fragments on the ground.

‘’That necktie is, more was, an old heirloom of my family, unique in its kind. Its magic is similar of that of changeling. With it I could take the appearance of anypony I wish. I had just decided to take the appearance of my own brother.’’

‘’But I was sure those magical items have only the power to cast a projection on your own person. That the limit that made them not a popular artifact to make. Then how did you make to sound like him?’’

‘’Oh you mean... like this.’’

They were all taken aback and got spooked. The last word Flo had said didn't just sound a lot like Mel. It was Mel voice to a pitch. It was so jarring. For a moment they really thought that Mel had comeback and took the place of that little filly. Oh wait. He was that little filly!

‘’Impressive is it not. If spreading happiness was not my talent then I will surely get a cutie mark as voice imitation. And when you live with somepony all your life it is even more easier. With that and the necktie, it is no problem to disguise, no, to become him.’’

That was the last straw. They now had to accept that Mel and Flo were only one pony. Starlight could not help but to shake her head in disbelief.

‘’I cannot believe it. You really were Mel from all this time! Even when we had met him for the first time at your house?’’

‘’Yup, that was still me alright. Tell me, have you ever noticed that not once but 'not once' you have seen the two of us together. But don't blame yourself. I have done that way before I meet you. All Happy Town as never noticed that I was playing as him for so long. I know my brother doesn't go out of the house often but still. Oh well, they were never that observant.’’

‘’What! But but but... but if you have taken the place of Mel for that long then... then where in Celestia name is the true Mel?’’

The face of Flo became darker. And her tone was no longer cherry.

‘’He is dead. For more than a year.’’

Mayor Paternal who was already pale was now as white as a ghost.

‘’He's... Mel is dead! For more than a year! No... no it can't be!’’

But that dark expression had disappeared like if it was never there and she even went chuckling to herself.

‘’You know, there's no way you could know about that but right at the start of the game I had played a little... trick to keep the illusion alive until the very end. They all thought my introductory broadcast was me in direct but it was in reality a pre-recorded video that I had made earlier. Not that the citizens of Happy Town could have figured that. Ooooh I wonder, what they feel, now that they realize that all the hateful words toward my brother were in truth all destined to me. Now then.’’

Like her Mel persona, she didn't raise her voice or make threats. Her army of blocks went levitate at her sides.

‘’I believe there is a game to finish. Would you please be kind and let me ohhh who I am kidding, of course you won't OMMHF!!!’’

She did not see her coming because she was too distracted but Twilight flew right toward her and tackle her to the ground before Flo could do anything. The alicorn slapped the young filly many times but it was like she was feeling not feeling any hits.

‘’Flo, stop acting like that and stop that madness.’’

‘’Wo, wo. At first you wanted to kill me and now you want to come back to old persuasion now that you know I am a little girl. Are you sure Twilight it should matter?’’

‘’But why are you doing that? If you are not Mel then it makes even less sense.’’

‘’Less sense! All the reasons I had given were all what I was genuinely thinking. This world is corrupted by a false happiness and my brother wanted to open up all our eyes. But everypony mocked him, ostracized him. And because of that he died before he could accomplish his destiny. That it's why... I have decided to reject mine and accomplish his instead of him.’’

Twilight was now so afraid of Flo that a freezing cold took a grip of her heart. It was not her speech devoid of doubts or her tone so neutral. Yet there was something terribly wrong with her, Twilight was thinking. It was her eyes. There were dead and devoid of all sparkles. Exactly like the Mel she constantly plays as. Twi was wondering how it could be possible when the first time they meet, her emerald eyes were... ... were...

That was when it strikes to her. The moment at the spring, the moment at the chapel, the moment at the boarding house. It all came back to her. She doesn't know if it was because not that far she was as empty and mad as the gray pony but now... it was like she could no longer see those memories same way. All this time, they thought Floral was one of the most joyful fillies in the world. That her eyes were shining with so much light. But now Twilight realizes:

‘’(How... how did I not notice that before! It... was just an act. There were no sparkles in her eyes! There never was. This is her real self!) How... how did you become like that?’’

Flo made a frown at that question. With the power of her mind, she sensed a cube to knock Twilight out of her. From where Flo was, a block detached itself from the floor and the earth pony flew with it and looked down at the ponies and dogs.

‘’It's clear I will have to use strength again. And this time... I won't be as gentle.’’

Floating cubes came from everywhere, from all directions. And soon all the room was filled of cubes by the hundreds, maybe even thousands, with Flo flying among the heart of that flock of birds of prey. The white throne came down to float behind her and she went slowly toward it.

The group, feeling so in danger, came together in circles, preparing for the assault. But among them, Dirt, forced himself to be brave, took something from his back pocket. The lighting rod he never gave back. He turned it on.

‘’(It worked once, it can work a second time.) Hey boss. You forgot to reclaim our work tools.’’

And he threw it. Floral had only the time to turn her head toward it before the rod hit her. Lightning went coursing through her body making her convulsing. It made her stumble down from her block and she landed her butt on the throne. Still silently shaking on her chair, the throne activated and the blue circuitry went coursing on her skin but this time the lines shone with a far greater intensity.

Everything went haywire.

The blocks acted like if they were possessed and flew in all directions super fast for then going round and round, forming a tornado of cubes turning around the floating filly convulsing at mad speed.

Blue circuitry also came on the surface of the arena and took more and more expansion. And they will very soon reached the ponies and dogs.

Rarity exclaimed:

‘’What it's happening now?!’’

To which Applejack answered:

‘’Ah don't know but ah won't stay here to find out. Ah propose we run like chickens and go through that door.’’

They all went down the stairs and ran straight toward the open double door. Once they passed it, they did not slow down and continue to run across the huge hall.

Twilight looked back just once to saw the double door closed itself, sealing them from the chaos behind them.

But even as they ran, the blue circuitry still went coursing across walls, floor and ceiling toward them. And it was faster than them. It soon catches back with Applejack and the blue lines went through the skin of her leg. Afraid, she tumbled down, rubbing hysterically her leg like if it could stop the blue lines from spreading further, but they covered her all and when they reached her head, her eyes shone with a bright blue light. The same fate happened to the others and they could no longer move.

At the same time, the monitors across all Equestria also went haywire and their screen distorted so much that the ponies watching them had to cover their eyes.

As for the ponies and dogs, their minds had made one with the machine. And they all converged toward the heart of all. The mind of the one ruling the ruins.

And once there... they could see all. Her deepest secrets. Her past. The reasons why she had become what she is now. They could see

The story before the story

Author's Note

Bet you did not see that coming.

You have no idea how impatient I was to reaveal that plot-twist. I wanted to make sure that it would be not that obvious but also not that coming out-of nowhere. If you go looking back at the previous chapters, you may noticed I had put several hints. Hints that mean nothing by themselves unless you already know the anwser. But now...

Anyway, with that, the segment concerning the game is officialy over. If you have not already guessed, the next chapter will be another backstory one. One concerning Flo and Mel who, I hope, will make sense of everything. I had planned it to be quite long so expect it to take a little while before that chapter being publish.

Hope you will like it. See you soon.

Cha*ter 7: The story before the story

Cha*ter 7: The story before the story

Cha*ter 7: The story before the story

...

...

...

… ... ...Who...

Who... I am?

Who I am?

What... I am supposed to be?

What is my name?

Oh wait.

It's coming back to me now.

My name... is Floral.

But I find that name a little pretentious.

So I prefer to be called Flo.

It's more cute.

I am a little earth pony who lives at my hometown of Happy Town.

What I like the most?

The pond where I like to sing.

The smiling faces of all my neighbors.

But above all else.

My dear big brother.

My cutie mark?

A pretty sunflower.

The destiny it represents?

Bringing happiness to all...

...

...

Oh!

Ooooh. Right.

Now I remember.

I threw that destiny away.

Yes. Now I remember everything.

...

...

...

So. Would you like to hear my story?

But let me warn you.

Do not expect a happy ending.

Today is sure is a beautiful day. Let me tell you something about beautiful days. You may think that after seeing a lot in your life, that they may gradually lose their magic and that in the end, like so many things, will become just a mundane occurrence that is simply, well, nice. But what is so special about good days, and I'm not sure how to properly explain that, is that no matter how many times I had lived them, each one is still as peaceful, beautiful and wonderful as the last one like if each time, it was something new. Which it is I suppose. Talking with your friends work with the same principle don't you think?

Anyway, back to the topic. That day was one of the best. The air was so clean. The rays of the sun were warm and welcoming. The spring was dazzling. Butterflies were flying, their wings sending flash of light at each flip of their fairy like wings. In short, the view before me was like a piece taken from the deepest and purest recess of the heart. Sheesh. It was even taking me into a poetic mood. Or maybe a certain pony was rubbing on me.

From where I was, I was singing a simple song without lyrics. It was just something that was coming from the top of my head, nothing too complex. But the butterflies seemed to like it. A pink one even went to land on my muzzle and lazily spread and un-spread its wings.

‘’Oh, you like my performance? I'm very glad but could you please find another seat, it, heheh, it tickles.’’

My giggle made it fly away so instead it landed on my blank flank.

‘’Hihi, not there, it's even, hihi, worse!’’

I shake my butt to gently shoo away that little imp. It at last flew away and went up toward the rising sun. ... ... Wait a minute?

‘’Huh! That strange. If the sun is at that position... then that's mean it's... it's way pass noon!!! Oh shoot shootshootshootshoot, I did not see that so much time had flown away, I'm gonna be late, I'm gonna be lateee!!!’’

It was like I had spring-boots on my hooves. I had no time to lose so I galloped straight toward Happy Town.

‘’Now if I want to arrive on time, I will have to put the turbo.’’

Today, the streets of Happy Town were especially full of life. At every corner, ponies were doing their things and greeting each other with good mood. And that also includes the little filly darting pass them. Filly who is me.

‘’Why hello Flo. So good to see you.’’

‘’Good to see you too. Sorry I'm in a hurry.’’

‘’Flo! Good morning little one.’’

‘’Morning. We catch up later.’’

They are always so welcoming. It sure has a way to make you feel at home.

I saw that the street before me is too crowded to properly pass. Don't have a choice, has come across the terrace of the restaurant of Mister Golden Truffle. It shouldn't be a problem to go around the tables, well unless//

‘’Sacrebleu, it is that chérie Flo. Are zou here to give me some help?’’

Golden Truffle, carrying two plates on his back, was coming toward me, right on my path.

‘’Heh Goldy, watch out, watch out!’’

Alas, I had hit him. He had dropped his plates but I managed to catch them in-extremist with my hooves. But it didn't stop my momentum and I precariously spin around on my lower legs while making sure I don't drop the plates. As I tornadoes toward a table, I dropped one the plate before the mare sitting on it. Even said to her:

‘’Oh, you had taken the roasted oak bark, excellent choice.’’

And I spin toward the next table and dropped the next plate before a stallion.

‘’The pasta mushroom sauce, tell me about it, they are divine.’’

What? Even if I had been dragged into the job of waiters against me, I may as well do it right.

When I fall back on my four hooves, I continue my run without having lost any speed.

Don't ask me how I had managed to make those acrobatics, I had no idea. As I go away, everypony at the terrace are clapping at me, even Golden Truffe.

‘’Merçi Flo. Zou are such a précieuse pearl.’’

Yes, I had said they were welcoming but it seem they had taking quite a liking to me. I am not ungrateful, quite far from it. But I don't think I am that special. I just like to help when I can, that's all.

I am soon to pass the boutique Chic Garments and OH! Is it not Distinguished Topper from that cheese aficionado group. Those ponies always insist on sharing their loves of cheeses with me. I admit the main reason is that I don't know how to say no to them since I don't want to hurt their feelings.

I noticed that he is among the outside boots in front of the fitting mirror and that he looks very troubled. Two hats are levitating beside him and oooooh, I see. Now I have a pretty good idea of what the problem is. He can be so silly sometimes.

‘’*sigh* What to choose, what to choose? That jet-black top hat sure look stylish. But that blue-navy is rather dashing. AaaaAAAH this is a nightmare! I had tried to decide for more than an hour. Is there no one to save me from that heartbreaking choice?’’

A grabbed a bowler hat with my teeth, jumped over him and drop it on his head on the way.

‘’Take that juniper-green, it emphasizes your eyes.’’

I had said while landing on the ground and dashing forward. All hesitation was now gone from it.

‘’Ah but of course! It's so oblivious. Thank a lot Floral.’’

The pleasure to help somepony is a joy that never gets old. As I continued my run, I suddenly felt the strange sensation that my hooves were no longer touching the ground. Wait a minute? But... but they really are no longer touching the ground! I am flying?! Was all this time, I was pegasus without ever knowing it?!

Or a simpler answer is that Sturdy Hoof of the brotherhood of the Barrel Builders has grabbed me by my neck to help me run faster. Which now I realize it is a really weird answer too.

‘’Hello Sturdy Hoof. Such a good day is it not. It's not that I do mind but is it any reason for you to catch me like that?’’

Sturdy tossed me in the air and I landed on his head.

‘’Well Flo, I did notice that you were in a hurry so I could not resist giving you a little help. With my strong and grown-up legs, we will go much faster.’’

‘’And you did that without even wondering where and why I was running in the first place?’’

‘’Well, say it like that, haha. I just acted before I was thinking.’’

‘’Hehe. That all right, it's pretty nice of you and I am running out of time. By the way, how is it going with your wife?’’

‘’It's... a little tense, I'm afraid. My work at the brotherhood is taking up all my time. I barely stay at home. She is supportive but I can tell that she is feeling neglected.’’

‘’Humm I see. Seem complicate. I'm wondering, can you take holiday?’’

‘’I did think about that but I hesitate to ask my confreres and I am not sure a couple of days will make a difference.’’

‘’Okay first, after all the help that you have given, I am sure they will understand. Are they not brothers like you said. Secondly, I suggest using those holidays to do a special activity with just you and your wife. Trust me, if she knows you are doing that just for her, she will know you do care.’’

‘’Yes! Yes, you're right, it sounds so simple. Thank a lot, you always know the words to lift our spirits.’’

‘’Just happy to help.’’

‘’I am going right now tell her the good news. See you soon at the next choral at the chapel.’’

‘’I will miss that for nothing in the world. I had even practiced hard to improve, you will see.’’

‘’I can't wait to hear that. See ya Flo.’’

Sturdy darted right toward an alley, leaving only a trail of smoke. Leaving also me still hanging in the air.

‘’Hey hey wait, what about my lift, WAAAH!!!’’

When gravity decided to kick back, I luckily landed well and I had to continue my running.

Now I am sure that you find weird that a grown-up adult is asking life advice from, well, a child. It turns out that I have a knack for advice. Their opinion by the way, not mine. I like to help when I can and now, pony came specifically for me. Guess I have a kind of reputation.

Speaking of it, a bunch of young kids saw me and came running with me like little puppies.

‘’Heh Flo, what you are doing? Is it some sort of game?’’

‘’Hello kids. Sorry, I have no time to play with you today. I must hurry and go to my brother and I may not make it in time unless... ohhh.’’

It is when I noticed that one of the kids was rolling on a skateboard.

‘’Sayyy, would you mind that I borrow your skate? I promise I will give it back.’’

‘’Sure, anything for you. But you have to see us tomorrow to play the new game we have invented.’’

‘’Deal.’’

He sends me the skate and I jumped on it while still running. I did not lose time to push my hoof on the ground to make it roiling faster and faster until I reached top speed.

‘’Wait Flo! Should you not take my safety helmet too?’’

I think I had heard him say something but I am already too far to understand clearly. Building and ponies are becoming blurring and the wind pressure made my hair flying. It is really great. Now I should have no problem to arrive at my house on time as long as nothing go into my way//

‘’Blimey, it is Flo! Lucky us. We want your advice on something.’’

Why did I naively say that, knowing it always leads to trouble?

Two pegasus from the Dangerous Sports Club are a hanging banner saying in capital letters: MONOTONY AND BOREDOM AVOID WITH HIGH AND EXTREME SPORTS. I sure had always loved their enthusiasm but to spread that banner before me, putting right on the path of flying cute hair-braided torpedo. On dense can they be? Now there is no way for me to avoid... well... the word AVOID that came closer and closer. It's funny in a way.

‘’What do you think Flo? We want to make it the new motto of our club but heh oi oi oi oi oiiiii!!!’’

I teared across the banner, snapping it in two as I continued on my road, leaving those ponies behind.

‘’... ... ... Yup. She's right. See Risky, she agreed with me. I'd told you we could have come out a way better motto than that lazy one.’’

I continued to roll without control because my view is blocked by that piece of banner stick to my face that won't come out no matter how much I tried to trash it.

‘’Heh get out, get out! Ah, there. !!! Oi!’’

No, literally. The piece I had taken had the letters O and I on it.

At the distance, the old mare Soft Pastry came out of her bakery and she was transporting on her head a plate with a piece of cake.

‘’Deary Floral, the pony I was searching. I had tried a new cake recipe and since you are my favorite food tester I would like your opinion on it.’’

She held the plate before me. As I zoomed before her, I gulped the whole cake in one bite and continue my way because slowing down is beyond me.

‘’Wait Floral! Where is my verdict?’’

Did you think I will really leave her hanging there? I had left the piece of paper with the O and I and it softly flew down until it landed at her feet. At the reverse position.

‘’Ten points, really! Oh sweet.’’

After all the road I had rolled on, I must soon arrive to the plaza. And there it is. I can even see my house. Now all I need is, *gulp*, find a way to stop that thing.

Well, since I don't have a lot of options, the only thing I can do is using my hoof as a brake. Which I did. It wasn't a good idea.

The shock made the skateboard took off, making us fly in the air and everything went round and round and round. Luckily, I managed to land with style and without even opening my eyes, I caught the skate with just on hoof.

Okay, that was a lie. I just landed face first on the dirt and the skate landed right on my head. Yup. Turn out wearing a helmet is really super important.

You might think that was awful. And indeed, it did hurt a lot and my head was still ringing. But I am not the kind of pony to mop down over something so little. That whole debacle has been so fun. Once I got back on my hooves, I could not help but to giggle like a filly.

As I shake my head to chase off all the dust, the bells of the clock tower sang their beautiful song signifying that the hour had passed. It was limit but I had managed to arrive on time. I walk toward my house with blue walls. Its appearance is a little old but personally, I had always found that this antique look was quite charming and cozy and, well, homely. As I climbed into the terrace, I was about to open the door but I stopped in mid-track because I had heard music coming from inside. Pipe organ music. I see that my brother is composing a new song. Because of his work, he has renovated the inside walls to make them more sound-proof but still, that organ is so noisy that I, and probably our neighbors can well hear it from outside. The notes that he is playing conveyed a feeling of ominous and yet of majestic. It was enough to send a chill in my heart. I rolled my eyes at my brother inside. And he wonder why he got such a gloomy reputation.

I opened the door and entered. The music is now so loud and I had to carefully maneuvering around the maze of various stuffs littering the place. It might seem jarring but when you had lived all your life with an eccentric artist, this is become daily life.

And there he is. His back facing me, his hooves tapping on the keyboard and the soft rays of the sun shining from the window on his gray fur.

‘’Hi Mel. I'm home.’’

At the sound of my voice, Mel stopped playing. He stays there immobile for a moment before slowly, very slowly turning his head toward me revealing...

The warmest smile and affectionate eyes that only he has the secret.

‘’Ah there you are little sis. I was just practicing while I was waiting for you.’’

‘’Yes, I... heard. Trying once again to be a prince of darkness, humm.’’

‘’Ha ha, very funny. It's just I had an uncontrollable urge to express in music many depressing and raging feelings and I just could not resist.’’

‘’Oh. Another of your dark moments?’’

‘’Ah no, this time I wanted to force myself to go in there.’’

‘’You... wanted to go in a depressing state... on your own accord! You so weird you know.’’

‘’You won't find more weirder than me. Anyway, are you ready for tonight.’’

‘’Sure I am.’’

‘’Good. All that's left is to find my violin. It must be... somewhere in that mess. I'm sure.’’

Mel left his chair and went to the piles of various stuffs, dinging and spreading hazardly their content, making an even bigger mess. Sometimes I wonder who is the true older siblings.

‘’Your violin is on the shelf near your writing atelier. You have left it there two days ago.’’

‘’That right! Thanks little sis.’’

‘’You mean thanks little maid.’’

‘’That too.’’

‘’Hey!’’

He went to where I had pointed to get his instrument. Speaking about writing, it made me wonder about something.

‘’Say, how did it go about publishing your new story?’’

‘’I'm afraid it's another refusal. They had said, I quote: ''Thank you for your draft, we recognize you have talent but we are afraid that your avant-garde style does not correspond to our target demographic.'' A polite way to say: ''Your writing is too disturbing and might traumatized our readers. Sorry.''’’

‘’Oh, that suck. Well... maybe you should see that as a sign that you will have to change your style. It is not like you don't know how to write fun stories. The ones that you had written for me when I was young were so funny.’’

‘’That's true. I can. But I wouldn't have the same passion that I have when I write tragedies. It is my true talent after all.’’

My brother pointed at the stylish teardrop on his flank. I admit I had always been envious of his cutie mark but the talent it represents... that, I have difficulty to understand why it exists. What is the reason to be of making sad things?

Bah. I had asked myself that question many times but it is useless. He just like that.

‘’Then I guess all you have to do is try again and again. One day will eventually come a pony who will give you a chance.’’

‘’I don't know Flo. I think my view of the world is too unique, too drastically different. People don't feel safe with what is not familiar and prefer to stick with what is more common.’’

‘’But when you think about it, do all things that are common were not necessarily once unfamiliar at their beginning? Like in our childhood. So then, if it is the proof that they know how, then why people tend not to be that open mind?’’

‘’You got a good point. But ponies have a selective memory. They like to think that what they have learned is not things they had learned but simply... what it is. The truth. The way. Like that, they are able to believe that there exist a, how to say that? A guideline for life. And that sure reassure. That may seem presumptuous, but since forever I was somehow aware of that and I wanted to kinda open their eyes to new ways. Sorry, that might be a little complicate to explain. So in short, I am afraid that my tragedies that have for goal to shock and traumatize are too much for the innocent hearts of ponies.’’

‘’... ... I don't get it. If you have no hope that you will be recognized then why are you continuing all that hard work?’’

‘’That's simple. It is because I love what I am doing. It is impossible for me to stop, I must create. Because I know that no matter how the world reject me, I will at least always have one fan. Me. The most important is to love what you doing.’’

‘’I'm... not sure to like that.’’

He may have been sincere or not, but still it looked to me like an excuse to more digest his own isolation. I guess I was grieving more than I thought I look because Mel went alarmed at me.

‘’Hun! Heh wait wait! Sorry Flo, don't make that face, I swear I really don't see my situation as sad. I didn't mean to be gloomy.’’

‘’Hum. Good job.’’

‘’Please don't be like that. I did not... ... !!! Tell you what, I think, yes I think it is time that I tell you a secret. A secret that I have never revealed to anypony.’’

‘’A... secret!?’’

My hears parked up and I admit I was intrigued. If he wanted me to forget about my bum out, well it was working.

‘’Yes sis, a secret on my writing process. You see, for years I used one special trick to help get into the skin of my characters, to more easily feel what they are feeling and make them more realistic. And today, I am going to reveal that trick just to you. Wait for me.’’

Mel went into his writing atelier, the place where he has for habit to seclude himself for hours. Once inside, I can hear him moving various stuff in his usual messy way.

‘’Tell me Flo, what do you know about our grandfather?’’

‘’Grandfather Tinker Scrap! Even less than on our parents. Just that he was a unicorn that had graduated from the School for Gifted Unicorns and that he was... an eccentric fella.’’

Mel came back from the atelier with a small box on his back.

‘’Eccentric is the word. He worked his whole life to invent many magical inventions that were, hummm, not that successful. The lantern working with solar energy. The mixture that changes any potions into simple tap water. The pills that make you temporary blind. Yeah, a bunch of weird and crackpot ideas. But this. This one, was a success.’’

He put the box on the ground before me. Then to make the suspense last, he opened the lid slowly. And inside, was a beautiful jewel of a deep blue.

‘’Oh! Pretty. But what it is?’’

What you see Flo, is magical jewel that have the power to change your appearance.’’

‘’It can what?!’’

‘’Do you know about changeling? Those creatures that have the ability to take the form of whoever they wish. Well, from what father told me, grandfather was fascinated by that power and wanted to find a way to duplicate it. So he used a simpler version. This gem does not transform you but instead cover yourself with a... projection. Like a cloak. But with that, you can disguise as anypony you want.’’

‘’You're serious!’’

Mel took the blue gem on his hoof.

‘’Demonstration.’’

The gem made a faint glow and something strange happened. It was like the light around my brother shifted and that his body was distorting itself. When the distortion was gone, it... !!!

It was no longer my brother that I was in front of me but a pony that I had never seen. Instead was a stallion wearing a stylish old jacket and a cool hat with curly brown hair under it.

‘’Impressive? I often use it to take the appearance of the characters of my books. By wearing their skins, it is a like I am becoming them.’’

He changed again and now he was a pale little filly with red hair wearing a black cloak with a hood and a butterfly brooch. But the fact that filly was talking with my brother voice was making the thing so uncanny.

‘’That way, it becomes easier for me to more realistically feel what they are feeling and to better know how they will act. Plus it is very fun.’’

The illusion vanished. He became back the brother I always knew.

‘’So Flo, what do you think of it?’’

‘’This, was, AMAZING! That the coolest stuff I have ever seen. But why were you insisting on keeping that trick a secret?’’

‘’Oh hum... it's just a little phobia that I was afraid that if other authors get wind of that trick, they think that I had an unfair advantage. In the long run, hiding it just became a habit.’’

‘’Always complicate for nothing are you. Anyway, can I try it please please pleaaaase?’’

‘’But I had hoped you will say that. Go on, use it at your heart content. Remember, you need to always hold the gem if you want the illusion to stick.’’

Mel gave the blue gemstone to me.

‘’Oooh, I am so excited. With this I can really transform as anything?’’

‘’As long it's a pony and that it is not too lavish.’’

‘’Anypony I want?’’

‘’Even one coming from your imagination.’’

I just could not wait to use it but then I realized... that I had no idea who I wanted to be. He had said I could use somepony from my imagination but my imagination is not as fertile as him. So... somepony I know? Then the answer came to me in a flash. He will be so surprised.

As the light shimmer around me, my appearance changed and when my brother saw the result, he was so in shock he took a step back.

‘’Wo! That's... special.’’

I looked at my hooves and yes indeed they were now bigger and grayer. I had become a perfect copy of my own brother. I even had his cutie mark. It was so fun that I could not help but to giggle like a little filly which I'm sure was ruining the image.

‘’Heh don't make that face. You should feel honored. Imitation is the greatest form of flattery.’’

‘’Sorry sorry, it's just seeing my sister has... has me is so, so weird. Good thing it can't change voice. Grandfather never could have solved that default.’’

‘’Oh, you mean like this?’’

Oh, did I forget to mention that I could imitate the voice of Mel to a pitch. I often use that vocal trick to freak him out. Which he does look like right now.

‘’Oh oh oh, riiiight, you can do that. Okay now I am feeling uncomfortable.’’

‘’Why, what's wrong with me? I am Melancholia, the pony with the most creative mind in Equestria. You should admire me.’’

‘’Okay seriously, stop that.’’

‘’Heck you're no fun.’’

I gave him back the jewel, changing me back to a little filly. He put it back in the box.

‘’Seriously sis. Voice imitation and awesome singing. How come you didn't receive any cutie mark for those golden vocal chords?’’

‘’Oh you know, I see that more as a hobby than a vocation.’’

I had never told him but the reason if I had become good at singing in the first place is because I wanted to be closer of my brother. When I was really, really young, I wanted to be able to do something artistic like him so we can have more in common. Mel knows how to do everything except one thing. Singing. I had asked the brotherhood for help because they are well-know fanatical singers. I had learned fast. Turn out I had a natural for songs. Then one thing lead to another and before I knew it, here I am, singing chorals for all Happy Town. But above all else, this gave birth to the special activity we are doing each week, just the two of us.

‘’Speaking of hobbies, don't you think we must hurry Mel? I know we still have a few hours before the night but today we planned to do a picnic before our usual nocturnal concert and I can't just wait.’’

‘’Hahaha, alright alright. You know I am looking toward it as much as you.’’

The pond tonight was a sight coming straight from a dream. The stars were shining like jewel on the night sky and also on the reflective water surface. The moon was full and bright, its craters showing to us the image of the Mare in the Moon, watching over us. And of course, there was the reason why we are going at our pond in the evening. The Midnight Lotus. Those flowers always emit a pretty purple light but it is only during the night that they show their true shine. It was like the water was filled with floating lanterns shaped like lotus flowers.

It is the favorite spot of Mel because he finds that place so inspiring. He brought me here when I was young and I fell in love at first sight at this vision of fairy tale. It then became our secret garden for just for the two of us. And to make it even more beautiful, we came out with a little tradition.

Mel held his violin between his hoof and head and his archer in his mouth. The light of the moon was reflecting on his eyes.

‘’Are you ready?’’

I took a deep inspiration as my hair floated in the cold breeze.

‘’Always.’’

I opened my mouth and sang my song.

It's a simple song without lyrics but full of my feelings. I began softly to bring the mood. But then I explode in crescendo, expressing all the beauty I have for life for then toned down in continuous but strong choirs conveyed my admiration and reverence for it.

My brother played his violin in synchro with me.

When I was strong, he was giving a sweet melody that was at the same time making you sad and happy. When I was soft, he was giving strong hits of his archer, adding to his melancholic tune a hint of exuberance.

Both of our music are as opposite as it can be. Day and night. But yet, they combined as seamlessly as puzzle pieces, embellishing each other. And as the notes drifted in the sky, they danced in harmony to form the most wonderful ode to beauty itself.

Tomorrow morning, we had our usual breakfast of pancakes. As I was about to take a bite, I noticed from the window that... a... lot of ponies were galloping like crazy. And what's more, and they were all running in the same direction. Mel noticed it too and we both agreed it was very strange. But that was not all. From where we were, we could hear the footsteps of somepony running on our stair and even before we had the time to be worried or surprised, our door was wildly open and from it came bursting a pony who was out of breath.

‘’What *pant**pant* what are you two doing here! Snap Shot has come back from his trip to Ponyville and he saw something incredible. Hurry, come downstairs, everpony is at the plaza in front of the mayor house.’’

My brother tilted his head in incredulity.

‘’Wait wait! Something incredible? What did he see?’’

‘’An unbelievable story.’’

He emphasizes, pointing his hoof in the air.

He ran back downstairs. Me and Mel just stayed here, looking at each other. Then we got up from our chairs and like him, galloping to the outside.

As he had said, a bunch of ponies were gathered in front of the mayor house. We came closer to see what it was all about and there, right at the center, was the unicorn Snap Shot telling his story while gesticulating widely. Mayor Paternal came out of his house, curious about all this.

‘’Well well, that sure is gathering. Did I forget there was supposed to be a town assembly? Wait, is that it? Did I organized a town assembly and I forget?! What is the meaning of this?’’

Snap Shot turned toward him.

‘’It's me mister Mayor, I have some incredible news and I can't keep them for myself, I have to share it with everypony. I will restart from beginning so you can all understand.’’

He went to his audience, speaking to nopony in particular, taking little time to take breath in his speech.

‘’As I had said before, yesterday I had made with my friend Fresh New a trip to Ponyville for The Summer Sun Celebration. It was on Ponyville that this year celebration was held so me and Fresh went there because it was our chance to get some photo of the princess. That night, all the town, me and Fresh include were reunited at the town hall to see Princess Celestia raise the sun. But but but, but when the curtain was raised, oh you will not believe it but she was not there. Because at her place was another Alicorn. A black one, an evil one!’’

Everypony was looking and whispering at each other, no sure what to make of that tale.

‘’You have to believe me. She was there. I saw her. She had called herself Nightmare Moon. I swear, it was like seeing an evil enchantress from a fairy tale. She said she had been imprisoned on the moon for a thousand years. That she was planning to overthrow Celestia and that she was going to brink the eternal night. And it really did happen! The day did not come!’’

So many had their eyes wide open in bewilderment. Myself include. I whispered to my brother.

‘’Psst. Mel. Have you any idea of what he is talking?’’

‘’I am not sure but... but what he is telling look a lot like the legend of the Mare in the Moon. But it is just an old maretales. Is it? But... but I did notice that the night was far longer this it is supposed to be and I'm sure I am not the only one who had noticed that.’’

‘’Mel, I have to tell you something. I had awake in the middle of the night to take a glass of water but when I looked at the moon through the window, the craters forming the image of the Mare in the Moon had... vanished! Like if they were never there!’’

‘’What? What!’’

Snap Shot continued his tale.

‘’I swear everypony, I am telling the truth. Wait look. I have taken several photos. Here, look look.’’

He took from his saddlebag numerous photos and spread it on the ground.

All ponies went to look at them. And there she was on the pics. The one I was seeing was showing a cackling black alicorn under a cloud of blue smoke throwing lightning. Now we had all to face the facts. My brother took the picture I was looking and slide closer to him. It was easy to see how stunned it was and rarely he gets stun.

‘’Dear Celestia. So that legend was true! But... but wait Snap Shot! If that Nightmare Moon is real then how come daylight is still here?’’

‘’That is the best part of what I want to tell you. That villain had been stopped. By heroes. Six mares coming from Ponyville.’’

All got excited at that declaration. The mayor in particular was very intrigued and came closer of the new storyteller.

‘’Heroes? Wait! You mean... genuine living heroes! Oh please, you must tell us more about them.’’

‘’Yes yes. So, so so so these six mares didn't cower in fear, no instead they bravely went after that villain who was hiding in a dangerous forest. The Everfree Forest I think they call it. They had faced many mortal perils, went into the ruins of an old abandoned castle and even found there magical artifacts that helped them to defeat her. That the part I do not quite understand yet but I think I heard that they are six objects, each filled with the power of a virtue. And with them they win against her but but but here the best part. They didn't annihilate her, no, they had purified her, purged her of all evil and made her good.’’

All crowd was now ecstatic. Happy Town is a sucker for happy and feel good stories. Now they all wanted to hear more.

‘’Turn out that Nightmare Moon was all along a princess. Princess Luna, the long lost sister of Celestia.’’

Celestia had a sister! That was new for all of us.

‘’Mel, you knew that?’’

‘’No Flo, I had really no idea.’’

‘’Those that mean we now have two princesses?’’

‘’Shush, let's hear more.’’

‘’And when it was all over they made a great celebration at Ponyville. Everypony was singing and dancing, it was so incredible.’’

The mayor nudged at the shoulder of Snap and asked:

‘’Did you take photos of that party? Because I would really like to see that.’’

‘’Of course mayor, I had made tons of it. Here take a look.’’

He grabbed a bunch more, gave them to the crowd. They all looked at them with fascination, sharing them with others. Some were showing the ponies of Ponyville partying. Some were showing Princess Celestia with another alicorn, far smaller that has to be the Luna he made mention. But the subjects on the most photos were that of six particular mares.

‘’You seeing those six mares? Those are the heroes I had mentioned. Me and Fresh News did some research on them. The lavender unicorn is Twilight Sparkle, a personal student of Celestia. She is the only one who didn't initially lived in Ponyville but now she does to study friendship. The earth pony with the hat is Applejack. She is responsible of an apple acre called Sweet Apples Acre. That pony with cotton candy hair is Pinkie Pie. She is a baker and supposedly one of the best party planners in Equestria. That yellow pegasus is Fluttershy and from what I have heard, she loves taking care of animals. This white unicorn with the stylish mane is called Rarity. She runs a dress shop, Carousel Boutique. And finally, that pegasus with the rainbow hair is Rainbow Dash, a weather pony and as everypony says, one of the best fliers.’’

The curiosity of all was now excited to its peak. They all wanted to know more about those six mares like if they have already become celebrities. And they were all begging Snap Shot to give them more details.

‘’I'm sorry everypony. That's all I know. I was too impatient to tell you about them. But Fresh News has stayed in Ponyville to research more about those mares. Soon we will know more about them.’’

All town was filled with the sound of happy voices. Mel looked at them and could not help but to give a small chuckle.

‘’Aww seriously, they could be such child sometimes. Just because they suddenly heard about people who have a big positive influence, they go hooks and sinkers about them. You don't think so Flo? Huh, Flo!’’

But I didn't hear him. My gaze was fixing on a picture of those six friends in an embrace. Something in them... I don't know how to explain it... but it was like... I could tell they were the kind of ponies I would like to become.

‘’Heroes, hunnn.’’

My brother once told me that at that day... it was like I had stars in my eyes.

A lot of time has passed since then. And life has stayed relatively the same and we were all doing our usual occupation. For me, today was a day where I had to sing at the chapel.

As I had once said, I had tried hard to become good at singing and before I knew it, all the town fell in love with my voice.

Mayor Paternal was so impressed that he felt then that talent must be shared to all. So he came up with the idea of singing performances at the chapel. Since I could make so many happy with my voice, I had, of course, accepted. So now I sing at the chapel at least two or three days a week and even if it's voluntary work, for me, I consider it an important job.

Once I finished singing the last note, everypony calmly get up from their chairs without applauding. It is normal, my songs are here to give peace in their hearts. It would be impolite to ruin the quietude.

Once I go outside under the bright sun, Mayor Paternal called me.

‘’Ah Flo, that was another great performance. Each time, it's hard for me not to cry.’’

‘’Ah, dear mayor. Why does each time you compliment me, you must always exaggerate?’’

‘’I stick to my words. Anyway, what are you doing?’’

‘’Nothing special. I just planned to go home and relax.’’

‘’Then would you mind to make a quick trip to my house before? It took time but they finally came out.’’

‘’The sunflowers! They bloomed at last! Oh sure I want to see them.’’

I get along well with all Happy Town but I admit that Mayor Paternal is a special case. For as long as I remember, he had been present in my life, going to our house to see how me and my brother were doing, opened nice conversation with me each time he had the occasion, or invited me to tea. He pretends that if he wants so much to hang up with me is that I am good company. But I think there is another reason. Mel once told me that Paternal was good friends with my parents. So when they died, maybe he saw a little of them in me and talking to me make him feel closer to them. But I am fine with that. I had seen him so often that I consider him family.

The trip didn't take more than one minute or two. The mayor house is impossible to miss since it function both as the town hall and the famous clock tower. The mayor pointed toward his window but specifically the flower-bed under it.

They were so beautiful. He really did an incredible job. They were going so high that they were blocking the view of the window. I am afraid we will have to put them somewhere else. But their heads were huge and straightforward and their petals were all healthy and of a bright yellow. You could easily mistake them for mini suns on stems.

‘’They are wonderful! You have taken good care of them.’’

‘’I knew you will like them. I had told myself that if happiness is the motto of our town then why not grow flowers that are the symbol of it.’’

‘’True, but now that you mention it, I had always wondered why. Why sunflowers are a symbol for happiness?’’

‘’Well, for many reasons. First because they look like suns. When you see them you immediately think of a sunny day and if there is one thing that made you smile is that. Also they're big and bombastic. But... there is a deeper reason. You see, what differentiates sunflowers from other flowers is that they always grew up. Not in any direction. Always straight up to get the most sun. When you think about it, this could be a good metaphor for somepony going straight toward happiness and joy without detours. A little like us.’’

‘’Wowww. I see now. In a way, they are kind of a life model to follow.’’

‘’Exactly, we Happyvilians are all trying our best to be like those wonderful flowers. Hum, speaking of life models , did you read the story about the Mane 6 that came yesterday?’’

‘’Oh yeah. Once it came to my mail, I had devoured it in least than ten minutes. Those mares know how to be funny, I had stomach cramps. But the lesson that came out of it. So inspiring. I intend to follow it for the rest of my life.’’

Alright, alright. I was not quite honest when I had said that life had stayed the same. You remember when we had received news about six awesome mares, that we wanted to know more and that ponies were stationed at Ponyville to discretely find more information on them? Well, it was supposed to stop there but... it turns out... those six ponies had a pretty eventful life. Seriously, events full of drama and fun were always falling on them. We were lucky if it happens no more than once a week. And I did not mean big extraordinary heroic events, though it was still occasionally happening, but day-to-day life events. That means at the end that there was no shortage of anecdotes to tell.

It make our view of them change. Before, we were just admiring them, seeing them as models of virtues. But we had realized that they are also... normal ponies. And that make them relatable. More identifiable. However, the best was, at our eyes, that they were still those incredible and virtuous heroes. But they were now more like heroes of ordinary life. This had for effect that we genuinely feel like we can become like them.

That and the fact that there were always new stories about them. These two factors made the popularity of the Mane 6 spread like wild fire on Happy Town. So much that today, the admiration of the Mane 6 could be considered part of the identity of Happy Town. I too had become a fan of them. Without bragging, I consider myself their number one fan.

We constantly send ponies to Ponyville to act like discreet reporters. After a time, they come back to take a break and other take their turns. Their jobs are to discretely take photos, discretely find information on their adventures and misadventures, discretely talk with whiteness to have a better perspective. Emphasize on the word 'discretely'. It has become an art for us. We don't want to bother or embarrass the ponies we admire the most. And it as nothing to do with the fact that being discovered may force us to stop our search for new contends. Definitely had nothing to do with that. Nope. Nada.

‘’You're right Flo. They really are wonderful. The lessons about friendship they are giving will sure enrich even more our life. To discover them was truly a benediction.’’

‘’Since I had discovered them, they had become my role models. All they did to make the world better. I hope that one day I would become as helpful as they are.’’

‘’But Flo. On that you are already as helpful and wonderful as those mares.’’

‘’You know, that flattery begins to become old.’’

‘’Floral floral floral. Floral. It is time that you start to realize how important you are for Happy Town.’’

‘’Important!? That's... excessive.’’

‘’Of course you will be too humble to notice it. But for years, you had a positive impact on all of us. Since the day you were able to walk, you show us all that you were special. Ohhh, I still remember those days. You were so pure. Even as a toddler you were caring more about others than yourself and at your eyes, all that surround us were... so bright and shiny. We're all pursuing the ideal of happiness. We're all trying our best to find new way to bring joy. But you surpass us all on that quest. And that makes you a beacon that we all want to follow.’’

I... I was simply at lost for words. I am used to him showering me with compliments. But this time... it's different. I can tell he is thinking every word of it.

‘’Mayor! I... I... I don't know what to say.’’

‘’But the mayor is right you know.’’

Surprise, I turned around to see who had talked. Turn out that the many passersby around us heard our conversation and felt they had to enter the conversation. So many ponies voiced their opinions.

‘’He is right. We all think the same. Nopony is as nice and positive as you.’’

‘’Your smile is so infectious that it is hard not to do the same.’’

‘’You are always here to help and you ask nothing in return. It makes us want to do the same.’’

‘’When we're in trouble, we know what to do thanks to your advices.’’

‘’All my kids love you so much. I even consider you family. And I am sure it is the same for many ponies.’’

‘’You are so bright we all want to follow your example. It might sound weird to say, but for us Happyvilians, you're the center of our community.’’

... ... ... ... Was... it true?! Is it how everypony sees me? I knew as was well-knew and well-loved around all town but... .... I am really that important to them! I... had no idea. I had really, really, no idea. To think that all this time I was so loved, so important to them. This made my head spin a little.

The mayor noticed it and gently put his hoof on my shoulder. This help to alleviate a lot of my vertigo.

‘’Oho. A little overwhelming for you I see. But at least you will now at last understand how much you are adored. And it's all legitimate. Just like the bearers of the Elements, you are a guide for us. You are like... like those sunflowers!’’

‘’I am like the sunflowers?’’

‘’Yes. Like them, you're always going to the top, straight toward happiness. And just be looking at them, we want to smile and follow their example. So you are like a symbol of happiness. Just like those flowers. Floral is even your name now that I think about it. But I want you to understand how much we are grateful that we were blessed by that little angel that is you. ...!!! Hum... angel. Yes. Yes!’’

Without warning, he lifted my little person, and I, and my burning cheeks, was resting on his head, well under the view of the entire crowd.

‘’What do you say friends that we give to our dear Floral, aka Flo, the fitting title of... angel of Happy Town? Hum. Flo, the angel of Happy Town. It has a nice ring.’’

All of them, all singles of them, approved and applauded. Some even went whistling.

You cannot understand what I was feeling right now because even I had no idea. It was like my heart was about to explode and it was so overwhelming. But what I can tell, is that among the storm of feelings in me, there was a warm sensation growing in my chest. I decide to trust it and... please don't laugh at me but... since fillyhood I had always dreamed of being an angel. A silly child fantasy of mine.

Anyway, I need to properly thank them.

‘’Alright. Then I... IIII suppose I must do some sort of speech. Uh-hum. Thank you everypony. But really thank you. That, sure took me by surprise. I just don't know how to react before so much praise. This could make me my head swell so much it will make me fly to the heaven and then I will truly be an angel. Ahah. That was lame.’’

A bunch of ponies laughed at that bad joke.

‘’But in seriousness, I... I... . You know what, let me tell you something personal. For a long time I have been worried about finding my purpose. There are a few things that I am good at but nothing that really click. I had tried to work my brain on what I want to do with my life but it has always been a blur. I had never thought that much about all the time I had help you. Happy town is my home. And you are those I care the most. This place is so joyful that I and just wanted to give the favor back. But... but right now you all made me realize something. Helping you is what I love the most. If you say that all the little gestures I had made are that impactful to you, then I will be glad to take the role that you ask of me and...!!! Hum? Why are you all looking at me with those weird mouth wide-open faces? Did I say something wrong?’’

The crowd was frozen, their iris dilated and jaws hanging. It was giving me goosebumps. One pony decided to raise his hoof and pointed it toward me. I followed its direction and threw a glimpse at my blank flank!!!!!

My... blank flank... who was no longer blank.

‘’It... can't be!’’

I thought my eyes were playing tricks. I blinked several times but no. No, it really was there. There, clear as day on my fur, the image of a sunflower, just like those of Mayor Paternal.

‘’It's... It's a cutie mark. ... ... IT’S A CUTIE MARK!’’

I am so overjoyed that I danced around on the head of the mayor.

‘’I GOT MY CUTIE MARK, I GOT MY CUTIE MARK. I AT LAST FOUND MY TALENT, I FOUND MY PLACE IN THE WORLD.’’

The mayor was so overjoyed that he took me in his arms and hugged me, well more like crushed all my bones to dust.

‘’It's miraculous! It's a true miracle! This must be a sign, it as to be. Your cutie mark must mean you do are a bringer of happiness. Oh my people, let us all rejoice.’’

Everypony exploded in joy and rushed toward me, grabbed me and throw me in the air repeatedly while chanting ‘’Horray. Horray. Horray.’’ in my honor. I admit, all this adulation was making me feel ecstatic. Is it so wrong? I did not care. It was making me feel great.

They threw me up again and again. Until they realized that without knowing, they were now no longer throwing up a pony but empty air instead. Confused, they looked all around to see where their new idol has gone.

I used that confusion to sneakily crawl under their legs and slip away from this mass of ensnaring, but so nice, fans and quietly tiptoed toward my house.

‘’(Sorry folks. But there somepony important that I must tell about my mark and I just can't wait.)’’

I busted the door open, not caring about noise or furniture damage, and rushed in.

My brother was here, sitting at a desk, his back facing me. He was reading some sheets of papers.

He was a little sad. But like the naive fool that I am, I had noticed nothing at that time.

I had learned later that those papers were more refusal letters.

Instead, I joyfully exclaim:

‘’Mel Mel Mel, this incredible you will never guess what had happened to me.’’

But still, he did his best to smile at me, as my dear brother always does.

‘’Well well, what made you in such a mood, little firecracker?’’

‘’It's my cutie mark. I got my cutie mark, look, look.’’

I showed him my sunflower on my flank and he was so surprised. With one swift sweep of his hooves, he threw away all his paper like if they had no place to be here and get out of his chair with such violence that it fell. In all my life I had never seen him so joyful.

‘’No! No! You're serious! After all this time, it finally came! Your cutie mark!’’

‘’Yes, yes. My cutie mark means that my talent is to bring joy to others. I at last know what I have to do in life.’’

‘’A cutie mark, a cutie mark, my sister has a cutie mark! Come here you.’’

He grabbed me with his hooves and lifted me in the air and danced around with me. Both of us were laughing at heart’s content without stopping.

It was, and is still, the best moment in my life.

‘’Here you go Flo. A nice piping hot cup.’’

‘’Ah thank you Mayor. I really needed it.’’

I took a nice sip of tea from the living room of Mayor Paternal house. I can feel energy coming back to me.

‘’Aaaaah, won, der, ful. It is perfect, my back was killing me.’’

‘’That sentence is weird when you say it. Especially since a pony of my age is supposed to say that kind of thing.’’

‘’Well the day was particularly intense. Helping the elderly, sharing advice, give a hoof in helping fix a roof and my singing at the chapel. I will soon have barely time to sleep.’’

‘’They are asking too much of you?’’

‘’Rest assure, so few actually ask for help. My work is always voluntary.’’

‘’It's good to hear that. But don't work yourself to the bone. Take some rest sometime. There is only one of you.’’

‘’I take good notes.’’

‘’Still, look at you now. Soon to be a grow mare and you are already such a wonderful pony. It may have been one year ago but for me it still felt like yesterday when we all acknowledge you as our ang*couf**couf*, hum I mean as our model citizen. Your parents must be so proud.’’

He had wept a tear from his eyes like if he was a proud father. He had nearly called me an angel again. It was one year since I kinda accepted that title but still, I had strongly insisted not to be called that in front of me because I find it a tiny bitsy arrogant. Though it doesn't stop them from calling me that behind my back. To put some levity, I decided to tell an innocent joke.

‘’Hum, proud of only me? And what about my brother? The poor.’’

That... didn't work. Instead he became embarrassed and it was clear it was a tricky subject for him.

‘’No hum, no. It's not that I want to say bad things, I swear. But you know him. He is so hard to approach. When you are around him, you can't help but to feel... weird. And he is so stubborn about pursuing his obsession that is leading him nowhere.’’

‘’... You know, for not wanting to say bad things... this is a rather poor job.’’

‘’Look, I am sorry, I truly do. But I had seen some of his work. It... hit you at the core and it follows you for days. Sorry if I can't describe it better. But I afraid he is creating more harm than good. Tell me Flo, do you think he should continue that passion of his when until that day, it had only given him rejection and isolation? There are so many miseries in life so what is the point to add it more even if his just on paper?’’

‘’I... ... was thinking the same recently.’’

I had said while somberly playing with my now empty cup.

I could not help but noticed but that not only his writing drafts but also his paintings and music was receiving no recognition. Sure, it's not like in Happy Town there is a market for, hum, bummer stuffs. But even outside of town, his craftsmanship was... ... let's say the world is still not ready for his vision. Or... at least that what I was telling myself all those years. But it becomes harder and harder to see him like that. All those rejections of his hard work was making him miserable. And not the 'miserable' that he likes. I had tried to give him a more solid place in our community but it had mixed results.

For the mayor it was apparent that this conversation was making me sad and he wanted to correct that.

‘’I am sorry, I should never have talked about it. Wait I know! To forgive me, I will show something I think you will like.’’

‘’Something I will like!?’’

The mayor get up from his chair and went to the doorway.

‘’Follow me, it's at the floor above.’’

I jumped from my chair and went after him.

‘’If it is about the mechanism of the clocktower, you had already shown me that.’’

‘’No no, what I want to show you is least impressive but I find it fitting that you see it.’’

Strange. It was not in his habit to be enigmatic. He is usually as easy to read as an open book.

We climbed the stair to the first floor and he guided me toward a door. He took a flower vase that was near, on a stool, and under it was a hidden skeleton key.

‘’This room is sadly never use. I only go there once a week to clean it of the dust.’’

He took the key with his mouth and put it in the keyhole. The door opened and I saw that inside...

‘’Wow! Wow. Is it what I think it is?’’

There was only one window but it was more than enough to bathe with the light of the day on all those pieces of history before my eyes. Glass displays with old colonial artefacts. Other displays holding in them, newspaper articles at least a century old. Walls full of photos in black-and-white or brown-and-white. And a lot of plates with short description written on them.

‘’I had no idea you had that in your house. So it is like a museum of the history of our town?’’

‘’Welll, I won't have the arrogance to call it a museum.’’

He had said embarrassed. His statement was compressible. The room was small. Smaller than the living room. Calling it a museum must be exaggerated and it might be fitter to call it a tourist attraction. A very minor one. Still...

‘’I like that place. But why did you want to bring me here?’’

‘’Nopony follows our philosophy better than you so I had told myself that it will be good that I show you how it had begun in the first place. Besides, that room must serve for at least something. Our ancestors built it to show our history to tourists but thought our town is a nice place, we're not exactly a highlight of Equestria and I now use the town hall as my house and in the end it was just too complicated. But enough of that. Let me give you a little tour.’’

He guided me to one of the glass displays. I could see that resting inside was a pickaxe, and miner helmet, other stuffs that I didn't recognize but that I could tell it was used for mine work. But the most important piece was a black-and-white photo, nearly faded out. It was showing smiling ponies dressed in miner get-up, all dirtied with dirt, in front of a mine entrance.

‘’You see Flo, a long time ago, before Happy Town was, well, Happy Town, there was the gold mine. A vein of gold was found at the surface of Mount Heaven. Words were spread and soon, ponies all over Equestria came to dig at the new mine, dreaming of riches.’’

‘’How is that I had never heard of that?’’

‘’Oh it's no wonder. Turn out that vein was actually, very poor. In short, the mine was a bust and many had abandoned it. But not all of them. Some of them did not lose hope and even built a settlement to continue digging even deeper.’’

‘’Why? If the mine was that empty then it seems to me to be a futile effort.’’

‘’There is a reason for that. On what our ancestor told us the ponies that had stayed had... miserable lives and they were all hoping the gold would give them a chance make them better. That is why they could not give up.’’

‘’What do you mean miserable lives? That's rather vague.’’

‘’Oh on that point, nopony knows exactly what they meant. I'm sure they all had their own story but they preferred not telling them. They wanted to put the past behind them and not bother the next generation with it. A clean and fresh start. Anyway, like you had said, it was a futile effort. There was no gold. It was obvious at that point. But even if they had given up on the mine, they did not despair. Now I will show you the crown jewel of that exhibition.’’

The mayor walked toward one of the walls and shown me another photo. It was indeed treated with more care than the rest since there was a noticeable space between it and the other exhibits. It had for effect to emphasize it. The glass where it was encased did a wonderful job to conserve it because even though the photo was old, it also looked brand-new. The label on the glass was saying: 'Grand inauguration'.

‘’That, is our beginning. Our true beginning. To accept that all their efforts had been for nothing was quite a blow. But. But they had remembered the feeling of optimism that had allowed them to pursue that endeavor in the first place. So, with nothing else left, they had decided to firmly grasp on that feeling and to never look back at anything else.’’

The brown-and-white photo was of a bunch of ponies dressed in contemporary clothes, cutting with big scissors an inaugural ribbon. You could see the whole of the clocktower. That was when I realized the inauguration was not just about the town but also about the clocktower.

‘’To make sure to never forget that vow, they decided to stay at their settlement and to build a community based on the principles of happiness. They dismantled the old houses to build the essential buildings for a town. The buildings that are now Central Plaza. And to cement their resolve, they poured the little bits they had to pay the best architects of the time. And with their help, made the clocktower.’’

‘’Wait wait wait wait wait! They used the little money they had to make... a landmark instead of something more, I don't know... useful?! Say it like that, it sounds like a waste.’’

‘’It might seem crazy indeed. But they wanted a symbol of their promise. Something that will remind them, every day, every hour, what they are searching for. And it did. Each times those bells sing, they tell us that tomorrow will be bright. If we ran straight toward happiness.’’

‘’I... I had really no idea we had that kind of past.’’

‘’That's why I find the history of our ancestors so inspiring. Their dedication to happiness was to a whole other level. You know... you make me think of them.’’

‘’Me!’’

He grabbed me by the sides and lifted me toward the photo.

‘’Yes. That is one the reasons I wanted to make you our local hero. I have a feeling you might teach us to better follow in the hoofsteps of our ancestors.’’

‘’You think so! But what can I do to help even more my town?’’

I asked while I looked at the reflection of me situated just beside the founders like I was part of them. The mayor answered:

‘’I don't know. But I am sure you will do great things. Great things.’’

From our dining room, Mel was busy giving struck of paintbrush to one of his paintings in progress while I just rest my head on the table, being bored. The day was quite uneventful and nopony seems to be in need of my help. I know I should rejoice but this made me realize that I don't know what to do when I am left on my own.

It was then we both heard knocking on the front door below. Without shifting his gaze from his work, my brother had said:

‘’It must be for you Flo. Go see what it is.’’

He had said that because nopony ever comes to see him or buy his shop articles. It's so sad when he says it as such a de-matter fact. If only he could at last understood why. I went downstairs to open the door on our house and when I saw the scroll lying on our doorstep, I quickly run back upstairs with the scroll in my mouth.

‘’Mel, Mel, the mail has given us another adventure of the Mane 6.’’

I sat down on my chair and quickly read the whole scroll in least than three minutes. When I finished, I hug dearly the story to my chest. Mel came sitting at the opposite of me.

‘’You really are a fan of them.’’

‘’Excuse me. I am, the, number one fan, thank you.’’

‘’But you know, I... cannot really feel comfortable with that. I mean, we spy on them without their knowledge. I don't know, you sure it is not... voyeurism?’’

‘’We had already been there. We are not doing anything illegal. Believe me, we had feared that many times. But we have consulted many lawyers that had confirmed us that because we live in a liberty of expression country, we can take photos of them, search personal information on them and write stories about them as much as we like without risk of being accused of harassment. Provide that the ponies in question don't complaints that we don't use said items for malicious intent or that we don't use their names and images for profit. Can you image us creating merchandise of them? So disrespectful.’’

‘’Sometimes I wonder if Equestria laws aren't too lax for our own good. Still, I don't think these six mares would take it with a good eye that we veneer them like gods behind their backs.’’

‘’Here come the big words. Gods. We're not that die-hard fans.’’

‘’Oooh! Then what with this stupid name you call them. Mane 6! That sound like a bad ripoff of the Power Ponies. Who is the one that had come out with such a corny name? Haha.’’

I had said nothing. Instead, I just silently looked at him with my most innocent smile. For long.

He was confused.

Then he understood.

‘’!!!!! AAAAAAAAAAAH!!!... aah... aah... cor, corny can be good sometimes.’’

His face was so priceless that that I burst of laughter. Guess even angels can feel the need to torture a little their family.

‘’Ahahaha, it's alright it's alright, no hard feelings. Though I find a shame that you don't like them.’’

‘’Don't put words into my mouth, I had never said that. In fact, I do think they are indeed wonderful and inspiring mares who deserve all the praise that you give them.’’

Wait! Was he serious! That will sure fill me with joy to share my biggest passion with my brother.

‘’You are not kidding, you really love them!? But you never mentioned that before.’’

‘’Wellll, he... took me so time to warm up to them. Because... say... can I tell you something embarrassing?’’

‘’Of course Mel. You can tell me anything.’’

‘’There was a time when I was really jealous of them.’’

‘’What! I don't get it!’’

‘’It was childish, really. Before it used to be me the pony you admired the most. But after you, hum... seen them has role models, I was gradually feeling like I was losing you.’’

He had said while playing with his front hooves in shame.

‘’And then their popularity had risen through the roof in our town in so little time while I stay... unpopular. And there also that job of keeper of Mane 6 fanworks that you had given me.’’

‘’Oh! Riiiight.’’

I turned my head downstairs at my right. Where at the floor below is the writing room of Mel.

Let me clarify something. Although that admiration of the bearers of the elements was already strong by itself, I may have used my influence to make it even bigger. Like that giving that name, who is not corny and that I worked really hard to find. But more importantly, I had influence the trend of ponies writing stories about the Mane 6. All I did was just make a suggestion and it had spread like wildfire. But, there was a reason that was more than simple fun if I spread that trend. I was hoping to thin the gap between my town and my brother by making them share something in common. Writing. Hum. Say it like that, it sounds a little devious.

Anyway, a lot of ponies became prolific fanfic writers, and I had proposed that my brother became the keeper of their works since his reputation as a writer is well known even if... you know. Both sides agreed. But I realize now mostly because of me. And thought Mel had never complained... maybe deep down...

‘’Were you having resentment?’’

‘’*sigh* Yes. I know it was unfair and irrational but at that time, I had really hated them. It had even come that I me too I went to fanfic writing to vent my frustration.’’

‘’Really, you did!’’

‘’I, kinda needed it. And they were not like the funny one everypony else did. They were... aaanyway, as I had said, it was really childish of me but I wanted to find a way to take revenge on them. An inoffensive way. So I had created a few stories with my, hum, own touch. But now, I'm assuring you all that unfair resentment is all gone. I'm seeing them for what they really are and I understand why you are in adoration before them. I think... I think I even would like to meet them one day.’’

‘’I'm glad. I'm so glad. Say. Those stories. Did you keep them?’’

‘’Hum, yes?’’

‘’Could I read them?’’

‘’Hum no you know what no I'm not sure that hum it won't be I mean it would be better hum, no.’’

I half-closed my eyes and show my mild disdain.

‘’Brother of mine. You didn't treat my heroes too badly in the stories of yours?’’

Mel in the other hoof could hardly look at me straight.

‘’I may have went all out.’’

‘’Oh. It is so bad that that even you, the master of sobering and creepy pathos, is ashamed. And you wonder why nopony wants to frequent you.’’

‘’Heh don't look at me like that. Knowing how to put your most disturbing thoughts on paper 'is' a good sign of moral health.’’

‘’Hum. I wonder.’’

‘’Please, let us, let us speak about something else, I am already embarrassed like that.’’

‘’Alright, alright. What do you want to talk about?’’

‘’Wellll, there is something.’’

Gone was the shame and instead was replaced by an eagerness that usually came when he found good ideas for his art. He leaned closer of me and I swear, there was sparkles shining in his eyes.

‘’It is about the time when the mayor had taught you about the founding of our town. You know, what you had told me once. Didn't you mention something about an old abandoned mine?’’

‘’It's nice of you to come but you did not have to accompany me.’’

‘’And who would keep an eye on you? When you are left alone, you can get carried away. So no. I am following your basks to make sure you are alright.’’

‘’Yes mom.’’

‘’It's momma Floral for you, my big brother.’’

‘’Seriously, since when did you become so cheeky?’’

‘’Pleasantry aside, I do wonder what you find fascinating in that empty tunnel.’’

‘’Empty! Oh no no no, it's far from empty. Look around you sis.’’

He had said, waving his hoof around with such a great mood. We were right now exploring the abandoned mine, both equipped with saddle bags on our backs and lanterns hanging on our necks. I had only told him a vague location but it was enough for him and he insisted for going now, saying he could not wait. I went with him because as I had said, I couldn't leave him alone. Besides, I was finding that going on a little adventure would be rather fun. It took us an hour to go to the outskirt of the mountain and another hour to find the entrance of the mine. It wasn't the hard to find, its entrance was rather big.

I had often wondered why it had never been used as a tourist attraction or even why nearly nopony knew of its existence. After walking down that tunnel, I knew why. It was boring. There was nothing there. Apart for a few foundations and abandoned tools, that madepony corridor was empty. It was quite spacious though. Those miners sure went all out in their digging.

We were now crossing a part of mine that was definitely not madepony. A ravine so deep that you could not see the bottom was coursing below our feet like a nasty wound. Luckily, there was a natural stone bridge that was looking pretty sturdy, allowing us to cross the ravine. My brother was as excited as a kid in a candy store.

‘’It's wonderful! This place is really wonderful!’’

‘’I still don't get what you see in it.’’

‘’Flo, this is not just a piece of history, this is one that had been forgotten by time, nearly likes if it had never been here. And what's more, it is one filled with broken dreams and hope that did not pay. Hum, *sniff**sniff* I think I can even smell them in the air.’’

‘’I find that place desolated, dark and creepy.’’

‘’Even better.’’

Deep inside, I was gritted my teeth. Today his enthusiasm was at its paroxysm and it was beginning to get on my nerve. In my first years, when I was a young filly, I was fine with how he was but... as more time passed, least I felling I understand him. I wonder what had changed.

After crossing the bridge, it didn't take a lot of time before we reached where the digging had stopped. Before us was a bumped wall of rock artificially made with tools but half-finish.

‘’Well Flo, end of the line it seems. I propose that we take a break here.’’

‘’I agree brother. My feet are killing me.’’

We put our lanterns and saddlebacks on the ground. I use a flat stone as a makeup chair while Mel went around, looking in every direction, barely staying put on his hooves. Since for now we all stay at one place, it means one lantern is fine. So I put out the second one to economize fuel. Because the mine was huge, breathable air was in plenty but it was dusty. The lone lantern was making a circle of light, making the dark outside darker. It was like being around a campfire. But in more creepy.

I... did no longer find that trip fun. And I could not understand why Mel was having so much fun. I used that break to rest and gather my thoughts. I thought about my brother and how he was specifically irritating me today. But the frustration of a day became the frustration of a lifetime as I was looking back at all his past actions. I was looking at them with a new eye and I was wondering so many questions. Wondering why he was still stubbornly doing that unproductive job. Wondering why he had those weird tastes. Wondering... what he was hoping to give to the world. Wondering, wondering, wondering, so many wonderings pilling in my chest. It was too much, I wanted answers and I had said:

‘’Mel.’’

‘’Humm. What is it?’’

‘’Why are you writing tragedies?’’

That, took him by surprise. Since he nearly tripped on his feet. He looked at me, puzzled.

‘’But Flo, I already told you. It is because//

‘’No this time, I want to hear the true reason.’’

There is not a single shred of levity in my words. It is my pure and unfiltered desire.

I could tell what my brother was thinking. Although he was confused, he understood how that question was important for me. All my life, he had always taken me seriously. And this was no different. He decided to answers my question seriously.
He came closer and sited on a rock in front of me, the lantern between us. Its orange light was shimmering on his iris.

‘’Alright. It is complicated but I will try my best to answer it. When I had said that I have a passion for making sad and scary stuffs, I wasn't lying. They tug at my heartstrings, as weird as I know it sound. But that not all. There is another reason, a deeper reason if I feel I have to make art about the negative side of the emotive spectrum. I want... to teach.’’

‘’To teach? Teach what?’’

‘’Well, most of us see negative emotions as feelings that are better as not having and as to get rid of it as soon as you have them. But I had always had the feeling that they were more than that. That there were answers hidden in them and that we have to explore deep down to find them and make our lights brighter. Aaaah, I feel I don't make any sense. How can I explain that more properly? Wait! I know. Let me ask you a question.’’

‘’I am listening.’’

‘’What do you think growing up mean?’’

Now it was my turn to feel I was being asked a question out-of-field. And what's more, it was a very complicate one. But I know that when he is like that, I must listen to him. So I will answer his question as seriously as he had tried to answer mine. I closed my eyes and pondered a lot. Not once my brother interrupted my reflection. Then inspiration came and a light bulb in my head was lit.

‘’Oh!’’

I rummage into my bag and took out the scroll with the next adventure of the Mane 6. I had taken it with me in case I would need some reading. Even if I had already devoured it top to bottom, I find them so good that I reread them at least twenty times.

‘’Well, I suppose that your answer is the same as why I love the stories of those six mares so much. Each one of them came with a moral on relationship and life. It is easy to say to be good but it is another to carefully analyze the lesson and to explain the practical advantages of it. That what they do and that's why you know the message work and that it will stick with you for long. So more and more I read of their stories, and more and more I acquire knowledge on how to be better. Like how having more cards in your hooves to make more possibilities. So I guess growing up is that. Learning gradually more and more and becoming better. After all, don't we always say that the difference between children and adults is experience?’’

‘’I see. So you see growing up as an accumulation of knowledge. Well, your version is surely how most of us see it and it is not wrong. But... but I have another version.’’

‘’Which is?’’

‘’Well, ponies, no, everyone from their youngest age observe the world and try to form an image in their head. But the problem is that image is always incorrect and twisted. You cannot blame them. Just like you had said, when we are young, we are inexperienced so, of course, even if we try our best, it came out wrong, it just can't be helped. But if we want to later get a view of reality more correct, it is necessary to... destroy the first one that is too idealistic. Because it takes so much place that there is no place for a new one. Wait! I got an idea that might help you to understand better.’’

He too grabbed his saddlebag and put his hoof inside. He took it out and he was holding a hard-boiled egg that was to be used as a snack for our expedition.

‘’It is a hard-boiled egg but for the sake of this lesson, image it is a normal egg with a chick inside.’’

‘’Al... right?’’

‘’When does a chick born?’’

‘’Huh?! Well, it is when the chick hatch from the egg.’’

‘’Ah, that is a common misconception but the chick is already well-born inside the egg. But he needs to break the shell if he wants to properly live. Otherwise, that shell might as well be a coffin. That is what I am trying to do with my art. To help destroy that shell that we are trapped inside so that we can all see the world that is hidden behind it. I don't say ideals should be discarded, quite the contrary. By getting rid of that shell, you can build ideals that are more solid. And more beautiful. You understand what I mean?’’

‘’I... guess.’’

‘’Great.This, in the end, is the reason why I write tragic stories. No. That might be the reason why those stories exist in the first place. When you think about it, they must have a purpose. They make a change in us. Gives us a new perceptive on sorrow and happiness. But above all, they show us that there is beauty in the sadness, no matter how much we can't see it. That is why I know they are worth telling. Those... magical and beautiful stories of anguish.’’

‘’Magical... and beautiful stories of anguish!’’

‘’That's right. Now, enough about philosophical talk. I propose we stay a few minutes more, the time to let me well immersed in this place, and then we pack-up and go back home.’’

He threw the egg and gulped it in one bite. Then, he resumed his trotting around the place while I stayed there, sitting, absentmindedly playing with a pebble. At that moment, I had so much on my mind.

And it was not pretty.

‘’(Destroy! Is that what he is trying to do! He wants to destroy our way of life! The one we took years to build. A shell! Is it how he sees us?! Like chicks still trap in a... a twisted and incorrect view of the world. Our pursuit of happiness is it really that wrong and twisted? Is it looking down on us that much?! Could it be... I... I didn't want to believe it... could it be they all were right about my brother! Stop stopstopstop. It can't be that. It must be more complicate than that. He must just be misguided, that all. He's not to blame. Yes. It's just a question of misunderstandings to clarify and... twisted! Twisted! We are maximizing joy and happiness. What could be wrong with that? Our ways are not twisted. Our ways are not twisted!)’’

My heart was alternate between smothering passionate anger and coldness. It was the first time in my life I was feeling like that.

I was not sure to like that.

I didn't even understand why I was reacting like that.

In the end, I shook my head, forcing my heart to calm down.

‘’(Stop thinking like that. This is not you. And it's not fitting of an angel. Put it to rest and go back to being the jovial filly that you are. It is much better that way.)’’

Having took back control of myself, I tossed the boulder behind my shoulder and jumped back on four hooves. Then//

*crack*

That noise gave me a fright and I turned back. I grabbed my lantern with my mouth and lighted in front of me. On the wall at the end of the tunnel, I could see a crack on the rock, right at the center and the boulder I had tossed just beneath it. Apparently, it seems I had accidentally made that fissure by throwing that small stone.

With that small stone of nothing at all! I did that, really! That wall must have been more fragile than we thought.

Oh yes, it really was, because the crack expended and spread on its surface. The noise of the rock breaking was nerve wrecking and even my brother was alerted.

‘’Flo! What have you done?!’’

‘’I, I, I don't know!’’

The wall could no longer hold itself and it crumbled in a smoke of dust. We were coughing and blinded by it until it dissipated and when it did...

We were holding our breath and wondering if we were dreaming. Because it was like something coming from a fairytale.

Before us, like if it was the most natural place to be, was a door. A double door so white that it was like it was shining a light on that gloomy mine. It was so beautiful.

We still did not know at the time, but we were soon about to discover an old wound of a forgotten past.

A wound... that will help to create a fresher one.

Author's Note

Yes, I am still alive. Sorry for this long gap. Between making that difficult chapter and rewritten my very first one, it had been hard months. But there is it. The first of the three back-story chapters about Flo and Mel. The chapters that will at last explain why everything happens. If you know my style, then you will guess than that first one is the more light of the three and that the heavy stuffs will soon follow.

That back-story was the first part of my story that I had detailed crafted in my mind and I was very impatient to finally share it with you. Floral and Melancholia are both characters that are very dear to me and are the core of my story and the message I want to convey. At first, their relationship was very nebulous (for obvious reasons), but now you understand how unite that pair of siblings was. On a side note, although it was never mentioned, it was because of Mel if Flo has such a rich vocabulary for a filly of her age.

The reason if that chapter has been so hard is it was difficult to craft the character of Happy Town. (And yes, sometimes a place can be a character.) I wanted to make a location that makes it clear why its citizens love their town so much and why they act the way they do. But also that make ring a subtle, but I say subtle, alarm in the heads of the readers. All the while, making all that psychologically coherent. Finding the right balance is very tricky. I don't think Happy Town could have existed any other place but in the MLP universe.

Stay tune for the next chapter. Hopefully it won't take as much time as that one.

PS: I had put in that chapter a reference (actually the title itself is also a reference) of a literary work that I consider a great masterpiece. But what is that literary work? That, I am not telling you. Find it yourself.

Cha*t%r 8: NO NAME

Cha*t%r 8: NO NAME

Cha*t%r 8: NO NAME

We did not know how to react. I'm sure we must have looked very dump with our mouth so agape that flies could easily fly in. Our brains had a hard time processing that our eyes weren't lying.

‘’Bro. What is that?’’

‘’It's... a door. I think?’’

‘’I know it's a door but why is a door is standing there?’’

‘’Don't ask me, I have no idea.’’

At first, we were afraid of that mystery. But that fear was soon evaporated and was replaced by something else. Excitation. The joy of finding a mystery to solve. I went galloping towards that door.

‘’I am going to open it and see what behind it.’’

‘’Flo wait! We don't know what it is. This might be dangerous.’’

‘’Oh come on, it can't hurt, it's just a door. Okay, a door hidden for reasons unknown in the heart of a mountain. But reason more to investigate it.’’

‘’Oh now you're the one that want to explore. The mine spooky for you but not that?!! Make up your mind.’’

‘’This can't be compared. Can you imagine what inside? I can't. And that's why I must go in.’’

‘’But Flo.’’

‘’Too late I'm going in.’’

I ignored his protests, pushed the door and galloped on the corridor behind it. I was so excited that I barely made attention of what was around me. But it was when I entered into open space that I could not help but to stop on my track and look with wide eyes at... at all that.

All I could see was white. So much white. A clean white. More clean than a field of snow. Mel catches up with me, short of breath.

‘’Flo, what *pant* are you *pant* thinking! This could be dange... rous... ... where... are we?’’

‘’I don't know. But I think I already love it. Look at all that! It's wonderful.’’

‘’It's... I admit it is damn impressive. But... what in Celestia name is this place?’’

‘’I don't know but I can't wait to find out. What do you think it is? A long lost temple of a forgotten deity? A hidden enchanted castle? An abandoned military base?’’

‘’Let us not jump to conclusion and think carefully. Say! Is it writing that I see on the wall?’’

I turned my head to where he was looking and he was right. On the ivory wall was carved, so many to count, strange symbols that were looking nothing like our alphabet. Intrigued, we came closer to investigate it.

‘’He does look like a language. Mel, can you read it?’’

‘’Of course... that I cannot. I'm just a writer, I am not an expert in language. I don't even know if those symbols are letters or words. Although... I am not an expert but I will say that they look archaic. And ancient. You smarty one, your theory of a lost temple seems more plausible.’’

‘’I have intuition.’’

My brother continued to carefully observe those writing like if he could find an answer while I decided to drift away to find if there was something interesting. It was now that I realize that this room was quite empty. I noticed then that a piece of material had come off of a pillar. But what was peculiar was that piece of wall had a perfect cubic shape. I looked up and the hole on the pillar was also a perfect cubic shape. It was like that piece was not a detached piece but instead a block from a block set for kids. Finding that curious, I sat down and took that cube in my hooves.

‘’Oh it's light!’’

That little cube could have as well be made of styrofoam. To have a better look at it I elevated it. And the block took me with it higher. Wait what!

‘’Heh but, but, what's happening?!! Helllllp!!!’’

At my surprise, the block flew by itself, turning around in the vast room. And since I was still holding it, then that mean I was dragged on with it in that glide. And like a dump filly, instead of doing the simple thing and stop holding it, I was jigged my feet like crazy.

But even with this debacle, my brother had still his back turn on me, too absorbed by the writing to notice.

‘’Fascinating, truly fascinating. Those symbols look really old. Older than the mine//

‘’Glad you're enjoying yourself but I need help.’’

‘’But nothing look old, instead it looks brand new. How can it//

‘’Your beloved sister needs rescue.’’

‘’And how it found its way inside Mount Heaven//

‘’I mean right now.’’

‘’What a mystery. Ohh I love a mystery. It's so//

‘’Will you pay attention to me?’’

‘’Me who wanted inspiration, I think it is my lucky day//

‘’Never mind, it's quite fun in the end.’’

‘’Argh Flo, I'm thinking. Could you please stop fly away in all directions. Wait what!’’

Ah. Finally he noticed. About time. From his dump face, he must have thought he was hallucinating.

‘’WHAT!!! F, F, F, Flo, how, how are you doing that?!’’

‘’I don't know. I think it's that cube.’’

Mel grabbed me and this make me at last let go of the flying block and stopped my first flying session. A shame. I still wanted a few more minutes.

‘’Flo, how, how... how it can be possible.’’

‘’I had said I don't know. Maybe that thing is magic. I just wanted it to be higher so I can look at it more well and then... it... flew... up! Wait wait wait! Let me try something.’’

The small cube was still floating but now was staying still. I went toward it and touch it. I decided to do an experiment and I thought about it flying to the directions I wanted. And it did! The cube flew once again and hovered where I wanted it to hover. It even went to do a backflip like I imagined it to do.

‘’It's... it's awesome. Did you see, that cube is obeying me? I just have to touch it and I think it can read my intents towards it or sort of and then it does as I say. It is nearly like I levitate it myself. Is it how it how it felt to be a unicorn? If that the case then I think I will be jealous from now on.’’

‘’This... is weird. This place is too weird.’’

‘’Oh chill out for a second.’’

I probably should not have touched the block in that moment of frustration because at the simple contact, it dived toward the wall like if I had given it my anger. It hit a door and the cube fell on the floor and stayed there, having lost all life. As for us, it makes noticed that door that we didn't take attention before and we decided to investigate it.

Contrary to the first one, this one had no handles and there was a strange window of a small side beside it that was opaque and was showing nothing.

‘’Bro, what do you think it is?’’

‘’I don't know but it will be safer not to andddd you already touch it.’’

‘’Yup.’’

When I pushed my hoof on that glass, it lightens up and the door opened, well more slide, and I went towards the opening.

‘’Flo seriously, can you not feel, oh I don't know, a little tinsy worry at least?’’

‘’Oh brother. Don't do that with me. Deep inside, you are dying to see more of that place, I am not right hummm?’’

‘’Well, that's, it's not really wrong but we still should... ohhhh who I am kidding, there is no way I can resist. Okay I'm coming but you stay close to me.’’

Teheh. Somepony kno~ow how to push his buttons.

But when the door closed behind us and everything went black, there we were beginning to regret our bravado. To make matters worse, we felt the floor moving and got spook. Mel grabbed me and hold me close. I did the same and I could feel that coldness and shiver was running through him. Just like me.

For a long time, I felt it was me the true adult of us two. The voice of reason who at the occasion serve as a guide. But in this moment of vulnerability, I was feeling like the kid that I was and I was leaning on my older sibling for support.

Guess in the end, 'I was' the little sister.

‘’What is happening?’’

‘’I think... we are in an elevator. And I think we're going up.’’

Cyan lights lighten up. We could see again but their lights were too weak to dispel the dark. This was making the whole ambiance ominous.

‘’Wh, where we are going? What is going to happen to us.’’

Mel looked at me and gave a huge grin that was clearly forced. He was trying to reassure me.

‘’Don't worry sis. I'm sure nothing bad will happen.’’

The elevation came to an abrupt stop and before us, a door had slides open. We quickly galloped to the exit and we were now in a room less bigger than the first one but there was not a trace of darkness in there.

‘’Oh! I was right. Hum I mean *couff* of course, I never had any doubt.’’

‘’Yeah sure. But still... thanks you. For protecting me.’’

‘’What family for?’’

Right before us was... a... curious sight. We were not sure at what we were looking.

Our fear quickly vanished as fast as it had first came and curiosity took once again all the place. Does that make us fickle ponies?

We went closer to those... weird furniture to inspect them more thoroughly. I was finding that they were looking like desks. Desks with once again, those opaque windows. But much bigger.

‘’I feel I am repeating myself but what do you think are those?’’

‘’Well sis, I certain they are machines. But what they do? I can't even guess.’’

I tried to jump to get my higher-half on that desk like machines and saw that its surface was separated by small square with other strange symbols on each of it.

‘’Oh la la, that sound so complicate and beyond me.’’

Since touching stuffs without thinking had wielded nice results so far, I had said in my head: why not doing it again?

So I did.

Light came out of the windows and images were showing on them. Just like the screen of a movie theater. And I was not sure what it was showing.

‘’Hum. I wonder. What if I...’’

I push several times on a square and in the window, a sort of black rectangle went down on a list of that writing. I decided to stop on one at random and to push another square. On the window on our right, it shows us what was like the page of an old book. With more of that writing but also... pictures. Pictures like those you expect to find in tomes of time of olde.

Ponies, depicted in a lateral profile, kneeling and worshiping a unicorn on a terrace. That unicorn was higher than the average pony. Slender, gracious and more well-build, a lot like our princess. And her mane was a fiery red, cascading on her person. The background were the buildings of what was clearly a city. Who looked both ancient and advanced.

Mel turned his head toward me, dumbfounds.

‘’How did you manage to know how to use those... whatever those are?’’

‘’It's hard to explain. I thought that they were complex but... but after just a try it's like, well, like those machines themselves were making the job easier for me and guiding my hoof. I am not sure I make much sense.’’

I feel I need to interrupt the story momentarily to explain about the technology of the ancient civilization. As I will discover much later, it turns out that those ancient ponies made their machines with easy accessibility in mind. I don't know if is the way they are made make them easier to understand or if at a touch, a connection form between them and our mind and they give you the basic working of those devices. Well, as I had said, it is hard to explain. You have to try them to understand. To make simple, the technology of the ancient civilization is made so it is impossible to understand how it works but it is so easy to use it that even a child can make them work. I am the living proof.

To come back on the present moment, us two were beginning to get a grasp on the monumental discovery we just did.

‘’Mel. What we have found. Do you think what I think we think it is?’’

‘’I think so. If so, it's... it's mind-blowing. What are we doing with that?’’

‘’Well. I am no archeologists or engineer but I think that machine contains information on the history of that place. So what do you say? Want to find out more?’’

‘’Oh you already know the answer.’’

I am ashamed to say that but to be the first to discover those ruins, maybe we were not the best choice. Gone was our reverence of that place and we were like juvenile ponies who had found something very fun to do. We spend an hour, maybe more, in that room. Looking at images of a time long gone. Plans of the ruins which were far more huge than we could ever have imagined. And semantics of gadgets with instructions we could not read but that were coming with a lot of visuals. And all we had found so far was nothing more than a small percent. Just the tip of the iceberg. But it was enough to give us an idea of what that civilization was and what they could do. It was beyond our wildest imagination. We understood that this could change history as we know it.

If only we had treated that discovery more seriously.

Realizing how late it was, we had decided to go on our way back toward home. Besides, we had already seen so much, it was becoming a little too hard to process. We were on the corridor leading to the entrance gate of the ruins. Although I was so happy by our little excursion who had become so much better than I had anticipated, I was becoming tired and I was impatient to go back to my house and so, I was running toward the mine with my brother lagging behind.

‘’Hurry up Mel. Can you imagine the time it is? We must be way past supper right now and I am starving.’’

‘’I'm coming, I'm coming. But I see your point. Personally, I crave to plunge myself into a hot water tub full of bubbles. All that excitement had me feel sweaty.’’

‘’Eyuuuh, I would have like not knowing that. Hihihi. I can't wait to tell the others about those ruins. When they will discover these were hidden at just a few feet of us. The faces they will make. Oh but it will not stop there, all Equestria will want to hear about it. I can already see that. Dozens and dozens of teams of researchers will come swarming this place. Times will sure soon become exciting. Wait! That means Happy Town will too soon become famous! By Celestia, all ponies will soon know our name. Tourist business will explode but above all else, our way of life will be heard across all the kingdom.’’

‘’Flo. Can I ask you something?’’

In his voice, I could detect a bit of shame. I stopped my joyful rant and put myself in a serious but amiable mood. I don't know what he will ask me but it seems he doesn't feel comfortable with it.

‘’Yes big brother, what it is?’’

‘’Well, the thing is, it is a very selfish request. I am warming you, if you are not comfortable with it, then feel free to refuse. I won't hold it on you.’’

‘’!!! ... Alright, this make me worry a little. What is it?’’

‘’Could we keep those ruins a secret? Temporary, of course.’’

‘’What! I don't get it. Just... why?’’

‘’I told you it was selfish. Better forget I had said anything.’’

‘’Okay okay, stop, stop. At least tell me why.’’

‘’*sigh* Fine. Well, the reason, is the same one for why we went in that mine in the first place. I wanted to bask within lost futures and dreams and walk on vestiges filled with the ghosts of the past, all to find inspiration. And the mine was great but it just can't compare to... to 'this'.’’

He waved his hoof to all that was surrounding us. His expression was filled with exuberance like I had never seen on him before. This was enough to make me nearly think he was unhinged.

‘’This isn't just a piece of history, it is a whole world who had died, one that nopony have any memories left, making those ruins on the mist beautiful graveyard there is. The wishes and dreams of the future that were not fulfilled are floating in the air, I can feel them sipping into my skin. This enough to give inspiration for years, no, decades. It is the chance of a lifetime.’’

Again with his obsession. When he will learn to let go NO! Not now Flo. Not now. Just continue to listen him.

‘’But the problem is when words of this place will get out, like you had said, archeologists will storm this place in matter of a day. Which necessarily mean that for the sake of research, they close these ruins, forbidding access for the public for a very long time. And that means bye bye the awesome inspiration for me. That is why, I... I would like if we tell nopony for a while.’’

‘’Hummm. I'm not quite sure how to feel about that. For how long?’’

‘’Oh not long. Two weeks, that's all I ask. No more, I promise. I know well it is too big to keep for myself, I will feel too guilty if I do that. I just want the time to fully absorb all that past. But like I had said, it's up to you. Say you don't agree and I will insist no more and I will have no hard feelings. I swear. So, what do you say?’’

I wondered deeply about what he was asking of me. I could see it is something he really wants and I understood his reasoning. And yet, even if it was important to him, he was kind enough to put no pressure on me. Still, I was not quite sure if it was alright even if it was hurting no one. To keep that secret. For a short time yes but... but... wait! A secret! Between my brother and me! It was silly of me, I know. But deep inside, I was tip-dancing on my hooves and giggling like a little filly. How long it has been since we share a secret just the two of us like the days of my childhood. Well I still have a childhood in a way, but, you understand what I mean.

But there is no way I will admit to him this was making me very happy. So I played it cool.

‘’Wellll, when you think about it, those ruins had stayed there for so, so long. So it's not like there will be going anywhere in the span of two short weeks.’’

‘’So you accept!’’

‘’At one condition. Each time you return here, you take me with you.’’

‘’Agreed. I was hoping you would say that.’’

‘’What was the last part?’’

‘’Nothing nothing. Alright, time to go back home shall we.’’

‘’Great. Say, have you thought about we will make for supper.’’

‘’Huuuuu.’’

‘’Rhetorical question, I know you didn't. Luckily I am here.’’

After that day, we went back to our daily life. You probably expect that after discovering shattering worldview about your past and finding wonders beyond your wildest dreams, you will feel as if your world as tumble-down, or as if a malaise was gripping your soul, or even having a little wondering of if there were more mysteries hidden in plain sight.

But when you came back in the comfort of your house, this great adventure became like a distant memory. It was like if my brother and I had found a nice place to hang up in future days. And I sure was not fully grasping what those ruins and its effects on our society will soon have. Too blinded by wonder. I think my brother knew what their true importance had, but at the moment, his passion was taking all the place.

The first week passed quickly. During the days, we were doings our usual occupations. During the evenings, we were going to those ruins, just standing there. By brothers was snooping every corner, touching every wall intimately like if they could talk to him, telling him their history. As for me, I had invented a cool trick. Since I can move those blocks with a single touch, I had the idea to sit on them and use them as flying chairs. You have no idea how fun it was. The first time, I knew what it feels to be a unicorn. Now, I knew what it feels to be a pegasus. Still, I wonder how those who built those machines would react if they could see them being used for such a childish purpose. They probably would roll-up in their graves.

However, we didn't touch the big machine desk thingy that was serving as a library. We had at least enough respect to leave it as it is for the future researchers. Because 'we will' eventually reveal that incredible place to the world. We will keep our words.

Now you may think that after all the time I had spent talking about those ruins, that they will soon become important. You will be surprised but the truth is they have a very minimal presence in that story. Yes I know, we all naturally assume that something that big and unusual will surely make an impact.

But it is often the most ordinary things already present in our lives that can make the most impact.

And change everything.

There were only a few days left before we decide to spill the bean. But it was far from our thoughts. Mine at least. No, what was preoccupying me was to finish my breakfast the sooner possible. I couldn't believe I had overslept that day, a day of choral no less. That may be the first day where I could be late. Well, no way in hell, I was telling myself. May Celestia be witness, I will never be late for my most important duty.

A shame my esophagi was not agreeing with me.

The cereal I ate got stuck and I was frantically hitting my chest. Mel came to me and struck my back, helping me re-catching my breath.

‘’Hey slow down, slow down silly little one.’’

‘’*couf**couf* I'm alright, I'm alright. ThankyouforthebreakfastbutIgottago.’’

I push away my bowl, get out of my chair and ran toward my saddlebag and put my things inside. My brother sat down in his place laughing at my debacle. The jerk.

‘’Relax Flo. I know the choral is important for you but I am sure they would not mind waiting a few minutes for your arrival.’’

‘’Oh yeah, very professional. What kind of image I will give if their angel came late. It will be like if I say I only half-care about them.’’

‘’Ho ho. But it seems my little sis got a high opinion of herself. You should be careful or your head may inflate.’’

‘’It's serious please. Don't joke about that. Besides, today is not any ordinary choral day. I had promised to Twig Green that this one would be specifically for her.’’

‘’!!! Oh! Oooooh. She lost her father last week. The poor thing. She took it so hard. Wait! So what you are telling me, is that you are dedicated that day to her? To show that we here to support her?’’

‘’That's right.’’

‘’Then you are really impressing me. Your kindness knows no bounds. That's good. Her plead really tugs my heart. I know what it is to lose parents.’’

‘’Well on that I reassure you. She is feeling much better now.’’

‘’Already! That seems so soon! What'd happen?’’

‘’When I heard the new, I went to see her. The poor was crying all the tear she could on her bed. So I talked to her and try to console her. I told her that she was not alone, that her father was always with her and that even if she can't see it now, one day she would be able to smile again. Well it was more complicate than that but to make a short story, I managed to make less sad and more happy. Which is great, she sure needed it.’’

...

...

...

A silence had settled in the room. I should have found it uncomfortable but at that time, I was too busy packing my bag to notice it. My back was facing my brother so I could not see him.

But thinking back... he must look at me weirdly.

‘’Flo... who had asked you to do that?’’

‘’Hum? Nopony. I decided myself.’’

‘’Well... that was very nice of you, I don't deny it but... you sure it was a good idea? It seems a topic too personal to intrude and also you... don't really know how grief work.’’

‘’Ah sure yes but I know about happiness and how to help find it again. It's little my raison d'étre remember.’’

I had said showing him my rump.

‘’Besides, I have plenty of experience giving advice. Don't want to brag-on but everypony is so grateful of them. Tell that to Sturdy Hoof for example. You know, the barrel builder. The one that helped me learn to sing. He often have problems with his wife, oh but nothing quite serious. So he comes to me when he wants some help.’’

‘’What! You, you give marital advices?! But//

‘’Yes I know, I'm so young. But he had never complained once. And at once that they are more happy, is not all that matter?’’

I really should have noticed how worried he had become. But I did not, being too preoccupied by the job I had to do.

‘’You know Flo, I think... I think I should have asked that question way sooner but... what does that title of angel of Happytown entail?’’

‘’Welll, it's not like it came with job instructions. Basically it consists just to help whenever I can and being a good example. Like what I am supposed to do right now, I signal you.’’

‘’Okay but... how do you help?’’

‘’Anyway I can. Giving advices like I had said. Helping with a chore when somepony have a problem. Uplift when I see one who is feeling down. Don't expect me to tell you all the list, they don't all came at the top of my head.’’

‘’But... how frequently you are doing those things?’’

‘’How should I know? Your questions are weird.’’

‘’So you can't even tell. Is that angel thing that serious?’’

‘’I'm afraid I don't see your point. Were you thinking I was playing around?’’

‘’That not what... I am not reproaching you, it's just... you don't think it is going overb//

‘’There. All set. Now I am at last ready to leave. Sorry but I must hurry, I can still make it on time. Later.’’

‘’Wait Flo, I had not fini//

I don't let him finish, more like I barely took notice of him, and galloped straight to the door. Too busy fearing being late to see how...

How he had a bad feeling about what was resting on my shoulder.

After I finished singing my last note, everypony went back home with peace in their heart. Even Twig Green gave me a smile. A faint one, but it was there. When all were gone, there was only me and mayor Paternal left.

‘’My little Floral, this time you have surpassed yourself.’’

‘’Thanks mayor. I just hope it would have made some good to Twig.’’

‘’Oh I am sure it would. If we had all felt your warm feeling then I am sure she did too.’’

‘’Happy to hear it. Alright I will go prepare my stuffs and then I will go home. It may be long.’’

‘’Take all your time. I will wait for you.’’

I went to the next room and opened the door. Once I crossed it, I pushed it on my way so that it can close behind me. But I missed and the latch did not properly enter the hole, making the door only nearly closed. Wanting to rectify my mistake, I turned back but through the thin opening, I could spot something surprising.

At the doorway of the chapel, my own brother, bathed by the light of day, crossed it and walked toward the mayor.

‘’Mel! How good to see you. We don't see you often here.’’

‘’Good day mayor Paternal.’’

‘’If it is for the performance of Flo, I'm afraid you are too late. She just had finished.’’

‘’That quite alright, it is not for that I am here. Where is she?’’

‘’She is at the lodge. If you want, I go search for her.’’

‘’No it is fine. The truth is if I had come, it's to see you.’’

‘’Me!’’

‘’Yes, I need to discuss on something important. Something very important.’’

‘’Alright? What is it?’’

I could see my brother taking a deep breath for then releasing it.

‘’From what I had heard, it seems my little sister had become a local celebrity. No, more than that, she is being idolatred and all see her as a role model. Despite being such a young age.’’

‘’That's right. You could not be more true. She is an inspiration for us all. We are all so lucky to have been blessed with such a special child.’’

‘’Hum. Well I won't deny that she is exceptionally precocious and quite pure heart. Hell, she is way more responsible than me. But to hear that she had... such presence among Happy Town! I was quite surprised.’’

‘’You mean you did not know! Oh Mel, that you stay coop up from us is one thing, but that you don't see the true worth of your own sister! I am temp to say it is hurtful.’’

That... what a slightly reproaching remark coming from him. I am not sure the mayor was even aware. Mel was taken aback but he got back his composure.

‘’Yes. Yes you're right. I am really ashamed to not having noticed it sooner. I did not take that angel thing seriously enough. I had always thought that it was nothing more than an endearing nickname to show how much she is loved. But it goes beyond than that. She is a symbol. Which is precisely why I come to you.’’

His face becomes one of grave seriousness, leaving no place for jokes. One that I had never, ever, once see him having before.

‘’This whole angel of Happy Town thing. It needs to be toned down. If not, to be stopped completely.’’

‘’Whaaat! But, bu bu bu, I don't understand! How can you ask something like that?!’’

‘’I know it is brutal and for that I am sorry. But it is something I need to do for the sake of Flo. This is not a game. She is taking that task that you had given her very seriously like if it was an important duty. And for what she had told me, you, also took that very seriously.’’

‘’Of course it is serious. She makes Happy Town better.’’

‘’By herself? Well you did good to make her believe that. She feels she had to play the hero and to fix all the problems she finds on her path, big or small. Have you any idea how many days I see her coming back home, tired and still, never complaining and always smiling. And like a fool I had never made the connection.’’

The mayor, once shaken, softens considerably and the light of comprehension shone on his eyes.

‘’Aaaaah, now I see. You are just worried about her well-being. Sorry, I had first thought... no it does not matter. Well, if it's that then I can hardly blame you. I understand you. I had once the same worry that you have. But I should not worry too much about her if I were you. She is young yes but she is exceptional. She is strong, clever and driven. She knows what she is doing. And she always does a job well-done. You know as well as I that she would not stop no matter what we tell her because it had always been her own decision. We did not give that title because we felt she must become a symbol of happiness. We gave it to her to highlight what she already was.’’

Mel was grinding his teeth.

‘’And... what she is supposed to be?’’

‘’Well, an angel of course. She is such a wonderful angel.’’

‘’NO SHE'S NOT. SHE'S JUST A CHILD. She's just... a child. She is a normal pony with her flaws and her limits. And you are asking her to become what she is not. For Celestia sake, can't you see this a role too high for her?’’

To say I was spooked... would be a euphemism. My brother... my Mel... was furious! He, whom I was so sure that he was incapable of that. He was nearly unrecognizable. Maybe I should have listened to that fear and understand why it was acting that way. But instead...

That fear in my heart was numb. Like all the rest.

Because another feeling was taking all the place.

Mayor was still trying to be cordial but it was clear that his patience was starting to wane.

‘’Melancholia, now you do are being hurtful. And you don't treat your own sister at her just value. You want to deny all the good she can do. I had always been sorrowful that you could never get rid of your pessimistic views of the world. But that they strip Flo of what makes her special! Now this is going too far.’’

Mel covered his eyes with his hoof and started laughing. Even though that laugh had no trace of amusement in it.

‘’Hahahaha, typical Happy townians. Once you find something that look and sounds positive, you just stop thinking and only look at the surface. Never pondering about the future and what consequences might happen. But I can. And let me tell you. There are, so, many, alarms that ring in my head. Have you ever imagined that she could become isolate because of that pedestal you gave her? You call her special but that also means she is not an equal and nopony would feel worthy of approaching her. What will happen if she gives too high-standards for herself. Anything could go wrong, she might find a problem too big for her and this might be enough to make her feel like a failure. And what would happen if she felt she must not allow herself to cry, that she had to keep everything inside for the sake of not betray the ideal she represents and so on, and so on. By turning her into a symbol, you invite a lifestyle that could be dangerously detrimental for her well-being.’’

‘’I am more than tired to be insulted by your words. No one care more about little Floral than us//

‘’And another thing. Do you think I do not see what this is all about?’’

‘’Wh, what do you mean?’’

My brother walked toward the mayor, turning to his side, and look at him with such a cold, cold gaze.

‘’Question. What happens when somepony loses a wife or a husband?’’

‘’What!?’’

‘’Answer. Usually, he or she gives all the love they have toward their child. And that child receives the love worth of two ponies for the price of one. The reason if I tell you that is this is a little same principle, is it not. Mom and dad were very much loved by all the town when they were alive. You could even say they were the heart of the community. And they were good friends to you too. When they die in that landslide, Happy Town had lost an important piece of itself. So, you did like those widows and widowers and put all that love into the child of my parents. I was the black sheep so it was difficult to do that with me. But Flo, she was so much like them. And so she became a pony receiving the love of three ponies.’’

‘’... ... What you say is probably true. But still... I don't see what wrong with that. What is wrong with a little girl receiving so much love? She does deserve it after all.’’

‘’What is wrong is because you do not allow yourself to feel sorrow you didn't properly grief. You had used my sister as a comforting blanket to protect you from that grief, until you have even forgotten why you adore her so much. And then you became greedy and decided to make her into a pony like those Mane 6 so that she and your ideal of happiness can go to new heights. Open your eyes please. This is not healthy. None of it is. Neither for her nor for you.’’

Mel made a big sigh to release all the tension in him.

‘’Sorry for lashing out. ... Look. If we both cold-down our head and discuss calmly... I'm even willing to come to a compromise where//

‘’That's enough brother of mine.’’

The door opened-up slowly with a creaking sound. Showing to those ponies in the chapel my full person. And my cold stare, colder than the one of my brother. Which once he saw me, lost all his composure.

‘’Flo! You were listening to us?!’’

‘’Yes. And I must say I am shock. I never expected that coming from you Mel.’’

I had said with a voice devoid of feeling. I never imagine I could be capable of so much anger. So much I could not even express it. And as I went closer to my brother, each of my steps had to be carefully choreographed because I could no longer do them by reflexes. Mel was taking steps-back as I was now in front of him.

‘’So you think that I am not able to take care of myself? You think I am that naive?’’

‘’That's not what I'd say Flo. I meant//

‘’You know, I had always tried my best to encourage your strange lifestyle. Even though there were days when it was hard. But now I learn that you are looking down on my job. I feel betrayed you know.’’

The mayor behind me could see that tension was being build-up and wanted to calm me down

‘’Flo, please don't act like that. It was just//

Without turning back, I held my hoof to my side, telling to not butt-in and stay silent.

‘’Sorry mayor, but this is a family matter. Leave us the two of us alone please. I will see you soon.’’

I leave no room for discussion.

‘’Hum! Al, alright Flo. I... I will be at the stairs.’’

He went away, a little perturbed by my behavior. Can hardly blame him. I was not even recognizing myself.

Once the doors closed, me and my brother were alone, face to face.

‘’How could you Mel? How could you say that all I did was bad?’’

‘’Please, do not see it that way. I am worried about you, that's all.’’

‘’And what there is to worry exactly? I help to bring happiness to all and their happiness is my happiness. This is my purpose. My duty. And you are saying that you want to steal me that.’’

‘’See. That is exactly what I am talking about. You are already seeing that as a duty.’’

‘’That is because it is. Look, I don't care for which reason they gave me that role. Because right now this is what I like to do. This is my place in the world.’’

‘’But that just it Flo. I do not ask you to stop. Believe me on that, nopony more than me know about wanting to do what we like. I just ask you to tone it down. It's becoming taxing to you.’’

‘’But think about it. There exists a lot of jobs that are taxing and tiring for the body. Yet, there are ponies that are still doing them. So then, why it could not be the same for me. Is it not a little tiredness a small price to pay for doing what I like and what I must do. Besides, I am still young. I will eventually build-up more stamina.’’

‘’You're just a kid Flo. Realize this is too much for a kid.’’

‘’The ponies of Happy Town choose me to be their angel because they knew I was capable. I will not doubt their trust in me.’’

‘’If you had listened to all I say then you must know they are not//

‘’Paranoia. That is what it is and that is what is talking for you. Just plain paranoia. Because you are a weird pony with weird taste and weird ideas and now you want to bring us in your madness.’’

That... must have hit him right at the heart. He recoiled like if he had been slapped. It probably had hurt as much as that. But yet, I was still going on with my assault.

‘’And how can you know so much about us? How can you judge us? You never interact with us. You're always hidden in your corner with your stuffs. So how the hell do you know we are so wrong?’’

‘’Flo! Ple, please understand, it is not easy for me. They may look nice and cordial in my presence but I can tell they don't really want me. No matter what I try, they can't like me.’’

‘’Oh. So you mean this is all about resentment? Is it why you don't like the attention they give me?’’

‘’No! No. I promise you this is not about that. Yes, I am sometimes angry at my hometown but never to the point to hating them. This is not about them. This is because I love you that I want to rethink that duty of yours.’’

‘’Well you have a very strange way to show your love.’’

‘’Flo//

‘’No you listen to me. This is not about me. This is not about you. It is about making the world better. There is no way that bringing smiles can be a wrong thing. So this time, it is time I lay a line on the sand. Keep your twisted way of life out of me and my destiny.’’

‘’But... but I just wanted to help you.’’

‘’Arrrh forget it. This discussion is going in circles. If you refuse to see reason then I prefer to stop it right now. I have no longer have the patience to deal with it.’’

It was true. If I had stayed a minute any longer, I feared I may have said nasty stuffs. Well, nastier than I already say at least. So I went my way to the door for some fresh air.

‘’I'm going home. I need some time alone.’’

‘’Alright but I will come back on this discussion.’’

‘’Not today please. Just... just not today.’’

‘’*sigh* Fair enough.’’

‘’Alright. See you soon then.’’

‘’Flo.’’

‘’What?’’

‘’I love you. More than anything. You know that?’’

‘’... ... Yes. I know.’’

But still, I was seeing this whole discussion as an attack personal on me. I was so angry at him. And I was not liking what I was becoming. Which was making me angry at myself.

Which was making me even more angry at him.

The rest of the evening had been spent... quietly. We had taken our super in silence, not talking to each other, not even glancing at each other. We were politely acknowledging our presence but we were doing like if there was nothing to discuss.

Yes, for both of us, it had been a very awkward evening.

We then went to bed with a simple good-night.

For hours, I was incapable to sleep.

My thoughts were too agitated for drowsiness to come. Staring at the ceiling was the only thing I could do. It was now that I realize that my earlier outburst was just not the anger from a single day, but one that had accumulated over months without me noticing. I had tried my best to not agreeing to the opinions the citizens of Happy Town about my brother. I really did, I swear. But... I had also never disagreed with them. He was going against the ideal we were going for.

I guess I leave that question on hold for... a very long time.

But now I saw that it is no longer on hold. I, was, agreeing with everypony and seeing my beloved brother as... I don't know. Something not good.

I was thinking of today. And how both of our personalities were clashing like if they could not fit together. I was thinking of happy days of the past. And how they now feel tainted. No longer able to see my brother with the same light. And wondering if I should have done something instead to let him continue on that path. I was thinking of future days. Wondering if I could still be able to enjoy them when to me, my brother was now... a deviant.

This was too much for me and I got up from the bed. I needed to move my body or otherwise I will go crazy.

I went to the floor below, discretely, fearing to wake-up Mel. I was planning to go to the exit door, going outside into the fresh night air, looking up at the starry sky, hoping it will help me clear my ideas. But it was then that my eyes caught glimpses of something.

The light of the pale moonlight, the same moonlight as our nights at the pond, was coursing through the window and resting its white drape on the shelf full of books. The novels written by Mel.

There they were.

The passion of my brother.

His life work that nopony want to recognize.

And in a way, the source of all those problems.

Now I am going to tell you something that will surprise you all. But the truth is...

I had not read any of his books.

Not a single one.

I know. It might seem weird that for all this time, I had been supportive of his work and yet not to have a single idea on what his books are talking about. Mel is writing tragedies and I have no interest in them. That is why his novels had always been a nebulous concept for me. Something I was starting to realize now. Oh sure, I had heard his music and saw his paintings, though I prefer not linger for long around them. But those books are where his true devotion is. Where he put most of his time and work. He is a black sheep among us, he rejects our way, he works day and night even though he receives no reward for it. All, for them. So... looking at those tomes, I was telling myself...

‘’Maybe it's time that I finally know what this is all about.’’

I took a stool, jumped on it and grabbed several books at random without even bothering to look at the titles. Once I had several in balance on my back, I was searching for a place to read them. My head turned to the door of the writing atelier who is at the opposite of the shelf and that was now covered in pitch black. The place where Mel isolates himself for long periods of time.

Yes. That seems a good place to quietly read.

I opened the door and closed it behind me. I lighted the gas lamp and sat before the desk of my brother. I took a book and put it on the wooden surface. I stayed there, my hooves on it without moving, hesitating. No sure if I really should. But then, I opened it violently and started reading the first words.

I knew he had a talent for writing but it was only now I understood how gifted he was. My eyes were darting from word to word and my hooves were turning the pages on automatic. It was impossible for me to stop. I finished the first book in... I had no idea how much time it took. I had lost all notion of time. And once I finished, I quickly grabbed another one and opened it. It had become a need. Then after, I went to the next one and the next one and the next one not caring for the health of my eyes. I just could not stop.

That was how powerful his words were.

‘’Flo. Flo, are you there? I can't find you.’’

I could hear my brother descending the stairs. I guess morning had come without me realizing. But since he is a late-morning pony, then it's probably even more late than that.

‘’Flo? Flo, where are you? Heh wait! Some books are missing! Could it be?’’

The sound of his hoofsteps was approaching. It was a perfect timing, I had just finished the last page of the last book when Mel creak open the door, bathing the stuffy study with the light of the day.

‘’Ah there you were hidden. What are you doing here... with... my...’’

Even if he was behind me, I could tell that he had glimpses at the pile of books and understood everything.

‘’Flo... did you... read them?’’

I answered in a robotic voice:

‘’Yes. All of them. I had spent all the night reading them without stopping.’’

Mel at first did not know how to react. His hooves were shuffling on the wooden floor and thought he wanted to talk, his words were staying stuck in his throat. I didn't see him but I knew he did that. I just knew.

‘’Oh well, that is, hum, well that is unexpected. I... hum... I happy that that you had decided to read them, read... so many... but theyyyy might not be suitable for a pony of your age since... since... ... please Flo, tell me, I want to hear your opinion. Did you like them?’’

I could feel myself trembling to my very core. So much that I had to hold myself with my hooves to calm it down.

‘’Did you find my characters fascinating? Did I managed to well convey their pleads? Did my plots and ideas were well thought? I was trying my best to be original.’’

My teeth were grinding so much that was hurting my jaw. While he just would not stop talking.

‘’I'm sorry, I don't want to come as needy but it is very important for me. I was expecting that nopony would ever give me a proper opinion and you are the most important pony in my life. Your opinion is the most important to me. What... what were... Oh what I am saying, I really am too needy. Forget what I had said and just tell me if you had loved them.’’

‘’What...’’

I turned around to face him... and I don't dare to imagine what face I was making.

‘’What was THOSE HORRORS?’’

...

...

...

My brother face was stuck on his smiling expression. But his eyes were showing that something inside had broken.

‘’Huh? I... don't understand.’’

‘’Those books. They are, they are... I just can't find words. Is it really on that you put most of your time? To create those repulsive stories!’’

As I talked, I was angrily walking toward him. I must have looked very scary because as I was approaching him, he was stepping back in fear of me even though he was the big pony.

‘’Flo, please, this is harsh what you say. You don't have to spell it like that. You are just no use to tragedies, that's all. Yes, it's true mine are pretty intense but it is because I can't write any other way, that's all.’’

‘’Intense. INTENSE! It had made me miserable. I had never felt so awful. And yet I was not capable of stopping, I went on and on and I was trapped in a morbid curiosity that was forcing me to know what happens next and read other horrible stories to distract myself from the ones I had already read.’’

‘’But//

‘’And how the hell did you came out with theses? An incestuous love story finishing in heartache! A pony struggling with murderous desires! A tale of revenge and organized crime! And, and, arrh and much more that don't dare mention. Tell me. What must go through your head to come up with such twisted ideas. Is it really what you are, twisted?’’

‘’But no, no I am not. This is just what I love to write. That doesn't mean I am what I write.’’

‘’Are you, brother? Are you? I feel like a fool. If I had known this was how you were spending your days, I will have never supported you. And you wonder why nopony want to publish you or buy your craftsponyship? You wonder why nopony want to hang out with you? They were right about you. They were all right about you and I should have listened to them.’’

My big brother was no longer a big brother. He was crying uncontrollably and to me he looked like he had become a small and vulnerable child.

‘’Please Flo... not you. Everypony but you.’’

‘’No. I no longer be blind just because you are family. What you are doing is obscene. YOU ARE OBSCENE.’’

‘’No it's not true, it's not true.’’

‘’Stop acting like that. I have enough of you. I don't want to be here.’’

I know it was exaggerated but this house filled with everything he had worked for was making me sick. Symbols against everything I was believing in. I wanted to get out. So I ran and even pushed my brother before me and he fell down. As I galloped towards the exit door, he had held his hoof toward me in a pleading gesture.

‘’Flo wait, don't go away//

I went outside and slammed shut the door.

‘’... ... Flo!?’’

I didn't go away completely. I was in the terrace, trying to make sense of the violent feelings submerging me. Without success. Even with door and wall between us, I could still hear him. He was crying. No. He was weeping like if he was the saddest and loneliest pony of the world. And it was making me cry too. So I ran away like I never did because hearing him sobbing was making me guilty and miserable. And as I galloped to tear, I was asking myself...

How did it come to this?

What I did that day was simply nothing more than betray. My brother was good to put the facade that he was in peace with how alien he was compared to all the rest of Happy Town. But the truth is he never was alright with being isolated. He was just enduring in silence. In a way, I was his only friend. And there I go, being disgusted by him. How he must have felt? Did he feel abandoned? Did he feel hopeless? Or maybe he felt that we were right and that he really was a deviant? I may as well have stabbed in the heart. And then stabbed again and again without mercy. I did betray him. But like a fool, I was the one who had felt betrayed. Because I am the angel of Happy Town and everything that is sorrowful must be my enemy. Tell me. Do you hate me now? Well if you do...

it is surely not enough.

I had passed the rest of the day at the mayor house. He was kind enough to harbor me without asking questions. When came the evening, I went back to my house to see how Mel was holding up. Before I even touch the first step of the stair, Mel came out from the door and he had on his back many saddlebacks and equipment that looked heavy for only one pony. When he saw me, he looked surprise.

‘’Oh! ... Hello... Floral.’’

‘’Hello brother. What are you doing with... all this?’’

‘’Oh, you know. It is soon the end of the deadline before we decide to speak about the ruins. So... since it will be my last chance to profit from their splendor, I am going to make it count and stay a full day. Maybe more. Then I will reveal them to the public.’’

‘’Ah. I see. That seems nice. (Yeah right. The true reason is that you want some time alone. I will have done the same.)’’

‘’Yes. So I will go now. ... ... Say. I had prepared extra food and sleeping bags just in case. You want to come?’’

‘’I... ... sorry. But... I rather not.’’

‘’Oh... yes. Yes, of course. I understand, it was dumb to... ... anyway, I should go. If you change your mind, you know where to find me.’’

‘’Yes. I will think about it.’’

‘’Alright. Then... see you later.’’

‘’See you... later.’’

With just that as a goodbye, he went on the path leading to the forest who will then lead to the mountain. I just stand there, looking at him shrinking in the distance. I felt I could have said a better farewell, or at least, said some nice words, but I was still mad at him and my feelings were still too mixed to address properly. Once he was out of view, I sighed. I felt guilty but I was feeling reliefs that it will be gone. Even if it is just for a single day. I was doing my best to keep it inside but I was still so angry at him.

And I really needed a break from that.

‘’Is that true mayor! It really happens!?’’

‘’Yes, I swear. You should have seen the face I made. It was a little like that.’’

He made a goofy face and we both burst of laughter to the point that my stomach felt cramped. Gosh, how much I needed that.

A few hours after Mel departure, I decided again to see Mayor Paternal. He gladly invited me for a late evening tea. He knows that if there is one pony that can light up the ambiance, is him. With his help, I was feeling serene once again.

‘’Oh thank you mayor to have let me in. You have no idea how better I feel.’’

‘’My house is your house. You can stay as much as you want.’’

‘’That's nice of you but let us not exaggerate. I just wanted a moment to talk with a dear friend. I do not mind sleeping at my house even if I will be all alone. Quite the contrary, I will find it relaxing.’’

‘’So the rumors that Melancholia went away with lots of luggage were true.’’

And there it goes. My good mood was flying away. Just talking about him is enough to make me gloomy again. So annoying.

‘’Oh... yes, hum. Mel decided to take a trip out of town to find inspiration. He does not exactly know when it will come back.’’

That was technically not a lie.

‘’I see. Say. Did something happen with him? I notice you seem to tense when I mention him. And you know, since at the chapel//

‘’Please, I would like us to stop talking about him.’’

‘’Heh! Hum, alright, if you insist.’’

I may have been forceful, but I really wanted to take a break of Mel.

As I putted down my cup on the saucer, I noticed it was shaking. Great. Was I really that upset?

I released it from my grip.

Ahhh! It still was shaking on its own. And the cup of the mayor too! Strange. What could cause that?

Anyway I quickly forget that and went back to have a good time with the mayor. All my bad thoughts were drifted away and I felt I was becoming back the happy little filly I was supposed to be. This is our devise. No matter what, always thrive to keep your smile. I had nearly forgotten that.

Some time had passed since he went away. I would like to say that the house felt empty without him but the truth is that I had quite enjoyed the me-time. I was feeling refreshed. As long as I was not looking too much at the shelf of books. I am ashamed to say that for all this time, my brother was not in my thoughts.

Or so I thought.

As I was preparing dinner, I noticed that I was preparing too much. I was making for two and didn't question it. Old habits do die hard. This made me wonder...

‘’Does he eat properly? I know he had brought a lot with him but he has been gone for... hum, how long? One. Two. Three days! He had stayed on those ruins for three whole days and didn't notice it! I know he had said it could be more than one day but still... . But it is Mel I am talking about. He gets so often lost in his passion that he loses all notion of time. And I have to be here to get it back to reality. Must I do it again?’’

I really did not want to do that. I was feeling free of those... icky feelings and... I was no longer so sure if he deserves my attention that much. I lighted the stove for my vegetarian ragout and went out of the kitchen since the meal won't be ready after some time. As I walked the corridor, I proclaim:

‘’You know what. Forget about him. If he wants to stay with his obscene obsessions then it is his problem. I had done so much for him, let him deal with his problems alone. I deserve to take care of myself for once.’’

I was decided. You may even call it a promise encrusted into my heart. I went into my bedroom and slam the door shut. It might have been a metaphor for shutting all my thoughts about Mel.

Not even five seconds later, I reopened it and went back on my steps.

‘’*sighhh* How I wish it would be that simple.’’

So, once the ragout was ready, I put it in a thermos and with saddlebacks on by back, I went outside to go straight to the ruins where my brother is.

I guess in the end, even if my opinion of him had changed... he still my family.

I was crossing the forest to go to the mountain. I took that path so many times that I am sure I could cross it my eyes close. Not that I would. The light piercing through the foliage of those vegetal giants was making it quite a serene scene. It was enough... to take me into a pensive mood.

I reached the foot of the mountain before I realize it. Once I climbed the rock and reach the entrance of the tunnel, I took out my lantern and light it on. Then, I went into the darkness.

Once inside its stone walls, all sounds of the nature had disappeared. There was only the echo of my hoofsteps. The first time, I was finding that oppressive. But after a few trips going into that mine, I was beginning to see its charms. The echoes were making me think of the chapel because I found now the noise majestic. The same is also true for the dark. At first it was scaring me but I then developed a love for it. It is true that we fear the dark because anything could hide in there. But if anything could hide in there, then why not beautiful things? So I like to imagine that fairies or other magical dreams are concealed behind the veil of black.

But all the quiet was also working against me. It was helpful for burying feelings to emerge. Like the guilt I had tried to push-back for the past days.

This made me grind the metal ring of the lantern between my teeth. As I was crossing the natural bridge, I was no longer able to see my previous shouting with Mel the same way.

Maybe I had been too harsh on him?

Maybe treated him like a deviant was plain cruel?

And maybe he was now feeling so alone?

Could it be the true reason on why he was isolated himself in these ruins?

Wait! Could it be that the true reason if he was always isolated himself was that he was feeling so lonely all this time?!

The bags on my back suddenly felt so heavy. I had to stop to sit down and to take them off. I was near to the entrance anyway. And as I looked at the flame in the lantern, dancing... I was thinking of our happier days, when we were forming such a tight pair. We use to laugh at the simplest jokes, sharing quality time, pondering on life together when we were in the mood. And of course, singing and doing music at the pond.

How I was missing those times.

I shook my head to find determination. It was decided. I will find my brother and apologize to him. Then I will go home with him, I will only prepare his favorites for supper, we will do fun things tomorrow and do music at the pond even if it is too early.

But... the problem was still there. I still can no longer see him the same way as before. And he still loves those ... ... ... I will find a solution. We will discuss and both find a solution. Eventually. Yes. Finding solutions to problems is what I do best after all.

With a far better mood and springs in my hooves, I grabbed the lantern and galloped towards the ruins without even taking my bags. I did not want to wait a second more to find my dear brother.

I could now see the double white door. Barely lighted by the orange light, but making it even more inviting. But I didn't reach it because my feet tripped on something and I tumbled down, dropping my lantern. Luckily, it did not break. But it made me wonder. On what did I trip? It did not feel like a rock.

I get back up and dusted the dirt on me. I turned around and then, finding the culprit was very easy.

‘’What the?’’

Before were bags of luggage. Mel luggage. In my haste I missed them and ran on them. However...

‘’Mel luggage! Why did he leave them here in the dark? And for how long?’’

For me, it was raising so many questions. It was too strange. I decided to look around and see if I could find hints. In this cavernous room where the light makes the dark more dark.

I looked back at the door. Its pristine shin a contrast to everything else.

I looked above me. The ceiling was quite high. It made me feel very small.

To my left was a rock wall still of artificial origin but there was an elegance in its smoothness.

To my right, the wall was not smooth at all. Instead, it had fallen off and a big pile of rocks was on its feet. I'm sure it was not there the last time I came here!

I gazed downward. At the bottom of the pile, half-buried under the rocks was the battered and emaciated gray body of Mel.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

‘’AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!’’

I rushed toward him, my view blurry by my tears, running, tripping, crawling, getting up, never stopping going forward, forward to see again my brother who is not dead, he couldn't be dead. It couldn't be real, reality must be wrong.

I touched his dear head but to my horror, his skin was cold. No. No nononono, I will not believe it, I refuse to believe it. My heart was beating so fast it was painful and my eyes were shaking because they were refusing to accept what they were seeing as truth. Wait! What I was doing at being sorry for myself? I must save him.

I threw away like a fury those evil rocks that bury him but each time I took one away, another took its place.

‘’Why won't you go away? Why won't you go away? How could it have happened? *gasssp*’’

[Ahhh! It still was shaking on its own. And the cup of the mayor too! Strange. What could cause that?]

‘’An earthquake.’’

An earthquake, I was saying to myself with horror. That was the obvious answer. And yet I had never connected the dots.

It was my fault! The shaking must have caused the wall to collapse and took Mel by surprise. It had happened three days ago! And like the fool that I am, I had never guessed! It was all my fault.

How many days he had been stuck here? For three long days, Mel was suffering while I was blissfully happy I never should have been so cruel to him over such trivial things and pushed him away He had been abandoned by those he loves because it wouldn't have happened if I had come with him like I always do He die alone and miserable but instead I had let him go on his own. How could have left him? Alone with only the terrifying darkness as companion How much he must have suffered, no With wounds and crushed bones that must had been painful no I don't want to even dare think about that.I grabbed his nearly skeletal faces His empty stomach must have tortured him and shook it but nothing happens.

‘’(Oh Celestia, oh sweet Celestia, what should I do, what should I do?)’’

If only I had been a better sister.

If only I had not unjustly find him disgusting. If only I had never shouted at him. If only I had come with him. If only I had been more smart and see the signs. If only I had not been so self-absorb and come one day sooner.

If only if only if only if only if only if onlyif onlyif onlyif onlyif onlyif onlyif onlyifonlyifonlyifonlyifonlyifonlyifonlyifonlyifonlyifonlyifonlyifonlyifonlyifonlyifonlyifonly

If only just one of those 'ifonly' had never happened.

I walked back and fell on my butt. No wanting to see him in that state but not able to divert my eyes away. All my body was shaking like if something would soon explode and the dam in my eyes was close to burst even though I was sure it already did.

It was then... that Mel opened his eyes.

He was alive? My brother was still alive! It was a miracle. My tension diminishes but it was still high.

His iris had lost all luster. They seemed to look vacant. And delirious. He looked feebly around like if it did not recognize what he was seeing. But when he looked straight at me... he smiled. A weak smile. But one so sincere.

‘’Flo... ... you came back.’’

‘’Mel!’’

I grabbed his head in my embrace and weeps like a baby.

‘’Oh Mel, I'm so sorry *hic*, I should never leave you alone, none of this would have happened if *hic* I had been a better sister, I never should have said those means *hic* things to you and it's not true that I find you obscene.’’

‘’Sssshh. It's alright my Flo. It's alright.’’

‘’I, I, I, I, I don't know wh, what came to me. I wasn't, I wasn't thinking anything I had said, I swear I swear *sniff* I swear.’’

He gently puts his hoof on my check and strokes my tears.

‘’I forgive you... he did hurt... but... I never hated you.’’

‘’But why?’’

‘’Because... I just can't. I love you too much... for that.’’

I grabbed his hoof like dear life.

‘’I don't deserve a brother like you. I will make it up to you, I promise. Just wait, I'm going to free you.’’

‘’Not... good idea. I think those... rocks are the only thing... that holds back... ... ... not important... and anyway... I don't feel my legs anymore.’’

‘’Then I will find help. You will be treated and all will go back to normal.’’

I was starting to panic again and hyperventilating. Mel grabbed my face. He was clearly hard for him to talk. His throat must have been so dry. Yet, he acted like if he was just fine.

‘’Flo. My dear Flo. I... know you are sad. So... let me tell you something. When I was young... I was sad nearly all the time. So mom... mom used to sing to me a beautiful song. This song... is very important to me. But I think now you need it most. Would you... like to hear it?’’

‘’*sniff* Yes. Yes, I *hic* I would like very much.’’

‘’Alright. Then here it comes.’’

He took a little breath and sang with a soft and melodious voice.

The smiles into your heart

seem like now far apart

The colors that used to stay

change into sad gray

But true beauty is never took

if you know how to look

Your treasure

you never should misspend

Always there

with you as a friend

Once he had finished, I was suddenly feeling much better. I wiped my tears and managed to make a smile.

‘’That was incredible.’’

‘’Remembering that song had helped me a lot when I was feeling down. I want you to do the same and to never forget it.’’

‘’I will. I promise I will. Maybe we could even sing it together the next time we will go to the pond.’’

‘’Oh yes... ... that would be nice.’’

‘’Yes. And once you will get better, we could take some vacancy and go somewhere just the two of us. Oh, and I just got an idea! Next time I must go to the choral, you should come too and add your violin to my song, it is great time they know your talent. Also, I could help with your books. I not sure how but I will make an effort to see things your way, I promise. And then we could play, eat good meals that I prepare, having our usual conversations and having back our life as before. No, not as before. It will be better. I won't make the same mistake. You don't think all that sounds great Mel? ... ... Mel? ... ... Mel!’’

But... he was not responding. He was smiling. But he was as stiff as a statue. And his half-open eyes had no longer any trace of sparks in them.

‘’... ... Hey. You're joking right. It can't be serious.’’

I gently tapped his face but there was no reaction. It did not feel like if I was touching something alive.

‘’Hehe, come on. You can't do this to me. Not after all that. Come on, come on, wake up. It can't end like this. It... can't...’’

The light of the lantern behind me was flickering. Just like my reason. My vision was becoming blurred and focused at the same time and my heart was shrinking so much, how could it still beat?!

‘’Why... ... why...’’

And why that damn smile was still plastered to my face while I was shaking more than a leaf and crying like a hysterical. And where does the ground on my feet had disappeared and I was feeling like I was falling, falling, falling, falling, falling I'm falling I'm falling I'm failing!

‘’Aah... aaah... ... ... AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH.’’

...

...

...

Sorry. I cannot tell you what happened next.

It's not that I don't want. It's that I genuinely don't know what had happened. I cannot remember. Each time I try my best to remember that moment... it's so blurry. No image comes.

I think all had become incompressible and that I could no longer think with words. I think I was submerged with so much feeling but which ones, I could not tell, I think I had even felt some that had no name.

I don't know what I did at that moment but... ...

When I came back to that place, something was different. My brot... what was left of it was no longer half-buried. His entire person was now fully covered in rock. You could easily forget he was even under that pile and if you don't know something was hidden, you will see, well, just that, a simple pile of rocks.

He is still there by the way.

But how did it happen? Did I do that? Did I covered him? It as to be me. It can only be me. But why did I do that? Was it too much to watch for me?

...

...

...

Anyway. Let me jump back to the part where I remember clearly.

I must be now in a pitiful state. I walked out of the mine into the outside, but it did not become easier to breathe. Breathing was so hard. My braid had come out loose making my hair a crimson mess though I don't remember how it happened. I don't even know how I had managed to get out of that dark tunnel without light.

I just stayed there without moving. Looking at the horizon without truly looking.

Then... I ran.

It just came to me. I had an uncontrollable urge to run away. Run away, run away, run away, I must run away. But, run away from what?

It's a miracle that I didn't hurt myself on the rocky path. I dart among the sea of trees, not caring where I was looking. I don't know why I had fallen but I did. I don't know if it had hurt or not. I'm sure I did not care.

I had stayed there, spread on the dirt. Not caring about anything.

How foolish it was. Of course I could not run away from it. It was impossible from the start. It is in me. What is even the point to getting-up? What is the point in anything? Better to just stay there.

I raise up my right eye to the sky. It was filled by a thick blanket of gray clouds. Oh right. I vaguely remember that I had heard that the weather ponies had scheduled a rain over the forest. I like the color of those clouds. It just like Mel coat.

I felt a droplet falling on my hear. It was soon followed by a torrent of water, showering me mercilessly.

I like that rain. I feel it was crying for me.

The water is cold on my skin and making me and my heart numb. I like that cold.

I closed my eyes and went to sleep.

How nice it will be, if I never wake up.

Author's Note

I can tell that a lot would be surprise and disgust by the attitude of Flo and how she treated her brother. Although I don't justify her actions, I also emphasize that her situation is very complex.

The first thing you need to understand is that Mel had a style pretty... intense. He knows how to dive in the deepest recesses of the heart and recognize what we fear and hurt us the most. If it was us, humans, that were reading his stories that we probably find it hard to read but great writing. But it is ponies we are talking about and they are very pure creatures. That kind of writing would be off-putting for them.

And it's especially true for the Happy Townians who surpasses ponies standard. Their devotion to hapinness could be called fanatism and it is very infectious. Once again, you might say Happy Town is not a realistic place but once again, I remember you this is Ponies we are talking about and in the show, we have often seen them going into rigid ways of thinking. Their purity have the potential to be their greatest quality... or flaw. Hell, the true job of the Mane 6 was in the end to give more emotional intelligence to Equestria.

Basically, it's a story of an extreme clashing with another extreme. That tragedy that have no name was only possible in Happy Town. Stay tuned for the final chapter of the backstory of Flo.

PS: Just in case you didn't understood, the texts in bold italics are when the present day Floral interrupt the story to put her personal thoughts. I would like to remember you that the flashback chapters of Flo are a transmission made from the memories of the present day Flo. So sometimes, the present day Flo causes glitches in that transmission. Especially when she gets emotional.

On a side note, I had once again put in that chapter, references to one of my favorite (sort of)novel. This time, they are more obvious. And they could help you understand just how tragic Mel books are.

C¯#&*t%r 9: The bad end before the bad ends

C¯#&*t%r 9: The bad end before the bad ends

C¯#&*t%r 9: The bad end before the bad ends

Oh. Did you maybe think my story was ending here? It's true it kinda would've been fitting. But no, of course not. I did not die here. If not, then how could I told you this?

No. There are still more to tell. You have only seen half of it. My loss, and how he was my fault.

My fault myfaultmyfaultmyfaultmyfaultmyfault Oops! Sorry. I didn't mean to.

Let me tell you something about loss. When you lost something that could not be replaced... you have to change. It's inevitable. When you lost a love one, a part of yourself, your innocence... you can no longer see life the same way. An existential crisis, if you want to use layman term. You may have a vague idea about it. You may think you are safe from it. But take it from me. Nopony, but nopony, is safe from it. And if it falls on you, it can hurt you to the core if you are not prepared. I had learned that the hard way.

Alright. Time for the final part of my story. Where I was changed forever. And saw the deep of my sins.

This is the tale of the little blind angel. Who could no longer be blind.

It took me a lot of effort, but I managed to open my eyes and waking up from my dreamless sleep. Although I did not feel less tired.

I just lazily gaze around my surroundings. And it was then I realize something.

‘’Ah... drat... I am still here... of course. It could not be that easy.’’

Of course it couldn't. Who would die being while being bathed by a summer rain?

With some effort, I got back up on my four hooves. I don't know how long I had been there but the rain had stopped for a long time. It was warm, the air had the scent of freshly vegetation and the sky had clear up, now being filled with golden rays of sunlight. It was beautiful. I know it was not its fault, but I could not help but to think the good weather was mocking me.

I was just standing there, not making any effort to move. Not even making any effort to blink. I did not know what to do. No seriously, I was like I had forgotten how to have a single objective. My body was scratching me but I had forgotten how moving to reliefs myself. My tummy was growling but I had forgotten how caring about it. I should probably want to cry or be angry but I had even forgotten how to feel those feelings. Maybe I had forgotten how to 'want' at all. Working my brain, or the little that was left of it, I was trying to find something to do.

‘’... ... ... ... Maybe... I should go back home?’’

Finding it was an objective as good as any, I decided to do that. I walked towards my home at a leisure pace, jerking at every step. If somepony could see me, I probably would look like a broken puppet.

The streets of Happy Town were busy as usual. Dusk was starting to set but yet, the ponies were still so full of life. So happy and joyous. Doing their stuffs and chatting with their neighbors.

And there was me, walking among them, slightly beaten, my mane a mess and a heart that was dried-up. It was so surreal. To me, how they were all appearing was making me doubt if they were real. Maybe I was dreaming. Or maybe it was me the dream that was intruding in their sunny reality. Wo, that sure was a strange thought. But now it comes to mind that my pitiful state will probably soon make them alarmed. I am not even sure that I will care.

‘’Hey, but is it not Flo. Good evening.’’

‘’Huh! ... Oh. Hum... yes... good evening.’’

My answer to that greeting was more an automatic than a genuine greeting.

‘’It is good to see you. But I must say, you look worn-out. You sure work hard. I suggest you take a good night sleep. You definitely look like you need it, hahaha.’’

‘’Hum...? ... Alright? Thank? I... I will do that.’’

I waved at him without looking at him. He did not find it weird. Strange? My head was numb before but now I was starting to be genuinely confused. More and more passersby greeted me like if it was any ordinary day.

‘’Hello Flo. What a nice day we have.’’

‘’... ... Yes... yes I suppose we have.’’

‘’Heyyy, it's our little angel. Continue that hard work.’’

‘’Hard work? Which hard wo... ah! You think I am like that because... no that's fine. Good day to you.’’

‘’Good eveni HEHwo! Why you look funny like that? You have fought a bear or something? Haha.’’

‘’Huh?! ... No... No. It's... not that. I... I'm going home. See you later.’’

And many more greeted me jovially. All that was disconcerting and made the present moment even more unreal. They were seeing nothing wrong with me?! Sure, I did not look myself in the mirror and I had probably exaggerate when I'd say I was looking like a mess. But still, I surely did not look... 'alright'. Do they really were thinking that my appearance was the result of, I don't know, a funny anecdote. Well, they do have a tendency to fall on me because of my hector lifestyle. Still...

Does those ponies were incapable to imagine something bad had happened to me? Was it weird? Was I the one weird to think it was weird?

Regardless, this was not making me feeling so good. Why? Many was greeting me kindly and politely so why this was only making my head buzzing. I managed to reach the square but it was too much for me. I sat down and I looked at the sky without truly looking at it. It was like my cranium was about to explode and I was feeling my head twitching. Something in my throat was about to escape. But what? I did not know. It was soon about to come out when...

‘’Flo! Oh my dear Flo, but what did happen to you?’’

I lowered my head and in front of me was mayor Paternal, galloping towards me. Ah, but of course. If there was one pony that would be worried for me, it was him. The one who was family to me.

He looked at me from his imposing height with kind concern.

‘’How did you get like this? What had happened?’’

‘’Some... thing bad had happened.’’

It was impossible to say to all the other ponies that my brother was dead. I can't explain why. But for him, this ordeal would be easier. I had the feeling that I could manage to speak of it with him.

What I didn't expect was that at the moment I had said something bad had happened, I will get the attention of all the square. The sound of hoofsteps gradually diminished and all heads turned toward me. Then, like if a strange spell had been cast, they slowly trotted towards me with hesitation. As for the mayor, he grabbed me and embraced me in a hug while gently caressing my disheveled mane.

‘’Oh my poor Flo. It's just so sad to see you like that. Please, tell us what it is.’’

I thought I had no more tears but they were starting to leak once again.

‘’I would really like to. But it is so hard.’’

Because saying it at a high voice would be admitted it was true. It's stupid I know. But yet, I do want to say it, otherwise I feel it, it will kill me inside.

All the other ponies were now all around me. And they all had the same kindness as the mayor glittering in their iris. All for me! Was I really that blessed!

‘’No Flo, don't act like that. It is alright. You can tell us everything. There is nothing to be ashamed of. I and all of us are your friends and we will do everything for you.’’

‘’*sniff* Really?’’

‘’Of course. You are so important to us. The whole town sees you as family. And we cannot bear to see you miserable. You are our angel. And you are doing so much for us. So if you are feeling sad then we all feel the same.’’

‘’... ... ... Huh!!!’’

The feelings of safety that I had once, all vanished, swallowed by a deep abyss. Was he serious! Was he telling the truth? Does it mean that if I opened myself, they will feel the same pain as me like a disease! Well I am not dumb, I know what the mayor had said was just a manner of speech. But...

I frantically looked at all ponies that surrounded me with their warm. I knew them for years, I knew how they work even if I can't explain it well. And what I saw terrified me. Even if the mayor had said that in jest, he didn't realize that there was true weight in his words. They are not able to imagine me being in pain. For them it is something that cannot be. So what will happen when what cannot be will be?

‘’Your smile is our most precious treasure. So we promise, we will do everything in our power to give it back to you. Trust us.’’

I will give my burden to them! But it is so heavy, too heavy. What I feel is horrible. How could I wish that to others? It's too cruel. It might even be a spark that will start a fire.

‘’Come on everypony, let us all give our support to our dear angel.’’

The twilight was at its end. The light was dimming and the ponies surrounding me were darkening, becoming close to black silhouettes. Except for the pristine white of their eyes and smiling teeth to which the dark was accentuated their gleam to an unsettling degree.

Angel! Wait! That's right! What I am doing!? I am their angel. I am supposed to guide them. I am supposed to set the example. What will happen if I waver? What will happen if they are in pain because of me. Oh no, no no no, I can't do that, I can't do that, I can't talk, I can't say it, they must not figure it out, what should I do, what should I do... ... ... ... ... ...

That's right.

I am the angel of Happy Town.

I, am, the, angel of Happy Town.

‘’(I must not waver. Remember what you are supposed to do Flo.)’’

I raised my head to meet everypony gaze and said:

‘’Awwww. You know you really should have let me finish.’’

They all got confused by my answer. As for me, I was looking like a normal pony who was just slightly ashamed to have caused unnecessary trouble.

‘’You are putting too much drama into it. What I meant by 'too hard to tell' is that the reason how I got like this is... oh gosh, so embarrassing.’’

‘’What? What! What do you mean?’’

‘’You see I went to the forest because I, I had lost something there a few days ago and for a long time I had neglected to search for it. A... trinket by the way, a precious one to me. But when I had found it, it had been snatched away from me at the last moment. By... a bird, a black bird. I tried to, hum, get it back but I, hum, I got lost and disoriented and I fell on a pit making me a mess. So I am afraid I had lost it forever, haha. Well, you get the idea.’’

All the ponies who before were... I'm still not quite sure how they were. But the point is it worked and they became reassured and some even laugh. The mayor putted his hoof over his heart and breathed a sigh of relief.

‘’Oh it was just that. Of course, I should have guessed. Ah, it's all me, jumping too fast to conclusion.’’

‘’I'm really sorry to have scared you.’’

‘’No Flo. I am sorry for having been so silly. Turn out I might be a drama queen without realize it, hahah.’’

‘’Calling that drama... is a overstatement. Okay, it's not that I want to be impolite but I kinda need to take a bath. Right now.

‘’Oh! Oh oh oh yes, yes of course, let me not take you more of your time. See you tomorrow.’’

‘’See you tomorrow mayor.’’

I had said nearly in a sing-song voice. As I went back to my home with blue walls, all the ponies waved at me wishing me good evening. And I waved at them on my way. Once inside, I did a final farewell, closed the door//

All is now quiet, the sound of the outside world cut-off by the soundproof walls. No gazes on me. No distractions. Just me and my anxiety screaming in my chest.

I had laid my back on the wooden door for support and slid on it until I sat down. My breathing became ragged and the shaking came back with a vengeance. So I hold myself to calm them. Since I am now the only left who can do the job of hugging me.

‘’I must never tell them. I have to keep that a secret. Until I learn to get over it on my own. Get over it! Get over the death of my Mel! Never. I never will. I refuse to. But... but what about them who count on me to be... to be... oh Mel, what should I do?’’

I was completely lost. Again. I weep like a little filly. I was so sure though that I had spent all my tears.

A few days went pass. For the most part, I was staying cloistered into my house. First, because I didn't want other to see how depressed I had become. Secondly, because anyway, I did not have the energy to go outside. My house had become a sort of cocoon and the outdoor was no longer that welcoming. Those days had been so dull and empty and again, I feel that to say it like that does not make it justice. I had learned that it is not the day when you lost somepony that is the worst. It's the days after. You expect to find back at least a nudge of normalcy but the hole in your heart is too big and you are always remind that things will never be like before, no matter how much you wish for it. And nopony had taught me how to deal with that. Mel was right. I know nothing about grief. And I thought I was wise when I was giving advice to Twig Green. Ha. How laughable. I was nothing more than an imposter.

I was not always hidden at my home. Sometimes I was going outside, meeting other ponies. Because otherwise, people may start asking questions. Of course, I had to hide my true state and pretend that I was still the jovial and helpful little angel. Turn out, I discover I was pretty good at putting a facade. Good enough to convince all. Even myself sometimes. I wonder where I had learned that?

I feel I am getting off track. Ah right, my dull and empty days at home. There is not much to say since there was not much that was happening. I was just staying there looking at the distance, occasionally moving to another room to have a change of scenery. The only true work I was doing was cooking. That was painful for me because I was always making the mistake of making enough for two. Why I never learn?

But then, came a day when the loneliness was too much to bear. I wanted something of my brother, anything. So I quickly came to his precious books. I read nearly all of them.

This time it was different. Gone was the repulsion. Quite the contrary, I was liking them. My heart had darkened and it was raining in me. Oh! Now I am speaking like him. But there was a nice feeling at reading sad stories when you become pessimistic. You feel that at least in them, your gray views are being acknowledged. Also seeing the tragic lives of others when you were in a painful time was making you emphasize with them. Making you least alone.

I was finding true comfort in the stories of Mel.

But this new taste for his tragedies also in consequence gave me another feeling of guilt to add in the long list. It had hit me like a brick on the face. Moss must have really grown on my brain for not understood it sooner.

My brother was a genius.

His works were so intricate with a painful attention to details. I still wonder today on how I could not have seen that he was always putting his all. That there was so much love in his works. So much effort and care to make sure those heart-wrenching tales are of the toppest quality. And me, I had spat on his hard work!

How too late it is but now I felt I had never understood my brother so well than now. Now I see what he was trying to do. He wasn't trying to be cruel and to make us miserable for sake of it. There was a wisdom in his written words. He could see that pony feelings have the potential be dangerous if we're not careful. Or that they were many scary and threatening things hidden underneath the daily or even the beauty. And those are just those that came to the top of my head. And since I had experienced them first hoof, I could not deny them, even if I wanted to. But that just it. Mel never experienced them. He was able to understand those concepts by himself without the help of tragedies falling on him. How observant and smart he must have been. If I had been able to do the same, maybe he would not have died. And if not, maybe I would have been better equipped to deal with this gaping absence.

And I had the arrogance to think I was the wisest sibling! I was nothing more than a brat. It was him the true wisepony. But he had always been treated as a pariah. Yet, he never resented the world and instead only show us kindness as well to continue to educate us. Even if nopony listens.

So how could I have said all those things? How could I have been so high and mighty and rejected his lifework? I had understood nothing on his stories. Nothing.

And when that realization had dawned on me, I could no longer read his books. What was at first comforting me was now another reminder of what I did. It had even become too hard to just gaze at those volumes.

With the only tool to help me cope now lost, I don't think I need to tell you that I had reached my lowest low. And it was at that low...

than a strange idea came to me.

One day came when I had no longer the strength to do anything. Literally. I didn't even take the time to braid my hair. Even standing was too much effort. I just stayed lying on the floor of the lobby being morose. I must have stayed there for a really long time. I had no way to know the time apart from the position of the sun from the window. Come to think of it, I must have looked a lot like how I was the day... well, you know.

The big difference is I was not numb. No instead a storm was in my heart. Living alone in this house, that now was seemingly too big, was not easier as time passed on. No, it was harder and harder and today was the day I had reached my limit.

‘’*sniff* Mel. Where are you? Please come back. It horrible without you. The silence is painful. I want to see you so much that I expect to find you at every corner. But you're never there. I can no longer go outside too. My hometown whom I had once loved so much feel now too bright. Everypony is so happy that I feel they are mocking me. I... gyuuh... I no longer even believe in our motto. Ohhh what should I do Mel? I can't go outside but I can't stay inside either. Please Mel, help me help me help me.’’

I had lost control and I weep like a hysterical mare.

‘’I want to see you. I want to see you so much. Please come back, I will do anything, anything but please come back. I will apologize a thousand times, I will always be nice to you, I will support everything you will do, I will give the encouragement you had always deserved, I never be mean again, I will be a good girl I promise. I *sob**sob* I will never be mean again. I will... never be*sob*. Come back please. I need you so much. Where are you? *sniff**sniff*

I am here.’’

I jumped back in fright and hit my back on a pile of various stuffs, nearly making it tumble down.

I had heard him. It was the voice of my brother, it was so much like it. But the pony who had spoken it... was me!

I did not realize it at first but in my distress I had spoken with Mel voice. I had even forgotten that I can do that. That imitate his voice is something I can do very well. Thanks to my golden vocals cords that I always brag about. Without thinking, I had played pretend and acted like if he was still here. And... it worked. For just an instant but still, for a little instant, I had genuinely believe that Mel had come back. No. Not come back. More like... like if he was talking through me.

It may have been short but it was such a strange experience. My forehead was covered in cold sweat. My tongue felt dry. Maybe it was scared to say more words.

More words! When that thought came, I was surprised to find it... tempting.

‘’(What if... what if I do it again? Why... why not? What... bad would... ) There is nothing, *cough**cough* I mean, there is nothing to be scared. I am here as long as you want me.’’

My heart could not help but to make a small jump of joy. I was conscious it was a lie, and a very obvious one, but I was feeling better only by hearing the imitation of my brother. I had felt awful for days. Would it be so bad? Would it really be so bad if I play along for just a little bit.

‘’(It should be so easy for me. I had done that countless times. If I am able to trick other, then maybe I... ... it is so silly to think like that but, but I, I think I can do it, yes. I could even imitate his tones of voice and mannerisms to make the illusion more real. It should not be a problem, I know him so well, it should be a breeze for me. Oh but each time I will look myself in the mirror, then it will become more difficult to believe... ...!!!) Wait! Just wait!’’

That idea was crazy. But once I had it, I galloped toward at a closet and rummage its content, tossing items on the floor.

‘’It's in here, I'm sure it's in here.’’

And indeed, there it was. I put my hooves on that wooden box and put it close to my heart. I slowly opened the lid, revealing that beautiful gem gleaming with a sapphire light.

There was what I was searching. That stone, the magical artifact that Mel had shown me. With it you could become anypony you want. He had shown me how to use it. I had even tried it. It would be so easy to use the tool of my precious brother to change into anything. I could even become my... ...

I stretched my hoof nearly with reverence towards that jewel. But as I get closer to it, I realize that my hoof was trembling. I stopped at just an inch of it and could not move any further. I was hesitating.

‘’This is madness.’’

Of course it was. It surely was. But the true question was: should I really care?

Once my decision was made, I grabbed it in one swing and ran toward the closest mirror. My reflection on it was not pretty. My mane a mess, my dry tears, my ghostly face. Regardless if I was or not, I was truly looking like a crazy filly.

I held the blue gem dear to me and although I knew I didn't need to do that, I closed my eyes and pray to it.

‘’Please, change me into my brother.’’

I could feel the magic being operated on me. Once I opened my eyes... he was there! He was there in front of me. My brother.

I became enraptured by the sight of my new reflection. His face, his tail, his color, his cutie mark. It was him. Mel had come back.

‘’Mel! You came back. You are really here. Ah but I had always been here. And I will be as long as you wish for.’’

I cried tears of joy for the first in a long time. I put myself against the mirror because I really wanted to hug his reflection even though I knew it was not possible.

‘’Oh Mel, there are so much things I want to tell you. I'm sorry, I'm so sorry on how I had treated you. I was a fool, I thought I knew best but I was just a brat. It's alright Flo. You know that I already forgive you.No you shouldn't! I don't deserve it. You should be angry at me. I rejected everything about you and made you feel alone. It's alright I'd say. No matter what happens I will never stop loving you.I will make it up to you, I promise. I know you will. We have all the time in the world now. Yes. Nothing will separate us anymore. We'll be together forever. Together forever.’’

And the first time. The first time in a long time. I felt peace. I knew full well it was a twisted sense of peace. But for me it was still peace.

With the help of this... double life, I was feeling like I had been given a sort of crutch, helping me to walk again and to do my daily household activities. Indeed, the jewel was helping a lot. So much that was able to go outside again and meet other ponies to socialize and helping them.

But don't misunderstand. Although it was helping me, I was not fully healed. Quite the contrary, I was still a mess. But playing his role was giving me a lot of comfort.

Although, it's not like I had become delusional, for better or worse. I was well aware that it was nothing more than a child fantasy. I also could not keep up with the story that Mel came back. I knew I would not be able to believe it for long. So, I decided to make the story simpler. I pretended that 'I was' my brother. And yes. Just like that, without caring about logic and reason. One pony and yet two ponies. But it helps to keep the illusion alive and to keep the loneliness at bay. Most of the time, I just play a role. But at some moments...

At some moments... I genuinely believe I am my brother. And I have the same past, the same thought process, the same feelings, as him.

At some other moments... it becomes difficult for me to know if I am me. Or him. And when it happens... I make no effort to answer that question.

Of course, I always do it in the confine of my home. Safe from all sights. Since it would have been a drag to always hold the illusion jewel, I had a nice idea. I made the gem into a pretty necktie. I know Mel would have loved it. So each time I wanted to change, I just had to wear it on my chest and it always stays in physical contact with me. But like I'd say, I do that only at home with all windows shut tight. The reason for keeping that secret is I was fearing that if people found out about this, they would try to stop me because they would think I was insane.

They would be right of course. But for me, it was beside the point.

That double life, I had done it for, hummm, quite some time, sorry if it's vague, I had lost the notion of time during at that period of my life.

Then one day came. One day that was announcing to be boring. I just felt tired, there, just like that, without any explanation. Even though I had decided yesterday to take that specific day as a day off and to relax. I suppose I was feeling purposeless. Hoping to fight that lethargy, I went to Mel room at the first floor, pushed a desk and a chair against the open window, sat on the chair, lay my upper half lazily on the desk. And just look at the sight of busy streets, nice houses full of life inside and also of joyous ponies going their way. The sight of my Happy Town I am so proud to live.

It was true even to that day. And the reason if I had decided to quietly enjoy the panorama was because I was hoping to absorb all that positive energy that town was filled with. That energy that used to be mine too.

‘’Hummm. It has mixed results I would say. A shame. I was only half-believing it would work anyway.Well sure but it still frustrating. I make me wonder if I ever would go back to the day of the past.By my experience, days bygone stay bygone. It is useless to wish them back.Bleak. Well I fell bleak, thank you. *sigh* I know wishing for the past to come back is not healthy but... it's just too hard to give up on it. If I want to go better, wouldn't it be better to go outside and talk to them instead to just watching them? It does make sense, yes, but not today. I am feeling too depressed and if I go outside, they would all notice it. True. I wouldn't be able to hide it no matter hard I try. Yes, and they must not see that otherwise I might hurt them by showing to them that I am hurt and that would make me a failure as an angel. No, better stay here and hoping I could smile better tomorrow. That must be hard.Yeah. It is hard.’’

Had I mentioned that having those kinds of self-conversation was hard work for my brain. Enough to often end up with headaches.

Anyway, I continued to watch, hoping to find I-don't-know-what. It was then that I had spotted mayor Paternal. He had a piping hot pie balanced on his head and was going toward my door. Once he put it down before it, he knocked on the door but hearing no answer, he went back on his way but was greeted by a pony. From all the splash of dry paint on him, I easily recognized him as the director of that art club.

‘’Hey, hello there mayor. Nice to see you too. What are you doing?’’

‘’Nice to see you too. I am just here to bring to dear Flo a delicious pie I had made myself. I didn't see her today so I was worried that she might be sick. So I thought a tasty pastry would do her good.’’

‘’Oh, that so sweet of you. Wait! A meal full of sugary and fat lipids is good for a sick pony?’’

‘’... ... ... Oooh. That idea was sounding way better in my head.’’

From where I was, up there, I could see them without problems. But for their angle, it must be impossible to see me. Since I was not in the mood to interact, I decided to listen to their conversation discretely.

‘’But what 'you' are doing here? I don't often see you on that part of town.’’

‘’Nothing really special mister mayor. You know that Melancholia often comes to me to give some of his paintings for me to exhibit.’’

‘’Yes, I... I know that. What about it?’’

‘’Well naturally, I cannot accept them because... well, we all know well the reason why.’’

‘’*sigh* Yes I know that too. I am sorry on his behalf.’’

‘’Nay, it's not your fault. Of course, I try to refuse the more politely as I can but he always came back later for more and it becomes more and more difficult to find excuses. Especially when he became so desperate that he was now giving his paintings for free. But then I had noticed that he didn't come to me to see for days. This got me curious and since I was in the corner, I was wondering if I could get a glimpse of him. That all really, I just wanted to see if he was still there.’’

‘’Oh you will not find him and there is no mystery behind that. He is out of town. Flo had told me he went away on a trip for finding inspiration. That why we had no sign of life from him.’’

‘’Ah, that explain all. Yes, now that I think about it, it's not the first time he does that. How long he's gone away?’’

‘’Well... hum, let me think, I... I'm not quite sure. For quite some time I can tell at least. But how long exactly? ... ... No. No sorry, I really don't know.’’

Wait! They didn't notice he was gone? Well yes, they did but I mean... they forgot about it? I had tried to hide to all that Mel was gone but this conversation made me realize that if I had done a job so well was maybe because nopony did inquire on his whereabouts. Nopony found it curious there was no sign of life from him for so long?! They didn't ask themselves any questions?!

‘’Well, there's nothing to be ashamed of, mayor. I must say I understand you. With so many days without him, it is hard to resist the temptation to forget he was even there.’’

!!

‘’Oh there there. It's not alright to speak ill of somepony behind his back.’’

‘’It's alright mayor. No one can hear us.’’

‘’I know but I feel I am betraying Flo feelings.’’

‘’Yeah I understand that but what if Flo was not in the picture, what would you say?’’

‘’Well, hummm... I do admit that now that he is away... it is quite a breath of fresh air.’’

!!!

‘’The town I look over is the perfect place to live and its peoples the best ponies there can be. Every day could be perfect as well. But he always throws a black splotch that forbids those days to be truly perfect which is such a shame. I did try my best but he is just too funny in the head to be one of us. But I can't say anything because he technically never cause us trouble and our dear Floral is always on his side. But of course she is. She is wonderful like that. The best we can do is make like if he was not there.’’

!!!!

‘’But now mayor, he is really not here in Happy Town. There is no reason to blame yourself for not noticing his absence. As seeker of happiness, we should profit to the maximum of the days without him. Personally, I had even forgotten for a time that he existed in the first place.’’

!!!!!

‘’I guess you're right. The best we can do is to enjoy our time free of Melancholia before he came back. I realize that now that our devia... hum I mean black sheep is gone, now we are all back to a pack of pristine white. Happy Town is back at the most perfect it could be. I guess we should thank him for going out for so long. It might be mean to say that but...

it would be nice if he never comes back.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What? WHAT! How! HOWWWW! How can he say such things! When I had heard his words, my eyes opened wide and went bloodshot, I was pressing my hooves on the wood with so much strength, given by the sudden rush of anger, that they were close to put dents on it and I was fixating those ponies with a maddening concentration.

How could they say such cruel words towards my brother! How could they! How, how could he! Him of all people. Paternal was practically family, he was... and he, he, Mel... I, I, I, I thought, yeah sure he was openly expressing his disapproval of my brother passions but I thought it was because he was worried about Mel being rejected by our society. But speaking like that, it was like he was seeing Mel as a parasite to it! A parasite! My brother!

‘’(He never did anything wrong! What did I do to deserve such resentment? Nothing. I was kind to them and I had never forced my beliefs on anypony. But they nearly speak as they wished he did something bad so he could have an excuse to kick him up. That's, that's vomiting.)’’

Those two ponies were continuing chatting pleasant conversations like if the subject of my brother was not something to be ashamed for. How can they not see what they just did? What had happened to them? How did they become so cruel? What causes them to change.

But I as looked at their faces... I got a feeling that was close to being spooked. Their smiles were genuine smiles of happiness. Their eyes were glittering with a joy devoid of any malice. Their body languages were exulting openness. Just like they were always were. They were the same. They were the same! They did not change, they were at their natural selves! They were really believing they did nothing wrong! But... they are so nice. You can't be nice and cruel at the same time? Can't we?

‘’(But... I did the same. I did the same as them. I'd always thought it was a problem with me but could it be... could be it was a problem that all Happy Town share?! We are supposed to seek happiness on all its forms. But does that mean that because something does not fit with it we should see it as an enemy that's better be left out of view?! But that's cruel. It is so unfair. I am not even against them. I am just thinking differently. So why they reject me so?)’’

Mayor Paternal and the other pony separated and went their ways. As for me, I was still grasping how that kind of mentality, this ostracization could be allowed. Was it not going against our motto? And yet they were doing it because of that very same motto. If those two were doing it, then... then does all the others were thinking the same!?

My gaze drifted towards all Happy Town. And especially towards all those ponies who were its beating heart. Were they all having the same hatred towards my brother? Does under the pretty facade of those joyful and happy ponies were festering ugly feelings in them? Were... does... I... ... Wait!

‘’What I am looking at?’’

The... experience had lived at that moment had been so strange. I cannot explain it.

I was seeing the ponies, the ponies that I was seeing every day, living their life. That simple act used to make my heart warm but now... now something was different, something that changed all and yet something, I could tell, that had always been here.

‘’Hey brother. Did you hear about the new disco club that had opened?’’

‘’What seriously!’’

‘’Yeah. We should go enter in it.’’

‘’Too awesome. I'm in.’’

‘’And we should also bring our friend Summer Respite into it.’’

‘’You're sure about that? What if she does not like dancing?’’

‘’Of course she would like that. What kind of monster does not like dancing?’’

It was the same ponies but it was not them. It was them but it was not. I was not recognizing anything that was in front of me. It was like I was seeing them for the first time.

‘’Look at that scar on my leg. I got it during our ski trip at the Dangerous Sport Club.’’

‘’Coool. It looks like a snake. How you got it?’’

‘’I rode the mountain while playing a grand piano. No I'm serious. Man, it was so sick. Totally worth that injury.’’

‘’Are you for real! A piano! That look so fun. Now I join that club for sure. I can't wait to live the same rush of adrenaline as you.’’

Shock was the only thing coursing in my brain. My bloodshot eyes were darting in all directions, not being able to stop and each time, not believing what they were revealing to me and the images were far to be pretty.

‘’Look at this everypony. I got an exclusive ticket to the next musical. The best seat no less.’’

‘’Lucky guy. Does it ever happen that you miss at least one.’’

‘’Never in Tartarus. I love those shows too much. All those lights and colors. This is life.’’

‘’But those tickets don't cost a lot?’’

‘’Oh yes. I even nearly ruined but who care about monetary difficulties. Stay in the present, the present.’’

A pit was forming in my stomach and more and more the ponies that I used to love were showing me their hidden never really hidden sides, more and more that pit was growing and I was powerless to stop it. I was wondering how it could be possible to go so deep.

‘’*cough**cough*Mommy, I don't feel so good. I think I must have caught a cold.’’

‘’Oh my poor little pumpkin. But I know just the thing that will help you. I had planned to go to that comedic show tonight. I will bring you with me, kids can go too. I guarantee you will burst of laughter.’’

‘’Laughing will be *cough**cough* good for me?’’

‘’Sure. Laughter can heal anything, you will see.’’

They had changed, they had all changed into something monstrous, something not repulsive but dangerous hidden under pleasantness which was making them even more horrific. I wonder how could my eyes could have been that close for all these years and yet I wished them to be closed once more but knew I no longer could do that again because I no longer needed to see them to now guess what they were truly inside.

I was scared. Scare scare scare scare scare scare more more more more and more! MY TOWN WAS SCARING ME! Falling falling falling falling falling I CAN'T STOP FALLING!

In my panic, I tumbled my chair down and I fell with it. Not even taking time of even getting-up, I crawled backwards with just my upper hooves as support, wanting to go far away from the window showing me the town that was now frightening me. I tried to scream but only pitiful moans were coming from my throat.

When some senses went back into me, I got up on my hooves and galloped far away from I am not sure what. This had happened a lot in my life recently. Not paying attention to where I was going, I did not see the stairs. I missed the first step which means I had missed them all. My body rolled down the stairs but I don't remember the pain. Once I hit the floor, I just stayed there, back on the ground, my hooves all spread out and me looking up in an absent way for a long, long, long time.

I was still conscious. But it was too much for me to bear. Mentally and emotionally. So I guess I just... shut-down.

...

...

...

I would normally say that time has passed without me noticing it but I say that far too much time. It was starting to becoming a bad habit.

When my head stopped being on holiday, I slowly raised myself. Once on my four feet, I did not know what to do so I just walked forward. With nothing better to do I looked around me. My gaze fell on a wooden box full of painting supplies. I took it on my hooves.

And smashed it down, exploding it in splinters, all its content flying while in my volcanic mood, I pushed a table, tumbling it down and all the stuff that was over it in a deafening cacophony, which among them was a book, a book that I bite on in mid-air and send it flying toward the mirror which exploded into hundred of fragments all reflecting my anger.

‘’WHAT THE HELL IS THAT? WHAT ARE THOSE PONIES? YOU'RE TELLING ME THAT'S WHAT THEY ALWAYS HAVE BEEN! THEY ARE REPULSIVE AND YET THEY STILL SMILE AT THEMSELVES! IS THIS WHAT THE IDEAL OF HAPPY TOWN IS SUPPOSED TO LEAD? IS THIS WHAT I HAD WORKING HARD FOR ALL THOSE YEARS?’’

With a swing of my hoof I smashed a pile a book and they flew in every corner.

‘’CARELESS, IGNORANT, SELF-CENTER, NAIVE. AND... INSENSITIVE. THAT'S WHAT YOU ALL ARE DEEP DOWN AND YOU'RE TOO DUMB TO SEE IT. I WAS TOO DUMB TO SEE IT. SO THAT WHAT SEARCHING FOR HAPPINESS LEAD TO! IT'S NOT BEAUTIFUL. IT'S DISGUSTING. YOU HAVE LIED TO ME, YOU ONLY TOLD ME LIES.’’

I took some fabric and tear it apart with my teeth like some savage beast.

‘’HOW COULD YOU HAVE DARED TO REJECT MY BROTHER LIKE THAT. WHAT MAKES YOU THINK YOU WERE SO SPECIAL TO TREAT HIM LIKE THAT? HE WAS THE TRUE WISE ONE, HE WAS RIGHT FROM THE START AND YOU WERE THE TRUE OBSCENES.’’

I smashed other things but now I was no longer able to tell what they were.

‘’LIES LIES LIES LIES LIES. FROM ALL THIS TIME YOU HAVE ONLY TOLD ME LIES. YOU HAD TEACHING NOTHING BUT LIES WHO AT THEIR TURN WILL ALSO TEACH LIES AND I... ... I...’’

My rage abandoned me. At its place came a feeling of panic that was making me no longer able to breathe. That and also guilt. Lots of guilt. I sat down and looked at my trembling hooves.

‘’I... did the same! I too had taught those lies! I believe them and so I had passed them down and contributed to rotten our town. I am no better than them. I am no angel. How many pony I had helped to become... become like us. Oh Mel. I'm so sorry. Forgive me forgive me forgive me. You were the one was right all along. You were smart enough to see the fault in our way but I was too blind to see it. Forgive me for being the worst sister in the world.’’

I went to weep but this time it didn't last long. I dried my tears as a firm resolution formed into my heart.

‘’No. I won't let it end like this. I will find a way. What Mel wanted was to help ponies with his message. I was able to see that we were not going into a right path and I could not ignore it.Indeed. He wanted to open our eyes but failed. But he had managed to open mine. Even if it was too late. His message is too important to be left forgotten. Then... I will continue his work for him. I will show to the world the consequences of ignoring pain. They will see. I don't know how but I will find a way. I am the one that always find way to fix problems. It is just the biggest one that I face, that's all. Yes. I will expose the fraud that this treacherous pursuit of happiness is.’’

The pain that resides in me, I used to wish it went away. But now, I decided to hold a firm grip into it, and spread it into all my being. I smiled. Just like my brother used to. If I want to follow his way, I may as well imitate the best.

‘’Alright, first order of business. So Happy Town think Mel is gone for good. Not on my watch. As long as I am here, I refuse... that my voice be shut-up.’’

A perfect morning came. Birds were chirping. The sun was shining. A nice breeze was flowing.

Before my house, the mayor was passing along two other ponies. They seemed to laugh at a joke they told themselves. I chose that moment to go outside and talked to them.

I opened the door. The creaking sound alerted the mayor and he looked at my direction with a smile.

‘’Ohh Flo! Finally she goes out. We were starting to get worry that you were... not... well...’’

He realized then that it was not the pony he was expecting. Instead was a pony of gray coat and mane, blue eyes, a teardrop cutie mark and a bleu jewelry necktie on his neck. Instead of me, the pony the mayor saw was, meheh, me.

‘’Mayor Paternal. So good to see you. It had been such a long time. Did you miss me?’’

‘’Mel! Oh. You are back I see.’’

‘’Why are you making those faces? You like as if you had seen a ghost.’’

‘’Huh! No please don't take it like that. It is just... we have not seen you for so long. We kinda//

‘’Forget that I even existed. Yeah sorry on that, it's all my fault if I had neglected you, I just did not see the times pass.’’

‘’Sooo... I guess it means you had a nice trip.’’

‘’Oh that was all a journey. Very eye openings. Go to so many places, even got a little souvenir, the one that I am wearing. Buuut... there something I find peculiar.’’

Before those ponies, I slightly tilted my head to the side to better show my incomprehension.

‘’It might be just my imagination but... when you saw me mayor, no, when all of you three saw me, did I not sense... disappointment?’’

Oh that sure made a reaction. They all got flustered and their eyes were darting left and right in shame.

‘’Hum, no, no! Mel, how can you say such a thing? Of course we are glad that you came back.’’

‘’Hehehe, sorry sorry, I just jest, that's all. Don't make those faces, of course I don't think that of you. Anyways, you won't have to worry about me being gone once again because let me say this, I am here to stay.’’

Life got back to normal. Okay sure, this is an overstatement. I meant it was normal for Happy Town. I was going back to doing my job as an angel, well more like pretending but it is the same for them, and giving to the people the image of a perfectly happy filly. Sometimes I was going outside, taking the appearance of my brother and acting like him. That way, they did not doubt he was still alive and who could blame them, my disguise was flawless. I was not doing that often. Once or twice a week I would say. He was a recluse anyway. Why I was doing that? Because he needed to still be here. His voice must still be heard. Besides, becoming him was now natural for me. I was considering that he was me after all. It's still hard to explain.

Of course, we could not be both be at the same place because there was just, well, one of me. But that subterfuge was more easily done than you may think. I had discovered that Happy Townians were not that good in asking questions for themselves.

Now, for the part of me wanting to crush the twisted philosophy of my town. That, was more tricky. I was determined to do it but the problem was that at that time this idea was... just that, an idea. I had no plans. Not even a glimpse. At that moment, I was in my room, prancing in circles, pondering like crazy on how to put my brother vision into the thick skulls of ponies. It was not going well, nothing came to mind.

As I keep pondering, I saw a rolled-up paper at the feet of my wall, half-hidden under my drawer. With mild interest, I grabbed it and rolled it up. It was my poster of The Mane 6. Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Fluttershy and of course, Twilight Sparkle. The ponies that used to be my idols.

‘’Oh yeah, I completely forgot that I have this. So much had happened. The poster must have come out by itself and roll up there.’’

I hold the poster in front on my face and looked at the six ponies on it, wondering if they could stir any emotion in me but... nothing.

‘’That's right. I used to look up to you. No, Mel is right, venerating you is the more correct expression. But now... it seems so long ago. Well, not that long but that how it feels for me. I was seeing your words as wisdom. But... what helps your lessons were for me when my brother died, huhh?’’

I was feeling anger slowly but surely building up inside and having difficulty containing it, I crumpled the poster between my hooves.

‘’You are no different from them. Giving only superficial lessons that amount to nothing and yet so many follows you. Just like I did the same as you. The difference is that it's a 'whole' country that is on the grasp of your teaching. Does that means that all Equestria is AS CORRUPTED AS MY TOWN?’’

I raised my hooves to throw away in a corner that accursed poster but...

I held back my throw. And instead gently rolled it and put on my drawer.

‘’Maybe I am too harsh on you. I did say you are like me. I am sure you have the best of intentions and are really believing that you make the world better. We all are. But that is why it is so hard to find the true way. Alright. Let us forget about that and go back to the problem at hoof. How to change the way of thought of the ponies of my town and if possible, beyond it?’’

That was tricky, tricky indeed. It was not like I could continue his literary works and write novels as him. I couldn't, I just couldn't. I don't know how to write stories, and especially tragedies, just like he does. His genius was incomparable. Beside it had not worked anyways. It made no difference. No, if I want it to succeed then I need something more... bigger. Something more flashier. Something that would take so much place that it would be impossible to deny it.

‘’But how to do that? How? That's the question. What can I do in the first place? As I had always said, if you want to create great art then it is always good to have the most tools you can at your disposition. Well yeah sure, but what do I have at my disposition? I am just a simple filly with a house full of craftponyships. Not a lot I can do with that. There must be a way to get more help or more tools. ... ... ... BUT WAIT!!! Wait. The ruins! I completely forgot them too! Those mysterious ruins possess a lot of incredible machines and a weird technology. Mel even had said it was futuristic. And we even barely scratched the surface of what they can do. If I find the way to properly use that technology then I will be able to do... hum, I don't know, stuffs. But that could at least give me some help to accomplish my wish.’’

So tonight, when everypony went to sleep, I went towards the ruins, well decided to use what they had to offer. At that time, I had still no plan forming in my head. But it was logic that I will find more tools at my disposal. It was like playing cards. If you have more cards on your hooves then you have more chances to make good hands. What did I have to lose.

Also... it was the place that Mel was fascinated. Those ruins were full of his feelings. When that thought came to me, I saw that as a sign. A sign that...

maybe the answers were really in there.

I was sure it would have been hard to pass in front on my brother corpse. Even if to my surprise, it was now covered in a pile of rocks. But he was still under it. I was expecting it to be painful or that I will even go into a breakdown again. But now. Nothing of that sort. I think I even felt a slight comfort as I walked before his hidden remains.

Did I really become such a morbid pony?

Back to the main topic. I did not lose time and quickly went to that big machine, ah you know what, let call it a monitor from now on since it is what it is anyway. I went to the monitor because I knew that my best chance to fully understand those ruins was with it. I had a rudimentary comprehension on how to use the monitor but I was expecting it will be difficult. Turn out... it had been so easy it was nearly anticlimactic. Nearly.

Finding the bits of info I wanted had been so quick. Although I could not understand the language, every subject was so well classified that you easily understand what categories and subject were with a simple trial and error. I understood a little more about the layout and those blocks, but what really captivated me were those ancient and state-of-the-art machines hidden in those ruins. I discovered that there were rooms full of these. And I even knew how to use those machines because the instructions were always coming with detailed images explaining everything so I had no need to read the words. And there were all kinds of machines. Some that look useful, some that are mind-boggling, others that were... dangerous.

The ones that interested me the most were those cubic monitors. From what I had learned, those machines can show at a place what is happening at another one. Kind like a movie. Except it is in real time. Why did we equestrian never came up with this idea? But my imagination ran wild, very wild. It means that if I knew how to properly used them, I could maybe show what I had in mind to a lot of ponies in one shoot. And not just Happy Town, but all Equestria. If I knew how to properly use them that is.

But the answer to that question came to me so easily. Like if that monitor before me wanted to help me, the next machine it showed me, the one that was topping them all, was... I was at lost for breath.

At the very heart of that complex, a white chair was resting. No, not a chair, more like a throne. And from what the illustrations were telling me, it seems that whoever sat on that throne could gain control of... well, everything. Every machine, the whole ruins, even to my surprise the walls themselves. The pony on the picture was depicted as moving all that as easily as if it was additional hooves. No wait! That was exactly that. The pony on the throne was becoming the machinery of the ruins! And that throne was right there for the taking! Do you know how I had felt?

I was feeling as if fate itself was on my side.

I did not immediately go to the throne. It was so much, I needed time to process that discovery. So I went back to my house. But I could not rest, no, I was far too excited for that. All my prayers had been magically answered. Well, okay, far from it but I was feeling close, so close to my goal. There were just a few little details, oh alright, more like gaping details, to solve.

Before me was a lot of paper sheets spread on the table. I was trying to put ideas on them with the pencil on my mouth. A shame that inspiration was refusing to give me ideas. The sheets were still blank. And the pressure and nervousness was giving me a furious urge to lick my lips. Which I couldn't because of that damn pencil that had no use.

‘’Come on Flo, come on. Concentrate, concentrate. Rights now, you had acquired the perfect stage and the way to show it to all. But all that is useless if you have nothing to show for. What could be powerful enough to make them open their eyes. Hummm. Hummmmm. Huuuuuuuuummmmm. AHHHH, nothing came to mind, nothing. *sigh* Right now, what I need is to take a deep breath and calm down. It is always with a clear mind that idea comes. Right. Right. There is no reason to panic. I know that I will find the answer. I will change how they think. I am the proof. If me, a living symbol who inspires other to follow a naive ideal can change her way, then anypony can. ... ... ... A... living symbol... who inspires... ... ...!!!!! BUT YES, WHY DIDN'T THINK OF THAT BEFORE!’’

With adrenaline rushing in me, I ran across rooms to grab my poster, went back to my table, swipe away in one strike all the sheets that had been of no help and slammed the poster on the wood. I gazed at my former role models with such closeness and intensity that I could burn the paper.

‘’Yes, yes. It's you. You will all help me. You are living symbols just like me, no, even greater. You are adored not only by Happy Town but by all Equestria. If I can erase your optimism view and show it to all, then all the rest is sure to follow. But how to do that? Ah, of course, by the same way as me. Those lies are too ingrained in their mentality. Then I will need to make them live a crisis so terrible that it will make their views of the world crumbling down. Like a show that will traumatize all who see it. A show! Yes that's it! A show. I will put up a show. But it will need to be good and well prepared, and I will have only one shot at this. I will also need to bring the Mane 6 here. I don't how, but I will find a way, even if I have to force their hooves. Now I have a plan. And I will do it, oh may the heavens hear my words, I will do it. I will complete the quest of my brother and TEAR APART THOSE DAMN LIES.’’

And I tear apart the poster until it was nothing more than confetti which I threw high in the air.

‘’AND NO ONE WILL STOP ME.’’

The pieces that were once the image of those mares, fell like a pretty snow, dancing in the air in what was in my eyes a harmonious choreography.

The day after, was the day.

It was the day I decided to take the plunge. I just had entered the heart of the whole ruins, though it was surprisingly empty. It size might be compared to a auditorium but it was much bigger than that. As far as I could see, there was nothing more that space and white brightness. Except, for the throne floating right at the center above a conical altar and a set of stairs leading it to it. Although the road to it was long, I didn't rush and instead walked towards it at a leisurely pace. I had to treat that endeavor with respect. I was understanding now why Mel loved those ruins so much. I was even sharing his feelings. Sterile, bright, mechanical, and yet full of pain of the past and broken feelings lingering in the air. I was now seeing that place as a reflection of me.

I climbed the stairs one by one, bringing me closer of that chair of untold power. Its features were rough and rudimentary. It was a little big for a little filly like me but it will still be comfortable for me to sit on it. And once I do, I will gain absolute control of that place. I could move and shape it as I please. No, it will do more than that. Those ruins would become a canvas and I will be the artist drawing in it. I will truly become my brother.

I climbed the throne and sat on it. It did not lose time to work its magic on me. I saw on my extremities luminous blue rivers flowing with strict angles on my skin. The little fear I had felt, I snuffed it out. I could sense those blue lines coursing on my very muscles gaining more and more ground in my body until they reached my brain.

The sensation I had felt was unlike anything I had felt. It was like my brain had become bigger. The very core of my being was still the same but I had gained additional arms to gain control of. In a way, I had become the ruins. I could flow my mind to every parcel of that complex, every machinery of it and even every gadget connected to the system.

But I could not give them orders to follow. There was still one obstacle. The throne had already one master that was registered to it. But I could somehow understand that this position was classified as vacant. It would be so easy for me to override it with my mind and to register myself as the new master.

But before I could do, I had a moment of hesitation.

I understand that was I was about to do with those ruins was a bad thing. It was not moral. It was downright cruel. Should I just give up while still can? The Mane 6 used to be the ponies I admired the most. Should I really hurt them like that? Was I really doing the right thing?

But then I realized... it was way bigger than me. All Equestria was on a dangerous path to ignorance. If nothing is done, who knows what will happen. No. I must do this. For all that is good, I am willing to sacrifice myself and become a bad pony. I must do it. It is more than an obligation to my brother. I am the angel. And reason to be of the angel is to do good.

Are you surprised? Oh I bet you are surprised. That even now I am still clinging to that title. I had thrown away the philosophy of Happy Town, I had thrown away all they had taught me, I had thrown away the respect I had for them. But not that. I still see myself as the angel of Happy Town. I know, it is stupid. But I am not capable of separating myself from that title. That identity has been with me for so long. It is so ingrained in me that it is now part of my very being. I can't stop being the angel. That is why I must do the responsibilities that come with that title and do good.

So on that day, I crossed the threshold. I erased the vacant administrator authority and put me, Floral, as its place.

This was the day the ruins of the ancient civilization recognized me as their new master. The brightness disappeared and all became dark. Holographic screens appeared all around, bathing me with their sickly bluish lights and cubes came from above and below, floating around me like menacing soldiers with me as their queen.

This was the day... when Flo gave her soul to the demons.

Tic-toc. Tic-toc. The sound of the clock is the only noise filling my house in the dead of the night. Once again, I neglected my sleep. I have too much preparation to do. There are still some final details I need to perfect. I know what I going to do with the Mane 6. I will not just make a show. I got the idea of a game. A game of anguish. Each one of them would be put separately into a trial that will be taxing for their hearts and put them into a visceral anguish. If those trials are broadcast then they are sure to make an effect on those who see them. But I cannot do anything, those trials must be well thought. They need to be powerful to make an effect to all. They also need to touch each of the six on a personal level while also being subjects broad enough that they can be found in everyday life.

This will require a lot of work. I am not a tragedy master like my brother. But I had seen and even lived tragedy on a personal level. I can use my experience. Beside...

I turned my head to look at the shelf full to the brims of the many, many sad and tragic stories my brother had written. I did a small snicker at them.

Lucky for me that I had so much reference materials.

I waved goodbye with a smile to the foals which I spent all the morning to play. To which I also play pretend that I was still the old Floral, the happy-go-lucky one, and nopony saw through my act. Nopony ever does. But the truth was while I was playing games with them, my mind was preoccupied by something else.

As more of my plan for the game was progressing, more and more it dawned on me that it will be impossible for me to accomplish it alone. I would need to acquire help. But from whom? I had done all that in secret because I knew nopony would approve me. So who will be willing to help me in my morally questionable endeavor?

It was then that I caught sight of something... quite unusual. People that were not happy at all.

At the other side of the road, walking at a slow pace that does not seem quite natural, were two ponies, no no that's wrong. They are no ponies. They were... canine creatures with gray fur, walking on two legs? This is the first time I had ever seen them. Wait, now I know! They are Diamond Dogs. I remember them from one of the stories of the Mane 6.

But it was not because of their different species that they were contrasting. They were looking weak. Very weak. Their furs had lost their luster and they had skin on their bones, their clothes were not enough to hide it. It was enough to make me feel a pang in my heart, something I did not feel for a long time.

From their conversation, I understand they are brother and that the little one is the big brother. I recognize the caring of an older sibling. The older brother pointed to an empty alley between two buildings and they went there. Where they will be hidden from all gazes. I know for a fact that there is nothing in that alley except for garbage containers. No need to put two plus two to understand.

But I was in shock.

I was in shock and the reason had nothing to do with what I mentioned before.

It was their eyes. Especially the eyes of the big brother. There was so much in them. So many things that were... familiar. I am sure you will not believe me but I could read their lives as easily as an open book. I could feel that they were lonely and not accepted by anyone except for each other. I could feel that they had been victims of the harshness of life. I could feel the despair and sorrow that refuse to leave their heart.

We were similar. I could feel it in my bones, we were similar. I was now possessed with the urge to know more about them.

There was nopony on the street but I prefer being cautious. Behind me was another alley, this one dark and very narrow. One where I was sure it will be impossible to see me. I slowly walked inside and from my saddlebag, I took the necktie brooch and put it on my neck. The alley ended in a dead end covered in pitch black. I entered in the darkness. And when I turned around and went back on my steps under the light, I exited it as me.

Soon... it will be nearly done. My plan was nearly complete. There was just one piece missing and it that piece was in front of me. From the balcony I was, I was overlooking a weird shape tower structure. That tower structure was the final key. The key to bring all the Mane 6 to me.

I had discovered that over the millennia, the ruins had accumulated an excess of energy and that with the help of this machine, I could release it in one fantastic display that all the realm would not fail to notice. I had read the stories of those six mares for so long. I knew how they were acting, how they usually react to problems and even some of their inner thoughts. I was feeling pretty confident that I could successfully predict their actions. Or at least close enough. And I wanted to capitalize on that.

My plan was simple. Bold but simple. I was planning to use the ruins themselves as a lure. It will be certain to be such a historic discovery. How ironic that now I was planning to fulfill the responsibility my brother and I had promised to do. And once words would get out that of that site, then surely it would a mystery too big to resist for the greatest intellectual mind of a certain mare. And from what I had followed from their adventures and daily life, if Twilight go to a big event then she usually brings all her friends with her to share the experience. Those six are so close that they are inseparable. Now I was conscious that it was far from a foolproof plan and that I it was more akin to rolling the dice. She might just bring some of her friends or none at all. But I was willing to play the risk and besides, what I was losing in trying my chance. And there is something else. There was no doubt, absolutely certainty, that if only one of them come, then Happy Town would insist, more like beg that the rest come. That twisted town would be useful for at least something.

I had moved the contraption, well in truth I had moved the whole room to the summit of Mount Heaven, so that it could face the open and glittering starry sky. It would be so easy to hide that summit again once the deed is done. I won't bother you with how.

I made the holographic display appeared before me. All I had to do now was to push the holographic button on it. Technically, I could release the excess of energy from anywhere but I insisted on seeing the release from my own eyes. Tonight was not just the first step to my revolution of thoughts. For thousands and thousands years, the anguish of that lost people had been buried under rock, condemned to be listening and notice by nopony. And I will be the one to unleash their cry of anger and no ear would be deaf to it.

I pushed the button, and the growl of the machine coming back to life grew louder and louder. I just know it. Now, meheheh, nothing, truly nothing can be stopped.

It has been one month since then. After a long and tortuous waiting, the Mane 6 were to come today. My plan had worked. The mayor had personally confirmed to me their coming.

It surely could not come at a better time. That month had not been an easy one. During that time I could not advance my plan. There was nothing to occupy me. Except double checking what was already done and played the role of the normal Floral for the ponies of Happy Town. It's a miracle if had managed to play so well my facade. Deep down I was feeling like dirt and my heart was as dry as it. Everything was a blur and I was even doubting that I was really there. Why I was like that? Is it really because I had nothing to do?

I was not even able to rejoice they were coming today. Every minute was so painful it might as well as if they were never coming. I was not even able to have any enthusiasm. It was then that I took notice that without realizing it, I had walked to the outskirts of the town. And what more, I knew where the path I was walking was leading me to.

The spring. Our spring.

It seems I was feeling so bad that I wanted to go back to days of the past for comfort. Sometimes, I did not feel in control of myself. I am not sure I could fight that urge that came to me so I let my legs guide me to the spring.

Even in daylight, that place is beautiful. Like a piece of heaven. I had really wished to still be able to see that beauty. There is a tree with its trunk suspended above the water. I like to relax on that trunk. I put myself on it like I used to. The memories of happier days came rushing to me. It is painful, but this time I don't even care. How we use to play music on perfect harmony on that spring. My song of happiness. And his melody of sorrow. Now, that spring will never hear nether of them. As I went through the memories of my brother, I eventually finished at the last one. The one of his death. And about the song he had sung to me. His very last gift. And the last thing that is left of him. No, maybe more than that. He had said that song was one that our parents also sang to him. I lost my parents before remembering their faces and then my brother came after. No parents and no brother. I had lost all my family. I am all alone. So that song is the only link left of my family. But I still do not understand what it is about. Or why he sang it to me at the first place.

What he was trying to tell me?

What our parents were trying to tell him?

So to know if I could get the answers, I sang it at loud.

I... felt a slight moment of peace as I sang those lyrics who flew away with the wind.

But it did not last. As soon as I had finished singing the last word, I went back to my normal self. Could it be that I had imagined that moment of peace? And I was still no closer to figure out the meaning of that song.

It was then that I heard clapping of applause. Ponies were there! Seeing my true side! How did they sneak here without me noticed them!

‘’Who's there?!’’

In my surprise, I lost balance and felt face first on the water. Well, that what I thought would happen but somepony caught me with levitation magic and only the tip of my nose touched the watery surface. That pony then gently dropped me on the dry ground. All that was so unexpected, I was a little shaken. But flustered or not, better go back to my smiling facade.

I still no saw her face but from her profuse apology, I could tell that mare was even more flustered than me.

‘’Oh I am so sorry, we didn’t want to scare you and nether eavesdropping. We were just so impressed by your beautiful voice that we couldn’t just help but to listen. Please accept my apology.’’

Geez, that is over the top. She did nothing, she had even helped me, there is no reason to feel sorry. I hate pony like that. Who could be so nervous?

‘’Oh no it’s alright, it's quite alright. I am the one that shouldn’t have reacted like... that… ...!!! Is that you!’’

I can't believe it, my eyes must lie to me! How did I not recognize her! Before me stand a lavender unicorn with indigo hair with light-purple and magenta stripes running on them. Oh and also, she had a pair of wings. It was Twilight Sparkle! The Twilight Sparkle! And all her friends, the rest of the Mane 6 were there too! I had seen their image so many times that it is burned on my brain, of course I would recognize them. They are there! They are really there in front of me!

‘’It’s you it’s you it’s you it’s you, it is really you!’’

‘’Um yes, yes it’s me… … who I am supposed to be?’’

‘’You are Twilight Sparkle, the one and only. I can believe that you are here right in front of me. It is like a dream come true.’’

I was acting like a overjoyed little filly who just had the best day of her life. And technically, it was all true. But can you imagine how distorted my joy was? Can you imagine as I was talking to the kindest ponies of the whole world what was truly coursing through my head?

‘’(You are finally here. You don't know how much I had waited for you. But now I no longer... I no longer have to wait. Because you are the answer to all my prayers. Our world is so twisted by lies. I want to do at least for once some good for this world by tearing apart those lies. I could do it for real. And all because of you. Oh Mane 6 that I admire so much. If you knew how grateful I am. Because in a way, you are my saviors.)’’

That's right. And that duty of mine%*&%**&%*&%**&%*&%**&%*&%**&%*&%*And that duty of mine still continues.

I will never stop until it is accomplished. There is still more to be done.

You six are supposed to help me. You must come back to me.

I need your help

I need your help to fix my mistakes.

I need your help to educate the world.

The lies of happiness are still there The lies of happiness are still there

And as long as they are there, I will never stop crushing their evil and bring true good to the world. Ponies need clarity. Ponies need comprehension.

Truth must be understood

Truth must be understood

Truth must be understood

Truth must be understood

Truth must be understood

Truth must be understood

Truth must be understood

Truth must be understood

Truth must be understood

Truth must be understood

Truth must be understood

[END OF TRANSMISSION]

Author's Note

And with that, the backstory of Flo is finally finished. It sure took time but I am glad I completed it. Floral is a character that is dear to me and I was trying my best to make sure you could understand why she think and act the way she does. I insist by the way that I do not try to justify her actions because they are not. Nothing is an excuse to deliberately hurting other. But I wanted you to at least comprehend that she was the tragic victim of circumstances where she was powerless to control. Especially her environment. Focusing purely on happiness doesn't mean focusing on well-being.

On a side-note. If you think that Flo becoming occasionally Mel like if she had some sort of split-personality is a far fetch idea, well... . There exist a concept called tulpa. It is basically making a mental construction so convincing that the creator genuinely believe it exists. It's like making an imaginary friend but on such an intense level that it may seem as if it had sentience and is relatively autonomous and yes, sometimes can even act through you. It's more common than we think. That's what Flo use as a coping mechanism.

Alright, now it is time to go back to the Mane 6 and let me tell you, the action is far to be done. How our favorite mares will deal with the aftermath of that cruel game? Does Flo will just let them go? You will have to wait the next chapter to know the answers.

By the way, as a gift, here another image of Flo and Mel drawn by the talented hand of SkyeyPony.

You may had already saw that image. But it's only now that you will truly understand its double-meaning.

Chapter 10: Rest and reflextion

Chapter 10: Rest and reflection

Twilight Sparkle was resting on a bed. Her sleep was deep, her breath barely noticeable and she wasn't moving an inch. But without warning, she got-up in panic, threw her bed cover violently with her magic and was shaking with hysteria.

‘’Gyaaa! Top hat, books nopony love, she is coming for us. Oh gosh, oh gosh, SHE IS COMING FOR US!’’

It was at that moment that the door opened and Rarity came in, very worried.

‘’Darling, it's alright, everything is alright, you are EEEK!!!’’

She had to duck down to avoid the magical blast Twilight had thrown in her panic. From where she was, she looked behind her and saw the burn mark on the wooden wall. It was still fuming. She could not help but to gulp.

‘’Well I concord, me too I find that the decoration is garish but still, that excessive.’’

‘’Rarity! It's you!’’

At the sight of the unicorn she recognized as her friend, Twilight calmed a little.

‘’I'm, I'm, sorry. What's happened, how are the others, where I am?’’

Rarity jumped on the bed and embraced the whole of Twilight in a tight hug.

‘’You are safe Twi. You are safe. You don't need to know anything else for now.’’

It took some time for those reassuring words to sink in. But once they did, the all-spread wings of Twilight slowly lowering down and she allowed her body to go limp. Once her breathing became calm, she repays Rarity hug with her own.

‘’Thanks Rarity.’’

‘’Anything for you darling.’’

‘’Sorry about... nearly blasting you.’’

‘’It's understandable. And don't worry about the damage. This place is already a mess anyway.’’

This makes Twilight alert once more and made her remember she had so many questions that needed answers. She separated herself from the embrace.

‘’Oh right, that's right! Where are we? From the last thing I remember, we were in the ruins before I lost consciousness.’’

‘’We are at the guesthouse. You don't recognize it?’’

Another look, with clarity this time, made her realize that yes, she was right. She did not recognize it at first because it was as if a storm had been here. Or a party gone bad. Since there were multicolored confetti on every corner.

‘’We all felt unconscious darling. You were the last one to awake. I was on my way to see how you were doing when I heard you.’’

‘’The last one! Then how are the others? Are they alright?’’

The unicorn made a snicker smile and turned her head towards the open door.

‘’Why don't you see yourself.’’

She followed her gaze and... gosh she could not be more happier.

At the doorway, her friends were there, their faces filled with various emotions. But mostly relief. Applejack put her hoof on her heart and did a sigh, freeing her if all her tension. Rainbow Dash made her beaming smile while Fluttershy gently patted her back since there was some trace of tears on the eyes of the blue flyer. But nothing compares to Pinkie whose eyes were so full of water that they were as big as saucer.

She wanted to talk to them but she did not have the time because they all rushed towards her and tackled her and Rarity in a thigh embrace. The pack of friends bounced on the bed while laughing like they never laugh. For that moment, for that little moment, there was no pain, no fear, no anguish. There was only bliss and love. Everything was perfect.

‘’Hahahaha, oh girls, you are all alright. I'm so happy. I was fearing the worst.’’

‘’Ya don't have to worry sugarcube, we won't go down that easily.’’

‘’Yeah she is super duper right. After all we went through it will take more than, well I'm not quite sure what hit us, a sci-fi magic spell who put us into esoteric thingy, I must say the genres have been all over the place on this adventure.’’

Twilight then realized that there was one pony missing. Her anxiety came back because she was the one who was the most hurt.

‘’Wait, what about Starlight? Where is she?’’

‘’I am right here.’’

Twilight felt another wave of relief in her heart. Starlight Glimmer trotted towards her at a leisure pace. Twilight noticed that the reason was because she walking on three hooves instead of four. The fourth one, the one that... had been stabbed, was put into a cast that was hanging at the height of Starlight chest. It was the same magenta color as her fur.

Seeing her student like that broke her heart.

‘’Starlight! Your hoof.’’

‘’Hum? Oh! That little thing.’’

‘’I am sorry.’’

‘’Huh!’’

‘’I am your teacher. I am supposed to protect you and I had failed.’’

‘’Hey. None of that Twi. I know you like to take responsibility for everything but there was just no way we could have prepared for that. How could we have guessed this madness? We couldn't, simply as that. Besides, my hoof is better and nothing too vital has been touched. Okay, it still hurt like hell but I am already getting use to it. I have those two to thank for. They have been very nice to me.’’

Creaking noise came to the alicorn hears. Two other visitors came into the room. The brothers Dirt and Dust. Contrary to the others, those two were hesitated to come closer. The big one, Dust, had eyes fixed on his feet and he was holding his hand in shame. Dirt, him, was holding his cap against his heart like if it was a protection against something and he was clenching his teeth, obliviously because of guilt.

‘’You two? You are... Dirt and Dust, right!’’

‘’Yes, that's them. They did a good job treating my hoof. But more importantly, it is because of them that we are here. They were the first to awake along with Applejack. With their strength they carried the rest of us to safety.’’

This made Twilight perplexes.

‘’But how did you get out of the ruins? The path from my cell thought the throne was straightforward and with no exit.’’

Applejack jumped from the bed and entered the conversation.

‘’Ah can answer that. For once, we been blessed with incredible luck. Turn out that in that chaos, that monitor room had slides to come beside us. Also great that those two know how to use that weirdy machine and bring us all to the outside.’’

Twilight could not help but to be intrigued. Something in what AJ say stimulated her intuition.

‘’(Really! That monitor room appeared just beside us just like that! That is awfully convenient. And also... ... It can wait. I have something more important to do.) So, we own our lives because of you two.’’

Twilight said it to the two dogs. But they did not take it well, they seemed even afraid and were close to run away.

‘’No princess, please you mustn't, please no, we, we deserve no thanks. Not after we, I mean, not after what I did.’’

‘’Big bro! Why do you//

‘’Shut up and let me talk. Ponies, I just ask you one thing. I beg you to put all the blame on me. Dust was never on board with that plan and he will never have been in it if I had not forced him to do it. That why if you want to take revenge on somedog, take it on me and me alone. I will not resist since I know I deserve it and much more WRAAF!!!’’

He was surprised because without noticing it, his body was bathed in purple magic and was being dragged by force toward the ponies. He closed his eyes, being afraid of the punishment that he was sure would come but was well resolute to face it. But instead...

Instead, he was greeted by the tight hug of a crying Twilight.

‘’Thank you. Thank you but thank you so much. It, I, it was a nightmare. For me and all of us. I had seen what he, what she did to all my friends and each time it was as if I was feeling their torture. It was hell. It was true hell. But you have free my friends and put an end to it.’’

That gratefulness was the very thing Dirt was not expecting. It was in a way worse than any punishment. He started to cry too, out of guilt.

‘’No princess, you must not thank me. You mustn't. It was me that put you in that nightmare.’’

‘’But you came back and decided to save us all. If you did not intervene... I... nearly could... I would have killed. I would have taken a life and that would have been an act I never could have taken back. But you saved me from it. I can't speak for the others but from me, know at least that I am so grateful. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.’’

Not being able to take it anymore, the emotions bubbling inside him burst out and he bawled like a baby. His brother came to him and put his paw on his shoulder while Twilight added her wings to the embrace.

It had taken some time before he managed to calm down. After that, the important was to answer the question that was on the mind of everycreature: What's next?

Twilight was the one that opened up the conversation.

‘’Before all else, there is a question that is bothering me.’’

She turned to face Pinkie Pie.

‘’Pinkie. I could not help to notice that you mentioned that when were hit by, whatever that was, you had an esoteric experience. Can you be more specific?’’

‘’Oh yeah, it was sooo weird. When I was knocked out and went to la-la-land, I had the strangest of dreams. The entire backstory of the main villain. Well now I feel bad to call her a villain because it was the saddest story I ever heard and//

She never could finish because all jumped in surprise, saying things like: Wait, you too! I thought I was the only one! So it really did happen! This confirmed Twilight suspicion.

‘’That's what I thought. We all saw the same thing. We saw the past of Floral. Somehow, when that light had touched us, we must have been connected to her memories.’’

‘’Yeah, IIII kinda figures out that's what happened. I mean when I dream, it's usually not as orderly as that. Like when once I had dreams of my cousin that was wearing a big cauldron as a hat and was singing awful smells//

‘’Not now Pinkie.’’

‘’Whoops, sorry Twi. Still, that trick with that light was pretty neat. How did it happen?’’

‘’I don't know. I understand nothing about that technology. Sometimes I feel that it has no rule. AND IT'S FRUSTRATING. I HATE NOT UNDERSTANDING THE RULES.’’

She understood she needed to calm down so she used the breathing technique she has for habit to do when she is frazzled.

‘’*sigh* Okay, I am better now. I can tell that we are all lost and confuse. So I suggest it would be best if we all share what we know. What do you say?’’

That all agreed. Right now they were all feeling in the dark and needed some clarity. The outside was still in penumbra. And the night sky was still covered by the same blanket of cloud. Only this time it was moving at a more aggressive pace. As if the weather could know of what was about to come.

In the absolute dark, there was a silence of death. That is until the sound of life, the groans of machines rebooting came, quickly followed by holographic screens appearing one after the other, with their artificial cyan lights piercing but not dispelling the dark. And at the very crux of all, those lights were bathing the form of a young filly, slouching on a floating chair. Her red mane was no longer braided, now flowing freely as a mess.

She awoke. She rose and jerked her head, looking at nothing in particular.

‘’It... is... not... over... not... over. Truth... must be...’’

She shakily raised her hoof high the sky.

‘’Truth must be UNDERSTOOD.’’

And she slammed it with strength on the arm of her throne. More screens appeared around at the dozens. From a slit of her red cascade, her right eye brightened with the same cold determination of the machines surrounding her.

Time had passed. For how, they could not tell. Once they shared all the information they had, they did not know what to say. No one was saying anything and the only sound was the wind flowing across the broken window.

They had talked about their escape and clarified more on it. How they used the secret exit to go outside and put all the unconscious ponies on the same chariot they used to kidnap them. On their way, Rainbow Dash has been the first one to awake and proposed to help. They all decided to go to the guesthouse because it was the closest and they thought they all needed to rest. Then, the rest regained consciousness quickly. Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie awakens at the same time, followed by Rarity and after, Starlight to which the two brothers quickly took care of her hoof. All had been so fast that they didn't have the time to ask for help at the town. Twilight had been the last one to awake. She had been really surprised to learn that since the time they had been hit by the cyan light to her awaking, barely more than one hour had been spent. For her, it had seemed like an eternity.

They had talked about their trials and the torture it had been. Twilight and Starlight had already seen them all and to the surprise of everypony, the Diamond Dogs too. But the rest did not know about the other trials except their own. So... they each told their experiences. It was hard. Very hard. They did not want to talk about and even lest think about it. But they understood that keeping them for themselves will not bring any good. They had to force the words to come out of their throats at first but quickly, the opposite happened and they could no longer stop. It had not been easy to talk. But it had been also not easier to hear about the tribulations of their friends. To each new story, they could feel their hearts being squeezed tight. Although in the end, they felt miserable... they somehow also felt a little bit of relief to express their pain. Especially towards others that could understand and lived the same pain as them.

They had talked about the past of Dirt and Dust and why they did what they did. Their story was one the ponies did not expect. They could not imagine that such poverty was possible in Equestria. This made them realize how blessed their lives had been and although there still was bad blood, this made them see the two brothers in a new light.

Fluttershy even went to shade a few tears.

‘’*sniff* I am sorry that you had that tough. So you kidnapped us so you could support each other?’’

‘’The boss, I mean, the ex-boss had promised to give us all his, her money if we captured you. With it, me and Dust could had lived comfortably for many years. But I don't want anymore. I wouldn't be capable anyway. I know that no matter how much we were desperate, we never should have hurt you. We are sorry.’’

He says that sentence with so much regret. This somehow made Twilight also felt regret on her own.

‘’I cannot believe ponies were so afraid of you. Actually, scratch that, I have no problem believing it. Ponies have still a way to go before solving their fearfulness of other species. I tried to work on that with my school but... maybe I should have done more.’’

At that remorse, Dust shook his head in negation.

‘’You should not blame yourself like that Miss Sparkle, it's not your fault if the world work that way. Besides, you and your friends are not like them. I had once say to my big brother how things would have been different if we had met you sooner.’’

‘’A shame you never came to Ponyville. If I had known about your plight, I will have helped you.’’

‘’I know you will have.’’

‘’... ... *sigh* Anyway, so you had worked for her for a long time and you really did not know that Mel was actually Flo in disguise.’’

‘’We swear we had no idea that the boss was actually a little girl. If we had known, we will not have taken his, I mean her plan seriously.’’

‘’That probably the reason why she was always wearing Mel face when dealing with you. It is still hard to believe that she... WAIT! Seriously, what wrong with me! How can I forget the most important? What happened to her?’’

Dirt scratched his head in embarrassment.

‘’Well, the thing is, we did try to get to her but the doors were shut tight. I had tried using the monitor but nothing was working. I only know how to using it a little, I am not an expert.’’

The wings of Rainbow Dash flared up and she flew up in panic.

‘’Wo wo wo wo wo! What does that mean? Twi, what does that mean?’’

‘’It means that Flo is still in the ruins. And that we not safe from danger.’’

Dash eyes went wide with panic and she darts around everypony, nearly touching muzzle to muzzle, while rambling.

‘’Wait what! But why? She would not dare. She is alone now. Besides, it's over. That game is over. She no more reason to come after us, right? Right?’’

‘’I'm afraid she does not see it that way. You all saw the same vision. You all saw how it ended. I could feel her raw emotions. It was more than wanting us, she desperately needs us. I know you don't want to hear that but... I doubt it is over. Far from it.’’

All keep quiet. Twilight could guess the reason. Fear. A fear that was gripping their heart so much that it was making them feel cold. The reason she could know was that she was feeling the same fear.

But then, the sound of growling stomachs came, ruining the tense atmosphere. Rarity held her belly in embarrassment.

‘’Oh dear, that is very unbecoming of a lady.’’

But there was a hint in her voice that suggests that she was glad for that distraction.

‘’It's no wonder, we been on so much, of course we all be famished. Iffin we goin'ta to face her again, ah suggest we all go filling our belly before all else Twi. Soldiers can't fight on empty stomachs.’’

‘’Yes AJ... yes I suppose you are right. We should go eat.’’

Rainbow Dash, seeing that as an occasion to be useful, flew towards the door.

‘’Alright then I going to search for something to make us snacks. We will just have to find another place to eat that the kitchen to eat because it's a battlefield. No I'm not joking, it's literally a battlefield. But I'm pretty sure the fridge was spared. You're coming Fluttershy?’’

‘’Huh! Yes, I, I'm coming.’’

Both pegasi went away and the rest of the group soon followed then. Until only the two brothers and Twilight remain. The two canines eventually followed suit but then...

‘’Dirt. Dust.’’

‘’Yes princess?’’

‘’I have a request. Once everything will be over... please come to Ponyville.’’

‘’Whaaat!’’

‘’You have no place to live so I figure I should help you. I know you were not accepted in Equestria but trust me, Ponyville is a special place. There, it's a wonderful town where all are accepted and the inhabitants are the friendliest there is. Sure, they may be a little eccentric, weird and sometimes crazy but... if you give them a chance, I am sure you will fall in love with that place just like I did.’’

‘’But princess, we... we don't deserve//

‘’Please I insist. It has nothing to do with deserving or gratitude. I just want to help because... because I just want. That's all.’’

She passed them and exit the room while the two brothers were following her with their eyes, not quite sure to know what they were seeing. The words of Twilight were making their feelings all confuse and yet... yet... they could not help... but to smile. Those smiles were little... but they were genuine.

Applejack was descending the stairs, well more what was left of it, but then noticed Fluttershy, sitting against the bench for apparently no reason, not moving, just fixing a point on the wall in front of her. But AJ could guess that the true thing Shy she was not able to advert her gaze was more in the inside of herself.

‘’Fluttershy?’’

‘’Eeeek!!!’’

‘’Oh sorry sugarcube, ah did not want to scare ya.’’

‘’Applejack! ... No... no I'm sorry, I should not have been that distracted, I... there was just a lot on my mind.’’

Applejack went down and sat at her side. From where they were they could hear Rainbow in the kitchen, rummaging the fridge, shouting things like: ‘’What! Where are the crackers? What kind of house does not have crackers? ’’ They both went to giggle.

‘’Heheh. Ah shuck. Ah sure needed that. Now, would ya not mind telling what is wrong?’’

‘’Well, she was right, that kitchen is a mess. I did not feel good seeing all that violence so I went away in silence. But the moment I was alone I... all came back to me. I think... I think Dashie knew. And that is why she insisted that I accompany her. So that I won't be alone.’’

‘’Ah can believe it. That gal is more perceptive than we think. She surprised me sometimes.’’

‘’What happened to the kelpies became the only thing I can think of and the fear... the fear came back. I was so afraid that I was no longer able to move.’’

‘’Oh. ... Fluttershy, ya... told us what your trial was. What that filly did to ya was without words. But... it was not your fault.’’

‘’I know it was not my fault. But I think I prefer if it was. Because if it was, at least I could search and find out what I did wrong to make sure it won't happen again. But I did wrong... because I did right. Because I had shown care, they wanted to showed care in return. And they died because of what I had taught them.’’

‘’Fluttershy//

‘’I always do my best to teach my animals to be good. And I guess my kindness to them encourage them to be kind. I used to see that as a good thing but now... now I realize that because they care about others... can also mean they can care more about other that they care about themselves. When I care more about them that I care about me. So what I am supposed to do? What is the true way to care? Teach them instead to be selfish so that they will only care about themselves? That's no better. I am feeling trap. I fear for when the next one I love will die because of my very love. What I'm supposed to do? What's the solution? Aah! Aaaaah *pant**pant**pantpantpantpant*.’’

The poor pegasus was now hyperventilating due to a panic attack. Applejack put her hooves on Fluttershy shoulder to calm her down. At first it did not seem to work but then, a second touch was added. A paw gently land on Fluttershy head and caressed her pink mane. These two touchs were enough to calm her down. She raised her head and saw that this paw was belonging to Dust.

‘’I am sorry, I did not mean to eavesdrop, but I heard everything.’’

The big dog went down the stairs and joined the discussion.

‘’About those kelpies. I am sorry that you had to see that//

‘’It's alright. If you want to apologize, I know it was not your fault. And I know, *sniff*, I know I must eventually get over their deaths but... but it's so hard. Those adorable kelpies were so nice, so affectionate. They sacrificed their lives for me without a second thought. It's so unfair. They didn't deserve to die. When I think about them I... I...’’

Tears streamed from her eyes and she sobbed uncontrollably. Dust closed his eyes in a pensive mood.

‘’Ummm. Umm no they did not die.’’

He walked towards the door leading to the cellar and opened it.

‘’Not really.’’

Intriguing by his words, Fluttershy walk into the doorway he was pointing. Inside it was dark and she could see nothing. So Dust switched-on the light switch and...

She could not believe it! It has to be a dream, she was thinking. But a miracle did happen.

There, resting on the floor, was none other than the two kelpies. It was them, Fluttershy have the eye to recognize the individuality in each animal with just one look. Because of the light, they opened their tired eyes but once they saw the yellow pegasus, they were no longer tired and hooted in joy.

Fluttershy, in choc, covered her mouth with her hoof and cried tears of relief.

‘’Kelpies! You... YOU'RE ALRIGHT!’’

She flew to them and caressed them with her cheeks like no tomorrow.

‘’You're alright, oh you're all alright. I was sure you were dead. Oh thank Celestia, I could not have bear it if you had died because of me. Promise me you will never do that again.’’

The kelpies were also happy to see their friend. One of them gobbled the upper-half of the pony. Obviously. Not that she minded. You could tell from the way she was giggling from inside his mouth. Applejack and Dust was finding that scene very heartwarming. They needed to see that.

And that was the moment Rainbow Dash decided to come back.

‘’Okay guys. There is enough to make something at least decent for all. Sure, there are no crackers, and yes I know, it's a big down, but at least OHMYGOSH, FLUTTERSHY IS BEING EATEN ALIVE!!!’’

After having held back by force the pegasus that wanted to 'save her' and explained the situation, Rainbow Dash calmed down and was brushing the back of her head in embarrassment. They all let Fluttershy be alone with the kelpies for a few minutes but it was clear that they were still very weak and needed time to rest. So Fluttershy, with a lot of regret, leaves them alone in the dark so they could rest. She quietly closed the door and faced the three of them.

‘’Thank you for having shown me this. I needed this and I am so grateful. But... how? How they are here? How did they survive? I was so sure I had seen them being electrocuted.’’

Applejack was the first to speak.

‘’Well, for how they go here, we did not tell ya but we did not just carry everypony, we also took the kelpies with us. The dogs knew they were fine, hummm well that they were alive at least, so we took the time to grab them. They were as unconscious as our fellow friends.’’

Rainbow Dash then also entered the discussion.

‘’Once we arrived at the guesthouse, we put the kelpies in the cellar. The brothers told us that kelpies usually lived at the dark bottom of lakes so it would be the best place for them to rest and feel secure. We sorry we did not tell you sooner. Not of us were sure if they will be truly fine and we did not want to give you false hope before we were certain. That is until a certain mutt decided to spill the beans.’’

She elbowed Dust in a playful manner.

‘’Put yourself in my shoes, seeing that yellow pegasus crying was the worst torture there could be.’’

‘’Oh! Yeah, okay, sure, good point good point, . Oh well, it ended well so no harm done I guess.’’

‘’But how did you know they were alive? That question is still not answered.’’

At that, Dust went back into guilty mode.

‘’I... don't want to scare you but their survival could have well never happened. You know they had been electrocuted by a device called dynamo. The boss had asked us many tasks before your capture. One of them was to install the dynamos at their corresponding location before turning them on. Then at the last one, the boss asked me through monitor to augment the voltage of it. He never told me why or what was their purpose and I admit I did not really want to know. But I had a bad feeling. It was nothing clear, just... I was afraid for some reason. So once I did as he had said, he went away satisfied and once I was alone, I put the voltage back to its initial setting. He must never have taken the time to check thoroughly.’’

‘’Oh! Then it must have been like the one in the deadly pool. The one she had said was not lethal. She must have thought as much as me that they really die. Oh dear! If it was not of that whim then...’’

‘’Wait Miss Shy. It would be best if you do not thank me. Like you say, it had been just a whim. And besides, there is something you must know. We were the one who had captured those kelpies and keep them in captivity in the first place. Once again he did not tell us what he wanted to do with them but it should have clicked sooner. I'm, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, I nearly caused the irreparable and HUHHH!!!’’

The guilty and crying dog had been interrupted by Fluttershy who flew and tackled him at the chest in a hug.

No one say a word. There was no need to.

Both pegasi went to the living room, which was intact and could serve as a good place to eat, leaving Dust alone with the farm-pony.

‘’She seems to be doing better.’’

‘’Ah reckon, yep. It was the right call Dusty. You did good.’’

‘’Dusty!’’

‘’Although, she's right. It was close. Too close for comfort. Still, let's not complain if a miracle happens. I just hope that... that hos...’’

Dust knew well what she was about to say.

‘’Maybe you should hope. When I put that... that bomb, I hid it in a wing of the hospital that was not used that often. Maybe by luck, nopony dies or... at least less than we think.’’

‘’Ah know what ya are trying to say and yes, maybe ah should hope a miracle had happened. But even iffi't did, it doesn't change that ah pushed the button. Ah... ah think it's the same for Fluttershy. She had said she was afraid and ah can tell she still is. Flo wanted to make a point and she succeeded. Shy... I... none of us will be able to have our simpler and brighter days back. Our lives had forever changed for something more... ah don't know. More scary. And anguishing.’’

Applejack, realizing she was in a bleak mood, shook her head and got back her smiling face.

‘’Oups. Didn't mean to put a wet bucket on your bonfire. Alright partner. What do ya say we rejoin our two friends and help them set our midnight-past-midnight snack.’’

She trotted away. But Dust stenches his big arm toward her.

‘’Wait.’’

AJ stopped and turned her head towards him.

‘’Yes Dusty?’’

‘’I don't understand. How can you forgive me and be all friendly with me. 'I' was the one who brought you to this nightmare and I had been especially violent towards you.’’

‘’Bah. For each hit ya gave me, ah hit harder.’’

‘’Don't joke about that. I... I genuinely don't understand.’’

‘’Ohhh. Well... it's hard to explain. I guess it's because ah know now that you're not a bad guy. Plus, if ya done all that, it was to take care of your family. And ah always had a soft spot for family. Beside... ah have no right to judge you.’’

She lowered her Stetson to cover her eyes. And her shame.

‘’When ah am no better than ya.’’

She went away in silence. A silence that Dust was not sure to know how to deal with it.

The outside air had become chilly. For ponies, this was not too much of a problem, they had a natural advantage against the cold. But it was still enough to feel goose bumps on the skin. One mare in particular seemed not to care. Or maybe it would be more right to say she did not see the point to care.

The tapestry of Luna was all covered by clouds. No moon or stars to give some light. From the small upward balcony, the white unicorn was sitting on a chair, busy knitting something, the needles floating with blue telekinesis. A candle stick with a flame on it was at her side on a stool.

A door opened up behind her and Twilight came out of it, her horn glowing with a purple light.

‘’Ah, Rarity, that's where you were. When I was seeing you nowhere, I was starting to worry.’’

‘’Sorry Twilight, I did not want to scare you. I should have warned somepony. I just needed so time alone to... get my head back in order I suppose.’’

‘’It's cold out there.’’

‘’Yes. But I like it. And I think I need it. Feeling it sipping into me help to calm down the many, too many emotions in me. Or at least help me pretend it does.’’

This was worrying greatly Twilight. Rarity was by nature a very emotive pony and she had long understood that her dramatic and over-the-top outbursts were in the way helping her to deal with it. But the Rarity before her was, well, not well, but calm. Could it be that what she was feeling was so big that she was not capable to properly express it?

‘’I... see. Well, if you prefer to be alone.’’

Rarity, without turning back, just waved her hoof in dismissing manner.

‘’Pffft, nonsense darling. Come, sit down. I will gladly enjoy the company.’’

She accepted her invitation and sat on the second chair. She snuffed out the light of her horn. It was no longer necessary because of the candlestick between her and Rarity, casting its small but contrasting orange light on the faces of the two ponies.

‘’So... what are you doing?’’

‘’I am knitting. When my nerves are a wreck, making clothes is what helps me most to calm down.’’

‘’Does it work?’’

‘’You know what... *sigh* no. It does not work.’’

The needles stopped doing their magic when the literal magic stayed still.

‘’It does not work. I can't manage to work. I was trying my best but no idea came though me. I even went to try to make a very basic outfit, Celestia forbade me, but I don't even know what I am doing right now. What I am seeing is... just a simple piece of fabric and not the beginning of something wonderful as usual.’’

The unicorn, exasperated, rest her head on her hoof and just tossed her work to her side.

‘’What's even the point to continue. It just makes me more depressed anyway.’’

‘’Rarity! What is going on?’’

‘’... ... You... saw it. Is it not? I had told all but you, you saw it. Didn't you?’’

The alicorn could do nothing but lowered her head.

‘’Yes, I... saw all.’’

‘’What I did to Spike was unforgivable.’’

‘’Rarity, you had//

‘’I am not talking about that and you know it. If I had not played with his heart for so long there would have been no trial in the first place. Do you know how I feel? Stupid. Arrogant. And blind. How did it take so much time to realize I was so mean to my dear Spike? I was playing with his devoted heart like a game and I could not even see it. Make me wonder what he was even seeing in me in the first place. I feel awful Twilight. So, so awful. And I hope Spike hates me right now. I hope he does.’’

Twilight, at this declaration of self-loathing, lowered her wings in shame.

‘’If you are guilty then I am as guilty as you. I too knew about Spike love for you but I never took it seriously. I had always considered it a simple crush. With some insight, it seems obvious it was the real deal. If I had been more attentive, I could, I don't know, give some advice, been a supportive shoulder. Now I feel I had left him to deal with that alone and that make me feel like a failure. Maybe it's a fault that me and all the girls share. So, I guess, don't feel alone in that.’’

‘’Thank you Twi but this does not make me feel better. That trial had put into perspective all my past.’’

‘’What do you mean?’’

‘’Spike was not the only one I had been awful. Did you know I had met Dirt and Dust during my stroll through Happy Town? Do you know how was my first reaction? I got scared and treated them harshly even before knowing them.’’

‘’Welllll, it not like it was a nice thing to do but you did have a bad experience with Diamond Dogs.’’

‘’Sorry but I think it doesn't justify such prejudice. Beside...’’

She looked up. At the gloomy sky.

‘’And that just an example. You know Twi, all my life I had tried to pursue after true beauty, to be beautiful as possible. But I think I had failed. Looking back at my life, I think I instead was a pretty selfish pony. And do you know what is the worst part? Even after all the efforts I had made to have a beautiful heart, I had still become awful and hurt those I love without even wanting it. What does it mean? That it is in the end an impossible job? I even went to think that...’’

She went into a fit of shudders and took hold of herself.

‘’That true beauty doesn't really exist. And that, Twilight, is why I can no longer work. I used to see beauty in everything but now, I am not sure I can and it is not easy for me to admit it. What... if I had lost my touch? What if I never find it again? Maybe there never was any true beauty in that world. Just thinking about it... it's terrifying.’’

Twilight was so sad to hear her friend talking like that. She knew she had to say something.

‘’You know what Rarity. You're right. You are selfish.’’

And to that, the white mare acted over-dramatically obfuscated.

‘’*gasssp* That was supposed to be the part where you deny that part!’’

‘’Sorry but I cannot say false things. That's not the way to help friends. But do you want me to tell you something that I am sure you will like?’’

‘’Go on, try me.’’

‘’You do are the most generous pony I had ever met. You are selfish and generous at the same time. As absurd as it sound, it is not contradictory. We are too complex to be that binary. And you know what. That is the reason why you are a pony I admire so much.’’

‘’Twilight!’’

‘’You are always searching for ways to help others and to make them happy. But still you do not try to be a generous prince and you always take time to take care of your own happiness. That's not a fault. It's wonderful. If you were purely selfless, you will be an unattainable figure and even sometimes, annoying. But because you have a selfish side, it makes us easier for us to believe we can follow your example. So you see, your selfishness enhance your qualities. No, in a way, it is a quality that makes you, as you would say, an even brighter gem. Besides, you are our friend and we want you to be happy. So it reassures us that you can do that job well by yourself.’’

Rarity... was bewildered. All that Twilight had said was just so sincere and it struck her right at the core. She was wondering what she had done to deserve such a friend.

‘’So Rare, do you feel better?’’

‘’You know... I think... I think yes! A little bit at least. But... it still did not erase what I did. I//

‘’I know, I know, it's not that simple, you still feel the need to fix every mistake you made. Believe me, I know that feeling, I deal with it nearly every day. I could write a book about it. Wait, I did! Anyway, if you want to fix your mistake, like apologizing to Spike, I will gladly help you. Fellow messing-up mares must stick together.’’

Rarity did a soft giggle.

‘’Thank you so much Twi. You had really helped me. I am still not sure if I can still see beauty again but now I feel it is possible if I try.’’

‘’That's my girl. Alright, enough talking, the snack Dash had promised must be ready, I suggest we go right now.’’

With a flash of her horn, the door to the inside came wide open. The light burst and pushed out the dark of the outside. Its light was more bright and more inviting than the one of the candlelight. Twilight walked at the doorway and held out her hoof toward Rarity as a gesture to follow her into the welcoming interior.

‘’You're coming?’’

‘’Right at you.’’

Rarity snuffed out the flame of the candle.

Saying they were no longer feeling down would be a lie. Far from it even. Their hearts were still in so much pain that it was still tempting for them to cry or scream in anger. But the thing about the heart is that it can simultaneously have many contradictory feelings. And right now, as they were preparing that snack, a genuine moment of levity was felt and they decided to concentrate on that.

The living room was used as a new makeshift dinner room, mostly because it was one the only room that had been spared by the assault. Fluttershy and Rainbow were pushing the sofas and chair towards the wall to make space. Applejack was carried by herself a round wood table which she put at the middle. Starlight was bringing the dishes and utensils. Even with her hoof in a cast, it was not a problem with her levitation. Dust and Dirt followed her with the chairs and finally, Pinkie Pie came last with a cart full of food. Nothing too fancy, just sandwiches, salads and even some chips and orange juice.

Finally, Twilight followed by Rarity came last. Seeing as all was ready, the alicorn threw a spell at the logs resting in the heart of the chimney and gentle fire rises from them. Feeling it was missing a final touch, Rarity with her levitation spell, pushed the switch for the electrical chandelier.

All the room was lighted further. The chandelier was antique and so its yellow light had the same old feeling. But it was not sickening or bothersome, quite the contrary, it felt warm and cozy. It gave to all the impression that they were at vacation in a chalet in the woods or that they were at a Heart Warming feast.

They each took a seat and munched at the food before them. Although it was rudimentary, they all found it delicious and went to make small talks between them.

As mentioned before, the table they were sitting was big and round. For the ponies, it looked a lot like the map at Twilight castle where they often see each other. And for a moment, they felt as if they were back at that cherished place.

‘’Ahhh, that hit the spot. You were right, it was important. Now I feel I can think straight once again.’’

The feeling of having a stomach full can do wonders. Twilight, feeling much better, was slumping on her chair, tapping her belly.

But her back went straight again. And her gaze was one of utmost seriousness.

‘’Now then. It was nice but we must not forget that we are not out of trouble.’’

It was like a spell had been cast. Or maybe the right word was 'dispel'. The tension came back on the face of everycreature and the anxiety came back in their chest.

‘’I am sorry to ruin that good moment but it is a the truth. We may be still in danger. I don't know how she will get to us, hell, I don't even know if she can do something in the first place. But I don't want to just wait and see what will happen. No way I will.’’

She emphasized that last sentence by hitting the table with her hoof. She realized too late that might have been too much because they all got scared of her outburst. And it triggered their fears. They escaped from the game from just a few hours, the memory was still fresh. Especially for Pinkie Pie. She was shaking and was holding her head in her hooves. The glint of happiness from her blue eyes was gone and instead was filled with a fear close to delirium.

‘’Oh no, oh no, there is no way I am going back here. I never before I have, no, I don't want to I don't want to, never again.’’

Dash went to Pinkie, grabbed her and patted her hair in a comforting way.

‘’Shhh, shhh. It's alright Pinkie, you will never go back there. To capture us she needed goons and now she no longer have goons. Hum, no offense to you two.’’

‘’*sigh* None taken.’’

Pinkie did a small giggle. And the comforting of Rainbow seems to have worked because she had calmed down. Rarity on the other hand, made a small cough to grab the attention.

‘’I hate to be the one that brings bad news but must I remember you that this child have a lot of... dangerous toys at her disposal. Would we able to do anything against that?’’

Twilight spreads her wings in front of herself and made the tips touching themselves in a triangular formation, hiding her lower face. It gave the appearance of somepony thinking.

‘’I don't know Rare. There is just too much I don't know. And it is frustrating.’’

Fluttershy had still not said a word. But she wanted to say something. Her face was nearly completely covered by her pink mane and she was nearly hidden under the table when she decided to speak in a soft tone.

‘’Hum, but, what... what are we doing about... Floral? Even if she does nothing... shouldn't we go and help her?’’

This question took all by surprise. No one was opening their mouth because they did not know what to say. No one was commenting because they did not know what to think. Fluttershy had in a way threw a bomb. It was not that they were repulsed by what she had said. It was more complicated than that.

Mel had mutilated them, tearing them apart in a metaphoric way. And they hated him, hated him so much, at a point they could not believe it was possible to hate somepony that much. But turned out that the one wearing the face and name of the one they hated was in reality a filly they could only see before as a nice girl, that this name and face were in fact belonging to a nice guy that had nothing to do with them and that the true responsible herself was a victim of circumstances and had complex reasons to do what she did. In short words, it was a true mess. They did not even know what to feel.

After a bit of uncomfortable silence, Twilight was the one that broke the silence with a sigh.

‘’*sigh* I wish I had the answer. It's... I still have difficulty to warp into my head that it was her all along. But come to think of it, it's no wonder Mel knew how well to hurt us on such a personal level. We were in reality being tormented by our number one fan! She knew everything about us.’’

Twilight needed a moment to process all that.

‘’This... this is so crazy. And I had seen a lot of crazy things but that, it's... it's just...’’

‘’It's tragic. That's what I think at least.’’

Fluttershy comment did not have a once of doubt. At first they were all at shock but... but they all had to admit, and it was all to swallow, that they were thinking the same thing. The emotions that were at first stuck were starting to spill.

They could still no forgive her but... but feelings were hardly that simple.

They had seen her past. At first at simple witness but now it dawn on them that it had truly happened. It was choking. Especially for Twilight, since she knows what it is like to have a big brother that you love so much.

‘’Yes. Yes you are right. It is tragic. To lose a brother like that. It is obvious she feels she is to blame. What would have happened if it was me at her place? If I had seen Shining Armor die that way I... I//

She never could have finished because she had been interrupted by AJ who had angrily smashed her hoof on the table.

‘’Oh for Celestia sake, this doesn't excuse anything. Ah too have a brother if he dies, ah would be devastated yes but it wouldn't have turned me into a psycho killer. Ya are telling me that if ya had been at her place, ya would have gone mad like her? Ya would have made that game?’’

Twilight deeply ponders AJ question. The answer was obvious. She would not have done it. The notion was ridiculous. But...

But Twilight had her friends! She would have her friends to confide and she knew they would be there to support her. And Floral... Floral had none of that.

She was alone. No friends and not even family. She had been so isolated. In grand part because of that overwhelming sense of responsibility she had bestowed upon herself.

Just like the old Twilight.

She too, once a time, had no friends and was not socializing because she was concentrating all her waking moments into the misguided responsibility of being a perfect pony. What would have happened if that old Twilight had lost her brother? Would she have become insane like her or not? Would she? She reflect deeply on that.

And a chilly conclusion came to her.

She could not answer.

And it was scary.

‘’She was alone.’’

She had say to Applejack.

‘’Huh?’’

‘’She was all alone. She had lost the only one that was seeing her has a normal pony while all the others were seeing her more as a symbol than a true person. Result, she could share her guilt with no one. Guilt, because she feels that she is responsible for Melancholia death. I would have felt the same if it was me. I think... I think she did all that out of a twisted way of atonement. You know. I feel stupid. I should have saw sooner was wrong with her. I thought she was really nothing more than a simple happy filly but in retrospect, it seems so obvious that it was nothing more than pretend.’’

‘’Then why nopony notice it dang'it?’’

Nearly screamed Applejack while hitting the table again, scaring all around her.

‘’They knew her better than ya and had known her longer than ya. If one, just one of this damn town had figured out things were not normal, nopony would have died, we wouldn't be in that hell. Ah don't care how good of an actress she was, ah know how it is to live in tights communion. If one member was gone or if one was deeply hurt then no matter how it is hidden, it will be bound to be found out because each one always matter so much. But you are telling me they were that blind to realize that something strange was happening to not anyone but 'the one' that is supposed to be the most loved! What kind of community is THAT?!’’

In her fit, she threw her hat at the table. This outburst of anger had been so violent that she was now panting. They all noticed that her anger had changed target from Flo to Happy Town. That farmpony knew well every member of her big family and she was very involved into the community of Ponyville. For her, it was probably unthinkable that such a tight town would be able to neglect that much their fellow and that, without even wanting to. Rarity touched AJ shoulder to calm her down. Applejack immediately felt ashamed to have lost control.

‘’Ah'm sorry ya'll. Ah didn't mean to.’’

‘’It's alright darling. You know, I understand what you mean. This town of Happy Town no longer looks great though my eyes and frankly, although it is vulgar to say it like that, make me want to puke. The way they treat that poor Melancholia is just awful. And because what they did does not appear at first sight as harmful makes it even more disturbing. I am an artist, I know you cannot help but to be criticized and be rejected sometime. But this go beyond than that. I could tell, they were treating his art as evil. That's beyond brutal. How could he have managed to continue his work? I know I would not be able to.’’

The fashionista grabbed herself as if she was cold.’’

‘’That place scares me. I know it sound exaggerate after all we've been through but that how I genuinely feel. Do you know what scares me the most. It's that this town is full of dangerous way of life but none of them look dangerous. Not until you had been rotten by then for a long time. Does this mean that Happy Town can be borne at anyplace? Sorry. I... I know I must not make a lot of sense, I... I just feel dreadful and I cannot well explain it.’’

But the truth was they were all able to understand what she meant. Pinkie was the next to speak up.

‘’But does that mean that we should really forgive her?’’

The tone of Pinkie was cold. Coming from her, it was very uncanny.

‘’Sure, she had her reasons and the ponies around her were more lame than a lameo. But it's not an excuse to be a bad pony. Nothing is an excuse to be a bad pony. Because of her, Righto will never fly again. And Sugary... . Flo is a monster and a bully. And she had hurt all my friends when we had done nothing to her. Tell me. Do you think we should really forgive somepony like that?’’

No one was answering since it was a difficult topic to ponder. Even Fluttershy was not sure she could. She was hiding behind her pink cascade, her eyes downcast.

‘’I... I don't know.’’

The whole room was cast into an uncomfortable silence weighing heavily on all.

‘’I think we should.’’

And just like that, all head snapped towards the one who had said that. Towards...

Rainbow Dash!

‘’Huhhh, why, why are you looking at me that way?’’

‘’Hum ... ... . Sorry sugarcube, we don't want to sound rude but... we didn't expect you to be the... forgiving one.’’

‘’Well thanks for the vote of confidence. But I still maintain what I'd say. That little filly needs help and I say we should go help her.’’

From that audience, Pinkie Pie was the most shocked. She was looking at Rainbow like if she was a creature she was not recognizing.

‘’Dashie, how can you say something like that? She had blown into smoke many of the Wonderbots.’’

‘’Look, I did not really see them being blown into smoke. Maybe they did, maybe they don't. But regardless, it's beside the point. You all have constantly called her sicko and crazy. I did too. But have you not think that she may be actually insane. I mean in a clinical way. We're going against bad guys a lot so it's natural to think her that way. But does the terms good and bad pony can still be applied to her?’’

And just like that, all the heads snapped towards her.

‘’Seriously! Again! Now I am feeling insulted. Do I have the reputation to be the insensible one of the group?’’

Twilight raised her hoof to make a comment.

‘’I understand what you are trying to say. Still//

‘’Twilight. She, was, going to let herself killed just to prove a point. Do you think any sane mind would do that? Look, I am not trying to convince you. I am just saying my opinion. And my opinion is: the only thing I see is a child that needs medical help.’’

Twilight was impressed, no less. She could not believe Rainbow Dash could be so strong, even after all she did to her. But maybe all her friends were more strong than she was giving them credit. She looked at Starlight. She was saying nothing but her eyes were pleading Twilight to consider what Rainbow Dash was proposing. After all, if Twilight had not given her a second chance, she will not be what she is today. Also, she remembers that she did help a lot of ponies that had lost control of themselves. Princess Luna who was possessed by Nightmare Moon. Trixie who was corrupted by the Alicorn amulet. Sunset Shimmer who had become mad because of the element of Magic. Stygian who had become the thrall of a dark power.

The princess was now feeling as if she had been free of a heavy weight.

‘’Thank you Dashie. Because of you, now I know at last what to do.’’

Dust was pretty intrigued by what she had in mind.

‘’Sooo, what are we doing? You're not proposing we just charge right in? After just barely escaped it!’’

‘’No. We are going home.’’

That... was not the answer that group was expecting.

‘’Don't misunderstand, we are not abandoning her. Rainbow Dash is right, Floral need help. But let us be logical. We don't know what she can do. Going head first would be too risky. So, I propose we get out of Happy Town to find help, possibly even seek the princess since that game had been shown to all Equestria, then that must make it a government matter of sort. Then, once we had that help, we come back for her. We should probably also take the Elements of Harmony.’’

‘’Oh right, we had heard of those legendary artifacts that had helped save the world many times. You think they will work against her and her machines?’’

‘’I don't know. Usually we had only used them against the forces of evil and I not sure the Elements will see her as such. But it is better to be careful. Alright, now that we have a schedule, I suggest we prepare to go away fast. Floral still want us and she may act fast so there is no time to lose.’’

They all left the room except for two ponies who had stayed behind. Rainbow was looking at Pinkie Pie. Her eyes were downcast and she was noticing that her pink hair were less puffy than usual. She had been particularly affected by that ordeal, that much was obvious to guess. Rainbow was worried that by voting to help Floral, she may inadvertently hurt her friend. Her ears lowered on her head because of the guilt. That would be the last thing Dash would ever want.

‘’Pinkie. Are you mad at me?’’

‘’... ... Does I am mad at you?’’

The pink pony raised her head.

‘’Ummmmmh, nope.’’

‘’Huh, nope!’’

‘’Nope.’’

Without warning, the earthpony jumped-up from her chair and bounced toward Dash, accompanied by her usual squeaky sound that only her knew how to make.

‘’Well it's, more than not mad, I am super duper grateful to you.’’

‘’Oh! Great then. ... Humm, I don't get it, why are you grateful?’’

For some reason understood only to her, Pinkie went to do some warm-up exercises on the spot. Like stretching and jumping jack.

‘’Yea you see, I was genuinely thinking all I was saying when I'd say I was hating her butttt, how could I say it right? The Pinkie pie who had said that. I was not liking that Pinkie Pie. Or maybe more like I was no longer myself if it makes more sense. The true Pinkie Pie does not give in to hate. She tries to see the good side in everypony when she can.’’

After a bunch of physical exercises, the next thing she did was shaking like a noodle, both body and mane, while making weird sounds with her mouth.

‘’Ahbrrrrr, brrrrrr, brrrrrr, belalalah, belalalah, prrffff taking out the nasty. So, as I was saying, I am so, so grateful to you. You had stood your ground even if your opinion was, hum controval, or is it controversiatille? Well anyway, you had stayed loyal to what you had believe and this super-duper encourage it me to do the same despise all that anger that is still within me.’’

And fast as lightning, she boobed the nose of the cyan pegasus.

‘’And I have you to thank for.’’

‘’Oh! Well... I'm glad. I am really glad then. You know, you are pretty amazing.’’

‘’No silly. You are the true amazing mare. I could do it with your help but you, you had stayed altruistic by your own.’’

‘’To tell you the truth, I am the first who was surprised. I was sure I could never forgive her but when you asked the question, the answer just came naturally. I just... no longer saw the point of holding a grudge. That it will be better for me if I just let it go.’’

Pinkie lost her bouncy attitude and although she was still smiling, a hint of worry was on her face.

‘’It's beautiful what you say. You know, I could not help but noticed that you had been awfully nice since we wake-up.’’

‘’Oh you mean I'm usually a jerk! Nah, just kidding. I noticed the same thing you know. I think... I think it is because I understood that... that there is a lot I cannot do. I thought that I was invincible, that I could do anything if I put my mind into it. Oh sure, I had a lot of setbacks but I somehow had managed to still believe that I could do anything. But now I... feel weak. Gosh I don't like saying that. But because of that feeling I guess that I understand more those who feel weak and powerless. Like Fluttershy. Or Floral. I still hate her so much but it is easy to guess she feels powerless. How else would she know how well to make me feel the same. Sorry. Said out loud, it doesn't seem a little lame, haha.’’

Rainbow embarrassedly scratched the back of her head. She did a lot of that lately. Pinkie, her, had lost her smile and was looking down cast.

‘’I don't like that answer. You are saying as if you had lost your fighting spirit.’’

‘’Bah. You must be right. I must becoming soft. Good thing I had at least gained that after losing so much of myself.’’

She gently flew away towards the window while Pinkie was followed her with her sad eyes.

‘’Dashie.’’

Dash opened the curtains blocking the view and once she did, she saw what was outside and...

And her magenta iris shrunk with fear.

‘’GYAAAAAH!!!’’

Twilight, followed by Dirt and Dust, were about to climb the stair. Starlight ran towards them with the best she could on three hooves.

‘’Wait. Just wait.

The three of them interrupted their walk and turned toward the unicorn.

‘’Yes, what is it?’’

‘’I need to ask something to Dirt and Dust. There is something I had been wondering for quite some time and I need to know. Tell me, even if Flo had been under Mel disguise, you two had interacted with her for quite some time. Can you tell me how she was?’’

The two dogs looked at each other, at first confused at that question but understood that she needed a serious answer.

‘’I don't know what we can tell. She, hum, he, had always been secretive with us. He gave us jobs to do but was never telling us why we had to do them though we could get a good idea.’’

‘’He was a pretty strange dude but yet was acting like if he knew how we thought. Although...’’

As Dust paused, Starlight got intrigued.

‘’Yes, what is it?’’

‘’It might be just me, but... as days passed, I noticed he gradually became more... aloft. I mean he had always been weird. But it went up to a creepy level. But I can't quite explain why. It had come that during the last days, I was having bone chill each time I was in his presence.’’

‘’I understand what my bro say. I too noticed that. Sometimes, when he was briefing with us, I got the impression he was forgetting that we were even there. It was like, I don't know, like if he was on another planet.’’

Twilight was wondering where her student was going to.

‘’Starlight, what this is about?’’

‘’Something in what Rainbow Dash said make me question myself. When you were playing the game, I had discussed with her and I founded that something was off. Would she really be able to go to such lengths just to make a point?’’

‘’You saw her past just as we all did. Isn't explain all.’’

‘’That's just it. I'm not sure. I know about trauma and did terrible things for reasons even less compelling than her. Sure, I understand how she hates how the world is and wants to change it for the better, or at least what she believes is better. Ah great, now it sound awfully familiar. But what I mean is, even if she enraged, lost or even broken, does a little girl would consider to outright murder? Even now I have difficulty believing it.’’

‘’Starlight, what are you trying to say?’’

‘’I don't know. I feel we still don't see the full picture. I feel as if we still missing something. An important piece.’’

‘’GYAAAAAH!!!’’

They all heard the scream of Rainbow Dash.

‘’What was that?!’’

‘’It was Dash! She is in trouble!’’

Acting by reflexes, Twilight teleported towards the living room. Once she appeared there, she saw Rainbow, her butt on the floor, with a look of terror.

‘’Rainbow, what is it? Is Floral attacking us?’’

‘’Worse.’’

She pointed her hoof towards the window. And Twilight felt the same fear as her because she saw...

The people of Happy Town, the greatest fans of our mares, their faces pressing against the glass, in a way more ridiculous than comical. And all those ponies were feeling reliefs and joy to see that the mares they were admiring so much were fine.

‘’Thank goodness, you're alright.’’

‘’We were fearing the worst. It was a torture.’’

‘’We could not have bear it if something had happened to you.’’

‘’You don't know how good it is to see you again.’’

Time seemed to be frozen. The ponies outside were giving their dumb smiles while the three mares inside were still as statues. The horn of Twilight lighted up. With her levitation spell, she grabbed the curtain and slowly tugs it, covering the window, hiding then those happy-fools.

‘’You know girls, I think I really would have preferred an attack from Flo.’’

In the deep of the forest, a small wind was rustling the trees. Birds and squirrels were peacefully sleeping on their nest, dreaming about fun days to come. It was still late at night after all. Nothing seems to imply that something would perturb their peaceful rest.

*Click**click**click**click**click*

But then a strange clicking sound came, waking them up. Animals ears are always on alert. And this was a sound they have never heard before.

*Click**click**click**click**click*

At this, they panicked. It did not sound quite alive but also no not quite alive. And no matter what entity was making that sound, they were a lot of them.

The animals tried to see down what they were but it was too dark. They could only see blue lights, always in pairs like eyes crawling on the ground, only going straightforward.

*Click**click**click**click**click*

They understood those strange things they were to fear and the critters did not want to be on their path. Those on the trees climbed higher while the few on the ground went back to their terrier or hide in bushes, leaving free passages for those monsters.

All animals were shaking in fear. They were unnatural, they didn't understand them, they had nothing to do in their forest, they could not comprehend how they could exist. There was just one thing they knew on those things.

They were predators without a shred of mercy.

Author's Note

And there it go. You konw, the chapter 10 and 11 were originally supposed to be only one chapter. But I realized that it was becoming too big and since the two half would have different tones anyway, I decided it would be best to separate it two different chapters.

Stay tuned for the next chapter. I promise that this one, and the ones who will came after, will have much more actions. Does it mean it will have less speeches and introspection? Welllll... ... oh come, at that point, it had become my trademark.

Chapter 11: Rediscovery

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.

Intermission: Behind the scenes

Intermission: Behind the scenes

A few hours back

Cloudsdale: Wonderbolt academy

The coffee maker had just finished its buzzing. Soaring, licking his lips, filled for himself a generous mug. An enticing fumet was emanating from the black liquid. The wonderbolt took a careful sip since it was still piping hot and once he drank it, a smile formed on his lips.

‘’Aaaah, that hit the spot. Nothing's better than a nice cup after quite a day.’’

‘’Oh! Then would you not mind leaving me some? Celestia know I need some.’’

Fleetfoot, in her blue uniform, came through the doorway while using her wing to wipe the sweat off of her white mane. Soaring politely invited her at his side.

‘’Come serve yourself, there is enough for everypony. Want me to make your cup.’’

‘’Appreciate.’’

So he did fill it, put it two creams and no sugar, since he knew her enough to not even have the need to ask, and gave it to his partner. Both pegasi, holding the cups with the tip of their wings, clung their respective mugs against each other and took a long, delicious sips and in perfect synchronicity, sighed in delight.

‘’Aaaah, how nice. You were right Soaring, nothing can beat a nice coffee break.’’

‘’Yeah. It sure was quite a day.’’

‘’Quite so. I was sure it would have been fun to be the one screaming orders to the newbies this time. But it's harder than you think. Have to command it to Spitfire. Speaking of her, you have seen her recently at the hospital. How she is?’’

‘’What do you think, she's unkillable. Already, she was walking out of bed even against the protestations of the doctors. So if you want my opinion, I'm sure we will see her at tomorrow morning. Top. You know she'd been in worse accidents like the time//

‘’Yea yea, I know. Been in a full body cast, drinking from a straw. I know the whole serenade by heart. But even that accident was not that severe, it was still... humiliating.’’

‘’See what you mean. Good thing she does not fully remember because if not... yikes. I would not like to be at the place of those poor youngsters.’’

‘’Regardless, we will have to prepare ourselves to see her in a foul mood tomorrow. Especially when she will learn about this little problem.’’

Fleetfoot us the tip feather of her wing to point towards the window behind the coffee table. Beyond the window, there was in full display the dormitory of the wonderbolts. That nice little building, made of solid clouds, that for a lot of cadets, was quite a cozy place after a grueling day of training.

Both pegasi were looking at it with slight annoyance.

‘’I hear you Footy. Such a shame that we are forbidden to enter it. Already that it was a hard day, now we can't even relax at our usual spot.’’

‘’You know, I had heard that some of today maintainers were not pegasi, well, actually, they were not even ponies but instead... weird... creatures with gray furs.’’

‘’They are call Diamond Dogs. And I know. I had met one.’’

‘’Really! How it was?’’

‘’It was quite something, I tell you. It was even him that had told me about the infestation.’’

|***|

So as you know, it had been quite a day. Hours of track courses, wings push-ups, intense acrobatics. The whole package. I wanted to go to the dorm and catch up some well deserve zzs. Hey don't look at me like that. It would have been a quick nap, I swear. So, as I was about to open the door, it opened itself and from it came quite a surprise.

It was the first time in my life that I saw a Diamond Dog. Good thing he wasn't that big or I may have been intimidated. But still, I was surprised and did not know how to react. I think him too was not quite at ease seeing me. He had difficulty looking me in the eyes. However, I wanted to be cordial to that newcomer.

‘’Hey there, youuu, hum, what are you exactly?’’

Yes, I know. 'What are you exactly'! That was not very smooth.

‘’Huh! Hum, I'm... I am a Diamond Dog. The usual team of maintenance was lacking some members so they hire me and another one like me in advance for the day for additional help. I am a sort of jack-of-all-trade if you catch what I mean.’’

‘’Ahhh. I see, I see. Well... sorry if I offend you.’’

‘’That's fine, you didn't mean it, I'm used to it. Anyway, I just finished cleaning the dormitory, I will take my leave.’’

‘’Ah. Well, thank you for a job well done then.’’

He went away and I was about to enter but then, I felt his paw on my shoulder.

‘’Hey wo, wait a sec. You are about to go inside?’’

‘’Huh! Well, that was the idea, I was going to take a rest.’’

‘’You cannot enter! Hum, sorry, it's more like it will be best if you don't enter, at least until tomorrow.’’

‘’But why?’’

‘’Maybe I am worrying for nothing but I have bad feeling.’’

‘’What was that?’’

‘’Huh! No, what I mean is, you can't enter because, hummm, there'ssss an innnfestation, yes an infestation of... of... virulent and nasty clouds fleas.’’

‘’What, seriously!’’

‘’Yeah. Those are a kind of special bug thriving in clouds. That's why they also love to digs into cloud buildings as if they were termites and crawl on everything that came with contact. Especially pegasi flesh, oh yes, they also love to jump on ponies fur and making it their home. I just found those fleas during the cleaning and that why I forbid the access until we fully exterminate those pests.’’

‘’Oh my! Oh my! Then, could you just leave me a few minutes the time I grab my belongings.’’

‘’HEY HEY HEY, WHAT DID I JUST SAY. You can't go in there. Your belongings are already infected anyway.’’

‘’But//

‘’Hey who is the expert? Are you the expert? No, I'm the expert. You want those critters causing you horrible itching for days and them proliferating into your house?’’

‘’Oh dear Celestia no! My apartment has already enough vermin like that.’’

‘’You what!’’

‘’Hum I mean, that would be bad.’’

‘’And that why you, nor anypony else, must not enter, oh you know what, better I make that loud and clear.’’

He took from his pocket a big white card and a marker pen and scribbled on it with a vengeance. It was so fast I even thought he wrote on both sides. Then, he went towards the doors, took a rope from once again, his pockets, what he was doing with so much stuffs in his pockets anyway, and with a quick efficient that was making me impress, he tied up the two extremities and the rope became a makeshift barricade with the white card tied up in the middle, serving as a warning sign.

‘’There. This place is officially in quarantine until next order. Understood?’’

He took a ferocious air and I couldn't help but take a few steps back. Again, if he was not so little, I would have the scare of my life.

‘’Hum, ye, yes, sir.’’

‘’Good. Now I must go, I have a next important job at Happy, I mean, at another town, I have no time to rest. I will warn the... superiors for that they send exterminators to deal with this.’’

‘’Hum... thanks you.’’

He readjusted his cap and went his way without even looking at me.

‘’I'm sorry.’’

I am not sure on that point but think I heard him whispering that he is sorry. I probably heard him wrong. I don't think there was anything to apologize, it was not his fault. And when I turned back, he was already gone.

**|**

‘’And that's that. That was all an encounter. I am still weirded out by it.’’

‘’Ah, so he was the one responsible for that sign. Guess I should thank him, I could have got those fleas. But it is still annoying as hay.’’

|***|

Training those cadets had been intensive and I had worked quite a sweat. And to make matters worse, I had to waste another hour because somepony counted wrong in our inventory of anti-riot canes and it's to me we come to fix that blunder. Damn bureaucracy I tell you. And so that mean I was stuck with a sweaty uniform for all that time. So naturally, I wanted to go to the dorm to find a new uniform to change into. You can imagine my surprise when I saw that barricade forbidden me to enter and that sign. I took that sign on my hoof. It was written:

This dorm is infested with cloud fleas. It is forbidden to enter.

‘’... ... No but do they really think that I will bear that sticky uniform much longer just because I am scared of a few fleas? In their dreams.’’

I turned around the sign.

And especially to you.

What was written on the verso in bold letters written with violence. There was even the drawing of an angry dog face on the corner.

‘’... *gulp*’’

I know it's stupid but... I felt a chill and I was looking around nervously to make sure that nopony was watching me. I nervously giggled and decided it would be best if I stayed away from those dorms.

**|**

‘’Pffft. Bwahaha. You got scared by something like that! It's so funny.’’

‘’I suppose it is. But I must say, this is the first I ever heard about those cloud fleas. Did you Soaring?’’

‘’Can't say I have. But if he said it, it must be true. Why would he lie?’’

‘’Regardless, where we will sleep tonight? On the floor?’’

‘’Bah, I am sure we could make some makeshift beds without prob.’’

‘’It sure was quite a day.’’

‘’Be positive, Fleetfoot. Think that at the very least, this day can't possibly get any worse.’’

‘’Amen to that.’’

They both cling their mugs in agreement and then

The dorm exploded in a fiery blast with a cry that could tear apart ear-drums. The shockwave made rattle the window displaying that explosion to the wonderbolts.

Both pegasi, in their shock, dropped their mugs which shattered on impact, spilled their hot contents on the wonderbolts legs though it's not sure if they felt it. Their mouths were wide open and all they could do was staring at that huge bonfire that was burning so fiercely that even from there, it was bathing their consternated faces in red. Embers were dancing on the outside air like fireflies.

After a moment of silence and stillness, Soaring turned his head towards Fleetfoot in panic.

‘’Our stuffs!’’

Fleetfoot, her, turned her head slowly towards Soaring, making a grimace that seem to silently say a ''are you serious''.

‘’Now that's quite a nice 'welcome back' party. Guess I took the right decision not to listen the doctors and come back sooner.’’

A newcomer had entered the conversation and both wonderbolts turned back to see who it was. If at first they were scared, now they had become terrified. You could not notice it because of their uniform but underneath, their already pale colors were as white as a ghost. Before them, wearing sunglasses and a lot of bandages, was none other than their chief, Spitfire. Looking rather composed. But they knew her well enough to know this is a bad sign.

‘’So, let me get this straight. I absent myself for, one, day, and this is what happens?’’

With her wing, she grabbed and snatched away her sunglasses.

‘’Alright, so tell me. Which of your heads I must make roll on the floor?’’

Just a little longer after

Somewhere in Ponyville

On the road of Ponyville, under the turbulent sky, an earth pony of cream color with blue and pink mane was galloping so fast that her hair was now a disheveled mess. She had just sent important messages troughs her special contacts. Now, she wanted to find back Lyra to know how her errand turned out. She was going in the direction of the Friendship Castle to find her on the way and that she did. Lyra appeared from an intersection and Bon Bon was on the way to enter into collision with her.

‘’Hey Lyra, watch out, watch out!’’

It was said too late though and they crashed into one other, making both mares roll on the dirt. Bon Bon was coughing because some had gotten into her throat. Lyra was lying on her back, seemly not perturbed as if it had been a casual encounter.

‘’Hello again Bonny. Did I miss you that much?’’

‘’Now is not the time for lame jokes. We are in a crisis.’’

She got back on her four hooves.

‘’Did you speak to Spike?’’

‘’Oh right!’’

Lyra followed suit.

‘’That what I wanted to tell you. I searched every nooks and crannies of the castle, screaming his name enough to make my throat sore but no sign of him. I did not find him at all.’’

‘’Ah shoot. That's not good. That's not good at all. We must warn the princess and fast.’’

‘’Bon Bon? You look spook. Did something happen in the meantime?’’

‘’On my way back, I peek a look at that cubic screen to see how things were progressing. He... it was unbelievable. It's not a game at all Lyra. It's torture, pure and simple. You cannot imagine what he did to Rainbow. And that dorm. The dorm of the wonderbolts academy. He blow it up. It's gone. Gone in smoke.’’

‘’What! Wait. By blow up do you mean... boom?’’

At that, Bon Bon just nodded her head. Because it was too hard to find the words. Lyra, feeling faint, fell on her rump.

‘’Dear Celestia. That stallion will really go that far?’’

‘’Seems likely.’’

‘’And the... the wonderbolts? Are they alright?’’

‘’I really don't know.’’

‘’Does that means... does that means they are other bombs... somewhere?’’

‘’My instincts are telling me yes and I saw he won't hesitate to use them.’’

‘’That's demented. Is there something we can do?’’

‘’The question is what can we do? My speciality is dangerous creatures. Not terrorists. Hell, I'm not even sure if my agency have a branch in that domain. It is not like we can guess where he had put them.’’

‘’Why did he blow up that dormitory in the first place.’’

‘’Well, the reason as because the wonderbolts were important for Rainbow Dash so he used that as leverage. So if we use that logic, he must have put bombs into place that are important for the others so that... mean...’’

Her pupils dilated because she just got a very scary thought that gave her cold sweat.

‘’Does that mean... that there are bombs in... Ponyville?’’

Both mares looked at the building around them. They were the same as always but now... it like they had changed. Like as if any moment, those familiar houses could burst into fires that will lunge at them and devour them.

‘’... Oh my gosh, OH MY GOSH, of course there are bombs in our town, they live there! What are we gonna do, everywhere could be a dead trap!’’

Bon Bon was on quite a panic and was galloping in circles. But Lyra intervened, slapped her on the face and shook her shoulders.

‘’Calm down Bon. Calm, down. Yes I know, it's terrifying but when you think about it, it could be a silver lining.’’

‘’Huhhh! Can you explain how?’’

‘’If there are bombs in Ponyville, then maybe we could find them before they do any harm.’’

‘’Lyra! ... Yes. Yes, you're right. Sorry if had lost control. You do have a point. Maybe in the end there is something we can do. Just give me a moment.’’

She took a deep breath to force herself to calm down. When she opened her eyes, she had become a calm, collected and self-assure mare. She had brought back her other self. The persona she use when she used to go into dangerous missions. The secret agent, Sweetie Drop.

‘’Alright, let us think carefully. Should we ask for a big group to disperse and search for the explosives? No no, too risky. Some would surely be caught in a explosion or two. We also cannot search for them at random, we have to deduce where they are before going for them.’’

‘’That's, hum... that's nice but how?’’

‘’Let us be rational. If there are bombs here then that means than that Melancholia guy must have put there himself.’’

‘’Yeah, sounds... !!! No wait, it's not right. Pinkie Pie always throw a party at any new ponies that come in Ponyville. I am pretty sure we will have noticed a pony like him.’’

‘’Wait, you're right! (Sometimes she really surprises me on how sharp she can be.) And Pinkie always asks me for confectionery and always tell me who is the pony of honor so I should know. Humm. But somepony must have planted them. So if it was not him then... accomplices then! That seems the most logical solution.’’

‘’You know, I like to see you all professionals like that.’’

‘’Lyra, I am trying to concentrate, please. But then there is still the problem on how they could get access through those places though. I am imagining those places must be personal so it is not like anypony could go there without raising suspicion. Whatever those bombs are. ... Maybe we are on a wrong track and that it is too difficult to put bombs in Ponyville. ... ... Tell me Lyra, I don't suppose you saw something suspicious?’’

‘’Hum. Sorry. Nothing comes to OHH!’’

The unicorn hit the backside of her front hoof with her other front hoof as a lightbulb lighted in her head.

‘’I did notice something curious but, how should I say? It is just a guess, it might be nothing.’’

‘’Lyra, believe my experience as an agent. Sometimes, a guess is all we have.’’

‘’It was some months ago. I was on a bench, practicing my music but then I could not help but noticed some... dogs.’’

‘’Wait, dogs!’’

‘’I do not mean normal dogs. Bipedal huge dogs. I saw one going out from Sugarcube Corner and he was holding a bag full of fixing tools. It was the giveaway that make me understand that he was a repairpony. Well, you know what I mean.’’

‘’A diamond dog, here! And working as a repairpony! Alright, that is very unusual.’’

‘’I was finding that curious so the next day, I could not helped but paying attention each time I was seeing them. There was another one, a way more bigger. I followed him, it was without malice, I swear, and I saw him going into the Everfree Forest.’’

Now Sweetie Drop was definitely finding that suspicious. Her instincts were screaming that those weird individuals were triggering many alarms.

‘’Wait. If there were repairponies then it will be the perfect cover to infiltrate... ... Lyra, is there anything more?’’

‘’Well... yes! I had also seen both of those dogs going out of the hospital, clearly having just finished their work.’’

She had said while pointing her hoof at the direction at the Ponyville hospital that was close by. Close enough to see the well-lighted windows. The window showing that a lot of ponies were moving around and that building was full of life.

Full of life.

The two mares were feeling their chest constricted and becoming heavy.

‘’Bon Bon... you... you don't think... that...’’

‘’I don't know but I don't want to take the risk, we must do something, now.’’

‘’So, let me see if I understand. You are saying that there is a mad bomber out there. Who is planting explosives on all place. All to make a sort of political point.’’

The lobby of Ponyville Hospital was well bright even at that time of the night. Ponies of all kinds were sitting on the waiting chairs while doctors and nurses were moving around at a leisurely pace, a hint that it was a rather calm day at that hospital. Not that busy days were used to happen in Ponyville. That mundane scene of life coupled with the potential danger hidden under it was quite jarring for Lyra. Bon Bon was at the main counter, talking through the receptionist, a unicorn with bags on her eyes that clearly did not have enough coffee and looked like she wanted to be everywhere else but here. As for Bon Bon, she instead was on edge and impatient.

‘’Yes yes, that's exactly that. Well, his point is not quite political but let us forget the details.’’

‘’Also you are saying that you have a suspicion that a bomb is hidden in that very hospital, and you want us to evacuate the whole place. To make sure they are not caught up in a possible explosion.’’

‘’Yes yes and yes. For the last time, it is vital that all personnel and patients get out.’’

‘’Okayyy. I... will try my best to say it the most nicely I can. What you said, sounds a little crackpot. No offense.’’

‘’Wha wha, whattt!’’

‘’I mean, I know we live in Ponyville but that sounds coming right from a Power Ponies comic book. It's... rather hard to take seriously.’’

‘’But a lot of Ponies would attest that it is true, in fact the whole town would attest that it is true.’’

‘’Yeah, regardless, you are asking to evacuate the whole place. I don't need to explain that it would be very cumbersome for our patients who need all the comfort they must have.’’

‘’But they may die.’’

‘’And also, you based all that on a simple guess. Guess without proof to back it up. And I'm still not sure that this story of bombs is true in the first place. And besides... who are you exactly?’’

‘’Arrrh. Alright, I didn't want to resort to this but...’’

Bon Bon angrily took her identification badge of secret agents and shoved it at the apathic secretary face.

‘’As you can see I am a secret agent working directly under Celestia herself. So now you will listen to my advice and believe me when I say that we have to evacuate that damn hospital, pronto.’’

The secretary didn't even react to this and instead, she just took the badge with her magic.

‘’Yeahhh, about that Miss, hum, Sweetie, Drop. First I find rather dubious that story of secret agent. Also, it is said that your department is 'dangerous beasts' so I am not sure that you have any jurisdiction over us. And besides, even if I forget the previous two points, it is written black on white that you are retired. Which should make you no different from a normal citizen.’’

‘’But! Well, it's technically not wrong but//

‘’Yeah, so, I'm afraid that's that. Now, it thinks it will be best for both of us if you stop bothering me. I still have a lot work to do tonight. So yeah, I'm sure none of us would want me to call security. So, have a good night then.’’

She did a small wave of her hoof and went back at her paperwork, clear signs that the discussion was over. Bon Bon, understanding it was useless to continue, went back towards Lyra, grumbling under her teeth.

‘’What is her problem? Doesn't she realize how dire the situation is?’’

‘’Put yourself at her horseshoes. We won't have believed it either if we had not seen it first hooves. But wait. I think I have an idea.’’

She lighted her horn and a magazine got caught in her golden magical aura. She folded to give it a conical shape. Then she jumped on her chair and used the magazine as a makeshift megaphone.

‘’Hum, attention, attention everypony. You are all listening to me? Sweet, so, I hate to bring bad news and to be in the way of your busy days but I have to announce that there is a dangerous terrorist out there and that there is a high chance he hid a bomb here. Yup, that's right. A bomb. Which means that you are all in danger to die and to burn alive in atrocious pain. So if you don't want to be reduced into piles of ash with not enough to even fill a plastic bag and leave your friends and families traumatizes and in grief, then I suggest that you galloped like hell out of that soon to be burning house. That was all. Have a good day.’’

Once her speech made, the minty unicorn jumped from her chair and casually threw her magazine at a wide open-mouth Bon Bon that could not believe what her partner just did.

‘’And there we go Bonny. You wanted an evacuation, you will have one.’’

All the ponies didn't know how to react. They just stayed there, dumbfounded, blinking their eyes. Then they screamed and all ponies ran in every direction like headless chickens. Even patients galloped out of their room. The minty mare responsible for that mess was smiling proudly.

‘’Ponyville, the city of hysteria and mass panic.’’

Bon Bon facehooved.

‘’Lyra, for pony's sake. Oh fine, I suppose it does get the job done. Now if we could only know where that bomb might be.’’

‘’This might be simpler than you think.’’

A galloping pony with a doctor coat and glasses got caught in a golden aura and stopped his screaming as he was levitated before the unicorn.

‘’Excuse me, I have a little question for you? Did there is some Diamond Dogs who did some renovations or reparations in here recently?’’

And the doctor answered her casually as if his previous panic was never there.

‘’Ah sure, I remember them. The ventilation system was going fritz so they come to repair it.’’

Lyra released her levitational grip on him.

‘’Thank you, that was nice of you.’’

‘’It was nothing. Now if you excuse me. WAAAAAAAH.’’

And he went back to galloping and screaming like a banshee. Lyra, her, looked at the ventilation system on the wall and without thinking, grabbed it with her magic and thug at it at the horror of her partner.

‘’Wait Lyra, what are you doing! It is not safe//

*thump*

It was too late. The burly system came out of its hinges easier than Lyra thought and it smashed on the ground and many broken pieces were spread around it. One particularly small piece slipped on the floor, and even though the noise it made as it slipped was small, it was enough to stop all ponies dead in their tracks and to stop the screaming, leaving only that noise to fill the silence. That is until that piece stopped its course at between Lyra and Bon Bon.

That small piece was looking a lot like a gem of gray color made of plastic.

Both mares wanted to speak. But only gasps were coming from their mouths.

Lyra pointed at the device to which Bon Bon nodded in affirmation to which Lyra made a gesture with her upper hooves that had for goal to imitate an explosion to which Bon Bon panicky pointed towards Lyra and herself and made a slicing throat gesture to which Lyra grabbed her own face in terror.

All the while, while still gasping.

And to make matters worse, it was at this moment the bomb decided to flash red and to make a beep.

If there were anxious before, now they were utterly terrified and cold sweat was running on their fur. A look at the other ponies and they knew they were just like them. Frozen in fear.

Bon Bon, thanks Celestia her training, was the first to react and screamed to all the room:

‘’RUN AWAY. TAKE THE BACK DOOR. HURRY.’’

They got free of their trance and did as that cream earth pony had said and ran away while screaming. And this time, there was nothing comical in it.

Bon Bon, as for her, was looking everywhere for, something, anything. She then saw a rolling cart for medical tools.

‘’Quick Lyra, put the bomb on the cart.’’

Lyra, trusting her marefriend blindly, did not lose time asking questions and levitated the bomb and put in where Bon Bon had asked her to. Once the deed done, Bon Bon grabbed the cart handle.

‘’Bon Bon, you will not//

‘’That thing must get the farthest away from those ponies, I have to.’’

She ran full-speed ahead into a corridor void of life. She thought she was alone but though her surprise, Lyra was beside her pushing the cart just like her. Before she could express her extreme disaccord, the beeping and the flashing of the bomb went faster and that was not a good sign.

‘’Oh no no. RUN AS IF YOUR LIFE WAS ON THE LINE.’’

‘’BUT IT DOES.’’

‘’SHUT UP.’’

They double up their speed and at the end of the corridor, they come across the rotating doors and ended up in the operating chamber also serving of amphitheater for all who want to see the operation. Deciding that it was as a good spot as any, they pushed away the cart and went back their way. They galloped and galloped and were sure they would be safe but then they felt a wave of heat on their back and a force lifting their hooves of the floor//

When they woke-up, the first sensation they felt was a buzzing in their hears that was so annoying and also, a splitting headache. They opened their eyes and saw that the corridor before them... well, in fact, there was not much of a corridor left. What was not intact was charred. What was not charred was burning. And the rest... gone. There were no longer any operating chamber. The end of the corridor was leading towards the outside and also, what was left of the right wing. Both Lyra and Bon Bon could feel the night breeze from where they were.

‘’Wooooo! That was intense Bonnie.’’

‘’Yeah, I admit, it was intense. Too intense, even for me. At least, nopony was hurt. I just hope they have an assurance. Oh wait. Of course they do. We are in Ponyville. Property damage happens all the time.’’

The cream earth pony decided to go back on her feet.

‘’Still, that was too close for comfort. I'm not sure if finding those bombs was such a great idea in the end. I think it will be best that we just concentrate on evacuate all the rest of Ponyville. The importance is after all that nopony end up dead.’’

‘’If it means we won't have to deal with explosion scenes anymore, then I am on that at one hundred percent. Look, I... I am so sorry. If not for my blunder//

‘’It's alright, I don't blame you. You were in the heat of the moment. Besides, things turned out well in the end. Relatively speaking. Here. Give me your hoof.’’

‘’Ah thanks Bon Bon. It's very wooohoo! ... The hay?!

Once Lyra got up, she noticed that her four hooves were shaking and she could hardly keep herself upright.

‘’Hey! That's... that's strange. Haha. I don't get it, they, haha, they won't keep firm no matter what I do. It's funny. They won't stop. Hahaha. They, they won't stop, I... I...’’

Hearing enough, Bon Bon took Lyra hoof and put it on her shoulder for support. They both walked away with Lyra leaning on her marefriend.

‘’Oh my Lyra. You were the one that was the most afraid of us two, is it not? Yet you try to hide it for my sake.’’

‘’Huh, me! I, I don't know what//

‘’Oh it's alright Lyra. I know you for, how much? I knew since the moment you were playing the goof to cheer me up.’’

‘’Ohhh. And I was trying my best to not be that obvious.’’

‘’You're a very courageous mare, you know that? Even more courageous than me.’’

‘’Thanks. It means a lot. ... ... Say. I... Do you... do you think they will be alright? It's not like I was interacting with them a lot but I was seeing them almost every day. If they never come back, I, I don't know how I will react. Twilight is one of my old friends. You think they will be fine?’’

Bon Bon pondered for a moment. And then smiled.

‘’Yes. I have faith. You don't have to worry about them. It's those ponies we are talking about after all. They are invincible.’’

Author's Note

A little break from the main narrative because it is important to sometime lower the steam. Did you really think for a moment that I will let a massacre happen? I never been a fan of killing bystander to raise the tension. So I kinda cheat and made the characters believe that they die when in fact they did not. It was still hard to find reasons that does not sound like lame deus ex machina that actually make sense with the story. Good thing that plan nearly everything in advance. I had try my best to make that chapter entertaining and I hope that it at least give you a few chuckles.

Oh and let's rejoice. Because I had at last made a chapter in less than one month. Hooray. Hope it make me redeem a little to have make you wait that long for the previous chapter.

Chapter 12: True wisdom is within

Chapter 12: True wisdom is within

The tear on the face of Mount Heaven was visible to all to see. That beautiful mountain, which had been an iconic landmark, was now forever scared. Yet it was not over. Sound of rumble could be heard and if they could take attention, they will notice that the mountain was trembling. For any bystander, it would be quite foreboding.

But for Twilight Sparkle, it was more than forebodings. It was downright a reason to panic.

‘’Wait! Does she... but that's mean... oh no! No no no no no no no no.’’

Twilight was becoming agitated. It even seemed that she had forgotten that her friends were with her. She keeps walking in circles in a frantic pace, muttering to herself.

‘’It's no good, it's no good. What do I mean it's no good! It's terrible, a catastrophe! If it gets free... the size of it, and, and, it's arsenal... the scale of the damage it could do, oh Celestia, I fear to even calculate it. The princess might not even be enough to stop... This is bad. Like really bad.’’

AJ, not wanting to leave her that state, AJ grabbed her by the shoulder and shook her with force.

‘’Twilight, get it back together. This is not the moment to panic.’’

‘’Excuse me! Beg to differ. This the moment to panic. Have you any idea of what is happening?’’

‘’Humm, no. Not really sugarcube.’’

‘’Okay fine, then I will enlight you. Just... let me... find something that will help.’’

She looked at all directions with the energy of despair until her eyes stopped at the display glass of a dessert shop.

‘’This should be good. I will be back.’’

She disappeared then reappeared the second later.

‘’And I'm back. Now let me explain.’’

There was something besides her. Something she had brought with her in her short trip. It was a fruit jelly of pink color with small fruits in it. Like grapefruits or slices of orange. That jelly was still inside its glass bell and was also resting on its glass pedestal.

‘’Alright, you see that everypony? That, is the ancients ruins.’’

Theyyy all blinked at Twilight strange... very strange statement. They even wonder if their friend had lost her mind. Rainbow flew towards the Alicorn and gently patted her head.

‘’Hum, are you alright Twilight? Maybe it would be best if you lay down. This night seems to have taken a toll on you.’’

‘’I still have my marbles! And it's not the actual ruins, it's a metaphorical model of it.’’

And they all exclaimed a ''aaaah''.

‘’*sigh* Right, so as I was saying, this jelly is the perfect representation of the ruins that we were trapped. From what I had gathered it used to be a polymorphic building, it means it change forms Rainbow, that had sunken into a volcano and, yes that's what happens Pinkie and sorry, no time for a history lesson, and as I was about to say is now trapped inside the mountain and please, stop raising your hooves every second.’’

Twilight, with her magic, lifted just slightly the glass bell. Levitation magic cannot grasp something that is already into something or going across any solid obstacle that is in its way. Now that the bell was just a little lifted, the jelly too was caught on her raspberry aura. Twilight used her magic to change its shape.

‘’That building is composed of blocks assemble and disassemble each other and that can move at will and that allows the whole shape of that structure, external and internal, to change at will. The notable exception is a few key rooms that are fixed points just like the fruits in that dessert are supposed to represent. However...’’

The jelly was being contracted even more, forming even tendrils. But its expansion was stopped when it hit the glass.

‘’However its transformative quality is limited because the ruins are trapped in the crust of Mount Heaven and also I suspect, its own melted outer layer. But if it managed to get free into the outside air.’’

Twilight, now, took away completely the bell. The jelly levitated into the air and its form stretched to its limits and did no longer looked like a dessert at all but like a mass of tendrils, or more like a maw made of tendrils, expending its appendages towards the spectators. They could not help but to take a step back, afraid for a moment that it will eat them.

Twilight, seeing her point properly understood by them, put back the jelly into its normal appearance, put it back in its glass bell and teleported everything away, back where she found it.

‘’Now do you get how in grave danger we all are? If that... that thing gets out, then Equestria will face the assault of a massive flying fortress that could cause untold damage only with its physical presence alone but I'm also sure, must be equipped with destructive weapons that could exterminate us all. I am not even sure that the princess would be enough to stop it taking into account it already caused an apocalypse so yes, I think we have every reason to panic.’’

Twilight had to catch her breath after her rant. She could at least find solace that she had succeeded in her job. All her friends were trembling in fear. And then it dawn on her that maybe it was not that of a solace.

Fluttershy in particular took it bad and was shaking because of her anxiety. She asked:

‘’How... how long do we have before it gets free?’’

Dirt took a closer look at the mountain, his paw above his eyes, using it like a visor.

‘’Hum, from the look of it, not long. The rocky surface is rather dense but since the ruins are the very heart of the mountain, I am afraid its resistance would not be a lot.’’

Pinkie jumped on the shoulder of Dirt and like him, used her hoof as a visor to look at the mountain.

‘’Yeah, it's like he'd said. And from the composition of the surface, I would say we should have one-and-half hour at best. Just one hour at worst.’’

Every creature looked at Pinkie, not being able to believe their ears.

‘’Whaaat. I grew-up on a rock farm, remember. Why everypony always forget that bit?’’

‘’That's... THAT'S ALL! IT'S ALL THE TIME WE HAVE!’’

Had screamed Twilight. The shock had made fall on her butt. She was frantically brushing her hair, making it a frazzled mess. She was having of a panic attack and her breath had become laborious.

‘’But what can we do now? We can go searching for the elements but it will have already gone in a rampage the time we got them and untold numbers of lives could be lost. Ohh what should we do? What should we do?’’

Fluttershy terror was at its worst. A shiver was spreading on all her flesh. So much that she had to hug herself to fight the cold, even if she knew it won't dissipate it. However, the answer that came out of her mouth surprised her very much.

‘’We will stop it. We are going to see Floral and stop what she plan on doing just like we said we would.’’

They were surprised. Again. They did not expect to hear that from Fluttershy of all ponies. It was quite something to see that yellow pegasus trembling yet standing firm, eyes wet with tears yet shining with anger and determination.

‘’This awful night had lasted for far too long. Too many got hurt because of it and I damn refuse to see a single more victims. If that thing will be too much deal with it once it gets free, then all we will have to do is stop it before it gets free.’’

‘’But... Fluttershy. We can't//

‘’We have to do this. Right now, we the only who can do something. And we can. We have all faced countless perils and each time we had always had stepbacks but each every single time we had managed to rise above it and save Equestria. That means we can very well save it once again.’’

Once she was done, Fluttershy looked tired. It seems to make that speech had in a way taking a toll on her. But it had worked. Receiving that pep talk, from Fluttershy, was enough to give them back confidence and to make up their minds. Applejack was smiling while readjusting her hat. Rarity, as she looked at the mountain, made a defiant harrumph at it and swiftly stroked her mane. And Pinkie and Rainbow, the two who had already made-up their mind, made a hoof-bump at each other.

The only pony who was still unsure was Twilight. The alicorn was looking at her friends, wondering if they had gone crazy.

‘’But! Girls! Are you listening to yourself!? We can't...’’

Starlight came towards her and put her hoof on her shoulder.

‘’Ah forget it. She's right. In the end that was we always do. Would you leave Equestria and Happy Town to fend for themselves?’’

‘’Well... ... No. I won't be able to forgive myself if somepony dies while I was able to do something.’’

‘’See Twi. That what we are. Always eager to help and save the day because we are just that nice and dump. We are the protector of Equestria.’’

‘’Yes. That's right. We 'are' the protector of Equestria. And the Mane Six supposedly.’’

‘’And don't forget the seventh member of the six.’’

Had said Starlight while winking her eye.

Applejack also came closer of Twilight, wearing a reassuring smile.

‘’Ah know y'a are worry about us sugarcube. But we are together now. And when we are, we're unstoppable. Flo got us before because she had separated us. That won't happen again. We will make sure to stay tied together. And with our strength combine, we will buck the butt of everything standing in our way.’’

Although AJ was not trying to be funny, Twilight could not help but to chuckle. Which quickly changed into a healthy laughter. Applejack was glad she could get Twilight smile back. She then looked towards Dirt and Dust. Those two were looking out of place compared to the others because it was obvious they were not as confident as their pony companions.

‘’What about ya two? Ah am not trying to sugarcoating the danger. Because it will be dangerous. If ya don't want to join us, y'a can go somewhere safe. Ah am confident that what ah speak for all of us that nopony would blame ya.’’

Both dogs were casting their eyes on the ground. Dirt paw was shaking. Who could blame him for being afraid after that deadly assault? But his trembling hand was soon firmly closed into a tight fist.

‘’No. We will go with you. I had said we will atone for what we'd done and that what we will do.’’

‘’Me and my brother doesn't care if it's dangerous. Besides, we can't just abandon our... new friends. Can't we.’’

The ponies were happy to hear that the dogs were on their side. Despite all that had happened, they were now trusting them. The face of Dust, blushing and feeling embarrassed was also pretty cute. That is until it was replaced by one of surprise.

‘’Wait, but where did Twilight go?’’

He had said while pointing with his finger at an empty space where a certain alicorn was supposed to be.

Nopony noticed when she was gone. They panicked and looked everywhere. It was a short moment though as the crack noise of teleportation came and Twilight reappeared in a flash. Rainbow Dash did not lose time and angrily stick her muzzle against her.

‘’Where were you, did you know how worried we were?’’

‘’Sorry, I had to make a quick detour. All of you are right. We have to stop Flo. And now, I think we do have a chance to succeed.’’

‘’Sweet. Does that mean you got your guts back?’’

‘’Oh more than my guts. I have a plan. One that might beat her.’’

‘’Oh yeah, awesome. If we have a Twilight plan on our hooves, then we are sure to win.’’

‘’Yes. But I warn you. It is a risky one.

‘’After everything that had happened, you think we will back done? Besides, we all already at risk.’’

‘’*sigh* Of course you will say that. Alright. First, we will need to grab some stuffs and to do it fast. Pinkie. Where was that general store you mentioned?’’

*knock**knock**knock**knock*

‘’What! Are you serious! Again! But what's with ponies knocking at my door so late at night?’’

Had told Dusty Counter while walking towards the door of his shop. For the second time tonight. He just had the time to go back on his bed but the moment he dozed off, the knocking came to rob him of the sweet, oh so sweet pleasure of sleep. He turned the door handle with his magic.

‘’Don't they know is bad for the health of an elderly to rob him of his eight hours of sleep? It's better be worth it, otherwise... huh?!’’

When he opened it, he saw a bunch of ponies and diamond dogs at his door. And at the heart of that group was the princess of friendship smiling sheepishly at him.

‘’Good evening, hehe. Hum, sorry for the late hour. What I will say may sound crazy but we kind in a 'saving Equestria' emergency, sooo do you mind if we use your shop?’’

‘’That is very nice of you mister. We will make sure to compensate you once everything will be over.’’

‘’Are you kidding! Me, helping the Mane Six, no less, saving Equestria, with my shop! This is the greatest day of my life so don't be shy, take everything you want. Wait I tell everypony.’’

The ponies were wandering around the shop to find something, anything that could be useful. For example, Applejack eyes fell on a long rope hanging from a hook and it sure was captivating for the cowgirl pony.

‘’Hellooo partner. Ye're coming with me, ah will sure feeling less naked with yer.’’

As she was putting that nice rope in her saddleback, Rarity passed beyond her. She had a roll of dark cloth levitating beside her. She was going toward the two brothers who were busy scavenging the shelves for anything useful. Once she was behind them, she caught their attention with politest, fitting for a lady.

‘’Ah-hum. Excuse me messire Dirt and messire Dust. Could I have a little bit of your attention?’’

‘’Huh! Oh, miss Rarity. What is it? Do you need help for something?’’

‘’We will be glad to help in anyway we can.’’

‘’My, you two are such darling. You see, since we will soon march into battle, I want to profit of the little time we have to make an elegant cloak that will just be dashing.’’

‘’Wha... wharf!! Seriously! At a time like this!’’

‘’Well excuse me. But it is because of a time like this. This might be the most dangerous adventure we will ever have to confront. This may be very well our final hour. So reason more to go with style. With panache.’’

Dust was scratching his head.

‘’Alright but I still don't get it. In which way can we help you?’’

‘’To make that cloak perfect, I would like to embroidery it with pretty gems. So...’’

Rarity held her white hoof towards them.

‘’Would you mind lending me some gems?’’

And to that... Dirt made a face clearly showing it was annoyed.

‘’Oooooh. So, because we are Diamond Dogs, you assume that we still continue to collect them. Even if we had been banished by our pack, even if we had lived with not a lot of money, you still think that we had lost our time collecting pretty shining stones that have little monetary value. Just because that what Diamond Dogs do. They surely always collect gems. Wow. And me who thought we were over that racism thing.’’

But Rarity, undisturbed, just continue to hold her hoof to them.

‘’So... can I have them?’’

Dirt gave a grunt. And then put his paw into the pocket of his vest and from it, took a handful of gems and give them to Rarity.

‘’Lucky for you that your prejudices were right this time. And please, don't say it is stupid because... we knew it was. We never could manage to get rid of that bad habit.’’

‘’My brother and mine were sometimes borrowing, no, I mean... stealing those gems from ponies on our trip across Equestria. It was always just one stone at a time even if I know it is no excuse. We reasoned that it wouldn't do hurt since, as Dirt say, they have little value in your society.’’

‘’We managed to get enough of those to fill a small bag. It's not much. We knew stealing is bad. I guess... we wanted the feeling to have something. And a little of our old days.’’

This made Rarity remember the life of misery the two brothers had told them. Her ears fell flat on her skull.

‘’No, that's... that's understandable. I... look I'm sorry for... you know. My prejudices.’’

‘’That's fine, I took it too far//

‘’No I mean... back at the jewelry. It was so unfair of me. You already been through so much and here I was saying you were scary.’’

‘’Technically, you were right. We had planned to abduct you, remember.’’

‘’That's beside the point. I had been awful. Truly... awful. Why yes, ahaha. Such a bad habit of mine. I try my best to be a good pony yet it recently came dawn on me that there were many moments of my life where I had been awful without wanting it.’’

‘’Miss Rarity!’’

‘’I know. I should not linger on that, I had a discussion with Twilight on that recently. But... it's still hard to swallow that the image that you had of yourself might in the end be... an embellished image that you made. Ah! Just like my day work! So much for being generous.’’

‘’Look Miss Rarity. Take it from a true awful guy coming from an awful bunch. Your generosity is the real deal.’’

‘’I'm starting to doubt it.’’

‘’Hey. I had heard a lot about you and I had seen how you really are. So believe me when I say I had never seen somepony as caring as you. You quickly saw the error of what you had done and apologize to me. And it was sincere regret. I was just too bitter at the time to acknowledge it. But now I do, and it had shown that you always treat others with respect. Nopopy as ever done that to us. I say that's proof of your true character.’’

Feeling touched by that attempt at consoling her, she washed away the tears that were starting to fill her eyes.

‘’Thanks you so much. It... it means a lot.’’

‘’You know what I think? I think we will need more of those. Hey Dust. Go fetch for the rest at our secret hiding place. From where we are, it should not take long.

‘’You mean... all of them?’’

‘’All of them.’’

‘’I'll go right now bro.’’

Dust ran towards the door and went outside, out of view. Rarity was a little ashamed since it was way more than she asked.

‘’Wait wait! All of your gems! I only need a few. Aren't they precious to you?’’

‘’Bah, who care. They are stolen and tainted anyway. But they will serve a better purpose for your cloak. We may as well go all-out. You are right you know. Never miss an occasion to go with panache.’’

She had made a genuine giggle. Talking about fashion had always had the gift of cheer her up.

‘’Oh my mister. I must say I was not expecting somedog like you to care about esthetic.’’

‘’What, me! Madam, I must tell you...’’

Dirt smugly readjusts the tip of his cap.

‘’Nodog understand more the importance of style than me.’’

Once everypony was packed and ready to go, they all gather at the door. All except one, Twilight noticed.

‘’Where is Rarity? We have no time to lose.’’

‘’Oh, just getting ready to dazzle.’’

A door to a side room opened and from it came a unicorn, waving with grace the cloak she was wearing. It was made of black cloth of a stylish ebony with silver embroidery sew on it with a mastery that only Rarity have the secret. Say embroidery was spread as if they were branches of light on a night sky. They were complimented by small gems sewn at the feet of the cloak. Those gems were all of different colors. And the silvery embroidery was starting from them as if those gems were the source of these. Feeling pride from what she considered a masterpiece, Rarity made a dashing pose as a projector from nowhere, lighted her from above and while all the while, rose petals were dancing around her.

A shame a certain alicorn was not that impress.

‘’Hum... was all... all that necessary? And why are you wearing that?’’

‘’Why, the nerve Twi, you just ruined all the scene. Humph. Sorry boys, you can pack things up.’’

Dirt and Dust, who were both at her sides, went away. One, holding a bag full of petals. The other, a lighted desk lamp.

‘’Sorry darling. But put yourself at my place. This one of my best works. I had to try it.’’

But instead to be annoyed, Twilight gave a small chuckle.

‘’No, that's good. At least one of us is enjoying themselves. And I'm glad that you were able to make a dress once again.’’

‘’I... ... wait you're right! I did! I had completely forgotten that I couldn't until now. It was supposed to be a simple cloak but before I realized it... I... I...’’

‘’I think we should take that as a sign that we have hope. Hope that we can pull it off. That the effects it does on me at least.’’

But then, the merry went out of Twilight face and her voice was charged with gravity.

‘’The time has come. Are you all ready?’’

Everypony and everydog nodded in affirmation.

‘’You all know the plan I told you?’’

They all silently nodded again.

‘’Good. Alright, let's go. To the forest.’’

All of them went to the outside, Twilight being the last to go. She looked at Sturdy Counter.

‘’Thanks you a lot for what you did for us. Things might soon get dangerous so I suggest you leave the town and if you find other ponies, warn them to do the same. The whole place might be soon be destroyed by Floral crazy rampage so please, go somewhere safe fast while we stop her.’’

And Twilight went away, closing the door. Sturdy Counter, waved at them like a happy colt.

‘’Goodbye Bearers of Harmony. And good luck on your quest to save us heywaitaminute! Flo... is doing WHAT! What's happening? Did I miss a lot?’’

At the distance, far from the town, mount Heaven was not calming down. The shaking and loud noise was still continuing. And before long, a second crack scared the face of the mountain. A sign that time was running out.

The trees of the forest were big and sturdy. And the foliage of their branches were so thick that you could call it a roof of vegetation, blocking the little luminosity there was. It was quite spooky. Like the background of a grim fairytale. But a purple light was coursing between the trunks. That light was emanating from the horn of a running alicorn and she was being followed by a colorful entourage. Whose bright colors sure didn't match the gloomy dark.

The very last of that line was Fluttershy, flying just being the two Diamond Dogs. It's no surprise, she was never really the most fit of ponies and she already had difficulty following their pace. Also, she was feeling pretty anxious and that anxiety was growing more and more intense. She felt ashamed about that, especially after her proclamation. She was genuinely thinking each word at that time and was ready to charge and fight. But the problem with feelings is like that they have a life on their own. And they go and went whenever they want. Especially if you are an anxious person like Fluttershy. The bravado and righteous anger that were giving her strength were progressively diminishing and her fear and bad thoughts, that never truly went away, were surfacing back up. And there was that creepy dark forest that was not helping. She was finding it oppressing and also the very image of the bad feelings compressing her chest. It was too much for her and she had to stop to catch her breath. She looked at her friends still running forward. Leaving her behind.

‘’(No. It's me who is the one that is leaving them behind. I thought I had toughened up, but here I am, with this paralyzing fear. Again. Why must you always be like that? No matters how many time I got over my fears, they always come back. I feel like am learning nothing. And I feel like I am letting them down. I never hated that part of me as much as today.)’’

She could feel her energy draining. Still she was trying her best to fly and to caught-up with the rest that was not that yet far. When suddenly, her ear twitched. She had heard a sound. More like a cry. A cry for help. Her first instinct was to go towards it. Caught in the moment, she even forget all about her companions.

Meanwhile, the rest at stopped at a random spot. Twilight felt that they were at a good distance from the mountain. She looked at the two dogs.

‘’It should be good. I know to repeat it at this point is becoming annoying but I need to hear it. Are you sure that you are ready?’’

‘’We are.’’

‘’Both of us are.’’

Twilight gave a sigh. Was it of resignation? Or reliefs? Even her did not know.

‘’Alright. Then let's begin.’’

That was all the signal they needed and both dogs used their powerful paws to dig into the ground. The earth offered no resistance. For them it was even easier than to dig into sand. They didn't go straight down but more diagonally, making a small tunnel enough for one or two ponies to go with them. Twilight looked at it satisfied and turned her gaze towards the white unicorn. The white unicorn with gorgeous mane was still wearing her beautiful cloak, covering all her body except for her head. She also had, hanging from her neck, a lantern that was already lighted on. Twilight looked at her with a dead-serious expression.

‘’Alright, this is it. I don't think it's safe but as you all said, as long we don't stop her, we just are not safe. If we just charge blindly, we will have no chance. That's why once you infiltrated the ruins, you must do your best to find a way for us to get access. We are counting on you.’’

Rarity just nodded silently and jumped into the tunnel. The dogs went back to their job to dig with Rarity following them. Very soon, they went so far that the ponies at the surface could no longer see them. Twilight filled her horn with magic and levitated dead branches and leaves to cover the hole.

‘’Here. Better safe than sorry.’’

Rainbow, hovering above the rest, was fidgeting her hooves. She was not feeling bold about the whole thing and coming from her, that mean a lot.

‘’I am not feeling bold about the whole thing and coming from me, that mean a lot. Twi, are you sure she will be fine?’’

‘’If I had played my cards right, then yes, she might pull it off.’’

‘’Might! Are you for real! Just 'might'!’’

‘’Yes. Just 'might'. I hate this Dashie. Believe me, I hate this as much as you. I had tried my best to come up with a fail-safe plan but no matter on much I try to work my brain, it's just impossible to obtain a one-hundred percent chance of success. It is a concept you cannot escape. And I had tried to fight against that concept all my life because, let's be real, I have a lot of disorders in my head that make me anxious when I am not in control. But it is because I had fought that all my life... that's the reason why that I know now that... I can't. I just can't. There is always a risk no matter what we do and we must accept it. Even if it is hard, we must. But if there one thing we can do, is having faith. So let having faith that she can succeed. It's her we are talking about. You know what she is capable.’’

Rainbow Dash lowered herself to the ground and her ears went down.

‘’Yeah, sorry Twilight. I know you are right and that I am not helping. It's just that... that... oh buck.’’

She angrily shoved away the dirt at her feet.

‘’I thought I had gotten rid of that funk but there it came back to haunt me again. That makes me feel like a failure and I hate that. I feel... hey! But where is Fluttershy?’’

And that was then that they noticed that Fluttershy was not among them. This made them all agitated and they feared the worst. Twilight exclaimed:

‘’What! But where did she go? I don't like this, I don't like this at all. We must find her, fast. Let us separate, we will cover more ground.’’

Applejack was galloping in no particular direction. Screaming ''Fluttershy. Fluttershy.'' again and again to no avail. It did not help either that she could see nearly nothing. She realized that probably, they should have packed more than one lantern since they wanted to pack light and they planned to rely on Twilight horn radiance. Not such a great idea AJ was thinking and like to confirm that, she just hit her face against a tree. As she was rubbing her painful muzzle, she thought she had seen a light flickering at the distance. Or more like sparkles twinkling. Sometime of pink color. Other times, of blue. Naturally, Applejack instinct told her to be fearful. After all, until then, everything that had been strange or unusual was either to get her or hurt her. So she approached those twinkles with caution, deliberating each step and taking low profile until she was close enough to saw what was causing them.

And for once, her instincts were wrong. It was so breathtaking that she had to take away her hat in awn.

There was a clearing before her. And in it was flying butterflies. So, so many butterflies as if it was raining. It was them that were sparkling. Their wings were as shiny as metal. So much that they were reflecting the light. Sure, it was dark and the sky was still covered but in a way, the weak luminosity was emphasizing their beauty more so as if there were in plain daylight. Some had pink wings, others had blue ones. And amidst them and at the relief of AJ, was Fluttershy, sitting on a bed flowers, whispering comforting words to them.

‘’Shhh. It alright. I know you are afraid. But it will be over soon. My friends and I will make sure of that.’’

Applejack knew she should be angry at her but all that beauty and cuteness made forget that. She approached her friend.

‘’So there ya were sugarcube. We were all worried about ya.’’

Fluttershy was surprised. But the butterflies even more. Seeing a stranger was making them fearful and they will have flown far away if Fluttershy I had not tried to dissipate their fears.

‘’No please, there is no reason to be afraid. She is one of my friends that I told you about. You can trust her, she won't harm a fly.’’

This was enough to calm them down. A sign of how much they trust her. Applejack tried to come closer of the now calm down flying bugs, albeit at a slow pace to not scare them. She stretched her hoof and a one hover near it and up-close, it dawned on her that they had both colors. Their wings were actually altering between pink and blue. She thought the butterfly would land on her hoof but it ignores it and instead, it decided to land on Applejack muzzle. And it just stayed there, opening and closing its wings several times. AJ felt like a goof but Fluttershy giggle, finding that her friend was so cute that it was criminal. The butterfly went away only when Applejack had to sneeze.

‘’Gosh. Ah can't say if those critters are over friendly or over cautious.’’

‘’They been through a lot. They are perturbed. The poor ones.’’

‘’Say. Are those the... kaleido... stuff you had mentioned just after we got out of the train?’’

‘’Rosea hyacinthum kaleido. A very rare species. I was very surprised when I had found one because they are not of that region. That what I thought at first. But they told me their story. Turned out that long ago, a bunch of them migrated and could not come back because of climatic reasons. So this forest became their new natural habitat. Can you imagine? A whole swarm of those rare butterflies living so close to civilization and nopony knew.’’

‘’That still no reason to disappear without warning.’’

Because of the shame, Fluttershy ears lowered.

‘’Oh. Right. I am sorry Applejack. I was behind everyponies when I heard them crying for help. They were so afraid. Without thinking, I rushed towards them and I even forgot about you. It's no excuse, I know.’’

‘’Well, ah figured out it was something like that. So, those critters are afraid. Let me guess. The mountain.’’

‘’It's not just them. All the animals of the forest are afraid. Yes, they all sense that there is something deeply wrong with the mountain. Animals and bugs have a gift for sensing danger. And what's more, they told me strange creatures are roaming their homes. Creatures that move yet are not alive.’’

‘’Ah see. Those walking machines.’’

‘’For them it is a very alien concept. They don't know how to deal with this. That is why I am trying to comfort them. Giving them hope that we will fix everything. They are calmer now.’’

She was right. The kaleidos were indeed calmer but also thankfull for the affection of that pegasus. A lot of them landed on her pink mane and also on the rim of her spread out yellow wings. From Applejack perspective, she was looking like a forest nymph of those old wives tales. But that image was ruined the next instant. For some reason, Fluttershy iris shrunk and she looked like as if she was in the brink of fear.

‘’Shy, what's up?’’

‘’The kaleidos. They... are grateful. They are saying that they felt so touched by my kindness that they want to repay me every way they can. They want... to help us.’’

‘’Really! Well, that mighty nice of them though ah don't really see how... ooh! Oooooh.’’

‘’It's happening again. Why? Oh why?’’

For AJ, it was like something was taking a grip on Fluttershy and making her more... little. For a lack of better words. She used her own yellow wings to surround herself like a blanket. She was looking like a child that was believing that death itself would devour her if she was moving just a single inch.

Applejack heart broke. She put a hoof on Fluttershy shoulder.

‘’Hey, it's alright, they can just stay there. It will be no trouble.’’

‘’It's not just that. It's a reminder that once again, this is reality far too real.’’

‘’Nopony or creatures will get hurt tonight. We will make sure of that.’’

‘’Can you really promise it won't happen? Can you 'honestly' say it's impossible to happen?’’

Applejack was about to say something but the word didn't want to come out

‘’!!! Arrh dang ya. Using that card. Such a dirty trick.’’

‘’But it is the truth. Is it not? I really did was sincere when I had said I want to stop Flo. I still do. But it is only now that it dawn on me...’’

‘’What? Dawn on ya what?’’

‘’That I had brought you all with me.’’

AJ had tried her best to be patient but now, she had to admit she was starting to be... irritated by her.

‘’Fluttershy. Should I remember ya that it was ya who motivated us all to follow ya.’’

‘’I KNOW. YOU DON'T THINK I ALREADY KNOW HOW HYPOCRITICAL THAT MAKES ME?’’

The butterflies flew away at her outburst. And even Applejack had jumped back, surprised by her reaction. But as all that anger dissipates, Fluttershy slumped all of herself on the grass.

‘’I know. Yet, I want to protect you from all harm. In the past, it used to be me the one who was always protected. Now, I like to think that because of my friends, I have become braver and stronger. Now I want to be the one who protect. That is why I want to stop her. Even though I am so scared. So I tried to convince myself to take action but in the process I had also convinced you. I think at first it was alright but then, bad thoughts came to me. They always do. And thinking of you dying because I inspire you... or teach you to do the same as me as Floral had said... it's unbearable.’’

‘’So are ya saying ya want to stop her on yer own? Ha don't want to be rude but what exactly can ya do?’’

‘’I am not delusional. Nothing. Knowing me, I probably faint of sheer fear before even going out of that forest. But I don't want any harm to happen to you or anypony. Even if it means making sure that all the harm comes at me, even if I know it is selfish. But... I now know that the more I want to protect, the more I inspire others to pursuit the same desire to protect as me. And more they want to protect, the more it makes my job to protect... harder.’’

‘’... ... Fluttershy.’’

‘’I know what you think. That I am over thinking but I can't see anything else but except that crushing paradox. I feel trapped AJ. Trapped and the walls are closing up and closing up and closing up even more. Can you even understand when you feel that love itself, the most precious thing in the world, becomes its own worst enemy?’’

And the second the words escaped her lips, she immediately regretted it and covered her mouth with her hooves, shocked by what she just did to her friend. Of course. Applejack was 'the' pony could understand it the most. She had just learned it far too well. Ashamed, Fluttershy didn't even have the courage to look Applejack in the eyes and instead went to cry in silence.

‘’I'm sorry. I didn't want to. I am sorry for being such a whimpering pony.’’

Her silent sob was no longer that silent. She could hear Applejack taking steps further but the pegasus did dare to look at her. She was sure Applejack would force her to stand up or at least, receive a sermon and oh Celestia, she believed she was deserving it.

But Applejack did nothing of that. So imagine Fluttershy surprise, when she felt a hat, Applejack hat, being put on her head. She raised her gaze and looked at her friend with perplexity.

Applejack lowers herself to the ground, her eyes levels now the same as Fluttershy.

‘’Ya really are too hard on yerselve. Ya know, ha do understand what ya feel. I really do. Do ya mind if ah tell ya something?’’

Confused, the pegasus could only answer with a affirmative nod. So Applejack continued.

‘’It was a few years from now own. At that time we had a big Apple family reunion at the farm of one of my cousins. The weather ponies had messed up their job. The winds they made had grown out of control and a big storm came raging in. Our farm was been hit pretty bad by it. Not only were the trees in danger because of the ferocious winds but also by drought from the heavy rain. So to save them, we all went to protect them. All the whole Apple family. Ah will tell ya, we were all pretty worried about each other. Ah sure did. But we all had the desire to protect the farm. We held tight with ropes the trees that were in danger to be uprooted and we made makeshift barrages. It had been a dangerous night. Yet we did all together as one. Do you know why?’’

‘’Because you couldn't have done it without everypony help.’’

‘’Yeah, ah admit there is some of that but ah think there is something deeper than that. We could have well decided to leave some of us in the safety of the house. But like ha'd said, we were all sharing the same desire. To protect what was precious to us. Our home. And when you have the same wish, sometimes, you have to go into danger as one. Because if not, not only your betrayal your personal feelings, but you also betrayed their.’’

‘’... How did it end?’’

‘’We managed to protect most of the farm but some of us had been hurt. Nothing that serious. But yeah. Ah won't deny it. Some were hurt.’’

‘’That does not really convince me it was the right thing to do. Was it really worth it if those you love must get hurt?’’

‘’Well sure, ah would like if ah could protect the ponies precious to me from being hurt forever and ever. Ah am like everypony else. So ah will say something really awful. We can't. No matter what we may try it is impossible to fully protect those we love from harm or death. And ah know that. Too well even. My parents die one day in a stupid accident. Ah was upset, yes, but ah was mainly angry. At myself.’’

‘’But why?’’

‘’For the same reasons as ya. What did ah've done wrong? What could ah've done differently? But it's useless. There was nothing ah could do. Nothing anypony could do. Not even anything my parents could have done. We all want for our loves ones to forever be safe from what could take them away from us but in the end, it is a dream that would never be fully in our grasp. Sometimes nearly. But never fully. So... and ah know that what ah will say may go against the notion of family that ah am loyal to but... it is not always a good idea to wish that much they would be safe. Ya might miss out being with them. Also, what's the point to keep them alive if you don't let them live. I know you want to protect us but please, do not use that as an excuse to deny that we want to protect you too.’’

For a moment, Flutteshy said nothing. Her friend understood that she needed time to let it sink in. Eventually, she looked up at AJ, her eyes less teary.

‘’Thank you Applejack. I... I think I feel a little better.’’

‘’Attagirl.’’

Applejack helped her to get her on her feet.

‘’And one other thing sugarcube. Don't be too hard on yerself. It took me time to learn that lesson. And ah still need to relearn it again and again. Sometimes ah even failed at it. Applebloom would attest to that. But that ya felt that way it's just proof of your kind soul. You always care for everyone. Yep... ... ev... eryone.’’

The farm pony turned her back on her friend and no longer knowing what to do with her body, she sat on her haunches.

‘’Ah guess it will be best if we all take example on ya. Ya so kind to all equally, treating everypony equally. And me...’’

‘’Applejack! Please tell me what weighting on you.’’

Applejack gave a sigh. One of the butterflies came flying near her. She held her front hooves and the butterfly came resting its wings on her grasp.

‘’Ya know family is the most important thing for me. Maybe y'a could even say ha veneer that concept. Because ya are surrounded by ponies that are special, life seems to become even more great. They don't even need to always be there with you. Those bonds are a treasure just because they existed. But recently, ah am beginning to think that having ponies that are special is... wrong.’’

‘’How?! How can having somepony you love wrong?’’

‘’Ah know. Sounds so stupid said out loud. But it is now that it dawn on me that love is a sort of favoritism. Hehe. Even if ya want to be a good pony for everypony else, it is always towards your family and friends that ya want to give the most good and ya never question that. Until ah had to choose between those ah love... and others.’’

The butterfly flew away and Applejack slumped her hooves dejectedly.

‘’Applejack. What happened was horrible. It was a choice that nopony should make.’’

AJ turned her head towards her, visibly irritated.

‘’But it did happen. Ah had sacrificed strangers to save my family. And if it happens again, ah probably do it the same way. But it does not change that let that hospital blew-up. Who knows what had happened? There must some that are death. And they surely are the family of someponies. Let us hypothesis that my position is reverse. Let us make as if my family was in that hospital and that somepony else had to make the same choice as me and choose the same answer as me. It would be then my family who would will be gone because that pony would want to protect his. Familial love, would be killed. By familial love. Tell me. What's the point to have ponies that are special if they can be taken away by the very same thing that makes them special? And when we at it, that whole debacle happened because Floral lost her most precious pony and take it to the rest of the world who is not special to her. *sigh* Maybe... maybe it will be best if we love everypony with the same degree.’’

Her head went down and her mood even more. Yet as always, she tried her best to be the bravest and smiled. That smile was not a very convincing one though.

‘’Sorry. This is no time to mopping. We must go see the other and//

But she was interrupted when her vision was obscured when her stetson hat went back on her head. She raised it a little and in front of her eyes was Fluttershy, being as serious as the time she had rallied all of them.

‘’Applejack. You have helped me so now it is my turn to help you. You say that I treat everypony and every animal equally but that cannot be further from the truth. Yes, I love all animals and each time I see one that it is hurt, I want to take it with me and to take care of it until he got better so it can go back into nature. But regardless... or maybe because precisely of that, I see the animals in my care as special.’’

Fluttershy spread her yellow wings before her and contracted them as if they were cradling a precious thing while she was making a tender expression.

‘’There is something unique in taking care of a life. You are receiving so much of it and you are giving so much to it. It's practically impossible not to form a bond. When you think about it, the simple fact to be a caretaker mean you spending your time more on a select bunch than, hum... than the rest of the world.’’

‘’But Fluttershy. The animals that you take care are in need. So, is it not more practical that you spend more time with them than the rest.’’

‘’Yes sure, there is some of that. But I can't deny that the true reason is because seeing an animal in need makes my heart bleed. Say it like that, it sounds more like a personal desire. For a time, I struggled with that notion until I had made peace with it. Yeah. It is indeed a personal selfish desire. Because in the end, helping those in need is also a form of favoritism as you call it.’’

‘’Wait wha now! Fluttershy, ya can't be serious. This is mess-up what ya say.’’

‘’I know it sound twisted. We don't think that much about what motivates caring. But if you do, you realize that prioritize those in need over those who don't is to favor those in need over those who don't because you take the decision that they need it the most. Also, think about it. Let us make as if you had chosen to protect the many instead of your precious few. Then, won't that be also favoring them instead of your family? Won't you be in the exact same dilemma as you are right now.’’

Applejack had lost her voice. She was flabbergasted. What she had said was bold if not a tad insensitive. And what was even more surprising was that it coming for Fluttershy of all ponies. AJ was overwhelmed by conflicting feelings but she had to admit that this new perspective that her friend was offering was kinda making sense.

‘’So you see AJ. It is truly impossible not to use favoritism. So there's no need to feel guilty about that at least. I do favoritism too. And not just towards my animals but towards my friends too. And you too. I was barely socializing with other ponies before you came to help me get out of my shell. And life had become so wonderful with you all. In my eyes, you are shining so much that I feel, I don't know, that... the true sin would be not to give that shine the praise it deserves. Sorry. I don't know why I say that.’’

‘’Nay, ah get it. Ah do. But still... it doesn't erase what ah did.’’

‘’I am not trying to tone down that painful tragedy. If you to amend it or repair it at least a little then it is all at your honor. But please, do it because you want it and not out of guilt. Your choice... was not wrong. That what I think at least.’’

‘’It doesn't feel like it to me. But on another hoof, all of them felt wrong.’’

‘’... Then... let's do something. If none choices could be right, then won't it mean they were all right?’’

At that, Applejack made a weak chuckle.

‘’Oh. Really. They are all right. That is pretty bold Fluttershy. So. Choosing to spare my family was the right choice.’’

‘’It was the right choice because it was what you believed.’’

‘’And if I had chosen to spare the hospital?’’

‘’If you had believed it, then yes. It would have been the right choice.’’

‘’Then let’s say that had decided to choose nothing and let both bombs explode?’’

‘’It would have been the right choice. If you considered that weighting a life against another one is a message that is more horrible than the loss of life itself and proactively decide to do nothing.’’

‘’!!! ... By Celestia. You're really full of surprises today.’’

She turned her back towards her and took a few aimless steps, then, not knowing what to do with her body, she decided to scratch the back of her head.

‘’All that is a lot. Ah think ah will need time to process all this.’’

‘’Oh. I... understand.’’

‘’Still. Ah think ah feel better. A little at least. Ah have ya to thank for.’’

‘’Then... I'm glad.’’

‘’Alrighty, we have feeling down for too long. The others must be worried as hell right now. Ah propose it's time we go on the road. Me. You. And that sneaky one.’’

Applejack kicked the nearby tree without warning as if it was one of her apple trees.

It shook and from its foliage, fell indeed something. But it was not an apple. That something was blue and was screaming ''gyaah' as she fell. She landed on a bush. She was fine but she was so ditzy that her magenta eyes were turning in circles. It was only when both of them meet the upside down face of Applejack that she got her sense back.

‘’Oh. ... Yo.’’

‘’Yo Rainbow.’’

‘’That's awkward.’’

‘’Awkward it is. Ah didn't take ya for a pony that likes to spy on private matters.’’

‘’I was not spying, I swear. I was searching for Fluttershy then I found you two. But I could, you know, understand that conversation was important and that it will be best that I don't butt in sooo I hide. I was trying to be discreet. How did you find out?’’

‘’Ah had a hunch. Ah noticed the butterflies were not flying near that specific tree and ah put two and two together.’’

‘’Yeah, sorry about that. Also I did not mean to but I... I ended up hearing everything. Are you mad?’’

‘’Nah. It's okay. Ah am glad in a way. Best to share what weight on my heart that to keep it to myself.’’

‘’Fiouf, I'm glad. Oh and also.’’

She flew off the bush she was lying on and grabbed Fluttershy in a tight grip.

‘’Way to go Shy. You were so badass. I always knew you were awesome but wowww, you go girl.’’

She even slapped Fluttershy back to congratulate her and the yellow pegasus fell belly flat on the ground.

‘’Wo you're alright Shy? I did not hit that strongly!’’

‘’No I'm, I'm fine, it's just, that discussion took a lot out of me. Oh dear, I think I am going to puke.’’

‘’Heh not on my feet, not on my feet!’’

In their distraction, they did not notice that the butterflies above them were agitating.

The flapping of their wings was becoming frantic. They were sensing something. Something approaching.

Sturdy Counter was ready to go. He had put his fedora and his bowler hat. From the window, he could notice that the street was becoming more lively. He had not noticed how much his street was deserted before ponies were coming back. After having run away from the spider-bots attack, some noticed that the town was quiet again and see how things were.

Of course, Sturdy Counter was, something many ponies would be jealous of, in blissful unawareness of the madness that had happened tonight. Still, he was resolved to listen the warning the princess gave to him. Even if he did not fully understand what it means. He had just shut his briefcase when somepony knocked on his door. Knocked with violence.

‘’Seriously, again! Are they trying to make a running gag of out it?’’

So for the third time tonight, Sturdy Counter went to open the door for this nightly visitor. Once he opened it, that visitor grabbed him by the shoulder and shook him frantically. To his great discomfort.

‘’Heh heh heh stop, stop shaking me like this! What's the big idea... huuuh! You!’’

‘’Please, tell me where they went. Ponies had seen them going out of your shop so please, I need to know. I beg you. Where did they go?’’

Author's Note

This chapter had been particularly hard to write. Especially the part of Applejack and Fluttershy. I had a general idea on what it would be but oh boy it was tricky. You know, I see myself as someone who love to think and when I see a philosophical conundrum or a moral paradox, I tend to be haunted by them until I find an answer. (That expression is to be taken with a grain of salt.) And when you have to make those answers sound, not that obvious and also fitting for the psychology of the character, then the work become murder. For me.

As for why I wanted to pair Applejack with Fluttershy, well, it at dawned on me that both of their trials had basically the same theme. They just went into directions. These two seemed so fitting for each other. I know I had sad it was sometime hard to write but other time, I feel as if the story is writing on its own. What a paradox.

Chapter 1: Another simple assignment

It was a silent night. Except for the soft sound of hoofs, walking on the white floor. But then, this mysterious pony, hidden by the shadow, arrived at his destination, a huge room with an open roof as big as an amphitheater, with only the shining stars as spectators. This room was full of strange machinery and the biggest was a small tower structure right at the center. The pony at the balcony overlooking all, raised a hoof and a small translucent and numerical display appeared before it. And then… this hoof simply presses it. The entire room was soon filled with noise as all the machines were coming back to life, like they were yawing from several millennia of sleep. A vivid white light was emanating from the tower, becoming brighter and brighter. And when the light attains its paroxysm, the tower expelled it in a giant beam, piercing the sky like a spear, with the clouds running away from it like in fear. And from the beam, a huge shockwave of pure energy dispersed itself across all Equestria.

His deed accomplished, the mysterious pony simply went away at the same rhythm as he had entered. The shadow was covering his face and the only thing shining was his eyes. Ironically showing that his iris didn’t have any spark in them.

‘’It’s done. Now it is only a question of time before it happens. And when it will, all of Equestria will see that its way of life is… nothing more than foolish, childish make believe. They will see. Soon. Very soon.’’

Chapter 1: another simple assignment

One month later

Canterlot castle: the throne room

Sweet light was shining through the stained glass, illuminating the blue walls of the room and also the floating rainbow and starry manes of the princess. Celestia was looking through her left, more precisely to a little wooden stool with a small object on it, covered by a cloth. The princess had a smile of excitement that she could barely contain.

‘’I just cannot wait to show this discovery to Twilight. Knowing her, I am sure she will barely stay on her feet over this wonder. The face she will make. Oooh it will be such a surprise.’’

Celestia was clapping her hooves like an excited little filly while Luna was rolling her eyes for this lack of decorum. The way the princess of the sun was acting in private was very different from how she appears in public. Luna was sometimes finding it hard to believe how... lax she has become since her banishment. Though let us admit that this carefree attitude was starting to rub off on her. Although if it was a bad influence or not, she was still questioning that. But she found that her big sister was especially enthusiastic today and... knowing the reason she could hardly blame her.

‘’Do not exaggerate sister, she is impressed by everything you do and say.’’

‘’This time it will be different. When I will reveal all I have in store for her she will hallucinate.’’

‘’Well, knowing her, that's actually what worries me. By the way dear sister, it should be soon. What time it is?’’

‘’Guard, could you please tell us the time?’’

She was speaking to the lone white earth pony guard with golden armor, stationed at the front of the door. At this demand, he grabs a pocket watch from a pocket in his and opened it.

‘’It is exactly 2:03 your majesty.’’

‘’Wait, Twilight is three minutes late! Usually she is always so obsessed with punctuality… oh! Oh dear… This could be bad. Guard, you really should stay away from the door.’’

The guard was making a face showing all his incomprehension.

‘’Huhhh! Why is that?’’

‘’Because I hope//

She could not finish because the double door burst itself open with great force, slamming the doors on the wall and taking the unfortunate guard with the right one. All he could do was scream a simple *gyah*. And the culprit was of course Twilight, jumping through the opening and then sliding on the floor and braking with style. And a very dignified face.

The light from the stained glass was bathing the princess of friendship and giving its gleam on her beautiful purple coat. As she was flapping wide open her wings and making her hair fly, it was like all the spectrums of light were dancing around her. And as she opened her eyes filled with a sense of duty, she announced:

‘’Your faithful student Twilight Sparkle ready for duty.’’

Annnd she ruined everything the next second by letting her panic go free and went into a nervous rant.

‘’Sorry sorry princess Celestia for being tardy, I saw on the way here some decorations that were not perfectly symmetrical so I did some arrangement but then some of yours staff complained that I was running their 'supposed' hard work so I had to made a lecture about the fool-proof method established by Harmonious Assemblage and the benefits that symmetry has on the psyche which in-turn had lead to a raging debate *inhaleeeeeee* and I was so caught up that I did not see the time passing but you know how it is. Actually no you probably don't. Please forgive me, forgive me.’’

‘’… … hoped that this tragedy didn’t happen.’’

‘’Ghaaaaaaaah!!!’’

The eyes of Twilight become the most apologetic in the world and her jaw nearly drops to the floor for how ashamed she was.

‘’Huh! Oh no no no no I am not talking about you Twilight but about this, huum…’’

Celestia simply pointed her hoof to behind Twilight. The young alicorn turned around and saw the right door moving slowly by itself, revealing the poor guard flattened to the wall, with an irritated face and bloodshot eyes. Realizing immediately what she had done, she screamed of shame and she quickly went running to his help.

‘’GYAAAAA! I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry, I didn’t know you were there, believe me it is not in my habits to slam doors on pony.’’

‘’Well I am very happy that your first time was so successful.’’

She was trying to take him off the wall with her magic. But since he didn’t move, she then tried to give more oomph to her spell. Which was too much, and the guard fell right on his face on the floor.

‘’Ow! *sigh* Take a job as a royal guard my wife was saying. Equestria is so peaceful, there no job easier than that, she was saying.’’

After that, this, hum, little incident was resolved, everything was back to normal. Although the guard was looking intensely at Twilight and seemed to want to be the farthest possible from her. Which gives her a little shade of pink to her cheeks. But she takes hold of herself and did a little reverence to the princess.

‘’Greeting princess Celestia, princess Luna. It is good to see you.’’

‘’The same is for us. It is always a pleasure to see my most prized student and dear friend.’’

‘’So what is the reason for my visit? When Spike gave me your letter asking me to come, I immediately thought it was another of your assignments. So what is it this time? An internal political problem? A diplomatic mission to another country? Or simply another of your friendship lesson?’’

‘’I do have an assignment for you, but this time it has nothing to do with friendship.’’

‘’Oh? I am intrigued.’’

‘’It is not as a princess of friendship that I ask you to come, but because I need your expertise in magic.’’

‘’Wait what! You Celestia need help with magic!’’

‘’It is a job that I am sure you will be overjoyed to do. When I sent you the letter, I didn’t write any details because I wanted to make it a surprise. But first, I need to explain to you all the situation. Are you ready Luna?’’

‘’Ready when you are.’’

The two princesses charged their horns with magic and combined their might into one big spell. All the room went darker and then, bleu and translucent light formed on the roof like a beautiful aurora. Then the light dived on the floor, to concentrate on itself to form a precise image. It was a map of all Equestria. And Twilight could not breathe before this sight of beauty.

‘’Amazing. Simply amazing. A magical virtual projection. And of all Equestria no less. I can even see that it is even more precise and detail that the Cutie Map.’’

‘’This will help us to better explain the… strange phenomenon that had happened recently.’’

From the projection appears a pillar of light, flying straight to the sky for then changing itself in a shockwave which went flying above all the map.

‘’It was exactly one month ago that a mysterious pillar made of pure magical energy appeared out of nowhere. It sight surprised a lot of ponies. This pillar then disperses itself in a magical shockwave who then went across all Equestria.’’

‘’Oh yeah, I heard of that. This pillar was, well is still, the big talk of all Equestria. So many theories were built around this light. Some very crackpots. Like this a sign of the end of the world or that it was an alien attack. The media dub this phenomenon 'the very strange light who is bright and mysterious' ’’.

‘’Se... seriously! Who newspapers came with this mouthful title?’’

‘’Hummm, the Foal Free Press.’’

‘’Ha, I see. Wait! You read a school newspaper?’’

‘’Hey don't judge me! Even if it is made by kids it is actually quite good. All the town read it. Which in retrospect, make it... pretty impressive when you think about it!’’

Princess Luna had made a light cough to get everypony back to attention and decided to cut the chase and to go back to the topic at hoof.

‘’Anyway, as for this magical shockwave, it seems its effect was similar to the rainboom of Rainbow Dash. The difference is that its reach was far greater but paradoxically, the magical energy in it was too dispersed to make any noticeable effects. Only highly attuned magical beings such as us alicorn could have felt it and again, it was only for one little second. And it was only because I was awake during the night, my time. My sister, sound asleep, didn’t feel anything. Afterwards, we searched high and low to see if it made consequences across the kingdom but no, absolutely nothing, except giving a scare to some. I guess you could say it was nothing more than a beautiful light show.’’

‘’Twilight, didn’t you notice this pillar of light? After all, that thing was certainly not inconspicuous, it could have to be seen from nearly all the kingdom.’’

‘’Huuummm…

FLASHBACK: a month ago; Twilight bedroom

Twilight was sound asleep in her bed, making light snoring and smiling due to the peaceful and beautiful dream she was having. But then a noise came and the room was illuminated by a bright light. Through her window, you could see in the distance a pillar of light flying through the sky. This awoke Twilight… who immediately threw a cushion at the closed window.

‘’Shut up! Who are the idiots who make a party at this hour, I need my eight hours of sleep?’’

And then she buried herself in her drapes and didn’t come out until the morning.

**|**

‘’… … No. No I have seen nothing.’’

And she punctuated that statement with a big embarrassed smile. None of the two sisters could understand it. Celestia decided it was probably better to not know.

‘’Let us come back at the subject at hoof, my dear student.’’

With a flick of her horn, she rewinds the scene of the pillar to when it emerges, and she makes it stop. Then she makes a zoom of the place from where it emerges, a mountain.

‘’Naturally the next order was to find where the pillar came from. This was very easy. We could pinpoint the origin of this pillar of magic there. Mount Heaven. An ancient volcano who had gone extinct from even before our birth. There is a small town at the outskirts of this mount called Happy Town. A town very similar to Ponyville. We then, of course, send a squad to investigate… but then… that's when the story becomes crazy. You see, there were old tunnels that lead to the inside of the mountain. And what they find… ... have you any idea of what they find?’’

‘’No princess, I am completely at blank. Please stop with the suspense and tell me.’’

‘’Ruins, Twilight. Ruins of an ancient civilization far older that all we could imagine.’’

‘’... ... What… WHAAAAAAT!’’

‘’Yes. They find structures made of material as white as ivory in a unique architecture unlike anything see before, even on the standard of other archeological sites. When the squad report this to me, I knew that it could be a major discovery in history and that I must send specialists. So, I ask the service of a team of archeologists and I give them for leader the best of the best. Daring Do.’’

‘’Wait Celestia, you know Daring Do?! The Daring Do? The adventurer. The one that we meet several times.’’

‘’You could say that she is sort of a little employee of mine. The history of Equestria has a bad tendency to leave dangerous relics. So I give her a little financial help, and she makes sure they don’t fall into the wrong hooves. It is sad to say… but you see, it’s not exactly with her novels that she finds the money for her expeditions.’’

‘’Wait sister, she writes novels! I thought she was in the biography business.’’

‘’Shhh, not so loud, if word goes out, her sales could plummet. She must already give so much to her editors. Anyway, she immediately accept to lead the expedition and the story she told me was amazing.’’

FLASHBACK: a month ago; the inside of mount Heaven

The adventurous pegasus was walking carefully with her eyes darting in every way. Behind her, she was followed by three other ponies wearing glasses and beards. The tunnels they were exploring seem to be an old mine since the formations of the walls were clearly ponymade and they could see some old and rust abandoned equipment. Then, Daring Do had stopped advancing and raised her hoof to tell the others to do the same. Before them was a precipice and a stone formation that acted like a bridge.

‘’Of course, a precarious bridge. There is always one. Stay here, I go first.’’

And so, she does. Slowly, so, so slowly, she walked on the bridge nearly on her tip-hoof, on the greatest alert for the slightest noise or loss of footing. All her muscle was tense and her senses were to the max for when she will have to use her legendary cat reflexes. No matter what would happen, she was ready, until… … until she found out that she had already crossed the bridge in all safety. And then… she got the feeling that something was terribly wrong. She went back to it, more frantically, walked on it with more force, taped her hoof on the stone, and when there was no reaction, she jumped many times on the bridge to force it to fall.

‘’Hum… hum miss Daring Do, I... I am pretty sure that this bridge is safe and solid.’’

‘’Heh! Oh hum, hummm yes... yes I presume it is. It's, it's just that… no, nothing. (Wow, a bridge that doesn’t collapse! That's the very first time it happens.) Anyway let’s proceed.’’

At the end of the tunnel, they had found a huge white double door as big as a house, on a wall made of the same material and it did not seem to be carved on the rock but instead buried in it. The adventurous pegasus put her two hooves on the door and had managed to open it with minimal effort. But instead of entering, she took a step back.

‘’This is the entrance they had mentioned. There must surely be a lot of traps. Leave that to the expert.’’

She took a rock, had made it jump a little in her hoof, then she approached the open door carefully and threw the rock at the gantry and quickly turned back, went flat on the ground and put her hoofs over her head.

‘’EVERYPONY, GET DOWN!’’

… … But the only thing that came was silence. Just silence. All the archeologists were looking at each other with dumbstruck looks. And the look of Daring Do was that of confusion.

‘’Nothing! I don’t understand! Usually the ruins I explore were built with so much security you could call that paranoid.’’

Once past the door, the group was in a corridor where the walls, floor and roof were covered in vertical and horizontal lines, as if the whole structure was made of blocks of different shape and size. Daring Do stick herself to the wall and carefully advance with her back firmly pressed against the white structure.

‘’Alright everypony, follow my lead and do the same thing as me. It is important for not falling in the pitfalls HEYYYY!!!’’

But she saw everypony was walking past her, trotting normally on the floor, without a single problem or deathtrap falling on them. And Daring Do was left here, her back still on the wall, and the only thing she could do was blinking her eyes at how dumbfounded she was.

‘’You know… I will begin to think that my life as an archeologist is not the norm of the profession.’’

Finally, all the group has arrived into a huge room, all made of white. Several columns were there and some of them were broken. There was some furniture still standing but they were not sure what they were exactly. And at the end of the room, there was a strange window of glass that was completely opaque. Daring Do, amazed by all she saw, could not resist and fly on the room, spinning on herself with her hoofs extended over this magnificence.

‘’Amazing. This is simply amazing. In all my life I never see something like that.’’

‘’Daring Do, could you please come, I want to show you something.’’

She flew to the archeologist and he showed her that the wall was covered in strange symbols unlike anything seen before. It was easy to see that it was letters for a certain language. But which one?

‘’It… it is a language that I don’t recognize! I studied a lot of pony dead tongues but even though they were all different, they were all sharing some sort of common root. I can see that it is definitely not the case here. And it also doesn’t look at all like dragon, yak or other creatures language, past or present. Wait! Are we even in ancient ruins?’’

Since she had entered, something has bothered her in the back of her head. She scrubbed her hoof on the wall, and her suspicion was confirmed.

‘’No dust! Everything here is in pristine condition! How could everything have been conserved to such a perfect state? Unless this building is recent.’’

She saw a white debris, grabbed it, took a magnifying glass from her bag and used it to observe the erosion of the white material to determine its age.

‘’… … You know what, forget what I said, it is definitely old, even older than the birth of Equestria. … … Oh! It is actually even older than all the ruins I have explored. … … … What the! It… I… I actually have no idea how old it is! Just that its age is… ridiculous. Just what is this place?’’

**|**

‘’What an amazing story, princess. Although I wonder why it was necessary to include all those embarrassing moments. So, how old it is really?’’

‘’They had sent us many artifacts and our scientists didn’t lose time to study them. Though they were incapable to determine how exactly old they were, they theorize that they at least exceed twenty millennia.’’

At this declaration, the brain of Twilight just broke and her mouth stayed open for quite some time.

‘’Twen, twen, twen, ttttt twenty. Pr… princess, this could be the greatest history discovery of the century. What I am saying, simply ‘’the’’ greatest.’’

‘’Oh it doesn’t stop there, I still haven't revealed the good part. You see, even though this ancient civilization precedes us, all show that they were surpassing us in terms of science and magic. Surpass us from far. The artifacts that we found although ancients were paradoxically… futuristic. I simply have no other word for it.’’

‘’What! Okay now you are pulling my leg.’’

‘’Then wait that I show you this.’’

The wooden stool was covered in the yellow magical aura of Celestia and then she levitated it to bring it before Twilight. With her teeth, she takes the cloth revealing a glass bell. And whiting it… was a white cube, floating.

‘’A… white block? I don’t understand… wait… I don’t see any magical aura. So how it is floating?’’

‘’It float by itself.’’

‘’Is it then an object infused with magic? Like staff and amulets.’’

‘’You are half right, half wrong. The truth is that this is a machine. Working with magic.’’

‘’… … You are serious! I find it difficult to believe. There exist machines that can be activated with magic, but to use magic as a fuel! I only see that in science-fiction.’’

‘’Well it seems that science-fiction has come to our doors. Come closer, I will explain to you.’’

Celestia traced a circle with her horn, forming a yellow magical circle, acting like magnifying glass, showing with more details the structure of the white block.

‘’First, our scientist tried to find out what material those blocks were made of. But the only thing they discovered was that it definitely is not natural but ponymade instead. They are scratching their heads on how this civilization built them. Now if we look closer.’’

She makes several zooms of her magnifying spell, nearly going to the microscopic details, and the circle shown on the ivory surfaces several lines going in all the directions, and in these lines, a rainbow light was circulated.

‘’Princess, what it is?’’

‘’Magic, Twilight. Circuits where magic flow.’’

‘’Circuits! You mean… like electrical circuits?’’

‘’That's right. Electrical circuits are a recent invention in Equestria and we think that the machines of the ancient civilization work with a similar concept. But instead of electricity is magic that circulates. And what more, they manage to build those circuits to a size so little that they cannot be seen with the naked eye. But what’s more baffling is that it never seems to exhaust its reserves of energy, as if this cube could produce infinite magic out of nowhere. I have lived a long life and I have perfected my knowledge of magic but this… this is something I have never seen. It defies many laws that I thought unbreakable and how this machine work is really beyond me.’’

Celestia looked down and saw Twilight, her face pressed against the glass bell, her eyes shining even more than the stars, and panting so much from excitement that the glass was covered in moisture. Luna simply used her magic to move Twilight and Celestia used the cloth to wash the glass with a no-perturbed face.

‘’*pant**pant* This this this, this is the greatest discovery ever. It’s baffling, it’s wonderful, it’s it’s… MIND BLOWING! I have studied a lot in magic and technology but I never even dream that it was possible to combine the two and form a, a… magitechnology!! For lack of a better term. Imagine all the possibilities, the new theories, the things we could build, the practicalities, they are endless, ENDLESS I said! Heheh hahaha I am so excited there is a storm in my brain MWHAHAHAHA.’’

‘’*sigh* There it is big sis. That was exactly what I feared..’’

But Twilight was so engrossed that she had heard nothing.

‘’Ooooooh I must try this machine.’’

Twilight took away the glass bell and lighted her horn when Luna interrupted her.

‘’Wait Twilight. What my sister forgot to mention is that you don’t even have to use your horn. This block is made in a way that nearly anyone can use it by reading the magic that flows naturally in us. We had tested it. Pegasus, earth ponies, unicorns without using their horns. Every creature in the world with nothing more than a little hint of magic in them can use it with ease.’’

‘’Nearly anyone can use it! This is going better to better. So, what should I do?’’

‘’Simply touch the cube and think in which direction you want it to fly.’’

Twilight put her hoof on the white surface and the cube instantly stayed the standstill possible... for then went flying in all the directions with speed and vigor in an uncontrollable manner.

‘’Ho ho, maybe I should not have done that with so much enthusiast.’’

‘’EVERYPONY, GET BEHIND COVER!’’

Unfortunately, there was so little cover in the throne room. The cube was now going in circles, faster and faster, and then went flying in the direction… of the poor guard who could only watch with powerless while muttering:

‘’Oh no.’’

And the cube hit him right on the face, making him fall on his back, and the cube finally stopped flying to bounce off the ground like a dice. The poor guard was now immobile. Except for one of his legs that were twitching.

‘’… … You know big sis… I think you really should give this poor soldier a risk premium on his next salary.’’

‘’Agree.’’

Once all, huuum, the problems were solved, again, Celestia, Luna and Twilight resume their conversation. Even if the thing Twilight wanted the most was to cast a spell of invisibility.

‘’Don’t blame yourself Twilight. It just shows us that there are so many things that we don’t know about their magitechnology like you call it. In fact, after all we have found, we still nearly know nothing of this ancient civilization. That the precise reason I brought you.’’

‘’Oh right, you had said you need my expertise.’’

‘’Yes, normally we gladly go ourselves to these ruins to study them but we are too occupied by our royal duties. Buuut, it turns out there is a so-called alicorn with a knowledge in magic that is unrivaled in the world and who have an impressive scientific and analytical mind.’’

‘’You... you talking about me?’’

‘’Of course it is you, my faithful student. We are dealing with a futuristic vestige using magic in incomprehensible ways. I think you’re the perfect choice to study those ruins. So, do you accept?’’

‘’You want me to study the history of a civilization recently discovered that we know nothing about, see inventions only found in imagination and learn about magic in ways that change everything I know. What do you think? Of course the answer is YEEEEEES.’’

‘’Hahaha, there was no doubt in my mind. And I also would like that you investigate on what cause this pillar of light and if there is any dangers to fear.’’

‘’You can count on me princess.’’

‘’Perfect. I already contacted the mayor of Happy Town. Now I can confirm to him that you will come and he will gladly shelter you for a few days. Also, mehe… I suggest that you bring your friends with you.’’

At these words, the wings of Twilight flip open and a spark was shining in her eyes.

‘’Really? I can? Even on this important mission?’’

‘’I don’t see why not. This could be a fun and bonding experience. Beside…’’

‘’What is it princess?’’

‘’… … No… no you will know soon enough. Then I suppose that the only thing left to say is to wish you a good trip to you and your friends.’’

‘’Thank you so much princess Celestia. And also to you princess Luna. I will not lose time and go to prepare immediately. Goodbye and have a nice day.’’

She flipped her wing and took the aerial way with joy and drive. And her smile was the most radiant, because she was sure that this adventure would bring so much fun.

Silence. And darkness.

In a dark corner of a restricted room, there was a pony sitting on a chair before a working desk. The only source of light was the flame of a dim candle. But the weak light it was giving only served to accentuate even more how dark it was.

That pony, after staying immobile for a bit, decided to open a drawer and from it, took with his mouth a photo and put it on the wood of the desk. The photo was that of a smiling purple alicorn on the day of her coronation. The princess of friendship, Twilight Sparkle.

The pony then grabbed with its teeth a pencil from a pencil holder. He pointed the tip toward the image of the mare and... he scribbled on it. Scribbled scribbled scribbled. Scribbled scribbled and scribbled. Wildly. But at a relaxing pace. Once he was done, he looked at his work. The image of Twilight was now covered entirely under a smoke of pencils lines denying her. Yet, no feelings, not even a ripple, was forming on the heart of the pony responsible for that vandalism.

‘’... Somehow... I can tell. The day to come... would not be a ordinary one.’’

It was simply a perfect day in Ponyville. The weather was a clear sky thanks to the pegasus and the streets were buzzing with activities. All the ponies were going to their daily lives, shopping at the stands and saying hello to each passerby. And this idyllic view was seen by Twilight, flying right above them, musing how great and peaceful this town can be. And yet, we also never get the time to get bored. Not only is there always something interesting happening, this town also has the gift to attract the most colorful ponies in the world. It is no wonder that Celestia chose this place to send Twilight to learn friendship. It was already something special before she came to live there.

From where she was flying, she could see some foals playing together, but one of them got clumsy and trip on a stepladder, dropping the bucket of water at the top, on his head, spilling all its watery content on him. But instead to felt sorry for himself, he simply laughed to his heart content and all his friends followed soon.

The next thing she saw was a mother giving a toy to her child which he answered with a hug. It sure gave a wave of warmth to the alicorn.

Then, from the window of a living room, Twilight saw Lyra Heartstring, sitting on a couch, playing her lyre. At first, she stirred the lyre strings at a calm pace but out of nowhere, she decided to become more daring and shredded wildly at her string instrument, changing the melodious song into a rock show that was making the wall shaking. After a bit of wild choreographies, she made a big finish by sliding on the carpet and did a final and bombastic strike on her lyre like if it was a guitar.

‘’Yeaaaah. Now that's what I call an awesome solo. Hummm. You know... maybe I should change my style. For some reason, I can see myself as a rocker. Hey Bon-Bon, what do you whoaaah!!!’’

She barely avoided a thrown potted plant that was aiming at her. Potted plant thrown by her exasperated roommate Bon-Bon.

‘’Lyra, will you stop that fuss! Neighbors will complain. Again.’’

‘’Sorry, sorry. I just thought to heat-up things a little. Don't you want to have a day full of strong sensations sometime?’’

‘’Hell no. I left that all behind. I rather that this day be the quietest possible. Unless you want an 'awesome solo' time on the couch tonight.’’

‘’No no no, I will calm down.’’

At that scene, typical from those two, Twilight could not suppress a giggle.

‘’(Yes, the citizens of Ponyville are true champions for enjoying life and seeing its brighter side. I constantly learn from them to do the same. Speaking of it, I can't wait to tell my friends that a fun adventure is waiting for us. Then let's not waste time. Full speed to the town hall.)’’

The pegasus Rainbow Dash was flying high in the town hall to put a banner. Her mood however was not that high.

‘’Pinkie, can you tell me how the hay we are stuck preparing a play for all the town? Not only has it come out of nowhere but in addition we have to come out with everything about what it will be. Seriously! How come we are always stuck helping doing the town main events when we are not even official town representatives? Sometime I wonder if I am not secretly a character of some kind of sitcom.’’

‘’Super duper sorry about that Dashie. You see, Mayor Mare wanted to do a play for all the town to bring joy to everyone in what she tells me ‘’a very spontaneous idea that I did on a whim, that I had brag with everyone and now I am stuck to deal with it’’. So she hired the society of artists but they are big fans of the cakes of Sugarcube Corner and so they came to my shop but when they saw me, it awakened, hummm, some bad blood, and you know me, I can’t support causing troubles to anyone. I tried to apologize so many times and tell them that I will do anything for them and that when they say to do their job for them. I am not sure if they were serious but I immediately jumped to the occasion. Nowww I admit I should have thought more about that. So Dashie, you get it now? ’’

‘’Hum no. No, I actually get it even less than before. What is this history of bad blood anyway?’’

Feeling intrigued by that discussion, Rarity decided to come out of the curtains.

‘’Wait Pinkie, how do you know the society of artists in the first place? They are known for being a very tight and exclusive group.’’

‘’Well you see, during a trip to Manehattan, I have taken a wrong turn, go to their room of repetition by accident and then it led to a story with a messy love triangle, a misunderstand about a false extortion of money and at the end, everypony who throw the food of the buffet at everypony. It would be a little too long to explain.’’

And Rainbow made a face-hoof.

‘’Ugh, I’m not sure I want to hear it in the first place. Wait!’’

Suddenly excited, she dashed toward the pink pony, pressing her nose to her.

‘’If we are doing their job, does that mean we get paid? That would be sweet.’’

‘’Hummm, no... no we do not get paid. I am kinda sure that it was a clause mentioned in the contract I signed hastily.’’

The flying blue pegasus let herself fall on the ground and didn’t have any energy to get up. Applejack, who was on a stepladder painting a wooden wall, could not resist chuckling a little.

‘’Aww don’t make that face. Sure that task came off nowhere but we all used to have sudden community service thrown to our laps. Thinking about it, it could be fun.’’

‘’I agree. As long as I take time with you, any time is the time of my life.’’

Saying Fluttershy, flying next to Applejack, a paint brush in her mouth and covering the wooden wall with pink paint.

‘’Well say sugarcube. Say, ah was wondering, why ya were panting with this color? Ah though we were using red?’’

‘’Oh! Well, I was not even sure what we were doing in the first place so I, I took we were choosing the colors as we see fit. There is no more relaxing color than pink don’t you agree. Or not, if it is not all right with you I... I can take another one, if you prefer.’’

Spike was coming, carrying a tea chariot to Rarity who was drawing with a floating pen.

‘’So if I understand, basically everyone does what goes through their heads without plan or coordination. Okay, we are doomed. Well unless someone is interested to listen to my ideas but nooo, nopony wants to give them a chance. *sigh* One day.’’

He took a steamy cup from the chariot and one look at his favorite pony was all it took to lift his spirit.

‘’There Rarity, the special tea made with nine different blends, heat to the perfection with my dragon breathe.’’

‘’Oh thank Spike, you're such a darling.’’

The white unicorn took the cup delicately and with the elegance of a lady, took a small sip without making any noise.

‘’Aahh, I was dreadfully in need of this. It is simply perfect. You really are a number one assistant my Spikey-Wikey.’’

‘’Oh shush, it is always a pleasure to help you. Besides, your tasks are easy compared to Twilight. Oh but don’t ever tell her I say that please.’’

‘’My lips are seal.’’

Pinkie Pie was now taking out of nowhere a helium tank, which she used to inflate several balloons, simply because she was thinking that balloons go with everything. But then, without any advertisement, the doors of the town hall burst themselves open by Twilight who came running and then pointed her hoof dramatically to the group.

‘’STOP THE PRESS EVERYPONY.’’

That was… shocking. Rarity spit all her tea, Rainbow Dash was like lightning has struck her then went flying in all the directions in panic, Pinkie Pie had lost grip of the tank and it went straight into her mouth, pumping her with helium, and Applejack loses her balance and fell on the paint pots in a big colorful splash with Fluttershy looking at her, her hoofs on her mouth.

As for Spike, the shock put him into full-panic mode.

‘’Heh, the what, what the hay, what have we done wrong, what press, I thought we were making theatre, we are making journals now, how can we stop what we never did, I mean WHAT GOING ON HERE!!! ... Oh! False alarm, it's just Twilight.’’

At the sight of this pandemonium, Twilight could only just stare blankly, her hoof still risen in a stupid way.

‘’… … Heheh. S, s, sorry everypony, it’s… it’s was just something I had always dream of saying.’’

While Twilight was living the embarrassment of her life, for the second time in the day, Pinkie threw away the helium tank but she opened her mouth, it was... quite special.

‘’Woooo way to make an entry Twilight. Wait, that's my voice! That really my voice? Hahaha that so fun, it looks like a robot.’’

She burst out laughter in that weird voice, which made her laugh even more. Everypony rolled their eyes at her antics. Fluttershy decided to speak up and asked:

‘’But Twilight, why all this commotion? Is it something dreadful?’’

‘’Oh right, I nearly forgot! Come all closer girls, I have something that you will all like to hear.’’

And so, everypony gathers around the princess of friendship to hear all about her day and the trip that she and her friends will eventually do. All except Pinkie Pie who went bouncing around the hall, saying thing like ‘’bip-bop bip-bop I’m a robot, bib-bop I will steal all your jobs.’’

‘’And that the resume of all Celestia had told me. And although it is a serious travel of research, I don't see why it couldn't also be a nice vacation for all of you. So what do you thinks, would you all like to go on this trip to Happy Town?’’

Rainbow Dash didn't lose time and pumped her fist.

‘’Oh yeah, a trip for all the gang. Count me in. (And a good excuse to ditch that mess we were stuck.)’’

Pinkie jumped among the group.

‘’Woohoo that sound like *cough**cough* I mean that sounds like a lot of fun. Hey don’t look at me like that, I did listen. Count me two.’’

Fluttershy raised her hoof.

‘’Then count me three. But what are we going to do about the play? We can just not abandon it.’’

Applejack lowered her hat in embarrassment.

‘’Bah, if ya want mahn honest opinion, this was going nowhere anyway. Ah guess we have no choice to give this task to another. Ah don’t think it should be a problem. But who?’’

‘’Oh oh, I vote for Spike.’’

Say Rarity, using her magic to levitate Spike before all mares. Say Dragon was pointing his finger at himself in incredulity.

‘’What! Me!’’

Spike was so surprised that his wing opened wide. Rarity grabbed him by the shoulder and dragged him closer.

‘’You see, it happens that Spike got a ton of if I must say, excellent ideas for the play and I am sure that if we give him the chance, he will impress us all. He is after all the number one assistant who has learned from the best in dealing with organization and schedule. You can trust me, you know I have the eye for this.’’

‘’Rarity!’’

‘’Oh silly you. You really think nopony was listening to you.’’

And the white unicorn gave subtly to Spike a little wink of the eye.

Twilight silently nodded her head in approval, knowing well her first assistant was a reliable dragon. She felt a little disappointed Spike could not come but understood it could not be helped.

‘’I see that all is settled. Then it's official girls, the next day we are all going to Happy Town. We will meet tomorrow morning at the train station. I propose we all go to our homes to prepare. The only train to Happy Town is at 8 a:m, so we will have to wake up early.’’

All ponies were so enthusiastic at the prospect of that fun trip they could hardly stay on their hooves. They even gathered around in a circle and each one put their hoof atop each other in a pact of camaraderie.

The light of the day was coursing through a window, shining it's benign rays on the circle of friendship like a makeshift projector. Particles of dust were sparkling around our six mares.

‘’Alright everypony, then to a trip that will bring us many good memories//

But a dark cloud came and snuffed out the light. Though it did nothing to darken their mood.

‘’That I am sure we will never forget.’’

And all hoofs went jumping in the air in a unanimous ‘’YAY’’. Then without losing time, went running to the exit to quickly prepare for tomorrow. Spike was the only one left. And when he was sure that no one was around, he too went flying in the sky in a burst of joy.

‘’ALRIGHT, RESPONSIBILITY. How long did I wait for something like that? No time to lose, I have so many ideas to try. First, I must go search for a black jacket and a pompadour.’’

As he has said, Spike was now in the costume he wanted, standing on a chariot, surrounded by ponies dressed in platinum mechanic suits.

‘’Everypony is ready? Alright don’t forget, as we sing we also raise our hands, hum, hooves for you, in front of us and then we move it from right to left and after, left to right. Okay now bring the music.’’

Go, Polished lightning, you burning up the carter mile

Polished lightning, go, Polished Lightning

Go, Polished Lightning, you coasting through the heat lap trial

Polished lightning, go, Polished Lightning

The next day came and it was a nice morning at the train station. The smoke of the chimney was dancing on the blue sky, showing that the engine was full of life and ready to go. What was also full of life was the passenger deck, with our heroines and their baggage.

Nearly everypony was at the station. There were just three missing. Twilight, Pinkie and Rainbow Dash. Speaking of her, she came flying from above and went to do a supersonic dive to meet them. She had slid with panache on the wooden floor to stop right before her friends. Then the air left behind came to catch on her and made her feathers and hair fluttered with style. She was making such a cocky smile. Applejack however was rolling her eyes.

‘’Show off.’’

‘’What can I say, I live to impress. By the way, where is Pinkie Pie? Twilight, I understand she can be late, she always want to make sure to be prepared, but Pinkie, she usually wants to be the first to be in the festivities.’’

Speaking of the wolf, humm pony, here came Pinkie but without her usual bouncing. She was followed by two other ponies. A unicorn mare and a pegasus stallion. And they were both having clipboards on them that Pinkie was signing with a pencil on her mouth.

These two were Sugar Lefty, the sugar supplier, and Righto Dough, the flour supplier. Although Ponnyville had a bakery shop that was known for its top quality, these two suppliers could rival the sheer quantity that they were producing themselves. Needless to say, Sugarcube Corner was their biggest customer. Another thing... those two were also known as bitter enemies, always trying to surpass the other and to sell more.

It is well known in the town that they hate each other. They are so engrossed in their bitter rivalry that they had always failed to understand that their two products nearly always go hand in hand. And the fact that they were neighbors didn't make things better.

Anyway, Pinkie did the final signature.

‘’There, all signed. As I had said earlier, I will be gone for an undetermined period of time. So just to make sure, I pay the two next week in advance.’’

Right Dough pushed away Sugar Lefty

‘’No problem Miss Pie, there is no way we will disappoint our main purveyor. In a way, we could say that our lives are in your hooves.’’

And Lefty was sure irritated that her rival was trying to steal the spotlight. Again.

‘’Oh you and your noisy dramatic speech. Why don't you lick her boots while you do, it will be the same?’’

‘’No one had asked you, witch. By the way, I was thinking of offering you a friend discount. What do you think if I give you these two weeks for only fifty percent.’’

‘’What! You fiend. Don't listen to him, I have a better offer. I give you those two weeks for the price of one. If you accept my and only my offer.’’

‘’Wait, it's the same thing as mine! Do your calculation right you she-devil.

‘’No one asks you, you con artist.’’

‘’Tooth decayer.’’

‘’Clogger of arteries.’’

After a bunch more of stupid insults, Pinkie Pie was feeling uncomfortable and was discretely going away while these two were growling at each other like wolfs. She went to rejoin her friend with embarrassed looks.

‘’Sorry you had to see that, girls. This trip was a little sudden so I had to quickly deal with the flour and sugar shipment. Usually, I deal with them one at a time. They are good ponies, but when they are together, wooooooh, they are such party poppers. Trust me, I tried to make a lot of parties to make the dark cloud over their heads go away. A, lot. But let us forget about that because it is time for FUN TRIP.’’

She threw a rain of confetti from her hooves. A lot of them went into the hairs of passersby who rubbed them with a grudge. But Pinkie didn't notice anything of that because she saw her friend Twilight coming. She was running to them and was having short breaths.

‘’Sorry, sorry to be so late. *inhale**exhale**inhale**exhale* I... I just wanted to make sure to be well prepared and I may have gone a little overboard. Alright, now that we are all here, let us make sure we are ready. You have everything you want? Good. Once we will arrive in town, mayor Paternal, the mayor of Happy Town, promised us he will have vacant chambers for all of us with a lot of space. And best of all, he will give them to us for free. So we will have no problem in comfort for the seven of us.’’

‘’Oh my, that so generous to offer.’’

Had say Fluttershy.

‘’Now I feel a little shy before so much kindness. … … Hum, Twilight… did you say, seven?’’

‘’Oh right, I forget to mention, I allow myself to bring another friend.’’

It was then that an irritated remark came from an unknown source.

‘’Precisely, speaking of this other friend, could you *huff* give her a little help? As always you bring way too much reference material.’’

They all saw a mountain of books, shining with a cyan aura, going forward to them. Though it was looking more like a bulldozer since all passerby ponies were getting out of its way in fright as the books were saying sorry each time. The pony transporting them made a false step and they had nearly tumbled on her if Twilight had not grabbed them with her magic.

‘’My babies!’’

‘’Oh sure, your babies are more important, don't worry about me.’’

‘’Don't be like that! We are going to do research like nopony has done before. What's wrong with taking only the strict minimum? Heheh.’’

Twi did an embarrassed laugh. But the one in that pile, only answered her with silence. Silence that means a thousand words. Twi had to admit defeat.

‘’Alright alright, I get it, it's overkill, geez.’’

The alicorn teleported the majority of the books back to the library. Revealing that the one behind them, at the surprise of all, was a unicorn with a pale hue of magenta. Starlight Glimmer herself.

‘’Hello. Surprised to see me everypony? Twilight already fills me with everything and insists that I come with you sooo here I am. But Twilight, are you sure this is a good idea? They must have only prepared to receive six, not seven.’’

‘’Of course you should come. Starlight, we are talking about ancient technology that uses magic in a way that goes above everything we know so far. There is no way I can find answers alone, I need my best student. Two heads are always better than one. I am sure the mayor can accommodate. Besides… even if there was none of these reasons, I will still insist that you came. You are one of us, so there is no way we can exclude you.’’

‘’I… gee thank Twilight. That… mean a lot for me.’’

Her cheeks suddenly got a little shade of pink.

‘’Well what that say about me?’’

Spike had said, descending from the sky, his arms crossed and a forlorn look on his face. For then bursting in laughter.

‘’Hahahaha heh relax, don’t make that face. I know that if this wasn’t for this job, you will have taken me too.’’

‘’Of course I would have brought you too. You are also one of us. But I also know that you have always wanted to show proof that you are a capable dragon. And I have no doubts that you will give us a show that will knock them all down.’’

She then comes closer to Spike to whisper at his hear.

‘’But just in case, I have prepared several lists of tips that I have put on your desk if you need some help. You know, just in case.’’

‘’Humm, thanks, Twilight. I suppose.’’

He was acting like it was slightly bothersome but deep down, he was very touched that she was taking the time to give him support when she already had her own job to do. These two then went to hug each other, showing all their familial love. Once this was over, Spike went saying his goodbye to everypony.

‘’See ya later everypony, and don’t forget to have a good time.’’

Rarity came trotting toward him.

‘’And you my dear Spikey-Wikey, you better impress the gallery. Thou I have no doubts your songs will ‘’couper le souffle’’ of everyone.’’

‘’You can bet on it... HEH wait! How do you know that my play will be a musical?’’

‘’Oh let's just I may have taken an innocent little peek at your notes. It wasn’t a lie when I said that you have good ideas. And I never would have guessed you could write such good lyrics. ''You the one I want, you the one I want''. Why I think I may already have became a fan.’’

From this declaration, it was like the eyes of Spike were shining with the purest of light.

‘’Rarity. You can’t know how much it means. For me your praises are the most important in the world.’’

‘’You have no idea how well I know.’’

‘’… What... do you mean?’’

Realizing too late what she had said, the two were plunged in an embarrassing silence. In fact, it seems that not a single sound was coming from nowhere which didn’t help the situation. Until…

‘’Be careful, clear the passage everepony!’’

Something went flying between Spike and Rarity and went tumbling on the deck. They all look to see what the mysterious object was and see that it was a grey pegasus with golden hair and cross-eyes, dressed in a postman uniform. Rainbow just greeted her as if that occurrence was commonplace. Which it was.

‘’Hey, sup Derpy.’’

The pegasus named Derpy upright herself and rubbed the dust on her with a big smile as if nothing had happened.

‘’Well hello everypony. Sorry to bother, I am just here today because this train has an important delivery that we must take to Ponyville. A very huge one I heard.’’

A cough was heard in the distance. Followed by voice saying:

‘’Well? Introduce us.’’

‘’Oh right right. I meant me and... pause for dramatic effect... the Mail Squad.’’

Three shadows slipped on the floor, and one by one, three pegasus went to land in front of all the group. One was a pegasus with orange mane, red hair and a sun as a cutie mark. The second had blue mane with cyan hair and a rain-drop cloud. And the last one, purple with white hair and a white flower. The pegasy then did some acrobatics on the ground and the four reunited themselves to do a bombastic pose.

The whole group that saw that was speechless. Not in the good sense of the term. Everything was plunged in an embarrassing silence. Well, except for the cry of crickets. No, there literally were crickets crying. Rainbow, who could no longer bared the awkwardness, finally decided to break the ice.

‘’Sooo, you had practiced to do... whatever this is?’’

‘’Oh yes yes, the mail office is trying to create a new image. You know, to attract the younger generation. What do you think? Pretty amazing?’’

‘’Oh, hum, hum, yeah, yeah, it's hum, it's sure...’’

It was then that the whistle of the train made its noise, signaling that the train was ready to go. Twilight quickly grabbed her books.

‘’Ahhh we have no time to lose, we must quickly board the train. It was good to see you but we must go. Goodbye Spike, I know you will do an excellent job. See you soon.’’

‘’See you soon Twilight.’’

Our heroines went inside the train with all their baggage while the Mail Squad quickly took from the cargo car a huge crate. Then, the wheel started to go slowly for them to go faster and the train finally exited the station. Our heroines open the window to wave goodbye to Spike one last time, who also did the same. And the train bringing them to adventure, continues its travel until it disappears at the horizon. This... was the start of a moment in their life that not one of them

WILL EVER FORGET.

The four mailmares were flying in the sky, each grabbing a rope attached to other ones who were warping all around the humongous crate, so that the pegasy could fly with it.

‘’So Derpy, to whom we suppose to deliver this huge thing.’’

‘’Let me see. Notes, notes, ah, there they are. … … Oh! No one. We just supposed to bring it right at the center of the park.’’

They then went to the Grassy Pentagon, the local park of Ponyville, which was the number one relaxing destination for many ponies. When they had arrived at the right location, they deposited the crate, opened it and took off what was inside. Once their job finished, the pegasy took the empty crate and went flying once again in the sky.

‘’That was a very unusual delivery. I have never seen something like that. From whom it was in the first place.’’

‘’I will look at my notes. It comes from a certain pony named, A, no, ny, mous. Whoops! Sorry, I mean this is a sender who wants to stay anonymous. Bah, it's probably somepony who wants to make a generous donation to Ponyville. But what a strange sculpture it is. Oh well, I never understood anything about art.’’

Once they were out of sight, the park was deserted. Except for the white block they left. One just like princess Celestia has shown to Twilight. But this one was big and as high as a room. The wind was quietly blowing on the grass and on its white surface in a moment that was at the same time serene and ominous. But all that disappeared when a mechanical noise was made from the cube and from four of its faces appeared an opaque glass window showing nothing. Until they turned on and white and gray statics appeared on them with a buzzing noise. The ponies would certainly not understand what these things were, but we would have no problem recognizing them… as television screens. They seem to show nothing more than the statics… but for a split-second… a little split-second… the static and the buzz disappear and show an image for then disappear again onto static. It was too short to know what it was, but it reappears again and again at short intervals, which means that in the long run, you will have no problem understanding what the image is. It was white letters on a black font. And these letters were saying…

The game will begin in 20 hours

written by La Jester

Beautiful and magical stories of anguish

Author's Note

And here it goes. The very first chapter of my project. And also, my first attempt at writing a literally work. That's entirely correct, before that, I had tried to try my chance at writing an actual book. I was making good progress but in the end, I bite more than I could chew. It is not a good idea to start that big. Still, I consider it was good experience. That why I want to try my chance at fanfiction. It is less restrictive yet you can still make beautiful works. I thought hard about that story and I intend to work hard on it.

Anyway, from the title, I'm sure you could guess that this story is to be one with a serious tone. I think I must warm you that the firsts chapter would have a light-hearted tone compared to the rest so much that I call them the 'comedic chapters'. Hope you will enjoy them before the true meat of the story.

* Notes: That chapter had been reworked to improve its writing and quality. Consider it a version 2.0.

Also, here is a list of unique writting symbols that I will using for the rest of that story:
- ''//'' means that a dialogue had been interrupted and cut off by the dialogue of another one.
- ''|***|'' mean that a flashback is beggining.
- ''**|**'' mean that a flashback is ending.

Intermission: Tales of two brothers

Intermission: Tale of two brothers

How did we have come to this? The one million bits question. I ask it myself so many times that I had lost count. I know I may have sounded like a cruel dog who only thinks about his benefit but this was just an act. A sort of mask that I was using to help me carry out that dirty job I had to do. And also to help my brother to carry through it. He had always been the softie of the family. But I really didn't want to do that and wanted things to turn out differently. So, like a pathetic mutt, I cannot help but to look at my entire in the foolish hope to find the answer to my question.

The first thing you need to know about Diamond Dogs is that we love gems. But I mean we really, really love gems. Why do you think we had choose that name for ourselves? But what everybody ignores is the reason why we love gems that much. Well it's a little embarrassing even if when I was a cub, I found it perfectly normal. The truth is there is no real reason. We just want them for the simple goal to have them. Yeah, I know it is pretty dumb. But try to be in our place. gems are just wonderful. They are like colors and light that were made into solid form. Don't tell me you would not want to hold them in your hands, to make that beauty your own. But if I had to give the true reason, then I suppose that is because our quality of life is... hum, not that great. We do are living underground. It's not very salubrious, there is not a lot of space and our only food are bugs and roots. Sometimes we take food from the surface but rarely. We are very mistrustful of other species. Like ponies. Or buffalos. Or other packs of Diamond Dogs. So guess that why we love collecting gems so much. Accumulate them. Because more we have and more we can convince ourselves the our lives are better and that we have more happiness in our pockets.

Anyway, I am getting off track. As I had said, hunting for gems is the main objective of Diamond Dogs and so, we all become miners from a very young age. That was also the case for me. I am still a puppy and yet here I am, using my strong arms for digging the earth and tearing apart rocks with my fellows both young and old. When you are ready to mine, your age no longer matter, we are all equal. That why I got my collar, the proof that you are a true Diamond Dog.
Today is the same thing as usual. We are working on expanding a tunnel and to find more of those buried treasure. It is not as easy as he sound as we cannot dig in any way, we have to make sure the tunnel does not collapse on us.
So I do as I always do, putting dirt out, finding and putting occasional precious stones into to rolling cart when by chance, ooooh... there, just right there, I have unearth not any common gem but a diamond, a diamond shining with all the color that you can imagine. You cannot find a better discovery.

‘’Pretty. Oh she gonna love it.’’

We have a strict rule. Once you find gems, you have to put them in the cart who will then later be redistributed equitably among all the pack. That's why to make sure that nodog keep the gems they have found for themselves, that act was considered a great offense to the pack and was seriously discouraged.

It doesn't work by the way. Everydog was doing it all the time.

So I discretely hide that diamond on my person. After a few hours, the time for work is done and it's time to go home. There is a dog whose job is to search us to make sure we have no gems on us. When it is my turn, he had found nothing. But once I got far from it, I can't resist making a smirk and I pull out the diamond that I had hidden under my tongue. Ha. After all this time, it's like they have learned nothing. I put it safely in the pocket of my jacket and get ready to go home when it was then that I heard some weird chanting at the distance.

‘’Wimp, wimp, he is such a wimp.’’

‘’He is bigger than us yet we are stronger.’’

That meant only one thing.

‘’*sigh* Again. When they will learn? And when ‘he’ will learn?’’

I go to the cavern where I found two puppies of my age who are cornering another one to the wall. This one has the double of their heights but regardless, he was cowering against their verbal assaults, looking miserable and on the verge of crying and he just doesn't understand that acting weak like that will give them even more the urge to harass him.

Oh and did I'd mentioned that this cowardly dog was Dust, my little brother.

Diamond Dogs, contrary to normal dogs, are not know for altruism. It is every dog for himself with us. However... family, is, sacred.

‘’Look at him, he is so afraid. It's so funny.’’

‘’Dust not a true dog. Dust not a true dog.’’

‘’Oh it looks fun. Can Dirt join you?’’

The two bullies, surprised, turn around and see me. Me and my smile full of pointy canines. Now, they look far less confidant.

‘’Ha, it's, it's Dirt.’’

‘’This not what Dirt think. We were just playing with Dust.’’

Like I would believe them. It is not the first time it happens and each time I had to intervene and protect Dust. Let just say that with time, I had acquired a reputation that when my brother is involve, I always mean business.

‘’Ple, please don't hurt us. We will go away, we promise.’’

Gone is my smile and instead it change to become a feral expression.

‘’Move.’’

And with that simple word, they got scared and run-away, tails between their legs. I had a lot of practice to make terrific faces. Now I don't even have to fight against them. Not that it will change anything. I always win.

My brother had quickly changed of attitude once he saw me and once they were gone, he pulls me one of his bright smiles. Him, he knows how to brighten the mood without making effort.

‘’Thank a lot Dirt. I don't know what I would have done without you Aye!!’’

I chomped him on the head. Because once again he had learned nothing.

‘’Idiot. ...Idiot idiot idiot idiot.’’

‘’Aye aye ouch aye, heh please stop!’’

‘’Why do Dirt must always protect little bro. Little bro is strong. Stronger than Dirt. Stronger than them. Little bro could beat them easily. Then they will leave you at peace.’’

‘’Dust know big bro. But even if they are mean to me Dust afraid Dust will hurt them too much.’’

Dust was not a dog like others. Nature had made him with the gift of a colossal strength. We are all strong but Dust could easily surpass us all. Hell, he is my younger brother but he is already far more higher than me. But paradoxically, he was born without a once of aggressiveness. The only thought of fighting and hurting someone scares him. Yup, a bona fide gentle giant. And I understand well why he was always being picked on. To be on top on somedog who have more strength than you must be such a boast for the ego. So that why I have to be always at his side. But that what big brother does.

‘’*sigh* What Dirt will do with little bro?’’

‘’I'm sorry.’’

‘’Stop saying sorry to everything Dirt say! Gezzz.’’

‘’I'm sor... oh right.’’

‘’Ah forget it. Get up. We are going home.’’

I help him to go on his feet but he was still moping. What an idiot he can be sometimes.

‘’Hey, no sad face. We don't want to show that to mom. Took that away.’’

‘’... Yes big bro.’’

‘’You better be. Stop being sad and think of the gift Dust will give mom. This should make little bro happy.’’

‘’Gift?! What gift... *gasp*!!!’’

Dust search his pockets and to his surprise, find a diamond shining with thousands colors.

‘’Dirt! That gem... you have...’’

‘’Don't think too much about it.’’

That was irritating but even if I couldn't see my brother behind me, I could still tell he was smiling to no end.

We open the wooden door that lead to the cavern that is our home. It is simple but comfy, with a lot of candles to light the room.

‘’Mom, we are home.’’

‘’SO SLOW. You took your damn time. The shift is over from long, why sons are not here earlier?’’

‘’Hum, stuffs happen.’’

‘’What stuffs?’’

‘’Stuffs, alright.’’

‘’So annoying. Why do sons always keep secrets from mom? Anyway, dinner is ready. Don't complain if it is cold.’’

That noisy dog with the ugly hairbun and the ugly mascara is my mother. Her name is Gravel. Don't be mistaken by our banter, this is how every Diamond Dogs families speak to each other. We might be rough on the edges but we are unite. In our own way at least.

‘’Seriously, after all the work mom do for you I thought sons would at least make things easier for mom. My bones are becoming brittle you know.’’

‘’Brittle as my nerves.’’

‘’What was that?’’

‘’Nothing nothing!’’

I quickly go to my chair and my bowl of subterranean centipedes. Don't look at me like that, it's delicious and no one make them as good as mom. As I roll them around with my fork I notice that Dust just stay sit, his eyes down on his bowl. *sigh* That idiot has already forget. Must I do everything myself.

I kick him in the leg to remember him.

‘’Aye! Oh yes yes, hum mom, Dust... Dust have a little something for you.’’

‘’Heh!’’

Dust took the diamond and give it to mom. The face she is doing is just priceless.

‘’For me! Really!’’

She is just speechless. And I swear to you, her eyes were shining even more than the diamond.

‘’But how Dust you get your paws on this? Dust not yet a digger.’’

‘’Oh hum, Dust... was lucky and Dust find by chance.’’

‘’By chance hummm.’’

Mother turns her eyes at my direction. Why is she looking at me that way?

‘’Mom see. Mom seeee. Well if Dust say he just found it then it must be true. After all, there is no reason why Dust would lie to me.’’

And she said that with a strange tone.

‘’What does that mean?’’

‘’It means mom know her sons pretty well.’’

The day after came and I have no work to do. Since I am still young, it means I have least shifts than more grow-up dogs. But it will change once come next year. So since I have now a lot of free time I have decided to just randomly wander in the caverns and tunnels that are our home. Not that there is a lot to see. Everything looks the same. So boring. So I had decided to bring my brother with me to tag along. He does not like to be alone anyway. Oh well. At least I have a tasty roasted spider on stick to help me occupy my time.

‘’So, *munch**munch* so as me was saying, some adults had found out that a bunch of mutts were often swimming secretly in the cistern. And so adult have forbidden its access to all diamond dogs. Can little bro believe that? That thing could be our own personal pool and nodog should swim in it! Dust want some?’’

‘’Hum, no no thank. Never been a fan of roasted spiders. As for the cittern, well, all our water comes from there and Dust is not sure that anydog would want to drink in what somedog had swum. Would Dirt want a goblet of water full of the fleas of our neighbor?’’

‘’Yeurk! Okay okay, Dirt see their point now. ... Hey! Why they all running?’’

Before us was a bunch of Diamond Dogs who were all running at the same direction. But the strangest part was they were all looking panicked. Curious, I quickly finish my spider, throw the stick and walk to the closest dog and ask him:

‘’Hey, what happening?’’

‘’One of the tunnels had collapsed. Heard that one of us was gravely injuries. Diamond Dogs must hurry, Diamond Dogs may still help him.’’

Then he quickly went to follow the other. As for me I was intrigued. We do our best for that the tunnels stay solid but still, accidents happen. Regardless, we are known for being tough. But at his tone, it seems to be pretty serious this time.

‘’Did Dust hear that? Somedog is injured.’’

‘’That sad. What Dirt think we should do?’’

‘’Dirt kinda want to see that. Let us follow them.’’

We did the same as all the others and went to their direction. At that time it was nothing more than a curiosity. I was neither eager nor dreadful to see who was the one injured. But then...

Even... even today I cannot explain how it happens... but a nameless fear came to me and took a grip at my heart.
Before I realized it, I fastened my pace, leaving my little bro behind. And more and more I was walking, more and more my fear grew and I went to running faster and faster because I quickly went to go there. So to finally confirm that my fear was unfounded.

I had found my destination. So many Diamond Dogs were reunited at the same place looking at a tunnel. But I did not stop there, I pushed my way among the crowd without slowing down and when I climbed up the corniche and saw the entrance to the mining tunnel, two dogs came out, holding a stretcher in their paws. And there was somedog on it. A blanket was covering that dog and I could not see his face because the damn dogs before me were blocking the view. Go away, go away right now so I can see that I was dumb to be scared the whole time.

One of the dogs asks to the rescuers:

‘’Who is it?’’

‘’It's... it's Mrs. Gravel.’’

‘’!!! ... ... Mom! MOMMMM!’’

I push them away like a mad dog and before me was the final proof that my nightmare was no longer a nightmare.
There she was on that stretcher, trembling and in panic and I was not sure that she could even see what was in front of her. I too could not see what was in front on me because the tears were making all blurry.

‘’Mom! Mom please don't go away, mom have to stay!’’

‘’Di, Dirt? You here?’’

Mom took my arm with violence and took me closer to her.

‘’Li, listen mom well. Dirt, Dirt must promise mom that you will take care of your brother. Dirt have too.’’

‘’But mom//

‘’Promise mom.’’

‘’Dirt promise mom. Dirt... *sniff*... Dirt promise to mom.’’

They push me away and took her to the infirmary. As for me, I just stay there, crying like I haven't done in a long time.

She... did not make it. She never came back. The medical expertise of Diamond Dogs have never been that great. Still, we were tough and solid. We are used to being crushed by great weight and still turn out fine.

But turnout... but turnout she was not kidding when she was saying her bones were becoming brittle.

I no longer want to talk about mom.

I quietly open the door to the bedroom of my little brother. Or more what left of it. It was a mess. All was on the floor and some furniture were smashed to pieces. It may have been the very first fit of rage of Dust. Well, all that rage was long gone because he was now a poor kid crying in the middle of this wreckage. I am not even sure he had noticed I was here. And I think... he takes it even more bad than me.

It is so painful seeing him like this. I know I should say something but I was never good to... well talking and even less saying comforting words. Regardless, I can't use that as an excuse and I know I must at least try something.

As I come closer, I put my paw on his shoulder. His crying diminished but he doesn't look up. As for me, I take a great inspiration.

‘’Hey. ... Look, Dirt... *sigh* Dirt understand well that... it sucks that... that mom is gone and that she will never come back and... now Dirt think Dirt could have said it better. (Way to go, dumb-dumb. Take that seriously.) But even if... mom is not here, what Dirt want to say is that Dirt is still here and Dirt will not go anywhere. Dirt know... Dirt know it may not sound like a lot but... but we have each other. And as long we have each other we... we will be alright. It has always work that way, it will continue to do the same. You know it's true. Dust?’’

I am glad that I at least manage to stop his crying. Though he still doesn't want to look up.

‘’Dirt swear to you little bro, big brother will make things work fine. You know big brother a capable dog. We will always stay together, there is nothing that can separate us. Big brother will not abandon Dust and Dust will never be alone. Big brother won't break promise to mom. So... so...’’

I was wondering what might be the sentence, what might be the words that could end his sadness. As silly as it sound I was really hoping that such magic words could exist. And then, I thought I had found them and say:

‘’Leave everything to Dirt. As long as Dirt is here, Dust will have nothing to worry. So come on, no need to be sad. Go and make one of your stupid smiles that Dust know so well to do.’’

To encourage him and to make him laugh, I use my fingers to stretch my smile to make it the goofiest possible. Even though I want so much to cry too, I hold back my tear. I have to be strong. But it was worthwhile, because Dust at last gave a small chuckle. I'm glad.

‘’Ah, now I find you back little bro. Now come on, it's time to sleep. What do Dust say we clean your room tomorrow and you come sleep with me?’’

‘’O... *sniff* okay. ... ...Mom was used to tell me a story before Dust go to sleep.’’

‘’Oh, then... then Dirt will do it.’’

After that I would not say that days were easy but we had managed to go across them. To make sure the bulling on Dust stop, we had become inseparable. We never go anywhere without the other. We have even worked hard for that Dust can quickly become a digger and go to work on the same shift as me. That right, he even has a collar just like all of us. And then we had just spent years doing the same things. Going to work. Accumulate beautiful gems. Spending relaxing time at home. I can proudly say that as us two we have managed to go back to a happy and normal life. The many years after mom dead were pretty uneventful so I won't bother you with them.

Instead, I will go straight to the time when we became young adult dog. The time when everything we knew crumbled.

Even though nodog could have seen that coming.

Today, my brother and me have to work at a tunnel who is just at a few steps from our cistern. Oh by the way, did I have told you about our cistern. It may look like a simple oversize natural spring but in truth it is an artificial water reservoir that had been built by our great-grandparents. When we first established those caverns, the first thing to take care of was, of course, giving drinking water to all the pack. There is an underground river flowing near our home. Our ancestors had dug a little tunnel so that a stream of that river can flow into that dog-made basin and so, we can all take water to our habitations while the cistern get refills itself. But I have heard that the first attempt as been disastrous. The first tunnel had been too big and so it was not a stream but torrents that came out. So much that all the caverns had been flooded. We are lucky that all Diamond Dogs all know instinctively how to swim.

They had to seal off the waterway to stop the inundation. You can even see it from there. Here, at the bottom of the cistern you could see clear as day an entryway blocked by tons of wooden planks put there in a hazardous and precarious way. Yayyy, we Diamond Dogs are known for a lot of things but not for being thorough in our work.

Let not get distracted. As I had said, we working to expand a tunnel. Me, my brother and other dogs are using our long arms to tear apart the rock as easily as if it was made of clay. Without bragging, I confidently say that at us two we are forming one the best duo there is. We have lived so much time together that we can understand each other without using words. And in our specie, that is all an exploit. Our synchronicity and teamwork is just unequal.

‘’Hey Dust, could little bro please give me the little pickaxe. This section might be fragile.’’

I can tell from here that he doesn't even have to turn around. He just toss it behind its back. I do the same and catch it by simply extend my paw. All the other look at us like if we were bragging. Well I say, suck to be them.

It seems I was right. I hardly struck the stone that a crack form and spread all to the roof, dislocating a rock, making it fall right toward my head. That if Dust hadn't snatched it in mid-air.

‘’Fiouf, thank a lot bro. I can always count on you.’’

‘’Let not exaggerate. This boulder would have barely made a bump to Dirt thick skull.’’

‘’Dirt know that, what does Dust imply by thick, but it was more about my cap that Dirt was worried. The poor could have been flattened and ruined.’’

‘’Seriously, your silly hat again! It is just a piece of cloth.’’

‘’It is call style little bro. Dirt is giving himself an image.’’

‘’But, Dirt should know that nodog care about that hum... ‘fashion’ Dust think you call it.’’

‘’Well Dirt is not any kind of dog. By the way, Dirt remembering Dust that the gems whom Dust lay eyes first on, Dust call dibs on them.’’

‘’Again! Stingy. Dirt miss the time when we had a conjoining stack.’’

‘’Don't look at me, Dust is the one that never share. Dustt always took and eat my favorite roots in the pantry. Roots that have my name written on them.’’

‘’Sorry sorry but they are so good. Can't big bro not share a little with Dust.’’

‘’Find your own.’’

‘’But Dust don't know how, my nose is not as good as your.’’

‘’Ah fine, fine, stop whining. Tomorrow Dirt will show Dust how it is done. Sometimes Dirt wonder what little bro will do without me.’’

‘’Not much probably.’’

‘’Guess Dirt am stuck with you no matter what.’’

I said while giving just, but just a little pickaxe hit at the wall.

A hit that had changed everything.

‘’???... Hey Dirt. Dust may be wrong but Dust... Dust think Dust hear a strange sound.’’

‘’A strange sound?’’

I was not sure what he meant. But now that he mentions it, yeah I do hear a weird sound, a sort of ‘pisssh’ noise. Like if there was some sort of gas leaking... !!!

‘’(Oh no!)’’

It's... it's as I fear. From where I had used my pickaxe, the noise is definitely coming from here. Which means//

‘’Gas! GAS IS COMING OUT! WE MUST RUN AWAY NOW!’’

A subterranean gas deposit. Can you imagine the rotten luck? There must have been one next to us and I must have accidentally created an opening. They are undetectable but super rare to find and the chances to stumble into one in a lifetime are practically of zero. So why why why, why does it at to happen? Why it must be me who accidentally put us all in danger. This gas must surely be toxic, who knows what it will do to us. I quickly cover my mouth and muzzle and hurry to my brother.

‘’What little bro doing standing there, hurry hurry, we must go away and we must not breathe it.’’

I shake him like a rag doll but he doesn't give any reaction. Instead he just... chuckle!?

‘’Hihi, hihi. You know, big bro really look weird with that hat. Hahaha.’’

‘’What! IT IS NO TIME TO JOKE. GUYS, HELP DIRT... guys?!’’

I look at the others and what the hell are they doing!!! One of them flipped his arm like if they were bird wings and even went to make chirp sound just like one. Another went to dance like a ballerina, with a big lack of grace. That was not a pretty sight. Another one went to tap on his head like if it was a drum while puffing. What is happening to them? Wait, is it the gas! It is the thing that makes them act like idiots. Then I must go away the hell out of here and go searching for help but when you think about it, they really look like they have fun then maybe I should just get loose and do the same as them. Oh yes yes, I want to play, to run, to jump and//

I'm sorry for this blank. But I am really not capable to tell you what had happened.

My head hurt so much. Like if a hammer was hammering my brain. And my furs and clothes are disgustingly wet. When I open my eyes, the first thing I see is that I am in the cistern carven. Though you could nearly never tell. Because the cistern was no longer a cistern but a lake flooding all the place and even the tunnel leading to the dwelling caverns. I was on the only dry ground, the entrance of the mine because of its higher position. My little bro was beside me on the ground, also drenched, still not having wake-up. But I was not alone. There was a bunch of other dogs circling us. And they were looking at me with anger, no not anger, rage in their eyes while silently growling.

Towards me. And the wet wooden plank resting on my paw.

‘’This is Dust fault. All this mess that we are in is because of Dust. OF DUST.’’

I can tell. This is not just something he is saying. It is something that all the dogs around think.

The catastrophe had been more severe than I had thought. The plank that was on my paw was coming from the makeshift barricade from the cistern. All that was needed was just one, one single plank to be pulled out for the whole thing to come apart. The water level had risen in record time, flooding all the caverns. If some Diamond Dogs had not rushed and fix the barricade, things could have been much worse. Lives could have even been lost. Now, all are working hard to expulse all this damn water. The bigger had been done by digging makeshift tunnels to send it elsewhere. But still, our caverns were still well wet and it will take days of works to completely get rid of it.

It seems in our delirium caused by the toxic gas, one of us had dived in the cistern and had taken apart one of the planks. Why? There was probably no reason. It must be because it might have seemed fun. And since the three others were still in the mining tunnel and they were dry and that I had the plank, there is no question that I am the culprit. As much I would like it not to be the case. But it is. And I have to deal with it.

Once the other dogs had found me, they had quickly seized me, brutally, and took me to a cell. Then once the cleaning was done, they took me again and throw me in the middle of the biggest cave where all the pack can see me.

I will confess... I am... afraid. Never be so much afraid in my life. All the dogs in the pack are so furious and they will need a culprit. Somedog to vent all their frustration. Diamond Dogs are not known for their empathy. Not at all. Everywhere I look are eyes looking at me with a feral anger and disdain. The only dog looking at me with sympathy is of course my brother Dust. Don't tell him but it's sure is a big comfort to me. One of the dogs comes forward and speak to me with barely hide hostility.

‘’Dirt, because of that stupid act, Dirt have put us all in danger. We nearly could have no place to live.’’

‘’Wait wait. This was not my fault//

‘’it is Dirt who have torn apart our dam. Will Dirt dare deny it?!’’

‘’Well, okay yes, Dirt did the deed but... but it could not be my fault. It's the fault of the gas. It made my head all loony. Dirt was not normal, Dirt... Dirt had no control over Dirt actions. None of us that were in the tunnel had. It's not like Dirt wanted to tear apart the dam. Dirt don't even remember doing it.’’

‘’And who was the one that had free that gas and made all the diggers hallucinate. That gas could have been poison.’’

‘’But... but that not fair. There was no way Dirt could have known there was gas. Nodog could. All Dirt did was a little tap, that all. Should Dirt really be blamed for that?’’

‘’But it doesn't change that Dirt did this to us. How do Dirt expect to correct this mistake? Have Dirt any idea of the damage Dirt have caused?’’

Dogs from the audience came to cry their indignation.

‘’Yeah, like he said. My house where Muddy had lived all my life has become a wreck. Muddy can no longer use it and Muddy had to build another one. My neighbor is in the same mess too.’’

‘’The water also went into our food reserve. Half of it has been spoiled. All the pack will be on tight rations by your fault.’’

‘’My two children could have drowned in their room if Rumble had not saved them. My childs are still shaking in fear right now.’’

And more and more dogs went to scream at me what the water did to them. This is even worst that I had thought it will be. They were not just indisposed, they had really been in a lot of hurt. Oh mom, what will happen to me. I go on my knee and beg for their forgiveness.

‘’Dirt is sorry, Dirt is so sorry, Dirt did not want to do it, Dirt swear. Dirt will find a way. A way to redeem myself. Let Dirt fix this//

‘’Fix this? FIX THIS! No way we will let you near us. What if Dirt cause another disaster. No, we won't tolerate to have such a troublemaker in our ranks. DIRT IS BANISHED FROM THE PACK.’’

... ... ... At that moment... I have forgotten how to breathe.

They, they can't be serious? We are not a very nice race but still they would not go that far?

‘’No. no no no no, Diamond Dogs can't do that!’’

‘’Yes, and that what all of us have decided. Dirt will leave those caverns and Dirt will never come back. And if Dirt dear came back, then we will have no mercy on Dirt.’’

‘’But... where Dirt will go? How Dirt will live?’’

‘’We don't care. This will be a fitting punishment for Dirt.’’

‘’Punishment! ... .... PUNISHMENT! But for what Dirt supposed to be punished! All Dirt did was took one plank and the whole thing came apart. This would never happen if dogs who had built it had didn't do such a crappy job.’’

‘’You blaming dogs now!//

‘’And Dirt have never decided to take that plank. It was Dirt delirium brain who had decided for me. And it just happens that Dirt was the one to relapse the gas when it could have been anydog. Anydog could have been in the same position that Dirt is right now. Dirt did nothing wrong, Dirt was just... unlucky. Will pack really banish me just because Dirt had the bad luck of a lifetime?!’’

But nodog answers me. I am not sure that they even care. And just like that, all my fears disappear and was replace by... disappointment. We are not nice and I don't really trust my own kind but this... this is a new kind of low. What they are saying is not logical but they are too blind by anger to see it. After all the hard work I had done for them, they will just discard it and treat me as trash just for one little mistake. That repulsive. They are repulsive. I am feeling sick to be with them and if before I was scared to be abandoned by them, now my only wish was to be the farthest possible from them.

‘’Fine. Fine. So pack no longer want me to be around. Pack want me gone. Then that what Dirt will do. Dirt leave and pack won't have to force me. But let me say something. It is not pack that throw me away but me that throw pack away. If pack is so dump and so unfair then Dirt don't see why Dirt should stay and tolerate you? No, it will be a pleasure to never see your ugly mutts again. So pack want me gone, then pack will never see me again. Cause pack can make sure that Dirt will never come back.’’

So there I was, now completely alone. Walking alone on the surface in this arid region with only just rocks and a few vegetation to see. At least the sun is covered by clouds today. I was so eager to leave that I didn't even take the time to take some luggage. That was not very smart. And it was now that it did dawn on me. I was now all alone. No one to help me, to support me and I will have to now live on the surface which was an environment unfamiliar to me. I realize now that surviving will be hard for me and that was making me anxious.

But don't misunderstand. I don't regret to leave them. They have just disappointed me too much and it was not like I enjoyed their company in the first place. Except for Dust of course. Plus they will have banished me anyway so I had to make it so I had least a little of pride left. There is no way I will come back to beg for their forgiveness. I don't need those traitors. I don't need the security of the pack. I don't need their gems.

And I certainly don't need their stupid collar.

Without even taking it off, I grab it and tear it from my neck. Then I throw it to the ground like the garbage it is. I didn't feel any regret doing it. But alas, it didn't also make me feel better as I hoped.

‘’*sigh* Best to no longer think about them. Alright, now Dirt need to find food. Okay but where?’’

My stomach was already starting to growl. And also I need to find a new place to live. I cannot travel the rest of my life. I had heard that there was not far from it a little village of ponies who were worshipping equality. Whatever that mean.

Ponies! Urrk. I am not that desperate. Anyway, I will find nothing here so I guess the only thing I can do is go forward.

As I prepare to continue my journey, my hears pick-up a weird sound. It was like a voice. A voice calling me!

‘’Diiiiirt.’’

I turn around and you can't imagine my shock to see that it is none other than my little bro.

‘’Diiiiirt, wait for Dust.’’

‘’(No! No no no no no no no, what that idiot had done!)’’

Dust caught up with me and he was out of breath.

‘’*pant**pant* Dirt, thank the gems Dust find you. Dust was afraid that you were too far gone//

He didn't finish because I slap him on the face.

‘’Ouch! Hey what Dust have done.’’

‘’Dimwit, what are Dust doing here?’’

‘’Dust is coming with Dirt. Dust have decided to leave the pack and to share your exile.’’

‘’!!!! You idiot. How can little bro do such a thing! Go back right now.’’

‘’It's too late. Dust had said what Dust think of them and that Dust will never come back. Now they must hate me as much as big bro.’’

‘’But... Dust, have Dust any idea of what Dust have done?’’

‘’Yes and Dust have took the right decision. Dirt were right, what they did to Dirt was so unfair. Dirt expect me to live with them when they are making me so sick. Dust don't think so.’’

‘’Living will now become so hard. Have Dust thought of that?’’

‘’Dust don't care, there is no way Dust will leave big bro alone. And, and Dust don't want a life without Dirt. We are brothers, we are supposed to stick together.’’

‘’But... but what about your stack of gems.’’

‘’Dust don't need gems, Dust need you.’’

And like for sealing his statement, he does the same as me and tear apart his collar for then throwing it far away.
I had said it once, I will say it again. Diamond Dogs love gems above all else. So to hear one say that he needs somedog more than gems is... unthinkable for us. What I have done to deserve such a brother?

‘’You fooool.’’

I turn my back to him and use my arm to hide my eyes full of tears. I don't want him to see me like that.

‘’Oh fine. Since little bro need me so much, Dirt let Dust accompany me. But Dust be better be useful or Dirt leave Dust alone.’’

‘’Ahaha, of course brother, of course. And Dust promise you, Dust won't let you down.’’

‘’Yeah... it's like Dust say. We... we will find a way together. We always do.’’

If I finish the story right here, we would have quite a happy ending. Unfortunately, the truth is far from that.

Two weeks have passed since our exile and things are not looking great. The biggest problem is of course food, manly, we are not finding a lot. We are made to live underground, we usually find our food there. We are not good hunters and we don't know what plant is comestible. I had once eaten bad berries and that had made me very sick. Oh I prefer to forget that episode. We principally took roots from the surrounding trees but those are not very nutritious compared to those found deep underground.

And there's the cold too. The temperature had dropped a lot. Enough to even make furry creatures like us shivering. We are right now in a forest in the dead of the night. I am working on making a fire. Or more I'm trying, for I don't know how long. I don't know how to do that, nodog had taught me. I rub the pointy extremity of a stick on a bunch of wooden debris as fast as I can. I am on the verge to give-up when a little trail of smoke came. I blow on it with the energy of despair and there it appears, a little fire. We all stretch our shaking hand toward it to get a little heat. It's not a lot but it's better than nothing.

I realize that I am failing as a big brother. Dust never complains but I can see that he is starving. He has already lost a lot of weight. If I want to protect him, I need to swallow my pride and start being rational.

‘’Listen little bro, we... we have to open our eyes. We cannot live on our own. We had tried and it just doesn't work. If this continues, we will die of hunger.’’

‘’Oh it's not so bad.’’

And to show it was agreeing with him, his stomach did a long, loud and embarrassing growl.

‘’Dare to say that again.’’

‘’Okay yes... yes Dirt is right. Sorry, Dust was just... too afraid to admit it. So, what are Dirt thinking? Going to another pack?’’

‘’Huh? Oh no no no, it's not even worth trying. You know Diamond Dogs even hate other pack of Diamond Dogs. No, Dirt... Dirt had thought for days and... Dirt think it will be better if we live among the ponies.’’

‘’The ponies!! Are you serious?’’

‘’Look, listen to me. Dirt know our specie has often looked down on ponies for being annoyingly nice and cute. But then Dirt realized, our own kind has betrayed and abandoned us so why should we care about what Diamond Dogs consider repulsive? Compared to them, those ponies don't seem so bad.’’

‘’What we will do with them?’’

‘’First, we will find jobs. They don't live like us. They are using money, 'bits', Dirt think it is called, to live. If we want to survive, we will need money. Dirt don't think it should be a problem. After all, we are strong, we the best diggers and we know a little how to build stuffs. There is a lot we can do for them.’’

‘’It sounds nice. Do Dirt think they will accept us?’’

‘’Yeah for sure. Ponies are known for being peaceful and tolerant. We have often mocked them in the past but today, I am sure we will feel right at home with them. (Hey! Hey hey hey wait a minute. Does that mean that my brother will no longer have to play tough? Little brother never felt at home with us but maybe with them... this banishment could be a blessing in disguise.)’’

‘’Big bro... really sure? We could find another place to belong?’’

‘’Yeah, it will be even better than our old home.’’

‘’You know... say like that, Dust begin to be impatient to meet those ponies.’’

‘’Tomorrow morning, we will go to the nearest town to find a job. But we cannot meet them as how usually are. We will have to be extra polite if we want to make good impression. But I know it won't be a problem for Dust. Dust will see, everything will work out.’’

A pegasus work clerk is working on her cash register when a shadow fell on her. Curious, she looks up to see what causing it and she jumps back in fright.

The cause of the shadow is of course me and Dust. We are showing our humble smiles while I am holding my cap near my heart.

‘’Oh, did we scare you? We are very sorry, that wasn't our intention. Dirt is *couft**couft* sorry I mean, please allow me to present myself. My name is Dirt and this is my little brother Dust. We are here because of the poster on your window saying that you were seeking help to organize your store and back-store. We will like to postulate for the job.’’

‘’Ah you wa wa wants to postulate fo fo fo for the job. Oh, well, that, well, hum, thank you. Well, I will sure keep you in mind. The problem is just I had already had many applicants so there's a lot to choose for me, so it will take me time to, hum well you know, find the good ones. But I will sure take seriously your offer.’’

‘’... Oh. Oh I see. Well in that case we will not disturb you further.’’

‘’That swell of you. Just give time to think and I will contact you on... on that.’’

During the whole time she had that awkward smile and it was easy to tell that she was uncomfortable with us. She even went to gently push us outside. But me, I was still desperately trying to get her sympathy.

‘’We thank you a lot to have given us a little of your time.’’

‘’No thanks to youokaybye.’’

And she quickly closes the door. I put my cap back on my head.

‘’*sigh* Let's go Dust.’’

‘’Dust think we//

‘’Speak like a pony, Dirt.‘’

‘’Oh right. You think we have a chance//

‘’No forget that. She had lied to us. I had seen her put that poster only just this morning. Plus, how can she contact us. I think she was afraid of us.’’

‘’Oohhhhhh... ...’’

I see he has lost o lot of morals. Me too. But I shake my head to chase my blues.

‘’Hey no time to mop. It just means we must work on making an even better impression. Let us practice so that we look like distinguished gentlemen. Then they will see we are good persons.’’

Unfortunately, reality was far more cruel. We had tried to find work so many times that I had lost count. When we realize that a town will offer us nothing, we go away and try another one. But the reaction when they see us is always the same. I thought ponies were kind and tolerant. I was not quite wrong but they are also quite fearful of what they don't know and what looks scary. At first I thought that our kind did not have a good reputation but it turns out that the majority didn't even know that we exist. So when they see us for the first time, they see strange creatures, bigger than them, with claws and pointy teeth and a gruff appearance. That their first impression no matter how much we try to look good.

And oh Celestia know we have tried to be presentable. You may have noticed but the language of Diamond Dogs is rather simplistic compared to the one I have today. Me and my brother have practiced for weeks and weeks to make our speech more distinguished. So much that I think that we have forgotten how to speak our usual way. I had even tried to use their expressions. But it had changed nothing. The ponies want nothing to do with us. Not by hate but by fear. They always shoo us away in a very polite and respectful way. I am not even able to be mad at them not matter how much I want it.

‘’Dirt! Dirt, look at what I have. Oranges. Three juicy oranges.’’

‘’Hey wow! Where did you find them?’’

‘’Hum, it's, well, it's not really important//

‘’You have stolen then, didn't you.’’

‘’I!! I'm sorry, I didn't want to but you have eaten nothing for days and//

‘’Stop. It's... *sigh* it's alright. Let us just go somewhere else, before we get caught.’’

‘’Please sir, you should not be afraid of us. I assure you if you just give us a little chance then you will see, heh! You... you really won't change your mind. Alright, I... I understand. We are sorry to have bothered you.’’

‘’Damn those ponies and their weather system. Dust, did you find a shelter from this damn rain?’’

‘’Yes, I found something. Looks.’’

‘’That!! Dust, this is a cardboard box. You cannot be serious.’’

‘’But... but I found nothing better.’’

‘’Oh fine, guess we can't complain. (This so humiliating. How low have we sunk?)’’

We are walking into a plain full of snow. The cold winter wind sap us of all warm. But we don't even have the energy to complain. Or to care. And the road is still long. That if, we manage to make it.

‘’Dirt... I'm hungry.’’

‘’I will soon find something to eat.’’

We now have lost all dignity. Because it had come that we are now digging into garbage to find something to eat. Even if it is spoiled food, there must still have some nutriment left, right. Right? Anyway, it is not like we have the luxury to choose. The emptiness in our stomachs had become painful.

We are now in another town though this time I did even take the time to know how it was called. It is a beautiful day with a clear blue sky. And I hated it, I feel like the weather is mocking me. As I nearly dive into a garbage can, pushing all the rotten stuffs like if I was some sort of scavenger, wait, I suppose I had become one, my brother is looking at me all miserably. But this time I found no comforting words for him, it had now become so normal to me. I finally found something: a big tomato full of black moss. Making a big sigh, I take a bit of this tomato.

‘’You know, even if you two are in such a bad shape, I am sure that you deserve better than that.’’

I spit tomato juice from my mouth. I didn't expect somepony to speak to me, especially at this embarrassing moment. Scared, me and my brother turn around to see who is behind us.

I had said that the sky was a clear blue. That was wrong. There was just on single cloud in the sky. On the alleyway that we were, the side leading to the main road was blocked by a pony of gray color. And it was on him that the cloud was casting its shadow. Only on his person. Like if he was a stranger in this bright scenery.

‘’Who are you?! Go away pony, there is nothing to see. Leave us alone.’’

‘’Leave you alone! But it seems that you are in desperate need of help.’’

That gray pony had white-cyan hair with a bang covering half of his face. He had on his neck a necktie scarf with a beautiful blue gem on it. He doesn't move or go forward. He just tilts his head and looks at us with curiosity. Not one filled with disgust or pity but just a genuine and innocent curiosity. But I don't care who he is, I do not trust him. After being rejected for so long, I don't trust anyone. And his smile creeps me out. It looks like it is frozen on his face. I am getting frustrated that he does not listen to me, so I growl and show my canines to scare him away.

‘’Grrrrrrr. You are deaf or what? I had said GO AWAY.’’

‘’If you are hungry, I know a nice place that serve the best grub. I could invite you with me. And course I will gladly pay all.’’

‘’We don't need your charity. You know nothing about us.’’

‘’I know you have been through a lot. That you are in dire need of food since your skins is on your bones. The lack of luster and color on your furs shows me that you are not in good health. And the heavy bags under your eyes is a clear indicator that you did not have slept well for days. If you want my honest opinion, I am not sure you will last the day.’’

I was taken aback. Could it be that we were in such bad shape and I did not notice it. Dust is looking at him like if he is some sort of savior. But me, I just want run away from that weird pony.

‘’I know it is hard to trust others when we are in such pain. But come on, you will not tell me you will say no to a free meal?’’

All my pride went away by those last two words.

Like he has promised, he had invited us to a restaurant and has allowed us to take everything we wanted. Seeing that as our biggest chance, I think we have took nearly all the menu. It was damn good, even though I am not sure to remember what we have swallowed. I can tell, everyponies were looking at us bizarrely. Even that gray pony was a little embarrassed by the mess we were making.

‘’Oho, I see that you really needed it.’’

‘’Oh yes, I had nearly forgotten what was the feeling to have a full belly.’’

Now that I have finished, I put aside my empty plates.

‘’But now that we are full, now it is time for the important question. Why all that generosity?’’

‘’Dirt, it's not polite to be suspicious of somepony who has treated us with such kindness.’’

The gray pony did a small chuckle.

‘’You should not blame your big brother, he is right. Don't be mistaken, I did genuinely want to help you and to satisfy your hunger. But it is also true there was a second reason.’’

‘’I knew it. Then go on, tell me.’’

‘’I am just very curious about you and I want to know more. That is all.’’

‘’Oohhh I see, it's because we are Diamond Dogs.’’

‘’No it has nothing to do with your specie. No it is more... what is in your eyes.’’

‘’Huh what now?!’’

‘’Haha, sorry sorry, allow me to explain. We are in Happy Town, a place where ponies veneer happiness and so, all the ponies here are perfect examples of joviality. But you see, I don't think like them. I consider instead that pain and sorrow are much more beautiful. More true, more powerful. It is clear that you have seen a lot and that's the reason why I consider that, ironically, you shine way more that all those boring ponies.’’

‘’That hum... that very strange.’’

‘’Mister Dirt, you will not find more stranger than me. So, would you mind telling me your story? Who knows, it might even be a weight off your shoulders.’’

I had said I didn't trust him and it still true now. All my instincts were telling me not to be involved with him. And yet... It's really weird. I don't know how to explain it but I got the feeling that this strange pony might be the best to understand me. So I went to tell him everything about us. Our childhood, my mistake, my banishment, our hard time at the surface. I even told him about my mother, something I was certain I would never tell to a stranger. He even lost his smile and appeared genuinely apologetic. Though it was just for a short time. He was right. Talking about all that really did make me feel better. Once I was done with my story, the pony went to tell his. He had told us that he was called Melancholia, that he was an artist and that because of his unusual taste he had, he had been socially isolated all his life. I admit, I did find something to relate with him.

‘’That was quite the tale, mister Dirt and Dust. I see that we are more similar than I thought. Me too I know what it is to lose family.’’

‘’It's alright, we have gotten over it.’’

‘’But I must say you had it worse than me. Struggling to survive. It is sad to say but you had a disadvantage right from the beginning. Like you say, ponies are generally welcoming but our biggest flaw is that we are quite fearful of what is never seen before. So even if it is not their intention, they are often avoiding toward... immigrants.’’

At that word, the ears of Dust went straight up.

‘’Immigrants! But we were born and raised in Equestria!’’

‘’I know but you see, it might be like you are in a way. Take the griffons for example. They are part of our country... or instead live in a country inside a country, this part has always been nebulous, but the point is I not sure ponies would consider they are like them and that, because how different they look. As for you Diamond Dogs, well it is even worse since many don't even know you exist and their first impressions would be that you are uncanny and fearful creatures. A little like the zebras. ’’

‘’But... that unfair!’’

‘’You are right, it is unfair. A consequence of the innocence of ponies.’’

‘’So you are saying that they will never accept us? But... but what will we do then?’’

‘’Do not despair mister Dust. On that, I might lend a hoof. You had said that you were incapable to find work. In that case, I would like to hire your services.’’

Dust was overjoyed to hear his generous offer. I could tell he was telling himself that our rotten luck had finally turn-around. But I was still suspicious. I have to be for both of us.

‘’Now stop there. Why would you want to help us? Just because you find we are similar?’’

‘’There is a part of that but that not the only reason. You will find me crazy but... but I think that fate has brought us together. That he has reunited us, three outcasts, so that we may be at last be heard.’’

‘’You're right, it's crazy. And what kind of works do you have in mind.’’

‘’Let us not sugar-coat things. It is not legal work.’’

Me and my brother had become speechless. So much that I dropped my fork on the floor where she made a piercing clattering sound. That was the only thing I could hear because for a moment all the noises of the restaurant had become deaf to my hears. That how much I was in choc.

‘’Surprise that I had said that, hunnn.’’

‘’Well, I never//

‘’Expect to hear a pony say that. But it exists no race that is truly homogenized. All that have a heart has the power to deviate from the norm. It happens that I have a, hum... artistic project that I want to realize but I could never accomplish it without help. What I want is for you to accomplish some dirty deeds for me and to basically be my henchmen. Iiiiih that's such a nasty word.’’

‘’... ... And... let just say that we agree... what would be our reward?’’

‘’All my bits. Every single coin. Which is quite a lot. Enough for both of you to have a lot of comfortable years.’’

‘’Wha wha, whaaat!!!’’

‘’But only once my project is done, not before. But I know that you are in dire need of money right now. So as a little bonus to show you my good faith, I will provide you with a place to sleep and I will make sure that the citizens of Happy Town give you work. Right now they are afraid of you, but if a pony spread the word that you are reliable and trustworthy handymen, then it will be a whole new story. They do not have a good opinion on me but still, I am good law abiding citizen. If I tell them good things about you, they will trust me. And like that, you will have revenues to live. Before come the big price.’’

I am hearing things?! It can't be true, there as to be a catch.

‘’Y, y, you are mocking me, I'm sure of it. This is//

‘’An offer too good to be true. But that how much I want my vision to see the light of day. I am ready to pay any price. Now the question is: are you?’’

I... don't know what to answer him. He sure is crazy, that is undeniable. But there was something in his voice. Something that's telling me that every word coming from his mouth was nothing more than his sincerest thoughts. I look at Dust for guidance but he was as torn apart as me if not more.

‘’Dirt, I am really uncomfortable with this but... but if you think it is the best decision, then I will follow you one-hundred percent.’’

This does not really help me. It just gives me more pressure. I am thinking like never before. I lower my cap to block my vision and I tap my fingers on the table. His offer is really temping. At last we could stop to always be cold and hungry. But what he was asking us was to be criminals. What to do, what to do?

‘’You are hesitating mister Dirt! You mean you care about those who had rejected you? Then I guess I am impressed. That you are still able to feel empathy regardless of all your difficulties and responsibilities.’’

At those words, everything came back to me in vivid flashbacks. My own kind that has banished me for a stupid reason. All those ponies who had not shown kindness to us just because of who we are. The promise... I had made with mother.

[You, you, have to promise me that you will take care of your brother. You have too.]

That right! That, right. This is not just me. I have to take care of my little brother. And I did an execrable job until then. Why should I sacrifice his well-being for those ponies who have not made life easier for us? I put back my cap up. And my eyes are cold and determined.

‘’Very well, we accept your offer. To get a better life, to get out of this misery, we will become your henchmen.’’

‘’I am glad to hear that. Seriously, my dream could never be realized without your help. I give you a thousand thank mister Dirt and Mister Dust. As for me, I will make my promise to fulfill my end of the bargain. Let us work to a nice cooperation.’’

‘’Yeah. Let's, mister Melancholia. Now I want to hear all the details.’’

‘’Very well. First thing first. Tell me, what do you know about six ponies know as The Bearers of the six Elements of Harmony?’’

‘’Big bro, here.’’

‘’Excellent Dust, this will be a perfect hiding place.’’

We are right now in the second floor of an apple farm call Sweet Apple Acre. It is the middle of the night and like the boss had said, nobody is at home, not even their dog. Dust, with his tools, tear apart one extremity of a plank from the floor and lifted it to show me its underside. As for me, a put the gray device that Melancholia gave us on it and it stays glue to it like a charm.

‘’There, it is in place. They will never know it's there. They will not even notice our work on that floor, it will be like nothing was disturbed.’’

‘’But those devices are sure strange thingies. They look like gems but made of plastic. Dirt, did the boss ever tell you what they do?’’

‘’No and I am not interested to know. The more we are ignorant and the better we can sleep.’’

‘’I understand your point. But I am not sure I can share your sentiment.’’

‘’Tough it up bro. Until then, all the illegal stuffs we had done were only minor things. Besides, think about it, how nasty those fake gems can be?’’

How wrong I was. So, so, wrong. And now here we are. Here was the whole story of how we got here. Here how we are found ourselves in this creepy forest, me watching powerlessly my little brother being miserable as he watches powerlessly those mares being even more miserable than him.

It sounds very absurd say like that. I guess the boss, I mean the ex-boss, was into something.

‘’(No no no NOOO! I won't let my stupid bro of mine have his way, I won't let him ruin everything, not after all we have done.)’’

I go to him and forcibly grab him by the shoulders.

‘’Now I have enough of you acting like a brat, so you will listen to me and//

‘’TAKE YOUR DAMN PAWS OFF OF ME.’’

Dust violently hit me on the stomach and I fell on the ground. Wait! He did what!? My soft, trustworthy and caring little brother had been violent to me!

‘’Dust!!!’’

My brother is towering over me, very agitated and crying.

‘’Do you realize of what we have done? Do you want me to be blindly oblivious that it is because of us if those mares have been thrown into hell? It's our fault and you know it.’’

He rubs me the wrong way and this makes me angry so I get up and push him.

‘’You think I am an idiot? You think I did not know that what we have done was bad? I already knew it was bad even before we kidnapped them. But we needed it, we had to do it if we wanted to at last have a decent life because should I remember you that those damn ponies REFUSE TO GIVE US A CHANCE.’’

‘’NOT THEM. Not them. Those mares never did anything against us.’’

‘’Well... okay yes, they were completely innocent ponies that had nothing to do with our torment, there, I say it. But even if what we did was unforgivable we were pushed into a corner, it was them or us.’’

But this only serves to make my brother more hysterical and he was gesturing wildly.

‘’But it does not change the fact that our future peace and tranquility will be now built upon the pain of those innocents.’’

‘’I know, I know. But it was the price to pay.’’

‘’But now we will never forget what we have done. I know the guilt will always follow me even if we get peaceful days.’’

That idiot is making me as hysterical as him. I no longer can control my actions and I grab him furiously.

‘’And that why I told you not to watch that stupid screen.’’

‘’And I told you it would have only made things worse. It doesn't change that we did it. And now you expect me to live my days while ignoring this crippling guilt? How I am supposed to enjoy those peaceful days if I always feel I don't deserve them. And I know you feel the same way too, you're just too stubborn to admit it.’’

‘’SHUT UP, SHUT UP! I won't let you make all that for nothing.’’

‘’But it already is. Don't you see what we have done? There are no winners. Not them and not us. What was the point if we can't profit of our peaceful days? ... What... was the point? There was none, is it not.’’

... ... ... No words come to me. I have lost all strength and just fall on my knees.

‘’I am staying here big bro. You can go if you want and collect that money. I no longer want it anymore. Me, I am going to watch all the pain throw at these mares, all until the end. It is my fault, the least I can do is to be witness of their torment without adverting my eyes like a coward. It's my responsibility.’’

He sits back before that mini-screen.

... ... ... What I am suppose to do after that speech? How can I go without him? That the thing I cannot do. Mom, tell me, what I am supposed to do? Did I really pick the wrong choice? Well of course it was wrong but I had to do it for him because... because...

‘’It's starting again big bro. The accursed show of Melancholia is starting again.’’

Author's Note

And that was the background story for the brothers Dirt and Dust. I at first didn't planed those two in my original draft. But I realised it would not be realist for Melancholia to do all his scheme alone and so I had came with the idea of those two henchmen. But it seem I hate small roles because their stories had quickly bigger and bigger until they had also become main characters. More work for me, but it was so worth it. I proud of those two brothers and I found other fanfics don't talk enough of Diamond Dogs.

Next time, the game will begin once again. This time, it will be Fluttershy turn.

*Good new everyone. I have at last changed the ugly cover that I made for a much better one. Hip hip horray. That cover was made with the help of the artist Pridark, a thousand thanks to Pridark and her hard work.