THE FORCE OF HATRED (2019 with MLP Version)

by DakariKingMykan

Rating: mature
Tags: Gore, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Alternate Universe, Starlight Glimmer, Thriller, Drama, Spike, Horror, Discord, Teen Titans, Violence, Crossover, Main 6
Length: 89688

An ancient evil has risen to rule the world with hate

Do not be fooled by the large amounts of dislike, it's mostly people being petty and bullying (In just a few hours with only one chapter it gets 30 downvotes). Give the fic a fair chance.

Thousands of years ago, in Pre-Equestrian times, an evil creature was sealed away within a magical sword that was lost in dimensions.

Twilight Sparkle and her friends soon find themselves caught in a great battle as that evil creeps forth once more, and they are joined by most unusual allies to prevent the two worlds from being shrouded in hatred and chaos unimaginable!

Published 2019-11-23 21:00:01 UTC
Last updated 2020-03-29 22:22:07 UTC

Act 2: Fighting Temptation

ACT TWO

While it was day in the Titans’ world, it was night in Equestria.

Long after all her friends had gone home and to bed, but Twilight was awake, looking a little baggy-eyed, and in her study lab, where she was constantly trying to unlock the secrets of the jewel from Celestia.

She had gone through many books, and many scrolls, but was unable to match the jewel or uncover any clues about it.

“Celestia could be right,” said to herself “If there’s nothing about this in Equestrian history, then it’s probably not from this world at all.”

Starlight and Spike both stood at the doors, both were woken by her constant slamming of books and talking to herself.

“Twilight, give it a rest.” groaned Spike.

“We’ve got work in the morning.” added Starlight.

“I’m not tired,” protested Twilight, but really that was just her lust to continue researching, even though it was virtually pointless at this point. She also let out a huge yawn prompting Starlight to drag her along.

“It’s bedtime for you. The world will still be here tomorrow.”

Twilight was soon out like a light, in her own bed, and Spike had fallen asleep right on the floor.

Starlight levitated him up and tucked him softly into his basket.

On her way to her own room, she looked in the study and saw the jewel sitting on the table.

She looked at it with her own curiosity peaking about it, but she yawned and felt too tired to really study it herself, and she adjourned to bed.

Neither she or the others noticed as the clouds parted and the moonlight shone through an open window right onto the jewel, it began to pulsate softly with a bright light.

Then a cloud covered up the moon and the glowing ceased.

In Jump City, the other Titans had all been enjoying their Pizza Lunch, especially because it was most likely the last they were going to get.

Upon their arrival, they had noticed a “Closing Down” sign just outside the doors. The place had been sold and the entire place was going to be converted into an office for a travel agency.

Yet another thing to add to the big list of changes in the city ever since they had returned from Tokyo, and fighting The Brotherhood of Evil…

“So much has changed.” said Starfire “I know not where I shall another place that makes the pizza as well as this.”

She gnawed on a slice.

“We’ll just have to find someplace else.” said Robin “Changes are part of life, and we have to accept them whether we approve of them or not.”

The others agreed.

“I just hope BB can get though his head.” said Cyborg.

“That would take a miracle.” said Raven.

Suddenly, they could all hear the sound of police sirens as many cruisers came racing down the road.

Robin’s communicator already detected trouble nearby.

He quickly left some money for the bill and shouted, “Titans Go!”

All the Titans bolted up out of their seats, and leapt off of the roof terrace.

Robin then called Beast Boy telling him about the danger. “Get down here, right away.”

The sound was on “audio” and he couldn’t see he had just woken Beast Boy up.

“Beast Boy, answer me!”

“I can hear you!” Beast Boy thundered “I’m on my way!”

Then he signed off.

“Do we really need him with us?” asked Raven.

“We’re a team.” said Robin “We fight together no matter what.”

The disturbance seemed to be coming from the Jump City museum-- one of few places in the city that hadn’t been bought out or demolished.

The movers and museum curator were shipping a recent delivery of new ancient artifacts and stuff that was being placed in the museum on display, when suddenly; a bunch of robbers came out of nowhere and held everyone, including security at gunpoint.

All these robbers were wearing special kinds of armor, making them bulletproof and it also enhanced their natural strengths.

“Alright guys,” called the leader “Let’s haul this junk out of here. I’m sure we can find people who will pay fortunes for them.”

Some of his teammates began to make their way for the truck that carried the goods, while others were already loading unloaded creates to their own truck.

A few others kept watchful eyes over the subdued museum staff and security.

The police then stormed the place and demanded the gunners surrender.

“Don’t move!” shouted the leader as he held up a grenade, “…Make one move, and I’ll blow these artifacts to pieces!”

The cops were stuck. No way could they risk the valuables, and they didn’t dare try to gas the bad guys either, not while they had hostages.

Suddenly, the Titans arrived on the scene, and Raven used her powers to yank the grenade away from the leader, and Starfire zoomed in, pulling all the hostages in a big group out of harm’s way, and flew them up onto the roof for safety.

“Shoot them!” shouted the leader!

The men began to fire with their guns like crazy, but Robin threw down his smoke-bombs which blinded the men.

The Titans then all jumped down and began to attack.

Robin knocked the guns away with his staff, forcing the men to fight him in combat.

POW!! Robin got punched hard in the gut and was sent slamming into the wall. It felt like a wild buffalo had just hit him.

“How do you like our new armor?” teased a thief, “It enhances our strength many times.”

The other Titans found this out as well, while they had knocked the guns away, the men put quite a good fight, punching and kicking them all hard.

Starfire then fired her star-bolts, which only bounced off the armor-plates, hitting herself back, and leaving the thieves unharmed.

“Nice try…” teased the leader.

The Titans still refused to give up.

“Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos!” shouted Raven, and she grabbed two large lampposts, pulling them out of the ground, and bent them around a couple of the thieves, but thanks to their enhanced strengths, they actually managed to break out of bondage and rushed for her.

Raven flew upward out of the way allowing them to be rushed by Cyborg.

Since he was big and strong, he was able to handle the goons a little bit, as long as he didn’t blast them.

Then Beast Boy arrived on the scene, and charged at the goons as a huge dinosaur, knocking them all back hard and cracking the chest plates on the armor, which shorted the suits out!

Robin, finding his strength again, saw this and got up.

“That’s it! Aim for their chests!” he hollered to the others.

Starfire nodded and saw two of the goons making a break for discarded guns on the ground, but as they turned to shoot, she had already punched them hard in the chests, shorting out the power and knocking them back hard.

More and more of the goons began to fall with their weakness exposed, and finally, Robin brawled with the leader, and using his skillful Kung Fu moves, he managed to strike him in the chest and knocked him down.

“You’re strong, but you’re still not that smart.” he remarked.

The police were able to handle the men, loading them into paddy-wagons and take them to prison.

Many citizens who watched the excitement from afar began to crowd around the museum, cheering for the Titans as the curator thanked them.

“I don’t know how to thank you all.” he said.

“It’s what we’re here for.” said Robin “History is very important to everyone. We couldn’t let them make off with all these things.”

Many fans and admirers of the Titans came up to congratulate them, shake hands, have pictures, even ask for autographs…

…Except for Beast Boy. Nobody seemed to want to crowd around him at all, or even took notice of him, even though he was the one who discovered the thieves’ weakness, even if it was by chance.

Why even Raven was getting more attention he was, and she usually wasn’t one to care for such things. She usually preferred to go “Whatever” and walk off and not take interest in fans, and yet there she was, at least signing posters of her and agreeing to be in selfies, though she still had her usual neutral expression and didn’t seem to show much care for it.

Soon the crowds departed, and the curator still needed help in moving all the new artifacts into the museum.

“We’ll help you.” said Robin “This way we’ll be close in case anyone tries to attack again.”

Soon, all the Titans were helping to move heavy boxes and things into the building and placing them in the main atrium where they were uncrated revealing all kinds of strange and mysterious objects…

Statues, idols, jewelry, plaques…

Beast Boy did find them a little fascinating, especially the statues. He just moved in closer to get a better look at one, but Raven misjudged and smacked him in the shoulder, and sneered in a threatening manner, “Don’t… Touch… Anything…!”

Beast Boy glared at her furiously, and this time he didn’t feel like holding his peace.

“You lay one more hand on me, and I swear… I will hurt you!”

That’s what he wanted to say, but he still managed to barely hold himself back, not wanting to make a scene, and decided to save his angry words for his diary.

“Hey, y’all.” Cyborg called “Come and take a look at this.”

The Titans all huddled around, and was just uncrated-- a stone pedestal with an odd looking sword lodged into it.

It had a silvery flame-shaped blade, with a red and black hilt which resembled evil looking wings. And right in the center of the hilt was a fiery flame emblem-- exactly the same as the one on Twilight’s book.

It didn’t seem to show any signs of how old it was, or how long it had been lying hidden underground.

“Wow.” said Robin “What is this?”

The curator explained, “Nobody really knows.

This was found in the mountain regions in the outback months ago.”

The Titans all gasped in astonishment.

“It was in the city’s backyard all the time?” asked Beast Boy.

“That’s what he just said!” sneered Raven.

Beast Boy gave her an angry glare.

The curator explained that the sword’s origins were completely unknown. “Historians and scientists have been analyzing the sword and they have no idea who could have forged it.”

Cyborg scanned the sword with his wrist-com, and he was astonished.

“What is it?” asked Starfire.

“The blade…” replied Cyborg “It’s made of a kind of alloy I’m not able to identify. Almost like, it’s not manmade.”

Now the Titans were very intrigued.

“Perhaps we could remove the sword and study it more closely?” suggested Starfire.

“We’ve already tried.” said the curator “This baby’s stuck tight. No one’s been able to budge it an inch. They even tried using a crane. Nothing worked.”

“Sounds like whoever put that sword in there didn’t want it to be removed.” said Raven.

“Or maybe…” Robin said while pondering “…It’s the kind of sword that only the right kind of person can remove.”

A long silent moment fell to everyone, until the curator said “Well, it’s not like it can do any harm. So we thought we’d display it-- let other people marvel at its mysteries.”

“Not a good idea, dude.” said Beast Boy. “What if someone tries to steal it, like just back then?”

“That’s not likely,” said the curator. “Our security is top-notch. Once it’s safely in here, even a mosquito couldn’t try to steal it.”

“I’m just saying that…”

“…Let it go, Beast Boy.” Robin cut in “Anyways, we’ve done our job here. Let’s go home.”

Beast Boy tried to protest fearing there could be much more to the sword than they know.

“Yo’ man, just drop it!” said Cyborg “It’s not hurting anyone and it can’t if it can’t be pulled out. Just leave it.”

Beast Boy sulked angrily. He hated it when no one listened to him, especially when he had a proper and commendable suggestion.

Raven marched right up to Beast Boy, and this time he was ready for her and caught her by the wrist as she tried to slap him again.

He gave her a most threatening look, and then forcefully released her, and Raven looked crosser than ever with him, but she walked along catching up with the others, and Beast Boy followed them, but kept his distance all the way home, which annoyed the Titans.

“You’re not making points with this attitude.” Robin called over to him.

That evening, Beast Boy refused to join them for dinner, even When Cyborg called to everyone over the tower intercom, “Hey, y’all… grub’s on.”

He would not come out even when Starfire knocked at his door.

“Beast Boy, it is the time of the supper.”

There was no answer.

“Beast Boy…?”

He was in there, and just finishing adding to his diary and silently hiding it back under his mattress.

Then he crept to the door and opened it softly.

Starfire thought he was being very strange and not like the old Beast Boy she knew.

“Do you not wish to join us?”

“No thanks,” he said softly, and he shut the door. He did not want to see any of them at the moment, especially not Raven.

Starfire decided maybe to just leave him be and went to join her friends.

“If he thinks he can win us over with all this brooding, he’s got another thing coming.” said Robin.

“Took the words right out of my mouth.” agreed Raven.

Starfire sat down, but she didn’t feel like eating herself. “I am worried about our friend. He is not acting himself. He has not smiled, or told a joke, or laughed at anything humorous.”

“He’s just heartbroken because he misses Terra.” said Cyborg “I’ve been turned down by a few girls in my time, and yes, it hurt, but I got over it. I moved on, and so should he.”

Robin was starting to realize as well, “Of course, come to think of it. Maybe we have been a little hard on him lately.”

Even Raven was starting to feel maybe she had been a bit sore with him. “He’s just being so annoying.” she said “But I guess that’s no excuse for my smacking him.”

Everyone nodded strictly at her for that especially.

The Titans decided maybe it best they try and make it up to him, but Robin also suggested, “We should leave him be for a few days. Let him cool off, maybe he’ll open up to us then.”

Later that night, the Titans decided to go to bed.

Starfire saw Beast Boy’s bedroom door and was tempted to go over and at least talk to him, but Robin put his hand on her shoulder, shaking his head reminding her to leave him be as they agreed.

In her room, Raven hung up her cloak on a rack by the open window as the moonlight shone through the glass.

Raven let out a sleepy yawn as she crawled into bed.

Late in the night, as the moon continued to shine through her window, it lit up her cloak on the rack, and the large brooch clip-- which was identical to the one Twilight had received-- began to glow and pulsate.

The light was bright, and it annoyed Raven in her sleep, but rather than open her eyes and wake up, she assumed it was just reflected moonlight, and raised her hand, using her power to shut her curtains.

…The brooch stopped glowing.

Elsewhere in the city, somebody else was having a bad time sleeping too…!

Terra tossed and turned in bed, she was having a dream of her first date with Beast Boy, when they went to the amusement park, even though it was the time she had betrayed the Titans to Slade, it was a wonderful time!

“You’re my definition of fun.” she said to him.

Then they went off to ride the rides, and play the games, and they seemed to be growing closer and closer.

Then everything flashed to back at her school. He reached out to her.

“Maybe you don’t remember, but I do. You’re my friend! You’re a Teen Titan!”

“You’re wrong!”

She was starting to cringe and sweat in her sleep as the whole scene continued to play, right up to those words she told him.

“Things Change, Beast Boy. The girl you want me to be is just a memory.”

She looked across at him, and how he appeared so devastated, so hurt!

“Ah!” she woke up with a startling yelp and was panting heavily. She felt very hot and decided to get some air.

She hopped out of bed and went to open a window of the apartment she lived it, but it was unknown and unimportant how she got it.

All she felt was extreme guilt, the same she had been feeling deep down all day but never let her friends know.

“I just want to live a normal life.” she said to herself “Why do these memories keep haunting me like this?”

“Maybe it’s because you’ve made a mistake!” hissed a very familiar voice.

She turned round and was frightened to see none-other than, “…Slade!” sitting on her bed.

“It’s been a while, girl.”

How he even got there was hardly important now, but she angrily glared at him. “Impossible! You’re dead! I destroyed you!”

“Oh, really?” hissed Slade “Then how am I here? How am I talking to you?

Oh, that’s right, because this is all a dream.”

Terra was confused, “No. It’s not a dream. I just woke up from a dream.”

Slade began to appear in multiple places around her room. “Silly girl… It’s not healthy to go to bed with a guilty conscience, isn’t it? Your past can come back to haunt you.”

Terra was feeling stressed out, and more upset when she could see the images of all the terrible things she had done, as Slade’s apprentice, and dumping Beast Boy at her school.

“No, No I won’t let it! I’ve moved on! You hear me?!”

“Oh, but of course,” hissed Slade “Things Change and you’re right, but the memories can never disappear no matter how much you want them too, just like your memories of your little boyfriend.

You hurt him, you know. More than any betrayal ever could, and now you’re starting to regret it, aren’t you?”

Terra shook her head frightfully, “No, No, I won’t let you tempt me!

I WON’T LET YOU TEMPT ME!!”

“I’m not tempting you, you’re doing it to yourself.”

Terra refused to listen any longer and rushed for the many Slade’s to tackle them…

…And she ended up falling out of bed from her dream within a dream.

Now she was really awake-- really, fully, and totally awake, but her head ached, and she felt a little numb.

She went to the bathroom, washed her face, and grabbed a sip of water, but as she looked at her reflection in the mirror the square shape of the mirror morphed into a heart-shape, like the heart-shaped mirror box Beast Boy had made for her…

“Beast Boy, I… I don’t know what to say.”

The very mirror box she sourly rejected when he brought her to the tower the other day, trying to help her remember-- even though she did remember.

“No!” she snapped as she looked away. “I won’t go back. This is my life now, and it’s better than anything else I could’ve had.”

She was very dedicated, and was not about to let her conscience get to her. She could silence it. She could tell it who was in charge, and she was more than willing to get past this phase of guilt and shame and move on with her life.

…Assuming it was even a phase.

Nevertheless, she managed to go back to bed and slept like a baby.

While in Equestria, Twilight was teaching her class from the book she had gotten, about the evil Yamimakai and how he tried to destroy and conquer the world.

“You see class; sometimes a little hatred can get so out of control it could very well lead to things like this. This make it all the more important to put our faith in trust, in friendship, and love.”

A student raised his hoof, “Professor Twilight, what if you meet someone who doesn’t want to believe in those things. What if they don’t want to have Love, Friendship, or Trust anyone?”

All the students began to worry about the same thing, and this was something that even Twilight knew was possible, if such creatures like Yamimakai existed, and other villains she and her friends were unable to redeem or change.

“I still believe in giving fair chances. I really don’t think that any-creature would want to submit to a life of hatred and mistrust without good reason. Maybe if we all work hard to figure out that reason, then we can try and make it better.

That’s what being a good friend really is about.”

The students all took notes of this.

Soon class was dismissed, and Twilight had no other courses to teach that day, and a good thing too because she couldn’t wait to get back to studying that strange jewel.

Starlight had a feeling about this, and luckily she already had the perfect distraction for her.

“Twilight Sparkle,” she announced over the school intercom “Please report to your office immediately.”

She giggled a little before logging off, which Twilight noted, but still she headed down the hall, and the second she opened the door to her office.

“Hiya Twily…” her brother said surprising her.

Her eyes lit up, and she ran straight into her brother, hugging him warmly.

Then it was over to Cadance.

“When did you get here?” Twilight asked.

“Our train arrived an hour ago,” answered Cadance “And when we didn’t find you at the castle, we assumed you were here.”

Her husband agreed, “So, Starlight let us in and we thought we’d surprise you.”

Twilight gave Starlight a playful glare and Starlight snickered.

“Where’s Flurry Heart?” asked Twilight, but she suddenly got her answer as her little niece was heard cooing from the corner of the office where she sat up in her pram and began to flutter up happily at the sight of her aunt.

Twilight walked over and pecked her on her little head. “How’s my wittle favowite neice?” she cooed.

Shining Armor stood behind her, putting on a playful imitation of Flurry saying, “Don’t’ forget auntie Twily, I’m your only niece.”

Twilight giggled.

“Since I have no other classes today, we can all head to the castle for lunch.”

“Great idea.” agreed Cadance “We also want to talk to you about the lectures we want to give to your students.”

Over the past few days, the royal family stayed with Twilight, and the couple gave their lectures on love, trust, and how their marriage played a big role in all of it.

“So you see,” explained Shining Armor “Love may be a wonderful thing, but it’s also very delicate and mustn’t be taken too lightly.”

His wife agreed, “Love is nothing to be toyed with, especially when others can take advantage of you.”

She referred and explained about how the Changelings invaded Canterlot at the time of her wedding to Shining Armor, and Queen Chrysalis impersonated her, locking the Real Cadance in the caverns below, and was easily able to place Shining Armor under a spell by feeding off his love for Cadance.

The students were amazed-- their eyes were bulging, their mouths hanging wide open. They could now see love in a whole new way.

Cadance also lectured the students “Love can also cause Hate as well.

-Jealously from another potential suitor…

-Heartbreak from being dumped…

…It all depends on the situation, but that is why Love and Hate are only separated by a thin line.

Many of you may be too young now to understand the kind of love I share with my husband.”

Shining Armor smiled at her, but then he added, “Just remember, Just as love can bring forth the greatest of joy, it can also bring the greatest of hate as well, no matter what sort of love it is.

It can be family love, friend love, love for something; you name it.”

The students all began to applaud and cheer, having never felt so inspired in their lives.

The couple felt a little embarrassed, and Twilight was astounded.

“I think you’ve really gotten to them.” Spike whispered to her.

Author's Note

Lots of people like to bitch at me saying I'm FORCING Terra to feel this way (Guilty, upset, and make herself regret what she did)

Well of course I am... I control everything the characters do in this fic. They do exactly I write them to do, and also... it's PART OF THE STORY, she's SUPPOSED to be regretting what she did and feeling ashamed. (It helps the plot go on, and it gives me EXACTLY what I want)

But then again, you also have to consider NATURAL FEELINGS

Terra could feel these things all on her own, after all... even on "Things Change" itself, she had regretful looks on her face. And as for dreaming while you're asleep... NOBODY can control or decide when and how or what you dream when you sleep.

You don't choose dreams/nightmares, they choose you.

Bottom-line: This is how I want Terra to be.

Act 3: Fall in, Fall out

ACT THREE

Over the same few days, the Titans kept well to their word and let Beast Boy have some time to himself, hoping he would come around and be willing to move on from Terra and the obvious breakup.

Not one of them still knew what really happened with Terra, or were even convinced if it was really her that Beast Boy saw, but they let it go, willing to move on with their own lives. Their only concern now was Beast Boy.

They still intended to try and talk to him, but only after he had given the signs that he had calmed down enough.

Beast Boy still had not made any attempts to talk with them, or go near them ever since the night at the museum.

He wouldn’t join them for meals, he didn’t wish to train with them or go out for Pizza. Not that it mattered since the Pizza Place had officially closed down.

Finally, Starfire couldn’t take it anymore. She wanted to at least try and break the ice with Beast Boy right now.

She knocked at his door.

“Friend Beast Boy, are you there?”

There was no answer.

“Beast Boy, can we not converse of the problems you are having? I know that you are feeling lost in the place of the dumps, but I only wish to help you overcome your troubles.”

Still no answer…

Starfire knew it was rude to barge into someone’s room without permission, but she just wanted to see.

She slid the door open-- it wasn’t even locked-- and Beast Boy was nowhere to be seen, but his window was open as the drapes fluttered in the soft breeze.

On the lower bunk was a note from Beast Boy:

“Gone out to clear my head…

Have my communicator if you need me.”

Starfire sighed, but she took it as a sign that at least he was willing to communicate with the others, even if it was not a formal way.

Still, she couldn’t stand the sight of his room and how messy it was. Even with the window open and the air flowing through, she couldn’t stand the smell of all the rotting foods and the smell of dust.

She groaned so hard that Robin heard her, thinking she was being attacked, and raced to the bedroom.

“Star, what’s wrong?” but he could see for himself, and he was just as repulsed by the mess. “How could he have let the mess build up like this? This isn’t healthy for him!”

Starfire agreed, “I have heard somewhere that living in unsanitary condition can cause irrefutable behaviour.”

Her boyfriend agreed.

Even though they knew this was breaking someone’s privacy, knowing Beast Boy would never clean this mess up himself, and officially declaring it a danger to the health of the entire Tower, Robin gathered all the Titans together for the task of cleaning the room.

Cyborg and Raven were reluctant to do, especially when it came to picking up things like dirty and very smelling socks off the floor for the laundry. “Just gross…!”

Cyborg picked up the old pizza boxes and dishes, too frightened to wonder how long they had been there.

“That’s nasty!”

Soon the room was starting to look much cleaner but it still needed work.

Starfire and Raven then stripped off the bed of its sheets, noting the funky smell.

Raven also noticed print of Beast Boy’s body in the mattress, showing it was in desperate need of a flip-over.

Not wanting to touch it due to being horribly grossed-out until now, she used her powers to levitate it up, but then something caught her eye.

“What’s that?” she asked and leaned the mattress up against the wall.

She picked up a book that was on the solid bedframe.

All the titans huddled around.

“Since when does Beast Boy read anything other than comic-books?” wondered Cyborg.

Robin took the book from Raven, and opened it randomly to a page that he found was written about him.

“Robin is really getting be…” he paused at what he saw written after that, “…A Jerk?!”

The others all gawked in shock.

Robin kept reading…

“Robin is really getting to be a jerk. He’s always taking things so seriously, and even when his fun side shows it doesn’t last.

He’s always insisting that I grow up and be more like him, and now he’s starting to tell me I’ve got to embrace the changes that are happening and “Get over it!”

He’s changed too, and not for the best. He’s gone from the cool, suave leader in the mask and cape, to a mister bossy, sneering-face, creep that loves to act like he has all the answers.

He really is a “DICK” just like his name says.”

Robin was infuriated by what he had just read, and Cyborg realized, “This is BB’s diary!”

Starfire immediately insisted, “We must not peer any further. Not into the private thoughts of our friend.”

While Robin would normally have done the sensible thing, he read the next section which was about Starfire herself.

“Starfire’s been living with us and on Earth for what, two years now, and in all that time she still hasn’t learned all that much… except how to get on my nerves!”

“What?” snapped Starfire, and she took the book and continued to read.

“What’s happened with Star? I used to be close with her, now it seems all she cares about is following Robin’s ways. Then again that’s to be expected. Ever since Tokyo when they finally became a couple.

I always thought they’d make a cute one, but now that they actually are, I couldn’t be more upset and jealous considering I don’t have someone special.

And just like Robin, she’s starting to take things too seriously. Her optimism is really blinding her from what’s realistic, and after the way she also insists that I “Move on” and “Look to my future.”

…I ought to call her what she called me…”

“…A Clorbag Varblernek?!!” yelled Starfire, and her eyes went green with blazing light! “How dare he say such a thing to me! He knows not the meaning of the term!”

She felt very offended and looked ready to roast the book to ash in her hands, but Cyborg quickly grabbed it out of her grip.

Much as he felt he should put it down, his curiosity got the better of him.

“Don’t do it.” suggested Raven “Give me the book, now!” but he turned his back on her and began to read his own segment.

“Cyborg, he’s always had my back… sometimes.

Then again, he’s the cool techno-geek and I’m the lame little monkey wrench he loves to kick out because I don’t know as much as he does about tools or making cool things that are useful to the team.

Constantly besting me at video games just to stomp at me and laugh at my skills as a gamer? How many screws does he have loose?!

Now he’s all with the “Get over it” and “Move on” too. I mean sure, he nearly died, and I would’ve hated myself for that, but constantly berating me for it, and pushing my buttons about letting go of my own feelings is way overkill.

“At least we found a way to shut him up” he said that to me when we were in Mumbo’s hat, well he’s lucky I don’t try to shut him DOWN… he’s really asking for it!

He’s no bro to me now. He’s more a blow!”

Cyborg felt his face burning with rage. “Why that stinking little--” he couldn’t find any words as he was far too angry to think straight.

“Okay, you’ve all gone too far.” Raven said, and she decided to leave before she herself was tempted to read what was said about her, but Robin had taken the book from Cyborg and read it himself.

“Raven, don’t even get me started about her!”

Raven stopped where she was and cringed softly trying to resist, but Robin read more.

“Out of all the Titans she is the most pathetic, rudest, miserable, and disgraceful person that I’ve ever known.

She constantly acts rude and grumpy, I don’t care what excuse she has. That’s no excuse to take it out on me with her insults and her attitude.

When I called her creepy, I guess I was right. Even a spider crawling up your leg is less creepy than she is.

All I try to do is get her to lighten up, and make her smile now and, but it’s obvious she doesn’t care, not even after all the heart-to-heart moments we had. I bet she doesn’t even care about that time she hugged me when I cheered her up after having her heart broken, because I know what it feels like.

No, the way I see it, she could easily learn to control her powers so her emotions won’t be so dangerous, then she might be more fun instead of boring and quiet with her nose buried in her books all the time.

I think she prefers to be the miserable freak that she acts like, it’s especially shown the way she continues to smack me in the head, make rude remarks about my ideas and suggestions, even when they’re right.

All I wanted to do was get in closer to look at that cool statue, and I wasn’t going to touch it, and she just acts like a control-freak boss again!

Raven is pushing me too far to the edge, and sometimes I worry that if she pushes me too far, I just may have hurt her, the same way she’s hurt me!”

Raven stood where she was, her face looked frozen in one neutral expression, but her fists were clenched hard, and then her eyebrows went way down.

“I’m not cleaning this room anymore!” she hissed and left in a huff.

“Me neither.” said Cyborg as he followed her.

Robin and Starfire didn’t read anymore of the book, not wanting to see any further-- they didn’t even bothered to read the segment about Terra, or the one Beast Boy had made for himself.

“How could he say such unkind things about us?” asked Starfire.

Robin shook his head in shame, “There’s no excuse at all for thinking such things about us. He’s lucky he even has us or he’d be rotting in the street by now.”

The couple left the bedroom, no longer wishing to help Beast Boy or pretty much try to him from his grieving, not after the things they had read.

Beast Boy, not realizing the trouble coming his way, had been flying around the city to lose his woes, but this flight only made things worse for him.

Many places in the city had changed.

As well as the Video Store, the block where the new office complex was going up-- the one that cost him his favorite candy store.

Now the pizza place was closed already there were barriers around it warning people of the renovations.

The arcade was gone-- converted into a hardware store.

The skate park was now a parking lot.

The abandoned amusement park at the pier-- the place where he used to hang with his friends and where he and Terra had their first date-- instead of being fixed up and put back in business, it was cleared out and was now a shipping dock for boats.

“Ugh!” he groaned to himself “Can’t these people knock it off with all this change?! The city was fine before without them!”

Naturally, he didn’t bother to protest or voice his opinion to anyone, knowing that nobody, especially The Titans, would listen to him the way things were now. they would most likely ignore his grieving and tell him, again, to “move on” or “grow up” or treat him like dirt either way.

It was as if people had stopped caring and their only interests were money, power, and boring work that sucked all the fun out of everything!

All this change was really starting to get to him, like an old painful flame reigniting deep inside, but the worst change of all was with Terra, and how she just kicked him and demanded he stay away from her so she could live a normal life.

He sat upon a rooftop edge feeling hurt and lost inside. “Why…?” he wondered softly “Why does this stuff always happen to me?!”

More and more memories of good times, times that were no more, flashed passed him, making him feel sad and furious at the same time. What he would give now to find some way to stop these memories from tormenting him and making him feel like such a loser.

He began to sing about it in his head…

As the song ended, he only felt a little better but he was still feeling really tense and filled with much anger and hate!

He even felt hot and sweaty and felt like he needed some cool air-conditioning, but he didn’t feel like going back to the tower yet.

Luckily, just below him was the museum, and while it usually wasn’t his kind of place to go, he didn’t mind this time, and thought he’d check out the new display the sword was in, just to see if it was safe.

Surely enough, inside it was cool with the A.C on, and the display was set up nicely, surrounded by a metal fence and glass walls to keep the artifacts safe.

It was a good thing there was no one else near the display at the moment, so he could have some space to think to himself.

As he stared at the sword, in his current condition like most people would, you can bet he was thinking of what it would be like to have it, or a weapon like it, to have the power or ability to get back at those who wronged you.

“Snap out of it, man.” he thought to himself “It’s not me. I can’t do it; even if I did really want to get even with them, not like that. Never like that.”

Things were soon about to get really bad, for Terra and her friends were at the museum doing research for their history class at school.

Terra look a little tired due to not sleeping well, and as she told her friends, “I’ve been having nightmares lately, every time I fall asleep.”

She didn’t bother to tell them what it was about and especially didn’t mention Beast Boy’s name, and she didn’t have to.

“You were dreaming about that kid again, weren’t you.” said Jackie. “I thought you were over him?”

“It’s just dreams. I can’t help them, and neither could you. We don’t choose what we dream after all.”

The girls were not convinced. Not only did they scoff at such ideas about dream controlling, they squarely put the blame on Beast Boy for putting these thoughts into her head.

“Even when he’s not stalking you, he gets under your skin.” said Jillian “Just let me get my hands on him and I’ll--”

“Stop it!” snapped Terra. Her voice echoed through the atrium, and whatever people were nearby turned to face her.

She felt embarrassed, and then took her friends to a side to talk privately, “Look, can we just drop this. We came to do our research.”

Her friends didn’t know why she was acting so snippy. All they were trying to do was look out for her. They also were beginning to have a sickening feeling.

“I get the feeling there’s something you’re not telling us.” said Jackie.

Jillian then felt sick to her stomach “You’re not actually into that freak, are you?”

Terra was really getting angry with all the insults and slander thrown, but she couldn’t let her friends on.

While she was trying to put her past behind her, she also was trying her best not to let anyone even guess of her history with Beast Boy, the Titans, or even let anyone know she had powers to move rocks. She felt that if people found out this about her, they’d regard her as a freak, and wouldn’t help her or be a friend to. They’d probably kick her out of school too, and there would go her normal and comfortable life.

Worse than all that, she feared that if her past with Slade were to be uncovered and all the horrible crimes she committed while working for him, she’d have to answer for them.

“Yo! Earth to Terra.” called Jackie.

She snapped out of her trance.

Jillian couldn’t tell if she was really having feelings for Beast Boy or not. She needed more evidence.

Still, the girls went off to do their research, and of all the places for them to go, they went to see the new display where Beast Boy was.

The second they stepped inside, Terra stopped dead in her tracks as did the girls.

Beast Boy then noticed the faded reflections in the glass walls making him gasp softly, he turned round, and his eyes met with Terra, wide with shock and already growing pains of seeing each other since the other day at the school.

Jackie and Jillian were furious that he was here too, and could see how upset their friend was for seeing him.

“What do you think you’re doing here?” Jackie asked with a sneer.

“Yeah! Get lost, Brat Boy!” growled Jillian.

Beast Boy didn’t even bother to respond to them, almost as if he couldn’t see or hear them. He just continued gawking at Terra, and the way he stared her deep in the eyes pierced her soul, and not in a good way.

He didn’t say anything to her though. There was nothing he wanted to say to her anyway. So he decided to just leave and began to walk for the exit behind her.

Her friends however, thought he was trying to approach her and harass her again, and blocked his way, and both stepped hard on his shoes, pinning him hard to the ground.

He groaned and wailed softly, but he didn’t dare turn into any animal and try to fight them, remembering what he had just promised, plus he didn’t want to start a fight near the displays that could get damaged.

“You keep away from her! You hear?!” threatened Jackie.

“You come near her or us again, and you’re dead, Butt-Boy!” added Jillian.

Beast Boy at least gave them both a shove, pushing them to the floor and off his feet.

“I was just leaving!” he sneered at them “And for the last time… it’s “Beast Boy!” Get it right, you morons!”

Something inside the girls snapped! Nobody called them “Moron” and they leapt up face, giving him a huge shove, while Terra watched in horrors as he crashed into the glass, actually shattering it, and knocking the sword and its pedestal over.

The alarms sounded due to the glass shattering.

The girls realized what they had done, and quickly began to run for it, grabbing Terra by the arms, and taking her with them.

Beast Boy got up rubbing his sore head, “JERKS!!” he shouted to the girls.

He felt the least he could do was pick up the sword and set it up right again.

So he reached down, and grabbed the hilt, but he suddenly began to feel very strange, as if some kind of force was enveloping him, following by the sounds of a deep. dark voice, hissing and snickering.

“Yes! The Hate, I feel it!

You will do nicely for me!”

Beast Boy let go of the sword, holding his head in extreme shock. “What in the world was that?!” he wondered.

Suddenly, he was grabbed by security, who had rushed onto the scene when the alarms sounded, and they found the display and its glass barriers broken, they automatically assumed the worst.

“Hey, it wasn’t my fault!” he tried to explain “I didn’t do this; I was pushed into the glass.”

“Save it for the jury, kid!” snapped one of the guards.

The curator then appeared, and he couldn’t believe his eyes, also believing in the worst.

“Why did you break into the display?” he angrily demanded to know.

It was in vain that Beast Boy tried to explain his innocence. “You used cheap glass, and I was pushed into it by a couple of school girls. Check your security tapes!”

“Shut up!” shouted the curator “I paid good money for that glass, and it was imported from overseas. No way it’s cheap, and why should I look at the tapes when you’ve been caught red-handed holding the merchandise!”

“I wasn’t trying to take it!” whined Beast Boy “I was trying to stand it up!” but his arguments failed to convince the curator.

He then revealed that he had already called the police and they were on their way over, but Beast Boy felt his rage rising. No way did he want to be subject to further conspiracy and mistreatment.

Suddenly, he began to feel very strange. His head ached like crazy, and he felt himself slipping away into darkness as if something was taking over.

Without even realizing, he grabbed the two guards by their arms, and in a freak moment of extreme strength, he yanked on their arms, pulling them both together so they crashed headfirst into one another, and flipped them both over and onto the curator.

As the trio of men lay on the floor, he saw his chance and fled the scene, making it outside and turned into a bird, making a perfect getaway before the place was swarmed by police cars.

Beast Boy landed on a roof to catch his breath, and his head was still aching, like waking up from being knocked unconscious.

“What happened?” he asked no one in particular “Last thing I remember, I grabbed the sword and--” and he could see were blurry flashbacks of what looked like a scrap of himself fighting with two men, but while he could hardly make things out, he decided he needed to tell the Titans about this.

He got to the tower, flying through the open windows and into the lounge where he saw the other Titans.

“Guys!” he called “Something really weird just happened…!”

He stopped when he realized none of the others looked his way, and just ignored him with grouchy expressions on their faces.

“Guys, I need to talk with you!”

Starfire spoke to Robin, “Did you hear something?”

“Nothing that I wanted to hear.” remarked Robin.

“Ditto that” added Cyborg.

Raven said nothing, and just turned a page of her book not even looking up.

“What is with everyone?” Beast Boy asked.

He walked around amongst the others, but they still paid him no mind.

“Will someone please talk to me?!”

Robin finally put down the phone, and looked at him angrily, “That was the curator of the museum. He says you caused a bit of trouble there, and now we all have to face charges because of you.”

“That’s what I wanted to talk to you about!” wailed Beast Boy, but before he could get another word in, Starfire interrupted, “I cannot believe you would try to steal the sword from its display!”

“I didn’t try to steal it!” he snapped at her “You have no right to accuse me like this.”

Cyborg finally looked up at him and growled, “Oh? And I suppose if we keep it up you’ll WRITE about us again?!” and he held up to Beast Boy’s horror. “…My diary!”

At that point, all the Titans looked crossly at Beast Boy.

“You found and read my diary?!” he shouted “How could you! It’s supposed to be private!”

“Then perhaps you should not leave it lying around.” grumbled Starfire.

Beast Boy was feeling madder by the second, and dashed to his room to find how much different it looked-- cleaner and less cluttered.

He returned to the lounge even more furious than ever. “You went into my room, you messed it up, and you read my private diary?!”

Not one of the others showed the least of qualms.

“I can’t believe you, man.” said Cyborg “I thought we were bros, and this is how you really think of me?!”

Starfire looked a mix between angry and hurt at Beast Boy, “We give you a home, and our friendship and you do not appreciate any of it in the least bit.

You are not worthy of being my friend!”

Raven said nothing, but gave him a very furious glare, madder than any she had ever given.

“What? I’m suddenly the bad guy here?!” Beast Boy thundered. He began to make a connection that they didn’t know the whole story, of why he would write such things about them in the first place.

“…You didn’t read my section, didn’t you? Maybe if you did, you’d know that--”

“Enough!” shouted Robin “I don’t want hear another word out of you Beast Boy. As team leader, I’m officially putting you on probation. You are suspended from team activities, outings and are restricted solely to duty until further notice.”

Not that Beast Boy really cared that much anyway, he did not like the way he was being treated at all. “You can’t treat me like this; not without letting me explain myself.”

“Bottom-line, Beast Boy,” snapped Robin “We’re fed up with your sulking and acting like the world owes you, just because you can’t get over your obsession with Terra!

You need to learn to grow up!”

Finally fed up with the harshness, Beast Boy marched straight up to him looking like he was ready for a fight, and Robin stood ready to take him on, but instead all Beast Boy did was glare at him dead in the eyes and hiss ever so deeply, “Then stop holding me back like everything else!”

Robin only turned his back on Beast Boy as did the others, which prompted him to head up the stairs to adjourn to his room-- forgetting completely what he wanted to tell the others-- but he stopped a moment to punish them as Robin just punished him!

“From now on, Titans… we are just teammates! If any of you get hurt or die in battle, I don’t really care!”

Each Titan felt that sentence strike them hard, even Raven, and Beast Boy left the lounge in a huff.

As hurt as the Titans had felt, and as upset as they were that the team was having this fallout, they still remained strong to their word, and were no longer willing to put up with him until he straightened out.

All Beast Boy could do was sit in his cleared out room, slump onto his unmade mattress and feel the deep burning pain swelling up inside of him, which made his head spin like crazy.

“What’s… happening?!” he groaned. He was either so overwhelmed by the grief and falling out he just had with his so-called friends, or something was seriously wrong with him.

That same voice seemed to called to him from within his mind,

“Give in to the hate!

Let it consume you!

Embrace the power!”

Beast Boy felt so dizzy and weary he couldn’t even try to question what was wrong with him, and he fell off his mattress and onto the floor where he completely blacked out.

While in Equestria, after a long hard day of teaching about Love and Hate to her students, and spending time with her family, Twilight was once again, wide awake and trying to study that strange jewel.

“What is this thing?” she kept asking herself over and over.

Finally, she just lay it down on the desk, and stretched out yawning.

That’s when moonlight shone through the window and other the jewel, making it pulsate again.

Twilight gawked in awe at the glowing jewel, and gave it a small touch, shoving it out of the moonlight, which made it stop glowing.

She noted this, and then brought the jewel back into the light, and it was glowing again.

Twilight looked out the open window. “The moonlight…”

She could tell now that the jewel absorbed some kind of power from the light, but exactly what kind of power was still a mystery.

Suddenly, Twilight began to see something within the jewel itself; what looked like images of a city that she had never seen before.

“What is this?” she wondered, and she reached up with her hoof to softly touch the jewel.

At once, her hoof began glow and sparkle, which spread across her limb and all over her body.

“Hey!!” she cried “What’s going on?! HEY-----!!”

All at once, her body turned into a field of sparkles that disappeared into the jewel, and the jewel was knocked off the table, and out of the moonlight.

Starlight grumpily came into the study, having been awoken, yet again by Twilight’s screaming.

She was joined by Shinning Armor and Cadance.

“Twilight…!” called Starlight “Can you please keep it--” she stopped when she noticed.

“Where is she?” asked Shining Armor.

“We heard her scream from in here.” said Cadance.

Suddenly, she heard the sound of Flurry Heart crying. “Oh, dear, the baby’s up.”

Her husband sighed, and they both went off to comfort their daughter, while Starlight searched the study.

Spike was the only one who stayed in bed, and he was most annoyed by all the noise and commotion going on.

“What’s a guy got to do to get some sleep?!” he groaned, and he pulled the covers up over his head, and buried himself under his pillow.

Author's Note

8:51

Yep, that's how it goes. I/You "the writer of the story" controls it all (what the characters think, do, say... everything) It may seem wrong to YOU, that doesn't make it wrong IN GENERAL, and sometimes it does reflect real life because some things like this CAN/DO happen

***

-How many times has this happened in cartoons/shows (or even in real life) You read someone else's diary, and all this chaos ensues.

Sure people shouldn't go peering into other people's diaries
But then again, why keep a diary in the first place if this sort of thing ALWAYS HAPPENS?

-Has that ever happened to you before in your life? You get accused of something you didn't do, and no one will believe your innocence nor are they interested in anything that may defend you? (like how the curator behaved.)

Still, it's all part of the plot, and needs to be for things to go how I want it.

Act 4: The Hate is on

ACT FOUR

It wasn’t long after Beast Boy had stormed out and locked himself in his room.

The Titans were still furious with him, and had no intention of talking to him, looking at him, or even go near him for what he had just said.

If he wanted to act like a spoiled brat, they would just leave him too it.

Still, Starfire felt rather upset, but at what she didn’t know.

“What is happening to our team?” she wondered “It is as if the love, care, and hope we shared is no longer present.”

Robin felt the same way she did, especially when Beast Boy had shouted “we’re just teammates” at everyone.

Robin still put all the blame on Beast Boy for not getting over what happened between him and Terra-- if it even was her or not.

“I think maybe he needs professional help.” said Robin “He can’t go on like this. It’s not healthy for him, and it certainly isn’t helping us.”

Cyborg stood up, and pointed out “Need I remind you, we’ve all got another problem to worry about, because of BB’s little stunt and the museum. “

“We’ll deal with that, and Beast Boy one problem at a time.” said Robin “I’m just concerned of the endless amounts of negativity and hostility that’s going on.”

Raven then got up from the sofa, “Well, I’m going to grab a shower.”

Starfire’s features hardened. “Are you not concerned?”

“Yes, but I also stink from cleaning Beast Boy’s room, which was pointless.

I think I’ll wash my cloak too.”

Then she left leaving the others to roll their eyes at her attitude.

Raven went to her room first and removed the brooch clip from her cloak, and placed it on her bed, intending to clip it back on onto one of her spare cloaks when she returned.

Then she left to take her smelly clothes to the wash and grab her shower…

…But if she had only stayed a few more seconds…!

The moment she had left and shut the door, her brooch began to glow, and then POW…!! A sparkling beam of light shot straight out from the jewel, flew the glass of the window, heading straight for the city.

Flying over the buildings, soaring through the streets and heading straight for the city park, where it crashed into a large shrub.

Twilight began to awaken. She felt very woozy.

“What happened?” she groaned as she opened her eyes. “The last thing I remember, I was looking at that jewel and then--”

She started to feel strange, not like herself.

That’s when she looked at herself and realized she had turned human again, only not quite the kind she normally would be in the Equestria Girls’ World.

Her hands looked a little larger, and they were peach colored instead of lilac.

“What’s going on?” she cried softly, and she slowly stood up to see that she was in a lush green park, which didn’t seem to have many people in it, but just before it stood a large body of water-- the ocean, and she could see what appeared to be the same metropolis she saw within the jewel.

She also found it strange to be daytime here while it was night in Equestria.

“Where am I?” she wondered “More importantly; what do I look like?”

Luckily there was a water fountain just near where she was.

She moved over and looked down at her reflection in the water, and would have screamed at what she had become, but she was practically astonished.

She really didn’t look like she would as an Equestria Girl. She looked taller, her head was not oversized. Her hair was much longer, and still the same usual colors. She had sparkling eyeliner, ad her outfit was almost breath taking.

She wore a white T-shirt, which had a picture of her cutiemark on the chest, with a lilac jacket and matching shorts and long boots.

“…Incredible.” she remarked. She then looked up and figured, “I must’ve entered another world.

That jewel, it must’ve been some sort of portal key empowered by the moonlight.”

That still didn’t explain where exactly she was, or how she was going to get back to Equestria.

Without her horn and her wings, she had no choice but to pick up her feet and start walking around. Thankfully she already had some experiences as a humanoid and she didn’t fall all over herself.

One guy came walking along, and he looked in a sour mood, but she kindly approached him.

“Excuse me, can you please tell me--”

“…Buzz off, kid!” the guy snapped and walked off.

Twilight thought that very rude of him.

Then she saw a couple of teenage girls who were laughing and talking, and she questioned them, “Excuse me, but could either of you tell me what place this is?”

The girls only laughed at her like she was some kind of idiot, and one of them even said “…Is she for real?”

An elderly man came by, and before Twilight could even get a word in, he told her bluntly to “Buzz off!”

“What’s with this place?” Twilight wondered “I’m only here a few minutes and I’m not sure I like it. Everyone seems so rude or grumpy.”

She thought maybe she’d walk around a bit, leave the park, and figure out where she was that way.

As she walked along, she sang an old song in her mind she sang once before, about being in a strange new world.

I've never seen a place
That's quite like this
Everything is turned around
This crazy world is upside-down

Getting on my feet
It's the hand that I was dealt
But I don't have much time with them
Got to learn all that I can

They don't use any magic or fly with any wings
I don't get these funny clothes, skinny legs or tiny nose
Everything's confusing when it seems so new
But I look a little closer and it starts to feel familiar too

What a strange new world (what a strange new world)
I'm trying to make heads or tails of this strange new world (what a strange new world)
Sorting through the small details of this strange new world

What a strange new world

As she went along, it sure felt strange being in a big place like this.

She also saw more and more people being rather discourteous and there was hardly as much friendship going around.

She came to a shopping mall with a big banner that read “JUMP CITY GALLERIA”

At least she knew now the name of the city she was in, but still no clues of how to get back to Equestria.

Still, she didn’t think it too much to not have a look around the mall, and look at so many strange new things, but no matter what strange and odd things she saw, people were being ruder, meaner, and making her dislike the place more and more.

Finally she was pushed over the edge when she saw two mean boys pushing a nerdy kid around and she decided to intervene.

“Hey, why are you pushing him like that?”

The boys took one look at her and how pretty she looked, especially when she flicked her hair angrily.

They instantly began to drool, and then one of them tried to court her.

“Hey, let me buy you a milkshake, hottie.”

Twilight felt repulsed, and before she could protest, the other bully approached his friend.

“Hey, hands off! She’s mine.”

“Uh, I know she’s “Mine!” retorted the other bully, and soon the two got into a bit of a disturbance brawl, which alerted mall security.

The guard asked the two boys to leave the mall, in a stern voice.

“Thank you for that.” said Twilight, but the guard only gave her a sour glare, “Don’t mention it… ever.” Then he walked off leaving Twilight feeling angrier than ever.

“Thank you,” the nerdy kid said “…For getting those guys off my back.”

Twilight blinked once, and then smiled at the kid. At least someone was being kind.

Suddenly, she noticed a whole bunch of people crowding near an electronics store that had many televisions in the windows showing the evening news.

Even though she was forced to stay in back of the line, she could see and hear.

The news reported the trouble at the museum too, and the curator was still being just as brash and as unfair as ever, and the first image shown was that of the Teen Titans.

The reporter announced, “The Teen Titans are being threatened with lawsuit after the museum curator had caught of their members allegedly attempt to steal a priceless weapon that was on display.”

“Teen Titans?” muttered Twilight, and then she saw the brooch clip on one of the member’s-- Raven’s-- outfits.

“…That’s the jewel!”

The news then switched to a live report at the museum where a lady was interviewing the curator.

“You’re certain it was Beast Boy of the Teen Titans that tried to steal the artifacts?” asked the reporter.

“Positive.” replied the curator “Caught the kid red-handed trying to steal the sword after the display case was broken.”

Even the reporter proved herself to be an unscrupulous lady, who jumped the gun and didn’t even bother to question about watching the security tapes herself.

Twilight wasn’t sure of what to make of this report, but still, seeing the images of the brooch made her realize who she had to find now if she was to get back to Equestria.

She asked the kid who was standing next to her, the one she had helped, “Where can I find these, “Teen Titans” was it?”

The kid looked at her as if she had asked a stupid question, but he politely answered, “They live in the big T across the water. You can’t miss it, but I don’t think I’d go talking to them right now if I were you.”

The kid then left, but Twilight remained undeterred, and she began to head for the exit.

As soon as she left, the people watching the report were starting to think badly of Beast Boy and slander him.

“Always knew that kid was no good.”

“He sides with the Teen Titans just to cover up his stupidity.”

“I bet all those Titans are hardened criminals deep down.”

This was starting to sound like quite the conspiracy, and yet it seemed to amuse and delight the townspeople, but there was at least one person who shocked and appalled by all this…!

Terra and her friends saw the news while hanging at the mall in the same crowd.

Jackie and Jillian were having a ball with themselves.

“Up high!” cheered Jackie and she and Jillian slapped high fives.

“Guess we showed that kid what happens when you mess with us.” said Jillian.

Terra felt extreme guilt for Beast Boy, and now the other Titans were going to be in trouble for it too.

She clenched her fists tightly and knew what she had to do.

She began to walk off.

“Where are you going?” asked Jackie.

She didn’t want to let her friends know, considering things. “I have something I need to do.”

Then she quickly headed off street before her friends could question her. They were most confused.

Terra ran out of the mall and to a corner siding where she found an empty telephone booth.

She caught her breath and popped inside, planning to phone the police and testify, as a witness, they view the security footage which would prove Beast Boy’s innocence.

Just as she was about to take the receiver off the hook, she stopped, and her arm trembled softly.

“What am I doing?” she thought to herself. “If I do this, I’ll be ratting out Jackie and Jillian. If the police find out who I am, the media might swarm all over me, and I’d have to admit I did it, and worse than that, the other Titans may see me on TV.

They might try to pressure me into coming back with them.”

The more she thought about it, the more it seemed as she was putting much at risk, and she really didn’t feel like going through all that again-- what she went through with Beast Boy.

“Beast Boy…!” she thought sadly.

She thought of all the trouble and shame he was in because of what her friends did.

That scene from the museum had been haunting her all day-- when her friends roughly pushed him into the display glass.

“Beast Boy’s in trouble again all because of me, and these are the reasons I tried to stay out of his life.”

Her guilty conscience began to flash more painful memories of her past-- betraying Beast Boy, fighting him and all that.

A tear of shame fell out of her eye, but this still didn’t solve her fix now. Either way-- whether she made the call or not-- she felt she’d only be causing more stress and more pain.

She stood up straight, and instead of making the call, she reached into her book bag and pulled out a pen and a pad of paper and began to write a small note.

Meanwhile, Twilight could see Titan’s Tower from where she stood, far, far away on that tiny island over the water.

“Great,” she grumbled “How am I going to get that far? I have to walk all the way, and then I have to get across the water.

Oh, if only I had my wings or my magic!”

She suddenly began to feel extremely tired, and let out a huge yawn.

In all of her wandering and exploring, she had forgotten about the time differences. It was almost dark here, which obviously meant that it was almost daylight in Equestria, and she had been awake all night studying the jewel and never once went to bed.

“Stay focussed!” she said to herself. “I’ve got to at least try to meet with those guys.”

She then noticed cabs and busses going by in the street and hope began to shine, only for her to remember from her experiences as human that she had no money to make it.

She groaned and hung her head low, and then her luck began to turn again, because right there by her feet on the ground lay a bus token, which she learned about in her adventures.

She was really starting to feel strange. “Luck seems to go in weird ways here.”

That’s when the bus came along, and she hopped inside.

It was dark by the time the bus got to where she asked to be let off, by a stop near a set of docks by the water.

Now she could see the tower… several miles out.

“Now how am I going to get across?” she wondered.

Then she yawned. She never felt so tired before, and she didn’t feel she could fight it much longer.

Still she felt she had come too close to quit now, and she didn’t really have anyplace else to stay in an unfamiliar town where she wasn’t known and had no money.

She was about to get a stroke of luck again, because there, attached to one of the docks was a simple rowboat with oars.

Much as Twilight wasn’t the kind to steal from other people, she was desperate.

“I’ll just borrow it and return it later.”

She untied the boat, hopped in and began to row, but every stroke felt like a real push to her due to her increasing weariness, and worse, the water didn’t feel very calm tonight and was ebbing and pushing against her hard, rocking the boat about.

“Whoa! I don’t think this was such a good idea now!” cried Twilight.

She fought the currents with all she had, but in the end, her weariness got to her and she passed out and her boat began to drift further away.

Once again, her luck pulled through and she ended up crashing right on the island itself, but she remained passed out.

Up in the lounge, a silent alarm went off, and just as the Titans were preparing to head to bed for the night.

“Barrier Breech Alert!” cried Robin. “Someone’s trespassing on the island!”

Cyborg was at the window and urged the others to huddle over.

“Look down there.”

The all could see the boat, and Cyborg used his telescopic eye to zoom in and see a girl passed out.

“Oh, how terrible!” cried Starfire “Whatever would she be doing boating in the hours of darkness?”

“That’s what I’d like to know.” said Robin. “Starfire, get down there and bring her inside.”

She agreed, and flew out the open window, returning with the unconscious girl.

“Is she alright?” asked Raven.

Cyborg scanned her with his wrist-com, “She’s fine. She’s just really sleeping. According to these readings, she’s been wide-awake for over twenty-four hours.”

Robin thought that odd. “We need to find out what she’s doing here. She could be an enemy spy.”

The others agreed, and then Starfire noticed, “What about Beast Boy? Should he not be here to see this?”

“Oh, right, I forgot about him.”

“Yes, isn’t it amazing,” Raven teased “…Being able to actually forget about him.”

Everyone else ignored her, but decided to leave Beast Boy be for a while, after what happened that day, and concentrated more on the girl.

Meanwhile, the museum was being locked up for the night.

Terra knew the curator hadn’t gone home yet as his car was still in the parking lot, and he always stayed late after closing to catch up on a little paperwork.

She kept hidden behind the large stone fence and the shrubbery in the yard and slunk round to the back of the building where no one would see her for what she needed to do.

She took in a deep breath and looked down at her hands. “It’s been a while,” she said to herself. “I was hoping I’d never have to do this again.”

She reached down to the ground and grabbed a solid clump of dirt. Then, she attached the note she had written to the rock with an elastic-band.

She then concentrated hard, and all at once, her eyes and her hand began to glow, and the rock slowly rose up. It was a little shaky as she hadn’t used her powers for a while, but she managed to guide the rock clear across to the curator’s car and placing directly in front of the windshield where he would be sure to see it when he left for home.

Terra hoped she had done the right thing, and then she left.

Beast Boy had been lying on the floor of his room ever since he had passed out.

Suddenly, something inside him pulsated like a single beat of a heart, and his eyes snapped wide open.

He slowly got to his feet breathing softly but fiercely.

He flexed his fingers, cracking his knuckles under his gloves. His eyes glowed a shade of yellow, and that voice called to him in the darkness.

“Go… Take what is rightfully ours.”

Beast Boy could barely even hear his own inner-voice.

“What’s happening?

I feel… weird.

Where am I going?”

He suddenly felt himself leaping out the window and flying, as a bird, towards the city.

That evil voice snickered from within, “It’s time that I took back what was once taken from me.”

At the museum, the curator was fuming angrily; to no one in particular, because it turned out the glass surrounding the display was not the specially reinforced item he had ordered due to a mix up in shipping. He was accidently shipped a wall of ordinary window glass intended to go into a building being constructed.

“I pay good money and get sent cheapo glass?!” he growled “And now the museums reputation is sullied.

I swear, that kid and those Titans-- I’m going to sue them for every penny they’re worth!”

He suddenly realized how late it was, and decided to head home and start working on a case in the morning.

He called to the night security and bid them goodnight before locking up his office, and began to dash out of the museum, running past the display from earlier…

…and not noticing that the sword was now gone; removed from the pedestal!

The curator dashed to his car outside in the dark and lonely parking lot, but he stopped a moment when he noticed a rock with a paper wrapped around it sitting on the windshield.

“What’s this?”

He read the not under his breath…

“Please watch your security footage. I know Beast Boy is innocent.”

While the curator stood where he was pondering who sent him the note and wondering if he should really do as it said…

…Someone stood behind him in the shadows.

The curator suddenly felt a chill run through him, and he was suddenly grabbed from behind.

“You?!” he cried, and he began to scream as he saw what was coming next. “No…!! …NO!!”

He screamed bloody murder as a load of blood gushed up and all over.

There his corpse lay, on the ground. His blood gushing across the pavement, splattered all over his car, while the figure stood holding what was defiantly a sword, and its blade was dripping with obvious blood from the slaughter.

The stranger snickered evilly, and stepped out of the shadows, revealing himself as Beast Boy, and holding the sword.

He stroked the flat part of the blade as if it were some kind of pet, “I have returned, and it feels wonderful to be back in the game.”

He looked down pitifully at the body of his victim.

“This is only the beginning. I will build, I will grow, I will conquer this world, and purge it of all love, and friendship there is as hatred will rise!

The world will heed my warning.

…The hate is on!”

He began to laugh loud and nastily, yet no one even remotely near or passing by seemed to take any notice as if they couldn’t even hear him.

Act 5: Frustrations

ACT FIVE

Completely unaware of the events that had just happened at the museum, the Titans lay their guest on the sofa, and Raven prepared a cold, damp wash cloth to softly dab the girl with.

Twilight began to awaken, but she still felt really woozy as she looked up and all around her at the strange people looking at her.

“Where am I? What happened?”

Robin answered her softly, “We found you passed out in your rowboat, and we brought you here for safety.”

Twilight then sat upright and remembered trying to row to the island.

“Is this, Titan’s Tower?” she asked “And you’re the “Teen Titans?”

The Titans all exchanged looks of confusion, or pride, but Robin answered “Yes. I’m Robin.”

“I’m Cyborg.”

“…Raven.”

Starfire, being her usual self, approached the girl spouting off, “Hello, I am Starfire.

Who are you?

What is your name?

Are you lost?

Are you alone?

Do you need a friend?

Would you be my friend?”

Twilight felt a bit freaked out by her coming onto her like this, it reminded her so much of Pinkie Pie.

Robin calmed Starfire down an addressed the girl. “We need to know who you are and what you were doing out there on the water at this time of night.”

Raven stepped close to keep psychic contact with Twilight in case she tried to fib her way out of things. So far, she couldn’t sense any ill-intentions.

Twilight sat properly on the sofa and hesitated a moment, “I don’t know if you’re really going to believe any of this, so I’ll try as best I can to explain.”

“We’re listening…” said Cyborg.

Twilight spoke calmly and carefully as she promised…

“My name is Twilight Sparkle. I’m not really a human creature, but a My Little Pony, and I come from a world called “Equestria.” I came here to this world by mistake, and that’s why I came here seeking all of you, because you can help me get back home.”

Just those few words left the Titans astounded, Twilight expected they would and suspected they wouldn’t believe her.

Cyborg scanned her with his wrist-com, and his polygraph readings showed she wasn’t lying, and Raven still couldn’t’ sense any other ill-intentions within.

Still, the Titans could not be fully sure.

“I can prove it.” said Twilight, and she stood before Raven and motioned at her brooch clip, “May I have that please?”

Raven blinked in confusion “What for? It’s just a simple clip I use.”

Twilight insisted, and Raven gave her it to her.

Twilight then told all the Titans to look deeply into the jewel.

The Titans huddled around, and surely enough they could see images of Equestria within the jewel, fully-proving Twilight’s story.

“Incredible!” said Robin.

“It is beyond incredible!” added Starfire.

Raven was beyond words, she never knew her brooch had power like this, especially when Twilight explained about the jewel in her world, the one that was responsible for her being here.

“Wait a minute…” Raven said “I remember during my studies and training in Azarath…”

Her mind flashed back to her childhood and studying ancient artifacts and magical items. One of which was that of a special jewel that was forged thousands of years ago.

“This jewel was enchanted with great power.” Raven explained “It could separate into two equal halves, and when given enough power in the light of a full moon, it could teleport its user to the world in where the other jewel lay.”

Cyborg gawked at Raven’s brooch, “So, it’s like a two-way tunnel that connects our world to Twilight’s world.”

Twilight agreed, but she was surprised to learn all this herself.

She then asked Raven,

“But how did you get half of jewel, and the other half found its way into Equestria?”

Raven had not a clue and could only guess, “I just found the brooch one day, and even in the light of the full moon it never glowed at all.”

Twilight figured it was because of the recent unearthing of the half jewel in her world, “Maybe both the jewels have to be exposed in moonlight, but the half that I have was buried so long…”

She stopped and then said “…The point is, this is my ticket home, and I can’t thank you all enough for this. So I’ll be going now.”

“But wait!” cried Starfire “You cannot simply just leave. There is so much we wish to know about you and your world.”

“Yeah, I mean, what’s it like there?” asked Cyborg “Are there more like you? What kind of powers do you have?”

Even Robin was curious about all this stuff and he couldn’t resist asking, “Maybe… we could go with you? Now that we know how to get there and how to get back, it shouldn’t be too much to ask.”

The more Twilight thought of this, the more she began to share their thoughts. After all, she had just discovered a whole new world, and all of Equestria would want to know about it.

The discoveries, the fascinations, the stories…

She would go down in history as a great pony adventurer.

“Yes!” she decided “I don’t think it would be too much for you to come and visit.”

Starfire leapt with excitement and glee. “I cannot wait to meet all the strange and wonderful creatures, and make new friends as well.”

“Hold it!” Raven said “Um… I hate to spoil everyone’s joy but, doesn’t that thing need moonlight to work?”

Everyone realized, and looked out at the moonless sky.

Cyborg checked his wrist-com, “Ah, man! The next full moon isn’t for several days.”

Everyone looked dismayed, especially Twilight. She was stuck here for now.

Her stomach then rumbled, “Sorry. Right now it would be breakfast time in my world.”

Cyborg offered to fix her up something, and Twilight soon had a little snack feeling better, but she was still very sleepy from being up so long.

The Titans were all feeling tired too.

“I think we should all just go to bed, and figure this out in the morning.” Robin suggested, and he looked at Twilight “You’re more than welcome to stay with us.”

Twilight smiled warmly. It felt so nice to being treated nicely after all the rudeness and bad attitudes she had faced earlier.

“Thank you.”

The Titans all smiled at her.

Then they all adjourned off to bed, escorting Twilight down the hall to the only available room they could give her-- Terra’s old room, which they had kept dusted and made available for guests due to Terra never returning.

“This is our guest room.” said Robin “I hope you’ll be comfortable here…” but when he turned back to face Twilight he saw that she had already fallen onto the bed and was snoring softly as she slept.

Raven used her powers to softly lift Twilight up, and tuck her properly into the bed.

“You know,” whispered Cyborg “I think I’m going to like this little lady.”

The others all agreed, and then they all headed off to bed themselves.

“Wait!” Starfire said, stopping everyone, “We have still forgotten of Beast Boy. Surely he will want to know of all this.”

Everyone looked in the direction of Beast Boy’s room down the hall, and though no one had seen him all day, they figured he was probably fast asleep and decided to introduce him to Twilight in the morning.

“Night all.” said Cyborg, and he and his teammates headed off to bed.

Meanwhile, it was getting around mid-morning in Equestria, and Starlight had canceled all classes at the school for good reason.

After searching and searching, Twilight was nowhere to be found and Starlight called all the other ponies-- writing letters to them summoning them all to the castle.

Discord was invited as well, and he came treading into the room wearing a towel and a bathing cap groaning, “Sheesh, it’s getting so a guy can’t even get himself wet around here.”

Fluttershy gave him a stern look. “Twilight’s missing. Shouldn’t you at least show some concern?”

He sighed and put on a mock-sad face, “Oh, how terrible. Twilight’s gone missing overnight. The world is coming to an end.”

The others all rolled their eyes at him and then turned to Starlight.

“I’ve written to Princess Celestia. She must know of our situation, but I think it would be best if we tell no-pony else.”

Rarity shuddered “I can’t begin to think of the panic that will ensue when the public finds out.”

Twilight’s relatives were very concerned. They just couldn’t go back to the Crystal Empire knowing she was missing, especially not her brother.

“It’s not like her to just run off like that.” said Shining Armor “You don’t think maybe she was kidnapped, do you?”

“No way!” snapped Rainbow “Twilight would be able to handle any kidnappers.”

“Don’t get ahead of yourself.” said Applejack “I’m not saying Twilight’s no good and all, but what if there was something else involved, something really powerful that we don’t know of?”

Pinkie looked up and down and all around, “I don’t see anything, and nothing suspicious has been around lately.”

Spike groaned in dismay. “Look, this isn’t getting us anywhere. We have to find out what happened to Twilight.”

Discord then donned a detective uniform and smoked a pipe while saying in an English accent, “I say, let us visit the scene of the crime.”

Everyone blinked at him awkwardly.

“There is no crime.” said Cadance.

Discord shrugged, “Whatever, let’s just look.”

Everyone adjourned to the study where Twilight was last seen the other night.

The place was still a mess from Twilight’s constant studying.

“Oh, my!” said Fluttershy “Twilight must’ve been studying extra hard these past few days.”

Still, there was no way of knowing what happened to Twilight.

“Hmm…” said Discord “The window is open. Perhaps Twilight decided she just needed some time to herself, and left in the night to go on a quest of self-discovery!”

None of the others seemed to buy it.

“Just a thought.” said Discord.

Rarity then noticed the jewel Twilight had been observing, on the floor under the table.

She levitated it up with her magic and, once again, ogled at how lovely her reflection looked in it.

“Rarity!” snapped Applejack.

“Oh, I’m sorry, but I can’t help myself. How can I when--” she stopped when she noticed images forming in the jewel “…What in the world?”

Starlight walked over. “What is it? What are you looking at?” then she could see the images of Jump City in the jewel itself. “Wow!”

All the ponies huddled around and Pinkie kept leaping up and over her friends trying to get a better view.

“Whoa, this is getting way freaky!” said Rainbow.

“It looks like a whole other dimension.” added Cadance.

“Well, well,” said Discord “Looks like that mystery is solved. This thingy is obviously some sort of inter-dimensional transport doohickey that transports creatures to and from the world viewed inside.”

Everyone gawked up at him.

“What? Can you word it any better?”

The others all sighed, but they were relieved that they at least had some answers.

“Now that we know what happened to Twilight,” said Spike “How do we get her back? How does this thing even work?”

Fluttershy asked Discord, “Can’t you do anything?”

“Whoa-ho-hoa! easy there. No can do.” replied Discord “Bending reality is one thing, but messing with interdimensional warps, especially ones I know nothing about, that could be dangerous, and I don’t just mean a simple oppsie. I mean that one false move and I could possibly collapse the entire space-time continuum, which would in term… wipe out all existence in all worlds as we know it.”

He took in a huge breath after saying all that. “Well, that took a lot out of me. I could go use some tea.” and right there, he poofed a steaming hot cup of tea out of thin air and sipped, “Ahh! Delightful.”

Pinkie took the jewel and shook it about, and then shouted at it, “HEY YOU!! SHOW US HOW YOU WORK ALREADY!! WE WANT OUR FRIEND BACK!!”

All she managed to do was make Flurry Heart cry, much to the annoyance of her parents.

“Come on, let’s put her down in the bedroom.” suggested Shining Armor.

Starlight quickly wrote another letter to Princess Celestia, and suggested that she come to the castle at once to help unlock this mystery.

She gave the letter to Spike and he sent it on its way.

“What do we do now?” he asked.

Starlight levitated the jewel away from Pinkie. “Right now, we may as well continue trying to figure out how this works. I know Twilight would try if it was one of us.”

All the friends agreed, and even Discord, but he sighed, “It’s going to be a long day.”

All day long the gang tried everything.

-Rubbing the jewel.
-Blowing on it.
-Clasping it tightly and thinking hard of wanting to be teleported.
-Making a simple wish.

Pinkie tried saying “Open Portal-Thingy.” But that didn’t work either. “It was worth a try.”

The day seemed to pass by before any of them new it, which meant that daybreak was just coming in Jump City.

Beast Boy awoke to find himself still lying on the floor of his room, and his head was pounding.

“Oh!” he groaned as he slowly got up. He remembered seeing a whole bunch of awful sights, like breaking into the museum, pulling the sword from its pedestal, murdering the curator, and an evil voice calling to him.

Since he woke up in his room, he merely dismissed it all. “What a nightmare!”

He felt his face, and even with his gloves on, he felt dry and shriveled. He needed to look in a mirror right away.

Sadly, after he left his room, he could see down the hall, the bathroom door was shut and he could hear the shower running and whistling coming from inside, meaning it was occupied.

Beast Boy knew one other place where he could find a mirror-- Terra’s old room.

He just waltzed right in, and immediately just looking around the barley lit room made his sadness catch up with him, thinking of her and how she was never coming back.

Maybe this was a bad idea coming in here, but he still needed to look at himself.

There on the coffee table sat the heart-shaped mirror box, still where it was since it was last touched-- when he tried to help Terra remember who she was, or rather convince her to stop trying to forget it all.

He sighed, and sat down on the sofa as he took the box and opened it.

One look at his reflection showed he was physically fine, but he still looked terrible-- a miserable pile of pathetic worthlessness.

He hadn’t forgotten how badly his former friends had acted towards him, and after the fight they had last night, he was determined to follow up on the decision he had written in his diary.

Suddenly, he looked at his reflection, and it seemed to instantly change into an evil expression as his eyes glowed in the mirror.

He could even hear the faint sounds of evil snickering like before in his dream… if it was a dream!

He quickly closed the box up and felt his aching head.

“What’s happening to me?” he wondered.

He was snapped out of his trance by the soft sounds of stirring coming from over by the bed.

From far in the shadows, he could see plainly someone was defiantly under the covers of Terra’s bed.

Rather than go closer to the bed and see who it was-- he knew better than to do such a thing-- he crept over to the curtains, and swiftly swung them wide open letting the morning sunlight in.

The girl in bed leapt up in fright, which made Beast Boy leap in fright.

Back and forth, they yelped and screamed in shock.

Finally, the other Titans came rushing down, even Robin, wearing his bathrobe.

“Beast Boy, what are you doing in here?”

“What am I doing here?” snapped Beast Boy “Who the heck is she and what is SHE doing here in Terra’s room?!”

Starfire assured him “There is no need for the panicking.” and she hovered over to the bed. “This is Twilight Sparkle, our new friend, and is staying for us for the while.

Twilight this is friend Beast Boy.”

Still recovering from her shock, “Pleasure…” Twilight groaned.

“Likewise.” agreed Beast Boy.

Robin still wanted to know what possessed Beast Boy to just barge into the room like that, despite that he didn’t know Twilight was there.

“I needed a mirror, and the bathroom was occupied. You do the math. Besides that, why did you guys agree to give some stranger Terra’s room?”

“Yo, man. Chill out.” said Cyborg, and he and the others explained Twilight’s story.

“Uh… ooooookaaaay.” he remarked “So you’re some magical horse from a magical horse-dimension and you can’t get back until the next full moon.”

“That’s about it… except I’m a pony, not a horse.” replied Twilight.

Beast Boy said nothing after that.

Cyborg then called to everyone, “Okay, y’all, why don’t we all just go have breakfast. I’m craving waffles.”

“Oh, joy… waffles.” Raven sarcastically remarked.

“Alright!” cheered Robin.

“How delightful.” added Starfire, but Beast Boy didn’t seem the least bit interested, which the others seemed to notice.

The Titans took no notice of his attitude, not wanting to cause trouble in front of their houseguest, and headed off for the lounge.

As soon as they were out of sight, Beast Boy sourly left the room, walking past Twilight on his way out.

Twilight began to feel there was some bad tension happening between the others and Beast Boy.

At the table, Robin checked the daily paper of the robbery and murder last night!

“The museum curator was allegedly murdered and a sword had been reported stolen.”

The others all gawked at him as he continued to read the headline.

“Security at the National History Museum were shocked this morning to discover one of their newest artifacts had been reported missing from its display, yet security knows no one entered and after watching security footage, report the weapon allegedly vanished into thin air without any means of being moved.

What was even more shocked was the museum curator was found brutally slaughtered in the parking lot of the museum, but there was no sign of the assassin who did the job.

Strangely, however, shortly after being discovered, the body of the curator seemed to vanish into thin air without a trace, though his blood remained stained all over the parking lot.”

The gang all felt sick to their stomachs, and Raven softly pushed her plate away. “Well, that’s breakfast over with.”

“That’s horrible!” said Twilight “Who would want to kill the manager of museum?”

The Titans didn’t know, but they felt horrible that such a thing happened.

“There’s more.” said Robin, and he read the next story.

“In relation to the murder, the police discovered an anonymous note the curator held telling him to watch the security footage in view of the changes against the Teen Titans.

When the police viewed the footage it turned out that Beast Boy was proven innocent for the alleged crime, and that he was pushed into the display case by two school girls from Murakami High School.

The Teen Titans are hereby cleared of all charges waged against them.”

Twilight was still confused, but the Titans all looked upset with themselves, and looked over at Beast Boy who was eating all by himself at the sofa, as far away from the gang as he could be.

Starfire got up from the table and hovered over to him hoping to warm up to him. “Beast Boy, have you heard? You are proven innocent.”

He paid her no mind and didn’t even look at her.

“We are ever so sorry for having misjudged you.”

He still did not respond, and instead put down his empty plate and headed for the window.

“Where are you going?” asked Cyborg.

Beast Boy turned and sneered at him, “…Out. Is that okay with you?!”

Cyborg’s features hardened, and Raven snuffed and held her book up over her face so as not to look at him.

Robin stood, and though he not pleased with Beast Boy’s behaviour, especially in front of their guest, after what he had just read in the paper, “Beast Boy, I think we should all sit down and talk about this.”

Beast Boy just scoffed. “Why don’t you just read my diary again, then you’ll get a clearer picture.”

Robin felt offended, but Beast Boy left before he could say another word.

Twilight felt she had seen enough and had to ask, “Is there something going on between you and him?”

Robin sighed, “We’re just, sort of, you know, having a few disagreements or two. Beast Boy’s going through hard times.”

“That’s no reason for him to take it out on us.” grumbled Raven.

Starfire then brought up, “We did read his diary, which was horrible enough.”

“Yeah, and he said all those bad things about us.” added Cyborg “And after all we’ve done for him all this time.”

Now Twilight really didn’t need to hear anymore. This was a definite friendship crisis at the highest degree if ever she saw it.

She slammed her hand on the table getting everyone’s attention. “…I’m going to help you all.” she declared.

The Titans all gawked at her and blinked in confusion.

“Uh, that’s okay,” Robin said “We’re thinking of getting a professional to help us with this problem.”

Twilight insisted, “Oh, but I am professional.” and she told them all about her status back in Equestria.

“You are a Princess?” squealed Starfire “I, too, am I princess.”

“Well, what do you know? We’re entertaining royalty.” chuckled Cyborg.

Twilight giggled and blushed, “I’m not that kind of political princess. I don’t make laws; I don’t collect taxes or that sort of thing, but am an authority of the Power of Friendship, and part of my duty is sort friendship problems…” she paused “…Which, I’ve noticed, there seem to be much of around this city.”

She reflected upon all the people she ran into the other day, and how they were all so rude and uncouth to her.

“In Equestria, Friendship rules. You can’t turn anywhere without seeing loads of it being spread all over, but here… I’ve hardly seen any of it at all.”

Robin didn’t want to sound offensive, but he informed her, “This is a different world than what we’re used to. Not everyone seems to believe in friendship in this world.”

Cyborg nodded, “If anything a lot more people here believe that power and wealth is the way to go. Believe me; I’ve seen my share of some snobs.”

“And we were all being threatened with lawsuit,” said Raven “…For something Beast Boy didn’t do, and nobody bothered to investigate properly.”

Twilight felt sick to her stomach, but she was now more than convinced that this world was in need of an improvement in friendship, and she was planning to start with the Titans and Beast Boy.

“It’s no big deal, Twilight,” said Robin “You don’t have to do this, and we couldn’t ask you to get involved.”

“You don’t have to ask me. I want to do this, and besides… I can’t go home for a while yet, and I might as well make the most of things while I’m here.

It’s also the least I can do for you guys taking me in like this, and that’s what friends do: help one another.”

The Titans all pondered about it, and felt they had nothing to lose by trying.

Twilight smiled… until she spotted the picture on the newspaper of the sword that was stolen from the museum, and she recognized the fire emblem on the sword, which matched the emblem on her book back home.

“Is it possible?” she wondered.

“You okay?” asked Cyborg.

Twilight shrugged the thought off, figuring it was just an artwork coincidence.

“It’s nothing… I hope.”

Meanwhile, it was well after sundown in Equestria, and Twilight’s were simply frustrated after all their failed attempts to unlock the jewel’s power.

“This isn’t getting us anywhere.” groaned Applejack.

“I know, frustrating isn’t it?” said Discord.

Rainbow fluttered up at him sneering, “What are you talking about? I didn’t see you do much to help out!”

“Not true! I’ve been thinking of ways, but they all just don’t work out.”

Fluttershy stepped in. “Stop this, both of you!” then she looked up at Discord “I’m sorry, but Rainbow is right. You could make a suggestion or something.”

Discord scoffed, “Well, I know when I’m not wanted. Call me when you all actually have a proper idea.”

Then he vanished.

“Oh, Discord, wait!” called Fluttershy.

“Ah, let him go.” said Rainbow “We don’t need him to figure this out.”

“…I wouldn’t say that exactly.” said a familiar voice, and in a bright flash of light, Princess Celestia appeared with Princess Luna as well.

Everyone was delighted to see them both, especially Cadance and Shining Armor.

“Thank goodness you’re both here.” said Starlight. She explained the situation about the jewel, “We can’t seem to get it to work. We were hoping you could help us.”

Celestia looked a bit regretful, “I’m afraid there isn’t much more than we can do ourselves. We hardly know anything about this strange object either. That’s why we sent it here in the first place.”

The gang all looked downhearted. The situation was starting to look more hopeless than ever.

“But we can help you,” said Luna “If Princess Twilight Sparkle is to be returned to us from the other dimension, we must do all that we can.”

Her sister agreed. “Now, can you tell us everything again, from the beginning?”

Starlight explained, how Twilight was in the study with the jewel, “…We heard her screaming, and then we came over we saw she was gone, and the jewel was on the floor, but we didn’t notice that until this morning.”

The sisters pondered deeply and then asked to see the study themselves.

They were nearly shocked by the state of mess the place was in, “That’s Twilight,” said Celestia “I always did admire her hard concentration.”

Rarity showed the sisters where she found the jewel under the table.

“The jewel was always kept right here on table itself.” said Starlight.

The sisters observed the jewel, placing it directly on the table. Cadance put Flurry Heart in her buggy on the table too to observe the jewel with her aunts, and they all admired the images of Jump City within the jewel, but the sisters still had not a clue of what empowered it.

“And you say that ordinary magic didn’t do it?” asked Celestia.

The others all confirmed.

“We’ve tried everything.” said Spike “And worse, even if we do get it working, how can we be sure we can get Twilight back?”

Starlight’s eyes widened, “We didn’t think of that.”

Everyone began to contemplate the seriousness involved, and Luna then noticed through the open window, outside it was getting pretty dark.

“Excuse me a moment. I must raise the moon.”

So she flew out the window and up into the sky. Using her powers, she raised a full moon into its starting point.

At the same time, the light shone straight through the open window, and right onto the jewel, which made it begin to pulsate again.

“Look!” cried Pinkie.

Everyone gawked in awe at the jewel, and Flurry began to playful reach for it from her buggy.

“Flurry…!” Cadance rushed over and grabbed her daughter off the table, knocking the jewel to the floor and out of the moonlight, causing it to cease glowing.

Everyone gawked at the jewel on the floor.

“You all saw that, didn’t you?” asked Starlight.

Everyone nodded.

Spike approached the jewel intending to grab it, but Celestia levitated him up. “No, Spike. You mustn’t touch it.”

Spike gasped softly.

Celestia then wondered, and levitated the jewel back onto the table where it was, in the moonlight, and the jewel began to glow again.

“How astounding!” cried Rarity.

Princess Luna returned just in time to see the commotion and remarked, “My heavens…!”

“It’s the moonlight.” chirped Pinkie.

Everyone began to happen upon the same thought of how Twilight must’ve discovered the jewel’s power and how she was transported to the other world.

“Now that we know all this,” said Rainbow “Let’s go get Twilight back.”

“I’m all for that.” agreed Applejack.

All the others agreed, except for Starlight who seemed skeptical.

“No.” Celestia said bluntly “I cannot allow that, not just yet, or have you all forgotten about what we have theorized?”

“She’s right.” agreed Starlight “We now know that we CAN teleport to this other world, but we still don’t know if it’s possible to make a return trip.

And even still, we don’t know what that world is like. How do we know what we’ll find? How do we know if we can survive?”

Much as the others all understand that, Spike was still protested. “Well, what about Twilight? Imagine what she could be going through? She’s lost in that world, and she could be in trouble too.”

This greatly disturbed Shining Armor, and while he knew his sister was brave and strong, he still wished he could at least know if she was okay.

His wife touched his limb giving the expression that she felt the same way.

“I understand how you all must feel.” said Celestia “I myself feel no different, but you must understand that I am not willing to take such a risk until we know more.

That is why I am taking this jewel back to Canterlot, so that we may observe it more and try to find more answers, as well as to keep it safe.

Meanwhile, I ask that you all keep this to yourselves. We must not alert the public of Twilight’s mishap.”

Rarity bowed and declared, “Indeed your majesty. Why if the public hears of this, there would be panic and worry and… and… and…!!”

Applejack caught her, “Rarity breathe!”

Rarity calmed down.

The sisters then bid their farewells and vanished in bright glows of light.

With all said and done, and not much else to do, Applejack stretched out and yawned. “Well, might as well head home and hit the hay.”

“I think so too.” agreed Rainbow.

Spike was mortified. “How can you all think about going to bed at a time like this?”

“Uh… because we’re tired, and we’ve had a long day.” said Pinkie.

Fluttershy comforted Spike, “Spike, it’s not that we aren’t worried. We’re very worried.”

Rarity nodded, “But you heard the princess. There is simply nothing more we can do at the moment, darling. Perhaps a good night’s rest will help us to think more clearly.

After all, I needn’t remind you all we must work hard to keep this secret safe from prying eyes.”

Soon, the friends all left after bidding their goodnights, and Spike felt worse than ever, like he would never get to sleep that night.

“Come on, Spike.” said Starlight “It’ll be okay.”

“How do you know?”

Starlight really didn’t know, but she was only trying to think positive like Twilight would.

Author's Note

It's always been astounding that contradiction...

-Take the risk
-Don't take the risk

-The only way to figure it out is to try it.
-The risk is simply too great to try.

-We need to help them
-We can't help them if the same thing happens to us too.

-We have a friend in trouble, and we're prepared to take the risk
-Oh, look at you, leaping into action without thinking ahead first.

Still, I know it doesn't matter how its done (Haters just gonna be petty either way. Take the risk or not.)

As for the contradiction itself... I guess it is what it is.

Act Six: Taking Notes

ACT SIX

Beast Boy flew over the city, overlooking all the miserable sights.

The Pizza Place was still being renovated for conversion, and there was no sign of a new place in town. No new candy shop. No arcade.

Just more construction of office complexes, business headquarters and other things that were of little use to him.

At least the city park was still there, but not for very long as he noticed a large sign which issued its closing soon to be bulldozed down and made way for yet another office complex.

“Urgh…!” Beast Boy groaned as he sat miserably on a park bench. “Can’t these people back off with all these changes? The city doesn’t need them!”

A lot of people looked his way as he shouted, many hardly took notice of him, and others chuckled thinking he was “Stupid” for scoffing at the “progress” the city was making.

Beast Boy felt really upset that no one seemed to care…

…And there was worse to come!

“Hey, you!” snapped a familiar voice.

Beast Boy looked up and saw Jackie and Jillian headed for him-- wearing sanitation uniforms and carrying roller-bins and pointy-sticks for garbage picking?

Much as he would have chuckled at their getups, he was too miserable to do so, especially since the girls looked furious at seeing him.

“What do you two want?”

“A little thing called payback!” sneered Jackie “Thanks to you, the news discovered about what happened at the museum, and so we got landed with one-hundred hours of community service to pay the museum back for the broken glass.”

“We also got two month’s detention at school!” sneered Jillian “Apparently, we sullied the reputation of Murakami High, and it’s all because of you, Barf-Boy!”

Beast boy cringed angrily for her slandering his name like that, but then he instantly scoffed, “You pushed me into the glass. You tried to let me take the blame, and you nearly got the Titans in a lot of trouble.

If you ask me, you two brats are getting what you deserve.”

The girls looked they were going to explode.

“Oh, it is so on!” snapped Jackie.

“We’re going to enjoy this!” agreed Jillian.

The two girls picked up their sticks, ready to fight, and this time Beast Boy stood ready to defend himself.

Suddenly, a big whistle blew from the girls’ officer. “You two, back to work, now, unless you want another hundred hours. This park is supposed to be cleaned up to get ready for leveling!”

The girls knew they were licked, but they gave Beast Boy a threatening stare telling that they’d deal with him another time.

Then they kicked up their bins and went off to work.

Then the officer angrily snapped at Beast Boy, “Don’t you harass my officers again! You got that?”

Beast Boy sneered deeply at the man, “Don’t mess with me, dude! I’m getting sick and fed up with being misjudged around here!”

Before the officer could warn him for being threatened, Beast Boy turned around and left.

As he walked through the park his head began to hurt softly like it did the other day, and the aching started to worsen as he groaned and moaned.

“What’s happening?!” he wailed.

An evil snicker was heard in his mind and that same voice calling to him, “Give in to the hate! Let your rage give you power! You know you can’t ignore it.”

Beast Boy struggled and groaned, and strangely nobody around him or nearby seemed to notice him or question him if he was alright-- like they couldn’t even see him!

Nevertheless, Beast Boy stumbled around in his anguish and pain, until suddenly, he stumbled round a bend and, WHAMM… bumped right into somebody and they both fell to the ground.

The impact helped him regain control a little, but as he looked up at whom he bumped into-- Terra, of all people.

She gazed at him, “Beast Boy?”

The voice in his head was perplexed, “What?! She can see me?! How is this possible?”

The voice didn’t seem to concern him now.

Beast Boy just gazed at her back, but then his features hardened, and much as he wanted to stomp off in a huff, he offered her his hand and helped her to her feet.

“Sorry.” he said deeply and cold.

Terra felt uneasy by his tone, but replied, “Me too.”

He then turned and prepared to walk away, but Terra began to feel cold inside, seeing the way he had just behaved.

“Beast Boy, wait!” she called as she jogged up to catch him, but he didn’t stop or even acknowledge her.

Terra expected he’d act like this, but kept right on up with him.

“Beast Boy, I need to talk with you.”

Now he stopped, and turned to give her an angry stare, “Shouldn’t you be in school?”

Maintaining her patience, Terra simply answered, “… It’s Saturday.”

Beast Boy rubbed his head having forgotten that, but regardless of that, “I don’t really think there’s anything to talk about.”

Terra clenched her fists, and a few pebbles by her feet rumbled softly. She rolled her eyes to the side feeling awkward at what she was about to say…

“Look, I just want to say sorry for what Jackie and Jillian did for you, and at least you’re off the hook now.”

She didn’t tell him that she was the one who wrote the letter to the museum proving his innocence from the incident.

Beast Boy didn’t seem the least bit touched, and said coldly, “Fine, you apologized. Now go away.”

Now she was starting to feel upset with him.

“What is with you?” she asked “Why can’t you just let go of things and move on?”

He felt his anger rising, and his head starting to ache again.

Terra gasped in concern, “What’s wrong? Are you alight?”

He managed to shake off the pain and insisted, “Don’t worry about me. Just leave me alone!”

She wasn’t letting him get off that easy. “You didn’t answer my question. I don’t get what’s happening to you. You we’re so happy and fun-loving.”

He didn’t want to tell her, not even about his disowning the Titans as friends. He knew it would only cause her more grief and pain. He didn’t really want that for her, but it didn’t seem there was anything else he could say without causing it either.

So he cut his losses. He knew the perfect thing to say to her. “Things Change, Terra! The guy you want me to be is just a memory.”

No surprises, she felt struck by that.

“Look, I’m sorry.” she said “I’m sorry that I hurt you.”

“Then why did you do it?”

Terra was quivering softly trying to hide her pain and guilt, and Beast Boy didn’t know if he was enjoying seeing her squirm or hated that she was grieving.

“You know why I did it. I just wanted to put all behind me. I couldn’t stand all the things I did, and I just wanted to live normal and be safe and happy.”

Beast Boy nodded softly, “I understand that.”

She blinked in astonishment.

Then Beast Boy’s features hardened “…But that’s no excuse for what you did. You faked having amnesia. You told me, or rather implied, that you wanted nothing to do with me, after all the good times we had, and you insisted I let go of the past and you!

How do you expect me to react? You expect me to just get over it like that, smile, and pretend nothing’s wrong?”

He paused and gave her a deep, piercing stare. “Why are you even talking to me? You wanted me out of your life, and you didn’t care how I felt about it, just as long as I stayed away, and now here you are saying you’re still dedicated to how things are, and telling me to get over things.

Not to mention you still let your two friends get away with framing me for what happened at the museum. You just stood there, let them physically assault me, and did nothing!”

“I couldn’t!” protested Terra “If they know about my past they’ll shun me, I could get in trouble, and I’ll lose my normal life!”

She gasped at what she was saying and held her hand to her mouth, but it was too late to retract. Beast Boy’s point had been well proven; she was only thinking more of herself than him.

All he did was nod at her pitifully, “Goodbye, Terra, and good luck!”

Then he turned and began to walk away, rather than fly off.

“Beast Boy!” she called to him “Wait, I didn’t mean… please, come back!”

An elderly lady came strolling down the path and asked, “Who are you shouting at?”

Terra pointed down the path at where Beast Boy was, but the lady looked and said, “My eyesight may not be what it used to but there’s nobody there.”

Terra was confused “But… he…” she could see him clearly, until he had gone out of sight, out of the park.

Still, this didn’t help her guilt and shame one bit.

As for Beast Boy, he felt his head aching again as he thought, “Why did I just tell her off like that? I mean, sure, it’s the truth, but it didn’t have to be said!”

Then that evil voice softly hissed in his mind, “You cannot resist. The Hate rules over you.”

Now Beast Boy was really getting freaked out, thinking he had really gone crazy if he was hearing a voice in his head, he felt he needed help, but he didn’t know who to turn to. Certainly not the Titans, feeling they would only add more to his stress.

Speaking of the Titans, while they all went about their daily routines, Twilight observed them, taking notes.

She wished Beast Boy was around to observe him too, but the Titans figured they’d let him be until he cooled off more… which Twilight took note of-- showing sensible, yet rather cold attitudes.

She watched them train together in the dojo.

Robin attacked the dummies that popped up all around him.

Starfire shot flying targets with her star-bolts.

Cyborg ran an obstacle course, dodging many hazards and breaking his old record at the finish line.

“Booyah! Who’s D’man!”

As for Raven, she just meditated calmly, while strengthening her powers to lift large boulders like weight lifting.

“Okay,” said Twilight “So far, nothing out of the ordinary.”

Then it came to observing each Titan individually, and told each Titan.

She observed Starfire grooming Silkie in her room, and saw vast amounts of love and care.

“Do you and the others often hangout together?” Twilight asked.

“Oh, yes, we do.” replied Starfire “We often share in the enjoyment of games, go out for food or entertainment together.

…At least we used to.”

Twilight looked up from her notes, “Used to?”

Starfire nodded and explained the last time they went out for pizza a week ago was the first things they had done in months. “You see, being a superhero demands the responsibility, and even upon our arrival home after defeating our enemies, we have barely done too much together.”

“Hmm…” said Twilight as she noted this.

Then it was off to the garage where she found Cyborg tinkering with the T-Car, and he asked Twilight to pass him tools as he called to her, which seemed hard for her considering she didn’t know much about cars.

“…Torque-wrench” called Cyborg.

Twilight handed him a regular wrench.

“No, no. The one next to it…”

Twilight giggled nervously and handed him the right tool.

As Cyborg worked he asked, “How do you kids in your Equestria get on without cars, or TV, or internet, or all that stuff?”

“We just do, I guess.” replied Twilight “In Equestria we all prefer to just hang out with each other. You know, go on picnics, play in the park, or just spend quality time together, so we don’t really need all those things.”

This made Cyborg feel a bit down, “BB and I used to play games and hang and chill all the time.”

Twilight then asked, “Does he ever help you with your projects?”

“Heck no, I wouldn’t ask him to help. He’s no good with all this kind of stuff. He barely even knows a nut from a bolt.”

He then referred to the times Beast Boy did try to help him, not knowing what he was doing, and he ended up making a little mess of things, unintentionally of course, but usually resulting in Cyborg kicking him out to work alone.

Twilight didn’t like the sound of, even though it was understandable.

“BB’s not exactly the brightest tool in the shed, not good at too much.” Cyborg continued “But when we need him, he’s there.”

It was a good thing he was working under the car, or he wouldn’t have seen Twilight shaking her head shamefully as she took notes. “Being there for a friend when they need you is pretty much the basis of friendship.” she thought “But he makes it sound more like a convenience than a friendship.”

Next: she was with Robin at the main computer in the lounge, and noticed he was behaving rather seriously as he worked.

“So what are you doing here?” she asked.

“I’m trying to hack into the history museum security footage. Maybe I can get some clear images of what happened on the night the curator was murdered.”

The more he worked, the more serious he seemed, almost a bit like how Twilight would overdo it while researching.

“Got it!” cried Robin and the screen came on showing images of the museum like he wanted.

He zoomed in on the sword that was stolen, and there it was still in its pedestal.

Twilight could see the sword, and the fire emblem, which made her feel uneasy again, and the way the sword was designed, it looked ghastly-- evil perhaps.

Then, the sword just vanished out of sight-- popped off, just like that.

“Did you see that?” asked Robin.

“Yes. It just… vanished.”

Robin rewound the footage and played it back very slowly. “First you see it, and now you… don’t.”

“Maybe the footage malfunctioned?” suggested Twilight.

“Not likely. It’s playing properly to the millisecond.” He began to type into the computer, “Someone or something had to have taken that sword, and I’m going to find out.”

He ran every infrared, heat scan or special function the computer could get.

“I can’t believe this!” he growled in frustration “Absolutely nothing! I can’t detect whoever or whatever it was, and nothing shows up on the magical scans either.”

He pounded the console, making Twilight jump.

She had seen enough with Robin, for now, and would get back to him later.

Then came Raven, and she proved to be rather difficult to communicate with.

Twilight knocked on her bedroom door. “Raven, I’d like to observe you now for my notes.”

Raven opened the door, looking a bit scowling. “I was meditating you know!” she hissed grumpily.

Twilight felt a little timid, but cleared her throat, “Still, I’m trying to get a clear picture of all of you. Could you at least answer my questions?”

“Whatever.” said Raven.

Twilight was about to waltz in, but Raven held up her hand. “No one comes into my room.”

“Um… okay…”

She managed to convince Raven to come up onto the roof where it was quieter, and Twilight asked her questions.

“What’s your idea of fun activities?”

“Reading, meditating, studying-- Have I left anything out?”

Twilight thought it interesting. She and Raven had a few things in common, at least reading and studying.

“Do you have a favorite hangout place?”

“…My room”

Twilight blinked once, and she tried a trick question. “Would it kill you to smile?”

Raven actually tried, and barely managed a half, goofy smile. “…Maybe.”

Her lips curls down again, “Look, I’m sorry if I don’t seem all active and wild. It’s just not who I am.”

She explained to Twilight about her powers, and how she had to watch her emotions, and also about Trigon, and how the world almost ended.

Twilight nearly dropped her notepad in shock. This almost made her adventures in Equestria and all the evil she faced look like kid’s stuff.

While she didn’t understand what it was like to actually be Raven, she put her hand on hers, “I was once like you. I preferred to be alone, burry my face in a book, not exactly liking the company of many others.

But the day I met my friends, they showed me a whole new world of possibilities, and one of the very first lessons of friendship I learned: you have to try to open up to others.”

Raven sighed, “I know that, I learned the same thing from Beast Boy long ago.”

She recalled the times Beast Boy was annoying to her, with all his bad jokes, pranks, ignorance, not to mention calling her “Creepy” whether it was true or not.

“But, I guess… he was trying to help me open up a little.”

She then remembered that one very special moment they had, when he really got her to open up to him more.

“You think you’re alone, Raven… but you’re not.”

…And she hugged him. The warmest moment they ever had.

Raven couldn’t believe she had forgotten that moment until now.

Twilight felt she was really starting to get somewhere, and smiled with hope in her eyes…

…Only for Raven to start sneered, “That’s still no excuse for the way he’s been behaving lately. He’s acting like nothing but a spoiled brat all because one girl dumped him.”

Twilight compared all her notes, and this friendship case was starting to look more and more perplexing. It was as if both sides, Beast Boy’s and the other Titans, had their own sets of flaws, pros and cons that were each contradicting one-another and making the friendship seem more and more complicated.

…If only Raven had told her absolutely every single detail.

“Well, thanks for opening up… with me at least.”

Raven actually smiled better than she had before, but Twilight couldn’t pass any real judgement or make any decisions until she spoke to Beast Boy as well and got his side of things.

Cyborg then called to everyone, “Hey y’all, lunch is on!”

He had cooked up a real feast of burgers and fries for everyone, but Beast Boy had still not returned from his outing.

“I tried calling him on the com, but he doesn’t answer.” said Cyborg. “I even made a special tofu burger for him. It’s just sitting on the counter.”

Starfire hung her head low suggesting, “Perhaps he is still upset with us and does not wish to join us.”

This made Twilight feel concerned and worried. She was really hoping he’d come back to the tower so she could talk with him and complete her notes.

“Don’t you think it’s about time for you all to break the ice?” she suggested. “Someone has to make the first move if you’re ever going to help heal the problems.”

“You saw how he acted this morning.” said Cyborg “I don’t think he wants to make up with us, come to think of it, we’re still not too sure we want to make up with him until we can sort him out.”

Starfire and Raven nodded in agreement, which Twilight didn’t think was so enlightening.

“You know, if this keeps up-- if none of you are willing to talk to one another, things could only get much worse. You don’t want that, do you?”

“Of course we do not.” said Starfire “We only wish for the best, but Beast Boy does not seem to share our understanding, our way of thinking.”

“She’s got that right.” said Raven.

Robin didn’t seem to be paying much attention. He was reviewing all the recorded data on his communicator.

He was viewing images of outside the museum when the curator was murdered.

The security cameras at the door of the museum showed the curator standing by his car, and reading the small note from the story.

…Robin had no way of knowing how it really got there, as no footage was revealed.

Suddenly, without warning, the curator was slaughtered, and his blood gushed forth, but there was no sign of anyone who did it.

Stranger than that, just like the before with the sword, the later footage showed the body had vanished out of sight leaving only a pool of blood behind.

“Can you please not watch that while we’re eating?” grumbled Raven.

“I must agree with Raven.” added Starfire.

Robin apologized and flicked his com off, but looked more frustrated than hungry.

“Please eat, Robin.” said Starfire “You will feel much better.”

Robin agreed and finally began to eat, and he did feel better, and Starfire smiled at him.

Twilight enjoyed seeing this.

Suddenly, Beast Boy, as a bird, flew straight into the lounge through the open window. Everyone turned to face him, and he still looked just as cross, just as ready for a fight as he did before.

He marched his way over to the kitchen, opened the refrigerator, and just began nibbling on, or rather scarfing at something nobody could tell with his back turned.

The others all looked back and forth at one another, and finally Cyborg stood and called softly to him. “Um… Beast Boy…”

He turned to face them, with a few bits of whatever he was eating smeared on his face, but he glared at him sternly, striking a bit of fear, and cold facial reactions from the others.

Cyborg motioned to the meal on the counter. “…I made you some lunch.”

Beast Boy calmly replied, “No thanks, I’m fine.”

He took another scarf of his food and threw the wrapping away before making off for his room leaving everyone with a mix of sour and confused emotions.

“He’s still just being a jerk.” said Raven.

Starfire then asked Twilight, “Do you still wish to speak with him.”

“I have to.” said Twilight “I’ve dealt with tough cases before. There’s not a pony I can’t help break out of there shell.”

“Uh… we’re not ponies.” Robin pointed out.

“Oh, right. Force of habit.” said Twilight. Nevertheless, she got up and went off to talk with Beast Boy.

As for Cyborg, he got up to wash his used dish in the sink, when he noticed the package sitting by the garbage that Beast Boy had thrown.

He picked it up and gawked at it strangely. “…Beef sausages with pork?”

The others all stood and found that very odd.

“Beast Boy was eating those?” asked Robin.

“But he is a vegetarian.” said Starfire.

Even Raven couldn’t simply brush it off this time. “Something’s really wrong with him, and I don’t think even Twilight can fix this.”

As for Twilight, she followed Beast Boy down the hall, but he refused to talk with her, open up, answer questions or anything.

“I’m just trying to help you.” Twilight protested “I want to help you and your friends with whatever problems you have.

Don’t you want to make with them?”

“Why no, I don’t actually, and both they and you can just get over it!”

Twilight was losing her patience.

“Beast Boy, I’m not going to stop until you tell me what’s bothering you. You can’t keep up on this path of resentment and hatred. If you rediscover friendship you’ll discover--” she stopped when Beast Boy had covered her mouth with his glove.

“Stop… please…” he said very deeply and dark. “I don’t believe in friendship, and I don’t want anything to do with it...

…Period.”

He let her go and broke into a song to further cement his point.

(Slightly altered)

You listen to what I’m tellin’,
I ain’t buyin’ what you’re sellin’
I don’t want or need the help you give.

Don’t wanna smile or laugh any day,
Don’t need a friend who’ll look my way
Nobody tells me how I’m supposed to live

You just put your plans to bed,
Get it through your head.
Friendship is a thing that ain’t for me.

Twilight then jumped in and sang her own version…

“Beats Boy, please…

I don’t know why you would think
That friendship is a great big stink
But I know it can’t be all that bad.

You’ve got friends will love and care
And great big heart somewhere in there
Compassion is so cool and totally rad.

You need to drop this tough guy act
And realize this fact
Friendship is the best thing there can be.

I’ll describe it once again…

[Beast Boy]

To me it’s all just pain.

[Twilight]

You gotta give friendship another chance.

[Beast Boy]

I’d rather keep a far distance

[Twilight]

Being alone is non-to-bright

[Beast Boy]

Oh, please, for me, it feels just right.

[Twilight]

I know that friendship is pure and true

[Beast Boy]

You don’t know the things that I do.

[Twilight]

Give it a try…

[Beast Boy]

…Not a chance, ya hear?

[Twilight]

Won’t you tell me why?

[Beast Boy]

…I’ve made it clear!

Friendship is a thing that ain’t for me.

[Twilight]

Friendship is the best thing there can be.

[Both]

Friendship is a thing that ain’t for me.
Friendship is the best thing there can be.

The song ended, and Beast Boy snuffed, and then disappeared into his room, slowly sliding the door shut behind him, leaving Twilight worried, shocked, and perplexed, and she walked softly down the corridor.

She now realized Beast Boy was a much tougher case than she thought, but she was still undeterred and determined to help him and the Titans yet.

No sooner had she gone out of sight, and then from inside his room, Beast Boy was starting to feel very hot and sweaty as he lay down on his bed.

“I did it again!” he said to himself “I felt like I lost control back there.”

Then suddenly it all began to make sense.

“It was you…” he said referring to the voice he had heard before “You’re making me do all this stuff!”

His accusation was confirmed as the voice began to laugh sinisterly.

Beast Boy began to remember other things.

-Creeping into the museum the other night, unnoticed by any and all security, and taking the sword out of its pedestal with ease.

-Then it was out into the parking lot where he confronted the curator and, then there was the scream, the blood, and the evil laugh!!

“No!” he cried “No, I can’t… I… I--”

All this made his head begin to throb, and he couldn’t even scream or call out for someone to help, and he passed out again flat on the bed.

Act 7: Talking Differences

ACT SEVEN

Spike imagined himself unable to wait anymore, too worried about Twilight to just sit around doing nothing while she could be in danger.

He could even swear that he could hear Twilight calling out to him.

“Someone, help me!! I need help!!”

“Twilight!” cried Spike as he bolted upright out of his basket, and could see the jewel glowing and showing images of Twilight in real danger as all kinds of shadows and monsters had her in their grasp and were dragging her down into the darkness with them.

“Help, Spike!”

“I’m coming!!” Spike shouted as he dashed for the jewel, passing right into a strong vortex and landing in a frightful area with fires, thunder and lightning, but he dashed on to the sound of Twilight’s hollers.

“Twilight, hang on!!”

He kept on flying as fast as his little wings could carry him, and he suddenly spotted her, being dragged down by all those monsters and shadows.

“Let her go!” he shouted, but this only angered the creatures and Spike snapped into reality realizing the danger he was now in himself.

“Spike, run!!” cried Twilight.

Spike flew up into the air where the creatures couldn’t get him, but he as he looked down he saw Twilight sinking deeper and deeper.

“Twilight!!” he tried to dash for her, and Twilight reached out to him as she sank completely into the darkness and was gone.

“TWILIGHT…!!!!”

Then he felt something grab him!

One of the monsters had leapt up miraculously high and brought him down to all the other creatures.

All those scary monsters snarling and growling at him as they dragged him in, and Spike begged and pleaded to be let go.

…Then he woke up, sitting up in his basket and rubbing his eyes groaning, “Well that was a ridiculous dream.” he said to himself.

He knew the jewel didn’t show images of monsters, but just a quaint city, hardly dangerous at all, but then again he was very worried about Twilight. Missing her for three days was starting to take its toll on him.

It was morning anyway and he figured he’d get up.

Since it was Sunday, there were no classes at the School of Friendship, but Starlight, Spike and all their friends were still hard at work making up schedules for the week in Twilight’s absence, and the other ponies all guided their groups in extra, fun weekend curricular activities.

Applejack was outside with her workshop crew. Rainbow Dash was having a sports day with her class. Pinkie Pie was baking with hers. Rarity’s class was sewing.

“Where’s Professor Twilight?” the students would constantly ask, and to which the teachers all replied with the same story.

“She’s out of town, and won’t be back for a while. Friendship stuff, you know?” said Rainbow.

“How come she never announced this?” asked other students.

“Well, um, it just came up so suddenly, so she didn’t have time to say it. We don’t know when she’ll be back.” said Pinkie

The students had their feelings that something was wrong, but thankfully their groups and projects kept them all well busy.

“Whew!” Pinkie sighed in her mind “I don’t know how much longer we can keep this up. I just hope we can get Twilight back soon.”

Fluttershy and her group had prepared a beautiful picnic-lunch in the field for all the groups, as a way of demonstrating kindness.

Blankets were set up everywhere, rather lavish ones that Rarity and her class had sewn, but Rarity was almost hesitant for anyone to sit on them, or even place them on the ground.

“Come on, Rarity. It’s what they were made for.” protested Applejack.

Rarity bit on her limb nervously, “Oh, very well!”

Soon everyone was having a nice lunch together, and Fluttershy was pleased to see all the polite manners and good attitude she had taught was rubbing off on the students.

“Very good, every-creature. You’re showing great levels of kindness. That’s the basis of all good friendship.”

One of the students asked politely for her to pass an apple from the fruit-bowl.

Fluttershy softly grabbed one apple in her hoof, only for the apple to sprout a face and go, “Hiya, Fluttershy!” making her jump and throw the “apple” far off, and it transformed into Discord, as he landed flat on his back.

“Ow! A little harder next time! I can still feel my other side.”

Fluttershy rolled her eyes, and Starlight scolded Discord, “What have we told you about sneaking into our affairs like this?”

“About how I should not do it-- I know, but then it wouldn’t be so much fun would it.”

The students couldn’t help but laugh at the joke, but more at how Discord got tossed on his back.

“See? Even they get it.

Anyway, I really dropped by to see if Twilight’s come back, but I guess she’s still lo--”

Pinkie leapt up high, “Here, try a cupcake!” quickly shoving it into his mouth.

“Yeah, and try my special sandwich!” added Rainbow, stuffing his mouth even more.

“Come, Discord, let us take a walk together to build up your appetite.” Rarity said leading him away.

The students were all confused as the gang led him away, and he finally spit the food out of his mouth and spat, “What’s the big idea?!”

“Keep it down, will you!” snapped Rainbow “The students don’t know Twilight is missing.”

“Princess Celestia asked us not to let anyone know.” added Pinkie “And believe me, this is one secret I’m not letting slip form my mouth.”

She trembled softly, feeling the temptation get to her, but she gave her head a few knocks with her hoofs to keep focussed.

“Well, I didn’t know that,” said Discord “I wasn’t even there when the promise was made. I didn’t promise anything.”

“Well, maybe if you hadn’t left us, you would have known.” scolded Applejack

“Enough!” snapped Starlight “Things are already hard enough without Twilight being here, we don’t need them to get any worse.” Then she looked at Discord, “You have to promise us not to let it slip that Twilight is missing. It’ll cause a lot of panic and worry.”

Discord looked at all the others, and then his eyes fell on Fluttershy.

“Please, Discord. We really need this.”

Discord shrugged, and felt he was growing too soft for his own good. “Alright.” he agreed “My lips are sealed.” and he snapped his fingers, literally sealing his lips with a zip.

The others were grateful to him, and really hoped they could trust him.

“I just really hope Twilight’s okay.” said Spike.

Night had fallen in Jump City, and Twilight was sitting up in Terra’s old bed going over her notes, as well as comparing Beast Boy’s attitude.

She couldn’t go to the other Titans for answers, because she needed to hear them from himself to get a proper picture.

As she lay back in bed, she began to contemplate, not just about the Titans, but the entire city.

“What kind of a place is this? Friendship seems to be all but just a dying flicker as every seems to be careless and mean to one another.

I really wish my friends were here, I could really use their help.”

Then she felt worried about her friends back home in Equestria. She was certain they were worried about her too, and probably going crazy wondering where she was.

Twilight looked way out ahead out the window, out at the moonless night sky.

It would still be another couple of nights before the moon would shine again and she could go home, but after what she had seen so far she wasn’t so sure of it now.

She wasn’t so sure if she could really leave Jump City and the way it was, especially without helping the Titans overcome their friendship problem.

Then again it didn’t seem too big a deal. Since Raven had the key to Equestria, and it just needed moonlight to work, she could practically come and go as she pleased.

Then a mighty thought came to her, “Maybe I could take the Titans with me.

They said they hoped to see Equestria someday, and maybe seeing how my world works can inspire them how to rethink their own ways and help their world too.”

She thought it over so deeply, that she fell asleep.

While Beast Boy, who had been cooped up in his room all day, began to toss and turn, groaning as he grasped the sheets on his bed as he felt that strange feeling again-- as if he was losing control of his mind and body.

Then, after a few pulses, he bolted upright, his eyes glowing yellow, and his voice was different.

“It’s time that I claimed more victims.” he hissed, “And I know just where to start.”

He held out his hand, and the sword magically appeared in a flaming veil. The blade was still stained with blood from the curator, and he actually licked it.

Suddenly, Twilight snapped upright in bed herself. She was feeling cold chills in the air, and her insides were churning softly.

These were the same feelings Celestia had warned her about, the day she became a royal alicorn.

“Royal Alicorns like me and Princess Luna, our bodies and nerves can react in strange ways if there is some sort of danger near.”

Twilight remembered when Celestia told her about the nightmare she had when Lord Tirek was on the loose.

“Something isn’t right here.” she whispered to herself.

She left her room, and noticed, down the hall, soft lights coming from the small crack in the doors to the lounge.

Robin was still wide awake and at the console trying to crack the mystery of who killed the curator and stole the sword from the museum.

“Twilight, I thought you were asleep?”

Twilight explained to him her worries.

“You think something strange is going on in the tower?”

Twilight nodded and asked, “Is there any way to be sure?”

Robin put his research aside and tapped into the tower’s security.

All the camera footage showed nothing suspicious.

He even viewed images of the cameras installed in the Titan’s respective bedrooms.

“Isn’t that an invasion of privacy?” asked Twilight.

Robin admitted it, and regretted peeping like this, “But with our experience we all agreed to take no chances. You never know when a spy or bug could be lurking around.”

The images showed all the Titans sleeping peacefully, even Beast Boy was revealed to be still in his room, where had been all day since he got back from the tower.

“There doesn’t seem to be anything wrong.” said Robin, “Are you sure you’re not just feeling normal things, like homesickness, or worried about your friends?”

Twilight felt that could have been a possibility, but just the same, Robin agreed to keep an eye open for anything out of the ordinary.

“Why aren’t you going to bed?” she asked “Aren’t you tired?”

Robin shook his head, “I’m used to this sort of stuff, and it’s all part of the sacrifices and downsides that come with being a hero.”

“I know that,”

“No, not really I don’t think you do.”

Robin chose his next words carefully, not wanting to insult her. “Don’t take this the wrong way, but what you’ve told us about your adventures in Equestria, you said the stuff we do makes your adventures look tame?

Well, in way you’re right.”

He made some hot cocoa for them, and he told her what heroes were like in this world.

“Being a superhero and having all these powers or abilities are more of a curse than it is a gift.”

“What makes you say that?” asked Twilight “Most ponies and creatures in my world can’t do magic, and they’d give anything to have it.”

“Well, that’s fine for them.” said Robin “But usually gaining superpowers, or becoming a hero; it all usually comes with big prices to pay, and sometimes even irreversible consequences that can scar you for life.”

He told her about his parents, and how they died before his eyes in the circus when he was only eight years old, and how he was adopted by Batman and became a hero to beat other bad guys and villains so that other people wouldn’t have to share the same pain and trauma he went through.

“Oh, my…” Twilight cried softly, “I’m so sorry to hear about your parents.”

Robin fell silent for a moment, “I try not to let it hold me back. I miss them dearly, but I’ve come so far, and so have the others.”

He told her what he knew about Starfire, Cyborg, and Raven. Raven’s story about being Trigon’s portal key disturbed Twilight greatly.

“You poor guys, I never thought people could have it this bad.”

Robin nodded, “Again, don’t take this the wrong way, but I’d say you and your friends back home have it easy. In the end you manage to stop your bad guys before they do too much, and in the end it’s all happy-ever-after.”

He then looked out at the night sky, “And then again, a hero always has sacrifices to make. Having to lose or give up things, risking their life every day, and while it’s nice to have some fame and credit for it, it can never replace the dear things you lose and can never get back.

It makes me glad to be a Teen Titan. I have friends to share with, Starfire especially, and I can really do well that makes me feel proud. It helps me let go of the past and helps me shape my future.”

He paused, and then he said, “I don’t know why Beast Boy can’t think the way I do.”

Twilight then looked at him oddly, “Well, I think you may have answered already.”

“What?”

“I’ve been wondering all day why he won’t talk to me, and why he doesn’t want to open up to friendship again, and from what you just told me, maybe he’s just upset about the things that have been going on.”

Robin was confused, “I get that he’s heartbroken that Terra dumped him, but he can’t let it rule his life.”

“No, not that-- tell me about his past. Maybe bad things happened to him too.”

Robin recounted all he knew about Beast Boy’s past, but all he really knew was his real name “Garfield Logan” and how he used to be a member of the Doom Patrol, his former foster family, which meant his parents died.

Twilight took notes of this, “Go on. Tell me more.” but Robin couldn’t tell her anymore.

“We don’t really know all that much about Beast Boy’s past; he never told us.”

Twilight looked up and blinked once, and then she thought back to what Beast Boy had said to her.

“I don’t believe in friendship, and I don’t want anything to do with it...

…Period.”

Robin began to have the same thought Twilight did; that maybe Beast Boy’s acts ran far deeper than anyone realized.

It was still late though, and all the others were asleep.

“Maybe tomorrow we can all get together and try to talk this out.” said Twilight.

“Like an intervention.” agreed Robin “Well, it might help, and whether Beast Boy wants to talk about it or not, I think it’s time we cleared this whole thing up once and for all, or he’ll never be able to move on.”

Twilight nodded.

Meanwhile, Terra was in bed in her apartment, and she wasn’t dreaming. Ever since running into Beast Boy that and the things he had said to her, they just echoed in her head over and over making her feel really uncomfortable.

...Not that it was like she wasn’t already feeling that way, even if she hadn’t run into him.

She couldn’t stop thinking about him. No matter how hard she tried not to, there were her memories coming back stronger than ever.

Was it finally sinking it?

Was she ready to admit that she made a huge mistake?

Then again what good would that do her now? She saw how miserable he was, and he obviously didn’t trust her or anyone.

She got out of bed and stood by an open window to get some fresh air to cool off.

As she looked down into the streets, yet another memory flashed before her; the time she took Beast Boy out on their first and only date, when they were standing way out on the mountains in the outback and admiring the view.

Even though it was a distraction while she betrayed the Titans, she enjoyed it so much, and could still feel the warmth of the breeze, and standing next to him.

She felt herself smiling warmly, but then gasped and clutched her head. “No! Don’t think that.” she said to herself “Those days are over. I’m moving, and I know he will to.

…He has to.

…We have to.”

Then as she opened her eyes, she could see Beast Boy walking down the streets.

“What’s he doing out here?” she wondered, but she saw he seemed to be heading straight for the old Pizza Place, which was still under renovation.

Suddenly, he stopped and began to turn to look her way, and she ducked behind the curtains.

He continued walking down the street, passing other people who didn’t seem to take any notice of him.

Terra looked back at getting further and further away.

She felt her heart getting heavy again as she put her back to the wall and slid softly down to the floor.

Then, suddenly, she could hear Slade’s voice again.

“Look at you, squirming on the floor like a little lost worm in the earth.”

She looked up, and all around, and then she could actually see him appearing right before you.

“You again!” she growled “Leave me alone! Stop trying to hurt me!”

“You’re the one who’s hurting yourself, and no amount of denial will get you out. I wouldn’t be here if that weren’t the case.”

That’s when it clued it. This wasn’t really Slade, but most likely her own inner-conscience and guilt calling her out for her behaviour, and assuming his form.

Terra grabbed a small pillow from her bed and began swinging at the image, but try as she would it wouldn’t fade away-- naturally because she couldn’t really get rid of her own guilt that easy.

“When are you going to stop kidding yourself?”

“Shut up!” Terra thundered “I want to live a normal life!”

She took another foolish swing at the image.

“Is it really what you want? Maybe you’re just lying to yourself like you’ve lied to others.”

This only brought on even more guilt and bad memories from both past and present.

-When she betrayed Beast Boy and the titans

-Lying to him about not remembering him just to shoo him off hoping he’d get the message and leave her be.

-Even her friends at her school, they knew nothing about her past, and she did whatever she could to cover up, for her own sake.

“Face it! You don’t care about anyone’s feelings or what they do, just as long as yyou get what YOU want!”

That blow struck Terra like a huge rock thrown at full speed-- like she used to do when she fought the Titans.

In a spot of insanity, Terra swung hard at the image, passing through it, again, and fall forward on her bed and hitting her head agianst the wall with a big bonk!

She groaned softly, and passed out flat on the bed.

While further up the road from her apartment…

Workers were still hard at inside the now barren and desolate building which was once the Pizza Place. Working inside didn’t make too, too much noise that it would disturb other neighbors nearby, but the workers themselves were getting cranky.

“Why do we have to work these late hours?”

“Yeah, it’s not like we want to go home and get some sleep or anything.”

The foremen, who was a rather cantankerous individual slammed his plans down. “I don’t want to hear anymore complaining out of the lot of you.

We’re supposed to turn this place into a travel agency, and the sooner we get it done… AHEAD of schedule, the sooner I can make more money, and you worthless slobs can keep your jobs!

NOW WORK!!”

The men all groaned but got back to their building and moving, as well as their groaning and yawning, while the foremen just looked at his blueprints, snickering like a greedy soul, “It’s like watching my own money being made before my eyes.”

Suddenly, all the lights in the building went out. Even the workers that were plugged intot he walls went out, and because the windows were all boarded up, it was pictch black inside!

The workers all yelped and gasped.

“What happened?”

“I can’s see a thing.”

“Somebody get a light on!!” bellowed the foremen.

The men all had their flashlights with them, but one man was having trouble with his. His hands were shaking badly, because he was actualy afraid of the dark.

“Come on! Come on, hold it together!” he whimpered, but he dropped his light and couldn’t find it, and he was too terrified to reach down and find it.

Then, a soft light shone near him followed by someone saying in a creepy voice, “…Need a light?”

The worker began to feel better and reached out for it, only for the light to slash at him, lopping his head right off, and his corpse fell to the ground in a gushing of blood.

“Hey! What’s going on there?” shouted someone.

Then, it was total chaos, as more of the men were slashed, skwered, and brutally murdered.

“I’m outta here!” cried the foremen as he dashed for the exit, only for someone to grab him from within the darkness, and he could hardly recognize who it was due to the lack of light.

The stranger, showing immense strength, lifted the big man boldiy off the ground with one hand, laughing sinisterly as his eyes glowed in the darkness, frigthening the foremen.

“So, you want to take things away from me, huh?” the stranger sneered “Well, how about I take away something from you… YOUR LIFE?!!”

The foremen’s scream seemed to echo all the way outside where few passersby stopped in their tracks.

They didn’t like the sounds of it one bit!

One of the civilians noticed the powerbox on the side of the building, the wires had been cut!

Another civilian noticed that a big power cable on the ground, which lead into the building to engerize the workers own lights and their power tools, had also been cut!

“We better call the cops!”

Inside the building, the stranger snickered and clecnhed his knuckles. Next to him, in his other hand, his weapon, a powerful sword, was dripping with the blood of all the men he had just murdered.

“Nobody can stop the hate!” he hissed.

Act 8: Dreadful thoughts

ACT EIGHT

The next morning, Beast Boy awoke flat on the floor of his bedroom. His head hurt so much, like a whole line of garbage tucks had run over him.

“Duuuude…!” he groaned as he slowly and shakily got up onto his feet while, clutching his head.

Then he gagged as felt an awful taste in his mouth, which also felt very dry like the rest of him did.

“I need a shower, and get this taste out of my mouth!”

He managed to find strengtht to make it out of his room and into the hall, and as he walked down to the bathroom, he could see the lounge was wide open, and all the other Titans were all there chatting away.

“Should we not alert Twilight or Beast Boy?” asked Starfire.

“I already tried to wake him up,” said Cyborg “Little guy was out cold, and anyways, it’s probably best we handle this now.”

Robin agreed to that, “Twilight and I were up pretty late last night, so we may as well let her sleep. She’s not really part of the team anyway and she can’t really help us in this.”

“Can we please focus here?” asked Raven “I don’t get how all those men were murdered last night.”

Robin held up faxes from the police station with all the information given. “Nobody knows, but they were all definitely murdered, but it’s just like before at the museum.

There were witnesses who heard the scream, but nobody saw anyone leave the building. For that matter nobody saw anyone even enter it all around.”

Beast boy heard them, and images began to flash before his eyes…

-Men screaming…
-Blood gushing…
-A sword driping with blood, and a tounge actually licking it!
-That same evil laugh…!!

He began to tremble in fear, and backed up aginast the wall.

The Titans heard, and Robin dashed to the hall. “Beast Boy?”

The others came to him.

“You okay?” asked Cyborg.

“He does not seem okay to me.” said Starfire “He is all but dry and stiff.”

Raven said nothing, but she was actually looking at him with concern rather than hostility.

Beast Boy felt too tired, as well as scared, to even think of being his usual cold self to them, and before he could say anything, Robin calmly and softly suggested he go shower. “You need to hydrate yourself.”

Beast Boy nodded very slowly, and groped softly as he made his way down the hall to the bathroom.

“I was afraid of this,” said Robin “His depression and anger is getting out of control. We’ve got to get him some help.”

“But what about Twilight?” asked Starfire “She is attempting to help us, is she not?”

“I don’t think Twilight can really help us.” said Raven “Don’t get me wrong, she’s a great kid, but this is getting worse. Beast Boy’s health could be in danger.”

“Still,” said Robin “There might hope for him yet.”

He guided everyone into the lounge to talk about what he and Twilight spoke about the other night.

Beast Boy made it to the bathroom and started the shower, but his shaking caught up with him as all those images and the hot taste of blood hit him hard.

Then the sounds of that evil laugh echoed in his head again.

Beast Boy nervously looked all around the bathroom. “You’re here, aren’t you?”

“I’ve always been here.”

Beast Boy was slowly spinning in circles as he looked all around. “Who are you? What are you? Where are you?”

The voice snickered, “Think back now. Think back to the museum.”

He thought it over and remembered the sword, grabbing it and feeling very strange after that!

He then turned to look in the big mirror above the sink, and his reflection it was glaring at him so wickedly, and his eyes were glowing yellow.

He quickly turned away trying to deny it all, but then found his own actual self, speaking back to him.

“Many before you placed their hands on the sword, and I could sense their energies. Not one of them had what I needed most, and then you…!

I never felt anything like it-- the anger, the hate, the violent thoughts, and the fact that you already possess incredible powers. It’s all too perfect.”

Beast then thought back to the murders and it all made sense now!

“It was you…! You killed them!”

“WE… killed them!”

Beast Boy held his throat in disgust and horror.

“Why? How could you do that to them?!”

“Don’t play innocent! I know your thoughts. I can feel the hatred flowing through you, I can sense your desires to get even! I simply helped you say what you wouldn’t, make that extra step.”

Beast Boy was livid, and growled at his reflection, “Just because I felt like it didn’t mean I actually wanted to do it! You just went right out and killed innocent people!

I won’t let you get away with this anymore! I won’t let you hurt anymore people!”

The evil only chuckled, “Yes, give in to your anger, the hate. Let it grow. It only makes me stronger, and you grow weaker.”

“What?”

“I’m afraid there’s nothing you can do, little one. You’re already past the point-of-no-return. The hate cannot be silenced, and nothing you can say or do will change that!”

“You’re wrong!” thundered Beast Boy “I’ll tell the others, they’ll know what to do about you!”

“Go ahead, try. See where it gets you. Meanwhile, I can plan our next move.”

Beast Boy was twitching in anger. He couldn’t help feel this way and couldn’t control it.

“What’s this I see within you?” the evil hissed as it sensed Beast Boy’s memories. “…A heart that is broken.”

Beast Boy gasped softly.

“Two cold figures standing in a school hall, and one saying to the other…”

“No! No!!” cried Beast Boy, but then he saw the images, he heard Terra’s voice.

“Things Change, Beast Boy! The girl you want me to be is just a memory.”

Then there were the images of back at the museum, when Jackie and Jillian pushed him, and she was witness to what happened and did nothing.

Then there was in the park when she tried to talk to him and he just read her out and scorned her.

He was growing more and more stressed, which amused the evil. “Have I struck a nerve? It seems that this female is very important to you, even though she had caused you great anger and hate.”

“You leave her alone! You hear me! I won’t let you hurt Terra! YOU GOT THAT?!!”

In an extreme moment of rage and insanity, he raised his fist and punched the mirror so hard that it shattered to bits!

The Titans heard the sound of the shattering!

Twilight rushed out into the hall just as they came running down. “What was that?”

“I don’t know!” cried Robin.

They all opened the door to the bathroom, and Starfire and Twilight gasped in horror!

Beast Boy was passed out on the floor, the mirror was all broken into shards all over the floor, all around Beast Boy who was passed out flat, and his right glove was all torn and stained with blood, meaning he had punched the mirror out in an obvious moment of insanity. The shower was still running, and the drapes had been pulled off their rings, with the water still running all over the floor.

Cyborg, with his metal feet, made his way over, shut off the water, and then felt Beast Boy’s neck. “He’s way out cold. He must’ve had one heck of a freak-out!”

He picked him up to take him to get his hand bandaged up.

Raven used her power to gather up all the shards and actually fixed them all into one piece, setting them back into place over the sink, impressed Twilight as well.

“Wow, I’ve barely been able to use spells like that myself.”

Raven gave her a small smirk, but then they both with Starfire and Robin went off to check on Beast Boy.

“What next?” Robin wondered “Beast Boy’s going crazy, then all these murders and hardly any evidence! What else can happen?”

Terra awoke in her apartment, and her head still hurt a bit from hitting it. She went to the bathroom to wash her face.

She had a little bruise on her forehead from where she crashed, “What a night.” she groaned to herself “And what a day too.”

She honestly didn’t know how much longer she could stay like this with her guilt hurting her, but it was obvious to her right now that she probably needed professional help in dealing with her stress, and hopefully find a way to fully move on with her life.

…Like a psychologist maybe. But how could she afford it?

Then she remembered, the school nurse from Murakami High, Miss. Caroline, who was also a student councillor and psychologist.

She could see her for free… except it was Sunday and there was no school, so she wouldn’t be able to go there.

“Ugh!” she groaned as she exited the bathroom. “Now I’ll have to wait until Monday to see her.”

Suddenly, there was a knock at her door, and as luck would have it.

“Miss Caroline?”

It was her. She was a young woman in her early thirties. She had long brown hair, and a kind and soft spoken voice.

“Forgive me, Terra, I just came over to see if you okay.” Then she noticed the bruise on her head. “What happened to you?”

“Oh, I uh… bumped my head in the night.” replied Terra. “What do you mean?”

Caroline was now confused, and she held up the morning newspaper, and the front page showing the article of the massive murder of the workers the other night.

Terra dashed over to her window and looked down the street towards the broken up Pizza Place, to find it was still surrounded by police and news crews.

Then she ran back to see the paper and how the story read that all the men were found brutally murdered by an unseen assassin that somehow crept into the premises.

Miss Caroline explained how she knew from school records that several Murakami lived in the general area. “I was worried about all of you since you live around and thought you’d have been attacked by the killer as well, or at least not be too shaken by it that it could affect your school studies.”

I saw Jackie and Jillian. They were out doing their community service early, and I must say it serves them right for the trouble they caused.”

Hearing that and remembering the incident, Terra began to think, “Beast Boy was walking down the street last night. Surely he would have heard or seen what was happening. Wouldn’t he have tried to do something about it?”

Caroline could see Terra was okay and not really badly shaken, and she decided to head off.

“Wait! Mss. Caroline!” called Terra “I need to talk to you about something.”

“Yes? What is it?”

Terra paused and chose her words carefully, not wanting to reveal her past or her connection to Beast Boy.

“I’ve been having a little hard time sleeping lately. I keep having really bad dreams.”

“Have you been studying a lot? Overdoing it can stress you out.”

Terra hesitated and she didn’t even have to say anything. Caroline could tell form her silence and how nervous she looked. “It’s something else isn’t it; something that you saw or something you did.”

Terra still did not speak, which only further confirmed her theory.

“…Guy-trouble, isn’t it?”

Terra snapped upright in near shock.

“I thought so.”

“How can you tell?” asked Terra.

“Well, you just told me.”

Terra felt silly now and groaned irritably.

“Even if you hadn’t, I already guessed. I’m practicing to be a real psychologist, and being at Murakami High is just part of my training. I’ve seen the way girls like you have acted, and it’s usually a guy.”

Terra hung head down, rolling her eyes to the floor in shame.

Caroline then asked, “Why don’t you come by to my place this afternoon and we can talk about it better. I have a home office where I practice by having guests over.”

“Okay, I will.” Terra agreed, and Caroline gave the girl her home address. Then she had to get going and check on other students who lived in the area.

Terra still didn’t feel any better, especially now that she knew about the incident in the night; and to think… it was happening right outside her own window and she slept through it all.

A new funny feeling came over her-- a desire to have been able to do something to help those workers last night from whatever or whoever it was who slaughtered them?

Why was she now thinking about that too? She was done with trying to be a hero, and didn’t to use her powers anymore, even though she did on the night museum curator was killed.

“No, no… No!” she groaned as she clutched her head “Don’t think like this, you might hallucinate again!”

She shut her eyes really tight, but that didn’t stop images of her past with the Titans, actually being a hero and beating up baddies, saving lives, and using her powers for good!

Now she was wishing Miss Caroline hadn’t left as she really felt she could use the session she promised her now.

She felt she needed someone to talk to, but with Jackie and Jillian working, and no one else to really interact with, she felt maybe just taking a walk around town.

Only there didn’t seem to be too many places she could go.

-The park was closed and demolition was due to begin as the workers were removing the last of the wildlife to get them out of the way.

-A lot of other places weren’t that much fun and many other buildings still under construction too.

The only place left she could possibly head was the mall, but then again she hadn’t much money and couldn’t do too much.

Usually Jackie and Jillian paid for her, wanting to be good friends.

“Maybe I should get a part-time job.” she wondered to herself. “Well, at least I can window-shop and browse around.”

Beast Boy was resting peacefully in the sick-bay. Cyborg had given him a sedative to help him rest as well as to numb the pain around his wounded wrist.

Once he cleaned all the blood off, Raven used her powers to help the wounds heal.

“Why would he punch out the mirror?” Twilight wondered aloud.

Robin could only shake his head, “He’s worse than we thought. He’s really taking things too far with this hate and anger towards us.”

“I cannot bear to think of what would happen if things were to worsen within our friend.” added Starfire.

Cyborg checked the figures on the medical scans. “He’s calm now, but when we first got him on the bed, his stress levels were off the charts. He’s liable to knock himself to bits.”

Starfire then remembered what Robin had to them in the lounge-- what he and Twilight had talked about the other night.

“Perhaps we should ask him of what troubles him so? It must be far more than just Terra breaking his heart.”

“Assuming the girl even is Terra.” reminded Robin

“Let me try something.” said Raven.

She knew Beast Boy wouldn’t talk while he was sleeping, so she decided to read his mind, and get to the bottom of his emotions once and for all.

She softly laid her hands on Beast Boy’s forehead and she concentrated hard. All the others were watching with anxiety.

Raven began to feel as if she were seeping into Beast Boy’s mind, as light as the air itself, but much to her surprise, she couldn’t see anything, nothing but black-- long, endless, empty black.

She snapped her eyes open again.

“What is it?” asked Robin “What did you see?”

Raven shook her in disbelief, “I saw nothing. Not a single memory. It’s as if he didn’t have any.”

Everyone looked at her with the same disbelief she expressed.

“No memories?” asked Twilight “How is that possible?”

As the Titans and Twilight all contemplated and debated about Beast Boy, the evil from his mind snickered sinisterly. “Those fools don’t suspect that I’ve blocked out his memories so they cannot try to save him. I must keep him as he is if I am to achieve my goals.”

Twilight then shivered softly as a chill ran up her spine so suddenly. It was her alicorn nerves reacting to the nearby evil.

“You okay?” asked Cyborg.

“I think so. I just felt a chill in my back.”

“The A.C is cranked up in here so Beast Boy doesn’t get too warm or cold.” Robin pointed out. “Why don’t we all go talk in the lounge; Let him sleep.”

Everyone agreed, and left the sickbay, which gave the evil his it’s chance to awaken Beast Boy and control him again.

“I can’t stay here like this, not when there is so much to be done.” he thought.

He remembered his argument with Beast Boy in the bathroom, regarding Terra.

“You leave her alone! You hear me! I won’t let you hurt Terra! YOU GOT THAT?!!”

The evil got a nasty idea, far worse than hunting Terra down and killing her, but as he hopped off the bed, then he turned to face it, and raised his hand, unleashing soft magical waves producing a shell like copy of Beast Boy in his place on the bed.

This he had been doing for the past while, allowing him to slink about without suspicion. Even the Titans already had no way of realizing the truth as he had been getting away with it.

“My power is growing stronger all the time, and if this new plot of mine is successful, I’ll finally have all that I need to reach my ultimate goal.

The hate will rise, and the light will cease, and anyone who defies me shall pay the price!”

He finally slunk off, leaving his shell clone behind to begin his new mission.

Creeping to the windows and opening one, he then used Beast Boy’s abilities to morph into a falcon and flew off towards the city, shutting the window behind him.

No sooner had he left did Starfire peek into the room and saw “Beast Boy” still asleep on the bed. She could only assume it was really him.

“Beast Boy does not seem to have lost any memories.” said Starfire “He has not the injury or blow to his head.”

“It’s probably emotional shock.” suggested Twilight “Even in my world of Equestria, ponies and other creatures become so overwhelmed by emotional trauma that their memories just fail them.”

“I’m not really sure that’s why,” said Raven “But then again I can’t disprove it either.

If he hasn’t lost his memories, Raven should’ve been able to see them regardless.”

“Well, as soon as he wakes up, maybe then we can talk to him.” suggested Cyborg.

The Titans agreed.

Twilight fell rather silent, and her head was dropped down as she stared at the floor.

“What is it?” asked Robin.

She looked up, “I really wish all my friends were here, then maybe Beast Boy could have been better by now, and we’d be able to work on helping the rest of the city with its friendship problems.”

Cyborg put a comforting hand on her shoulder, “And you miss them, huh?”

Twilight nodded softly.

All the Titans felt sympathy for her, but Robin informed “The next full moon still isn’t until the night after tomorrow, and even still we have something even bigger to worry about-- that killer that’s still out there.”

The other Titans agreed, and Starfire said “We must find out who this murderous beast is before it causes anymore trouble.”

“Easier said than done.” said Cyborg “No one’s even seen the creep, and they don’t know what he looks like… if even is a “he.”

Twilight was a little surprised in them suddenly ignoring Beast Boy like this, but she knew this was a more important priority, and she offered to help with whatever she could.

Robin was about to protest that she not, as she wasn’t really part of the team, but Raven spoke up, “I say we let her in. She may not have special powers, in her current form, but she does have experience and idealism.”

“Girl’s got a point.” agreed Cyborg.

Starfire nodded in agreement.

Robin couldn’t argue with this, and he knew they needed all the help they could get.

He then looked at Twilight proudly and declared, “Okay, you’re in.”

Twilight felt honored and promised not to let the team down.

Author's Note

Sorry Raven. I'm afraid this type of evil/power is unlike anything you know. You CANNOT sense it.

Act 9: Worried Sick

ACT NINE

Spike was wide awake and looking out at the night, making a wish upon every star he could see, that Twilight would be safely returned, or at least some knowledge that she was safe and well.

He began to softly sing a little song, not wanting to wake anyone else, about how much he really missed her and was worried sick!

He slowly crawled back into bed and gave a little sigh as the song ended and he drifted off to sleep.

A little while after which, someone crept into the bedroom, sneaking across, and their shadow moved past the moonlight in the room.

“Spike…?” he called softly.

Spike just rolled over in his sleep.

Then an air horn blasted right near him making him scream and jump up high. His pillows, his sheets, his basket went flying through the air.

It was Discord and he clicked on a meter in his claw. “Wow, six feet high. Looks like a new record.”

Spike rummaged himself out of the blankets, and was he ever angry. “Discord, what’s the big idea?!” he shouted, and then he quickly covered his mouth from shouting too much, only to then look up and see that Discord had put up a bubble of silence.

“How do you think I could blast the air-horn without anyone waking up?”

“What are you doing here at this hour?”

“I couldn’t sleep. I’ve been worrying about Twilight.”

“So you decided to jus barge in here and wake me up?”

“No… I decided to barge in her, wake you up, to tell you that I have something I think you’ll like."

And he revealed that he had crept into Canterlot Palace and had with him the jewel, which Celestia swore she locked away.

Spike was most surprised. “How did you get this?”

“Puh-lease,” remarked Discord “All the spells and locks Celestia puts up, child’s play for me. The point is, now we have it, we can go to that other world and get Twilight back.”

Spike was, of course giddy at the idea, but he quickly disapproved. “We promised Celestia that we wouldn’t use the jewel until she finished her tests on it. We still don’t know if there’s any way to get back.”

Discord sighed, “Heard this before, and like Celestia’s really going to get anywhere at this rate, and besides, I promised I wouldn’t tell anyone Twilight was gone, I didn’t make any promise not to try and save her.”

Spike still insisted he put the jewel back.

“Fine, I guess I’ll go save Twilight without you then.”

Suddenly, his bubble of silence was popped, and the lights went on a split second later, and there stood an angry looking Starlight Glimmer.

“What is going on here?” she asked while tapping her hoof.

Discord felt awkward and tried to act suave, hiding the jewel behind his back-- right in the path of the moonlight shining in through the window.

“Why Starlight Glimmer; so nice to see you on this lovely night.”

Starlight wasn’t a bit impressed, and while it was true she never heard him or Spike making noise from the bubble, she was passing by after getting a glass of milk from the kitchen, when she noticed the shadows in the moonlight.

“What are you even doing here in the middle of the night?” she asked.

Discord tried to come up with an excuse, but the jewel began to glow behind him very brightly.

“The jewel!” cried Starlight.

Discord knew he was busted and revealed it, but as he did the jewel began to glow brighter like it had with Twilight.

“Uh… Uh-Oh…!”

“Oh, no!” cried Spike as he began to feel stranger, and before anyone could do anything, both Spike and Discord were sucked into the gem just like Twilight.

Starlight covered her eyes from the brightness, and when she looked again, the jewel was on the floor and both Spike and Discord were gone.

“Oh, no!” she cried “Not again!”

Shining Armor came to the room, rubbing his eyes. “What is all the noise?! You woke up Flurry Heart and she’s screaming like no tomorrow.”

He could then see Starlight clutching the jewel and in near tears.

“What’s the jewel doing here? I thought Celestia had it.”

Starlight got a hold of herself. “I’ve got to inform Princess Celestia. She must know of this!”

That’s when bright light began to shine in through the window and both Celestia and Luna appeared, and they both looked pretty upset.

Starlight gulped hard. “Y-Y-You’re majesties!”

Celestia nodded rather coldly at them both. “Starlight, Shining Armor…”

Both she and Luna could tell they had arrived too late.

“Spike and Discord…!” Starlight said motioning at the jewel.

“We figured that it was Discord.” said Luna.

She explained how she was carrying out her nightly duties around the palace, and that the jewel had been sealed behind a great big door with a spell only she or Celestia could break, or so they thought!

The guards posted by the gate couldn’t resist peeking through the large keyhole to just look at the jewel, but they could only see the big pillar where it rested, but no jewel at all, figuring it had been stolen!

When Luna saw this she raced for her sister, and they both figured only one creature to get past all the security, not set off any alarms and bypass their spell on the door!

Celestia sighed, “I blame myself for this. I should have placed the jewel in a more secure place.”

“It’s my fault too.” added Starlight “I should’ve been more strict with Discord.”

Shining Armor then noticed the jewel was starting to glow again in Starlght’s grasp.

“Quick, get it out of the moonlight!” he shouted, and in a panic, Starlight freaked, throwing the jewel away from her, and it landed right at Celestia’s hoofs.

Celestia gasped and would have kicked it away, but it was too late! The magic began to engulf her.

“Celestia!!” cried Starlight.

“No!!” cried Luna, but her sister had already vanished and the jewel fell to the ground. It stopped glowing having used up all the moonlight energy, but Luna collapsed by it in tears.

“…SISTER!!!!”

While all that was happening, The Titans and Twilight were going over what they knew about the murders that had been occurring, when suddenly Raven’s brooch began to glow.

“What’s happening?!” she cried.

Twilight realized, “The portal’s opened from Equestria! Someone from my world is about to come here!!”

Raven began to shake with the jewel as the glowing got bright. She grabbed her brooch of her cloak and threw it to the floor by the sofa as three enormous glows of light burst from the jewel, and three figures appeared on the floor.

Everyone looked at them, and Twilight couldn’t believe her eyes.

Celestia had taken on the form of a tall and very beautiful woman. Her skin was lighter toned than Twilight’s. Her hair was still multi-colored and highly voluminous, running way past her back and down to her kneecaps. She wore a beautiful white gown with hints of pink and a headband with a single sun-shaped jewel atop her head.

Discord, he took on the form of a rather tall, skinny, and elderly old man with a grey beard and a bald head, wearing a simple tan green suit and a gray cardigan. “Eww, what am I?!” he groaned.

As for Spike, he had become a purple and furry dog with floppy green ears and a tuft of hair, but unlike his Equestria Girl’s breed, he was now that of a shaggy retriever, and he could still talk.

He looked straight up at Twilight. He would recognize her anywhere, and both their expressions lit up and she embraced him warmly.

“Spike!”

Spike jumped up and started licking her face. “Oh, Twilight…! I’ve been so worried sick about you!”

Twilight just hugged him tighter.

“Hey! What are we, invisible?” grumbled Discord.

He was feeling himself all over, feeling strange in this humanoid form, and as for Celestia, she was down on all fours and looking herself all over. “What’s happened to me?!” she cried as she looked at her hands. “My hoofs…! My muzzle…!”

Twilight was surprised to see she was here too, but she waltzed over and helped Celestia stand upright on her two feet. She wobbled a bit and Twilight helped her balance. “Take it easy. It takes some adjusting, but you’ll get used to it.”

Celestia smiled bashfully, but nevertheless, she and Twilight hugged, and Discord sulked.

Robin cleared his throat. “Um, sorry to break up the moment, but who are all of you?”

“Oh…” said Twilight and she introduced the Titans to her friends. “They’ve all been taking care of me ever since I came here.”

Spike approached them first. “Wow, real superheroes. I mean, other than us.

I’m Spike. Glad to meet you all.”

Starfire couldn’t help but smother him cooing, “Oh, you are the cute doggie. Yes, you are! Yes, you are!”

Spike felt warm and mushy, “Um, actually I’m really a dragon, but… who cares.” he sighed as he drowsed in her arms.

“And I’m Discord, ruler of the world of Equestria, and all these guys’ big boss.”

Everyone could instantly tell he was fibbing, and he felt embarrassed. “Well, I’m a reality bending god at least.”

Celestia herself then held her head up high and wobbled a bit as she walked forward. “I am Celestia, Princess of Equestria, and grand monarch of all ponies.”

Showing their respect, the Titans all bowed to her.

“Your highness…” said Robin.

“Words cannot begin to express how grateful I am to you all for taking care of Princess Twilight.” said Celestia. “But… does anyone know how to send us back? That’s what I’d like to know.”

Twilight explained everything, and gave Raven back her brooch.

“Oh, isn’t this just dandy.” groaned Discord “We’re stuck here until the next full moon. Nice going, Spike!”

“Me?!” wailed Spike “You’re the one who took the jewel!”

“Well, you shouldn’t have let me use it then.”

Cyborg whistled loudly, “Yo’ chill!! There’s no sense in arguing about it. What’s done is done.”

Now discord was angry, “Why I ought to turn you into a soup-can!” he tried too, only to discover just as Twilight did, nothing happened.

“It’s no good, Discord” she told him “We haven’t any powers here. We’re nothing more than ordinary human beings, and a dog.”

Discord shook his finger viciously and blew on it, but it was all in vain.

Celestia made her way over the windows, carefully, and waved her hands trying to move the sun, but to no avail.

Spike didn’t even bother to try breathing fire. He knew he couldn’t.

He did however let out a great big yawn. “Sorry, I forgot it was the middle of the night back home.”

Even Discord and Celestia felt tired, and so the Titans felt obligated to offer them places to sleep as well.

Twilight allowed Spike and Discord to share Terra’s room with her; both of them would share the foldout sofa bed.

Starfire allowed Celestia to sleep in her bedroom, almost befitting for a princess.

“No fair!” grumbled Discord “Why do I have to share a room with him?”

“Because there aren’t any other rooms left with space to spare.” answered Twilight “And Celestia should have a room that suits her well, and Starfire’s is the best there is. So you may as well make do with things.”

“I’m just glad we finally found you, Twilight.” said Spike, “But I wish we could let everyone back home know too.”

Twilight realized this as well. What would all of Equestria be like when they discovered Celestia was gone too?”

Back in Equestria Luna was still distressed with worry for her sister and the others, as was Starlight.

Cadance came along when she heard Luna scream, and she was devastated to learn what had happened.

“Oh, this is really bad! It was hard enough keeping Twilight’s absence a secret. There’s no way we can keep secret about Celestia.”

Shining Armor was furious, but he knew yelling about it wouldn’t solve anything. He looked back and forth at everyone, and Luna looked up at him with a concerned look.

“It’s as simple as that.” he finally said “We tell the truth.”

Luna hung her head low cringing with grief of how her subjects and all the nations would react to the news, but it would be far better than living on lies.

“I shall inform the council at the palace, and after which, the news shall be made public.”

Shining Armor shuddered softly, “This is bound to have a lot of our enemies coming after us.”

Cadance agreed, “We’ll have to get the armies ready, double the guards and everything.”

Luna agreed, and as, now, acting grand monarch of all Equestria, she officially decreed to the group first, “Equestria is now officially on a tight lockdown and martial law until my sister and the others are returned.”

Starlight decided that she would close the School of Friendship until further notice as well.

“I hope nothing else goes horribly wrong for now.”

When Terra got to the mall, the place was starting to look a bit sorry too. A lot of the stores were having clearance sales for closing down as they were all going to be converted, and some were already closed, barred, and cleared out inside.

Just like the city things were changing, and people had to get over it and accept it.

At least there were a few places Terra could go to brows-- a few clothing stores, a shoe shop, and that electronics store, where the televisions we’re airing a movie, which Terra stopped to watch.

She could not believe her eyes, there were two figures, a guy and a girl standing in a park together, and they were breaking up, or rather the girl was dumping the guy.

“We’ve had a lot of great times together, but I’ve changed. It’s time to move on and forget about what we had.”

The guy didn’t seem to take it well, and he left in a huff.

Terra began to quiver as she pictured herself and Beast Boy back at school and she told him off just like those characters.

The manager of the store, a rather polite young man approached her and spoiled the movie. “Ending isn’t happy. That guy does himself in because he couldn’t bear to live without her, and she ends up regretting what she did.

I guess people need to think twice and reflect upon their actions.”

Terra felt most distressed. It was as if the whole world was telling her to stop this “charade” and reconcile with Beast Boy, and now it was getting extremely hard to fight it.

“What’s wrong with me?” she cried in her mind “Am I really regretting what I did? Do I really want Beast Boy back in my life; be a Teen Titans again?!”

Still struggling with her thoughts, she began to walk for the store exit and bumped right into someone-- Beast Boy!

She looked at him with surprised eyes and became lost in his eyes. His shocked eyes which narrowed into anger, and he just walked past her into the store.

Beast Boy completely ignored her as he seemingly began to browse around. She wanted to talk to him and approached him, but she couldn’t find any words to say, and she just left the store.

No sooner had she did Beast Boy’s expression fade into the evil that was controlling him.

“I thought I might find her here.” he thought silently “I still don’t understand how she can see me. Not that it matters. I can use this as part of my plan.”

He suddenly gasped and clutched his head as Beast Boy tried to seize control again.

“I’m not going to let you do this to her!”

“You can’t stop me!” thundered the evil, and he managed to shun Beast Boy’s goodness away continued with his plot.

He looked at the store security camera, and got out Beast Boy’s communicator. Having control of Beast Boy’s body had access to Beast Boy’s knowledge on how to use modern-day devices so that hardly anything was too strange to him.

He pointed the com straight at the camera and began to download from its source.

Then he stepped outside the store and began to steal footage from the mall security cameras, all while snickering wickedly. “Step one is complete!”

He began to feel a strain again as Beast Boy’s goodness corrupted him. “Give… me back… my body!!”

“Silence, weakling!” growled the evil, and once again he shunned Beast Boy back into the darkness.

He panted softly, but to him this struggle was wonderful. His plan was working perfectly already as he could feel the hate and anger building up inside.

“Yes…! It’s marvellous!” he sighed as he clenched his fists and felt his power growing.

Then he shook himself back to his senses, he had work to do, back at Titans Tower to further his plan.

It wasn’t until about lunchtime that Twilight’s friends felt rested enough to get up a little longer.

Starfire and Raven even loaded Celestia a better outfit than the big gown she had on so she could walk easier.

Raven loaned her a leotard. Starfire loaned her shorts, and boots, and at Raven suggestion, she restyled her long hair into a thick upright ponytail and tied around her forehead with a headband so it wouldn’t get caught or stepped on.

“Hmm…” she said as she viewed herself in the mirror, “I think this. Thank you both.”

The girls bowed to her.

“Why are we doing this?” Raven whispered to Starfire, “She may be a princess of her world, but that doesn’t apply here.”

“We should at least show manners!” protested Starfire.

Celestia giggled, “I can hear you.”

The girls looked up.

“I understand my place, ladies. I am your guest, and pleased to be. You don’t have to treat me like royalty. To be honest, it feels nice to feel like a normal pony-- er… that is “normal being” for once.”

Then she looked downhearted, “But I am extremely worried about my sister, and all my subjects in Equestria.”

There was a knock at the door.

“You may enter.” called Starfire.

Cyborg came in, and the first thing he said as he looked at Celestia, “Mmm-mm, looking pretty good.”

Celestia blushed.

“Came to ask if you wouldn’t mind hitting the town for lunch. I know of a great outdoor place, so we can take Spike with us too.”

Celestia was more than willing to go, and see the town.

“Wait! What of Beast Boy?” asked Starfire.

“Robin’s gone to check on him.” answered Cyborg.

Celestia had well been informed of Beast Boy, and she wanted to meet him, but she was aware of the situation between him and the others, especially Twilight.

Beast Boy had made it back to the tower just in time, and dispelled the shell of him on the bed, as Robin entered the sickbay.

The evil quickly subsided and let Beast Boy reassume control, but kept him well under control so as not to reveal anything of what he was planning.

“Beast Boy, you’re up?”

He nodded coldly at him.

“Um… how’s your hand?”

“It’s fine.” he answered softly.

Robin quickly explained about their three new gusts and how they the team was heading out for lunch.

“…No thanks, I have work to do here.”

Robin was surprised to hear him say that. Usually “Beast Boy” and “Work” did not ever find their ways together in the same sentence. Still, he wasn’t letting him off this time.

“You’re coming to lunch with us, and you’re not going to be rude, and besides we all want to talk to you about something.”

It was in vain that Beast Boy tried to refuse, and he knew this.

All this delighted the evil inside him, so he put his plans on hold for the moment, to let more anxiety and hate build up inside of him.

“Alright, I’ll come with you.”

He walked out of the sickbay, running into the group on their way out, and Spike suddenly felt stranger at the sight of him, and growled angrily.

“Spike!” snapped Twilight.

He snapped out of it and felt weird. “Sorry. I don’t know what came over me.”

“So this is Beast Boy, huh?” asked Discord “Listen, love the pointed ears kid, and the green-skin… first-class.”

“Discord, don’t overdo it.” grumbled Twilight.

Celestia approached him tenderly and held out her hand, “Pleasure to meet you young man.”

Beast Boy hesitated at first, but slowly and softly held her hand. She could almost sense every ounce of coldness emitting from him, just as Twilight warned her.

“Well then,” said Robin “Let’s get going. I’m starved.”

Everyone headed off together, but Spike still had a strange feeling around Beast Boy-- dog senses feeling there was something way off about him.

Act 10: Realizing Mistakes

ACT TEN

Cyborg took Twilight, Celestia, Discord, and Spike in the T-Car, just to give them all their first tastes of automotive travel. Robin followed on his cycle while the others just flew freely.

“So this is a… “Car?” asked Celestia “It seems most interesting.”

“This ain’t just any car,” said Cyborg “This is my car, and watch what else she can do!”

He revved the engine and did a wheelie.

“Whoa!” cried Spike, and he quivered in Twilight’s arms.

“Hey, watch it!” groaned Discord.

Twilight and Celestia only chuckled and enjoyed it.

“Sharp turn!” shouted Cyborg and he swerved round a corner. The ladies felt like they were on a roller-coaster, but the other two guys were feeling a bit green round the guts.

Cyborg then stopped. “I don’t get how you folks exist in your Equestria without cars.”

“It’s more than that.” said Twilight “We have movies on projectors, but no television. We have airships, but no airplanes or spaceships.”

“We do at least have video arcades, but they’re rarely used.” added Spike.

Discord looked out the window on the route, “Seems like this town could use some of it as well. Everywhere I look it’s-- how can I put this lightly-- Boring!”

“Discord!” snapped Twilight.

“He’s right.” said Spike “So far all I’ve seen are office complexes, construction zones, agencies, but hardly anything of fun and enjoyment.”

For the first time ever, since Twilight had arrived, Cyborg finally began to notice this.

The other Titans noticed this as well, but Beast Boy was not the least bit surprised having walked and flown among the “Disgraces” the past week.

Then, there was more as Cyborg turned up the road and would be able to see his favorite outdoor restaurant, only to find, “…It’s gone!”

The entire building had been demolished and was being cleared away by construction machines to convert it into a parking lot for the construction of a simple motel of condos.

All the other Titans stopped and touched down on the road just ahead.

“How can they do this?” cried Starfire.

“More change I guess.” said Robin.

As the gang looked around, the changes were finally starting to sink in and take their toll on them.

“Well, look who’s finally starting to get the message.” Beast Boy grumbled, but to himself.

Starfire flew up higher to see over the miles, and she could hardly see any places of fun, enjoyment, or any of the usual things; just more businesses, work establishments, and more places that were just boring or not of much use.

She did however see another outdoor restaurant just a mile down the road. “Perhaps we shall adjourn there?”

“We might as well.” said Robin.

Upon their arrival, the greeter looked a little sad, but she gladly allowed the gang three tables huddled together on the patio, and Spike was allowed to stay as long as they didn’t let him roam around.

Spike would have voiced his intentions to behave, but Twilight had warned him previously not to speak so as not to arouse suspicion about Equestria in a town full of rather unscrupulous people.

“We’ll feed you some of our table scraps.” Twilight promised.

Spike smiled.

When the waitress came out to take orders, she too looked rather sad and downhearted.

“Is everything okay?” asked Celestia.

“Oh, we’re just going out of business.” the lady replied and revealed that the joint had been purchased by a rich company that wished to demolish the place to setup an auto-dealers headquarters.

Everyone was shocked, except Beast Boy who wasn’t the least bit surprised.

“Okay, I’m all for cars and parts,” said Cyborg “But this is starting to get way out of hand. The city’s changing too much.”

The waitress sighed, “That’s the way things are. This whole city is becoming one big land of business. Pretty soon there won’t be a fun place left in the entire town.”

The others, except Beast Boy all gawked with their mouths wide-open.

“But that’s insane!” snapped Robin “They can’t just do this to the people-- take away all their joy and hangout places.”

“Changes are part of life,” Beast Boy said to him “And we have to accept them whether we approve of them or not.

…Isn’t that what you said?”

Robin looked crossed, but he couldn’t seem to protest. For the first time, he was finally starting to see some of the downsides to changes.

The Equestrians were also shocked.

“If I had my powers I’d be able liven this place up like that.” said Discord

“Excuse me?” asked the waitress.

Discord was about to spill the beans, when Twilight gave him a small kick to his ankle.

“Ow!” he groaned “Oh! Right… um, never mind.”

Orders were taken, and when it came to Beast Boy, “I’ll have the pulled pork on a kaiser.”

The Titans all gasped in shock.

“Uh… you’re a vegetarian.” Raven reminded him.

Beast Boy just shook his head not even looking at her, “Not anymore. Changes are part of life.”

The others all rolled their eyes back and forth with concern, and Robin was starting to get annoyed with Beast Boy saying that.

Still everyone ordered their lunch, while the evil inside Beast Boy snickered.

Twilight and Celestia both shivered slightly, even Spike felt his stomach give a little turn. Discord felt nothing, but asked “What’s got you three all quivering?”

Celestia knew the feeling “Something doesn’t feel right somewhere.”

“That’s what I’ve been feeling too.” said Twilight “My alicorn senses are picking up some kind of danger; something evil.”

The Titans all looked around, but everything seemed plain and simple, but they were growing concerned, because that killer was still on the loose.

“Just keep your eyes peeled for anything suspicious.” said Robin.

Meanwhile, as it had struck afternoon, Terra took up Miss Caroline’s offer and came to her apartment.

She looked pretty distraught.

“Come in, dear.” she said.

Her home office was setup in her study, and even had a couch for Terra to lie down on.

At first Terra didn’t say anything, and the sounds of the big wall clock ticking were loud enough to annoy anyone.

“Well…?” asked Caroline “You told me you were having guy problems.”

“Guy problems? I’m not having guy problems. Who ever said I had guy problems? I’m fine, you hear? Fine, fine, fine…!”

Caroline could see this was more serious than she thought. “Terra, you may as well confide in me. It’s not healthy to keep your feelings all bottled up like this. It can have more than just a negative impact on your school studies; it can affect your life as well.”

Terra looked very nervous, which told her that her life was already badly affected.

“I’ve been having bad dreams, and hallucinations.” And she explained about her vision as best she could, without revealing Beast Boy or Slade, trying to keep her secrets secret.

Caroline noted this, “Sounds to me like it’s your inner-conscience is feeling guilty over something that happened, and I must assume it’s a breakup, because it’s guy-trouble.”

Terra knew she was licked and had to confess, but she still chose her words carefully.

“I… I broke up with a guy who I really liked once. I told him to stop following me, and just leave me alone because I changed.”

Caroline looked up, “You broke up with someone because you changed? That doesn’t seem like a very valid reason to end a relationship.”

“There was more. I…” Terra paused trying to find courage to say what she wanted “I wanted to move on, because I had a hard life before, and I kept causing pain and suffering, especially to him. I didn’t want to hurt him anymore.”

Caroline pondered and thought, “I think I know where this is going.”

She almost hated herself for what she was about to do, but she knew this would help Terra come to grips with herself and confide in her better.

“Terra, there’s something you need to know on my own part as well.”

She reached into a drawer in the table next to her and pulled out a newspaper clipped from a year ago, when the Teen Titans had busted some crooks holding up the first national bank.

Terra recognized one of the Titans in the picture-- herself when she was a Titan-- and she cringed deeply.

“Th… that… that isn’t me in there.” she lied, and Caroline wasn’t fooled.

“I was there!” she stated “I remember that day well, that’s why I keep these clippings.”

She even pointed at a civilian who was standing behind, inside the bank. She had been held up in the robbery but the Titans had saved her, Terra in particular.

“You don’t ever forget the one who saves you.”

Terra tried to fake her way out of it, “I-I-I… really don’t remember any of that. I know people say I should, but I just don’t.”

Caroline shook her head at her and pulled out another clipping, the story showing a certain criminal attacking the Titans-- once again, Terra herself as Slade’s apprentice.

Terra was finding it harder and harder to keep herself in the dark.

“I know who you really are, dear,” said Caroline. “…And now I know what this is all about.”

Terra looked at her with a strange and yet frightful expression, and Caroline admitted, she had seen Terra and Beast boy interacting the day the Teen Titans had returned from their globe-trotting adventures against the Brotherhood of Evil.

She heard how Terra had claimed she didn’t remember, and then the very next day, while she though she and Beast Boy were alone in the empty school hallway, Caroline could hear them talking from her office door, only a few doors down.

She heard Terra dismiss Beast Boy with her “Things Change” speech, and saw Beast Boy run, broken-hearted, out of the building.

Terra felt in disgrace, which further confirmed Caroline’s theory, and Terra, now fully-exposed, was forced to admit the truth. “I didn’t want to live that kind of life. It was so painful. I did so many bad things. I just wanted to be normal and forget all the things I did.”

Caroline scribbled in her notes.

“…And?”

Terra turned and looked at her, and sighed miserably, “But I can’t get these thoughts out of my head, no matter what I try. I can’t sleep, I can’t concentrate. What’s wrong with me? Why can’t I just forget about it?”

Caroline looked at her pitifully, “Well for one thing, dear, memories don’t ever go away just because you want them to.

I should know this especially when my first boyfriend dumped me because he wanted to go out with other girls.”

Terra felt shocked at such a thing, “Really? That happened to you?”

Caroline nodded. “It was the most painful event that ever happened to me and, try as I may, I can never forget it, and even if I could that doesn’t make it a good thing either.

And that’s the second thing: It’s our pasts that make up who we are and that shapes our lives. We can’t ignore where we came from, or how we get where we are in life.

You may think what you did was a good thing, but it looks to me as if it only caused both you and Beast Boy more pain.”

Terra remembered Beast Boy balking at her and scorning her for hurting him the way she did.

Caroline continued, “Let’s look at this from another point-of-view. While I may not know Beast Boy personally, I think I can tell that from what I heard, you two were very close once, and it sounded like he believed in you, and really cared for you.

While I can’t approve of stalking, I can understand why he did what he did.”

Terra clenched her fists trying to hide her ever-growing pain inside. “I did what I had to, for both of us. I was trying to make the future a better thing if we both just let go and move on.”

“Mm-hmm, who are trying to convince with that, me or yourself?”

Terra tried to come up with an excuse as best she could, but in the end she finally began to realize there was no way around it. Her actions were cold, cruel, and selfish for her own gains.

Caroline motioned for Terra to look at her, and she looked at her deeply like a mother to a child. “I’m very disappointed in you. You did exactly what my ex-boyfriend did-- you sacrificed your moral principles for something material. You lost far more than you gained, and to top it all off you hurt someone who really cared for you.

It may be understandable why you did what you did, but your behaviour and how you went about it was completely inexcusable.

Do you understand?”

Terra nodded tearfully. She had brought all this guilt and shame upon herself.

“What should I do?” she asked sadly, “I can’t take this pressure anymore. No matter where I go or what I do, I’ll never be able to shake these feelings off.”

Caroline was not one to force people to change, but she did have a suggestion to help Terra come to grips with things. “I think you need to take a moment, look deep inside, and you’ll find what’s really hurting you most.”

Terra relaxed on the sofa, closed her eyes, and looked deep inside.

All once her most pleasant memories of Beast Boy were shown as a lovely song played. “To Be in Love”

So many memories, since the first day they met they were smitten with one another, and he taught her to believe in herself and promised to keep her unstable powers a secret.

Their first date at the theme park, where they almost had their first kiss…

And how he helped her break Slade’s control to just before she sacrificed herself to turn to stone to save the town.

“You were the best friend I ever had!”

This time, he Things Change memories didn’t occur, and they didn’t have to.

She woke up with her hands clasped to her eyes as she sobbed softly but painfully! “What have I done?!”

Caroline handed her a box of tissues, but she was proud that at least Terra finally admitted to her problem and mistake-- a good first step.

She gave Terra a few moments to get a hold of herself and dry up, but Terra was really upset with herself.

“I want him back in my life.” Terra confessed out loud “…But I don’t know how.”

“You don’t?” asked Caroline.

Terra shook her head and confessed that she wasn’t sure which way to go from here, or how to go about it.

She still wasn’t so sure if she wanted to give up her school life. Then again she wasn’t even so sure how to tell Beast Boy about this. “He seemed pretty mad at me the last time we talked. Personally I can’t blame him now.”

Caroline softy patted her shoulder and told her, “It sounds like you have a lot more thinking to do, and a lot to consider. I can’t really help you in this field, but I’m proud of you. You made a real breakthrough today.”

Terra dabbed her eyes one last time, and gave a very weak smile-- First time she had smiled in days.

“Thank you, Miss Caroline.”

Caroline smiled at her, “Why don’t you drop by my office first thing at school tomorrow, we can talk a little more if you need to.”

Terra agreed and then excused herself. She had a lot of thinking to do.

Caroline felt very content with herself.

Meanwhile, the Titans and the Equestrians were enjoying their meal, and slipping Spike some scraps as promised.

Beast Boy was eating his pork sandwich without much complaint, much to the Titans’ surprise.

“I can’t believe he’s eating meat, willing!” Cyborg whispered to Robin.

“…And he seems to be enjoying it.” added Robin

Beast Boy took another bite, and he protested in his mind.

“Dude, stop…! I don’t… eat… MEAT!!”

“Silence!” sneered the evil “I’ll eat whatever I like and however I like. Understand?!”

Poor Beast Boy couldn’t stop the evil from abusing his body.

The others all noticed Beast Boy had been rather quiet and hesitant all through the meal, but he did overhear Twilight explain to Celestia the terrible condition of the city, or that of the world they were in.

“I see…” said Celestia “You wish to help the people of this world establish more friendship into their lives?”

Twilight nodded, “I can’t just leave this place as it is. I’m worried the people could be devoured up by all the chaos and misery.”

“Chaos and misery, eh?” muttered Discord, but everyone else, except for Beast Boy, heard him and gave him an angry glare.

“Oh, I mean… Ohhh, this world could use some tuning up.”

Celestia ignored him, but from what she had seen so far, with all the changes, as well as grumpy people in the streets, she agreed that the world could use improvement.

“Uh, don’t you realize what a big job that would be?” Raven asked.

“Big jobs are what we’re all about in Equestria.” said Spike.

“Spike,” said Robin “I’m not trying to discourage you but Equestria is just a giant country in your own world. We’re looking at an entire planet here, and many other worlds beyond.”

Beast Boy then spoke up, “…Which is why it’s pointless to even try.”

All was silent as everyone gawked at him.

“Care to prove me wrong?” Beast Boy asked. “You guys can do what you want, but I’m not for it.”

Starfire spoke calmly towards him, “Beast Boy, surely you do not mean that. You are not willing to try and embrace the potential to really make a difference.”

“…Nope.”

Celestia was shocked to hear him talk down to and give up hopes of friendship like this, not that she hadn’t really expected it from what Twilight had warned her. Now she could see the situation was more serious than she thought.

“Beast Boy, I have been told about your troubles, and I also am now fully aware of your feelings towards it.”

Beast Boy only chuckled softly. “You think you are, but I know for a fact you aren’t.”

Celestia felt a bit offended.

“Beast Boy,” Robin said “Please try to show a little respect. These beings are our guests.”

Beast Boy felt his rage boiling inside, much to the evil’s delight.

Twilight gave Robin a look telling him to take it easy so as not to worsen things, and then she decided to ask Beast Boy.

“Beast Boy, I’m asking you nicely. Will you please tell us why you hate friendship so much, and why you’re going to incredible lengths to stray from it and discourage it?”

Discord leaned closer to Beast Boy and whispered, “She can get really stubborn, so you might as well come clean.”

The other Titans all looked very eager to hear what he had to say, but once again, Beast Boy refused to confide in them.

“Yo’ man, we want to help you.” protested Cyborg “But how can we if you don’t spill?”

“Because you can’t help me, no one can. Got it?!” Beast Boy snapped.

Everyone winced softly, and features began to harden.

“What do you mean “We would not understand?” asked Starfire, but Beast Boy had had enough. He didn’t have to sit here and take all this interrogation.

So he got up to leave, and Raven was about to use her powers to sit him back down again, but Robin gave her a look telling her cease, and he spoke deeply but calmly to Beast Boy.

“Beast Boy, we’re just trying to help you. If you don’t want to tell us, fine, but don’t get expect to get anywhere if you don’t want to help yourself.”

Beast Boy clenched his quivering fists and glared furiously at him, but he just turned his back, leaving behind some money for his share of the meal, and he changed into a bird and took off again.

Discord was pretty livid. “Well, I must say, I’ve met my share of creatures with attitude, but this is an entirely new level.”

“That makes two of us.” said Raven “I keep telling you all, he’s a hopeless case, and there’s no point in helping someone who doesn’t want to be helped.”

“Finally, something we can agree one.” agreed Discord.

“I’m not so sure of that,” said Celestia “While I don’t approve of his attitude myself, I think it can well established that he truly feels insecure about himself. He seems to be convinced that any attempts to bond with him, help him, or improve his life will be pointless.”

“Yeah, but why is he like this?” asked Cyborg “We get something bad happened to him, and not just getting dumped by Terra, but what is it?”

“He will not share with us as you have seen.” added Starfire.

“She’s got a point there.” agreed Spike.

Twilight cleared her throat, “Princess, can I tell you an idea I have?”

Celestia leaned over as Twilight whispered into her ear.

Celestia agreed almost at once, “It just may help a little, if the Titans approve.”

She then turned to Robin and told the suggestion, and the Titans were ever surprised!

“You want to take Beast Boy with you, back to Equestria?” Robin asked.

“Whoa-hoa! Timeout here.” called Discord.

“Just for a visit.” said Twilight “We talked about this, and it is possible for us to travel back and forth between worlds, thanks to Raven’s jewel.”

Raven looked at her brooch, and then she asked, “But why bring Beast Boy to your world?”

Twilight explained, “Beast Boy needs help like you all said, and what better kind of help than for me and all of my friends back home to show him the things he’s abandoned, and realize how wondrous they can be again.”

“And this will help him go back to his old cheerful ways?” asked Starfire.

“Think of it as a therapeutic vacation.” said Cyborg.

“What have we got to lose?” agreed Raven.

Robin thought about it deeply, and answered “Okay, we’ll do it, but I suggest we not tell him this. He’ll refuse the first chance he hears.”

It was then agreed, the best choice would be to wait until the next full moon, which would be tomorrow night, and then knock Beast Boy unconscious so the Equestrians could take him without trouble.

“How long do you think the treatment will last?” Robin asked.

Celestia was not sure, “I’ve never seen a case this severe before. It could take a while.”

Nobody said anything after that, right now Robin was more concerned with other things, like all the changes in the city, which he finally saw were becoming a bit overbearing, not to mention that mysterious killer was still on the loose!

As Beast Boy continued to fly towards the tower, the evil inside him snickered sinisterly.

Author's Note

*Even during the holidays, I don't stop for pretty much ANYTHING!!*

Unfortunately, Terra, like the rest of the characters are in my world, where redeeming qualities or realizing your errors and all that jazz... will get you NOWHERE!!

Then again, even outside of my world, people don't care about redeeming qualities anyway.

To many people you have to ACT and DO THINGS a certain way to be acceptable. So in other words, it's all about PERSONAL SATISFACTION

"You wanna write, write it good!" (ie: You write it the way I want it to be)

"He/She has no redeeming qualities. He/She a jerk, and he did wrong in the first place." (ie: I/you refuse to see any good in them)

Well, if that's the way people want it... so be it. Redeeming Qualities (IF ANY) now may as well mean next to nothing in fiction for any character... canon or not.

Act 11: Growing Stronger

ACT ELEVEN

Beast Boy had flown to the Jump City Dump where he gathered up all kinds of strange metals from scrap.

Then he returned to the tower, finding no one else home as The Titans were probably still hanging out with the Equestrians.

“Perfect!” he said to himself “No one will suspect what I’m up to, but I better work fast.”

First, he snooped around Terra’s old bedroom, looking all over the floors and the furniture. Even though the Titans had kept the room clean as they could, especially while Twilight occupied the room, he still managed to find what he needed-- threads of blonde hair that were Terra’s!

He retreated to the basement, into one of the workshops, and set to work.

One of Beast Boy’s hidden talents that he rarely showed was that he was good at handcrafting things, even with some tools-- like how he made the heart mirror-box for Terra-- which the evil was now using to its advantage.

Beast Boy didn’t like this one bit, knowing what this creep was up to as they shared thoughts.

“I won’t let you do this!” he growled while struggling for control, but the evil was able to silence him and push him back so he could keep on working.

He melted the scrap metal together, and carved a special mold out of big ceramic slabs.

“Excellent!” he snickered.

Then, he began to do some glass-blowing with materials that the Titans always had.

Normally, it would take days or weeks even to complete this project, but thanks to his growing powers and the evil spirit’s knowledge and abilities, Beast Boy was able to finish it by nightfall.

He had forged a perfect replica of the evil sword he had used to murder people.

The evil snickered wickedly as he compared the blade to that of his own. “If I did not know better, I would say that this was my own.”

The next part of his plan was complete.

“…The real fun is about to commence.”

Suddenly, he could hear the distance sounds of rumbling, meaning the T-Car and Robin’s cycle were returning.

He magically hid the fake sword away and quickly bounded upstairs, and retreated to his bedroom.

The Titans and the Equestrians emerged from the garage, all looking rather bored, and glum. They had been all over the city searching for fun activities to do, but the waitress at the restaurant was right; the city had changed very badly and there hardly any fun places left to go.

The movie theater was gone-- demolished to make way for a new factory.

The Dancing Club was gone, abandoned and labeled “Condemned”

Cyborg even stopped in at an electronics store, only to find no more video games were being sold, nor consoles, or CDs and boom-boxes; just Televisions, wirings, and computer fixings, but hardly anything considered “Fun” at all.

Finally, the Titans decided to just train in the outback and allow the Equestrians to watch them demonstrate their skills and powers, which was entertaining… a little.

Celestia and Twilight were impressed, while Discord and Spike looked ready to hit the hay.

“I thought we’d never get back.” grumbled Discord.

Spike yawned “Lead me to bed.”

Twilight tried to maintain her enthusiasm and told them both, “Lighten up you two. The Titans are trying their best.”

Spike didn’t care a bit and decided to just come forward. “Of all the places I’ve ever seen, this has got to be the single, most boring, irritable town ever!”

“I second that!” Discord agreed “Even watching paint dry and grass grow without my speeding it up is more entertaining than this place.”

Twilight was infuriated, but Celestia cautioned her “They are entitled to their opinions.”

“But Princess…” Twilight protested “I’m trying not to insult the Titans, not for everything they’ve done for us.”

Robin could only sigh, “…But they’re right. This town really has turned for the worst.”

The other Titans agreed.

“I now understand Beast Boy’s protests all the clearly now.” said Starfire “Changes may be a part of existence, but there can be such thing as too much the changes.”

“This is insane!” grumbled Cyborg “No video games, No movies, No dances, bowling, billiards… What are the people trying to do?!”

“Uh… make progress and more jobs and increase efficiency?” suggested Raven, but the others all gave her straight and stern looks.

“You’re right. This isn’t good at all.”

Celestia was most disturbed by all this, and topped off with the way people were being rude and grouchy in the streets to one another, “I can understand why there is so little friendship here. It’s almost… hateful.”

She was beginning to feel like it was more than just Beast Boy and the Titans who needed help and adjustments.

Still, she was only willing to tackle the problems one at a time.

“Beast Boy!” cried Robin “We forgot about him again.”

Starfire sighed “It seems that we are forgetting him the lot lately.”

“Well, he was the one who up and left in a huff.” Spike pointed out.

Starfire hovered over to the computer and turned on the camera footage, and she looked at the footage of Beast Boy’s room, and found him sleeping in bed.

“Wow! That kid sure loves his beauty sleep.” teased Discord.

The Titans all sighed, figuring he was still trying to avoid them all, and as usual they all felt it best not to bother him, letting him sleep and cool off, especially considering he had a big night ahead of him tomorrow.

Robin was still skeptical of the idea of Beast Boy going to Equestria, but he knew it would be right for him, especially if Twilight, Celestia and all their friends would be able to help him recover.

“Does something trouble you, Robin?” asked Celestia.

Robin came forth and said, “I’m pretty sure Beast Boy won’t be willing to go back with you. He’s made it clear that he doesn’t care for friendship.

I’m thinking, just thinking mind you, we’ll probably have to make him go by force.”

Celestia and Twilight gawked at him with shocked expressions.

“Force him?” snapped Twilight, but upon thinking about it and knowing Beast Boy’s behaviour, she, too, felt it would be the best course.

Celestia wasn’t as up to it. “It’s not that actually object to it, I realize it may be the best way, but that would be forcing him to accept our views, and it may cause more harm than help.”

Cyborg agreed with her, in both ways. “We’ve all been a little hard on him as it is, but he does need the help, so… I’m all for it too.”

Raven nodded in agreement, as did Starfire.

So it was agreed…

The next night they all planned to knock Beast Boy out cold-- tranquilize him with sleep powder or something so he wouldn’t protest or try to put up a struggle, and he could be taken to Equestria when the full moon was out.

Little had they known, that wasn’t Beast Boy, but just another holo-shell made by the evil one.

Terra was sitting at her window, looking up at the night sky and contemplating about what to do.

Ever since she had seen Miss Caroline that day, she had been contemplating about what to do of her situation.

“Do I really want to give up my life as it is?” she thought to herself “Do I really want to forget Beast Boy?”

She thought it over a lot, and finally she realized and admitted there really was no way to ever get Beast Boy off of her mind. No matter where she went, or what she tried to do-- not even leaving Jump City and going to make a new start-- the memories would always be there.

“Maybe…” she thought “Maybe I don’t have to give up my normal life. Maybe Beast Boy and I could still have something and I don’t have to be a Teen Titan.”

Then she remembered all the anger and hostility he had shown her, which was technically justified after the ways she had not only hurt him, but then tried to talk to him herself and only ended up rubbing more salt in his wounds.

She was suddenly snapped out of her trance by the sound of sirens as a few police cars came rushing down the street heading for the mall.

Then there came a big pounding on the door. She looked through the peek hole and saw Jackie and Jillian; both of them looking terrified, as if they had seen a ghost.

“What’s with you two?”

The girls were so terrified they could hardly speak.

Jackie was on the verge of tears, “Murder…!” she managed to say “There’ve been murders at the mall!”

“Wait, what?!”

“It’s true…” cried Jillian “We were there emptying the trash bins for our community service, and we saw it; the electronic store owner was found totally slaughtered, like he was in some knife-fight.”

Terra’s eyes widened.

“Our marshal is dead too.” said Jackie “He went for a bathroom break, and he never came back. They found him with his head sliced right off!”

The girls began to cry softly, and they were just glad they had fled from the mall before whatever was there tried to get them as well.

Terra felt devastated for her friends, but just as worried as well.

She went and called their respective folks and told them they were fine and they could pick them up at her place, and she fixed her friends up some cocoa and helped calm them down.

“What is going on in this town?” asked Jackie “Murders are coming up right and left, just out of the blue. Who knows who could be next?”

Jillian agreed and her features hardened, “And why don’t those stupid Teen Turd-heads do something about it?!”

“It’s “Teen Titans.” corrected Terra “And they’re probably just as upset as anyone, but they’ll do their best.”

Her friends gawked at her. “How do you know that about them?” asked Jackie.

Terra quickly covered up her revealing tracks, “I… uh… visited their tower, when Beast Boy… you know… remember.”

The girls remembered her telling them that, and now they were both looking real steamed, that Beast Boy was still on her mind after all this time.

Still, they said nothing about it as they were still upset about the murders.

As for Terra, now she was concerned about what to decide on her own situation, as it was obvious to her that her friends would never understand if she consented to letting Beast Boy back in her life.

She would have to talk with Caroline at school the next day for advice on her decision.

“Beast Boy.” she thought silently. Her friends didn’t like the looks on her face a bit.

As for Beast Boy, he stood on a high-rise rooftop clutching his blood-dripping sword, and thinking back to the glorious slaughters he had just made.

Their screams!

Their blood gushing forth!

…And he got away with each one so easily thanks to his power of invisibility. Even the mall security cameras didn’t catch him, which was all part of his plan.

“And tomorrow, begins the final step!” he hissed as he gazed down at his communicator, which he had used to download more footage from the security cameras.

He looked up at the night sky, and an image of Terra seemed to appear right before him, drudged up from Beast Boy’s memories.

Then he clutched his head, not in frustration, but for Beast Boy’s goodness, once again, trying to re-seize control of his body.

“I’m not… going… to let you hurt her! You hear me?!!”

“Ha!” scoffed the evil, “With each and every second I grow stronger and stronger, while you fade off into the nothing that you resembled even before I came along.

Remember, I’m merely doing what you’ve always wanted deep down but are too spineless to do it yourself-- Revenge!”

It was in vain that Beast Boy tried to protest or regain control as he was vanquished back into the darkness.

“I can destroy her anytime that I wish, but what I have in mind requires even greater amounts of torture, misery, and especially hatred.”

In Equestria, daylight was breaking, and Princess Luna, keeping her word, had informed the Canterlot Staff of the situation, and soon she had publicly announced to not just Canterlot, but by using a special spell to cast herself in images across the land.

“Until my sister is safely returned, I have no choice but to assume full command of Equestria. I want you all to know, that everything done to ensure the safe return of my sister is being taken into consideration.”

Chatters and worrisome feelings were expressed all over the land.

“Celestia is gone?”

“Princess Twilight Sparkle is gone too?”

“What’s happening?”

“What will we do if we never get them back?”

Princess Luna then announce for the creatures not to panic. “I kind understand what a shock this must be for you all, but I can also assure you we must not let this affect our ways of life. We must continue on normally, especially now as I am certain that many opposing forces out there are liable to take advantage of the situation.”

Starlight and the gang were standing right behind her on the terrace as she made the announcement.

“Sure our enemies will know.” grumbled Rainbow “…She just blabbed for all to hear across the land.”

“We didn’t have a choice!” Starlight reminded her “We can’t keep it a secret any longer, and they would all eventually find out for themselves.”

“Besides…” Applejack cut it “Now that every pony and every other creature knows, it means we can all band together to help make things okay until we get our friends back.”

Pinkie was already dressed up in a swat uniform, which was actually an old costume she had from a Nightmare Night some time ago.

“Just let any bad guy or monster try to invade Equestria now.” she said with determination and pride “I’ll show them! We’ll all show them!”

Rarity on the other hand looked down in the dumps, she was very worried about her friends, especially Twilight… and Spike most of all.

Fluttershy could sense this, as she was worried about her friends and Discord.

“It’ll be okay, Rarity.” she said to comfort her. “We’ll get them back, I know we will.”

Rarity looked up and gave her a sad smile, “I want to believe that, dear, I do. It’s just, we’ve never been in a situation as grave as this before, nor has Twilight, nor Spike or any of the others.”

A little tear fell from her eye, “I’m just very worried about them. I miss them! If only we could be given a sign that they’re alright.”

Seeing her tearful made Fluttershy feel like crying herself, but she still believed in Twilight and the others, and hoped only for the best that they would return safely.

Luna continued to make her announcements that life would continue normally, as if nothing had really changed all that much, “My sister would want it this way, as would Princess Twilight.” she explained “We shall be strong, we shall carry on. We have the power of friendship at our sides, and there is nothing we cannot do.”

The crowds and any creature listening to her all across the lands cheered with honor and promise.

As for the transport jewel, Luna had specifically ordered it be kept under guard, and sealed away in a vault where it would not absorb any moonlight and cause more trouble.

This was if the others were ever to return to Equestria, they wouldn’t wind up in such a small place.

As such the jewel was placed in the vault where the Elements of Harmony once laid when not in use.

Luna had ordered round-the-clock guards to watch the vault and report any sort of activity if they jewel were activated or something strange happened.

“You will inform me at once. Is that understood?”

The guards bowed to her acknowledging their orders.

“Well, I guess that’s that.” said Starlight “I better get back to Ponyville. I have many students to console.”

She looked back at her friends, and they all nodded sadly at her, feeling it would be harder than ever to manage the School of Friendship with all the worried children.

“Twilight...” Starlight murmured.

Back at Titan’s Tower, everyone was figuring on turning in for the night, after it had been such a long day.

Cyborg came into the lounge looking a bit perplexed. “Has anybody been working in the basement?”

Robin shook his head, “Not that I know of. Why?”

“I went down there to get a new filter for the T-Car, and I noticed a lot of the equipment was moved around, like someone had been real busy down there.”

“But no one has been at the tower all day.” said Starfire.

“Except… maybe Beast Boy.” suggested Robin.

A moment of silence and concern followed.

“What would Beast Boy know the first thing about using tools like that?” wondered Raven “He barely even knows how to use a glue-gun.”

She obviously was still unobservant or uncaring of Beast Boy’s natural craftsmanship.

“Can’t you just view the security footage?” asked Twilight.

“I already tried.” answered Cyborg “I think someone’s been tampering with it.”

He showed everyone images on the monitor, and how there was no one in the workshop at all, yet all of a sudden, all the tools and things were scattered and out of position.

“Someone has been in the tower!” cried Spike.

“Yeah, I think we’ve established that.” Discord scoffed rudely.

Everyone ignored him, but all were most confused as why the alarms didn’t go off either.

The Titans still remained convinced that Beast Boy couldn’t have done all this as it was all out of his league in understanding and handling.

“Don’t be so sure.” said Celestia “Perhaps there is more going on than we realize.”

“Are you saying Beast Boy did do all this?” asked Raven “He doesn’t even know how to work a computer, let alone complex tools.”

Celestia didn’t take kindly to Raven’s doubts and calling Beast Boy down, but rather than read Raven out she merely said, “One thing that friendship has taught us is that things are not always as they seem. People and other creatures can possess hidden talents and abilities that we may not be aware of.”

Robin couldn’t deny this and reflected upon Beast Boy’s few and far-apart episodes of maturity, leadership, great skills and quick thinking. “I guess… maybe we do overlook these things in him.”

Twilight didn’t like the sound of that one bit. She was beginning to get a little more of an understanding why Beast Boy despised friendship and was so hostile with his teammates.

As for Beast Boy, he had just arrived back at the tower, through the window of his bedroom, undetected thanks to his evil powers.

Twilight shuddered softly, as did Celestia.

“Are you two alright?” asked Spike.

The ladies nodded.

“You still sense something wrong in the tower?” asked Robin.

“Yes,” said Twilight “We wouldn’t be reacting so much if there wasn’t.”

“But we have checked over the entire tower, and the island,” said Starfire “Everything seems in its proper place.”

Raven closed her eyes and raised her hand to her head, concentrating hard. “I still don’t sense anything.”

Cyborg on the other hand was starting to believe the ladies, due to the fact that the security footage had been tampered with. “This system is state of the art. It’s almost like somebody used magic to tamper with it.”

Naturally they Titans all cast their looks at the Equestrians, only to remember they neither of them had any powers in this world.

Suddenly, the alarms went off, and Robin raced to the computer!

“More murders!”

Starfire gasped.

“Not more!” groaned Cyborg.

The Equestrians were most concerned.

Robin went over the reports, but once again there was nothing to suggest who’d done it-- No security footage. No traces. Nothing!

Robin pounded the console with his fist. “Who or what is out there doing all this, and why?”

That was something everyone wanted to know, even the Equestrians.

“If I had my powers I’d could bend the reality and sniff out the sap in a heartbeat.” gloated Discord.

“But the fact is you don’t.” sneered Raven.

Discord sulked.

While Robin went over the reports hoping to gain any kind of leads, the others decided to head to bed, though some of them felt it was would be hard to sleep now, knowing that innocent were just slaughtered, and the killer was still out there.

Celestia and Twilight both walked down the halls to their respective rooms.

“I’m really starting to not like this world very much now.” said Twilight. “Ever since I came here, things have only seemed to have worsened.”

“I understand how you feel.” said Celestia “But we’ve never given up before, and we mustn’t start.”

“I never said I intended to.” Twilight said quickly “Somehow, we’ll find a way to get the friendship and harmony sparking again. Everyone needs it.”

Celestia smiled proudly at her, and the two of them agreed to at least stick to their initial plan to bring Beast Boy back with them to Equestria, tomorrow night, whether he wanted to go or not.

Speaking of Beast Boy, he had emerged from his room to adjourn to the bathroom, passing right by the ladies in the hall, with a scowling expression.

The split second he walked between them, did the ladies gasp and felt very disturbed inside.

Celestia even fell to her knees.

“Princess!” cried Twilight as she helped her up.

Beast Boy stopped and turned to look, eerily back at them. “Are you ladies alright?” he asked rather deeply.

Twilight hesitated, “Um… yeah, we’re fine.”

Beast Boy narrowed his eyes, suspecting much more, but then he adjourned to the bathroom and slowly slide the door shut.

“You felt that, didn’t you?” Twilight asked softly.

Celestia nodded.

Twilight suggested that maybe it was because of Beast Boy’s current attitude, and his lack of friendship and trust, but Celestia disagreed, “It felt as if it were something more.

…Something almost…” she paused “…Evil.”

Twilight felt concerned about this. She couldn’t deny her alicorn nerves sensing trouble, but Beast Boy? “…He’s a superhero; he would never do anything evil.

…Would he?”

Celestia then reminded her of what she had just talked about earlier in the lounge; how people were capable of many things.

“Remember, even Starlight Glimmer was once a lost and confused pony before you managed to reform her. For that matter, Princess Luna was once the evil Nightmare Moon.”

Twilight remembered, but still she was more concerned with Beast Boy than ever, yet how was she certain there really was any evil, there no real proof to suggest it.

As for Beast Boy, he was rinsing his

the evil inside him was growing concerned too. “Those two nearly found me out.” it hissed quietly in thought “I’ve had strange premonitions about them ever since their arrival.

Regardless, I am no longer safe here. I cannot allow my cover to be broken.

I’ll have to put my plan into action sooner than ever!”

Author's Note

Date Beast Boy and live a normal life...? Not possible. Just like Lois and Superman, or Mary Jane and Spiderman, she'd always be in danger, and enemies could take advantage of it. That's not a normal life (Always with danger and risk)

Also, if she hangs around with Beast Boy, there's a chance her PAST can be revealed (A former Titan who has geo-kentic powers) her schoolmates may view her as a freak and ostracize her. Worse than that, if it leaks out she was once Slade's apprentice and nearly destroyed JC, she may have to answer Criminal charges. (Her heroic act of saving the town does not pardon her)

So, there goes that idea! Terra CANNOT date Beast Boy AND truly live a Normal life.

Besides, she's the one whom implied that she wanted NOTHING TO DO WITH HIM and wanted him out of her life.

-She didn't want to know him
-Remember him
-Still be friends with him
-Want him to come anywhere near her

...NADDA!!

Also, I thought I had made it perfectly clear... I will never forgive her for what she did. nor will I tolerate Beast Boy letting her go, and the Titans for their own behavior towards him (Despite what few good times there have been, they mean nothing now)

They are all Past The Point Of No Return!

This is an Accusation Fic: The characters are not here to be improved, redeemed, or helped to move on (much)

...They are here to be punished!

And that is final!

Act 12: Blackmail

ACT TWELVE

Starlight sure had one heck of a day managing the School of Friendship, many of the students were flipped out or overly worried about Twilight. Some even had a few tears to shed.

The other ponies all had their own ideas of how to calm everyone.

“She will return, you know.” said Professor Fluttershy.

“But how, and when?” asked a pony student.

“Well, we just know she’ll be back.” replied Fluttershy “But you know what, maybe we could all do something very nice for Professor Twilight when she does come back.

We could make special life-sized diaroamas, as a present for her.”

The students felt a little enthused, and began to discuss ideas of what to put on the diaroamas.

Pinkie’s bakeshop class were working on a litle party they planned to throw. With Twilight shapped cakes, cookies, decorations.

“Remember, nothing says “I love you” and “Welcome back” like a big party!

Every turn of the spoon, every sprinkle you add, you’re not just mixing ingredients, you’re pouring in a little love.”

The students were so enraptured and busy with their project, they didn’t have time to be too sad.

Rarity’s sewing class were making “Welcome Back” shirts and gowns.

Rainbow Dash’s P.E class was training hard, wanting to show the head mare they were still holding high and being strong.

Applejack’s woodshop class was carving wooden scultures as gifts for Twilight upon her return.

As for Starlight, she finally had an idea of how to cheer up her own students. “Instead of the usual lesson plan that Headmare Twilight has us working on, why don’t we all write essay’s on how much she means to us. What we like about her, the things she does, and how they affect our lives.”

The students smiled at that and began to write all kinds of things about Twilight.

“She is a very good teacher of friendship.”

“She is a hero to us all.”

“…She’s… very beautiful and… well, I guess I really like her.”

Starlight enjoyed reading all the essays when they were turned in.

She showed them to the others.

“Oh, this is so sweet.” said Fluttershy.

“Oh, Twilight will adore all that we’ve put together for her.” said Rarity “…When she returns that is.”

No one said another thing after that, not wanting to start that whole mess up again. They all decided to hold their heads high and carry on.

As daylight rose in Jump City, Beast Boy had already woken up early, clutching his aching head.

The evil then took over at once, “Today is the day. We have work to do.”

He tried to make Beast Boy get up, but was held down for a moment. Beast Boy still refused to let him get away with what he was doing.

“What are you doing?!” the evil snapped as he felt Beast Boy pulling on the body to move it towards the desk at the end of the bedroom.

“I’m… putting… a stop to this! I’m going to… warn the… Titans!”

“I will not let you!” thundered the evil.

Beast Boy managed to reach the desk, and managed to get a pencil and piece of paper and right on the paper, but all he got was two words in and the evil began to fight aginast him, causing Beast Boy to stumble and crash about.

The thumping reached Raven’s room and she bolted upright in bed. “What’s that?”

The evil managed to seize control again! “You really think this plot of yours shall work? You’re even more foolish than I thought!”

To prove his point, he allowed the note to remain where it was, and this time he didn’t bother create a holo-image of Beast Boy in bed to decieve the Titans. He even tooke the note Beast Boy had scribbled and placed it outside his room, just as Raven was coming down the hall.

“Beast Boy?”

She got to his room and put her head to the door. “Beast Boy, are you okay?”

There was no sound inside, and then she noticed the paper on the floor. She picked it up and gawked at the rather horribly scribbled words.

“…Help Me?”

That’s what it said, and Raven felt more distrubed than confused.

She knocked at the door several times. “Beast Boy…?”

No answer.

Going against better judgement, Raven melded herself through the door to find Beast boy was gone, and his window was wide open. The room was quite messy again, but it looked as if there was some struggle.

Raven knew she had to get Robin and fast!

Beast Boy, as a bird, flew towards the city.

“It is far too late for anyone to do anything now. I will gain what I want by day’s end, and nothing and no one can stop me!!”

Beast Boy tried to regain control but found it harder than ever. It was like asking a man to move a mountain!

“You won’t get away with this!”

The evil laughed, “That cliché is so old and tired, it astounds me that folks still use it.”

Terra was already up and dressing for school. She looked herself in the mirror as she fixed her tie, and then swore she she could see Beast Boy in the mirror, standing next to her, and smiling lovingly at her.

She couldn’t help but feel warm inside, for the first time in a long time.

She began to go into a fantasy; back to when she told him off, but instead of telling him to leave her in peace and go about his own ways, they would just stare at each other, as the song “May I” was heard, coming from Beast Boy’s inner soul telling her “There’s still hope for us.”

She would stop kidding herself, and she would return his feelings and run off with him out the door.

…Suddenly, she snapped back into reality.

She hung her head low and felt very miserable and remorseful.

That was not the only vision she had…!

All night long she had one dream after another about being together with Beast Boy again, which made her feel more convinced than ever that she should talk to Beast Boy and try to reconcile with him and maybe try and start things up again.

But she still intended to talk to Caroline before first period, which was why she wanted to get to school early.

Not too many of her schoolmates were early risers, especially neither Jackie nor Jillian, so naturually the school felt a bit like a ghost town, but at least the doors were open.

A big building like Murakami High needed lots of preparation before hours, and students were free to come in early as long as they helped out.

However, her locker was on the first floor, and could been seen upon entering the building, and who did she happen to see standing near it.

“Beast Boy?”

He snapped upright and could see her, he growled, and took off down the hall.

“Wait…!”

She chased after him, nearly running into Caroline on the way.

“Terra!” she called to her, but Terra was in such a hurry to catch Beast Boy she didn’t even call to say sorry.

She saw him head out the side door, and dashed after him, but then skidded to a dead halt when she found a ton of police crusiers parked outside.

“That’s her!” shouted an officer.

“Take her!” called another.

Before Terra knew it, she was cuffed and read her rights.

“Wait! What did I do?”

Another cop came out from behind. “Look what I found in the lady’s locker…” and he held up what appeared to be the sword that was missing formt he musuem, stanined with blood, and covered in threads of her hair!

Terra was beyond words of shock, and couldn’t find words to say, but she did suddnely think, and her heart began to ache. “Beast Boy?!” it had to have been him. She saw him standing right by her locker, but this only made less sense.

Caroline came to the side door but was held back by the cops.

“Miss Caroline!” Terra called to her “You saw it, didn’t you? You saw Beast Boy run past you!”

Caroline, regretfully shook her head, “Nobody ran past me but you.”

Terra couldn’t believe this!

One of the cops even informed her, “Nobody came through this door execpt you, and just as well. Looks we caught the murderer that’s been going around.”

“Murderer?!” cried Terra, and before she could try to deny the acusation, she was forced hard into a car and dragged off.

Caroline felt heart-broken and while she wanted to say something, the evidence was so overwhelming.

As for Beast Boy, he was standing nearby, no one could see him. The evil was very pleased with how things were going, especially thanks to a call he had made eariler.

“If you wish to catch the mysterious murderer, come to the Murikami School, you’ll find the last bit of evidence you’ll need.”

As for Beast Boy, his inner actual person was crushed and weeping softly for what he had just seen, then his sadness faded into rage and fury.

“Dude… I’m warning you!”

“Silence!” shouted the evil “There is still much to be done. By sundown tonight, I’ll have all that I need.”

Beast Boy tried his hardest to sieze control of his body to try and stop all this, but all he had right now was barely enough to make so much as a flicker, let alone stand up to this creep that was controling him.

He then left the school, while Caroline was just devestated.

School was pretty much canceled for the day, as the students only just found out as they arived later on.

The police were still inspecting Terra’s locker, going around consulting the staff about Terra’s records and trying to get as much information on her as they could.

All students were promtly sent home, and while some of them felt delighted there was no school, many were flaberghasted, epsecially Jackie and Jillian, who were more than still shocked by the murders last night.

“I can’t believe this one bit!” cried Jackie.

“The girl’s got attitude, but she wouldn’t do anything like that.” agreed Jillian.

However, they began to feel a little skeptical. After all, Terra was their friend, but she was a strange girl ever since they had met her.

She just shows up one day at school with no real background or history, though she claimed she couldn’t remember much of her past-- or rather didn’t seem keen whenever “the past” was mentioned or borught up…

…She especially seemed disturbed when Beast Boy began to stalk her-- who wouldn’t be if they had someone bugging them “Remember” or run off with him.

And even last night…!

They had gone to her place after the murders at the mall, and while she did seem upset about it and helped comfrot them like a good friend would… how did she even get that apartment. She had no parents, no relatives, no gaurdian, not even a job.

“You don’t think…” Jackie said.

Jillian shook her head trying to deny things in her mind, but it was so overwhelming.

…There, offically, now had to be much more to Terra than she let them believe, but they still refused to believe she was the murderer.

“Come on!” said Jackie, pulling on Jillian’s arm and the two girls ran up the streets.

While all that happened, Raven got the Titans and the Equestrians together.

“You think there’s something wrong with Beast Boy?” Robin asked.

“I mean really wrong, not just the way he’s been acting, but because of all his strange behaviour.

He’s always running off, he’s keeping more and more to himself, and he stopped being a vegetaerian too. Combine all that with his rather cold behaviour, and tell me there’s not something more wrong with him than ever.”

“More wrong with him than ever?” thought Twilight. She really didn’t like the way Raven was wording that, and making it sound like Beast Boy was more a detriment than a trusted ally.

“But we have tested Beast Boy.” said Starfire “He had checked out the clean.”

Raven suddenly remembered, “…No! It was empty! I couldn’t sense anything in mind at all, but I should have been able to.”

This was the first the other Equestrians had heard of his, and they, too, began to suspect something, especially Celestia.

“Wait a minute!” snapped Cyborg “Are you all suggesting that Beast Boy is up to something big here?”

“We’re not saying anything.” said Celestia “But the evidence is starting to become vastly overwhelming.”

Spike thought back to how when he first saw Beast Boy and growled at him, because his canine senses. “There’s got to be something up with him, and we’ve got to find out what.”

Robin agreed, “…I just really hope we’re wrong. I really do.”

Raven then suddenly remembered, “He wasn’t in his room!”

“What?!”

“I went in, and I saw the window was open. He must’ve gone out.”

“Well what are we just standing around here for?” cried Discord.

Just as everyone was about to get up and go looking for Beast Boy, there was a call over the computer.

“Now what?!” groaned Robin.

“Is it a call for help?” asked Spike.

Robin viewed the message, “No. We’re to appear in court.”

Everyone’s eyes widened, and Robin then gasped as he viewed the profile.

The other Titans couldn’t believe their eyes either. “…It’s… It’s Terra!” cried Cyborg.

“That’s Terra?” asked Twilight.

“She really has returned.” said Starfire, but then she read the message herself, which actually turned out to be an order from the judge. The Titans were all to appear as witnesses for an imedeate trial on the charge of Terra being the murderer.

“Ooh… that can’t be good.” said Discord “No, really. It can’t.”

The Titans minds were totally spinning in circles, with so many thoughts filling their mnds, yet Robin was more confused.

“The trial is happening tonight at sundown?”

Raven looked at the order herself, “But it says Terra was only arrested this morning, just a few hours ago. That’s not enough time to prepare a trial.”

Robin contacted the judge and Jump City Council, demanding an explination, which they seemed unwilling to give and the mandatory order for them to appear in court stood.

“I’m sorry, but the order is final.” said the Judge “The trial will commence, and you are all to appear as witnesses. Failure to obey this order will result in charges aginast you.”

Then he logged off, almost in a desperate state, which concerned everyone.

“He sure sounded demanding.” said Spike.

Twilight clenched her fists, sensing something strange was going on. “Even in Equestria a trial can’t be held this quickly.”

Robin agreed, the way the judge and the council were acting, “This is looking like a setup.”

“I refuse to believe!” snapped Starfire “I refuse to believe that Terra is a murderer! She was out friend once!”

“She… didn’t exactly have an easy history with us, remember?” said Raven.

“Never mind that.” said Robin, he took a few moments to contemplate, and because the order was final, and even though he couldn’t believe Terra, of all people, was being charged, the order was final. “We have to do it. It may also help us finally figure out what’s really going on.”

“But wait…!” cried Celestia “Isn’t tonight the full moon?”

Everyone suddenly remembered, and Raven looked at her brooch. This was the night the Equestrians had to get back home again, and the plans to take Beast Boy with them.

“Oh, no…!” Robin groaned as he rubbed his face in frustration.

The other Titans also wondered if Beast Boy was informed of any of this yet. They couldn’t begin to imagine how we would be taking the news.

The judge was then on the phone with someone. “I’ve done as you said. You’d better hold up your end of the deal!”

Beast Boy was over the other line on a pay-phone, or rather the evil who had blackmailed the judge and concil into the rushed trial, and order the Titans to come to court.

“Just don’t make any slipups.” he threatened “Otherwise, your family won’t be home for supper!” he chuckled wickedly and hung up.

The poor shaken judge put the phone down and sighed miserably, “Lord, help me!”

He had no idea who this blackmailer was. The police were unable to idenfity his voice, and tracing the source of the call proved fruitless as he had already gotten away.

He had no choice but to go along with all this, even if it meant convicting, what even he could see, an innocent girl.

Terra sat miserably in her cell, cold, lonely, confused, and frightened. Her tears were cascading down her face, yet she was so devastated she couldn’t sob.

Framed for murders she didn’t do but couldn’t prove, and while she was able to use her powers, which could had easily busted through the walls, she was still uncertain of them, not having used them much and feared they would be unstable still. Plus, trying to escape that would only make her look worse.

Worst of all, it was definitely Beast Boy who did the framing, she was sure of it.

“Why, Beast Boy? How could you do this to me?!” she thought as she was too devastated to speak.

She thought back to all the times he was so sweet, happy and funny to her, which faded away as it came to “Things Change”

She couldn’t believe-- she refused to believe that he was doing this to get back at her for dumping him.

He respected her wishes when she told him off. He left her in peace to live her life the way she demanded-- without him, and while he was angry with her, especially when she started trying to talk with him again-- not that it could be blamed.

…But she knew him better than that.

At least she thought she did…

In the main lobby, Jackie and Jillian were protesting to the officers at the front desk that Terra had to be innocent, and they demanded to see their friend.

“I’m sorry, but it is forbidden to see the prisoner. You’ll have to leave!”

“We’re not going anywhere until we see her!” growled Jackie.

“You have to believe us. She isn’t the murderer!” protested Jillian “She didn’t even steal that sword from the museum.”

It was in vain that the girls could convince the officer to let them in and they were promptly dismissed under the threat of being charged themselves!

“How rude!” groaned Jackie.

“Yeah, this is so insane!” agreed Jillian “And they can’t just rush into a trial like this. It takes time and planning. That’s why my dad’s a lawyer.”

The girls were now more suspicious than ever that something was going wrong to rush all these proceedings.

“We’ll be there…” said Jackie. “They didn’t say we couldn’t attend the trial ourselves.”

That night, the Titans and the Equestrians were gathered at the courthouse in town.

“You really didn’t have to come.” Robin said “You could have stayed behind at the tower and at least catch your ride back to Equestria.”

Celesita shook her head. “You are our friends, and we wish to be here for you. Plus, there’s still one other thing…”

She motioned over at Beast Boy, whom seemingly got the message about Terra, and he looked pretty upset about it, but rather cross.

Still he remained distant with the other Titans, refusing to walk near them, or sit with them by the front of the court to be ready when he was called to testify.

The bailiff asked him. “Wouldn’t you rather sit with your friends?”

Beast Boy gave him a stern expression, “I’m a superhero! I don’t HAVE friends, just teammates.”

The Titans felt most offended, and Twilight was horrified that he said such a thing.

She whispered to Cyborg, “Are we still going to try and do it? I mean we can wait.”

“Forget It.” he whispered to her “Court or not, he needs help, and you guys should get back home before anything worse happens.”

He was prepared to launch a harmless tranq-dart from his wrist-com into Beast Boy’s neck. He wouldn’t even feel it strike him, but it would knock him into a deep sleep. While he was knocked out, the Equestrians would be able to take him with them, to Equestria.

This was also why Raven had come to court without her brooch on her cloak. She had left it at the tower, placing it by the windows where it would be able to absorb a great amount of moonlight, so the portal to Equestria would be available no matter what.

Still, everyone was most disturbed about the trial.

There was the judge, the jury, everything.

Even two lawyers, with full cases in folders, and yet everyone seemed most nervous and disturbed.

Raven couldn’t read their minds because she was too far away from any of them, but she almost didn’t have to as she could see through her eyes the tension in their expressions…

…Much to the evil’s delight.

“Everything is falling into place.” he thought silently. He contemplated on how he had blackmailed every single official, from the judge to the jury, and provided the cases himself to present.

“The tension…! The fear…! The hate-- I love it, and soon everyone in this world will be shrouded in it!”

He made sure to keep a straight face and keep his Regular Beast Boy act up, while the good Beast Boy found it impossible to try and regain control to warn anyone of what was happening!

But Celestia and Twilight could feel the evil growing in the very courtroom making them shiver.

They both cast a look over at Beast Boy on the other side of the room.

Spike poked his head out from the backpack on Twilight’s back. “Do you still think it’s him?”

“Spike! Keep down!” whispered Twilight. It wasn’t that she was worried about being found out she had a pet in court. Pets were allowed in court, but she was worried people would find out he could talk and bring unwanted scrutiny on the Equestrians.

“Just try and keep your voice down.” she cautioned him.

Discord was growing bored and yawning “Can we get started already? I’d like be home before supper.”

Everyone just gave him an angry stare, and he just scoffed.

“Look! They are brining Terra out!” cried Starfire.

Terra, handcuffed and cuffs on her ankles, was escorted out by two bailiffs and kept a tight watch.

She looked very miserable.

Beast Boy looked straight at her with an extremely stern expression, as if he were glad to see her in chains, which stung her already sore heart even more, but she was also nervous the way the Titans were looking at her. This was her first time seeing them in person in a long time.

“It’s really her.” Robin whispered.

“I can’t believe it.” agreed Raven.

Starfire and Cyborg were astonished.

“What are they doing here?” Terra wondered.

The evidence was then laid on one of the tables, including the sword.

“That’s the sword from the museum!” whispered Cyborg.

Twilight and Celestia, even Spike could not believe their eyes, especially at the diamond symbol on the blade-- matching the conceptual drawing from the history book Twilight read.

Celestia clenched her fists, not needing any more convincing as she thought, “I bet I know who’s behind all this now!”

Twilight felt the same way, and she looked towards Beast Boy again wondering, “…Is it possible?”

Unfortunately, the judge banged his gavel and ordered silence in the court…

Just as Jackie and Jillian came bursting in…

“Sorry we’re late!” Jackie called out.

“We got held up by the crosswalks.” added Jillian.

“Sit down, and keep quiet please!” demanded the judge.

The girls sat at the far end of the courtroom, and it hurt their hearts to see Terra in chains.

She looked at them as well, and felt her stomach turn. “Oh, no, not the girls!” she cried in thought “If this court is all about what I think it is… I’m history!”

Good Beast Boy could only watch in pain and anguish with tears in his eyes wailing, “No! Terra…!!”

Terra swore she could hear him, and she looked over to where Beast Boy was sitting, and she could she actually saw him fading away as the other Beast Boy silenced him softly.

“Beast Boy!” she cried.

“I said SILENCE!!” shouted the judge “The next person who as much as opens their mouth-- and I’ll declare conviction!”

No one said a thing, and poor Terra’s heart was racing in fret, now that she understood what was really happening, but had no way to prove it or even voice it.

The evil was beside himself with deep glee. “Now it begins.”

Act 13: Kangaroo Court

ACT THIRTEEN

The evidence was presented clearly enough. Apart from the sword stained in the blood of the victims, discovered in Terra’s locker, and covered in threads of her hair…

…There was also video footage the police had received from an anonymous tipster; footage showing that Terra actually stealing the sword from the museum, and actually committing the murders!

The museum curator…

The workers converting the old Pizza Place…

And most recently, the electronic store owner, and Jackie and Jillian’s marshal!

Everyone seemed most shocked, especially Terra. It all seemed a perfect setup.

Beast Boy remained silent, as he was the one who downloaded and edited all the images to make Terra look guilty and then submitted it.

The lawyers didn’t even call any objections, due to Beast Boy having blackmailed them earlier not to try and make Terra look innocent.

“That’s not fair!” shouted Jackie.

“She was with us at all those times!” added Jillian.

“Silence!” the judge shouted as he banged his gavel, which prompted Robin to protest. “Your honor, I object to this!”

“I said sit down!” demanded the judge, but Robin refused. “If you have anything to say, you will wait until you are called to the stand.”

Robin was infuriated, but he complied and sat down.

Starfire tried to comfort him, holding his hand, but he wretched away from her in disgust of the proceedings.

Beast boy was smirking, deep down.

The judge asked Terra, “Ms. Markov. Can you possibly explain any of this?”

“I can!” cried Terra, trying to keep from breaking out and sobbing.

“I didn’t commit any of those murders, and I didn’t steal the sword.”

Much as she didn’t want to rat out her two friends, she had no choice but to defend herself and tell the truth.

She explained what happened that night at the museum, when Jackie and Jillian were being rude to Beast Boy and shoved him into the glass wall.

She didn’t even have to show video footage, because the entire town was aware of this having viewed the images long ago when Beast Boy was cleared of charges.

The judge then asked, “Then how do you explain that you are on video taking the sword?”

It was in vain that Terra constantly tried to explain that the footage was clearly edited to make it look serious, and that she was not who did it.

She explained how she was either shopping with her friends or at home doing her homework.

The judge did seem fairly convinced, but he had to maintain his strict atittude. “That makes an interesting story, but without any proof it does far from getting you off the hook.”

The prosecuting lawyer than took his turn to present aditional information to question Terra with.

“According to reports, you are a student at the Murakami School, is that correct?”

“Yes.” answered Terra “Can’t you tell I’m wearing the offical uniform?”

The man cleared his throat and presented his case to the judge. “Your honor, I have obtained several documents of great mystery surrounding this young lady.”

“Objection!” the female defense lawyer shouted.

“Overruled.” declared the judge “Background information surrounding the accused is relevant to the case.”

The evil inside Beast Boy snickered in thought, “These beings play their roles well.”

The lawyer continued and showed the jury, or rather explained to them to information obtained.

“Records show that this young lady has no living relatives. No parent. No guardian. Not even a birth certificate or any even signs of employment, yet this young lady upholds a residence in this very and attends a local High School.”

The members of the jury began to chatter softly back and forth between one another, as this was astounding and shocking to them.

Terra began to sweat bullets, and the judge banged his gavel.

The lawyer looked at Terra deeply, “Tell us, my dear; just how did you obtain your place in our society? How do you pay your rent, your well-being, your education?”

Terra had no choice but to answer.

“I… I was wandering the streets, cold and alone, and as luck would have it, a scratch card dropped into my lap, and it was jackpot winner. I won one-million dollars.”

The Titans were astounded, as were Jackie and Jillian.

“She’s rich?” whispered Jackie.

“I don’t believe this.” grumbled Jillian.

Terra continued to explain that she spent her money as little as possible and for the past several months she had been living off of her winnings.

“Very interesting,” sneered the lawyer “And just how did you intend to maintain living off a measly million. Surely that couldn’t last your whole life, and according to our records, you have no bank account or welfare records, yet you do have a school record.

Yet all these things require information such as, date of birth, country, known address, ect, ect, and as you are underage, you also require consent of a parent or guardian.

Are we to assume that you forged said information on said school documents, and thereby are committing “Fraud?!”

Terra didn’t answer, and she didn’t have to. Her fearful expressions told enough; even the judge and jury could tell she was guilty of said crimes.

“The prosecution holds.”

The defense lawyer then made her statements.

“Is it not possible, that this individual is orphaned, had no place to go, no one to turn to, and therefore would commit forgery in filing her school application?”

While people did buy this bit of evidence, the fact remained that Terra still committed said acts, and they were illegal no matter what.

The prosecuting lawyer objected in saying, “If this young lady is all those things, should she not have been sent straight to an orphan’s home, or placed in foster care, or did such things never occur to her?”

“Objection sustained.” declared the judge.

The defense lawyer had no choice but to stand down, and she did so without even bringing up any other point.

“This is ridiculous!” Cyborg whispered to Robin “This whole trial’s like some big setup just make Terra look bad!”

Robin agreed all the more, even though he couldn’t deny that Terra’s fraud and forgery crimes were inexcusable, the way the proceedings were going-- bringing up all these irrelevant backgrounds, and everyone acting like they even trying hard enough-- “No sane or civil court would do all this.”

Raven then whispered to everyone her theory, “I’m pretty sure everyone was being blackmailed by the real perp.”

The judge banged his gavel, “No whispering in court!”

Raven scowled at him.

Discord bolted upright. “Oh, put a cork in it ya big bully! There’s nothing wrong with whispering concerns!”

“Discord!” snapped Twilight.

The judge looked furious, “One more outburst like that sir, and I shall order the bailiff to clear the court of all non-witnesses!”

Discord sat down and sulked, but everyone gave the judge sour looks!

Robin then had an idea, but as he was forbidden to speak, he motioned to Raven, and rolled his eyes down at her hand.

They held hands, much to Starfire’s shock, but then she saw Robin tapping Raven’s hand in Morse code. This was a special way the Titans used to communicate so as not to be heard.

Cyborg and Starfire both watched the tapping, as Robin explained his plan, just in case things went too far.

Celestia and Twilight could read Morse, and they nodded at Robin and agreed with the plot, but Spike and discord were the only ones oblivious to what was being planned.

Robin was then called to the stand by the prosecuting lawyer.

Robin cast a sorry look at Terra. Both of them felt this couldn’t be good.

Robin was sworn to tell the truth, and he took his seat.

“Mr. Robin.” The man asked him.

“Just “Robin” please.”

The man cleared his throat, “Just Robin…” he then paused and motioned at Terra “We have received reports that you personally know this girl.

Is that true?”

Robin looked over at Terra and she looked back at him. Her body ached with fear and worry, especially with her friends far in the back.

While under oath, Robin had no choice.

“Yes… I know her. We, The Teen Titans, know her.”

You can believe Jackie and Jillian were completely flabbergasted.

Robin was forced to reveal the whole story of how the Titans met Terra, and how she had unstable powers, and they took her in to try and help her.

“She’s one of them?!” Jackie whispered in total shock.

“She has powers?!” Jillian choked.

Terra felt every blow strike her hard as her past was revealed.

The man then asked Robin, “Do you think that this girl, with such an unstable background, and a mind of mistrust could commit the crimes she has been accused of.”

Robin angrily stood up, “Don’t you think you’re being a little pushy?”

Gasps were heard from the jury, and the judge demanded that Robin answer the question, regardless of any protests Robin had.

“I feel that every one of us is capable of such acts.” Robin said “I myself have committed some things I’m proud of.”

“That is not what I have asked you.” retorted the lawyer “I asked you whether or not you believe this girl is capable of such crimes.”

Robin felt extreme remorse shoot through, and he could Terra was in enough anguish already, but he had to answer. “…Yes.”

Terra hung her head low, and a tear fell from her eye.

The evil was enjoying watching her suffer!

Starfire was then asked to testify, regarding Terra when she came back as a Teen Titan, and how she was really a spy working for Slade, which lead to the betrayal.

Then Cyborg was told to testify about when Terra was Slade’s apprentice and caused much damage to the town.

Terra felt so beyond words of pain…

Jackie and Jillian were beyond struck with shock…

The Equestrians couldn’t believe how sickening this trial was becoming.

The defense had nothing to ask, and nothing to even try to say for any testimony-- she was keeping her position well as she was blackmailed.

The prosecuting layer addressed the jury, “So, this lady is not only guilty of forgery and fraud, but also deliberate acts of homicide and genocide-- nearly destroying our entire city!!”

“Yo’ man! She saved us all!” thundered Cyborg “She turned herself to stone to save us all!!”

The judge banged his gavel and ordered Cyborg to step down, under penalty of arrest.

Still the defense made no attempt to even protest. Then again, what was there to protest-- Terra’s past, her crimes-- it was all in the open now.

Terra’s heart felt as heavy as a bowling ball, and she felt it hard to maintain her posture. It was all over for her now! Her future as a normal girl, her life at school, and any other plans she had, all thrown out the window, innocent or guilty.

She turned to look back at Beast Boy, and he looked at her sternly as if to say, “You’re getting exactly what you deserve what you did to me!”

She would have felt most betrayed, if she couldn’t see right into his eyes, and see the real Beast Boy, and she could actually hear his voice.

“Terra! Help me! This guy’s evil! He’s trying to kill all of you!!”

He then faded away as the evil blinked the eyes hard, shooing the good away.

Terra’s features hardened. Now it all made sense!

Raven was then called up to testify, and she gave Robin a soft wink-- she was going to put the plan into action.

The evil saw her winking. “What are they doing?” he wondered.

Raven took the stand.

“Ms. Roth.” the lawyer asked “You among all the titans have never trusted the accused so well in the past. Could you tell the court exactly how rocky the relationship is?”

Rather than answering the question Raven smugly asked, “Why should I answer you, if all you’re doing is just bullying and badgering her?”

The lawyer felt offended, and the judge was about to bang his gavel and order her to answer, when she used her power to yank it away from him.

“Bailiffs, detain her!” shouted the judge, and before the cops could even take a step forward, Raven unleashed a slight revelation of her demon self, frightening them and everyone in the council and jury into their seats.

“That’s better!” hissed Raven.

She cast a look at Robin and he gave her a thumb-up.

Cyborg then held up his sonic cannon and pointed it at the bailiffs by Terra, demanding they step away from her.

This allowed Robin to go on over, get her out of the chains, and she hugged warmly.

The Equestrians all were thrilled that Terra was safe now, but Beast Boy was livid, though not as livid as the judge.

“You realize you will all be charged for this!” he thundered at everyone.

“Shut up!” snapped Robin “You’re lucky YOU don’t get charged for all this that you’ve done!”

The judge looked very remorseful.

Jackie and Jillian could see things were getting far too freaky, and they ran out of the courthouse like lightning.

The evil stood angrily. “There’s no way I’m letting them get away with any of this!”

Suddenly he gasped and groaned, clutching his head as Beast Boy managed to find strength enough to try and hold him back.

Starfire then fluttered over to the evidence table and examined the sword.

“Cyborg!” she called to him.

Cyborg came over and scanned the sword himself with his wrist com, and he was able to identify traces of simple scrap metals and he could even see the welding scorches on it.

“It’s a fake!”

The council and jury gasped, and Cyborg deduced that the sword had been forged at the tower, in the basement.

“It was Him!” Terra cried out, pointing to Beast Boy “He was trying to set me up!”

Everyone turned to face him, and saw him groaning and struggling, and in his throes, out fell something that crashed to the floor for everyone to see.

“That sword!” cried Spike “It looks just like the one that was on the table!”

“Look at the blade!” added Discord “It’s stained in blood!”

Twilight and Celestia noted the diamond emblem on the sword.

Beast Boy picked up the sword scowling at everyone.

“Beast Boy…!” Starfire cried in shock “It is you?! You are the one who has murdered everyone?”

Beast Boy began to struggle again.

Raven tried to use her powers to detain him in a shadow barrier, but her aura didn’t seem to be able to reach him-- it just faded out as it got close.

“What’s going on?” she asked.

“It’s not Beast Boy!” cried Terra.

“But you just said…” said Robin “And we can all see…”

“No! It’s HIM! Someone else, it’s controlling him!”

Still struggling, Beast Boy gazed at everyone through his fading vision, more so at Terra.

“I… can’t… hold on… much longer!”

Then suddenly, another diamond emblem, like on the sword, magically appeared on his forehead, and his eyes turned yellow like a wolf.

Beast Boy began to struggle, as an evil voice called for all to hear, “Let me out, you fool! I have all that I need. It is time for me to take over completely and do away with what’s left of you!

…BE GONE!!”

“AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH….!!!!!!!!!”

Beast Boy’s entire body was enveloped by waves of bright lights that light up the entire room, and even shot out through the courthouse windows!!

Everyone was forced to cover their eyes, and they all groaned and moaned in the brightness.

When the lights had ceased, they all looked on ahead at Beast Boy, but he didn’t look at all like himself!

He wore a black suit with a high turtle-neck. Red and gold armors plantings on his shoulders, knees, and a matching armored vest, strong boots, silver gauntlets, a maroon colored cape, and a black and gold scabbard for his sword on a strong silver belt. Worse than that, Beast Boy’s short green hair was now longer and stood up in nasty looking spiked styles. His face looked a little veiny, his eyes were still wolf-yellow, and his voice, it sounded deep, raspy, and very creepy as he snickered softly.

“At last…! I am in complete control. Now I can do things my way!”

Everyone else could only gawk at him in extreme fear and shock, and two tears fell from Terra’s eyes.

Act 14: Brutal Battle

ACT FOURTEEN

The judge, the officers, the people of the jury; all were shaking in their shoes, and some were slipping quietly out through the back doors, while everyone else stayed, still gawking at the creature that stood before them.

“Beast Boy, what’s going on?” Robin asked.

The creature only snickered, “Beast Boy? Your friend is no longer here. He never was here.”

“If you aren’t Beast Boy, then who are you?” asked Raven.

“I know who you are!” snapped Twilight.

Celestia felt the same way as she stood next to her, “Admit your identity, Yamimakai!”

The creature mock bowed to her, “With pride, though please… call me “Yami.” It’s easier to say.”

Starfire asked “You know this being?”

Twilight nodded and explained what she studied, “He’s an ancient evil from Pre-Equestrian Times. He tried to destroy all love and trust and rule the world with hate and destruction!”

“And you didn’t tell us about this because…?” Cyborg asked.

“I wasn’t entirely sure. I had no proof.”

Yami chuckled, “I’m afraid you have much greater problems, now that I’m here. It’s time that I finished what I started all those centuries ago, and rid the world of all love and hope, and everyone will be forced to feel the hate, the anger, and the chaos and destruction will be immeasurable!”

“Yo, pal… get a life!” snapped Cyborg, but Yami only glared at him. “You fool! Thanks to your friend, Beast Boy, I now HAVE a life again!”

“What have you done with Beast Boy?!” Terra demanded to know.

Yami didn’t seem too much harm in explaining…

“Once I hailed from another dimension…

I was just like any other being. I believe in the light, the love, the hope, and most of all, I had a wonderful life.

I had friends, a good family, but most of all, I had her-- my darling Angeline! We were going to be married, but fate had other plans.

My love was struck by a devastating illness. Our wizards and medicine chiefs were unable to find a cure, and with her life fading fast, I was not willing to let my beloved die.

The only option was to sell half of my very soul to the dark forces in exchange that they save Angeline’s life. So it was done.

I was enveloped by dark waves, and though my wish was granted and Angeline was miraculously cured, it had cost me dearly. My handsome body had become dark, horrid, and pale looking. The price I had to pay for my wish.

While I was thankful my darling would live, I thought everything would be so perfect… but I was wrong.

I was shunned by my friends and family for my appearance, and disowned for “Foolishly” selling my soul to save the woman I loved.

I was looked down upon by all, and treated as a monster, and exiled from my home, threatened never to return!

I never so betrayed! So hurt!

I tried to seek help, find a new home and people I could trust, only to be horribly treated in the same manner for my appearance, which was beyond my control.

As the years of mistreatment, pain, and anger mounted up, so did my growing hate for everyone.

When word passed that my dear Angeline had married another, and my family had not only cut all ties from me, but refused to acknowledge or remember me in any way, I knew that my breaking point!

The hate that I felt was so great, that I completely gave in. Not only had I renounced whatever care I had for love, hope, joy and the rest of it, but I decided to destroy it, and anyone who basked in its glory.

I would show them all how it felt to be hated and abused!

I decided to sell the remainder of my soul to the dark forces in exchange for great power.

My entire body became a weapon! I was not only a skilled fighter, but I was given magical abilities that all became clear with time.

I was then able to forge my sword of hatred, which would serve as my primary weapon in my conquest for hatred and destruction!

I returned to my home, where I quickly laid waste to the beings that betrayed me!

They tried to send our best fighters to combat me, but the anger they felt, the hate they exhibited, it only made me stronger and my power all the greater! There naught that could stand up to me, and as I grew stronger, I longed to spread more…

…Brining pain, hate, and destruction to anyone anywhere!

With my power, I managed to pierce through dimensional voids and wander into other worlds, eventually created the trans-warp jewel, to help me travel much easier, by absorbing the light of a full moon.

Eventually I came to Azarath, where I ran into the evil Trigon. As great as my power was, I could tell this was too much for me. I barely managed to escape with my life, but in my haste, the jewel had been severed in half, and I was sent hurling through dimensions with only one half in my possession.

I landed in Pre-Equestria, and there I found so much love and joy, I couldn’t stand it, and nothing please me more than to rampage and break it all to pieces.

Still, I found this task to be far more difficult than any job I had. The love and trust was much stronger here, and some fighters put up more of a struggle. In the end, they, too, met their demise.

Then, I faced against that prince, while I was temporarily weakened from so much slaughtering.

The two of us seemed equal in strength, but I managed to strike him hard, ensuring his demise, but in his dying moments, he cursed me-- sealed me within my sword.

In the struggle, my trans-warp gem was dropped right next to the sword, which somehow teleported my sword in its pedestal to this rotten world, buried deep beneath the earth for what seemed like an eternity!

Yet, my hate, my lust for vengeance and destruction always remained!”

Everyone was a mix of emotions. Some felt sorry for him that he had it so rough, which made it understandable why he was so angry, but his actions, his needless lust to kill and destroy was completely sick and unjustified, making it impossible to sympathize with him.

“That doesn’t explain what Beast Boy had to do with any of this.” said Robin.

Everyone else demanded the explanation.

“Isn’t it painfully obvious?” sneered Yami “As powerful as my spirit was, my body was gone, and I required a replacement, and I didn’t just want any replacement, I needed someone with vast amounts of anger, hate, and inner sense for destruction.”

When my sword was finally unearthed, I could sense the people who laid their hands on the hilt.

I could feel their inner emotions, but not one had the requirements I desired. So I refused to allow the sword to be removed by any but the chosen one.

Then, fate had rewarded me, the night Beast Boy laid his hands on my sword, I could feel it--such anger, such hate, and his inner desires to punish and exact vengeance on those who wronged him, not to mention his animal morphing-- I couldn’t have chosen better!

I infused my spirit into him, and feed off of his inner hate, but much to my horrors, as angry as he ever would, he refused to take action, carry out any plan.

So I made him do all those things, in order to increase the hate, the tension, and in order to regather my strength over him.”

He paused and glared at Terra.

“I was able to render myself invisible so that no one would suspect a thing, yet you were able to see me while others couldn’t, and of course it was no secret why…!

Your overwhelming feelings for Beast Boy, the strong bond that you shared and now was blossoming within you, stronger than ever, that is how!”

Terra put her hand to her heart in shock, and while it seemed so farfetched, nothing could explain how she was able to see him.

“Beast Boy is no more!” declared Yami “I have taken over his body,” he pointed at the blade of his sword “…And he has taken my place in the vortex! A proper place for that pathetic weakling anyway!”

“Shut up!” shouted Terra “How dare you call him “pathetic!”

“That goes for me too!” added Robin.

“And I!” said Starfire.

Raven and Cyborg agreed.

“How dare I?” laughed Yami “You’re the ones who think of him as pathetic too. I read Beast Boy’s thoughts; I’ve seen how you treat him. It’s no wonder the poor fool felt such fury!”

The Equestrians didn’t like the sounds of that, and gawked at the Titans and Terra.

“Not that it matters now.” taunted Yami “Beast Boy is gone, and this world, and the worlds beyond it… WILL BE MINE!!”

Robin had heard enough. “Titans Go!”

The four Titans all charged forth…

Robin threw his disc-bombs, Starfire blasted her star bolts, Cyborg fired his sonic cannon, and Raven, with her powers, grabbed several chairs from the court and threw them hard.

Yami merely waved his sword in swift and furious angles, blocking off every shot, much to the teams shock.

“My turn…!”

He thrust his sword forth, unleashed a burning wave of energy, which the Titans barely dodged. It hit the back wall of the courtroom, making a big explosion and taking a huge chunk out of it.

He then leapt in towards the four, and began to battle them all at once.

He punched Starfire hard in her face, kicked Cyborg hard in the chest.

“Azarath, Metrione, Zinthos!” Raven unleashed a strong wave of dark aura straight at him, but Yami, raised his sword high and came down actually slicing right through the very energy itself as if it were butter, and made his way towards Raven…

Robin came in with his metal staff and blocked him off, and all the Titans ganged up on him as the fight continued.

The poor Equetrians and Terra could only watch helplessly from the back of the court.

“We’ve got to do something!” cried Spike.

“But what-- We have no powers, no weapons. Nothing!” said Twilight.

Terra couldn’t bear to watch this…

Robin got punched in the gut, and Raven got kicked in the side.

Yami lunged for Starfire with his sword ready, and she flew out of the way causing him to miss.

It was as if the evil was just toying with the Titans.

She looked down at her fists, and then figured on trying something, to give the Titans a chance to get away.

“I hope this works. I’m still out of practice!” she said to herself.

She clenched her fists and then opened her hands wide again. They barely glowed at all.

“Come on! Work! Work!” she mumbled as she tried to control her anxiety and focus.

Yami struck his sword hard into the floor, and sent a surging wave of power straight at the Titans, blowing them all about.

All four of them were starting to look really beaten, but they refused to back down.

“It is no use!” hissed Yami “The more you fight-- the more anger and hate you show-- the stronger I become!”

The Titans remembered this, but were still not giving up.

They all leapt up and charged to attack him all at once, but Yami swerved and evaded their every attempt.

Robin lunged at him with his staff ready, and gave a huge swing. Yami parried it with his sword, only Robin pulled a fast one and lasted the blade with his grappling hook and wretched it out of his grip, sending it high up a wall where it got stuck.

Yami growled, and Robin felt he’d have the advantage now that the villain was unarmed.

Roaring angrily, Robin charged straight for him, but Yami held his arm…

“A’RGH!!”

Robin ran smack into a hidden claw blade that surprisingly popped out of Yami’s wrist, wounding him right in the side!

“ROBIN!!” screamed Starfire as she watched her boyfriend collapse to his knees clutching his bloody side.

The Equestrians gawked in horror, and Discord didn’t know much more he could bear to see any of this, almost as if he didn’t care if he had his powers or not.

Terra was still trying to get her power going, but her panicking was making it too hard to concentrate.

Then she looked at the evil creep, and remembered that it was Beast Boy’s body, and she remembered that the real Beast Boy was in danger, as well as the Titans.

This helped her to regain her concentrating and she could feel her power growing inside.

…But it wasn’t soon enough!

Yami then leapt high to take back his sword.

Raven and Cyborg rushed after him while Starfire scooped Robin up in her arms. “Robin, please hold on!” she sobbed.

Robin was still alive, but his side really hurt.

Starfire removed his cape and used it hold down and close the wound so he wouldn’t bleed so much, much to his agony!

Yami managed to grab his sword, while Raven tried to use her powers on him again, but he raised his arm and fired a big blast of power, piercing through her aura, hitting her in the chest and sent her crashing down hard.

“That’s it!” shouted Cyborg, and he set his cannon to full power, and fire the most powerful blast he ever could.

Yami looked up as the bight energy sped towards him.

(Slow motion)

A the last second, he leapt up high, somersaulting right up and over the waves, he dove right for Cyborg with his sword ready, and in a big swing… he severed Cyborg’s right off, right at the shoulder!!

Cyborg shouted in extreme agony as he fell over backwards, and his exposed wires and circuity began to spark… to everyone’s horror!

(Normal Speed)

Yami then snickered as he picked up the severed limb, and crushed it in his hand, rendering it totally hopeless.

“You are all worthless-- ranked amateurs to one whom has battled for millennia. I should end your misery here and now!”

The Titans were all weak, sore, and unable to put up anymore fight…

…And Discord had reached his breaking point, as he leapt up and charged for him!

“Discord!” shouted Twilight.

“Don’t do it!” cried Celestia, but it was too late for both of them to try and stop him.

“YOU… LEAVE THEM… ALONE!!!!” Discord shouted actually picking up a table throwing it straight at Yami.

“DON’T!!!” shouted Twilight, but the table had already flown smack into Yami, shattering into splinters, yet the villain seemed totally unharmed due to his great hate-empowered strength.

Discord froze up with fear and shock as the villain slowly turned to glare at him, “That was a mistake!”

He began to step forward to the cowering man, with his sword glowing brightly.

“Discord!” cried Twilight.

Terra then felt her power was strong enough, and she aimed at under the villain’s feet.

“What?!” Yami snapped, and looked down at his boots just in time as the ground erupted, and he was soaring high up towards the ceiling.

“No!!” cried Terra. She was trying to float him up on a rock and send him through a window!

The angrily villain regained his balance, and kicked off the ceiling, veering towards Terra to skewer her!

Thinking quickly, Celestia leapt in and shoved Terra hard out of the way, putting herself in the line of danger!

SLASH!! The sword went right through her!!

Twilight screamed, “NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO…!!!!!”

Spike…!

Discord…!

All the Titans and Terra gawked in extreme horror as Celestia flopped onto the ground. Her blood gushing forth!

Yami only gazed pitifully at the dying body. “Now you see what happens when you try to be kind.”

Starfire put Robin down, ready to rush the evil with such fury, but it was Terra who completely lost her temper, and let out a raging scream, igniting her powers so hard that’s the entire building began to shake, but especially the floor, and in a fit of rage, Terra erupted the ground once again, harder than ever, sending the villain clean through the solid walls and far up into the sky, towards the outback!

So at least he was gone, but the Titans were horribly injured, and Twilight bent down by Celestia with tears falling from her eyes.

Spike emerged from her backpack, and he too began to cry softly.

“Celestia…!” cried Twilight “Celestia, please hang on!”

Her life fading fast, and her vision fading out, Celestia looked up at Twilight and told her in a very soft tone, “Tell… Princess Luna… and all your friends… I will… always… be with you!

Be strong… and courageous…

…My… Little… Pony…!”

She was gone!

Spike howled most miserably!

Discord fell to his knees in shame and heartbreak!

The Titans and Terra felt horrible, but Twilight… she clutched the body of her mentor to her tightly, sobbing so hard yet so silently you couldn’t’ hear her.

Far, far away in the outback, Yami got to his feet, astounded at the strength of Terra’s power and the hate she had used in it.

Still, now was not the time to think of that, especially now that his power was so great, that he raised his sword high calling out, “Come forth with your power! Arise with your hate! Prepare yourself… my armies of evil!”

The winds began to pick up, and the sword began to glow, firing dark blasts of aura at the ground, and up rose an army of dark creatures, wearing armor and wielding swords, lances, maces and axes.

These were the very followers whom had served him in conquests for hate and power.

The creatures growled, and snarled, while pledging their allegiance to their master.

“We have things to do... places to conquer… and beings to eliminate.

It is time to begin where we were stopped all those ages ago… Now that I have this…!”

He held out Raven’s brooch, which he had taken from the tower prior to going to the courthouse for the trial, and the full moon was shining brightly in the sky.

“It is time for me to return to the world I once prowled in, and all worlds beyond that will soon tremble at the power of the hate… and all of love and hope SHALL DIE…!!!”

The very aura of his hate made strong winds lift up his cape, and he began to sing to an evil song, with his evil army as backup choirs.

There was once a long time ago, I had heart
And the feelings of love were as strong as can be
My goodness would soon cost me dear,
My good deed just earned me a sneer
No more love and passion or joy would they share with me!

I was once the most powerful being of all
(OooWaahOoo)
Then I was sealed up all for love’s wretched sake!
(OooWaahOoo)
But Beast Boy had come to my aid
Now I’m going to go on a big raid
Love and Hope, you better beware; the hatred’s awake!

As the hatred will rise, power will strengthen
As the hatred will rise, just before dawn
(OoooOoooOooo)
I’ll pierce through the light,
With my hatred so bright
As the hatred will rise,
It’ll be gone!

Try as they might, nobody can stop me
(OooWaahOoo)
I’ll wipe each of them out one-by-one!
(OooWaahOoo)
All the love shall be no more,
As I slam it right on the floor
“Get this through your head, Love…” You’re done!

As the hatred will rise, terror will rule all
(Terror’s my specialty)
As the hatred will rise, evil will brew
(OoooOoooOooo)
Soon they will see,
It’s as real as can be!
As the hatred will rise,
It’ll be through!

(OoooOoooOooo)
As the hatred will rise, No one will stop it
(…Stop it)
As the hatred will rise, love will be doomed
(…Doo-oomed)
My hate, it will shine
And the world will be mine!

As the hatred will rise,
As the hatred will rise,

Burn my hatred, rise ever stronger
Let my power show!
As the hatred will rise,
As the hatred will rise,
I will stand for the love no longer!

As the hatred will rise,
As the hatred will rise,
As the hatred will rise,

…LET IT GROW!!!!

Yami laughed maniacally up at the sky!

Author's Note

And it's just beginning...

Act 15: Why indeed

ACT FIFTEEN

Back at Titan’s Tower, Raven used her powers to heal as much of their injuries as she could, especially the wound in Robin’s side.

The wound vanished, and most of the pain subsided.

He smiled thankfully at her and she smiled back at him.

Cyborg on the other hand was grumpy and miserable as he tried to fix his damaged wires and joints.

“Do you require help?” Starfire offered.

“No thanks.” he coldly said. He quickly apologized for snapping, but he was very upset. “Even if I still had my right arm, I couldn’t reattach it. My vital wires have been severed and the joints are busted. I’d need a complete overhaul!”

He gazed down at his sole left arm, and Starfire felt sorry for him, and she was deeply worried.

As for Terra, much as she felt strange to be back at Titan’s Tower-- not that she had anyplace else to go-- she was gazing off at the corner of the sickbay.

Celestia’s body was placed in a cryogenic-tube to keep her well, but Twilight, Discord, and Spike were kneeling down by it, giving a sort of silent service to their beloved monarch.

Twilight remembered how Celestia guided her well. She wouldn’t be who she was today without her, and she even remembered Celestia singing her ballad to her when she became Princess of Friendship.

You've come such a long, long way
And I've watched you from that very first day
To see how you might grow
To see what you might do
To see what you've been through
And all the ways you've made me proud of you

It's time now for a new change to come
You've grown up and your new life has begun
To go where you will go
To see what you will see
To find what you will be
For it's time for you to fulfill your destiny

She buried her face in her hands and wept ever so softly.

Discord and Spike cuddled up to her, comforting her.

Terra felt awful. “It’s all my fault!” she sighed. “She leapt in to protect me, because I screwed up… again!”

Robin placed his hand over her shoulder, “It’s not your fault. You tried to help us, which proves you still have the heart of a hero within you.”

Terra still didn’t feel any better. These were all the trouble and dangerous things she was trying to avoid, but it was obvious to her now that there was just no stopping it.

She was shaking and her tears were falling. Robin hugged her close.

“Uh, sorry to break things up,” said Raven “But does anybody realize that creep is still out there?”

Everybody realized this, especially the Equestrians.

Twilight’s features began to harden. “Yamimakai…!”

There was no way she was going to let him get away with what he did to Celestia, or any of the other innocent people he had slaughtered!

Robin felt the same way, as did the others.

“Uh, just one thing...” Cyborg pointed out “Even if we find the guy, how can we possibly stand up to him. You saw how dirty he fights. The guy’s a total beast!”

“Beast Boy…!” Terra murmured. “We’ve got to try and save him! We have to!”

The other Titans weren’t so sure if that was possible, but they didn’t dare say that to Terra.

All of them were exceedingly frustrated.

“All this time…” said Starfire “The evil was right before our eyes and we had no way to know.”

This type of evil was unlike anything they had ever seen or faced, and had mastered powers and abilities they never dreamed of. All their scans were no good. Raven couldn’t sense the evil, and her powers were not that good against it either, as was evidenced from the battle.

Cyborg felt that even if he had tried to tranquilize Beast Boy in court like he planned, it probably would have had no effect on him.

“I still don’t get it.” said Raven “Of all the people in the world to choose, why would the evil pick Beast Boy?”

The Titans then remembered what Yami has said before the fight began.

“I could feel such anger, such hate, and desires to punish and exact vengeance on those who wronged him. Beast Boy was perfect for me!”

The Titans knew that Beast Boy was pretty mad at them all lately for the falling outs they had, but they still didn’t believe that was it.

“I think I know why.” said Terra, looking for shameful, so downhearted like she wanted to kick herself clear into orbit.

“What is it?” Robin asked, but Terra looked far too shameful to admit it this time.

“She doesn’t have to answer,” said Cyborg “I think I know where we can find the answer.”

He left and came back with Beast Boy’s diary, realizing they never read the part about Terra.

“He has a diary, with me in it?” Terra asked.

“He has written about all of us.” answered Starfire “…And he said some rather unkind things towards us all.” she paused and looked down “…Which we did not take too well, and it lead to things worsening.”

Terra felt nervous, but then again she, too, wanted to know what he had written about her.

Robin flipped through the pages, passing by the all the other stuff marked, “Terra”, “Titan Rising”, “Aftershock.”

“Here it is,” Robin said “…Things Change.”

Terra swallowed hard, but silently, fearing she didn’t have to read what was on the page.

The Titans read what had to be a recap of Beast Boy’s entire encounter with Terra, including where she said…

“Things Change, Beast Boy! The girl you want me to be is just a memory.”

The Titans could hardly believe their eyes, and Terra’s spiritless expression confirmed it was all true.

Robin shook his head at her in such shock and shame. “You didn’t want anything to do with Beast Boy, or us?”

“You did not wish to remember us?” added Starfire.

And Cyborg jumped in with, “You basically told a kid who loved you with more passion than I ever saw, that you wanted nothing to do with him. Kicked him out of your life-- Don’t be friends, don’t want to know, don’t want to see, and don’t want to remember…

…Just so you could live a normal life?”

Raven looked sourly at Terra “…I wish I could say I’m surprised at you.”

Discord and Spike heard everything, and they were not the least bit pleased.

“That is not cool, little lady.” scolded Discord.

Terra understood this fully now. While her reasons were understandable, the way she handled it and behaved, kicking Beast Boy to the curb and telling him to stay out of her life…

…Completely inexcusable.

“I wanted to make it up to him.” she explained “I did a lot of thinking, and I realized my mistake. So I thought, maybe, we could try and reconcile.”

“Guess it’s a little late for that, huh?” said Spike.

Everyone gave him a look telling him he wasn’t helping.

Twilight heard everything as well, and she couldn’t believe her ears at something so outrageous but she had nothing to say at the moment, and didn’t even turn around.

“Wait, look…” said Discord “What’s that slip on that page?”

Everyone could see that Beast Boy had included a segment for himself as well, near the front of the book.

“I think we should look.” suggested Robin. The others all agreed.

“Just point out here,” said Discord “It’s very bad to read someone’s diary.”

He was just ignored, and Robin began to read Beast Boy’s segment.

“Dear Diary, this is my first entry. I write this to you because I feel you are the only one I can tell my feelings to, and a great way for me to let off steam when I am enraged, so I don’t have to hurt anyone physically or break something.

Though people call me Beast Boy, my real name is Garfield.”

Discord couldn’t help but hold in a chuckle “Garfield…?”

He was still ignored and Robin kept on reading…

“My life hasn’t really been a happy one, and I’ll start as far back as I know.

When I was five I was bitten by a rare green monkey. I got really sick, and my folks used an untested serum to cure me, which mutated me green, pointy-eared, fangs, and gave me my animal morphing powers.

I felt like a freak, but then again that’s what happens when get powers-- it can cost you dearly.

But this nightmare was only beginning.

Soon after the mutation, there was a terrible flood, and both my folks were lost. I still blame myself for their deaths. I really think I could have saved them!

Then my foster mother was killed in an explosion on the farm where she lived, an explosion started by two thieves that abducted me, and forced me to do work for their nasty boss, and he plotted to kill me to inherit the money I was worth.

I was beaten, abused, yelled at for a long time, until the Doom Patrol came and rescued me. They saw that I had great potential and decided to let me join the team, but Mento was just too much of a jerk, even after I didn’t bother to go after The Brain so I could save the life of my new family, he always acted tough and strict with me!

I couldn’t stand it, so I quit the team and struck out on my own, hoping to find a new beginning, and more importantly: someone that could love and appreciate me, but it was starting to look like too much to ask…!

Everywhere I went, people were rude, pushy, insulting to me; always misjudging me just because I was green. They even let me get a few words in, let alone give me a chance.

Even taking a simple sip from a drinking-fountain in a park and they call the cops on me, thinking I’m poisoning it or something.

Then I met the Titans, and it was beginning to look like my troubles were over. Especially when I showed Cyborg that being different doesn’t make a big difference, and you can still be amazing.”

Cyborg did remember that, and it even made Raven remembered how he taught her not to feel so different herself, and stop beating herself for feeling “Creepy.”

“So the Titans were formed, and it started to look like my troubles were over.

I even decided to try being positive, more cheerful. I began to try to take on the role of a typical comic-relief-- telling jokes, playing tricks, pulling pranks, all this to try and forget my own past and hide my inner pain from my traumatic life.

…But deep down, the pain burned. I knew I could never disarm it, and I knew that none of the others could either. They all had their own problems, so at least I thought I could try and brighten their minds, give them a good laugh-- Raven especially. If anyone needed a friend, or at least try to smile, it had to be her.

We did have some good times, and loving moments, but it seems that there are just more bad times than good.

Everyone saw me as more annoying than funny, or optimistic. They treated as if I was the stupidest person in the world, even if I had a good idea that turned out to be right, and often excluded me from certain things.

Even Raven loved it better when I wasn’t around.”

Raven paused and heard her own voice insulting Beast Boy many times in the past, proving the story more accurate.

Like the time on “Deep Six”: “Could you go ahead and accidently leave Beast Boy’s mic off!”

When they fought Adonis at the animal labs: “Wow! Bad Grammar…! That ought to scare him!”

When Cyborg infiltrated the Hive Academy and left a robot clone in his place at the tower” “Any chance we could replace Beast Boy with a robot?!”

When she returned to defeat Trigon, all she could do was act rude and snark at him: “Don’t get used to this smile, because you’re still not funny.” And even when he was overjoyed she was alive and hugged her, like how she hugged him once, “…Quit it!”

Even when Beast Boy went off to try and reconcile with Terra at her school: “I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I wish Beast Boy were here.”

She finally began to get the feelings maybe she wasn’t as good a friend to Beast Boy as she thought, despite whatever good times they had due to them being so few and far apart!

Robin continued reading, and there was more slandering of the team…

“Even when I do try to help the team and save the day, sur, I get a little “Thank you” and maybe a pat on the back, but then it’s quickly forgotten, and I’m swept under the rug until the Titans actually need me again. That’s the ONLY time they ever seem to really care about it…

…Especially Raven and the way she constantly gets in my face and smacks me!

Below were a few pencil sketches of Raven doing said things to Beast Boy.

Throwing a furious fit and destroying a birthday party the Titans made for her…

And indeed, she had smacked him many times over, even when he was right about something or just making a simple suggestion.

All the Titans were no better as the story read on, as Beast Boy sketched them almost exactly as they treated him sometimes, even if he was annoying to them, that was no excuse…!

They gave him angry looks, ignored his ideas, and even if he came up with a plausible and serious explanation, they acted like it was a first for him—once more, regarding him as too dumb to be much of a use or interest.

“I’m starting to feel I was wrong about them. They really aren’t the family I thought I wanted. They’re starting to feel more like just teammates than friends or people I can care for.

All I try to do is give it my all, be the best guy I can be, try to bring them a little sunshine and laughter when they need it, and THIS is my reward: Hate, disregard, no care!

That’s not nearly as bad as the way Jump City treats me, preferring the other Titans to me, when I work just as hard as they do to protect this city, this world, this galaxy.

…I’m not trying to pretend like I’m entitled to praise, or people should be licking my feet, but is just a little praise and respect too much to ask for?

Why do people always have to look away from me?

Take things from me?

Insist that I change to be more like them, or be treated harshly if I don’t.

Even those girls in Tokyo; they were looney-- cheering for me when, even I can tell, sucks at singing with his ordinary voice. Why they’d cheer for anyone.

That’s no good. It’s just not what I really want.

All I ever wanted was a little bit of respect, understanding, but most of all, I wanted to have someone I could love and care for and would love and respect me bacl.

…Instead, I always get the opposite!

I’m tired of all the changes in the city! I’m tired of being looked down on in shame and disgust! I’m sick of being robbed of my dignity, and I’m especially sick of my teammates treating me like less than a human being.

Everyone else can move on from their troubles, and I get treated like dirt and never get any hope!

Then again, everyone I ever met either died on me, or turned out to be such jerks and would betray me!

That’s how it’s always been, but I guess it’s a sign.

This is who I am, nothing more than a mere lightning rod that has to take in all the trash so everyone can feel good about themselves.

Even Terra has betrayed me (As is written in her section)

While I may have respected Terra’s wishes, and I will leave her to live her new life in peace, I have reached my limit.

It’s become obvious to me that no matter how hard I try, no matter who I’m aligned with, no matter what things I do, I’ll never gain what I want, especially seeing as nobody seems to notice or care about it anyway.

The only course now is to stop trying. I’m fed up with always trying and failing, so at least this way I won’t build false hopes anymore, and I can accept the disappointment with less pain.

Still, sometimes, I really wish I could punish all these people. Anyone with half a brain would see they deserve it, and those who defend them would be punished too.

…But that won’t really help, will it.

At least I can confide with you, because unlike others, you can’t physically or emotionally hurt me.”

The final entry below that was a song, with a few sad sketches he had made to express his misery and accepting his ultimate defeat in perusing happiness, and how crushed he felt: “How could this happen to me!”

…There was nothing left to read.

The Titans, Terra, the Equestrians, all were positively horrified!

“Oh, Beast Boy!” sobbed Terra.

Starfire had tears of shame in her eyes, but she couldn’t find words to say.

Cyborg and Robin tried all they could to come up with excuses, like Beast Boy was just being a stuck-up kid, and needed to get over himself and move on with his life and mature…

…Which they had been doing before, acting like pushy bosses instead of being understanding, caring or sympathetic like real friend should. and only added to his already deep inner pain and grieving!

Even more so, all the Titans realized that during the battle, they just ruthlessly attacked Yamimakai not even once stopping to realize that it was still Beast Boy’s body, and that their the real Beast Boy was in danger and needed help!

Raven, feeling heavy in her heart, and ashamed of everything, finally said what everyone was thinking. “…We’re monsters.”

Discord, Spike, even Twilight was inclined to agree.

“So that’s why Yami said Beast Boy was perfect for him.” said Spike.

“If I had lived like that, I’d have snapped long ago.” added Discord.

Robin clutched the closed diary in his hand, “Beast Boy never did any of those things. He just supressed it all, and wrote his anger out in this. He never once really tried to get back at us for… for anything.”

“Well, maybe a sick prank here and there.” Cyborg pointed out.

Nothing would change the facts, The Titans and their horrible ways of forcing their views on Beast Boy played a large role in what was happening now.

Terra felt more ashamed of herself than ever for breaking his heart and demanding he move on with his own life and leave her to follow hers.

She felt so weak in the knees that she flopped onto the floor, with her tears falling, yet she couldn’t sob, feeling too ashamed and upset to do so.

Twilight said nothing, and didn’t even turn around to face the others.

It was all clear to her now why Beast Boy didn’t trust friendship or joy and wasn’t willing to try it, whether he was already possessed or not.

She swore, if Celestia were alive, she would scold everyone saying things like…

“In one-thousand years, I have never heard of such despicable, dysfunctional, disregarding disgrace!”

Robin slammed the book down on the table. His fist was shaking hard as battled with his inner shame.

“Okay! So we’re not perfect. Nobody really is. We’ve made mistakes, and we can learn from them.”

Starfire wiped her eyes and her features hardened. “Yes! I agree! We must not dread on this, but use it in our newfound determination to stop this evil and rescue our friend.”

Cyborg and Raven agreed.

Terra stepped forth, “Count me in as well.”

The Titans all gawked at her, and she smiled bravely. “That’s right; Terra’s back!”

She pulled away her school uniform to mysterious reveal her old outfit-- black shirt with a yellow and encircled T. Yellow shorts, traveling belt, boots, gloves, and goggles.

“Can she bend reality too?” wondered Discord.

“Things Change, but that doesn’t mean they can’t change again, and I’ve had a big change of mind, and heart.

…I want to save Beast Boy! I owe him that much!”

Robin smiled at her and nodded proudly, welcoming her back to the team, slipping her a communicator as well.

Terra felt great for the first time in a long time, having finally confronted her feelings, doing what she felt was really right, and feeling she was where she belonged.

Everyone then looked over at Twilight, who still hadn’t even turned around, let alone say anything. She just stayed on the floor near Celestia, and basked in the light of the full moon shining through the window.

This made him suddenly remember…!

“This is our chance!” cried Discord “We can head back to Equestria!”

“Yeah!” chirped Spike.

Raven headed off to go get her brooch from where she had left it in the lounge.

Spike then called to Twilight. “We can head back! We can get help from the others, and…”

But Twilight looked down at the floor, clenching her hands tightly. “I don’t know if I can go back.”

The Titans and Terra were shocked, and Discord picked his ear. “Um… sorry, but I must’ve had a wax buildup. Did you just say…?”

“…I can’t go back!” cried Twilight “How can I, with Celestia gone?! Imagine how everyone will react when they find out!

…And it’s because of me!”

A moment of silence followed, and everyone looked at her with concern.

Twilight hung her head low as her tears started to fall again.

“If I had never come to this world in the first place, none of this would’ve happened and Celestia would still be…!” she couldn’t finish.

The Titans hated seeing her so miserable. Starfire felt like crying herself.

“Twilight,” Spike said “You had no way of knowing any of this. None of us did.”

“It’s all part of life, Twilight.” Robin said “I’m not trying to sound insensitive but, you can never truly predict or plan out what life will bring you.”

“Besides,” added Cyborg “It’s not every day you get to meet magical beings form another world, and befriend them.”

Starfire nodded and lifted Twilight’s head to look deeply at her, “The evil is free now, which would have happened whether you came or not, but now we can work together and stop it.

Is that not what friends do?”

Twilight thought deeply inside her, and remembered of all the things Celestia taught her about friendship, and all that she had learned from it.

Spike cuddled up to Twilight and Discord nodded bravely at her.

“I can’t believe I’m saying this,” he said to Twilight “But you’re one of the bravest, kindest, most honorable beings I’ve ever met. When Fluttershy redeemed me, I never thought we could be friends, but we are.

…And I believe in you…

…Friend.”

Twilight smiled and rubbed her eyes. Her confidence was starting to strengthen, and she got up onto her feet, and took a look at Celestia in the tube again.

“I will be brave, and I will help my friends, for you, and in memory of all you did for me.”

Terra stepped forth. “That goes for me too.”

Everyone turned to face her, and she looked around at everyone. “Beast Boy is in danger too, and I’m not going to let that monster get away with this.

I want to help him!

I want to make up for all the things I’ve done… including what I did to Beast Boy.”

Robin asked, “What do you mean “What you did?” He already forgave you for all that stuff. We all did.”

Terra felt ashamed, but as she opened her mouth to say another word, Raven came back into the sickbay with a worried look on her face, “My brooch is gone!”

Everyone gawked in concern, and they all had the same idea, which Raven confirmed by holding up a note she had found, from Yamimakai.

“If you’re looking for it, you’re too late! I’ve already swiped it!

…Hah, Hah, Hah!”

Everyone’s blood ran cold, especially Twilight’s.

“No, he wouldn’t!”

“He would.” said Discord.

“He must’ve used it to go back to Equestria!”

This was very disastrous indeed. Twilight couldn’t even begin to imagine how horrible things were about to be back home…!

Author's Note

How touching of them to be willing to reconcile...

...NO DEAL!!

Act 17: Getting Back

ACT SEVENTEEN

Twilight couldn’t stop fretting.

“We’ve got to get back, somehow, and fast!” she cried “Who knows what Yamimakai has already done?! He already killed Celestia, he’ll kill more, and I just know it!”

Raven marched right up and gave her a small slap to the cheek to snap her out of it.

Nobody scolded her for it.

“It had to be done this time.” Raven said “Plus, her panicking is annoying.”

Even Twilight thanked Raven for the slap and getting her back to Earth. “I just wish I knew what to do. Without the gem, how are we supposed to get to Equestria?”

Discord growled, and looked ready to kick a wall down were it not for hi frail human body. “Now I really wish I had my powers. I could probably find a way to my home dimension and we could get to Equestria from there!”

Robin, Starfire, Cyborg, and Terra all happened on the same sudden idea, and Robin felt ready to kick himself for not thinking it in the first place.

They all looked over at Raven, and she rolled her eyes back and forth at everyone, “What?”

“Raven, you can open gateways to other dimensions.” said Robin.

The Equestrians all blinked once.

“She can?” asked Spike “And nobody bothered to tell us this in the first place BECAUSE?!”

“Because it’s dangerous, that’s why!” snapped Raven. She looked angrily at all the Titans, “How can you suggest such a thing? Do you realize the risks that involved?”

“Of course we do.” said Cyborg “If you have any other way to get the job done, we’re all ears.”

Raven still pointed out the obvious problems.

“I don’t even know where Equestria is, or where to even start looking. If I made so much as “one error” not only could it result in all of us being lost, but it may even disrupt the space continuum, which would damage or destroy all existence as we know it.”

“Whoa!” cried Discord “And I call myself The God of Chaos?”

Raven was already getting the idea that the others wouldn’t let it be this time, even she, herself, realized there was no other way.

Still, she also had to point out, “Even if we do get there, how can possibly face Yamimakai. We already tried that and we nearly got killed.”

Everyone realized this as well.

Yamimakai would only get stronger if they tried to fight him again. There would no way they could possibly fight without showing any resentment or rage.

“The smallest amount would be fatal.” said Cyborg “So how are we supposed to fight him?”

Terra thought it over deeply, and all she could seem to think of was Beast Boy, and from there sparked a mighty thought.

“We can appeal to his heart!”

Everyone looked at her awkwardly.

“His heart?” asked Discord “Like he even has a heart. Let alone a soul that he sold.”

“No, wait a minute.” said Robin “She’s right. It’s still Beast Boy’s body, so he still has Beast Boy’s heart, and his inner-spirit.”

“Perhaps if we can really try, we can awaken Beast boy’s inner strength to use against the villain.” agreed Starfire.

Twilight agreed too and realized, “The Elements of Harmony. They can probably help us if I just get to them.”

“Booyah! Now we’ve got a plan!” cried Cyborg “We’ll fight hate, with love!”

Terra looked down at her gloved hands. While she was still out of practice, she knew the only way to stabilize was get back into the game.

As for Raven, her insides were going crazy with worry and doubt, but Robin placed his hand on her shoulder, telling her that he had faith in her, and everyone else looked upon her with the same confidence.

Raven could only sighed, “Sometimes I think I’m getting too soft.”

Rather than allow anyone into her room, Raven merely got all the things she needed and gathered everyone in the lounge.

Everyone helped to move furniture and stuff out of the way.

Cyborg really missed his right arm and really wished there was some way to fix it.

“Hey,” Discord said “Don’t worry. Once we’re back home, I’ll be able to help you.”

Feeling overjoyed, “Well, what are we waiting for? Let’s get going!”

“Where is Twilight?” asked Starfire.

Twilight was in the sickbay, standing before Celestia again.

“I really wish you were coming back with us. We’re going to need all the help we can get, but I know you’ll be there to guide us in spirit.”

She closed her eyes and bowed her head while placing her hand on the cold capsule.

“Twilight…” Spike called from the door “It’s time. We better get going.”

Twilight agreed and followed him to the lounge to join the others.

She, Discord, and Spike each took a last look out the window, at the city far away. Much as they didn’t like it for its greedy and bigoted behaviour with all the changes and rudeness, they still hoped things would change for the better soon.

“Alright, everyone, form a circle around Me.” said Raven.

Everyone did just so as Raven sat in the middle, and used her powers to levitate magical powders and poured them in a perfect ring around the group.

Many candles surrounded the area, as well as few urns burning with special herbs and powders inside them.

“That reeks!” Discord groaned softly.

“Shh!” snapped Twilight.

Raven concentrated hard, and began to mutter magical worlds, which caused the power ring to start glowing, and wind was starting to stir up, inside!

The glowing grew brighter and brighter and everyone suddenly felt strange, as if they were falling through the floor.

Then, all at once, they found themselves all falling through a strange zone of brightness.

“Where are we?” asked Spike.

“I do not believe I like the looks of this.” cried Starfire.

“This is the warp-zone.” Raven explained “It’s the gap between dimensions.”

Everyone could then see loads of spheres, which Raven explained, “Those are portals to other worlds that are parallel to our own.”

There seemed to be so many of them, far too many to count. Then again, what else was there to expect?

“How are we supposed to find Equestria in all this?” asked Spike.

“We just look…” said Robin “We won’t get anywhere by just standing around here.”

“Yo’ there must be a million-quadrillion of these things!” groaned Cyborg “Maybe we should split up and try to find it.”

Raven floated straight up to him shouting like mad lady, “NO!! ABSOLUTELY NOT! DON’T EVEN THINK ABOUT IT!”

Cyborg felt like a tiny fly looking up at the vicious spider!

Raven calmed herself and explained, “Wandering off around here is dangerous. One wrong turn is all it takes, and you could end up lost forever in some strange world.

We all need to stick together.”

She cast her magic, linking herself between all the others with long lines of aura.

“All right, let’s go.” said Robin.

Off they went, with Raven towing everyone.

Robin told everyone to keep their eyes focussed within a single direction due to their being so many places to look and so many portals that flew by.

Some even looked exactly the same from others, as Raven had warned they were merely parallel worlds-- different to their own.

This made Terra wonder, “Maybe someplace in another world, I was a different person-- happier. Loved…?”

All this made her think strongly of Beast Boy, and all the more determined to save him from the great evil that was abusing him.

After wandering for what could have felt like an immeasurable amount of time-- but really at least half a day-- everyone was growing weary, especially due to lack of sleep.

“We’re never going to find it, are we?” groaned Spike.

“Don’t think like that!” said Twilight “We have to find it! We will find it!”

Even Raven was starting to grow exhausted, and didn’t know how much longer she could keep everyone tethered.

“Raven!” cried Robin.

“I’m not giving up!” Raven groaned “I can keep going!”

Really she couldn’t, she could barely keep her eyes open.

Everyone was growing worried, and it was beginning to look like they were doomed…

…Until Discord spotted one portal coming up on them.

“Hey!” he cried.

“What is it? Have you found it?” asked Terra.

Discord didn’t answer, but took a good long look at the portal, and confirmed his sightings.

“Quick, head through there.” he called to Raven “Don’t ask questions! Just do it!”

Twilight and Spike got a good look at the portal, and they could tell it wasn’t the way to Equestria, but they still recognized it.

“Do as he says!” hollered Twilight.

Raven steered right into the portal, and everyone suddenly found themselves standing on solid ground, in the most twisted, and unusual world they had ever seen-- Discord’s home dimension.

“We made it!” cried Discord “I’m home!”

“Home?” asked Cyborg “If this is what you call home, I’d say you need some serious land work here.”

The swirling of the skies, and the floating around of unusual objects, it made Starfire giggle. “I have never seen such a whimsical place before.”

“Well, come on inside.” said Discord “That’ll give you something to chuckle about.”

Inside Discord’s house, everyone looked up and down and all around at all the topsy-turvies, strange objects, and other paraphernalia.

“Wow, and I thought my mind was a dangerous place.” murmured Raven

Discord took that as a compliment and said, “Hey…mi casa, su casa.”

At least they were out of danger was endless wandering, but Discord, Twilight and Spike still looked the same. They hadn’t changed back to their regular forms due to the method of dimensional hopping-- there was none of the magic that could change them back.[

“Don’t worry, I anticipated this might happen.” he said “I have a very rare and special potion that just might help me at least.”

He explained how he always anticipated one day that he’d be stripped of his reality bending powers, or his form would be altered, so he created a special potion that took him centuries to get right.

“One sip of that potion, and I’ll be my normal self, and so will you and Spike, Twilight.”

Twilight and Spike felt overjoyed, but then Discord just stood there pondering.

“Well?” asked Twilight “The Potion, where is it?”

Discord felt too embarrassed to say.

“You don’t know?” Cyborg asked.

Discord sighed, “I made that potion many centuries ago, and a lot has happened. I can’t remember everything, you know!”

Everyone groaned irritably.

“We’ll just have to spread out and find it.” said Robin. Only everyone looked around at all the crazy, wacky things going on in the house.

“This could take a while.” murmured Raven.

Even longer than she thought as the gang soon found that nothing was like it was back at home…!

An upside down floating chest of drawers, rather containing clothing-- Robin pulled one of the drawers out and got a face-full of confetti.

Cyborg couldn’t help but check the kitchen, and see what kind of food Discord had in his refrigerator. Yet he opened the door and a load of fireworks popped out.

Starfire and Terra were amused by a coatrack that was actually silly snakes dancing, which made them giggle.

Raven shook her head in dismay. Not even when she looked at the photographs that all waved or winked at her.

One picture even stuck out its huge tongue and licked her like a dog.

“Blech!” she groaned. “Can we find the potion and get out of here already?!”

“It would help if we even knew what it looked like.” muttered Spike.

“Um… could this be it?” Twilight asked as she held up a flask of spectrum-colored liquid.

“Yeah, that’s it!” cried Discord “Where did you find it?”

Twilight gave him an awkward stare, “In the cabinet marked “Potions” in your bathroom?”

Everyone gave Discord a scornful look, shaking their heads in pity.

Discord felt very silly for not realizing this in the first place. “Look, we have it, so let’s get on with it.”

There was just enough for himself, Twilight and Spike to each have one cup full, and they had to drink the whole thing down.

Spike took a whiff of it, “Yikes!” he groaned.

“It’s a potion, not a milkshake!” scorned Discord “Do you have any idea how hard it was to discover and make? I had to travel through whole dimensions to--”

“Never mind that now.” said Twilight “How long will it take for the effects to work.”

“Instantly.” replied Discord “But I better warn you. It’s going to be a rough ride. It’ll feel like your insides are on fire, and there won’t be a split second you won’t feel like blowing chunks!”

Spike and Twilight shuddered. Just the smell of it made them feel like passing out. However, all three of them decided to keep in mind why they were doing it-- for their friends.

“Well, bottoms-up.” cheered Discord, and he, Twilight and Spike raised their glasses, and they all cringed as they drank the rancid liquid down.

All three dropped their glasses, followed by themselves hitting the floor hard. All three of them gaging and cringing as if they were in pain.

The Titans all stepped back to give them space as they rolled about, clutching their throats, looking as if they were gag any moment!

Suddenly their bodies began to bulge and stretch as they began to change shape.

It was so frightening to watch, but in the end… it worked! Their bodies were restored!

All three of them slowly opened their eyes.

“It worked!” cried Spike “I’m a dragon again!”

“Ohhh…!” Starfire cooed as she flew over and picked him, cradling him like a baby “You are the most adorable creature I have ever seen!”

Spike was blushing, but out of sickness as he let out a huge belch, followed by a spectrum colored cloud, right in Starfire’s face, which made her feel like gaging.

“Sorry. That stuff is gross!” Spike groaned.

Twilight and Discord belched too, but it felt so great to be back to their old selves.

The Titans couldn’t help but stare at them-- the most unique looking creatures they had ever seen, and they had seen a lot!

Suddenly, the Equestrians felt a little faint from fatigue, the Titans also felt very woozy too. Their lack of rest was watching up on them, as well as disorientation from dimensional travel.

“We’re in no shape to just rush into battle like this.” Robin admitted through a yawn.

“We must not give in!” cried Starfire, but, really, she felt like she could barely hold herself up.

With her magic restored, Twilight managed to get up onto her feet, and aimed her horn at everyone, giving them all a soft touch of her glowing aura, and soon, everyone felt fit a fiddle.

“Wow!” cried Terra “I feel like I could run a marathon!”

Cyborg did a couple of jumping-jacks. “Not bad. What was that?”

“It’s a wide-awake spell I know of.” answered Twilight “It’s given us all a big boost of energy to keep us going, but…” she paused “The effects are only temporary. They’ll only last a few hours. By the end of that time, we’re all going to be dangerously exhausted.”

“Well, what are we waiting for?” asked Spike “Let’s go and save Equestria!”

“And Beast Boy…” Terra pointed out.

The other Titans agreed with her.

“Oh, Cyborg…” said Discord “One last thing.”

He waved his hand over Cyborg’s bare shoulder, and then, in a flash of light a new arm appeared on his body. It seemed like a plain ordinary, muscular arm with armored plantings instead of his cybernetic arm.

“Yo’, what is this?” he asked.

“Sorry, that’s all I can do.” replied Discord “I can bend reality, but I can only do so much, especially if I don’t understand what it is I’m bending.”

He wasn’t able to give Cyborg back his real arm because he didn’t know how the cybernetics and machinery really worked.

“Trust me, this arm I gave you will do just fine. It can fire the same kind of energy your sonic cannon did, and it’s very strong too.”

Cyborg clenched his new fist, feeling pretty strong as promised as he punched a hole right through the floorboards.

“Hey!!” snapped Discord.

“Hey-Hey-Hey…!” Cyborg murmured while flexing his muscled “Not bad! I’m feeling back in the game!”

Starfire then asked, “Perhaps Discord could be our key-factor in defeating the evil?”

“Yeah,” agreed Terra “You could bend reality, then you could just weaken the evil and we can beat it easier.”

Discord chuckled rather hysterically, and fell to the floor kicking his feet.

“Oh, I’m sorry, but you’ve got to be kidding.”

“We’re not kidding.” sneered Raven.

Discord’s features hardened “Well neither am I. This isn’t any ordinary evil we’re dealing with. This is Yamimakai-- the Force of Hatred.

You heard him-- he has the power to actually pierce through reality. My magic wouldn’t have any effect on him like that.”

Twilight agreed, for had seen Discord’s powers be denied before, even by she and her own friends. “But you can still help us. We all need to do our part to get the Elements of Harmony.”

“…Assuming they’re still around.” Spike pointed out.

Everyone agreed, no more stalling around.

…Next stop: Equestria, for the big confrontation!

Act 18: Unfriendly Welcoming

ACT EIGHTTEEN

(0:00-1:35)

Discord opened a warp portal and transported everyone into a clearing in Ponyville.

Everyone peeked out through the opening, and Twilight and Spike were aghast! The skies were dark, as it was getting to be nighttime, but there were red and eerie shades, and black and grey clouds, followed by distance clashes of lightning and thunder.

All ways around there were sights desolation and misery! The once green and lush meadows were charred and laden with corpses and bones of those who had obviously been slaughtered.

Off in the distance, all the homes, and buildings looked horribly dilapidated and in poor shape. Some were even smoldering with black smoke, and some buildings and homes were practically not even there anymore as they had been destroyed in the massacre. Even the School of Friendship and Twilight’s castle were in ruins.

(1:34-2:54)

“No!” Twilight cried softly.

Spike was really worried of their other friends, especially Rarity.

The Titans, though initially stoked be visiting a whole new world, were as much distressed at the sight of everything as their friends.

“We may already be too late.” said Starfire.

“Let’s not think like that,” said Robin “Come on, let’s go.”

“Wait!” said Twilight, and she vast yet another spell on everyone, shrouding them all in sparkling aura.

“What have you done now?” asked Raven.

“It’s a spell of invisibility. No one can see or hear us, as long as you all stay close to me.”

“Smart move.” said Cyborg “Maybe Yamimakai won’t know we’re here.”

(2:54-3:44)

With that settled, everyone began to slowly crawl out from the portal, and the Titans all felt like astronauts setting foot on a new world as they looked all around them.

“It’s almost indescribable.” said Terra.

Cyborg tried to scan the sights with his wrist-com, and it all read almost exactly like things were back home.

“It’s all like an alternate version of Earth.”

As they all trekked deeper through the field, they all stopped in one spot looking at the sight of all the fields, the mountains, everything around them. Despite the desolation, this was truly a magnificent discovery for the Titans.

(3:45)

Twilight walked up to Robin, “Go ahead, claim it, for the people of your world.”

Robin stammered softly.

“It’s alright.” Said Twilight “I’m sure Celestia would do this.”

“Go on, Robin.” said Cyborg “We’re your witnesses.”

“Please, Robin, do it.” added Starfire.

The others all nodded in agreement, and Robin took a few steps forward and proclaimed, “By the grace of God, and in the name of the United States of America of our world…

…I hereby claim discovery of this planet on behalf of and for the benefit of all mankind.”

Twilight gave him a soft nudge and a proud nod.

“Oh, no!” gasped Starfire “Look!”

She saw a group of Dark Soldiers marching along and heading their way!

“It’s okay!” Twilight reminded them “Remember, they can’t see or hear us.” and surely enough the soldiers passed right by them without any notice.

“That was close!” sighed Spike

Discord shivered “You’re telling me! I can just feel how deadly those creeps must be.”

“So, where do we go from here?” asked Raven.

“We find the Tree of Harmony,” replied Twilight “Everyone huddle close.”

Everyone did as they were told, and Twilight teleported them all to the correct location--underneath the old Castle of the Royal Sisters, in the cavern where the tree lay glistening and luminous as ever.

Given the lack of guards or anyone around, Twilight dispelled the invisibility.

“Wow!” cried Terra as she gawked at the tree “Would you look at that!”

“I have never seen anything so remarkably amazing.” added Starfire.

Twilight explained to them about the tree, and the elements themselves.

“You’re sure this will help us stop Yamimakai?” asked Raven.

“…Not likely it will!” hollered an evil and familiar voice, followed by an evil snicker.

“Yamimakai!” growled Robin.

“Where is he?” whimpered Spike.

“I don’t think he is here.” said Twilight.

Indeed, Yami was communicating through magical waves from way over in Canterlot.

“I’ve been aware of your little intrusion from the start; even with your foolish attempts to conceal yourselves, the emotional forces still carry through the air.

I figured you would return eventually. It was all part of my plan.”

The tree began to glow brightly, and then it just vanished as it was just an illusion, and conjured up by none other than…!

“Starlight!” cried Twilight “Is it really you?”

Starlight stepped out from the shadows, but her eyes seemed blazing with fury, and there, on her forehead, everyone could see.

“…That’s the emblem of hate!” cried Discord.

“No! Starlight!” cried Twilght, but Starlight only snarled and growled at her and aimed and fired a powerful blast from her horn straight at everyone!

“Look out!” cried Robin, and everyone just barely leapt out of the way as the blast missed them all.

Then, one-by-one, each of Twilight’s other friends came out from hiding.

“Rarity!

Rainbow Dash!

Fluttershy!

Applejack!

Pinkie Pie…!

…Not you all too?”

All of them looked just as hot-tempered and nasty as Starlight. All of them had the same emblems on their foreheads too.

“No! Fluttershy, not you too!” cried Discord.

Fluttershy only roared at him like a monster!

Yami laughed and said, “As you can see, your so-called friends have been stripped of all the love and peace filth! Now all they know is hate, and lust for destruction, as will the rest of your world!”

“You fiend!” thundered Twilight “You won’t get away with this!”

Starlight steeped forward and growled, “No one disrespects The Hate!” Followed by the others and herself roaring and lunging forth to attack.

Everyone scattered about.

“Discord, can’t you do something?!” cried Twilight.

“I already told you it won’t work!” answered Discord, “But I’ll try something else!”

He waved his claws and bent reality to turn the ground beneath the ponies’ feet intro sticky pits of cement that dried instantly and seemingly trapped them.

“You got them!” cried Spike.

“Way to go, man!” called Cyborg.

The ponies, however, roared and screamed with such rage, and their bodies flared up with flaming aura. All at once, they actually shattered through the stone and were free again, and madder than ever!

Twilight really didn’t want to have to fight them, and Robin understood this.

“Retreat, now!” he shouted.

Everyone gathered around Twilight as she prepared to teleport them all to safety.

“Oh, no you don’t!” sneered Starlight, and she cast another spell from her horn, casting everyone in a large and hollow dome so teleportation was impossible, even for Discord or Raven.

“Now what do we do?!” cried Spike.

The angry ponies were approaching fast.

“We have to fight.” said Raven.

Twilight cringed.

“I know how you feel,” said Robin “…But we’ve got to at least defend ourselves. Maybe we can try to connect with them.

Titans, Go!!”

The Titans all rushed forth.

“Oh, well!” said Discord, and in a snap, he donned a swat outfit. “…Time to rock and roll, baby!!”

Twilight flew way up high with Spike on her back, not wanting him to get hurt in battle.

“What are you doing?” asked Spike.

“I’ll see if I can break the barrier down with a cancel spell!” answered Twilight “Once it’s down I’ll be able to warp everyone out of here.”

“Oh, no you don’t!” thundered Starlight. She prepared to fire a magical blast straight at her…!

“No!!” Robin shouted as he dashed straight for Starlight; his staff colliding into her horn. The two engaged in a struggled, until Starlight used her magic to levitate him up and threw him straight intro Starfire above!

Rainbow sped straight at the heroes, plowing straight through them and knocking them all over like bowling pins!

Pinkie leapt up and pinned Raven down, “Hiiieeee!” she teased and punched her hard in the face, knocking her to the side!

“That does it!” growled Raven “Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos!” she ensnared Pinkie in dark bindings hoping it would hold her down, but Pinkie went wild with rage, breaking free from the binds.

“Uh, oh!” cried Raven.

Pinkie softly tapped her hoof in a threatening manner, whole Raven got up onto her feet, gnashing her teeth and clenching her fists.

The two then lunged at one another, fist and hoof connecting with such a force, and yet Raven yelled in pain as it felt like hitting a steel wall!

She quickly used her power to heal her hand, but she could see this would be tougher than she thought.

“Watch out! They’re real strong!” she cautioned the others.

“You think we don’t know that!” Cyborg shouted as he was engaging in a struggle with Applejack-- pushing his hands against her head as she forced her way towards him.

Even with his new arm, Cyborg was losing the struggle, and he had no other choice. “I’m sorry to do this to you!” he said at the snarling pony, but he held up his right hand, and just as Discord promised, it unleashed a powerful blast like his sonic-cannon used to, sending Applejack flying and crashing along the ground.

Much as Cyborg was pleased with his new power, he gawked in shock as Applejack got up instantly, snarling as she shook the dust from her face and came at him for more, but Terra leapt in and levitated Applejack up, up, up on a floating rock, way up to the top of the dome.

The two Titans smirked at one another, but Applejack actually leapt off the rock, down, down to the ground, landing with such a thunderous thud that she shook the entire cavern, shaking the walls as well.

“Can you feel the hate?” Applejack sneered “I sure can!”

Cyborg growled.

“It’s no use!” cried Terra “The more we fight, the stronger they’ll get!”

“Precisely!” hissed Fluttershy “You may as well make it easier on yourselves and let us just put you out of your pathetic misery!”

“Stop this!” shouted Discord “The Fluttershy I know would never say such a thing!

Okay, maybe I made her do it, once, but the point is… I WANT MY FRIEND BACK!!”

His shouting shook the cavern even more!

Fluttershy laughed evilly, “That’s it! Just feed me more hate!” and she flew straight at him, hitting him hard in the gut.

“OOOOHHHHH…!!!”

WHAMM!! She kicked him hard in the head.

Then she rammed numerous punches into his face, only to suddenly realize the straw coming out of the body.

“What…?!”

“Got’cha!”

Fluttershy had been attacking an enchanted dummy, which gave the real Discord a chance to grab her by the wings, and lifting her up, making it hard for her to move or defend herself.

“Come on, Fluttershy! Snap out of it!”

But Fluttershy only glared at him, and her eyes were flaring up.

“Whoa!” Discord cried as he quickly dropped her and ducked as she unleashed a fiery blast that flew past him with a lot of force.

The blast hit the barrier with such an explosion that the cave was slowly starting to rumble!

“We are going to be buried alive!” cried Starfire “We must escape here and fast!”

Twilight was trying all she could, but she had never faced a barrier like this before, and Starlight’s barriers were usually not on the same level as hers.

“It’s the hate!” cried Twilight “It’s strengthening her magic!”

Yami’s voice was then heard, laughing at her. “Poor little Princess, always figuring things out too late!”

The quaking was growing more and more violent little bits of rocks were falling all around the barrier.

The evil ponies didn’t seem to have a care in the world and continued to attack the heroes below.

Yami didn’t even seem to care much either.

“You’re just going let us all get buried?!” yelled Spike “Even your own fighters?!”

“I care nothing for them!” sneered Yami “That would be showing compassion! I’m all about the hate! And now, at least I’ll be rid of you pests and your flimsy friends once and for all!”

His evil laugh made all the heroes cringe!

“Beast Boy!” cried Terra.

“Farewell, all of you.” hissed Yami “Give my regards to oblivion.”

He said no more and faded out, and the rumbling grew far worse as big boulders began to come crashing down.

“We’ve got to get out here!!” shouted Discord.

Fluttershy just flew right up to him sneering, “Who cares?” and she kicked him hard in the chest, and jumped at him to fight some more.

“Hang on, I’m coming!” Starfire shouted as she flew in to help, but Rainbow Dash sped right at her, colliding hard into her and knocking her to the ground.

“Starfire!” cried Robin, and he was lifted up high by Starlight’s magic and suspended in midair.

Pinkie was bouncing up and down, right on top of Raven, and really hurting her.

The hate was just too much for them all to match!

The cave in was growing worse as more rocks and pebbles came crashing down.

“I’ll try and stop it!” cried Terra, and she stood at the spot where she felt the rumbling was the strongest, and forced all her power into action trying to steady the shifting Earth.

It seemed to be working as the rumbling eased up a little and fewer rocks were falling.

“I think I’ve got it!” Terra cried with joy, but suddenly one last pony stepped before her, and snuffed angrily.

“Rarity!” cried Spike.

Twilight cringed softly.

As for Rarity, she screamed and came charging straight at Terra, and Terra couldn’t let go of her focus either!

“No!!” cried Spike as he leapt off of Twilight’s back.

“Spike!!” shouted Twilight!

The others all gasped as Spike soared straight at Rarity like a flying projectile, colliding into her with such a crash and knocking her away from Terra.

Rarity got up instantly, and she looked steamed!

The others tried to rush over and help him, but where held up by the infected ponies.

“Spike, hang on!” Discord shouted, and he used his magic to send puppet clones of himself to rush in and apprehend Rarity at least.

Rarity turned, and fired a single fiery shot from her horn, actually piercing through the dummies, destroying them instantly.

“No!” cried Discord, and he received another blow to his side by Fluttershy!

“Yes!!” she roared at him and continued to attack him.

“Spike!! Get out of there!” Twilight screamed down at him.

But Spike wouldn’t move. He just continued to glare at Rarity who was growling at him, ready to pounce!

“Rarity…!” Spike called to her “I know you’re still in there! You’re not hateful! Try to remember!”

Rarity simply began charging forth, forcing Spike to roll out of the way making her miss him.

“You are foolish!” she snarled at him “Love and friendship are games for fools!!”

She fired a blast at him, and Spike dodged it, but scrapped his tail in the process, followed by Rarity jumping on him hard and pinning him to the ground.

“No!!” cried Twilight, and barrier or not, she wasn’t going to let him get hurt, and abandoned her post, flying down to save him!

Rarity turned her head and shot Twilight’s wing, making her crash hard!

“Twilight!!” cried Spike.

Rarity then looked down at him. “And you’re next, you little runt!”

Spike figured there was only one last hope, and he couldn’t believe he was about to, but he managed to lift up his head and placed his lips on hers!

Rarity was shocked!

Twilight, though in pain, could see; everyone could see, and were they ever dazed!

As Rarity just stood there, with her eyes wide open, her mind began to recall all the loving and wonderful times Spike was great to her-- always lending her a hand, always complimenting her, or trying cheer her up when she was doing and having a dramatic fit.

She broke away from Spike, clutching her head and groaning as the mix of emotions seemed to cloud her mind!

The other infected ponies began to feel the same way from seeing the kiss.

“I think it’s working…!” cried Robin.

“The love is overpowering the hate!” added Starfire.

But then, in a split scene, Yamimakai growled, “Oh, no, you don’t!”

His eyes glowed…!

The emblems on the heads of the infected ponies flared brightly, and the ponies all screamed as they felt Yami’s power getting to them again, and before anyone could do anything at all!

Rarity roared, and fired a big blast at Spike, right through his body!

“SPIIIIIIIIIIIIIIKE!!!” screamed Twilight.

Everyone gasped in extreme horror as Spike fell to the ground, dead and done!!

“S-S-S-Spike!” sobbed Twilight.

“No! Not him!” Discord cried softly.

Starfire shook with horror as tears felt from her eyes.

Robin and Cyborg were gawking with horror!

Terra, she could barely hold up her strength anymore to keep the earthquakes steady, and she let go, causing the cave-in to start up again!

But Raven, despite all the pain she was in, and knowing how dangerous it was, she couldn’t hold it in any longer, and her eyes were glowing red with rage!

“Raven!” cried Robin “Raven, don’t!!”

“What’s happening to her?!” asked Discord, but he got his answer as Raven rose up, growing to twice her normal height, and extra set of eyes popped up above her normal eyes. Fangs sprouting in her teeth, and long black tentacles came out from under her robe.

In an evil and double-voice, Raven snarled, "Let's get busy!"

Act 19: The Ark

ACT NINETEEN

Raven snarled as her tentacles flapped around

“She’s gone full-demon!” cried Cyborg “We’ve gotta calm her down or she’ll--!”

Too late! Rave let out a snarling growl that sent shockwaves all across the dome, knocking everyone off their feet and out of the air!

The infected ponies were not the least bit scared, still under Yami’s influence and caring only to kill everyone, no matter what shape or size, plus, Raven’s rage was seriously energizing their hate-power higher than ever!

“Okay, I am officially freaked out here!” whimpered Discord.

Raven glared at the infected ponies. “You want hate?!” she growled in an double-voice, “Well, have all the hate you want!”

She extended her tentacles, ensnaring Applejack and Pinkie, and throwing them hard into Rainbow and Fluttershy, and they collided into Rarity and Starlight!

Robin was freed from Starlight’s grip and fell to the ground.

“Robin!” cried Starfire as she zoomed to his side.

Robin was okay, but he was more concerned with Raven; she was out of control!

She snarled and moved closer, swinging her tentacles at the infected ponies, striking them all mercilessly, especially Rarity for killing Spike!

Altogether, the infected ponies gathered their ever-growing power together, and unleash an extremely powerful blast at her.

Raven’s eyes glowed and she conjured up a huge dark wall, and due to her excessive demonic powers, it was able to take the blast.

Raven snickered. “My turn!” and she fired powerful waves from her four eyes at the ponies, forcing them to scatter about.

“Raven, Stop!!” shouted Robin as he rushed in, only for Raven to spin round and lash a tentacle at him, knocking him back towards the others.

The cave was collapsing harder than ever as boulders began to slam into Starlight’s barrier.

“That’s it! We’re dead! Just dig a grave for us!” wailed Discord.

Starfire smacked Discord across the face.

“Thanks, I needed that.”

“Raven’s not protected by the hate.” said Cyborg “Maybe we can try and hold her down.”

“Well why didn’t you say so in the first place!” snapped Discord, and he donned a desperado outfit, complete with an enchanted lasso and everything.

“Time to rope this here cattle!”

With a toss of his rope, he ensnared some of Raven’s tentacles.

Twilight, still hurt, was able to use her magic and ensnare the remaining tentacles in a binding of light.

Raven growled and began to make a fuss.

“Take her!” shouted Robin as he rushed forth, with Starfire, Cyborg and Terra following him.

The infected ponies saw their chance and prepared to attack.

“Oh, no, you don’t!” sneered Terra and she made all the rocks rise up high like a solid thick wall, cutting them off!

The angry ponies pounded and hammered at the wall, and prepared to blast straight through it.

Their strengths were intensifying due to Raven’s raging fit.

Robin fired his grappling line around Raven trying to stop her from fussing, which only seemed to make her madder, and she fired large blasts form her four eyes, which Robin was barely able to dodge, and the blast grazed and burned his left shoulder.

Starfire yelped for him, but despite the burning agony, Robin managed to maintain his grip, ensure Starfire to hold Raven down with her alien strength, exposing her neck.

“I got a shot!” Cyborg shouted, and aiming carefully he fired from his left arm the tranq-dart intended for Beast Boy into Raven’s neck.

All at once, the drug took effect and Raven began to simmer down, down, down. Her tentacles slithered back up into her and vanished, her extra eyes faded away, and she shrank down to normal, sleeping like a log.

“She’ll be alright now.” said Cyborg.

“Thank goodness!” sighed Starfire.

KAPOW!! The infected ponies burst through Terra’s wall, and all six of them looked pretty steamed and fired up.

“You’re dead!” growled Starlight.

“All of you!” added Rarity.

The other four ponies roared and growled, when suddenly they all began to look woozy as if they would pass out. Even Starlight’s barrier was starting to weaken.

“What’s wrong with them?” wondered Terra.

“Maybe they’ve had a little too much?” suggested Discord.

Robin took note of this.

Suddenly, the ponies all collapsed, and the emblems on their heads went dark, and shattered.

Yamimakai could sense this! “No! They’ve been set free?!”

The ponies all lay on the ground, and Starlight’s barrier totally vanished, which caused the debris to start crashing all around everyone, and Twilight and Discord were too tired to teleport anyone, let alone put up any new barriers, now after the long battle!

Discord couldn’t even try to warp the rocks to make them into things harmless after being beat up so much!

Terra tried all she could to steady the quakes, but it was far too much even for her to handle!

“We are doomed!!” cried Starfire.

“That’s what I’ve been saying all along!” shouted Discord.

Suddenly, one of the large, square rock panels on the floor began to shift, and out spewed several magical waves that grabbed the heroes and the unconscious infected ponies, dragging them all down and in, all just before the cave collapsed all around, burying Spike’s corpse!

The gang were dragged down, down, down a secret tunnel by the magical pulls, and they all landed, poof, on a soft landing pad like a big cushion!

“Yo! Where are we?” asked Cyborg.

Before anyone could answer, a group of ponies wearing large, brown, and ragged robes, with hoods over their heads stepped forward.

They were who brought the friends to wherever they were, and motioned everyone to follow them.

Still, the heroes didn’t know whether or not to trust them, as they could not see their foreheads for any signs of the Hate Emblem.

One of the ponies, the largest one, stepped forth towards Twilight and looked down upon her.

In a soft voice she spoke familiar words to her…

“Sunshine, Sunshine,
Ladybugs awake.”

Twilight’s eyes lit up and she recited,

“Clap your hooves,
And do a little shake!”

The tall pony pulled off her hood to reveal Cadance, and the rest of the ponies were unicorn guards under her command.

The two shared a loving hug, with happy tears in their eyes.

“I thought I’d never see you again!” cried Twilight.

“I’m so happy you’re safe! I’m just sorry we couldn’t get to you sooner, but the barrier was blocking our way.

We know everything that’s happened.” She paused and looked a little downhearted “…Everything.” implying she knew of Spike.

A moment of silence followed.

Twilight dreaded to ask her next question, but, “Shining Armor, is he?”

Her sister-in-law sadly and slowly shook her head.

Twilight felt her heart sinking low and breaking down the middle. “No! No, I won’t believe it! I--”

Cadance embraced Twilight as she softly began to cry.

The other heroes said nothing, all feeling heart-broken for her.

The fallen ponies began to awaken.

“What’s happening?” asked Starlight.

“Why do I feel like a heard of cattle’s trotted on my head?” added Applejack.

Raven began to awaken too.

Candance then lifted the distraught Twilight onto her back and told everyone to follow her down the long series of tunnels and walkways leading deep into the bowels of Equestria.

They emerged in a place that made everyone gawk in astonishment.

“This is a complete underground civilization.” said Robin.

Indeed it was…

This place was almost exactly like Ponyville above, only all the buildings were made of stone, complete with special farms to grow food, waterfalls that made rivers running through the town to supply them with drinking water, and at the head of the village was a large stone palace that stretched very high up.

Many ponies and other creatures from above seemed to inhabit the place.

“What is all this?” asked Fluttershy.

Cadance explained, “This is The Ark: a network of immense caverns to serve as refuge.

It was always feared that the land would succumb to great disaster, and the ancients who built these caves felt it would be necessary to create shelters and alternate living arrangements to protect the populace.

This place was always kept, but never needed, until recently, and the secret was kept within the royal family of Equestria throughout the ages.

Some had been safely evacuated down here, but many more are still up on the surface, either in hiding, enslaved, or worse!”

“Incredible.” remarked Twilight.

“It’s beyond incredible.” said Terra.

“We’ll be safe here, for some time, I should hope.” said Cadance. “Yamimakai doesn’t know about this place, but eventually he will. I can just fear it.”

Meanwhile, in Yami’s palace in Canterlot…

The palace had lost its elegant grace, and was now a nightmarish fortress-- dark, creepy, and all those who hadn’t been killed were forced in slavery, and kept under close watch by the dark soldiers.

Their fear amused and fed Yami’s malicious powers as he ran things from the throne room.

One of the soldiers was reporting to Yami himself. The creature spoke in unusual growls and hissing which only Yami could understand.

“That’s enough. Leave me!”

The soldier bowed and left as told, while Yami sat on his throne drumming his fingers sinisterly.

“So, they managed to escape, and the dragon was the only one eliminated.” then he snickered “My suspicions are now confirmed.”

He has suspected for a while the lack of populace in Equestria, and many civilians not counted for and inducted into his slavery.

Now he knew there had to be some secret involved, but he didn’t dare bother to go looking for it, and he had no need.

“Those fools will be certain to come after me, and when they do…” he snickered softly “I’ll be sure to give them a proper, hateful welcoming!

Hah-Hah…!”

After a good long rest, and time to heal, as well as few introductions and that, Cadance treated the heroes all to a good feast.

Twilight was most horrified to learn that Shining Armor had been killed, and Flurry Heart too.

Cadance explained that after she had escaped from the palace, the devastation of the loss of her husband distracted her, and Flurry Heart was knocked loose from her carrier.

She tried to rush to save her baby, but some of the Dark Soldiers had seen her falling in midair and shot her with their firey blasts blowing her up in midair!

"NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!"

Poor Cadance never felt so devastated in her life. She barely had any strength left to escape, but her heart was forever broken!

Poor Cadance couldn't help but shed tears of woe, and Twilight joined her, having lost her niece and brother just like that.

Everyone felt devastated for the two, but Rarity, she felt worse than anyone at the table, and didn’t feel much like eating. She just stared down at her simple plate and all the vegetables, grains and fruits seemed to form into a picture of Spike.

“Rarity…” said Applejack “You should eat. You need to build up your strength for the big battle ahead.”

Rarity cringed hard as her tears began to fall, “I can’t!” she sobbed “I just can’t!”

She buried her face in her front limbs and wept softly but miserably, because she knew-- she had killed Spike!

“Rarity, come on!” Starlight said trying to comfort her “It wasn’t your fault.”

“Yeah, if anyone’s to blame it’s that mean Yamimakai!” added Rainbow “He brainwashed us all, and he’s going to pay for it! That’s a promise!”

Rarity didn’t feel the least bit better as she still felt too guilty, and... “What difference will it make?” she cried “…Spike, Celestia, Luna, all the rest… they will still be gone, forever! Nothing we say or do will change that!”

What really hurt her most was when she felt herself breaking free of Yami’s control, because of Spike kissing her, which brought all the memories on.

Only too late did she realize just how truly special he was to her.

“Oh, Spike…! I’m so sorry!!” She continued to weep.

The poor mare, she didn’t feel like fighting, or eating, or even wanting to live anymore. She just wanted to crawl into a hole and die.

Pinkie was weeping as well, “I’m going to miss that poor little guy, and every-pony else too!” she blew her nose in her hankie.

Fluttershy shed a single tear.

Starfire couldn’t stand to see all these pretty ponies cry.

“I understand how you all must be feeling,” she said to them “But we must be brave and strong if we are to stop the evil and avenge those who are lost.”

“Believe me,” said Cadance “Nothing would please us all more than that, but the creatures down here haven’t much hope to give.

Yamimakai has already been considered the most fearsome, most deadly enemy ever to appear in Equestria. So incredibly ruthless and lusting for chaos, even our best forces were unable to take him down, and met with their ends!

His hate is so strong, and the fear and hate we show only makes him stronger!”

“…And that’s what we’ll use to beat him.” said Robin.

Everyone turned to face him, and Robin then said “Instead of trying to use love and reasoning, we’ll fight fire with fire-- let’s give him… all the hate he could ever need!”

“What?!” snapped Rainbow “Are you-- have you gone-- …That is just crazy!”

“It’s beyond crazy! It’s totally crazy!” added Pinkie.

Discord held up a cuckoo-clock from out of nowhere, and its chiming cemented his thoughts as well.

The Titans were inclined to agree, but Robin insisted “No, this could just be the key we’re looking for.”

He began to explain…

“We know that hatred, fear, and chaos make Yami strong. Spike even tried to use love and compassion to help Rarity back to normal, and it almost worked.”

He stopped and looked at Rarity. She merely rubbed her eyes, but was willing to listen.

Robin motioned to all the ponies that were infected by the hate, “I think the reason you collapsed was because you overdid it.”

While the ponies couldn’t really remember much as it was all a bit of a blank to them, the others did note this.

Too much of anything, even Love or Hate, was not always a good thing, especially for one person.

“I think I get what you’re saying.” said Cyborg “We challenge Yamimakai, make him use so much hate that he may overload and blow himself out, and then maybe we can try and at least disarm him.”

Terra thought silently to herself, “If that works, we may be able to connect with Beast Boy’s inner goodness.”

She pictured poor Beast Boy, sitting miserably in a realm of darkness, which made her feel guilty knowing she was partly responsible for the fate he was in.

Raven had to interject, “Um… I don’t mean to point out the obvious here, but does anybody realize how insanely risky this is?”

Cadance agreed with her, “Yamimakai is surrounded by his army of Dark Soldiers, and they are just as ruthless as their master!”

“I see…” said Starfire “Even if we were to successfully break through any and all barricades, the odds would not be in our favor when we confront the evil itself.”

Twilight felt ready to pound the table at all the improbabilities and frustrations that lay afoot. “If we only had the Elements of Harmony, they could go a long way in this battle!”

Cadance stood and clapped her hooves together twice at one of the guards.

He bowed and went off, and returned with a small chest, which Cadance levitated in her possession, and opened it to reveal…

“…The Elements!” cried Twilight.

“No way…!” exclaimed Applejack.

The other ponies were astounded, and the Titans gazed at the artifacts in awe.

Cadance explained, “Ever since The Forces of Hatred began to their massacre, after I fled from the Crystal Empire, I feared The Elements would be in danger as well, so I ordered my allies in Ponyville to seek them out and remove them from The Tree of Harmony, before ordering them to The Ark.

Though The Tree of Harmony has been destroyed, The Elements are here and safe.”

“But you just said they won’t be able to help us.” said Terra.

Cadance shook her head, “I was merely expressing my doubts and concern.”

Twilight agreed, “Even with The Elements, it’s still uncertain if they plan will work, but they can go a long way to helping us.”

“Then we’re agreed.” said Robin “…We go.”

Everyone nodded, and while Discord seemed worried, he wasn’t about to let his friends get trounced.

Rarity still looked rather weepy.

“Rarity?” said Twilight.

She wiped her eyes and her features changed, “I’m with you. I swear, in the name of all those lost, that monster will regret the day he ever returned to Equestria!”

She especially thought of Spike, and how pleasing it would be to avenge him.

Act 20: Worrisome

ACT TWENTY

Over the past few days, the team made all preparations they could.

Cadance showed special drawings of what she knew about Canterlot Palace.

“My spies have informed me that while the palace has change significantly, the rooms and corridors haven’t. That’s the good news.”

“Well what about the bad?” asked Cyborg.

Cadance sighed, “The spies have also reported that the Dark Soldiers swarm the palace in massive numbers, and more and more seem to appear by the second.”

“We’ll have to calculate what that means in battle strategy.” said Twilight.

Robin already figured, “There’s too many of them. Perfect! We can turn use their own numbers against them.”

He began to draw up battle strategies.

There was also much preparation and training done.

The Titans all warmed up their fighting skills and did target practice in the outdoor dojos where the pony warriors also trained with their weapons and/or magic to help the heroes.

Terra especially needed the training to stabilize her own power and she felt stronger than ever, but really, her one and only goal was to save Beast Boy.

“I’m going to help you.” she said to herself “We can be together again, like we should have been before, and I turned you down!”

She clenched her fists together, and large boulders combined with small rocks form large stone fists, and she crashed them both together shattering the rocks to pieces.

Many of the pony warriors were astounded.

“Are you sure they aren’t ponies like us?”

Robin also made sure to inform the fighters of what little knowledge they had of Yamimakai’s tricks, which left room for concern.

“We have no way of knowing if he has any other tricks.”

Still, with the little information they had, the heroes felt they could be better prepared to face Yami himself.

Twilight and her group were concentrating hard to focus power into The Elements.

Their bodies all glowed brightly as they felt the harmony and light flowing through them.

“Yee-Haw…! I’m feeling pumped now!” exclaimed Applejack.

Rainbow and Pinkie flexed their muscles, and slapped each other a high-hoof.

“Yay.” peeped Fluttershy.

Starlight was amazed at how powerful her friends seemed. “I wish I had an element of harmony.”

“Trust me,” said Discord “…You’re really not missing out on anything, but I can give us all these…” with a snap of his finger, everyone wore special armor over their torsos, plating on their limbs, and even helmets like the royal guards.

“I figured we could use a little style, as well as protection.”

“Oh, my word!” exclaimed Rarity as she looked at her reflection on her limb platting, “How elegantly stylish.”

Raven looked herself all over and gave a snide remark “…Cool.”

“It is the very cool!” said Starfire.

Discord felt flattered, but warned everyone “There’s no guarantee it’ll protect you from everything, and it can take so many pressure.”

On the eve before the assault, everyone was getting as much rest as they could.

Cadance was still awake as Twilight stood by her, watching over the village below.

“You should get some sleep, Twilight.” said Cadance.

Twilight sighed, “How can I sleep knowing the dangers that lay ahead.”

Her sister-in-law blinked once with concern, and Twilight looked outside at the entire village below. All the civilians were safely in bed, and the night guards were doing their rounds.

Twilight shut her eyes tightly, cringing softly. “I used to think that friendship, careful planning, and having faith and believing in your friends and loved ones would always solve all our problems and make things turn out right in the end.”

She could hardly believe herself from what she was about to say, “Now I’m not so sure. Even all this planning we've done may not be enough.”

“Twilight.” cried Cadance.

Twilight then told her what Robin had explained to her, how being a hero meant sacrifice, tragedies, and experience painful scars that would never heal, even with time or friendship.

“He was right. We’ve already lost so many. Even some of our best plans hadn’t worked out, and what if they don’t work out tomorrow?”

Much as Cadance wanted to say something positive or encouraging, she, in-truth, felt the exact same way.

The only thing she could possibly say at all was “…At least we’ll know for sure whether it works or not, but there is no sense in hiding from it forever.

It’s bad enough our world is suffering from all this, just imagine what will happen to other worlds if that villain escapes. He said he would!”

Twilight realized this, and it helped her find some confidence to be ready.

All her other friends were sleeping like babies, only Robin lay awake as he himself experienced doubts of the master plan.

He felt a little hot and sweaty, and he got out of bed to stand by the window where it was cooler due to the underground.

He thought of Beast Boy, and fully felt how cruel he had acted towards the guy, which played largely into all this chaos being unleashed, but they were going to have to fight him, be it Beast Boy’s body or not.

Like the other Titans, he, too, were really hoping they could free Beast Boy from the evil and the hate, but like all heroes he was bracing himself for the worst.

Starfire softly hovered next to him whispering, “…I, too, hope we are able to free our friend.”

He smiled at her, that she could tell what he was thinking, but then his features changed. “We’ve never faced an enemy like this before. There’s no way to tell how this will end.”

He felt Starfire place her lips over his softly, surprising him.

He closed his eyes and kissed her back.

When they separated, Starfire said, “Whatever happens, we shall all be in it, together.”

Robin said nothing more, but held her close as they both looked out over the village.

Early the next morning…

Though underground, the magical lights illuminated the cave to alert the dwellers of the time of day.

The Titans, the ponies and their allies all stood together ready to march onward, with Twilight and Robin at the head of the teams.

Cadance was going to stay behind and protect The Ark with her life. Her guards were all prepared and ready to help if need be.

Some of them mad numerous requests to join the fight with the heroes, but Cadance insisted, “No! There’s no sense in sending all of you into danger. Your place is here to guard and protect us, to ensure our way of life shall continue.

But remain on standby just the same should the heroes need help.”

The guards all saluted to her and wished the heroes the best of luck.

Cadance led the heroes to the starting point of a series of tunnels and passages that lead all through Equestria. Each one had magical spells that could instantly transport users across the vast distances.

“This passage will take you straight to Canterlot.” Cadance explained “Once you emerge, I am positive that Yamimakai will sense your presence.”

Robin agreed, “And that’s when we attack as quickly as possible, before he can unleash a swarm of his soldiers against us.”

Twilight hugged Cadance warmly, hoping with all her might it wouldn’t be the last time they saw each other.

“For Shining Armor, as well as the rest.” she whispered.

Cadance pecked her softly on the head. “Come back alive.” she said, and she looked up at everyone “…All of you.”

The teams bowed to her.

“Thank you for everything.” said Robin, and then he addressed the teams “Let’s go!”

“For Spike!” shouted Rarity.

“For all Equestria!” hollered Rainbow Dash.

“For all worlds everywhere!” shouted Starfire.

“…And for Beast Boy!” Terra said softly to herself.

“…Here go!” shouted Twilight, and they all jumped through the tunnel and waraped along their way through a song.

By the end of the song they had emerged, from under a large boulder, in a field with the fortress in view, and it looked just as nightmarish and wicked as Cadance had described, and surrounded by Dark Soldiers.

Fluttershy trembled in fear.

“Easy, now.” said Applejack “We’re all in this together.”

Twilight and Robin looked at one another and nodded, and with their might they shouted “CHARGE!!”

The soldiers all heard this and saw the team rushing forth.

Before any of them could react, the heroes fired whatever magical or energy projectiles they could, and Terra unleashed a bombardment of rocks and boulders, hitting the soldiers hard.

Other soldiers watching from the upper battlements and the windows saw this, and blew horns calling for support.

More soldiers came rushing into action with their weapons and power ready, and in almost no time, the heroes were surrounded.

The soldiers all charged up with their weapons flaming, and at the very split second they fired.

“NOW!!” shouted Robin.

Twilight quickly teleported everyone off, and the soldiers struck each other and wiped themselves out.

The teams then reappeared in a clearing by the unguarded and opened gates of the fortress.

“Boo-Yah! Worked like a charm!” cheered Cyborg.

Robin agreed, “There’s many more of them than there are of us, which gives them less space to spread out and attack us without risking attacking themselves.”

Pinkie Pie gasped, “Look!!”

More soldiers were appeared and coming out from the gates.

“Get ready to take them!” said Twilight.

Discord cocked a machine gun he made materialize shouting, “Locked and loaded!”

“Go!!” shouted Robin.

Everyone charged forth, and kept well to Robin’s plan not to immediately attack, but rather dodge and evade attacks from the massive groups of soldiers, thereby causing them to strike more of themselves down.

This allowed them all to trek deeper into the fortress, and all this time, they tried to maintain their growing anger and inner hate.

With their strategy, the soldiers took more and more of themselves out allow the heroes to make it into the main throne room where a whole army of soldiers were gathered and surrounded them, ready to fire.

“This is what we trained for.” said Twilight, and she addressed the other ponies. “Ready…?”

Her friends nodded proudly, and together they activated the powers of their elements conjuring a strong barrier of light.

“Don’t leave us out.” said Starlight as she and Discord added their own magic to strengthen it.

“Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos!” Raven concentrated hard and waved her hands in circles, using her aura to further strengthen the shield.

The soldiers opened fire; their massive amounts of power collided with the shield and were repelled back with twice the hate and mixed a little love and positivity.

The blasts struck the soldiers with such force that a huge explosion erupted, blowing a huge chunk out of the throne room, leaving a massive mountain of rubble behind.

The barrier was dispelled and Terra cleared away the rubble surrounding them. Everyone was astounded and somewhat shocked by what they had just done.

The sound of slow clapping was heard, following by a familiar and evil snicker.

From within a dark corner, He stepped out of the shadows. “You have all done far greater damage than I ever could have.”

Everyone’s features hardened at the sight of him.

“We’ve come for you, Yamimakai!” declared Robin “You’ve caused enough trouble for one lifetime!”

“On the contrary,” sneered Yami “I’m just getting warmed up, especially after watching you take out my soldiers.”

Everyone gasped softly.

“He played us for a bunch of saps!” groaned Applejack.

“Now he knows what we’re capable of.” added Starlight.

Still no one was willing to back down.

“We’ve come to put a stop to you, once and for all!” said Twilight.

“That’s right!” agreed Terra “So give yourself up, and give us back Beast Boy!”

Yami only laughed loud and hard, “Still on that same old kick?” he mocked at Terra “My dear, when will you ever learn? Beast Boy is no more, and you’ll never be seeing him again.”

He then conjured up an image of Beast Boy, floating freely as if he were chained to a wall. His head sagging down to his chest and his eyes were shut.

“Beast Boy!” cried Terra “Beast Boy, try to fight him off!”

“You’re wasting your time!” hissed Yami “I’m afraid your little lost lover can’t hear you. He’s grown too weak now-- consumed by the hate, enraptured by the darkness, and doomed to forever remain a prisoner of The Vortex, contained within my sword!”

Tears of misery and anger escaped Terra’s eyes. She angrily rubbed them away.

“You heartless monster!!” thundered Rarity “I say it’s time we got down to business!”

Everyone else nodded in agreement and looked ready to fight!

Yami narrowed his eyes at everyone, and drew his sword. “It’s time for me to finish what I started back in Jump City!

…I’m going to be rid of you vermin forever, and then nothing will stop me from spreading the hate, the destruction, the chaos, all over.

Every world in every dimension will burn with anger; suffer in misery and with nothing but pain, discomfort, and chaos beyond imagination…!

…AND I SHALL RULE ALL!!!”

“Not if we have anything to do with it!” sneered Twilight “In the memory of all our friends and loved ones you destroyed and in honor of all that we stand for…

…LOVE WILL TRIUMPH!!!”

The heroes stood, bathed in a harmonious light, while Yami blazed with hateful fury.

This would be a battle like no other for either side!

Who would triumph was all in fate’s hands now.

Act 21: Pummeling Powers

ACT TWENTY-ONE

The heroes all charged forth, and Yami charged as well.

“Get him!!” shouted Robin, and everyone unleashed their magic, projectiles and anything they could through at him.

Yami swerved, leapt over, and sliced through all the forces thrown at him, and then returned the favor by firing a large pulse of power, making a huge explosion that threw everyone off in different directions splitting them apart.

“Keep up the hate!” shouted Twilight.

Everyone agreed!

Robin rushed forth with his staff.

Yami blocked the attack and kicked Robin hard out of the way.

Twilight and Starlight fired magical beams at him, but he shielded himself with his cape and fired furious shots back at them forcing them to retreat.

Rainbow and Starfire came soaring in from way up high.

Starfire fired her starbolts swiftly at him, while he swiftly waved his sword blocking every shot, only for Rainbow to soar in and grab it out of his grip!

“Hey!!” shouted Yami.

“Hah, hah! Look at that, I got your sword!” Rainbow taunted.

Yami growled, and the emblem on his head glowed brightly.

The sword emitted burning jolts of power that hit and shocked Rainbow hard, forcing her to release the sword, allowing Yami to leap up high and reclaim it, as well as grab Rainbow by the neck.

“You want it? Have it!” and after giving Rainbow a huge punch to the face, he raised his blade to strike her down, when he was intercepted by a huge flying boulder Terra had thrown his way.

Sending him crashing down towards herself and other heroes.

Applejack and Pinkie rushed forth, and both got punched and kicked off.

“That fancy armor you wear is useless!” Yami thundered “Nothing can protect you from the power of hatred!”

“Wanna bet” thundered Cyborg as he rushed forth and took a swing with his new arm, but missed, and Yami grabbed him and threw him hard towards Fluttershy.

“Look out!”

Fluttershy screamed, and BAM! Cyborg crashed right into her.

“Ooh…!” groaned Fluttershy “That really hurt!”

Discord popped up when heard her groan. “Fluttershy?!” he then glared at Yami “You hurt FLuttershy?!!” his rage began to show in flames around his body “Alright!! NOW IT’S PERSONAL!!!”

He rushed forth, expanding his body to tremendous size, and gave huge pile-driving dive down onto the evil creep!

BOOM!!! The quake rocked the land, and the heroes all fell off their feet.

“Discord…!” Twilight thundered.

Discord then realized maybe he went a tad overboard as he shrunk to normal size. “At least I got him.”

That’s what he thought when all of sudden, the ground began to vibrate beneath his feet, and he quickly teleported off the spot…!

POW!! Just Yami burst through the ground, a little dirty, but hardly hurt. “You’re all prediciatble as you are pathetic. You know NAUGHT… the power I possess and just what I’m capable of!”

Rarity narrowed her eyes, and charged at him, coating her horn with a bright magical glow from her element, making it strong like a sword and as long as one too.

“Murderer!!” she shouted as she parried his sword with her horn. “For Spike!!” she shouted as she thrust forth, clashing with his sword, and struggled with such power. Yami snickered and his eyes glowed, “Feel the hate growing!” he hissed, as his strength seemed to increase and he shoved Rarity right off of him, and then took a huge swing with his sword…

WHING!!!

…Slicing right through her horn, splitting it right off so only a few rough spots remained on her head.

Twilight gawked in horror, and everyone looked in total shock as Rarity screamed “MY HORN…!!!!”

“It was…!” snickered Yami as he picked up the severed horn in his hand and crushed it like it was a cracker.

Rarity was most furious, as were all her friends!

“WHY YOU!!” Pinkie thundered as she fired a blast from her element, but Yami deflected it back at her, knocking her back into Rarity, and the two hit a pile of rubble hard.

Raven used her powers to grab and throw loads of debris, making it hard for him to block and dodge all of them.

Terra then used her power to levitate him up high on a flying rock, and Starlight and Twilight cast a spell to lock his feet squarely on the boulder so he couldn’t move!

Terra sort of hated what she was about to do next. “Forgive me, Beast Boy!” and she slammed the rock down hard, damaging him a lot.

“Good shot!” cried Starlight.

Terra smirked at her and Twilight, but Yami emerged from the ashes, laughing maliciously. “You’ll have to try better than that.” he teased, and he fired enormous blasts at the ladies, which they barely dodged, and Terra’s shoulder was grazed!

“Terra!” cried Robin.

Terra groaned in agony as she clutched her aching shoulder. She was still able to fight as the wound wasn’t fatal.

Discord helped Rarity. With a simple snap of his fingers, her horn was fixed.

“Thank you!” she said as she owed him her life.

“Thank me later, if there even IS a later.”

Robin rushed at Yami with his staff, colliding into his sword, engaging in a struggle.

Yami pushed Robin’s arm to such an angle aligning his wrist with his chest.

Robin gasped, realizing just in time, and he ducked down just as Yami extended his wrist claw, missing him, and Robin rolled back behind him and gave him a huge kick in the back!

“Starfire!” Robin called.

Starfire rushed in from out of hiding behind a crumpling wall and kicked Yami way up high into the air, and fired a huge beam from her eyes shooting him up even higher!

As he came crashing back down again, the ponies all stood together.

“Ready, girls?” hollered Twilight, and her friends all nodded as they and she powered up their elements and unleashed strong bindings, ensnaring him in midair.

Starlight and Discord added their powers to further bind him.

“Now, Titans!” shouted Twilight “Attack him!”

Robin agreed, and he looked at Terra.

“We have no choice, we have to weaken him.”

Terra cringed to supress her burning feelings, knowing she had to go along with it, and she agreed!

Together the titans attacked him mercilessly, channeling all their hate into their powers and weapons.

Robin threw his disc-bombs…

Starfire fired numerous star bolts…

Cyborg unleashed the magical waves from his right arm, and Raven and Terra both used their powers to throw loads of rubble at him from many angles.

Yami took quite the pounding, but he managed to hold it together.

“I need more hate!” he grumbled, and then shouted with all his might “…COME TO ME!!!”

Because of all the chaos and fear he had enforced on the land, the hate seemed to emerge from the land, in massive forms of aura that soared across the land and infusing into his head emblem.

His body blazed with such fury and hate, and his strength increased rapidly, as was shown by his muscles bulging.

“Got’cha!” Robin said softly.

The Equestrians felt they were losing their grip as Yami grew strong, and the force waves surrounding him grew hotter!

Finally, in a thunderous roar, Yami actually shattered the bindings, which knocked everyone off hard.

Yami landed on the ground, panting heavily while still shrouded in flaming aura.

“ATTACK!!” shouted Robin.

The heroes all got to their feet and rushed for him.

Yami took one swing of his sword, unleashing a burning wave of winds at everyone knocking them down hard again.

Some managed to get back up and continued to rush for him and battle him up close.

Still, Yami fought more fiercely than ever. He punched Twilight hard, hurting her deeply.

He kicked Starfire hard sending her crashing into a pile of rubble.

“COMING!!” shouted Discord, as he once again expanded in size and attempted pile drive him down again, but Yami gave him a good slash with his wrist blade.

Discord yowled in agony!

“DISCORD!!” screamed Fluttershy.

Next, Yami, actually held him up with his own hands, and threw him far over, hitting many of the others, hurting them hard, but Fluttershy managed to scramble onto her feet and dashed over to Discord.

“Discord…! Discord, are you alright?!”

Discord moaned and groaned as he held his wounded side, “I… I don’t think so!”

His magical, grey sparkling blood gushed forth slowly, prompting Fluttershy to pick up a long curtain from the ruble, break it two long halves. She bundled up one part into a ball and quickly tied the other around him like a bandage, pressuring the wound.

“You’re going to be okay! I promise you!” cried Fluttershy “I don’t want to lose you either.”

Pinkie looked at Raven, “Can’t you help him?”

“I’ll try…” said Raven “but I’m already pooped as it is, and besides I don’t know if it’s safe to use my powers on a creature like him. The combination of dimensional magic could cause real trouble.”

“It’s okay. I’m fine.” said Discord “Just go help the others!”

The others hesitated for a moment, but then rushed back into battle, but only Fluttershy stayed behind, wanting to tend to Discord and guard him.

Yami was panting from his rage fits and his overdrive.

“It’s working! He’s getting tired!”

“Yeah, but so are we!” panted Cyborg.

Many of the others were starting to seem a bit weary as well, but not willing to give in.

“This has been most amusing,” hissed Yami. “Usually my enemies are all wiped out by now, but you all are unlike the rest; forcing me to give everything that I’ve got.

It’s almost a shame you must be eliminated, but the hate knows what it wants, just as I know Beast Boy would want nothing more than to be rid of you freaks forever!”

Tears of rage came to Terra’s eyes, “You lie!! Beast Boy would never want to destroy us!”

“You think that, but I could see his inner thoughts. Deep down he always resented you all, his so-called friends when really they were nothing but traitorous mongers only interested in their own pursuits and delights.

Why do you think he wrote in that pitiful diary of his?”

Terra and the Titans were growing angrier with every word said.

“Don’t listen to him!” said Twilight “He’s trying to rile you guys up so you’ll strengthen him again!”

Much as the Titans realized this, they couldn’t contain their inner rage.

Suddenly, Robin got the sick feeling that maybe Yami wasn’t stalling them to gain power.

He held a single one of his bombs behind his back, and then looked over at Twilight, and gave her a motion of a special move they had discussed during the planning.

She nodded at him, and with that, Robin rushed straight for Yami and threw his bomb at him, Yami repelled it with his cape, sending it right back towards him, detonating right in his face!

“ROBIN!!” screamed Starfire.

“Ha!” sneered Yami, while everyone else gawked in horror, but really, when the smoke cleared, there was no one there at all.

“What?!” snapped Yami!

Robin then roared as he came crashing in from above with his staff at the ready, and he smashed Yami hard right across his face with a WHAMM!!

Yami went down flat, and Robin landed next to him.

“It worked!” cried Twilight.

Just as the bomb detonated, Twilight teleported Robin to way up high, which allowed him to escape harm and attack the villain by surprise.

“Sweet moves!” cried Applejack.

“Awesome!” agreed Rainbow.

Robin didn’t seem the least bit pleased though as he looked down at Yami, and could see the part of his face he had grazed when he hit him. There was no blood but just enchanted straw.

“It’s a puppet-clone!” cried Starlight “It’s not him!”

Everyone gasped how they had been deceived all this time!

“Where are you?!” Robin growled.

The dummy snickered at him and hissed, “…Guess!”

His body began to glow brightly.

“LOOK OUT!!” cried Starfire, quickly zooming in and kicking the body up high into the sky where it exploded in a massive KA-BOOM!!

Everyone covered their eyes at the explosion.

When the light had cleared, though the dummy was gone, Yami’s evil voice was heard, “Pathetic idiots! You spent all that time contemplating the things that I could do, you never stopped to realize what I actually HAD been doing!

I’ve already desolated this world and placed it under my command, but there are other worlds to conquer as well, especially in such places where there are loose ends to tie up.”

The Titans could immediately guess after hearing that, “He’s gone back to Jump City!” cried Cyborg.

Yami snickered, “And don’t think I’ve forgotten about your little hideout as well, or did you really think it was safe from my knowledge? My soldiers saw where you emerged from, it was no difficult task to send them back.”

Twilight gasped “…Cadance!”

Even as they all spoke, at that moment the Dark Soldiers were marching through the gates to The Ark.

“Guards, to arms!” shouted Cadance.

Together, the guards formed layer after layer of barriers and barricades which Cadance strengthened using the power of her love magic; the one thing strong enough to stand up to the powers of Hate.

The barriers only seemed to hold up, but they wouldn’t last forever.

Cadance urged all the civilians, “Get the absolute back of the village, and stay there!”

Her subjects did as they were told and rushed to the far side of the village away from any tunnels or entry ways.

Cadance was still concerned what with those soldiers piling up and forcing their way in. she would only be able to hold up the barriers for so long.

“Twilight, we need you!” she muttered.

Twilight felt ready to kick herself for falling for the trick.

Then there was more trouble as more and more soldiers appeared by Yami’s distant command, and they looked edging for a massacre.

“There’s no way out for any of you this time.” hissed Yami “So this is goodbye heroes, FOREVER!!” he laughed and his voice faded out.

The soldiers were closing in, and the heroes were all pooped out from fighting the puppet-clone.

“What are we going to do?” wailed Pinkie.

“I fear there is nothing we CAN do!” cried Starfire.

Discord, still ailing from his bad injury clenched his fists and said “Yes… there is!”

He slowly stood up.

“Discord, what are you doing?” asked Fluttershy.

Discord looked pretty upset, and a single tear fell from his eye.

Fluttershy felt a turn in her stomach.

“I can only manipulate reality.” Discord said “…I can’t create, mend, or destroy it, but I can do the next best thing.”

He looked down at Fluttershy, and he hugged her with his one free arm. His tears were falling fast now.

“You were the best friend… that I ever had!”

Fluttershy gasped when she realized what was happening.

Terra, judging from his words-- the very words she had used once-- “No! No, don’t do it!”

Twilight begged and pleaded, “Discord, you can’t!”

Everyone caught on, but Discord held out his hand, a large glowing orb appeared, and he handed it to Fluttershy.

“Discord…!”

He looked down at her one last time, and then quickly teleported all the heroes away.

Still in pain and clutching his wound, he growled at the incoming soldiers, “ALRIGHT!! LET’S PARTY!!”

The soldiers came charging in all around him as he punched, kicked, and zapped them all with what little strength he had left, but eventually he was buried within the sea of baddies, and his claw sank down, disappearing in the crowd… where he was mauled to death!

Act 22: Split Up

ACT TWENTY-TWO

The heroes all appeared in Discord’s dimension, right outside his house where there were no Dark Soldiers or Hate to get at them.

However, their magical armor had vanished due to Discord no longer being with them.

“Discord!!” cried Fluttershy “Discord!! No…!” she began to run along a pathway, into seemingly nowhere.

“Fluttershy…!” Rainbow shouted as she zoomed up to catch her.

Fluttershy put up a fuss, screaming, “No! But Discord… Let me go!!”

“Fluttershy, stop it!” cried Rainbow “…He’s gone!”

Fluttershy quivered, and then buried her face over Rainbow’s back and let out her emotion.

Rainbow cried softly as she embraced her friend.

“Discord.” sobbed Twilight “I can’t believe it!”

The ponies were all sobbing softly.

Cyborg thrust his left fist hard into the ground, “DANG!!” he cried as he quivered angrily and sadly, and he gazed at his right arm which Discord gave him.

Raven held her head low, clenching her fists, “That dumb idiot!” she grumbled “I should’ve helped him when I had the chance!”

Robin shook his head grimly, “It wouldn’t have mattered. He knew he wouldn’t have made it even with help.”

Terra was stiff and solid with grief, not just by the loss of their friend, but because his last words repeated in her head over and over.

“You were the best friend… that I ever had.”

It brought on all those memories of her and Beast Boy again, and made her all the more determined to save him and set things right again, but the way things were going, even she was starting to lose confidence.

Starfire comforted her, “Do not despair. We shall avenge our friends, and we will save Beast Boy.”

Terra smiled sadly, but admitted, “How? That evil is so powerful and sneaky, even a reality bending god couldn’t beat him.

He outwitted us entirely!”

Twilight remembered, “Now his goons are attacking The Ark.”

“And our world too.” added Robin “We’ve got to go back!”

Pinkie looked one way, and then another, comparing the dangers, “So we have to split up?”

“There’s no other choice.” said Starlight “We can’t just leave either place to suffer.”

The others all agreed, but Raven pointed out, “We’re all still tired and weak, and I can’t transport both teams to both places, I was barely able to get us here the first time.”

“Dag nabbit!” growled Applejack “Why can’t anything just go easy for us for a change?”

Fluttershy was still far too lost in her despair to really hear anything that was said as Rainbow continued to comfort her.

Then suddenly, there was a glowing from underneath, and she pulled out the orb that Discord had given her.

The orb began to fly up high for everyone to see, and it glowed brighter and brighter, and it bestowed a shimmering light onto all the ponies and the Titans, healing them and restoring their strengths to normal, but that wasn’t all.

Fluttershy was still glowing, and when the light had ceased, she felt very strange, as she levitated off the ground without flapping her wings.

“What’s happening?!” she cried.

Then her head came off her body, and she screamed as the others gawked.

“Are you seeing this?!” cried Applejack.

“She’s doing the things Discord used to be able to do.” added Pinkie.

Twilight was most astounded, “Discord strengthened us, and gave Fluttershy what was left of his powers.”

Fluttershy blinked twice in shock, and her eyes grew large, to the size of basketballs, with steam literally shooting through her ears.

All of a sudden, she was normal again and standing firmly on the ground gazing down at her hooves.

Discord’s voice was then heard saying, “You were the best friend I ever had, Fluttershy, and for that, in my dying moments I give you this little piece of my powers. You’ll be able to do some of the things I did before, including teleport back to Equestria and through dimensions.

It was all I could give, but the least I can do. Use my gift wisely…

…Oh, and, be a good dear and keep a good watch over my place.”

Though she was still a little scared and unsure of her new powers, Fluttershy clutched her heart softly, softly praying to her friend. “Thank you, Discord. We will avenge you! That’s a promise!”

“Wow, Fluttershy… you have the power to manipulate reality!” cried Starlight.

“Darling, this is incredible, for you I mean.” said Rarity.

Fluttershy felt honored to have such magical abilities, but it would take her time to understand it better.

“Quick!” said Twilight “Can you try and form a portal back to Equestria?”

“Oh… um… Well, I…!” The more Fluttershy stammered, the more she seemed to crumple to pieces, literally as she fell to bits on the floor. Her mouth was still intact. “…I think I need help to understand this.”

“Come on, pull yourself together!” said Applejack “If you don’t, our friends will get slaughtered just like the rest!”

Remembered this, Fluttershy’s features changed, and her courage burned brightly.

POP!! She was back in one piece. “You’re right! We need to get back to Equestria now!”

Suddenly, by the magic of her words, a portal appeared, right back to Equestria.

“Hey, I’ve got it!” said Robin “Maybe Discord’s powers were connected to his beliefs and his emotions. The more he felt or wished for something, the more he could make it happen.”

Fluttershy felt this astounding, but there was no real time now for experimenting.

“We have to get to Cadance, quick!” said Twilight.

She paused, and then looked back at the Titans.

There was no choice; they had to return to their own dimension.

Twilight and Robin gazed deeply at one another, both feeling the same-- wishing they could be with each other for support in the battles ahead.

Robin then smiled bravely at her, “Good luck!”

She smiled back at him, “You too!”

The Titans and the ponies all nodded at one another, and soon the ponies leapt through their own portal, and Raven used her powers to cast herself and the Titans back into the warp-zone.

The ponies made it back to the ground, landing with a thud!

“Hey!!” groaned Rainbow.

“Sorry,” said Fluttershy “I guess I have a lot to learn about dimensional warping.”

“Come on! Let’s get to The Ark!” said Twilight.

The ponies began to head off for the nearest secret entry. It was a good thing Cadance showed them all the entry ways.

Meanwhile, because Raven now knew the way back home, the Titans made it back to Jump City easily; landing in the city square, but upon their arrival, a terrible sight met their eyes…!

The city was looking pretty beat up.

Buildings were busted up and slightly tilted, with fires blazing in their windows. The streets lay in ruins and destruction with corpses and bones of all victims killed.

Terra could even see Jackie and Jillian’s bodies The sky was just as red, eerie, and filled with lightning and thunder as they were in Equestria.

“Our home!” cried Starfire.

“Looks like Yami’s been as busy as he said while we were away.” said Cyborg.

“That’s an understatement.” grumbled Raven.

Robin clenched his fists angrily, and his blood boiled with rage.

“Welcome home, Titans!” Yami called to them, but he was nowhere to be seen “…Or what you may consider, what’s left of it.”

Robin shouted out furiously, “…Where are you?!!”

Terra gasped, “He’s got to be there!” she pointed out across the water, at Titan’s Tower, which looked in bad shape, but still standing, and there was a distinctive flaming aura emitting from it.

This time, it had to be the real deal, not a puppet clone.

Yami snickered at them. “Let’s see if you can actually make it over here, and then we’ll settle things.”

With that, Dark Soldiers came rushing in from around corners, leaping off from rooftops, or just materializing up from the ground.

The other Titans looked ready to fight them, but Robin cautioned them, “No! This is just what he wants-- he wants us to fight them so we’ll get tired again!”

“We should head straight for the tower!” insisted Starfire.

“But wait…!” snapped Cyborg “What if that’s a big setup too?”

The soldiers were getting closer, and with no time to really think things out. “I say we go for the tower.” said Raven.

Terra nodded, “Let’s go!” and she dug out a huge rock big enough for her and Robin to ride on together, while the others flew naturally up into the air.

The soldiers began to open fire with their flaming attacks, and because Raven’s barriers wouldn’t help, the heroes to dodge and swerve in midair.

“Whoa!!” Robin shouted as Terra made the rock spin and dive so sharply. “Sorry, can’t help it.” she said.

Soon they were out of range of the firing, and the tower was growing ever closer in sight.

“Think we can take him on without the ponies backing us up?” asked Cyborg.

Robin really didn’t know, “I do know one thing, we stick to the original plan, and give him all the hate he wants!”

The others all agreed, remembering what happened to the puppet clone they fought.

Terra especially prayed it would help; she couldn’t stand anymore of this and she really wanted to save Beast Boy finally and for good!

Suddenly, the flaming aura around the tower began to stir up, and formed into two monstrous hands.

“Look out!!” shouted Starfire as the hands came zooming at the heroes, forcing them to dodge again.

Blasting or firing at them proved to be ineffective as it was just flaming aura, yet despite this, the hands were capable of contacting with the heroes!

The hands kept swinging around back and forth as Yami controlled them from the roof of the tower.

Robin saw him, and cringed angrily.

“Terra, try to get me in closer! The rest of you draw the hands off!”

The other three Titans agreed, and soared about to draw the hands away allowing Terra to steer the rock past them, and Robin to leap down onto the roof where he confronting Yami face-to-face.

The two glared at each other deeply, their capes fluttered in the breeze.

But all Yami did was snap his fingers, and Robin was ensnared by magical bindings generated by the hateful aura!

“Robin!!” cried Starfire, and suddenly, WHAMM!! One of the hands swatted her really hard, knocking her down, down, down!

“Hang on, Star!” cried Terra, and she steered her rock in, catching her friend in her arms, but this made it harder for her to steer rock and avoid the monstrous hands.

WHOOSH! She barely dodged one that swung past her.

“A’RGH!!” but Cyborg was hit, damaging his jet propulsion. “I’m going down!!” he shouted.

Raven quickly used her powers to grab him on a chain of dark aura, letting him dangle below.

Yami then waved his hand in a circle, and the two monstrous hands grabbed the four Titans.

“No!!” cried Robin.

Yami laughed, “You’re not so strong without your little ponies to back you up, are you? Another perfect example how truly pathetic you really are!”

He began to slowly curl his finger into a fist, causing the bindings to squeeze on the Titans, making them all groan and moan in pain, much to his delight seeing them suffer.

“It’s a shame your friend Beast Boy can’t be here to see this. Finally, he would get to see the so-called friends he once trusted getting the punishment they so richly deserve for all the torment and humiliation inflected on him!”

The Titans felt their anger rising, as well as the pressure on them!

“We… had… good times!” Robin growled “We… cared for him! He was… one of us!”

“Ha!” scoffed Yami “Your lies are as pitiful as your quest for peace and love! It matters not what good times you had, you’ve been more hateful than you have been loving, which outweighs whatever love and hope you had, until only the hate falls permanently into place, and nothing you say or do will ever tip it off again!”

The Titans wanted to deny this, but all the images of the bad things happening, especially Terra’s “Things Change” speech, and the Titans agreeing with it all-- letting go of the past… even if it meant letting go of good times, and hope that was tied to it.

Plus, good memories really were as painful as preached about-- constantly reminded everyone of the good things they had but were now forever silenced and wouldn’t likely return.

“You monster!” thundered Starfire “Beast Boy will always be our friend, no matter how much you say we aren’t!!”

“That’s right!” groaned Cyborg “If BB was here, the one thing he’d want most is to kick you round the floor for all the damage you’ve caused and all them innocent lives you took!!”

“We all make mistakes!” added Raven “But we learn from them, and we can become better people because of them!”

Yami just laughed, “Really? And are you any better now than you were before? Face it: You can beg and plead and apologize all you like, and it won’t make a difference! Your crimes are clear, and nothing said or done can reverse or redeem you!”

Every word, the Titans felt it striking them with such shame, guilt, and pain! Especially for Terra as she felt her role played the worst in all this!

Robin glared angrily at Yami, but remained silent and still as Yami continued to put pressure on him and the others.

“You see how it is!” hissed Yami “Friendship is useless and a waste of time and effort, whereas the hate gains you everything you could ever want, and speaking of friendship, I wonder how your little pony posse is handling my invasion.

Then again, since everything is going as I planned it would, I can just picture it now!”

“What do you mean “The way you planned?” Robin asked.

In The Ark, the Dark Soldiers spent a while hammering, blasting and forcing their way through the blockades leading to the inner-village.

“Princess!” one of the guards called to Cadance “The barriers are weakening! We can’t hold them of much longer!”

Cadance was beginning to fret, and she didn’t dare use up anymore magic, rendering herself totally exhausted and defenceless!

“Guards, prepare to engage the enemy!”

The sentries grabbed their weapons and took their places ready to engage, just as the barriers finally ceased and the soldiers came flooding in!

“Activate Traps!” shouted Cadance.

The Ark was not all that defenseless! The entry ways were rigged with devices built to further protect the refugees.

The soldiers began to fall through trap holes forcing other soldiers to leap over them, only to be bashed by swinging boulders on chains!

Still, no matter how many soldiers were downed, more and more seemed to burst their way in!

The guards rushed to the attack, warding them off as best as they could.

The villagers could see the events from the far side of the village, and while they were told to contain their fears and control their rage so as not to strengthen the soldiers, it was exceedingly hard to do so!

At the head of the group were none other than the Cutiemark Crusaders; Applebloom, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo; all of whom were miraculously saved from the chaos by Cadance and her army.

“Hey, come on every pony and creature!” said Applebloom “We’ve got to try and hold ourselves together so we don’t give them bad guys a boost.”

“Try and hold it in,” added Sweetie Belle “Just don’t look down there!”

The crowds began to contemplate the theory.

“Just don’t look! Just Don’t Look!” chanted Scootaloo.

All three crusaders began to chant, “Just Don’t Look! Just Don’t Look!”

Their chanting won over the crowds and they began to look away chanting along with them. “JUST DON’T LOOK!! JUST DON’T LOOK!!”

This helped lower the fear and anger, so the soldiers didn’t receive too much of a boost, but the guards they were battling couldn’t hold back their resentments and strengths at all while they were fighting.

The managed to hold back a good number of the soldiers, but the evil creeps continued to force their way in, pushing the guards back.

“We can’t hold them back!”

“We can’t give up! We must protect the village!”

The soldiers began to fight dirty and pushed many of the guards out of the way, killing some of them too.

“Oh, no!!” cried Cadance.

…But just as all hope was starting to fade!

“…CHARGE!!!”

Twilight and her friends came rushing through the tunnels, and began to fire magical blasts from the elements, stunning the soldiers.

“Twilight!” cried Cadance. As excited as she was to see the team coming in, she couldn’t see Discord or the Titans!

“Take this!!” Twilight shouted as she fired a magical blast right at the villains.

Starlight used her magic like Rarity had before, coating her horn in magical aura and used it as a sword to have at the soldiers and their weapons.

Still, the soldiers continued to appear in vast numbers!

Fluttershy then stood before them, ready to put her new powers to use.

“Time to get busy!!” she growled, and she stuck out her hooves, the ground beneath the solders turned into a pit of goop, and they began to sink slowly downward!

“That’ll teach you!” she sneered at them, but the angry soldiers began to charge up with flaming aura, hardening the goop, and breaking from it easily.

Fluttershy then attempted to blast the soldiers with all kinds of elemental pulses, but the soldiers blocked her every assault with their weapons, and fired their own power back at her, forcing Fluttershy to break her body into segments to dodge them.

“This isn’t working!” she whimpered.

The soldiers began to charge at her, and she screamed!! She would have surely been downed had Rainbow not came soaring in and scooped her up, flying her out of the way.

“You okay?” Rainbow asked.

Fluttershy was okay, but she felt really stupid for still not being able to control her new powers so well yet.

“Thank you, for saving me!” she cried softly.

Suddenly Rainbow was shot at from below by the soldiers, forcing her to swerve and dodge, but suddenly she was hit, and she and Fluttershy began to plummet down.

“Help them!” cried Rarity.

Cadance and Twilight both flew up and caught their friends with their levitation magic!

“Yee-Haw! Awesome catch!” hollered Applejack.

Suddenly she was surrounded by soldiers! “Okay! Who wants some?!”

Pinkie leapt into the fray, “I do!”

The two ponies huddled together, side-by-side, but facing opposite directions, and their elements were glowing brightly!

The two then roared and unleashed powerful rays of light knocking the soldiers back hard, sending them crashing into walls of the cave, and unfortunately into some of the stone houses too, crumpling them to the ground!

“Sorry…” squeaked Pinkie.

Cadance and Twilight landed safely, setting Fluttershy and Rainbow down, and the friends regrouped.

“Where are the Titans, and Discord?” Cadance asked.

“Well,” Pinkie said, and she took in a huge breath to say things very fast…

“We thought we were battling Yamimakai but it turned out to be a fake, and it turned out he had returned to the Titans’ home world, and that evil creep took down Discord, but Discord sent us all to his world and gave Fluttershy a small piece of his powers, Yami told us that he sent his goons here, and so we and the Titans decided to split up, and so here we all are now.”

Cadance looked flabbergasted, but more the fact that Discord was dead. Much as she wanted ot extend her sympathy or everyone…!

“…More soldiers!” cried Starlight.

The ponies looked and gasped as more soldiers came flooding in through the tunnels. The pony guards tried their very best but could hardly hold them off.

“Stop them!!” shouted Twilight.

The ponies all split up, and took to the battle, but it only seemed more and more soldiers began to materialize out of nowhere, which led Cadance to theorize “It’s Yamimakai! He’s control them!”

This made all the ponies finally understand they had been set up once again!

“Yami did all this to split us and the Titans apart so our teams would be divided up, and weaker!” cried Twilight.

“Oh, well this is just dandy!” groaned Applejack.

“What are we going to do?!” cried Rarity.

“What CAN we do?” added Starlight!

With the soldiers flooding The Ark, and The Titans at the mercy of the enemy, Yamimakai was laughing most triumphantly. “Long live The Hate!”

Act 23: The New Element

ACT TWENTY-THREE

The soldiers were still invading into The Ark, and the Equestrian forces hopes were rapidly fading.

“We mustn’t be fooled by these soldiers!” cried Cadance “Remember, our enemy is the one controlling and summoning them!”

Twilight smacked her forehead with her hoof, “Of course! Yamimakai set us up to split us apart from the Titans!”

“NOW we notice?!” groaned Rainbow.

Starlight voiced exactly what everyone else was thinking, “Somehow we’ve got to get to Yamimakai and finish him off for good. Then the soldiers will all disappear!”

Everyone looked at Fluttershy, and she looked back and forth nervously, and she got the idea, “Well, I think I can do it, but we can’t just leave the civilians!”

“She’s right.” agreed Cadance “We’re already losing the fight as it is, and the civilians won’t have a chance without someone to protect them!”

Everyone knew that even with Discord’s powers, Fluttershy couldn’t send the soldiers away, as their hateful powers protected them from any such magic.

“Aha!” cried Rarity “If we cannot send the soldiers away, we can send ourselves away!”

Pinkie bounced giddy agreeing at the idea, but then she stopped, “Where are we going to go?”

“Only one place we can go, I figure.” said Applejack, and she looked back at Fluttershy.

She caught on immediately. “I’ll do what I can, but you’ll all need to ward off the soldiers and get all the civilians to a place where I can transport them.”

“Leave that to us.” said Twilight.

She asked Cadance to assist with Fluttershy while she and the others drove off the soldiers.

“Let’s go!” called Cadance. She and Fluttershy flew towards the civilians while Twilight and the others rushed back into battle.

Twilight and Starlight conjured up large magical walls to hold some of the soldiers away.

Pinkie and Applejack pushed large boulders off of ridges to make avalanches fall on more soldiers, burying them under piles of rubble.

Rarity and Rainbow worked together watch out for any emerging soldiers that dared to appear.

“Ha!!” shouted Rainbow as she flew straight into one.

“Have at you!” Rarity snapped as she zapped another.

The army of soldiers were hammering away at the barrier weakening it with every strike!

“Fluttershy better hurry up!” groaned Starlight “I don’t know how long we can hold them off!”

Twilight turned her head and looked way back towards the far side of the village.

She could see Cadance hovering overhead and calling to the villagers, “You must do exactly as you are told: A portal shall be created for you all to escape to safety. Prepare to march through in orderly fashion!”

The civilians were all chattering back and forth, and Cadance nodded at Fluttershy, telling her to do it!

Fluttershy concentrated all she could, putting all her feeling into her new powers while muttering, “Please work! Please…!”

Her hooves glowed brightly, and the portal opened wide revealing Discord’s home world on the other side.

As expected, many of the civilians panicked at all the chaos and strange things they could see through the portal.

“No, it’s okay!” called Fluttershy “Just go through, and you’ll all be fine, I promise! If you stay here, you’ll all be killed for sure!”

Seeing as they had no other choice, the civilians all began to line up in three large lines and began marching through the portal. It was a good thing there was plenty of room within the other dimension.

Cadance kept order through the march, but then she noticed Fluttershy was starting to weaken, as the result of still being new and untrained to her new powers! This cause the portal to start waving around, and soon it would close!

“Fluttershy! Hang in there just a little longer!”

“I’m… trying...!” cried Fluttershy, and she poured on all she could give keeping the portal open!

Things then went far worse as the Dark Soldiers were able to shatter through the barrier walls and began to swarm into the village.

“Let’s move!” shouted Twilight, and she teleported herself and her friends to the far side where the civilians had nearly all gone through Fluttershy’s portal.

“Hurry…! Hurry!!” shouted Twilight.

The last of the civilians hurried through the portal.

“That’s everyone!” called Cadance.

“Let’s go!” shouted Starlight.

The friends all began to leap through the portal themselves… except Fluttershy!

She was so weary that was swayed back and forth, and collapsed on the ground.

“Fluttershy!!” cried Rainbow!

Rarity was the last pony to make it through, and she stood very near the closing portal. She tried to levitate Fluttershy up and out, but her magic was all tired out from the long battle and the struggling!

All the other ponies had hardly much strength left either, and the soldiers were nearing the helpless Fluttershy as the portal continued to close!

“No!!” shouted Rarity as she leapt back outside.

“Rarity!!” shouted Twilight.

Rarity quickly scooped Fluttershy up, “Hang on, darling!”

The soldiers began to open fire, striking her with many flame blasts, hitting her hard, but Rarity acted as a shield, deliberately taking all the hits to protect her friend!

Finally, as she neared the portal, one soldier through his spear through the air-- WHACK—slashing her right at side, and to the horror of all her friends as they screamed…!!

“…NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!”

Rarity collapsed on the ground halfway through the portal, dropping Fluttershy completely inside.

“Help them!!” cried Twilight.

Guards picked up the two wounded ponies, while others stood at the portal to stave off the soldiers and their firing!

The portal closed entirely…

…but poor Rarity was lying flat on the ground in the middle of a huge crowd mourning for her, just as Fluttershy began to awaken.

“Huh? What’s happening…?” she groaned as she rubbed her aching head, but then she could see for herself, “…Rarity?!”

Sweetie Belle came running in tears, screaming through the crowds, “Let me through!! That’s my sister!!”

She managed to break through the crowds and make it to her sister’s side, but it didn’t look good. She had been bleeding badly and was fatally wounded!

Even Twilight could tell it was no use-- no amount of magic or potion would save her in time!

“Rarity…?” sobbed Sweetie, “Rarity…?”

Her eyes softly opened as she looked up, and she smiled very weakly, “S-S-Sweet…E… Belle!”

Sweetie took her sister’s cold hoof in her hand. “Come on! You can fight it! You’re strong! I know you are!”

Rarity’s eyes began to close. “…Sweetie?”

Her hoof slowly slipped from Sweetie’s hoof, and flopped lifelessly onto her chest, and her Element of Generosity went out!

Sweetie broke down sobbing like there was no tomorrow, burying her face on her sister’s chest!

The other crusaders saw her from within the crowds and felt their hearts breaking with hers, but Twilight and her friends were the most devastated!

Twilight reached down and picked up Rarity’s dead Element of Generosity. Her tears were falling in large drops down her face.

“Twilight…!” Cadance sobbed as she hugged her softly “…I’m so sorry!”

The others friends were all so devastated and full of sorrows, they could no words to say, especially Fluttershy, but she did think silently. “She saved my life! It’s my fault she died!!”

She collapsed again, softly sobbing behind her mane.

The villagers were all devastated by the loss of one of the great ponies of harmony!

None could be exempt at how much more heartache and loss they could possibly take!

Twilight’s sorrows suddenly mixed with quivering anger, and she growled only one word under her raging breath, “…Yamimakai!”

Her friends all shared her outrage!

“Rotten creep!” growled Rainbow. “I’ll get him for this! If it’s the last thing I do, I’ll get him!!”

“So will I!” added Applejack. “That kid’s crossed his last line!”

Pinkie was puffing angrily like a bull ready to charge! “Let me at him! Let Me At Him!!”

Starlight looked over at Fluttershy, and feared she had given up all hope. Then again, who could blame her with all the lives that had been lost?

“Fluttershy?” she said softly.

Fluttershy just continued to look down as her tears fell, “First Celestia and Luna, and then Spike, Discord, Rarity, and all the rest who were killed…!!

…I can’t take it anymore! I just can’t!”

Starlight felt exactly the same as she did, but she lifted up Fluttershy’s chin and looked her dead in the eye, “Listen,” she said in tears “I know it hurts, and it’s never going to stop hurting!

…But we have the power to do something about it, we have the capabilities to avenge our friends and stop the evil from hurting others. If we don’t… then our friends all died in vain, and we are as worthless as can be!”

Everyone turned to face her, all silent and still. What she said couldn’t more of the truth.

Twilight also noticed that Rarity’s element starting to come to life again-- resonating by the pureness of Starlight’s words.

“Discord gave you a part of his powers.” Starlight continued “He had faith in you, and we all have faith in each other, and we need to use that same faith now!”

Fluttershy could see the images of all their friends who were lost, including Discord, and he was smiling at her.

She slowly got up onto her hooves, and wiped her tears away, and she smiled, sadly, but bravely, and starlight smiled back at her.

All at once, her cutiemark began to resonate, as well as Rarity’s element! It floated away from Twilight’s possession and hung itself round Starlight’s neck, bathing her in a sparkling glow, and the element itself changed so it now resembled Starlight’s cutiemark.

“The element…” cried Twilight “…It’s evolved!”

Everyone around gazed in awe at the new element, and Cadance could barely believe her eyes. “The Element of Faith…!”

The other ponies all looked at her, and she explained…

“Celestia once told me, that it was possible, when the user of an Element of Harmony died, the element itself could seek a new user and receive a magical upgrade into a new force.”

Twilight gazed at the new element and realized, “Faith… is just as important as generosity in friendship.”

Then she looked at Starlight, realizing that her faith, her hope and believing in everyone ignited the new power.

Starlight felt strange and astounded at the same time.

Of course she did wish she had an element herself, but she never wanted one like this; not at the cost of a friend’s life.

Before she could say anything, she noticed all the ponies smiling at her, accepting that the element accepted her, and all agreeing that Rarity would’ve wanted it.

While all this was happening, Yamimakai continued to laugh at the Titans, “Face it, friendship has failed you, you’ve lost the battle, and now… so shall you lose it all!!”

He continued to clench his hand squeezing the other Titans in his aura, hands, and then he began to approach Robin, unsheathing his sword slowly.

“…And you shall be the first one to go!”

“ROBIN…!!” screamed Starfire.

“NO… DON’T DO IT!!” shouted Cyborg.

Yami raised his arm ready to strike, but at the last second... Robin actually managed to break his arm free, right through the magical binding, grabbing Yami’s wrist.

“What?!” snapped Yami, and before he knew it, Robin burst out of bondage completely and kicked him hard in his gut. Yami’s armor protected him, but being knocked back and skidding along the roof, his concentration was broken, causing the aura hands to vanish, releasing the other Titans.

They all began to fall down from high up, but Raven and Starfire, finding their strengths, scooped up Cyborg and Terra, and together they all re-grouped with Robin safely on the roof.

“Robin, are you alright?” asked Starfire.

“I’m fine.” he answered.

Robin then turned to face Yami as he got up onto his feet. “You’ve used up a lot of hatred, which I used to my advantage.

I was just biding my time, and I knew you’d be weak enough for me to break through your power!”

Yami was outraged, but slightly amused at the same time.

“This is extraordinary!” he thought “Though they oppose me and all the power of the hate, they use it against me!”

He looked down at his trans-warp gem, and it was completely powerless due to their being no moonlight to charge it, and it was midday in Jump City, so no chance of charging it anyway!

He softly began to snicker, and then burst out laughing hysterically!

“Uh… did we miss the joke?” asked Cyborg.

“Please say we did!” hoped Raven.

Yami glared at the Titans, “It appears I’ve underestimated you all, even after all that I’ve put you through, you still stand strong, and still choose to come after me for more punishment.

…You truly are the worthiest of foes I’ve ever had.

Nevertheless, given the circumstances…” he paused and held up his sword, “…I’ll just have to finish you the old-fashioned way!”

Terra trembled softly, but looked deeply into the villain’s eyes with determination and concern. The same feelings she had been harboring all this time.

She had a little plan of her own, which she hoped would finally be able to make some connection to Beast Boy’s inner good, but it was extremely risky, and she didn’t dare tell any of the others, not wanting to held back this time!

The Titans stared their enemy down as the winds picked up.

Yami, rather than attacking them at first, aimed his sword at the ground and fired a blast from it, launching himself off the tower and heading towards the city.

“What is he doing?” cried Starfire.

“He’s heading for the city!” said Cyborg.

“After him!” shouted Robin.

Terra, once again, scooped Robin up to ride with her on a flying rock, Raven flew naturally, and Cyborg, was carried by Starfire-- due to his damaged rocket thrust.

Yami landed in a wide open square in the main city, surrounded by destruction and desolation, and the Titans landed right after him.

“This area will do,” he hissed at them “Much wider than the tower, and the perfect place to wipe you all out!”

“Titans… GOOOOOO!!!” shouted Robin. The Titans roared and charged forth!

The Titans roared and charged forth, mustering up all the power they had!

“Feel the hate!” Yami shouted as he absorbed as much of it as he could, and he fired large blasts at the oncoming heroes, which they dodged!

In their eyes, hate burned brightly, and they could feel their inner-strengths rising.

Robin whipped out his staff and leapt at Yami.

Yami fought back with his sword, countering Robin’s attack and elbowing him out of the way.

Starfire came soaring in; firing her star bolts rapidly all around him. He shielded himself with his cape and leapt up high, pouncing on her back, sending her crashing down hard!

“Time to put my new gift in motion!” shouted Cyborg, and he raised his right arm and fired magical pulses, which Yami dodged by leaping and bouncing off of walls and piled of rubble.

He came down ready to slice off his arm again, but he crashed into a huge rock wall that Terra had made rise up from the ground!

Cyborg then blasted through the rock wall, striking Yami hard and sending him crashing into a wall!

Raven then leapt down from above, her hands and eyes were glowing brightly “Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos!!” She threw a bombardment of rubble, lampposts, and broken cars at him.

Yami bolted onto his feet and rushed through the barrage, slashing through the rocks and lampposts with his sword, and blasting the cars to bits with his power, and finally reaching Raven, and socking her hard in the face with a big POW!! Sending her smashing hard through a glass window, shutting the glass to bits!

“That…” snapped Yami “…Was for all the times you swatted Beast Boy!”

Robin and the other Titans all jumped in to attack! Yami aimed his sword at the ground firing a huge blast into the ground, rocketing himself up high into the air, onto store roof, and blowing the heroes all off hard!

“Time to even the odds!” sneered Yami, and he summoned the Dark Soldiers to appear all around.

“Ah! This is just all we needed!” groaned Cyborg.

Regardless, with the soldiers surrounding them, the Titans had no choice but to try and ward them off, and began to battle them hard!

Yami figured that with the Titans distracted, he could use this time to absorb more hateful aura from the air and increase his strength.

He raised his sword up high and began to absorb!

“What?!” cried Terra “Oh, no!”

She figured this would be her best chance and began to rush towards him.

“Terra!!” shouted Robin.

She raced across the road, and any soldiers that came at her she sent them all flying away on huge rocks.

Raven saw her, and knew she was heading straight in for danger!

Yami could see her coming as well and before he could react, she had tackled him to the ground, making him drop his sword, and she pinned him down hard.

“What is she doing?!” Raven snapped. She tried to get over and stop her, but she was surrounded by more soldiers and had to fight them off, the same as the others!

Terra wasted no time, and captured Yami’s lips with hers, much to his shock and disgust!

The Dark Soldiers suddenly froze up, as their master was stunned, and the Titans could barely believe their eyes.

Terra made the kiss go deeper and deeper, pouring as much of her love as she could while saying in her mind, “Beast Boy, this is for you! I know you’re in there! I know I’ve done bad things, but believe me… nothing is stronger than what I feel for you!

Beast Boy! Please wake up!!”

From deep within his prison, Beast Boy’s inner goodness was able to hear Terra and feel her love, and his eyes slowly creeped open.

“Ter…ra…?” he groaned.

Terra finally let go breathing stressfully while gazing down at Yami, hoping her plan had worked!

Yami almost felt as if he had been poisoned, and his features hardened into anger as he wiggled his fingers, and his sword magically began to quiver and rise up right behind Terra!

“You… will… DIE!!!” he shouted at her.

“Terra, look out!!” screamed Cyborg.

Raven managed to break free from the soldiers, and she quickly rushed over to help Terra, only for Yami to suddenly change the sword’s direction and sent it flying her way-- WHIP-- slashing Raven’s right eye!!

In a slow motion, Raven fell down onto her back, unable to even scream in pain!

Everyone watched with extreme horror!

“RAVEN!!!” cried Robin.

Terra turned to gawk at Raven’s body, which allow Yami to raise his foot, kicking her hard in the face, knocking her off of him!

He called his sword back to his hand and marched straight over to Raven’s body, looming over her with a look of imminent satisfaction in his eyes!

“…Sorry… Beast Boy…!” Raven managed to say in a very silent tone.

He softly laid his hand on her head, “…Goodbye!”

“NO, DON’T!!” begged Starfire

But Yami slowly crushed Raven’s head like a grape, making sickening crunching sounds as he blood and brains gushed out all over!

“RAVEN…!!!!” Starfire screamed

Beast Boy’s inner good fully awakened, and could practically see what was happening before his eyes.

“Raven…?!” he cried while quivering with sickness and grief “No…! No, you can’t be!”

The others gawked in sickening horror and shock as Yami held up Raven’s headless corpse for them all to see, and he tossed it aside! “There goes another hapless victim, slain by The Force of Hatred!”

Tears fell from Starfire’s face, and Robin furiously slammed the ground with his fist, but he couldn’t feel as much pain rom his hand as he could in his heart!

Cyborg felt really numb inside!

All the Titans were then apprehended by the soldiers.

“Hold them!” Yami ordered, and then he quickly turned and grabbed Terra by the throat, and she was unable to defend herself while under such pressure!

“I can’t believe it didn’t work!” she groaned.

Yami snickered at her, “You really are a slow learner…” he looked back at the others “…All of you, but like I’ve been telling you-- No one defies The Hate!

You gave it all the love and compassion you tried, and it was all for naught!”

He paused and looked at Raven’s headless corpse, “Well, you’re about to join your friend in a most painful demise!”

He pointed his sword straight at Terra’s chest. “Beast Boy…!!” she cried in her choking voice!

Beast Boy’s inner goodness heard and saw everything. “No, Terra!!”

He was panting stressfully and clenching his fists. “I’ve got… to try… and help her!!”

Yami only laughed at Terra, “Beast Boy is but a weak and pathetic memory, as you and your friends are about to be!”

“Let her go!” thundered Robin.

“Don’t do it, man!!” added Cyborg.

Yami only laughed some more, “Your pitiful begging is almost music to my ears!”

He wound his arm back still aiming his sword at Terra, “…Farewell!”

“No!!” Tera cried.

“TERRAAAAAAAAAAA…!!” shouted Beast Boy’s inner good.

And…WHAMM!!! Terra gasped and her eyes bulged really wide!

Act 24: Always With You

ACT TWENTY-FOUR

Everyone gawked in horrors at Terra, as she gazed wide-eyed up at Yami.

Suddenly, Yami gasped, “Uhn…!” and revealed that he had in fact stabbed himself in his unprotected side!

“Ugh!!”

He backed away from Terra, clutching his aching side! “No…!” he groaned “How did-- This isn’t…!” He began to scream and wail as he clutched his head, stumbling about!

His Emblem of Hate was glowing brightly, along with his eyes!

“Terra…!” Beast Boy called out.

Terra gasped softly, “…Beast Boy?”

The other Titans could hardly believe.

“It is really him!” cried Starfire.

“Terra must’ve awakened his inner good with that kiss she did!” added Cyborg.

Robin was most amazed, “She fought off the hate with an immense amount of love.”

All three of them could then feel the Dark Soldiers losing their strength, and their grips loosened around then due to their master suddenly growing weak!

This gave them the perfect chance to break loose, and they opened fire, vaporizing the soldiers to ash!

“Boo-Yah! So much for the cavalry!” cheered Cyborg.

“Beast Boy!” cried Terra.

Everyone turned to face Yami, who was still struggling with this force awakening within him.

“I’m not going to let you kill another one of my friends, or anyone else!!”

Yami then spoke, “You have no business being here! I vanquished you before, and I will do so again!! Nothing shall stop me in my quest for eternal hate!!!”

Cyborg and Starfire began to rush to attack Yami while they could.

“Stop!!” shouted Robin “Beast Boy’s still in there!”

Beast Boy only seemed to call out to Terra.

“Terra…! I can’t… hold him back… for very long! Listen to me!

…The Vortex! You can gain access to The Vortex by the sword! Break the emblem on the hilt and you can get in!!”

Terra eyed at the sword, still in Yami’s possession! She and the others could instantly tell that Beast Boy was trying to tell them, this was the only way to ultimately get rid of Yamimakai for good!

“But we can’t get to it! He won’t let anyone take it!” Terra called to him.

Yami began to seize control again, “Get… back… you worthless… weakling! Your body is mine!!”

“…TERRA!!!” Beast Boy shouted as he faded away!

Yami chuckled sinisterly, and he raised his sword up high, absorbing hatred from the air and attempting to heal his wound!

“Stop him!!” shouted Robin.

The Titans and Terra all rushed in to attack.

Yami unleashed a powerful wave of energy, blowing everyone back hard!

“I won’t be defeated again! I’ve waited too long for this! Finally, all the worlds in all the dimensions will bow to me and The Hate, just as soon as I’m rid of you pests finally and forever!!”

“…Won’t happen!” Terra snapped as she bolted up onto her feet, “I made a connection with Beast Boy, and that proves the love is still within him, and that’s what will be your downfall!”

Yami growled and roared as he lunged straight for her, only to suddenly get blasted at from afar by a big ray of light, sending him skidding up the road.

The Titans turned, and saw Twilight and co.

“You’ve done enough damage for one lifetime!” sneered Twilight.

Yami was outraged, while the Titans were thrilled to see them.

Fluttershy had used her powers to open a portal to the Warp Zone, and Twilight guided her to where she remembered Jump City was.

“So this is what Jump City looks like?” asked Pinkie “…They sure could use some perking up.”

Applejack gave her a strong stare telling her to stay focussed.

Yami was growing annoyed, “Don’t you creatures ever die?!!”

Twilight ignored him, and instead used a little of her magic to restore the Titans’ strengths.

Robin nodded thankfully, and told her what they had learned from the battle!

“So we just have to disarm him and hold him down?” said Rainbow “…Bring it on!”

“For Rarity!” added Starlight.

“And for Raven!” said Starfire.

Every last hero agreed, fueling their determination.

Yami shuddered angrily, “That’s so sweet I’m getting cavities! Allow me show you all how wrong you are!”

He powered up, shrouded in flaming aura, strengthening himself to full, and the heroes did nothing to stop him, as they actually wanted the fight to be fair and were completely confident they would succeed…

…Especially Terra, and Twilight; each of them believing in something special!

“Go!!” shouted Robin, and everyone charged at Yami full force!

Yami fired many blasts at everyone, which they evaded and the blasts caused huge explosions.

Gripping his sword tightly, Yami charged forth, straight at Robin.

The two fights clashed together, and Yami knocked Robin’s staff down and slashed his shoulder, wounding him!

“Robin!!” cried Starfire, but she had no time or space to tend to him. She along with everyone else came charging in from different directions attacking Yami mercilessly, and he blocked, dodged, and countered their every move!

He elbowed Cyborg out of the way, repelled a blast fired from Starlight with his cape, gashed Starfire’s leg as she soared in at him, Rainbow then soared at him at incredible speed, and he blocked her with his hand-- literally stopping her in midair, and shoved her off, sending her crashing hard into a wall!

Terra angrily used her powers and lifted Yami up on a rock and herself up on another, suspending them both in midair!

Twilight flew up to her, and Starlight levitated up alongside her.

“This is for Rarity!” shouted Twilight.

“Take this!” added Starlight as she and Twilight fired magical blasts at him.

Yami leapt off the rock over to a building, where he sprung off a flagpole, over to another wall!

“He’s coming round again!” cried Starlight.

Yami was about to bound off another wall to attack them, when suddenly the wall became as sticky as a pit of glue!

“What?!” he snarled as he struggled in his boots.

“Oh, Mr. Hateful…?” Fluttershy called to him from a rooftop, hinting she had used her new powers to trap him.

Yami charged up, hardening the glue and making it easier for him to break out of it, springing straight at her to cut off her head!

Fluttershy quickly ducked down, and Pinkie and Applejack surprised Yami, with a double buck-kick in the chest.

Sending him plummeting down hard, but he managed to straighten himself and skillfully leap from ledge-to-ledge, landing safely on the ground!

He was immediately ambushed by Cyborg, who began to firing many magical blasts from his right hand at him, and he rolled and leapt about, dodging every blast!

“Come on, hot shot! Hold still!” Cyborg growled.

Finally, he zigged when he should have zagged! He fired a shot at Yami, which he dodged and rushed over at Cyborg, slashing off his left arm!

“A’RGH!!!” Cyborg groaned “…No! Not again!!”

He fell to the ground as his systems began to go a little berserk and weakening him. He could barely move!

Yami was about to finish him off when Robin dropped in in front of him. His left arm remained motionless due to his would, but his right arm held his staff strongly.

“I can take you with one arm!”

“…Ha!” sneered Yami.

The two began to brawl hard, and Robin actually did put up a good fight with their weapons clashing at one another.

Beast Boy could see the whole fight from within The Vortex, and he did not like it a bit!

Try as he would, he couldn’t seem to regain control of his body, or at least hold Yami back to give his friends the opening they needed. Yami’s hatred was far too much for him to focus!

“Come on!” he cried to himself as he pushed himself all he could to fight for control! The thought of his friends getting hurt was strong to enflame his aura, but simply not powerful enough!

“What am I doing wrong?!”

Suddenly, he witnessed Yami strike Robin’s other shoulder, and Robin was down!

“No!!”

Starfire came rushing to her boyfriend’s aid, only to get blasted by a powerful flaming burst, burning her hard, and she was down!

Terra then came rushing in, but was grabbed by the throat!

“Terra!!” cried Beast Boy.

The ponies came rushing in, but Yami held his hostage out in front of him! “DON’T MOVE!!” he shouted, forcing the ponies to stop dead in their tracks!

Twilight then gave her right hind hoof a small curve, signaling at Fluttershy.

Fluttershy said and did nothing but she stood behind Twilight.

Yami then brought his blade up to Terra’s neck…

…Which Beast Boy could see!

“…Terra!!” he shouted, and that’s when his power received a huge boost-- his love for Terra and not wanting her killed was the key!

“Huh?!” Yami suddenly gasped as he felt himself growing weak again!

Terra elbowed him in the guy, freeing herself from his grip and leapt away as Yami groaned louder, and clutched his head.

“You can’t do this to me!!” he shouted

“Dude, I totally am!” thundered Beast Boy.

The two forces struggled for control.

“Come on, Beast Boy, fight him!!” cried Terra.

Beast Boy could hear her and while it allowed him to maintain his grip, Yami still managed to gain power over him, but just as he was about to…!

“A’RGH!!!”

Yami was ensnared in a magical field, dropping his sword!

The light was not caused by Twilight and friends, but by Cadance, in her Crystal Form, thanks to believing and magical forces all the other ponies emitted to her!

“It’s over, Yamimakai!!” Cadance thundered.

The wounded Titans grinned at the sight of their allies, but as they wondered how and why they were here.

Fluttershy grinned at them, as did Twilight.

“We told Cadance and the others to remain on standby.” Twilight explained “Fluttershy then opened a portal to help them sneak in while Yami was distracted!”

“Curse you!!” thundered Yami “CURSES TO YOU ALL!!!”

Robin, still in agonizing pain, managed to grab Yami’s sword, and Yami was powerless to call it back to him while bound up, as well as exhausted and with Beast Boy pulling him back from within.

“This can’t be happening!!” growled Yami.

Robin knew the emblem on the sword would not break simply by smashing it, but he threw it out in the middle where Twilight and her team stood.

Twilight got the idea, “Come on, Ponies, while he’s weak!”

The ponies all stood in a circle around the sword, and Terra stood behind Twilight.

The six ponies all stood and concentrated hard, making The Elements of Harmony glow brightly, and they combined and unleashed all the magic and love they could at the sword, much to Yami’s horror!

“Stop...! …Stop!!” he shouted, but the ponies just poured on the magic until they were exhausted, and collapsed while panting heavily.

“Did it… did it work?” asked Applejack “Please say it did?!”

The smoke had cleared, and the sword still seemed to be fully intact.

“Look!” cried Terra, pointing at the emblem on the hilt.

Yami’s eyes bulged as the emblem on his beloved sword began to crack!

“No…! NOOOOOOOOO…!!!!”

As the cracks grew larger ominous rays of light began to shoot through and strong winds encircling Terra and the ponies like a tornado.

“What’s happening!” cried Starlight.

“Twilight!!” called Cadance.

“Terra!!” added Robin.

The ponies and Terra suddenly were sucked through, into the emblem, and were gone!

“They’ve gone…” shuddered Yami “…Into the Vortex!”

Everyone gasped and all were out of their minds with worry of their friends, while Yami’s features hardened. Despite still being tightly wrapped in Cadance’s magic, he wasn’t willing to go down!

He still had one last trick up his sleeve!

The Vortex: It was just as nasty looking as Yami made it sound to be-- a seemingly endless void of twisting darkness and shadows, and low howling sounds like wind despite their being not a breeze.

Despite there being no visible ground either, the ponies and Terra felt solid surfaces beneath their feet as they walked.

Pinkie shuddered, “This place is horrifying!”

“I don’t like it here!” whimpered Fluttershy.

Terra didn’t like the looks of this place either-- so empty and frightening!

Suddenly, she could see a teensy speck of light off in the distance.

“Is that…?”

She looked a little closer, and it was…!

“…Beast Boy!!”

He blinked once, and he looked up and saw her! “…Terra!”

She couldn’t race to him fast enough, nor he to her, but just as the two lovers were about to collide into one another, magical blasts nearly struck them, making explosions all around!

“Going somewhere?”

Yamimakai laughed at everyone as the gawked at him in surprise and shock!

“How the heck is he in here too?” asked Rainbow.

Yami snickered, and pointed at Beast Boy, “You forget…? This fool and I are spiritually linked! We share the same body, though he shares a tiny fraction, which I intend to rectify right here and now!”

“Not if we have anything to say of it!” snapped Twilight, but she suddenly found out her magic didn’t work. Not even the elements, nor Fluttershy’s powers functioned, and there was no earth which meant Terra couldn’t use her powers either!

“There is nothing any of you can do here!” shouted Yami “The Vortex feeds off the hate, the darkness, and only I have the power to do anything here!”

Beast Boy clenched his fists angrily, feeling there was only one thing to do now!

“And now…!” Yami yelled as he held up his sword, “…Say Goodbye!!”

He charged forth to strike everyone, but Beast Boy’s fists began to glow brightly.

“What?!” cried Yami, and before he knew it, Beast Boy had socked him hard in the face!

Terra and the ponies were astounded.

“Like you said…” sneered Beast Boy “…You and I are linked up. That means I can use power here too!”

Yami growled as he got up, “You dare to even think of facing me?! I am far more powerful, more cunning, and more skilled than you ever could have hoped to be!”

Beast Boy gave a cheeky grin, “That’s what you think? But you were right about one thing…!”

“Eh…?”

Beast Boy looked deep inside of himself “…I’ve always had thoughts of evening the score-- making people suffer for wronging me, and giving them their just desserts, but I never actually did because I was always to peaceful and didn’t want trouble!

…But somebody taught me two words that I’ll never forget!”

He turned and looked over his shoulder, right at Terra, and then he looked back at Yami and hissed the two words. “…Things Change!!”

Terra felt heart-struck, and then watched as Beast Boy rushed over and tackled Yami down hard, and then he changed into a grizzly bear and began to slash his paws at him!

Yami kicked him off!

“Beast Boy…!” Terra cried as she tried to dash over to help him, but Applejack held her back. “Don’t do it! You have no power! You’ll be killed!”

The team could do pretty much nothing except watch two angry men brawl each other so brutally it too terrifying to even turn away from!

Yami picked up his sword and swung it at Beast Boy, but he changed into an elephant and grabbed it in his trunk, and threw it off somewhere into the darkness.

“Okay, hold on…” said Pinkie “We’re inside Yami’s sword, and Beast Boy just threw away Yami’s sword INSIDE Yami’s sword?!” she felt her brain turning mushy, more than it usually was.

“Never thought I’d see Pinkie Pie get stumped.” joked Starlight.

Twilight was far too concerned with watch the fight to hear much anyway. She had never seen anything like this in her life!

“It’s like Beast Boy’s quite literally fighting off the negative emotions within-- like he’s fighting himself!”

Yami fired powerful blasts at Beast Boy, blowing him back hard!

“NO!!” cried Terra.

The ponies gawked in horror!

Yami felt content with himself, but suddenly Beast Boy, as a rhino, charged through the smoke and rammed him hard!

Outside, Yami seemed to be fussing about while still bound out. He growled, and threw his head in all directions as if something had jumped around inside of him-- which was literally happening.

“I’ve seen my share of weird, but this takes the cake.” said Cyborg

He and the Titans were very worried for Terra and the other ponies, and they didn’t know how much longer Cadance could hold Yami up for as she was starting to look tired, even with all the other ponies giving her all the power they could spare!

“Come on…!” Robin prayed softly “Please be okay!”

Starfire had tears of fear in her eyes.

Back inside…

Yami lay flat on his back after being rammed so hard.

“Yeah!!” cheered Pinkie.

“Down for the count!!” added Rainbow.

“…Yay!!” Fluttershy cried, a little louder than usual.

Beast Boy stood ready to finish Yami off for good. He backed up far, and then ran towards him, leaping up high in the air and turning into a huge brachiosaurus, coming right down on him!

Suddenly, Yami’s eyes snapped open, and he fired a huge blasted straight through him!

“NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO…!!!!” Terra screamed

The ponies gawked in horror as Beast Boy lay flat on the ground, groaning softly as he clutched his aching side.

Yami laughed as he got to his feet, “Close, but not close enough!”

Terra dashed over to Beast Boy and scooped him up her arms.

“Beast Boy?! Beast Boy, talk to me! Say you’re alright?!”

Beast Boy lay in her arms looking up at her with half-opened eyes.

The ponies ran to their side, but they were still powerless to help him, and could not heal his wounds.

Tears began to form in Terra’s eyes, “Beast Boy, please…!” she sobbed softly “…I’m sorry! This is all my fault!”

She pressed her head softly against his, and one of her tears splashed on his face!

“…Don’t… be… sorry!” he said groggily to her “…That’s exactly what I wanted him to do, and you!”

“Huh?”

Yami suddenly growled in pain as he felt his power getting weak again, “What’s this?! How are you doing this?”

Twilight gasped in realization, “Of course! They share the same body!”

Starlight caught on as well, “…If Beast Boy gets weak so does Yami!”

Beast Boy began to seem a little bit stronger as he started to get up, “But I’m not weak… not anymore!”

He fully got onto his feet, and Terra’s tear, still on his face, began to sparkle and glow, and the light spread all over his body! This was the full power of Terra’s love, and his love for her!

“Beast Boy?” said Terra.

Suddenly, there was a fierce rumbling, as if the very Vortex itself wasn’t able to properly put up with all this new power emitting!

“This can’t be…!!” thundered Yami, and before he knew it, Beast Boy zapped him with powerful bindings, far stronger than anything Twilghit and friends cold muster, and bound him seemingly to nothing. He just hung where he was in midair, completely and totally helpless

“I’ll get you!! I’LL GET YOU FOR THIS!!”

Beast Boy shook his head at him, “You can hate all you like, but I’m not a slave to you anymore. It’s you who’s the victim to me, and the power of what Terra and I share. It goes to show that nothing can truly keep love down, not even changes!”

He slowly looked at her, with a lovingly yet sad gaze. “Thanks, Terra... and I’m sorry too, for everything I put you through.”

Terra felt her heart sinking, “But… But I--” she couldn’t say another word as Beast Boy had placed his lips deeply over hers!

She was so surprised at first, but she closed her eyes and kissed him back.

When they slowly separated he whispered into her ear, “…I’ll always love you!”

Tears were cascading down her face, and before she could protest, a bright rift seemed to open wide, which was the ticket to back to Jump City.

The Vortex was beginning to become more and more unstable!

“YOU’LL NEVER ESCAPE THE HATE!!” thundered Yami “I’LL SEE YOU ALL DESTROYED YET!!”

Beast Boy turned and chuckled, “No, dude… we’ll only see you in our nightmares!” and with that he changed into a strong burst of light, casting himself all over Yami and though the Vortex!

Yami screamed and howled as the Vortex around began to break up and shatter like a collapsing cavern!

“BEAST BOY…!!” Terra screamed “BEAST BOY…!!”

“WE’VE GOT TO GET OUT OF HERE!!” cried Twilight.

She and the other ponies began to push Terra along towards the portal.

“NO!! NO, BEAST BOOOOOOOOOOOOY…!!!!”

The last images she could see was that of the realm fading into white, and vanquishing the evil!

Outside, Yami gasped as his head emblem shattered!

“What’s happening?!” cried Robin.

Cadance released him from her power, and nearly collapsed.

“Princess…!” one of the ponies cried as he and his comrades steadied her.

Everyone watched as strong lights emitted from Yami’s eyes and out his mouth as his screams faded away!

The lights grew stronger as they spread out over the land, reducing all the Dark Soldiers to piles of ash!

And in one huge burst of light, the skies were normally blue again, and all the hatred and all the evil had vanished.

Though the Titans were still injured, they would live.

Their friends were all lying flat on the ground, materialized out of The Vortex.

“Terra!” cried Robin as he rushed over to her.

“Twilight!” called Cadance rushing to the ponies’ side.

“Are you all okay?” asked Cyborg “What happened?”

That’s when Beast Boy appeared, in spiritual form. “The love we all shared overpowered the hatred. It caused the Vortex to collapse on itself, and vanquished Yamimakai for good.”

“So, it’s over?” asked Rainbow “He’s gone… really gone?”

It sure looked like it, and it also meant that all worlds affected by his hatred were back to normal too, including Equestria.

“But Beast Boy…” said Starfire looking up at him with deep concern “What about you? How are we to get you back?”

Beast Boy remained silent, and looked really sad, but not as sad as Terra.

“…We don’t.” she answered sadly, and she softly began sobbing into her gloves.

“She’s right.” replied Beast Boy, and he looked over at his motionless body where it lay on the ground. “I can never return to my body now. It’s been badly damaged for having Yamimakai inside of me for so long, and I used up the last of the power I had to vanquish him.”

Starfire felt her tears coming on.

“No!” cried Cyborg “No, man! Don’t do this to us!”

Robin looked over desperately at the ponies, Fluttershy especially, but she shook her head tearfully at him, “…There’s nothing I can do.”

Twilight shed a few tears herself, and shook her head regretfully.

“It had to be done,” Beast Boy said “It was only way to stop the evil.”

“Beast Boy…!” sobbed Terra “You can’t do this…! You can’t leave us! You can’t leave me!”

“It’ll be all right, Terra.” he said sadly to her “Besides; I’m not so sure I could live with myself knowing everything that I did. Sure, it was Yami who did all those horrible things, but only because I let him.

…I was responsible for unleashing the evil in the first place! Everyone who died was because of me.”

“You’re wrong…” said Twilight “It wasn’t your fault. You had no way of knowing that sword was cursed when you grabbed it. Nobody did.

But our ancestors were responsible for letting it come to this world in the first place.”

“Besides,” added Robin “If anyone’s to blame, it’s really us.” he referred to himself and the Titans, and recounted all the hard times they had which lead up to everything.

“You were hurting, grieving, and you felt so alone. Instead of really trying to understand and help you, we just pushed you, insisting you get over yourself and be more like us, even though we weren’t exactly the perfect beings either.

We enraged you! We hurt you more! We pushed you over the edge, and that’s what allowed Yami to curse you, and all this happened.”

From out of his mask a small tear fell, and it wasn’t often that Robin shed a tear, unless he was being absolutely, totally, sincere. “…I’m sorry, Beast Boy! We’re sorry!!”

Starfire and Cyborg nodded tearfully too, and they felt if Raven was there, she too would be expressing her regrets-- even though she already had.

Beast Boy felt like crying himself, but it wouldn’t matter. All the apologies, all the magic, all the love wouldn’t reverse the irreversible, but he was so happy to know that his friends were truly his friends!

“Beast Boy!” sobbed Terra “You can’t do this! You can’t leave us! You can’t leave me, not again!”

“I never will…” said Beast Boy, and he leaned down next to her, looking her deeply in the eyes. “I’ll always be part of you…

…Always!”

With that, his spirt, his body, and Yami’s dead and rusted up sword all seemed to merge together, to form an elegant rapier, with a golden hilt which softly lowered into Terra’s hands.

Everyone gazed in awe at the weapon, and Terra looked down below the hilt, where she could see a small green heart marked.

She could still hear Beast Boy’s voice call to her…

“This blade is enchanted with the last of power of my spirit. You’ll learn to use it well.

…I’ll always be with you, Terra.

…Always!

…Always!”

Unable to hold back anymore, Terra bowed her head and wept ever so softly, prompting the others comfort her and join her in their own woes as well!

Closing Act: What it Feels

CLOSING ACT

Weeks passed, everyone had a chance to get out their sorrows, rest, and heal.

Cyborg was able to build himself a newer and better left arm, and coat his other arm in special armor which the Equestrians helped him make to protect him better.

The Equestrians and the Titans felt they owed each other their lives, and they refused to say goodbye to one another.

Not that they had to anyway, they still had the trans-warp jewel which could take them between Jump City and Equestria at will. That, or Fluttershy could teleport them to Discord’s dimension anytime and then to their respective worlds.

This was especially wonderful to everyone, because while the hatred was gone, the damages still remained. Jump City and all over Equestria needed serious fixing up. Survivors also needed to be located, tended to, fed, and renewed to start life over.

It took some time and comforting, what with many friends and loves ones dead, and they could never be brought back.

The heroes and the ponies felt the pain well, and all pitched in to help the rebuilding.

It was a major shock for the people of Jump City and across the world to learn of the ponies, and their Kingdom of Equestria, which was now under rule of Queen Cadance, and Princess Twilight Sparkle.

They had taken it upon themselves to rule over the kingdom, the sisters-in-law, almost like the Royal Sisters and how they were. They promised to train well, and rule the kingdom wisely as the sisters once did.

As for The Crystal Empire, a new ruler would be chosen by election-- some pony of great integrity and power who would lead the place as Cadance once did.

Starlight, she was promoted to Head-Mare of The School of Friendship, now that Twilight had her new duties.

Starlight was initially shocked and nervous when accepting the job, but with all the other friends by her side, things went very well.

Once over the initial shocks, and coming to better realization, The Equestrians and the humans of the Titans’ world began to band together to repair and restore.

Of course, even in spite of all this, it didn’t mean that all battles were over and all darkness had ceased.

There would always be some evil, some bad guy, some band of cronies bent on world domination, or out to cause trouble.

A group of ill-mannered Dragons, who hadn’t learned anything from the events, began to flock into Ponyville just as restorations were nearing completion.

“Let’s waste this place!” shouted the leader.

The dragons all roared and began to charge their way in, breathing fire all about.

Strangely, their flames didn’t seem to burn any of the thatched rooves.

“Ahem…!” Fluttershy hissed, revealing she had bent reality, making the straw flame-proof.

Starlight then showed up, sneering “I suggest you all leave at once!” Her Element of Faith glowed brightly, and the dragons actually cowered and flew away like scared little puppies.

Even in Jump City, a group of heavily armed thugs were attempting to rob the newly completed and furbished bank.

“Hold it right there!” Robin shouted as he and the other three Titans dropped in.

“Well… if it isn’t The Titans...” the leader taunted “You should be easy pickings without your precious Raven and Beast Boy.”

All four of the Titans felt their rages growing at the insult of their friends.

Terra then stepped forward, and unsheathed her sword.

The thieves only laughed.

“A sword…? You’re going to beat us with that?”

“We have guns you know!”

Terra ignored their taunting, and brought the blade to her lips, kissing it softly, which made the blade glow brightly, and she gave it a single slash, sending a shockwave flying at all the men, destroying their weapons instantly.

The thieves began to cower, and ran for the nearest police wagon, not wanting anymore trouble from Terra’s weapon.

“That was too easy.” Terra said as she sheathed her sword.

“But it makes the job ten times as easy.” said Cyborg.

He was right, thanks to Terra’s new sword and the power it had, most battles were over before they even begun as the criminals all ended up the same-- cowering and running off.

Still, she wasn’t heavily reliant on it, and kept it in good shape, and she even studied in fencing with Robin.

“Friends…!” Starfire reminded everyone “We are expected in Equestria, for our acceptance awards.”

Everyone gasped!

Before they knew it, they were all gathered at Canterlot Palace, where the ceremony in their honor went smoothly. Queen Cadance wished to present the Titans with special medals of honor, for being wonderful allies as well as their services in helping them vanquish the great evil and helping to rebuild their world.

Princess Twilight gave out the medals as Cadance announced their names.

“Robin…

Starfire…

Cyborg…

…Terra.”

The Titans were pinned with solid gold medals carved in the shape of flying alicorns, each with a clear emerald in the center.

The crowds went wild with cheers, every pony, human, and other creature alike. The Titans stood proudly, waving at everyone.

After which, a big feast and party was held, with food, songs, dances for everyone, but some still felt a little down in the dumps-- Sweetie Belle in particular.

Thankfully, her parents were still alive, but they too were upset by the loss of Rarity.

Applebloom and Scootaloo didn’t know what else they could do, except spend as much time with her as possible and be kinda of like sisters to her, even though they already were, which Sweetie appreciated!

As for the guests of honor themselves, The Titans took a moment to be in a quiet area of the palace.

Down a corridor, the wall was aligned with special stained glass windows, each one of images of those who were lost in the war.

The Royal Sisters…

Shining Armor and Flurry Heart...

Spike…

Discord…

Rarity…

Raven…

…And especially Beast Boy.

The Titans were joined by Twilight, Cadance, and all their friends from the School of Friendship, and joined them in the moment of silence and mourning.

Twilight finally broke the silence softly saying to Robin, “So this is what it feels like.”

Robin nodded and explained for all to hear, like some deep interpretive narrator…

“Being a hero means sacrifice, loss, and painful scars that almost never heal.

Victory can sometimes come at a high price, and Friendship and Love can’t always make things better-- not right away, and sometimes never at all.

Just beware of things, that there is always another possibility, a chance, a way for things to happen, but be prepared for The Worst as well as The Best.”

Everyone agreed to those deep yet truthful words as they continued to gaze at the pictures, and looking ahead to what tomorrow would bring them.

THE END

(Credits roll)

Author's Note

Ahhhhhh...! That was relieving!

What kind of fiction will I put these mororns (The Titans and Ponies) in next?

...Did I say "KIND?" I meant "UNKIND!!" Hahahahaha!!

Act 1: Legend of Hatred

Within each one of us, there exist immeasurable amounts of emotions. Most commonly that of "Love" and of "Hate"

Both these forces constantly contradict with one another, and yet one cannot exist without the other as life

This is a story of when Love and Hate clashed so destructively, that it nearly destroyed two worlds!

ACT ONE

“Love” and “Hate.” These were the words, Professor Twilight Sparkle wrote on the blackboard for her students at her School of Friendship.

“You see class, friendship is based mostly around love and trust, but there is only a thin line that separates Love from Hate, and that’s why you must always be careful not to spark the hatred, even if you don’t mean it.”

One pony raised her hoof, “Professor Twilight, how do we control love and hate? Isn’t there some way so there could only be the love, or the hate?”

Twilight thought as best she could and could only answer with, “Well, the truth is, Love and Hate are a balance, and as I have just said, anything can tip that balance so suddenly and cause a complete turnaround.

Every-Creature is capable of feeling love and hate, but how these two forces are handled is exactly the subject we’re going to looking into, because I believe if we can all learn to really find perfect balance; if there is truly a way Every-Creature could control these emotions, then there could be great chances of unity and peace for all involved.”

The students all seemed very intrigued and wanted to learn more, but unfortunately the bell rang, and every-creature was forced to get up and leave as Twilight announced, “Please read chapter one through five in your text-books, they will be useful in this week’s study of Love and Hate.”

The students all bid her good-day as they filed out of the class room, and Starlight Glimmer and Spike came in.

“So, how did it go?” asked Spike.

Twilight giggled, “I think I’ve got them hooked on the perfect subject. This Love and Hate stuff will make great with the curriculum.”

Starlight agreed, “Well, given all our past experiences,” she paused and muttered softly “Mine included” then she spoke normal again “There’s no one better suited to teach it than us.”

As the trio headed off down the hallways, more and more students were up and about, and getting along so well.

Some were studying together.

Some were helping other carry big stacks of books or opening doors politely.

Others were walking home together after the day’s classes, and this all brought great pride to Twilight’s heart.

Twilight just had to sing about it as music filled the air, and Starlight and Spike joined in too…

When your heart is full of joy and the light is shining bright
You know that friendship’s bound to strike

[Starlight]

With every-creature growing strong and learning so much more

[Spike]

Can you feel the love flow… oh… what’s not to like.

Feel the love…
See it, feel it, and just heed it
Feel the love…
You know that you need it
I believe in light and love
The things that we share of
The friends we know and care about
…Every-creature shout,

…FEEL THE LOVE!

Every-creature did shout that last line, and one-by-one, all of Twilight’s friends were seen helping their students staying after school with some of their studies.

Rarity studying the fashion class…

“Love is like a needle and thread, together they are strong”

Rainbow Dash and her P.E class in the fields…

“Put your heart in the game and you’ll find just where it’s at.”

Fluttershy and her nature and animal class, all being kind to the animals and pets at the school…

“Showing you care, being kind when its right, where it’s needed.”

Applejack and Pinkie Pie in the bakeshop, baking friendship goodies…

[Applejack]

“Yummy in your tummy, best in your chest, can you feel that?”

Pinkie Pie munched on some cupcakes, “Yeah, I can feel it especially. Mm-mmm!”

“Pinkie Pie!” snapped Applejack.

“What? I just feel it.”

And all the creatures and ponies began to march along the school singing,

Feel the love…
See it, feel it, and just heed it
Feel the love…
You know that you need it
I believe in light and love
The things that we share of
The friends we know and care about
…Every-creature shout,

…FEEL THE LOVE!

Soon, the school had to be locked up for the night, but Twilight invited all her friends to the Castle of Friendship for dinner.

“Looks like we’ve got mail.” said Spike pointing at how full the mailbox was by the gates.

There was one letter in a pink envelope with blue edges, from the Crystal Empire, and there was also two small packages, each with a regular letter attached to them, with Princess Celestia’s seal on them.

“Ooh, ooh, this all looks important.” chirped Pinkie “What are they? What are they? What are they?”

“Oh, really, Pinkie Pie, have you no shame?” scolded Rarity “That mail isn’t ours and we have no business prying into it.”

That’s what she wanted to stick by, but then she began to quiver in anxiety.

Twilight actually didn’t mind sharing her mail with her friends.

Once inside the castle, Twilight read the letter from the Crystal Empire, which was from Shining Armor and Princess Cadance, saying that they were going to come for a visit with Flurry Heart, and that the couple had accepted Twilight’s offer to give a few lectures at her school about Love.

“That’s awesome!” cried Rainbow “Maybe they can tell about the time they blasted away the Changelings at the Royal Canterlot Wedding.”

The rest of the gang was actually skeptical about that, worrying if the students who were reformed Changelings would really want to hear about their history when they were evil again.

“Well, we are teaching about hatred as well.” said Starlight “And we are teaching about how to balance the two forces out.”

Twilight agreed.

Fluttershy seemed more interested in the packages and she wondered, “What do you suppose these are?”

Twilight opened the first package, revealing a small chest, and inside was large brooch, with a very dark jewel in the middle and surrounded by a large thick band of gold.

All the gang gawk at in awe.

“I’ve never seen anything like this.” remarked Rarity, and she admired her reflection in the jewel’s shiny surface.

Spike began to droll in hunger at the sight of it and nearly lost control wanting to taste it.

“Spike…!” Twilight snapped as she levitated him up in the air, “Try to control yourself.”

Spike chuckled nervously.

“What’s the letter say?” asked Applejack, and Twilight read Celestia’s letter out loud.

“Dear Twilight…

My royal engineers digging in the outer-boundaries of Equestria discovered this buried in the mountains.

We have no idea what it is, and have been researching effortlessly to figure it out, and I thought you might like to be in on this as well when you’re not too busy.

We feel it may have come from another world.”

“Wow, from another world?” said Pinkie as she looked at the jewel, and took it in her hooves, shaking it vigorously.

Starlight levitated it out of her grip, “Take it easy.”

Pinkie slumped back into her chair.

Twilight then opened the second package, revealing a very old and worn out tome that had no tittle but a shiny emblem of a flame on the cover, and it didn’t seem to have very many pages within it.

While Starlight examined the book, Twilight read Celestia’s other letter aloud.

“I was combing through the royal archives when I found this old book that I had nearly forgotten.

I believe it should provide some excellent subjects for your School of Friendship as you study Love and Hate.

Note: The book is incomplete. It is believed the wise one who chronicled the details within had died before he could finish it, but I’m sure you will still find it interesting.”

“Whoa…!” Starlight softly exclaimed while looking at the pages “Listen to this...”

All the gang huddled around and she quoted from the book…

“Thousands of years ago, there was a powerful and evil creature named “Yamimakai.”

The pictures below in the book were very faded due to age, but the drawings, in black and splattered ink was still easy to make out, almost like looking at an ancient tapestry.

There was a humanoid creature, with big and spiky hair holding a monstrous looking sword, and commanding an army of soldiers to wreak havoc on the land.

Starlight continued to read from the passages…

“Yamimakai, was a powerful and magical creature and very skilled fighter, no one know where he had come from.

He believed that Hatred and Power meant strength and Kindness and Love were weakness, and he sought to rule the world with chaos and hatred unimaginable.

The more hatred and the more chaos that spread, the stronger he became, and anyone who stood up to him lost their lives!”

More images showing of the evil warrior slaughtering many beings and burning down homes and towns, which made everyone sweat and tremble as Starlight continued to read.

“Finally deciding that Yamimakai and his forces needed to stopped, a wise and noble prince had assembled an army of his own to do battle, fighting Love with against Hate.

The war waged on for years, and many soldiers were lost, and eventually the Prince and confronted Yamimakai in single combat.

The two fought valiantly, and seemed to be equal in strength, and the two were injured badly.

The prince then cast a powerful spell to seal the evil leader within the blade of his magical sword.

The sword was then placed deeply into a magical pedestal, and it was planned to be sealed away to keep it safe, but before this could be done, something mysterious happened…

…The sword had just disappeared, pedestal and everything, and it was gone!

Its whereabouts and how it vanished forever remained unknown.”

There was hardly much more to read as there were no more pages; as the letter had stated.

The friends were all flabbergasted that such an evil could have existed, and they had their share of evil villains before.

“This really will make a good point of interest.” said Twilight “A perfect example of what can happen if you give in to that much hatred.”

“Gosh,” said Spike “I’d have hate to have lived in those days. All that hate, war, destruction.” He paused and realized “…You don’t think that sort to thing could happen again?”

“I should sincerely hope not!” cried Rarity “I can’t picture anyone having that much hate in their body.”

Applejack nodded, “Still, we’re overlooking something; we’re all good friends, and we’re teaching others to be good friends.

I don’t think there’s anything in this world that could strike up all that fuss again.”

All the friends agreed, and if they only knew how correct Applejack was. There was nothing that could cause that much trouble to rise again…

…Not in their world, anyway!

There were other worlds out there, and not all of them were like Equestria.

There was one world in particular where a lot was happening…!

In a place called Jump City in another dimension, an evil creature was attacking a recycling plant.

This monster had the power to absorb forms of matters and meld into it, thus gaining its power an abilities.

This creature was also being attacked by four powerful super heroes, known as the Teen Titans, and it was defeating them so easily thanks to its shifting abilities, making it difficult to find.

Cyborg was not able to track it with his scanning, and Raven could not make psychic contact with it when it disappeared into the walls or the floor.

“Where has it gone?” cried Starfire.

“Keep your eyes peeled.” said Robin.

Suddenly, without warning, the creature burst out of the floor, right beneath Robin and sent him hurling into the air.

Starfire flew up and caught her boyfriend.

“Thanks, Star.” he said, and she smiled lovingly at him.

The monster reverted back into its white form and glared at the heroes.

“Get it before it shifts again!” shouted Robin.

He jumped out of Starfire’s arms and threw his mini-bombs at it, while Starfire threw her star-bolts. Cyborg fired his sonic cannon and Raven unleashed waves of dark aura, but the creature dodged and batted off every shot thrown at it, and then it grabbed onto a cable-box on the wall, pulling the wires out and then absorbing the sparking electricity.

“Look out!” shouted Cyborg as the creature began to fire electrical pulses at the team forcing them to dodge about.

Then using its abilities, the creature melded into the wires themselves and began to manipulate all the machinery in the plant, including the huge electro-magnet crane, which lifted Cyborg up as he was mostly metal.

“Get me down!” he shouted.

Raven flew up to him and tried to pull him free, then Starfire joined, but the creature had set the magnet’s pull to maximum. It was like trying to pull on a huge mountain. The girls couldn’t budge him an inch.

Then all three of them noticed the crane was lifting them all over to a huge, flaming incinerator!

“ROBIN…!!!” Cyborg shouted.

“I’ll try and stop it!” and Robin bounded straight at the main controls, but the creatures wouldn’t allow this, and used its power to create a huge and high-voltage electric barrier around the panel so he couldn’t get anywhere near it without frying himself.

Robin realized his only chance was to find the creature itself, but because it was hiding within the wirings within walls he had no idea where to look!

It really looked as if Cyborg was going to be fried to nothing were it not for another Titan bursting through the walls, as a big green-elephant, and actually knocking the creature out of the wall.

“Beast Boy…!” Robin called.

The green changeling morphed back into his human self, and with the creature no longer controlling the power, the magnet was shut down and Cyborg was set loose.

He landed on the ground and the girls went down beside him.

“About time you showed up!” called Cyborg “I was always a melted mess.”

Beast Boy hardly seemed to have heard him, as he was standing where he was with a strange look on his face, and panting softly but deeply, as though he was under a great deal of stress.

The creature then got up, and melded into the floor to try and make its escape.

“Beast Boy, sniff it out!” called Robin.

Beast Boy heard him, and morphed into a bloodhound, and he was able to pick up the distinct scent of the creature and motioned exactly to where it was in the floor.

“Titans, attack!” shouted Robin.

One-by-one the Titans attacked and blasted at the floor, forcing the creature to reveal itself, and after a large barrage of multiple attacks form different directions, the creature finally gave out and collapsed on the floor, allowing the Titans to finally apprehend it!

Soon the police had come to take the creature to a special high-tech prison, and while there were many damages done to the recycling plant, the owner was not that angry as he had insurance.

“Thanks to all the changes in the city, there’s more insurance policies.” he said “Anyone who suffers collateral damages can get a good deal depending on the severity.”

Then he shook hands with Robin, “Still, thank you for saving my joint, and I’m glad you guys are back.”

“No sweat.” replied Robin, and then he went off to regroup with his team, and he found them scolding Beast Boy.

“You should’ve been with us!” sneered Cyborg “This neglecting your team has got to stop.”

“Friend Cyborg is right!” agreed Starfire “I can understand that you claim to have seen Terra…”

“…I DID see her!” sneered Beast Boy, but he decided not to go any further and explain the whereabouts of the teams former friend.

Earlier that day, he had attempted to reconcile with her at the Murakami School where she now attended as a normal girl.

While she claimed to have lost her memories of the titans, her super powers, and most of all the romance she had shared with Beast Boy…

He finally managed unveil it, she hadn’t lost her memories, but she also made it clear that she didn’t want to remember the Titans, her past, the things she had done, and wanted to peruse a normal life.

She wanted to forget everything, including him. She made it clear that she no longer wished to see him, and wanted nothing to do with him, the Titans, or anything they once shared.

“Things Change, Beast Boy. The girl you want me to be is just a memory!”

Hearing what she said, and the way she just kicked him where it hurt most, it just played over and over in his mind, bringing him more stress.

“Enough!” Robin said, and then he too addressed Beast Boy, “Look, I get that your conflicted because you miss Terra, but you have to let go of the past. You have a duty to your team, and I don’t ever want to know of you even thinking of ditching us again.

…You understand?”

As if he weren’t already upset enough from the events of that day, Beast Boy felt his anger and rage building up inside of him, and he really felt like giving it to Robin hard, but he managed to resist the urge.

“I got it.” he simply said.

“Good.

Let’s all go and get some pizza. I’m starved.”

Sarfire and Cyborg followed him, passing by Beast Boy, with angry expressions directed at him, and as for Raven, she swatted him upside the head!

“Ow! What was that for?!” he protested, but Raven didn’t bother to answer and went on to catch up with the others.

“Beast Boy, let’s go!” snapped Robin, but even though he had just promised not to ditch the team, he really didn’t feel like being around them right now, even if they hadn’t just talked down to him, whether it was understandable or not.

He just changed into a bird and flew off, heading in the direction of Titan’s Tower.

“Beast Boy…” called Starfire, but he didn’t come back.

“Never mind,” said Robin “He needs time to think, about his duties, his loyalties…”

“…And how to grow up.” grumbled Raven “I get that he misses Terra, but that’s no excuse to keep ditching us.”

“Still,” said Starfire “I suppose we should all reconcile ourselves to the fact that our friend will never return to us.”

“Probably.” said Robin “Even if this girl could be our Terra, I think we should respect whatever wishes she has and not bother with her.”

Cyborg sighed, “I just hope BB can get over her.”

“He will,” said Robin “He’s got to. Everyone has to move on. It’s only way to mature and grow up.”

On their way to the Pizza Place, they passed by the Murkami School, where the students were all on lunch break, and many were eating outside or just hanging in the yard until next period.

Terra was with her two friends, Jackie and Jillian.

She looked up and saw the Titans were passing by, and quickly grabbed one of her text-books, and held it open in front of her face hoping they wouldn’t see her.

They didn’t and went out of sight.

She peeked up over the rim and sighed in relief, but she also noticed Beast Boy was not with them.

“Girl, what is up with you?” asked Jackie.

“It’s nothing,” she lied trying to keep her friends and her past in the dark.

“I’m just glad you finally told off that creep, Brat Boy.” said Jillian.

“His name is “Beast Boy.” Terra corrected “And he’s not a creep, he just thought I was someone he knew, and I finally managed to convince him to move on.”

Her friends didn’t seem to care much.

“That’s no reason to stalk you like some pervert.” said Jackie.

Jillian cracked her knuckles, “If he shows his ugly green face around here again, I’ll turn him black and blue.”

Terra did not in the least like her tone. “Look, he’s gone, and he won’t be coming back. Okay, so let’s just drop it and move on with our lives.”

The girls felt she was sounding a little desperate to change the subject, but they agreed, and they all decided to head to the mall after school.

Soon, the bell rang, and the students had to file back inside for afternoon classes.

As Terra stood up to follow her friends, she could see across the street and right through the construction zone, through the incomplete office high-rise being built. She could see the ocean and Titan’s Tower on its little island way far out.

Just looking at it made a whole bunch of memories flash before her eyes-- goods times she had living there, playing games with the Titans, especially with Beast Boy.

She shook herself back to reality, and her new life. She was happy now, and felt safe and well with in her new school and hew new friends, and wanted to keep it that way.

…Wasn’t she?

Still, she did secretly think of earlier that day when Beast Boy confronted her, and she never forgot the look in his eyes when she told him to leave her in peace and that she was not willing to rejoin him or the Titans again…

…That look of pure heartbreak, loss of spirit.

“I’m sorry, Beast Boy.” she thought silently “I know this must hurt you, and I know it might take time, but this is for the best, and I know we’ll both be just fine.”

If she could only see what was going on right now…!

Beast Boy was in the gym, ruthlessly beating the stuffing out of the punching bag to lose his anger on.

Blow after blow, he socked it hard, and he only seemed to get madder and madder with each blow, because he was imagining the Titans’ faces, and he punched them all hard, especially Raven for hitting him in the head… for the umpteenth time.

While it was understandable they were mad at him for ditching the team, that was no excuse to really beat him down and show how very little they cared about his grieving!

Slade appeared too, and his voice taunting him about Terra.

“Don’t you see? She doesn’t want to see you anymore.

She no longer cares for you.

If the girl does not remember, it is because she chooses so.

…Let her go!”

“HA!!” he shouted as he gave the bag a final jab, breaking it right down from its hanger on the ceiling.

He was panting and huffing furiously, and he still felt he needed to let out some more steam, in a way that wouldn’t really break anything or hurt someone physically, other than himself.

So he went to his room, which was very messy with empty pizza-boxes, rotting foods, other sorts of clutter, and the smell was rancid, but he was used to it by now, which was why he never cleaned it.

He reached under the mattress of bottom bunk and pulled out a diary he kept, which was another of his blowing steam harmlessly.

The entire book was divided into segments, one for each of the Titans, and one for himself.

One-by-one he wrote in each segments for the Titans and you can bet what he wrote was anything but appealing about them.

Then it was over to his own section, which seemed to be many pages long, much longer than the other segments.

He thought quietly and carefully as wrote down what he had decided.

“While I may have respected Terra’s wishes, and I will leave her to live her new life in peace, I have reached my limit.

It’s become obvious to me that no matter how hard I try, no matter who I’m aligned with, no matter what things I do, I’ll never gain what I want, especially seeing as nobody seems to notice or care about it anyway.

The only course now is to stop trying. I’m fed up with always trying and failing, so at least this way I won’t build false hopes anymore, and I can accept the disappointment with less pain.

Still, sometimes, I really wish I could punish all these people. Anyone with half a brain would see they deserve it, and those who defend them would be punished too.

…But that won’t really help, will it.

At least I can confide with you, because unlike others, you can’t physically or emotionally hurt me.”

He felt a little calmer now that he had voiced his frustrations, but he didn’t feel a bit better, so he decided to just stretch out on his bed and fell asleep.

Author's Note

Wow, over 30 downvotes on one chapter in just a few hours.

Not like it's going to stop me making this fic anyway.

Act 16: Siege on Equestria

ACT SIXTEEN

As Princess Luna fluttered up high, she used what her sister had taught her to raise the sun to start a new day.

While inside the palace, the guards were still standing watch over the vault where the trans-warp jewel was kept, when suddenly, bright light began to flash through the cracks in the doors, and the guards could feel the floor rumbling beneath their feet.

“Could it be?” one of them wondered.

Using their unicorn magic, they weren’t able to open the doors, as only Princess Luna had the power, but they were able to view inside and saw that the gem was glowing, indicating someone was about to appear.

“Quick! Summon Princess Luna!” shouted the other guard.

The Princess was there in a heartbeat, and she inserted her horn into the keyhole, unlocking the seal.

“This is it!” she muttered to herself with joy “Perhaps my sister is finally coming home!”

The jewel glowed brighter and brighter, forcing everyone to cover their eyes, and when the light faded, they were all astonished to see neither Celestia, Twilight, or the others, but an evil and nasty looking creature, Yamimakai.

He hadn’t transformed into any Equestrian version of himself due to being a different creature not originally of their world, and his powers protected him from such morphing.

“Who’s that?” asked one of the guards.

Yami stepped forth, and Luna recognized the symbol on his forehead. “No! It can’t be!” she cried softly.

Yami glared at everyone with an evil grin and hissed, “My name is Yamimakai, but you may call me “Master!”

Luna cringed with anger, “You…! You’re that great evil from the tome we passed down!”

The guards stepped forth.

“You are not our leader!” snapped one.

“Princess Celestia is our ruler here!” insisted the other, but Yami only snickered, “Then maybe you’d like to join her!”

He pulled out his sword, prompting the guards to rush him, only to then be brutally slaughtered before Luna’s eyes.

She tried to contain the creature with a magical barrier, but he actually pierced right through it and stepped out.

“It is useless to resist The Hate.”

Luna then blasted him with a long beam of magic, but he countered with his own powerful blast, sending her own force straight back at her and crashing her into the wall.

He quickly lunged forth and grabbed her by the neck choking her hard just as more guards came rushing in… too late! Yami had already crushed Luna’s neck like a grape, and her head rolled along the ground much to the guards’ horrors!

Many of the brave soldiers attempted to attack, and just like the rest, they, too, were brutally murdered at the hands of this evil monster!

Any guards still standing were trembling in fear, as Yami sneered at them, “Celestia and Luna are history! This world now belongs to me!

Make it easier on yourselves and surrender your allegiance to me and bask in the glory and marvel of The Hate!

If not, well then…” he held up his blood-stained blade which made the guards fearful for their lives.

The lowered their weapons and actually bowed to him, with one of them saying “You leave us no choice, My Lord.”

Yami snickered, and with a snap of his finger, he summoned his army of dark soldiers and instructed them to start weeding the palace out of those who would dare stand up to him and defy the hate.

One guard watching from around the corner and saw the whole thing happen, he had quickly run off to write a letter to Starlight Glimmer, warning her of the danger, and he sent it off, via magical mail.

Yami then placed his hand on the guard’s back and turned him to face him. “And what do you think you were doing?!”

The guard shuddered nervously and stammered "N-N-No... Nothing!"

Yami acted smug, “I believe you…”

The guard breathed a heave of relief, only to then get skewered right through the heart, and Yami growling “…But my sword doesn’t!”

He pulled his blade out and let the body fall to the floor.

More guards and the palace staff shuddered in fear as Yami addressed to them…

“He was the first one to commit treason. Now… we all know what happens to TRAITORS around here, don’t we?!!”

His shouting made everyone’s’ stomachs turn, and soon they, too, swore allegiance just to stay alive.

Starlight had received the letter at the Castle of Friendship, and was shocked, tearful, and feeling extremely hurt and concerned.

“Celestia and Luna… gone!” she sobbed as her tears fell onto the parchment.

The others were all as devastated as she was, some could barely find their voices to speak!

“And now Yamimakai is in Canterlot, seizing the throne!” cried Rainbow. Her anger and rage was beginning to show.

So were Applejack’s, “Of all the bad guys we’ve ever known, this is the sickest, lowest, dirtiest I’ve ever heard of!” she couldn’t hold it in and let out a huge scream!!

She was panting heavily after, but she hardly felt better at all.

“We’ve got to do something!” said Fluttershy “We can’t let more creatures get hurt!”

“Or be killed either!” cried Pinkie.

Starlight was really in a panic now. In a situation like this, it was always Twilight who came up with brilliant plans; things that she, herself, was no good at.

“Okay, don’t panic! There’s got to be something we can do!” she fretted to herself.

Rarity could see her stress, and gave her a paper bag to breathe into.

After a few breaths Starlight felt a little better, but she still had no idea of what to even consider; not against an enemy like Yamimakai.

She decided to consult the book of his legend for any clues. “He was beaten once before, maybe we can find a way to beat him again the same way.”

“There aren’t any clues.” Rarity pointed out “Much as I hate to be a drag, but don’t you remember-- the Prince that confronted and sealed the evil away perished and took any and all secrets with him.”

“But there was a way.” said Starlight “And we’ve got to find out what it is and fast before that creep attacks any other regions.”

“Um… Starlight…!” Fluttershy whimpered.

“What is it?”

“Starlight…!”

“What…?!”

Fluttershy motioned outside the window, “…I think he’s already here!”

Everyone rushed to the window and could see the dark soldiers were running amuck all over Ponyville, terrorizing the citizens, and causing such destruction and havoc.

All the ponies in the streets ran to hide, and those that tried to stand up to the creatures… they ended up the same way any other did…

…Slaughtered!

Big Mac, Applebloom and Grnany Smith were down in the street, and were cornered by three soldiers!

“No!!” cried Applejack, and she leapt clean out of the window!

“Applejack!!” cried Pinkie

As Applejack fell, she began lassoed her rope to one of the sharp crystal spikes sticking out, allowing her to swing and land safely on the ground!

“Come on, let’s get down there!” shouted Rainbow.

She flew out the window, followed by Fluttershy, and Rarity and Pinkie dashed for the doors.

“Wait!” cried Starlight. She sensed the worst was about to happen just rushing into battle like that!

She rushed down after her friends as fast as she could.

“Granny… Big Mac… !!” whimpered Applebloom as she hide behind their apple-wagon.

Granny comforted her granddaughter as Big Mac glared at the soldiers, and stomped his hoof twice.

The soldiers only liked the hate he was showing, which feed their strengths nicely.

Big Mac didn’t even seem to care that the creeps were armed, and he rushed forth to drive them off.

The soldiers only stood their ground and looked ready to strike him, when Applejack came rushing in shouting, “…LEAVE MY FAMILY ALONE!!!”

She was almost there when more soldiers appeared, and one of them struck her hard in her hind leg, wounding her badly and she fell to the ground quivering in pain as her blood trekked down her leg.

“SIS!!” cried Applebloom.

Big Mac skidded to a halt in shock by the sight of his wounded sister. All his courage and boundless determination, gone just like that!

The soldiers decided to take him down right then and there, but suddenly, Rainbow zoomed past, and at such a speed her sonic waves actually knocked the soldiers all off their feet.

Applejack was about to be skewered by the solider that wounded her, when she was suddenly levitated out of the way by Rarity.

“My leg!!” groaned Applejack.

“Set her down!” cried Fluttershy.

The soldiers now had Applejack’s family at bay.

Pinkie leapt in wearing a karate outfit and headband, thrusting her front limbs and making battle cries. “Come on, I can take you all on!”

Then more soldiers just appeared out of nowhere, totally surrounding her.

“…Or not!”

More and more soldiers appeared and began to terrorize all over Equestria, from the south-side of the Badlands, all the way up north to the Crystal Empire.

Cadance and Shining Armor sent their entire army of royal guards to stop the invaders, but to no avail, each and every pony was brutally slaughtered, and now, the royal trio were being targeted.

“Cadance!” cried Shining Armor “Take Flurry Heart and get someplace safe!”

“No! Not without you!” Cadance insisted.

“GO!!” shouted her husband, passing her their crying baby.

Cadance felt her heart aching, but she placed Flurry in a special buggy on her back and flew out a window.

Shining Armor then stood ready to fight the oncoming soldiers, but being vastly outnumbered and woefully outmatched in strength…! He was grabbed and held up, making him a perfect target for the lancers to spear him with their weapons, right into the middle!

As Cadance flew away, she could feel her insides give a most sickening lurch-- the kind one would only feel if something extremely bad just happened.

“NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO…!!!”

Back in Ponyville, Starlight arrived on the scene, rushing towards Applejack and Rarity.

“Are you alright?” she asked.

“Do I look alright to you!” snapped Applejack while motioning at the wound on her leg. It hurt so much she couldn’t stand to even move her leg, let alone get up onto her hoofs.

The soldiers were marching forth, ready for the big finish, when suddenly their master appeared before them.

The soldiers stopped dead in their tracks at the sight of their master.

“Now, now, now…” he said to them, “There’s no need to destroy them all. Our point has been made quite clear already.”

He then looked at Starlight and began to approach her. “You must be Starlight Glimmer. I figured I’d find you if I threatened the guards at the palace.”

Starlight glared at him furiously, “You! I know who you are! You’re that creature from Twilight’s book! You killed Princess Celestia, and Princess Luna!!”

Yami snickered “I have destroyed so many in the past I lost count of how many, but that’s beside the point.”

“STOP!!” shouted a hoard of guards as they came rushing in to defend the ponies, but Yami just rolled his eyes sighing irritably at their foolishness!

Closer and closer the guards rushed, ready with their lances, but Yami gave one good swing with his sword…

…WHING!!

The guards just stood where they were for a moment. Their lances fell to the ground, and their blood came gushing out like balloons bursting.

Rarity screamed in horror, and she and the others watched as the bodies slipped to the ground.

“Oh my!!” squeaked Fluttershy.

Yami sinisterly licked spots of blood dripping from the blade, grossing Pinkie Pie out, but frightening her and everyone else nonetheless.

“There, that concludes today’s object lesson.” Yami hissed “I hope that you have now learned what happens to those foolish enough to defy me and the hatred.”

“You monster…!” Applejack snarled at him. Then she groaned in agony as all the stress didn’t do her wound good.

Yami only snickered at her attitude. “Yes, that’s it. Give into your inner anger! Every little bit just another tasty boost for me, and fortunately, for you, I have special need for you and your friends.”

The friends didn’t like the sounds of that, and Yami then sheathed his sword and unleashed magical waves that bound up the six ponies and all of them were powerless and hopeless to break free!

“What are you going to do to us?!” Starlight demanded.

Yami approached her and looked her dead in the eye. “I’m not taking any chances. I underestimated the love and passion of this world once, and it cost me dearly, but this time it will be quite different!”

Before long, the six ponies were imprisoned within Canterlot Palace-- sealed within clear spherical capsules, wedged between dark crystal-like spikes that drained their energies in streaking flows of colorful sparkles.

Yami snickered at them and explained, “Very soon all the love and the light will be drained from your bodies, until only the hate remains.

You’ll all make perfect servants for me as my empire grows, and you won’t be able to even try and stop. Not that anyone even can for that matter.”

Rainbow furiously pounded on the special glass of her sphere, which barely even shook, and she pounded on it, and pounded on it, all the more enraged than ever.

Fluttershy was weeping softly in fear and upset over all the ponies that were killed, including the royal sisters, and Shining Armor-- they found out.

All the negativity only amused Yami even more.

“Painful isn’t it?” he taunted them. “That’s what you get when you follow the path of love, light, and positivity.”

“How can you say such a thing?!” shouted Rarity.

“Friendship is the greatest thing that ever even happened to us!” added Pinkie.

“…Like I said.” scoffed Yami “Well, soon your little dreams will become a living nightmare, exactly as I envision it-- a whole world of darkness, hatred, and no amount of love or light will ever lift it.

…I can just taste it!”

He laughed as he walked over to his throne.

“You can’t do this to us!” snarled Starlight “We won’t let you! We’ll find a way too--”

Tami whirled round, with his eyes glowing, and Starlight was shocked by powerful energy bolts within her sphere.

“STARLIGHT!!” shouted the others, and they too were shocked by the same energy bolts.

All of them felt very sore and groggy now as their energies continued to drain out.

“You will speak only when spoken to!” sneered Yami, and he continued up the steps to his throne and held his sword up high. “This is my world now! LONG-LIVE THE HATE!!”

His evil laugh echoed all through the throne room to outside of the palace as the world around him continued to fall to his will.