Shooting Star: Six Points of Light

Twilight stared at her team, noting Applejack, Fluttershy, Vex, Scanlan, Percy and Grog,"Well... I got AJ at least..."

"Well Twilight, I gotta say you got a nice well rounded team here," Applejack said. "We go strength, skill, cunning, and a healer. All we need now is a few more for a back up and we got it made."

"I just hope Rainbow Dash is ok with who she has. I know she has a competitive streak and would think she has a weak team," Fluttershy said, looking down and tapping her hoof to the ground.

"I'm sure she'll be mature about this." Appljeack said, and then noticed the looks on her friends and Vox machina's faces. "Well, maybe not screaming."

"I'VE BEEN HAD!!!" Dash shouted from the distance.

Flutershy looked down, "She found out."

Vex sighed, "I'm not used to this. Me and Vax have been together for so long..."

Grog laughed and patted his friend on the back, "Don't worry, I'll be you brother for ya!

Twilight sighed,"Yeah, this is a pretty well-rounded team... just not one I was expecting."

Then a red gazelle walked in,"Oh, are you the new recruits?"

"Oh, hello darling," Vex said with a warm smile, "And you are?"

"Hmm," The gazelle walked around them,"Well, darling, I am Zahra. And your name is?"

"Smitten," Grog said.

"I...I'm...I...I'm Fluttershy," Fluttershy said.

"Applejack,"

"Vexhalia.

"Twilight Sparkle.
Scanlan tipped his beret,"Scanlan Shorthalt" He gave a wink.

"Quick Draw Percival Fredrickstein von Musel Klossowki de Rolo III." Percy said.

"But you can call him percy" the group said

"Well, that certainly makes it easier." Zahra said.

At that point, a blue unicorn mare in robes bumped into Twilight,"Oh, excuse me!" She held a book in her hooves.

Applejack paused and looked around, "Ma?"

"I am to assume you must be ourother companion?" asked Percy.

The mare nodded,"Um, yes, I'm actually the team leader for this mission, Lyra!"

The Equestrians couldn'thelp but pause for a few seconds at that name. Twilight and Fluttershy for being friends with said mare, and Applejack for trying to find out why she kept hearing er mom's voice.

"Well, it wouldn't be the first time we've come across ponies with the same name..." Twilight muttered.

Lyra looked at Applejack,"Um, are you okay?"

"This is gonna sound weird, but mind if I hug ya?" asked Applejack

Lyra looked around,"Um, okay..."

Applejack gave her a hug and walked away,"Thank ya."

Lyra held a piece of paper in her magic,"That was odd, but okay!" She looked at all of them,"Um, so here's the mission that we're supposed to go on." She stammared.

Twilight took it,"Hmm, we're supposed to go to Stilben to take down one Marlboro..."

"Oh my god, we got two Twilights," Applejack whispered.

Scanlan gasped, "Marlboro? Why, he gives people lung cancer and yellows teeth! We can't let him live!"

Twilight frowned," Scanlan's right, we can't let that thing do as it pleases!"

Lyra beamed,"I'm so glad you guys are so eager! Come on, I know where Stilben is."

Vex sighed and looked behind her as they began to make their way out of the city, feeling a comforting hoof on her back. She looked at Percy with a warm smile as they walked. Applejack looked at Lyra and walked wih her, "You don't seem the type to be a part of a hunting group."

"Well, I'm here because Vanessa wanted to test my worth as a hunter!" Lyra said,"I'm also here because my wonderful Aldor is part of the Slayer's Take!" She sighed in contentment,"He'll notice me one day..."

"Crush?" asked Applejack

"Yes! My beloved Aldor!" Lyra sighed, holding up a lock of mane,"I remember when I first realized I loved him!"

Lyra happily skipped along the field, where she saw a brown stallion in armor talking with someone. She shouted,"Hey handsome!"

Aldor's eyes widened,"Shit, she found me!" He turned and ran away

Lyra sighed,"He may not remember my name, but he still recognizes me!"

"Sounds like you got an ineresting connection," Applejack said in the best way possible.

"We do!" Lyra smiled,"I'm so glad to have ponies who understand me!"

"Oh yeah, total understanding," Applejack said.
Lyra gave her a hug,"I always wanted a friend like that!"

No porblem," Applejack said.

Vex walked with Zaria, "Why are you here though?"

Zahra thought for a moment,"A large part of it is that it's fun to take down monsters, although, perhaps I'm feeling a bit guilty."

Vex looked a her curiously.

"My family aren't the best kind of people around, you see. They're... well, it'd be too kind to say cultist? My cousin and I are more or less hte only nice ones."

Vex looked at her with compassion, "You shouldn't feel guilty. Family doesn't define you."

"Hm, maybe you're right." Zahra said, smiling back at her.

Twilight stepped with LYra, "So what is a Marlboro?"

Lyra looked at her,"A Marlboro is a large green creature known for it's terrible disease ridden breath."

Scanlan stood on top of a rock, "Ah, so it is, in fact, a cancer!

Percy nodded,"A cancer that must be purged."

Grog frowned, "Marlboro sounds like fun to really crush!"

Zahra then said,"Yes, but it is no less dangerous."

"Just point me at it, and 'll break it," Grog saidwith confidence

Vex nodded,"SMashing it would definitely do a lot of good for many people.

Scanlane nodded, "And it also helps to encourage people to drop that habit!"

Fluttershy spoke,"It'll make the world so much healthier!"
Scanlan took a moment ot look to the camera and joke "This is a nonsmoking PSA folks."

Zahra looked at everyone,"Does he normally talk to the air?"

"Almost as much as another friend of ours," Twilight said.

"So you have two crazy friends." Zahra said.

"Oh, they aren't really that crazy...just," Fluttershy tapped her hoof in thought, "Eccenctric"

"... I will call you Cinnamon Roll." Zahra said, bowing and then walking forward.

Up ahead, a small building with a sign that said," Convenience and you."

"A convience store?" asked Applejack.

Twilight walked in and gasped, "Look a map with a shortcut!"

"That's be 50 bits." The cashier said.

Scanlan gasped, "And look, poison restance potions, enough for all of us."

"Wish we had a book on Marlboro's though," Applejak siad. "Like their attacks and weaknesses."

"I have some Marlboro information, but it'll cost ya a pretty penny." The cashier said.

Vex stepped up to him, "ARe you sure its going to be too expensive? Surely for such lovely mares as us, you can lower the price."

"W-well, I suppose I could lower it..." He took a book out and handed it to them.

"Why thank you dear," Vex said.

PErcy put a hoof to hi s chin, "We might get there faster if we have a better vehichle."

That was when Gwen drove in.

"Need a ride?" Gwen said.

"Sure, while I buy the appropiate spell components and arrows we needd," Zara said.

Twilight blinked,"Wait, we use spell components?"

"Some of us do," Zara said.

"I'm sorry, that's just never been touched upon before." Twilight muttered.

Scanlan smiled as they got onto the car, "Well, let's roll!"

They all got into the car while AD/DC played.

They soon came to Stilben, a village on top of a swamp. All around were sick ponies coughing.

Scanlan could only pause to look at the reader, "Still think smoking is cool?"

Fluttershy flew to some of them,"They need so much help!"

Lyra frownedc,"This is what happens when a Marlboro attacks. Their bad breath is that poisonous!}

Vex began to look around to see if there was anyone she could help while Percy only frowned and clentched his fist. Applejack looked at Twilight, "Anything you think you can do o help?"

Twilight caused her horn to glow,"Hmm, we could cure them, but not only would it take a while, but it'll be temporary until we defeat the Malboro."

"HEY!" Scanlan shouted, "Anybody well enough to give us someinfo?"

That was when a young stallion ran up to them,"I'm well!"

Scanlan smiled, "Thank goodness. I thought we might need to ask everypony here."

"What would you like to know?" the stallion asked.
"Where dd te MArlboro who attacked you went and where can we find it," Vex asked.

"The Marlboro lives in the deep part west of here. IT usually attacks at night.

"It's nocturnal?" asked Fluttershy stepping out, "Why does it attack here so often?"

"We're not sure, maybe it just doesn't like us." The stallion said.

The entire group just stood there dumbfounded at that joke.

"IS that all?" he asked.

"Yes,I think we can hunt for it from here," Vex said.

"Hey, we don't want to get second hand poisoning," Scanlan said. "That's just as bad."

Fluttershy nodded,"2nd hand breath could be just as dangerous or addicting as first-hand.

Vex nodded, "And it can get on your clothes as well, taking forever to clean.

Twilight nodded,"So we must put a stop to it!"

And so, they walked off. While a lion wearing a t-shirt watched on, nodding. On his shirt was the letters D.A.R.E.

They walked until they came across several roots coming form the ground. There was a low hissing sound as they came closer, when a large green shape moved within the trees.

Vex held out her hand to stop them and motioned to th e trees to hide.

A large green creature moved passed them. It had several worm like tentacles surrounding a large maw with several sharp teeth. It was breathing and weezing as it moved by.

"Look at it, it'shorrible," Fluttershy said, hiding in the tree.

"Of course it's breathing hard. A creature like that is bound to have problems breathing with its lungs rotted," Percy said.

"We have to put it out of it's misery." Zahra said.

Scanlan nodded, "Sometimes, murder is the only option, or removing it."

Twilight then said,"OR going cold turkey."

"But unfortunataly, I don't think he's going to go with the program," Scanlan said.

Lyra nodded,"So, let's kill him!"

"So plan Twilight?" askedApplejack. "Or do we do this the Dash way?"

Twilight thought for a moment,"Just burn it, make sure we're not in front of it."

Zara smield as she held up a hoof, crackling with lighting energy. pplejack smirked and nodded, "Dash would be so proud."

"Look, I had no other plan in mind..." Twilight's horn gloweed.

"No no, I gt it," Applejack said, "You knew how some of us wrk best with an sll out atacka and are using it."

Lyra's horn glowed as well,"Well, sometimes violence really is the answer!"

Percy immediatley shot the thing.

Twilight flew up and launched three fireballs around the monster, keeping him surrounded. Meanwhile Percy and VVex began to run to either side of the monster.

They both shot holes into the beast while Lyra shot a disintegrate at it,.

The malboro let ut a roar before unleasshing a mist, making he others jump away. Scanlan did not see a tendril approaching from behind.

Scanlan yelped as the tendril grabbed him,"Whoa, I am not in the right outfit for this kind of play!"

Lyra paused and began to think, "What does he mean by that?"

"I'll tell you when you are older," Applejack said, slamming her hooves onto the ground to make it shake. As she did, Grog ran to to the tentacle snf begn to slash at it.

"No one tentacle touches my friends!"

Trinket roared and bit at the tentacles.

The monster tried to attack at Trinket, only to be hit by Vex's arrows.

Zahra blasted it with some black beams.,

The crature lashed ut with some more tendrils

Scanlan yelped,"Bigby's Hoof!" He slammed a large purple hoof into it.

The creature roared ad blowed on his foot in pain.

Scanlan blinked,"It has feet!?"

One of the tails whipped Zahra in the face.

Zarha stepped back and wiped the wound before stricking back with a bolt of hex.

The creature fell back.

Grog stepped on its stomach before leaping up to do a leg drop into it's neck

The creature let out a horrific bellow of pain.

Scanlan looked inside of Lyra's bag and pulled out a Nicotine patch and slammed it onto the beast.

The beast moaned before eventually dying.

Scanlan smiled as he stood tall, "And that's what happens when you keep smoking and you don't take care of it. You could die."

Applejack stood with Twilight, "Um Twi? I'm a little worried for Dash."

"Why?" Twilight asked

"Because if this fight is easy and straight forward, how bad is it gonna be for her?"

"And who did I get?" Dash said, looking around to look at the ponies before her. "Froofy, Fluttershy 2: the red eaded sequel, Captain Emo the wonderkin, the shortie, and Pinkie Pie. And-"

Pointing her blue hoof at the two newcomers, she said, "Whoever ther heck you two are!"

A tall unicorn stallion dressed in white-gold plate armor looked at the group. Next to him was a Shetland pony with a long greying black beard.

Rainbow Dash looked at them, "And let me guess, you two ae the guys who are teaming up with us?"

The shetland pony nodded,"I am-"

"Hi!" Pinkie sped up to them,"My name's Pinkie Pie! Over there's Rainbow Dash, that's Rarity, the somewhat grumpy one is Vax, the cute half-deer is Keyleth, and the tiny cleric's Pike!"

The stallion in armor looked over Pinkie's shoulder to take a look at the others,"Does she have an off button?"

Dash looked at the stallion and sighed, "Only when one of us dies, otherwise...good luck. I tried once and she ended up talking to a bag of flour, rocks, and a bucket of turnips."

The stallion stared at her,"You're, uh, joking right?"

"Remind me to let you meet Madame Le Flour," Dash said.

"..." The stallion sighed,"I'm Kashaw Vesh."

The shetland stood up,"I am Thorbir, I'm here to make sure you don't die during this mission!"

Pinkie smiled, "Yay! Now we don't have much to worry about! Unless one of us is cursed with bad luck."

As Thorbir walked over to give them a piece of paper, the piece of paper flew out of his mouth and near a candle,"Woops!"

Rarity caught it in her magic,"I got it." She flew it over to her and read it,"Hmm, investigate a wedding due to rumors of a Changeling Queen..." She looked at them,"Um, A Changeling Queen? I was under the impression that there was only one."

Kashaw shook his head,"No, there are multiple hives, with multiple queens."

"Wait, multiple...hives?" Rainbow Dash said.

Rairty gasped, "MY word, that explains why Thorax was ehartborken that one day."

Thorax sighed,"They made fun of me, said I looked horrible."

Twilight shook her head,"No, you look, uh..."

"Distinguished!" Rarity said.

Vax raised a brow,"Thorax?"

"Oh, he is the ruler of the changeling hive back where we are from," Rarity said. "He just looks especially-"

"He looks like if a Gummy bear and a moose dated, made love, had a shotgun wedding, and produced a baby," Dash said.

Rarity looked shocked, "Rainbow!"

"What? He aint here, and you practically made a new line of clothes just to cover him up," Rainbow Dash said.

Rarity rolled her eyes, "I was trying to be tactful."

"Pinkie had her gummy animals whorship him," Dash said.

"That was a weird little cult they started," Pinkie said with a giggle.

Kash sighed,"So we got a rash one, a prissy one, and the one who won't shut up. And your quirks?" He looked at the remaining members of Vox Machina.

"Sneaky and there to back her up when she messes up," Vax said, cocking his head to Dash as she gave him a middle wing in respons.

Keyleth put a hoof o her chin,"I think maybe innocent and whimiscal. But I don't really know, I guess sweet but that is Flutters and Pinke, but oh! I know, I'm a naturist!"

"The monstah," Pike said.

"Monstah?" Kash asked.

Pike nodded, and then lefted up her foreleg. With a flex, she created a big bicept that frowned with teeth. Then she nodded, "A monstah."

Dash looked the two, "And your quirks?"

"Well, I am the compented lead-" Thorbir began to say, only to trip on his own ax, making the ax bounce into the wall and onto a red weasel, killing it instantly.

Kashaw looked at them,"And I'm the grumpy one. Though looking at you all, I'm sure I'm not alone."

"Well, grumpy and emo," Dash said.

Vax smirked, "At least I don't make it obivious when I mess up."

"Ahhh, you aren't grumpy!" Pinkie said, rushing to Kashaw and pulling up his lips into a smile, "You just need a naco cupcake!" she then put a cupcake into his mouth.

Kash scarfed it down,"How... how did you know that I'd like this?" He looked at her with fear,"You're starting to scare me."

Pinkie smiled wide with a happy grin, "I make it my business t know about the ponies I work with. Like I know you used to have an imaginary friend called Rufus."

Dash gently pulled Pinkie away before she could mention something about Kim and the prom and an embarassing kiss, "Just let her talk, you'll be safer."

"Uh, yeah..." Kash took a few steps back.

"Ahem." Rarity chimed in,"If we could get back on track, we still need to find that changeling queen."

Dash nodded, "So where is bug girl hiding?"

Thorbir spoke,"There's a rumor she's hiding in a wedding."

Rarity sighed,"Changelings are attracted to those I suppose."

"Hmmm, why does that sound familar," Pinkie said.

Dash's right eye twiched for a bit before taking off and looking back at the letter. Keyleth looked to Kashaw, "So, Kashaw, that sounds like a nice name? Been a cleric long?"

Kashaw frowned,"Too long. I'm... not proud of my patron." He walked forward toward the exit.

Rarity sighed,"We're going to die." She walked up to them,"We'll need a plan!"

"Ok rares, who put you in charge of all of this? "Dash asked, "I'm in the wonderbolts, I think I'm more classified!"

"Actually, Dash, Twilight put me above you in the group hierarchy." Rarity said.

"Wha? When was this voted on? Where was I?" Dash asked.

Pinkie raised her hoof, "It was when you were being told to get our pizzas from Neighpoly. You said you could make it there and get us real margrita pizzas. Applejack told you, no and you did it just to prove you could. Then while you were gone, we voted."

Vax looked to Rainbow, patted her on the shoulder and said, "You were tricked, feathers."

"No I wasn't. They just played to my ego and my desire to show how fast I could be, and then they..."

"Take your time," Vax said.

"...voted...while..."

"You were gone, so that means they did trick you," Keyleth said. "Actually, thay was a good trick when you think about it. Nice one girls and. now she's broken."

Pike nodded, "I'll carry her while we get to the place where the ceremony is. We can plan then."

Kashaw sighed as they went to a large white building,"So what are we gonna do, barge in?"

"Dang straight," Dash said, cracking her hooves. "We go in, tell the bug we are guunning for her, beat every pony that isn't us, andthen find the beast."

"How about we all hide in a cake, and pop out at the last moment and say "SURPRISE!" Pinkie said.

Pike smiled,"I like the smashing plan!"

Vax chuckled,"OF course..."

Rarity shook her head,"No, we need to do this subtly!"

Dash rolled eyes, "Fine, we subtly punche everypony's face in under the cover of night."

"No." Rarity frowned,"We stealth in, possibly in disguise, and observe before we kill the changeling.

"So easy for me, but impossible for feathers," asked Vax.

Dash grumbled a little and said, "Fine. What do we do?"

Rarity hummed,"Well, obviously I have to take the place of a dressmaker, Pinkie the party planner, Thorbir-"

"I call front door." Thorbir said immediately.

"Right, and-"

Kashaw raised a hoof,"That's a no on the preacher. I... don't do well with weddings."

"Fine, Keyleth plays the music with animals. You are good with birds, right?" She asked.

"Oh of course, I am wonderful with birds. You know being around them as an air ashari," Keyleth said with a giggle. Then she began to try an d think of just how musical she could be in such a short amount oof time.

"Guess I'll handle the preaching," Pike said.

"Great!" Rarity looked at Vax and Rainbow,"You two... hang around the rafters. No. Fighting."

"Don't Tell me not to fight. Tell him/her!" Vax and Dash shouted in unison.

Vax frowned, "Excuse me? I am going to be busy watching over you to make sure you don't mess up."

"Oh no," Dash said, shaking her head, "We don't need an emo goth half-deer moping about in the rafters. I'll be keeping an eye out for you."

"Excuse me? I think one of us is a defitition of stealth whil the other, is well..." Vax shrugged.

"Oh, pluck you ya miserable goth..."

"So, um from levels of chromatic dragons, how doomed are we?" asked Keyleth.

"I think Black, boarding on Red," Pike said.

A preacher walked by Pike. Pike poked him,"Excuse me, are you the officiator of the wedding?"

"YEs?" The stallion said.

"Sorry." She bopped him on the head. She then looked around, and noticed a well...

A little voice from a pony could be heard, "Yay, companionship!"

Pike blinked,"Why was there... never mind."

Rarity used a sending spell to call, "Pike are you in position?"

"YEah..." Pike muttered."Just, um, need to get inside the church..."

Rarity looked to the others

Pinkie walked to the party mare, "Hey, wanna play a fun game!?"

The mare looked at her,"Sure!"

Pinkie smiled, "LEt's play who can hide in the well the longest!"

"Okay!"

Pinkie led the party pony to the well and had her jump in.

"YAY MORE COMPANIONSIOP!"

"Pinkie?" Rarity said over Sending.

"YEP!" Pinkie said with a cheer, "Currently in third position, revelet about to move to a jute!" she said, practicing her ballerina postions.

Keyleth looked at a pony talking to some birds,"Um, misss, I, uh..."

"Um, oh my. I'm sorry. I was distracted, um did you...Oh did I interupt you?" asked the bird pony sweetly.

"No, I wasn't... er..." Keyleth muttered,"I... can I take over!?"

"You want to, oh...I guess. I mean, if its not too much trouble. I wouldn't want to ruin anything.

"Oh, okay, thanks..." Keyleth said.

"I even know of a well I can hide in," she said, walking away softly.

"Okay, bye!" Keyleth said.

Happiy the mare leapt in, waving to the three other ponies inside.

"Well, that was easy." Keyleth smiled.

"KEyleth, dear, are you ready?" asked Rarity.

"Yep!" She went to thee birds and waved,"Hello!"

One of the bidrs wavedand spoke in a deep grermaine accent, "Hello! Are you to be our new conductor frauline?"

"Yes!" Keyleth said.

"Ah, thank you," gh e bird said, "The mare before us, she had no sense of music. I was afraid we were going to have to run and rebel."

"Oh, well, I'll try to be good then!"

"Good, I hope you know some excellent wedding songs." the bird said

Keyleth's eyes widened,"Well, uh..."

Now for my part." Rarity said.

A fanciful dressmaker was walking along.

"Excuse me dear," Rarity said.

"Yes?"

"I am a burdegoning fashion designer and I was really curious about your wares. May I see your latest dress?"

"Sure!" The unicorn took Rarity by the hoof.

Rarity gasped at the sight of th wedding dress. Putting her hoof to her forehea,d she began to faint, "Oh my word, these designs. They are horrible. Tell me, are you basising this on a Rarity design?"

"Uh, who's Rarity?" The mare asked.

"Someone absolutely famous," Rariry said, "And yours is nothig compared to hers. Go, get some new fabric and I will help you keep in line!"

"I, uh, you're rightt!" Tehe mare ran off.

Right into the well. The little pony iwht in shouting, "Now we can make an actual play podcast with O and O!"

"Why did she- nevermind." Rarity muttere.d

"Ok rarity I'm in position with Emo," Dashs aid, "how are you doing?"

"I'm finishing up here... and I think the bride's coming in through the door.

"Good," Dash said, "Anypony feeling something familar about this?"

Vax looked at her,"No?"

"Just getting this feeling of deja view, like something happend before.

At that moment, a large unicorn entered Rarity's room,"HAve you gotten my dress ready!?" She was bright pink.

Rarity stepped back, and then nodded, "Yes my dear I have ti all done and set. As you can see here on this lovely ponequin. Any changesyou might want?"

"Hmm, It's fine I guess." She said with a huff."

"You guess?" asked Rarity.

"It's... okay." The mare said.

"..." Rarity twiched and her hoof pawed at the fground. "Say...that...again."

"It's... okay."

"SIT DOWN YOUNG MARE!" Rarity said, "And I will give you a dress you wont soon forget!"

She rolled her eyes,"Fine."

"Good, because I do not do...OK! I do, FANTISIQUE!"

"I see." She raised an eyebrow.

Rarity paused, looking at her like one looked at an old emeny. A frown creased her lips before puling out fabric, scissors, and needles.

"Where did you-"

Rarity looked at er with a smirk, "NEver underestimate a dressmaker!"

Kash sat near the door, muttering,"Maybe I should go in..." He noticed a purple unicorn mare grumblingl.

"Problems?" Kash asked.

"My brother's about to get married to my former babysitter, but I think she's secretly evil!" The mare said,

"And how did you come to this conculsion?" Kash asked, getting bored as he leaned against his spear.

"Because she ate food, and then threw it away without my friend Pearjack noticing!"

"ooooh, how cruel!"

"I know right! And then she insulted my friend Bluey behind her back! Speaking of which, I haven't seen her in a while..."

"...Bluey?" Kashaw asked, arking an eyebrow as his yellow and green eyes looked with weirdness.

"Yeah, she's the wedding planner. I think we got a new girl all of a sudden..."

Kashaw nodded a little, "Change blindness, it happens. For all you know it could be changlings."

"Chan- what?" Twilbright asked.

"Changling, mimic, could be something worse. You do know what a changling is right

"Uh, no?" Twibright seemed to be getting scared.

"Tends to change into a loved one befroe draining your love enerfy dry," Kashw said, "I'd be lying if I think your friend is alive anymore."

Twibright's eyes widened in horror before she let out a scream of terror,"Ah! I gotta stop this!" She ran off.

Kashaw looked at his scarred arm and thought to himself, "Wonder if I should've said tat. Eh, who cares. Either chaos or the real one will show up.

Pike stood in front of the alter,"Okay, I practiced this a lot in the mirror, don't lose focus, Pike!"

Rarity called Pike, "Pike are you prepared dear?"

Nope! "Yes." Pike said.

"Good, the eremony's starting. Still havent found the changling yet. hough the mare had a weird musical number."

"A weird musical number?" Pike asked.

"Yes," Rarity said, "She would sing a verse, wait for moment as if someone was responding and then would make a call back. IT was interesting, as if she was doing a duet alone."

"That... is weird." Pike said.

"Indded," Rarity said, "Just be prepared. One can only hope thaat Thorbir hadn't been attacked by pidgeons he owed money too."

Thorbir could be heard screaming outside.

"What did he anger for that kind of luck," Rarity asked.

"Some kind of Betrayer God?" Pike said.

"Perhaps."

Keyleth walked over to them,"Okay, I think I'm ready, I'm super nervous though!"

"You'll do fine darling, just remember how to play anf it'll work out," Rarity said.

Keyleth gulped,"But I don't know how to play for a wedding!" She whispered.
"Well, just use a song, any thing!" Rarity said.

"How about one of the songs you heard Scanlan sing?" asked Rainbow.

"Yes one of Scanlan's Songs perfect!" Rarity said. About five seconds after she said it, her eyes open wide in terror.

"Okay!" Keyleth began to play a song.

Rarity just sat in shock and horror, subtlely reminding herself that she asked for this. Instead of ranting, she chose to watch the wedding and try to figure out who was the changeling.

AS the groom stood at the altar, the bride came through the door, singing,

Finally the moment has arrived!
For me, to be one lucky bride!

Keyleth gasped,"W-Was I supposed to be playing that instead!?"

"I don't think so," Rarity shook her head, "Just keep playing what you are. The changling queen might be too embarassed that she is off beat that she will show herself!"

Keyleth nodded and pulled out another Scanlan song

Mine, all mine. The bride laughed evilly.

Pike blinked,"Somepony's eager!"

"Pike take the shot!" Rainbow Dash said.

Pike nodded, holding the mace up.

"Stop!" Twibright appeared with the pink unicorn mare next to her,"That's a changeling."

Pike's eyes widened as she held the mace over the groom,"Oh." She put it away sheepishly.

"I knew it!" Dash said, before fluttering down wih a double kick to the face of the bride.

The Bride let out an,"OW!" Then Pike smashed her with her mace,"Hey, I haven't gotten the chance to-" A javelin hit her, then a dagger,"Oh for pity's sake!"

Rarity brought out her needle blade and aimed it at the mare, "Oh, I am terribly sorry. Are you the kind of villian who prefer to monolouge?"

"YEs!" Said the changeling.

"Oh fine," Dash said, "Everypony clear out."

"Yeah, skinny has gotta monolouge." KAsh said.

Thorbir entered,"Hey, what was all the-" He was then trampled by the ponies,"Ow."

Some ponies remained behind as they and the changeling queen glowed green, changing into their black forms.

The Queen laughed,"IT seems I was found out, but it's too late. I have gathered enough love to take any of you down!"

"Yeah, that's what your sister said too, but if you're anything like her? This si going to be easy," Dash said cockily.

"SO you were the ones who defeated Chrysalis." The Queen narrowed her eyes.

Keyleth raised a hoof,"Um, I wasn't there, so I didn't defeat her... so...

"Yeah, I mean, she was a bit of an idoit so what did you expect?" asked Dahs.

"What?" The Queen snarled.

Dash shook her head, "I...Said...Your...sister...was..an...I.D.O.I.T

The Changeling Queen blasted her with a large green energy beam.

Rainbow Dash moved out of the way, ducking behind a pew, "And slow, did I mention slow?"

"ARgh!" She blasted Rainbow Dash again.

Vax dashed behind hter and jumped to do a slash attack.

"Ow! Minions, kill them all!"

"Minions, what Minons?" askd Dash.

"The changelings behind you!" Several changlings attacked.

Rarity, Rainbow, and Pinkie stood at the ready. A smirk came to Rainbow'sface as she asked, "Readyfor a butt whooping?

The changelings looked at each other, before charging.

"Ok everyone, like we practiced," Keylet said, cuing up the birds.

The Queen flew up, surveying the area.

Keyleth held out a hoof to summon a groupd of vines and branches to entangle the changligs before turning into her tiger form to attack.

The changelings gasped,"Wait, you can change form!?"

Keyleth paused in her tiger form and nodded. In the background, spells began to fly.

A couple of the changelings began to scream in pain as they died out.

"Um, I don't usually like to brag, really," Keyleth said with a blush.

The Changeling in front of her smiled,"Well you're very good for, uh, a non-changeling!"

"Really?"

"Oh yes!"

Keyleth could only smile at this.

The Changeling Queen rolled her eyes,"Don't befriend the enemy!"

Vax ran up behind her and stabbed her in the back, "Now that's rude. Friends could watch your back."

"Ouch!" The Queen turned around in an attempt to catch him.

This earned her a face of mace.

The weapon slammed into her face,"I'm really starting to hate these guys!"

Kashaw smirked, "I don't know, they kind of warm up o you. Except that drawf...who has a bucket on his head.

Thorbir ran around screaming,"I can't see! I can't see!"

"Try running to the right!" Kashaw shouted.

Pinkie jumped to Thorbir and painted eyes on his bucket, "There, now you have eyes."

Thorbir ran to the right.

"No, left!" Pinkie said.

He ran to the left.

This bowled over a bunch of changleings.

Vax looked at this,"Hm, a strike."

Thoribir held up his hand, "Im ok!"

The Changeling Queen snarled,"That's it, I'm gonna-" Pike smashed a mace into her horn, causing her to fall down.

Dash landed on top of her, "Lat words?"

The Queen spat at her.

Rarity sliced her head off, "Ew, rude!"
"Good, she's dead. Can we leave now?" Kash said.

Then there was shouting outside3.

Rainbow Dash sighed, "Yeah and we can...Rares what are you doing?"

"Drama must be observed Rainbow Dash! After such vulgarity as a hunt likethis, a pure lady must engage with the latest gossip!" Rariy said, walking to the doors.

"Ooh, is that really what ladies do? Maybe I should join!" Keyleth followed her.

Outside, Twibright was shouting,"I don't forgive you! You didn't believe me!"

Dash leaned in, "Eh?"

"I said that she was acting weird and none of you believed me! You thought I was crazy! But now look!"

Kash sighed,"This is stupid, I'm gone."

Pike facehoofed,"IS this really important?"

Rainbow Dash frowned and adjusterd her mane as if she was wearing a hat. Then she began to walk towards the arguing mares, "HEY!"

They turned to her.

"Look here ya whiny littlejelous crybaby. Do you know why the heck your friends didn't belive you? Because the first part of your whole trip you acted like a jelous little filly who was scared that someone else was gonna take her brother away!" Dash said, pressing her hoof to the mare's chest. "And then, you spent the rest of the time investigating the mare before rushing right on in to the room and ranting about being evil! And you expected them to take your word on it?!"

"Um yes?"

"NO! THEY WON'T, not without this little thing called, oh I don't know, evidence! You know, substancial proof that can't be easily dismissed by witnesses such as your brother pointing out the flaws in your story! I don't know about you, but I don't care HOW MUCH I trust you, but you came running in and screaming that a mare is evil after you spent a few moments acting like a jelous foal, I am gonna take the word of somepony else than you."

"Bu wha-"

"Oh, here goes. The whole "She was being mean." WEDDINGS ARE TOUGH! My best friend Applejack told me how her cousin sweet blossom was one of the nicest mares on th planet, but the moment her marriage to her marefirend came in? SHe was a freaking monster!What, you think everypony is the same during weddings? THINK YA BLOKE THINK!"

"I-"

"And now you are blaming them for being a little suspicious of a half crazed mare? What was going to happen if the changelings weren't real? You ruined two lives! You GOT LUCKY!"

"You know...I think you're right."

"Yeah, I kind of am. NOW YOU GO APOLOGIZE TO YOUR FRIENDS AND GO AND HAVE FUN OR ELSE!"

"OR else what?"

(A few minutes later)

"Wow Dashie, I didn't think you could stuff the entire group into that well," Pinkie said.

"Hey, Bluey, I thought you were dead?" Twibright said.

"No, just in the well!" Bluey said.

Thorbir began pushing the others,"Come on, let's go before anyone catches us for potential vandalism."

"What vandalism?" asked Dash.

"I'm pretty sure putting random ponies into a well counts as vandalism."

Pinkie gasped,"Now I remember! This entire mission reminds me of the fight with Tirek!"

Rainbow Dash's eyes went wide as she remembered what it really was and made a decsion to hug Twilight when they reunited.

"Oh, I do hope they ad an easy time,:" Fluttershy said

Twilight nodded,"Hey, we did. And there they are!"

Rainbow Dash flew out and gave Twilight a big hug, "Sorry," she said, before walking away.

Twilight blinked,"Uh, okay."

Vanessa walked out,"Ah, so you're all alive, good. Osysa wants to see you."

"All of us?" asked Applejack.

"Oh, I hop she has enough room!" Pinkie said with a squeal.

VaneThey were lead into a large room that was covered in darkness.

A female voice spoke,"So you have arrived at last."

Rarity gasped as she saw the figure walk in, "My word, a sphinx."

"I wasn't expecting one," Applejack siad.

The sphinx walked over to them,"Yes, I am the patron of the Slayer's Take." Osysa said,"I have been waiting for you for a long time."

"You have?" asked Twilight.

"I forsaw your arrival a long time ago." She looked at the members of Vox Machina,"I see you have gathered some Vestiges of Divergence."

"The what?" asked Vex.

"The gods you are fighting right now are nothing more than the last remnant of a far larger group of deities." Osysa said,"The alicorns were the last to leave after many other deities from other races left. These deities were responsible for a war that span ages. During this war several items were created." She indicated Whisper and Fenthras,"Those that you now carry."

Vex looked down at her bow, "I didn't realize..."

"There are others yet to find."Osysa said,"My mate will be more helpful in that way."

Keylth thought for a moment, "Wait, in one of the temples, we met a little sphinx. Is that your little cub?"

"Indeed." Osysa said with a smile.

She looked at the rest,"I'm afraid we have not been entirely honest with you. We didn't ask you to join the Slayer's Take because you broke the rules. We asked you to join because someone wanted to test you."

"Test, for what?" asked Twilight.

Dash smirked, "Who cars, we passed because we rock."

"I'm certain she will explain it when you meet her. She is just outside." Osysa said.

They quickly stepped outside

There was what appeared to be a unicorn mare in a hood smiling at them,"Hello there."

And you are, foxy?" asked Scanlan

"I'm Gold Hoof. Come with me into my home."

They followed, while Rainbow and Scanlan would sing "Gold hoof. the pony with the golden touch."

They soon arrived at a large stone building. Inside were various paintings and other works of art. Gold Hoof turned to them,"I've heard from my companions that you were going to show up."

Rarity looked at some of the painting admiringly, while Vex had a little twitch in her eye. She shook this off as they walked. Twilight was the first ot ask, "Companions?"

Gold Hoof smiled,"Yes. My name isn't Gold Hoof, it's Eldroth." In a torrent of flames, she grew into a very large gold dragon"The Golden Empress."

"My word," Rarirty said, gasping as she watched the dragon appear in front of them all.

"So cool," Dash said, looking up at her.

Percy used his hoof to push up his glasses, "A pleasure. Why did you need to test us."

"Tradition. AFter all, I had to make sure you were worthy of heading into the temple." Eldroth said.

"I try."Eldroth said.

"And it makes it so much easier," Dash add.e

"It does."

"So, where is the temple?" asked Dash.

Eldroth indicated a large stone door with the words,"Enter, please." on the top of it.

"My how polite," Rarity saidd, "You are a gentledrake aren't you?"

"Lady, but yes." Eldroth said.

"Gentlelady, my apologies," she said as they walked into the temple.

Rainbow Dash smirked as she walked around, taking flight. Then she paused before asking, "Hey, are all of you dragons watching over the temples?"

Eldroth then said,"Only five of them. We are only here to ease you in before the real dangerous tests."
"Yeah, one of you is missing," Dash commented. "We went to one and a dragon wasn't there."

"Ah yes, the one in the Feywild. That one threw us for a loop."

"Loop? What kind of loop?" asked Applejack.

"You know, the kind of loop that happens when you get surprised?" Eldroth asked, raising an eyebrow,"Do you not use that terminology anymore?"

"How were you surprised," Applejack asked.

"We weren't expecting those deer to do it." Eldroth said.

They nodded and began to walk into the temple.

Dash sighed, "You know, why do these things even need to test us? I mean, we're right here!"

"Well, you know how these magical artifacts go." Twilight said,"They can't just be given away. Our Elements weren't just handed to us, you know?"

"Yeah, and it annoyed me too. Like, we can see them, we know we are the heroes, there is no need for all of this-"

"What do you want?"

Dash paused in mid-flight, "What do I want? Well, I suppose a good Hay-burger would be nice. I mean,those Flapjacks and hay bacon Grog cooks are nice and all, but I haven't had a nice hay burger in forever!"

"What do you want?"

"Look, mysterious voice, I just said-" before Dash could continue, she watched as the world began to get faster and faster until the world becam a blur. The wind howled around her and the voices became a faded while she stood alone.

"Speed?"

"W-what? No!" Dash said, watching the world move around her, trying to slow herslef down, "I don't want to be tis fast! Look, I love my speed, I love being the fastest thing out there, but if it means I can't see my friends again then I don't want it. They're my lighting rod, they're my way home."

"Prestige?"

Rainbow Dash found herself standing above the other wonderbolts. HEr body clad in a gallant uniform with many medals surrounding her body. Wih a growl, she began to take away her medals, "Wha kind of egotist do ya take me for?! Yeah, I want to be he best, but if it hurts them I don't want it! I know you might not believe it, but I do know that I need the others to be awesome."

"Oh really?"

"Yeah," Dash said, flying up," Because while I may be the best of any team I'm on, I still need back up once in a while. MY friends help me be even better and if I-" she coughed a litle,"have any flaws. The can help me fix them and they can keep me from being too much of an idoit. You know why I'm loyal? Because my friends help me be even better and I help them. Yeah, sometimes I fly half cocked or I don't go with something I know is stupid, but if they every really need me, I be right there!"

"What do you want?"

"Oh back to this question?" Dash asked, "Look, you CAN'T give me what I want. You know why? BEcuase I have it. Friends, family, speed. I have it all! The only reason I would ever need to be faster is...is..." she looked down and sighed as walls began to close in on her.

"What do you want?"

Dash trembled as the walls closed in on her. She could feel the cold feeling surrounding her as her claustrophobia began to kick in, Whimpering, she said, "I..wasn't fast enough to save her. Twilight died because I wasn't fast enough that time. I couldn't move fast enough, I wasn't there for her. I should've been faster, should've been quicker."

"You failed..."

Dash shuddered, before narrowing her eyes, "One time. I failed her one time, but never again. So I'm not fastest right now, but I will be. I won't lose myself! I won' let myslf fade away because I...no, THEY WONT LET ME! I will not fail her or any of my friends again!"

"You have chosen, well," a tan pegasus with old armor said, handinf Dash a pair of goggles,. "And Meadowbrook believed you would be the hard one."

"Yeah, well, she thought wrong," Dash said, taking the goggles.

"Um, you do know who I am, right? Famous pegasus? Legend?" Flash Mahus asked.

"Should I?" Dash said with an eyebrow cocked, "Look, unless you are a sports star, I don't know and really don't care!"

Flash Maguslooked down as Dash faded back into the either.

"Hey, Twilight, are acient spirirts usually annoyed with ponies who don't know thier istory?" Dash asked, playfully adjusting her new goggles.

"I imagine they might be. What did he look like?" Twilight asked.

"Kind of Tan, wore ancint Pegasus Armor, called himself Flash Magus," Dash said

"Oh, him!" Twilight said "He's known for being extremely fast and he ended up saving a lot of ponies from a dragon attack@"

"And already I don't care," Dash said, "Flutters made a dragon cry for his mama."

Vex stared at this, before looking at Fluttershy,"You!?"

"Um, well, I didn't mean. I mean, he was going to hurt my friends and he," Fluttershy's timidness kicked in and she hid behind her mane.

Vex patted her on the head,"Well, I'll say that's pretty good.

"It wasn't," Fluttershy meeped.

"No, it takes a lot to scare a dragon!" Vex said with a smile.

Fluttershy managead a little smile at this. Dash, meanwhile lookd for the next disk, "Can't wait for the next episode!
The hologram showed up again,"And so we continue.

Terra lived her life without care, but it was not without trials. She had an argument with her mother that led her to fly away from home... however this would soon cost her."

Tori flew towards the cloud that Terra sat on,"There you are!"

Terra pulled a tuff of cloud and blew on it. Looking back to her best friend, she said, "Hey Tori. Yeah, I'm here." there was a small bit of grumpiness in her tone. She didn't ask why Tori had come, but she didn't care. She knew her friiend wouldn't take her away so soon. Instead, she moved to the side to let her friend sit with hr.

Tori sat with her,"You know you shouldn't be out alone..."

"Save the speech Tori, I know," Terra said, rolling onto her back, "I just had to get away for a while. I jsut...couldn't stand being there any longer."

Tori stared up at the starry sky,"You're such a rebel. You know, one of these days you have to slow down and look at the stars like we normal pegasi do."

"Why" asked Terra, "They're just a bunch of balls and lights up there. Why do you care about those things?"

"They're not just balls of light." Tori said,"They could mean a lot of things if you pay attention. They could even make shapes."

Terra rolled her eyes at this, "Make two,smartie."

Tori then pointed out with her hoof,"That is a unicorn, Orion. And then there's the Pegasus."

Terra took a tuff of cloud and threw it at her friend, "Ok smartiee! Somepony actually stays awake in class." she then laid back down, "Why so interested in it anyway?"

"Because the stars are so fascinating." Tori said,"They're mysterious and vast. Look at them, we hardly know anything about them! All we can do from this planet is just look at them."
"Yeah, if you are into that thing," Terra said, looking to her friend from her back, "But we still need to focus on here for right now. I kind of prefer to just lay back and watch. And have a blast too."

"If you lay back too much, you'll get weak." Tori frowned,"You're going to be Queen someday. The ponies need someone who can keep their minds going you know. I'm not always going to be here to keep you in check, you know."

"That's a lie and you know it. You'll always be there, because you need to help a friend." Terra said.

Tori laughed a little,"Well, I'm always ready to help a friend. You are right. That being said, you're still immort-" She turned her head to a direction with a frown.

Terra shot up, "What's wrong?"

Three ponies flew up around them. Two were Pegasi and one was an alicorn.

The alicorn laughed,"Look at that, it's the Child. All alone and unprotected."

Tori snarled,"Run Terra."

"And leave you to die? No way, un uh, not happening!" Terra said, looking back at the alicorn, "I can handle the mare with the bad hairdo."

The alicorn scoffed,"Excuse me!?"

"No, Terra, I said I was going to protect you and I meant it! Run!"

"But you'll die without me!" Terra said.

"I'll be fine, now go!" Tori shouted.

terra took a stepforward, and paused. She could see the look in her friend's eye and reluctantly jumped back off into a flight, "Hey, ugly, come and get me!

The alicorn snarled before flying up, only to be pulled back by Tori's mouth.

As Terra flew, she could hear a loud scream.

Terra paused, wanting to fly back, "Tori..."she whispered, tears flooding her eyes.

The alicorn appeared in front of her,"If it makes you feel better... I'm pretty sure she stopped feeling pain after the first one!" she punched Terra in the face.

Terra ook a few steps back, before growling as red mana began to circle her horn, "No, it doesn't. As a matter of fact it just ticks me off!" she said, before exploding a large ball of sunlight that blew the alicorn back.

The alicorn smirked as she flew up,"Nice one... here's mine!" She blasted her with a much higher intensity ray."

Terra moved, using her magic to make a blur and sppear next to the alicorn. Charging her horn, she fired a sickly green beam at one of he mare's wings, "Nice try," she said, wincing a little.

The mare caused her horn to gglow,"Counter..."

"Ph you did not just coun-" she bearly had time to say anything as a cone of cold hit her hard and froze her wings, sending her fallng to the ground. Letting her horn glow green she melded into the stone to hide and prepare her next spell

The alicorn landed on the ground,"Earthquake."

The earth shook and cracked, sending Terra flying out of the ground. Growling, she began to move the eart into giatn hands to grab at the aliconrn's wings to hold them in place. She then charged a bright blue bolt," Chain lighting!" she shouted, unleashing a torrent of electricty

The alicorn's head flew back,"... You know, they call me the Scion of Lightning." she blasted a lightning ball at Terra.

"Yeah," the mirror image of Terra said, fading away while the real her appeared above the alicorn with two gaint boulders on either side of her, " And I am know as the most power mage of the gods for a reason!" turninh the boulders into mud, she threw both at the alicorn before summoning a large row of seeds, turning them into fire, and began shooting hem out rapidlly.

"Most powerful... but not well trained. Anti-magic field." A symbol appeared beneath Terra.

Terra gasped as she felt her magic fade away, "What? That...that...YOU CHEATED!"

The alicorn raised a hoof and punched Terra in the face,"No, just more trained then you." She stopped, her ears perking up,"Wait, what was-" She was hit in the side by a flying armored mare.

Terra shook her head, recovering from the blow, "Wha..."

The alicorn got up, before several missle shots struck at her.

The armored mare turned to Terra.

Terra shook her head, before looking at the green visor. Then she let out a gasp and gave the armored figure a hug, "TORI!"

(Wait, how did she know?" Asked Rainbow Dash. "And Twilight you better-

"BEcause friends don't always need to see each other to know who they are," Twilight siad. "Somethingare best saif with their heart."

"But, my heart doesn't talk around Pike," Grog said.

"Metaphorical buddies," Pike said, patting him on the hoof.)

Tori smiled as she took her helmet off,"Hey."

"How...I thought you were. I mean I thought..." Terra whimpered with tears in her eyes.

("Now kiss, kiss!" Scanlan shouted.

"Scanlan," Pike said, looking at him with a frown.)

Tori smiled back,"I... It's a long story."

"You can tell me while you walk me home," Terra said, with a warm smile, "Best buddy."

("Yes, they're friends," Scanlan mocked.

"Oh come on Scanlan," Dash said, "She's just acting like I would around the others."

"And how many of them do you have acrush on?" Scanlan waggled his eyebrows. thismade Dash blush.)

Methusulah nodded,"And thus was Tori granted a new power."

Twilight frowned,"That armor... we've seen it before..."

"Where?" asked Applejack.

"Well, a mare wearing similar armor to that broke me and Percy out of jail." Twilight said;

"Probably related or something," Applejack said, and then looked to Rarity. "Problm?"

"Wanted more romance darn it!" Rariyy said/

Methusulah laughed,"Next time."

"Promise?" asked Rarity.

"Promise." Methusulah said.

"Ok," Rarity said, following her friends out of the temple.