Unexpected Boundaries

"Why are we stopping?" Erza asked obviously annoyed. The group was taking their third break and had barely made any progress.

"I can only walk so far on an injured leg." Star glared at her.

"Ignore her, just take as much time as you need." Twilight said as Maple wandered over and gently kissed Star's injured leg.

"Does it feel better?" Maple asked her father with an innocent gleam in her eyes.

"Yeah, my leg feels much better." He replied with a smile.

"Fine, I'm going to scout ahead. Just lay about until I get back, you lazy bums." Erza snapped at them as she walked on ahead.

"At least we can see the mountain." Star muttered pointing at the colossal structure in the distance.

"Can I talk to you about something?" Twilight asked taking on a serious tone. Star looked a little shocked by her tone but nodded. "It's about this morning."

"If it's about Spike, I'm sorry I got jealous." Star appologized as Twilight sat down next to him.

"No, it's about w-when we woke u-up." Twilight stuttered as the blood rushed to her cheeks.

"It's okay." Maple said as she squirmed her way into a spot inbetween the two ponies. "I sleep like that with Daddy all the time."

Twilight looked down at the filly who then looked up at Star.

"I don't mind somepony sleeping next to me if I really like them." Star replied with a shy little smile on his face.

"But I'm a mare and-"

A blushing Star cut her off, "Like I said if it's somepony I really like, then I don't mind."

"O-oh, okay." Twilight quietly replied as she gently leaned on Star, who was gently leaning back. The two ponies closed their eyes as they entered their own little world where it was just the two of them.

"Mommy? Daddy?" A frightened Maple nudged them as she saw the massive beast approaching them. Fortunately, Maple had snapped them out of their little trance and they heard her scream, "Manticore!" Star instinctively put up a barrier that withstood the beast's first strike as Twilight took an offensive stance.

"Get behind me Maple." Star commanded as he put down the barrier. Twilight had prepared her attack and blasted the monster the moment the shield was down, causing him to sail through the air and land with a mighty crash. The beast's speed was impressive for he was evading every attack Twilight threw at him. The beast was about to slash at her with his mighty claws when a forcefield protected her at the very last minute. The manticore saw the opportunity and was almost instantly behind Star as he attempted to attack Maple. His claw met Star's horn as the two cancelled each other out. Star flashed a mishevious grin as from his horn black chains encompassed both of them causing them to fall to the ground beside Maple who was already running for cover. A magical shield appeared horizantally in the air as Star shouted, "Now Twilight!" She used the shield as a springboard to get above the chained creatures before launching a volley of violet blasts at the manticore's head. They were all direct hits as Star released them from their bonds and rose to his hooves.

"Nopony attacks Maple and lives to tell about it." Star growled giving the unconsious creature a powerful buck to the head to make sure that he was out cold.

"That was our easiest fight yet." Twilight sighed as Maple ran over to her.

"Is the scary manticore dead?" Maple asked peeking at it from behind Twilight.

"Don't worry, the big bad manticore can't hurt you." Star said as a blue sphere left the manticore's mouth. Oddly enough the sphere didn't speed toward the mountain but away from it.

"Did we?" Twilight asked in shock.

"We did." Star agreed looking at the lifeless manticore. "Still, we don't have time to worry about that now. We need to get moving." Twilight nodded in agreement as the party of three continued on.

"Damn. Injured and they still manage to kill Morty." Erza silently cursed from the trees behind them as the blue sphere entered her body. "That only leaves me with draco." Pondering her options she quietly followed the ponies as they continued forward.

At this rate they might even take out Draco, and they're working better than ever. I've no choice but to intervene." She sighed as she released a blue arrow that sailed high into the sky, signaling her last warrior to battle.

The ponies barely had any time to rest from their last battle as a mighty roar came from the sky.

"Is that . . ." Twilight started, her eyes the size of dinner plates.

"A dragon?" Star finished, as the mighty beast landed in front of them.

The red scaled dragon looked big enough to devour all of sugarcube corner in a single bite, and right now it didn't look too happy to see the ponies. There was a flash of blue as Twilight and Maple passed out and landed haphazzardly on the ground. The dragon saw this and let loose a massive fireball that flew straight at them. Star felt a surge of power as he dashed in front of them and set up his shield. Much to Erza's surprise the shield held as the fireball blasted it at full force.

"You're not laying a claw on them." Star shouted defiantly as he determinedly stood between the dragon and his very special someponies. Draco repeatedly fired fireballs that Star's shield blocked but it was aparrent that he was quickly becomming fatigued. Draco let out a pleased grunt as he finally broke Star's shield. Star was gasping for breath as he collapsed on top of Twilight and Maple.

"This is your end!" Draco roared as he let loose the fireball that was to blow them all to the next world. Just before impact Star clung tightly to the unconsious ponies as he used the last of his strength to teleport them out of harm's way.

"Wake up." An exhausted Star futially tried to shake the sleeping ponies awake. He could hear somepony coming his way so he covered the exhausted ponies with fallen twigs and leaves before trying to run off.

"Hello." Erza cheerily greeted him. "Where are the others?"

"Cut the act. I know you're a traitor." Star said as he felt his knees grow weak.

"Then you also know why I'm here." She grinned as a pack of diamond dogs jumped out and grabbed him. "Put the limiter on him, we don't want him getting away." Star thrashed as much as he could before they put a jeweled ring on his horn.

You're no longer a threat to me now." Erza grinned as she commanded the dogs to lock him up in the castle.

"What did you do to Maple and Twilight?" Star growled.

"They're still alive. I used my knockout arrows, so they'll just sleep for a few hours. Had I killed them then you probably would've been a much larger threat to me. I needed you on the defensive so I could capture you, and siphon your powers. Now all I need to do is do the same to Twilight and I'll be strong enough to take down equestria single hoofedly." Erza grinned as she dismissed the group.

"Eeouch!" One of the diamond dogs hollered. "Stupid pony bit off one of my claws!"

"Suck it up! Or else I'll take even more of your precious gems!" Erza shouted as the dogs hurried Star off to the mountain.