"I-Izzy..."

"Pipp!" Izzy cried at the sight of her marefriend hurt. "Are you okay?!"

"No..." Pipp said weakly.

"What did she do to you?!" Izzy sobbed.

"She took my magic and stabbed me...with her horn..."

"It’s okay, Pipp. You’re gonna feel a little - well, okay, maybe a LOT - of pain but it’s fine...I’m here with you now."

Pipp smiled gratefully and hugged Izzy, which made her blush. But she made sure to hug back. "Now you’re gonna feel the power to make any ability, and you’re gonna be powerful without magic. Like me!" Izzy said optimistically.

"I'm sorry about all I did, Izzy," Pipp said. "I got you trapped here without magic, and now Chrysalis might catch us."

"I forgive you Pipp, and I’m sorry for what I did too," Izzy said. "I should've been there for you, but I'm the one who let you get captured."

"No, Izzy, you're the one who will rescue me," Pipp said. "Izzy, do you still love me?" She was crying now, tears streaming down her cheeks, but Izzy thought she looked beautiful, just like that night next to the campfire when they-

Izzy shook her head to clear the thoughts. She needed to deal with the matter at hoof. "Yeah, Pipp, I still love you because the feelings I have for you just can’t go. It’s okay if you don’t love me anymore...And now I’m here to protect you, maybe for the last time. After we finish this battle, I’m going to live with my friend Diane." It was like torture, trying to get those words out. She knew Pipp didn't want her anymore. But she still loved her. Because she loved her, though, she was willing to do what she wanted and move out.

But then Pipp said, "Of course I still love you!"

"Really...?"

Pipp nodded. Izzy still sensed that Pipp didn't want to stay with her, though. "But when everything comes back to normal, you're gonna stay with Hitch and I will live with Diane...is that fine?"

Pipp looked upset, but she didn't get to answer because at that moment, Sunny Starscout appeared out of thin air. "Pipp! Are you okay?! I was so worried-" Then she saw Izzy. "Izzy...? Is that you?!" She started crying. "I missed you so much!"

Izzy hugged Sunny back. "I missed you too!"

"I thought I would never see you again!" Sunny said.

"I'm better now, Sunny..." Pipp said. Then she turned to Izzy. "But I don't want to be with Hitch! Neither of us do! What does Diane have that I don't?!" She sobbed. Izzy put her foreleg around her crying marefriend at an attempt to comfort her.

"Well, Diane and I were the best friends ever, and we always supported each other," Izzy said. That was a lie. Diane and Izzy were good friends, but not that close. Certainly not closer than Izzy was with Pipp. But Izzy lied for her marefriend's sake. Pipp didn't love Izzy anymore, after all. Or that's what Izzy thought...

Izzy was jerked back to the present when Sunny nudged her, giving her a look that said, You're just making Pipp more upset! "But she’s only like my sister," Izzy said to Pipp quickly.

"So...you're just going to leave me?" Pipp stepped back.

Izzy couldn't take it anymore and burst out the truth. "No, Pipp, I don’t want to leave you. Because I still love you!"

Pipp started crying happy tears. "I love you too, Izzy! That's what I've been trying to tell you!" She hugged the unicorn. And that's when Izzy realized: Pipp was telling the truth. She really did still love Izzy. Izzy had just denied it. She cried, but these were not tears of sadness of pain. These were tears of joy and relief, like Pipp's.

"Now we can live happily ever after when the battle ends! I want to give you a happy life, show you the love I have for you. Just promise me that you’re not going to get me stranded like this again?" Izzy joked.

Pipp laughed. It was a nice sound, and it was like music to Izzy's ears. "Okay, okay, Izzy. I promise, Hoof to Heart!"

The happiness lasted for a total of fourteen seconds. Then, Pipp's happy expression turned into a worried one. "I hope everypony forgives me for getting them into this mess...After all, I'm the one Chrysalis wanted."

"It's not your fault. I'm sure they will forgive you, and I'm never going to leave you alone," Izzy smiled.

"Um, sorry for ruining the sweet moment and all, but...I really think we should deal with Chrysalis and get this battle over," Sunny said. As soon as the words were out of her mouth, the very changeling she was talking about suddenly appeared out of thin air.

Chrysalis cackled. "Too late! I'm already here!" The ponies noticed that Chrysalis had a bell next to her, which she was levitating with her magic.

"What in Equestria is that?" Izzy whispered to Sunny.

"I have no idea!" Sunny admitted.

But Pipp's eyes widened in alarm. "That's the thing she used to take my magic! That weird old bell!"

Chrysalis laughed. "Exactly. And now that I have Pipp's alicorn powers, I will defeat you stupid little ponies!"

"No! My friends and I are going to stop you, you evil queen!" Sunny said as glowing, transparent wings and horns appeared on her body.

"Sunny, stay back. I've got this," Izzy said confidently.

Chrysalis laughed. "Well, you're funny! I guess it's alicorn against alicorn...but you forgot that I also have my changeling powers. Hmm, I wonder who will win..." she said sarcastically.

"I am not leaving!" Sunny yelled.

But Izzy knew better. She knew it was hopeless to try to fight against Chrysalis, and she didn't want more ponies to get hurt. But there was one thing she could do...

She started summoning all her magic to the tip of her horn. The magic crackled and sizzled, and the air was now thick with a beautiful scent, the scent of friendship, magic, and mostly love. Izzy stopped holding on to it and let the magic flow everywhere. It brought love and friendship to the entire world, and all the magic started to protect each place. Even the changeling hive was freed of...well, changelings. Except for Queen Chrysalis.

But that was where something went wrong. Chrysalis's soul wasn't expelled from the hive, but her body was. So her soul needed a new body to settle in. It was closest to Pipp's, so that's the body it chose. At once, Pipp started to change. Her normal, beautiful green eyes turned into a sickly shade of green, and her mouth curled into an evil smile. But nopony seemed to notice...

"I love you, Pipp...but this time is my time to go," Izzy said. She closed her eyes.

Author's Note

Hi

Lol- yeah, I don't know, either.