Full Friendship's Magic #3 (The Inner monster)

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Back in Ponyville, Rainbow Dash darted through the town, deftly keeping the rampaging unicorn Pizza Pie occupied. She glanced back to see Applejack trailing a few yards behind and signaled to her. Rainbow pivoted, shooting past Pizza Pie to reach Applejack, grabbing her friend and pulling them behind a rundown house, out of sight.

“What’re you doing, Applejack? I had her distracted!”

Applejack ignored her frustration, looking dead serious. “Forget that! Twilight’s got a plan.”

Meanwhile, Pizza Pie paused, scanning the area for the two mares. Her eyes glowed red as she shifted her vision to thermal, and she immediately located them. She began closing in silently.

“Oh, great,” Rainbow Dash said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “Lemme guess. It’s that same old ‘Teamwork Beats the Big Bad’ trick?”

Applejack rolled her eyes. “Yes, but we’ve got to keep her busy while Twilight prepares. Here, take this rope.”

Rainbow grinned, catching on. “You mean rodeo-style?”

“Exactly,” Applejack said, gripping her end of the rope. “We’ll tie her down and buy Twilight some time.”

“Just saying, AJ tying up a super-powered Pinkie Pie isn’t exactly a foolproof plan.”

Before they could make their move, twin clawed tendrils extended from behind, trapping the mares in a deadly grip. They jumped back just in time as the claws closed around empty air, crushing the dilapidated house behind them. Pizza Pie leaped forward, her aura flaring dangerously as she advanced on them.

“SPREAD OUT!” Applejack shouted.

“Already on it!” Rainbow shot into the air, quickly darting back to slam a hoof into Pizza Pie’s face. “Hey, Pizza Pie! Over here!” she taunted, darting away before the unicorn could retaliate.

Furious, Pizza Pie locked her gaze on the pegasus, her teeth gritting as the aura around her intensified. With a snarl, she launched forward in hot pursuit, red energy crackling around her.

“That’s right, follow the pretty pony. Pretty pony wants to play tag and you're it.” Rainbow Dash taunted, zipping away to lead Pizza Pie on a chase.

“(Twilight, you’d better be right about this . . .)” Applejack muttered under her breath as she picked up the rope and quietly moved into position.

Across the way, Twilight and Rarity appeared atop a rooftop, watching the chaotic scene unfold below. They exchanged a determined glance, and Twilight whispered, “Are you ready, Rarity?”

“Always, darling.”

“Alright, just as we planned. Here we go!”

From a distance, Spike and the townsfolk watched anxiously from the safety of the forest's edge. The Cutie Mark Crusaders noticed Spike pacing with worry etched on his face.

“Don’t fret, Spike,” Apple Bloom said, patting his back. “They’ve got this! They always do.”

“Yeah, but this time feels. . . different,” Spike said, glancing at the rumbling horizon.

"Yeah" Scootaloo agreed. “I mean Pinkies' cousin seems pretty dangerous on her own.”

Sweetie Belle, trying to stay optimistic, added, “But our sisters and friends are stronger. Besides, it’s just one unicorn! How much effort do they really need-”

Before she could finish, the ground beneath them trembled as the sounds of the escalating battle reached their ears. Meanwhile, on the rooftop, Twilight and Rarity focused intently on gathering their magic, synchronizing their powers as Rainbow Dash continued to evade Pizza Pie’s wild attacks.

"How much longer dear? . . . ." Rarity asks, straining with the magical energy.

Twilight’s voice is steady but tense. ". . . Just a little more Rarity . . . we almost got it . . ."

The ground rumbles and splits open, revealing a massive crystal structure rising beneath Ponyville. As it grows, the crystal wall stretches skyward, arching over the village until its ends meet, forming an enormous barrier around the town. On the distant hill, ponies watch in awe at Twilight and Rarity's stunning feat, with Spike guiding them to their designated safe zones.

"We did it, Twilight!" Rarity exclaims, her voice triumphant. "But. . . will that be enough?"

Twilight, her gaze locked on the chaos below, nodded with resolve. "Let’s hope so, Rarity. Now, let's get closer and help Rainbow Dash."

Rainbow zooms up to the shimmering crystal wall, her eyes wide with excitement. “WHOA. . . This is so awesome!”

Applejack glances at Rainbow, but her focus quickly shifts back as she notices Pizza Pie leaping close, her tail whipping toward Rainbow with frightening speed.

"Rainbow! LOOK OUT!" Applejack yells, twirling her rope expertly and throwing it around Pizza Pie's tail. With all her strength, she tugs hard, swinging the unicorn and slamming her into the ground.

"That was awesome, Applejack!" Rainbow says, catching her breath.

"Not the time for thanks just yet! Get over here and help tie her up-WHOA!" Applejack is yanked off her hooves, suspended in mid-air as Pizza Pie lifts her with her powerful tail.

"Applejack, hang on!" Rainbow dives to her friend’s aid. "Hey, Pizza Pie!"

"No! Rainbow-WHOA!" Pizza Pie’s tail swings in a wide arc, and Applejack is sent flying, hurtling toward Rainbow Dash.

"Gotcha!" Rainbow catches her just in time. "You alright, AJ?"

Applejack nods, though slightly dazed. "Yeah, thanks . . .”

Suddenly, the ground shakes as Pizza Pie slams her tail into it, causing a nearby house to rise. She catches the building in her hooves, lifting it over her head and hurling it at the two ponies with surprising ease. Hearing the ominous whistle, Rainbow and Applejack look up just in time to see the flying house barreling toward them.

"Oh, C'MON!" Rainbow ducks just in time, the house narrowly missing them as it crashes down behind them. She wastes no time, darting away with Applejack in tow.

"We gotta keep Pizza Pie distracted!” Rainbow shouts.

"Yeah, but how long can we keep this up? We can’t just-WHOA!” Applejack clings to Rainbow as Pizza Pie hurls another house in their direction. Rainbow weaves through the air, dodging the buildings with every ounce of speed she can muster.

From a safe distance, Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie watch, worry etched across their faces. Fluttershy turns to Pinkie, who stares at the chaos in a stunned silence.

"Oh, dear. . . Rainbow Dash and Applejack are in trouble," Fluttershy whispers. "I wish we can help but-"

Pinkie remains motionless, her gaze fixed on her cousin, who is tearing through Ponyville and attacking her friends. Her usually vibrant eyes are filled with a rare sadness.

"D-Don’t worry, Pinkie," Fluttershy says gently, placing a comforting hoof on her shoulder. "Twilight has a plan. We just need to have faith that we can bring your cousin back.”

"Let’s hope so," Pinkie whispers, her voice barely audible.

Steeling themselves, Fluttershy and Pinkie edge closer to their friends. Meanwhile, Rainbow continues to weave and dodge, carrying Applejack. She glances over her shoulder and realizes that their fiery unicorn pursuer has vanished.

"Hey, where did she go?" Rainbow asks, alarmed.

Applejack looks around, catching her breath. "I-I think we lost her, Rainbow.”

Just then, with a crackle of dark energy, Pizza Pie teleports directly in front of them, mere feet away. With a fierce growl, she grabs a nearby wagon and hurls it straight at Rainbow and Applejack.

The wagon hurtles through the air, closing in fast.

“Rainbow, RAINBOW! WATCH OUT!”

“Look out for wha-Oof!”

The wagon smashed into them, sending both mares skidding across the ground.

Applejack scrambled up first, helping her friend stand. “R-Rainbow, you okay?”

Rainbow shook off the dirt, taking Applejack’s hoof. “I’m fine. . . but that sneaky snake totally pulled a fast one on us!”

Seeing them get up, Pizza Pie snarled, her horn glowing red before she launched another beam of magic. Just before it could reach them, a wall of crystal sprang from the earth, blocking the blast. Twilight and Rarity teleported in beside them.

“You girls alright?” Twilight asked as she lifted Applejack to her hooves.

Applejack nodded, brushing herself off. “Barely. If it weren’t for y’all, we’d be toast.”

“Awesome timing, Twilight!” Rainbow said, impressed. “So, what’s the plan now? Lock us in with Miss Rage-a-lot here?”

“Next step is to hold her down so we can use the Elements.” Twilight pointed towards the others. “Go with Rarity to meet Fluttershy and Pinkie. I’ll teleport you all in once it’s time.”

Applejack looked at Twilight, uncertain. “What’re you plannin’ to do, Sugarcube?”

Twilight stood tall, her aura glowing with determination. “I’ll handle it from here.”

Rarity frowned. “Are you sure, dear?”

“I’m the Princess of Friendship,” Twilight said firmly. “It’s my duty to protect Ponyville.”

Rainbow Dash stepped forward. “No way you’re doing this alone, Twilight. I’ve got your back.”

“Rainbow, you’ve done enough. Just go with the others-”

“And let you have all the fun? Not a chance. I’m with you.”

Twilight sighed, seeing there was no changing her friend’s mind. “Alright, let’s go. But be ready, Rainbow.”

“You got it! Pizza Pie, here comes trouble!” Rainbow smirked.

As Twilight and Rainbow took off, Rarity used her magic to lift Applejack and teleport to safety. Pizza Pie’s horn flared as she aimed a barrage of magic blasts at the two. Twilight returned fire, evading the attacks as Rainbow swooped forward, snatching a rope from under the unicorn and yanking it to trip her.

Seeing an opening, Twilight prepared a freezing spell, but Pizza Pie sensed it just in time and teleported out of sight. “What? Where did she-”

Before Twilight could react, Pizza Pie reappeared above, snaring Twilight with her tail. “KYAAAAHHH!”

“Twilight, hang on!” Rainbow shot up, circling Pizza Pie and wrapping her in rope to pull her away from Twilight. She strained as Pizza Pie resisted, but managed to give Twilight the opening to break free.

Meanwhile, Rarity and Applejack reappeared near Fluttershy and Pinkie, who rushed over to help lift Applejack.

“Pinkie, Fluttershy, stay with Applejack,” Rarity instructed. “I’ll be right back.”

Applejack narrowed her eyes. “Now where do ya think you’re goin’, Rarity?”

“Lending them a hoof, of course,” Rarity replied. “You don’t expect me to just stand here while they’re fighting for all of us, do you?”

“But Twilight said to wait-”

“I know, but they need all the help they can get right now.”

Applejack sighed, but didn’t argue further. Instead, Pinkie looked up at Rarity, eyes wide with worry. “Is. . . is my cousin okay?”

Rarity offered a reassuring smile. “She’s. . . keeping up with them, not to worry, darling. We’ll do everything we can to help her, I promise.” She hugged Pinkie tightly, giving her one last comforting glance before teleporting back to the fight.

Fluttershy looked up at Applejack, trembling. “D-Do you think they can stop her?”

Applejack put a steady hoof on Fluttershy’s shoulder. “I don’t just think so, Fluttershy. . . I know so.”

"Pizza Pie, I know you’re still in there!" Twilight called out, voice strong but pleading. "Don’t give in to the rage! We’re your friends; let us help you. . ."

Pizza Pie continued her assault, firing relentlessly until her magic was deflected by a shield Twilight conjured. The repeated blasts made the shield crack and tremble, pushing Twilight back.

"Whatever magic is controlling you," Twilight continued, bracing against the pressure, "you need to fight it!" She glanced upward at Rainbow, signaling with a flick of her wings.

Seeing the cue, Rainbow Dash steeled herself. "Alright, here goes nothing!" She took a deep breath and dove down, accelerating to incredible speed. A blazing rainbow trail followed her, streaking across the sky for all to see. Below, Pizza Pie sensed the oncoming threat and looked up, smirking as she charged a massive magic beam and fired it upward at Rainbow.

"Uh-oh," Rainbow muttered, narrowly dodging the beam as it roared past her. "Is that all you got?!" she taunted, hoping to draw Pizza’s focus.

But Pizza Pie just smirked, her eyes glinting with a dark energy. "What are you smiling at? Huh?!" Rainbow called, but before she could react, the magic beam behind her exploded, scattering into countless smaller blasts that rained down around her. "Oh, great!" she groaned, weaving between the magical projectiles. "Uh…a little help, Twilight?"

"Hang on, I’ve got you!" Twilight shouted back. She countered the oncoming blasts with her own magic, creating a large protective barrier that shielded the ground from Pizza Pie’s attacks.

"Alright, Twilight!" Rainbow cheered.

"Rainbow, now’s your chance! Do it!" Twilight commanded, her voice brimming with urgency.

Rainbow Dash gathered even more speed, pushing herself to the brink of her abilities. "Here I come!" she roared, diving so fast a mach cone began to form around her, and she closed in on the unicorn below.

Seeing this, Pizza Pie extended her tail, trying to snatch Rainbow from mid-air. But Rainbow’s sheer speed deflected the grab, and Pizza Pie fired several more shots of magic in desperation. Twilight took advantage, using her own magic to shake the ground beneath Pizza, throwing off her aim. Rainbow tore through the sound barrier, triggering a Sonic Rainboom that exploded right over Pizza Pie with a shockwave so intense it shattered windows and toppled nearby structures. In the same moment, Twilight teleported Rainbow back to her side, leaving her unscathed from the collision.

"Did we get her?" Rainbow panted.

But then the ground rumbled, and Pizza Pie emerged from the debris, seemingly unscathed and brimming with even greater fury.

"Are you serious? That didn’t work?" Rainbow exclaimed.

"That wasn’t our final move," Twilight replied, eyes narrowing.

Suddenly, a massive crystal plate erupted from the ground beneath Pizza Pie. Crystal shards shot up, wrapping around her hooves and slowly creeping upward, restraining her. Pizza Pie fought back, swinging her tail to break free, but two large crystal shards crashed down on her tail, pinning it. Rarity appeared in a flash of light beside Twilight and Rainbow.

"Was that good enough, darling?" Rarity asked with a smirk.

"Right on time, Rarity. Fantastic job!" Twilight praised.

"Rarity, you were awesome!" Rainbow added.

Rarity beamed. "Not as awesome as you, dear," she replied, casting a sympathetic glance at the struggling Pizza Pie. "I’m sorry about this, darling, but we need you to stay still if that’s alright."

Twilight turned to Rarity, Rainbow, and the others she had summoned. "Everypony in position?"

"We’re ready, sugarcube," Applejack affirmed, rubbing her head with a grin. "Just next time, give us a heads-up, will ya?"

"Sorry, Applejack, there wasn’t time," Twilight replied.

Suddenly, Pinkie Pie zipped close to Twilight’s face, looking frantic. "Where’s my cousin? Is she okay?!"

But just as she asked, the crystal bindings around Pizza Pie began to splinter. With one powerful swing, Pizza Pie shattered one of the shards, her tail smashing through the others until she was nearly free.

"Does that answer your question, Pinkie?" Rainbow remarked with a smirk.

"Everypony, no distractions!" Twilight called urgently. "This is our last chance. Get close and stay focused!"

The six ponies joined together in a circle, calling on their elements. As their combined magic activated, they began to lift off the ground, their manes lengthening and glowing as their colors brightened, creating a brilliant aura around them. Pizza Pie, now fully unbound, watched in awe and defiance, her own magic flaring as she prepared to unleash a final, massive blast.

"Twilight, that’s one big magic beam coming right at us!" Rainbow warned.

"Stay focused," Twilight said firmly. "We’re almost there!"

At that moment, the power of the Elements of Harmony fully ignited, and they fired a colossal rainbow beam straight at Pizza Pie’s oncoming magic. The two forces collided in an explosion of light and color, each side pushing with all its strength. With every ounce of willpower, Twilight and her friends fought to overpower Pizza Pie.

"Hold on, girls," Twilight urged. "We can do this. . . for Pizza Pie!"

Finally, their combined power overwhelmed her. The rainbow magic shattered through Pizza Pie’s barrier, and her dark magic disintegrated. The Elements' power struck her directly, engulfing her in a radiant explosion. The shockwave sent shards of crystal scattering, and Twilight shielded her friends from the debris.

As the dust settled, they looked down to see only a massive crater where Pizza Pie had stood.

"THAT. . .WAS . . AWESOME!!!" Rainbow Dash exclaims, backflipping in mid-air, thrilled by their success.

"That was mighty close," Applejack said, catching her breath. "I thought for sure we were done for."

"I thought so too, Applejack," Twilight agreed. "But great job, everypony. Now, we just need to bring Pizza Pie back-"

"COUSIN!!" Pinkie Pie suddenly shoved past her friends, sprinting toward the crater, desperately searching for any sign of her cousin.

Rainbow Dash darted in front of her, blocking her way. "Whoa, Pinkie, hold up-"

Pinkie Pie dodged, shuffling to the side in a panic. "Out of the way, Rainbow! Cousin! Pizza Pie!"

"Pinkie, calm down," Twilight called out, attempting to steady her friend. "It’s still too dangerous to get close-"

Pinkie Pie smacked Twilight’s hoof away. "This is all your fault! You said the Elements would fix Pizza Pie! You said we could save her!"

"But Pinkie, darling," Rarity interjected gently, "we didn’t have any other choice. She was too powerful."

"Rarity’s right," Twilight added, her voice heavy. "None of our other plans worked. The Elements of Harmony were our only hope."

"Yeah, Pinkie," Rainbow Dash chimed in. "We’ve used the Elements loads of times, and nopony’s been hurt by it." She glanced back at the crater, her bravado slipping a little. "Even if… it does look like we might’ve sent her all the way to the next region."

The other ponies glared at her, while Pinkie stood trembling with worry and frustration. But then, a low rumbling sound echoed from the crater. Pinkie’s ears perked up, and without a second thought, she dashed forward, leaving her friends scrambling to catch up.

"Pinkie, wait!" Twilight shouted. "It’s still too dangerous! Come back!"

As Pinkie got closer, the ground beneath them started to shake more violently. Rainbow quickly flew after her, grabbing her just in time to pull her back from the crater’s edge.

"Let me go! Let me go!" Pinkie cried, struggling in Rainbow's grip. "My cousin needs me! I have to see if she’s okay!"

"Quit squirming, Pinkie! I might drop you!" Rainbow grunted, tightening her hold. "For the last time, Pizza Pie is—"

Suddenly, the crater exploded in a blinding flash. Rocks and debris flew in every direction, forcing the ponies to shield themselves from the blast. When the dust finally settled, an eerie figure emerged, levitating from the rubble. The familiar form of Pizza Pie floated before them, her body surrounded by a shimmering rainbow aura of their own Elemental magic swirling around her like a storm.

Pizza Pie touched down, looking even more powerful, her eyes fixed coldly on each of them. The friends exchanged wide-eyed glances, disbelief and dread painted on their faces.

"The Elements of Harmony. . ." Twilight whispered, her voice trailing off. "It. . .didn’t. . .work?!"

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~ End of chapter 16