Chapter 9: A Freezing Investigation

At the Crystal Brighthouse, the New Mane 6 were preparing for Movie Night. Aaron and the Young 6 were walking back into the Brighthouse.

Sunny turned around and saw them. She then asked, "So, is Grandma Nyx joining us?"

"No," Aaron said. "She's checking on Twilight as we speak."

"Oh, right," Sunny said. "She's worried about Twilight. What happened to her after all this time."

"I'm sure that once Twilight has waken up from her coma, she'll be as good as new," Gallus said. "So, what are we watching tonight?"

"Why not watch a movie from Aaron's world?" Misty asked.

"Yeah, we could," Zipp said. "I think we should see some action movie from his world."

"Time to set up the projector," Smolder said. Then the Young 6 set up a projector and the projector screen in front of the TV. Aaron was connecting his laptop to the projector wirelessly as Gallus was getting it into the right position. Ocellus and Silverstream were setting up the speakers that connect to the projector.

"Okay, let's see," Aaron said. "I think we should start off with a certain Star-Spangled Man with a Plan."

"Captain America, huh?" Gallus asked. "Let's get watching." Aaron then started up Disney+ and searched for Captain America: The First Avenger. Sparky was asleep upstairs, sleeping on Sunny's bed.

As they were all watching the movie, all of them were eating the Ponycorn that Misty brought from the Boardtrot.

"This is actually pretty good," Aaron said.

"I know, right?" Misty asked.

"I don't know how you can eat that either, Aaron," Zipp said. "That flavor's too spicy."

"This is spicy?" Aaron asked. "I couldn't even tell."

"When you're a dragon, spicy food doesn't seem spicy to you," Smolder said.

"Lucky..." Zipp said. Then they continued watching the movie.

The next morning, Aaron, the Young 6, Sunny, Izzy, Pipp, Zipp and Misty were all heading towards the Boardtrot when a they saw a bunch of ponies waiting to get in.

"Huh?" Sunny asked. "That's odd. The Boardtrot should be open by now." Then they all started going through the crowd, some of them were flying over the crowd. When they got to the gate, Hitch was checking out something with Sparky on his back. "Hitch! What's going on?!"

Hitch and Sparky saw them coming. Sparky got excited and ran over towards Aaron and Smolder. He then jumped into Smolder's arms and started nuzzling her chest.

"Sorry, Sunny, but apparently, there was a break-in last night," Hitch said.

"A break in?" Zipp asked.

"Yeah, the gate was broken, and all the rides were active," Hitch said. "Somepony must've been wanting a little more fun. Whoever this pony is is in big trouble."

"Hey, look," Aaron said, seeing the lock that goes on the gate. He then walked towards it to pick it up. But when he did, he let go of it immediately and shook his hand.

"What, is it hot?" Zipp asked.

"It's cold!" Aaron said. "Very cold!"

"Cold?" Gallus asked, walking up to the lock. He then touched it with a finger and then immediately pulled his arm away, shaking it. "Yow, that is cold!"

"So, somepony froze the lock and broke into the Boardtrot?" Sandbar asked.

Aaron then looked around. He then saw a security camera looking at the entrance. Aaron then asked, "Where's the security office?" Aaron pointed at the camera.

The New Mane 6 looked up at the security camera.

Aaron, the Young 6, the New Mane 6 and Sparky were watching the security footage of the Boardtrot. They saw the time of the break in. And on the footage from the front gate was a winged snow leopard and a blue rabbit.

"What is that?!" Silverstream asked, loudly.

"A winged snow leopard?" Aaron asked.

"Allura!" the New Mane 6 shouted.

"Wait, who?" Aaron asked.

"She's a new villain," Pipp said. "After Opaline was defeated, a portal to Starlight Ridge opened up at the tree where Opaline's Castle stood."

"We went through it and saw a bunch of Auroricorns having a good time," Hitch said. "But when they saw us, they thought we were friends of Allura."

"They were also acting strange for some reason until Allura showed up and started taking over their minds," Zipp said.

"So, she's a mind-controlling, winged snow leopard," Aaron said. "Well, what does she want?"

"We assume that she wants the Nova Charm so she can use it to take over the minds of any creature she wants to by opening portals with it," Misty said.

"But we defeated her," Sunny said. "But when we found out the Nova Charm opens portals, Allura followed us and tried to get it back. But Izzy here used it to create the Boardtrot, and the Nova Charm got destroyed."

"Crafty pony broke magic charm?" Yona asked, looking at Izzy. "Winged cat must be mad at you."

"Oh, she was," Izzy said. "I even tried giving her fruit baskets to cheer her up, but..."

"Apparently, she did it multiple times and had her memory erased," Zipp said. "But the last time, she decided to trap Izzy in a giant snow globe made of ice until Pipp and I came in to rescue her."

"Wait, she also has ice powers?" Aaron asked. "That would explain why the lock was cold."

"So, where is she now?" Smolder asked.

"She's probably back in the cave she's living in," Zipp said. "But, I wouldn't go there if I were you. She's dangerous." Aaron and the Young 6 looked at Allura on the security monitors.

Aaron and the Young 6 were walking along the beach, checking to see any sign of Allura.

"I still can't believe we're doing this," Ocellus said. "What if Allura spots us?"

"C'mon, Ocellus," Aaron said. "You've faced villains far worse than her."

"Aaron's right," Smolder said. "Cozy Glow, Tirek, Chrysalis, Ragnarok and Catrina."

"Hey, look!" Gallus said, pointing ahead. They saw a cave alongside the beach, and there was ice throughout the walls. Then they all headed towards the cave.

"Wait, isn't this the same cave that Misty trapped Pipp and Zipp in on Portrait Day?" Aaron asked.

"Actually, I think it is," Smolder said. They eventually peaked into the cave, seeing Allura and her bunny, Twitch, having a conversation.

"For the last time, Twitch, our little trip to the Boardtrot was only for one time," Allura said. Then Twitch started giving off an adorable face towards Allura. "What?! No! Not that face again! Stop it!"

"That must be her," Aaron whispered.

"Okay, so she did break into the Boardtrot," Silverstream whispered. "But why?"

"Ocellus, think you can see why she's doing this?" Aaron asked.

"I'll try," Ocellus said. "But I better go small." She then shapeshifted into a ladybug and flew into the cave. She made sure not to be seen by Allura.

"All I wanted in this world was to get that blasted Nova Charm to get out of this place!" Allura said. "But that blasted Unicorn ruined my plan and broke it apart!" She then sensed something. She looked around and saw Ocellus, who was still a ladybug, flying around. "Oh, what do we have here? A pesky little insect." She then got angry. "Wait a minute..." Her eyes then started glowing light blue, and she sent out a force of freezing cold air towards Ocellus, sending her against the wall, making her return to her normal form, freezing cold. "A changeling? I thought they were all gone."

"Wh-what?" Ocellus asked.

"Ocellus!" came Aaron's voice. Ocellus and Allura looked towards the cave entrance and they saw Aaron and the rest of the Young 6 coming in.

"More interlopers!" Allura said. Her eyes then started glowing light blue again. Then she fired a blast of freezing cold air towards the group. Aaron and Smolder countered by blowing their fire breaths, melting the ice coming from Allura's blast. "Fire breathing dragons, huh? Then how about...?" She was interrupted when she heard Yona yelling.

Allura turned her head towards her left and she saw Yona coming towards her. Allura tried flying away, but she was too late and got hit in her stomach, sending her towards the wall.

"A yak?!" Allura asked. She then looked at the rest of the group. "A griffon... a hippogriff... two dragons and a little pony. This is getting strange." She then raised her left paw, letting out Sonic waves, the waves heading towards Yona.

"Yona, look out!" Sandbar said, pushing Yona out of the way. Sandbar then got hit by the Sonic waves. He then stood up and gave a blank look.

"Sandbar?" Yona asked, looking towards Sandbar.

"He's my friend now," Allura said, smirking. "Take 'em out, little pony." Sandbar then charged towards Gallus, but he jumped out of the way and started flying.

"Mind control!" Aaron said. "Not cool!"

"You're right," Allura said. "But this is." She then fired another ice blast towards Aaron, but he flew out of the way. The ice beam continued following him.

Ocellus was recovering from the attack she took from Allura. She looked towards the winged snow leopard and her face cringed. She then felt Allura's emotions. She could even see a memory from Allura's past.

In the memory, there were two winged snow leopard cubs playing in the snowy mountains.

The two of them were laughing as they were coming close to a cliff. The male cub saw the cliff and stopped, but the female cub didn't see where she was going as she was looking back at her brother.

"Allura, look out!" the male cub said.

"Huh?" the cub, now identified as young Allura, asked, looking ahead. She then gasped and fell over the edge, screaming.

"Allura, no!" the male cub said. He then ran towards the cliff, stopped and looked down. Just then, Young Allura came flying up, laughing. "Allura!"

"C'mon, Alterro," Young Allura said. "We can fly home!" Young Alterro then looked back at his wings and unfolded them. He then smirked and then he started flying and they started flying home.

As they were flying home, Young Alterro saw something flashing on the ground.

"Huh?" Young Alterro asked. He then started flying down towards what was shining down on the ground. Young Allura noticed it and followed him. Young Alterro then found what was shining and picked it up with his paw. "What's this?"

"Ooh, shiny!" Young Allura said, taking the gem out of Young Alterro's paw.

"Hey!" Young Alterro said.

"Come and get it, Alterro," Young Allura said, kicking the gem that Young Alterro found.

"Allura, come back here with that!" Young Alterro said. "I found it first!"

"You're way too slow!" Young Allura said, kicking the gem with her left paw. "You'll never catch me now!" Young Alterro kept chasing her and the gem. Then the gem let out some magic, opening a portal to somewhere. Young Allura was astonished by it. "Whoa! Look at that!" She then looked back at her brother. "C'mon, Alterro. Let's check it out."

"Allura, no wait, you don't know where...!" Young Alterro said, trying to stop Young Allura, but she already jumped through the portal.

On the other side of the portal, Allura was now in a forest somewhere up north. She then turned around to look at the portal to see if her brother would come through, but the portal closed before she turned around. She then looked around.

"Alterro? Alterro!" Young Allura called out.

Back where the portal opened up, Young Alterro was looking around, calling out to his sister, "Allura? Allura!"

As Ocellus was looking at Allura's memories, she blacked out throughout the memory reading. And as she was doing it, Smolder was carrying Ocellus on her shoulders as they were all heading back towards the Brighthouse.

Ocellus looked around and asked, "Huh? Where are we?"

"Heading back to the Brighthouse," Smolder said.

Sandbar and Yona were both unconscious as they were being carried in the air. Aaron and Silverstream were carrying Yona while Gallus was carrying Sandbar. Eventually, they made it back to the Brighthouse. There, Sunny, Izzy, Pipp, Zipp and Misty were there. They saw Aaron and the Young 6 enter.

"Holy cow!" Zipp said.

"Ocellus is gonna need a hot bath, stat!" Smolder said.

"I'm on it!" Izzy said, running towards the bathroom. Smolder followed, carrying Ocellus. Izzy turned on the faucets and hot water was coming out. Smolder slowly put Ocellus into the tub.

"Aw..." Ocellus said as the hot water was warming her up. "Awwww... That's much better."

Sunny then looked back towards Aaron and asked, "You went to Allura's cave, didn't you?"

"You weren't wrong when you said she was one bad kitty," Aaron said. "She hit Sandbar with her mind controlling powers. I had to headbutt him when he came near me. All I can say from that... nobody wins with a headbutt."

"You were lucky he wasn't a unicorn," Gallus said.

"Yeah, that sounds like it would hurt a lot," Pipp said.

"That would probably kill him," Zipp said. "So, what happened?"

"We didn't want to fight her, but to get some information," Aaron said. "Ocellus is able to feel what anypony is feeling. Changelings have empathic abilities, so they'll be able to know how others feel. It's how they feed on love."

"It's true," Ocellus called out from the bathroom. "Although, when I did it to Allura, I felt more than anger."

"What?" Aaron asked.

"I... I saw a memory... from when she was a cub," Ocellus said. "She... she didn't want the Nova Charm so she could take over the minds of any creature she crosses paths with. She... she needed it so she could find her way back to her brother."

That made the five mares all gasp. Izzy then asked, "Allura has a brother?!"

"She was trying to find a way home," Sunny said. "Which means she wasn't really a villain."

"Guess I should really apologize to her for taking away her way back to her brother," Izzy said.

"Now's probably not a good time," Gallus said. "She's pretty ticked."

"We'll give her time to cool off," Aaron said. "She needs it." He then thought of something. "I think she was camping out in the same cave that Misty trapped Pipp and Zipp in on Portrait Day."

"Oh, I thought that place looked..." Zipp said, but then she got a realization. "Wait, that was you?!" She looked towards Misty, who was blushing.

"In my defense, that was before I started betraying Opaline," Misty said.

"Okay, that's reasonable," Zipp said. "But what are we gonna do about Allura?"

"We'll give her a few days and then we'll just talk to her," Sunny said. "But right now, let's get Sandbar and Yona bandaged up. How did Yona get hurt?"

"She knocked herself out when trying to ram Allura again," Silverstream said.

"She literally knocked herself out," Smolder said.

"Is she gonna be okay?" Misty asked, looking at Yona.

"She'll be fine," Sunny said, putting a bandage on Yona's head. "Let's just let her rest. Let's get her to her bed." She then changed into an Alicorn and she used her magic to carry Yona upstairs.

"Let's let Sandbar have the couch," Aaron said.

"Good call," Gallus said. He and Aaron then grabbed Sandbar and carried him to the couch.

"How about we order pizza in?" Pipp asked.

"I could go for some pizza," Aaron said. "Luckily we have Sandbar and Yona's pizza toppings memorized."

"That's good," Zipp said. "They're gonna need some food when they're resting." She then looked towards the door, giving a puzzled look.

Back in Allura's cave, Allura was laying down in the middle of the cave, thinking about her past. Allura had her eyes closed until she heard a voice.

"Allura!"

Allura opened her eyes and looked up at the ceiling. Allura then sighed and said, "I won't stop, brother. I will find you." She then curled up and went to sleep.

At the top of the Brighthouse, Ocellus was looking up at the stars, wondering about something. Just then, Nyx came flying in.

"You wanted to see me?" Nyx asked.

"You know about that snow leopard, right?" Ocellus asked.

"Allura?" Nyx asked. "Who doesn't? Zipp accidentally sent a message meant for Hitch to everypony."

"Well, I know why she's so angry," Ocellus said. "She just wanted the Nova Charm so she could find her brother." She then shapeshifted into Young Alterro. She even had his voice. "The two were separated as cubs. If we could find Alterro and reunite him with her, we might be able to reform her."

"A noble task, Ocellus," Nyx said. Ocellus then changed back into her real form. "I shall search the dream realm for Alterro. And perhaps, bring him to Allura."

"I just hope this works," Ocellus said. "At least we'll know the two will be okay. Even the toughest of creatures have fragile hearts. They just need to look for the good inside them." Just then, Ocellus started glowing and was being lifted up. Then a light emitted from her and started floating around her. Then the light went towards the end of her right wing cover and then an image appeared in one of the spots at the end. It was of a ladybug. "Whoa. I got a Cutie Mark."

"Two down, and four to go," Nyx said, smiling.

"Four?" Ocellus asked. She then got a realization. "Wait, since Sandbar already had his, that means Aaron will also get a Cutie Mark as well?"

"That's right," Nyx said. "Now, you should get some sleep. I'll get to searching for Alterro." Nyx then started flying up into the night sky. Ocellus then headed back to the elevator so she could go downstairs and go to sleep in her bed.

Author's Note

Okay, the votes will be tallied. And, to make it a surprise, I think I'll have all three options be put into the story, in the order of highest to lowest votes. That way, everyone gets what they want. Also, I've been receiving messages from viewers of this story if they would want to do some art work for this story. So, whoever wants to do artwork based on this story, you have my permission to do so.

Ocellus's Cutie Mark was based on this image by Prixy05: