"Come, My Beckoning Fair One..."

Fluttershy's onryō sat next to a crackling fire out in the woods as she watched the Caribou toss and turn in his sleep. While she didn't possess Pinkie's eidetic memory, she was still able to recall every instance she and the other onryō had done this to a Caribou.

And each time, it became easier and easier to break them.

It was Twilight's original plan. Once word reached her of Celestia and Luna's defeat and her brother and sister-in-law's betrayal to the Caribou, she came to them all and revealed her dark purpose.

"Twilight...are you INSANE?!" All six of them, including Spike, were in the Throne Room. And five of them mirrored Rarity's horrified face. "What you are proposing is...is...monstrous! Evil! DEMONIC!" she cried, rising to her feet. She turned and began to flee the room. "I will have NO part in this!"

Her hand was on the door when she heard a quiet voice ask, "So...you would instead enjoy watching your little sister being raped and sodomized, night and day, over and over, by a horde of savages?" Rarity turned slowly around, her nostrils flared.

"...what did you say...?"

Twilight grimly smiled. "My apologies, I misspoke. What I meant to say was you might hear about it happening, but you'll only be able to imagine it because the same things will be happening to you." She looked around the room. "And to you. And you. And to you. And certainly, to you." She finally cast her gaze to her right. "Spike, you're safe from the Caribou, so you don't have to do this, but as for the rest of us, I—" she was cut off.

"Fuck you, Twilight, for saying that..." growled Spike. At her shocked expression, he glared over at her and continued. "I'll die before I allow those monsters to touch any of you...and if I have to die to make sure they pay for what they've already done, then so be it!"

She stared at him as the silence in the room grew. Then, a tear fell down her cheek as she sobbed, "I'm...sorry, Spike...you're right: I shouldn't have said that. You...you have no idea how sorry I am..." She held out her arms, inviting him in for an embrace, which he took, and then they both sat back and waited for the fashionista.

Rarity resumed her place, but not before giving Twilight a look of pure venom. "My sister is but a child," she offered. "...surely, she's too young for them to touch her...?"

"Even if that's true now, she won't be for long...nor will any other filly be safe from them." Twilight stood. "I know this plan seems crazy, but it's the only way we have to fight those beasts." She used her magic to levitate an ancient box from an alcove, a box covered in runes and foul symbols and set it down in front of herself with a grimace. Even before she opened it, all others drew back from the pervading sense of evil that emanated from it, as a noisome reek was seeping forth along with dark tendrils of eldritch magic. She looked up at them with a determined but slightly demented glint in her eyes.

"Celestia and Luna have fallen and are now in the service of their King, doing anything and everything demanded of them." She stared at them to drive home her point. "Anything..." The pain showed in her eyes as she spoke further. "To make matters worse, this morning I received word that my own brother surrendered the Crystal Empire's Army to the invaders and that Cadence willingly submitted herself to them as well!"

"NO!" was the response from all but Spike, who had already heard the horrible news. Twilight nodded, then bowed her head.

"I hope you all now understand that I did not come to this decision lightly." She gazed at the box for a moment, then back at them. "The book contained inside this dybbuk has been hidden for centuries, and for good reason: the spells written within are of the darkest magic, and, under any other circumstances, would merit the only use of capital punishment Equestria still requires if anypony was caught using them." At this, there was a collective gasp.

"Ah...Ah didn't know...we evah kilt somepony fer any crime!" breathed Applejack.

Twilight grimly nodded. "We haven't done so since the Founding. Even Tirek, for all that he did, did not merit such." She fixed her gaze around at them. "That should give you all an idea of how serious this is."

Fluttershy timidly raised her hand. "Um...since you mentioned...Tirek...that reminded me...what if I tried talking to Discord again? If you don't mind my asking, that is..."

They all turned to her with a scowl, which made her shrink back into her throne. "YOU know why he won't help us! He's the God of Chaos! He thinks this is "the most interesting thing to happen to this world!" his words! To him, it's all one big joke!" snarled Twilight. "Remind me again: what was it he only offered to YOU?!"

In a small voice, the yellow pegasus said, "...he...he said he'd take m...me away, but nopony else..."

Twilight pressed her relentlessly. "And what did he do when you told him 'no?'"

Tears began to stream down her face. "...he...grinned...and said...said...that it didn't matter anyway, because all of this," she gestured around the room, "...is just one multiverse...there are countless others..."

"...and...?"

But this time, Fluttershy shook her head and refused to say more, just gazed sadly at her own hands.

Twilight looked around the group and finished for her. "He told her that she's not even his 'favorite' Fluttershy," and here she held up her hand and spread her fingers, "...because his Fluttershy has hooves." All other faces went pale, thinking about the cosmic implications. Rainbow, who was sitting next to her, reached out and patted her back, but Fluttershy kept silent.

Twilight sat heavily down with an air of finality. "So you see? To him, we're all just one version of infinite Equestrias! Why should he care?" She raised her voice to the ceiling. "I hope you're watching us, you bastard! I hope you get a big laugh out of what we're going through!!" Then, she stared at the dybbuk, watching the glowing tendrils morph and twist into their grotesque forms. After some minutes, a quiet voice asked, "What...what do we do?"

Instead of answering, the Alicorn lit her horn...and opened the box.

"Ah...Ah caint! Ah cain't do this!" Applejack had backed herself into a corner with her eyes wide and staring and her chest heaving. "It ain't natural! Even if'n it werks, whut'll happen to our souls?!" She looked from face to face, desperately seeking support, but every other had already been convinced.

"It's the only way!" shouted Rainbow. She pointed back at the corpse. "Do you want that to be for nothing?! We can't take those monsters on one-on-one, or else I'd be the first to try! You know that, AJ!"

Twilight closed her eyes. "Applejack, I understand you're frightened. So am I. But in order for a spell such as this to work, it will take all of us! And we haven't even spoken to the rest of the Town yet! We need them as well!" But the farmer shook her head.

"Y'all will haveta do this without me! Ah knew we wuz messin' with sum dark magic, but Ah didn't know HOW dark! Ah. Jus'. CAIN'T!" With that, she turned, flung open the door, and fled.

Dash started to give chase, but she was held in a field by Twilight. "Let her go, Rainbow...it's...it is her decision." Twilight released her and sat back down on the cold floor. She stared at the bloody knife in her hand.. and then gently laid it next to the body of her Number One Assistant. Laying a hand on what was left of his head, she whispered, "Spike...I'll never forget you. I promise...when this is all over, no matter how much time it takes, I will find a way to bring you back..."

Then she leaned down, and gave his cheek a sweet kiss.

Over in a corner, the white unicorn was sobbing inconsolably. Fluttershy and Pinkie were kneeling next to her as the pegasus slowly rubbed her back. "If...if only she'd allowed me to give...give him...one...hour of...of...pleasure..." She held her face in her hands and broke into fresh tears. "I was such a fool..." she whispered.

Fluttershy tried. After exchanging a look with Pinkie, she said, "He knew how you felt, Rarity...that's all that really matters..."

She glared at her. "No, it doesn't!! I kept him at arm's length for years, just...play...playing with his...heart." She looked away again. "...I'm such a disgusting, heartless bitch...I deserve the Caribou..."

"Don't say that! Nopony deserves the Caribou!" cried Pinkie. She gently took her by the chin and turned her to face her. "You dishonor his sacrifice by thinking like this, Rarity."

Rarity stared back at her, then dropped her eyes and slowly nodded. She wiped her face on her sleeve, firmed her chin, then stood.

"You are correct, my friends." She looked over at Spike's remains, allowed a single jolt of pain to appear on her face, and then said, "Let's finish what we've started! For Spike!"

As the rest scoured the Town and gathered up all the residents, Rarity sat with her busty little sister in her home to take a few precious moments and explain the situation to her...and to tell her what had happened to Spike. Sweetie Belle's hands flew to her mouth as her eyes filled with tears. "S...Spike? He's...gone?" Rarity nodded sadly. "Oh...oh no...Spike..." wept the younger unicorn as she held her sister, and they both cried for some minutes.

Rarity eventually drew back, sniffed, and said, "...and the worst part, for me at least, is I never was able to make up for leading him on all these years...there just wasn't time."

At this, Sweetie lowered her hands, stared up at her, and sat back. "W...wait. What? What the hell are you talking about?"

Rarity startled and looked at her with her eyebrows raised. "Sweetie Belle! Now is not the time! I was trying to tell you how sorry I am for not giving Spike what he truly wanted...namely, myself." Then Sweetie did the last thing Rarity expected: she laughed. Rarity's cheeks burned hot. "This is completely inappropriate, young lady! How can you possibly find humor in all of this?!"

Sweetie wiped a tear from her eyes and managed, "Big Sis...Spike and I have been dating for the past year! How did you miss it?! And, judging by the way he pounded me until my eyes were crossed and I could hardly walk straight and made me suck his cock until those big balls of his were empty, I believe it's safe to say he'd gotten over you!" Oblivious to her sister's shocked expression, Sweetie gazed off dreamily into the distance and moaned, "Mmmm...that dragon cock was amazing..."

Applejack sat at her kitchen table, shakily holding a cup of hard cider while her family sat around her. Her expression was fixed into space in a 'thousand-yard' stare as her little sister, grandmother, and big brother exchanged worried looks. After trying again to take a sip (and spilling most of it), she whispered, "...ah ain't evah gonna git that sight outta mah mind...whut Twilight did ta Spike...an whut come outta that evil box when she did...nevah..."

They all remained silent until Granny spoke up. "Child, that gal has opened up some ancient magic that Ah only heard about from mah great-granny. An' from whut Ah hear about these Caribou, it might be the only way to fight 'em..."

Applejack startled and looked at her. "Granny! Whut are you sayin'?! I dun told you: whut Ah saw wuz pure EVIL!" But the matriarch shook her head.

"No, hunny...it weren't." She turned and stared out the window at the setting Sun, then sighed. "Them's forces in this world that git called on by the desperate, and that's only in time of greatest need." She looked back at her granddaughter. "An' they always demands a heavy price." She pointed at Apple Bloom. "Them Caribou are gonna rape her 'til her mind breaks, or if'n she fights 'em, they'll kill her." She looked up at her grandson. "If'n he don't go along wif 'em, they'll do terrible thangs to him, and then they'll kill him..." She placed her hand on her own heart. "They ain't got no use fer somepony as old as me, so Ah ain't gonna survive this no matter whut." She reached over, took the cup from her, then took both of her hands in hers. "Ah ain't so old Ah don't know whut's bin happenin'. Ah know the Princesses are beaten. Ah know them bastards are on their way here. We only gots two choices: let 'em do whut they want to us, or do whut Twilight sez." She gazed around at her grandchildren, and her eyes were deep wells of anguish. "Ah'd rather die a thousand painful deaths than have you all suffer one second of the things they'll do to you."

Applejack stared back at her, then broke into tears. "You...you're right, Granny! Ah'll do—" but she suddenly stopped and pricked up her ears, then looked toward the window. Her eyes grew round as her voice quavered, "Y...y'all hear that?"

Mac went to the window and looked out, then they saw his face lose color. He looked back at them.

"Run..."

The entire population of Ponyville was gathered in the Town Square as Twilight and her friends stood in the middle, and she held up a box. Her arms were bloody up to her elbows, and there were markings carved into her flesh, which gave her an otherworldly appearance and had made the task of convincing them all considerably easier. The herd was mostly mares, though some males, like Mr. Cake, Filthy Rich, and surprisingly, Caramel (the Town's self-appointed 'stud muffin,' whom everypony thought would be the first to join the Caribou) stood there. Each of them had a drop of dragon blood marked on their foreheads as they stood listening to Twilight's dire instructions.

"Citizens of Ponyville, hear me!" She used her magic to keep the dybbuk suspended as she pointed. "The Enemy is on their way and will be here within the hour! We have very little time!" She gazed at each of their faces in turn, noting the fear she saw. "I realize this is...horrible, and beyond anything you all have ever heard me tell you...but I had no choice!" She looked at her friends. "In order to guarantee this spell to work, I needed all of the Elements of Harmony, but sadly, one of my friends could not go through with this." She held aloft the necklace for the Element of Honesty. "Who will take her place?!" There was murmuring and a shuffling of feet as they all exchanged worried glances with one another, and then a voice asked, "Does...it have to be...a mare?" All turned to look at the one who had spoken.

"Car...Caramel?" asked Twilight. "You...think you can be...the Element of Honesty?"

He nodded as he stepped forward. "I've kept it secret, but...I AM an Apple. Applejack and her family are my first cousins." There was an incredulous gasp from the assembled, but he ignored it. "This is why I'm here: I don't want to see the Caribou destroy Equestria and rape all of you mares against your will." He looked around. "I know you all think I'm a scumbag, always chasing after you and never settling down, but if you'll all remember, I never tried to date any of you at the same time, and I never lied to you about my intentions." Many mares' faces went red as he spoke, and many dropped their eyes in shame. He turned back to Twilight. "So, yes, I am a "ladies' man," but I'm an honest one. As honest as any in my Family."

Twilight stared at him as a single tear slipped down her cheek. "I'm...sorry I doubted you." She held out the Necklace. "You would honor us..." But, before he could take it, there was a disturbance from the back of the crowd. All moved aside to allow a bloody, blonde Earth pony to make her way forward, followed by a shivering, weeping, redhead.

With her arms around her catatonic sister, Applejack stopped in front of Twilight. The look on her face made Twilight and all the other Bearers step back in fear. With her teeth clenched and her eyes blazing, Applejack snarled, "Whatever Ah have to do...however long it takes...Ah am gonna make them PAY fer whut they've done!!"