Friendship is Power: The Nightmare Returns

by Aiyonbeam

Rating: teen
Tags: My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Alternate Universe, Doctor Whooves, Princess Luna, Octavia, Cutie Mark Crusaders, Random, Adventure, DJ P0N-3, Human, Gore
Length: 98429

When a freak magical mishap occurs during the Summer Sun Celebration, Ponyville - no, all of Equestria - will change forever!

After a meteor changes all of Equestria forever and releases something long considered destroyed, the new Mane Six will have to stop it.

Takes place in between 'Spike at Your Service' and 'Keep Calm and Flutter On'.
Cover image by Evil-Within-Me at DeviantArt.com!

Published 2012-12-11 01:20:01 UTC
Last updated 2013-10-09 04:40:14 UTC

Chapter 2: Waking Up

Vinyl

I woke up at the bottom of a hill. My head was pounding...

Ugh...What happened? My head...

Something was wrong. Something big. I couldn't put my finger on-
Wait, what?
Finger? What was a finger, and why did I just think about them? Them? How did I know there were more than one fingers on each hand...Wait.
Hand!? What was going on here? I got to my hooves, head feeling like it was splitting open, it was hurting so hard. I put my face in my hoof...
And screamed.
What in Equestria were these! My hooves had changed! There were long, stubby...things poking out of the tip of my right hoof! there were four long ones near the...top...of them? And one shorter one poking off from the right side of my hoof! I tried to move them. They wiggled. For some reason, my hind legs were much longer than my front ones.
This was a dream. This was a firework mishap fueled dream, and-
The fireworks! The meteor! The explosion! I remembered it now. We'd ran down the hill, and there was a big flash of light... That must have been the reason for these...things on my hooves. What were they? Somehow, the word 'fingers' came to mind. Were these fingers? I started to feel dizzy. The world was swaying around me, and I fell to the grass. The grass felt weird somehow, like it was...darker. It was a darker green, and much longer and more coarse than I remembered. Somehow, I didn't think it was edible anymore. I felt the dirt. It'd changed too. It was harder.

It looks like this change has affected more than just me. Speaking of...

I looked over at Time Turner, laying beside me...
And screamed again.
He was different. He had these...hands...as well, and he was laying on the ground, his...arms...and legs spread out. How did I know these words? How did I know what they meant? How in Equestria did they get there? Why wasn't Time Turner brown? And where were his wings?
Where was my horn?
Well, it seemed that this dream had just taken a turn for the worse.
I got to my hooves again, and looked around me.
And screamed. Again.
There was...Octavia? She looked different. She wasn't grey any more, and her mane had changed. I felt for my mane. It wasn't just a strip of fur down the back of my head, it was all over the back of my head! I looked at Time Turner. His mane had changed too. It was still brown and short, but it looked different somehow.
I tried walking on my hind legs. I could do it fine, after a few minutes of falling down.
Then I remembered the little girls. I looked over to them.
This time, I didn't scream.

Well, at least I'm getting better at keeping my cool.

They'd changed as well. Their manes, their hooves, everything. The orange one that had told me about the fireworks wasn't orange any more. We were all the same color, a strange shade of pink, and - Scootaloo, that was her name - Didn't have wings either. I checked another one of the girls - Sweetie Belle - a unicorn. She had no horn. Octavia and the third girl, Applebloom, were Earth Ponies and didn't change in that regard, as far as I could tell without disturbing them. There was something strange about the girls, though. I couldn't quite place it... Taller. That was it. They were as tall as me, Time Turner, and Octavia, even though we were years older than them.
Well, there was no use standing around here. I decided to go into town to talk Twilight or Trixie or the princess, if she was here. I needed to know if they'd changed too. I needed answers. I was about to head towards town when Time Turner stirred.

"My head...What happened?"

He looked up at me. Then at my hands. Then at his hands. Then back at my hands. Then at his legs. Then at my legs. Then at my head. Then at my flank.
Then he fainted.
Octavia woke up while I was waiting for him to come to. She just stared in shock at everything. Didn't say a word, didn't make a sound.
We just sat there, my mind filling with strange new words: 'feet,' 'ankles,' 'hair,' 'wrists,' 'elbows,' 'knees'...

Later

"What in Equestria is going on?" Time Turner asked, for probably the hundredth time. Octavia stayed silent. She hadn't spoken since she woke up.

"Look. If I knew anything about what's going on, I'd tell you. Obviously, I'm just as lost as you."

"Should we wake the girls?" he asked.

"I don't know if we should disturb them. Besides, we need to find out what's going on."

"Well, we can't just leave them there." he insisted.

"Look, they'd just slow us down. Let's go into town and talk to Twilight. She might know what happened."

"I'm not going to leave them."

"Let's go!" I snapped.

"I'm staying!" he replied.

"Shut up, both of you!"

We both turned to see Octavia standing there, arms on her flanks.

"You're going to wake them if you keep arguing like that. Vinyl, if you think they'll slow you down that much, just levitate them with your magic. now, let's head into town."

"I'm not sure if you've noticed, Octavia, but I don't have a horn anymore."

At this, Time Turner looked at my head.

"That's right, you don't! Wait..."

He checked where his wings were.

"They're gone! My wings!"

"Yeah, they're gone. Same for her." I said, gesturing towards Scootaloo with one of my long 'fingers.'

"Well, that's gotta suck." Octavia said.

Not really. I hardly used my magic anyway.

"I don't care for flying." Time Turner said. "Besides, everywhere I usually have to go is within walking distance."

"Well, I haven't changed, besides this whole thing." Octavia said. "Say, Time Turner, what's around your ankles?"

We all looked, and we found two metal bands wrapped around Time Turner's ankles. They were made of a brown metal, and they had a yellow crystal in the center of them.

"It's weird...I can't take them off, and it feels like - It feels like they've been there for years." he said.

"Is that a necklace, Vinyl?" Octavia asked.

There was something around my neck. It was a necklace, a shard of crystal on a gold chain. It was too small to fit around my head, and It didn't have a latch.

"That's odd. I can't take this off either." I said.

It feels...familiar. It feels like - It feels like my horn! I wonder...

I tried a simple levitation spell on a nearby rock. To my surprise, it moved! It looked exactly the same is If I'd used my horn to levitate it.

"That crystal! It's glowing!"

I looked down to see the crystal on the necklace had started to glow a light blue, just like my horn when I was using magic. I put the rock down, and the crystal returned to normal.

"I guess you still have your horn." Time Turner said. "Wait, does this mean-"

He stood up and closed his eyes, concentrating. To our amazement, he started floating! The jewels in the bands around his ankles began to glow, and he opened his eyes.

"I guess these are my new wings." He said, shocked and amazed.

In the excitement, we'd forgotten about the girls. We were quickly reminded about the three of them when Sweeite Belle screamed.
The other two woke up, and started looking around in shock and fear. Sweetie Belle wouldn't stop crying.

"It's okay, Sweetie Belle. We're fine!" I said, in what I hoped was a calming tone.

"What's going on!?" Scootaloo asked, eyes wide as plates.

Time Turner managed to calm Sweetie Belle down, and she stopped crying.

"I don't know, sweetie, but we're going to find out." Octavia reassured her. "Let's go."

The girls got to their feet rather unsteadily and walked with us to town.

Twilight

I could not believe his was happening. Could. Not. Believe it. All had gone well, for once, and I had just finished talking with the princess after the celebration when a colossal flash of light emanated from a hill on the eastern edge of the town. I was blinded and thrown to the floor of my library, and everything went black.
When I woke up, I had changed into something strange. My mane altered, my hooves changed, and my cutie mark nowhere to be seen, I calmed myself down and tried to get my bearings, taking stock of my new condition. Two front legs. Two longer back legs, with flat things on the bottom. Feet. The words just popped into my head the second I looked at them. Maybe I was supposed to stand on my hind legs? I tried it. I was shaky, but I managed to stay upright. It felt a lot more natural standing on my hind legs, though it felt like I could fall over at any moment.

How in Equestria does Spike manage to keep his balance just standing on his back legs? This is hard!

Thankfully, I could reach a lot of shelves from where I stood, and I used them to help me get around until I felt I could stand on my own. I had to admit, these changes did make it a bit easier to get around than walking on four hooves. I was taller, too. If I wanted to leave the library, I had to duck to fit through. But I didn't want to leave yet. I needed to find something, anything, to tell me what had happened to me. I could reach a lot of shelves that I hadn't been able to reach before.

Note to self: Stand on hind legs more often after I manage to change back.

I gathered some books on transformation spells, and sat down to read. I noted that these new appendages - the word 'hands' sprang to mind - were good at picking up and holding objects, much better than hooves, in fact. I didn't even have to use magic to-
Magic. I checked my head. No horn. Nothing.
I lost it then.

"My horn! Where's my horn? How can I change myself back if I can't use magic? Am I going to be stuck like this forever? This can't be happening! My horn! It's gone! MY HORN!"

I flung myself on the floor, nearly bursting into tears at the thought of no longer using magic. Magic. The thing that I'd studied long and hard, even before the princess sent me here to study friendship-
Friendship! Maybe my friends could help me get my horn back! Maybe they could help me change back into a pony! Wait...Maybe they'd changed too! I scolded myself for being so selfish. I thought of what they must be going through.

I have to help them before it's too late.

I ducked out the door to go find my friends.

Pinkie Pie

I don't really get it.
I was just sitting there, eating some muffins, when BOOM! I'm not a pony! I'm a 'human,' whatever those are.
The Rarity fairies visit me in my sleep, I guess, cause I'm wearing clothes when I wake up.
I know a lot more words though. Elbows, knees, feet, hands, fingers, toes - It's a lot to take in. So I take a nap. When I wake up again, Twilight's there.

"Hi, Twilight!"

"Oh, Pinkie Pie. You're awake. Good. Do you have any idea what's happening?"

"Nope. It's kinda cool, though. I'm taller. Or everything else is shorter. I can't decide. Oh, where are my manners? Muffin?"

I offer Twilight a muffin, and she declines.

"Now's not the time for food, Pinkie Pie. Do you know where the others are?"

"Well, Rarity's in her boutique getting some beauty sleep, and Rainbow Dash is up in her cloud house. other than that, nope."

"Thanks. We should go see Rarity first."

"Alrighty, then. Let me finish this muffin, and we'll be on our way."

I ate the rest of my muffin, and we headed over to the Carousel Boutique to talk to Rarity.
When we get there, she's sleeping on a divan near her sewing machine. She's human too. We decide not to wake her, and we head back to Twilight's to get her balloon.

"I think we have a problem." Twilight says, looking at the basket, barely higher than her knees.

"Oh, don't worry. Just because the balloon's a little too small for us doesn't mean we can't get up to Dash's place!" I say. "We'll bounce our way up there! Let me get my extra big trampoline!"

So we bounce up through the floor of Dash's bedroom, but she isn't there. Whenever our heads poke into her house, we hear a faint noise coming from the bathroom. It sounds like-

"Dash, are you okay? Are you crying?" Twilight asks.

"Go away! I wanna be alone right now!" She yells.

"Rainbow? What's wrong?" I ask. "Are you sad about being human?"

"Just-Just leave me alone!" She yells, sobbing.

"What could get Rainbow Dash so down in the dumps?" I ask as we make our way to Fluttershy's cottage.

"I don't know, but it must be something serious." Twilight answers.

As we approach Fluttershy's place, we hear singing from inside.
When we open the door, we see Fluttershy twirling around in the middle of her cottage, birds perched on her head and arms, their talons hooked in her clothes.

"Hi, Fluttershy." Twilight says cheerfully.

"Oh, hey, Twilight, Pinkie Pie. Don't you just love this? I can play a lot more with my animal friends now that I'm a -a,- a-"

"Human?" I suggest.

"Yes, thanks. A human."

"Do you know what happened?" Twilight asks.

"No. One moment, I'm in the meadow, helping my bunny friends gather carrots, and the next, I'm a human, and I can reach the bird's nests, and I can hold the baby bunnies, and the baby chicks, and the little squirrels, and I can help them grow even more now!"

"Well, I'm very happy for you." Twilight says with a smile. "But do you know where we can find Applejack?"

"Oh, I wouldn't go looking for Applejack right now," Fluttershy warns us. "She came by earlier. She was really mad. She scared the little creatures with her yelling about not being able to harvest the apple trees, and she left to find you two." Fluttershy says.

"Well, thank you for the information." Twilight says. We leave, and start looking around for Applejack. As we walk around town, some of the sleeping people start waking up. Some of them start crying, some of them are silent, and some of them take it in stride. They eventually start to follow us over to town hall, where we see Rainbow Dash laying on a rain cloud, her sleeves wet with tears.
I get onto the roof of one of the nearby buildings, and sit within speaking distance of her.

"What's wrong, Rainbow Dash?"

"I-it's my wings! They're gone!" she sobs. "I was fine with this whole thing until I looked in the mirror this morning, and my wings were just gone!

All the pegasi that had followed us check their backs too, and find that their wings have disappeared.
Some of them cry, some of them just stand there, and some of them faint.

"How am I gonna get into the Wonderbolts with no wings? How am I ever gonna race again? I can't fly! My wings are gone!"

Rainbow starts crying even harder, and the cloud starts raining lightly.
The unicorns that followed us here check their heads, and find no horns there. There's this big hullabaloo in the square, with crying former unicorns and weeping former pegasi and earth ponies doing everything from sobbing to shrugging and saying "Oh well."
Twilight gets on the poduim, and calls for order.

"Attention. Attention!"

The crowd quiets down.

"I know that we all have been drastically affected by this strange disaster, but we need to calm down and be rational about this. These changes are strange and new, to be sure, but we can all agree that we need to reverse them."

The crowd agrees enthusiastically.

"Let's change back!" says one pegasus.

"Hear, hear!" say a couple of unicorns.

"It's not that bad!" a voice rings out.

"Shut up, Lyra!" three others reply.

"Please! Quiet down, everybody!" Twilight yells. The square comes to order again, as all eyes are on me and Twilight.

"Now, for the time being, we need to help the rest of Ponyville adapt to this change." she says, and starts organizing the former ponies.

"Cheerilee, Mr. Cake, and Thunderlane, your job is to wake up the rest of the town and help them get used to being..."

"Human." I say.

Why does nobody want to say the word human around here?

"Human, yes. Thank you, Pinkie Pie."

"The rest of us will try to find workarounds for the loss of our wings and magic." She announces.

"Hold on a second!" A voice yells.

We all turn to see my friend Vinyl, along with the Cutie Mark Crusaders and two other ponies, step onto the platform.

"Why's everybody so sad?" asks Applebloom.

"Why?" Rainbow Dash yells angrily. "Why!?" "Our lives are ruined, that's why! We've lost our horns and our wings! We can't do anything!"

A voice shouts "Honestly, it's actually kinda fun being huma-"

"Shut up, Lyra!" three people yell.

"Well, it seems to me," Vinyl says, stepping up to the podium, "That you're making a big fuss over nothing."

"Nothing? Nothing!?" Rainbow Dash jumps off of her cloud and runs at Vinyl. "I'll show you nothing!"

Vinyl looks at Dash and stops her with magic, her necklace glowing.

"Yes. Nothing. Have any of you even tried to use magic or fly? Look!" she says, holding the crystal on her necklace. Twilight looks at her neck, then at Vinyl, then gets this overjoyed look on her face, and starts jumping up and down.

"Our skills aren't gone, they've just changed, is all. Show them, Time Turner."

Time turner closes his eyes, and starts floating. He hovers over to Rainbow Dash, still stuck in the air due to Vinyl's magic.

"Rainbow Dash, there's no need to be so upset." he says. "You can still fly, even if you'll have to learn all over again."

"Unicorns have these," Vinyl says, holding her crystal triumphantly, "and pegasi have those anklets. Now, let's all try to fix this mess as soon as possible so things can return to normal."

Twilight calms down, and steps up to the podium again. She's just about to say something when she gets pale and a worried look crosses her face.

"Oh my goodness! I just remembered!" Twilight gasps. "Where's the princess?"

We all look around for Princess Celestia.

"I think she was just barely starting her flight back to Canterlot when the flash hit." Vinyl says. "She might be on the outskirts of town."

"Don't anybody worry. I found her a while back. She's resting back at Twilight's, and Spike's taking care of her." A voice says. We all turn to see Applejack, with this half-crazed look on her face, walking towards the platform we're standing on.

"Now, if'n you don't mind, kindly point me in the direction of whoever's responsible for this, and get ready to clean up whatever's left of 'em, after I get them to reverse this spell, or whatever it is that's happened to us."

"Calm down, Applejack. We're trying our best to get things organized and find whoever or whatever's caused this catastrophe." Twilight assures her. "Now, has anyone seen Trixie?"

Trixie

Trixie woke up in a wooden house. Her head was pounding. What had happened to Trixie? How did she end up here? How was she going to get out? Instinctively, she felt for her horn, source of her magic, her wealth, and her pride.
It was gone. gone.
Her world was crashing around her. With no horn, how could she make a living? With no horn, how could she use magic?
With no horn, how was she Trixie?

"No! Trixie's horn!" "This can't be happening!" Trixie said, bolting upright. She was so heartbroken that she hardly noticed the masks hanging from the walls, the bottles and pouches sitting on shelves, and the rather large cauldron sitting in the middle of the little one-room cottage.

Trixie's a- geez, now I'm even starting to think in the third person - I'm a unicorn with no horn. If this is some sort of dream, I want to wake up. Now.

"These changes are very tragic, to be sure, but I'm working hard to find a cure." A voice said from the shadows.

Trixie looked to see that Zecora lady step out of the shadows towards her. She was human too.

"How did Trixie - oh, who cares anymore!.. - how did I get here? Where did you find me?"

"That must have been quite the blast, for when I found you, you were fading fast." she answered. "I found you near the edge of the wood, and brought you back as fast as I could."

"Well, thank you." I said.

"You should rest and have some stew. We're going to Ponyville in an hour or two." she said, handing me a bowl of soup.

"Do we have to go now?" I asked. "It can't be just the two of us that have changed, so why not wait a bit until they've adjusted to being human?"

"Why should we wait until they've adjusted? Do you fear you won't be trusted?"

"I guess." I said, frowning into my soup. "After all, I did cause this whole disaster."

"If that is what you truly fear, then we will wait a while or so here." She said. "If a couple of weeks we stayed, they'd be less mad about the mistake you've made. Besides, I need you to pick up the slack and help me try to change us back."

"Oh, I'll help you." I said. "And, Zecora, thank you. For everything. For taking me in, for giving me food. I hardly even know you, and the one time I saw you - well, you know. So thanks."

"It is a pleasure; new friends are a treasure."

"Do you always have to rhyme?" I asked. She nodded.

"Well, let's get started then." I said, standing up. "What do you want to try first?"

Author's Note

This is still a work in progress, so feel free to add criticism, comments, and questions if you see something I can make better.
Hope you enjoyed the first two chapters. The second one was kind of rushed, so it's not as good as the first one in my opinion.
Also: Screw tenses, she's Pinkie Pie.

EDIT: EDIT:ED

Chapter 3: A New Ponyville

Sweetie Belle

Dear Diary,
It's been three days since we all turned human, and the town's starting to adjust, but it's slow going.
At least I've learned all the new words. No more being confused about 'toes' and 'fingers.' Princess Celestia has rallied the people of Ponyville together, and with her help, we've made everything human-sized. The mayor's decided that even though we weren't ponies anymore, we should still call the town Ponyville, in order to "remind us what we were and what we are striving to regain."

Honestly, it wasn't too difficult to get used to, but then again, I'm told it differs from person to person. There are still some people walking on their arms and legs, in denial of the change. Rarity's upstairs in the Sewing Room trying to make dresses and suits that fit humans instead of ponies. Applejack stayed livid all through day two of the change, up until Big Macintosh found out that when we curl all our fingers together into a fist, our arms are just as strong as our hind legs when it comes to harvesting apples. She and Applebloom insist that it's unnatural, but until they find a better way, punching the trees will have to do. Fluttershy was ecstatic at first, but she's mellowed down after a day or two. She isn't quite as guarded or timid as before, though. I think this change might be really good for her self-esteem. I haven't seen Rainbow Dash or Scootaloo since we told Ponyville about the anklets and necklaces, but I heard from Blossomforth that they've been busy relearning how to fly, and need an open space for practice, so they might've gone off to the desert. Twilight hasn't come out of her library since day one, and Spike comes out occasionally to get food and other supplies, and when people ask him about what Twilight's doing in there, he just says "She's thinking" and leaves it at that. Pinkie Pie has taken the whole thing in stride and with a big grin on her face. She says that there are a lot of new things she can do now that she's human.

As it turns out, this problem wasn't isolated to just Ponyville. All the ponies in Equestria - and Spike - have turned human, but the griffons, manticores, dragons, and other creatures haven't changed.
However, these new human bodies aren't as good for self defense as our old pony ones, and the other creatures are a lot more aggressive than usual - to the point of attacking the town a couple times - so the princess has told us all that we need to use other things besides just our hands and feet to defend ourselves, like the people over in Saddle Arabia and Las Pegasus have started doing.

Every day people are coming into the new armory that Princess Celestia's helped build, and they've been leaving with things like daggers and bows - simple things that can be carried easily - and we've been encouraged to train often in using them. The princess says she wants everyone in Ponyville good with one weapon before fall.
I haven't gone to the armory - Rarity says she doesn't want me going in there yet - but I've heard from Twist and some of the others at school that it's kinda creepy, all dark and filled with weapons and armor. Fluttershy won't even go into town square now because of it, let alone get a weapon from there. She says that if something bad happens, she wouldn't be fighting, even if she had a weapon, so it wouldn't be any use to get one and train with it.
Rarity said she'll take me weapon shopping sometime, though. It sounds weird just writing that down. I never thought that Ponyville would become a place where we'd need to use swords and spears and and shields.
Pinkie Pie says that once Twilight decides to come out of her tree, her and the rest of the gang are going in together to help each other pick out a weapon that fits them best. Applebloom's going with Applejack, and Scootaloo will be tagging along. Who knows? Maybe we'll be Cutie Mark Crusader Town Defenders.

It's kinda disorienting not having to look up to talk to people any more since we're all roughly the same height now. A lot of people have started to say that staying human might not be so bad, but I disagree. One good thing has come out of this, though; all of our cutie marks are gone, even the adults' so nobody's being picked on any more for being a blank flank. Me, Scootaloo, and Applebloom are still crusading to find ours, though. You never know. Maybe the reason that the others don't have them as humans is because they had them as ponies.

Well, Rarity's coming downstairs. Gotta go.

Applejack

The last two days have been an ordeal. First, there was the whole changin' into humans, then the creatures started to go...wrong - darker, more fierce, and crazy. Fluttershy's had her hands full trying to keep all her critters in line, and don't even get me started on the Everfree Forest.

We'd just gotten started on adjusting ponyville with Celestia's help when a black bear charged Lyra and Bon Bon. A bear wouldn't have even set foot in Ponyville before the change, let alone charge right down Main Street like that. They would've been goners if Celestia hadn't stopped it with some sort of weapon. She called it a 'katana.' The bear didn't go away when Celestia fought it. It just kept trying to get at her. She had no choice but to - you know. It's a good thing Fluttershy wasn't there. You know how she gets when animals - even evil, dark animals - get hurt, or worse. But, as soon as she struck it down, it disappeared in this cloud of black smoke. She explained that Luna'd taken a few katanas back with her from Saddle Arabia - if I remember correctly, they were at war with another country when the change happened - where they were "taking things quite well." The Saddle Arabians were different than normal folk, even when we weren't human, so it's not too big of a surprise to find out that they'd adjusted much faster than us Equestrians.

The day after that, a flock of birds went crazy and started swooping down and gashing at me and my family while we were trying to harvest the apples. We were prepared, though. We managed to drive 'em off by throwing rocks, sticks, even apples - the rotten ones - to get them to go away. Applebloom'd been hurt, and we'd had to rush her to the hospital. She should be out by Friday, but she has to take it easy for a few days after that.

Celestia helped build this 'armory' out of stone and brick in the town square. She assigned Lyra to make weapons and armor, seeing as how the unicorn seems to be a natural as a human. Lyra somehow got Bon Bon and Blossomforth to help her out, and they've been working nonstop to make weapons for the whole town. I wanted to go in and get somethin' right away, but Pinkie Pie and Rarity said we should wait for Twilight so we can go as a group. Besides, I'd promised to take Applebloom in to get a weapon as soon as she got better. Applebloom's been restless, switching back and forth between thinkin' of ways to fight back against any future attacks on the farm and talkin' with her friends.

Speakin' of friends, her friend Scootaloo's been hangin' out with Rainbow Dash over in the plains between here and Canterlot, learnin' how to fly while Dash relearns the basics. Twilight's been locked up in that library of hers ever since the bear attacked, and according to Spike, she's been "studying and thinking of a solution to this whole thing." Pinkie Pie's been helpin' the cakes along with baking and being human. That girl is a natural when it comes to change. She's adjusted almost as fast as Lyra did, if not faster, and she's been tryin' out recipe after recipe, seeing what's changed now that she's a human. Fluttershy's almost at her wit's end dealing with her animals. The only one of her little critters that hasn't been actin' up is Angel, and he's been hidin' from the other animals most of the times I've seen him. All the other times, he's been gatherin' herbs and other things for Fluttershy, tryin' to find a cure for what's been makin' the animals go crazy. Rarity's been locked up in her boutique, though for different reasons than Twilight. She's had a burst of inspiration, and she's been sewin' up a storm, making 'the latest fashions for humans.' Sweetie Belle's the only one who's seen her or her new dresses, and she says they're just as good as the ones that she'd made for ponies, if not better.

Bic Macintosh's been hard at work trying to find ways to harvest the trees. For now, we just curl up all our fingers and punch them - it's kinda like buckin', but with your front legs - but it's just not the same. It doesn't have the power, the energy; it just doesn't feel right.

One Month Later

It was day 35 of the change. Me and Applebloom were busy tryin' to punch the apples out of a tree in the south orchard when we heard a voice.

"Applejack! Come quick. I need you to help gather the rest of the girls and meet me on the hill where the comet crashed. I think I know a way to fix things."

Rainbow Dash

Okay, let's see here. Concentrate, and...

I closed my eyes, concentrating. The familiar sensation of the anklets' power began in my feet, then spread up through my legs, eventually encompassing me completely. It felt a lot like flapping my wings in preparation for a flight. I opened my eyes and looked down to see the tips of my toes floating a few inches off the ground.

If Time Turner can learn to hover in one day, you can get back to where you were in a month.

After a few days of trying random things, I'd made a list of things to try to help me get flying as a human down. It was Scootaloo's idea. She'd made several idea lists for getting her cutie mark along with her friends. I'd tried willing myself through the air, with feeble results. I'd tried imagining myself soaring through the sky, with slightly better results. This time I was going to try imaging that I still had wings, and mentally flapping them.
As I rose up into the air, Scootaloo rose with me.

"You're trying Method #3 too?" I asked.

"Yep. If it works for you, it's gonna work for me." she answered, determination in her voice.

I had to hand it to her. The little tyke - I could hardly call her little now, seeing as she was just an inch or so shorter than me - had really shown her mettle in the past week and a few days, picking up pretty quickly, despite only having managed a low hover when she was still a pony. We were in a field somewhere in between Ponyville and Canterlot. We'd already had our daily cloud manipulation practice - at least that hadn't changed much - and now we were trying to fly better.

I'd already made it to Cloudsdale and back without falling, which was an impressive feat for my third week of flying, and they were doing their best to move on and adjust. Lightning Dust, my friend from the Wonderbolt Academy, had been grounded, so to speak, in Cloudsdale after the change, having been visiting friends at the time, and she was a completely different person when I met her. She looked...lost. Like the only thing that made her who she was had been removed. I imagine that's how I looked when I first discovered that my wings had changed. I'd told her about what the anklets could do, and that brightened her up considerably. When she heard that I'd flown all the way there on my third day of flying, her eyes narrowed and a smile crossed her face.

"I guess I'll have to push myself extra hard to try and beat you." she'd said.

"As if!" I'd quipped. "I bet I'll be able to fly better than you after a week!"

"Oh, if that's the way you wanna play, then I'm game." She'd replied. "Meet me in the fields in a week. Bring your A-game, or prepare to be outflown."

Since then, I'd trained constantly, giving Scootaloo long and complicated cloud manipulating exercises in the meantime to keep her out of the way. Even with her learning curve, all she could manage was a really high jump, so I'd had her make platforms out of clouds and then use them to get around. It was a sight to see, Scootaloo jumping around from cloud to cloud like that.

I took off with a whoosh, feeling once again the freedom of being in the air. This method, mentally flapping nonexistent wings, felt a lot like back before the change, and it worked so much better than the other things I'd tried. Nothing could hold me down. Nothing could stop me. My 'wings' beating fast and hard, I flew forward as fast as I could go, feeling the wind whip through my hair, seeing the ground blur under me; I felt alive for the first time since the accident. I looked back to find that Scootaloo was getting the hang of the new method, and it was having similar results with her. She was actually flying, albeit a lot slower than me. There was something else, too. The rainbow trail that'd always accompanied me as a pegasus pony was there at long last, right where it belonged. A smile split my face. I was flying.

"Yo, kid, write this down; number three works much better than the first two." I yelled to Scootaloo.

She got out her notepad and scrawled something on it.

"Well, well, well. Nice to see you've got your air sense back." said a voice.

I turned to see Lightning Dust relaxing on a nearby cloud, a grin on her face.

"Lightning Dust!" I cried. "Long time no see. How've things been?"

"Oh, not bad. I've been practicing, and I might just be able to give you a run for your money." she said, that familiar glint forming in her eyes.

"Are we gonna go, or what?" I asked.

"I've been waiting for you to say that." she replied, floating down to the grass. I descended to join her. "We'll race to where your friend is." she said. Scootaloo made a thin line out of clouds, marking the finish.

"On your marks..." she said. "getsetgo!"

She took off like the wind, leaving me on the ground.

Oh no, you don't.

I took off like an arrow from a bow, catching up to her fast - but not fast enough. I needed extra speed. I conjured up my mental wings.

It's time to bring out the big guns.

I flapped my wings as hard as I possibly could, and was rewarded by the sight of Lightning getting bigger and closer. I was going fast enough to pass her now, but every time I tried, she moved in front of me, cutting me off.

At this rate, I won't be able to win. Think, Rainbow Dash, think!

I tried everything, flying high, then low, even stopping, and then putting on a huge burst of speed and trying to push past her, but nothing was working. She just stayed in front of me, blocking my vision and my path.

This must be how Scootaloo feels, trying to catch up to me.

I though about Scootaloo, trying her best to fly, but only managing to hop from cloud to-
Suddenly, inspiration struck. I grabbed a cloud as I zoomed through the sky, formed it into a solid disk - solid, but not rigid - angled it forward a bit, and threw it as far in front of me and Lightning Dust as I could. I started flying higher, and she rose up to block me, as I predicted. I flew higher still, and turned off my anklets, the gems in them fading back to a dull orange color, and my mental wings fading away.

Here goes nothing...

I dropped like a stone onto the disk of cloud, which acted like a trampoline, propelling me forward almost as fast as I was flying before. I activated my anklets, conjured up my wings, and added my own burst of speed to the mix. I couldn't see the look on Lightning Dust's face as I passed her, so I had to imagine it. It was priceless. I was going so fast I wouldn't have known I'd crossed the finish line if it wasn't for Scootaloo's cheering.

"Way to go, Rainbow Dash!" she yelled. "That was amazing!"

Lightning Dust crossed the finish line a few seconds later, coming to a stop and hovering in front of me.

"You only won because you used a cloud for help." she said.

"Well, you got a head start!" I shot back. "Besides, if you hadn't been blocking me the whole time, I wouldn't have needed to use a cloud."

"I guess you're right." she said, with a defeated look in her eyes. "I'm still gonna beat you someday, though."

"Oh, dream on."

"Well, it's nice to see you two are havin' fun." called a voice from the ground.

"Are we interrupting anything?" called another.

We both turned to see Pinkie Pie and Applejack standing next to Scootaloo.

"Twilight needs us back in Ponyville." Pinkie Pie said. "She says she's found a way to change us back."

"I'm really sorry, Lightning Dust, but I have to go help my friends." I said apologetically. "If this works, meet me back here and we'll race again."

I said goodbye to my friend, and started back towards Ponyville, Scootaloo flying behind me.

"What do you think Twilight's got in mind?" asked Applejack. "And how could we help? We can't use magic, except for rarity, and I don't think this problem can be solved by just two unicorns."

"Dunno." Pinkie Pie mused. "Maybe it has something to do with the Elements of Harmony. That'd explain why she'd need us to come and help."

Whatever it was, I was ready to help in any way I could. I don't leave my friends hanging. Ever. Elements or no Elements, I was going to help change Ponyville, and maybe all of Equestria, back to normal. Just thinking about having real wings again made me excited. I wanted to fly off right away, but I knew Applejack wouldn't let me. She'd say we have to stick together. She'd say we needed to stay as a group. She'd-

"Well?" Applejack asked, looking at me expectantly.

"Well what? I asked.

"Go on. Run off and get Fluttershy. Twilight's already off gettin' Rarity, so you just fly on ahead of us and get Fluttershy, and we'll meet up with you at the hill."

She didn't need to ask me twice. I flew off towards Fluttershy's cottage as fast as my wings could carry me.

"Are you gonna go after her?" I heard Applejack say as I zoomed off.

"Nah. I'm tired. Besides, I wanna catch up with you guys for a bit." answered Scootaloo.

I left them behind as I zoomed over to Fluttershy's to get her for whatever Twilight had in mind.

I hope this works. For my sake, and for Equestria, I hope this works.

Chapter End

Author's Note

So this is Chapter 3. The first two chapters were fueled by this big burst of inspiration I had, and it's dried up now. I'm trying to think of more ideas, but it's slow going.
As always, comment with questions, criticisms, and other things, and let me know how to make it better.
It's still a work in progress. This is one of a few exposition chapters where a lot gets told and explained but not a lot gets done, so I hope you'll bear with me.

EDIT: Turns out this one isn't all that horrid. I still made it better, though.

Chapter 4: Fixing EVERYTHING

Fluttershy

"Come on, little guy. You know you want some." I said, trying to feed one of the hedgehogs some soup I'd made with the herbs Angel Bunny had brought me yesterday. I'd managed to corner one of the little things near the door of the cottage, and after he'd tried to bite me several times, he'd calmed down and let me approach him. Ever since day two of this new life, my animal friends had gotten really mean and scary, but I wasn't going to give up. Not until I'd found a cure, some way to get them back to normal. They'd all tried to hurt me except Angel Bunny, who seemed immune to this whole thing.

Maybe it's because he was my first animal friend, and he's my pet.

At any rate, he'd been gathering herbs for me and generally helping me out.
I'd sealed the place up so that none of the other animals could get in or out except via the door, which I guarded with a watchful eye. I didn't want any of them getting loose and making trouble around town.
After I'd nearly gotten bit by a badger, I'd stopped by Rarity's boutique, avoiding that awful place with the weapons as much as I possibly could, and getting some fabric. With what I knew of sewing, I'd made a thick coat that covered all but my head. If this change in the animals was because of a disease, it wouldn't do to have me catching it from a bite. Everybody, especially me, knew how I could get when I got angry and rude and nasty.
I'd just gotten my little hedgehog friend to take a few sips of the soup when there was a knock at the door.

"Yo, Fluttershy, you in there?" Twilight needs us on that hill where the comet hit."

It was Rainbow Dash. She must have relearned how to fly.

"Not right now, Rainbow Dash. I need to help out my other friends." I said. The hedgehog seemed to like the soup, and was drinking it in big, greedy gulps, as if he hadn't eaten all day.

"There you go. See? I told you it was good."

Rainbow Dash opened the door, and quickly shut it, dodging the three sparrows that had flown at her, trying to scratch her face.

"Fluttershy, we need to go. now. Twilight says that she can fix things, turn them back to the way they were."

I hadn't been listening the first time she spoke, but now I lifted my head, a spark of hope flaring in my mind.

If what Twilight's planning works, and we change back, then the animals...

Rainbow Dash had to drop out of the way as I burst through the door, running as fast as I could towards the hilltop. She followed, closing the door to the cottage. Angel was riding on my back, holding on for dear life. I would've felt sorry for him if I wasn't so excited.
When I got to the hill, the rest of the gang was there, chatting. There was someone missing, though...

"Where's Twilight?" I asked.

"Oh, she went off to get the Elements. I was right!" Pinkie Pie said. "We're going to use the Elements of Harmony to reverse this whole thing and turn everyone back to normal!"

"Exactly!" Twilight said, walking up the hill towards us. "There's just one problem. The Elements have changed too, possibly to reflect the fact that we've changed. We should still be able to use them, but we need to find out which one is which."

There were six, but the symbols were different. Instead of a balloon, lightning bolt, butterfly, apple, jewel, and star, there was a flame, a mountain-looking thing, a snowflake, two lightning bolts crossing each other, and a white and black thing. They looked kind of like fish, or curved raindrops. One was white, with a black dot in the thick part of the raindrop, and the other was black, with a white dot in the thick part of the raindrop. They looked like they'd fit together.

"Alright, let's see. Pinkie Pie, why don't you take the snowflake?" Twilight said.

"I call this one!" Rainbow Dash said, grabbing the necklace with the two lightning bolts. "My Element got an upgrade!"

"I suppose the mountain one is mine, seeing as how I work the land and such." Applejack said.

That leaves just the flame, and the white and black things.

I reached towards the black raindrop, and immediately took my hand away. It gave off a dark, creepy feeling, and I didn't want any part of that.

"I suppose the flame will have to do." Rarity said, taking the flame.

"Then I take the black...whatever it is, and you get the white one, Futtershy."

I took the white necklace. The raindrop felt warm and comforting, like holding a little animal.

"This one's perfect." I said.

"Mine doesn't feel right." Pinkie Pie said. "Hey, Rarity, wanna trade me?"

Rarity and Pinkie Pie traded necklaces, Pinkie Pie taking the flame and Rarity taking the snowflake.

"It still doesn't feel right." Pinkie Pie said. "Dashie, are you sure that's the right Element for you?"

"I guess it isn't. It feels kinda weird. Dang it. I really wanted the lightning." Dash said. They traded.

"That feels much better." Pinkie Pie said. "Alright, Twilight, are we ready?"

"We're ready." Twilight said. "Three, two, one...now!"

I thought of my Element, kindness, and activated the gem. I started floating, as was normal, and if I could've seen myself, I bet my eyes would've been glowing like Twilight's. A glowing ball appeared in between us, getting bigger and brighter the more power we put into it.

It's working!

The ball enveloped us, then the hill, then the ground next to the hill, growing ever brighter. A few seconds later, there was a huge flash, and we all fell to the ground.

No! We're still...

"It...Didn't work." Twilight said dejectedly.

"It did, to some extent." Pinkie Pie said. "Look at the grass! It's the way it used to be. I guess you had it set to plants."

"Well, I'm stumped." Twilight said. "We tried the most powerful thing in all of Equestria, and that didn't work. There's nothing left but to give up and get used to being human."

"I have something we could try." Pinkie Pie said. "Why don't we go shopping?"

Later

Rarity

When Pinkie Pie said 'shopping,' this isn't what I'd had in mind.

We were in that dingy old armory, with all its weapons and armor. I had to admit, though; Lyra and her friends were getting good at making these. There were chestplates made of gold, greaves made of iron, swords made out of bronze, and even a set of throwing daggers made out of steel.

"Welcome, friends. What can I do ya for?" Lyra asked. "Just looking, or are you thinking of just trying something out for the moment? I can do custom weapons now, you know. If you bring me a metal, I'll make whatever you want out of it. Isn't it great? I never would've known that I have a special talent for blacksmithing!"

"Just looking, for now, thank you." Twilight said, admiring a set of jeweled greaves hanging from one wall.

"Okay, then. If you're looking for weapons that fit you specifically, try the customs/unusuals section over in the other room."

Sweetie Belle dragged me over to said room, where Scootaloo and Applebloom were looking at some weapons hanging from a rack in the center of the room.

"You have fun with your friends, dear. I've already found something I can make look good." I said, and walked back into the main room. I'd spotted a case of rather large needles earlier. Using needles as weapons might be a good idea for a person who doesn't want to get their hands dirty up close and personal... And I had an idea for a stylish needle pouch.

Maybe this whole weapon shopping thing isn't too bad after all.

"What do you think?" Pinkie Pie asked me.

"I really don't see the appeal in such a large and garish weapon. It just comes off as flashy." I said. Pinkie Pie was eyeing a rather large sword that looked like a glorified meat cleaver, white along the edge and black everywhere else, with what looked like bandages wrapped around the handle.

"No, I mean do you think it'll work for me? Like when I fight?" She asked, giving me a look that said 'You know what I meant.'

"That sword would be very cumbersome for someone who moves around a lot, like you. Besides, it's missing the proper outfit; Something like that would go perfectly with a robe, or maybe a long jacket."

"Hmm. I guess you're right. It is missing something, isn't it?"

"Say, have you seen Fluttershy around? I haven't seen her since we got here." I said, looking around for her.

"Oh, she went back home. She said she didn't like the feel she got from here. Said she'd rather stay home and try to cure her little animals."

Well, she will certainly miss out on this opportunity.

Just then, a loud crash emanated from outside.

Applebloom

After more than a week of waiting, I was finally here! At the armory. Ever since the animals had attacked and put me in the hospital for a week, I'd been thinking about which weapon would be appropriate for helping protect the farm. It had to be easy to use, because even though I was taller, I was still just a kid.

"Imagine! Cutie Mark Crusaders Town Defenders!" I said excitedly, admiring a staff leaning against one wall.

"What would a Town Defending cutie mark look like, I wonder?" Scootaloo asked.

"Maybe a shield, or two crossed swords, or maybe even a bow and arrow." Sweetie Belle said.

"Well, whatever it is, it's not gonna come from us just standing here." Scootaloo said. "We gotta train."

"Exactly!" I said. "And I know just the place."

"The Everfree Forest? Are you crazy?" Sweetie Belle said when we reached the edge of the woods. "We're going to get ourselves killed!" "Do you know what Rarity would do to me if I went in there!?" "If the monsters didn't get me first, she'd kill me herself!" she said, backing away from us.

"Oh, come on." Scootaloo said, exasperated. "What are you, a-"

"I don't care if you call me a chicken for the rest of my life! I am not going in there with the animals being the way they are." she shot back. "Goodbye. I'm going to go tell Applejack and Rainbow Dash what you're up to. Maybe they can talk some sense into you guys."

She stormed off, leaving me and Scootaloo staring after her.

"I can't believe she actually chickened out." Scootaloo said.

"I know." I said. "She's always been with us when we went on adventures."

There was a long pause.

"Do you think she's right?"

"Maybe. After all, the animals..."

"Yeah. Maybe we should catch up to her."

"Let's."

We ran after Sweetie Belle, catching up to her right as she reached the edge of town.

"You're right." I said, panting, as we caught up with her. "Maybe we should - at least get used - to having weapons - before we go and take on - those crazy animals."

"I'm glad you decided to come back." she said. "I would've been worried sick if you'd gone in."

As we stopped for me and Scootaloo to catch our breaths, we heard a voice from behind us.

"Run!"

We looked at each other, confused. That voice sounded oddly familiar...

"Run!"

We looked back to see a figure with a torn cape and a raggedy hat running full tilt towards us, waving its arms wildly in the air.

"Run! For Celestia's sake, run, you fools!"

I strained my eyes to see who it was.

"Trixie?"

"Yes! Now run, girls, run like your lives depend on it! The animals - the ones from the forest - they're attacking again! Run! RUN!"

We looked behind her...
And started running.
The animals were attacking - but not the birds, or even the bears. Dragons. Two black dragons were approaching, and approaching fast.

"Scootaloo, fly and get the older girls from the armory!" I yelled. "We'll go and get Fluttershy."

"Right!"

She flew off in the direction of town hall, yelling "DRAGONS!" at the top of her voice.
When we got to the cottage, the door was unlocked and slightly ajar, which was weird, as Fluttershy usually kept it shut and locked to prevent any corrupted creatures getting out and heading into town.

"Oh! Girls! You're just in time to help me finish this!" She said, opening the door and stepping onto the doorstep. "It turns out there is a cure! It's an herbal soup made with herbs Angel Bunny brought to me yesterday."

"That'll have to wait. We need to go." I said, pulling her towards town. "There's dragons."

"Dragons!?" she asked, fear in her eyes. "Where? Is the town safe? Oh, I hope the others are okay. Are they at the armory?"

"Yes, and don't-"

I didn't have time to finish what I was saying. She started running, then her anklets glowed and she started flying - slowly at first, then faster - and we ran after her.

We got to the armory just as the dragons hit town. The older girls were outside with the weapons they'd picked out - Applejack with a large hammer, Twilight with two spiked metal orbs that she was levitating, Pinkie Pie with some sort of weird giant black and white sword, Rarity levitating some needles out of her saddlebag, and Rainbow Dash with large metal boots with spikes on the toes. Fluttershy was hiding just inside the door of the armory, inside a large suit of armor that looked way too big for her.

"Alright, everybody." Twilight said. "We need to figure out how to handle this. We have a bit of time; girls, go find Spike and tell him to alert Princess Celestia. We'll hold the dragons off for as long as we can."

"Right."

We ran off towards Twilight's library. When we got there, Spike was already writing a note, presumably to the princess.

"Spike, Twilight wants you to write to Princess-"

"Already on it."

"Right."

We turned to go back to the armory, when there was a loud crash, and one of the walls caved in, blocking the exit.

"Well, it looks like we're stuck here." I said.

"Aww. I wanted to see the fight." Scootaloo groaned.

There were giant crashes, huge thuds, and I thought I heard Fluttershy talking, but it must have been my imagination.
Then a large black thing crashed into the library, and everything went dark.

Fluttershy

I went back to the cottage, my heart heavy.

Oh, why did they go to that awful armory? I haven't seen them in a week, and they decide to go to a place full of awful weapons and armor. It just doesn't seem fair.

When I entered my cottage, I was greeted by a shocking sight.
The little hedgehog from earlier was laying on the floor, all scratched up, and his quills were back to normal, besides the blood that was on them.

"Oh, what happened?"

I stooped to pick him up, not caring if he bit me. To my surprise, he was very docile, and pointed weakly to the other creatures, some of which had specks of blood around their muzzles.

The soup must have worked! The little guy changed back, and once the other animals found out he wasn't mean anymore...

"Oh, you poor thing. Here. Let's get you some rest, and I'll make more of that soup for the others."

After I'd tended to the hedgehog, I started more soup and thought over the problem of getting the other animals to try some soup.
I didn't like using The Stare. It felt like I was abusing my assertiveness and taking for granted the trust that my little friends had for me, but once I'd made enough of that soup for the rest of my animals, there was no other way around it. I had to. I looked right at a group of badgers, and activated it.
They couldn't look away, the poor things. I saw the terrified expressions on their faces, and it just hurt my heart to see them.

Rainbow Dash is right. I need to toughen up. It won't help anyone for me to be as scared as I am. I need to be assertive, even if it looks like it's the wrong thing to do; it's for their own good.

"I don't want to do this, so just drink a little bit of this nice soup, and I'll stop. Okay?"

They nodded, and - still staring at them - I placed a bowl of soup in front of each one of them. I watched as they lapped up a couple drops of the soup, then turned off my Stare.
I turned away from the badgers, who were wolfing down the stew, and saw the rest of the cottage full of animals.

This is going to take a while.

I'd just finished getting the last of the birds to have some soup when I heard footsteps outside.
I looked out the door to see Applebloom and her friends running towards me as fast as they could.

"Oh! Girls! You're just in time to help me finish this!" I said, opening the door and stepping onto the doorstep. "It turns out there is a cure! It's an herbal soup made with herbs Angel Bunny brought to me yesterday."

"That'll have to wait. We need to go." she said, pulling rather roughly in the direction of the town. "There's dragons."

"Dragons!?" I asked, my heart in my throat. "Where? Is the town safe? Oh, I hope the others are okay. Are they at the armory?"

"Yes, and don't-"

She didn't have time to finish what she was saying. I started running as fast as my legs could take me.

This isn't fast enough. I've never tried flying before, but my friends are in danger. I need to fly.

I closed my eyes, and concentrated on one word as hard as I could.

Fly.

My anklets started glowing, and I looked down to see my feet hanging a few inches off the ground.

I need to go faster. Oh, how did Rainbow Dash say she beat Lightning Dust again? Something about mental wings...

I thought of my old wings. I'd hardly used them, but they were always there when I needed them.

Oh, if there was ever a time that I needed wings, it was now.

I started flying faster. It was working. My feet were being pulled behind me, my body being forced horizontal by the air rushing around me at the speed I was going.

I need to get to the armory.

A few minutes later, the armory came into view, sitting next to town hall, all grey and stony and scary. Twilight and the others were just inside, hastily gathering weapons. Scootaloo was leaving, and Applebloom and Sweetie Belle ran towards her.
Seeing that my friends were all right, the surge of adrenaline that had caused me to fly so fast faded, and my old fear of heights came rushing back. I stopped flying, and ran inside the armory.

Dragons. Dragons! Big, black, mean, nasty, fire-breathing, eat-a-person-in-one-bite dragons! Oh, where to hide, where to hide...

I saw a suit of armor standing near the entrance of the armory. I jumped inside, the armor clattering as I shivered in fright.
I heard Twilight tell the girls to get Spike to send for the princess.

Good thing, too. If there was ever a time when we need her most, it's right now.

I watched the battle unfold. Rainbow Dash, Applejack and Twilight took on one dragon, while Pinkie Pie and Rarity fought the other. Rainbow Dash flew around its head, kicking it over and over right in the forehead, dodging the blue flames it spat at her. Dizzy, it reeled backwards and fell into Twilight's library.

The girls!

Pinkie Pie was leaping from rooftops, trying to get onto the second dragon's neck as it belched green fire into the air with a massive roar. She landed on the thing's neck, and ran up it as dozens upon dozens of needles flew around and jabbed the beast's face and eyes. There was smoke coming from some of them, and when I heard a clanging from behind me, I looked to see Lyra at her forge, hammering away at molten metal and forming it into needles, which then flew - still red hot from the forge - straight at the dragon. Pinkie Pie was at its head now, and slashed and gouged relentlessly at its eyes and snout as all the while it breathed those horrible green flames.
Then, my eyes widened in sheer terror.
The first dragon, the one that had crashed into the library, had shot a giant fireball straight at Rainbow Dash. I wasn't worried about her - she could dodge something like that in her sleep - but behind her was my cottage, and all the little bunnies and squirrels and birdies and other woodland creatures that I'd took under my wing, taken care of, and helped cure a mere five minutes ago.

There's nothing I can do. I'm too far away. Even if I flew as fast as I could, not even Rainbow Dash could get there in time.
The fireball struck my tree. The tree caught on fire, a pillar af bright green flames shooting into the sky. I could hear them. The screams. The animals were burning alive.
All was black. I could still hear the screams and Lyra's hammering. I could still feel the armor touching me. I could still smell the smoke from the fire. All was black. I was calm, somehow. I stood there, encased in metal, while my animal friends were dying and my human friends were about to die.
There was nothing else to do, so I felt inside myself, as weird as that sounds. I felt only three things. Sadness. Anger. Hatred. They were white hot spears of black flame inside me, just waiting to be hefted and thrown at some poor, unsuspecting fool.
I opened my eyes and saw two.
Then the armory collapsed as one of the dragons picked up half of a building and threw it at Applejack.
When the dust and smoke cleared, I was standing amidst a pile of rubble that once held a moderately large collection of weapons and armor, my friends lying around me, dazed and battered. The two dragons stood, side by side, roaring a challenge at the air. I looked at them. I didn't even need to activate The Stare. They couldn't look away. Good.

"Wha-What...are you?" One of them asked, transfixed, as my gaze held him frozen in place.

I ignored him.

"Which one of you burned down my house?" I asked calmly.

They pointed at each other.

I took a step forward, the armor around me making a loud clanking sound as I said, still in a calm voice, "You've killed my animal friends. You've burned them alive. And it's a very good thing the Elements have changed, because kindness could not be further from what you are about to go through. Now, Which. One. Of. You. Burned. Down. My. House?" I asked, emphasizing each word of the question with a step forward.

Evidently, they'd had enough of my talking, because they decided to breathe fire at me. Big mistake. I was perfectly shielded by my armor, and I saw the blue flames come from the muzzle of the dragon on the right.
I turned to the left one.

"Congratulations. I'm killing you last."

I turned to the right one.

"As for you..."

I reached down, still Staring at the dragons, and grabbed the closest weapon my fingers touched. A broadsword. I picked it up, and advanced towards the unlucky dragon, releasing the other one from The Stare as I did so. It tried to fly away, but I picked up a nearby ball and chain and flung it at him, entangling his wings.

"Neither of you get to leave until I'm done with you." I said, almost to the first dragon.

I activated my anklets and flew up until I was eye level with the dragon, my Stare petrifying it. I took the broadsword in my hands, reversed my grip, and stood right over the crown of the dragon's head.
Then, a huge flash of light burst out of nowhere, and a huge shockwave knocked me off my feet. I fell off of the dragon, hitting the half-collapsed library with a thud, and everything went black.
As my vision went dark, I remembered the time when Discord had reversed my Element, turning me cruel.

This was different, though...This was on purpose. I wanted this to happen. And, deep down...I still do. Maybe this change isn't quite as wonderful as I thought...

Chapter End

Author's Note

Nothing much to say here. Hope you got the little reference I threw in there.

EDIT: Ugh, did I really write that? Anyway, at least it's readable.
You can thank/curse me later.

Chapter 5: To Canterlot

Applejack

These dragons were tough. I swung my hammer for what must have been the hundredth time at its head whenever it got close to the roof of the armory.

Nothing we're trying's working. We need the Princesses. We need-

Just then, the dragon that we'd knocked into Twilight's library shot a fireball at me and Rainbow Dash. I jumped out of the way, the fireball nearly hitting me as it whirled past. I heard it hit something behind me, but I was too busy dodging the thing's claws and swinging my hammer at it to see what'd been torched. Then I heard screaming coming from that direction, and risked a quick look back.

Oh, no.

Fluttershy's cottage was on fire. I could see animals running away from it, but there were still some trapped inside, burning alive.

The poor things...

Then, I heard another scream. Well, it was more like a roar or a growl than a scream. It was coming from the armory below me. It sounded like...

"Fluttershy?"

Then, the other dragon picked up a ruined house and threw it at the armory. A stone from the house hit me square in the chest, knocking the air out of my lungs and knocking me through the armory roof. I could hear Twilight hit the ground somewhere nearby, then the armory collapsed around us. Fortunately, Lyra had an open-air forge, so she wasn't hurt too badly, and neither were Twilight and I. I heard the sound of metal on stone, and opened my eyes to see Fluttershy standing there, staring at the dragons, wearing a suit of armor. There was something different about her, though. Something dark.

"Which one of you burned down my house?" she asked.

I saw the dragons point at each other, and saw Fluttershy start walking towards them. I looked into her eyes. She wasn't the Fluttershy we were used to. She looked a lot like she had when Discord had gotten a hold of her and turned her cruel, only this was worse. I thought of how angry I was when I thought I couldn't harvest the apples anymore.

That doesn't even come close to what she must be feeling. Maybe I'd be that angry if someone burned the orchard down...

"You've killed my animal friends. You've burned them alive. And it's a very good thing the Elements have changed, because kindness could not be further from what you are about to go through. Now, Which. One. Of. You. Burned. Down. My. House?"

She was almost at the dragon on the left now. They both breathed fire at her, green and blue flames swirling all around her. When the fires died down, she was still standing there, staring at the dragons. She turned to the left one.

"Congratulations. I'm killing you last." She said, bending down and picking something up. "As for you..."

She was holding a broadsword now, and started walking calmly towards the dragon on the right.
The other one, apparently free from her Stare, started flying away. Fluttershy, noticing this, picked up one of the ball and chains from the ground and used it like a lasso, pinning the dragon to the ground.

"Neither of you gets to leave until I'm done with you." She said, floating into the air. She landed on the dragon's head.

She's going to do it.

She walked up to the top of its head and turned her sword upside down.

She's going to kill something. Even if it is a dragon made out of darkness, Fluttershy's going to kill something!

Then, there was a huge flash of light, and Fluttershy fell off of the dragon and into the library.
I heard Twilight gasp.

"Princess Celestia!"

Sure enough, there she was, floating in the air just above where the pinned dragon lay, katana drawn.

"Twilight. I'm glad to see you in one piece."

"We can chat with your student later, sister." A voice said. Princess Luna was floating next to her sister, also holding a katana. "Right now, we have two dragons to take care of."

"Of course. Shall this be the finishing portion of our training exercise, then?"

"I suppose it shall."

Celestia flew towards the dragon Fluttershy had almost killed. It breathed a spout of blue fire at her. Surprisingly, it stopped halfway to her, and turned a bright golden red.

"I'm afraid that won't work."

The fire flew up into the air and made a ring, a burning halo of flames. Then, she pointed her katana at the thing.

"My turn." she said, sounding almost bored.

The flames flew down, making a streak of golden light as they struck the dragon. Celestia flew in as well, delivering a powerful strike to the thing's head. It staggered back, howling in pain and fury.
Further away, Luna flew around the other dragon, slashing at it several times as she passed. Whenever it struck at her, she disappeared and appeared somewhere else near the dragon.

This doesn't make sense. How did they get these powers? Are all alicorns like that now, or it is just because they're Princess Celestia and Luna?

After the third massive blow from Princess Celestia, the dragon fell to the ground and disappeared in a burst of shadowy smoke.
Luna was still working on her dragon, and she was making progress. The thing was on the ground now, unable to halt the stream of blows from her vicious, biting katana.
Soon, that dragon disappeared as well, and all was quiet and calm. The only sounds were the princesses' heavy breathing and the crackling of the fire that was still consuming Fluttershy's cottage.
I stood up shakily and tried to assess the damage. A few broken ribs, several scrapes and bruises, and I was bleeding from a cut on my right arm. Town square was a mess. Town Hall and the few houses near it had been completely destroyed, as well as the armory and Twilight's library, and the fire from Fluttershy's place, now a normal color, had spread to a nearby building. Other than that, though, Ponyville seemed okay.

"Are you all right, girls?" the princesses were floating down to us now, weapons sheathed.

"Yeah, we're okay." Rainbow Dash said, standing up and walking towards us.

"I wouldn't say that. Look at all this dust and dirt!" Rarity said.

"Well, Rarity's ok." Pinkie Pie said. "It looks like the only ones that got seriously hurt were the buildings around town square and Fluttershy's cottage."

"Speakin' of, where is Fluttershy?" I asked, looking around for her. I'd lost track of her when she fell off of the dragon.

"It's ok. I saw her fall into my library." Twilight said, stepping forward to meet the princesses as they landed in front of us. "Spike and the other girls are probably taking care of her. Boy, are we glad to see you two."

"Yes, it is good to see you too, Twilight Sparkle." Luna said. "As soon as your letter arrived, we paused our training and rushed over here as fast as we could."

"And not too soon, might I add." Celestia said. "I have something to discuss with you and the girls in the library, as well as a few other people. Ah! Speaking of, here one of them comes!"

Time Turner was walking into the square, eyes wide, looking around in shock.

"What happened here? I heard something about dragons, and came as quick as I could."

"It is okay, Time Turner. All is taken care of." Luna said, turning to greet him. "However, me and my sister wish to speak with you on a few matters. Firstly, do you know where your friends Vinyl Scratch and Octavia are?"

"No. They went back to Canterlot after Ponyville was resized and the armory was built. I haven't seen them since. Why?"

"We wish to speak with them." Luna replied.

"Twilight, get the girls from the library and meet me in Canterlot Castle in three days." Celestia said. "I really wish I could stay longer, but I must head back to my duties and my training. We have a lot to discuss, and we will discuss it later, I'm afraid."

"Wait." Twilight said. "Training? What kind of training? Why Vinyl and Octavia? Why the girls? What-"

"Like I said, we'll discuss it later."

Then, as soon as she had come, Celestia was gone. A faint whooshing noise was heard as air rushed into the spot where she'd stood seconds ago.
Luna turned to Time Turner.

"I shall take you to Canterlot. Gather your friends, and meet me and my sister in Canterlot Castle in three days' time."

"I don't-" he tried to say. Luna grabbed him, and they both disappeared. Again, there was a whoosh as air filled the space they'd occupied.

Twilight

Thoughts ran through my head as I gathered the reagents for the growing spell that would create mine and Fluttershy's new houses.

I don't understand. What do the princesses want with Sweetie Belle, Applebloom, and Scootaloo?

One - no, two - seeds, one oak, one willow...

For that matter, why do they need Vinyl, Time Turner, and Octavia?

Spring water from the peak of a mountain - thanks, Rainbow Dash...

What did they mean by 'training?'

Copious amounts of leaves, fern fronds, and swamp muck from the Everfree Forest...

How did they get those powers?

Some dragon scales I'd gathered from Town Square...

Why do I need to meet them in three days and not right now?

At least none of the books were harmed. After the princesses left, I'd headed back to the library to assess the damage. The girls were unconscious on the floor. The dragon had hit them when we'd knocked it into the library. Spike was off in a corner, also unconscious. Poor guy. Fluttershy was lying in a pile of dented armor pieces in the middle of the room. She wasn't unconscious when I found her, but there were soft sobbing noises coming from the bottom of the pile, and I'd thought it best not to disturb her. When I'd returned from the upper levels - where I'd made a checklist of all the books in the library, a feat of two hours - the armor pile had been upturned, and she was gone.
The girls were awake, and were resting on the armchairs that were still in relatively good condition. I'd given then something to eat and some tea, and taken inventory. Miraculously, none of the books were harmed in the battle, and I'd moved them outside and stacked them neatly by genre.
As I magically dug the hole that would be my basement and laboratory once the spell was done, I thought about the weapons we'd chosen.

Pinkie Pie seems to like that weird sword...She acts almost as if it's got a mind of its own...

I planted the seed in the ground, making sure it was the oak one, and not the willow seed. That was for Fluttershy's house.

Ever since the armory was rebuilt and the weapons and armor replaced, Lyra's been working awfully hard making more needles for Rarity...

I covered the hole with fresh earth, and made a makeshift pyramid out of leaves over the patch of upturned soil.

I wonder if Applejack could use that hammer of hers to get more apples out of the apple trees. She's probably already thought of that, though...

I poured swamp muck all over the leaves, flattening the pyramid slightly, and conjured a slight breeze that dried the mud into a hard shell.

Rainbow Dash's been training even harder now, trying to get used to flying with boots on. She's a powerful kicker as a human, isn't she?..

This was the tricky part. I carefully lifted the shell of dried mud, trying my best not to break it, placed the fern fronds on top of the leaves, and carefully placed the shell back over the pyramid, taking extra special care not to damage it.

I wonder if there are any books on how to magically levitate metal balls more effectively. Maybe physics books...momentum spells...who knows?

Placing the dragon scales on top of the shell in a star pattern, I stepped back and poured all the magic I had into the spell, the crystal on my necklace glowing a bright magenta and shooting off sparks, just like my horn did.

Before the change, I wouldn't have even attempted a spell like this, but unicorn magic seems to be a lot more powerful now...not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing.

After a solid two minutes of pouring magical energy into a seed, a bright flash emanated from the mound of dried mud, leaves, and fronds, and when I could see again, a tree stood before my eyes, even bigger and older than my old one.

Wow. The change must have enhanced my magic tenfold.

I stepped inside my new house.

Ok, make that a hundredfold.

The tree house was already furnished, and there were books on the shelves that weren't in my old library. There was still space for my old books, though, and they were placed in the new shelves in alphabetical order just like the new books.

All right, time to see my new lab.

I stepped down the stairs.

Okay, maybe more like a thousandfold!

The lab was beautiful, with instruments and beakers and tubes and chemicals and things that even I, with all my reading, couldn't recognize.

This is gonna be a fun three days.

Vinyl

Allow me to bore you severely by talking about our house. Like our weapons, it was unique; split in half architecturally, with the two sides being as different as night and day, with a strip of normal house bridging them together.
One side - the left side, when looking at the front door - was mine. It was sleek, rounded, and space-age themed, and housed a recording studio and several electronic instruments and programs; a synthesizer, a voice-alteration program, and several others, all of which I could play and use perfectly. It also housed two bedrooms, each with a bed fitted with large speakers, a dresser with CDs and other music storing and playing implements, and a small kitchen fitted with a fridge, an oven, a few cupboards, and a dishwasher. All of the walls were completely soundproof; you could play the most insane beats in one room, and you wouldn't be able to hear anything even if you were standing in the doorway. Of course, the door had to be closed; otherwise the sound played loud and clear, but if you closed the door, you could play your music as loud as you wanted without disturbing the other guests.
The other side was Octavia's. It was kinda boring, if you ask me. It was wooden, rather bulky, and housed a large concert hall with "sublime acoustics," as Octavia put it. There were all kinds of musical instruments there; cellos, trumpets, a few pianos, even a fully stocked percussion section. It had two bedrooms, too; both with a hearth near the bed, a big, poofy armchair, and a bookshelf with big, thick books. It had a kitchen, too, one quite like mine; oven, fridge, dishwasher, cupboards. It was soundproof too.
After the change, I'd rung up my friend - a manager of a team of builders and construction workers - and called in quite a few favors; he and his crew added a training room to mine and Octavia's sections of the house. Mine was made of metal and rubber, and featured hidden and shielded speakers that could blast motivational music loud enough to knock a few fillings loose and training dummies and blades that slid out of openings in the walls; it was awesome. Octavia's was a wooden box containing an archery range, complete with targets that could move at speeds approaching 450 wingpower, several targets that flew in the air, and quivers full of arrows that could be deployed from a wall at the press of a button.
There was also a training room in the shared section, where we were right now, and it was nothing special; just a clean, white room with some practice dummies along one wall and some targets along the other.
Now that I'm done boring you half to death, back to the actual story.

"Good evening, Vinyl."

Octavia walked through the front door, taking off her jacket and hanging it on a nearby coat rack. She slumped on one of the couches by the front door, visibly tired.

I finished making my sandwich, and put the various meats and cheeses back in the fridge.

"Yo, Tavi. How're things in the city?"

"Same as yesterday. There is some news, though; Ponyville was attacked yesterday."

"Ponyville was attacked?" My interest was instantly aroused. "Are they alright? Have you talked to Time Turner? Are the girls ok? What happened?"

"Apparently, the princesses had to step in and take care of it."

"Whoa. Must've been intense. Wish I could've been there."

"What exactly would you have done, Vinyl?"

"I dunno. Helped, I guess. I'm getting better with The Needle ever since I decided to train with music playing in the background." I said, my mouth full of sandwich. "Can't believe I hadn't thought of it before."

"I still think naming your weapon is ridiculous."

"Hey. Naming a weapon shows that you value it, and it marks it as your own."

"As if you need anything more on that front."

It was true. My katana was so tricked out that it was hard not to know that it was mine. I'd had it custom made here in Canterlot for me; white metal with blue sound bars along the edge as if they were blood; it was hard to mistake it for another weapon. I'd named it The Needle. It was a cool name.

"And your cello doesn't count?"

"Hey. That's for convenience and stealth; not for flair like your custom weapon."

Octavia had decided to take up archery. She'd got a cello custom made so that you could open the neck and store arrows in it, and had a custom cello bow that extended and bent into a real bow. I had to admit; it was pretty boss.
She got up from the couch and headed into our shared kitchen, opening the fridge and looking for something to eat.

"At any rate, are you up for some training tonight?" I asked, leaning against one wall and munching on my sandwich.

"Maybe in a minute. I've been walking all over town from appointment to appointment, and I'm exhausted."

She'd been looking for another cellist to back her up for a duet. With my permission, they were going to use my recording studio to record a few songs and put them on a CD, "purely for recreation, of course," as she'd said. She finally settled on some left over pasta from the night before. She put it in the microwave and grabbed some orange juice and a cup while it was cooking, sitting down at the table and pouring herself a glass.

"Ooh. Let me snag some of that." I said, reaching for the microwave door as the timer beeped.

"No. You have food. Besides-"

Whatever she was going to say, she never said it; right then, the doorbell rang.

"Who could that be?" she asked.

"Dunno. Could be anyone."

I walked to the door, leaving my sandwich on the counter, and opened the door to see Time Turner standing on the doorstep.

"Time Turner! It's good to see ya, man!" I waved him inside. "Come in! Have a seat; can I get you anything?"

"No thanks, I'm not too hungry. Besides; I'm to deliver a message to you two ASAP."

"A message? Octavia asked, putting down her orange juice and standing up. "From whom?"

"Princess Luna."

Here eyes got real wide. Mine probably did too. My jaw dropped, and I turned to stare at him.

"Princess Luna?" Why in Equestria would she want to send us a message?" I asked in shock.

"Do I look like I know? Anyway, she wants us to meet her in Canterlot Castle in two days. Well, three, but it took me a day to find you. Canterlot's pretty big, you know."

"Canterlot Castle? How unusual. I'll get ready at once." Octavia walked through the door into her section of the house, taking her pasta with her.

"Well, thanks for letting us know. Are you sure you don't want anything? We've got a lot of food." I said, turning back to Time Turner.

"Maybe. If it's okay with you, I was planning to stay here until it's time to go."

"Nah, man. It's fine. What's ours is yours. Well, what's mine, at least."

"Thanks."

I finished my sandwich, and invited Time Turner into my section of the house.
He set up in the guest room, and when he'd gotten settled, I asked him if he'd like to join Octavia and I in our nightly training session.

"No thanks." he replied. "I don't like fighting. Besides, I've no weapon, and I'm not good with any of the ones you have. Though, if you don't mind, I'd like to watch."

We trained, and went to bed exhausted, like every night. The day after tomorrow promised to be interesting indeed.

The Next Morning

Luna

"Good day, sister."

"Good day, Luna."

I walked to my chambers of the castle, exhausted. Fighting those dragons had been tough, and moving the moon across the sky, even as easy as it was now that my magic had been amplified by the change, had exhausted what little energy I had left. But it was day now. The morning had ended, and the moon was gone for the moment. I needed to regain my strength.
I reached my room, and opened the door. I almost fell into bed, and was asleep almost as soon as my head hit the pillow.

It is night.

I am in the training room where me and my sister spar every morning and evening, when both the sun and moon are in the sky. There are five people standing in front of me. It is starting to rain, the drops splashing on the balcony that overlooked the courtyard below.

Gauntlets, Daggers, Mace, Bow, and Nothing...It's them! But what are they doing here? And where is the sixth?

To my surprise, my body moves seemingly of its own accord, drawing the katana I keep at my hip.
A voice rings out cold in the night air.

"So, you've managed to find me. Congratulations. You've earned a painful, yet quick, death. But first, a chance to join me. I cannot do this on my own; at least, not without considerable effort. You can join me, and we shall bring into being a new kingdom. One where there is peace. One where there is happiness. One in which the sun does not show its face. Help me bring about eternal night. Help me kill my sister."

Wait. Was that my voice? I would never kill Celestia. She's my sister. She's-

"We're not going to kill Princess Celestia." one of them says. He is the one who bears no weapon. "But we don't need to fight. Come back, Luna. We can work this out together. Please just come back and you and Celestia-"

"Oh, so you would have me attempt to reason with her? don't make me laugh. She is not my sister. She is a tyrant, ruling over this land with an iron fist; I simply mean to free it from her cruelty. I have no sister."

"But, Luna, remember-"

"I have no sister!"

I watch, but I cannot stop. I cannot look away. I cannot control myself. I watch my arm raise, katana at the ready.
And watch it come down on the person who'd tried - and failed - to reason with me.

I am going to kill him.
I am going to kill them all.

I am going to kill my sister.

I woke up, my head pounding, a scream choked in my throat as sweat poured down my face.

Just-Just a dream. It was all just a dream. Nothing to be afraid of. Just a-

I looked to my left at the mirror on the dresser next to my bed, and saw my reflection.

"SISTER!"

Author's Note

Even though stuff like microwaves and fridges aren't exactly canon, they're not non-canon either. This is a fanfic, after all; there's bound to be some fiction involved.

EDIT: Welp, that's one of the long chapters done.

Chapter 6: Let's Begin

Applebloom

"So, what do you think we should get?"

"I dunno. Maybe a ball and chain?"

"You're kidding me, right?"

"No. It'd be cool to use."

"Scootaloo, it's, what, three times your size? How on earth will you fight with something that big?"

"How do you think Pinkie Pie does it?"

"She's Pinkie Pie. Things just don't affect her the same way they do us. You know that."

"But-"

"Stop it, guys!"

I cut into the argument Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo were having. We were on the train to Canterlot, and we were only a few minutes away from what was rumored to be the best and most extensive collection of weapons and armor in all of Equestria. And, naturally, they were arguing over what to get.

"It's no use arguing over what to get." I said. "Are you two going to get the same thing?"

"Well, no, but-" Scootaloo started to say, but I cut her off.

"Then it doesn't matter, now does it?"

"I guess not." Sweetie Belle said. "Sorry. We're just excited, is all. What are you planning to get, Applebloom?"

"I don't really care," I said. "as long as I can use it well."

We were sitting in the front car, right behind the engine. Lyra and the older girls were in the car behind us. Lyra had insisted on going, as she wanted to learn new forging techniques from the smiths in Canterlot. We were supposed to meet the princesses in a few hours, so our big sisters - and Rainbow Dash - had arranged for Lyra to take us to the Canterlot Armory and pick out some weapons.
When we got there, our jaws dropped.

How is it even possible to fit that many weapons in one building?

There were weapons and armor everywhere. It looked like the place had blades and spikes sticking out of every available space. There were swords, bows, chestplates, whips, flails, helmets - everything you could name was contained in one building.

"All right, now you girls stay out of trouble. I'm gonna go mingle." Lyra said, walking towards two muscular men leaning against a wall behind the Custom Requests counter.

What to try? Where to start? I'm overwhelmed here.

I looked at Scootaloo and Applebloom.

I guess I'm not the only one.

I gathered my bearings. Close range weapons. We'd start with close range weapons.

"Come on, girls. We're wasting time. Let's start over here."

The Next Day

Time Turner

Vinyl's place was not a very nice place to wake up. There's nothing quite like resting in your bed one minute and being scared half to death by loud, angry-sounding music coming from your alarm clock the next, with no visible way to shut it off. The rooms appeared to be soundproof, as Vinyl didn't notice until she was right outside my open doorway.

"Oh, I'm so sorry! Here, allow me."

She pressed a button I hadn't noticed was there. It was white, the same color as the alarm clock, and nearly flush with the clock's surface, making it extra hard to find.

"Sorry. I really should label those buttons. Now, did I press Snooze or Off? Oh well. Other than the rude awakening, how was your night?"

I've had better.

"Fine. Yours?"

"Oh, I didn't sleep much. I'm an insomniac, so I spent most of the night working on a new dubstep track that I've been working on for weeks now. It's specifically designed to help wake sleepy people up. What you just heard was an early prototype. I need to update the alarm clocks. My new version is much, much better."

"Forgive me if I take your word for it." I said, getting out of bed and stretching. The bed itself wasn't very comfortable to sleep on, but I guess when you don't sleep much anyway, there's no real use for a super comfy bed.

"Well, it's the day of the meeting." I said, breaking the awkward silence.

"Yup."

"Should we get Octavia?"

"Nah."

"Why not?"

"She's probably already ready to go."

"Oh."

There was a long pause.

"So, dubstep." I said, remembering something Vinyl had said earlier. Anything to break the silence.

"What about it?"

"You make it?"

"Yes."

"Ah."

There was a very long pause.

"I don't think she's ready."

"Don't worry about it. I know her a lot better than you do. She's either ready or getting ready as we speak."

"Ok."

I left the room, wishing I had more to say. There are types of silence that I don't quite like.
When I got to the kitchen, Octavia was making eggs on the stove in the shared kitchen.

"Oh, good morning, Time Turner. Did you have a nice night?"

"Yeah. You ready to go?"

"We've an hour or so yet. How many eggs would you like?"

"The usual amount, thanks."

Vinyl walked in behind me, grabbing a nearly empty carton of milk from the fridge.

"I meant Time Turner."

"Oh."

"Just two, thanks." I said, sitting down at the table.

"Here." Vinyl said, pouring half of what milk remained in the carton into a cup and placing it on the table in front of me.

"Thanks."

She drank the rest of the milk straight from the carton, crunched the carton against her head, and threw it away.

"Yo, Octavia. We're out of milk."

"I've noticed. We'll get some on our way home from the castle."

Octavia finished with the eggs she was cooking, and put them on a plate.

"Here you go, Time Turner."

I took the eggs, thanking her. We ate in silence.

"Well, I suppose it's time to go." I said, putting on my coat. We left at around noon.

We're going to be late...

I started floating, anxiously trying to get the others to go faster.

"Oh, calm down, Time Turner. Canterlot Castle's not that far away. We'll be there on time." Vinyl reassured me.

"Are you sure she wanted us to bring our weapons?" Octavia asked, nodding to the cello slung across her back and the katana at Vinyl's hip.

"Positive."

"Very well, then."

We walked the rest of the way in silence. When we arrived at the castle, a guard stopped us.

"Halt. Let me see your weapons."

I shot a glance at Octavia.
The two presented their weapons.

"I don't fight." I said when the guard looked at me expectantly.

"Hmm. There is one on the list..." His voice trailed off. "There is only one way to be sure. Do you have a necklace?"

I looked down at my neck, where the hourglass necklace I'd made just five days ago in honor of my first successful repair as a human hung. I pulled it out of my coat and showed it to him, the hourglass spinning slightly as the sand drained from the top section. It had a small motor that flipped the hourglass every time the top drained so that the sand was perpetually falling.

"Very well. You three may enter. Be careful. Canterlot Castle has changed. There are still some places as yet unexplored. Follow the signposts, and you'll be fine."

"Thank you." I said, and we walked in. The castle was huge, with a maze of halls and rooms. We followed the signposts, and came to a small room near the northern edge of the castle. There were small clanking noises coming from behind the door.

"Are you sure this is the place?" Vinyl asked. "It doesn't look like anything the princesses would use as a royal chamber."

"That's because it isn't." a voice said from behind the door. It swung open to reveal Princess Celestia, katana belted at her waist, with Luna standing away from the door, katana drawn. They were both sweating, and Luna was breathing hard.

"This is a sparring chamber, Time Turner. Come in. We were just having a practice bout while we waited for you." Luna said.

We entered the chamber, getting a closer look at it. There were practice dummies like in Vinyl and Octavia's training rooms leaning up against one wall, and a rather large rack of katanas along another. The third wall was a balcony overlooking the courtyard.

"Now all we need to do is wait for the other three,"

"What other three, Your Highness?" Octavia asked.

"Please. No formalities here, Octavia. I am referring to the three girls who camped with you the day of the change."

"You mean Scootaloo, Applebloom and Sweetie Belle? Why do you need them to be here?" I asked.

"Yeah, why do you need us to be here?" Applebloom said.

"Where'd you guys come from?" Vinyl said.

I turned around to see the three girls, along with Twilight Sparkle, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, and Applejack, walk through the door of the sparring chamber.

"Ah! Thank you all for coming." Celestia said. "But before we start, we seem to be down one person. Where is Fluttershy?"

Twilight looked at her feet, a sheepish look on her face.

"I tried, princess, but she won't come out of the Everfree Forest. I've tried to talk her into coming into town, but she says that the forest is where all the monsters belong, so she should stay there. She seems to think that that little outburst with the dragons means that she's going to turn into a monster. I don't know what to do. I'm sorry."

"It's quite all right, Twilight. Luna, if you could please get a look at where Fluttershy's hiding, you can be over there shortly."

"Of course, sister."

Luna stepped over to Twilight and put her hands on Twilight's head.

"Now, Twilight. Think about where Fluttershy's hiding. Visualize the place where she is. It will help if you are there, of course; it would be most startling if I appeared to her alone."

Twilight closed her eyes, as did Luna.
Then they seemed to melt into the floor, disappearing.
Soon afterwards, they reappeared with a loud 'fwoom,' but with Fluttershy.

"How did you-" I started to ask, but Celestia cut me off.

"I'll explain later. Or, rather, Luna will. At any rate, now that we're all here, I can begin. You might want to have a seat. This will take a good while to explain."

We all sat down on the floor, and looked at Celestia and Luna.

"Alright. Luna, I shall need your help with this one. Its too big of a story for just one to tell."

"Yes, sister."

"First of all, some congratulations are in order. I see some of you have new weapons." She looked at the three girls.

"Oh, yeah." Applebloom said.

"We forgot to tell you." Sweetie Belle added.

"We got some stuff from the armory." Scootaloo finished.

Applebloom had a mace belted to her hip. She pulled it out, and the bulb at the end made a loud 'thunk' as it connected with the floor.

"It's a bit top heavy," she said. "But Lyra tells me that that's a good thing. And look!"

She held the bulb at the end of the mace up, and I saw that it wasn't a bulb. It was an apple. Applebloom was holding a metal pole with a large metal apple on the tip.

"Isn't it the coolest thing? This way, no matter where I am, as long as I have this, I have a little piece of home to hold on to."

She put her mace back, and Scootaloo held up her hands.

"I got these."

They were gloves made of iron, with bumps on the knuckles and a small spike shaped like a lightning bolt on either side of the palms.

"I figured if Rainbow Dash has a piece of armor as a weapon, then so will I. The lightning bolts are like little daggers. See?"

She made a fist, and the bolts did indeed look like daggers.

"I guess it's my turn, then."

Sweetie Belle reached towards two small sheathes at her waist and pulled out two giant needles wound up with thread.

"My fingers fit perfectly in the eyes of the needles," she said. "and they'll always remind me of my sister."

We turned to Celestia as Sweetie Belle sheathed her daggers.

"Alright, then. Now to the biggest thing." Celestia said, turning to Twilight and her friends. "The Elements have changed. Now, I know that you six can still use them to some effect, but ultimately, the Elements no longer belong to you, as you no longer personify them. The new Elements are more physical now. They're not qualities that one possesses, but rather actual elements - Fire, Lightning, Earth, Light, Shadow, and Water."

Luna spoke, and I turned to see her looking at us intently.

"And you six - Time Turner, Vinyl Scratch, Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle, Applebloom, and Octavia - now possess the ability to use them."

There was a collective gasp as everyone in the room stared at us.

"What is more," Luna chimed in. "you six now possess skills and abilities that are unique to your Element. The only thing that remains is to find out which one of you has which element."

"Exactly, Luna. That's why we've called you here - to train you."

"You see," Celestia continued. "Luna and I also possess certain skills and abilities. However, we're still not connected to the Elements, so we don't actually possess them. Whether this is because we're alicorns or because we raise the sun and moon we're not sure, but somehow, I seem to possess Light, Fire, and Lightning, while Luna has Ice, Earth and Shadow. We are sure about one thing, though; We need to get you six trained up, because something bad is happening."

"What-"

"Please, Octavia, let us finish." Luna said, cutting Octavia off before she could say any more.

"As demonstrated by the dragons," she continued. "wild animals and other creatures are getting much, much more powerful and aggressive. But that is not the major problem."

"Precisely." Celestia said. "You see, when we defeated the dragons, me and my sister noticed something. When they dissolved, they took on a form that should be familiar to some of you. We managed to trap some of it."

Celestia reached into her robe and pulled out a thin glass vial with a small patch of thick, black smoke with purple specks in it. There was a crystal at the bottom of the vial, and as I looked, it seemed to grow bigger.

Twilight and her friends gasped.

"But that's impossible. That's-" Applejack started to say.

"Yes." Luna interrupted. "It's King Sombra's smoke. And that can only mean one thing..."

"He's returning." Celestia finished.

We all gasped.

"As my sister stated before, we need to train you. We do not have much time left. At the rate the creatures have been attacking and the severity of their attacks, I would say we have about a year's time before he decides he has recovered enough to strike back at Equestria."

Me and Vinyl looked at each other in shock.

King Sombra? Surely she doesn't mean that evil king Twilight saved the Crystal Kingdom from a year ago, does she?

I'd only heard rumors, but according to what I'd heard, it was amazing. Twilight and Spike managed to find some sort of Crystal Heart that had turned Princess Cadance into a crystal pony and destroyed Sombra. And now he was back? My head swam with all this new information. Me, possess an Element? Me, have powers that the princesses themselves had? It was a lot to take in. An understanding look crossed Celestia's face as she studied our expressions.

"I feel I could've explained that better." Celestia said. "I'm sorry if it's too much to grasp at the moment. Feel free to stay the night here in the castle while you process this."

"It is a lot of new information to handle, and most of it might seem to far-fetched to be true, but I assure you that me and my sister are completely serious about this." Luna put in. "You six have great potential; powers yet untapped, limits yet to be broken, and abilities yet to be refined. Even Celestia and I are still trying to find out what we can do. As my sister has said, feel free to stay the night while you take in this information. Once you feel you are ready to learn what powers you may or may not possess, meet me and my sister right here."

We all sat in stunned silence. King Sombra returning, me and my friends possessing special powers, Celestia and Luna having the powers of three Elements each...What exactly was going on here?

Well, whatever it is, I've got to deal with it. If I can go from being a pony to being human in three days, then I can adjust to having powers. I have to. For my friends. For the princesses. For Equestria.

"Thank you for the offer," I said, rising to my feet. "But I'm ready now. Whatever it takes."

"Me too."

Vinyl stood up beside me, and put a hand on the hilt of her katana.

"I'm ready to see what I can do."

"As am I."

Octavia was getting to her feet as well. She looked at us with a relieved glance. She spoke as well.

"If what you say is true, and I do not doubt it is, then I'm prepared to do whatever it takes to save Equestria."

The girls looked at each other.

It must be hard for them to take. They must be going through some serious inner turmoil. They've gotta be-

"Count us in, princess." Applebloom said.

"An adventure? Saving Equestria? Special powers? How much more appealing could you possibly make this?" Scootaloo asked, fire in her eyes.

"We're the Cutie Mark Crusaders, and we stick with our friends no matter what. End of story." Sweetie Belle finished.

"Well, then." Celestia said, smiling at us and giving an 'I told you so' look to Luna. "We'll begin your training right away. Twilight, you and your friends can go back to Ponyville now. You should work on other things. Don't worry about your younger sisters; me and Luna will take very good care of them. You will see them in several months, when their training is complete. I await your letters, as always."

They nodded, and left the sparring chamber.

"Most excellent." Luna said, stepping towards the doorway. "We shall begin by finding out which one of you possesses which element. As the guards may have warned you, there are parts of the castle that have strange and powerful enchantments placed upon them. We will go to one of those rooms now."

As we left the chamber, walking down the stone corridors, I considered what exactly I'd gotten me and my friends into.

This is going to be an interesting six months.

Chapter End

Author's Note

Merry Christmas!

EDIT: Made more grammar-y.

Chapter 6.5: Cornering Twilight

Rainbow Dash

There was no question about it. Something was definitely wrong with Twilight.
After we'd returned from Canterlot, she'd holed up in her new library, swearing not to come out until she was struck by inspiration.

"If I can't change things back, then I might as well help us along." she'd said. "I might not be a pony, but I'm still me. I still have my lab, and I still have a curious mind. I'm going to try my hand as an inventor."

However, lately she'd been hanging around the border of the Everfree Forest. In fact, she'd been hanging out all over Ponyville. She'd been hanging out everywhere except her lab, where she'd said she was going to stay until she invented something. When I caught up with her one day and asked her how the inventing was going, she looked at me like I was crazy. When I tried to talk to the others about it, they all just shrugged it off. All but Pinkie Pie. Apparently she'd noticed something strange about Twilight too. We decided we'd corner her together the day after tomorrow. However, Twilight had been acting really strange today, and I'd decided to find her and confront her, Pinkie Pie or no Pinkie Pie.

Something's up, and I'm going to find out what.

I found her in her lab - for once - with a strange glob of green goop.

"Heya, Twilight. What'cha doing?"

"Oh, nothing..." she trailed off, and for a moment it looked like she was trying to remember something. "Nothing, Rainbow Dash. Just testing this weird goop I found near the outskirts of town."

Wait a second. Did she forget my name? Nah, that's stupid. It must have been something else.

She turned to me, a strange, sinister look on her face.

"Wanna help?"

"I guess. What do I do?"

She turned back to the table, and the blob lying on top of it.

"Just stick your arm in."

"Um, are you sure that's a good idea? It could be all acidic or something."

She looked at me with a dark expression.

"You wanted to help, didn't you? Now stick your hand in the blob."

I approached the thing. It quivered slightly when my hand touched it. I pulled my hand away.

"I-I dunno, Twilight. Maybe this isn't such a good idea."

"Oh, for heaven's sake, just get over here!"

She lunged at my arm. I pulled it away.

"You're a tricky one, Rainbow Dash." she said, slowly advancing towards me. "Out of all the people I've fooled, you're one of the few that's actually seen through this little charade. Now that you know most of the truth, I guess it won't hurt to reveal my true self. "

Green flames erupted around her, and she started laughing like crazy. When they died down, a changeling stood in Twilight's lab. Even though the thing was trying to kill me, my brain, being the awesome thing that it is, took the time to notice everything about the changeling.
It looked like a pony, sure, but something was just off about the way its limbs looked, kinda like someone had tried to make a human but had gotten a lot of the bones in the wrong places. Its arms and legs were super skinny, and her fingers and toes were clawed like Spike's. She wasn't wearing anything, but she didn't have any... other features. Her face was blank as well; not even a mouth or nose, just two glowing, green, unblinking eyes. They narrowed.

"Now that I've shown you who I really am, be a dear and stick your hand in that blob of goo!"

I flew up to the roof of the lab, out of the way of her grabbing arms.

"Oh, so that's how you're gonna play, huh?" She said, walking calmly towards the table. "Very well, then. If you won't touch this thing willingly, I'm going to have to make you touch it."

At this, she picked up the blob of goo and hefted it, getting ready to throw it at me. I tried to dodge out of the way, but I'd been so shocked by her transformation that I'd failed to notice the spell holding me in place.

"What's the matter, Rainbow Dash? Can't move? Well, that's too bad. Don't worry; when I'm done with you, you won't be able to move for a long while, if not forever."

She threw the blob, the gooey mass hitting me on the wrist. It started to grow, going up along my arm, then up to my shoulders, until it reached my head, where it made a bubble. In no time, a thick cocoon had formed around me, trapping me completely.

"Congratulations, Rainbow Dash." the changeling said with a smirk. "You managed to put up an adequate fight. But now that I've got you right where I want you, one of the other changelings will be able to take your place. You're going to help bring our queen back."

Spike

From the stairway leading up to the rest of Twilight's house, I let out a small gasp.

Twilight's been replaced by a changeling! I've gotta warn the others, and fast!

I wasn't sure what the changeling had meant by 'bring our queen back,' but I knew that me and the others needed to act before it was too late.

I can't trust Twilight or Rainbow Dash.

I raced out of Twilight's house towards Sugar Cube Corner.

Chapter End

Author's Note

These chapters are meant to be pretty short, so as not to interrupt the main story too much.

EDIT: Given the usual treatment. I also added a description of the changelings in this world. I actually kinda like the way they look now.

Chapter 7: Making Progress

Celestia

As I led the new Element bearers to the first Trial Room, I mused over what had happened the previous morning.
I'd just raised the sun when I heard Luna scream from her chambers. When I'd rushed over there, she was staring at her reflection in a mirror by her bed. As I'd looked at her reflection, I'd gasped in shock. Her reflection had turned into Nightmare Moon. It had scared her half to death, seeing as she'd had some strange nightmare just before. I'd calmed her down, and the reflection had changed back into my sister within a matter of minutes.

Whatever this means, it can't be good. As much as Luna might think I don't trust her now, I need to stick with her. She needs my support more than ever.

I was so distracted I hardly noticed when we stopped.

"Ah, yes." I said, looking at the door and nodding. "Here we are. The first Trial Room."

The six of them looked at me, obviously confused.

"Let me show you." I said, opening the door and stepping inside.

I flicked the light switch, and revealed the room I was now standing in.
It was a small room made of tile, with several rather comfortable armchairs dotted about the room. However, this was not the special thing about the room. One wall was comprised of super strong glass, with a door set in the middle, locked and bolted from outside.

Good thing, too, considering what happens in this room.

I thought back to when me and Luna discovered this room. We'd foolishly opened the door in the glass and stepped inside. When we finally came out, we weren't the same. We were stronger, yes, but that strength had come at a price. We'd expected a few days of relaxation to recover, but the dragons had attacked the next day, cutting our rest short.
Luna spoke to the group then, and I started paying attention.

"Beyond this glass wall is the first of three Trial Rooms. Each one has a profound and powerful enchantment placed upon it. When the change happened, many rooms like this were added to Canterlot Castle. There are rooms that can and will kill you if you're not extremely careful - this being one of them - so I urge you not to explore without either me or my sister accompanying you. Do you understand?"

They nodded. I decided to add to the explanation.

"This room has a rather interesting enchantment." I said. "Once you enter, the door locks behind you. Then, the room scans your heart, your mind, your memories; everything about you. Then it finds the person you respect most and creates an apparition of them."

"That apparition then tries its very best to kill you." Luna finished. "The only way out of the room is to defeat the apparition; no small feat, I assure you."

"Now for your first assignment." I said, walking towards the door.

"You are to step through the door and go through the first trial one at a time. In the process of defeating the person you respect most, you will discover the Element you possess."

Luna stepped forward, approaching the group.

"Do not worry; the person you will face is merely an apparition. It is not the real person you respect the most. In addition, the person or people it conjures up is only as strong as you are; by improving your skills and finding your Element, you will surely succeed."

I started unlocking the five latches on the door.

"If you get scared, or start to think that the person you're fighting is the real thing, just look at this wall." I said, rapping the glass a couple of times with my knuckles. "We'll all be right here rooting for you, even though you won't be able to hear us; the room is soundproof." I said.

"Now, which one of you will enter first?" Luna asked.

There was a long pause.

"Well, this is what I signed up for, isn't it?" Scootaloo finally said. "I guess nobody else is going to take the initiative if I don't. I'll go first, seeing as I already know who's going to appear."

She stepped towards the door.

"Thank you, Scootaloo." I said. "Good luck. And don't worry. You're going to do just fine."
She stepped into the room, the door shutting and locking itself behind her.

Good luck, Scootaloo.

Scootaloo

What have I gotten myself into?

As I stepped into the room, I heard the door lock behind me with a 'click.' It had an air of finality to it.
I closed my eyes as I heard some faint noises come from in front of me.

Don't worry. It's just the room finding out who I respect most. It's a good thing I know where she is, otherwise I might start to believe it's actually Rainbow Dash.

Sure enough, when I looked up, she was standing in front of me, arms crossed, with a small smile on her face. She had her iron boots on, and the spikes gleamed dully in the light of the room.

It sure looks like her.

"'Sup, Dash?" I said, mimicking her crossed arms.

"Yo, pipsqueak." It said.

It sounds just like her, too. This must be some spell.

"Are we gonna fight, or what?" I asked, putting on my gloves.

"Sure. You ready?" She replied, slowly floating upwards.

It even has her attitude.

"As ready as I'll ever be."

"Alright, then."

She flew at me then, her boots swinging in from the side. I caught them on my right glove, the metal making a ringing sound as it hit my arm.

Ow!

My arm was hurting from the force of that kick.

She's a powerhouse! How am I supposed to beat that?

I started flying, rising up just in time to dodge the kick she launched at my legs.
I flew around the room, just barely dodging her savage kicks and occasional punches.

I have to fight back!

I started taking her kicks with my gauntlets, the metal ringing every time the boots and gloves collided. After a while, I noticed there was a pattern forming.

A kick to the left, a kick to the right, a kick with both feet, two punches, and a spinning kick from the right.
I took the first two blows with the gloves, then dodged to the right to avoid the two-footed kick. The second punch hit me in the jaw, but I didn't flinch.

Here it comes. Time to strike.

I ducked under the spinning kick, then flew in close and nailed her with an uppercut to the jaw.
She rose a few inches in the air, then reeled back.

"You're not as pathetic as I thought, kid." she sneered.

Ignore the insults. She's not really Rainbow Dash.

We circled each other, looking for an opening.

"What's the matter? Cat got your tongue? Or are you just too tired to talk, pinprick?"

She flew at me, flipping at the last second and bringing the heel of her right boot down towards my head.
I grabbed her boot, and flung her towards the glass wall, where she hit it with an audible thud.

"All right, now that you've proven you're not completely useless, I'm going to stop holding back." The fake Rainbow Dash said.
The next few minutes were a blur of crashes and whooshes, of motion and heat and the ring of boot against gauntlet.

I'm not doing too bad, considering this is one of the first time's I've fought.

Then one of Rainbow Dash's boots collided with the side of my head and sent me flying into a wall.

On second thought, maybe I'm not so good...

My head was swimming, and I saw something move out of the corner of my eye.
Another boot collided with my head, sending me to the floor.

This isn't good.

Rainbow Dash landed in front of me and started pummeling me with kick after kick after kick.

"Aww, what's the matter, half-pint? Can't take a couple of hits? Pathetic, that's what you are. Absolutely pathetic."

My back was against a wall now. Rainbow Dash kicked a few times, backed off a few feet to avoid any counterattacks, and repeated, hitting me relentlessly over and over and over and over and over again.

"I can't believe I ever brought you under my wing."

I concentrated on blocking, trying to keep from being caught off guard.

Ignore her. Focus on the fight.

"You'll never be good enough, Scootaloo. You'll never be like me. You'll always just be standing in my shadow, watching as I zoom away."

I was starting to get my strength back, blocking more blows, even punching her once or twice, but the insults, the taunts... They were getting to me. I was fighting a losing battle and I knew it.

"I can't believe you have any friends, pathetic little loser that you are."

I fought back tears at the insults. I knew they weren't coming from the real Rainbow Dash herself, but the room had scanned my memories, my mind, my heart. They carried a grain of truth, and that made them sting all the more painfully.

"Did you seriously think I ever thought of you as a sister?"

I stopped, shocked and hurt. Even if this Rainbow Dash was fake, the words hurt like red-hot needles. Rainbow Dash stopped kicking and punching, and approached me slowly, a satisfied smirk on her face. She calmly grabbed my hands and took off my gauntlets, throwing them to the side, and punched me in the face.
I slumped to the ground, pain exploding in my head.

"Look at you. Absolutely pathetic. I guess you're not what the princesses wanted after all."

Tears came to my eyes.

Rainbow Dash...I-I...I'm sorry.

I looked over at the princesses, behind that glass wall that blocked out any sound, and saw them smiling back at me. Celestia looked at the fake Rainbow Dash and nodded to me.
That one nod was all it took for me to realize how silly I'd been.

Of course I'm the one they wanted. If I wasn't, I wouldn't be here.

I looked over at Sweetie Belle and Applebloom. They smiled, and Sweetie belle waved, and said something. I couldn't hear it, but it looked like 'You can do it, Scootaloo!'

No matter what, my friends have got my back. And I'm gonna teach this room a lesson: never mess with me or my friends. Period.

"You're a pathetic little twerp who'll never amou-"

Her next insult was cut off as my gauntlet slammed into her gut. She staggered back, clutching her stomach, and I stood up.

"Whatever you are... However you got those words... I'm going to take them and shove them down your throat." I said, raising my fists.

There was a flickering light in the room now. Something was there. Something new. Something bright.
I looked around the room, trying to find the source of the glowing.
I looked at the fake Rainbow Dash, still struggling to breathe. She was staring at my fists, still clenched in rage.
I looked down at my hands.
They were on fire.
My hands were fine, as far as I could feel. There was something else. They were on fire, but they weren't burning. I felt fine. Great, actually. I felt energized.

"Wha-what are you?" Rainbow Dash asked, finally managing a weak breath.

"I'm Scootaloo." I said. "Rainbow Dash's honorary sister. And you're going down."

Just one punch. That's all I need to do. All I need to hit her with to beat her. To end this.
I walked towards her and grabbed her by the neck, raising her into the air. I clenched my fist and prepared to strike her down, the fire making a faint trail as I moved my hand.
I punched.
Rainbow Dash flew into the air with the force of the uppercut I delivered to her jaw. She hit the ceiling with a crack and fell to the ground. Her head was at a weird angle.

No.

I stepped over to her, saw her face.

No. No. This can't... No!

She was dead.

"I-I didn't mean to- I just- I-I..." My voice trailed off as I realized what I'd done.

I just... killed... the fake Rainbow Dash.

I heard footsteps behind me as someone ran into the room.

"Scootaloo! Are you all right?"

It was Princess Celestia. She looked at me, now on my knees, then looked at fake Rainbow Dash.

"Oh..." She said, realizing what'd happened.

She gave a low chuckle as she picked up my gauntlets from where the fake had thrown them.

How can she laugh when I've just...

She half carried, half dragged me out of the room and sat me down on one of the armchairs facing the glass. I could still see her, see her body lying there on the ground, see her face staring at me, all the life drained from it.
I saw the body disappear in a small flash of light, and remembered what they'd said.
I burst out laughing.

"I'm sorry for scaring you guys there." I said, standing up. "I actually thought I'd killed someone, even if it was a fake person. I'm good now, though." I turned to Princess Celestia.

"So, I guess I've got..."

"It would seem so. Congratulations, Scootaloo." She said, turning me to face the others and putting a hand on my shoulder. "You have passed the first trial and have discovered your Element: Fire!"

It was kinda like how I'd imagined getting my cutie mark would be.
I sat back down, utterly drained from the whole experience.

"All right. Who's next?"

Vinyl

This is gonna be an interesting fight.

I'd stood up.

"I'll go. It's time to test my skills." I'd said. "I'm ready to see what I'm made of."

As I stepped into the room the door closing behind me, a million thoughts ran through my head.

Who am I gonna fight? Octavia? The princesses? Twilight or one of her friends? My DJ friends? I can't really think of anyone I respect most out of all the people I've met.

I was so distracted I hadn't noticed the person standing in front of me until she spoke.

"We gonna get on with this or what?"

I looked up.

That answered that question, then. Standing in front of me was... me. She was dressed just like me, down to the headphones on her head and the katana belted at her hip. She grinned.

"This is going to be a very interesting fight." she said, drawing my katana. I did the same. We stood there, staring at each other - or, rather, ourselves - for a few minutes.

the other me charged, and I just managed to raise my katana to block the blow she was aiming at my head. The clone swung several blows, arcing in from many different directions, keeping my on my toes, putting her on the defensive.

Man, I'm a tough fighter.

I dove out of the way of the next attack, the clone's katana slashing through the air where my head had been moments ago.

I'm a ruthless fighter, too.

Several blows pounded on my katana, and a couple slipped past, raking long, shallow, painful cuts down my chest.

I'm gonna kill myself if I keep this up for much longer. I've gotta find an opening somewhere...

As the fight went on, she scored several small hits on me, making painful cuts that made it harder to attack.

What do I do? I can't fight back. She's too fast. unless...

I took another several blows, then jumped to the side just as another blow was going to hit.

Come on, think like I would...

As I'd expected, she turned to face me, blocking any chance of an attack. However, this left an opening for me to leap backwards, out of range.

I started stepping backwards until I was a good ten feet from the other me.

"Wow. How am I such a suckish fighter?" she said.

"Well, I wouldn't beat myself up about it if I were you." I replied.

Then I threw my katana.

The double slashed the katana out of the air with ease, but she was so distracted by the fact that I'd thrown my weapon that she failed to see the uppercut that hit her square in the jaw, sending the clone a few inches into the air.

Just like Scootaloo.

I followed up with some rapid punches and jabs, all of them thudding into the clone's chest and stomach, knocking the wind out of her.
She lay on the ground, disarmed, gasping for breath as I stood over her and picked up my katana from where it'd landed.
I raised my katana, ready to strike.
Out of desperation, the other me picked up her katana from where she'd dropped it and stabbed at me, managing to sink the tip of my katana a few inches into my gut.
I staggered backwards, shocked and in pain.

How... How did I manage to do that? I was winded. I was battered. I was winning.

I got up, brushing myself off as I tried to stem the flow of blood from the wound. The pain was unbearable. I was hurting all over. My arms and legs felt like they were on fire. Sweat was dripping into the wounds, making them hurt twice as much.

"You had me going there. I thought I was a goner for a second. But it's all over now."

I have to do something!

I dropped my katana, using both hands to hold my stomach as the clone started walking towards me, a grim smile on my face as she prepared for the final blow.

It can't end like this. But it hurts... It hurts really bad. I need to push past it. Fight. I need to fight back!

I stopped holding my stomach and tackled the doppelganger, landing on top of her. However, she quickly regained her wits, rolled over, and started pummeling me, savagely beating me in the face over and over again.

I thought I'd caught myself off guard. Is this it? Am I dead?

"No."

My arm shot out, almost of its own accord, and grabbed one of the katanas that'd dropped nearby. Bringing my arm in front of me, I slammed the hilt of the blade into the clone's face.
She fell backwards, blood dripping from her nose, and started crawling backwards as fast as she could.

"I'm not gonna let some clone kick my butt." I said, staggering forward, katana in hand. "If I'm going down, I'm going down fighting." I raised my katana to fight myself, and saw that my katana was enveloped by a black aura, flickering like dark fire.

What's up with my katana? What Element does this mean I have?

I continued staggering towards the imitation me, my katana ablaze with black flames, and lowered the tip of it until it was pointing at her.
I saw the fear in her - no, this wasn't a clone anymore now that I was an Element user - its eyes, and out of all the things I could've felt at that exact moment, I felt pity. Pity for this...this whatever-it-was that was just doing what it was made for.
"You know, as much as I want to," I said. "I can't kill you."
I thrust, the katana burying itself to the hilt in the wall next to Vinyl 1.0, and kicked it in the face as hard as I could. It slumped to the ground, its head hitting the tile, and it was over. The katana disappeared in a flash of light, as did the thing.

Huh. I guess I picked up her katana, not mine. Well, I've defeated myself. What now?

I heard a click as the door unlocked, and I half limped, half staggered in, still bleeding from dozens of cuts, not to mention the pretty big wound in my stomach, and looked at my friends and the princesses. To my surprise, it wasn't Celestia but Luna who walked towards me and put a hand on my shoulder.
"Congratulations, Vinyl." she said, looking down at me with a smile. "You have passed the first trial and discovered your Element: Shadow."
Then the world spun, everything went dark, and I think I fell down.

Time Turner

We took a small break while the princesses patched up the wounds Vinyl'd made in herself, and we returned to the room 49 minutes and 36 seconds later.

"Well, so far we've discovered that I've got Shadow and Scootaloo's got Fire." Vinyl said, wincing as she sat down in one of the chairs. "So who's up next?"

I wonder which Element I've got? Light, maybe? Earth seems a bit too... violent to fit me. Maybe Lightning? I don't exactly know what they entail. Maybe I've got Ice. Who knows?

"I guess I'll go next," I said, walking towards the door. "But I don't have a weapon, and I can't fight hand-to-hand like Scootaloo."

Luna unlocked it, and as I stepped inside, Celestia said, "Good luck, Time Turner. I am sure you'll find a way to win without fighting."

I stepped into the middle of the room, and waited. After 1 minute and 33 seconds, two figures appeared in front of me.

I hope she's right, because right now, I'm screwed.

Celestia and Luna drew their weapons.
I gulped.
They charged.

Luna

I was walking to sit on an armchair when I heard the others gasp in shock.

"What is the matter?"

I turned around to see the people that had appeared in the room.

That is not good. Very, very definitely not good.

"It appears we have made a mistake in bringing him here." I said. "Even as untrained as we are, we're still alicorns. He will not make it out alive, I'm afraid."

"I guess he respected you two a whole lot." Sweetie Belle put in. "And equally, too."

Celestia looked over at me and smiled slightly.

"Well, that's awfully nice of him." she said. "Believe it or not, there's a chance he could win this. Like Luna said earlier, they're only as strong as the person inside the room is. If he's smart..."

"And careful." Vinyl added.

"And really, really lucky." Octavia said.

"He might make it out alive." Celestia finished.

I took a seat next to Vinyl.

"Hey, Luna, what's that on the far wall?" she asked me, pointing to said wall, which had a round door set in the center.

"Scootaloo pointed it out to me when we came back in."

"Ah. You two can see it? Then I was right." I said, turning to her. "As far as we can tell, the door only appears to those who have completed the first trial. Celestia can see it too. It leads to the next Trial Room."

"Do you know what's in there?"

"Another room quite like this one. Me and my sister have not taken the second trial yet. We have decided it would be better if we were stronger."

"But what if it's like this room," she said, looking at me. "Where whoever or whatever appears is just as strong as you are?"

I had not thought of that. I shall have to ask Celestia about that when I get the chance.

We sat in silence and watched the fight.

Time Turner

This isn't going too well.

I dodged a slicing katana for what must have been the hundredth time. I was too distracted trying to stay alive to keep precise track of time, but I knew it must have been about 5 minutes in. I'd escaped a few sticky situations where they'd nearly cornered me, but I'd managed to maneuver my way around them, taking minor injuries every time.

I've gotta find some way to beat them!

"Look at this, sis." Celestia's clone said. "He's so pathetic I don't even need my katana to beat him."

"I know, sister." the fake Luna said. "All he can do is run away."

They both sheathed their katanas and advanced towards me.

I might have a chance here.

"You're right." I said, hanging my head. "I can't fight. I'm not good with a blade, or any other kind of weapon."

They were advancing more slowly now, both of them smirking.

A little closer...

"In fact, I'm not good at much besides fixing dusty old clocks and watches and hourglasses." I continued. "I don't even know why I'm here. I'm not a hero. I'm nothing special. I'm just me."

They were in front of me now, laughing cruelly as I degraded myself for their amusement.

Now!

I leaped into action, grabbing Luna's katana from its sheath and activating my anklets, jumping over their heads - giving them a small kick as I did so - and landing on the other side of the room.

Let's hope I can remember some of what I saw Vinyl do in that session with Octavia.

"But I'm very, very clever." I finished.

They charged at me, Celestia drawing her katana, and I smiled despite it all.
I managed to hold my own with a katana despite no prior knowledge or training, but it wouldn't last very long, and I knew it. Celestia was attacking from every conceivable direction, and it was all I could do to block her without Luna adding punches and kicks every so often.

Time's running out, Turner. Think. Use that clever little brain of yours.

An idea struck. A stupid idea. A completely idiotic, absolutely crazy idea made of two parts adrenaline and several parts desperation.
I dropped the katana, the metal ringing against the tile floor.

"I give up. Kill me."

They stopped attacking, surprised at my sudden surrender.

Now!

I tackled the fake Celestia, the katana clattering to the floor as we slammed to the tiles. I heard Luna shout, and heard footsteps near where I'd dropped her katana

Let's just hope I'm strong enough for this...

I activated my anklets, flying slowly upwards before Luna could get to us. Celestia struggled in my arms, trying to break my grip on her, but I kept holding on until I was at the ceiling.

"Put me down!" she yelled, still trying to wriggle free. Then she realized what she'd said. "No, No. Wait. Don't put me down. Don't put me down!"

Sorry, Celestia.

"Too late!" I said, rushing towards the ground and dropping the struggling princess clone as I did so.

I hope she doesn't remember that she can fly too...

She didn't remember, or if she did, she didn't remember in time. She slammed into the ground headfirst, her neck making a cracking sound as it hit the tile.

That's one down. Now for-

My thoughts were cut off as a katana sliced towards my head. I quickly ducked under it and ran the other way, Luna chasing me around the room. It would've looked comical had I not been the one being chased. It was going well - as far as being chased by an angry fake princess whose sister you've just killed goes - when I tripped over Celestia.
I flew to the ground, and when I tried to get up, there was a foot on my chest. I looked up at Luna, who was standing over me, katana poised to strike.

This is it, I guess.
I concentrated, closing my eyes. I sensed Luna standing over me, katana raised. I tried to do something, anything that would get me out of this. I sensed something happen. A flash, or a pulse, a large burst of power, then nothing.

Just hurry up and kill me already!

Luna was certainly taking her sweet time finishing me off. I opened one eye, and both of them opened wide in shock.
She was standing perfectly still, like she was frozen. She was frozen! I looked at the katana mere inches from my chest.

Looks like whatever happened couldn't have happened at a better time.

I looked over at the glass. The others were frozen, too. Vinyl had a scared look on her face. The younger ones looked horrified. The real princesses and Octavia all looked worried.
Then something even weirder happened. Celestia started moving. It was hard to notice at first, but her chest was moving up and down. She was breathing. Then I saw her eyes move, then the rest of her. I checked to see if any of the others were moving. No, it seemed to be just the princess. She moved extremely slowly at first, then faster, and she turned to look at me and the fake Luna.
She tilted her head towards Luna's clone and mouthed something.

'You've got to escape. This won't last too long.'

'What's happening?' I mouthed back. 'What Element is this? How are you moving? Did I-'

'No time. Later. Escape. Beat her. We'll talk afterwards.'

I looked at the fake Luna.

How do I get out from under her?

I tried moving, and she moved surprisingly easily, as if she was just standing there. Then again, she was just standing there, but she'd looked - I don't know - heavier somehow now that she was frozen.

Now, how to beat her while everything's frozen? Somehow I don't think punching and kicking her will work. At least not without unfreezing her...

There was no other way around it. I had to kill her to leave.

Sorry, Luna.

I strode over to where the fake Celestia's katana was lying, and picked it up, heading back towards the fake Luna. She looked almost like she was taking a step, one foot in the air, a grimace on her face, katana raised to stab at where I used to be.

I looked at the real Celestia, and mouthed 'I'm sorry about this.'

I was behind Luna now, katana in hand. I located her heart.

Just one clean, quick stab.

The blade had just sunk into her back when everything started moving again. Luna didn't have time to register what'd happened before the blade pierced her heart. Everyone behind the wall except Celestia jumped, staring at me as Luna's clone slumped to the floor, dead.
The door unlocked, and I walked towards it, just as confused as the others.

Did I just stop time? What Element lets you stop time?

I stood there, exhausted, as Celestia walked over to me and put a hand on my shoulder.

"Congratulations, Time Turner. You have passed the first trial and discovered your Element: Lightning!"

Lightning? What does that have to do with stopping time?

I looked at Celestia.

She looked at me, and whispered; "I'll explain everything later."

I slumped into one of the armchairs.

"Well, I'm glad that's over. Who wants to go next?" I said.

There was a long silence.

"I will." Applebloom volunteered.

"Well, we should stop for now." Celestia said. "It's getting late, and we should rest up and gather our strength. When you have all discovered your Element, we will begin training."

Celestia

So, that's three down.

Vinyl had Shadow, demonstrated by the aura that'd appeared around her sword, Scootaloo had Fire, as shown by her hands, and Time Turner had Lightning, as demonstrated by one of the unique abilities that Lightning users have. A time stop, in a way. I used this ability now as we stepped out of the Trial Room. I felt electricity course through me, increasing my reactions and moving me at speeds so fast that time seemed to stand still.

It's tiring, this power. I need to rest soon.

I made sure not to move while using the time stop, so when I unfroze time and walked with them, then didn't notice anything amiss. Luna stopped near the door to our chambers, and stood next to me, looking out the window over Canterlot as I used my magic to set the sun.

"He stopped time, didn't he?" She asked.

"It appears so."

"Such power so early... We'll have to watch him closely."

"Vinyl, too. Shadow is not to be taken lightly. If used wrong..." I shuddered.

Luna looked at me accusingly.

"Do you honestly think I'd ever believe you could let it get the best of you?" I said, nudging her with my elbow. "You're my sister. You're too stubborn for that."

She chuckled.

"What I wouldn't give to stop time." She said. "The things we could do together..."

She's starting to adjust. Maybe soon I can introduce her to the arcade in the west wing... We could have fun, like real sisters do.

"Hey, don't be too hard on yourself, Luna. I might be able to stop time, but it takes a lot out of me." I said, wrapping an arm around her. "Besides, I can't teleport like you can."

"I guess." She said, smiling. "Good night, Celestia."

"Good night, Luna." I said as I opened the door to my room.

I heard her say, more quietly, "I love you."

"I love you too." I whispered as her necklace stated to glow as she raised the moon.

I fell asleep soon after, my thoughts on Luna and the new Element bearers.

It's night.
I'm standing in the courtyard, katana drawn, and it's raining. I look behind me to see five people standing there, weapons drawn and breathing heavily.

Wait a second... Gauntlets, Mace, Dagger, Bow, and Nothing... Where's Vinyl?

My thoughts are interrupted by a cruel-sounding laugh from in front of me.

"Ah, sister. So glad you could make it." the voice says. "I thought you might like to see me kill your precious students before I take your life."

I look to see Luna standing there, katana drawn. There's something different about her. Something familiar.

Nightmare Moon!

Author's Note

Here's where stuff goes down, folks. It's probably gonna be the longest chapter in the fic, but hey! Three fight scenes! Woo! Here we go!

Chapter 8: A Growing Shadow

Luna

It is raining again.
I'm on one of the towers above my chambers, the shingles slick with rain. I am breathing heavily, and there's someone in front of me.

Vinyl? Why is she here? Why am I here, for that matter? And why do we have our katanas drawn?

She starts stepping towards me, katana poised to strike at any moment. She has fire in her eyes and a determined grimace on her face.

"Luna, stop this. It doesn't need to end this way. Come back with me and we can talk. I'm sure we can help you without-"

"No."

It is that cold, cruel voice again, coming from my mouth without me speaking. It's as if someone else is in charge, and I am just along for the ride.

"I've come too far to be stopped by some upstart student who thinks she can wield Shadow better than I."

"Luna, please!"

There's a pleading look on Vinyl's face now. The tip of her blade lowers, and I take that chance to rush in and butt her with the hilt of my katana.

No! Stop! Please! I don't want to hurt her!

As much as I yearn to take control and stop myself, I can't.
She stumbles back, slightly dazed, and I rush in, stabbing at her almost too fast to dodge. Almost.
Vinyl spins out of the way, her katana coming in for a quick slash at my right side. I block easily and turn to face her.

"Please!"

I can see the fear and desperation in her eyes.

Yes, stop! Whoever you are, whoever's in control here, stop this at once!

"You fool! How could you even presume to stand up to me! I am the ruler of the night! I am the fear that lives in the darkness! You should be bowing before me and begging for me to let you live!"

Vinyl's eyes turn hard, and she grimaces. A dark aura surrounds her blade, like in the Trial Room when she'd used her Element, and when I look into her eyes, they burn with black flames.

"Then you leave me with no other choice, Luna. If you won't come back willingly, I'm going to make you see sense. I'm not letting you kill Princess Celestia!"

She attacks then, battering my defenses with hard, fast slashes that I only just manage to block in time.

"I'm going to bring you back to your sister if I have to break every bone in your body to do it!"

Slashes come in from every direction, and I whirl madly to keep up. It is almost as if there are three of her attacking me at once.
My katana burns with the same fire, and I match her blow for blow, hitting her defenses hard and fast. After a few minutes of this, I start to notice something else about the flames. They are growing, elongating my blade and burning ever darker and brighter. The envelop my right arm first, and grow until they cover me like a suit of dark armor.

"I am Nightmare Moon! I bring eternal night and darkness! I will not be stopped by the likes of you!"

I slash only once. My katana bears down on hers and knocks it from her hand, where it embeds itself in a nearby shingle.
She starts backing away, then, and I see my reflection in her eyes.

No. Please, for the love of Equestria, no! NO!

Vinyl's foot slips on a shingle, and she falls backwards, half off the edge of the tower now.

"Eh."

She shrugs, a smile crossing her face.

"It was worth a shot."

Suddenly, a flash of light emanates from behind me. I turn to see Celestia and the others standing on the roof.

"Vinyl! I'm so glad you're okay!" Octavia says, rushing towards us, but Vinyl cuts her off.

"Leave!" she shouts. "It's not safe here!"

While she is occupied, I grab her katana and ready it.

"Go, quick, before she-"

I stab at her. Vinyl looks up at me, and a single word escapes her mouth.

"Tavi-"

The sword pierces her chest.

"NO!"

NO!

I sat up, sweat running down my face.

Nononononononononononononono!

I looked at my reflection. Still me, despite the dream I'd had.

Please, oh please let this not be a premonition!

I stood up, trying desperately not to break down or scream.

If it is... I'm going to... No. It can't be. That was just a dream. I should know as well as anyone that dreams can seem as real and vivid as real life.

I stepped out of my chambers and into the long corridor that bridged mine and Celestia's personal rooms and training areas. I stepped to the window where I'd raised the moon the night before. It was morning now, the equivalent of late evening for me.

It's time to get the students and head back to the Trial Room.

Applebloom

We had all gathered in the Trial Room ahead of time, and we were waiting for the princesses to arrive.

"D'you think we should have told them we were coming here early?" Time Turner asked.

"I left a note." Vinyl said. "Besides, they're smart. They'll know where we've gone."

"But what if they don't see the note?"

"How could they not see it? I taped it to the outside of our door!"

"But what if it fell off?"

"Why would it fall off?"

"I dunno! Maybe it-"

"Just shut up, both of you!"

Octavia cut in, stopping them from arguing further.

"Let's just wait here until they come. Honestly, you two are impossible sometimes!"

They stopped arguing, Vinyl giving Time Turner a satisfied smirk.
The princesses arrived shortly afterwards, and I prepared myself to go into the room. I'd been musing over how to beat Applejack all throughout the previous night, and I had some ideas.

One thing's for sure: If she lands even one blow with that hammer of hers, it's over. I have to use my speed and maneuver around her attacks.

I'd also taken some precautions. Vinyl'd let me borrow some of her headphones for the fight. I wasn't going to listen to anything, but the headphones would block out any sound - or, more importantly, any insults - coming from Applejack. I didn't want my fight to go like Scootaloo's.
I stepped into the room, unbelting my mace as I did so. I'd trained for an hour or so before I'd gone to bed last night, and I was starting to get used to using it.
Applejack appeared in front of me about a minute later. She started talking, but I couldn't hear her through my headphones. I saw her start to unbelt her hammer.

I have to strike first, or else this fight could drag on for a while, and the longer it gets, the less I'm gonna be able to dodge.

I swung my mace at her, and she jumped backwards, her hammer falling from her waist and hitting the ground. I moved to pick it up, but Applejack punched me in the face, and as I staggered back, she grabbed the hammer and swung it in a sideways arc towards my head. I ducked out of the way, swinging my mace at her legs as I did so. The mace smashed into her left leg and brought her to the floor.

End it, Applebloom!

I swung my mace downward at her head.
Applejack dove forward and rolled just inside the reach of my weapon, uncurling into a vicious uppercut that hit me square in the jaw.
I staggered back, blood spurting from my nose and reflex tears filling my eyes. Applejack stepped towards me, readying her hammer for the final blow.
Thinking quickly, I ducked and moved as if to dive to the left. Applejack swung her hammer downwards at where my head would've been if I'd actually gone that way. Instead, I dodged to the right and hit her in the back with my mace.
Applejack turned sharply and caught my mace with her hands, dropping her hammer. She ripped the weapon from my grasp and punched me in the gut. I staggered backwards, holding my stomach, and she pushed me backwards, knocking me over.
As I landed on my back, the headphones Vinyl had lent me fell off, and sound rushed in. I tried to get up, but Applejack put her foot down on my chest, keeping me on the ground.

"I'd stay down if I were you, sugar cube. I'll try to make it quick."

I closed my eyes, tensed for the blow that would finish me off. I heard Applejack shuffle a bit as she raised the hammer to strike.
I heard a strange cracking sound.
I opened my eyes, and saw that one of the tiles on the floor was floating a few inches out of its place, just hanging in the air, as if waiting for something. I glanced at Applejack, readying her hammer still.

Okay, if this is my Element, I should be able to control it, right? So how do I get that tile to hit Applejack?

No sooner had I had the thought than the tile flew through the air straight at Applejack, hitting her in the side of the head.
She stepped off of me, holding her head and looking around for some unseen attacker.

Okay, how do I do that again?

I focused on one of the floor tiles and thought Lift! It lifted. I thought Go hit Applejack! and it flew at her face.

So, Earth then? Does this count as Earth? Are the tiles made of stone?

I kept flinging tiles at her, choosing random ones, attacking her from every direction, keeping her on her toes, while I stood up, dusted myself off, and calmly picked up my mace from where my faux sister had thrown it. Lift! I took a few steps closer. Go hit Applejack! A few steps more. Lift! I was nearly to her now. Go get her! I thought about how best to take her out. Lift! I decided on a quick blow to the head. Sic 'er, boy! I started taking tiles mainly from behind her, keeping her faced away from me. Lift! I was almost there now. For victory! It seemed that as long as my intent was in mind, it didn't really matter what I said to the tiles, they would fly at Applejack all the same. Lift! I was behind her now. Go, my child! The tile flew straight at her, and she raised her hammer to block. Stop! The tile stopped inches short of Applejack's hammer. We stood there, Applejack just looking at the tile, wondering what was going on, and me looking at Applejack, mustering up the courage to strike her down.

Enough of this. Time to strike!

I raised my mace, the tile taking my errant thought as an order and slamming full speed into Applejack's chest.
I brought my weapon down. There was a crack as the mace hit her in the back of the head, splitting her skull open like an egg. I screamed.

I didn't mean to hit her that hard!

Instead of the blood and brains I would've expected to explode out of her head from such a blow, there was only a puff of smoke as she disappeared entirely.
The door unlocked, and I stepped in. Surprisingly, except for a couple of broken ribs and a bloody nose, I was fine. Luna stepped to meet me, and put a hand on my shoulder.

"C-Congratulations, Applebloom. You have passed the first trial and discovered your Element: Earth!"

I'm glad that's over.

Octavia

While Applebloom had been fighting her sister, I had been tuning my cello. Just because it doubled as a weapon didn't mean it couldn't sound perfect. I finished the last of my adjustments and stood up, clearing my throat as I did so.

"I might as well go next. I just finished getting ready, and I don't want to waste any more time just sitting here while my friends nearly die just to find out what power they have. I've got an even shot at getting either Ice or Light, so there's not much to do but go for it and see which side the coin lands on, is there?"

I walked towards the door, pressing the small button that opened up the neck of my cello, revealing the quiver of arrows concealed within, and gave the group a small smile.

Here goes nothing. I wonder how Vinyl will react to me killing a copy of her... She is the person I respect most, after all. I can't really think of anyone else I'd rather fight with or against than my roommate.
But as the now familiar cloud of black mist congealed into someone in the room, I realized I'd been wrong.

Detective Nightshade?

Sure enough, there she was.
My mind flashed back to a few months ago, when I'd read the first of the book series she was in. From the very first page, I was hooked. Nightshade was never afraid of danger, she never gave in, and she was always able to help those in need. In a way, I wished I was her. She was just like me, but better.
And now she was standing in front of me.

Can the room do that? Can it make fictional characters?

The unicorn looked around, obviously confused.

Why is she a pony? If I'm a human, shouldn't she be one too? Wait, this is a fictional character. If she's a pony in the book, she's a-

A hoof slammed into my face, shattering my state of contemplation.

"Get me out of here."

What?

I evaded another kick from the feisty P.I., still utterly bewildered at the sight of one of the greatest fictional minds since Sherclop Holmes being real and alive and very angry.

"Let me go, whatever you are. I have urgent business in Cloudsdale, and I can't afford to waste any time here fighting you."

It seemed like she was taken straight from where I'd left off in my novella. Detective Nightshade had an important message to deliver to the mayor of Cloudsdale concerning a ring of thieves and smugglers that were operating in the area. She'd discovered their location, and she was just about to rally the authorities when we'd left to go to the castle.

How can I kill a fictional pony? Can I kill a fictional pony? This spell really is something. It must be the 'huge magic boost' Vinyl was talking about.

I pressed the small button on the handle of my bow, sensing more than seeing the wood bend and lock to form a curve, and loaded an arrow onto the string.

Well, I still need to beat her to pass.

I drew back, ready to end this battle quickly, but a grey aura enveloped my hands, and I couldn't move them.

"Whatever you are, I'm afraid I have to kill you." the unicorn said, slowly walking towards me, her horn glowing as she levitated a small knife from her saddlebag. "Don't worry though; you won't feel much."

I tried to let go of the bow, and to my surprise, even though my hands were trapped, my fingers could still move.

She's got me at the wrists.

An idea formed in my mind then.

If I can just move a bit...

I swiveled my body, trying to work around the magical hold she had on my hands. I managed to maneuver my way until my arms were stuck straight out in front of me, my wrists still held in place.

Come on, let your vanity take over...

As I'd hoped, she didn't kill me from the side, which was the wisest choice she could've made at that time. Instead, she walked around me until we were facing each other dead on.

"I want you to see where your death comes from," she said, putting the knife in her mouth and rearing on her hind legs.

Now!

I moved my feet out from under me, dropping and swinging by my magically held wrists, bringing my feet forward and into the unfortunate pony's stomach. The magic holding my hands went away as the unicorn flew through the air and slammed into a wall. I got up, dusted myself off, picked up my bow, and pressed the button, turning it into a harmless cello bow. I picked up the arrow from where it had fallen, and brandished it, the metal shaft gleaming dully in the light of the room.

It's obvious I won't get very far with trying to shoot her, so it'll have to be a bit more... complicated. Let's see how I do in a knife fight.

It turned out I was pretty decent at it, though that might have been due to the fact that I had a definite hight and mobility advantage due to me being human and my opponent being equine. I was actually starting to make her nervous. I could see fear in her eyes as she blocked yet another attack.

The fight is won. I'm beating her easily.

She blocked a few more, her guard slipping more and more as time went on.

Too easily.

She lunged at me and I sidestepped, in the perfect position for a counterattack. It was too obvious an opening. It was a trap.
Sure enough, as my arrow moved to take advantage of the opportunity, a grey aura enveloped my hands again, trapping me once more, only this time my hands were closer to the ground, ensuring no counterattack like the first would occur.

"You know, even though I was just faking being tired, you are pretty strong, whatever you are." the unicorn said as she calmly strode towards me, readying the knife.

"You're not too shabby yourself, being a pony and all." I replied.

The black coated mare was in front of me now, knife floating and glowing with magical energy.

"Wait..."

She stopped, looking confused.

"Why is it getting brighter?"

I looked around. Nothing had changed for me. I returned my gaze to the pony in front of me, and saw that she was squinting now.

"What are you doing? Why is it so bright all of a sudden? I can hardly see. What did you do!?"

She was covering her eyes now, waving her knife around as if the brightness was caused by some unseen person in the room.

"Stop it, whatever you're doing! Is there some sort of machine in here that turns up the lights?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about. It's not any brighter. If anything, it's gotten slightly darker now." I said, utterly confused.

You know, come to think of it, it is kind of warm in here. Not too warm, just... warmer. As if I was in front of the hearth back home.

The knife stopped then, and returned to point at me, or rather, some point off to my left. It shot forward.

She thinks she's stabbing me. Well, as long as she supposedly can't see, I don't see the harm in leading her on a bit.

"Ow! Owww! My arm! You stabbed me in the arm!" I moaned, trying my best to sound as if I were in excruciating pain.

She moved her knife a little to the left, and stabbed again.

"Ow! My other arm! Stop that!"

She moved a bit to the right and up, and stabbed a third time.
I let out a choked gurgle, as if she'd hit me in the neck.

Come on, take the bait...

Sure enough, the magic holding my arms dissipated, and I was free once more. I slumped to the tile, more to simulate my emaciated corpse hitting the ground than anything and slowly rose as she started blindly stepping around and feeling with her hooves for my body.

I could kill her. I could load an arrow into my bow and end it an instant.

I reached for my bow, which was strapped to my cello...
And moved past the bow to the strap holding my cello in place. I loosened it, putting the arrow I'd used as an impromptu knife back in the neck and closing it. I held the cello by the neck, and tiptoed my way over to the fumbling unicorn.

"See ya later, Nighshade." I whispered.

She turned around, swinging the knife wildly and turning her back to me.
I slammed my cello down on the unfortunate pony's head, and watched as she crumpled to the floor, unconscious.
There was a click as the door unlocked. The warmth disappeared, and I saw everyone but Celestia uncover their eyes, and start at the sight of me, holding my cello over Nightshade's dozing form.
As I walked back towards the door I inspected the instrument. The blow to Nightshade's head had made the fourth string a tad flat. I adjusted it as I stepped through the open doorway. Seeing all was good with my quiver, I strapped it on my back and looked up at Celestia, who had put a hand on my shoulder.

"Congratulations, Octavia. You have passed the first trial and discovered your Element: Light."

Light, huh? That'd explain how I'd blinded Nightshade. Speaking of...

I looked over at the room, and saw the fictional pony disappear in a puff of smoke.

See you tonight, friend. I aim to finish your story.

"I've found all my students." Celestia said, glancing at me, Time Turner, and Scootaloo. "Now all that's left is for Sweetie Belle to take the trial, discover her Element, and then we can begin your official training.

Sweetie Belle

The moment I'd been dreading had arrived; It was time to fight Rarity. I looked around the silent room, taking in all the expectant eyes watching, waiting, for me to stand up and enter. But I just couldn't seem to find the courage.

I'm no good as a fighter. Even when I work hard and try my absolute hardest to win, everything seems to go wring. The thread gets tangled up, I keep missing when I swing the needles, or my opponent's just too fast to get caught by my clunky attacks. I could try and use magic, I guess... I don't really know if I can though, even with the magic boost.

Celestia interrupted my thoughts. Apparently, I'd been sitting on that armchair and thinking for some time now. I stood up and tried to talk, tried to tell the waiting room that I couldn't fight, let alone beat, my big sister one-on-one, but I just ended up staring blankly at Scootaloo and Applebloom. They glanced at each other, and it hit them. They'd seen me in training, and they knew just how bad of a fighter I was. They started whispering to each other, just barely too quietly for me to hear, then Scootaloo walked up to me and started to nudge me towards the door.

"Oh, come on, Sweetie Belle. It won't be that hard. She's only gonna be as tough as you are, remember?"

"Besides," Applebloom chipped in, unlocking the door and holding it open for me and my persistent friend. "If you need any help, we'll be right here on the other side of this wall, rooting for you all the way."

We were almost to the door when Celestia walked up to me and Scootaloo.

"You know, if you want, we can just not do the trial." she said. "We already know what Element you have, so me and Luna can just work with you personally to help you discover it."

I just about exploded with relief at the news.

I don't have to fight Rarity? That would be amazing. But... What would happen If Celestia and Luna were burdened with teaching me? It'd take up time that they could use to help the others. Someone else could end up falling behind because I might not get the hang of using my powers right away, and if even one of us is behind, we won't be able to work as a team, and who knows what would happen? King Sombra could win, and it would all be because I was too much of a coward to fight my sister.

"No."

I stopped resisting Scootaloo's pushing, and stepped towards the door.

"I've made up my mind: I'm going to fight Rarity, and discover my Element on my own."

I stepped through the door, and smiled at my friends. The door closed behind me with a loud click, and I stepped into the center of the room.

Besides, Rarity's only as strong as I am. It can't be that hard.

I saw a flash of metal, and quickly dodged out of the way of a massive swath of needles. I had just enough time to get to my feet before another huge group of the things flew straight at me. I ducked again, but this time a small group managed to catch me in the back.

OW!

Pain exploded from the point of impact, overwhelming me. My head swam, and I blacked out for a few seconds. When my head was clear again, there were more needles coming at me.

Note to self: do NOT let those things hit you.

I dodged them, and looked around for my sister. I found her, levitating herself with magic, in one of the corners of the room. I pretended not to notice her, or the flash of light that burst from her necklace. I dove towards her at an angle, working my way closer as I dodged the large groups of floating needles. after a couple of minutes of dodging, ducking and diving, I'd positioned myself so that she was behind me, but I could still see her out of the corner of my eye. I started casually twirling one of my needles around on its thread, making small circles with it as I awaited the next wave of needles, apparently oblivious to Rarity floating there behind me. Her necklace flashed, heralding another wave of silver projectiles.

Now!

I spun on my heel and let go of the string, propelling the needle towards Rarity, who either didn't notice or didn't react in time to stop the thing from hitting her in the shoulder.

"Ouch!"

She dropped to the floor, taking the needle from her shoulder and throwing it off to the side.

"Well, then, sister, I guess the time for going easy is over. I won't be holding back any more."

I said nothing, not wanting to provoke her or show any emotion.

"Oh, sister. If you want to get out of here, you need to learn something very important..."

Her necklace flashed, and I tensed, waiting for a swath of needles to hurtle towards me, but instead intense, searing pain exploded from the area where I'd been hit earlier. My head swam again, and as I blacked out for the second time, I heard Rarity laugh, and finish the sentence.

"Never turn your back on an idle needle."

I came to about a minute later, and leapt to my feet, ready to fight, but when I saw what had happened, I sank to my knees.

This... This is not good. This is the exact opposite of good. This is very, VERY bad.

I was standing inside a globe of needles, the things whirling and spinning around me, flashing constantly and occasionally darting in to attack. I dodged left and right, and drew my daggers...
Which were gone.

"I hope you don't mind, Sweetie Belle," Rarity called from outside the globe. "but I've taken your pesky little daggers and set them down out here. You really should be careful with those; you could poke an eye out or something. Of course, you could always try to come out here and get them if you wanted to."

She walked into the globe, the needles parting around her, and stood facing me with a smug look on her face.

"This, my sister, is the endgame. At any time, I can merely think about all these needles hitting you, and - oops, I almost thought about it."

She laughed, a cold, condescending laugh. I stood up, and just stared at her, not saying anything, not showing any emotion, just staring at her, anger building in the pit of my stomach.

"What, are you giving me the silent treatment? How immature."

The needles edged closer.

"That's no way to treat the person who holds your life in her hands, now is it, little sister?"

"You're not my sister."

Her eyes widened in mock amazement.

"You can talk? I never would've guessed."

"You're NOT my sister." I said, taking a step towards her, fire burning in my eyes. The anger that was there was growing now, blossoming into rage.

"Oh, aren't I? Either I'm not, or you're just more of an idiot than I imagined, which, I have to admit, would be extremely hard to pull off." She glanced down at herself.

"I look like your sister, I sound like your sister, and I most certainly feel like your sister. From the way things are looking, you are coming away from this an idiotic fool, which is, in fact, not too far removed from the truth of the matter."

My fists were clenched at my sides now, shaking in rage. I didn't just hate this facsimile of Rarity, I loathed her. She was even more stuck up and high and mighty than the real thing. My anger was showing too, my body shaking. The clone's necklace started to glow, and the globe of needles started to shrink ever so slowly, inch by inch. In a matter of minutes I'd be dead, but I didn't care. All I wanted to do was show this clone exactly who she was messing with.

"And although I can't exactly taste myself, I'm pretty sure I taste just like Rarity, that is, assuming you know what Rarity tastes like."

All the mirth was gone from her face now.

"You should've accepted Celestia's offer. Even if you had held the others back, you would've had a chance against King Sombra, but now they won't be able to fight him at all, being down a member."

"Shut up." I said.

Rarity's eyes widened in surprise.

"Is that any way to talk to your big sister?"

A small group of needles broke off from the sphere and struck me across the face, scratching my cheek and sending me spinning to the floor. My eyes filled with reflex tears as my head slammed against the tile.

"Oh, look, she's crying! Aww, I made the little baby cry."

"I'm gonna make you pay for that!" I shouted, running at her, fists raised. She sidestepped me with ease, tripping me as I stumbled blindly past her. I fell face first onto the ground, hearing a resounding crack as my head hit the tile. I was steaming mad now. There was nothing that I could compare my anger to. Nothing could ever come close to the absolute inferno that raged inside me at the sight of faux Rarity laughing at me as I lay there. The anger just kept building and building and building and building and building...
Until, strangely, it stopped. It was still there, but there was a strange calm to it, a serenity I'd never felt before. I thought back to Fluttershy and the dragons, and how she'd managed to stare them both down and nearly kill one. If there was anything like that, than this was it. My necklace glowed, and I lifted myself up off of the ground, turning to face the clone.

"Oh, look. The little kid's-"

She didn't get to finish what she was saying before I tackled her, bringing both of us to the ground. She managed to wriggle free, and stood up shakily.

"Needles!" she shouted, her necklace flashing. "Get her!"
She glanced at me with a look of triumph as the needles closed in, parting for her to get through unharmed.
I closed my eyes, and focused.

NO.

I opened my eyes to see scores of frozen needles hanging in the air around me. I reached out and tapped one of them, feeling the ice but not feeling cold.

"Well, it seems we've reached a stalemate, sister." the clone said, walking around the dome of ice that simultaneously protected me and trapped me. "In order to get at me, you have to unfreeze part of this globe, and the second you do that, you're dead."

A plan was forming in my mind. I reached out with my magic and found my needles where they lay, somewhere outside the globe. The clone was just about in front of them now. I needed to distract her.

"First of all, you're not my sister. Second of all, I have the obvious advantage here, having a large amount of anger and power at my disposal, and third of all, you're already dead."

The footsteps stopped as the clone stopped walking. She was right in front of my daggers now.

"Oh, and how in the world am I already dead, dear sister?"

"You've forgotten one simple thing..."

I picked up my daggers with magic, and hurled them at her back. There was a wet thud as they connected with her. Even without sensing their location I could tell I'd hit something important.

"Never turn your back on an idle needle." I finished, thawing out the globe of needles. As the hundreds of silver projectiles fell to the ground, I calmly walked towards the door, my anger fading slowly away. As I walked in, I noticed something was off.

"Where are the princesses?"

Vinyl stood up to greet me instead, placing a hand on my shoulder, wincing as she moved her wounded arm.

"When you... ended it, Luna got upset and left. Celestia asked me to do your little announcement thingy instead, and left to see what was wrong."

She and I turned to face the others, Vinyl clearing her throat as she did so.

"Congratulations, Sweetie Belle. You have passed the first trial and discovered your Element: Ice!"

As I sat down, Vinyl stopped me.

"Celestia said you should go to the infirmary so she can heal you up after she talks to Luna."

Luna

As I watched the last three trials, my mind kept returning to that dream I'd had.

It's just a dream, Luna. It doesn't mean anything, and it especially doesn't mean you're going to kill Vinyl.

I looked over at said bearer, wrapped up in bandages, still recovering from her fight with herself.

One quick move. Wrap your hands around her head and twist. Snap her neck. It'd be so easy...

I jumped, startled by the thought I'd just had. Shaken, I tried to focus on the fight. I needed something to distract me. The fight didn't help. I turned to look just as Applebloom brought her mace down for the final blow. The ruthlessness of the strike scared me and excited me at the same time.

What's going on?

Applebloom entered the room, and I stood up. I walked over to her and put my hand on her shoulder just like with the others.

So easy to do it. Just unsheath your katana and slit her throat. It'll be so fast nobody'll be able to stop you until it's too late.

I shook those thoughts from my head.

Applebloom is my student. I would never harm her, let alone kill her.

I stumbled a bit over her congratulations, so disconcerted was I at these dark thoughts that came to mind when I saw my students.

"C-Congratulations, Applebloom. You have passed the first trial and discovered your Element: Earth."

Applebloom sat down, and Octavia got up.
I watched as Celestia opened the door for her.

A spear, that's it. Make a shadow spear and impale her. Let her blood run down the blade. Let her know of your power.

I shook my head, and Celestia looked at me, confused, as she sat down and Octavia's opponent materialized.

"Well, that's interesting." she said, noticing the nature of Octavia's apparition.

"Who is that?" Applebloom asked.

Vinyl was staring at the unicorn that had appeared, her mouth open in surprise.

"That's not..." She mumbled. "Oh Octavia. Always with your head in a book." She shook her head, an amazed smile on her face.

"That's Detective Nightshade, the main character in Octavia's favorite book series." she explained. "I tried the first book, but for an adventure series, it's really dry. Apparently she really likes the main character."

We watched as Nightshade trapped Octavia with magic and prepared to kill her.

"Ooh, that's not a good position to be in." Vinyl said as the unicorn prepared to strike. "Come on, Tavi. You're clever, you can- Ooh! Nice one!"

Vinyl punched the air as Octavia's kick connected with Nightshade's gut. We watched the knife-on-arrow fight that ended with Octavia once again trapped by magic. We watched as the unicorn closed in...
And we watched the room grow brighter. Soon the light grew until it blinded, and we all covered our eyes save Celestia. When the light faded, Octavia was standing over an unconscious Nightshade, holding her cello by the neck.
As I saw Celestia step forward to greet her student, my hand almost unconsciously slipped downward to rest on the hilt of my katana. I looked at it and moved it away.

This is not good. I need to leave here soon, before anything comes of this, this... whatever it is that's happening.

As Sweetie Belle entered the room and fought her sister, a pit of uneasiness was growing in my gut. The unease grew ever larger as I saw Rarity's facsimile form a globe of needles around her sister and enter it. A short time later, Rarity stepped out, her hair ruffled and a bruise on her cheek.

Come on... Kill her already! What're you waiting for?

I fought back those dark thoughts as the globe closed, and then froze as Sweetie Belle discovered her power. A part of me was disappointed, but the rest of me told that part to shut up and go away please. As we watched, the two daggers that had been thrown to the side rose up from the ground, surrounded by a magical aura.

"She did it!" Scootaloo said, jumping from her chair. "She learned how to do magic!"

She and Applebloom high-fived as the daggers started to move towards Rarity.

Come on. Get her. Get her right in the back of the head. Right in the brain, that's the best place. Right there...

As the daggers embedded themselves in Rarity's clone, a dark sense of satisfaction washed over me.

This... This isn't right. I need to go. NOW.

I stood up and left, the door closing behind me as I walked out into the corridor. I heard footsteps as Celestia left after me.

Please just leave me alone right now, sister. I don't want to hurt you.

I took a sharp turn and teleported without a destination in mind, as long as it was away from those I could hurt.
After a short time in the Everfree Forest, my nerves were under control, or so I hoped.
I teleported back into the castle just in time to see Sweetie Belle walk out of the Trial Room, obviously wounded.

"Here. Let me take you to the infirmary." I said.

After healing Sweetie Belle's wounds to the point where she could go back and join the others, I sent her on ahead and fought the wave of dizziness that washed over me.

Healing spells sure use up a lot of energy.

Celestia walked through the door, and we left together. As we walked, I thought about the dark thoughts that had come over me earlier.

Author's Note

Okay, when I said that last chapter was gonna be the longest, I was wrong. This one is. We've still gotta cover a few more fight scenes, as well as something else. There will be a time jump, though.
Sorry.

Oh hey, this exists still. I reformatted it and fixed the other mistakes.

Chapter 8.5: Down Three

Pinkie Pie

"That's horrible news!" I say after Spike tells me about Twilight and Rainbow Dash. "I thought we'd gotten rid of those guys back in Season Two!"

"Season what?" Spike asks, confused.

"Nothing. At any rate, we need to warn the others before it's too late. We nee-"

"Spike? Spike, where are you?" Twilight's voice drifts through the open window, and a look of fear crosses the young dragon's face.

"What do I say?" he asks, looking around as if Sugar Cube Corner had an excuse hidden in the walls.

"You were helping me bake a cake." I say, getting out some flour and eggs. "Try to stall until I can get this thing in the oven."

"Okay."

The dragon rushes out the door, and I quickly mix up the cake batter and pour it into a pan. I just barely get the thing into the oven and set a timer when Twilight walks in, Spike following nervously behind.

"So, he was helping you bake?" she asks, gesturing at Spike.

"Yessiree, Twilight. I wanted to try a new recipe, and I needed a few extra hands around the kitchen. Don't worry though; I don't need his help any more. The cake's baking right now, see?"

Twilight looks at the oven, and at the cake inside.

"Okay then." she says, shrugging. "It's just that I hadn't seen him much since this morning, and I wanted to know where he'd gotten off to. Have a nice night, Pinkie Pie."

"You too, Twilight."

She walks out of the door, and I wipe my brow and sigh with relief.

Now I know for sure Twilight's a changeling! Twilight's known me long enough to know how fast I can prepare a cake for baking. She'd know that I hadn't had any help at all. Besides, the real Twilight would know how clumsy Spike can be when he's helping out outside the library.

I started to clean up the kitchen, wiping down the counters and sweeping the floors. When the timer goes off, I take the cake out of the oven and set it down on a rack to cool before I put the frosting on it.

This cake might come in handy...

I get out the frosting and decorate the cake, putting down a base of white frosting and writing the words "Let's get those changelings!" on it.

Now to invite everybody. Everybody except Twilight and Rainbow Dash, that is.

The Next Day

After delivering the invitations to "Help plan Twilight's surprise party," I sit waiting in the kitchen for ten minutes or so before the bell on the front door rings, heralding Applejack's arrival. I walk to the front desk and greet her. She's standing in the doorway, a box of streamers in her arms.

"Oh Applejack. You didn't have to bring those. I have all the party supplies right here." I say, gesturing to a box of assorted streamers, balloons, and other party accessories.

"Well, every little bit helps." Applejack says, putting her box next to mine and admiring the counter full of baked goods I'd prepared the night before.

"Oh hi, Applejack." A voice says. We turn to see Fluttershy standing in the doorway, Angel riding on her shoulder.

Those two have been inseparable ever since the dragons. You can never see one without the other. It's kinda cute how close they've grown.

"Hi, Fluttershy." Applejack says, turning back to look at the counter longingly.

"Sorry, AJ. No treats until Rarity gets here. She's the last one we need."

Applejack looks at me, a question on her face.

"Rainbow Dash isn't invited because the surprise party's also for her a little bit." I explain. "You see, her and Twilight have been working on a project together and the party's to celebrate them getting it done today."

Satisfied with that explanation, Applejack and Fluttershy stand around the front desk and chat with me for a good ten more minutes until Rarity walks in, her hair slightly messed up. I look furtively out of the front windows to ensure Twilight and/or Rainbow Dash aren't out there, and locked the door behind her, pulling down the blinds and closing the curtains on the windows as I did so.

"Sorry I'm late, Pinkie. Twilight wanted to see me." Rarity says, smoothing her hair with her fingers.

A thrill of fear shoots through me as I realize I've just let a changeling into Sugar Cube Corner.

Well, there go all my carefully constructed plans. Guess it's time to improvise.

"No problem at all, Rarity. I even saved a special cupcake for you." I say, thinking quickly.
Sometimes, when I eat a bit too much candy - okay, a lot too much candy - the Cakes have to give me a special medicine to help me sleep. Reaching into a nearby cupboard for the bottle, I pour a pretty decent amount of medicine on the cupcake, bringing it out to Rarity.

Let's just hope changelings can't hold their forms when they're unconscious.

"You're most likely wondering why I've gathered you three here today." I start, watching Rarity closely as she takes a large, rather unladylike bite of the cupcake.

"Well the reason is standing right in front of us." I continue, noticing as Rarity starts swaying, her mouth slightly ajar. "Rarity here's a changeling!" I finish, pointing to the person in question as green flames start to travel up her body and she sinks to the floor. Applejack and Fluttershy both gasp in shock as the flames finish their journey to reveal a humanized changeling lying there on the floor of my shop.

"Huh. I guess us ponies weren't the only ones who changed." I muse, reaching into my bag of "Party Supplies" and pulling out a length of rope.

"Pinkie, what in the hay is goin' on here?" Applejack asks, looking from me to the changeling and back again.

"Sorry for lying to you before, AJ. I didn't want you to give the game away is all. You know how bad of a liar you can be. Although I'm not really left with much of a choice than to tell you now that one more of us has been replaced."

"One more of us?" Fluttershy asks. "You mean Rarity's not the only one?"

"If I was lying to you before about the reason for this party, why would I tell you the truth about why Twilight and Rainbow Dash weren't invited?" I answer, tying the changeling's wrists together as I do so. "They're not who you think they are."

Fluttershy's eyes grow wide at this and she takes a step back.

"They're changelings too?" She whispers, her voice shaking.

"It's just the three of us now." I reply. "It's a shame. I'd have really liked Rarity's help with this."

"Okay, sugarcube. Back up a spell." Applejack says, walking over to me as I tie the changeling's ankles together. "I still don't know exactly what's goin' on here." I look up at her and sigh softly.

Sometimes your friends just don't get things as fast as you do, Pinkie. Don't be upset.

"Twilight, Rainbow Dash, and now Rarity have all been kidnapped, taken who-knows-where, and replaced with changelings. I don't know why or when this happened, but I know we need to stop it." I say, standing up and admiring my handiwork. The changeling isn't going anywhere any time soon.

"We know Rarity's been replaced, but how do you know that Rainbow Dash and Twilight are fake?" Fluttershy asks.

"Spike was cleaning up yesterday and he saw Twilight turn into a changeling and capture Rainbow Dash. He ran over here as fast as he could because I'm closest, and he told me all about it. Twilight came over to get him, and I realized pretty quick that she was a fake." I explain, starting to warm to my subject now. "I'd invited you guys here to help me think of a way to stop them, but when I heard that Twilight had paid Rarity a visit, I had to act fast."

I looked down at the dozing changeling.

"I think I might've added a bit too much sleepy juice. The changeling's not gonna wake up for at least a few more hours. Mr. And Mrs. Cake are out on a vacation together, so we're alone here. Now help me get this thing into the basement."

Applejack lifts the thing's legs and I lift its upper torso. Together we take it down to the basement and lay it on the floor in a corner, out of the way. We head back upstairs, and I gesture to the pastries on the counter.

"Help yourselves, guys."

They look at me furtively, and I smile.

"Are you guys changelings?"

They shake their heads, and I gesture to the cakes, pies, and cupcakes lining the counter.

"Then you've got nothing to worry about."

After a few minutes of eating, I notice that Applejack and Fluttershy are glancing at each other.
"What's wrong, guys?"

Fluttershy swallows a bite of cupcake and starts.

"Well... Is the changeling going to remember what happened to it?"

I shake my head, biting into a slice of blueberry pie.

"I added enough sleepy juice that it shouldn't. Tomorrow morning I'll let her go; if she asks, we can just tell her that we had a really wild party and she drank a bit too much punch."

This seems to make Applejack and Fluttershy even more nervous.

"Okay guys. There's something you're not telling me." I say, putting down my pie and looking at them.

"It's just..." Applejack says, trailing off as she draws a blank on what to say.

"Well, it's just that we've never really seen this side of you before, Pinkie." Fluttershy says, picking up from where Applejack left off.

"What do you mean by 'this side?'" I say, raising an eyebrow.

"The 'do-whatever-it-takes-to-save-the-day-even-if-it-means-druggin'-your-friends' side of you." Applejack says, regaining her train of thought. "And if that changelin' won't remember that you've drugged it..." Her voice trails off again and she looks at the floor.

I think I know where this is going.

"You don't know whether or not I've done this sort of thing before to one of you guys and you just don't remember that I've done it." I guess. They nod, and I sigh.

"I guess you can't really be sure, because even if I tell you no, there'll always be that little bit of doubt." I continue. "But you'll just have to trust me when I say that I've never ever EVER drugged any of you EVER." I say, jabbing the pointy end of my pie slice at them with every 'ever.'

"Do you Pinkie Pie Promise?" Fluttershy asks.

"Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye." I say, and they both visibly relax.

"Now I think we've been eating for long enough." I get up from the table and bring out my "Let's get those changelings!" cake. "Time for planning and dessert."

Chapter 10: Eclipse

Almost One Month Later

Celestia
"Princess!"
Vinyl ran into my chambers, a look of worry on her face. I was reading Twilight's latest letter, which was about standing up for your friends.
"I haven't seen Luna in days!"
"Calm down, Vinyl. I'm sure she can't have gotten herself into anything she can't handle. Can you tell me more about what happened?"
"Well, a few days ago she started acting really weird, almost cruel. Then she said she needed to go somewhere to calm her mind, and I haven't seen her since."
"Almost cruel, you say?"
"Yeah. Every day I bring Sweetie Belle an extra towel because she's always soaked after training, and Luna said she admired the way I helped my friends, then a second later she yelled at me for interfering with her other students."
I put down the letter and followed Vinyl to Luna's chambers.
I remembered almost six months ago when Luna had acted strange...
"If there's anything I can do to help, I'm here for you, Luna."
"Thanks. I'll keep that in mind."
"I don't need your charity or your pity, sister. I can take care of myself."
"But..."
"But what?"
"No buts, Celestia. I don't need your help!"
"Luna, you just said you'd keep my offer in mind."
"I know, and I will."
"I don't remember accepting anything from you."
"I don't..."
"What's wrong?"
"What's wrong? Not used to me showing some backbone when my condescending sister wants to 'help' me? Grow up already."
"Sis, I think the stress of this whole thing is starting to affect you. Maybe you should take it easy."
"What about the students?"
"If my big shot big sister can afford to not take it easy then I will stay as I am. I don't need your pity."
"There's no need to be so snappy, Luna. I was just making a suggestion."
"I wasn't being snappy."
"You can make as many as you like, it doesn't change how much I don't care about them."
"Sorry, Luna. I guess I'm just being a little overprotective."
"I'm confused. Are you not listening to me, sister? I just said I was not being snappy, and that I will call on you for aid when I need it."
"I don't need your protection! Just leave me alone and get off my case!"
"Let's just go back to the Trial Room, okay?"
If Luna was acting that way again, that could mean...
"Did she say where she was going?" I asked as we arrived at Luna's chambers. Sure enough, they were empty.
"She said she was going to a place she hated. Why would someone go to a place they hate to clear their mind?"
A place she hates... That doesn't make sense. Luna wouldn't go to the moon unless...
"Vinyl, stay here."
Things are worse that I'd thought.
"Where are you going?" she asked as I started out the door to my chambers.
I need to find her, and fast.
"To find my sister, of course."

Later That Day

???
Things are going better than I thought. I already have speech and basic motor skills. Now all that's left is to close the trap shut...

Luna
The surface of the moon glowed softly under my feet as I walked, trying to focus and failing.
I don't understand. Why is this happening?
I thought back to the past few days, the random blackouts I'd been having, waking up in places different from where things had gone dark. And my students... They almost seemed scared of me.
What am I becoming?
"Luna?"
It was Celestia. Somehow she'd managed to travel here, of all places.
"How did you find me? How did you even know I was gone?"
"That doesn't matter. What does matter is that you come back with me."
"I can't, sister."
"Luna, you can alway-"
"No. You don't understand." I said, urgency creeping into my voice. I physically can't."
"What?" Celestia said, confused.
"I can't move." I said, turning around to face her.
"You're moving right now."
"She didn't say this body couldn't move. She meant she couldn't move."
I started.
It can't be... No.
"It's been a long time since I was in control again. Not as long, though, as our imprisonment."
No!
"What's going on?" Celestia asked."
NO!
Wrenching control back, I managed to speak.
"R-r... Run! Celestia, run! Get out of here!"
"Luna, you're..."
"Did you not hear me!? I told you to RUN!"
Celestia looked into my eyes and nodded.
"Right."
In a flash of light, my sister disappeared.
You may have managed to save her for now, but revenge will be ours.
Ours?
It is tradition to use the royal 'we'. We are royalty, after all.
I sank into the ground and an image appeared in my head. I saw the castle, saw Vinyl, Sweetie Belle, and Applebloom training together.
Oh no you don't...
I put all my willpower into changing the image. Just before I teleported, I thought of the Sovereign Woods, now the Everfree Forest.
I appeared in a glade, trees all around and the sun setting overhead.
What is this!?
It looks like you are going to have to fly to Canterlot, a matter that will take several hours at least.
Do not be so foolish. We have all your knowledge and experience. We will simply transport ourselves there.
The image of the training room formed in my mind again, and once again I changed it to the glade in the forest. When I appeared amongst leaves and vines, I smiled inwardly.
How are you doing this!? We have complete control!
Of my body, yes. But though my will is not strong enough to take it back, It is still strong enough to prevent you from teleporting.
No matter. We will simply make a clone and have it teleport there for us.
You said you had all my knowledge and experience, correct?
What does it matter?
I shifted into a shadow again.
Let me tell you something I have never even told my students.
Nonsense! You can keep no secrets from us! We will simply search your thoughts and... No.
Have you found what you were looking for?
Curse you!
That is right. I urge dear young Vinyl to train in cloning because I myself cannot do it!
You will pay for this!
How exactly are you going to make a voice in your head 'pay' for something? Please tell me, so that when I get my body back - and I will - I can do the same to you, you usurper!
We will make you pay by forcing you to watch as you kill your sister, your students - everyone you love will die by your hand!
When you arrive - which will take several hours, seeing as you can neither teleport nor clone yourself and are reduced to walking or flying - they will be ready for you.
Do you seriously believe they will be able to stop me? Such blind faith is pure foolishness!
'Blind faith' is not at all how you pronounce 'knowledge'.
I reverted to human form and, anklets glowing black, lifted off into the evening sky and flew towards Canterlot.

Octavia

Princess Celestia, accompanied by a worried-looking Vinyl, burst into the training chamber where me and the others were practicing.
"There's not much time to explain things," Celestia said. "But we need to look for Luna. She's in trouble, and we need to help her."
"What's going-" Scootaloo tried to ask, but Celestia cut him off.
"Did I not just say there was no time to explain? Get your weapons and get moving. Time is of the essence."
I picked up my cello from where it sat leaning against the wall and strapped it to my back. Walking past the others, who were busy getting their weapons ready, I walked up to Vinyl and put a hand on her shoulder.
"It's going to be okay, Vinyl." I said reassuringly.
"I hope so." she replied. "I hate to think of what'd happen if we lost Luna."
"Then don't." Celestia said, stepping out of the room and motioning for us to follow. We followed her down the maze of corridors until we came to a fork.
"The left and right paths go to the east and west wings, respectively. The middle path covers the main castle area. " Celestia said. "Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo, you take the right path. Applebloom, Time Turner, you take the left path. Vinyl, Octavia, you take the middle. Meet back here when you're done."
"What about you, Princess?" Applebloom asked.
"I'll be searching Canterlot and the surrounding area." she said. "With any luck, she'll be out there and not here. Now go."
We split up, me and Vinyl taking the middle path.
"I will search the side rooms on the left, you take the ones on the right." I said.
"Sounds good to me." she replied. We both ducked into side rooms across the hallway. I searched the room, but there was nothing in there.
"Have you found anything, Vinyl?" I asked, stepping into the hallway. Vinyl was still in the side room.
"Vinyl?"
I looked in the room, and she was gone.
"This isn't good." I said.
I started searching, both for Luna and for my best friend.

Vinyl

Come on, come one, come on!
After Octavia had left the room I'd hidden in, I turned back into a human and sat down.
Clear your mind...
I felt myself drift away on a sea of emptiness, my mind focused and concentrated on one thing.
If there was ever I time I needed to clone myself it's now! COME ON!
I thought of Luna, my teacher, the only one who took time out to talk with me besides Octavia, the only one besides Octavia to understand me, the only one besides Octavia who actually liked the music I made, the only one besides Octavia I could call my friend...
A rush of energy burst through me and into my shadow, filling it with power.
Could this be...
I got up and watched, slack-jawed, as my shadow, detached from my body, started to grow, take shape, form into a silhouette of me.
Then it stood up, and I gasped.
I stood there looking at myself in the dim light of evening. I looked back, and raised a hand in greeting.
I did it! After weeks of practicing, I finally did it!
Yeah, you did.
I can talk to you with my head?
I guess so.
"Freaky." I said.
I nodded.
I need to stop thinking of clones of myself as 'me.' It's gonna get kinda confusing.
I agree.
"Go and help Octavia search. I have an idea." I said, turning into a shadow.
Are you thinking what I'm thinking?
When am I not? Back in a bit.

Octavia

Come on, come on, come on...
I searched frantically through room after room, hoping for any sign of Vinyl.
Nothing here either! Where is she?
As I searched, my mind flashed back to over six months ago, back when we were still living in Canterlot...

"What a bunch of tightwads!"
Vinyl sat at the table, munching on a sandwich and spouting her anger at Canterlot in general again, as had become the norm these past few days.
"I take it nobody was in the mood for your music?" I said, sitting down across from her with a bowl of soup.
"I spent the whole day looking for gigs, and I didn't get even one! Not a single person wanted anything to do with me! Can you believe it, Tavi? What a bunch of stuck-up, snobby elitists!"
"Vinyl, you have to give them a break." I said, giving her a conciliatory smile. "There have been enough changes going on already, what with this whole human business; people don't want anything else radical right now."
"I know, but I've gotta pay the bills somehow! The least they could do is give me a chance." she said, grumbling as she cleared her place and started to walk toward her rooms. She looked back at me, and to my surprise, I saw tears brimming in her eyes.
"Tavi, what if nobody wants me to play ever again? What if I'm done in the music industry for good? What if-"
I hugged her, cutting off any further thoughts. She started crying into my shoulder, releasing all the anger and frustration and worry of the past weeks of constantly being turned down, refused, even insulted.
"Vinyl, don't worry." I said, bringing her to arm's length. "People just want more of what they're used to right now. When they've all adjusted to being human, there will be so many people lining up to hear your music that you'll have to beat them back with a stick."
"You really think so?" she asked.
"I know so." I replied. "Now go relax. It's been a tough couple of weeks for you, and you need some rest. I'll take care of the finances for a bit; you've done the same for me plenty of times."
"Thanks." she said. "Sorry about getting so emotional on you."
"We all cry sometimes, Vinyl. It's nothing to be ashamed of." I said. "Now get to sleep. You've still got some music left in you, I can feel it. If you want to play somewhere, you're going to need something impressive."
She walked into her rooms, and I went to mine, picking up the list of events I was scheduled to play at.
People really do want more of what they're used to, it seems. Business hasn't gone this well in almost a year.
My mind flashed back to the present as I heard footsteps behind me. I turned to see Vinyl running to catch up with me.
"Where were you!?" I asked.
"Sorry." she said. "One of the rooms had a side room, and when I got done searching it, you were gone. I started looking, and I found you further up the hallway. Did you search all of these by yourself?" she asked.
"Not very well." I replied.
"Let's go search them again." she said.
I followed her, flooded with relief at seeing my friend okay.
If anything happened to her, I don't know what I would do...

Author's Note

This is what I've got for now. We're getting near to the end, so I'll be able to write much more quickly seeing as how I already have the end down solid.

Chapter 10.5: Kindness and Laughter

Fluttershy

I need to tell Pinkie right away.
I fly over to Pinkie Pie's house as fast as the anklets can take me. When I knock on the door, Pinkie Pie opens it and lets me in.
"What's wrong, Fluttershy? You look worried." she says, sitting down at a table and offering me a cupcake.
I look at Pinkie Pie and frowned. Her hair is straight in some places while remaining poofy in others, giving her a lopsided look.
This whole changeling business is getting to her.
"I'm afraid I have some bad news, Pinkie." I say, sitting down at the table and taking the cupcake. Angel Bunny hops down from my shoulder and starts munching on the pastry.
"What is it?" Pinkie asks.
"It's about the changelings. They've taken Applejack." I say.
Pinkie gasps. "Not Applejack!"
"I saw Twilight and Rainbow Dash follow her down an ally, and I saw a green light come from there a few seconds later. When they came back, Applejack's hair was all ruffled up, and her hat was gone."
Pinkie gets up and starts pacing the room, thinking.
"We're outnumbered now. They could be here any minute to get to us."
Pinkie Pie turns to me, and I see a very un-Pinkie like expression on her face: Grim determination. I look away.
"Fluttershy, if things get too hot to handle - and they will - I want you to get out of Ponyville as fast as you can. Run, fly - go into the Everfree Forest if you need to - just get away from here. They can't be allowed to capture all of the old Elements of Harmony. Do you understand?"
I look back at Pinkie Pie. There is a fire in her eyes that I've never seen before.
It looks like I'm not the only one who's changed inside after we became human.
"Do you understand?"
"But what about you?" I ask. "What'll happen to you if I run away?"
"Don't worry about me. As long as one of the Elements is okay, the others can be brought back. I'll be fine; you need to stay safe."
There's a knock at the door.
"Pinkie Pie..." Twilight says.
"Fluttershy..." Applejack says.
"Let us in..." Rainbow Dash adds.
"We want to talk to you..." Rarity finishes.
A purple aura surrounds the doorknob.
"Fluttershy, run." Pinkie Pie whispers.
"B-But..."
"Run!"
I go through the kitchen to the back door and open it. Looking back at Pinkie Pie, who's reaching for her sword, I step out of the door into the cool evening air and close it silently behind me.
"Come on, Angel Bunny." I whisper, the rabbit in question hopping onto my shoulder, still holding the cupcake. "We need to leave."
I run.

Pinkie Pie

I reach towards my sword as the magical aura deepens around the doorknob, unlocking the door.
The door opens, and Twilight, Rarity, Applejack, and Rainbow Dash step in, all smiling.
"Fancy meeting you here, Pinkie Pie." Rarity says, stepping forward. Twilight glares at her, and she steps back, allowing Twilight to step in front of the group.
"Do you know where Fluttershy is? We were hoping to talk to both of you." Rainbow Dash asks.
"No." I reply, holding my sword behind the counter of the kitchen, keeping it hidden.
Not yet. Maybe they'll go away if they can't get both of us at once.
"Oh well." Applejack says. "We'll just talk to her later."
"After we talk to you, that is." Twilight says, stepping towards me. The others start to spread out, meaning to flank me.
I guess they're not going to leave quietly.
"What do you want to talk about?" I say, furtively wrapping the strip of cloth attached to the handle of the blade around my wrist.
"Oh, y'know... Stuff." Applejack says, almost to my left.
If I can just buy Fluttershy enough time to get away, it'll be worth it. Worth getting captured. Worth get-
Rarity jumps at me, interrupting my thoughts. I duck, and Rarity goes flying over the counter, crashing into Applejack. I draw my sword, stepping back so that the four of them are in front of me.
"I know what you are." I say. "And you're not taking me without a fight."

Fluttershy

I fly down a back road towards my new cottage, my anklets creating a field of light that lets me find my way home.
Pinkie's orders or not, I need to get some things from my house.
I grab some food and water, say goodbye to the few animals that had survived the dragon attack, and climb the stairs to my room.
I don't want to use it, but it'd be good to have it if I need it.
I open the door to my closet, placing my hand on the upper-leftmost panel and pushing, opening the secret compartment. Inside is my weapon, crafted by Lyra for me after the dragon attack; a chain whip shaped like a long, snaking vine, each leaf bladed and razor sharp. Angel Bunny, precocious animal that he is, had had Lyra make a full suit of armor in the style of the armor I'd worn while facing the dragons. It fit him perfectly, and had clawed gauntlets. Angel jumps off of my shoulder and puts on the armor. He jumps back on my shoulder, and I turn the handle of the whip just so, retracting the blades. I place the whip in a sack with my supplies and fly out of the window, landing on my cottage and taking one last look at the town.
Goodbye, Ponyville.
I notice four figures approaching down the back road. I look closer and see Pinkie Pie, Applejack, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash, who is holding her side and grimacing. Twilight isn't with them.
"Time to go." I say quietly, and fly towards the forest.

Author's Note

I've fallen prey to an interesting conundrum: I have the beginning of the story already written, and I have the ending all worked out; I just need to connect the two, and frankly I have no idea how I'm going to do that. So for now, I'm going to work on the later chapters until I have the middle down and then I'll do the middle of the story. So here's more of the subplot. Enjoy.

Chapter 11: Confrontations

???
A figure sits perched on the roof of a tower, watching the skies for something, anything, that might indicate a certain princess's presence. As the person watches, she sees Celestia fly past, now on her fifth lap around the castle. Quickly hiding from the troubled monarch, the figure spots something in the distance. A small dot. But maybe, just maybe...
The figure melts away and reappears at the foothills of the mountain that supports the city of Canterlot. Her suspicions are put to rest once she sees the small dot up close. It is Luna, flying towards Canterlot as fast as her anklets can take her.
Vinyl's clone ducks behind a tree as Luna passes, dissolving into wisps of shadow.

Time Turner

"Come on, Applebloom! Luna's got to be somewhere around here!"
"Ah'm lookin' as fast as Ah can!"
We had almost covered the west wing, and we hadn't found any sign of Princess Luna. Checking the second-to-last room and finding nothing, I turned to the last one, which Applebloom had just finished searching.
"Anything?" I asked, half knowing the answer before it came.
"Nope." Applebloom replied. "What about you?"
"Same." I said, sighing. "We should get going and see if anyone else foun-"
"Time Turner! Applebloom!" a voice yelled from a side room. We both turned to see Vinyl stagger out of the room, holding her head. We rushed over to her.
"Are ya okay, Vinyl?" Applebloom asked. "Ya don't look well."
"I'm okay. I'm just a bit... dizzy is all." Vinyl said, before shaking her head and resuming her look of urgency. "You guys've gotta come quick! I found Luna! She's in the communal training room! C'mon!"
Vinyl dashed back into the side room, disappearing from view as she said something quietly that sounded like 'getting better at this.' I followed her, but when I entered the room, Vinyl was gone.
"Where'd she go?" Applebloom asked.
"I have no idea." I said, turning around and running down the hallway. "Come on, let's go to the training room."

Sweetie Belle
"I can't believe we didn't find her!" Scootaloo said as we walked back down the hallway.
"Maybe the others had better luck." I replied, turning around and walking backwards to face Scootaloo. "Who knows, maybe Luna was in the very first room in the-"
I tripped over something that had fell down in front of - or rather, behind - me.
"Vinyl? Are you okay?" Scootaloo asked, looking down at the prone form that I had fallen over.
"Yeah..." she grunted, obviously not okay. "Just... Just leave me, I'll catch up. I've... Stretched myself too thin is all. Go... Please. Luna... She's in the communal training room, or... At least... She's going to be there... Hurry."
"Yeah." Scootaloo said. "Like we're just gonna leave you behind and go on by ourselves. C'mon, Sweetie Belle, I've got her legs."
I helped Scootaloo pick up the downed DJ, and we started towards the training room.
Suddenly Vinyl started struggling, and we dropped her. Vinyl got to her feet and staggered into a side room. I followed her into the room, but she was gone.
"Where'd she disappear to?" Scootaloo said.
"If I had to guess, I'd say she went off to rest, or to the training room." I said, starting to walk down the hallway. "She has a habit of overstepping her boundaries. Come on, Scootaloo. We can't help anyone where we are right now."
Scootaloo and I made our way to the training room.

Octavia
As Vinyl and I were walking back tot he center, Vinyl stopped and put a hand to her head.
"What's wrong?" I asked, stopping to look at her. She seemed in pain.
"N-Nothing... I know where Luna is. She's in the communal training room. Go on ahead-"
She started coughing, and some blood fell onto the cobblestone floor.
"Vinyl! Something's wrong! Let me see." I said, walking over to her and looking at her more closely. She was pale, and some blood was dripping from the corner of her mouth.
"I'm fine!" she snapped. "Please, just... Leave me and go on. I'll meet you there."
She mumbled something quietly to herself that sounded like 'why did she have to make so many?'
"Vinyl-"
"I said go!" she yelled, pushing me down the hallway and darting into a side room. I turned and ran into the room in time to see her collapse onto the floor and dissolve, leaving nothing but a few wisps of shadow, which dissipated.
I stared blankly at where she had lain, my mind trying to process what I'd seen.
What... just happened?

Vinyl
I shouldn't have made so many clones...
I staggered down the hallway, my head throbbing with pain, and my entire body screaming in protest.
Just a little farther until the training room. Then I can rest and wait for Luna and the others.
I staggered a little farther until my body finally gave out and I collapsed on the floor.
No! I have to get up. Have to find Tavi... Have to help the others...
I slowly rose to my feet, my legs shaking. However, upon trying, I found that standing up was the only bit of movement my failing legs would allow.
I reached out my left hand to brace myself against the wall when it hit a doorknob. I turned my head to see a strange door in the hallway. It was round rather than square, like every other door was.
...If I'm going to rest, I'd best do it out of sight. No need to worry the others... In an hour or so I'll be fine and then I'll be able to help long before Luna gets here.
I opened the door and fell in, pulling myself the last few inches until I was completely inside. I blacked out as the entrance closed behind me.

I woke up what must have been a few hours later. The room was lit, and as I opened my eyes, I saw white all around me. I quickly got to my feet and looked around.
Where am I?
I was in a... dome, although it didn't look quite like a dome. The room seemed to continue on under my feet, as if I were standing on glass. There was a small building in the middle of the room, and four huge hourglasses surrounding it. I examined the hourglasses. Each one had more sand than the last, the biggest one having a colossal amount of sand that trickled very slowly to the bottom.
I entered the house, and gaped.
It's... Bigger on the inside.
The house had one room that was larger than the outside of the building would allow, with three arches leading to other rooms. Above the middle arch lay a plaque:

Welcome to the Hyperbolic Time Chamber

Hyperbolic what now? What's going on here?
Then I remembered.
Tavi! Celestia! The others! I gotta go help them!
I took off for the door, only to find a knight in full armor standing where the door was.
"Excuse me," I said. "But I need to get through here, so if you could just stand aside, I'd really appreciate it."
No answer. I tried again.
"Look. My friends are in deep trouble, and if I'm not there to help them, things could go very badly very quickly. Please let me out of here!"
Still no answer. I was running out of time and patience.
"I need to help my friends, so get out of the way!"
No answer.
"Fine then. If you won't move on your own, then I'm gonna make you move!"
I pushed on both sides of the knight statue as hard as I could, but the thing wouldn't budge. Finally, frustrated and worried, I took the only action that seemed logical at the time.
I pulled my arm back and punched the statue in the face.
Instantly, the statue moved and blocked my punch, grabbing my fist and deflecting it away from its face. It drew its sword and stepped towards me.
"I suppose I asked for it, didn't I?"
No answer.
The knight swung at me, an overhead chop that would've cut me in half had I not blocked it with my katana. It swung again, and I blocked it blow for blow, both of us gradually getting faster as we grew accustomed to the other's fighting style.
After a few minutes, I started to grow tired, my attacks growing fewer and farther between as I started to go on the defensive. The knight, however, didn't slow down. In fact, it grew faster and faster until I couldn't keep up with it. After a few deft strikes, my sword flew through the air, landing behind me. The knight stopped attacking then, giving me time to catch my breath.
"Alright, you've made your point. Can I go through now?" I asked.
No answer.
The knight turned away and stood back where it had been before and disappeared, the door still nowhere to be found.
Exhausted, I returned to the house and collapsed on the bed, worry gnawing at me.
What'll happen to the others now that I'm trapped here?

A figure stands in a town square, atop a desiccated statue of Princess Celestia. The statue's head and one of its arms has been severed, and the rest of the statue has deep scars in it. The sky is black with ash from the destruction around her. Fires burn the buildings surrounding the square, but she pays them no mind.
She is waiting.
After a while, footsteps can be heard over the crackling of the flames and the noise of buildings collapsing. The footsteps draw closer until the figure the footsteps belong to enters the square.
This figure wears no armor save a helmet that encases his head, shielding his eyes and his neck. He holds a large spear, heavily plated and blood running down the shaft from the tip, which is soaked with it.
The watching figure speaks, her voice ringing out cold and clear in the silence.
"You've ravaged this city, crushed our homes, and destroyed countless lives. The atrocities you've committed against humankind are abhorrent and unforgivable, and demand swift, sovereign justice."
There is a moment's pause.
"However, because I am honorbound by the laws of peace and amnesty, I am issuing one final warning to you."
The waiting figure's cloak floats around her legs as she jumps down off of the beheaded statue.
"Leave this place or die."
There is an even longer pause.
The figure carries no weapon, but as the cloak flutters around the figure's legs, some wiring can be seen leading into the front of her cloak from the arm of the cloak.
The spearman lowers his spear and charges at the waiting figure.
"You've got it."
The spearman quickly closes the distance between the two and jumps, his spear angled to strike the figure's heart...

I woke up to a small, insistent noise. I searched for the source, and found a tiny hourglass sitting on a shelf, turning over and over and over and over, making a clacking noise whenever one end touched the ground. I tried to stop it, but only ended up with a twisted wrist as the hourglass turned despite my efforts, keeping a single grain of sand falling perpetually. I timed the clack of the hourglass.
Okay, so this one runs for one second before flipping over.
I noticed another hourglass next to the first one. This one was a lot bigger, and there was more sand in it. I waited, counting 60 clacks on the first hourglass before the second one turned over. One minute.
I stepped outside, and found another hourglass on top of the building, much larger than the first two.
If I had to guess, that'd be the actual hour-glass.
I turned to the four spaced around the building, each one bigger than the last.
These must be days, weeks, months, and... years.
I shuddered at the thought of being trapped here for years on end, with nothing but the knight and the building and so much emptiness...
I gotta get outta here, and fast!
I approached where the knight stood, and found him there again.
"Alright, buddy. I've had enough. My friends need me, and I'm not gonna let a stupid statue knight... whatever-you-are get in my way."
I concentrated, and two clones appeared at my side, each brandishing a katana.
"Let's see how you fight against three of me!"
The battle was long and fierce. No matter what I tried, the knight always seemed to know which one of me was the real me. After only a few minutes, I was again on the ground with my sword resting a few feet away from me. The knight again walked over to his place and disappeared.
The same went for the next time, and the next, and the next, and the next. I'd lost so often to the knight that I was able to figure out that it took a full day's time for him to reappear. Every day I would fight him, and every day I would lose. No matter how hard I fought, the knight always seemed to be one step ahead of me. I knew there was a weakness about the knight that I could exploit. I already knew it, somewhere in my mind. I knew something that I could take advantage of.

Three fights later, I found it. No matter how much the knight hurt me during a fight, it would never kill me. It would always just disarm me and walk back to its spot, where it would then disappear. That meant that no matter how weak I was when I fought it, I would always live. Other opponents wouldn't show me the same mercy.
The next day, I put my plan into action.
I can make up to four clones without any of them getting dizzy or fainting.
As I approached the knight, more of me appeared. Six of me, plus the original, stood and drew our swords.
Let's see if I can't improve on that.

The next week of fighting went as the past week did; I kept losing, and each day I remained trapped in the chamber. However, instead of eating and then sleeping right away after each battle, as I had done before, I trained with myself, pushing the limit on how many clones I could make. By day 20 I was up to 17 clones with no negative effects, a limit which I'd taken to calling my 'comfortable max'. After 20 clones, all of the Vinyls, myself included, would get very dizzy and start to collapse from lack of energy. One day, after my expected defeat at the hands of the knight, I meditated on top of the building, as I had taken to doing. As I cleared my head, a stray memory crossed my mind. Luna and I were in the training chamber after a particularly discouraging training session. As she wiped the sweat from her face, Luna spoke.
"Do you know why me and Celestia decided to train you?" she had asked, turning to me.
"Because Light and Shadow are the most unstable Elements, and as you're the only other people to have them, you're the best possible teachers for us." I'd replied.
"Correct. And do you know what makes them so volatile?"
I shook my head.
"It is because of the power they can obtain." Luna had said. "Each Element bearer is granted a well of power that differs in size based on the Element itself and differs in its strength based on the will of the bearer." she explained.
"Light, for example, grants the bearer an enormous well of energy, bigger than that of any other Element. However, the bearer must learn how to access that power or else it is useless to them The more willpower they have, the faster they learn, and the faster they can access said power. Add to that the fact that Octavia is a very fast learner and very attentive, and you have a Light bearer that can, with little training, access colossal amounts of raw energy, if a bit unrefined. Thus, Light might be considered the strongest of all of the Elements in all but the most rare cases."
I nodded, confused as to where the lesson was going.
"Shadow, on the other hand, gives the bearer the smallest amount of power, leaving them with little more than what they had before. Thus, it might be considered the weakest of all the Elements.
However, the true power of Shadow lies in its potential. Although it gives a very small amount of initial energy, with even the slightest training, that energy well grows according to the will of the bearer. After a large amount of training, a Shadow bearer with enough willpower can grow their energy pool to surpass the energy of any Light bearer, regardless of how skilled said bearer is."
Luna had turned to me then and looked me in the eyes.
"Vinyl, your will is stronger than that of anyone I've ever seen. If you can learn to harness your skills and train, then you can - no, you will - achieve greatness."
I had turned away then, and frowned.
"Thanks for the sentiment, but I don't think I'm quite cut out for this. I mean, everyone else has already learned, if not mastered, everything about their Element while I'm still trying to make one measly shadow clone. I don't really feel all that great right now."
Luna had turned me around, and I was surprised to see anger on her face.
"Vinyl Scratch, you will listen to me right now, and you will listen well. There will always be a shadow over you. That is the way of life. Nobody is free from the judgement and comparison of others, and everyone sees themselves as beneath someone else. However, you can either worry about what others have, and can have, and can do, or you can worry about what you yourself can gain, and can gain, and can do so that you might be the one casting more shadows than the ones that threaten to drown you out."
Luna's eyes met mine, and I could see the intensity there.
"I have done the former before, and believe you me, it is not a mistake I want to see repeated. Live with the shadows, but not in them, Vinyl Scratch. If all my lessons flee from your mind but one, let this one be the one that stays."

As I let the memory fade, the last thing that Luna had said that day bounced around my head, turning over and over in my mind even as I slept:
"Vinyl, your will is the will that will pierce the heavens, the earth, and through to tomorrow. "

10 days later

Vinyl runs through a crumbling and desecrated castle, dodging falling stones and leaping over holes in the floor, but it is no use. She can still hear her chasing her. She always chases Vinyl, and this time was no exception. The footsteps of her pursuer shake the very foundations of the castle, but what is even more shaking is the laughter. The laughing that resounds through the hallways, through the rooms, through every inch of the castle is triumphant. It is exuberant. It is elated.
It is the laugh of a murderer.
Vinyl runs and runs and runs, but with every second the laughter grows louder, the footfalls grow closer, and the fear clutching at her throat increases, becomes more deep, more primal. She is afraid of the figure chasing her, the nameless shadow that draws ever closer. Everyone is.
After all, who is not afraid of the dark?
Desperate, terrified, and out of options, Vinyl ducks into a side room and, not pausing for a moment, leaps into a large hole in the floor, not caring what lies at the bottom. She is prepared to hit the cold stone of the castle foundations, or even the wooden floor of the room beneath her.
She is not prepared for nothing.
Vinyl keeps falling, descending into an endless abyss as black as a night with no moon, no stars, no light whatsoever. She does what anyone in her situation would.
Vinyl Scratch curls up into a ball and sobs, the wind whipping the tears from her face and the cries of fear from her mouth as soon as they appear. After a while, Vinyl notices something odd about the darkness, something she cannot place...
It is silent.
There are no more footfalls. There is no more laughter. Even the sounds of the falling castle have faded away into a stillness.
"Is... Is it over?" Vinyl asks.
"Oh, not by a long shot." a voice replies.
Vinyl turns and her eyes widen in terror as she sees the very thing she had been running from. Blacker somehow than the pit she falls through is the silhouette of a woman, all black save for her eyes, which glow a bright, blinding white. Vinyl closes her eyes, waiting for the inevitable. Behind closed eyelids, two white pinpricks appear. Vinyl knows what is coming. She screws her eyes shut tighter, and the spots of white disappear for a time, but then they return. They always do. The white dots grow closer and closer until they are right in front of her. The glowing eyes of the silhouette are full and life-sized before her, only now she can see the face of the nameless shadow.
It is Luna's face.
"Oh, closing your eyes won't make me go away, Vinyl. I'll always be here. I'll always find you. And in the end, your friends will always die, just as they did when you abandoned them."
Vinyl opens her eyes to see a katana come slicing towards her head.

I jolt up from the bed in the middle room of the building, sweat dripping from my face and breathing heavily.
Just like every other night... Will the nightmare ever end?
I get out of bed and nod to the second hourglass as it clacks on and on in its perpetual cycle.
I go into the bathroom and take a shower, letting the hot water soothe the fear of the usual nightmare.
Funny... You'd think that after 30 days of the same thing, the nightmare'd lose some of its power, but it's still just as scary as the first day that I was trapped here.
After getting dressed, I head out to the door. The knight is waiting for me.
After the battle, I pick myself up off of the floor, collect my katana, and walk to the kitchen. After eating, I head out to the courtyard and summon my comfortable max of 20 clones.
Try and catch me.
They immediately launch themselves at me, and I begin to melt into a shadow.
All right, let's see if I can't get it right this time...
I focus on the familiar feeling of teleportation, focusing on the space behind the rightmost clone.
I'd always been able to teleport ever since I learned how. It came naturally to me, unlike cloning had. Unfortunately, the ability had some major drawbacks: I had to turn into a shadow to teleport, which meant that I was vulnerable for a short time before teleporting, it took a couple if seconds to teleport, and someone skilled in magic detection could find out where I'd teleported to and from. Today, just like every other day that week, I was trying to change that.
As I start to teleport, I try, like the other days, to turn back into a human as I teleport. I focus on the clone running towards me, focus on the space behind it, look into the clone's eyes, and...
I am standing where the clone stood, stumbling forward as if I'd just stopped running. I look to my right and see 19 clones rush towards the spot where I was. The clone I focus on is standing where I stood, a surprised look on her face.
"Wait!" she calls out to the others. "I'm a clone! The real one's over there!"
She points at me, and I take off running, the clones giving chase.
What did I just do?
I start running backwards and focus my attention on the clone at the pack of the pursuing group. I try to teleport, just as I had before, and...
I am running with the others towards the clone I'd focused on. I'm prepared for it this time, so I keep running alongside the others until I'm sure they're all focused on the confused clone, then I stop, turn, and run, focusing on the top of the building.
I'm there almost as soon as I start to teleport. The speed of it catches me off guard, and I nearly fall to the ground. I keep my balance and look at the clones below me. They're confused as to where I'd gone until one of them notices me and points at me. I focus on her and channel some energy, and instantly I'm where she was, pointing up at the clone, who has suddenly found herself at the top of the hour-glass.
"There she is!" I shout, hoping the others will take the bait. They do, running towards the building.
I guess I can switch places with any of you guys. That might come in handy later...
I dispel the clones and teleport to the kitchen, grabbing some food from the fridge, which is always mysteriously full of whatever I'm hungry for at the moment. I teleport to the table and set my plate of steak down.
I guess I can teleport instantly now.
As I eat, I look out at the place where the knight will reappear tomorrow.
I'm ready now.

The next day finds me meditating in front of the place where the knight stands. I finish clearing my head and stand up in front of the silent guardian.
Images fill my head, fresh from the night's recurring terrors.
Time Turner, Applebloom, and Scootaloo, all dead, their bodies obliterated in the initial blast. Octavia and Sweetie Belle teaming up to hold off the darkness until Celestia arrives, sending me to get her and bring her to help. Celestia's room, or, rather, where it used to be. Celestia's head on top of an Equestrian flag. The castle falling around me as I run back to tell the others. Sweetie Belle sacrificing herself to give me and Octavia time to run. And then the running. Octavia running next to me, then heading down a side corridor to confuse the figure, except it doesn't work. The sight of the figure heading down the same corridor. Then the screaming, as Octavia meets a painful end. And then the laughter. That laughter that sends me into a blind panic as I run, and run, and then jump, and fall endlessly, no way out, no way out...
I open my eyes, and I do not see the knight. I see that figure, all fear of it lost in a burning anger that drives me, urges me to fight.
"I've been here for a month. 31 days." I say. "Every single one of them, I've fought you, and you've always won."
I think of my friends, and the anger flares so much that it is all I can do to resist launching myself at the figure and attacking him with my bare hands.
"If my friends are dead all because you wouldn't let me help them, you can bet I'll do my best to avenge them!" I shout, clones appearing all around me.
All 21 of us attack, all screaming the same thing:
"Just who the heck do you think we are!?"
After an hour of fighting, I'm just barely starting to tire. I have 4 clones left, and the knight is battering two of them pretty hard. I step back into the frey, and the knight, as I expected him to, immediately goes after me, knowing that if he takes me out then all my clones are taken out too. I teleport behind him, and as he turns, I attack, driving him backwards and keeping him on the defensive. I drive him towards one of my clones, who is preparing to strike. Then the knight regains his footing and starts pressing me back. I decide to enact my plan early.
If I'm right, the knight has some form of magic detection, which is how he can spot me. However, my two newest abilities don't use any magic, just my innate energy, so if I'm right...
I switch places with the clone behind the knight and attack, stabbing at where his heart would be if he had one, which I doubted.
As my sword pierces the knight's back, its helmet falls to the floor, revealing a female face and what looks like orange training robes. The knight falls to the ground, her armor clattering as it hits the mirrored floor.
I... I did it.
The knight disappears in a flash of light that blinds me. When I recover, the door is there, solid and real, as if it had never left. I approach it, but hesitate before opening it.
What'll be on the other side? Will they all be dead? Will they have found a way to beat Nightmare Moon without my help? Only one way to find out...

I open the door and step out into a dark hallway. It's night, and it's starting to rain. The castle, from what I can tell by looking out the window, is in one piece.
"Vinyl?"
I turn to see Princess Celestia running towards me.
"Princess Celestia! I'm so glad you're okay!" I yell, wrapping my arms around her, tears welling up in my eyes. "I thought for sure you were..."
"Dead?" Celestia asks. Why would you think that? Have I been searching for Luna that long?"
"Searching for Luna?" I ask.
"Yes, just like you're supposed to be doing. It's been a couple of hours, I'd have thought you'd have searched the castle by now."
I stare at her blankly.
"A couple of hours? It's been a month!" I say.
"Vinyl, are you okay? I just got done searching the grounds, and Luna isn't there. It has taken a total of 2 hours, 20 minutes, and 49 seconds."
"But I was in there for a month! I counted the days!" I say, gesturing to the door of the Time Chamber.
Celestia walks to the room and opens the door.
"Don't!" I say. "You'll be trapped there!"
"Vinyl, it's just an ordinary room."
I look into the room. It looks like an ordinary storage room.
"But it was..."
"Come on, Vinyl. We should meet up with the others and see if they've had better luck. Speaking of others, where's Octavia?"
"I told her to head to the communal training room." I say, dumbfounded.
"Why would you do that?"
"Because I saw Luna coming and I wanted everyone to be ready." I say.
"You saw her?" Celestia asks. "Why didn't you tell me? I could've flown out to meet her! Show me where you saw her."
I grab her arm and teleport to the place where my clone had spotted Luna. She was now long gone, but as I look towards Canterlot, I see a speck of black moving fast up the mountain. I teleport us to the cliff that holds Canterlot, and sure enough, there she is, flying towards the castle.
How could she be there? I was in there for a month!
Celestia started towards the edge of the cliff, but I stop her.
"I don't think that's such a good idea." I say.
"Why?" she asks.
"If what you said is true, Luna's not exactly in control of her actions." I say. I teleport us back to Celestia's chambers to avoid being spotted and continue. "And there's only one other person we know of that has ever inhabited Luna before, and Twilight had to step in and use the Elements to stop her." I say.
"Your point being..."
"My point being that if that really is Nightmare Moon out there, she's on the warpath and she's looking for you. She wants to get rid of you so that she can bring about eternal night. What do you think would happen if you came and tried to reason with her? She'd kill you on sight. If it really has been only two hours since I left, then we need to prepare for her so that when she gets here we can stop her."
I start to remember all the stuff that happened earlier.
"I've gathered the others in the training room. C'mon!"
I grab her arm again and we're in the shadows of the corridor. I let go of Celestia and teleport back to the cliff to check on Luna, but she's gone.
What happened?

Luna.

I can feel Nightmare Moon's will bearing down on me as we soar up the cliff face towards Canterlot.
We're almost there...
Indeed we are.
We clear the cliff and the city proper is in front of us. We fly towards a quiet part of the city where a lone man is walking down the street.
What's going on? Why are we stopping?
I am going to make you a deal.
We land in front of the person and grab him by the throat, cutting off a scream. I hear the soft noise of metal on fabric as we draw our katana.
This deal is very simple: You allow me to teleport or I will kill him. You have 1 minute.
Do you swear on your life that you will let him live?
Yes.
Reluctantly, I withdraw and allow Nightmare Moon to access our power.
I was surprised that you gave up so quickly.
It is my duty to protect my subjects, even if it means aiding someone like you. Besides, I know they are ready for you. They will stop you, and when they do, I will see to it that you are dealt with permanently.
we let the person go and he runs down the street screaming. Our body melts into a shadow and we are in the training room.
"There you are!" Applebloom says. "We were lookin' for you."
"So, you've managed to find me." Nightmare Moon says. "Congratulations. You've earned a painful, yet quick, death. But first, a chance to join me. I cannot do this on my own; at least, not without considerable effort. You can join me, and we shall bring into being a new kingdom. One where there is peace. One where there is happiness. One in which the sun does not show its face. Help me bring about eternal night. Help me kill my sister."
Time Turner steps forward, a pleading look in his eyes.
"We're not going to kill Princess Celestia." he says. "But we don't need to fight. Come back, Luna. We can work this out together. Please just come back and you and Celestia-"
"Oh, so you would have me attempt to reason with her? don't make me laugh. She is not my sister. She is a tyrant, ruling over this land with an iron fist; I simply mean to free it from her cruelty. I have no sister."
"But, Luna, remember-"
"I have no sister!"
We raise our katana to strike him down, just like in the dream.

Author's Note

Hoo boy! I think I'm getting back into the swing of things. Next thing you know, I'll be doing ridiculous stuff like updating every day or refining my ideas!
...Nah.
2,000 points if you get the reference(s).

Chapter 12: Light...

One Week Earlier

"What are we looking at, Octavia?" Celestia asked, gesturing towards a crystal door set into the wall.
"A door; but by the looks of it it isn't an ordinary door." I say, stepping towards it to gain a closer look.
"I wouldn't do that quite yet, Octavia." Celestia said, putting an arm out to stop me. "You see, you're right. This door is no ordinary door. It can only be opened with magic. Twilight found it in the Crystal Empire and I had it brought here for safekeeping."
"What's so special about it?" I asked.
"This door is actually responsive to two different kinds of magic." she explained, stepping towards the door and facing it.
"When Sombra's magic - dark magic born of hatred and fear - comes into contact with the door, it leads to a very... interesting place."
"I take it I'm supposed to explore this place?" I asked.
"Exactly."
The crystal around Celestia's neck grew dark, and a beam of purple, green, and black light shot out from the crystal and hit a crystal just above the door.
"Get ready; You're about to know more about this place than even I do."
"I'm ready." I said, grabbing the doorknob and opening the door.

I stepped through the door into the communal training room. The others were there, all standing around Vinyl.
"Are you sure about this, guys?" Vinyl asked, glancing nervously around at the faces of the others.
"Of course we're sure." Applebloom said. "If you're as tough as you say, takin' on the four of us at once shouldn't be a problem."
"Besides, if things get too hot too handle you can always just wimp out and teleport away." Scootaloo said.
"Speaking of which..." Sweetie Belle says before turning to face me. "You can't be allowed to help her."
Ice forms around my arms and legs, freezing them in place and preventing me from moving.
"What are you guys doing?" I ask. "What's going on? Let me out!"
"Oh, be quiet." Time Turner says. "We're just training is all. What, is poor baby Octavia scared Vinyl can't hold her own in a fight?"
Vinyl's fist slams into Time Turner's face, snapping his head to the side and making him stumble back.
"Training or not, nobody talks about me or Tavi that way!" she says. "If it's a fight you want, it's a fight you'll get."
Ice envelops my mouth to prevent me from speaking further as the fight begins. At first Vinyl is doing well, managing to hold off the four of them. Then Time Turner strikes Vinyl and electricity courses into her, paralyzing her.
I struggle against the ice, but I can't get it to budge. I struggle even harder, but my limbs are starting to go numb from the cold, and I eventually stop.
"I thought... you said... we couldn't use... our Elements!" Vinyl says through the paralysis.
"I did, didn't I?" Time Turner stops and nods at the others. "Oh well. I guess I lied."
Ice forms around Vinyl, trapping her. I can see her struggling to break free.
"Hey, this isn't fair! Let me out of here!" she says.
Scootaloo creates a fireball in her hand that slowly starts growing as she walks towards Vinyl, a grin on her face.
"Oh, it was never supposed to be fair." Applebloom says, creating an earth spike and walking towards Vinyl at the same pace.
Why is this happening? What's going on? Did Discord come back? Why are they all acting like this?
Time Turner's hands crackle with lightning, and he readies himself to hit Vinyl right in the heart.
I try to scream in protest, but my mouth is covered.
"Hey! What're you guys doing!? That's way too strong for training! Are you trying to kill me!?"
"What took you so long to find out?" they all say.
Then they attack.

I can't tell what hits Vinyl first, the strike that stops her heart, the spike that pierces it, or the fireball that blasts her free of the ice to land at my feet.

She's dead! She's dead and I couldn't do anything! I promised...
I collapse onto the ground as the ice cracks, freeing me. Tears flow from my eyes as I cradle my dead friend's body in my arms.
I can hear laughing in front of me. I look up to see Scootaloo, Time Turner, Applebloom, and Sweetie Belle, all apparently finding this hilarious.
"You just killed her!" I yell, dropping Vinyl gently to the ground and getting to my feet. "You killed her for no reason! She thought she could trust you! I thought I could trust you and you just killed her!"
A strange white glow starts swirling around me as I stare them all down.
"We thought you were our friends! We thought you were good people and you killed her! We trusted you and now she's dead! She's DEAD!"
The whiteness starts swirling closer, rising to envelop my feet, my waist, my stomach, until I'm completely covered in it, the light swirling around me, mimicking my shape, forming armor almost like a second skin.
I raise my right arm, and a bow appears in my hand. The light fills my vision until there is nothing else...
"Octavia!"

I'm back in the room with Celestia, who is shaking my shoulders, an urgent look on her face.
"What did you see in there?" she asks, looking down at my feet. A white aura swirls around them, glowing intensely in the otherwise dimly-lit room.
"What happened? Vinyl... Is she okay? Did I end up..."
My voice trails off as I realize just what I'd been about to do.
"End up what?" Celestia says. "Please just try and calm down and get yourself together. I have calming tea if you need it."
"Thanks." I say, clearing my mind the way Celestia taught me. The white aura around my feet disappears. "Tea would be nice."

"All right. Tell me what happened."
"It was horrible." I say. "Time Turner and the others ganged up on Vinyl, and... And killed her."
Celestia's eyes widen, and I continue.
"I couldn't do anything to help. They just took her apart while I watched."
Tears come to my eyes as I relive what I'd seen.
"We promised each other that we'd look out for each other. I... I'd failed her."
Celestia puts a hand on my shoulder.
"It's okay now."
She stands and turns to the door I'd entered.
"This door, when powered by Sombra's magic, leads to your worst nightmare. Gazing into it reveals the inner fears of your heart and intensifies them; very potent magic indeed. However, when powered by normal magic..."
The crystal around Celestia's neck glows a bright yellow and shoots a large beam into the crystal on top of the door. She gestures for me to enter.
"It's perfectly safe. Here: I'll even go in first just to show you."
Celestia opens the door, and light shines through from the other side. She walks through, and I enter behind her.
We're standing at the base of a huge tower, stairs spiraling up the side as far as the eye can see.
"I use this door as a shortcut of sorts." Celestia says, smiling at me. "You see, right now, we're in the Crystal Empire, literally walking on the roof of Cadance and Shining Armor's chambers. It would be only a short drop to that balcony, and then you'd be in the castle." she gestures to a balcony below the edge of the roof.
We just stand there staring down at the Crystal Empire until Celestia turns to leave.
"Come on, Octavia."
We return through the door and end our training session.

Later, in the mess hall, I sit down across from Vinyl and silently eat my food.
"What's wrong, Tavi?"
I look up to see Vinyl looking at me, a worried expression on her face.
"It's nothing. Just... Exhausted from my training."
"Okay, something's definitely wrong. All your training is just study and tea and talking and friendship lessons. There's no way you could get exhausted. Well, at least not physically exhausted."
I chuckle. My lessons with Celestia are very calm and relaxed, focusing more on friendship and mastery of my Element.
"Something we talked about kind of shook me up." I say.
"Well, don't worry." Vinyl says, putting a hand on my shoulder and grinning at me. "We'll always be there for each other, right?"
"Right." I say hesitantly.
"Come on! Where's the Tavi that punched me in the face just 'cause I'd started to see myself as a failure?"
I smile at the memory. That was one of the more rash, hot-blooded things I'd done. I had kind of hoped she would forget about it.
"Promise me that whatever happens, we'll be there to help each other out when we feel discouraged." Vinyl says. "After all, what are friends for?"
After a while, I look into her eyes, which are hard with determination.
"I promise."
"That's better! Now back to eating. I'm starved!"

Present Day

Time Turner

Luna stood before me, her eyes black as night, her katana raised to strike. I looked away, regretting my foolishness.
Why did I try to reason with her? I should have just stayed with the others. Now I'm going to die, all because I was stupid and thought she couldn't go through with it.
In desperation, I tried to stop time, concentrating hard as I heard Nightmare Moon laugh. It started to slow down, and a thrill of hope rushed through me. Then it sped up again, and I concentrated harder. It stopped altogether, but as soon as I could register the lack of sound, time resumed again, albeit a little slower than before.
I looked down at Luna, no, at Nightmare Moon's feet...
And noticed something unusual. There was only one light source nearby - the moon - and yet...
"I'm sorry." I said, looking up and smiling. "I'm so, so sorry..."
I took a step back.
"...But you have two shadows."
Nightmare Moon looked down at her two shadows, and I closed the gap in between us and struck her once, electricity coursing through my fingers and into her, paralyzing her.
"Now!" I yelled, and sure enough, the second shadow elongated and turned into Vinyl.
"Vinyl!" Octavia yelled.
Vinyl immediately launched an attack at Nightmare Moon, who managed to break her paralysis just in time to dodge, Vinyl's fist grazing her cheek.
"If there's one thing to know about me, it's never to let me talk." I said as Vinyl went on the attack.
Nightmare Moon was hard pressed to defend herself as Vinyl attacked from literally every direction as she teleported madly around Nightmare Moon.
"Is it just me, or has she gotten better?" I asked Octavia.
"It's not just you. She's gotten really good with her powers." There was relief in Octavia's eyes.
"You were worried." I say.
"Yeah. There was something that happened last week that... shook me up about her. I'm glad she's okay."
"How are you guys acting so calm while Vinyl's out there risking her life!?" Scootaloo yelled. "We should be helping, not standing around!"
Octavia stood up. "She does have a point, Time Turner. We could try and help her..."
"Then what are we waiting for?"
Scootaloo rushed at Nightmare Moon, but I cut her off.
"Even if we did try and help, we'd only end up hindering Vinyl more than helping her. Look at her. She's teleporting around the place faster than you can blink! What do you think would happen if she teleported and you were right in front of her, blocking her from attacking?"
"Still..." Scootaloo said, watching the battle intently. "What if something happens?"
Octavia stepped forward and readied her bow. "Scootaloo's right. I for one am not going to sit idly by while my best friend risks her life. I may not be much help up close, but I can at least get a good shot or so in from long range. Time turner, might I get a charge?"
"I suppose, but I still don't see how this isn't going to get in Vinyl's way."
Octavia nocked an arrow, and I touched the metal tip, charging it with enough electricity to stun, but not enough to be fatal. The wooden shaft ensured nothing would spread to Octavia or anyone else but the arrow's target.
"How accurate are you with that?" I asked. "We wouldn't want to hit Vinyl."
"Oh, I wouldn't say pinpoint..." Octavia said as a line of light appeared from the tip of her arrow and settled on the fighting pair. Octavia released the arrow, sending it flying straight at Vinyl's back.
"What are you doing!?" Scootaloo shouted.
As the arrow flew towards Vinyl, she teleported again, appearing behind Nightmare Moon just as the arrow grazed Nightmare Moon's cheek.
As Nightmare Moon stood paralyzed, Vinyl gave a nod of thanks to us and grabbed Nightmare Moon's shoulder. They both disappeared in a whoosh of air.

Vinyl

She's stronger than I thought...
I take a moment to catch my breath as me and Luna collapse on the roof of Canterlot Castle. The shingles are slick with rain, and I struggle to keep my footing as I stand to face my teacher.
"Luna, stop this. It doesn't need to end this way. Come back with me and we can talk. I'm sure we can help you without-"
"No."
I take an involuntary step back at Luna's voice. It's darker, more menacing... It's not hers any more.
"I've come too far to be stopped by some upstart student who thinks she can wield shadow better than I."
"Luna, please!"
Luna's eyes soften a bit, and I lower my sword an inch.
Is the real Luna still in there?
Suddenly the hilt of her katana slams into my face.
I shouldn't have let my guard down.
She stabs at me, but I manage to spin to the side and counter with a slash of my own, which she blocks.
"Please!" I say, desperate now.
I don't wanna fight her! Please, Luna, if you're in there, help me!
"You fool! How could you even presume to stand up to me! I am the ruler of the night! I am the fear that lives in the darkness! You should be bowing before me and begging for me to let you live!"
Nightmare Moon's not gonna give up...
I grimace, finally working up the courage to do what I knew I had to.
...And neither will I!
"Then you leave me with no other choice. Luna, if you won't come back willingly, I'm gonna make you see sense. I'm not letting you kill Princess Celestia!"
I launch myself at her, attacking as fast and as hard as I can, driving her back, pushing her defenses.
"I'm gonna bring you back to your sister if I have to break every bone in your body to do it!"
I summon up two clones that flank her and we all attack at once, driving her in every direction, even cutting her clothes a bit, but never actually hitting her.
She's fast. Even faster than when I was training with her. Was she holding back then, or has Nightmare Moon made her stronger?
Luna's katana ignites with black flames, and she gets stronger and faster. We're evenly matched for a few minutes until the fire on her blade starts growing. I watch as they cover her starting with her arm until she's wrapped in dark fire.
"I am Nightmare Moon! I bring eternal night and darkness! I will not be stopped by the likes of you!"
She disarms me with one quick slash, and I take a step back. I look into her eyes, and all I see is the figure, the one from my nightmares. Fear grips me as I slip and fall, half off of the roof now. Rain splashes on my face, clearing my head.
Only one thing left to do...
"Eh."
I shrug, smiling at Nightmare Moon.
"It was worth a shot."
I concentrate, preparing to teleport, when my focus is broken by a huge flash of light.
The others appear on the roof. Celestia has teleported them in.
"Vinyl! I'm so glad you're okay!" Octavia says, starting towards me, but I stop her.
"Leave!" I shout. "It's not safe here! Go, quick, before she-"
A flash of movement catches my eye. Luna's coming at me with my own katana, the sword poised to strike my heart. I think to teleport, but by the time I start concentrating, it's too late. I only have time to do one thing...
"Tavi-"

Octavia

It is raining.
I can only stand and watch as Nightmare Moon stabs at Vinyl, piercing her heart. As Nightmare Moon lifts her up into the air, laughing, and throws her off the roof. I watch as Vinyl falls, as if in slow motion, a look of shock on her face. She hits the ground behind a tree, and I hear a crack as something breaks upon impact.
I've failed again.
I sink to my knees, tears streaming down my face.
We promised each other that we'd be there... That we'd look out for each other!
I scream, a cry of anguish that rips from my throat, turning into a roar as white-hot rage fills me.
I just stood there and watched and now she's dead and I couldn't do anything to save her!
I look at the figure in front of me, only a silhouette now in my vision; Nightmare Moon.
I run towards her and grab her by the face, slamming her down into the roof hard she cracks the shingles. I lift her up by the throat and drop her, punching her in the face as she falls, sending her skidding across the roof until she slams into the base of a tower.
I am not failing anyone else again! As long as I live, nobody else dies!
Everyone looks at me, shocked, and I realize that I hadn't thought that last sentence: I'd screamed it as if it were a battle cry.
"Vinyl will not die in vain! As long as I draw breath I will fight! And I will avenge her!"
The white aura swirling around me is now blinding even to me. I have to shut my eyes, but even then it blinds. I can't escape it.
And I don't want to.
Everything goes white, and I know no more.

Chapter 12.5: Reunion

Pinkie Pie

...And my sword is broken.
I stand, held by magic bands, in a burning field, surrounded on all sides by changelings. My friends and I have been separated by the massive force, and I can hear them fighting, occasionally glimpsing flashes of orange as Applejack beats one down with a hammer or flashes of purple as one of Twilight's giant spikeballs slams into one of them, but there are too many.
As I stand there, trapped, wondering why the changelings have stopped attacking me, I hear a sound that stops my heart.
Fluttershy screams as a changeling hits her with something. I hear laughing, and then more screaming as the changelings close in on her. Soon the screaming stops.
Tears come to my eyes.
Fluttershy, dead? No! It can't be! She... She can't die!
Then Rarity screams next, a long, loud scream that is choked off halfway through as a changeling arrow hits her in the neck.
Rarity! No!
I see Rainbow Dash fly straight up, then fly straight down again, a cone of air forming around her as she prepares for a Sonic Rainboom.
A burst of green magic streaks towards her and hits her in the head. I hear the crack as she hits the ground headfirst, followed by a scream of rage from Applejack. Changelings are tossed left and right as she tries to reach her friend's body.
And all the while, the ones around me are just watching and laughing, taunting me, and my sword lies broken in the dirt.
The next one to fall is Twilight, a changeling dodging her giant spikeballs and maneuvering around her until he strikes at her head, cleaving it in two.
Then Applejack bursts into the circle of changelings standing around me, her clothes and body almost as blood-soaked as her hammer.
"Pinkie Pie!" she yells before a changeling tackles her from behind. The rest fall upon her, and I am helpless to watch as they trap her with magic. Tears streak my face as they hover her over so we face each other. Applejack manages to get a few words out before they kill her.
"Pinkie, the Elements-"
I wake up with a start, my head pounding and my heart racing. Gummy's head perks up at my sudden movement, and I pet him until he goes back to sleep.
What an awful dream.
Then I hear the screaming.
I jump out of bed, pick up my sword, and rush out the door. Changelings have surrounded Ponyville, and I join Twilight and the others to confront them. Soon, we are separated, and a changeling sneaks up behind me and blasts me with magic...
...And my sword is broken.
I stand, held by magic bands, in a burning field, surrounded on all sides by changelings. My friends and I have been separated by the massive force, and I can hear them fighting, occasionally glimpsing flashes of orange as Applejack beats one down with a hammer or flashes of purple as one of Twilight's giant spikeballs slams into one of them, but there are too many.
As I stand there, trapped, wondering why the changelings have stopped attacking me, I hear a sound that stops my heart.
Fluttershy screams as a changeling hits her with something. I hear laughing, and then more screaming as the changelings close in on her. Soon the screaming stops.
Tears come to my eyes.
Fluttershy, dead? No! It can't be! She... She can't die!
Then Rarity screams next, a long, loud scream that is choked off halfway through as a changeling arrow hits her in the neck.
Rarity! No!
I see Rainbow Dash fly straight up, then fly straight down again, a cone of air forming around her as she prepares for a Sonic Rainboom.
A burst of green magic streaks towards her and hits her in the head. I hear the crack as she hits the ground headfirst, followed by a scream of rage from Applejack. Changelings are tossed left and right as she tries to reach her friend's body.
And all the while, the ones around me are just watching and laughing, taunting me, and my sword lies broken in the dirt.
The next one to fall is Twilight, a changeling dodging her giant spikeballs and maneuvering around her until he strikes at her head, cleaving it in two.
Then Applejack bursts into the circle of changelings standing around me, her clothes and body almost as blood-soaked as her hammer.
"Pinkie Pie!" she yells before a changeling tackles her from behind. The rest fall upon her, and I am helpless to watch as they trap her with magic. Tears streak my face as they hover her over so we face each other. Applejack manages to get a few words out before they kill her.
"Pinkie, the Elements-"
I wake up with a start, my head pounding and my heart racing. Gummy's head perks up at my sudden movement, and I pet him until he goes back to sleep.
What an awful dream.
Then I hear the screaming.
I jump out of bed, pick up my sword, and rush out the door. Changelings have surrounded Ponyville, and I join Twilight and the others to confront them. Soon, we are separated, and a changeling sneaks up behind me and blasts me with magic...
...And my sword is broken.
I stand, held by magic bands, in a burning field, surrounded on all sides by changelings. My friends and I have been separated by the massive force, and I can hear them fighting, occasionally glimpsing flashes of orange as Applejack beats one down with a hammer or flashes of purple as one of Twilight's giant spikeballs slams into one of them, but there are too many.
As I stand there, trapped, wondering why the changelings have stopped attacking me, I hear a sound that stops my heart.
Fluttershy screams as a changeling hits her with something. I hear laughing, and then more screaming as the changelings close in on her. Soon the screaming stops.
Tears come to my eyes.
Fluttershy, dead? No! It can't be! She... She can't die!
Then Rarity screams next, a long, loud scream that is choked off halfway through as a changeling arrow hits her in the neck.
Rarity! No!
I see Rainbow Dash fly straight up, then fly straight down again, a cone of air forming around her as she prepares for a Sonic Rainboom.
A burst of green magic streaks towards her and hits her in the head. I hear the crack as she hits the ground headfirst, followed by a scream of rage from Applejack. Changelings are tossed left and right as she tries to reach her friend's body.
And all the while, the ones around me are just watching and laughing, taunting me, and my sword lies broken in the dirt.
The next one to fall is Twilight, a changeling dodging her giant spikeballs and maneuvering around her until he strikes at her head, cleaving it in two.
Then Applejack bursts into the circle of changelings standing around me, her clothes and body almost as blood-soaked as her hammer.
"Pinkie Pie!" she yells before a changeling tackles her from behind. The rest fall upon her, and I am helpless to watch as they trap her with magic. Tears streak my face as they hover her over so we face each other. Applejack manages to get a few words out before they kill her.
"Pinkie, the Elements-"
I wake up with a start, my head pounding and my heart racing. Gummy's head perks up at my sudden movement, and I pet him until he goes back to sleep.
What an awful dream.
Then I hear the screaming.
I jump out of bed, pick up my sword, and rush out the door. Changelings have surrounded Ponyville, and I join Twilight and the others to confront them. Soon, we are separated, and a changeling sneaks up behind me and blasts me with magic...
...And my sword is broken.

Rainbow Dash

I turn another corner, heading deeper into the changeling hive, two drones following me. As I walk, I pass five cells. I avoid looking in them, but I can still hear them.
I can still hear my friends yelling at me.
"Why, Rainbow Dash? Why?"
"Rainbow Dash, I trusted you, and you, you... How could you!?"
"Ah can't believe you'd do somethin' like this, Rainbow!"
"Don't just walk away and leave your friends behind! Save us, Dashie!"
"Face it, girls. Rainbow Dash is a traitor."
The word 'traitor' echoes in my mind as I leave them behind. Soon, we come to the general.
"As agreed, Rainbow Dash." it says, holding out a large sack of gold.
I say nothing, tears streaming down my face as I take the bits and start off down a different tunnel. I take a left, then a right, then another left, then two rights...
I turn another corner, heading deeper into the changeling hive, two drones following me. As I walk, I pass five cells. I avoid looking in them, but I can still hear them.
I can still hear my friends yelling at me.
"Why, Rainbow Dash? Why?"
"Rainbow Dash, I trusted you, and you, you... How could you!?"
"Ah can't believe you'd do somethin' like this, Rainbow!"
"Don't just walk away and leave your friends behind! Save us, Dashie!"
"Face it, girls. Rainbow Dash is a traitor."
The word 'traitor' echoes in my mind as I leave them behind. Soon, we come to the general.
"As agreed, Rainbow Dash." it says, holding out a large sack of gold.
I say nothing, tears streaming down my face as I take the bits and start off down a different tunnel. I take a left, then a right, then another left, then two rights...
I turn another corner, heading deeper into the changeling hive, two drones following me. As I walk, I pass five cells. I avoid looking in them, but I can still hear them.
I can still hear my friends yelling at me.
"Why, Rainbow Dash? Why?"
"Rainbow Dash, I trusted you, and you, you... How could you!?"
"Ah can't believe you'd do somethin' like this, Rainbow!"
"Don't just walk away and leave your friends behind! Save us, Dashie!"
"Face it, girls. Rainbow Dash is a traitor."
The word 'traitor' echoes in my mind as I leave them behind. Soon, we come to the general.
"As agreed, Rainbow Dash." it says, holding out a large sack of gold.
I say nothing, tears streaming down my face as I take the bits and start off down a different tunnel. I take a left, then a right, then another left, then two rights...

Rarity

I dart towards Twilight to aid her as she fends off three changelings. She takes out one, but as she does so, two more attack her from behind.
"Help!"
I rush from Twilight to Fluttershy, the latter being positively swarmed by the things. She tries as hard as she can to fight, but they overwhelm her and she goes down. From behind me, I hear Twilight scream as a sword cuts through her side.
"Rarity! Help!"
I turn and run to help Pinkie Pie in her efforts to hold back a veritable storm of changelings. Twilight is dead now, a sword arcing through her neck ending her life. Fluttershy is bleeding all over from different cuts on her body, swaying back and forth, tipsy from loss of blood.
"Help!"
I turn and run to Applejack as she takes out another changeling. There's a horde of them around her, and it's all I can do to get to her. Fluttershy has collapsed now, changelings falling on top of her like wolves. There's no hope for her. Pinkie Pie has been slammed against a building and is now dazed, staggering to and fro while the changelings watch, laughing.
"Help!"
I go to Rainbow Dash's aid as she tries her best to deal with the ocean of changelings that has gathered below her. As I struggle to clear a path to her, the changelings cast a net of magic over her, trapping her and bringing her down to the ground. A rock dislodges itself from the building and hits Pinkie Pie on the head, cracking her skull and killing her instantly.
Applejack is under a pile of changelings, but I can still hear her struggling to break free.
Then they attack me.
My needles form a protective globe around me, and the changelings are stuck trying to pierce it. From outside, I can hear Rainbow Dash scream as they cut her to ribbons, I can hear the cries of exultation as Applejack goes down.
Then I hear a voice calling me. I dispel my globe and rush to help the owner of the voice...
I dart towards Twilight to aid her as she fends off three changelings. She takes out one, but as she does so, two more attack her from behind.
"Help!"
I rush from Twilight to Fluttershy, the latter being positively swarmed by the things. She tries as hard as she can to fight, but they overwhelm her and she goes down. From behind me, I hear Twilight scream as a sword cuts through her side.
"Rarity! Help!"
I turn and run to help Pinkie Pie in her efforts to hold back a veritable storm of changelings. Twilight is dead now, a sword arcing through her neck ending her life. Fluttershy is bleeding all over from different cuts on her body, swaying back and forth, tipsy from loss of blood.
"Help!"
I turn and run to Applejack as she takes out another changeling. There's a horde of them around her, and it's all I can do to get to her. Fluttershy has collapsed now, changelings falling on top of her like wolves. There's no hope for her. Pinkie Pie has been slammed against a building and is now dazed, staggering to and fro while the changelings watch, laughing.
"Help!"
I go to Rainbow Dash's aid as she tries her best to deal with the ocean of changelings that has gathered below her. As I struggle to clear a path to her, the changelings cast a net of magic over her, trapping her and bringing her down to the ground. A rock dislodges itself from the building and hits Pinkie Pie on the head, cracking her skull and killing her instantly.
Applejack is under a pile of changelings, but I can still hear her struggling to break free.
Then they attack me.
My needles form a protective globe around me, and the changelings are stuck trying to pierce it. From outside, I can hear Rainbow Dash scream as they cut her to ribbons, I can hear the cries of exultation as Applejack goes down.
Then I hear a voice calling me. I dispel my globe and rush to help the owner of the voice...
I dart towards Twilight to aid her as she fends off three changelings. She takes out one, but as she does so, two more attack her from behind.
"Help!"
I rush from Twilight to Fluttershy, the latter being positively swarmed by the things. She tries as hard as she can to fight, but they overwhelm her and she goes down. From behind me, I hear Twilight scream as a sword cuts through her side.
"Rarity! Help!"
I turn and run to help Pinkie Pie in her efforts to hold back a veritable storm of changelings. Twilight is dead now, a sword arcing through her neck ending her life. Fluttershy is bleeding all over from different cuts on her body, swaying back and forth, tipsy from loss of blood.
"Help!"
I turn and run to Applejack as she takes out another changeling. There's a horde of them around her, and it's all I can do to get to her. Fluttershy has collapsed now, changelings falling on top of her like wolves. There's no hope for her. Pinkie Pie has been slammed against a building and is now dazed, staggering to and fro while the changelings watch, laughing.
"Help!"
I go to Rainbow Dash's aid as she tries her best to deal with the ocean of changelings that has gathered below her. As I struggle to clear a path to her, the changelings cast a net of magic over her, trapping her and bringing her down to the ground. A rock dislodges itself from the building and hits Pinkie Pie on the head, cracking her skull and killing her instantly.
Applejack is under a pile of changelings, but I can still hear her struggling to break free.
Then they attack me.
My needles form a protective globe around me, and the changelings are stuck trying to pierce it. From outside, I can hear Rainbow Dash scream as they cut her to ribbons, I can hear the cries of exultation as Applejack goes down.
Then I hear a voice calling me. I dispel my globe and rush to help the owner of the voice...

Applejack

...And I stand alone, surrounded by changelings, the circle growing smaller and smaller by the minute as they inch closer and closer. Desperate and afraid, I call out for my friends.
"Twilight! Rainbow Dash! Rarity!"
Nothing. Ponyville is silent as the circle grows smaller and smaller...
"Pinkie Pie! Fluttershy! Anypony! Help me, please!"
Still nothing. I look around for any sign, any way, any chance to escape...
One of the changelings is smaller then the rest. Faking an attack at another changeling, I dart towards the small one and jump over it, escaping the circle and taking off down a side alley. After turning a couple times, I come across my friends standing in a square.
"Where were you guys?" I ask. "I was surrounded back there and I really needed your help!"
They say nothing.
Twilight's necklace glows, and a large ball of light appears and flies straight up into the air. Soon, the changelings come, surrounding the square, and still they say nothing and do nothing.
Then they start walking away, the circle parting as my friends abandon me to the changelings. Past the circle, I see Queen Chrysalis herself congratulation them. They walk off down a side alley...
...And I stand alone, surrounded by changelings, the circle growing smaller and smaller by the minute as they inch closer and closer. Desperate and afraid, I call out for my friends.
"Twilight! Rainbow Dash! Rarity!"
Nothing. Ponyville is silent as the circle grows smaller and smaller...
"Pinkie Pie! Fluttershy! Anypony! Help me, please!"
Still nothing. I look around for any sign, any way, any chance to escape...
One of the changelings is smaller then the rest. Faking an attack at another changeling, I dart towards the small one and jump over it, escaping the circle and taking off down a side alley. After turning a couple times, I come across my friends standing in a square.
"Where were you guys?" I ask. "I was surrounded back there and I really needed your help!"
They say nothing.
Twilight's necklace glows, and a large ball of light appears and flies straight up into the air. Soon, the changelings come, surrounding the square, and still they say nothing and do nothing.
Then they start walking away, the circle parting as my friends abandon me to the changelings. Past the circle, I see Queen Chrysalis herself congratulation them. They walk off down a side alley...
...And I stand alone, surrounded by changelings, the circle growing smaller and smaller by the minute as they inch closer and closer. Desperate and afraid, I call out for my friends.
"Twilight! Rainbow Dash! Rarity!"
Nothing. Ponyville is silent as the circle grows smaller and smaller...
"Pinkie Pie! Fluttershy! Anypony! Help me, please!"
Still nothing. I look around for any sign, any way, any chance to escape...
One of the changelings is smaller then the rest. Faking an attack at another changeling, I dart towards the small one and jump over it, escaping the circle and taking off down a side alley. After turning a couple times, I come across my friends standing in a square.
"Where were you guys?" I ask. "I was surrounded back there and I really needed your help!"
They say nothing.
Twilight's necklace glows, and a large ball of light appears and flies straight up into the air. Soon, the changelings come, surrounding the square, and still they say nothing and do nothing.
Then they start walking away, the circle parting as my friends abandon me to the changelings. Past the circle, I see Queen Chrysalis herself congratulation them. They walk off down a side alley...
...And I stand alone.

Twilight

I sit, trapped in a green cocoon suspended from the ceiling. Tears streak my face, partly out of sadness and partly from necessity.
I meditate, my necklace glowing softly as I cast my mind out beyond my body, seeing the room I am trapped in. I visualize myself leaving, and soon I am out in the corridor leading to the others' cells.
I enter Pinkie Pie's cell and once again look into her mind to see if it's changed at all.
...And my sword is broken.
The illusion remains constant, just as it has been ever since she was brought in.
I already know what the others are going through, but I check on them just in case.
I say nothing, a lone tear running down my cheek as I take the bits and start off down a different tunnel.
Pinkie Pie! Fluttershy! Anypony! Help me, please!
It would only take a second to dig it out with magic...
All the same.
Fresh tears run down my face as I face the horrors my friends are being put through.
It's just as well that I've started crying again, because Queen Chrysalis, along with Lyra, walk into the room where I'm being held captive.
"Is this one under control?" Chrysalis asks, gesturing to me with a look of contempt.
"Yes, my queen. Aside from a small abnormality when the spell was first cast, she's been even more responsive than the others. Soon we'll be able to put her to work." Lyra says.
"Would you change out of that idiotic form?" Chrysalis says. "It's repulsive even to look at.
"Of course, Your Majesty." the changeling says, returning to his true state.
"Much better. Now let me see the illusion she's under..."
I quickly return to my 'illusion' and return it to the state it was in when it was first cast...

...Celestia and Luna are dead.
The Elements of Harmony are destroyed.
My friends have all fallen.
All that's left is me, cowering before the changeling queen.
I am given a choice: Join or die like the rest.
My studies have not prepared me for this.
My precious friendship has gained me nothing.
I take the hand offered me and enter a new tutelage.
One of power, one of control, one of illusions and backstabbing and double-crossing...
I become a changeling.

In the back of my mind, I hear Chrysalis chuckle.
"Excellent. Soon she'll be ready for battle. Prepare the illusion needed, Tharnax."
"Right away, Your Highness."
As they leave, the illusion starts to overwhelm me. I quickly scan my mind and bring six memories to the forefront...

Standing up for yourself isn't the same as changing who you are. Now I know how to put my hoof down without being unpleasant or mean.

No matter where you go in life, you should never forget that you are the product of your home and your friends. And that is something always to be proud of, no matter what.

Yeah, I get it. I shouldn't knock something until I've tried it.

It's a tad easier to be proud when you come in first than it is when you finish further back. But there's no reason to hide when you don't do as well as you'd hoped. You can't run away from your problems. Better to run to your friends and family.

Sometimes our desire for responsibility can outrun our actual ability to handle it.

I'll tell you what we've learned, Discord: We've learned that friendship isn't always easy. But there's no doubt it's worth fighting for!

The illusion quickly fades as memories of my friends banish the fear and leave me clear-headed and sitting in my cocoon.
Now to find a way out of here.

Chapter 13: Note to Self:

???

Note to self: Next time you pull something like that, make sure you land on something softer than stone.
I get to my feet, bruised and battered, but otherwise unhurt. I'm soaked by rain, and freezing cold, but I ignore the discomfort.
I've gotta help them... I have to get back there!
I run through the castle, speeding past side room after side room until I get to the balcony. I jump, catching on to the ledge and pulling myself up just in time to duck as a figure flies right over my head.
Startled, I let go and drop down to the balcony. I stand, looking at the poor person who got flung off the roof.
Nightmare Moon lies in the courtyard of the castle, even more bruised and battered than I am.
A bright light emanates from the roof. I climb up the balcony again, this time circling around to the side of the roof before I climb all the way onto it.
Octavia stands there, white fire streaming from her eyes, her body surrounded with a blinding white light.
What happened to her! How'd she get like-
I remember exactly what had happened.
This is all because of me, isn't it?
As I watch, Octavia creates a bow of light and holds out her hand. The white aura swirling around her shoots off a little tendril that forms into a white arrow, which she then nocks, turning to face the courtyard. The arrow grows brighter, filled with raw energy. Screaming with rage, she lets go, sending the arrow flying straight at Nightmare Moon.
Celestia appears, almost as if out of nowhere, and catches the arrow as if it was standing still.
"Octavia, listen! She may have killed Vinyl, but that is still my sister down there, and I will not lose her again!"
The white aura around Octavia flickers, swirling slower and slower.
"Please, calm down before you end up doing something everyone here will regret!"
The white aura slowly fades as Octavia lowers her head.
She turns and jumps down to the balcony, running into the castle. I can hear her sob as she fades from view.
I turn my attention back to Celestia as she confronts her sister. She extends an arm and a box of light appears, trapping Nightmare Moon. She tries to escape, but when she touches the box, electricity courses through her, knocking her back.
"Give up, Nightmare Moon. We have you outnumbered and outmatched." Celestia says.
"I may be outnumbered, but outmatched? Don't make me laugh! These Pathetic excuses for Element bearers have only managed to get themselves killed. Besides, you won't be able to banish me now. You have no Shadow, and good luck getting Light to fight against me now! Vinyl Scratch is dead, and as such, you can do nothing against me!"
I jump down to the balcony and run after Octavia, a grimace on my face.
Once I get Tavi back, you'll see exactly how much we can do to you, Nightmare Moon...
My mind flashes to the figure from my dreams; the white eyes, the laughing...
I concentrate, and I am standing in the forest, behind a tree.
This must be where she landed.
A glint of blue catches my eye, and I see The Needle stuck almost to the hilt in the ground. I dislodge it and hold it up, the rain washing away the dirt.
I concentrate, and I am in my room.
I go to the table by the door and pick up my shades from where I'd left them when I couldn't find Luna.
Soon you'll see just how 'dead' I am!
I create a clone, who immediately goes off to look for Tavi as I search the other end of the castle. I listen through my clone's ears until I hear sobbing coming from a side room.
I switch places with my clone, instantly where she was standing; a move that requires no concentration whatsoever, and enter the room.
I hear a sound in the corridor behind me, and quickly meld into the shadows as Time Turner enters the room.
"Octavia, come quick! The princess needs you! She's got Nightmare Moon trapped, but it won't hold long so you need to come wi-"
"Leave me alone!" Octavia yells, pushing him away. "What use is there now that... now that..."
"We can still try, Octavia. Come on!"
"I said no. Now leave me alone! It's no use fighting any more."
"Octavia, you have to understand-"
"You're one to talk! You don't understand! You didn't know her like I did! You didn't promise! You didn't let anyone down!"
Octavia starts crying again.
"You didn't have a sister."
Time Turner's face softens, and he wraps Octavia in a hug that makes her stiffen.
"You're right. I don't understand, and I'm sorry. I am so, so sorry."
He lets go and takes a step back.
"But I do understand this: Vinyl would want us to fight, even after her death. If it had been you that'd died, do you think she'd have hesitated before jumping back in to help take out your killer? The fact of the matter is we need you, Octavia. We need you to be strong. To help fight."
There is a long pause.
"I'm not going to force you to come, Tavi. But know tha-"
Octavia starts crying again, and an exasperated look crosses Time Turner's face.
"It's because I said 'Tavi', isn't it?"
Octavia starts crying harder, and Time Turner growls in frustration.
"You know what, Octavia? You can go ahead and mope all you want, but that's not going to bring back Vinyl!"
There is a pause. Octavia sniffles, before breaking into tears again. Time Turner facepalms and turns away.
"Octavia, she's gone. We need to face facts and move on no matter how much she meant to you..."
Time Turner walks away, a look of sadness on his face.
"How much she meant to all of us..."
After he leaves, I come out of the shadows, my eyes watery.
This is all my fault. If I-
I stop and give myself a mental slap in the face.
You're almost as bad as Tavi! If you hadn't switched places with your clone at the last second, you'd be the one dead and not the clone. Suck it up and deal with the consequences.
I look at my best friend, my sister in all but blood, and I grin to myself.
"Hey, Tavi!"
Octavia looks up, but I am still in the shadows, my face indistinct.
"Let's see you grit those teeth!"
With all the quiet dignity and grace that I can muster, I run up to Octavia and punch her in the face.
She flies across the room, skidding to a stop near a corner.
"Vi..."
She looks up at me in disbelief, eyes wide as platters.
"Yeah?"
I am suddenly thrown backwards as Octavia wraps me in a hug so tight I can't breathe.
"You're alive! I can't believe it! I thought you were dead and I got mad and I hurt Nightmare Moon but you're alive!"
She lets go and I stagger back, gasping for air. After catching my breath, I chuckle and hug her.
"I'm not quite ready to die yet." I say.
We break apart and Octavia wipes her eyes on her sleeve.
"Speaking of Nightmare Moon..." I say. "Shouldn't we be out fighting her?"
Octavia nods, and we start towards the roof.
"How did you escape anyway?" Octavia asks. "I saw you get stabbed. Nobody could survive that."
"I can switch places with my clones instantly. It's a bit faster than teleportation, which requires about a second of concentration before I actually teleport."
We climb up the balcony to the roof to find it deserted.
"Where'd everyone go?" Octavia asks. "They were all up here when I attacked Nightmare M- "
A loud explosion interrupts Octavia. We both turn in the direction of the blast to see Nightmare Moon standing, surrounded by the others, in the front courtyard. Octavia jumps down and looks up at me expectantly. I signal for her to go on ahead as I start to circle around, grinning.
Let's see if Nightmare Moon believes in ghosts...

Chapter 14.5: The Hive

Fluttershy

I sneak through the forest, hiding in bushes as I make my way towards the clearing the squirrels mentioned.
The changeling hive should be just ahead.
As I enter the clearing, I look up and my spirits sink.
It's so big! How am I ever going to find Twilight and the others in there?
Angel Bunny hopped down from my shoulder and pointed at a group of changelings, disguised as me and my friends, headed towards the hive. The one disguised as me was lagging behind the rest, obviously exhausted.
Now's my chance!
I crept towards the unsuspecting changeling, reaching into my bag and pulling out my whip as I did so.
For Twilight! For my friends! For Equestria!
I lashed out with the whip, the end of it wrapping around the changeling's left ankle, pulling it to the ground and into the bushes. I quickly jumped on top of it and covered its mouth and nose, cutting off its breathing. It struggled, thrashing back and forth as I kept a firm hold on its face. Eventually, the struggling stopped, and green fire spread up its body as it changed back into its true form. I bent down over its chest and listened for breathing. It was faint, but it was there.
Good. I didn't want to kill the poor thing...
I took some ivy from a nearby tree and tied the changeling's hands and feet behind its back. I then stuck its necklace in a large ball of mud.
I hope that'll stop it from using magic until the mud dries and it can break it off.
I put my whip back in my bag and hid my bag behind my back as I caught up with the others.

Trixie

As we finish tying the changeling to a table, Zecora peruses her herbs and reagents.
"What are you making?" I ask.
Zecora points to a recipe in one of her books. I look over at the recipe and see that it's for an honesty potion.
Zecora leans over to me and starts speaking in hushed tones so that the changeling won't hear.
"I did not tell you - only show - so that our guest would not know."
"Why? It doesn't matter if he knows what we're gonna do to him as long as we make him take the potion and spill his secrets."
"I aim to keep our friend in constant fear of what might possibly transpire here." she replies.
"Ah."
I turn back to the changeling, who'd woken up from his trip, and smile menacingly at him. He looks over at Zecora and his eyes widen.
"What're you making?" he asks. I slap him across the face.
"Listen here, bud!" I say. "The only people asking the questions here'll be us."
I give him an evil grin.
"And don't worry; when we're done with you you'll have told us everything."
I nod to Zecora's cauldron.
"Even if I wanted to tell you what was in there, I couldn't. not even I know what's brewing in that pot. I guess that's for her to know and for you to find out."
I turn to Zecora.
"Is it ready yet?"
She nods and pours an orange liquid into a bowl, walking towards the table.
"Now we can begin." I say, taking the bowl and standing over the changeling. "Open wide..."
The changeling jams his mouth shut, and I glare at him. I grab his nose and plug it, readying the bowl full of elixir.
"You might not want to drink this, but you'll have to breathe sometime." I say.
The changeling's necklace starts to glow, and I laugh at him.
"Did you honestly think we hadn't planned for that?" I say, pointing to a ring of jade fitted around the jewel in his necklace.
"That's an arcane inhibitor. It nullifies any and all magic it comes into contact with."
The changeling slumps back onto the table, and I grin expectantly.
"Any second now, you'll need to breathe. Can't you feel your lungs crying out for air? 'Help us!' they cry. 'Help us! We need to breathe!'".
I start to take deep, loud breaths, letting oxygen flood my lungs and then drain from them in the most ostentatious manner possible.
After about three seconds of this, the changeling's mouth opens, and as he breathes in, I stick the bowl in his mouth to prevent it closing again and tip the liquid down his throat.
"I've always wondered what one of Zecora's legendary brews tasted like." I say. "Tell me, what do you taste?"
"No-"
The changeling's voice is cut off, and his face turns red as he tries to say something. After a few seconds, a bewildered look crosses his face and he replies.
"Apples. It tastes like apples."
"Good, good. Now we know it's working."
"Now you know what-"
I slap him again.
"What did I say about questions?" I ask.
"You're the only one asking questions here." he replies, staring dumbfoundedly at his mouth, as if it had acted without consent, which, knowing changelings' reputation for deceit, it probably had.
"Good. You're learning." I say, smiling at him. "Now: How many changelings are there in Ponyville?"
"Two hundred." The changeling assumes a shocked look and covers his mouth. "How'd I say that? I didn't want to say..."
The changeling's eyes grow wide.
"A truth potion! You made me drink a truth potion, didn't you!?"
I move to slap him, and he flinches. I withdraw my hand, and a slight sigh of relief comes from the changeling.
I punch him in the face.
"What did I say about questions!?"
"You're the only one asking questions here! Gah!"
"Good! Now stop asking questions and I won't punch you again!"
I turned to Zecora.
"Got any questions for our guest here?"
She turns to the changeling and speaks in a deep, booming voice that makes me take a step back, even though I know it's coming.
"Your continued survival in this world now solely depends on whether or not you know the location of Twilight and her friends." she says.
"Do you?" I ask.
"N-"
The changeling starts to writhe in pain, and I step back, surprised. I grab the recipe book and read the effects of the honesty potion aloud.
"'When the pony who drinks this potion attempts to say anything untrue, they will experience pain and shortness of breath until they tell the truth. The pain and asphyxiation vary in strength depending on the magnitude of the attempted lie.' Wow."
Zecora nods.
"It'll be a lot easier on you from now on if you don't try to lie." I say to the changeling.
"YES!" he gasps. "I know where they are! They're in the Hive! The Hive east of here!"
He takes several deep breaths, tears running down his face.
"I wish it hadn't come to this." I say. "But you forfeited any right to pity or mercy the second you helped kidnap my friends. Now tell me how to get to them."
The changeling again starts writhing in agony, until finally shouting: "TAKE THE NORTH ENTRANCE! GO STRAIGHT, STRAIGHT, BACK, BACK, LEFT, RIGHT, LEFT, RIGHT, FIRST DOOR, SECOND DOOR, FIRST DOOR, SECOND DOOR! THEY'LL BE WEDGED AGAINST THE CEILING IN A ROW OF SMALL CELLS!"
"Thank you." I say. "Now if you'll be so kind as to show me the way there..."
The changeling starts laughing.
"Even if you manage to free your friends, there'll be just six of you against two hundred of us! Do you think you've won!? Do you think you even have a remote possibility of coming out of this alive!? You are a fool! A FOOL! I'll never lead you there! NEVER!"
The changeling starts to writhe again, choking on something invisible. We watch, horrified, until I grasp his plan.
"He's killing himself!"
We quickly unstrap him and force his mouth open, but it is too late. He slumps to the floor, dead.
"I guess he was telling the truth when he said he'd never lead us there." I say, shocked.

Later

I descend from the top of the tree that encompasses the hut.
"Ponyville's on red alert." I yell to Zecora. "They've discovered the missing changeling."
I start towards the door, but Zecora stops me, holding out a staff with two blades affixed to the ends.
"On your quest, something just might go amiss. It's dangerous to go alone. Take this."
"Thanks." I say. I leave the cottage, heading east towards the Hive.
Something that changeling said seemed... off.
I think back to what the frenzied thing had said.
"Even if you manage to free your friends, there'll be just six of you against two hundred of us!"
If I'm coming to rescue them, that'd make seven, not six. Unless...
I start running towards the Hive, pushing my way through the undergrowth.
I've gotta get there fast!

Fluttershy

Right, left, right, no, not left, I've gone that way, left, left, right, straight, right...
I run through the tunnels of the Hive, my feet making no noise on the soft earth, as I look for my friends.
Where are they?
I enter a door, and my hopes are answered by six cocoons hanging from the ceiling, separated by thin dirt walls that form small cells.
"I'm so glad I found you girls!" I say, taking my whip out of my pack, twisting the handle and extending the blades. I turn to cut my friends down from the ceiling, but a voice stops me in my tracks.
"Put down the whip and step away from the Bearers, changeling!"
I turn to see Trixie, of all people, standing behind me, brandishing some sort of stick with blades on each end.
We stare at each other for a minute or so until Trixie lowers the tip of her staff.
"Sorry, Fluttershy. I thought you were a changeling."
I keep my whip at the ready, though.
"How do you know I'm not? And for that matter, how do I know you aren't one of them? For all I know, you're going to help me "free" them, and then lead me into a trap!"
Trixie raises her staff again, though I can see trepidation on her face.
No! Don't let them trick you into lowering your guard! The second you hesitate, you're dead! I need to stay strong for my friends!
All of a sudden, the door bursts open to reveal three changelings holding sickles. They stop, eyes wide, when they see Trixie.
"Get back!" Trixie yells, swinging her staff and clocking one over the head, knocking it out cold.
Angel Bunny runs forward and jumps at the second changeling's face, scratching it as the thing runs away screaming.
Trixie moves towards the third one, a menacing grimace on her face.
The changeling turns and runs.
"We don't have long before they send for reinforcements." Trixie says, turning to me. "It doesn't matter if you trust me. We need to get the girls out now."
I wrap my whip around the stem holding one cocoon to the ceiling and start to pull on it, dragging the blades across the ropelike substance. The cocoon falls to the ground, a sleeping Applejack inside.
I hear a wet thud as Pinkie Pie's cocoon, cut free by the blades on Trixie's staff, falls to the ground. I cut Rainbow Dash's cocoon from the ceiling, but before Trixie can get to Twilight, her cocoon falls on its own. There is a slight hissing noise as a crack opens up, revealing the sleeping unicorn. As Trixie and I watch, stunned, Twilight stands up and opens her eyes, grinning evilly. We both gasp and take a step back.
Twilight's eyes are glazed over, as if she were dead.
"Hello, Fluttershy. Trixie."
"Twilight! What's happened?" I ask, stepping over to her.
"I'm free! That's what's happened! The Queen has shown me a new way! A way to redemption! A way to happiness!"
Twilight pauses, as if listening to something, then her grin spreads even wider as her eyes narrow.
"A way that does not involve you."
Changelings stream through the open door and surround us.
It's over... Chrysalis has gotten to Twilight somehow! There's no way we can win.
I lower my head and disengage my whip, my arms hanging uselessly by my sides.
Why, just this one time, couldn't everything have gone smoothly? I was so close to saving them! It's not fair!
My hands clench into fists, and tears build up in my eyes.
I could have saved Twilight, but I waited like a coward and now we're all doomed and IT'S NOT FAIR!
I raise my head and shout at the room, engaging my whip again, the blades sharp and ready.
"You can take me instead! You can torture me, put me under whatever illusions you want to; you can even turn me into a changeling!"
A white aura starts to swirl around me as I continue crying, all my fear and anger an nervousness packed into a tight ball.
"But you do not; I repeat, do NOT! HURT! MY! FRIENDS!"
The aura envelops me, and, rising into the air, I lash out at everything in sight, my whip striking hard and fast. I even see a few tendrils of light form and attack alongside the whip.
A minute or so later, the room is full of dead changelings. The aura dissipates as I sink slowly to the ground.
"You got that?"
Trixie and Twilight both uncover their eyes.
"Wow, Fluttershy." Trixie says. "I... didn't know you could do something like that."
"Neither did I." I reply. We both turn to Twilight.
"An admirable effort, to be sure, but not all of my forces are gone; you will soon die by my hand."
As if to prove her right, three more changelings enter the room, grinning.
A purple aura surrounds us, trapping our limbs. Twilight advances, a black sword gripped in her hands.
I close my eyes, waiting for the end...
"Gotcha." she says, grinning.
Three changeling heads lie on the floor, their owners lying slumped next to the ones I'd killed.
Twilight's eyes unglaze, and she picks up Rainbow Dash and Applejack's cocoons.
"What're you two waiting for? Let's get out of here before Chrysalis decides to pay us a visit and find out why exactly her little stunt didn't work."
I pick up Pinkie pie's cocoon, and Trixie picks up Rarity's. We start running through the Hive, taking turn after turn, following Twilight's lead.
"Why didn't her 'little stunt' work?" I ask as we run. "It looked like you were really under control."
"Oh, I was never under her control." Twilight says. "Even when we were all just under basic illusions, I wasn't fooled. You see, the illusions consisted of each of us being placed in a situation that defies our Element: Rainbow Dash betrayed us, Applejack was betrayed by us, Pinkie Pie had to watch her friends get killed, Rarity tried to help us all at once and failed at helping any of us, etc. However, I'd noticed something off about mine back when I was still under it."
"What was that?" Trixie asks.
"Well, with the other illusions, they looped in on themselves perfectly; with mine, one second I was turned into a changeling after joining Chrysalis, and the next I'm back at her throne room, about to join her. Naturally, I realized it was an illusion and broke out of it with a simple memory spell."
We continue running until Twilight stops us, her arm blocking the way forward.
"Something's wrong." she says. "We've been running for over ten minutes, and I know my way around this place."
"I don't see the problem." Trixie says. "We'll get out eventually."
"But that's the thing!" Twilight says. "According to what I've seen, it takes about three minutes to get out of here. However, we're only just past where we started. Look!"
She points to a nearby door, which is ajar. we look inside to see a mass of dead changelings and five small cells...
"We're under an illusion!" I say, realizing the truth.
"Don't worry, girls." Twilight says, grinning. "I've had tons of practice breaking Chrysalis's illusions. This'll be a snap."
She concentrates, and the world around us shimmers until a flash of light leaves us dazed and blinded.
When I open my eyes, everything is different. I'm surrounded by changeling guards, their blades pointed at my neck. My wrists are tied together behind my back, and Chrysalis herself stands over me, holding my whip.
"A lovely little thing: I might use it sometime." she says, grinning. "Take her away, men. I'll deal with her later."

Twilight

As I get to my feet, bleary-eyed, I take in my surroundings.
I seem to be standing in a large... thing.
Glass. it's glass, but what...
My eyes open wide as I realize where I am.
I'm in a glass box. Why am I in a glass bo-
"You're awake."
I look up and see a familiar face, smiling gleefully.
"Chrysalis."
"Welcome back to the world of the living, Twilight Sparkle. Don't get too comfortable; you won't be spending much more time here."
"What have you done with my friends?"
"Oh, don't worry. They've been... Taken care of."
At this, she lets out a laugh.
"I can't believe how easy it was to capture the sixth Element. All I needed to do was put you five in an obvious place and she came running in like a lamb to the slaughter. Granted, your little stunt back there was... unexpected, but I found a workaround."
She grimaces at me, her hand moving to a metal pillar I hadn't noticed before. Her fingers hover over a large red button.
"When I press this, water will start flooding that box."
She smiles at me, a smile that's a few inches too wide and that never reaches her eyes.
"I won't kill you yet, though; Changeling government states that all must have a proper trial."
She turns to a nearby guard.
"Bring in the jury!"
Seven changelings file in, taking seats around the box.
"Twilight Sparkle. You stand accused of treason against Chrysalis, High Queen of the Changelings and plotting to overthrow Her Majesty, as well as the cruel murders of several loyal soldiers. How do you plead?"
I look around the room for something, anything, that can help me escape. I am about to give up hope when I see something odd.
Why is that door stuck in a wall?
Sure enough, near the corner of the room there is a door built into a corner, half of it cut off by a wall.
Why would the changelings build a half-door? It doesn't make sense! Unless...
"I said: How do you plead, Twilight Sparkle?"
I look Queen Chrysalis dead in the eye and grin.
"Guilty."
She looks taken aback.
"It's true. I plotted to kill you. I killed several of your soldiers, and I lied to you about being under an illusion. Just fill the box with water already."
"That's it? No begging for mercy? No pleading for your life? No 'Oh please, Chrysalis, don't kill me!'?"
"Nope." I say. "I'm not going to give you the satisfaction. Just get on with it."
There is a pause.
"You're not gonna say anything bold or daring, like "Objection!"?
"Nope. Just press the button and I'll be out of your hair. It's not like I have any choice in the matter."
"All right then."
She presses the button.
As water starts to fill the box, I continue staring the changeling queen dead in the eye, giving her the creepiest grin I can muster. The water's up to my waist now. I continue smiling at her as the water envelops my chest, then my neck, then my head.
Holding my breath - and grinning all the while - I give Chrysalis a little wave and press my hands up against the glass.
As the box explodes, water sprays everywhere, drenching all in attendance.
I stand in the middle of what was a deadly trap, still grinning.
I snap my fingers, and wake up.

I am in a small globe of green light. I look around me, and concentrate, focusing on summoning a sword to my hand.
Nothing happens.
I guess I'm finally done with the illusions.
I look behind me to see a changeling guard standing with his arms outstretched and his eyes screwed shut in concentration, focused, no doubt, on maintaining the globe.
He must be the one that put me under.
Beside me, two other guards are doing the same for Fluttershy and Trixie.
The cocoons holding my friends are scattered around the floor.
I separate myself from my body and go exploring.
There is a large platoon of changelings headed towards the room where we're being held. I calculate the time it'll take to get here.
I've got about five minutes before they show up.
I return to my body, but as I do so, I notice something odd.
I don't have a shadow.
Making a mental note of this, I return to my body, turning with some effort - trapped as I am in the globe of light - to face my captor.
I punch him in the face.
As he staggers back, I tackle him, covering his mouth so he can't scream for aid. Scowling at him, I lift his head up to mine, then slam it down on the ground. I repeat this until he stops struggling.
Getting to my feet, I take the changeling's sword and stab him through the heart.
It never hurts to make sure...
The other two guards are easy to kill. Within thirty seconds, Trixie and Fluttershy have come to, rubbing their eyes.
I quickly explain the situation to them, and they each pick up a cocoon. I pick up the remaining two, but instead of leaving, I motion for them to set their cocoons down next to me.
"What're you planning?" Trixie asks.
"No time for questions." I reply. "I need your help with something."
"What?"
"A sigil ring."
Trixie's eyes widen, and she grins.
"That's your game, huh? Let's get started."
Trixie and I get to work drawing a complicated circle of runes on the ground. When we're done, I stand back and admire our handiwork, noting as I do so that my shadow has returned.
"It's not perfect, but it'll get the job done." I say. "Get the cocoons inside the circle. I need to work on something else."
As Fluttershy and Trixie gather the cocoons inside the sigil ring, I fire up my necklace and create a simple hologram.
My turn, Chrysalis.
I step into the circle, and Trixie and I channel magic into the circle of runes at our feet.
With a flash of light and a smell like smoke, we're gone.

Later

Chrysalis

As the changeling queen entered the small room, she reflected on the day's developments.
At last, all the Elements have been captured! Now the plan can move forward. I can only hope that Nightmare Moon manages to eliminate the new Bearers in time, or else...
She shuddered. She didn't even want to think about that right now. She turned to the three guards holding the captives.
"Good work. Remind me to reward you later. Take the two Bearers to cells, and separate them this time. The third is not needed; kill her."
The guards just stood there.
"Did you not hear me, peons? I said take them away!"
Still the guards just stood there, unresponsive.
That was when she noticed three things.
First: There was a charred circle of ground behind the guards.
Second: There were three corpses nearby, all three stabbed through the heart.
Third: The cocoons holding the other Bearers were gone.
Chrysalis stepped forwards, smacking one guard across the face in a backhanded slap that would have sent him sprawling, had he been there.
He wasn't.
As the illusion dissipated, Queen Chrysalis let out a scream of rage.

Author's Note

Yay, new chapter!
I can only hope it was worth the weight.

Chapter 15: ...And Shadow

Applebloom

As Nightmare Moon tries to regain her feet, six beams of light envelop her midsection, freezing her in place.
Celestia staggers backwards, catching herself on a wall before she topples over.
"What'd ya do ta her?" I ask as the rest of us walk towards the trapped figure.
"I've just... Stopped her for a bit..." Celestia replies, panting. "I'm afraid I put a bit too much power into the spell; I don't have much energy left."
"It won't hold forever!"
There is a long pause. The wind whistles through the courtyard as we all wait for... something.
"What're we waiting for?" Scootaloo asks. "Let's take down Nightmare Moon already!"
"Ha! I've killed Shadow and Light won't fight me! How do you expect to get rid of me? If you kill me, you only end up killing your precious princess in the process! I am invincible!"
An aura of darkness begins to gather, eating away at the rods holding Nightmare Moon in place.
"She's breaking free!" Sweetie Belle says.
"We have to do something!" Time Turner says, walking up to Nightmare Moon and outstretching an arm.
"Time Turner, are you sure you know what you're doing?" Celestia asks.
"Yeah."
Lightning starts building up in his hands, jumping from finger to finger as he prepares to strike.
As he reaches towards the downed monarch, the rods disappear in a burst of shadow and Nightmare Moon grabs Time Turner by the wrist, slamming him into the ground.
"Ha!"
She picks up the pegasus and holds him by the neck, suspending him in midair as she poises her katana to strike.
The others and I rush to stop her, but before we can...
An arrow embeds itself into the hilt of Nightmare Moon's katana and explodes in a burst of light.
"Put down the Bearer, murderer!"
The monarch drops Time Turner, something dropping from him with a metallic clink as he falls to the ground, rubbing his neck.

Octavia

I ready my bow for the next shot, but before I can, Nightmare Moon is there in front of me, swinging her katana at me.
Suddenly Vinyl appears in front of me, blocking Nightmare Moon's blow before disappearing in a burst of shadow.
"W-What?"
Nightmare Moon swings at me again, only to be blocked by a quickly disappearing Vinyl.
"It cant be! I killed her!"
"Did you, now?" A voice echoes. "Did you really think you could get rid of me so easily?"
"I-Impossible!"
Vinyl appears beside Nightmare Moon and punches her in the face before vanishing again.
"The Elements! Celestia says. "Use them now!"
"Right!" Vinyl says, appearing beside me. "Time to taste the rainbow, Nightmare Moon!"
"You fools! can't kill me without this!" Nightmare Moon says, holding up Time Turner's hourglass necklace.
"Give that back!" Sweetie Belle says.
"Make me!"
"If you really want us to..." Scootaloo says, grinning as the Crusaders run at Nightmare Moon.
"Time to show her what we're made of!" Applebloom says. "Cutie Mark Crusaders: Attack Plan A!"
Sweetie Belle wraps the yarn around her daggers around Nightmare Moon and freezes the fabric, holding the monarch in place. Applebloom then spins her mace around and slams it into the ground, dislodging a small slab of earth that acts as a catapult, throwing her into the air as she spins, gaining speed and momentum.
"Do you honestly think that'll work on me!?" Nightmare Moon says as she breaks free of the ice.
"Yes!" Scootaloo shouts as she runs in and starts punching at Nightmare Moon with flaming fists, the latter easily dodging the attacks, erratic and powerful though they might be. Scootaloo persists though, until Nightmare Moon decides to end the fight by pushing her back with a wave of shadow...
Just in time for Applebloom's mace to connect with her head.
Or, rather, her katana, which she'd managed to lift fast enough to parry the blow.
A loud cracking sound echoes through the courtyard, causing everyone - even Nightmare Moon - to stop and look around.
The cracking sound comes again, softer this time, followed by a much softer cracking sound that continues on for a few seconds, long enough for me to isolate the source. I look at Nightmare Moon and grin.
A few seconds later, what was once Nightmare Moon's katana lies on the floor in silver shards, its owner staring at the hilt in disbelief.
Screaming in anger, she raises her arm to the sky, shadows swirling around the broken sword in her hand and forming a vaguely bladelike shape.
"Oh no you don't." I say, nocking an arrow and covering it in light. The missile is flung directly into the heart of the shadow, dissipating it. I continue firing at her, shooting arrows at her feet that explode in flashes of light, blinding everyone but me and Celestia, who is still recovering from the effort of keeping the prison of light together.
"Attack Plan B!" Scootaloo yells.
Applebloom slams the ground with her mace again, making two pillars of stone rise up from the ground. Sweetie Belle wraps her daggers around the columns as Scootaloo steps in between them and backs up, stretching the yarn and preparing to launch herself towards Nightmare Moon.
The monarch tries to attack them, but I keep her occupied with my arrows, firing hard and fast, giving her no room to maneuver.
"ENOUGH!"
Suddenly, I am being held by my throat above Nightmare Moon's head, gasping for air, my bow dropping to the ground as I struggle against her iron grip.
I see the others rush to me, but before they can get there, Nightmare Moon slams me into the stone.
Something cracks. It isn't the stone.
She raises me up again, presumably to slam me down even harder, but before she can do so, Vinyl teleports in, grabbing the necklace before disappearing again.
"No matter! Let's see you use the Elements with one of you dead, and for real this time!"
Nightmare Moon turns to me and creates a ball of shadow.
I give her a weak smile and coat my hand in light, hardening it to a point and stabbing at her arm.
With a cry of pain and surprise, Nightmare Moon drops me.
I concentrate, and my Element starts to glow even before I hit the ground.
Scootaloo launches into the air, fists glowing with fire and power.
Vinyl's headphones begin to glow as well as she runs at Nightmare Moon, Applebloom and Sweetie Belle behind her, mace and daggers burning with light.
A second Vinyl appears and hands Time Turner his necklace, the artifact glowing as soon as it touches his hands.
"Let's start it up!" Vinyl says, jumping at Nightmare Moon, arms outstretched.
"No." I say, extending an arm towards Nightmare Moon as well. "Let's end it."
Beams of rainbow-colored light emanate from our Elements, swirling around Nightmare Moon as she screams.
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"
Then everything goes white.

Spike

This is very, very bad!
I sit crouched behind a crate in the attic of Sugar Cube Corner, watching the changelings posing as my friends as they plan their next move.
"We need to find the Elements and bring them in!" Rainbow Dash says. "We can't just be sitting around twiddling our thumbs waiting for orders!"
"Shut up!" Twilight says. "Our orders are clear: We wait for Nightmare Moon to take out the other Elements and then we take Canterlot."
"I think we should strike while the bug is close, so to speak." Rarity says. "The royal guard and the Elements will be distracted by Nightmare Moon. They'll be spread so thin as it is trying to contain her that we'll practically be able to waltz right in and take control of the city."
"Yes, but what about the knight and the crystal princess?" Applejack asks. "They could come visiting Twilight at any moment and discover our ruse. We need to be ready."
"Applejack's right." Pinkie Pie says. "If they come to Ponyville, we need to be able to fend them off."
"I have an idea." Fluttershy says. "We send them a letter inviting them here."
The others gasp and turn to her.
"Are you crazy!?" Pinkie Pie says. "Who knows what they're capable of!"
"I'm not crazy! Hear me out: No matter how strong the two of them are, there's no way they'll be able to stand up to all one hundred of us. We lure them in, take them out, and then..."
Fluttershy grins.
"We convert them."
The others grin as well.
"With such powerful allies, we would be unstoppable." Rarity says.
"And think of the honor." Applejack replies.
"We'd be heroes!"
"Legends."
"The Queen herself - long may she reign - will give us accolades beyond measure!"
"It's agreed, then." Twilight says, turning to each of them. "We lure them in and then strike without warning."
They all nod, then laugh evilly.

I sneak towards a window and jump out, making a soft thud as I land in a bush and run through an alley towards the forest.
I've gotta find the others and warn them!
My thoughts are interrupted as a black hand grabs my arm and tugs me backwards.
"And just where do you think you're going?"
I look up to see Twilight looming over me, a wicked grin on her face.
"I knew someone was watching us." she says. "Now that I've got you right where I want you..."
"Do you?" I ask, stalling.
"Do I what?"
"Do you have me right where you want me? I mean, there are probably much more desirable places for you to have caught me. You could've caught me in a dungeon full of torture devices, or on top of an active volcano, or in the middle of a pit of vipers. There are a ton of places that are better for making me suffer than a back alley in Ponyvil-"
Suddenly a sharp pain shoots through my back, blocking out everything else.
What's... Happening?
After a minute or so, I can see again, although the pain is still there.
I open my eyes to see a circle of light enveloping me, strange symbols floating in the air around me as they spin faster and faster and faster...
In a flash of light, Twilight, Fluttershy, Trixie and what looks like a bunch of cocoons are in front of me.
Twilight looks down at me and a look of shock crosses her face.
"Spike! Are you okay?"
"No..." I manage to get out.
"What'd they do to you?"
I can't form the words around the pain, so I just curl up into a ball until it recedes to a dull ache.
"Whatever you did, you're gonna pay for that!" Twilight says, her necklace glowing as a small circle of light appears next to her dazed fake. After a second or so, a large metal ball hurtles out of the circle and slams into the clone, knocking it unconscious.
"That's for kidnapping me!" Twilight yells.
More changelings stream into the alley, but almost as soon as they arrive, a second circle opens up and a second ball shoots out of it, slamming into the changelings and stopping them in their tracks,
"That's for impersonating my friends!"
Twilight uses her magic to move the balls as they slam into one changeling after another as she yells, punctuating each word with a vicious attack.
"And! This! Is! For! Hurting! Spike!"
There are too many changelings in the alley for Twilight to take on alone, and she and the others back up towards the end of the alley.
"Fluttershy, do you know how you were able to do that thing earlier with light?"
"Yeah?"
"It'd be really helpful if you could do that again."
"I- I don't know if I can."
Suddenly a blue blur flashes past them as Trixie jumps into the frey.
"Watch in awe!" She yells as she spins her staff around her, gathering magic energy at the tips of the blades.
She slams the tip of her staff down, and suddenly everything feels weird, floaty, as if we were...
"Weightless!" Twilight says. "A zero-gravity spell!"
"Exactly! Now let's get out of here!" Trixie says, pushing off of the ground and shooting up into the air, grabbing Pinkie Pie's cocoon as she does so.
Twilight grabs Applejack and Rainbow Dash and pushes off after Trixie.
Fluttershy's anklets glow, and she floats towards me, picking me up with Rarity's cocoon.
I take a last look at Ponyville and the changelings rushing through the streets.
Pain shoots through my back, but I ignore it as we fly towards the forest.
"Where... are we going?" I ask.
"Zecora's." Fluttershy answers. "She'll have a way to free the others."
I nod, and curl up tighter as we dive and pain shoots through my back again.
"Oh, you poor thing." Fluttershy says. "You must be hurting really badly. Don't worry: Zecora will probably have something for your back."
Despite the pain, I find my eyes drooping. I drift off to sleep, the gentle breeze of flight easing my passage into dreamland.

Twilight
As i float through the air, Fluttershy flies up to me and turns to face me, flying backwards.
"So, what exactly happened back in the Hive?" she asks.
"What do you mean?" I reply.
"What's a 'sigil ring'?"
"Oh. That." I say, shrugging. "I'd started looking into advanced magic after I remade our houses. I figured what's the use of a magic boost if I don't know how to use anything beyond basic teleportation and levitation?"
"Yeah, but that doesn't explain the-"
"I was getting to that. You see, I'd started looking into the principle of 'Hammerspace'."
"Hammerspace? What's that?"
"It's like a little pocket dimension you can store stuff in. That's how I was able to summon my weapon back in that alley. It involves creating a very short-term portal that leads to an incredibly small universe and then storing things in there to be recalled later."
"Why can't we just store the cocoons in there, then? We'd be able to fly a lot faster without the extra weight."
"I don't know what effect it'll have on living things. So far I've only tried it with inanimate objects, and even then they come back... different."
"D- Different how?"
"Well, take my weapons for example. Ever since I put them in Hammerspace, they've gotten... Denser, but lighter at the same time. I don't know how, but it alters things that enter and leave it."
"But what does that have to do with sigil rings?"
"Well, that's how you access Hammerspace. You make a sigil ring and pump magic into it until the portal opens. All I did was make the sigil ring teleport us to Spike instead of storing us in an alternate universe."
"That sounds... Really contrived."
I frown at her.
"It worked, didn't it?"
"I guess, but still... it sounds really, really contrived."
"I tend not to look a gift portal in the mouth. It got us away from the changelings, and that's all I care about."
"All right..."
Fluttershy flies off to the side, holding Spike, who'd fallen asleep.
Poor guy. I don't know what the Changelings did to him, but I know I'm gonna do my best to fix it.
I take a furtive glance towards Ponyville and see a small group of changelings following us.
Oh no you don't.
I concentrate and summon a springy forcefield just in front of the changelings. Upon contact, they are flung backwards, confused.
I reach out with magic and levitate myself faster until I'm caught up with Trixie.
"We need to go faster." I say.
"Then push off of more stuff." she replies. "We're not losing momentum; the gravity spell I've cast also gets rid of air resistance."
We travel in silence for a few minutes.
"So, a gravity spell." I say, giving her a knowing look.
"You're not the only one who's been learning new magic, Twilight Sparkle." Trixie replies, grinning
"So Zecora's been teaching you?"
"Yes. She's an excellent teacher."
"I know. She's taught me too."
"Oh yeah, when... that... happened."
"Yeah... That."
After a half-hour of floating and pushing off of trees, we reach Zecora's hut. We knock on the door, and are greeted by a large spearhead.
"Before you enter, I must know: Are you friend, or are you foe?"
"It's me, Zecora." Trixie says. "I got the others from the hive."
"I must ask you something before you come in." Zecora says, still keeping her spear at the ready. "What is the taste of a truth potion?"
"Apples." Trixie answers. "A truth potion tastes like apples."
The spear lowers, and Trixie walks in. I take a step towards the door, but Zecora readies her spear again.
"The second of my questions three: What flavor is your favorite tea?"
I think for a minute, then answer.
"Chamomile and lemon with a hint of strawberry."
The spear lowers, and I step through the door.
"Now you, Fluttershy, and tell me true: For a broken leg, what would one do?"
"Um..."
Fluttershy sits and thinks for a moment.
"You take some bandages and dip them in a solution of boiled Dragonbreath Root and Aloe leaves, and then you wrap them around the broken leg and make sure it's set so that it won't heal crooked. If the patient stays off the leg for a week or so, it should be as good as new."
Zecora puts the spear down, and ushers Fluttershy in, looking around before she closes the door.
"Forgive me, friends. Understand you must: I did not know whom I could trust."
"It's all right." Trixie says, setting the cocoons down. "We're safe for now, and that's all that matters."
"Not quite..." I reply, stepping to the sleeping heroes. "We still need to figure out how to break them out of these."
"Can't we just cut them free?" Fluttershy asks.
"That problem isn't easily solved." Zecora says, selecting some herbs and vials from her shelves, as well as a small book. "These four cocoons must be dissolved."
"Let's get to work, then." I say, reading the recipe for the solvent from the book. "I'll do whatever it takes."

Author's Note

You have no idea how many ways it's possible to misspell Nigtmare-
Nigthmare-
Nighmare-
Nightmre-
Nightmare* Mon.
...
I give up.

On an unrelated note, whew! This chapter took a while to write! I had to revise it no less than three times in order to make it sufficiently epic.

Chapter 16: Tiers And Tears

???

...And I stand alone, surrounded by changelings, the circle growing smaller and smaller by the minute as they inch closer and closer. Desperate and afraid, I call out for my friends.
It's working! I can see the cocoo...
"Twilight! Rainbow Dash! Rarity!"
Nothing. Ponyville is silent as the circle grows smaller and smaller...
"Pinkie Pie! Fluttershy! Anypony! Help me, please!"
Still nothing. I look around for any sign, any way, any chance to escape...
Why isn't she waki...
One of the changelings is smaller then the rest. Faking an attack at another changeling, I dart towards the small one and jump over it, escaping the circle and taking off down a side alley. After turning a couple times, I come across my friends standing in a square.
"Where were you guys?" I ask. "I was surrounded back there and I really needed your help!"
They say nothing.
We still have to do more. They're still trapped in their illus...
Twilight's necklace glows, and a large ball of light appears and flies straight up into the air. Soon, the changelings come, surrounding the square, and still they say nothing and do nothing.
Then they start walking away, the circle parting as my friends abandon me to the changelings. Past the circle, I see Queen Chrysalis herself congratulating them. They walk off down a side alley...

...And my sword is broken.
I stand, held by magic bands, in a burning field, surrounded on all sides by changelings. My friends and I have been separated by the massive force, and I can hear them fighting, occasionally glimpsing flashes of orange as Applejack beats one down with a hammer or flashes of purple as one of Twilight's giant spikeballs slams into one of them, but there are too many.
There's gotta be some kind of spell I can...
As I stand there, trapped, wondering why the changelings have stopped attacking me, I hear a sound that stops my heart.
Fluttershy screams as a changeling hits her with something. I hear laughing, and then more screaming as the changelings close in on her. Soon the screaming stops.
Tears come to my eyes.
Fluttershy, dead? No! It can't be! She... She can't die!
Then Rarity screams next, a long, loud scream that is choked off halfway through as a changeling arrow hits her in the neck.
Rarity! No!
I see Rainbow Dash fly straight up, then fly straight down again, a cone of air forming around her as she prepares for a Sonic Rainboom.
Weren't you able to go into their...
A burst of green magic streaks towards her and hits her in the head. I hear the crack as she hits the ground headfirst, followed by a scream of rage from Applejack. Changelings are tossed left and right as she tries to reach her friend's body.
And all the while, the ones around me are just watching and laughing, taunting me, and my sword lies broken in the dirt.
The next one to fall is Twilight, a changeling dodging her giant spikeballs and maneuvering around her until he strikes at her head, cleaving it in two.
Then Applejack bursts into the circle of changelings standing around me, her clothes and body almost as blood-soaked as her hammer.
"Pinkie Pie!" she yells before a changeling tackles her from behind. The rest fall upon her, and I am helpless to watch as they trap her with magic. Tears streak my face as they hover her over so we face each other. Applejack manages to get a few words out before they kill her.
"Pinkie, the Elements-"
Yeah, but I don't even really know how it...
I wake up with a start, my head pounding and my heart racing. Gummy's head perks up at my sudden movement, and I pet him until he goes back to sleep.
What an awful dream.
Then I hear the screaming.
I jump out of bed, pick up my sword, and rush out the door. Changelings have surrounded Ponyville, and I join Twilight and the others to confront them. Soon, we are separated, and a changeling sneaks up behind me and blasts me with magic...

I dart towards Twilight to aid her as she fends off three changelings. She takes out one, but as she does so, two more attack her from behind.
You at least have to...
"Help!"
I rush from Twilight to Fluttershy, the latter being positively swarmed by the things. She tries as hard as she can to fight, but they overwhelm her and she goes down. From behind me, I hear Twilight scream as a sword cuts through her side.
"Rarity! Help!"
I turn and run to help Pinkie Pie in her efforts to hold back a veritable storm of changelings. Twilight is dead now, a sword arcing through her neck ending her life. Fluttershy is bleeding all over from different cuts on her body, swaying back and forth, tipsy from loss of blood.
But what if I cause more...
"Help!"
I turn and run to Applejack as she takes out another changeling. There's a horde of them around her, and it's all I can do to get to her. Fluttershy has collapsed now, changelings falling on top of her like wolves. There's no hope for her. Pinkie Pie has been slammed against a building and is now dazed, staggering to and fro while the changelings watch, laughing.
"Help!"
I go to Rainbow Dash's aid as she tries her best to deal with the ocean of changelings that has gathered below her. As I struggle to clear a path to her, the changelings cast a net of magic over her, trapping her and bringing her down to the ground. A rock dislodges itself from the building and hits Pinkie Pie on the head, cracking her skull and killing her instantly.
Applejack is under a pile of changelings, but I can still hear her struggling to break free.
Then they attack me.
If they were in...
My needles form a protective globe around me, and the changelings are stuck trying to pierce it. From outside, I can hear Rainbow Dash scream as they cut her to ribbons, I can hear the cries of exultation as Applejack goes down.
Then I hear a voice calling me. I dispel my globe and rush to help the owner of the voice...

I turn another corner, heading deeper into the changeling hive, two drones following me. As I walk, I pass five cells. I avoid looking in them, but I can still hear them.
I can still hear my friends yelling at me.
No. You're...
"Why, Rainbow Dash? Why?"
"Rainbow Dash, I trusted you, and you, you... How could you!?"
"Ah can't believe you'd do somethin' like this, Rainbow!"
"Don't just walk away and leave your friends behind! Save us, Dashie!"
"Face it, girls. Rainbow Dash is a traitor."
Stand back. I don't exactly...
The word 'traitor' echoes in my mind as I leave them behind. Soon, we come to the general.
"As agreed, Rainbow Dash." it says, holding out a large sack of gold.
I say nothing, tears streaming down my face as I take the bits and start off down a different tunnel. I take a left, then a right, then another left, then two rights...

...And I stand alone, surrounded by changelings, the circle growing smaller and smaller by the minute as they inch closer and closer. Desperate and afraid, I call out for my friends.
"Twilight! Rainbow Dash! Rarity!"
Nothing. Ponyville is silent as the circle grows smaller and smaller...
"Pinkie Pie! Fluttershy! Anypony! Help me, please!"
Still nothing. I look around for any sign, any way, any chance to escape...
One of the changelings is smaller then the rest. Faking an attack at another changeling, I dart towards the small one and jump over it, escaping the circle and taking off down a side alley. After turning a couple times, I come across my friends standing in a square.
"Where were you guys?" I ask. "I was surrounded back there and I really needed your help!"
They say nothing.
Twilight's necklace glows, and a large ball of light appears and flies straight up into the air...
...And another Twilight walks out of a side alley.
"Applejack!" she says. "Quick! We've gotta get out of here before the changelings come again!
"Again?" I ask. "They're comin' right now! Speakin' of, what were ya thinkin' lettin' off that flare like that and leadin' them to me? And why are there two of ya? You've got a heap of explainin' to do, Twilight!"
"Look." she says, grabbing my arm and pulling me down a side alley. "I can explain everything later, but right now we need to break the cycle!"
"Cycle? What cycle?"
"Just come with me!"
We both turn to the square filling with changelings as the other Twilight and her friends walk away from an empty circle of Chrysalis's soldiers.
"Now for the important part." Twilight says. "Watch."
After half a minute, the changelings scatter, leaving the square empty...
Until Twilight and her friends appear out of thin air and turn towards something that isn't there. Twilight shoots off a blast from her necklace, and the changelings swarm in, surrounding...
Nothing.
"What's goin' on here?" I ask quietly.
"It loops, even without you, Applejack. No matter what you do, they'll still always appear right there, do the exact same things, and then walk off, only to reappear in the same spot. The trick is that they've got you stuck in a loop where you're tricked into repeating your actions as well."
"What loops? Who's 'they'? Twilight, explain what's goin' on right now!"
"I can't!" she says, frustrated. "If I told you outright, there's no telling what damage it'd do to your psyche! As it is, I'm pushing it." She turns to me and looks me in the eye.
"You need to make the decision yourself. You need to realize on your own what's happening."
Her face falls, and she starts leading me back towards the square.
"Unfortunately, you need to get back in there. However, I have one simple request: When you escape - and you will escape - instead of turning left, then left, then left again, turn right, then go straight as long as you can. See what happens."
"Twilight! What're ya-"
She cuts me off, pushing me into the square with a "Sorry, Applejack!" before running off as the other Twilight fires off a blast from her necklace. Soon, the changelings swarm in...
...And I stand alone, surrounded by changelings, the circle growing smaller and smaller by the minute as they inch closer and closer. Desperate and afraid, I call out for my friends.
"Twilight! Rainbow Dash! Rarity!"
Nothing. Ponyville is silent as the circle grows smaller and smaller...
"Pinkie Pie! Fluttershy! Anypony! Help me, please!"
Still nothing. I look around for any sign, any way, any chance to escape...
One of the changelings is smaller then the rest. Faking an attack at another changeling, I dart towards the small one and jump over it, escaping the circle and taking off down a side alley.
What was it she said? Right, then straight?
I turn right instead of left, and the world grows wavy, the very buildings seeming to bend as if they were reflections in a pool of water.
"What the hay is happenin'?" I ask, going straight at the next intersection, the buildings growing more translucent as I run on, thinking about what Twilight said.
It loops, even without you.
What loops, though? What've I seen that ever loops? A circle.
I mentally scoff at myself.
Well, duh. What else loops? A racetrack...
A spark of an idea forms in my head.
A racetrack! The racers always make certain turns; they always go the same way every time, all because the track curves to the left. If they turned right...
I look up at the wavering buildings.
They'd go off the track and be out of the race until they got back on!
The trick is that they've got you stuck in a loop where you're tricked into repeating your actions as well.
Whoever 'they' are, they've got me running some kind of race!
The buildings waver even more, the very ground rising and falling under me in waves.
And somehow I've managed to get off the track. Who would want me to keep running a race like this, though...
I see a large ball of light shoot up into the air and explode, and then I hear the changelings running towards the square...
The changelings! Of course they'd want to keep one of the Elements of Harmony trapped!
I struggle to keep my balance as the whole world twists and turns in on itself.
This is an illusion!
Then I fall through the ground, and everything goes black.

As I open my eyes, I see a wooden ceiling and a concerned face looking down at me.
"F-Fluttershy?" I ask, making out the face against the bright light of... wherever I am.
"Oh, wonderful! You're coming to!" she says, smiling widely and turning to look back at something. "She's coming to!"
Another face joins the first.
"Trixie?"
"Yes, Applejack." Trixie says, visibly relieved. "It's me. Glad you've finally snapped out of it."
Snapped out of what?
Then I remember, bolting upright as memories fill my head.
"The illusion!" I say. "Ah was surrounded, and they left me, so Ah ran, and got surrounded again..."
I trail off, looking around.
"Is this Zecora's place?"
Fluttershy nods.
"We took you and the others here after we escaped."
"The others?"
"Of course." Trixie says. "What, did you honestly think we'd rescue you without rescuing the rest of the Elements?"
I notice the cocoons then, all with large holes in them, and Twilight slumped on the floor. I look down and see the remains of what must have been the cocoon I'd been trapped inside.
I stand up, my legs wobbly, and lean on Fluttershy for support as I step over the cocoon bits and walk over to Twilight.
"What happened to her?" I ask.
"I don't really know." Trixie says. "From what she's told me, she's... not in her body right now."
"Not in her-" I say. "Well, where is she, then?"
"With Pinkie Pie." Fluttershy says. "Doing the same thing that she did for you."
I think back to the conversation I'd had with Twilight, and how I'd realized that I'd been under an illusion...
I look at Fluttershy closely, examining her for a sign that she was fake.
"Wh- What are you doing, Applejack?" Fluttershy asks, backing away from me.
"How do I know Ah'm not under another one-a them illusions?"
Trixie looks thoughtful for a minute or so while I continue to examine my friend.
"Tell me." Trixie says, stepping towards me. "In the first illusion, were you ever in pain? Did the changelings ever hurt you?"
"No." I reply. "They just kinda... let me escape, only to catch me and let me escape again."
"Good." Trixie says, walking closer to me with a smile on her face.
"What're ya-"
My words are cut off as Trixie's fist slams into my cheek, hurling me to the ground, pain exploding from where the punch had landed.
"Why, you..." I say, picking myself up and cracking my knuckles. "Ah always knew ya were a no good, lousy, lying..."
"Wait." Trixie says, backing away. "Stop and think first, as hard as that might be for you right now. How hard would it be to simulate pain?"
I stop, and think.
"Ah reckon it'd be pretty difficult." I turn and glare at her. "But not impossible."
Trixie nods. "I understand. You still don't trust me." She reaches for a small vial of an orange liquid, uncorking it and dripping a single drop onto her tongue before swallowing.
"It really does taste like apples." she says.
"What'd ya just drink?" I ask, stepping towards her.
Trixie tries to say something, but her words are cut off as she starts choking on something, her face going red.
"Wow." she says, after recovering. "I don't envy the poor changeling I made drink that. It hurts!"
"What'd ya just drink?" I ask, curling my fingers up into a fist and raising my arms threateningly.
"A truth potion." she says. "I physically can't lie now, or else I start choking, like you just saw."
"Alright..." I say, lowering my arms to my sides. "So tell me: am Ah under an illusion?"
"No." she says. "I really did rescue you, Fluttershy really helped, we really brought you to Zecora's, and Twilight really knows how to 'astral project'."
"Ah believe you." I say. "I know how to tell if someone's fakin' somethin', and that truth potion you took is real."
We sit in silence for a minute or two.
"How long until it wears off?" I ask.
"Depends on the dosage." Trixie says. "I took the smallest amount possible, so it should wear off in about half an hour."
"Good." I say.

???

I jump out of bed, pick up my sword, and rush out the door. Changelings have surrounded Ponyville, and I join Twilight and the others to confront them. Soon, we are separated, and a changeling sneaks up behind me and blasts me with magic...
...And Twilight is standing behind me, intercepting the blast with a magical forcefield.
"Pinkie!" she says. "We have to get out of here, quick! Before-"
Then Fluttershy starts screaming.
I race towards the spot, desperate to get to my friend, but Twilight stops me.
"I need to explain something to you first!" she says.
"Twilight, have you lost your marbles?" I ask, trying to push past her. "Fluttershy's dying over there, and you want me to stop so you can explain something?"
"Yes." she says, as if the idea were perfectly reasonable. I keep trying to get to Fluttershy, but Twilight conjures up a wall of magic that stops me.
Fluttershy stops screaming, and I turn on Twilight.
"You just let her die, Twilight!" I yell, picking up my sword. "She was scared and surrounded and hurt and alone and helpless and... And you just LET HER DIE!"
I rush her, blade held high, but she steps to the side and trips me, sending me sprawling on the ground.
"Pinkie, calm down! You can save her next time! Right now you need to listen, because we don't have much time before the others go too and you get reset!"
I get up, puzzled and angry.
"Next time? Do you honestly believe there'll be a 'next time'? You really have gone crazy!"
Rarity screams, and I move to save her, only to be stopped again by Twilight.
"Pinkie, have you ever had a lucid dream before?" Twilight asks as Rarity gets hit with an arrow.
"A lucid-" I stutter. "Twilight, Rarity's dead now because you wouldn't let me help her! Why on Earth are you talking about lucid dreams!?"
Twilight looks back and grimaces.
"Not much time now..." she mutters. "Look: soon you'll find yourself surrounded again."
Rainbow Dash hits the ground, and Applejack yells, her voice full of anguish.
I run to their aid, but once again I find myself stopped by magic, this time boxed in on all sides, preventing any escape.
"Twilight, let me GO!" I yell.
"Only if you promise to watch carefully and not interfere!" she snaps.
"Fine!" I yell. "Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye!"
The box disappears, and I watch as Twilight dies...
"Ouch. What a way to go." the Twilight next to me says.
"Wait a sec." I say. "You're over there, dead, and you're also right next to me..."
Twilight nods. "Which means..." she says, as if encouraging me to say something.
"You can clone yourself?" I ask.
She facepalms, then shakes her head.
"I can't explain right now. We're coming up on the important part, so watch closely!"
I watch as Applejack bursts in, staring intently on something that isn't there.
"Pinkie, I have a warning for you." Twilight says. "When you get surrounded, look behind you!"
"Pinkie, the Elements-"

And then I am in my bedroom, sitting upright in bed.
Wait... How'd I end up here? I was just barely surrounded by changelings!
I look around the room.
And where's Twilight?
Then I hear the screaming.
I jump out of bed, pick up my sword, and rush out the door. Changelings have surrounded Ponyville, and I join Twilight and the others to confront them. Soon, we are separated.
I'm fighting as hard as I can, when I remember something from earlier, a fuzzy memory...
Pinkie, I have a warning for you. When you get surrounded...
I turn just in time to dodge a large blast of magic aimed straight at me.
All of a sudden, the changelings step back, forming a circle as they all laugh at the middle of the circle, even though there's nothing there.
Then Fluttershy starts screaming.
I rush to help her, but there are too many changelings. As Fluttershy's screams grow louder and more desperate, I close my eyes.
I need to get over there!
Suddenly I am standing next to Fluttershy as she is mobbed by three changelings. I take care of them easily, but as I go to help Fluttershy up, something starts happening.
Wounds start to appear all over her body, although nobody's attacking her. Cuts and gouges run up her arms and legs until they get to her neck and silence her for good.
What just happened? How'd I get here? And how did she die even though I saved her?
Then Rarity starts screaming, and I try to reach her, but am foiled again by the changelings.
These things are so annoying! I wish they were gone!
Suddenly all is quiet except for Rarity's screaming.
I open my eyes to see my friends, fighting... air. Rarity is running around in a small circle as if being chased by something, until she suddenly drops to the ground, holding her neck.
What on earth...
Rainbow Dash flies up into the air and dives, preparing for a Sonic Rainboom...
Until she suddenly swerves and hits the ground headfirst, her neck snapping upon impact.
I don't understand!
Applejack cries out, hitting the air with her hammer as she gradually moves towards Rainbow Dash.
One of Twilight's spikeballs zooms past me, and I turn to see her shoot them at nothing before her head splits in half for no reason.
What's going on!?
Applejack manages to fight - if swatting the air could be considered fighting - through to somewhere, stopping for a second to breathe.
"Pinkie, the Elements-"

...And I am back in my bedroom.
But- But I was just on the outskirts of Ponyville with my friends!
Another memory comes to my mind.
Pinkie, have you ever had a lucid dream before?
A lucid dream...
Suddenly I realize.
I'm dreaming!
Then the screaming starts again, and I smile.
Not so fast! I wish...
After a minute of thinking, the world around me changes, until...
We're all in Sugar Cube Corner, a giant cake on a table in the center of the room and music playing from a gramophone in the corner. I look up and see a large banner strung across the ceiling, one word written on it in bright red.

Congratulations!

"Nice work, Pinkie!" Twilight says, appearing next to me with a slice of cake. "I knew you'd figure it out. Normally I'd have had to be a bit more subtle with it so that you'd realize on your own, but with you, I can be a bit more direct: your mind is a very strange place."
"So I was dreaming?" I ask.
"Yes." Twilight says. "And you still are: you've just managed to change the dream is all."
I fall to my knees as relief washes over me.
"So Fluttershy and the others-"
"They're all okay." Twilight says. "Well... Relatively okay. They need your help, Pinkie."
I get back to my feet, wiping tears of joy from my eyes.
"I'll do anything I can." I say, smiling determinedly.
"Good." Twilight says, a small green tint coming over her eyes for a second. I blink, and it's gone. "All you need to do right now is wake up."
"Right." I say, concentrating...

I open my eyes and see Applejack, Fluttershy, and - for some reason - Trixie standing above me.
"You've come to!" Fluttershy says.
"That's two down." A voice says. I sit upright and turn to see Twilight picking herself up off of the ground. "Only Rarity and Rainbow Dash left."

???

"Help!"
I turn and run to Applejack as she takes out another changeling. There's a horde of them around her, and it's all I can do to get to her. Fluttershy has collapsed now, changelings falling on top of her like wolves. There's no hope for her. Pinkie Pie has been slammed against a building and is now dazed, staggering to and fro while the changelings watch, laughing.
"Help!"
I go to Rainbow Dash's aid as she tries her best to deal with the ocean of changelings that has gathered below her. As I struggle to clear a path to her, the changelings cast a net of magic over her, trapping her and bringing her down to the ground. A rock dislodges itself from the building and hits Pinkie Pie on the head, cracking her skull and killing her instantly.
Applejack is under a pile of changelings, but I can still hear her struggling to break free.
Then they attack me.
My needles form a protective globe around me, and the changelings are stuck trying to pierce it. From outside, I can hear Rainbow Dash scream as they cut her to ribbons, I can hear the cries of exultation as Applejack goes down.
Then I hear a voice calling me. I dispel my globe and rush to help the owner of the voice...
...And something holds me in place.
I turn to see Twilight standing next to me, a determined look on her face.
"Twilight?" I ask, confused. "How on earth did you get over here?"
"That doesn't matter." she says. "I have something very important to tell you."
"What is it?" I ask.
"Run." she says. "For once in your life, Rarity, think of yourself. Forget about saving us and just run. Get out of the square down one of the side alleys."
"Why would I do that?" I ask. "You'd all-"
"No!" she yells, pushing me away. "No arguing! No debating! No regrets! Run!"
I turn and run, hearing my friends scream behind me.
"One more thing!" Twilight yells. I stop and look back as she smiles and waves at me.
"Enjoy the show."
As I watch, she turns towards the crowd of changelings, raising an arm and grinning.
"Let's see if I can't get some practice in..." she says as the changelings charge her.
Her hand glows, and the changelings are lifted up into the air, each one enveloped by a purple aura. Twilight closes her fist, and the changelings zoom towards each other, slamming together into a large mass.
Twilight lifts her other arm and turns it palm upward, snapping her fingers. A fireball ignites in her palm, and her eyes narrow as a drum of oil appears out of nowhere and pours itself all over the jumble of changelings.
"Do you believe in magic?" she says with a chuckle, flicking the fireball at the ball of changelings and turning around as the mass ignites. "'Cause I do."
Maniacal laughter echoes through the square as the changelings burn.
"Oh, I haven't had this much fun in a loooong time!" she says, giving me a wink and beckoning me towards her.
"Don't worry: it's safe."
As I walk back towards her, her smile fades, replaced by a thoughtful look. Her eyes flash green as she taps her foot impatiently.
"You're a lot more intelligent than I'd have ever imagined, Rarity." she says.
"I beg your pardon!" I say. "Are you insinuating that-"
"Maybe. You're really, really smart, Rarity. Almost as smart as I am, and that's saying something. I can all but outright tell you what's going on, and it won't hurt your mind."
"Twilight." I say. "You're not making any sense! How were you able to defeat so many changelings so easily? Why are they still floating if you're not using magic to keep them up? What exactly is going on?"
Twilight sighs, and I feel myself being lifted off of my feet.
"This'll tell you more than I could in so short a time." she says, levitating me into the air and pointing me at the fire.
"Twilight , what are you-"
She flings me towards the ball of burning changelings, a sad smile on her face.
I scream, preparing for the searing heat of the fire and the sensation of my body being burned away.
Instead, I land on a changeling, perfectly fine. I look around at the flames swirling around me, some even touching me.
"How's the temperature in there?" Twilight calls.
"It's... actually quite cool." I reply, shocked.
"Really? Mind if I join you, then?"
Twilight steps into the flames, stopping as she notices me glaring at her.
"What's with the death stare?"
"You threw me into a fire!"
"As if you were going to get hurt."
"I didn't know that! You could have at least told me!"
"I guess. Now think: I'm using mysterious powers, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, and Applejack are still screaming even though we can't see them, and we're standing in the middle of a fire chatting about everything as casually as we would about the weather. Put two and two together already! You're smart enough to take something much more obvious than a silly old bonfire!" she says, exasperated.
For the first time, I notice the screaming of my friends, elongated into an almost unnatural monotone.
What does all this add up to? So much is going on! This can't be happening. This has got to be some kind of...
"Dream..." I say, realizing.
A lightbulb appears above my head and turns on.
"Finally!" Twilight says, snapping her fingers as her eyes flash green again. The lightbulb disappears. "Now wake up. We need your help."
And with that, she fades away.

???

I turn another corner, heading deeper into the changeling hive, two drones following me. As I walk, I pass five cells. I avoid looking in them, but I can still hear them.
I can still hear my friends yelling at me.
"Why, Rainbow Dash? Why?"
"Rainbow Dash, I trusted you, and you, you... How could you!?"
"Ah can't believe you'd do somethin' like this, Rainbow!"
"Don't just walk away and leave your friends behind! Save us, Dashie!"
"Face it, girls. Rainbow Dash is a traitor."
The word 'traitor' echoes in my mind as I leave them behind. Soon, we come to the general.
"As agreed, Rainbow Dash." it says, holding out a large sack of gold.
Suddenly, Twilight appears out of nowhere and punches the changeling in the face.
"No offense," she says, eyes glowing green. "but I never expected you to be as smart as me. I can actually outright tell you, thank Celestia!"
"Twilight!" I shout, taking a couple steps back. "W- What are you doing here?"
"Rainbow Dash: You're dreaming! Wake up, now!" she says, slapping me in the face. "I'm tired of all this illusion business! Wake up so we can get to saving everyone!"
Everything goes black as I fall through the floor...

...And wake up in a cocoon on the floor of a wooden hut.
"What the hay just happened?" I ask.
"You woke up." Twilight says. "Now, let's get going."
I take a look around and notice the others all staring at Twilight and me in... shock? No, the looks on their faces look more like trepidation, like...
Fear.
For the first time I notice that Twilight isn't casting a shadow.
"Twi-" I say, but stop when I notice it. The aura of blackness that's started swirling around Twilight's feet and legs.
"Yes?" she says tensely. "What is it, Rainbow?"
I look at the others, and see Applejack shake her head slightly, mouthing 'best not to mention it.'
"Nothing." I say. "I'm just... still confused from that... dream? Was that a dream? Is this a dream? What's going on?"
Twilight's glowing green eyes narrow.
"I'll tell you what's going on." she says. "I finally understand exactly how much pain and suffering these... things have put you through! I've finally realized exactly how cruel the changelings can be!"
She leans in towards me, and the aura around her grows.
"I've finally realized what they've done to our friends!"
She turns away, and walks towards the door.
"Rainbow: You'll smash their pitiful little wall with a Sonic Rainboom, opening the way for Rarity and Pinkie Pie to attack the hole while me and Applejack attack from behind, cutting them off."
She turns back to us and beckons us forward.
"We end this. Now."
"Twilight." Applejack says. "Ya need ta calm down and think about this. There're six of us and at least a hundred of them! We'll get killed faster than you can say 'apple fritter' three times fast."
"Applefritterapplefritterapplefritter." Pinkie Pie says. "Wow; that's pretty fast."
"You don't understand!" Twilight yells. "None of you do! You didn't have to see her kill them! You didn't have to see Blues and Caramel and Berry Punch and Shoeshine get killed right in front of you!"
We all gasp.
"When did this happen?" Rarity asks. "Just how long were we trapped in a web of lies?"
"A week!" Twilight says, her eyes glowing ever brighter. "You were trapped in there for a week and I had to break out and save you but then Zecora died and Trixie died and then I captured a changeling and he told me what they've done!"
She looks at us all in turn.
"We're the last ones left! They've killed Vinyl, and Octavia, and Time Turner, and Sweetie Belle, and Applebloom, and Scootaloo! They've even killed the Princesses! The Princesses! We need to strike back! It's now or never!"
The aura around her has reached her midsection, cloaking her lower body in darkness.
"We need to avenge them!"
"What's going on in here?" a voice says. we turn to see Trixie walking through the door with Zecora. "We leave for one minute to gather some herbs while Twilight frees you guys, and we come back to..." she gestures at Twilight, her eyes glazed over and her entire body save her head wreathed in shadow. "What even is this?" Trixie asks. "Twilight, what's going on?"
"You!" Twilight screams, charging at Trixie. "I'll kill you for what you've done! Nobody messes with my friends!"
Applejack grabs Twilight and holds her back as she struggles to reach Trixie, practically frothing at the mouth.
"You killed them! You killed them all! Celestia's dead and Luna's dead and Fluttershy's dead and Applejack and the rest of them too! They're all dead and I'm going to kill you for killing them!"
Twilight's no longer visible any more. She's now just a dark, Twilight-shaped shadowy figure with green, glowing eyes that almost blind me when I look at them.
"Twilight! Calm down!" Applejack says. "If Ah'm dead, who's holdin' ya back!"
Twilight answers with a guttural roar that actually scares me.
"Twilight! What's happening?" I ask. "What are you doing?"
Suddenly, there is a shattering sound and broken glass scatters from behind Twilight. She pitches forward, falling to her knees as the aura dissipates, her glowing eyes closing as she falls to the ground, unconscious.
I look and see Fluttershy standing behind her, a broken bottle in her hands and tears streaking down her face.
"I'm sorry..." she says. "I'm so sorry, Twilight! You were freaking out, and I got scared, and you were trying to kill Trixie, and I didn't mean to hit you that hard, and, and..."
Fluttershy falls to her knees, sobbing.

Twilight

"I don't understand." Fluttershy says. "Why aren't they waking up?"
"I don't know." Trixie answers. "Whatever the reason, Twilight looks like she's having a hard time. Let's leave her to concentrate. C'mon; I know a quiet place for us to talk without disturbing her."
She's right. I think to myself. I really am having a hard time with this. I don't understand! I've been able to break Chrysalis's illusions before, but this one just keeps changing! As soon as I try and subtly nudge their subconsciouses in the right direction, the illusion conjures up a fake me that ruins everything! I need to find another way, something that can get through to them!
I think back to when I'd first discovered that I'd been trapped in an illusion, and how I'd broken out by reciting some of my lessons to myself...
That's it! They just need more of a push!

Rarity
"What do we do now?" I ask. Twilight is lying in front of me, bleeding where the bottle hit her. Fluttershy is still sobbing uncontrollably.
"I- I..." she stammers. "I hurt her... I-I hurt my friend! I-I really am a monster!"
She runs off into the night, sobbing.
As we all stand there, Rainbow Dash looks at us all in turn.
"Can anyone else hear that voice?" she asks.
"What voice, darling?" I reply. "I can't hear anythi-"

"So Twilight Sparkle, did you learn anything about friendship from this experience?"
"What in tarnation?" Applejack says. "Where'd that come from?"
"I did, Princess. But I think Rarity learned even more than me."
"Rarity? What? Mysterious voice, you're not making any sense!" Pinkie Pie says.
I certainly did. I learned how important it is to keep your hooves on the ground...
"...and be there for your friends." I finish.
Suddenly, the world starts to go dark, and I start falling into... nothing. I can't see, hear, or feel anything.
"What's going on?" I ask, my voice echoing in the darkness.
"Come on, Rarity!" a voice says. "Wake up! We need you!"
"Twilight?"
"Wake up!"
"Where are you, Twilight!"
"WAKE UP!"
"Twilight, what's going on?"
"RARITY! WAKE UP!"

I bolt upright, sweating, as Twilight rushes to me and wraps me in a giant hug.
"You're finally awake!" she says. "Oh, I'm so glad you're back!"

Applejack

"Did Rarity just disappear?" Rainbow asks.
"Yep." Pinkie says. "Right after she said that weird thing along with the voice, she just went poof!
"It's hard to believe that two ponies that seem to have so little in common could ever get along."
Speakin' of which, there it is again!" I say.
"But I found out that if you embrace each other's differences..."
"Ya just might be surprised ta discover a way to be friends after all." I finish.
Then everything goes black.

Rainbow Dash

"Now Applejack's gone too!" Pinkie says. "What's going on here, Dashie?"
"I used to think the most important traits to look for in a pet, or any best friend, were all physical competitive abilities. "
"I dunno, Pinkie." I say. "But whatever it is, it isn't good!"
"But now I can see how short-sighted and shallow that was."
"Whatever happens, we've gotta promise to watch out for each other, okay?"
"Today I learned what the most important quality really is. A certain kind of spirit."
"Promise."
"A stick-to-it-ive-ness. A never give up, can-do attitude that's the mark of a real winner. And this tortoise has it..."
"Cross my heart, hope to fly..."
"...Tenacity." I say.

...Then I start falling.

Pinkie
"Please, oh please, mysterious voice..." I say. "Don't take me anywhere bad! Take me to my friends! Please!"
"I've always had fun playing with little kids and I thought babysitting them is just more playtime, right? Wrong!"
"Oh, I remember this!" I say. "Man, were those babies were a handful!"
"Being a caregiver is way more responsibility than just being a playmate, and today I learned that sometimes..."
"...Our desire for responsibility can outrun our actual ability to handle it." I finish, smiling. "Boy, was that day fun! I wonder how the Cakes are doing right now."
There's a long pause.
"Aren't you going to make me disappear?"
"Pinkie..." a voice calls. "Wake up!"
"Oh, I get it!" I say. I'm dreaming! That makes waaaay more sense than Twilight being under an illusion! Silly dream."
"Pinkie!" the voice says again. "Wake up!"
"That must be what happened to the others! They must have woken up before I did!"
"PINKIE! WAKE UP!"
"All right, all right, I'm coming!" I say, falling into darkness. "Sheesh! Impatient much?"

I open my eyes to see five concerned faces leaning over me.
"Hi there!" I say, smiling. "Where are we?"
"Zecora's." a voice says.
I sit up and take in my friends. Twilight looks exhausted from who-knows-what, Fluttershy looks really relieved, Applejack and Rainbow Dash both look kinda sad for some reason, and Rarity's just staring off into space.
"Whoa." I say. "What happened to you guys while I was out?"
"A lot." Rarity says. "Apparently all of us, save Twilight and Fluttershy, were put under some sort of spell."
"It made me think I betrayed you guys." Rainbow Dash says.
"Ah was abandoned by you five over n' over." Applejack says.
"Shaking off an illusion isn't something you can do quickly." Twilight adds. "It takes a while to adjust to the fact that the memories and experiences that happened under the illusion aren't real."
"It must be awful for you four." Fluttershy finishes. "I can only imagine what they might have done to me and Twilight if they'd gotten hold of us."
"Are you guys talking about that crazy dream I had where I broke my sword and had to watch you all die and then I woke up but then Twilight lost it and then everyone disappeared?" I ask, standing and stepping out of the crumbled cocoon scattered around my feet. "Cause that was super-duper freaky."
"I guess." Rarity says with a sigh. "Now we know what you were forced to endure."
"C'mon, Rarity. Cheer up!" I say, giving her a patented Pinkie Pie Smile. "It was just a dream. A really really really vivid dream, but it was still a dream."
"That's easy for you to say." Rainbow Dash says. "You didn't have to deal with the guilt of turning your friends over to the changelings."
"Or bein' abandoned in your very time of need by the people ya trusted most." Applejack adds. "It was horrible."
"Hey." I say. "I had to deal with that stuff too, you know! I had to watch you all get killed over and over knowing I couldn't do a thing to help! The point I'm trying to make is that your dreams don't need to affect you when you wake up. I mean, just look at you guys!"
I turn to them in turn, looking them in the eye.
"If you insist on being all sad and mopey like this, then what's changed? You're still not willing to fight and save our friends! If you're still hung up on what never happened, then you're just as helpless as you were when you were trapped in those!" I say, pointing to the bits of cocoon on the ground. "The only thing that's changed is the fact that the changelings won't bother putting you under illusions next time; they'll probably just kill you, and then you can't do anything to save Ponyville!"
"Yes, but Pinkie, try to understand our situation." Rarity interrupts. "We were just subjected to horrible situations over and over again!"
"Then why aren't you out there fighting right now, Rarity?" I ask her, fists clenched. "Get mad! These mean, nasty changelings put you under a spell and made you have to watch as your friends died again and again! Don't you wanna get back at them?"
"I do!" Rainbow Dash says. "I swear, the next changeling that I come across is dead meat! But that doesn't mean we have to go throwing our lives away! There are thousands of them!"
"Is that really how many there are?" I say. "Or is that just how many the changelings want you to think there are?"
"Pinkie, what're ya talkin' about?" Applejack says. "I saw how many there were for myself!"
"Yes, but you saw them while you were under an illusion! For all we know, the only changelings in Ponyville are Chrysalis herself and, like, five others! We could practically waltz right in and take back the town!"
"Sorry to break it to you, Pinkie," Twilight says, getting to her feet and wiping her brow. "But there are more than just a few changelings in Ponyville. From what I've seen and heard, there are at least a hundred."
"Then we get help!" I say. "Vinyl and the Cutie Mark Crusaders are up in Canterlot right now! The only reason they haven't come to take care of this problem already is that they don't even know what's going on! We just need to get Spike to send a letter to the Princess and they'll come running!"
"But they still won't be enough." Twilight says. "Are you forgetting about Queen Chrysalis?"
"What is this, Season 1?" I ask. "You have a brother, Twilight, remember? That guy who just happens to be captain of the entire royal guard, not to mention your sister who's an alicorn princess in charge of an entire empire!? They beat her once; they can beat her again!"
I turn away from them and head towards the door, picking up my bag on the way.
"I need to keep myself busy or else I'll go stir-crazy." I say, opening the door and stepping through. "I'm going to go scout out the town. If anyone wants to go with me, speak up now."
Silence. I sigh and close the door behind me.
I need to get help! There's no way we'll be able to save everyone with my friends like this!
I start walking towards the distant mountains.
Canterlot's only a few hours or so away, less if I run. I'll have to pace myself, but it should be manageable.
Taking a look back, I stop and turn towards Zecora's hut.
I should at least tell them where I'm going...
I quickly take a piece of paper from my bag and fold it into an airplane, writing a message on it before throwing it through the window of the hut.
There. Now off to save everyone.
I start walking, my shoes making a clopping sound on the dirt as I take off towards Canterlot.

Chapter 17: Trains And Training

The Next Morning

Vinyl

I sit upright in bed, bleary and groggy. I rub my eyes and reach for my shades, putting them on as I get to my feet.
Has it really only been a few hours?
I look to the bed next to me, rumpled sheets the only thing betraying the fact that Octavia was sleeping there, just minutes ago from the looks of it.
I yawn and rub my eyes again, dispelling the last little bits of sleep.
It all feels like a dream.
As I step into the hallway outside our bedrooms, an eerie silence fills the castle. The only sound heard is the sound of my own footsteps echoing through the empty rooms.
"Hello?" I call. No answer.
"Where are they?" I say.
I keep walking, checking every room until I come to a split in the hallway with three paths to take. I summon up two clones and take the center path, the others taking left and right. I continue searching, borrowing the senses of my clones, until I hear a faint noise coming from up ahead. I dispel my clones and start running. As I approach the noise, I realize what exactly it is...
It's music.
I run faster as the music grows louder and louder, and the sound of muted voices joins the melody. Soon, I come to a door with light streaming under it. I open it to find the rest of the Bearers and Princess Celestia standing in a large round room decorated with streamers and balloons. A large cake fills an entire table in the center, with very large chunks taken out of it. Punch and other party snacks line a curved table across the room
"She's finally awake!" Celestia says with a grin, an entire cake on a large plate in her hands. "Welcome, Vinyl! Come enjoy the festivities!"
Puzzled, I walk in and start towards my friends, only to be interrupted by a familiar face.
"Oh there you are, Vinyl!" Pinkie Pie says. "I came here because I had some really bad news, but I saw that you were asleep and the others told me what'd happened so I thought I'd let you sleep in 'cause after all you've earned it and instead I'd throw a ginormous surprise party for you all! Are you surprised? Huh? Are ya?"
"S-Sure, Pinkie." I say, more to stop her rambling than anything else. "I just need to talk to my friends a bit, that's all."
"All right!" She says, walking off towards the dance floor. "Have fun!"
I walk over to where my friends are and join them as they resume chatting.
"Glad you're awake, Vinyl." Scootaloo says. "Did you see yourself out there? You were awesome, teleporting around like nobody's business!"
"Thanks." I say, grabbing a slice of cake.
"Not to mention the whole cloning thing." Sweetie Belle says. "That was really unexpected."
"Nearly gave us a heart attack there." Time Turner says.
"How do you know what happened?" I ask.
"The Princess told us all about it while you were asleep!" Applebloom says.
"Yes. It was quite the experience." Octavia says, smiling warmly. "I'm just glad you're all right."
"Speaking of Princesses," I say. "Where's Luna?"
"She had to rest." Celestia says. "Understandable, considering all she's been through."
"Not through so much that I can't enjoy a party." a voice says. We all turn to see Luna walk through a doorway and grab a slice of cake. There are several bandages wrapped around her and gauze taped on random parts of her body.
"What happened to you?" I ask.
"Your friend." Luna replies with a smile. "Octavia really did a number on both of us."
I turn to Octavia and she shakes her head, cutting me off.
"Luna and I already talked." She says. "It's all water under the bridge."
"Relax, Vinyl." Luna says. "Have some 'fun'. You've certainly earned the right to it after what you and your friends have been through."
Luna turns to her sister and I'm surprised to see tears in her eyes.
"Celestia, I haven't had a chance to talk to you after the whole thing. I never got to say I'm sor-"
Celestia wraps her younger sister in a hug, tears in her eyes as well.
"There's no need for apologies, Luna. You're safe, and that's all that matters."
"But I wasn't strong enough. If I had fought back more, perhaps I might have been able to keep Nightmare Moon at bay long enough for the Elements to defeat her again."
"It doesn't matter what could have or would have happened. It's over now, and I'm glad to have my sister back."
"Aww." Pinkie Pie says. "I really don't wanna interrupt a moment as touching as this, but I think it's time for me to tell you guys why I'm here. After all, every party has to end."
Pinkie Pie arranges eight chairs in front of a ninth and beckons us to sit down.
"This is gonna take a while, so you should get comfy."

Later

"And that's everything that's happened. Well, everything up until now, but you already know that part." Pinkie finishes.
There is a long silence as we all digest the story.
Scootaloo gets up and walks over to the cake, grabbing a colossal slice.
"Well, we'd better stock up." she says. "If we're gonna take back Ponyville, we'll need supplies."
"Right." Sweetie Belle says, getting up as well and stowing some extra food in her bag. "We'll need to leave soon if we want to take them by surprise."
"Yeah." Applebloom adds. "We'll need a way to get there as well. I'll go get us some train tickets."
"Girls-" Octavia tries to say, but Scootaloo cuts her off.
"I'm done with standing around and watching as other people fight and risk their lives for us." she says, a determined grimace on her face. "It's time for the Cutie Mark Crusaders to take a stand and show everyone what we're capable of."
"I agree." Luna says. "I know how it feels to be unable to do anything as those you love put themselves in danger on your behalf."
She turns to Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle, and Applebloom.
"I'm in no condition fight alongside you, but there is something I can teach you. All of you."
"What?" Applebloom asks.
"A skill that will allow you to distinguish your fellow Bearers from changelings, as well as streamline all communication between the six of you: Telepathy."
"Like reading minds?" I ask. "That'd be so awesome!"
"No." Luna replies. "Not reading minds, simply sending messages mentally. We will discuss more on the way."
"The way to where?" Time Turner asks.
"Ponyville will be guarded, and although you six are powerful, there is no way you can fight off an army all by yourselves. We're going to the Crystal Empire."

Later

"All right. Now we can begin." Luna says as we all get settled in the train car. "Clear your mind, just like we've taught you."
I close my eyes and concentrate, the sensation of calm overwhelming me like so many times before.
"Now reach out with your mind. Focus on the essence of the person you are trying to reach, and then tap into the power of your Element."
I picture Octavia, playing her cello at a classy party, doing exactly what she loves most, that half-smile plastered across her face as she gets into the music...
Anyone out there?
Hello?
Tavi?
Vinyl? Is that you?
Yeah! Isn't it awesome? We can talk with our minds!
I must admit, it is very, very impressive.
Tavi. We can talk with our MINDS.
Okay; this is actually really awesome.
That's odd...
What's odd?
Your thoughts... I can taste them.
What?
I can taste your thoughts. They taste like licorice.
Yours don't have a taste...
Black licorice. It's kinda yummy and kinda gross.
Hold on a moment... Yes, I can taste something.
You can? Cool! What do my thoughts taste like?
...Vanilla.
Oh, come on! You get licorice and I get stupid vanilla?
That would explain why I couldn't taste it at first...
Anypony out there?
Grapes?
It works! Yay!
Is that you, Sweetie Belle?
Yeah! It's me! What were you saying about grapes?
Your thoughts taste like grapes. I wonder why...
Who all is here?
So far it's just the three of us.
...riously don't get it. I mean, how am I supposed to know if I've done it or not? Hello? Anyone out there? Not like they can hear me anyway...
Scootaloo!
GAH! Jeez, Sweetie Belle, take the volume down a notch, will ya?
Sorry, Scootaloo. I haven't quite got the hang of this yet.
There's not all that much to get the hang of...
How long have you been listening, Time Turner?
Ever since we closed our eyes. Hi, Octavia, Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo.
I wonder... If our thoughts taste differently, what'd it taste like if two people thought something at the same time?
My thoughts taste like something?
-Like something? Dang it.
Where'sApplebloom?
Whoa. Cherry-Chocolate. Neat.
Does anyone else taste apples?
Hello?
Applebloom!
Sweetie Belle! Scootaloo! I take it you two have managed to avail yourselves of this technique before I?
Yeah! It's totally awesome!
And weird. Everypony tastes different.
Tastes, Sweetie Belle? That sounds rather preposterous.
Yeah. For some reason, we all taste like food. Time Turner's chocolate...
I am? Huh.
Octavia's licorice...
Why? I'm not even Shadow...
And Vinyl's vanilla.
Vanilla's, like, the anti-flavor! Why'd everyone else get cool food-thoughts and I get frikkin' plain-ice-cream flavor? It's because I'm white, isn't it?
One must wonder what Celestia and Luna's thoughts taste like...
What's up with your voice, Applebloom?
Whatever do you mean, Scootaloo? I do say this has always been how I think.
You sound really... Grown up.
Oh, please. I don't sound anything like her. Although her tone does remind me of the snobs back home.
I think it's time we interrupted.
It looks like you've all gotten the hang of it. Excellent.
Celestia?
Luna?
Were you expecting someone else?
Now that you've learned the basics of mental communication, it's time to get a bit more complicated.
How?
You're going to start using images.
Images?
Yes. The goal here is to get you six linked so closely together you'll be able to communicate effortlessly and even share senses with each other.
Like with my clones!
Exactly. Let's start by sending images to one another. Simple things at first, a flower, or a cloud: memories. Then we'll move on to shared sight.
Shall we begin?
After a while, we manage to get sharing images down pat, even managing to share sights with one another as they happen, each of us gaining five extra pairs of eyes.
You're all doing so well! We're ready to start sharing hearing, taste, touch, and other senses. First, clear your minds...
Now, imagine yourself leaving your body, keeping one foot touching it to avoid floating away. Now, reach out towards the others...
Later

I sit in the train car, looking out of six windows at once as we head towards the Crystal Empire. Snowflakes multiplied sixfold fly past as I adjust my hair bow and bowtie at the same time while checking my hourglass necklace to see what time it is.
Half-past three on the nose.
Thanks.
As I sneeze and cough at the same time while hearing said sneeze-cough from six different sets of ears, the sensations overwhelm me for a moment before I get my bearings again.
This is so weird, yet strangely awesome.
Indeed. Sharing another's body can be quite the experience.
I think we're ready to move on to the final technique. Be warned: This takes a great deal of effort and concentration to perform, let alone master. Use it only when it is sorely needed.
Clear your heads and enter the mind-space like you do to share senses...
I reach out with my mind, casting my consciousness outside myself as I concentrate.
Now let go completely. It may be disorienting at first, possibly even scary, but once you have removed yourself from your body, much will be open to you that was not open before.
As I let go of myself, I am greeted with a view of a woman laying slumped in a chair, a katana belted at her hip and her neon blue hair waving slightly as the train jerks around.
That's me. I'm looking at myself.
Indeed you are, Vinyl. You learn fast. Now we wait for the others to join us.
H-Hello? She wasn't kidding. This is unsettling...
Tavi!
Vinyl? How do you always get the hang of these things right before I do?
I'll tell you once I find out.
There are enough now that we can begin if you'd like. Or we could wait for the others.
I'm ready.
So am I.
Very well, then. Vinyl, go to Octavia's body. Octavia, go to Vinyl's.
I will myself towards Octavia, and suddenly I am in front of her.
Now enter one another's bodies.
Wait, what?
I see a blur of motion behind me and see my body sit upright and look at its hands, a shocked expression on its face.
I focus, and will myself to enter Octavia's body...
And suddenly I'm lying on a chair on the train, my grey hair trailing out behind me and a cello strapped to my back.
"T-Tavi?" I ask, shocked to hear not my voice but Octavia's come out of my mouth.
"Yes?" my voice answers. I look up to see myself smiling at me.
"What the crap did we just do?" I ask.
"Well, it would appear we've switched bodies." I- no, she answers.
"This... Is trippy."
"Indeed."
"What's going on?" Time Turner asks. "Why am I Time Turner?"
Time Turner covers his mouth.
"So that's what it's like to talk without an accent."
"Applebloom?" I ask.
"As hard as it might be to believe, Octavia, yes. It's me, Applebloom."
"I'm not Tavi." I reply, pointing to my body. " That's Tavi. I'm Vinyl."
"Whoa. You two switched too?"
"Yes we did." Octavia says. "Time Turner, how are you faring?"
"It's... Odd." Applebloom's body says. "I feel... Stronger."
That is to be expected. While in another's body, you gain their physical attributes, as well as flight and magic. Your Element, however, stays with you.
"So I'm a pegasus now?" Scootaloo asks.
"You've always been a pegasus, Scootaloo." Applebloom says.
"No, Scootaloo's over there." Scootaloo says, pointing at Sweetie Belle. "I'm Sweetie Belle."
"Okay, this is getting confusing." Sweetie Belle's body says. "Who's who?"
"Let's see here..." I say. "I'm VinylTavia." I point to the others in turn. "And that's OctaVinyl, Time Bloom, Apple Turner, Sweetaloo and Scooty Belle."
"No offense, Vinyl, but those names sound stupid." Sweetaloo says.
"Yeah." Scooty Belle says. "I think I'll still just go by Scootaloo, even though I'm Sweetie Belle."
It's time to switch back. Being in another's body for too long can have unpleasant side effects.
As I float out of Octavia's body and back into mine, a sense of relief washes over me.
"Sometime, Luna, you've gotta tell us how you and Celestia know all this." I say.
Maybe when the fate of Ponyville isn't hanging in the balance.
"Also, why do your thoughts taste like nacho cheese-flavored chips?"
...
In my head, I hear snickering.
Sister...
What? I haven't said anything yet...
"And why do yours taste like bananas?"
...

Later

The train arrives at the station, the warm glow of the Crystal Heart enveloping the city in the snow.
"Wow." I say. "It's beautiful..."
"I've wanted to go here ever since Rarity told me about it, but I never imagined I'd see it so soon." Sweetie Belle says.
"Celestia! Luna! To what do we owe this surprise visit?" a voice says. We turn to see Shining Armor standing at the entrance to the station. He walks over to Luna, noticing the bruises and scrapes.
"What happened to you, Luna?"
"There will be time enough for talk later." Luna says. "Right now Ponyville is in trouble, and we need your help."
Shining Armor's eyes grow wide, and a worried expression crosses his face.
"Is-"
"Twilight's A-OK." Pinkie Pie says, stepping off of the train. "The last I saw of her, she was sad and tired, but unharmed."
"Good." Shining Armor says. "But still... What could be so bad that Twilight and her friends can't handle it?"
"Changelings." Celestia says.
Shining Armor's face grows dark, and he pulls out a crystal. Touching it to his, the crystal starts glowing.
"Cadance. Come quick. Code Green."
Suddenly a blue flash of light emanates from thin air. When it fades, Cadance is standing there holding a dagger, an angry look on her face.
"Where are they?"
"Ponyville." Shining Armor replies. "Twilight and her friends are okay, but Ponyville isn't."
Cadance steps onto the train.
"What are we waiting for? Those changelings aren't gonna kill themselves, hope though we might."
"All right!" Scootaloo yells. "Let's get going!"

Meanwhile, in the Everfree Forest, a paper airplane floats through a window, unnoticed by the demoralized residents of a small jungle hut...

Twilight

"Thanks, Zecora." I say, taking the bowl of soup. She nods and hands the others their wooden bowls. Fluttershy starts eating the soup. The others just sit there holding the bowls.
"Pinkie hasn't been back in a while." I say.
"She's probably been captured again." Rarity says with a sigh. "She shouldn't have left."
"I'm going to look for her." Fluttershy says, finishing her soup.
"You can't!" I say. "If Pinkie got captured, what chance do you have?"
"Thanks for your confidence in me." Fluttershy says sarcastically, which surprises me. "But I can handle myself. I know nature more than they do. I have animal friends. I can sneak around. I'm not useless."
"But Fluttershy-"
"No! I'm done sitting around and watching while everyone else is brave! It's time for me to be brave!"
She looks at the others and scowls.
"Because it looks like I'm the only one who can be brave right now."
She opens the door and storms through the opening, slamming the door behind her.
In the wind created by the door, something white floats into the air. I levitate it to me.
A paper airplane?
I look at the airplane, noting the name written on it, as well as the three balloons drawn on each wing.
Figures. Only Pinkie Pie would name an airplane The Unfold...
Facepalming at my own stupidity, I unfold the airplane.

Dear Twilight,
It's clear that none of you are willing to step up and help me motivate the others, and there's only so much cheering up I can do by myself. I've gone to get help. Maybe with the new Elements fighting alongside us the others will be more willing to fight back.
-Pinkie

"Of all the-" I say. "Girls! Get ready."
"Fer what?" Applejack says glumly. "Fightin'? Ah'm not ready ta die quite yet, Twilight."
"Give it a few minutes." Rainbow Dash says. "She'll come around. Death or glory!"
Her eyes have an odd light behind them.
"Or, in this case, both."
"Rainbow Dash-"
"She's right." Rarity says. "If Sweetie Belle's already gone, then there's no point holding back. I'll fight with all I have, even if it means my life."
Her eyes have the same odd light.
"Especially if it means my life."
Applejack gets to her feet slowly and picks up her hammer.
"I guess y'all're right." she says. "No point standin' around when we can avenge our kin."
The same strange light I'd seen in Rainbow Dash and Rarity's eyes ignites in hers.
"Ah'd always thought Ah'd die on the farm. Ah never thought Ah'd die defendin' it."
"What are you talking about?" I ask. "We're just going out to find Fluttershy, that's all."
"Oh." they all say, though that strange light is still there in their eyes.
"You sound almost disappointed." I say.
They say nothing, and eventually I decide to lead the way out of the hut. I throw open the door and look out at the forest.
It looks almost peaceful.
"Let's go." I say.

Fluttershy

Pinkie's right! If we don't fight back, what good are we?
The wind whistles through my hair as I fly over the forest, climbing higher and higher until Ponyville is the size of a serving dish.
I fly over the town, making note of the ant-sized changelings as they go about their work. There is an odd line surrounding the town. I fly lower to get a closer look at it...
Oh no.
There is a large stone wall surrounding the town, thin but tall.
This is bad. How'd they build that so fast? How much time has passed? I need to tell the others.
I turn to go back to the hut when I notice something on the horizon. A line of smoke.
Smoke! And where there's smoke there's fire!
I fly as fast as I can towards what I assume is a large forest fire until a familiar sound enters my ears.
...Or a train.

Octavia

It's really quiet... The younger ones seem so distant.
Distant and ticked off are two different things.
Oops. I forgot. My thoughts border on public now.
There are some things you can secret away, but yes. Our thoughts are forever linked, never to be separated.
I still can't get used to Applebloom's mental voice. It's kinda creepy...
...
Oops. Did I say that out loud?
No.
You know what I mean.
Yes.
Sorry, Applebloom.
I still fail to see what the matter is with my voice! This is how I have thought since I was a child, it is how I think now, and it shall forever be how I think.
I tune out of the mental dialogue for a while and start tuning my cello. Perfect pitch, as always.
Some music would do us good, actually.
You think so?
Music's always helped calm me down. Why don't we play something?
You play?
Piano.
I never knew. How interesting. But where are we going to find a piano on a train?
There's a show car two cars down. There's a piano, a stage, even an amp outlet...
Vinyl gets to her feet and runs to the door to the next car down.
Oops. Forgot our thoughts are public. I suppose she's setting up a makeshift soundstation.
Sure enough, a heavy beat starts emanating from a couple of cars down.
All for moving three cars up say 'I'.
I.
I.
Applebloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo get up and enter the door opposite the one Vinyl entered.
Kids these days. No taste in music...
Suddenly there is a knocking coming from the door the Crusaders went through.
"Changed your minds, girls?" I ask, opening the door.
"Um..." a voice answers. "Is this a bad time?"
"Fluttershy?"
"H-Hello, Octavia. Can I come in?"
"Of course! How did you get here?"
"I flew."
"Fluttershy!" a voice says from the door leading to the theater car.
"Oh, Pinkie! I'm so glad you're okay!" Fluttershy says, hugging her friend. "I was so afraid something had happened to you, and the others weren't doing anything, so I went out to look for you, and then I saw the smoke from the train so I few onto it, and-"
"And people say I can talk." Pinkie says, laughing. "We're all okay, Fluttershy. Celestia and Luna are coming to help, as well as Shining Armor and Cadance and some of the Crystal Guard."
"Oh, good."
"How are the others?"
"Just like when you left."
"Did you get my message?"
"What message?"
"I'll take that as a 'no'. I sent a message saying I was gonna get help."
"You did?"
"Yeah. We should be arriving in Ponyville within a few hours."
Fluttershy's eyes widen, and a worried look crosses her face.
"That's why I came here! We all need to get off of this train!"
"Why?" I ask.
"The changelings have built a wall around Ponyville, including the tracks! If we don't get off soon, the train'll crash into the wall!"
"Oh no!" Pinkie says. "We need to tell the others lickety-split! Octavia, Time Turner, do the mindy thing!
"Mindy... Oh!" I say.
Guys, we need to get off of this train!
Why?
Whatever for?
It's gonna crash soon! If we don't get off, we'll all be in big trouble!
The beat stops, and the sound of breaking glass comes from a couple cars down.
I'm off.
What if Octavia's wrong, Vinyl? I hope you like walking.
Nope! There's a clone on the train. If it turns out there is no wall, I'll switch with it. If there is, It'll be dispelled when the train crashes. But honestly, I think you guys should get the heck off of this train.
Why?
Because I'm standing on the wall. It's pretty strong, especially around the train tracks.
The sound of a door opening resonates from the car next to us.
We've absconded.
Good. Celestia, Luna, can you hear me?
We're aware of the situation. We're preparing to disembark, as are Cadance, Shining Armor, and the Crystal Guard members.
Good.
I open the door in between cars, the wind whipping past as I step out into the gap.
I'm leaving. Time Turner?
Right behind you.
I jump off of the train, landing in a bush. I hear Time Turner land near me.
OW.
My sentiments exactly.
I got lucky. Pond.
Us too.
As the train zooms by, twenty figures jump off of it, landing somewhere in the forest with a splash.
Why couldn't I get a pond?
Vinyl, girls, start walking along the train tracks until you reach Octavia and Time Turner. We'll meet up with you.
After ten minutes or so, I see Applebloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo walking along the tracks.
"Hello."
"Oh, there you are, Tavi!" a voice calls. I look behind the girls to see Vinyl walking along the tracks, waving.
After a minute or so, we start walking towards the others. We must have been walking for half an hour before Luna and the others met us.
"What's the plan?" Vinyl asks.
"You and I will get the others to Zecora's." Luna says. "We will launch our attack from there."
"Sounds good." Vinyl says. "How do we get to Zecora's?"

Chapter 18: The Battle For Ponyville

Vinyl

Concentrate...
I know.
Visualize the location in your mind's eye...
I know.
Imagine-
Applebloom...
Yes?
I've been teleporting for literally MONTHS now. I think I've managed to get the hang of it.
My apologies. As you were, then.

With a whoosh of air, Applebloom and I are standing in a small wooden hut.
"We did it!" Applebloom says.
"I know." I reply. "Wait here; I'm gonna get the rest."
I teleport back to the others and grab Tavi and Time Turner's shoulders, concentrating...
We're back in the hut. Applebloom jumps as we appear and I let go of my friends' shoulders, concentrating...
As I grab Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle's shoulders, Luna stops me.
"Let me get a view of our destination, Vinyl." she says. "I can help."
"Luna," Celestia says. "You're in no condition to be teleporting around, especially along with others."
"Can I take a look at her?" Cadance says. "I've been reading up on healing spells. Just give me a minute or so and she'll have recovered enough to help."
I feel Luna's presence in my mind, examining my recent memories. After a few seconds, the presence leaves.
"Thank you."
"No problem." I say, concentrating...
Me, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo are at Zecora's hut.
"The girls aren't here." Octavia says. "They've gone out to look for Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy."
"Speaking of which..." I say, teleporting back to the tracks.
"Pinkie, Fluttershy, c'mere." I say. "If you were looking for someone in the Everfree Forest, where would you look?
They both think for a bit.
"I'd try the Hedge." Fluttershy says. "It's where I'd go if I were hiding out in the forest."
"Same here!" Pinkie says. "Why do you ask?"
"Your friends are off looking for you." I say, melting into a shadow.
"Hey! Where'd you go?" Pinkie says as my shadow joins with hers...
Visualize the Hedge.
Ooh! You're in my mind? Cool!
Yeah, It kinda is. Why does your mind taste like a pinata exploded?
I have no idea.
An image of an extremely large bush appears, and I examine it for a little while.
I disengage myself from Pinkie Pie and return to normal, grabbing her shoulder as well as Fluttershy's, concentrating...
"She's not here either." a voice says "Dang it, where is she?"
"Where's who?" Pinkie Pie says, jumping toward the source of the voice from out of the Hedge.
"GAH!" the voice yells. "Pinkie, where'd you come from?"
"Right over here." she says, pointing to the Hedge. "Fluttershy and I-"
"Fluttershy's with you?" the voice, who I now recognize as Twilight's, says. "Where? I don't see her."
I emerge from the Hedge, Fluttershy behind me.
"She's right here. Now, listen. You girls need to get back to Zecora's. I've already gathered Sweetie Belle, Applebloom, Scootaloo, Tavi, and Time Turner, so we should be able to make a-"
I'm cut off as Rainbow Dash, Rarity, and Applejack take off towards the house.
"Wow." I say. "What's gotten into them?"
"They've been really shaken up by this whole thing." Twilight says. "And to be honest, so have I. Are Zecora and Trixie back?"
"Yeah, as well as the princesses."
"Celestia and Luna?"
"Yeah. Well, Luna's probably going to be busy getting Cadance, Shining Armor, and the Crystal Guard there, but-"
A purple flash of light interrupts me as Twilight teleports away.
"Was it something I said?" I ask.
"Yes." Pinkie Pie says as I grab her shoulder and Fluttershy's, concentrating...
I appear in the hut just in time to be smacked in the back of the head by a door flying open with enough force to send me flying.
"Sweetie Belle!"
"Scootaloo!"
"Applebloom!"
I look up from the floor to see Rarity, Rainbow Dash, and Applejack all attempting to break the ribs of their sisters. From the look of things, they're succeeding. After a minute or so, they let go, and the Crusaders fall limply to the floor, gasping for air.
"Good... to see... you too..." Sweetie Belle rasps.
"Were we really gone that long?" Applebloom asks.
"Not now that I think about it." Rainbow Dash says.
"But considerin' all we've been through in the meantime..." Applejack adds.
"It seems like forever since we've last seen each other." Rarity finishes.
"What do you mean by 'been through'? Did something happen?" Sweetie Belle asks.
"Ya know, besides the whole changeling thing an' all." Applebloom adds.
"We'll tell you about it later." Rainbow Dash says, wiping her eyes.
"It must have been horrible if it made you cry." Scootaloo says.
"It was." Twilight says, standing next to Cadance and Shining Armor. "But there's time enough for that later. How'd you know we were in trouble?"
"Pinkie Pie!" Applebloom answers. "She came to Canterlot and told us everything! We came as soon as Luna recovered enough to travel, and then-"
"Recovered?" Twilight asks, eyes wide. "What happened?"
Everyone turns to Luna, and she sighs.
"You all have a right to know, so I will tell you..." She begins.

After she finishes, there is a long silence.
"I..." Twilight stammers. "I should have been there."
"There was nothing you could have done." Luna says, putting a hand on Twilight's shoulder. "It was almost too sudden for Vinyl and her friends to take care of it."
Why do people keep referring to the six of us as 'Vinyl and her friends'? It's not like I'm the leader... Am I?
I don't have a problem with you leading. I'm not one for the spotlight.
Nor am I.
We'reokaywithit.
I shrug.
I guess I am. Huh. Doesn't feel too different.
"What are we going to do about Ponyville?" Fluttershy asks. "It's not like we can just barge into town and demand they leave."
"Easy." Rainbow Dash says. "We go in there, beat 'em up, and make 'em leave!"
"B-But we're outnumbered."
"Not by much! At most, it'll be about seven to one! I'm sure we can take 'em, especially with Cadance and Shining Armor on our side. All they really need to do is do that love-blast thing again and boom! Bye-bye, changelings!"
"Actually, that's exactly the plan." Celestia says. "We are to attack Ponyville, take down Chrysalis and her minions, and then rescue its citizens."
"Its citizens?" Cadance asks. "How long have they been captured?"
"I was the first..." Twilight says. "So about six days now."
Shining Armor's face grows dark.
"We need to attack the Hive first." he says. "Before it's too late."
"What do you mean?" Twilight asks.
"We'll tell you on the way." Cadance replies, opening the door of the hut. "Right now, there's no time to waste!"
She and Shining Armor rush out the door, the rest of us following close behind.
They increase their lead on us until we can't see them any more through the undergrowth.
"Rainbow Dash," Celestia says. "Fly above the trees and give us an aerial view."
"Right!"
Rainbow Dash flies upwards, and son we hear her shouting from above.
"I can see 'em! They're running through the woods! Geez, they're fast..."
We continue running until Rainbow Dash lets out a concerned "Oh no!"
"What's wrong?" Celestia asks, panting.
"I can see a platoon of changelings approaching Cadance and Shining! I'm gonna fly in there and help out!"
"Be careful!"
"I will!"
A rainbow-colored blur zooms towards the forest, and as we continue running, Rainbow Dash's voice floats to us on the wind...
"Guys... You might wanna come see this."
As we approach Rainbow Dash, we come to a clearing, and are stopped in our tracks.
A pile of dead changelings sits on the ground, Cadance and Shining Armor standing over it. Shining Armor turns to us, sheathing one of two broadswords strapped to his waist.
"What happened here?" Celestia asks.
"An ambush." Cadance replies. "We managed to catch them unawares, and we took them out."
"Unawares?" Rainbow Dash asks incredulously. "They jumped out of the bushes at you!"
"Exactly." Cadance replies, grinning. "They had no idea what they were getting into."
I examine the bodies more closely, noting the small holes in the necks and chests of the changelings, all made, no doubt, with pinpoint accuracy.
"It looks like you made quick work of them." Celestia says. "Your efficiency is... almost brutal."
"There's no reason to hold back." Cadance says. "It's not like they deserve it."
"Sis, what's gotten into you?" Twilight asks. "You've never acted like this before."
Shining Armor shakes his head and walks away, eyes focused on some point in the distance.
"Look, Twilight." Cadance says. "Me and Shining did our homework on these things after Chrysalis kidnapped me. We learned a lot, and none of it was good. Shining took it... Differently than I did."
"What did you learn?"
"I'll explain as we run, but right now we need to save the townsfolk before it's too late."
"All right."
We take off running again, following Shining Armor through the undergrowth.
"We managed to find a rather comprehensive report on the changelings in the Crystal Library." Cadance says as we travel. "It described in detail everything about changeling culture; how they feed, how they fight, how they elect their queen, etc. But one bit of information we were shocked to discover: how new changelings are made."
"H-How?" Fluttershy asks.
"When a sentient creature - anything, not just a human, although humans work best - is drained of love constantly over the course of a week, they're left with nothing, not even their emotions. Then, the queen kills the person and, using some sort of twisted magic, brings them back to life as a changeling, subsisting off of the love of others."
"That's horrible!" several voices cry out.
"I won't sugarcoat it. It is brutal and cruel in every sense of the word." Cadance says, grimacing. "I've lost good soldiers - good men and women - to those, those... things." she sighs.
"Personally," she whispers. "Shining Armor and I are in disagreement about what should be done now that we know what we do."
"What do you mean? I ask.
"They need to be wiped out. They're too dangerous to be left alone."
Shining Armor slows and gives Cadance a sad look.
"That's no reason for genocide!" he says, exasperated. "As horrific as they might be, they're still sentient creatures! Would you kill all of them just because of how they propagate their species? Imagine what they must think of how humans-"
"Now's not the time for this." Celestia says, interrupting his tirade. "We need to focus on rescuing the-"
"There it is!" Trixie calls out, interrupting Celestia's interruption. "The Hive!"
We stop at the entrance to the Hive, a massive hole in the side of a hill.
"How are we gonna get in there?" I ask. "There have gotta be, like fifty guards around the place, and even if we take 'em out, they'll call for backup."
"What we need is a distraction." Twilight says. "Something that'll make them leave their pos-"
Suddenly, a huge boom echoes through the air, coming from Ponyville.
"Something like that!" Twilight says as the guards patrolling the Hive rush towards the town. "What even was that?"
"I have no idea." Cadance says. "But I'm glad it happened, whatever it was."
"We will stay and guard the entrance." Luna says as she and Celestia take up positions on either side of the tunnel's mouth. "You go ahead and free Ponyville. Meet us back here as soon as possible."
"Will do." I say, giving them a smile. "Let's go."

???

I stride the wall, overseeing the various barricades and fortifications lining the top.
It's been one year since that day.
I remember the flash of light, the blinding, driving force that propelled me and the rest of my kind back to the badlands.
We're finally regaining our dignity.
I step aside as two others rush by, arms full of wood for the wall.
We can win.
I look over the deserted town, at all the buildings lined up and fortified in case of attack.
Changelingkind's counterattack begins now!
Then it happens.
A blur of motion. A plume of smoke.
And then it hits the wall.
As the structure shakes, I see it. The thing that blasted through our defenses as if they weren't there.
How? H-How did they manage to ram a TRAIN into the wall!?

Twilight

"We're going around in circles!"
"No we're not! I know where we're going!"
"Sure..."
"Look. I've been here before. I think I'd know my way around."
"Okay, first of all: The only part of the Hive you've been in has been your cell. You teleported out, remember? Second: Maybe they changed the room the prisoners are kept in. Did you think of that? Maybe we're running around this hive only to find an empty room. And third: If we weren't running around in circles, how come this is the third time we've passed that mark on the wall I made when I first started arguing with you?"
I stop and turn to where Vinyl's pointing.
"Okay, fine. We're lost. What now?"
"Now," Vinyl says. "I do some recon."
Suddenly, three other Vinyls appear right next to her, drop their shades over their eyes, and run off.
"When one of them finds anything interesting, I'll know." The real Vinyl says.
Seeing her use her powers reminds me of something...
"Vinyl, carry me." I say.
"What?"
I concentrate, and leave my body, letting my consciousness float above the floor.
"-The crap?" Vinyl says, running forward to catch my body as it slumps to the floor. "What just happened? I knew I should have gone with Tavi, but no. We have to 'pair up Element-wise.' Figures I'd get stuck with the narcoleptic bookworm."
Jerk.
What the- Twilight?
Yes. It's me, the - as you quite eloquently put it, - 'narcoleptic bookworm'.
No offense, but... I didn't know you could hear me, y'know, what with the whole you being unconscious thing and all. How are you even talking to me like this? What'd you do?
I left my body.
You did WHAT? I knew you had magical talent, but... Wow. It took me an hour or so to even do it once, let alone master it like you've done.
Wait. You can leave your body too?
Yeah. Luna taught me and the others how to leave ourselves, as well as how to send messages and other stuff telepathically.
Vinyl slings my body over one shoulder and starts running down the hallway again, making small marks with her katana at every crossroads she comes to, skipping any passages already marked. I have to float pretty fast to keep up with her.
Really? Fascinating.
I guess it is. Oh, cool. I'm not the only one saddled with a stupid flavor.
Flavor? what?
It's weird. I would've expected your thoughts to taste like blueberries or maybe rasberries, but yours taste just like mine, except... Fizzier. Must be the magic.
Okay... Moving on. Can any of the others hear me?
Have you tried talking to them?
H-Hello? Are you out there? Can you hear me?
Twilight? How on earth?
Wait, that's Twilight? It sounded like Rarity for a second.
So you CAN hear me! This is incredible! I knew magic had amazing potential, but I'd never thought it could be used for this!
Since when did Twilight start talking with her mind? How long has this been a thing that happens? Does this have something to do with what happened to Rainbow Dash?
I certainly haven't heard her until now, and I always keep a mental ear out there for anything that might be going on.
Maybe the distance was too great before. Does telepathy have a 'range' it sticks to? That'll merit some experimentation.
It certainly will... Applebloom? That is you, right? Your thoughts taste like apples, and I know Applejack can't talk telepathically. Yet.
Something about the way you said that makes me nervous... Say, why did you even leave your body? Don't you know what happens if you leave for too long or leave your body unattended?
Well, no. I left to do some recon, just like you were doing. I can see a lot better like this than I could normally, and I can go through walls, so I thought I'd get a better view of the place. What does happen?
Well, if you completely leave your body, then another person can leave theirs and go into yours, and vice versa. I've actually switched bodies with Tavi before. It's really, REALLY weird. And sort of awkward.
I return to my body, slung across Vinyl's back. We stop, and she puts me down, giving the small group of Crystal Guard soldiers that'd been following us time to catch up.
Can you guys still hear me?
...ry faintly. You'll have to work on speaking up.
Good to know.
We continue running until Vinyl stops dead in her tracks.
"One of my clones found something." she says, a peculiar expression on her face.
"What'd she find?" I ask.
"I don't quite know. It killed her before I could get a good look at it."
That'd explain her expression. I wonder how it'd feel to feel yourself die...
It... isn't fun. The only other time one of my clones had died, I was unconscious. I feel... Cold. Really cold. Really REALLY cold. Really, REALLY cold and I think I'm panicking I need to calm down I need to sit somewhere oh gosh there isn't anywhere to sit and it's still cold and-
Vinyl, please try and calm down. Whatever it is, we can help you through it.
Okay. Calming down now. I am calm. I am calm...
There is a soft thud as Vinyl slumps to the ground, holding her head.
Better?
A bit. Thanks, Tavi.
No problem. I can only imagine how it must feel.
I-I can show you. I-If you want. It's cold. And... really horrible. And cold. Did I mention that it's cold? Becuase it's really, REALLY cold.
Vinyl, calm down. You're panicking again.
There is a long pause.
Right. Now... I can search my clones' collective memories, find out where she died, and teleport us there, but be warned; whoever killed my clone either had surprise on their side, or was just plain skilled. We might not be able to handle whatever's there.
If I didn't know better, I'd say you were trying to talk me out of this.
I'm not. I'm trying to talk myself out of it. I-I've already died once. I don't wanna do it again. It hurts. And it's cold.
We sit in silence for a while, Vinyl just sitting there, holding her head in her hands.
S-Sorry you guys had to see that, or... thought-see it or whatever. I kinda fell apart there.
It's okay, Vinyl. The important thing is to move on.
Vinyl stands up, shaking her head slowly.
I-I'm good. Let's do this.
She grins and adjusts her sunglasses, grabbing my shoulder...
And we're standing in a colossal circular room with a wide, shallow pit in the center.
Wow. Guys, you've gotta get over here right now. I'm sending you the directions as we think.
Soon, footsteps ring out from the entrance, and I hear the others gasp.
"I thought I knew what to expect when it came to them, but this... This is unlike anything I've ever seen." Shining Armor says.
The thing that first strikes me is the lines. The lines drawn across the pit, dividing the occupants into neat, even cells. Each line is clear and well-defined, and some are even marked with small stones. The next thing I notice are the things inside the lines.
Inside the pit, the Ponyvillians stand, glaring daggers at each other. Each villager is holding a makeshift weapon and brandishing it menacingly, as if daring any of the others to try and cross over into their territory. Occasionally, a voice will call out a random insult, and three other voices will reply with a worse one, and three more will reply to those, until the entire village is screaming obscenities at everything in general until everyone manages to quiet down. Then another insult will ring out from somewhere, and the whole process will start again.
"W-What's going on here?" I ask, leaning over the edge of the pit and looking down at the person below me.
"HEY!" Lyra shouts back, swinging a hammer at my head. "GET OUTTA MY TERRITORY, MISS HIGH-AND-MIGHTY!"
"Whoa." I say, taking a quick step back. "I-I'm not trying to invade your space. H-How'd you all get like this? Why aren't you being drained of your love?"
"OH, LIKE I SHOULD TALK TO YOU! WHAT HAVE YOU EVER DONE FOR ME BUT SHOW OFF YOUR FLASHY MAGIC AND PRANCE AROUND LIKE YOU OWN THE PLACE!?"
"Could you at least stop yelling?"
"WHY? AM I OFFENDING YOUR DELICATE CANTERLOT SENSIBILITIES?"
"Please, Lyra, stop. It's hurting my ears-"
"There's no sense reasoning with her." A voice says. I turn to see Bon Bon pointing an accusing finger at Lyra. "You'll never get her to admit that maybe, for ONCE IN HER LIFE, she can be wrong."
"OH, YOU'RE ONE TO TALK, MISS 'HUMANS-OBVIOUSLY-DON'T-EXIST'!"
"Oh, come on, Lyra! Before the Celebration, they DIDN'T exist! Now they do! Your crazy fantasies were just that: FANTASIES! Just because they came true doesn't mean you get to act like such an annoying, stuck-up, snotty KNOW-IT-ALL!"
"Oh yeah? Well I think you can take that attitude and shove it-"
"Well I think you both should shut your faces!" Vinyl calls out, stepping forward and leaning over the pit. "Otherwise, we might think twice about rescuing you."
"You're here to rescue me?" they both call, before turning to glare at each other. "I'm not going if she is. Well, same to you! Stop saying what I am! Stop it! SHUT UP!"
Lyra turns to Vinyl and glares at her as well.
"And don't even THINK about trying to come down and get me like earlier! Or d'you want another beating?"
Across the pit, another argument breaks out, and then another, and another, until everyone is just shouting random insults and profanities.
It's starting to come back to me now... How my clone died...
How?
I went down in there. They - everyone, not just Lyra and Bon Bon - tore me apart. Whatever's gotten into them, it's bad. Really bad.
Well, then how do we get them out of there? How are they even being drained of love? They aren't even in cocoons.
Haven't you noticed?
Noticed what?
Look at the backs of their necks and their ankles.
I look, and see them.
The tubes leading from their necks to inside their clothes, eventually leading from the bottom of their pant legs to holes in the floor.
That must be why they're sectioned off! If they left their territory, the tubes would disconnect, and they'd be free!
That must be why they're so territorial. These changelings are more cunning then I gave them credit for. This is truly ingenious, getting the prisoners to lock themselves up.
Clever as it may be, how are we going to get them free if they don't want them to leave?
Simple. We show them the truth.
What do you mean?
It'll take some work, but with everyone's help...
We all stand in silence - save the occasional shouting match from the pit - as Applebloom explains her plan, both in thought and out loud to the rest of the group, ommiting everything that doesn't concern them - no reason to make them nervous.
Okay. Everypony ready?
As I'll ever be.
Let's go.
Suddenly, we burst into motion. Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo fly above the pit, occasionally dropping down into someone's territory before flying back up to avoid the angry villager's wrath. Meanwhile, Vinyl closes her eyes, and clones start appearing beside her. I count off the villagers to her as she does.
"Twenty-five, twenty-six, twenty-seven..."
When I've counted all the villagers, Vinyl stops, and her and her clones dissolve into shadows and dart towards the villagers.
"Go!" Time Turner shouts, and we all close our eyes as Octavia creates a blinding flash of light. When it clears, the villagers stand in stunned silence, the last traces of Vinyl clones slipping into their shadows, reading their thoughts, their memories.
Ready, Twilight?
Yep. I've got the spell all worked out. Now all I need is a sigil ring...
I crouch and start drawing symbols on the ground in a circle around me with my finger, making sure every glyph is meticulously created. After making sure I got everything right, I get to my feet and brush my finger off on my pants.
Here goes nothing...
I pour my magic into the spell, and give everyone telepathy.
What's goin' on here?
Applejack? Is that you?
I-I don't understand! What's happening? You're not speaking, yet I can hear you!
Ooh! Are we talking with our minds? Cool!
Wait... None of my animals are nearby, so... Who are these ones? H-Hello? You can come out. I promise not to hurt you, little ones. It's oka-
It's us, Fluttershy.
Twilight!? You can talk like this? A-And the others? I-I... I'm so sorry. I didn't know...
Okay, everyone. Long story short: We can all talk and listen with our minds for as long as I can hold the spell up, which is about ten minutes. We have until then to give Ponyville a bad case of empathy. Ready?
Twilight, start making sense! A bad case of empathy? What are you talking about?
It's okay, Rainbow Dash. We've thought this through. Vinyl's gonna supply us with the memories of the villagers and then we're gonna make them all into friends again!
Why would you want to take away their memories?
I'm not... Just duplicating them... and giving you each a copy... And... Done!
Suddenly, images, sounds, smells, emotions, memories come rushing through our brains, burning themselves into our minds.
Here, we'll show you how it works.
Vinyl's shadow appears next to Bon Bon and turns into Vinyl herself. Bon Bon turns to swing her makeshift axe at Vinyl's head, but before she can, Vinyl places a hand on her head and closes her eyes.
Octavia jumps down and lands behind Lyra, placing a hand on her head before she can even turn around.
For a minute, all is silent. then...
"Bon Bon..."
"Lyra..."
"I'm sorry!" they both cry, then run across the pit, dodging the weapons of the others, until they meet in the middle and hug each other, tears flowing from their eyes.
Just show each pair the memories and emotions of the other. They'll come to understand on their own, and, well...
Octavia gestures to Lyra and Bon Bon's territories, and at the tubes lying on the ground, disconnected from their victims.
Ah get it! All we need ta do is make 'em understand the other's point a view!
The next few minutes are a blur of memories, emotions, and tearful reconciliations. Soon, all of Ponyville is back to normal, smiling and laughing as if nothing is wrong.
"Now all we need to do is take back Ponville." Vinyl says, grinning tiredly. "And with the town fighing alongside us, there's no way we can lose!"
"Oh, I wouldn't be too sure about that." A voice says, dripping with cold menace.
We all turn to see a mob of changelings at the entrance to the room, with a familiar form standing in front of them...
"Chrysalis!"
"Well, well, well." the changeling queen says, a scowl on her face. "If it isn't Cadance and Shining Armor. I assume the reception was excellent? I'm afraid I wasn't able to make it, what with you two banishing me and all. And here you are again, ruining everything as per usual."
"We're here to stop you, Chrysalis." Shining Armor says. "Our love will get rid of you just like it did before."
"We'll see about that." Chrysalis says, her scowl deepening. "I've grown much, much more powerful during my brief exile. More powerful than you can even imagine!"
"Oh, I wouldn't be too sure about that!" Vinyl yells, grinning and creating two clones of herself. "Cadance and Shining Armor aren't alone this time! And this time..."
Vinyl disappears and reappears behind Chrysalis, stabbing her through the back.
"...We're not gonna waste time monologuing."
Chrysalis drops to the floor, a surprised look on her face.
"Now to take out the rest of the changelings." Vinyl says triumphantly, wiping her blade on the body before replacing it in its sheath.
Suddenly, green fire envelops two of the changelings, and twin plumes of flame erupt from them, mixing together in the air and streaking towards Vinyl. She grins again, and is suddenly on the other side of the room. The fire stops mid-air and turns to aim at Vinyl again.
"Oh, so you're homing, eh?" she says, adjusting her shades. "Well, I've got more tricks than that up my sleeve."
As the fire zooms towards Vinyl, she grins and teleports once more, appearing in front of a changeling. The changeling swings his sword at her, but she cuts the blade in half with her own sword and punches the changeling in the face for good measure. Grinning once more, she grabs the changeling and throws it into the fiery blast right as it's about to hit her. The changeling takes the brunt of the damage, but the explosion is so powerful it sends Vinyl crashing into a wall. A green aura envelops a stalactite hanging above the stunned DJ, and the stone spike breaks free, falling and impaling Vinyl through the chest.
Nearby, there is a thud as the real Vinyl slumps to her knees, holding her head.
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH! Geez! That... Was... SCARY! And cold. Really, REALLY cold.
Are you all right?
Of course I am! If I stop holding my head as if it's about to burst and remarking on how cold death feels, call for medical help!
You're okay, then. Just panicking. Calm down and you'll b-
Suddenly, a changeling standing next to Vinyl reveals its true form, growing taller and brandishing a scythe...
Chrysalis slashes at Vinyl with the scythe, gouging a long cut in her side...
And suddenly she is lying next to me, Time Turner bending over next to her, gasping for air.
"What just happened?" Rainbow Dash asks.
"St-... Stopped... Time..." Time Turner pants. "G-Got her... out of there..."
He collapses on the ground, and Cadance runs over to him and Vinyl, a light blue aura surrounding her hands.
Suddenly, a large ball of green fire, easily half the size of the room, streaks towards us.
"What am I, chopped liver!?" Chrysalis yells.
I nod to my brother, smile, and power up my necklace, my small forcefield being dwarfed by Shining Armor's larger, stronger shielding spell.
There is a loud shattering sound and a blinding flash of light as the fireball hits the shield.
"Ha!" Chrysalis yells. "I developed this attack specifically to break your forcefield! There's nothing you can do to-"
When the light fades, green flames are playing around the edges of my shield, my necklace glowing like a star as my magic keeps the flames at bay.
"I-Impossible! There's no way a simple shield spell could stop something like that!"
"That's the difference between us." I say, smiling. "Your powers are driven by hatred and anger. Mine come from within, from the heart, and from the spark that ignited that fateful day when I met my best friends. This time, Chrysalis, there will be no monologuing. No bursts of power. No flashy attacks. You've kidnapped these people and hurt my friends, and it ends now! Just because the Elements have changed doesn't mean we can't use them!"
My necklace flares brighter, and six portals open up, each one spitting out one of the old Elements in front of their bearer.
"Rainbow Dash, whose Loyalty burns as brightly as her spirit, represents the Element of Fire!
Rarity, whose Generosity shines as radiantly as a glittering crystal, represents the Element of Ice!
Fluttershy, whose Kindness glows even in times of darkness, represents the Element of Light!"
"Oh no, you don't!" Chrysalis yells, firing blast after blast at the forcefield, only to have the flames deflected by a mysterious force.
"Well, excuse me, princess," Scootaloo says, grinning. "but I'm not allowing any interruptions!"
With a cry of rage, the changeling queen rushes at the forcefield, only to be stopped in her tracks by a wall of rainbow-colored light.
"Nor am I." Octavia adds, frowning in concentration.
Chrysalis swings her scythe at the prismatic barrier, but ice forms around the weapon, turning it into a cumbersome block.
"Nobody touches my sister!" Sweetie Belle says, scowling at Chrysalis. "Not even you!"
"Applejack, whose Honesty is as strong as Equestria itself, represents the Element of Earth!
Pinkie Pie, whose Laughter brings hope to the direst of situations, represents the Element of Lightning!"
"No!" Chrysalis says, absolutely livid. "I will not be defeated again!"
Green flames envelop her scythe, consuming it and turning black as a starless night. The fire gathers into a ball and launches itself at the wall of light...
Only to be blocked by another wall, this one of solid stone.
"Ah'm sorry," Applebloom says, smiling deviously. "but Ah can't let ya do that."
"These Elements may be brought about by accident, and they may not be the ones we know, but they are still us! We still represent them just as much as we used to! And when these Elements combine, the Magic they create is enough to obliterate all Shadows in their path!"
I close my eyes, and focus on the power I can feel coursing through me, point it at Chrysalis...
And fire.

Chapter 19: Recoveries And Renegades

Vinyl

...'s been three days now! How long do...
...elax. Cadan...
...know, but still! What's so bad that...
...iss Melody, please calm yourself. I do believe Miss Scratch is coming to.
My eyes shoot open, and I rocket upright.
Big mistake.
My vision flashes red as an immense, searing pain envelops me, pounding at me from everywhere.
!!!!!!!!!!!!
The thoughts of my friends swim in my head as I screw my eyes shut, trying to find some way to make the pain stop.
..GAH! W-What's...
She's transmitting her p...
...ll how do we make her s...
...e can't! Not without hur...
...st close your minds! We're only experiencing th...
Suddenly their presences leave me, the tastes of their consciousnesses disappearing one by one. Grapes, apples, cherries, and chocolate, until...
T-Tavi...
Vinyl! Don't! Save your energy! Listen carefully: Lay back down.
I slowly slump back to my position on the bed I'm lying on, and the searing pain is reduced to a dull, pressing ache.
Better?
I-It h-hurts... A-A l-lot...
Don't worry. It'll all be okay.
A voice, faint but still there, makes its way to my ears.
"Listen, Vinyl. I know this must be hard for you, but please try not to think too loudly. Everyone else on the mental link is feeling your pain."
T-Time Turner? W-When did he get here? F-For that matter, where-
"Ponyville Urgent Care." Octavia's voice answers. "We got you here as fast as we could."
"Please, Vinyl..." Time Turner says. "Just... Close yourself off."
"Time Turner!" Octavia says. "She's in intense pain and all you can think about is the mental link?"
"Octavia-."
"No. She's the one that matters right now. You and the others can get along talking physically. If being active mentally makes Vinyl more comfortable, then her needs come first."
"You just want her to keep broadcasting her thoughts so she can talk to you." Time Turner says. "I understand that this is the first time in days that you've been able to talk to her, but that's no reason to get angry at us."
D-Days?
"Yes." Octavia answers. "You've been out for three days now. Cadance has been tending to you almost non-stop since your injury."
"Speaking of which," a soft voice echoes from further away. "Could you please let me get back to her? I'll tell you how things are progressing as they happen."
"C-Cada..."
"Yes, Vinyl." the voice says as the sound of footsteps fades, culminating in the noise of a shutting door. "It's me, Cadance."
"G-Give it... to me straight, doc..." I say. "H-How bad... Is it?"
"Not very, actually. The cut's very shallow, but it's very long, and in the entire three days, it hasn't healed a bit."
"I-It hasn't?"
"Not at all, although it's stopped bleeding, so you don't need to worry about that. We think there was something special about the blade you were hit with. Twilight and Trixie have been analyzing it all day. They should have results by nightfall."
"T-That's... Good..."
"You should get some more rest." Cadance says. "I'll tell you more in the morning."
"R-Rest sounds... Good..."
The pain starts to fade as I drift off to sleep...

...nyl...
Vinyl...
Vinyl.
Vinyl!
VINYL!
H-Huh?
Vinyl. I know what's wrong with you, and I can help. But you need to listen to me.
W-Who are you?
It's me, Trixie. Listen. I need you to leave your body.
T-Trixie? How'd you get in my mind? A-And why do you taste like-
Vinyl Scratch, if you do not leave your body, you will be dead within minutes! Do you understand me!? Do you comprehend what I'm saying to you? LEAVE YOUR BODY RIGHT NOW!
I concentrate, and focus on detaching my self from myself...
After a minute, I feel the semi-familiar sensation of floating as I look down on my body, pale and sickly, lying on a hospital bed. Trixie and Cadance are standing over me, both with worried looks on their faces.
Good. You're out. Now we can fix you.
What's going on? Why did I need to leave?
The blade you were cut with was enchanted with a very devious spell. Any wound inflicted with it not only won't heal, but it'll slowly drain the victim's life energy to keep itself open until there's nothing there. The most insidious thing about it, though, is that the more you try and heal it, the faster it drains the victim's life. However, now that you've left, there's no life force to drain, and the wound can be healed.
F-Figures Chrysalis'd use something like that. I'm just glad she's gone.
About that...
Wait...
Apparently, the old Elements of Harmony can't kill. They can only contain. So yes, Chrysalis has been dealt with, but...
She'll g-get out eventually.
And we'll be ready. Speaking of, your body should be back to normal within a week.
A week? You mean I have to stay like this for an entire week?
Yes, unfortunately. There's no other way to go about it. You can still move around, though, and you can talk to anyone who can communicate mentally.
I sigh inwardly, and resign myself to a week of floating and thinking...

The Next Evening

As the sun sets, my mind is greeted with the taste of chocolate as I float protectively over my body.
H-Hey, Time Turner.
Hello, Vinyl. Trixie's filled us in on what you're going through. I'm sorry...
Don't be. It's actually not too bad. At least I'm not in pain anymore.
Yeah... So, I've been thinking.
When have y-you not?
So, that cut was draining your life force, but now that you've left your body, your life force is gone. So does that mean you're dead?
You know... Technically, yes. I'm a ghost right now, just waiting for my body to be patched up.
Interesting.
I g-guess it is.
Why are you stuttering?
Stuttering? I'm not stuttering.
You were just a second ago.
I-I'm pretty sure I'd recognize if I were stuttering.
See? There! You just did it.
Did what?
You just stuttered. It's weird; you seem to do it every other time you talk.
N-No I-
Vinyl...
Okay, fine. I have no idea how it started or how to stop, I just know that for some reason, I stutter. Is that a bad thing?
No. It might just be a nervous tic.
B-But what if it i-isn't? Oh gosh, it's h-happening again! H-How do I stop? W-What if I'm g-going crazy? W-What i-if this is the f-first sign that I-I'm losing it? What'll T-Tavi think? W-What'll happen to E-Equestria? I-I-
Vinyl.
Y-Yeah? GAH!
Calm down. You've just proven it's a nervous tic. It's nothing to worry about. Just let it pass naturally. You know, I used to count in my head whenever I got nervous.
Really?
Yeah. It actually helped my get my cutie mark. After counting so long, I was able to keep track of time anywhere and in any situation.
W-Well, at least your tic helped you in the end. All mine'll ever do is make me sound stupid.
Don't worry. It's not like any of us are going to judge you for it-
Suddenly, the taste of chocolate fades until it's almost gone.
Time Turner?
...tta go. Get some rest, Vinyl. We can talk more tomorrow morning.
The chocolaty taste fades completely, and I am left floating in the hospital room, alone save for the slight scent of licorice floating in my mind as it has for the past day, a sure sign that Tavi's there with me.
...But I don't need to sleep. And it's only six. Tavi, I'm going on a w-walk.
A walk?
Okay fine, miss technicality. I'm going on a float. I wanna visit the studio, see how it's been after six months.
It's a long way to Canterlot...
I... I w-wanna go. If anything, I just wanna listen to some of my music. It helps calm me down whenever I'm nervous or afraid.
Are you?
Just a little. I've never been outside my body for this long. It feels so trippy. I can feel magic floating all round me, but when I try and use it, it leaves. Maybe I'll compose something in my spare time. It'll help take my mind off of my... condition.
All right. But I'm going with you. You'll need some link to the physical world, someone to move things for you.
All right. I'll go s-see what I can find in the way of train tickets.
I float through the wall of the hospital and head to the train station. From Tavi's end of the mental link, I can just barely pick out some voices...
"...And you just agreed to it!? Without telling any of us? Without asking permission? Just, 'Hey, Vinyl's ghost and I are going to Canterlot through the c..."
"Yes." Tavia's voice says. "She'll be much safer away from here, and she'll be distracted by her music. A week will have passed before she knows it, and by then, we'll have taken care of it, and even if we haven't, she'll..."
"Still! You could have at least told us! Where is she now?"
"Getting train tickets."
"Getting what!? Are you out of your mind, Octavia!? What if she..."
"She won't."
"You don't know that! All it'll take is one c..."
"Look. I can handle things, all right? Besides, even if - and that's a big if - she finds out, what then?"
"We can't risk her trying to h..."
"I can understand that, but that's the beauty of my plan. If she finds out when we get to Canterlot, by the time she..."
"You're taking a lot of risks, Octavia. A lot."
"I know. And I'm prepared to take responsibility for what may happen as a result of this. But she needs something, Twilight, or else she'll get curious and find out."
"I guess... I'll inform the Princess of your arrival."
"Thank you."

Later

As I read the prices for tickets, my mind whirls with possibilities...
What's so bad that the others won't tell me about it?
What?
I-It's nothing. Just an idle thought.
Are there any trains going to Canterlot?
Yeah. One leaves tomorrow morning.
Good. Come back to the hospital and get some sleep. Before you know it, it'll be tomorrow, and we'll be heading home.
But I don't n-need-
The scent of licorice fades as Octavia drifts off to sleep.
Sleep. Why does nobody listen?
After everyone else has gone to bed, I float through the wall of the hospital and around town, listening for anything unusual.
Something's up, and I'm gonna f-find out what if it kills me! Again!
After a little bit of searching, I can hear voices floating from Sugar Cube Corner. I float through the wall and am shocked to see Octavia, Time Turner, Shining Armor, Luna, Twilight, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, and Trixie sitting around a table in the main room, a large cake and a map prominently displayed on it.
But they're in bed! I just saw them! What are they doing here?
"Now that our typical friendly repartee is over, time to get down to business." Octavia says. "Shining Armor, are there any new reports from the scouts?"
"Yes." he answers, gesturing to places on the map with his finger. "There are three camps, here, here, and here. They aren't too far out, and from the reports, two of them are fairly small, while the third is considerably larger. All in all, tonight's mission should be relatively easy."
"All right." Luna says. "Shining Armor, you shall go with Pinkie Pie, Trixie, and Twilight. I shall go with Octavia, Time Turner, and Fluttershy. We will meet at the third camp, giving the signal when we get there and every minute afterwards."
"Whee! Let's go!" Pinkie Pie says. "Changeling Relocation Squad, move out!"
Changeling W-WHAT now!?
As they leave the shop single file and split into two groups, Twilight turns around and looks back at the shop. Her eyes scan the empty air and come to rest right on me. Her necklace starts glowing, and her eyes widen for a second before narrowing.
"Coming, Twilight?" Trixie calls.
"Yeah." she replies, sighing in resignation and muttering something to herself as she leaves that I can only just make out...
"Octavia's gonna hear about this from either of us, make no mistake..."
Could she... see me?
I shrug the thought off as I follow Twilight out the door.
"I need to make sure Vinyl's okay." Octavia says, pausing for a bit before rejoining Luna, Time Turner, and Fluttershy
I shouldn't b-be so paranoid. Nobody can see me. I'm a ghost.
The scent of licorice fills my mind, and I prepare to confront my friend about what's going on.
Hey, Vinyl. a sleepy voice calls. You awake?
Octavia Melody. I have words for you. Strong words.
Huh?
First of all: I don't need to sleep.
Y-You don't?
Now who's stuttering? Second of all: What the CRAP do you think you're doing?
W-Whatever do you mean? I just woke up, and I'm getting a drink. That's all. After that, I'm going back to bed.
Really?
Truly.
Okay then. Sorry for getting so mad at you. Now all I have to do is warn the others that a bunch of changelings are going around as you, Luna, Time Turner, Shining Armor, Pinkie Pie, Trixie, and Twilight, and are calling themselves the Changeling Relocation Squad. I mean, how weird of an idea can you get? They're obviously fakes, as the real versions of you are in bed. Right?
I can almost taste the panic in Octavia's thoughts as my accusations hit her psyche like a bag of bowling balls.
Right, Tavi? The people I'm watching walk into the Everfree Forest right now are obviously changelings. You wouldn't, say, lie to me, or have secret talks with people about 'distracting' me while I'm at Canterlot, would you?
...
Well, would you?
...
Tavi, this isn't a rhetorical question. Answer me. Now.
...
Tavi...
I'm sorry, Vinyl! Honestly, I am! I wanted to tell you! I really did, but-
'But' what? What could be so bad that you have to keep it a secret from me? I tell you everything, Tavi! EVERYTHING! I can't believe you would just lie to me like this! Why?
Listen, Vinyl, please! I can seriously explain.
You'd better.
"What's wrong, Octavia?" Time Turner asks. "You look troubled."
"I-It's nothing..." she replies. "R-Really..."
Time Turner frowns for a bit as the scent of chocolate fades into my brain.
Et tu, Time Turner?
Vinyl? What are you doing up at this hour? You should be-
News flash, smart guy: Sleep is for the living!
Oh.
...Time Turner, it's over.
...OH.
Indeed.
But how? Luna made sure that-
Luna did what, exactly?
She did something.
Time Turner, please... Tell me.
Fine. You wanna know? You wanna know!? Fine! I'm done keeping secrets! Luna can make clones out of people's shadows, okay!? Is that what you wanted to know!?
Honestly, Time Turner! Why not just go and tell her everything! Like that Cadance is killing every changeling she can get her hands on? Or that we're helping them get out of Equestria alive before she catches up to them? Or that Applejack, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash have gone genocidal too, and are trying to stop them at every opportunity!?
My brain shuts down for a second. When I manage to get what was left of my mind on its feet again, I make what is perhaps my most eloquent query yet:
I- But you- and Time Turner- and Trixie- and Twi...
...
...
Silence.
Time Turner?
Yes?
We screwed up.
Bigtime.
Vinyl...
...
Vinyl?
What is this?
Vinyl...
What IS this!?
Vinyl.
What is my life!?
Vinyl, please-
No! I'm done! I'm done! I can't do this any more! I can't! All this "Elements", and "magic", and "cloning", and "changelings", and... I-I just can't, Tavi! I wanna go back! I wanna go back to when I was a magical talking pony in a magical land and I made dubstep and you played the cello and things were RIGHT! I wanna go back to when saving the world wasn't up to me and people weren't murderers and I lived in a house with you and we were best friends and I'm not a ghost and I can't clone myself or talk with my mind or pull any shark-jumping Deus Ex Machina out of nowhere and, and... and...
Vinyl, please...
I don't wanna be a human any more, Tavi. I wanna be me.
I'm sorry, Vinyl. It was wrong of me to lie to you. It's hard to keep a secret, especially from a friend.
I'm going back to the hospital now. I'm going to lay down next to my body, and I'm going to close my eyes, and I'm going to pretend to dream until I can go back to being me again.
Vinyl-
Tavi... Thanks for telling me. But... Right now, I just need some space. I need to think. I'm going to bed.
But you don't need to-
I don't care. I'm going to sleep.
As I float slowly towards the hospital, my mind still struggling to process what's going on, one thing hits me.
Throughout that entire exchange... The confrontation... That rant...
I float down to my body and lay on the bed next to it.
I didn't stutter.
That one thought echoes throughout my brain, bouncing around in my head until it's all I can think about.
Not once. Not a single time. 'Nervous tic', my foot! Ha! Hahaha!
My forced laughter turns into real, genuine laughter until I can't stop myself.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
Vinyl, what's going on?
I'm going crazy. This! This is the thing that makes me snap? Not the freaky shadow powers? Not the changeling attack? Not the fact that I've actually been INSIDE OF ANOTHER PERSON'S BODY? This! The fact that half the people I know are killers, and the other half are protecting more killers? This should be par for the course! But no! I have to go crazy over this? It's hilarious! Look how hard I'm laughing! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
Vinyl-
I need to get back to my body. It's messing with my head, being like this. Half of the time I don't even know what I'm saying. I need to go back.
You can't! You can't try and help! This is exactly what Twilight predicted.
Oh, so now Twilight's clairvoyant? Cool! Let me get out my checklist of crazy things that've happened and write this down!
I-I'm honestly at a loss here. What do I do? Time Turner, please, help me! I can't let her go back, or her wound's going to start killing her again. But on the other hand, she's going mad the longer she stays like this!
I don't know. What would you do if you were in her place? Would you act any differently?
Of course! I'd-
...Octavia?
That's IT! You're a genius! All she needs is to be in a body again, so what if...
From Time Turner's end of the mental link, I can hear shouts of surprise as something happens.
Listen, Vinyl. Come to the Everfree Forest. I'm sending you the directions now. Go inside my body, and do not say a WORD of what's happened here or they'll find out. Okay?
Images fill my head of a path leading from the outskirts of town to a clearing in the woods...
I start floating as fast as I can towards the forest.

Fluttershy

"She's not hurt." I say, looking up from Octavia as she lies sprawled on the ground. "Not even a bruise, although I have no idea what happened to make her pass out."
"OW! That wasn't supposed to hurt! Why did it hurt? And why do I feel... Buzzy?" Octavia mumbles, picking herself up off of the ground. She turns to me and smiles reassuringly. "I-I'm fine, really. Just... Exhausted is all."
"Then go back and get some rest." Fluttershy says. "You're certainly not doing yourself any favors by going with us every night."
"No." she replies. "I need to go. I need to help! I need to do something. Anything."
"Octavia, you're in no condition to do anything. I can't let you go with us. You need to get some rest."
"But-"
"No buts. Look at you! You're staying up all night worrying about Vinyl, not to mention going out and helping us. When's the last time you've slept?"
She pauses for a second.
"Three days ago. So what?"
"Go. Now. No excuses. Get some sleep."
Octavia looks up at the clouds gathering in the night sky, then at Time Turner, mouthing the word 'please' to him. He sighs.
"I'll take her back." he says, walking over to Octavia and putting a hand on her shoulder. "You really should be getting some rest, you know."
"I guess." Octavia says as they walk away.
There is a pause.
"Can we do this with only two people?" I ask. "Especially now that our insurance policy's gone?"
"We'll just have to wait until he gets back." Luna says.
After five or so minutes, Time Turner walks into view.
"She's resting." he says flatly. "Shall we get going?"
"We shall." Luna replies, leading the way through the undergrowth until we come to a clearing. A small, green fire burns in the middle of the gap in the trees, seven forms huddled around it.
"H-Hello?" I ask.
The forms jump to their feet and draw their swords.
"Intruder!" one yells.
"No! We're not here to hurt you!" Time Turner says. "We're here to-"
A changeling rushes at him, sword held high, swinging at Time Turner with erratic, slow, desperate slashes.
"Let it be known that I do not want to do this." Time Turner says, dodging the wild blows with obvious ease. "However, you've forced my hand, and I can't really do anything else to make you stop and listen to me, so..."
The clouds gather overhead, and Time Turner flies up to them, spreading out his arms.
Seven bolts of lightning strike the changelings, electricity coursing through their bodies and into the ground, keeping them paralyzed.
"There." he says. "It doesn't hurt, does it? I hope it doesn't. I wouldn't want to cause you any more discomfort than I have to."
The changelings just stand there, glaring at him.
"Listen." he says. "There are people here - very close by, actually - that want you dead. They would love nothing more than to see your blood running in emerald rivers through the streets of Ponyville."
He turns to one of the changelings and taps him on the shoulder, redirecting the electricity through him and into the ground.The changeling falls to the earth, stunned.
"Luckily for you, there are people - people like me and my friends - who just want this to be over with. And we're willing to help you leave here safely if it means putting this whole thing behind us. What do you say?"
Time Turner offers his hand to the changeling, helping it up and brushing it off.
"We will go, Stormbringer." the changeling says. "If we go in peace."
"Luna." Time Turner says, going to the next changeling and freeing him. "Please bring our friends here a map."
"This will help you navigate the forest to wherever you will." she says, walking to the changeling and giving him a blue scroll tied with a white ribbon.
"Many thanks, Nightguard." the changeling says, taking the map and examining it. "Very well crafted."
"Thank you. I made it myself."
As the other changelings gather around the first, we start walking towards the location of the third camp.
"I'm glad they decided to leave peacefully." I say. "Who knows what would have happened if they'd fought?"
"I'm glad we don't." Time Turner says, smiling. "Ah, here's the third camp."
I peer through the trees and see a large clearing, with multiple fires burning atop a small hill in the center.
"Shining Armor wasn't kidding: it is rather large." Luna says. "Now all that's left is to wait for the signal."
Soon, a small globe of purple light appears in front of us, dancing a figure-eight before disappearing.
"That's it." Time Turner says. "Time to go."
We step into the clearing and see the second group come in from the other side. The changelings look up from their fires and grab their weapons.
"Wait!" I yell. "We're here to help you!"
The changelings slow their advance, looking at us with veiled hatred mixed with curiosity.
"All we want is for you to leave here safely and without violence." Shining Armor says, slowly approaching the lead changeling. "We even have maps and some provisions for you to help you get to wherever you need to go. We don't want any trouble."
A sudden shadow falls over the group, and I look up to see the clouds gathering above the clearing.
"Just making sure." Time Turner whispers. "If things get hairy, I might be able to stop them. Might."
Shining Armor reaches the lead changelings and outstretches an arm.
"What do you say?"
"I say..." the changeling says, scowling. "That we will fight! For the glory of our Queen!"
"For glory!" the others yell.
"Well, that makes things more complicated." Shining Armor says, dodging the lead changeling as it attacks him. "Listen! Killing us won't bring you any good! We will be missed, you will be found, and you will be killed! Just go now, before you do something you'll end up regretting!"
"I would say the same to you, Crystal Knight!"
The one-sided fight continues until the changeling, in a fit of desperation, kicks at Shining Armor's feet, sending him toppling to the ground. The changeling stabs at him...
And Octavia intercepts the blow, the sword piercing her gut.
"I knew following you guys was a good idea." she says, before falling to the ground.
"What were you thinking!?" Time Turner yells. "Now look at-"
He stops in stunned silence as Octavia slowly dissolves into wisps of blackness.
"Huh?" he asks.
"Now look what you've done!" Octavia's voice rings out from seemingly everywhere at once. "We gave you literally every possible chance to leave peacefully and what do you do? You kill an innocent in cold blood!"
Another Octavia appears in front of the unfortunate changeling.
"I'm sorry. I am so, so sorry..."
She pulls put the bow of her cello and it is instantly enveloped in black flames, stretching out into a swordlike outline.
"But you brought this on yourselves."
With one slice, she cuts the changeling's sword in half.
With the next one, she cuts the changeling in half.
"Now I'm giving the rest of you - even though heaven knows you don't deserve it - one. Last. Chance. My advice: Take it, and leave. Nobody gets hurt, you get to live on wherever you want, and the rest of Equestria is none the wiser. But I promise you right now that as long as you try to hurt my friends, I will fight you, and I will win."
She turns to us, and gives us a small smile.
"I can't speak for the others, but it's a good bet they feel the same way. So leave. Leave now, and don't come back."
There is a long pause as Octavia and the changelings stare down each other.
Then one changeling breaks off from the rest and walks towards her.
"I will go." he says. "Give me a map, and I will depart in peace."
Octavia looks over at Luna and her maps, and a black aura envelops one, levitating them towards her.
"Wait..." she mumbles. "I was doing that without magic?"
Octavia grabs the map out of the air and gives it to the changeling.
"You made the right decision." she says. "And if any changeling starts giving you a hard time because of it, you come talk to me, and I'll make sure they understand how brave you are."
"Thank you." the changeling says before walking off, reading the map intently.
Two more changelings step forward, and Octavia smiles.
"All it takes is one person." she says quietly. "Luna, I'll need all of your maps."
Luna walks over to Octavia, shooting her a pointed glance, which she ignores.
As more and more changelings step forward, the pile of maps begins to grow smaller and smaller until the last changeling takes the last map, slowly walking out of the clearing, leaving Octavia standing alone next to a bifurcated changeling.
"Wow." Twilight says. "I wondered exactly what'd happen if-"
"Not right now, Twilight." Octavia says, cutting her off with a pointed glance. "I'll talk to you about it later, okay?"
"Fine. But you're still in huge trouble."
Octavia reaches for her face before stopping herself and shaking her head, grinning. "When am I not? Let's get back to Ponyville. Ta- Vinyl's waiting."
Shining Armor gets to his feet, and we all start walking towards Ponyville.
"Crap. I have to go. Something's up with Vinyl." Octavia says, ducking behind a tree.
"Octavia-" I say, looking behind a tree, but I stop once I see that she's gone.
"Where'd she go?" I ask.

Vinyl

Get back here. RIGHT NOW.
Geez. Save your friends from angry changelings ONE TIME, and suddenly people get ticked at you.
This is NOT okay, Vinyl. Just because I offered you a TEMPORARY solution to your problem does not mean you can take my body for a joyride!
Oh, come on! You're overreacting! It would've gone much worse if I hadn't stepped in and saved everyone! And look! Your bow's okay! Not one scratch! I didn't even dent the varnish. Man, the changelings need to get some stronger steel.
Vinyl, you could have died!
I had the entire situation under control! Heck, that wasn't even the real me that went down there! If the changelings decided to fight even after I cut their leader in half, then I would've come in with the rest of my clones and helped fight them off. You're overreacting.
Overreacting or not, the others still saw you teleport! There'll be questions! People will find out what I did!
And I'll tell them that it was my idea because you're my friend! Besides, what're they gonna do? Technically, I'm dead! It'll take six more days for my body to heal up, and by then, they'll have calmed down. Even if they haven't, I'll still accept whatever punishment they can dredge up for me, although there won't be any because I saved their lives just now.
I can't let you do that. I told Twilight I'd be responsible for you.
Yes. Yes you did.
Speaking of Twilight...
First things first: Vinyl, get out of Octavia. Now.
I can't go back to that, Twilight! I'll go crazy just like before! I need to be in here!
Like before?
I actually, genuinely snapped, Twilight. As in, off-the-wall, lost-my-marbles insane. I don't want that to happen again.
And that was after a day of being out of your body?
Yeah.
Interesting. Now, Vinyl, listen for a sec: If you, who is the most experienced out of all of us at astral projection, went crazy after only a day, what do you think's going to happen to Octavia?
...
Exactly. Now please, just get out of her body and let her back in so we can talk, okay?
Okay.
I concentrate, and leave Tavi, floating above her as she slumps down onto the floor of the hospital room I'd teleported to.
After a few seconds, Tavi gets up and checks her cello and bow, looking over them for any damage.
See? Unharmed.
You're lucky it isn't, otherwise you'd be paying for repairs.
All right, now that that's all settled, WHAT THE HECK WERE YOU TWO THINKING!?
Ouch. If I had ears, they'd be bleeding right now. Could ya maybe tone down the volume?
I WILL NOT TONE DOWN THE VOLUME! YOU COULD'VE GOTTEN US ALL KILLED BACK THERE, VINYL! ALL OF US! DO YOU EVER, EVEN ONCE, THINK THINGS THROUGH? DO YOU?
Oh, Twilight. You haven't been around me long enough to realize that I'm only reckless when I think.
It's kind of true. Although that doesn't make what I've done any less of a problem. I'm sorry, Twilight.
It isn't YOUR fault, Octavia. You were simply helping her out. As for you, however: you are in so much trouble! Granted, you may have saved us from the changelings, but you killed one of them! In col-
Twilight, I'mma let you finish, but I know what you're gonna say. It wasn't in 'cold blood'. I was defending your brother!
Sill, that's no excuse to go rushing in like that and-
Okay. I'm sorry, Twilight. It was irresponsible and reckless. I shouldn't have jumped in without thinking, and I'll try and do better in the future. Now can you please just drop it?
...Fine. Now, as for what to do about your mental health...
I have an idea...

The Next Morning

Aight. Here's the plan: I'm gonna go crazy if I stay like this for too long, and I'm kinda stuck outside my body. So Twilight and I have worked out a schedule: Each one of you guys will switch off being ghosts while I use your bodies for a bit. I know that you guys probably won't be able to hold on to yourselves for as long as I'll be able to, so the shifts are about half a day long. Any questions?
Yeah. Do we get a say in any of this?
Of course you do. I'm not gonna force any of you to give up your bodies for half a day. But try and put yourself in my situation: would you do anything differently?
Silence.
I guess not. All right. Who's up first?
I am. This should be an interesting experiment.

Later

I sit in the Golden Oaks library, reading through a magical handbook, learning new spells and techniques that I can do with my magic. As I finish the tome, I put it down on top of a growing pile of books I've read and pick up another one from the pile of books I've yet to read.
Why didn't you tell me reading was this fun?
I thought everyone knew.
Wait. Do you have books about music?
Of course. They're in the Music section just over there.
I teleport to the Music section, grab several books about electronic music, and teleport back to the comfy reading chair.
Let's see here... 'Electronic Artists Of Canterlot'... I wonder if I'm in it.
I open the book to the table of contents and look in the V section. Nothing.
Huh. Maybe I'm in the D's.
I look through the colossal D section and find my stage name.
DJ Polearm... DJ Poleaxe - wonder if the two know each other - DJ Polio... Man these are some weird names. Aha! DJ PON-3! Here I am! "At home behind her turnable, DJ PON-3 is known for her amazing beats and trademark sunglasses. One of the first ponies to enter the electronic scene after famous artist Savant dropped off the face of Equestria, DJ PON-3, known in real life as Vinyl Scratch, began her career as a simple disk jockey employed at the now famous Heavy Beats nightclub in East Canterlot..."
Vinyl...
"...fter her recent appearance as part of a collaboration effort with another famous DJ, Neon Lights." Man, this is really up-to-date. What edition is this? First? Fifth?
Vinyl!
Man, I wonder how Neon's been getting along. I kinda miss playing alongside him. Maybe I should call him up sometime.
VINYL!
Whoa! No need to yell, Twilight. What?
I'm sorry, but time's up. Octavia's next.
Aww. I was close to the end of my article, too. All right. Where is she?
I'm at the hospital, overseeing your recovery and making sure Cadance doesn't suspect anything of our little escapade last night.
Right. I'm en route.

The Next Day

Oh no. Oh, sweet mercy no. This is beyond bad. This is horrible in every sense of the word imaginable. What will become of us? What'll she do with us?
Nothing.
Quiet, Vinyl. I'm busy panicking.
Oh, come on. So what if Cadance knows?
So what? SO WHAT? Vinyl, you don't just shrug off something like this and say 'so what?' She's going to kill us!
Wow. I knew you could overreact, but never like this, Tavi. Calm down. Take deep breaths, and THINK. Please. It's kind of your job to think for both of us. I'm not used to doing it.
All right. I am calm. I am cool, collected, and in control. Cadance knows. What will happen as a result of this.
Anger, feelings of betrayal, and a small falling-out between her, Shining Armor and Twilight.
Vinyl, all that's already happened.
And guess who called it?
Nobody.
Exactly! Now, what happens next? They'll make up. That is an immutable fact that can not be changed by anything. The only question is: Which one's going to compromise, the one bent on genocide or the one who wants one of our enemies to live in peace?
Which one is worse?
...
...
I really hope Cadance caves.
As do I.

Chapter 20: The Celebration

Vinyl

As the six of us file into Sugar Cube Corner, I look around through Time Turner's eyes at Cadance, Luna, Tavi, Twilight, and Shining Armor.
"All right." Cadance says, sighing softly. "So, how does this work?"
"Well," Shining Armor says. "We receive reports from our scouts concerning the location and size of the changeling camps. We trek out and contact the changelings peacefully, and while we do that, Luna uses a simple replication spell to make enough maps to go around, and then we send them on their way with a warning: Next time they enter Equestrian territory, we won't extend them the same mercy again."
"How do you tell if they're the same changelings as before? They all look alike."
"Luna's maps are enchanted. Any person or changeling that unrolls it is marked with an easily detectable magical aura. Not only does it help identify which changelings we've already warned, but if they're infiltrating Equestria, then we'll know which citizens are changelings and which ones are civilians."
There is a long pause.
"There's only one camp tonight, at the edge of the Everfree. We'll head out and send them on their way."
As we walk, Cadance and Shining Armor speak in hushed tones, giving each other meaningful glances until they finally hug. I lean in a little closer, and can just make out Cadance saying "I'm sorry."
Looks like the Changeling Relocation Squad won't have to meet at night any more.
All in all, things went better than expected.
When we get to the camp, the changelings don't hear us until we're practically right behind them. I motion for the others to stay back, and step forward.
"Hello." I say quietly.
The changelings jump and rush to draw their weapons, but I step in and grab one's arm as it draws its sword.
"I'm not here to fight. None of us are. We just want to help you get out of here."
The changelings lower their blades, and the lead one sighs.
"The tales are true, then." he says.
"There are tales?" I ask. "Cool."
I levitate a bunch of maps to me and hand them out to each changeling. After they're gone, I turn to Cadance and give her a wink before teleporting back to the hospital.
All right. Who's next?
I am.
Actually, get some sleep, Sweetie Belle. I'll take over tomorrow.
You sure? I don't mind staying up, and you need your sleep.
I'm sure. You're not used to this.
All right. Good night, Vinyl.
Good night, Sweetie Belle.
I float protectively over my lifeless body, keeping watch for something I can't quite place. A creeping horror, a nameless fear...
"...Need to talk to you about something."
Startled by Cadance's voice, I float towards the sound. I float into the Princess's room and see Applejack, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash standing in front of Cadance as she paces back and forth, a concerned frown on her face.
"A while back, the three of you promised to aid me in my quest; to help me eliminate every changeling upon the face of this land."
"That's right." Rainbow Dash says. "And we're still ready and willing. Where do you need us to go?"
Cadance sighs and stops pacing, gritting her teeth as if preparing for a blow.
"Nowhere."
There is a long and awkward silence.
"Whatever do you mean, Your Majesty?" Rarity asks, placing a hand on Cadance's shoulder. She shrugs the hand off and looks down at the ground, sighing again.
"What I mean is that I'm done. I've... Forgiven them."
"What!?" the three ask, incredulous.
"Have you, by any chance, forgotten what they've done to us?" Rarity asks. "Have you forgotten your kidnapping? The tortures we endured? The state Ponyville was in? How could you possibly forgive them after all they've done!?"
"The ones responsible have been brought to justice. I see now how foolish I was to try and destroy an entire race for the sins of a small group."
"They've gotten to her." Rainbow Dash says, examining Cadance closely. "They've brainwashed her, just like they did with Shining Armor and what they tried to do with us!"
"I haven't been brainwashed! I'm fine!"
"Forgive me fer this, Princess..." Applejack says, unbelting her hammer. "But Ah'll need ta restrain ya until we can get someone like Twilight ta fix yer brain."
Cadance pretends to trip, then darts in between Applejack and Rarity before they can react.
"After her!" Rainbow Dash says, flying after Cadance.
I have to do something!
I fly into Rainbow Dash's body.
Sorry about this, Dashie...
Vinyl? What are you doing in my head?
I look into my memories, and project the feeling of intense fatigue after a fight in the Hyperbolic Time Chamber onto her. Rainbow Dash slows to a halt, sitting down with a confused look on her face.
"Is something the matter?" Rarity asks.
"I'm... really... tired." Rainbow Dash pants. "And I don't... know... why!"
I can't let you catch up to Cadance!
"So you're in on this too!?" Rainbow Dash yells.
"What are you talking about?" Rarity asks.
They can't hear me. Cadance hasn't been brainwashed, I swear! If she was, Twilight would've noticed when we were out!
Out? Out where?
Twilight will explain everything later. Just call off the chase, or I'll have to stop you with something stronger.
No way! I need to stop Cadance before she goes and does something stupid!
Fear fills Dash's mind, and she gets to her feet.
What if she frees Chrysalis!? I need to stop her NOW!
She starts flying, faster than before.
I'm sorry, Dash, but I can't let you do that.
Make me tired all you want! It won't stop me!
You've forced my figurative hand, Rainbow Dash...
I grab a memory more recent, and I show Rainbow Dash what it feels like to die.

I float away from Rainbow Dash's unconscious body, and make sure she'll be all right.
I didn't expect her to ram top speed into a wall like that!
Rarity and Applejack come running, and gasp when they see Rainbow Dash lying on the floor.
"What happened?" Rarity asks.
"I dunno, but we've gotta get her ta Twilight!" Applejack says. "She's probably got a healin' spell she can use on Rainbow Dash."
Applejack picks up Rainbow Dash's body and slings it onto her shoulder, looking back at the hallway Cadance darted down before turning and running towards Twilight's room.
It's out of my hands now. I hope I did the right thing...

The Next Morning

Scratch's Log: Day 5. Bored. Very bored. Bored out of my MIIIIIIIIIIND.
"You could always, I don't know, go outside?"
I stop pacing the hospital room long enough to give Tavi a withering look.
"There's nothing to do outside either." I say in Scootaloo's voice. "Man, is that weird. I think I'll stick to talking with my mind until my body's better."
Tavi sighs and puts a hand on my shoulder.
"Look." she says. "You can either stay in here moping about how bored you are, or you could go out there and try and enjoy yourself. You're a pegasus for now, after all. Why not try your hand at flying?"
I dash out the door, eager for something to do.

The Next Night

Gah! I can't BELIEVE this!
How many times do I have to apologize, Scootaloo? I'm sorry for crashing into that tree. I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry. Now will you let it go already?
No! I'm stuck with a broken arm, thanks to your lousy flying!
Cut me some slack! It was my first time! Besides, pegasi heal faster than unicorns do. At least you aren't stuck like me.
Oh, yes. Nothing could be worse than having super-cool ghost powers.
Well, then, if you like my situation so much, then why don't we trade places? I can have a silly little broken arm, and you can be stuck not being able to talk, or touch things, or taste things, or smell things! Oh, and did I mention that the longer you stay a ghost, the crazier you get!? No, I don't think I did! By the way, the longer you stay like this, the crazier you get!
Okay, okay. You've made your point.
"Vinyl?" Cadance's voice calls. "Vinyl, where are you?"
I'm in here with you.
"She's in here with me!" Scootaloo calls. Cadance walks into the room, looking around, as if trying to find me.
"Where is she?" Cadance asks.
"She's floating around somewhere in this room." Scootaloo replies. "She can hear you, so just say what you need to say."
"All right. Twilight and I have managed to remove the enchantment around your wound, so you can return to your body if you want. However, it'll take another day to heal if you do, so you could also stay as a ghost until tomorrow and then enter your body when it's fully healed."
Are you kidding? I'm going back NOW!
"She says, 'Are you kidding? I'm going back.'" Scootaloo relays.
I float back to my body and look at it.
It's still... really pale. Oh well. If Cadance says it's okay for me to go back, then...
I float into my body, and searing pain envelops my side.
OW! OWW! OOOOOOOOW! MAKEITGOAWAYMAKEITGOAWAYMAKEITGOAWAY!
I look down at my side and see blackness forming under my hospital gown where the cut is, growing darker and darker. The pain intensifies until I have to screw my eyes shut to block it out.
The pain keeps growing and growing and growing and growing and growing...
Until, almost as suddenly as it arrived, it's gone.
Stunned, I look down at my side and lift my gown to see...
Nothing.
No cut, no darkness, nothing.
"Huh?"
I get up off of the cot and examine myself in a nearby mirror. I'm still kinda pale, although I'm getting less paler by the second. I casually levitate my shades towards me...
And they hit me in the head.
Confused, I pick them up from where they fell...
And they slam into the ceiling.
As they fall, I catch them with magic, and rather than slowing to a stop, as things I pick up would normally do after falling, they stop outright, coming to a stiff hover exactly where they are.
I look down at my necklace and gasp.
My necklace, instead of glowing its trademark cobalt blue, is now glowing a jet black color, as dark as a starless night. I look over at my shades and see them enveloped in a black aura.
What is going on here?
I grab my shades from the air, and put them on, resolving to tell Twilight about this later. I slowly walk out of the room, and Cadance almost bowls me over.
"Are you all right?" she asks. "I heard you screaming from the other room, and-"
"I'm fine." I say. "Something happened, though."
I gesture to where my cut was and lift my gown, showing Cadance.
"How did this happen?" she asks, amazed. "Not even I can heal a cut that quickly!"
"I don't know." I reply. "But it hurt. A lot."
"I heard her! She's up ahead!" a voice calls. Cadance pales, and she turns to me.
"Listen." she says. "I'll be hiding in the hedge maze. Come see me there should you need me."
"What's going on?" I ask.
"They're still after me!" she yells as she runs away. "They've never stopped chasing me ever since I told them I'd changed my mind!"
Cadance turns a corner and disappears from view just in time for Rainbow Dash to zoom into the corridor, Applejack following closely behind.
"Cadance was here." Rainbow Dash says. "Where'd she go?"
"She didn't tell me." I reply. "She left as soon as she heard you."
"Dang it!" Rainbow Dash says. "How are we supposed to tell her we're sorry if she just keeps running away!?"
"Just give her time, Rainbow." Applejack says, putting a hand on her friend's shoulder. "She'll realize eventually."
Rainbow Dash sighs in resignation, turning to me.
"Good to see you're back on your feet, Vinyl."
"Good to be back." I reply, smiling.
"Twilight wanted ta see you." Applejack says, pointing down the hallway. "She's in the library."
"Thanks."
I walk to the library door and knock three times.
The door swings open, and someone wraps me in a gigantic bear hug.
"I'm so glad you're back to normal." Octavia says.
"You're awake!" Twilight says from somewhere behind Octavia. "Octavia, I know this is important to you, but I need to assess Vinyl's physical and magical state. She might not have recovered all the way, so can you please leave me to it? If she's good to go, she'll tell you herself. If not, I'll let you know."
Octavia lets go and walks out of the room, giving me a small smile. I turn and walk over to where Twilight's set up some kind of platform. Weird runes line the edges of it, and a strange symbol sits inside the ring.
"All right. Now just step onto this rune right here..." Twilight says, ushering me onto the platform. "And I can see how much you've recovered."
I step onto the rune, and the entire circle starts glowing a bright blue. A ring of light emanates from the floor, rising up past my waist, then my neck, and coming to a stop above my head.
"Everything's good, except..." Twilight looks at my necklace, puzzled. "Your necklace. Something's off about it."
"Oh yeah." I say. "I was gonna tell you. My magic's gone all screwy, and I don't know why."
"Really? Care to demonstrate?"
"Sure." I focus on a book lying on a nearby table, and levitate it upwards.
After slamming into the ceiling, the book starts falling. I catch it with magic, and the thing just stops right then and there, just like my shades did.
"It's a lot stronger now." I say. "And it's black."
The blue ring drops down to my necklace and closes around my neck, glowing an odd purple color.
Twilight stares at the ring for a few minutes, as if looking for something...
"I've got it!" she says triumphantly. "Don't worry, it's nothing detrimental. I hope."
"What is it?"
"Well, it's actually a few things. First of all: It looks like there was still just a hint of Chrysalis's magic infused into your wound; Trixie and I must not have purged it all. Second: you've been using your Element outside your own body. Third: You've also been using it as if it were your magic, channeling it through the same ways you would normal magic, even though it's not normal magic."
"What does all that mean?"
"What is means is that when you went back into your body, your normal magic and your Element tried to occupy the same space when they can't."
"Skip all the science and get to the point already! What's happened to me?"
"Basically, your magic and your Element have been fused. Whenever you use one, you use the other, hence the black aura and stronger telekinesis. Both of them are stronger as a result, but both will be used up faster."
"So that's a good thing?"
"As long as you're careful. You've only got one source of energy now instead of two, and if you don't keep track of how much energy you have, you could overexert yourself, and that'd be really bad."
"So no big deal. I'll just keep training, and then I'll have a ton of energy."
"If that's how your Element works, then yes. I've been told they act differently. I've got to find out how Celestia and Luna know all of this. This is fascinating stuff!"
"What bout my cut?" I ask. "It just went away after I got back into my body. Hurt a lot, but now it's gone."
"Really?" Twilight asks. "Let me see."
I lift my gown and show Twilight the cut. The purple ring around my necklace collects itself into a green ball and hovers over the cut, turning red in places.
"This is interesting." Twilight says. "It's got a lot of magical residue around it, as if a healing spell's been used on it. Tell me, have you ever used your Element without realizing it?"
"Not really, although teleporting's become almost second nature to me now."
"Well, the closest explanation I can come up with is that now that your magic and your Element are fused, you instinctively used your Element to heal yourself, which would explain the magical residue and the pain; healing spells often do that."
"That all?" I ask.
"Yep. You've got a clean bill of health."
I walk out of the library, and see the others waiting for me. I give them a smile and a little wave.
"I'm gonna go see Cadance." I say to Tavi. "Tell her what's up."
"Tell her we're sorry too." Rainbow Dash says. "If she's too stubborn to listen to us, she'll listen to you."
"Right."
I concentrate...
And, almost before I visualize the hedge maze, I'm there.
"Wow." I say, looking around. "Freaky."
"Vinyl?" Cadance's voice calls. "Is that you?"
"Yeah." I reply.
"You're alone, right?"
"Yeah."
"Good."
Cadance steps out from a bush, a devious grin on her face and a few leaves in her hair.
"Why are you hiding?" I ask.
"I want to make sure the three of them - Applejack, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash - don't find me until I want to be found, that's all."
"Wait." I say, narrowing my eyes. "You know they're sorry?"
"Of course! Twilight told me ages ago."
"Then why are you still acting as if they're trying to catch you?"
"Because it's fun."
"Because it's..."
"Fun, yes. I haven't had this much fun in a long, long while. It's nice to cut loose every now and again."
"I could get behind that if it didn't make other people feel bad in the process."
Cadance sighs.
"I guess. But still; it's been such a long time since I've ever pulled one over on anyone. Besides, they need to learn that making rash judgements can sometimes have really big consequences."
Cadance sighs, and a wistful look crosses her face.
"I used to be a top-of-the-line trickster, but Shining's been a big stick-in-the-mud lately, and you know how the guards are. My Prankster's Gambit is the lowest it's ever been."
"Your what?"
"Nothing. So, how'd things go with Twilight?"
"Well, my magic's a bit wonky, but I'm A-okay otherwise."
"Wonky?"
I sigh.
"I'll explain on the way back." I say.

One Week Later

Time Turner

As I examine the hands of the largest clock I've ever seen, taken from the recently destroyed clock tower, I scowl.
Do they even make parts this big any more? I guess I could ask around...
I send out a thought message to Vinyl and Octavia back in Canterlot.
Do either of you know any clockmakers or clock repairmen in Canterlot?
The faint smell of licorice enters my mind, and Octavia answers.
I know of one. He's not exactly... Reliable, though.
What do you mean?
The guy's a total nutcase.
Vinyl, please. He's 'eccentric'.
Which is fancy-talk for nutcase. Nobody knows his real name: He insists on being called 'The Doctor' and nothing else. Keeps ranting about random space-time mumbo-jumbo.
If you can get in contact with him, though, he'll provide any clock or clock part one needs, even if they have numbers on them that aren't real numbers...
Or come in colors nobody's ever seen before...
Or make odd sounds when the alarm goes off...
Or smell like what red looks like...
Would you mind asking him for...
I recheck the model number on the clock tower's clock.
A spare balance gear for a Tennant Mark X?
I'm opening for Neon in a bit near the guy's weird half-floating blue house. I'll ask him then. But if I don't contact you by tomorrow, I've been whisked away to have totally awesome adventures throughout the whole of time and space.
Vinyl, everyone knows that's just a rumor.
A totally cool rumor.
But it's still a rumor.
I leave them to their bickering return to working on the gigantic clock. After half an hour or so, the bell attached to the door of my shop rings, and I turn to find myself face-to-face with a grinning Pinkie Pie. I sigh inwardly and brace myself...
"How can I help you?" I ask, smiling.
"Do you know what time it is?" she asks.
I raise an eyebrow and gesture at the hundreds of clocks lining the walls of my shop.
"Yes. It's 5:31 and 42 seconds."
"Nope!"
There is a long pause.
"Soooooooooo..." Pinkie says, leaning towards me expectantly.
"So what?"
"Aren't you gonna ask me what time it is if it isn't 5:31 and 42 seconds?"
"All right. What time is-"
"It's PARTY TIME!"
Pinkie Pie grabs my by the arm and pulls me out of my shop. Around the entrance stand a crowd of Ponyvillians, each one beaming at me and holding a cupcake.
"I'd been having so much fun inviting the whole town to our big 'We Beat Nightmare Moon And Queen Chrysalis' party that I almost came close to nearing the point where there might have maybe started to possibly be a very small chance of me forgetting to invite you!"
I look around at all the smiling people, every one of them extremely grateful to me for helping save them...
And I stop time.
Or, at least, I try to. It's off-and-on like that.
As it is, I just stand there, concentrating intently, while the crowd watches in a semi-awkward silence.
"Aren't you excited?" Pinkie Pie asks.
"Yes." I say, more than a hint of sarcasm in my voice. "There's nothing I enjoy more than being gawked at... Or being the center of attention..."
"Really?" Pinkie Pie says. "Awesome! There's plenty of that where we're going!"
"Oh boy..."

Octavia

"He's totally a time traveler." Vinyl says, giving me a pointed glance as she leaves for her gig.
"He's not a time traveler, Vinyl." I reply.
As she leaves the house, a faint whooshing noise starts from behind me, and a sudden gust of wind hits my back. I turn around to see a sphere of darkness begin to appear behind me, growing more solid by the second. I quickly engage my bow and nock an arrow on the string, ready to fire...
And the globe solidifies into Twilight Sparkle, holding a large book in her right hand.
I put the arrow back into my cello and close the neck, turning the bow itself back into a harmless cello bow.
"My apologies." I say. "You startled me."
"It's fine." Twilight replies. "The Princess wants you and Vinyl to come to Ponyville with me."
She looks around and frowns.
"Where's Vinyl?"
"She's performing right now. She'll be back in half an hour."
Twilight's eyes widen, and she opens her book.
"This is bad! We don't have half an hour! The Princess needs you two right now!"
"Calm down, Twilight. What does she even need us for?"
"She wants to honor all of us for saving Equestria. It's a very important and official event and we absolutely can't be late for it! Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to find a locator spell..."
"No need." I say, as Twilight starts rifling through her book, turning to one bookmark after another. "Vinyl's at Canterlot Square Gardens, just a few minutes away."
I grab my coat and open the door for Twilight as we make our way to where Vinyl's playing.

Vinyl

"Ladies and gentlemen..."
I slowly fade the music down to nothing as the announcer's voice comes on over the intercom.
"Let's give a big hand to Canterlot's own DJ PON-3!"
The crowd in front of me goes wild with applause, and I grin.
Vinyl Scratch is back in business, baby!
"Now for our main attraction..." the voice says. "Give it up for Neon Lights!"
The crowd's applause grows even louder as Neon takes the stage, giving me a high-five before I walk offstage and out of the building, breathing in the crisp Canterlot air.
Now for The Doctor...
I walk a few blocks over to a small blue hut perched on the edge of a small cliff. I walk to the door and knock softly, so as not to accidentally tip the poor guy's house over.
"I'm not here!" A voice calls from inside.
"Come on, Doc." I say. "I just need help with a clock, that's all."
After a minute or so, the door opens, and a man who looks a lot like Time Turner beckons me inside.
"Ah, yes." He says. "Octavia, is it?"
"No." I say. "Vinyl, remember? I came here after the clock in my house broke."
"Sorry. Wrong reality."
I chuckle and step into The Doctor's house. He looks at me expectantly, as if wanting me to say something.
"What?" I ask.
"Oh, nothing. Just... You aren't surprised or anything?"
"Oh, that. I've been here before, remember? I know it's bigger on the inside. Besides, I've seen another room a lot like this one."
The Doctor looks puzzled, but I cut him off before he can ask me anything.
I'm not here to chat. I'm here for a clock piece, that's all.
"I need a balance gear to a Tennant Mark X." I say.
"Really?" The Doctor say, walking over to a blue cupboard - why is everything blue in his house? - and opening it to reveal a massive collection of gears, springs, hands, and other clock parts. "What do you need with a gear that big?"
"I don't need anything." I reply. "My friend's fixing a clock tower, and he needs a gear."
"Well, here's the gear you need." he says, pulling out a gear easily as large as my head. "Have a good one."
"You too." I say, walking out of his house.
The gear's heavier than I expected, so I have to stop and rest halfway along the trip back. As I sit on a park bench, I see Twilight Sparkle, of all people, run past me.
"Twilight?" I ask. "What are you doing in Canterlot?"
"Vinyl!" she says, relief in her voice. "There you are! We've been looking all over for you! The Princess needs you and Octavia right away!"
Octavia runs into view.
"Oh, there you are." she says. "Twilight's taking us to Ponyville."
"She's taking you to Ponyville." I correct. "I'm already there."
"Huh?" Octavia asks. "But you're-"
I stop borrowing my clone's senses and dispel it, snickering as I imagine the looks on their faces. I look up from the park bench I'm sitting on and locate Time Turner's store/house. Grabbing the giant gear from beside me, I knock on the door.
No answer.
While I wait, I look around the town...
Ponyville looks almost... deserted.
Vinyl! You're here!? Please, come quick! I need your help! I'm trapped in Ponyville Town Hall!
I draw my katana and create two clones. One takes to the rooftops, while the other one runs through the back alleys in order to get to the back entrance of the building next to me.
What's wrong? Changelings? Nightmare Moon? Zombie ponies?
Worse.
I approach the door to town hall and wait until my clones are in position.
Daring rescue in 3... 2... 1...
I kick the door open and dive through the door, katana at the ready.
"Vinyl!" a voice - one that sounds oddly like Luna's - calls. "You made it! Come and join the feast!"
I look up from my crouching position to see Ponyville partying away, with Time Turner, the CMC, their older sisters, Fluttershy, and the two Princesses sitting at a long table, sweets and pastries of every kind arrayed in front of them.
I sit down next to Time Turner, sheathing my katana and dispelling my clones as I do so.
"Worse, huh?" I say.
"Kill me now." He replies, grimacing.
"It can't be that bad, can it?" I ask.
Time Turner simply gestures to a colossal cake with 'To The Saviors Of Ponyville!' written on it in bright red frosting, along with frosting drawings of our heads below the words.
"Exactly!" I say. "Come on, enjoy yourself!"
Just then, Twilight and Octavia burst in, both with worried expressions on their faces.
"Oh, there you guys are!" I call. "Have some cake! It's delicious!"
Octavia smiles and shrugs, while Twilight's face runs a gauntlet of emotions, ranging from surprise to mortal terror to rage to... resignation.
"Whatever." she says quietly.
She walks over to the table and takes a seat right next to Princess Celestia, who gives her a warm smile.
"Now that everyone's here..." Celestia says, standing up. "I can begin."
The crowd falls silent and stops dancing as Celestia begins her speech.
"Today, we are gathered here to honor the twelve people who helped save not only this town, but all of Equestria itself. If it were not for the skill, bravery, and dedication of these heroes, my beloved sister would have been lost to me forever. The two of us wish to give gifts to these twelve remarkable people."
Celestia turns to us and fires up her necklace. Twelve objects, each one wreathed in a different element, appear and float in front of us in order, their element disappearing as they're announced.
"To Octavia, who fought bravely even in the face of great despair, I give a crossbow violin, and bolts made of the brightest sunlight. They shall never run out, and you shall never have to retrieve them."
Octavia takes the small crossbow disguised as a violin and examines it, smiling and placing it next to her cello.
Luna stands up next to her sister and presents the next gift.
"To Vinyl Scratch, who surprised us all with her bravery, I give a cloak woven of shadows. May it guard you from the sight of anyone who may wish you harm."
I take the cloak and watch it morph first into a cape, then a large t-shirt, then a suit, then a blanket.
"Sweet!" I say wrapping the blanket around me and watching as it turns into a hoodie.
"To Time Turner, who helped others before thinking of himself, I give gloves made of a metal cloth."
As Celestia finishes her sentence, Time Turner puts on the gloves and looks at the Princess curiously.
"These gloves conduct electricity twice as much as any other metal. Using them, a single touch is enough to incapacitate someone without hurting them."
Time Turner looks at the gloves again and nods contentedly.
"To Sweetie Belle, Applebloom, and Scootaloo, for their immense courage in times of danger, we give necklaces inlaid with many enchantments."
The three take the gems, all hanging on golden chains, and put them around their necks.
"For you, Scootaloo," Celestia says. "You will be able to withstand the greatest heat or the direst cold without noticing any difference."
"For you, Sweetie Belle," Luna says. "You will be able see in total darkness and your magic will be strengthened greatly.
And for you, Applebloom, you will have the ability to hear the softest footfalls, as well as the speed of a pegasus in flight."
"And now," Celestia says. "To honor the other people who helped bring about this town's salvation."
"To Rainbow Dash," Luna says. "I give weightless armor, capable of withstanding mighty blows and delivering even mightier ones."
Rainbow Dash puts on the armor, lowering the helmet onto her head with an expression of glee on her face.
"To Miss Rarity," Celestia says. "I give a dress with the ability to change the wearer into anything or anyone she so desires."
Rarity examines the dress and finally slips it on, immediately changing into Granny Smith, then Luna, then back into Rarity.
"To Pinkie Pie," Luna says. "I give a ball that can change its size and composition at the bearer's command."
Pinkie Pie takes the ball and bounces it a couple times, giggling as she changes it into random sizes.
"To Applejack," Celestia says. "I give a hat that endows the bearer with strength tenfold."
Applejack puts on the stetson and adjusts it, nodding in approval.
"To Fluttershy," Luna says. "I give a bracelet that allows the bearer to move through solid objects."
Fluttershy puts on the bracelet and plunges her arm into the wall next to her, eyes wide with wonder.
"And, finally, to my beloved student, Twilight Sparkle, who saved Ponyville by rescuing the Elements of Harmony and imprisoning Queen Chrysalis forever in the Everfree Forest," Celestia says. "I give you a blade crafted by my sister and I, as well as a shield enchanted by Shining Armor and Princess Cadance. May they serve you well in your adventures."
Twilight takes the sword and shield with an air of extreme reverence, bowing low before Celestia stops her.
"My student, my friend..." she says, smiling at Twilight. "You bow to no one."
The two of them hug, and the crowd goes wild.

Chapter 0: Prologue

???

She's late!

I tap my foot impatiently, drumming my fingers on my leg as I stand in a large field outside of Ponyville.

She was supposed to be here half an hour ago. What's taking her so long?

I hear a soft thud as something lands behind me. I don't need to turn around to know who it is.

"Rainbow Dash, where have you been?"

"Sorry, Mr. Quill." the pegasus says, shrugging as she walks into view. "I was trying some new stunts and getting them down took
a bit longer than I expected."

I look around and notice something missing...

"Where's Scootaloo?"

"Right here." she says as she flies towards us. "Sorry; I didn't get the message that you wanted to see me and Rainbow Dash until just now. I'll need to talk to Derpy about her delivery times again: she keeps changing them."

"That's all right, I suppose." I say, sitting down on the chair I'd brought for me. Scootaloo and Rainbow Dash sit down in the chairs I'd brought for them.

"Shall we begin?" I ask, getting out my quill and pad.

"Sure!" Scootaloo says. "It all started at last year's Summer Sun Celebration..."

"Careful now, Scootaloo! We don't want this falling over!"

"Sorry, Rainbow Dash!"

I was helping Rainbow Dash prepare for the Summer Sun Celebration. There was a lot to do. There were clouds to be cleared, decorations to be put up, food to be made, and Fluttershy's songbird choir had to be ready by tomorrow. Not only was this to be the second Summer Sun Celebration held in Ponyville, it was the third anniversary of Twilight's studies on the magic of friendship here, so it was extra special...

That Night

I step onto the porch of a small wooden house, the cool night air making me shiver slightly. Flowers grow in the garden off to the side, and a large bay window looks out on the drive. The blinds are drawn, but a soft orange light can be seen through the cracks in between them. I knock three times, and I hear footsteps behind the door as four locks are released. The door opens, and I see a face I've been waiting to see.

"Octavia Melody, I presume."

The door opens, and Octavia smiles as she waves me in.

"You must be the historian; Silver Quill, was it? You look cold; I have a fire going."

"Thank you." I say. I gesture at my coat. "Where can I.."

"Right over here." Octavia says, gesturing to a coat rack next to the door.

"Thanks." I say, hanging my coat and stepping into the small sitting room. A fire is crackling in the hearth, and two armchairs are placed near it, facing each other. We both sit, the fire warming me up from the chilly night.

"Where should we start?" I ask.

"Well, if you want to start at the beginning, I'm the wrong person to talk to." she says. "Scootaloo and her friends know more about it than I do."

"I've already interviewed them." I say. "They filled me in on some details, but I need to hear what you have to say."

"All right." she said. "My piece begins with my friend Vinyl."

A sad look crosses her face, and I nod understandingly.

"It can be hard to deal with the death of a friend."

She looks up at me, determination in her eyes.

"Vinyl is not dead. I will find a way to bring her back, I swear."

"All right, all right." I say, more to placate her than anything else.

She must still be in denial. Poor thing.

"At any rate, please begin."

"All right..." she says.

"Just over here, Octavia!"

I was reading a novella near the fire in my favorite cozy armchair when Vinyl burst in, babbling nonsense about fireworks and an orange pony and Trixie and the celebration. After I got her to calm down, she told me that she got a tipoff from some filly that that boastful magician Trixie would be adding to the celebration. She said the filly overheard something about fireworks. I was reluctant, but Vinyl insisted I go with her to see them. We picked one of Twilight's stargazing hills and set up a tent there...

The Next Day

I sit at a table in Sugar Cube corner, a plethora of pastries arrayed in front of me. There are so many choices I can hardly decide what to eat first, only serving to make me hungrier.

"That's okay. Take your time. It's kinda overwhelming at first, isn't it?"

I look up at the cheerful face in front of me.

"Yes it is, Pinkie."

I decide to start with a cupcake. I pick it up and admire its cyan frosting. I take a bite and see that the cupcake itself is a myriad of flavors. Looking at the bite in the pastry, I see rainbow-colored cupcake.

"It's a little thing I made with Rainbow Dash one day when she came to visit - and by 'with' I mean alongside, not out of. Who makes people into cupcakes? That's just weird. And the cupcakes probably wouldn't even taste good anyway. I mean, come on! Who'd wanna eat a cupcake made out of-"

"Pinkie." I interrupt. "Can you please just get on with your part of the story?"

"Okie dokie lokie, Mr. Quill!"

I don't really get it.
I was just sitting there, eating some muffins, when BOOM! I'm not a pony! I'm a 'human,' whatever those are.
The Rarity fairies visit me in my sleep, I guess, cause I'm wearing clothes when I wake up.
I know a lot more words though. Elbows, knees, feet, hands, fingers, toes - It's a lot to take in. So I take a nap. When I wake up again, Twilight's there...

Later That Morning

As I walk through the orchard admiring the apples, I start to hear a faint thudding coming from up ahead.

This must be the place.

I step into a clearing and see someone standing among the trees, a large hammer held in one hand. As I watch, she swings it at a tree, hitting it and shaking apples off of the branches into waiting baskets.

"You must be Applejack." I say.

The person in question turns and smiles, wiping the sweat from her brow.

"That's right. You must be the writer the others were talkin' about."

"Silver Quill at your service." I say, unfolding the chairs I'd brought.

"If it's all the same to you, I'd rather stand." Applejack says, resting her hammer on the seat.

"All right then." I say. "So, where do you come into this story?"

"There's a bit of info you need first; a setup, if you wanna call it that..."

The last two days have been an ordeal. First, there was the whole changin' into humans, then the creatures started to go...wrong - darker, more fierce, and crazy. Fluttershy's had her hands full trying to keep all her critters in line, and don't even get me started on the Everfree Forest...

That Night

I finally arrive home, exhausted and drained from a week's traveling.

There... It's all written down.

I sit at my desk, not ready to sleep yet.

Now to combine it all and publish it. This is the story that'll make me famous!

Author's Note

Now seems as good a time as any to make a prologue. This thing basically explains the context of the narration: the people/ponies who were involved retelling their adventure.

EDIT: Double-spaced and made more visually appealing in general.

Chapter 1: The Celebration

Scootaloo

"Careful, now, Scootaloo! We don't want this falling over!"

"Sorry, Rainbow Dash!"

I was helping Rainbow Dash prepare for the Summer Sun Celebration. There was a lot to do. There were clouds to be cleared, decorations to be put up, food to be made, and Fluttershy's songbird choir had to be ready by tomorrow. Not only was this to be the second Summer Sun Celebration held in Ponyville, it was the third anniversary of Twilight's studies on the magic of friendship here, so It was extra special. We'd got everything taken care of... Except for our special thing. The Cutie Mark Crusaders were planning a special performance just for Twilight. It was Pinkie Pie's idea. This time, we were "Playing to our strengths," as she put it. Sweetie Belle was working on the costumes, I was doing the choreography, and Applebloom was designing the set.

That Evening

After the performance (which everyone agreed was much better than our first) I was heading back to Rainbow's place when I saw something, or somepony, heading into the town square. When I looked closer, I saw somepony I'd never expect to see back in town.

"Trixie?"

"Hello, little filly! The Great Trixie has returned in most of her glory to provide some extra kick to the entertainment for the celebration! Take me to Twilight Sparkle!"

I led her to Twilight, confused as to what she meant by "extra kick."

"Thank you, Scootaloo," Twilight said after I brought Trixie to her. "You can run along now. I'll handle this."

Yeah, right. Like I was just gonna let Trixie waltz into town and have a secret talk with Twilight without getting an earful of what was going on. I pressed my ear to the door. I couldn't hear much, though.

"...The Great Trixie...magical fireworks display..."

"...I'm exhausted...celebration tomorrow..."

"...Not been in Ponyville long...stargazing highlights...check out books..."

"...Nopony's...books...Spike?"

"Right here, Twilight!"

The doorknob started turning. I hightailed it out of there before either of them saw me. Magical fireworks? Stargazing highlights? What in Equestria did that mean?
I took a corner too sharp and ran into a pony I hadn't seen in a while. Not since the wedding, I think. I stood there, trying to remember her name.

"Um, Vinyl, right?"
"Yeah, that's me. Where ya goin' in such a hurry, half-pint?"

"Uh, I was just going to see my friends Sweetie Belle and Applebloom."

"Ah. Can I ask what about? Or is it a secret? I can keep a secret, don't worry."

She winked. It couldn't really hurt to tell her. She hardly knew Trixie or Twilight. She didn't know any of Twilight's friends either. The only pony she knew that could tell Twilight might be Pinkie Pie, but she did say she'd keep a secret...

"I just came from Twilight's place. Trixie's back in town, and she's gonna be doing some magical fireworks for the celebration. I heard something about stargazing. That's pretty much it."

"Fireworks? How cool is that? Mind If I gather a few friends and watch? I won't tell anypony else. If they ask, I didn't hear it from you. I was just passing by when I heard Twilight talk, and I decided to listen in. I promise."

It couldn't hurt to watch the fireworks with other ponies besides the rest of the Crusaders. Plus, if anypony asks, they can say that they decided to supervise us.

"Just tell me where you're going to meet up, so me and my friends can join in."

"Awesome! Thanks, short stack. I'm thinking one of Twilight's telescope hills. You know the one?"

"I think so..."

"Cool. Tell your friends to bring some tents. See you there."

I headed to the Crusader clubhouse, where Sweetie Belle and Applebloom were waiting for me.

"What took you so long?" Sweetie Belle asked.

"Yeah, we were waitin' for, like, half an hour for you." chimed in Applebloom.

"Sorry I'm late, girls, but you'll never guess what I found out."

I told them about the fireworks and about Vinyl and her friends watching them with us.

"Good idea. You know how our sisters can get about 'Adult Supervision.'" said Sweetie Belle.

We packed a few things and headed up to the hill. There was Vinyl, and Time Turner, for some odd reason, and somepony who I'd never seen before. She said her name was Octavia. The way she talked and acted, she sounded like she was from Canterlot. If these were Vinyl's friends, they were an odd bunch.
We chatted for a bit, though Octavia seemed more interested in some book than making small talk. We settled in into individual tents. Rainbow had been teaching me how to shape clouds, so I grabbed some fog and made a makeshift shelter with it. It wasn't perfect, but I was still learning, and It was good enough for one night. I nodded off to sleep after that.

Twilight

Ugh. I was not ready to deal with Trixie right now. The day had been an ordeal, making sure that everything went as planned (my usual job) and the performance, while it was enjoyable, stretched on for a lot longer than I'd expected it to. The celebration was tomorrow, and I had to get plenty of sleep to help get the final preparations in place for Princess Celestia's arrival. Things were not going to go as bad as last time. I'd checked all the possibilities. Discord was still petrified, Luna was off in Saddle Arabia overseeing a trade agreement in her sister's place, I'd set up a perimeter around the Everfree Forest, and the Crystal Empire was still safe and sound, no Sombra in sight. Just in case, I had asked Shining Armor to help me buff up security around here, and he had dispatched two of his best colts to help me out, as he was on his long-delayed honeymoon with Cadance and couldn't come personally. And I wasn't about to let Trixie spoil everything by trying to get back at me again.

"Alright, Trixie, what is it you want this time? Another duel? Can it wait? I'm kinda busy right now."

"The Great Trixie only wishes to add her own little touch to the celebration, that's all."

"The Great Trixie, huh? Why the demotion?"

"Trixie might not be as powerful as you, but she is still great!"

"Whatever. What exactly do you mean by 'your own little touch?'"

"Trixie means exactly that. Right as the princess raises the sun, The Great Trixie shall light off a magical fireworks display the likes of which Equestria has never seen!"

"Well, that's great. But what exactly do you need me for? I'm exhausted, and I've got my hooves full with getting ready for the celebration tomorrow."

"Trixie needs your help finding a spot to launch from. You know as well as Trixie does that Trixie hasn't been in Ponyville too long, and the one time she stayed there, she was too busy - ahem - doing other things - to check out the local stargazing highlights. You know all the best spots to watch the skies. Plus, your library contains books on magical pyrotechnics. Ponies are allowed to check out books at your library, yes?"

"I guess. Nopony's asked to check out a book before, though. Let me see... Books on magical fireworks...Spike?"

"Right here, Twilight!"

"Ah, thank you, Spike. Now, if that's all you need, then - wait, an atlas. Almost forgot. Here. Now if you wouldn't mind, I'd like to get some sleep. Try to return these after the celebration tomorrow."

"Of course. Do not let The Great Trixie bother you any further. Goodnight, Twilight Sparkle. Goodnight, and prepare to be amazed tomorrow!"

I levitated the books on fireworks and the atlas of Ponyville over to her, and shut the door. I thought I saw something orange move away from the door, but I passed it off as one of the many bookmarks I'd stuck in my Atlas of Ponyville, 21st Edition.
Good. Now that she was gone, I could get some sleep.

Octavia

"Just over here, Octavia!"

I was reading a novella near the fire in my favorite cozy armchair when Vinyl burst in, babbling nonsense about fireworks and an orange pony and Trixie and the celebration. After I got her to calm down, she told me that she got a tipoff from some filly that that boastful magician Trixie would be adding to the celebration. She said the filly overheard something about fireworks. I was reluctant, but Vinyl insisted I go with her to see them. We picked one of Twilight's stargazing hills and set up a tent there.

"This is gonna be sick!"

"Yes...sick."

"How are you not as excited as I am, Octavia? These are Trixie's fireworks we're talkin' about here! She may have been a huge loudmouth, but she did have some awesome fireworks, even back with the Ursa Minor!"

"I happen to enjoy different things than explosions in the sky, Vinyl. I have more... sophisticated tastes than that. You know how it is."

"Yeah, I know how it is. You are a composer after all."

"Exactly. so-"

"So it's kinda your job to be uptight."

"I'm not uptight, Vinyl. I just have better things to do than camp out all night just to see ten minutes of colorful explosions. It's just not worth it."

"Well, at least you took the trouble to come down here with me for the celebration. I thought Ponyville was too rustic for a Canterlot native such as yourself."

"I'll have you know I am searching for inspiration for a new piece, and the sight of Celestia raising the sun on the longest day of the year would be extremely helpful for pushing past this block I have on my hooves."

"Well, It's a good thing I invited Time Turner, so I'll have somepony to share the experience with. Somepony who isn't so uptight about cool stuff like fireworks."

I sighed. She'd invited Time Turner? A pony less enthusiastic about things like fireworks I couldn't imagine. Still, at least they'd be distracted with each other and leave me alone to finish my novella in peace. To my surprise, three little fillies came cantering up the hill shortly after. They introduced themselves as Scootaloo, Applebloom, and Sweetie Belle, and called themselves Cutie Mark Crusaders. I'd heard of something like that up in Manehattan. Time Turner arrived before night fell, and we dozed peacefully inside our tents.

Time Turner

6:00 on the nose. I arrived at the campsite at 6, talked with Vinyl and Octavia until 6:23 and 47 seconds, and headed off to
bed at precisely 7:00. Once you work with clocks and other timepieces, you tend to keep track of these things. It becomes second nature. I'm not that into fireworks - loud things like that give me headaches - but I was glad for the break from work. I was supposed to make sure the princess raises the sun at exactly 6:00, no earlier, no later. Twilight herself had given me this job, and I knew how Twilight got when things didn't go according to plan. I shuddered just thinking of it. Besides, after a
week straight of working in the shop, I'd started to hear ticking while out around the town, and I needed a break from all those clocks and hourglasses and sundials and what have you. There were three fillies I'd seen around town. I remembered
them from that school newspaper's gossip column. Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle, and Applebloom, those were their names. At any rate, we headed off into our tents. I nodded off at around 7:36 and 54 seconds.

I woke up before everypony else. 5:35 and 34 seconds. I had exactly 24 minutes and 26 seconds before the moment Celestia was supposed to raise the sun, and I was not going to be late for that moment.
I ambled over to the town hall, and met the princess in the top chamber.

"12 minutes and 42 seconds, Your Majesty."

"Why, thank you - Time Turner, was it? I think I can time it by myself - I have been doing this for over a thousand years - but thank you for going to the trouble of waking up early and getting over here."

"It's no trouble, really, but if it's all the same to you, Twilight gave me this job, and I mean to see it through."

"Well, if Twilight gave you the job, it must be vital. How long, then?"

"10 minutes and...35 seconds."

"Thank you."

We sat in silence for a good five minutes. The only sound was the ticking of my wristwatch and our quiet breathing.

"I love times like this." I said. "When it's so quiet and serene."

"Yes, times like these are rare and beautiful. Where exactly do you work, Time Turner?"

"Oh, I work in the timekeeper's shop just over there." I pointed it out with my hoof. "I take care of clocks, hourglasses, sundials, anything that can tell time, really. I know how to clean, fix, and maintain nearly everything you can bring in, and if I can't, then I'll learn how. Speaking of time, 2 minutes and 18 seconds, princess."

"Ah, thank you, Time Turner. I should stop by your shop after the celebration. I have a grandfather clock that's stopped ticking. Do you think you might be able to take a look at it?"

"As I said before, Your Majesty, it's no trouble, and I'll see what I can do about that broken clock."

She rose to her hooves and spread her wings.

"45 seconds."

"I'll be off then. See you soon, Time Turner."

"Goodbye, princess."

She few off towards the east. 25 seconds. I hoped I'd timed it right. 10 seconds. She flew higher and higher. 5 seconds. She started to spread her wings. 4. 3. 2. 1. Yes! My timing was impeccable. The first ray of sunlight hit the platform at exactly 6:00. My work finished, I flew back to the hill as fast as I could, and I managed to make it back to the campsite just as the first fireworks started to go off. Vinyl and the little ones were sitting outside, eyes on the sky. I peered into Octavia's tent. She was writing something in a notebook.

"Don't you want to see the show, Octavia?"

"Thanks but no thanks, Turner. Inspiration has struck. I have numerous great ideas begging for my attention, and I do not wish to be disturbed while I sort them out."

"Okay, then."

I headed back outside to watch with the others. The little fillies were awestruck with the display, as was Vinyl. Personally, I didn't think they were all that good. They were a bit too loud and flashy for my taste. I was glad to see the others were enjoying them.

"Yo, Turner, look at that one! It's huge!"

A rather large firework was shooting up into the sky, growing larger and brighter. All of a sudden, it stopped for a second, glowing even brighter, then continued its journey, slower this time. There was something else, though. Something brighter. Something bigger.

"What is that?"

"What's what? Oh. OH. Whoa! Hey, girls! check this out!"

Vinyl pointed out the object to the girls, and they all looked at it in awe.

"A comet!"

That's what it was! A comet! It seemed that Trixie's timing was even better than mine. She'd managed to time her display perfectly with a meteor shower!

"Wow! A comet? How awesome is that! Way to go, Trixie!"

Still, something was wrong. That firework was going slower now, still getting brighter by the second, but almost crawling across the sky. The comet was getting bigger. Fast. It was like it was...

"Run!"

It was getting closer to us! It was going to hit this very spot! We had about a minute. I burst into Octavia's tent.

"Octavia, sorry to disturb you, but there's a rather large meteor heading this way, so could you please pack up and move sometime in the neighborhood of right now?"

I'd packed up my tent when I left for town hall, so I helped Octavia pack hers. 30 seconds.

When we got outside, Vinyl had packed her tent, and was helping the little girls pack theirs. 15 seconds. We ran as fast as we could down the hill until I was sure we were safe. Then, and only then, did we look back at the hill. 10 seconds. We saw the firework finish its journey and reach the top of its arc. 5 seconds. We saw the meteor hit the firework mid flight. 4. 3. 2. 1. We saw the firework explode just as the meteor hit the hilltop. We felt the shockwave and were blasted back off of our hooves.
But we were not ready for what was to come.

Trixie

The Great Trixie was showing her stuff to the people of Appleloosa. They were awed by her displays, they were amazed at her magic, and they threw roses onto the stage once she had finished. Trixie even had a couple of curtain calls. After the show, Trixie headed to the nearest inn to book a room and sample some of the local fare. As she ate, she heard that the Summer Sun Celebration was to be held in Ponyville this year. The celebration was only a week away, and promised to be the best one yet. Trixie sat in her hotel room, musing it over. Should she go back to Ponyville? She would probably have a warmer welcome than last time, seeing as how the town had forgiven her for her cruel actions while using the Alicorn Amulet. Then again, she had done some really cruel and tyrant-like things during her short stay. Would they trust her after what she'd done?
It was decided, then. Trixie would go to Ponyville and show them that she could be trusted by igniting the largest and most grand fireworks display EVER!
Trixie set out at once, spending days on the road and nights in her roving stage-tent. She managed to arrive in Ponyville the evening before the celebration. As she walked into town, an orange filly approached her.

"Trixie?"

"Hello, little filly! The Great Trixie has returned in most of her glory to provide some extra kick to the entertainment for the celebration! Take me to Twilight Sparkle!"

The orange filly took me to a library made out of a tree. Trixie had heard that this was where Twilight Sparkle lived. It seemed fitting for a pony rumored to be obsessed with books, magic, and books about magic.

When the door opened, Trixie saw a very frazzled-looking Twilight emerge. Twilight groaned.

"Alright, Trixie, what is it you want this time? Another duel? Can it wait? I'm kinda busy right now."

"The Great Trixie only wishes to add her own little touch to the celebration, that's all."

"The Great Trixie, huh? Why the demotion?"

Trixie was thinking of it less and less like a demotion and more like a title these days. 'Trixie, second only to Twilight Sparkle.' It did have a certain ring to it.

"Trixie might not be as powerful as you, but she is still great!"

"Whatever. What exactly do you mean by 'your own little touch?'"

"Trixie means exactly that. Right as the princess raises the sun, The Great Trixie shall light off a magical fireworks display the likes of which Equestria has never seen!"

"Well, that's great. But what exactly do you need me for? I'm exhausted, and I've got my hooves full with getting ready for the celebration tomorrow."

"Trixie needs your help finding a spot to launch from. You know as well as Trixie does that Trixie hasn't been in Ponyville too long, and the one time she stayed there, she was too busy - ahem - doing...other things - to check out the local stargazing highlights. You know all the best spots to watch the skies. Plus, your library contains books on magical pyrotechnics. Ponies are allowed to check out books at your library, yes?"

Trixie tried to put on her best sheepish look as she said 'other things.' She didn't like talking about the time she conquered Ponyville under the control of the Alicorn Amulet. She didn't much like hearing about it either. Thankfully, Twilight didn't bring it up any further.

"I guess. Nopony's asked to check out a book before, though. Let me see... Books on magical fireworks...Spike?"

"Right here, Twilight!"

"Ah, thank you, Spike. Now, if that's all you need, then - wait, an atlas. Almost forgot. Here. Now if you wouldn't mind, I'd like to get some sleep. Try to return these after the celebration tomorrow."

"Of course. Do not let The Great Trixie bother you any further. Goodnight, Twilight Sparkle. Goodnight, and prepare to be amazed tomorrow!"

Trixie turned away to see that orange filly from earlier dart off. She considered chasing the filly down, but decided not to. So what if she told her little friends that Trixie was lighting fireworks? The more people watching in awe, the better, Trixie thought.
Now that Trixie had some extra knowledge and a selection of hills and platforms to choose from, Trixie settled on a hill near the eastern edge of the city. She looked toward the hill next to her and saw five tents perched on top. She kept watching, and saw that orange filly come out of one of the tents and make a makeshift tent out of fog. Excellent. They would get the show of their lives, come tomorrow.
The next day dawned on Trixie's amazing display. She lit the first fuse just as the sun rose, and the fireworks shot up into the sky and exploded in multicolored balls of fire and glory. It was so spectacular, it even amazed Trixie herself! She got so enthusiastic about the show that she accidentally lit her 'Grand Finale' firework - a firework that absorbs magical energy to go higher and brighter than any other firework - a minute early. She had no choice but to use magic to restrain it. The problem was, though, that the longer it stayed still, the more magical energy it absorbed. It was taking all of Trixie's strength just to slow it down to a crawl. By that point, the firework had so much magical energy inside of it that if it hit the ground, it could dramatically alter Ponyville forever.

"At least it'll detonate harmlessly above Ponyville." Trixie reassured herself. Then she saw a bright ball in the sky and remembered. The meteor shower! only from this hill and the hill next to it could the shower be seen with the naked eye, and it looked like some of her fireworks had gone so high they'd knocked one of them out of orbit! Trixie tried to release the firework from its slowing spell, but it was too late. The meteor hit it just as it was going to explode, and carried it down towards that other hill.

"I hope that filly and her friends are okay." I thought.
Then the world turned upside down and flashed white, and then there was nothing.

Chapter End.

Author's Note

Please let me know if you guys like it! If you do, let me know and I'll be sure to make more!
To answer a concern you might have:
This fanfic is told from the perspectives of those involved as if they were reminiscing on past adventures. However, Trixie still tells her part of the story in the third person, as Trixie is wont to do.
Is there any way I can make this story better? Tell me in the comments!

Edit: Given the same treatment as CH1. More to come tomorrow; I'm tired and it's late.

Chapter 9: Lessons

Luna

As I strode down the corridor leading to the Trial Room, my thoughts turned to the strange voice in my head.
This isn't good. I haven't felt anything close to this since...
I slowed my pace for a moment and shuddered.
Since a thousand years ago.
"Is everything all right?"
It was Celestia. She stopped and put a hand on my shoulder. I stopped as well.
"Just a little shaken up is all." I replied, turning towards my concerned sister.
"Why?"
"It's just... Watching Sweetie Belle fight her sister like that brought up some bad memories. I'm fine."
"If there's anything I can do to help, I'm here for you, Luna." she said, giving me a smile.
"Thanks. I'll keep that in mind." I said, starting to walk to the Trial Room.
"But..." I heard Celestia say.
"But what?" I said, turning around.
"Luna, you just said that you'd keep my offer in mind."
"I know, and I will."
"I don't..." Celestia trailed off, and I looked at her, confused.
"What's wrong?" I asked, putting a hand on her shoulder.
"Sis, I think the stress of this whole thing is starting to affect you. Maybe you should take it easy." she said, staring at me with a concerned look on her face.
"What about the students?"
"There's no need to be so snappy, Luna. I was just making a suggestion."
"I wasn't being snappy." I said.
"Sorry, Luna. I guess I'm just being a little overprotective."
"I'm confused." I said. "Are you not listening to me, sister? I just said I was not being snappy, and that I will call on you for aid when I need it."
"Let's just go back to the Trial Room, okay?" Celestia said, walking past me and entering the room.
What just happened? Am I going mad or something?
I walked through the door after her.

???
It seems I must lay low for now. She is starting to notice my presence. No matter. By the time Sombra attacks, I will have taken her, and then the world will kneel before the might of the mighty four.

Octavia

A short while after Sweetie Belle had exited the arena, the princesses came back in, Celestia with a worried look on her face.
"Is something wrong, Celestia?" I asked. Celestia looked at her sister, who gave her a scowl, then a worried look.
"Nothing, Octavia. Just... Thinking is all."
I turned away, intent on re-tuning my cello, which had gone sharp after I'd knocked out Nightshade with it.
"That's odd..." I said, noticing something strange about the instrument.
"What is it, Tavi?" Vinyl said, coming over to see what was the matter.
"I don't remember my cello being white." I said, gesturing to the aforementioned cello. Sure enough, where it had before been a beautiful oak, it was now a stark white, as if someone had sucked all of the color out of it.
"Weird." Vinyl reached for her headphones, presumably to listen to some music, but once she picked them up she stoppped and looked over them.
"Hey, Applebloom?"
"Yeah?"
"Which pair of phones did I give you, blue, white, or black?"
"Um..." Applebloom said, rummaging in a bag for the headphones Vinyl had lent her. "Black. Speakin' of which..."
She tossed the headphones to Vinyl.
"Here ya go."
"Okay. This is really weird." Vinyl said. "I don't own more than one pair of black headphones, but look..."
I looked, and saw Vinyl holding a pair of black headphones in each hand.
"And the logo on one of them has changed."
Upon closer examination, I noticed that the earphones in her right hand, which had formerly sported a broken record, like all her headphones, now had an odd symbol, a curved black raindrop with a white outline and a dot in the middle.
I watched as Applebloom sat back down in her chair, only to leap up again, brandishing her mace.
"My weapon's turned brown!"
Upon closer examination, I saw that Applebloom's mace, which had previously been made of iron, was now an odd brownish-gold color.
"Something strange is going on." Time Turner said, gesturing to his hourglass necklace. "This used to have black sand in white tinted glass. Now it's got yellow sand in blue tinted glass."
"My stuff's changed too." said Scootaloo. "The spikes on them were lightning bolts, like Rainbow Dash's cutie mark, but now they're flames."
"This is scary." Vinyl said, glancing around at the group.
"It shouldn't be." Celestia said, striding over to us as Luna and a healed Sweetie Belle walked in. "It means your Elements have changed their physical forms."
"What does that mean" Sweetie Belle asked, sitting down in a chair.
"Well, when me and Luna used the Elements of harmony to defeat Discord and Sombra, they were gems. Then when the old Element bearers - Twilight and her friends - found the Elements, they were stone orbs. Then, when they used them, they changed into necklaces, and when Equestria changed, the necklaces did as well. Now they've changed again, it seems."
"Sweetie Belle, has something happened to your stuff?" Time Turner asked.
"The jewels in the handles of my daggers used to be purple, like Rarity's hair, but now they're blue."
"The change, as with Twilight and her friends, is merely aesthetic." Celestia said. "It shouldn't affect what they're meant to do."
"Which is what, exactly?" Vinyl asked.
"Vanquish darkness, bring light, and restore peace." Luna said. "Just like with me and my sister."
"Precisely." Celestia said. "Now that your elements have manifested themselves, it's time to begin your actual training."

Vinyl
The next four months pass in a blur of study, sparring, meditation, and lessons from the princesses. When the fifth month rolls around, Celestia and Luna gather us in the training room where we'd gathered when they'd told us about Sombra and the Elements.
"You've all progressed so much in your training." Celestia said. "I'm so proud of you all. You've learned how to control your Elements, and you've mastered your weapons."
"Now it's time to finish your training." Luna said. "Each Element has two special abilities; by the end of these two months, you will have mastered them both."
I glanced at Octavia and our eyes met for a moment. We both nodded slightly, almost imperceptibly.
I turned back to face Luna, a determined grin on my face.
Bring it on. We're ready for whatever happens.

Later

Music pounding from my Element-phones, I concentrated on the practice dummy in front of me, crafted in such a manner that if I hit it, it would swivel and attack me at an odd angle. At first, it'd caught me off guard, the many limbs swinging in from almost every direction. "In real battles, you can't expect an enemy to come at you where you expect them to. You have to be prepared to react fast and move faster." Luna had said.
Pausing, I turned to look at the clock on the wall of the training room. 5:50. Almost time for my one-on-one training with Luna. I sheathed my practice katana and set it on the rack with my real one. Luna had said not to bring a weapon, though at first I hadn't exactly relished the thought of parting with The Needle. Turning off the light in the room, I grabbed a towel and left. As I walked down the hallway to Luna's private training room, I let my mind wander.
I wonder how Tavi's been doing? Besides at lunch, I don't really get much time to talk aside from our group training sessions, and even then the only way I can talk to her is when we're sparring together, and during that I'm too busy dodging her arrows. Even with fluffy balls on the ends, those things hurt when they hit...
I arrived at the training room just as Sweetie Belle left, soaked and dripping.
"How's the training been going?" I asked, holding out the towel. After the first few weeks of our one-on-one sessions, I'd gotten into the habit of taking a towel with me to Luna's training room; Sweetie Belle always went before me, and she always came out sopping wet.
"Really well, actually. I'm getting better at controlling water." She replied, taking the towel and drying her hair. "Although Luna never has enough towels."
"Glad I can help" I said, smiling, as I walked into the room. Luna was there, sitting cross-legged on the floor as always, deep in meditation. I sat and joined her, clearing my mind. After a few minutes, Luna said the same thing she'd always said from the first day I trained one-on-one with her.
"I thought I told you to always interrupt my meditation when you arrive, Vinyl. I do not want to waste any of your training time."
I opened my eyes to see Luna smiling at me.
"Sorry, Luna." I said, returning the smile. "But you looked so peaceful, I thought 'maybe this one time I shouldn't disturb her.'" It was the same reply I used every time since the first day. The exchange had become its own little inside joke for us.
"Shall we begin?" she asked.
"Of course."
We stood, and I concentrated, sensing more than seeing my body fade away, leaving only my shadow. As I watched, Luna sank slowly into her own shadow until we were both only shadows.
"You've gotten better." she thought at me.
I've been practicing. I thought back.
"I believe it's time for you to begin working on the first extension of your shadow state, your first ability. The first of the two is always an extension of the powers afforded an Element bearer, the second one being an extension of the first."
Alright, let's get started then.
I started to clear my mind, but Luna stopped me.
"No. For this to work, you must let your mind wander. Think about something. Focus on that line of thought until you get lost in it, then start again.
I focused on Sweetie Belle always needing a towel, how there were never enough, how no matter how violently she dried her hair, it always came out perfect, how... And so on until I had almost forgotten where I was.
"Good. Now focus on a place... The roof of the castle should suffice for now."
I visualized the roof, its blue shingles, the odd way the sun reflected off of it, the sloped roof of the towers, the edge that jutted over the balcony to protect those below from rain...
And suddenly I was there. When I looked around me, I saw the outside of the west wing towering over me. When I looked at the ground, blue shingles greeted me.
I did it.
I reverted back to my normal form and looked over the edge of the roof. The balcony to the central training room was just below me.
I did it!
I looked up at the sun and grinned.
I DID IT!
"Yes, you certainly did."
I looked behind me to see the shadow of a human on the ground. I faded away, and my shadow moved to join Luna's.
"I didn't expect you to get the hang of teleportation so quickly. I'm impressed."
Thank you, Luna.
"However, there is still much to learn."
Shall we begin, then?
"Of course."

1 Month Later

Octavia
"I think you're getting the hang of this."
"Thank you, Princess."
"Octavia, please..."
"I know. Call you Celestia."
"It makes me uncomfortable enough to be reminded of my station every time I leave the castle. Please don't extend that discomfort to within the walls as well."
"Yes, Celestia."
"Thank you."
Sweat dripping from my brow, I exited the training room and headed for the dining hall. Training, as always, had required much mental exertion, and the usual headache was beginning to form. I sighed and entered the spacious room; lined with tables and chairs, it could fit hundreds with room to spare, yet only the six of us were using it for now. The three younger girls were chatting together at the middle of one table. Time Turner sat a ways away, staring up at the high ceiling.
"Yo, Tavi. Over here."
Vinyl stood, a plate of food in her hands.
"Get some food and come sit by me."
I smiled and walked to the other side of the room, where the entrance to the kitchen was. Entering the kitchen, I saw our midday meal already prepared for us and laid out on plates, and numerous ones at that, in case one was not enough to sate our hunger, though one always was.
Walking back over to where Vinyl sat, I noticed the tiredness in her eyes, the lines on her face from constant exertion, the look of exhaustion that only comes from a hard day of work.
I hope I don't look like that.
"How goes the training?" I said, sitting across from her.
She frowned. "It's not."
I raised an eyebrow. "Really?
"Yeah." Vinyl looked at me, and I saw an expression foreign to her: worry.
"I have teleportation down pat. I can turn into a shadow as easily as you can lift your arm. I can read the emotions of others through their shadows like open books with giant words. But no matter how hard I try, I can not figure out how to use my other ability."
"Which would be..."
"Well, when I turn into a shadow, supposedly, I can clone myself. But I can't. I've tried clearing my mind, focusing, and hours and hours and hours of meditation, but nothing's working. I even train through the night, Octavia. Through the night. I don't get any sleep."
"You're the Element of Shadow, Vinyl. According to the princesses, you don't need sleep."
"But still..."
"I understand. For the longest time I couldn't figure out how to create light from nothing."
"Yeah, but you figured it out."
"It was a fluke. Celestia startled me during training, and it just happened."
"Luna's tried that. It hasn't worked."
"Have you tried taking it up with her?"
"Yeah, but she just said I needed to need to do it, whatever that means."
"I don't really know what to say, except not to give up. I'm sorry."
"You shouldn't be. You're not a failure."
At the word 'failure' my mind flashed back to my lessons with Celestia.
"Seeing as how you've mastered your first ability early, I feel I can take a break from the usual training today to teach you about something more important than your powers." Celestia said as I walked into the room.
"What's that"
"Friendship, Octavia. Friendship."
"Why teach me about that? The only friends I have are you and the rest of the Elements. Do I really need any more?"
"I'm not teaching you how to make friends. I'm teaching you how to save them."
"Save them?"
"Yes. Do you recall when Discord was unleashed?"
"Yes. I was stuck perpetually playing the banjo while Vinyl went around deaf for a few days."
"Do you know how he defeated Twilight and her friends?"
"No."
"He turned their Elements against them. He made them fight amongst themselves. But most devastatingly, he made them give up."
"How was that devastating?"
Celestia looked me straight in the eyes, and the look on her face almost made me take a step back, it was so serious.
"When one of the Element Bearers gives up hope, the others are weakened considerably. When all of them give up, their power is lost completely. Octavia, you must listen to me. This cannot happen again. Even if it's over something small and trivial, hope must be kept alive. My own sister turned into a monster purely because she felt she wasn't good enough, that she was a failure. None of you were, are, or will ever be failures. Make sure the others know that with every breath. Do you understand?"
There was a long pause as I considered what she had said.
"I do."
"Good. Promise me that you will help your friends that forget. As the Element of Light, you are to be a beacon of hope to all those who need it. That is your duty."
"I promise."
"Thank you."
I looked at Vinyl, her head low, sitting across from me. My fingers curled into a fist.
"Vinyl?"
She looked up, her eyes watering.
"Yeah?"
"Let's see you grit those teeth."
Vinyl's head shot back as my fist slammed into her jaw, hard.
"Ow! What was that for!?"
"Listen to me, Vinyl, and listen well. Nobody here is ever allowed to lose faith in themselves. I want you to promise me that whenever one of us starts to lose hope, the other will be there to knock some sense into them, okay?"
Vinyl rubber her cheek.
"Okay... But did you really have to hit me that hard?"
"No." I said. "But you looked like you needed it."
She smiled at that.

End of Chapter

Author's Note

Sorry for the long break in between updates: I'm working on a side project and have been juggling that and school along with this story, so updates will be less frequent but with more material.

Aaaand I forgot to publish this chapter - and therefore the above AN - before I got sick, then went on vacation, then forgot again, then went on ANOTHER vacation, and then got sick again. Geez, I need to step up my game.

"The next four months pass in a blur of study, sparring, meditation, and lessons from the princesses."
This not-even-one line of text used to be an entire chapter, but due to my strange writer's block described in Chapter 10.5, I had to reduce it to that one sentence. Hopefully Inspiration will strike me, and then I'll come back and expand it, and then Cadance and Shining Armor will be in the story again.
Waiting on you, Rarity...

Chapter 14: Green Water, Green Fire

Trixie

As I walked through the forest, scanning the ground for herbs, my mind wandered to my acquaintances in Ponyville.
I'd traveled there a few times over the past week, mainly herb gathering - it surprised me often how many different herbs Zecora needed and the quantities she needed of said herbs - and I'd noticed something... off about the Ponyvillians. They hardly even knew who I was, despite the fact that I'd mistreated them so much during the whole Alicorn Amulet snafu.
Having collected the needed herbs, I concentrated, thinking of the cottage I now called my home; a bit off-putting at first, but I'd grown to appreciate its subtle, tribal beauty.
A flash of light, a burst of sound, and I was standing on the doorstep. I took a moment to gather my bearings and stepped inside.
"I'm back with the herbs, Zecora." I said, placing the ingredients next to her cauldron, which was bubbling and frothing with some potion or other.
Then again, when isn't she making some crazy elixir or cure-all? She hasn't stopped making stuff since I started helping her.
Zecora grunted, holding two bottles in each hand and one in her teeth. Setting the bottles down, she started adding their contents into the cauldron, slowly stirring the brew.
"Do you need any more help?" I asked, secretly hoping not. To my relief, Zecora shook her head, and I left her to her concoction and went to the meditating pool.
It's strange; the more you get to know Zecora the less she talks. It's understandable, I guess; coming up with rhyming couplets on the spot 24/7 must get hard after a while...
I concentrated, and stepped out onto the water, magic keeping me from sinking into the pool. I sat down cross-legged on the center of the pool and cleared my mind. I levitated a ball of water in front of me, focusing intensely. As I concentrated, the ball of water split into two smaller balls, elongating into streams of water, which then started swirling around in a strange aerial dance. I focused more, and levitated a second ball of water, the two streams circling around it eclectically. I levitated a third orb, and had the two orbs orbit each other while the streams continued their strange dance.
I stood up then. The water dropped slightly, but I refocused and continued the exercise, moving the water around me in circles, increasing the speed ever so subtly. After a couple of minutes, the water was whipping past me in blurs as I concentrated.
Now for the hard part...
I shut my eyes, and turned the water to ice.
As I opened my eyes, I was greeted by a frozen orb levitating inches from my face.
I did it! I actually did it!
I checked off another item on my mental checklist of the spells I'd been able to perform while my magic had been boosted by the amulet. So far I'd been able to create pies, levitate a fruit cart, create a chariot, make a pony dance (with consent, of course), and now, freeze things.
Next up is age spells, and then whatever I did to Pinkie Pie.
In my exultation, I'd let my concentration slip and fallen into the pool. Climbing out, I used a spell to dry myself off and resumed my normal meditation.

Later That Day

As I strode into town, something struck me as off about the usually bustling village.
All was quiet. Not a footstep echoed through the streets but mine, not a voice could be heard. A lone tumbleweed made its way across the street unhindered; all the usual abandoned-town cliches.
I walked up to a stand run by a woman named Daisy, one of the few vendors who carried the exotic herbs that Zecora's recipes called for.
I rang the small bell and thought back to yesterday as I waited for Daisy to appear...

"Why hello, Daisy. How are you today?" I'd asked, giving her a radiant smile. I'd always tried to be extra nice to the people I'd hurt directly while using the Alicorn Amulet; I'd forced Daisy to hang up flags of me all over Trixieville.
"Why hello there, uh..."
Daisy's voice had trailed off as she stared at me blankly.
"Who are you?"
"Why, don't you remember me?" I'd asked, giving her a confused look. "It's me, Trixie. I come here every week to pick up herbs for Zecora, remember?"
She'd nodded then, and a look of understanding came into her eyes.
"Ah, Trixie! Sorry, there's been a lot on my plate lately; surely you understand."
"Of course I do. At any rate, I'm here for some Poison Joke Powder."
"Let me see if I've got any..."
Daisy'd darted into the back room, knocking over a bottle of herbs on her way. She quickly caught it and placed it back on the shelf. As she entered the back room, I examined the label:

Poison Joke Powder

"What's going on around here?" I'd said to myself.
Muffled voices started emanating from the back room, and, curious, I'd enhanced my hearing via magic to see what the voices were saying.
"Look, I have no idea who this Trixie chick is, but if you don't get rid of her soon, we'll-"
"She said she knows Zecora! We're spread thin as it is; we can't afford to lose anyone else or we'll never hold up against an organized-"
"Okay, okay! Just... Make her go away. We can't deal with any variables right now!"
"How!?"
"Just give her the herbs she needs and she'll leave!"
"How am I supposed to know anything about herbs? Why was I stationed here? The only 'herbs' I've ever seen are brambles and the occasional tumbleweed!"
"Then tell her you're all out! Just do something!"
Daisy'd exited the back room, a nervous look on her face.
"Sorry, but we're all out of Poison Joke Powder. Come back some other time. We get new stocks tomorrow, and-"
She'd stopped then and winced, as if she'd said something she wasn't supposed to have said.
"I'll come back another day." I'd said, ambling off. "Have a nice day, Daisy!"

My thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a door opening. I looked up to see Daisy walking towards the counter, a nervous look on her face. She smiled weakly at me.
"Hello again, Trixie..."
"Hello, Daisy? How are things?"
"Oh, you know..."
I looked around, puzzled.
"Late again."
"Who's late?"
"My friend Raincloud's late. We always hang around here and chat until I have to go back to Zecora's. It's a shame; I'd found out something really interesting."
"She must be sick or something. Listen, our supplies have been delayed for a few days, so if you could come back, say, Saturday, that'd be-"
Her words were cut off as I leapt over the counter, tackling her and covering her mouth so she couldn't scream for help.
With my other hand, I grabbed her necklace.
"Wouldn't want you signaling your friends, now would we?" I said. "Tell me; Where's the real Daisy?"
She tried to say something, but with my hand over her mouth it was muffled, so what she said came out as "MMM MMM MMM MMM MMM-MMM!"
"You are most definitely not the real Daisy." I said, glaring at the impostor. "People who don't exist can't very well get sick, can they?"
The fake Daisy's eyes grew wide, and I nodded.
"That's right. There is no Raincloud. Now what are you and what have you done with Daisy?"
The impostor bit the inside of my hand, but I held on despite the pain. I closed my eyes, concentrating...
We appeared back at Zecora's hut.
Zecora looked up from her potion, eyes wide in shock.
"Trixie, what on earth is going on? Who's this person you've landed upon?"
"I knew something was off when I visited Ponyville yesterday, and now I have proof: the people in town are not as they appear!"
I concentrated again, and my necklace started glowing.
"This spell should get rid of any illusions or shape-changing magic." I said, releasing the spell and watching light blue sparks cover the fake Daisy. When the sparks lifted, Zecora and I both gasped.
"Dark tidings you bring: You've found a changeling!"