The Stranger From The Vortex

Rarity stepped out of her Boutique with a saddle on her back, she fixed her flower hat while also concentrating on her own mission at hand. Her mind was curious about this dress that Fluttershy had created by using the book she intended to borrow. Twilight and Pinkie Pie were so proudly boasting about as if they made it themselves, likely trying to get on her nerves. Oh how they succeeded because now she was making her way to Fluttershy’s. Rarity then remembered something odd and out of place after she had left the gang of friends, Rarity took notice of Clockwork and Twilight heading into the Library, wearing white rubber outfits fitted with helmets. Usually she would question why, but knowing Twilight, best to let the mare do whatever she was planning; possibly they were going in for some spring cleaning. So what was it that made her feel as if something was out of place?

For a powerful unicorn, I’m quite surprised she needs Clockwork to help her with a spring cleaning. Well it is a dusty old Library. Hopefully then I can have make time to catch up with that handsome bow tie stallion. I don’t know she doesn’t get Spike to do it? He’ll pretty much do anything for a little guy.

Suddenly she remembered. Spike wasn’t with the group at all. Now it’s no surprise that there are some moments when Twilight and Spike aren’t always together, but it if they were going to do spring cleaning then where was Spike? Then like the unexpected booming of thunder in a lightning storm, Rarity heard a surprising yell that was coming from behind and getting closer towards the shop; she looked up to see Spike rocketing towards her. Rarity screamed. She ducked and covered as Spike crashed into the ground like an asteroid from the cosmos, until his body stopped before Rarity’s hooves.

“Spike; Spike; are you alright? Oh speak to me, Spikey Wikey?” the ever so comforting voice of Miss Rarity asked to the baby dragon. Spike groaned; he forced his eyelids to open as he rubbed his head. The baby dragon gasped to see in the light that it was Rarity. Immediately Spike dusted himself the very instant he knew who was standing before him.

“Uh, hi, Rarity! What are you doing here?” Spike said, trying to act as if nothing happened.

“What are YOU doing here? I saw you fall out of the sky like a rocket, are you alright?” she asked, concerned that her friend might have broken something.

“Nah, don’t worry about me. I’ll be alright” he said as Rarity paid her attention as to where he came from. Behind her back, Spike yelled in silence as he felt complete pain. He turned back to her with a smile, showing no signs he was still in obvious pain.

“Well if you say so, but why are you here? Why aren’t you with Twilight and her friends at the Library?” she asked Spike, who took a minute to finally snap out of his Rarity warped mind back to reality.

“Twilight; you saw Twilight?” Spike asked.

“Yes, and she was-” Rarity continued, until Spike grabbed her with no hesitant to ask her, “Where?! I need to get to her, she’s in grave danger!”

“How is she in grave danger?! Spike I just saw her with Clockwork, Miss Hooves, and Pinkie Pie. How can she be in danger?” Rarity asked, confused by Spike’s outburst.

“I don’t know, but something about a black slimy creature and the Maes-” he stopped and gasped in shock to realize that The Maestro wasn’t beside him at the fall, “No, no, no, no, no; Where did he go?!”

“Where did who go?” Rarity asked, in confusion at his sudden change.

“The Maestro; he’s a tall unicorn and looks kinda-” Spike said, until Rarity interrupted with her details.

“Does he have a white and dirty coat? Has this sort of crazy look to his body, especially with that black, curly, and silly mane; as well as what looks like a torn up blanket around his waist?” Rarity asked, looking past the dragon and at the white unicorn tripping over, get back up, and jump around up the road. She took notice of how a small family with a father and mother pulled their young filly to the side and turn from the unicorn as he kept shouting what sounded like Spike’s name.

“Yes, but how did you know that was him?” Spike asked, dumbfounded by her many details.

“Spike, Spike!” The Maestro yelled out as he finally caught up with Spike. The dragon turned around, but was trampled as the Maestro jumped out and hugged his friend. Rarity raised an eyebrow as the odd looking unicorn just grab her friend and rustle him around like a rag doll in his hooves.

“Oh how I missed you so much!” he said, emphasis on the ‘so’ as he hugged Spike tightly.

“Nice job on getting us tossed out of the Market!” Spike groaned as he pushed him off.

“The Market; but that’s almost a mile up the road. How did you get thrown far out from there to here?” Rarity asked.

“Some market seller with a Manehattan accent bucked us in the face because this pony called his food fat, watery, and too sugary. Then when he figured out that I couldn’t pay him, the vendor got rid of us the hard way with applause from the other sellers that this stallion offended too!” Spike explained.

“Yes, but I can assure you that Cinnamon Bun vendor was going to get it! In fact, he will once we get back there, right after we pay for that Apple Earth Pony’s most delectable apple!” Maestro said.

“Applejack; you met Applejack already?” Spike asked.

“Yes, now come on” The Maestro said, grabbing Spike’s hand, “I want more of her food, and then I promise to-yah!”

Suddenly The Maestro was tossed to the ground by Rarity who took Spike from him whilst keeping on hoof on his nose.

“Oh no you don’t; you’re not taking Spike back to the Market just to get beaten up again by that vulgar manehattan vendor that you are referring to” Rarity ordered, “Besides, Spike was talking about a danger that Twilight might in. Which doesn’t make sense being that she’s with three other ponies, but if Spike thinks she’s in danger then you must excuse us before-”

“Well, well, well, Spike you didn’t tell me that you had other beautiful friends? Who might I ask is this beautiful creature?” The Maestro asked, stunned to be at the end of Rarity’s hoof. She was taken aback by his unexpected comment.

“What?!” Spike furiously questioned.

“Yes, just look at her! A light gray unicorn whose coat just looks delightful at this angle” The Maestro went on, making her blush and Spike fumed with rage.

“Well this is an interesting development?” Rarity said, blushing a little at his unusual reason to compliment her beauties.

“Pfft, my mane looks like a raggedy doll’s in comparison to your profound indigo mane. The shadows, the style, the hints of dark and light mulberry; oh the look of it is just utterly fabulous” The Maestro kept on complementing.

Rarity at this point released her hoof to let him go, and looked up at the Maestro as he got himself up. With other stallions she could tell that they were just lying to her, but his smile was real. She could see the vibes of excitement he had by walking around her. In her mind, this was totally weird and completely insane that some pony she’s never met before is acting like this, but his enthusiasm to merely observe her majesty had gotten to her head. Rarity was taking in all the things he had to say.

“Ooh darling, are you just trying to stop me from letting you take Spike or are you serious?” Rarity asked, testing him. She cocked her head to the side, making her hair wave around. He smirked, and kept playing along with it.

“No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no … well maybe, but trust me; you are one of the most beautiful unicorns I’ve seen in my entire existence. By the way, your hat is so fashionable!” The Maestro said, knowing very well that he was just trying to slip Spike away, but he definitely wasn’t lying about her features.

“Oh stop it; please, you are quite the character, and so random too” Rarity said, looking up at the Stallion as he moved in closer to her.

“I know, much of this day has been one random thing after another, but I quite enjoy it actually. Especially since I’ve so randomly just met you and so randomly had the bravery to just say how fantastic you look” The Maestro bit his bottom lip and smirked as Rarity kept blushing at him.

“Well, I would love to keep making you blush Miss uh … Rarity, is it?” he said, whispering into her ear.

“Yes; Rarity if you’d like to Mister-” she whispered, ‘till he answered her. Spike’s blood was boiling at the sight before his eyes. He clamped his teeth and ground them together at the flirtation.

“Maestro; they call me The Maestro; but sadly these blue eyes of mine must be off, making it very sad for me because I cannot stay and look back at those big, blue, beautiful, moderate azure eyes …” The Maestro said, pulling back and grabbing Spike.

“No!” Spike furiously responded, looking back at Rarity who was under The Maestro’s smitten play with words to get her to let Spike go.

“Come on Spike; I really need to pay for Miss Applejack’s apples!” The Maestro said, pulling his friend.

“BUT WE NEED TO GET TO TWILIGHT!” Spike yelled, pulling the Maestro from the blanket.

“I said we will, but I want to pay for my apples, and let go!” The Maestro said, tugging back at the blanket. The two started to tug at the blanket as well. Both were pulling it back and forth with fury. Spike’s rage gave him enough energy to strengthen his arms and pull back the sheet. The Maestro ground his teeth and snorted as he stomped his hooves on the ground.

“Now boys, just relax and I’m sure we can resolve something” Rarity said. She looked at the blanket, noticing the small tears beginning to form.

“I will not leave Twilight in danger, now stop being selfish and let’s go!” Spike demanded.

“Spike, please; you’re both acting like children!” Rarity pointed out.

“I’m a Baby Dragon, and besides, he’s acting like if he can save my friends at the last minute!” Spike replied. The gaps in the tears were getting bigger.

“Well how can I save your friends when I had a stomach ache that didn’t stop with all that horrible food you gave me?! You know, I had a headache!” The Maestro yelled back, tugging harder at the blanket.

“Just admit it; you only agreed to just get a snack?!” Spike shouted.

“I wanted a snack, sure, but I promised to help!” The Maestro said.

“Boys; stop it this instant!” Rarity yelled; looking at them both as the two kept at it.

“Uh-huh, sure, and don’t you talk to me about headaches! This entire day has been one big headache for me, Twilight, and The Doctor ever since you’ve arrived! Now because of you, their lives are in peril!” Spike shouted, angry and not caring for what he told the Maestro earlier in the TARDIS. All this time he used was just to get a snack, not to really help his friends. Then as expected the fabric instantly tore apart and the two were flung back in the ground.

“Spike, Spike; are you okay?!” Rarity ran over to Spike who was completely angry. The Maestro stayed down, with the ripped sheet covering his face.

“I’m alright Rarity, but I’m not going to stop because he ripped the blanket Twilight gave him when he was knocked out cold!” replied Spike.

“What are you talking about?” Rarity asked, still confused.

“The Maestro ... he’s not from here. He’s not some new friend of mine or Twilight’s, but he’s just some weird twisted result of a spell gone wrong; now because of it, Twilight might be in danger. The Doctor, Pinkie Pie, and Ditzy joined her because they think something else might have also gone wrong with the spell” Spike slowly explained.

“So what’s why they wore those out of fashion white rubber suits?” Rarity said to herself.

“I’m guessing so, but now I might be too late! Right you-” Spike said as he grabbed The Maestro’s torn half of the sheet, but stopped when he saw the stranger’s eyes with tears.

The Maestro didn’t look up at Spike or Rarity as he kept his eyes shut, with the teardrops rolling down his cheeks. He wasn’t being selfish to pay back Applejack, but he knew that it wasn’t right that he took the time they could've used to save Twilight and The Doctor. The Maestro looked up with guilt written all over his face and sighed. Rarity looked back at those crying eyes, and saw the very essence of a lonely pony who was feeling completely responsible and shameful for this situation getting out of hand. Spike looked into those eyes, suddenly regretting all he said because he should’ve understood that The Maestro was just hungry. He remembered all the times when he bothered Twilight to give him stuff, but he was only a baby then … unless that meant that The Maestro was really just a acting child only because of the Amnesia.

The stranger got up, and said nothing. He sulked away slowly as Spike tried to say something. Nothing, he couldn’t say anything. Soon Spike himself turned away and faced the direction to the library. Rarity was completely lost, barely understanding how this situation got out of hoof. She looked at the Maestro, then at Spike; both souls left her in shame from their childish actions just only mere minutes ago. Rarity was sad for two, but as she was about to call out Spike; she yelped as the ground started to shake. She nearly slipped, but held her ground. However it wasn’t good enough as the intense shaking kept rattling beneath her hooves.

“Spike; Maestro!” she yelled at the top of her lungs.

The two finally took notice of the shaking and turned back to Rarity. They both ran back to her, trying to not fall over from the Earthquake. Spike eventually got to Rarity as The Maestro fell over a branch. The two friends looked up to see a nearby tree’s branch begin to snap off, hovering over the stranger as he got himself back up.

“Maestro, look out!” Rarity yelled. The branch broke right off as the Maestro didn’t take notice, until he heard Rarity’s yell. His eyes looked up to see the branch come straight down to him. He jumped back before it could crush him on the spot. The Maestro looked back at the huge branch, knowing very well his last eight hours of life would’ve ended right there. He was left in a state of shock, even as Rarity and Spike made their way to him as they could hear the distant yells of the many Ponies in town.

“Maestro, Maestro; are you hurt?” Spike asked.

The Maestro kept looking at the branch, still in shock. His warped mind was reminded of something dark and terrible, locking him in a trance. Rarity and Spike waved in his face, yelled in his ears, and even tried to slap him in the face, but nothing got him out of the shock. The Tree besides them was starting to give way to the earthquake. The creaking of the wood caught Rarity and Spike’s attention, but not the ever so lost in his mind Maestro. The two grabbed the stallion and pulled him back as quickly as they could before the entire tree finally slammed onto the ground. The boom of the tree suddenly snapped him out of shock at the same time as he looked up to see and hear Ditzy, Twilight, and The Doctor screaming and hurdling towards the Earth.

“Look Spike, its Twilight! She’s flying with Miss Hooves, and … is that Clockwork?” Rarity was again, lost at what was going on, but before they could do say anything, The Maestro was galloping his way past the two, following the direction the three were heading for. Spike and Rarity followed behind as his hooves kept clopping against the shaking ground, but the group’s determination to see that Twilight and her friends were okay kept them going. Minutes after the Earthquake had passed, the three found themselves in front of Sugar Cube. Pinkie Pie was standing beside the dizzy Ditzy Doo and The Doctor who tossed his helmet off, hurrying to get out of his suit to exam Twilight who was knocked out.

“Twilight!” Spike and Rarity called out, running up to her sleeping body. The Doctor slowly laid Twilight down gently on the ground after a full scan to make sure that she didn’t have any injuries.

“Doctor, is she going to be alright?” Spike asked, kneeling beside her.

“Big bump on the head, slow pace of breathing, and her heart’s calmed down. Don’t worry, she’s okay, but that’ll be one massive headache” The Doctor commented. He suddenly took notice of Spike and The Maestro being here and not at the TARDIS.

“What are you doing here? I told you to stay back at the TARDIS, taking care of him” The Doctor said, ticked that once again a companion didn’t follow his orders.

“The Cloister Bell, it was ringing like crazy. I thought you and Twilight were in danger” Spike explained, “Looks like I was right.”

“But why did you bring him?” The Doctor asked, pointing at The Maestro. The Maestro was lost at the destruction. He looked around; his attention on the many ponies still running around, the trees on their sides, carts fallen over, the huge cracks in the ground, some damages on the houses and buildings around him.

“He woke up, and I thought he could be some use of help. Did you find that thing at the Library?” Spike asked.

“Yes, and it is not happy. After our encounter, I’m sure that The Vortex Ooze is working on something else and evolving to something far worse. Plus without my Virus Cleaner, it’s unlikely that I can stop it with the Foam I was using.” The Doctor explained.

“Vortex Ooze, what do you speak of darling?” Rarity asked.

“Rarity; you brought her here too?” The Doctor asked.

“Well not on purpose; it’s a long story, but basically I was thrown out of the Market and I crashed at her Boutique. I am glad that she’s here” Spike said, smiling at his crush.

“Not now Spike; glad that you’re okay, but we need to focus on Twilight and this Ooze thing you speak of, Clockwork” Rarity quickly pointed out.

“Doctor, can’t we do something? The entire town’s going crazy, ponies are running loco, the tremor’s caused some damage! I can only make so many jokes and pranks to bring back the smiles!” Pinkie said, waving her party and prank tools around; magically pulling them out of nowhere.

“Pinkie Pie, are you and your friends alright?!” Mr. Cake stepped out to see the chaos outside. He gasped and called for his wife, who was slightly busy with the babies. Mrs. Cake gasped as they looked at the after effects of the earthquake. The Maestro turned around to see the small crowd of Twilight’s friends, looking out at him and the background of chaos going on behind him. He slowly walked over to Twilight, stopping for a moment when his hoof accidentally kicking it against the fallen sign of Sugar Cube Corners.

“Shhh, don’t worry, Mommy and Daddy are here. Everything is going to be alright, right dear?” Mrs. Cake asked, trying to calm her foals. The Maestro then heard the cries of the Baby Cakes, frightened by the sudden tremors that rocked the town.

“Yes Mrs. Cake, don’t you two worry, I’m sure some pony will fix this” Mr. Cake said, “Pinkie Pie, is your friend Twilight okay?”

“No, she’s got a big bump on her head and she’s unconscious. Can we bring her in?” Pinkie asked.

“Of course you can; I’ll get her a blanket and pillow” Mr. Cake said. Rarity and Pinkie Pie helped get Twilight in whilst Mr. Cake went to get her the things he promised. She was still asleep as The Doctor was pacing back and forth, anxious and disturbed by how things have gotten out of hands.

“Doctor, are you okay?” Ditzy called over.

“Not now, I’m trying to think or am I just not being clever enough?” The Doctor questioned himself, knowing his brilliant mind was at work. Ditzy sighed and stood aside with Spike as The Doctor was busy. His eyes were peering out at the chaotic area. The Maestro was sulking. The buildings were with some minor damage. The earth looked ruined with the dozens of cracks. The sun was nearly setting on the ruins of the place, but then he figured out something. The Doctor was comparing this event to the numerous occasions he remembered back on Gallifrey when the Time Lords faced this creature before.

This Ooze is a living and thinking creature. Like any creature it had to escape. Those windows, it’s as if it had to force itself to block the sunlight out. Being in the Vortex, it had to be accustomed to small variation of light and live in the darkness. Back on Gallifrey, what would it do? First it would try to attach itself to a host, to live in for some time, until it died.

The Doctor looked at The Maestro.

Then it would try to slither its way into the Earth like a deadly seed. The Earth shaking … it must have used its forces to sneak underground. Right, right, and then it would wait, and wait, until it finally spread the plague. But this isn’t Gallifrey; this is an Alien world to it. My intrusion must of forced it to speed up the process … so if it’s not waiting, then what the hell is it doing underground for?

He then took notice of the many ponies walking, chatting, confused about what had just happened. He looked at the many cracks going down a specific road. He recognized this dirt road; it was leading towards the Market. Then it hit him like a ton of bricks!

“Wait a minute … Oh WAIT. A. MINUTE! That virus is so brilliantly evil!” The Doctor said.

“You’ve got an idea?” Spike asked.

“No, a revelation!” he jumped up. The Maestro suddenly listened in, still sulking, but he finally took notice of The Doctor.

“A revelation, what are you talking about?” Spike asked as The Doctor walked to the crack in the dirt road alongside them. He aimed his sonic at the ground and flicked it up, looking at its readings. He crouched down and peered into the crack, looking for something odd. He then felt a familiar feeling coming somewhere deep beneath the ground.

“I think that means that he’s figured out” Ditzy said.

“Correct, Derpy, because this clever mind has once again made me proud. How sad it must be inside those normal minds, thank goodness for mine or you lot would be in danger … even though you are” The Doctor boasted.

“Doctor, can you just say what’s going on?” Ditzy asked, ticked at his ego.

“The Virus Cleaner couldn’t destroy the Vortex Ooze, after all, neither matter can be created nor destroyed. Now with dangerous sickness, it’s obviously being controlled by lower life forms we know as germs; right or not?” The Doctor explained. Spike and Ditzy nodded, as well as The Maestro who was listening in.

“You’re right!” Spike answered.

“Now viruses overtime can evolve. Yet, this takes years and years for the cells to evolve and outlive a cure or vaccine or for the sake of this argument, the foam from the Virus Cleaner. However, this Virus has lived inside the vortex and absorbed its time energy fluxions. Likely, this energy was able to speed up the process, including its very own ability to think and act. So now, not only are we dealing with a plague, but we’re dealing with a creature as old as time and who can think. Thinking is dangerous with the intentions it has.” The Doctor continued on.

“Which is to make us sick, right?” Ditzy asked. The Maestro looked down at the cracks along the dirt road, eying the pathway they were making. The three weren’t noticing him walk away, faintly hearing their voices trail off.

“Exactly, but it has one disadvantage!” The Doctor said with an enthusiasm to it, “It’s symbiotic!”

“Symbolotic?” Ditzy mistakenly said.

“Symbiotic; that means it has a slight dependency on another organism, but the problem is that this world has never been exposed by it. If it even tries to attach itself to some pony, any pony, it will only make the host sick and breakdown its entire nervous system, immune system, etc. and etc. Or possibly worse ...” The Doctor said, thinking of the worst.

“When you say worse, what do you exactly mean by that?” Spike asked.

“ … Or worse as in it could actually kill some pony! Doctor, we-” Ditzy realized.

“Yes I know, and sadly I know exactly where it is heading for” The Doctor said as he slowly turned around. Spike and Ditzy looked in the same direction as the sun was finally setting.

“Come along Derpy. We've got to figure out a way to stop the Ooze, save your town, and pop back for an English muffin.”

“English muffin?!” Ditzy yelled as The Doctor pulled her by the hooves.

“Wait up you two!” Spike shouted as the small gang started running to The Market.

***

The Market looked less busy as before when The Maestro arrived this time, thanks to the sudden Earthquake. He was looking down at the many cracks going along the road, examining them each. He placed his ear up to the crack, listening for some kind of vibration. Suddenly he heard a gurgle.

“Not you again!” said a distant yell of a pony with a Manehattan accent. The Maestro groaned and looked up. A couple hoof steps away were that Cinnamon Bun vendor, besides him were a couple other stallions he remembered that their foods sucked as well.

“So are you here to sell me another soggy Cinnamon Bun or what? I am very busy” The Maestro looked back down at the crack.

“Look fellas, he's actually eating dirt! Hahahaha” the vendor and his buddies started to laugh at The Maestro who paid no attention to them.

“Why are you back here? Didn't I tell you to scram?!” the vendor asked with a slight cockiness to his tone.

“Didn't any pony ever teach you that it's bad to talk to strangers like me?” The Maestro said, growling as he looked up at the Vendor. His eyes and mouth started to glow with a golden aura emanating from him. The stallions gasped as he stood up to them.

“So why don't you just run along before it’s YOUR turn and YOUR friends turn to taste the dirt!” The Maestro growled as he entire body now started to glow.

“Hey, listen we have no problem. Right fellas … Fellas?” the vendor said as he turned back to see the other sellers closing up their shops far away from where he stood. He started to nervously chuckle as The Maestro smirked back.

“ … Boo!” The Maestro said, blowing a ring of golden vapor into the pony’s face. He screamed and ran in the opposite direction as the Maestro let a slight chuckle. However the victory didn't last long as he turned away to feel the headache come back again.

“Oooh, keep it together Maestro” he said, shutting his eyes as he tried to calm himself down. Something inside his brain was forcing his energy to retreat back into his body this time, as if it was waiting for the right moment.

Calm down Maestro, calm down. Don’t start … glowing like you did back at the hospital! Who knows what panic you’ll create? Your mind may be time warping right now, but doesn't mean every pony has to see that. Especially not after the scare-oof!

He fell back after bumping into what felt like the back of some pony.

“Hey! Watch out where you’re going there! Okay, fella? … Oh it’s you” Applejack said, embarrassed at first that some pony bumped into her rump, but luckily it was that weird looking unicorn from earlier who really liked her apples.

“Miss Applejack, how glorious it is that I find you here again!” The Maestro said, standing up again with a little help from the earth pony. He looked beyond her to see the nearly empty apple cart, and coming out from behind it was Apple Bloom.

“And you little Apple Bloom!” he said, smiling to see the little one quickly walk up beside them, “Are you both alright?”

“Yes, we are, but that Earthquake was quite a scare. I didn’t think that was possible this far into the land” Applejack said.

“No, neither did I, but the odd thing about me being here was that I wanted to repay you and-” The Maestro tried to explain his predicament, but was off track as Apple Bloom started to walk around him. Applejack interjected to relax him.

“Oh you don’t need to pay us for one little apple. You were in pain, and like Granny Smith told me, an apple a day keeps the doctor away because sometimes that’s all you need when you ain't feeling too good. Right, Apple Bloom?” Applejack said.

“Hey, you ain't go cutie mark!” Apple Bloom was shocked to see the adult stallion, obviously in his early 30s without a cutie mark. Applejack snapped at her sister for pointing this out.

“Apple Bloom!” she yelled.

“It’s okay, and good eye there. No one seemed to care of the fact that my rump had no little squiggle or symbol or something, but I did noticed that you didn't have one too little Apple Bloom”

“That’s because I need to find out my special something to get me a cutie mark, and I’m working on it” Apple Bloom explained.

“Well then, maybe you can help me find it too?” The Maestro asked as he lowered his neck to be at eye level with the little filly.

“Yessiree; say … maybe I can convince the girls to let you into our The Cutie Mark Crusaders!” Apple Bloom was jumping up and down with such enthusiasm at the fact that she has met another pony, older, without a cutie mark and is willing to join her club. As she jumped around, The Maestro’s ears picked up a faint gurgling beneath his very own hooves. He looked down and realized that he was standing over one of the cracks.

“Apple Bloom, I don’t think he is interested in that right now” Applejack said, pulling her little sister back at the tail.

“Uh … Yeah, I would love too little Apple Bloom, but before I can join your …” The Maestro kept looking down at the crack, squinting at it, “… Crusaders; I need to do … something. Excuse me, a moment.” The Maestro said as he felt the rumbling was coming from something slithering around underground.

His senses were picking up a familiar essence from the cracks, and looking up ahead he watched as the cracks he was looking at earlier were emitting an eerie glow as vapor poured out of them. Even the crack beneath him started to follow the same process as the others. Remembering what the Doctor said earlier, he realized he had to try something to get Applejack and Apple Bloom out of there. Just then, as he was about to do so, the Maestro noticed The Doctor walking in with Spike and Ditzy Doo at his side.

“Doctor!” the Maestro called out, catching their attention.

Yet before he could take two steps forward, his entire world was shaken up by an unexpected aftershock. He fell back besides the cracks in the ground as they started to shine more powerfully now, pushing out more vapor than before. The Maestro tried his best to get right back up, but the aftershock was harder than before. Something was odd though, the buildings all around the market were stand still while the ground beneath him kept shaking. He ran to Applejack and Apple Bloom as they were stuck in place by shock. Suddenly as he approached them, a thunderous boom surprised every pony. Chunks of rock and dirt blasted behind him as the cracks finally came together as one. The road was now covered with the ooze as its slimy body was unleashed and leading towards the center of the explosion.

“Applejack, Apple Bloom; Run!” he ordered, pushing them away as the crowds of ponies screamed out of the market. Spike ran beside on the Doctor as they kept moving the crowds away from the explosion while Ditzy flew up high to see what was really going on. She stared at it in disbelief; the small pool sized black slime from earlier was now a monster sized creature nearly 15 feet in diameter, with new elongated stubs to measure up with its body size. Her skin had Goosebumps as the creature was growing two eyes with green pupils. Ditzy then raced back down to the Doctor.

“Doctor, the Ooze it’s … growing” she informed him.

“Yes, and by the looks of it, very fast and evolving into something … whatever it is, I’ll have to stop it” The Doctor said, “Derpy, scout out for any ponies left behind.”

“No problem, Doctor! Be careful you two, good luck” Ditzy said, hugging the Doctor before flying away to help any pony out of the market.

“Spike, I need you to find The Maestro. I just need you to make sure that he is safe” The Doctor said.

“But I can stay and help you” Spike said.

“Trust me Spike, finding him might be one of the most important things you can ever do for me. Now please, go!” The Doctor ordered as he gallops off a broken path to the Ooze.

Spike tried to call him out, but the stampede of ponies broke any shouts he could make. He sighed and quickly ran off in the other direction; calling out the Maestro’s name, unaware that he passed the pony that ran with the crowd earlier to get the Apple sisters out of the Market. The Maestro poked his head out behind a barrel, making sure Spike couldn’t see him. He knew that it was dumb, and it wasn't like he was trying to be a hero, but for whatever reason; whether this was his fault or he owed this to Twilight and her friends or it was his moral duty to help The Doctor or even if there was no reason, The Maestro forced himself to follow The Doctor behind and somehow have some role to taking on the Vortex Ooze.