Twilight Sparkle, Luna, Gari, and Lauren Faust glared down at the machine with Digi on it. She seemed to be smirking right at them. Lauren was put in the position of Leader. She assigned Gari and Luna for healing in case that they end up getting hurt. Twilight was assigned for aerial attack.
Lauren knew she had to deal with Digi quick, but not enough to hurt her. This may be madness, but this Pegasister was only under the influence of the Corruption. She doesn’t know what she is doing. Lauren had to find a way to reach out to her, without literally hurting her.
“Remember, everypony” she called to her team. “No serious damage. Just only enough to subdue her”
Everyone else nodded.
Digi then laughed. “Think you can stop me?” she then pressed a button on the remote control.
A loud rumbling was heard before the doors and windows busted open. All the captives, each wearing a red collar with her cutie mark and had red eyes, went to her side. They all threw a feral hiss and growl. Luckily, the EOI and Arctic and Thunder came along as well to Lauren’s side.
“You want me? Come and get me!” Digi laughed as she set her army to attack.
Gari used shield to defend herself. “Go, Grandmother Lauren, we’ll cover for you!”
Lauren nodded, turning into her Alicorn form. She used her teleportation spells to move from one place to another. She had to dodge an attack every now and then to avoid getting hit or in a crossfire. It was already a hard battle from what she was observing.
The EOI were fighting against the Object-Verse Children, Starlight, and Sonata. That being said, Pinkis was after Starlight, and Fluttershout was having a Scream-off with Sonata. The latter was losing. Gari and Luna were forced to fight against the brainwashed Children of the Night. Twilight was fighting off several Bronies and Pegasisters while keeping watch over Shadow Kirby and Hazel. Arctic Ace and Shadow Thunder were fighting against the captive OCs.
Lauren noticed something as they all fought. With all of them fighting, Digi was distracted. The crown on her head had connected her to those captives. She could control them to the point that they would even fight their loved ones or even family, but she was having a hard time to notice what else went on. That was when she realized why she needed the Hidebrit. For her to be able to keep all this going on, she would need a source of massive power.
Hester did mention to her about the Corruption before, but she never explained how to cure it. This was not worth trying now as the messenger was being drained of her power while her Partner was hurting as well and currently sick.
Lauren had to time her landing right. She turned into her Equestria Girl form behind Digi’s area at the top. She had to lunge at her just right and make sure she was held still enough for her to try and reason with her. It was risky, but she had to do it.
When Digi was distracted long enough, Lauren lunged forward and held her down. She kept yelling her protests and flailed around violently. It was a good thing that Lauren was older and, therefore, taller. She held Digi in her arms while standing up as the girl yelled and struggled to break free.
“Digi, please. Come back, I know you’re in there” Lauren begged.
“What are you talking about? This is who I really am. Now let go! I will rule Wonderland!” she vehemently yelled.
“This isn’t you. It’s the Corruption spreading to your brain and aura. If you let me, I could help you get rid of it”
Digi didn’t listen. Instead, she switched to her Pegasus form. She was able to fly out of Lauren’s grasp. She then brought out a kitchen knife after switching to her Deviant Art form. Lauren tried her best to dodge as Digi slashed at her with her knife. She was having a hard time in doing so.
From down below, Shadow and Twilight watched. They could tell Lauren was losing from where they were standing.
“Oh, Twilight, what are we gonna do?” Shadow fretted.
Twilight thought about what to do. They had to think quickly. If Lauren loses, Digi will win and Wonderland will crumble. They need something to help Lauren hold Digi down. Something strong, something unhesitant, something that will not fear what they are doing so long as they are not aware of it.
Her thoughts were interrupted when she heard a faint whimper coming from Hazel. Shadow took a small vial of liquid out and was about to uncork it to give it to her when Twilight stopped him.
“Hold on, what is that?”
“It’s her meds in a concentrated, liquid form. The doctors gave it to me when she was stable enough to leave the asylum when Lauren arrived. They said that if she falls asleep and suddenly whimpers, I have to let her drink this or she may go nuts. This same rule applies when she misses a dose if awake”
Twilight’s eyes widened from that. “When was her last dose?” she stopped him from uncorking it.
He took out a small watch. “A few hours ago, before we went to find the captives”
Twilight stopped him from making Hazel drink the vial. “Don’t”
“Why not?”
“Trust me”
“But if I don’t let her take the dose, she may revert into…” he paused when he realized what she meant.
Twilight nodded as he went along with her plan. It would pain him to see his daughter in such a bad state, but they had no other choice now.
They watched and waited as Hazel whimpered in her sleep. She began to toss and turn in her sleep. She was starting to sound more frightened. She sounded like she was in pain now. Her crying soon became louder. Shadow fought against the parental instincts to not dive in and use the vial on her.
He simply put a lock of stray hair to her ear before giving her a faint whisper. “It’ll be okay, Hazel. Don’t be afraid of it. Let it out”
Almost as though following what he said, her crying quieted down. She then opened her eyes to reveal they had gone to the insane version from the asylum as her dress went from her standard black to white asylum dress.
Digi had Lauren cornered. She laughed manically. “See, Lauren? Not even you are a match for me. You can’t even save yourself, or the show, how can you save Wonderland? I wonder, will your daughter be the same? Oh well”
Digi then was about to stab Lauren, but she was tackled to the side by a blur of white. Lauren recovered just in time to see what it was, or rather who.
Digi growled at the bad timing this had to happen. She was surprised to see who it was this time. “Hazel?! What happened to you, freak?!”
It was definitely Hazel, alright. She had reverted back into the insane version from the asylum. Her eyes were demented and angry. Her dress had become the asylum type. She was not holding back as she held Digi down, her insane smile ever-stretching.
From inside the machine, despite her pain, Hester was laughing insanely as well. “This is why we’re never late for tea!”
Lauren had to restrain her laughter when Shadow Kirby explained from below. “Twilight made me miss her dose!” he even showed the unopened vial of liquid meds.
“Get off me, you Bipolar freak!” Digi struggled to get Hazel off her.
“Give me her back!” the child yelled, nearly punching Digi in the face. No doubt she was in that state again. “Give her back! Give her back! GIVE HER BACK!”
Lauren sighed. “Hazel, go to sleep!”
Immediately, the child stopped what she was doing and collapsed on the younger Pegasister. Soon after, faint snoring was heard, though her eyes were wide open.
“Seriously?! When she’s mad, she’s sleeps with her eyes open?!” Digi yelled as she tried to get her off, but to no avail. “She’s even sick and thin, how is she this heavy?!”
Shadow giggled from down below. “She thinks she’s an anvil right now” he pointed to the insane Hester.
“I’m an anvil! Thud! Thud!” the Familiar giggled.
Twilight tried not to laugh. “Does this always happen?”
He shook his head. “I think this is because of the Separation”
Lauren then walked over to Digi. “Digi, please. I know this isn’t you. The Corruption is making it hard for you to see that as much as Hazel is making it hard for you to get up now”
Digi smirked. “What do you know about…”
“You like drawing” she stated, making the young Pegasister freeze. “…and creating AUs. And you loved making new Ships and Shipping Children to fit them”
Digi froze, she knew all that? How? She was just like any other Pegasister out there and yet, Lauren Faust herself knew about her works.
“I may not be able to live forever, but my memory will in all your hearts. To me, memory is very important. It defines who we are. I know about each of you. To me, every single Brony, Pegasister, OC, or Canon Character matters, no matter how insignificant they may seem or think to be. And I may not be able to know whether or not my daughter will take on the throne when she grows up, but I can show her how much this place means to me”
Digi froze. She meant something to her? They all did?
Lauren nodded, before gently removing Hazel from the trapped Pegasister. She then helped her up. “Digi Reset, I care about each and every one of you. I may not be here all the time due to how I return to the real world more often, but that doesn’t mean I forgot about you. You all matter to me. If I have upset you so much, please forgive me”
That did it. Digi broke free from the Corruption’s grasp on her as the crown on her head broke. As it did, so did the red collars on the captives. They all snapped back to normal, dizzy but normal indeed. The machine broke down, and Hester was let out of her restraints.
“That’s all I wanted to hear” Digi spoke softly as her eyes returned to normal color.
Lauren smiled.
“Really, it was”
Lauren nodded before pulling the young Pegasister in for a hug, which she gladly accepted.
Meanwhile, shadow rushed over to the mad Hazel and made her drink the vial down. She immediately snapped back to normal as her eyes went to normal and her dress turned black again.
She yelped a little. “What happened? Did we win?”
He nodded. “Yep, we won”
“We won!” she cheered before cringing a little. “Where’s Hester?”
He helped her up to her feet and walked her over to the Familiar. “Hest!” she smiled as she held her in a much-needed embrace.
“Hazy! I missed you!” she smiled as she hugged back.
“I missed you too”
Right then, the duo pulled away from the hug and held each other’s hands, and paws. Right then, Hazel recited something, “My Familiar and I, together forever, it’s something I’d want”
Hester then recited her part, “My Partner and I, together forever, it’s something I’d want”
The familiar light enveloped them as they returned to their healthier forms. The Familiar then nuzzled her Partner.
“Gar-Gar! You saved us!” Zodiac cheered as he hugged his Sister after sapping to normal. Andromeda also joined in.
Starlight groaned as she regained control. “Oh, what happened?” she then saw Thunder a few feet away, still trying to get back up on his feet. She bounded over and started to fret over him. “Thunder! Are you okay? Did you get shot? Oh, I’m so sorry!”
The boy just hugged her tightly. “I’ve missed you, Star”
She sighed in relief. “I missed you too”
“Sonny!” Arctic pushed them aside as he looked for his girlfriend.
She changed back to her Equestria Girl form as she woke up and looked to him. When he saw her, he bounded over and held her in a tight embrace.
She smiled as she returned it. “I missed you too, Artcy!”
The rest of the day went by smoothly. After apologies, everything went fine and Digi was forgiven. Afterall, when one if under Corruption, they really did not intend to be doing what they did. The captives all returned to their respective Verses. Hazel and Hester were sane and well again, now free to come in out of the asylum anytime again. The EOI had a grand celebration in their new home since they were given it form their rehabilitation. Arctic and Thunder were back with their girlfriends again, and each went with a much-awaited date. Lauren herself was happy to see everything was fine.
“Here you go, Lauren. This mirror should take you back to the real world” Hazel pointed to the mirror brought up. With her were Hazel, Lauren, Luna, and Twilight.
“You were such a ‘flutter’ when you led me here, you know?” Lauren joked at her.
She giggled with Hester. “Stop it!”
She then smiled gently. “I hope Autumn gets to meet you both and everyone else”
“We shall save her spot as heir until she arrives” Twilight winked.
“Take good care, okay?” she then neared the mirror.
“You too”
Lauren smiled, showing the necklace still on her. “As I carry this with me, I shall make sure she does too”
They all nodded.
She gave one last assuring smile before leaving though the mirror.
Hazel heard Hester let out a faint whimper. “What is it?”
She smiled at her. “The OC just kicked”
“Lauren? Lauren, wake up!”
Lauren awoke to a familiar voice. “Craig?”
He sighed. “You fell asleep again”
She looked around to see that everyone else in the room was already leaving. “How long was I out?”
“A while. But I wish I were you, to be honest. That whole seminar was so boring”
Lauren peered down to see that autumn had fallen asleep on her lap. She smiled before caressing her hair, to which the child smiled in her sleep. She remembered the whole trip to Wonderland, and suddenly felt a rush of inspiration flow into her mind.
“Craig, I gotta find my notebook!” Lauren then got up from her seat, passing the sleeping Autumn to her husband.
He was confused immediately at her sudden outburst, but nonetheless went along with it as he carried their daughter to follow her. “That’s my Lauren. She never rests”
A certain butterfly then flew infront of him. “But when she does, she thinks up new ideas for work!”
That made Craig faint. Luckily, Autumn was a heavy sleeper. Lauren looked back before calling for help and the staff helped her get him back to their tent. She spent the rest of the day writing about her new idea. Some events were based off what happened in her whole adventure to Wonderland, while others were inspired by them. When she finished the whole script, she took a deep breath and calmed down.
She felt something on her shoulder. She looked to see a familiar-looking butterfly on her. She smiled at it tenderly. “Hello Hazel”
The butterfly seemed to have smiled at her before flying to the air. As she went, a pink trial of mist trailed behind her.
Lauren looked back at her sleeping daughter. She knew she would inherit her throne in Wonderland one day. She jst had to worry about the her future, Autumn will be strong enough to watch them.
“One day, one day”