//------------------------------//
// Chapter 7 
// Story: Sweetie Belle and the Pixie 
// by UnidentifiedFlyinPegasus 
//------------------------------//

Sweetie Belle struggled against the ropes but it was no use; she was weak, and without Forest, she couldn't do any magic. Twilight was still unconscious. 
Today, my brothers and sisters! Dark Forest grinned. Today we will rise up against the pony folk, and claim what is rightfully ours: the magic of the unicorns! 
The rest of the sprites cheered. 
Starting, said Dark Forest, with these two. She turned towards Sweetie Belle and Twilight. The dark aura around Dark Forest grew more pronounced as Sweetie Belle grew weaker and weaker. She was now struggling to hold her eyes open. 
No! She thought. I can't let this happen! Think, Sweetie Belle! She could remember everything about that day; the hard boiled egg for breakfast, AppleBloom chasing Winona around the orchard, and when she first met Forest-
"You never wanted to be my friend." Sweetie Belle said, the sudden realization hitting her. "You only wanted to make a bond with me, so I could break our friendship and make you turn into that." She glared at the dark sprite. 
So you finally figured it out. Dark Forest hovered in front of her. It doesn't matter. You'll be dead soon. 
Sweetie Belle looked up at Dark Forest. "I'm just a filly. I don't know much. But I do know one thing." She summoned the last of her strength and broke the ropes, staring defiantly at the dark sprite. "No one makes a fool out of Sweetie Belle." 
Twilight jumped up as well, casting a protective force field around the two of them. 
"Twilight!" Sweetie Belle said. "I thought you were unconscious!" 
"I was," Twilight smiled. "Well, up until a little while ago. I decided to fake it and step in at the right moment. Turns out that this was the right moment." 
Enough of this! Dark Forest yelled in anger. Get them! 
Hoards of dark sprites threw themselves at Twilight's force field, but they only bounced off harmlessly. 
"I-I don't feel so good." Twilight swayed, and the force field flickered. "They're draining my power." She explained. "I don't know how much longer I can keep this force field up." 
Sweetie Belle took a deep breath. "Forest!" She yelled at one of the sprites. "I learned a lot about magic from you. I'm gonna have to use some of that magic against you." 
Dark Forest laughed. You can't do magic. Not without me. 
"Oh yeah?" Sweetie Belle edged towards Twilight. "On my signal, drop your force field and do a banishing spell." she whispered in her ear. 
"I-I don't know if I can." Twilight said weakly. 
"I'll try and do it too." Sweetie Belle told her. She looked up at her sprite. "Goodbye, Forest." 
"Now!" Sweetie Belle shouted. At once, the force field dropped, and Twilight's horn sputtered with magic. Sweetie Belle concentrated hard, trying to unite her magic with Twilight's. Magic hummed through Sweetie Belle, and she tried even harder. 
What are you doing? Dark Forest demanded. 
The two unicorns stood side by side, focusing their magic together. 
No! Stop! The sprite's voice grew fainter by the second. You will never-
Sweetie Belle looked up. Every single sprite in the room was encased in a swirling ball of green energy. One by one, the balls disappeared, dissolving into nothingness. The last to dissolve was the one containing Forest. Sweetie Belle watched as, inside the ball of magic, Forest's skin turned green once more. The pixie looked up at the young unicorn with an apologetic look in her eyes. She mouthed, I'm sorry, before disappearing with a small pop! 
"We did it!" Sweetie Belle looked at Twilight, a smile spreading across her face. 
Twilight smiled. "Actually, Sweetie Belle, I think you did it. Those banishing balls were green, not pink. That magic was yours." 
Sweetie Belle's eyes widened. "You mean that I... banished them?" 
Twilight nodded. "That's really good for a young unicorn. In fact, that was one of the best banishing spells I've ever seen. I could talk to Princess Celestia-" 
"No." Sweetie Belle said quickly. "I mean, thanks for the offer, but I'm done with magic for now." She smiled. 
"Suit yourself." Twilight went down the stairs to tell Rarity what had happened. 
Sweetie Belle glanced over at the spot where Forest had last been. "Thanks Forest." she said. "I forgive you."