//------------------------------// // Return of Harmony, part 5 // Story: My Little Titan // by Tatsurou //------------------------------// 22. Return of Harmony, part 5 Raven grunted as she came in for a landing on a hard, smooth surface. Blinking her eyes, she saw what looked like a road made of starlight. Groaning, she pushed herself to her knees as she put a hand to her forehead. As this action registered in her mind, she froze. She stared at her hand like she'd never seen one before. Then again, she thought to herself, it has been nearly a year since I last had one. Turning, she examined her surroundings. Beyond the starlit road, she saw the empty expanse of space, filled with stars and a few nebula. Wait a minute, she thought. I recognize this place. If I'm right...this is where Twilight became an alicorn in the show. She froze. "Twilight?" She spun around. There, on what she thought of as the ground for lack of a better definition, was Twilight Sparkle, groaning as she rolled to her hooves. Nearby, the other Titans, ponies, and Spike were also getting up, shaking off whatever had just happened. Raven sighed in relief, seeing that everyone seemed to be okay. When she noticed black energy beginning to sparkle around her, however, she closed her eyes, suppressing the surge of sorrow. She was human again. Her magic once more responded instantly to her emotions. Once more, she would have to suppress all feelings to protect those for whom she cared. She was distracted from her sorrowful musings by Pinkie Pie, who kept trying to leap off the road, but kept hitting what looked like an invisible wall. "Pinkie, what are you doing?" she asked, lifting an eyebrow. Pinkie Pie looked over shoulder sheepishly. "I'm trying to reach the stars. I've always wondered what they taste like." That startled a laugh out of everyone present, along with one from an unseen source. With a flash of light, Discord appeared. "Well, it's good to see you all managed to make it out of there alive," he said calmly. "I've readjusted your forms to be more natural, so you can see for yourself who all is who, make things a bit easier on you all for the more significant readjustment that's coming." "What do you mean?" Robin asked, curiously. Discord held up a finger, and paused. "We'll get to that in a bit. For now, I think it would be best if you were all to take the time to say whatever needs to be said. After all..." He gestured to the ponies and baby dragon. "A lot has happened in their lives that they've missed. Don't you think you ought to fill them in on the salient details? I'm sure there's quite a bit they will want to know." "I'd say you hit the nail on the head, whoever ya are," Applejack said, shaking her head to clear it. "Woo, it's gonna take some time to get used to having a body again. Feels kinda funny, actually." Robin chuckled. "Took me a bit to get used to your body, too." Applejack looked at him, then looked away. "Yeah, I can imagine it would, what with the different anatomy and all." Cyborg chuckled. "Going from bipedal to quadrapedal was probably the easiest part." Rainbow smiled, but she looked concerned. "So...what's changed in my life? Am I a Wonderbolt yet?" The various pairs split off to discuss things. ----------- As they walked, Raven glanced down at Twilight. "I imagine you have quite a few questions." Twilight nodded. "I just...can't think where to begin. I mean, on the one hoof, I want to ask who and what you are, where you come from, how you got here, what your home is like, there's just so much I want to know about you! But, on the other hoof, I want to ask about what's changed in my own life, how long it's been, how everypony's doing, how I wound up bound to the Element of Magic...I just don't know where to begin." Raven chuckled softly. "My name is Raven. I'm from another world. The rest of your questions along those lines would be better answered by Discord." "Who?" "The dragonequess floating along ahead of us. He's the one who brought us here. ...the only other really significant detail about me is that Trigon - the one you knew as Tirek - is my father." Twilight stared at her. "Wow. ...I'm guessing you have some Daddy issues?" "That's an understatement." Raven closed her eyes for a bit. "Currently, you've been assigned by Princess Celestia to Ponyville. It seems you've become good friends with the others, which is what most back in Ponyville will expect. Your life there up till now has been spending time with your friends, helping out with a few things around town, doing research in the library - which is also your home - till all hours, and helping to save the town from the disasters that seem to strike every Tuesday. Oh, you've also taken on a personal student of your own, a stage magician showmare by the name of Trixie. Her special talent is illusion magic, but I've been teaching her to enable her to develop her potential in other areas. She lives in her trailer, which is more or less permanently parked next to the library. Also, she knows everything that's been going on, so she should be able to help you settle in quite well, although she will be expecting you to be ready for next week's disqus match." Twilight had been nodding along, tracking what was said and filing it away in her mind. "Wait, there's a Disqus competition in Ponyville? I didn't think that was popular outside Canterlot. Who's competing?" Raven smiled. "You and Trixie. She'll want to compare her training under me to what you're capable of." Twilight's eyes narrowed to pinpricks. "What? You mean I'll be performing feats of magic in front of the entire town? Oh no oh no oh no! I need to study up, I need to prepare, I can't make a fool of myself in front of everyone, I need my checklists! SPI-" Raven closed her hand over Twilight's mouth. "Twilight, calm down. Don't you think you're overreacting just a little bit? You just escaped from an anciently powerful demon that has spent a good portion of the last year torturing you, and you're worried about looking bad in an exhibition match?" Twilight began to hyperventilate. "A year?! Oh my goodness, I missed Mom's birthday! I missed Dad's birthday! I missed Shining's birthday, and Cadance's, and Spike's - wait, Spike was with me, he'll understand - but I missed Dam's and Sire's Day! And Teacher Appreciation Day! And I didn't do anything for the Royal Guards I know on Protector's Day! Oh, what will they think of me? I'm so-" "I took care of all that for you," Raven said. "I was living your life for you so it would be there for you when you got back." Twilight blinked. "Oh." She looked down. "You must think I'm being rather silly..." Raven shook her head. "Not really. It's who you are. You'll need time to recover from all of this, though. Make sure you take that time." ------------ "Say, Robin right?" Applejack asked as they walked. "That's one of the names I go by, yes," Robin replied calmly. "One of?" "I'm a superhero. I have a secret identity." "Ah." Applejack thought for a time. "How's Apple Bloom doing? And how's Big Mac handling the farm?" "Apple Bloom is fine. She's being teased a lot less at school, thanks to some advice I gave her, and she's not so bothered about her absence of a Cutie Mark." "Still ain't got it?" AJ chuckled. "I feel sorry for her a little bit, but I'm glad I haven't missed it." "She's also formed a club with two other fillies without Cutie Marks specifically to earn theirs." "Really? Who?" "Rarity's little sister, Sweetie Belle, and a pegasus filly by the name of Scootaloo." Robin smirked. "They call themselves the Cutie Mark Crusaders." AJ shuddered. "Why does that name scare me more than Tirek did?" She thought for a time. "So...do they...know?" Robin nodded. "Before we went to save you all, I told them everything. They're waiting for you to come home." AJ smiled. "That's good to know. I...miss them so much..." ------------ Pinkie Pie walked along sedately, looking around at the area. Starfire floated beside her. "Friend Pinkie Pie, do you not have questions about the time that has passed?" Pinkie looked down. "...did anypony even notice the change?" Starfire blinked. "I do not understand?" Pinkie Pie sighed. "I was just thinking about everypony I know in Ponyville, and how happy I will be to see all of them...when I realized as much as I know about them, the only time I spend any time with anypony but the Cakes is when I invite them to my parties. No...nopony's ever invited me to anything before...do...do they even care about me?" Starfire didn't know what to say to that. She had lived Pinkie's life for a long time, and had noticed that disparity herself. As much effort as Pinkie went to know about everypony in Ponyville and care about them and make them smile...few if any made any effort to look after Pinkie in return. She tried to tell herself that it wasn't what she thought...but even in the show she had loved so much, Mr. and Mrs. Cake - who seemed like surrogate parents to Pinkie - completely ignored the breakdown she had when she thought her friends didn't want to be her friends anymore. Experiencing it for real, Mr. and Mrs. Cake did care about her, but left her a great deal of freedom to do things her own way...but Mrs. Cake's pregnancy and upcoming twins were taking all of both parents focus, leaving Pinkie with only Gummy to take care of her. Knowing nothing she could say would make things better for Pinkie, she pulled the pink pony into her arms, hugging her tight. "Oh Pinkie, I know not what I can say for you...but know that, no matter what else comes, I care." Pinkie hugged her back. "Thank you, Starfire. That...means a lot." Starfire smiled. "And now you have Twilight and Rarity and Applejack and Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash and Spike who are also your friends, and they truly care for you." Pinkie smiled. "I know. ..." Starfire floated along, carrying Pinkie Pie in a tight hug. ------------ Jinx walked along the starlit road with her hands behind her head, smiling. "So Rarity, I'm guessing you have quite a few questions about how I've been living your life, right? How your business is doing, special events, new sales-" "I honestly couldn't care less about any of that, to be perfectly honest," Rarity interrupted, tossing her head. Jinx blinked. "Really? I thought dressmaking was your life." Rarity shook her head. "It's a passion, a business, something I enjoy doing well...but if that if the full extent of my life, then I am truly a pathetic mare. I want to know about my family. I want romance. After all, there is a reason single old mares are called 'spinsters'." Jinx chuckled. "Good point. Does that mean you're going to stop?" "Oh heavens, no! I'm just going to reassess my priorities a bit." She smiled. "After all, I think I've found the one I've looked for for so long, even if he is nothing what I'd expect." She glanced over to where Spike and Beast Boy were walking, speaking quietly. "But truthfully, I must ask, how is Sweetie Belle doing? I've missed her so. I'd even choke down her admittedly awful cooking if it meant embracing her once more." Jinx smiled. "I'll be sure to have her make you a glass of toast, then." Rarity winced. "That bad still?" Jinx nodded. "She is learning, I admit. I've...done a few things to help her boost her confidence, and..." Jinx coughed uncomfortably. "We don't talk about the Diamond Dogs." "Diamond Dogs?" Rarity asked, shocked. "What happened? Is Sweetie alright? Was she hurt?" "Umm..." Nervously, Jinx leaned down and whispered into Rarity's ear. Rarity listened for a time, and then her eyes went wide. "My goodness...how ever did you keep from blushing?" Jinx blinked. "You're not upset about what I did?" "You say that like I would do any less." Rarity looked Jinx right in the eye. "Like you said, I would do anything to protect her." Jinx smiled, resting a hand on Rarity's head as they walked side by side. ----------------- Cyborg walked calmly as Rainbow Dash flew beside him, completely quiet. "So..." he asked finally, "...aren't you going to ask any questions?" "Trying to figure out what to ask," Rainbow said finally. "Beyond that, I'm worried about the others, Twilight and Pinkie especially." "Not Fluttershy?" Cyborg asked, confused. "You kidding?" Rainbow pointed. Fluttershy walked along the starlit road calmly, smiling, with Melvin laying across her back, curled up in sleep. Bobby walked along beside them, smiling widely. "She's the strongest of the lot of us. Big, red, and wicked couldn't do anything to her. By the end, we were all leaning on her. Don't know where she gets that strength from." She chuckled. "Then again, she's always had hidden strength. Can't imagine anypony else with the guts to Stare down a demon." Rainbow frowned. "She'll probably have the easiest time of all of us recovering from all this...still gonna check on her regularly." She closed her eyes. "Wonder who will be checking up on me?" "Probably Scootaloo," Cyborg replied. "She is living with you now." "She is?" Rainbow spun to face Cyborg. "You took her in for me? Thanks so much, I was really worried about her. What was her deal, anyway? Orphan, runaway, secret royalty, alien plant?" "Nah, she- Wait, what were those last two?" "Never mind," Rainbow said, looking away quickly. "I just read too many comic books." Cyborg chuckled. "Well, Scootaloo's folks are in the Fillydelphia mental hospital, and she was a runaway from the foster system. I took her in a week after the Summer Sun Celebration, and the adoption paperwork is just awaiting your return so it can have your signature." Rainbow smiled. "Glad to hear it. ...you haven't told her about you taking my place, did you?" Cyborg chuckled. "Didn't need to. She figured it all out on her own! Had a whole little booklet with every single moment where one of us pretending to be all of you acted out of character. Even had three different theories about the cause!" Rainbow stared, open mouthed, then cracked up laughing. "Always knew she was a smart filly! So, anything else happen beside getting the most awesome little sister in Equestria?" "Well, you won the Best Young Fliers' Competition." Rainbow whooped. "Awesome!" Then she blinked. "Wait! You mean I missed on hanging out with the Wonderbolts?" She hung her head. "So unfair..." Cyborg shrugged. "They just went to an amusement park." "But STILL!" Rainbow continued to grumble. Cyborg chuckled. "Don't let Gilda see you grumpy like that!" "What? Gilda's in Ponyville? What's she doing there?" "Raising her cub." Rainbow stared. "Gilda's a MOM? What's the cub's name? Who's the father? Details, man!" Cyborg glanced away. "You'd do better to ask her about all that. It's a long story..." ------------ "So, Beast Boy," Spike began, "what you said about...what's inside me..." Beast Boy smiled. "Still bugging you?" Spike nodded. "I don't blame you. My own inner Beast still bothers me, even knowing why it's here now." Spike shook his head. "It's just...knowing that inside me is a rampaging monster strong enough to lay waste to all my friends-" "Stop there," Beast Boy interrupted. "The primal dragon inside you is not a monster. It draws from your own emotions for strength and direction. The more powerful your emotions, the stronger - and more focused - it becomes. As long as you don't become a slave to your emotions, you will be able to control it." Spike nodded. "I guess so. It's just...knowing such strength is inside me, it...frightens me." "It should," Beast Boy replied. "That much power is a dangerous responsibility. Fear the power, but not its source. It is your power, to use as you see fit...so make sure the use is proper and wise before implementing it." Spike smiled. "Alright. Thanks. So...anything big happen in my life?" Beast Boy thought for a time. "Not really. I'd say the only major changes came on your end, not mine. Beyond the whole 'moving to Ponyville' thing, though." "Right..." Spike walked on in silence, lost in thought. ------------ After a time, Discord reappeared in front of the group. "Alright, we're here." Twilight spoke up. "What is this place?" "The Celestial Plane," Discord replied, noticing Beast Boy perk up at the name. "Anyway, it's time to put you all back where you belong." He waved his eagle talon. An image appeared, showing the hall of Canterlot Castle leading to the Vault. The bodies of Twilight Sparkle, Rarity, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, and Spike were laid out on the ground. Standing nearby were Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle, Apple Bloom, Big Macintosh, Shining Armor, Princess Cadance, Princess Celestia, Gilda, Gilda's cub, and a good portion of Fluttershy's animals. "Wait!" Twilight said suddenly. "I haven't even asked about what's happened! There's so much I still need to-" "Don't worry about it," Discord interrupted. "You've covered the salient points, and Luna will walk you through them in your dreams over the course of the next week." Raven flinched back. "So...Luna's fully recovered, then?" Discord nodded. "Her magic is back to full strength, along with her dreamwalking." He looked towards Raven. "She asked me to tell you she understands why you did what you did, and hopes that - no matter what happens - you can still be friends." Raven closed her eyes, struggling not to cry. "I'll always consider her a friend." "Hey, I've got a question!" Rainbow interrupted. "Who's Princess Luna?" Discord blinked, turning to the Titans. "Did none of you mention that?" Seeing only head shakes or averted gazes, he groaned. "Luna is Celestia's little sister. For the past thousand years, she's been under the influence of an entity known as Nightmare Moon. She is the Princess of the Night. And she'll answer the rest of your questions later, assuming you last that long." "W-what do you mean?" Fluttershy asked, afraid. Discord sighed. "My original plan once you were rescued was to slowly ease all of you back into your own bodies, giving body and soul time to readjust to each other. However...Trigon left a last ploy for me. During his torture of you, he implanted a spell in each of you just in case you were rescued. There's no way to remove it without destroying your souls." "What did he do?" Rarity asked, shivering. "The only way I can get you back in your bodies is all at once...and then you will all experience - physically - everything your souls have been through this past year, all at once. The only way you'll survive is if you're strong enough to ride it out and drag yourself out of the abyss that torture will drag you into." He gestured to the window. "That's why your loved ones are there." He turned to Pinkie. "I tried to get the Cakes, but Cup went into early labor. I couldn't find Gummy or your grandmother, and...I'm not welcome in your parents community. I couldn't bring them with, I'm sorry." "It's okay," Pinkie said sadly. "It's...about what I expected." Discord frowned, but nodded. "Are you all ready?" When they all nodded, Discord snapped his talons and they vanished. Within the window, all seven unconscious bodies convulsed...and they started to scream. The ones conscious went to the stricken ponies and dragon. Fluttershy's animals tended to her. Scootaloo and Gilda were at Rainbow Dash's side instantly. Apple Bloom and Big Macintosh went to Applejack. Shining Armor and Cadance went to Twilight. Celestia went to Spike. Sweetie Belle immediately curled up to Rarity. The screams were too loud for anyone to hear what was being said to the stricken, but it seemed to be working. They seemed to be calming down. Then Pinkie's mane and tail went flat. Her screams intensified, and the others screams increased as well. Then Pinkie's voice began to fail. "No no no no NO!" Discord screamed, grabbing the image in the air. "Somepony help her, before we lose them all!" "What do you mean?" Robin demanded. "What's going on?" "They're linked to each other through the Elements of Harmony!" Discord looked frantic. "Each of them barely has the strength to overcome with the help of their friends and family who are here, and now Pinkie is dragging them all back! They don't have the strength to pull her out of the abyss with them! If nothing is done, we'll lose them all!" "Then do something!" Jinx snapped. "I can't!" Discord screamed. "The power I use to change reality is derived from Trigon! If I use it too much, I run the risk of resurrecting him on THIS side of the boundary! I can do no more for them!" "But then...who can?" Beast Boy asked, looking hopeless. As everyone began to drop, suddenly Starfire shot into the air. "Larry!" she cried happily. "Wait, what?" the other Titans replied, confused. "Larry is a being from the fourth-and-a-half dimension! When he showed us how he viewed our world, it resembled the books of comic of which Beast Boy is so fond. When Pinkie breaks the wall of fourthness in the show, she talks to those behind the TV. Relative to a real world...that must be the Fourth-and-a-half dimensional beings! They can help Pinkie!" "But Star," Cyborg asked. "How will we get them to help?" Starfire closed her eyes. Calling on what little was left in her mind and heart from being Pinkie, she found the fourth wall and faced it, widening her eyes into the most appealing expression she could manage. "Please, oh beings of the dimension beyond the wall of fourthness! Pinkie needs your help! Show her she is not alone, that there are those who care for her, that want her to live, to smile! Show her your love! Please, if you care for her at all, then clap for Pinkie!" "Really?" Beast Boy asked. "The Tinkerbelle solution?" "If you have better plan, put words to it!" Starfire snapped, not turning away. "Please," she begs of you. "Please clap for Pinkie." To be Continued...