Sometimes They Call Me Super

by KorenCZ11

Harmony Stories I: Unbreakable Diamond

Rarity Belle

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“I was eleven when it first happened. Living in a little village has it's perks when you're the one with rich parents, but at the same time, rich parents are never around when you need them to be. I was popular, the top of my class, an artist, a pianist, a designer, you name it. In my little pond, I was the biggest fish. Yet there was one thing that I was particularly bad at, and that was magic.

“For whatever reason, I was born with an ineptitude for magic. Nopony could figure out why I was so bad with the stuff, but all the same, my classmates eventually found out and I was ridiculed for it. Suddenly an outcast, things began to change around me. Teased every which way for being powerless, my so called 'friends' deserted me, and all I had left was my younger sister who fared much better. She was seven and already a better mage than I ever was. I didn't think my future looked very bright.

“I became jealous on top of all the other little insecurities that had slowly been building up, and this is where the turning point was. You see, being as moody as I was back then, I hadn't been putting any positive thought into anything, and that brought me to the point of skipping school one day because I'd had enough of it. I return the next day, ready for the next berating, but was surprised when I didn't get it. This was because there was a test that day. A test over a topic that my teacher had introduced yesterday. I was mortified to see letters in my math test for the first time and had no idea on how to even attempt any of the questions.

“I sat there trying to figure out what this new problem could possibly mean, completely still and wondering for almost an hour. She called time on the test. I hadn't even written anything. She began to collect papers from the other students, some looking like they were in a similar situation, others looking like they'd had no problems at all. I began to panic and write down random answers to every question, hoping that some of them might be right. I managed to get five out of thirty before she came to my desk.

“She tried to take the paper. I tried to keep it, frantically asking for more time, but my protest was denied. In a fit, I tried to pull my paper away from her with my magic, and that is when it happened. What was supposed to come out as a simple levitation spell ended up freezing the world. Naturally, I was confused about the advent at first. It's a strange feeling to suddenly see the world lose all it's color and sound.

“I was dazed by everything around me. Seeing the frozen faces of my teacher and classmates frightened me at first, but then I became curious. Magic was like it didn't exist now, so it was easy to take my paper back from the teacher. Then I decided to see what the other students had put on their papers since it didn't look like anypony would stop me. One of the other students had written out how the whole process worked, so I took advantage of that and finished my paper. After everything was complete and corrected, I simply sat back in my chair, wondering if the spell would ever end.

“I didn't quite have a real grasp on how any of this worked yet, but when time ran out, or, ‘restarted’ is a more proper word I suppose, I had no idea what I was in for. The feeling was similar to having several hundred needles stabbed into your skin all at once. Like every nerve on my body was set to pain, shooting it all into my brain so fast that it made me scream. I fainted and was brought to the town clinic shortly afterward. When I awoke three hours later, my parents had arrived to see me.

“It had been a few weeks since they'd visited last, so it was a welcome surprise, and even more of a relief just to see that they still cared. They promised to be home as long as they could while I was treated, but after being checked up, I was released. The doctor couldn't figure out what had happened to begin with, and it didn't look like there was anything wrong, so they let me go. I had my parents for a week, and it was a great one. My family was whole again for the rare time it was, but as do all good things, it eventually came to an end.

“I hadn't tried to use my powers again, but when I nearly got into a fight with one of those bullies, my powers went off. The anger I was feeling vanished, quickly being replaced by wonder, then fear. I didn't want to experience that feeling again. Terrified, I ran back home and hid in my bed, and prayed for it to stop. As if on queue, it did and the feeling returned, but not nearly as strong as it was the first time. The maid, Feather Duster, came across me after she heard me crying in my room and contacted the school about it. This strange display managed to get my parents back home again, but this time, it was to have me tested.

“I knew I wasn't capable of teleporting, but to everypony else, it looked like I did. When the results came back the same way, my disappearance only became more concerning. So, when life returned to normal, I was bestowed the title 'freak' to add on to my list of names. I started to get into fights more often, and with more fights came more uses of my powers. Every time I became afraid, the world would freeze. Every time I became furious, the world would freeze. Eventually, I figured out that I could manipulate things while the world was frozen. When I was angry enough to face and attack my bullies, I'd hit them while the world was frozen, then let it go to watch them take all my blows. It wasn't long before their ridiculing stopped.

“From my place at the bottom of the chain, I'd risen back to the top. The other students feared me, and as long as that kept them from teasing me, it was enough. After I realized how useful they were, I began to test my powers now. I figured out how to activate it on purpose in addition to being able to stop it, and this opened a whole new world of possibilities. If I wanted something that Feather wouldn't get me, then I would simply take it when nopony could see me.

“Eventually, Feather found out that I'd been stealing things, and my parents returned home to deal with me. Having them reprimand me was probably the most ashamed of myself that I'd ever been. I couldn't sleep that night. I'd never heard my parents yell, or look so angry at me. Worse still, was when they'd calmed down and could only look at me with disappointment. I couldn't get their faces out of my mind.

“Then... I heard a noise downstairs. It was likely one in the morning, and with nothing better to do, I decided to see what was going on.” Rarity paused. Ah saw her bite inta her lip fer a moment.

“I... I started to hear a slapping sound. At that age, I couldn't have known what it was. It was dark, only what the moonlight revealed could be seen. There was soft grunting and crying that became louder as I got closer.” She swallowed.

“I finally made my way down stairs and then I saw it. F-feather had been taken by some… intruder. I was horrified, so I screamed. He turned on me, removed himself from her and threw her on the ground like some kind of rag doll… I ran, and he followed. My parents got up and started turning lights on, yelling for the maid, asking what was wrong. I made it to them, and he stopped. My father attempted to fight this intruder after he realized what he'd done to Feather, only to be shot in the leg.

“Then... Then Sweetie woke up. Hers was the only bedroom on the ground floor. She called for mother as she exited, and the intruder spotted her, startled by the new voice. I could never know if he had intended to or not, but as soon as she moved, he turned and pulled his trigger. The gun fired. I screamed and the world stopped. I had moved quickly enough to stop time just before his bullet connected with Sweetie. Had I been any later, it would have pierced her skull with no more difficulty than it had moving through the air...

“I knew I wouldn't last long as tired as I was, but all the same I rushed to her. I tried to move her, but because I hadn't figured out how to freeze time with another pony in the still world, she was solid and I wasn't strong enough to get her out of the way. I didn't know what to do. I could only move things so far when the world was like this. And then I remembered. In my fights, some times, my opponent would throw things at me. With a simple flick, I could turn their projectiles around and watch as the acting forces followed, often time angling them to hit my opponents in the face.

“I ran to the bullet and with all the strength I could manage, I tried to turn it. Within frozen time, things acquire a… weight to them. It’s not exactly the weight of the object, or even a direct translation of the forces acting on it, but something like… the value of movement, not unlike a light casing of ice. Everything is almost lighter to the touch, yet nothing will move without a good amount of force applied to it if it was moving before. However, once an object has been removed from the stasis of frozen time, it's almost like pushing something on smooth ice. Things just… glide through space as if it were a void. But, just like the way it starts, when something stops moving during in my world, it goes back to stasis and becomes difficult to engage again.

“It wasn't working at first, but I was so desperate that my little body managed to get it to move just enough to break it from its stasis. I didn't know all the rules just yet, and I had pushed too hard for the bullet just to avoid Sweetie. The bullet kept turning until it came to rest facing our attacker. I was too tried to keep time frozen, and when I realized what I had done, it was too late.

“I watched as the bullet that was going to kill my little sister passed through the robber's forehead. I couldn't look away. The blood came pouring out of his head like a fountain, staining his dark coat the brightest crimson I'd ever seen. His eyes turned back into his head and he crumpled into a heap. For the first time since I discovered my powers did I really feel like time had stopped. Sweetie was crying, my mother was trying to console her and Feather, my father, injured and making calls to the police, the clinic, and his work, and I... just stood there, frozen to myself.

“The house was quickly sold and the two of us moved into our parents home here in Manehattan. To this day, that sight still haunts me. The robber, Feather, all that red… For years on, I never forgave myself for it. I swore off fighting and my powers for a very long time until I prevented another… attack on a mare one night two years ago. It was then that I decided that I would keep this from happening ever again. I made myself a costume with all the left over fabrics from my slowly declining shop and started going out every night to try and prevent that from happening to wandering mares.

“And then… I met Twilight. She approached me with an offer to help keep my livelihood while working for her under this guild, and… I've been here ever since.”

---

Applejack

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Ah wasn't sure if she could sink any lower in her chair than she already had at the moment. Ah couldn't think of any way ta respond either. There should've been somethin' ta say, but… whatever it was, it wouldn't come ta me.

“Ah… Ah'm sorry.” It was the best Ah could do. She took a deep breath and sat back up.

She looked at me and said, “Thank you,” through cold, sad eyes. The room had become dead silent again, and it stayed that way fer a good while. Eventually, the one that Ah could bet had some kind of problem with bein' in the same spot fer too long broke the silence.

“Sooooo... Is anypony else hungry? I'm willing to make food if that's the case,” she asked tryin' ta fake a smile. There was still some kinda depressin' gloom hangin' over the room, but Ah figured that Ah might listen ta my body.

“Ah am. Haven't eaten since Ah woke up,” Ah said.

“I suppose I could eat again. I haven't really eaten much today anyways,” Rarity followed.

“I-I... I'd like that,” Fluttershy added. We all looked to Twilight, who apparently didn't want ta stop the stories.

Finally, and reluctantly, Twilight finished the chain by sayin', “Alright, fine. I guess it would be better to brighten the mood before we darken it again. Go ahead Pinkie. But, try to make something quick. I'd prefer to get this done with as fast as possible. We still have a job that needs to be taken care of by the end of the week.”

Pinkie rolled her eyes. “It's Tuesday, and we'll probably get it done tomorrow. Don't you worry your little wings off, I'll be fast. It's kinda my thing.” And like that, she was a pink blur down one of the dark hallways. The room went quiet again, and this time, Ah couldn't stand it.

“So, uh… what's this job y'all were talkin about?” Ah asked.

Twilight looked at me, then looked away ta muse somethin' ta herself. Finally, she nodded and looked back at me. “You know the Argent company right?”

“Uh... sorta? Ah see that name on train cars that get tagged a lot around these parts.” Ah knew the name, but not much else.

“Rarity, if you would,” Twilight motioned.

Ah suppose that meant she knew more about it fer some reason. “Stannum Argent is my… father's boss, and the owner of Argent enterprises. Argent is the largest mineral and metal excavation company in Equestria and handles most of Equestria's exports due to our large reservoirs of silver, gold, and precious gems. Originally, he was a simple mirror smith before he bought a piece of land near the Yakyakistan border. In an attempt to dig out his own fortune, he started a mine into the frigid mountains alone and found the largest piece of Equestrian silver to date. My father was one of his first employees almost thirty years ago, and now he's one of the higher ups. My parents actually met working for Mr. Argent. My family is good friends with him.” She said it like she was recitin' an answer ta some kinda math problem, if not a little angry about it fer whatever reason. Well, that was weird.

“As for our job, there's been strange reports of workers going missing at one of the major Argent foundries just outside the city. Some of the workers have been reporting that there is literally a monster in the basement. My… uh… our boss, yes, that's the word, has asked us to investigate thanks to the nature of this task. She believes it to be some kind of power pony.” Twilight said.

Ah frowned. “That's kinda sketchy. Ah guess y'all are kinda like a special task force or somethin'?” Ah asked.

Twilight began ta muse again, then Rarity rolled her eyes. “Yes, yes we are. We take jobs that the government doesn't want to pass to normal ponies because mortality rates are high as it is, and our work… has had a habit of getting bloody as of late.” Then, she turned on Twilight. “Really, Twilight? I know you have your confidentiality issues, but Applejack is trustworthy. There is no reason to be so skeptical.”

“Look, I just don't want this to end up like the last one did okay? Who knows! Maybe the Bloody Crow is the one behind the Argent problem! Wouldn't it be fun to see her again?” Twilight shot, angry and sarcastic.

Rarity narrowed her eyes at Twilight. “I told you before we even brought her in that I didn't think she was a good fit for us, but you didn't listen to me. You were so obsessed with figuring out what she could do that you ignored the fact that she had problematic personality traits. So don't you blame me for your mistakes. I picked her out, and I trust her. Keep that in mind, Darling.”

Fer a minute there, it looked like a fight was gonna break out. Twilight was just about snarlin' at Rarity, and Rarity looked like she was about ta freeze time again.

Luckily, Pinkie returned before anythin' happened. “Dinner is ready! I made… whoa. You guys need to chill the hell out. You're making us look bad in front of our guest!” Rarity relaxed first, and then Twilight followed after.

Harmony huh? Heh. This ain't nowhere close ta that.

Comments

[Comickook]

Hey there. Thanks greatly for getting the next chapter up. I really appreciate you going to the effort. Once again, great job on the exchanges, emotional content, action, characterizations and future chapter set-up in all the right places. I'll definitely be looking forward to more of this as soon as time and inspiration will allow.

[Will]

Oh dear. It seems that nobody - sorry, nopony will be safe from emotionally (and likely physically) traumatic back stories explaining the origins of their superpowers. Sorry, Rarity... hey, wasn't that your lost innocence I just saw flying by outside the window?

Still can't wait to see what the other two - Twilight and Fluttershy - possess in the way of abilities. Fluttershy's display of knife play in an earlier chapter cleared nothing up for me, although it was awesome. The only obvious one is Pinkie with her super speed, and we already know Rarity and Applejack's traits.

Can't help but wonder about Rainbow Dash. She hasn't even been mentioned or hinted at yet, unless she's the crow or the power pony monster living in the basement.

All in all, an amazing way to set up for conflict later on. I am waiting in eager anticipation for events to unfold, even though I'm gonna miss literally every single reference to other fictional series in this story.

[KorenCZ11]

7574579 Miss the references! Dear god, you can't! At the very least, go watch this youtube video to get 90% of all the jokes I'll have pinkie make when she's with Rarity. You can also check out the show here if your internet/data rates allow. It's great. And convoluted as shit. But that's what makes it so amazing. That link starts at the beginning, and the scene above is from the second half of the 'third' season. The title to this chapter is a play on the title of the fourth season of the same show.

Flutters is definitely the character I like to pick on the hardest when it comes to my dark backstories, but at the same time, I also like to give her the most interesting powers. There should be an explanation of what she can do eventually. It may be a while though. We have a lot of ground to cover before then.

Lol, Dash. Kek kek kek, goes the wolf. Oh the plans I have for that one... Emotional trauma will very much be a thing across the board, and it is the main motivation for just about every gen 2 Hero in this story, with the idea that Red Hoof and company are Gen 1. Some of them are still alive too, so who knows who might show up in the future? Only time will tell there...

[Luna Aeterna Solutae]

The random capitalizations really throw Trixie off...

[KorenCZ11]

7591616 Would you mind pointing out where? I do that sometimes, and don't always catch it when I read through again.

[Luna Aeterna Solutae]

7593660

In a different Equestria than the one we know, a virus broke out Thirty years ago causing mutations in ponies in every way imaginable. Some wished to hide their new powers and forms, while others made quick work abusing them, turning into the Equestria's first Super Villains. The Princesses put out an edict stating that those who wish to fight against these Power Ponies who would do evil would be heavily compensated for catching a villain. It is not until nine years later that the first true hero would step up on the city stage, Sparking a revolution in Manehattan.

Also "superhero" and "supervillain" are usually one word, or at most hyphenated.

[Naturefang]

Harmony huh? Heh. This ain't nowhere close ta that.

Silly Applejack, you can't have Harmony without a little Chaos.

[Naturefang]

7591616
Hello Best Unicorn.