• Published 16th Oct 2012
  • 2,401 Views, 153 Comments

More than Forty Blinks - Sereg



Pinkie's sisters unleash a powerful enemy that is determined to make all of Equestria identical.

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Aim

Chapter 3: Aim

The diamond dog grumbled to himself about gems and how scarce they had been recently. He was busy stalking the plains, leaning forward in order to avoid being seen over the bushes. They were brown and dusty (the dog and plains) and while one wore a jewelled colour and a red jacket, the other was sparsely covered with small trees, thick, thorny bushes and patches of grass with the odd boulder. The dog had been assigned scouting duty and as such was sniffing with his flattened snout. This meant several things. Firstly, he was supposed to search the area while remaining out of the way of pony civilisation, though normally, individual and small groups of ponies were fine. It was part of his job to look for resources his pack could use and that included labour, whether from animals or members of other sapient races.

Recently, however, the guidelines had been updated to say that he should avoid a certain white, purple-maned unicorn. In fact, his orders were to run away and warn the rest of the pack of the danger, just as he was supposed to for other, older threats. He winced at the memory of her brief, but terrible, reign. There was a reason that his pack had been steadily moving away from Ponyville. They had also become a lot more reluctant to capture new workers. Anydog who did would be considered responsible for whatever impending disaster the new worker would probably bring. Perhaps, in the future, they could find a safer way of acquiring new workers, but for now, they were not high on his list of priorities. He was also supposed to search for other resources though. Food was one, but there was a particular resource that all diamond dogs loved and as usual, he could not keep his mind off of it.

A winged shadow approached and grew. The diamond dog looked up as a white alicorn landed in front of him. “Who are you, pony!?” he asked, pointing at her.

“WE ARE CONFORMITY! WE REQUIRE THE ABILITY TO DIG! YOUR ABILITIES SHALL BE ADDED TO OUR OWN!

“What are you...?” began the diamond dog, before Conformity tapped him and he began to squeal. His features were smoothed out as his fur whitened and he was rendered female. “THIS IS ACCEPTABLE! ONWARD!” The canine Conformity climbed onto the back of the alicorn and they flew at high speed towards Canterlot.

(/)

“We need to rescue Fluttershy Posey, Bearer of the Element of Kindness!” cried Star Swirl.

“Yes, we do.” Celestia nodded. “But I fear that time is not on our side. Do you know of a way to hasten the rescue?”

Star Swirl closed her eyes and felt the earth. She walked forward a few steps. “Fluttershy Posey, Bearer of the Element of Kindness, is curled at the bottom of a chamber exactly one hundred ponylengths below us. Of course Conformity would put her there.”

“Is there a way down?” asked Celestia.

Star Swirl shook her head. “The chamber is completely sealed off. One would need to tunnel into it.”

“All right girls! Let’s dig!” said Twilight.

(/)

The the former diamond dog jumped off her alicorn mount. She then began to dig, quickly tunnelling underneath the castle before turning up towards the chamber holding the Elements of Harmony. She soon reached the solid rock floor, but found that she was magically repelled from touching it. “SEEMS AS THOUGH CELESTIA CONSIDERED THIS POSSIBILITY! SHE WAS ALWAYS THE STRATEGIST! TIME FOR PLAN B! STILL, AT LEAST THERE IS ANOTHER WAY THEY CAN BE SLOWED DOWN WHILE WE HAVE A BODY HERE!

(/)

With the help of an alicorn, excavation proceeded quickly, but Star Swirl suddenly held up a hoof. “Stop!” she cried.

The digging ceased. “There... is something down there. It’s tunnelling under the castle... It feels like Conformity, but it’s the wrong shape.”

“She randomly sprouted a horn and wings in front of us,” said Rainbow with a shrug.

“And we saw that she used to be spherical,” added Twilight.

“Point taken,” conceded Star Swirl. “Wait... Now she’s heading for Fluttershy Posey, Bearer of the Element of Kindness!”

“What!?” cried Rainbow. “Let’s move it! Double time!”

Sweat covered dripped down their muzzles and their hooves chipped as they poured on the speed. They soon broke their way into the cavern to find a crouching Fluttershy and a white diamond dog. Fluttershy uncovered her face to view the light which entered through the hole. “Is that you, Conformity?” asked Rainbow.

“YES! HERE FOR FLUTTERSHY?! WE ARE AFRAID THAT WE WOULD PREFER HER TO STAY AWAY FROM YOU!” She stepped in front of Fluttershy.

“And what are you going to do about it!?” asked Rainbow, glaring at the dog.

“WE ARE GOING TO BE IN YOUR WAY! WE DO NOT WANT TO TOUCH YOU YET, BUT YOU CANNOT TOUCH US!

“That will not be a problem!” growled Celestia. Her horn glowed and the diamond dog lifted into the air.

“AH, YES! THAT DOES TEND TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM WHEN WE DO NOT HAVE MANY BODIES AROUND! YOU DO HAVE ENOUGH TELEKINETIC POWER TO EASILY LIFT THE SOLAR SYSTEM, AFTER ALL! BUT CAN YOU REALLY HOLD ALL OF US OFF WITHOUT DROPPING THE SUN, CELESTIA!? OR WILL YOU HAVE TO RESORT TO KILLING US!? WE SUPPOSE THAT YOU CAN TELL THAT THIS WAS NEVER THE BODY OF ONE OF YOUR SUBJECTS! WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO DESTROY IT!?

“Unlike you, I actually care about making sure that no one else is harmed in my fights against evil, Conformity!”

The diamond dog’s face fell. “AND YOU PROVE YOURSELF NOBLE WITH THAT DECISION, CELESTIA! WE ACTUALLY APPRECIATE IT AND WISH THAT YOUR METHODS WERE EFFECTIVE! BUT SOMETIMES, WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE, NEEDS TO BE DONE! STILL, EVEN WE CAUSE AS LITTLE HARM AS POSSIBLE! UNITY IS GLORIOUS! NOT A THING TO BE FEARED! AND WE ARE DOING IT IN A WAY WHICH WILL MINIMISE DISCORD’S DESTRUCTIVENESS WHEN HE IS FREED! EVEN OUR CAPTURE OF FLUTTERSHY WAS DONE WITH NO HARM TO HER! WE HAVE NOTHING AGAINST HER! SHE WAS SIMPLY THE BEARER EASIEST TO CONTAIN! EVEN GUARDING HER SIMPLY REQUIRED US TO LEAVE THESE EYES CLOSED!AND NOW THAT YOU HAVE CAPTURED ME, WE ARE NOT EVEN GOING TO STOP YOU FROM FREEING HER FOR RISK OF FREEING DISCORD TOO EARLY!

Celestia’s horn glowed and a golden cage formed around the diamond dog. “I may not be able to hold back all of your bodies at once, but I can at least slow you down.”

Rainbow Dash turned her head and called out, “Fluttershy!” before darting over to the yellow mare.“We’re here to save you! Come on!” She beckoned with a hoof.

“Oh... all... right,” whispered Fluttershy and she slowly flapped her way back into the light.

“Thank heavens you’re safe, Darling!” said Rarity.

“Oh... I’m okay."

“All right. We’re all together again. Conformity couldn’t stop that!” said Twilight.

“But we still need to stop her,” said Star Swirl. “She’s very dangerous and with Star Swirl the Seventeenth apparently having had a hoof in creating her, I feel an extra responsibility for this situation.”

“I thought that you’d come to the conclusion that you were a unique pony. That you didn’t have to be held to your ancestors’ achievements,” said Twilight.

“I still feel a connection to them though,” replied Star Swirl. “And I think that you need all the help you can get for this. Speaking of which, I think that we need to meet up with Princess Luna.”

“Agreed,” said Celestia.

They quickly ran up to a familiar statue which was standing in a circle of green grass, surrounded on all sides by whiteness. In front of the statue stood a scowling princess.

Star Swirl fell to her knees. “Princess Luna! It is such an honour to be in your presence again!”

THOU MAY RISE!

“Thank you,” replied Star Swirl as she did so.

“We are here to discuss how to defeat Conformity, Sister,” Celestia informed her.

“Conformity is a dangerous opponent and we cannot afford to make mistakes with her. As such, I think that we need to explore every possibility,” said Star Swirl. “Unfortunately, only Discord has ever defeated Conformity before.”

THOU CANNOT SERIOUSLY BE SUGGESTING THAT WE FREE THIS HORROR, CANST THOU!?

Celestia frowned. “While I am also appalled at that idea, remember your volume, Sister. Just talk to everypony the way you talk to me.”

“Sorry, Sister. It has been a stressful day.”

“I am not suggesting any course of action yet,” said Star Swirl. “But we need as many advantages as we can get. That includes information. Is there a way to find out his view of the battle?”

Luna rolled her eyes and her horn glowed.

A familiar voice said, “Well, now. It seems that you all need me after all.”

“There is no need for mocking, Discord,” said Celestia. “I take it that you are aware of what has been happening?”

“Aware? Of course I’m aware! I have nothing better to do than watch what’s happening, thanks to all of you! Well, except for you with the bells. You’re just an insignificant extra. Didn’t you know that style of hat went out of fashion before my first reign?”

“Do not listen to him.” said Celestia with a roll of her eyes. “He is just trying to be a jerk. It is one of the ways he works.”

“But suddenly, you are so much more appreciative of my works, aren’t you Celestia? At least things were interesting with me around. Now you have this drab, monotonous white.”

“Appreciate them?” asked Celestia.

“Yes! After I reversed all of your Uncle Mercury’s limbs, his dancing was far more interesting! At least it was when I made him dance in that condition. Didn’t you appreciate when I showed such special attention like that?”

“I will never appreciate the horrors that you inflict!” growled Celestia, “Now get to the point! How can Conformity be defeated!?”

“Well, you could release me. I suppose that I’d be willing to lend a claw. Even to you ungrateful lot.”

“Not happening. Next.”

“Well, then I don’t see the point in saying anything more.”

Luna’s horn glowed once more. “That was remarkably unhelpful,”

“Perhaps, but we still have other options,” replied Star Swirl. “Do you think that the Elements of Harmony are still recoverable?”

“I think so,” sighed Celestia. “If we can get through the wall, they should still be there. But that may take time, and I have noticed that every time we try to retrieve the Elements from the chamber, something goes wrong.”

“So, we need a backup plan.” Star Swirl nodded. “The Elements of Harmony are more powerful than Discord, and they left Conformity imprisoned, so they are likely to be effective, but in the event that something else goes wrong, there is another avenue that we have yet to explore.”

“And what, pray tell, is that?” asked Luna.

“Discord’s magic itself,” replied Star Swirl. “Twilight Sparkle, Bearer of the Element of Magic, whose special talent lets her learn any spell and I, Star Swirl the Hundred and Forty Seventh whose special talent allows her to understand magic both witnessed the way that Discord defeated Conformity, even if it was only through a record. What’s more is that we saw that the way it worked was through covering her in a type of crystal that Conformity was clearly incapable of altering and the Elements of Harmony left intact. That said, the crystal is obviously not completely immune to outside influence or she would never have been freed. As an earth pony, I may be able to manipulate the crystal myself. It should still exist as it is beyond Conformity’s power to change.”

“But where’ll we get this crystal?” asked Applejack.

“Most likely where it came from,” replied Star Swirl. “If Blinkavera Vivian Pie was the pony that Conformity based her template on, she most likely met her soon after being released, meaning that we’d most likely find pieces of her crystal prison...”

“At my family’s rock farm!” Pinkie interrupted as she jumped into the air and wriggled her legs.

“That’s right, Pinkie,” said Star Swirl. “While you try and get the Elements of Harmony, I’ll use my ability to detect the magic within the earth to find the crystals. I’d need to get there and back very quickly though and we know that Conformity blocks teleports and spacial manipulation.”

“You need to get somewhere fast!?” asked Rainbow Dash. “Hah! I’ll get you there and back on time!”

“No, Rainbow,” objected Twilight. “We can’t split up.”

“Once again, Twilight Sparkle, Bearer of the Element of Magic in her bounteous wisdom is correct,” said Star Swirl. “We can’t let the bearers of the Elements of Harmony be split up again.”

“My sister will need to be here to help open the chamber, but I too have the speed of an alicorn,” said Luna.

“Thank you for the offer, Princess Luna,” said Star Swirl with a bow. “You are most generous. Er... Will, I be riding on your back?”

“No. We shall be flying in style!” replied Luna. She flapped her wings and flew off. They cringed as they heard a frustrated scream. Luna quickly returned wearing a scowl, but she was pulling something. “SHE ALTERED MY CHARIOT! FOR THIS, SHE MUST BE PUNISHED MOST SEVERELY!” Luna’s chariot, formerly black and spiky, was now white and far more box-like. She turned to Star Swirl. “GET IN! WE MUST STOP THIS EVIL AT ONCE!

Star Swirl did so and grabbed hold of her hat as Luna flew off at a speed well over that of sound.

(/)

Luna landed on the white plains, and Star Swirl slowly wobbled off. “I think I know why earth ponies are meant to stay on the earth,” she mumbled. She then inhaled and exhaled deliberately and closed her eyes, connecting herself to the flow of magic within the earth. “Got it,” she said. “Follow me.”

(/)

The ponies kicked, scraped and blasted away at the wall before pulling away the resulting rubble until the door was finally revealed. Celestia leaned forward and inserted her horn into the lock and cancelled the protective spells. The door swung open, bathed in the light of her telekinesis as a white fly watched from the wall. They breathed a sigh of relief as the room seemed completely normal. Then, a white streak flew past them and landed in the room, forming a circle of white around her. She lifted the box containing the Elements of Harmony in her telekinesis.

“OH NO, WE ARE AFRAID THAT WE CANNOT LET YOU HAVE THESE!” she said.

“Conformity!” growled Rainbow Dash. “Don’t you ever know when to quit!?”

“THAT IS RATHER RICH COMING FROM YOU, RAINBOW DASH!” replied Conformity. “WE KNOW YOU QUITE WELL BY NOW! AFTER ALL, WE HAVE THE MEMORIES OF PONYVILLE, CANTERLOT AND CLOUDSDALE AND WE ARE CONTINUALLY BRINGING MORE SETTLEMENTS INTO OUR UNITY!

“How did you even know we’d opened the door!?” asked Twilight.

“THAT WAS RATHER SIMPLE!” replied Conformity. “WE REALISED THAT WE COULD NOT GET INTO THE CHAMBER WITH CELESTIA’S ANTI-INTRUDER SPELLS PLACED ON IT! NOT UNTIL SHE HAD OPENED THE CHAMBER HERSELF! SO, WE BROUGHT A FLY INTO OUR UNITY AND ONCE WE ASSIMILATED IT, WE SAT, USING ITS BODY, UPON THE WALL, WATCHING YOU! MEANWHILE, WE HAD ANOTHER OF OUR BODIES WAITING AND HIDING OUT OF SIGHT SO THE AS SOON AS WE SAW YOU OPEN THE CHAMBER, WE COULD FLY IT IN AND GRAB THE CHEST! NOW, FOR THE NEXT THING ON OUR TO-DO LIST!” She pointed her horn up and blasted the roof, vaporising it and leaving a hole to the sky. “NOW, CELESTIA AND TWILIGHT SPARKLE, IF YOU TRY TO GRAB THIS BODY OR THE CHEST WITH YOUR MAGIC, THEN WE SHALL USE OUR OWN MAGIC TO SIMPLY CRUSH IT! WE BELIEVE THAT THE ELEMENTS OF HARMONY WILL SURVIVE! THEY SURVIVED BEING SHATTERED, AFTER ALL! BUT REALLY, THAT WOULD BE A BIT OF A RISK AND SOMETHING OF A LARGE MESS TO CLEAN UP, WOULD YOU NOT SAY!? IT WOULD CERTAINLY BE VERY DIFFICULT TO EXTRACT THEIR REMAINS FROM THE REMAINS OF THE CHEST NOW, WOULD IT NOT?!” She smiled and flapped her wings, rising from the ground.

Conformity’s expression then turned to one of confusion as a dark blue streak headed towards them. Luna hit the floor, cracking it beneath her hooves. Conformity’s eyes widened in horror as she looked at the chariot and saw the crystals within. She rapidly ascended away from the alicorn and her cargo of crystal and pony.

“Grab a crystal and fire!” ordered Star Swirl.

Twilight, Luna, Celestia and Rarity immediately began lifting crystals out of the chariot and launching them at the fleeing alicorn. One of the crystals soon slammed into her and it started to grow around her. Her telekinesis and wings stopped working and both she and the chest fell unceremoniously to the ground with a couple of thuds.

The other ponies quickly ran out of the castle and onto the field where they found the white alicorn struggling against the growing crystal. They charged up to her, but she seemed helpless. “You-you... What have you, done!?” she squealed. “Let-let me go!”

“I don’t think so, Conformity,” replied Rainbow Dash.

“R-really?! Well, in that case, you had better hope that you have a lot more of that stuff!” She lifted her head and the sky began to darken as hundreds of white alicorns flew in from every direction. Some of them began to dive, while others wrapped their horns in glowing auras of magic and still others brought in large, dark cloud banks. A few bucked their clouds, discharging a few lightning bolts to make a point.

Luna formed a shimmering hemisphere of force around the group as Celestia telekinetically opened the chest.

“Necklace, necklace, necklace, necklace, necklace, big crown thingy!” Twilight shouted, throwing the elements to their bearers with her magic.

“Big crown thingy?” asked Star Swirl as she raised an eyebrow.

“All right, Conformity!” said Twilight. “We’ve had enough of this! Girls, formation!”

The bearers of the Elements of Harmony stepped forward and closed their eyes, concentrating. Their elements lit up, glowing with power before they opened their brightly shining eyes. A spectrum of beams burst from the elements, twisting into a rainbow. Luna dropped the shield as the rainbow lifted into the sky and arced back down, smashing into the rapidly crystallising alicorn.

She screamed as the rainbow twisted around her and expanded, forming a bubble which grew and swallowed up everything in their vision. All they could see was the bright, multicoloured light.

Author's Note:

A/N: And it is time for the next chapter. Thanks again for the help and support! I was actually doing NaNoWriMo. Part of the reason for the wait. Just to make this clear, this is chapter three and I expect this particular story to be six chapters. Then I’ll start with the next fic in the series, which should be a lot of fun, if a bit of a challenge. By the way, for those wondering, Star Swirl knows that Pinkie likes being called Pinkie, so she’ll call her that when speaking directly to her. The same applies to Twilight and similarly, when Fluttershy is present, she’ll call her just Fluttershy. She still likes her overly formal full name and title usage, but she’s ait less strict with it now due to character development.