Five days have passed since the incident and the ponies began to continue with their daily lives... Some more than others.
the light of the night had befallen upon the quiet town and inside the Golden Oak library the six friends were discussing about the recent news of the searching of Azrael.
“The royal guard have not a single clue of Azrael’s whereabouts” Twilight explained to her friends from the small reunion that had began from a while now and they already talked about the progress of the town and some other details. The five mares looked concerned and worried about the lack of progress of the search of the criminal stallion and remained silent for a moment.
Applejack decided to resume their talk as she decided to ask something that Twilight might know.
“So, Twilight, what did this fella ‘ere wanted to do that involved our sisters? I had tried to ask to Apple Bloom and neither she knows. So I wondered if princess Celestia told you something” the orange farmpony leaned closer to expect a good answer from her friend.
Twilight took a deep breath and faced her friends. “From what Celestia has told me, he plans to finish his masterpiece, she heard him mention that he would create a relic that would be called Obsidian Crown: A relic powerful enough to take over the entire kingdom causing a massive wave of hypnosis that will bring all of Equestria on its knees” she explained to all her friends.
“That really sounds scary... and dangerous” commented Fluttershy, looking worried of what kind of horrible future would await them if he succeeded in his plan.
“Wow, talk about a powered hungry pony” remarked Pinkie with eyes open wide in concern and surprise to think that such thing could exist.
“The more reason this vile villain needs to be stopped before he does such a dreadful thing”remarked Rarity with serious tone and conviction. Blaming Azrael for the erratic behaviour of her little sister.
Rainbow had remained silent from most of the part of the reunion, looking nervously everywhere except her friends.
“Dash, is everything alright? you seem a bit nervous there” stated the orange mare, watching how her blue friend recoiled when she was being addressed.
Rainbow wanted to make her quick reply but nothing came to her mind of what to say to ease the concern of her friends, so she hesitated, struggling to express her words without losing her cool but the more she stalled the more evident was for them to know that something was wrong.
“No… I kinda… feel really uncomfortable about all this” she replied looking at the ground from her left side.
Twilight could guess why she was feeling depressed but prefer not to touch the subject at the moment. Since she remembered everything that happened Rainbow wanted to keep distance from Scootaloo, even if it pains the both of them.
“Ughm, right then, I guess I shall be taking mah leave, since it’s getting a bit late and all and I got lots of stuff to do fer tomorrow” said Applejack to break the uncomfortable silence among them as she rose from her seat, followed by the others behind.
“I guess that will be all of for tonight, I will inform all of you about the search of Azrael when I hear any progress about it” finished Twilight guiding them all to the door of the library.
One by one they all said their goodbyes and left to their own homes to rest for another day, except for one mare who remained at the door next to Twilight.
“Twilight, dear, may I have a word with you before leaving. It’s about… “ she left the last part hanging hoping that Twilight could know what she was referring.
“Of course Rarity, follow me” understanding what her friend wanted to talk, Twilight closed the door and guided the white unicorn back to the common room to take a seat in a couch that rested in the middle.
“Tell how has been Sweetie Bell doing these past days…“ Twilight asked, giving her white friend a friendly look to make things less tense or depressing.
***
Applejack returned to her home as she closed the door from her living room, walking to the stairs that connected to the bedrooms, she decided to enter to her little sister’s room to see how she was doing before going to sleep.
Stopping at the door she first listened what little noise she could from the other side signaling that her little sister might be asleep.
With three soft knocks, Applejack announced her presence.
“Apple Bloom? yer awake?” she asked softly, pressing her ears to the door to hear any response.
“Yeah, you can come in” replied softly the little filly from the oter side.
Applejack, slowly, opened the door and stepped inside the room, where her little sister lied in the bed with the blanket covering her.
“Hey Apple Bloom, mind if I take a seat?” Applejack asked as she stepped next to Apple Bloom’s bed, and sat down once she received a nod from the filly.
After the last time they saw Azrael, both sisters, and the entire family, had talked about the recent events that the yellow filly had done to them and the reasons behind her actions that lead to her punishment. Which only lead for her to be isolated in her room for the next week. Something that the filly accepted as she saw it necessary for her.
The farm mare jump on the bed carefully and sat in the edge of it, with her hoof she began to stroke the back of her little sister to comfort her worries, which she guessed that the filly had.
“Look, Ah know that you are sorry and all.” Applejack began, stroking the back of her sister, who recoiled at the touch but didn’t so anything to stop it. “And Ah know, as well, that yah have learned yer lesson about all this.” she added giving one last stroke to the filly as she smiled at her.
“So I jest wanted tah invite yah to go at the southern lake withe me, Babs and her sister.” the orange mare then dropped the invitation for her little sister to listen at and wait for the reaction.
True to what Applejack was expecting, Apple Bloom jerked up from the bed and stared at her sister with eyes opened wide.
“Really?, yer just gonna let me go off my punishment, just like that?” asked the yellow filly to confirm that her ears weren’t deceiving her of such hope.
“Of course,” confirmed Applejack, smiling confidently at her sister. “Princess Luna already told me that yah decided, on yer own, to seek help with her in order to stop what that dreaded varmint was planning. And that is what truly counts here with me.” she assured with her warm smile and a strong hug to mean every single word she said.
Applebloom returned the hug, happy to be forgiven, and that her punishment ended sooner than later. “Thanks sis” she said before releasing the embrace between them.
Applejack then got off the bed and kissed Apple Bloom’s forehead before leaving the room.
“Sleep well, lil’ sis,” she said closing the door slowly.
Apple Bloom smiled and proceeded to take a good sleep, eager to have an excellent day with her cousin, as it should've been from the very beginning, instead of the madness she decided to participate.
*****
Rarity closed the door of her boutique and turned off the lights of the first floor. With a depressed mood she walked the stairs to her bedroom to give herself a good night sleep
walking through the corridor to her room, Rarity stop at the door where her little sister was currently sleeping.
“What a bad timing for my parents to be on their travels and not here to see upon her” she mumbled and walked to the door. Pressing her ear to the door, trying to hear to the soft breathing of her little sister.
The faint noise was barely audible but still present, making the white unicorn to sigh in relief but not entirely to let her be at ease as she then departed to her own room to sleep.
Rarity had already spoken to Twilight her concerns for Sweetie Bell and her obsession with hypnosis and having control over others as well her fears that no professional will help her with this troublesome subject.
The lavender alicorn promised her that she would find a way to help her to overcome those dark feelings.
To make matters worse would be to send Sweetie to another place away from friends and family and that would cause an ache upon Rarity’s heart to think that she was unable to help her.
with a small shake of her head, she dispelled what horrible thoughts lingered in her mind and walked to her room for another day to help her sister.
Rarity made her way to the bed, walking through the darkness with ease as she remembers where everything was during the day and jump on the bed to lay down in it but something strange poked her back and made it uncomfortable to rest in there.
thinking that it was possibly one of her sketches that got scattered in her bed, Rarity lifted her horn and brought light to the room.
“What’s this?” she asked herself and look closely at the parchment that was in her hoof and read it carefully.
To Singularity.
The white unicorn was confused and considered that the letter was for somepony else and the messenger must have been mistaken but one word caught her attention more than anything and made her continue to read.
I sincerely apologise that you had receive a silent punishment from the ponies of the town for making you become a simple puppet of the actions of Sweetie Bell on her pursue for a dominance.
I wish to amend at least this matter, and to assure you that this decision is out of your reach and will be effected immediately.
I do this because she will become a hindrance for you and all those around her in the future and sadly no therapist will help her in time.
But do not worry, Murmur might be old but he can still do his job, eliminating those awful thoughts on Sweetie Bell, very quick and perfectly done.
Hope we never see again, soon, Azrael.
Rarity drop the letter processing all that it contain and to make sense of its words from it. Certainly the stallion that made all this hectic day happen was back and had done something to her little sister, and that caused Rarity to rush to where Sweetie Bell was sleeping.
Galloping quickly to the room, Rarity used her magic to open it and use her body to push it quickly to be inside and look around to see if there was something out of place or attacking the filly.
Under the Darkness, Rarity could hear the sound of a hoot inside the room, along with a hint of a whisper that was barely audible.
With no waste of time she enlightened the room and saw an owl resting in the bedpost on top of Sweetie Bell, whispering nothingness to the filly with an alluring sound of his coos.
“Get away, shoo!” shouted the alabaster unicorn trying to swat away the animal, with her hooves, from her sister to avoid any further damage to her.
The owl saw the mare and quickly took flight giving a few laps in the room and rushed out of the window quickly heading out of sight of the the unicron, now that his job was done and his services had ended.
Rarity closed the window and kept an eyes on the creature vanishing under the darkness of the night. Once it was gone she rushed to be with her little sister to check on her if she was not injured or under some kind of malifice.
“Sweetie Bell! Sweetie, wake up!” shouted quietly the unicorn as she shook the body of her little sister her tone was desperate as she felt that she was not going to wake up from the first two seconds until a small groan escaped from the little filly.
“What is it, Rarity?” Sweetie mumbled rubbing her eyes to see better at her sister.
The older unicorn breathed in relief that her sister was conscious and responded well.
she quickly hugged Sweetie Bell, and rubbed her cheek into her face. “I was worried about you” she sobbed and hugged tighter on Sweetie.
The little filly didn’t know the reason of this but in her mind she felt compelled to act upon her transgressions.
“Rarity… I’m sorry for what I did last week” she finally said, feeling the body of her sister tense up at those words and forced her to continue. “I was carried away and I couldn’t stop myself. I am sorry” she apologized once more and hugged with more strength to her sister to infuse her feelings of regret to her sister and accept her apologies.
Rarity was loss of words to say but she managed to make them once she broke the hug and watched Sweetie Bell directly to her eyes.
“Why are you telling me this, Sweetie?” she asked giving an apprehending look to the petite unicorn, but deep inside her mind knew the answer of her question, the reason she decided to feel regret of the act upon hypnotizing ponies around her and to apologize then and there.
Sweetie returned the gaze and from her iris a small glint of purple was noticed from her them.
“I’ve been considering what all of you told me these last days and I decided to make amends with all of you, specially you, for what I have done” the glow, from her iris, dimmed down.
Rarity could see clearly the faint glow from her sister’s eyes and that worried her immensely, as a cold shiver of fear of the fact that the cursed stallion would be able to do something like this at anytime he pleased and to anypony. It was something to take in consideration to add another reason to stop him and be arrested as soon as possible.
But if Rarity was honest to herself. She would consider that using hypnosis and mind control to cure her sister would outweigh the fact that her reputation, and of her entire family would go downwards into the abyss if Sweetie Bell didn’t improve her behaviour.
True to the letter, Rarity was in fact affected by the actions of her little sister the ponies would give her strange looks and dreadful murmurs around her every time she walked in the streets of the small town made her worry about her future.
Every time she wanted to show her generous heart to others they rejected her offer, most of the times kindly, and avoid any insistence of the matter, causing her trust with the public more harder to restore her reputation and friendship among the townsponies.
This not only affected both sisters but her entire family as well, from both of her parents always travelling and leaving the youngest one alone and Rarity, doing her best to spend time with her but never having time to know her inner turmoils and dark obsessions. Those things could bring a huge damage to her entire family if they weren’t finished quickly, even worse if they reach Canterlot with the high society of the white city, her reputation and friendship would be ruined forever and would be much worse from what would be in Ponyville.
It was a selfish reason to do this, Rarity knew all too well about it, but this land would probably fell apart if they can’t trust in the element bearer of Generosity or the sole act of being a generous soul disappears.
“Listen Sweetie, I forgive you for what you have done.” began Rarity, giving a small peck on the forehead of the filly before continuing. “But you still need to apologize to the other neighbors of the town and promise never do such thing ever again” she conditioned with a small smile.
Sweetie Bell nodded understanding what she needed to do and happy that she was forgiven, from her sister, for her misdeeds. “Will do, good night, Rarity” she said before laying her head down and closing her eyes to embrace sleep once more.
“Good Night, Sweetie Bell” Rarity kissed her sister once more before leaving the room and closing it softly behind her to return to her own room.
The white unicorn levitated the letter once more and read it again before letting out a deep sigh. “I better tell Twilight of this once the morning rises, she would choose to release Sweetie from the mind control that animal cast her and to find the long way” she murmured as she levitated her night mask on her eyes and tucked herself to sleep for another night.
***
“Okay Scootaloo, Just as you practiced before” the orange filly told to herself as she watched the world below her from the highest cloud.
She took one last breath and prepared her resolve. She was ready.
With one small jump she let her body be pulled down by the gravity and her quick descent to earth began, with more speed at each second she could feel the G force on her body and a increasing heat as well.
“Calculate the distance and prepare perfect timing to make it work” she thought to herself as the ground grow closer the more she fell down.
Scootaloo felt the magic in her wings as this was burning through them and knew that the moment has come. Almost reaching the ground she opened her wings to break the fall and stabilized her body to fly straight line in the sky producing a fiery effect on her wings and a trail of fire under her path in the sky.
The blazing phoenix.
Scootaloo cried in joy that she performed one of the most advanced acrobatic tricks that not any wonderbolt could achieve and she felt immense proud of it while making circles around the sky and some barrel rolls.
From the ground all her friends watched the pegasi filly realize the magnificent stunt and cheered in her achievement shouting her name and stomping the ground with enthusiasm.
Scootaloo showered herself at the praises and enjoyed them more than she ever expected and saw the many faces of the ponies she recognized as her friends and neighbors, but the one she was looking for was not among them.
by giving another lap on the sky to search for her, Scootaloo noticed the cyan pony who, unlike the others, was giving her back on her.
With a swift movement the orange filly descended to the ground and fall nearby where Rainbow Dash was sitting.
“Hey Dash, did you like that incredible stunt that I just made?” she asked with the curiosity of searching the approval of her superior, and big sister.
The cyan pegasus, for her part, didn’t move from her place, not even to gaze at Scootaloo from the corner of the eye.
Scootaloo was getting a bit worried about the cold shoulder that she received from Rainbow Dash and took two tentative steps towards her and right fore leg to touch her shoulder,
“Don’t touch me!” shouted the cyan pegasus turning her head and glaring intensely at Scootaloo.
The orange pegasus recoiled quickly and her eyes are of pure fright looked at the icy stare that Dash mercisley gave her.
She could tell why she was mad but she didn’t like it one bit.
“Look Dash, I’m sorry. Really I am, It was something that was out of hoof when it began and I just wanted to spend some time with you.” The filly apologized with the water from her eyes accumulating and ready to pour down but she held her tears in, deciding whether they were for joy or sadness.
Before Rainbow could make a response everything became black except for the little hill where they sat on and Scootaloo looked around, noticing this change, franatic to know what was happening but the answer seemed self explanatory for her.
.”Oh, hank Luna this is just a dream,” the orange pegasus sighed in relief as she look around to see the midnight blue alicorn descend from above and aid her in a way to reconcile herself with her big sister.
“That is good feel relief in a dream since the waking world is too somber to live in” a male voice spoke from nearby.
Scootaloo noticed that the voice came from where Rainbow Dash was looking and from the the hill was walking the red stallion she had seen a few days ago.
“What are you doing here!? she asked instinctively but she remembered that this was a dream becoming a nightmare for her. “You must be a nightmare for me here right?” she asked once more with a relaxed expression knowing that he couldn’t do much of anything here.
“Your right, only an expert in oneiromancy can be here and move freely among the realm of the dreams,” he explained with a slight tone of mockery as he sat next to Rainbow but still watching Scootaloo. “Many ponies lost practice of this because they fear that it would enrage the Princess of Dreams.” he added waving his hoof in another attempt of mockery.
Scootaloo gave a curious look at him and to process what he was talking about but her lack in magic terms made it difficult to make heads or tails of it so she let him be a simple nightmare.
“So are you a dream? or you are inside my dreams?” she asked to make sure she understand.
“The latter one, honestly,” he replied dismissively as he kept his eyes on Rainbow. “Like a ghost, I can manifest my body in almost any dream but I can’t do anything more than I can interact in the dreams.” he explained with a shrug.
“I thought only Luna could do that,” Scootaloo pointed out knowing that she was the princess of dreams and the only pony that she had seen in them.
“It’s something that many consider since she is the entitled princess of dreams and that nopony in this land knows about the magic spells of this art, as well, the fact that it is considered impolite to… “ the stallion stopped himself and shook his head and narrowed his eyes. “I didn’t came here to explain why I am here but to give you a message of goodbye.” He corrected himself and stomp the ground.
“What is that you want?” Demanded Scootaloo heading straight to the point to get rid of the stallion. “You know what? Forget it I don’t want anything from you!” she then corrected, shouting at the stallion to get rid of him as quickly as possible from her.
Azrael still smiled at the little filly and placed his hoof on Rainbow’s, dream image, shoulder. “And let you two remain in a fight that would maybe never mend?” asked the maroon unicorn turning around the cyan pegasus showing how angry she was at the orange filly.
Scootaloo recoiled a bit but she remained impassive on her request. “This is something that I will amend and none of your junk is going to help me!” she replied with conviction.
Scootaloo was determined to solve her rapture with Rainbow Dash and she was not going to let a creepy smiling stallion to get in her way to make amends with her big sister.
“Then this all I have to say.” Azrael walked to Scootaloo until he was close to her and lay his body to be at her eye level.
Scootaloo was overwhelmed by nervousness as the stallion was near her she was only in place because this was all a dream but her doubts remained.
“I am leaving, hopefully for your good, to never be seen,” he replied with a smirk as he stood up on his legs and turned around. “At least that will be as a good news for you and the others to enjoy.” He added with a grin and stood up to leave from where he came from.
Scootaloo could barely hide a small smile creeping from her mouth knowing that he would leave out of their lives for good for all the damage he provoked.
But she knew that he wasn’t all to blame because he barely hypnotized the ponies of the town, It was all four fillies who did that and almost ruined all their lives pf their closest friends and family.
“Hey, Azrael?” she called to stop the stallion from his way and turn his head to see the little filly. “When you choose us to held the relics, did you meant all those things?” she asked, remembering why he invited them, remembering the reason why he gave those hypnotic amulets to the four fillies, the reason why they accepted to do this.
“No,” Azrael replied from his place as he soon gave the back to the filly. “You girls were never left behind or treated as a bother to those mares. Ponies sometimes have priorities that outweigh other things, sometimes, but they will always have time for those they love. I’ve seen your big sisters and most of them planned a time for each of you, I just came and messed with all of you in order to have a little laugh.” he explained as he continued on his way down the hill.
“That’s insane!” shouted Scootaloo glaring at the stallion thinking of him of a crazy pony that ruined her, and her friends, life.
“Hope you aren’t the last one to say this,” he talk back as he continued to walk to the end of the hill. “Goodbye” he then vanished from the dream realm and all the darkness that surrounded Scootaloo vanished again to return to the bright and wonderful dream she was having.
The voice of the euphoric crowd returned to Scootaloo’s ears causing her to notice that her dream returned to what it was before the stallion arrived.
“That was an awesome trick you did there Scoots,” a voice, that the orange pegasus knew too well, complimented the filly as she then turned around to see Rainbow Dash, smile at her with an approving grin,
Scootaloo beamed in happiness of the words that meant the world for her and hugged Dash with affection, relishing in the emotion of her big sister loving her as things should been.
Scootaloo smiled in her bed enjoying the rest of her dream, inspired to make amends with Rainbow Dash and ready to regain her trust with her.
***
From a resting spot in the top of Foal Mountain, Trixie was preparing her cart to spend the night and prepare her travel to return to Ponyville.
For her the Travels would be the most interesting thing to do in Equestria as one would be able to see new things and encounter different landscapes to enjoy sightseeing.
She never knew why did she wanted to visit the mountains but deep inside she needed to do that exactly and now that she is here she could finally return back to meet with Twilight and her friend.
Leaving the camp fire lit up to avoid any creature to lure near her wagon she walked back to have a pleasant sleep for tomorrow's travel.
“So you stop here in this place, At least you were in a easy spot to find.” Azrael called for the Azure unicorn, causing the mare to turn her head at the sight of the maroon stallion.
“What is that you seek from the Great and Powerful Trixie? She is very tired and requires her sleep for tomorrow.” asked the azure unicorn curios at the sight of this strange stallion as she deduced that he knew that she would be in this exact place.
“I need you to do me a favor,” he replied floating a big bag filled with many things. ”Deliver these things to the ponies that I know they will use as they please.” He added as he began to mutter the intangible words causing the mare go in a deep trance, making her mind open to all commands.
“Yes... I will deliver them... As you say.” Dronned Trixie with her eyes all glassed and blank her voice low and monotone as her posture was now rigid.
Azrael gave a smirk and was excited how things would one day change from this point forward to the ponies of Ponyville and Canterlot.. “There is no need to hurry, for they must first forget the recent incident." he whispered and disappeared in a flash of golden light.