The Alternate Adventures of the Power Ponies

by DisneyFanatic23


Origins: Part 5

"It's hard to get people to overcome the thought that they have to take care of themselves first. It's hard to get players to give in to the group and become selfless as opposed to selfish."

-Isaiah Thomas


In her apartment, Rarity was admiring herself in the mirror. She was wearing the indigo jumpsuit with the diamond pattern, now with the two pink diamond bracelets on her front hooves.

"What do you think?" she asked Coco who was sitting on the couch, watching her.

"They're lovely, Rarity," she replied. "The bracelets go well with the suit. But…I thought you said accessories like this could be caught in machinery or something."

"True," Rarity said, lifting one hoof to admire the bracelet. "But these accessories are at least removable, so the wearer can take them off when necessary."

"I suppose. But how are you going to reproduce these? I mean the bracelets alone were expensive enough. And how often do you find pink diamonds?"

She turned to Coco. "They don't have to all be real diamonds, darling. Now that we have the gems, we could have replicas made for the real…"

She was cut off as several glowing duplicates of the bracelets suddenly appeared and were hovering in front of her. Coco shrieked and pressed herself against the back of the couch.

"What in Equestria?!" Rarity exclaimed.

"How did you do that?!" her friend asked, pointing to her horn. "Your horn's not glowing!"

Rarity looked back in the mirror. "I don't know. All I did was suggest replicating these bracelets when…"

The bracelets glowed and more duplicates appeared.

"Eep!" she screamed, waving at the floating bracelets. "No, no! Go away! I don't need them anymore!"

As soon as she said this, the duplicate diamonds poofed into nothingness. Still shivering, Coco inched herself forward to the edge of the couch. Rarity held out her hooves as she gazed in wonder at the bracelets.

"W-What's going on?" Coco said.

Rarity gulped. "I don't know, but…I believe…" She looked to her wall, which had a long crack reaching from the floor to the ceiling. "I want to try something."

She closed her eyes, and what happened next caused Coco to gasp. A glowing pink concrete edger appeared, along with a glowing pink bucket. Rarity opened her eyes and watched in awe as pink goop splashed out of the bucket and onto the wall. The edger smoothed the substance out along the crack.

"H-How are you doing that?" Coco asked, gripping the arm of the couch.

"I just," Rarity said, smiling, "thought of how I've always wanted to fix that dreadful crack and…it just happened!" She looked down at the bracelets, which were glowing along with the magical objects. "These bracelets…I think…I think they're doing this!"

Her friend's eyes widened. "They must be magic!"

Rarity laughed. "And to think these were being sold in a mere jewelry store! These might've belonged to a wizard!"

The pink edger, bucket and goop vanished and a pink, conical wizard hat appeared on Rarity's head.

"What happened to the tools?" Coco asked.

"I think," Rarity said, poking at the hat, which felt completely solid, "that if I simply think of something, the bracelets make these, err…magical constructs appear accordingly, but…" The hat vanished. "I'm not sure the bracelets can project more than one thought at once."

"What do you suppose they are? I mean where did they come from?"

"I'm not sure." Glancing at one of her naked dress dummies, Rarity grinned. "What I do know," she said, pointing her glowing bracelet towards her roles of fabric, "is that these bracelets," magical pink scissors appeared as they cut the fabric into large pieces, "are going to make our jobs," the scissors then vanished and were replaced with a magical needle and thread, "much simpler."


"You know?" the Matter-Horn said as she and Zapp flew over Maretropolis. "It's nice to have some pony else flying alongside me for once."

Zapp cocked her head. "I'm sure there are plenty of pegasi in this city who would fly with you."

The alicorn smirked. "Yeah, but I'm a hero. They're too…intimidated to fly next to me all chummy-like."

"Must get kinda lonely up here, then."

"Yeah," she said with a sigh, looking down at the city. "But hey, it's not like many pegasi can catch up with me anyway. I'm the fastest flyer in this city."

"Oh yeah?" Zapp said, smiling mischievously. "Bet I can fly faster."

Matter-Horn laughed as she nudged her shoulder playfully. "You wish!"

"Wanna race and find out?"

"Hey!" Mare-velous called from a rooftop below. "If y'all are done fraternizin' up there, we got a mare to save!"

Zapp groaned as she flew down to Mare-velous' level and began following the earth mare as she used her lasso to swing from building to building, occasionally leaping over smaller gaps.

"Things would go along a lot faster," Zapp said, "if you had just let Matter-Horn carry ya."

Mare-velous huffed. "I don't need any pony carryin' me! I got my pride!"

She huffed as she jumped off the building and grabbed a hanging flagpole. After two swing-arounds, she let go and landed on her back hooves on the roof of the next building.

"Besides," she called back to Zapp as she continued running, "we wouldn't be rescuin' Fluttershy to begin with if ya'd been more subtle back at the museum!"

"What are ya talking about?"

Skidding to a halt, Mare-velous turned around to face the rookie. "First rule of bein' a superhero. Never," she said, poking her harshly in the chest, "reveal anythin' 'bout your personal life! Meanin', if some pony ya care about gets captured, do not let the villain know ya know her, Rainbow Dash!"

Zapp flew back an inch in shock. "I…" She coughed. "I have no idea what you're…"

"Oh, come on!" Mare-velous said, rolling her eyes. "The rainbow mane, the blue coat… Ya haven't even changed outta yerr suit! You're obviously that old friend of Fluttershy's workin' for Daring Do. Did ya really think I wouldn't recognize ya without the glasses?"

She poked the space between her eyes for emphasis. Blinking back, Zapp glared at her angrily.

"Oh yeah? Well I'll have you know Ahuizotl's seen me hundreds of times, and he still has no idea who I… Hey, wait a minute! How'd ya know Fluttershy and I were old friends?"

Mare-velous bit her lip. "Uh…well, ya obviously knew her, so I…just assumed that…"

After a long period of squinting, Zapp let out a gasp. "You're that roommate! Apple…something. Can't believe I didn't recognize your weirdo accent before!"

"Ugh!" Mare-velous groaned as she slapped herself in the forehead. "Knew I shouldn't've let ya know I know ya!"

"Well. Now I know that you know that I know, ya know." Zapp frowned. "Wait. That can't be right."

"Yes, yes, yes," the Matter-Horn said, landing between them. "We all know each other. Now come on, Applejack, Miss Dash, we've got work to do."

They stared after her as she walked on.

"Hang on there!" Mare-velous said, galloping after her. "How'd ya know my name? I didn't mention it!"

"Oh please," Matter-Horn said bluntly. "I've known who you were for weeks."

That made the earth mare stop in her tracks. "H-How? I mean…I'm not any pony important. I'm just a…"

"Apple vendor?" The alicorn nodded. "I know that too."

Mare-velous' jaw dropped. "H-How?"

Turning back to her, Matter-Horn replied, "You told me."

"But I…I didn't mention…"

"You didn't have to. When you said you had inherited your rope from your father, you told me all I needed to know. I simply had to locate the previous owner of Demeter's Lasso, and the fact that I knew your hometown made it all the easier to find the news story on your parents. The Round-Up Rangers, right? I see vigilantism runs in the family.

"When they were killed, a young filly that was said to be their daughter was found at the scene." Matter-Horn looked sincerely at the earth mare. "That filly was you, wasn't it?"

Mare-velous said nothing. Then the Matter-Horn turned her attention to Zapp.

"She's right, by the way. The glasses don't help."

Zapp blushed in embarrassment. "Alright, alright. So you know who we are."

"Yeah," Mare-velous said, crossing her hooves. "But we still don't know who you are."

"Please," Matter-Horn said, smirking. "Do you really think I'd make it that easy?" She opened her wings. "Now, let's quit wasting time, shall we? Like you said, we've got a mare to save."

As she took off, Mare-velous watched her with a growl.

"Smart aleck," she said under her breath.


The abandoned cat food factory was large and quite empty, save for the rusted old machinery and the piles of empty tuna cans. Ahuizotl was petting his fluffy white cat that was perched on a conveyer belt that no longer worked. Caballeron's burnt hoof was wrapped in a bandage, while his frozen hoof was thawing over a lit candle. Fluttershy was bound to a chair in the corner of the room, shivering with fright.

"I'll curse that mare for what she did to my hoof!" Caballeron said with a grunt. "Why didn't you tell me this city was overrun with heroes?"

"How was I to know?" Ahuizotl replied in annoyance. "You think you have problems? That mare froze my precious felines!" He turned back to his cat. "At least I still have you, Mr. Fluffy-Paws."

Mr. Fluffy-Paws purred in response. Ahuizotl was terrifying, but Fluttershy couldn't help but appreciate how well he treated his pets. Her fear returned when she felt Caballeron's eyes on her.

"What is the point in trading the mare for the bolt?" he asked his boss. "Even if they give it to us, we can't use it."

He held up his bandaged hoof for emphasis. Ahuizotl chuckled as he picked up his cat.

"This isn't just about the bolt anymore," he said. "The blond one has Demeter's Lasso."

"So?" Caballeron said, raising his eyebrow. "We can't use that either."

"Not if we find the rest of the Olympian gods' gifts. According to legend, he who has all twelve will be able to harness all their powers, regardless of being chosen!" He continued to stroke his cat. "With the bolt and the rope, I will be two steps closer to achieving ultimate power."

"Mmm-hmm." Caballeron appeared uninterested. "I still get paid, don't I?"

Ahuizotl smiled. "Do your job well, and I might make you a king once I take over the world. Pick any country you like and it'll be yours. Now," he said, putting Mr. Fluffy-Paws on the floor, "stay right here, my pet, while I go find you a treat."

As his boss began taking his leave, Caballeron glanced at Fluttershy with interest.

"You know," he called to his employer, "our prisoner is quite beautiful."

Ahuizotl paused and turned around to study their captive. "I suppose. For pony standards."

"In fact," Caballeron said, smiling wickedly, "our heroes may not appear for a while. You wouldn't mind if I…had a little fun, first?"

Fluttershy squeaked at the thug's insinuation. Her hooves were shaking, but she tried to calm herself down with deep breaths.

Mustn't get angry, mustn't get angry…

"Bah," Ahuizotl said, waving his paw as he left the room. "I don't care what you do with her. Just be sure to leave her in one piece."

Caballeron chuckled as he gently rubbed his now fully-thawed hoof. "You are too kind, Boss."

Fluttershy stiffened as he began stalking towards her. She didn't want him to touch her. If she simply…let her temper loose, she could get out of this. But she also didn't want to risk revealing her secret. Plus, if she got angry, there was no telling what she would do.

With every step he made towards her, it became harder and harder to control herself.

Then Caballeron stopped and looked down to see Mr. Fluffy-Paws brushing and purring against his leg. He growled in annoyance.

"Get off me, you little rat!"

With a hard kick, he sent the cat flying across the room, making him cry out. Fluttershy gasped as she watched the kitty hit the wall.

"Now," Caballeron said, turning back to her. "Where were we?"

Clenching her hooves, Fluttershy glared at her captor. "You shouldn't have done that."

"Done what?"

"That kitty," she said, her voice growing dangerously low. "He didn't do anything to you."

Caballeron laughed. "What do you care about what I do to a little animal?" He raised his bandaged hoof to stroke her cheek. "It's what I'm going to do to you that you should be worried about."

With a furious growl, Fluttershy snapped her teeth at his hoof, forcing him to retract it. Still, he laughed.

"You are more fiery than you look." He grabbed her face in his hooves. "This is going to be fun."

As he leaned forward, Fluttershy's eyes turned red. "You," she said, as the muscles in her legs grew bigger, "are not," the ropes cracked as she grew, "a very," and then snapped, "nice…"

Caballeron cried out as she kicked him hard in the stomach. He fell on his back and looked up in shock to see that the mare had doubled in size and her eyes were glowing red.

"PONY!" she shouted in a deep, booming voice as she crushed the chair beneath her.

"What's all this noise?" Ahuizotl asked as he returned. Then he looked up, stiffened, and said in a squeaky voice, "El diablo."


The three heroes were now perched on a rooftop, watching the outside of the abandoned cat food factory.

"So what are we sitting around for?" Zapp demanded. "We gotta get in there!"

Mare-velous grabbed the pegasus' tail in her mouth before she could zip off.

"We can't just rush in there," the Matter-Horn said. "We need a plan."

"For once," Mare-velous said, spitting out the rainbow tail, "I agree with ya."

"Zapp," Matter-Horn said, turning to the pegasus, "you've dealt with Ahuizotl before. Other than those cats, does he have any other minions?"

"Not usually," Zapp replied. "Those four felines you froze at the museum were pretty much it. Well, he also has this fluffy white kitten, but you shouldn't worry about him as long as you don't get close enough for him to scratch your eyes out."

"So, assuming Ahuizotl hasn't hired any pony else, it's just him, Caballeron, and the kitten."

"Sounds simple enough," Mare-velous said, tightening her rope in her grasp. "That Cabby-leer-own fella's mine. I didn't like what he said about mares bein' weak an' helpless."

"In that case, I'll take Ahuizotl."

"What about me?" Zapp asked. "What do I do?"

"You keep lookout," Mare-velous said.

"What?! But I've got the Lightning Bolt…"

"Don't be like that," the Matter-Horn said, nudging the earth mare with her wing. "Zapp, you find Fluttershy and get her out. If there are any extra obstacles, you take care of them."

"And whatever ya do," Mare-velous said warningly, "don't get caught up in the action. Gettin' Fluttershy outta there unscathed is our priority."

Zapp crossed her hooves. "She's my friend too, ya know? Ya really think I'd abandon her?"

"I don't know what ya'd do, but you're new at this, and that fancy display back at the museum nearly got us all obliterated."

"Hey! Gimme a break!" She held up the bolt. "It's not like this thing comes with an instruction manual!"

Mare-velous put her hooves on her hips as she stared up at her. "Then maybe ya should consider takin' a load-off until ya know how to control that…"

"Shush!" the Matter-Horn whispered. "Stop bickering, you two! Remember why we're here. If you both care for Fluttershy, you'll work together to get her back!"

Crossing their hooves, the two of them turned away from each other with a collective huff!

"Now," the Matter-Horn said as she studied the building. "I see an open window up there. If I remember the blueprints of this factory correctly, there should be a catwalk there for you to land on, Mare-velous. Zapp, you come in through the skylight. I'll see if there's an opening on the other side."

"What if there isn't an opening?" Zapp asked.

The alicorn smirked as her horn glowed red. "I'll make one." She crouched down. "Alright. On three, we all move in. One…two…"

A loud crash interrupted her. The ground shook, causing the Matter-Horn and Mare-velous to fall backward. A roar rang out and the heroes watched in horror as an enormous yellow monster stomped out of the factory.

It looked like a pony, one the size of an elephant, with thick, muscular legs and broad shoulders. On its back was a tiny pair of wings that didn't look strong enough to carry its body into the air. It had a flowing pink mane and tail, and glowing red eyes that were narrow in fury. It was barely dressed in some sort of white garment, which was torn at the back and the legs. The creature roared again as it began tromping through the streets, crushing parked cars beneath its hooves. The heroes could do nothing but gape.

"Well," Mare-velous said. "There's somethin' ya don't see every day."

The Mater-Horn looked to Zapp. "You didn't tell us Ahuizotl had a monster working for him!"

"He doesn't!" Zapp insisted. "At least, I've never seen him with a…"

"Hang on a minute," Mare-velous said, holding up her hoof.

As the monster knocked over a lamp pole, Mare-velous squinted at its flank. When she saw three pink butterflies, she gasped.

"That cutie mark!" she said, pointing. "That's Fluttershy's cutie mark!"

Zapp squinted in the indicated direction. "Hey, you're right!"

"You don't think…?"

The heroes looked at each other in realization.

"What did that monster do to her?!" Mare-velous exclaimed.

"I don't know," Zapp said, pounding her hooves together, "but I'm gonna pound the stuffing out of that fiendish feline until he tells us how we can change her back!"

"But we can't just leave Fluttershy wanderin' about like that! Normally, she wouldn't hurt a fly, but like this, there's no tellin' what she'll do!"

"We'll need back-up," the Matter-Horn said, pressing her hoof to her ear. "Chief Spitfire, do you copy?"

"Matter-Horn!" the Chief shouted through her earpiece. "There's some kind of monster heading down Fillydelphia Street!"

"We noticed. We believe it's the hostage Ahuizotl was holding. Order your officers not to shoot her. She's just an innocent under the influence of some spell or potion. We're not sure yet, but we're gonna find out. Right now, you're going to need a couple of ponies to pick up Ahuizotl and his posse."

"Copy that! Spitfire, out!"

The Matter-Horn lowered her hoof and turned to her associates. "I'll hold off Fluttershy. You two get in there, capture Ahuizotl and get him to tell you how to cure her."

"Don't hurt her," Mare-velous said, her eyes pleading. "She doesn't know what she's doin'."

"Don't worry," the alicorn said as she spread out her wings. "The worse she'll get is a little frostbite."

As she took off, Mare-velous let out a sigh of relief. "Thought she'd never leave. Now," she said, twirling her rope around her hoof in thought, "if we time this carefully, we can get the drop on…"

"I'm gonna make those jerks pay!" Zapp shouted.

Before Mare-velous could stop her, the pegasus zoomed into the air and crashed through the roof of the factory. The earth mare groaned as she telekinetically swung her rope in the air.

"Amateurs."

She clutched the rope in her hooves and jumped off the building. Thanks to the rope's magic, she was able to swing to the next building without needing to tie the rope to anything. She dropped into the open window the Matter-Horn had pointed out and landed on a catwalk.

"At least she was right about the landin'," she muttered under her breath.

Down below, the hideout was in shambles. Cans were scattered all around, the machinery was smashed to bits and Caballeron lay unconscious on the floor. Zapp had Ahuizotl by the shoulders, a static cloud forming above her head.

"What did you do to her?!" she demanded, shaking him hard. "Was it some spell?! Some potion?! What gives ya the right to turn an innocent pony into a…?"

"Newbie!" Mare-velous said, sliding down her rope and landing next to her compadre. "Ya only use force in an interrogation as a last resort. Sometimes," she said, pushing Zapp off the villain, "all ya need is a little," the lasso wrapped itself around Ahuizotl, "tact."

He squeaked as the rope yanked itself tight.

"Try not to struggle," Mare-velous said, leaning toward him. "It'll only get tighter. Ya can't lie either, so ya better answer my questions truthfully, or else Bessie here might get a tad," she tugged on the rope for emphasis, "playful. Get the picture?"

Ahuizotl nodded weakly.

"Good. Now, answer me this." Her eyes narrowed. "What did ya do to Fluttershy?"

"Nothing!" he insisted. He yelped as his bounds glowed and tightened. "Alright, alright, alright! We kidnapped her and tied her to a chair! But that was it!"

The rope lit up again and squeezed.

"Ole Bessie doesn't seem to agree with ya," Mare-velous said.

"Caballeron took an interest in her!" Ahuizotl squeaked. "So I…err…left him alone with her for a few minutes."

Zapp scowled. "Why you disgusting little…"

Mare-velous grabbed her hoof in midair before it could strike. "And then what? Did ya decide turnin' her into a monster would be more fun?"

"I don't know what happened!" Ahuizotl said, shaking his head desperately. "I wasn't out of the room for long, but I heard a crash and came back and…I saw…"

Mare-velous telekinetically used the rope to bring him closer so that their noses were touching. "What did ya see?"

He quivered as his eyes went wide in terror. Then he said, in a voice barely above a whisper, "El diablo."

"What?"

"He means a demon," Zapp said. "I think he means Fluttershy."

Ahuizotl nodded. "The mare…was not a mare any more. She had…she had transformed! I don't know how, but…she started destroying everything and knocked my friend out! Then she went out through the wall over there!" He tilted his head towards the monstrous opening in the brick wall. "That's all I know, I swear!"

Mare-velous blinked back in surprise. "Wait. Ya mean to tell me that…ya had nothin' to do with Fluttershy becomin' a monster?"

"What would I gain from turning some random mare into a monster?"

The hero glanced down at the rope and saw that it was perfectly still. "I believe ya."

She then kicked him in the head, knocking him out cold.

"No fair!" Zapp said. "Why wouldn't ya let me hit him?!"

"Ya would've lost control of yourself," Mare-velous said casually.

"Then why did you get to hit him?!"

"I needed my rope back," she said as the rope magically unraveled from the now unconscious villain. "So," she said, stepping towards the opening Fluttershy had made, "whatever happened to Fluttershy, Ahuizotl had nothing to do with it."

"But if it wasn't Ahuizotl," Zapp said, hovering over her, "what made her go all crazy?"

"I don't know." Mare-velous ran her hoof along the edges of the hole. "Ya've known her longer. Has she ever…done anything like this in the past?"

"Nope. Not that I'm aware of, anyway." Zapp looked down at her pendant. "Maybe…maybe she came into contact with an artifact like the bolt or the rope. By accident, I mean."

The earth mare shook her head. "Didn't see anythin' on her that looked like some magical artifact. If it was anythin' like our artifacts, it'd still be on her."

"Then maybe she was bitten by a radioactive…gorilla or something?"

"Whatever happened to her," Mare-velous said, looking out at the shambled street, "we gotta stop her before she destroys the whole city."


Back at Rarity's apartment, the unicorn was still experimenting with her new magical bracelets. While she worked at her sewing machine, a glowing pink replica of the machine was sewing a dress of its own.

"Can you believe it, Coco?" Rarity asked, spinning around excitedly to face her friend. "These bracelets can do absolutely anything!"

Coco nodded hesitantly. "They, um…certainly make a…interesting accessory for the jumpsuit."

"Oh, but darling, don't you see?" She stood up. "This goes beyond a simple jumpsuit line! Why," she said, looking down at her glowing wrists, "with these bracelets, we could open up our own boutique! These beautiful accessories will help us work at the rate of ten seamstresses! Oh, Coco!" She grabbed her friend by the shoulders. "We could be the biggest thing the fashion world has ever seen!"

Coco stared at her friend, then the bracelets, and then slowly backed out of the unicorn's grasp.

"Well, um," she stammered, "w-with those bracelets to help you, I…I don't think you need me to…"

Rarity frowned. "Oh, Coco, don't be like that." She lifted her friend's chin. "You're my best friend. I'll always need you. I mean just because these bracelets can do a lot, doesn't mean I can't have you to help with sales and designs and…"

The two mares jumped as the ground suddenly shook.

"What in the…?" Rarity said.

The ground shook again, this time knocking over one of Rarity's dress dummies.

"Is it an earthquake?" Coco asked in fright.

Another thump caused the two of them to leap two feet off the floor.

"No earthquake I know is ever this—EEP!" She yelped at the next thump. "Discontinuous!"

The next thump was accompanied with a roar.

"That came from outside," Coco said, rushing to the window.

"What do you see?" Rarity said, following her.

The mares gasped when they saw a giant, buff, yellow pony stomping through the streets.

"What is that thing?!" Coco squealed.

"I don't know," Rarity said, scrunching her hoof in disgust. "But oh! Would you look at those rags it's wearing? Positively ghastly!"

"Look!" The earth mare pointed at a purple blur in the sky. "The Masked Matter-Horn!"

"Where?!"

Rarity pressed her face against the glass to get a better look. Sure enough, the hero swooped down and shot her ice beams at the monster, who roared in response.

"Oh my! I've never seen her this close!" Rarity said. "Now there's a mare with style! Just look at the way her electric blue collar compliments her magenta jumpsuit! And those highlights, aw! Remind me to have my mane dyed like that in the future. Oh, she'll stop that ruffian for sure!"

The Matter-Horn froze the monster's hooves. For a moment, it looked like the creature was stuck, but with a loud growl, it grew larger, shattering through its ice shackles.

"Did you see that?" Coco asked. "It got bigger!"

"Don't worry," Rarity said. "The Masked Matter-Horn's vanquished larger brutes before. She's sure to…" She gasped when she realized the hero was hovering right outside her window, her back to them. "There she is! Yoo hoo, Miss Matter-Horn!"

The hero tried her heat ray, but when it hit the skin on the monster's leg, it didn't leave a mark. All it did was cause the creature to grow even larger. Annoyed at the alicorn, it picked up a parked car in its mouth and hurled it at her. The Matter-Horn zipped out of the way, not realizing that the car was now headed straight for the two mares at the window.

Shrieking, Rarity ducked below the window, covering her hooves over her head as the car crashed through the glass. She waited for the blow, but after a minute of silence, she opened one eye in confusion. To her amazement, she found herself encased in a pink bubble, courtesy of the bracelets, no doubt.

Sighing in relief, she willed the shield away.

"Well," she said, rising and straightening out her jumpsuit. "That certainly was a close one, wasn't it, Coco?"

But when Rarity looked up, she found a large gaping hole where her friend had stood a minute ago.

"Coco?!" she called, searching the room frantically.

She gasped when she saw the crashed car on the other side of the room, leaning vertically against the wall. Sticking out from beneath it was a twitching cream-colored hoof.

"Coco!"

As she rushed forward, the bracelets constructed a giant crowbar to lift the car from its victim. Coco was crumpled against the wall, her legs spread out crookedly, her back left leg bleeding. Rarity knelt down to her and was relieved to see that she was still breathing.

"Hang on, darling," she said, using her magic to levitate a piece of fabric over to use as a bandage. "I'm here."

She tried to lift the leg so she could wrap it, but a moan from her friend made her abandon the idea. Instead, she simply draped the fabric over the cut on her leg and put direct pressure on it with her hooves. Using her horn, she brought out her cell phone and dialed. She listened to the ringing in anticipation.

"We're sorry," a computerized voice said. "But the number you've dialed is unavailable at the moment."

"Unavailable?!" Rarity shouted as she angrily threw down her phone. "How can the emergency line be unavailable?!"

It then occurred to her that the current monster attack had probably caused the line to be busy. Coco stirred as she tiredly opened her eyes.

"Coco!" Rarity exclaimed. "Thank goodness you're alright! Can you move?"

"Not…really," Coco said, wincing. "My leg…"

"Yes, yes, of course. Don't move anything if it hurts." The unicorn hung her head in shame. "Oh, Coco, darling, forgive me."

Her friend blinked. "For…what? You didn't…throw the car…"

"No, but I…I could've helped you. I could've summoned that shield and saved us both, but instead…" She sighed. "I only saved myself."

"Not…your fault. It was…the heat of the…" Coco grunted. "…moment."

"That doesn't make it any better!" She gently laid her hoof on her friend's shoulder. "You're my dearest friend, Coco. I…I should've immediately thought of you first! I mean…I find these magical bracelets and I couldn't even…"

Another crash from outside caused her to spin her head around. Using the bracelets to make a temporary bandage for Coco's wound, Rarity stood and rushed back to the window. It appeared that the monster had grown twice in size, and the Matter-Horn's blasts were futile. There were gaping holes in the other buildings, some ponies dangling from them. The hero had to momentarily abandon her attack on the creature to help the civilians, but with every minute the Matter-Horn ignored the monster, the more damage it made.

She can't stop it alone, Rarity thought.

She glanced down at her bracelets, then at her jumpsuit. Upon turning, she noticed a swatch of indigo fabric, left over from the jumpsuit she was wearing.

Her bracelets lit up as an idea occurred to her. Coco's magical bandage disappeared as a pink pair of scissors appeared over the indigo fabric and began cutting into it.

"Wha…?" Coco said, breathing unsteadily. "What are you…doing?"

"First," Rarity said as she oversaw the cutting of the fabric, "I'm going to get you to a hospital."

"How…how are you…?"

Once she was finished cutting, Rarity willed the scissors to vanish and then made a stretcher appear beneath Coco. The unicorn then turned around, her magic holding up a newly-made indigo mask.

"Second," she said, placing the mask over her eyelids, "I'm going to ensure that that brute does not get away with this!"