//------------------------------// // Rescue // Story: Return to Wonderland // by Hazel_Hester777 //------------------------------// “Are you sure you’re well enough for travel?” Shadow Kirby asked Hazel as they took a seat in the chariot. The child was still dozy but she already was able to eat solid foods. She was even stable enough for the next few days. There were several other chariots around them, waiting. With Hazel’s faint connection, they would have to be in the center region to lead the way. The dress-wearing girl nodded. “I’m fine, dad, really. I just need to get back to Hester” “If you say so” he spoke. Luna then called from the chariot she was on with Twilight. “If you feel like you’re about to regurgitate, tell us so we’ll stop” Right then, Twilight took a look at her book about Partners and Familiars. “Okay, try to focus on the connection you have to Hester. It would be very faint at first, but as we go on, it’ll get stronger. It’s at its strongest when we’re close to where she is” “And we must hurry” Lauren spoke from her chariot with Gari. “Who knows how all captives are doing for the long period they were caught” “They have three of my Brothers and Sisters too” Gari added. Hazel nodded before closing her eyes. She focused on the faint bond she had with her Familiar. It was easily recognizable to her. It was warm, fluffy, comforting, and made her strong and well. It seemed to be coming from the North infront of them. “North” she spoke, pointing ahead. All nodded as their chariots were pulled to the North, guided by the sick Pegasister with a connection of Partner-Familiar to one of the captives.   “Ma’am!” a brainwashed Candy Burn called out as she entered the room. She now had red eyes rather than her normal blue ones. She was wearing a collar that had Digi Reset’s cutie mark on it. “Candy, what is it?” Digi asked in annoyance as several other brainwashed captives were trying to get another collar on one of Gari’s Sisters. “There’s a group heading this way! They’re being guided by an asylum child!” Digi froze from that. How could they find where she was? And with an asylum child, nonetheless! They’re even unstable! How could they find a way to find her if they can’t even help themselves? “Hazy…” Digi turned her attention over to the source. Hester was still chained and hanging. Of course! She took a Hidebrit Familiar with a Partner! The Partner had been left behind and now they were using the connection she had with her to find her, and the others! “Candy, you and the others go distract them while I take care of our secret weapon!” Digi ordered as she went and grabbed Hester, restraining her so she couldn’t attack. “Yes, Ma’am!” the brainwashed filly nodded, heading off away from the scene and being followed by several other controlled captives. Hester flailed around in her restraints weakly as Digi dragged her away. “Oh, give it a rest already! You’re just wasting your energy! You’ll need it for the grand finale!”   Hazel was barely hanging on to staying awake. The bond was getting stronger but she was still a little sick. She fought against her drowsiness to keep on going. It was painful, but she had to stay up. It didn’t help that she was soon feeling nausea. “Hazel, are you okay?” Shadow asked when he noticed her condition. “I think I’m gonna be sick” she held her head. “We gotta stop! She needs a break!” he called to the others, causing all chariots to stop in place before the girl jumped off her chariot and went to a nearby bush. She then just let it all out. Shadow tried comforting her to help ease the pain. She was done soon, and Shadow gave her the liquid diet in a bottle she needed. Gari then flinched slightly. Luna checked over to her. “Is something wrong, my child?” “I sense danger nearby!” she yelped. “How can you tell?” Lauren asked while Hazel pulled herself together. “I used a spell on Gari that allowed her to sense danger ahead of time” Twilight spoke up. “Does anyone have an anti-hallucinogen? I think I’m starting to see things like someone flying above us” Hazel spoke. “Actually, I see it too” Arctic Ace gulped, making everyone else present suddenly turn around to see what was above them. They all were shocked at what they saw flying right above them. They were a bit off from being seen at first, but as they neared them, they suddenly recognized them. It was Candy Burn, and she had red eyes and wore a collar with a cutie mark on it. “No!” Twilight squeaked as they dodged her landing. Candy Burn looked at them coldly. Her cute eyes all angry and piercing to the soul. Behind her, Fioralba and Hebiihime followed her, each also wearing the same collar and red eyes. The cuteness from them was now gone, replaced with madness. “Candy Burn!” Twilight called. “Hebiihime!” Luna cried to her Daughter. The three children hissed. “F, H, Catapult!” Candy commanded. The other two nodded. Fioralba removed her ribbon and tied it to the tails of Hebiihime before falling backwards onto the candy corn filly’s back as both that were capable of flight took to the air. Candy had several candy-like pellets in her hooves that Fioralba now held. Only when they were high in the air did the flower filly put them into the ribbon, and started to pull back. Everypony else stared in shock at that. Shadow Thunder gulped, “Do your Daughters read a lot on medieval times, Twilight?” The only response they got was the flower filly letting go of the makeshift catapult, and firing several pellets down on all of them. They were small, but it was just like hail. All had to duck and cover under the safety of Twilight and Luna’s magic shields, but even then, the pellets were extremely strong. “They’re made of magic, remember?” Shadow reminded. “Lauren, can you call the EOI for help?” Hazel asked, fully awake from fear now. The Queen nodded before grabbing her transmitter given by Brutalight so she can call her in case of emergencies. “Brutalight! Brutalight, come in!” From the other side of the line, a familiar voice responded. “Is that you, Mother Lauren?” “Yes, and I need your help! We’re being attacked by firstborns from the Object-Verse Children under brainwashing! Gather the group!” “On it, Mother!” right after those words, she hung up. “Hang on tight, everypony!” Lauren called to them. “I don’t think…some of us…can…” Hazel fainted. Shadow gasped after feeling her temperature. “Not good! She’s burning up! We have to get her back to Hester soon!” “What?! I thought you said she was well for today!” Twilight cried in disbelief, accidentally letting go of the barrier. Luckily, she was shielded by another shield, stronger than her own before Candy’s candy got to her. “Can’t you multitask, Original me?” Brutalight smirked. It was right on time did the rest of the EOI enter in and began to help. Rainbine was about to shoot when Luna warned her not to hurt them. They are brainwashed by the collars, so they just have to avoid the attacks until they remove the collars or stall until they destroy the main source. Rainbine reluctantly switched to sedatives, courtesy of Fluttershout. “Don’t want you shooting a friend again!” she teased in a sing-sang tone. The cyborg sighed. “Ha, ha, ha. Very funny. Ha, ha, ha” she spoke sarcastically. She was about to be shot by a rain of candy bullets when Fluttershout sent them flying in the other direction with her Direction Scream. The cyborg’s jaw dropped at that while the beige mare smirked. Brutalight smirked as called the mare over “And that is why, my dear Fluttershout, you are Queen of Ear Rape” she then turned to the others. “Rainbine, Applepills, Rarifruit, stay here and hold off Candy Bullets and her team. Fluttershout, Pinkis, come with me” “Make sure they don’t hurt them!” Luna and Twilight worried for their kids. “Don’t worry. If they do, they could be Fluttershout’s target practices for a week, right guys?” she called to them. All three nodded nervously while the Ear Rape Queen grinned from ear to ear before making an ‘I’m watching you’ gesture. It sent a shiver down their spine. “Alright, Fluttershout, take the Unicorn. Pinkis, take care of compass girl and her daddy. Mother Lauren, get on me” Fluttershout nodded as Gari had no choice but to get on her back. Pinkis then allowed for Hazel and Shadow to mount on her. Arctic and Thunder had to get on Luna and Twilight. “Okay, now, which way?” Brutalight asked as Lauren got on her. Shadow fretted over to Hazel, who soon began to regain consciousness. “Are you still with us, Haze?” She nodded weakly before opening her half-lidded eyes. She looked up from Pinkis’ head to feel the connection flowing right at the East. “East” she spoke. “East!” Pinkis called out. “East it is” Brutalight nodded, gesturing for her to move. Twilight followed awkwardly. “I’m outsmarted by a duplicate”     Hester flinched when she felt a surge of the bond connecting her to Hazel come in. In small amounts, it would hurt less. But since it was all at once, it hurt a little. She let out a cry of pain as she started to flail around in Digi’s restraints. The young artist-writer struggled to keep her under control. “I can tell from you that your Partner is not far, isn’t it?” she groaned.     Gari flinched when she sensed danger again. This time, she was quick to warn them. “Everypony, stop! I sense danger up ahead!” Lauren nodded. “Stop!” “Freaks, stop!” Brutalight commanded the members of her party. Everypony stopped in place as soon as orders were given out. Gari got off Fluttershout, who stood in place like a soldier at war. Boy, Brutalight trained her friends to obey simple commands well. The Unicorn searched around for anything that could be a hazard to their mission. Her search ended when she saw two shadows up ahead. “Sonata!” Arctic called. “Starlight!” Thunder cried. Their happiness was cut short when the two mares looked up. They had cold glares and had the same red collars and eyes as Candy and the Object-Verse Children did a while back. Starlight nodded to Sonata as the Siren girl jumped up in the air. The Unicorn fired her horn up and used a spell on her. It turned the Siren into her siren form, allowing her to use her songs again. Twilight’s jaw dropped. “I taught her too well, didn’t I?” Without warning, the brainwashed Sonata unleashed a scream of ear-piercing melody. Everypony covered their ears so as to avoid it, but it hurt so much. They ran to take cover while Brutalight used her shield to protect them. The Siren floated in the air above them, unleashing her death screams so much. The only one who seemed unaffected was Fluttershout, made sense due to her status as Ear Rape Queen. “Hey! That’s my thing!” she yelled at the brainwashed Siren. Thunder rolled his eyes a bit before noticing someone was missing. “Wait! Where’s Arctic?” “Sonata!” the younger sibling called to the siren. “It’s me, your boyfriend!” She hissed at him before unleashing another death scream. Thunder jumped out and jumped on his brother, thereby saving him from his girlfriend’s attack. He held him closely. “What were you trying to prove, man?!” he yelled. “I was trying to reach her! She’s in there, I know it!” “Don’t do that! That’s not Sonata now! She’s brainwashed!” The Siren came up front of them before getting ready to let out another attack, only to have it countered with a more powerful Death Scream. This one was strong enough to send her flying. The brothers were kept safe when Pinkis swooped in and got them out of range. “Now this is an Ear Rape attack!” Fluttershout yelled, panting slightly, shooting daggers in her heterochromic eyes.  “That’s my Screamer!” Brutalight complimented as she went to her friend’s side, same followed with Pinkis. “Go ahead! We’ll cover for you!” “Are you sure you’re gonna be okay?” Lauren asked as she and the others fled from the scene. “We’re Pony Freaks, new and improved versions of our Originals! This is nothing!” the Freak Queen yelled as she and her friends attacked. “Don’t hurt them!” Thunder called out. “Hurt them?! I’M TEACHING HER A LESSON!” the beige mare screamed again at the Siren, making her dizzy. Brutalight stifled her laughter when she saw that, while Pinkis lunged at Starlight, who trying to catch her like a cat with a laser. “I’ll stop my Screamer from obliterating your girlfriends, don’t worry” Lauren nodded while she and the others got away from the scene. Only when they were far enough, and with a confirmation from Gari that everything was alright, did they stop for a breather. Without the chariots, they only had those with wings to rely on for transportation. The entire time, Hazel was deeply breathing while Shadow carried her. She was already too sick to walk and kept falling asleep. He checked her temperature again. “She’s burning up! I thought you said as we got near, she would start to feel better!” Twilight checked her book again. “According to this, as we near the Familiar, the bonds connecting them will start to react again. It will hurt slightly at first. As we get nearer, she will start to feel more pain before she gets better. Same applies for Familiar” Lauren went over to the Bipolar child to check her. “Come on, Hazel. Just a little more, okay? Just a little more pain and you’ll start to feel better, okay?” She didn’t respond “Hazel, please, come on, stay with us” Still no response “Hazel, please. Don’t quit on us” A muffled sound was heard from her. Lauren tilted her head as she put her ear to her mouth. “What was that?” “I’M NOT A QUITTER!” she yelled at the top of her lungs as she sprung in a sitting position, causing Lauren to fly in surprise. “I’M A FIGHTER!” Shadow sighed in relief as he hugged. “That’s my little girl” Lauren nodded. “She’s definitely Hazel, alright” Everypony laughed from that. After rapid apologies from the Bipolar child, she finally calmed down and they resumed their mission. Lauren turned into her Alicorn form and allowed the daughter-father team to get on her back. Thunder and Arctic got on Luna. Gari had to hop on Twilight. “Alright, Haze, which way?” Lauren asked. The child closed her eyes again as she focused on the source. It hurt a bit, but there was a hint of comfort now. She opened her eyes to speak. “East, and hurry, she’s close” Lauren didn’t wait anymore as she flew on the lead as everypony else went into a line to follow.     Hester flinched when she felt it surge in her again. Atleast it hurt less this time. “Dang it with you, Vine” Digi grumbled. “I better hurry”     Lauren, Twilight, and Luna flew as fast as they could, guided by the Pegasister’s directions. They had to hurry as the longer time is spent, the more risk they have of the other captives being brainwashed and the other fights miles back were getting more intense. Arctic nearly fell off at one point so Luna had to help him back up. The directions soon lead them to the Deviant Art area. It soon led them to a familiar User’s world, Digi Reset Nightling. Her home was mostly made up of several parts from the different AUs she created. But this time, it looked darker, like it was a dark haunted house. Made sense, when a User is Corrupted, their world and house get Corrupted as well. As they neared the entrance room, Hazel suddenly felt a sudden surge of warmth flow into her. It was weak, but enough to rouse her. It was warm and comforting. She knew it anywhere. “Hester’s in there!” she pointed weakly to the building. “I just know it!” Lauren nodded as she and the others went to land down. Several other brainwashed Bronies and Pegasisters left their posts and went to ambush them. Arctic and Thunder got up and started to attack. “Go! We’ll cover for you!” they cried before going to attack. The other nodded as they went inside the house. Two OCs tried to stop them, but Gari used a spell to make them headbutt each other into going unconscious. “Mother, can’t you use the Sleep spell on them like you did when you came to get me and my Brothers and Sisters?” Gari asked as she held off two Children of the Night. Luna closed her eyes and tired, but she flinched when she got a spark on her. “I can’t, there’s something in here preventing massive spells” Hazel struggled to keep herself up. She focused on Hester, and felt where she was. “Top floor” she spoke louder. “Hest is on the top floor!” “Intruders! Get them!” several minions yelled as they ran to come and get them. Lauren charged up her magic along with Luna and Twilight, and they made enough to teleport out of there, and all the way up to the top floor. Now, it was just a matter of finding which door. Hazel immediately scrambled to the right one. They followed her and what was inside had horrified them. A giant machine, like the Ink Machine from the Bendy, was standing in the center of the room. It was red and white colored. Black wires stuck into the floor beneath it. A giant sphere that had Digi Reset’s cutie mark on it was on the center of the machine. Up on the top, in a giant sphere of her own, on a comfy chair was the mare behind all this. She wore a red crown with the gems that resembled the Elements of Harmony. “Well, well, well” Digi grinned as she looked down on the group below. “Look who we have here: Twilight Sparkle, Princess Luna, Gari, Hazel Vine, Shadow Kirby, and Lauren Faust” she mocked a bow. “What an honor” “Stop this now, Digi!’ Lauren commanded. “Now why in Equestria would I do that? It’s a fun party and I’d hate for it to go down so quickly” she cackled. “Digi…” Hazel spoke weakly, but loud enough for her to hear. “…why…” “Isn’t it obvious? There are those who are underappreciated and just need some time in spotlight, but they never got it. I should now, I’ve been there before. And look at what happened? That dumb hacker kept getting into my account and messed it up. And then, I saw those other characters around who need some appreciation. And guess what? Lauren Faust, THE maker of a series I love so much came to the realm and yet she chose an asylum child for a guide?! I’ve had enough of it! So why not, I decided to plan my own revolution and finally get myself noticed! With enough power, I could become the next Queen of the Fandom in Wonderland!” Gari coughed slightly. “#Yandere” Digi growled at her. “Whatever! Doesn’t matter! Now if you’ll excuse me, it’s ShowTime!” Saying so, she pushed a button on her chair. The sphere below her opened, revealing a certain Familiar restrained and unable to break free from her bounds. “Hester!” “Hazel!” Before she could react, a surge of electricity hit the Familiar, drained a bit of her magic. It hit Hazel too, as she cried in pain and fell on her knees. “Sorry! Did that hurt?” Digi jeered. “It’s gotta! Draining magic from a Hidebrit is essential to this!” Shadow sat his daughter down and tried to help ease her pain. She looked weakly at Lauren. “Lauren…hurry…it hurts…both…” The Queen nodded as she stroked the child’s hair. “You’re my friend, Hazel. I’ll get you and Hester out of this and save everypony. I promise” She smiled weakly. “I believe in you” She returned the smile. “Keep your grin on. I’ll have us out of here before you know it”