//------------------------------// // Chapter Fourteen: Determination // Story: The Elements of Randomness // by Razor Blade the Unicron //------------------------------// Rainbow Dash was not having a good day. After all, considering that all had wanted to do today was watch the Wonderbolts and possibly impress them somehow, being mind controlled was really ruining everything for her. Especially considering she couldn't even resist it a little bit. With a sigh, Applejack retied Rainbow to the tree. "Can't ya do anything ta stop this mind control?" she asked. "The Empress will rein supreme!" she was forced to yell. "Ah'll take that as a 'no'." At least Rainbow had one advantage to being mind controlled. Whereas nopony else really knew what was going on, she knew practically everything happening. Since she was linked into Nightmare's mind control so firmly, she could see what was happening through both her eyes, and whoever the unicorn she had under her control was. "Applejack, Ah'm scared..." said her younger sister Apple Bloom, nervously walking up to her. "Ah know, sis," replied Applejack. "But everything is gonna work out in the end. Ah'm sure that Princess Celestia will find a way to stop that Nightmare." Celestia's too weak, thought Rainbow, wishing that she could speak. But Sparkler and those other ponies might be able to with those Elements of Harmony they keep mentioning. Nightmare had been tracking them the entire time, but Rainbow had only been able to see Sparkler. Nightmare was focusing on her quite a bit. Hopefully she would be able to find the Elements, wherever they were in that awful forest. You are useless! boomed Nightmare's voice in her head abruptly. That's it! I'm using the power I'm wasting on you to deal with my Midnight Warrior! Rainbow's eyes widened in surprise, as Nightmare abruptly snapped her mind control away from her. She was thrust forward from the abrupt change, and her Shadowbolt uniform vanished. She crashed in Applejack, but both of them managed to remain standing. "Dash!" cried Applejack. "Wait, are ya back to normal?" "Yep!" said Rainbow, gleeful that she could finally speak. "But it's because Nightmare was using her power for the other pony she has mind controlled..." "How do ya know that?" "Magic." Hopefully that was a good enough answer. "And she has Celestia trapped away and weakened." Applejack's face fell, and Bloom hugged her sister's leg nervously. "But Sparkler is with some other ponies are they're trying to find something to stop her in the Everfree Forest!" Her eyes widened in surprise. "Wait, Star's in Everfree? Is she insane?!?" I must be insane... thought Twirly as she glided away from the castle nervously. If that Nightmare lady finds out that I'm gone, she'll be really mad... A sharp gust of wind blew her off course, and she quickly grabbed onto some vines coming off of the castle. Stupid sail-wings! "Eek-eek!" cried a shrill animal noise. Twirly quickly looked around for the source, and barely managed to dive out of the way of a bat. She quickly hid behind the vines to get away from it, breathing heavily at the sudden attack. "Eek-eek!" screeched the bat, making her hide behind more vines and weeds on the side of the castle. Amy, I wish I could get to you! thought Twirly as the screeching continued. Please be okay! And please get the Elements! Twilight fought harder and harder against Nightmare's mind control, but she still couldn't break free. She was exhausted from having to use so much effort, but by the sun, she was a Royal Guard and wasn't giving up! Though Twilight knew that she shouldn't be able to regain control of her magic from Nightmare, she was hoping that she would be able to speak. After all, she was already resisting enough to not speak Nightmare's words with any emotion. Come on... she thought around the words forced into her head. I'm almost... there... Just as she felt like she was going to break free, Twilight felt a small burst of more mind control magic jump into her, and she was abruptly snapped back into Nightmare's full control. Where did that come from? Twilight was exhausted from all the effort that she had just been using. Was she just storing up her power, waiting for me to think I had a chance of escape before she pounced once again? Or could she have relented her hold on that pegasus she turned into her Shadowbolt? Nightmare's voice felt heavy in her head, and she would have groaned if that was possible at the moment. She began fighting through all of the power and energy constraining her once more, even more determined to break free. After all, she was Twilight Sparkle and she would find a way to overcome this barrier. She always found another way. A brave face and a determined outlook were easy ways to lift others' spirits when they felt as if something was heading in the wrong direction or it was fearful or fightening. Though, the one appearing to be brave and determined may simply be keeping a façade to keep other motivated. Amethyst had done that façade several times before. Since she organized most events in Ponyville, there was no surprise that there would be at least one of two things that didn't quite go right. Winter Wrap-Up consistently had one major thing go wrong, which would lead to fighting, anger, mismanagement, and winter arriving late. But in the flurry of chaos, Amethyst would always put on a bright smile, and lead everypony back into order, but her joy was just there to encourage others. But walking towards the ruined castle where the Elements of Harmony were stored, Amethyst truly felt brave. Though it would seem more logical for her to be in a complete panic over even the thought of fighting against an alicorn as opposed to making sure an event went on smoothly, it was the other way around in this case. Maybe it was because she wasn't doing this alone. Sure, they were all scared of Nightmare and her power, but bravery wasn't just being fearless. Normally, Amethyst's only other output source was Twirly, who blatantly expresses her opinions over the current situation, while she had to remain positive and encouraging. The five ponies with her just seemed to lift up her spirits, as she had to do for others. Perhaps it was because three of them didn't even know her, and the other two simply knew her better than most. Whatever the reason, the five gave her bravery, and she returned it back to them. Fearfully, Amethyst walked to the front of the castle with the others following directly behind. Her horn lit up as she activated her signature to look for danger, she took in a deep breath. "This is it." Twirly struggled to even come within hearing range of her friend and caretaker, completely unseen even by the unicorn's watchful eye.