//------------------------------//
// VII - Fate's Arrow 
// Story: Stranger Magics 
// by GMBlackjack 
//------------------------------//

The sun rose the following morning just as it did every morning. With the herald of Celestia's power in the sky, the town of Ponyville slowly stirred to life. Ponies yawned, thanked the Stars for a peaceful night's rest, and set about their days. News of the Apple family's house burning down circulated through the town like wildfire - nopony knew where the Apples were and those who had fought the fire in the night confirmed there had been no bodies in the blaze. 

The Apples had been expected to turn up by morning. They hadn't - and the entire town's peaceful morning turned into a semi-panicked one. The perfect state, Bon Bon thought. 

Bon Bon marched up to the Mayor. "Ahem. Mister Mayor?"

The Mayor didn't take his gaze off the window - a crowd of ponies had gathered around town hall. "They all expect me to say something."

"I've got you covered," Bon Bon said, shoving a sheaf of papers into his hand. "I gathered some reports - this wasn't any 'Geist.' It was a criminal, a pegasus by the name of Surprise. She was seen around the house at the time of the fire."

The Mayor blinked. "...So I can just blame it on her?"

"...She did do it, Mayor."

"I know when we're pulling stuff out of our rear ends," he muttered, taking the papers. "Let's see... a speech and a hundred wanted posters with... a five thousand bit reward?"

"The Crown will pay that."

The Mayor shrugged. "All right then." He cleared his throat, reading over the speech again. "Time to work my magic then sleep the chaos away."

Bon Bon nodded. "That would be best."

The Mayor adjusted his tie and opened the main doors, walking into the sun with a solemn expression Bon Bon knew was forced. She herself held back - she didn't need to be associated with this in any way.

As the Mayor trotted up to City Hall's podium, the crowd murmured nervously - a few even tried to speak up, but the Mayor ignored them. He set the posters on one side of the podium, his speech on the other. "Ladies and Gentleponies, calm yourselves. I have with me today something you have lacked over the last couple of days - an explanation. Answers for your burning questions and fears. This 'Geist' we have all been hunting for is not a supernatural being at all - but a pony."

The crowd let out a collective gasp - how could a pony take those children? What of the Apple family? "The wanted criminal Surprise, a pegasus whom you can see on these posters, was seen around the scene of the Apple Family fire, doing unsavory things. She has been reported by Celestial agencies to be in possession of powerful magic artifacts and a deceitful personality." He held the poster up higher. "We need to, as a town, pull together and take this mare into custody. If anypony sees her they should report it immediately, and she will be dealt with. The five thousand bit reward will be divided among all who give accurate tips. We will take her in and make her tell us what she's done with our citizens."

He looked out at them all with a stern expression. "Tell everypony. Give these posters out to your friends, your family, and even apparent strangers. Look in every nook and cranny. She won't be able to hide from us forever - she will be forced to come out into the open. Let's find our ponies - let's take this criminal in!" He raised his hoof high into the air. "We will not fall to petty deceivers!"

The crowd let out a resounding "Yeah!" The Mayor threw the posters out into the sea of ponies to be gathered by the eager hooves, wings, mouths, and horns. He turned back into City Hall long before the ponies dispersed.

"Well done, Mayor," Bon Bon said. 

"That speech was rushed and those flyers weren't very eye catching. You had all night to dream these up, Bon Bon."

Bon Bon frowned. "We just got the information today..."

"Fine, don't tell me. Pretend like you really are just my secretary." He sat down in a chair and leaned back. "I really couldn't care less. Just get this over with so I don't have to give any more speeches, kapeesh?"

Bon Bon nodded. "Of course. This shouldn't take long."

"Mmph," the Mayor grunted, already losing interest.

Bon Bon trotted out of his presence, a tad bewildered at his apathetic and yet observant attitude. She found herself wondering (not for the first time) why the ponies of the town allowed him to be mayor. 

"He was right."

Bon Bon looked to her right - Sunset was there hiding behind a shelf.

"How so?" Bon Bon asked.

"The speech was weak. Granted, it did the job - and that moron can make anything sound good if he wants - but it didn't have the usual effort."

"We're in a high-stress situation and are operating on no sleep," Bon Bon admitted. "A weakness, yes, but our opponents face the same issues."

Sunset nodded. "But of course. And we have more resources."

"Didn't do much against the Geist."

Sunset frowned at the recurrence of the moniker but didn't comment on it. "Luckily for us, that thing isn't on either side - it hurts them just as much as us."

Bon Bon pursed her lips. "I suppose. Do you need me to do anything?"

"Not yet. But when you receive word of Surprise, see to her personally."

"And anypony she's with?"

"Unimportant unless the hypothetical ponies include the Doctor. Capture them or don't, I leave it to your judgment." Sunset glanced out a window, frowning. "I have to leave now. I am waiting for... something."

Bon Bon raised an eyebrow in curiosity but didn't ask. It was not her place to pry into Sunset's business.


~~~


Filthy Rich walked back from the address a little bewildered. Never in his years in Ponyville had anything like this happened. Criminals? Children missing? The Apple Family house destroyed? Magic artifacts? Ponyville was the quintessential image of a peaceful, small town where nothing ever happened. Now there was tragedy - horror. 

Was he safe here anymore?

He looked at the wanted poster in his hoof - the image of Surprise was hoof-drawn but lifelike. The reward was large - and there was an impressive number of official Canterlot seals along the bottom edge. 

Should he try to find this pegasus? He didn't have much to offer the hunt in the way of skills - perhaps he could pay for a bounty hunter? No - by the time they got here, the problem would have blown over. Not to mention they were likely to run with the info themselves for the money... 

He shook his head - he'd just head back to his home and wait out the storm, hoping this Surprise would never show up. He smirked at the thought of home - a safe place amongst this chaos, a place he hadn't seen all night due to a late business deal. And, well, the fire and the chaos. A nap seemed like a good idea to him at this juncture. 

Looking ahead, he saw his home - a two-story building all to himself with a small shed behind it. He didn't plan on living alone forever, but it was his for now, he might as well enjoy it. He trotted towards the front door, opened it, sights set on the stairs to his room. However, he was unfortunate enough to allow himself to listen. He heard a noise. A soft clang had come from his shed. 

It was probably nothing, he thought. Still, he turned around, intent on investigating the shed, just to alleviate his sudden unsettlement. He looked at the old worn down shed - he really needed to spend something to fix this up. He put it on his mental checklist as he creaked the rusted metal doors open. 

The shed was dark and filled with normal shed things - garden implements, tools, brooms, a small workbench, and other things he never used. But that was not all that the shed contained - there were strange things. Chiefely, there was a small white pegasus sitting in the middle of the shed, staring right at him.

Rich glanced from the pony to the poster in his hoof, to the pony again, and back to the poster. He began to back out of the shed slowly.

"Filthy..." he heard Granny say. His eyes had adjusted to the darkness enough to make her form out. "Don't..." 

Rich didn't know what was going on - he couldn't process Granny, Surprise, or any of it, he just knew he had to get out before something unpredictable happened. He turned tail and ran out of the shed, no destination in mind. 

He did not get far. Vinyl grabbed him with her magic and yanked him back into the shed where Big Mac was waiting to hold him still. Rich didn't struggle - he just froze, unable to reason out what was going on. A strange criminal, an old friend, her grandson, and some teenager were all in his shed! It didn't make sense!

"Get ahold of yourself Filthy!" Granny said, shaking her head. "You weren't home so we slept in your shed!"

Rich did nothing but sweat profusely. Granny sighed, nodding to Big Mac. He released Rich - and Rich decided not to bolt. He just breathed in and out heavily. "Granny... why did you sleep in my shed?"

"Hiding," Granny said, picking up the wanted poster. "Seems we weren't paranoid either. They really want her back."

"Five thousand bits!?" Big Mac gawked. "Ah - that's outright crazy talk! Ah'm not sure the entire town has that!"

"Filthy does, several times over," Granny said. "...You aren't involved, are you?"

Rich shook his head. "...Involved in what? You're the ones hiding in my shed with a criminal!"

"She's bein' framed for... Whatever it is you were told she did." Granny frowned. "They told you she took out our house didn't they?"

"Er... Yes...?" Rich put a hoof to his head. "...Are you saying the Mayor lied to the entire town?"

"Ah wouldn't put it past him," Granny said, handing the poster to Vinyl. "Though it goes a bit higher than that."

Rich sighed. "I'm not going to like this am I?"

"Not at all," Big Mac affirmed.

Granny nodded. "Eeyep, it's gonna be a doozy. Surprise here is an innocent pegasus who was experimented on by the government, we think without Celestia's knowledge. She escaped - they want her back. We also think this Geist is related to the experiments as well..."

Big Mac put a hoof on Rich's back. "Yep. It's a bit hard to get, or even think about, and Ah don't even pretend to understand it all. Ah just know Surprise here's good, and that the Geist took my sister - and we ain't lettin' that stand."

"Applejack's been taken?!" Rich blurted.

Granny nodded solemnly. 

Rich put up a hoof. "You don't need to explain anymore. I'll help however I can."

Surprise looked at him and smiled. It was oddly unsettling. "...Thank you."

"You're... Welcome?"

"Mhm... House?"

"Huh?"

"She wants in the house," Granny said, popping her spine into place with a stretch. "Makes sense, considerin' we slept on a dirt shed floor."

Rich nodded. "Can't imagine what that was like..." he walked out of the shed, leading the four of them into his living room. "Can I get you all anything?"

"Breakfast..." Big Mac muttered, rubbing his eyes. Vinyl raised her hoof the moment he said the word, frantically pointing at herself and to the kitchen.

"...You're going to cook?" Rich asked.

Vinyl nodded - and then ran into the kitchen without waiting for permission. Rich blinked. "What a peculiar young mare..."

"You're tellin' me," Big Mac muttered. "She can't stand quiet - 'parently it just keeps her awake. And pacing."

Rich nodded. "Well then..." He sat down in an armchair. "This... Forgive me, it's all a bit much. I give my word to help you regardless, but... What is going on? The government? A wanted pegasus? I mean..."

"Ah can't tell you everythin' Filthy - cause Ah dunno everythin' myself." Granny let out a nervous chuckle. "Ah'll try to keep it simple. A few days ago Surprise here showed up on our doorstep broken and battered, and we, of course, took her in. Then ponies started to vanish, three now that we know of. Well, through a lot of events that aren't important for you to know - we and a few others found about a government base in the Everfree Forest runnin' experiments on pony magics and stuff. Where Surprise was tormented."

"The government tormenting a young mare?" Rich said in disbelief. "Do you... have any proof?"

"Well, if she's in the mood..." Big Mac said, glancing at Surprise. 

Surprise looked up, motionless for a moment. Then she lifted a wing and levitated a bit off a nearby shelf, twirling it in front of her eyes with her magic. She glanced back at Rich, sending another shiver through him. He was convinced she could see into his soul. 

"That's not natural..." he admitted. "But it-"

"The Doc busted into their compound, found files," Granny said. "We don't know where he is now but we know he saw them."

"...Good enough." Rich shook his head. "This is... Wait, if she's not making ponies disappear...?"

Big Mac growled. "The Geist is what we're callin' it. Some magical hoo-ha of a creature that has somethin' to do with their secret experiments but we dunno what. It destroyed our house, our home, and has taken three now. And we have no idea how to stop it."

"Magics... Weapons... Cleverness... Me..." Surprise said, eyeing everypony. "All powerless..."

"So we're going to charge into the Everfree, find the pony in charge of this mess, give her a nice talkin' to, and find out what's goin' on," Granny summarized.

"Granny," Big Mac said, "we need a better plan."

"You could address the town," Rich offered. "Vouch for Surprise."

Granny furrowed her brow. "My word versus Feckless'... Could work, but they could stop us before that happened. Bon Bon followed the Doctor, and Ah know he used every trick he had to throw her off. We gotta be crafty..."

Rich raised an eyebrow. "Bon Bon's with them? That... explains why she headed the mission into the Everfree. So she could control the search... Keep the base hidden."

Vinyl walked back into the room with a bowl of scrambled eggs, dishing some out for everypony before sitting down next to Surprise. Surprise involuntarily put a wing around Vinyl as she dug into the breakfast.

Rich frowned. "So... Let me see if I understand here. Applejack was taken by this Geist - and your only connection to this beast is that government base."

"And we dunno where it is," Big Mac said. "All the ponies who saw it got separated from us when the house went down. Doc... Rose... Cheerilee, Ah think. Surprise doesn't know either, she sorta ran out blindly."

"Have you looked for the others?" Rich asked.

"Can't," Granny said. "We'll be seen..."

"I can find them," Surprise said, closing her eyes. "Blue house... Forest..."

"That'd be the Doctor's group in the Everfree..." Granny observed. 

Rich blinked. "...She can see that far? She really is something else..."

Surprise looked away from him quickly. 

Rich sighed. "All right. I'll go to the Doctor's house. See who I can find." 

Granny shook her head. "Filthy, Ah've already asked too much of you. You don't-"

"Granny, I'm always in... situations that you never fail to help me out of. It's time for me to return those favors." He adjusted his tie. "Anyone I should avoid besides Bon Bon?"

"Sunset Shimmer, she's the boss," Big Mac said. 

"Everfree Lights," Surprise added.

".....Hm?"

"They summon the Geist. Maybe," Big Mac shrugged.

Granny shook her head. "Okay Filthy, Ah can see you've got the idea in your head already. Just find out where the base is. We'll take care of it from there. We'll be in here, planning."

"Ain't that the truth..." BigMac said. 

Rich nodded, putting on a hat and heading for the front door. "Stay hidden and safe." He closed the door behind him and took a step outside.

A wanted poster was shoved into his face. "Do you see this Richy?"

Rich tore the poster off his face revealing the form of Spoiled Milk. "Ah. Milk... I'm not blind, I know I have her in my house."

Spoiled Milk twitched, gesturing through the window. "Why weren't you shaking in your boots? Why aren't you running to Town Hall?"

"Granny Smith vouched for her, that's all I need," Rich said. "I'm running an errand for them."

"You're letting the world of an old mare get in the way of five thousand bits?"

"It wouldn't be right to claim the reward for an innocent..."

Spoiled Milk raised an eyebrow. "We both know your record isn't spotless, Richy."

Rich nodded solemnly. "I know. But Granny is one of those mares I wouldn't betray. She's helped me too much and I know her too well. it's time to return those favors. I'm sure you understand."

Spoiled Milk looked ready to argue - but then she hung her head in defeat instead. "Yes. I... I do. You and your attachments..." She smirked. "I suppose that's one of the reasons I like you."

Rich smirked as well. "It's not exactly the rarest trait around here."

"I said one of the reasons."

Rich nodded. "I'll see you tonight. This shouldn't take long. Just, give them some space, okay Milk?"

She shrugged. "I don't see why not."

Rich nodded, embraced her, and set on his way.

The moment his back was turned Spoiled Milk's expression soured. "Sometimes you don't know what's good for you, Richy... But that's what I'm here for." She trotted off, leaving the house with four ponies under the delusion that they were safe.


~~~


Rarity woke up on a shelf.

A shelf. 

The Doctor's house was huge - on the inside at least - why couldn't Rose have found another bed!? Oh sure, she'd claimed the 'Tardiwhatever' had a mind of its own and just decided beds weren't going to be found this time, but that was stupid.

Rarity groaned and rolled over - off the shelf and onto the hard, metallic floor. She groaned again - this time in physical pain. 

"You okay Rarity?" Derpy asked, crawling out of the bed she'd shared with Roseluck.

"Just... Peachy..." Rarity grumbled, rubbing her temples. She didn't see stars - just the pattern. Everywhere. She shook her head. 

"Rars, I told you I'd take the top shelf," Tree Hugger said, crawling out of her much lower shelf, tossing a sheet to the ground. "You really needed to get more rest."

"No I did not you... you... Oh nevermind. Done with that." Rarity stood up and walked over to the side of the bed, ripping the blankets off - waking Roseluck up instantly. 

"We're awake," Rarity deadpanned.

"I... see that," Roseluck said, rubbing her own temples as she sat up. "Anything happen?"

"Rarity fell out of a shelf," Derpy said. 

"And then I proved myself capable enough to rip the bedding off in one fell swoop," Rarity huffed.

"Uh... Okay...?"

"Just let it go, move on..." Tree Hugger said. "We've got a day ahead of us."

"Don't get your hopes up," Roseluck said. "They know we're here - we can't go outside without risking them getting to us. But I have the only key besides the Doctor, so they can't get in."

"So we just... wait?" Derpy asked.

"Until something happens, yes," Roseluck said, walking out of the bedroom and into a long octagon-shaped hallway. "We are completely safe from them in here though, don't worry."

Tree Hugger shrugged. "I suppose this place is big enough to explore..."

"Er..." Roseluck glanced at a sealed door caked in a strange red substance. "That may not be the best idea. It'd be wise to stay as close to the front room as possible."

Rarity raised an eyebrow. "So the Doctor lives in a dangeorus house? Color me surprised."

"It's pretty cool though!" Rarity said. "Bigger on the inside!"

"He probably had some stage magician bend the magic in this place."

"There's no magic here at all!" Derpy shouted with glee. "The Doctor's so amazing he doesn't need it!"

"Derpy..." Roseluck said, stern.

"Oh... Um... Nevermind..."

Rarity raised an eyebrow as they passed through a room filled with statues of books and a broken thing that looked a lot like a giant salt shaker. She wasn't sure what she should ponder more - all the bizarre and outright alien things in this place, or the fact that Derpy apparently wasn't supposed to talk about it...

Rarity realized she probably wasn't supposed to be here.

Thit was an interesting thought - what could she find here? Something about the cycles? She had seen some strange symbols in one of the doors that looked oddly similar... Perhaps she could find something here if only Roseluck would turn her back. Unfortunately, the mare was apparently well-versed with children and was watching all three of them like a hawk. Rarity wasn't sure she could be clever enough without Berry to help...

Berry...

Where was Berry now?

Safe? In danger? Out on some adventure? being snarky and restless? Telling some other pony what was wrong with them?

Rarity shook her head, pushing the thoughts back. Berry could handle herself - she was much more cut out for an adventure of this sort than Rarity was. It wouldn't be surprising if Berry came to tell them it was all okay, that everypony had been found, that Sunset had been defeated, and that the Geist was gone.

And she'd they had found the magic cycles for her.

She stopped walking suddenly, turning her head to examine an engraving on a steel podium. There were no words, just a single glyph composed of circles within circles within circles eerily cycling around each other like an art form. Rarity barely registered Roseluck walking to her side. "...Does it remind you of the cycles?"

"...Yes but... No? It looks... Wrong."

"Well this is a strawberry summoning spell," Roseluck said. "It's here because in this room the Doctor ate strawberries for whatever reason."

"You need a reason to eat strawberries?"

Roseluck blinked - and laughed. "No, I suppose not... There are many of these engravings around. I'm sure you've seen them. They all represent a spell of one kind or another. He never uses them - he can't, after all - but he still finds them fascinating. The language of magic truly is beautiful."

"Yes... It is. But it just looks... Incomplete," Rarity admitted. "There should be more."

"There is - but any smaller details aren't needed. Horns naturally do the fine-tuning on that level, or so I hear. Even the best mages have no need to use the most minuscule."

"Why...? Why leave out some of the beauty? Why destroy it?"

Roseluck frowned. "...The Doctor has seen what happens to those who indulge themselves in the full magic. He won't tell me what happens to them, or what they do, but I know it's dangerous."

Derpy frowned. "...Really?"

Tree Hugger scratched her chin. "This Geist is totally more dangerous than we think it is, isn't it?"

"...Maybe," Roseluck said. "But we're safe from it in here. This thing has kept out creatures must worse than that Geist."

Rarity raised an eyebrow. "Such as?"

Roseluck rolled her eyes. "A story for another time, perhaps. Come along, the main room's this way." The three young mares followed her through a large library - with a window in it. Rarity found herself looking out at the Stars. ...It couldn't still be night outside, right? And the Doctor's house didn't have a window this big on the outside...

What was it?

She decided not to ask Roseluck. She'd probably not get an answer - or worse, get more talk about the patterns being bad. The Geist was bad - Rarity was sure of that right now - but the circles that made it up... They were precious, beautiful. She would find them... Be with them... She just had to wait for the right moment. 

At least, they returned to the main room filled with much more familiar implements - the plasma ball, the central tube, the incomplete flying machine, the bag of ball bearings, and numerous other odd things. Derpy relaxed at the familiar sight while Tree Hugger looked around curiously. She approached a device with a lot of levers near the center of the room.

"Uh... Tree Hugger?" Roseluck called. "Don't mess with that, I'm not sure what it'll do."

Tree Hugger obliged, instead entertaining herself with the plasma ball. "Woah... Duuuuude..."

Rarity rolled her eyes and trotted up to the window - she could see Ponyville in the late morning. She could also see numerous ponies walking around, although there was less than usual. Most were pensive, and a few were looking at posters Rarity couldn't quite make out. Her own house across the street was abandoned, empty. She looked for anypony suspicious who might be watching them. She found none. 

She saw her parents walking down the street, however. 

"Oh no..." Rarity said.

"What is it?" Roseluck said, panic evident in her voice. 

"My parents are coming home right now. I'm not there. This is so bad I don't even know..."

Roseluck sighed in relief. "Oh. That... Isn't dangerous."

"They're going to kill me!"

Roseluck shook her head. "I'll take the blame if it comes to it. You don't have to worry about anything from your parents. I do worry about them though, it's not going to be easy for them."

Rarity took a few seconds to register what Roseluck was worried about. Her parents weren't going to be able to find her. They weren't going to be able to see her - and she wouldn't be able to see them.

She started pounding on the window. "MOM! DAD! MOOOOOM! DAAAAAAD!"

Tree Hugger acted first, pulling Rarity away from the window, covering her mouth. Rarity fought back but the older filly held on tight. Rarity realized she was just too small and weak to break out - she sagged in defeat. 

"Tree Hugger!" Roseluck yelled. "You don't need to do that, it's soundproof!"

"Oh..." Tree Hugger let go. "Sorry, Rars."

"Sorry? Sorry? You're saying sorry!" Rarity spat. 

"Rarity..." Roseluck said.

"WHAT!?"

"You need to calm down. There's real danger out there and if you're with your parents, it will come to them because of you. You want to keep them safe don't you?"

"Y...Yes."

"Then we need to stay here, away from everypony, okay?"

"Okay..."

And then the doorbell rang. The four mares all jumped in surprise - who could that be? 

Roseluck ran back to the window. A brown pegasus stallion held out a letter. "Oh... it's just the mail, no worries." She squinted, frowning. "What's he saying?"

The mail-pony held the letter closer to the window. Roseluck gasped at the signature on it. "It's from Granny Smith."

"...I think that's, like, important right?" Tree Hugger said. 

"Yes it is..." Roseluck looked left, then right - nopony but the stallion was close to the door. She took in a deep breath. "Okay..." She quickly opened the door, grabbed the letter with her mouth, muttered 'thanks', and ducked back inside, slamming the door. 

The door never shut fully - a powerful cyan telekinesis grabbed ahold of it, preventing it from closing. Roseluck whimpered and dropped the letter. "Oh no..." 

Sunset teleported herself in front of Roseluck, sneering. "Hello there, Roseluck," she said, picking up the letter. "Amazing what this 'psychic' paper can do, no? It really did look like a hoofwritten letter from the old mare - written with just the right amount of rushed lines to suggest urgency."

Roseluck shrunk back, cursing herself for falling for it.

"Uh... What's going on?" the mail stallion asked.

"I paid you to deliver the mail, now scram."

The stallion obeyed, flying off quickly. Roseluck hissed. "...What are you going to do?"

Sunset leaned in, forcing Roseluck further into the house. "Why I think I'll invite myself in, what do you think?"

"There's nothing here for you."

"Oh my, such pathetic lies." she teleported herself into the middle of the main room, past the trap set up by Tree Hugger and Derpy - which was just a metal rod and a bucket. Sunset sighed. "Oh please, what do you take me for, an idiot?"

"...Wishful thinking," Tree Hugger admitted.

"Mhm... Don't you forget it. Now..." She turned to examine the four of them in turn. Seemingly satisfied with what she saw, she began to examine the interior. "Huh. It is bigger on the inside." She set out a magical ping. "A lot bigger..."

Derpy shrugged. "It's what they all say - even me!"

Sunset glared at the filly, shutting her right up. The fearful reaction brought a smile to the unicorn's malicious lips. "...Would anyone like to explain to me what all these devices are? The Doctor had paper that showed you whatever he wanted - I can only imagine what else he has... Roseluck, the levers?"

"No idea, he doesn't tell me everything," Roseluck answered.

"I have no doubt of that..." She grabbed Roseluck and levitated her into the air by her neck. "But you've seen him use it, whatever it is. You'll know what it does."

Roseluck gagged but gave no indication she was going to respond. 

Sunset dropped her, a scowl on her face. She used the telekinesis on Derpy next, bringing forth tears from the tiny gray pegasus. 

Rarity froze - she couldn't believe what she was seeing. A pony her age, being tortured by a mad unicorn. Was she next?

"Come on Rose, I know this one's the Doctor's favorite. What'd he say if you let me break... Oh, a wing? Break it beyond repair? Scramble some bones?"

"STOP! It's the control panel!" Roseluck shouted. 

"Control's to what?" Sunset asked, lowering Derpy to the ground.

Roseluck sighed. "The house itself. Change it, tell it to do what you want. I can't tell you how to operate it - the Doctor doesn't even get it right all the time."

"Mmm... Good. What else can be found in here? Anything particularly interesting, Roseluck?"

"I wouldn't know."

Sunset shook her head. "I'm going to have to torment another one, aren't I? What about... The little unicorn?" Rarity's hairs stood on end as she was lifted into the air. 

Rarity didn't even give Sunset a chance to squeeze. "The Doctor doesn't use magic! We're not even supposed to be in here! ...There's an interesting door down that hallway!"

Sunset looked Rarity in the eyes. "...This one has the right idea." With a flash of her horn, Sunset put Tree Hugger, Roseluck, and Derpy to sleep. "Lead the way, little unicorn."

Rarity shook - she was alone now. She nodded slowly, taking Sunset back the way they had come just a few minutes ago. Sunset's devious and cruel attitude vanished slowly after they started walking - the fiery unicorn found everything around them just so fascinating. Her eyes sparkled with the answers and questions getting just from a simple walk "There's no way anypony could construct this... So much learned writing and glyphs... Doctor, what are you?"

Sunset was stunned into silence when they arrived at the window. She ran to it - looking up, down, left, and right. A look of worry crossed her face. "There's no way..."

"Not it," Rarity said, walking down further, past the engraved podium. Sunset studied the glyph for a moment and cast the spell, a strawberry appearing in front of her. 

"...Why?"

Rarity shrugged. "Do you need a reason for strawberries?"

"No..." Sunset admitted, furrowing her brow. "So many things..."

"Yeah, well, I can't show you much. I've only been here a night. This door caught my eye though..." She trotted up a ways and gestured to the giant sealed door with the red stains on it. 

Sunset frowned. "That definitely helps keep something locked in."

"Don't you want to know what?"

"Perhaps..." Sunset lit her horn, unlocking the door with ease. "All that anti-magic on the outside and not so much as a spell on this..." She pulled the multi-ton door open with relative ease, looking into a small, dark room with a single object within - a pony-shaped suit. It was white, baggy, and had a few metallic bits, gadgets, and serial numbers on it. On the head was a fishbowl helmet. 

Sunset blinked. "...A vacuum suit? For... space? How in..." She moved in, creating a small light with which to examine the suit. 

Within the visor was a skull. Rarity leaned back in shock, but the skull only amused Sunset. "Found the skeleton in your closet, Doctor..."

Then the suit moved. It slowly stood upright, rising higher than Sunset herself. A synthetic voice said something in an alien language, droning - repeating it in a haunting fashion. 

Rarity didn't wait around - she bolted. She could only hope the... skeleton-think could keep Sunset occupied. Why did the Doctor even have that in his house? What kind of crazy pony was he, leaving monsters around?

She decided she didn't care right now - she was just going to get out of here. She ran down the hallways, past the starry window, into the main room, out into the street. "MOOOOOM! DAAAAAAAD!"

Her parents rushed out of the house. Their worried expressions were evident. "Rarity?" her mother yelled, running to her. "Are you all right?"

Rarity ran into her embrace, crying. "I... I am now."

Her father looked her up and down. "What... What happened while we were gone?"

"Can we... Just go inside?" Rarity asked. "Please?"

"Yes, of course..." her mother said, taking her into the house and shutting the front door. "Oh Rarity, the entire town's gone mad!"

"Yeah... There's a magic monster running around... It takes ponies and it..."

Sunset appeared in the living room with a teleport flash. She was slightly signed - presumably from using fire magic in close quarters - and her horn was lit. "You little punk."

Rarity's father took a step forward. "You stay away from our daughter!"

Sunset blasted him with a fireball, knocking him out with ease. She turned to the mother next, ready to burn her - but something about the mare softened her expression. Examining her slightly bulging midsection, Sunset decided just to use a sleep spell instead of violent fire. 

Rarity was crying - Roseluck had been right. She'd just brought the danger to her parents... Why didn't she listen? Why did this happen to her? She just wanted to be safe...

Sunset grabbed Rarity in her magic. "That was a pretty nice try - but it turns out shadow skeleton things in suits don't like fire. But now you've gone and alerted some ponies to your presence so I'm afraid I'll have to actually foalnap you and your friends now."

Rarity shuddered, glancing at her parents in worry. 

Sunset rolled her eyes. "They'll be fine. You should worry about yourself. You crossed me."

Rarity said nothing - she just cried as she was teleported away. 


~~~


"Hey, Ah just thought of somethin'... Surprise, can you tell us where the base is?" Big Mac said out of the blue.

She shook her head. "Ran out fast, remember?" 

"No, not from memory. Try to find somepony who's currently there. Like you did with the others."

Surprise blinked - she hadn't thought of trying that. She didn't like thinking of the ponies from there... But she tried anyway. She projected a mental image of Sunset into her mind, tapping into the magics to find her connection. The unicorn was in town, near the Doctor's house. Sunset had difficulty seeing her clearly - Sunset had learned long ago to cloud herself from Surprise - but she was definitely in town. 

Surprise had one other option: Bon Bon, the only other mare from the base who had a prominent signature. Surprise could see the agent clearly, talking to some reddish-purple snotty-nosed pony. 

"Sorry," Surprise said. "Both in town."

Granny grinned. "Well, when they do go back we'll have them! Surprise, you're a life saver!"

"She's a backup plan," Big Mac said. "Where's Filthy, by the way?"

Surprise sighed - she was feeling strained already - but she pictured Filthy RIch in her mind and searched. His presence was weaker than the others, so it took a few minutes, but she found him near the Doctor's house, close enough to Sunset that the image was clouded. "Near the house."

"Thanks," Granny said. "Now you get your rest, we'll need you later. That base ain't gonna give itself a firm beating..."

Big Mac nodded. "Hear hear!"

Surprise shrunk back - she supposed she'd known this already, that they wanted her to come, but this was the first absolute confirmation. Could she go back? They needed to pay, that was certain... But could she brave that place? Dare to see what it had become? Dare to see where...

Vinyl nudged Granny and pointed at Surprise, shaking her head. Granny's gung-ho face softened instantly. "Oh... Ah'm sorry, Surprise. You don't have to come if you don't want to."

Big Mac's confidence vanished instantly, but for once in his life he said nothing. Surprise sighed - she knew what he was thinking. Without her, they wouldn't stand a chance against the might of Sunset and her ponies. Surprise was the one with the power. 

"I'll... Try." She owed these ponies her life - and there were fillies' lives at stake. Never again would she let one be taken because of Sunset. Never again.

Granny smiled and Big Mac let out a sigh of relief. Vinyl put a hoof on Surprise's back. Surprise smiled - she felt... good. Like she did when she soared in the sky...

"Thank you," she said.

"We should be thanking you," Granny observed.

Surprise shrugged with her wings. There was enough thanks to go around - they had supported each other through this mess and that was all that mattered in the end. She decided to rush them into a hug, dragging them all in with her magic and squeezing, a dumb smile on her face the whole time. She didn't see any other way to express exactly how she felt - words wouldn't come, as usual. They were never adequate. 

The moment was ruined when the window behind them shattered. Surprise whirled around - ready to fight instead of flee. She didn't see anypony threatening out the window - but whoever it was saw her. Three darts found their way into Surprise's forehead, injecting her with powerful sedatives. 

"Oh no..." she said, her vision blurring around the edges, legs weakening fast. She fell over, out cold, within a few seconds.

Big Mac, Granny, and Vinyl gasped. Surprise was down and out - and the existence of the tranquilizer darts suggested that Sunset's ponies had found them.

"What are we going to do?" Big Mac asked, looking around frantically. "They've probably got us surrounded!"

"Put up a fight," Granny said, baring her teeth. Vinyl lit her horn, preparing some spells. 

The front door burst open - revealing Bon Bon and Spoiled Milk. "On thank you miss Bon Bon for taking care of that horrendous criminal! I couldn't believe it was in my Richy's house..."

Bon Bon shot her with a tranquilizer. Spoiled Milk stared at the dart with a confused expression. "Wha...?"

"You deserve worse, traitor. He trusted you," Bon Bon muttered, watching as Spoiled MIlk slumped to the ground. "Now. I want Surprise. You can let me have her, no questions asked, or you can just let me subdue you and then take her with me."

Granny ground her teeth. "Not happenin', missy."

"I could subdue the three of you even without this dart gun. Seeing as I have it, you should know this won't go well."

"Yeah, to Tartarus with that," Granny muttered. "Givin' up is not somethin' Ah'm likely to do."

Bon Bon sighed. "Can I give you anything to convince you not to fight?"

"Mah sister," Big Mac said. 

Bon Bon frowned. "...One pony for another...? I... don't think you'd really do that. Regardless, we don't have her, but you have my word she will be returned to you when found. We will take care of this Geist."

"You did such an excellent job of that at the house," Big Mac muttered.

"It's only a matter of time. And you are all making it harder for us to do our job. Just cooperate and this will be over sooner."

Granny shook her head. "Nope."

Bon Bon sighed. Then she shot Big Mac with a quick dart. Vinyl shot a volley of magical lasers at the earth pony, but she slid under them gracefully and tripped Vinyl, jabbing her in a half-dozen locations to freeze up her body. 

Granny bucked - hard - and made contact with Bon Bon's head, sending her dart gun flying. She herself rolled over on the ground a few times, ending up slightly dazed, but forcing herself to stand despite herself. Granny lunged forward, throwing well-calculated attacks that the much younger mare countered with ease. Bon Bon swung her back hoof around, catching Granny by surprise - but she made use of it. Granny rolled over on top of the outstretched limb, pinning Bon Bon to the ground. "This ain't my first rodeo, youngin'."

"Neither is it mine," Bon Bon rolled herself backwards with considerable strength, knocking Granny off her. She hit Granny's pressure points in quick succession, freezing her up. "That was harder than I expected, though. You should be proud of that."

Granny just grunted.

Bon Bon lifted the limp form of Surprise onto her back and walked out - leaving the other three incapacitated.


~~~


The Doctor, Cheerilee, and Berry all moved together deep within the Everfree Forest. There were no Lights - thankfully - but Cheerilee had no idea where they were going. She was pretty sure the base was to the left of them - far from the direction they were going. 

"Doctor... Where are we going?" She asked for the umpteenth time.

"A hunch, that's where," he said, predictably. "An idea."

Cheerilee twitched. "Care to tell us what that idea is yet?"

The Doctor smirked. "Well... Seeing as we're almost there, why not."

Berry blinked. "Wait, you're actually going to explain what it is you're thinking?"

The doctor blinked. "Why, yes, why would that be surprising?" 

Berry facehooved. "...You're a bundle of contradictions, Doctor."

"A paradox.... I say, that fits me rather well!" he chuckled to himself.

Cheerilee rolled her eyes. "Doctor. Explanation."

"Right, right. So there I was, back of the house, wondering what in the universe Sunset could have done to tap into magic itself. The methods to do so don't exist. She would need to have some sort of already existing connection to magic itself - something to exploit. Something that'd easily be able to screw up royally."

Cheerile raised an eyebrow. "...There's something in the Forest isn't there?"

"Oh, there most bloody well is!" He grinned.

"What is it?"

"Well, we're about to see!" He picked up his pace slightly, gleeful. Cheerilee found herself annoyed at his cheer amidst the danger and bleakness of their situation. 

Berry nudged her. "You have the look again, Cheerilee."

Cheerilee shook her head quickly. "Oh? Well, I just spent the night inside a dark forest, following a madpony deeper into the center of powerful, dangerous magics on a hunch of his he won't even explain to me!"

Berry shrugged. "Yeah, but it's something to do. Better than sitting around waiting - or being captured. Or letting the Geist get us."

Cheerilee sighed. "I... Guess so." She shook her head, sagging.

"Hey, good news is you don't have to leave Ponyville for an adventure."

Cheerilee laughed softly. "I'm not sure if that's a good thing anymore."

Berry frowned. "Well... I'm having some fun despite it all. Maybe you should try to as well, lighten up a bit. It'll probably help us get through this."

Cheerilee blinked. "...Why are you the sane one here?"

"I just think a lot. And I have to deal with Rarity. It takes some doing."

"I can imagine..." Cheerilee admitted.

"Lo and Behold!" the Doctor called from up ahead. He stood atop a large rock, holding his hoof out towards an object in the center of a large clearing. It was a Tree composed entirely of crystal draped with strands of bead-like leaves and surrounded by serene, sparkling magics. A few black, thorny plants grew around the edges of the crystalline Tree and there were six conspicuous holes within the refracting branches. 

The Tree, however, was not the most eye-catching thing in the clearing. A tear in reality was right in front of the crystalline flora, swirling in place a few feet from the Tree itself, flat and yet not. The haunting cyclical shape of the tear turned in the minds of all who looked at it, the orange patterns flowing inward to a center composed of fractal patterns folding in on each other into... something else. Something behind and yet on the flat plane at the same time. 

"Great Whickering Stallions," the Doctor said. "A direct gateway to the Thaumic Fabric... Magic and matter changing places through this tear..."

Berry rubbed her temples. "It hurts to look at..."

"Of course it does. Our eyes were not meant to perceive such a thing. It drives us to madness..." He shook his head. "I would suggest entering, but that would be a bit outrageous. There's no way to know if it's stable enough to survive or not..."

"THIS IS A RESTRICTED AREA!" somepony shouted from behind them.

"Or we could throw caution to the wind and find out right now!" the Doctor suggested. 

Berry and Cheerilee didn't even need to be told - they had bolted the moment they were yelled at. Cheerilee galloped towards the vortex - the orange light glinting off her pupils, the energies blowing her mane around. She set her jaw, pushed through her intense headache, and leaped into it...

She, Berry, and the Doctor vanished within the swirling fractal pattern within seconds. 

The single unicorn guard who had yelled at them gulped - he wasn't sure if this was good or bad. Probably bad...