//------------------------------// // Kaboom // Story: Repercussions // by shallow15 //------------------------------// Twilight used her magic to lock the apartment door as the three girls hurried out of the apartment. Rainbow looked up from her phone. “She's at Rarity's boutique! Pinkie's on her way, Fluttershy's trying to get away from work.” “Dammit,” Applejack cursed. “We need to get over there fast! Rarity can't handle her all by herself!” “I have an idea,” Twilight said. “Pony up!” If the other two girls were confused, they didn't bother expressing it. All three gripped their geodes, and ponied up. Twilight nodded. “It'll be faster if we fly over there. We can come back for your truck later, Applejack.” “Uh, small problem. AJ doesn't have wings,” Rainbow pointed out. “No, but I can carry her,” Twilight answered. She reached out with her magic, enveloping her friend in a magenta colored aura. She lifted her hands, and Applejack let out a yelp of surprise as she rose off her feet. “I've been practicing every day since Camp Everfree,” Twilight explained. “Sunset's been helping me. I can lift almost 200 pounds.” “All right, sugarcube, I trust you.” “Great, that's taken care of! Let's go!” Rainbow leaped over the railing and began flying away. After floating Applejack over the railing, Twilight took to the air and the three friends flew over the rooftops, rushing to save their friend. Rarity backed away from Firecracker Burst. Pink lightning flowed over the blonde girl's form. Her eyes glowed with the magical power coursing through her. Rarity watched in astonishment as Firecracker began to change. Firecracker was already tall, approaching six feet, but she grew another foot as the magic took hold of her. Her clothes changed as well. She now wore a metallic blue dress that hung off one shoulder. The skirt was open at the front, sweeping back over her hips. Under the skirt, she wore skin tight gold leggings and a pair of platform boots, the same shade of metallic blue as the dress. Small stylized purple fireballs appeared along the hem of the skirt, and she wore a gold belt with a purple buckle shaped the same way. Her hair flowed upward, forming into a twist that wrapped around her head. Her fingernails grew, coated in purple polish. The irises of her eyes had turned the same shade of electric pink as her magic, and they flashed every so often as the magic surged through her. A sadistic grin crossed Firecracker's face. She held up her hands, the pink lightning sparking across the gaps of her fingers. She looked down at Rarity, who had backed into the shoe display. “You know something?” she began, slowly walking forward. “I'm actually kinda glad you figured it out. I was getting tired of playing it safe.” “Firecracker, you don't have to do this,” Rarity said. “I'm sorry for being so accusatory earlier, but this isn't right. You see that, don't you?” “Oh, I see, all right.” Firecraker's expression darkened. “I see that god damn bitch has gotten to you too!” “You mean Sunset? She hasn't 'gotten' to me, Firecracker. She's my friend! And despite what you think, she has changed!” Firecracker sneered. “Sure, she has. And I'm sure you and the other five will do anything to get her back, right?” “Absolutely.” Rarity stood defiant, staring the giantess down. Firecracker growled and thrust a hand out. A bolt of lightning shot out of her palm. Rarity threw her own hands up, generating a crystal shield. The lightning crashed into the shield with tremendous force, knocking Rarity off her feet and into the air. She quickly multiplied the shield, surrounding herself in a ball of them, just before she crashed through the store window. Rarity let out a series of squeaks as the crystal ball bounced a few times on the road outside. People on the sidewalk scattered and traffic screeched to a halt as she crashed to earth and the crystals dissipated. Rarity groaned and rolled onto her back. She pushed herself into a sitting position. “Are you all right?” The driver of the car in front of her put an arm around her shoulder and helped her to her feet. “Yes... yes, I'm fine,” Rarity murmured. She shook her head to shake off the dizziness she was feeling. She looked at the demolished store window, then at the driver. “You have to go! Now! It's not safe here!” As if to underline her point, the front of the store exploded outward with a blast of pink light. Firecracker stalked outward, her evil grin back in place. The pendant around her neck glowed brightly, giving her face an inhuman appearance. The driver stared as the giantess channeled a ball of lightning in her hand. Rarity, without taking her eyes off her enemy, began pushing against the driver's shoulder. “Go! Go, go, go!” Not waiting to see if the driver followed her orders, she grabbed the geode around her neck and activated it. A wave of light passed over her, leaving her standing in what Pinkie Pie insisted on calling her “superhero outfit;” the clothes the geode created when they first got them at Camp Everfree. Firecracker saw the flash and hurled the lightning ball towards her. Rarity quickly calculated the trajectory and formed a wall, protecting her and the people behind her who were trying to make their escape. The lightning exploded and coursed across the wall. Rarity grinned, split the wall into its component crystals and sent them hurtling across the street at Firecracker. Firecracker dodged to the side as the crystals smashed into the ruined storefront, shattering into glittering dust as they connected. Firecracker hissed through her teeth, and thrust out both hands, firing another concentrated beam of magic at Rarity, much like she had done at the mall only a few days before. Rarity threw herself to the ground as the beam connected with the store behind her. She hears screams of terror, screeching tires, and revving engines as pedestrians and drivers scattered away from the street. Her head shot up as a metallic screech reached her ears. She looked behind her shoulder and gasped as she saw a nearby light post beginning to bend. Her heart began pounding in her ears as she followed its probable arc and saw that it would smash onto a car stuck between two other abandoned cars. A woman and her daughter were inside, cowering in the driver's seat. Rarity shot to her feet and dashed to the car, throwing up a shield right as the lamp post came down. She braced her feet and pushed the crystal, keeping the post from crashing onto the car. She turned her head slightly, looking at the woman. “Get out! Hurry!” The woman snapped out of her terror, unbuckled her seat belt, grabbed her daughter and climbed out of the car from the passenger side. As soon as they were clear, Rarity lowered the lamp post to the ground. Pain exploded in her back and she felt her muscles stiffen as electricity poured through her. She fell to all fours, and screamed through clenched teeth as she tried to stay upright. Behind her, Firecracker continued to blast lightning into the teenager's body. Tears began streaming from Rarity's eyes and her mouth opened in a silent scream. Firecracker's grin returned and she started giggling. A mad, hollow giggle that threatened to explode in full deranged laughter. She cut the magic, stalked up to Rarity and grabbed her by the hair. Rarity's scream finally became audible as Firecracker yanked her to her feet. The giantess let got of Rarity's hair and grabbed her by the back of her neck. Rarity threw her hands over her shoulders trying to get loose. Firecracker whirled around and threw the fashionista back across the street. Rarity closed her eyes and braced for impact with the boutique's ruined storefront. She let out an “oof” as she connected with something that was firm, but a lot softer than she was expecting. Rarity opened her eyes to see Applejack, also in her superhero outfit, had caught her. Applejack gently put Rarity back on her feet. “Thank you!” Rarity said, giving her friend a quick hug. “'Tweren't nothin',” AJ replied. “Thanks later! Bad guy now!” Rainbow Dash called as she and Twilight flew overhead. The two of them grabbed their geodes again, also transforming into their superhero forms. The two landed next to their friends. “Where's Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy?” Rarity asked. “On their way,” Twilight answered. She stared across at the towering woman who stared at them with hate in her eyes. “Is that Firecracker Burst?” “I'm afraid so,” Rarity answered. “The magic's taken her over! She's completely deranged.” “Well, reckon we'll have to beat some sense back into her then,” Applejack said. She dashed forward, leaped into the air and came crashing to the ground, driving a fist into the pavement. A shock wave radiated out from where she landed, causing windows to shatter down the street. Firecracker was knocked off her feet, while Twilight and Rainbow grabbed Rarity and took to the air. When the shock passed, they put her back down on the ground. Applejack grinned as she stood up and dusted off her hands. “All right, Firecracker, you ready to calm down and talk about this?” A bolt of electricity shot from underneath one of the cars, striking Applejack and sending her hurtling backwards into the building behind her. “Applejack!” her friends cried. They rushed to the building, where Applejack was pulling herself out of the large hole she had made upon impact. She shook her head and wiped her nose, where a small trickle of blood had started. “Okay, then,” she said, tossing her long braided ponytail back behind her. “I guess we're doin' this the hard way.” Firecracker screamed in rage and got to her feet, using the magic to blast the cars left in the street out of her way. Magical lightning sparked and fizzled off her hands. Her face was a mask of hatred, her eyes flashing dangerously. She thrust both hands outward and a beam of magic shot from each one. The beams struck two of the burning cars and the four girls stared in surprise as she used the magic to raise the cars into the air. “Just DIE!” Firecracker screamed. She thrust her hands forward and the two burning cars flew towards the four girls. They screamed as heavy, burning metal and plastic crashed into them and continued moving forward, smashing into the storefront behind them. After that, there was silence.