//------------------------------//
// Episode 2: A Need for Greed 
// Story: No Matter Where: Side Effects 
// by Clean Karma 
//------------------------------//


Have you ever wondered the difference between want, greed, and envy?
Want is something we all experience and is even a good drive.
Greed makes you wish for something to the point of stealing.
Envy makes you willing to kill.



Moowisboro, the most peaceful town of Equestria inside the city Moo York.  This city has been nominated the least crime ridden town for two years now.  Its streets are the safest ones to walk on.  Foals and calves alike could play anywhere within the towns areas without the fear of kidnapping, thievery, rape, or any number of crimes.  Yep, it was a safe town.

Emphasis on was.

Professor Clean Karma looked down from the black cloud he was perched on.  It poured tears he wish he could release.  Instead he stood on top staring at a run down town.  The streets were empty, the houses were quiet, and desire filled Karmas mind.  As a changeling, he could feel the emotions of other creatures.  Makes it easier for interrogations but maddening when you needed to concentrate.  Karma clutched his head to suppress the current headache.

It would be so much easier to shut out the feelings from other creatures, to concentrate on his own feelings but right now, he needed to feed on something, even if it tasted like rock.  As he took a few gulps of the wafting emotion, he tasted something slightly different, and a bit refreshing: confusion.  Opening his eyes, Karma searched until his eyes rested on a white coated Unicorn.  Her mane and tail were purple from what he could tell and done up in a ridiculously fancy manner.  He jumped off the cloud and buzzed his way down to her.  She was startled by both his arrival and appearance but she remained composed.

"Hello there.  I take it you are the...um...creature waiting for me?" she asked.  Karma said nothing, he merely nodded.  The white unicorn breathed a sigh of relief, "Ah, good then.  I must admit this place is pretty scary at first gla--"

"It better scary on second glance too." Karma interrupted her, "There's nothing good about this place right now.  Hopefully after you help me, ponies can look around here with high hearts.  Please follow me Miss Belle."  He began to turn but stopped for second to add, "And please do not gaze at anything here.  I will explain along the way."

Karma began taking steps down the street, opposite the direction the unicorn Rarity had come from.  She followed suit and walked beside him.  Silence would have infect their breaths if not for Karma's beginnings of an explanation.

"This little town was once the most peaceful town in Equestria.  Safe streets, safe ponies, safe area.  It was fine until 'it' happened." His eyes continually looked in different directions, as if staring too long at anything would hurt him, "A Diamond was transported here, a very dangerous diamond."

Rarities ears folded back in worry.  "What does it do?"

"It creates greed.  It's very presence causes greed to increase in the hearts of creatures.  That is why we are here.  It is somewhere in this town, and if we don't find it quick, it's powers will have spread to the rest of Equestria."  At this point the changeling stops in front of a theater.  The doors hang off the hinges and the curtains are tattered on the floor.  Rarity stared at the building in fear, trembling from the presence of the building.  Karma stepped in front of her and said , "If you see anything in there that grabs your attention, avert your eyes as quickly as possible.  I don't want to have to fight you as well."  Rarity nodded and the two of them walked inside.

It was a simple theater, it had seats, a torn screen, a projector, all the things needed for such a place.  Rarity looked around in slight disgust of what the place had turned into.  Substances she didn't want to know about were on the floor.  The entire place had an eerie feel to it, even though the lights were still on.  Professor Karma and Miss Rarity make it to the front of the theater and walk to one of the side doors.  It said "Staff Only" but the door was wide open.

Rarity decided the best thing to do would be to take silence and put it out of it's misery, "So, Mister Karma, I'd like to ask you a question."

"Semi-free country.  Go ahead."

Ignoring the slight comment Rarity asked, "Why do you need me?  I understand that yes, I am the Element of Generosity, but what am I going to do if something bad happens?  Be generous?"

Karma chuckled, "I understand your concern Miss Belle.  if it helps make more sense then let me tell you that the elements have not always existed.  They were made, as are all things in this world.  They made of pure goodness, each zeroed into a particular moral.  However..." Karma paused a second to cast a light spell as they stepped into the dark room.  "...Like boiling salt out of water, each elements creation had side-effects.  Each Element has the power to resist it's side-effect and in turn this allows the bearer to resist it's powers as well.  Do you understand where I'm going with this?"

rarity nodded her head and cast her own light spell.  The two tread forward slowly into the dark room.  As they did ,creeks could be heard from every direction, as if the building itself wanted you yawn and had become unaware that it wasn't physically able to.  After about a minute of walking, Karma stopped.  He stopped so suddenly that Rarity almost bumped into him from behind.  Using his light spell from his horn he through his light forward.  It illuminated as it went until it came to rest beside a black box.  The box looked like coal at first, on second glance the purple-ish coloration brought Rarity to a conclusion.

"Is that...obsidian?"

"It enhances the abilities of the diamond.  It also cannot be altered by Unicorn magic."

Rarity frowned slightly until another question brought a curious thought to her, "Then...why did we stop?  We'll have to pick it up won't we?"

"Look down." Rarity did so, and immediately regretted it.  Right in front of them was a chasm, appearing to be bottomless in the dark room.  One thing did surprise her though.  She had always had a eye for detail, and if she wasn't mistake, something inside the chasm was moving.

"Those Miss Belle, are the ponies that weren't killed by their friends." Karma then began using his magic to float the box towards them.  As he did, the figures looked up at them with eyes of pure white.  They began groaning and screeching.  They got louder as the box came closer.  Eventually they began climbing over each other attempting to reach the box before it could finish it's path.  The screams got louder and Rarity could see them a little bit more clearly.  Their coats, manes and tails were black as molasses.  Eyes and teeth glowed with unnatural white light.

When the box was finally right in front of them Karma whispered, "I won't be able to resist it's power so when I give this to you, you are run as fast as you can until you reach the outdoors.  There should be a carriage there waiting for you.  It will take you to Princess Twilights castle, she's waiting there for you.  If the carriage is not there, you leave as flee as you can back home."

Rarity gulped and looked at Karma, "What are you going to do?"

"I'll fend them off as long as I can.  Now go!" With that he uses his magic push the box into Rarity with great force.  It shoves her all the way back into the theater.  When she stands back up she can hear the screams and horrible sounds emtting from the room.

Run now!

She takes off as fast as she can with the box in her bag.  the sound of hooves scurrying begin to get closer behind her as she exist the building.  There a golden cage awaits her with two Pegasi guards.

"Come quick Miss Belle, we don't have much time!"  She jumps inside as the chariot takes off.  Looking over the side she can see pitch black ponies attempting to follow, but they stop as the sunlight seems to burn their skin.  One makes it however and tries to climb inside.  Rarity casts the first spell in her mind, which blasts the creature out.  As he falls out however, a piece cloth falls from his mouth.  Upon closer inspection Rarity sees that it's a bit of cloth from Professor Karmas tie.

Tears burn Rarities eyes, "No."





Professor Karma Log #372

Well, I'm not writing to you from my desk right now.  Heh.  I'm holed under a Candy shop in Moo York.  I hope Rarity got out okay, the Needers here seem to be disintegrating finally so the Diamond must not be here.  Twilight will do the right thing.  It's been three days and I'm running out of water.  I might get to see you again Susan.

Oh wait, I think I hear armor.  Somepony must have sent for me.  Well, I guess we'll have to meet some other time.
Goodnight Susan