______*Canterlot, two minutes after invasion began.*______
Mana walked forward towards the largest scene of battle, where Twilight and her friends were fighting to reach the Elements.
Mana felt a voice in her mind speak, it was commanding and familiar. "Mana.....do not forget your mission, capture the Element Bearers, dead or alive." Chrysalis ordered.
"As you wish." Mana replied in a monotone voice, her hands changed into claws and she ignited her arms.
A changeling went flying in Mana's direction, she looked at the Changeling as it landed next to her, it looked up at her and growled. "I am on your side." Mana stated, her eyes glowing.
The Changeling simply flew off wordlessly as Mana continued to where the fighting was taking place.
As Mana neared the fight, she saw a group of Pegasi flying towards the Changeling's, looking to flank them, in one swift motion, Mana unleashed a torrent of flame that forced the Pegasi to land, she walked forward and as they charged to engage her, she immediately recognized them, they were some of the guards from the train station, she heard a voice in her mind. "Go ahead, take them out, they are in your way."
"Yes, my Queen." Mana said before summoning a torrent of wooden shards that impaled the guards without trouble.
Mana quickly turned her attention to the battle ahead, she spotted a glance of Rainbow Dash fighting two Changeling's in the air, she began to walk forward and a large magical blast impacted the ground.
Mana blinked and looked down, the new crater was large enough to prevent travel by land unless one wishes to take a ten minute detour, she raised her left hand and created a wooden bridge that she quickly crossed.
With that, Mana removed the bridge and now wielded the excess wood as a large club, to her it was weightless, even though it was about ten feet long and four feet thick.
Mana heard a voice in her mind, but this time she felt it linked to thousands upon thousands more. "My soldiers! step aside, Mana.....carry out your orders." Chrysalis ordered.
"Understood." Mana replied as she threw the large club towards the six mares.
_____*switch of perspective.*______
Twilight and her friends were initially relieved as the Changeling's moved aside, apparently giving up, but when they saw a massive wooden pillar flying towards them, they knew why they moved.
The six mares dodged the pillar which crashed into a nearby building, Twilight looked at where it came from and saw Mana walking towards them, her expression was neutral. "Mana!" She called out, happy to see she was alright. "Get over here quickly! we can keep you safe!" She said.
Mana said nothing as she looked behind her, the Changeling's forming a wall around her and the six mares. "Safe?" Mana asked in a monotone voice.
Twilight watched as Mana's arms ignited, the girl looked at her and Twilight could feel that something was.....wrong. "Mana?" Twilight asked, slowly approaching.
In what felt like a split second, Mana threw a wave of fire towards Twilight and changed her lower body to that of a wolf, she watched as Twilight protected herself with a barrier and looked at her in shock. "I have my orders, capture the Element Bearers, dead or alive, surrender now, and you will be spared." Mana offered with a flat and lifeless tone.
Rainbow Dash apparently would not accept surrender, as she charged at Mana out of pure anger, Mana did nothing as the Pegasus grabbed her and looked her dead in the eye. "You betrayed us for a bunch of bugs!?" She snapped. "After everything we've down for you!" The Pegasus was angrier than ever.
Mana simply blinked as she heard a voice. "Enough stalling Mana, capture them now." Chrysalis ordered.
With that, Mana grabbed Rainbow Dash with a large wooden claw and slammed her into the ground, she froze the claw in place, effectively trapping the Pegasus. "As I have said, I have orders, you will not reach the Elements of Harmony." Mana stated as she turned her left arm to ice and kept her right arm ignited.
Twilight immediately recognized this, she and Cadence ran into the old bridesmaids in the caverns, they were mind controlled. "Mana! you need to break free of the mind control!....you aren't yourself!" She shouted.
Mana looked at her arm, she knew that Chrysalis was watching and listening, so when she looked at Twilight, she spoke the truth. "You are wrong, I am myself, in every way." She then allowed the transformation to complete, and she now held her feral form, her bone tail shot out as it was freed, and her face changed to a canine one.
Mana let out a feral roar and spikes of ice shot out from the ground, the mares frantically tried to dodge them, but it was futile, she then charged forward rapidly towards Applejack, who moved to dodge an ice spike that shot up next to her, but just as she landed, Mana impacted, sending her flying Into the Changeling army, who quickly subdued her.
Mana looked at the other five, Rainbow Dash was still trapped, Fluttershy was helping Pinkie Pie get up, Twilight was using her magic to destroy the ice spikes before they could appear while Rarity was casting some spell.
Mana knew that Twilight was a powerful target, but she had a better idea. "Take the Rainbow one away." Mana growled.
Changeling's quickly moved in, responding to the orders quickly, but they were quickly assaulted by Twilight and Rarity, who clearly forgot about Mana. "Keep the other two busy." Mana ordered.
Changeling's immediately moved to take care of Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie, Mana then summoned a wall of wood that would surround Rarity on three sides, but hid it underground, she roared and charged towards Rarity who attempted to dodge the swift charge, but was immediately stopped by a wall of wood.
Mana impacted and Rarity let out a cry of pain as she collapsed to the ground, her cries of pain caused Twilight to turn her focus, just as an ice spike shot up and knocked her away.
Mana looked over at Fluttershy and Pinkie, the pink earth pony was surprisingly effective at keeping the Changeling's away. "Go from all sides, get the yellow one." Mana growled.
The Changeling's picked up on the idea quickly and in one coordinated effort, managed to capture Fluttershy, followed by Pinkie as she attempted to save her friend.
Mana finally turned her attention to Twilight, who was barely keeping the Changeling's away. "Take the others away." Mana ordered as she walked slowly towards the unicorn mare.
Twilight looked at Mana desperately, her breathing was ragged and she was obviously worn out from overuse of magic. "Mana......please, you need to fight her." She pleaded.
Mana said nothing as she extinguished her flames and changed her arm from ice to wood. "No, I do not, she has removed my fear, I am no longer afraid of what I am." She said as her body changed to wood as she talked, her clothes falling off as her body now almost perfectly resembled a Timberwolf.
Twilight tried to cast a spell, but a slam to the back of her head rendered her unconscious, curtesy of a wooden log.
Mana began walking back to the castle. "Bring her and the others to the Queen." Mana ordered mentally.
_____*Canterlot castle, a few minutes later.*______
Mana looked around the room, the wedding stalls and alter were demolished, Celestia was completely encased in goo, the Crusaders were trapped along with a few adults in a corner, and Chrysalis was looking out at Canterlot. "The Element Bearers my Queen." Mana said as she stepped to the side.
Chrysalis looked at the Element Bearers and walked over to them. "You see girl? I told you that I could not be stopped." She gloated.
Twilight said nothing as she looked at the ground blankly.
"You stay away from her!" Rainbow Dash snapped, still trapped in the wooden bindings.
Chrysalis looked at the Pegasus. "Or what? in case you haven't noticed, I have won, you are my prisoners, helpless to stop me." She stated calmly as she walked away.
Mana stood guard by the doorway as Chrysalis spoke. "As for you Mana, you have done well, you sacrificed your own body for the sake of completing your mission." She said as she looked at Shining Armor. "You even brought all six Element Bearers back alive, when you easily could have slain them." She said as she looked out the window.
Mana said nothing as she looked at the Element Bearers, they had mixed emotions, anger, fear, sadness, hopelessness, she then looked over and saw the Crusaders, she could tell their emotions sit by looking at them, fear, despair......sorrow?
Mana simply sat still as she watched Cadence shakily approach her husband, she moved to do something but felt Chrysalis' mind. "Leave them, she is a broken mare, no longer a threat." Chrysalis ordered.
Mana said nothing once again and decided to simply observe, she watched as Cadence said something to Shining Armor and touched his horn with hers.
Mana's eyes widened as she charged forward, sensing tremendous power emanating from the mare and stallion.
But it was too late, a powerful blast exploded from the horns of Shining Armor and Cadence, sending every one of the Changeling's flying away towards what was know as the Badlands.
Mana herself felt Chrysalis' connection to her mind sever as she held her head in pain, eventually blacking out.
_____*Hours later*______
Twilight heard a groan come from inside the room, she perked up and ran over to Mana who was still a Timberwolf, she kneeled down. "Mana?....are you alright?" She asked.
From Mana's perspective, the voice was loud and aggravating, so as she looked at the blur that spoke to her, she growled and jumped back, she continued to growl as the purple blur attempted to speak with her. "Mana......its me Twilight, Chrysalis is gone." She stated.
Mana watched as the purple blur reached out to touch her, she lunged at her and attempted to bite her, but multiple forms quickly pulled her off and dragged her away.
_____*later that day.*_____
Mana paced around the iron cell she was inside of, she smelled many scents coming and going, but none of them were familiar, nor were they similar to the purple one, she growled at anyone attempting to visit, she could see clearly now, but it mattered not, she had no one left, she was alone.
One hour however, the purple one returned, she sat on a stool across from my cell and spoke. "I don't know what's going on in your head Mana, but it's not good, because of your attack, many of the guards want you dead." She said flatly, her voice void of emotion. "Can you even understand what I'm saying?" She asked.
'Finally, something worth answering.' Mana thought to herself. "I am capable of speaking and understanding you." Mana said, her voice was scratchy and was hard to listen too, but it was understandable.
"Then why attack me? I'm trying to help you get back to normal." Twilight asked.
"I AM myself! or do you not remember what I said?" Mana snapped.
Twilight seemed startled by the outburst, but she remained calm and continued talking. "Mana, you can't mean to tell me, that you would prefer to be a Timberwolf?....you've been fighting to keep that from happening for so long now." She said with concern deep in her voice.
"I fought it, and failed, and failed, and failed, every day I lost more of myself, I simply gave in." Mana replied before pacing around the cell again. "Now either leave or get me out, I belong with my kind, not in a cell." She added.
Twilight sighed and stood up. "I WILL find a way to help you Mana, don't forget that." She said.
_____*the next day.*______
Spike sighed sadly as he poked his food with his fork. "Come on Spike, you need to eat something." Twilight urged.
He looked at Twilight . "Mana is trapped in the dungeons, she's the closest thing a have to a sister, how can I think about eating now?" He asked as he held his head up with his left claw.
Twilight looked at the door and sighed. "I know Spike, but I have an idea that might help, I need to try it before somepony does something stupid." She said as she stood up and walked out the door.
_____*the dungeons.*_____
Mana was asleep on the floor while Twilight and her friends were outside the cell. "Do you think this will work?" Rainbow Dash asked quietly.
Twilight looked at Mana with a sad expression as she considered the odds of this spell succeeding. "it needs to work, now, when I go in, I'll try to find Mana's subconscious, and if I can, get her back to us." Twilight said as she lit her horn up.
Soon, Twilight was asleep against the wall, and her friends kept watch.
____*Mana's mind*____
Twilight looked around the unfamiliar landscape, it was frozen, the water looked ice cold yet pure, there we're buildings and walls made entirely out of snow all over the place, as well as a large cliff that seemed to lead to a tundra.
"Mana!" She called out as she walked around, intent on finding Mana quickly.
Seeing nopony around, and no sounds to lead her, Twilight began to wander around the town, searching for any sign of Mana.
As she walked, Twilight noticed that some buildings and even some pots had the same symbol on them that Mana's jacket had on it, she walked to a bridge and went to cross it, only for a black void to appear on the other side and right under her forelegs.
Twilight quickly backed away before she could fall, her eyes wide from the sudden shock and danger. "Ok, mental traps, good to know." She muttered.
Twilight looked to the other side of the bridge and saw that the void was still there, so it was clearly the border of Mana's subconscious, she took a breath and continued walking in a different direction, turning away from bridges as the border revealed itself.
Twilight soon noticed something peculiar about a nearby building, there was a small fire outside of it, and on the door there was a familiar symbol, according to Mana, it was the fire nation symbol. "Might as well check it out." Twilight muttered.
She opened the door with her magic and stepped inside the building, in stark contrast to the rest of the cold city, as Twilight noticed just how big this place was, the inside of the house was warm, she looked around and saw just how sparse the inside was, there was a table, a few cots, a chest or two and a desk.
Twilight looked and saw a familiar girl sitting on one of the cots, holding something small, she walked over and looked at what Mana was holding, it was a small book with no words on it. "Mana......I need you to listen to me." Twilight said.
Mana sighed to herself as she set her hand down on her cot. "Onyx, come here bud." She muttered.
Twilight watched as Onyx appeared from under the cot and ran up Mana's arm and onto her shoulder. "Mana, look at me."
Mana looked at Onyx and scratched under her chin. "I don't want to leave Onyx, the Southern Tribe is boring." Mana said quietly.
Onyx simply nodded. "I know, but you don't have a choice." He said quietly.
Mana said nothing in return, instead she began to write in the book.
Twilight looked to Mana's side and saw that she had her bag next to her. "This must be a memory." Twilight muttered to herself.
She heard the door open and two tall humans, a man and a woman, walked inside. "Mana, it's time to go." Mana's father said, his voice was calm and wise.
Mana, looked around her house for a moment. "Do we really need to go? you know I hate our Sister Tribe." Mana argued.
"Mana! you were born there, how can you say that?" Mana's mother said, her voice sounded tired and stressed.
Mana sighed to herself and grabbed her bag, she said nothing as she left the house and followed her parents as they walked.
Twilight then proceeded to follow Mana and her family as they got onto an old looking ship, she didn't like it at all, and apparently, neither did Mana as she hesitated to get on. "I don't like this dad, this thing is really old." Mana said.
Mana's father simply reached his hand out to grab Mana's hand. "Come on Mana, it's fine, the captain just had it fixed up." He said reassuringly.
Mana carefully got onto the ship and immediately split off from her parents, content to write in the journal for a time.
Twilight watched with interest as Mana idly bended the water to her will, making the four nations symbols at random, the day went on in a dull silence for what felt like hours, and then, Twilight noticed Mana look up, seeing the large storm, all the passengers onboard were sent below deck, Twilight did notice that Mana's parents stayed up on deck to help the crew.
As everyone went into the quarters, Twilight saw Mana sitting alone in a dark corner of the ship, she walked over and watched as Mana quietly talked to Onyx, before eventually looking and seeing a leak near her cot.
Twilight backed away and Mana simply looked at it, as if in shock, she didn't even have time to warn everyone else as the wall broke apart and began to flood the lower deck.
Twilight noticed that the world went black and she looked around frantically as she fell screaming, very soon, a white light shone and Twilight felt herself be pulled from Mana's subconscious.
_____*the real world.*____
Twilight's eyes shot open as she panted, and just by judging the concerned looks on her friends faces, she knew that something happened. "What is it?" Twilight asked, her voice ragged.
Rarity was the first to speak. "You looked like you were having a fit, you were thrashing and mumbling almost the entire time." She answered.
Twilight leaned her head back and rubbed her left hoof, she felt a layer of sweat on it and looked at the cell. "How's Mana?" She asked.
"She's still asleep." Fluttershy said. "She seemed to be in the middle of a nightmare or something." She added out of concern.
Twilight nodded and stood up slowly, she signed to herself as she walked up to Mana's cell. "I think I know why." She muttered.
Rainbow Dash walked over to her. "Why?" She asked.
Twilight looked at her friends with a solemn expression. "I......I saw Mana die." She replied grimly.
Her friends all recoiled from the news, their eyes were wide and some didn't seem to be handling it well, judging by the fact that they were fighting the urge to puke or pass out.
Twilight turned her attention to Mana and lit her horn up, attempting to link to her mind, but found herself immediately repelled, she held her head in pain, fighting the urge to scream was easy as the pain quickly passed. "That's not good." She muttered.
"Is something wrong?" Rarity managed to say.
Twilight once again looked at her friends. "Mana's blocking me from her mind, I guess she doesn't want me in, or I've seen all she wanted me to see." She replied.
"So what does that mean?" Applejack asked.
"It means we need somepony else to go into Mana's subconscious to speak with her." Twilight explained.
Rarity looked around. "But....who will go? none of us know Mana very well." She commented.
Twilight sighed to herself. "Your right, but Spike does." She said.
"You want to send Spike into Mana's.....subconscious?" Rainbow Dash asked with a worried expression.
Twilight shook her head. "No, but he knows Mana better than anypony else aside from Onyx." She replied.
______*later.*______
Spike looked at Mana with a sad expression, he didn't like this at all, mostly because his adoptive sister was locked up, but also because he would be invading her mind. 'At least it's for a good cause.' He thought to himself.
Spike looked at Twilight, it was just him and her now, the other girls left to help with the repairs and tending to the wounded. "I'm ready." He said quietly.
Twilight nodded. "Now remember, you need to find Mana quickly, if she acts like you aren't there, it's probably because she's in a memory, not in control." She reminded.
Spike sat down next to the wall opposite Mana and Twilight cast her spell, sending Spike into Mana's subconscious.
For Spike, it was exhilarating, from his perspective he was flying through what felt like space, then landscapes, until he finally stopped on top of a rock, he grinned and looked around, still excited from the transition.
The area he was in looked like a meadow, with a forest to his back, he saw no buildings nearby but he did hear strange noises coming from the forest, he put his hands to his lips. "Mana!" He called out.
After a minute of waiting, there was no response from anything, so Spike decided to check out the forest, he hopped down from the rock and ran to the forest at full speed, rushing to the sounds.
After some time running, Spike finally stopped, he panted as he sat down to catch his breath. 'Where are you Mana?' He pondered.
Spike rested for a few more minutes before standing up again, he took a look at his surroundings, there were obviously a lot of trees, and the strange noises didn't seem to be occurring anymore, he closed his eyes and listened for sounds, any sound to help him find Mana. "Come on Mana, show me where to go." He said quietly.
A loud noise suddenly crashes in the woods behind Spike, he turned around and saw that trees were broken in that direction, heading away from him.
Spike immediately ran towards the broken trees and heard more falling behind him, he looked over his shoulder and saw that a black void was consuming the world behind him, his eyes widened and he quickened his pace, he didn't stop running until he reached what appeared to be a small wooden house.
Spike continued running until he reached the door, he attempted to open it but it was locked, he looked back and was surprised by what he saw.
The black void had stopped, it consumed everything in its way until it reached a small stone pillar with carvings on it. "What in the world?" He muttered to himself.
"Spike?.....how are you here?" Mana's voice asked from behind him.
Spike looked at the door and saw that Mana was standing in the doorway, unlike in Equestria Mana had her old blue eyes and she didn't have any of her wolf like appearance, she wore a brown shirt and gray pants with the Earth Kingdom symbol on it. "Mana, Twilight sent me into your subconscious to find you, you need to get control of yourself!" He said urgently.
Mana raised an eyebrow at Spike's statement. "In case you haven't noticed Spike, we aren't in Equestria, and I have full control over my body." She moved her hand and fingers around as an example.
Spike sighed to himself. "Mana, what's the last thing you remember from Equestria?" He asked.
"Going to bed in Canterlot." She replied easily. "I must have fully transformed overnight." She replied.
Spike shook his head sadly. "Mana, Cadence was a Changeling, the queen of them actually, she.....she controlled you to capture Twilight and the others." He said grimly.
Mana rolled her eyes as she leaned in the doorway. "I think I would remember that." She said.
Spike pinched the bridge of his nose and took a breath. "Ok, Mana right now your in the Canterlot dungeons, your body DID transform, but only because Chrysalis, the Changeling Queen, made you!" He stated.
Mana sighed and allowed Spike in. "Come on in, we can talk more inside." She said evasively.
Spike followed Mana inside and saw that there was almost no decoration, or even furniture, they stepped into an empty room and Mana stood in the center. "Spike, i can't go back there, even if I wanted too, I just........I can't." She said with a sad tone.
Spike flinched at her words. "You, you would rather stay here?" He asked, his neutral tone barely hiding his sorrow at her words.
Mana held her hand up. "I don't have the Timberwolf inside of me here Spike, in here I don't need to fear becoming something I hate." She said. "If I have to give up the life I had in Equestria to be rid of that fear, so be it." She said as she sat down and looked outside at the stars.
Spike took a few seconds before walking in front of Mana. "You told Rainbow Dash that Twilight needed her and her friends, she needs you now and your hiding in here?" He asked with anger in his voice.
Now Mana flinched at his words, she looked away from him. "I.....I know I'm a hypocrite, but you don't know what I've gone through, feeling this change happen inside of me every second, it's agony without end Spike." She replied quietly.
Spike placed both of his claws on Mana's shoulders and looked her right in the eye. "We are here for you Mana, you need to understand that, you aren't alone." He stated.
Mana slowly turned her head and looked at the floor, she then looked at Spike and placed a hand on his arm. "You need to understand what I feel." As she talked her body slowly changed to how she was before the wedding. "It will help me, knowing that someone out there knows what I go through every second of every day." She said quietly.
Spike's eyes widened as he suddenly felt unimaginable pain coursing through his body, it felt as though he insides were on fire......he felt as though his body were being ripped apart cell by cell, he screamed in pain and soon he felt himself be flung out of Mana's mind.
____*back in Canterlot.*____
Spike shot up panting heavily, he looked at his hands through blurry vision, he rubbed his eyes which quickly turned out to be a mistake as he screamed in pain as sweat went onto his eyeballs.
A fuzzy feeling on his eyes made it soon go away as he attempted to calm himself down, a voice barely registering in his mind as he tried to stop his hands from shaking.
Spike looked around and saw Twilight looking at him out of concern. "Spike!" She shouted.
"Wh....what?" He said in confusion.
Twilight leaned down to him and spoke. "Are you alright? what happened in there?" She asked.
Spike cleared his throat and he looked at his hands which were still shaking. "Mana.......she showed me how much pain she was in, everyday." He looked at the still sleeping Timberwolf in the cell. "She wanted me to understand how she felt." He muttered.
Twilight went to say something before she was cut off. "She wants us all to understand." A quiet voice said.
Twilight and Spike looked to the nearby doorway and saw Sweetie Belle standing there with Onyx on her head. "I know I'm not supposed to be here, but Onyx." She looked up. "He said Mana needed my help." She finished.
Spike sat against the wall. "Trust me, bad idea." He said, still in shock from the whole ordeal.
Onyx jumped off of Sweetie Belle and ran up to Twilight. "Send us in, if anyone can reach Mana, it's us." He said quietly.
Twilight shook her head. "No, no no no, Rarity won't let it happen, and you Onyx, I don't know if you will survive the transition." She stated firmly.
"I cannot say anything for Sweetie Belle, but you have no right to stop ME from helping Mana, send me in, I am your best bet at saving her, if I die? so be it." He snapped, anger and determination clear in his voice.
Twilight bit her lip and soon sighed. "Alright, just be careful Onyx, she seems determined to keep us from bringing her back." She warned as she began her spell.
Onyx readied himself for the transition, and just as Twilight's spell began to take effect, a white hoof grabbed Onyx and two minds were sent into Mana's subconscious.
_____*Mana's mind.*_____
Sweetie Belle looked around at the strange area, it looked like a home of some kind, with a small pond and short bushes around some kind of garden. "What is this place?" She asked herself.
There were small trees in the garden and even a few birds, it was.....peaceful.
Onyx climbed up Sweetie Belle's legs and sat down on her head. "We need to find Mana, this isn't a good place for her." He warned ominously.
Sweetie Belle looked up at the squirrel curiously. "Why?" She asked.
Onyx sighed. "Mana's grandfather, Kimaj, she loved him and he treated her like a daughter, they were close, he died here Sweetie Belle." He said quietly.
Sweetie Belle's ears went flat as she walked around, the garden no longer seeming so peaceful to her. "That's....horrible." She mumbled.
They walked into the house and wandered, keeping their eyes open for Mana, after a few minutes of walking they ended up at what Onyx called the entrance to the house.
"Where is she?" Sweetie Belle asked.
Onyx shook his head as he spoke with a somber tone. "If she's in this house, there is only one place she would go." He muttered.
"Where?" Sweetie Belle asked.
Onyx pointed to the left hallway. "Follow my directions, and I'll tell you." He replied.
Not quite understanding him, Sweetie Belle followed Onyx's directions, this eventually led her to a door that felt different than the others. "Behind here?" She asked.
Onyx nodded. "This is the room that Kimaj died, Mana was with him when he passed and she never truly recovered." He explained.
Sweetie Belle opened the door slowly and immediately recognized Mana in her blue jacket, she walked up and hear her talk. "I never really talked about it." She began. "When granddad died, he told me that he saw me as the daughter he wished he had, I didn't say anything.....how could I?" She sighed. "There were times I told him I hated him out of anger, and a few times I truly believed it." She looked at Sweetie Belle. "But if I'm being honest? I miss him now more than ever." She stood up and held her left arm.
"Mana, why are you hiding in your mind?" Onyx asked.
Mana's hands shook violently as she breathed. "I'm afraid, you have no idea what it's like, fearing that at any second, you could change into the thing that did it to you." She took a strained breath. "I'm dead Onyx, I shouldn't be walking around like I was alive." She added grimly, tears falling on her face.
Sweetie Belle spoke up now. "Mana....you aren't dead to any of us!" She suddenly snapped, she put her hoof down hard, startling Mana. "You aren't alone, you have your friends to stand with you Mana!.....so please, come back to us." She pleaded, her own eyes welling up with tears.
Mana blinked, she took slow breaths and she looked at Onyx, who was now silent, she gulped and walked to Sweetie Belle. "Okay......ok, I get it, but if something happens to me, if I fully turn into a Timberwolf again......just let me go, let me roam in a forest somewhere, promise me that." She begged quietly.
Sweetie Belle slowly shook her head. "I......I can't promise that Mana, you know I can't." She replied.
Mana gave Sweetie Belle a gentle hug and closed her eyes. "Then at least promise me that you'll take care of Onyx, he may be smart, but he's a softie." She asked.
Sweetie Belle returned the hug. "Of course." She whispered.
After a few minutes, Mana, Sweetie Belle and Onyx felt the world grow lighter, as if there was a burden that was lifted, the room got brighter.
Mana chuckled quietly. "You know, if Scootaloo and Apple Bloom saw us, they would call us out and say we were a couple." She joked.
Sweetie Belle giggled. "Would that be so bad?" She asked teasingly.
Mana smiled. "Until then though, you aren't my girlfriend." She joked.
"And you aren't my marefriend." Sweetie Belle replied.
Mana let go of the hug and crossed her arms. "Alright, I'm sending you out of my mind now, I'll be along soon." She said with a smile.
Sweetie Belle and Onyx soon vanished and Mana was now alone, she frowned and spoke quietly. "Alright wolf, we are going to have a talk, no more fighting, no tricks, no head games." She said sternly.
Mana turned around and she saw a Timberwolf standing behind her, it growled as it released its horrible stench. "Stop blowing smoke, you will listen." She ordered.
The wolf started to circle her. "Speak." It said in a deep voice.
"You will not take over my mind or body again without my consent, until my body is completely gone." Mana stated firmly.
"And if I do not? you cannot harm me girl." The wolf reminded.
Mana smirked and ignited her arm. "You are correct, I can't." She extinguished her arm. "But when you take over my mind, I am a constant nuisance, one that you have to actively fight to keep repressed, if you can be patient, if you wait, if the day comes, I will willingly step aside and give you control." She said.
The wolf seemed to ponder this for a time, until it spoke once again. "You have an agreement, and I shall hold you to it." It said before disappearing.
Mana smiled to herself as she closed her eyes. 'Now that that's settled, time to wake up.' She said to herself.