//------------------------------//
// A Greater Cause 
// Story: Kindred Spirits 
// by CartoonNerd12 
//------------------------------//

The large group of eight sat around a table in the tavern eating dinner all the while exchanging stories and banter.

The  girls were surprised by the description of the dark wizard the boys  told them about since they thought he would be more scary and dark  instead of this seventeen year old. Of course when learning about how  the boys escaped they knew it was important to not underestimate him.

Fluttershy told the chaotic being, "Oh, that must have been awful when he limited your power like that."

Discord dramatically motioned, "Oh it was! It stung to no end!"

Nick muttered to Judy, "And I thought you milked it during Bellwether's defeat."

"Well I definitely think you met your match Slick."

"Why, Carrots, I thought I already did when I met you…" he tenderly said.

Judy flushed at his words, "How… how sweet of you to say."

Word Girl said, "A lot of us does seem to have some common ground or interests and that's kind of spooky."

"It most certainly is." agreed Tobey, "While we were at the castle Discord and I shared a fondness for tea."

Chat mentioned, "Or how Nick and I seem to share the same jokes and puns."

Nick pointed, "We sure do, because every time I thought of a pun, he always managed to deliver the punch line before I could."

Judy's eyes lit up, "Really?" and addressed the cat, "You must teach me this."

That caused the entire table to laugh.

By then Cyrus came with a cake and said, "Consider it a thank you for stopping that shadow today."

Ladybug said, "Please no, it was our privilege and duty to save this village."

Cyrus grunted, "If only you were here all the time to stop them."

That made them go silent until Word Girl asked, "You mean…? This kind of thing happens all the time?"

The  man replied, "Sure does, ever since that wizard has taken over part of  the realm we have been plagued with those creatures stripping us of our  joy and happiness. The fairies do everything they can to prevent it but  its magic is too strong."

Judy asked, "Do the attacks last long?"

"At  least an hour and then we're force to rebuild but even then it takes a  long time to do it especially since we're still repairing damage to this  day."

The heroes and cops looked at each other in sorrow, thinking of the villagers' pain.

Fluttershy  herself felt like crying given that she and her friends were always  able to stop disasters from happening thanks to the power of their  friendship. She quickly went out of building with Discord following  after her.

"Fluttershy, are you okay?"

"No, I'm not!  Innocents were hurt today and if it weren't Ladybug, Chat Noir, and Word  Girl things could have been much worse! But I couldn't do anything! I'm  supposed to help people, Discord! But how can I without my friends?!"  she released her tears.

Discord's ear hung back as the gravity of  her words hit him. After all, he knew firsthand that Kindness alone  wasn't enough to fulfill the Elements of Harmony, or why else would be  spilt them up the first day he met the six mares.

"I feel so useless!" she kept crying.

His eyes widen before he scowled and gently took her shoulders and had her face him, "Now you listen here, Fluttershy. You  will never be useless. Out of all you and your friends, Celestia chose  you to reform me. I thought it was ridiculous thinking how can a shy and  sometimes timid pony reform a master of chaos? But you went and prove  me wrong. You are hero, Fluttershy, my hero…"

She gasped at his words before tears of joy filled her eyes and went into a giant hug with him as he happily accepted it.

"If anyone is useless, it's me because I can't teleport us home."

"Don't say that, you still can do other things with your magic so really you're not useless at all."

"You  know, it just occurred to me of how comfortable you are around those  girls since making new friends is not so easy for you." he muttered  bitterly, "With the exception of Treehugger…"

"I think  it's because they remind me of our friends back home, Judy and Becky are  like Twilight, but also Judy has some Pinkie in her and Becky has  Rainbow Dash in her. And Marinette is a lot like Rarity with her  impeccable fashion sense and generous nature."

"Interesting, but I also see you in them given their sweet dispositions and kind hearts."

"Goodness, I guess I never thought of that…"

"Of course you wouldn't, you just that humble and considerate."

She tittered.

Back  inside, the others were listening to what Cyrus was saying about the  shadow attacks, how they happen every week and that sometimes the  villagers would be overrun by them.

Needless to say it upset the superheroes and police officers due to their protective nature and desire to save everyone.

Judy turned to her partner, "Nick, we can't just leave and let these people suffer."

"I know Carrots but you need to remember that this isn't our world and that the problem is completely out of our paws."

Ladybug  voiced, "There is truth to that since we need to get back to our homes  soon, I don't know how long Master Fu can cover for me and Chat."

"Not to mention the possible akuma attacks that Hawkmoth must be doing now with us missing."

Word Girl said, "And I got to get back to protecting my own city and return Tobey back to his mother."

It  was a moral dilemma to be sure. To stay and help the village and  possibly the rest of the realm or to go and get back home to worlds that  needed them just as much.

Thinking it over more Judy knew that  she couldn't have it on her conscience of leaving a suffering world at  the hands of fear and tyranny, not when her own world had come so close  to such acts.

"Maybe… I could stay and you can go back." she suggested.

The fox exclaimed, "What?! No! We've already been separated because of this! No, we stay together."

"Well then, I guess we're staying."

"Fluff…"

"Nick,  this world could have been like ours had Bellwether succeeded. Do you  honestly want it on your conscience to have that wizard get what he  wants?"

There a pause before he let out a deep sigh, "No. No, I do not."

Hearing  their words, Ladybug, Chat, and Word Girl exchanged looks thinking that  they were right, could they have it on their conscience if they just  suddenly left people that were in a dire situation? The answer was of  course, no.

WG said, "I'll stay." and points to Tobey, "But you are going straight home."

The boy genius crossed his arms, "Fine by me, without my robots I would be useless anyway and bring you down."

She  eyed him and slowly said, "Okay, I've just about had it with this nice  guy routine, where's the easy-to-anger Tobey McCallister and what have  you done to him?"

"Relax, Word Girl, I'm still the same robot genius you have always known, I just finally got my priorities straighten out."

"How? How is it possible that boy whose caused so much trouble and property damage just suddenly turn around within a week?!"

"If you recall before I was taken, I was slowly getting there it's just these last few days have been very eye-opening for me."

She  was stunned until she frowned, "How do I know you are the real Tobey  McCallister and not some fake that the wizard conjured up?"

Nick and Chat were about to vouch for him when Judy and Ladybug stopped them and shook their heads.

Tobey  was grateful for the intervention giving him the chance to say, "Ask me  anything about our past, and I will answer truthfully."

Word Girl was doubtful for a moment but gave in and said, "Okay, what's name of my sidekick?"

"Captain Huggy-Face."

"List all of the villains you have worked with."

"Dr. Two-Brains, Granny May, Chuck the Evil Sandwichmaking Guy, and the Butcher."

"When the Coach stole your plans that one time what source of power did he use for his robot?"

"Potatoes. Which incidentally is what we used to fuel the robot we made together to stop the Coach's robot."

"Alright, what is the name of the game you had us playing with the robots in real life?"

"That was: By Jove you Wreaked my Robot, and… wait…" his eyes widen, "We didn't play that game, I played it with…"

Word Girl smiled and removed her helmet, shocking everyone around her.

"I told you you would be my friend when you were ready."

Tobey was stunned the most before he wobbled in his chair and fainted to the floor.

"Oops, I guess I over did it."

When  Tobey got revived he had this bewildered and giddy expression on his  face while uttering out, "I was right… I was right… I was right…"

Becky inquired, "Are you going to make me regret telling you?"

"No!  This is just- I can't believe- it's finally happen, me knowing your  secret identity and for it to be the same girl that I am happy to call a  friend… it's the most wonderful thing that's ever happen to me!" he  went in for a hug.

She blushed at the feeling but was happy to return it.

"Awww…"  their friends gushed at the sight including Discord and Fluttershy who  had joined them again during Becky's questioning and were as equally as  shocked when she revealed herself to Tobey.

Discord couldn't help it and started sprinkling flowers petals on them.

The kids noticed and blushed like crazy and moved away from each other awkwardly.





When it was time to go to sleep, the girls and boys were given two separate rooms for each respective gender.

After agreeing to talk more about the village's plight tomorrow they said their good nights and went to bed.