//------------------------------// // Chapter 09 - Breaking The Limit // Story: The Adventures Of Henry Hoof In Equestria // by destinedjagold //------------------------------// Chapter 9 - Breaking The Limit Midnight and Daybreak left their gazes on the ceiling. They could not believe what they were seeing. The other was still alive and breathing! Now, they both wondered if they could hear each other. "Daybreak!" Midnight shouted. "Don't waste your breath, boy." Said the doctor calmly, as he points a hoof at him with an installed bracelet-like device. "He can't hear you, and don't worry... I'm here." He grinned. Midnight turned to him in anger, dismissing the fear he's feeling at the device aiming at him. He managed to dock in time before the fast ray of light could hit him. He did a barrel roll to dodge a follow-up attack. He need to do something to fight back. He couldn't concentrate his magic while desperately trying to evade such a scary and freezing attack. The black earth pony laughed at the unicorn's pathetic display. "Stop it!" Aurora cried. Midnight, after jumping out of the way, bumped on the wall of the chamber, losing his balance. The doctor immediately took this chance to end him. As much as he was enjoying this, he doesn't want to waste precious time. There are still a lot of things to be done. He fired a ray of light, hitting the startled unicorn. The doctor grinned as Aurora shouted the unicorn's name. --- Daybreak quickly got up on his hooves after seeing his brother was in trouble. Disregarding the yellow earth pony that managed to dodge in time before catching herself in fire, Daybreak immediately spotted a safe place to concentrate his magic. Rose immediately took a folded metallic boomerang from her belt while in mid-air, and instantly unfolded and threw it at the griffin the moment she got back on the ground. With the griffin's burning claws, he easily held the boomerang on his grasp, managing to melt the metal, but then a beeping, to the griffin's confusion, and just before he got the chance to react, the item he held exploded fiercely. Rose could not see the conclusion of what happened from the black thick smoke that enveloped her foe. But just in case, she prepared a hoof on her belt. But as quick as a blink, a fast cloud of flame flew towards the startled mare. --- The white pegasus installed a meter long sharp sword-like claw on both his front hooves, giving Flame the message that talking this out is not an option. Coal shivered in fear as the pegasus rubbed the two sharp metallic blades against each other as he grinned devilishly. Ember begged the pegasus to stop, but her pleads were simply ignored as the pegasus took flight, and after satisfied of the height, he dove straight at the two earth ponies, his hooves ready to cut them in two. Flame has no idea how to counter, so he did the only thing he could think of at the moment... Just mere moments before the blades could reach them, Flame pushed the young Coal out of the way. Ember immediately closed her eyes. --- "Darn it!" Henry snarled as he flew out of a suddenly bursting geyser from where he stood. The pressure of the water was too powerful, that if he didn't flew away on time, he'd probably hit the ceiling pretty hard. Taking aim, he fired a brown bolt of beam towards the oricorn, but the sea pony swiftly dodged the attack, sliding on the watery surface of the area, slightly levitating from the water, the vortex still followed him. "Dad! Stop this!" Pearl shouted, to the alicorn's surprise. "D-dad?" The oricorn quickly summoned another geyser, which the alicorn managed to dodge again on time. The other geyser weakened and vanished. Henry took notice of the vanishing geyser, to the sea pony's advantage. He took this chance to instantly fire a blue beam from his horn towards the alicorn. "HENRY!" Pearl shouted, allowing the alicorn to turn just to witness the fast beam flying towards him. --- "Something's not right..." The young pony hidden in the shadows whispered to himself, ignoring the exhausted grunts of the pale-blue alicorn a few hooves in front of him, who was using his magic for the pony to watch the four chambers, and to send the images all around Equestria. "...who is that changeling...?" --- Flame could not believe that he docked in time. The pegasus flew pass him, only to cut a small amount of the earth pony's mane with his blades. "Too close fo' comfort..." Flame nervously said as he ran towards the young filly, while the pegasus stopped in mid-air, turning to face them once again. The pegasus grinned. Not only was this earth pony strong, but also quick. Guarantee, he'll enjoy this. He dove towards them as he wondered; would he kill them quickly so he could get it over with, or would he kill them slowly to enjoy himself? Flame noticed the pegasus was flying lower this time, probably to get a higher chance of cutting him if he docks again. He has an idea, but he hoped it'll work. Coal quickly ran away in panic. Just before the pegasus could land his blades on him, Flame jumped towards him, higher than the startled pegasus. The moment the pegasus was below the earth pony, Flame tried to grab the pegasus' mane, but the speed of the pegasus made him grab the tail instead. The sudden carried weight slowed the pegasus' speed, and the sudden pain from the his pulled tail made him lose his balance, and both ponies fell back on the ground. --- Daybreak, after satisfying himself with the amount of magic he focused on the spot outside the sphere, immediately surrounded himself with magic to teleport himself to his destination. His sight turned white, as it should be when he uses the teleportation spell. But after his vision came back, he found himself still inside the sphere. 'No use...' A voice inside him said, a voice so familiar. 'I suggest you reserve your energy, B---Daybreak...' The young pony's voice echoed in his mind. Confusion and anger sparked inside him as he tried to envelop himself with his own magic. He can't just sit inside a sphere doing nothing while his brother's frozen gray! He ignored the voice's sigh. Fire and smoke cleared their respective areas, revealing a severely burned earth pony, still on her hooves, and a large griffin, forcing himself to bear the pain from losing a claw. A bright red feather on the griffin's neck turned green. Grass began to grow underneath the griffin, and instantly, the griffin extends his clawless feet forward, and the nearby grass flew and circled around his arm, seemingly bandaging his wound to stop the bleeding. Rose took this chance and threw another boomerang. This time, the griffin flew out of the way while the grass continued to heal his wound. At least now she knew how to deal with him. --- The black earth pony frowned. The fun was already over, he thought as he sighed. Oh well. At least there are still quite a number of unfinished work that needed him. He turned around, and was startled as he saw the unicorn's flank a few hooves in front of him, giving him a back kick. The black earth pony was thrown back towards the petrified unicorn, which instantly fade after he got into contact with it. Midnight quickly turned around to face his foe, his horn glowing intensely. All he needed was to be still to use his magic, and he had no idea that even he could perform the teleportation spell. Staying inside a library made him read some of the books to kill his boredom. The unicorn grinned. Being petrified felt weird, but he could at least concentrate his magic. The earth pony was still startled as he stood up. He shook his head to give way for a grin. "I'd say..." he said as he pressed a few buttons on his device. "I never saw that flaw on my work." He chuckled a bit. "I'll make a few modifications later." And he gave the unicorn an evil grin. "...Right now, let's enjoy ourselves!" Midnight has already contentrated enough magic around his horn. He blasted a black beam of magic towards the earth pony, but before his attack could reach the old pony, the doctor flashed in white and disappeared. Startled as he noticed a flash of white on the corner of his eyes. He turned, only to witness the black earth pony beside him, giving him a few punches on his face, and finishing it with a nasty headbutt, throwing him a few hooves away. The old earth pony grinned as the unicorn looked at him with shock. The old pony packs quite a punch, he admitted as he slowly got back on his hooves. --- Henry was hit on his chest, throwing him towards the walls of the chamber. His back absorbed all the impact from the wall, almost losing the air in his lungs. He fell down on the watery surface, trying to recover himself fast. Suddenly, he felt the ground where he sat was becoming soft. The oricorn summoned a geyser just underneath the startled alicorn. The pressure immediately sent the alicorn to the ceiling, his back and head hit the ceiling, his glasses falling off of his face. Pearl cried to her father to stop, but the oricorn tried his best to ignore her. Everything that is happening is for his own daughter's sake to have a better world to live in. The oricorn quickly moved towards his prey, with his horn glowing intensely. He tilted his head to stab the slowly rising alicorn with his horn. Despite his blurry vision, the alicorn could tell that the oricorn is fast approaching. Firing a beam of magic might not be enough. Levitating him off the ground isn't a good counter either, for the oricorn could simply deflect his magic. Just before the oricorn could satisfy his horn with the alicorn's flesh and blood, he suddenly stopped himself, completely against his will. The vortex of water around him disappeared, as he slowly flew up. Henry is focusing his magic on the oricorn with his puppetry skill. His horn glowed intensely. He never knew he needed a lot of magic strength to take over an oricorn's mind. "W-what's this?" The oricorn managed to say as he tried his best to move his head. He realized that he's under some sort of skill, a skill that only one pony could perform. Seeing the changeling can perform the skill was impossible for him to believe, but... Despite feeling sorry for her father's situation, Pearl felt really glad to see her alicorn was taking control over the battle. But, she saw something that immediately evaporated her smile of relief. "Henry! Beside you!" If the alicorn was wearing his glasses, his clear vision would have seen the warning on the corner of his eyes. An oricorn immediately fired a magic ray from its sharp horn, pushing the alicorn to the other wall. "A changeling like you..." The oricorn said after taking a few deep breaths. Henry, with his blurry vision, looked at his attacker as he groaned in pain. His poor eyesight managed to inform him that the oricorn he used his puppetry skill on was still in midair, but was already deforming into water, and it soon fell to the watery ground. "...aqua mirage...?" "...able to perform Silver String's ability?" The oricorn continued, his horn started to glow once more. "You disgraced my friend's name!" And in an instant, Henry found himself slammed on the ceiling once again. "A lowlife changeling like you must die!" And before him, two oricorns formed from the water, each horn glowed intensely, and quickly dashed towards the weakened changeling. "FATHER! NO!" Henry, already too weak to keep his disguise, tried his best to stand back up. --- Unknown to the pale-blue alicorn, the unicorn pony just opened his eyes, and a confident smile flashed on his face. "So..." he quietly said to himself. "...things became...or will become even more interesting than I thought..." --- Flame quickly got back up and quickly ran in front of the pegasus. He dodged the pegasus' attempt of stabbing him before he gave a few punches right to his face. That was only for distraction. The real attack, he immediately turned around, and gave him a double back kick, and this time, he exerted a lot of force on his attack, sending the pegasus flying and landing on the ground on his back. Taking this opportunity, he once again ran and stopped in front of the pegasus' face, immediately lifted his front hooves, and with great force, he stomped on the two sword-like blades with each his hooves. The force managed to break the swords in half. He overheard his beloved earth pony and her brother cheering for him. The pegasus however, flew up in the air, just in time to avoid the earth pony's hooves. He wore a grin on his face as he dove down again. Flame was not expecting the pegasus would do the dive attack again. Completely off-guard, the pegasus stabbed whatever was left of his sword on the earth pony's chest, and pushed him further to throw him away from the pegasus. Flame lay on the ground a few hooves in front of the sphere. Ember cried out his name as Coal ran towards him with tears running down his eyes. The pegasus, still in the air, removed whatever was left of his weapon from his hooves with annoyance, yet he grinned. Now that the shepherd is gone, it's time to deal with the sheep, he thought as he lay his eyes on the crying little filly, trying to wake the pale-red earth pony. --- Even though the griffin was not using any fire attacks, Rose still finds him a difficult foe to beat. The griffin's sharp hind talons left her with nasty slashes around her back, and the griffin's strong wings can pound her really hard. Taking the feather off of the griffin wasn't as simple as she thought it would be. And Daybreak's yellow magic light is distracting her at some point. If he's trying to break himself free, she could only hope that he'll help her, instead of him helping the griffin. She jumped to the side just in time before the griffin's wings or talons could give her another wound. After she got her hooves in the ground, she immediately turned, using her body's momentum to throw yet another boomerang. This time, this boomerang exploded, and instead of a boomerang, a wide net flew towards the griffin. The net has caught its target, and locked itself, disabling the griffin's ability to fly or get away. As soon as he hit the ground, the net electrecuted the griffin, making him scream in pain. She was about to sit down to catch her breath when the griffin started to burn, snapping the net, and setting the burning griffin back in the air. She cursed. She should have taken the feather! Now, she'll be dealing with a phoenix-like griffin. She jumped back to get away from the griffin's burning tackle. --- The black changeling turned white, and instantly, he vanished from the spot, startling the oricorn, losing his focus on the other oricorns under his magic. The other two oricorns immediately became water, and created a splash as they hit the wall. The oricorn turned around to witness the changeling just got his glasses on his face. The changeling summoned a bit of magic around his glasses so they will not fall off again. He dropped his sidebag and used his magic to untie the string of his hat under his head, and shook his head a bit for his hat to fall off. He immediately jumped back after he felt a familiar sensation under his feet. He was right that the oricorn as once again summoned a geyser, but instead of landing on his feet, he flapped his wings to put himself in mid-air. He dodged a beam of magic from the sea pony. He's too weak to use his magic now. --- The pegasus grabbed the little filly by his mane, lifting him to his eye-level. He grinned as he watched the filly trying his best to set himself free from the pegasus' hoof. The filly's four hooves couldn't reach his hoof, nor his face. This is too easy. Then, he felt something grabbed his hind hoof. He turned his head to see what it was. "Let...him go..." Flame managed to say. His face was resting on the ground. He couldn't make eye-contact with the pegasus. He weakly wrapped his front hooves around the pegasus' hind hoof. "Let him...go..." He's breathing was shallow. He has lost a lot of blood from the stab wounds. His condition has only widened the pegasus' grin. He easily lifted his hoof away from the earth pony's grasp, and used it to kick his head, sending the pony away from him. "Flame...!" Coal shouted as he cried in fear. --- Midnight landed on his back after receiving another punch. He managed to get back up, but the doctor immediately disappeared from his sight. He then felt a strong kick on his side, which threw him against the wall. The doctor laughed maniacly before he vanished, only to reappear far away from the unicorn. 'Darn it!' He thought to himself as he tried to stand without the wall's support. 'How am I suppose to win?' --- Henry found himself trapped inside a tornado of water. The water spun fiercely fast, making his heart race in fear. Focusing a bit of magic, he managed to surround himself with magic, to try and shield himself as he plans to get through the torrent of water, but he was too weak to hold his magic to form a barrier around him. The magic energy around himself exploded outward, creating an invisible shockwave which instantly evaporated the tornado of water. He blinked. 'That'll do.' He thought as he flew away as the oricorn snapped back from his startled state. He caught a small glimpse of his friends on the images being flashed on the ceiling. They were not doing so well... 'Wielders of the elements...' He thought, but then he got hit by another sudden geyser, slamming on the ceiling. '...how...are we suppose to win...with these...?' He thought as he landed on the watery ground hard. He heard his sea pony's voice, crying out his name, but he could no longer find the strength to even stand up, or even move. He then felt a rushing water lifting him, and the rapid air moving down. --- Daybreak was now satisfied with the intense amount of magic energy that is flowing inside and around him. His body was covered with yellow magic, and his eyes glowed golden-yellow. He's planning on creating a powerful shockwave, and so he did. But the wave of powerful magic bounced back towards him after it hit the walls of the sphere, enveloping his entire body with powerful pain instead, that he couldn't even manage to scream the pain out. He immediately lost his consciousness as he dropped himself. '...I told you so...' Rose threw another boomerang, landing on the griffin's burning wing, and exploded on impact. The griffin screamed as he fell down to the ground. Now's her chance. She ran as fast as her weakened body could, and locked her eyes on the feather. She noticed the feather turned green again, and felt vines wrapping her in place as the flames around the griffin's body disappeared. Vines wrapped her hooves, her neck, and her body, dropping her on the ground as the griffin slowly got back to his feet. --- "You can't keep this up forever, boy!" The doctor said and followed it with a maniac-like laugh, as he punched and punched nonstop on the weakened unicorn's barrier. Midnight admitted to himself that he could not keep his barrier up for long. Also, where did this old earth pony got all of that strength!? Midnight stared at the pegasus he's trying to save, and the pegasus locked her teary eyes on him as well. 'I made a promise... A promise... A stupid promise...' --- '...that one day...we could live...together...forever...' Henry thought as he started falling down to the watery ground. --- '...to live in peace...to love...each other...' Flame thought as he helplessly watched Coal receiving a painful punch on his stomach. '...but...I'm too weak...' --- '...I couldn't even protect myself...' Midnight thought as his barrier shattered into pieces, letting the doctor's punch reach his face. '...Elements of Harmony...what garbage...' --- Rose was starting to lose her consciousness, her lungs burning the desire for air. The griffin has pinned his talon on the earth pony's neck, pressing it down. She couldn't believe it...that after all this trouble...she would end here... ...so...all that talk with the Element of Honesty...were they really the truth...? --- Rose... You have lost your parents at a very young age. "I do not wish to talk about my past." The past hurt, does it not? But you should try to dismiss your past. It will help you turn into the proper 'you'. "...it did." No, you did not. You turned into someone you shouldn't be. Yes, the past is difficult to let go, but you should learn to l--- "Let it all go!? Are you insane? Those criminals killed my parents, and you want me to just let it go!?" ...the past, yes, I think it did helped you carry such anger, turning you into a mare you should not have become. "Those fools needed someone to bring them to justice!" ...why not leave tha--- "Leave them to the authorities!? Ha! The very same 'authorities' who got paid so the ponies who murdered my parents would not get into prison!? F*ck that!" ...just...let it go... "And why should I?" ...because you have turned far away from the truth. "What truth?" ...the truth of who you really are. "Just shut up if you're talking nonsense." ...I am indeed not talking nonsense, child. "Then what are you saying?" ...the simple truth. Live your life to the fullest. Stop living with a lie... "Living a lie? I fail to follow." ...you have been living your entire life as...BatMare... A pony who brings justice to ponies who needs to be judged. That is not--- "Not the real me? I chose to be who I am, and the city needed someone to bring those fools behind bars!" ...if you won't step out of the path of shadows, you will never see the light of truth... "I plan to be who I am until I can no longer be." ...you...are not qualified... --- 'Maybe you can reconsider?' A voice echoed inside Rose's mind. Despite losing her consciousness, she felt as though time slowed down, allowing her to talk to the voice inside her mind. "Who...?" '...I admit, I'm hurt... You forgot about me all that quickly? You have been wearing me all this time, just to give you a hint...' "The Element...of Honesty...?" 'Indeed, it is I.' "...I'm...dying... Go bother...someone else..." '...yes, I can feel that you are on the brink of death. So...' "...Have...have I been...really...living on a lie...?" 'Well, in all honesty, no. But you do live almost all of your life as someone whom you are not. BatMare is...a fictional character, created by pony's creative imagination. You did a good job of bringing that to life, but that is not you. Of course, avenging your parents' deaths is understandable, but you need to learn to let go and move on. Sure, they're gone, but they will still be inside your heart, guiding you to the right path.' "...You talk as if you know how it feels..." '...let me share a short story from a very long story. We of the Elements of Harmony used to be living beings.' "...Oh?" '...we helped Princesses Celestia and Luna bring peace in Equestria, but unfortunately, that was no easy task. With the princesses' magic, they materialized our souls into the elemental stones. So don't you dare tell us we don't know how it feels to be alive.' "...I'm...sorry..." '...I...suppose I could accept your apology. Now then, why don't we start from the beginning, shall we?' --- Midnight was lying on the ground. His body, full of bruises, his eyes, both were closed. "What a sad sight." The old black earth pony sighed. He slowly turned around, and started to walk towards the sphere, where inside, a crying pegasus was sitting down, her head facing her hooves. 'You're not dead yet, are you?' "I...might as well be..." 'Oh, you compared me to garbage... That was not really a kind thing to say...' "I...suppose...watching me to die...is a kind thing...to do, huh...?" 'S-sorry... I couldn't help you if one of us couldn't accept one of you to wield us...' "One of us...?" 'Yes. But now, I think he can accept her now...' "Her...? Rose...?" 'But...I'm sorry... With your current state... I can't...' "...garbage..." --- 'Hey, hey!' "Hhhhhh..." Flame could no longer see anything, even though he weakly opened his eyes earlier to witness the little Coal beaten by a larger white pegasus stallion. 'Hey! Don't you dare die!' "..." 'Flame!' --- The black changeling was pushed towards the sphere by a fierce beam from the oricorn's horn. His back slammed on the sphere, losing most of the air in his lungs. He dropped himself on the watery ground in front of the sphere. Pearl cried out the changeling's name as she began to tackle and punch the sphere to escape and do her best to help her beloved. Henry was no longer moving. He could no longer feel any of his senses, yet he's still aware that he's breathing slow and deep. 'Henry...' "I...could use...some help..." 'I'm sorry... I wish I could, but you are no longer in good shape...' "...I see... I'm...good as dead then?" 'No! Don't give up so quickly!' The oricorn stood in front of the weakly-lying alicorn, still surrounded by his vortex of water. He looked angry at the changeling, and trying his best to ignore the pounding sounds from his daughter's attempt of breaking herself free. Now that he thought about it, why is his daughter trying to set herself free? To stop him? To stop him from killing this lowlife changeling? He shifted his stare to his daughter, his crying daughter, desperately trying to set herself free. She has been shouting the changeling's name. Did the changeling do something to make his daughter act like this? Wait...did the changeling do something to make his daughter act this way!? A sudden torrent of anger fueled the oricorn's bloodstream as he immediately focused all of his magic power on his horn, levitating the changeling in the air. He aimed his horn at the changeling's heart. One quick stab, and this will be all over. "DAD!" Pearl shouted as she tackled the sphere with her numbing shoulder. "PLEASE! STOP!" She tackled the sphere once more. The oricorn ignored her. He wants to end this now. Just one stab and--- "I LOVE HIM!" The oricorn gasped, completely losing his magic from his horn, dropping the levitated changeling back on the ground. --- "Oh, look at that..." Grinned the white pegasus after he finished beating the poor filly, who was now lying on the ground. Ember was crying. She could no longer bring herself to look at either of the two ponies who tried to rescue her. The pegasus grabbed the filly's mane and lifted him up. He turned him around so he could see his poor face. "...the little filly wants to go to sleep." He grinned. "Any last words, kid?" Despite his weak and beaten body, Coal managed to weakly half-open one of his eyes, and slowly lands his gaze on his big sister. "I...do..." He slowly said, making her sister look at him. Oh, how she wished she didn't. Her little brother... Coal weakly flashed a small smile. "I...wish...my...sist...er...could...smile...ag...ain..." "Aw... Ain't that sweet?" Ember doesn't know if she could still shout, but... "PLEASE LET HIM GO!" "Not yet, just one...last...punch." He prepared his other hoof to deliver the blow, but then... "Wha-ack!?" Coal's necklace glowed brightly white, and quickly enveloped the little filly's entire body. --- Even as an element, Honest is still taking a lot of time to prepare himself... "H-huh...?" Oh, Coal. It's nothing. Anyway, with the five of us now fully accepted all of you, it's time. --- The white pegasus took a few steps back, one of his front hooves in front of him to cover his eyes from the bright light coming from the little filly. Suddenly, a beam of light reached the pale-red earth pony. Flame was then enveloped in white light. Soon, he managed to take a breath and weakly opened his eyes. "Uh...wha...?" Flame was not sure if he's seeing things, but he could see his blood, flowing back inside of him through his wound instead of the other way around, and he was regaining his strength. 'You scared me for a moment there, Flame...' Flame blinked. This was no dream. He ignored the startled pegasus who was near the bright light as he tried to stand up. "Flame! Thank Celestia, you're okay!" Ember exclaimed. Flame turned to meet her eyes. He gave her a reassuring smile. "Stay loyal t' every pony I love 'till da end." Both earth ponies were surprised to Flame's necklace, which suddenly began to shine brightly white. --- A beam of light came out of nowhere, and hit the earth pony. The griffin, startled, flapped his wings a few times by reflex, setting himself a distance from the earth pony. Rose wasn't sure if this comforting sensation was because she's already dead, or something else, but she was betting on the former. 'Guess again...' The voice of the element irritated her. She opened her eyes, and found herself still wrapped by vines. She sensed her strength was returning, so she tried standing up, snapping the vines in the process. "Wh-what's happening...?" 'Laughter's grand entrance. Took her a while, though...' Rose, somehow, found a strange reason to smile at that. "Hahah... I guess laughter really is the best medicine..." She whispered. She looked at the griffin a few meters away. He was covering his eyes from the light with his clawed foot. She turned to see the unicorn inside the sphere. Daybreak was slowly getting back on his hooves. He looked exhausted and hurt, but he wore a smile, not a mysterious or an evil smile, but a genuine smile. She brought her attention to the griffin as the light around her began to fade. "Let's finish this." 'Oh? Why is that?' "So I can get back to my life." She answered, with determination and confidence. 'Your life...?' Rose smiled. "My life. The life of Rose Hammer..." The griffin was glad the light was bearable now, but as soon as he brought his foot back on the ground, the earth pony's necklace began to glow in white, making him cover his eyes once again. --- The black earth pony stopped as he noticed a bright light was shining from behind him. He turned around, and instantly brought his hoof in front of his face to cover his old eyes. Midnight wasn't really sure what was going on, but as long as he can stand up and continue to fight... The unicorn quickly dashed towards the black earth pony, stabbing his horn on the earth pony's chest as he brought all of his strength on a headbutt, throwing the earth pony back with a stab wound. "Sorry, pops, but you are so f*cked now!" Midnight said with a grin as the earth pony slowly got back on his hooves, one of his front hooves on his wound to try and lessen the bleeding. 'Sigh... That was not a very kind thing to say...' "Oh? So now what? Be kind to my enemies who tried to beat me to death?" '...Good...point...' "So, the elements have activated?" The doctor asked, his face was in pain from the headbutt and the stab. Despite the feeling of pain, he managed to smile. "Interesting... I might add this to my research after this." "Hey pops, guess what?" Midnight began to summon large amounts of magic on his horn as the bright light began to fade. "You're so darn dead after this!" Finally, he saw Aurora smiling once again. Strangely, it warmed his heart, almost reconsidering to spare this old pony's life, but... 'You could do that...' "No! Ponies who don't show kindness to other ponies must be taught a lesson!" Midnight shouted as he stomped his hoof on the ground. He was about to blast the doctor a mighty blast of energy beam, but his necklace suddenly shined brightly white. "W-what the...!?" 'Sigh... Unkind words for a kind action... I don't think I can get used to that...' --- "You...love...this changeling...?" The oricorn slowly asked, still in shock. Pearl was exhausted from trying to set herself free from the sphere, but she still continued, but now, her tackles and pounds deliver no power. She still locked her gaze on the unmoving changeling. So close, yet, he's so out of reach... "Pearl!?" The oricorn shouted, still disbelieving what he just heard. No, this changeling did something to his daughter! "This changeling did something to you!" "He did!" She stopped, this time, she looked at her father angrily. "He gave me something you nor even mother could not give me!" "Nonsense, child!" The oricorn snarled. "We have given you everything you have asked! We---" "Everything I ASKED!? You weren't there when I had a bad dream!" She began to cry, but her tears where impossible to notice from the water inside the sphere. "You weren't there when I hurt myself inside the house!" She could not call it her home. It was a house. Simply a house. "I couldn't get out to make friends! I couldn't leave the house to enjoy the surroundings!" Her voice broke a bit in mid-sentence. "You imprisoned me inside that house! You never cared about me! You never loved me!" "Child, we only did that---" "And then you want me to be someONE I'M NOT FOR A PONY I HATE! YOU WANT ME TO BE WITH A PONY I HATE FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE! THAT IS NOT WHAT I HAVE ASKED FOR MY LIFE!" She quickly tore her gaze away from her father, and somehow found its way to her changeling. "All I asked was for someone to love me, to take care of me... To make me feel that I'm worthy to continue to live..." "Ch...uh..." The oricorn was angry, but the guilt and shame he felt from the realization that he did not become a good father to his daughter outweighed the anger he felt. Pearl once again locked her gaze to her father. "I love Henry, because he made me feel like an important pony in the world... A feeling you never made me feel, not even my own mother..." She brought her gaze back on her changeling. "...I don't even know if you love me as who I am..." The chamber was quiet for a while. The oricorn dropped his sight to the ground. Sadness was now in the cold wind. Both sea ponies noticed a shining light from the chamber's ceiling, but none payed any attention to it. "I'm..." the oricorn started, but... "No... I can't forgive you..." Pearl said, interrupting the oricorn. Silence of sadness once again reigned. The silence broke after they heard a series of coughs, not from the sea ponies, but from the changeling. "Henry!" Pearl exclaimed, thankful that he was still alive. Henry groaned weakly, as he tried to stand up, but after he did, he fell back to the ground, but before he could meet the watery ground again, a magic force stopped him, and brought him back on his hooves. He looked up to see the tall oricorn using his magic to...aid him? Henry no longer had any idea what was going on. Earlier, this oricorn wanted to kill him, but now, he's...helping him? The oricorn looked at him, his face a mix of sadness, anger, confusion and shame. "Tell me something..." He said with a low tone. "...you didn't fight with your best. Why?" Henry was not sure if he should answer his question. His mind wants to make him turn around to see his beloved sea pony, at least for a short moment. But, a part of him is stopping him from doing that. He could anger the oricorn, sending a message that he would rather put his back on the oricorn. "I..." he began, "...couldn't..." He coughed a bit. "...don't get me wrong...I wanted to fight you, but I couldn't bring myself to it..." He slowly turned to face a beautiful blue face inside the sphere. "...you are an enemy, but...you are Pearl's father..." Pearl smiled slightly, trying her best to reflect the changeling's smile. The light from the ceiling faded. 'Laugh's healing magic doesn't affect changelings!? That's just sad...' Henry ignored the element's voice. He has no clue what the voice meant. "You...showed me mercy...?" The oricorn asked, making the changeling face him. "...because I am Pearl's father...?" Henry smiled, and shook his head. "That...and..." He brought a hoof to touch the element necklace. "...I was waiting for something to happen with this necklace." He brought his attention back on the oricorn. This time, his smile faded. "...I couldn't bring myself to...kill...you... I was hoping there was another way to stop you, and I thought the element could help me with that... That's why I tried to wait." 'Please excuse me to say that your idea was definitely a stupid idea.' Henry looked up at the ceiling. He wanted to see his friends' condition. He was surprised to see them, glowing in color with their element, and fighting their foes. The sea ponies looked up as well. The changeling smiled. "Freezing Equestria to begin a new era is something I would not agree on. Yes, I agree that Equestria is now full of...corrupted...ponies. But I believe there is another way to change them." --- The unicorn hidden in the shadows smiled. Every word those ponies inside the chambers can be heard by every pony in Equestria. --- "Stay loyal to those you care." "Always bring a warn smile to everywhere you go." "Live your life with honesty." "Be kind to every pony." --- "The Elements of Harmony..." The changeling said. "...not only did they brought peace to Equestria in ancient times, but they are also the elements to unite every ponies' hearts into friendship. Loyalty, Laughter, Honesty, Kindness, and Generosity..." The changeling brought his gaze back on the oricorn, who was already staring at him, with a weak smile. "You should be willing to help those in need, share your blessings, and assist those who need help." The three were startled after the changeling's necklace began to shine in bright white light. 'I never knew a changeling could be so dramatic...' --- "So... Do you think the five of us can do it?" "Sad that Magic isn't around to help us." "I agree. It would be almost like the good old times." "Sigh... Oh well. Even without him, I believe we are enough." "I think my wielder's foe is no longer willing to fight us." "Really? The oricorn?" "Yes. So I'm just going to sit back and watch the show." "Hey, hey, you're being unfair!" "I'd like to see it as...you four are being unfair. I'm missing all the action..." "Hahah, good point. Too bad for you." "Okay, let's do it, then." --- The bright white flash faded, revealing a dak-blue unicorn, wearing a mighty white armor around his body. He opened his eyes to see his frightened foe, taking a few steps back. "Doctor Magnifico Psycho." Midnight said, his voice a mix of his own plus another. --- Before the griffin was a yellow earth pony, now wearing a blue-plated armor around her body. She opened her eyes to see the startled griffin. "Helios the Sixth. Ruler of the Northern Griffins." Rose said, her voice a mix of her own voice plus another. --- The pegasus returned his hoof on the ground after the light faded. Two earth ponies stood a few meters in front of him. Flame and Coal were standing tall, proud and confident. Both ponies now wore full armor. Flame wore a crimson-red armor, while Coal wore a dark-pink armor. "Sonic Wave." Flame and Coal said in unison, their voices were mixed with two other voices. --- "You have brought pain and suffering to the hearts of your victims. You have poisoned their reason to believe in the future. You have given them the pain to thicken the walls in their hearts. Ponies like you, no longer value change and acceptance, must not be allowed to continue to hurt another. Your hearts are full of darkness. Your minds are full of evil. We, the wielders of the Elements of Harmony, and the spirits of the Elements, will put you in your proper place!" The four wielders of the elements said in unison. Their eyes then glowed in white, enveloping their foes with bright white magic. --- "S-Sonic...Wave...?" Aurora slowly said as she gazes at the white pegasus on the ceiling. "D...dad...?" --- The three ponies screeched in pain. Their minds want to escape the piercing pain they're feeling, but they find it impossible. It was as if their hearts and minds are about to break. The doctor managed to reach his hoof with his other, and started pushing some buttons. Immediately, he flashed in white and disappeared, leaving the armored unicorn to dismiss his magic. "Coward." The unicorn simply said as he began to walk towards the sphere. The other two now have fallen into unconsciousness. They were slowly brought back on the ground as the magic around them faded. They then slowly walked towards the spheres. Reaching the spheres, they used their magic around it, and soon, the sphere slowly disappeared, allowing freedom to the imprisoned ponies. Soon, the ponies' glowing eyes returned to normal, and the four instantly brought a hoof to rub their aching heads. --- A green alicorn wearing a full blue armor was facing the sphere, his glowing eyes slowly fading after the sphere disappeared, allowing the water and the pony inside to be set free. As soon as the alicorn's eyes returned to normal, he immediately brought a hoof to rub his aching head. "Ow..." He slowly said. Realizing that her Henry Hoof has returned, she jumped towards him and gave him a tight hug as she cried. The startled alicorn returned the hug, rubbing her beautiful long mane. The oricorn could still not believe his daughter was in love with a changeling. There has to be something going on here, but, he's an expert on magic, and even he can tell if a changeling is using magic on itself or on others. The fact that the changeling was only using his magic to appear as an alicorn and nothing more saddened him. His daughter and this changeling really do love each other. Love...truly is a weird emotion... The oricorn flashed a weak smile. He can no longer do anything but to accept his daughter's decision. If this is what will make her happy, then so be it. He only wished he saw it sooner. Now though, he felt bad for trying to kill the changeling that brought his daughter happiness. As much as he hated it, he had to do something to make it up for it...him. He returned his gaze at the two, and saw them in the middle of their passionate kiss. He turned around to give them a little privacy, but the instant he did, he saw a flash of light, and it revealed a wounded black earth pony with a white messy mane and tail. The doctor coughed a bit before he faced the oricorn. "Ah, my friend. It's---" He stopped himself after he noticed the two ponies behind the oricorn, who just broke their hug and brought their attention on him. A sudden anger flashed in the doctor's face. "You...! How dare you!" He pointed a hoof at the oricorn. "How dare you allow this to happen!" The oricorn sighed. "I have told you, professor... I will do anything for my daughter." "Then what is all of that!?" The oricorn was now reflecting the doctor's anger. "If that cha... If that alicorn brings my daughter the love and happiness that I could not give, then I will leave them be." "Nonsense!" The doctor, despite his aching body, stomped a hoof on the watery ground, creating a splash that reached his face. He ignored it, however. "We are going to change this world!" The oricorn, despite his anger, nodded in agreement. "Indeed, that is why I joined. I admit, at first I thought it was a good idea, but now I see with my own eyes that there is another way to fix the world." The doctor laughed. "The Elements of Harmony!? Are you really that stupid to believe that mere stones can change the world!? Your brain must be filled with water!" The brain does need water to function properly. However, the doctor used that fact for a different meaning, and the sea ponies didn't like it. "Don't you dare talk to my father like that!" Pearl shouted back, disabling the oricorn who was about to reply to the doctor's insult. "Oh?" The doctor said, grinning. "You are defending this pony who tried to kill your lover?" Henry walked and stopped beside the oricorn, providing himself a little distance to avoid the oricorn's swirling water. "This sea pony beside me has the heart to see his actions." He said, his voice a mix of truth and justice. The oricorn couldn't believe the alicorn is willing to fight for him, despite everything he has done. He shook the thought. Now's not the time. "Unlike you, who is blind to see the power of harmony and friendship the Elements hold!" Henry continued. "Don't make me laugh, boy!" And instantly, the doctor disappeared. The alicorn and the oricorn heard Pearl's gasp from behind them. Fear immediately struck in their hearts and minds as they turned, witnessing the sea pony was held hostage by the doctor, his device, threateningly aimed at the sea pony's neck. The doctor laughed maniacly. "Don't you dare make a move! I've adjusted my device to only freeze a part of her body." He grinned. "Imagine what would happen if she will suffer from a petrified throat?" His grin grew even wider. Henry could not believe how stupid he was for leaving Pearl there alone. The oricorn, despite his strong magic, found himself useless in this situation. He has finally realized how to make his daughter happy, but now, he couldn't do a thing to--- "Gah...!" The doctor screeched, as he found himself unable to move his body. His hoof allowed the sea pony to leave his hold. He knew something was up, and noticed the alicorn's eyes were glowing in angry white. 'Mind control...?' Henry was using his puppetry skill, but then, he felt a sudden rush of magic energy inside him. His body began to glow in blue, his anger faded into neutrality. The doctor's entire body was enveloped in white, and began to levitate in the air, still unable to move. "Doctor Magnifico Psycho." Henry said, his voice was mixed with another voice. He summoned a swirl of magic around the black pony's device, breaking the device in the process. "You, who are unwilling to change your dark ways, must not be allowed to continue to bring harm to the ponies of this world. You have caused enough damage, and it is time to end your parade." The doctor looked at him with fear. "Death will suffice your wrong-doing, but it is also a severe punishment. Allowing you to continue to live will be too generous. Allow me to let you taste what its like to be taken something from you." The two ponies glowed in white, and soon, the light faded. The earth pony fell down on the watery ground, unconscious. The oricorn was just in time to use his magic to stop the alicorn from falling to the ground. "T-thanks..." Henry smiled at him. --- The chambers began to shake, and it soon stopped. The startled ponies looked around, only to find a new set of stairs standing from where the spheres used to be. The staircase was leading upward. A sudden cold wind greeted them, and reminded them that the chamber was slowly starting to freeze. Flame carried the unconscious pegasus on his back as he, Ember and Coal walked up the stairs. It would have been a better idea to leave the pony who tried to kill them to freeze back there, but... Coal was complaining about his armor, making it difficult to climb the stairs. Rose began to walked up the stairs, who was followed by Daybreak who was using his magic to carry the heavy griffin. Midnight and Aurora walked up the stairs. The sudden revelation of Aurora's father surprised the unicorn a bit, but he asked her to pay it no mind for a while. Henry used his magic to levitate Pearl as they went up the stairs. The oricorn was hesitating to follow them, but, if he was to die here, would his daughter forgive him? He sighed. He used his magic to carry the black earth pony and began to follow them. --- The ponies have no idea how they reached a dark place, where a little light was the only thing that made them identify each other. Midnight and Daybreak used their magic to shine some light from their horn. At first, they were all quiet. Midnight and Daybreak really felt glad to see each other again, but they don't know how to act. Henry felt really glad to see everypony again, but he has no idea how to greet them. Aurora saw her unconscious father on Flame's back. She doesn't know if she would be happy, or angry at him when he wakes up, if he wakes up... Henry broke the silence. "So, uh..." He scratched his nape. "...weird place for a...reunion, huh?" He flashed a weak smile. Flame, Coal and Ember smiled as they nodded their heads. They suddenly heard hoofsteps from somewhere. They turned to the source, and from the shadows of darkness appeared a young unicorn. He has a pale-yellow coat and a black mane and tail. His young blue eyes locked on the ponies. What the ponies, and even the elements, didn't expect to see, was the unicorn was wearing a same kind of necklace. "Welcome..." The unicorn calmly said.