"So this is Canterlot." Pyro Flare said, looking at the city from afar. Her and Tirek walked in the forest rather than the road so as to not be detected.
"I will admit, however pathetic ponies are." Tirek said. "They sure know how to make architectural wonders."
Pyro was less courteous though. She scoffed. "Oh please, this is merely alright. But the Speed Shifters, we used to have grand glorious cities that would make this look like a little village!"
"And how about now? Are you Shifters known for any modern marvels?" Tirek asked with a smirk.
She didn't appreciate his sarcasm. "We used to be! While ponies were still living in their wooden huts, the old Silver Blue city was our pride and joy, the majestic piece of our labors in our time in this land! Unfortunately, these pathetic equines decided to declare this nation their own a long time ago. And now, all we Shifters do is waste our power mucking through the forests outside of the land that was supposed to be rightfully ours!"
"Alright, alright I was just joking." Tirek said. "Listen, don't you worry. When we get those princesses, you and I will be unstoppable and we will crush those little pests. Along with that cocky ambassador to boot."
She then smiled. "Excellent. I can't wait to show that furball what true Shifter power is."
They walked on a little further.
"So, dearie, are we going to sneak in or will we do this the fun way?" She said with a bit of bloodlust.
"Let us not let our thirst for power overcome our judgment, a sentiment my father never seemed to understand. We shall sneak in and slowly feed on the local's energy, then we go for the princesses and the ambassador." Tirek explained.
She of course already knew he was right even if she was slightly disappointed. Canterlot was far more well defended than that distant wooden fort. And the guards are much more powerful and numerous. It would be a suicide mission even for her.
"Oh very well. From what I can see from here it seems they've closed off the gates. I don't think we'll be able to convince them to let us in considering how we look." She strategized.
"Hmmm, can you transform into a pony? Maybe you can sneak in and let me in." Tirek postulated.
"No. Even the most powerful transforming Shifter cannot become any other sapient creature. We can only do it with animals. Well I could but it would only be for a few seconds and my energy would be sapped for days. It's basically useless."
Tirek groaned in frustration. "Well what are we supposed to do?!"
"Fortunately, our favorite traitor prince already gave us a solution. This map gives all the tunnels that are in Canterlot. Blueblood says he was hiding in one of them for the longest time. We shall use those." She said.
"You could have told me that earlier!" Tirek said, annoyed at her stalling.
"Oh I just wanted to explore other ideas. I just find them interesting." Pyro said, a little amused at his annoyance.
"Ugh, well, whatever the case they look treacherous to get through. Blueblood must have had help going through these or he's tougher than we thought. Are you sure you're up to it?" Tirek asked.
Pyro smirked. "That's okay with me. We Shadow Shifters have survived living inside volcanoes. We can survive a mere cave. Take me to it."
Tirek led her to a far off corner in the woods. He took her to an abandoned cemetery. There was a mausoleum dedicated to some ancient pegasus warriors. They went inside and Tirek ignited his horns to provide some light as they made their way through the secret tunnels.
–
Meanwhile, inside Canterlot Castle…
Celestia was pacing around in thought around a map.
She, Luna and Cadence were trying to find possible locations for the two dreaded villains while Twilight left to go coordinate with the scientists that had come from the E.F.B.I. But so far they have had nothing.
Celestia was unusually frustrated. "We still don't have a lot of info. How long until we get any news?"
"I guess those two realized they needed to lay low after that uh… incident." Cadence said, wanting not to offend Luna. "They are clearly biding their time."
"Well I wish we could have some clues! My dead thestrals are still crying for justice!" Luna said furiously. "I don't think the E.F.B.I is trying hard enough. Do they not care about this travesty?!" She yelled out.
"I'm sure they do, Luna. But for now, we have to give this time. I've sent Twilight to confer with the scientists present on the matter of what they know so far." Celestia said.
Luna was still angry.
Celestia put her hoof on her shoulder. "Listen, sister. This is a long process. We are all confused and angry. But we have to be patient. We will find this Pyro Flare and Tirek and we will bring them to justice. That I can promise."
Luna calmed down a bit. "My apologies. I will be patient. I will wait for an answer. And when we find them we and Fury will seek them out and defeat them once and for all."
"Speaking of Night Fury, has anyone else noticed that he's becoming more serious and cold? He seems to be growing distant with his previously peppy attitude and replacing it with a more stoic and unmovable demeanor. I'm not concerned, I just find it a little strange." Cadence brought up.
Celestia nodded. "I have noticed. I think for Night Fury, this is personal. He is not dealing with some normal pony scoundrel, he's fighting the one of the Shifters who kidnapped his own parents, who caused Thunder Hollow to be filled with fear. And on top of that, he has visions from a mysterious source of this being a battle like no other. He is probably both fearful and angry."
"He is also probably facing his inner demons as well. The fact that one of the perpetrators of his parent's kidnapping is coming probably has him in a state of theorizing what he will do. Especially with what his parents have just said to him. He is probably in a stalemate with his inner bloodlust of killing this Pyro outright and contemplating how he will be seen now that his parents have made it a point of interest to him. And to be honest, I think he'll lean towards listening to that inner bloodlust and try to kill her." Luna explained.
Cadence and Celestia nodded.
"Do you think we can trust Night Fury with this important mission?" Celestia asked Cadence. "Please be honest."
"I think we can trust him, but let's keep our conflicting opinions on how he may execute it to ourselves. I have a strong feeling that he'll be able to make better decisions without criticism of his possible actions right off the bat." Cadence said. "Either way, I don't really like this more serious Night Fury. I like the old one better."
"I guess we'll just have to be patient," Celestia said. "But I guess I shouldn't worry too much, we at least know what enemies we're dealing with. They won't surprise us with any strange actions. We have the advantage since there are many of us and few of our enemies." Celestia said, reassuring the other princesses.
"Numbers are good, but power is a very potent factor as well as having large numbers." Luna said. "And I also find Fury's more focused sense a little disheartening. Where is the old one that we all very much know and love?"
"Everyone has their bad moments, Auntie." Cadence said. "I know me and Shiny get into a lot of fights. Shiny gets stressed about his responsibilities. Same for me. This is normal for every creature to go through. I'm sure since Fury has a heart of gold, just like my Shiny, then he'll make it out alright." Cadence said with a hoof on Luna's shoulder. "It will get better."
–
Fury was sitting silently in one of the castle bedrooms, his expression blank and his eyes closed as he focused on his energy flow. He said nothing, his mind in a state of focus as meditated on his own. He was starting to become more serious as the situation grew more tense, his previously peppy attitude starting to fade. While he was not one to be serious about much and have a bright personality, he couldn't help but find himself smiling less and popping fewer jokes as he continued to think about his future fight with the threat at large.
What will happen when I face those two? I have never had such powerful yet cruel foes. Even Sombra seems to be a sad joke compared to these two. I just wish others would be more on my side, now more than ever.
He thought to himself. Then there was a creak from his right, most like the door opening. Fury didn't move and continued to sit there meditating, his face blanker than a chalkboard.
"Whoever it is, I'm not in the mood for chit chat." Fury said bluntly. Fury's eyes may have been closed, but he could hear and sense that there was someone there.
"If you're gonna interrupt me, you better at least tell me who you are. Unless you want to become target practice." He warned unsheathing his claws.
"Calm down, Fury, I just wanted to talk with you a bit." The voice said.
"Celestia?" He asked.
"May I come in?"
"Sure, go ahead." He said a little unenthusiastically. "You can sit on the bed or something."
Celestia entered and noticed the candles and incense and how dark it was in this room. He didn't even have light.
“Fury, why are you sitting here in the dark?” Celestia asked.
“A dark and silent environment is key to a productive meditation session. And the incense allows for better control over the body and mind, the chosen aroma being a determining factor in maintaining focus and calm.” Fury explained. Celestia was taken aback slightly at how descriptive Fury was about the space around him, he was almost beginning to sound like Twilight.
“I… had no idea you were this methodical with meditation. But that isn't why I'm here.” She said.
“Then why are you here?”
“Well, Cadence and Luna have brought it to my attention that they find your more serious tone and demeanor a bit… unnatural.” Celestia spoke, pausing to try and find the right words. Night Fury remained stoic and didn’t move, the ever growing silence from him making the solar goddess uncomfortable.
“That’s something I wasn’t expecting to hear. They know why I’m being this serious, Tirek and Pyro Flare are out there somewhere. I don’t get why they would be so concerned about my change in tone when two very dangerous creatures are making their way closer to us.” Fury said.
"Well, they are happy you will be able to defeat them. But you usually have a big grin and have good cheer even when faced with tough situations. Your, how should I say, carefree attitude is a treasure to us that we haven't had in ages." Celestia said.
“You say that like they told you I haven’t smiled in years.” Fury said. “Haven’t I already shown that when the time calls for it, I can get serious? It shouldn’t be a surprise that my tone can change when it has to be done. If they find it unusual that I’m not cracking jokes and being lighthearted in a time of stress and hardship, what does that say about them?” He said bluntly, still having not moved from his original position.
Celestia was starting to sympathize with Fury more and more and his hardship. Nevertheless…
"This is not just about them though. Fury, we don't want you to lose who you are. We're worried that all of this may drive you to completely throw away what made not just us, but the entirety of Equestria recognize and love you. More so for some than others.” Celestia reminded him. Fury stayed silent for a moment before finally getting up and turning to face her. He opened his eyes and looked at her with a blank expression, not seeming to move an inch. Almost as if all of his liveliness had been stripped away and replaced with something… mechanical in a way.
“You and everyone else may think that I’m losing myself in all of this, but I’m still me. Sure, I’m acting more serious than usual, but that’s just what has to happen if I’m ever going to come out of this alive. I have to stop messing around like this is some sort of game and actually treat this like a threat. Now is not the time to be cocky. It’s about time that I take my role as an All Powerful more seriously and stop treating it like some sort of arcade game power-up.” He said.
Celestia never knew Fury could be like this, but she knew herself that she was not one to talk. When she was a younger princess she also became genuinely worried and fearful and became stoic to compensate for that. Maybe Fury is going through what she had to when she had her first crisis as a princess. Maybe she needs to approach this by relating to him.
“Fury, maybe you should stop and think about why you’re acting this way in the first place. Are you truly acting serious because it is what must be done to accomplish your goals, or are you doing this just because you are scared of the fact that you have been burdened with such a great responsibility?” She asked him. Fury took a moment to think, was he really doing this because it had to be done? He had to admit that he had been questioning his role as one of the legendary All Powerfuls and how he should treat such a gift. But his thoughts were clear and his mind was straight, he had to do this.
“This is what must be done to protect those who are otherwise helpless in this time of hysteria. If it’s unnatural to some that I’m not acting how I did in the past, then perhaps they need to accept that times change along with the creatures who live among it.” Fury said. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need some fresh air.”
And just like that, Celestia was all alone within the room.
I just hope he does not go too far in this attitude shift. I know for a while, I acted all serious after banishing Luna that I forgot to feel joy again. I wish you the best, Fury.
–
Later on, in the streets of Canterlot…
"Please, I beg you! I-I'm just a normal pony! I don't have much power!" said an earth pony stallion.
"Oh don't feel so down on yourself, my dear." Pyro patted his head. "Your power combined with everyone else will matter all the same."
Meanwhile, Tirek was sucking the power out of the unfortunate soul. Once he stopped, his body grew larger and his horns longer as his body attuned to the new energy levels. The stallion collapsed.
"Hmph. And they thought they were so safe." Tirek said, giving a loud burp.
"Ugh, you centaurs are disgusting." Pyro said.
"Oh you just don't know how tasty others' energy can be!" Tirek said. "But enough chit chat. I've gotten a good enough amount of power to at least be able to fight. Do you think we should go into the palace?"
Pyro thought about it for a moment and decided that it was time they focused on their primary target. Once they got the princesses, they could go after the feline ambassador in Ponyville and be done with him. But what she didn't know was that he was closer, and far more focused than ever.
She grinned eagerly like her Cheshire cousins. She licked her mouth in delight.
"Does that mean I can finally fight?" She said giddy like a child.
"I suppose so. You can finally make your power known to the most powerful beings in Equestria and take what is rightfully yours." Tirek said.
"Finally. Time to give those equines what they deserve!" She said while she seemed to be producing an orangish aura around herself. "Let's go! I shall restore the Speed Shifters!"
—
The princesses were in the dining room eating. They had taken a break from investigation to wait for more clues. Fury was not present for dinner.
"Luna, is Fury coming to dinner?" Celestia asked.
She shook her head. "No. He said he wasn't hungry. He's trying to fast, he said he needed to focus on himself."
Cadence sighed. "It's like I'm talking to my old magic teacher! Where's the old Fury that used to sneak around for snacks?"
"Well, it should be no surprise." Celestia said. "He feels he has to do this. And all we can do is wait for him to feel better and hopefully more news about the culprits."
"This isn't good. He's becoming less and less of the Speed Shifter we knew, and for what? To prove that he's not just messing around with his powers? I hate to say it, but I think he's acting too serious for his own good." Cadence sighed. "He doesn't have to be a Debbie Downer to be strong. Just look at Discord."
"He'll be fine. And to be honest, he really isn't the best example considering he never takes anything seriously." Luna said bluntly.
"That's for sure." Cadence chuckled. "Well, I'm stuffed. How about we take a little walk outside to clear our minds?"
The other two nodded and got up. A nice stroll in the gardens always helped relax their minds. The sun shined bright as they strolled through the flower planted garden, the sweet smell of roses and lavender calming their nerves as they walked. Just overhead, they spotted their missing feline friend standing there in the balcony of one of the towers. He did not acknowledge them and just stared out into the distance in stoic silence.
"It's like we're invisible to him now. He doesn't even look in our direction, and his senses can pick up the smallest speck from a mile away. He's completely different now." Cadence said.
"At least he seems to be relaxing in the gardens." Celestia said, trying to look on the bright side.
"Is it? Or is he still aggravated?" Luna said. "I believe we should go talk to him once more."
"I don't know," Celestia said. "He probably wants peace and quiet. Perhaps it's best to leave him be."
The three princesses continued to walk, now thinking of their feline friend and his slowly deteriorating levels of optimism. He was a golden light amongst them, the one who could still crack jokes even on the brink of death. And now, all of that was fading away.
"Your Highnesses! Grave news!" Said a pegasus messenger, gasping for air.
"What is it?" Celestia asked. "Is it news about Pyro Flare and Tirek?"
He nodded quickly. "I believe so! It seems a cat of fire and a centaur are eliminating our guards and they are battering down our gates!"
The princesses shook in shock. They thought Canterlot was fully defended. How did they get inside? No one was allowed in!
Of course, it must have been my treacherous nephew. Probably some secret tunnel that still has yet to be covered up. Celestia said to herself.
But the sun princess braced herself. She had to remain calm so others would not panic. "I see. Do not worry, we princesses will deal with these monsters immediately. Go instruct all the palace staff to evacuate the premises. And you two," she said to the other princesses, "Follow me!"
All three of them flew up to find the two intruders. As they got to the gate, they could see guards shooting them with lasers, javelins being flung. But to no avail. The two powerful entities dispatched them.
They saw Pyro grabbing the head of a wounded unicorn guard.
"Oh you wretched pony. Don't worry, I will free you from your disgusting body right now-"
BOOM
She was flung into the wall by a laser.
"Gahhh!" She looked up.
"You have done quite enough damage, Pyro Flare!" Celestia said, flying down on the ground. "Every guard, leave immediately and evacuate all citizens to safety! We'll take care of these cretins." She ordered as the guards ran off.
Pyro soon recovered and looked at the solar goddess. "Ahh, Princess Celestia. It's nice you were kind enough to know my name. And I see you've come to defend what you care for? Oh, and what's this? You've brought some friends."
"Indeed." Luna said. "Friends that will put an end to your cruelty and make you plead for mercy! How could you have done those actions to such decent soldiers?!" Luna said in more rage than she ever said before.
"Awww, you think they are like family. How sweet." Pyro said. "But I had my reasons. For one, my dearest ally Tirek needed the energy. It was also a way to throw you off. Simple tactics." She said with no sympathy. "And it was satisfying too."
At this Luna was about to attack her outright. But Celestia spoke up first.
"What are your goals? Why have you done all these atrocities? I'm a little surprised you two would work together." Celestia said.
"Our goals are to take what is rightfully ours!" Tirek said. "For me, my throne as the crowned ruler of Equestria. Her, bringing down that wretched excuse for an ambassador. And I will also give her people their own kingdom."
Pyro nodded. "Yes. You remember what you call the Everfree Forest? Well there is the Silver Blue City. And we will make that our new capital and you ponies shall be made into our slaves! Does that not sound utterly amazing?!" She said, all giddy.
"Well as amazing as that sounds, we ponies are a free people and we will not just let you take what is ours." Celestia said. "And I will assure you that if you do not leave now, you will suffer like never before. Do you even know who you're facing? Tirek can tell you." Celestia said, smirking at him.
Tirek grunted. "That was one time, Celestia. I was young and naive. But not anymore. You will know what true power is now.
Tirek charged his horns, a bright ball of energy forming between them. He aimed for the princesses and was about to fire, when something struck him quickly and disappeared.
"Ugh! What now?! Who is so powerful as to stop my energy!?" Tirek asked.
"Me." Just then, a dark feline figure emerged from the shadows. His red eyes were slit and his face blank, nothing but a stone cold look being shown up on his features. He turned to Pyro.
"Hello Pyro Flare."
Pyro looked at the Speed Shifter.
"Hello. I see you have become quite powerful. That spoiled Moon Beam had no chance against you. But now here you are." She said, smirking.
Fury was still silent.
"I hope you Shifters from Thunder Hollow enjoyed yourselves. And I hope you enjoyed the loving embrace of these pathetic ponies. Because when I am done with all of these princesses, I will use their skulls for my drink." She said with a beastly vigor.
"Let me ask you, Fury? I am willing to give you a second chance. You are an All Powerful, correct? Well, then join my mission to bring back glory to the Speed Shifters." She said. "And I will make you the new Emperor of Speed Shifters! You will not have a village but a grand city! And you will be renowned as a champion for Speed Shifters! What say you?!"
"Burn in Tartarus, you pure waste of flesh. You don't exist to a living god like me. And for all those deeds you boasted of? I will return the favor by a thousand! All of the lives you ruined? They will be avenged today when I grind your bones for my bread!" He roared.
"Ha ha ha ha!" Pyro laughed. "Your choice. But let me tell you. You might be an All-Powerful." Then she became larger and larger and she became a dragon. "But you are still young. I have trained all my life to bring back our glory. You will know the true power of Speed Shifters!"
She said as she used her long neck to slam Fury into the wall. But when the dust cleared, all he did was laugh.
"You think that being bigger will make me notice you? You're nothing to me. Peasants like you bow before me. And I'm about to show you why." He said as his body began to glitch as his power increased and he disappeared.
The dragon looked around. "Where did you go?" She was ready to burn him up with her fire once and for all. Then, she felt a chill run up her spine. As if some sort of demon had been awoken from a thousand years old slumber. An overarching shroud of fear passed over her, causing her to lose her focus and transform back.
"What are you doing?!" Tirek asked.
"W-w-what is this feeling? I've only felt this a few times long ago. What is going on?" She said looking around for Night Fury. "You call yourself a Speed Shifter! Show your face!"
Just then, a literally bone shattering force gripped her foreleg and instantly broke it. She screamed in pain as she felt her body tense up in pain. She fell to the floor in a display of agony that shocked not only the princesses, but Tirek as well. Then, Night Fury phased back into existence right in front of her, his form still glitching as if it wasn't all present.
"Here's my face." He said with a face of fury and energy. He looked more like a demon than a speed shifter.
"You just made the biggest mistake of your life. And it will be… your… last." He growled as he practically teleported behind her, picked her up and bashed both of his paws against the sides of her face. Grotesque cracking sounds emitted from her body as her bones were damaged, leaving her completely still in shock before Fury reeled back one paw and sent her through the wall, her screams fading as she was launched several feet down the main street from the castle gates.
She moaned as she got back up. "I have to be more careful with Fury! What in the world was that?!" She said to herself. "Wait, I remember our old chief saying something about this power. The All Powerfuls have powers that go even beyond time and space itself! Most of the All Powerfuls don't get this powerful so early! The only way one can get this power so early is… through severe trauma." She realized that Night Fury's pain made him far more powerful than he probably would have been normally.
"Curses. I made a mistake by baiting him. Alright I have to be careful. I'm just going to have to use the old stealth approach. Then I'll burn him like a steak!" She said to herself. "I don't think he knows where I'm at yet."
It was then she heard the slow walking of Night Fury. She was injured so she hid behind a rock.
"Where are you?! Show yourself!!"
She stayed quiet and waited for him, letting him get closer and closer. She was within pouncing distance.
Gotcha now!
She pounced at him with her flame claw. But he dodged it with ease. She was then attacked from the side with a powerful ram, knocking her off balance. Fury then rotated to her other side and grabbed her by the neck, pivoting on one paw and throwing her back towards the castle before racing after her.
"Eat this fireball!" She threw as many fireballs as possible trying to hit him before he reached her.
But Fury somehow phased through each one it almost looked like gas going through the balls and he finally knocked her to the wall.
"You have any more tricks up your sleeve, sweetheart?" He said with a low venomous voice.
"H-how are you this powerful?! T-they say you were some lousy student at school! You could barely fight back then. How did you get so strong? Was it… a potion?" She asked, seeking any answer.
"No. It's because I'm better in every way. I've trained for everything you could throw at me, and look at you. A broken leg and a broken spirit, how sad but delicious to see. Now, let us show your partner what happens to those who dare stand against me!"
The wall cracks revealing Fury who was grabbing her neck. "Tirek!!!! Here's your partner!!!!"
Tirek looked at them. She was utterly decimated while Fury looked like an extra dimensional creature.
"Yes, I can see her. What about it, Fury?" He said although he was more curious to know what this power is like.
"You're next…" Fury began to transform, his body growing bigger as he grew wings and his face elongated. Soon, he stood over Tirek and the princesses as a dragon that was twice Tirek's size.
"Your end is within my grasp… And I intend to take it."
Even Tirek awed at this. The princesses' jaws dropped.
Tirek was speechless. "F-fine. But I am far more powerful than her. Let's see if your beam can match the power of mine! Ahhhhhhhhhhh!!!"
He shot a laser right at the drextra. Fury responded with his beam of pure energy. The beams were in a tussle for dominance.
Fury will admit this was a bit harder than with Pyro. He focused more and more of his energy into this beam of energy.
But while Night Fury was powering through with his beam, he took his enemy speed shifter and launched her at his face. It hurt but it didn't really affect Tirek. But that was not the point. Tirek let up his guard.
"I got you now!" Fury launched his beam and the energy was able to finally overwhelm Tirek's beam and…
BOOM!
A thunderous boom shook the castle and almost all of Canterlot, both Pyro and Tirek being caught in the blast as they were burned and blasted by Fury.
Tirek and Pyro collapsed on the ground. They felt weak and helpless.
"Ughhhhhh…"
"I can't believe this. Are we… losing?!" Pyro managed to spit out.
"To me!" The dragon roared. "You never should have come here. You should have known that you both were useless against me. You don't have what it takes to even be considered villains."
He stomped towards them and fit them under his claw, grabbing them and slamming them both into the ground.
"You are not worthy…"
He slammed them again.
"You are nothing to me…"
And again…
"You… Are… Nothing."
And one final time, deepening the crater he was digging into the floor and bruising the bones of the two under his foot. Meanwhile, the princesses were stunned in shock at how mercilessly Fury beat and broke them. He had completely changed from what they knew him for.
"F-Fury? I-is that really you?" Luna asked him. "Are you still Fury?"
Fury stopped, throwing the two villains aside and putting holes in the wall. The dragon closed in on the three of them, his red eyes glaring at them like they had just sucked the souls out of them.
"I've always been me. What makes you think I've changed, your highness? This is the real me, the me that has the approval of not just ponies… but the ones who said I was never going to be a great warrior. Look at me now… I am who I was always meant to be."
"Really? Because the Fury I knew was funny and silly and… sweet. After all this time you're going to sacrifice that over some approval?!" Luna asked him.
"I've been holding back for too long, Luna. Too many times have I not been using my powers the way they should be. I shouldn't be treating my new destiny like a slight alteration, I should be treating it like a new life! And that life… is filled with defending what is right. At… all… costs." Fury growled as he turned back to the ones he threw aside. Pyro looked at the dragon and was immediately terrified.
"Tirek, we have to go. Now isn't the time to try and stand our ground, let us retreat and try again." Pyro said frantically. Tirek snarled at the idea of retreat, he had already gotten so far already. But with how beaten up they were, he couldn't help but agree.
"I suppose now would be a good time. Mark my words, feline! We will return, stronger and better! You cannot stand over us forever, just you wait!" Tirek shouted as he grabbed Pyro and lit his horns, teleporting away in a bright flash.
"No! Come back!" He tried to grab them but it was too late. They were long gone. "No. I was so close. SO CLOSE!!! I SHOULD HAVE DECIMATED THEM EARLIER!!!" He roared in rage.
The princesses flew up to him. Celestia spoke first.
"But at least they're gone now, you have not to worry about-"
"Yes I do, feather brain! I have to deal with the fact that I let them get away! And who are you to say don't have to worry!? Huh? ANSWER ME!!"
"Fury, I am the ruler of Equestria. Don't you think I am just as worried? I know they will come back. I'm worried too! But it might help if you calm yourself!" Celestia said.
Fury in fact, didn't calm down. His body grew larger and his teeth became more jagged, spines beginning to pop out of the top of his head. Celestia was now looking down the dark tunnel that was his mouth, slobbery and sharp as he stood before her even more agitated.
"Tell me to calm down one more time, I dare you. I'll show you how many of you can fit in here in twenty seconds." He snarled.
"C'mon Fury, what's the deal with you lately? You've been getting so cold and distant, why are you becoming so serious all of a sudden?" Cadence asked, floating next to his head.
Fury was enraged. How could they be so blind?
"Don't you get it?! I am supposed to be an All Powerful! I have a burden none of you could understand!" He roared in rage. "We Shifters always had to wander around and live in pathetic villages. I have to restore them eventually according to the prophecy! And you know what? Maybe they were right about other creatures, maybe they are just as untrustworthy as they said!"
"Then perhaps you need a perspective from somepony who's seen and spoken to every creature that could exist." A new voice popped in. The giant dragon looked behind him and saw a familiar light speaking to him.
"Well well well, if it isn't my luminous warning signal. Here to tell me that I may step in a mud puddle next week?" He said sarcastically.
The light chuckled. "If you did I would rather not say, for that would ruin the adventure. But to answer your question, I have seen every perspective and I know what you are thinking but also about the greater picture as a whole. Let me ask you Fury, did you feel distressed when I came to you?"
"Well, you told me that I would be facing a threat that I'd never faced before, gave me a rather ominous promise that you would come to my aid someday, you foretold that you were planning on returning to Equestria when I barely know your intentions, let alone who you are at all. And to top it all off, you left me high and dry with just a tip to watch out for odd signs. So yeah, I'd call that a little distressing!" Fury listed off quickly.
The gold light was silent at first then spoke up. "I am sorry, I was not able to tell you more, I was not in the right moment to do so. For even in my form, I have my limitations. Even now it is taking all of my power of imagination and willpower to allow me to communicate right now. It's a little painful." She chuckled.
"Well if it's that hard for you, maybe you should take on your true form. Maybe that'll help me understand what perspective you want me to see, you overgrown lighthouse lamp." He snorted, puffs of smoke flowing out of his still scaly muzzle.
There was silence. Everyone looked upon the dragon who was clearly unamused.
"Well, your wish is my command." She said. "Behold."
Fury of course was simply being snarky before, he didn't expect any real revelations or big surprises. "Wait what?!"
"You asked for it? You shall have it! Behold, a form you can comprehend!" The light announced. The form of the bright entity began to shift, growing legs and wings along with a horn. Her body began to take shape as the light faded, her pure white coat and red mane coming into view. Everyone looking at the new being was surprised, especially the two sisters. As they had now laid eyes on one that they had never thought they'd see…
"Mother!?" They both called out.
The dragon jumped back a bit, knocking a few more bricks off the wall. He was shocked like nothing else.
"Mother?! Wait a second, are you telling me that you're…"
"The mother of the two current rulers of Equestria? Yes, that is me. I am Lauren Faust, But you may call me Lauren." The alicorn spoke to the dragon.
"Mother… is that truly you?" Luna asked, mesmerized.
"Yes, my daughters. I have returned. It is wonderful to see my girls so grown up and strong." Lauren said.
"Mother!" Celestia said in an unusually loud voice. She went to hug her immediately.
"I missed you…! I never thought I would see you." Celestia said.
"Same for me." Luna said. "We always longed for your return ever since we heard the slightest rumor. We have truly missed your presence."
"You would not believe it but Fury's new charge of energy caused so much energy it made me able to have enough to be able to return. So for that I can thank Fury for that fact." Faust said.
"Yeah yeah, nice sappy show. But who… in the flying feather… CARES?! We don't have time for this, we still have Tirek and Pyro to deal with. Nobody cares about what's going on here when we've got bigger problems to deal with!" Fury snorted, his mood not changing.
"No Fury, I care. I care a lot." Faust said. "I care more than you could ever know. I have been worried so much and disappointed seeing how Speed Shifters fell apart. And I was disappointed at seeing Blueblood, my own relative turn to the way of evil."
"Well worry about something important! And what's important right now… Is getting rid of those two rejects at any cost! Don't you ponies have more than a singular brain cell in those multi-colored craniums of yours?!" Fury yelled.
"You sure have a colorful way of speaking don't you?" Faust said rather amused.
"And you sure know how to make your family fall apart pretty well, don't you?" He said coldly. "How do you think they felt after you were not there? Huh?"
"Fury, stop! What is wrong with you?! Haven't you learned anything from your time here?!" Cadence called out.
"Shut it, you uneducated, unexcused extra baggage!" Fury snapped, making her jump. Lauren was about to jump at him when she saw something around him. A dark, infectious aura that was feeding off his aggression. And it seemed to be getting worse.
"Has he been like this all day?" Lauren whispered to Celestia.
"Unfortunately, yes. At first it was him getting more serious and cracking less jokes, then it turned into him neglecting his need to eat so he could focus on controlling his power. And now, it's turned into this. He's already demonstrated that he's changed massively by breaking that other Speed Shifter's leg and cracking her skull." Celestia said with an abundance of concern.
"I see." Faust said. "Luna, you care for him very much don't you?"
"You could say that. He's the first true friend I've had since I returned from the moon. Besides Twilight and the others, he's been here for me the most. And to see him in this state rather than his usually peppy and goofy self, it almost breaks me to see him in a similar state of mine to when I was beginning to become jealous of Tia." Luna said, almost in tears.
"Yep, history repeats itself." Faust said. "Perhaps through the extension of friendship and love, maybe you'll be able to bring him back. Just like the Mane Six used friendship to bring you back, maybe you should use the power of love to bring him back. Or as you called him your Lightning Bug."
Although Luna was a bit embarrassed at her mother knowing that personal nickname, she saw that Faust had a point.
"Don't worry, you won't go at this alone. We'll bring him back together." Faust said. "We just have to be clever."
Meanwhile, Fury was staring Cadence down intensely.
"Now Fury, let's not make any rash decisions…"
"Or what? You gonna do something about it, pipsqueak? Come on, try me!" Fury said, pinning her against a wall with his scaly muzzle.
"Fury, over here!" Lauren called out, getting Cadence free from him.
"What do you want? You finally decided to get your priorities right for once in your life and focus on what's at stake?" He said bluntly, not sparing any feelings.
"I'm just curious. You're my daughter's sweetheart aren't you? She's your 'moonpie'. So that means you're my son-in-law! Isn't that great?" She said.
"Faust, we're not married. Doesn't someone have to marry into the family in order to become a son or daughter-in-law? I figured someone with a head that big would actually know that." He said insultingly.
"Oh that's very gentlemanly of you. I guess it stores all of my ideas for my children." Before Fury could ask what that meant she went back to the point. "But let me ask you. Do you love my daughter?" Lauren asked.
"What kind of question is that? Of course I do!" He answered.
"Then why are you dismissing her feelings so much? Can't you even listen to your Moonpie?" She asked. "I thought what you had was like a love story."
"We still have it! I'm just focused on what's actually important right now! And it seems nopony is in their right mind to actually do anything!" He argued.
"If you're so sure, then why haven't you done anything, hmmm?" Faust said. "No one is stopping you."
"Well I can't stop them now obviously! But I'm planning to find out where they are next! And that is doing something, genius!" Fury shot back.
"And don't think at a time like this, you could use some calm?"
"Why would I need that now?!"
"Well I can tell you as an alicorn who has to think of fantastical ideas all the time, I need a break every so often, to recharge myself and to put everything in perspective. And perhaps even to see you have not failed as badly as you thought." Faust said. Fury just stood there, appalled at how she hadn't once mentioned the threat at hand.
"Why is it that all of you are so focused on me all of a sudden? You tell me to lighten up, you say you miss how I used to act, you say I need to calm down… I haven't changed! Why am I the center of attention for all of you?! I'm not even that important!"
"Because Fury, you are important! Not just for yourself but for all of Equestria and Speed Shifters too!" Faust said. "You know as well as I do, those two villians are gone. You won't be able to find them today. So if you can't do anything, why worry and cause distress to those closest to you? Just like for my other girls who need to learn morals to fight giant machines and an evil monkey." Lauren explained, but Fury just became more agitated.
"That's exactly my point! You pea-brained idiots can't do anything yourselves! I mean, at least I don't rely on some random unicorn and her girly crew to solve my problems like the giant chicken with stilt legs you've got for a daughter!"
Celestia seemed strangely intimidated by that insult but Faust responded. "That daughter of mine was the reason you were even allowed in Equestria in the first place. She helped you to take down Blueblood. She was the one who gave you guidance like an older sister. If she were not around you would probably not be alive."
"And do I look like I give a hoot? Stuff it up and deal with it!" Fury said, the dark aura growing around him. He eventually turned back to his normal self, but he was much different. His fur was on edge and his claws were more jagged, not to mention that his birthmark seemed to be pulsating a dangerous maroon color.
"What's going on?" Cadence asked.
"I think Fury has awakened something vile he's kept inside for a long time. The burden of being the chosen one." Celestia said.
"His inner stress must have finally taken a toll on his mental state and caused him to take it out on whoever was near him. This isn't good, we need to help him." Luna said. "I just want to hear his laugh again… that's all. But what do we do?"
Faust turned to her. "It's not what we can do today. It's what you can do, my child."
Luna was surprised. "Wait what? What am I supposed to do?!"
"Fury, despite being enraged, is now also open to reason. He can't logically prove his reasons for rage so he resorts to pure emotion. So therefore you, Luna, must do the same. Remind him of what love and friendship really is." Faust said.
"Do you really think it can work? This is not one of those children's stories where everything works out in the end by talking." Luna said skeptically.
"Or maybe they are true at this very moment. Right here, right now. Luna, you might not think you are a talented speaker but for Fury, you have saved from many troubles. You know what feeling inadequate is like. I know if you are brave you can save him." Faust said. "I will be there to help, but you have to be the one. Can you do that my child?"
"I will try, mother. I will try." Luna said as she approached Fury and held his head in her hooves.
"Fury. It's me, Luna." She said approaching the raging Speed Shifter.
"What do you want?" He asked. "Here to do your oh so looney mom's bidding?"
"I want you to listen to me. This isn't you. You are the funny one who can make even the most stubborn ponies laugh, you are the one who can crack a joke even while facing death itself, you are the one who gave me a chance to see the world for what it truly is. And most importantly, you are the one I fell in love with." She spoke.
Fury turned away from her. "I'm just doing what feels right to me. That's all."
"Are you sure? Let me ask you Fury, when all of Ponyville turned against you, did you feel good about it? No! You needed help just like all of us! Remember when I talked to you to confront that cockatrice?" Luna asked.
"Yeah yeah I remember… but-"
"And do you remember when you and I went to find the Silver Blue city together? We worked as a team there, even with all of those traps."
"Yes…"
"And do you remember when I, the lonely, awkward princess of the night, was called upon to ransack my niece's cake?" Luna asked.
"Where are you going with all of this?"
"Night Fury of Thunder Hollow. You need me. And I need you. You brought me out of a dark stage in my life and I brought you out of yours too. We need each other to comfort one another. And only then can we be truly strong! Strong enough to vanquish Tirek and Pyro Flare!" Luna said. Fury just sat there, nothing changing about his blank face. He had calmed down, that was a plus. But he hadn't smiled or cracked up at all. He was like a deer, nothing changing his facial expression as he stared at her like he had never seen her before.
Luna smiled. "I think Lightning Bug, you know I have a point. Even if you refuse to admit it." She walked over to him. "I know what having a burden of responsibility is like. It can be hard. But with my sister and you, it became quite a bit easier. So please let me help you. Help you from becoming something you do not want to be." Luna said, touching a hoof to Fury's cheek.
Fury still didn't move though, almost as if he had lost his ability to speak or change his expression. He was a blank slate. At this point, Luna was beginning to lose hope that he would smile or laugh again. But luckily for her, she wasn't the only one who missed his smile and laughing.
Cadence spoke up. "I remember all the pranks, I remember the secret society we formed. Even the times we pranked my husband."
Celestia followed. "That is true. It can be lonely being ruler of Equestria, and a taxing job. You've brought joy to me that I have not felt in awhile. And even if they might not admit it, even the other villagers appreciate your bright attitude. And that you saved them from forced labor. You don't need to prove yourself as much as you think. We accept you."
Even after all of that, Fury still didn't move. He just… looked at them. It was like a baby was looking at them, unable to speak and unable to express how he felt.
"I don't think the sentimental stuff is working." Cadence whispered.
"Perhaps we must change gears and go with another approach. But what may that be?" Lauren pondered aloud.
"All I want is for him to be normal, to be like he used to be. The small, fun, peppy feline that we all know him for. To brighten our day and his own day."
Faust then had a lightbulb flick on in her head. "Then why don't we return the favor?"
"Huh?" Luna asked. "What do you mean?"
"I mean to do what he does. Make him laugh."
"At a time like this?" Cadence asked. "Won't that just make him annoyed?"
She shook her head. "As someone who delights in telling children stories, I can attest even the grumpiest can laugh at a silly gag. Or even the classic tickle monster." She said, smirking. "Are you scared, my daughters, of going a-pranking?"
The three princesses looked at each other. They wanted to help him in any way they could, and they had their chance sitting right in front of them. Lauren was right, he made them laugh all the time. But they had never taken into consideration how many times they, or even anyone had done the same for him.
"She is right." Luna said. "He has brought joy into our dull lives. Can we not do the same for him in his time of need?"
"I second that!" Cadence cried.
Celestia nodded. "Very well, mother, we will do our best."
Faust nodded. "I taught you how to use your minds to have fun. Now use that fun to bring him back!"
Everyone smiled and had confidence. "Let us do this." Luna said.
All three of them briefly huddled together to plan their next moves.
Fury paid them no attention and just stared at the wall.
"Oh Fury…"
"What now? Any more sweet nonsense you wanna give?" Fury turned around.
"Hee hee hee." Luna said.
"What's so funny?" Fury asked.
"Hee hee hee!" Celestia said.
Fury was a bit confused. It was not everyday he heard Celestia giggle. At least not in that high tone. It felt weird.
"What are you-"
"Ha ha ha ha!" Cadence uttered.
"...laughing-"
"HA HA HA HA HA!" the mother of Celestia and Luna laughed.
"...about! What is so funny?!" Fury said, completely confused as to why these once mopey ponies are now riotous with laughter.
"HA HA HA HA HA HA!" All the princesses laughed together.
Fury was extremely confused, a little angry but strangely a little… amused by this display?
"W-what's going on here? Did someone give you guys a dose of Poison Joke?" Fury asked.
"The only poisonous joke we have here is our own faces!" Faust said self-deprecatingly.
Fury was even more confused. But he had to admit. He almost let out a chuckle. Celestia heard him repress one.
"Oh! Was that a chuckle I just heard?" She asked cheekily.
"No! It was probably one of your stupid laughs!" Fury said accusingly.
"Perhaps we should take this one step further. Maybe add a little… tune to our humor?" Luna whispered to her mother. Lauren agreed and nodded to her daughter.
"I agree, let's give him something extra silly to really get those giggles out. Fortunately, I've come up with silly ideas to make kids laugh, so pay attention." Lauren whispered back. They both spread the idea to the other two and they both were enticed by the idea.
"What is going on with you? Since when do you three laugh so much!?" Fury asked.
They all answered him but not in a traditional manner.
Ca: 🎶Every now and then, I couldn't tell you why, suddenly I get the giggles, I've just gotta laugh, or I'm gonna burst, Suddenly, I just get the giggles!🎶
🎶Tee hee hee, you should try it! Everything is a riot! I'm feeling pretty good, soon you will be too, when suddenly you just get the giggles!🎶
Fury's jaw dropped. He couldn't say anything now. How was he supposed to react to a song number Pinkie would sing? But before he could say one word-
Ce: 🎶Starts with a little giggle, then there's a bigger giggle, then you'll be rolling on the floor! 't be so funny because you're suddenly giving me a tummy ache! Please oh please, can't giggle anymore!🎶
Celestia sang this as she rubbed her tummy lying on the floor. Fury was now completely speechless, had these four esteemed figures of royalty lost their minds?
Lu: 🎶Every now and then, well as you can see. Suddenly, we get the giggles! We've just gotta laugh, or we're gonna burst! Suddenly, we just get the giggles!🎶
🎶Tee hee you should try it! Everything is a riot, feeling pretty good, soon you will be too, when suddenly you get the giggles!🎶
Everyone's giggles were now a full blown uproar. They looked like they would collapse from all the laughing but they never did. Fury was lost in confusion, all he was seeing was ridiculous child's play. But inside, he was bursting with laughter.
Lau: 🎶I've lived for years and years, nobles by my side! But sometimes, I get the giggles! I try to hold it back, not moving an inch… But still, I just get the giggles. Tee Hee Hee, you can do it! We won't judge, we'll see you through it! All you have to do is look down deep inside! And then you just burst into giggles!🎶
Fury was desperately trying to hold back. But everypony could hear him trying to keep his mouth closed.
"I'm not gonna fall for this! You hear me?! I'm not falling for this!" Fury yelled out with a few subtle giggles.
"Okay everypony, we're gonna stop giggling and singing when I say three!" Faust said to Fury's relief.
"One…"
The other princesses' looked like inflated beach balls.
"Two…"
"Bwahahahahaha!" All the young princesses laughed. And that was followed by Lauren herself. Fury was furious but knew for all his might, he was powerless to stop the song.
Ca: 🎶Everyone's gotta laugh, like my sweetie pie. Even he sometimes gets the giggles. Sure, he can be tough! But he's truly a big love! He can be like stone, but not when he sees scones!🎶
Ce: 🎶I can say the same, I'm not so tough myself. But when I get a cake, it's a fest! I eat until I'm stuffed, tired and nothing less! And it gives me the giggles when it's time to get some rest!🎶
Lu: 🎶My nights are much the same, filled with scares and frights! But even just once, I am filled with delight! Searching through your dreams, it gives me a little tickle! And by the sun's rising, I'll be filled with laughs and giggles!🎶
Lau: 🎶The only thing that's left is to see it come from you, hearing the one thing that you always love to do! We'd love to hear you laugh, without a joke or just a tickle! Oh dear Fury, we just want to see you giggle!🎶
Fury just stood there. He was hyperventilating. He never heard something so joyous and silly in his life.
"Heh… Heh heh…."
He began to crack, much to the princesses delight.
"Heh hehe hehe heh heh…"
"I think it's working!" Cadence said giddily as Fury began to laugh.
"Ha ha ha ha… Ha ha ha ha ha!"
And then… Fury lost it.
"HA HA HA HA HA HA! IT'S TOO MUCH! TOO MUCH! I CAN'T TAKE IT!" Fury collapsed to the ground and laughed in an uproar. "It's too much!"
The other princesses smiled.
"I knew we could get you to crack." Faust said. "Even the grumpiest have their cracking point."
"You can say that again, look at him squirm!" Cadence giggled.
"Even an All Powerful cannot resist the power of amusement." Luna said.
"You weren't this happy before." Celestia said.
"Ha ha ha ha ha! You win! You win! That was hilarious!" He finally got back up. "I thought only Pinkie could match my silliness. It looks like I was wrong!" Fury admitted.
"Oh, but we're not done yet. We really want to hear you laugh, like you used to. And we have something for you that'll do the trick." Celestia spoke.
"You guys might have been silly, but I don't think you can top what you just did." Fury said confidently.
"Oh I wouldn't be too sure of that." Faust said. "There's a little thing I like to call… imagination. Let us take this somewhere else where we can see it to its full potential."
She then lit her horn a bright red color and teleported all of them into a private room within the castle.
"Now, what we'll do is go inside your mind and see how your imagination works. Think of it as a treat from us to truly appreciate who we've come to know." Lauren said.
"Oh… kay. But, how exactly are you gonna get inside my head?" Fury asked.
"A dream walking spell, of course. Who do you think taught your beloved when she was just a bit older than you?" Faust said.
Luna gave a nod and a smile.
"Wait… you're going into my dreams?!" Fury asked, shocked. "You can do that?!"
"Of course. I gave birth to the fine daughters you see before you, so I have everything they have and more. Anyway, are you up for it?" Lauren asked. Fury was a bit skeptical about going inside his head, but he always loved using his imagination to make up games as a cub.
"Let's do it! But I have to warn you, my imagination was a wild thing when I was a kid. So don't be surprised if you see something crazy happen up here." Fury chuckled, knocking his head a bit.
"Oh, with you Fury? I would be more freaked out if we didn't get surprised." Luna said.
She and the others gathered in a square. Luna and Faust used their power to lull everyone into sleep.
-
"Huh?" Cadence woke up into some ethereal blue realm. "Where am I?"
"Welcome to the dream realm, my dear niece." Luna said, helping her to her hooves. Cadence was mesmerized by the dream realm, the blue color adding a bit of atmosphere. She also saw many small bubbles floating around her and her fellow royals.
"What are those bubbles?" Cadence asked.
"Those are the dreams of ponies who are asleep at this time. Though it is still daytime, some take naps during the day and their dreams show up here." Luna explained. Cadence looked around and saw that each bubble had its own individual aura, giving a clear separation of who's who.
"Okay, but where's Night Fury's bubble?"
"I think that would be it." Celestia pointed out a red bubble with static electricity circling it, clearly indicating Fury's high energy output.
"Seems… intense." Cadence said. "Should we wait just a bit?"
Luna shook her head. "This is just who he is. A crazy burst of energy, either very happy or very angry. It's time to go in there and see what we can discover."
The princesses flew into the bubble not knowing what to expect. Would there be booby traps? Storms? Cakes?
"Wait, is this a… forest?" Cadence asked. The surrounding area was a heavy forest, muddy puddles and large trees making up most of the view.
"I guess he manifested his forest home as a default." Lauren said.
"Yeah, but it's also so you guys don't get lost in what I usually dream about!" A voice called from above. The four of them looked up to see Fury floating down to them, but he hadn't changed his form.
"Ah it's pleasant you are so courteous." Luna said. "Most ponies don't have the hospitality or skill to easily navigate through a dream. It is very annoying." Luna grumbled.
"Well are you guys coming?" Fury asked.
The princesses nodded and floated into Fury's mind.
As the princesses entered, they went to a road. It was a dirt path. They looked at the trees. They were tall and concealed the village.
"Is this all you dream about? Just.. walking through the forest?" Cadence asked, a little disappointed.
"Nah, this is just the beginning! Wait until you see the craziness on the lower levels…" Fury then whistled loudly, causing a part of the ground to rise up and form an elevator in front of them. They all stepped inside and let it take them downward where they began to see the ever so glorious landscape that was Fury's inner thoughts.
They looked in awe as they saw in front of them was a wooden wall with a moat around it. And there seemed to be a hill. They could see wooden houses closer to them and on the hill stone houses. And they could even make out what seems to be a stone pyramid. Not as large as the ones in the Silverblue but a moderate size.
"Well ladies, what do you think of Thunder Hollow?" Fury asked.
"This is truly amazing! I've never seen such precision and control over a dreamscape before! How do you do this?" Luna asked.
"Well, sleeping is also a form of meditation for us Speed Shifters. As we nap during the day or sleep through the night, we have complete control over our minds as we are simultaneously dreaming and forming a domain to host our innermost thoughts through meditation. Long story short, I can basically walk around in my head at my leisure." Fury explained. The princesses were amazed at how controlled Fury was over his mind, they had never seen such power demonstrated by him.
"This is a beautiful sight to behold, but we want to see the real you. The funny you, the wacky you, the you we see all the time." Lauren said. Fury understood and gave a nod.
"Oh okay, all I have to do is let go of my grip on my mind and just let things happen." As soon as he said that, the world started to warp and twist. Bright colors shined and lightning flew as his dreamscape melted and changed.
"Hang on…" He said cheekily as the real inner thoughts of Fury went crazy.
The princesses were surprised. While Luna didn't think it was on the level as Pinkie's insanity, she was still awed at Fury's imagination.
They saw huge temples, mazes for roads, weird freakish monsters including large kangaroos. Everything around them was wild and untamed, but they had expected nothing less from him.
"Welcome to my imagination! This place has been a part of me since I was a kid, and it feels great to be back!" Fury said excitedly. "But first, how about a tour?"
He snapped his claws and the ground began to shake, giant pillars rising from the ground. The princesses were a little distressed at the rapidly changing landscape, but werewere soon calmed by the sight of sails and a mast as Fury had spawned a giant pirate ship.
"Wow, I didn't know you even knew about pirates being that you're so landlocked." Cadence said.
"Well not these days but back in the olden days, some Speed Shifters and other felines owned some cities by the sea. Never been there so it might be inaccurate. But the stories seemed cool, and that's all that matters to me." Fury said. "I even heard rumors of cats who walked on two legs up to the north across the sea. But enough talk, let's get this ship moving!"
A loud horn sounded as the sails expanded and the ship began to move, Fury taking the helm as he piloted the craft through his imaginary world.
"All paws and hooves on deck! Pirates on the starboard! Pirates on the starboard!" Fury said, pointing to a ship. "Our job is to bring these crooks to justice. We're going in! Raise the sails!"
…
"Oh right, you guys probably never sailed one. Well neither have I but that's beside the point. Hang on, let me handle this." Fury said as jumped down and grabbed one side of his face. He pulled hard and in a flash of red light, he duplicated himself. The princesses were shocked.
"Hey me!" One Fury said.
"Hey other me!" Said the other. "Need some help fighting off that ship?"
"Do I ever! Get the crew ready, we'll need all paws on deck!" The original shouted. "And make it look good, my girlfriend's here."
"You got it, Fury!" the other Fury said. He then started to duplicate himself over and over. Two, four, six, ten, fifteen. Before they knew it, a whole crew of Night Furys were standing there.
"At your service, Captain!" The crew shouted.
"Alright all of you, man the cannons! Raise the sails! Prepare for battle!" Said the original.
"Yes sir!" They said in unison, scattering around the ship and preparing for battle.
"This is crazy, but also very funny!" Celestia chuckled. "Who is on the other ship anyway?"
"The one thing that bugs me, even in my imagination… The Chocolateers!" Fury shouted. Just then, the ship's crew came into view. Many ponies and Speed Shifters made of chocolate sat on the cannons and in the crow's nest. And then came the fearsome captain of the opposing ship, Captain Choccy Chip.
"Well well, if it isn't my old nemesis." Fury said.
"Likewise. Long time no see! I hope you've been training cause I'm about to take every single thing you have!" The pirate said.
"You got that, Captain Choccy Chip! It's me who will take all your chocolate and bring it to whoever rightfully deserves it!" Fury said.
"Including yourself." Cadence said bluntly.
"That's the spirit, Cady! Fire the cannons!" And so, the battle began. Balls of fire and chocolate were fired back and forth, pirates boarding either ship to continue the battle. The princesses couldn't help but laugh at how crazy the battle was, Fury truly had a crazy imagination. Cadence took to his side to see the action.
"Why are you firing fireballs at them?" She asked. "I didn't even know you could do fireballs."
"There's nothing more terrifying than the threat of being melted into a chocolate puddle, Cadence." Fury replied. "And besides, in my imagination I can have any power I want."
The fireballs were pointed straight to the chocolate supplies.
"No!!! My precious chocolate!" the pirate captain cried out. "I can't even move!"
"Awww, chill out. Hot chocolate is the best!" Fury said. "You just have bad taste. Just as bad as your ship!"
"Captain, the chocolate is gumming up the cannons!" One of the Furys said. "We won't be able to fire without it blowing up in our faces!"
"Darn, he must be using fresh chocolate from the freezer this time! Once it hardens, it becomes the most solid thing out here." Captain Fury complained. Then, Cadence got an idea.
"Don't worry, Captain Fury, you'll see another day with me around! You almost forgot, I love chocolate!" Cadence said as she flew over to one of the blocked up cannons and began to eat away the hardened candy.
Choccy Chip looked in shock as even he never ate chocolate that voraciously.
"And don't leave me out!" Celestia said. "I have a sweet tooth myself!" The princess of the sun was about to eat the chocolate but not before using her powers to heat up the chocolate into fudge and proceeded to eat it all up.
"Dang you ladies really do crave chocolate!" Fury laughed.
Once they had finished with the cannons, Fury was ready. Time to invade the enemy's ship.
"Alright, here we go. Everyone, prepare to board the enemy ship!" He barked. His personal crew saluted and readied many planks that stretched far across to the other ship.
"C'mon ladies, you too! I'll need all the help I can get!"
Faust nodded. "Just like in my stories, we must be brave, we must be fierce. And most of all, we must crave the spoils of war!" She said, thinking of the chocolate. "Come forth my daughters and Cadence. To the chocolate!"
With the planks being all placed, Fury and the princesses charged forward. In front of them were a whole bunch of ragged looking brownish grunts. A lot with eyepatches and scars. But Fury and the princesses were not afraid. They had fought worse.
"It's on now! Nom!" Fury called out as he bit into one of the pirates and pulled off an ear, munching on it like he wasn't in the middle of a battle.
"Mmmm! Milk chocolate, my favorite!" Fury said, continuing to nibble.
"Wait, are all these enemies… chocolate?" Luna asked, noticing the enemies.
"Yes indeed! They are actually quite scrumptious. Each one has different flavors, like dark chocolate, hazelnut chocolate, chocolate and vanilla, chocolate with strawberry…"
"Say no more, my love. You're making me hungry just saying that!" Luna giggled.
"Gotcha now, you big blueberry!" said one of the Cholateer crew about to stab her with his licorice staff.
Luna simply grabbed his staff with her magic, twirled the staff and him around, and knocked him into the mast. Before he got up, unusually for an equine, Luna took a bite out of the chocolate figure's neck.
"Mmmm, tastes like… blueberry?" Luna said, amused. "I suppose that is what they call projection."
Meanwhile all the other princesses were facing down the others.
"Aww man, I could have thought of some weapons for you guys! My bad!" Fury said as he began to modify his friends.
"Hey Cadence, you told me you like sci-fi movies! Well, check out your new space suit!" Cadence then began to glow as her form was changed, a metal suit with a custom pink and blue paint job forming around her.
"Celestia, you need some heavy solar armor!" Celestia was in a heavy suit of armor that covered her whole body. It also had an outer garment covered with solar symbols and even a quote on it saying "Praise the Sun".
"Hey Lauren, you get the special treatment! Say hello to the Giant Cheez-O-Matic 6000!" A flash of yellow light appeared over Lauren's back before a giant cannon with hoses and buckets of cheese wedges appeared on her back with a helmet to boot.
"And finally you, my lovely Moonpie, shall have the worthiest suit of them all! The Grand Armor of the Moon!" Fury said, blue wisps of energy floating around Luna as blue armor covered her head to hoof. Spikes grew from the armor around her horn and her wings were given struts for stable flight. Even her cutie mark got an upgrade, now being a shining full moon instead of its usual crescent.
"Behold the Princess of the Night!" Fury cried out. "Go forth and slay thine sweet foes!"
Luna agreed and flew and charged at her foes, zapping them, smashing them. She was super motivated.
"I must admit, I am a little jealous of Luna's outfit." Celestia admitted.
"When it comes to those you love romantically, you give them the best." Cadence said, using her new space suit to hover over some of the pirates and slam into them with her new thrusters.
"You bet it! Now, you guys take care of the crew! Me and Lauren are going after the captain." Fury said.
Lauren flew by Fury. "Let me guess. This suit gives me cheese powers."
"Yep! Have to be fair to one of the other great foods!" Fury said. "Use that cannon and buckets! Oh, and you have to call out your moves like one of those super overly dramatic action heros. Sorry, it's what I thought fit you best."
"You know me well. I was always a fan of those heroes before you were born and have even written stories about three little girls myself. But that's not important. Let me see what I can do!" Faust said.
Ten grunts were coming at them.
"Alright, here we go! Call out your first move!" Fury said.
"Molten Cheddar Surprise!" She shot gooey hot cheesy liquid right at five of the grunts turning them instantly into chocolate sludge.
"Next move… Shredded Swiss Tsunami!"
The cannon shot out again but this time it was less of a deadly hose and more like a machine gun cutting away at the rampaging grunts.
"Alright! Now it's my turn! Terra-Lightning Blitz!" Fury called out.
Fury's paw had some reddish lightning. He smashed his paw onto the deck spreading electrical beams all over to the enemy. All the bad guys were cooked into oblivion and became molten chocolate.
"Rest in peace, my enemies. You shall make a nice meal." Fury said. Then, the captain made his appearance at the front of the ship. But he wasn't there to fight…
"Sweet molten fondue! Abandon ship, abandon ship! A jelly swirl be on the horizon, maties!" He called out. His entire crew then began to leave the ship in droves, ending the battle with screams of terror. The princesses were confused, what was a jelly swirl?
"Uh oh, a jelly swirl?! Where did that come from?" Fury exclaimed, looking just as distressed.
"What's a jelly swirl?" Cadence asked. Fury just grabbed them and pulled them together as he directed their attention to…
"That thing!" Fury saud
They saw a huge whirlpool somewhat close by. But the size was not the most amazing feature. It was what appeared to be a thick purple liquid.
"Oh no! We have to leave immediately! Let's take our two ships and leave before we get stuck in that thing!" Cadence said.
Fury simply did nothing.
"Fury, aren't you going to help us?" Luna asked.
"We're too close! It's no use trying to get out, the most we can do is hang OOOOON!" Fury said as their ship was being sucked in. "WE MUST EMBRACE OUR FATE!!! WE SHALL BE BURIED IN A TOMB OF JELLY AND WE CAN DO NOTHING ABOUT IT!"
The ship was being pulled closer and closer until… boom! The ship collapsed leaving the victims in the whirlpool of jelly.
"This can't be how I go out! Not like this!" Fury said in fake concern. The princesses took note of this as they all fell in and began to spin with the whirlpool, progressively going faster and faster until they were at dizzying speeds.
"AHHHHHHH!!!!!" Everyone cried out as spun so quickly, they got shot out like a cannon. Right towards what looked like a giant reddish pink island.
"Oh this is gonna be painful." Cadence said. The five of them flew down towards the island at high speed, all expecting to hit the ground hard and be left bruised.
But it was not, for they landed on something soft and fairly wobbly.
"What the?" Cadence asked. "What the heck did we land on?"
"Oh nothing much, except a big mountain of jelly!" Fury said.
"What?!" Luna said. "We are on actual jelly?! And it is as tall as Canterlot is from the sea?!"
"Bingo! But there is one caveat to this thing…" Fury started.
"What is it?" Celestia asked. Fury tried to stand up, but as soon as he did so, the ground below began to wobble and he fell back down as he laughed.
"The ground is pretty wobbly, and it's kinda silly when you try to walk in it." He chuckled.
"Hmmm?" Faust walked one step.
"Bacaw!" She heard the sound of a chicken.
She walked another step. She heard yodeling.
"What in the world is your imagination, fuzzball?!" Cadence laughed. Fury shrugged and chuckled.
"That's just who I am on the inside… Coo-coo crazy!" Just then, his eyes spun in his head and a coo coo bird popped in and out of his mouth like a coo coo clock.
"You're telling me." Cadence said, chuckling. "So if I keep walking I will hear even more weird noises? What's next? A saxophone song with an elephant singing?"
"Hehe, nope. An elephant using its trunk like a trumpet." Fury corrected.
Cadence walked multiple steps from one place to another.
And she heard the tune of the Cloudsdale Anthem with elephant noises. She completely lost it and fell over, impacting the jelly and making the entire mountain jiggle under them.
"Whoa! Is this like a volcano or something?!" Cadence asked. "Is something gonna happen?"
"Nah, it's just the mountain jiggling around. But I have a certain feeling my imagination is about to change things up." Fury said. Just as the mini quake stopped, the mountain began to form a slope on one side. The small slope looped and curled a few times and stopped as the now red slide was made.
"Hey look, my imagination gave us a way out of here." Fury said, his demeanor turning cheeky. "Last one to the end has pudgy flanks!"
"I certainly do not wish to be pudgy like you, Celestia!" Luna said. "Here I come!" She slid down after her lover.
"Oh, you did not just say that!" Celestia bellowed. "Get your tail back here, Lulu!"
Celestia then dove after them. Lastly were Cadence and Lauren, both giving each other competitive looks.
"Sorry, Lauren, I've got a reputation to maintain. Cowabunga!" Cadence called out as she made the jump.
"Oh yeah!? Well you'd better watch out for me!" Faust said as she slid down the slide.
At a rapid pace, they slid down quickly almost as fast as a Speed Shifter running.
"Woohoo! This is awesome! But it's not over yet, here we go!" The slide made many loops and turns until they all were sliding down a tunnel and fell into a white room that looked quite futuristic. Fury was the first to make contact and stood tall in victory.
"Aw yeah, I'm the best! First place!" He boasted, but he would soon remember that he wasn't the only one coming through that tunnel.
"Aren't you forgetting us!?" Faust asked as the princesses were rapidly coming into contact with Fury.
"Uh oh…"
Luna leaped over Fury when she got close enough and she was in the lead.
"Ha ha! I am in first place!"
Fury smirked though. "I don't know if I would be so confident though. You have a few… fun surprises ahead."
"And what exactly are those surprises?" Celestia asked, her mother and Cadence following behind her as they entered the room.
"Let me show you. So you know how in some of those cartoon movies the characters never seem to get hurt and bend the laws of physics and reality itself?" Fury asked them, getting nods in return.
"Well… let's just say that in my imagination, those physically impossible moves and reality bending alterations can co-exist." Fury said, snapping his claws. Then, out of the blue, a section of the ceiling came down and flattened him with a cartoonish…
Splat!
"Fury!" Luna said. "Oh no, you've become a Speed Shifter pancake!"
But then Fury returned to normal.
"Nope! In this world, this stuff only happens for a few seconds and then you're back to normal! Well at least until the next thing happens."
And just as he said that, a hammer on a robotic arm came swinging out of the wall and hit him straight in the face. His face appeared flattened for a few seconds before popping back into shape.
"See? I'm fine. And since you all are here too, those rules can apply to you!" Fury snapped his claws again and a pan flew out of the ground, into his awaiting paw.
"Hey Tia, hold still!" He quickly recoiled back and swung the pan into her face. The pan hit her with a sizable amount of force, caving her head in as if she was made of rubber.
"Ouch! That hur- Wait, now I'm a pancake too!" Celestia said.
"And I would say it is an improvement sister." Luna said snarkily.
"Hey, you're not safe here either, sweetheart. I show no partiality. Take this!" Fury moved his paw forward and a section of the wall behind him came flying towards Luna, hitting her and squishing her flat against the opposite wall. The section of the wall moved and she looked like a black and blue pancake.
"Awww, you two look just like each other!" Fury said, laughing out loud.
Luna looked really grumpy. Celestia simply asked.
"Is this supposed to be an amusement park or a torture chamber?"
"I'd say an amusement park. As in it amuses me just like a whoopee cushion or a bucket of water makes me amused." Fury said. "Speaking of which, let's give you ladies a break from pancake hour."
All the princesses sighed in relief.
"Because it's time for the next fun activity!"
"Oh no." Cadence said.
"Ever been to one of Applejack's square dances?" Fury asked. "I used to think they were quite well square."
"Boo!" Cadence called out in response to the lame joke.
"But as I learned you get spin yer partner round and round!" Fury magically got on a cowboy hat. Ready for the water slide square dance?!" Fury said showing a small whirlpool that will make everyone spin.
"Really, Fury? More spinning? After going into that big whirlpool?!" Faust inquired.
"You can always tap out and call yourself chicken, is that you? You do have the color and the wings, all you need is a beak."
Faust stiffened her resolve. She was the one who always told stories, even scary ones. No way would she be called a chicken, especially not by Fury!
"Challenge accepted!" Faust said. "Who will be my partner?!"
"I'll do it!" Fury said casually. "I'd like to see how you can move."
"Very well!" Faust said. Celestia, Luna and Cadence chose each other.
As they spun around, they kept spinning and spinning and spinning. Each one daring the other to go faster and faster.
"Is it just me or do I see stars?" Celestia said.
"Yep! This is part of the fun! Can you survive the dizziness?!" Fury dared.
"As if I'll let myself be defeated by you, Fury. Game on!" Celestia retorted as they pushed their limits. As they spun, Fury started to lose his balance and began to spin out of control until he looked like a blurry tornado.
"I'm spinning!!!!!" Fury said
"What's gonna happen?!?" Faust asked.
The tornado all of a sudden stopped flinging both Faust and Fury against each wall like a ping pong table even with sounds accompanying them.
"Take cover!" Luna said as her mother was about to crash into her. Both of them crashed into the rest of the crowd and blew through the wall, landing on a bridge high above a moonlit roadway.
"Ugh. Whoa, where are we now? At least we're on dry land!" Faust asked.
"One of my personal places. This bridge is a place that I go to contemplate things, one of the less silly and more serious things within my mind." Fury explained, squeezing out of the pile and leaning up against the side overlooking the road.
The princesses became more quiet. They felt a certain tranquility with all the sounds of urban life.
"Fury?" Luna asked. "Is this where you go to meditate?"
"Less meditation, more thinking. More importantly, I form this location within my head whenever I feel like thinking about my speed. Come look over here and tell me what you see." Fury said. The four princesses walked over and leaned on the side. Looking over the side they saw speeding lights racing along what looked like a massive highway, split into two lanes coming towards and going away from them.
"I see a bunch of speeding lights. I understand why this is happening, but why do you think of this whenever you want to think of your speed?" Cadence asked. Fury sighed and became serious.
"Because I want to remind myself of home. Ever since I moved to Equestria, I've basically been in my own league. Barely anypony can keep up with me now, I just miss the feeling of racing with my kind and having someone else who can keep up with me en masse. Racing at high speed in a big group was one of the charms of home for me. And if you look close at who's down there, you can see what I usually think about."
They looked down. And what they saw amazed them. Multiple speed shifters of multiple colors racing back and forth. Green, blue, purple, orange and of course red.
"That's right, back in the day I used to race all these shifters. My best friend Jade and I would keep on going for hours and hours. But… it's all done now. That was a bygone age."
They saw Fury looked a little disappointed. Then Luna spoke up.
"Well, then, you'll just have to race some others. Including some princesses." Luna said with concurring nods from the others.
"What do you mean?"
"Fury, do you think Speed Shifters are the only ones blessed with speed? No. No. We equines have taken great pride in our racing prowess." Celestia said. "Me and Luna used to race all the time, to which I always won."
Luna was unamused by that.
"But it is one of Equestria's great traditions that we run. And we run and we run like the lightning above us." Celestia continued. "And we equines still can be quite a challenge so don't underestimate us."
"I won't. But are you sure about that? I mean, I'm not exactly in a league where most creatures can keep up." Fury said, pointing out a red light moving faster than the rest. The scenery changed to where ponies were racing along the roads and the red light turned into Fury, easily dashing past them to add to his point.
"As you can see, I am quite a challenge. I have energy that even most Speed Shifters don't have and most ponies definitely don't have. Do you think you can go against me with all that energy?" Fury asked, legitimately curious.
"Well, I am the mother of Celestia and Luna, and many call me the Princess of Imagination. So I can imagine that yes, we can give you a good challenge." Faust said.
Celestia and Luna nodded.
Celestia spoke up. "Remember, as leader of Equestria, it was important to be vigorous in exercise. And speed and power. Same for my sister."
"Ohhh, so that's why you two have legs built like toothpicks. Ha!"
Luna looked unamused but Celestia chuckled. "Yes. All for the purpose of speed traditionally to ram an opponent with a lance back in the old days. But sadly we did not have a mouth like a motor back then."
"Oh ha ha, very funny, marshmallow." Fury huffed.
"Likewise, burnt bread." Luna shot back.
Before more roasts kept on going, Faust interrupted. "Ahem! Anyway, we have no problem with keeping up with you. If you wish to test that fact, please do."
Fury smirked at the challenge and felt his inner speed demon awaken. He was beginning to like Celestia and Luna's mother, she could be stern and funny all at the same time, she was like a pony version of him.
"Well, I guess I could race the four of you…" Fury snapped his claws and the landscape changed to a city street, five lanes wide and a set of traffic lights above them with ethereal pony figures cheering from the sidewalk.
Even Luna was surprised by how much he could change in his dream world. She had seen ponies dreaming lucidly and being able to control how the dream goes, but completely changed landscapes at the snap of his claws? That was something she had never seen.
"So, you wanna prove you can stand against me? Well as these fans are seeing, let's put that to the test." Fury said. They all turned forward and saw a flag mare ready to start the race. The pony stood with a rather seductive stance, as if it was one of the underground kart races taking place. Then, the mare shifted forms and took the shape of Luna herself.
Cadence chuckled. "You made the flag mare your own girlfriend, really?"
"Hey, can you blame me? She is pretty hot."
Luna blushed at this. But she shook her head. "Well that is a nice compliment, but don't think that that will make me go easy on you!"
"Never expected you to!" Fury shot back. The dream Luna raised her wings, signifying the race was about to start. The street light turned yellow as they all prepared themselves to take off. The dream Luna looked at them all, seeing if they were ready and stretched her wings to their max.
Fury breathed softly as he readied his power, red lights lining his body as he charged up. Dream Luna began to let her wings fall and once they hit the floor, the light turned green and the race was on!
Night Fury burned out on the start, taking an early lead and trailing smoke behind him as he "Burned Rubber".
"Hasta la vista, ladies!" Fury yelled out, a red lightning contrail replacing the smoke as he gained traction.
"We'll see about that. Let's show him!" Cadence said. "He forgets he used to have to escape from me at my wedding!"
They all raced quickly forward, taking flight as they all raced down the road. Fury lit up the road in front of him with his neon lights, the streets briefly glowing red as he raced ahead. He then looked behind him and saw that the princesses were catching up to him, slowly coming side by side with him in a five way drag race.
"Well well, looks like you're not as fast as you boast." Celestia spoke, but Fury didn't mind her.
"That's the thing, this isn't just a straight drag race! It's a street race! And it's not the straights that you have to worry about, it's the turns that'll get ya!" Fury called out, pointing ahead to a big neon arrow that pointed left.
Fury slowed down significantly and got behind the racing royalty, turning sideways and beginning his signature drifting move. Smoke billowed from him as his paws skidded across the street, loud screeching noises echoing back and forth across the buildings as he took the turn without losing his speed.
"It took me awhile to get that move down. But now I am an expert at turning! Can you do that while being speedy?!" Fury challenged.
It seems Celestia and Luna struggled a bit on that turn. But it seems Cadence and Faust were more skilled at turning.
"I've been training too! And I used to race when I was a pegasus all the time!" Cadence said.
"And for me, I just have a lot of experience with this!" Faust said
Those two were catching up with Fury now. Celestia and Luna finally made the turn.
"Not today! You wanna follow my lead, let's go off the radar! Time to kill the lights!" Fury said confidently as his neon lights and contrail disappeared and he was lost in the shadows of the streets.
"Hey where did Fury go?!" Cadence asked. "I can't see him!"
Celestia thought about this. "It does not matter if we can't see him. All we must do is get to the finish line. And besides we will be able to hear his speed and breath and possible boasting."
So they kept speeding ahead. It was a longer track than usual. Fury seemed to be making this race a bigger challenge than usual. They made two more turns and we're coming up to a hairpin turn when a change in the atmosphere was sensed by them all.
"I think he's getting close, I can feel it!" Cadence said. Just as she did, Fury popped out from a side alley and lit himself back up. The red light caught the pink alicorn off guard and she wobbled a bit in mid air before correcting her trajectory.
"I'm back baby! You guys better get ready, because this race is about to get into my territory!"
"What are you talking about?!" Cadence asked.
"What I mean is, you're gonna have to do some jumping and ducking obstacles. Keep your eyes peeled!" Fury said. "Welcome to the Jungle!"
The race course started to have more greenery and they could see a few logs on the ground and other tripping hazards that would really slow them down.
"And to add to the list, I'm turning the lights out! I don't need 'em anyway!" Fury said, turning his lights off.
"Ugh, it's so dark! But Fury can't be doing better than us in the dark, right?" Cadence inquired.
"Sorry, Cadence, but he was born for this! What's the one thing that cats like him have in common?" Celestia asked her. Cadence dodged a tree and thought about the question, then she came to an answer.
"Oh right, night vision! I should have known! Well he has an advantage in that department."
"Well, except for one." Luna said. "And that would be me. I have excellent night vision. I don't have to be as careful." Luna said easily jumping and flying from obstacles.
"Fury! Do you really think you were the only one adept at the night. Well I am the ruler of the night!" Luna said.
"Not on my watch!" Fury said, speeding up. A small sonic wave pulsed from behind him as his speed increased. Not so fast that he broke the sound barrier, but fast enough to make a small blast.
"I will not let you do this! I will show you how fast I can be when I want to!" Luna said, chasing him down. The other three princesses were a few feet behind them, dodging branches and sharp plants until they were greeted by an open field with a dirt road.
"Wide open space, perfect! Now I can really open it up!" Fury said to himself as he went even faster, his aura becoming brighter as he ran.
This was his chance! His way to run as much as he wanted. No obstacles. No troubles. He could speed up as much as he wanted.
But as heard the hoofsteps from behind, he realized that advantage was not unique to him.
"Uh oh. Looks like they are finally catching up! Better use more reserve power!" Fury directed the power to his legs and pushed harder, his aura burning bright like a shooting start as he raced through the open field with his powers whirring. The wind blasted his face as he ran, whistling and whooshing flooding his ears as he began to increase the gap.
"Ah yes this is the experience I was always dying for!" Fury said. "Pure adrenaline! Of course now I have to hurry to the finish line or this boy will be outta gas."
Luckily for Fury, he finally saw the finish line.
"How are we going to catch up to him?!" Cadence asked.
Faust said, "Use your imagination!"
Cadence used her memories for some ideas. She did remember an ancient pony princess technique where the stallion would throw the princess as quickly as possible. And though there was no Shining Armor, the idea could still apply
"Aunt Tia! How about you throw me like a lance right past Fury!" Cadence said.
Celestia smiled. "With pleasure, my niece! Come over here!" Luna and Faust helped Cadence up to Celestia and Celestia braced herself and…
WOOSH
Cadence flew up above her aunt and shot straight towards the feline in front of her. Fury had no idea she was catching up until a dust cloud and a pink blue filled his vision.
"See ya later, kitty cat!" She called out. Fury felt a vein pop in his head, he was not happy. At this point, all of his rational thinking went out the window as he went full speed demon.
"Oh no you don't! This is my race, and I'm not gonna let some wannabe love doctor take what's mine!" He said as he floored the figurative throttle and blasted after Cadence.
At this point, Fury was using every bit of his power. He admitted his body was feeling worn out but that didn't matter. He was going to go past the princesses no matter what.
Cadence now realized she was in a troublesome position. Fury was running at a speed she had usually not seen. Now Cadence knew what it was like when she chased him down. Fury's body pulsed red, building up a charge that he didn't know he was building. His vision warped and turned as he went faster and faster until… he heard a ping in his ear and the stress of his power release.
Fury was still running at speed, but now it felt as if he wasn't even trying hard at all. Luke the stress of his running just instantly dissipated. Fury looked ahead to the leading Cadence and the princesses behind him, he felt as if he could dust them with no problem. And that's exactly what he did.
"Woohoo! I feel alive! I feel awake like I never have before!" Fury yelled. He noticed his black fur glowed a hot red and his usually gray birthmark went a bright white.
"What in Equestria is going on with him?!" Luna asked.
"I think, my daughter, he has reached the next level." Faust said.
"Don't stop me now! Cause I'm havin' a good time!" Fury said as he dashed forward. A sonic boom thundered behind him, shattering the dirt surface and sending a visible shockwave pulsing behind him.
It almost knocked the princesses over. And as for Cadence, he finally caught up with her.
"Long time no see, eh Cadence?" He said smugly.
"Yeah. And you look different." Cadence admitted.
"Yeah, because I'm done playing around! So watch this!"
He sped up again as quickly as possible, crackles of electric charge billowing from his body as he rattled the road, his powers whirred like never before. He was going so fast that he was almost pure energy, racing towards his goal as fast as he could until…
"He did it!" Faust said. "He made it past the finish line!"
"I have not seen a power like that in millennia." Celesia said. "I guess dreams have the potential to show what powers one can truly have."
Then a white light appeared down the path, an almost blinding entity as Fury continued to race towards it. The dreamscape began to warp one last time, the previously visible forest disappearing behind them.
"What's happening now?" Celestia asked.
"He is beginning to awaken. The spell we cast didn't last forever, and I suspect the amount of passive energy he just expelled managed to break the hold on our minds." Luna answered.
"Does that mean we're going to wake up?" Cadence asked. "It's a shame, it was so fun in here."
"Perhaps we shall add this to our secret society, a way to relax and have fun when options in the waking world have been exhausted?" Luna suggested, getting her mother's attention.
"Oooh, a secret society? Pray tell, who came to the idea of such a thing?" Faust asked.
"Night Fury did. We came to a unanimous decision along with me, Luna, Cadence, and Fury's mother to form this society. We made it as a way to let out our inner silliness and to lay back once in a while. We have been forever grateful that he came up with the idea as it has actively made our lives less dull." Celestia explained.
The world was starting to whiten now.
"I am glad to see you all come up with such an imaginative idea." Faust said. "I am proud of all you troublemakers." She said with a smile. "Well, I guess it's time to go back to the real world."
Everything glowed a bright white then pure black.
-
Luna opened her eyes and let out a yawn, the sleeping spell finally wearing off. Her fellow followed suit as they all returned to the waking world. But as somewhat expected, Fury resisted the spell's effects and continued to snooze. Although, now he was glowing the same colors as he was in his dreamscape as he slept.
"He still has those colors." Celestia remarked. "So it didn't just happen in the dream world?"
"He must have mustered up so much energy that the effects happened out here." Cadence commented. "But, if that's the case… then do you think he broke past his limits in the real world as well?"
"When one dreams, it often has effects in the real world too." Luna said. "I have had many powers starting out from simply a slumber."
"Amazing!" Cadence admitted. She then looked at the snoozing feline. "Aww, look at how cute he looks. He's so adorable!"
"Indeed. My lightning bug is very adorable. It is for me, his greatest skill." Luna gave him a kiss on the head, prompting him to roll over onto his back and expose his underside.
"I think I know what this calls for." Celestia said.
"Is it… a belly rub?" Faust asked.
"Are you sure we should disturb him? He seems to be snoozing well." Cadence said.
"Aww, have you lost your appetite for mischief? Now that's a shame." Luna said sarcastically.
"It's just… after a whole bunch of activity in that sleep I don't know if I would want to disturb it. And anyways, what if he goes bonkers on me?" Cadence said.
"Cadence, my grand niece, you think too hard. Sometimes you must simply go with it. Especially when you see an unrubbed belly. Whenever you see a cat's belly exposed, you must fulfill the deed!" Faust wisely instructed Cadence. "Unless you are a chicken."
"Um, excuse you? No great aunt of mine calls me chicken!" Cadence said, moving over to Night Fury. She looked at him with almost child-like curiosity, wondering how he'd react. Then she raised her hoof up to his belly and began to rub. Fury hummed quietly as she made contact, his ears seemingly dancing on his head in sleepy delight.
"Oh yeah. Yeah! Yeah, that's the spot! I like that!" Fury said in sleep.
All of the princesses chuckled at this. Fury was, despite being a fierce predator, he was still like any feline. Loving his belly to be scratched.
"He's so adorable. I could just nuzzle and snuggle him!" Cadence said.
"Well, why not? You're already treating him like a giant pet, why not give him more love? That is what you're known for." Celestia spoke.
Cadence's heart gained resolve and determination.
"Very well! I shall do so! Behold the petting prowess of the princess of love!" Cadence said. She then got low and laid back down next to him, wrapping her hooves around him and nuzzling his snout. Fury began to purr like usual, vibrating as he curled up with her.
"Awww, you two look so cute together! How about I get a turn? I want to get to know my son-in-law." Lauren said with a motherly voice.
Cadence nodded. "Go for it."
Faust was ready. She looked with eagerness. She gave him a belly rub and caressed his forehead. And even booped his snout. Just like she would with a pet.
"I see why you love him so much, Luna. He is fierce and cute all at the same time. I look forward to embracing him within our family." Faust said, wrapping him under her wing. Luna was happy her mother approved of her lover, she truly felt as if he was a part of who she was and what she wanted.
"I'm glad you see him the way I do, mother. He has given me much hope in my future and I don't intend on letting him get away from me." Luna said. Just then, Fury began to wake up and let out a yawn, surprising Lauren with his rather large gape and sharp teeth.
"Wow, he has some big teeth. I've never seen such a terrifying amount of chompers ever." Faust said with surprise.
"Heh, just one of the perks of being me. You can surprise even the biggest creatures with just a smile." Fury said simply. "I had a good rest. It felt like someone was massaging me. And wait… why are you guys so close, hmmm? Hoping to use me as a pillow eh?" Fury said, chuckling.
"As much as that would be enticing, no. We're just happy you're back to normal. You're back to laughing like you used to."
Even Fury didn't notice at first. But he had to admit he felt much less stressed than he did these past days.
"Yeah I guess so. I do feel better! And I have you ladies to thank for that." Fury said. "And um… I'm sorry if I blew up at you guys. I didn't realize how far I was going. I never wanted to hurt you all."
"Hey, no more feeling negative! You are to be happy and joyful in our presence!" Luna said, grabbing his face and coming nose to nose with him.
"How can I be negative when I have my ray of moonlight right in front of me." Fury said as he went in to give her a peck.
Luna went further and made it into a full blown kiss. They held the kiss for several seconds, completely ignoring who was around them as they passionately made out. Once they separated and had a little giggle, Fury looked at Lauren and began to panic. Did he really just make out in front of Luna's mother with no remorse!?
"Uh, well- uh… Sorry, ma'am. I might have been a little too forward there. I-I was just a bit caught up in the heat of the uh… moment." Fury said embarrassed. Lauren stayed quiet for the moment and began to move towards him, Fury backing up in fear until he was pinned against Celestia's side and unknowingly holding her for support as if she would save her.
"Young speed shifter, I see you have taken an interest in my daughter very much. Do you treat her like a princess?" Faust asked.
"Y-yes!" He squeaked.
"Do you love her with every fiber of your being, Fury?"
"Yes…" He replied, starting to get quiet.
"You have shown me that your love for her shows no bounds, no matter who sees you. Including me. Now, I must ask you the age-old question… What are your intentions with my daughter?" Faust asked.
Fury froze up, almost shivering in fear at what he thought would be the end of his life. He got so scared that he let out a high pitched squeak and transformed into a hedgehog, curling up into a ball and sharpening his spikes with a slight…
Shing!
"Well? Are you going to just stand there, all rolled up or will you answer my question?" Faust asked.
Fury was still scared and didn't say anything. Faust now realized that she may not have made it clear that she was just messing with him.
"Oh dear, have I gone too far? I was just messing with him." She said, looking at the shivering spike ball.
"You may have been joking, mother, but you do tend to have a certain amount of smoldering intensity when speaking. Even if it was a joke, he didn't see it that way. He is still rather new to having a relationship after all." Celestia said, stroking the shaking ball of spines with a golden clad hoof in an effort to calm his nerves.
Faust softened a bit and caressed the hedgehog lightly. "Fury, I didn't mean to scare you. I already knew you were worthy of my daughter's love. I trust you like no one else. And I won't vaporize you just for kissing your girlfriend. What kind of mother would I be then?" Faust said. "So how about you transform back, my future son in law?"
Fury was still shaking. All balled up. But over time he opened up. And then he transformed back to normal.
"That's more like it!" Faust said. "Now, let me see you smile."
Fury slowly smiled with his teeth exposed. It was a bit awkward.
"Hmmm… more of an awkward grin than a smile. Let's see if we can change that."
Lauren then scooped Fury up and held him in her forelegs, resting her head on top of his. Fury looked up at her and wore a confused look for a few seconds before relaxing into the hold and smiled fully.
"There we go, feeling better?" She asked.
"Yeah, much better." Fury hummed. "But wait, we still have to deal with Pyro Flare and Tirek, they said they'd be back. What should we do about that?"
The princesses all took a moment to think about the situation. They knew that the two would return more powerful to combat them and to attempt to take over Equestria once more, they had to do something about it. Then, Lauren spoke up.
"We will deal with them when the time comes. They may still be a threat, but they have been dealt with for now. They may return tomorrow or a few months from now, but we now have time to plan and revise our strategy." Lauren explained, getting approval from the surrounding area.
"Mother is right, we have the time to get together and think of how to defend ourselves against them once they return. We must take advantage of the time we have bought for ourselves." Luna said.
"Auntie Luna is right, we can put our heads together and think of a way to deal with them for good. But, the only way we can do that is if everypony is in the right state of mind. And in my honest opinion, Fury needs to relax and re-center himself." Cadence said.
Fury was almost taken aback at the suggestion of not immediately going back to working on defending Equestria, but Celestia spoke up before he could share his objections.
"I agree with Cadence, you need to decompress from all of that stress you have bottled up so you can function efficiently. It's no use trying to think of a plan when you can't focus on what you need to." Celestia suggested. Fury wanted to object and say he was okay, but she made a fair point. He was still in a bit of stress from having to go up against Tirek and Pyro Flare, he did need to decompress and relieve his stress.
"Yeah, you're right. I am still a little scattered from the fight and my inner demon coming out. I really need to relax." Fury admitted. The princesses were glad he was able to identify his faults and accept them.
"Good, you see that you have to reorientate your train of thought before we do anything. And I have just the thing." Celestia spoke as she gave a motherly smile and led the group to another part of the castle to help Fury destress.