//------------------------------// // Act Thirteen: What's Right is Wrong // Story: Friendship is Failure #27- Love is a Danger Zone // by DakariKingMykan //------------------------------// ACT THIRTEEN Cadance’s body lay unconscious, pale, and frail, having been hit the worst of any of Danger Zone’s victims, while great and powerful evil being continued to laugh at beginning of his triumph. “Finally, all Love will be erased, and everyone will understand what it’s like to be like me-- dark, cold, and frightening.” He stopped and them glared down at the ponies, “But first… I’m going to rid of you pests once and for all, and you’ll never interfere in my plans again!” He raised his huge claws up in the air, powering up by casting dark energy up high like lightning, darkening the skies, and Danger Zone himself was pulsating with power. “What can we do?!” wailed Pinkie. “I don’t think we can do much… not against that much power!” cried Applejack. Even Twilight and the royal sisters felt that all their powers combined would likely not be enough to stop the great force coming their way. “We’ve got to try!” said Twilight. “Everyone, put all the strength you can into the elements.” Everyone did just that, until the elements were glowing brightly. “You think I’m scared of those toys?” bellowed Danger Zone. “Farewell!!” He unleashed an incredible huge burst of dark power straight at the group. “NOW!!” shouted Twilight, and she and her friends combined the elements together to produce a powerful wall of sparkling light in front of them, which the sisters and Shining Armor helped reinforce with their own magic. The darkness smashed against the wall which proved to be quite strong. “It’s working!” shouted Rainbow. “But not for long!” cried Luna “Look!” As Danger Zone continued to pour on the power, the magic wall began to weaken and fade. “We need more power!” cried Celestia. Twilight hadn’t the slightest idea of where to get any. “Twilight!” called a voice. “Spike?” She turned her head and saw him waving at her from nearby and he called to her, “…Use the amulets!” “The amulets?” Twilight realized, in all the stress and excitement, she had completely forgotten about the heart-shaped amulets, which everyone still had on them. “Alright! Come on…!” Twilight said. Her friends agreed, and all six ponies focused hard, causing the hearts to glow and channel more power into the wall. “What’s this?!” shouted Danger Zone as he noticed the wall getting brighter and stronger, and repelled his blast, sending it up through the darkness where it exploded harmlessly in the sky. “Wow!!” exclaimed Spike as he remained out of sight. The barrier was gone after that, and the ponies were feeling beat! Some had fallen over off their hooves from using so much power like that, and they didn’t think they had enough to do it again. Rather than be outraged, Danger Zone snickered, “You never cease to surprise me, all of you-- putting all this faith of yours into all this foolish Love and Friendship.” “They aren’t foolish!” balked Twilight. “And deep down you know this-- the real you!” Danger Zone shook his head in disappointment. “Still on that kick? When are you going to realize that I AM the real me, and the one you want me to be is gone! But if you won’t listen to my words, then fine… perhaps you’ll listen to my might! Unlike you wimps I have plenty of power left in me, and it’s all coming… for you!!” He began to charge up again for another strike. “Let’s combine our powers again!” hollered Pinkie. “It won’t be enough. We wasted too much energy!” replied Twilight. Just when it looked as if things were about to come crashing down, Danger Zone gasped, and he froze in midair unable to unleash his attack. “What now?!” he groaned as he felt strange inside. “What’s happening to me?” The ponies gawked up at him wondering what was going on too, but it was Spike who had had the only inkling. Deep within Danger Zone’s monstrous body-- within his subconscious-- Strings floated in a seemingly endless, stark dark realm of blackness and despair like a prisoner. His spirit and his good nature had been badly weakened by the evil that had him, as well as his years of depression and despair, and he couldn’t seem to muster up any strength or power to hold him at bay… …Until a soft light shone ahead of him. “What’s that?” he wondered. The light grew brighter, and closer, and there, right in the center of it was Cadance, in a sparkling ethereal form. “Strings,” she said softly to him. “Don’t be fooled, I’m not here. It’s just the magic of my love aura and my life force. I’m here to help you.” Strings didn’t know what to say. He felt awful now that he knew Danger Zone had gotten her. Cadance approached him making him look up at her. “Strings, listen to me, I know how you feel… about me.” Strings felt struck to hear of this. “Strings, I’m sorry that you’re hurting. I’m sorry that I hurt you.” “You didn’t hurt me; I’ve been hurting myself wallowing in my despair over my feelings for you. I couldn’t let go, but I didn’t want to put you through any of this.” Cadance refused to accept his words, still willing to take the blame herself. “It was my fault this is happening anyway. You managed to keep the evil under control. You kept it detained, but thanks to me and Twilight… it was unleashed. I now need you to help me and my friends to vanquish it once and for all.” Strings tearfully looked up, “How? How?!” he wailed. “I can’t fight it! I can’t stop hurting! I’m too weak to fight the evil off now. I’ve caused you all the pain and suffering I never wanted to!” He bowed his head letting his tears cascade down his face. “I’m sorry! I’m so sorry, Cadance!” Though she was only a spirit, Cadance felt her heart breaking for him, and even worse that she was the main cause of it. She moved in closer, and tilted his head up, her face was now very close to his. “I can’t give you the love you want, Strings, but I can give you what you need to help us all, and you do deserve just a little of this.” “What are you doing?” he asked, and next thing he knew, she had placed her lips over his. Strings was totally frozen with shock beyond words. Her lips felt so real… soft… cool and moist. This was so wrong to him! She was his dream pony, but she was happily married to another. It just felt so wrong to him, and yet… Something strange happened to him. He didn’t close his eyes or kiss her back… but he still felt something he hadn’t in so many years-- warmth, passion, lightness flowing through him. Cadance broke off him, and saw his body was glowing in the same color as her magical aura. She then proceeded behind him and wrapped her limbs around him. Then she just relaxed letting the magic radiate from her and from Strings. Strings was so frozen in this warmth and shock, that his inner voice actually broke out into a dark and haunting song. Ailing from the pains of loneliness Seeing all the pieces of his heart Know the light is gone from the inside, inside! It is just a big lost cause, there’s no way out again Through good times or through bad, it’s heartbreaking no mistaking What lies ahead? There is only one answer, Makes him realize, he’s died! Danger Zone growled and wailed as the power of Cadance began to weaken his strength from within, causing him to reduce in size a little. “I will not let this happen!” Danger Zone bellowed while struggling to regain control. “Twilight…!” Spike called out. “Now’s your chance. He’s losing strength! Get him now while you can!” Twilight agreed. “Let’s go!” Her friends followed her straight into battle, while Shining Armor excused himself, rushing over to the other side of the field and levitating his unconscious wife onto his back, and he brought her over to where Spike was. While the battle waged on… Fighting the feelings within “I won’t let you rule me,” he thinks, blinded by his hope Alas he knows the darkness is climbing high. Where’s the way out of this nightmare, he can’t find anywhere Death has come for you, it’s heartbreaking no mistaking Love will not win, it’s hate that has the power Makes him realize, he’s died! Danger Zone unleashed a barrage of dark lightning bolts, which the ponies dodged by cantering and flying off in different directions. “Take this!” shouted Twilight, and she fired a magical shot from her horn. Danger Zone batted it away-- he was still strong and large enough, and he dove straight at the little princess, only to run straight into the royal sisters who swiftly lifted her out of the way. “Conserve as much power you have.” hollered Celestia. The team acknowledged. You shall not open up the way (It’s no use, It’s no use, It’s no use) The Darkness has risen, and he has no will anymore Try to fight it off but fails (It’s no use, It’s no use, It’s no use) See now what has become of him. Darkness! “Coming at ya!” Rainbow shouted as she came soaring in fast to head-bash him, but Danger Zone swerved, and in the motion, he swatted her hard with his monster tail, sending her soaring across the field. Applejack lassoed his tail. “Not this time!” he sneered, and he gave his tail a huge swish, pulling on the rope and sent Applejack catapulting up and over, but Fluttershy caught her. “Thanks for the save.” Fluttershy smiled, but she quickly yelped, “Thank me later!” as she was forced to dodge Danger Zone’s magic blast. Falling straight down the hole Blackness, pain, it’s all his role You can’t even try, “You know that your fate is sealed and tight…” “How dare you!” Rarity shouted, and she shot a few small blasts at the evil creature, which was no different than shooting small pellets against an oncoming train. “Uh, oh!” cried Rarity when she saw how angry Danger Zone was glaring at her. “Rarity!” cried Spike, and he wanted to rush in and help, but Shining Armor stopped him. “No, Spike! It’s too dangerous for you!” In the dusk of the nighttime, he hasn’t much of a chance Many, all will try, he won’t let you Look deep inside, and see of what is in sight The dream will not come true… Just as Danger Zone moved in closer to give Rarity a string smackdown, Pinkie dropped in from above. “Guess who?” and she covered the creature’s huge eyes with her hooves. “Get off, you miserable… runt…!” he bellowed, and he began go wild and crazy, trying to throw Pinkie off, but she managed to hang on tightly but fretfully. “Pinkie!!” shouted Twilight. You shall not open up the way (It’s no use, It’s no use, It’s no use) The Darkness has risen, and he has no will anymore Try to fight it off but fails (It’s no use, It’s no use, It’s no use) See now what has become of him. The song entered a long instrumental piece… Finally, Danger Zone charged up his aura furiously, blowing Pinkie clean off his face and sending her clear up into the sky. Rainbow swooped in and caught her. That’s when the two sisters came swooping in and cast magical streaming trails, which they used to wrap around Danger Zone in a tight bind, and then quickly proceeded to shock him with magical currents, making him roar and wail in pain. As the instrumental continued… Inside of Danger Zone, Cadance began to feel the darkness dissolving. “It’s working!” she said to herself. Strings did not hear her as he was lost in the darkness of the song. Cadance saw this as the chance to alert her friends outside. “I hope they get the message.” She concentrated hard, finally letting her aura shine brightly, radiating it from Strings-- using his feelings of her to strength the power. “ARGH!!” Danger Zone wailed as he felt his insides turning and weakening. “This can’t be happening!” His entire body was shrouded in the magical aura, which Twilight recognized at once. “…Cadance!” Her magic was now draining much of Danger Zone’s strength and reducing his size. Twilight took this as a sign and message. “This is our chance. Let’s do it!” Her friends agreed, and they all banded together with the royal sisters behind them for support. “Combine both the elements with the amulets.” suggested Celestia. Twilight agreed, and she and her friends powered up the relics with all they could, combining the white light of Friendship with the pink aura of Love. “NOOOOOOO!!!!” Danger Zone shouted. “FIRE!!” Twilight hollered, and POW!!! The most magical force was unleashed, with the sisters backing it up, and it collided into Danger Zone-- right at his heart! You shall not open up the way (It’s no use, It’s no use, It’s no use) The Darkness has risen, and he has no will anymore Try to fight it off but fails (It’s no use, It’s no use, It’s no use) See now what has become of poor him. Darkness! As Danger Zone wailed and roared, he felt the evil aura within him being vanquished, causing his evil form to dissolve into the lights… While inside, Cadance and Strings both felt themselves fading out from imprisonment. A massive wave of light erupted from the meadows, that could be seen for miles around. The light shot up into the sky and vanquished the darkness revealing the sun rising into the sky Spike and Shining Armor had hit the dirt, covering their eyes from the brightness, and waited until the light had gone out. “Is it safe to look now?” asked Spike. Shining Armor looked on, “Look! He cried. You shall not open up the way Two strong auras soared towards the ground. One of which flew towards Cadance, restoring her body to normal, and she awoke softly. “Cadance!” her husband cried. His wife smiled weakly at him, but then she and the boys were worried for the others. (It’s no use, It’s no use, It’s no use) Twilight and friends lay on the ground, exhausted from having used so much power. The heart amulets had been used up, and they reverted from crystal to paper-- useless. The Darkness has risen, and he has no will anymore Slowly everyone struggled to get back up. “Did we win?” asked Pinkie. “I hope so.” remarked Applejack. The second force of light hit the ground reverting back into Strings. He was old self again. “We did it!” cried Twilight. “The evil…! It’s all gone!” The team smiled with glee and triumph, which didn’t last… See now what has become of him. ...Strings keeled over and lay flat on the ground to the final chord of the music. He didn’t move, and he didn’t make a sound!