Chapter 4: The Aura
Quinn Park, Canterlot, Equestria, Gaia, Summer, 987 C.E.
The Doctor and Twilight emerged from an alleyway and climbed over a relatively small fence. The park was quiet except for a series of distant screams.
"Something's definitely not right," said Twilight. The Doctor nodded and they cautiously ran in the direction of the screams. They ducked behind a nearby bush and peered through the leaves to see three figures standing in the distance. The Doctor and Twilight instantly identified one of the figures as Chrysalis. The identities of the other two ponies came as a shock to the Doctor and Twilight. "That's...that's me!"
"And your brother," the Doctor said.
"This isn't good!"
They watched as Chrysalis grabbed a hold of Shining's tail and lifted him off of the ground. A weird light began emanating from Shining and began going into Chrysalis.
"What...what is she doing to my brother?!" Twilight asked anxiously.
"She appears to be absorbing a type of energy produced from his body. My guess is that the outcome of this little process is not going to be good for young Shining Armor," said the Doctor.
"No! I'll stop her!"
Before Twilight could attack Chrysalis, however, a pinkish blur flew past the bush and smashed into Chrysalis's back.
Eastern Exterior of Quinn Park, Canterlot, Equestria, Gaia, Summer, 987 C.E.
Opal edged her way alongside the fence as she peered into the trees of the park. Strange, she thought. It was only just past noon and yet the interior of the park looked so dark that one could almost assume that it was nighttime. Opal quickly jumped over the fence and ducked down into a cluster of bushes. She crawled along the ground in silence until she heard a series of voices several feet away from her. She stopped and tried to listen. The voices were muffled due to the leaves around her but it didn't take long for her to realize that there were three ponies, and one of them was definitely bad news.
The voices soon turned into screams and the three ponies began moving away from Opal's location at a brisk pace. Opal stood up and ran after the ponies. They were a fair distance ahead of her but she was able to run fast enough to keep them within her eyesight. Opal ducked behind another bush and watched as the largest pony took hold of the young male pony. Soon a mysterious light began traveling from the young pony and into the older mare.
"Oh no!" Opal breathed. "I have to do something...but what?!" It was at this moment that she noticed something out of the corner of her eye. Hiding within a bush a couple yards away were two ponies. One was a stallion in a blue suit and the other was a yellow unicorn mare. "I wonder who they are." Opal's eyes were then drawn to something running down the pathway. Opal gulped in fright as she realized that this something was the alicorn filly named Cadance. "Oh no! She must have followed me! How could I have not noticed?!"
Cadance jumped into the air and took off. Her wings pushed her through the air and towards the cloaked mare and the helpless colt. Cadance smashed into the mare's back and the colt fell to the ground. A white stream of light shot out of the mare and was absorbed back into the colt's body. It was at this moment that the suited stallion and the yellow mare emerged from the bush.
Western Exit of Quinn Park, Canterlot, Equestria, Gaia, Summer, 987 C.E.
The Doctor and Twilight quickly emerged from their hiding spot and raced towards Chrysalis, Shining Armor, Twilight the younger, and the eight-year-old Cadance.
"Shining Armor!" cried Twilight the younger as she knelt next to the unconscious body of her older brother. Chrysalis turned back and faced Cadance.
"You'll pay for this!" Chrysalis snapped as a blast of dark magic shot out of her horn.
"Not so fast!" yelled Twilight the elder as she created a magical barrier around Cadance. Chrysalis turned to face the Doctor and Twilight.
"Impossible!"
"Actually it's quite possible. Magical force fields can be quite handy at times," said the Doctor with a smirk.
"No matter. You are nothing for me to worry about."
Twilight the elder used her force field to pull Cadance away from Chrysalis.
"Who are you?" Cadance asked.
"Just a couple of friends," replied Twilight the elder. The unicorn stood her ground and aimed her horn at Chrysalis. "No games! Just kindly step away from those two and things won't have to get any messier than they already are!"
Chrysalis merely laughed and, with a quick movement, grabbed Twilight the younger and held her in a tight headlock.
"Aim your horn somewhere else or I snap this filly's neck like a twig," she said darkly.
"You wouldn't!"
"I would. I'd kill a hundred stupid fillies to get what I want!"
"And what exactly do you want?" asked the Doctor.
"Shining Armor."
"Why? What could a young colt have that you would go to such lengths to retrieve?"
"He has the Aura."
"The Aura? May I ask what that is?"
"Come now. Everypony has an aura. It's their basic life-providing energies. Separating a living creature from their aura has...negative effects on said being."
"I'm guessing that death is the outcome."
"Correct. However, most creatures don't have to worry about getting separated from their auras. Living beings can only be separated from their auras by death or the use of an extremely powerful magical process performed by another living being."
"Let me guess. You know how to perform this magical process."
"Correct again."
"What's so special about Shining Armor's aura? What makes it so powerful?"
"It's the perfect aura for me."
"Excuse me?"
"I met a mare a little while ago who had the ability to see things that most ponies can't. She could see connections. You see, I've be absorbing auras for a long time...but none of them have been able to provide me with the unlimited power I seek. This mare, Sirena, provided me with the identity of the pony who has the Aura. The aura that is perfect for me to absorb and gain my prized unlimited power."
"I'm sorry. But I can't let you do this to that colt. If you want his aura. You're going to have to get through me and my assistant."
"Sir, you are in no position to threaten me. In case you've forgotten, I've got this little filly in the perfect neck-snapping position. If I were you, I would just step back and let the process unfold. That is unless you want the death of this filly on your shoulders."
"Doctor! What are we going to do?!" Twilight the elder whispered. The Doctor looked back at Twilight the elder and then looked at Twilight the younger.
"Please don't let her hurt my brother!" pleaded Twilight the younger as tears began streaming down her cheeks.
"So, sir, what's it going to be? The life of Shining Armor or the life of Twilight Sparkle. You choose," Chrysalis teased. The world seemed to fall silent. All the Doctor could hear were the steady breaths emanating from his mouth. A bead of sweat strolled down his face and fell to the grassy ground beneath him.
Suddenly, something flew out of the bushes and crashed into Chrysalis. Twilight the younger flew into the air and the Doctor caught her. He then looked over to see that a mysterious yellow mare had lunged at Chrysalis.
"Who are you?" the Doctor asked. The mare turned to face the Doctor as she pushed Chrysalis away.
"My name's Opal. Don't worry about me! Get Shining Armor and get out of here! I'll hold her off!" she said. The Doctor nodded, placed Twilight the younger down, and slung the unconscious Shining Armor over his back.
"Where are we going to go?" asked Twilight the younger as she approached her older self.
"The Princess. She'll take care of Chrysalis," Twilight the elder replied. The Doctor nodded and Twilight the elder's horn began to glow as Twilight the younger and Cadance held onto her. The Doctor approached her with Shining Armor on his back.
"No you don't!" snapped Chrysalis as she ran past Opal and towards the Doctor and Shining Armor.
"NO!" cried Opal as she chased after the cloaked villain. Chrysalis horn glowed bright green as she latched onto the Doctor's back. Opal then took a hold of Chrysalis's cloak. Then...they were gone.
"Oh no!" cried the two Twilights as they stared at the spot where the Doctor, Chrysalis, Shining Armor, and Opal had previously been.