//------------------------------//
// Misty's Lament 
// Story: I Dream of a Genie with a Light Brown Mane 
// by Metool Bard 
//------------------------------//


Chapter 9:
Misty's Lament


"Sorry, kiddo.  It's nothing personal," said Misty, picking up the lamp. "I didn't really have a choice."

"Now wait just a cotton pickin' minute!" barked Applejack as she and everyone else got to their feet. "What the hay is this all about?"

"Yeah!  And what did you do to Twilight?" snarled Rainbow Dash, getting in the genie's face.

"Me?  I didn't do anything," said Misty with a shrug.

"Don't give me that," Rainbow Dash growled. "You tossed that lamp to her on purpose!  You knew it would suck her up!"

"Look, this was the only way for me to get my freedom," Misty said sharply. "I don't expect any of you to understand."

"Well, of course we don't understand," said Pinkie Pie. "You were so nice before.  We thought you were Twilight's friend."

Misty scoffed. "Her friend?  Her friend?  Perhaps you didn't get the memo, but I am a genie.  I don't have friends.  All I have are masters and mistresses.  That's it."

"But Twilight treated you with respect and dignity," said Rarity. "Perhaps one of those uncouth ruffians who were your masters before deserved this fate, but not her!"

"You think I don't know that?!" Misty snapped, tears in her eyes. "You have no idea what a pain in the flank this entire ordeal has been!  It would've been so much easier if she was just another jerk!  It would've been so much easier if you ponies didn't pay me any mind at all!  But no.  You had to be nice to me.  You had to trust me.  You had to joke with me, share with me, stand with me, and for what?!  Just so I could break all of your hearts at the end."

She sighed. "Well, guess what, girls?  Time heals all wounds.  Twilight Sparkle is mine, and there's nothing any of you can do about it."

"Wanna bet?" said Rainbow Dash, pounding her hooves together and cracking her neck.

"Twilight might not be your friend, but she's still our friend," said Fluttershy sternly. "And we're not going to let you take her away."

A chorus of agreement came from the other ponies, ending with a deep-throated snarl from Spike.

Misty chuckled sadly. "You really don't get it, do you?  You have no idea what forces you're fighting against, how hopeless your situation is.  Well, fine.  If that's the way you want to play, then I'll just have to teach you all a lesson."

"You're the one who needs to be taught a lesson, you meanie-genie!" proclaimed Pinkie, charging for the genie. "Now give Twilight back this instant!"

Misty sighed, and gestured with her hoof.  Just as Pinkie was about to tackle her, she disappeared in a puff of steam.  Pinkie fell headlong, bouncing across the ground several times.  When she recovered, her eyes widened as she saw several Mistys floating in front of her.

"Make me," said all of the genies in unison. "Or rather, find me."

"Heh!  No problem!" said Rainbow Dash.  With that, the cyan pegasus swooped down, flying through each djinn one at a time.  One by one, they disappeared into puffs of steam.

"Let's see.  Nope.  Nope.  Nope," Rainbow mused as she punched through illusion after illusion.  Finally, there was only one left. "Ah-ha!  There you..."

Poof!  The last Misty disappeared in another puff of steam.

"...are?  Yeow!"

To her utter amazement, Rainbow found herself flying straight into Pinkie Pie.  Before she could adjust her trajectory, she crashed into the pink mare, sending the two ponies into a tumble.

"She's getting away!" Spike called out, pointing to Misty as she flew away with the lamp.

"Oh, no she ain't!" said Applejack, taking out a lasso and spinning it over her head with her tail. "Let's go, Rarity!  Put 'em up!"

Rarity nodded, and galloped after Misty.  The two were soon neck-and-neck, while Applejack followed from behind.  Misty rolled her eyes.

"You all should just quit right now," she said, raising her voice over the thundering of hooves.

"Not a chance!" Rarity barked back, using her magic to try and wrench the lamp away from the genie. "This is what it means to fight for a friend!"

"I can see that," Misty grunted, pulling against Rarity's magic. "And I'm touched, really.  But this is not a fight you can win!" 

Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Applejack tossing her lariat and smirked. "Case in point."

There was another burst of steam.  When it dissipated, Rarity had switched places with Misty, and Applejack snagged the white unicorn with the lasso instead of the genie.

"Rarity!" Applejack exclaimed, shocked at the misfire.  Quickly, she galloped to her friend's side. "I am so, so sorry, sugarcube.  You alright?"

"Just, give me a minute," Rarity growled, none too pleased with her predicament.

"Well, you girls look like you're a bit tied up at the moment," said Misty. "I'd better take my leave."

"You're not going anywhere, missy."

Fluttershy flew right in front of Misty, not looking the least bit happy.  Spike sat on her back, equally displeased.

"We're not going to give up," the baby dragon said with a snort, determination in his voice. "Not now, not ever.  Twilight is more than a friend to me.  She's my family.  And if you think for one minute that you can just hurt her and I'll let you get away with it, you've got another think coming."

Misty sighed, rubbing the bridge of her nose with her hoof. "Do you realize who you're talking to right now?  I told you, there's nothing any of you can do to get Twilight back, and I meant it."

"This is your last warning, missy," said Fluttershy coldly. "You let Twilight go, or I'll give you the Stare."

Misty raised an eyebrow. "Really?  You're going to stare at me?  That's the best you can come up with?"

"Now you're in for it," said Spike, folding his arms.

Fluttershy scowled, her teal eyes growing wide and intense.  The effect was immediate as Misty felt herself drawn in.

"Wh-what are you doing?" she asked, beginning to shake like a leaf. "S-stop it!"

"Not until you give Twilight back," said Spike.

"I-I can't!" Misty stammered, trying to avert her eyes. "S-stop!  You're hurting me!"

"I'm sorry, but no one gets away with hurting my friends.  Especially not you," Fluttershy said flatly, maintaining her stare.

Finally, Misty couldn't stand it anymore. "S-stop it!  That's enough!  I said STOP!"

She turned away and gestured with her hoof, creating a brilliant flash.

"Ah!  My eyes!" Fluttershy screamed, clamping her eyes shut with her hooves as she fell to the ground.  Misty took a second to recover her breath, and looked over the ponies.

"Let this be a warning to you all," she said darkly. "I don't want to catch any of you following me, or so help me, I'll make you regret it ten times over."

With that, she disappeared in a puff of steam, taking Twilight with her.

"Aw, shoot!" Applejack spat, throwing her hat to the ground in frustration. "Now what do we do?"

"You okay, Fluttershy?" Rainbow asked, flying to the yellow mare's side.

"Owie," Fluttershy moaned, rubbing her eyes. "Th-that was a dirty trick."

"I still don't get it," said Spike, clutching his head. "Why did she do all this?  Why does she need Twilight?"

"Hoo.  Hoo."

"Misty.  Who do you think I'm...?  Oh."

As the ponies recovered and licked their wounds, Owlowiscious flew in.

"Owlowiscious?  What are you doing here?" asked Rarity, removing the lariat from her muzzle.

Owlowiscious hooted a few times.  Fluttershy sat up, and listened intently.

"What?  You're serious?"

Owlowiscious nodded and hung his head.

"What?  What is it?" asked Spike.

"He says that Misty might've been the one who summoned the Ursa Major in order to get Twilight to use her last wish," said Fluttershy.

There was a collective gasp.

"Now, why in tarnation would she want to do that?" asked Applejack.

Owlowiscious hooted a few more times.

"He says he's not sure, but he saw her debating with herself earlier tonight," Fluttershy translated. "Something about not being able to grant Twilight's real final wish."

"Oh, right!" said Spike. "She told me this afternoon that she was going to wish for Misty's freedom because she felt sorry for her."

"Whoa, whoa.  Time out," said Rainbow Dash, gesturing with her hooves. "If Twilight was going to wish for Misty's freedom, why did she have to summon the Ursa Major and make her not wish for that?  It just doesn't make sense."

"I do believe you're right, Rainbow Dash," Rarity mused. "Something is not adding up."

Owlowiscious hooted again.

"He says we might be missing something," said Fluttershy.

"Well, whatever it is, Twilight's still in danger," said Applejack. "We gotta find a way to save her."

"But which way did they go, AJ?  Which way did they go?" asked Pinkie, looking around every which way.

Owlowiscious hooted, and began to fly off towards the library.

"Owlowiscious says he might have a way to find out back at the library," said Fluttershy.

"Augh.  Are we going to have to rummage through books again?" Rainbow Dash griped. "I'm so sick of doing that."

"Suck it up, Rainbow.  Twilight's well-bein' is at stake here," said Applejack. "Now c'mon, everypony.  Time's a-wastin'."

No one needed to be told twice.  The five ponies and the baby dragon dashed off, following Owlowiscious back to the library.