//------------------------------// // Chapter 14: The Crystal Theft // Story: Master of Dimensions, Pleaser of Crowds. // by Dimentio //------------------------------// Chapter 14: The Crystal Theft John and the six Elements (headed by a furious Twilight) boarded the train to the Crystal Empire. After a silent ride, the group arrived at the nearest train station to the great place. “I wonder if we will become Crystalline again... Oh, I do hope so.” Rarity said dreamily, her eyes sparkling as the group departed and began their trek to the Crystal Empire. “Rarity, we have more important business to attend to!” Twilight said, frustrated with her friend’s flighty nature.         “Yes, yes I know. I just thought we needed something positive to lighten the atmosphere.” Rarity said thoughtfully.         “Look, I’m sorry...I just need to make sure Cadence is alright.” Twilight said with a sigh, regretting her earlier tone.         “Well, let’s get up there and show that freak Dimentio what’s what!” Rainbow Dash cut in as she took flight and jabbed the air a few times with her forehooves, her eyes aflame with excitement.         “Usually I wouldn’t be so confident about this kind of thing, but I’m with RD!” John said with a smirk. Rainbow’s enthusiasm made their task seem possible, if not a bit easy.         “I...I think I’ll just stay here...if that’s alright.” Fluttershy said, trembling, bowing her head in a desperate attempt to hide herself.         “Aw, C’mon Flutters. I’m sure it’ll be fine.” Rainbow said as she landed beside her nervous friend and placed a comforting hoof on her shoulder.         “Are you sure?” The timid pony said as she looked up slightly. Rainbow responded with a slight nudge and confident smile. Fluttershy picked up the pace slightly and smiled weakly, but was still visibly frightened.         “And when we win, I can throw a big party!” Pinkie said as she sprung up into the air, followed by confetti, a big goofy grin on her face.         The group suddenly grew quiet when they saw the smoking tower at the center of the Crystal Empire. Chunks of the spire fell off as bright flashes were seen coming from the exposed area inside of it, the walls shaking as the battle inside continued.         “No...”Twilight muttered when she saw the crumbling tower.         “We’re not too late, c’mon!” John said as he broke into a sprint. Dimentio laughed as the panicking pink alicorn faded from view. As he took the Crystal Heart and began to float out, the doors to the throne room swung open, revealing five ponies and a human. “Oh, it’s just you.” Dimentio said, his tone heavy with mock disappointment. “Wait a moment... John, is that you? I thought your game had ended.” the jester said curiously. “No, it’s the other human in the world full of ponies. Who the hell else could I be?” John asked, his voice burning with anger. “So hostile. May I ask why?” Dimentio teased his tone quickly changing to a smug attitude. “Where’s Cadence?” Twilight asked through gritted teeth, she glared menacingly at Dimentio. “You just missed her, but I’ll be sure to tell her you dropped by.” Dimentio chuckled. "I really should be leaving though, my companion has been waiting in the cold snow for so long." “Not this time!” John yelled as he lunged at Dimentio. The jester stopped and looked at the determined human. Seemingly not expecting the attack. The pair tussled for a moment on the ground before Dimentio managed to wriggle free of the human's grasp. John quickly recovered and delivered a quick punch to Dimentio's face stunning him momentarily. “Yeah! C'mon girls, let's get him!” Rainbow Dash yelled as she attempted to tackle Dimentio from above. The rest of the elements sprang into action in an attempt to help John and Rainbow Dash. Within seconds the group seemingly subdued the jester. Dimentio even seemed to give up as all of them pummeled him. "Well, this is disappointing." Came a sarcastic voice from nearby. "You're kidding." John said as the fake Dimentio they had been beating up faded from existence. "Oh on the contrary, I am always deadly serious." Dimentio said as he watched his illusory double disappear. "John, your attacks are sluggish at best, and your friends?" Dimentio said as he scanned the terrified looking ponies. "A coward, a roughneck, a fool, a simpleton, and one too focused on fashion to be of any use." Dimentio continued as he demoralized the ponies one by one. "You forgot about me." Twilight said through gritted teeth. "Are you so sure? I believe you can fall under a few of those categories." Dimentio said in mock contemplation."Perhaps you feel so above your friends that you don't believe that you could be insulted in such ways." "Agh!" Twilight yelled as she fired several blasts of magic at the magician who casually teleported. "Awe, did I hurt the pony's feelings? Or did I just confirm your fears?" Dimentio whispered into Twilight's ear as he appeared right beside her. Before she could respond, he snapped his fingers causing a purple blast of his own to throw her across the already damaged floor. Twilight quickly attempted to get back up only to be hit again by a similar attack. The purple pony almost couldn't stand to see the now seared flesh on her side where both attacks had hit, but she ignored the intense pain and stood back on her hooves. "You son of a-"John said as he charged only to be trapped in a strange box that seemed to be drawn around him. "No..." Was all John could say before a deafening explosion shattering the box cut him off. "No!" All of the ponies yelled as they stared at the settling dust that had once been the human. "Why would you...How could you!?" Was all Twilight could manage between her physical and mental anguish. "C'mon Gals, we won't let him get away!" Applejack said attempting to keep the others focused in the given situation, not even noticing that Dimentio himself was distracted. "Nothing." Was all Dimentio said as he stared at the space that he had just blown up. "Interesting." "What are you on about now?" Rainbow Dash said angrily as she tried to recover from the shock of seeing her new friend decimated. "Oh, you're all still here...You ponies aren't too bright are you?" Dimentio asked without so much as glancing at the group. "Don't think we're done for just yet!" Twilight said rallying the others into a charge. “Simply pathetic.” Dimentio sighed as he teleported a few feet away causing the ponies that were attempting to attack him to harmlessly fly past. “What the-?” Dimentio looked down to see that a badly burned John was hanging onto his feet. “That’s odd.” Dimentio said and teleported again, this time outside in the harsh cold. “I don’t know how you’re alive...let alone how you seem to be able to keep holding on to me through my teleporting but...” Dimentio began as he blasted John with a purple sphere of magic, forcing him to let go. “You’re still just a human.” He said as he laughed at the human’s tumbling towards the unforgiving ground. “John!” Twilight and Rainbow Dash yelled as they recovered and took flight in an attempt to save John. After seeing that the ponies would not be able to save the human in time, Dimentio resumed his laughter. “Ciao, little ponies.” Dimentio said as he floated away, Crystal Heart in tow. proofread by Nightingalehound and A Renegade Timelord edited by ChanglingLumin