I feel it's necessary (once again) to explain my madness here. I know that this story is starting to take everything you knew in the first one and throw it out the window, but that is intentional. I haven't forgotten my lore, but I did add a few things in order to keep the story moving forward, otherwise I'd be writing the same story as the first one. All will be explained in time.
All will be explained by the end. Please be patient.
Chapter 9: Attack on Ponyville – Element's Fall
There it was, in the distance. In a former life, that house was her home. Looking at it now though, it changed. There were machines there now, and the house itself looked like it had expanded a bit. She wasn't sure she liked these changes.
She trotted through the fields, looking around at how different the trees were now. They looked sturdier, and their bark looked darker. She stopped and took a good look at the soil, noting how rich it looked. But she could feel it. Something was here that shouldn't have been here.
Magic.
Whoever the current generation was, they were now using magic to enhance the crops. Using her powers, psychokinesis as the Appriser called it, she pulled one of the apples off the tree and took a bite. It was so juicy, and oddly sweeter than what she was used to.
Disgusting...
"These fields are tainted..." she said, trembling in anger, "When Ah find the one who did this..."
She threw the remains of the apple aside, and started making her way to the house. She noticed that there were a few other small structures for housing animals around. Chickens, bunnies, raccoons, animals that wouldn't have been here before. What were they doing here now?
These fields had been hoof tended solely by Earth Pony families for generations. Whoever had taken control of the land here had ruined their legacy. She would make them pay, even if they were her descendant. If this was how they treated her land then they didn't deserve the land.
She looked in the distance and saw a larger building with magical energy pouring through it. Was that the generator? Well, that was good to know. She'd destroy that later, after she confronted the head of the family and got it back.
She walked over to the front door of the house and searched around for the spare key. Hopefully some traditions remained the same around here. Sure enough, there it was, under the same rock it would have been under during her time living here.
Picking up the key with her mouth, she put it into the door and used her hoof to turn it. Some things needed to be done the old fashioned way, after all. Once inside she took a good look around, noticing how nice some of the stuff inside was. It felt like home, yet there were a few things that were just... wrong.
"Can Ah help ya?" a deep voice asked. She looked over to the kitchen and saw a large, handsome stallion with a red coat and blond mane walking out toward her. He was glaring at her.
"Sorry, Ah'm lookin for the head of the family," Scarlet Gala asked, "Um, would that be you, by any chance?"
"Me an' mah sistur Applejack share authority, but she takes care of most stuff, why?" the stallion asked.
Applejack...
That was the name of the Element of Honesty...
It was still in the family...
"Um, where can Ah find this... Applejack? Hm?" Scarlet Gala said sauntering over to the stallion, "Or perhaps you can help me?"
"Miss, Ah don't know how ya got in here, but yer trespassin, an' Ah'll have ta ask ya ta-"
"Ya see, that's where yer wrong," Scarlet Gala said, "Ah ain't trespassin. A long time ago, this here wus mah home. That's how Ah knew about the spare key under the rock outside," looking at this stallion made her so hot and hungry, "Mmm... Why don't we get ta know each other a little better 'fore Applejack comes down, hm?"
The stallion apparently knew what she meant, because his eyes were wide, "Um, Ah'm sorry, but Ah'm a marrried stallion an'-"
"Oooh! Married? Well, Ah can expect that. Nice, handsome thing like you must be somepony else's by now. That just makes me want ya even more," she said, now desire taking control, "So, whut do ya say? Wanna play with me?"
She summoned her personal power, something shared with her by her master, Black Sun. The red star, a symbol of those associated with the Sons of Midnight. With hers, she would always be able to get what she wanted.
After her powers took affect, she pulled the stallion in, passionately kissing him. If she was going to get her power back and take revenge on this farm, then she'd have to be at full power. Good thing this stallion looked strong. Maybe she wouldn't kill this one.
Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy were back to back, surrounded by hooded ponies of all types. The assault was relentless, so it was a good thing that they had their powers. Ten years ago, neither of them would have thought that the Elements of Harmony would be used like this.
"Geez, who are these guys?!" Rainbow Dash asked, punching a Pegasus as he flew toward her.
"Just focus on knocking them out!" Fluttershy said, spin kicking an Earth Pony that was in front of her. For a while, the two of them traded blows with the hooded ponies surrounding them, but then Rainbow Dash saw three Pinkie Pies running way from two Unicorns as they fired at her.
"Pinkie Pie!" Rainbow Dash called out. She wanted to rush over and help her, but Fluttershy needed her help.
"Go, Dash!" Fluttershy shouted.
"But what about-"
"I can't use my larger attacks with you in the way! I'll be fine, so go! Help her!" Fluttershy said harshly. Rainbow Dash wanted to call Fluttershy on how mean she sounded, but instead she nodded and flew over to Pinkie Pie.
The Unicorns fired magical bolts at one of the Pinkie Pies, apparently the real one because she fell back and the other two faded away. Pinkie Pie lied on the ground helplessly as the Sons of Midnight slowly approached her.
"Dashie..." Pinkie Pie cried, "Help me..."
"Pinkie Pie!!!" Rainbow Dash called out rushing over to them. She then turned into a bolt of lightning and tackled each of the Unicorns away and then galloped over to Pinkie Pie, "Hey, Pinkie Pie, are you okay?"
"Dashie... I don't know what's wrong!" Pinkie Pie sobbed holding Rainbow Dash, "My Element is working properly... My clones won't solidify!"
"It's okay, Pinkie Pie. Just stay close to me, okay? I'll protect you," Rainbow Dash said. Pinkie Pie nodded and stood up, just as two more hooded ponies trotted over to them, an Earth Pony and a Pegasus, "Sheesh, why are these guys attacking us?!" Rainbow Dash asked, her entire body charging up with electricity. She then charged over to the Sons of Midnight, deciding to focus on protecting Pinkie Pie.
Tracy fired a large bolt of lightning at Twilight, who created a magical shield to defend herself. Tracy then reacted by charging toward Twilight and clashed horns with her. Twilight jumped away from Tracy and started charging up a powerful attack, but for some reason she stopped charging. Tracy used that opportunity to launch his own attack.
"THUNDER DRAGON!!!" he shouted, firing a large lightning bolt out of his horn. The bolt turned into a large dragon's mouth and engulfed Twilight, who screamed out in pain and fell to the floor.
"Is this the power of the great Queen of Darkness?" Tracy asked, "Don't make me laugh!"
Twilight got up, but she was trembling. She looked up at Tracy, who charged at her again, his entire body engulfed in electricity and began throwing punches and kicks at Twilight. She frantically moved out of the way of the attacks, and then used her horn to push Tracy back.
Twilight summoned her two orbitals, and launched then at Tracy, who rolled, jumped, and galloped out of the way of all of the attacks. He then charged up his horn and fired a bolt of lightning into the air. The bolt came down on top of Twilight, hitting her horn actually and knocking her down again. As Twilight got up, Tracy fired another blast at Twilight, this time knocking her into a wall. Sweetie Belle and Silver Spoon ran closer to the fight, which to Silver Spoon looked like it should have been more even.
"Why isn't she fighting back?" Silver Spoon asked.
"What do you mean? She's fighting back plenty!" Sweetie Belle stated frantically, but Silver Spoon shook her head.
"I can see the amount of magic she's using, and if what I'm seeing is correct," Silver Spoon said blinking on her psychokinesis on, "she's only using about thirty percent of her power. It's as if she's holding back."
Sweetie Belle looked back at the fight, now biting her lip nervously as Tracy charged up another attack, which he fired just as Twilight was getting up.
Twilight was blasted through a wall leading to the dining room. She tried to get up, but a large lightning bolt came down on her knocking her to the ground again.
It didn't make any sense for a pony to be this strong.
"Twilight!" Sweetie Belle called out, running into the dining room with Silver Spoon. Tracy slowly trotted into the room, still charging up his magic.
"I've trained ten whole years for this day!" Tracy proudly proclaimed, "My magic is the only magic capable of taking down an Alicorn!"
"I don't... understand..." Twilight said forcing herself up, "Trixie didn't... have a... brother..."
"Stay on the ground!" Tracy shouted, shooting another bolt of lightning onto Twilight making her fall to the ground again screaming.
Sweetie Belle started singing a powerful melody. Tracy turned to her, but jumped away as a large pink laser shot out of the sky at him. He then charged at Sweetie Belle, but Silver Spoon jumped in the way and held her hooves out trying to keep him back.
"I won't let you get to her!" Silver Spoon shouted with more force than anyone had ever herd from her, "Sweetie Belle, can you make me stronger?"
Sweetie Belle responded by singing a sweet yet somewhat angry melody. A second later, Silver Spoon started glowing. She had never felt power like this before. Using her new strength she pushed Tracy back. He was much stronger still, however, and he retaliated by shooting an electric blast at her, not directly, but at her feet knocking her back.
"Silver Spoon!" Sweetie Belle shouted, running to her aid.
"I don't have a grudge against you," Tracy said, "Stay out of this." He then turned back to Twilight, who was trying to stand. Tracy trotted over to her and fired another bolt of lighting at her knocking her down again.
"It's all YOUR fault!" he said, firing another bolt of lightning at Twilight, "You dragged my sister into your darkness!" another lightning bolt hit her, "You played on her innocence and used her love!" another bolt, "I should just kill you right now, demon!" a large bolt of lightning came down from the sky. Twilight screamed loudly as she was electrocuted, falling limb when the attack was over.
Silver Spoon was trembling she was so upset. She wished she were stronger. She wished she could protect Sweetie Belle and Twilight. Yet all she could do was lie there and watch. Watch as the Princess of the Stars was tortured.
Twilight was crying. She had started shortly after the last attack, crying deep and heavy sobs.
"I'm sorry..." she sobbed, "I wish she were still alive... I wish I were dead instead... It's not fair that she's dead... and I'm alive..."
"You're right," Tracy said, "Which is why instead of killing you, I'm going to give you to Black Sun. You don't deserve the release of death."
"No!" Sweetie Belle called out, running up to Twilight and standing in front of her in defense, "Leave Twilight alone you bastard!"
"I just said I don't have a grudge against you!" Tracy said through gritted teeth, "Get out of my way!"
"I don't know who you are, but Twilight didn't do anything!" Sweetie Belle said, which apparently set Tracy off, as he charged up his magic again glaring at Sweetie Belle.
"You don't know anything!" Tracy said, "Stay out of things you don't understand!"
Silver Spoon had to think fast. Whoever this pony was he was a bit of a loose cannon, so he wasn't above killing Sweetie Belle to get to Twilight. She wasn't strong enough to fight him, but maybe if Twilight could use...
"Twilight, the star! Use the star!" Silver Spoon shouted. Twilight nodded and activated the star on her eye.
"FREEZE!" she shouted, unfortunately for Twilight, Tracy was too smart for that and immediately closed his eyes. That was exactly what Silver Spoon wanted.
She stood up and tackled Tracy into a wall, pushing him away from Twilight, "Now Sweetie Belle, get Twilight out of here!"
Sweetie Belle nodded and helped Twilight up. The two of them then galloped away, leaving Silver Spoon alone with just Tracy, who pushed her off of him and onto the floor.
"Dumdass! Why did you get in my way!" Tracy asked harshly.
"This unit is to act solely for the benefit of friend subjects Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, Diamond Tiara, and Sweetie Belle," Silver Spoon said standing up, "Should any of the friend subjects be compromised, this unit is to act accordingly or face termination."
"What the hell..." Tracy asked, looking at Silver Spoon as if she were crazy.
"This unit will not allow any harm to come to Sweetie Belle," Silver Spoon said, somewhat monotonous, "Prepare yourself!"
She then charged at Tracy, who had no problem pushing her aside and onto the ground. Silver Spoon stood back up and continued to charge at him and throw punches at him, but she had no skill in hoof to hoof combat, so he easily moved out of the way of her attacks. He then pointed his horn at her and fired a small current at her, shocking her and knocking her to the ground.
"No..." she said, struggling to stand up.
"I admire your courage," Tracy said, "but you obviously don't have any skills in physical combat."
"This unit... has to protect... Sweetie Belle..." Silver Spoon said, trying to stand up. Tracy shook his head, and whacked Silver Spoon on the head hard, causing her entire world to go black.
Sweetie Belle...
I'm sorry...
After she was done, she lied down on top of the stallion's unconscious body. At least he lasted the whole time, but apparently she took too much life force energy for him to remain conscious.
"Thank you so much..." Scarlet Gala said to an unconscious Macintosh (she learned his name somewhere during their "session"), "Whoever yer mare is... she's a lucky one..."
Scarlet Gala stood up, fixed her mane, and began her search around the house. She didn't bother putting her dress back on, as once she found it she wouldn't be able to wear the dress underneath the armor.
She trotted back into the living room, where she first looked through the shelves and cabinets. Would she keep it here?
"Who are you?" a sweet voice asked. Scarlet Gala turned around and saw a tiny Pegasus filly standing by the stairs. What was a Pegasus doing in her old house?
"Do ya live here?" Scarlet Gala asked. The filly nodded, backing away a bit, "Ya don't need ta worry. Mah name is Scarlet. What's yer's?"
"Daisy..." the filly said softly.
"Yer mother told ya not ta talk ta strangers, Ah'm guessin?" Scarlet asked, getting a nod from Daisy, "That's a good habit, ya know. Ah ain't no stranger, though. Ah'm more like a relative of sorts. Um, is yer mother up?"
"Mommy isn't here," Daisy said, "She's out fighting. It's just me, Daddy, Auntie Jackie and my Uncles Flim and Flam here?"
She assumed that "Auntie Jackie" was Applejack, so who was...
"Um, yer mother ain't named Applejack?" Scarlet Gala asked.
"Mommy's name is Fluttershy."
Fluttershy, the Element of Kindness. That was a Pegasus name though...
"Daisy, who's downstairs?" a male voice called out from upstairs.
"Uncle Flam, there's a strange Earth Pony in the house. She scares me," Daisy said, now backing away from Scarlet Gala in fear. A second later, two ponies came downstairs. They were yellow, with short red and white manes and tails, and they were obviously twins, though there were a few differences. One of them had a mustache, and their Cutie Marks complimented each other. The one with mustache had an apple with a slice out of it for his Cutie Mark, and his brother seemed to have the missing slice for his Cutie Mark. Neither one of them looked happy to see her, but she wasn't too happy either.
Unicorns... obviously the cause of the magic in the farm.
"So, am Ah right ta believe ya'll 're the ones powerin the magic in the machines?" Scarlet Gala asked.
"Right you are," the one with the mustache said.
"Flam, do we know this pony?" the one without the mustache asked.
"No, Flim, we do not," the one with the mustache, Flam obviously, said, "I'm afraid that means you have to leave, miss."
These two had the nerve to try and make her leave? They were the ones trespassing!
"Sorry, honey, but Ah ain't leavin. But ya'll don't have a problem with that, do ya?" Scarlet Gala asked, activating her powers on Flim and Flam. The two of them immediately switched their moods, looking at Scarlet Gala with absolute adoration.
"We don't have a problem at all, do we brother...?" Flam asked.
"Not a problem at all..." Flim answered.
"Uncle Flim? Uncle Flam?" Daisy asked, backing away from them. She then bumbed into the unconscious body of the red stallion she just got finished feeding on, and screamed upon looking at him, "Daddy?! Daddy! What's wrong with you?! Why aren't you waking up?! Daddy!" the little filly was crying, now hugging her father.
"He's not dead, don't worry," Scarlet Gala said, "But Ah can't say the same fer yer aunt, when Ah find her."
"You're a bad pony!" Daisy said looking up at Scarlet Gala. She then flew over to Scarlet Gala and started hitting her, "Go away! Go away!"
"Annoyin buzzard!" Scarlet Gala shot, whacking Daisy away. She fell to the floor screaming, landing next to her father.
AHH!!!
Fluttershy stopped what she was doing immediately, as she felt her heart sink. Her daughter was in trouble, she could feel it.
"Daisy!" Fluttershy cried out. She then screamed out, summoning a large tornado around her knocking the Sons of Midnight surrounding her away. She then immediately flew back to her house. If anything happened to that little filly, she'd kill whoever the cause was.
AHH!!!
Vale stopped her assault on the golden armored pony when she heard the scream. Her special friend needed her.
"We will settle this some other time," Vale said, "There's somepony who needs me."
She then took to the skies, flying in the direction of Sweet Apple Acres. Along the way, she saw Fluttershy flying in the same direction. A mother's bond with her children was strong after all.
"Fluttershy!" Vale called out, flying next to the Pegasus.
"Vale? What are you-"
"Daisy is in trouble. She is my friend, and I wish to help her," Vale explained simply.
"The friend she's been visiting was you?" Fluttershy asked.
"We will talk later," Vale said, "For now..."
"Right, let's go!" Fluttershy said, flying even faster to where Daisy was waiting for them.
"Stupid foal," Scarlet Gala said, "You shouldn't meddle in adult affairs."
"Wh-what in tarnation is goin on here?!" another voice called out, this one shakier than the others. Scarlet Gala looked up and saw an orange Earth Pony with a really long blond mane and tail, wearing golden apple shaped earrings and red lipstick. This was Applejack.
"Jus' the pony Ah wus waitin for," Scarlet Gala said walking up the stairs to her. Applejack was actually backing away from her in fear.
"Who are you?" Applejack asked, trembling so much it was heartbreaking. Almost at least.
"Aw, Ah expected the Element of Honesty ta be stronger than this," Scarlet Gala said. She mentally ordered Flim and Flam to come upstairs with her, which made poor Applejack even more afraid apparently.
"Flim? Flam? Whut happened ta ya'll?" Applejack asked.
"Ah temporarily put them under mah spell," Scarlet Gala said, showing Applejack the star in her left eye.
"You got the same powers Twilight has..." Applejack said.
"Well, mine is slightly different, but yes, it's an offshoot of it. Mine only works on stallions, but it ain't so bad if ya know how ta use it," she said caressing Flim's cheek.
"L-let em' go! Ah'm the one ya want, right?" Applejack asked.
"Yes an' no," Scarlet Gala explained, "Ya see, whut Ah want is somethin ya got stored away. Now tell me, where is the Element of Honesty? Ah'd like ta have it back now."
"The Element of Honesty...?" Applejack asked, "Who are you...?"
"Mah name is Scarlet Gala," she said, "Former Element of Honesty and owner of Sweet Apple Acres."
When she said her name, Applejack was wide eyed. She then looked to her side at her Cutie Mark, and for some reason she was shaking her head backing away.
"No... it ain't possible! Yer so young...! You can't be..."
"Now that introductions are finished," Scarlet Gala said, "Where's mah Element?"
Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash were backed into a wall as four more Sons of Midnight approached them. Rainbow Dash had done most of the fighting, so she was at the point of exhaustion.
"Dammit..." she breathed out, "Can't... move..."
"Dashie! You can't stop now! Please, get up!" Pinkie Pie urged, feeling the hope diminish right before her eyes.
"Pinkie Pie... run...!" Rainbow Dash urged, but Pinkie Pie shook her head.
"I won't leave you!" she said, focusing on her Element of Laughter. All she needed was three clones of herself. If she had that then she could hold them off and help Dashie! She closed her eyes, trying to make the clones.
But try as she might, she couldn't them to solidify.
"No..." Pinkie Pie cried, "You have to glow! Please glow! Please!" she urged. Instead of glowing, something else happened that no one was ready for.
The armor grayed out, and shattered.
Rainbow Dash looked up at Pinkie Pie in shock, probably just as much shock as Pinkie Pie was in. Had the Element of Laughter just...
One of the Sons of Midnight stopped and looked at his companion, "That's good, one of them stopped working," he said.
"Now we just need the other one to shut down too," his companion said.
"The hell with that!" Rainbow Dash said, summoning the power of her Element. She then charged forward, turning into four bolts of electricity and pushing the Sons of Midnight back. At the same time, a strange golden armored pony turned the corner and ran up to them.
"Whut happened?" the pony said through the armor, her voice deep and distorted, but with the faintest accent.
"I don't know..." Rainbow Dash said, "Her armor turned gray and then deactivated. Pinkie Pie, try to turn it on again."
Pinkie Pie nodded and focused on the necklace around her neck, willing it to transform. Unfortunately though, the change never happened. She didn't feel any magic from it at all actually. It felt, dead.
"I can't do it..." Pinkie Pie said softly, tears building up in her eyes, "I can't use the Element of Laughter anymore..."
Rainbow Dash looked shocked, but she immediately wrapped her forelegs around Pinkie Pie to comfort her, "It's okay, Pinkie Pie. I'm here, it's going to be fine."
But Pinkie Pie, and the armored pony both knew better. It wasn't going to be fine. Not now, and not ever again. The light was gone. Pinkie Pie had lost the powers of the Element of Laughter.
And she had a horrible feeling she wasn't going to be the only one to lose her powers.
"Come on! Where is it?!" Scarlet Gala shouted, throwing things all around in Applejack's room. She couldn't take her eyes off of her, nor could she move. It didn't make any sense at all, yet that Cutie Mark... it was exactly the same.
Scarlet Gala stopped when she opened a small box on her dresser, "Ahh, there it is," she said softly.
"No!" Applejack shouted, running up to Scarlet Gala as she picked up the Element of Honesty. She tried to reach for it, but Scarlet Gala punched her away and into a wall. She then admired it and started to put it around her neck.
"Yes... Oh yes!!!" Scarlet Gala moaned in pure ecstasy as a black flame engulfed her. All Applejack could do was look in horror as armor appeared around Scarlet Gala. Armor much like her own, only where hers was red and gold, this mare's version was purple and bronze. Also, instead of an apple symbol her armor just had a red gemstone on the chest.
"Mah powers, they're flowing through me!!!" she screamed, the entire room now engulfed in a black and purple fire. Applejack couldn't believe what she had witnessed. The Element of Honesty chose someone else. But why? How was this pony able to use the Element's full power, or at all for that matter.
Also, was this mare really...
The first thing they both noticed was the fire. The whole house was ablaze. Fluttershy and Vale flew over to the house and ran inside, where they saw Macintosh and Daisy lying on the ground.
"Daisy! Mac!" Fluttershy shouted running over to them. Daisy was still awake, but she was weak.
"Mommy? You came to save me?" Daisy asked slowly.
"Of course I did," Fluttershy said, "Mommy's going to be there no matter what!"
Vale galloped over to Macintosh and used her magic to heal him, "He's run out of life force energy," Vale explained, "This looks like the work of a succubus."
"A... succubus?" Fluttershy asked.
"A demon that feeds off of life force energy attained through intercourse," Vale explained further, "You spoke to one before. During the time you went to aid the Appriser at the cliff."
Right, Flutterhsy thought, that strange green pony with the blond mane. She did seem a little odd, now that she thought about it.
Wait... intercourse? That would mean Macintosh...
"AHH!!!"
They both heard a scream from upstairs. They looked and saw Applejack tumbling down the stairs. Fluttershy caught her before she hit her head.
"Applejack! Are you okay?" Fluttershy asked.
"She won't be when Ah'm done with her!" Scarlet Gala said proudly, trotting down the stairs as well, "Former Element of Honesty, prepare ta die!"
"I won't allow this!" Vale shouted running forward, her eyes glowing green, "Prepare yourself, demon! I will return you to your grave!"
Her voice sounded so familiar just now, Fluttershy thought. She actually sounded just like Rarity when she was angry. She'd have to worry about that later though, because right now they had to get rid of this "succubus" as Vale called her.
Both Vale and Fluttershy got in fighting stances, but Applejack grabbed Fluttershy's leg.
"STOP!!! DON'T DO IT!!! PLEASE!!!" Applejack pleaded, tears in her eyes.
"Why would you stop us?" Vale asked, "That demon is-"
"AH KNOW HER!!!" Applejack screamed looking up at Vale, and then collapsing onto the floor, "Ah know her..."
Fluttershy took at good look at the pony in front of them. She was just able to make out her Cutie Mark, which she unfortunately recognized.
An apple pie...
"Oh Celestia..." Fluttershy said, shaking her head in horror.
"Fluttershy, what's wrong?" Vale asked, "Why are you hesitating?"
"That pony..." Fluttershy said softly, her voice so shakey she could barely finish her sentence, "That's Granny Smith..."