//------------------------------// // Episode 27: Last Ditch Effort (Part 4) // Story: My Little Pony: The Entities of Emotion // by Michael_Ravencroft //------------------------------// As Cadance made her way through the hallways she found herself dreading each step. This was her plan after all, become one with the Positive Entities and defeat the ones who were possessed by the Negative Entities. It was simple, but it would work as long as they banded together, but there was one little problem…okay it was a big problem for Cadance. She didn’t know if she wanted to see Predator. Her mind kept flashing back to that night at the Crystal Palace, when Predator almost…and she almost… Cadance stopped, feeling the heat in her cheeks. Her feelings about that night were conflicted to say the least. She felt angry for how Predator manipulated her with the light of Love, but at the same time completely at peace and content with the feeling of the light. Fear for letting herself give in so easily to the light and Predator’s teasing, letting her years of control be eroded away in just a matter of seconds by the cosmic entity. Am I really that weak and lust ridden deep inside that I’d allow Predator to control me like that…to get me all hot and bothered! Yes this was her plan, but even now she didn’t know if she could go through with it. Yes it would make her powerful enough to fight back against the possessed, but the thought of becoming one being filled her with excitement and horror all at once. What if she couldn’t control the power that their union would bring about? What if she became a worse threat than the three currently waging war with her friends and family? There were too many possibilities and too many of them ending badly for Cadance’s tastes. But I have no choice…I have to try and control that part of me and Predator’s power…If I don’t, Equestria will pay for it…and so will those I care for… With her resolve, somewhat, firmly set, Cadance continued her search for the Entity of Love. Several explosions could be heard outside, one right after the other. And with each detonation or powerful roar, Cadance winced, knowing that every second she spent internally debating this decision only further decreased their chances of success and their survival. Putting that into her thought process seemed to spur her hooves to move faster, from a trot to a gallop. After meandering through the halls of the castle Cadance appeared before a room. There was powerful love energy being emitted from behind the doors, but it also felt contained, restricted. Cadance could feel her heart rate increase at the prospect of seeing Predator again, one on one. Would she be happy to see her? If her reaction back at the Crystal Empire was any indication, probably not. Or, would she misinterpret her actions as a validation of her actions a few weeks ago? Neither scenario was appeasing to the Princess of Love, at best the made her anxious. Cadance raised her trembling hoof to her chest and began employing her calming technique, the very same she taught Twilight whenever she’d have one of her epic freak outs. Hoof to the chest, breathe in, extend the hoof, breathe out, and repeat. Cadance did this about ten times, with each exhale she felt her worry and anxiety ebb away, after about the twentieth time Cadance was less anxious, but it wasn’t as nerve wracking as it was a moment ago. Steeling herself, the pink alicorn used her magic to open the doors to the room and beheld the sight before her. Predator was trapped in a cage made of the lights of Rage, Avarice, and Fear, in her true form. She lashed out the cage, slashing at it with her ridiculously sharp claws, striking the energy bars with her tail, and slamming her crystalline body into it as well; doing almost everything she could to break herself free. Cadance knew this must’ve been like torture to the Entity of Love; she was free spirit, unrestrained by her own will and power. To keep love itself contained by such negativity was nothing short of insulting and a travesty to all that the Entity of Love represented. The raptor stopped its thrashing about, sensing a familiar presence within the room. Predator then turned her slit eyes to the approaching alicorn, her body noticeably tensing at the sight. “Cadance…” “H-Hi Predator…” There was silence in the room, an awkward and tense silence. Neither the Entity of Love nor the Princess of Love looked directly at each other. Cadance’s face became slightly red as flashes of that night started to appear in her mind, if Predator’s nervous body language was to be interpreted as her anxiety about the night in question, then it was clear that the crystalline raptor was feeling the same way. The only sound that could really be heard was the warbling of the cage’s fluctuating energy, and the destruction occurring outside the castle. “What are you doing here…?” The question was not asked with malice or contempt; it was more akin to a child who had realized that they had done something bad and was afraid of what was to happen to them. Hearing the Predator’s tone of voice made Cadance less tense, at least she did not hate her. “I…I came to help you, to release you Predator.” “Why would you even want to look at me, let alone help me after I…I almost…forced myself upon you?” Cadance lowered her head, her gaze downcast as she spoke. “I won’t lie to you Predator, I did have some apprehension about coming to see you…but then I remembered that you came to mine and Shining Armor’s rescue at the Empire, how could I do any less?” “So…this is just to repay a debt is it?” Cadance looked up at Predator wide eyed. “No of course not!” “Then why have you come for me?” Cadance sighed heavily as she prepared to divulge her reasons, and probably the truth while she was it. “Because, Predator, despite what you did to me…what you planned on doing with me, I…I still can’t abandon you…You can call me crazy or whatever, but I just can’t!” The Entity of Love looked down upon the Princess of Love and glared. “Out of obligation you come to save me?! That’s it?!! I…! I…” The fury that was building in Predator quickly extinguished when she saw Cadance wince and cower slightly from the glare in her eyes and the tone of her voice. “I only wanted to show you how much I loved you…cared about you…I never meant to hurt you…I thought, of all being in this world, you would be able to understand me, and in so doing I could learn to understand love as you yourself have spoken of. But I was wrong…After everything I’ve done, why would you risk your life for a monster like me?!” “Predator you…you embody all love in the universe, and I can’t even fathom controlling that power…” There was no point in hiding it anymore; Cadance had to tell the truth to Predator. “Before I became an alicorn, I was a pegasus…” The Entity of Love stared at her fellow love wielder in confusion for a moment, until she remembered a particular lesson way back when. “You speak of your ‘Rite of Ascension’?” Cadance nodded. “I was born into the royal family from a long lost bloodline sired by Celestia…during Nightmare Moon’s arrival, and the subsequent banishment of Nightmare Moon to the moon, Celestia went into a period of seclusion. Denying any visits. The only thing she did was raise and lower the sun, and the moon as well. The family that was sired by her tried to maintain order within Equestria, but it soon became too much and anarchists and usurpers saw it as a chance to bring about a new regime. In the end, much of the bloodline was slaughtered, but it just the wakeup call Celestia needed to come back to the world. So from then on the remaining royals were kept safe and allowed to remain under Princess Celestia’s care and protection as thanks for keeping Equestria from completely collapsing. Which brings me to now, I was born a pegasus pony, while my brother was born a unicorn, you might know him as Blueblood. Celestia decided that it was time for a new alicorn to rise, Equestria was meant to be ruled by two, and so I was chosen to be that second. My special talent back then was promoting love, helping others to realize their feelings for their special somepony. When I was granted the power of an alicorn and the unicorn horn to go with it, I became the Princess of Love. My mind and body were…overwhelmed when I was first exposed to the raw power of my newly acquired love magic. It was exciting, intoxicating, I could feel the love from everypony far and close by, and I never wanted to be parted from it. My actions back then were…less than noble. I became completely driven by my magic, wanting to bring others together to love and be loved, and…I also wanted to be smothered in their love, lust, and carnal desire! But…it was Celestia that eventually brought me around and helped me to control myself, I mean, I was so bad, I actually fantasized about bedding Aunt Tia! My own family!” As Cadance spoke of her life and the history connected to it, Predator could see the pain from years ago show in her eyes. It wasn’t that Cadance was afraid to love others; it was that she was afraid of what that love would turn her into. “And when I’m around you... I feel myself becoming that mare again. And during that night, for that moment when our eyes locked, I wanted to give into that part of myself so badly! To feel as if it wasn’t a burden because I knew you were only one who could satisfy that part of me that I buried long ago! But when I saw you fighting Shining Armor, those feelings left, and the only thing on my mind was him, wanting to protect him at all costs.” Predator let out a sad growl. “You would make a better Entity of Love than me Cadance…I was born through the power of Love’s light, it became me, and it is all that I am. I’ve known love since I was created eons ago, and yet, I’ve never understood it…I thought being with you would help me to understand…but I was wrong!” Predator then slammed her tail on the floor of the cage in anger. “I understand nothing! Even when I was within the Power Battery, it was the eternal love of Khufu and Chay-Ara that kept me placid and content. Within Carrol Ferris, I thought I knew what love was about through her eyes and love for a Green Lantern! And then there was Queen Shrike and Abraham Pointe, both had corrupted senses of love, I know that now but…” Cadance could hear something falling to the floor of the energy cage, that’s when she saw that Predator was…crying. Her tears streamed down her large muzzle in the form of liquid light, but when the drops fell, they solidified into star sapphire crystals before hitting the ground. It was now that Cadance saw just how much torment Predator was feeling, and it now made sense why the Life Entity chose her to help this cosmic being understand love. Suddenly, Cadance was struck with realization. “Predator, those others you mentioned, tell me, did you inhabit them? Possess them?” asked Cadance. “It may’ve been I who initiated the possession, but once together the roles are reversed. I become possessed by my host, I am a slave to their emotion, to their needs and desires, and at that point I am merely a means to an end.” “And your current knowledge on love is based on these past hosts, correct?” Predator let out an annoyed growl. “Yes, have I not made that clear?! I am what others have made me! Now you know why I have been trying so hard to erase all that they imparted onto me!” Now Cadance understood where Predator picked up some of her bad habits, but that was for another time, a plan was forming in Cadance’s mind and if she was right, then this would fix everything. The Princess of Love boldly stared up at Predator, a confident smirk forming on her lips. “I think I know how to help you understand what love means! Predator, we have to unite!” The Entity of Love gawked at Cadance. “HOW COULD YOU EVEN SUGGEST THAT!!? Did you not hear me when I was telling you what happens to those who become one with me?! If you’re afraid of yourself now then you’ll be terrified when we unite! You’ll become that which you fear and more!” Cadance stood her ground in this decision. “No Predator, I know this will help us both.” “You can’t know that! I don’t…I don’t want to hurt you again…I’m just a monster, that’s all I am, all that I’ve become!” “Would a monster come back and protect the one she supposedly hurt? Would a monster help a little filly whose heart almost gave up on love? Would a monster bother to care about another’s happiness of the heart that she’d hunt down a suitable and kindred heart?” Cadance slowly moved closer to the cage. She could see that Predator was slightly cringing as she got closer, afraid of herself and of what Cadance was planning. “The answer is no Predator. Despite your screw ups, despite all your flirtatious come-ons, none of it takes away the fact that you, Predator, are worthy of being called the Entity of Love. And I stand by my decision, this will work, we will prevail together!” At that moment a wave of blue light washed over the room, erasing the tri-colored cage and leaving Predator without her barrier between her and Cadance. The pink alicorn kept walking till she was standing directly below the crystalline raptor. Predator looked down to meet the gaze of the Princess, finding solace and confidence in her eyes. “This is what I choose, what is your choice?” Predator took a couple of steps back and lowered her head so that she was eye level with Cadance. A grin appeared on her muzzle, showing off her razor sharp teeth. “I think you are the craziest and most alluring life form I have ever met. And I trust in you, Cadance.” No further words were needed, only the words spoken through magic and light. A whirlwind whipped up within the room, with royal blue and violet-pink light shining bright. Cadance closed her eyes as she began to open her mind, body, and soul to the violet light of Love…Predator began to curl her body around Cadance, as she felt the light of Cadance’s magic ebb through her very being. The royal blue light shifted to the same color as Predator’s light, an ethereal display of their uniting powers. The Entity of Love and the Princess of Love’s eyes began to shine white and violet as their power became as one. “For hearts long lost and black as night, For those filled sorrow and spite! Accept this power, let it shine bright, Triumph forevermore – Love’s violet light!” Predator released a powerful roar from her maw as the violet light of Love shined forth. Star sapphire crystal began to grow from Predator’s body, encasing both her and Cadance in a cocoon. The light continued to shine from within the cocoon, a transformation taking place that melded the two wielders of love to a degree neither of them had ever known. At that moment, the crystal cocoon shattered apart. The shards and fragments of the cocoon quickly changing into shimmering particles of violet light around them, glittering like stars. Two large violet-pink crystal wings extended forth, giving the new alicorn a larger wingspan than in her previous form. Her body was clothed in a black suit, her lower forelegs and hind legs. The alicorn’s hooves were covered in sapphire crystal, four long claws flexed on the end of each foreleg, and three on the hind hooves as well, getting a feel for the new talons. Around Cadance’s chest was a silver mantle, and at the center was a crystal Star Sapphire symbol. Cadance’s long mane was tucked beneath a silver helmet, with a pink visor, and a slot for her horn to show proudly. Her tail had changed as well, becoming a silver, metallic blade that ringed with each swish. Cadance flexed her wings, hearing the symphony of crackling sounds they made. Cadance had never known such power; this dwarfed anything her ascension bestowed upon her. She could feel further beyond Equus itself, linking to every spark of love that flared into existence somewhere in the cosmos. Her aura began to flare like fire, her claws digging into the floor as the intensity of the love energy flowed through the alicorn mare’s body. A maniacal grin formed upon her lips, much like Twilight’s infamous “Tardy Freak Out”. Her teeth were starting to become fanged as sapphire crystals began to jut out of her body. She was becoming something dangerous, something powerful, a beast driven by the power of love and the lust of all living things in the universe. And she was perfectly content to delve into these perverse fantasies and revel in the debauchery that would no doubt ensue from her actions.   No…This power does not control me…I CONTROL IT! Suddenly the flaring aura became steady and calm, her bestial transformation halted, her fangs and extra crystals disappeared as she regained control of herself. “You did it Cadance, you were able to conquer yourself.” “I don’t deserve all the credit Predator, I could feel you fighting back as well, helping me.” Cadance swore she could feel Predator blush. “Cadance, thank you.” “Now let’s fight together!” Both Cadance and Predator released a powerful roar as their aura blazed forth, their voices blending together into the roar so perfectly that no one could tell the difference from the alicorn Princess and the Entity that inhabited her body.