//------------------------------// // Boons and banes // Story: Purity // by maxxxxxx //------------------------------// “Why is that monster in my palace!” A voice boomed. Suddenly chains of magic shot out of the floor, wrapping around Zander's arms and legs. They retracted pulling him down to the floor on his knees. Then in a flash of magical light, appeared a regal alicorn with a flowing rainbow mane. She glared at Zander, who stared back at her coldly at first, then he grinned at her as though he were trying to provoke her. “Princess Celestia, wait he's not..” Twilight tried to explain but Celestia wouldn't give her a chance. “I specifically warned you to stay away from the forest Twilight Sparkle. You have no idea what this creature is capable of!” Twilight was taken aback by the princess's anger. “Oh she knows well what I am capable of Princess of the Sun. She put up a decent fight but I'm guessing you never even told her about combat magic am I right?” “Silence!” Her horn light up and the chains pulled him flat on the ground, with more appearing and binding his back and neck. “Princess wait, I think we need him! He knows what's going on and he wants to help.” Twilight implored. “Princess, what do you know about him? About all of this?” Both Twilight and Princess Celestia were taken aback by Rainbow Dash, it was not like her to question the princess but Twilight herself had the same question burning in the back of her mind. Dash shakily walked up to the princess, still exhausted from the events of the day. She had watched her friends be put in harms way, Applejack got hurt and she almost lost Twilight because of this “Klain” and the princess knew something about it. Dash had no patience now, she wanted an answer. The princess eyed her with a complicated expression before she finally sighed and nodded. “Very well. It was millenia ago, long before I was born. There were a species of beast that ruled the earth with hate and paranoia to each other and all things. They had attained an immense, god like power. This power was magic, and they used it to ravage the world and kill each other. Eventually, they became to corrupt and evil that reality it's self turned on them. They died by the millions for a reasons that they could never understand. Even so, the most powerful of them remained unharmed and were free to reign destruction on the world. Soon, alicorns came into being and used the beasts magic against them and sealed their very souls in Tartarus. The last of them were hunted down before the three tribes period, but their story was passed down in our family line so that they should never be released.” They all stared, completely baffled, though none more so than Twilight Sparkle. Then a laugh came from behind them, It was Zander. “Is that how much of the story has been retained? To be sure most of it is true, though much is conveniently left out.” His hands and eyes began to glow as he stood up, the chains of Celestia's magic snapping like yarn. Instinctively, Twilight stepped between him and the princess. Her horn lit up, readying for another confrontation. “Princess, I mean little disrespect but I think you are forgetting that no pony could hope to defeat a human like Klain. There is a reason he was not sealed away in Tartarus with the rest. It is because he is the most powerful human being to ever live. His magic greatly exceeds your own. You need me.” Before the princess could respond however the ground began to shake violently. A bright light appeared beneath the princess. She fell to her knees in pain as a runic circle appeared around her cutie mark. “Princess!” The six fillies yelled simultaneously, watching helplessly. Then just as suddenly as it came the shaking stopped. Celestia looked at her cutie mark. “My sister, come! We have a emergency!” She called out to the air, suddenly, in a flash of dark blue light, appeared the Princess of the Night, Luna. “Yes sister, I fear a seal has been placed on myself as well. He to has been sealed, I believe it is spell to keep us from leaving the castle.” The girls looked at Zander suspiciously. “Hey, I had nothing to do with that! It makes sense that Klain would trap the bearers of the sun and moon as well as the embodiment of chaos here. Even for a being as powerful as Klain, the three together could pose a threat.” “Wait how do you know about Discord? In fact how do you know about any of this if you've been asleep for eight thousand years?” Dash said accusingly. “I don't know if you have a word for it, but we humans called it 'The Great Computer.' It's a separate layer of magic that uses quantum computers floating around in the air and in the minds of sentient beings that records everything, forever. I accessed it shortly before Twilight here found me.” Twilight looked up contemplatively, then had an epiphany. “Wait! You mean that's what happened when I took that potion from Zecora when we first found the tree of harmony? I saw into the past and saw how Princess Luna became Nightmare Moon and how the princesses first fought Discord.” Zander looked genuinely surprised for a moment before smiling at Twilight. “You actually accessed the great computer? I knew there was something special about you. It takes a powerful mind and strong magic to keep the computer from overloading you synapses and destroying your mind.” Twilight gulped. You mean that could have happened!? Zecora said it was dangerous but she didn't say it was that dangerous! Zander approached the princesses. “I'm afraid now that you are trapped here you have no other options, I must go and stop Klain. I ask that you send Twilight Sparkle with me.” Twilight and her friends looked up at him in surprise. “And what will you do if you defeat Klain? Wander around the land until your corrupt soul turns you into a monster and you wreak havoc on the world? You humans are all alike, impure and dangerous and you know this to be true.” “No, I have no intention of returning after this. I will drag Klain to the deepest depths of Tartarus and do battle with him for all eternity so that he may never escape.” They stared each other down as though it were an old fashioned gun fight. Each waiting for the other to give, even and inch. I the end Celestia gave in. “I will not ask Twilight and her friend's to join you, I will leave that choice to them.” Zander turned to them expectantly as Twilight did the same to her friends. “Girls, this is going to be dangerous. Probably the most Dangerous thing we have ever done. But if I do this I want you all to be by my side so I'll leave the decision to you girls.” Rainbow Dash was the first to respond. “If you go, I go. You know I would never leave my friends hanging.” “Y'all can count me in.” “I as well, we can't simply let you wander into some dreadful business alone.” “I'll come to if you don't mind.” “Ooh! You can count me in to!” Twilight's eyes filled with tears of happiness. “Oh, girls.” They all joined in a group hug, Celestia and Luna smiled at each other. Even Zander could not help but smile softly at the display of friendship. “Very well, If you are all sure you want to join me I'm afraid you can't go as you are, otherwise it will go from dangerous to suicidal. I mean, one of you is injured, and another is exhausted beyond the point where she can fly and none of you know any combat magic. I know I can't do this alone so I offer to you a sort of up-grade. I recommend you accept.” “What do you mean, up grade?” Twilight said wearily. Zander held his hand out and a ball of sparkling white light appeared in his palm. He approached Rainbow Dash. “For you Rainbow Dash, I offer to you a magical program that will enhance your flight speed, endurance, and precision. It will also make your body free of the negative effects of G-forces. You will be able to fly like no other has before.” She stared mesmerized at the glowing orb. Many things ran through her mind but one thing stood out the most. I almost lost Twilight because I wasn't fast enough. How can I protect her or any of my friends in what we're about to get into if I couldn't even handle some wind? Her expression became one of determination as she nodded. “Good, close your eyes and lower your head.” As she complied he reached his free hand into the orb he pulled out a small wisp of light. It lingered on his index finger as he touched it to Dash's forehead. The light absorbed into her body. All the exhaustion and muscle pain vanished but otherwise she felt... “I don't feel any different?” “Just wait until you fly.” She flexed her wings in and out as he moved on to Applejack. “I can give you the strength of one hundred ponies and give your body increased durability and healing.” She glanced over to Rainbow Dash. Well she seems fine, I guess it doesn't hurt none. She closed her eyes and bowed her head. He repeated the process and she absorbed the magic light into her body. She felt a sharp burning pain in her leg for a moment then it was gone. She turned her head to her injured leg but the wound she had received had been completely healed. “Whoo-y, That's some impressive magic ya got there. But other than my leg I don't feel any different either.” “You will.” He moved on to Rarity. “For you my lady I give you access to transmutation magic, you will be able to instantly know the make up of a material, and change it's properties and shape at will. Do you accept?” Rarity closed her eyes and bowed her head. Zander placed the small wisp of light directly on the tip of her horn. She to felt no different. Next was Pinkie Pie. “Pinkie Pie, you already have unusual access to the great computer. You have the ability to receive information about future events, though it's more or less random. I offer to you unlimited access to the great computer. Your mind will be safe because of the amount of exposure it's already had.” “I knew there was a logical explanation!” Twilight blurted out excitedly, to which her friends looked at her with raised eye brows. She blushed and gave a nervous laugh. “He-he, um, never mind.” Zander rolled his eyes. “Do you accept?” “Okay!” She replied enthusiastically, squeezing her eyes tight. He touched her forehead with the magic light. He turned to Twilight. “Twilight Sparkle, the power I offer to you is an immense one. I can give you the sheer magical power that only humans have known. You will be on an entirely different level, you will have a perspective unlike anything you have even known.” The ball of white light suddenly changed, it was now pitch black with dark violet bolts of magical lightening arcing around it. It looked nothing short of menacing. “Wait! Twilight, I must advise you to think carefully on this.” Princess Celestia spoke, Zander nodded in agreement. “Your princess is right. The power I am going to give you would be lethal to a normal unicorn alone, though that is not your concern as you have ascended beyond that. Your concern is that this magic is absolute corruption. For each magnitude it increases your power it will grow any impurity in your soul by the same degree. Any darkness in your heart will be amplified and it may very well overwhelm you.” Twilight looked fearfully at the menacing ball of magic. Rainbow Dash padded over and stood by her side. “Twi, I know I don't know much about magic but I know you. You're the purest pony I know, you don't have anything to worry about because there's nothing bad to amplify.” Her friends joined by her side, smiling comfortingly at her. She took a deep breath, then exhaled. “I accept!” Zander grinned, impressed by Twilight's courage. She bowed her head and closed her eyes. Unlike with the others it was no small spark of the sphere that he took, rather it was the entire ball of magic. He touched it to her horn and she girted her teeth in pain as she absorbed it's full power. The pain faded but her mind raced with knowledge of thousands of spell she never knew existed. This is human magic... it's... incredible. She definitely felt different, she felt, empowered. “You alright sugar cube?” Applejack spoke, her friends looking at her with concern. “Y-yeah, I feel... great!” She said excitedly, brimming with energy. “I'm amazed you took to it so well. You are indeed special Twilight Sparkle.” “I knew she could do it all along!” Dash spoke boastfully. “Have y'all noticed that Fluttershy's gone and disappeared?” Applejack said, causing everyone to look around. Indeed the shy pegasus was nowhere in sight. ************************************************************************************************************************ “W-where am I. Girls?!” She said softly. She was still in the castle judging from the décor and architecture. “Fluttershy, we need to have a little chat.” Fluttershy spun around, standing behind her was her friend, Discord. “Oh, It's just you Discord. Why did you teleport me away from my friends? What's going on?” “You see Flutters I know more about humans than Celestia, and I know that where you're going is dangerous. If I could, I would go with you but I'm afraid I'm trapped here with the princesses. Fluttershy, I want you to take this.” He held out his paw, balled up into a fist. He opened it and a hooflet appeared. It was a deep, exotic purple that seemed to resonate with magic. She looked at it curiously. “It's pretty. Uhm, what is it?” “It's something myself and Princess Luna have been working on. It contains the concentrated essence of my power. I want you to take it with you.” Fluttershy smiled and took it from him. “Aww, that's so nice of you Discord. Thank you.” “Be warned Fluttershy, It's never been tested and that much power has it's side effects. Wear it, If you say my name it will give you my power, the power of chaos. Only use it in an absolute emergency, I don't know what will happen to you after you use it.” Her happy expression quickly turned into one of nervous fear. But, I know I'll just get in the way if I go. I'm not as strong as Twilight, Dashie or Applejack and I'm not as resourceful as Rarity or as.... Pinkie Pie as Pinkie Pie. With this, maybe I wont be so useless. She slipped it on to her hoof, though loose at first it magically tightened it's self around her till it fit perfectly. “Thank you Dis... Discord?” He had vanished as she was putting on the hooflet. “Fluttershy! Where are you?!” She heard Rainbow Dash call from another room. She looked back around the room. Discord was nowhere to sight. “I- I'm here!” She walked out of the room to her friends. Be careful Fluttershy, I don't want to lose my only friend. He thought to himself, watching from the ceiling as she left the room.