//------------------------------// // Chapter Three // Story: One Winged Pony // by Majin Syeekoh //------------------------------// "So, Twilight, you're going to pull an intergalactic stunt?" "No, Rainbow, an interdimensional shunt." "Now what in the hay is that gonna do?" Twilight beamed. "Well, let me put it like this, Applejack: Imagine that this dimension, our home dimension is Sweet Apple Acres." "Uh huh." Applejack nodded. "And let's say another dimension is, oh, say, Trixie's wagon." "Serves her right, hmmph." "So I'm going to slip the darkness out of Sweet Apple Acres into Trixie's wagon." "But won't the ponies in that dimension have to deal with it, then? I wouldn't wish that on anypony." Fluttershy intoned quietly. "Darling, chances are there won't BE anypony in the other dimension." Rarity added, flipping her mane,"Remember dear, the only reason Equestria exists is because Celestia and Luna created it! It'll just be like, throwing our trash into a waste-paper basket." Fluttershy nodded, "I-if you say so, Rarity." "There's the STAIRCAAAASE!" Pinkie said, pronking past the crowd down the stairs. "How does she do that?" Rainbow Dash asked quizzically. "Shucks, sugarcube, thas' jus' Pinkie being herself. Now mosey on down those stairs, everypony!" Applejack called out. Everypony grumbled as they descended down the large staircase and into the cave at the end of it. When they got inside, they stood in awe at the tree. The Tree of Harmony glistened in its own light, the six Elements catching the glow. "Ok, let's get's down to business," Twilight announced. She braced herself and accessed her magic, trying to reach out to her Element. It slipped away from her like a greased pig. She tried again, and it slipped again like a knife covered in jelly. Rarity, noticing Twilight fumbling with her magic, bit her lip. She couldn't, she shouldn't, she promised her father she wouldn't. But something inside told her that she should. "Twilight, try again now," Rarity offered. Twilight sighed, and tried again. This time, though, she heard Rarity's haunting melody accompanied her magic, letting her latch on. Etz khayyim he, l'makhazikim ba V'tomekheha me'ushar She could feel the veins of the tree as she lifted her friends in the air. Derakheha, d'rakhei noam V'khol netivoteha shalom Twilight felt the energy course through all them as if they were branches on the tree. Rarity's song continued. Hashivenu adonai, eilekha v'nashuva Khadesh, khadesh y'ameinu k'kedem Khadesh, khadesh y'ameinu k'kedem. Twilight felt the familiar rush of the Elements of Harmony, along with an added boost that must have been the Tree's own power added to all of theirs. She could do it. She could feel the black mass of dark magic, imagining a funnel around it. She then proceeded to the hard part: the dimensional tunnel. She proceeded to neatly tear a hole in the fabric of space, crimping it on the sides. Twilight then directed the tip of the funnel into the crimped tear, feeling it empty out. Everything was going fine, until she noticed there was a pony trapped in there! She quickly created a catch in the funnel, letting the dark energy out while keeping the pony in this dimension. Finally, all the dark energy ripped itself into the spare dimension, so Twilight uncrimped the tear and let itself heal. She lightly let the pony down - pegasus, she thought- and let the funnel go along with all the energy laden in the tree. Everypony flopped onto the ground, elicting moans and groans from everypony. "Sorry, girls. Too much magic to let you girls down softly." Twilight panted, sweat beading down her horn. She ruffled her wings, stretching them out. "S'ok, Twilight. Ah reckon it must've been a doozy to wrangle up that motherbucker! Hoo-wee!" "That's not all," Twilight gasped, "There was a pony in that cloud. I saved him, though, and I know where he is!" "Then let's get him! What is everypony waiting for!?" Rainbow Dash piped up and popped up, raring to go. "Hold up, Dashie! Twilight looks as pooped as a pickle! She needs to rest!" Pinkie exclaimed. "I think we should stay by the tree until Twilight recuperates," Fluttershy noted worriedly. "Yes, well, with the absolute torrent of magic you had flowing through us, I'm not surprised, dear." Rarity helpfully added. "And I couldn't have done it without you, Rarity." Twilight huffed, "What was that song you sang? It was hauntingly beautiful, not to mention that it allowed me to access the Tree's magic." Rarity fussed with her hooves. Dare she let her friends know? Wait, what was she talking about, these were her very best friends! Of course they would accept her! Rarity cleared her throat. "Well, the reason I know that song, is that every Soosi colt and filly knows that song!" Rainbow Dash and Applejack stood slack-jawed staring at Rarity as if they had seen a ghost. Pinkie Pie stopped her pronking mid-bounce, slowly lilting down. Twilight smiled at Rarity, not being able to do much else. Fluttershy walked over and hugged Rarity in her forelegs. "I know that was hard for you, Rarity. I'm proud of you...if that's ok with you, I mean," Fluttershy said softly. "A Soosi?!" Rainbow Dash and Applejack exclaimed. "Oh, get it out of your systems already." Rarity whined playfully. Rainbow started, "Is it true that all Sooses have horns, even the non-unicorns?" Applejack went on, "Is it true that ya use Celestian foal's blood in yer holiday crackers, and that ya control tha media?" Pinkie shot in with, "Is true you have a holiday called Ponykah where you have not one day of presents, but eight crazy nights!?" Rarity grimaced. "First of all, Rainbow Dash, only unicorn Soosim have horns, just like unicorn Celestians are the only ones that have horns, and no, Soosim pegasi and earth ponies are not born with horns. That would make the pegasi alicorns, and earth ponies unicorns." "Secondly, Applejack, those Celestian foal's tales are horrid lies from a bygone era. Besides, if I had control of the media, you'd think I would have gotten that modeling job over Fluttershy for Photo Finish." "And lastly, Pinkie Pie, yes, I celebrate Ponykah with my parents and Sweetie Belle every year. And yes, it is eight nights, but I wouldn't call them crazy by any stretch of the imagination, especially since I moved to Ponyville. I'm too afraid of prejudice to put the Marenorah in my window." Rarity shot a look in Applejack and Rainbow Dash's direction. Applejack and Rainbow Dash looked down guiltily. "Ahm sorry, Rares. I didn't mean nuthin by that...ahm just ig'nant of other religions, that's all. It's just confusin' t'me, is all." "Yeah, Rarity, how could you be another religion?" Rainbow said, "I mean, you have a direct line of Dragonfire with the God-Empress of Equestria-" "We worship the night, okay? Our holidays start at night, we have a lunar calendar, happy? Another name for us, in the Vulgar Equestrian, is Lunarians." Twilight started to open her mouth, then kept it closed. She was starting to feel better, anyway. "Well, girls, let's find us a pony," she said as she stood up, heading towards the staircase, "don't want to leave a pony alone in the Everfree, now do we?" "Ah s'pose we don't, Twi..." Applejack mumbled.