//------------------------------// // Wherein They Enter the Town With the Funky Music // Story: Filly Fantasy VI - The Return of Magic // by The Wyld Stallynz //------------------------------// To an outside observer, the Chickadee Forest appeared no different to any other forest in the world. Thick trees grew close together, their intertwined branches and leaves creating a thick canopy that covered up most of the sky. Thin beams of sunlight still managed to filter through, highlighting dense foliage that even the stoutest of ponies would have trouble trotting through. A few streams of water snaked across the forest floor, almost completely hidden by plantlife. One false step could lead a pony slipping against a slick rock and breaking a leg all in the space of a second. Stardust stepped through it all without breaking stride. His long, strong legs carried him over the most compact plant life while his sharp talons dug into the ground, giving him unparalleled balance. He trudged on, following an unseen path that he had memorized by heart. No animals or monsters disturbed Stardust, though nothing could catch him if they did. With one last hop over a fallen tree, he finally reached his destination. A wide, open clearing lay before him. Here the trees spread out from each other, allowing the sun’s rays to reach down to the green grass and colorful flowers that dotted the area. Built between the trees stood wooden huts with straw roofing; huts large enough to easily house a family of chocobos. Many of the homes showed signs of disrepair and neglect as the forest around them slowly took back its land. Strewn around the buildings lay discarded pots, cloth bags, and burned out fire pits. From all appearances, nochoco had lived here for years. “Kweh!” Stardust called out. Only the wind rustling the straw roofs answered him back. Stardust let out a sigh. “Should have known.” He walked further into the clearing, making a beeline for a hut set close to the center. Stardust pushed aside the cloth covering the entrance, dislodging dozens of leaves and twigs that fell to the ground. Glancing around, Stardust saw that the inside had fared no better than the outside. Dust, dirt, and fallen straw covered everything from old rags, to fallen crockery, and disheveled straw bedding. Stardust carefully picked his way through the hut, pushing aside rotten gysahl greens and other trash. He sighed again. Of course nochoco would be here. The Empire still had them, using them for slave labor. Nochoco would ever run through these woods again until the Empire lay broken and defeated. And the prospect of that happening was looking more and more bleak. With a shake of his head, Stardust turned and headed for the exit. Just as he lifted a wing to push the cloth covering away, he spied a piece of parchment stitched to the cloth. He moved closer, peering at the writing covering the parchment. His eyes widened as he reached the bottom where, in neat clawwriting, a signature stood out in large black letters. “Moonlight.” Carefully, Stardust undid the threads holding the parchment to the cloth and took down his old mentor’s note. He read through it again, memorizing everything written down. If his beak could form a smile, it would be stretching from ear to ear. “Moonlight, you’re a genius.” Stardust nodded, placed the parchment in his bag, and stepped out of the hut. Seconds later, he sprinted out of the clearing and through the woods, his talons carrying him south. .o.O.o. Dark skies and heavy rain greeted the questing ponies by the time they reached Chozo. Nestled deep within mountains that reached to the clouds, the town itself lived up to the expectations the ponies had of a poor settlement. Rickety wooden buildings towered above them, some using the mountain cliffs as a support. There appeared to be no rhyme or reason as to where buildings were placed, with some settlements seemingly built on top of each other or extending out of one another like a fifth leg. Few lights illuminated the dingy and trash strewn streets, making watching one’s step a tough chore. A pony stumbled out an alleyway, lifted up a flask to his mouth, took a long draw, and belched loudly. He turned and caught sight of the new arrivals and lifted his flask in greeting. “Great equines, here!” He promptly lost his balance, fell over into a trash bin, and began to snore. “Charming,” Trixie drawled. “So, anyone know where to go?” Spike said, looking around at all the streets and alleyways that led to parts unknown. Rainbow Dash looked up at all the buildings ahead and frowned. “I don’t think I’ll be able to spot much if I fly up there. All this rain is making it hard to see. Let’s just ask around and see if anypony has seen anything weird.” Another belch escaped from the drunk and dozing pony. “Besides the obvious.” They chose a direction at random, walking single file with Rainbow Dash in the lead. They picked their way carefully through the grungy streets until they heard the sound of uproarious laughter and badly keyed piano music. Up ahead, a small cabin wedged between two larger buildings came into view. Peeking through the windows revealed a large room full of ponies drinking, dancing, fighting, whoring, and all other manners of partying hard. Trixie pulled away as though the sight offended her eyes. “We are seriously not going in there.” “Hey, we gotta start somewhere,” Rainbow Dash said, shrugging. “Besides, I could really go for a drink right about now.” “You’re more likely to get a knife in your back if you go in there.” “Trixie, look who you’re talking to,” Rainbow Dash responded, her hooves pointing at her chest. “I’m a world class adventurer! I can handle a few rowdy ponies.” The window next to them exploded outward, a pony’s body having been expelled violently to land on the pavement. Trixie gave Rainbow Dash a pointed look. “A barrel of laughs they are, Trixie’s sure.” “Bah. Just watch.” With that, Rainbow Dash strode up to the door leading inside, pushed it open, and walked in as though she owned the place. As though a switch had been thrown, all activity in the crowded room stopped with all eyes taking stock of the newcomer. Without breaking stride, Rainbow Dash headed for the bar, stepping past ponies and gently pushing aside those that stood in her way. She didn’t make eye contact with anypony until she reached the bar and gave a shrill whistle. The barkeep, a pink earth pony mare with perpetual sleepy eyes walked up to her. “What’ll it be, sista?” “Got any good cider around here?” The room erupted into howls of laughter. The barkeep herself snickered. “Cider? You want cider you better catch the next Fillygaro shuttle.” She reached down under the bar and pulled out an unmarked bottle. She popped the top off and began filling up a shot glass. “In here, we pour rum.” She finished pouring, some droplets of the liquid landing on the counter, causing it to sizzle and smoke. Rainbow Dash eyed the glass dubiously, pushing it away and instead directing her focus to the barkeep. “Yeah, uh, you wouldn’t happen to know if there’s been any, uh, weird… sightings around here, have ya?” The barkeep raised an eyebrow. “Weird… sightings? Suuuuurrrrrrrre. Plenty of `em.” She pounded a hoof to the counter, gaining everypony’s attention. “Hey! Anypony here seen some weird sightings?” All at once, every pony in the room began talking. It was impossible for Rainbow Dash to pick out any full sentences, but a few snippets such as, “up in the sky, they were,” and, “full of lights,” to, “I tawt I taw a putty tat!” reached her ears. Growling, Rainbow Dash stomped her way back to the exit, muttering vulgarities along the way. The moment she closed the door, the sound of jovial activity began anew. Trixie, Big Macintosh, and Spike stood where she had left them. “Before you ask: shut up.” Nopony said a word as they walked away from the pub. They soon came upon an open plaza, surrounded on all sides by more buildings and alleyways. Spike groaned, slapping a claw to his forehead. “We’re never going to find Twi at this rate. What if we split up?” “In this place?” Trixie said, grimacing at the surroundings. “Not likely.” “No, Spike has a point,” Rainbow Dash responded. “Daring Do is way ahead of us so we can’t be wasting anymore time. We’ll go in pairs.” She grabbed the nearest pony next to her and began dragging him along. “C’mon, big guy.” “Um, `yup?” was all Big Macintosh could say before he and Rainbow Dash trotted out of sight. The remaining pair blinked. “That was random,” Spike commented. “Trixie gets stuck with the lizard,” the unicorn said. “Swell.” Spike whirled around and stuck a claw on the tip of Trixie’s nose. “Hey, let’s just focus on finding Twilight and lay off the names. Got it?” Eyes narrowing, Trixie lit up her horn, her levitation enveloping Spike and depositing him several hooves away. “Ground rules. You don’t get any closer than that to Trixie, and Trixie won’t freeze you into a popsicle. Got it?” The pair held their glare, silently daring the other to make the first move. Finally, as one, they faced away from each other and headed down a street opposite the one Rainbow Dash and Big Macintosh had taken. Neither looked at each other, content to ignore the other as they began their search. .o.O.o. “Okay, this town isn’t that big, so there can’t be that many places for Twilight to hide,” Rainbow Dash said, trotting next to Big Macintosh through a narrow alleyway. The close proximity of the buildings helped keep the rain off their backs. “So, if I were a crazy, flaming pony with wings, where would I go?” Big Macintosh shrugged. “You’re a big help…” He opened his mouth to respond, but his gaze fell on a discarded piece of metal half-covered by trash. Big Macintosh walked up to it and pushed the trash away to reveal a thick, circular disk. It appeared to be some type of gear, possibly from a washing machine or a clock. He picked it up in his hoof, spit on it, and rubbed it clean with a rag from his pack. After inspecting it, the stallion nodded and placed it in his saddlebag. Rainbow Dash grimaced at the sight. “That’s like the fifth piece of junk you picked up. What’s with ya?” “Ya never know when somethin’ like that is what ya need to finish a new invention,” Big Macintosh replied. “As for Miss Sparkle, I’m thinkin’ she’s higher up. Otherwise ponies would be talkin’ if she were down on the streets.” “Well, I guess you’re right. Once we get out in the open, I’m gonna fly up a bit and check some of the taller buildings.” The duo exited the alley shortly afterward. True to her word, Rainbow Dash took off the moment she had the room, soaring high into the air in a matter of seconds. She scanned the horizon, squinting against the rain pouring down her bangs even as she search for any sign of the wayward Twilight Sparkle. There, near the top of the largest building in town, the faint glow of candlelight could be seen flickering through a window. Just as she readied herself to fly closer, a blaring sound from below drew her attention. Rainbow Dash gasped at the scene below her and dove down as fast as she could. At street level, Big Macintosh found himself surrounded on all sides by ponies wearing ragged clothing and cloth masks. One minute he was waiting for Rainbow Dash to fly back down and the next ponies suddenly appeared from the shadows. He had doubts that these ponies were just here to give him a cheerful Chozo greeting. “Hoof over the bag, buddy,” one of the thugs said through a dagger in his mouth. “You don’t want this to get messy.” Big Macintosh merely shook his head. In one fluid movement, he reached into his saddlebag and produced his Noise Blaster, pointing it at the speaker. One button press later, half of the thugs screamed and held their heads in their hooves at the ear splitting cacophony assaulting them. The other half charged, blunt and sharp implements ready to take down the stallion, when a figure from above slammed into them, hooves first. “It may not seem like it—” Rainbow Dash said as she bucked one thug in the face “—but I’m doing you guys a favor.” A flick of her wing flipped out her dagger, catching the handle by her teeth as it whirled by. “Yeah, I’m awesome.” The casual display of knifeplay brought the remaining thugs up short. They looked to each other, gulped, turned tail, and ran off. The thugs still under the influence of the Noise Blaster staggered and stumbled after their comrades. Once all of them were gone, Rainbow Dash re-holstered her dagger, and headed towards Big Macintosh. There, the two gave each other a hearty hoofbump and headed off to find Trixie and Spike. .o.O.o. Despite suffering from the worst headache he had ever experienced, Fine Crime still managed to find his way to his employer’s rendezvous point. Waiting under a flickering lamp post, Daring Do tapped her hoof against the soggy soil impatiently. “Let me guess. You didn’t stop them.” Fine Crime shook his head, both answering Daring Do and clearing his ears of the constant ringing they had developed. “Nah, boss. Stupid git done got us with dis racket maker. Almost blew my eardrums out, it did.” Daring Do facehoofed. “Look, you’re gonna have to try again. I still haven’t found this mare the Empire’s after and I can’t have Rainbow Dunce and her cronies on my tail.” “You kiddin’?” Fine Crime spat out a wad of tobacco. A quick dip of a hoof in a tin can attached to his hip resupplied his mouth. “I ain’t riskin’ my skin again for the dough you’s is given out,” he said though the wad between his teeth. “I’ll pay you double. With the reward I’ll get that won’t be a problem.” The thug rubbed the stubble on his chin, muttering to himself over the new deal. “Seems fair. You’s on.” “Great.” Daring Do tipped her hat to Fine Crime and took off into the sky. Left behind, Fine Crime gave a crooked smile. “Seems I’mma wastin’ time with dat gal. Looks like me and da boys have a better target.” .o.O.o. In another part of town, Spike carefully counted on his claws. “Okay… so from what we’ve been told, it is now… six o’clock, ten minutes, and fifty seconds on the dot?” Walking next to him, Trixie nodded. “Seems so. Not that Trixie particularly cares. Finding Twilight Sparkle before this Daring Do does is more important.” “Well, can’t argue with that.” The two walked on in silence for a few minutes, occasionally glancing around at their surroundings for any clues or ponies looking to score an easy mark. Finally, Spike looked up at Trixie with a curious glance. “Hey. I’ve been meaning to ask you. What’s your problem with Twilight, anyway?” The ex-general lifted a hoof, swiping rain out of her mane. “None of your business.” “It is my business. I’m her friend and the one that helped teach her how to fend for herself. So I’ve got a responsibility for her safety. I don’t see why you’d want to hurt a nice mare like her.” Trixie snorted, a crooked grin forming on her muzzle. “Nice mare? Her? You’ve known her for what? A few days? Two weeks at most? Trixie has been stuck with Sparkle for her entire life. There was a time before she conveniently lost her memory to that slave crown, you know.” Stepping ahead, Spike stood in Trixie’s path and crossed his arms, putting up a stubborn front. “Yeah, well now she’s different. She’s not the pony you used to know. Twilight’s nice and good and willing to help others. Not like you.” Trixie regarded the little dragon before her like a bug that had crossed her path. “Trixie is the way she is because it’s the only way she’s found to stay alive. We’ll see just how long being nice and good will get Sparkle before she gets herself killed.” The two starred off once again. They matched glares, sharing a mutual animosity that built with each passing second. Trixie quietly began to chant, while Spike slowly took a deep breath— “There you guys are!” As one, Trixie and Spike whirled around to face the descending Rainbow Dash, large, fake smiles on their faces. Rainbow Dash landed next to them. A second later, Big Macintosh trotted into view as well. “Didja guys find anything useful?” Rainbow Dash asked. “Uh, not really,” Spike said, shrugging. “Just a bunch of numbers and some weirdo saying that this place is dangerous. Like we didn’t know that already…” “Well, don’t sweat it. Me and Big Mac think we know where Twilight is.” “Really?” Spike grasped one of Rainbow Dash’s legs, his eyes wide with hope. “Where?” “Hey, easy on the merchandise there, bucko.” Rainbow Dash pride Spike off of herself, rubbing the spot to regain circulation. “We think she’s in one of the higher towers. We gotta head there now.” “Couldn’t you fly up there and get to her faster?” Rainbow Dash scoffed. “And leave you guys behind? Not a chance. We’re in this together, so let’s get hopping!” “Lead the way!” Spike said, pumping a claw into the air. The group didn’t waste time, galloping off towards the highest tower in town. Along the way, two members of the party made it a point not to look at each other. .o.O.o. Finding an entrance to the tower was easy. Finding a way up to the top proved otherwise. “Who builds their homes like this?!” Rainbow Dash roared, stamping a hoof and glaring at the blank wall at the end of a hallway. “Ponies with no talent for construction would be Trixie’s guess,” Trixie replied. She huffed loudly and turned to head back the way they came. “Seriously, stairs that go nowhere, fire escapes that end in a drop off, and now long hallways with no exits! And where the hay are you going?!” Rainbow Dash’s last outburst was directed at Big Macintosh, who headed down a path they had already taken. “I found a good workbench back a ways. It’ll only be a minute to finish somethin’. Y’all go on, I’ll catch up.” “Gah. Fine.” Without waiting for a response, Rainbow Dash took off down a new path, Trixie and Spike rushing to catch up. "We're this close to getting Twilight back, and now everypony's got other priorities." "Uh, we're still here," Spike said. A loud crash from above interrupted any response Rainbow Dash would have given. "What are you foals doing?!" Rainbow Dash gasped. "That's Daring Do's voice." She rushed forward, whipping her head from side to side. "C'mon, we gotta find a way up there!" The crashing and hollering grew louder, spurring the group to find a set of stairs faster. Finally, Spike noticed a string hanging from a metal loop attached to the ceiling. His eyes narrowed and he pulled on it. A squeal of rusted metal and the creak of wood later revealed a trap door. "Hey, guys! I found a way up!" Rainbow Dash and Trixie ran to his side in an instant, all of them scrambling up the stairs of the trap door. On the next floor, a standoff was in progress. Daring Do, sporting cuts and scuffs all over her body, stood on one end of the room, her whip dangling in her mouth. On the other side stood a dozen ponies dressed in matching brown vests. All of them held a knife in their mouths, some dripping blood. Daring Do noticed the newcomers with widened eyes and groaned. “Ah, ponyfeathers. You idiots! Now Rainbow Dash has caught up. You should have taken my offer!” “Feh,” Fine Crime said. “We’s jest kill her too. Nottin’ to it.” “Fat chance!” Rainbow Dash blasted forward, aiming to collided into them like a wrecking ball. The thugs scattered, spreading out and making it difficult for Rainbow Dash to strike them all at once. She darted in, swiping at the closest thug with her dagger, but two others closed in on the side, forcing her to fly up. However, the low ceiling of the room prevented Rainbow Dash from getting the height she needed. The thugs reached up and threw her down to the floor, beating Rainbow Dash with their hooves before moving in for the kill. Their attack came to an abrupt halt as two streams of ice slammed into them. The thugs collided with the opposite wall and collapsed to the floor, their bodies shivering violently against the cold. “The hay was dat?!” Fine Crime cried, he and his gang backing away from the advancing unicorn and dragon. Trixie chanted and sent a healing spell over Rainbow Dash’s battered body before directing her attention back to the thugs. “The greatest feats of magic your puny minds have ever seen!” From her end of the room, Rainbow Dash got back to her hooves with a groan. She quickly forgot her pains when she noticed a pony missing from the room. “Where’s Daring Do?” For a moment, all thoughts of fighting became derailed as the ponies blinked and looked for the missing adventurer. An open window with rain pouring in clued them in on her whereabouts. “Shoot, she’s afta da target!” Fine Crime yelled and ran towards the window. He reared back as Spike and Trixie jumped in his path. “You’s goin’ down!” “Take care of them while I go after Daring!” Rainbow Dash said, sailing over everypony’s head and out the window. “What are we, your lackeys?” Spike called after her, but didn’t get to press the issue. The thugs gave a cry and charged. .o.O.o. The rain pelted her the moment she sped out the window. Rainbow Dash blinked away the water even as she scanned for Daring Do. She never saw the attack coming from above. Daring Do lashed out with her whip, entangling Rainbow Dash around the neck in the span of a heartbeat. Not wasting the opportunity, Daring Do snapped the whip again and sent Rainbow Dash colliding into the side of the building. She pulled and whipped again, sending the other pegasus crashing a second time. Thoroughly stunned, Rainbow Dash could do nothing as Daring Do flapped her wings as hard as she could, rising higher into the air. Rainbow Dash, dangling like a worm on a hook, careened off of the building with ever flap of Daring Do’s wings, brutalizing her further. At last Daring Do reached the top of the tower where a single wooden shack lay. Grinning in triumph, Daring Do looked down and saluted at her rival’s battered form. “This is where you fall down, Rainbow Crash!” With that, she let go of the whip, watching as Rainbow Dash’s limp body plummeted to the darkened streets below. .o.O.o. Spike whirled his spear in a blur of motion, deflecting three thrown knives from penetrating his scales. “These guys don’t know when to quit!” He quickly sucked in air and let loose a stream of fire, forcing the thugs engaging with him to back off. “Careful with the flames, you moron!” Trixie yelled. She paired a knife thrust aimed at her throat with her sword, twirled past the thug’s defenses, and brought a foreleg down hard on his exposed neck. The thug’s eyes rolled up into his head and collapsed to the floor. “You want to set this whole place on fire?” “Excuse me, miss high-and-mighty!” Spike thrust forward, slipping his spear underneath a thug’s barrel and expertly swiping his opponent’s legs out from under him. The thug didn’t have time to cry out as his life was snuffed out by a spear lodged in his throat a second later. Spike withdrew his weapon and readied for the next one. “Surround `em!” Fine Crime ordered his remaining lackeys. “Don’t let `em use their freaky tricks!” The thugs obeyed, quickly spreading around the duo and closing in on them fast. Trixie figured she could take out three before she was overwhelmed with Spike thinking the same. That still left four ponies with a clear shot to slit their throats. That was when, from below, the roar of an engine was heard, stopping each pony in their tracks. Everypony blinked and looked down, as though looking at the floor would allow them to see what was going on underneath them. The noise grew louder, now mixed with the sound of wood being sawed through. The whole building shook, forcing everypony to widen their stance or risk falling over. Just as they thought things couldn’t get stranger, one of the thugs yelped and jumped back from a spinning metal disk that had thrust up through the floor. The ponies watched in rapt attention as the disk continued to cut through the wooden planks until it reached the end of the room. The disk stopped spinning and disappeared to whence it came. A pregnant silence followed as all noise ceased. Finally, Fine Crime shook his head and pointed at Trixie and Spike. “Stop gawkin’ and g—” He got cut off as an impact shook the whole room. A second impact followed and then a third. “Da hay is going owhaoooooooo~!” One final thud caused the side of the room Fine Crime stood on to tilt back. He and his goons gave a startled cry as they found themselves in free fall, their half of the room falling outward into the rain filled sky. In seconds they were gone, their screams fading away until an echoing crash was heard. The ponies and dragon stared slack jawed until a red hoof grabbed hold of the cut away floor from below. There came a grunt of effort and a stallion wearing a metal mask pulled himself up. In his mouth, he wielded a rectangular device with a razor sharp circular saw attached to it through a steel pipe. The stallion revved the device, causing the saw to spin and create the horrible noise that had been heard before. It was too much for the remaining thugs. They dropped their weapons and scrambled to escape down the trap door, their tails tucked between their legs. The stallion chuckled and set down his machine. He lifted the welding mask, revealing Big Macintosh’s smiling muzzle. “Howdy.” Trixie and Spike kept staring. A few seconds passed before Trixie looked down at the device sitting next to Big Macintosh. “What’s that?” “My new invention.” “New invention,” Trixie drawled. “Eeyup.” Spike cautiously stepped forward, looking over the new machine with a critical eye. “This… this is awesome! What is it?” “I call it a chainsaw. Should help when having to cut down old apple trees.” “Among other things,” Trixie said, rolling her eyes. Big Macintosh surveyed the room, noticing a missing member. “Where’s Miss Dash?” The question ripped Spike’s attention away from the chainsaw. “Oh, shoot! She went after Daring Do. C’mon, let’s get up to the top and help her.” No further encouragement was needed and the group began searching for a way to go higher. .o.O.o. So, this is it. Rainbow Dash struggled to open her eyes. She wished she hadn’t. The ground was getting bigger. I always thought I’d go out fightin’ the Empire. Jeeze, why’d it have to be Daring Do? She grimaced as she opened her wings. They weren’t responding right. Probably broken. There was so much more to do. Twilight… Spitfire, I’m… I’m sorry. She closed her eyes. No need to see the end coming. She could pretend she was flying. Just for a little while long— The impact came. ... huh. That didn’t hurt that bad. Maybe death is not as bad as I thought. Wonder if I’m going to have to ride that freaky train I heard about— “Hey! Rainbow Dash, stay with me!” I… know that voice. What the hay is he doing here? Rainbow Dash managed to crack open an eye. Silver feathers and a golden beak filled her vision. “Star… dust?” .o.O.o. Stardust gently, carefully, placed Rainbow Dash down from his back to the wooden balcony he perched on. “You better thank the Roost that I got here when I did. Following your guys’ trail all day wasn’t easy.” Even with how careful Stardust managed to move Rainbow Dash, she still moaned when her tender body touched the hard floor. “Ohhhhh. What… how?” “Chocobos have a good sense of smell. Between that and my speed, I got here as fast as I could.” He stopped and pointed a wing over at a building adjacent to the tower they were in. “You’re also lucky I can jump. I had to jump from the building over there to catch you.” “Oh,” was all Rainbow Dash said. Stardust placed down his bag and began rummaging around in it, finally pulling out a clear bottle with a deep red liquid inside it. “Figures that I’d have to heal your candy rump when I found you. Now don’t move. This is brand new stuff and I don’t want to waste it.” He uncorked the bottle and began pouring the red liquid over Rainbow Dash’s body. He paid special attention to her wings, positioning them so that the dislocated bones would mend properly once the potion set in. Rainbow Dash grimaced but remained quiet and still as Stardust did his work. The chocobo at last tilted Rainbow Dash’s chin up, dumping the last of the potion down her mouth and throat. “There, that should do it.” The injured pegasus gave a confused look. “How… how long will I be ou—yeowza!” Rainbow Dash abruptly bolted to her hooves, her eyes as wide as they could go and her teeth clenched tightly. Her body shook as though she was about to explode, but suddenly stopped, going ramrod straight. Rainbow Dash let out a cough, her body finally coming under her control and staggered for a few steps. “Smooth,” she croaked. Stardust watched intently, noticing that Rainbow Dash appeared woozy, but fine. “How do you feel?” Rainbow Dash raised her head, blinking away her grogginess. “Well… pretty good, actually.” She gave a tentative flap of her wings, finding them to respond normally. “A little sore, but good to go.” She looked up, giving Stardust a questioning gaze. “What was that?” “Something my mentor came up with,” Stardust said, some smugness entering his voice. “Found it at home and managed to brew it on the way here. First time doing that without supervision! I’m thinking of calling it an X-Potion. Waddaya think?” Rainbow Dash chuckled. “I think if you sold that to Filthy Rich, you’d be set for life.” Her laughter died down, looking away from Stardust and rubbing her forelegs together. “Look, Stardust. I’m… I said some things a while ago. I had a lot on my mind and wasn’t thinking. You’re just as much a part of this team as anyone else and I should have listened to ya more. I’m sorry. Can ya forgive me?” The chocobo regarded the pegasus before him, quirking an eyebrow. He snorted and held out a talon. “Sure. You’re my only customers after all.” Rainbow Dash smirked and bumped her hoof against the offered talon. “Don’t worry. You’re going to get plenty of chances to make it big.” She flapped her wings again, raising herself into the sky. “Now, we still have a job to do. Find the others and meet me at the top. I’ve got a score to settle.” With that, she blasted off. Stardust watched her receding form go, letting out another snort. He quickly gathered his things and followed after her. .o.O.o. Daring Do touched down next to the shack at the top of the tower and let out a relieved sigh. She took off her pith helmet and wiped the sweat from her brow, grinning from ear to ear. “Finally, time to get my prize.” She stepped forward and grabbed hold of the rickety door that led inside. Only, no matter how hard she pulled on the handle, the door would not budge. “The hay is this? C’mon, you piece of junk. Open up!” A stream of cold air impacted the door from behind, whizzing just past her ear. She shivered at the near miss and the now frozen sheet of ice encasing the entrance. Daring Do turned, taking stock of the two ponies and dragon climbing up from a roof hatch. Trixie’s horn shone in readiness, while Big Macintosh and Spike brandished their respective weapons. “Heh, ah, hi there,” Daring Do said to them, a sheepish smile on her muzzle. “You guys, uh, wouldn’t happen to mind splitting the reward, would you?” “The only thing that’s going to be split is your lip, Daring Doofus.” “Wha—” was all she managed to say as a blue hoof impacted her face. Daring Do’s body flew past the edge of the tower, managing to catch herself in the air before she fell. “You!” she cried, rubbing her face. “You’re supposed to be dead!” Rainbow Dash shrugged in midair, smirking at the adventurer. “Am I now?” “That’s it! I wasn’t going to use this, but you’ve given me no choice.” Daring Do reached into her tunic and pulled out a round metal ball. She twisted it in her hoof, making something within the sphere click. “Watch out!” Big Macintosh called out, edging away from the pegasus. “That’s a bomb. It could blow us clear off the building.” Daring Do reared her hoof with the bomb back and chuckled darkly. “Heh, the big guy’s got it right. Now die!” She took aim and threw it with all her might at the group. The bomb arced in the air, flying straight for the ponies. Rainbow Dash made to rush forward to intercept when a wind, unnatural and strong, pushed her back. The bomb stopped in midair, hovering in place for a second, then was flung back where it came from. Both the bomb and Daring Do became caught in the strange force of wind, blowing them away from the tower at mach speed. The last thing the group heard was Daring Do’s frantic cries before the bomb detonated. The explosion happened far enough away that the building merely rocked slightly, rather than crumble completely. Even from this distance though, the ponies could feel the heat radiating from the blast and shielded their faces. Seconds later it was over. Slowly, the group peaked past their hooves and out into the darkness. There was no sign of Daring Do. “What the hay happened?” Rainbow Dash asked. “What caused that?” “That would be me.” The deep, rumbling voice came from above. All heads turned to see a dark shape descend from above and land on top of the shack. It looked like a pterodon, only much larger. A drake shaped body and head, covered in grey scales, perched atop the shack using razor sharp claws to dig in and gain purchase. Giant grey wings stretched from one end of the tower to the other. The dragon folded its wings together and peered down on the party with a curious gaze. “I thought I smelt my brother, but it appears I was mistaken.” Below him, the ponies and dragon huddled together, their weapons shaking in their grasps. “A-A-And… who are you?” Rainbow Dash managed to say. “I am the Storm Dragon. One of eight that resides in this world, waiting for the time when our maker returns. I rule this portion of the world in the mountains above.” Trixie’s ears perked up. She stepped forward, trying to stare the Storm Dragon in the eyes, but averted her gaze each time. “Trixie has h-heard of you. You rule over the griffons, correct?” An angry hiss escaped the Storm Dragon’s jaws, causing Trixie to dart back with the others. “You have her putrid stench all over you. Tell me, pony, do you know of the one named Gilda?” Trixie quickly nodded, smiling proudly. “Why yes! Trixie worked with her in the Empire. She’s a general, just like I was.” The dragon’s tail whipped in the night, creating a sound similar to a thunderclap. “I could care less about her title, pony! Be thankful that I have a use for you or else I’d eat you whole.” “I’d like to see you try!” Rainbow Dash cried and leapt forward, dagger shining in her mouth. She barely made it off the ground when a powerful wind slammed her back down to the roof. “Spare me the heroics,” the Storm Dragon rumbled. “It’s a waste of my time.” His attention turned to Spike, grinning in a way that showed off dozens of needle sharp teeth. “You, on the other claw, have my attention. I feel my brother’s power within you, yet you are definitely not him. Explain why the Ice Dragon gave you his sacred gem.” Spike suddenly found himself the center of attention. He twiddled his claws and gave a weak laugh. “Ah, heh, would you, uh, be mad if I said that I accidentally ate it?” The reaction from the Storm Dragon came as a complete surprise. He lifted his head and roared in laughter, his great guffaws creating hurricane winds throughout Chozo. Thankfully, his laughter ended before any buildings could topple over. “Ah, I haven’t been so amused in a millennia. I will have to remember this moment. “But, to think that a whelp like you could absorb my brother’s power and not die hideously. Very interesting.” If anything, Spike fidgeted even more than before. “Um, what do you mean by that?” “Our powers are too great for simple dragons like yourself to use. The gem you ate creates a link between you and the Ice Dragon, whereby you should have become a snowball. Yet, here you are and using the Ice Dragon’s power as your own. I’ve never seen anything like it.” The Storm Dragon pulled in his wings and wrapped himself within them. A pale grey glow leaked out from the dragon’s body, then he snapped his wings open. The gale force winds created by the motion nearly knocked the group off the roof. They managed to catch themselves in time to see streaks of grey power flowing with the winds converge in front of the Storm Dragon. The whirling power continued to grow and spin until a bright flash of light forced them to cover their eyes. When they managed to regain their sight, they saw a pulsing grey gem hovering in the air. The Storm Dragon gestured with a wing, sending the gem floating in front of Spike. “Eat it.” Spike tore his gaze away from the delectable gem and back to the Storm Dragon. “Huh? Wha?” The larger dragon growled in warning. “I said eat it. Don’t make me repeat myself.” Spike gulped and looked to the others. Rainbow Dash was mouthing ‘no way’, Big Macintosh frowned, while Trixie simply looked on in interest. Gulping again, Spike reached for the gem, grasped it in his claws, and inspected it critically. He then shrugged and shoved it in his mouth. One gulp later and the gem was in his belly. “Ah, I can feel the connection already,” the Storm Dragon said. “Let’s see if you can survive this.” Spike patted his stomach, a satisfied grin on his face. “What can I say? I’m a remarkable—blah!” His mouth burst open and a strong wind escaped, ruffling the wings of the Storm Dragon. The Storm Dragon’s forked tongue flicked out, tasting the power of the younger drake. “Fascinating. Something about you manages to wield our power. You have potential the likes of which I have never seen. If you manage to find my brethren, ask them for their gems. Well, if they decide not to eat you, that is,” he finished with a chuckle. He turned away from Spike and his complaining about his tummy and back to the ponies. “As for you, I have a task for you to complete. Find Gilda and kill her.” Rainbow Dash raised an eyebrow. “Uh, isn’t she one of your subjects?” “I have forbidden my griffons from leaving the mountain. Yet Gilda not only disobeyed me, but managed to convince many others to go with her!” The Storm Dragon hissed, a look of hatred in his eyes. “I cursed her, making it so she could never fly again. But that was not enough for her to return. I am unable to leave this area, so it falls upon you to finish what I started.” “Yeah, and what do we get out of it?” Rainbow Dash said, the gears of bargaining whirling in her mind. “You get to leave my presence alive.” “DEAL!” Big Macintosh and Trixie yelled. Rainbow Dash facehoofed. “So it is done.” With that, the Storm Dragon spread his wings and rose into the sky. Soon, his form disappeared within the rain clouds above. The group looked to each other, uncertainty covering their features. “Well, that happened,” Rainbow Dash said. “Is he gone?” Everpony turned to see Stardust peeking his head out of the opening leading to the roof. He cast worried eyes where the Storm Dragon had flown off to, as though expecting the dragon to swoop down again. “I think so,” Rainbow Dash said to him. She helped Stardust up on the roof and patted him on the back. “Don’t worry. With the potions you make, we could've taken him.” “Yeah. Right.” “Anyway, let’s go. Twilight’s waiting for us.” .o.O.o. Removing the ice encasing the door to the shack proved to be a simple matter. Trixie merely willed it away and the frost dissolved into the air. The door itself opened of its own accord. “I’ve been waiting for you,” a withered voice came from inside. “Please, come in. Your friend is here.” No more encouragement was needed. Rainbow Dash and Spike rushed in first, followed by Big Macintosh, Trixie, and Stardust. The inside was a single room with a single bed and chair. Laying on the bed, her coat and mane still exhibiting its flaming appearance, lay Twilight Sparkle. Sitting in a wooden chair next to the bed, a gnarled hand gently stroking Twilight’s blazing mane, was a creature none of them had ever seen before. The creature raised its other hand, beckoning them to come forward. “Close the door behind you, please. It is rather drafty in here as it is. We don’t need her to catch cold on top of everything else.” Stardust looked to the Rainbow Dash, who nodded, and quietly closed the door behind him. “Good. I had to place a spell over it to make sure nobody got here before you did.” Cautiously, Rainbow Dash stepped up to the creature, her eyes drawn to its features. It appeared to be male, the long white beard that reached to the floor his most prominent characteristic. His head was bald and wrinkled, though his eyes shown with energy and ancient knowledge. He wore a long green robe that covered the rest of his body save for his wrinkled hands that continued to stroke Twilight with care and affection. “Who are you?” Rainbow Dash said at length. “You may call me Ramuh. The esper, Ramuh.” Rainbow Dash backed away with wide eyes, her wing wrapping around her dagger. “Esper?!” Unlike the pony, Ramuh remained calm. “Yes. Does my presence alarm you?” “Wha? I… Ah… don’t know…” “Rest assured, I mean you, or the young lady here, no harm.” Silence filled the room. Nopony moved or spoke as they came to grips with this new information. Soon, a claw laid over Twilight’s back, matching the motions of Ramuh’s hand. “Is… Twilight going to be okay?” Spike said. Ramuh met the eyes of the tiny dragon, gave a small smile through his thick beard, and nodded. “She is undamaged. However, there is much turmoil within herself. It’s as if her very existence strikes fear into her own heart.” As though to illustrate his point, Twilight moaned and kicked in her sleep before growing still again. Spike reached down and grasped one her hooves in his claws, giving it a reassuring squeeze. “What can we do to help her?” “I believe that once she is able to cope with this aspect of herself, she will be fine.” “Is… is Twilight… an esper? Like you?” Ramuh sat back, stroking his beard in thought. “No, she’s actually quite different. It’s puzzling, to be sure.” It was at this point that one of the ponies could no longer keep her silence. “This is all very fascinating, but Trixie would like to know what you are doing here.” Ramuh turned his focus to the speaker, his eyes seeming to pierce through to her very core. Trixie shivered, despite herself. “I feel one of my people’s power within you, though not fully. I see Blueblood is still keeping to his incorrect methods.” Trixie glared back, stamping her hoof. “What does that mean?” “It means that ponies and espers are still unable to coexist with each other. We espers can take on a variety of forms to try to integrate with your society, but often that isn’t enough.” “And, uh, this form you have?” Rainbow Dash said, waving a hoof to indicate Ramuh’s body. “What’s it called? I’ve never seen anything like it.” Ramuh chuckled and stood to his full height. He towered over all of them, beating Big Macintosh by a full head. “I, my dear little ponies, am what is called a human. They are a mythological race, so it’s not surprising that you haven’t heard of them. I felt the form suited me, so I took it.” “Uh, okay. Whatever floats your boat.” The old esper chuckled again and reclaimed his seat. “Now, where was I? Oh, yes… the War of the Magi.” Ramuh’s eyes grew distant, as though he were seeing a different set of events playing out before him. “A tragedy, that was. Espers fought ponies infused with our power and each other, nearly causing the ruin of the world. Once the war was over, we created a new world, one where ponies seeking our power could never find us. We lived there, in peace, for a millennium.” The group could feel the metaphorical horseshoe about to drop. “But…?” Rainbow Dash prompted. Ramuh sighed, rubbing his forehead with his fingers. “But… it was not to last. We weren’t as hidden as we thought. Somehow, Blueblood’s forces found us and invaded. In a desperate move, we managed to erect a doorway to throw them out. However, I and others of my kind were captured and taken to his Magitek Research Facility. Even as we speak, they are being drained of their powers. I managed to escape and fled here.” He paused, his face falling into a deep frown. “It was as I was recovering here that I sensed Twilight. I could tell she was in grave danger and managed to guide her here with my magic.” Twilight twitched on the bed, her mane and tail blazing with power and a cry of distress emanating from her throat. Spike quickly wrapped his claws around her and struggled to hold her down. Big Macintosh rushed over and helped, pressing down on Twilight’s withers and wincing as her mane licked his coat with white hot embers. At last, her fit passed and she settled down once again. “You have no idea the effort it takes to keep her from igniting that bed,” Ramuh said, sweat running down his forehead. Spike looked down, helplessness etched on his face. “We have to do something! She can’t stay like this.” “I’ve done all I can for her. But there may be another who could do more.” Ramuh stood back up and held out his left hand. With a flash of white light a staff with an emerald jewel on top appeared. He tapped it on the floor and said, “There are others like me still trapped in Blueblood’s facility. My instinct tells me that one of them can help her. Free them if you wish to save your friend.” Trixie gave an affirmative grunt and nodded. “Yes, that makes sense. Remove the Empire’s means to power itself and it will be crippled.” “One last thing,” Ramuh said. “While Blueblood has gained great strength from draining espers, he has yet to realize the true way to transfer our powers. Only when we turn into magicite can this be done.” The group looked to each other, confused expressions passing between them. Rainbow Dash raised a hoof. “Uh, what is magicite?” “That’s what’s left of us when we die.” Before anypony could comment, Ramuh raised his staff. A blinding light filled the room, forcing everyone to shield their eyes. When the light passed and they were able to see, three glowing green crystals with red cores floated before Ramuh. “These are my comrades whom I escaped with. Unfortunately, they did not have the strength left to keep going and have passed on.” He pointed his staff to each one in sequence, saying, “Seraphim, Fenrir, and Cait Sith. They will bond with the one they deem worthy of their powers. And now I will join them. Good luck.” “Wait!” Rainbow Dash cried. Too late, as Ramuh raised his staff, creating a lighting bolt that covered his form. His body shrank within a ball of electricity, then exploded outwards, forcing the group to shrink away. When they turned back, a fourth piece of magicite floated with the others. Nobody moved, just stared at the spot where once stood a creature they were just beginning to understand. Cautiously, Rainbow Dash stepped forward and reached out to touch the magicite that had once been a living being. “Old man. Are… are you really gone?” There came no answer. “Fool,” Trixie scoffed. “Giving his life like that.” She sighed and reached up to take the magicite nearest her. “We don’t even know how to use these.” “We’ll… figure it out as we go,” Rainbow Dash said. “Like we always do.” She shifted her gaze to Stardust, who had remained quiet since entering the shack. “Could you hang on to them for us? I… don’t think I can handle carrying around one of these things yet.” Stardust blinked, swallowing a lump in his throat. “Um, sure. You… trust me with those?” “I think it’s safe to say I trust you with my life by now.” The chocobo nodded, eyeing the crystals with a look of anticipation. Rainbow Dash turned to the dragon of the group next. “Oh, and Spike? Don’t eat `em.” “Like I would do something like that!” Spike yelled. His indignant frown quickly morphed into a smile as he saw Rainbow Dash laugh. “Just messing with ya.” Her attention moved from Spike to the fiery mare still laying on the bed. “I wish we could figure out what to do with Twilight, though. We can’t just leave—” Without warning, the flames composing Twilight’s mane and tail went out, as though a torch had been snuffed. Her coat receded from white hot to its natural lavender. Soon, all that remained of Twilight’s alternate form were a few patches of soot covering her body. Twilight Sparkle cracked an eye open. “Wait. I’m… coming with… you…”