“You’re kidding, right?” Rainbow said with a tired tone. “That’s your secret weapon? A stupid giant hat rack?”
DeMule’s evil grin grew up. “A fool’s mind can’t understand such glorious and powerful artifact like this.”
“What we really understand is that yer totally crazy.” Applejack said, shaking her head.
“Oh, ladies. You’re two of the Elements of Harmony.” DeMule reminded them. “You’ve seen a lot of magical and strange things before. So, please, take a better look at the hat rack.”
The two mares exchanged looks before put their eyes at that thing. It took them a few seconds but finally they saw it.
“Runes.” Applejack spoke. “It has runes.”
“There is no doubt, you are the wiser of the two, miss Applejack.”
“Well, it has runes, so what?” Rainbow Dash tone’s was an irritated one. “Still a stupid giant hat rack.”
DeMule shook his head in disappointment “And you’re friends of the Princess of Magic. Think, miss Dash. Those are magical runes. This hat rack is the most powerful artifact of our goddess. Every hat, no matter which kind, that hangs on the rack becomes a magical brainwasher. When somepony wears one of them, they immediately turn into a slave, obeying the whims of the one who controls the hat rack:” He made a melodramatic pause. “Our dear spider goddess.”
Applejack gulped. Could really the rack do something like that? There were at least five hundred hats. But then, she realized something. “There is a big problem with yer ‘perfect’ plan, DeMule.” She grinned. “How the heck are gonna make so many ponies put those hats? Are ya gonna sell them one by one?”
“Yeah, that’s gonna take you only-” Rainbow’s joking tone was notorious and her expression told the same. “I don’t know, ten years?”
But, despite the mood of the two friends, DeMule wasn’t laughing at all. “Actually, that won’t be necessary. You see, when we awaken your true nature, miss Applejack, we only need to put your Stetson at the hat rack’s top. Then, your power will flow through it to all the runes and the other hats will fly away, seeking an ‘owner’ with their own power.”
The ears of the two mares dropped down as they felt a shiver of fear. Things were starting to sound real serious for them and Equestria.
“You won’t get it, asshole!” Dash struggled trying to free herself of the ropes. “Even with Twilight and Celestia da- eer, busy, our other friends and Princess Luna will kick your ass!”
“I’m afraid that you’re mistaken, miss Dash.” That time, it was the ninja pony who spoke and she sounded very confident. “We took out ALL of them. First, lady Rarity was called to go to Manehattan as soon as possible for an important special order and we know that the little dragon is with her. Pinkie Pie received a request from her friend and partner Cheese Sandwich to join him in Fillydelphia to make together an epic party. Last, but not the least, Princess Luna has finally summoned her courage, thanks to the convenient helpful advice of one of her servants, to ask the lovely Fluttershy on a date.” The ninja chuckled. “Ah, and of course, the Princess of Love and her husband are far away in the Crystal Empire.”
Again, Applejack and Rainbow Dash changed looks but of nervousness this time. Is this the end? The cowpony thought. Ah don’t want to end here. Ah just realize now how important is Dash to me.
“As you can see, nopony can stop us!” DeMule laughed like a maniac, raising his forelegs. "With the goddess by our side, we’ll be invincible!”
“Don’t you know that the first rule to whoever try to conquer the world is to never say that words?” A voice crossed the room. Something suddenly grabbed the ninja by the neck and slammed her against a wall, leaving her unconscious. Before anypony could react, a figure stood between the cultists and the two trapped mares, with a whip in a hoof and a knife in her mouth.
A figure that Rainbow Dash could recognize anywhere.
“Daring Do!”