//------------------------------// // Chapter 2 - Loyalty // Story: Fragmented Harmony // by Mares-a-Mares //------------------------------// ‘Where…where am I…?’ Silence. ‘…Am I…dead…?’ Nothing but darkness. ‘…Fluttershy…I…I…’ ‘…I left her hanging…’ Rose eyes slowly opened as Rainbow Dash groaned loudly, shifting her body slightly as she tried to gather her surroundings. The area…looked nothing like Ponyville…or anything in Equestria for that matter. “…Where…where AM I…?” The cyan pegasus whispered to herself as she got up, supporting herself on her hind hooves. Wait, what was she even sitting in? Felt kinda…sticky. “…Eww, is this…cake?” She blinked for a moment as she then looked around the area. In fact, there was cake everywhere. The mare gave an agitated sigh. “If this is something Discord did…” Checking her hooves, the cyan mare gave a rather uncharacteristic high-pitched scream. Her hooves. What happened to them? Staring at the…sticks where her hooves used to be, she gulped. Was the rest of her different?! Looking from side to side, she caught eye with a pink…stack of… ‘What is this, hair?’ The cyan…Rainbow Dash thought to herself. Leaning towards the thing on her fore…sticks…she cautiously peered at the creature before her. It was pink and peach…and…green…? “O-Oh…” The creature grunted with a soft but stressed voice, causing Rainbow to jerk back in surprise. She wasn’t taking any chances with this thing. The creature then turned to face her, her blue eyes growing wide from seeing the rainbow hair on Rainbow’s head. “R-Rainbow…Dash…?” It breathed out in surprise. Rainbow Dash frowned as she saw the creature rise up. “H-Hey, how do you…” She then took another look at the creature. Sure it didn’t have a coat, but the hair looked just like her friend’s…and on the thing’s skirt was Fluttershy’s cutie mark. Rose eyes grew wide. “…Fluttershy…?” She breathed out. The creature gasped as it rose onto its hind legs. “Rainbow Dash, it is you…!” Fluttershy gave a sigh of relief as she raised a set of…five branches to her chest. Rainbow Dash grinned as she relaxed. ‘…So it was just Fluttershy…’ She gave an inward sigh of relief. At least she knew her friend was okay…Well, okay enough, that is… Fluttershy frowned as she looked over her own form. “…What are we…?” She breathed out. Rainbow Dash shrugged. “Nopony knows, that’s for sure…Anyway, I think we should focus less on what we look like, and focus more on where we are.” Rose eyes darted from side to side once more. Fluttershy blinked. “W-Where we…are…?” Blue eyes widened at the sight. There were cakes, candies, and blue medicine bottles all throughout the area, littering the ground which looked rather dull and green. In the distance there were several doors in pink and blue, various symbols on the front. She didn’t really know what those symbols meant, or what any of it meant… All she knew was that it was the same place from her nightmare. “…R-Rainbow Dash…!” The timid mare (?) squeaked and trembled as she moved closer into the comfort of her friend’s hair. Rainbow Dash frowned at her friend’s frightened behavior. “…What’s up, Flutters?” She gave a determined expression towards her to reassure her timid friend. Fluttershy shook silently against her companion’s side. “…T-This place…I…I…I saw it in a…a dream o-once…” The rainbow-haired mare (?) blinked in surprise. “W-What…? What do you mean by that, Flutters…?” Chuckling lightly, she tried to lower the tension that was building and starting to make her uneasy. In the distance, figures rustled quietly, occasionally letting out a squeaking sound as they moved swiftly through the pastries and medicine around the area. Hearing the sweet sound of lost voices, the figures gathered together in a group to approach the new arrivals. Fluttershy’s whole body froze as she saw several mouse candy creatures emerge from the shadows, their blue and white faces slowly making their approach towards the duo. Rainbow Dash had yet to notice them. Fluttershy moved her stick to turn her friend away from the direction of both her and the creatures, pushing her over in what she expected to be a gallop, but instead her friend’s body fell over, slowing down their escape. Rainbow Dash was just caught off guard by what Fluttershy did, and the next thing she knew, she had a face caked in…well, cake. “Ooff, Flutters!” She protested into the cake as her timid friend did what she could to hoist her friend back on her four...sticks. For some strange reason, the hind legs were extra long on both of their bodies, and it was hard to gallop. Despite that, Fluttershy dragged the both of them clumsily along, her confused friend in tow. “W-Wait…Flutters…Excuse…Wha…!?” Rainbow Dash couldn’t stop to catch her breath. Fluttershy was constantly dragging her along by linking her stick with her own and wasn’t stopping. Turning around to see what the commotion was about, she was rather surprised by the large amount of giant mice pursuing them. Or at least, she thought they looked like giant mice…with lollipop heads…? Either way, Fluttershy was scared of them. Letting her friend drag her along, Rainbow Dash kept an eye on the mice behind them; making sure none of them managed to get close enough to hurt Fluttershy. In the distance, she gulped to see another creature not so different from the mice candy weirdos, dressed in a white outfit worthy of Nurse Redheart. The creature approached the two, a shiny glimmer in its claws. Rainbow Dash turned back towards her friend. “F-Flutters, it’s got a knife!” She warned, quickly maintaining her balance so she didn’t fall over into the moist surface again. “I know…!” Fluttershy breathed out as she quickly came to a pink door and opened it, pulling her companion in with her before she slammed the door behind them. This area didn’t seem as busy… The whole layout of the room gave a silver glow, but there were all kinds of medicine bottles and pills in various shapes and sizes littering the floors at the sides of the room, almost creating a path. Good thing was, there was less chattering in this room. “Oww…” Rainbow Dash winced once she felt her fore…stick get dislodged from Fluttershy’s own. “Sheesh, you had a mean grip for a while there, Flutters!” Fluttershy panted as she finally sat back on her really long hind legs. “Phew…I…think it’s safe here. I’m sorry, Rainbow Dash…I…” With the adrenaline out of the way, the rainbow-haired mare (?) frowned as she starting rubbing her sore fore-stick. “Mind telling me what that was all about? You saw those things in a DREAM?” The timid mare (?) averted eye-contact. “W-Well…yes.” Thinking back on the nightmare she had that very morning, she winced at the memory that plagued her mind. ‘…Those sharp teeth…’ Making no indication she was going to talk, Rainbow Dash just kept the frown on her face. Blushing slightly from the intense staring her friend was giving her, Fluttershy then gave a deep sigh as she turned her whole body away from her friend. “…This morning I had a dream…a dream where…we were in this strange place, but we were…ponies. Those creatures chased us just like they did now…but you got hurt by one of the knives in that dream.” Rainbow Dash raised an eyebrow. “…So, we were pegasi in this…nightmare?” Fluttershy nodded as she continued. “But despite that, we never used…our…wings.” Her soft voice trailed off into the silence. Turning back around towards her friend, her blue eyes widened to match the wide rose eyes her friend adorned as they both came to the same realization. The rainbow mare (?) turned her head to look behind her back. Sure enough, no wings adorned her back. No wings. She couldn’t fly. SHE COULDN’T FLY. Fluttershy wrapped her fore-sticks around her friend. “…Don’t worry, Rainbow Dash…we’ll find a way to get our wings back…” Well, it at least explained the reason they didn’t use them in the dream. If they did, could they have even flown in the dream? Rainbow Dash narrowed her eyes. This body mocked her, with its…peach not-a-coat and way too long hind legs… The lack of wings… “…What are we, anyway?” Her raspy confident voice was replaced with a squeaky voice full of uncertainty. Usually she was stronger than this…and she changed into another form before…but at least a Breezie had wings! Fluttershy lowered her head as she attempted to comfort her distraught fillyhood friend. It wasn’t often she ended up in this position…and honestly she herself was too scared to know what to do about it… ‘…If only…’ The timid mare (?) closed her eyes tightly in frustration as she strengthened the hold she had on her fillyhood friend. ‘If only somepony would know what to do…’ “Hello!” A cheerful higher-pitched male voice resounded throughout the room. Blue and rose eyes widened in surprise. Rainbow Dash frowned as she moved in front of Fluttershy, taking the role of defender. “…Who’s there!? You better not be one of those creepy candy weirdos again!” Fluttershy shrunk back behind her friend’s shield of bravado. “I assure you, I am not a familiar. My name is Kyuubey.” A figure appeared in the shadows, emulated by the silver glow adorning the room. Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy both gasped in unison. The figure was a strange creature itself. The whole of the creature looked like a white cat with a bushy tail, but it also had…bunny ear with gold rings on it coming out of its…ears? Not to mention, the creature had red-pink-ish eyes that glowed in the shadows as the creature revealed itself. Rainbow Dash was the first to react with a puzzled expression. “…Who…the hay are you?” Fluttershy’s approach was something else entirely. Leaping from behind her friend’s protection, the excited mare (?) wrapped the creature into her sticks and held it close to her. “Aww~! He’s sooooo cute!” She cooed, her animal-loving nature kicking in. Of course, this warranted a face…claw. Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes as she starting trying to pry her overly-eager friend off of the creature. The creature paid no mind at all to the sudden attention. “When you are finished, I have something important I would like to discuss with you two about.” The creature kept a smile, its tail displaying that it was both patient and accommodating. Giving a sigh of relief after the rainbow-haired mare (?) managed to FINALLY pry the two away from each other, she then proceeded to sit in between the two so she wouldn’t have to intervene again. Fluttershy gave a sheepish smile as she relaxed herself, her blue eyes refusing to take their eyes off the adorable little critter. Rainbow Dash sweat-dropped, gathering herself together. “Okay…if I remember right…” Rose eyes met the creature’s pink ones. “You said your name was…QB?” QB blinked for a moment. “It is actually pronounced ‘Kyuubey’. However, a name does not bother me. You may call me as you wish, if you desire to.” Fluttershy could hardly contain her excitement. It was cute…and it could talk! “…Uh…’kay, then. I’ll just call you Cubes.” Rainbow Dash then sighed at her friend’s bottled up excitement. “Uh…calm down, Flutters.” The timid mare (?) blushed with a sheepish grin. “Um…of course…” The creature Kyuubey then closed its eyes before opening them again. “To get down to business, I must say and you and your friend are not safe here.” That caught Rainbow’s attention. “…What? You know about this place, Cubes? Where the hay are we?!” Fluttershy only whimpered as she recalled the doll. Kyuubey gave an empty smile. In fact, that’s the only expression it ever did. “The place you currently are in is called a Witch’s Barrier. Many get pulled in during a corrupted state of mind, such as if they were affected by a Witch’s Kiss.” The rainbow-haired mare (?) cocked her head to the side in utter confusion. “Wait, ‘Witch’s Barrier’? ‘Witch’s Kiss’? What kinda garbage are you spouting?” “…If you choose not to believe such things, that is your own choice. However, you and your friend are currently at a great risk.” Kyuubey gave a flick of the tail from side to side, its cheery voice maintaining even through all the confusion. Fluttershy moved closer to it, her blue eyes filled with uncertainty. “…What…what do you…mean…?” She questioned. “Unless there is a Magical Girl in this barrier to defeat the witch, you two will not be able to get out of here alive.” That was enough. Rainbow Dash moved closer to it, blocking Fluttershy’s view. “Whoa, whoa, whoa! You’re saying we’re gonna DIE in this place?!” Fluttershy’s eyes watered with built up tears. “There is a way to avoid this fate. You both have great magical potential to become Magical Girls. If you make a contract with me…” “Uh, uh! Nopony’s doing ANY magical stuff, or doing…contracts!” The rainbow-haired mare (?) glared at Kyuubey, her protective side towards her friend displaying that she found him suspicious in some way. “We’ll find our OWN way outta here!” “…I see. That is highly unfortunate, then. Our time spent was short, but it was pleasant. Do take care.” The white creature turned away from the duo and walked farther back into the shadow from whence it came. Fluttershy pouted as she faced her hot-headed friend. “You didn’t have to chase him away like that…” Rainbow Dash frowned. “Are you kidding? He shows up out of nowhere, knows all about this place, and offers some kind of contract? You don’t call that suspicious?!” The timid mare (?) lowered her head. “W-Well…” “…And besides, what the hay did he mean by ‘Magical Girl’? Sounds like some kind of frou-frou thing! Not doing it!” Meeting her friend’s eyes, her own rose eyes softened a little before they flared with determination. “…Let’s go, Flutters. We can’t stay in here forever.” Fluttershy nodded and wrapped her fore-stick with Rainbow’s own. “...Yes…” Despite what Rainbow Dash thought, she’d love to stay in the glowing silver haven…but they still had their friends to return to, and she couldn’t let Rainbow go on her own… Sometimes she needs somepony to look after her while she’s saving everypony. Opening the blue door into another section of the…’Witch’s Barrier’, Rainbow Dash peeked out to check it out. Didn’t hear any squeaking…or see anything…Turning her head, she then caught eye of a pair of candy mice just down the hall on the left. ‘So…right, then…Past that bridge.’ She thought as she then gestured her friend to come closer. “Alright, we’re gonna go right, and cross that bridge over there.” Rainbow Dash whispered as she turned to her timid friend with a determined expression. Fluttershy looked over the scene in front of her. In that nightmare they also crossed that bridge…but if there was no other path they could take… Gulping, she followed her rainbow friend right and onto the bridge. ‘I…I should tell her…’ The two slowly crept across the bridge, trying as hard as they could not to make a sound. Keeping close together, they managed to control their new forms with a much less clumsy attempt than before. Fluttershy gulped as she turned her head to meet her friend’s rose eyes. ‘…I never…told her about the doll…’ Biting her lip, the timid mare (?) looked back down towards the ground, away from her friend. “…Um…Rainbow Dash…” She started, before a fore-stick wrapped around her own fore-stick in a tight pull. Rainbow Dash gritted her teeth as she started going at a faster pace, her timid friend in tow. “They’ve seen us! RUN!” She exclaimed as she dragged her friend along, the two running once more in a wobbly gallop away from the candy creatures. Fluttershy turned to look behind her. It seemed that the creatures that were on the left had seen them and called reinforcements, because more of those knife creatures followed after, their sharp knives at the ready. …Could they have avoided this if they listened to QB? Rushing along, Fluttershy whined as she felt her fore-stick getting sore. If they had to run from another group after this one…she most likely couldn’t be able to get away from them. ‘…Best not to jinx it…’ She thought as she felt their fast pace slowing down into a stop. Looking ahead of Rainbow Dash, she felt a cold chill run down her spine. They hit a dead end. Rainbow Dash looked behind them. “…Phew, looks like we lost the lot of them!” She grinned as she slowly dislodged her fore-stick from Fluttershy’s. Looking at her friend’s frozen figure, the grinned turned into a frown. “…Flutters…? Flutters, what’s wrong?” She asked. Fluttershy didn’t hear her. In fact, she didn’t even hear her own breath seizing abruptly. Right in front of the duo, a small doll-like figure sat, a pink candy-like bonnet adorning the creature’s white simplistic head, polka-dots all along the creature’s fluffy neck-piece. The creature also had long sleeves and tiny feet. It looked completely harmless… …And yet Rainbow Dash could feel bad vibes from it. “…Flutters, stay behind me.” She ordered as she lowered her head and stared down the doll with a glare. It did nothing but…sit there. Fluttershy couldn’t stop staring at it. Somehow, someway, that creature turned into something…scary…! It couldn’t be trusted. The doll just sat there, doing nothing. Rainbow Dash blinked, her glare long gone. “…It’s just…sitting there…” She mumbled. “Kinda…creepy, don’t you think?” Fluttershy didn’t budge. “Oookay…” Locking eyes with the doll again, she slowly crept towards it. “…Maaaybe it’s…just a doll…” she mumbled as she got closer…and closer… It certainly wasn’t doing anything, at least. Fluttershy couldn’t speak. Rainbow Dash got closer…and closer…until finally she was in front of the darn thing and was sitting right in front of it. It wasn’t doing anything…at all. That is, until she touched it. Everything felt like it was in slow motion. The doll rose in the air right in front of Rainbow Dash, a black polka-dot clown snake-thing shooting out of the doll’s face. Turning her head, Rainbow Dash could see that the creepy snake-thing was zooming towards… …Fluttershy. And somehow, that stupid Cubes was in the area watching the whole thing happen. Its pink eyes met her rose eyes like somehow…it could read her entire mindset in that one…short…moment… …Do you want to save her? Fluttershy couldn’t close her eyes. The teeth…those teeth…! Filling her vision…! C-coming closer…! …And then a rainbow blast sent the clown-snake flying across the room, far away from Fluttershy. Stunned, the timid mare (?) blinked out of her shock as she then felt something warm press itself against her. “We must get to safety. Don’t worry; she’ll take care of the Witch.” The creature ran into the distance away from the chaos. Fluttershy slowly nodded with a puzzled expression as she then rose onto her four legs and followed Kyuubey who took shelter behind a rather large piece of cake that littered the floor. ‘S-she…? W-who…?’ The timid mare (?) thought, taking comfort in the moist squishy layers she was leaning against, the creature seeming comfortable sitting just out of view of the clown-snake. From where Fluttershy could see, in front of the clown-snake in mid-air floated a warrior of black and rainbow armor, her long rainbow hair flowing from the momentum of her blast, magic sword in hand. The warrior glared down at the clown, flying upwards high in the air as she pulled her sword back behind her, preparing to take a blow. The clown-snake rose up in the air after the warrior, opening its mouth to reveal its razor-sharp teeth, which were lusting for a taste of the warrior. The warrior swung her sword. An intense rainbow-colored blast shot right into the clown-snake’s mouth, the rainbow light tearing into the creature as the light then spread throughout the room, resembling a Sonic Rainboom. The blast then tore up the creature from the inside out, and the clown-snake was obliterated. Fluttershy couldn’t believe her eyes. Suddenly the cake she was taking refuge behind started to fade, and instead she fell over onto a paved sidewalk. Looking at Kyuubey for a moment, she then turned behind her to see the rainbow warrior hover herself down. The rainbow warrior gave a sigh of relief. “Phew…that…was…phew…” The warrior breathed. Fluttershy slowly crept towards the rainbow warrior above her. That rainbow hair…that voice…those wings… That neckline that resembled the element of Loyalty…! The timid mare (?) gulped as she looked towards the rainbow warrior’s face. “…R-Rainbow…Dash…?!” The rainbow warrior blinked as she looked down towards Fluttershy, rose eyes meeting blue. Rainbow Dash gave an awkward chuckle. “…Hey…Flutters.”