//------------------------------// // Pinkie Pie's 4th Wall Variety Show Special Part 2 // Story: Pinkie Pie's Fourth-Wall Breaking Variety Show // by Alex Warlorn //------------------------------// Pinkie Pie face flickered back on as she finished changing the batteries. "I hope this episode doesn't run too long, batteries are expensive. And . . . all these monsters from Tartarus . . . all these ponies fighting . . . I know they're not in the studio . . . but . . . I almost feel like they're within the studio's radius or something. Oh well. Ahem. Remember the rules ponies out there watching this. One: What you write in the comics is posted below. Two, only stuff from My Little Pony, (any generation or media). Three: please try to keep the number of guests reasonable please or it'll get too confusing for anypony to continue. Four, the camera can't leave the studio no matter what. Five, only I can see beyond the forth wall and I can't spill the beans to the others. Everything that happens here is non-canon. And HAVE FUN!" - Silver Spoon dashed through Ponyville, dodging monsters and panicky ponies at seemingly every turn. She headed for the edge of town and Sweet Apple Acres to find Applejack. She didn't know how this was happening, but she knew illusion powers when she saw them. And Applebloom's big sister had the ability to see through things like that. "That human witch has my friends under her power, and all those other ponies too," she gasped aloud as she ran. "I've got to get some help!" A large reddish octopus with a mouthful of fangs that had crawled into the pool in front of town hall tried grabbing her as she raced by. She jumped and brought her hooves down hard in a stomp on one tentacle. Squirk howled and let her go, shaking his tentacle and cursing over the pain. Silver Spoon raced into the barnyard of Sweet Apple Acres, ignoring the three rather odd-looking plants at the edge of the orchard. Until, that is, one of them reached out and snatched her up by her tail. "Ahhh!" Silver Spoon stared into three hideous faces that combined plant and animal, the latter mostly in their eyes and impressive fangs. "What are you? Let go of me!" She writhed and tried to kick at the nearest one. It laughed nastily and held her at arm's, or maybe that should be vine's, length. "Heh-heh!" It licked its lips, held her out to the other plants with it. "Hey, look! Those other ponies got away; but the Flories are going to have some dinner tonight after a few thousand years of dragging that chariot around!" The towering plant-monsters laughed coldly as Silver Spoon shuddered in fear. "Where's Applejack? HEEELP!" * * * Meanwhile, Celestia approached the edge of town where, all unknown to her, Somnambula, Hydia, and her daughters were at work. "What exactly am I feeling?" Celestia said. She'd felt SOMETHING unusual earlier, almost familiar from many thousands of years gone, and it drew her here to investigate. She'd wondered if she ought to help her student and little ponies, but then the odd call came from the edge of the town, and it somehow drove every other consideration out of her head. Though the mayhem in Ponyville was shocking enough to hold her attention as four figures slouched closer. She saw at least three dragons, two active and one rather obviously an enlarged Spike (but why did that yellow one wildly dodging the blows of what looked like an animated house remind her of Fluttershy?); more, she saw dozens of beasts and villains who'd supposedly been sent to Tartarus long ago. "They should have remained in Tartarus," Celestia said, her horn starting to glow a piercing yellow. So focused was she that she failed to notice the magical mist gathering around her as she said, "I'll send them there myself if I must, and..." "And what, dear sister?" Celestia froze, shocked at the sound of THAT voice. It spoke again, filled with ancient pain and ancient regret. "Lock us all back in our cages, or to Havoc's Chariot, as Father and Mother did with me?" "Morning Star....?" Her brother stood before her, haggard, head drooping, ribs visible against his sides -- and completely cleansed of his Nightmare taint. He smiled softly, gently, as he saw her. "Little sister," he said, stumbling forward. "Please aid me... I see now how wrong I was, I want to beg Mother and Father's forgiveness, and that of the other alicorns as well... Please, little sister, don't turn me away, don't send me back to that monster's chariot..." "Brother," Celestia half sobbed the word out as she went to Morning Star. She didn't even notice the hints of gray entering her coat. Nearby Hydia grumbled to Somnambula, "You sure you can handle this one? That devil-horse that let us all out said she was going to be trouble." "Quite sure," Somnambula said frostily. "You and your daughters keep those other ponies off of me. I'll finish draining this nag" she pointed to Celestia, who was actually starting to look old, "and then when I'm strong enough to make my illusions real, I'll make one of him. Then Morning Star can send his spirit or whatever he calls it here to enter it, and we send what's left of Princess Pretty Pony back to take his place in Tartarus." "And then he rules the world," Hydia grumbled. "What happens to us?" "Oh, Hydia," Somnambula said with a smile. "You're the summoner. When I make that real illusion, you just work your magic on it while it's still mere magic. Then when Morning Star comes, he ends up under OUR control." She elbowed her fellow witch. "How do you like the title of 'co-queen of the universe', Hydia?" The wicked cackling of the witches filled the air, even as Celestia gazed on her beloved brother. Who was finally going to be free. - Pandora gasped at the monitor screens. "Oh, no. No, no, no..." She darted over to Twilight and laid her bear paw on the pony's back. "No time for a nap! We need Shining." Twilight yawned. "What... hey!" They vanished in a flash and reappeared in... Twilight gawked... the courtyard of an immense, towering castle. Far more knights and heroes than Shining had left with were gathered in ranks, cheering. Shining Armor himself appeared in a flash of thunder, wearing armor so elaborate it was a wonder he could even move. "Who dares approach the throne of Emperor Shining Armor, defender of all Equestria, level four-thousand and eighty-six paladin and sole wielder of the Ultra Elements and Super Pony Level 12?" Pandora beamed. "Oh, Shining, you've totally let Me run away with you. That's so sweet... but, and this is really hard for me... I need to be serious now." She snapped her fingers, and all of it just went away... the castle, the knights, the armor... poof! Plain old Prince-Captain Shining Armor Sparkle fell to the ground, wearing plain old regulation guard barding. "Listen. The witches are trying to bring back Morning Star! Everything else has been a distraction. You have to stop them!" Twilight let out a gasp worthy of Pinkie Pie. "You mean, the Morning Star, the alicorn who turned evil and started a war to take over all creation, and was imprisoned forever for his crimes?!" Shining Armor groaned, rubbing a slightly bruised flank. "Thank you, Miss Exposition." Pandora nodded. "If he gets loose, another Alicorn-Draconequus War will start right here, and Equestria will get turned into a parking lot." Twilight tensed. "That's.. wait, what's a parking lot?" Pandora blinked. "Uh... Black, flat, featureless, and slightly sticky on warm days?" "I wish I had my squad here," said Shining. "Some vacation, huh Twiley?" Meanwhile with Flutterdragon . . . "Mom you need to stop dodging and attack back!" Fluttershy, now a huge beautiful dragon, sidestepped another blow from the equally large animated house monster. "BUT I DON'T WANT TO HURT IT. " Boomed Fluttershy. "Then let me take over!" The dragon's scales changed colors changed to be slightly more darker in tone and she managed to catch a hold of the house's arm. Shocked the monster hesitated, allowing Fluttercruel to deliver a massive headbutt, knocking it down on its back. POOR HOUSE MONSTER! "THIS IS GOING TO BE FUN! HEY I WONDER IF I CAN BREATH FIRE NOW?" "WAIT I DON' THI-" Pink flames spewed from the dragon's mouth and covered the entire's house's body. The monster roared in pain and tried to put itself out with little success. Whatever dark magic animating the house seemed to stop working and it reverted back into looking like a normal house aside from it now being on fire. "THIS IS AWESOME. BEATING THESE ESCAPEES FROM TARTARUS WILL BE A BREEZE NOW!" She let out a roar of triumph before stomping away seeking more monsters that could challenged her in this new powerful dragon form. She made a mental note to thank the witch that transform her if they ever meet again. A frightened Berry Punch watched as the house burned. She immediately thanked Celestial that it wasn't her house on fire and instead one that was scheduled to be condemned next week. Still she couldn't help but wonder if her house insurance covered dragon fire? Meanwhile back on Applejack's Orchard. "There now maybe ya will think twice before sneakin' up on me and litterin' the farm with those papers of yers." Applejack stood backed and admired her mighty fine lasso and hogtie skills. The tall pale faceless pony struggled to escaped his binds. His once clean black suit, now covered in dirt stains and cuts like he was just in a fight. "Are ya one of those varmints that escaped Tartarus?" "......" "What the hay are ya supposed to be anyway? Ya look like one those mannequins that Rarity uses to help her with her dresses." "......" "Ah reckon ah am not goin’ ta’ get ya to talk on account of not havin' a mouth, or a face for that matter." Applejack scratched her head on what to do with the strange creature. Weird, why was just lookin' at it giving her a mightily big headache? "APPLEJACK APPLEJACK HEEELP!" The farm pony turned her head to the voice, "What the? Was that Silver spoon? Sounds like...What the hay?" When she looked back she noticed the strange creature was gone leaving only her lasso behind. "How did he-" "HEELP ANYPONY! HEELP!" Forgetting about the strange creature she quickly sprinted towards the voice. "HANG ON AH AM COMIN'!" - "Aw, stop yellin' ya brat," the first Florie said as it shook Silver Spoon hard enough to knock her glasses off. "What do ya think we mean by saying we're gonna eat ya? That we're going ta bite your head off or something disgusting like that?" "Yo-you're not?" Silver Spoon's hopes crumbled in the next moment. "Of course not! We're vegetable life." The Florie held her over its open maw and dropped her in. Unnoticed to the plant monsters, a raging Applejack came charging up behind them. Silver Spoon's muffled screams sounded from the body of the monstrous plant as it licked its lips and said, "We just toss you in whole and let you slowly dissolve! Heh-heh-heh -- OWWW!" AJ charged up to the monster, wheeled, and let fly with the best apple-bucking legs in Equestria. It doubled over with a groan and spat Silver Spoon out. The little filly shivered. "Silver Spoon!" Applejack got between her and the angry Flories. "Y'all okay?" "I am, but Applebloom and Sweetie and a whole lot of other ponies aren't," she said with a groan. "I saw witches like out of the old stories casting illusions on them, and on Rarity too! They turned her into a little filly!" "What?!? We gotta go and rescue them -- hey!" Applejack kicked to escape as Ma Florie grabbed her and yanked her off her hooves. "Hold it, ya unprocessed compost," she snarled. "You hit my boy! I don''t cotton to that stuff." She leaned in close and licked her fangs. "Besides, we're hungry and this orchard of yours isn't nearly filling enough!" She waved one leafy tendril at the apple trees. Applejack gasped in horror. The trees, many of them as old as her farm, nearly as old as Granny Smith, were shrivelling before her eyes as though the life was being drained from them. Applejack looked down at the feet of the Flories and saw the good healthy earth they stood on turning gray and brittle. "Stop! Y'all are gonna kill our trees!" She struggled uselessly for freedom. The wary Flories were keeping clear of her hooves now. AJ saw Silver Spoon running for the barn and hoped the filly would escape and find someone else to help, like Dash or Fluttershy or... Wait, what was that shadow falling over her? And what were the Flories staring at with suddenly terrified eyes? An exceptionally doltish looking one pointed at it with one tendril and somehow managed to stammer out one word. "D-d-d-DRAGON!" "YOU LET MY FRIEND APPLEJACK ALONE, YOU BIG MEANIES!" AJ gulped to recognize the voice, even as it said in a slightly less earth-shaking tone, "And I don't care if that's not alright with you! You stop destroying her family's orchard right now! UNDERSTOOD?" Applejack twisted to see an immense pink-crested yellow dragon snarling down at the Flories. Flames licked out of her mouth as she spoke. Two of the Flories back away. Ma Florie held her ground, seizing Applejack by the head with one tendril and by her rear legs with another. Flutterdragon stopped her advance, but kept a blazing pair of eyes on the alien plant. "You back off, scales! Or I'm tearing your little friend in half!" She gave a hard jerk for emphasis. Applejack gagged. She struggled to break free and then froze. Behind the Flories, she saw Silver Spoon holding a sprayer connected to a massive container on Big Mac's back. Silver Spoon pumped it frantically, pointed it at Ma Florie, and sent a spray of something with a strong chemical odor right at her. "That's right! My family and I are getting out of here, see, and we -- AHHH!" She jumped away from the chemical spray, pieces of her leg -- her roots? -- sloughing away in decay. "Weedkiller!" Her two fellows ran from the deadly to them spray, as Ma Florie panicked and hurled Applejack at Silver Spoon and Big Mac. All three ponies went down in a tumble. Ma Florie laughed. And turned to see Flutterdragon inhaling. "Aw, compost, back to that darned cactus garden of Havoc's." Applejack got back on her hooves to see the Flories reduced to ashes. She stared up at the dragon. "Fluttershy? That you, sugarcube?" "FLUTTERCRUEL RIGHT NOW, ACTUALLY," the dragon rumbled back in a voice that echoed across Ponyville. She lowered herself and let Applejack and Silver Spoon get on her back. "NOW COME ON. I SAW WHAT THOSE WITCHES ARE DOING, AND WE HAVE TO STOP THEM!" * * * And on the edge of the Everfree, two witches gulped. Close by a multitude of ponies, including an alicorn and a marshmallow filly of a unicorn, swayed, lost in their dreams as SOMETHING slowly began to take on a more definite form in their midst. "Ma, do something!" "I told you never to call me 'Ma'!" Hydia turned to Somnambula. "They destroyed my house monster; you got any ideas?" "Another dragon would be useful right now," Somnambula muttered. She looked at Rarity and smiled. "Time to find out just HOW powerful my illusions have become!" She hurled more of her magic - so much, more than she'd ever known -- at the little filly. Rarity whinnied as she fell into a new illusion. One that began altering her form along with her perceptions. A moment later a massive yet elegant and even lovely white and purple dragoon took to the air and headed right for 'Flutterdragon'. "SPIKE, MY DARLING, DON'T WORRY! I'LL SAVE YOU FROM THIS WICKED DRAGON THAT WANTS TO EAT YOU AND STEAL OUR HOARD!" - Back in the Studio... "Got any four's?" "Nope, go fish!" "Darn" The purple pegasus drew another card from the pile. "Thanks again for inviting us. We rarely get to relax and have time to play." The little filly said happily while holding her Smarty Smarty Pants doll. "Awe don't mention it. You girls deserve a break from all the interviewing you do. Besides I needed some company after all my friends left to battle those meanies from Tartarus. You think they would have learned their lesson by now? Any eights?" The pegasus grumbled and gave Pinkie another card from her hooves. "By the way how is Midnight doing? We are sorry again for dropping her off so unexpectedly. " "That's okay. Even though she exists only this 'fourth wall' universe, Shining and Candace loves taking care for her. Oh and Trixie and Twilight too" Pinkie showed a photo of a happy filly Midnight in a crib being sung to sleep by Cadance. She turned to face the camera "What? I hope you didn't think we forgot about her? No way!" She turned back to face the trio. "Any fives?" Rolling her eyes, the mare gave her another card. Seated next to her on the table was an aged Unicorn, she looked pleased but troubled. "How exactly again did you convince the wolf not to hunt her?" "Oh that was easy. Just had Applejack to ask him kindlynot to. Their quite close now. What really! Um... any jacks?" After grabbing another card from the upset mare's hooves she turned to faced Dusk. "By the way I am glad you are feeling better after you know what." The party pony looked sad while looking at the unicorn. "Err... thanks but and I rather not talked about that" The unicorn said. Clearing uncomfortable about what happened with Chrysalis. Little Half-Light Dawn stood up, "Oh look the monitors seemed to working again after that faceless tall pony made them go off-line." "His name is Slender Mane AND hopefully he doesn't do that again". Pinkie said icily as she glared at said faceless pony standing outside, near one of studio's windows. He was about stick a piece of paper on the window but after seeing Pinkie's angry stare he seemed to gave it a second thought and backed away. In the blink of an eye he vanished. Satisfied she returned to her happy state. "Do you think they are doing okay out there." "Oh I am sure everything is fine." Pinkie proceeded to raised up quite a long list of names of criminals that escaped from Tartarus. Many of which had check marks next to them, indicating they were already been defeated/captured. Just then a voice they all knew roared from one of the many monitors set up in the studio. "SPIKE, MY DARLING, DON'T WORRY! I'LL SAVE YOU FROM THIS WICKED DRAGON THAT WANTS TO EAT YOU AND STEAL OUR HOARD!" "Wow that doesn't sound good maybe I should go help them." Pinkie then looked at several of the other monitors to see how her other friends were doing and smirked. "On second thought it looks like they doing just fine without me besides I still have to put the finishing touches on my super-duper-ultra-kick-those-mean-baddies-back-to-tartarus-surprised-party. BUT first!" Pinkie turned to faced Half-Light Noon. "Got any seven's?" She dropped her head on the table and gave a groan as Pinkie claimed her last card. "Yay!" - "Hey, wasn't there another subplot going on?" asked Noon. "Oh yeah!" said Pinkie, switching the monitor back to the positive mirror universe Changelings, with a new addition. Queen Cocoon's transformed state slashed against unyielding, impenetrable armor. Hercules had little idea how he'd gotten here, just that an alternate version of his queen had summoned him and given him a vital mission. He wasn't even sure in his memory how the battle in Canterlot ended. Had it? All he knew was he'd been given a chance he'd never get again. "Why are you fighting against me Hercules?!" asked the Changeling Queen, now panting. Hercules didn't budge. The Queen had been hammering away at the super soldier's armor for the entirety of the battle, but he hadn't moved from his spot except to ensure the attacks didn't constantly strike the same place. "I'm not, your majesty." Cocoon blinked, it occurring to her that he'd let to throw a single punch. He'd not spoken much either. "I never turned against you..." "...You're lying!" The enraged queen continued her assault relentlessly until anger and stamina were exhausted against the sheer defense of Hercules' transformed state. "Why won't you fight back?!" "Because I'm still every bit as loyal to you as I once was," Hercules stated. Cocoon took a step back. "What?" "...When you were young...the stories I heard...you used to be a guardian...a protector...a mother." "...I still was! Until that rotten deviant-" "Saved the Changelings." "What?!" "...It's been decades since you died, Queen Cocoon...The Changelings are thriving...I...I don't like saying this, but...we were dying under you. Starving. Chrysalis...she's far from a perfect queen...I don't agree with her on many things...but...she saved us..." Cocoon took a step back. "...Saved you...but...I thought...without me...I only wanted to..." "...The road to Tartarus are paved with good intentions, your majesty...I believe your fate is proof of that." Meanwhile, the positive Queen Chrysalis had been searching for her 'counterpart' so to speak. Namely, the one serving her role in the (from her point of view) reverse Equestria. "You're very different from my Cadence." "And you're different from our Chrysalis..." "I like to think I'm your Chrysalis as she should have been and you're my Cadence as she should have been." "Agreed...That's Cocoon?! She hardly looks like a Changeling!" the Alicorn of Harmony stated. "True, now please use your bond repairing spell on her, quickly before the mania Hercules managed to force back returns." "But...insanity...I've tried." "On insanity in full bloom, I've...had similar experiences, but not on one who's grip has been weakened. I'd do it myself, but it feels...wrong for an interloper from a mirror universe to perform this." Cadence sighed. "Alright..." A heartshaped burst of magic flew from her horn, splitting then reuniting behind Cocoon's head. The Changeling Queen gasped in shock. A long dead feeling reignited in her heart. "I...I..." And the images presented conflicted with the images of herself sucking the life from her Changelings for petty insults. For stockpiling love during a shortage of it. For eating how many of her servants to try and get an edge on Chrysalis? No. Not simply Changelings or Servants. Her children. Her children starving. Dying. Being murdered by their mother. The mammoth form of an insectoid titan dissolved into a broken, sobbing mother. "My...my babies...what...what have I done?" A light manifested behind the group. Starlight appeared, her face hidden by her hood. "Queen Cocoon Mob Avalon...You've seen the error of your ways?" "...Yes...I...I only meant to...I thought I was..." Starlight gave a look of pure sympathy. "...I know how that feels...believe me I know...do you seek forgiveness? That is the only salvation for you." "...My queen...I'm certain if you were the Queen I know you were...your subjects that loved you are in heaven...waiting for you...and those that loved you in either place...your loyal children...I'm sure they don't want to see you in Tartarus...Especially the ones who are there." "But...I...I don't deserve their love...not after..." "...Let me speak from experience," said Starlight. "...Love isn't something you deserve," she said, showing a ring around her foreleg. "If it was, I wouldn't have this...trust me...I don't deserve love anymore than you do...or forgiveness...but those aren't things you deserve." Hercules walked over to his former queen. "...I forgive you..." Cocoon stared in shock for a moment. "...And I still love you, your majesty. As your subject...I don't love what you became, but my loyalty and respect is still there." "...Thank you...Hercules...I...Reaper..." "Angel of Death, but yes?" "...I'm sorry...I'm sorry for all the pain I caused my subjects...I'm sorry for the monster I became...I...I want forgiveness if my subjects will give it." Starlight smirked. "The ones in Heaven gave it a long time ago..." "...Then so be it...thank you, Hercules..." "You're welcome...your majesty." Starlight produced her scythe and tapped it over Cocoon's heart, causing her body to glow white, reducing to a much younger time. The now young, fit, and strangely beautiful Changeling Queen was escorted to face the Father and seek atonement. "Wow..." Cadence said, blinking. "...So that's what a redeemed soul looks like?" "Yes..." replied an equally amazed reverse Chrysalis. "...Where'd Hercules go?" Cadence asked, looking around. "I believe Pinkie said 'as we don't know his ultimate fate or who's side he'd actually be in by the end of it, he cannot remain here for long even if this is noncanon, so he must return to where he was once Cocoon says she's sorry and moves on'...I don't get it ether...I think we should go assist in stopping the escapees..." "Agreed...why do you look so much cuter than our Chrysalis?" "Because I'm not evil?" "That might be it." - Coffee Swirl panted, reloading the stolen blunderbuss for what felt like the millionth time. He was running low on salt, but he was also seeing fewer ghosts. He'd let the two Flutters go off in their dragon form, and perhaps watched them do their thing longer than strictly necessary, but still had work to do on his own. Plus, given his own knowledge of things nopony was meant to know, he knew he couldn't make any difference with the problem at the orchard or the edge of town. That was a problem for important ponies. "That's right... you're not important at all, are you?" He swung his gun toward the voice, only to be shocked to find their ghostly speaker mere inches from his muzzle. She was beautiful. Tall and lithe, but with enough definition to her body that she clearly wasn't weak, and sporting an absolutely enormous set of wings. He was momentarily stunned by her appearance, letting her get even closer to him. "You know the truth, don't you? How little the gods care for their creations. How quick they are to forgive the monsters, but will damn the angels on a technicality. How little one such as you matters to them." She drapped herself over him. "But I can give you worth, I can give you love like you so painfully desire from the half-breed. Join me in damnation, and I will show you just how much a heaven that Hell can be." And back with Twilight, SA, and Imagination personaified. As Twilight and Shining galloped back towards Ponyville, with Pandora gliding alongside them, Shining asked "You know, if this is such a big emergency, why didn't you just pop over to the witches and stop them yourself?" Pandora giggled. "You're kidding, right? I'd beat them all in thirty seconds, tops. Could you imagine a more boring ending to the story? Yeah, I don't do boring." Shining Armor skidded to a stop. "What?! But... so what if it's boring? Isn't it more important to save Equestria?" Pandora shrugged. "Oh, Shining... I do care about Equestria. It's where the magic happens." She spread her arms, doing a loop in the air. "If it all got destroyed today, I'd be sad about all the funny and clever stories that would never be told... but there's always another world to imagine! And if the end of Equestria was cool and dramatic enough, wouldn't it all be worth it in the end?" "Just let it go, BBBFF," said Twilight to her speechless brother. "At least she doesn't hurt ponies for fun like you know who." Pandora smiled and said, "You do understand. Well, back to the studio..." "Wait!" cried Shining. "Can't I at least use some of those powers from before?" Pandora hesitated. "Well, I don't know... A hero should beat the villain with his own strength, shouldn't he?" "Please! Did I mention I really enjoyed today? A whole lot?" "Well... How about this?" Pandora whipped out a little table with a Dungeon Master's screen, and put on a pair of half-moon spectacles. "Because of your experience using the Hammer of Chaos, you learn Starswirl the Bearded's forgotten unicorn battle spell, Hammer of Light... and gain 500 XP!" Shining gasped, then lit his horn, really focusing hard. A shield bubble formed and quickly collapsed into a detailed glowing hammer... a pony-sized hammer, not a hammer for whacking entire houses. "Coooool...." Pandora glided high up into the sky. "Have fun storming the castle! Village! You get the idea." - "Oh! And since I'm a deity, I'm giving you a plus five attack damage because they're targeting foals," Pandora stated. "Why?" asked Twilight, blinking, finding that a bit generous for a Draconequus. "Simple, I'm Imagination, right?" "Yeah..." "And what are children full of?" "...Imagination...often times too much of it." "Too much is very subjective, but point is, I like kids cause they're filled to the brim with imagination, and the idea of them being forced to grow up quickly before they can get every bit out of that imagination is a no no in my book...though I do kind like that Rarity got turned into a foal, maybe keep that if you can." With that, Pandora finally left. Derpy cracked a demonic creature over the head with a broom. "Play away from my muffin!" she yelled, then knocked one away. She blinked and looked to Coffee Swirl and his present situation. "Coffee Swirl? Blue okay?" she asked, noticing the situation. "Pie you stop fighting?" - The ghostly tempter turned to glare at Ditzy, her beautiful face flashing to a skull for a moment, but was interrupted by Swirl before she could say anything. "Because it's kinda gotten pointless. I know that I don't matter, in any sort of grand scheme or plan. I'm not like you, not important. Even if I did accept her deal, I'd still lose and be dragged off to Hell for accepting it." The ghost, her appearance that of an impossibly beautiful mare again, turned back to Coffee Swirl. "But, with my power, you could-" "Please, don't give me the same spiel that every cliched villain gives. You're all going to lose, even those witches at the edge of town are going down eventually. Hell, thanks to my bucked up head, I even know how it's going to happen! If I do anything, I'm going to be either trapped in an illusion, beaten and tossed aside, or just straight up killed" He sighed, looking down at the gun still held in his hooves. "Still... if I did take your offer, I could at least make a pretty cool boss battle for Shining Armor." - Spike finished snacking on Lavan's arm. He grinned at the mineral maniac, now reduced to only a head. "THIS HAS DONE NOTHING TO ENDEAR DRAGONS TO ME!" Lavan roared, "WRETCHED MONSTROSITY! IT IS MY FERVENT HOPE THAT I WREAK A TERRIBLE VENGEANCE UPON YOU AS I PASS THROUGH YOUR LOWER INTESTINE!" "Aww, put a sock in it," Spike rumbled. He picked up Lavan's head, licking his lips thoughtfully, and set it face down in the dirt. Lavan's yells were muffled as all unseen by Spike, something gigantic began creeping up behind him. The dragon looked around, still empowered by his growth spurt. "Where did my friends get to anyway? Especially Rarity, she's so gentle and delicate --" "SPIKE, MY DARLING, DON'T WORRY!" Spike jerked around in shock at the sound of Rarity's voice, both familiar and unfamiliar all at once. "I'LL SAVE YOU FROM THIS WICKED DRAGON THAT WANTS TO EAT YOU AND STEAL OUR HOARD!" His eyes bulged to see not one, but TWO beautiful female dragons flying at each other. One white-scaled one with a purple crest that was obviously the 'gentle and delicate' Rarity, her eyes blazing and fangs bared. The second had yellow scales and a long pink crest. She recoiled from the other, and on her back rode Applejack and Silver Spoon. "Fluttershy? AND Rarity? Both dragons?" Spike began to lumber in their direction. "Wow, I think I used to have dreams about this --- no, Spike! Keep your mind on business! HEY!" He started to yell, a yell that fell short as Spike went from living scales to unliving stone. "Hah!" Crunch the Rock Dog grinned. Or rather, his evil since the real Crunch the Rock Dog had been given a heart and had been redeemed with empathy. "Stupid emotional fleshbag, you got what you deserved!" Behind him a trail of petrified ponies lead back into Ponyville, including a brown-coated earth pony he'd stoned just before he could enter a strange blue shed. He remembered the witches telling him to get that one in particular, though he didn't see what made him so special. Picking Spike up onto his back and staggering a little under the weight, Crunch began heading back for where he'd left Somnambula and Hydia. "Witches tell Crunch to make sure dragon not interfere or we go back to pulling chariot with fat ugly monster on it," he muttered to himself as he headed through the town. Panicking ponies fled all around him. Crunch growled -- how he wished he could take the time to petrify them! But he kept his mind on business. He looked into the sky as with a wild roar the two she-dragons met and started to battle. Crunch hoped they both died. Dragons always used to try and eat him in the old days. He hated them. He looked at the burden on his back and then at the aerial fight. He barked laughter and cats it down. Oh well. Those witches could wait. And why should he take orders from humans, anyway? "Witches say, let dragons fight," Crunch said. "They say, make sure nopony interfere. Crunch watch fight," he set his head on his paws. "That way, no pony EVER interfere!" - Over in the studio, the four ponies had somehow gone from playing Go Fish to Poker. The unicorn took a look at the situation outside. "I'm starting to get worried. Do you think we should at least get ready to intervene if things really get out of hoof?" Pinkie Pie said, "I think the others can at least handle it long enough for us to finish this round. All in." The earth pony said, "Yeah, let's at least see how this round goes. All in." The pegasus said, "I'll raise the bet by fifteen bits." The unicorn said, "Fine. I'll see your fifteen bits and raise you thirty." Pinkie said, "All right, let's see what we each got. Mine's two pairs." The earth pony said, "Three of a kind." The pegasus said, "Full house." All eyes turned to the unicorn as she laid her cards out one by one, saying the names of each of her cards. "Spade Ten." The pegasus said, "No bucking way. She can't have THAT hand." "Spade Jack." The earth pony said, "I think she actually does." "Spade Queen." Pinkie Pie said, "No way. She has that legendary hand?" "Spade King." The pegasus said, "Now you know why we don't play poker with her if we can help it. She's got insane skill at it." "Spade Ace. Royal Straight Flush." Pinkie Pie said, "Damn. I don't know if even Twilight could pull that off successfully." - "Those Tartarus escapees better not get too comfortable," the pegasus said. "Even if it wasn't possible to save Ponyville or Equestria . . . we would avenge it." - Just then, an orb of energy flew into Coffee Swirl's body, and his eyes suddenly flashed red while a lock of his mane also turned red. Then he punched away the ghost and said, in a voice similar to a street thugs, "Like hell this guy's gonna take your offer! Sure, he's kind of wimpy, has pretty bad luck, and doesn't think very highly of himself, but I know someone who's just like him. And guys like that would never feel completely satisfied unless they did everything in their power to help the ponies who are counting on them! Inside his mind, Coffee Swirl said, "Who are you supposed to be?" The thing that had possessed him appeared before him in his mind, looking like an oni who had a peach motif. He said, "Someone who can't just sit back and let guys like you almost give in to an offer like the one that ghost was making, even though you knew better. Don't worry, I ain't gonna hurt you." "Then why did you possess me like that?" "Because even if you had refused that things offer, you're almost out of ways to fight. I can give you a new power for this battle. You can thank that weird mixed-up creatures lady who told me I should help you out." "So Pandora is responsible for this, huh? Well, there are many ways this might go wrong, but for now, I guess I'll roll with it." "Good. Then sit back and watch. Oh, by the way, the name's Momotaros. Remember it, okay?" With that mental conversation finished, the possessed Coffee Swirl pulled out a rectangular device and pressed a button on the side of it, causing a belt to appear around his waist with four buttons on it, in red, blue, yellow, and purple. He then pressed the red button, causing a tune to start playing before he scanned the rectangular object over the belt buckle and said, "Henshin (Transform, for those of you who aren't familiar with Japanese)." This caused the belt to say, "SWORD FORM." With that, pixels of energy appeared over Coffee Swirl's body before they turned into a black and silver suit of armor that looked like it had train tracks running down the middle of its helmet. Then four more pieces of armor appeared around it, attaching to his body to form red and white armor. Finally, what looked like a peach slid down the train tracks, stopping in front of his eyes and splitting apart into the eyes of this form he had taken. With that, M-Coffee Swirl said, "I...have arrived." - The ghost looked at Coffee Swirl. "You bastard, what's that form supposed to be?" M-Coffee Swirl said, "You can call this form Kamen Rider Den-O. Now let me warn you, I don't do warning shots. When I fight, I'm always at a climax from start to finish." As M-Coffee Swirl, now identified as Den-O, said this, he assembled four rectangular objects on his belt, combining them into what looked like the hilt of a sword. When they were all assembled, a red blade emerged from the object. With that, Den-O charged at the ghost, yelling, "Go! Go! Go!" and slashing with his sword. The ghost grunted in pain from the attack, not expecting it to happen so quickly. Den-O chuckled. "Well then, I guess I'll show you my finisher." With that, he pulled out the pass that he'd used to transform and passed it over his belt buckle, causing the belt to announce, "FULL CHARGE." As the blade of the sword was charged with energy, Den-O said, "Certain kill. My certain kill attack. Part two!" With that, he slashed his sword, and the blade separated from the handle of the sword, remaining connected by a tether of energy. Den-O then performed two diagonal slashes followed by a vertical slash, slicing through the ghost three times. Coffee Swirl said, "Don't you think maybe you went a little overboard?" Momotaros said, "What can I say? I did say I always fight at a climax, you know." Den-O chuckled and said, "Well, now I guess it's time to find the next enemy to take down." With that, he set off in the direction of the battle. - 

"Did you get me a cauldron?" asked Hydia impatiently. 

"Yes Hydia..." said Reeka, she and her sister dropping a stolen cauldron in front of her mother. 

"And the ingredients?" 

"We almost got beat up by a Zebra, but she had a lot of them..." said Draggle, handing the old witch her ingredients. 

 "Good! Now I can get back to my old tricks!" she said, smirking as Crunch came up with the petrified Spike. "Oh! There's the dragon, this I can use," she said, taking a chisel and cracking off a small stone from his massive shape.

She looked to Somnambula, handing her a small crystal. "You continue the plan, put that in Morning Star when you form him. Now that I've got my tools, I'll keep those little ponies busy." 

The other witch nodded. "Alright." 

---- 

"Okay, so where are those witches?" Shining asked his sister, looking around. 

Suddenly, several rock golems rose up around them. 

Twilight looked up and saw Hydia on a cliff nearby, surrounded by potions and a bubbling cauldron in front of her. "Golems? Really?" 

"This is just the start, little pony, do you know who I am?" 

"A washed up old witch?"

 Hydia snarled. "No! I'm Hydia! I am the most evil witch to ever live! The only one worse than me is Lord Tirek himself!" 

"Then why is the other witch the big bad?" Shining snarked, smashing a golem to bits.


Hydia growled. "I'll show you! I've destroyed kingdoms by myself! A few little ponies aren't going to stop me!"
 ----

 Pinkie blinked, hearing music start up. "I think a villain song is starting up." 

Noon looked at the monitor. "Yeah, looks like Hydia."

 "Makes sense, she got the first one ever. Wonder if being in Hell has effected her singing..." 

"Well at least we've finally got a boss fight going..." “Yeah, but Hydia seems to have got the 'obligatory Pony POV Series villain threat boost'.” “Oh dear...”

 ---

 (Cue Wicked Ways from Lion of Oz)

 "There's no way to guess How big of a mess I can make at my worst! On the land my family is a curse! Now you will see The evil queen In action!” the witch sung, beginning to perform her spells and mixture. While Twilight and Shining made quick work of the Golems, Hydia threw a potion vial down in front of them, resulting in vegetation merging together into a massive plant monster and taking several swipes at them. “Watch my daughters! See how a slaughter Is done by a witch like me!” As the two inept witches took notes, Shining smashed the plant monster's head off, but a multitude of vines erupted from the spot, grabbing the Sparkle Siblings and swinging them around. Twilight countered with a fire spell, burning the monster to ashes. “Watch as I spread gloom All to seal their doom! Just stick around and you'll see!” The smoke from Hydia's cauldron formed into a massive smoke monster and dove at the Sparkles. Twilight teleported out of the way while her brother put up a shield, but the younger Unicorn still got a scolding burn on her back. “My wicked! Wicked ways! I love my wicked! Wicked ways! Turn a prince into a toad For the lake at my abode Where my daughters watch you all day!” “Hey!” yelled the two daughters. Hydia threw a potion at Shining while he was distracted by his sister's burn. Thankfully he dodged, but the vile hit a rock behind him, turning it into a toad. Hydia followed up with another that turned the toad into a giant monster, giving the siblings two beasts to deal with. “My wicked! Wicked ways! I love my wicked! Wicked ways! I'll take away your sight! Do it just for spite! With my with my wicked! Wicked Ways!” The siblings got out of the way of the steam monster, causing it to collide with the toad and burn the other monster severely. Twilight then fired an ice spell turning the steam to ice, freezing both solid and letting Shining shatter it with his hammer. “Would it excite you If I ignite you? And burn you down to an ash?!” Hydia threw another vile, which exploded in a fire ball. The fire then merged together, forming a howling beast made of flames. “I'll leave you in a ditch! I'm one wicked witch! Now welcome to my monster mash!” Twilight created a storm cloud and dropped water on the flaming beast, extinguishing it after the siblings had received a few burns. “Are my eyebrows okay?!” Shining asked. “Uh...what eyebrows?” Hydia threw drops of potion from her spoon, which grew into several hideous monsters when they hit the ground and charged the duo. Every time one was smashed, the remaining ones would reform into smaller versions of the original, the first one surprising Twilight by slashing her across the chest. “It's my wicked! Wicked ways! I have my wicked! Wicked ways! I call up every beast Up from west to east! Until in the grave you will stay!” Hydia used her magic to turn several insects into giant monsters as the siblings finally defeated the monsters, instantly diving on them. “My wicked! Wicked ways! I love my wicked! Wicked ways!” “Turn him into a mare! added Reeka. “Wait, what?!” Hydia hit Shining with a potion, turning him into a mare. “Oh come on! That's no fair!” “Well life is unfair! With my wicked! Wicked ways!” Hydia retorted. Twilight turned a giant praying mantis that had her pinned down into an orange and bucked it off. “At least you're kinda pretty as a mare.” 'At least Nameless isn't here...' Shining thought. “You'll wish you were far away! Too bad! You're here! So me you'll learn to fear!” Shining fired a gravity buster into the air, the sphere coming down and knocking out the rest of the monsters. “Please tell me you can turn me back...” “Yeah, but not now. Gender spells aren't easy.” Hydia used a spell to turn a nearby skunk into a giant monster, forcing the siblings to cover their noses as they fought, surprisingly making the fight more difficult. “Against my wicked! Wicked ways!
I'll strip you to the bone!” The skunk monster spat a stream of acid at the two, forcing them to dodge while it melted a tree. Shining managed to capture its legs in shield spheres and let Twilight turn it back to normal. “Ugh, that stunk...” Twilight muttered, rubbing her nose. “Peeyew!” “Smells lovely to me!” Reeka remarked, acting like the skunk smell was fine perfume. Hydia's potion began to bubble and smoke like mad. “Now I'll change your tone With my wickkkkked! Wickkkkkked waaaaaaaays!” Hydia dropped the piece of Spike into the cauldron, resulting in it bubbling out, the smoke forming into a dark black, demonic version of Spike's dragonic form, towering over the duo, the piece of spike buried deep in it's heart, Spike being forced to see through it's eyes as it attacked. “Get them!” The monster roared, breathing green fire at the two. - 'Get me to that Cauldron.' Den-O stopped in his reckless charge into battle as Coffee Swirl spoke up once more. "I don't know if even my sword can cleave through something that magical." 'I don't want to cut the damned thing, I want to USE it!' "You're not an alchemist, unless you've been hiding a lot more than the other stuff in your head- OUCH!" 'THAT STUFF IS PRIVATE AND I PROMISED TO KEEP IT AS SUCH!' Coffee Swirl's mental bellow actually left the possessing spirit's head ringing for a good several moment. 'And I mix things for a living, there's a lot more that goes into coffee than just setting a pot to boil.' Den-O sighed. "I think there's a bit of a difference between making mixed drinks from coffee and conjuring eldritch things with a magical cauldron." Then I can at least buck up her summoning process. Just get me to it and we'll worry about the rest later! Den-O shook his head, but altered his course to head for the witches and their cauldron. Who knows, maybe the pony was onto something. - "Senpai," said another, smooth voice. "I believe that I'm best suited for this role." "Who's that?" Den-O snarled. "Kami-(beep)...Ah! Where did that come from?!" "Sorry, the author of this part refuses to write curse words, even if it's a catchphrase," said Pinkie Pie. "Uh...how is a Kamen Rider here? Doesn't that break the rules?" asked Noon. "No, because I think both the one who introduced him and the writer right now are fans of a crossover fanfiction that ponifies Kamen Rider. I think they're from that universe." "Oh." "Fine! You're up!" Another sphere of light entered as another exited. Den-O pressed the blue button on the belt and scanned it again. "ROD FORM!" The red armor disappeared, being replaced by blue, the mask forming out of a blue turtle sliding down the train tracks. He rearranged his weapon into a combination of a spear and a fishing rod, complete with an fishing hook-like grappling capable that could extend. "I believe this will be much more useful in what you intend to do." "I guess...who are you again?" "Urataros, pleasant to meet you. Perhaps when this is done, I can help you get the lady you have your eye on?" "...How many of you are there?" "Four. Five if Swan decides to show up." "...Let's just do this." Twilight shot the Dragon summon in the shoulder, wounding it...and then gasped, noting Spike's petrified state standing nearby, a matching crack manifesting. "Oh no." - Coffee Swirl paused in his random planning for what to do when he got to the cauldron to drop one more bit of information on the thing(s) possessing his body currently. Also, I don't give a buck what you are or how hot she looks as a dragon. You try and flirt with Fluttercruel, and I WILL find a way to kick you in the face. - And speaking of the Flutters... "EEK!" Fluttershy ducked away from a blast from Rari-dragon, not of fire, but of seething acid. She wondered if it was truly a breath weapon or if her transformed friend was just spewing up her latest dinner and decided she didn't want to know. "RARITY! LISTEN TO ME, I'M NOT TRYING TO HURT YOU OR SPIKE -- OW!" She tumbled away through the air from a tail slap to her snout by Rarity, stopping herself just before she struck Sugarcube Corner. Ponies on the ground scattered in a panic. "SORRY, EVERYPONY! I THINK YOU'D BETTER RUN! THAT IS, IF YOU WANT TO -- YEEK!" "YOU LIAR!" Rarity snapped at Fluttershy, forcing her back, head lashing out on that long neck like a striking cobra. Her fangs gleamed like diamond sabers as the transformed unicorn said, "I'LL FIX YOU! TEACH YOU TO TRY AND EAT OUR HOARD!" "Rarity, I --" Fluttershy barely avoided yet another swipe from that tail, but it took the roof off of the town bookstore. "Oh dear! Twilight will be so upset." "Never mind Twi right now!" Applejack and Silver Spoon were holding on for dear life to Flutter-dragon's pink crest. Applejack held it by her hooves, and Silver Spoon clung to AJ's tail by her teeth. Applejack yelled, "Ah think Ah know what's wrong with Rares! Ya just gotta get her ta look inta mah eyes, n' that'll break the spell!" "How do I do that?" AJ hurriedly told her as Fluttershy flew high, seeking to get some distance on Rarity as she flew after her. Fluttershy stopped and did a wingover, leaving the shocked Rarity snapping at thin air. She might have been a bad flyer for a pegasus, but she still knew more than Rarity. Fluttershy gasped as she heard the plan. "Applejack, I, I can't! It's too dangerous!" "You can't, mom, but I can!" Fluttershy shook herself, her scales darkened, and with a renewed ferocity she flew up and straight down at Rarity. Applejack perched on her head as though ready to leap. Rarity spat a stream of acid. Fluttercruel breathed fire, and it caused the acid to explode into harmless yet momentarily blinding steam. Rarity stopped short, and as she did, Applejack leaped. 'Okay', she thought, 'Ah just have ta get Rares ta look me in the eye, an' let ma powers as Element o' Honesty do the rest.' And then she was through the steam and saw herself headed right for Rarity's open fanged maw. "Ah, horseapples!" * * * "Hydia, stop showing off your singing voice and help here!" Somnambula called to her as she began shaping her greatest illusion. A terrible dark alicorn-like form began to appear near the withered Celestia. Her mane and tail both hung limp and mangy. Somnambula wondered if the sun above looked to be turning red as she said, "He'll be here any moment!" "Just use that piece of rock I gave you!" Hydia snapped back. "I said it'd work, didn't I?" She cackled as she saw Shining Armor and Twilight dodging her smoke-dragon's attacks without fighting back. "Hah! Not so brave when you'll hurt your little friend, are you?" Spike snarled inwardly, wishing he could step on the witches. Crunch gave a laugh like boulders grinding together. And in yet another realm, something that had been imprisoned for a time longer than the current universe leaped towards the shimmering gate before it with a roar of, "FREE!" - Applejack was flailing through the air, close enough to smell Rarity's acid breath... when a rainbow streak tore through the sky and snatched her away, moments before the dragoness' jaws snapped shut. "Rainbow Dash!? Where have you been?" Applejack blinked. "Should Ah even ask why you're a griffon again?" The rainbow-colored griffon banked, making a wide turn back towards Ponyville at close to Rainboom speed. "Hey, you would not believe what's been going on in Canterlot." Gliding lower over the city, she looked at the wreckage. "Then again... maybe you would." Then she had to dodge again when the two dragonesses went tumbling past, wrestling in midair, and plowed into a field just outside town with a thunderous crash. Somepony else caught up as they came in to land... Big Mac had made it to the farm and back with supplies. "Big brother, tell me you packed some rope in those saddlebags." Big Mac grinned. "Eeeyup!" "Alright! Let's use rope trick #3, just like we did to Cerebus!" He took a lasso in his mouth, and she took another in hers, and then the two earth ponies galloped straight towards Rarity. As the ivory dragoness struggled to her feet, ready for another round, they lassoed her forepaws, then crisscrossed, looped around her hind paws, and yanked hard! The crazed dragoness suddenly had all four paws yanked together and toppled over. "Yeehaw!" cried Applejack. "Hold her down before she tries to fly off." Once Fluttercruel had her securely pinned, Applejack cantered right up to Rarity's huge face, locking eyes with her. "Sorry, sugarcube, but this is gonna sting a bit..." A deafening roar distracted Hydia from her battle with Twilight and Shining. "YOU... YOU WITCHES!" "Uh oh," said Reeka and Draggle together. - Hydia wacked her children on the head with her spoon. "I'm at full power now! A dragon isn't anything to worry about." She then grabbed Reeka and handed her a vial. "Take this and go hold off one dragon! I'll handle the other with my pet!" "What about me?" Draggle asked. "You'd mess it up! Like you always do!" Reeka took the vial and was transformed into a giant, rather ugly looking dragon with scales matching her clothing. "The witch's classic trump card," Hydia remarked, ordering her daughter to go after one of the other dragons while she created a trench in the ground around her with her magic. "Better defense myself. I might not have a volcano or Flume, but I still have the other ingredients!" A miniature version of the Smooze emerged from her cauldron and surrounded her, lashing out at anything that got close to protect its summoner but being too small to do much else. Suddenly, a second Crunch pounced on the first one, the two rock dogs rolling on the ground, biting and clawing at one another. Twilight blinked. "Huh?" "Oh yeah, Cadence may have mentioned her aunts told her to go visit a living mountain and ask him to revive his dog or something," Girl-Shining said, rubbing her own head. "Once more, my life is bucking weird." Twilight nodded as the siblings dodged another stream of flames. She looked worriedly up at the dragon, knowing she couldn't harm it without hurting Spike. - "Little sister, you MIGHT want to do something to help here!" "I am helping!" Twilight shot a glance as her big brother (sister?) dodged the blasts of the summoned dragon. She yelled a warning about damaging him and what it could do to the REAL Spike. For her part, she finished the spell calculations she'd been drawing with a stick in soft dirt. "Hah! In fact..." She turned and cast her spell at the real Spike. 'Finally!' The huge stone dragon thought. He couldn't even turn to see what was going on behind him, but it sounded like ominous chanting and like the world's biggest dogfight. 'This isn't soon enough, I've got such an itch! And I'll be free and helping Rarity', he sighed dreamily, 'and Fluttershy to get those witches -- OWW! What the hay, Twi!' "What did you do?" Shiny yelled. "It's a reversion spell!" Twilight called back, taking a look at the battle the now-draconic Reeka and Rarity were engaging in. Reeka lashed at Rarity with a long, sticky, toad-like tongue. Rarity recoiled with a shriek as it got slime on her elegant crest, then lashed out with a long tail, smacking Reeka in the jaw hard enough to make her bite her own elongated tongue. Reeka hopped about, paws over her mouth and howling in pain. Twilight said, "It should change him back from being stone, and I think that will affect the big dragon too!" Both unicorns and a worried Hydia watched as her spell struck the petrified Spike. It covered him with an eldritch glow. A similar glow spread over Hydia's conjured dragon. Which faded to reveal Spike as his normal self again. His normal BABY self again. "Whoops." Twi looked at her calculations. "Guess I forgot to carry the one." "Oooh, Twilight," Spike groaned. "My head hurts, but at least now I can -- woah!" He stared at the battle taking place all around him. Behind him, he saw something that horrified him. Celestia, looking almost as old as Granny Smith, laying helplessly before Somnambula as something like a silver and gold Nightmare began to appear. Its scorn-filled gaze locked on his for just a second. Spike threw himself back, breaking the connection. He rose, sick and shaking. For just a moment he'd felt nothing but awareness of every single mistake and error in judgment he'd made and would ever make; a certainty that everypony he knew despised him for being inferior, for being imperfect, and that he deserved nothing less than to huddle in a heap and hide under a rock forever like the miserable lizard he was. "URRGH! Get a hold of yourself, dragon!" Spike shook himself. He turned and raced to the edge of the cliff, yelling down at Twilight and Shining Armor (still fighting the summoned dragon with his, er, her hammer, but much more successfully now that she could actually HIT it); "Twi! Shiny! You gotta get up here,, those witches are, are KILLING Celestia and summoning some big creepy Nightma -- OW!" Spike slumped to the ground, senseless. Draggle whooped with glee and raced to her mother's side. "Ma! I mean, Hydia! Did you see what I did?" She held out the now-broken club she'd clobbered Spike from behind with. "I did great, didn't I?" "Yes, Draggle," Hydia said with a roll of her eyes, "you did an amazing job of knocking that puny, pathetic dragon out. From behind." She shoved her at the cauldron and stepped forward, rolling up her sleeves. "Now do something useful and stir this cauldron while I handle those miserable ponies!" Hydia stepped forward, and behind her as Somnambula worked on her spell (making sure to set that piece of stone Hydia gave her into the illusionary form she was crafting), a pair of poison-green eyes looked out from it as their owner thought: "Such an incomplete body, a mere shadow of my true glory. But it is more then enough to obliterate this village from the face of the planet and hear my sister's cries of despair over the broken corpses of worthless mortals." "Just as soon as I am free!" - Also, in my mind, Hydia's attack here is her final weapon. Twilight snarled when Spike got knocked out and charged up her horn's magic to blowing a hole straight through the dragon, allowing an equally angry Shining Armor to smash it into putty. The Unicorn panted. "Okay, you were tougher than we expected, but this is over Hydia!" Hydia cackled. "You think that dragon was my last resort?" she asked, putting a hand in the mini-Smooze she'd created. "You want to know the biggest weakness of Smooze?" she asked, drinking a vial of some sort of potion. The Smooze began to flower over and wrap around her. "I had to order it around, it was too stupid to do a thing for itself but slither over the land! Granted without those rotten Flutterponies that's all I ever needed from it, but I haven't spent over three thousand years in Hell not thinking how to improve my ultimate beast!" The miniture Smooze rearrranged itself into a humanoid form, rising above the two, various eyes looking out them. Hydia's face formed on the chest, composed of the slime monster. Pinkie gulped back at the studio. "Okay, that's either a good thing because now she's not human so the censors won't mind us blowing her up...on the other, she's actually pretty dangerous like that." Shining shot Hydia with a gravity spell, splattering her merged form but not doing any damage. Twilight had to pull her 'sister' out of the way of the counter attack. "Do NOT let that stuff touch you!" yelled the purple unicorn. She attempted a fire spell on the slime beast, but while it incinerated an army, it simply regenerated. Hydia cackled. "Here's a tip girly! The Smooze you lot killed earlier? That was the spirit of my original one the Flutterponies and the Rainbow of Light killed! Spending thousands of years in Tartarus doesn't do wonders for power! This is a fresh batch and I've regained all my strength! The only thing that can stop it is Flutterponies!" Twilight whimpered. "And they're extinct..." "Exactly!" The two siblings had to leap and dodge to escape the swipes from the slime monster before several lightning bolts rained down on the Smooze Monster, driving her back slightly. "Rainbow!...Why are you-" "A griffin? LONG STORY!" the Rainbow Maned griffin stated, landing. "Good news I have the Elements of Harmony." "Bad news, we're fighting the Smooze...but she said she didn't have Flume...the problem is-" the group had to dodge another counter attack. "One we need all six of us and two one touch of that gunk and we won't CARE enough to use them. We need something to hold her off!" Applejack's eyes fell on Draggle, Den-O/Coffee Swirl in position...a part of her felt something...gave her an idea. "Ah have an idea, just keep big ugly busy, okay?!" The Earth Pony galloped up. "Hey, uh...whoever you are right now," she asked Coffee Swirl. "Yah headin' for the cauldron? If you have something in mind for it, can yah leave the witch tah me?" - Den-O said, "Of course. And perhaps after this is all over we could go out for dinner together?" Coffee Swirl said, "This isn't exactly the time to be flirting, you perverted turtle." Den-O sighed. "You do raise a good point. Fine." Applejack punched him in the face. But she wasn't sure why, sure, she wasn't interested, she reserved this sort of thing if a stallion tried to touch something they shouldn't. It was like it was what was expected of her given the nature of the world or something, or the nature was LEAKING into the world. After they were in a position overlooking the cauldron, Den-O said, "All right. I can easily get the cauldron from here." Applejack said, "Ya sure about that? It's all the way down there." Den-O chuckled. "I guess you didn't see just what I use as a weapon." As he said this, he cast his rod and managed to catch the cauldron with its hook. "Won't you let me string you along, little cauldron?" Applejack said, "Okay, as soon as ya have that reeled in, mind helping the others distract that witch? Ah got a plan." Den-O said, "Certainly." After reeling in the cauldron, Den-O said, "Since touching that stuff seems like a really bad plan, I think I'll let Ryuuta take over." With that, he pressed the purple button on the belt, causing a hip-hop tune to start playing before scanning the pass again. GUN FORM! The blue armor returned to the Sword Form configuration, with the red chest panels folding out to the sides to reveal purple armor as a purple dragon formed the mask. "Mind if I shoot you up? Can't hear an answer!" said a rather childish voice as he rearranged the pieces of his weapon into a gun before aiming at the Hydia-Smooze monster and firing a few shots as he charged down to join the others. "Another one of you guys, huh? And what's your name?" "It's Ryuutaros! Hehe!"