//------------------------------// // Temptation of the Sun // Story: Lanterns of Equestria- The Blackest Night // by Moon Chaser //------------------------------// Equestria, the sky above the suburbs of Manehatten “Orange in the emotional spectrum is represented by Avarice.” -The Book of Oa. ‘…and the meeting with the Princess and the ambassadors had gone so well too,’ Pinkie Pie thought. Both the Neighpon and Aquastrian representatives had been happy to meet with Pinkie and Twilight The loose strands of mane standing up told Pinkie that Twilight was slowly falling into anxiety. Looking at the figures of yellow light in front of her, the Yellow Lantern leader hovered a bit away lest Pinkie’s blue ring begin to drain the ring of fear again. Twilight’s reaction to that side effect of hope had exasperation: whenever she and Pinkie tried to be in the same room, they had to be far away from each other. Pinkie frowned a little thinking about it: hugging Twilight and Rainbow Dash was really hard now and to the party pony there were times they both needed it. "Anything Rarity?" Twilight asked her friend's image. "I've tried three times Twilight. She will not answer my calls at all, and without her accepting to talk I really cannot feel where she is. I need to be closer to get a better idea just where she is." Pinkie turned her attention back to figures of blue floating over her ring. Rarity stood next to Big Mac, leaning on her Indigo herd staff. She was biting her bottom lip as she silently acted as the relay for the conversation, Indigos being the only lanterns that could talk to other colored rings. The unicorn shifted every so often, her face showing some kind of strain that seemed to be weighing on her for a while now. ‘I need to get some time with Rarity when I get back,’ she thought. Pinkie then half frowned. She was still the only blue lantern and spreading hope was a full time job. She had told the ring to keep searching for another to wield hope but sadly nopony had been found. She then looked at the image of the farm mare. Applejack as ever was a contrast to Rarity. She was not still or calm: her hat thrown off she stomped at the ground, her teeth grinding as she listened to the news her brother had brought. She stomped, walking in a tight circle around the image of the Book of Oa. Applejack’s steps seemed to get louder the more the book told of the orange lantern. “Known side effects of the orange light on the orange lantern include: relentless desire to acquire possessions, an unending hunger…” the book continued. “Ah shoulda known dadgummit!” GL Applejack growled. “Those clues: the gabbiness, the hoarding, her appetite! Why didn’t Ah see it?” “Avarice!” Twilight’s image squeaked; her eyes getting slightly wilder as she said the words. Twilight Sparkle had been looking for the appearance of the orange power ring for some time, to the point she had started to become paranoid of who…or what that ring had decided to choose as it’s wielder. Apple Bloom’s desire, her mania for cutie marks apparently had grown into something more and now the fear wielder was calculating the implications of a filly with a ring that held the power of…a hundred lanterns! The thing that worried Twilight and Applejack was what the Book of Oa had said: “The Orange Lantern is used meaning singular because there is rarely more than one at a time. The nature of the power is such that anyone possessing an orange power ring will seek to destroy any others who also wield another orange ring, or attempt to take what the being considers is theirs. Orange Lanterns do not share except under duress and if they do they seek an end to that arrangement at the first opportunity.” “Why…WHY did that orange ring pick Apple Bloom? Why not a dragon? Why not griffon? Why HER?” Applejack fumed. “Where did she take my sister and Scootaloo? Has anypony heard from them at all?” Rarity suddenly asked. She rubbed her temples with her hooves. “We haven’t heard anything as of yet.” YL Twilight Sparkle twiddled her hooves. “From what you’ve said Apple Bloom seems to want to take the girls on a junket of some kind; but where? Where would she go?” “Ah need someone ta relieve me here!” Applejack snapped. “Ah gotta find mah sister! Mac can anyone come ta take mah place for a while?” “Well…Ah could send Boom, though it means puttin’ the training on hold for a while.” Mac grimaced as he watched Applejack scowl. Before Rarity had set up the meeting he had contacted his sister himself to tell her the news. She became enraged when Boom’s opinion had been told to her, even though she later conceded that he might be right. Mac’s ears flattened. “Rufus is low on charge and due back to take up guardin’ the battery. There is Sandy, but she was supposed to return Canterlot.” “Ah’ll call Rufus M’self, maybe Ah can get him before he gets back to Equestria.” “He’s low on charge sis.” “Pinkie-could you find him and help him get some charge in his ring?” “OK Applejack,” Pinkie said. She gently tumbled in the air as she spoke to her friends. Mac and Rarity’s images suddenly looked behind themselves. The image of Spike appeared between them, holding an opened scroll. He panted as he held up the message, the broken seal of Princess Celestia glimmering in the image. “Twilight!” he coughed. “Twilight-Princess Celestia just sent this! She says…she says there is a lantern filly in Manehatten-an orange lantern!” There was silence for a moment. Twilight’s face disappeared from the conversation. Pinkie looked up from the images to see a yellow shooting star heading back to Manehatten. The blue lantern then took a deep breath as a strange sensation came from her enhanced Pinkie senses causing her to grin madly. “Pinkie?” “My Pinkie sense…Change of plans everypony. I’m going to follow Twilight. I think everyone should come as soon as you can!” The Blue Lantern suddenly grinned, her beaming smile shining beneath her now glowing eyes. Rarity’s aura suddenly brightened. “Pinkie, why are you smiling?” The party pony chuckled as she began flying after Twilight Sparkle. “Because- something’s about to happen!” “What? What’s about to happen,” GL Applejack asked. Blue Lantern Pinkamina Diane Pie giggled. “Something wonderful!” * Equestria, Manehatten, West 46th Street and Ninth Avenue Captain of the guard detail Gilded Shield clicked his tongue as he looked on at the Sun Princess calmly speaking to the orange lighted filly. The lantern had created a kind of procession throne for herself out of the mysterious substance that all lanterns commanded through the amazing rings they wielded. Four figures of orange light that moved just like living ponies were holding up the corners of the throne platform. The captain turned to the sergeant of the guards and smiled. “Look at her- I swear Sunny can charm hydras back into the bog.” “I don’t like it Captain. The Princess is so exposed and…” Gilded Shield waved a hoof. “You heard her- ‘I will deal with the lantern. Hold here and guard our guests, they are your primary responsibility’.” “Still,” the sergeant frowned,” I don’t like this sir.” The Captain nodded. “I understand Nails…but just what the heck are we supposed to do against a lantern? I think an alicorn is about one of the only things that can stand up to one,” he cast a glance at the child in orange lantern garb. “...and that one scares me almost as much as Lady Sparkle does-besides she has been able to keep the kid happy for a half an hour.” “Shush!” A kirin riding in a Neighponese chariot hissed. “Please Tai-Chou, I would like to hear the rest of what Kagami Hime-Sama is saying to this lantern!” Her blue scales shimmered as she shifted in her seat casting points of lights on the red armor of her guards. “Indeed Lady Yukimori is right!” a seapony said from her carriage bowl. She ducked her head back into the water for a moment then returned to lift her head from the water. “I too wish to hear more from this…Orange Lantern. She is very different from the other two we met earlier.” “We apologize Yuki-tano, Minister Whirlpool,” the Captain and Sergeant both bowed to the ambassadors of Neighpon and Aquastria. The Captain then silent turned to look back at Princess Celestia, his ears tilted forward to listen… …and caught sight of a yellow colored shooting star. “Dang! Things are about to get complicated,” the Captain said. “Apple Bloom!” Twilight Sparkle’s voice thundered from above the Orange Lantern. Twilight’s yellow aura blazed like a second sun as she came down placing herself between Princess Celestia and the filly lantern. Twilight bowed to Princess Celestia as she turned around to face the filly lantern. She knelt down slightly and lowered her head to bring her eyes even in height to Applejack’s little sister. The Yellow Lantern leader looked into the eyes of the Lantern of Avarice and felt as if Apple Bloom was about to try and devour her. “We need to talk!” “Orange Bloom Twilight-LADY Orange Bloom!” She took a bite of something stretchy and stringy and began to chew loudly. “Ya know, Ah an’ the princess were havin’ the nicest talk-til you showed up!” “Apple Bloom, you…” “LADY ORANGE BLOOM!” Orange Bloom then took a bight of something and began to chew, her mouth making loud smacking sounds. “How many times do Ah gotta say it?” Twilight head rose as she reared slightly back. He eyes scanned over the crowd of orange ring constructs and saw Scootaloo, eyes wild in rage madness breathing plasma at the orange globe that contained her. Sweetie Belle was sitting on a construct platform next to the bubble, a front hoof pressing on the barrier. Rarity’s little sister looked well but her eyes had a sadness in them. “Scootaloo! What have you done to Scootaloo?” “She OK, Ah just put her somewhere safe so she can blow off some of that red lantern steam o’ hers and not hurt anypony.” “Um, ok…” the yellow lantern licked her lips. “We have to talk about the ring.” “Which ring?” Orange Bloom swallowed hard. The child’s eyes narrowed. “You mean MY ring dontcha?” “Well,” Twilight sat on her haunches, keeping her gaze on the child. ‘Easy Twilight, try and be subtle.’ “What’s there ta talk about Twilight, the ring is mah’n an’ that’s all there is to it!” “The ring is affecting you, making you…” “It’s making me more: more powerful, more intelligent, and wealthier! MORE! The ring has allowed me ta really be me, ta really go after what Ah want!” Orange Bloom took a bight of something and chewed loudly again. “Look, I want to…discuss this ring with you and your family…” The Orange Lantern suddenly spit her food out and hissed. “Discuss? Ha! Ah KNOW what those words mean! Every time an adult wants ta ‘discuss’ somethin’ with me it means they aim ta make me do somethin’!” The child rubbed her power ring. “Yer just like Applejack!” “Um…” the yellow lantern stuttered. “I think you should…” Orange Bloom lifted into the air looking Twilight level in the eye. “Should what?” ‘Careful,’ Twilight thought as she swallowed hard. “Look the power you have is very dangerous…” The orange aura suddenly appeared around the child as she gripped the copper power battery close to herself. ”Grownups always ALWAYS say somethin’ is ‘dangerous’ just before they try an’ TAKE IT AWAY!” YL Twilight’s aura flared up and she too rose into the air. “Apple Bloom that ring has you mixed up!” BL Pinkie Pie landed, her eyes wide in surprise after looking over the scene. Orange Bloom glared at the Blue Lantern until she looked at the glittering cyan light on the party pony’s leg. She stared at the power ring for a second then suddenly her eyes snapped up and looked into Pinkie’s. A guttural growl rose from the filly’s throat. “Oh, Ah see how it is now!” Pinkie Pie stared at the child and the battery for a moment. The wonderment in her eyes changed and the Blue Lantern’s mouth twisted into a grimace. “Oh, what a nasty snake you are,” Pinkie said under her breath. Orange Bloom glared at Twilight and brought her ring up, pointing it at the yellow lantern. Her ring’s light increased as she levitated higher into the air. The guards moved forward and flanked Princess Celestia while imploring her to move back. The ambassadorial procession began to move backwards away from the blazing lights. “Ah’m never givin’ this ring or battery up! Never, never NEVER! NEVER!“ Orange fire filled the filly’s eyes as she pointed at Twilight with the copper ring. The Construct figures rose into the air with her and moved forward. “It’s MINE! Nopony is taking what’s mine EVER AGAIN!” The Construct Lanterns rushed forward as Twilight shot high into the air. The Yellow Lantern looped and came down behind a wedge construct that crashed into three construct figures, scattering the orange energy figures. Twilight’s small smile disappeared when she saw the constructs reform as if no damage had been done. ‘She healed a construct! Healing a construct is an advanced move!’ YL Twilight licked her lips as a stream of yellow bolts of fire exploded out of her ring. The descending orange figures dodged the blasts. The yellow lantern nodded and three more whirls of light flew out of her ring, becoming spiral nets of thorny chains. Three of the construct ponies were captured, stopped in mid dive. Two more figures appeared, a young dragon and a pegasus. Both bore down on her as she summoned a giant funnel insect trap. The two figures crashed into her construct, and became contained. Twilight then looked down and saw more of Orange Bloom’s creations coming out of the orange battery. The mistress of the battery glared at the yellow lantern and whispered something under her breath. Pinkie Pie appeared between the rising figures and Twilight, just far enough not to drain her friends ring. The blue aura around her was thick and bright as Pinkie performed cartwheels in the air, spinning this way and that to become a barrier. She then curled up into a ball and began bouncing back and forth; hoof smacking the orange figures, knocking several to the ground. “Pinkie! Forget me! Protect the Princess!” BL Pinkie Pie unfolded herself and nodded. In a flash she was hovering over Princess Celestia. Twilight Sparkle summoned a construct that looked like a mechanical griffon’s talon and dived. The ring creation spread wide open as the unicorn descended. ‘Hate to do this Apple Bloom, but I really don’t have a choice. I’ve got to stop this now before anypony else get hurt. I’ve got to get that battery away from you and use the Deep Fear.’ Twilight had used the Deep Fear before, but never on a child. She wouldn’t have normally…except Applejack’s sister wielded so much power she didn’t see a way to keep the conflict from escalating. The filly now thought that she was about to lose her power battery and ring, and charged with the orange light of Avarice, there was no limit to what she might do to protect it. Deep Fear caused the the greatest terrors of her soul to come out and torment its host, making them stop anything they were doing at that moment. She planned her actions just as she came to the Orange Lantern. ‘Don’t touch it Twilight,’ she told herself as the claw construct envelope the orange battery. Her construct snapped closed as she streaked by. Twilight then pulled herself into a climb straight up, to get the battery as far away from the child as possible… …she was jerked sideways and down, the battery had not seemed to move at all. Twilight looked down and saw eyes burning with orange fire staring back at her over the copper colored power battery. “Never ya hear me, NEVER!” Twilight swore she saw the filly’s tongue as forked for a split second. Orange Bloom had anchored herself and the battery to the ground by a huge chain. Chains crawled over the battery and wrapped themselves around Twilight making the Orange Lantern, her Battery and the Yellow Lantern all locked together. Pinkie placed herself between Princess Celestia and the arcing tangle to shield the alicorn. She caught them like a large medicine ball but the force of the impact knocked them all into the Diarchal of Equestria. All of them then crashed into the guards flanking the princess, knocking them aside like bowling pins then skidded on the ground until they came to a stop. Orange Bloom’s constructs save her ‘lanterns’ disappeared along with Twilight's when they all crashed into the ground. The filly had dug out a small crater in the paved street with her impact. Shaking her head she looked about to see Twilight rising out of her own impact crater yellow power ring shimmering on the end of her foreleg. Glowing orange figures began to surround the fear wielder as she leveled her power ring at the child. Orange Bloom smiled and clapped her hooves together. Twilight became aware through her ring senses of figures closing in all around her. A yellow sphere studded with spikes flashed into exsistance as the construct lanterns all attempted to dog pile on the Element of Magic. Twilight then summoned thorn nets around the figures to hold them fast, as she faced the Orange Lantern who had called to her side more construct guards. “STOP!” called out Sweetie Bellee. The unicorn sat in the street with Scootaloo trembling next to her free of the confining construct. The Red Lantern had apparently expended her anger inside the bubble and simply looked on, watching the battle unable to do anything. Sweetie Belle ran forward and placed herself between the fighting lanterns, holding up her hooves at both. “Just, please stop!” “Sweetie, you need to run away, find a safe place to hide,” the yellow lantern warned. “No!” she squeaked. “I’m not going to let this go on.” “Sweetie ya need to get outta the way darlin’ Ah ain’t gonna let…” “I’m not going anywhere! I know things have gotten bad, but I still believe it will be OK!” “Sweetie Ah ain’t lettin’ anypony take what’s mah’n any more so…” “Nopony is talking about taking away anything!” Sweetie stepped closer to the earth filly. “Sweetie! Ya need…” “You need to listen!” the unicorn moved closer. Twilight bit her bottom lip, unsure what to do. She thought about creating a cage construct around Rarity’s sister and moving her out of the way, but Apple Bloom had paused in using her ring. Pinkie appeared, landing to the side of the two opposing lanterns. The party pony’s eyes narrowed and she started looking every which way as if she was searching. Twilight could see the barest hint of ear twitching from her. “What are you playin’ at Sweetie? What do ya want?” “I just want you to listen to me, to hear me.” Sweetie came closer. She was now five walk steps away from her friend. “This isn’t you Apple Bloom…” “ORANGE BLOOM ya hear me? How hard is it for…” “See THAT’S the problem,” Sweetie Belle stamped her hoof on the ground, orange construct guards jumping at the movement. “ ’Orange Bloom’ is the ring talking not you Apple Bloom!” The orange lantern ground her teeth. “What do ya mean? This IS me! This is me with the power ta keep what’s mine!” She glared at Blue Lantern Pinkie Pie who was now standing by Princess Celestia who lay unconscious next to the Orange Power Battery. She began to float in the Blue Lantern’s direction. “That’s MINE Pinkie!” When she came to a stop and Twilight had faced off against Apple Bloom she placed herself next to her monarch and the orange power supply just in case she had to keep both out of reach of the Orange Lantern and her strange construct servants. Sweetie Belle jumped and landed between Pinkie and the Orange Lantern, her eyes sparkling and her ears flattened as she faced her friend. “Please Stop! This isn't you Apple Bloom, I know it's the ring is doing this! It’s making you crazy. Fight it, don't let it make you into this!” [= Hope detected. =] The blue ring suddenly called out. The ring’s wielder’s eyes widened. Pinkie looked up from her watch of Princess Celestia and the Battery of Avarice and stared at the suddenly blazing blue band. “Could it be,” she whispered. “No it’s not, it’s the ring!” An orange tentacle or snake tail shot out of the ring and wrapped it around the unicorn filly. “S-see,” Sweetie gasped. “I know…you’re letting…the ring…do this…through you…and I know…” “Know what?” “I…know you’re an Apple…and all Apples…are stubborn…” “So?” The grip of the tail loosened. Sweetie took a deep breath and blew air out through her mouth. “I know you have enough willpower to be a match for your sister and brother, I know you have enough willpower to keep one promise to me if you want to.” Orange Bloom leaned back, her mouth curled up and tongue sticking out in an expression of disgust. “Everypony wants me to give up somethin’, to let go of what Ah own! I thought mah ‘friends’ were different.” “Do I think you should give it up Apple Bloom? Yes I do,“ the orange light brightened. “But I won’t ask you to. But please if you are going to keep it just keep one promise to me and Scootaloo, just one.” “What’s that?” Orange Bloom sneered. “Be yourself, use that Apple stubbornness. Please: own the ring, don’t let the ring own you.” [=Suitable candidate found=] Pinkie’s ring chirped. That ring suddenly became warm. Pinkie’s jaw dropped then closed into a smile as the Blue band flashed and a ball of light came out of the ring. It began spinning, becoming flatter until it had transformed into another blue power ring. The new ring then flew straight like an arrow shot at Sweetie Belle, swirling around her. The filly then began to rise into the air as the ting placed itself on her fore leg. [=Amoura Anne Belle of Equestria =] the new ring called out to Sweetie. “Sweetie!” Twilight screamed. Orange Bloom covered her eyes and the construct guards moved backwards from the cyan light before them. [=You carry great hope in your heart! =] [= Ring capacity 94.5% and falling =] the yellow ring buzzed. The Yellow Lantern glided backwards away from the two children. The appearance of the blue ring became a weakness to the Element of Magic and she drew back just far enough to stay out of the energy draining effect of the ring of hope. [= Welcome to the Blue Lantern Corps. =] Sweetie was filled with the light of hope and began to shine like a beacon in the night. She held the Blue Lantern power ring over her head as the uniform of the blue corps appeared on her. Orange Bloom, stopped shading her eyes and now fixed her unblinking vision on the cyan fire. The Orange Lantern seemed to be bathing in the light, like a lizard sunning itself on a rock. A smile appeared from the muzzle that had been frowning just a moment ago and she whispered quietly. “So…pretty…so…” [= Do you accept? =] “Y-yes.” Sweetie squeaked. "How about that." Scootaloo said as she covered her eyes. "Figures Sweetie would be a blue." “So pretty,” Orange Bloom said softly. “Ah want it, just like Ah want a red one like Scootaloo’s, Ah want all of em’! Sweetie please, trade with me! Ah’ll deal fair-n-square with ya Ah promise, Cutie Mark Crusader’s honor! It makes me feel…” “I don’t think I can or should just give this ring away.” Blue Lantern Sweetie Belle sighed. “But…maybe I can give you something you need. Sweetie pointed the ring at her friend and the blue light shown on her like a spot light. Orange Bloom fell to the ground and let out a long sigh. She grabbed at her belly and curled in on herself. She then rose into the air again , becoming level with the unicorn. “Ah…Ah’m full. Ah’m FULL! Ah don’t want ta eat any more, Ah ain’t hungry! This is the first time in weeks Ah ain’t hungry.” She spun in place, giggling and tumbling. She landed next to one of her construct servants and flung a platter of food away. “Ah’d give anythin’ for that ring Sweetie, seriously Ah’ll pay big for it! Bein’ next to it makes me…want it, but not want ta take it!” “I don’t think I can Apple Bloom,” BL Sweetie Belle said. “Alright,“the Orange Lantern said. She moved forward past her friend, smiling as she went, moving tword Pinkie and the Princess. Sweetie tumbled in the air and placed herself in front of Orange Bloom. “Where are you going?” “Ta get mah battery Sweetie.” “Apple Bloom, let it go please. Maybe…” she shown the ring beam on her again. The earth filly took a deep breath then exhaled slowly. “There’s a difference between not takin’ somethin’ that doesn’t belong to ya and givin’ somthin’ up ya love an’ want ta keep Sweetie.” The orange power ring was held up before the blue lantern,” An’ Ah DO want this ring, Ah want ta keep it an’ Ah ain’t givin it up for anypony Sweetie, not even you or Scoots, or Applejack, Mac…even Granny. Ah’m sorry.” She then turned to face Twilight who had created a bubble shield around herself. "Pinkie," Twilight yelled. "Why didn't you do what Sweetie Belle did?" "Because she had to do it Twilight, Sweetie had to be the one to do it." "Ah’ll be takin’ my battery now." The Orange Lantern declared. "Ah don't want a fight but make no mistake Ah’ll do what Ah have to ta get it back.” Pinkie Pie nodded. Twilight's mane sprouted loose strands that stood up. the was then that the Orange Lantern saw Princess Celestia shake her head as she rolled off of her back to get onto her hooves. Something had gotten into her eyes and she blinked rapidly to clear her vision, reaching out with her front hooves to find level ground. Orange Bloom saw the Princess plainly blinded place her hoof on the Orange Power Battery then become still. “NO!” the earth filly screamed as she made for her battery like a shot. Celestia had felt something slither up, no INSIDE her leg. Light suddenly filled her eyes as she firmly placed her hoof on something warm, and round… …the last thing she saw before suddenly descending into darkness was that hoof on the blazing Orange Power Battery then the eyes of Orange Bloom suddenly fix on her. “Mine,” the princess of the sun whispered as her body became ridged and the abyss swallowed her mind… …and she woke in the darkness. ‘Where am I,’ she asked herself. She heard hoof steps off in the surrounding void. “The filly really does not know what she has Cele,” a voice said to her from the blackness. “Wouldn’t it be better if we had it instead?” “We? Who are you?” Celestia felt like she was standing now in a very dark room. She opened her wings and unleashed light from her horn, trying to illuminate the darkness, but the radiance found nothing but more emptiness. “Wouldn’t it be better if we had the power instead of a letting a valuable and dangerous resource be wasted?” That voice. Was that her own voice? “We deserve it Cele, we should have it! Remember how we felt when Luna took a ring? Remember how angry we were that sister claimed a ring when she said that we shouldn't? Why shouldn’t we have one as well if we are going to actually use them.” “Luna did anger me,” Celestia said in a sharper tone. ’I must be in the place between seconds. That must be where I am.’ “The one thing we’ve wanted since this madness started was the power to protect our subjects, our country, our world, and now chance has placed that power in our hooves.” “Our? Who are you? I demand that you show yourself!” From the darkness there was an explosion of orange light, like the birth of a star in the void. From the light stepped…herself! This ‘self’ was clad in raiment that was decorated with the symbol the child and the construct figures wore: the symbol of an orange lantern. ‘Her’ mane colors were tinged with orange as was her white coat. Instead of a crown she wore a head piece like she sister had worn as Nightmare Moon, but colored copper like the rest of ‘her’ garb. “I am YOU Cele, or rather we are each other.” “But…” “Shouldn’t we protect what we’ve worked so hard to cultivate?” “Cultivate?” “Yes-cultivate! We have been bonded to our sun for a very, very long time; moderating it’s behavior, calming it’s disposition, easing it’s eruptions. By doing that, everything on this world everything that lives…owes its existence to us! Are we just going to let it be exterminated? Are we just going to turn our back on the lives under our power?” Princess Celestia shook her head slowly. She felt the truth of the words pass through her heart. Her sun made life livable on this world just as Luna’s moon did this was true, but to embrace that idea… “We worked hard on this world, why would we let these Black Lanterns kill it? Would we let pests and vermin destroy our garden when we could stop it? No, we wouldn’t! We've whispered in our thoughts how we wished we had the power to do something...and now we do!” Princess Celestia bit her bottom lip. “I’m not sure. The child seemed so…affected by the power within the battery. I just…” Celestia thought of Rainbow Dash and how a red ring affected all who wore it. She thought of Twilight and how it the power of fear changed her more than the most gifted student realized. The orange tinted image of herself stood in front of her and stared into her eyes. “Having a ring of our own means we could guide the other lanterns of the world, we have the wisdom of millennia to draw on. Think about that…the power we need, yoked to our wisdom! We could save our world…and that power is at our hoof tips.” “Maybe…” The Orange Flaring Alicorn in front of Celestia then walked beside her, the tail swishing back and forth just like she would when she was annoyed. Blazing orange eyes bore through the Princess of the Sun. “Remember how our subjects loved us before we had to banish sister?” ‘Normal’ Celestia nodded. “The adulation, it alienated Luna, blinded me to how she felt until she turned into Nightmare Moon.” “Remember the anguish sending our sister away…our loved one? Remember how it felt when the Elements of Harmony no longer would head us and we lost them? Remember how awful we felt year after year when the Summer Sun Celebration came every year because our subjects were cheering the loss of something precious to us? Remember all we have lost!” The royal alicorn nodded silently. The orange clad Celestia moved forward and placed her head on the neck of her normal self. “Let us recover what was lost. Let us have the adulation of old again but with a new and joyful reason. Let everything living proclaim us not only the bringer of their light but their protector as well! Let the lanterns be guided by our wisdom, our leadership.” The figure stepped back. “Don’t you think that is the wisest thing to do?” A strange fire filled Celestia mind and her heart. She could feel a longing…a growing hunger rise in her. “I could be as mother and father were…” she whispered. A glimmering orange band appeared in front of her. Celestia could feel the ring reaching out to her, it’s energy beginning to flow into her. It felt as if the copper band was quivering in anticipation. She raised her hoof. "We will be greater then they were." “They will call me The Empress of the Dawn and Matriarch of the Orange Light...” “…a light better held by a pony of infinite appetites willing to use that power for more than pursuing the intense but petty and limited desires of a child,” her orange double said. Princess Celestia stood still for the length of sever heart beats, staring into the glowing band. She then suddenly put her hoof down and pivoted away and looked her doppelganger in the eye. A frown creased her face and she barred her teeth. “No,” she whispered. “WHAT?” the orange lantern version of herself yelled. “NO!” A hiss erupted from the orange figure which vanished as quickly as it appeared. The blackness desolved, like wet paint washed away by a rain storm and the Princess looked to see she was standing in the street, with her hoof on the orange power battery. Orange Bloom stood across from her, the glow of the copper band becoming dimmer as the moments passed. “Princess?” there was a growl in the filly’s voice. Princess Celestia blinked a couple of times then smiled warmly at the child. Celestia's Horn glowed and the copper lantern levitated gently into the child's hooves. "Your Power Battery I believe my dear." The earth filly, and the rest of the gathered crowd stood silently many with their mouths agape. "Please have it back." "Th-th-thank you." her voice quivered. “Now that you have your lantern, I want you to keep it safe.” “Ya do!” Orange Bloom suddenly smiled. “You do?” Twilight Sparkle shrieked. “How can you leave…?” “But, I want you to not use it so recklessly and thoughtlessly. I would like you to keep that power contained you might say. I also would like your help in the fight against the Black Lanterns, after all they are your enemy too.” Orange Bloom rubbed her chin with her ring. “Well...Ah do trust ya princess. Ya did touch my battery but give it back. Hum.” The child smiled mischievously and pulled the orange battery to herself using her ring. “What’s in it for me?” “Apple Bloom!” Twilight snapped. Pinkie shook her head and whispered into one of the guards ears “It’s that snake.” Princess Celestia smiled. “I could grant you a ladyship…” “It’s a start but a great lady needs a great house, one that’s all mine!” The princess nodded at the orange lantern. “I will have the royal secretary draw up the documents for you to make it official, if we can approve of the accord of course.” “A deal? Yeah, a deal! Hum...Ah want an estate a chef, a butler, a…” “I’ll have a draft the title done right away.” The princess gestured to her attending secretary. “Please grant the title of Marchioness…” “Dutchess!” Orange Bloom interrupted. “…Duchess of the Orange Light and ownership of Summer Home and its estates to Lady Orange Bloom...” "Hum..." the Orange Lantern looked at her friend, bathing in her blue light and smiled slightly. "Ya know- Apple Bloom is mah proper name an' that should be the name ta go with mah title." "Very well. Lady Apple Bloom Duchess of Summer Home and Mistress the Orange Light." “Yes your majesty.” The secretary’s levitating quill began moving over a floating parchment. ”Your highness, isn’t Summer Home one of Prince Blue Bloods holdings?” “I will inform Prince Blue Blood myself,” the Sun Princess shook her head. Twilight flew and landed before her monarch and bowed. “I must ask Princess, why are you letting Apple Bloom keep the battery?” The yellow lantern’s mane and tail were being stroked by construct hooves. “Because I did not want my subjects especially most gifted student and her friends to be in danger. Sometimes diplomacy can succeed where force may fail.” Twilight frowned. “Begging your majesty’s pardon but-to leave that power in a child’s hooves? That’s crazy!” Princess Celestia looked down at Twilight, her eyes soft and sad. “Can you tell me: would you would win fighting her Twilight? If you did win, what would it have cost? How much more damage would have occurred?” The unicorn bit her bottom lip then looked at the Orange Lantern and her construct guards. “Honestly…I don’t know.” “By doing this my faithful student, I give you more time to figure out a way to better handle her power. Granting a child a small place to call her own, treating her as an allied power or a peer may keep her isolated by her will.” Twilight looked at her teacher, one eye brow raised. “To put it another way: sometimes it’s better to make a deal than to fight.” Celestia looked at the child and sighed. “….and you can make a deal with Avarice…Avarice is always looking for a deal.” “At least you weren’t tempted by the power Princess.” “Oh, but I was Twilight. I almost tried to take the power myself. I wanted to take it for myself.” “But you didn't Princess.” “I wonder if it was because I felt that the power alone would corrupt me. I would use it to fight the Black Lanterns, but then…” she closed her eyes. “Maybe it was Pinkie’s blue ring near me.” Celestia looked at the Orange Lantern as she listed her demands to the royal secretary. “Perhaps it is better that the orange light fell into the hooves of one who is somewhat innocent yet so hungry for life. Better that than it turning me into some kind of tyrant Twilight.” “Tyrant? You? Never! It couldn’t corrupt you Princess; you aren’t full of avarice! You aren’t greedy at all!" Celestia’s student exclaimed. The Sun Princess lowered her head, her ears flat. “Don’t mistake what Avarice truly is Twilight or you blind yourself to it’s true power. Avarice is not about things, it’s about more; more of anything. More wealth, more beauty, more adulation, more status, more food,” Celestia turned and stared into her student. The alicorn’s eyes were suddenly hard, “more knowledge, more power, more ability! Remember Twilight: Avarice is not about things it’s about more.” [= Will detected. Potentiality Unlocked =] Sweetie and Pinkie's rings chirped. "We're here!" a voice from the sky called out. The glow of indigo light that surrounded her made Rarity appear to have butterfly wings like she did in Cloudsdale. Landing with Big Mac and two of her herd members, the head of the Indigo Herd similed... ...until her eyes fell on Sweetie Belle clad in the uniform of a Blue Lantern. "Look Rarity! I'm a Blue Lantern now!" the unicorn filly squeaked. "Sweetie Belle! No no no NO," the compassion wielder screeched. gritting teeth flashed as Rarity moved in a blink to stand in front of Pinkie Pie. "How could you? How could you let the ring choose my sister!" IH Rarity yelled. Pinkie Pie shook her head, ears flat. "It's not like that Rarity, you know it's not." GL Big Macintosh walked over to Twilight and looking at his sister spoke softly in her ear."Looks like everything is OK, whats Apple Bloom doing over there?" "You are not going to like it when you hear it, and Applejack will like it even less," Twilight answered. "Did you bring Rainbow Dash with you?" "No," Mac said. "She an the other Red Lanterns are up to somethin'. There are no Red Lanterns at Boiling Point except Wild Fire and a trainee. For the life of me I don't know where they are." A low growl came out of Twilight throat. "What's that crazy mare up to now!" Twilight watched as Rarity, laying on an indigo couch construct cried, her little sister levitating next to her and patting her on the head. "Well, at least all the colors are accounted for," Twilight sighed. She turned, creating sun glasses so she could look at the hope charged lantern of willpower popping her lips and frowning. "This just got a whole new level of crazy Big Mac!" "Eeyup!" * Equestria, Royal Equestrian Geological Survey site A-113, at that moment. Maud Pie awoke to a world where everything was fluid, except her body. She shook her head trying to clear the muffled roaring sound that filled her ears. It was like listening to a conch shell, a low rushing sound that rose and fell in a rhythmic cycle. Maud blinked her eyes trying to clear the blurry fog that filled her eyes. She felt a creeping chill in her limbs, growing like a vines from her hooves into her body, pricking her heart with a crippling cold. Muscles felt like iron springs, stretching only by great exertion. Moving her legs was like moving solid stone, heavy and unyielding. Maud groaned as she pushed herself up on to her haunches, feeling the strange chill growing through her body. “Ah, AwAkE yOu ArE, tEll mE dO yOu fEEl sUb pAr?” a deep mares voice said. “HAs the pOtIOn gOttEn fAr?” “W…what…” “ThE drAUght I gAvE yOU Is pOIsOn pOwEr; yOUr lIfE wIll Ebb As yOUr strEngth dOEs flOwEr.” Maud felt the cold now moving through her body, like worms moving through the dirt. Points of cold now touched her heart causing her to shiver. “Wh…why…are…you…doing…this?” “YOUr sIstEr dOth nOw wIEld thE blUE, hEr End thE blAck shAll hAvE…thrOUgh yOU!” “End…” Maud asked in a halting tone. “Through…me?” BlAck LAntErn ZEcOrA cAmE clOsEr, hEr mUzzlE tOUchIng thE mUzzlE Of thE OldEst PIE chIld. “ThE tIEs thAt bInd shAll pUll hEr In, thEn yOU wIll brEAk hEr spArklIng grIn. HOpE shAll fAIl And wIth It mIrth, thEn shAll dEAth cOnsUmE thIs EArth.” The zebra moved away as she continued to talk, holding Up something dark with her hoof. “YOUr strEngth wIll IncrEasE as yOUr hEart tUrns cOld, yOUr pOwEr wIll IncrEasE OnE-hUndrEd fOld. A mIghty lantErn Of thE black yOU’ll bE-whEn yOU facE sIstEr PInkIE.” Darkness grew around Maud now, closing in trying to swallow her mind. She heard a strange buzzing sound and the darkness became deep, unending, consuming. The last sounds she heard before darkness took her was the last beat of her heart, the last breath of her lungs…and she heard a voice, like the croaking of carrion bird. [=FLESH=]