//------------------------------//
// Loyalty 4: ガンビット 
// Story: 友達は魔法少女　～ＦＲＩＥＮＤＳＨＩＰ　ＩＳ　ＭＡＧＩＣＡＬ　ＧＩＲＬＳ～ 
// by MythrilMoth 
//------------------------------//

After school, the mahoushoujo met up at Twilight's apartment.

"We need to discuss what happened," Twilight said seriously. "And...you all need to understand exactly what we're dealing with when it comes to this girl who calls herself Dreadwing."





Loyalty 4: ガンビット


Spike sat facing the girls, head bowed, an unusually pensive look on his face.

"A long time ago, the Soaring Lion Eagles were one of the stronger clans on Sun Island," he said. "Based on what my master told me, they drew their strength from anger...no, more like...from wrath.

"Several decades ago, Master Kouryuu's father had a fiancee. His rival from the Soaring Lion Eagle Clan wanted her for himself, but...she rejected him. Again and again. When she agreed to marry his rival, he decided that if he couldn't have her, nobody would. So he murdered her in the night."

Fluttershy, Rarity, and Pinkie gasped. Rainbow's eyes bugged out. Applejack frowned.

"The next day, when...when they found her body..." Spike swallowed. "Master Kouryuu's father went insane with rage. He...he killed the entire Soaring Lion Eagle Clan. Burned their compound to the ground."

"Oh my..." Fluttershy whispered, eyes wide.

"The only survivors were those who had gone out into the outside world," Spike said. "Celestia-sama banished Master Kouryuu's father to a deserted island, then tried to cover the whole thing up as an accident. If...if any Soaring Lion Eagles came back to Sun Island, they were only supposed to learn that there was a terrible, tragic accident that wiped out the clan."

"But somebody found out the truth, didn't they?" Rarity asked.

"Apparently," Spike said. "This Dreadwing...if she is what she says she is, and she knows the truth...then she's out for revenge."

"Dude," Rainbow said. "You mean she's gonna try to kill you even though you didn't have anything to do with it?"

Spike shrugged. "Why not? The man that wiped out her clan could've stopped at the man who wronged him, but he didn't. He killed dozens of men, women, and children who had nothing to do with the murder of his bride."

"That doesn't make what this Dreadwing person is doing right," Rarity said.

"Of course it doesn't," Twilight said. "But...in her eyes, all Emerald Flame Dragons are her enemies. That's..." She shrugged helplessly. "That's just the way it is."

"So just use your Erase Magic spell on her," Rainbow said. "That'll be the end of it."

"I'm afraid it won't," Twilight said. "Erase Magic only works on dark magic and magic that's the same as mine. Vice magic...it's different. I can't take her magic away like I did with Sunset Shimmer." She took a deep breath. "And...there's another problem.

"You see, if all we had to deal with was this Soaring Lion Eagle girl, then this wouldn't even be a problem. Unfortunately, we have two unknown elements to deal with in addition to her."

"Thundercracker and Starscream," Pinkie said. She tilted her head. "Where'd they even come up with these names?"

"This coming from Smile Confetti Vagina Girl," Rainbow muttered.

"I don't know if Thundercracker has any magic or not," Twilight said. "She didn't seem to. But Starscream...whatever power she was using, it isn't something I recognize. And it's...dangerous."

"Boy, I'll say!" Pinkie said, rubbing her shoulders. "That piece of metal she wrapped around me left bruises!"

"How'd she blow up th' floor?" Applejack wondered. "That was some kinda crazy."

"I don't know," Twilight said. "I told Celestia-sama about our encounter and described Starscream's power, and she's researching it. Okaasan is also looking into it. But neither of them has ever heard of anything like it..." She shook her head. "If those two can't identify it, then it's never been encountered on Sun Island. And that...could be bad."

"Eh, we can still totally kick their butts," Rainbow said. "There's seven of us and three of them..."

"And they know who our families are," Twilight pointed out. "We have to take this seriously. They want something from us...we still don't know what. We'll be hearing from them again, and they made sure to let us know our families are at risk if we don't cooperate."

"And whatever it is they want from us, it's likely to be something we're unwilling to do," Rarity said.

"Almost certainly." Twilight sighed. "For now, all we can do is wait."


* * * * *


Saturday morning, Twilight opened her shoe locker to switch her shoes for uwabaki and found a note.




Midnight at Hoshigusa Park. Do NOT bring the Emerald Flame brat. - Dreadwing




Twilight frowned. "So..."


* * * * *


"It's gotta be a trap," Rainbow said.

"Absolutely," Rarity agreed.

"I...don't think they're planning to kill us or anything, since they seemed to need us for something," Fluttershy said.

"It doesn't matter," Twilight said. "If we don't go, we're putting everyone we care about in danger. Also, we need to know what they're up to."

"Shouldn't we call th' cops or somethin'?" Applejack asked, scratching her head. "Y'know, set up an ambush?"

Twilight shook her head. "Wouldn't do any good," she said. "Either they'd fail to show and then come after our families, or they'd attack the police...with a vice mage on the loose, they could injure, even kill officers that are powerless to protect themselves." She sighed. "A direct confrontation is really the best option."

"Sounds good to me," Rainbow said, pounding a fist into an open palm. "Let's put these Shadowbolts down for the count!"

"I agree with Rainbow-san," Rarity said. "We need to put an end to this quickly."

Twilight nodded. "Alright. We'll meet up at my place at 11:30, then head to the park."


* * * * *


Rainbow was on her third lap around the block when a fuschia-haired blur dropped out of a tree above her. "RAMEN SPLASH!"

Rainbow jumped up, caught Scootaloo, and gave her a vicious noogie. "You're too slow, brat!"

"Ow! Hey! Quiddit!" Scootaloo extracted herself, running a hand through her hair. "So, anything big going on? Gonna fight any more monster bugs?"

Rainbow laughed. "No bug monsters, buuuuut...as a matter of fact, some new magical baddies just came to town."

"Oooh, cool!" Scootaloo said. "Ne ne, are they gonna blow up any more monuments?"

"I hope not," Rainbow said. "You know blowing up monuments is bad, right?"

"Well, yeah...but it's exciting!"

Rainbow chuckled. "Big explosions are only cool in movies and anime, kiddo. In real life, it's..." She frowned. "It's bad, and it's scary, and a lot of people get hurt."

Scootaloo kicked at the ground. "I guess..."

Rainbow smirked and ruffled Scootaloo's hair. "Hey...one of the new bad guys is a ninja," she said.

"A ninja? Really?"

"Yep!"

"Cool! Can I watch you fight?"

Rainbow grimaced. "Not a good idea, squirt. These are the kind of baddies that take hostages to force the heroes to surrender. Probably also the kind that kill the hostage anyway."

"Oh," Scootaloo said. She frowned. "But you can beat 'em, right?"

"You bet!"

Scootaloo's phone rang. "Oh crap, I gotta go home! Good luck! Tell me all about the epic fight with the evil ninja!"


* * * * *


"Sweetie Belle, I need you in bed early tonight," Rarity said.

"Oneesan...is something wrong?"

"Not at all, I just...have a lot to do, is all. Now, be a good girl, alright?"

"Alright..."


* * * * *


"Ah need you t' be careful tonight, Apple Bloom."

"What's goin' on, Anechan? You look upset."

"Me an' th' girls gotta take care'a somethin' tonight," Applejack said. "Ah dunno how this is all gonna go down, but Ah want you in bed, snug as a worm in an apple."

"Alright." Apple Bloom shook her head and laughed. "Ah still can't believe mah own big sis is a mahoushoujo..."

"Heh...yeah...Ah can't believe it neither..."


* * * * *


"Okaasan, Spike...be careful tonight. These Shadowbolts are almost certainly up to something."

"Don't worry about us, Twiley-chan," Velvet said. "Take care of yourselves."

"You know what to do, right?"

"Of course."


* * * * *


The moon and stars couldn't be seen for the glowing haze that perpetually shrouded the heart of Pony City.

The six mahoushoujo, transformed and ready for action, stood in the very heart of Hoshigusa Park.

Three dark shapes dropped silently from the trees in front of them.

"Okay, we're here," Twilight said. "What is it you want from us?"

Dreadwing reached into a satchel hanging at her waist and pulled out a rough chunk of dark crystal which shone from within with a silvery glow. "You're going to break this Seal," she said.

Twilight gasped in shock. "A Lunar Seal!" She shook her head. "Are you insane?!"

"I need the power of this seal to exact my revenge," Dreadwing said. "I know all about your little battle at Kirin Tower. You girls have more than enough power to release the magic from this Lunar Seal."

"There's absolutely no way I'd help you!" Twilight said. "Not only do you want to weaken the seal imprisoning the Nightbringer, but someone very important to me is an Emerald Flame Dragon! I absolutely refuse to help you destroy his clan and doom the world!"

"I had a feeling that'd be your answer," Dreadwing said. She snapped her fingers, and the other two Shadowbolts disappeared. She reached into another pocket on her belt and pulled out a smartphone. "Call Thundercracker," she said.

The girls tensed up. "What's...what's going on?" Fluttershy asked.

Dreadwing walked toward them, holding out her phone. A video appeared on the screen of one of the Shadowbolts standing over a bed in a small, dark bedroom.

Applejack's eyes widened. "No...!"

On the screen, Thundercracker pulled back the bedcovers, revealing the sleeping form of Apple Bloom. She pressed a knife to the girl's throat.

Dreadwing chuckled. "Starscream is at your house, Rarity," she said. "Don't worry...she's taking very good care of your sister Sweetie Belle."

Rarity took a step forward. "You...!"

"So, here's the deal," Dreadwing said. "You break the Seal and those girls live."

Twilight shook her head. "No."

"No?" Dreadwing echoed. "So you're saying the lives of your friends' sisters mean nothing to you?"

"That's not what I'm saying at all," Twilight said. "I'm saying there's no way we're going to help you."

"Then you've signed their death warrants," Dreadwing snarled. "Thundercracker, do it."


* * * * *


//Thundercracker, do it.//

Thundercracker hesitated. The knife glinted against the young girl's skin. One slash, and the girl would be dead...

Thundercracker suddenly found herself staggering away from the bed. Her arms moved against her will. She struggled, but a pale silvery-white glow wrapped around her, pinning her arms to her sides. The knife clattered to the floor. "What the hell...?"

The small, red-haired girl in the bed sat up...and with a silver-white flash, transformed into an older woman with purple and white hair. "Were you expecting somebody else?" Twilight Velvet asked, crossing her arms.

"Tch...!" Thundercracker struggled against the binding magic. "Let go of me, you old bitch!"

"Who are you calling old?"

With a scream of rage, Thundercracker propelled her entire body at Velvet, knocking her over the bed and sending her crashing to the floor on the other side. The magic bonds faded away; Thundercracker picked up the knife, then dragged Velvet out from behind the bed by the hair. "So you're not the hick's sister...you're still a useful hostage!"

Velvet smiled...and vanished.

Police sirens filled the air...


* * * * *


Dreadwing growled. "It doesn't matter! Starscream still has the prissy bitch's sister! Call Starscream!"

A moment later, a video appeared on the phone...


* * * * *


Starscream pressed her hands against the manicured grass. A fountain of dirt exploded underneath Spike, who leapt out of the way and threw a brace of kunai.

Starscream seized the kunai out of the air, laying them in a pile on the ground. Slapping her palms against them, she transformed them into a long, single-edged sword. Picking it up, she charged Spike, swinging the sword.

Spike teleported behind her and kicked her in the back of the head, then grabbed her by the shoulders and threw her to the ground. He sat on her back, pinning her. Police sirens filled the air.

Blue lightning erupted around Starscream. The ground exploded again, creating a massive cloud of dust and throwing Spike against the front of Rarity's house.

Flashing red lights illuminated the dust cloud. When it settled, Spike was alone in the yard. He let out a curse, then teleported away.


* * * * *


Twilight crossed her arms and gave Dreadwing a triumphant smirk.

"But...how?" Dreadwing cried.

"Every person important to us was protected tonight," Twilight said. "No matter who you decided to attack, you would've failed."

Velvet appeared in a flash. "She got away before the police arrived," she said.

"The other one definitely got away then," Rainbow said.

"It's over, Dreadwing. Give me the Lunar Seal," Twilight said.

Dreadwing took a step back. "One way or another, I'll have the power of the Lunar Seal, and I will destroy the Emerald Flame Dragon Clan. AND all of YOU." A cloud of black smoke exploded outward from her.

When it cleared, she was gone.

Twilight sighed. "So...now we know what they're after. AND who stole the Lunar Seal from Deer Valley."

"They sure are good at runnin' away," Applejack said, frowning. She turned to Velvet. "Is...is Apple Bloom safe...?"

"Of course she is," Velvet said, smiling. "She and Sweetie Belle are at my place. Cadance is protecting them."

Rarity let out a sigh of relief. "Your plan worked, Sparkle-san."

"It was Spike's plan, actually," Twilight said. "Most of it, anyway."

"Spike-kun knew the Shadowbolts would try something like this," Velvet said.

Twilight sighed. "Now, the hard part begins."

"What's the hard part?" Pinkie asked.

"Finding out who the Shadowbolts really are and where they're hiding," Twilight said. "Until we can expose them and turn them over to Celestia-sama, we'll have to stay on our guard at all times." She sighed. "Let's go home..."