//------------------------------// // Pinkie Pie's 4th Wall Breaking Variety Show epi 10 Part 2 // Story: Pinkie Pie's Fourth-Wall Breaking Variety Show // by Alex Warlorn //------------------------------// Cassie cringed back, terror writ large on her face and mannerisms. "N-No! Please!! Don't erase me, don't wipe me away forever! I'll do anything! Have mercy, please!!"  The orange wolf sneered. "Beggin' as soon as things go bad? Yer not just bad writin', yer a coward too!" The canine's fangs glistened. "And, by the way? What's with thinking we'll just…delete you?" Cadence scoffed, her horn glowing with power. "We could just knock you back to the heart world and seal off the breach." The pink alicorn suddenly found herself under incredulous glares from two reality-fixing wolves and one unicorn filly. "What?" "Ah know we....ponies are supposed to be forgiving an' all, but really? Yer thinkin' of lettin' that thing go?" The orange wolf snarked. "What if she finds a way to come back? That's what Sues do--they ALWAYS know some trick or 'special skill' that's just perfect fer gettin' em outta anything without fail! She'll just come back and try again!" Sweetie hmphed, giving a firm nod. Smirking she added, "Besides, Blanky's hungry. I think giving seafood to dogs is okay...." Everypony, even Cassie and the 'brothers', gave the filly shocked looks. "What did I do?!" Sweetie whined, distraught. Looking through the camera, Pinkie had a sudden thought. Wait, why are they all just standing around talking? Isn't Miss Perfect Seapony Priss still dangerous, or---uh-oh…! With a swivel of the camera, Pinkie shifted the view to Cassie. She was still injured, and looking fearful, but she was using the (admittedly comedic) distraction to power up a new attack.  AHH! The classic Sue victory; the 'villain' does something reeeeaaaally super-dumb and gives them the perfect opening! Pinkie gulped, looking over at Maud. Her grey sister then displayed what was, by Maud's standards, a devestating level of emotion. She sighed, rolled her eyes, and said. "Yes, Pinkie. It's going to be one of those days." Pinkie gulped, watching as Cassie finished whatever spell she was charging..... - "I hate to point this." Maud voice said flatly "But should we be more worry about that?" All the ponies looked and were shock disturb to see the brothers merging to form something "GAHH! WHAT THE HELL HAPPENING!" Rarity shouting. "They were lies made by shadows that  were damage when they were slapped away what you're seeing is the true face of your 'awesome' brothers," The Opaque wolf stated "What your seeing is there TRUE Form as they are being re-edited." "SHUT UP WOlf1" The three 'Brothers' said in a distorted voice 'W3 deCIde WHAtZ CorreCt NOW!!" "GAH! So many spelling error in that one sentence I can see it!" Twilight shrieked "Why are they talking like that." "Simple they're still in the edit phase, they're not completely done yet." Pinkie said "YOUZ SHUT UMP TOO!" the brothers snapped, "WE DeZERVE PERFeCTion WHETHERE THES STUPID MAreS waNT IT Or NOT!!" "S-stupid?" Rarity said "We thought you care for us." "HA! WE W'RE MADe TO OuTSHINE You! W- AD IF ThaT MEan We gEt StUcK relAT-ed to SuCh ImPERfect BeinGS WITH BORing FRIEndz L!ke MacINTOSH THEN-." The  shadows distortion as Big Mac literally bucked the first sending it into the others slapping them away While shouting "I'M NOT BORING DANGIT! And at least Ah speak proper equestrian... admittedly with a southern accent but still." - "Wow, good work Mac." Shining said. "Okay honey me and Mac we'll deal with three male-sue you deal with girl with the sue-ish power." "IT'S NOT A SUE-ISH POWER! I'm just too stress to remember how to explained it properly." The Kelpie whined. - Shining looked up at the fusion entity (thankful that Cassie being outshined had broken her spell for a moment), then in what he presumed was the direction of the Blank Wolf. "Uh, Wolf? Any chance you can slash them mid transformation like you did Nameless?" "Other way," said every one that could see the wolf. "Unfortunately, I'm busy with the canon sue right now." Sweetie translated. "Dang it!...Okay, Big Mac, Maud...whoever's helping me, new strategy: their weakness is sarcasm and trolling! A sue can't tolerate having their 'perfection' mocked!" Shining put a sound proof bubble around himself and the siblings so they could focus on the monster without worrying about Cassie's singing. "PAY ATTENTION TO ME!" yelled Cassie, firing off her big tidal wave attack. Cadence and Sweetie Belle countered with a double sound wave attack to hold it back. "Get Cassie in the sound booth! It's sound proof when everything is turned off!" Pinkie Pie called out as Cassie began singing again. - Cassie rose up on a miniature tidal wave, evading the Blank Wolf's lunge and looming over the Opaque Wolf.  "I have brilliantly deduced your weakness!" Sweetie Belle blinked.  "Uh, how?" "Silence!"  Cassie began to sway and sing a new song, jarring and discordant... somehow, with just the one voice. The orange wolf... no... Applejack shook herself, fighting through a splitting headache.  She tried to gallop straight at that harridan and buck her good, but she tripped over her own paws, skidding to a stop.  She gaped at her paws in shock, flexing her toes, as if her own claws suddenly frightened her.  "What the... Ah really changed... Ah'm a wolf!" Cadence looked at her sharply, worried.  "This isn't really the time..." Cassie just laughed and shaped water into a wickedly sharp blade, hurling it straight at Applejack.  Applejack cringed.  "No, stop!" And everything froze, turning smoky grey.  Applejack fell back from the motionless blade, letting off a doggy whine of sheer relief.  "Ah never thought Ah'd be glad to see this place.  Wherever the hay is it." "Between moments," growled another voice.  "Haven't ya learned anything?" "Now see here," snapped Applejack, turning to confront... not the Blank Wolf, but a ghostly copy of herself, standing before her and heaving a frustrated sigh.  "Yer the wolf me?  What is this?" The ghostly wolf stalked closer, identical green eyes staring right into hers.  "Ah am you, remember?  You've been ignoring me, trying not to think too much about the other life we lived, and now we're paying for it.  That song, it's tryin' to pull us apart.  Ah can't fight Cassie for you, not this time...  We have to be one.  You have to fight her." "What?!  But, Ah don't know how ta use your crazy powers!  Heck, Ah'm not used to doing anything in this wolf body, much less fighting!" "You can learn," said the other her patiently, as if she was instructing a filly... or a pup.  She eyed the water blade again... had it moved fractionally?  "We've got time.  Look, Ah'm sorry.  Ah know you never asked for this." Applejack's groan came out as more of a whimper.  "Ah guess Ah don't have any choice, now.  Hit me." The ghostly wolf crouched and leapt *into* Applejack... and in a flash she relived everything, all of it from beginning to end. She was Firejack the wolf, growing up with her sister Snowbloom and her big brother Great Makintosh.  Learning to stalk and dash through the snowy woods and hunt prey while she was still a pup.  The hot blood of her first kill.  Helping Greatmother Smith run the Sweet Apple Pack after mother and father died in battle with the Diamond Dogs.  Meeting Twilight Glimmering, the sage of Wolfville, and going on heroic adventures with her new friends.  All was right with the world... until the day the sun set and did not rise again. As the snows piled high and wolves struggled grimly on, a fearsome, pale creature came to her... the Blank Horse of legend.  "This world, this twist of fate... is dying," it warned her.  "The frost queen calls you to the last battle.  Go at once!" When Firejack reached the Hall of the Wolf Brothers, she found Queen Rota Fortuna there alone.  The ancient wolf matriarch was massive, easily twice her size...  Firejack almost felt fear. The queen wasted no time with ceremony or greetings.  "Young wolf, the dread beast Morning Star has burst his bonds and devoured the sun.  This world and you and every wolf you know will perish.  This is fated." Firejack snarled, scoring the wooden floor with her claws.  "Then why fight him?  Is vengeance all we can hope for?" "Not vengeance alone," the queen growled.  "Other worlds may yet be saved if you strike him down, but you will perish even if you win, and your fate will be strange and far from your brother and sister and kin." "Then give me the power, and Ah'll hunt him down!" Rota Fortuna smiled, fangs bared.  "Accept my power, and the power of the void, to rend even gods and monsters!" The water blade hurtled toward Applejack, but she sprang up and knocked it right out of the air with a swipe of her paw.  The orange wolf's claws pierced the blade and erased it precisely.  Every last drop of water vanished, without erasing it in the past too and causing a paradox. Cassie was left gasping and sputtering.  "How..." Applejack wagged her tail.  "What do ya know?  Ah guess what don't kill ya really does make ya stronger." - "Now then... I can't kill you do to the fact that you might be use later on in the heart-world and possibly be de-sued. However, you be surprise at how much pain one can live through," The Opaque Wolf said calmly. "Actually," Blanky said, "Since she's been given upgrades in her abilities that she doesn't possess in the heart world due to the rules of their reality, it's logical that she 'split off' from the heart world self the moment she entered this reality, so destroying her is quite logically an option." "Thank ya kindly, Big Brother." The Opaque Wolf said before leaping at her. Thankfully Big Mac was oblivious that he was related to the existence of the pony that the golden wolf was currently taking up. Cadence quickly covered sweetie belles eyes "HEY!" "Sorry dear, but the fight got really too grown-up for you." Cadence said "Oh come on! How bad could it be." "AHH! MY FIN! YOU'RE LITERALLY RIPPING OFF MY FIN." "Blanky? How did you get so big? . .  And . .  why can you talk? How does everypony else know you?" Sweetie Belle asked. While ponies generally accepted things within the non-canon state of the studio, the sheer level of chaos was breaking down things, which was how Cassie had managed to invade in the first place. "Don't worry about it right now Sweetie Belle, this is just more of my magic. I didn't feel like talking before." The Wolf said quickly. "Oh . . . okay Blanky. Meanwhile, Big Mac turned to Shining Armor as they were trying to deal with the fake-brother fusion. "Apparently, you've dealt with this kind of thing before. Any advice?" Shining grinned. "Believe in yourself. I know that sounds like a cat poster, but it's true. And not just yourself. Believe in me that believes in you." "...What." "I got that one from a manega, but it's pretty good advice." "YOU ARE THE MOST BORING unexceptional, mundane, plain big brother imaginable, you're just a farmer, like your ENTIRE FAMILY, I'm surprised you're all not BORN with Apple Cutie marks, your destinies are set in stone! Why not just tell Applebloom she's going to be an apple farmer for the rest of her life and be done with it!" "Uniquely Belle! That ISN'T how we speak to family of our friends who have done no wrong! Even if they are uncouth." "Hey!" "Sorry darling." "DIDN'T YOU HEAR US BEFORE? We exist to ourshine and pass you in every detail!" "I never cared if you surpassed me or not Uniquely, just like I never cared if Sweetie Belle surpassed me or not, I'd be PROUD OF HER if she did so! Because that's what family is, we don't pull each other down, we support each other!" The fusion-thing chuckled. Trying to one-up Fluttershy on kindness?" "I can never surpass Fluttershy in kindness. Our elements are similar, but they aren't the same. I can never be as gentle, loving, tender, and calm as she can be. And I'm fine with that. I have my light that shines. And so does she." Fluttershy blushed bright red and hide under her mane. "And in all the memories we have Uniquely Bell . . . lies or not . . . we're happy together. Why throw that all away for some impossible dream of being perfect?" Rarity pleaded with the fusion-thing. "You don't HAVE to be perfect for ponies to love you." "That's all you want, right Zooming Confidence? To be loved? But . . . you were scared, that just being yourself wasn't enough, because you saw us all as so great . . . so you had to be perfect, so we'd all notice you and love you too?" Rainbow Dash crossed her arms. "Meh. Let's trash this monster." "ThAT's my Little sister." said the voice of Light-Barrier, but the fusion-thing gasped at itself in confusion, "I DID NOT JUST SAY THAT!!" - Rainbow Dash blinked. "Why aren't we being all brainwashed anymore?" "Probably because being outshined by the siren thingie has made them so angry their control slipped, happened to the other one I had to deal with," Shining explained. "But that one made himself somedeer's brother too and he helped me fight him." "Oh...wait, other one?!" "LONG STORY!" Shining Armor replied. "That does remind me, I wonder were these three came from...The last one was unleashed from Pandora's Box by the Hooviet's stupidity." "Okay, anything else we should know?" "You should troll them." "What?!" "Things like them CAN'T take trolling or otherwise having holes poked in their narrative. Their egos won't ALLOW it." "We're the best big brothers! You three should be bowing before us!" the triple sue yelled at the ACTUAL big siblings. "You're definitely scary..." said Maud in the same monotone voice she'd used her entire life. "Are you mocking us?!" "No, you're really intimidating." "STOP THAT!" "It also seems they don't take monotone voices well either," said Shining as the triple sue through a tantrum. A certain pegasus barista trotted in, pulling a small cart loaded with various hot beverages. 'Sorry, didn't see the memo about anoth-" He blinked at the scene he'd walked in on. "Was there a note about a Mary Sue meeting I missed as well?" - Twilight powered up a spell to unleash on Cassie the kelpie, one that would hopefully paralyze her until they could find someplace to go with the musical monstrosity (she thought a thousand miles from land would work well), only to stop at a tug on her tail. She turned and her eyes widened. "Uhh, hey, Twilight," Spike stood there. "SPIKE! You're supposed to be helping watch a filly older than you, bad dragon!"  Twilight said, then wondered if these beings were effecting her somehow. "Sorry, I . . . got distracted." Spike held up his claws... Twilight's own eyes went wide with horror at the sight. Her spell fizzled out, and with a laugh Cassie went on the offensive against Cadence, the wolves and Sweetie Belle. Twilight ignored it all to focus on the deflated-looking white and purple thing Spike held. "Where did you find that?!?" "In the back of the closet," Spike said, sounding annoyed, "Under those books of your mom's and that copy of the Foal Free Press with 'Celestia's Most Embarassing Moments'." He thrust the empty and eerily lifelike Rarity-ponysuit under her nose. Long elegant purple ribbon of a mane and tail, marshmallow-white coat, three-gem cutie mark and even blue eyeshadow on its eyelids... Twilight shuddered at the sight. Spike snapped. "You took it away from me to clean a few months ago. Then when I asked if we could stuff it with cotton so I could use it for a pillow, you said you got rid of it!" A whinny behind her made Twi look and see Cassie using a tendril of solid water to lift something invisible in the air. Cadence was countering her singing, pitching her own voice to neutralize the kelpie's mind-bending song, and the gold wolf was dodging lashes from other water tendrils. "Spike, this is NOT a good time!" She began charging her horn up again. "You always say that!" Spike folded his arms over his chest and huffed. "Every time we try to talk about that one little request, it's 'Sorry, Spike, we have to re-shelve the library' or 'Not now Spike, I have to pay Zecora a visit' or 'No, Spike, not while we're fighting invading monsters from Tartarus'!" He snorted green flame from his nose. "I've had it, Twilight. Either we settle this right now or so help me I'm telling everypony about the time you wore that really bad dress Rarity made for you while parading around inside the library with a scepter and tinfoil crown and proclaiming yourself the 'Alicorn of Libraries'!" "Spike, that was only once!.. Plus I have no idea what you're talking about, heh." Twilight tried to move around him, but the tiny dragon held his ground. Past him she saw Cassie hurl the invisible thing at the gold wolf, sending both wolves flying. She reared above them, victorious, forming shimmering blades out of the water. "And right now we're kind of occupied here!" "You always say that!" Spike glared at Cassie. "If I got rid of the monster, THEN can we talk about me getting a life-size Rarity plush pillow?" "Yes!" Twilight snapped back. "If only so I can tell you 'no' once and for all!" She yelled as Spike tossed the empty suit into her face as he turned and charged the kelpie. The other ponies backed away as Spike doubled in size and then doubled again, another greed growth-spurt taking control of him. Kifuko and Midnight looked at each other, and the inner force field shimmered letting Spike through. "Spike mad! Spike WANT... to get his Rarity pillow!" Cassie looked around just in time to send her water-blades whirling against him with a shriek. By then Spike stood so large he could just force his way through the blades, which splattered into water against his scales. With a roar Spike snatched the studio's sound booth in one claw (installed with the bits Pinkie Pie had earned), in one claw. In the other he grabbed the shocked kelpie. Before Cassie could do anything he shoved her inside of it and slammed the whole thing into the ground, open side facing downwards. Cassie was trapped, at least for the moment. And being sound proof, her mind control songs could not get out. Twilight still fought to remove that Rarity-suit from her face as she heard Shiny speak to her. "Great work getting Spike to help like that, sis, and -- what in Celestia's name is that on your horn?!?" "This?" Twilight removed the suit and held it at horn's length, gingerly. It looked like Rarity's flayed hide. Both Shiny and Cadence shuddered to see it. Kifuko and Midnight, shivered with fear at it and covered their eyes. "It's something one of Pinkie's weirder Shadows made a few months ago, or was it years? They had Applejack and Rainbow Dash, and then me and Trixie end up inside of suits like this. I magicked them all away, but they ended up on Spike," she pointed at the dragon, now gleefully banging on the top of the recording booth, bringing soundless howls from the kelpie inside, "and he kept them." "Do we want to know why?" Cadence asked with a shudder from her side of the battle force field. THe studio force field still in place to keep the sues from escaping. "He wanted to turn the one of Rarity into a body pillow, like they do in Neighpon." Twilight looked at it. "I've been trying to find ways to get rid of this ever since, but with everything that's been happening..." "Allow me," Cadence said, her horn glow as she prepared to use her magic. "Cadence, no!" Twilight gasped as Cadence ignored her, casting the spell on the pony-suit. "They were made with poison joke! Magic works very unpredictably on them, and..." The suit vanished with a *pop*! Twilight groaned. "Now where did it go?" "I think I know," Shining Armor said beside them, smelling suddenly of flowers and mothballs. Twilight and Cadence both looked. Kifuko and Midnight laughed. Shining Armor, now wearing the magical Rarity-suit, rolled 'Rarity's long-lashed eyes at his little sis and wife as he said, "Please tell me you know how to remove this. And what's happening with the stallion-sues and Big Mac?" - "ATTACK! ATTACK! ATTACK! Uniquely Belle voice roared, but grunted in pain as Maud slapped it and Big Mac followed it up by delivering a double kick to its body. "Word to the wise, instead of just saying it, do it," Big Mac said. "GAHH!! Stop criticizing and fight us!" all three voices snapped as it grabbed parts of the stage, before hurling them at the hero but were stop by rarity who used her magic. "Now stop that Uniquely. You and your friends are acting like children," Rarity said. "We are not acting like children!" Uniquely snapped "We are perfect!" "Oh yeah then why are you losing?" Rainbow said. "Cause your cheating!" Zooming added annoyed. "Um... were actually criticizing some of your actions but were not cheating, big brother," Fluttershy said. "YES YOU ARE!" the fused beings roared as they lunged towards Fluttershy, Unaware that Fluttercruel quickly shifted to take Fluttershy place till it literally hit face first into a raised hoof. "OW!!" "Speaking of criticism, you get angry way too easily." Fluttercruel added. All she got was an angry growl in response. Shining Armor quickly ran back to them "Okay guys I'm here to help." "Shining... why are you wearing that?" Rarity asked slightly disturb. "Don't ask. Let's just focus on beating this thing." Shining said, REALLY glad that none of his fellow guard were here to see him in the magical rarity suit. "Well, that... wasn't so difficult." Cadence looked around the studio, taking stock. Cassie was pounding her tail on the walls of the soundproof booth, and Big Mac had gotten tired of talking and started bucking the Big Brother Sue-Fusion against the bouncy force field wall that had surrounded their little 'boss area'. The still-giant Spike grabbed Shining Armor, scowling as he dangled him in front of his snout. "Hey, that's MY Rarity suit. Twilight promised! You get out of there!" The real Rarity gasped, scandalized. "Now see here! Unhand, er... me!" "You heard what she said!" echoed Shining. His voice even sounded just like Rarity's, thanks to the costume's magic. "I demand you release me this instant or... ugh, why am I talking like her?" Rainbow Dash flew up and hovered nearby. "Are you *roleplaying*?" She giggled into a hoof. "Oh, this is the worst possible thing!" "Good on sis', AGH! Why did I say that?!" Light-Barrier gasped. Shining squirmed in Spike's paw. "Don't make me use my cool magic hammer spell!" he yelled, still in Rarity's voice. "Oh, buck, the suit's muffling my magic." Cadence glanced at the foals and sighed. "Shining, dear, language!" Spike blinked, then grinned lecherously. "Two Raritys..." The gold wolf rolled her eyes, tail held close... Spike, unable to see the wolves, had nearly caught her in the sound booth too. "Ah got all wolfed out for this? Ah'm startin' to feel like we brought an alicorn to a playground scuffle." Looking at Cassie now, Applejack found herself seized by a rather un-ponylike impulse.  This prey was caught, but still dangerous.  Best to finish it quickly. She stalked towards the kelpie, then snarled and lashed out, erasing her, sound booth and all. "You can have the other Sue," she growled to the Blank Wolf. "Ah'm turning back before Applejack's absence causes a paradox… er... Wait, how do Ah turn back?" "Ooh, ooh!" Pinkie bounced around them, somehow inside the inner force field. "If you can't turn back, we can make an Applejack pony suit for you! Or we could make you a wolf suit so everypony can meet wolf you! Or..." The Opaque Wolf whined, covering her face with a paw. "A little help, here?" - Big Mac said, "Ya know something, Zooming Confidence? Ya ain't perfect at all. Ah mean, ya just tried to hit yer own sister. What sort of perfect being would do that?" The fused beings stopped moving, as the part that was Zooming Confidence realized that what this pony said was the truth, no matter how he tried to weasel his way out of it. - "We will deal with that matter later," the Blank Wolf replied. "We still have the three false brothers to deal with; they are a more urgent matter than your other form." He gave a growl that somehow conveyed snark. "Now, I do approve of you ridding reality of that kelpie--your pony-self was correct, she could have returned if you'd merely sent her back to the Heart World--but, was erasing her PRISON as well necessary? It's not as if the booth did anything to deserve deletion..." The Opaque Wolf snorted. "Ah'll just loan Pinkie some bits ta help her buy a new one. 'Sides, after that whole mess with the Tartarus breakout, Ah'm not goin' fer half measures when monsters show up. Pony-eatin' flowers, those witches, dogs made outta rocks... We spent half the afternoon tryin' ta find some tiny cat-woman, even after we'd whupped all the other baddies. Dang it; Ah almost think 'Timber-bloom' shoulda just eaten her and saved us the trouble!" She looked up, something seeming to catch her attention. "...Hey, what's goin' on with Mac and those three galoots?" Indeed, something odd WAS happening with the trio of false brothers...or rather, with Zooming Confidence. He was...out of sync with the other two Stallion-Sues. He almost looked...conflicted? Confused? The two wolves saw Zooming's mouth moving, but only Big Mac heard his voice. "Y-You're right. Th-that IS the truth." Meanwhile, Spike idly wondered what Kelpie tasted like...as he twirled Shining-as-Rarity around like a yo-yo. "I can't just step on those three fake brothers, it'd be anticlimactic. But it's not often I get to be big like this, so I should try to have some more fun. What do you think, Shiny?" "Stop....spinning....me....Spike!" Shining blinked, looking away from his current predicament. 'That probably would have just clopped Nameless off.' Maud looked at the What If Machine that had somehow survived the fighting so far. She propped it up and a part of her spoke that she didn't entirely understand. "What If They Were Complete." The What If Machine sprung to life. It depicted a group of older stallions protecting a group of younger mares from a human witch in a red robe. Pinkie gasped. "Wait a second...The Paradise Ponies said they'd never have existed if...the Big Brother Ponies left years later, but they were still Paradise Ponies, they..." "What If We Were There When They Were Born." *FTZ* The Shades of three older stallions that had slipped through the hole to Entropy's Realm noted something odd happen while the Gods and Wolves were busy helping stop a mass Tartarus breakout. One of the cancers the Wolf would normally cut from reality began to take shape, three in fact, but the Shadow discarded the idea before it could fully come into being, leaving nothing more than half completed husks. Partly in existence partly without one. Normally such things would fade away into nothing, but normally there wasn't a hole to Entropy's realm allowing legions of shadows to emerge into the universe. The three shades entered the half finished Sues, causing them to complete and take on a new shape. Namely Light Barrier, Uniquely Belle, and Zooming Confidence. *FTZ* Pinkie Pie gasped. "So that's why they're actually capable of thinking about that." Maud shook her head, giving a groan. "I don't know what just happened..." "But that means they're even more dangerous," said the Wolf. "They have no Shadow Who Is, but they have a shadow with a tether to this reality, which is how they evaded me long enough to become a problem." - Throughout all of this, Coffee Swirl had only been setting up the usual drinks he'd provided for the show the last few episodes. His bill was honestly probably the smallest of the ones Pinkie had needed to pay off after the Tartarus break out. Still, he was starting to worry he was simply becoming too jaded, if the thought of three imagination demons breaking free didn't scare him. "Hey, excuse me for being ignorant, and coming from a Shadow that specializes in making bad ideas work, but... would it really be so bad for them to... well, become real?" The entire studio suddenly paused to look at their most extraordinary guest, even Maud giving the faintest raise of an eyebrow. "I mean, I'm just saying... it worked for Shining Armor and all. We'd have to change a few things up, add some more realistic backstory, and I don't even want to think about how we'd have to do the work arounds regarding canon and non-canon, but... well, they're already half-way there, why not finish the job." He sighed. "And when you decide 'no', can you not beat me up too badly? Please?" - "That is the stupidest thing I've ever heard." Uniquely scoffed. "However I will concede there is ONE flaw to our fused body." The fuse being began to shake a bit as the voices of fluttershy's and RD's 'brother' began gagging and coughing a bit. "What the heck are you doing?" Cadence asked "Your wolf friend stating that were editing ourselves yes... well I'm getting rid of the weaker aspect of these personalities. Admittedly mine as well as I DON'T want to get emotional. That'll be uncouth." Uniquely explained. "Ah come on, what do you have against being rescued from the scrappy heap?" Pinkie said. "I don't know what the hay Scrappy heap is, but we don't need to be save from it!" Uniquely snapped as the eyes of the other two brother began to cough less with a evil glint in there eyes. "Ah yes, the pathway to perfection is almost done." Coffee just shook his head. "Dude, what you just did kinda crosses the line, plus I think you're showing a TAD too much OCD." "Ah what do you know, you serve coffee in a theatre," Uniquely scoffed. - "I think I have a idea how to handle them," Pinkie said as she headed for an old closet door nearby. Behind it was a trash bin and she dove into it, saying, "Hey, can the rest of you keep those three busy while I whip this out?" "Whip what out?"" Twilight called after her. She gasped to see Big Mac being forced back now as the other two Big Brother Stallion-Sues took control and charged him. He fought to hold his ground, but the Sues were too strong, simply by virtue of WANTING to be stronger than the strongest Earth pony in Equestria. Twilight hurriedly threw up a barrier between him and them. "Pinkie, whatever you're doing, please hurry!" "Ta-da!" Pinkie Pie said as she came back out with a rather beaten vacuum cleaner in her hooves. "Hey, remember when you got stuck in that Nightmare illusion by Princess Luna so long ago?" "Yes..." Twilight said warily. Cadence and Shining Armor's eyes went wide as they heard those words. Meanwhile the Opaque Wolf and an invisible to most pony senses Blank Wolf fought against the Stallion-Sues. They went to either side of the abomination, one dashing and trying to bite while the other dodged their attacks. Dash, Fluttershy, and Rarity all held back, part of their minds unwilling to hurt their 'brothers' even when they knew it was all a lie. "Well, I'll just empty it out and suck the nasty Sue-stuff from the ghosties of the Big Brother Ponies, and then we can help them." Pinkie turned the vacuum cleaner on to 'reverse'. "I mean, the spell must be out of expiration by now, right?" "What? Pinkie, no!" Twilight tried using her magic to snatch the cleaner away from the party pony. "It was alicorn magic! That doesn't just 'fade away'!" However by then the vacuum was spraying out a black cloud of magic. It slithered for Twilight, who hurriedly put up a magic shield. It darted away from her and headed for the only other unicorn present whose ability to work magic was compromised. Meanwhile Pinkie turned the vacuum cleaner on the Sues. "Hey, guys, you suck -- but not nearly as much as this does!" "What? No!" The Sue-essence was pulled away from the three shades, shrieking in despair as it vanished into the vacuum cleaner. Three shadows of ponies that were cast by none were left behind. The spell grip on the minds of the three mares vanished. They shuddered. "Aw, man!" Dash said. She folded her forelegs and frowned, choppy mane hanging in her face. "I'm glad to see them be gone, but it felt kinda neat to have a big brother! Even if he was some reality-warping monster who was going to make me just his sidekick." The giant greedy Spike hissed, "Welcome to my world." "And a sibling who could have introduced me to all his handsome and well-connected male friends would have been delightful," Rarity said, making sure to give Sweetie Belle a hug. "I like anyone who likes animals and shows kindness to others, but they shouldn't have tried taking control of us like that!" Fluttershy said. She shook herself. "Fluttercruel isn't happy about it either; and what have I told you about your language, young lady? And what they did to Gilda was terrible, even if she was a meany.. Speaking of which, where is Gilda?" "Oh my gosh, you're right!" Dash flew for the door. "Maybe I can find her and bring her back. I, she was my oldest friend even if she was a jerk, we have to talk!" She flew outside and the others heard her calling for the griffon. "Okay, now what about these three?" Twilight indicated the shadows of stallions, They seemed to almost shiver in fear. Fluttershy fluttered over, staying close to them for comfort. "We can't let them stay, but I'm pretty sure I don't want to open a gate to wherever it is that came from here." "And what about me?" A sultry yet regal voice demanded angrily. Everypony turned and gaped to see what looked like a Nightmare version of Rarity, long silken mane and tail, eyeshadow, velvety ebony coat and her cutie mark now looking like a collection of stars, standing beside Cadence. The Alicorn of Music covered the grin on her face with one hoof and Spike stared on in confusion as Shining Armor said, "First I become a mare, sort of, and now I"m a NIGHTMARE? What's next? Will I try to conquer Canterlot so 'the fashion can last FOREVER? AH-AHAHAHA!" Terror in his eyes, Shiny suddenly clamped both forehooves over 'Nightmarity's' mouth. - While the ponies faced the Nightmare, the golden wolf backed away, fluffy tail low and twitching uncertainly. She trotted over to the Blank Wolf's side, nudging him. "Psst! Are we gonna do anything about this?" The Blank Wolf snorted. "No." The Opaque Wolf blinked. "No? Are ya sure that's really Shining in there?" She sniffed, lips curling back from her fangs. "He *reeks* of Insertion." The Blank Wolf looked incredulous, then lightly cuffed her in the wolf way. "No. Gods, no. Shining Armor's fate is deeply entwined with Equestria's now, and his mate is standing right over there, and incidentally were you paying attention when I explained how my previous self died?" The blond and orange wolf looked over her shoulder towards Cadence, then looked elsewhere fast, gulping. "Ah hear ya, loud and clear. But we could help him out of the suit..." "Not our concern." "Well, what about those three shades?" The Blank Wolf considered. "They linger here, when they should not. I sense that they yet have a role to play." Applejack barked a laugh. "Is that yer answer to everything? Destiny this, fate that..." "Hardly. Besides, we are the wings of fate, sister. Take it up with Mother if you like." "Oh yeah? Well, how come everypony can see me and not you?" "That is how Mother made you. You were meant to be seen." The Opaque Wolf who stood in place of AJ's existence just grinned toothily. The Blank Wolf sighed. "I wonder if I can get one of those coffees…" "Ah erased my target, the big buckin' Siren, shouldn't Ah have automatically turned back into Applejack by now?" - "Hmm, it might be due to stress, it has been a very long, and weird day." Blank Wolf stated. "Perhaps you should take some decaf and cool off." The Opaque Wolf gave her brother a look to ask if he was serious. Meanwhile... "I hate this suit so much." Shining muttered "I was used as a yoyo, and now feeling weird burst of tyranny and shopping. If we ever get this thing off me, I say we burn it." "NO! You will not!" Spikezillia Lite (In-door size version) roared. Rarity sighed. "You are not destroying one of my painstaking works. And there is no need to be curt Spike!" Kifuko and Midnight meanwhile, their magic surge spent, went back to sleep, and the two force fields, their purpose served, dissolved. Twilight was stuck wondering how to get both her big and little brother back to normal. - A tray with two coffees, both decaf, slid over in front of the two wolves, Coffee Swirl joining them a moment later. "There, on the house this time." He paused to take a sip of his personal thermos. "And thanks for not... I dunno, biting me or something when I suggested we save the sues." Pinkie Pie said, "I'd say they are being saved, and we'd never do a thing like beat up somepony for suggesting helping somepony. Silly pony." Pinkie PIe looked at the full vacuum cleaner. "Now what to do with this?" - "I know a guy that can take care of it don't worry about that." Opaque Wolf said (Referring to Blank wolf) taking a sip of her decaf. "Hmm this is pretty good." "Thanks, i've been experimenting lately with different flavors." Coffee said "Well i can tell you now, you did a good job on this one." Opaque wolf said taking another sip ... And on the other side of the studio floor .. . "OWOWOWOWOWOW!!" Shining grunted as Spike tried to remove the suit from him. "Cut it out Spike, it's not working" Twilight said annoyed. "But i want it now!" - "Pinkie Pie!" Twilight yelled at her friend as her suited and transformed big brother dealt with Spike's demands on one hoof and Rarity's fury over the potential ruining of her 'creation' on the other. "What is it, Twi?" Pinkie hopped over. She looked at the scene before her and grinned to see 'Nightmare Shining Rarity' dealing with the fury of dragon and fashionista. He backed away from Rarity's glare only to stop once he struck Spike's scaly side. Both mares saw him look up and heard his frightened gulp. "Heh, the Rarity-costume is kind of getting a workout, isn't it?" "So is my big brother! Can't you do something about this?" Twilight shook her head. "I don't know how you do these things, but right now I need you to help him. And get rid of that suit," Twilight said with a shudder. "I don't care how much Spike likes it, I am not turning it into a pillow for him." Pinkie scratched her chin, thought, and grinned. "Okey-dokey-lokey!" She reached over from where she stood and pulled Shining Armor over to her side. The poor stallion-turned-mare shook like a leaf. "Why me?" He groaned. "First those witches and now this? What's next, will I be sprouting wings?" He looked back as though expecting them to sprout then and there. He dropped to his belly and wrapped his, or rather Nightmarity's, forelegs around Pinkie's. "Please get me out of this thing! Reality vampires and invading shapeshifters I can handle, but lecherous dragons and fussy fashionistas are something else." "Okay," Pinkie said, suddenly somehow wearing a doctor's outfit and pulling a medical mask over her muzzle. Shining swallowed. Pinkie took him by the head of the Nightmarity suit. "Now hold still..." "Wait, what are you doing! OWWW!" Everypony there winced at the cry he gave as with one mighty yank, joined by a tearing sound, Pinkie removed the Nightmarity suit from him. "Ta-da!" Pinkie handed the suit over to Rarity. Spike looked on, his expression somewhere between forlorn and greedy. "Here you go, Rarity. Maybe you can still do something with it, but you'll have to clean it out first." "I suppose so," Rarity said, examining the suit with a frown. "Oh, and Spike, I can make a little plush of me for you. That won't be too weird... I think." The dragon smiled at her words as she checked the suit out carefully. She sighed, "So much hard work I put into this, and now it's all stained and, ugh, reeking with sweat..." She shuddered. "Maybe if Twilight can't remove the spell, I can use it as a Nightmare Night costume. For some reason I always felt I would make a good Nightmare like Luna -- only for the holiday, mind!" She quickly assured a frightened Pinkie. "Good to hear, but I wasn't talking about sweat," Pinkie said. "I meant you'll have to clean the hair out." At Rarity's confused look, she just pointed at Shining Armor. Rarity turned and gasped in horror as the stallion danced in place, ignoring the shocked looks on the faces of his sister and wife. "I'm free! I'm free! It felt like a nightmare in there! Uh, no pun intended. Wait," he stopped and looked around, confusion on his face. "Why do I feel a draft?" "Uhhh, well, dear," Cadence said. She tried hard not to stare at her husband, who right now was utterly hairless and looked like a shaved dog save for few tufts of mane. "You might want to look for some nice clothes to wear. Just until your coat grows back. And do it soon." He went to nuzzle her. She shuddered and stepped away. "I mean really soon." "What do you mean?" Shining Armor looked around. He caught his reflection in a piece of glass. "AHH! I look like some kind of overgrown rat!" His horn glowed and he snatched the suit out of Rarity's grip. She gasped and Pinkie yelled. "Hey, we just got that off of you!" "And now I'm getting back into it," he said, putting his hind legs into the suit's mouth and pulling it up along his body. He shuddered at the feel of it almost becoming a new skin and coat. "If it's a choice between looking like this," he extended one hairless foreleg, "and this," his voice turned cultured and sultry as the mask closed over his face, "I can put up with looking like a mare for however long it takes to regrow my entire coat. I mean, it can't be that long, right?" "Well," Rarity said, "my books on mane and coat care say it can take as much as four months for a coat to fully regrow." She turned to stand sidelong, displaying her snowy coat and glittering cutie mark to full effect. "More if you have one as magnificent as mine." "Four months?" Shining fainted, and as he did, a chaise lounge came from offstage and slid under him. "Four... months... as a mare..." - "Hey guys. Why is Twilight brother curled in a ball muttering four months?" Applejack asked "Hey you're no longer a wolf." Pinkie Pie said. "Yep, apparently all i needed was some decaf." Applejack said. The other ponies had no clue what AJ was talking about, hadn't she been here the whole time . . . hadn't she? Or had she not? Ugh. Headache. "Well you were lucky, my husband now has to be in there till all his hair grows back cause apparently it went with the suit when it was finally taken off." Cadence. - Applejack brought a hoof to her mouth just in time to stifle a laugh. "Pfft--! Ah mean, poor stallion! Shiny seems ta get the short end of the stick lately...he got turned inta a mare durin' the big breakout, an' now THIS? Ah swear, it's like the the world's out to get him." She chuckled and turned to Pinkie. "Oh, by the way, sorry 'bout the sound booth. Ah--er, WE," AJ caught herself, glancing at the other ponies for a moment, "sorta...wrecked it when we got rid of Cassie." Pinkie tilted her head. "Sound booth? The studio never had a sound booth, Applejack. And...who's Cassie, and what do you mean you 'got rid of her'?" Applejack winced at her slip. Dang. Forgot that anythin' wolf-me eats NEVER WAS in the first place; it ain't just the normal kinda "poofed away forever". If makin' somethin vanish fer good IS any kinda normal, that is. Aloud, the palomino only said, "Whoops! Sorry, was thinkin' about somethin' else there fer a second. Just my mind wanderin'. So....what're we gonna do about him?" She jerked her head toward the still-big Spike. Idly, Applejack had another musing. If that kelpie never existed...how come Ah remember wolf-me erasin' 'er? And why do Ah crave seafood at the back of mah head? "What do you mean 'whose Cassie?' We just spent all that fighting-" Cadence covered Sweetie Belle's mouth and whispered to the filly, "Trust me little one, it'll be a lot less confusing if you just play along." "But I just blew a hole in a big bad sea-witch! That was cool! Now nopony remembers it?!" "I do." Cadence whispered back.   "But I wanted to tell Applebloom and Scootaloo!" "Sorry." "How da heck does SHE remember?" AJ whispered to thin air. "She and I are . . . connected in a manner at the moment." The wolf said, back to being an invisible puppy named Blanky. - "Technically, I remeber her too." Coffee Swirl took another long drink from his thermos. "But only in the same way that I 'remember' the other things that didn't happen, I just know about them since I get a copy of everything that happens, canon or otherwise. The interviewers figured someone as boring as I am wouldn't attract a lot of attention, so I could hold onto it until it was needed." The two mares and the filly blinked. Finally, Sweetie Belle voiced the obvious question. "How come you can do stuff like that and not get in trouble like those other three did?" "Wish I knew, kid. Wish I knew." "Well, Ah guess that's all settled," said AJ, pacing a bit.  "Still, something don't quite seem right..."  She walked past a makeup cabinet with a large mirror, then backed up in a hurry, gawking.  "Oh hay no.  Mah cutie mark!"  Right there on her flank, bold as brass, was Rota Fortuna's Wheel of Fortune symbol, with three red apples around the circumference. "What are you talking about?" asked Fluttershy.  "Your cutie mark has always looked like that.  Er, hasn't it?" Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes.  "Not that anypony knows what the heck it means.  Besides the apples part."  A smirk.  "I get the apples." Twilight chuckled knowingly, but said nothing.  She'd promised to keep AJ's secret, after all. Applejack trotted over to Sweetie Belle and nudged the ghost puppy with a hoof.  "What did you do?" she hissed.  "Fix it back like it was!" The puppy just looked at her funny, then barked once, panting with his tongue hanging out. Outside the studio, there came a sudden crash, and sounds of panic.  "Hey-yelp!"  That was Apple Bloom's voice!  "Ah built a robot in our barn, and now Robo-Tirek is gonna take over Equestria!" Twilight gasped.  "Tirek!?" "What the heck is a robot?" said Rainbow Dash.  She shook herself.  "Nevermind, let's just go kick its flank!" "No!" shouted Applejack.  "Er, Ah mean... hang back a sec, girls.  Let me check it out first." The farmpony left the studio at a full gallop, and then came several more crashes... the sound of a goat bleating...  a chilling wolf's howl, followed by claws screeching on metal, then silence.  Applejack trotted back in, panting and fixing her hat back into place.  "No worries...  Ah took care of it." Everypony glanced her way.  "Took care of what?" asked Twilight. AJ facehooved.  "Never mind."  She made big fake smiles at everypony until she could get Cadence and Sweetie Belle to one side and whisper, "Please, please tell me ya know what's going on?" Cadence winced.  "Can't you feel it?  The world is unstable...  We're getting some bleed-through from outside the variety show.  Until the real Blank Wolf is feeling like himself again..." AJ gulped.  "Ma help me... Ah actually understand what yer talking about." "Just give it, you big colt!" rumbled Spike. "Colt?  How terribly rude!" said Shining... Rarity "I won't be able to look myself in the mirror after this," said the real Rarity, with an overdramatic sigh. Twilight's ears pricked up.  "Don't we still have those three shades hanging around somewhere?" "They're over there with Big Macintosh." Pinkie Pie pointed. "Wha'?!" AJ looked over to her brother, and there were the three shadows . . . just sitting across from Big Mac and staring at him. Big Mac had gotten from somewhere (AJ could guess 'somewhere' had the initials PP), the family album, several of them, and Big Mac was recounting his time with his little sisters to the soulless existenceless spiritual chaff abominations. AJ poked thin air Sweetie Belle was holding, "Look here buddy, Ah don't expect ya to get this, since ya didn't exactly spend much time in that pony body. But my cutie mark is me! It's my soul shinin' through on my rear end! If a cutie mark changes, that means a pony's SOUL is changed somehow!  And Ah don't like somepony messin' with my soul! Poor ponies whose cutie mark changes are normally insane!" The wolf pup just whined. Sweetie Belle suggested, "Well, maybe there are more bad guys out there like Cassie and the big brothers, maybe if they all go bye-bye, your cutie mark will go back to normal?" AJ sighed. Pinkie Pie kept saying stuff that happened here in the studio was 'non-canon' and AJ had pieced together that meant stuff that happened in here didn't happen  . ..   WAIT! "RAINBOW WENT OUT TO LOOK FOR GILDA! WHAT THE HECK ARE YOU DOING HERE?!" The Rainbow Dash who had spoken before shimmered, blood formed on her hooves, along with a weather factory coat, somehow AJ recognized the look of a killer in her eyes. Snarl, hissed, claws, fangs . . . The wolf pup leapt like transparent lightning at the intruding Rainbow Dash who vanished at the wolf's claws. Why did Twilight keep smirking at her? - Shining Armor said to Twilight, "Twilight, don't you know any magic that can help a pony regrow his or her coat? I'd think that should be a pretty basic spell." Twilight blinked, then facehoofed. "I can't believe I forgot I could do that! Thanks, BBBFF. As soon as we get that suit off of you again, I should be able to have you back to normal in a jiffy." Shining Armor let out a small whimper in response. "I just hope it's not as painful this time around." On the other side of the planet in Neighpon. A echoing scream gave the Empress pause. "YEEEEEEEOO-OW-ow-ow-ow." "It wasn't. It was even more painful darling," Shining Armor the furless and naked stallion said. "It felt like I was ripping my own hide off that time." - Twilight said rather loudly over the ringing ears of everypony, wolf, and dragon. "Well, compared to that getting your coat back won't be too bad. It's just going to itch due to all of your fur growing in, but it shouldn't be too bad." Shining Armor said, "Yeah, that should be nothing compared to the pain I was in earlier." With that, Twilight's horn started glowing as she cast the spell. "Luckily, I'm pretty good at casting this spell. I kind of had to become good at it, since I kept damaging my own coat when trying new spells for the first time when I was younger." Before long, Shining Armor had his coat back, and was clearly resisting the urge to start scratching. "Are you done yet?" Twilight said, "See for yourself!" before creating a mirror for Shining Armor to look at himself. Shining Armor took a look and said, "YES! I'm back! No need to spend four months in that costume!" Just then Rainbow Dash and Gilda walked in, and Shining Armor couldn't help doing a double-take when he saw Gilda. Cadence noticed and said, "Is something wrong, dear?" Shining Armor said to the others, "Cadence and I need to have a word in private for a moment, okay?" before taking her to a part where no one else could overhear what they were saying. "Okay, Cadence, the last time I saw that griffon was in the alternate timeline, and she had just been killed by Nameless. I knew that she'd get revived when the Wolf got him, but it doesn't make it any less shocking seeing someone who was dead the last time you saw them." Cadence blinked. "I understand. It's no wonder you were surprised. BUT YOU SAW HER ALIVE when the fake brothers were telling her what an awful persons she was, you defended her, and their 'sisters' browbeat you!" "Cadence, that was the most chaotic mess I've been in since I had that series of fever dreams." "Oh dear," Rarity said as she took the suit, while Twilight saw to using the spell that let her BBBFF re-grow his hair coat. She turned it inside out, and everypony and dragon looking on shuddered to see the thick layer of unicorn hair coating it. "I'll have to shave this hair off. I knew I never should have let Applejack borrow my spare." "That's right, and -- wait, spare?" Twilight stared at Rarity, her eyes wide. "What do you mean, 'spare'?" "Well I suppose it would have come out sooner or later, anyway." Rarity looked around at the assembled ponies and one dragon before she reached up behind her head There was an unzipping sound and an emptied-out Rarity hide fell away to reveal... "Grogar!" Pinkie and Rainbow Dash stared at each other in shock, each wondering how the other knew about the Tyrant of Tambelon. "Yeesh, I come back with Gilda, and this is what I find?" Dash stared at Grogar in shock. "The second rate villain from a Daring Do knock-off novel?" "I AM NOT SECOND RATE!" Grogar bellowed. "In fact, I've been hiding among you ponies for years now, from before the return of Nightmare Moon, after I replaced that shallow unicorn whose hide I wore, gathering information and awaiting the chance to strike!" "No! Not my big sis!" Little Sweetie Belle struggled to get away from Cadence, who held her back. "This has to be some trick! My big sis can't be an ugly old goat!" Both of them looked at Blanky, hoping he was about to destroy yet another abomination invading their universe, but it just watched silently. "Wait, years? Before Nightmare Moon?" Spike shuddered and gagged. "You mean I kissed goat lips?" "You're no bargain either," Grogar snapped back. "But now, now I will bring my hordes through and we will CONQUER EQUESTRIA! A-hahaha -- OW!" Grogar collapsed, a lump on his head and little Fluttershys flying around singing, 'Hush Now, Quiet Now'. Fluttercruel looked down with a scowl, the remnants of a chair in her hooves. And as Grogar collapsed the illusion surrounding 'him' vanished to reveal a groaning Princess Luna. The ponies gathered around, staring in confusion. Fluttercruel did a double take at the broken chair she held and handed it off to Pinkie Pie, who quickly tossed it away. "Princess Luna, auntie," Cadence said. "What the hay did you do that for?" "I am still learning what it means to 'play pranks'," Luna groaned, her eyes rolling. "Suffice it to say this was not the best. Though thou did make a fine mare, Shining Armor." "I'm very sorry for that Sweetie Belle." The REAL Rarity nuzzled Sweetie Belle coming out from behind a curtain. "But Princess Luna promised me exclusive right to sell dresses based of the new species of Moon Flower  that Princess Celestia created in her honor . . . " She glared at Princess Luna. "I DID NOT expect you to go that far! I was about to stop it when Fluttershy beat me to the punch!" "We apologize. It was clearly not our most inspired joke." "Joke are when everypony LAUGHS at the end!" Pinkie Pie elaborated at the Princess, "Nopony is laughing here." See the traumatized filly Luna added, "And I sense I owe some restitution." Everypony frowned and nodded. "I also sense you have three unwanted guests." "Don't worry, we sucked the Sue out of them already, now we're just deciding what to do with them." Pinkie Pie said. Fluttershy sad, "It doesn't feel right to just . . . send back where they came from . . . all they wanted to be is loved." Gilda said, "Dash . . . this is the most crazy and crowded nut house I've ever seen." "Ain't ya that griffin that scared my granny?" Big Mac asked towering over the griffin. "Uh-Oh." "I trust you can handle this niece?" "I promise auntie Luna." Luna teleported away before the ponies could stare MORE daggers into her hide for her ill thought out prank. "Come along Sweetie Belle, I do not wish you to witness anymore violence today." Sweetie Belle decided not to say Rarity didn't remember Sweetie having shot through a seawitch already today. "And with everypony distracted." Rarity scooped up the three shapeless shadows into her enchanted Rarity costume. The costume filled out, and Rarity's 'twin' looked around, as confused and unsure as a toddler. "Uh . . . wha . . .?" "Come along dear. Let me show you around Ponyville." "Pony . . . ville?" The shadows in the Rarity costume said, the costume giving it shape and definition. The three left the studio, int he chaos of everything and in such a large group, no pony noticed. Except Maud Pie. Who had stayed as quite as a rock, and had become just unnoticeable in the large crowd. Pinkie Pie had intended this to be her 'out of canon introduction party.' But with Gilda, the shadows, and now Princess Luna, all seemed to have forgotten her. With nothing else to do, she played patty cake with Kifuko and Midnight. - Applejack found herself yawning, swaying on her hooves a bit.  "Maybe Ah shoulda had the regular coffee."  She glanced around the studio, then paused.  "Now that's peculiar."  Over in the corner of the studio, somepony had apparently put up a different set entirely, made it up to look just like Princess Luna's bedroom.  She trotted over, eyes wide with wonder.  The canopy bed and the lit candles, the single tall window with curtains drawn.  "Everything is just like... did Ah fall asleep while the Princess was tellin' me about Tirek and the old days?  Or am Ah..." "Daydreaming," said Princess Luna.  "We could not help but see *that* while we were just here."  Her angry glare was fixed on Applejack's altered cutie mark.  "What mischief is this!?  Answer swiftly, for you shall not leave this place if the Truth is devouring your mind." "What?  No, Ah'm not crazy," said AJ, unnerved.  "Ah'm fine...  well, no, Ah'm not fine."  She paced, frustrated.  "Ah'm mad as heck that Ma did this to me.  Even if the world's in danger, she's got no right!  Ah'm not even sure if Ah'm me anymore, or Firejack in one of those danged pony suits." Luna lifted a brow.. and unexpectedly, her expression softened.  "We understand, my little *pony*.  Celestia and I will seek Rota Fortuna..."  Her muzzle curled in a small smile.  "And I suspect that harsh words will be spoken.  Be steadfast until then, *Applejack*, and continue doing what needs to be done." Pinkie Pie beamed.  "Filming dreams like a stage play sure saves a lot of bits!" Twilight blinked.  "I don't even want to know." Big Mac said to Gilda, "Ya know, ya almost gave my grandmother a heart attack." Gilda said, "I know, and I'm sorry. I promise never to be such a big bully again. Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye." Big Mac thought about it for a moment, then said, "All right. Ah forgive you." Gilda blinked. "Just like that?" Big Mac said, "We ponies are usually pretty forgiving. Besides, ya Pinkie Pie Swore never to do that again, and that's one of the most sacred promises in the world. Ya gotta keep it-" "FOREVER!" Pinkie Pie suddenly said. Meanwhile, Twilight said to Rainbow Dash, "I see you managed to catch up to Gilda again." Rainbow nodded. "Yeah, and when I did, we had a little heart to heart discussion." -Flashback- Rainbow Dash, upon catching up to Gilda, said, "Wait up, Gilda! I'm sorry I was so mean earlier! I just wasn't quite myself at the time!" Gilda said, "That's not why I'm running. I'm running because you were right, even if you were mean about it. I never considered just how much I could have hurt your other friends, and I was being selfish as well, wanting to be your only friend. On top of that, I didn't even recognize Fluttershy when I came to Ponyville, even though we went to the same flight camp, and I was mean to her. I don't know if I'll ever be able to earn your forgiveness!" Rainbow was about to say something, but then her eyes widened and she said, "Look out, Gilda!" But it was a little too late. One of Gilda's wings got hit by a bird, and she lost control of her flight and started falling. Gilda felt strangely at peace, in spite of the fact that she was about to die. "So this is how I die, huh? Talk about anticlimactic." But instead of hitting the ground, she was caught by a pair of hooves, and when she looked at her rescuer, she saw that it was Rainbow Dash. "Dash, why did you save me? I haven't done anything to earn your forgiveness yet." Dash said, "Gilda, one lesson I've learned ever since Discord was defeated is that friendship is not earned, it's given. And I'm willing to forgive you, because you and me were old friends. Now what do you say you come meet the rest of my friends and get to know them?" Gilda said, "I'm not sure they'll be quite as forgiving of me." Dash said, "Something tells me Pinkie doesn't have any hard feelings. As for the others, let me teach you about a special type of promise we Ponyvillians have. If you promise never to be such a bully again, I think they'll give you a second chance as well." - The ponies were shocked to find out Gilda had almost died. Pinkie Pie just stared. Fluttershy was silent. AJ and Big Mac looked at each other. Twilight was shocked at Gilda's change in behavior. Cadence hugged her two adopted foal. "Oh, thank you for play with them." She said to Maud Pie. "Nopony was paying attention to them." "I'm sorry." "Don't worry about it, things happen. I better go talk to the pony nopony notices either." Maud went to little set up Coffee Swirl had and asked. "Do you sell rock coffee?" Shining Armor wondered how different this Gilda was from the one he knew, after all, this Gilda had lived a logically different life for the last two years at least. Rainbow pushed Gilda in front of the Flutters. "You got something to say to her Gilda?" - Gilda stared at the butter-yellow pegasus.  "You... yeah, I remember you..."  She coughed, still trying to play it cool, even though she was clearly embarrassed.  "I'm really, really sorry I acted like that.  You ever look back at your own memories and say, 'What that really me who did that?  Why did I do such a lame-flank thing?!" Fluttershy smiled warmly.  "More than you might guess.  Apology accepted." "So, how did things go after that?" asked Shining Armor, slipping into the conversation. Gilda tiled her head, fur bristling a bit.  "Do I know you?"  She shook it off.  "After Dash blew me off, I flew back to Columbia.  I just had to get away.  I thought Equestria was totally lame, when really I was the one being lame." Shining Armor gave her an odd look.  "So, you joined the Marines after all?" Gilda blinked, twice.  "How'd you guess?  Yeah, that's right.  It was rough, I won't lie..."  The griffon grinned slyly, waving a talon.  "Things got pretty intense here and there.  I haven't had to shoot at anybody yet...  but yeah, they really straightened me out.  The whole Equestria thing, though, it kept eating at me, so when I had some leave..." Rainbow Dash smirked.  "You flew right into a bird and nearly cratered.  Some soldier training." Gilda bristled, spreading her wings dramatically.  "Hey, hey!!" she roared.  "I totally would have pulled out of that fall at the last second, okay?  It would have been awesome.  I'm... I'm just surprised any pony thought I was worth saving." "Hey, now, no more of that!" said Rainbow Dash.  "It's awesome that you're back, and we're gonna have some awesome times together."  She poked Gilda's chest with a wing feather.  "Not just you and me..."  She spread her wings wide.  "All of us." - "Except me." Coffee Swirl helpfully added, passing over a cup of some strange concoction to Maud Pie. Gilda glanced at the strange pegasus, a feathery eyebrow raised. "The *squawk* are you?" "A background pony's background pony, the only one in this room that isn't important in any way, shape or form." "Then why are you here?" He passed a cup over to Gilda, along with a cinnamon roll. "I cater these things."