He stood in silence, hands in his pockets and his head down. His eyes however, were everywhere. The scythe blade buried in the tree was the final nail in the coffin for him. Only one woman carried a weapon like that.
The blade was forged from a Dragons Fang and imbued with his dying magic. Or so the story had gone. He stopped as he reached the clearing where the Sphere sat. He sucked in a breath and threw his head back.
"SKYLAAAAR! MORIGAAAAN!" he screamed. He panted heavily as two cloaked figures stepped out from the shadows. The woman lowered her hood, smiling at the young dragon-kin.
"Its good to see you again after all these years Spike." she said softly.
"Don't give me that Morigan...why are you here?" Spike demanded, his slitted eyes shifting. Skylar gripped his sword, Morigan grabbing his shoulder.
"I'm here because I must be here. The same reason you're here Spike." She answered.
"Mistress..." Skylar growled.
"Shush. This is my fight. Stick to the plan my pet." she whispered. Skylar let go of his blade, standing back as Morigan stepped forward.
"Why now?" Spike asked.
"I can't hide forever Spike. We all have to finish what we start." she sighed, chaos dancing around her. Spike grit his teeth, flames billowing around him and his arms shifting.
"Spike! GUH!" BZZZZZZZZZZT Spitfires voice rang in his ear. He dodged to the side as a lance of chaos zipped past him, Morigan twirling another about herself as she rushed him.
"This is a distraction. Isn't it?" Spike asked as he threw up his scaled arm to block the spear.
"As perceptive as always Spike." she smiled, another spear spinning around her, she gasped as chaos lanced from the ground, causing her to flip backwards. Spike panted softly, wincing as Chaos danced around him.
"I had a good teacher..."
Cheerilee watched as Spike began to fight Morigan and Skylar. Her only knowledge on the pair was they were once Spikes partners in defending Celestia. But that had been years ago. The two should've been old or dead, but they seemed younger than she was.
"Spike! GUH!" BZZZZZZZZZZT Spitfires voice rang in her ear.
Shit! It was a distraction! Cheerilee realized, turning back only to bump into Skylar. The man lowered his hood, wearing a demented grin and missing an eye.
"Enjoying the show?" he asked, the schoolteacher leaping away, a pair of pistols flying to her hands only to be sliced clean through in one flick of the mans blade.
She grit her teeth, ducking under the next swipe of his sword and burying her fist into his stomach, sending him sprawling across the ground. She winced, rubbing her hand.
"What is he made of?" she mumbled, eyes wide as the man rolled onto his feet and launched towards her.
Shit... Cheerilee reached for her boot knife, blinking as a sword buried itself into Skylar's' skull, pinning him to a tree. She blinked and the sword was gone, a blur zipping past her and tackling Morigan. Spike paused, panting heavily with sparks of chaos dancing over his scales.
"What just..."
"Pinkie." Spike answered, nodding to Cheerilee. The Ex-Hunter returned the nod, taking off at a blistering run towards the hospital. She only hoped she wasn't too late.
SNAP. An array of symbols etched themselves into the walls, Dr Accord chuckling quietly. Spitfire aimed her pistol directly at him, the man raising an eyebrow.
"All this time...all of this time it was you..."
"Oh come now my dear Wonderbolt, are you really going to shoot me? I've done so much for your family you know." his attention turned to Rainbow, the Skyborn kicking off her bed and charging at him.
"Cupcakes." he spoke quietly, the girl pausing in mid-air. She landed silently, arms at her sides and a dead look in her eyes.
"What did you do to her?!" Spitfire demanded.
"Months of peeking through her head, my dear. A simple seed that has had years to grow." he answered, snapping his fingers. Rainbow screamed as Chaos sparked around her, dropping her to the ground.
"Rainbow!" Twilight gasped, pausing as the man turned his attention to her. Spitfire slid between them, raising her pistol, a hand to her ear.
"Spike! GUH!" Spitfire gasped as she was flung across the room, slamming into the wall. Dr Accord sighed as he shook his head.
"I really didn't want to do that." he mumbled. Twilight grit her teeth, her armor appearing around her.
"Just as brave as he was. You MUST be Twilight. You know, I once worked with Starswirl. He was a crazy old man, but a fun old man." he chuckled.
"Ah, but that doesn't matter now. What matters is all of you. The Bearers of the Elements of Harmony." he looked around the room and frowned slightly.
"Oh right, we're missing one. No matter, she'll come to us!" he chuckled.
"What do you want from us?" Twilight demanded.
"Want? What kind of Villain would I be if I told you what I wanted? Have you ever read a comic book? Thats how they always lose!" he argued. The noise woke Scootaloo, the young Skyborn wiping the sleep from her eyes and looking around.
"Uh...whoa, what happened?" she mumbled. Discord grinned, Twilight standing between him and Scootaloo, her arms out wide.
"Don't even think about it!" she yelled, eyes glowing brightly.
"Do you really think yourself powerful enough to stop me girl?" Discord asked, leaning close to her.
"AH BET AH AM!" Applejack roared, eyes wide as her punch was blocked by Fluttershy. The shy skyborn kept her head down, her arm holding back Applejack's.
"F-Fluttershy...so its true, ya really did betray us..."
"Please Applejack...don't make me do this..." Fluttershy begged, keeping her head down.
"Applejack! Tell me, hows the little one?" Discord beamed. Applejack trembled, roaring and throwing another punch, Fluttershy smashing her palms into the Gaian's gut and sending her skidding backwards. Applejack fought in a blind rage, runes in full glow as she chucked punch after punch, Fluttershy slipping around them and pushing the Gaian closer to the wall.
Applejack panted heavily, gritting her teeth as she spun, slamming her leg hard into Fluttershy's gut. The skyborn skid backwards slightly, Applejack staring with wide eyes as Fluttershy grabbed her leg and threw her into the wall.
"Please Applejack...don't fight anymore..." Fluttershy asked. The Gaian stared in shock as her 'friend' started to cry.
"Now now my dear, no need for that. I am a man of my word after all. I won't kill any of them." Discord chuckled. He turned his attention back to Twilight, wearing a small smile.
"Are you angry with me?" he asked softly. He didn't need an answer, her posture was answer enough as well as the magic staff she held.
"Good, hold on to that for me." he chuckled, snapping his fingers. In a flash of light he was gone, taking Fluttershy with him. The markings around them vanished, leaving them to stand in silence. Moments later Cheerilee burst into the room, a knife held in her hand.
"Is everyone okay?" she asked quickly, eyes scanning the room. She was answered with silence and a sense of dread.
"Sorry momma..." Pinkie chewed her lip as she sliced through her hand with a kitchen knife. She stared at the blood on her hand, panting slightly and trembling as her vision blurred. Her hair flattened against her head and her eyes dulled, the knife slipping from her grip and clattering against the counter.
Pinchy knee, ear twitch, shoulder cramp.
The baker rushed out of Sugarcube corner, runes in full glow as she ran towards Everfree. She grit her teeth as her armor appeared, quickly drawing the two blades. Without even bothering to aim, she chucked the first forward as hard as she could, the Gaian from before stepping into its path and getting nailed to a nearby tree. Pinkie snatched up the blade, running past Cheerilee.
Hm? Whats she doing here? Thats weird... she thought, focusing her attention on the other figure. The woman with the scythe. She had no doubts now. The woman was a Chaotician. she had thought as much before, but seeing her use Chaos to fight Spike was more than enough proof.
Pinkie roared as she tackled the woman, grunting as a pair of feet buried themselves in her stomach, tossing her away. The baker rolled in the air and landed silently, her armor vanishing as she stared down the woman.
"So the reports were true. You really are a Chaotician." the woman smirked.
"Takes one to know one." Pinkie spat. The Baker shifted to the side, dodging a sword, the man from before tumbling past her and stopping beside the woman.
"So...he's like me..." Pinkie realized. The woman shrugged and stepped forward, pausing for a moment as Spike threw himself between them
"Don't even think about it Mori..."
"SIT!" the woman commanded, Spike grunting as he sank to one knee and bowed his head. He growled and struggled to stand, falling to both knees, his hands digging into the dirt. The woman patted his head gently and turned her attention to Pinkie Pie.
"You best run off to your friends dear, they need you." she said softly, vanishing with a snap of her fingers, her lackey following her lead.
"Damn it..." Spike smashed his fist into the ground, Pinkie frowning as she hooked her arms around his and helped him to his feet.
"Who was that crazy lady?" Pinkie asked, her hair inflating like a balloon.
"It's a long story. The short version is that she is a Wanted Criminal. Worry about it later, we've gotta get to Twilight and the others." Spike winced as he stepped forward, Chaos dancing around his body.
"You're hurt Spikey. You aren't going anywhere but the hospital!" Pinkie declared as she lifted him. Spike sighed, smacking his forehead.
"Ugh...what the heck..." Spitfire mumbled, putting a hand against her head as she sat up.
"Oh good, you're awake." Cheerilee sighed from beside her. She jumped in surprise, reaching for her pistol and finding herself in a hospital gown.
"At ease Soldier. We almost lost you. Don't go doing something stupid now that your back." Cheerilee chuckled.
"Almost lost me? What...?" she winced as her back popped, everything rushing back to her.
"The Doctor! He's...!"
"Discord. Yea, we know...He left his calling card when he almost killed you." Cheerilee grabbed a stack of papers, handing them to the recovering Skyborn. Spitfire carefully read over the report.
"This much Chaotic Energy..." Spitfire shuddered.
"Thats only what Vinyl managed to pry outta you. If we'd been any slower we'd be looking for a new member of the Knights." Cheerilee muttered somberly.
"Wait...Rainbow! Is Rainbow alright? The Element Bearers..."
"Everyone is alright. A bit shaken up...Your daughter has some mental scarring and she hasn't spoken since her recovery. Thank the Gods we have Vinyl..."
"Yea, but we've got bigger problems." Spike said from a nearby bed, the dragon-kin hanging his head.
"Morigan and Skylar are a part of this." he said softly, gripping his blanket so tightly it almost tore.
"What does that mean for us?" Spitfire asked, setting the report down. Spike closed his eyes for a moment and sighed.
"Until we can be sure Morigan is out of the picture...I'm standing down as acting Captain of the Knights."
"Rainbow, please...j-just talk to me." Twilight begged. Rainbow just sat in silence, realizing how much of her life was a lie. How much of it HAD been a lie? Had Fluttershy ever loved her? Had dumping her been a part of the Master Plan? Had she just pretended to be weak and helpless for all those years? There were so many things she had cherished in her past that now...
"Rainbow?" Spitfire limped into the room, looking at her daughter. She slowly lifted her head, tears stinging her eyes at the sight of the wounded Wonderbolt.
"All of this...its all my fault. If I hadn't made you take me to that place...he'd never have gotten into my head a-and you wouldn't be hurt..." she choked. Spitfire smiled, wincing as she sank into the chair beside Rainbows bed.
"You're wrong Rainbow. You couldn't have known any of this would happen. None of us knew. And trust me...if this hadn't happened, something else would've. I'm a Knight Rainbow, and a Wonderbolt. This is what I do...and why I wanted a different life for you." Spitfire spoke quietly, placing her hand on Rainbows shoulder. Twilight chewed her lip as she watched them. Spitfire noticed her however and nodded her head towards the Magian.
"If things had been different, you never would've met her. Never would've met that kid. Nightmare Moon would be in charge and that girl would wither away. You've done more good than bad Rainbow, remember that." Spitfire whispered, wincing as she stood once more and made her way out into the hall where an armored guard waited for her with a wheelchair.
Rainbow swallowed the lump in her throat, unable to look at Twilight.
"I messed up Twi'...I let that bastard get in my head a-and..."
"It's not your fault Rainbow. B-But if he hadn't done that...what would you be right now?" Twilight asked, jumping as Rainbow glared at her.
"T-Think about it! You went to see a Doctor because of your mental health. In the end he still helped you. If he hadn't, you'd be just like you were before Spitfire found you." Twilight explained herself. Rainbow sighed, lowering her head.
"I...I guess your right. But did he only help me so he could use me? What about Fluttershy? I just have so many questions..." Rainbow sighed.
"That makes two o' us Dash." Applejack said quietly from across the room. She kept her eyes focused on the sleeping form of her friend Rarity, but her thoughts were elsewhere. Namely her daughter in the daycare center.
"Heh...I guess my whining is nothing compared to your problems huh AJ?"
"Now hold on, ah didn't say that! Ah jus'..."
"Its cool. I'm not mad." Rainbow said calmly, holding up her hands and giving her friend a small smile.
"Do ya think its true? That Applebloom might be one o' those things?" Applejack asked, hiding her eyes behind her hat.
"I'd rather not try to lie to you Applejack. With how he acted towards you, most likely its true. But that only means what you want it to mean." Twilight answered. Applejack peeked from under her hat at the Magian, seeing a determined look in her eyes.
"She might have Chaotician blood flowing through her, but she's still your daughter. She's never had a teacher or practiced any form of chaos magic or even knows she has it." Twilight pointed out.
"But...ain't magic gotta be controlled? What if it hurts her?" Applejack started to panic.
"I can help!" Pinkie said from the middle of the room, holding her hand high in the air.
"I mean, if you want...I'm not suppose to use magic but I was taught how to control it. Chaos is really...chaotic...and sometimes it has a mind of its own and just HAS to do something or it gets really really bored." Pinkie rambled
"Though, I wouldn't worry about it. If she hasn't done anything you couldn't explain then she won't do anything for a while. My momma didn't have her first burst of chaos until she was a teenager. I'm a special case for uh...obvious reasons." the pink haired girl pattered off, falling silent and twiddling her thumbs.
"Ah ain't never seen her do anythin' strange...so she should be alright...right?"
"At least until her balloons come in." Pinkie Pie giggled.
"Ah uh...appreciate it Pinks. Its a real load offa my mind." Applejack smiled. Silence fell over them, each of them lost in their own thoughts. They were the Knights of Harmony, Bearers of the Elements. But what were they suppose to do when one of their own had betrayed them?
"This sucks." Scootaloo grumbled, sitting up in her sleeping bag.
"Yea, a campfire would make it a whole lot better." Applebloom added, laying on her stomach and resting her chin in her hands. She had let her hair down, her bow carefully folded and resting next to her bag.
"Well they didn't want us around all the confusion, at least we have a TV." Sweetie Belle said, trying to cheer up her friends.
"Yea, with hospital channels on it. Ugh, I hate this place. Nothing good ever happens in a hospital." Scootaloo continued.
"Oh? What if ah suddenly fell asleep an left you love birds alone?" Applebloom waggled her eyebrows, letting out a long fake yawn. She giggled as both of her friends blushed furiously and began to stammer, trying to argue with their friend.
"Welp, that answers my question. G'night!" Applebloom curled up in her sleeping bag, feigning sleep with a loud snore. The remaining two friends simply stared, slowly turning towards each other. Scootaloo gulped as Sweetie Belle fluttered her eyes at her.
"Uh...we should try an get some sleep..." Scootaloo stammered, ignoring her friends' incredibly adorable pout.
"Well, maybe we could...I dunno...share a sleeping bag?" Sweetie Belle mumbled, her face flushing red. Scootaloo glanced around as she chewed her lip.
"You aren't gonna nibble on me in your sleep are you?" she joked, grunting as Sweetie's pillow smacked into her face.
"No. I've got it under control now." the girl continued to pout. Scootaloo sighed in defeat, opening up her sleeping bag. Sweetie Belle crawled inside the small space, wrapping her arms around the Skyborn and sighing happily.
Scootaloo shifted about to get comfy, zipping up the bag and smiling as Sweetie Belle's soft snore filled the air.
"Sleep tight Belle..." she mumbled, kissing her forehead.
"He's made his move. Quite a bit sooner than we had hoped." Luna sighed, turning to her sister.
"I had hoped it wasn't true...This makes things rather difficult." Celestia mumbled.
"Whats worse is Morigan showed her ugly mug and now Spike's standing down." Vinyl added, her ethereal form hovering before them.
"Things are better that way...Morigan has a certain...way with animals." Celestia explained. Vinyl clenched her fists, glaring at the Princess
"Spike isn't some dumb animal!"
"We are well aware of that. It doesn't change the fact that were Morigan to order him to kill all of you he wouldn't hesitate." Luna argued. Vinyl crossed her arms as she looked between them.
"Well then, what do we do?" Vinyl asked. The Princess' were quiet for a moment, no doubt speaking among themselves and leaving Vinyl out of the loop. It was something she was growing accustomed to, but normally being patient was worth it.
"Have Spike return to Celamont as soon as possible. Until this matter is settled and Morigan has been removed from the picture, you are acting Captain of the Knights." Celestia ordered.
"Whoa! H-hey! I'm just a fighter Princess, I can't LEAD these people!" Vinyl stammered.
"You've shown you have what it takes in the past Vanessa. I trust you with this responsibility far more than the others." Celestia admitted.
"What about Spitfire? Heck, she led the Wonderbolts!"
"Her mind and body are a wreck after her encounter with the Chaotician. Even without those problems...She would command the Knights in a military fashion that would be predictable to our enemies."
"But I'm an insane loose cannon...okay, kinda seeing the point here. But still..." Vinyl sighed, realizing she was fighting a losing battle.
"I'll take over until Morigan is dealt with, after that I'm putting Spike back on his pedestal."
"Very well then. Your first act as Captain is to pass on a message to the remaining Element Bearers." Luna pulled a scroll from her robes, spreading it out over the table.
"What the heck is this?" Vinyl asked as she glanced over the symbols.
"Something we failed to do many years ago. A ritual to seal away Discord forever."
"Should we really be doing this?" Twilight asked, watching as Applejack and Rainbow sparred in the hospital courtyard. Rainbow ducked under a punch, catching Applejack's knee in her palms and spinning with a sweep kick that Applejack leapt over, the two pushing away and panting heavily.
"Well, you saw what Fluttershy did to Applejack...obviously we aren't as strong as we thought we were." Rarity said softly.
"Yes, I understand that perfectly...but here of all places?" Twilight sighed.
"I'd say this place is perfect for such things, help is quite literally around the corner should we get hurt." Rarity pointed out, several objects hovering in her magic, passing between her and Twilight.
"I suppose your right Rarity. But how are we suppose to get strong enough to beat Discord?" Twilight continued to worry.
"Maybe this will help." Vinyl spoke up from behind them, holding a scroll in her hands.
"Whats this?" Twilight asked as she accepted the scroll, still juggling several chairs and tables.
"It's from the Princess'. They say its the secret to defeating Discord. The only downside is you're gonna need The Element of Kindness."
"I highly doubt Fluttershy is going to help us." Rarity spat.
"I didn't mean the Bearer Rares. Just her Element. You get that and you can use this little spell to banish Discord for good. Theres something else too...Something I shoulda taught you a long time ago." Vinyl sighed, her magic surrounding her.
"Rarity. I'm going to pass on The Death Dragon to you and all of its secrets."
"I wanna learn it!" Rainbow yelled, grunting as Applejack slugged her.
"Hey! That was a cheap shot!" Rainbow growled. Applejack only grinned, bouncing on her toes.
"Shoulda been payin' attention sugarcube." Applejack chuckled.
"Yea, whatever." Rainbow grumbled, walking towards Twilight and the others.
"Vinyl, I appreciate it but I'm no fighter." Rarity sighed. Vinyl put a hand on her shoulder and shook her head, tears stinging her eyes.
"Thats where your wrong Rarity...You fought harder than anyone I know...I got the scars to prove it" she chuckled.
"I wasn't myself then Vinyl."
"You have that potential though Rarity. Now come on, do you wanna learn the last thing Dad gave us or what?" she asked.
"I do!" Rainbow said excitedly.
"Sorry kid, Vamps only." Vinyl apologized.
"Aw c'mon! I could totally pull it off!" Rainbow argued.
"The Death Dragon is fueled by the blood of a loved one, combining the magic of the vampire and the strength of the bond the two share to overcome ones own weakness and turn it into power. I can't teach it to you because you can't do it." Vinyl explained. Rainbow blinked and pouted.
"Aw man, really?" she sighed, crossing her arms.
"Besides, wouldn't wanna have you hide your awesomeness behind magic." Vinyl tilted her shades down slightly, winking at the Skyborn before turning back to Rarity.
"What do ya say Rares? Ready to join the Family Business?" Vinyl asked, holding out her hand. Rarity chewed her lip for a moment as she glanced between Vinyl and her friends. The Magian stood slowly, taking her sisters hand.
"Very well Vinyl. I accept."
"Alright, first things first. Farmgirl. she's gonna need a snack." Vinyl pointed to Applejack.
"W-What?! You want me to...but I..." Rarity stammered, her face flushed red.
"Oh for fucks sake rares." Vinyl mumbled.
"I get it..." Twilight murmured as she stood.
"The blood of the loved one is stronger than blood forcefully taken, correct?" Twilight asked. Vinyl grinned, simply nodding.
"Channeling that much Mana in such a way would normally shred muscle tissue and tear the body apart at the seams...but as Vampires fed willingly and by ones you love, the bond and the blood overcome the danger. Rarity, I don't think you have much of a choice if you plan to use this technique." Twilight deduced. She sighed and squirmed in place.
"Could you all at least turn away?" she asked as her cheeks burned. With a shared sigh, the group turned their backs to Rarity and Applejack. The farmer rolled her eyes, pulling Rarity close and tilting her head to the side.
Rarity swallowed the lump in her throat, wrapping her arms around the Gaian as she buried her fangs into Applejack's soft skin, the Farmer gasping softly and slightly tightening her hold on her Magian friend.
"Are you two done yet?!" Rainbow yelled, keeping her back to them. Rarity pulled away from her friend, clearing her throat and fighting down her blush. Applejack was definitely not helping, winking at her and covering the bite with her hand.
"Y-Yes. I'm ready." Rarity stammered.
"Good. Think fast!" Vinyl roared, charging for Applejack. Rarity's eyes widened as she found herself between the punch and her friend, catching it between her hands with ease.
"I...How did I..." she stood there in shock, Vinyl smiling at her.
"I told you Rarity. You're a Filigree, one of the last, one of the strongest." Vinyl said softly. Rarity looked at her hands, closing her eyes for a moment. Had Vinyl always been this nice to her?
There was something she had forgotton...something important. Try as she might she couldn't remember it. Vinyl seemed to sense her frustration, putting a hand on her shoulder and lowering her shades.
"Relax, let your mana flow freely. Think of your friend there. Think of how important to you she is, think of what you would do...the lengths you would go to just to keep her safe and happy." Vinyl all but whispered, a dim glow surrounding the younger vampire
"Now imagine being powerless to stop her from being hurt. Forced to watch her suffer and cry out your name, knowing you can't reach her and let all of that loose" Vinyl smiled as Rarity's mana flared all around her, causing her friends to take a step back. Vinyl however remained in front of her, hand on her shoulder and surrounded in her own mana.
"Open your eyes Rares." Vinyl ordered. Rarity slowly opened her eyes, blinking a few times as she looked around.
"Do you see it?" Vinyl asked. Rarity nodded slowly. It was as if the entire world had shifted to a crawl. She felt as if she could race a train on foot, fight any monster, or stop any disaster.
"What is this?" Rarity asked, looking down at herself as power surged through her.
"As mushy as it sounds, its the power of love." Vinyl chuckled. Rarity opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out, instead she settled for pulling her sister into a hug, crying against her shoulder. Vinyl smiled, gently wrapping her arms around Rarity as their magic faded away.
Why was she crying? Why did her heart ache so badly? Why did she feel like something was missing?
"Rarity...a-are ya alright?" Applejack asked softly. She glanced over at the farmer, seeing the concern on her face and collected herself.
"I-I'm fine...Or I will be." Rarity chuckled softly, wiping away a stray tear. Vinyl took a step back, slipping her shades back on and chuckling softly.
"Yea, you will be Rares." she said quietly before vanishing. Rainbow stared blankly at it all, utterly confused.
"Does anyone even know what the heck just happened?"
"Absolutely not!" Celestia yelled, slamming her fist against the arm of her chair. Twilight stood tall however, never breaking eye contact.
"I understand your concerns Princess, but this is my duty! I've risked my life in your name countless times before, why is this so different?!" she demanded. Celestia sighed, folding her hands in her lap.
"You wouldn't be risking your life, you would be risking your mind and all of the secrets held there. Only the Elements can resist his powers."
"There are other ways Princess...As your Arch mage I am well versed in Chaotic Magiks."
"No, I forbid it Twilight. Chaos is not the answer, especially against one of its Gods. Harmony and Willpower will overcome him in the end."
"And if they fail? My daughter is among them, risking so much more than she realizes." Twilight continued to argue.
"She is the Element of Magic...I cannot change what is done. I can only hope for the best...sending you to battle Discord will only hurt her chances of success Velvet. Do you want that for you daughter?" Celestia asked, her voice losing some of its strength. Twilight hung her head, fighting down her anger.
"So I do what? Stand aside helplessly while my daughter fights what could very well be a losing battle?"
"That is all we can do Twilight..."
"Do you really have so little faith in her?" Spike asked as he entered the throne room. Twilight spun in surprise, expecting to see the dragon-kin's smiling face. Instead she was greeted with anger, smoke drifting from the boys nostrils.
"Are you so convinced she doesn't have what it takes? That none of them do?" he demanded, glaring at her.
"Spike I..."
"No. Obviously you don't believe in them. If I could, I'd fight Discord myself. As it stands I'm about as useful as a toothpick against a bear, especially with Morigan in the picture. So rather than risk being in the way I stepped aside, because I trust in Twilight and in her friends. Maybe you should spend more time with your daughter and get to really know her." Spike spat, walking past her and towards the Knights Quarters.
Twilight stood there, utterly dumbfounded by what had just happened. She had known the truth about Spike since the first day she had met him, but in all that time he had always been a sweet little boy to her. Was he right? Was she selling her own daughter short?
"Princess...perhaps I could at least visit her...and offer what I can?" She asked. Celestia smiled, silently thanking Spike as she nodded.
"I think she would appreciate that."
"The time is almost upon us. Celestia will seek out the Baker and she will lead the rest to us." Dr Accord mumbled mostly to himself. Fluttershy stood meekly nearby, a torn mess between the plan and her friends. He needed her to be ready, to do what must be done. With a sigh he turned to her, placing his hands upon her shoulders. She slowly lifted her head, her body tensing as their eyes met. He had hoped it wouldn't come to this, but he was left with no other choice.
"Begin Operation Golden Apple."