//------------------------------// // Chapter 03 - Generous Shield // Story: Game of Fate // by ZekeDraco //------------------------------// "Partial recovery grants opportunity, full recovery grants exponential opportunity." ------------------- ----[ Ponyville ----- After Dash had led Fluttershy away, Elise started to wander the streets of Ponyville once more. The Town Square was just as quiet as the rest of the town, there were a few vendors that had set up shop near the statue of Celestia, nothing more. Curious, she wandered to one of the stands and looked at the available products, there was a large selection of gems and crystals for only very few bits. She was intrigued and asked the vendor, "Why are these so cheap?" The blue stallion running the stand looked at her, "They're synthetic, can't take much and don't last that long." "I see." He pointed at one crystal, "Hay, this one even has a fragment of cloth inside it." Elise looked closely at it, That's a piece of the shirt I was wearing before the transfer. He pointed at another one, "And this one has a trinket inside." She recognized it, "That trinket is mine, my father gave it to me." "Do you have proof?" "Some of the chain is in there, I should...", she reached into her mane and fished around for it, "Oh no..." The chain levitated in front of Elise and a voice came from behind her, "Is this what you were looking for?" Elise grabbed the chain, "Yes!" The vendor looked behind Elise, "Oh, hi Ms. Rarity." Rarity moved next to Elise, "If you could be so kind to return her trinket I would be glad to purchase a few of your...fine gems." The vendor nodded, "Of course!" He pushed the crystal encased trinket towards Elise, she immediately sat down and focused. The trinket levitated in front of her and crystals around it disappeared, with her front paws she looped the chain through it and put it on. Rarity watched as diamond trinket sunk into the half-breed's mane, "Such a fine piece of jewelry, perhaps you could trim your mane and display it?" Elise placed a paw over where it disappeared, "It's not my memory to display." "Pardon?" She looked back at the vendor, "Where did you find this?" The stallion thought for a moment, "In the mountains, where I usually find some decent gem caches." Rarity's ear twitched, "And where exactly is this?" The vendor pointed a hoof, "Just on that ridge." Rarity's ears drooped, "Oh my, that reminds me." Elise looked at her, "Should I ask?" "First off I could use some...", she glanced at the vendors selection and noticed the lack of type of gemstone, "...Sapphires. As for what is up there I really don't know where to start..." ------------------- ----[ ??? ----- Large creatures that resembled gorilla-armed dogs were deep inside a mine, digging for gems to satisfy the hunger of their greed. Some were thin, others bulky, but all the same type of creature. A thin one stratched at a weak wall, "We save these strange gemstones for last, they shine in pretty ways." A large one pushed the minecart along, "Yes, save the preciouses for last." A stallion quietly appeared from nowhere, and began to observe. The thin being scraped away a thin sheet of soft rock revealing a small cache of gems, "More gems to preserve preciouses!" The Stallion began to walk along the mineshaft, taking note of the amount of mining that had been done by these greedy creatures. He came to a stop and went invisible, sneaking effortlessly by armored creatures and into the room they were guarding. On a table lit by a single shaft of natural light were crystals in the shape of armor, he moved close to them and examined them, "Her toys aren't here... Such a shame..." "Pony shouldn't be here." "Took you long enough." Several creatures stepped out of the shadows, "The pony comes to take away preciouses!" "No, pony come to tell you how to use preciouses magic energy to silence your gem hunting pony..." The creatures looked amongst themselves for a moment then grinned, "We're listening..." ------------------- ----[ Mountainside ----- Elise kept close to Rarity as she used her magic to detect gemstones underground. AJ tagged along and was ready with a shovel to help uncover the little cache's Rarity found. Rarity pointed her horn at the ground with the spell in effect and then looked over at AJ, "Applejack, here's another one." AJ walked over, "On it." She dug up the cache as Elise watched Rarity, an idea formed in the half-breeds head and she started to follow her a little closer. Rarity found another cache as Elise asked, "You can detect gemstones with your magic?" Rarity marked the new cache and looked up at Elise, "Yes, it's my special talent." "I see, can you use it to find my crystals?" She paused, "I suppose I could try. Do you have one with you?" Elise formed a small piece of her armor, "I do now." Rarity focused her spell, "Goodness. These are as prestine as diamonds! Just like that trinket of yours!" She gazed at the fashionista for a moment, "Thanks?" Rarity focused her spell a little harder than usual, "It feels like some of your crystals are inside the mountain." "I'll need to find them and destroy them." "But why?" "They were made with my mana and as such anyone with the knowledge to do so can use them to draw in local magic and cast the spells they want to." "Oh my, that's rather unsettling." "Even if she couldn't use magic natively, AJ would just need to know the incantation for Ignis and one of my crystals to cast fire spells." AJ paused, "That'd be kinda odd, Earth Ponies ain't the type to use any sorta magic." "I know that the Unicorns and the Alicorns are the only ones that can freely use spells through the magic they channel through their horns." Rarity looked at Elise, "Actually, Twilight could tell you far more about it than I could, but some Pagasi tend to have their own form of magic." AJ nodded, "Yeah, RD's one of 'em." Elise shrugged, "That's new to me." Rarity smiled, "Well, I suppose we could find your crystals but there's one little thing I need to warn you about." She looked at her, "What?" ------------------- ----[ ??? ----- Some of these creatures were wearing armor, some of them weren't but most of them were watching with vacant looks in their eyes. Fate grinned as he looked into the eyes of a skinny one, "Diamond Dogs, such an unworthy name. Where does it come from? Your greed? Perhaps the time has come for that to be for some other reason." The diamond dog nodded, "We need gemstones for our futures." "Good boy. Your gemhunter approaches in the escort of a hayseed and a science experiment. Her complaints will be no worry as long as you recite the incantation and keep your sights on her before it releases. Understood?" "Yes. It is understood." Fate smiled, "Then go." The dogs stood up and left the room. ------------------- ----[ Mountainside ----- Elise stood at the mineshaft entrance, listening for anything inside. Rarity was close to her and honestly nervous about being this close to the diamond dogs lair. AJ looked at her and grinned, "Now remember, them diamond dogs ain't too fond of ya complainin' so they oughta steer clear of ya Rarity." Rarity nodded, "Yes, I remember. But is there really that much of a danger of them figuring out how to use your crystals?" Elise lowered her head a little, "That's assuming they don't sell it to someone who can use them." AJ nudged Rarity, "Well, come on now, best ta do this before the moon comes up." Elise nodded, "We can protect you if we have to." Rarity looked into the dark entrance, and swallowed her fear, "Alright, but you have to promise me that you will help me." "For this, I would even make you a diamond." Rarity thought it over for a moment, "We'll see." From within the mine entrance voices echoed, "Be gone thieves!" Elise called out, "You may have my belongings, have any of you found any perfectly clear crystals on the surface?" "You not take preciouses!" Three armored diamond dogs stepped out of the entrance. Elise slumped down, "Preciouses?! Those crystals are not yours!" Rarity looked between the three guards, "Return this lady's jewelry at once!" A voice in the entrance calls out, "Gem hunting pony! Get them, I coming!" AJ smirked, "Sounds like somethin' new didn't get th' message. Come on now!" The guards slouched down and took positions around the group. Rarity looked around at them, "I certainly hope you know what you're doing Elise." Elise smirked, "Of course." She rushed forward at one guard and slashed him, her claws cutting into the metal of his armor. One of the guards ran forward and swiped at AJ, she jumped back and evaded him, "No ya don't!" Quickly she turned and planted a hoof into the chestplate the guard was wearing and it absorbed most of the blow. The second guard went after Rarity and tried to hit her, she jumped out of the way, "How dare you!" The guard turned to face her just in time for her hoof to strike him. The third guard rushed at Elise and hit her with a one-two set of punches. The guard jumped back as Elise smiled and said, "Childsplay." The guard shouted at the others, "Get the fox!" Elise took note of this order, Leader found. The other two guards turned from their equine targets and went after the half-breed, the first one delivered an uppercut to her jaw. As she recovered from that attack the other guard clasped his paws together and brought them down on her head. She stood up with ease, "Try again." She rushed forward and grabbed the leader, "Down you go!" With her forelegs wrapped around the guard she heaved him up and and over into a suplex that ended with his head hitting the ground with the combined weight of the two beings. With a quick, "Werf!", the guard moaned and layed there knocked out. Rarity looked at Elise surprised, "Goodness!" <- To add "Now that's how ya put the dog out!", Applejack knocked a couple of apples into the air and bucked them imto the helmet of the second guard, making it ring. He gripped his helmet to stop the ringing, "You little..." He turned to see a colorful selection of blunt gemstones heading his way, "Uh oh..." The remaining guard watched his partner get knocked into the air by the gems and fall down out cold. He looked between the two ponies and the half-breed. The remaining guard shuffled back, "M-mercy!" Elise stepped forward, "Only if you take us to what you call preciouses." A short bulldog-ish diamond dog stepped out of the entrance, "We give you one precious." Elise bared her teeth, "No, you will give me all of them. My fragments are not some other beings treasure!" "Here...", he held out the crystals, "...Quiet." A spell was cast by the crystal, and with a gray flash a small wisp of energy streamed out and towards Rarity. She pulled back and closed her eyes in anticipation for something painful. AJ tried to intercept it by getting between it and Rarity. It went around the farmpony and into her without difficulty. The diamond dog looked at Rarity expecting something, "It works?" She opened one eye to make sure she was alive, then the other before she looked at the diamond dog. With a glare she started walking towards him, her mouth moving. She paused, then tried to say something else. The diamond dog smiled widely, "Dark pony spell works! Gemstone finding pony is quiets!" Elise lunged at the diamond dog as Rarity sat down and quietly screamed at the top of her lungs. The diamond dog jumped back and ran into the mines. AJ walked up to Rarity, "Rarity? What's wrong, why can't ya speak?" She tried to respond but not a word left her mouth. Elise moved close to them, "I recognize this, it's one of the spells I learned about. Silence, it renders someone unable to audibly speak." "Why would ya know somethin' like that?" "In my travels I've encountered mages who think they're all powerful because they've mastered spells. Yet they truly haven't since they need to actually call out the spell. Silence is a good way to take away their leverage. Simply put: Can't say the incantation, can't cast the spell." Rarity thought for a moment, then levitated a gemstone. "Exactly, since Unicorns can use their magic without having to recite anything, the spell only takes their voice away." AJ thought a moment, "Any idea how long this kinda thing lasts?" Rarity stepped forward, the expression on her face optimistic. Elise shrugged, "It depends on the skill of the caster, or in this case, how much mana was infused into that crystal." "How long now?" "Considering how much mana is needed for me to forge crystals that big, she ought to be able to speak again, tomorrow at the earliest." Rarity's jaw dropped and she quickly galloped to Elise, she wrapped her front legs around Elise's and looked up at her with a pouty face. "You need your voice before then, don't you." Rarity nodded. "If we can get ahold of that crystal and destroy it, it should break the effect." AJ noticed how wide Rarity smiled, "Ah think she likes th' idea, let's go!" Elise and AJ turned to the entrance as Rarity stood up and gazed into it with a look of determination. All three entered the mine at the same time Elise in the front of the group. ------------------- ----[ Diamond Dog Mines ----- They had moved through the first few passages relying on the light from the entrance to see as it slowly faded into the distance. Rarity was keeping close to avoid being left behind, or considering her lack of voice, from being grabbed. AJ stayed behind her, "Don't you worry, Rare, I'll cover yer flank." Elise focused and made a crystal that gave off light, "This should help us see." AJ shielded her eyes for a moment, "That oughta be bright enough to blind one of 'em deep in here.", she looked at Elise as she was slumping down and glaring at another guard dog, "Or invite 'em..." The diamond dog swiped at Elise before she could get completely into a defensive stance. She stepped back and the guard followed through with a second attack. AJ moved close to Rarity, "Ah gotcha." Elise backed away as the dog grinned, she seemed to recognize something in the grin that made her pause. He turned and looked at the two mares, AJ stood firm while Rarity kept close to her friend. Elise called out to the dog, "Hey! Keep your eyes on me or I'll take your gems!" The guard quickly turned and punched at her, "You take nothing!" The attack did nothing before a few gemstones promptly dented his helmet, he turned to Rarity and shouted, "Hey!" "Hey! Yerself!", AJ kicked a couple of apples into the dog's stomach, he growled and ran for Rarity, "Come heeeere!" Rarity jumped back as the dog tripped on the gemstone that dented his helmet, he pushed up in time to avoid a strike from the fashionista. He growled and tried to attack again but AJ quickly drove a hoof into the dogs side, staggering him a little. Elise ran forward and knocked him to the ground with one swipe, and knocked his helmet off with another. She jumped back and waited for him to dare to get up. He rolled onto his side and pushed up, "Pony said hurt other ponies!" AJ raised a brow, "What?" The dog lunged at her, she jumped to the side but didn't have enough space to completely avoid the attack. The impact knocked her to the side, she rolled onto her hooves, "That's it, no more Ms. Nice Apple!" With a turn and a buck the dog rolled off to the side with new dings in his armor, stumbling to get to his feet he tried to lunge for Rarity. A large sapphire greeted his face as he finally turned towards her, knocking him off his feet and onto his back. Elise looked at Applejack, "Are you alright?" She adjusted her hat, "I'm fine, but somepony ain't gonna be if this varmint is tellin' the truth." "A pony telling them to hurt other ponies..." "We're gonna hafta look into that once we get Rarity back ta normal." Rarity nodded. Elise grinned, "Agreed, let's cure an ailment." Rarity looked at the diamond dog, he looked like he was out like a light, but she didn't want to chance it being a charade. She followed AJ and Elise deeper into the mines. ------------------- ----[ Diamond Dog Mines | Later ----- There had to be at least another thirty guards between the entrance and this lantern lit area, and every one of them was laying on their backs or their sides and seeing stars. AJ and Elise had been taking care to distract the guards, keeping them from going after Rarity. Elise even figured out how to properly insult them so that they would gang up on her while she guarded herself. Elise grinned as the taunt echoed in her mind, I'm going to take you down and steal your precious gemstones! AJ was starting to get concerned, "Elise, y'all doin' alright? Four of them bigger diamond dogs poundin' on ya at once can't be good." Elise grinned, "I'm used to trying to take the pressure off of others." "Ah'm jus' plain impressed ya haven't been made as bad as ya were yesterday." "Don't you remember lunch earlier? Under this fur is scales, the thick scales of a type of dragon, one meant to protect others." "Ah suppose, but even a guardian dragon needs ta take a rest once in a while." Rarity noticed something and, with her manners in check, interrupted the conversation by poking Elise's arm. She looked at her, "Find something?" Rarity nodded and pointed at a room, lit only by a shaft of light. Elise looked, "That's it. All I need to do is dissolve those and hopefully, a curse with it." They walked into the room and Elise looked at the crystals on the table, she held out a paw and focused. The crystals dissolved and with them several spells were dissipated. She couldn't help but feel uncomfortable since this part was too easy. She looked at Rarity, "Anything?" Rarity just started, "I would certainly hope so. Oh!" AJ smiled, "Well, there we go. Ya got your voice back." "And none too soon, I have a grand presentation to give this evening." A voice spoke from the shadows, "Perhaps I should have invested my time into more competent creatures..." One by one orbs of light appeared and lit the rest of the room. The table vanished and behind chain link fences were at least a hundred diamond dogs. A deep blue stallion walked over to them, "Bright enough to follow a few simple orders. Not enough to do it properly. Such failures." AJ looked the stallion right in his yellow eyes, "You th' one who said they need ta harm ponies?" He nodded, "Of course." Elise slumped down, "Haven't you done enough by being here!" "Oh good, I was afraid that you didn't recognize this form." Elise creeped closer, "Leave this world alone, Fate!" He grinned, "Why? It's so peaceful, it begs to be the first piece of Omnes Ruinam." AJ stepped up next to Elise, "So yer th' one that Elise was all riled up about this mornin'!" Rarity seemed confused, "Fate? He almost sounds like Discord." Fate shook his head, "Don't compare me to some stone clown." Elise stopped moving forward, "You're weak... Why else would you accept a world defined form... The mighty Fate, the wannabe deity, having to conform to the rules of a dimension. After the trouble you put all of my friends through, this is laughable." "Then I invite you to test just how 'weak' I am." AJ was unsure, "Elise, maybe we shouldn' try anythin' stupid." Rarity backed away, observing how the caged dogs kept their distance from Fate, "Yes, I'm sure that some of us have more important things to do. Like maybe not call bluff on the dashing stallion that has these brutes so scared..." He grinned, "Then allow me to prove my bluff... and to even the playing field..." On after another Fate released three spells through a cluster of crystals. Each one created a sphere of light went to each three of the trespassers and healed them, "No wounds to hold any of you back." Rarity swallowed and looked at Elise, "This isn't going too well..." Fate crushed the crystals, "This is a fight you will not win..." Rarity backed down and held her hooves in defense. AJ galloped forward and planted her hooves into Fate, who didn't even flinch. She jumped back, "What the..." Rarity launched gemstones at Fate, all of them bouncing harmlessly off of him, "Oh dear..." AJ tried to buck some of the gemstones back at him, and they still bounced right off, "Ah think we mighta bit off more'n we can chew!" Elise coated her claws with crystals, and quickly attacked Fate, the sharper claws barely scratched him. Rarity backed down again, "I-I do believe it's safe to say that he isn't bluffing..." Elise snarled at Fate, "Leave them out of this! I'll fight you like a weapon!" Fate grinned, "So be it, you will fall first." Fate galloped forward and reared up, striking his front hooves at Elise, she was able to dodge the first strike, then the second one hit her, and the third one. The fourth one knocked her over and Fate turned quickly planting a hind hoof into AJ's side, knocking the farmpony down too. Rarity put a wall of gemstones between her and Fate, hiding behind it in the hopes it holds up. Fate barreled through it and loomed over her, "As a sign of generosity, you will be last to fall." He raised a hoof and got ready to strike her, as his hoof approached Rarity pulled back and closed her eyes. There was a soft thump with a following scream of pain, she opened an eye and Elise was between her and Fate. He sneered, "You call yourself a weapon, a weapon does not shield..." Elise coughed, "A...a sword can...block." "The weapon does not block... The weak being holding the weapon blocks." "Even a bullet...can deflect another..." "Do you really think that way? Of course you do, you've got the words of that dragon stuck in your head. That is why you put yourself in harms way for even as pathetic a creature as this little 'pony' that is cowering here.", he grinned, "This entertains an idea... Sow the seeds of your own poison, weapon. When you fall and become mine, they too will share your fate..." Fate Vanished and Rarity quickly ran around Elise to look her in the eyes, "Thank you for saving me!" AJ barely pushed onto her hooves, "That's gonna sting in th' mornin', you...hooo... you two doin' alright?" Rarity tried to think, she needed to get them out of here but how was she going to with no muscle to haul them along with. Elise pushed onto her paws, dismissing the crystal claws, "I've caused you a lot of trouble... I didn't mean to... If it helps... I'' do whatever you want me to..." "Darling, you don't need to do anything else for me, you put yourself in harm's way to protect me." "But..." "No buts. You've done enough for one day." Elise smiled a moment and shook her head, "Sure." Rarity smiled back, "Now, how are we going to get out of here?" Elise looked at the diamond dogs, they were still surprised about what just happened, "If I let you out, you had better escort us out." One of them responded, "And if we don't?" Rarity stood firmly, "I will give every last one of you an earful, don't think that I won't!" The dogs all thought this over until one spoke up, "Then we tie your mouth shut!", they all started laughing. Elise roared like a dragon releasing mists of glowing energy from her mouth, the dogs all went quiet, "You will escort us, or I will show every one of you how much dragon I am..." They all looked amongst each other and nodded, "We will help!" She walked to the door on the cage and placed her paw around the lock, "Good." The lock crystalized and became brittle, she leaned in close, "Because I can do this to living things, too.", she crushed the lock and the door swung open. ------------------- ----[ Mountainside ----- The diamond dogs did as they were told, they escorted the two ponies and the half-breed to the mine exit, no further. Elise looked a little depressed, she knew she got into a fight against a being that could be a deity, without the granted strength from a more powerful deity. As the diamond dogs placed boulders to bar entrance through that shaft AJ looked at Elise and grinned, "The way ya fought in there, you were tryin' ta keep him from comin' after us. Hay, ya did that with those guards too." Elise tried to smile, but couldn't, "I shouldn't even be getting you into fights." "Elise, there're fights goin' on out of sight, all th' time. Even out on the farm we've gotta fight off these critters that keep tryin' to burn some-a the trees." "You haven't fought things like I have. The things I fight are intent on getting a kill, what about those that attack your farm." "They'd take a bite outta anypony given th' chance. So why not give 'em an apple or an Apple Family hoof to chew on." Elise was stunned, Melody always elaborated on differences in existences and their dimensions. Is that one of the differences between this Equestria and the one from my existence? AJ took off her hat and dusted it off, "If ya been travelin' around like ya say so, this really oughtn't be a surprise." Rarity nodded, "She's right, even in Ponyville there are ponies who don't mean well. I had to learn how to defend myself after some thieves ran off with a bag of hard earned bits." Elise sat down, "Thieves aren't like Fate... He just wants everything to be in ruin." "Speaking of ruin, I have a presentation in just an hour! I'm nowhere near ready!" AJ put her hat back on, "Not doin' any good standin' 'round here, we need ta move." "Of course, not a second to waste! We must go, for fashion!" Rarity ran off towards Ponyville, AJ smirked and looked at Elise, "Fate's wrong, yer more of a shield, protectin' others from harm." Elise stood up, "I'm sorry he knocked you down like that." "You were down yerself, no worries." They started walking towards Ponyville. ------------------- ----[ Ponyville: 10 Minutes later ----- The two walked past the library on their way to the Carrousel Boutique, Elise's injuries had all healed up and she was trying her best to recall the healing spell Fate used before their fight. AJ let out an exhausted sigh, "We're almost there." Elise looked at her, "I wish I learned restorative spells." "Didn' think there were any." Rarity let loose a scream that caught the attention of the two travellers, AJ started galloping, "Gotta make sure!" Elise started running to keep up, tempted to forge her sharper claws and armor on the way. ------------------- ----[ Carrousel Boutique ----- AJ kicked the door open, "Rarity!" Rarity was rummaging through storage closets searching for something, "Oh, please! Sweetie Belle!" Elise was curious, "What happened?" Rarity turned and faced the two, "The Worst. Possible. THING! I can't find any of my dressforms!" AJ facehoofed, "Ya reckon Sweetie Belle mighta run off with 'em?" A note flicked through the air, guided by Rarity's magic, Elise caught it, "Borrowing manakins - Sweetie." Rarity walked over to the two, "Without those mannequins, I can't present my new dresses, I need models!" AJ looked at Elise, "I doubt she'd fit into anythin' ya got." Elise shook her head, "Don't tell anyone..." She focused and her body shrunk in size, matching the size of the mares she was with. AJ was surprised, "Well, I'll be. That's one darn good trick!", she looked where Rarity was, "Right, Rar... Rare?" Pinkie walked in, "Hi Applejack, Hi Elise.", she looked up at the cieling, "Hi Rarity." Rarity was somehow sticking to the cieling from the surprise at Elise's change in size. Pinkie tilted her head, "Hey Rarity, how're you sticking to the cieling like that? You don't have any claws." Rarity fell from the ceiling onto Pinkie and quickly jumped back onto her hooves, "How?!" Elise grinned nervously, "It's the ability that gives me my fast healing. I can freely alter my size at will." Rarity stepped off of Pinkie, "At any rate, you can wear one of my dresses now." Pinkie smiled at Elise, "Hey, moving must be pretty easy with you around, just go big and move any heavy furniture." Elise scratched the back of her head and lied through her teeth, "Well, I...can't adjust my strength to match, so I can really only shrink without problems, I never learned how to do more than that." Rarity looked between Pinkie and AJ, "Applejack, you're far too beat-up to be seen in any of the dresses, Pinkie Pie, could you volunteer to be a model for me? Please?" Pinkie nodded, "Okie-dokie-loki." AJ grinned at Elise, "Don't worry, Granny Smith's got somethin' to take care of me. Ah'll see you tonight?" Elise nodded, "I assume the barn again?" "Ya might be able ta fit in the guest bedroom, at any size.", AJ walked off. Rarity noticed a large number of tangles in Elise's mane and tail, "First things first, you need to be cleaned up!" Elise just nodded, "Of course..." ------------------- ----[ Library ----- AJ opened the door and fought off the urge to facehoof when she saw all the notes and photos that completely lined the edges of a drawing board. Dash was on the ground looking at the booklet she helped create while Twilight was busy double checking the data, both of them oblivious to the farmpony's arrival. AJ cleared her throat causing both Twilight and Dash to jump, the former also sending a magically levitated marker clean into the cieling. Twilight quickly turned around, "Oh, hi. Uhm... We were just going over what needs to be done to the library for the storm." Dash nodded and smiled, "Yeah, don't want to lose any Daring Do books." AJ gave them both a knowing grin, "Which is why ya both got pictures of us headin' into that mine?" The pegasus and the unicorn looked at the board then at each other, Twilight sighed, "Yes, we're trying to figure out what she really is." Dash flew over to AJ, "Hey, what happened to you?" "A fight we had no chance a winnin'." Dash frowned, "Against her..." "No, she was fightin' alongside me n Rarity, we bumped inta a stallion callin' himself Fate." Twilight glanced at AJ, "Deep blue coat? Green eyes?" "Yeah, that's him. Wait, how'd you know what he looked like?" "Well, we were keeping an eye on you three while gemstone hunting. When all of you went into the mineshaft he follow you in." AJ glanced at Twilight, "Ya coulda said somethin', Twi." "I didn't think he would be any problem." AJ looked at Twilight in disbelief, "Ya mean ta tell me that goin' into those mines was jus' one grand ol' trap?" Dash got suspicious, "I'm thinking that Elise isn't telling us everything." Twilight shook her head, "It's obvious that she's hiding things, but what exactly is still undetermined. Applejack, I need you to tell me what went on in those mines." AJ nodded, "Only on one condition." "What?" "You get out the first-aid kit, I feel like a tree fell on me." ------------------- ----[ Carrousel Boutique ----- She had never honestly seen such a fine shine on her fur, it was eerie since she didn't have much fashion interest. Still, all the shampoos and conditioners Rarity used on her were very high quality. There were combs, brushes, hairdryers, and hairclips circling her and styling her with every pass. Once the cyclone of styling objects drifted away Elise found herself looking in a mirror. Her mane was smoother and less poofy, between her ears there was even a curl drawn out and hanging in front of her snout. She even noticed that her claws were properly trimmed, and that the tufts of fur between each digit were all properly groomed. Rarity stood there for a moment, looking for anything she may have missed, she realized just what was missing and levitated a hairband over, "This should just about do it." Rarity used the hairband to create a ponytail from the back of Elise's mane, "There, perfect. You look absolutely dazzling!" Pinkie walked up, "Sure does, what're you going to put us in?" Rarity got a glimmer in her eye, "There are four dresses that need to be presented to the Fashionista Times critic, we will need timing for this. This way please.", she started walking. Elise and Pinkie followed her to a mobile rack, she arranged the dresses in the right order and set aside dresses not being used in the presentation, "These four dresses are the one's you two will need to model in. Both of you can put on one dress before the critic arrives. Let's assume you go first Pinkie, you will present the dress and return back here and swap into the next one while Elise is presenting hers." Elise grinned, "Sounds easy enough." Pinkie smiled, "Yeah, this is gonna be fun!" Rarity grinned and shook her head, "Now who wants to go first?" Pinkie jumped up, "Oh! Me! Me!" Elise nodded, "I can go second." "Yay!" Rarity levitated a dress off the rack, "Alright, then let's make the two of you Fabulous!" ------------------- ----[ Library ----- AJ didn't have as many injuries as she was expecting, but that didn't stop her from telling exactly just what happened inside of the mines. Dash was actually surprised that Elise wasn't the one responsible for AJ's beat up condition. Twilight was also deeply analyzing every word the farmpony said, "The way she acted was in a defensive manner, she wanted to draw the attacks meant to harm both you and Rarity to herself." AJ nodded, "That's right." "And this Fate pony, he was able to break through her defensive stance and stagger her long enough he could go after you." Dash was bothered by something, "Hey, AJ, didn't you say something about her getting all riled up and wanting to claim victory from him?" She nodded, "Jus' this mornin'." Twilight looked at Dash, "You know, there might be something Elise knows about Fate that could be related to her travels, perhaps he's a rival." AJ thought for a moment, "Or somepony out ta get that Lusce feller she works for." Dash raised a brow, "Loose feller?" Twilight looked up at her, "A Lynx named Lusce, L-u-s-c-e." "That doesn't really matter, she could be bringing new problems to Ponyville because she worked for him, or is doing a job for him. That's gotta be it!" "What's gotta be it?" "She's here doing some job for this lynx, I'm gonna go find out what she's going to do!" Dash nearly took off but was stopped by Twilight's magic, Twilight shook her head, "You can find out what she's doing tomorrow. For now we need to let her help Rarity." "Then what am I supposed to do?" "Just watch her." ------------------- ----[ Carrousel Boutique | 2 hours later ----- Pinkie and Elise both performed very well, each of the dresses seemed to get approving nods and notes from the unicorn critic. Even what was supposed to be an intentional dud was displayed by Elise, who looked good in that one red dress that never looked right on anypony else. Rarity approached the critic, "Well, what do you think, Mr. DeTal?" Avery L. DeTal looked at Rarity and nodded, "Every one of these dresses will be previewed by ponies all over Equestria, I must say you are one of the best designers to ever grace this town." Rarity hid a wide grin, "Oh, thank you." "I was concerned that your choice of models was a little esoteric, but your pony and fox combination was rather impressive. I dare say you could be able to design for more than just ponies." "R-really?" "It's up to you whether or not I include that in my article." Rarity thought for a moment, "If you could mention the possibility, that would be divine." With a flick of the magically levitated quill, DeTal made a new note, "Done, I will send you a letter once everything is ready to print. Adieu, Mademoiselle." Rarity smiled, "Adieu." Once the critic left she turned to Pinkie and Elise, "Thank you, both of you!" Pinkie grinned, "No problem." Elise bowed slightly, "You're welcome." Rarity looked at the two, "Now let's get you two out of those dresses." All three went into the back room, Rarity took the dresses and hung them where they would be safe. Elise was happy to be out of that dress, so that she could revert to her normal size. Rarity didn't jump when Elise changed size this time, but instead was thinking hard about something, "Elise, this is your normal size, correct?" Elise nodded, "This is what I always revert to, so yes." "Then wait here, I'll be back.", she went over to a desk and started searching through it. After a few seconds a measuring tape levitated out, "If you would kindly hold still." "Huh?" Rarity made all sorts of measurements and wrote them down on a notepad. "Why are you measuring me?" "I've never found anypony who could wear that red dress and make it work right." "Really?" "Yes, as a token of my thanks I'm going to make you a version you won't need to shrink down to fit in." "Excuse me?" "You heard me, and I can tell from these measurements, I'm going to need to get more fabric, much more fabric." "Ok?" "If I place the order tomorrow, it should arrive in two days. So, I will have your dress in three days." "Thank you?" "You're welcome." Pinkie giggled, "Come on Elise, Applejack oughta be waiting for you." Elise nodded, "Right, I'll see you around Rarity." Rarity waved as they left, "Have a wonderful night." ------------------- ----[ ??? ----- "Sister, there were matters that the court needed to resolve." "I would prefer not to until we know why the protective crystals are being tainted." "You're worrying too much, we will surely find out who or what is tainting the crystals. Huh?!" "You're shaking, one of the crystals enchanted by your magic has been tainted." "Yes, 'tis true." "The two of us each have three remaining." "We had four each, what of the last two?" "...Do you know where I left my quill?"