//------------------------------// // Chapter 6 // Story: To Infinity // by PaisleyPerson //------------------------------// Chapter 6 This was such a critical part of the mission, I wasn’t about to let Buster go alone just to ruin all my hard work. So with the pony-filled net draped over one shoulder and me perched on the other, he set off. “Where am I going, Mistress?” “Why don’t we ask our guests, here?” I turned and bent down to get a better view of Pinkie and Rainbow. “Would you girls-” “Forget it! We won’t tell you anything!” Rainbow snapped, looking away and folding her arms. “Yeah!” Pinkie agreed, mimicking her friend. “Very well,” I shrugged, facing forward once more. “I suppose I’ll just have to take my best guess, then. Considering that Twilight is most likely working on her weed killer, I’d say that the castle is our best bet. Am I right, ladies?” I received no answer, but Rainbow’s grim expression told me that I was spot on. “Right then. To the castle!” “Applejack! Did you hear something?” “Ya mean other than yer whinin’?” “Hush, you! I’m certain I heard someone in there!” “Get down,” I hissed to Buster, who was already flattening himself down to the forest floor. “Rarity? Applejack? HELP!” Pinkie squealed. “No, RUN!” Rainbow corrected. Instantly realizing my mistake, I slapped gags and restraints onto the both of them. ‘Blast!’ “Rainbow? Pinkie Pie? Are you there?” Rather than fleeing, Rarity wandered closer. “You guys okay?” Applejack joined in. “Buster?” “Right away, Mistress.” I loosened the tight weave of vines we had been using for shelter until they formed a hole large enough for him to fit through. Buster then sprang forward, directly in front of the ponies. Even on all fours, he towered over them, but he took it a step further and rose to his full height. “What in tarnation?” Applejack gasped. “D-D-D-D-D-DIAMOND DOG!” Rarity shrieked before promptly fainting. “That’s just perfect,” Applejack growled, turning back to her adversary. “That ain’t too kind of ya, scarin’ ponies outta their wits like that. Just who’dya think ya are? An’ what’dya do with our friends?” Without answering, Buster lashed out and snatched the mare by her hind legs. Applejack secure, he then slung her unconscious partner over his other shoulder. “Just what in Equestria do ya think yer doin’?! Put me down!” She kicked and thrashed, but with most of her strength in her hind legs, she was helpless against my henchman’s strength. “Good. Now, Buster, put them there.” I cleared the rest of the vines so I could get through, and even had one of them tow the net containing our first hostages. Next I provided a second net so Buster could deposit our new prizes. “You!” Applejack gasped. “Yer Infinity?” “How perceptive of you, Applejack.” “Wha-?! How’dya know my name?” “I know all about you girls, and the Elements you represent.” “Why are ya doin’ this? Yer hurtin’ a lot of innocent folk!” My eyes suddenly clouded with remorse. “The pain is temporary, I assure you. Nearly a thousand years ago, I vowed to end all their pain and suffering. I am not about to give up now.” “End pain and sufferin’? Yer crazier n’ a road lizard!” “Perhaps,” I chuckled, “but just because I’m crazy doesn’t mean I’m not right.” “Girls! Are you alright?” Rarity had finally roused. Rainbow and Pinkie, still gagged, vigorously bobbed their heads. “Quiet,” I snarled, tossing the first net back to Buster. He picked both up off the ground, one slung over each shoulder. “You have the Alicorn Amulet!” Rarity gasped, blatantly ignoring my order. I took a deep breath, trying not to lose my composure. “You’re just now noticing that?” “Infinity, is it? Darling, I understand it’s a pretty necklace, but you must take it off,” Rarity pleaded. “I’m sure you’re really a very nice filly, but that amulet is corrupting you. It’ll make you do things you wouldn’t normally do. It’s making you hurt a lot of ponies. So, please, just take it off, love.” “I said QUIET!” I decked our new acquisitions out in binds similar to Pinkie and Rainbow. “I know full well what I’m doing. An earth pony like me has no magic, so of course I need the amulet to help me realize my plan. I am in control here. The amulet is nothing more than a tool.” “Do I continue to the castle, Mistress?” Buster inquired. “The castle... yes, that is where we were originally headed, wasn’t it? So what were you two doing out here?” I knew that even without the gags, they wouldn’t have answered. Instead, I glanced around, and noticed Applejack’s discarded saddlebags now partially buried beneath the plunderseeds. I gave it one hard yank with the amulet’s aura, tearing the fabric a bit but saving the contents. I found several squirt bottles of a strange brown-green liquid. “And what might this be? Twilight’s weed killer?” Rarity and Applejack exchanged worried glances, confirming my theory. “I see. She’s working faster than I anticipated. If she’s already managed to produce it, no doubt she’ll be putting it to use. We’ll continue around the Everfree until we run into the rest of them.” “Which way, Mistress?” “Northeast, closer to the castle.” There was a long pause. “Which way, Mistress?” I groaned, leapt on his shoulders and jerked his head to the right so sharply he produced a yelp. “That way!” He set one of the nets down long enough to rub his neck. I shot him a warning glare in return. His ears flattened, his tail wormed between his legs, and he cautiously picked it back up. I gave him a light cuff to get him started off. Honestly. What did it take to find good help these days? “Just where do you think you’re going?” “...Uh... Around the border, like you told me to, Mistress.” “No, fool, I told you to go around the border until we split off for the castle. Twilight’s palace is that way.” Buster scratched his head, thinking back to our earlier conversation. “But I thought you said she’d be using the weed killer around-” “DON’T BACKTALK TO ME, BUSTER!” He hunkered down. “She’s working fast, true, but even Twilight couldn’t be making that much that fast. She herself will still be at the palace making more. Or... what’s left of the palace. They’ll have chased off the tatzlwurm by now.” “Then... won’t her friends, at least, be at the border?” “The only one left is Fluttershy, and that wimp wouldn’t dare come near the Everfree alone.” Rainbow kicked at the net in protest. “We’re going back to the castle. Unless, of course, you would like to keep arguing with me?” “No, Mistress.” “Then what are you still standing around here for? Get a move on!” Buster ducked before I could cuff him, picked up our cargo and obediently changed direction. He hadn’t made it five steps before we heard voices. “Phew! Even with the weed killer, these things are tough!” “But at least they’re coming up.” “You’re so optimistic, Fluttershy,” a male voice admiringly commended. “It’s almost annoying.” “Oh, I’m sorry. I’ll be quiet now.” “Nah, keep talking. Maybe it’ll rub off on me.” “Oh, um, okay. What do you want me to say?” “Never mind. Are you ready for the next one?” “No. It looks like we’re almost out of the weed killer. Spike, could you write to Twilight and see if there’s a new batch ready yet?” “I’m on it!” Since we had started to split off already, the plunderseeds were too far to use for shelter. I crawled forward under the cover of a freshly pruned hedge instead. Buster wouldn’t fit underneath these tightly woven branches, so he concealed himself around back as best as he could while I shimmied underneath. My head poked through to the other side, and since my mane was a similar color to the hedge, I draped my bangs further over my face. I could still see through the thin, wispy hair, but at least now I’d be harder to spot. Spike and Fluttershy were waiting for me on the other side, still oblivious to my presence. Spike was scribbling down a note to Twilight on the scroll, and Fluttershy had settled in the grass to wait. She was keeping an eye on the plunderseeds’ growth with her back turned to me. If we struck quickly, they wouldn’t know what hit them. I attempted to back out of the brambles, but my hair had knotted around one of the twigs. I hesitated a moment to untangle the locks, but Buster obviously took this to mean I needed help. I barely managed to keep myself from squealing when he took hold of my back leg and jerked me free. “Hmm?” Spike glanced our way when he heard the rustling of branches. Buster hunkered lower so his constricting denim coat wouldn’t be spotted above the bush. Spike squinted a moment longer, and upon finding nothing, he shrugged, scribbled down the last few words onto his scroll, and sent it off in a fiery *WHOOSH*. “You imbecile!” I rubbed the sore, slightly bloody spot on my forehead where a good portion of my hair had been removed. “You could have given our position away!” “I was just trying to-” “Save it!” Thanks to the Alicorn Amulet, the hair regenerated in moments, and the stinging gradually subsided. “Spike’s already sent out his letter. We have to catch him unawares. Wait until Twilight sends a reply, then nab him. I’ll take care of the pegasus- she won’t be any trouble.” Buster nodded his acknowledgement, then hunched down, ready to pounce the moment Twilight’s response came. It wasn’t an immediate reply, so Spike and Fluttershy had time to chit chat. The hardest part about the wait was trying to keep the others quiet. They couldn’t call out to warn their friends, but they tried everything else, from playing drums on the cobblestone to grunting and groaning. They finally piped down when I threatened to toss them to the plunderseeds. At long last, Twilight’s letter came through. Spike didn’t even have time to open the scroll before Buster tackled him headlong, pinning the drake to the ground. “Diamond dog!” Fluttershy shrieked, wings locking up in fear. Fortunately, this made her an easy target, and my net draped limply over her stiff frame. “Too easy,” I chortled, bringing the rest of the prisoners back into view. They looked so defeated, it sent chills up my spine. “And you would’ve gone right past them, straight to the castle.” “But-! I... you... we...” Buster’s fingers pointed in every direction as he tried to sort out his own scrambled thoughts. I rolled my eyes. “Enough. Let’s just pack them up and get a move on.” “You... you!” Fluttershy stammered. I laughed. Pathetic little thing... couldn’t even form a whole sentence. “How DARE you?!” “Huh?” “Release me and my friends this instant!” Her eyes blazed and she stomped with rage, though it would have had more of an effect if she hadn’t been on the soft grass. “In case you haven’t noticed, Fluttershy, you aren’t exactly in a position to be making demands,” I sneered. “L-Let go of me!” Spike squirmed, having finally pulled his muzzle free. “And you!” She pointed at Buster, who froze, Spike dangling upside-down in his paw. “How dare you treat such a poor, innocent baby dragon that way? Put him down right now, mister! Or I’ll give you The Stare!” “The... Stare?” Buster dumbly asked, looking for direction. “Don’t listen to her, fool! Put the dragon with the others!” “O-Okay.” Fluttershy’s bag had the most room, so he turned toward her. That was his first mistake. Her fierce gaze locked onto his, and the giant moving mountain came to a halt. Fear filled his eyes, and he hunkered down low. Impossible! It had taken me years to instill that kind of obedience and discipline in the beast, yet this shy, fragile mare achieved the same effect with one look! Even worse, Buster slowly began lowering the dragon back to the ground. “BUSTER!” I pasted a blindfold on Fluttershy’s head, and the spell was broken. “Hum?” “You TWIT!” “I-I-I’m sorry, Mistress. I didn’t mean-” “You impossible, USELESS beast! GRAH!” I swiped at him, and he ducked. “You came this close to succumbing to her! After all the YEARS of work I’ve put into training you, you would switch your loyalties just like that? JUST LIKE THAT?!” “Wow. Jealous much?” Spike just raised an eyebrow. “SHUT HIM UP!” Buster hastily tossed the troublesome hatchling in the net, and I outfitted him and Fluttershy both in binds. “Now we’ll head to the castle. Bring the ponies, and don’t mess it up, this time.” “Yes, Mistress.” I turned my back in distain upon the wishy washy idiot I had for an assistant. But I watched out of the corner of my eye, and noticed how hurt Fluttershy looked; she had worked off the blindfold before I added the binds. Buster’s ears flattened, and he looked ashamed upon picking up her bag. She stared him down the whole time, though he did his best not to make eye contact. He was being so sappy about it, I was thoroughly disgusted. He’d finally loaded up all our bargaining chips. “Let’s get a move on al-” I heard something crunch beneath my hoof; it was the scroll Spike had dropped. “Twilight’s reply... well, let’s see what the princess has to say.” The paper gently unfurled within the amulet’s red glow, and I quickly skimmed through her scrawled writing. “Hmm... looks like we don’t have to go fetch Twilight after all, Buster. The Princess is coming to us.” I pointed to the lettering in emphasis. Buster crouched low to try and decipher it for himself. “I... I can’t read, Mistress.” “She’s coming to deliver the next round of weed killer herself, dimwit.” I crumpled up the slip and tossed it over my shoulder. “She’ll be here any minute-” “MISTRESS!” Buster lunged, and pulled me clear just before a magical blast scored the ground, leaving a charred, smoking wound in the earth’s surface. I pushed and kicked and squirmed and wriggled, but despite my efforts, I still had to wait for Buster to lift himself off of me before I could stand on my own four hooves again. There, standing tall with her wings spread wide and her eyes burning, stood Twilight Sparkle. “Well, well, well. If it isn’t the princess herself.” “And I’ll assume you’re Infinity. Funny, I was expecting someone... older.” “I bet you were,” I half laughed, half snarled back. “Let my friends go,” she threatened. “No, not yet. I didn’t go through all the trouble of collecting them just to give up now.” “What do you want?” “Simple. I want you to come with me.” “I’m not going anywhere with you.” “Are you quite sure?” I taunted her, swinging the nets with her friends in the air like dangling a treat before a dog. Her previously impassive, stone-like expression softened a little. Then I saw it. Fear. She was afraid. I had made her afraid. My chest swelled with pride. I’d done it. I’d made the great Twilight Sparkle afraid. “Come with me and they won’t be harmed,” I smirked. “Refuse, and I’ll feed them to the plunderseeds.” Rainbow and Pinkie hovered over the plants, and a couple greedy vines reached upward, tickling their hooves. Their eyes grew wide with fear, and Rainbow tried ever harder to break free. This only attracted the vines’ attention, and one of the lethal thorns pierced her flesh. She would have screamed if it weren’t for the gag, but the pain showed in her eyes. Her bold coloring gradually began to fade as the life was sucked out of her. “Stop! I’ll go! Just don’t hurt them!” Twilight pleaded, dropping to her knees and begging like the common mare she was. I snorted. “Very well. Not these ones, my lovelies. These ponies- and dragon- are our guests.” The amulet pulsed, and the plunderseeds obligingly retreated. “You... you control the plunderseeds?” Twilight gasped. I replied by forming a tunnel that led safely through the thorny tentacles. “Walk with me.” I led the way, followed by Buster with the nets, and lastly, Twilight. “Soon, I will control more than just these pretty little plants.” I tenderly stroked the nearest vine. “They’re lovely, true, but not of much use. You developed a formula to fight them off in next to no time at all.” “Because you linked their magic to the amulet instead of just letting them grow on their own,” Twilight lectured, “I could infuse some of Applejack’s specialty weed killer with a spell to fight the amulet’s magic.” “The amulet has it’s limits,” I confessed. “But soon, I will be in control of a magic far beyond any of your measly alicorn spells.” “What kind of magic? There’s no greater magic than the Magic of Friendship.” “Ah, but your ‘Magic of Friendship’ gains its power from the Tree of Harmony. If I were to cut off your power from the root, or better yet, overtake it...” “You’re going after the Tree of Harmony?” She stopped dead in her tracks, horrified. The vines began creeping up on her from behind, urging her forward. “But that’s impossible! There’s no way-!” “There’s always a way. I may be an earth pony, but my father was a unicorn. He studied magic his whole life, and collected numerous artifacts. Believe me, I know the limitations of magic, but this is something well within the realm of possibility.” “How?” We had come to the gorge where the Tree lay hidden away. I slyly glanced back. “Care to see?”