//------------------------------// // Besting The Guards // Story: My Little Mages: The Revenge of Nightmare Moon // by Foxhelm //------------------------------// The two elementalist narrowly evaded each other’s attack. But Rainbow Dash knew she was the worse off of the two. The Shadowbolt had at least ten years of working with elemental magic that Rainbow Dash didn’t. But Rainbow Dash was a quick learner when she needed to be, and now she had to learn faster than ever. “Come on, kid. You need to step up your game if you want to make this out alive.” The Shadowbolt taunted as she sent several arrows rapidly. Rainbow barely dodged two, but the third one, an arrow of fire grazed both of her exposed legs. Rainbow realized then that she could not outfight the Shadowbolt, but speed has always been Rainbow Dash’s thing. “Catch me if you can, Old Maid.” Rainbow challenged as she took off as fast as she could. She looked over her shoulder and did not see the Shadowbolt behind her. “Up here.” Rainbow heard just before she was tackled and forced to the ground. However, she was able to get Shadowbolt off of her after impact. “Ouch.” Rainbow Dash muttered as she tried to get back on her feet, but before she could respond to anything she was grabbed by her left arm and pulled into the air. It was then that she realized that the Shadowbolt was about to drop her. “Not this time!” Rainbow muttered as she started to fly on her own volition and tried to get her foe in the gut. The Shadowbolt pulled ahead faster than Rainbow Dash expected but Rainbow Dash was able to use this to draw her own bow and fire an arrow of lightning right into her foe’s back. As the Shadowbolt’s back arched in pain, Rainbow fired a few more elemental arrows, mainly fire and ice. Before the older elementalist could respond, Rainbow Dash tackled her and dive-bombed with her, much like how the Shadowbolt divebombed with her. “EAT YOUR DIRT!” Rainbow Dash yelled as she pulled out at what she assumed would be the very last possible second. There was a hard thud as Rainbow Dash looked away. “YES! Who's the bestest? And the Awesomest? And the Coolest?” Rainbow Dash sing-sang as she did a victory dance. “Oh, For the love of… Shut The Fuck Up!” came the voice of the Shadowbolt as an arrow made of elemental darkness almost grazed Rainbow’s arm. Rainbow Dash looked down having stopped mid-chant. Her eyes widened in horror. The Shadowbolt was back on her feet as if it was nothing. The only sign of the impact was that she had torn off her goggles and the rest of her suit which covered her head and face. She had her bow at the ready. Rainbow Dash got a good look at the bow, it was highly oriented with symbols of and affiliated with water and darkness. There were also a few marks in it, one was like a wing made of fire, that was the mark of Spitfire, one was her own… a tricolored lightning bolt coming out of a cloud. Only one bow had both those marks. “Gloom Mark,” Rainbow Dash whispered as she bolted away as fast as she could. Her mind going, 'I AM FUCKED! I AM FUCKED! I AM FUCKED!' She realized who she was fighting against. The eagle-like wings, darkness as the element of choice, able to outfly pretty much any other Skyborn, combat skill, at least a decade of using elemental magic and the final piece of evidence, Gloom Mark. Only one person met all that, Nightshade. Nightshade renewed her efforts, this time, however, she was calling the shots, both figuratively and literally, “Firebolt, Ice Blast, Acid Shot, Snowball” Nightshade called as she fired each bolt. Rainbow Dash was able to dodge them but Nightshade did not let up. “Do a barrel roll, kid,” she mocked. Rainbow Dash turned completely on her own axis, “That’s an aileron roll.” Nightshade continued. “Seriously, you expect to get into the Wonderbolts without knowing the basic moves.” she laughed as she sent a few more bolts. Rainbow was at a lost, she was a sprinter, not a marathoner, all Nightshade had to do was tire her out. Rainbow Dash needed a plan. Then something came to her, a memory. Rainbow Dash was sitting on her father’s shoulders as they watched the Wonderbolt show, “WOAH! AWESOME!” Rainbow Dash cheered and almost jumped off her father in excitement. “Easy there, kiddo. I only got you remember.” her father said in a mock scolding tone. “Sowwy Daddy. But Nightshade’s so Cool. Can we meet her after the show?” Rainbow Dash asked. “We’ll see about that. But you want to fly with her up there don’t ya, kiddo?” “CAN I? CAN I? CAN I?” “Calm down. Maybe you will someday. But just a heads up, while she is impressive, she leans too far to the right in her left turns. In a battle one would only need to fork left and throw an Iron-Cloud over their right shoulder, assuming Nightshade is pursuing them. That being said, other Wonderbolts have worse problems, Let’s talk about the old man, Wind Ryder…” Rainbow Dash then snapped back to the present. “Thanks, Dad,” she whispered as she prepared to conjure an Iron-Cloud trap. It took her a while to prepare the spell, Nightshade did not let up in her barrage, each time forcing Rainbow Dash to attempt a different dodging flight maneuver, but she got the spell ready as she fanned left as if she was going to go into the drawbridge guard house and she threw the start of the iron-cloud over her right shoulder. Too late Nightshade saw the Iron-Cloud as was about to encompass her. She managed to pull up, but only enough so that her head would not be encased by the trap. She fell to the ground actually softly but she was trapped. She had underestimated her opponent and she got herself trapped. She would have never made such a mistake when she was a newbie, or before her incarceration. She had gotten cocky and angry and now she was paying for it. She watched as her opponent hovered not far from her. She got a good look at her and remembered the younger elementalist. Nightshade was sitting on one of the bleachers in the stands, she was watching the newbies clean up. Seniority has its perks. “Um, ‘cuse me. My name is Rainbow Dash.” came the voice of a five-year-old girl. Nightshade looked to see a young girl next to her. Not far away was a man that looked like the little girl’s father. Normally Nightshade would have said something to the effects of ‘Kid, I ain't your hero, don’t try to make me it. Here’s my signature, now go away.’ But there was something in the little girl’s eyes. “Rainbow Dash. Bet you always dress in style.” Nightshade joked. “Blach! I hate dresses!” “It’s a joke kid. You want to be a Wonderbolt someday.” “Yeah, I want to be just like you.” Nightshade smiled, “So you want to be the best elementalist in all of Mystica’s history.” “YEAH!” “Looks like I’ll have to watch my back. But hey, who knows, maybe one day you can teach me a thing or two.” “Really?” Rainbow Dash said with wide innocent eyes. Nightshade took out her bow and a knife. “Let’s see, you strike me as a cloud with a tri-lightning bolt,” she said as she carved the mark she described into her bow. “That’s an awesome bow,” Rainbow said as she awed the masterpiece. “Her name’s Gloom Mark. It’s sort of a tradition of my line of mentor-mentee among the Wonderbolts to name your bow. You should hear what my mentor, Wind Ryder, named his someday.” Nightshade commented as she finished the engraving. “You’re only one of two. You should go back to your father. But here.” Nightshade then handed Rainbow Dash her goggles. “You’ll want to look the part.” The little girl then ran off to the man that Nightshade assumed was her father. Nightshade looked to see the newbies looking at her with an ‘aw how cute’ on their faces. “This stadium is still a mess. If ya got time to gawk at something like this, but not clean a stadium, then you’re admittance must have been a fluke.” The memory ended as Nightshade looked at Rainbow Dash, it’s been fifteen years and that little girl did, in fact, teach her a thing or two. “You know what your problem is?” Rainbow Dash asked as she looked down at Nightshade as she was now encased in a ball of iron-cloud save her head, breaking Nightshade out of her thoughts. “Do you know who I am? Answer the question truthfully,” said Nightshade, there was nothing of her flight suit or goggles left to hide her identity. “Nightshade, you were one of the headliners when Spitfire and the rest of the current Wonderbolts were just starting their training, you’re from the same generation as my dad.” Rainbow Dash answered as she landed far enough away to use her bow if the need arrived. “Very good,” Nightshade commented. “Do you know why I killed Celestia?” “She presided over your court-martial, you committed crimes that could not be overlooked.” “They were nobodies, hardly worth remembering,” Nightshade said trying to brush them off, but even Rainbow Dash could tell that Nightshade would never forget her seven victims. “The ‘janitor’ you killed had three official jobs with the Wonderbolts, he was pulling those kinds of duties to support his family. He was the guy that did regular maintenance of Wonderbolts equipment, he’s the guy that made sure the plumbing wasn’t backed up in any of the facilities, he’s the guy who coordinated the autographing events, and he did all those jobs better than any of the other support staff in the history of the organization. For Celestia’s sake, he was the poster boy for Mystica’s labor unions.” Rainbow Dash called out the disgraced Wonderbolts for what was in truth her worse offense. “But who, but I actually remember Squeaky Clean?” Nightshade asked glaring at Rainbow Dash, the look in them clearly accusative. Rainbow Dash froze…Nightshade was right, outside of his family, when people talked about the mass-murder Nightshade committed they hardly ever mention that one member of the support staff Nightshade killed, just the six Wonderbolts; Cloud Cover, Windswept, Comet Tail, Speed O’Sound, Blitzwing, and Silverbolt. Rainbow herself only knew about Squeaky Clean because her dad had left his copy of an in-depth Wonderbolts report lying where she could see it. In fact, Nightshade technically didn’t murder him. But Rainbow regained herself. “You should have stuck to water, the element you were born with.” “I underestimated a brat like you,” Nightshade practically spit out with venom. Rainbow Dash only shook her head looking at one she once looked up to more than anyone else. “You saw your time with the Wonderbolts as only stepping stone to your own climb to fame. Yeah, I might want to be one of the most famous Skyborn in Mystica’s history, but I don’t want to do it at the expense of others. So Spitfire got promoted to captain status over you despite your seniority, get over yourself. The reason why you were ejected from the Wonderbolts and had all your accomplishments stricken from the records is because you were petty and vindictive. You chose to partake in forbidden magic just to get a competitive edge, I honestly can’t see what dad saw in you when he talked about his time working with you. I can’t believe I actually looked up to you until I heard you had broken the law, you were my benchmark for what it meant to be a Wonderbolt, I guess I had some pretty lousy taste back then. You’re not just a disgrace to the Wonderbolts or Elementalists, you’re a disgrace to all Skyborn. The only fame you’re going to have now is your criminal record, and last I checked that’s not the kind fame that comes with the glory you think you deserve, you don’t even deserve the pity of the ones who thought they knew you best, in the end, you’ll just be another name on a ledger that nobody seems to really care about.” Rainbow started to turn away and leaving Nightshade there. Nightshade started to laugh. Rainbow Dash froze, she was taken aback as it sounded as though Nightshade had her trapped in the iron-cloud and was about to kick her over the ledge into the metal spikes below.“You’re in for a rude awakening IF you get into the Wonderbolts, kid.” In that instant she shattered most of the iron cloud, save for some that encased her ankles, preventing her from flying. “I am as much a product of that culture as your idol Spitfire is, as the one who holds my records, Wind Ryder, is.” She stated. “I am a Skyborn! I am an Elementalist!! I am a Wonderbolt!!!” She said as walked toward the edge. “You want to know what your father saw in me. He saw one that will not deviate from her goals, one who valued others who know immortality is about making sure your name cannot be forgotten, one who believed in seeing one's goal through no matter what. And that's before I was heavy with you.” Rainbow Dash froze as if her world was shattering around her. Did she hear Nightshade correctly? Did the disgraced Wonderbolt just make that claim? She never knew her mother and her father never talked about her. She always assumed that she died before she could have any memory of her. But the math did add up. Being a Wonderbolt didn’t leave much time for a woman to be a mother, and being incarcerated would explain the last decade, but with how her father praised her he would have mentioned that Nightshade was her mother right? But everything she was accused and convicted of, why wouldn't a father keep that connection from their child? Rainbow was thrown for loops over the implications and inferences of that statement. Nightshade continued, “But here’s the thing. Spitfire and other good little girls like you are bandages, constantly soiled, need to be replaced frequently and disposable.” She turned around to look Rainbow Dash straight in the eye. Rainbow Dash took a step back, those eyes did not belong to someone bested in one skirmish by one they underestimated, they were ones that belonged to one who won the war. “I am a scar, I will never go away. The mind will do everything it can to forget how I came to be, but I will always be there.” Nightshade said as she started to lean back. “You look so much like him.” She said softly not unlike a long-lost mother seeing how her child has turned out and then she fell. Rainbow flew to look over the edge, but there was no sign of Nightshade. She was gone. There were no signs of her anywhere and even in the moonlight Rainbow Dash should have seen something. Rainbow Dash was about to look more, but she had to catch up with the others. Nightshade was someone to be dealt with another day. Under normal circumstances, Applejack knew she would have bitten off more than she could chew fighting Big Mac alone. But this was not under normal circumstances, Big Mac may not be the most graceful of people, but he never swung his hammer around so haphazardly. She would have felt sorry for Bulk Biceps being knocked out as she used him a stepping stone of sorts to get away from Big Mac, but if Bulk was in control of himself, the lug would not have been so easily brought low. Octavia and Vinyl were much more in synch with each other, Octavia using her bardic magic to empower Vinyl as the sonic mage blasted pure concussive force through her discs at Applejack. Lyra Heartstring was using her own bardic magic to throw-off Applejack by spells such as fairy fire and other simple illusionary magic. However, they were not alone as Thunderland used the snow that was falling to form into clouds again and charge the air for a powerful bolt of lightning, Time Turner was at work at drawing circles, most likely to freeze time or turn it back so that he could alter any one thing that happened. Yet the most dangerous of the lot was Brighteyes, and it wasn’t because she was known to be accident prone, it was her bubbles which could trap anyone. Applejack knew she must not kill them, yes it would be in self-defense but they were not in control of their actions. She was thankful Big Mac’s swing was powerful it was. All she had to do was get in between her brother and one of the others and it’s light’s out. Applejack evaded every attack from Vinyl, Lyra, and Thunderlane as she led Big Mac towards Time Turner. Just as the chronomancer was about to finish his circle… WHAM! “But Martha, I hate peaches.” Time Turner said in a punch-drunk stupor as he fell to the ground unconscious with a soft thud. “Two down, let’s see, Thunder, Oct, Vin, Mac, Lyra and Bright, six more to go,” Applejack said as looked over the group. It was going to be hard to get to Octavia, but without her, Vinyl would be easier to handle. Applejack did her best to weave in and out of Vinyl’s sonic blasts, Thunderlane’s Lightning strikes and Big Mac’s hammer swing. One of Thunderlane’s bolts struck Lyra’s lute when Applejack dodged it, which caused Lyra to be shocked unconscious and one of Vinyl’s sonic blasts hit Brighteyes so hard it sent her into the wall knocking her out. “Now that’s four,” Applejack commented as she managed to get in front of Vinyl and Octavia, Big Mac close behind. She ducked and Big Mac’s hammer landed square in Vinyl’s chests knocking her into Octavia and both into another section of wall knocking them both out. “Make that six,” Applejack commented as she looked over everything. She still had Thunderlane and Big Mac to deal with. Thunderlane was easy to dispatch, all it took was a “Yoo-Hoo, good sir, would you help a poor defenseless girl from her overprotective brother.” in a very good Southern Belle voice. Thunderlane bought it hook, line and sinker and was sent right into Brighteyes. “And Rarity said Ah couldn’t play the hapless and helpless damsel in distress.” Applejack chuckled and finally turned to Big Mac. “Alright Big Fella, it’s just us two.” “Eeyup,” The bewitched cleric answered. Big Mac then charged Applejack. Applejack also charged her brother with a big grin on her face. She knew that Big Mac would never run headlong into a fight, he would use his size and the length of his hammer’s shaft to his advantage preventing others from getting close enough for them to use their weapons effectively. Just as Big Mac prepared his swing Applejack fell to her knees and slid in between Big Mac’s legs. As she slid Big Mac was taken aback and ran right into one of the walls. “Enope.” He muttered as he backed away from the wall and fell backward. Applejack started to pant, the act of evading everyone and doing everything to avoid killing her towns-kin was taking its toll. All the attackers laid at Applejack’s feet, out cold. She was starting to show fatigue, just what Hydia wanted. But still, something about Applejack’s exhaustion seemed off to the succubus. “Well, I am impressed. But this ends now.” Hydia said as she dove at Applejack. “Was counting in this,” Applejack said as she thrust her sword into Hydia’s chest. As Hydia started to cough up blood as Applejack brought her to her knees. “GO BACK TO TARTARUS AND STAY THERE, BITCH!!!” Applejack shouted with all herself as she pushed the demon off of her sword with her left foot as it started to glow a deep red delicious apple red and decapitated the demon with one swing. As the head rolled it and the body dissolved into nothing but ash. Applejack panted and regain her breath as she leaned against a wall and cleaned off the demonic blood and sheathed her sword. “I don’t believe it, you, Applejack the clean mouth, actually cursed.” Applejack knew that voice from anywhere. “But that was so AWESOME!” Rainbow Dash squealed as she made a kissy face. “Took yah long enough, Sugarcube. No rest for the weary, we gotta catch up with the others.” Applejack said as she looked up and saw the elementalist land next to her. The two look off and started into the castle proper. “So how much did yah see?” Applejack asked. “When she impaled herself on your sword.” Rainbow Dash answered. “I still cannot believe you cut her head clean off.” “Now ain't the time for that, Twilight and the others need us ASAP.” Before the two started to head on. “Um… it looks like we got company.” Fluttershy looked at the area around her. The circle of werewolves was shrinking around her. There were no plants to use to hold the pack. Turning into a tree would be less than useless. She really didn’t want to do what she was left with if her plan did not work. “Please, there is no need for violence.” She pleaded. “Kill her! Rape her! Eat her!” Catrina ordered as she cracked her whip thrice more. Fluttershy closed her eyes, “I didn’t want to do this.” she whispered and she opened them. “Behold, THE STARE!” Her eyes were glowing like when she was enthralling the birds for the rehearsal, but unlike the calm pink her like before, but this time they glowed a deep dark crimson red. The werewolves stopped. They were taken aback, they did not want to go forward, they didn’t want to go back, they didn’t know what to do, but they feared the human druid more than the cat-folk witch. Meanwhile, Fluttershy sensed plant life, vines underground. ‘Maybe?’ the druid hoped. This hesitation of the werewolves was not lost on Catrina. “Forward, you fools. Kill the druid!” She yellowed as she continued to crack the whip. What most people did not know about Fluttershy’s stare, is that it didn’t just motivate others to do what she wanted out of fear but also allowed her to learn a few things about those she ‘stares’ down. Fluttershy’s eyes stop glowing as she looked Roo-Var in the eyes. “You don’t have to follow her.” She said softly. “You can live your life as you wish.” Fluttershy closed her eyes and give a cute big closed mouth smile. “You’re right,” Roo-Var said as he turned around to face Catrina. “I will follow you no more!” He growled gutturally. All the other turned to face Catrina and they all started to growled as well. “Get back, back you beast,” Catrina said as she tried to strike the werewolves. However, the whip was caught by Roo-var. The werewolf pulled the whip out of her Catrina’s hand. Catrina looked beyond the werewolves to Fluttershy. Fluttershy gave Catrina a look of pity. ‘Why was this druid fighting, or rather not-fighting, back? Why was it working for her? This can not be happening?’ Catrina thought. “Please, we can work something out.” Catrina started to panic as she backed away and into one of the walls of the courtyard. “No,” Roo-Var growled as he threw the whip away. He started to snarl and bare his teeth as did all the other werewolves. They all went down on all fours and jumped at Catrina, all prepared to tear her about. Before anything happened black thorny vines came from holes the Diamond Dogs dug and grabbed all the werewolves and Catrina. Fluttershy’s hands were glowing and it was clear that this was straining on her. “There… is… no…” Fluttershy tried to speak, but there was something about these plants that was taxing her control on them. Roo-Var sensed the plants regaining control and was able to wiggle free, and a hand full of his pack as well. Fluttershy tried to make the plants grapple the werewolves that got free, but that caused the plant to loosen their hold on the ones that remained stopped. It was as if the plant was trolling her. She put in all her magic to do both, but she failed as Roo-Var was able to get out again falling to the ground. “Now to settle this once and for all,” Roo-Var said as he stood back up after falling to the ground. He started to snarl and bare his teeth. Fluttershy tried to have the vine grab Roo-Var, knowing Roo-Var intends to kill Catrina. Before she could, “WAIT!” came a reptilian roar. Fluttershy turned to the opening of the main gate into the courtyard, as did Roo-Var, Catrina and the rest of the Diamond Dogs, from the entrance Rep came flying in with his new fiery wings. He landed next to Fluttershy. “Rep, Please! Help me!” Catrina pleaded. She the fear of her life was apparent on her face. Rep looked at Fluttershy, Fluttershy looked back. Fluttershy saw there was a small smile, “It’s alright.” He said only loud enough for Fluttershy to hear. “I am ready to confront my past.” He took a breath and turned to Catrina. “Why? For over 900 years you have tortured and tormented not only me but others, namely the Diamond Dogs. Don’t you think they deserve justice?” “I can change, I can make amends, I can go back to who I was before I found witchweed. Please, don’t let him kill me.” Catrina answered sobbingly through tears of fear. Roo-Var was taking his time approaching her, it was clear he had time to spare, Catrina did not. Rep watched for a few more seconds as Roo-Var drew nearer and near. “I can’t stop him,” Fluttershy said as she was straining to keep the plants holding the other Diamond Dogs. “Please, Rep. I beg you.” Catrina pleaded just as Roo-Var was licking his lips. Roo-Var was just one step away from snapping his jaw on Catrina’s neck, “I have been looking forward to…” Roo-Var started but was pulled back. “What!” he exclaimed as he looked over his shoulder to see Rep holding his tail. “Down boy,” Rep said as tossed Roo-Var to the side. He turned to Catrina. “One inch backward and I leave you to the Diamond Dogs. Do we understand each other?” Rep asked. Catrina was speechless. “How?” she finally asked as she looked at Rep. Rep brushed her hair over her ear, “Because I still love you. Despite everything I still love you. ” He then pulled her out of the vines and turning back to Fluttershy. “Thank you and farewell,” Rep said as he picked up Catrina bridal style and bounded into the air. Roo-Var, Fluttershy, and the Diamond Dogs blinked a few times. “Seriously, what just happened?” Roo-Var asked. But he discarded it as he turned to Fluttershy. “I’ll make you pay, furless!” Roo-Var snarled. “Ah wouldn’t do anything if Ah were you. Yah still technically not evil, but touch the druid and Ah’ll smite yah.” Everyone turned to see Applejack and Rainbow Dash. “Come on Fluttershy, we got to catch up with Twilight, Rares, and Pinkie.” Rainbow Dash said as she flew over the trapped werewolves. Applejack in tow. Fluttershy gave a weak smile, “Sorry, but my friends need me.” she said timidly and bolted after Rainbow Dash and Applejack. “Honestly, a bell fetish? I would think a so-called leader would have a better focusing system. A simple silencing charm can undo all those little fetishes can get you,” said Rarity, “no wonder you play the part of a tyrant, you want to make sure nobody can laugh at your ridiculousness.” the enchantress continued as Grogar struggled to get out from under the chandelier. “Are you certain you don’t need a hand?” Rarity asked as she filed her nails. Grogar huffed, “I am the Necromantic Lord of Tambelon, I don’t need the help of some porcelain doll.” After one more breath, he roared as he threw off the chandelier. “Well, you wasted enough time. But enough of pleasantries. Let’s get down to the brass tacks,” Rarity said as she enchanted the loose shards of the chandelier to hover around her. Grogar flicked the small bell around his neck, it gave a surprising loud ring, which caused the shards Rarity levitated to fall to the ground. This took Rarity by surprise. “I am sorry, Darling, but it appears as you can not afford this particular cloth,” Grogar remarked. Rarity only smiled as she summoned all the loose crystals to her side. “I beg to differ.” Grogar growled and charged headlong towards Rarity. Rarity was barely able to dodge in time as the satyr rammed into the wall. He just shook it off as if it was nothing. “Oh you have to be joking,” Rarity commented. “I don’t do comedy,” Grogar replied as he turned his attention back to Rarity. He stomped the ground preparing to charge her again. He lowered his head bolted at her. “Well, the joke’s on you.” Rarity said as she touched the chandelier itself and used to bash Grogar into one of the walls and embedded the chandelier into the wall around him. Grogar tried to wiggle out, failed, he tried blasted it off, but his magic only rebounded back to him. He tried to push it off, but he was unable to move any part of himself so that he could push it and it was so embedded so deep into the wall. Before he could ask, “I am an enchantress, darling. I can make things do what I want by infusing magic into them.” “BRAY! YOU USELESS FAUN, GET ME OUT OF HERE!” Grogar roared to the hidden faun. Bray looked around, shook his head and ducked behind his cover. “Cowardice traitor,” Grogar muttered. “Now back to business.” Rarity levitated the scale and had it close to her as she closed the distance. “What are you going to do?” Grogar asked as terror took hold as he looked into Rarity’s eyes. “Justice.” Applejack, Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy stood with their mouths utterly agape as they watched Rarity use a discarded cloth to clean the scale as Grogar was huddled in the fetal position muttering ‘Ow, ow, ow’ with a small pool of blood next to him. Applejack spoke, “Did ya…” “Oh no Darling, I am a lady, nothing but an agent of justice, not some petty child on a vendetta.” Rarity answered as she turned to see her friends at the entrance of the throne room. Looking beyond the three, “Um why are those satyrs behind you?” she asked as she pointed to the small army behind them. “We’re here for Grogar,” One answered, he looked more goat-like and was better armored than most of the others. “As a captain of the Tambelon army, I hereby charge you with treason, inciting an unlawful invasion of another nation, and the murder of fifty of your subjects.” the satyr said as he approached Grogar. “When your kangaroo court is done, I’ll hang you all for treason myself!” Grogar growled. The satyrs only bond Grogar and began to drag him out of the castle. Bray followed them. “Um… okay are we just going to lampshade that like the whole thing with Rep back in the courtyard?” Rainbow Dash asked. “Wait! Rep came back to help?” Rarity asked. “Long story.” Fluttershy answered, “We’ll tell you all about it after we stop Nightmare Moon.” Fluttershy answered. “Alright, so how do we catch up with Twilight and Pinkie Pie, Twilight didn’t exactly give us a map.” Rarity commented as she, Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy looked around. “Um, Sugarcubes, Pinkie Pie left a trail,” Applejack said as she pointed to the red paint trial, with small green arrows positioned in its center, on the floor. The other three said ‘Oh.’ as if they should have seen that answer miles away. The was only one word to describe the clash between Pinkie Pie and the Tantabus, WTF, okay an acronym. “Oh come on, that was my favorite.” Pinkie lamented as the Tantabus cleaved a pogo stick the jester used as a club in two. “What does a pogo stick, toy mallet, bowling pins and a unicycle have in common?” Tantabus asked looking at everything Pinkie Pie had thrown at him. “I don’t know what?” Pinkie Pie asked as she pulled out a baseball bat. “They’re jokes,” Tantabus answered. Pinkie Pie snorted as she tried to hold back her laughter. It was not so much that the joke was funny but it was more of how bad the joke was that was funny. “Oh come on. It wasn’t that funny” “No, the joke was terrible. But it was so terrible it was funny.” Pinkie Pie said as she fell over and started to go all out in laughter. The Tantabus could only groan, “You’re worse than Holder.” “Well, at least he didn’t turn evil because he thought his brother died. No, he accepted that and he grew.” Pinkie countered springing back to her feet. “You think I am evil?” The Tantabus said with a cold-blooded anger. “You think that losing Holder was my reason to become what I am? I always knew Earthborns were dense, but come on.” The Tantabus countered as he pulled out a needle, “HOLD!” He shouted as he threw the needle. It hit its mark. As Pinkie Pie tried to squirm but she was stuck. “I am not evil. I am a devout cleric, a high priest if you will, of the displaced lunar demigoddess, cast in the frigid void of space by one she thought her kin.” The Tantabus paused as he took a moment to think through what he was about to say. Satisfied with his word choice, he continued, “I was always on the path on to be what I am and I elected to perform the final rite in that path to demonstrate my fidelity to the demigoddess I devoted myself to after I assumed Holder died.” The Tantabus continued as he walked around Pinkie Pie. “There is a big difference between my actions and selling one’s soul because they lost someone they cared about. That venture into the dragon’s lair was a ‘one last brotherly hora’ Holder and I agreed to do before I actually performed the last rite and he used the Choosing Stone to start a family.” Pinkie Pie felt her left pinkie start to bend all on its own. “That’s odd. Holding spells are meant to stop people from moving… and my left pinkie is bend... Wait! My Pinkie Sense! You used the stone before him and...” Pinkie gasped as she broke out of the Holding spell as she jumped into the air out of utter shock. The Tantabus look at this but shook it off after blinking a few times. She landed like nothing happened and her attitude changed. “So who’s my great…” Seeing the Tantabus glare. “Um… aunt?” Pinkie finished her question rather sheepishly. “I am a devotee of a demigoddess, I am a Nightborn and I am doing everything I can to stop you from interfering with the plans of the one you know as Nightmare Moon. It’s not that hard to conclude whom the Choosing Stone paired me with.” The Tantabus answered, “Now back to the…” The Tantabus paused as he witnessed Pinkie Pie digging into her pockets. “What are you…” His eyes grew wide as Pinkie Pie pulled out... “MY PARTY CANNON!” Pinkie Pie yelled in a sing-song voice as her signature ballistic party tool landed with a thud as she lit the fuse. “Sorry, Uncle Tanzanite.” She whispered. BOOM!!! The Tantabus was knocked to the far wall and rendered unconscious as everything hit him at terminal velocity. Pinkie skipped over, pulling out a stethoscope and a sphygmomanometer. After she listened for a heartbeat and any other signs of breathing as well as making sure that the blood flow was healthy, she pocketed both and pulled out a cloth that matched the stone wall of the castle. She turned around and looked at the door. “It’s locked.” She said to herself. “Where’s Twilight?” came the voice of Rainbow Dash as she and the rest arrived. “I got into a fight with the Tantabus. I had to, or else Twilight wouldn’t have made it. It seems she locked the door behind her.” Pinkie Pie answered. “How do we get in? Rarity?” Rainbow Dash asked. “Twilight’s a more powerful arcane mage then I am an enchantress, it could take me hours to undo the spell.” Rarity answered. “What do we do? What do we do?” Fluttershy panicked. While the others were at a lost. “Hey Pinkie Pie, can yah fire a cannonball out of your party cannon?” Applejack asked as she walked past the others to get the said cannon. “Maybe? Why?” Pinkie Pie asked not sure where Applejack was going with her train of thought. “We’re goin’ to blow the door off its hinges,” Applejack said as she aimed the cannon and grabbed a lone spherical looking rock about the size and weight of a cannonball. “It might cost yah the cannon, Sugarcube, but we gotta get in there.” Pinkie Pie sighed, “For Twilight.” Pinkie Pie and Applejack then started to prepare the cannon to fire the makeshift cannonball. After they thought everything was good to go. They all went back to the stairways, “This is going to be very loud.” Pinkie Pie said as everyone covered their ears. “3, 2, 1” Pinkie counted down as she let the fuse all the while thinking 'Farewell, Blue Joy, I just hope Party Cannon Mark 2, still needs a name, gets as much excitement as you did.' The flame followed the fuse...