Episode 24: Last Ditch Effort (Part 1)
The cleanup was extensive; many of the ponies of Ponyville lost much of their town during the battle with the Entities. It was going to take a lot of effort to rebuild and fix the damage done. But there were other problems that still persisted, namely the capture of the Positive Entities, as well as Rarity and Apple Bloom, and there were the Negative Entities and the hosts they inhabited.
Pinkie Pie, after having helped Mr. and Mrs. Cake get their foals out of Ponyville, went back in to search for her friends, thinking that they would no doubt need to come together once again to use the Elements of Harmony to rainbow blast those weird flying monsters in the sky. Pinkie, using her amazing (if somewhat unnatural) speed, rushed through the ruins of the town, making her way to Twilight’s house where the Elements were kept. As she rounded the next corner, Pinkie came to a screeching halt, her mane dropped, losing its curls and poofiness as she gasped loudly after beholding the sight that was the charred remnants of Golden Oaks Library.
“No…” she whispered with dread, fearing the worst.
It was then that Pinkie Pie felt an itch on her left flank, along with a flopping right ear, her mysterious “Pinkie Sense” taking effect.
“L-Let’s see…itchy left flank, flopping right ear…uh…uh…t-that’s the combo for…DEATH –ACHOO!” Pinkie Pie suddenly sneezed, it was then that her feeling of dread vanished and was filled with relief, her mane returning to its normal poofy appearance. “Oh good, and a-a-ACHOO, sneezing fit, combo for everypony is alive and well…so, where are they…?”
Pinkie Pie scanned the area more thoroughly, running around to the other side of the destroyed library. The pink earth pony mare then caught sight of her friends in a group, she quickly ran to them, happy as can be to see them all alive.
“Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh, you guys, I was so worried! I saw the library and was about to break down into tears thinking Twilight, Scoots, Dashie, and Adara died, but my Pinkie Sense told me that everypony was alive, and I was right so I’m happy again!” Pinkie exclaimed.
“WELL YOU’RE WRONG PINKIE!!!” Rainbow Dash shouted as she broke through and parted the rest. “DOES SWEETIE BELLE LOOK ALIVE!!?”
Pinkie Pie moved closer and saw Twilight holding Sweetie Belle, checking and rechecking her. The white unicorn filly’s chest had a burn mark on it, evidence of where Nightmare Butcher’s attack struck her heart. Pinkie shook her head, eyes stinging with tears as she looked upon the lifeless body of Sweetie Belle.
“That…That can’t be! M-My Pinkie Sense is never wrong…!”
“For once it bucking is!” Rainbow shouted.
“Rainbow! I know you’re sad, but there are still foals here!” Derpy scolded.
“Sorry…”
“How could this of happened…it ain’t fair…she was just a filly!” Applejack cried.
Scootaloo continued to stare at her friend’s lifeless form, but, upon hearing Pinkie’s claim that Sweetie Belle might be alive something sparked within her.
“Twilight, can you check her?!” asked Scootaloo.
“Scootaloo…there’s nothing I can –”
“Please Twilight just check over her again!”
Twilight could hear the desperation in Scootaloo’s voice, so with a heavy heart, Twilight cast her diagnostic spell. A field of rosy magical energy flowed over Sweetie Belle’s body as the spell checked all her vital organs and brain functions, that’s when her eyes went wide. Something was off, it had been a while since her death and rigor hadn’t set in yet, her body hadn’t paled that much either. Twilight focused more of her magic into the spell, trying to see if maybe Sweetie Belle was still alive. That’s when she stumbled upon it, Sweetie Belle’s mana reservoir; it was still there, and right now, the only thing keeping the filly grounded to this plain of existence.
“She’s alive isn’t she?!” asked Scootlaoo, seeing the answer on the alicorn’s face.
“Her life force is very fragile right now; she has one hoof here and the other at death’s door! When Sweetie Belle used her magic, it must’ve reacted to save her life, using itself as an anchor to keep her here, but her reservoir is running low fast!”
Cadance stepped forward upon hearing this, “Twilight, transfer some of my magic into Sweetie Belle, it might be enough to bring her back!”
Twilight considered this, but shook her head. “No, draining your magic would dip into your own life force energy as well. I don’t know how deep Sweetie’s reservoir is, if it’s bigger than I initially suspected the transfer could kill you!”
“Then use us Twilight! Take a little from me, Rainbow, Pinkie, and Cadance,” said Applejack.
“Not just them,” Derpy spoke up, “take a little from me too.”
“Same here,” said Sparkler.
“We’re still running into the same problem, it’s too risky!”
“So one of us might have to die, but Sweetie Belle will live? No brainer Twi, take my –!”
“No one has to do anything!” Scootaloo interrupted.
All ponies in attendance looked to the pegasus filly who wore a look of determination on her face.
“What are ya sayin’ sugarcube?”
“…Adara…her power was Hope, she said to me once that it was ‘one of the – if not the most – powerful things in the universe. Hope shines in the face of darkness, hope lifts us up when we think we’ve lost it all, and…it’s hope that can bring about miracles.’” Scootaloo flared her wings, looking at them both in their majesty, grown out and fully functional. She gave them a few flaps before sighing sadly. “Twilight put Sweetie Belle down on the ground.”
Twilight did as Scootaloo asked, curious to see what Scootaloo had planned. Scootaloo placed her forehooves over Sweetie Belle’s heart; she then took one more look at her friend, her face made her appear to be sleeping.
It’s time to wake up Sweetie Belle…!
Scootaloo concentrated, remembering back to that day months ago when Adara used her power to heal her wings. What healed Scootaloo would now heal her friend! Suddenly, Scootaloo’s wings started to glow with blue light, the others backed away a bit after seeing this occur, wondering what was happening. The blue light then flowed through Scootaloo’s body, and from there into her forelegs, which acted as a conduit to redirect that energy right at the point where her two hooves rested over.
That’s when she felt it, a shooting, searing pain wracked Scootaloo’s wings. She dared to glance at her avian appendages and nearly gasped at what she saw. Her wings were slowly starting to shrink, Scootaloo thought this might happen, but, if it meant her friend could live then it was worth it.
Rainbow Dash watched this in horror as her surrogate little sister’s wings began to shrink down, she also noticed the painful expression that was plastered on Scootaloo’s face as she continued. Finally, Rainbow Dash couldn’t take it anymore.
“Scoots you have to stop now! Your wings are –!”
“I…know!” Scootaloo grunted.
Twilight noticed the decrease in Scootaloo’s wings as well and now fear gripped her heart. “Scootaloo, Rainbow’s right you need to stop! We’ll think of a better way!”
“There isn’t one! I’m not scared – yes…my wings are changing back to what they were, but that doesn’t mean I’ve given up! I know I’ll fly again, I believe it! Just like I believe that this will bring Sweetie back! Adara taught me this, to have faith and always believe that all will be well!”
At that moment, the light that coalesced at Scootaloo’s hooves flashed brilliantly. The blue light of Hope washed over Sweetie Belle, erasing the burn mark on her chest. Scootaloo started feeling Sweetie Belle’s chest steadily rise and fall, she was breathing! The orange pegasus filly focused more, pouring every last bit of the blue light from her body and into Sweetie Belle. There was a flash of blue, making everypony shut their eyes lest they be blinded.
When they opened them they saw Scootaloo, hunched over and panting hard. Her wings had lost their impressive span and were now back to their original state from when she was sick. For a brief moment, Scootaloo thought that the disease may have come back as well, but that was barely an afterthought as she looked to Sweetie Belle.
The unicorn filly’s eyes lazily opened halfway, allowing her to see Scootaloo, to whom she smiled at. “S…Scootaloo…?”
“It’s okay Sweetie Belle,” the tomcolt filly couldn’t help her voice from trembling, nor stop the tears that followed, “you’re okay!”
“Oh…alright…I feel tired…”
Sweetie Belle then closed her eyes again. Twilight quickly recast her spell, after a quick scan, Twilight released a sigh of relief. “It’s okay; she’s just tired right now. Sweetie’s going to be fine Scootaloo, you did it.”
Relief washed over everypony, thankful that Sweetie Belle was now alive. Rainbow Dash brought Scootaloo in for a tight hug, “That was the most noble thing I’ve ever seen Scoots, and I’m so proud of you!”
Sacrificing my wings to bring back my friend…totally worth it! Scootaloo thought.
“Whew, well, I’m glad you were able to heal her…”
Everypony looked to each other and then around them when they heard that mysterious voice, although, to certain ponies in attendance, it wasn’t so mysterious. In a flash of magical light, the draconequss, Discord, appeared overhead.
“…I really didn’t want to have to show Fluttershy that, but I would’ve felt bad leaving the poor filly’s body here. But, thankfully, that’s not necessary!”
“Discord?! Where the hay have you been?! With all this chaos goin’ on Ah think you’d be the first one here!” Applejack shouted.
“Not so loud now, Applejack. And for your information, I was asked to stay behind and keep Fluttershy and the Princesses safe while Proselyte came out here. By the way, where is the ol’ squid boy anyway?”
“Gone…the Negative Entities captured them and – wait – Fluttershy and the Princesses!!?” Twilight shouted.
Discord covered his ears with some huge balls of cotton while Twilight had shouted. He then removed them and gave the alicorn Princess a stern look. “Really Twilight, you and your friends are going to make me go deaf! And yes, the Princesses are currently at Fluttershy’s cottage. I came here as a matter of fact to take you all to them, it’ll be much safer there anyway.”
“Then what are we waiting for, let’s go,” said Rainbow Dash.
Discord agreed and, with a snap of his eagle talon, whisked them all away in a flash of magical light.
(Canterlot)
The city was in mayhem, Royal Guards tried to keep the peace and fight back against the new occupants of Canterlot Castle, but their efforts proved futile in the end. Against the might of Rage, Avarice, and Fear, the Royal Guards were not even a threat. Nightmare Butcher had the three of them meet in the throne room, whereupon she sat on Celestia’s throne, now hers. Spike, after making himself a dragon sized entrance, sat on his haunches, his eyes glued to the cage that held Rarity and Apple Bloom, the first of his horde, and soon there would be others, not just pretty mares and fillies, but mountains of jewels to eat, gold, and treasures of all kinds.
Chrysalis, for her part, stood aside with her arms crossed over her chest. She stared, annoyed, between the cages that held the four Positive Entities and Nightmare herself. “So, what is the point in keeping them alive in these cages? As they are, we can kill them and be done with it!”
“I agree with the insect, why don’t we kill them?!” asked Nightmare.
“Patience you two, kckt. You both want your vengeance, yes?” asked Parallax.
“OF COURSE!” They answered in unison.
“Then we mussst lure the rest out of hiding. No doubt they will try and mount a ressscue of these four, and when they do, we ssstrike the final blow,” said Ophidian. “Butcher, care to comment?”
“RAARGGGHH!!!” was all they got back in response.
“Seems his time in the ice has made him revert to a more primal state of mind…well, more so than usual.”
“It doesn’t matter! I have the Butcher’s power, and that is enough! And for the record, Equestria is mine and so are its territories!” Nightmare proclaimed.
“Fine by me,” said Chrysalis, “I’ll start my new hive in the Crystal Empire, so you we won’t have to see each other as much. And what of the dragon?”
“Don’t worry, I can persssuade Spike here to leave you two alone. But, I wish to visit this Land of Dragons, which is apparently where more of his kind reside. We’ll use them to grow the ranks of our Corps, and from there, well, I want to see how much SSSpike’s horde can grow.”
Nightmare Butcher looked off to the cages containing the four Entities. Each of them had solemn looks upon their faces, especially Proselyte, having seen Sweetie Belle die in front of him, giving her life in order to save his. Nightmare smirked at how powerless the Positive Entities looked.
“What, no comments from the peanut gallery?” asked Nightmare mockingly.
Predator shifted from her pony form into her true form in the blink of an eye and roared her defiance at the possessed dark alicorn. The cage made of combined Rage, Avarice, and Fear lights kept Predator from escaping, but that didn’t mean that she couldn’t try. She slashed at the bars with her claws again and again; adding tail whips to the melee as she tried to free herself.
“I swear creature, I will make you pay for killing little Sweetie Belle! To end love in one so young is unforgivable!” Predator turned her steely glared onto Chrysalis next. “And don’t worry; you will be the next to feel my wrath after HER!”
Chrysalis feigned fear, but quickly shifted to her cackling laughter, finding amusement in Predator’s situation. “I think it best if we separate them. We don’t want our friends here hatching any plans behind our backs.”
Nightmare snorted, “Agreed, put them in different parts of the palace.”
Spike summoned his Avarice constructs and had them take away all four of the cages, each one splintering off to section of the palace, keeping the four Positive Entities far from each other.
“This world will be ruled by Rage, Fear, and Avarice, a befitting home.”
(Fluttershy’s Cottage, 3 Hours Later)
To say that Twilight nearly had a heart attack would be putting it mildly. She almost flipped the buck out when she saw the condition Celestia was in, beaten, and missing a wing. There was also shock upon seeing that Luna was there, confirming that Nightmare Moon was now an independent agent, and did not need Luna as a host body anymore. Most of the time was spent resting and sharing information about what had occurred during and prior to the battle in Ponyville.
In the meantime Fluttershy had brought Sweetie Belle up to her bed and let the unicorn filly rest. Luna was there, using her magic to advance Sweetie Belle’s healing process and to get rid of the marring black mark on her chest. The Princess of the Night looked down upon the filly with sorrow and guilt.
“I did this to her…”
“Princess Luna, you didn’t do this, Nightmare Moon did,” said Fluttershy.
“There is little difference, she is – was – a part of me. In my foolishness I sought to reform her as Tia did Discord, and at the same time, my fear kept me from ridding myself of her, believing that a part of myself would go along with her.”
Fluttershy reached out with her wing and brushed it against Luna in a comforting fashion. “I was the same way Princess Luna, believing that if I had done things differently, wallowing in the fear and sadness of what my actions, or rather, my inactions did.”
The light-yellow mare told Luna of her younger brother, Headwind. The midnight blue alicorn’s face was a mixture of empathy, sadness, and a little wonder by the end of the story.
“So you see, Princess, you can’t dwell on something that’s in the past. We can only learn from it, and do what we can to avoid or prevent such tragedies.”
Luna nodded sagely to the pegasus mare. “Wise words dear Fluttershy, even immortals need to be reminded of such things from time to time.”
Fluttershy smiled happily at Luna’s praise.
“Come, we must adjourn downstairs, it’s about time we came up with a course of action.”
If it wasn’t for Discord’s chaos magic, the room would feel very cramped with all the ponies now occupying it, but thanks to said magic, Discord had expanded the inner space of the cottage to twice its normal square footage. This allowed everypony to find a comfortable spot to sit, although some of the small critters were complaining about the sudden shift in their shared home, but a sharp glance from Luna made them all go silent and scurry back to their homes. By this time, Celestia, Luna, Cadance, and Twilight revealed the true identities of the four ponies that had appeared in Ponyville a year ago. They told them of the Emotional Spectrum, the seven rainbow lights that represent a specific emotion that was tied to each individual color.
From there, they spoke of how the universe came into existence through the light of the Life Entity, and from him, were born the seven lights and their embodiments. The Princesses also told them of how and why they were here, how the Life Entity wanted the Entities to live in relative peace, far from the turmoil of the universe they left behind. The Negatives were given separate realms to inhabit, while the four Positives were sent to live in Equestria, and that the Princesses were the only ones who knew, well, them and Spike, but only because Twilight told him.
With that information dispensed among them, Scootaloo and Applejack tried to wrap their heads around the fact they had more or less fallen for and were now in a relationship with two, alien, cosmic gods. Fluttershy, for her part, was a bit surprised. Granted that Proselyte had told her some of his origins and what he really was, but not the whole story as the Princesses told. A “War of Light” between seven different Corps who wielded the lights through rings and did battle against each other, and other times together to save the universe from a great threat.
The others seemed to mull over the information, Dinky seemed partly confused until Twilight explained it in a more fairytale like manner. After thirty minutes of silence, it was Rainbow Dash who decided to break the silence.
“Well, it’s a trap,” said Rainbow Dash.
“Yep,” responded Applejack.
“Obviously,” agreed Luna.
“What’s a trap?” asked Scootaloo.
“Nightmare Moon and the others took Ion, Predator, Adara, and Proselyte because they knew we would come after them, and try to rescue them so that they could finish us all off in one swift motion. The unfortunate thing is, we may not have the means to do so as we currently are,” said Celestia.
Dinky and Scootaloo looked worried upon hearing those words from the wounded alicorn. “B-B-But there’s got to be something that you can do Princess?!” asked Dinky.
Twilight had a disappointed look on her face. “If we had the Elements of Harmony we would have had a chance. But as it stands…Spike took them, along with Rarity and Apple Bloom. Even if he hadn’t taken the Elements, they wouldn’t have worked without all six of us present.”
“Our options are limited, and our resources few…they would surely guard the Elements of Harmony, knowing that that would be our obvious choice to defeat them,” said Luna.
“Then we do something they won’t expect.” All eyes shifted to Cadance. “At this point we have to fight fire with fire…we have to unite with Positive Entities!”
Scootaloo looked at Cadance with slight confusion, “You mean…like with what happened to Spike and Nightmare Moon?”
“Different, but essentially yes. The Negatives are possessing their hosts, influencing them while giving them free reign, but, if we work together with the Positives and unite we’ll be able to match them if not overpower them!”
The idea was possible, if the thoughtful expressions on the other Princesses faces were any indication. Rainbow Dash stood up from her seating position and stepped forward.
“If that’s what we need to do, then I’ll volunteer to unite with one of ‘em. Ion’s power sounds close to my personality, so maybe I’ll go with him.”
“Sorry Rainbow Dash, but you can’t,” said Cadance.
“Why the hay not?!”
“Because the Entities chose their hosts, and those who were chosen, whether they were aware of it or did so subconsciously, are standing in this room right now.” Cadance turned her gaze to the orange earth pony mare. “Applejack, Ion’s light of Willpower shines strongly within you, both for your steadfast and hardworking attitude, and your courage in the face of danger. Plus, you have already experienced the use of his power through a sort of pseudo-unification.”
Applejack remembered back to the day when she was inside the Emerald Giant, feeling the great power of the green light flow over her.
Cadance then looked to the timid pegasus mare across from her. “Fluttershy, Proselyte was drawn to you because of your kind and caring nature, and you’ve also connected to his light during the incident with the thunderbird a year ago.”
Fluttershy’s mind flashed back to that day, channeling that mysterious power to bring comfort to the raging and fearful thunderbird, how she pierced through the wall of Rage and Fear that Storm had put up around his mind, and that it was her compassion that allowed her to help the poor creature.
“The Predator…well, we’re both beings of love, let’s just keep it at that. And, as for Adara, the Entity of Hope,” Cadance’s gaze fell to Scootaloo, “I think you know better than anypony why Adara would choose you, Scootaloo.”
The orange pegasus filly glanced at her wings, and, in her heart, she knew what Cadance meant.
“So…basically Fluttershy, Scoots, AJ, and you Princess, have to ‘unite’ with them, and we’ll be able to beat ‘em?” asked Pinkie Pie.
“It may not be as simple as that, but it will even the playing field,” said Luna.
“The only problem now is, how do we get their attention away long enough for the four to find the Positive Entities?” queried Celestia.
The ponies sat in silence, thinking hard on how they should go about storming Canterlot Castle. That’s when a suggestion came from one of the most unlikely of ponies.
“How about a distraction?” Derpy spoke. “It…It might be dangerous, but it seems the only way to get to them is to get Spike, Nightmare Moon, and Queen Chrysalis focused on something else rather than us trying to get in.”
“That’s…actually a great idea!” Twilight said with smile, a smile which quickly faded upon her intelligent mind formulating a plan. “Oh…and I think I have a plan…Discord!”
The draconequus, who was for some reason lying in a floating hammock, turned to the newly crowned Princess and gave her an innocent smile. “Yes~”
“I can’t believe I’m going to say this…but, Discord, I need you to cause as much chaos as you can in Canterlot, go wild!”
Discord’s hammock disappeared in a flash, and just as quickly, he enveloped Twilight in a near bone crushing hug as he “squeed” with delight. “Oh thank you Twilight; you have no idea how long I’ve been waiting to hear somepony say that! What should I do first?! Turn the roads into soap?! Make it rain malted milk balls?! Flip the entire mountain upside down?! Oh ho the possibilities!”
Twilight teleported herself out of Discord’s hug and stood before him again, after taking in some gulps of air. “Not too wild as so we can’t get in and rescue the Entities! And make sure you don’t hurt anypony either; the citizens of Canterlot are probably freaked out enough as it is! That’s only half the plan, getting them to come outside and face us, from there we need to delay them and buy as much time for Fluttershy, Cadance, Applejack and…Scootaloo, to get inside and find them. We’ll need a little more help…”
“We’ll be there as well,” said Celestia as she rose from the couch on wobbly legs.
“Oh no, you are not going back out there in your condition!” Luna ordered.
“We need all the power we can get, if we’re there than Nightmare will for sure come out to face us.”
Luna didn’t like it, although Celestia was right, she didn’t want to put her big sister in harm’s way. She already lost a wing, and Luna feared that in this coming battle, she may lose more than just an appendage.
“Um…Princess Twilight.” All eyes shifted to the unicorn filly, Dinky. “I think I know where we can get some more help, but I might need Princess Luna’s help translating.”
(Canterlot, 2 Hours Later)
Spike had decided to break away from the other two, having had enough of their company once the Positive Entities had been moved. Besides, he wanted to go and check on his mares. He dropped to all fours, lumbering through the halls as he made his way to one of the more luxurious rooms, using his orange light of Avarice to create a field of light energy to keep Rarity from doing any magic that might get them out. He laid down on the floor, tapping on the field like a glass bowl, gaining the attention of the unicorn mare and earth pony filly.
“RARITY…APPLE BLOOM,” Spike spoke with a prideful glint in his eyes; his voice was still a booming rumble even when he spoke normally.
Just then Rarity threw a vase that shattered when it hit the light screen, Spike quirked his head in confusion at the action.
“GO AWAY YOU BRUTISH MONSTER!” Rarity shouted.
Her usually well groomed mane was frazzled, with stray hairs sticking out of multiple directions. The mascara around her eyes was washed away in a flood of tears, leaving behind black streaks, indicating where it was once applied. Her eyes were red and puffy as well, showing how much she had cried since they arrived, but that didn’t make her glare at the dragon any less intimidating.
“You just left Sweetie Belle there! You wouldn’t even let me go to her! To hold my baby sister! Why…? Do you not feel anything Spike?! For Celestia’s sake, you all were friends as well!”
Spike narrowed his gaze a little, “SWEETIE BELLE ALIVE, SHE WOULD’VE BEEN PART OF MY HORDE. BUT NOW SHE’S DEAD, DEAD THINGS HAVE NO VALUE, I DON’T WANT DEAD THINGS, I WANT MARES WHO ARE ALIVE! APPLE BLOOM CAN BE YOUR SISTER NOW…THERE WILL BE OTHERS, AND TREASURE, GOLD, GEM STONES, SHINY THINGS, AND PRETTY CLOTHES FOR YOU TO WEAR, I CAN GET YOU ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING.”
“But you can’t bring Sweetie Belle back to life! You can’t go back and stop Nightmare Moon from killing my precious little sister! No, you cannot, even with that mysterious power of yours!” Rarity then trotted up to the light screen and looked squarely into the large draconic eyes. “You want me to be your mare, fine, be the monster you’ve shown to be! Take me and use me as monster would, after all you consider me a thing to own! But if you have any semblance of the Spike I once knew, you’ll release Apple Bloom! She’s just a filly!”
Spike looked over to Apple Bloom, who was currently hiding behind the bed after seeing Rarity go crazy mad like that at Spike. “FILLY, YES, BUT FILLIES GROW. SHE WILL BE A PRETTY MARE, LIKE YOU, LIKE ALL THE TREASURES I’LL TAKE AND MAKE MINE.”
Rarity gave the dragon a disgusted look. “If you dare touch Apple Bloom – whether you are in control of your actions or not – so help me I will make you regret it!”
With that said, Rarity walked over to the bed and plopped herself on it, keeping her back turned to the dragon. Apple Bloom emerged from her hiding spot and walked over to the light screen. She then sat before it, staring at the fearsome looking dragon that was once her crush and friend.
“Spike…please come back.” Apple Bloom placed her hoof on the light screen. “Ah know this ain’t the real you, it can’t be…Yeah you became a big scary dragon before, but nothin’ like this…Please, ah believe in ya, just try and fight whatever’s makin’ ya do these things!”
For the briefest of moments, Spike’s orange eyes shifted back to their normal green color. His index claw rose up as he reached out to touch to where Apple Bloom’s hoof was. But before anything else could happen, Spike pulled away, shook his head and growled a little as he rose up to walk away. Leaving Apple Bloom there to watch his retreating form, saddened that she might’ve come close to getting through to him.
“That filly and mare are somewhat annoying, cute as they. Perhaps it would be easier to just make them part of the Corps?”
“NO! THEY STAY AS THEY ARE!!!” Spike growled.
“Very well, just saying, it’s an option to consider.”
Just then a low rumble shook the entirety of Canterlot Castle, making Spike dig his claws into the floor for balance. When it was over, the dragon ran down the hall and found the nearest window. He then looked outside and stared wide eyed at what was going on.
The sky was raining malted milk balls, lamp posts were sprouting legs and running about all over the city, and the pigeons were flying backwards and upside down at the same time. There was a table filled with dogs playing poker in the park, one of which had a hidden ace under the table, cheater. A line of mares was doing the Can-can dance up and down the roads, and seemed to not be tired in the slightest. Two buildings (abandoned ones) grew arms and legs and lifted themselves out of the ground. The two buildings then raised their fists, wearing boxing gloves. They began to have a match right then and there, with one of them hitting the other in the face, sending glass flying into the air.
“Talk about having a glass jaw.” Discord commented while sitting in a chair and eating a popcorn bag filled with metal nails. “Oh c’mon, stick and move, stick and move!”
Just then a bright flash of crimson, yellow, and orange light appeared from behind Discord. The Spirit of Chaos glanced over his shoulder and saw that the three Entity possessed beings were floating just a few feet away.
“Discord, how dare you meddle in my affairs! Canterlot is mine! You leave here or die!” Nightmare ordered.
“Oh I would, really I would, but then, I’d miss the show. Why don’t you pull up a seat Miss Grouchy, this fight is getting good – Oh for the love of – right hook and follow through with an uppercut, who taught you how to fight a warehouse?!”
Spike merely rolled his eyes, knowing that when it came to Discord there was no reasoning or threatening him. Chrysalis, for her part, just floated there with her arms crossed. This was her first encounter with the Spirit of Chaos, sure she heard stories, but seeing the draconequus in action was amusing. Nightmare, however, found no such amusement in Discord’s actions; he had messed with her newly acquired capital.
“Now you listen Discord –!”
At that moment a twin beam of navy-blue and sun-yellow light struck Nightmare Butcher and sent her flying into one of the towers. Discord cupped his ear as if straining to hear something.
“I’m listening?”
“What was that?!” Chrysalis shouted.
Before any answers could be given, a howl echoed through the sky along with a powerful roar. Chrysalis and Spike looked up at that moment and saw two Star Beasts descend from the heavens. One was an Ursa Major and the other a Canis Major, the dog and bear Star Beasts rushed Spike, plowing him into a nearby building and having the structure collapse upon them. Chrysalis was about call forth a construct to attack the two creatures, but was thwarted when a random bolt of lightning struck her in the back, forcing the Changeling Queen to plummet to the ground.
Chrysalis rose up slowly, shaking her head before she gave Discord a death glare. Discord was offended by the look she was giving him. “I didn’t do it! It’s a milk ball shower, not a chocolate thunderstorm!”
The Changeling Queen looked above her and saw that a giant bird had appeared overhead. The bright, light-blue thunderbird, Storm, loomed over the city. Its eyes white with power as its wings crackled with electricity. Storm let out a powerful screeching call of thunder as it stared down at Chrysalis.
Nightmare had finally wrenched herself free of the rubble and debris of the tower she had crashed into. She then looked off into the distance, searching for the source of the twin mana beams, she knew well who fired them, but the problem was their location. Unfortunately, Nightmare didn’t have much time to even glance about when a sphere of dark-violet light, interlaced with grid lines of green and red smashed into the tower and exploded, demolishing what was left of the tower.
The red armored alicorn was blown from the tower and landed far into the face of the mountain. Storm looked to the draconequus, whose lion paw was ablaze with chaos magic. The thunderbird then quirked his head as if confused that Discord actually attacked. Discord saw that Storm was giving him a quizzical look.
“What, I can’t get in on the action?”
Suddenly Spike burst forth from the rubble flying up into the air with spread wings and a flaring orange aura. The dragon looked to and fro, seeing the two Star Beasts rise up from the debris as well. The shimmering silver Canis Major and the bright purple Ursa Major stared up at the dragon, baring their fangs and growling at him. Spike roared at them and reared back, preparing to douse them in orange fire plasma, but Spike was quickly slammed from behind by a blue Ursa Minor, cancelling his fire breath.
Spike was then assaulted by a barrage of claw strikes from a teal blur that rushed all over him. Spike released a burst of orange light, pushing away whatever was attacking him. The creature that attacked him appeared a few feet away, floating in the air beside the Ursa Minor, which was a Canis Minor. The two Star Beast cup and pup floated down and landed on either side of their respective mothers.
Chrysalis stared at the Star Beasts, and then to the thunderbird that was building up electrical energy in its wings. The Changeling Queen’s eyes drifted further down the road and noticed a group of ponies standing at the center of the city. Twilight Sparkle, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Applejack, Cadance, Luna, and Celestia were standing ready to do battle with the possessed ones. Chrysalis grunted at the sight of her mortal enemies.
“So you’ve all come die in one last stand, is that right?!”
“One last stand? Yes. But we shall not fall here this day!” Luna shouted.
Twilight quickly glanced to Cadance, Applejack, and Fluttershy before steeling her gaze upon the possessed Changeling Queen.
Please be safe.
It was a miracle, that’s for sure. Thanks to Discord’s chaotic fun Fluttershy, Applejack, Scootaloo, and Cadance were all able to slip quietly into Canterlot Castle, via the mines underneath the mountain which Cadance and Twilight once used to get inside the Castle during Chrysalis’ invasion. The four of them finally got inside the castle itself, and were now quietly moving through the halls.
The plan was working so far, Twilight, with Discord’s help, created illusion constructs of Fluttershy, Cadance, and Applejack, making the possessed ones believe that they were there. After a bit of sneaking around, the four ponies rallied at a ball room.
“Okay, so where do we go from here?” asked Scootaloo.
“Well, chances are they’ve separated them, and might be in different places in the palace. If that’s the case then we’ll have to split up and search for them.”
“They could be anywhere! How in the hay are we supposed to find ‘em?!” asked Applejack.
Fluttershy looked into the distance, down a hallway a few feet from them. She said nothing, her body seemingly moving towards it of its own accord. The two mares and filly watched as their timid friend began to slowly walk.
“Um, Fluttershy, you okay there sugarcube?”
“I think we just need to feel them. I don’t know how to explain it, but I can feel Proselyte’s light coming from this way. I think if you really concentrate hard enough, you might be able to feel them too. I have to go!”
Before any of them could say a word, Fluttershy had flapped her wings and took off down the hallway, leaving Cadance, Applejack, and Scootaloo slightly dumbfounded.
“She wasn’t this gung-ho in the past.” Cadance observed.
“Guess it’s a testament to just how much Lyte helped Shy, but Ah guess we should try it out. What do ya say Scootaloo?”
Scootaloo nodded and closed her eyes, prompting the others to do the same. Cadance’s horn lit up, her magic attuning itself to Predator’s love energy right away. Scootaloo’s wings fluttered lightly as she turned towards an opposite hallway. Applejack could feel it as well, a strong pulsing energy that flowed through the walls and into her very core. With their destinations locked, the remaining three ponies ran in their own directions.
Applejack galloped fast, skidding to a halt and making sharp turns around every corner as she made her way to the source of the power she was feeling. As she passed by one set of doors she stopped suddenly, turning her head, Applejack focused her senses once again. The steady thrum of energy seemed to be pulsating from the doors she just passed. Applejack ran back to them and gave the large double doors a quick buck with her hind legs, nearly knocking the doors down completely.
When she looked inside Applejack saw the one she was looking for. Ion was in his cage made of red, orange, and yellow light, and inside he was in his true form. It surprised Applejack to see this, where once he was a behemoth whale floating in the sky, now he was a whale the size of a grown stallion, floating in the cage. Ion noticed Applejack, his head lifting up as a small smile arched across his face, but it fell quickly as he looked away from the earth pony mare.
Applejack steeled herself as she walked slowly towards the cage. A mixture of emotions were raging inside her, all this time she knew Ion was hiding a secret, something big that seemed to go beyond just his power and the Emerald Giant. She cursed herself, because she was right in thinking that Ion wasn’t really giving her the whole story, and that if she knew he was this powerful, this dangerous, she most likely wouldn’t have even considered having him be on the farm, let alone be near Apple Bloom.
But if she hadn’t, she would never have learned how hard a worker he was, how selfless he could be sometimes, and how annoyingly cute he was. If Ion had never come, Apple Bloom wouldn’t have discovered her special talent as quickly as she did, and then, there was the fact that Applejack herself would never know what it meant to be in love somepony. Sure, she glanced at the occasional good looking stallion, but her thoughts were always drawn back to Sweet Apple Acres. And part of her dreaded leaving the farm, the farm that has been in her family for generations. The very farm her mother and father lived on and raised the three siblings in since they were born. She couldn’t ask any stallion to give up their passion or business just because she was afraid of leaving her home, or devote themselves so much to maintaining it. Applejack knew that this life wasn’t for everypony, but it made her happy.
But Ion, he was happy about working on the farm. Whenever they were out apple bucking or planting a new tree, she could see a little happy glint in his eyes, as if the act of helping something to grow big and strong with his own hooves was the greatest feeling in the world, and that same glint was there whenever he was around her, sharing in this.
Applejack stopped before the cage, sensing that getting closer was dangerous with the three lights that comprised it. She then stared at the Entity of Willpower and gave a little smile.
“So, this is the real you, huh sugarcube?”
Ion winced slightly, knowing that his marefriend (potentially ex-marefriend) was now seeing him fully for the first time. Applejack rubbed the back of her head nervously, not knowing what else to say to Ion or of how to get him out of the cage.
“Ya don’t look quite as big as ya did when you were fightin’ in Ponyville…”
“……We, um, we can change our size, the others and I. Since we are primarily cosmic energy beings, we aren’t physically limited to how big or small we can be. I can be this small to fit into rooms, or I can be my true size when I’m in wide open spaces…I’m sure you’d rather see me in my pony form, but since I’m far from the others, I need to be in my true form in order to keep these three lights from getting to me.”
“Oh…are ya…okay?”
“For now, I am. You being here kinda helps though…”
“Good…”
It was an awkward feeling for the both of them. But Applejack knew she had to say what she needed to say.
“Applejack I need to tell you –”
“Ion, let me speak please.” The Entity of Willpower went silent and allowed the earth pony mare to say her peace. “The Princesses told us everythin’, about you, the others, and the three that are inside Nightmare Moon, Spike, and Chrysalis. How you came here to live a peaceful life away from the fightin’ and stuff goin’ on from your universe. Ah believe the Princesses, they ain’t ones for lyin’ at a time like this. But Ah want to know, Ah want to hear from you, is it true? Ah want the truth Ion, please.”
The Entity of Willpower looked upon Applejack with sad eyes; there was no getting around it now. “It is…My origins, where I’m from, who the others are, why we’re here – all of it. I always meant to tell you Applejack, seeing as where our relationship was going, I knew I had to be honest with you and come clean about who and what I was.” Ion flicked his tail angrily. “This wasn’t how I wanted you to find out, not like this!”
The tension in Applejack’s shoulders released, her smile widening after hearing what Ion said. “Well, good, Ah’m glad yer bein’ honest, and what’s this ‘was goin’’ ya breakin’ up with me or soemthin’?”
Ion stared at Applejack with wide eyes. “What?! But I thought…I mean, I’m – and you’re – I’m not even a pony, I’m not from this world Applejack!”
“And, so what? Ah…Ah fell in love with Ion, not the Entity of Willpower, not the earth pony stallion, or the Emerald Giant, but you Ion. This,” Applejack motioned to his current form, “doesn’t bother me, everythin’ you’ve said and done since the day Ah met ya, has been from the deepest part of you. Do ya understand what Ah mean?”
Ion thought over Applejack’s words, as an Entity, such things like love were never part of his existence, or even on his mind. The one thing that he feared when he entered into this relationship was losing her when she found out what he really was, but now, here she was. A pony mare saying that she doesn’t care what he is, that his actions spoke louder than his words.
“I…I don’t know what to say…”
“Say that you’ll help me protect our friends, and fight against Chrysalis and Nightmare Moon, and save Spike. Ion, Ah want you to possess me.”
Ion’s eyes widened even more. “Applejack I won’t possess you! I can’t do that to you!”
“Look…How different can it be from when Ah was inside that Emerald Giant thing ya made?”
“Very different! Possession means I take you over, influence your actions! I won’t have that happen again!” Ion’s memories of Krona forcing him into a Guardian were bubbling up at the mention of possession. “But…there’s another way…if we unite…”
“How’s that any different?” asked Applejack.
“Unity means we act as one, and that our spirits and minds are the same. In a way, we become one powerful being, working together mutually. But it’s all a moot point if I can’t get out of this cage…!”
Applejack moved a hoof closer to the cage and the triple light construct gave the mare a sharp zap, stinging her right hoof and making her retract it quick. “Damn that hurt! Okay, that is a problem…”
Suddenly a blue wave of power rushed through the palace, erasing the cage into nothingness and making Ion glow with blazing emerald light. Ion knew what this was, somehow Adara’s power reached him all the way here, but it was different. Stronger, more powerful than it ever was, and yet, it held something else, another presence.
“Looks like Hope is on our side!”
Good job Scootaloo, thought Applejack.
“So, how do we do this?”
“We must synchronize our willpower, and speak our oath.”
“Ya mean that one you were sayin’ before ya transformed?”
“Yes, but it must be one that is born from us and represents our united resolve. Do not worry; the words will come to us. Are you ready Applejack?”
The farm mare widened her stance and gave the Entity of Willpower a determined look. “Whenever yer ready!”
Applejack closed her eyes and so too did Ion. The gentle thrum of power echoed through Applejack’s being as she felt her spirit resonating with Ion’s power. The Entity of Willpower could feel it as well, Applejack’s willpower was strong. Indeed it possessed the very resolve and strength of an entire Corps. The earth pony mare’s body began to glow with the green light of will, her aura rising up to meet that of Ion’s. Ion’s eyes glowed with his light and that moment, Applejack opened hers as well and they too glowed a bright green.
“In Brightest Day, in Blackest Night,
We will stand against evil’s blight!
Let all those who doubt our might,
Behold this power – Will’s grand light!”
Ion’s body broke down into tiny particles of light. The light then spiraled around Applejack, each one infusing itself into her very being. Applejack felt the power surge through her body, her every cell, molecule, and atom empowered by this light. The spiral closed in, weaving tighter and tighter till Applejack’s body couldn’t be seen anymore. At last the spiral broke open, transforming into a sparkling green aura that blazed around her.
Applejack found herself donned in a uniform. Green and black, with a shimmering mask of energy covering her face. Two bars with a circle between them appeared upon her chest, the same symbol that was on Ion’s body. The symbol glowed with the emerald light, shining as if giving a glimpse into her very soul. Applejack’s white eyes peered over her new form, feeling the willpower of every living thing in Equestria, down to the very trees, plants, animals, insects, and ponies that inhabited their world.
“Ion can ya hear me?”
“I can Applejack, I am with you.”
“This is…wow! Ah never felt anythin’ like this!”
“It’s been a long time since I was combined with a sentient being. But…this is first time I’ve combined with one that I care about, I like it.”
“Thanks, sugarcube, it’s not that bad, but, if we’re one then you know what’s goin’ on right?”
“Of course, let us join the others!”
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I was half expecting Applejack's reaction to obtaining Ion's power to be something like this:
Green Lantern Applejack! AJ's a bona fide super hero now.
You have no idea how glad I am that Sweetie Bell's not dead. As cliched as it is to be at death's door and only be saved by your magic/ki/alien dna it really worked here.
I guess next chapter we get to Scoots and Adara.
Just a few little typos that could stand to be fixed:
I don't think you really need the word "two" in there. I think it would work just fine as "The Star Beast cub and pup...."
This sentence is a bit of a run-on. I would recommend cutting it at "she did" and starting a new sentence with "then, there was...". Also, it should be "in love with somepony."
4990013
BAHAHAHAAA!
My sides! My sides!
Also,
I was having Return of Harmony flashbacks and I was right, Discord is awesome, while he may not really be one for actual combat, preferring mind games, I pity the entities if they make him mad, considering he could use them as ping pong balls if he so wished. Though when he DOES fight he brings in the cavalry, Uras and Canises, Major AND Minor, and considering that a Minor is big enough to level most buildings and Majors are able to hold them like, well, babies, Twilight was right, the only way to describe the size of an Ursa Major is "You don't want to know." Ion and AJ are one. with Adara and Scoots fighting by their side and synergy between Hope and Will, badassery is going to ensue and it is going to be glorious!
Let's hope the other reunions go as well as Ion's and Applejack's did.
So... does this mean sweetie belle can be a white lantern?