The Path of Absolution - Punishment

by Morningstar1337

lv - Ganymede and the Stymphalian Birds

Twilight Sparkle, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Applejack, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo, and Silver Spoon found themselves in a mint green swamp. The violet sky was lit with many stars and had been littered with the shapes of birds.

Rarity, Sweetie Belle, and Silver Spoon were disgusted by the swampland.

Twilight wondered who would be tested here. She knew that everypony here has been tested by the ten previous guardians.

Apple Bloom saw something in the distance. She felt a familiar presence here. “Did you see that?” she said.

Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle said, “See what?”

Silver Spoon saw another shadow in the distance. “Over there!”

The shadow galloped away.

The fillies went after the shadow. Scootaloo said, “Come on.”

The mares saw that the fillies were chasing something and ran after them. They saw a light blue mare with a cup of water. Her silvery mane shined in the moonlight. the shadows the fillies were chasing were nowhere to be seen.

The blue earth mare saw the group of ponies and said, “So you made it this far? Congratulations. My name’s Aquarius.”

Sweetie Belle said, “Did you see something pass by?”

Applejack said, “What do you mean?”

Apple Bloom said, “There was somepony, she felt like that duplicate we saw in the maze remember?”

Applejack recalled seeing a duplicate in that maze.

Aquarius said, “I’m sorry, but I haven’t seen anything but the Stymphalian Birds tonight. I must go now, They’re coming.” She left.

“Something’s off here,” Rainbow Dash said.

Twilight agreed with Rainbow Dash. She knew that the strange ponies they met had something to do with the trials, ether directly or indirectly.

The ponies went to confront Aquarius but several metallic birds descended from the sky. One of the birds had used its claws to grab Fluttershy and another grabbed Twilight. The latter tried to cast a spell to escape but the bird’s bronze beak pecked at her and threw her focus off. She was eventually knocked unconscious by the continuous pecking.

Applejack, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, and Rainbow Dash tried to get the birds to let their captives go, but nothing could penetrate their metallic feathers. Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle, and Silver Spoon tried to escape but one of the birds went after them.

The Stymphalian Bird tried to snatch the fillies with its claws, but Applejack rammed into the avian and knocked it away. She said, “Run!” and the fillies did.

The mares tried to free Twilight and Fluttershy from their clutches but the birds dodged everything they could throw at them and soon Rarity and Pinkie Pie were caught. Rainbow Dash tried to save her friends but she didn’t see that another bird fired some of its feathers at her. The feathers hit Rainbow Dash and hurt her wings. She plummeted towards the grounds before being caught by the bird.

Applejack and the fillies were the only ones not captured. She saw that another bird was chasing the fillies and went after it. The avian flew up and went after Applejack. She charged at the bird and rammed it into the tree, but her attack barely even dented the metal hide. The birds fired their feathers at Applejack but she dodged the projectiles.

A metal feather had hit Applejack. She ceased her attack and rolled around trying to remove the feather. She tried to escape but soon she was caught by the birds.

The Stymphalian Birds saw no trace of the fillies, but saw several trees had toppled during the battle. They flew away with their victims.

---

Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo, and Silver Spoon were far away from where the birds were.

Scootaloo said, “Are they gone?”

The fillies looked around and saw no sign of the Stymphalian Birds, or their friends.

“I think so,” Sweetie Belle said.

The fillies felt guilty about leaving behind their friends and sisters.

“We have to do something!” Apple Bloom said.

“But what can we do?” Silver Spoon said.

Sweetie Belle saw something move in the distance. “Hey!” She chased the shadowy figure and the others followed.

---

Gale Force flew to the Unicorn Range. The blizzard the windigoes created was still raging there. His elemental barriers were fading, but he didn't care. There was only one thing on his mind; revenge.

He flew around looking for the voice, but he didn’t see any there.

“So you did come. You’re late.”

Gale recognized the voice from the hospital. “Show yourself!” he shouted.

Legion and several windigos galloped down from the sky. The former felt giddy for some reason.

“So you want to avenge your fallen friend” Legion sensed the hatred and rage within Gale.

The pegasus charged Legion head on, but he missed.

Legion taunted, “You were among the few that prepared for our arrival and yet you couldn’t even lay a scratch on me.”

Gale’s ice and lightning barriers vanished. His rage boiled over as his legs froze over. He tried ramming the beast with his fire and lightning barriers but he couldn't land a hit on him.

Legion said, “So predictable. You thought you could get rid of me with your shields.”

Gale shouted, “Shut up!” His lightning barrier faded. He tried to move but his frozen legs were stuck to the ground.

Gale Force tried to move, the ice creeped over his body while his fire barrier slowly faded. He glared at Legion while struggling to move. Eventually his body froze over.

“He would have made a fine host,” Legion said. “It’s quite a shame, but maybe we can still use him.”

The windigos saw something in the distance. The figure looked alien, with arms and legs and a peculiar head with tentacles.

Legion said, “Ah, thou art late. But I suppose that what happens when thou haveth to travel betwixt worlds huh, old friend?”

The figure held a trumpet in his hand and was carrying a bag with several other trumpets in it.

---

In the mint green swamp, The Cutie mark Crusaders and Silver Spoon chased a shadowy figure back to where they seen the Stymphalian Birds.

The figure stopped and the fillies had got a closer look of the figure. It looked like Sweetie Belle, but with a horn of ice and ebony scales.

“What the hay?” Scootaloo said.

Another figure joined the Sweetie Belle duplicate.This one looked like Scootaloo with a viridian scythe and icy wings. Soon, a third emerged from the darkness. It was the Apple Bloom duplicate from the maze. This time, the duplicate Apple Bloom had her crimson sword out.

“What’s going on?” Apple Bloom said. “Who are you?”

“Why do you side with them?” said the duplicate Scootaloo.

“What do you mean?” Scootaloo said.

“The ponies don’t even deserve to live,” the duplicate Sweetie Belle said. “They lie and cheat and betray everyone they meet.”

“That’s not true,” Sweetie Belle said. “No one we know does that.”

“What about the time the town ran you out of town for your gossip?” the duplicate Apple Bloom said.

There was a flash. The fillies saw the memories of that event.

“And if that wasn’t enough,” The duplicates said.

The vision shifted to a scene from the clouds. They saw through Canterlot’s windows into the castle. There, they witness a wedding rehearsal and five familiar ponies. Soon, Twilight Sparkle burst through the doors and started scolding the bride, only to be called out by her friends soon after.

The fillies wondered what happened there. Sweetie Belle saw that Rarity left, Apple Bloom and Scootaloo say the other ponies did the same thing.

“What the...” Apple Bloom was speechless.

“Now do you see?” The duplicate Apple Bloom said. “The ponies are heartless!”

“That’s not true!” Scootaloo said.

Silver Spoon wondered what was happening here, and if these duplicates had anything to do with the trial.

“Just stay here,” the duplicate Scootaloo said. “Nopony would ever harm you you here.”

“No!” the Crusaders said.

“What do you mean no?” the duplicate Sweetie Belle said. “If you go, you will get hurt.”

“And if we stay,” Scootaloo said. “You will hurt everypony else.”

“Look,” Apple Bloom said. “I don’t know happened in Canterlot, but I do know that they wouldn’t be here if their friendship was broken. What happened back at Ponyville and the Everfree Forest was our fault. We were ones that set things in motion, and we are gonna fix it and make amends for what we had done.”

The duplicates started to fade. The images of Canterlot Castle had already faded.

“If that means that we have to face the ponies that hate us so much,” Sweetie Belle said. “Than so be it. Our sisters and friends need us.”

“It’s not worth being caught up in these dreams and nightmares, away from those who love us.” Scootaloo said.

The duplicates had faded. A path had appeared in their absence.

Silver Spoon said, “You would really do that for your friends?”

The Crusaders nodded.

Silver Spoon felt a little bit assumed. She was glad to have met the Crusaders without having it end in their tears. She wondered what would happen to them if she does save Diamond Tiara.

The fillies followed the new path.

---

The fillies were at a river. They saw some planks, nails, rope, a hammer, and a raft nearby.

The fillies looked up and saw the Stymphalian Birds in the sky. They saw the mares in their claws, some were unconscious, and others were afraid.

The birds dropped the mares into the river below. The unconscious ponies were awakened by the water. Rainbow Dash tried to fly but her wings were too wet to lift her.

The fillies were worried. Apple Bloom knew what she must do and went towards the planks. The other fillies followed.

Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo placed the planks together in two layers while Apple Bloom hammered in the nails needed to bind them together. Soon they expanded the raft. Silver Spoon then used some of the rope to tether the raft to the ground. The fillies got on the raft in an attempt to save their friends as quickly as they could.

Applejack and Twilight Sparkle saw there was a waterfall ahead and tried to swim, but the current was too strong for them.

The Stymphalian Birds saw the raft and flew down to try to break it.

Some of the birds lunged down into the raft but the fillies steered it away and they missed and dived into the river.

The fillies managed to get the raft to Rarity and Fluttershy. Sweetie Belle and Silver Spoon took some of the rope for them to use as a lifeline. Rarity and Fluttershy climbed on the raft.

“Thank you,” Rarity said.

More of the Stymphalian Birds tried to attacked the raft again. Rarity, Fluttershy and the fillies ducked and the birds flew over the raft.

Rarity and Scootaloo used some rope to save Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash and got them aboard the raft.

“Oh my gosh,” Pinkie said. “I thought we were gonna drown there, can you imagine...”

Rainbow Dash took some time to dry her wings. The group saw Twilight and Applejack trying to swim away from the waterfall ahead.

Rainbow Dash flew ahead and lifted Applejack and Twilight from the water.

The Stymphalian Birds went after the raft once more, this time they were going after the rope keeping the raft tethered to the ground.

Twilight saw this and cast a spell. By the time the tether was cut, a magic barrier had already been erected around the raft, keeping it stable and in the same spot on the river.

The birds flew after the wet unicorn. But Rainbow Dash flew Applejack and twilight aboard the shielded raft. Twilight used her horn and a burst of magic emerged from the raft. The birds tried to fly away, but the spell hit them and the metallic birds fell into the waterfall.

Twilight said, “Alright I need to focus,” She lifted the raft upwards with her magic. Pinkie Pie and Rarity made sure to be quiet. She lifted the raft over the waterfall.

The fillies looked down and saw the gates and Aquarius near the base of the falls. She took water from her hub as the birds became violet dust and flew into the gates.

Soon, The raft was on the ground. The ponies got off the large wooden raft and approached Aquarius.

Aquarius saw the Crusaders and said, “You seem prepared to face the consequences of your actions.”

The violet dust form the sign for Aquarius (♒) on the gates.

“We sure are, ma’am,” Apple Bloom said.

Twilight said, “So this was their trial?”

Aquarius said, “Uh-huh. This was to see if they are dedicated enough to save you, and if they are ready to face the results of the actions. There is one more trial before you can go, be careful.”

The ponies entered the gates.

---

Princess Celestia and Princess Luna went into a tomb in the Badlands. There they saw various drawing and glyphs on the walls. On one such drawing there glowed images of a white crown, a red sword, some black scales, a pale green scythe, the gates of Tartarus, and some disasters.

Celestia and Luna were worried.

Luna said, “Sister this tomb holds the sixth seal right?”

Celestia said, “Not anymore, Luna.”

There was still one image left on top of the glowing images. This one depicts a frozen wasteland and a giant that towers over it as well as seven trumpets.

“We must hurry,” Celestia said. “Ithaqua is almost ready to return to his body.”

The Princesses return to canterlot. Celestia hoped that The bearers of the Elements of Harmony had escaped the Cutie Mark Crusaders’ minds.