The Puppeteer's Creation

by Arreis Of Avalon

Hope

“Darling, whatever has happened in here?!” Rarity, along with the rest of her friends, looked around at the scattered books around them. The room was lit with candles as the flash storm outside had blotted out the sunlight. Rainbow Dash bumped her head on a hanging light, wincing. Rarity went to her, pulling a sash out of her bag and using it to brush Rainbow’s hair out of the way to check for a bump. I may be a bit down and out, but that doesn’t mean I can’t do my best to help my friends. Rainbow Dash smiled lightly, but pushed the sash back. Rarity smiled ruefully at her friend’s lack of style, realizing that perhaps that was something she liked about quaint little ponyville.

“I didn’t have time to clean it. Sorry, girls.”

“S’alrigh’, Sugarcube.” For some reason, Applejack felt better around Twilight. She was the one pony who wasn’t such a wild card. She seemed to be all of her friends combined in one. She was honest with all of them, no matter what. She’s the only one I can trust now.

“You said you had things to tell us, Twilight?” Fluttershy smiled at her friend. This was the one pony she knew didn’t need much help. Or, at least, understood her boundaries. She knows I’m here if she ever needs help.

Rainbow Dash rubbed her head. “Been wondering why you called us here, Twi.” If anyone is real, it’s her. She wouldn’t stand for anyone faking it.

Pinkie smiled brightly for the first real time in awhile. “Yeah, do you have some sort of fun thing to make all of us happy again?! You know, I think everypony’s been a bit off today, and I think this mood lighting means scaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaary stories!” I can be myself again. This is myself, right? Yeah, I AM this bubbly and silly, all the time! It’s thanks to Twilight that I can see that.

Twilight walked out of the shadows, levitating a dark book with magic. Her friends gasped at her appearance. Dark armor with purple stars covered her body, and a helmet with the Element of Magic sealed into it adorned her head. A sword, crafted from what appeared to be obsidian rested at her side, ready to be wielded by the Alicorn before them. “I’m glad you all could make it. We have much to discuss.”

“T-twilight,” Rarity said, stunned. “W-while I agree that the color matches you very well, don’t you believe that this… Armor is a tad bit, well… overdone?”

“What’da ya’ think you need armor for?”

“I’ll show you all… Just look in this book.” Her horn sparked darkly, opening the book to the page of the Golem’s picture. All of the ponies looked at it in the darkness as their friend had asked of them. They quickly came to the same conclusion as their friend had. “Yes, you all understand.”

Rainbow Dash looked around at her friends, the final straw finally pulled. None of her friends were real. Was that the moral of this story? “I… No, I can’t believe that… None of us are real?”

“No, Rainbow Dash – We’re more than real. We’re real because we command it of ourselves. I understand now…” Twilight smirked. “It’s time we fought back.”

“Fought?” Fluttershy looked at all her friends. Her first instinct would be to shy away, just like her namesake. Shy away from violence, staying away from danger – She couldn’t do that anymore. “That’s why you have the armor, then. So, who do we go after first?”

Twilight smiled brightly at her friend’s eagerness. More proof that it was time for the final blows. “Glad to see you’re on my side, Fluttershy. I knew I could count on you all.” Fluttershy smiled just as brightly. “Which is why I know you’ll be the best for the spell.”

Her resistance faltered slightly as she heard her friend say that. “Spell?”

“Please, Fluttershy, will you be the first? You saw that mind control spell – I know a spell that will counter that spell. As you can see, I’ve already administered the spell on myself. My magic’s increased, and the Element formed this armor.”

“I don’t know, Twilight…” Fluttershy looked at all of her friends, each in turn. She saw the pain in each of their eyes, knowing that this could help them all act normal again. This could help them all. I could help them all. She shut her eyes tightly, then turned back to Twilight. “… Alright. I’ll do it.”

Twilight beamed. “You’ll need this.” In a spark of magic, Fluttershy felt her Element hang at her neck. Looking around once, she saw all her friends wore theirs as well. “Follow me.”

Twilight walked to the basement door and began her decent, all of her friends following behind her into the darkness.

The mist pony watched outside the window, her teal, shadowy eyes watching the ponies closely. She was hardly a wisp at the moment. She knew she could not stop nor help the ponies at the moment, and that she was powerless. But she knew who was behind this all. She knew she could stop Discord, even if he believed he had them all under his claws. A God of chaos may have first made her, but that did not mean he had not grown idle in his time imprisoned. She had long since freed herself from his shackles without him even realizing.

She looked up at the sky, watching the rain fall down, feeling it pass through her. She smiled, her fangs shining brightly. He caused her to rise… and she would cause him to fall.

The misty pony disappeared into the rain, returning to her host as she called her home.

Author's Note:

Plot Twist owo