The Third Sanctuary
“Wow, this place is kinda cool,” Rainbow said, looking around at what the three assumed to be the Gizmonk Village. It was still empty, given the gizmonks were still in the factory helping the captured ponies, but the automotive machinery was still fully functional. Gears turned, moving watermills, cables that moved dumbwaiters into different bunkers and cranes that moved elevators up and down whirred with life. A large pond sat at the center with pipes feeding into it for what Twilight gathered was the town’s plumbing.
“I’ll say. It’s more advanced then most pony technology. Makes sense, gizmonks don’t really rely on magic much,” Twilight explained. “Still, not much to do here till the gizmonks return.”
With that, the three friends headed towards another cave passage that awaited them at the top of a small hill near the back of the village.
“Hey! Ponies!” a voice shouted, causing them to turn. The gizmonk they’d met outside the waterfall scurried towards them. “You came through that passage? One the bug-ponies created?” he asked.
“Yeah, what about it?” Rainbow asked.
“I saw them! They flew right out and into that cave you’re heading into! What happened?” the gizmonk asked.
“We got past their big ugly blob-monster, and now we’re gonna go finish the job!” Rainbow said with a grin as she smacked her hooves together.
“Heh, well best of luck then!” the gizmonk answered. “Go through, you’ll find Hollow Shades on the other side, just past some fancy spot the tourists like! Now don’t mind me, I better get ready for when the others get back!” he said before scurrying off to one of the larger buildings.
“Oh that’s right! There’s some kind of spot called the Platinum Well there!” Twilight said, then noticed her friends staring. “I read about it. Quite a tourist attraction, it’s a pond with a floor that’s shiny like platinum, giving it a beautiful shimmer in the light, named after Princess Platinum herself when Equestria was founded. It’s very peaceful, too… one of Equestria’s most harmonious places!”
“Ya know… I wonder...” Rainbow reached into her saddlebag and took out the stone she’d gotten at the start of her strange journey. “Twi, can you see if this thing is connected with that?”
“What is it, Rainbow?” Twilight asked, approaching and looking at the stone.
“It’s something that was given to me from the future of all places. It’s called the Harmony Stone.”
“Wait, what?” Twilight asked. “Why didn’t you tell me sooner, Rainbow?!”
“Well, sorry if the whole zompony invasion kinda had my priorities elsewhere, Twi,” Rainbow said with an eyeroll. “Look, we can go on about that later. The point is, Celestia sent this to help stop Sombra. But for it to work, we gotta visit eight special places in Equestria that predate even the Princesses and it’ll… I guess the way to put it is that it’ll absorb the harmony energy or whatever you wanna call it from those places. If this ‘Platinum Well’ is one of ‘em, we gotta know!”
“Okay, okay, this’ll just give me a sec. If this stone is capable of doing that, it’d have to have a pre-established connection with it,” Twilight explained, her horn and the stone glowing. “Wow, so this is a Harmony Stone! But they’ve been gone for ages, I wouldn’t have guessed Celestia would have something like this. Or maybe she got it later?” she wondered, staring in awe at the small rock.
“Yes, Twilight, its history is a magnificent tale to be told, but may we please move on with this?” Rarity asked with a slight eyeroll, prompting brief stares from Rainbow and Twilight. They knew Rarity could be prissy at times but her outburst was a little surprising.
“I’m getting to it, please be patient,” Twilight said, focusing. After a few seconds, it flashed a few times, and a spark of light shot out a few feet in the direction of the cave before fading. “Well, there we go. I think we can afford another stop after we deal with Chrysalis. Let’s go, girls!”
~
“Yup, they’ve been down here alright. Just follow the slime!” Rainbow muttered as she looked around.
The lamps that hung around the tunnels, likely of gizmonk design, provided the cave its lighting. All around bits of green goo webbed the walls and around parts of the floor, confirming that at some point earlier the changelings had sealed it off further down. The three ponies’ suspicions were confirmed when they came across a viscous green web of sorts blocking their way to the next passage.
“Alright, get behind me, girls!” Twilight said. Focusing her magic, a burst of magical flame short forth, hitting the web and setting it ablaze. Seconds later, only dust remained.
“Lovely work, Twilight! I must say I’m glad you were able to make it into this little adventure of ours!” Rarity said.
“It was nothing,” Twilight said with a blush. The sound of skittering could be heard echoing down the tunnels ahead. “Now come on, hopefully Chrysalis isn’t too far ahead!”
Further down, the tunnels grew dimmer. Changeling goo caked the walls, but not nearly as much as it once had. Three shapes could be seen up ahead, hovering and seemingly bickering. As the three drew closer, they found that it was three changelings but they didn’t seem to notice them.
“Now’s our chance!” Twilight whispered, charging up her magic and firing a shot at one of them, blasting him into the wall. The other two looked over at them, and then continued to make hissing and clicking sounds to one-another.
“What in the world?” Rainbow wondered. “We just blasted their sibling there and they’re like ‘oh that’s a bummer’ and go right back to arguing? Well, thank Celestia for small favors!” she said with a shrug and flew straight at another one, taking a flying kick position and her hoof impacted with another one shortly after, knocking it unconscious. The last one stared at her, confused, and looked down the passageway with an odd, longing look on its face. It didn’t appear as though it felt endangered, rather that it just didn’t like being away from whatever was down that hall.
“Hey! Yo! Hey!” Rainbow shouted, waving her hoof in the last one’s face, but it seemed to just ignore her, staring down the tunnel.
“...Wannnnnt,” it deadpanned, its gaze not breaking even when the pegasus shoved it several times.
“Okay, this is getting weird,” Rainbow said, drawing back her forehoof and decking it in the face, and the changeling fell to the ground, unconscious.
“Well, there’s apparently something down there that was affecting these three!” Twilight said.
“Rainbow, do you think maybe this sanctuary’s tainted as well?” Rarity asked.
“The last two were; it wouldn’t surprise me! We better go find out. With any luck it’s got Chrysalis stopped on her tracks, too!” Rainbow replied. “We better hurry! If she’s gotten messed up like her followers, here, we can take ‘em down easy!”
“Well what are we waiting for then?” Twilight said, and the three galloped down the tunnel as fast as they could, passing by several dazed or unconscious changelings along the way. Up ahead, they could see a tunnel entrance with light glowing faintly from it, but as they approached, several changelings flew into their path.
“You can’t have it,” they said in a creepy unison, all staring down at the three of them with an odd, blank look on their faces.
“Just try and stop us!” Rainbow said with a smirk. “Twi, another one of those fireworks!”
“On it!” Twilight said, floating one out and using her magic to light it. The bottle rocket shot forward and blasted the changeling group apart, causing several to crash into the walls and fall unconscious and several others to tumble across the dusty floors.
“What…?” one muttered, rubbing its head. Before it could react, Rarity bucked it in the face, knocking it out as well.
“Well, problem solved,” Rarity said with a small smirk. “It’s rather odd, really. They seem extremely out of it!”
“Well we can’t really dwell on it with Chrysalis probably just up ahead!” Twilight explained. “We got just one bottle rocket left, can’t put it to waste on another bunch of these. If we had more time we could have gone back for more.”
“Well, we don’t, Twi. This has to get handled now,” Rainbow said, leading the way. The moment they entered, they saw that before them stood none other then Queen Chrysalis…
~
“Whoa… she’s like… completely out of it, just like the others!” Rainbow said, waving her hoof on the changeling queen’s face. Chrysalis remained where she stood, completely unresponsive as she stared blankly at the shining light several feet away from them, numerous changelings lay around the room unconscious; and it looked as though they’d all taken eachother out.
“That’s weird, there’s no freaky monsters there!” Rainbow said. “Twi, lemme see the Harmony Stone!”
The unicorn floated it over and Rainbow held it out. The moment she did, however, she and the others ears were promptly struck by a piercing shriek as the light became brighter.
“There’s something here!” Rainbow said. “But I don’t get it, aside from that big boulder next to it, there’s nothing!”
“What EVER are you talking about, Rainbow Dash?” Rarity asked, a grin slowly spreading on her face as she approached the shining spot… and walked right over to the boulder next to it and wrapped her forehooves around it as best she could.
“So… beautiful,” Chrysalis muttered, devoid of emotion. As soon as she said this, Rarity turned and fired a bolt of magic stronger then either Twilight or Rainbow had ever seen from her at Chrysalis, blasting her off her hooves and into the wall.
“NO! It’s mine now! Take it from me, if you dare!” Rarity shouted. Twilight and Rainbow stared in shock as a faint purple glow emanated from parts of Rarity’s body and became similarly-colored patches on her coat; the rest of her color seeming to drain out of her completely and leaving her otherwise appearing as shades of white and gray and a sneer of obsessive greed spread on her face.
“Don’t… look…!” Chrysalis mumbled, shaking her head to fight off the dizziness. Twilight and Rainbow saw the boulder changing, growing more sharply-cut and shinier, and an odd, distorted music began to play all around them as Rarity stood protectively in front of the diamond.
“Oh Tom, I shall never part with you again! And I shall destroy these horrid ruffians who would dare to keep us apart, my trillion-aged diamond beauty!” Rarity said, the purple patches on her body glowing again as she stroked the huge diamond.
“Rarity, snap out of it!” Twilight shouted, approaching. As she drew closer, however, Rarity fired a blast of magic at her.
“NO!” Rarity shouted, her eyes flashing green as she glared at her friend. “Stand back, you thieving rogues!” The diamond began to glow brightly and Rarity smiled, her eyes glowing green as purple smoke trailed from them. “Tom is saying he wishes you’d appreciate him more!”
“CLOSE YOUR EYES!” Chrysalis shouted, and the two ponies complied immediately. Even with their eyes closed, it was evident the room became might brighter for a second. Reopening them, they looked over at the changeling queen, who just chuckled in amusement.
“So it would seem its history was true... using such focused dark magic to animate the Smooze has quite… interesting side-effects!” the changeling queen said, taking to the air.
“It’s somehow affecting Rarity?! And why did you just help us?” Rainbow demanded, surprised Chrysalis would bother to do anything on their behalf.
“Don’t misunderstand me. I merely repaid the favor for snapping me out of the hold that rock seems to put on others,” the changeling queen laughed. “As for your friend, I’d say that’s your problem, not mine. My only priority now is a… temporary retreat since that thing took out nearly all of my available changelings. Best of luck!”
With those words, the queen turned and flew out the tunnel they’d come through, laughing. With a sigh, Twilight and Rainbow returned their attention to Rarity, who simply stood protectively in the light of the gigantic, shining diamond before her.
“Twi, I have an idea,” Rainbow said, whispering into the unicorn’s ear.
“THAT’S your plan?” Twilight asked, surprised. “You better hope this one works, Rainbow. Last time Rarity got like this, she was pretty violent.” The incident where Discord had escaped for the first time was hardly an experience Twilight would forget, ever; especially with how it affected her friends. Rarity was ready to beat senseless anypony who got near the boulder the chaos god had hypnotized her into thinking had been a giant diamond.
“My plans are too awesome to fail, Twi,” Rainbow said, spreading her wings and flying straight at Rarity.
“Oh no, you don’t!” Rarity shouted, jumping atop the glowing diamond and firing several blasts of enhanced magic at the pegasus, who dodged each one.
“Can’t hit me, Rarity! Must be getting slow in your age!” Rainbow taunted, pausing in places long enough to make her fire at her, then moving just as she shot more magic at her.
“My… AGE?!” Rarity fumed, her eyes flashing green again. “OHHHHH IT. IS. ON!” Rarity focused on Rainbow and the pegasus was engulfed in a purple aura of magic, notably not the light blue Rarity was known for and was flung into the nearest wall, multiple times. “Wish to apologize for insulting me and attempting to rob me of Tom?” she demanded.
“What, that useless hunk of rock?” Rainbow asked, chuckling despite the beatings she was getting.
“Tom is NOT a rock!” Rarity shouted. “He’s my precious PRECIOUS baby!” she declared proudly, collapsing on the diamond and hugging it. “Learn to see things how I do!” she said, her horn glowing again and Rainbow felt herself pinned against the wall. “Now open wide and marvel at Tom’s splendor!” she declared as the boulder began to glow brighter and brighter.
“Okay… sure!” Rainbow said, slowly opening her eyes and smirking at what she saw just out of the corner of them.
Twilight stood back as the bottle rocket she’d lit shot forward, slamming into the giant diamond and exploding violently. Rarity went flying into the air and tumbled across the floor, breaking her magic’s hold over Rainbow and allowing the pegasus the chance to fly straight at the damaged rock as fast as she could, causing a deep crack to form into it and splitting it in two. The false diamond’s crystalline appearance rolled off it like a smoke cloud, revealing a boulder that promptly crumbled apart into dust, the light vanishing from it completely as the distorted music faded along with it.
“NO!” Rarity cried out, seeing what had happened. “You’ll… you’ll…” The green light faded from her eyes, the purple patches vanished off her body, and color returned to it. Rarity’s coat went from a dusty gray its original ivory and her mane and tail regained their rich violet color. “What just… Twilight? Rainbow? What in the world just happened?” the unicorn asked.
“You went mental there. Chrysalis bailed first chance she got,” Rainbow explained.
“Mental? Explain.”
“The boulder that was sitting in this shining spot, it turned into a huge diamond and put you under its control. Chrysalis mentioned something else, too before she left… you remember when we fought the Smooze, some of its residue got on you?” Twilight asked.
“Ugh! Don’t remind me, dear! I can’t wait to wash it out, I can still feel the stickiness!” Rarity protested, shaking her head in disgust.
“Well, from the looks of things, if what Chrysalis said was true... because the Smooze was animated by dark magic, maybe it has a way of… bringing out negative emotions in ponies it touched after a period of time. The corrupted sanctuary must have produced enough of a dark magic aura to affect it, but destroying what was affected by it seems to have broken its hold over you,” Twilight explained. “For now, anyway…”
“I… I see,” Rarity said, looking downcast. “What can we do about it?”
“Well, when we get the chance we’ll need to clean you up, and get a purification potion made to cleanse you of it completely. Actually…” Twilight thought for a moment, her face suddenly lighting up as an idea came to her. “Oh! Manehattan’s got the biggest library close by, they have a copy of the potion-making book I’ll need!”
“How do you know, Twi?” Rainbow asked.
“Well… I kinda keep a checklist of every book I ever borrow and return, and all ones I have on reserve in other libraries. If memory serves it’s actually one of the books I had on my reading list for once I returned from Canterlot,” Twilight said, earning an eyeroll from the pegasus.
“Thanks, Twilight. I’d say it’s best we make Manehattan as our next destination, then!” Rarity said, managing a smile.
“Soon as we handle this!” Rainbow said, gesturing to the tunnel ahead. “Now that the thing blocking the sanctuary is gone, we can get to it and collect the melody!”
“I see, well perhaps it is best we do that first, it’ll bring us one step closer to saving Equestria, won’t it?” Rarity said.
“It should be just outside,” Twilight said, noticing daylight coming from it that indicated the tunnel lead outside.
~
Emerging from the cave exit, the three found a small pond, about the size of the one in Ponyville. It was rather beautiful; the light shining off it and the almost… metallic sheen within gave it a beautiful, platinum look. The place had a serene feel to it that brought smiles to the three ponies’ faces, the three of them unable to resist a chance to just appreciate its splendor.
A second later Rainbow looked around and reached into her saddlebag. “Well, it’s not gonna collect itself!” she said with a cocky grin as she flew over and held out the Harmony Stone. A soft tune began to play in her mind, and she could feel fillyhood memories come back to her.
…
“I’m gonna be the most awesome-est flier in all Equestria, mommy!” a much younger Rainbow Dash said proudly, flying in circles around her mother. “Then, I’m gonna be a wonderbolt, just like you were!”
“I know you will, sweetheart,” the pink pegasus mare said, catching the cyan filly in her hooves as she hovered in the air. “Never stop being the brave, loyal daughter you’ve shown me that you are.”
“I won’t, mommy! I promise!” the rainbow-maned filly said, hugging her mother back.
…
The soft melody ended, and Rainbow found herself back by the pond, her friends staring at her. Shaking her head, the pegasus realized her eyes had watered again; this time her cheeks felt a little wet now, too as the memory had played in her mind. It did not go unnoticed; as now both Twilight and Rarity stood on either side of her.
“Rainbow… is there anything you want to tell us?” Twilight asked, concerned.
“We’re your friends, Rainbow. If there’s something bothering you, we’re here to listen,” Rarity said, putting a hoof on Rainbow’s shoulder.
“There’s a lot of things that went on in my life before I met you two,” Rainbow said. “Too much to talk about now. Besides,” she added, managing a smile and holding up the stone with her hoof. “We got what we were here for, right? We should probably be heading back to the Hollow Shades and hope the train station’s back in business!”
“More walking?” Rarity muttered, feeling rather fatigued from what had recently occurred.
“Nah, I’ll get us there in no time!” Twilight said. “Just come over and hold on to me.”
Twilight’s friends put their hooves on her shoulders and all three closed their eyes as her horn charged brightly with magical power, and in a flash, the three were gone.
~
“Now this I prefer!” Rarity said, smiling at the sunny sky that now overlooked the Hollow Shades. Zomponies and ghosts were nowhere to be seen, and townsponies were out and around repairing damages and going about their business. Up ahead, Rainbow noticed Spitfire and the others who had been fighting the zomponies off earlier supervising some of the repairs.
“Hey, Captain!” Rainbow said, flying over.
“Heya, cadet! Glad to see you made it through! Just a little while ago all those thick clouds began to fade, and then me and the others flew on up and cleared up the sky,” Spitfire explained. “Nice to finally see the town get back its good looks and a few less of the walking dead around." Spitfire let out a sigh of relief. "So where’re you three off to, now?”
“We’re heading to Manehattan!” Rainbow explained. “Know if the train station’s open now?”
“Far as I know it is,” Spitfire replied. “Fleur De Lis actually got on the first one, and the ponies the town was reporting missing turned up with a couple gizmonks who brought them over and explained everything. Nice work busting up those changelings, by the way!”
“Thanks. Wouldn’t have done it without my friends watching my back,” Rainbow said, looking over at Twilight and Rarity. “Well, maybe… their help was appreciated at least!” she added with a grin, causing both unicorns to partake in a synchronized facehoof.
“I’m sure it was,” Spitfire said with a laugh. “Well, if you three wanna catch that train, you should probably get moving. It’ll be leaving in just a couple more minutes.”
“Right! Catch ya later!” Rainbow said, and the three friends hurried off to the train station, which was now bustling with ponies who until now had been delayed by the zompony attack.
~
“Well I don’t know about the rest of you, but I’m looking forward to experiencing Manehattan as well!” Rarity said proudly, her eyes practically starry now. “Have you heard of the Star Reacher Department Store? It’s the second tallest building there next to the Equestian State Building, and is positively to die for!” she said. “Not to mention remarkable cuisines and the absolutely amazing Bridleway theater performances!”
“Careful, Rarity. I think you might pass out from all the excitement,” Rainbow said with a chuckle as she finished the daffodil sandwiches the train served. Just up ahead on the island off the coastline, Equestria’s biggest and most bustling metropolis awaited them. Aside from what she’d heard Applejack go on about once, she admittedly knew little else of the place, so it was sure to be an interesting experience either way, even with the threat of Equestria’s future looming over the three of them.
“Shouldn’t be too much longer, girls! Manehattan City here we come!” Twilight said, staring out the window as the massive city grew closer and closer…
SANCTUARY GUARDIAN!
And as ever... the epically creepy Sanctuary Guardian battle music...
Catch ya next time when I get the time for another chapter, and hope you all enjoyed this one and its twist 'boss fight'. 
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That was odd. In other words, perfect for an EarthBound fic.
So here's what happened immediately:
"Rarity, it was one guy who looked at you funny, let it go."
"No, I'm showering this instant, find us a resting place."
"Twi?"
"You know she won't quit until we stop. May as well let her wash the Smooze from her hair while I get the book."
"Uuggh, fine, but I'm not stopping 'til I know we're somewhere Sombra can't reach, Got it?"
"I wouldn't have it any other way."
Oh, and also:
There's no reason for this music, I just want to see you cry
.
The sanctuary music is scary? It's fantastic fine funk. BTW way you keep reminding me I should finish Earthbound. Thanks for that.
3453583
And suddenly I have to use that...
3453762
To which I respond the square-cube law. an object of increased proportion in one dimension must be accounted for in the other dimensions as well, so a creature of much larger scale, rather than increasing dramatically in strength, would actually see an exponential decrease in power/mass ratio and mobility. In reality, the onlt standing boost it would have is stronger webbing... But that's just the spider. The others I agree with you on, they could stand to be a bit longer.
3462968
"Rainbow."
"Yeff Tvi?"
"First, don't talk with your mouth full. Second, what are you eating?"
"Fwe*gulp*Free Cake."
"Free Cake? Who gave it to you?"
"That nice mare over there."
"...Rainbow."
"*nom*Yeah?"
"How many fingers am I holding up?"
"...Seventeen?"
"We don't have fingers, Rainbow."
"..."
"You're high, aren't you?"
"It would explain why you're suddenly a unicorn."
"I'm always a unicorn, Rainbow Dash."
"Oooh yeeeeah... heheheh..."
*Rainbow begins Magic Cake trip*
The follow up.
3463384
Stuff like that makes me glad everyone's favorite part is probably only three chapters away, then
"Rainbow, are you sure we should be messing with this cider?"
"Come on, Twi! We got a tip-off to go here and I've handled all kinds of cider before, what's theworst that can happen?"
3463501
Quirky humor is my specialty, and Earthbound is all about that, so I can really cut loose with this one.
I have to say, I'm really looking forward to them finding a bag of dragonite. That will be fun.
Weird how Rarity didn't take a bath in those monkeys village.
3703911
The place wasn't really open for business yet with its many citizens monkeynapped.
Oh boy something's wrong with Rarity 😰
Dang whatever the dark magic got to them must be really strong
Oh no its greedy Rarity it looks like Tom affected her or Tom is being affected as well
“I’m gonna be the most awesome-est flier in all Equestria, mommy!” a much younger Rainbow Dash said proudly, flying in circles around her mother. “Then, I’m gonna be a wonderbolt, just like you were!”
“I know you will, sweetheart,” the pink pegasus mare said, catching the cyan filly in her hooves as she hovered in the air. “Never stop being the brave, loyal daughter you’ve shown me that you are.”
“I won’t, mommy! I promise!” the rainbow-maned filly said, hugging her mother back.
I guess this is before Windy whistle came along that must be Firefly the pony from first generation I think
but I do love the love a daughter and a mother have in her childhood years 😭
Wow I was kind of surprised of the boss so rainbow and the others tried to catch up to Queen Chrysalis and her Army of changelings and try to find a location but apparently Rarity is been acting really weird and her attitude is something else but once they got to the cave the changelings been acting oddly and they even fighting each other but once they make it through they found Queen Chrysalis standing in front of a stone mesmerized and they were about to pursue but Rarity unexpectedly went to saying just like Queen Chrysalis and the others even her colors was gone just like when Discord corrupt them but this time even worse and apparently that stone is the same Stone they saw back in season 2 I knew we should never trust Tom but they had some fight off Rarity and bring her back to normal but it looks like Queen Chrysalis Escape but they give them a little information about the effect of the smooze and that's how Rarity got corrupted she's been affected but once they defeated the stone and finally free Rarity they found the third sanctuary she use the stone and she's having flashbacks about her mother and always tell rainbow to be very loyal no matter what once they got the third one they went back to Hollow shade and everything was back to normal they told Spitfire everything what just happened and congratulated them for it now they have to head for Manhattan not only figure out to cure Rarity from that effect but also the new location I wondering what's going to happen