And So It Begins
All in the room were silent as they watched the swirling sphere of violet-pink light surround Anthea. Hot Head, Amber, and Lucky could only stare in suspense at what had happened to their friend, while Twilight, being right next to the sphere, felt something emanating from it. A feeling of calm, caring, and nurturing, in essence, it felt like love. Suddenly the sphere of light changed, solidifying into sapphire crystal of the same color, forming itself to that of a unicorn mare. At once the entire thing shattered apart, the fragments lifting up into the air and changing into light particles. Twilight and the trio gasped at what they saw.
Annie was in violet pink outfit that covered her neck, torso, and a little of her face. The cowl opened at the top allowing her horn and some of her mane to show, with the rest of her mane flowing out in a tightly woven braid. Her hind and forelegs had boots upon them, coming up just a bit above her knees on her forelegs and past the hocks and covering a bit of her thighs on her hind legs.
At the center of her chest was a violet-pink sapphire crystal, with four leaf patterns coming out from it. Upon her right hoof was the ring that appeared before her, shining with its powerful light. Annie slowly opened her eyes, at first, everything was blurry blotches of color as usual, but at that moment the symbol the Star Sapphires appeared in her eyes and quickly disappeared.
The blurry blotches started to come into focus, finer details that Annie had never before seen were coming into view. Her mouth began to steadily open as the image of the griffon who attacked them became crystal clear, she could see everything! The columns that held up the ceiling, the gallery seats spread out around them, the splattering of blood on the floor, and the looks of confusion she was getting from Steel Nerves and Thunder Fist.
“Anthea…?”
Annie looked behind her and, for the first time in her life, she could see the face of Twilight Sparkle, every hair in her mane, her deep lavender eyes, and she had to admit, she was prettier than she imagined she was. Annie stretched out her right hoof towards Twilight’s face, gently placing it on her right cheek as if confirming what she was seeing was indeed really there.
“Princess…I see you…”
“Anthea what…what do you mean?” asked Twilight.
“I-I-I can see you, every detail, not just some blurry blotches of color, I can see you!” Annie proclaimed in a jubilant voice.
Twilight couldn’t believe what she was hearing, Anthea could actually see her. The alicorn’s eyes drifted to the ring that was wrapped around Anthea’s right hoof, her mind flashing back to Starburst, remembering her story of how the ring appeared to her and why it did. Fear was starting to well up inside her, but not the kind from earlier; this was born out of worry and concern for her young protégé.
But…it doesn’t make sense! Annie isn’t one to make other ponies afraid of her; she has none of the qualities that would strike terror into somepony! I don’t doubt that she has a strong sense of justice, but she’s more of a pacifist than anything! So why, why did another ring appear?!
The griffon Pretender shook off his initial shock of seeing the transformation and readied his whip to attack Anthea while her back was turned.
[Warning: Enemy attack.]
Anthea turned just in time to see the griffon lash out with his whip once again, the unicorn mare brought up her forelegs in an attempt to protect herself, shutting her eyes tight and wincing in preparation for the pain of the blow. The ring, sensing Annie’s intent, shined and created a crystal construct shield, making the whip bounce harmlessly off the barrier. Anthea dared to open her eyes and gasped when she saw the barrier, her eyes fell to the ring.
“Another Fear Lantern?! I’ll get vengeance for our fallen Pretender brethren as well!” The griffon lunged for Anthea, roaring in anger and bloodlust.
[Rage and hate, a being devoid of love.]
She could feel it; everything the ring said was true. Anthea could always sense the feelings of others, but with the ring, she was being attuned to them. “You…you’re loveless, you care not for anyone…your anger and fury is born of loyalty and bitterness towards others…”
Anthea pointed her right hoof at the griffon and fired a beam of light from the ring. The beam blasted the griffon, but, instead of obliterating him it encased him in a cocoon of violet-pink sapphire crystal. Annie turned to face the griffons that her friends were fighting, her eyes shining with the light of love.
[Multiple loveless beings, subjects are marked.]
The pink unicorn mare raised her right hoof as the ring shined even brighter, “Love conquers all!”
The ring fired multiple beams of violet-pink light, at first her friends, the King, and the Prince thought the beams were going to hit them, but they bent around them, aiming solely for the griffon Pretenders. When the beams struck their target, they too became encased in sapphire crystal. The Pretenders scrambled about, trying to dodge the beams, some fumbled into each other, ending up with them getting hit. In all, fifteen Pretenders were captured in sapphire, with the remainder fleeing in terror from seeing their comrades trapped in crystal.
Anthea ceased her attack as the light of ring dimmed. The minotaur King and Prince, Twilight, and Annie’s friends just stared at her in disbelief, she had just single hoofedly drove off the griffons and captured a good amount of them to boot. Annie was blushing from attention she was getting, that, and she felt ready to collapse, which she did. Twilight was quick to catch Annie in her telekinetic aura, keeping the young unicorn close to her. With a stern and serious expression, Twilight turned to her Guards.
“We’re leaving, NOW!” Twilight then turned to King Fist. “I’m sorry your Highness, but given what just occurred, I am taking my apprentice and leaving for my homeland immediately!”
King Fist snorted and nodded his head in agreement. “Steel, round up any soldiers you can get, we’re escorting High Princess Twilight and her entourage to their ship!”
“Yes sir!”
Annie felt groggy and tired, yet strangely powerful. Lazily her eyes started to open, the first sight greeting her was a dome made of violet-pink sapphire crystal, confused, Annie turned her head to her right and saw a strange sight. Amber, Hot Head, Lucky, and High Princess Twilight were standing at the other end of the room, a mixture of concern and determination plastered on her three friends’ faces, and worry plain on Twilight’s face. It was then that something else registered with Annie, she could see them, actually see them.
She bolted upright from the bed, taking in more details as her senses were becoming aware of her surroundings. Her bed was inside a crystal dome, five feet in diameter, Annie quickly looked around before remembering a bit of what happened. The unicorn mare looked to her right hoof and finally saw it, the violet ring. The mysterious object that appeared to her at a critical time. It was glowing, resonating with the sapphire dome that surrounded her. At first she thought to panic, but she sensed no hostility from the dome or the ring. Taking a calming breath, Annie addressed her friends.
“Um…could somepony explain to me why I’m in a dome made of crystal?” asked Annie.
The three friends looked to each other and then to Twilight before one of them, Amber, decided to speak up. “Annie…we uh, we…”
[Subjects attempted to remove me from my bearer. I deployed self-defensive measures until such time as you awakened Anthea.]
Everypony gasped at hearing the ring on Annie’s right hoof speak, even Annie herself. Thinking it rude not to respond, Annie spoke back to the ring. “Um…so you put up this…barrier I guess, around me to protect me?”
[I sensed that you loved these subjects, and that they possessed love for you as well, which is why I only deployed the barrier and not more lethal measures until you awakened and could determine the status of these subjects.]
“‘Status’?”
[Are they friend or foe?]
“Oh – OH! Yes, yes they are my friends not foe, definitely NOT foes!” Annie spoke clearly and strongly, making sure the ring did not mishear her.
[Subjects: Twilight Sparkle, Hot Head, Amber Lily, and Lucky Star. Designation: Friendly. Love: Familial/Platonic. Cancelling defensive measures, and my apologies.]
Almost instantly the barrier started to shatter apart, the crystal sounding like tiny pieces of glass breaking as it turned into light particles. Once the barrier was gone, and they were sure that the ring wouldn’t try anything else, Amber broke away and hugged Anthea fiercely, nearly knocking the wind out of the mare. She held on tightly, afraid that she would leave them. It wasn’t long before Hot Head and Lucky joined in, making it a group hug.
Annie could feel their love for her; literally, through the power of the ring she could feel it. The love that could only be born from the bonds forged in childhood, four orphans who regarded each other as both family and friend, and loved just as much and even more, the kind of love that would make them gladly do whatever it took to protect each other from harm. It was almost overwhelming for Annie, she knew that they cared about her, but she never knew just how much till now. Out of all of them, Twilight stood far from the hug, giving them a small smile.
“I’m fine you guys, really. Better than fine, I can actually see you!” Annie blurted.
The three friends separated themselves from Anthea and looked upon skeptically, but with a little sense of hope.
“Really…?” asked Lucky.
“Yep!”
“Alright, let’s make sure,” said Hot Head.
The pegasus stallion walked over to a cabinet, knowing that Annie could only see blurry blotches of color, she couldn’t make out details in another pony so he was going to make sure that her sight truly was healed or if it was just a cruel trick that the ring was playing on her. Being in the medical ward of the Avalon, Hot Head was able to get out three tongue depressors, he stayed where he was, since he knew that Annie couldn’t make out details from a certain distance, even with her blurred vision. He managed to hold all three in the crook of his left hoof and held them out.
“How many of these things am I holding?”
Annie blinked. “Three.”
“Hmm, lucky guess.” Hot Head brought his wings over his hoof to hide the depressors; he then removed his wing and revealed the same number of sticks. “So how many do I have now?”
“Three again, and the middle one looks like it has a crack in the center of it,” said Annie.
Hot Head inspected the depressor and it was true, it did have a small crack in it. Amber and Lucky just stared at Anthea, mouths agape. Hot Head dropped the sticks and immediately went to join his friends in their joint excitement. Meanwhile, Twilight, while still happy that Anthea was okay and that she could see clearly for the first time in her life, was weary of the whole situation. Another ring had just appeared in Equestria, and it sought out Anthea. The ring was different from Starburst’s, both in color and ability it seemed. The power it radiated didn’t feel intimidating like what she felt at Maretonia, the power of Fear. If the ring was to be believed, it worked on love.
A ring that works off of a specific emotion? How can such a thing be possible, this ring doesn’t even feel like the kind of love magic that Cadance uses! I can feel some similarities but the power doesn’t appear to be magic based! Why now, why has another one of these things appeared in our world, and to somepony like Anthea?!
“Princess?”
Twilight snapped out of her revere and looked upon her apprentice, putting on a smile. “Y-Yes Anthea?”
“What exactly happened, where are we?” asked Annie.
Twilight sighed heavily. “Well, what do you remember?”
Annie brought a hoof to her chin. “Let’s see…I remember getting the ring, the griffon, shooting him with a beam that wrapped him in a crystal cocoon, and then doing the same to other griffons all at once. Then I think I passed out after that…”
“Alright…” Twilight filled in the blanks of Annie’s memories. After Anthea had passed out, Twilight had ordered an evac from Minotaurus, the King and Prince, along with some of their guards escorted them swiftly and cautiously back to the Avalon. Once aboard, Twilight cast a spell that would jam all Pretender cloaking magic, and once assured that there were none on the ship, the Avalon took off with great haste. “Right now we’re on course for Canterlot, and should arrive there by nightfall since we’re flying at nearly top speed.” Twilight then turned around and made her way to the door.
“Princess where are you going?” asked Annie.
The alicorn mare magicked the door open and closed it quietly behind her as she exited, leaving the four ponies within to wonder the cause of Twilight’s sudden change in demeanor.
Canterlot Same Time…
Nidra’s room was completely glowing in orange light from the ring that just flew into it. She stood before the item, mystified and at the same time fearful of what the object was. Yet, she couldn’t help but feel a rampant need to make the object hers and hers alone. Nidra shook her head, trying to focus her thoughts.
“What are you…?”
[I am what you want. I am power, the power that will help you to obtain anything and everything you ever wanted in your life, and more.]
“A ring…power…? Wait you’re…you’re like Starburst’s ring aren’t you, a Fear Lantern ring?! But, why is your color different from hers?”
[I am not a ring of fear. The light of Avarice is what powers me, and it is avarice that I have detected in you.]
Nidra thought over that word, “avarice”. If I remember correctly, avarice is another word for…greed.
[You desire something…or perhaps someone? Take hold of me and you will be able to have it all.]
Nidra didn’t know what to do, this ring was saying it wasn’t a Fear Lantern ring, and yet it boasted that it could give her power enough to get everything she ever wanted. But what more could she want? She was a Princess, a future ruler of Equestria (although she wasn’t quite looking forward to the burden of becoming a High Princess), there was hardly anything she couldn’t get if she so wished. But there was one thing, one stallion she wanted more than anything, one she desired to be hers and love only her.
Could this ring really give me that kind of power…? But if I did I’d be stealing him away from Annie.
So what?! Anthea doesn’t deserve him! His life is wasted on her, taking care of a hypocritical blind mare who speaks of independence and yet becomes a whimpering mess whenever she’s alone! All Anthea will do is drag T down and keep him from being truly happy!
But T is happy with Annie, I mean, yeah, it does annoy me…
And why can’t he be happy with you?! You’re a hot, immortal goddess of Slumber who can make all his wildest dreams come true! He’ll be royalty; we can rule together, eternal lovers, the dragon and the princess!
It does have nice ring to it…
[What is your decision Nidra of Equestria, do you want it all?]
“I…I…” Within Nidra’s slit eyes the symbol of the ring started to appear, slowly fading into existence as a maniacal smile formed on her lips. “I…want…I want –!”
“Nidra, what’s going on in there?”
The alicorn thestral was snapped out of her trance and stared wide eyed at her bedroom door. “Crap it’s my Mom!” She cursed in a hushed whisper.
Nidra knew there was no way her mother would condone her having a ring like this, not after what happened with Starburst, she’d soon take it away before she could find out more about it. She looked to the ring and then to the door, the ring, the door, the ring, the door, the ring, the door!
“Nidra I’m coming in.”
Finally, with a frustrated grunt, Nidra cast a spell upon the ring, encasing the alien object in a crystal made of her mana energy. The ring’s light all but faded away as soon as it was captured within. Nidra quickly kicked the ring under her bed and plopped herself onto it as quickly as she could. At the last second the door opened and Nidra put on her most annoyed expression that she could muster.
“Jeez Mom, thanks for knocking and barging into my room, not like you could’ve walked in on something private!”
Luna, now standing in the doorway and without her regalia at the moment, gave her teenage daughter an indignant look. “Nidra if you were doing something ‘private’ as you say, I assure you it isn’t something to be embarrassed about, I was once a teenage mare too.”
Nidra cringed, wishing she had come up with something better than that. “What do you mean ‘was’? You still act like one from time to time.”
Luna thought about Nidra’s statement, she then shrugged. “Touche. But, really now, are you alright?”
“Yes Mom, I’m fine, why do you ask?”
“I saw a strange orange light coming from your room, I got worried because it felt…off.” Luna’s visage became one of worry. “I got a little scared when you didn’t answer right away so I…forgive me, I should have knocked.”
Nidra was taken aback a little by her mother’s apology, it wasn’t unusual for them to butt heads now and again, she still loved her and she knew her mother did love her as well, it was just that there were times when she really got on her nerves. Nidra was so lost in thought that she didn’t realize that her mother had crawled onto the bed and laid down beside her.
“I guess recent events have made me…worrisome as of late.” Luna confessed.
Nidra raised an eyebrow at that, “Worrisome about what? Do you think I’ll go rogue like Starburst or something?”
Luna winced; apparently Nidra hit the nail on the head. “It’s just; I know you took what has happened to Starburst hard. I know how close you two were –”
“Are.” Nidra corrected.
“Sorry. I know how much it hurts because Twilight Sparkle is a dear friend to me, before she ever became a Princess. When I see you and Starburst together, I am reminded of those times long ago. So I know how you feel in a way…”
Nidra leered at her mother angrily from behind her bangs. You think you know how I feel?! My best friend is a criminal and barely anypony is taking her side! And you have the nerve to actually tell me that you know how I feel?! You –!
“…for me, try not push her away…like I did.”
The fury in Nidra quelled upon remembering her friend’s words. Maybe she could make some effort. Letting out a sigh, Nidra maneuvered her head under her mother’s chin, nuzzling her in a comforting fashion. Luna was a little surprised by the action, but nonetheless nuzzled the top of her daughter’s head in response.
“Don’t worry about me Mom, I’m fine, really.” Her eyes drifted downwards, peering past the mattress and sheets to what lay hidden underneath. “…Maybe better than you think.”
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Oh I can't wait to see everyone else reaction when they get back home!
I can SEE Nidra being sealed on the moon at the end of this story
This is awesome. I wonder what Twilight is going to do now. Scratch that, think of Fluttershy. Then imagine the two mares after T. Man, he is going to need a ring to escape this mess. Great chapter.
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Oh yes, reactions will be good...
Somewhere between "Damn she looks hot in that Star Sapphire outfit!" and "Holy crap another ring, take it off Annie!", and lets not forget about the eventual epic freakout that Fluttershy is going to have once she sees what's going to happen. Momma bear Fluttershy anyone? 
Awesome Annie!
Is Twilight actually having a change of heart? Or crisis of faith? This is madness!
5023734
Yes, but then the moon would be orange. And have a large, glowing MINE printed on it forever. Is it really worth the risk?
5025490
I'd love to see the moon with a little flare so yes totally worth it
5025490 My guess is a crisis of faith. She is still uncertain if that ring Star has is affecting her mind directly or if it's just the power it gives. (And to be fair, it might be affecting her mind)
5025505 And I really hope that she doesn't get banished to the moon. That would be too tragic. (Besides, seeing she has a lantern ring, how would she stay up there?)
5157408 given the recent chapter shes going to the slammer either way when this is over
because even though she is her mothers daughter, stealing magic from a Princess, must SURLY warrant some jail time.
also Nidra doing similar things her mother did as Nightmare, this CANNOT be good for the reception/approval rating of the Lunar family
The Star Sapphires can be extreme, but overall they've been more a force for good than not, especially after Carol straightened them out. Orange Lanterns on the other hand...