Minty Image

by mintgreenconspiracy

Optional Chapter 1-5: Rarity's story

"How are you feeling today Rainbow?" Twilight asked, as she walked in the room. "You getting stir crazy?" Twilight asked, with a sincere smile. "I brought some more books on fashion that you can borrow! Maybe this one on..." Twilight said, surpressing a gak. "On Canterlots..." Twlight rolled her eyes. "Latest fashion trends!"

"Why thank you darling! Some more fashion books would be so dashing! And as for your other question, I am getting a little stir crazy, sadly. The doctor keeps the distance I can move from my bed to a minimum, darling. And they won't let me do anything without this, unrainbowy, thing around my neck, darling!" Rainbow replied. "At least Minty is looking a lot better. Apparently the darling doctor is hoping to remove her casts, and send the three of us home after they figure out what's wrong with me, darling."

"Well at least Pinkie could come to visit." Twilight said, pointing to the straight haired Pinkie, with a smile. "And me too." She said, eagerly.

"Yeah! It's been kind of lonely without you." The other pink party pony said. "The good news is the cakes have been kind enough to lend me a room while I wait for you two to recover. And that other Pinkie has been working hard to keep my spirits up." Pinkie said, with a frown. After a short while, she turned it into a smile. "I'm glad to hear that you and Minty are doing better. Ponyville's been boring without Minty and Rainbow spicing things up." Pinkie said, her smile dropping slightly, and her countenance becoming serious. "I've even been trying to convince that other Pinkie to let me hold a friendship ball! Everyone will have such pinkie keen fun! But she says that balls are no fun at all." She said frowning. "Something about a gala! But I think nothing is more fun than a friendly ball!"

As she was saying that, there was a knocking on the door. "Oh my!" Pinkie said, with a bewildered expression. "I wonder who that could be?"

"Come in!" Twilight exclaimed, as Nurse Kind Heart entered the room, holding a bottle of pills.

"Hello dearies!" Nurse Kind Heart said, with a compassionate smile. "And Twilight too!" The nurse continued. "How fortunate! I'm so glad you're visiting! It saves me having to track you down!" She said, her smile changing slightly.

"What's the matter?" Twilight said with apprehension. "What do you need to track me down for?" She asked, with puzzlement.

"Oh nothing much dearies. It's just that Doctor Horse and I think that Rainbow Dash's condition may have been caused by some kind of rare illness in her fairy cords -- and we feel that we should give all of you something to try and rid you of it -- just in case it's contagious!" The nurse said, heading over to the mint green pony's bed.

"One for you first, then one for Rainbow! Then finally Twilight and Pinkie." The nurse said, with a pleasant smile.

"Actually nurse, could I get a second opinion?" Twilight asked, her face turning suspicious. "I've read a lot of books on magic, and magical diseases -- I've even had one or two! But I've never heard of a disease that can affect the fairy cords before! And I worry that the doctor made a hasty diagnosis." Twilight said, with a frown.

"Oh! Of course dearie, but the longer we wait the worse her condition becomes. And you might already have it to! And I'm sure the princess wouldn't appreciate it if we let you get sick!" She said, as she began to reach out with the pill.

Twilight blocked her hoof, with magic. "I really want a second opinion first! Minty's condition is not great, and I trust Doctor Horse; but I really would feel better getting a second opinion!" Twilight was face hoofing on the inside; why was she second guessing two trained medical professionals?

"Very well dearies. I'll get the doctor! But I think that maybe --" The nurse said.

"Twilight! That nurse is a fake!" Screamed Scootaloo, running into the room, arching her back in a belligerent position.

Twilight responded immediately by putting up a magical shield.

"It would be better if you slept!" The nurse continued, her eyes glowing a strange light, just a split second after Twilight put up a magical barrier around herself.

"Scootaloo! RUN! Get out of here!" Twilight screeched in horror, blasting the filly with a teleport spell designed to warp her to a random position elsewhere on the floor.

"Oh well! That's wasn't necessary!" Snarled the nurse, speaking with an old mare's voice. "I would have let that filly go, once I got rid of you and the other three traitors!" She said with a smirk, being engulfed in green magic.

"Traitor?" Twilight asked, with confusion. "What did you do to the other two!" Twilight said, on the verge of using the Royal Canterlot Voice.

"They're just sleeping for a minute! You should be as well!" The changeling hissed, displeased that her first spell had failed. "But I guess an alicorn princess can resist most magic assuming they are prepared for it. Maybe a different tact?" She hissed, preparing her next move.

"There will be no different tact!" Twilight snarled. "You won't try anything!" Twilight shrieked powering up a spell.

"Too bad you won't use your magic on regular ponies! Just ask Longhorn!" She said, with a smirk. "After all, I'm 'not magical', and you might hurt me!" She said, with a grin.

"Oh watch me!" Twilight said, powering up her horn. "Let me put an end to this and then I'll find out what Queen Chrysalis wants with these three!" She said, shooting off a powerful spell.

The Changeling laughed maliciously. "Got you!" She said, as she lifted an orb out of her saddlebag. Suddenly, both her eyes, and the orb, started to glow an odd color.

********

The next thing Twilight knew, she was in bed. Spike was standing guard over her, his face full of tears, and he looked tired from constant fretting.

"Good morning Spike! What bring you up so early?" Twilight asked with a smile. "You don't normally get up until later on!"

Spike simply frowned, and looked away, scuffing his foot. "No you're up late!" He responded back, his face filled with anger. "You've been asleep for three months Twilight!"

"Was I gone that long?" She asked herself, confused . Why would she be asleep for three months? Suddenly the answer became obvious/ "That assassin's magic! How are that other Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash doing? And their friend Minty?" Twilight asked, fearing the worst. "Did the assassin get them like she wanted to?"

Her number one assistant was more than willing to oblige. "She cost some kind of sleeping spell on you. If you'd been a regular unicorn you would have been asleep for 75 years!" He said, frowning deeply. "Lucky you!" He said, sarcastically, waving his claws around. "The princess of friendship is awake! And only after three months!"

"You're dodging my question!" Twilight said, accusingly. "Where are they?"

"Gone Twilight! And our Pinkie too!" He said, covering his mouth as soon as he said the second sentence.

"Gone?" Twilight asked. She paused a few seconds, fearing the answer to her next question; but it had to be asked. "What do you mean gone? Did they go home already?"

"No Twi!" Spike said, his voice raising. "Gone!!" He scuffed his foot, and snorted fire from his nose. "Forever!" He said, looking away in disgust. "Pinkie blamed herself for the loss of Pinkie and her friends -- apparently something to do with her fallout with her parents! Nopony even knew she was devastated until it was too late!" He said, looking out the window. "I think the cakes are still looking for her replacement!"

Twilight frowned. "Where'd she move to? Maybe I can bring her back!"

Spike just shook his head. "Good luck! Hope you have a Ouija Board!"

Twilight couldn't believe what she was hearing. This simply couldn't be accurate, you can't defuse laughter this easily! Pinkie's spirit couldn't be snuffed out that easily! But it all seemed so real!

"Rarity?" Twilight asked. "How's she holding up?"

Spike frowned and shook his head. "She and Scootaloo returned and tried to save everyone! They managed to save you!" He said, looking away again, and starting to walk away. "But at an extremly high price!" He said, his face growing ever more agitated. "At least they can keep the pinkie's company!"

Twilight frowned, this all didn't make sense. "What about Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom?" Twilight asked, hoping someone fared better.

"It's funny! It's not till somepony is gone that you realize what you really lost!" Spike said, walking away with tears in his eyes, hugging a stuffed Sweetie Belle that Rarity had given him before she left town. "Our Rarity couldn't take it and left town. Everyone else started to leave one by one afterwards."

"You didn't answer my question! What about Apple Bloom!" Twilight asked. This all has to be a bad dream! It couldn't be real!

"Remember! ' If you'd been a regular unicorn you would have been asleep for 75 years!' That's Apple Bloom right there! At least she won't have to find out about her friend's fates!" Spike said, trying to push past Twilight.

What about Applejack?" Twilight asked, cutting in front of the dragon as he tried to leave the bedroom door. "She has to tend to Sweet Apple Acres! She has to still be in town! And if her sister's asleep, then she can't move!" She said, with a laugh at her own impeccable logic, as if she just got a one up on fate.

"She's still in town Twi, but she probably doesn't want to speak to you!" Spike said, with a huff. "Celestia knows: now that you are awake I don't either!" He said, pushing her aside with every ounce of draconic strength he had. "Consider this my resignation!" He snarled, grabbing a sack of things he had set beside the door.

Twilight was crushed. Why was everyone acting this way! It just broke her heart. Did nopony care about the elements anymore? Did nopony care about their friendship?

********

The princess stood there babbling incoherently about her friends, while the other three ponies slept quietly wherever the stood or sat.

"Well, too bad I'm not allowed to feed, or take anything. There's a lot of youth and magic in this room, and some very beautiful emotions." The changeling shrugged. "Oh well , Mandragora!" She said to herself. "Time to finish the hive's business. I'll get what I want soon enough!" She said, with a smirk, planning her next move.

"I had originally been instructed to use Belladonna's witching potion, but apparently I'll have to do what I prefer to do: take what I want, by force!" She said, licking her lips with glee. "Too bad I can't use my orb!" She said, looking at her orb longingly.

Using some of her magic, she created a blade of pure magic. "Perfect for dealing with princesses!" She smirked, sadistically. "Now who should I start with?" She said, looking at the four ponies in the room, with a sadistic smile. She raised the object, eager for the outcome.

"How about you leave them alone!" A shouting voice boomed from outside, and a powerful blast wind sent the assassin flying.

"Who dares interfere!?" The assassin asked, losing her cool.

"I do!" Shouted a purple unicorn, reared on only her back hooves, and wielding a long, heavy, rod with an orb at the end. "Why are you being so mean?" She asked, with displeasure. "What did they ever do to you?"

"Mean!?" The old changeling said, laughing riotously. "This is my job, and these -- " She said, waving her hoof at the four other ponies in the room. "Are traitors, and deserve this!"

"Who says?" The unicorn said, waving the wand again. Causing the floor to shake violently, and creak like it was going to collapse. After a short time, she began to wave the large rod again. "Please can't we all talk it out like friends?

The assassin simply remained unfazed. "I say!" The changeling said, her orb glowing again. "And let me show you what comes of having friends!"

"Cheerilee!" Screamed a small pink filly, staring in horror from just outside the room.

********

Cheerilee fluttered her eyes. Wasn't she just in a hospital somewhere? Why was she back in Unicornia? Next to her were Brights Brightly and Whistle Wishes. In front of her, the Crystal Carriage was being cleaned by three unicorns, each one holding a soapy cloth and was standing next to a bucket of soapy water.

Cheerilee stood there puzzled, staring ahead blankly. Didn't she live through this already? No she couldn't have! So why did she feel like she did? She was certain, that she never did this before! Right?

"It's so beautiful and pink! Everything is so pretty!" Whistle Wishes said, remarking on the splendid job that had been done to decorate for the Rainbow Princess Ceremony, breaking Cheerilee's concentration. After a short period of time, Whistle Wishes started to canter over to the Crystal Carriage.

"You ok Cheerilee?" Brights Brightly asked, with a smile, to her friend who was standing there, utterly befuddled. "You seem confused! Remember: we have to get Rarity." She said, with a chuckle. "The First Rainbow of the Season is happening any day now! And we need to have Rarity ready and under the Crystal Dome before the fourth shooting star shoots over the horizon!"

Cheerilee shook her head. Yes! This seemed familiar, this must have been what she was doing! "Oh! Of course!" She said, blushing slightly. "Thanks Brights Brightly! I don't know what came over me!" She said, with a smile, wondering where her head had been at.

"Don't worry about it!" The yellow unicorn said, as she and Cheerilee trotted off to join their blue friend by the carriage. "We all get confused sometimes! You must have been deep in thought!"

Cheerilee simply nodded. "Excuse me?" Cheerilee asked, trotting over to the three unicorns standing over at the carriage, with a smile. "Have you seen Rarity?" She asked, as the three unicorns stopped their work and put their cloths down for a second to think, before shaking their heads violently.

"Come on! Let's go look for her in the castle!" Cheerilee said, on auto pilot. Didn't she say that before? Somewhere at some point? And if she did then... Oh No!!!!!

"Come on! She's back in the ballroom! (not to be confused with the ball-room, where the unicorns kept all their giant, colorful, rubber balls!)" Cheerilee said, her eyes glazed in horror.

"Are you sure Cheerilee?" Brights Brightly said with a concerned frown. "I mean, how can you be so sure she's in the ballroom?"

"I've never been more certain of anything!" Cheerilee responded -- panic showing on her face -- racing out ahead of her two friends, who simply looked at each other in confusion.

"What's up with Cheerilee?" They said to each other shaking their heads.

"I've never seen her like this before!" Brights Brightly said to her friend.

"Neither have I! I wonder what has her so concerned? Rarity's probably only hiding again!" Whistle Wishes said, responding to her friend, as Cheerilee galloped off into the distance.

"I have to hurry!" Cheerilee said to herself, in horror. "She's playing with the wand!" She said to herself, as if remembering what happened next.

"Rarity stop!" She shouted, slamming the door open, only to see her young mentee disappear, along with the wand into a puff of smoke. "I'm too late!" She said to herself, staring at the ground.

"Where's Rarity?" The other two unicorns asked, as they slowly caught up.

"Gone!" Cheerilee said, still looking down -- this time sobbing quietly. "I was still too late!"

"Still?" The other two unicorns asked, looking at each other with perplexed expressions. "What do you mean still, Cheerilee?"

Cheerilee didn't answer, opting to put her head between her hooves instead.

After a short time, search parties were organized, and every unicorn was enlisted to search for the missing princess. However, neither hide nor hair of her was found anywhere in Unicornia.

Cheerilee, upon hearing the news, simply excused herself to her room; where she was eventually found, by her friends, sitting on the floor, shaking violently.

"You ok Cheerilee?" Whistle Wishes asked. "You look upset! Could I get you something? Maybe a smoothie, or some juice?"

Cheerilee just shook her head, sadly. "Can you keep a secret Whistle Wishes?" Cheerilee asked, looking around. "I have something I think I need to tell you!" She said, frowning.

Whistle Wishes simply nodded, her face still having a befuddled expression.

"I had a horrible day dream just before Rarity disappeared! Or maybe it was a vision! I imagined that someone attacked Unicornia, and that Rarity and I got separated! And then to make matter worse..." Cheerilee said, starting to sob. "She was almost gone forever and it was all my fault!"

"Well no need to worry about that!" Whistle Wishes said, confidently. "She's probably still here in Unicornia somewhere, and even if she isn't we'll find her! She's probably out playing somewhere."

"I hope so!" Cheerilee said, cheering up slightly. "I'm just so, very, worried!"

A short while later, after it had became obvious that the filly was not in Unicornia, a council of the senior unicorns was called. The topic of discussion was their little runaway princess.

"Time is running out!" Cheerilee lamented, as the first shooting star passed the sky. "We've looked everywhere in Unicornia! She's not hiding this time! She's gone!" She said, with a sigh. Wait a minute! This discussion sounds familiar! As the discussion went on, it became more obvious that she was reliving something. A fact that, Surprisingly, actually helped a little, but not very much. Why did she feel such dread? Was this what Rarity was feeling when she was having her nightmares?

"We have to search outside of Unicornia!" Cheerilee said, on auto pilot.

Whistle Wishes, and Brights Brightly immediately, and enthusiastically, volunteered to join the search for the lost filly as well. Cheerilee was always glad to have their help, especially when she was troubled.

"The three of us will go out and look for her then! We must move quickly!" Cheerilee said. "I would worry for her safety otherwise!" She thought, with a frown. Why was she so sure this would work out with only a near failure, and yet on the other hand was convinced that this would turn out bad?

After an afternoon of searching, it began to became painfully obvious, that the little pink unicorn was not going to be easy to find. At this point, Cheerilee began to become more and more frantic.

"She has to be nearby! She's in this woods somewhere!" She said to herself, almost not making camp for the night. "We have to find her!"

"You ok Cheerilee?" Whistle Wishes asked. "You've been off all day! You have got to be tired! You have to sleep!"

"I'm sorry, Whistle Wishes!" Cheerilee said. "I swore I've done all this before! And though I'm sure it turns out ok, I keep getting the, sinking, feeling that something very bad is about to happen!" She said, frowning, anxiety beginning to show on her face.

"Do you want me to stay up with you?" Brights Brightly asked.

"No I'm good!" Cheerilee said. "You need your rest!" She started saying, before finding the other two unicorns already fast asleep.

She tried to smile, but found anxiety was too heavy on her heart to do so; so she decided to lay down for a while, but was still unable to sleep. After a short time, she began to sing a song: "I'm low..." She started, hesitating a second for a response that never came. "To go!.." She sang again, with the same response. "We're far apart! " But her song felt somehow wrong. Like Rarity should be singing it with her, but wasn't. "Shouldn't Rarity be singing this song too?" She asked herself. "Something is very wrong!" She said, galloping over to a bush, that she suddenly recalled as being important -- for some reason. She had to find Rarity before it was too late!

Behind the bush were some three hornless unicorns, and a tiny dragon. All four were laying in their sleeping bags, in various levels of listless sleeping. Weren't they supposed to come out from behind that bush and surprise her after the third shooting star, but just before the fourth?

"Where's Rarity?" Cheerilee asked herself, beginning to panic. "Shouldn't she be with them?" She said, almost at a shout. She didn't know why, but she was sure Rarity was supposed to be with them.

"Oh Darling!" The rainbow one said, waking up for her listless sleep, with a start. After looking at the unicorn for a second, her face contorted into a very sorry expression. And finally she, hesitantly, opened her mouth. "You must be one of little Rarity's friends!"

Cheerilee looked up, her eyes drenched with tears. "Rarity? Have you seen her? She another unicorn like me, but smaller and pink!"

"Oh darling!" Rainbow Dash said, looking away. "I'm so very sorry, darling! But you see!" She said, choking on each individual word. "I have some very bad news, darling. Please sit down! This won't be a very dashing story!"

A Pink pony walked alongside her friend, who was quietly joining the purple unicorn in sobbing. "Yeah, you see --" The pink pony started, waiting for the unicorn's name, while holding back tears herself.

"Cheerilee." Cheerilee said.

"Cheerilee, there was an accident!" Pinkie said, now holding back sobs. "Rarity was distracted by a butterfly, and fell into a river! Rainbow, Minty and I tried to rescue her, but fell in ourselves! The Breezies tries to rescue us but --"

Cheerilee's face turned dark. "Oh no!" She said to herself. "She can't be!" She shouted, as the third shooting star streaked across the sky. "She's ok! You saved her!" She shouted, her head aching.

"No I'm sorry to say!" A small dragon joined in. "But Rarity... Well she... went over the falls, and well... Didn't come back up!"

"NO!!!!!" Cheerilee shrieked, as the fourth shooting star streaked across the sky. "I've failed just like before." She shrieked as all color began to disappear around them.

In her head, she could hear a male voice laughing manically. "Oh I'm kind of getting rid of this world and all its inhabitants! But don't worry I'm going to replant it elsewhere! And all you G3 phonies can live there! Course I'm going to need new vessels for you and a nice scenic location!" He laughed, wearing an artist's smock. "But first I have to finish tearing this world down! And that means that little pink nuisance, and the other stragglers need to go!" He smirked, disappearing into an empty smile. "I like this world! It'll be the perfect setting for my new theme park: Discordtopia!"

********

Cheerilee stood there, on two hooves motionless, ranting and pleading incoherently for little Rarity's safety.

"Well, the filly and the nurse will act as my witnesses." She said, cackling to herself -- yeah she was bending the rules slightly, and she was sure that Vladímir would be none too happy (she was banking on him getting over it -- though that was far from a bi-gone conclusion); and someone had to be made an example of! No one tries to make a fool of the her and live! "Maybe I'll take a little something from this meddler myself." The old witch chuckled, raising the orb to the purple unicorn. The orb glowed a purple color. "Interesting! That's new. I can't absorb her youth! Maybe a change in vessel would be useful." She said, with a chuckle. "Perhaps this new magic might be a fun change." She grinned. "I should give this vessel a try!"

The orb began to change its glow to a neon black color. As the witch chuckled.

But she wasn't chuckling long. Practically as soon as she lifted the orb, a miniature pink horn poked her right in the plot.

"Ouch!" She screamed, losing hold of the orb for a second. "You unruly brat! How dare you attack the assassin of the west: Mandragora!"

"I won't fail Cheerilee again! And I won't fail anyone again!" The small pink unicorn hissed, her eyes filled with tears, as she hobbled between the changeling and her mentor. "I don't know what you were going... going to do! But I can't let you do it! Not again!"

"Oh how sad!" The old changeling said, pretending to show alligator tears. "Maybe I should help you join her!" She said, bucking the little unicorn into her mentor, causing the little pink unicorn's wand to fall out of her mentor's pack.

Little Rarity stood up dazed, much to the surprise of the changeling assassin.

"That should have floored you permanently!" Mandragora hissed. "Maybe this body grows old and frail. One final spell should do it and then -- " She said, looking over at the Rarity's mentor. "I'll switch to something newer."

"No! I won't let you!" Rarity screeched, grabbing a hold of her wand, and spinning it wildly.

"Heh! Captain Raphanus warned me of that toy!" Mandragora chuckled. "I'm not going to let you use it!" She said calmly walking over, and picking her orb from the floor. "Now maybe a demonstration of my powers would help? Maybe I take something from you --." She started right before the little unicorn, who let out a screech of pain right before the wand would be tossed, and crumpled to the floor -- the wand dropping at her hooves.

"Rarity!" Cheerilee screamed in terror, seeing her nightmares in one eye, and her nightmares playing out before her in the other. "Rarity! Please don't go!"

"Looks like she's falling to pieces!" She said, as the little pink unicorn changed to monochrome colors, and started to disappear. "I would say you were lucky to even partially break free of the spell I put you under, but apparently you awoke only to see your nightmares made reality!" She said, laughing riotously.

The unicorn started vanishing, until even her horn disappeared into nothingness.

The assassin watched the last bits of the tiny unicorn disappear into nothingness , laughing riotously, before turning back to Cheerilee. "Heh! Well so much for that distraction." She said, laughing manically. "Shall I take my new vessel!" She said, lifting the orb to the purple unicorn's head.

Cheerilee could feel her soul being forced out of her body.

********

She tried to use the spell, that Cheerilee said she shouldn't use. She knew she shouldn't, but she had to use the spell! Cheerilee needed her! But from the moment she started, she knew it was a mistake.

After the first wave, it felt like every muscle in her body begging her to stop. The second wave caused waves of darkness. The third wave just caused unimaginable pain.

She screamed out; knowing for sure that, that horrible meanie, would do something dreadful to Cheerilee. She was going to hurt Cheerilee! She had to do something! But she couldn't even feel her horn anymore! She wanted to throw her wand, but she wasn't even sure her hooves were even there anymore! Then everything seemed to fade into light...

She was no longer in the hospital anymore, was she even in Unicornia? or Ponyland for that matter? As she wandered around, she bumped into a small wingless, hornless pony, with a light orange coat, and a golden blond mane. Her symbol was a golden apple.

"Hello there! I'm princess Rarity!" She said, with a friendly smile to the new pony. "I've never met someone my age before! What's your name?" She asked with a glowing smile.

"Hello Rarity!" The little earth pony said, with a smile. "I'm princess Golden Apple! I'm so glad to finally meet you!" She said, doing a little dance.

"Give the dear a minute!" Said a smiling majestic pink unicorn, with a red mane and tail, and a heart symbol; followed closely behind by a red unicorn stallion with a rainbow mane and tail, and a rainbow symbol. "I bet she's confused!"

"So glad to meet you again Rarity!" Said the male of the pair. "I don't know if you remember us!"

The pink unicorn stood there for a second, remembering something from so long ago it was ridiculous. "Mama? Papa?" But she didn't remember a mama Rarity, or a papa Rarity, yet she was sure that's who these strange ponies were.

"Oh you do remember! Splendid!" Said the father. "I apologize dear, if we had just been there for you."

"I know dear!" Said the mother. "But we failed to protect you from my brother, who desired a position as the pink unicorn lord, and spared no trouble to get it!" She frowned. "The spell was supposed to vaporize you." She said, frowning slightly. "But somepony must have had special plans for you, because instead you ended up in that other Unicornia." She said, smiling a smile mixed with guilt. "I wish we had been able to join you." She said, frowning again. "But in the end, those unicorns were so kind with you! Raising you as one of them." She stood there for a moment, stewing on her own thoughts, before sighing. "And then when that horrible Discord attacked, we were again unable to protect you. We watched from here as he stuffed you and everyone else in that horrible egg of his to repeat the last thirteen years of your lives endlessly -- until he had absorbed enough entropy from your world to continue his insane plans!"

"I forgive you mama and papa!" The little pink ball said, with a smile. "But who's this?" She asked.

"This is Princess Golden Apple." Rarity's father said, sternly. "Discord stole her vessel to use as your body when he planted his universe egg in Equestria! What we don't know is if it was because your uncle left you with none, or if all of the ponies from your world needed a new vessel, after he destroyed your world the first time!"

"Am I... gone... papa?" Rarity asked with a frown.

Her father just frowned.

Her mother looked at her father, with hurt in her eyes. She just nodded. After a few seconds, her face picked back up. "But don't worry! We will all have such fun together, as a family again!" She said, with a mixed smile.

Rarity just shook her head. "I'm sorry mama! Papa! But Cheerilee is in trouble, and needs me! Unicornia needs me!"

Her parents smiled. "How badly do you want to help dear?"

Rarity looked perplexed.

Somewhere a soft voice asked her. "Do you wish to return? We need guardians for your world, and you would be perfect to be one." The voice turned sad. "You would however not be able to return for some time if you accepted. Is this something you would be ok with?"

Rarity turned to her parents, and frowned. "I'm sorry mama! I'm sorry papa! But I feel I need to do this! Cheerilee needs me! And Lily Lightly, and Brights Brightly and Whistle Wishes, and Unicornia itself! I have to go! I won't let everyone down like I did before -- a long time ago!"

Her parents smiled bitter, but proud smiles. "We know dear! We are proud of you! Do your parent's proud!"

"I'm sorry we just met, and I have to go already!" Rarity said, frowning at the little orange earth pony.

"It's ok! I'm just glad to have met you!" She said, with a friendly smile. "And I'm sure we'll meet again someday! I'm sure of it!"

A voice boomed. "Then Rarity of Unicornia, you leave at once! I'll grant you powerful magic, but it must be used to heal, or to purge evil and must be used for no other purposes!"

"I promise!" Rarity said, frowning. "Will you help me?"

"I will!" The voice said.

********

"Heh! Well so much for that distraction." Mandragora said, laughing manically. "Shall I take my new vessel!" She said, lifting the orb to the purple unicorn's head.

Cheerilee could feel her soul being forced out of her body.

Then suddenly, a blinding light shone out of somewhere. And all of the pain that Cheerilee was feeling, suddenly just went away. "What's going on? Where is that light coming from?" Cheerilee asked, closing her eyes at the blinding light. But it didn't feel dangerous, in fact, it felt friendly.

Meanwhile, it looked like the old changeling wasn't as fortunate, as she convulsed in pain, and foamed at the mouth. "GAHHH!!!! Alright! Who is it now! Who dares interrupt me!" She screamed at the top of her lungs shaking violently. "Who's... Who's there? How dare you attack me! And how dare you think, that you can hurt the Assassin of The West!"

Cheerilee shocked at horror, at first. But then her horror started to turn to delight. Inside the light, a small horn appeared. Then a pony started to materialize. "Rarity!" Cheerilee shouted with delight, her nightmares starting to disperse. The pony before her started to regain her regal pink and rainbow colors, then her symbol. Finally, her new wings began to materialize, attached at a circular point between her shoulder and withers (she didn't look any taller though, sorry.) She couldn't believe her eyes, did her young mentee have wings now? What happened to her? Was her mane waving around uncontrollable -- even more so then normal?

The filly began to speak, but another voice boomed. "Sonambra!"

"Quiet!" The old changeling demanded. "No one is allowed to use my full name!"

"For six sins even seven I would forgive!" The voice boomed, from between the filly's lips.

"How dare you stand in judgment of me! I am one of the hive's top assassin's I've brought down pony princesses and griffon kings!" She protested charging her orb.

"The souls of those who's youth and vigor you have stolen cry out for justice! And those whose lives, you have taken, cry out for justice for their shed blood!"

"You don't have the power! I've taken down whole nations! I was one of the seven that ended pony civilization at the end of the first age!" She said, her orb and eyes both glowing a wicked light.

The filly stood there unfazed. "You, still, do not repent of the evil you have committed! Even after more time has been given, to you, then whole nations and peoples!"

"Silence!" She said, screaming violently and pounding the floor. "I will not be mocked by a foal!"

Twilight shook her head. What was going on? Was that other Rarity the strange alicorn standing before her? What happened to her, and why was Cheerilee frozen there. The assassin! What's happening to her!

Mandragora stood there shaking. "You... You... You can't judge me you are just a little, worthless, pink fuzz ball, and I'm the hive's number two assassin!"

"Enough!" The voice boomed, as the little filly's horn charged a bright white light.

"Oh I get it!" Mandragora scoffed, regaining her confidence. "Your power is a night light! What are you going to do you little! -- "

And in a second there was only a hole in the floor where the changeling stood, and singe marks. Rarity crumpled down to the ground, unmoving.

At that minute, fourteen royal guards, fifteen policeponies, and a colt scout troop busted into the room.

"Hey guys I brought help!" Sweetie Belle squeaked. "I thought you would need help and... Where'd the bad pony go?"

"Actually Sweetie!" Twilight responded with bemusement. "You just missed her!"

"Dang it!" Sweetie cried. "Me and the other girls were hoping for our cutie marks as CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS: EPIC ACTION HEROS!"

"That's ok. Let me check on little Rarity over here." Twilight said, with a smile.

"Rarity's here?" Sweetie squeaked, hoping her sister would be impressed. "Oh that's right." She blushed, feeling embarrassed. "Other Rarity." She sighed, scuffing her hoof, with agitation. "I was hoping it was my sister!"

"Rarity!" Twilight said, impressed. "That was some really impressive magic!" Twilight said, with enthusiasm. "I didn't know you had it in you." She said, poking the filly, who suddenly popped back to life.

"Wow! That was unicorn fun! Let's do it again!" She said, with a smile. "I was all like gone! And then whoosh I was going towards the light! Then my parent's talked to me! And then someone offered to help me 'become a guardian or something'. And then here I am!" She said, bouncing up and down.

Twilight stood there perplexed. "Do you even remember the spell you just cast?"

Rarity shook her head. "Sorry Twilight. Someone said they would help, but I guess I kind of got distracted!" She said, blushing a little.

"What just happened here!" Doctor Stable came barging in, filled with chagrin. "I swore, for a minute, I could run a marathon without my legs hurting, and I wake up to find myself standing in the hallway full of all kinds of pain!" He said, scowling at everypony.

"Ummm..." Twilight said, with a blush, I'll explain everything. "But you might want to sit down! This will be a long one!"

********

"So basically! I was under changeling voodoo mind magic then!?" The doctor snarled. "That explains a lot!" He said, griping again. "That kind of stuff seems to follow you around princess!" He said, looking a the purple princess of friendship.

"Great! So I'll be on my way!" Twilight responded. "I need to check in with princess Celestia about Equestria's newest princess!" She said, pointing at the young pink alicorn, asleep on the floor from exertion. "And I don't think I'm need here so I'll be on my --"

"And no! You won't!" The doctor stamped. "You won't go anywhere! Not until I've had a chance to check all three of you out! As well as every other doctor, nurse, and patient in this Celestia forsaken Bushwoolies nest!"

"Fine!" Twilight said, impatiently. "But I believe I am ok!"

"Why so impatient princess?" The old doctor asked his newest patient.

"I have to report this back to Celestia!" Twilight stated eagerly. "Not just did another alicorn suddenly materialize out of nowhere (luckily it was pink and not red and black, because Faust knows what would happen if Equestria got any more red and black alicorns!) But a princess of Equestria was attacked by a changeling assassin! This could count as an act of war by the hive! And Celestia needs to ---"

"Shove it princess!" The doctor chided. "I'll take a look at you first." He said, pulling out some equipment.

After a dozen or two dozen different tests, psyche tests, and magical examinations Doctor Stable sighed, as he once again was defeated. "It looks like you are right again princess!" He sighed. "But I'm none too happy! I'm sure that assassin did something to you! But I don't see any symptoms."

Twilight smiled. "I'm glad you are so thorough doctor!" She said, looking at the other ponies in the room. "But the others need you."

Twilight looked back. "So how is everypony?" She asked.

"Well it looks like Rarity's little 'ascension' has fixed her magic problems -- at least for now! I'll want her in here for another week to be sure she doesn't have another magic failure."

"And Cheerilee?" Twilight asked.

"A week as well." He replied. "I want to know if there are any remnants of the assassin's magic, and I want to make sure her psychological health is stable before she and the filly start gallivanting off to Celestia knows where."

"And physically?" Twilight asked.

"Their all fine, except for Minty, and Rainbow Dash, of course. Their conditions precede our little attack."

"And how long will they be in for?" Twilight asked, calculating arrival and travel times.

"A couple of days to a week, at least! I still don't know what's wrong with Dash, and I can't, in good conscious, let Minty go until we are certain everything has finished setting." He replied.

"Excellent!" Twilight exclaimed. "Enough time for me to go to Canterlot and back."

"Princess! There is no way I'm letting you --" The doctor started, before the princess sped into the sunset. "Never mind!" He said to himself, with an exasperated sigh.

********

"Thank you for taking the time to fly up here to Canterlot princess Twilight." Celestia said with a smile. "So tell me what happened after I left."

"Well basically an assassin came, and tried to attack that other Pinkie and Rainbow and myself." Twilight said, with a sigh. "And up until now Ponyville has been so safe." She said to herself, lamenting where her neighborhood had gone to.

"I see." Celestia said, looking on into the distance. "And you think you were the target?"

"Actually..." Twilight said, looking away from her teacher. "I think Minty, Pinkie, and Rainbow were. I was just a lucky hit. Though I can't figure out why somepony would want to get rid of three wacky ponies like them: a klutz, a pony obsessed with pink and parties, and a fashion pony obsessed with rainbows."

"Do you have any guesses why they want you four gone?" Celestia asked. "And who would want them gone for that matter?"

"I'm not sure." Twilight said, looking away again. "I think they want me gone because I'm a princess of Equestria. But the other three wouldn't seem to be a threat to Chrysalis, in the least."

"I see! I'm sorry I wasn't there to help." Celestia said, looking like she was feeling guilty again. "Worry not, though, my fellow princess! I shall be assigning more guards to Ponyville to make sure this doesn't happen again!" Celestia said, smiling. "But I'm assuming this was not why you were here in person."

"No actually it's what happened during the attack." Twilight lectured. "One of those odd ponies ascended." She said, with a frown.

"But that's impossible! Luna, Cadence, Twilight and I are supposed to be the only ali -- " Celestia said under her breath. "That is interesting. And other then the political ramifications. Why not just send me a letter."

"Well I was kind of hoping you could help mentor her, as she's young yet to be an alicorn."

"Who ascended?" Celestia asked, her face going dark.

"Rarity." Twlight responded.

Celestia stood there both ready to burst into laughter, and filled with utter astonishment. "I thought for sure it would be someone else: Cheerilee, or maybe..." Celestia started under her breath. "Actually Twilight, I think it would be best if you mentored her. I have full faith in you my faithful ex-student, and fellow princess of Equestria. "

"Are you sure, Celestia, wouldn't you or Luna be a better teacher?" Twilight asked, unsure how to put this question.

"I know what you are saying, my faithful student, but there will come a day when you will want to train another pony, and you need to start sometime!"

"I know, but she exhibited magic I've never seen before, it was a brilliant white, and after she cast it she had no memory of doing so. Maybe it was a magic burst?"

"Magic burst..." Celestia said with a sarcastic smile. "That sounds familiar!" She said, looking at Twilight, and smirking. "Then who better to teach her then the element of magic?"

"Yes, but I've never heard of blinding white magic before, how did she get her hooves on it?" Twilight asked, ever curious. "White magic could be borrowed magic, but this as way to powerful to be borrowed from anypony in the room, or even any combination of ponies."

"How a little unicorn got her hooves on that kind of magic I don't know. Can she use regular unicorn magic?" Celestia asked with a smile, dropping a hint.

"No. Not without a wand." Twilight responded, with a sigh. "I'm not sure how to teach a unicorn with no idea what a horn even is, let alone how to use it."

"I have full faith you'll figure out a way!" Celestia said, with a reassuring smile. "And you'll know just where to start." Celestia said, winking at her former student. "Trust yourself, I think you are the only pony that can take the job. But maybe have her mentor join in! I'm sure they'd work better together! And maybe it would make it easier to help little Rarity learn!"