The Vagaries of Fate

by Sparky Brony

Chapter 4.

***Apple Bloom***

After watching Enigma rush past us, Sweetie Belle and I try to catch up, but the now much larger centaur is able to get away from us.

"Where is she going?" Sweetie Belle asks.

I shake my head, "I have no idea, Sweetie Belle. She was at Twilight's castle. We should go there and find out what happened."
She nods and we whirl around, rushing through Ponyville, quickly making it to Twilight's castle. We walk through the huge castle.

"Where is everypony?" my friend asks.

"I don't know," we make our way to the throne room. Sweetie Belle sticks her head in, then backs up. She looks at me and shakes her head.
I sigh, we have to find Twilight, "We could try the infirmary, that's where they probably would have taken Scootaloo."

Sweetie Belle gallops off, with me hot on her hooves. In a matter of minutes, we are at the large doors leading to where sick ponies go to get healed. I push one of the doors carefully open with a hoof, and immediately spy my fellow Crusader. Her eyes are closed, and everypony is standing around her. My sister, Sweetie Belle's sister, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie. Rainbow Dash is holding the filly's hoof, tears in her eyes. And, standing away from them all, is Princess Twilight Sparkle. They are all standing there quietly. I push forward, latching onto my sister. Applejack ruffles my hair, bringing me close. I let myself be held, while I listen to the ponies talking.

"I saw her do it myself. She took out two guards, without even trying hard."

Fluttershy speaks up, "But you had just told them to capture her! She was reacting to that. You can't blame her for that!"

Twilight stomps a hoof, "They wouldn't have hurt her!"

Applejack squeezes me tightly, "But, Twilight, she didn't know that. She was scared."

Rainbow Dash sniffs away her tears, she glares over the prone shape of Scootaloo, "If she hurt Scootaloo, we have to end her as a threat to Equestria."

"I wouldn't go that far, Rainbow Dash," Rarity says, nuzzling her sister. She looks seriously at Rainbow Dash, "There has to be a reasonable explanation for all of this. Perhaps she was telling the truth, that she didn't hurt these other ponies. Maybe she didn't do anything to hurt Scootaloo."

Rainbow Dash growls at Rarity, "Look at her! She is in the exact same boat as those two unicorns, those that tried to take Enigma into custody. You can't deny the evidence, Rarity."

Twilight steps forward, "We really don't know the whole story, but the facts speak for themselves. We need to find Enigma, we need to capture her. By any means necessary."

Gasps from all around, "You don't mean..." Fluttershy asks.

Twilight nods, "Yes. We need to call on the Rainbow power."

Rarity puts a hoof on Twilight's withers, "But, she's a child! You are an Alicorn. Perhaps you could simply overpower her?"

Twilight shakes her head, "I can't risk that. What if she is already strong enough to take my power? What if she is able to use my magic, the way Tirek did?"

"I don't think that will happen, Twilight," Fluttershy answers.

Twilight whirls on the yellow pegasus, "Can you be certain of that, Fluttershy? Can you be certain that no other pony will have to go through what these ponies have already gone through?"

Fluttershy cowers in response. Twilight nods, "I thought not." She moves close, to nuzzle her friend, "Fluttershy, we all like Enigma. In the short time she's been with us, it's been wonderful." A single tear leaks from her eye as she talks, "She's made friends with all of us, and she was friends with all of us, as well as with you two, Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle. I don't like this, I don't like this at all. But, what choice do we have?"

I have to say something, "Twilight, she couldn't have done this to Scootaloo! We were playing hide and seek, and Scootaloo was well hidden. Enigma found me first. She couldn't have done that."

Twilight lowers her head to look in my eyes, "Was she always in your view, Apple Bloom? Was there any time where she could have done that to Scootaloo, and then found you?"

I look down, "I don't think so, Twilight. I mean, it's possible, but we've gotten to know her! I don't believe that she is capable of stealing magic like that. She's not Tirek."

Twilight sobs for a moment, "Can you honestly say that to the two guards that tried to take her into custody? To their families?"
That silences me. I get a last squeeze from Applejack, before all of the mares file silently out of the room, Rainbow is last to leave, pausing to hold Scootaloo with her wing for a long moment. She nuzzles the prone form, then trots to catch up with her friends. A few minutes later, the castle vibrates, they are off to hurt my other friend. I really don't know what to think about that.

"Ugh, wha happen?" A small voice says. I rush forward, hugging a slowly waking Scootaloo.

"What was the last thing you remember, Scootaloo?" Sweetie Belle squeaks.

The pegasus looks down as she thinks, "I was looking at a spider that was climbing on my foreleg. Then everything hurt." Her head pops up, "And then I woke up here."

"A spider?" I say.

She nods, "Where's Enigma?"

I feel tears form in my eyes, "Twilight and them are off to catch her."

Her eyes narrow in confusion, "Why?"

Sweetie Belle and I take a few minutes to catch her up on what's been happening.

"But she never found me. She couldn't have done it."

I shudder, "I know, and now Twilight is off; they are going to use the Rainbow power on her."

Scootaloo jumps out of bed, "We have to go stop them!" She takes two steps and face plants. I run to help her up, "Owww, maybe not..."

We are interrupted by the doctor's office door opening, he gallops towards us, "Where is Princess Twilight?"

"They went off to get Enigma."

He sighs, "I was able to find a bite on all of the victims. It looks like some kind of spider bite, though this is a new species that I've never heard of before. But, apparently, their bite drains a pony's magic. That's why the first pony to get hit was a groundskeeper."

We look at each other, "Oh, no! Twilight is about to make a huge mistake!"

***Enigma***

The timberwolf snarls at me. I grin. The creature is magical, I can feel that magic, and I can take it. My jaw opens, I pull as hard as I can. The timberwolf howls as the magic within it rushes out of it, and into my body. I smile, growing a little larger, and watch as the timberwolf falls into a heap of dead sticks.

"That was all too easy," I mutter. I need a better source of energy. I break into a gallop. There have to be more magical creatures around here. I need more.

My gallop is interrupted by a sound I've heard before, but due to my lack of memories, I can't immediately identify what it is. I move under a tree, and look up. Twilight Sparkle is there, along with her friends. They are encased in magic, flying together. Their manes have added colors, and there are new symbols all over their bodies. Seeing that terrifies me, for some reason. Something surfaces in my mind, something that tells me that is very dangerous to me: I need to stay away from them. I stay under cover and watch them fly. They seem to be searching. Are they searching for me? Oh no! As they pass, I rush forward. I need more strength. If I'm to withstand what that seething mass of magic can do, I have to get more magic. And it can't just be the weak creatures in this forest.

I'm stopped on my way out by a manticore. I sneer, not even giving it a chance to attack. It's magic becomes mine, and it falls to the forest floor. "You are unworthy."

I turn, looking in the direction of Ponyville. I need pony magic. That is the only way for me to survive. But, my friends are there. Can I do that to them? I shake my head. No, I can't do that. They betrayed me, but I won't betray them. However, there is another place in that direction. I hear a horn whistle in the distance. The train! I use my newfound magic to aid my speed, and soon I'm at the railroad tracks. I know a train is coming, and there it is! I hide in the bushes as the train approaches, and when it passes, I grab onto the side of one of the carriages. A few moments of effort, and I'm on top of the car. Canterlot, here I come!

***

The train finally pulls into the Canterlot station. It is time. I leap mightily off the roof of the train car. Catching the ponies unaware, I pull their magic into me before they even know what is happening. A dozen ponies drop to the ground as I walk through the streets. A guard charges up to me, his horn flaring. I grin savagely, and his magic is added to mine.

I've decided: I'm going to take the magic of the Princesses.

Canterlot is a great place to feed. Ponies aren't even aware of me at first. Soon, hundreds of ponies are lying prone, their power now mine. I can do anything with this power! It's so amazing! I don't need to hurry. These silly little ponies can't do anything to stop me. A dozen guards come at me, weapons held in their magic. Moments later, those weapons fall to the street, as useless as the ponies that once held them. I smile as I look up at the castle ahead of me. I see Princess Celestia standing on a balcony, looking down upon me. I laugh as I step forward, only to have a spear embed itself into the ground in front of me.

"You will stop, foul creature," an imperious voice calls. I look up, and gasp. A midnight blue Alicorn is streaking towards me. She slams to earth in front of me, shattering cobblestones under her hooves.

"Not one more step!" she calls out. I smirk, taking said step, and am rewarded with a glare from the Alicorn. This must be Princess Luna.

I smile, "Do you really think you can defeat me?"

The spear is wrenched from the ground, and flashes towards me. A quick burst of my magic reduces it to ash, melting the blade into a puddle that sizzles on the ground. I look at it, then at her. The look of determination on her face sends a thrill of fear up my spine. Suddenly, I realize something: she's close. I think she's closer than she would like to be. I open my mouth, and begin to draw on her power. She gulps and retreats a bit, cutting off the flow. Now I really want this Alicorn's power. I don't know everything I'm doing with my magic, but it seems to come instinctually. I teleport forward, she lifts into the air.

She conjures blades, and sends them at me furiously. I'm able to deflect most of them with my magic, but a couple slice across my arms, and my torso, drawing a hiss of pain from me. I send a blast of magic at her, but she's so fast. I growl, throwing blast after blast of magic after the Alicorn of the night. Then, I realize, she's trying to tire me out.

A quick look around, and I teleport to the roof of a building. I look over the edge. She's standing where I was a moment ago. I think she's trying to figure out where I've gone. Well, I don't want her to feel as though I've forgotten her. With a mighty leap, I land on her, crushing her to the ground. She teleports away, conjuring more blades to fly at me. I make a better shield, and all of her blades stop dead when they get close. I smile, "Come on Luna, you can do better than this."

That may have been a mistake. Rage is in her eyes, and in her voice as she screams. I find battering rams of air slamming into me. After a really good hit to my head, I'm dazed.

"You think you can take on the Princess of the Night?" she intones, "You are not Tirek. You are nowhere near as powerful as he was. I will defeat you. I will end you as a threat to Equestria, and my little ponies."

My dizziness increases, I think she's using some kind of spell, making my senses unreliable. So, I close my eyes, concentrating. I feel her; her magic is calling to me. She thinks me defeated, I see no reason to disillusion her. I put my hands to my head, groaning.

I hear her voice, very close to me, "See, you can be vanquished."

I hear her soft hoofsteps, she's very close. My hand flashes out, grabbing onto her forehoof. My eyes open and my lips curve upward into what I'm sure is an unsettling smile, "You got too close, dear Princess." I snarl as I pull her magic. She shrieks and attempts to teleport away, but I have a grip on her, cancelling out her magic. In moments, her magic belongs to me. Finally, her struggles cease. Her crescent moon cutie mark is now gone, her eyes have turned gray. I reach down, grabbing her muzzle, "Your magic is now mine, Luna."

I stand, "Enigma, please stop!"

I turn to look at Twilight, and her friends, hovering behind me. Still covered by the power they hold. I feel a thrill of fear. That magic can defeat me, can it? I snarl at Twilight, "You wanted to lock me up."

Twilight moves closer, a bit away from the other ponies, "Enigma, come with me. We can keep everypony safe."
I slam a fist into the wall of the building next to me; brickwork and glass shatter from my blow, "By sealing me off from everypony? I'm sorry Twilight, but I have no desire to be sent to Tartarus."

She flinches at my words, "No Enigma, I don't think you need to go there, but we need to get you away from the ponies, to keep them safe."
I shake my head, "And have me lose my friends?" I sigh, tears starting to leak once again from my eyes, "But, I've already lost them, haven't I?"

She comes even closer, "No, Enigma, you still have me as a friend, you still have all of us as friends."

This gets a smirk from me, "Really, Twilight? Here you are, ready to use your most powerful magic to defeat me." I start to shout, "To defeat one you call friend!"

This really makes her to flinch. The tears stream down her face, "Please, Enigma, please. I need you to come with us. We need to keep everypony safe."

I sigh, "But not every centaur." I start to draw magic from the Alicorn, she gasps and retreats, cutting off the flow. Wow, I really want that magic, now that I've had a taste. I try to draw again from her, but the magic of that rainbow power surrounding them blocks me. The rainbow power is like glass, I can't find a way to pull at it. I furrow my brow in concentration, and try again. Still, I get nothing.
"Please, Enigma!" tears are streaming down her cheeks, "I don't want to send you to Tartarus, if I don't have to. Please, give the ponies their magic back. Then we can go home."

"I wish I could believe you, Twilight. But you wanted to confine me, you wanted to lock me away, and I didn't take those pony's magic." I look down at the incapacitated Luna, and growl, "But, I did take hers, and I will take yours."

Twilight looks sadly at me, then at her friends. I take a moment to look at them. Rainbow Dash is furious, Pinkie Pie is impossible to read. A look at Rarity, Applejack and Fluttershy shows that none of them are really wanting to attack me. And Twilight herself, she can barely make herself look at me while she bring her friends close.

"Ready girls?" She asks.

I square my shoulders, "Do your worst, Twilight Sparkle."

A thread of the power reaches out to me, then a second, then all six are reaching for me. I brace to get hit by their magic, but it never comes. I didn't even realize I had closed my eyes. I open them, and look. Confusion on every face in the power. I chuckle, "Looks like your weapon of last resort has failed, Twilight Sparkle. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have Alicorn magic to take." I charge up the magic I've gained, and hit them with a blast, blowing all six ponies back to Ponyville. They scream as they are hurled away from the city on the mountain.
I turn away from them. Only to have a pegasus slam into me, blades on the pony's wing slice into my flank. I grunt at the blood spattering to the pavement. Three pegasi are standing there, their wings spread, determination on their faces.

"The Wonderbolts will finish you." The golden one in the center snarls as she leaps forward.

This is too easy, I catch her by her throat, bringing her close, "You actually injured me, I must commend you for that." I pull her magic, and the magic of the other two Wonderbolts. I turn to look at Celestia, who is still watching from her tower, "Is that all you have, Princess?" I shout.

I walk down the street, always towards the castle, always towards my goal, I keep gathering magic from the ponies, when I come across them, "Princess Celestia, your magic is mine."

Author's Note:

The story competition had a limit of 15k words. This prompt deserves far more than that. So I'm leaving this with a cliffhanger. I do have eventual plans for writing a sequel to continue the story, but I've got other projects to finish before I even consider it. Either way I hope you enjoy.

Comments

[proverbs]

My theory for why the Harmony Magic failed because it only affects those the casters see as their enemy. In their hearts they all loved Enigma and couldn't bring themselves to harm her.

[Sparky Brony]

5520374 Ding Ding Ding Ding Ding, give the commenter a cookie.

[harts fire]

love the cliff hanger this story will get super good when you have time to go back to it.
good luck with the competition.
harts fire

[proverbs]

Please tell me you'll make a sequel. Please!

[Sparky Brony]

5522223 I have outlined the beginning of a sequel. Though it will be a bit before it's written.

[Jphyper]

What? That's it? That's not how you do a story-ending cliffhanger. That felt more like a chapter ending than a story ending. You don't just end a story in the middle of a fight. If you want a cliffhanger story ending, you put it just before the action. In this case, that would be while she's on the train heading for Canterlot.

[Sparky Brony]

5611060 You are making the assumption that the action is almost over, not even close. That was a skirmish, the war hasn't started yet. Trust me, this is the best place for a cliffhanger.

[Jphyper]

5612607 Do not assume to know what I was assuming, mortal, else I shall smite thee with my Rubber Duck of Infinite Squeaks.

On the contrary, I assumed that the action was only partway over. That's the problem: regardless of how much action is left, the fact remains that the action has started.

One of the most difficult-to-teach aspects of storytelling is explaining the art of choosing the end point. A cliffhanger at the end of a skirmish when there's more fighting to do does work for a chapter ending, but trying to end the story leaves the reader confused and disappointed. I maintain my position that the train ride would be a better place. Alternatively, and perhaps a better option, would be to continue the story here instead of making a separate story for the second part. Yeah, that sounds better. That way you wouldn't have to change anything aside from the completeness marking.

Also, at some later date, when you feel like it, I suggest extending the time between her attempted apprehension and her switch to evil. It happened a bit too quickly and her reasoning felt rather forced. That's something you'd have to take your time with and think about, though. It's a correction that shouldn't be rushed or else the fix could end up making things worse.

It's otherwise an awesome story, so I'd really like to get past these annoyances.

[Sparky Brony]

5613295 I'll admit, I'm planning on simply continuing the story after the competition. And I hope you enjoy the story as I planned it out, I don't think it will end up as long as past sins, but I think what happens will be fun. And I have to say, thank you for your thoughts on the story, I'm always glad to get feedback.

[Europa]

Well she went real crazy real fast.

[Nightingalehound]

5613310 So this shall be continued?? Hazah!! It shall be placed on my favorites list again.

[Rocka Leone]

I HATE CLIFFHANGERS!!!
I NEEEEED MMMOOORRREEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!

[Effectivekill]

Dead story?

[MelodyWrites]

When is the next part coming out? Also, if you're not planning on making one, mabie Fluttershy can change your mind?

[MonkeyManiac]

Why has this story been marked complete?

[Sparky Brony]

8228495

It was marked complete because it was part of a competition that I had posted it for. I have not, as yet, revisited it.

[rikithemonk]

OK, I really liked this story, up until chapter 4. Chapter 4 feels off and doesn't seem to match the characters personality as depicted in the first three chapters. Specifically, the character as depicted in 1-3 was very much a child. The character as depicted in 4 is very much an adult. Adult modes of thinking, adult responses to serious injury, etc. While I understand that it was written to tie everything together to finish the story for the competition, it just doesn't match the rest of the story. Should the Author decide to continue this story, I ask that the Author seriously consider rewriting the last chapter. A scared and cornered child can and would protect herself and drain those around them, but the mentality would be very different.

The Monk