Mega Mare Brilliance

by Azure Sandora

Mega-Link & Mana Zone

Mega-Link & Mana Zone

“Apple Bloom!” Sweetie Belle called out from outside her window, “Just because today is Saturday doesn't mean you get to slack off! It's time to wake up!”

“Mmm…” Apple Bloom moaned in her bed, “Damn it Sweetie Belle…”

“I do believe she's right though. Sleeping in like this isn't healthy.”

“Huh?!” Apple Bloom cried out, realizing that voice came from inside the room. She sat up in her, meeting eyes with Princess Luna, who was currently wearing a light blue tank top that said “best princess”, blue panties, and her mane tied in a ponytail. Apple Bloom blinked for a second, looking at the Princess of the Night as she smiled warmly at her. She then started trembling…

And then screamed at the top of her lungs.

A few seconds later, Macintosh, Marble Pie, Granny Smith, and Sweetie Belle all crowded into the room frantically, looking varying degrees of shocked at the sight before them. Apple Bloom was now standing on her bed backed up against the wall as Princess Luna looked up innocently at her. Luna turned to the group and smiled, her eyes lingering on Macintosh.

“My, this is a pleasant surprise,” Luna said, “It's a pleasure to see all of you, especially you Big Macintosh,” she fluttered her eyelashes, the left strap of her tank top strategically falling off her shoulder a bit. Macintosh averted his eyes quickly blushing, fully aware of the death glare Marble was giving him.

Poor Apple Bloom took a deep breath and sighed, now looking at the blue and gold bracelet strapped snugly on her wrist, and the blue sapphire that gave it power.

Last night wasn't a bad dream.

---

Now fully dressed, Apple Bloom sat down in the kitchen next to Sweetie Belle while Luna helped Granny Smith and Marble Pie with breakfast. Apple Bloom refused to look up at the Princess. Maybe if she pretended she wasn't there, she would vanish, and life would stop taking this weird turn.

Nope. She was right there, still working with Granny Smith and Marble Pie.

“Apple Bloom,” Sweetie Belle whispered, “Princess Luna is in your kitchen.”

“Oh wow, great observation,” Apple Bloom fussed, “Thank you so much for remindin me that this isn't a bad dream.”

“I don't see what the big deal is,” Sweetie Belle said, “Okay, so having Princess Luna in your kitchen making breakfast is kind of a big deal, but you're acting like this is the end of the world.”

“You don't understand…” Apple Bloom said somberly, “Look, Ah'll tell you and Scoot about it at the clubhouse, but not right now.”

Sweetie Belle looked appeased by that and resumed reading her book.

“You don't have to go through this trouble, Princess,” Granny Smith said, “Why don't ya relax an' enjoy yer vacation.”

“With all due respect, Granny Smith, this is me relaxing,” Luna said happily, “I am served every moment of my life. To be able to serve others gives me true joy.”

She turned to Macintosh, who was sitting at the table sharpening a knife, and gave him a coy smile. When Macintosh looked her way, she wiggled her rump a bit to catch his attention. Macintosh blushed smiling.

“Ahem!” Marble Pie cleared her throat loudly, snapping Macintosh out of his daze. Macintosh looked at Marble, who pointed a knife at him giving him a warning look. Macintosh went right back to what he was doing, and Marble glared at the Princess, who happily resumed preparing food.

Apple Bloom groaned loudly falling back into her chair.

Good bye peace and quiet. I'll miss ya.

---

After finishing a very wonderful breakfast (who would have thought the Princess could cook) Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle began making their way to the clubhouse, where Scootaloo was probably waiting for them.

“So, are you going to tell me what's going on now?” Sweetie Belle asked.

“I said I'd tell ya at the tree house,” Apple Bloom said, “I don't wanna have to explain it two times, so I wanna tell you and Scootaloo at the same time.”

“A wise decision, Apple Bloom. The less we have to explain the better.”

Apple Bloom looked at the sapphire on her wrist, which now showed Princess Luna's face and upper body, “And what in tarnation are ya doin in there?!”

“I told you, you and I are now connected. It's much easier for me to keep watch of you like this,” Luna explained, “Or would you rather have the Princess of the Night following you around out in the open? I bet you'd become very popular.”

“N-no thanks,” Apple Bloom said, “It's creepy enough havin you imprisoned in that gemstone.”

“I am not imprisoned,” Luna said, “Though, if you would like for our relationship to go in that direction...”

“Ah! No! No no no no! That ain't what I-” Apple Bloom stopped and groaned, Sweetie Belle giggling.

“Who would have thought Princess Luna would be so playful?” Sweetie Belle said.

“I'm still wonderin why this dumb thing even called her,” Apple Bloom said, “Of all the ponies it could have reached out to, why Princess Luna?”

“That is weird,” Sweetie Belle asked, “Um, Princess. Why did this stone call you?”

Instead of answering Sweetie Belle, Luna looked away seriously.

“It's no use,” Apple Bloom explained, “Every time I try to ask her, she does the same thing to me.”

“I promise, once I understand everything that's going on myself, I will share it with you. For now, we must hurry to your clubhouse. It would be rude to keep Scootaloo waiting.”

“Right, okay,” Apple Bloom said, “I'm holdin ya to that, Princess.”

“Apple Bloom, show a little respect,” Sweetie Belle said, “This is the Princess Luna.”

“No, Sweetie Belle, it's fine,” Luna explained, “It would be inconvenient for Apple Bloom to maintain a sense of decorum. As such, I would like all of you to hence forth refer to me solely as “Luna”, and view me more as a companion rather than a figure of royalty.”

“This makes it sound like yer gonna be shackin with me indefinitely,” Apple Bloom said warily, only made worse when Luna giggled.

“Only time will tell,” Luna said, her face vanishing from the sapphire.

“I don't know if I should be happy or upset,” Apple Bloom groaned.

“It could be worse,” Sweetie Belle said, “She could be asking you to do something dangerous, right?”

Apple Bloom just laughed awkwardly and sadly, not answering Sweetie Belle, who just looked confused.

When they arrived at the clubhouse, Scootaloo was lying on the floor playing some hand held game. These machines were just one of the many luxuries that came with Mana Shards. Scootaloo looked up at Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle.

“There you guys are,” Scootaloo said.

“Sorry it took so long,” Sweetie Belle said, “We had to take care of something at Apple Bloom's place. She has something to tell us, right Apple Bloom?”

“Y-yeah, right,” Apple Bloom said, “But first,” she held up her bracelet, “Hey, come on out. I ain't explainin nothin without you.”

A dark blue mist came out of the bracelet, and Princess Luna materialized from it, now wearing a fancy blue dress that was open on the sides showing her legs, matching high heels, and her shimmering blue hair now flowing freely and falling down her shoulders and back. She also wore her full regalia now, being a black tiara, fancy necklace showing the crescent moon, and silver bracelets on her wrists.

Needless to say, Scootaloo's jaw dropped.

“Scootaloo, you remember Princess Luna, right?” Apple Bloom asked.

“It's wonderful to see you again, Scootaloo,” Luna said, “Before we begin, I would like it if from this day forward you referred to me as simply Luna, and treated me in the same fashion you would a peer.”

“Y-yeah, sure,” Scootaloo said, “Um, Apple Bloom? Wanna explain why a Princess just came out of that bracelet?”

“Yeah, and where did you even get it?” Sweetie Belle asked, “I don't remember you ever having something like that.”

“Why don't you show them?” Luna said, “You can activate the Mana Stone anytime you wish, simply by saying Mana Change, your ID, and then Online. You may also simply say Mana Change if you do not have an ID yet.”

Apple Bloom nodded and looked at the Sapphire. She still didn't have an ID or whatever, so she couldn't say the whole thing, so she just held her wrist up like before.

“Mana Change!” Apple Bloom said tapping the Sapphire, making it glow bright blue.

~Transformation Scene~

Apple Bloom held her arm out as blue energy shot out of the gem. Suspended in mid air, she spun around as her clothes all magically vanished off her now glowing body.

In a quick flash, blue armored boots and light blue tights formed out of the energy. Next up formed her armored upper body and shoulder pads. Armor then formed around her left wrist, and then her right one in immediate succession.

Finally, a blue knight's helmet with a green visor formed on her head. She held her arm out in front of her as if reaching for something, tightened her fist, and then stood ready in a fight stance.

~End Transformation~

Both Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo's jaws dropped. Now that they were in the light, Apple Bloom got a good look at herself and noticed that not only did she have armor on, but her mane and tail had a bit of a shimmer to them.

“Holy hell...” Scootaloo said, “Apple Bloom, you look like a super hero!”

“How did you do that?!” Sweetie Belle asked, “Did you just use magic?!”

“In a way, yes,” Luna said walking behind the blue armored Apple Bloom, “By using a process called “Phasing In”, she has become half pony, half magical construct.”

“You keep callin it that, Phasin In,” Apple Bloom said, “You make it sound like I went someplace.”

“You don't see it, but you did,” Luna said, “You're magical vibrations are tuned into the real world, which is why you're visible. However, you're actually existing within the world of Mana. Try altering your vibrations.”

Apple Bloom did as she was told, and focused on altering her vibrations. She felt her body get lighter, and everything got wavy for a few seconds before going back to normal. She did notices that everything around her had a sort of blue tint to it, and her friends were looking around frantically.

“Hey, where'd you go?” Scootaloo asked.

“Apple Bloom? Are you still here?” Sweetie Belle asked.

“I'm right here,” Apple Bloom said waving to her friends, “Can't y'all see me?”

“They can't see you,” Luna said, surprising everyone, “Nor can they hear you. You have become living Mana, thus only an alicorn like myself can perceive you.”

“Wait, Apple Bloom is still in the room?” Scootaloo asked.

“She hadn't moved from where she was initially standing,” Luna explained, “She has just entered the Mana Zone, so you all can't see her, hear her, or touch her.”

Sweetie Belle walked over to Apple Bloom, and waved her hand in her direction. Apple Bloom looked and saw her hand go through her body like it wasn't even there.

“I can sort of sense her,” Sweetie Belle said, “It's slight, but I can feel concentrated magic right here, and it feels like Apple Bloom, but it's like she's a ghost.”

“Unicorns and ponies with a strong bond with Apple Bloom would still be able to feel her if they concentrate hard enough,” Luna said, “So yes, she is a bit like a ghost at the moment.”

“Okay, this is creepy,” Scootaloo said, “Hey Apple Bloom, if you can hear us, could you come back into the real world?”

Apple Bloom willed herself back into the real world, instantly phasing back into the material world still in the armor and shocking Sweetie Belle.

“So, what is this armor anyway?” Apple Bloom asked.

“That armor is formed by something called a Mana Stone,” Luna said, “I imagine the three of you have heard something about those.”

“Oh! Rarity was talking about that,” Sweetie Belle said, “She said Twilight was working on something called a Mana Stone.”

“Dash said something about that in passing,” Scootaloo said, “But she didn't go into too much detail.”

“Applejack talked about it a lot,” Apple Bloom said looking at her right arm now, “She started readin books on magical theory, and even started practicin magical runes in her room. We all thought she was losin it. Was this what she was workin on?”

“Mana Stones are artificial magical conduits,” Luna explained, “They are designed to allow a pony the ability to access the Mana Zone in the same way a unicorn or alicorn as myself does with their horn.”

“Wait, so Apple Bloom can use magic now?” Sweetie Belle asked.

“Yes,” Luna said, “By going into the Mana Zone and becoming living Mana, she is able to access abilities that would normally be out of her reach. At the moment her armor can't do much on its own, so I have initiated a Mega-Link with her.”

“What's a Mega-Link?” Scootaloo asked.

“It's a bond that can be established with a pony using a Mana Stone and an exceptionally strong pony like myself. It transfers their magic into the Mana Stone, which allows said pony to cast any spells that the linked pony is able to.”

“That's what you meant by me bein connected to ya now,” Apple Bloom said, “Yer magic is now inside this stone, ain't it?”

Luna nodded, “While I am still able to enter dreams and raise the moon, I can only do these within the Mana Stone. Thus at this moment… I am powerless.”

Wait, what?! Princess Luna lost her magic?! Apple Bloom looked at her friends, and they all shared the same worried looks.

“That's terrible!” Apple Bloom cried, “We can't stay like this! You have to break the link with me!”

“It's not that simple, Apple Bloom,” Luna said rubbing her arm, “Once I establish a Mana-Link, it's permanent until the pony I'm linked to dies,” sensing Apple Bloom's guilt, Luna turned to her and smiled, “Do not feel bad, Apple Bloom. I did what I had to do in order to protect you. You wouldn't have survived without me.”

That only made Apple Bloom feel worse. Proto Mare failed whatever mission she was on and almost died, and now Princess Luna lost her magic. All because she was too weak. She then held her wrist to Luna.

“What if ya took this?” Apple Bloom asked, “You can remove this thing, right?”

“You refer to the Neutralizer?” Luna asked, “Sadly no. That too, is bound to you until further notice. I do know that there is a way to remove it, but what that method is I am not sure. As I'm sure it would require magic though...”

“Yeah, I get it,” Apple Bloom pouted looking away somberly.

“Hey, cheer up,” Scootaloo said, “This doesn't have to be a bad thing. I mean, you have a freaking suit of magical armor. You have a Princess at your beck and call. Besides,” Scootaloo got close to Apple Bloom nudging her, “She's quite the looker, eh? Eh?”

“Scootaloo!” Apple Bloom blushed looking down. Of course she came out to her friends about being a lesbian first, so they loved to taunt her about it. That was one of the reasons Apple Bloom felt so odd this morning.

“Sides, she ain't at my beck and call,” Apple Bloom fussed, “She's just stayin at my house. I ain't turnin her into a slave or anythin.”

“Do I not please you, Master?” Luna asked playfully, “Perhaps you would prefer it if I wore something more risque?”

“Keep your clothes on!” Apple Bloom screamed, everyone laughing at her predicament.

“I have a question,” Sweetie Belle said, “Why did this thing come to Apple Bloom anyway?”

“Mana Stones react to weak hearts,” Luna said, “Magic is very powerful, and can change depending on emotions. The magic within the Mana Stones however react to feelings of despair the strongest.”

“Despair…?” Apple Bloom asked.

“Before you transformed, did you feel helpless? Like giving up?”

“Well, right before the Sapphire came to me, I was afraid. No, that's not right. I felt helpless. These monsters, the viruses, were gonna attack me, and I thought I was gonna die. That's when...”

“That's when you heard a voice, right?” Luna asked, “A voice claiming to give you strength.”

“Yeah, that's right,” Apple Bloom said, “It told me to use the Sapphire. When I did, the bracelet reacted, and I just put the gem into the slot right here. Was that right?”

Luna breathed out in relief, “Yes Apple Bloom, that was perfect. You see, Mana Stones are unstable, and eventually take over the minds of the pony they've linked themselves to. The Neutralizer though, allows the pony in question to call forth its power in a controlled yet limited manner. Had you used the Sapphire Mana Stone by itself, you would have become something a lot stronger, but you wouldn't be able to control your actions.”

“So she's still herself now because of that bracelet?” Sweetie Belle asked, Luna nodded, “Then I say keeping it on her is a great idea.”

“Yeah, especially if that thing lets her use anytime she wants,” Scootaloo added.

“Hold on, what makes y'all think I even want to use this thing again?” Apple Bloom asked, “I almost died the first time I used it, and I had Proto Mare's help.”

“Proto Mare?” Scootaloo asked, “Who's that, and why do they sound like a badass?”

“That isn't their real name,” Luna said, “It's the ID they chose. It looked like they had just registered it when I had arrived.”

“Yeah, she didn't say any of that other stuff when she transformed,” Apple Bloom said, “She just said the first part.”

“So she pulled that awesome name out of their tail?” Sweetie Belle asked, “Scootaloo, we have to help Apple Bloom come up with a super cool name!”

“Yeah! It's gotta sound epic! Something that's going to strike fear into the eyes of anyone who hears it!” Scootaloo added. Apple Bloom groaned in frustration.

“Would y'all listen to me?! I ain't gonna transform again! I ain't some super hero! I'm a twelve, goin on thirteen year old, regular earth filly! I don't want any of this in my life! I just want the weirdness to stop so I can go back to grieving about my sister!” she didn't think she was going to cry, but with how scared she was with last night, and how things were changing so fast, her eyes started watering.

Sweetie Belle ran over to Apple Bloom and hugged her, “Oh Apple Bloom…” she said sadly.

“I'm afraid that the chaos has only just begun,” Luna said seriously, “You see, Sapphire isn't the only Mana Stone that was created.”

“What do you mean?” Scootaloo asked. Luna folded her arms and took a deep breath before speaking again.

“Counting Sapphire and Ruby, there are a total of ten Mana Stones. The other eight are Pearl, Emerald, Amethyst, Aquamarine, Garnet, Lapis Lazuli, Topaz, and Onyx. Ruby was the one used by Proto Mare, and you now possess Sapphire, but the other eight are still out there, and they haven't Mega-Linked with anyone yet.”

“If they link with someone, they'll be like Apple Bloom, right?” Sweetie Belle asked. Luna shook her head gravely.

“I'm afraid that will not be the case. Apple Bloom has a Neutralizer, and she was lucky to find one before linking herself to Sapphire. Anyone else who finds a Mana Stone will merge with it directly, meaning they will be consumed by the stone's magic, which will amplify their negative emotions.”

“But Proto Mare can handle it, right?” Apple Bloom asked.

“Possibly, but she mentioned the name Sombra, and it sounded like she's working for him. If that's the case, then I'm afraid we can't trust her.”

“Then send the royal guard!” Apple Bloom ordered, afraid of where this was going.

“Once a Mana Stone finds a host, no normal pony can defeat them,” Luna said, “And before you ask, finding the Mana Stone before it finds a host is nearly impossible. By themselves they give off a very weak magical signature. Only a pony using a Mana Stone can defeat them. If I had my magic, I might be able to manage something, but as my magic belongs to you now Apple Bloom…”

“No…” Apple Bloom shook her head, “No! I ain't doin it!”

“Apple Bloom-” Luna started.

“Forget it!” Apple Bloom changed out of the armor and turned to the door, “I'm not going to help you when you, Celestia, and Twilight didn't help my sister!”

With that, Apple Bloom stormed out of the clubhouse. Luna sighed sadly.

“I'll go after her,” Luna said running to the door. Scootaloo folded her arms and leaned against the wall.

“Geez Apple Bloom, this is the fate of Equestria here,” Scootaloo said.

“I can sort of understand her fear,” Sweetie Belle said, “This isn't a comic book or video game, Scootaloo. This is real life, and it sounds like Apple Bloom could die.”

“Yeah, I guess,” Scootaloo said with a sigh, “It's just… seeing Apple Bloom like this is getting to me. Last year, she'd still be afraid, but I bet she'd still do it.”

“Well, last year she had Applejack to fall back on,” Sweetie Belle said, “Apple Bloom isn't as strong as we think. She just had a great big sister helping her stand. Now she has to stand on her own…”

Scootaloo sighed. She understood, but both she and Sweetie Belle had different approaches for what to do for Apple Bloom. Scootaloo thought that she needed to be pushed, but Sweetie Belle knew better. What she needed was time.

Time that, if Luna was right, might be running out.

---

“Apple Bloom wait!” Luna called out, running after the inconsolable teen.

“Leave me alone!” Apple Bloom cried. Luna caught up and grabbed her arm.

“Apple Bloom, I know you're afraid, but-”

“SHUT UP!” Apple Bloom screamed yanking her arm free and turning to Luna, “WHY SHOULD I FIGHT YOUR BATTLE?! WHY CAN'T YOU FIND SOMEONE ELSE TO-”

SLAP

Apple Bloom and Luna stood there silently for a few seconds, Apple Bloom in shock, and Luna glaring at Apple Bloom seriously.

“If it were up to me, I wouldn't involve you!” Luna said, “Believe me, the last thing I want to do is place one of my subjects, my friends in danger! But this is how things played out!” her expression softened, “I understand your anger at the royal family. We sponsored the project that lead to Applejack's…”

“Applejack…” Apple Bloom said, completely breaking down. Luna immediately wrapped Apple Bloom in a loving embrace, also wrapping her wings around the crying teen.

“This isn't fair, I know,” Luna said softly, “I am asking a lot of you, but right now you are the only one I can turn to. This isn't an ideal situation, but…” Luna thought to herself, “What if I told you… that Applejack was alive?”

Apple Bloom stopped crying and looked at Luna slowly.

“Applejack's… alive…?” Apple Bloom asked.

“She is, and I promise that if you agree to help me, you will find her,” Luna said, “In return, I will do everything in my power to assist you. I will not leave your side, and I will do my very best to keep you safe, just as I did last night.”

“You'll… help me find my sister?” Apple Bloom asked, “You promise?”

“I promise that I will try,” Luna said, “But I can tell you this, if my theory is correct then she's in grave danger right now, and in order to save her...”

“We need to stop the Mana Stones,” Apple Bloom finished, “I… need to think for a bit.”

“Certainly,” Luna said, “But don't take too long. I don't know when the next Mana Stone will appear, and when it does you must be ready to act.”

With that Luna phased back into the Sapphire. Apple Bloom looked at the gemstone, thinking about Luna's words. Her sister… was alive? Could this power really help save her?

Was Apple Bloom strong enough to save her?

---

Elsewhere, Miss Cheerilee was on the phone in her office talking to someone on the school board. Pipsqueak, a really small and young colt wearing blue jeans, a red and blue jacket, black shirt, and black and white sneakers, was shuffling nervously in his seat. After a few seconds, Cheerilee sighed and hung up the phone.

“Sorry Pip, but the school board doesn't support it,” she said gravely.

“But this would be a great way to celebrate the Class of 66 graduating!” Pipsqueak said, his Trottingham accent strong as ever.

“I know, and I agree,” Cheerilee said, “But without the school board's support, I can't do anything. They said it would be different if we had a space we could use, but since we don't...”

“What if…” Pipsqueak stopped himself. He knew nothing he said would actually change things. Sure, he was Student Body President now, but no one respected him as president.

I bet if it were Diamond Tiara they'd listen…

“Listen, I have some more paper work to finish,” Cheerilee said, “Can we talk more about this on Monday?”

Pipsqueak sighed, “Yeah… sure…”

Pipsqueak left out of the teacher's office hanging his head in sadness. This was just like always. No one ever paid attention or thought his ideas were worth anything. The only reason they'd listen to Diamond Tiara was because her special talent was getting ponies to listen to her.

Pipsqueak didn't have a special talent. If he did, he didn't know it. It definitely wasn't making ponies listen.

“What a bunch of bollocks...” Pipsqueak said kicking a rock as he walked home, “No one ever takes me seriously. All because I'm a shrimp.”

Hey shorty!

Careful! You almost tripped on Little Pip!

He's the Student Body President? I bet he can't even reach the podium!

“Grr…” Pipsqueak kicked the rock hard in anger. He hated be so small. He hated being so young. Not even his own family took him seriously. He had started falling into a deep depression because of it, and it was so bad his grades were slipping too.

And now, the one pony he had that took him seriously, Miss Cheerilee, was pushing him aside.

“I bet if I were bigger, everyone would take me seriously,” Pipsqueak said venomously, “I'd have the whole school under my foot, and everyone would listen to what I had to say. Too bad that's not going to change anytime soon...”

You're weak…

But I can give you strength…

Pipsqueak stopped when he heard that voice. His attention was almost pulled to a nearby lake, where he saw a reddish brown glow in the water. He ran over to it and saw a small red/brown stone in the water.

I am Garnet…

I can grant you the power to make everyone notice you…

“Garnet…” Pipsqueak said reaching into the water and picking up the glowing stone. When it touched his hand, he felt instantly invigorated, like a great power was flowing through his entire body.

He fell back, looking at the stone in shock, and then started laughing. First softly to himself, but all of a sudden he broke out in full on euphoria as the realization hit him. Power, he had true power now.

And he was going to make sure everyone listened to him.

Author's Note:

If you liked this chapter than please click here to check out my Patreon. Any small amount donated will help me in my quest for world domination.

Comments

[Shazam 25]

Hmm, I get a Taurus Fire feeling from that ending of the chapter. Apple Bloom needs to be strong, for Applejack. I'm also just going off a limb and call Pipsqueak form Guts Stallion until the next chapter comes out. Rock on!