The Legend of Mare-Do-Well

by JD2K

Chapter 12

The Legend of Mare-Do-Well
Chapter 12: Mindquest
by JD2K

“Pinkie Pie? Pinkie Pie! Pinkie, please come out. We want to talk with you!”

“Consarn it, Twilight, th’ time fer talk is over. She hasn’t come out in ovah two weeks already an’ she hasn’t set one foot outta that there room of hers! Ah say we must take action!”

“While it pains me to say it, I grudgingly agree with Applejack, darling. The local rumor mill is that she has missed planning two birthdays, a foal shower and a retirement party! The Mayor is in a dither over all this and we have to act now before things take a turn for the worse.”

“…Um… I…Well…”

“What she means to say is we gotta stop sitting on our haunches like a buncha lame old nags! The time for action is n-OWWWWWWWWW!”

“Rainbow, you didn’t have to come up here! The doctor said you can finally walk again but you have to take it easy for your back and wings to fully heal! Sigh…you’re all right. Very well, Applejack. Go ahead.”

“‘Bout time ah gave the ol’ gals some practice with doors! Huuuuuuuuu-UUUUUUHHHHHHHH!”

SMAAAAASH

“Wow, she must’ve barricaded the door really well from inside. Ok, we’re going in. Pinkie Pie? Pink-gasp…”

“Gosh… this place’s givin’ me the willies. Feels like nopony’s been livin’ here fer years. An’ look over yonder at the walls…”

“ ‘FAILURE’, ‘FAILURE’, ‘FAILURE’. Oh my. It’s everywhere! And look at the windows boarded up! The mess on the floor! The mildew and moss growing in the bathroom! This is a disaster of sanitary proportions!”

“Rare, the bigger worry is where our pal is! But yeah, this is not cool at all…”

“Um…But, uh…but where is… EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEKKKKKKK!!!!!!”

“Fluttershy, what happened to- OH SWEET CELESTIA, NO! APPLEJACK, RARITY, CALL AN AMBULANCE CART! WE NEED THEM HERE RIGHT NOW! ”

“I’m getting a pulse here! She’s still alive somehow!”

“Good job, Rainbow… <sigh> Hold on, Pinkamena…”

********************************************

The five fillies stood guard over their friend as she laid there hooked up to an IV that fed her nutrients and with a magic heart rate monitor that registered very weak and low beats. The image of Pinkie Pie, sprawled on the floor, with an emaciated pale body after not eating or going outside of her room for two weeks since the death of Gummy was still burned in the mind of the quintet. Her straight mane and tail were telltale signs of her not being happy but what made them worry more was that her colors, from her coat to her hairs on both mane and tail, were muted. It was all in dull and drab shades of light and dark grays respectively. She was for all intent purposes, drained out of the will and drive to live.

As soon as the ambulance cart arrived and the orderlies came up with the cot, they lifted her up and saw a small paper fall from her hoof which she was clutching all this time. The five looked at it and they all simultaneously felt the pain in their souls. A picture of a happy bouncing Pinkie Pie as a cute baby alligator was biting down on her tail as he followed his master to another adventure in Ponyville.

Twilight touched the image and felt it rough and covered with some powdery residue that wasn’t dust. Upon closer inspection, the residue with its tangy salty smell turned out to be dried tears. For how long Pinkie mourned her pet before succumbing to the lack of food and water was unknown but it must have been a long time judging by how many dried tears were on the slick surface of the photograph.

Now they stood there, around her bed, staring at her, hoping she would wake up. The doctor told them that she was in a coma and that she would have died if she wasn’t brought to the hospital when she was found. When she came in, she was given one of the special one-bed hospital rooms out of sheer luck due to the lack of patients. This was good since it allowed all the girls to keep watch over her throughout the day, hoping for the moment she would wake up. At night, due to hospital regulations, only one visitor was allowed to stay in the room so each Element took turns sleeping on the guest cot and let another take the shift the next night. This had been the same routine for the last two months since she was brought.

By the start of the second week of the third month, the formerly happy earth pony still had not stirred a single muscle. Everypony started to despair she never would wake up again so they had the hospital do more tests on her, using a decree by Celestia at Twilight’s urging. The doctors hooked the comatose earth pony to several strange machines the likes of the Elements had never seen before. The medics claimed these “machines” were only used under extreme circumstances to diagnose patients but swore that Pinkie Pie would not be killed by them. Fluttershy took a look at some of them and instantly recognized them as some of the ones Dr. Caballus used to examine her which made her tremble from the bad memories.

After three hours of tests and pacing up and down on the waiting room, the Elements saw the doctor come out as the nurses pushed Pinkie Pie’s bed back to her room.

“Well, Doctor, what’s the diagnosis?” Twilight asked with worry in her eyes as was in her other four friends.

The unicorn doc took a deep breath and began, “Well, Miss Pie is very much alive, that is certain. Her heart rate and body is working better now that she has some nutrients in her system. Her muscles have started to atrophy, though that is due to her not using them and which we hope a healthy regimen of exercise we have planned for her will get those muscles back into shape. If she wakes up that is. No, my little ponies, the main concern here is about her brain. Come inside.”

The girls followed the doctor inside with Applejack keeping Fluttershy from having a panic attack over all the strange machines in the room. Once inside, the doctor closed the door and the room was in darkness. “Just one second. Here.”

Everypony heard an audible click as some panel on the wall suddenly lit up to illuminate its immediate area but left the rest of the room in darkness. The Elements saw a long scroll-like sheet of paper levitated by the doctor’s aura unfurl itself and covered the illuminated panel. Everypony looked at the sheet carefully and saw a strange grouping of ugly-looking semi-circular objects with various smaller components in shades of black and grey that unnerved them, but none more so than Fluttershy.

“Dr. Cab-” Fluttershy squeaked and whimpered as Applejack placed her hoof on the shaky pegasus’s back. She managed to relax with the comfort. “I-I mean he showed me this. He said it was a …um… ‘Cranial Tomography’…I think…”

“I only heard of him while still studying my doctorate but I have been told of his perversions of medicine,” the doctor replied with a hint of disgust. He cleared his throat and reverted to a more professional tone. “According to this CT we took of her, her mind has several blank areas of extremely high activity, higher than normal. Especially here.” He pointed to a spot on the lower left area that was very dark. “The temporal lobe and the hippocampus.”

“Hippo-what’s it? Ya mean those weird ponies that live in the sea accordin’ to folk tales an’ all that?” the farm pony asked as she scratched her head.

“Those are hippocamps, Applejack. The hippocampus is a part of the brain, responsible for memories,” Twilight explained, “It is responsible for the short-term memory. The temporal lobe itself is responsible for the long-term one.”

“Quite right. The lobe itself has an unusually high amount of activity. Something is going on in there and that is what prevents the patient from waking up,” the doctor explained. “It’s as though she is, I don’t know how to say it without sounding like a speculative non-professional…”

“...fighting something?” Fluttershy managed to utter out and the doctor sighed.

“Precisely. All we can actually do is wait for the patient to ‘triumph’ and she would be sure to wake up,” the doctor mused.

“But, dear Sir, what if she doesn’t win? She must have been in combat with this ‘foe’ since she first arrived and shows no signs of recovery…” Rarity complained.

He hung his head down and shook it heavily. “Unless she wins, she is never waking up. Her mind itself has given its ultimatum on her being. There is nothing we can do except keep feeding her nutrients. I’m sorry.”

The doctor then allowed the girls to leave the examination room and they all had various faces of worry, anger and helplessness.

“No way! Pinkie’s fighting something fierce in her memories and unless she wins, she’s not gonna wake up?! That’s so lame it isn’t funny!” Rainbow Dash snapped.

“Duly noted, Darling, but our hooves are tied! The only one who can solve this dilemma is our friend herself,” Rarity moaned.

“But the way it looks, an’ after seein’ how she went plumb-crazy like durin’ the funeral, she ain’ in no shape to fight! She’ll be stuck like that ‘til we’re all as old as Granny Smith herself!” Applejack added. She then turned to Twilight. “Don’cha have any magic spells or anythin’ that would force her to wake up or beat this mind-thingy on her?”

“Applejack, that would be nothing short of dark magic! Do you have any idea how bad it would be to cast a spell of dominance over a comatose target? The results would be disastrous!” the purple unicorn replied. She turned her gaze to the side slowly with a sad frown. “Besides, I don’t know any spell that would help in this case. I just can’t enter her mind and fight her battle for her. Nopony can! We just…have to trust in her abilities.”

“Twi, it’s been over two months! We’ve been spending all our time looking over her, waiting for her to open her eyes. Do you think it hurts seeing her like this? There must be something we can do!” the cyan Pegasus pleaded.

“I’m sorry, Rainbow…I wish I knew…” the unicorn sighed sadly. The others also conceded their powerlessness as the four ponies went back to the room Pinkie Pie was interned at. Fluttershy simply stared at them with a determined look.

“I… I will go check on the animals and make sure Spike and Angel Bunny know what they have to do tonight.... I’ll be back before the sun sets so I can take over the shift… if that is ok…”

Twilight merely hoofwaved at her to do what she had to do. Fluttershy nodded once as she left the hospital. This was her fault as much as it was Pinkie’s since she was weak in helping her friend get over her mourning. It was time she did something about it and she knew just how to help her.

********************************************

“Fluttershy? Fluttershy! Open up! We’re here, so you can come out now,” Twilight Sparkle shouted as she knocked on the door of Pinkie’s hospital room.

The four fillies had arrived bright and early to the hospital and brought breakfast for Fluttershy from Sugarcube Corner like they have done every morning for the past two months for the Element who stayed to keep watch over their comatose friend. This night was the yellow pegasus’s shift and they came in to stand watch together. However, it was odd for them to see the door to the room locked. Nopony ever locked the door before and this concerned them.

“Fluttershy?”

No answer.

“Fluttershy?!”

Still no answer.

“FLUTTERSHY?!”

Nothing. Twilight and Rainbow Dash knocked on the door with force and there was no reply whatsoever.

The purple unicorn turned to the nurse on duty walking down the hallway. “Do you have the keys to this room? We need it opened right away!”

“Let me get the doctor. I’ll see what we can do about getting the door opened!” she replied as she galloped towards the main reception area.

“Twi, iffen things are gettin’ bad, ah say we do it mah way!” the farm pony protested as she dropped the wrapped box with the breakfast on the floor and approached the door.

Twilight bit her lip. This was not Pinkie Pie’s room back at Sugarcube, but considering the last time Applejack bucked a door down they saved somepony, it couldn’t hurt to use this strategy once more. “I hope the Princess doesn’t charge this out of my monthly stipend…” she sighed as she hoofwaved.

“Much obliged, sugar cube!” Applejack said as she took aim and bucked the door down. When she did, a scream came from inside that was certainly not from Fluttershy.

“Please stop! You should not interfere! Just as the solution was to draw near!”

The ponies stormed the room and were shocked to see Zecora in the room standing to the side of Pinkie’s bed with a small pot at her hooves which she quickly placed a lid back on. Her eyes were filled with worry and fear. Fluttershy was also in the room sitting on the floor with her legs crossed at the foot of Pinkie’s bed. However when they looked at her eyes, they saw only her white sclerae and corneas. Both irises and pupils were gone! She just stared blankly at Pinkie Pie in front of her.

Applejack and Rainbow Dash wasted no time in hold Zecora up with force as Twilight Sparkle walked angrily towards her.

“What are you doing here?! Who let you in this room?! And what did you do to Fluttershy?! Answer me or I will send the Royal Guard for you!” she screamed at her.

Zecora looked cross for a second but later relaxed and looked at her sternly. “If you let me go, my reason I shall voice... Please understand this was all the young pegasus’s choice.”

Twilight looked at the blank-stared Fluttershy and then back to the strong-armed Pegasus and earth pony and motioned them to let the zebra go. After they did so, the unicorn said sternly. “You’d better explain just what is going here or else you’ll be in a lot of trouble…”

The zebra sighed and began.
“Just before sundown was fast reaching,
Fluttershy came to my hut pleading and beseeching.
She felt intense guilt and crushing regret,
to be at blame for Pinkie’s mental threat.
She asked me if there was any way
for her to help. I couldn’t go “Nay”…
My tribe’s shamans, all sagacious and wise
An astral projection ritual they did devise.”

“Astral projection? As in an out-of-body experience? But that’s an old foal tale!” Twilight said sharply.
“There are many things you do not believe, you only see what your eyes perceive.” Zecora retorted calmly.
“Ergh…fine! So what does this have to do with Fluttershy?!” the unicorn snapped.

“Fluttershy asked me to perform it for her,
she wanted to aid Pinkie and show great valor.
I came to the hospital during the night,
She was alone and the time was right.
I mixed the ingredients to create the spell.
Vapor came out, which I then told her to smell.
The smoke entered her lungs like a tranquil swarm
and soon enough she appeared to me in astral form.
Into the pony’s body, she immediately went in,
I prayed out here, hoping they would both win.
That was when you came in all flustered and agitated,
You asked me for answers and here I finally stated.
So that’s my tale, and by the truth I bind
Fluttershy’s body is there, but her soul…

She pointed a hoof at the unconscious earth pony’s head. “…is in her mind.”

Twilight and the others looked at Pinkie Pie and the empty-stared Fluttershy. On one hoof, they were upset Zecora performed a dangerous and very risky ritual that had damning psychological and ethical consequences and had a notion to turn her in to Celestia.

But on the other hoof, it was Fluttershy whom they should have realized was equally as upset as Pinkie was since she was there that fateful day Gummy died. If there was any other “victim”, the kind-hearted pegasus didn’t show it. Now she took it upon herself to help their friend win her battle and used a loophole to do so.

“That dummy… How the hay could she go into Pinkie’s mind and not tell us about it, huh?! We’re her friends!” Rainbow Dash muttered as she punched the wall behind her.

“Ah for one am not gonna stand here while Fluttershy is up over her li’l head goin’ that way!” Applejack added as she turned to Zecora. “Ah want to go in as well. Use your zebra mumbo jumbo an’ git me in Pinkie’s noodle as well!”

“Count me in! If you’re going in there, I wanna go, too! I can’t call myself the Element of Loyalty if I can’t help my friends out!” Dash replied.

The two unicorns looked at each other, and then turned to the door as the nurse followed by the doctor holding the keys in his magic aura appeared.

“Doctor, whatever you do, please do not disturb us. We’re going to try something and see if we can save Pinkie’s life.” Twilight Sparkle stated. She looked at the busted door on the floor. “We’ll pay for the broken door. For now, please leave us.”

She used her magic to place the door back over the frame much to the confusion of the hospital staff. She looked at her white-coated friend. “Are you going in as well, Rarity?”

“Darling, you simply do not have to ask me twice. It would be disgraceful if I didn’t raise a hoof to help my friend. I only hope nothing bad comes out of all this…” she answered affirmatively.

Twilight then turned to Zecora. “How does the spell work? We’re all going in as well.”

The zebra sighed. “I must warn you ponyfolk, Pinkie’s mind in turmoil is no joke. What you will bear witness in there, will be risky beyond compare.”

“We have faced enough trials. We are ready,” the unicorn replied as all her friends nodded with certainty.

“So be it. You all must sit around the bed. Be comfortable for the journey ahead, ” the zebra ordered and all the four fillies sat in a circle around the bed next to Fluttershy’s body. “Now, close your eyes, take a deep breath, and do not fear. You all shall soon enter an astral atmosphere. Just before I release the smoke for you to smell, I bid you all ‘Good luck and be well’…”

With those words, the zebra removed the lid of the pot as a strange-colored cloud of smoke slowly emanated from within. She slowly began to chant in her native tongue as the vapor began to blow across the room.

Twilight Sparkle could feel the cold pressure of the cloud over her body and particularly her snout. With her mind at ease, she took in slow breaths of the smoke as it entered her body. Suddenly, she could feel her body change around her. She first lost control of her hind legs and tail, then she no longer felt the sensations on her back and her front legs. She began to feel scared as her head soon became numb and she opened her eyes.

To her shock, she found herself looking at the ceiling at a much closer angle than before. She tried to look down and was surprised to see…herself?! No, it was not herself so to speak but rather her empty body! She never realized what her body was like since she only saw it through reflections in mirrors but now she could clearly see the outline of her thin body and noticed both her star cutie marks on opposite sides of her flanks. She then saw her eyes and saw they were just like Fluttershy’s, all completely white with no irises or pupils. She was now…a spirit? Was this how death felt like?

“Whoa, this is like so weird…and yet it’s so awesome!” Rainbow Dash’s voice said as though she was an echo.

Twilight looked around her and saw the pegasus’s body still lying on the floor with her eyes also vacant and blank. She couldn’t believe her perception when she saw an image of Dash’s cutie mark of a cloud shooting a rainbow-colored bolt floating in the air above the empty shell of her body!

“Rainbow is that…gasp Is this my voice?!” Twilight’s own voice said with the same echoing effect as the speedster’s. She then hovered close to a light fixture that reflected what looked like her magenta star surrounded by five smaller white stars in front of her vision. Was this what a pony’s astral form was like?

“Twilight! Rainbow! Rarity! Y’all are yer cutie marks!” Applejack’s own reverberating voice said from a floating image of three apples.

“I can hear my voice… but I can’t feel my legs…or my tail…or my beautiful mane…” whimpered Rarity’s voice emanating from a hovering depiction of a trio of diamond gems, only for her to giggle. “Oh my, but my body down there is looking fabulous as always. I guess seeing myself from another angle aside from the mirror does have its advantages.”

“Girls, concentrate! It seems our astral forms took the shape of our cutie marks, as crazy as it sounds, so Zecora’s ritual worked. Now, what do we do?” Twilight’s voice finally asked.

“If you are all done exploring your new state, hurry into your friend before it’s too late! Focus yourselves and land on her head, be careful when you enter so lightly tread! ” Zecora said as she looked up at the ceiling. Somehow, she could tell they were there and knew they had to hurry.

“She’s right girls. We have no time to lose. We’re going in!” Twilight’s voice commanded.

“I’m on it! Whooooo-hoooooooo!” Rainbow’s voice called out as the rain-bolt cloud swooped down and headed straight for Pinkie’s head. Instead of hitting the surface, however, the cutie mark actually went <through> the pony’s head and disappeared inside.

“Ah guess we know our way in now. Hol’ on, Fluttershy! We’re-a comin’! Geronimo!” Applejack hollered as the apples also followed the rain-bolt cloud inside the filly’s body.

“I hope my body stays safe. Look out below!” Rarity shouted as the gems followed suit.

Twilight’s disembodied spirit in the shape of her cutie mark looked down. Sighing silently, she shot towards the earth pony without stopping as she entered her body.

********************************************

“………………………………………….ht”
“…………………………………………..light”
“…………………………..Twilight”
“……………….Twilight, up an’ at ‘em!”

The unicorn still felt dizzy, but she did hear Applejack’s voice. She gazed up and saw a sturdy stone ceiling overhead. She looked down and saw a hard floor made out of cement. Looking ahead of her she saw a vast hallway with hoof-carved rocks making up the walls and with several torches placed at the sides to provide illumination. One thing puzzled her though. Why were the flames white and gray instead of orange and yellow?

“Nice of ya to finally join us, egghead!” said Rainbow Dash as her face poked into view. Twilight yelped in surprised as she jumped a few feet back.

Wait.

Rainbow Dash’s head? Legs to jump back from? They had bodies again!

She looked to the sides and saw her three friends looking up at her. Strangely enough, all three of them looked exactly the same as they did when Discord thoroughly corrupted them with varying shades of gray making up their bodies. All except their eyes and general demeanor. Their eyes were still the same green, dark blue and magenta colors respectively, and they all looked and acted just like they normally would. Twilight lifted a hoof and saw she too was a dark shade of gray.

“This is so unusual. But it makes sense…” she mused.

“What the hay are you talking about?” Rainbow Dash piped up.

“Scholars often hypothesized that when a pony dreams, they tend to paint the landscape in their minds in nothing but black and white. It must explain why those flames on the torches and our bodies are the way they are,” the unicorn explained.

“That still doesn’t explain why we still have our eyes normal,” Rarity commented.

“I would like to research this myself, but we got no time to lose. We’re more than likely in the memory Pinkie has been fixated on since her coma. If Fluttershy’s already here, then we need to find her and possibly Pinkie as well. Let’s move!” Twilight commanded as she, Rarity and Applejack took off galloping at top speed while Rainbow Dash soared close to them from the air.

Suddenly, the four felt a powerful roar that sent shockwaves throughout the passage. It was coming from a door up ahead which had a pair of statues on either side. One was a regal-looking metal statue of a proud werewolf, and the other was a shoddy stone statue of an ugly naga. Paying them no importance, Twilight forced the door open and was knocked back by yet another powerful roar, forcing her to grab hold of the door or else she would be sent flying. Once the roar ceased, the quartet ventured forth.

To their amazement, the door didn’t lead to a room but rather a small balcony that overlooked a large arena that was unlike anything they ever saw before.

Crystal.

The entire arena, from walls to floor to even the ceiling, was all covered in a hard shimmering crystal shell. The crystal itself managed to let off natural bioluminescence that brightened up the entire a room. It was a good thing it did since the lighting allowed the ponies to see something that made their collective blood run cold.

Standing several feet below their small perch, an enormous dark gray reptile with shining red eyes, enormous claws and sharp spines was looming over what seemed to be a small huddled form of an earth pony. The pony itself was curled up in a small ball, shivering with fear. The four then quickly noticed that next to the small pony was none other than Fluttershy! The pegasus , who also was muted in color just like they were, currently lied unconscious on the reflective floor.

“Hmmm, hmmm, hmmm, hmmm. Ha, ha, ha, ha… HA! HA! HA! HA! HAAAAAAA!!!!!” The sounds of maniacal laughter echoed throughout the arena and entered the ponies’ ears. They again looked down and noticed something unusual about the beast’s head they didn’t notice before.

A small platform was balanced on the reptile’s head where a tall dark grey unicorn stallion with a black-colored mane and moustache looked down at Fluttershy and the pony with his scowling right grayish-green eye. His left eye was covered with a circle that was colored a bright red in the same hue as the alligator’s own eyes. The unicorn or its monster didn’t even notice the new arrivals practically above their heads as they were focused on the two ponies below.

“You pitiful weakling! Did you really think bringing in some pathetic loser to help you out would save you? It only serves to show what a disgraceful coward you are!” the unicorn taunted with spite.

Twilight gasped as she recognized the figure and she whispered,“Dr. Caballus…”

The other three ponies turned and stared at her with shock. “Ya mean ta’ say this here’s that insane polecat that went an’ did those dad-gum experiments on ponies in Canterlot?!” the farm filly asked her.

“And that he’s the one responsible for Gummy’s death?!” Rainbow Dash snapped. “That does it! This guy’s toast!”

“Rainbow, no!” Twilight shouted as the reckless pegasus flew down and zoomed towards Caballus.

She smirked as she got closer to the unwary stallion. “I got you, you crazy motherbu-WHA?!” Before she could do anything, Caballus faced her immediately and the enormous monster it rode on quickly lifted its tail and swatted her out of the sky like a fly. Rainbow spiraled down to the ground and connected with a painful landing.

“Rainbow Dash!” Applejack cried out. She turned to Twilight with a concerned frown. “Don’ jes’ stand there! Use yer magic an’ get us down!”

The unicorn nodded as she lit her horn and magically teleported herself and her two companions below to the floor next to where Rainbow Dash landed.

Caballus frowned seeing these three newcomers. “Calling in more miserable helpers to fight your battles? You are beyond pathetic!” he thundered as he stomped a fore hoof making the large reptile it commanded lumber over to their position.

Twilight acted quickly. “Applejack, create a diversion. Make sure to keep that creature away from everypony,” she said to the farm pony. She responded by merely tipping her hat forward and charged straight at the monster.

“I’m going over and see if I can get Fluttershy and maybe find out who that pony next to her is and get some answers as to why the doctor is here. Rarity, stay here and help Rainbow Dash get back on her hooves again. When she does, tell her to help Applejack,” Twilight said to her fellow unicorn. She nodded once and walked towards the dizzy speedster to assist her. The royal protégé, meanwhile, started preparing her next teleport spell but learned it was to take some time due to having cast a big teleportation spell a while ago to recharge her energy.

Applejack didn’t waste any time in confronting Caballus and his mutant. “Ok, ya fancy shmancy stuffedshirt! Ah’m gon’ show ya what ah do ta’ monsters who hurt other ponies fer their own twisted amusement!” she declared as she stared them down.

The doctor sneered in response. “I have no time for a screaming match with the missing link between refined ponies and prehistoric brutes! Either go back to that cave you crawled out of, or I shall be forced to use force!”

She growled softly as she pawed the ground. “Them’s fightin’ words, ya uppity pile of hog slop! Y’all be sorry ya messed with me!” She reared up her front hooves and charged head-on. She grinned to herself seeing his monster stand there, unwilling to flinch or move. This was going to be easier than she thought.

Caballus merely shook his head as he began to charge up his horn and waited for Applejack to get closer. When she was just second away from hitting the monster, the unicorn unleashed an aura of magic that made him and his monster disappear instantly! Applejack screeched to a halt as she looked everywhere, confused as to how such a large body would vanish like that.

“What in the hay?! Now where’d that polecat go?” she asked befuddled.

“Maybe I can entertain myself for a while. That sniveling coward can wait a while longer,” Caballus said with a chuckle as he and his enormous reptile appeared on a faraway area of the arena. Applejack was not amused by this.

“Don’t try ta’make a fool outta me!” she snapped back.

“Oh, I don’t need to create what already was born as such, you amusing little ignoramus,” he retorted with a hearty laugh.

The pony snorted a long plume of air from her snout and she gnashed her teeth as she charged head-on once more. Just like before, Caballus teleported himself and his giant reptile out of harm’s way to appear in another part of the arena and Applejack again blindly rushed at him. This drove the orange earth pony more and more annoyed and angry. She swore if he even stopped and got her hooves on him, he’d regret messing with her. Provided she could finally catch him, that is.

Catching him or not, Twilight was satisfied Applejack worked well as a diversion and once Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy were awake, they would all take down this maniacal stallion and free Pinkie’s mind from her coma. Her horn had finally regained its full potential and she quickly teleported herself to the spot the yellow pegasus and the odd stranger were located.

“Fluttershy? Fluttershy, please wake up!” she said as she nudged her with a hoof which caused her to stir. Relieved to see she was alright, Twilight turned to the other pony. “Hey… Are you all right? Hello?”

When she nudged this one, though, she began to tremble all over. “Please… I deserve it. I am unworthy of pity…”

Twilight’s mouth hung open. She recognized the voice, even though it was weak and cracking. “P-P-P-P-Pinkie Pie?!”

The pony form unfurled herself from her ball and the unicorn took a good look at her. The pony had long dark-gray hair and tail, familiar to when Pinkie is not her cheerful curly-haired self. Her eyes, unlike the rest of them including Dr. Caballus however, were devoid of color and stayed as gray as their surroundings. She tried to believe this was their friend when she went to check her flanks for the familiar three balloons. She gasped seeing this pony had no cutie marks whatsoever.

“Why did you come here?” the Pinkie pony lamented. “I don’t deserve redemption. I caused so many problems to my friends and all around me because of my excessive worry and anger. I guess Gummy’s death was destiny’s way to say I should not have acted the way I did….”

“It is you, Pinkie!” Twilight said as she hugged her tightly, only for the morose Element of Laughter pushed her away. She just looked down to the side where Fluttershy started to wake up.

“She came in a few minutes ago, she tried to make me feel better. He came. Didn’t run away, just went up to him and told him to get out. He didn’t and she was knocked out…” With a forlorn exhalation, she turned and faced the crystal wall behind her which reflected her face back. She simply stared at it in sad silence. “She didn’t have to. I didn’t ask her to come here. I don’t want my friends to be hurt. I don’t want them to suffer because I’m suffering. I want to be alone for the rest of my life. I deserve this and much more…”

“Pinkie, snap out of it! You have to fight back against his intrusion!” her friend spoke with concerned eyes looking at her. Pinkie merely swayed her gaze to see the reflection next to her. “Your memory of him killing Gummy is what is keeping you from waking up! Outside in the real world, you’re dying and we don’t want that. We want you back with us! You’re our friend, no matter what happened in the past! We all love you, Pinkamena.”

“I don’t deserve your logical praises. Please go. Leave me here with my punishment. I deserve it…” she commented wearily as she lowered her head.

Twilight shook her head sadly. Only by defeating her nemesis was she going to snap out of her gloom, that was what she thought. She turned to face Applejack start to get tired from running after the cackling stallion, who still teleported around the arena.

“Come on now, you oafish bumpkin! Do you not have enough strength in your legs to catch me because of all the cider you guzzle?” he taunted with malice. Applejack wanted so badly to shut him up after every single insult to her name, her earth pony heritage and her lifestyle aggravated her. Why wouldn’t he stand still and shut up so she could buck the teeth out of his mouth?! She charged at him once more with her speed reduced by her waning stamina. Soon, she would not have enough strength to chase him and he would finally end her life as well as her friends. She had to keep going!

Suddenly, a muted rainbow trail soared overhead as Rainbow Dash was finally back on her feet. “Rainbow, ah hate ta’ admit it, but I sure as sugar am glad ta’ see yer face,” the earth pony commented.

“Does that mean you’ll owe me a barrel of cider once we take this bozo down?” the Pegasus said with a twinkle in her mischievous eye.

Applejack responded by closing her eyes halfway and frowned a bit. “Stop bein’ such a smart-aleck an’ let’s get ta’ beatin’ this cow chip down ta’ size!”

The two ponies quickly took off in opposite directions. Applejack would again go straight for the creature’s legs while Dash would aim for knocking the doctor off his platform by going through his blind side. Applejack saw Caballus maintaining his gaze on her without suspecting Rainbow Dash was fast approaching from the side. She aimed directly for the unicorn and nothing was preventing her from finishing him off

Except for a well-timed psychokinetic blast that froze Rainbow Dash where she was with her face inches away from his own. Her infuriated sneer was countered by his contemptible smile. Another psychokinetic blast hit Applejack just before she could strike and he quickly levitated her next to the paralyzed pegasus.

“On second thought, I do so enjoy when that insignificant parasprite manages to scrounge up entertaining little foals like you all. These past two months and a half can get so tedious. How about you dance you me, my puppets?” he chuckled.

“I’ll dance, all right,” Rainbow growled, “Dance all over your face! WHAT THE HAY?!” She suddenly realized that not only was she now positioned standing on her two hind legs but she was doing a saucy bellydance much to her confusion and embarrassment.

Applejack placed her hooves over her mouth to restrain herself as her eyes watered only to finally let out loud laughter. “HAHAHAHA! Oh boy howdy, Ah reckin ah never seen this side of you before, Rainbow! Tell me, do ya also perform them lapdances as well?” she snickered as she wiped a tear from her eye. That was when her body was also placed on her hind legs and she began to dance ballet! Tiptoes en pointe, jetés, pirouettes and more. She moved like a seasoned prima ballerina.

“Heh heh heh. Wow, AJ, seems you didn’t tell me everything that went on in Manehatten with your family there, eh? Were you enrolled in those namby-pamby classes as well as your etiquette classes, ‘missy’?” Rainbow retorted with a smirk even as her body was forced to wiggle her waist in rhythm to an invisible flute. The orange pony merely shot her a death glare unable to control her body as she continued her “recital”.

While the two headstrong ponies were keeping Caballus busy with their dancing, Rarity managed to reach the other side of the arena where Twilight was located. She was more than surprised to see Pinkie Pie stare silently at her reflection and Fluttershy stirring but otherwise unconscious.

“Good you came Rarity,” the unicorn congratulated only to raise her eyebrow seeing Rainbow Dash and Applejack now forced to do the Horsetrot and Waltz which made the two fillies blush beet red from all the contact. Caballus meanwhile only looked on with amusement as he kept his control over them. “Uh…Well I guess they are keeping him busy, nonetheless…” the protégé mused and shrugged her shoulders.

“Indeed they are,” Rarity said as she was still staring in bewilderment. She finally turned around and faced her. “Has Fluttershy and our Pinkie Pie faring any better?”

“Sadly no. Fluttershy’s still unconscious and Pinkie Pie…well…” she merely moved her head and pointed with her horn. “Why don’t you try speaking to her? Maybe she’ll listen to you.” She moved aside on cue.

The fashionista nodded once and faced Pinkie. Never had she seen her so sad in all her life. Still, she had to do something for all their sakes. She stood next to her, unsure what to do or say until she saw how splendorous the crystal wall in front of them reflected their appearance.

“Oh, these are simply lovely,” she began. “How clear and magnificent these walls reflect one’s visage. Tell me, Darling, what are you looking at so vehemently in your reflection?”

Pinkie Pie didn’t even move her eyes to acknowledge the new presence and mumbled softly, “Finding other valid reasons that I should be punished for my sin…”

Rarity’s eyes opened wide at her remark. This wasn’t the same pony she has known all her life. It was time to make her feel better about herself.

“Now, now, Pinkie Pie. You mustn’t say such things about yourself. You are such a charming young lady who can bring a smile to everypony’s faces,” Rarity states as she rubbed her hoof against the mirrored wall. “You see, a day with your smile dazzles brighter than a Sun Star and is just as beautiful. You brought color to Ponyville, Darling, and we are simply unable to make do without your presence. Come, let us fight against this uncivil ruffian and bring back the color to your life, ours and of everypony else back in Ponyville. Shall we?”

Pinkie Pie didn’t even raise her head during this entire speech. “You want color?” she finally said. “…Go buy a box of crayons…”

The unicorn was taken aback by this retort that she didn’t know what else to say. Twilight was right. She was a tough nut to crack and she really didn’t know what to say to her now. Flattery was a poor strategy for her to use and she paid for it.

“It’s ok, Rarity, you did your best,” Twilight Sparkle told her as she placed a hoof on her shoulder to console her attempt. Her feeling of disappointment was short-lived, though, when two projectiles came soaring over the sky and landed right next to them.

“I had my fun, but now it’s time to get back to work. You amused me, and for that I give you to the count of ten for you all to escape before you all regret it,” Caballus declared as he signaled the reptile monster to move ahead.

“Rarity, take care of Fluttershy and the others. When Applejack and Rainbow get better, tell them to try and get Pinkie Pie’s help,” Twilight commanded sternly as she looked at the approaching creature.

“But what about you?” her unicorn friend asked with concern.

“I’ll hold him off. Just tell them to help Pinkie Pie come to her senses. Wish me luck!” she called out as she broke into a gallop.

The two ponies managed to get back on their feet as they checked themselves over for any broken bones. “Ah’ll never dance that dad-gum Marecarena again as long as ah breathe!” the orange pony mused angrily.

“You and me both!” Rainbow Dash snorted in approval. Rarity glad to see the two not injured walked up to them.

“Howdy, Rarity. Looks like you got sumthin’ fierce on yer mind,” Applejack acknowledged.

“Twilight is off distracting that beastly stallion so we can all work on our duties. I will watch over Fluttershy and hopefully get her back in perfect shape. You two, meanwhile, are to talk with our ‘unhappy’ associate and see if she can finally work together with us. Time is of the essence…” Rarity looked back and saw Twilight and Caballus duel it out with various magic blasts they shoot out from their corresponding horns, dodging every blow that came their way with the filly’s reflexes and the doctor’s uncanny teleportation skills respectively.

“Please hurry!” the fashionista pleaded before going to look over the unconscious pegasus to make sure she soon wakes up.

Applejack and Rainbow Dash looked at Pinkie Pie still staring with a deathly gaze at her reflection. “Care to try your luck first?” the speedster asked her friend.

“Ah reckon ah should,” she replied by straightening her hat. This was not going to be easy but she had to give it a shot. Twilight was counting on her.

She moseyed up to Pinkie and stood next to her while both simply stared at their reflections against the wall. Applejack was the first to talk. “Why are ya here, sugar cube? Don’cha wan’ go back ta’ Ponyville? We sure as rain want ya back throwin’ yer parties an’ hoedowns which puts a smile on all our faces.”

“Ponyville doesn’t deserve me… I am nothing more than a failure and bad luck…” Pinkie managed to whisper out as her sad frown became more pronounced.

Applejack also frowned but of a different sentiment. “Aw, stop that dad-gum nonsense, Pinkie Pie! Ah remember a pony that laughed right in the face of danger an’ that’s no joke! A pony who did her best to make everypony else smile so wide they’d need magic surgery ta’ fix their faces! What happened ta’ that pony? What happened ta’ mah friend?!”

The miserable filly placed her head against the wall and applied pressure to it. “That pony wants to be what her pet is now: Dead…”

“A’right, Ah had enough of this here sad sack routine! Yer an Element of Harmony! Yer one a chosen pony who has been blessed with one of the greatest powers ponykind can ever attain! We stick by each other and we support each other! That’s the way it goes. We will beat this polecat but only if we’re all together!” She raised her hoof in front of her. “So, ya with me?"

Pinkie Pie silently stared at the hoof and placed her own on top. Applejack smiled widely seeing she managed to snap her out of it.

“If you need the Element of Laughter…”

Applejack nodded with a grin hoping for the best.

“…Then, ask the Princess to find a worthier successor…” Pinkie said solemnly as she pushed Applejack’s hoof away and sat down on her haunches.

The cowpony turned to Rainbow Dash. “Ah’m gonna go help Twilight out. She’s all yers, pardner.”

Rainbow Dash let off an annoyed grumble. “Seems to me somepony needs some tough love!” she stated as she walked with hard-sounding stomps towards her target.

Pinkie Pie sighed long as she rubbed her forehoof against the crystal floor. She didn’t even flinch when Rainbow Dash stomped one hoof right next to her to catch her attention. “Alright, Pinkie. I’ve had enough of this Sober Sue routine you’ve been pulling on everypony! Twilight’s eggheadedness failed, Rarity’s talk failed and even Applejack’s honesty did nothing! What they hay is wrong with you, huh?!”

“I...” the miserable earth pony began to say while keeping her eyes on the floor, only to be cut off.

“Don’t try to explain yourself, Pinkie! Do you know how much trouble we went through to actually come inside your head and try to help you win this battle against that clown over there? He had me dancing a lot of crazy stuff! Stuff that I’m thankful nopony else saw me do! I took a bullet for you so it’s time to pony up and be a mare!” she snapped with a loud stomp of her hoof. Pinkie merely stared down silently. The pegasus wasn’t going to give up for an instant and set up another salvo.

“I considered you to be made of sterner stuff! You didn’t take nothing from nopony! You simply went out and you kicked flank! Now look at yourself! Moping, feeling sorry for yourself, acting more like a cryfoal than a grown mare! You are not a pony, you’re a phony!”

Rainbow Dash felt smug on the outside but hurt deep inside. She really hated saying all these things to Pinkie but she figured tough love was all she needed to kickstart her morale and prove she was better than that.

That was when Pinkie Pie smiled at her. The pegasus, normally happy seeing the Element of Laughter smile, felt rather unnerved by the crooked smile on her dour face.

“I was wrong…” she finally whispered. “With a friend like you, who needs that monster to belittle me? You do a much better job than him… Thank you for showing me the truth about myself…”

The pegasus’s mouth could have hit the floor from how much she opened it in shock. She really messed up bigtime and softly facehoofed herself in shame.

“Listen, Rare, things didn’t turn out just like I planned so I’m going to go help Twi and AJ. Hope Fluttershy wakes up! Gotta go! Bye!” she managed to say as she zoomed away. Rarity looked at her morose friend now more miserable than ever. They all failed.

Rainbow Dash caught up with her two friends who alternated between shooting and trying to buck him, only for Caballus to either counter with his own magic shots and teleport constantly out of the earth pony’s attack range. What puzzled them all was how he was able to teleport not just himself but also his enormous companion and so constantly and still have enough magical energy to shoot projectiles at them. Even Twilight had to catch her breath and recharge her innate energy to teleport! They figured once he was subdued, they would get their answers soon enough.

Unlike before, Rainbow Dash had a clear shot to hit the madstallion off the platform as he was locked in magic combat with Twilight. Rainbow Dash steadied herself and collided spectacularly against the unicorn.

However, Dr. Caballus simply wobbled right where he stood as though he was a brick wall! The impact also had the effect of sending the pegasus flying by the force of the recoil and collided once more against Applejack. Twilight stopped to see what happened carefully and her eyes finally detected something that they didn’t before which made her shudder in disgust and wonder.

Caballus wasn’t just standing on the platform, he was rooted in place through his hind legs! While his fore legs and hooves were free to move around, his back legs were somehow adhered to the platform tightly.

How could he have done this?! This goes beyond all convention of modern logic!, she thought to herself.

She was so distracted by this sudden turn of events that she didn’t see Caballus charge up another shot and connected with it easily. She rolled across the floor a few times and collided against her two friends who were still with the wind knocked out of them.

She looked up as the lumbering reptile again approached them, only this time the unicorn was far too tired and having used up too much energy to successfully teleport to safety. She looked up at the vile beast with its red eyes staring down at her. She closed her eyes and waited for the inevitable end.

No reaction.

She slowly opened one eye and saw the creature merely stand there only to ignore them and headed back to Pinkie Pie’s position.

“Stop!” she shouted only for the monster to stop and the doctor on its head to merely turn his head back. “You had a chance to kill us and yet you didn’t. Why didn’t you do it?”

Caballus merely lowered his gaze at her. “You worthless interlopers do not concern me. I merely enjoyed your amusing attempts at both trying to stop me and helping that sniveling weakling. You served your usefulness, so run. Run away like that coward did. It is all she is good for and that is what I reminded her of these past months. But it’s none of your business! Begone!” With those harsh words, he again pressed his mount forward.

Twilight’s mind began to race at an alarming place. He clearly never intended nor wants to kill them. He simply wanted them gone to continue belittling her. She then thought about his unlimited use of magic energy.

That was the moment she finally figured it all out. About Caballus being there, Pinkie Pie’s indifference towards being healed, and everything else. With strength returning to her horn and looking at Applejack and Rainbow Dash, she quickly teleported the three of them back to the location of Rarity, Fluttershy and what she originally believed was Pinkie.

As soon as she appeared, she went straight for Fluttershy, whom Rarity was still watching over. She began to softly nudge her and the timid pony began to mumble.

“Fluttershy? Fluttershy! Wake up! Please!” she pleaded. The pegasus’s eyes softly flickered open and she looked at them with worry.

“Twilight? What are you doing here?” she asked softly, only to gasp. “Where is she? Did he-?”

“No, Fluttershy, she’s right over there,” Twilight replied.

Fluttershy took a deep breath of relief. “That’s good. Listen, you must know this. That Pinkie and Dr. Caballus are-”

She was instantly interrupted by the unicorn. “I know already. I figured it out. And I finally realized we’ve been going about this the wrong way.”

Rarity walked up to her. “Twilight, darling, what is the matter?”

“Get Rainbow Dash and Applejack up. If we want to beat this thing, we all must do our part,” she answered somberly.

As per her command, the two reckless members of the Elements were soon back on their feet and all five of the Elements sans Pinkie looked up at the Caballus monstrosity in front of their eyes.

“Fools! You hinder me? Just what do you think you are trying to do by preventing me from my chore?” he shouted down at them.

Applejack faced her unicorn friend. “Ok, Twilight, what’s our new strategy? How’re we gonna beat this slimy toad?”

Twilight merely smirked. “Simple, we get Pinkie’s confidence to do the job for us.”

Everypony in the small group except Fluttershy looked at her curiously. “Say what now? Pinkie’s ‘confidence’? How will we ever get that? I mean, we can’t even get Pinkie back there to help us!” Rainbow Dash protested.

“That’s because what we originally thought as Pinkie isn’t the real Pinkie,” Twilight explained as she turned around to the morose earth pony. “You are really her embodiment of her confidence!”

The “pony” merely sighed and nodded slowly. “Yes… I am Pinkamena’s confidence… I don’t know why you all thought I was her . Only her friend Fluttershy knew but she was quickly knocked out before she could do anything. I’m just a loser who deserves everything that she is suffering over. I have no redemption and I don’t deserve it…”

“This is a lot to swallow, dear. So if our Pinkie there is her confidence, who is this uncouth amalgamation of pony and monster before our eyes’” Rarity asked puzzled. Dash and AJ also nodded in agreement.

“Simple. What mental trait does nothing but torture us for our bad actions, even if they were accidental? What seeks out to undermine confidence and ultimately lead to a decision where one merely seeks to despair and lose the will to go on? What is that sensation that prevents us from ever functioning normal because of our regrets over what we have done in the past?”

The trio tried to think of a good answer but ended up shaking their head and pawing the floor unconsciously. Fluttershy closed her eyes.

“Guilt.”

The protégé nodded. “Taking the form of both a monstrous version of the one she loves and mourns, along with the form of the one she hates. Both mixed together which her confidence has formed to be its torturer for eternity. As long as confidence is weak, guilt overpowers everything and its energy is unlimited. That’s why it was able to use its different magic spells and the reason it didn’t kill us. Guilt doesn’t kill, instead it forces us to do it ourselves. But since we’re not part of Pinkie’s mind, it considered us interlopers and wanted us out so it could continue to dominate and belittle her confidence until Pinkie herself gives up. That is why she’s in a coma.”

Caballus, or rather Guilt, hoofclapped. “Brilliant deduction, outsider. But you’re no match for me. As long as confidence is weak because of the pony’s sins, I will never be defeated!”

Twilight stepped forward one step. “That is where you’re mistaken, guilt! We were simply going about this the wrong way. We don’t need to reason with confidence, flatter it, be honest with it or show it tough love…” She turned around and walked towards Pinkie’s confidence. “We need to show her the truth…”

“What? No! That’s preposterous! I warn you, stay away from her and leave! This is not your business!” the amalgamation of culpability protested loudly.

“Wrong again! Our friend is our business and she will wake up!” she said with determination. She looked at her four friends. “Girls, follow my lead.”

Twilight and the ponies walked up to Pinkie’s confidence avatar who merely looked up at them sadly.

“Listen. It’s ok to be sad and show regret for actions,” Twilight began. “You have all the rights to be saddened over the recent actions Pinkie had taken, but that’s what makes her a hero. A hero isn’t in it for the glory. A hero does what is right. Mare-Do-Well always did the right thing despite the roads she took to reach her final outcome. You are not to blame about this.”

“But…but…everypony despises her… Those rotten police ponies with that horrible captain of theirs…” the ponification of self-assurance murmured in complaint.

“So there’s some idjit whose tie is on too tight. Big whoop, Ah say,” Applejack scoffed softly. “Ya gotta realize the bigger picture, ya get me? Think of how Mare-Do-Well and Pinkie Pie saved us from that rotten nag Game Marester, or how she saved countless lives from slavery by that polecat glowcap harvester, including mah little sis! There are lots and lots of ponies grateful fer not what only Mare-Do-Well does but also what Pinkie Pie herself does. That one rotten apple will be bucked clear over the horizon before it spoils the entire barrel!”

“She committed an injustice to you all… She ran headfirst into danger not caring at all. You were all her friends and she shunned you all… If she was here, she’d be ashamed to live any longer when the realization hits…” Confidence protested.

“Uh, hellooooooooo?” Rainbow Dash replied with a roll of her eyes. “We got used to Pinkie Pie marching to the drum of her own little private band. I do the same. We all do, y’know. But it takes guts to admit when we bite off more than we can chew. Trust me, I’ve been at that dinner table more times than I count. But you know what, it takes a lot to admit you’re wrong and fall back on those that love you and support you. Pinkie may be impulsive, but she’s a good filly. You really shouldn’t feel all that sorry. So you did a few mistakes. Nobody calls you out on it! You just gotta get back on your hooves and keep soaring forward!”

“May I add, Darling, that Mare-Do-Well’s presence as well as Pinkie’s, is indeed what I said: A ray of light brighter than a Sun Star”, added Rarity, “But I’ll spare you unnecessary flattery and tell you the truth. Ponies of Ponyville adore you both. One as a light of joy, the other as a beacon of hope. How big is the hope? Celestia knows how many young fillies and colts have actually asked me to make foal-size costumes of Mare-Do-Well for Nightmare Night! Shouldn’t that make you proud of everything you have done? I shan’t trouble you with excess details but know that despite failing at flattery earlier, this time it is genuine admiration. You are loved and they love you back. You give them hope and that gives them a reason to go on.”

“I thank you for all this, but it doesn’t matter as long as my biggest sin exists: Gummy is dead. He will never come back. He was her biggest joy and my impulsiveness caused him to die. I have no right to call myself ‘confidence’ if I was reckless…” she said with tears streaming down her hypothetical eyes.

It was finally Fluttershy’s turn to talk. “I was going to tell you this before your guilt monster showed up and knocked me out, Miss Confidence. Ask yourself this: Would Gummy be happy if he saw Pinkie lying down on a bed, with a tube feeding her food, not waking up?”

Confidence looked up at her with a shocked expression.

“Think about it. Would Gummy, if he was here in her mind, would be happy to see you give up and his memory being used as a deterrent to go forward and instead formed to make up that bad mishmash over there unconsciously created to punish you?”

The ponified emotion started to shake her head slowly as she stared on.

“Gummy loved Pinkie with all his little heart, even when Dr. Caballus mutated him. If he was looking down at us from the Afterlife, he would be sad. He would say this is not what he wants his memory to be used as. He would want Pinkie to live. He would want her to prevent what happened to him to ever happen to anypony else,” the Pegasus concluded.

Confidence turned her head to the side towards a reflection on the wall and everypony else did the same. To their surprise, instead seeing their reflections, they saw the image of a small tan-colored colt who simply walked to the side standing in place.

“I was created that day. Pinkamena was out patrolling the streets while you all were at her place of business. At first, she enjoyed this neat little prank, thinking it was fun to use Precognition to save innocents in accidents. That was when she saw that little colt. A stallion loomed before him. He had evil intents in his mind. He…” It shuddered as it tried hard to explain. “…he was going to do the ‘unspeakable’ to the colt… Things that should only be between a grown stallion and a mare…”

The others reacted with color-bleaching horror. “That is… I mean… that’s…” Twilight stammered out in shock.

“Monstrous!” Rarity finally exclaimed.
“Totally sick!” Rainbow Dash added with disgust.
“Not right at’all!” Applejack snapped.
“…” Fluttershy was completely frozen unsure what to say or do upon the realization hitting her. Applejack and Rarity hugged her close to them. A single solitary tear ran down her cheek.

“Pinkamena felt the same way and that was the moment I was born. Using my influence, she nearly beat that stallion to an inch of his life because what that nasty stallion planned to do to that innocent young colt. However, she stopped me before she could kill him. Actually, it was because of both Joy and Wisdom. If it weren’t for them, Pinkamena would have killed him on the spot. Instead, I held back and they knew I did the right thing… I guess all of you being Pinkamena’s close associates in the real world know what happened after that.”

It then looked up, finally showing a look of determination rather than sorrow. “I swore I would help Pinkamena in the moments where the others couldn’t and give her the strength and valor to be Mare-Do-Well, but after the death of her beautiful pet. I doubted myself and Guilt soon came to torture me and my impulsiveness, fearing that her pet would frown upon me for inadvertently killing him with my actions.”

“But you shouldn’t. Instead you are killing Pinkie by not allowing her to wake up. Your restraining lock of her mind must be shattered. She has to go on,” Twilight said.

“What the hay does that mean? Yer talkin’ about this here arena or something?” Applejack asked in confusion.

Twilight explained, “This was never an arena. This is the prison Confidence itself created for Guilt to torture it. Deep inside the crystal I can sense Pinkie’s other mental avatars. They are trapped inside, unable to function or move. That is why she is in a coma in fact. Confidence has frozen them all in crystal because it was too ashamed of itself.”

She again faced Confidence. “But you don’t have to anymore. Not torture yourself, not seal away everything, nothing. Pinkie has friends, shehas fans, and also the love of her pet who despite no longer in the mortal state of existence, he will always look at her with pride. Please don’t disappoint us, them and specifically him. Are you willing to speak to Pinkie itself and tell her you are killing her because of your false ideas of how her pet would react? I’m sure she would not like it and will throw you a party to make you feel better. That’s what Pinkie is and not the way you claim her to be.” The other four ponies nodded in agreement.

The ponification of self-assurance and self-esteem looked down. “I was a fool. Joy actually wanted to do that with the help of Whimsy after that happened. But instead I listened to Sorrow and Fear… And this is what happened. I froze them all and Guilt was formed in order to punish me…”

Her head shot back up as her eyes showed anger. “No more! I know now that Pinkamena herself would not want me moping….”

Everypony present were surprised to see purple cloth appear out of nowhere and envelop Confidence’s body in a tight purple outfit that hid her long straight tail.

“She needs to wake up once more. I do not want to see her die. I made a mistake with Gummy but I swear nopony close to her will ever die again!”

Four small dark-blue strips of cloth appeared and wrapped themselves around her hooves.

“My period of torture is over. I have no need of something as trivial as Guilt to affect me anymore. I have her friends, I have her fans and I for one don’t want to disappoint both my creator and the influence of that young colt!”

A long flowing cape with a monogrammed brooch with an “M” appeared and attached itself to her front with the long garment flapping back against an invisible breeze.

“The world is full of dangers. That madstallion is still out there and I will make sure he never harms an innocent as long as I live deep inside her mind…”

A small cloth mask with large bright blue eye covered hovered above her and gently pulled itself over her face.

“In the brightest day or in the darkest night…” she spoke with a much different tone of voice. Gone were the familiar vocal stylings of Pinkie Pie herself but rather a much more mature mare’s tone and speech. The sound of this new voice gave goosepimples to the five ponies as though they were now seeing a powerful goddess rather than a simple pony.

“I shall bring hope, justice and all that is right.” A large purple hat materialized out of the air and began to softly float down to the transformed Confidence.

“The schemes of evil, I shall vanquish and quell…” it plucked the hat out of midair and placed it on its head.

She then looked up towards the sky, radiating an aura of power and strength that caused the ponies and even Guilt to shield their eyes. When the glow dissipated, all they say was an angry defiant Confidence now fully reborn.

“…for I am she: THE MYSTERIOUS MARE-DO-WELL!!” it concluded as she took strong steps towards the Guilt monstrosity.

Gone was Guilt's formerly cocky and arrogant demeanor and replaced by fear. Even its second reptilian head’s lips were quivering unsure what to do now and its eyes lost some of the angry red hue.

“Stay back! There are still several things still to be guilty about!” the primary stallion head cried out. “Uh, you have Pinkamena’s pranks on everyone before the griffon showed up! Thinking that zebra was some evil enchantress without getting to know her! Not liking the first dress the designer made and having her make another one that same evening! Not telling that unicorn she was following her while Precognition had its fun with her! Eating the baker’s cornbread! Yeah! Uh…uh… I know! Believing all these stupid friends of yours didn’t love you and allowed Sorrow to dominate again during that little beast's after-birthday party!”

“How the tables have turned. The mark of cowardice fits you better all along. How dare you disrespect Pinkamena’s friends and her pet?! It’s time you disappear from her mind for good! We have no need of you anymore!” the costumed avatar of self-esteem snapped back.

Just like that, Guilt suddenly began to shrink as it lost its power and influence. It became smaller and smaller until it was more no bigger than a pony’s hoof.

“You can’t do this! A mind can’t function without guilt! You’re making a terrible mistake!” it squeaked as loud as it could.

Suddenly, Confidence lifted a hoof and slammed it down over the bug-sized creature, squashing it quite audibly. Twilight Sparkle, Applejack and Rainbow Dash winced and stuck their tongues out in nausea, while Rarity and Fluttershy swooned on the spot.

Confidence lifted her foot away to reveal a small spot on the crystal floor with a foul stinking cloud of smoke emanating from it. “Pinkamena will have to learn to live without you anymore…” it replied coldly as it turned around and walked back to the ponies.

It stared at them moving its head around as the three friends were unsure what it was to do now. The other two who fainted managed to wake up and go back to their feet during this time. Instead of attacking, Confidence in the Mare-Do-Well costume simply lied down and bowed before them in reverence.

“Friends of Pinkamena, I thank you. Thank you for casting aside my own doubts and self-loathing and giving me the strength to conquer that bully. I will go on now. Her pet alligator would frown on her and me if I continued down the path I once took. I shall never again doubt myself. You have all taught me that. Thank you.”

Twilight and the others nodded happily. “Does that mean Pinkie will finally snap out of her coma.”

“She will. With my power restored I will now shatter this prison, so her feelings and personality traits will once again be free to travel across her mind.”

With those words, Confidence jumped up in the air and somehow stayed afloat for a few seconds. It then came down and slammed its hooves against the crystal floor, sending shockwaves everywhere. The formerly pristine surface of crystal began to show lesions as very loud audible cracks were heard everywhere. The avatar of self-esteem looked at them sternly.

“You must all go now. As you are not part of Pinkamena’s mind like we are, the sound of the crystal shattering will makes your ears explode. When it shatters you will all fall into the dark abyss of her subconscious, unlike we feelings and personality traits who can remain hovering as her landscape reforms itself.”

“How do we do that? I don’t think my teleportation spell would be of any use here in Pinkie’s mind where the laws are much different…” Twilight commented with worry.

“Allow me,” Confidence said as it clapped its forehooves together twice. To their surprise, a swirling vortex of white energy like a small tornado turned on its side appeared to the side of the self-esteem avatar.

“A little trick I learned from Whimsy,” she chuckled once. “Hurry! Go through that portal and you will find a way outside her mind and hopefully her body.” The crystal floor began to break apart under them. “Go now!”

The five ponies didn’t need to be told again and quickly made their way to the portal, jumping in one by one. In the vortex, they felt their bodies start to leave them and revert to the astral forms of their cutie marks as they disappeared out of sight.

Confidence saw them leave and quickly closed the portal. The floor, as well as the walls and ceiling, finally broke apart and the avatar itself was somehow still floating. A few voices were heard in the darkness when the crystal chamber broke apart.

“Wheeeeee! We’re free! We’re free!!!”
“Apparently her little temper tantrum finally ceased. That was a most unfortunate event…”
“She is our sister and I care for her either way. Oh, I can’t wait to get back and spread my wings again.”
“I told you she would free us eventually. You all have to trust in my visions.”
A couple bike-horn honks followed by an entire orchestral fanfare was heard.
“I wish I was still frozen… I deserve being cold and unable to move…”
“Please…don’t let her do that again… It was so scary…”
“That bitch! Once I get my hands on her, she’s gonna wish Guilt killed her!”

Confidence shook its head. It would be a while for every single “sister” to accept it again but first, they had to work together to get their “master” working once more. It was time for Pinkamena to awaken.

********************************************

Zecora watched five cutie marks fly out of the head of the gray-colored earth pony. The magenta star surrounded by smaller white ones, the trio of apples, the rain-bolt cloud, trio of gems and trio of pink butterflies loom in a circle above the room, circling each other. If she didn’t know any better, she would think they were congratulating one another for a job well done. She was pleased by all this.

She then saw the cutie marks loom over the empty pony shells surrounding the bed and jumped in them without fail. A few seconds later, all the ponies began to stir and moan.

“Are we…back?” Twilight Sparkle finally spoke as her purple irises and black pupils returned to her vacuous white eyes. She looked down at her hooves and saw their familiar purple hue. She touched her muzzle and looked back at Zecora who beamed with pride.

“Congratulations, my friends. I can feel you helped her make amends. You all did good and worked so well…”

“No, thank you, Zecora,” Twilight interrupted her rhyme. “If it wasn’t for you we would not have helped her confidence regain…hehe… its confidence!”

Zecora smiled and closed her eyes. “…all I did, my pony friend, was provide the spell.”

“Ah! I finally return! I must say, that there was quite the adventure!” Rarity said as she waved her beautiful mane around “I guess I had enough excitement for one day.”

“That was so strange. I just hope everypony is…” Fluttershy cut her words short seeing Applejack and Rainbow also getting up and she smiled.

“We’re back, and that’s good. All that’s left is hoping Confidence managed to do what it said it would do,” the unicorn protégé commented.

Rainbow Dash gasped and pointed at the bed which everypony else turned their attention to. To their amazement, Pinkie Pie’s began to return to her body, changing the gray back to its bright pink color and her mane to its darker pink hue but still straight-style. Her eyelids were still closed but they all saw movement beneath them and her lips began to stir.

She softly and slowly opened her eyes and the ponies in the rooms could not contain their smiles and tears seeing their good friend awake once more. The pink pony’s eyes softly moved around her field of vision and softly smiled.

“Hi…girls…” she managed to croak out, her voice being very raspy due to the absence of speech for the past two months and a half. “I…sure…slept…good…”

“Hooo-weee! Ah sure am glad yer back, sugar cu-HUH?!”

The ponies stopped. That was Applejack’s accent, but it came from the familiar shrill voice, and body, of... Rainbow Dash?!

“What the hay?! What am I doing over there?” the upbeat tone of Rainbow Dash coming from the voice and body of Applejack cried out.

“Rainbow?! Yer in me, and ah’m in you?!” “Rainbowjack” said as she grabbed her hat from her former body and placed it on the rainbow-colored mane she now sported.

“This is not cool! What happened?!” said “Apple Dash” as she looked at her orange hooves and the absence of wings.

Zecora frowned. “It appeared in your rush you were hasty a tad, now your spirits inhabit the wrong one’s body, how very bad…”

“Can you get them back in their bodies?” Twilight asked.

“Certainly, they simply have to breathe in the smoke again, but I ran out of it, so I return to my hut...” the zebra said as she moved the broken door aside to reveal the doctor and the nurses waiting outside. She graciously moved to let them in. Before she fully left, she turned to face the ponies once more. “…come visit me then.”

“Wow, here I thought she forgot a rhyme. She’s good…” mused “Apple Dash”, much to the surprise of the hospital staff.

“I swear you six are more trouble than you’re worth!” Nurse Redheart moaned.

“Is she…awake?!” the doctor exclaimed as he and the nurses began to examine the newly-revived Pinkie Pie. With a quick command, he had the nurses wheel the bed out of the room and took Pinkie to the examination room which the five friends quickly followed behind. Once there, he closed the door and told them to wait for the examination and check-up to conclude.

Everypony except “Rainbowjack” and “Apple Dash” waited with baited breath. The two switched ponies merely grumbled and complained silently about how their temporary new bodies were and how the former pegasus complained about her lack of wings.

The clock struck the next hour and the doctor finally came out and everypony surrounded him. His face was a mix of joy and confusion.

“It’s a miracle, that’s all I will say. A miracle!” he said.

“How is she faring, doctor? Please tell us,” the purple unicorn asked.

“Her heart rate, as well as the rest of her system is back to normal, but her body and muscles have yet to temselves itself after being in a coma for so long so she has to undergo a strict procedure of getting solid foods back in her systems as well as my planned regimen of exercise to get her legs and hooves strong again. It may take her a while for her body to readjust itself but the worst is over. Hopefully by the end of this month, she will back in Ponyville and to her daily routine.”

The five friends immediately cheered and hugged each other at the good news, only for the nurse on duty to shush them and point at the “no talking” sign posted nearby. The doctor excused himself to go back inside the examination room.

“Well, iffen you gals excuse us, me an’ mah body got an appointment wit’ Zecora! Come along, Rainbow!” “Rainbowjack” muttered as she walked towards the door.

“Yeah, this body of yours is far too big for my tastes…” muttered “Apple Dash” as she followed her.

“What didja say?! Are ya callin’ me fat?!” the earth pony in the Pegasus body shouted back.

“Whoa there, no! You’re fit, it’s just that well your flank is…” the grounded speedster tried to say.

“So yer callin’ mah flank fat! Well, this here body of yers is a disgrace! It’s all bony an’ weak as a sapling!” the winged fampony yelled.

“Take that back! My body is perfect for flying! Much better than this bulky barn and flank you got! What do you eat? Boulders?!” “Apple Dash” retorted.

The two ponies kept yelling at each until it finally died down the further away they got. The nurse on duty merely clamped her hat down over her head in anger due to the disregard for hospital protocol. The filly unicorns merely giggled in unison while Fluttershy smiled sheepishly at what transpired.

Soon enough, the bed carrying Pinkie Pie was wheeled out and the filly was smiling a bit more now despite still having her straight mane. The trio of ponies walked up and trotted in place as they spoke to her.

“How are you feeling, Pinkie. Better?” Twilight asked with a warm smile.

“Uh-huh. I dunno what you guys did, but I think I owe you all such a big thanks. The second I get out of here, I’m throwing all of Ponyville a party they’ll talk about for years to come.” The earth pony said with a weak smile.

“That won’t be necessary, Pinkie. We’re going to throw it to you instead. Pinkie promise,” the purple pony replied.

Pinkie nodded only for her smile to fade a bit as she stared at Rarity. “Rarity, I’m sorry I ruined…that. I was so angry and depressed over what happened. Strange I don’t feel that way anymore, but I still did something that was inconsiderate. Will you…”

“Pish-posh, my dear! I know you were of unsound mind at that moment. I made a promise that first day my boutique was always open to you. I’ll simply make a new one and use much better and stronger cloth for it. Rest assured that I shan’t hold a grudge.” Rarity answered with a content look.

“Please, just rest, Pinkie Pie. We’ll be coming by every day and see how you are,” Fluttershy finally said.

The pony nodded in response and smiled. The trio finally stopped walking as Pinkie Pie was led to the first training room to help her get back to her feet.

“Um…I guess I better go now…Angel Bunny must be worried about me. If you need me, I’ll be home, uh, if that’s ok with you…” Fluttershy whispered.

“Fluttershy, thank you.” Twilight said. The Pegasus cocked her head sideways wondering what she meant. “If you didn’t go find Zecora and learn about that astral projection ritual, we would have never helped Pinkie’s Confidence and her Guilt would have driven it and her own body to die. You did better than any of us could ever accomplish. You are truly wonderful.”

Fluttershy just smiled warmly as she walked down the hallway towards the entrance.

Twilight then turned to the last friend standing next to her. “Rarity, I have been thinking about what Pinkie told us. About how she wishes to speak…”

“Really, Darling? If you want, I could send you the cloth mask for you to cast a voice modulation spell on it so she can speak and nobody would recognize her voice.” Rarity replied.

“No, we need something else. I have a plan…” Twilight then began to softly whisper into Rarity’s ears as the fashionists nodded slowly with everything that was said. Twilight’s head moved back and they both nodded.

“I’ll find a spell not only for voice modulation but for our secondary effect. It must be flawless,” Twilight stated.

“Meanwhile I will consult with some of my more obscure fashion contacts and see where we can find the primary material necessary for it. Rest assured I shall not fail when it comes to fashion, Darling.” Rarity added as both unicorns nodded once more and they left the hospital.

******************************************************

Pinkie Pie was softly being levitated in the air as she tried to use her hooves to softly walk. The therapist was kind enough to start at the simple level as she used her magic to hold Pinkie's weight and prevent her hoof and leg bones from handling the pressure of the body. Her hooves hurt a bit but she knew she had to get them in working order.

Deep inside, she felt something had changed. She didn’t know why but she felt as though her friends left a strong impression on her psyche and couldn’t comprehend how that was possible. Nevertheless, her confidence had once again been renewed and she was never going to back down. Once she would be again in tip-top shape, Mare-Do-Well would once again make her appearance known. Evil, especially Dr. Caballus whom she will personally swore to capture, will fall. That was her new Pinkie Promise now and forever.

The Legend of Mare-Do-Well shall rise again!

Comments

[JD2K]

New Chapter up.

Comment as always please.

[SuperPinkBrony12]

YEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSS our hero Mare-Do-Well is back in action and better than ever, all evil doers will soon cower before their worst nightmare THE NEW AND IMPROVED MARE-DO-WELL!

[RLYoshi]

This chapter is win.

That is all I can say.

[Alchemystudent]

Oh sweet revivial story YES! Oh cant wait to read

[KaijinZero]

hmmm....i wonder what twi has planned...

[Dream Catcher]

Time to upgrade... ZE GADGETS!

[Alchemystudent]

Ok, so when Pinkie came back I had Smile playing, and now as Rarity is about to get a new suit made...art of the dress...Man I love my laptop.

Still, awesome chapter, is all I need to say. Excellent use of the mind and emotions for Pinkie.

[Blackbelt]

I got goosebumps when she started her own version of the Green Lantern Oath. So epic.

[BringBackSonicSatAM]

I'm really enjoying this story so far. Can't wait to see it updated.

Oh, and am I allowed to borrow Dr. Caballus for my own Mare-Do-Well re-writes of Batman: The Animated Series episodes? I'll promise to credit you if I am.

[Jack Frankenstien]

"...but her body and muscles have yet to temselves itself..."

Besides the aforementioned sentences cramming, that was the most glaring mistake. I love your story though! It needs polish nonetheless and I know that it would be beautiful if it got the treatment it deserves. I love your story and I hope that you find someone who can help you make it even better.

[JD2K]

1295323

Thank you for the observation. Sadly I wish I had someone help me polish it up. There's only so much I can do.

And I know the next chapter is lingering. Writer's block is a curse especially when I got some great ideas for the next chapter.

[esseresse]

Rise rise rise rise

[Faded Denim]

Just wanted to say, I think your story is awesome!
Can't wait to see how you'll handle the bodyswap!

[Rakaziel]

You are a really good writer, your story is really well thought out, each character is believable, the canons are in character and the others are internally consistent. Your villains are a bit stereotypical but you write them well and I really like the idea of Pinkie as a superhero.
I disagree with you on the point of recreational sex and homosexuality but that's neither here nor there.

[JD2K]

1359308
...bodyswap?
1359361
My points on what?

Double

[Faded Denim]

Didn't that last chapter end with Dash and Applejack in each others' bodies? Maybe I need to go re-read it.

[JD2K]

1360804

Oh that...

Well, it was just for comedic effect. It was a one-time thing, no worries.

RD and AJ will be back in each other's rightful bodies by the next chapter...if I could conquer this damn writer's block!

[Faded Denim]

Well, I thought it was funny!

Have you ever considered putting Pinkie in a "Dating Catwoman" scenario? You could have her meet a young stallion who seems nice, if a bit obsessive. Later, she finds out that he and the new villain are one in the same. Now that Pinkie can talk, maybe they can have something like that "Mistletoe can be deadly" line from Batman Returns.

[JetGrey]

370287

Congratulations, JD2K!

[Alchemystudent]

People look to me and ask " Why do I enjoy the Mare do Well episode?" I then puill out my laptop and show them this fic. This is and always will be an awesome fanfic to show off why is a hero is a hero, a great story about an heroine growing into her own, well written and thought out. Heck, there is so much to do here...I get a temptation to write recursive fanfics based off of this world alone. I find myself loving the idea and watching it grow. So basically, no ep-no great fanfic to read. I love every minute and thank you sir for bringing it to life for all of us! I look forward to seeing it grow and continue

The legend trots on

[Abbgy]

Why not updates
Is this on hiatus?.

[Vigriff]

I wonder if there is going to be a ponified "The Mayhem of the Music Meister" chapter?

[Alchemystudent]

The psychological turmoil of this chapter was done brilliantlly. IT gave a great insight to the working of Pinkie's mind;