As Without, So Within

by DrakeyC

Chapter 3

Twilight ran into the hallway. “Sunset!”

The other girl stopped and turned, a sneer on her face. “What now?”

Twilight stopped in front of her. “Please, come with us. We need your help.”

“My ‘help’?” Sunset crossed her arms and snorted. “That’s rich coming from you.”

Oh come on! Twilight suppressed a groan. “Well it’s true. There’s something going on at this school. Can’t you tell that?”

“Sure.” Sunset shrugged. “But I don’t see how that’s my problem.”

Twilight stepped closer. “Sunset, you have to remember! We’re friends, and I’m not the Princess you think I am! You’re not like this, you’re nice!” She thrust a finger at Sunset’s geode around her neck. “That geode gives you the power to sense the memories of others. Grab it and touch me, you’ll see I’m telling the truth!”

Sunset gripped the chain holding her geode and held it out to look at it. “Ain’t never seen this thing before. But there’s no way in hell I’d grab any magical artifact that you put on me and trust what you say it’ll do.” She pulled the geode off and tossed it to Twilight.

“Ugh!” Twilight grabbed the geode and stuffed it in a pocket of her skirt. “Fine, don’t believe me, but the fact is there is Equestrian magic causing chaos here, and I’ll take any ally we can get even if she is being insufferable.”

“Equestrian magic?” Sunset’s scowl softened. “Someone is using Equestrian magic here?”

Twilight brightened. “Yes! That's what's making people act like their costumes. We have to put a stop to it.”

“Who’s causing it?”

Twilight shook her head. “Hard to say. It could be someone got too close to the portal and was infused with Equestrian magic. Or something they own was infused with Equestrian magic. Or they found a magical artifact from Equestria that was hidden in this world. Or they just are a magical creature from Equestria.”

“That’s a lot of ‘ors’.”

“There’s precedent for all of them.” Twilight looked at Sunset evenly. “You don’t need to like us, but the entire school is in danger and I have to believe somewhere in there is my friend who doesn’t want anyone to get hurt. So please, help us.”

“Your Highness, please be reasonable.” Rainbow walked in front of Twilight and knelt in front of Sunset, crossing an arm over her chest. “There are witches and demons about that pose unspeakable danger to thee. This is no place for royalty to tread unescorted.”

Sunset glared down at Rainbow. “Get up before I knee you in the face.” Rainbow obediently stood and bowed her head. Sunset looked back at Twilight. “Fine, I’m in. But stop saying we’re friends! Alright?”

“Good enough.” Twilight nodded.

Rainbow bowed her head. “You shan’t regret this, Your Highness.”

“Yeah, yeah.” Sunset rolled her eyes. “So, any leads on where we look?”

Twilight put a hand to her chin. She turned her head to the direction of the end of the hall and the doors outside and jogged up to them. She peeked out and spied groups of children crossing back and forth on the sidewalk. “It’s not affecting anyone outside, which means it's localized to the school, so it’s probably someone on the grounds.” She walked back to her three friends, eyes tilted up in thought. “And I’ll wager they’re hiding out on the upper floors. That would be the safest place to try and cast a spell without someone interrupting.”

“So do we go up and look?” Fluttershy asked.

Before Twilight could answer, there was a loud, piercing scream. The four snapped their heads around, and after a moment Rainbow charged toward the source, shield raised in front of her.

Twilight nodded. “Scream first, higher floors after.” The three followed after Rainbow.

As they got further down the hall, an ajar door into a nearby classroom slowly swung open. Spurs jangled in time with the stepping of boots as the figure behind the door stepped into the hall and watched them go.

“Royalty, eh?” Applejack gave a crooked smirk and drew a revolver from her belt, thumb spinning the cylinder. “Now ain’t that somethin’.”

---

Rainbow Dash rounded a corner and skidded to a halt. Shortly behind her, Twilight, Sunset, and Fluttershy came around the corner and stared.

Against a dead end doorway, a large group of costumed, transformed students were shuffling forward. Twilight saw vampires, werewolves, zombies, and more unusual monsters among them. And at the end of the hall, yelling at the monsters-

“Back, back you fiends!” Trixie wailed. Clad in her usual attire but with the addition of a cape and magician’s hat, she was perched on top of a trash can above the monsters. She swung her wand again and again, firing blasts of pink magic. The ones that were struck fell back and collapsed, but the mob shuffled their fallen out of the way and kept coming.

“Trixie!” Twilight called. Trixie raised her eyes and then lowered them back to the monsters.

“The lady needs our assistance!” Rainbow hollered. She grabbed the handle of her sword.

“No!” Twilight grabbed her wrist and stopped her from drawing the blade. “They’re all transformed students, we can’t kill any of them! No stabbing, no slicing!”

“Then how are we to fight them?” Rainbow replied.

There was a sound of breaking glass. Twilight saw Sunset withdraw her elbow from a trophy display case nearby and reach in to pull out a small silver trophy. She caught Twilight’s eye and shrugged.

“How do you feel about mild head trauma?”

Twilight pinched the bridge of her nose. “Try not to swing too hard.”

“I make no promises.”

Running forward, Sunset hefted the trophy in her hand and swung it into the head of the closest monster, something covered entirely in dark brown hair. It chittered and collapsed. Rainbow came up beside her, swinging her arm to slam her shield into the monsters and using her free hand to punch them. After a few moments the mob registered the new arrivals and the ones in the rear turned to confront Rainbow and Sunset.

Twilight grabbed her geode and held her hand out. She darted her eyes between the monsters closest to Rainbow and Sunset, and when one of them tried to attack she focused and surrounded it with a telekinetic aura, holding it in place until one of her two friends struck it. A lizardman slashed a claw toward Sunset and Twilight’s magic froze it before it could make contact; Sunset noticed it and swung her trophy into the side of its face and sent it toppling to the ground.

“Haha, yes!” Still standing atop her garbage can, Trixie continued to shoot magic blasts out at the thinning crowd. “You creatures are no match for Trixie and her stewards!”

Rainbow slammed her shield into a werewolf’s muzzle, and the beast stumbled into a wall and slumped down. She and Sunset surveyed the crowd. The monsters filling the hall were on the ground in various states of consciousness, some groaning and weakly moving their limbs. Twilight knelt by a few who were still and felt their necks to ensure they were still alive - to her relief she found a pulse on every one.

“You’re welcome.” Sunset tossed her trophy to Fluttershy; the other girl watched as it passed through her torso and clanged across the floor.

Twilight looked at the sea of fallen students. “It looks like we beat up almost two dozen of them.”

“Yeah, slow day for me,” Sunset muttered.

Trixie hopped off the trash can. “You have Trixie’s thanks, Rainbooms.” She put a hand to her chest and did a small bow.

Twilight looked at her curiously. “How come you aren’t affected by the spell?”

Trixie smiled and gestured to her costume, flicking her cape out. “Trixie is already the greatest and most powerful magician in the world! Whatever spell is at play here merely granted her real magic.” She looked at her wand, a pink aura surrounding it. “She does not mind this development.” She twirled the wand and smirked.

“Great, so instead of being a powerless, talentless hack, now you’re just talentless.”

Twilight glared at Sunset, who pointedly looked away and ignored her. She turned back to Trixie. “Would you mind coming with us to help figure out who’s behind this?”

Trixie paused. “Me? Why ask me for help?”

“Because anyone who still has their right mind,” Twilight glanced at Sunset, “or close enough, is a potential ally. And you have magic, so you could help us fight the monsters off.”

Trixie scrunched her nose. “I dunno… seems kinda dangerous…”

“Um, girls?” The group looked down the hall where Fluttershy was standing, her head tilted back. The two walked toward her and were almost to her when they saw what she was looking at.

A ghostly, luminous green vapor was wafting along the ceiling. “What is that?” Trixie asked.

“I don’t know, but it can’t be good.” Twilight followed the vapor down the hall. It grew thicker and more luminous as she passed several classrooms and stopped at an intersection. She looked to her left.

A short distance away were the doors to the auditorium, and the green vapor leaked through them on all sides.

“We’re not gonna go in there, are we?” Fluttershy whimpered.

“This could be the source of the Equestrian magic,” Twilight replied. “We have no choice.” She stepped forward and put a hand on the doors, glancing to either side to confirm Rainbow, Sunset, and Trixie were with her, and pushed the doors open.

The auditorium had been a dance floor earlier in the evening, but had devolved into chaos the same as the rest of the school, judging from the torn decorations laying on the floor and the chairs that were overturned at the sides. In the middle of the room, tied up and on their knees, were more than a dozen students. At a glance, they looked like they hadn’t been transformed, or at least were still human.

Twilight spied a familiar curl of purple hair in a white coat among the students and gasped. “Rarity!” She put a foot out but was stopped by a hand on her shoulder.

“Caution, holy one,” Rainbow whispered. She nodded her head, her eyes looking over the students. Twilight saw what she was looking at.

On the stage of the auditorium was a massive iron cauldron over a bonfire made of the remains of stage scenery. The green vapor that filled the air came from whatever was inside it. And circling around it, hands waving over it…

“Well, well, well.” Principal Celestia turned from the cauldron towards the door and clicked her tongue. “Look what we have here, sister.”

“It seems another batch of troublemakers, sister.” Vice-Principal Luna stepped up beside her, tapping her fingers together. “How considerate of them to save us tracking them down.”

Twilight gaped. Celestia’s hair was a massive, frizzy puff rising in all directions, and her front two teeth jutted over her lip as she leered at the group. Luna’s hair was long and stringy, and - as a quick glance confirmed - the neckline of her dress had plunged a few inches downward. Or a few inches outward. Perhaps both.

“What happened to you?” Twilight asked.

“They’re witches!” Fluttershy screamed.

“Oh, why not just tell the whole town?” Celestia trilled. She grinned. “You’re just in time. We were brewing up a little potion to drain the life from these students.”

“And we’ll rule the town forever, young and beautiful,” Luna giggled, biting one of her long, pointed nails.

Sunset snorted and rolled her eyes. “Seriously? There’s not enough students in the whole world to make you hags young and beautiful.”

Celestia gasped and pressed a hand to her breast. She glared at Sunset fiercely. “Sister, did you hear what she said about you?”

“Unmistakably, sister.” Luna bared her teeth, fangs gleaming. “Whatever shall we do with them?”

Rainbow stepped forward and thrust her sword toward them. “You’ll do nothing with us, fiends! We’ll not let your kind run amok with your foul sorcery!”

Luna’s eyes lit up. “Oooo, can we run amok, sister? I love running amok.”

“Later. First, kill them.”

Celestia raised her hands and fired a blast of lightning towards the door. The four dove to the side as the lightning struck the ground and fizzled out. Trixie rolled into a kneel and pointed her wand at the stage and fired a shot of pink magic. Celestia and Luna leapt off the stage and glided to the ground, their clothes fluttering.

Twilight grabbed her geode and snapped her hand out towards a pile of chairs, hurling them forward with a wave. Celestia growled and lashed her own hand out, and a whip of electrical energy snapped and ripped the chairs apart. She raised her other hand at Twilight and fired a blast of lightning. Twilight swung two chairs in front of her and the electricity coursed through them. She pushed them forward and heard Celestia shriek before seeing her jump back and ran after her.

“Stand and fight, witch!” Celestia turned to see Rainbow charging at her, shield and sword raised. Celestia ducked as another chair sailed over her head, Twilight stopping several feet away from her. More fallen chairs levitated and flung themselves at Celestia as Rainbow slashed at her. She snarled and caught Rainbow’s sword in a hand, and with a wicked grin snapped the steel clean in two. Rainbow gasped and stared in horror, and Celestia fired a blast of lightning into her. The electricity crackled over her armor and flung her across the auditorium.

“Rainbow!” Twilight called. She inhaled deeply and focused more energy on her geode to continue the attack.

Across the auditorium, Trixie fired a shot of pink magic at Luna, who responded by cupping her hands in front of her and flinging out an orb of pale blue magic. The two magical attacks exploded against each other in a cloud of smoke. Trixie screamed as Luna emerged from within it, landing in front of her and quickly advancing. Trixie backed up, swinging her wand back and forth to fire more magical attacks, and Luna snapped her hands back and forth to deflect them, the magic dispersing against the ground.

Trixie squeaked as her back hit a wall, and Luna quickly closed the distance and wrapped a hand on her throat. Her other hand grabbed Trixie’s wrist holding her wand and kept it extended.

Luna giggled and tapped a nail on Trixie’s throat. “You’re fun. Maybe I’ll string you up on a hook as a toy.”

Trixie’s eyes darted from Luna’s face to over her shoulder. Luna’s expression softened as she noticed. Before she could turn around, a folding chair slammed into the back of her head and shoulders. The transformed witch crumpled to the ground and Trixie fell to her knees, coughing.

Sunset hefted her chair onto her shoulder. “You’re welcome.”

“Sister!” Celestia screeched. She whipped her head towards Twilight and lashed out her electrical whip, cutting two chairs apart, and swept towards her. Twilight gasped as Celestia grabbed her and leapt back onto the stage to avoid a magic blast from Trixie. Celestia put a finger to Twilight’s throat, the sharp nail pressing against her skin. “Stop!”

Trixie and Sunset skidded to a halt in front of the stage. Celestia jerked her head to the side. “Weapons! Throw them away!”

Trixie grimaced and hesitated, then flicked her arm out to toss her wand to the side. Sunset huffed and dropped her folding chair and kicked it aside.

Celestia’s eyes widened. “I didn’t think you two would be stupid enough to actually do it.”

“Go to hell!” Sunset snapped.

“I’ve been, thank you. I found it quite lovely.” Celestia grinned. “And now you’ll all get the group discount, starting with this one!”

“No!”

Celestia looked to the side; Fluttershy had climbed onto the stage. She turned to her and took a step back, dragging Twilight with her. “And what are you going to do?”

“Appeal to your better nature!” Fluttershy said firmly.

Celestia laughed. “And you seriously think that’ll work?”

“Well, maybe not.” Fluttershy tilted her head. “But it might distract you for a few seconds.”

Celestia saw a purple glow out of the corner of her eye. Hand around her geode, Twilight brought her other hand down. Celestia looked up and saw a large bundle of sandbags hanging above the stage unravel and fall toward her.

“Shit.”

Twilight pushed her arm away and dove as the sandbags landed and sent Celestia sprawling to the ground. She reached to her throat and felt for blood; there was none.

“Are you okay, Twilight?” Fluttershy stepped up to her.

Twilight nodded. “I’m fine.” She gasped as she thought back on the fight. “Rainbow Dash!” She jumped off the stage and crossed the auditorium to her fallen friend. When Twilight reached her she turned Rainbow onto her back. “Rainbow!” Twilight gently patted her face. “Are you okay?”

Rainbow groaned and her eyes fluttered. “I failed thee, holy one. My apologies.”

“No!” Twilight shook her head. “Don’t say that!” You’re not going to die here!”

“...Die?” Rainbow let out a barking laugh. “I know I could not defend thee, holy one, but please do not insult me so!” She sat up and rubbed her head.

“You’re fine?” Twilight looked her over. “But, you took a direct hit from that lightning blast. Wearing metal armor.”

“Indeed.” Rainbow frowned and put a hand on her chest plate as the facts registered with her. “Yet I do not feel greatly wounded. Harmed, but not injured.”

“What’s going on?” Twilight wondered. She thought back to the fight. “And Celestia broke your sword with her bare hand… Sunset, go check on Celestia, was her hand cut?”

“Kinda busy at the moment.”

Twilight huffed. “Please, Sunset?”

“Kindy busy.”

Twilight paused at the tension in her voice and turned.

Sunset had her arms twisted behind her back, a look of frustration on her face. Beside her, one hand holding Sunset’s arms, the other holding a revolver to the side of her head, Applejack locked eyes with Twilight.

“Like the Princess said, she’s a mite busy right now.”

Comments

[GamePlayer64]

Celestia’s eyes widened. “I didn’t think you two would be stupid enough to actually do it.”

“Go to hell!” Sunset snapped.

“I’ve been, thank you. I found it quite lovely.” Celestia grinned.

someone been seen Hocus-pocus movie

[FanOfMostEverything]

Hmm. Looks like someone actually kept the safety overrides in place for this holodeck malfunction. Though they'll want to confirm that before daring Applejack to blow off Sunset's head. This will be a very delicate bit of negotiation.

[The Voice in the Water]

So the madness continues. And its such fun madness! Fun, chaotic madness! What will happen next?

Also, Hocus-Pocus references abound. Good times.

[MagicS]

This is really fun so far, looking forward to more.