partisans of Eqwuestria

by Ferencelvtars

The Goal Corrupts the Means

The Goal Corrupts the MeansThe small team warmly welcomed their old-new friends, Twilight and Phoenix, who took over the training from Ferko, so they made relatively quick progress with it. Meanwhile, Ferko had time to spend with the increasingly serious Sweetie Belle. The two good friends grew closer, but Ferko didn't really make any attempts at anything more. As the days passed, Sweetie Belle's longing for a new adventure was noticed even by the now relationship-savvy Starlight.

The first rays of spring began to melt the snow, which gradually disappeared with the arrival of spring. Snowdrops, crocuses, violets, and finally, roses appeared. Within a week, the snowy landscape was replaced by flower-filled meadows, budding trees, and a beautiful clear blue sky. Ferko believed the team was ready to carry out the anchollu operation. Starlight devised the final plan, declaring Zecora's hut as crucial. Ferko liked the idea of the charm potion but was also worried about what they might find there. It wasn't the magic books and other items that piqued his interest in combat; rather, it was the writings that could influence his relationship with Sweetie Belle. Still, he tried to focus all his attention on the operation.

That evening, Starlight, Sweetie Belle, Ferko, and Ocellus set off for Zecora's hut to ensure a good attack position for the team. Ferko led the group, with Ocellus bringing up the rear since they were the ones who could detect anyone with magic from a good distance. Sweetie Belle was at a disadvantage in this regard due to her only having been possessed twice. The small group quickly reached the unguarded hut and entered.

Ferko lit a lamp and began studying the books there, one book in particular catching his eye. It was a large yellow book, almost like a bible, with only one word on the cover: "manipulatir." Ferko knew that zebras wrote strangely and had their own letter usage, but the content of the book astonished him. It was full of spells for manipulation, enhancement, emotion dulling, and many other spells necessary for complete control over others, along with charm potion recipes and various other methods. Ferko fell asleep with the book in his hoof that night, but as the others slept, he began practicing on various rodents and insects with a combination that could manipulate any action of the subject while still maintaining their free will. It escalated to the point where he accidentally hit Starlight with a failed attempt, waking her up. In his panic, Ferko forgot that the spell had worked and just missed the target point, freezing as he watched Starlight slowly stir from her bed.

"Why are you practicing targeting on me?" Starlight asked, half-awake but very annoyed with Ferko as she tried to light some light.

"I, I'm sorry, I thought..." Ferko's words trailed off, and he reconsidered what to say, suddenly coming up with something stupid but seemingly good, "Command two dozen roses to come in, now!" The command came out to his greatest surprise, and Starlight actually obeyed it. Ferko quickly realized what had just happened and retracted the spell, but he feared what Starlight might say.

"What am I doing, and why does my head hurt so much?" Starlight asked puzzledly. "Ferko, did you drag me into some weird place again? Why do you always do this for the love of a flea-infested clover?!" she continued until she noticed the book in Ferko's hoof, which was familiar to her. "Where did you find that book?" she asked, irritated, which was quite justified.

"Um, well, I found it here in the house, and I thought it wouldn't hurt against Sombra, but during practice, I accidentally hit you, and I panicked, and I'm sorry." Ferko apologized as he realized the incredible power of the spell to manipulate anyone into anything, which frightened him. He cast a spell on his horn and set fire to the book before Starlight had a chance to take it away.

"No, you fool! This would have been the perfect opportunity with Sweetie Belle since you could have initiated without consequences finally!" Starlight scolded. "Why are you so afraid that when you have the opportunity in your hands, you don't take it? Why are you so cowardly?" she continued.

"I would be cowardly if I used this spell on her, not when I don't dare to try anything. Making others helpless isn't courage, just as attacking an unarmed opponent isn't glory," Ferko said with a strong admonishing tone. "If it doesn't work, it doesn't work, but I won't force what she doesn't want." Starlight began to feel ashamed as Ferko spoke out against manipulation, something she had used so much. Ferko finally finished his rant and slowly walked back into the house. Starlight followed closely, pondering what he had said.

The next morning, the small wooden hut was filled with bubbling flasks, which even woke up the good sleeper Starlight. As she slowly looked around, she realized that Ocellus was experimenting with potion making. The young changeling was breaking petals of a daisy into the existing purplish brew, causing it to suddenly turn turquoise. For the next step, Ocellus turned to the recipe book.

"Now, a drop of amethyst water?" she said oddly, her eyes swiftly searching for what the recipe stated. However, she noticed something else: a tired and angry-looking unicorn who didn't exactly want to give her a flower. "Oh, Starlight, good morning! Am I being too loud?" she asked, a bit embarrassed.

"Oh, not at all, just waking up Equestria's best sleeper," she replied with a grimmer tone. However, Ocellus found what she was looking for, and the potion continued to bubble and emit smoke. The burning sensation in her eyes was mitigated by a mild itch, something Ocellus didn't mind with her goggles on. Soon, the smoke woke up the others too. Ferko rushed out, breaking three bottles and knocking over at least eight others. The taste of fresh air and the fact that nothing was bothering his eyes anymore was quite uplifting.

"What on earth is this stuff?!" he yelled while trying to get back into the house with a protective magical shield. "Well, theoretically, it's a magic interrupter khhk.., but maybe I put too much lapis in it," Starlight explained amidst coughing. Soon, the smoke cleared, and in the flasks was an interesting lilac-turquoise liquid that began to expand and boil. The flask and the two 3-liter containers around it were quickly filled with the potion, which emitted an awful stench. Ferko and the others quickly poured the potion into grenade-like bottles.

When Sweetie Belle woke up, she was greeted by the incredible stench emanating from the potion. Between two bouts of retching, she managed to open a window and get a little fresh air. However, her beautiful morning was interrupted by Ferko, who had an interesting belt full of bottles, with another such belt in his hoof. Sweetie Belle suddenly fell back into the stench, thinking she was going to vomit, but eventually swallowed her nausea.

"Hehe, good morning, Sleeping Beauty! If you don't want to vomit, I'll come out in your place," Ferko joked as he extended a hoof. Sweetie Belle didn't need to be told twice and quickly crawled out of the immense stench.

"What in the name of horse dung is that smell? It's almost burning my nostrils," she complained.

"Well, this charm potion really doesn't have a good after smell, but it was worth making," Ferko explained as he handed the belt to Sweetie Belle. "Come on, the action begins," he said and hurriedly ran towards the bushes. Sweetie Belle followed, but her stomach tried to command a little break. However, the reemerging stench quickly dispelled this feeling. Sweeite Belle and the others rushed from the edge of the forest toward the soldiers guarding the city border, fiercely attacking before the others. to be continued