Chapter 1 Part 4
Appleloosa
Dr. Karoline Koopa looked at the night sky from her clinic, sadness evident on her face. “Boomregard...” the Koopa Troopa breathed. “Ya’ll an’ those two city boys should’ve been back by now….”
“Dr. Karoline,” a voice shook her from her thoughts. She looked to see a few Earth Ponies standing at the door, Braeburn leading them. “We just wanted to make sure ya were gonna help with the bakin’ tomorrow mornin’. We need all the help we can git…”
“O’ course, Braeburn,” the Koopa doctor bowed. “Ah’m sorry. Ah’ve been distracted as o’ late.”
“What, by that criminal!?” one of the Earth Ponies asked. “Look, doctor, we know ya think he means well, but Wild Spin Boomregard was part of a gang that did nothin’ but torment us Appleloosans fer no good reason! Amnesia o’ no amnesia, there ain’t nothin’ he’ll do or he’ll say that will make up fer everythin’ he’s done in the past. We Appleloosans struggled to keep our town alive when we first clashed with the Buffalo tribe, an’ we barely made peace with THEM while keepin’ the town intact. But these Skull Boys… they’re lookin’ to break the peace we fought fer in the west by any means necessary. An’ Boomregard, whether we admit it or not, was a BIG part in that! Fer all we know, yer diagnosis could’ve been false, an’ Boomregard already split, rejoinin’ his gang to destroy our town, an’ that’s the BEST he could be. The sooner ya’ll git it in yer head, doctor, that Boomregard ain’t nothin’ more than a cowardly criminal who was probably usin’ yer kindness to spy on us, the lighter yer heart’s gonna be! Ah say good riddance to him!”
Karoline looked downed, stunned by the sheer bluntness of the townsfolk about their dislike for Boomregard, especially with their murmurs of agreement. She knew that she was the only one who supported him, but she never thought that the townsfolk would go out of their way to openly insult him and shoot down chances of his reformation.
“…That’s funny,” a male voice commented. “I thought that you ponies were supposed to be a FORGIVING race.” Karoline and the ponies looked to see Prof. Kolorado, lying on a hospital bed with a massive ice pace on his face. Kooper, meanwhile, was fast asleep in a chair, a giant snot bubble comically hanging from his nose. “Especially considering your refusal to share the land you all call home is what caused the land dispute between you and the Buffalo Tribe in the first place.”
“Professor,” Braeburn breathed, surprised he interjected. Kolorado sat up, removing the ice pack to reveal his swollen right eye. He scowled at the townsfolk with his good eye.
“Oh, leave it to the tomb-raidin’ Koopa Troopa to defend the train-robbin’ Boomerang Bro,” the stallion who talked down Karoline’s defense of Boomregard countered. “Look, Sheriff Silverstar hates ya just as much, if not more than Boomregard. So, what’s yer argument?”
“Let me start by saying that I’m not speaking up to defend Wild Spin Boomregard,” Kolorado answered. “In fact, Kooper was the one who went out of his way and behind my OWN shell to summon Boomregard’s aid, and I had no say in the matter of his release. However, I must admit to warming up to him as we traveled through the Buffalo Burial Grounds. He fought just as bravely as my own apprentice had… as well as Mario and Spike. He fought against his supposed former brothers-in-arms with no hesitation, not running away at all. Boomregard could have had no trouble outrunning us at anytime, but he stood his ground and fought to protect you all, the ponies who distrust and speak ill of him so openly! You all should be grateful he is risking his LIFE to stop Guylan once and for all so that you can perform this annual exchange with no problems. I know that I am hardly the posture child for being a good Koopa— my wife would certainly attest to that— but you all should be ashamed of yourselves for your single-minded behavior.”
The crowd looked at Kolorado, stunned by his words. Several faces in the group looked down, feeling bad about their behavior when the pony race valued friendship and harmony above everything else. However, a few ponies kept looking at Kolorado, contempt on their faces.
“Oh, like ya would know what we've been through,” one of them spat. “Ya’ll been nothin’ but trouble the very moment ya came in here with that band o’ archeologists, beggin' the sheriff to let ya dig up our desert fer coin. Yer as big o’ a liar an’ thief as Boomregard probably is, ‘professor’, an’ we ain’t gonna tolerate it. So, ya better hope that Dr. Karoline takes her time patchin’ ya up… because Ah want ya outta here with Boomregard the moment yer able.” Murmurs of agreement rose up from the growing crowd. Braeburn looked between his fellow ponies and Kolorado.
“Now, everypony,” the Apple family stallion interjected, “let’s not git too hasty, here. To be fair to Kolorado, he’s one o’ the only ones to actually go into the Buffalo Burial Grounds an’ come out.”
“Me? A liar?” Kolorado scoffed, ignoring Braeburn’s attempts to dissolve the hostilities. “That is the GREATEST insult I have ever suffered in my career! And you all are far greater hypocrites than I with your practices of love and tolerance, yet when someone brings up a valid counterpoint to your argument, you immediately bash the other’s claims, trying to chase them off. Sure I may not be the most moral Koopa you’ve ever come across, and I may be a coward at times, but I know what I saw down there… Boomregard’s a far different Boomerang Bro than we all thought he was. Ask Kooper, and he’ll say the same thing… and you all personally know Spike better than I do.”
“Spike?” a pony shouted. “That little Dragon hardly knows where his OWN loyalties lie. He just shows up from outta NOWHERE with some random mustachioed man instead o’ the Bearers o’ the Elements o’ Harmony like he did ’fore is one thing. But he ends up sellin’ this RIDICULOUS claim that the Bearers were defeated an’ kidnapped by this band o’ cultists worshippin’ Nightmare Moon, an’ the Elements o’ Harmony are now scattered ’round the world? If that weren’t a red flag itself, the fact that he’s willingly workin’ with that convict should make us all realize Spike ain’t loyal to the Bearers.”
“THAT’S ENOUGH!” a male voice interjected, silencing the argument. Everyone turned to see Silverstar standing behind them. “Ah want everypony whose name ain’t Braeburn, Kolorado, or Karoline to leave, ’fore Ah start makin’ arrests fer hasslin’ our doctor an’ her patient. NOW!” The crowd reluctantly dispersed, leaving only Silverstar, Braeburn, Kolorado, and Karoline. Kooper, meanwhile, finally woke up, the snot bubble he had popping as he did so.
“Huh… what’s goin’ on?” the blue shelled Koopa Troopa asked.
“Ah’m not even gonna ask how ya managed to sleep through all o’ that, Kooper,” Silverstar remarked. “Anyways, yer boss has FINALLY earned the ire o’ ’bout the whole town, so yer probably gonna have to pack, soon enough. In the meantime, though, Ah wanna talk ’bout Mario, Spike, an’ Boomregard… they ain’t back, yet.”
“You don’t think something happened to them, do you Sheriff?” Kooper sleepily questioned.
“Ah hope not,” Silverstar answered. “But right now… we better be prepared fer Guylan in case they failed an’ Guylan retaliates.”
“Right,” Kooper answered. “I’m sure we’ll stand by your side, even if Kolorado gets us run out of ANOTHER town like he did with that Dizzy Dial incident inRogueport.”
“Movin’ on,” Silverstar interrupted, not bothering to question it. “Anyways, after the Buffalo stampede, Ah just want to have a proper posse to go in there an’ clear them out. Interested, Kooper?”
“With Prof. Kolorado’s permission, of course,” Kooper nodded.
“Of course you have my permission, Kooper,” Kolorado replied. “In fact, I’m going to come with you to help Mario!”
“Not in the condition yer in, ya ain’t,” Karoline chided. “Yer stayin’ here.” To the others, she sighed, “Ah just wish that the other townsfolk would give Boomregard a chance, Sheriff.”
“Ponies don’t like to admit it,” Silverstar explained, “but we’re stubborn at our worst moments, an’ properly paranoid. Keep in mind until this afternoon, he was a prisoner in mah jail. Some folks thought havin’ him locked up WASN’T enough o’ a punishment fer his crimes. Boomregard will never win o’er a tough crowd like them with others' words alone. He has to focus on earnin’ their trust. An’ even with Kolorado’s testimony, they can’t bring themselves to believe that he’s turned o’er a new leaf, amnesia or no. Just nature, really.”
“…Ah understand,” the Koopa doctor nodded. “Anyways, if ya’ll are gonna deal with the Skull Boys, keep me updated on ’em. An’ do be careful, Sheriff.”
“We will,” Braeburn promised for them all. “Anyways, doc, ya’ll best git some shut-eye. We’ve got a long day ’head o’ us tomorrow.” With that, the two ponies left the clinic, leaving Karoline to watch over Kolorado and Kooper. But unbeknownst to any of them, a Bandit saw the entire conversation.
---
Buffalo Burial Grounds
“…Hey,” a voice spoke up. “Are ya’ll… awake in there?”
Mario, Spike, and Boomregard all regained consciousness after a long period of being out cold. The three, upon opening their eyes, discovered themselves to be in some kind of impromptu jail cell in a wide room with iron bars spaced so thinly that they would have to be able to slip through cracks to escape. Standing up, the three looked around.
“What happened?” Boomregard asked, rubbing his throbbing head.
“I don’t know,” Spike answered. “All I remember is opening a chest, and then the ground folding away like a giant sheet of paper… then nothing.”
“Looks like we were captured,” Mario voiced. “I should’ve known that was too easy.”
“Ya’ll must’ve… fallen fer one… o’ Guylan’s traps,” a male voice answered. The three looked up from their conversation… and were surprised at what they saw. Chained to the wall in a sturdier cell near their cell was a Boomerang Bro, thoroughly beaten at best, barely alive at worst. And not just any Boomerang Bro… but one that looked eerily similar to Boomregard.
“Who are you?” Spike asked, looking at him. The Boomerang Bro gave them a weak grin.
“An outlaw… by the name… o’ ‘Wild Spin Boomregard’,” the Boomerang Bro introduced himself, stunning the trio in the cell opposite of him. “Ah see… Guylan made yer partner there… mah scapegoat.” He then began coughing.
“…So Ah ain’t the real Boomregard,” the Boomerang Bro with Mario and Spike concluded. “…An’ everyone thought that Ah was.”
“It was the perfect set-up, really,” a male voice interrupted. The group turned to see Guylan, flanked by four of his Cowboy Guys, walking into the room. Pointing to the amnesiac Boomerang Bro, Guylan explained, “Ya see, we ran into this fake we gave that law horse Silverstar on Boomregard’s last train job. This joker nearly ruined EVERYTHIN’ with his attempt to stop us, until Ah blew the train station in Appleloosa. We found him amongst the wreckage, an’ well, Ah weren’t about to let him git away with foilin’ mah plans. Ah would’ve ended yer game right there, faker, but when the real deal Boomregard found out what Ah had in mind fer Appleloosa, he called me a madman an’ tried to stop me himself. Ya’ll see what Ah do to traitors.”
“Ah didn’t… sign up fer endin’ innocent games, Guylan,” the real Boomregard argued. “Whatever happened to… sharin’ the truth between us… an’ honor amongst thieves? No civilian casualties.”
“Honor? Truth?” Guylan scoffed. He then broke out into laughter. “There’s not a soul Ah’ve trusted in mah life, Boomregard. Yer a coward if ya value stuff like THAT! Ya never did have the guts to take it all, Boomregard. That’s what Ah was gonna end yer game fer BEFORE ya tried to betray me. Now, let me finish.” Turning back to Mario’s group, Guylan confessed, “Anyways, thanks to Boomregard’s betrayal, Ah decided to make an example o’ the real deal, but to give up the fake Ah dressed up to Silverstar. Ah thought he would’ve taken care o’ the fake, but he’s less gung ho ’bout endin’ games than the REAL Guylan is. An’ Ah really hate loose ends. Especially when they bring bounty hunters to mah door as an act o’ revenge. Mario, Ah ought to end yer game right now... but that bounty Bowser has fer ya would probably want ya ALIVE to claim it.”
“And we’d end the rest o’ yer games fer the boss,” one of the Cowboy Guys added, “but right now, we’re runnin’ late fer our train to Appleloosa.”
“Good point, boys,” Guylan remarked. “After Ah’m done runnin’ those Appleloosans outta here once an’ fer all by disguisin’ mah train engine as the spirit o’ Maasawu, the Buffalo Spirit o’ the Dead, Ah’m gonna come back here an’ end each o’ yer games nice an’ slow.” With that, Guylan turned around. “Oh, an’ faker… one o’ mah Bandits found out ’bout this pretty Koopa Troopa named Dr. Karoline. Apparently, she’s developed some crush on ya. It makes me vomit, that sappy stuff. All she knows is that yer nothin’ but an amnesiac criminal, but ya ain’t even that, really. Yer far less. Ah never even bothered learnin’ yer true NAME ’fore Ah took yer memory. Ya’ll were nothin’ more than an unknown pioneer tryin’ to make a claim in some town east o’ here, an’ were in the wrong place at the wrong time. An’ against those ’round ya beggin’ ya not to start a fight ya couldn’t win, ya did. Ya fought odds that even HEROES would consider suicidal. Ya were that stupid. An’ here ya are, again, pickin’ a fight ya lost ’fore the first PUNCH! By the stars, Ah have never seen a stupider Koopa! In yer past life, ya weren’t worth nothin’. But now? Yer a pathetic Boomerang Bro not even worth my SPIT.
“But, Ah can’t help but pity ya, faker. After all, Ah did make ya the perfect scapegoat fer mah sins. So, while Ah’m in town, today, Ah’ll swing by the doctor’s office, an’ pick ya up a prescription of Dr. Karoline. Ah’ll just make sure to bring her by so you can WATCH me end her game. Then, when Appleloosa is nothin’ but ashes, an’ ya understand the true depths o’ yer failure… THEN ya have mah permission to die.” Mario’s group and the real Boomregard watched as Guylan and his troops walked out, the door slamming shut as they escaped.
Mario looked at his Boomregard, who had dropped his Boomerang, stunned by Guylan’s words. “…Ah failed,” the Boomerang Bro cried. “Ah couldn’t find the truth, let alone save Appleloosa. Ah… Ah’m sorry, Mario.”
Mario did not know what to say. Guylan had torn into him in a downright brutal manner. And after Spike and he went through all of that trouble cheering him up hours ago when he thought he WAS Boomregard and failed to stop Guylan from destroying the town.
“Yer not licked yet,” the real Boomregard voiced. “...Guylan may have tricked ya… but that don’t mean he’s beaten ya again. Ya gotta… get yerself… together. Then get outta that cage… an’ over to mine. Ah have somethin’ fer ya’ll. It… can help.”
Mario blinked at the real deal’s request. “How?” the plumber asked.
“Just come o’er here… an’ find out,” the real Boomregard assured him. Mario then sighed. As much as the real one was not in any condition to help them, he was offering the only visible form of help at the moment. Now, first thing Mario needed to do was address his allies.
“Spike, Boomregard,” the plumber commented, “its time for us to get out of here.”
“How?” Spike asked. “It’s not like we can just slide between the bars, can we?” Mario then turned into his 2-D Paper Form, reminding the two that they can do that. “Oh, right… I forgot you showed me that skill back when we first met Wildfire.”
With that, the three slipped through the bars before the fake Boomregard wiping his eyes of the tears of emotional pain from his eyes. The trio approached the real Boomregard’s cage, who smirked at them.
“…Let me start by sayin’… ‘Ah’m sorry fer everythin’ that’s happened to ya’,” the Boomerang Bro apologized to the Koopa who had his identity forced upon him. “It’s mah fault yer sufferin’… accused o’ bein’ a criminal. It’s also mah fault… that ya ain’t got no memory. Ah know fer certain Ah can’t fix either o’ those… or be free o’ mah own sins. But… Ah know how to stop Guylan’s Maasawu Train.”
“How?” Mario questioned. “It’s kind of hard stopping a train with a plumber, a Dragon, and a Boomerang Bro.”
“Guylan can’t control that thing by himself,” the true Boomregard explained. “Train is huge, an can attack ya up to five times if it don’t run over ya. Smart as he is… he ain’t one fer complicated machinery. This is why… he needs his Cowboy Guys an’ Bandits… an’ Bandits to help him. Should be four o’ ’em minus Guylan. Take ’em outta the fight… Guylan will slowly lose control o’ his train, an’ have less attacks. Use yer Wild Arc… an’ ya should be able to damage the lot o’ ’em quickly. Don’t be shy with yer items, either.”
“Thanks for the advice,” Spike nodded. “But, how do we get OUT of here to stop Guylan?” The real Boomregard chuckled.
“The new Wild Spin has it,” he weakly answered. “In his hands.” The fake Boomregard looked down at the Boomerang he carried, and the fact that he was dubbed the new one.
“Ah don’t deserve this,” he commented. “Guylan and you both said Ah’m the imposter. Ya know how to stop the train… an’ this was YER mission. We can get ya healed up, an’ ya’ll be able to take this on.”
“It’s too late… fer me…” the real Boomregard answered, coughing. “Mah game was o’er… when Ah first confronted Guylan. He an’ his train… beat me to within an inch o’ mah life. Now Ah’m barely alive, an’ yer payin’ fer mah sins. Figured with yer memory loss… it’s now time Ah passed the torch o’ mah name. Ah don’t have a kid… nor any fortune that Ah didn’t sacrifice. But Ah can tell… yer gonna be a better hero than Ah was. In this Land o’ Harmony… heroes are worth somethin’. Ah was a villain in life… but Ah managed to save SOMETHIN’ o’ yers.”
With that, the real Boomregard took out… half of a horseshoe. The horseshoe piece was partially rusted over, but it looked silver, otherwise. There was a piece of dark blue tape wrapped around the end. It also had a brown string on it, hanging like a necklace. The fake Boomregard began to hold his head as images flashed through his mind.
A train car. Bandits and Cowboy Guys stomping in. Him fighting them off with a horseshoe. The Boomerang Bro in front of him in the present dueling him with his own Boomerang... and then... Guylan shooting the horseshoe out of his hands. Finally... a barrel of dynamite blowing the train up with him on the roof of it. Then... being dragged down the stairs with the same Boomerang Bro... then waking up in a ditch, Silverstar and Braeburn looking down at him with contempt in their eyes.
“What’s this?” Spike asked, looking at the broken horseshoe.
“…Mah charm,” the fake Boomregard answered, somewhat remembering it before putting it on. “It WAS mah lucky charm.”
“Ya were desperate to hang onto it,” the real one recalled. “It broke in half… durin’ that train job. That was all Ah could find. Take it… an’ this, as well.” Boomregard then revealed a Burial Grounds Key, which Mario took.
“This is nice,” Spike commented. “But, you said our Boomregard was the way to get out of here?”
“Right,” the caged Boomerang Bro smirked. He then pointed upwards, where a blue switch was waiting on top of his cage. “Hit that, an’ ya should be able to git after Guylan. Ah’m not gonna ask ya’ll to be the instrument o’ MAH revenge… but Ah want that lyin’ snake to pay fer all he’s done to those Appleloosans… an’ what he’s about to do.” The Boomerang Bro’s eyes began to close.
“…Understood, Boomregard,” the false Boomregard sighed. “Ah’m sorry Ah couldn’t save ya.”
“Don’t be,” the real one smiled. “Ah ain’t ‘Wild Spin Boomregard’ anymore. Ya are, kid… see ya on the other side.” With that, his eyes closed, and his head slumped forward. Mario, after a few moments, slipped into his cage to check on Boomregard, as he was presented with a similar scenario before. However, Mario... could not feel a pulse. The original Wild Spin Boomregard was gone.
Mario shook his head. "He's dead. His injuries were too great... and he was kept in poor condition. I don't think they fed him, either."
“…I never thought I’d see somepony’s game end like this, before,” Spike spoke up, tears in his eyes. Mario remembered that Spike was only a baby Dragon. The fact that Spike was exposed to this made Mario start to regret bringing the Dragon along.
“Hey, Boomregard?” Mario asked the Boomerang Bro next to him. “Uh… you don’t mind if I keep calling you that do you?”
“We ain’t got ’nother name to call me,” the Boomerang Bro answered. He then threw his Boomerang, striking the switch and opening the door. Catching it, he sighed, “Right now, Ah’m shook up by all o’ this. But the ol’ Wild Spin’s last wish is fer us to stop Guylan. Ah will personally come back here an’ give this Boomerang Bro a proper burial AFTER Ah fulfill his wish.”
“…Okay,” Mario nodded. Grabbing Spike, Mario led him out of the door while the fake Boomregard… no, THE Wild Spin Boomregard looked back at his predecessor’s body one last time. He then walked out, joining Spike and Mario in the next room.
Speaking of which, in the next room was another Star Piece, and a large spring they could bounce off of. It looked to be the only way out, as the three jumped on it to hit the ceiling… only to reveal that it was a trap door tile that they flipped through, ending up in the room with the treasure chest in it. After getting back to the locked door, Mario went over and unlocked it.
“Wow,” Spike remarked. “Hey, Boomregard, before we go after these guys… I’m sorry that Appleloosa’s treated you horribly. I’m also sorry we didn’t trust you at first.”
“Can’t blame folks,” the Boomerang Bro replied. “To ’em, Ah’m a criminal. However, Ah hope this team o’ ours can stop Guylan once an’ fer all.”
“Let’s hope so,” Mario scowled. With that, he kicked open the door… and the group saw it.
A ghost white train decorated from caboose to engine in a massive tarp with fake bones that reminded Mario of a ghost pirate he once fought then befriended made it look like a giant Bonefallo. The tarp hung loosely from the train’s engine, allowing it to cover several mine carts that were connected to the engine. However, the train engine was remodeled to look like a giant Buffalo skull, the steam stack painted to be a feather. This had to be the Maasawu Train that Guylan was going to use.
But what got Mario’s attention about it was the large, gray stone surrounded by an orange hue Guylan was holding over his head. For some odd reason, the stone had an apple carved into it, and the apple carving was glowing bright orange. The apple reminded Mario of his brief encounter with Applejack… and made the plumber realized that it was HER Element of Harmony.
Spike was certainly right about the Elements going into some kind of dull state, as that looked nothing like the necklace Applejack wore before.
“Okay,” Spike voiced as they hid behind a rock. “Does anypony have a decent plan to shut that train down before it reaches Appleloosa? Because it looks like they’re making the final touches right now.”
“If there plannin’ on usin’ that glowin’ magic rock as a power source,” Boomregard commented, “then Ah say we don’t let them put it in. Ah can probably smack it outta their hands with mah Boomerang.”
“We can’t do that, Boomregard,” Mario interjected. The Boomerang Bro and the Dragon both looked at him, confused. Mario then pointed to the Cowboy Guys patrolling the area, popguns ready, while the Bandits looked bored. “I hate to say it, but there are too many of them to take on at once, right now, especially when they think we’re still locked up down there. We’re going to have to find a way to get on board the train…”
“That may be easier said than done,” Spike pointed out, looking at Guylan. He placed the Element of Harmony into the train, causing the train to develop a suddenly orange glow. Soon enough, he, two Bandits, and two Cowboy Guys jumped onboard the train, concealing themselves inside the carts.
“It’s time to set out, boys! Today, Appleloosa is OURS!” Guylan declared. Mario, Spike, and Boomregard scowled as the Bandits and Cowboy Guys cheered, each getting in the engine. The train’s head lights glowed, almost like eyes.
“Now can we crash the party?” Spike suggested.
“Yeah, and I now know how,” Mario nodded. He pointed to a spring near the train. The trio then bounced off of it, landing on the engine of the train, Guylan none the wiser. Guylan chose that moment to start the train… and the trio realized that it had been a bad idea to do this.
“Mario,” Boomregard voiced, “do ya have a plan so we DON’T git knocked off!?”
“Yes,” Mario answered. “That Papergami starting position!” With that, the three laid flat moments before the engine slammed into the wall, ripping a hole out of it like it was made of paper, allowing them to leave with the train.
---
Appleloosa
The ponies, Toads, and Koopas of Appleloosa were all frantically putting the finishing touches on their baking under the supervision of Braeburn. “Alright, everypony,” the Apple stallion spoke up. “If Ah’m right, the Buffalo stampede should start comin’ through town tomorrow. Hopefully everypony is almost ready with the pies, right?”
Cheers of agreement rang out, the scent of flaky crust and sweet apples wafting through the town. The Earth Ponies, Koopa Troopas, Paratroopas, and Boomerang Bros were all excited to see their hard work pay off. Soon enough, the earth began to rumble.
“Ah guess it’s startin’,” one of the Koopa Troopas commented. Braeburn frowned at the way the ground was rumbling… and the direction it was coming from.
“Hold on a moment,” the yellow Earth Pony realized. “These tremors are WAY too much fer a Buffalo stampede… an’ it’s comin’ from the west, not east… not to mention we should have ’nother day. …Oh no!”
“What’s the matter, Braeburn!?” Silverstar asked as he galloped over, Karoline, Kolorado, Kooper, and the other archeologist Koopa Troopas behind him. “Ah thought Thunderhooves would be later.”
“This ain’t the work o’ Thunderhooves, Sheriff!” Braeburn explained. “Ah think it’s bigger than him.”
“TRESSPASSERS ON OUR LAND!” a sinister, ghostly voice rang out. “FOR TOO LONG, I HAVE IDLY WATCHED AS YOU MISUSE OUR TERRITORY, AND LIVE WITHOUT WELCOME. I HAVE WATCHED MY OWN KIN DISGRACEFULLY TAKE THIS LYING DOWN. NO MORE!”
Soon enough, though, a massive, white, mechanical Bonefallo (really a train) drove out, spinning around before crashing into the side of the local bank, unintentionally shaking off three peculiar pieces of paper. Naturally, the citizens made it perfectly clear of their approval of the act.
“AAAHHH! GHOST-BUFFALO!” a Boomerang Bro yelled. “Ah moved away from the Mushroom Kingdom to ’VOID stuff like this!”
“Mommy!” a young Toad screamed, panicking.
“FOOLS!” the giant monster declared. “IT IS FAR TOO LATE TO BEG FOR MERCY! I AM THE MIGHTY MAAWASU, SPIRIT GUARDIAN OF THE BUFFALO WHOSE GAMES HAVE ENDED! AND YOUR ACTIONS HAVE DISTURBED MY LONG REST! YOU WILL EITHER LEAVE NOW, OR PERISH!”
“Wait a moment,” Karoline questioned. “Ah thought the foundin’ citizens o’ Appleloosa made peace with yer tribe. Why attack now?”
“BECAUSE THUNDERHOOVES IS A COWARD, THAT’S WHY!” the large Bonefallo answered. “A TRUE CHIEF WOULD HAVE GONE TO WAR THE MOMENT NEWCOMERS DEFIED THE LAND WITH THEIR PRESCENCE! BE THANKFUL, KOOPA TROOPA, THAT I AM ALLOWING YOU THE CHANCE TO LEAVE WITH YOUR LIVES AT THIS POINT! TAKE MY OFFER AND GO!”
“Now yer just bein’ stereotypical, boys,” a voice rang out. Soon enough, Mario, Spike, and Boomregard all stood up, dazed. “Drop the act, Black Mask Guylan!” Boomregard scowled. “We know it’s yer work in a large train.”
“…I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT YOU’RE TALKING ABOUT, BOOMERANG BRO WHO I HAVE NEVER SEEN BEFORE IN MY AFTERLIFE!” the Maasawu Train spoke. “WHO ARE YOU TO DEFY MY WILL!?”
“He’s the Boomerang Bro you used to trick all of these people,” Mario answered, Hammer ready. “Just like how you’re using such a shoddy disguise to hide it. Spike?”
“Yeah,” the baby Dragon nodded. With that, he breathed out his Dragon’s Fire, setting the tarp that was covering it aflame.
“OW! OW! HOT!” voices called out from inside of the large costume. Soon enough, the tarp burned away, leaving the train exposed… as well as Guylan and his gang.
“…Uh-oh, Boss,” a Bandit breathed. “We’re in trouble….” Guylan realized what had happened, and just stared.
“Alright, this ain’t TOO bad,” he commented. “Disguise or no, we STILL have a massive train we can use to knock o’er Appleloosa! An’ we can start… by ENDIN’ THESE THREE IDIJITS WHO RUINED MAH PLAN!” Guylan turned to his train, scowling. “Ya’ll have mah permission to go out an’ do whatever ya want, here. Mario, his Dragon, an’ that fake Boomregard… they’re MINE!” While several Cowboy Guys and Bandits ran out into the town, chasing the townsfolk, Guylan, two Bandits, and two Cowboy Guys stayed.
Spike wasted NO time with a Tattle, sensing the fight had begun. “Okay,” Spike declared, “Thanks to the… late Boomregard… we now know that this is Guylan, in his ultimate weapon, the Maasawu Train. I didn’t want to comment on it, before, but even with the tarp gone to make it less intimidating, it’s kind of scary how a Cowboy Guy got the idea of using a TRAIN to wipe out a defenseless town. I think Boomregard mentioned some of its other features… like how Guylan and his four minions can each take turns attacking us or they can run us over with the train, attacking all of us at once. But once we dwindle down the number of foes, Guylan still has own attacks, too!
“Guylan himself carries dynamite he can throw at us, or can use his rope lasso to tie one of us up so we can’t move for a while, let alone defend ourselves. And if Guylan loses enough men over time, he can call back his flunkies to replace them. We can either focus on dealing with Guylan’s men to reduce the amount of attackers, or take him out ourselves to stop the train once and for all! However, what scares me the most about all of this is that PRINCESS CELESTIA knew about all of this.”
“We’ll question that later,” Mario suggested. “Boomregard, focus on taking out Guylan’s gang. Spike and I will attack Guylan, okay?”
“Ah suppose it’s all we got,” Boomregard voiced. He then performed a Wild Arc, smacking the two Bandits and the two Cowboy Guys in the mine carts… but missing Guylan completely, who laughed.
“Is that the best ya can do, Boomerang Bro?” Guylan scoffed at Boomregard’s attack hitting his men. “Even if ya beat all o’ ’em, Ah have plenty o’ ’em! Speakin’ o’ stuff Ah have plenty o’… have some dynamite on the house!” With that, he threw a lit stick of dynamite at Boomregard.
The explosion knocked the Boomerang Bro for a loop, stunning him and knocking him on his back. Two of the Cowboy Guys took advantage of this, hitting him repeatedly with their popguns while the Bandits hit Mario and Spike.
“Boomregard!” Mario yelled before running over to the Boomerang Bro. “Are you okay!?”
“This ain’t nothin’, Mario,” Boomregard commented. “Ah’ll be fine… just worry ’bout stompin’ Guylan!”
“Okay, but take this,” Mario replied, handing Boomregard a Mushroom.
Mario, despite the pain of the Bandits charging them, focused his jumps on Guylan, and Spike his Jackhammer Tail. When Boomregard got back up, he managed to throw his Boomerang, knocking out the Bandits and the Cowboy Guys Guylan had supporting him in one go. Guylan saw this, and scowled.
“Okay, that does it!” the black masked Cowboy Guy declared. “Ah’m gonna crush ya flat!” With that, he pushed on a lever, causing the Maasawu Train to begin glowing before running over Mario, Spike, and Boomregard. Despite the immense pain, the three popped out of the ground, injured.
“Good call on the Mushroom, earlier,” the Boomerang Bro voiced. “Well, better that than callin’ fer backup. Ah can’t keep doin’ mah Wild Arc like this.”
“Have this, then,” Mario suggested, giving Boomregard a Honey Syrup. Boomregard, feeling energized, threw his Boomerang at Guylan, striking him twice.
“Okay, yer gittin’ some decent hits, in,” Guylan scoffed. “But Ah’m not licked, yet! Boys! Some o’ ya’ll come back, now! We’re endin’ this!” Four Bandits ran over, jumping into the carts.
The townsfolk, between fighting off the Skull Boys gang and trying to stay alive, could not help but watch Boomregard fight. Many ponies were stunned that Guylan and Boomregard, who had tormented them before together, were on opposite sides at this very moment.
“Kinda ironic,” Silverstar spoke up for everyone. “To think not even a day ago, he was the worst thing that happened to Appleloosa. That the outlaw is fightin’ fer us.”
“Ah don’t think he ever was an outlaw, Sheriff,” Braeburn replied. “At least, the one we THOUGHT he was. His throwin’ technique seems different than before. Also, that charm ’round his neck… it’s new, but it somehow suits him.”
While Boomregard took out the Bandits, Mario and Spike continued attacking Guylan, Mario performing a skilled Power Bounce. Guylan, though, eventually had enough of Mario. “Alright, that’s enough, plumber!” He then whipped out his lasso, and before Mario could even realize it, he was roped around, tied up. “Gotcha. Boys, focus on takin’ out Mario, now!” The members of Guylan’s gang eagerly rushed towards Mario, who was too busy struggling to get free—
“Not so fast!” a voice rang out. A blue shell flew out, bowling over the Bandits and Cowboy Guys with ease. Kooper popped out of his shell, scowling. “I figured you’d cheat, you cowardly Shy Guy!”
“…Yer that blue Koopa Troopa who was with that other one,” Guylan recalled. “Well, wondered where ya ran off, too! Well, ya think ya can stop me!?”
“Honestly, no,” Kooper confessed. “I can’t exactly reach you when you’re in a train. I can distract you long enough for something, though?”
“What?”
“THIS!” Spike yelled out, performing a Jackhammer Tail on Guylan’s face. Guylan, angry at this, threw dynamite at Spike, damaging him with the blast.
“Ya alright, kid!?” Boomregard asked the Dragon.
“Yeah, thick scales,” Spike replied. “Besides, at this point, I’ve dealt with worse.”
“Ain’t we all,” the Boomerang Bro agreed. Soon enough, Mario broke out of his bonds, and jumped on Guylan again. Guylan was starting to look really tired at this point.
“How are ya doin’ this!?” he demanded, weakened. “Ah heard the stories o’ Mario bein’ powerful, but Ah don’t know how he, a baby Dragon, an’ an amnesiac Boomerang Bro can stand up to me!”
“Simple, Guylan,” Boomregard scowled, twirling his Boomerang in his hands. “Yer a liar an’ a cheat who values nothin’ more than fattenin’ yer wallet. While we? Well, we’re just good guys in this Land o’ Harmony.” He thought about that saying. “Uh, Ah feel as though as Ah worked some kind o’ title in there…”
“Ah ain’t finished, yet!” Guylan swore before kicking his train into high gear, running Mario’s team over again… and hitting Kooper into the front of the Salt Lick Saloon.
“Kooper!” Kolorado’s voice rang out. The older Koopa Troopa ran over to his apprentice. “Kooper, are you alright?”
“I’d like to git the number on that catch-a-ride, please,” Kooper dazedly remarked in a stereotypical southern accent.
“Stay with me, Kooper!” the archeologist begged. “I’m not saying this because your mother and my wife would have my shell for it, either! You’re like the son I’ve never had!”
“That’s so sickly sweet,” Guylan scowled, preparing his train again. “Ah’m gonna enjoy crushin’ ya both, then.” Before he could do so, though, Mario, Spike, and Boomregard all got up. All three were injured, but otherwise still alive.
“We’re not licked, yet,” Spike called out. “You have something that belongs to my friends, and I’m going to take it back!” With that, he jumped up, and did a powerful Jackhammer Tail, which was followed up by Boomregard’s Boomerang Toss. Guylan, dazed by all of this, fell out of his train, the machine itself just falling to pieces on top of itself.
After a long fight, Guylan was beaten. Several Bandits and Cowboy Guys still conscious to see their leader fall had saw this looked at each other, and began to do the smart thing… run away.
“Excellent show, Mario!” Kolorado cheered, taking Mario, Spike, and Boomregard’s attention away from Guylan and the Maasawu Train. Kooper had recovered from his run-in with the train. “You’ve saved Appleloosa! I was worried when you didn’t return right away. What happened to you?”
“Well, Guylan outsmarted us for a bit,” the plumber confessed. “The last chest was booby trapped. He had us locked in a cage, taunted us, we found out our friend here was a scapegoat Guylan fed the town to keep them off track of his plans… and we escaped with the real Boomregard’s help.”
“Is that so?” Silverstar asked. Looking at Boomregard, he sighed. “Ah guess we all owe ya an apology, Boomregard. Uh… it’s okay if Ah still call ya that, right?”
“Ah guess it is, Sheriff,” Boomregard replied. “The ol’ one gave me his name, said Ah’m his legacy. It’ll be hard changin’ the name o’ Wild Spin from outlaw to hero… but when has life ever been easy?”
“Ya don’t know yer name after all o’ that?” Braeburn asked. “That’s awful, Boomregard. All o’ that effort fer nothin’.”
"I'm sorry you couldn't find out anything after pursuing Guylan," Kooper commented.
“Ah plan on lookin’ into mah past,” Boomregard vowed. “But right now, Ah feel as though as Mario an’ Spike need me more.” He then looked at Mario, and asked, “So, what say ya to finally gittin’ that Element o’ Harmony ya had been desperate to git since ya came here?” Mario nodded.
“Well, it’s ours, now,” the plumber agreed.
“Not so fast, plumber,” Guylan’s voice rang out. Mario, Spike, and Boomregard all turned to see Guylan, standing in front of the wreckage of his train bruised, pointing the gun at Mario’s group with one hand… and holding the Element with another. “Ya… ruined… EVERYTHIN’!”
“You want to go for another round?” Mario asked in surprise. Stepping towards him, Mario chided, “Look, that popgun thing is more annoying than fatal, so give yourself up already—”
BANG!
A live bullet whizzed past Mario’s face, slamming into the glass window of the General Store and splattering the insides of an apple pie everywhere in the store. It didn’t take much for the plumber to notice the smoke coming off of Guylan’s gun, and realized quickly that Guylan’s gun was real.
“Yeah, Ah agree with what yer thinkin’,” Guylan answered. “Mah boys are too stupid to actually use live guns. Now, that was a warning. Next person to take ’nother step in mah general direction, an’ ya can kiss yer game goodbye.”
“Ya still ain’t got anythin’ important left,” Braeburn pointed out. “Yer gang’s disbanded, yer plan is in ruins, an’ yer in no condition to fight, yerself. Why don’t ya just give up that there Element o’ Harmony ya got?”
“Do Ah really have nothin’ left?” Guylan asked, placing the Element on the ground before holding up his rope. He then tossed his lasso… and pulled back a familiar looking female Koopa.
“Let me go, Guylan!” Karoline spat as she was yanked over to him and held as a shield.
“Just when I thought this guy couldn’t get any lower!” Spike voiced.
“Now, here’s what’s gonna happen,” Guylan explained, holding his gun to Karoline’s head. “Ah don’t think anyone wants to see me shoot the doctor. So, yer gonna let me walk outta here, an’ make no attempts to follow me. Otherwise, well, Ah’ll let ya use yer imagination.” Boomregard scowled at this act.
“Ya really are nothin’ more than a coward,” the Boomerang Bro accused. “Ya hide behind hostages, yer big bad train, an’ yer men! Ya don’t even have the guts to finish me off like ya said ya would!”
Guylan scowled at the Boomerang Bro who had practically foiled his plans. “Yer writin’ a check yer BODY can’t pay, ‘Boomregard’. Ya ain’t the first one Ah ended.”
“Why don’t ya put yer money where yer mouth is,” Boomregard offered. “Let Dr. Karoline go, an’ face me like a man. Ya end mah game? Ya can walk with HUGE braggin’ rights an’ that there Element o’ Harmony. Ah beat ya? Well, it ain’t anythin’ the original Boomregard couldn’t have done if ya didn’t use a train against him.”
“A duel?” Guylan laughed. “Oh, this is RICH.” Pushing Karoline to the side, he told her, “Ya’ll watch this, sweetheart, as Ah end the game o’ yer boyfriend.” Guylan then put his gun in his holster, while Boomregard placed his Boomerang to his belt.
“Well,” Mario commented, “I guess a duel at high noon was inevitable during our time here.”
“It’s kind of eleven twenty-three, Mario,” Spike corrected, looking at the clock tower.
“I meant metaphorically,” the plumber replied.
Boomregard and Guylan stared only at each other while the ponies, Koopas, Toads, Spike, and Mario could do little but watch. None moved to attempt to stop them… or say a word. Not even Silverstar. A random Pokey head rolled by in place of the traditional tumbleweed. But then... Boomregard closed his eyes, focusing on nothing. Mario and Spike knew what he was doing, right away. Drawing a picture as to how he'd perform his throw.
Guylan scowled. “Draw!” he yelled, reaching for his gun. Boomregard yanked his Boomerang out, and tossed it right as Guylan pulled out his gun. Before he could pull the trigger, though, the gun was intercepted by Boomregard’s Boomerang hitting the gun, knocking the barrel upwards making Guylan waste his shot while Boomregard’s weapon flew away.
Guylan shook his head. “Valiant effort, ‘Wild Spin Boomregard’… but Ah have more shots than ya. Any last words?”
“Yeah,” the Boomerang Bro responded. “First rule o’ karma.” Guylan was about to ask what that meant, before he was smacked in the back of the head by the Boomerang, knocking him to the ground before Boomregard reached his hand up and caught it. Twirling it in his hand, Boomregard continued, “What goes ’round comes ’round. That was fer mah predecessor, the citizens o’ Appleloosa, an’ ME.”
“Curse ya… Boomregard…” the Cowboy Guy spat.
The entire town just stared. Soon enough, though, the crowd burst into cheers while Silverstar trotted over to Guylan. “Black Mask Guylan,” he spoke up, “yer under arrest. Ya have the right to remain silent. Ah wish ya exercised it.”
“This ain’t o’er, Boomregard!” Guylan yelled at the Boomerang Bro. “Sleep with one eye open from now on! Ah’ll git ya fer this someday!”
Many townsfolk were cheering about the victory, congratulating Boomregard, or apologizing to him. But the Boomerang Bro ignored all of that, instead walking towards Karoline, who was still tied up. “Are ya okay, doc?” He asked as he used his Boomerang to cut her loose.
“Ah am, now,” she smiled at him… before slapping him across the face. “But that was fer makin’ me worried sick ’bout ya all night.” She then added a second slap. “That was fer nearly gittin’ yerself killed o’er me.”
“…Ah reckon Ah deserved both o’ those,” the Boomerang Bro blushed, lowering his hat. However, Karoline surprised him by grabbing him by the collar of his shirt, and then pulling him in for a kiss on the lips.
Breaking the kiss, Karoline explained, “That was fer comin’ to save the day.”
Mario and Spike just both smirked as they walked over. “Not bad, you two,” Mario commented. “Now, about that Element…”
“Right,” Boomregard recalled, looking at the stone. He walked over to it… only for the stone to suddenly begin floating off of the ground, surprising everyone. The apple imprinted on the stone then turned towards the sky, and an image began forming. Taking the shape of—
“…Applejack?” Spike asked aloud. Indeed, the Element of Harmony had somehow managed to make a perfect holographic image of the female farm pony.
“Cousin AJ,” Braeburn questioned as he walked over, “is that you? What are ya doin’ lookin’ like that? An’ where are ya?”
"Ah’ll be honest, actually,” the holographic Applejack answered with a sheepish blush. “Ah ain’t the real Applejack. Ah’m actually the Spirit o’ Honesty.”
“Spirit of Honesty?” Mario asked, curious.
“Yeah, Ah figured that would be a question somepony would ask," the image of Applejack commented. “An’ ya chose the best Spirit to make the explanation. Ya see, to make it simple, Ah the Spirit o’ the Element o’ Honesty, one o’ the six Elements o’ Harmony. The only reason Ah look an’ talk like this is because Ah figured it would be the most convenient to take on the image o’ the Bearer o’ Honesty.”
“And that’s Applejack?” Mario concluded.
“Now yer gittin’ it,” the Spirit of Honesty nodded. “To save ya the trouble o’ figurin' out which Element goes with which pony, let me tell ya: Applejack is Honesty, Fluttershy is Kindness, Pinkie Pie is Laughter, Rarity is Generosity, Rainbow Dash is Loyalty… an’ Twilight Sparkle has the most powerful Element, ‘the Magic of Friendship’. Or ‘Magic’ fer short. But that’s not what Ah have to talk ’bout. Ah need to let ya know ’bout what’s goin’ on in Equestria.”
“Uh, what’s going on?” Spike asked the Spirit.
“As ya’ll no doubt know,” the Spirit began, “the night o’ the attack on Canterlot by the Colts o' Nocturne an' their leader, Sirius Nebula, the Elements o’ Harmony were— fer the first time in o’er a thousand years— scattered throughout Equestria by the Bearer o’ the Element o’ Magic, Twilight. Ah don’t know whether it was in response to Twilight’s emotion o’ rage she had fer what happened to Spike, an act o’ desperation to keep the Elements out o’ the attackers’ hooves, or a combination o’ both, but Twilight sent the Elements throughout this land. However smart it was, though, this has a slight side effect nopony was informed ’bout.”
“Before you continue,” Mario interrupted, “does this involve ANY form of ancient prophecy where the fate of the world as we know it depends on someone finding and reuniting the Elements of Harmony?”
“Ah guess somepony DOES know ’bout how this!” the Spirit of Honesty replied with a smile. “That makes mah job so much easier! An’ boy, this is one doozy o’ a prophecy, too!”
“Wait a second,” Spike remarked. “Twilight and her friends already FOUND the Elements of Harmony a few years ago. How is this any different?”
“Oh, right,” the Spirit of Honesty blushed. “Not everypony knows what we're talkin' 'bout. Ya see, has anypony here ever heard o’ a dark book called ‘The Dark Prognosticus’? It has the power to foretell many futures. However, it’s mainly unhappy ones. In fact, it’s been said that this prophecy that’s been set in motion was once foretold by this book.”
“I have,” Mario answered. “And I stopped its ultimate prophecy that would have resulted in the destruction of the multiverse with the help of Luigi, Peach, and my arch enemy.”
“Really?” the Spirit of Honesty commented. She looked at him curiously. “Ah can sense yer tellin’ the truth. That’s amazin’. Well, lucky fer us, this here prophecy ain’t THAT bad. Ya see, it starts with Ponies discoverin’ the ‘Path o’ Mushrooms’… or, to put it bluntly, ‘Warp Pipes’. Then, the scatterin’ o’ us Elements o’ Harmony, the Bearers defeated an’ captured. This will result in the balance o’ Harmony in the land fallin’ out o’ whack, an’ the true return o’ ‘Nighttime Eternal’. At least, that’s all Ah can remember….”
“All you can remember?” Boomregard asked.
“Ah’m sorry,” the Spirit of Honesty confessed. “After a thousand years o’ hibernation, it’s a little hard to properly remember ancient predictions that were made o’er a thousand five hundred years ago. Ah just remember bits o’ it, right now.”
“Ah guess yer like me, Spirit ma’am,” Boomregard replied. “Ah don’t remember much, either.”
“…Ah think Ah just remembered somethin’ else,” the Spirit of Honesty gasped, looking at Boomregard. “It’s somethin’ ’bout how to stop the prophecy from comin’ true. The true Bearers ain’t able to take up the Elements, right now… but two heroes, a man in red, an’ a being o’ purple an’ green must travel throughout the land can find six new souls who will bond to take them in their stead."
Spike and Mario instantly looked at each other, confused, and then at the Spirit. Spike questioned, “Wait, so what you’re saying, Miss Spirit of Honesty, is that Mario and I are chosen heroes who will find you ‘Temporary Bearers’? That’s all we’re here for on this adventure? That stinks... I thought we'd be heroes.”
“That's all Ah know 'bout ya,” the Spirit of Honesty replied. "Sorry fer gittin' yer hopes up a'bout that... but yer still savin' Equestria. Just not the way ya were expectin'."
"But... what about my friends?" Spike asked, letting his age show with tears in his eyes about the news he was technically replacing his friends with six random strangers. "What about Twilight... and Rarity?"
“Ah know it sounds weird… perhaps even a little wrong to replace the Bearers, even fer a short time. Especially considerin’ how close ya are to the real deals, Spike. However, there ain’t no way they can do their duty right now… an’ if Sirius, the villian who bucked this prophecy into gear, got his hooves on the Elements, he’d no doubt force the real Bearers into usin’ the Elements fer his plans. This way, ya can use our power to stop him without riskin' the Elements fallin to him.”
“…I see,” Spike sighed. "I... I hope Twilight, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow, Fluttershy, and the real Applejack can forgive me..."
“Well,” Boomregard spoke up, “we better git movin’ if we’re gonna find yer Temporary Bearer, Miss Honesty. Any idea who she is?”
“HE is standin’ right in front o’ me, if mah memory is comin’ back,” the Spirit of Honesty answered, looking at Boomregard. Mario, Spike, and Boomregard all looked at each other.
“Uh, all six of the original Bearers were FEMALE,” Mario pointed out. “And ponies, for that matter. No offense to Boomregard, but would a male Koopa work?”
“Yeah, this type o’ chosen one thing ain’t too picky fer species o’ gender,” the Spirit of Honesty replied. “All Ah remember about the Temporary Bearer o’ Honesty is that it’s ‘a wielder of a spinning wing with a mysterious identity in pursuit o’ the truth’. Sounds kinda like this gentlecolt… er, ‘Koopa’.”
“Me?” Boomregard asked. Blushing, he stammered, “Uh, shucks, thank ya fer considerin’ me, ma’am… but Ah don’t even know mah true NAME. Ah’m just goin’ by the one everybody’s willin’ to call me, 'cause Ah ain't got anythin' else.”
“But ya pursue yer true identity, never once givin’ up on yer quest to find out who ya are," the Spirit of Honesty smirked. “That’s pursuin’ Honesty if Ah ever seen it. So… ya don’t mind if Ah call ya Boomregard, right?”
“At this point, ma’am,” the Boomerang Bro replied, “it’s the closest thing Ah’ve got to a name.”
“Good,” the Spirit of Honesty nodded. “Now, then, ‘Boomregard’… will ya kindly take up mah power fer the time bein', an’ use it to save Equestria? Will ya take up the title as Bearer o' Honesty in Applejack's stead?”
“Ah’d be honored,” Boomregard declared. Soon enough, the spirit disappeared, and the Element itself seemed to begin to crack. The stone then broke apart, revealing that the Element had again changed shape. It was now a golden wristband with an orange apple jewel encrusted into it… but with a Boomerang imprinted into the Apple. Boomregard stuck his left wrist out, and the Element had clamped itself on him.
“How… how does it feel?” Spike asked.
“It feels strange,” the Boomerang Bro replied. “But, it feels like this is a badge o’ honor Ah’m wearin’ that Ah shouldn't be. An’ Ah promise that it’ll be given to its proper owner.”
“That we all promise,” Mario agreed. “No lie.”
“Ditto,” Spike said, putting his hand out. "Although I don't like this a bit, we have to do this." Mario placed his on top of the Dragon’s knowing what was going on. Boomregard put his hand on top of Mario’s, and the Element of Honesty began to glow, signifying that its spark had been reignited.
YOU GOT THE ELEMENT OF HONESTY!
Mario has now unlocked Element Power! He now can use the Special Move, “Truth’s Relief” to recover the party’s HP and FP!
END OF CHAPTER!
Mario and Spike had traveled to the San Palomino Desert and the town of Appleloosa in their quest to find the Elements. There, they ran into an amnesiac Boomerang Bro mistaken to be Boomregard, an outlaw who had once helped Guylan terrorize the town, only to have a change of heart towards Guylan's increasingly ruthless tactics. Unfortunately, the real Boomregard met an untimely end… but the Boomregard that has now Mario and Spike after besting Guylan and disbanding his band of thieves will be a valuable ally in their quest to save the world from the Colts of Nocturne, especially now that this prophecy has come to light.
As the town celebrated their fight won, Spike could not help but worry about the prophecy. “So, we have to find five other random heroes and have them become temporary Bearers?” the baby Dragon asked aloud. Mario realized how troublesome this quest actually was going to be. Sure, they had the first Bearer— their friend, the new Boomregard— but Spike had a point. They would not only have to race to find the Elements of Harmony, but find all six heroes who could use their power, each representing the virtues of the Elements.
For them, it was obvious that Boomregard represented Honesty by his pursuit of the truth of his own path and seeing through the lies of Guylan. But Mario remembered the other Elements. Alongside the Elements, they would need to find the following: a soul whose kindness knew no bounds, a soul who could make anyone laugh, a soul willing to sacrifice their own happiness for others, a soul who would never betray their close friends and family, and a soul who could use great power with the help of true friends. It sounded far from easy, as he had no description as to who these six souls would be.
But those were not the only questions on Mario and Spike’s minds. “Were the Princesses, Luigi, Yoshi, and the Toads okay in Canterlot? Had Goombella found any more news on the Elements’ locations? What other dangers awaited them? How were the Colts of Nocturne planning on bringing Nighttime Eternal like in the prophecy? And what had become of the true Bearers?” Mario and Spike’s quest had only begun…
---
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Nice, very nice. I approve the use of explosives and fire!
2097786
Explosives and fire are for the WIN! Because seriously, who doesn't like watching an explosion every once in a while?
Great chapter. A fitting end for this arc.
2098879
Yay! I was really worried about this chapter!
AWESOME!!
2102700
I'm glad you're happy!
2126270
And so, Mario & Spike have recieved their first Element of Harmony! But they could not afford to celebrate yet, despite the excellent music playing in the sky for some reason. They had five more Elements and five more heroes to gather before the Colts of Nocturne. But they could not help but worry for the six kidnapped Bearers. Where had the Colts of Nocturne taken them... and what was their plans?
Thanks for the Youtube!
2126300
No prob.