> The Diamond Refinery Contest Theme No.2: Harmony Project "Five Become One"/"Working as One"
>  by Telaros
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Grand Prize Winner - Entry#03 - The Littlest Vampony Hunters - By iJab
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	

The Littlest Vampony Hunters










The full moon creeped above the treetops, cooling the sky with its pale blue luminosity as the deep red sun dipped below the horizon. Stars subtly twinkled into existence one by one as the deep orange sky faded into a dark, abysmal purple. The wind howled, whistling through bare tree branches as it reached into the Cutie Mark Crusaders' clubhouse, chilling with its cold licks. 

Three small fillies sat huddled around a dimly lit lantern, each wide-eyed and with fur standing on their spines as they read. The orange pegasus bit her lip as she turned the page of a vividly colored comic book, quivering in anticipation. 

"And then... it got them!" Scootaloo quickly shut the book and shoved it across the floor, forcing herself to contain her shivers. "Heh. Cool story..." 

Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle each hugged onto one another, shuddering at the thought, the little white unicorn shaking her head. "That's not funny, Scootaloo! Where'd you get that awful book anyway?" 

Apple Bloom nodded sternly as Scootaloo shrugged. "I found it in Rainbow Dash's things, and she said..." The filly gulped and thought, glancing to the floor. "Uh-oh..." 

"Uh-oh?" Apple Bloom winced and covered her mouth. "Whaddya mean, uh-oh?" she asked, her voice quiet and muffled. 

Scootaloo looked into her friends' eyes with a straight face. "It's just that, when I grabbed it, Rainbow Dash got serious, and she said that I should read this, because someday it could save my life..." 

"Rainbow Dash said that? Are you tellin' me that vamponies are real?!" Apple Bloom glanced back to the comic book and bit onto the tips of her hooves. "How to Spot a vampony... Before It's Too Late! Guys... this is serious." 

Sweetie Belle smirked and forced herself not to shiver. "No way guys. This is just a fake made-up thing to scare us, like the Boogey Mare, or cavities." 

"The Boogey Mare isn't fake, smart one," Scootaloo stuck her tongue out and closed her eyes. 

"Is too. Rarity told me so," Sweetie explained. 

"I don't know about the Boogey Mare, that seems a little... anyway, I was thinkin' the whole time we were readin' that book, and there's one pony that fits all the telltale signs of bein' a vampony." Apple Bloom took a deep breath and flipped the book back open, skimming over the list of indicators. 

Sweetie Belle's eyes popped open, and she looked to Scootaloo with a mutual cringe. "Fluttershy." 

"Exactly," Apple Bloom said, dropping the book in front of them. 

Scootaloo flipped it around and bit her lip. "How did I not notice this sooner? Lives near a dark, gloomy place. Avoids going out into the daylight, even if they're a Daywalker. Skittish during the day, since they're weakened while the sun's out. Dominion over lesser creatures... Oh boy..."

"What's dominion mean?" asked Apple Bloom. 

"I think it means, like, domination," Scootaloo answered. 

Sweetie Belle thought for a moment, then agreed. "Yeah. Control over." 

"I knew that. So what are we gonna do? Fluttershy's a serious threat to everypony we know if she's a real life vampony..." The little earth pony flattened her ears an moaned. "Can y'all believe it? All this time, I thought Fluttershy was really nice, but it was just an act to throw us off her sick, sadistic trail." 

Sweetie Belle stood up and waved the filly down. "Whoa now. I think we're being a bit hasty here. I mean, sure she seems a bit suspicious, but I think we should check it out and make sure before we do anything crazy." 

"Hmm. I think you're right. Let's go check out her house and see what she's up to. Maybe we'll catch her doing somethin'... evil." Apple Bloom lowered her ears and glanced around while Scootaloo nodded. 

"It's settled then, let's go tell Applejack that we're heading over to Fluttershy's to... to play." Sweetie Belle trotted towards the ramp, and Scootaloo followed as Apple Bloom grabbed the lantern with her teeth on her way out. 


***


Fluttershy dragged a large sack of seeds to her chicken coop, filling several metal buckets that were attached to the side. The pudgy little birds fluttered in excitement, crowding around the buckets and feeding the their heart's content. The pegasus giggled and backed away, yawning and stretching her wings as she glanced to the bright, full moon. 

"I miss the summer already. There's just not enough time in these short autumn days to get everything done, is there?" she asked, leaning down and rubbing her nose against a cute little hedgehog's forehead. 

She sighed, wiping the sweat from her brow as the critter scurried off. With a deep, calming breath, she turned to head inside, a sudden snapping sound stealing her attention. She flinched and lowered her ears, glancing towards her front gate. Nothing to be seen, she quickly stepped to her front door, slipping inside and latching it shut. She peeked through her curtains and watched her front gate for several seconds, then chuckled to herself before laying down along her sofa. 

A small white bunny hopped onto her stomach, thumping his foot. "Angel Bunny, what is it?" 

With a disdainful frown, he continued thumping, lowering his brow. 

"Oh dear. Are you hungry?" she asked, tilting her head. 

He smacked himself in the face and hopped off of her stomach, bouncing into the kitchen and pointing at the back door, which was slightly ajar. "Oops. Did I forget to shut this again? Silly me. Thank you, Angel. You're the best pet a pony could ask for." 

The little white rabbit gritted his teeth as Fluttershy locked the back door and returned to her resting place. Before Angel could continue his endeavor, a burlap sack engulfed his body. "Shhh. Don't need you interfering," Scootaloo whispered, tying the bag shut and setting it outside through the doggy-door. 

"What was that?" Fluttershy asked, rolling over on the couch. 

Scootaloo carefully scooted back beneath the table into the shadows while Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom stood perfectly still behind the window curtains. Fluttershy fluttered into the kitchen and glanced around. "Angel, dear, where'd you go?" 

The pegasus landed in front of the table, and Scootaloo bit down on the tips of her hooves, curled tightly into a little orange and fuchsia ball, her tail wrapped around her body. The older mare tilted her head and trotted back into her living room, and Scootaloo let out a deep breath. 

"Psst," Apple Bloom hissed. "You keep an eye on her, I'll go check her bedroom for anything creepy and vampiric. Sweetie, you go check the basement," the little mare whispered, and each of her friends nodded in agreement before departing their separate ways. 

Scootaloo tiptoed to the kitchen entrance and peeked around the corner, watching as Fluttershy rested on the couch with a book in her front hooves. The filly squinted as she attempted to read the title from across the room, stretching her neck out as she leaned forward. K...Killing?

"Oh my..." Fluttershy sat the book down on her side table and rested her head on the arm of the couch. "That's a bit... much. I think I'll stick to doing things the old fashioned way. Angel Bunny? Where are you?" 

Scootaloo took several quiet steps back into the darkness, holding her breath as Fluttershy looked around. "Please don't be mad at me..." she sighed and rolled over on the couch, stretching out and yawning. 

The little orange pegasus bit her lip and scratched her head, glancing to the back door where the bunny rested in his sack. 



Apple Bloom carefully navigated the dark room, eyeing shelf-tops and the partially opened closet. She grimaced as she gazed into the pitch black abyss, an array of potential horrors appearing before her eyes as her imagination ran wild. Stepping closer, she reached out and pushed the door open, allowing dim light to spill inside. She bit her lip, her eyes locked on a pony's skull mounted atop a wooden pike. Covering her mouth, she stifled a scream and hurried towards the stairway, her heart racing. 

As she reached the bedroom door, she glanced back into the pitch-black closet with a wide, twitchy eye. No way... I'm just seein' things... right? The nervous filly gulped hard and stepped back towards the closet, her nerves steeled and her heart beating a mile a minute. She reached out to the door yet again, her gaze averted and sweat dripping down her brow. 

Creeeeeek

She stifled a scream as a shrill screech sounded from another room, and she turned tail and rushed out of the bedroom, slowing as she reached the stairway. 



Sweetie Belle tiptoed down the stairs into the deep, dark basement. She shivered at the temperature shift, shaking her haunches and fluffing her coat. A shrill creek rang out as she placed her weight on the bottom wooden step, and she froze, the fur on the back of her neck standing straight up. The bright full moon spilled its pale rays of light into the musty basement, where the little filly gazed into the darkness. She trotted forward, a strange smell slowing her progress. Covering her muzzle, she reached forward and touched the handle of a glimmering blade stuck in a tree stump. 

"What?" she asked aloud, tilting her head as she leaned in. She shoved her front hooves into her mouth as she shrieked, her eyes locked on the blood stains on the stump and near the blade's sharpened edge. Scurrying backwards, she pressed herself against the wall and turned to the stairway, hurrying up as quietly and as quickly as she could, terror creeping up her spine. 

As the unicorn made it back upstairs, she carefully and silently peeked around corners, stepping back into the kitchen where her other two friends waited beneath the table. "Guys..." she whispered. "It's worse than I thought. We have got to get out of here ASAP." 

The other two rapidly nodded and squeezed themselves through the doggy door as Sweetie followed. 

"What did you see?" Scootaloo asked while Apple Bloom released the bunny and cantered down the road to her friends' sides. 

"When I was upstairs, I saw... okay I know this sounds crazy, but I swear I really saw it." Apple Bloom cringed and looked down. "It was a skull... like, a big pony skull." 

"A skull?!" Sweetie squeaked and covered her mouth. "When I was in the basement, I saw a big knife, or... maybe it was a cleaver. It was stuck in a stump and had blood on it... Do you think she used it to... to kill a pony?"

Scootaloo bit her lip and widened an eye. "Oh no... it's all real, isn't it... When you guys were investigating, I saw her reading a book titled, Killing. I thought it had to be some kind of, like, I don't know. I guess she's freshening up on her modern day killing skills." 

"It's hard to believe this is really happening. Who should we tell?" Sweetie Belle tilted her head and frowned, tears welling up in her eyes. "Guys... I-I don't want Fluttershy to get hurt..." 

After entering the clubhouse, Scootaloo reached down to help her friend in. "I know it's sad. The book warned us that it would be hard if a friend turned out to be a vampony, but we know what we need to do. Who knows how many ponies Fluttershy has attacked. I bet she's like a thousand years old. We should tell Rainbow Dash first thing in the morning, then we can plan how to put an end to Fluttershy's reign of terror." 

"You mean... we have to put a wooden stake through her heart?" Sweetie Belle asked, her eyes wide and full of worry. 

Apple Bloom lifted a spare two-by-four plank from the corner and tilted her head. "We could use this to make three stakes, to increase our chances of survival." 

"Good idea. Do either of you know where we can get some silver?" Scootaloo grinned. "Remember? Silver's like poison to them. We need some of that for sure." 

"And garlic!" Apple Bloom added. "Let's make garlic leis so that she won't be willing to bite us!" 

"Yes, definitely." Scootaloo and Apple Bloom bumped hooves, while Sweetie Belle sat silent with a twisted frown. 

"I just thought of something..." the little unicorn said, gulping. "We can't tell Rainbow Dash, or any of our sisters, because Fluttershy is good friends with them. What if they tip her off or something? Then Fluttershy will know we're coming, and then... and then I don't know what'll happen!" 

Scootaloo and Apple Bloom lost their smiles and fell to all fours, then the pegasus paced the clubhouse and placed a hoof to her chin. "Crud... You're right, we can't tell anypony that Fluttershy has regular contact with, otherwise our mission will be jeopardized." 

"So it's three fillies versus a thousand-year-old monster with the strength of a hundred stallions?" Sweetie Belle inquired. "We need help." 

Scootaloo looked down and sighed, while Apple Bloom scratched her head and spoke up. "I think I know where we can get all the silver we need, and maybe even help. Silver Spoon and Diamond Tiara have a lot of silver things. Remember those salad forks at her birthday party? I bet we could poke Fluttershy with one and really slow 'er down."

"I think you're right. Let's talk to them over by the playground tomorrow while they're hogging the swings." Sweetie Belle smiled and trotted up to the corner of the clubhouse, pulling a blanket and pillow from a saddlebag.

"Good luck getting those jerks to listen to us..." Scootaloo crossed her hooves and gathered her own sleeping supplies, making herself comfortable in the center of the clubhouse. 

Apple Bloom joined the two, curling up in her own blanket. "Let's get some sleep. We can worry about them tomorrow..." 



***



Diamond Tiara tilted her muzzle to the air, licking her lips as the cool autumn breeze brushed over her cheeks. She closed her eyes, the sensation of weightlessness overtaking her body while she sat suspended in the air, then began to fall, arched backwards. "Push harder, Silver Spoon!"

"Okay." The light-gray filly smiled widely as she reared up and pressed her back hooves against Diamond's seat. 

Diamond Tiara smiled with the breeze rushing over her cheeks, her eyes to the sky. 

"Can it be my turn now?" Silver Spoon asked, still pushing. 

"Uhm... not quite yet. I haven't had a full turn," Diamond declared with a devilish smirk. 

Silver Spoon's mouth twisted into a frown. "I haven't had a turn at all yet..." 

Diamond rolled her eyes and sighed. "Fine... Just let me coast to a stop, then I'll push you for a little while." 

As the spoiled pink filly swayed through the air on her swing, three familiar faces trotted onto the playground. Diamond Tiara planted her back hooves into the ground and hopped onto all fours, Silver Spoon standing at her side. 

"What do you you three want?" Diamond glared and bit her puffed her cheeks out. 

Scootaloo led the pack, steeling herself and taking a deep breath. "We need... we need... Heh." 

Apple Bloom stepped forward and chimed in. "We need your silver forks, and we need them tonight. And do you guys have any garlic cloves?" 

Diamond Tiara tilted her head and smirked. "I don't think so. Get out of here!" She then turned tail and trotted back towards the swingset. Silver Spoon watched the three fillies with a smug smile and condescending eyes before following her best friend. 

"Wait a minute! This is serious!" Sweetie Belle jumped to the front and galloped to the swings. "Listen up! If we don't get those things, then we could all be in serious trouble. This is hard enough on us without you two being so difficult!" 

Diamond Tiara narrowed her gaze as she looked over the little white unicorn. Sweetie's glistening pale green eyes widened beneath the bright blue morning sky, and she bit her lip. "Ugh! You don't have to be a little crybaby about it. I'll let you borrow my forks, but you'd better not lose them or my dad will kill me." 

"Whoa... really?" Apple Bloom tilted her head and smiled. 

Scootaloo scratched her head and shrugged. "Thanks, Diamond. We'll be sure to get them back to you when we're done." 

"What do you need them for anyway?" Silver Spoon asked. "It's kind of weird that you three would be interested in propriety of any sort." 

Diamond Tiara rapidly nodded and put on a wide grin and giggled. "You're so right. Those three wouldn't even begin to know how us upperclass ponies set a table. What are they going to do? Poke apples with them on their wooden floors?" 

The two wealthy fillies began chuckling together, while the other three wore red hot cheeks and huffed. Scootaloo rolled her eyes and kicked at the ground. "So when will you give them to us? We only need three." 

"I'm not letting them leave my sight. Where are you going to take them anyway? I really doubt that you won't just lose them." Diamond scoffed and shook her head. 

"Yeah," Silver Spoon piped up. "Tell us what you want with them." 

Apple Bloom glanced around the playground with lowered ears, then gestured towards herself with a hoof. Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon skeptically glanced to each other before mutually shrugging and stepping over to the filly. Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo stood at Apple Bloom's side as the five fillies came together in a huddle. 

"Listen up," Apple Bloom whispered. "I know this is hard to believe, and might even sound crazy, but it's true. Fluttershy is a vampony. She's a bloodthirsty violent creature of the night, and we have a lot of proof. We snuck into her house last night and snooped through her things. I saw a pony skull in her closet, Sweetie Belle saw a bloody cleaver in her basement, and Scootaloo saw her reading a book called, Killing."

"Wait... you saw a pony skull in her closet? Seriously?" Diamond Tiara gulped and shook her head in disbelief. 

Silver Spoon chuckled and adjusted her glasses. "No way. A bloody cleaver? That's crazy. What do you three think you know about vamponies anyway?" 

Apple Bloom sighed and shrugged. "I knew you wouldn't believe us. Heck, I can't even really believe it. But it's true. So you can either help us, or just stay outta the way so you don't get yourselves hurt." 

"Yeah right. You guys are just on another one of your dumb little cutie mark quests. You're never going to get one acting so gullible.There are no such things as vamponies..." Diamond Tiara snapped her teeth and began to walk away while Silver Spoon watched her with a widened eye. 

"That's what I said before I saw it for myself," said Sweetie Belle as she began to walk away herself. "I don't know why I thought you two would understand..." 

Diamond Tiara cringed and promptly turned around with a raised hoof. "I understand just fine: you three are scaredy cats that believe in ghost stories." 

"You're the scaredy cats. We're trying to stop a monster that we know is real. Do you think I want to hurt Fluttershy?! I don't! I never want to hurt anypony! Ugh... I hate you two!" Sweetie Belle's tears began to run down her cheeks as she cantered away. 

Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon glanced to each other with straight faces, the richer of two fillies stepping forward. "I... Wow..."

"We aren't lying, Diamond. We're actually going through a hard time dealing with this. It hurts enough without you rubbing it in." Scootaloo gritted her teeth as she watched Apple Bloom chase after her friend. 

Diamond Tiara looked down shook her head. "Look... I'll go with you guys and let you use my forks, but I don't think vamponies are real. I just want to make sure I get all my forks back."

Scootaloo broke a smile and nodded. "Thanks," she said before turning and chasing after her friends. 

Diamond Tiara looked back to Silver Spoon, who stood silent. "What do you think?"

Silver Spoon shook her head and shrugged. "I don't know. I mean, if what they said is true about the cleaver and the skull, and even the book, then what does that mean?" 

"They're making it up," Diamond muttered. "They have to be. Right?" 

Silver Spoon winced and shrugged again. "What if they aren't?"

Diamond Tiara scoffed and looked away. "Let's go to Fluttershy's house and see what she's up to. vamponies are just a storybook monster, and they can't be out in the day time anyway. I've definitely seen Fluttershy in the daylight." 

Silver Spoon tilted her head and nodded. "That's true, but haven't you read the Twilit Saga? Those vamponies can be out in the daylight, and their coats glitter like... like they're covered in glitter." 

"Oh my... you're right. But Fluttershy doesn't glitter! We definitely would have noticed. Not to mention that those are just books too," Diamond explained. 

"Right, but who's to say that these books don't hold some level of truth. To be honest, I've kind of secretly been hoping that a cute vampony would fall in love with me, and take me to its family and-"

"Stop it... I know already, Silver. Just... don't right now. Look, if you want, then let's go check out Fluttershy's house and see what she's up to. I'm sure she's not a vampony, and that those three were just imagining things, or making it all up." Diamond Tiara huffed and started down the road, Silver Spoon trotting at her hooves. 

"Okay. Can you imagine if she really was a vampony? You know, I never really thought that they could be real before, and everything I did think about was just fantasy. Something kind of, like, crossed my mind just now, though." Silver Spoon gulped and looked into Diamond's eyes as they stopped trotting. 

"What is it?" Diamond asked, detecting the worry in her friend's eyes. 

"Well, you know how obsessed I was with those books... After the series was over, I started reading more romantic vampony books, and a lot of them have something in common, and it's kind of... it's creeping me out." Silver Spoon shuddered and bit her lip.

"What is? Tell me!" Diamond placed her hooves on the little gray filly's shoulders. 

"Okay..." Silver Spoon took a deep breath and watched the ground beneath her hooves. "In a lot of vampony books, they talk about vegan-vamponies, which are ones that live off of drinking animal blood instead of pony blood. There's other stuff too."

Diamond Tiara sighed began to chuckle. "Don't tell me you really think that this stuff is real." 

"I don't know. I was just thinking, you know? What if..." Silver leaned in a smirk and a slow nod. "You can never be sure. I mean, we hear about things happening that we never thought were possible all the time." 

The pink filly tilted her nose up and gulped, hiding her apprehension behind a confident grin. "Let's just go to Fluttershy's house and see what she's up to, then we put these crazy ideas to bed already." 

"Or maybe we'll be suspicious too! Can you imagine? A real life vampony, here, right in Ponyville. Oh wow..." Silver placed two hooves over her chest and swooned at the thought. "Let's hurry!" 

Diamond Tiara smacked herself in the face as her eager little friend hurried along. She kept pace as they entered the pegasus-in-question's front gate, slowing down and trotting around to the back where they heard strange noises. The two quietly stepped closer, ducking behind bushes as they watched Fluttershy tending to her pets in the daylight. 

"Psst," Silver Spoon whispered. "Look at how she's staying in the shade..." 

Diamond rolled her eyes and scoffed. "Yeah right. It's mostly shade back there because of all the trees. Watch this." 

Silver Spoon stood back with a pit in her stomach while Diamond trotted out of their cover and headed towards Fluttershy. "Hey!" Diamond shouted. "Do you have any pets for sale?"

The pegasus squeaked and ducked her head while Silver Spoon bit down on the tips of her hooves, still hiding in the bushes. Fluttershy flapped her wings and cleared her throat. "Oh hello there. I... I'm sure we do, but they aren't for sale. You can take a pet home today for free." 

Diamond Tiara raised an eyebrow and glanced back to Silver Spoon with bemusement. "So, Fluttershy... Are you a vampony?" 

The yellow pegasus tilted her head and scratched her mane. "I... a what?" 

Diamond laughed and shook her head. "Oh nothing. I was joking, never mind... so, I can just take an animal home for free then?" 

As Fluttershy pointed to her vast stock of critters, Silver Spoon tiptoed from the bush and headed around the other side of the house to spy. From a distance she carefully watched Fluttershy's every move, analyzing her actions. She looked closely at her mouth to detect fangs, but was too far to see. Silver began to cringe as Fluttershy leaned down and bit the neck of a small kitten, lifting it and carrying it behind a chicken coop. Diamond followed the mare out of Silver's sight, who quickly jumped up and chased after them. 

As Silver Spoon rounded the corner, she spotted Diamond Tiara cuddling the tiny baby kitten, as several more from its little sat sleeping beneath their mother cat in a small hay nest. Silver's eyes lit up at the sight of her dear friend's soft side. "You two are precious. Are you going to adopt that?" 

"Oh no. I'm afraid she can't adopt this kitten yet. They still have to grow for a few more weeks first," Fluttershy explained. She then jumped and turned around as an angry badger approached the nest, and Silver Spoon jumped behind the pegasus. 

"Hey!" Fluttershy shouted. "You go away. There's plenty of food for you in the forest. No go on!"

"Krahhhhh!" hissed the badger, who swiped his sharp claws towards the kittens. 

"NO!" Fluttershy stomped her hoof and stared down at the badger, who became entranced in her eyes. He scurried backwards and turned away, retreating back into the dark forest. 

"And don't come back until you learn some manners!" Fluttershy huffed and turned back to the frightened mother cat. "It's alright Mrs. Fluffy Cheeks. I'll make sure you and your kittens are safe." 

Silver Spoon looked to Diamond Tiara, who gulped and shrugged. "Fluttershy, how'd you do that?" Silver asked. 

"I'm not sure... I just felt that I needed to protect these precious baby kittens. I couldn't let them get hurt, could I? No I couldn't. Nope," she said as she began nuzzling the little balls of fluff. 

Diamond Tiara swallowed a large lump in her throat and looked closely at Fluttershy's mouth as she smiled, scanning over her teeth for fangs. "It's like you controlled his mind just by looking into his eyes." 

"I wouldn't say that..." Fluttershy blushed and lowered her eyes. "It's just a look I have when... I can't really control it. I just have to keep these animals in check sometimes. That badger can't help the way he is, so I have to remind him that it's not okay to hurt little kittens. He needs to find food on his own in the forest. So I reminded him by being strict, even though I don't like it..." 

"Are you a vampony?" Silver asked, narrowing her eyes. 

Fluttershy smiled nervously and scratched her head. "I'm... uhm. No?"

Sweating, Silver Spoon backed away and bit her lip with a smile. "Diamond, are you ready to go home? We have to wait on these kittens anyway." 

The pink filly nodded and stepped away. "Thanks, Fluttershy..." 

As the two fillies slowly walked away, they began to go faster, cantering until they reached a full gallop, sprinting away and fearing Fluttershy was right behind them. They rushed through town and reached Diamond Tiara's mansion, where they pushed through the large wooden door and slammed it shut behind themselves, each gasping for breath. 

"Please, Diamond! How many times must I ask you not to slam the door?" Filthy Rich trotted into the front room and tapped his hoof. 

"I'm sorry, daddy... I didn't mean to." Diamond looked up with her wide, shining blue eyes. 

The older stallion sighed and shook his head. "It's fine, darling. Go upstairs and play. Please keep it down." 

Silver Spoon nodded and followed her friend to her bedroom. The two stood silent, staring at each other. Diamond Tiara blinked several times, then lowered her ears. "Did you see that?" 

"Yeah. The way she stuck to the shade, and how she mind-controlled that scary animal." Silver Spoon shuddered and fixed her glasses. 

"This is crazy, Silver. I can't believe I'm saying this, but after what we just saw, there is no way that she isn't a vampony," Diamond stated, firmly nodded and narrowing her eyes. 

"Do you think she's going to eat those kittens?" Silver Spoon asked, cringing at the thought. 

Diamond's deep blue eyes widened and she rapidly shook her head. "No! Don't even say that. I think she's gonna eat that badger. Didn't you hear her say that she'll make sure those kittens are safe? That was her way of saying that she's going to kill the badger that wanted to hurt them." 

"You're right!" Silver Spoon began to smile. "This is, like, so cool. So what are we going to do? Want to go with Scootaloo and them and poke her with our forks? Silver should hurt her, then we can get answers." 

"Wait a minute. We might be getting ahead of ourselves here. Aren't vamponies dangerous?" 

"Not this kind. I mean, she's probably strong, like, really strong, so there's that to worry about. Something tells me that Fluttershy hasn't fed in a while, so I don't think she'll be at full power unless she suspects that we might attack. Your adoption trick was perfect, even I was convinced." Silver Spoon smiled widely as she clapped her hooves. 

"Right..." Diamond Tiara blushed and closed her eyes. "Trick...I might take those kittens and that cat after we deal with Fluttershy. Wait... what are we talking about doing here?" 

Silver Spoon let her ears droop as she looked down at the floor. "Well... if she's a threat to us and our friends, then we have to put a wooden stake through her heart, or maybe cut off her head. I guess it depends on the book. One thing I know for sure is that almost everything says that silver poisons evil creatures of the night... I guess I was destined to lead this crusade." 

"Please, Silver! Take this seriously. You can't just rush in there, because you might get hurt. Let's let the CMC lead the way and we'll trail in behind them. No need to put the best ponies at the front line." Diamond trotted up to her friend and placed her hooves over her shoulders. 

Silver Spoon hugged Diamond and smiled. "You're right. I don't want you getting hurt either. So what's the plan? Just follow those three in and see what happens? I mean, I don't like them very much, but I don't want them getting hurt either." 

"Better them than us." Diamond scoffed and smiled. "Okay fine. I don't like them either, but they don't deserve to get hurt." 

Silver Spoon hugged Diamond a bit tighter, then backed away and nodded towards the door. "Let's get our supplies and go find them. The five of us can come up with a plan to deal with this thing." 

"Alright. So you're the expert here, I guess. What should we gather?" Diamond Tiara trotted to her dresser and began rifling through. 

Silver Spoon placed a hoof to her chin and began to ponder. "Well the silver forks are a must. I'm not so sure about the garlic thing, but it couldn't hurt." 

"Ew. I hate the smell of garlic." Diamond groaned and pulled out a long black nightgown from her dresser drawer. "We can wear these gowns and be harder to see in the dark. We'll sneak into her house in the dead of night and gank her." 

"Good idea, but I think vamponies have good night vision. Couldn't hurt, though. Plus, you look super haw... cute in that." Silver Spoon licked her lips and reached out to grab the spare gown. 

"I know I do. Aren't we just the best?" Diamond asked, twirling around as she slipped into her silken gown. 

Silver Spoon nodded in agreement before pulling her own over her shoulders. The two then bumped hooves and trotted downstairs into the kitchen. Filthy Rich lowered his newspaper and perked his ears as the sound of clinking silverware stole his attention. 

"Darling? What are you two doing?" 

"Nothing daddy." Diamond merrily pranced through her living-room with a bag full of silverware and a clove of garlic in her teeth. 

The older stallion simply shrugged and shook his head. "Where do you think you're going, little missy?" 

"I thought I already told you... I'm staying the night with Silver Spoon," she explained as she spat the garlic into her saddlebag. "Yuk..." 

Filthy tilted his head and raised an eyebrow. "Well have fun you two, and don't stay out after dark." 

"We won't. I love you daddy." Diamond skipped towards the front door with Silver Spoon at her hooves, grinning. 

"I love you too, sweetheart." The stallion shook his head and reopened his newspaper, rubbing his temple with one hoof. 

The two fillies then quickly scampered off towards the Cutie Mark Crusaders' Clubhouse, black nightgowns clinging to their bodies as they ran. Reaching the edge of town, they hastily hopped through the orchard down the familiar old trail. The sound of distant talking caught their attention as they neared the old tree fort, and they pressed past the bushes. 

"Hey!" Diamond Tiara called out from below, waving up towards the window. 

Scootaloo poked her head out and squinted. "Why are you guys wearing lawn bags?" 

"These aren't lawn bags, you twerp. They're silk gowns. I'm not surprised that you couldn't tell though, considering these are probably worth more than anything you've ever owned." Diamond turned around and bumped hooves with Silver Spoon, who smiled widely behind her.

"Whatever. Did you guys bring the forks?" Scootaloo asked as Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom trotted outside. 

Diamond nodded and trotted up the ramp, following the other two fillies inside. She dropped her saddlebag on the center of the floor and crossed her front hooves. "Listen up! We know that you guys are telling the truth about Fluttershy, and I'm going to lead us on a crusade to slay the monster." 

"Whoa whoa whoa... Hold yer horses. Who put you in charge? I think I should lead us in, and I already have a plan of my own." Apple Bloom puffed her chest out and stood in front of Diamond Tiara with a cocky grin. 

"Yeah right. You wanna get us all killed? We'll follow my plan, or you three can just go on your own with no forks!" Diamond stomped her hoof and narrowed her gaze. 

Apple Bloom bit her lip and pressed her muzzle against Diamond's, fiercely standing her ground. Sweetie Belle took a deep breath and stood up off the floor. "Alright, Apple Bloom. She's right. We need those forks, so we don't really have grounds to argue." 

The little earth pony gritted her teeth and turned away. 

"That's right. It's obvious who's in charge here, so all that's left is for you three to accept that fact. After that's done, we can maybe start to get things ready for tonight." Diamond Tiara began pacing back and forth. "In my bag, I brought six forks and a clove of garlic. I hope you three at least managed to bring your own garlic cloves..." 

"We did, but, uhm... why did you bring six forks when there's only five of us," asked Scootaloo with a crooked frown. 

"I want us each to take one in our mouths, and I want Sweetie Belle to take on with her horn as well, so she can launch it from a distance." Diamond grinned and opened her bag, spilling the silverware in front of her peers. 

Sweetie Belle blushed and lowered her ears. "I... I'm not very good at using my magic yet..." 

Diamond Tiara rolled her eyes and scoffed. "You've got to be joking..." 

Silver Spoon looked away and bit her tongue before clearing her throat and speaking up. "So, are we all on the same page with vamponies then?" 

The three blank flanks looked at one another and shrugged, coyly smiling together as they returned their gaze to Silver Spoon. Diamond Tiara took a step back and nodded. 

"Well okay then. It seems like I'm the only one here who's ever bothered reading about these creatures." She tilted her nose up and began pacing the clubhouse as she spoke, her chest proudly puffed as she basked in her miniature moment of glory. "There are many types of vamponies that have been talked about, the most common of which is the classic Night-Dweller. I won't get into those, because Fluttershy is clearly not that type, no, definitely not. I'm afraid that we're dealing with the most cunning type..."

The Cutie Mark Crusaders each looked to Silver Spoon with wide, eager eyes. "And that is?" they asked in unison. 

"The romantic predator," Silver Spoon stated. 

Diamond Tiara smacked herself in the face and groaned. "No way, Silver." 

"What? I really think she's that type. Don't let the whole shyness thing fool you, that's just part of her seductive technique. Coyness is quite alluring according to my books." Silver Spoon confidently nodded and fixed her slipping glasses. 

Scootaloo covered her mouth and began to chuckle. "So what's so scary about some namby pamby romance vampony? Huh? Let's just tell her she's not pretty and stake her." 

Silver Spoon glared and ground her teeth. "No! We're not just going to rush in there and put a stake in her. We need to evaluate the situation responsibly. If Fluttershy isn't going to hurt anypony, then there's no need to hurt her. Maybe I'll introduce myself instead... I mean, you know, she might be a nice vampony." 

"What makes you the expert anyway? From what we say, all vamponies are evil killin' machines. I say we charge in and stick 'er with these forks, then get the truth!" Apple Bloom punched her hooves together and grinned. 

"There's more than one type of vampony, numbskull." Silver Spoon stuck her tongue out and crossed her forelegs. 

"Who you callin' a numbskull?!" Apple Bloom pressed her muzzle against Silver Spoon's, who gritted her teeth and pressed back. 

"Shut up! Both of you!" Diamond Tiara shoved herself between then, smiling and rubbing a hoof across Silver Spoon's cheek in the process. "Okay, now listen up. We don't know how dangerous Fluttershy might be, so we're going to treat her like she's extremely dangerous. If you want to pull this without becoming fang bait, then I suggest you follow my lead. This will never work if you aren't one-hundred percent subordinate."

"I hate to admit it... but she's right." Scootaloo huffed and eyed the floor. "Let's just let her lead, otherwise we'll never get anything done. This is important, guys." 

Apple Bloom frowned and looked to Sweetie Belle, who nodded as they each took a deep breath. "Okay, Diamond. What do you want us to do?" 

Diamond Tiara took center-stage and rubbed her hooves together. "Finally, a little respect..." 




***




A large black crow sent its shrill CRAWWW echoing across the sky as the sun set behind the horizon. Five fillies marched down the road towards the edge of town, the Everfree Forest looming in the distance. Each little mare was adorned in equipment as she went; black cloaks trailing in the breeze, shining silver forks in their teeth, and wooden stakes jutting out from their saddlebags. 

The tall tree cottage stood silhouetted in front of the blood red sky. As Diamond Tiara pushed the gate open, it creaked like a wretched rat whose tail was caught beneath a crushing hoof. Dozens of birds took to the sky, squawking as they violently flapped into the distance. 

"Okay... you guys ready?" Diamond lowered her ears and bit down on her silver-pronged utensil. "Lesh, do thish..." 

The five then giggled amongst themselves as they skipped to the mare's front door. The lights were out when they peeked into the window, and Fluttershy was stretching her legs and yawning. The pegasus fluffed her wings and curled up on the couch, lighting a lantern and grabbing her book. She chuckled and skimmed over the title, Killing: A Beginner's Guide to Comedy

Scootaloo nodded towards the back, and Diamond Tiara pressed her hoof against the pegasus' face and nodded towards the back herself. "I'm in charge here," she forcefully whispered. 

Scootaloo's cheeks grew red as she contained her rage, then followed the other four around the house. Diamond Tiara pulled a small laundry hamper from her saddlebag and opened it up. Sweetie Belle and Silver Spoon nodded to one another and carefully entered the home one by one, forks in mouth. At the sound of the flapping doggy door, Angel Bunny hopped into the kitchen to investigate. 

Sweetie Belle silently whispered, "Hello, my pretty," then snatched the bunny up and tossed him into Diamond's hamper, who pulled the draw strings shut and carried him away. 

Silver Spoon gently bumped hooves with Sweetie, then the two took their positions beneath the kitchen table while the other fillies followed them inside. Scootaloo and Apple Bloom stood against each side of the doorway, nodded back at Diamond Tiara. 

"Alright guys," she whispered. "As soon as she goes to sleep, we strike." 

The five mutually nodded and turned to watch the pegasus. Fluttershy stretched her hooves again and yawned before turning the page of her book. A moment later, she giggled at the contents. She marked her spot and closed the book, setting it down and trying to contain her laughed. She snorted and began laughing louder, slapping her leg and blushing. 

"She's reading that book about killing again. I guess she likes what she's reading..." Scootaloo noted with a narrowed gaze. 

Fluttershy wiped her brow and stood off the couch, blowing out her lantern. She headed back towards her den, where a new family of pets was staying. "Scree!" a small bat fluttered its wings and screeched. 

"Oh hush you. I'll make sure you and your babies are okay tonight. How about we sleep together?" the pegasus said, smiling and stretching her back. 

The five fillies made it across the room in time to watch Fluttershy climbing up onto a perch and latching her hooves onto the back of it, hanging upside down next to the hanging bats. Five little jaws dropped simultaneously as every last trace of doubt was wiped from their minds. Their hearts began to race and Diamond Tiara took a step back, gesturing to the others to huddle. 

The five came together in a circle and wrapped hooves around each other's necks. "Alright... she's going to sleep in her bat-filled vampony cave. This'll be our best shot to get her when she least expects it." 

"Hello?" Fluttershy called out. "Is someone there?" 

Each filly's heart sank into her stomach, and they quickly dispersed. Scootaloo crawled beneath the couch, while Silver Spoon and Apple Bloom scurried beneath a night stand together. Diamond Tiara and Sweetie Belle each jumped towards the kitchen, then went their separate ways, one upstairs and one downstairs. Sweetie Belle slipped into a broom closet across from Fluttershy's bedroom, while Diamond inched herself through the basement door, then slowly stepped down the stairs into the darkness. 

Fluttershy tilted her head, cringing and flinching at the sudden squeaks and creaks around her. "Uhm... Angel Bunny? Where are you? It's bedtime, my love." 

"Should we get her now?" Apple Bloom whispered to Silver Spoon, Fluttershy's hooves right in front of them. 

Silver Spoon shrugged and bit down on her fork. 

CREEEEEAK 

Fluttershy jumped and ducked behind her mane. "Oh my... Uhm... please tell me that's you, Angel..." 

The pegasus began chewing on the tips of her hooves, her body shivering. Suddenly, Diamond Tiara charged across the living room, her fork tightly clasped between her teeth. The terrified pegasus shrieked out and covered her face as the black-cloaked filly charged her. 

Diamond poked her yellow foreleg with the fork, then dropped it, her wide blue eyes watering over as she backed away. Fluttershy winced and began rubbing her leg. "Ouch... Why would you do that?" she asked, her eyes watering. 

Diamond Tiara bit her tongue and began to shiver. "I... Please don't bite me!" 

Fluttershy caught her breath and tilted her head. "Bite you?" 

"Bite me instead!" Silver Spoon jumped out from beneath the table, exposing her neck with a wide smile. 

"I'm not going to bite you... Why are you two in my house?" Fluttershy narrowed her eyes and looked down at the fork, rubbing her sore leg once again. "What's going on? I-I don't like this. I'm going to have to talk with your parents..." 

"Don't let her fool you! This is part of her act!" Apple Bloom pulled out her wooden stake and gritted her teeth. "Lay down and accept what's coming to you, vampony!" 

The other two crusaders galloped to Apple Bloom's side, steeling themselves and preparing for battle. Fluttershy snickered and shook her head. "Don't be silly, little ones. There's no such thing as vamponies. They're just old storybook monsters to scare you." 

"But... no..." Silver Spoon widened her eyes and frowned. "I think vamponies are real. Right? I want to be your servant, Fluttershy. I'll let you drink from me. I'll be your vampiric apprentice. Please! I offer to you these sacrifices." Silver pointed to the three blank flanks and nodded. "Their flanks are bare, and their essence is pure. Accept them, and make me and Diamond Tiara your new underlings." 

"No! We can't do that, Silver Spoon. What about..."

"You can't sacrifice us! We offer you two as sacrifices!"

"STOP!" Fluttershy shouted, then quickly retreated behind her long, pink mane. "Please, girls. I'm not a vampony, and I'm not going to accept any sacrifices. That's just... silly." 

"But we saw a pony skull in your closet." Apple Bloom nodded and pointed upstairs. 

"Yeah, and I saw a bloody cleaver in your basement." Sweetie Belle hopped up and down in excitement. 

Scootaloo lifted the book and blushed, reading its full title. "Yeah, those two things are the proof we need. How can you explain that?"

"Not to mention you were sleeping upside down with bats. That's pretty vampiric," Silver Spoon added. 

"Uhm... I don't know about a skull in my closet, but the other two things aren't anything you five should worry about. Let's go see what you think you're talking about." Fluttershy trotted upstairs and the fillies each followed. 

Fluttershy opened her closed and glared down at Apple Bloom, who blushed and backed away as a crumpled sheet sat atop a broom in a shape vaguely resembling a skull. "Oh..."

"Why do you have a bloody cleaver?! That makes no sense!" Sweetie squeaked out. 

"I don't want to talk about it... but, sometimes I have to prepare meals for my hungry carnivorous friends. It's not fun, but it's necessary. Look, just let it go. Trust me..." 

"Yuk..." Diamond Tiara covered her mouth at the thought. 

"How about you five head on home now. I'm going to have a word with your parents too, because sneaking into other ponies' houses isn't acceptable. I'm sorry, but I have to tell. I have no idea what got into your pretty little heads, but I most certainly am not a vampony, or anything scary like that. I'm just Fluttershy, and I like my privacy." The pegasus spread her wings and rounded the five fillies up, leading them to the front door. "Now go on." 

"Okay... sorry, Fluttershy," the five said in unison, bowing their heads and drooping their ears. 

Scootaloo sighed and lifted her head. "Angel Bunny is in a sack out back. I'll let him go on my way home..."

Fluttershy's eye twitched, but she simply nodded scratched her head. "Silver Spoon, you let Angel loose please, the rest of you hurry on home." 

"Okay," the four sighed and carried on. 

Diamond Tiara looked back at Silver Spoon, who smiled widely and shooed her away. As the other four were out of sight, Fluttershy led Silver Spoon around back, her wide smile gleaming in the bright moonlight. 
	
	

> 2nd Place - Entry#01 - The Filly 5 Play Halo - By Yukito
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle stood atop the Red base with fully loaded battle rifles, scoping the area for any invading Blues to gun down.

“Hey,” Apple Bloom said. “You ever wonder why we’re here?”

Sweetie Belle shrugged. “We’re short on ponies, so we’re just defending the flag from up here until more players join, right?”

Apple Bloom shook her head. “No, I mean why are we sittin’ inside playin’ Halo when it’s a beautiful day outside? We’ve already tried and failed to get our Cutie Marks in this game, an’ there are still so many things we need ta try.”

“Oh, come on, Apple Bloom,” Sweetie Belle said as she turned her attention away from the battlefield and towards her friend. “I need to practice for the Ultimate Halo Tournament this weekend so that I have a chance at winning a tour of the development team’s main office and an early release of Halo 3!”

“Ah know, Sweetie Belle, but ah-”

“Pleeeeeeease?”

“Bu-”

“Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee-”

“Okay, okay!” Apple Bloom said, pushing Sweetie Belle away from her. A bullet flew between the two just as Sweetie Belle was pushed back, startling them and causing Sweetie Belle to throw a grenade blindly into the direction of the gunshot.

“Aw, son of a-”

An explosion followed the colt’s voice and a notification announcing Sweetie Belle’s kill popped on the screen. “Take that Blue!” Sweetie Belle shouted as she fired a few victory shots towards the battlefield.

MegaUltraChicken has joined the game.

“Wait, what the?!” Scootaloo shouted as she spawned behind Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle. Whilst Sweetie Belle was giggling, Apple Bloom was flat out rolling on the floor laughing her flank off. “Oh very funny, Apple Bloom.”

MegaUltraChicken has left the game.

A couple of minutes of silence passed.

Scootaloo has joined the game.

Queen Tiara has joined the game.

Silver Meganekko has joined the game.

“Alright, we’ve got five players now!” Sweetie Belle shouted in excitement as three new ponies spawned before her. One was wearing orange armour, another was wearing pink armour, and the third was wearing grey armour. Sweetie Belle herself had chosen white armour, and Apple Bloom had chosen yellow.

“Wait, that voice,” the grey-armoured pony said. “Sweetie Belle?!”

“Silver Spoon?!” Apple Bloom shouted.

“Apple Bloom?!” the pink-armoured shouted as she backed away from the group.

“Diamond Tiara?” Sweetie Belle asked.

Scootaloo looked between the four for a moment. “… Uh… Scootaloo!”

“What are y’all doin’ here?” Apple Bloom asked. “Ah thought y’all were too cool fer video games.”

“First of all, I never said anything remotely like that,” Diamond Tiara said. “And second-”

“TEAM KILL!” the announced declared as three bullets from Scootaloo’s rifle nailed Diamond Tiara’s head.

“Hey!” Silver Spoon shouted as she glared at Scootaloo. “… How do I throw grenades?”

“Left bumped,” Diamond Tiara said as she respawned. “But don’t-”

“TEAM KILL! SUICIDE!” the announcer declared as a grenade from Silver Spoon exploded the entire team together.

“… Don’t throw one in a confine space,” Diamond Tiara said. “And what are you doing shooting your own team-”

“TEAM KILL!” the announcer declared as three shots from Apple Bloom’s rifle killed Diamond Tiara yet again.

“Apple Bloom!” Sweetie Belle cried.

“What? It’s fu-”

“TEAM KILL!”

“Stupid blank flanks!” Diamond Tiara shouted as she continued to shoot Apple Bloom’s corpse even after she had died.

“Sweetie Belle, how do I beat her with my gun?” Scootaloo asked.

“YOU GUYS!” Sweetie Belle pleaded as Silver Spoon switched to her pistol and began to shoot Scootaloo’s legs.





“TEAM KILL! SUICIDE! TEAM KILL! TEAM KILL!”

Rumble tilted his head and raised an eyebrow as he stared off into the direction of Red base. “What are they doing?”

“Sounds like a party to me,” Shady Daze said. “Whatever. This should make things easier.”

“Alright!” Snips shouted. “Let’s go! Rumble, you and Button stay to guard the flag. Snails, Shady and me will flank ‘em and take their flag!”

“Do you even know what flanking means?” Shady Daze asked.

“Not a clue,” Snips admitted. “But it sounds cool!”

Shady Daze simply shrugged and followed his teammates into the battlefield. “Whatever. Let’s just do this and win already.”





“Hey guys, check it out!” Scootaloo shouted as she ran Diamond Tiara with her newly-claimed warthog jeep.

“Sweet find!” Apple Bloom said as she jumped down from the top of Red base, hurting herself a little in the process, and hopped inside the passenger seat beside Scootaloo. “C’mon in, Sweetie Belle! Room fer one more!”

“You guys!” Sweetie Belle shouted. “We need to stop killing each other!”

“They started it!” Scootaloo shouted.

“You started it!” Sweetie Belle argued.

“I just shot one of ours! Silver Spoon exploded all of us,” Scootaloo pointed out.

“That’s not the issue here!” Sweetie Belle groaned and slammed a hoof into her face. “Of all the ponies to ask to help me practice, I asked them…” Sweetie Belle caught some movement in the corner of her eye and gasped as she saw Snips and Snails approaching from behind some rocks. “GUYS! THE ENEMY IS HERE!”

“I know!” Scootaloo shouted as she chased a screaming Silver Spoon in her jeep. “We’re taking care of it now, remember?”

“No, not them! The- Oh, forget it!” Sweetie Belle ran towards the nearby sniper rifle and picked it up. “Not my best weapon. I usually try to avoid it actually, but… desperate times call for desperate measures.”

Sweetie Belle aimed down the scope of the sniper rifle and focussed the crosshair on Snips, who was crouching next to a large boulder. Half of him was concealed, but there was plenty for Sweetie Belle to shoot at. And he was sitting perfectly still. She simply had to steady her aim, and…





Diamond Tiara took Sweetie Belle’s warning seriously and scoped the area for incoming Blues. She founds Snips and Snails approaching and looked around for something that she could use. “Hello…” she said as she picked up an energy sword. She turned to the nearby portal with a grin on her face. “Time to slice-and-dice some stupid colts.”

After jumping through the portal, Diamond found herself in the centre of the battlefield, directly behind Snips and Snails. Snips was the closer target, so Diamond Tiara decided to cut him, first. Quickly, Diamond Tiara charged towards Snips from behind and slammed her hoof on the button to attack.

“TEAM KILL! HEADSHOT!”

Diamond Tiara respawned behind Sweetie Belle, who was grinning sheepishly at the furious filly. “Oh, you have got to be bucking kidding me.”

“Eheheh… Um, oops?” Sweetie Belle said, moments before being shot in the head by a sniper rifle’s fire herself.

“HEADSHOT!”

Sweetie Belle respawned beside Diamond Tiara, who was now a little less angry, but still wasn’t exactly amused. “We’re doomed, aren’t we?” Sweetie Belle asked.

Behind them, Diamond Tiara could hear the sound of a tank firing a rocket, followed by the startled screams of both Apple Bloom and Scootaloo.

“TEAM KILL! DOUBLE KILL!”

“Very,” Diamond said with a nod.

“BLUE TEAM HAS THE FLAG!”

“What?!” Sweetie Belle shouted as she looked down into Red base through the opening in the ceiling, only for her sight to be impaired by something blue and shiny and- “Oh bu-”

“TEAM KILL!” the announcer shouted as Diamond Tiara bashed the back of Sweetie Belle’s head with her rifle, knocking her corpse down into the base moments before the plasma grenade attached to her helmet could explode. Unfortunately, the resulting explosion only managed to kill Snips and Snails. Shady Daze, who was carrying the flag, was already hijacking the damaged warthog outside and preparing to drive away.

“DARN IT!” Diamond shouted as she picked up Sweetie Belle’s sniper rifle and aimed it at the fleeing colt. Unfortunately, before she could fire, she found herself dead once again at her own team’s hooves.

“TEAM KILL!”

“Oh come on!” Diamond Tiara shouted as she respawned. “Blank flank, tell your friends to stop team-killing already!” she told Sweetie Belle.

“I tried!” Sweetie Belle pointed out. “For five minutes! Did you not hear me telling them to stop?”

“Then let’s just kick them already!”

“They’re my friends! I’m not going to-”

“Hey Sweetie Belle!” Scootaloo shouted as she ran in front of the two fillies, carrying something very large and very menacing in her hooves. “Hold still, I wanna try something.”

Before Sweetie Belle could respond, the three fillies were blown away by a rocket fired at their hooves.

“TEAM KILL! SUICIDE!”

After respawning, Scootaloo picked up the rocket launcher again and proceeded to start firing it at their own tank, from which Silver Spoon was attempting to gun down Apple Bloom who was cowering behind a rock.

“… Yeah, okay,” Sweetie Belle said as she voted to kick Scootaloo.

Diamond Tiara also voted. Naturally, Scootaloo and Apple Bloom both voted to not kick her, and only three of the colts on Blue team voted ‘yes’, whilst the other two voted ‘no’, so the deciding vote was left up to Silver Spoon. In the event of a tie, Scootaloo would not be kicked.

Voting ended. Player Scootaloo will not be kicked.

“What?!” Diamond screeched as she turned to face Silver Spoon.

Silver Spoon simply shrugged. “The ballet was confusing!”

“Hey, what’s the deal?!” Scootaloo shouted to both Diamond Tiara and Sweetie Belle. “Why you tryin’ ta kick me?”

“BLUE TEAM CAPTURED THE FLAG!”

“Cause of that,” Diamond said with a groan.

“You guys are so busy killing each other that we’re losing now!” Sweetie Belle shouted. “You’re ruining our game!”

“But it’s Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon,” Apple Bloom said. “Why would we wanna play with them when we could just kill ‘em instead?”

Sweetie Belle struggled to find some kind of argument that would successfully persuade her two friends. She tried to lower her own intellect to match theirs, but that was starting to hurt her brain, so she stopped.

Diamond Tiara, however, managed to think of something that just might work. “Okay, then think of it this way,” she started, gathering everypony’s attention. “If we lose, those boys over there will brag about it all day in school tomorrow.”

“So?” Scootaloo asked.

“So? The whole of school, no, the whole of Ponyville will know that we lost to a bunch of stupid colts!” Diamond shouted, earning a gasp from Silver Spoon. “On the other hoof, if we win, we can brag to them! We can let the whole town know that fillies are superior to colts everywhere! We can taunt them for losing to a bunch of fillies who they think are too lame for their stupid, ugly-looking secret base.”

Scootaloo put a hoof to her chin and hummed. “I do like the sound of that, actually.”

“Yeah!” Apple Bloom agreed. “Those colts said we can’t hang out with ‘em ‘cause we’re ‘prissy’ and ‘have cooties’, and ‘can’t keep up with ‘em’. Well ah say it’s about time we show ‘em what us fillies can do!”

Silver Spoon thought about it for a moment and then exited her tank. “Very well then. I’m in, if it means embarrassing those stupid colts.”

The five fillies gathered atop their base and joined their hooves in the centre. “Just to make things clear,” Scootaloo began, “We’re not friends. We just have a common enemy.”

“Agreed,” the other four all said in unison as they raised their hooves together into the air.

“Now what’s the plan?” Apple Bloom asked.





Snips and Snails trotted calmly across the battlegrounds. Their visit to the Red base earlier confirmed to them that their enemies were no threat, and so there was no reason to be worried about any sudden counter-attacks to their advances, or well-co-ordinated assaults on their own base.

“This game is pretty fun when you’re actually winning it for once,” Snips said.

“I agree,” Snails said. “By the way, you never did tell me why that jeep at out base is called a ‘warthog’.”

“Well-”

“CHARRRRRGE!” Apple Bloom shouted as she drove her warthog over the hill and towards the two colts.

“HOLY MOTHER OF ALL GREAT AND POWERFUL!” Snips shouted as he and Snails turned around to retreat. “RUUUUUUUN!”

“TAKE THIS!” Silver Spoon shouted as she aimed the mounted gun on the back of the warthog at the two fleeing colts.

Snips and Snails took cover behind a nearby boulder, just managing to escape with minimal damage. “Great!” Snips shouted. “Now what?!”

“Wait it out?” Snails suggested. “That thing’s gotta have limited ammo, right?”

Snips nodded. “Yeah, I guess you’re right. We’ll wait for the perfect chance to counter, then attack!”





Scootaloo poked her head out from behind the tree that she was hiding behind. “Nopony to the left… aaaand nopony to the right.” Scootaloo nodded to herself as she charged towards Blue base. “Alright! While the others keep those dweebs busy, I’m gonna show what I’ve got!”

Scootaloo ascended the ramp that led to the top of the Blue base, spinning around as she reached the top to make sure that nopony was behind her. When she found that all was clear, she moved to the hole leading down to the Blue flag. Standing guard over it were two colts: Rumble and Button Mash.

“Hey,” Rumble said to Button, “You ever wonder why we’re here?”

A devilish grin on her face, Scootaloo jumped down into the base and bashed the back of Rumbles head with the butt of her shotgun. Whilst Button Mash was startled, she threw a plasma grenade onto his head.

“Son of a bi-”

“DOUBLE KILL!” the announcer shouted as Button exploded. “RED TEAM HAS THE FLAG.”

“O-Oh my gosh!” Scootaloo shouted as she danced around with the flag. “I did it! I totally did it! Yeah! Take that you stupid colts!”





Sweetie Belle whipped out her sniper rifle and pointed it towards the Blue base, looking down its scope to get a closer look. “Sounds like Scootaloo’s pulled through!”

“Who’d have thought she could actually be useful for once?” Diamond Tiara asked as she threw a grenade over the rocks she was hiding behind.

“WHOA!” she heard Shady Daze shout just before the explosion. Unfortunately, no kill was announced, so she knew that her target must have still been alive.

“This colt’s hard to kill,” Diamond grunted.

“Okay, now we just have to hope Scootaloo doesn’t do anything stupid before Apple Bloom can get to her with the-” Sweetie Belle was cut off as Scootaloo ran outside of the Blue base, carrying the flag in her hooves, and waved towards her friend on the cliffside.

“Hey Sweetie Belle, check it out!” she shouted. “I got the Blue flag!”

The next moment, Rumble and Button Mash jumped down from the top of Blue base and beat Scootaloo to death with their guns.

“BLUE TEAM, FLAG RETURNED.”

“… Plan B?” Diamond asked.

“Plan B,” Sweetie Belle sighed. “You go back to the base and bring Scootaloo and the tank. I’ll take care of Shady and destroy all their vehicles.”

“If you say so,” Diamond said as she pulled out her rocket launcher. “I’ll trust your Gamerscore.” Diamond Tiara aimed down the sights of her rocket launcher and towards Snips and Snails, who were still cowering behind a rock as Silver Spoon continued to fire at them. She fired a single rocket, exploding the two colts at once and alerting Apple Bloom and Silver Spoon to the change in plans.

“DOUBLE KILL!”

As Diamond Tiara moved retreated back towards the Red base, Sweetie Belle pulled out her energy sword and charged from behind the rocks, startling Shady Daze and slicing him as she ran past. “Now that I think about it, plan B is probably the better one anyway…”





“Okay, so that totally just happened,” Rumble said as he aimed down the scope of his sniper rifle at Sweetie Belle, who was attempting to circle around to the back of Blue base. He fired all four of his shots, each one missing. “Damnit! Button, you try!”

“Button sweetie, it’s time for your hair appointment,” Button Mash said.

Rumble raised an eyebrow. “But mum, the enemy’s attacking our base and we have to stop them or we’ll lose to a bunch of fillies!”

“Well, you’ll just have to defend your flag later. For now, we need to do something about this hair of yours before it becomes a jungle for things to live in.”

“Muuuuuuum!”

“Come on, say goodbye to your friends and sign off.”

The sound of something being thrown against the floor and a colt grumbling something as he stomped his hooves came from Button Mash. A few seconds later, a mare’s sigh was heard, and Button Mash disappeared.

Player Shadow Mash has left the game.

Rumble quickly took cover as he began to type a message to everypony on the server.

Storm: Time out! This isn’t fair! It’s 4 against 5.

A few seconds later, a response came.

Queen Tiara: True, but one of ours is Scootaloo, which balances it out.

…

Scootaloo: Hey! **** you!

“Ah to heck with it,” Rumble said as he aimed down the scope of his sniper rifle again, only to find all of the Blue base vehicles completely destroyed. “What?”

“Coming through!” a voice behind Rumble shouted. As he turned around, he was met with something large and metallic colliding with him.





Sweetie Belle sliced Snips and Snails with her energy sword and rushed through the base. “Okay, sounds like Apple Bloom and Silver Spoon are here. I just need to get the flag and hope that Scootaloo and Diamond Tiara are ready with the tank.”





“This is why I said I should drive!” Diamond shouted as she jumped off of the side of the tank, which was stuck on top of a rock in the middle of the desert section of the battleground. “Why did you even come here?!”

“I was trying to do a sweet trick!” Scootaloo said. “‘Sides, it’s not my fault the dumb thing won’t even turn properly!”

“GAH! Just forget it!” Diamond shouted as she threw a bunch of grenades at the tank. “Let’s go back and pick up a new one! And this time, I’m driving!”





Sweetie Belle sighed as she witnessed the explosion in the distance, followed by the tank flying into the air, through the scope on her sniper rifle. “Well, so much for that plan. But at least we still have the warthog.”

“Sticky grenades!” Silver Spoon shouted from somewhere nearby. “GET OUT!”

An explosion sounded, and moments later two fillies ran into the base, joining up with Sweetie Belle. “We, uh… might have lost the jeep,” Apple Bloom said with a sheepish look on her face.

Sweetie Belle groaned and slammed a hoof into her face. “Well this is going well,” she said in a sarcastic tone. “No jeep, no tank, outnumbered, and I think I’ve been sitting on hooves for too long, ‘cause they’re starting to hurt…”

“So what do we do now?” Apple Bloom asked as she watched Sweetie Belle approach the Blue flag.

“RED TEAM HAS THE FLAG!”

“Now,” Sweetie Belle said as she turned back and ran past Apple Bloom, “LEG IIIIIIIIT!”

Apple Bloom and Silver Spoon glanced at each other for a brief moment before shrugging and following after Sweetie Belle.





“D’ya see them?” Rumble asked Shady Daze as he examined the canyon with his sniper rifle.

“Nah. I think they took a different path.”

“There they are!” Snips shouted as he pointed down into the battlefield. “They’re just running across the field.”

“I got this,” Shady said as he aimed his sniper rifle and fired. However, his shots came too late as the three fillies managed to reach the rocks on the battlefield and took cover behind them. “Darn it! Guess we’d better take the jeep.”

“It’s gone,” Rumble said. “Sweetie Belle blew it up.”

“The tank, then.”

“That too.”

“… The cool bike-thingy?”

“All gone!”

“We could use the portal,” Snails suggested. “We could cut them off and ambush them.”

“That’s a good plan, actually,” Rumble said.

“Alright, portal it is,” Shady said as he switched his sniper rifle for a shotgun. “Ladies first.”

“Colts just before,” Rumble said as he jumped into the portal. He appeared suddenly in front of Silver Spoon, who screamed and swung her gun at the colt, beating him to death in a few hits.

Rumble respawned on top of the Blue base, his teammates already gone and battling it out on the battlefield. “… Take two, I guess…” he muttered to himself as he ran through the portal once more.





“THIS WAS A TERRIBLE IDEA!” Sweetie Belle screamed as she took cover behind a rock with her two teammates, a barrage of bullets and explosions keeping them pinned down.

“We need somepony to make a distraction!” Silver Spoon said.

“That won’t buy us enough time! The base is all the way over there!” Sweetie Belle told her.

“Hey!” Apple Bloom shouted as she pointed up into the sky. “What’s that?”





Shady’s ears drooped to the side of his head as he looked up at the menacing purple monstrosity flying above him. “Oh bu-” The purple beast fired a round of plasma bullets at the colts, killing Shady and forcing the others to retreat.

“RUUUUUUN!” Rumble shouted.





“Yeehawwwww!” Scootaloo scream as she chased the fleeing colts, taunting them by firing around them and only occasionally hitting them to break their shields. “That’s right, run for your puny lives!”

“Scootaloo?!” Sweetie Belle shouted in complete surprise. “How did she-”

“Hey, what did ya expect?!” Scootaloo shouted down to Sweetie Belle. “Future leader of the Wonderbolts here, y’know?!”

“Diamond!” Silver Spoon shouted as she caught sight of a tank approaching them from the Red base.

“C’mon, get on!” Diamond shouted as she pointed the tank’s canon towards the Blue base. A thought then crossed her mind and she aimed it up a little higher, at the banshee hovering in the air.

“Don’t,” Sweetie Belle said in a stern tone.

“Oh come on!” Diamond pleaded. “After all the times she’s killed me this game I think I deserve a little payback!”

“But we need the banshee to pin them down,” Sweetie Belle said. “At least wait until we’re back at the base.”

“… Oh, fine!” And so Diamond Tiara fired a couple of warning shots at the Blue base, and then turned the tank around to retreat back to Red base. As soon as they were close enough, Sweetie Belle jumped off with the flag, and Diamond Tiara turned the canon around to face the banshee.

“TEAM KILL!”

“Hey!” Scootaloo shouted as she respawned.

“Karma, blank flank!” Diamond Tiara shouted back.

“RED TEAM CAPTURED THE FLAG!”

“We did it!” Apple Bloom cheered in a joyous tone. “We actually did it!”

Queen Tiara: Take that dumb colts! You’re gonna get your flanks handed to you by fillies!

Storm: Yeah right! That was a fluke! We’re totally gonna pwn you guys!

S.Belle: … Wanna make a bet on that?

“A bet?” Apple Bloom asked.

S.Belle: If we win, you guys have to be our personal servants for one full week!

“Ooh, I like that!” Silver Spoon said.

SlimShadyDaze: … And if we win?

S.Belle: Name your conditions.

Storm: Ooh! DT and Apple Bloom have ta kiss in front of the whole school!

“What?!” Apple Bloom and Diamond Tiara shouted in unison.

Queen Tiara: EWWWW!

Cutie Mark Plz: No way!

Queen Tiara: Stupid colts!

Storm: What’s the matter? You girls chicken?

Sweetie Belle felt a vein pop in her head, and her blood began to boil.

S.Belle: Fine, you’re on! Just don’t start crying when we have you polish our hooves in front of everypony in school!

“Sweetie Belle!” Apple Bloom cried in protest.

“Come on girls!” Sweetie Belle shouted. “We’re not gonna let ourselves be beat by a bunch of colts, right?!”

“B=But…”

“She’s right,” Silver Spoon said. “As sappy as it sounds, if all five of us work together, we can make those colts our slaves for a full week!”

“That’ll be good payback for the stink bomb they put in our restroom!” Scootaloo added.

Apple Bloom thought about it for a moment, and then nodded. “Ye’re right!” she said. “There ain’t no way we’re gonna lose ta a buncha dumb colts who pick their noses in the middle of class!”

All five fillies shuddered at the mental image that brought. “Alright then,” Diamond said. “Let’s kick their flanks!”





“Hold it a little higher!” Silver Spoon instructed as she looked back over shoulder at the five colts following behind herself. “We want to make sure ponies can see it, after all.”

“This is so stupid,” Rumble muttered as he trotted alongside his friends through Ponyville, the five of them carrying a sign that read: ‘We were beaten by fillies and admit that fillies are superior to colts in every way.’

“Why am I here?” Button Mash asked. “I had to leave partway through.”

“Abandoning your team?” Silver Spoon asked the colt.

“We took an oath, Button!” Shady Daze shouted. “When you joined our club, you swore to stand by us through thick and thin!”

“Well I changed my mind!” Button cried. “I want out!”

“There is no out!” Rumble told him. “… We haven’t thought of the ceremony for ‘outs’ yet.”

“There ya are!” Apple Bloom shouted as she waved the group over. She was standing with Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle, and Diamond Tiara. “Never thought the five of us would be hangin’ out like this…”

“Well we found a common enemy,” Silver Spoon said as she reached the group. “Now then, shall we?”

The other four fillies nodded. “Um,” Rumble dared to speak up, “W-Where exactly are we going?”

The five fillies exchanged demonic grins that sent shivers down the colts’ spines. “Our first stop,” Diamond told him, “Is the spa, of course.”

“We can’t have our personal servants look so terrifying, now can we?” Silver Spoon asked.

“We’re gonna pretty you up!” Sweetie Belle declared with an innocent smile, though for a moment a devious grin flashed on her face.

A look of horror spread across all five colts’ faces. “NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!”
> 3rd Place - Entry#02 - The mysterious theft of ponyville - By M Specter (corrected)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The mysterious theft of ponyville

*Somewhere within Ponyville*
“Soon it'll all be mine...”

The rolling of the train tracks lulled Babs out of her sleep. She was on the train headed to Ponyville. For the next month or so she will be living with Applejack and Apple Bloom, because of some immediate circumstances at home. She didn’t mind of course the last time she visited her cousins was during the family reunion and they had lots of fun then. Although the train won't be arriving at Ponyville for another hour so she tried to fall asleep again.

*******

The screeching of the wheels breaking into Ponyville station awoke Babs from her seat she quickly gathered her suitcase and made way for the exit. Upon reaching the exit she was immediately hugged by Apple bloom. “It’s been awhile hasn't it Apple Bloom" Babs said as she hugged her cousin back. "Yeah how have things been back in Manehatten” 
"You know same old same old"
Apple Jack came over and gave Babs a hug “Nice to see you back in Ponyville.”

"It's nice to be back" They made small talk as they made their way to the apple family's barn. The barn still looked brand new from the last time Babs saw it at the family reunion. After setting up her things in the guest bedroom the family gathered together for dinner. Were upon having dinner the tan filly said hello to Big Mac and Granny Smith as well as getting an all she can eat buffet of Apple related goodies. 
After dinner was complete Apple Jack decided that the two youngest Apples needed there rest, for tomorrow Babs would be going to Apple Blooms school to start the new term.

*******

The next morning the apple family woke up early as usual and prepared themselves for the day. Apple Bloom had to wake Babs up because she wasn't used to waking up that early. Back in the city schools started later then they do in Ponyville. Needless to say Babs was a little tired when she woke up but with a quick breakfast consisting of toast and eggs she was ready for what the day had in store for her.

“You’re gonna like M.s Cheerilee Apple Bloom boasted as she and Babs headed to school " She's really nice and knows how to deal with all types of students."

"NOOOOOOOOOOOO" a voice rang out
"Babs are you saying you don't like Cheerilee?"
" I haven't said nothin yet Applebloom" 
" I wonder who or where that scream came from" the yellow filly said as she put a hoof to her muzzle.
" I don't know but if it’s important will know about it soon" Babs said as she continued to walk towards the school in the distance. “Look out" Somepony yelled as they zoomed passed them and collided into some garbage cans near them. The voice seemed familiar and the pony seemed to be hurt but Babs and Apple Bloom continued to school for fear that they would be late to class.

Once in class Apple Bloom took her usual seat near sweetie bell as Scootaloo rushed in when the bell began to ring. “That was a close one she wheezed as she took her seat on Apple Bloom's right “one more tardy and “M.s Cheerilee will give me a detention". Scootaloo looked like she had recently gotten hurt there were scrapes all over her orange fur and her purple mane and their were bits and pieces of rotten food stuck in it. “Scootaloo are you ok" Sweetie Bell asked “I don't want to talk about" she said as she laid her face on the desk.

Before anypony could say anything else M.s Cheerilee entered with Babs following behind her. “Everyone we have a new student joining our class today, her name is Babs and she's from the city isn't that neat." Before Babs could even fully introduce herself a smug voice interrupted "oh look another blank flank, just what we needed" laughter could be heard by most of the classroom and Babs used her tail to cover where her cutie mark would be.

"Diamond Tiara this is not how we treat new students, after class I expect you to give an apology to Babs." 
“Yes M.s Cheerilee” Diamond said unenthusiastically. Sweetie bell raised her hoof " M.s Cheerilee could Babs sit here " she motioned to the empty desk next to her and Cheerilee gave a curt nod before saying " Babs you can sit next to Sweetie" 
" Yes ma’am"  Babs sat next to Sweetie and upon her sitting down Cherilee began the lesson.  ”I’m really glad you’re back in Ponyville Babs” Sweetie whispered. “Feels good to be back” Babs whispered in response and the day continued from there.

When the bell finally rang most of the fillies and colts rushed out of class eager to get home. Four fillies were all but left within the classroom *yawn* " I'm sure glad class is over I didn't think I could stay awake any longer" Scootaloo said as she stretched.
" Let's go over to your clubhouse I haven't been there since my first visit to Ponyville".
" Sure thing Babs" with a destination set the four crusaders went on their way to the clubhouse however while on their way there something caught there eye. There were two guards at Twilights library; they decided to investigate to see what was going on. The closer they got to the library the louder the voices got. One sounded familiar to the three original crusaders while Babs didn't have a clue as to who could be behind the door.

She hadn't been to a library the last couple times she stepped hoof into Ponyville, in fact a library had been the furthest things from her mind. 
" ...Spikes just over reacting I can assure you"
" Twilight no pony should of known I had gems there, I mean it's a secret stash for a reason."
"Don't worry M.s Sparkle and Spike we will look for the pony responsible for this theft you can count on us". 
When the guards opened the door to exit they were surprised to see four filly's tumble into the entrance. "It seems we have spy's" one of the guards said as the other lightly chuckled. They both flew over the fillies as they continued on their way. "What are you girls doing here?" Twilight asked. “We were curious when we saw guards in your home so we came to see what was going on." 

The foursome got up and dusted themselves off. " Well as you may have heard Spikes gem stash has been stolen" 
" It took months to find all those gems, now I have to start all over again" Spike pouted sadly.
"Oh who's your new friend I believe we haven't met before” twilight said motioning to Babs.
"I'm Babs nice to meet yea" she said as they shook hooves. “She’s my cousin" Applebloom stated proudly "and she's the official fourth member of the cutie mark crusaders" Sweetie Bell said. " I'm only staying for a while until I can go back Manehatten."
"Well Babs it was certainly a pleasure to meet you and I hope to see you again soon." 

" I'll see you later Twilight I'm going to go look for gems." 
" Spike how about I help you find more gems" Twilight asked.
" No it's not as satisfying with help but thanks for trying to make me feel better." They hugged and Spike left the library. " Come to think of it you girls should head home we don't want this thief targeting you." 
" Aw Sweetie Bell said " we were going to the clubhouse." 
" I guess we could go tomorrow" Babs said. “Yea then well come up with more crusader ideas then."
With everypony satisfied they each went home.

*the next morning*

Babs had woken up a bit earlier then yesterday and wasn’t as tired as she had been that day. She figured it was some of her southern genes kicking in. On the way to school Scootaloo stopped by her with a panicked expression of her face.
"What's wrong scoots?" 
" Yea you look like something is bothering you"
"You haven't heard yet have you” Scoots said
"Heard what" 
"Spike has gone missing Twilight said that he hasn't shown up since yesterday." The two apples gaped at her for a while before Apple bloom said "maybe he just got caught up in finding gems."  Scootaloo shook her head "he would have stopped at the library and said something to Twilight you know how close they are."
" Yeah I think your right, poor Spike I hope he comes home soon."

They walked and in Scootaloo's case scootered slowly to school.
The school bell rang signaling the end of class, today the students milled around the classroom or played in the court yard. Most ponies were in groups tending to themselves. Currently Babs was teaching Apple bloom and Sweetie Bell how to do a couple of math problems. They were struggling with PEMDAS and Babs was helping them by explaining how to do the problems in a clear and concise way. Scootaloo was near them sleeping she had gotten bored of the math problems and decided to take a nap. Cheerilee was doing some paper work at her desk until Twilight came into the room and spoke with her. 

Their conversation couldn't be heard over the fillies and colts individual conversation but from their faces anypony could tell that the conversation had quickly gone sour. "Children Twilight has something to tell you all" the class progressively got silent as they turned their attention to Twilight. "Everypony make sure you go straight home after school the royal guards and I suspect that the thief that stole Spikes gems has also kidnapped Spike, and we don't want anypony else missing so we ask of you all to obey these new regulations until the culprit is caught." 
"Thank you for your time Cheerilee" with that Twilight stepped out of the room.
"Alright class promise me that you'll go straight home after school today" 
"We promise" came the chorus of replies from the foals and filly’s
Scootaloo was still asleep so Apple Bloom shoved her " I promise" she let out before rubbing her hooves over her eyes and saying "wait what did I just promise to do."

Later that day the four crusaders were heading home each with a little pep out of their step. "Come on guys tell me what was said, what happened don't leave me in the dark" since it seemed like no pony was going to tell them Babs decided it would be up to her to explain the situation. “Oh is that all, that's not anything to be dis um dis...” Distraught" Sweetie Bell suggested.
" Yea no need to get distraught over it"
" Don't you understand Scoots were not worried about that where worried about Spike."
With that Scootaloo's demeanor changed as well.
“Will see y'all later remember we promised M.s Cheerilee and Twilight." The white and orange coated filly nodded and they split off into their own ways.

Babs got the idea that something seemed off about the whole situation so she took a visit to Twilight’s alone. When she entered the library Twilight was organizing some books but when she heard the door close she said “Welcome to Ponyville library how may I..." she hadn't turned around immediately so upon turning around she was surprised to see Babs there. “Babs I know I said yesterday that I would like to see you soon but not this soon especially with what I told you in class today."
" Something was bothering me Twilight it just doesn't seem right to sit down and do nothing while my cousin’s friend is in danger."
" I guess your right but you came her all alone does Applejack even know your here?" Babs shook her head "no I figured that I'd be able to go here and back without much problem." 
"What did you want to know Babs?" 
" Well if it’s alright with you I'd like to see where Spikes secret stash of gems was"
"Sure, to be perfectly honest I don't know why Spike would hide it here of all places" Twilight returned to her bedroom quarter of the library and brought down a basket. “This is Spikes bed apparently he kept his gems hidden in there." Twilight levitated the basket to Babs and she took a look at it.

The basket wasn't warm in fact it was completely cold and there were small patches of fur on the inside as well as one of Spikes purple scales. " ok thanks Twilight I think I've gotten all that I need for today." 
" Now you head straight home Babs we don't want you disappearing as well."
" See you later Twilight."

*The next day after school*

The original three crusaders were sad because Spike still hadn't been found yet the other filly was a lot happier. Finally Scootaloo got fed up and said “what are you so happy about Babs you've been smiling all day." 
"I may have found a way to find the one who took Spike." All the crusaders except for Babs stopped and said simultaneously "you what?" Babs just smiled and repeated "yea I may have found a way to find Spike but we won't be able to do it until this weekend can you promise me to wait until then."
They each did a Pinkie Pie Promise and decided to meet at the club house that Saturday morning.

*Saturday Morning*
since it was Saturday the two Apple family's youngest members were sleeping in. They had told Apple Jack ahead of time that they would be going crusading today; Applejack knew they went crusading every Saturday morning but because of Spike's disappearance she told them to be more careful then normal. When the two of them finally did wake up they hurriedly got to the kitchen grabbed an apple.

"Morning Babs “
"Morning Apple Bloom" 
" So how are we going to find Spike" Apple bloom said as she munched on her apple. " Were going to need Winona, I talked with Twilight to find out more info on and apparently he has taken care of Winona before so it'll be easy to find him with her nose." 
"You're right Apple Bloom exclaimed " Winona is one of the best dogs around." They both finished there apples called Winona and headed towards the club house. Oddly enough Scootaloo and Sweetie Bell were already waiting there.

" There you girls are we've been waiting forever" Scootaloo exclaimed as she lay upside down on the window sill.
" No we haven't we've only been waiting here for five minutes"
" Yea well it feels like forever though" Scootaloo stuttered embarrassingly.

The four crusaders gathered around on the rug with Winona sitting next to Babs. Babs pre cured a box hidden underneath the floor boards and opened it. "My plan for finding Spike is using Winona to find him by using his scent found from one of his scales." Babs held the scale in her hoof and motioned for Winona to smell it. Winona took a few sniffs before recognizing the smell of the baby dragon. She then began to sniff the surrounding area and even sniff the fillies in close proximity to them causing them to giggle a bit. 

Eventually she headed outside sniffing to find a trace of the purple dragon. Before they knew it they were in the plains outside the northern part of Ponyville. Winona caught Spikes scent and bounded for it at astounding speeds. The crusaders had to gallop near full speed to catch up. "Winona slow down" Applebloom tried to tell her but she was too focused on the task of finding the source of Spikes scent. Soon she stopped at a field of dry land that had several holes in it. “I know this place this is where Rarity goes to find gems for her dresses" Sweetie bell acknowledged. 
“I guess this is a good place to start everypony look for any clues to Spikes whereabouts" they all nodded and began to look. 

They searched for most of the entire day coming up empty, in the end they were sad that they hadn't found anything pertaining to Spike so they decided to continue whenever they can. 

They spent most of their free time on the weekend searching for Spike and with no new clues they returned to school the following Monday less happy then they wanted. After school the crusaders decided to go to Rarity's house. When they got there they were surprised to see that the door was slightly ajar and the inside of her boutique looked dark and uninviting. Sweetie bell ran to the entrance and opened the door all the way. “Rarity" Sweetie bell cried out into the dark workshop.

The crusaders were scared at this point even Scootaloo showed some signs of being scared. “Were not gonna learn anything from standing around out here are we?" Babs said as she walked further into the now eerie building. The crusaders followed but took a more cautious approach. Sweetie Bell flicked the lights on causing everyone to jump a bit from the sudden brightness. The first thing everypony noticed was how ram-shacked the place looked. Broken glass littered the floor as well as torn pieces of fabric and clothes. 

The question on everypony's mind was where’s Rarity and what happened to make the place look like this. After about half an hour of searching through the debris they managed to find Opal. Normally her fur was elegant and beautiful but now there was dirt splotched all over her fur as well as patches of it missing. " Opal are you ok" Sweetie bell asked as she removed the last board holding her in place.
" Meow" she said with depression in her voice. She rubbed her head affectionately on Sweeties chest happy to find someone she knew. At first Sweetie bell was shocked but then began to hug her. "She must have gone through a rough time; Opal would never willingly hug me unless something was wrong."

" Opal where's Rarity" Scootaloo asked, Opal then stopped hugging Sweetie bell and began to walk up what was left of the stairs. Opal stopped at Rarity's room where there was a book shelf blocking the way. “Is she behind there?" Sweetie bell asked as Opal nodded. " Alright girls help me push this down" they all got to the left side
" on 3 1, 2, 3"
They all shoved as hard as they could pushing the book shelf bit by bit. They had to take a break a couple of times but each break was short lived as Sweetie bell really wanted to get inside causing then to push again. By the time they finally pushed the door away everypony was tired but Sweetie bell ignored how tired she was and entered the door.

" Rarity?" Sweetie bell called as she searched the room. The room was empty of anypony but there was a pony shaped lump under the rug so she decided to check it out. She grabbed the edge of the rug with her mouth and pulled it over the lump. She let out a gasp which prompted the other crusaders to rush into the room. There under the rug laid Rarity unconscious with her lenses shattered near her. Sweetie bell began to shake Rarity's body in an attempt to wake her up. “Rarity wake up" she wailed desperately at her unconscious sister. She couldn't understand why Rarity wasn't getting up.

Tears began to flow freely from Sweetie's eyes and after a while she stopped and began to hug her sister. None of the crusaders stopped her after all she had lost someone close to her and they didn’t know what to do or say anyway. Everything was silent except for Sweeties wails of despair but then Rarity's body began to stir. 

"Sweetie Bell you’re making it hard for me to breath" 
"Rarity" Sweetie said between tears. She let go of Rarity and allowed her to stand up but she stood up to quickly causing her to stumble. “I had the most terrifying dream; I was busy making a dress for a client in Canterlot when...”  Rarity then noticed the state her room was in “Maybe it wasn't a dream after all".
" Did you see who did it?" Scootaloo asked. Rarity shook her head “sorry girls all I remember is getting hit on the head but I don't know who may have done it."

Opal then strode into the room and began to nuzzle Rarity's leg. " Opal darling I'm glad to see your ok don't worry about your fur as soon as mommy figures everything out will be off to fix our complexions." 
" What did they steal though Babs asked quietly "it must of been something important if they tore this place up pretty bad."
" Your right Babs Apple Bloom said agreeing with her cousin " let's look around maybe will find out more if we search again." Everypony nodded and began to search the household. From what they could tell from hours of searching is that somepony or something rather took all of Rarity's gems, gem encrusted dresses as well as destroyed all of the fabric and dresses they didn't steal. Also the seamstress workshop had claw marks all over it. There were a number of species that could have done it griffons, dragons, diamond dogs, it was too soon to call though and they would have to get Twilights opinion on the matter.

When Twilight did arrive she went straight to work trying to identify the claw markings. Although after a while of studying it and flipping through a couple books she couldn't tell what species had made the marking. Whoever made it, made it so that it was so identical to other species that it would be near impossible to recognize otherwise. After apologizing to Rarity she promised that she would find whoever did this and also find Spike. Everypony was tired so they called it a day and went home.

Over the next couple of days the crusaders spent there as much of their free time looking for spike in the outskirts of Ponyville. They let nothing deter them not even when a certain pink and grey filly followed them.

" Why do you blank flanks spend all your free time out here don't tell me your looking for that dragon that went missing a while ago."
" Yeah Diamond's silver colored friend added “maybe he finally had enough of living with Pony's and decided to live with his own kind he's done it before you know."
Babs didn't know what she was talking about but she obviously knew they were there to annoy them but she didn't know what they benefited from doing it. Scootaloo's eye began to twitch a signal of what might turn about if left unresolved. Babs whispered "Scoot calm down don't let them get to you." Scoot sighed "I know but there so annoying".

They began to search around again with Winona, Silver Spoon and Diamond Tiara sitting on the sidelines watching them. Diamond had grown curious of what may be in the holes or how deep they were so she began to investigate peering over the edge curiously. Unknowingly the dirt from beneath her hooves began to slide into the hole causing her to start slipping in. When she noticed herself sliding forward she gave a small scream as she began to tilt over the edge. Silver seeing her friend was in danger ran up and bit her tail, stopping her decent slightly although her strength wasn't enough to stop her decent completely causing her to slowly slip with her over the edge as well.

"Help" Diamond yelled as she was slowly descending down the hole. The crusaders turned their heads toward the two wealthy fillies as they got further and further into the hole.
”Should we help them Sweetie bell asked” they've been mean to us since the first time we've met them."

"Yea but is that a good reason for us to not help them?"

" As far as I'm concerned they can die in that hole, right Babs" Scootaloo turned to Babs but when she noticed that she wasn't there she said " hey where’d she go"  

Babs was biting silver spoons tail and trying to pull them up but it's hard to pull up two filly's when there being pulled by gravity. It appeared that diamond was over the edge now and was desperately trying to slow herself from falling any further. "A little help" Babs said it came out a little muffled when her mouth was full of tail but slowly and surely they began to help as well. Although it was too late, because of their hesitance to help they all fell into the hole screaming the entire way down.

“I feel terrible” Scootaloo said as she got up dusting herself off and making sure everypony else was up. "You just had to look over the edge Diamond Tiara" 
" Hey the pink filly said as she got up " I was just curious about what was in the hole" 

"Yeah but now were in the hole" Scootaloo cried out.

"Look Silver spoon said we can either fight about who's fault this was or we can try to find a way out of here." 

" I agree let's put our differences aside for now " Babs said as she got between Diamond and Scootaloo. They both gave a "humph" of indignation before splitting away. 

"Any ideas on how were going to get out of her" Sweetie bell asked. “Winona" Apple Bloom yelled there was a faint barking coming from the top of the hole. “Winona see if you can go get Apple Jack to come help us." Winona barked and nodded her head in understanding before running towards the barn. “Now that that's settled let's see if we can find our own way out of hear." Babs said walking further into the cave. The others followed as they went deeper and deeper into the cave. There was still light within the cave because of the lanterns attached to the walls. 

When there were forks in the path Babs chose to follow the path that didn't have the sounds of mining coming from it. She could only guess that meeting the diamond dogs that inhabit the holes would lead to trouble. Everypony was scared they had never been in a situation like this before. Diamond tiara and silver spoon also never had to walk this long causing them to feel tired and eventually led to complaining. "How long until were out of here I need to go home and take a bath" 
"Yea Silver spoon added on “I need to get home and practice cooking some more.” The complaints for a long time but eventually Babs had enough

" Will you girls be quiet Babs shouted "it's not our fault you decided to follow us and then got us all into this hole, don't you think we have things we'd like to do or family that will worry about us" Babs would of continued but her outburst had caused the stability of the caves to diminish. Rocks started falling from the ceiling at a rapid pace soon the small pebbles turned into large rocks "Run" Apple Bloom shouted. No pony needed any more incentive they began to run as quick as they could, even when the rocks stopped falling they were still running. After the adrenaline wore off from there system they decided to take a break behind some rocks in the cave. It appeared they had reached an abandoned part of the mine; there were still pick axes and mine carts strewn about as well as rails leading deeper into the cave. After everypony was through panting there was an awkward silence that hung about.

No pony knew what to say after the events that just took place. Diamond tiara decided to break the silence "I'm sorry for causing all of this" everypony turned towards her each with a different expression on their face. "I was just curious about what was in the hole when I dragged you all into this mess can you forgive me" it was obvious that it was a pain to say that but she seemed sincere as well. "I forgive you  Babs said " we may have had our differences but we can forget them to work together right." 
"Yea thanks Babs"
Silver spoon was the next to speak " Diamond we've been friends as far as I can remember of course I forgive you". Diamond hugged her friend she was definitely one of the best friends she ever had. "I forgive you to Diamond Tiara the red maned filly said "it's not all your fault were partly to blame for you falling, if it wasn't for Babs coming to save you we probably would of let you fall in."
Sweetie bell was the next one to apologize she had small tears coming from her eyes when she did so. Scootaloo was the only one who hadn't apologized yet and she decided that she wouldn't after all she had nothing to apologize for.

The sound of rocks falling brought their attention to the far side of the caves. They peered over the rocks and noticed that there was a light gray diamond dog with a hoodie on. He was sniffing around looking for something when his gaze fell over to the rocks the filly's were hiding behind, they brought their heads back and began to cowered behind it. In the heart of the moment they hugged each other thinking that it was the end. “Diamond I'm sorry about not helping you sooner when I saw you were about to fall" Scootaloo said quickly. The steps grew louder as the diamond dog came closer to their hiding place. “And I'm sorry for annoying you guys for most of the school year; to be honest I was just jealous of the friendship you all had." With everypony feeling like they got what they wanted to say off there chest they were ready for what was to come. 

When Sparky looked around the rock and saw the six fillies cowering in fear he felt sorry for them. 'They must be lost' he thought 'and they also must be scared of me'. "You fillies ok?" he asked them they didn't give a verbal response but judging from their lack of trust of him and there shaking he figured they weren't ok. "If you tell me what’s wrong maybe I could help you" he told them. They each looked at each other and at him before the yellow filly said " were lost do you think you could help us get out?" Her voice was shaky and full of fear but her message came across correctly the diamond dog smiled and shook his head “yes follow me."

The 6 fillies didn't know what to do and they didn’t know what was worse a diamond dog willing to help them or getting trapped somewhere along the way. It was bad enough that Apple Bloom had asked for help but to hear him actually agree to help them scared them to no end.  ”You coming ponies" the diamond dog asked waiting for them to follow. "Should we go with him" Diamond asked “he seems friendly enough" Sweetie bell replied back “if he wanted to capture us wouldn't he have called for the rest of his buddies?" Babs asked " Maybe we should give him a chance, after all it's better than wandering around the cave blindly at least he knows where to go" Silver Spoon said. With a unanimous vote they began to follow the diamond dog.

The diamond dog was walking on all fours and at a slower pace so that the ponies could keep up with him. “Hey diamond dog can we have your name" Babs asked “Me Sparky" he said pointing at himself “tell me your names". His lack of knowing complete equestrian didn’t deter them for Babs felt she should introduce after him “I'm Babs the brown coated filly pointed to herself that’s Apple Bloom Sweetie Bell Scootaloo Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon." 

"Nice names" the diamond dog replied.
The rest of the journey was in silence there were times when other diamond dogs would approach Sparky or they had to take another path to avoid more diamond dogs but true to his word Sparky brought them to the surface. The sun was starting to descend over the horizon but the filly's didn't care they were finally out of that cave. The fillies hugged Sparky with as much strength as they could muster. “Thank you for getting us out Sparky" Apple Bloom said eliciting thank you's from the other filly's as well. "Try not to get lost again I may not be there to save you" 
"We promise cross our heart and hope to fly stick a cupcake in our eye." With the promise given they each began to go home though they didn't get far before they saw a familiar face.

“Applejack?" 
“Apple Bloom, Babs, girls"
Apple jack was looking for the lost filly's as soon as Winona came looking for her. The tone Winona barked at her gave it away. She gave them both a big hug “I’m so glad y'all are safe" they returned the hug and once the hug was complete Applejack took everypony to their respected homes.

The CMC weren't allowed to do anything dangerous and that included looking for Spike. Of course the four filly's disliked the idea but the adults said that the royal guard and Twilight would handle it. Without being able to search for Spike the CMC were disheartened to do anything they couldn't help but wonder if spike was alright and that nothing bad happened to him.

*Somewhere outside of Ponyville*
Spike was munching on gems happily he may have been kidnapped against his will and forced to stay in his cell but he could eat all the gems he wanted. The thought occurred to him that the thief that had taken his gems was responsible for his kidnapping but at this point he didn't care.
At last he was full and he dug his way into the middle of the gem pile to continue to dig his way out. They might have thought he was just a baby dragon but even he had a few tricks up his sleeve.

After the events that took place at the cave Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon had been avoiding the crusaders at all costs. They did however tell them that no pony else should know what happened in those caves. The crusaders were happy to know that Diamond Tiara kept her distance and wouldn't be a bother to them but at the same time it didn't do much justice.

That same week another theft took place this time in the household of both Diamond and Silver. The thief took away Diamond's tiara and Silver Spoons collection of Spoons. Twilight along with the guards investigated the crime scene but there wasn't much in the way of new evidence making the trail go cold. 
The guards however had grown tired of not finding new information and decided to go around questioning everypony about the recent events. Not much was said that wasn't already known which caused another dead end. Twilight told the guards that there might be another theft and if so they should be posted around Ponyville.

The next week the unthinkable occurred the thief stole the elements of harmony. Unfortunately for him though he had left a trail to follow. The next morning a search party was sent out to look for him. The mane 6 themselves were also a part of this search party, the crusaders were curious but given the warning that they got before resided to just mope around in the club house.

Sweetie bell was doing her homework but wasn't completely focused on it, Scootaloo was bouncing a ball on the wall, and Apple Bloom and Babs were trying to think of more crusading ideas. None of them expected Diamond or Silver to walk into the room they also didn't expect the next thing she said. “I need your help" immediately everypony in the room stopped what they were doing to stare at Diamond. This caused Scootaloo's ball to bounce back onto her face the aforementioned Pegasus took no notice however as she continued to stare at the pink filly who entered there clubhouse. “You want what?" Scootaloo asked in disbelief. " I need your help she repeated again " It was Silver Spoons idea if it was up to me I wouldn't be asking you blank flanks for anything." 

"What do you need help with" Sweetie Bell asked. "I want to look for the culprit who stole my tiara, and you’re the only pony's other than the grownups who know anything about it." 
“Why can't you ask your dad to do something about it" Babs asked.
"He says I'm too young and that the guards can handle it, what a joke Diamond said " So how about it we have a truce until I get my tiara back and then we can go back to what it used to be deal" Diamond said as she held out her hoof. The crusaders huddled together to talk about after a while Apple Bloom walked up to Diamond “you got yourself a deal." 
"Now first things first were going to have to find Winona."

Winona was enjoying the quietness of the barn for this was where she was taking a small nap. Applejack hadn't come to give her work so she decided it would be a slow day or a break from the normal routine. She would have continued her nap had Apple Bloom and her friends not wake her up. Babs brought up the box that contained spikes scale but instead of Spikes scale being brought up it was some grayish patch of fur. Winona immediately sniffed it knowing that is what they want her to do.

Soon Winona was on the trail of tracing down the culprit leading to the Everfree forest. The Everfree was just as creepy as it always was with its eerie sounds and odd looking trees and predators heard off in the distance. This however did not deter the resolve the fillies had made. Nothing would stop them from achieving their goal of finding Spike and getting Diamond and Silver's stuff back. 
Winona led them to a clearing near the ruins of the old castle she sniffed around a bit before barking up at a tree in front of her.

" Show yourself" Scootaloo shouted at the tree
" Yea or are you just a coward hiding in the shadows" Diamond added.
" Heh I was hoping you pony's wouldn't catch on to me I guess I should of stopped after taking your Tiara and spoons which by the way were very expensive I have to thank you for that." The voice resounded from everywhere at once causing the filly's to be slightly scared.
" Wait you sold my Tiara?"
" And my spoons" The two rich fillies complained.
" Yes they were needed in a little agreement I made" 
“What kind of agreement" Applebloom asked 
“I needed power so I traded valuable items for it."
"What kind of power" Sweetie bell asked. 
“The power of a god" the voice replied as the ground underneath them began to crumble.

“Run" Babs shouted over the sound of the ground shifting beneath them. They ran as fast as they could through the forest hoping to Celestia that whoever the voice was had stopped chasing them. "You think you can run from me the voice taunted "there isn't anywhere you can run to that'll stop me from attacking you." A cliff ruptured the ground in front of them making them were trapped. “Aww are the little fillies scared of the cliff, here have a closer look" Babs instinctively jumped out of the way as the ground crumbled into the cliff below. Leaving 5 fillies’s to scream all the way to the bottom.

Babs rushed over to the edge of the cliff and watched as her friends fell into the abyss. There screams faded until there was no sound coming from within the cliff. There wasn't even a sound that indicated there gruesome splatter to the ground just silence. "And then there was one" a voice called out from the shadows of the trees. Babs had tears in her eyes she lost one of the first friends she had in a long time all because of one creature. Babs turned and stared at the figure within the shadows anger plastered on her face while the remnants of tears still falling to the ground.

" You killed my friends"
" Of course I did and what's to stop me from killing you" the figure stepped out of the shadows to reveal who he was. 
Babs gasped "Sparky?"
"Yep in the fur and blood"
"Why would you help us escape if you were just going to kill us now? “
" That's the question isn't it, why didn't I do it. Simply put I didn't think you would have caught on to me so soon and I didn't expect a bunch of fillies to get further in the investigation than the adults."

"This is my new plan I had to modify it because of certain complications" he said motioning to her.
" I kill you and continue to do what I've been doing until I gain enough power to take out the sun and moon goddess themselves." He was laughing maniacally now as lightning crashed beside him, Babs could see that his power had made him insane and he needed to be stopped. Also it's more than him being stopped it's about revenge she will have revenge for the pain he caused her. 

Babs began pawing at the floor like a bull ready to charge. Sparky took notice of this and started to chuckle “you really think you can fight me let alone hurt me?" seeing as Babs wouldn't back down he summoned a lance and took a fighting stance. "So be it Babs it's your funeral"

*Meanwhile within the cavern*

The five fillies had held their eyes clothes throughout most of the fall to scared to see there end come but when there decent slowed they began to lower their screaming a couple octaves and look at what was happening. They were still falling but it was as if they were in slow motion and there body's glowed with the color of their fur.
"Anyone else wondering how we haven't fallen to our death" Apple Bloom asked.
" Magic?" Scootaloo questioned
" Well whose magic would it be bird brain I know she can't do magic" Diamond Tiara said as she pointed at Sweetie bell. 
“Then what did it?" Sweetie Bell asked. 
Suddenly a voice was heard “Do you want to stop the diamond dog?" it said in a light heavenly voice. They wondered who the owner of the voice was but by the way it sounded it seemed friendly and all it did was ask a question. Everypony looked at each other and said all at once " yes" 
"Good" the voice returned, “you will all work as one to become an unstoppable force and with this power you will be able to stop the diamond dog are you ready?" Each of the fillies’ nodded and immediately felt strange. There body's flashed white until they were practically blinded by it.

* Back with Babs*
Babs body slammed against tree after tree as she flew through the forest. She crashed landed on the trunk of a big tree leaving a dent in its once pristine bark and fell to the floor. Her body felt sore all over and she had many cuts and bruises on her body. Her fight with Sparky hadn't gone to well from the beginning she knew he had the upper hand with his god like abilities but she still had to try. The faint sound of crackling could be heard as the dust began to settle back down. 

Sparky raised his paw with Babs in it “This has been fun Sparky told her readying his other paw for the last strike " but this is the end you failed Babs". Babs closed her eyes awaiting the inevitable but it didn't come there was a gale of wind that struck her instead leading her to collapse on the ground as Sparky got punted. Babs opened her eyes to see a pony that was as tall as her but looked significantly different.

She had a horn and wings as well as different shades of color in her mane all reminding her of her friends. Tears fell down Bab’s face she wanted to say something but her body had enough and she fainted.

Sparky got up from where he had been kicked; whatever had kicked him was strong almost as strong as three full grown earth ponies combined in fact. The figure he stared into was unusual it was nothing like he ever seen, the filly's he had tossed down the cavern were now one. There was no logical reason for it but he knew he had to stop it if he wanted to continue getting power. He charged up one final blast powerful enough to turn anything into dust where they stood. The filly charged up her own attack with their horn.

For a moment all stood still as two powerful beings charged up their most powerful attack and then all at once released it toward each other. The beams collided with each other in their path to hit the other. The beams pushed against each other struggling for control of the other. The ground crumbled under them and destroyed the trees around them. Eventually Sparky's power began to run out “No not now " he said as his power began to waver and ultimately diminish. This left the colorful beam the Alicorn sent to strike him. Sparky screamed in pain as he turned completely to stone.

With the fused filly's power gone she reverted back into her original five leaving them tired and unable to do anything but faint. The sky darkened and began to rain showering the landscape with much needed rain, however it didn't help Twilight the other elements and the royal guard find the one who stole the elements of harmony. They've deduced that it was a diamond dog that had been on the stealing spree. They did hear the commotion that went on before the storm hit but the details were unknown and they decided to go in the direction of the noise. Eventually they found a massive clearing with a lone diamond dog statue in the middle with the elements of harmony surrounding his statue. 

“Twilight?" the voice sounded familiar to everypony gathered but they couldn't put her hoof on it. Then a purple figure rose from a dirt hole that had been previously covered with leaves. “Spike" Twilight ran to her assistant quickly giving him a hug but before Twilight could say another word “look in the hole". He motioned over to the hole that was semi covered by leaves and the other elements quickly got to work removing it. They were surprised to find Sweetie Bell Apple Bloom Babs Scootaloo Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon within it. 

"How did they end up here" Fluttershy asked barely heard over the roar of thunder. “I don't know but I do know that that diamond dog over there Spike pointed at the statue “did it he's the same one who kidnapped me”. Hearing this the royal guard went over to it and began to carry it out of the forest. One stayed behind to tell the group that they would be at Twilight's library and will be contacting the princess. “Let’s get back to Ponyville Applejack said "we can ask how they got here in the morning once there all rested." Everyone nodded and carried a filly on their back. Applejack carried Apple bloom and Babs while Rarity carried Sweetie Bell, Rainbow carried Scoots, Pinkie carried Diamond. and Fluttershy carried silver. They each made their way home safely and returned Diamond and Silver to their rightful homes.

The six fillies had slept for a couple of days each extremely exhausted from the events that took place. When they finally did awaken they had no recollection of the events, all they knew is that they went into the Everfree but for a reason they couldn’t remember. Babs solely remembered what happened and didn't talk about there was no reason to plus no one would believe her anyway. The six filly's returned to their normal school life there were questions about what happened to them during their absence but no pony said anything to them.

Eventually time came for Babs to return to Manehatten the three crusaders and the duo of trouble came to see her off.
" Bye girls it was nice spending time with yea while I could."
" Yea say hi to the Manehatten branch of the crusaders for us" Apple Bloom said.

"Babs we'll always be friends no matter what" Silver spoon told her giving her a hug. "What she said" Diamond said smugly. After the heart felt good byes Babs got onto the train. The train began to leave the station and Babs was glad that that whole mess was behind her. Although she would still miss her friends old and new and eventually the sound of tracks on wheels lulled Babs to sleep but not before uttering a few words "and thus ends the mysterious theft of Ponyville".