Equestria's personal secret

"Fate leads the willing, and drags along the reluctant."-Lucius Annaeus Seneca

The land of Equestria. It's a beautiful magical land inhabited by many numbers of ponies ruled over by 4 kind, just and beautiful princesses. It's a land of such peace between the ponies and the many other creatures who never harmed a single pony. Sure, there has been some incidents through life that nearly shook Equestria to disaster, but a group of 6 friends were able to beat back any enemy that tried to threaten their land. From then onwards, Equestria maintained and earned a rightful peace-time period.

However...

There is a certain creature unlike the manticore and cockatrice. This monster does not mind its own business, not at all. These monsters are dark and malevolent as an individual's inner thoughts, because that is what they are, a malevolent manifestation born of a pony's inner thoughts: a shadow. Carrying the negative emotions of a pony, these shadows are savage and berserk and their existence is to bring destruction to anything and anypony in their way with the only thing stopping them is their own kind.

But...

When ponies are able to control their feelings and emotions, what manifests is similar to a shadow, but tamed and trained, this tamed shadow manifests into a purer form and body: A persona. Carrying the balanced emotions of a pony, Personas are loyal and sentient and their existence is to protect and defend its host with their lives while weighing its host's willpower and spirit. There are only a few number of ponies who are able to have the psyche and willpower to invoke a persona or confront and accept their own shadow, thus manifesting into a persona.

There exists a team of ponies who are able to invoke their personas. It is known as the Specialised Operational Eradication Society or SOES for short known only to the Princesses and the Wonderbolts. Their mission is to defend the land of Equestria against the army of shadows and to exterminate any "Shadow Nests". This team is led by the unicorn Rarity, a representation of the element of generosity and one of the 6 ponies that were known for defeating the villains that threaten Equestria. However, the team's most devoted and prized member that mostly led the team in the field of battle was Soarin, a member of the Wonderbolts. Every member of their team is able to "invoke" their persona by shooting themselves in the head with a special gun called an evoker.

Unbeknownst to the SOES however, there is yet another group that can summon their personas, also known by the princesses and the captain of the royal guard, Shining Armor instead of the Wonderbolts. The secret squadron's goal is to investigate the existence of the shadows and to apprehend any ponies who seem to use the shadows for their own means, more so, to search for the real truth and 'rid' the world of lies and curses. Their mission and work has given them the name of the Royal Investigation Division or RID for short. Although under authority of the Royal Guard Captain, this group is led by the Captain's lieutenant and second-in-command Flash Sentry. Unlike the SOES, members of this team summon their personas using a special tarot card stored in their hearts. At the time of need, the tarot card will materialise on their hooves on which they are able to shatter in order to summon their persona.

Now, how are these ponies able to beat back the shadows with their Personas? And how can their personas get stronger? The answer, no matter how simple it may be, is friendship or more specifically, social links between ponies. These bonds of connection can be enable Persona users to initiate stronger persona attacks and create stronger personas. Social Links are not just created through Persona-users, they can be created through Persona-user's relationships with their loved ones. Through friendship, the bonds of ponies is the true power. Just like how the 6 heroes of Equestria did it.

But life and fate will throw them a task... Where their destiny will be sent to a place... Beyond what they could ever imagine...

The first thing Flash saw when he opened his eyes was that he was in a room that he has seen many times. Blue seats, a cupboard full of wine glasses with a few bottles of wine, the entire room resembling a limo, and the singing of a singular opera voice with an ominous piano accompaniment, he was sure of it. He was once again in the Velvet Room.

"Welcome to the Velvet Room." A majestic voice welcomed him. Flash turned to the direction of the voice to see that he was in the presence of Princess Celestia.

"Princess." Flash remembered his manners and bowed

"No need to be so obedient now..." Celestia replied giving the signal to arise "as I'm sure you already know, the Velvet Room exists in dream and reality, mind and matter at the same time. Spiritual and physical realms come together." Flash nodded

"Anyway, the reason thy presence is here is because we have to tell you something." Luna briefed to Soarin in a large elevator that is endlessly ascending. The elevator contains a table, chair and a few doors, this place is also known as the velvet room. "It seems thy current fate or destiny is... Affected."

"How?" Soarin asked

"There has been an 'incident' that caused your fate to be altered a little bit according to what I have read. Apparently, that's enough in order to intertwine with the fate or destiny of another pony. I wonder who it might be?"

"Hmm..." Flash wondered

"No... It's not the friends thou already fight with." Luna added "It's someone else. Try to listen to my words." At that order, Soarin closed his eyes and focused as hard as he can. Without any effort, he can hear a faint voice coming from behind Luna's words...

"You didn't really need our help after all... That's not a big surprise coming from you, even from way back." The voice said. Soarin immediately recognised who that voice was. Although he has seem him occasionally, is it really that pony who's fate he'll be intertwining with?

"No way..." Flash answered as he heard that voice "Soarin? What does he have to do with this? What does he have to do with me?"

"Hmm... I'm afraid that will come at a later time..." Celestia sighed then asked "but, you can feel the power too right? Can you sense that something, or somepony is in the middle of all this, pulling both your fates together?" Flash nodded in response.

"Well" Celestia chuckled "all these converging threads are very curious. I look forward to see how both of your threads of fate intertwine with each other. Stay well and good luck."

Celestia and Luna waved to their respective hosts before Flash and Soarin blacked out.

In the residence of Flash's parents, Flash woke up from his bedroom in the morning. Looking at the calendar, it was the 30th day of October, the final day of the Equestrian Cultural Festival held in Ponyville. Apart from the usual guard duties and security of this festival, he remembered that he ran a stall with a few of his friends so he instantly hurried down to the kitchen.

"Right!!! All done!" A familiar voice called out, it was First Base, making some fried eggs on the frying pan. First Base is Flash's younger brother and goes to Cheerilee's school with the CMC. He doesn't really hang out with the young girls since he already has his cutie mark, and likes to play baseball with his other friends. However, when they became orphans, First and his sister learnt to take care of themselves and both do a hard work taking care of the house like his parents did, until their big brother Flash returned from the Crystal Empire. Flash could smell the eggs frying on the stove. "Good morning big bro!!!" First Base greeted as he saw his brother "Miss Cheerilee said that you should always eat breakfast properly in the morning! But all I know on what to cook is to boil veggies and fry eggs! So here are some fried sunny-side eggs along with this tamagoyaki egg roll dish from that recipe you've brought from Neighpon!" But as he looked back to the dish, the special egg rolls have been burnt "oh whoops!!! I've left it there for too long!" Flash thought for a moment on what to say, is it still delicious even if it's burnt? Or maybe let's cut off the burnt bits? He made a decision.

"Don't worry, we can take off the burnt bits." Flash comforted

"Yeah, you're right. Miss Cheerilee said that the burnt bits are bad for your health." First remembered "however, I do remember your tales in the field, you eat anything that you can find. No matter what condition the quality of the food is. Oh well. Let's eat!!!" As the two brothers were happily eating breakfast. "Wow! The egg roll really is delicious! You really know what recipe to pick!" First complimented to which Flash shrugged. As they continued on eating, the doorbell rang.

"Oh! It seems we have a visitor!" Flash noted as he opened the door revealing a mint green unicorn.

"Greetings!" The unicorn bowed. This is Lyra Heartstrings. She is a very talented lyre player as her name and cutie mark would prove, but her dark secret is that she has a fetish for humans and strives to act like them, this counts as "being weird" through society's eyes and she had a fear of not being accepted for what she is. Though no matter how humiliating and suffering it is to face the truth about herself, she has learnt to accept what she is and so did her friends and colleagues.

"Oh! Miss Heartstrings! Good morning!" First greeted back

"Sorry about coming here sir." Lyra apologised "you see, Bonbon made a load of boxed lunches and she's been hounding me to bring it to the culture festival for her cause she can't come due to work. I thought I'd like to stop just to ask that if you can also share the load with me? I hope it won't be a problem with all the other things you're carrying." Flash inspected the boxes, it was surprisingly massive and Lyra apparently seemed to be carrying a load that is too taxing to her levitation magic. So many boxes! No wonder why Lyra needs all this help.

"Well" First piped up "since we're currently eating breakfast right now, I hope Miss Bonbon won't mind if we could try some right now, no? Why don't you join us then?"

"Huh?" Lyra blushed with fear "W-Well... I hope you like what she's made then!" So as the three opened a box each, Flash immediately identified the contents: A stewed dish with an assortment of rice, egg, vegetables, seaweed wrap and... A certain simmered dish that Flash had no idea what it is.

"S-Sorry about the dish." Lyra apologised "but all the food looks a bit... Brown." But the brothers tasted the marvelous dish.

"Wow!" First complimented "It tastes delicious! BonBon's really great at cooking!"

"Y-You really think so?" Lyra smiled "then that's great! You see, one part of the dish is made by me. That simmered stuff."

"Woah! You can cook as well Lyra?" First was amazed "not only just playing the Lyre? You can do anything! Maybe you could try and make those other foreign recipes Flash brought back from overseas! You know, when I grow up, I don't want to be just a baseball player, I also want to be a brilliant cook like you! Big Si... I mean Miss Lyra!" Flash immediately heard this correction and asked

"Big Sis Lyra?" Flash whispered with an arched eyebrow

"Big Sis Lyra..." First repeated and laughed a little.

"W-WOAH!!!" Lyra jumped unsure on what she was just called "what are you talking about!?" As Flash was watching his little brother laugh, a certain sound reached his ears to which he looked up, the sound of a bell from was ringing out.

"Hey big bro, that reminds me." First asked as he saw Flash spaced out "Isn't today the last day of the Ponyville cultural festival? Aren't you going to be late for your stall management?" It seems that First did not hear the bell.

"Oh!" Lyra gasped "that's right! It's already that time! We're REALLY late now! Come on Flash! We've got to run our stall!"

"Know any fast routes there?" Flash asked

"Let's see." Lyra remembered "we could take this path... Go over those fences..." And Lyra kept talking about her special route as Flash and First listened closely.

"Lyra..." First gasped "you are so smart and sneaky like a thief!!!"

"Well uh..." Lyra started in case First gets the wrong idea.

"That is so cool!" First exclaimed

"Oh!" Lyra replied embarrassed "well um... Heh heh... You flatter me..." Then turned her attention to Flash "hey Flash!!! Say something will you!?" Flash just chuckled

Meanwhile, at the entrance of a certain tower...

"Oh come on!!! I can't believe we have to miss the last day of the Ponyville culture festival!" Moaned a Cyan pony with a Rainbow Mane. This is Rainbow Dash, the representation of the element of loyalty. She's a very agile pegasus and sometimes a bit of an arrogant pony. Apart from being a small practical joker, she is a diligent and loyal member of the SOES.

"Don't worry Rainbow." A earth pony comforted "there is always next year! Besides, I've made sure I indirectly participated by getting Lyra to sell a special dish that both of us made together!!!" This earth pony is called Sweetie Drops or as she prefers to be called, Bonbon. She is Lyra's roommate and closest friend. Despite getting along with Lyra's annoying fetish of humans, she has learnt to be tolerant towards others. Reluctant and a little scared of her role in SOES, she managed to overcome her fear of shadows.

"Well... She doesn't know about your "actual" job?" A shy voice asked

"It's not my actual job! That's making sweets! I'm sure you know that!" Bonbon retorted

"Right... My apologies for that... I'm also sorry for getting all of you here... There's a big shadow abnormality in the tower today." The shy voice continued from a yellow coloured pegasus. This is Fluttershy, representative of the element of kindness and an extremely shy pony. She may have been bullied quite a lot and she is not that tough. However, she plays the utmost important role of tactically supporting the SOES team in battle or when exploring the tower.

"It is a shame, but we must defend this abnormality of shadows from attacking the land, or else there will be no more cultural festivals." A white coloured unicorn with a stylish purple mane strictly stated. This white unicorn is Rarity, the representative of the element of generosity and the leader of the SOES. She leads the fight with grace, style, swiftness and beautiful skills of execution. She can also pull a lot of drama with the team or in battle.

"Ah think that's a bit cold Rarity," a voice with a southern accent replied "but seriously, this is very strange. Do you think it's another one of them greater shadows?" This orange mare is Applejack, a rough farmer who relies on her hooves. She represents the element of Honesty. She is very protective of her friends and especially her family, such as her younger sister Applebloom.

"It's not a full moon yet though..." A big pony noted. This pony is Big Macintosh, Applejack's older brother. He's very silent, but he has a big heart.

"I am detecting certain shadow activity... Doesn't seem normal. "A unicorn filly analysed. This is Sweetie Belle, Rarity's younger sister and part of the Cutie Mark Crusaders (CMC). Since she was very young and could not use her magic properly, she would normally be kept out of the shadow fighting business. But due to a stray attack by shadows, all but her mind were severely damaged with no chance of recovery. Desperate to save her sister's life, Rarity and her parents agreed to donate what's left of Sweetie to one of Luna's secret projects, in order to give her a second chance in life. As her mind was still intact, the only thing that needed replacing was her entire physical body structure where a successful operation was guaranteed. Happy to have her family member back, Rarity learnt about what comes with her sister's physical revival: A powerful magic source for her magic, small speed boosters to allow her to move swiftly on the ground and in the air, special firearms supported by the powerful magic source and magically enchanted and reinforced armor replaced her body. Not only that, but an advanced targeting system of biological and non-biological organisms, "Orgia Mode" ,a special mechanism which fully enhances her overall attack capabilities at the cost of being immobile after the boost for a short time period, and a special evoker which enables her to summon her persona: Sweetie Belle has become an anti-shadow suppression weapon (the 7th to be exact) or to put it simply, an android. Bent on order and revenge, no one could stop Sweetie from joining the SOES to fight shadows.

"I hope this abnormality isn't a bad sign." An orange filly prayed. This is Scootaloo, the 2nd member of the CMC. She is a flightless pegasus that gets around swiftly with a scooter and is a fan of Rainbow Dash. Finding out that her best friend wasn't dead after that incident, she was determined to fight for Sweetie Belle.

"Well then..." Rainbow sighed "How's everypony's persona?"

"Nemesis is itching for punishment against the shadows, as always. She understands my feelings for Sweetie Belle and that's why she wants to get revenge. Nemesis is me after all. But..."

"What's the problem dear?" Rarity asked

"I'm also worried about Applebloom. She's taking a lie we made pretty rough. Should we just tell her the truth?"

"I'm sorry Scoots, but we can't just tell Applebloom that Sweetie's still alive." Rarity apologised "it would bring her further pain and the last thing I want is 3 fillies risking their lives against shadows."

"I know you care about Applebloom." Sweetie comforted "I do too, but for her sake and ours, let's not involve her with shadows and personas. Please? I don't want to see the pain of her trying to invoke a persona or what has become of me."

"Arf!" A dog barked in agreement. This dog is Winona, the family dog of the Apples. Before meeting the Apples, she had a sad past with her previous owner that seemed to build something inside her. With ferocious and swift instincts, Winona is a trustworthy companion and member of the SOES.

"See? Even Winona agrees too!" Rainbow noted

"Like you even know dog language!" Scootaloo retorted

"I do understand her feelings however, and what Winona says is true on what Rainbow stated." Sweetie nodded "Applebloom is also Winona's owner after all."

"Hey Soarin," Rainbow asked "what's your take on this?" But no reply came from the blue haired pegasus. All he just did was stand in a silent trance until he just broke from his thinking and replied

"We should be extra careful."

"Yeah yeah, whatever you say." Rainbow dismissed

"You asked him!" Bonbon reminded

"Do you think the blasted cult is at it again?" Rarity asked

"If it is" Big Mac replied "I'll make sure they won't be." All of a sudden, Soarin heard a bell ring out of nowhere. Not only that, the others can hear it too.

"That sound... A bell?" Rarity picked up

"Ah don't remember any bells ringin that loud in this dark realm!" Applejack stated

Back to the Ponyville Culture Festival, the festivities are drawing to a close on the final day. Flash and his friends' stall is, well... A place where ponies can meet somepony new and to learn more about each other: a group date cafe. The Royal Investigation Division were completely bored as no pony had come to their stall... At all.

"Today's the last day of the cultural festival, and no one's even coming! Who's idea was this anyway?" A pink earth pony moaned. This is Pinkie Pie, the pony representing the element of Laughter. She's a very upbeat but... Unpredictable pony who preforms unpredictable actions that defy the laws of nature and physics. Her dark secret however, is that she thinks that everything is plain boring, everypony is a pain in the flank to her and she wants to make friends because she was afraid of being alone. With the help of Flash however, she came to terms with the dark side of her own self and became a better pony in making real friends and in order to help others to seek out truth and protect the one she loves from the shadows.

"It was your idea Pinkie!!! Plus, all the OTHER classes are more interesting. Everypony's going for that." A young filly answered. This is Applebloom, the younger sister of Applejack and Big Macintosh as well as the third member of the CMC. She acts very tough against anypony including those who are older than her. Without knowing her friends and siblings were part of the SOES, a group that targets the creatures responsible for Sweetie's "death". She has been taking life pretty rough since she rarely sees Scootaloo around. While the wishes of her friends and family of never interfering with shadows and personas was unknown to her, she gained the friendship of a certain mare (although her dark side was to use said mare just to become popular, she managed to get over it and be true proper friends) and together with her, Flash and 5 others, she journeys to investigate the demeanor of the shadows and to take out any, if necessary, with her sturdy strong hooves, just like her sister.

"Drat!!! I wanted to take part in this dating." Lyra moaned

"I wonder why this stall isn't popular?" A grey earth pony rhetorically asked "let's give this a bit of more interest. Instead of just sitting here and moaning, why don't we try and attract the ponies still around to come here?" This is Octavia, the cellist of a quartet. She has a famous DJ as a roommate living in Ponyville, creating an utter nightmare for her, every single day. This is the cause for her dark secret to go somewhere else, far away from Ponyville and especially far away from her, the first step is to make friends with Applebloom. Fully understanding that Ponyville isn't all that bad at all especially with such caring friends like Applebloom and Flash, she accepted the fact that she did indeed wanted to leave Ponyville but living in a middle class village with a really loud roommate wasn't so bad to her after all, she now lends her aid to the RID.

"Sounds like a great plan Octy!" A unicorn with a vinyl-bluish mane replied. "Why don't I go out and welcome people? And when someone does come, we can quickly take a photo!" This is Vinyl Scratch, also known as the music idol DJ-PON3. She is Octavia's roommate and was unknown to the fact that her own antics really annoyed the cellist. However, she in turn actually enjoys having Octavia as a good roommate and friend, when Vinyl's dark secret was to try and show the world who the "real me" is, it was Octavia who tried to help Vinyl face her other self. In the end, the two musicians came to equal terms and with the help of a baby dragon, managed to stand up to her dark self and from then onwards, lends her hoof to the team through tactical support and enemy analysis, similar to Fluttershy's role in the SOES. "Of course, I know another way to get visitors! A dance floor!"

"No offence Miss Scratch, but if you start dropping the bass and singing, loads of ponies are going to come in and the stall's going to be flooded." A purple alicorn spoke. This alicorn, smaller than the princesses, is none other than Twilight Sparkle, the "Princess of Friendship" and the representative of the element of magic. She's a bright young mare who loves reading books and was formerly the protege of Princess Celestia before ascension. Despite having the rank of a princess, she was still considered a child by older ponies, no matter how smart, powerful or how beautiful she is. This sad truth that Twilight tried to hide is what manifested into her shadow self who tried to alter the normal Twilight's body into something beyond compare, which would have been fatal to Twilight. Just in time, the RID thwarted and defeated the shadow self of Twilight and in turn, Twilight accepted that she is still young and new to the princess business. With her own decision (and rank-pulling on Flash that recruiting her is an order), she joined the Investigation Division.

"Ooh! Ooh! I want to take part in the karaoke too!" A blue head and red suit teddy bear spoke (yes, the same Teddie costume). Finally, this is Spike... Wearing his bear costume as usual. Spike in reality, is a baby dragon and Twilight's number one assistant. He can be very cheeky at times, eating gemstones and insects, but he cares a lot for Twilight and her friends. Originally the tactical supporter with the RID, he stumbled across the peculiar Teddie suit, during the rescue of Vinyl, which he grew fond of. The moment he put it on however, he was instantly controlled by the shadows through the suit, creating a shadow form of Spike. With the Investigation Team defeating his shadow form, Spike was freed from the shadow's control and became a fighting member of the Investigation Team, with Vinyl taking over the support role. "I also wanted to continue on with the Miss Ponyville contest! I'd like to win again!"

"Well, of course you would." Flash replied "you are the best cross-dresser after all." To which a few giggles from the mares were heard.

"Spike! Are you still wearing that blasted Teddie suit!?" Twilight scolded

"Aww come on Twilight!" Spike cheered "I know it controlled my mind and body but now that the shadows are no longer infected in this suit, can't I just keep it as a souvenir? It's harmless! Besides, I may want to use it for some magic tricks like this! Do you want to see my magic?"

"Oh Spike..." Twilight sighed "why do you have to be such a baby?"

"Let him milady." Flash noted "we'd like to see your magic trick Spike, certainly gives us an air of entertainment in such a empty place now." And gathered the team to watch

"It can't be helped then can it?" Spike asked "okay then! 1... 2... 3!" And at the 3, Spike opened up the head part of the Teddie suit, revealing the happy baby dragon.

"Ta-da!!!" Spike exclaimed "Spike the Teddie Bear, has transformed into the awesome dragon!!!"

"Awesome baby dragon." Applebloom corrected

"So? How was that?" Spike asked as he hopped out of the suit for some fresh air.

"Hmm..." Flash evaluated "It's a bit... Obvious, since a baby dragon can easily fit inside the Teddie suit." And a drop of embarrassment ran down his neck.

"Aww... Flash, can you not be super critical and obvious all the time!? Why are you always not excited and energetic for once!? Stop being such a hardcore soldier! This is why a lot of ponies hate you, you're just a tool who always follows orders and not having your own personality. Do you have to be seriously devoted to the army that you lose all your personality?"

"What do you mean Spike?" Pinkie asked "he was the one who discovered this shadow and persona business, he saved all of us from our own shadows, helped us accept our own truth and all of us wouldn't be together overcoming the hardships of life. If it wasn't for him, we'd all be dead by now!"

"But, isn't that the job of a soldier?" Octavia countered "helping the many pony civilians?"

"Octavia does hold some truth." Flash responded "but... I'm sure I'm paving out my own life slowly." As he remembered that in the Velvet Room, laying eyes on the "fool" arcana card, he was told that he was like the number zero, a bland number on its own, but is filled with much potential and infinite possibilities. This is the reason why he has the power of the Wild Card, allowing him to wield many different personas as well as proof that he wasn't all that boring.

"Huh?" Vinyl pricked her ears up. It appears that something seemed to get her attention through sound. Not only that, it also rang to the ears of the other 6 ponies and dragon. It was the same mysterious bell again. "What... Was that?"

"That sounded like the bell from the clock tower stationed near the playground in Ponyville." Pinkie replied

"But... This bell sounds different than the one we hear every hour whenever Ah'm at the playground. It would sound like a bigger bell from a bigger clock tower." Applebloom started

"And... It's not even a new hour yet!" Spike added as he checked his watch.

"Ahh!!!" Octavia gasped

"Wh-What's the problem?" Applebloom replied

"N-Nothing..." Octavia replied "maybe... I think I've heard it before. The ringing of a bell from a clock tower."

"Hmm..." Twilight wondered then asked "could that bell chime be one of those '7 marvellous and malevolent mysteries?' "

" 'The 7 marvellous and malevolent mysteries'?" Vinyl asked

"Hmm... Maybe it could be related." Octavia replied "let's see, the first mystery is about that bronze statue of a pony that seems to gallop around the parklands!."

"Nope." Applebloom shook her head "don't think there's a relation to that. And we don't have a bronze pony statue!"

"Then how about the second one?" Octavia continued "somewhere in the town hall, one of the pony's busts has have shining eyes. Day and night."

"It's just light reflecting from the eyes!" Twilight answered abruptly "and no, I don't think there's any relation either."

"Are you sure Your Highness?" Octavia asked "from that tone of yours, you seem a little scared. Do you honestly believe in superstitions like these? The glowing eyes of a bust? Just like the moving copper statue?"

"I still don't think there's a relation to that tower either. And for the last time, we don't have a statue" Applebloom shook her head.

"Then... The third one is where a strange note is located in one of the doctor's office in the hospital. If you write a wish on it, it will come true."

"That's just a jinx." Lyra sighed.

"Maybe Lyra tried writing a wish on that note? To turn into a human?" Flash thought to himself and laughed as he listened to Octavia's explanation of the 7 marvellous and malevolent mysteries and with the others trying to find a link to those mysteries with no avail.

"Then maybe the sixth one." Octavia guessed "there is this mysterious bell tower that rings a chime far different than our one in Ponyville, bigger and made of pure grey stone. Woe to anypony who listens till its final chime."

"Such a clock tower like that wouldn't exist. Ours is made of red bricks." Spike noted

"However" Twilight added "I read in the history books that there was a certain clock tower long ago with the exact description."

"So it does exist." Applebloom continued then corrected "or did, because it was there long before all of us were actually born! It got destroyed maybe?"

"Oh Really?" Pinkie asked "and what happens when you listen all the way to the end?"

"You die." Octavia stated

"Hey!!! 'Woe to all'? What a way to beat around the bush!" Pinkie harshly rebuked

"Well, what else can I say? You give up your soul?"

"Rephrasing doesn't help at all!!!!!" Pinkie roared.

"Hey girls?" Applebloom cut in "can we please not talk about these stories any longer? That bell's just a sign to say that the night festival's starting. Let's go!" And Applebloom left.

"Huh? Applebloom's gone." Octavia noticed after Applebloom's words.

"Maybe you scared her after all those spooky talk of those 7 mysteries." Pinkie snickered

"Is it that scary?" Lyra asked

"For me? Not at all." Twilight shook her head, giving a bad poker face.

Flash decided to leave the stall and head to another area of the Ponyville Cultural Festival. Apparently he's got a feeling that Celestia was secretly around.

"Hello Flash." Celestia greeted behind an alley "I see you're enjoying the culture festival we've established."

"Maybe" Flash shrugged "may I question your presence here?"

"I though I'd make a little prediction on what's happening at the night festival show."

"H-Hey! Flash!" Vinyl screeched as she caught up with him "why did you leave the stall? And why is the Princess here? Don't tell me you've got a job to do!" And after that, she bowed to Celestia of respect to a princess.

"There's no need to be so formal" Celestia chuckled followed with a death glare "because I'VE SEEN YOU NAKED."

"... What?" Flash replied after a few minutes of awkward silence.

"That face is rather creepy..." Vinyl added "but I'm pretty sure you're seeing me naked RIGHT NOW. We don't WEAR clothes except for formal occasions."

"Dammit... I thought it would work." Celestia embarrassingly replied.

"Oh! Princess Celestia!" Spike, who was carrying the big but extremely light Teddie suit which was neatly folded up. "I never heard that you would be coming here!" Princess Celestia is the oldest of the royal sisters, "princess of the Sun" and current ruler of Equestria. Apart from doing her duties of watching over her land, she offers her aid to the Royal Investigation team by managing personas in a secret realm that transcends time and space, the "Velvet Room".

"Wait... That Big Book... No way Princess! You're..." Applebloom recognised as she and the rest of the ponies caught up with Flash.

"Wait..." Octavia assessed "I thought the person in charge of the rumoured 'Velvet Room' was a dark alicorn that had a very long snout. So you're in charge of this 'Velvet Room'!?" Celestia put her hoof to her face and sighed

"You must be mistaking me for somepony else. Yes, there was an alicorn of your description who was the former master of the Velvet Room, a close friend of mine. I was just his assistant at the time he was around, but he decided to take a vacation and left me in charge." Then Celestia turned back to Flash and glared. "Now... What have you been telling the others about me?"

"I was talking about HIM. Not you, everypony knows you." Flash calmed "but he's not there anymore?"

"Like I said, he's on vacation. He can sometimes be too stubborn for his own health." Celestia repeated

"Oh... Sorry about offending you, your Highness." Pinkie apologised "we are..."

"I know, Pinkie Pie." Celestia interrupted "Flash's friends and allies. With him, you formed the Royal Investigation Division to discover any mysteries that relate to shadows, whether it's apprehending or rescuing ponies, you also fight these shadows with personas."

"Princess!?" Twilight gasped "I thought you only knew about personas! You manage them as well!?"

"Of course!!!" Celestia smiled "a Princess should be aware of all dangers and be able to protect our subjects from all dangers, even shadows! But don't worry my dear former student, you're doing your duties by aiding Flash and his investigation team. Anyway, there is something that I would like to talk to you about. Have you heard a mysterious bell chime during your activities?"

"A bell chime?" Lyra asked "oh... Yeah, we heard it not too long ago."

"So you indeed heard it." Celestia replied and continued "you see, this bell chime does not occur in reality."

"What!? That's poppycock!" Pinkie laughed

"Says the pony who defies reality." Flash smirked

"Anyway." Celestia continued "I was only going to bring Flash, but since the entire RID is here. I might as well bring all of you along to further discuss the bell in secrecy."

"Where?" Octavia asked

"The place on which you call a rumour." Celestia winked "the Velvet Room!"

"Ahh!" Pinkie yelped

"What's wrong!?" Twilight gasped

"There was a spider on my hoof..." Pinkie explained

"A spider?" Lyra asked

"Wait... It's gone now..." Pinkie wondered then looked back up "Nothing! Just my imagination!"

"That bell..." Fluttershy stated "I can't sense its location."

"You know what? I don't think the bell has to do anything with us." Rainbow Dash replied "just a distraction, let's just get on with the job!"

"Soarin" Rarity commanded "you have the honours of picking your team members."

"Can't we have 5 team members?" Scootaloo pleaded

"4 is enough." Rarity strictly stated "Soarin??? Yoohoo???" As Rarity tried to get Soarin's attention, he was not listening. Instead, something was speaking into his mind.

"SOARIN!!!" Rarity yelled and Soarin broke out of his trance, un-surprised.

"Hang on a second. I've got to use the bathroom." Soarin replied and scurried off.

"Now? Seriously? That troublesome, silent, foal..." Rarity sighed as she saw Soarin scurry off into a corner.

"Eep!" Fluttershy screamed "there's a spider on my hoof!"

"Ah spider?" Applejack replied.

"But... It's now gone... It was just there..."

"Fluttershy? Are you all right?" Rarity asked

"Just my imagination, I'm sorry." Fluttershy replied.

"Wait... Wasn't isn't that corner that Soarin went to a dead end?" BonBon asked. To this extent, she was right and wrong. Soarin wasn't intending to go to the toilet. Instead, he headed to a door visible to him and him only and it was located in that corner. Soarin entered into a large ascending elevator with a table and few couches. There he sees two ponies relaxing on one of the couches. One was Luna, Princess of the night, the other was a unicorn with a doughnut as his cutie mark.

"It has been a while." Princess Luna stood up "welcome dear Soarin, to the velvet room."

"I am glad that you are able to make it today. It seems that fate has taken a surprising turn." The unicorn stood, Soarin looked at the unfamiliar unicorn with confusion.

"Oh dear. I've never introduced myself to you, did I?" The unicorn spoke "I'm very sorry, my name is Joe. Runner of the Doughnut store and a part-time job as patron of the Velvet Room, on behalf of Princess Luna."

"The reason of thou calling..." Luna briefed "We have read the cards and it seems the threads of fate are intertwining together. Something is amiss between time and space." Soarin continued to have a confused look.

"Still unsure?" Joe asked with a nodded reply from Soarin. "Then how about this. Have you heard any mysterious bell chimes?" Soarin peaked up and nodded.

"See..." Luna continued "this neither rings in Equestria, nor anywhere in the entire world. In fact, the bell rings forth from a different dimension." Soarin widened his eyes.

"Now, about this fate, allow me to show you..." Joe introduced until some alarm and red lights blared and flashed in the Velvet Room, as the three looked around for the source, Joe continued "that's strange... Let me correct myself... You and other guests." As Soarin heard the words 'other guests', he turns around to see BonBon, Rarity and Rainbow Dash behind him. In fact, the entire SOES appeared right behind him.

"What the!? What's going on!?" BonBon stated

"E-Everything looks blue!" Rainbow analysed

"S-Soarin? P-Princess Luna? D-Doughnut Joe? Wh-Where are we!?" Rarity stuttered

"Ah... It seems thou knows these intruders Soarin." Princess Luna sighed,

Meanwhile, Princess Celestia lead the RID to a small blue marquee with stars.

"That's the fortune tellers stall." Twilight answered

"Well done Twilight." Celestia sarcastically commended "I didn't train you as my protege for nothing" leaving Twilight with an aghast face.

"Sarcasm..." Pinkie added "it burns... Like the skills of Octavia's Persona."

"Not funny." Octavia sighed

"Now... Why don't we try going in?" Celestia gestured and with her leading the way, the RID piled in.

"The decoration looks very interesting!" Spike noted as they trudged inwards.

"You know, the interior looks a bit wide when compared to the size of the marquee." Lyra noted

"Well, it doesn't beat how the interior looks. The interior has images that looks like clock gears, floating doors and mattresses maybe? I can also say that the floor also contains patterns of tarot cards! It's truly astounding."

"Hang on..." Vinyl started "is it me or are those clock gear images... Moving?"

"Relax Vinyl!" Spike comforted as the 9 stepped onto a very large square with a couch and table. "I'm pretty sure a marquee wouldn't hold... Wait a minute, they ARE moving!!! Not only that! The doors are actually letting in real light! You've got to be kidding me..." And as Spike looked behind him, all he saw was a long flight of stairs that they seemed to be walking on. In fact, the clock gears were real and the doors were real. In fact, the doors are floating in the air, as well as the large platform the 9 are standing on, connected with three curved staircases, two which are broken, all supported by the vastness and emptiness of the air.

"Good Grief!!!" Pinkie exclaimed "talk about a wide open space, this thing is floating through the air!"

"That's awkward... Why does it look like this?" Celestia wondered loudly "and what about this mysterious door?" As she pointed two chained up doors. "A circle that spouts a blue and yellow light at the top, whereas the door is covered with 4 locks."

"So this door wasn't here before here before?" Twilight asked

"Not at all. Normally, the Velvet Room is just a small area where you can fit a desk and a chair. It's also a closed room too. Floating in--"

"Time and space?" Applebloom interrupted

"Dreams and Reality, Mind and Matter." Flash and Celestia spoke at once, which gave each other surprised looks.

"Th-This place is freaking me out..." Applebloom stammered "can we go back to the stall now?"

"At least listen to what's going on." Celestia requested

"Please, do stay a while." Octavia gestured "the Velvet Room seems pretty peaceful, and this music and singing is lovely!"

"Well... Here's the situation."

"And that's that." Joe concluded

"A bell? Ringin' in different dimension between time and space? And some dark force is causing that to happen? Sounds very far-fetched..." Applejack spoke

"Eeyup." Big Macintosh agreed

"All this fate thing is making me woozy..." Rainbow Dash yawned

"Remember, storms can shake up fate and even time and space itself." Luna replied

"Time, Space, even fate is very fragile." Scootaloo chorused

"Soarin, does thou remember what we told you? About your fate intertwining with another?"

"Flash Sentry?" Soarin replied "is he the culprit behind the bell? Because I'm sure that's definitely not his style."

"That's preposterous! Soarin wouldn't do such a thing!" Flash protested to Celestia "I doubt he can perform dimensional jumping either!"

"I didn't say that he was the bad guy..." Celestia reminded "I only just said that your fate is intertwined with him."

"Hey... Where did Applebloom go?" Lyra piped up

"Oh no... Don't tell me she ran away!" Octavia gasped

"Let's go after her!" Flash gestured to Octavia.

"Be careful you don't fall off!" Celestia warned as the two galloped down the stairs.

"Applebloom! There you are!" Octavia noted as the two caught up just outside the fortune teller's marquee.

"Sorry bout that... Ah-Ah just can't stand sitting in just a silent place!"

"Relax dear Applebloom." Celestia approached with the rest following behind. "The Velvet Room is a place where there are no meaningless things, my sister told me this and I believe it to be true."

"O... Okay then. I understand." Applebloom nodded

"Sorry to break it to you but..." Pinkie jumped "can we figure the bell thing for later? I want to go back to our stall."

"Hmm..." Flash noted

"Is there a problem Flash?" Spike asked.

"I swear... Did something change in Ponyville?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about. Ponyville is just the same as it always is." Lyra shrugged

"Wait... Flash may be right in this case... All the stalls look pretty different. I'm pretty sure I could remember their designs." Vinyl spotted

"Indeed." Flash added "and it looks like the ponies running those stalls have completely new faces."

"Now that you mention it... I do feel like we are in a different atmosphere of Ponyville..." Octavia wondered

"It's not just that!" Twilight exclaimed "look! Over there!" The RID and Celestia turned around to see a humongous tower made of stone.

"Wh-What the!?!?"

"No way..."

Meanwhile, back in the Velvet Room, the SOES were still getting a hold of themselves against the situation they were pitched against, until the same alarm and lights came around.

"Again?" Joe asked. After a few flashes and beams, the elevator suddenly ceased its ascension.

"What the..." Soarin started

"The elevator's stopped!" Rarity announced

"Uh... I feel scared." Fluttershy started

"You know" Rainbow added "this experience kind of reminds me on how Roller Coasters work."

"What's a Roller Coaster?" Applejack asked

"Oh, it's just something the Pegasi at Cloudsdale want to construct. It's a ride where you slowly rise and then stop at the top of the world... And then you come riding down in full speed!"

"B-But then" BonBon realised "if that were to happen, this lift will drop!" Right after she said that, the entire lift gave way and it starts plummeting down.

"Ahh!" BonBon screamed as everyone fell to the floor trying to grab on, except for Sweetie, Princess Luna and Joe.

"We are currently in an uncontrolled free-fall! This lift is descending with increased velocity!"

"A-Are we going to crash!? Are we going to die!?" Scootaloo cried. The lift continued falling until it hit the ground with a loud crash. For some unknown reason, the passengers of the lift seemed to be alive and unharmed, though kicking up a lot of dust.

"Is... Is it over yet?" Soarin asked as the dust settled "everypony okay?"

"Yeah... Ah think ah'm fine." Applejack coughed.

"Um..." Big Macintosh gestured to the elevator door, behind the doors glowed an intense white light. The elevator doors are also beginning to make a noise

"The door. It is opening!" Luna announced, and the elevator doors slid open to give access for the SOES to enter what lies beyond the light.

And so begins fate's trial of all Equestria... And time and space itself...

Author's Notes:

There aren't a lot of Persona crossovers lately, so I thought of adding one from the first ever Persona game on the 3DS!

Now, a lot of people will probably downvote the story because one of the protagonists is "Flash Sentry", but considering the characters of Persona 3 and 4, Flash is definitely the best fit because he is very similar to Minato and Yu as both are bland characters on their own, except for the fact that 'you' can 'control' Yu and Minato. Flash has the lightning bolt shield cutie mark, very similar to Izanagi's element, no? (So does Soarin but he gets Minato because of Soarin's colour scheme matching with the main colour in Persona 3).

Anyway, these are a few reasons why I think hating on him is pointless, but who am I to tell you what to do? My intention for this story is for anyone to enjoy reading an MLP x Persona crossover.

Another Equestria

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The SOES stepped out of the elevator and placed their hoof onto a familiar atmosphere. They saw numerous amounts of ponies milling about, running their stalls and advertising numerous products, food, clothes, numerous allsorts that come from different countries as well as the giggling and conversation between ponies. Believe it or not, they found themselves in the middle of Ponyville's cultural festival.

"What the... Ponyville?" BonBon analysed

"We're back home?" Scootaloo asked

"Not exactly..." Rarity replied "I feel like there's something wrong here." And turned to the two ponies of the Velvet Room "Did you take us here on purpose?"

"We hath done no such thing," Luna answered "to be honest, we hath no idea how we got here. However..."

"You forgot to tell us something?" Applejack replied, demanding answers.

"When Soarin entered the room, the original master of the Velvet Room was absent at this time. His absence is what had made the velvet room unstable. Only ponies from the outside world can only enter the Velvet Room whenever they make a contract. Bringing our guest's friends, which is you, to the Velvet Room was not of our doing, but the Velvet Room itself."

"Really? And you expect us to believe that?" Rainbow rasped.

"The Velvet Room is a place where nothing meaningless happens." Luna calmly answered "In fact, I feel that this place is deeper through time and space, than the Velvet Room."

"So... We're not in Ponyville?" Fluttershy asked.

"And by all means, we're not in Equestria either?" Big Mac added.

"I fear it may be so..." Donut Joe answered, "although I can see the city of Canterlot far in the distance, one can assume that it is just an illusion."

"In that case..." Soarin concluded "we've got quite a lot of mysteries to grapple here. I don't like the looks of this and neither does all of you. But we can't turn back either way."

"Then I suggest that we go scouting," Sweetie nodded, "we'll need to explore around Ponyville."

"However," Luna started "I believe something has changed in the Velvet Room as well. Soarin? Will you mind coming with me?" And Soarin nodded.

"Then I shall also scout around Ponyville." Joe decided.

"Ahh..." Luna sighed "Do we dream of taking part in Ponyville's culture festival! Where all ponies gather together and celebrate!"

"Well..." Luna stammered as the two walked back into their Velvet Room. "This is quite strange. The Velvet Room no longer looks like an elevator... Instead, it's just a platform levitating in space. With clock gears and floating doors. There is even this mysterious door..." Luna pointed to a door that was surrounded by chains "it is chained up with 4 locks."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Soarin asked,

"It seems that the Velvet Room has followed wherever fate takes it, along with us."

"I see..."

"However, We shall investigate this problem along with Joe. So we shall exit for now."

"Right..."

The SOES and the Velvet Room members rendezvous once again outside the stall to discuss and share their findings.

"There you are Princess and our guest. I believe it is time to uncover what we currently know." Joe started

"I believe that this place... Is not the Ponyville we have always known." Rarity introduced

"When we started talking to the residents" Scootaloo asked "they seem to act in the most mysterious ways. I asked them 'where is this place?', they reply 'Ponyville'. But when I tried to ask, 'do you know where Princess Celestia is?' They completely ignore the question and started talking to others. This happens to all of the ponies here."

"Are you trying to imply that..." Luna gasped "Our sister doesn't exist in this world!?"

"And neither do you." BonBon finished "it looks like this place isn't run by princesses. We are definitely in a completely different world."

"With hopes of no return." Applejack galloped towards the group with Big Mac behind "sorry we're late."

"What do you mean?" Rainbow asked

"We tried goin through the exits of Ponyville. The path to the Everfree Forest is there, but as we started treading through it... We found ourselves back in Ponyville. We tried walking to the long path towards Canterlot... Still ended up back in Ponyville. We even tried taking the Friendship Express! It did move away from Ponyville but after a few minutes, the trained just stopped at--"

"Ponyville." Sweetie finished. "Meaning that the view of Canterlot, Everfree Forest and any other place seen faraway in Ponyville is just for show."

"Conclusion? We're trapped." Big Mac finished.

"It appears that something or somepony is locking us in this world. At least, that's what I think..." Rarity theorized.

"What of the Velvet Room?" Fluttershy asked

"It is no longer the elevator that Joe, our guest and we know. It has taken quite a change and has become a floating platform connected by 3 staircases. 2 are broken and the last one is the one we enter and exit. The only thing that hasn't changed is the desk and table."

"One more thing, Twilight's castle..." Rainbow pointed and diverted the attention to a large clock tower "is replaced by this large clock tower."

"My Castle!!!" Twilight cried, "I-It's gone! What's this old lump of a clock tower doing in it's place!?"

"Peace milady." Flash calmed "like I said, this may not be the Ponyville we all know."

"Not only that" Applebloom added "it wasn't this crowded either!"

"If it were me, I would have just prayed to Celestia that we would be back home!" Pinkie chirped "but from the looks of the clock towers and with the behavior of everypony but us here, I'd say we are trapped!"

"Wait... We're TRAPPED!?" Vinyl blurted with Octavia gasping.

"Yes siree! While you were busy gazing at the clock tower, I was busy doing some investigation myself! I went to go have a chat with numerous of the ponies here! I started introducing myself and all to them. But... They never introduced themselves to me... Nor did they even listen to me!!! They just flat out ignored me!"

"That's really odd." Lyra replied,

"I even tried hitting them."

"Pinkie!!!" Twilight yelled

"I'm just joking! Calm down!" Pinkie laughed "your reaction is so priceless! Anyway, there were only a few questions that they do respond to, and that's only with topics and details about the culture festival. But that's just the ponies..."

"You mean there are more weird things going on?" Spike asked,

"Yep! I tried exiting Ponyville in any means possible! But no matter what I did, I always seem to end back up in Ponyville. That's how I came up with the theory on that we're trapped!"

"How did you do it?" Twilight asked

"Elementary!" Pinkie answered "it was just like what we did back at the MMMMystery on the Friendship express!"

"No, I mean: How did you find all of this out when we were looking at the tower? We only glanced at it for a few minutes!"

"The spotlight doesn't always shine on you," Pinkie noted "it has to shine on others too! That's when I took my chance for investigation!"

"But if what you said is true, then who would be so different from than these silent crowd of ponies that they could take the spotlight?"

"Beats me," Pinkie shrugged "maybe it's somepony that was also taken and trapped here like us! Or maybe... They even the same powers as us!"

"That's impossible." Twilight sighed "aren't we the only group of ponies in all of Equestria that can actually wield and summon Personas?"

"Anyway" Pinkie changed "I've found something interesting." And showed them a brochure that says "Cosplay Cafe",

"Ooh! A cosplay cafe! That sounds very exiting!" Vinyl exclaimed "why don't we go there together!!!"

"I wanna go!" Spike yelled, "I have a good cosplay suit after all!" And he put on the Teddie suit.

"I don't think that would work..." Octavia assessed "we barely know the identity this character so I'm sure the other ponies wouldn't know this character either."

"Aww..." Spike sighed as he hopped out the suit.

"Why are these coordinates of great importance?" Flash asked

"Because these 'coordinates' are left unchecked!" Pinkie answered "I haven't taken a glimpse at the place either."

"Sounds very suspicious, it seems worth investigating. All in favour? No objections?" Flash asked and returned with silence "then we shall march."

"I will stay behind in the Velvet Room to investigate on what's going on in here." Celestia noted "stay safe and take these items" handing the RID some bottles of Medicine.

"Many thanks Your Highness." Flash bowed and the RID set off.

Meanwhile, the clock tower were being watched by 2 ponies from afar. These 2 ponies were isolated from the crowd, as if they were from another world as well. One pony tugged onto the others leg, and with a nod of agreement from both, the two set off.

The SOES approached a one of the buildings used as another stall for the culture festival. Around it were designs of bushes that contain patterns of red and white roses. In fact, every decoration was based off a familiar children's book, which was given by the sign on top of the door 'You in Wonderland'.

"So this is the place you decided not to investigate?" Soarin asked

"It was rather ominous..." Applejack explained. "Something is different about this place."

"You in Wonderland..." BonBon read "isn't this stall based off the book of Alice in Wonderland?"

"We'll never know unless we try. Shall we go in?" Soarin gestured

"I'd advise you to be careful if you are though." A unfamiliar voice advised. The group turned to see two ponies standing before them. One was in chestnut colour and a stallion, the other was a grey mare with an eye problem, hiding behind the chestnut pony.

"Please don't go inside... There's monsters in there..." The pegasus whimpered

"Monsters?" Scootaloo asked

"Who are you two?" Rarity changed "wait a minute... I know you guys..."

"I'm sorry... Have we met?" The chestnut pony spoke

"I thought you'd already know us by now! Don't we normally see each other in Ponyville?" Rainbow replied

"Unfortunately, I can't remember seeing your faces for more than the first time. So I must ask this... Who are you? And where did you come from?" The stallion replied

"No way!!! You're actually talking to us properly!?!?" Applejack bawled

"Well..." Sweetie started "we came from an area between Canterlot and Ponyville..."

"Canterlot?" The stallion asked "I've never heard of the place."

"Canter... lot?" The mare repeated

"Do you know where we are though?" Rarity asked

"It is what it is." The stallion simply answered

"I did remember some ponies saying that this was Ponyville." BonBon recalled

"Pony...ville... Yes, that's right." The mare repeated

"So... Mind telling us your names?" Soarin spoke

"I am just known as the Doctor, and she is Derpy. We've always called each other that." The stallion replied

"Um..." Fluttershy started "by any chance are these monsters you call shadows?"

"Wait what!? There are shadows here?" BonBon yelped

"Shadows? What are shadows?" Derpy asked

"When we first entered, I could sense their presence with Lucia." Fluttershy explained "but the shadows never got as far as Ponyville."

"Because the sighting of shadows here are highly likely." Joe appeared from behind the group.

"Wha...!?"

"After some through investigation, it seems that time and space here is not fixed. In other words, this place isn't reality at all, it holds no meaning. A theory that this place would be deeper than the Velvet Room. Like the tower you always explore."

"No way..." Scootaloo breathed

"Anyway..." BonBon started talking again "do you know how to leave Ponyville?"

"Leave...?" Derpy tilted

"Yep, we want to go back"

"you can... Go back from here?"

"We must return immediately. It's very important" Rarity explained.

"Then I want to go back too." Derpy spoke up

"Derpy?" The Doctor shifted

"I want to go back too!" Derpy repeated with enhanced volume.

"But... Where can we go back?" The Doctor replied

"Where?... Hmm... I don't really know..." Derpy sighed

"You mean you don't know where to go back to?" Fluttershy asked

"I... Can't remember anything..." Derpy explained.

"When we last regained consciousness, we found ourselves here. But we don't know anything before that." The Doctor continued

"What?"

"Our memories were taken..." Derpy finished,

"taken?" Rarity repeated

"your memories were stolen? Who?" Big Mac spoke

"no idea." Derpy sighed

"even if you knew somepony stole them?"

"even if we knew somepony stole them."

"Perhaps you stumbled on to this world like us and forgot all about us." Rainbow theorized,

"that's something we can't rule out." Rarity noted,

"perhaps this 'somepony' that was responsible for taking their memories be present in this world? Maybe it's the same one that has trapped them here!" Fluttershy continued

"And again, we can't rule it out." Rarity repeated,

"Nah, ah'm sure they're located 'ere!" Applejack concluded

"Can you feel it Applejack?" Fluttershy asked "do you sense something?"

"Naw..." Applejack chuckled "it's more fun when you think about it that way. Just take em down and get outta here. Simply done."

"Applejack!!!" Rarity lashed sharply "we don't want unnecessary combat!"

"Hey Doctor?" Derpy spoke "I wanna go back with them. Can we go together?"

"If that is what you wish... Besides, when we heard that bell, It felt important for us to enter this labyrinth." The Doctor sighed then spoke to Rarity "in any case, I'd like you to take us in when we enter the labyrinth."

"Hmm... It is rather risky. Especially with you and that connection to the bell..." Rarity decided

"I myself, am able to fight in this labyrinth with these." And the Doctor presented two black bowguns "I'll protect Derpy, and she can also provide support for the team."

"Are you trying to say that you are a persona-user?"

"Persona? I don't know what that is..."

"In that case Soarin, what shall we do?" Rarity asked. Soarin pondered for a moment and made a decision

"I would feel bad turning them down... But both of you are not going into the field with us."

"What? But..." The Doctor protested

"No buts. When we know that things are safe, we'll send somepony over to escort you. For now, you're staying put."

"I... I understand." The Doctor sighed "Derpy was scared a little anyway."

"T-Thanks for your concern." Derpy sighed "but now that that's out of the way, I'm feeling hungry!" And with a big smile, pulled out a muffin and started chomping away.

"Huh? Where did you get that!?" BonBon recoiled

"You mean, where do muffins come from?" Derpy asked "they were born from love! Love meets dough and--"

"Wait... They don't come from flour?" Sweetie asked "I'd better update my records."

"Don't do that..." BonBon sighed "but by the way Doctor, did you say something about a 'labyrinth'?"

"Inside this building is a complex structure built as a maze and filled with monsters. Might be the monsters that you call 'shadows'."

"So what did you do about it?" BonBon continued "you're trapped here, lost your memories, and there are shadows in this place!"

"Well... All I did was eat muffins, ice cream and even this special foreign dish called mochi!"

"Is that it? Okay then..." BonBon gave up in despair

"I guess we have to look inside the labyrinth to know what's happening." Fluttershy sighed "I'll support you guys from here."

"Good luck!" Derpy called as the SOES trotted in.

"by the way Soarin..." Sweetie whispered as they started walking in

"what is it?" Soarin asked

"I sense something strange from Derpy, and wanted to learn more about her. The question though, is why?"

"What do you think we should do now?" The Doctor asked Fluttershy as the SOES disappeared into the building.

"Follow us back to the Velvet Room." Luna answered behind Joe. "As we shall investigate further, Fluttershy may support us in here, while you may take refuge too."

"Very well." The Doctor nodded, and they trotted to the Velvet Room.

A few minutes later, the RID had arrived at the location of the supposed 'cosplay cafe'. Instead, they found the building with the sign 'You in Wonderland'.

"What? This hardly looks like a cosplay cafe here." Pinkie assessed,

"because it's not." Twilight explained "from the looks of it, it looks extremely based on a children's picture book that I've got in my library-- I mean library section of the castle. I think it was called 'Alice in Wonderland'."

"Ey! Ah remember this picture book when ah was a little filly!" Applebloom lightened up with memory

"You're still a little filly..." Octavia chuckled "and I did see you reading that book this morning in our stall."

"Oh, heh heh..." Applebloom blushed

"So? Shall we investigate?" Flash asked

"Actually..." Spike protested "I'm... A bit hungry."

"Don't worry." Octavia cheered "we can quickly get a snack to go before moving in." At that moment, Spike's stomach grumbled loudly.

"A bit hungry?" Lyra repeated "more like really hungry."

"You can be backup for Vinyl." Flash sighed "though it would be nice for the RID to be together."

"I second the motion of going together, but..." Pinkie protested and in response, her stomach rumbled even louder than Spike.

"You too Pinkie?" Twilight gasped.

"I only ate during the start of the culture festival today. Haven't eaten after going into yet another cultural festival that's very identical to ours."

"Then does Pinkie stay with Vinyl as well?" Applebloom asked. Then all in succession, Vinyl, Applebloom, Lyra and Octavia's stomach rumbled and grumbled in that order, each one louder than the one before.

"Oh my... Everypony really is hungry!" Twilight cringed

"...I guess we can chow down on a small snack before we set off..." Flash shrugged, until the initiation of the loudest grumbling and rumbling of a stomach shook the ground.

"Don't tell me that was your stomach Flash..." Spike stated, trying not to giggle.

"Everypony gets 1 hour for lunch. Fall out!" Flash commanded, and the RID dispersed to the numerous food stalls while giggling. Only Twilight stayed behind.

"I thought you're hungry." Twilight asked "you're not going to eat?"

"I never stated that milady." Flash replied and pulled out a mini gas stove from his bags. He proceeded to boil and heat up a food pouch of vegetable curry in his kidney cup while drinking water from his royal guard-sized water bottle.

"Are you serious?" Twilight sternly spoke,

"I'm not sharing my rations princess." Flash answered "besides, I'm sure the food they sell here contains more variety than every 24 hour ration packs."

"ughhhh..." Twilight growled in frustration and stormed off to where the others are. Flash chuckled as he helped himself to the curry.

You in Wonderland: Chapter 1 (part 1)

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The SOES emerged into a twisted and maze filled with black and red colours as well as the numerous amount of roses.

"Woah..." Was all that Soarin could say,

"This place..." Rarity tried to describe

"Please be careful!" A voice in their minds spoke, it was Fluttershy opening up a persona communication line "I can really sense shadows in there."

"So this is the world of a filly's book eh? Sounds like the perfect time to gallop into something." Applejack chuckled. "Let's set forth!"

"Wait." Big Mac spoke "why don't the veterans go first? We're just scouting the place, not fully exploring it."

"You may have a point... Very well, the rest of you meet us outside." Rarity commanded

"Oh okay then, leave me out on the fun huh?" Rainbow grumbled

"I'm not a filly anymore. Please let me come!" Scootaloo pleaded

"That's an order!" Rarity commanded to which the other members fell silent and started to leave

"Be careful!" BonBon replied as she closed the door behind them.

"Now... Shall we?" Rarity gestured and the 4 approached a door that has the design of 2 sets of piano keys touching each other.

"Let's see..." Soarin wondered and touched the door. The piano keys immediately slid in the opposite direction to allow an open passage for the ponies to enter.

"That reminds me..." Big Mac piped up as the doors closed behind them, "have this" and tossed 5 bottles of tonic to the pegasus.

"What are they?" Rarity asked

"some medicine, Princess Luna hoofed these to us saying 'don't hesitate to use them if any of thou becomes injured."

"Really?" Rarity replied "that's very nice of them. Then again, she is a princess of Equestria." She then turned to Soarin "be sure to use these without any hesitation" and Soarin nodded. Suddenly, Rarity turned around, her rapier out of her sheath.

"What's wrong Rarity?" Applejack asked

"I heard a sound. Sounds like some... dripping noise..." Rarity answered

"whatever that dripping noise is, it's getting louder." Soarin perceived

"meaning, the source of that dripping is getting closer." Rarity finished. Soarin in response, pulled out his short sword, ready to face the sneaking mist of shadows just around the corner...

Both forces managed to face each other without any chance of making an ambush. Three white black striped blobs were levitating in the air, open mouths and long dark tongues. The party also managed to glimpse at their backs, each having a mask behind them. That can only mean one thing...

"Huh... They were shadows after all." Big Mac sighed.

"remember what I told you Soarin" Rarity reminded

"most shadows have a weak point, if you strike their weakness, it not only does great damage to them, but can also minimise our damage on our side." Soarin sighed,

"it seems you still know the basics." Rarity smiled "but we still don't know their weakness." And stared at the growling blobs, roaring at the group of ponies, and dropping what seems to be highly acidic saliva.

"So what?" Applejack grinned "Ah'm itching for some action. We'll keep hitting any shadows with all sorts of attacks and we'll eventually find their weakness. Ah'm still giving it mah all though!" And prepared her hoofs for battle.

"Sigh..." Big Mac sighed and pulled out his large hammer "Bring it on..."

"I've got all of you in check!" Fluttershy announced to the ponies "three unidentified shadows, though it's three of the same enemy. I'll be observing and recording each shadow's stats!"

"Right... Let's charge." Soarin remarked and as the fastest moving unit in this battle, he furiously flew forward and slashed one of the shadows with one clean cut. The shadow (known as a Lying Hablerie) recoiled from the pain with a short scream, but shook it off.

"Guess that's not it's weakness." Soarin shrugged

"Ah've been waiting for this!" Applejack yelled with glee and charged to the second Hablerie. However, the third Hablerie in the back decided to charge something in his mouth and let loose an icy attack.

"What the!? No!" Applejack cried as the ice attack caught her off guard, and slipped and fell with the shear cold coursing through her body, unable to get back up for the time being.

"Dagnabit!" Applejack cursed as she lays stunned "Ice, mah only weakness! Applebloom would never let this go if she saw me sprawlin here!"

"Then again" Big Mac sighed "we too have weaknesses" as the Hablerie that was attacked by Soarin turned it's tongue on Applejack, using it to slap the earth pony, causing her to scream from the pain of the slap and the acid that comes with it. As Big Mac turned to his front, the 3rd Hablerie was right on his sights and it lashed out with his tongue, hitting the stallion in his face.

"Oof!" Big Mac grunted as he quickly shook the acid off. "Now you'll pay!" And retaliated with his hammer. Unlike Soarin's sword attack, the Hablerie seemed to scream even louder than before.

"Did the shadow just take a different reaction?" Rarity asked

"Yes!" Fluttershy replied "it turns out these shadows are weak to bash attacks!"

"Right then..." Rarity puffed "what about stab attacks?" And lunged her raper on the 3rd Hablerie. The response from the Shadow however, was similar to Soarin's.

"Nope, it looks like stab attacks just has a normal effect." Fluttershy analysed

"Oop! There ya go." Soarin picked up Applejack.

"Many thanks leader." Applejack tilted her stetson. "So, these shadows are weak to bash attacks eh?" She cracked her front hooves "ah'll pay you back 10 times more than what you dealt to me!"

"Big Mac?" Fluttershy spoke "you look pumped up!"

"Really?" Big Mac replied "I do feel a burst of energy coursing through my body. Must have been attacking his weakness."

"Right. This state of mind is known as a 'boosted state'." Fluttershy explained "there are 2 advantages when in a boosted state: You get to move first, and any skills your persona will use are completely free."

"Meaning?"

"It won't consume your health or energy."

"Ah see. Then watch me move!" Big Mac stated and charged with another hammer strike on the third Hablerie. This time, the shadow seemed to crumble into dust and melt into sludge.

"Yes! We've defeated one enemy!" Fluttershy cheered "now there are two left!" As Soarin made another cut on the first one, the remaining 2 Hableries decided to strike their tongues at the party. Specifically, Soarin and Rarity.

"Eww!!! Eww!!! Eww!!!" Rarity screamed as she tried to shake off the acid saliva "you just burnt part of my fur out!!! How dare you!!! Hope you've got a death wish, for I shall execute you!!!" Rarity screamed

"Take this!" Applejack bellowed as she bucked the first Hablerie sending it suspended in the air. This gave Rarity a chance thrust the Rapier through it's body, reducing it into dust and sludge.

"And that's that." Rarity grinned

"One more enemy..." Big Mac noted, gazing at the last Hablerie.

"Hey Soarin? Ah think now's the time to use it!" Applejack encouraged

"Show them the significance of SOES and our mission." Rarity cheered

"With pleasure." Soarin smiled and from his bags, pulled out a silver gun, the initials 'SOES' was made present on one side of the gun barrel. Soarin raised the gun to its head and pushed firmly on his temple. "Persona..." Soarin grimly whispered and pulled the trigger.

Instead of a gunshot, the shattering of glass was heard and blue spectral fragments flew out of Soarin's head. A blue fog of energy appeared below and viciously surrounded and bursted skywards around him. Behind him, a large silhouette of a pony started to form. As the fog died down, the large levitating pony was given his appearance. A dark green colour with a white bushy mane and tail and sporting a red scarf on its neck. Excepting his head, the pony's body was entirely mechanical and has a voice processing device located on his stomach. Apart from having glowing red eyes that are iris-less and pupil-less. The large Earth pony was carrying a large silver lyre on his back. This is Soarin's persona, the 'Master of Strings'.

"Orpheus!" Soarin greeted "it's good to see you again!" The mechanical pony nodded in response, "I'll leave the rest to you then" Soarin remarked, pointing at the shadow. In a response, Orpheus started play a small tune on his lyre. Then with one quick strum, a ball of fire shot from the voice processor where it lightly exploded on the Hablerie, which is enough to reduce it to dust and sludge.

"No more enemies. Well done leader!" Fluttershy praised

"Thanks for the help Orpheus." Soarin thanked. Orpheus nodded and dematerialised.

"It looks like there's some stuff those shadows left behind!" Applejack spotted and started picking them up.

"Don't! It may be dangerous!" Rarity warned

"... I don't see any problem with them." Big Mac replied and helped along.

"Seriously? What good can these things do?" Rarity sighed.

After going through a few doors. Fluttershy had something to say before they were about to enter another.

"I've scanned the Labyrinth." Fluttershy informed "there's a long way to go from here."

"Huh... Is that it? Might as well head back." Big Mac sighed

"Ah'm with you." Applejack agreed "we need to regain our strength and keep it high for more to come... Ugh..." She winced from her previous wounds.

"Here have this..." Soarin tossed a medicine to Applejack, to which she applied on the wounds.

"I feel like we should just continue..." Rarity was about to protest. "No, you're right. Let's head back for now." As they started the march back however, they started to hear more inhuman sounds.

"Oh that's not good." Big Mac gulped. Three shadows appeared before them again. Two Lying Hableries, but one new enemy. A pile of sludge on the floor wearing a mask and having dangerous claws as hands.

"A new enemy!" Applejack spotted "bring it on!"

"I guess I'll need your help again." Soarin sighed and reached for his evoker.

"Just a moment!" Rarity stopped "let us do the same. We can't let you have all the fun!" And she pulled out another evoker, as well as did Applejack and Big Mac. They each put their own evoker to their head, yelled the magic word and pulled the trigger, materialising three different personas.

Applejack's was a pale-yellow maned, blue pony with checkered blue-white body armor, while his hind legs and one of his front legs were red in colour, the remaining front leg was replaced with a large stake. Big Mac's was a a similar looking to Applejack's, but it was black in colour and all his legs were blue (no stake replacement). Not only that, the persona has a rod impaled on his body and appears to be riding a stick horse that was black as death. Finally, Rarity's persona was a cobalt mare with a deep blue mane and tail. The mare donned a queen's crown and a full mask of iron, covering most of her mane. As her weapons, she wields a Rapier like Rarity on her left hoof, and a dagger on the right.

"Well well well..." Soarin watched "if it isn't Polydeuces, Castor and Penthesilea."

"Let's strike em down!" Applejack commanded and Polydeuces raised his arm stake into the air, a brilliant bolt of electricity struck one of the Hableries, stunning and bringing it to the floor. As electricity was another weak point that shadow, it puts Applejack in a boosted state. Castor uses his horse stick to repeatedly bash the other Hablerie until it was gone. As the first Hablerie attempted to recover, Polyduces picked it up by stabbing the blob and with a mighty toss, flung it in the direction of Castor who crushed the flying Hablerie with one mighty swing.

"Nice combo Big Mac!" Applejack complimented

"Not over though." Big Mac warned. Sure enough, the sludge shadow leapt towards Polyduces for a wide scratch, damaging body armor and even what it's protecting.

"Argh!!!" Applejack reeled from the strike, as a pony and his/her persona are the same, if either gets punched in the face, the other will experience the same amount of pain.

"Enough!" Rarity yelled, and prepared for battle "Penthesilea! Let's execute them!" At a response, Penthesilea delivered multiple stabs against the sludge shadow (Cowardly Maya), leaving it stunned and ready for an all out attack.

"And now to finish it off, Bufu!" Rarity yelled as she pointed her rapier at the Maya, Penthesilea did the same and with a blue gleam of light reflecting the blade, Icy air flew from underneath the Maya, which turned into solid ice in order to trap and freeze the Maya. A simple sheath of Rarity's rapier cause the ice to break, destroying the Maya within. "Execution is complete." She bowed, receiving mock claps by the other three ponies.

"Let's get out of here before more show up." Big Mac noted and they galloped towards the exit.

"Not leaving this behind though!" Applejack replied as she picked up a shadow piece.

"Welcome back!" Fluttershy greeted with the SOES as the 4 members returned. Winona came to lick Soarin's face.

"Well? How is it?" BonBon asked

"There's a big maze down there. We're going to need to stock up on supplies for a lengthy journey." Rarity explained

"Not only that, we're going to need a bunch of better weapons." Applejack added "if only we had Old Man Horace and his endless pile of junk, weapons and expendables."

"I remember Derpy telling me that there was this workshop that can sell weapons. Why don't we check it out?" Rainbow suggested

"A great idea Rainbow!" Big Mac exclaimed, and the SOES set off to the workshop.

Just as they left however, the 8 ponies of the RID returned back to the entrance of the labyrinth.

"That was some fabulous grub there!" Spike sighed with relief as he rubs his stomach.

"Now that I've eaten, I'm all fired up!" Lyra grinned

"This place greatly piques my interest though..." Twilight mumbled

"what did you say?" Pinkie asked

"I feel like this place needs some investigation. Let's try and go in." Twilight encouraged

As the RID stepped into the labyrinth, the first thing they felt was a mysterious atmosphere that seems to interfere with their bodies.

"Something doesn't feel right..." Twilight stated

"what do you mean?" Vinyl asked

"I only hope that it doesn't turn out for the worse... Summon your persona Vinyl." Twilight asked

"R-Really? Okay then." Vinyl acknowledged and took a deep breath "Persona!" She yelled and a blue fog behind her materialized a silhouette of a large unicorn and started to have appearances. The unicorn was black in colour, wearing a long white dress with a white tail. However, this unicorn had a long thin yellow horn sticking out of her head instead of a normal unicorn's horn. In fact, the unicorn was maneless as her entire head is in the form of a large satellite. The large unicorn also appears to be levitating a head device, which she held to the eyes of Vinyl while pointing her head towards the door in front of them.

"N-No way..." Vinyl analysed, horror sweeping her face. "I'm sensing shadows up ahead. 20... 30... 50... There are a countless number of them in there!"

"Really?" Spike sniggered "tell me a better one! If there are shadows, then I can catch them with my nose... Let see..." And he sniffed the air. "See, I told you there are TONS OF THEM!?!?" Spike jumped in horror "you're right! There are shadows all over the place!"

"It's not just that too." Vinyl continued scouting "There's a long way ahead, but it's easy going!"

"Really?" Flash replied and looked at Vinyl's persona. In a response, the persona abruptly bonked Vinyl on the head due to not telling the truth. Unfazed, Vinyl corrected herself.

"It's more than just a long way ahead, it's a labyrinth."

"In that case. Shall we poke our noses in there? Since we can't leave them be." Applebloom suggested "it's good exploration too."

"I'll stay behind and support you guys." Vinyl replied

"Then I'll stay behind too." Lyra volunteered

"Oh, that's sweet of you Lyra." Vinyl giggled

"I don't want you complaining if you get attacked by them, so don't push it." Lyra retorted

"It's a joke. Don't have to take it so seriously. What about you guys?"

"There's still some things that need investigating in Equestria." Twilight explained "so I'll be out for now."

"Then I'll stay with Twily!" Pinkie jumped "with Flash around, I'm sure you'll get through no sweat!"

"Well then." Octavia turned to Flash "guess we're depending on you!"

"That's right sir!" Spike saluted "I am yours to command!"

"Very well then, move out!" Flash commanded, and the RID went into their positions. As the 3 ponies and baby dragon traversed through the labyrinth, they made sure that they were aware to any sudden sounds and sights, in case they get ambushed by shadows, if present.

"Have you still got the medicine with you?" Octavia asked

"Affirmative." Flash nodded

"How nice of Princess Celestia to give you that." Spike noted "I wonder why Celestia has taken on this Persona business."

"I assume that it is for the safety of Equestria." Flash replied. As the team continued on traversing, Flash sensed an unfamiliar sound, he held a signal for the team to halt and stay quiet.

"Wh-What is it?" Applebloom whispered.

"I fear that we may have company..." Flash warned. Sure enough, three masked sludges appeared from the ground and started to change their form into blobs.

"Contact!" Flash yelled and drew his long sword... Or was it?

"So the shadows are here after all!" Applebloom exclaimed as three Lying Hableries licked their lips before the party.

"Eww!!! I don't wanna get licked by them!" Octavia cringed

"No choice, we've got to face them head on!" Flash reminded

"Hey! I remember how to defeat these things!" Spike exclaimed "all you have to do is to attack the shadows weakness. That way, it can minimise damage dealt to us!"

"It seems somepony was paying attention to one of my periods of instruction." Flash grinned,

"but we don't know their weaknesses." Octavia countered "do you have any idea Vinyl?"

"Not at all." Vinyl replied through persona communication. "I'm missing data on these enemies, but if you try something, it will work!"

"That's right!" Applebloom encouraged "we'll be fine against them. All we just have to do is to hit these shadows with any kind of attack. We'll be bound to find a type of attack that's weak to a shadow!"

"Let's begin fighting!" Spike growled as he brandished his claw weapon. Despite the RIT team getting ready, the Hableries were still faster than the group, and began the initiative. One casted Bufu on Applebloom, while the other two had their time tasting Flash and Spike.

"Eww!!!" Spike moaned from the painful saliva.

"You have to bear it!" Flash replied as he gritted his teeth against the pain.

"Phew!" Applebloom sighed as she shook away the freezing pain "good thing ah'm resistant to the cold. Something mah sister would never recover from."

"Now it's our turn! Return Fire!" Flash replied and sliced one of the hableries.

"Let me follow that up!" Applebloom noted as she jumped for a killer kick, bringing the hablerie to the ground.

"New information!" Vinyl informed "these enemies are normal against cut attacks but weak to bash!"

"Then it's time to strike!" Octavia stated, pulling out a special weapon. Octavia had once went on tours around the world, even past Equestria. From one of the countries she traveled to, brought back a special item known as a hoof fan. It was commonly used to induce an airflow in order to cool or refresh someone. Now, Octavia remembers the skill to turn such an item into a dangerous weapon. Throwing it like a boomerang, the fan cut through the hablerie and before returning to Octavia's hoof.

"Finishing strike!" Spike yelled and cut the hablerie with his claw weapon. As the hablerie had took three previous blows from the team, it could not withstand the attack of spike and broke into dust and slime.

"Applebloom! You're in a boosted state! Do you know what that means?" Vinyl informed

"Nope!" Applejack shook her head "but maybe that's what you call this feeling that ah have right now! Cause ah feel like ah'm on fire!"

"Good. That feeling lets you go first during the combat phase, as well as expending nothing when using your persona's skills!"

"In that case, permission to pull them out?" Octavia asked

"Permission granted. Now engage!" Flash yelled

"Burning up!" Applebloom gritted as she concentrated as a blue source of light appeared in front of her as the form of a card, and underneath her.

"Persona!" She yelled and delivered a kick to shatter the card. Immense amounts of energy and fog roared around her as it started to materialise an Earth pony. As the fog resided, the Persona appeared in the form of a green coloured pony with a black mane and tail. This mare wore a white helmet with a peculiar design of looking like a shark's fin and wielded a dual naginata at her side, only her yellow eyes were visible in the helmet.

"Do our worst Tomoe!" Applebloom commanded and Tomoe shot out at the Hablerie and gave a solid hind kick, which then followed up with a slice of her naginata, cutting the shadow in two. One hablerie was left, taking the opportunity to attack the young filly's persona.

"Argh..." Applebloom reeled from the burning pain.

"Worry not Applebloom." Spike comforted, "leave the rest to us!"

"Now!" Flash signaled and shattered his tarot card, "Izanagi!" He yelled. From the blue fog emerged a large earth pony wearing soldier's clothes that covered his entire body and tail, however, his hooves can be seen in the form of sharp blades. The pony also had a mechanical head showing his yellow eyes. On his head was a white headband which connects to 2 white leather tails blowing in the wind, as a replacement for his covered mane. On his side, Izanagi wielded a large Naginata with a blade even bigger than Tomoe's.

"Konohana Sakuya!" Octavia yelled, shattering her card. A blossom pegasus emerged from the blue fog, her beautiful white tail swished from side to side. Her mane and eyes were covered with a half helmet that has two blossoms on opposite sides. Her wings resembled the petals of the famous cherry blossom flower, and at a certain height was able to magically combine the ends of her wings together to form a special glider not only to maintain her ease of maneuver in the air, but to also absorb and charge up the element of fire.

"Kintoki-Douji!" Spike yelled as he shattered his card. A large ball-like creature jumped out of the blue fog. This persona was not pony, but a bulbous red boiler with very stubby limbs. Aside from wearing a blue cape, the persona also carries a large tomahawk missile.

"Let's finish this!" Flash commanded and Izanagi grabbed the shadow and threw it sky high.

"The shadow is wide open! Attack!" Vinyl instructed and Konohana used her wings to charge up fire and release a small fireball with one mighty flap. At the same time, Kintoki-Douji threw his missile at the shadow. As they both collided together, it had created a fusion of fire and ice, snuffing the last Hablerie out of existence.

"It's over." Flash sighed, breathing with relief.

As the 4 continued on, Vinyl noticed something strange.

"Hey guys, I'm picking up on some interesting readings in the labyrinth." Vinyl informed "it sounds like somepony is in there!" At a response, the RID heard the sounds of... Crying.

"I can perceive the sound." Flash reported closing his eyes to focus "it's this way." And led the team to another door. As they opened the door, the group saw two ponies standing there, one was crying while the other was trying to comfort her. Flash opened to see the chestnut pony turn around and aim a bowgun at their direction, while the other one stopped crying for a while to look at the 3 unrecognizable ponies and dragon before them.

"I think they're the ones that a picked up earlier!" Vinyl analysed

"Who are you?" The chestnut pony asked

"Woah!" Applebloom in fear "don't point that at other ponies! It's very dangerous!"

"Let me ask again. Who are you? I'm asking who you are." The pony repeated

"O-Oh me?" Applebloom replied flustered "Ah'm... Mah name's Applebloom." Applebloom took one more careful look and remembered the pony's face. "Don't you remember me? The filly that's been hogging you to buy apples? And you too! Aren't you guys humble residents of Ponyville?"

"Residents of Ponyville..." The grey pegasus repeated "... Yes."

"But..." The bowgun-wielding pony tried to remember "I don't recall seeing you before."

"Really?"

"Never mind about that Applebloom." Octavia changed "are you all right? Were you attacked by these shadows? By the way, shadows are..."

"...The monsters in here?" The Doctor finished "they did attack, but I managed to drive them away."

"No way!!!" Applebloom jumped with amazement

"But, why were you crying back then?" Asked Spike

"I was scared..." The gray pegasus spoke "I was scared, but Doctor kept on saying that we need to go in."

"I understand." Octavia comforted "it must have been very scary being in a place like this. Are both of you trying to go further?"

"We planned to, but..." The Doctor explained,

"There's a veeery long road up ahead you know." Spike replied "I can smell it from here you know."

"Guess it's goin' to take some time." Applebloom sighed "why don't we return for now? Ah wanna know what's up with Pinkie and the others."

"... Go back?" The pegasus repeated, then looked up determined "I want to go too... I want to go back!" Then she turned towards the Doctor "please Doctor? Can we go back?" The Doctor thought about it for a moment then nodded.

"Very well then." The Doctor then turned to the RID "we will come with you, unless you have any objections."

"Ah don't see why not." Applebloom shook her head. "You're more than welcome to join us!"

"I believe we need to make some introductions." Flash stepped up "my name is Flash Sentry, 2IC of the Canterlot Royal guard and leader of the Royal Investigation Division. These are my allies and friends, Applebloom, Octavia Melody and Spike."

"Nice to meet you. I am known as the Doctor, and she is Derpy. That's what we call each other." The Doctor introduced,

"Hmm... Doctor and Derpy right?" Octavia repeated "don't worry, we won't leave you behind."

"Oh! Thank you!" Derpy cried with relief,

"so, shall we make the trip back?" Spike asked and the group nodded. Just as they were about to make their way back out, pools of black sludge started forming in front of them, which morphed into the shape of familiar enemies.

"Shadows..." Octavia sighed.

"Three shadows again! 2 of the enemies has been fought before, but there's one new enemy! That pool of sludge wearing a mask!" Vinyl informed

"Allow me." The Doctor volunteered. "Do you know the weaknesses of the monsters?"

"The data I have from the Lying Hableries shows that they are weak to bash attacks, as well as fire and electricity." Vinyl informed "I still don't know what happens to them when hit by the instant-kill elements of light and dark. As for that sludge, I think it's called a Cowardly Maya. I have nothing on that shadow."

"When it comes to harnessing the lethal nature of light and dark. Twilight and her persona would be the mare for the job." Flash replied "for now, let's use the 4 main elements." As the two mares and dragon were occupied with the two hableries, the maya decides to sneak up against the two stallions.

"Crap! Watch out!" Flash warned, and jumped in front of the shadow to defend the duo from getting hurt.

"Flash!" Derpy cried "you're hurt!"

"I-It's ok." Flash comforted as he tried to hold the pain. "I've been through worse scrapes than this."

"Don't you move! I'll fix you up!" Derpy cheered. A small light surrounded Flash and healed up his wounds.

"No way..." Flash gasped as he felt his pain burning away. "You can use healing skills?"

"I normally deal with the offence." The Doctor explained "but whenever I get in trouble, Derpy patches me up. I find her healing skills a necessity when she's with me."

"Octavia's backup as healer. I'll be sure to remember that." Flash replied "now, Izanagi!" Flash yelled and summoned the large pony. "Let's cut through their defenses, Raikouzan!" In response, the blade of Izanagi's naginata started to release sparks, to which Izanagi sliced the Maya with his electrically-charged naginata.

"Yes! That's a weak point!" Vinyl analysed

"Doctor!" Derpy called "Applebloom, Octavia and Spike are having trouble!" As she watched the other three busy dodging the dark tongues of the shadows without any chance to fight back.

"Did that voice say that Fire is their weakness?" The Doctor thought to himself "let's find out." Setting some of his ammunition aflame, he aimed at one Hablerie and fired. As the fiery arrow struck the floating shadow, some of the fire seemed to spread to the other shadow, catching them both off guard. "Now's your chance!" The Doctor yelled,

"right!" Spike nodded and charged at the distracted shadow and started rending it asunder. "Feel my combined powers of a baby dragon and bear costume!"

"Spike..." Octavia sighed "never mind... Are you ready Konohana Sakuya?" With a nod from the blossom-princess, Octavia held her fan like a cello bow and memorized the music a recent piece on which she drew her fan to it's rhythm. In synchronisation, Konohana moved her wings and danced to the music playing in Octavia's mind. As a result, the fire that was released from her wings danced beautifully across the room and surrounded the enemy. Octavia and Konohana bowed to an imaginary audience as the shadow behind them was trapped by their cage of fire, burning to ash.

"A marvelous symphony." Flash applauded in the little amount of time that he could catch a break, "but two enemies are still remaining."

"Applebloom!" Spike yelled "can you give me some help?"

"Oh all right..." Applebloom sighed, and with a furious buck kick from Tomoe, the shadow was sent flying across the room and exploded when it collided with the wall.

"One more left..." The Doctor gestured towards the Maya "leave this to me." The Doctor fired a few arrows at the shadow to get it's attention, causing the Maya to charge forward like a mad bull.

"You can do it Doctor!" Derpy cheered as the Doctor whispered "Bane Slice" which seemed to invoke some force invisible to the naked eye to invoke a purple slicing wave that cut the Maya in two, before it dissolved into sludge and dust.

"It's over..." The Doctor sighed

"Applebloom?" Octavia spotted "don't tell me you're collecting the remains of the shadows again."

"What the problem with that?" Applebloom reasoned "there's some use for it, Spike said so!"

"Applebloom, any remnants of shadows can be very dangerous." Flash warned "what if they were to regenerate and strike?"

"It's actually not dangerous Flash." Spike informed "here, touch this and tell me if it's not lethal." And tossed a shadow piece to Flash. The piece landed harmlessly onto Flash's hooves without doing any damage.

"I still don't see a reason on why that's necessary to collect them..." Flash reasoned

"Don't give me that doubt." Applebloom tested "you clearly well know that your soldier smithy friend uses these materials for our weapons!"

"You catch on very quick Applebloom." Flash grinned "I guess you are very observant after all. But there is still one reason why I wouldn't hesitate not to pick these remains up."

"Really?" Spike asked "they become weapons, why wouldn't we pick them up?"

"And who turns these remains into weapons?" Flash retorted "without Silver Hammer, they are left as inconvenient weight."

"Oh, I didn't think that through..." Applebloom lowered her head in shame along with Spike.

"However..." Flash pocketed the shadow piece with a smile on his face, "leaving the remains of shadows alone has a higher chance of regenerating. We'll take them for now."

"Just don't take long." Octavia sighed "I bet Pinkie and the rest are waiting for us."

The 5 ponies and dragon stepped out of the labyrinth to meet the rest of the RID.

"Welcome back!" Vinyl greeted

"took you long enough." Twilight replied, "now let's share information with each other."

"Twily went with me to clarify my previous findings that we can't get out." Pinkie explained "sure enough, we can't. We are officially-ticially trapped!"

"Octavia's secret passage that leads to her house in Canterlot does not exist anymore." Twilight explained "all the ponies do seem to acting very strange whenever we ask them anything but Ponyville and the cultural festival, they don't even seem to know about the labyrinths. It's highly likely that Canterlot does not seem to exist in this world."

"Perhaps there's some meaning behind it?" Flash asked

"I don't know..." Twilight shrugged "next thing on the agenda, I need you all to come to the clock tower. Replacing it with my castle requires some information."

The clock tower that replaced Twilight's castle loomed over the RID, Doctor and Derpy as they approached closer and closer.

"So this is the thing that replaced Twilight's castle eh?" Lyra asked

"I've remembered the history of Ponyville." Twilight gathered "long ago, there was indeed a clock tower located in Ponyville. But it was a very small clock monument. For unknown reasons, it was demolished and replaced with the Golden Oak Library."

"Which was recently destroyed by Tirek" Flash continued "and from the keys of the mystery box created Twilight's castle."

"But for some reason, this clock tower is back. And bigger than ever." Twilight mused "have we traveled back in time?"

"It looks like you can fit a lot of ponies in it." Pinkie theorized "but there's not a single entrance!"

"Is the clock tower broken?" Octavia asked, as the clock seemed to freeze at 11 o' clock.

"I don't think so." Spike noted "it's moving very slowly..."

"Uh..." Derpy and the Doctor looked very uncomfortable as they lay their eyes on the clock tower.

"Ey! Are you guys okay?" Applebloom asked

"N-Nothing... It's fine." Derpy sighed

"Well then, why don't we visit the Velvet Room?" Octavia suggested "maybe Celestia knows what's going on!"

"My oh my..." Celestia sighed as the RID and the other two ponies arrived "what mess have you little whelps got me into?"

"Oh come on! What did we do wrong?" Lyra asked

"The only thing I can do is receive messages from our own Equestria... I can't seem to contact Luna either..." Celestia pouted "I want cake!"

"I don't really see why you need to fret Princess." Twilight explained "no one's going to recognize you in this cultural festival. You can buy as much cake as you want!"

"Hmm... I guess that will do." Celestia smiled a little. "Now, may I know your new friends here?"

"This is the Doctor, and this is Derpy." Applebloom introduced,

"Nice to meet you!" Derpy greeted "want a muffin?"

"Hmm..." Celestia stared at the two.

"Is there something wrong princess?" Octavia asked,

"I have known these ponies before, and yet... They look different to what I was expecting..."

"Are you saying that there is anything suspicious about them?" Flash asked

"Tell me." Celestia started "do you know anything about Ponyville here?"

"Well..." Derpy tried to remember when the Doctor interrupted

"When we woke up, we found ourselves here. We can't remember anything before that..."

"Our memories were taken from us..." Derpy replied.

"What! Taken?" Octavia gasped "how can that be possible?"

"So you can't remember anything except the fact that you know your memories were taken from you?"

"Yes." Derpy nodded "even though our memories were taken from us."

"There's only one lead that we can follow in this investigation." Flash concluded "and that's to explore the labyrinth."

"Flash?" Celestia asked

"This Ponyville looks like the real deal, but I refuse to believe it for a second." Flash glared

"But... We're going to need some supplies if we want to venture on..." Octavia replied

"And much better quality weapons!" Applebloom added

"Weapons?" Derpy asked "I know a great place! Follow me!"

"Are you sure?" Twilight asked

"It's better than nothing!" Pinkie winked and with Derpy in the lead, they set off for the handcrafted workshop.

"Interesting..." Celestia wondered "I feel like that this place is an unstable haven in the rift between dreams and reality. Much deeper than The Velvet Room..." Suddenly, Celestia broke out of her trance and realised "maybe I should follow the RID."

Meanwhile, inside 'You in Wonderland', the entire SOES regrouped at the first room of the labyrinth.

"Guess the handcrafted workshop was full of toy weapons after all. But at least we learnt that Joe is a weapon-smith too!" Rainbow decided

"He turned that Shadow Piece into a neat weapon!" Applejack noted, nodding towards Soarin's new Short Blade.

"It does look sharper than a golf club." Rarity smiled,

"Why would you mention a golf club Rarity?" BonBon asked,

"it's something Pinkie would say." Rarity giggled

"Leader." Sweetie started "we will all venture together with you, should you need to change party members, Palladion and my weaponry will assist you in any necessary protection or extermination."

"With my broadsword and Hermes on my side, we'll burn and bash anything!" Rainbow jumped

"And I'll blow away any extra mess and unnecessary wounds Rainbow creates with my trusty bow and Io!" BonBon replied,

"That's rude!!!" Rainbow blurted

"Lucia and I will always support you from afar!" Fluttershy cheered

"I may be small." Scootaloo spoke up "but I can sure as well support you with my spear and Nemesis, any enemy that gets in your way will be either defeated by the wrath of the skies or in a flash of light!"

"Arf! Arf!" Winona barked with encouragement

"She says that with her dual knives and Cerberus, she will assist you in the firefight or in the shadows of darkness." Sweetie translated

"Thanks everypony." Soarin nodded "let's do this!" And the SOES marched forward.

An hour later, the entire RID stopped at the first room.

"It's going to be a tough battle from here on out." Flash addressed "but we're all in this together. We work towards marching forward and healing each other. We will make it to the end. We leave no pony behind." And pulled out his newly built long sword "Izanagi and I will make sure that happens."

"Oh Flash." Pinkie laughed "you're so overprotective! I wonder what you will say if you picked up a toy katana from the workshop? Thank Celestia that she had the knowledge to turn that Shadow Piece into a proper long sword. Who knew that the first time you entered, you were actually carrying a golf club instead of a sword?"

"I guess I didn't check my weapon properly." Flash sighed in embarrassment, receiving giggles from the others.

"Anyway, don't leave us in the dust." Pinkie continued "you protected us for so long, it's our turn to protect you too. We're partners after all right? I'm sure my dual knives and Jiraiya will send them flying before you even know it!"

"Count me in." Lyra cheered "if there's a wall of shadows in the way, I'll break them down with a chair or shield along with Take-Mikazuchi! We'll bring the thunder AND lightning!"

"Flash" Vinyl mock saluted "Himiko and I will always keep a close eye on your surroundings! And will play our role of support too!"

"Flash." Twilight approached "as the Princess of Magic and Friendship, I would never be more honoured to assist you in combat. With my skills in using my magic altering and enhancing gun as well as mastering the powers of Light and Darkness with Sukuna-Hikona, I'll study our enemies before sending them to the endless sky or the bottomless abyss. Who knows? Maybe I'll learn something Almighty."

"We'll fight too." The Doctor replied "I'll shoot them till they stop moving."

"And I'll support you in anyway possible!" Derpy smiled

"Thank you for all your care and support." Flash nodded "it does my heart good to see that we all fight together. Everypony, move out!" He commanded and the RID with the 2 amnesiac ponies marched towards the unknown.

Meanwhile, a spider was crawling in the darkness, until it stopped on someone's hoof.

"Finally..." A low dark voice echoed, holding the spider, "finally, it will begin..."

" 'Time' Resumes..."

Character Database: Soarin

Race: Pegasus

Character Role: P3 Hero/Makoto Yuki/Minato Arisato

Main Persona: Orpheus (Fool)

Soarin is one of the members of the Wonderbolts, who seems to like eating pie quite a lot. As Spitfire, the leader of the Wonderbolts, was busy with the academy, Soarin occasionally visited Ponyville as a part-time coach in a wide variety of sport as well as to help any pegasi who are unable to use their wings (like Scootaloo). He stumbled into the world of Persona's and Shadows was when he decided to rest at the Ponyville inn for one night. Suddenly, he woke up into an unfamiliar atmosphere. Everything was very similar to him, but was fully covered in night-vision green. The moon was green, the sky was green, almost everything in his view was portraying a colour that symbolizes the darkness. As he wandered around Ponyville at that time, he saw an earth pony raising an evoker to her head, facing a giant-like monster. As the monster attacked the mare, the evoker slid out of her grasp and straight to Soarin's. In order to try and save the mare's life, Soarin tried to copy the mare's actions, by putting the evoker to his head and firing, even though knowing that this was an action of sacrificing one's self to protect another, this is how his persona Orpheus was born. However, Orpheus changed into a fearsome persona with the face of death, which fully ripped apart the large monster. Once the bloody carnage was settled, the fearsome persona transformed back into Orpheus. As small animate pieces of the large shadow remain, Soarin had no problem taking them out with Orpheus and rescuing the mare. A few days later, he was approached by a small team that explained all about the identity of the monsters that night as well as the identity of the mysterious being that popped out of Soarin. Given a personal evoker for himself as well as joining the team. Soarin became a member, and eventually, the field leader of the Specialized Operational Eradication Society, determined to eradicate all the shadows.

Special Tips: Soarin is a good all-round fighter that learns fire skills, along with his special status skill Dekaja, which nullifies any stat buffs on the enemies. His most defining stat is his magic attack, followed by his luck. Although his strength and agility are balanced together as third place, his endurance seems to be the lowest of his stats. He is good at almost everything and is suited best in the front row due to his short sword (melee cut). A big drawback combat is that he has no elemental resistance and has weaknesses to Electricity and Darkness.

You in Wonderland: Chapter 1 (part 2)

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The SOES were busy traversing the endless labyrinth, desperate to look for a way to delve further into the labyrinth.

"It's going to be pretty tough from here on out, we're going to need a map to be able to know our way through." Rarity stated

"I've got a map..." Sweetie volunteered "I am able to scan our surroundings and record them down. Should you need navigation to a certain location, you can speak to me."

"Roger." Soarin nodded.

"Incoming Shadows to your left!" Fluttershy alerted

"No sweat!" Applejack chuckled "ah could use some training after all!"

"Ugh..." Big Mac sighed as Applejack and Polyduces charged into the horde of Lying Hableries. With the alternative attacks of her fists and Zio attacks, the shadows collapsed into motes and dust, one by one. Unfortunately, there were more Hableries than that and as soon as they got the chance to strike, each casted Bufu straight towards Applejack dealing serious damage and leaving her on the ground.

"Ah-Ah need some help!" Applejack yelped.

"Arf! Arf!" Winona jumped next to Applejack and with a howl, summoned Cerberus, a three-headed black dog that had pitchforks as it's legs. Cerberus proceeded to summon a circle of purple fire, creating a diamond-like seal surrounding one of the hableries, when the seal exploded, the unlucky Hablerie disintegrated along with it.

"Why aren't you the special one Winona." Applejack petted Winona after getting up. "How could ah ever forget that Mudo?"

"Now is not the time for comfort." Sweetie warned "there are still many Hableries remaining." The long-tongue shadows viciously licked their lips at Winona and charged straight towards her.

"But I shall do something about that." Sweetie finished and leapt in front of the dog "Summoning Palladion!" She commanded, summoning a blue pony with a yellow tail. However, the head of this persona was replaced with a large contraption that comes with a helmet, top body armor, and a spinning electric stake pointing out. Only a mechanical mask of the mare's face can be seen surrounding part of the stake.

"Palladion, launch a single shot!" Sweetie commanded. In response, Palladion aimed her stake at a column of enemies and fired a sharp bolt that pierced two hableries which decomposed into sludge and dark motes.

"It's not over yet!" Big Mac glared as he drove his hammer through the a few more hableries and with one mighty swing from Castor's horse stick, crushed the remaining hableries until the coast was clear.

"Enemies are defeated. The room is clear for now." Fluttershy analysed

"Alright!!! We did it!" Applejack cheered in victory while at the same time, applied some medicine to her frozen wounds.

"Tsk... Don't be so reckless again..." Big Mac sternly spoke

"Arf! Arf!" Winona barked

"She says that if only Applebloom was here, then it would truly show the connection and love of the Apple Family." Sweetie translated

"But seriously." Applejack reasoned "we have to keep her out of this. It's to show how much we love and cherish her that we need to keep her out of danger. Besides, do you know how silly she'd look if the little gal started fighting with her persona? And don't get me started on what her persona's like."

"Haaaahhh!!!!!" In another room far away from the SOES, Applebloom furiously drove one of her front hooves downward on a Cowardly Maya, destroying it's mask and allowing it's sludgy form to crumble and melt into dust.

"Wow Applebloom!" Octavia complimented "you look spectacular!"

"Thanks Octy!" Applebloom blushed

"It's not over yet Miss Octavia and Miss Applebloom." Flash warned "there's still a bunch of shadows over there" and pointed to a group of Mayas.

"Ta!" Twilight yelled as she fired a few shots from her special revolver, managing to take out a few Mayas. More Mayas continued to urge on towards the Princess.

"It's come to this I guess." Twilight breathed and her Tarot card appeared above her. Aiming the gun at the card, she fired a single shot to break the card and summoned Sukuna-Hikona, a navy blue pegasus with a white tail that seems to have it's wings replaced by a hang-glider. It also dons a fully covered fencing-like helmet that only showed her yellow black eyes and had two yellow perpendicular leaf stalks on the helmet as an accessory. The pegasus wore a yellow tie and brandished a plasma sword which she held to 'attention'.

"Sukuna-Hikona." Twilight commanded "show them the boundaries of your power!" With a nod, her persona swiftly flew through the horde of enemies and slashed any Maya in her sight within a split second each. After flying past her row of shadows, the shadows burst into dust and sludge.

"Not bad!" Twilight complimented "think it's a new personal best?" Sukuna shrugged at that question before disappearing.

"I think she's the best as always." Flash replied

"Really?" Twilight blushed "I mean, she's got a pretty high magic stat but all she can learn are light and dark moves, I'm still trying to see how she could learn Megido..."

"A medium almighty attack." Flash chorused "that's pretty difficult..."

"Besides," Twilight continued "she always keeps on daydreaming."

"Daydreaming? Are telling me that Sukuna-Hikona daydreams?"

"Yeah, she's been daydreaming about something and I can't tell what it is."

"Interesting... Let's talk about it later, Spike's getting mauled by those shadow's claws." Flash reminded

"Oh come on!!!" Spike yelled as he swung his claws to the ground, attempting to strike a Maya, "can you stop moving around so much!?"

"Spike!" Flash yelled "use your persona!!!"

"Oh okay!" Spike remembered and shattered his tarot card to summon Kintoki-Douji.

"Let's send out a Mabufu Mr Douji!" Spike encouraged. As Kintoki spun around and around with increasing velocity, steam escaped from his sides against the surrounding Mayas. All the Mayas that came into contact were frozen on the spot. With a snap of Spike's fingers, the ice and shadows shattered into small ice fragments as well as the occasional remains of dust and sludge.

"Huh, now why haven't I thought of that before?" Spike asked Kintoki-Douji, who returned an unhappy somersault.

"Sorry I had been neglecting you lately, always trying to focus on using my claws. But you are a part of me, so I should also use you too." With Spike's apology, Kintoki-Douji bounced happily while materializing back to a card.

"We should provide back up to the others." Flash replied and the three set off.

"Wow!" BonBon replied amazed as the SOES trotted through the complex path-splitting hallways. "The entire hallway is decorated with cards!"

"Indeed." Rarity nodded as she inspected some of the paper flowers, cards and bushes. "This is indeed a representation of 'Alice in Wonderland'."

"Are there labyrinths involved in the book?" Rainbow asked

"yes" Fluttershy answered "the storybook says that Alice had to traverse the labyrinth in order to meet the queen of hearts."

"So at the end of the labyrinth, we'll confront into the queen..." Soarin said to himself

"What did you say leader?" Scootaloo asked, fear rising in her voice.

"It's nothing." Soarin replied, devoid of expression.

"Um... Everypony?" Fluttershy stuttered

"what's wrong Flutters?" Rainbow asked "you sound scared."

"There's some powerful shadow in the room next to you, it seems like it means business!"

"WOAH!!!" Pinkie gasped at a large bipedal card walking around.

"What in Celestia is that thing!?" Twilight asked

"Fysis Oikein Eidolon" the Doctor answered

"I beg your pardon?" Octavia replied

"Fysis Oikein Eidolon" the Doctor repeated

"Man! That's a mouthful to describe an enemy like that." Applebloom gulped "why don't we all call it something simpler?"

"Fysis Oikein Eidolon..." Flash repeated a few number of times... "F...O...E..."

"That doesn't sound bad!" Lyra overheard "why don't we call them FOE's for short?"

"FOE it is then!" Vinyl agreed over the Persona comm line.

"By the way..." Derpy replied. "Do you know where we are going?"

"Currently, I am trying to remember and recall the paths we have taken and the paths we have not. Unfortunately, I am not sure if I am able to record the entire maze."

"Then why don't we use this?" The Doctor asked and passed a notebook to Flash "I think you can use this as a map as a guide around the labyrinth."

"A splendid idea." Flash remarked as he quickly drew down the pathways that they came through. "Thank you very much."

"Hmm..." Twilight watched as the FOE was moving in a pattern. "I see..."

"What is it Twily?" Pinkie asked

"It seems the FOE has a pattern it follows while it doesn't pay any attention to us."

"But unless we block it's path." The Doctor finished "it will do battle with us."

"Then the obvious choice is to stay out of it's way." Lyra sighed, and making sure that they avoid getting in the FOE's way, they managed to enter the door to the next room.

"Phew!!!" Rainbow took in a breath of relief as the last shadow disintegrated after being skewered by her sword.

"Another shadow group down." Fluttershy noted "but there's still going to be more..."

"Hey..." Scootaloo noted "I think a few of the shadows dropped this." And showed the group 3 blank cards.

"Analysis complete." Sweetie inspected "they are nicely-framed cards that has nothing on the front, but a peculiar design of a half-black, half-white mask on the back."

"Hmm... Maybe we should hold on to it for now..." Rarity advised. Soarin nodded slowly and plopped the cards into their inventory.

"Yawn... All this travellin is making me tried." Applebloom moaned

"well, why don't we rest at a dead end of the labyrinth?" Octavia suggested

"that sounds pretty dangerous if you ask me." Twilight cringed

"Or what about that glowy spot over there?" Lyra suggested, pointing towards a circle of light. The light continued shining as the RID surrounded it.

"What is this?" Spike asked as he tried to inspect anything inside it.

"I don't know what it is..." Vinyl analysed "but it appears to draw forth power."

"Power?" The Doctor asked

"maybe if you enter it and take a look around, something good may pop out!"

"shall we call it a power spot then?" Twilight suggested "to simply put it in terms, it's some small area that seems to expel power."

"That would do." Flash nodded

"Then let's try it out!" Pinkie replied and jumped into the spot.

"Lady Pinkie!" Flash warned

"Oooh!" Pinkie gasped "I'm seeing a lot of special stuff in here! Check this out!" And pulled out a page with a picture of a cake.

"Wait... That's it?" Lyra inspected with disappointment.

"Hmm..." Vinyl analysed then muttered something away from the comm line before returning with an answer "apparently, Celestia can use these materials to build better weapons and sundries. So grab as much as you can."

"Alright!" Pinkie jumped with glee and landed back in the power spot. Rummaging for more.

In another area of the labyrinth, the SOES were busy looking at a mysterious pocket watch hanging on top of a wall segment.

"What is this?" Rainbow asked "this looks different than any other wall."

"It looks like a normal accessory, but it seems to be some sort of device..." Fluttershy analysed "try noting it down for later."

"Understood." Sweetie nodded. As the SOES continued travelling through the labyrinth, they came in contact with yet another pocket watch similar to the one they found from before.

"Another one?" Rarity wondered loudly

"It appears this wall is right opposite a path that we have recently traversed.

"Oh look! There's a button!" Rainbow noted and pressed it.

"H-Hey! Don't press random buttons for nothing!" BonBon warned before it was to late.

"Woah!" Big Mac noted after some shadow cape swiftly covered the view around them and when it lifted, they were in an entirely different area in the labyrinth!

"Rainbow!!!" Applejack scolded "what did you do!?"

"I-I didn't mean any harm!" Rainbow defended with fear, "a-all I just did was click a button on the clock. Look! There's the clock over there! We can click it and go back!"

"Or will it lead us to another area!?" BonBon glared

"Hold." Sweetie interrupted, "from my map's database, we are currently at a place that we have been before."

"Really?" Big Mac asked

"Now that you look at it" Rarity looked around "it does seem familiar..."

"If I may demonstrate" Sweetie instructed "there are two adjacent hallways that is separated by a wall. Now on a wall, there is that 'pocket watch' on one of the wall segments, but there is also another on the exact opposite side. This watch mechanism is to allow passage through these walls. However, in order to activate the secret passage, the mechanism on the furthest side must be activated. Then we can just hop between walls without having to walk for a long distance. I believe the single word to describe this mechanism is a 'shortcut'."

"Oh..." Applejack calmed down in shame "so all Rainbow did was to open up a short cut to minimise trotting distance."

"That is correct." Sweetie nodded

"Hah! Yes! One point to me for contributing to the team!" Rainbow cheered

"don't push it." BonBon sighed "you didn't even know what that thing did in the first place."

"Enough fighting guys." Soarin broke up "otherwise, this journey home will be over before it even starts."

"Arf Arf!" Winona barked

"Hey!" Scootaloo called "it seems that Winona found something!"

"It says that he sees a shadow that is in the form of a golden hand." Sweetie translated

"A golden hand?" Fluttershy gasped "that shadow is very rare! It's remains are worth a fortune!"

"Really?" Soarin replied "I wouldn't believe that such a walking hand would be so rare. Besides, what can it do--"

"Everypony attack!" Rarity commanded, but whatever the SOES threw at it, the Wealth Hand saw it all. It stepped away from Rarity's rapier lunge, jumped over Rainbow's broadsword, ducked under Sweetie's magic missiles and even made sure that BonBon's arrow was fired through it's fingers.

"Woah! That's impressive." Soarin replied "I'll take back what I said about that hand." And drew his sword "but now it's my turn!" Soarin flew straight towards the enemy and successfully managed a cut on the hand.

"Well done leader!" Fluttershy commended "but that's only one damage dealt."

"WHAT!?"

"Don't worry! Hands like these have 5 HP only!"

"Oh okay." Soarin calmed. However, a snap from the shadow's fingers casted Mudo against Soarin.

"Oh no..." Soarin replied emotionless face until the dark energy exploded, leaving behind a lifeless pegasus.

"S-Sorry..." Was all Soarin could mutter before he died.

"Leader!" Rainbow yelled and rushed to his side "are you all right?"

"I... Can't read his vitals... His body temperature's very low..." Fluttershy reported, the sound of crying can be heard.

"Dammit Soarin! Don't give up on us!" Rainbow grabbed. "Use this!" And attached a revival bead to his neck. The bead disintegrates into magic energy and buries itself into Soarin's body. A moment later, Soarin's eyes opened again and regained consciousness as he stood back up.

"Did I die?" Soarin asked

"Not on our watch." Rainbow sighed with relief. As everypony was distracted with Soarin, the Wealth Hand made it's chance to escape.

"We'll get it next time." Rarity growled

In another area, Pinkie was happily pulling out every material that she can find in the power spot. A Cake Page, a Mushroom Page, and the rarest one that she could find, a Tart Page.

"Quite the number of materials you got." Twilight analysed

"I know right?" Pinkie replied with glee "if we sell this, we'll get a lot of bits and better equipment!"

"Wait!" Vinyl yelled "I feel like the power spot has just increased in power."

"Meaning?" Flash asked

"Two ways can either go from here. Either the spot will yield something very nice, which would probably be the Tart Page again."

"And the other way?" The Doctor asked

"I can feel the presence of shadows here. So if you go the other way, shadows WILL pop out of that spot and WILL get the jump on you. It won't be very pretty..."

"So?" Lyra replied, eager for a decision.

"Your move Pinkie." Octavia replied "if it turns out to be the path of shadows, we'll back you up."

"Thanks everypony!" Pinkie replied "because I'm going to do it one more time!" And continued delving into the power spot, unaware that the mist of shadows were lurking out of the spot.

"Look out!" Flash warned as the mist of shadows surrounded them. As the RID recovered from their coughing fits, they spot two tables wearing masks and levitating items. Although it's hard to see, but these table shadows are laughing at them.

"Damn... Laughing Tables!" Lyra growled.

"Look's like they've got the jump on us..." Vinyl informed

"Take cover!" Flash warned before the tables started tossing it's levitating items towards the party, dealing quite a lot of damage to the ponies, the worst being Twilight as she was stabbed in her hind leg by a machete.

"Argh!!!" Twilight grimaced over the pain as she returned a few shots from her magic pistol. One of the tables lost footing against the counter and fell flat on the floor.

"Princess! That hit was very dangerous!" Vinyl gasped "if you don't do anything soon, you'll die!"

"Here, let me help. Konohana Sakuya?" Octavia comforted while Konohana casted Dia. Blue shining motes of light. Fell from the Persona's wings onto Twilight's wound, which soon healed it's wound.

"Th-Thanks..." Twilight breathed with relief.

"Be careful." Vinyl warned. "But on the bright side, I've learnt that this enemy is weak to your piercing magic bolts!"

"Stab attacks huh?" Spike replied

"Unfortunately" Flash sighed "out of our weapons, Twilight is the only one that has basic stab attacks, while the majority of us are cut attacks."

"We've got to find another weakness..." Lyra stated.

"I won't forgive you for harming the Princess!" Octavia yelled and in response, Konohana sent an Agi attack on the second table, also knocking it down.

"Fire is another weakness!" Vinyl analysed

"I'm not done yet! Sukuna-Hikona, take them down with Hama and Mudo!" As Sukuna-Hikona was summoned, her perpendicular leaf stalks started glowing as she raised her sword to attention. 4 cards of light surrounded one while a diamond of darkness surrounded the other, as both light and dark seals disintegrated with a flash, only a few desk legs and pieces were left behind.

"Phew... That was close..." Pinkie sighed,

"Pinkie!!!" Twilight scolded "why did you--"

"It's not her fault princess." Flash interrupted with a death stare "it could happen to any of us, she didn't know and we didn't know there would be shadows coming out from the power spot."

"Speaking of the power spot, It's readings are gone now. I think you depleted the spot." Vinyl, noted

"Aww..." Pinkie sighed,

"don't worry, it will appear the next time we enter the labyrinth!" Vinyl replied "but for now, we must continue forward--"

"Say, are those?" Octavia spotted two blank cards lying on the floor.

"More of these white cards?" Lyra continued "That means 2 cards plus 3 cards from what we picked up before makes 5 total."

"Oh cool! Look like you can do basic arithmetic after all!" Spike mocked

"Say that again, I dare you!" Lyra bellowed, anger rising in her voice.

"Hey Flash, can you show us the map?" Twilight asked

"yes milady." Flash nodded passing the notebook to the princess.

"Hmm..." Twilight inspected "It looks like you are keeping a sharp tab on our surroundings. A nicely drawn map, do you think we get something good if we managed to explore the entire labyrinth?"

"Well let's see... We've got a few ways to go and some shortcuts to uncover" Flash replied. "And apparently--" He pointed to an area where a large gate with a set of stairs going downwards further into the labyrinth. "There are some stairs!"

"So let's see what we've got. In this labyrinth, we saw 2 FOE's, a few shortcuts, some materials in the form of pictures. Three different types of shadows and blah blah blah..." Twilight's started rambling about all that they have seen in this labyrinth. Meanwhile, the rest of the RIB watched in horror as ample amounts of sludge and dust started forming in front of the stairs, revealing multiple Lying Hableries, Cowardly Mayas and Laughing Tables, guarding the way forward.

"Twilight?" Pinkie tried to get her attention but she continued on rambling about the appearance of the labyrinth.

"Twilight..." Octavia joined in but the Princess then started talking about the description and aesthetics of the materials found on the floor.

"Twilight?" Derpy called with fear in her voice, "th-the shadows are coming." But then Twilight began describing the shadows and FOE's seen on this floor.

"Twilght!" Spike and Lyra yelled

"Milday!" Flash yelled with them.

"Yes?" Twilight changed her attention.

"Can we discuss and evaluate this area after we advance down the stairs?" Flash asked

"But we can't now since there are shadows in the way." Twilight inspected until she gasped in horror "there are that many shadows in the way!? How did this happen?"

"To busy lecturing your own self!" Pinkie teased "that's what you get!"

"Unfortunately, what's done is done." Lyra sighed and levitated her folding chair, "now let's get fighting!"

"I've got a plan of attack." Flash informed "but it's going to need all of you."

"We are all in sir!" Applebloom saluted

"We trust you." Octavia remarked

"Right. Octavia? Milady? Can both of you fire an endless barrage of ranged fire, stab and ice attacks?"

"That shouldn't be hard." Octavia chuckled, Twilight loaded her magic pistol as a sign to show that she was ready.

"Can you help as well?" Flash asked the Doctor "your arrows and Fire Spray would assist greatly."

"My pleasure." The Doctor nodded and armed his bowguns.

"You can do it Doctor!" Derpy cheered

"On my mark. Open fire!" Flash commanded

"Konohana Sakuya!" Octavia summoned and the three ponies began firing at the shadow horde with magic bullets, fire balls and ammunition of different substances.

"Keep them back! Knock them down!" Flash instructed "when they're suppressed, the rest of us will initiate an all-out attack!"

"Stay down." The Doctor ordered, as the shadows began to crawl towards the group, while being pushed back by projectiles.

"Where do you think you're going?" Octavia asked as Konohana threw a fireball at a shadow attempting to get close. No matter how may shadows they push back, more joined the advance and the attacked shadows continued marching.

"They're not going down, and more of them are coming!" Vinyl assessed, as the three ponies fired as much as they can at the ever-approaching shadows. The remaining 5 RID members were ready to summon their personas if the shadow horde lunged at them, initiating the defence formation

"If we continue firing at single targets at this rate..." Twilight gasped "the shadows will be all over the front team!"

"Well thank goodness there is this 'boost state', otherwise, I'd already get tired." Octavia replied with boredom as she watched Konohana continually casting Agi's towards the shadows until all of a sudden, she stopped.

"Konohana?" Octavia asked "is something the matter?" The large pegasus knelt down beside Octavia and whispered something that was inaudible to everypony but the Cellist.

"Is that so? Well that is an excellent idea!" Octavia beamed with excitement. As the pony and her persona faced the unfaltering horde of shadows. Determination flared in the grey mare's eyes.

"Enough with the single targets. I will burn you all!" Octavia threatened and yelled "Maragi!" Konohana Sakuya immediately flew high in to the air and changing her wings to her glider form in order to absorb and charge up her fire. When there was enough energy, Konohana flew over the shadow horde, dropping the endless and numerous amounts of Agi projectiles that make up Maragi onto the entire shadow group. Nearly all of the shadows were stunned or knocked down, though a few remain stable to continue on approaching.

"There is a moment of opportunity there! Take the attack!" Vinyl spotted

"Understood! Is everypony ready?" Flash asked

"Born ready!" Pinkie replied, grasping her knives and kunais.

"Let me at em!" Applebloom growled, bumping her hooves together, eager for a beatdown.

"Bring it!" Lyra bellowed, swinging her folding chair

"It's time to rock the dragon!" Spike posed, reflecting his claw weapopn against the shadows.

"All together now! All-out attack!" Flash commanded

"Raaahhhh!!!" Lyra yelled as the 4 ponies and dragon charged straight into the horde and with all the excessive slashing, bashing and NOT stabbing, since Twilight and the Doctor were already occupied. The ruckus created immense clouds of dust which increase in volume with every minute. In the end, large skull-shaped cloud took form before disappearing along with the decimated shadow horde.

"Yes! Victory!!!" Twilight smiled

"Here comes the EXP!!!" Pinkie cheered

"I guess with every encounter, we would understand more about the enemy and how to fight them." Octavia tried to understand Pinkie's comment "I guess it can also train and power up the moves of our Personas. Just like how Konohana learnt Maragi." She turned to her Persona "thank you Konohana, you saved us all." Konohana replied with a bow of appreciation before disappearing.

"Do you think she'd be a good musician?" Applebloom asked

"I'm not sure" Octavia giggled "but I know she's a great dancer!"

"That much is true." Flash nodded

"Anyway, should we continue onwards? I mean, before those things show up again." Lyra suggested

"Yes." The Doctor nodded "I think its the best plan for now."

"B-But Doctor..." Derpy pulled with her trembling hooves.

"Don't be afraid Derpy, stay by my side. I'll protect you." The Doctor comforted.

"Everypony, march onward." Flash commanded and the RID traversed into a new floor.

"Are you sure that's everything?" BonBon asked as they approached the stairs leading downwards.

"That is correct." Sweetie answered "we have nearly explored the entire area now. All we need is to step on that space, and exploration of this area will be complete."

"But it appears that there is another labyrinth down there." Rarity pointed towards the stairs. "It's going to be another maze."

"Hey everypony!" Rainbow called out, the SOES turned so see Rainbow land on the spot that Aigis mentioned. As if the labyrinth knew that the entire labyrinth was complete, a large treasure box magically appeared next to the stairs.

"Hey!" Scootaloo called "do you think that treasure box is our reward for finishing the entire maze on this floor?"

"Since Rainbow has stepped on the last unexplored spot, this seems to make the treasure box appear. The evidence shown holds some truth to Scootaloo's theory." Sweetie analysed

"Well, shall we open it? I wonder what spoils we get for hard work!" Applejack grinned

"Maybe it's a trap." Big Mac warned

"There's no traps in there." Fluttershy comforted "I've checked inside, there's no hostile readings. Just some item."

"Then it's probably a rare one." Soarin sighed "I'll open it." And as light streams out of the treasure box, lo and behold, Soarin comes out with a heal stone.

"What a convenient item!" Fluttershy gasped "this item can heal a small amount of HP, but it's non-consumable!"

"Meaning?" Rarity asked

"You can use it as much as you want!"

"That's actually good, at least I can save my healing skills." BonBon sighed with relief

"But I can't sense the power of the heal stone..." Fluttershy said "we can't use it normally."

"So how can we charge it up?" Rainbow Dash

"From what I can analyse, this stone only receives it's power when in the presence of shadows. So when you're fighting shadows, this is the only time it can activate." Fluttershy

"Aww..." Scootaloo sighed

"But that's not all..." Fluttershy replied "it seems a fight just broke out here."

"Wait... What?"

"In this spot, I sensed the waves that Shadows emit before they die. This one was pretty big, and was released recently. I can say that a fight actually broke out here."

"Do you think it's..." BonBon started

"The Doctor." Applejack nodded "clearly, he wanted to go. So he and Derpy probably went off on their own."

"But..." Fluttershy protested "even if he did, how would he take out that number of shadows. At least 10 of them were here!"

"Hmm... That's a good question, but then again, he was familiar with the shadows!" Rainbow replied

"We can't rule it out though..." Rarity pondered loudly "are the two still there?" She asked. Fluttershy went silent for a moment then came back with a short but solid response.

"No."

"Then we'll need to find them. Before things get ugly." Soarin replied "shall we move on?"

"Alright. Time for some more shadow clobberin!" Applejack smiled

"Oh dear..." Big Mac sighed

"Be careful though. The shadows down there seem to be different and stronger." Fluttershy warned

"Let's go." Soarin replied with a yawn as the SOES unknowingly followed suit with the RID.

Character Database: Flash Sentry

Race: Pegasus

Character Role: P4 Hero/Yu Narukami/Souji Seta

Main Persona: Izanagi (Fool)

Not a lot is known about this blue haired orange pegasus. He had been serving in the Crystal Empire under Shining Armor until after the events of Tirek's return, where his post had been transferred to Ponyville under the Princesses' request. Before officially starting guard duty in Ponyville, he requested that he stayed in the house of his late parents with his younger brother and sister, something that he cares more than his duty as a soldier. During his service in Ponyville, apart from meeting and greeting the inhabitants of Ponyville, he has heard the recent cases of foggy disappearances, which eventually became murder cases. Much to the dismay of the Mayor (who was also the caretaker of his siblings) on trying to find the killer, Flash continued to follow orders on guard duty as he was not appointed or enlisted to interfere with the matters of civilian ponies of Ponyville unless for a special occasion. One late night, he stumbled on to the Ponyville theatre due to volunteering for cleaning duty. Midnight struck during his cleaning in the theatre, revealing a white blurry screen of a pony silhouette as Flash could do nothing but look. As he was watching however, some voice started speaking in his mind, tormenting him to "open the door". With that, Flash applied pressure on to the screen with his hoof and discovered the most mysterious yet horrifying experience in his life. He tried to tell ponies about the theatre, but was disregarded. However, Pinkie Pie, Spike and Applebloom wanted to see if it was possible, even though they were laughing on how preposterous and impossible it sounded. When Flash stuck his hoof in the theatre screen one more time, the mares' (and dragon's) laughs of disbelief changed into screams of terror, while Pinkie decides to express her surprise in the most eloquent way possible... Anyway, with an accidental trip, the 3 ponies had their first taste of the theatre world and the existence of Shadows. Managing to find the way out through 3 stacked theatre screens, they left the theatre world alone for the time being. After another foggy day, another pony died, the same pony that Flash saw in the theatre screen at midnight. As Pinkie was so close to that pony, she decided to investigate with Spike and Flash, leaving Applebloom behind. As they finally began to make a battle with shadows, Flash had the same voice speaking in his mind to "open your eyes and call forth what is within" this is how his persona, Izanagi was born. Using Izanagi to fight back the shadows, he rescued Pinkie from her own shadow, and thus she got her Persona by accepting her dark and embarrassing side. In the end, Flash promised Pinkie and Spike that they will find the culprit and his or her reason behind these murders. Thus, he sent a request to Celestia and Shining Armor for permission to initiate the Royal Investigation Division.

Special Tips: Flash's stats are supremely balanced. Flash may not have distinct stats like Soarin's Magic and Agility, but all of his stats are tight between each other, making him the better all-rounder for any type of battle encounter. With a close difference of 2, Strength ranks at the top, followed by Magic and Endurance. Although his Agility and Luck is the lowest, they are about equal in number. The most defining characteristic of Flash Sentry, is that he has no character. He learns Electric skills and is best suited in the front row with his longsword/katana (melee cut). His special status skill is Dekunda. This skill removes any stat penalties against the party, restoring anypony's stats to normal. Unlike Soarin, Flash has elemental resistance against Electricity and can nullify Darkness. Unfortunately, he has weakness against Wind, even if it's only one weakness.

Author's Notes:

Note: All character databases are based on the timeline of when Persona Q happened, which was during the culture festivals of Persona 3 and Persona 4.

Just so I won't make the story sound like an exact copy of the original game, there will be no battle-like encounters with Shadows unlike the first part of You in Wonderland: Chapter 1. I'll still try to give a feeling that it's still like the game, such as involve the map drawing because that's actually significant in this story AND the original game, but I won't be giving spoilers.

Question time!
Persona Q starts with a choice on who's path to follow. If you were to start playing Persona Q, would you choose the Persona 3 route or the Persona 4 route? Each has different cutscenes and character significance. Of course, I will try to include all of them in this story.

For me, I know a lot about Persona 4 in it's characters and all, since I watched the animation and played some of the game. However, I only know the basic story-line and characters of Persona 3. So in order to get familiar with the group, I chose the Persona 3 side.

You in Wonderland: Chapter 2 (part 1)

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"You In Wonderland: Chapter 2"

The RID looked around in amazement to see that the second floor of the labyrinth contained a whole new atmosphere. The sky was yellow shone an ominous yellow instead of purple, followed with a long light purple cloud, the floor was a checker pattern with yellow and purple instead of light blue and dark blue, and even all the decorations has changed from cards and roses into decorations of large cakes, tarts, sweet pies and all sorts of the sweetest food seen on decoration.

"Woah... Things certainly changed quite a lot than from last time..." Twilight inspected

"It's not just that." Vinyl added "I'm sensing the presence of a few new shadows, and they seem pretty tough."

"That reminds me, you don't seem to use your Personas in battle." Lyra noted turning to the amnesiac duo "care to explain?"

"You mean the 'power of the heart' that you use?" The Doctor replied "yes, it's true that Derpy and I are unable to use them, but we are able to stand our ground without them, unlike you guys."

"Sounds to me like you're tougher than us. That's a relief." Octavia smiled,

"Just to change the subject, how did the Alice in Wonderland story go again?" Spike asked

"It goes like this." Pinkie explained "a mare named Alice was sent into a mysterious world through a rabbit hole, and she um... Does all sorts of crazy things, have tea, talk to a caterpillar and dancing with walking cards!"

"What?" Derpy gasped with excitement "a mare named Alice was sent into a mysterious world through a rabbit hole to have tea with a caterpillar as well as snacking on walking tarts!?"

"I don't think it's dancing with cards." Octavia changed "I know that normally the caterpillar always asks 'who are you?" , and um... Maybe she pricked herself on a cactus?"

"It's about a caterpillar that always asks 'you want tofu?' and the girl is picking herself a cabbage!?" Derpy gasped even louder.

"Uh..." Twilight stammered

"Yer mixing up the stories Octy!" Applebloom sighed "ah've read the book. The gal gets trapped in a maze where she finds and fights loads of bears!"

"The girl gets trapped in a haze where there are flying pears!?!?" Derpy squealed with excitement.

"NO IT'S NOT!!!" Twilight screamed, creating silence in the room.

"Care to explain then Your Highness?" Flash replied

"No, I will not." Twilight huffed with frustration. "But one thing is puzzling me Flash. Why do you constantly summon Izanagi? Don't you have the power to change your persona or something?"

"Huh, I never thought that through, let me try..." Flash replied and fully concentrated with a deep breath to search the depths of his mind, heart and soul... Coming out with nothing.

"I got nothing." Flash sighed, breathing out. "I can't find any other personas with me."

"Then what about these 5 blank cards?" Pinkie asked "they do look a bit like Persona cards to me..."

"Hmm... If things are getting treacherous up ahead, then I suggest we do something about these cards before going on." Twilight suggested

"I wish that I could use another persona." Vinyl said over the comm line, only to receive yet another bonk by Himiko. "Don't worry Himiko." Vinyl comforted while rubbing her head "you're my best persona and you'll never be replaced. After all, you are me!"

"Sounds good." Flash nodded "why don't we go climb the stairs again?"

"I think a Goho-M would be a much better idea." Applebloom suggested, holding out a small vial. Pouring all of it's contents onto the ground, the puddle turned into a temporary portal that managed to transport everypony back to Ponyville before evaporating.

Meanwhile, the SOES were also exploring the second floor of You in Wonderland and, if coincidence or not, worried about the same thing.

"From the data of our previous battles." Sweetie analysed "It appears Soarin has only summoned Orpheus."

"But what's wrong with tha-- Ohh." Rainbow Dash realised "you can change personas, can you?"

"Huh. Never really crossed my mind." Soarin shrugged

"Do you think you can do it?" Rarity asked "If we continue at this rate, we may face hard encounters with less variability between our party members." Soarin nodded and tried to search deep in his subconscious and his heart... Yielding nothing either. Soarin shook his head with disappointment.

"What about them cards?" Big Mac asked, pulling out the 5 blank cards. "You think they've got something behind it?"

"Well, it's better than nothing." BonBon suggested "we do need our leader in our usual form!"

"Oy..." Soarin replied, a little offended that the team were being too dependent on him.

"You know, ah would love to use another Persona." Applejack replied, only to find out that Polyduces was releasing waves of tears behind her.

"But ah'll always stick with you till the end partner." Applejack comforted the immortal twin brother. "We'll never get separated, cause we'll always stand as one!"

"As much as this is a touching scene." Rarity sighed "we must hurry back to find out about these cards. Maybe Princess Luna knows?"

"Then let's get going!" Rainbow nodded and tipped the contents of a Goho-M onto the floor, to which teleported them back to Ponyville.

In the Velvet Room, Celestia and Vinyl greeted the incoming RID.

"Hello once again RID." Celestia greeted

"Hmm... I still keep on thinking about that lone door." Twilight replied as she stared at the door.

"Yes." Celestia nodded "As the door is locked, I couldn't not find anything on where they lead to. However, I can sense the atmosphere behind that door..."

"What atmosphere?"

"Of our beloved Ponyville." Celestia answered

"Hmm..."

"I believe this door is our only exit out of here." Celestia concluded

"She's right." The Doctor nodded

"You do?" Derpy asked

"and why do you say that?" Twilight asked

"this room never existed until you came." The Doctor explained "to me, this place feels like yours, therefore the doors are also yours. Unfortunately, there's no evidence for that. It's just what I feel... Actually, forget about my comment."

"Let me try..." Twilight volunteered and tried to turn the knob on the door, but it wouldn't budge.

"It was worth a shot." Twilight sighed "guess we'll leave it for the time being."

"I'm absolutely sure the role of this door will reveal itself in due time, as nothing meaningless happens in the Velvet Room." Celestia assured.

On another platform in the vast space of the Velvet Room, the SOES were also discussing with Luna about the blank cards and Soarin's inability to use new personas.

"Being unable to acquire new personas?" Luna asked "this is certainly some predicament. Rest assured, I shall investigate this matter. Please sit down Soarin." Soarin obeyed and sat in the middle of the chair.

"Now we shall need one of you." Luna replied to the rest of the SOES "may you sit next to our guest BonBon?"

"Huh? O-Ok." BonBon nodded and sat down beside the pegasi. Luna presented a deck of about 20 cards with a half-mask as a back design.

"These are tarot cards. They are used to look into your fates." Luna explained and proceeded to spread the cards on to the table before them and turned over the one in front of Soarin. On the card was the picture of a tower destroyed by a bolt of lightning, while a pony was helplessly falling to his death. The Roman number 16 was present at the bottom of the card.

"The Tower... Interesting..." Luna replied

"What's that supposed to mean?" BonBon asked

"The Tower Card has many interpretations, each to their own liking." Luna explained

"I see..." BonBon noted.

"But that is the least of my concerns... What's more concerning--" Luna continued

"--Is that the Fool was not drawn." Celestia finished.

"The Fool?" Lyra asked

"The Fool represents the number zero. The arcana that symbolizes the beginning and the endless possibility. As the name implies, Flash can wield endless Personas. This is the 'power of the Wild Card...'"

"The Wild Card, huh..." Vinyl repeated

"But it seems that the power has changed drastically. It may be due to the influence of this place..." Celestia pondered "in conclusion Flash, you are unable to swap Izanagi for another persona."

"So he can no longer change the 'male-who-invites' to somepony else?" Twilight gasped

"That is correct." Celestia nodded

"But that means we are going to have a severe disadvantage in battle! Now that Flashy's Wild Card power is gone!" Pinkie replied

"Don't fear, the Wild Card still remains, but in a different form of power." Celestia comforted " 'endless possibilities' indeed. How unexpected for it to turn out like this..."

"Wh-What do you mean?" Applebloom asked,

"even though he can't change personas, he has the ability to take on another persona." Celestia explained

"The other persona can be summoned freely and can be changed to his liking." Luna continued

"You mean Soarin can summon two personas at the same time!?" Fluttershy gasped

"However, the changeable one cannot display it's full strength. Instead, it is best used to play an auxiliary role." Luna answered "for example this, Orpheus is Soarin's "main" persona, he will be fulfilling the main battle with his own skill and power. The changeable persona can only be "supporting" the "main" persona through using it's own special attacks with the "main" persona's equivalent power. Though both can be assumed at once, if something happens to the "main persona", it will follow suit to the "sub" persona. I advise you to think about it as such."

"Wow! This 'wild card' power seems pretty crazy!" Rainbow exclaimed with much interest and shock.

"But a moment please... We believe that there is more to the Wild Card's behavior..." Luna continued

Celestia spread the tarot cards on the table once again. This time, she reveals the card that was in front of Octavia, who was sitting next to Flash. The flipped card, was a picture of a pony that was carrying his bag of resources on a stick, accompanied by a dog. The number 0 was at the bottom of the card.

"The Fool... I knew it..." Celestia mused

"P-Princess? Is there a problem with our Personas now?" Octavia asked

"This surge of power in the fool seems to be granted to all of you."

"No way! All of us!?" Rainbow gasped

"To have one main persona as well as changeable sub persona that can be used in the same time. The power spike of the Wild Card has is now evident on all of you."

"Two at the same time? That's quite a lot to take in..." Scootaloo sighed "but on the other hand, that would make me feel stronger!"

"All righty." Applejack grinned "two personas? This is going to get real interesting. No shadow will ever defy us now!"

"Applejack..." Big Mac sighed.

"But it is interesting" Luna mumbled to herself "how did this irregularity happen? If the power of the fool was strengthened, the most likely theory is that yet another with the power of the Wild Card is present in this plane of existence..."

"Can the Doctor and I summon personas too?" Derpy asked

"Unfortunately, both of you never had any personas to start with, so it will not be possible." Celestia shook her head.

"But how?" Pinkie asked "they can easily fight personas and all."

"That would be a mystery that is closely tied to this place..." Celestia continued, "this is a haven in the rift, a floating island that's adrift in the collective unconsciousness... It would be no place for a living pony. If a pony has to be here, then they may have taken on the qualities and beings of a Persona and Shadow."

"N-No way, so the two of them are personas?" Applebloom gawked

"It's just a possibility," Celestia calmed "for now, we've got nothing that we can be certain of."

"Does thou happen to have one of these?" Luna asked, showing them a blank card. "I presume that you must have gathered some from shadows during battle."

"We've picked up 5 of them." Big Mac replied

"Thy should know that these cards are in a state where they have not been guided to any sort of fate." Luna explained "as thou were used to summon a persona that was unique to thou, thy shall be able to summon other personas now. Shall fate desires it, the cards shall accomplish their roles on their own." After breathing for a moment, she changed the subject. "Now, hand us thy evokers" Luna instructed. "We shall modify them so that thou should be able to switch personas."

"Oh that's right!" Rarity remembered "you designed and developed the evoker!"

"Exactly. We shall also convert these blank cards into personas for you to try." With a flash of light, the blank cards now became normal persona cards with their respective arcana. "We present to you, Slime, Koropokkur, Sandman, Apsaras, and Ukobach. Please share these personas to your liking."

"All right!" Rainbow cheered as she received her modified evoker, now we can summon a changeable persona too!"

"To you, my guest and his friends." Celestia presented, transforming the 5 blank cards into persona cards "Pixie, Anzu, Agathion, Azumi and Onmoraki. Make sure their powers are put to full use."

"Thank you Your Highness." Flash bowed.

"Do remember to sell materials to me in the workshop." Celestia reminded "I'm sure I can turn them into something good." As the RID left, Celestia mused to herself.

"Those two new ponies... Something's strange about them."

"Thank you for selling me those materials." Joe thanked "I've put them to good use and have them into weapons and expendables. If you have the bits for it, come buy some."

"Check it out!" Rainbow squealed, picking up and examining a newly made broadsword that's very light.

"It is the Iai Katana, broadsword version." Joe described "I'm quite fond of it if I do say so myself."

"How much?" Rainbow asked

"27 bits!" Joe replied

"Wha? That's about 70% of our total funds!" Applejack gasped

"It's a deal!" Rainbow accepted

"Hold it!" BonBon blurted "we need those funds to restock on healing supplies! Don't be so greedy!"

"Aww..."

"Can't you rely on your persona a bit more?" Rarity asked

"I rely on strength!" Rainbow replied "I want to deal as much damage as I can with my weapon!"

"But Hermes' Fusion blast is a ranged melee attack, with fire to boot." Sweetie reasoned "surely, you can rely on him."

"Just so you know, your persona's strength is also based on how much damage you deal with your weapon." Joe explained

"Really? Oh I guess you can---Woah!" BonBon was ready to give in until she spotted a light bow that was easy to used while curved in an M shape. "A short bow! That's amazing!"

"That is also 27 bits." Joe added

"It's going to be a tough decision... We can only pick one weapon. Who's?" Big Mac asked

"I will!" Rainbow shot her hoof up "Cause I'm a melee person who relies on strength. BonBon on the other hand, is more suited for magic purposes."

"Wha? How did you!?" BonBon gasped with embarassment

"I pay attention to Personas thank you very much!" Rainbow retorted

"It's settled then, we shall get Rainbow the new weapon." Rarity nodded

"This is so wicked!" Rainbow gasped as she was handed her new weapon.

"Hmph..." BonBon grunted.

"Now, shall we get to buying medicine and revival beads?" Soarin asked,

"right this way." Joe presented.

Back in the second floor of the labyrinth, the RID was happy that they had the bits to buy an ample amount of healing and escape supplies as well as new weapons and armor, while still having a decent amount left over.

"Ya look good in that combat dress Octy!" Applebloom complimented.

"Why thank you!" Octavia bowed "good thing I chose this over the chain mail. I mean, a unisex armor? Eugh!"

"Well Pinkie seems to adore it." Lyra noted "I guess it chains more health to her total vitality right?"

"Wait... 'Chains'?" Octavia realised at that moment of the pun and created a face of grinning and smirking.

"That wasn't supposed to be a pun!" Lyra roared "don't you dare laugh!"

"Ahahahahahaha!!!!" Octavia bursted with laughter. "Sorry, I just can't help-snrk-heeheeheeheehee!"

"I'm sick of this..." Lyra sighed as she looked at her Lyre T-Shirt, a freebie armor from Celestia. "I've no intention of wearing another dress. Not what happened during that royal wedding."

"Well..." Flash remarked as he looked at his Royal Guard T-Shirt "I too, am content with the freebie. However..." He showed his long sword and Iai Katana. "This is a tough matter to decide. One boosts my Endurance, but the other is more powerful in attack power."

"You and all yer weapons." Applebloom sighed "why do you need them when all you have is yer trusty hooves? They can break down anything!"

"I admire your strength and confidence Miss Applebloom, but we all have a limit to each other which will take time to expand. Plus, I know you're wearing platform horseshoes." Flash replied "despite making you look a little taller, I can still see that it is also used for combat."

"Aw nuts Mr Sentry." Applebloom blushed "you had to give it away eh?"

"You could just call me Flash you know." Flash chuckled

"All right! Who's ready to get going? I'm itching to rend some shadows asunder!" Spike growled with interest, slicing one of the nearby paper decorations like butter with his new Mewling Claw, a weapon so lethal yet it has a cute name.

"We can show off our weapons and armors at any time." Twilight snapped "but right now, we need to get to the end of the labyrinth."

"Agreed" the Doctor nodded.

"Say, why don't we run into a few shadows?" Vinyl advised "test out our new persona powers!"

"Speak of Tirek..." Pinkie noted as she pointed towards a few familiar shadows, and one new one.

"Does that look like a fish to you?" Applebloom asked, sure enough, it was a dark black scroll that has been spiraled up like a fish that comes with blue sharp fins, tail and eyes, along with a pink mask that has the roman numerals of 3 attached to it.

"Do you think it's weak to electric?" Pinkie asked

"Only one way to find out, Izanagi!" Flash yelled, summoning the 'male-who-invites'.

"Hold it." Twilight stopped, "why don't we let our 'new' personas take over?"

"Do any of our new personas learn an electric type attack?" Flash replied

"She does." Twilight nodded as a tarot card glowing blue appeared in mid air above the two. Twilight aimed at the card and shattered it with a bang. The emerging fog created a small blue breezie with a brown mane and tail, along with very sharp-looking wings.

"This is Pixie." Twilight introduced, followed with a small giggle from Pixie.

"Pixie is a persona from the Lovers arcana" Twilght continued, Pixie pointed to herself before pointing to Flash. She then pointed to Flash and then herself. Flash knew what she was trying to say, 'I am thou, thou art I'.

"She has all-rounding skills. Healing, nullifying status aliments as well as causing them, a skill reserved for Vinyl and of course, Zio" Twilight explained before turning to Pixie, "care to elaborate?" And pointed at the Calm Pesce "that might be a good target." Pixie giggled again and with a wave of her hoof, the Pesce received a jolt of lightning, causing it to thrash wildly in pain.

"Yep! It's definitely weak to Electricity!" Vinyl analysed "now go nuts with it!"

"Then I'll deal the finishing blow. Raikouzan!" Flash yelled and Izanagi slashed the fish with electricity, ripping the scroll fish to shreds, which started to melt into black goo.

"Just so you know." Twilight added "Pixie can be very cheeky at times, playing tricks on ponies, animals and pretty much everything, but they can also be hard workers."

"I see." Flash nodded "I guess that could explain why Izanagi seems to have chalk marks on his face. Pixie must have been drawing them."

"What!?" Twilight gasped as she stared at the naginata wielding persona, who had a mustache drawn on to his helmet. Laughing can be heard inside the ponies minds.

"Pixie..." Twilight growled.

"Ey! Octy!" Applebloom communicated "anything else ah need to know about them 'sub' personas?"

"If I recall, Sub-Personas give us a small health and energy boost only during battle." Octavia explained "if shadow damage is restricted to the amount of health a Sub-Persona gives, it should leave our full proper health intact. The same goes with the amount of energy we consume when using magic attacks."

"Okay, ah think ah got it now!" Applebloom nodded with determination. "But ey! Ah didn't get to have mah sub-persona..."

"Well, it's just because none of the personas we have seemed to work with your style." Octavia reasoned "you have a lack of energy, and you mostly use physical moves with Tomoe. On the other hand, Konohana and I are weak to Ice and Azumi here seems to offer a little resistance to that dreadful element." After the explanation, the remaining Mayas and Hableries surrounded the two ponies.

"I think we should stop discussing now." Octavia advised "let's focus on taking them down."

"Sleeper Kick!" Applebloom yelled as Tomoe delivered a powerful buck kick, sending a few Hableries skyward and beyond.

"Maragi!" Octavia casted as multiple fireballs rained down on the horde of Mayas, burning them into ash and dust, though a lucky one remains with severe injuries.

"Still standing I see." Octavia replied with disappointment "then I will show you my new power! Persona!" And with another shattered persona card, a blue pony with the features of a fish stood before the cellist. Without further ado, Azumi released an icy Bufu attack in order to freeze the remaining Maya and shatter it's exoskeleton with the ice.

"Oh my, I never said anything! Are you psychic?" Octavia complemented as the shattered shadow melted into mist. Azumi only made some fishy sounds as thanks before reverting to its card form.

"Ah love using personas!" Applebloom laughed

In another area of the labyrinth, the SOES were very busy with fighting new yet extremely tough shadows that were in the form of a earthly hand holding a large sword. The sword seemed to have a mask on it's handle.

"I told you searching that garbage heap of swords was a bad idea!" BonBon scolded Rainbow as they tried to dodge every slice that the Justice Swords delivered. "It's a pile up of shadows!"

"Okay okay! I get it!" Rainbow yelped as she parried an attempted strike. As the SOES fought hard, the Justice Swords fought back harder. One decided to imbue poison on his blade and ferociously struck Big Mac, leaving him poisoned.

"Gah!" Big Mac stumbled as he tries to suppress his pain against the poison. "Can somepony cure poison?"

"Ow!!!" Scootaloo moaned as she was hit by another Sword shadow "You'll pay for this!" And prepared to use her evoker. However, her legs went numb and was unable to move at all.

"Aw no!" Scootaloo cried "that attack paralyzed me!" Winona whined in horror to see the small filly immobilized while numerous shadows were surrounding her. Growling in anger, she summoned Cerberus and casted Mudo on one of the Justice Swords, disintegrating the shadow in a flash.

"It's weak to Darkness!" Fluttershy analysed

"We need to find another weakness!" Applejack gasped "Winona's the only one currently capable of castin' darkness attacks!"

"Then how about this? Agi!" Soarin commanded. The sword recoiled in pain but recovered as the flames die out.

"How about this? Io!" BonBon summoned as she fired the evoker at her head. What emerged from the blue fog was a black unicorn wearing a pink short dress with a blond mane and tail looking like the image of a burning fire. The mare had her eyes closed, as she was riding a large mechanical head of a bull. Not only was she riding the bull's head, her hind legs were clamped together, her front legs were chained to the bull's horns and her entire body was restrained to the seat of the bull.

"Io, let's blow them away with Garu!" BonBon commanded. Io opened her eyes of green, transfixing a determined glare on another sword. A gust of wind erupts from underneath the shadow and it takes full force of the wind. However, it showed no form of weakness.

"This is a pain." Applejack sighed "Zio!" And Polydeuces called down a bolt of lightning against yet another sword. Unfortunately, the reaction of the sword was the same when attacked by fire or wind, but it left only one element unchecked.

"Then this should be the weak point!" Rarity grinned "Bufu!" With a gleam from Penthesilea's sword, the fourth Sword shadow was encased in ice and flailed wildly as the ice exploded and shattered.

"That's it! That's the weak point!" Fluttershy stated

"That's good to know but..." Big Mac replied "out of all our Personas, Penthesilea is the ONLY one that uses ice attacks."

"Then we'll need to protect Rarity and Winona at all costs!" Soarin replied as he stepped towards one of the swords

"Give me all you've got!" He taunted. In response, the sword furiously swung and whacked Soarin down.

"Ouch... That was lucky." He winced. Sword at the ready, he flew forward, yelling as he charged... Only to swipe at nothing. Looking behind him with confusion, was the crumbled shadow, dissolving into dust and sludge.

"Oh I'm sorry." Rarity sarcastically apologised, "I thought you were covering me, so I prepared a fast and frosty execution for the shadow."

"Hmph... Very well." Soarin sighed.

"Winona should be nearly finished with the rest of the Swords." Rarity replied "I am sick and tired of these annoying and powerful swords. I hardly think we would find a weapon here."

"Arf! Arf!" Winona barked for attention. As the SOES gathered around her rummaging through the garbage dump, she managed to dig up a polished and fine rapier with her mouth.

"What's this? A new rapier?" Rarity asked as she inspected it with great interest "a Flamberge! I could recognize that decorated hilt and the sharp tip! C'est Magnifique Winona!"

"Arf arf!" Winona barked happily

"Well done Winona!" Rainbow added "I know we could always count on you to find items! Just like I told you to!"

"Arf?" Winona barked in confusion.

"Hey Flashy!" Pinkie called "did you read the Alice in Wonderland Book?"

"Me?" Flash replied "probably when I was young. Why?"

"Because can I ask what are the big walking card's role over there?" Pinkie pointed at a Card Soldier FOE, walking back and forth in a hallway.

"I can state that it's currently on patrol, of it's own territory." Flash replied "as for reference to the story, card soldiers are normally soldiers for the Queen of Hearts, guarding her with their life."

"Ooh!" Pinkie exclaimed "does that mean there'll be a Queen of Hearts here?"

"It's highly positive. The stakes and chances are even higher if it's going to be at the end of this labyrinth."

"That reminds me, isn't that similar to our role as the RID?" Applebloom asked "guarding all the innocent civiliponies from these shadows?"

"One can put it that way." Flash replied as he experiences a few flashbacks.

When Flash woke up, he finds himself in a room with a blue atmosphere. Sitting opposite him were two alicorns, one dark alicorn with a white tail and mane with a very long snout, the other he could easily recognize as Princess Celestia.

"Welcome to the Velvet Room." The alicorn grinned "It seems we have a guest with an intriguing destiny! My name is Igor, I am pleased to make your acquaintance!" From here on out, Flash had was told the events that were to befall the fate of Ponyville, and that he was the one to put an end to it. But as he regained consciousness on the long train trip to Ponyville, he decided to leave it be for the time being.

"Me? A savior of the universe?" Flash thought to himself "yeah, like that's ever going to happen."

But when he was busy cleaning the theatre room at midnight, "it" appeared. A picture of white flashed on the screen showing a mysterious pony. As he silently watched the image, a voice started speaking in his mind, causing mental and tormenting pain.

"I am thou... Thou art I... Thou are the one who opens the door."

"Guh! What the...!" Flash gasped as he clutched his head to suppress the mental pain. As he was a Royal Guard, not only his body was physically trained, but he also had his mind mentally trained as well as the loyalist heart of a soldier to it's superior to resist taking commanding orders from others. "State your name... What is your business?" Flash growled. "I will not carry out your orders!"

"I am thou. Thou art I. Thou are the one who opens the door." The voice repeated. This time, Flash could sense that the voice rushed the words a little, as well as an annoyed tone. As Flash managed to calm his mind, he decided to play smart against the annoyed voice.

"If you were to be me, why should I follow myself? I am of the Royal Guard and I am loyal to no one but my Princesses, Captain and the ladies of Ponyville. Besides, what good reason is there to 'open the door'? I see no door here" Flash replied. The voice let out a loud growl of frustration and yelled into the pegasus' mind, spurring him with fear.

"THOU ART THEE ART THOU! STICK YOUR HOOF IN THE SCREEN! DO IT DO IT DO IT DO IT!!!" Flash timidly complied and placed his hoof on the screen. As he applied pressure, his hoof went "through" the screen, bringing shock to the guard.

"Holy Celestia... What is going on here?" Flash spoke. A few days later he, along with Applebloom, Pinkie and Spike, were then surrounded by unknown monsters in what was the world behind the theatre screen. The day where Flash's Persona emerged from himself.

I am thou... Thou art I... From the sea of thy soul I come. I am Izanagi, the 'male-who-invites'..." The Persona spoke "... Do you get it now?" It didn't take a minute for Flash to know that it was the same voice from before.

"... Yes, I do." Flash nodded "we may be different in our kind, but from your appearance and power." Pointing at the coat that Izanagi was wearing. A black coat with an emblem and a few chevrons on either side of the shoulder. "Is evidence enough for me to accept that we are one in the same." Izanagi silently nodded

"By the way" Flash added, "permission of neutralizing shadows are granted." With another silent nod, Izanagi was able to defeat the shadows to allow the group to escape the theatre world. From there on out, his role was made clear: As more than a Royal Guard, he will protect the town civilians from the clutches of the Theatre world, not only to prevent anymore innocents from being harmed, but to fulfill and keep promise he made to Pinkie and Spike, his superiors and friends.

"Flash?" Pinkie waved "are you all right?"

"Huh?" Flash broke from his trance "apologies. I must have been taking a trip through memory lane. Anything else to do?"

"Well" Lyra scouted "I see one of those power thingies over there. Want to go hunting?"

"Yes yes yes! Me me me!" Pinkie volunteered and dived for the power spot.

"Make sure you don't pull out any shadows!" Twilight warned

"Hey Winona! Can you help me out here?" Rainbow called as she tried to pull out something from a power spot.

"Arf!" Winona replied and helped with the tugging. However, the item did not seem to budge

"Let me help." Applejack replied and started pulling with the group.

"All right, I'll come too." Big Mac receded and was the last pony in the tug-of-war. With a grunt and a wheeze, a tug and a squeeze, the group managed to unearth the material before the light of the power spot faded.

"Aww, how cute!" BonBon examined the piece of page they pulled out "it looks like a little dormouse!"

"Another one?" Rainbow sighed "aw man! I wish there was a weapon in there!"

"Actually..." Fluttershy informed "it appears that the Dormouse page you have is the rarest of the power spot materials you find on this floor. It appears that there are three distinct materials on a floor each. They also seem to follow a theme..."

"So the first floor were pages of cakes, mushrooms and tarts. The theme of food." Scootaloo recalled

"And the second ones we found are the pages of a turtle, gryphon and a dormouse. Animal themed." BonBon replied

"Yes." Fluttershy nodded "all pictures are part of the Alice in Wonderland story. I'm also sensing another floor below here. So we've still got a long ways to go."

"Right. We'd better be ready for this." Rarity commanded "are you sure that you have been mapping the place out Sweetie?"

"I have calculated all paths and shortcuts." Sweetie replied

"That's good." Soarin replied "now let's go on and--"

"Um, Soarin?" Applejack pointed out. As Soarin turned to his companions, he sees them frozen in fear.

"Is there anything wrong?" He asked

"B-Behind you..." Rainbow pointed out. Soarin turned around to immediately come face-to-face with a bipedal card with a face and mustache. Soarin stepped back wide-eyed as the large card soldier laughed evilly and pulled out his scepter, posed for battle.

"Oh crap..."

Character Database: Bon Bon (Real name: Sweetie Drops)

Race: Earth Pony

Character Role: Yukari Takeba (Persona 3)

Persona: Io (Lovers)

Sweetie Drops (or BonBon in this case) is a pony currently living in Ponyville and has a talent of making sweets as well as a hobby of archery. The only problem is that her roommate and best friend Lyra Heartstrings, is getting on her nerves about her fetish for humans as well as her tendencies getting crazy with things such as her Lyre. When she was recruited into the SOES due to having the suitable amount of psyche and willpower to invoke a persona, she was afraid that her second job comes with dangerous consequences that could mean her life. With that in mind, she was unable to accept that she could "face death" with this type of job, and was psychologically stressed for a period of time. That time ended when a large shadow roaming around town was about to claim her life. Knocking out the evoker from her possession, she was about to accept her fate, until a pony stepped in with his persona invoked for the first time and rescued her. After that, she became confident and unafraid about facing death, boosting and strengthening her willpower, and stands with Soarin and the rest of the SOES to prevent the world's destruction by shadows, though she does have doubts of what they truly were fighting for in the SOES.

Special tips: BonBon has a high magic stat and commonly uses Wind and Healing skills (shifts more to heal than wind). Though excelling in various elemental attacks and healing, her strength, agility and especially her endurance is a concern. What's even worse is that she has a low luck stat, which brings forth a tendency to not aim properly or even miss her mark. Therefore, she is mostly a magic user that would fit in the back row with a bow to physically support her (ranged stab). She is weak to Electricity, but is resistant against Wind.

Author's Notes:

Current Persona list:
The SOES
Soarin: Orpheus
BonBon: Io (Main), Ukobach (Sub)
Rainbow Dash: Hermes
Applejack: Polydeuces (Main), Sandman (Sub)
Big Macintosh: Castor
Fluttershy: Lucia (Main), Koropokkur (Sub)
Rarity: Penthesliea (Main), Apsaras (Sub)
Scootaloo: Nemesis (Main), Slime (Sub)
Winona: Cerberus
Sweetie Belle: Palladion

The RID
Flash Sentry: Izanagi (Main), Anzu (Sub)
Pinkie Pie: Jiraiya (Main), Agathion (Sub)
Applebloom: Tomoe
Octavia Melody: Konohana Sakuya (Main), Azumi (Sub)
Lyra Heartstrings: Take-Mikazuchi
Vinyl Scratch: Himiko (Main), Onmoraki (Sub)
Spike: Kintoki-Douji (Main)
Twilight Sparkle: Sukuna-Hikona (Main), Pixie (Sub)

Once again, I will be including ALL the personas from Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth. So the famous demon and Atlus mascot Jack Frost will of course be making an appearance in the story, in his own original form! I can tell you that he appears in the Second Labyrinth along with a demon who appeared as a persona for the first time in PQ (the only hint is that it's a she). I will also be making use of another demon much later in the story, I'll give you a hint unless you "Die for Me". Heck, I like any demon in the SMT series, so I'll go nuts with all of the PQ Personas in this story!

Now Question time!
Which of the elements do you prefer?
The Agonizing Agi's of Fire?
The Bewitching Bufu's of Ice?
The Sizzling Zio's of Electricity? (It's hard to use alliteration with Z's)
The Gusty Garu's of Wind?
The Heavenly Hama's of Light?
Or the Murderous Mudo's of Darkness?
I know my alliterations are bad, but seriously, what is your favorite?

For me, I never really pick favorites, but If I were to pick one, it's Electricity for me.

You In Wonderland: Chapter 2 (part 2)

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"It's the card soldier FOE!" Fluttershy alerted "you need to run now!"

"Run? At a time like this?" Applejack arched an eyebrow "ah don't think so. Ah'm a stand and fight!"

"Hmph... This time, I'm sticking with you." Big Mac replied, brandishing his hammer.

"Rah!" Applejack yelled, kicking the FOE in the face. The FOE stepped flinched a little but soon got back to his stance and countered with a mighty swing.

"Argh!" Applejack cried as she went sliding across the ground, breathing for a few seconds before she stopped completely.

"Crap! Applejack!" Big Mac gasped.

"That was some swing!" Rainbow stated

"You will pay for that!" BonBon growled "Ukobach!" She yelled as she changed her evoker tab to the "sub" mode and fired at her head. A small green pony demon appeared holding a small ladle filled with fiery coals. A blast of fire emerged from Ukobach's ladle and stuck the card soldier. The FOE screeched from the pain but still continued standing strong against the group.

"Can't this guy go down!?" Rainbow yelled after a few attempts of taking down the card soldier, such Penthesilea's Bufu, Hermes' Fusion Blast, Nemesis' Zio and a Teardrop from Castor, the FOE card soldier was still up and energetic. With a hasty counterattack, the FOE Mowed down the entire front row, knocking them out stone cold.

"Oh no! Rarity! Rainbow! Everypony!" BonBon gasped in horror.

"Emergency revival is mandatory." Sweetie informed

"Leave it to me!" Scootaloo replied, ready to cast Recarm. However the FOE raised his scepter to the air and let out a binding cry so loud it paralyzed everypony still standing.

"Gah...! I can't... Move!" BonBon struggled

"We... Need... To... Get out of here!" Scootaloo cringed, feeling the numbness of her legs. The SOES were in dire straits, Big Mac, Applejack, Rainbow, Rarity and Winona were struck dead by the FOE with Soarin barely surviving the previous attack. Even though he was left standing, the Binding cry had numbed the muscles of anypony that was still remaining, while the FOE edged closer and closer.

"Such power... F-Fluttershy..." Soarin gasped, blood coming out his head.

"Hang on everypony! I'll get you out of here!" Fluttershy replied "Koropokkur!"A small little blue pony appeared and perched on Fluttershy's head. This blue pony had a white tail, mane and beard, a purple headband with a green zig-zag pattern, and appears to be holding a leaf stalk with the leaf on top of his head.

"Quick! Use Sutakora Foot and rescue everypony!" Fluttershy commanded. Koropokkur pulled out his fishing rod and casted the line. With some magical explanation that only a Persona would know, the line traveled into the labyrinth and wrapped around the entire SOES, creating the spectral image of a shoe. Before the Card soldier brought down his scepter, the SOES were whisked away by the fishing rod and the shoe, carrying them to the stairs.

"Are-Are you ok?" Fluttershy called

"Y-Yeah..." BonBon replied "our paralysis is burning away." Fluttershy sighed with relief

"That was such a close one..." Fluttershy gasped, tears coming out from her eyes.

"You saved us all. Thank you." Soarin thanked "now we need to get back and heal up everypony. Otherwise, we're good as dead if that thing's going to chase us again."

The FOE wondered what happened with the intruders of his territory but disregarded it as he put away his scepter and continued walking around his territory. Hiding in the shadows, two ponies took a peak at the departing FOE.

"Well?" Applebloom whispered "is the coast clear?"

"The FOE has continued on it's natural path." The Doctor informed "but it won't be long before it comes back."

"Holy Celestia!" Spike cried, staring at the pool of blood on the ground "what happened?"

"It seems like the FOE had an intense battle here." The Doctor replied

"But, it's impossible for shadows to bleed!" Twilight explained

"Because it's not the blood of a shadow." Flash replied as he edged forward to the pool of blood and examined it. "It's pony blood, and it's very fresh."

"Fresh blood?" Lyra repeated "then that means..."

"Yes." Flash nodded "somepony has been fighting the FOE, and paid the price."

"Hurk..." Applebloom held back her stomach and tried not to vomit.

"Don't worry Applebloom." Octavia comforted "this isn't the worst thing that we've seen."

"But it brings a new mystery here." Flash reported "we're not alone. Somepony else is here in this labyrinth and in this Equestria."

"I remember Princess Celestia saying that there was 'another' with the power of the 'wild card' in this existing world."

"So are you saying that--" Vinyl gasped through the comms "that the other ponies here are also persona users?"

"I may have seen them before..." The Doctor spoke up "and I did talk with them, but I can't remember their faces or names."

"If they are unknown or not, we need to seek their location. If they are in the same situation as us, we may need their assistance." Flash explained.

"Hey everypony! Look!" Applebloom spotted, past the FOE, the RID saw a purple glowing bunny, scratching itself and sniffing the air.

"Aww... It's so cute!" Octavia smiled

"Acutally..." Lyra stared "it kinda is... Can we keep it?"

"I don't see why a bunny that suspicious is worth our attention." Flash reasoned

"Uhh..." The Doctor cringed, so did Derpy.

"Doc? Are you all right?" Pinkie asked

"This rabbit..." The Doctor replied "I remember it..."

"Wait... You what?" Twilight gasped

"I feel like I've seen this Rabbit before in my memories... But I can't figure it out yet."

"Then what about we catch it?" Pinkie advised "if we bring it to you, perhaps we can jog your memories?"

"Perhaps." The Doctor replied.

"Come here little one!" Applebloom cooed, the rabbit looked back at the little filly and looked elsewhere, not caring for the pony's attention.

"Can you please come here?" Applebloom continued, trotting forward. The bunny continued sniffing the air in front of him, ignoring the cries of Applebloom.

"At least let me touch you!" Applebloom asked, reaching out to touch his fur. Without looking back, the rabbit hopped out of Applebloom's range and continued looking around like nothing's happened.

"That's a sharp dodge." Octavia watched.

"Please?" Applebloom tried one more time, but the rabbit hopped out of her reach once again.

"That's some feisty rabbit!" Pinkie laughed "let me try!" And Pinkie immediately sprang for the bunny like a wolf. However, the bunny immediately jumped out of Pinkie's way and watched the pink pony slide across the ground until it screeched into the halt. The bunny jumped on Pinkie's head and continued hopping away from the group.

"That rabbit's got some nerve." Lyra growled and used her magic to try and grab the rabbit. "Huh?"

"Lyra, what's wrong?" Twilight asked

"My levitation magic! It's not working on the rabbit!" Lyra gasped

"Yes..." Vinyl replied "this rabbit is giving off some aura that nullifies all magic directly applied to it."

"Then we'll have to settle things the old fashioned way" Flash replied and flew as high as he could in the labyrinth. With a deep breath, Flash dive bombed for the kill, like a hawk hunting his prey. But in the split second of making contact, the rabbit jumped over the swooping body of Flash and continued hopping away from them.

"Damn!" Flash gasped in shock "it's that evasive!?"

"There's got to be some way to round it up!" Applebloom replied

"I know the oldest hunting trick in the book!" Twilight assured with a smile "you should know it too Flash, since you are a Royal Guard and all."

"What? Do you mean surround the tango within all boundaries? Send it to a corner?" Flash asked then got the idea "I shall leave the orders to you Princess."

"Everypony spread out and surround the rabbit!" Twilight commanded "make sure it runs into a dead end!" The RID sprung into action as they tried to corner the rabbit, keeping him away from any wide open space and into the narrow hallways of the room.

"Hey!" Spike jumped out of hiding in front of the rabbit. The Rabbit jumped and ran towards the left.

"Where do ya think yer goin?" Applebloom taunted, blocking the path of the rabbit. The rabbit immediately turned right and hopped even faster.

"Good! The plan's working!" Twilight followed "now we can control the rabbit's path!"

"I've spotted a dead end!" Vinyl analysed "It's an area where there's a portrait picture of a bright landscape hanging on the wall. Lure the rabbit there."

"Understood." Flash nodded "our target is now to trap the rabbit in the dead end at the west side of the room. Do you understand?"

"Yes sir!" Came the response.

"Wait! I thought I was in charge!" Twilight gasped

"Yes Your Highness!" The response came again.

"Whatever." Twilight sighed "let's just catch the rabbit already."

"Uh-Uh-Uh!" Octavia tutted as she chased the rabbit on the right, diverting it's course towards the dead end.

"Keep on running little one!" Pinkie giggled as she chased the rabbit on the left. "You don't wanna know what we'll do if we catch you!" With both ponies on either side, the rabbit had no choice but to focus going straight towards the dead end.

"Here I go." The Doctor grunted as he charged straight behind the rabbit, causing it to go faster.

"Dang it! why can't I run as fast as you girls and guys!? I'm really getting tired here." Lyra growled as she panted and gasped for any amount of air as she started lagging behind the group due to being the slowest in the RID.

"Here, let me give you a hand." Vinyl replied "Himiko, Spotlight!" With a pose and a direct command from Vinyl, Himiko emitted a spotlight off her face, resting the light on the running Lyra.

"Now that feels better!" Lyra grinned as the Spotlight was fully absorbed into her body, that this energy drove her into a mad dash, galloping straight past the Doctor and Derpy, pinning for the rabbit until it made an erupt brake in front of the picture.

"Got you!" Spike growled in victory as the RID, no matter how tired and they are, managed to surround the rabbit.

"You're not going anywhere..." Lyra droned, tired from all the running and Spotlight boost, Twilight looked at the mint unicorn in fear of a memory before focusing back to the matter at hand. The rabbit looked left and right, frantically looking for an escape route.

"Surrender. You've nowhere to escape." Flash commanded, at that response, the rabbit madly jumped into the picture frame, leaving behind a rabbit-shaped hole in the portrait picture.

"WHAT!?!?!?" Spike roared with anger, "It can jump through!?"

"It seems to me that we have underestimated this rabbit." Flash sighed with disappointment, without any showing of emotion.

"How can you stay so calm, collected and expressionless at times like these?" Pinkie asked "we used the majority of our leg energy just to trap the rabbit, and it got away from us!"

"Perhaps, but we haven't lost the rabbit yet." Octavia calmed "it appears we can pass through the broken picture as a shortcut by itself."

"I can still feel it's presence." Vinyl analysed, "it's still somewhere on this floor."

"I'll be giving the sword to you once again Flash." Twilight noted "any ideas?"

"We follow this shortcut forward." Flash instructed "but I fear we may need some more supplies and healing."

"Oh woe is us!" Luna gasped and cringed as she revived and healed the wounds of the SOES who are currently in the Nurse's office. "Some gruesome fight thou must have experienced!"

"Tell me about it." Soarin groaned, wincing as the bandages were wrapped around his left wing.

"This wasn't... Easy as... Ah expected..." Applejack muttered between deep breaths.

"Next time." Rarity replied underneath her bandaged mask "we are to be extra careful of our surroundings."

"Or just avoid the FOE's all together." Scootaloo suggested

"Something tells me that this isn't the last time we're going to be fighting them." Rainbow gulped

"Don't say things like that!" BonBon growled, pointing a bandaged leg.

"It doesn't matter what has happened or not." Luna broke "thy need to focus and be prepared for any foul enemies of any difficulty!"

"Yes your Highness." Fluttershy bowed, while Winona barked in response.

"Since you sold those items you've found before coming here." Luna suggested "Joe would be finished on working what he was able to create. Perhaps you should pay him another visit?"

"Will do." Soarin nodded as he removed his bandages, revealing very clean feathers.

"These quick-heal bandages are something!" Scootaloo complimented as she took hers off.

"Please come again." Luna bowed as the fully healed SOES made their exit.

"Ah welcome." Joe greeted as the SOES entered the room. "It seems that the materials from the Justice Swords you've defeated proved to be quite well durable materials. Making fine weapons out of them, I have created the Kishido Blade for Rainbow and the Six-Shot for Sweetie. As for the animal pages, I've made a few weapons, a Vigor Fob, and a durable dot patterned dog-suit for you Winona. Care you try?"

"Arf Arf!" Winona barked with interest, eager to wear the suit.

"We'll leave you to the shopping." Applejack replied "ah'm a get somethin' to eat."

"Ah'm hungry too. Catch you later!" Big Mac replied.

"Open sesame!!!" Pinkie replied as the RID opened another room. After a few quick looks around, they found no rabbit but instead, a large table with a fully prepared tea set.

"Ooh! A tea party!" Octavia gasped as they strolled around the tea table, looking at the numerous tea pots, cakes, sandwiches and all the appealing treats that make up High Tea.

"I'm quite tempted myself..." Lyra replied

"Don't" Flash warned "it may be a trap."

"Please sir! Can we rest sir?" Applebloom pleaded

"We are all tired from fighting shadows and chasing around that rabbit!" Spike reasoned.

"But Princess..." Flash protested

"No buts! We are having tea right now!" Twilight interrupted. Flash sighed with sadness and disappointment

"In that case, in order to prevent any risks from befalling all of you... Allow me." Flash bowed and with his amazing dexterity skills thanks to Royal Guard training, he was able to pour himself a cup of St James English Breakfast, add two teaspoons of white sugar and milk, stir the tea and ingested it in one gulp.

"Well?" Pinkie asked "are you feeling any side effects yet?" Flash froze, still holding his tea cup.

"Sir? Can you hear me?" Lyra asked, waving her hands in front of the motionless frozen pegasus.

"Don't tell me that tea killed off his soul." Spike replied

"Maybe he just wants to drink the tea first! To start the tea party!" Derpy suggested. This time, Flash responded by glaring menacingly at the RID, his eyes fixed onto every single pony and dragon. As he gently put down the tea cup and approached the group very slowly, it could only mean one thing.

"Uh... Are you all right Flash? Maybe we shouldn't have pressured you into tasting the food first." Twilight nervously chuckled. "Well, now that we know the food is evil, I think we should probably get going. Right Flash?" As an answer, Flash brutally drew his sword and pointed it at the Princess, frightening everypony in the room.

"None of you are leaving here..." Flash growled in a demonic manner.

"Holy Scat!" Pinkie screamed "Flash's soul is completely devoured and his body is possessed by an unknown demon!"

"Everypony retreat!" The Doctor commanded, pulling out one of his bowguns "leave Derpy and the others alone." The Doctor threatened

"Mere arrows cannot harm me..." Flash growled and continued trotting forward slowly. The Doctor had no choice but to pull the trigger and release an arrow straight towards Flash Sentry.

"No!!!" Twilight screamed as the arrow struck into Flash's neck. Flash stopped and stared at the group with a deathly glare while staggering on his footing.

"I'm sorry." The Doctor sighed "but I know that you are just a demon that has devoured the soul of Flash and taken control of his body. You are not Flash we know anymore." Flash continued on trying to maintain balance until he froze once again and toppled onto the floor.

"Sir!" Lyra screamed at the dead soldier.

"I'm so sorry Flash!" Twilight cried "I should never have pressured you into having the tea. That way, you wouldn't have tasted it first that you fell into it's irreversible effects. Please forgive me..." As one of Twilight's tears fell on to the floor, Flash stood up once again with a loud roar, freaking everypony out once again and running straight towards the door as Flash continued trotting slowly towards them, even with an arrow in his neck.

"Okay, that is totally not the Sir we know!" Applebloom cowered in fear. The Doctor immediately fired four more arrows into his neck. These arrows did stop him in his tracks once again, but he did not stagger and fall. This time, he slowly placed his hoof on the five arrows, and abruptly pulled them all out, causing the five holes to gush out thick clear volumes of blood, creating five separate trails of blood as he continued walking towards the group.

"This isn't Flash Sentry at all!" Spike screamed "this is some evil demon!" Flash then extended his wings and with one mighty gust of wind, disarmed the doctor and scattered everypony to the floor.

"Oh Celestia! Our hopes of escaping this place really are over!" Octavia gulped "don't worry Flash, we'll be joining you soon, and you can yell and scold us for all eternity for losing our lives to that blasted food and drink!"

"You are invited to this tea party..." Flash growled as he used his sword to suppress the blood stains as he takes out a medicine from his bag to apply on his neck wounds. After bandaging up the wounds, his sword was now stained and dirtied with his own blood as he stopped above Twilight and raised his sword. "The tea party of your life!!!" He roared before driving down the sword.

"Aah!" Fluttershy woke out of fear. As the sweat beads ran down her face, she realised that she was sleeping on one of the tables in the food area section of the Cultural Festival, that it was all a dream.

"Fluttershy!" Applejack exclaimed "are you all right sugarcube?"

""I-I don't know." Fluttershy gasped, still shook up. "I just had this terrible dream... Of some fleshless pony in black robes running its sword through Twilight!"

"Wow!" Big Mac choked "that's some scary dream! Death claiming the life of the Princess of Friendship?"

"Yeah..." Fluttershy nodded, rapidly breathing. "I feel really worried for her now. Could she have been killed while we were stuck here?"

"It's okay dearie." Applejack comforted "Ah'm pretty sure that Twilight could easily take down any assassin with her own two hooves!"

"We're back everypony!" BonBon announced "now prep up, we've bought new weapons and armors for everypony to try out. Except you Fluttershy."

"O-Okay..." Fluttershy nodded

"You look pale." Rainbow asked

"Just a bad dream of witnessing death claiming Twilight's life." Applejack explained.

"Ouch! That's rather frightening to experience." Rarity replied.

"Don't worry Fluttershy!" Scootaloo comforted "the Princess will be alright. Especially when the toughest, fiercest and deadliest pony I know and love, is with her!"

"Um... I'm right here?" Rainbow gestured.

"Anyway" Soarin informed "we've got a few new weapons and armors for you. Try them on and practice with them."

"Woowee!" Applejack grinned as she examined her new Bladefist, a former famous sword turned into a Knuckle weapon.

"What about this?" BonBon asked, handing her a Steel Panier armor. "I've heard that the durability of this armor is able to keep it in a brand-new condition!"

"It looks amazing!" Applejack nodded "fits well, very comfy!"

"Well then." Soarin gestured "shall we get going?"

"Hey!" A familiar voice called "It's you guys again!" The group turned around to see the grey pony and the chestnut pony one more time.

"Huh? It's you guys again!" BonBon exclaimed

"How are you?" Derpy greeted "are you here to get some Mochi and Hayburgers? We're having lunch right now!" The Doctor nodded in response

"Oh no actually, we're just taking a short break with buying equipment and refreshing ourselves." Rarity explained "but we were about to go now."

"Okay then, see you guys around later!" Derpy waved goodbye.

"Wait." Soarin stopped "you guys went in there, did you? How did you get out?"

"Well..." Derpy wondered

All the girls (Spike included) screamed as Flash brought down his blade on Twilight Sparkle. However, the screams continued to last for a second until they wondered... Why aren't they feeling any pain?

"Huh?" Twilight stopped screaming to see the bloodied sword of Flash driven right into... The ground. Confused, she and the girls turned back to the face of Flash, who mysteriously returned to his normal soldier look instead of the bloodied death glare.

"Seriously." Flash normally spoke with a smile "the St James English Breakfast Tea was brewed perfectly. I don't know if it will be the last time I've experienced this sort of tea before."

"Wait... WHAT!?" Twilight gasped in horror

"Also--" Flash took a bite of a sandwich "--the food is also nourishing and very tasty here. The food and tea on this table are genuine and safe, feel free to dig in."

"Dammit Flash!" Twilight bellowed angrily as she got up. "Don't scare us like that! We actually thought you were dead! That was the most meanest prank you pulled on us. Ever!" And slapped Flash in the face.

"I'm pretty sure that you girls would be better off without me." Flash chuckled

"Are you kidding!?" a mane-deflated Pinkie yelled, slapping Flash in the face "you're the backbone of this team! You're our leader!"

"Well, you girls did say I was boring as a soldier." Flash explained "so I thought I'd make a little humor there."

"Wrong humor!" Applebloom growled as she jumped and slapped Flash in the face. "We all thought you were demonically possessed!"

"That joke was not funny!" Octavia scolded, followed by a slap "that is serious and dangerous to our sanity!"

"Do I really sound that convincing?" Flash asked

"Of course you do!" Lyra roared, also slapping Flash in the face "don't you ever do that again!"

"Remind me to slap you when you come back Flash." Vinyl grumbled over the comms.

"How...?" The Doctor stated

"How what?" Flash replied

"How did you survive that?" The Doctor asked "five arrows to the neck?"

"Like I actually said, arrows can't stop me from living!" Flash laughed "but if the wounds are left open for a time, then It would get serious."

"That wasn't very nice!" Derpy pouted as she slapped Flash in the face "this isn't the right time to make pranks like that!"

"I guess you're all satisfied now." Flash giggled "shall we begin our tea party?"

"Yeah." Spike replied "do you need some help with that face?"

"No thanks." Flash bowed, the bruises on his face aching intensely.

"It was just simple!" Derpy smiled "the Doctor was with me all the time and he managed to take down all the monsters in our path!"

"I see, so you really can fight against these shadows." Soarin sighed "in that case, do you want to come with us now?"

"Really? But--" The Doctor defended

"It's better that we go in numbers, I think it is best that you come with us so that we have a higher chance of surviving."

"O-Okay then." Derpy nodded

"I'll do whatever she wants." The Doctor added "as long as it doesn't get her in trouble."

"Man! That High Tea was delicious!" Lyra sighed as she explained what happened to Celestia in the Workshop "I have never tasted anything like it!"

"I'm glad that you enjoyed yourself." Celestia embarrassingly chuckled "wish I could join..."

"There was many different types of tea, sandwiches, deserts, I really like it a lot! Flash is right, that was the tea party of my life and nothing could compare!"

"Speaking about Flash, I heard from Vinyl that he played a nasty trick on you girls."

"Yeah, but we got over it though." Lyra chuckled, "no harm done. Maybe mentally, but we've all recovered quickly." Coincidentally, Flash entered the workshop with a smile and a severely bruised face.

"I have to say, Vinyl packed a very big slap." Flash reported, rubbing his face a little.

"So you scared them to death, did you?" Celestia asked

"I did indeed."

"I see..." Celestia smiled... Before slapping Flash in the face.

"And that's a total of eight slaps." Flash counted

"I want you to be on your proper behavior as a soldier." Celestia sternly spoke "you protect the ponies, not frighten the living out of them."

"Yes, Your Majesty." Flash saluted

"Anyway, are you here to look for new weapons and armor?" Celestia changed and held up a hanten with a picture of a lion sewn onto the back "this is a Lion Happi, and it provides suitable defence, perfect for stallions like you."

"Hmm..." Flash decided

"Hey Applebloom." Octavia asked as she munched on some rice balls "have you seen the Doctor and Derpy around?"

"Nope!" Applebloom replied, hoofing down an apple pie. "I haven't seen em around the food court!"

"Strange..." Octavia wondered "they would normally be here because of Derpy's food addiction..."

"If your looking for Derpy, I last saw the two heading into the labyrinth." Pinkie Pie approached

"Wait... WHAT!?" Applebloom gasped

"Is that supposed to be a bad thing?"

"Um... Yes!? They're going in all alone! We need to find them now!" Octavia blurted

"But... I also remember seeing them go in with other ponies..." Pinkie recollected

"Other... Ponies?" Applebloom replied confused.

"We'll find out later, right now. We need to get in there quick." Octavia replied "Flash, can you go round the others up?" Flash bookmark a page in his book and closed it before popping it into his saddlebags. "Understood Miss Octavia."

"Wait..." Pinkie stopped "don't tell me that book was..."

"A bad romantic comedy that involves a schoolfilly settling in a new town filled with vampires. The content in here is physically painful to read, but it helps my understanding and diligence." Flash answered

"Oh Celestia..." Octavia sighed "just get the others."

"Take this" the Doctor stated as he fired an arrow to a severely injured Calm Pesce, ending its life.

"Yay Doctor! You did it!" Derpy cheered

"Well." Rarity applauded "it seems you have experience with fighting these shadows."

"But it is interesting." Applejack "ah don't know how yer able to fight without a persona. If you have one, then you'd be able to beat them down normally."

"Like I said, I can't recall why. Sorry I can't be of much help." The Doctor apologised

"Don't worry. We'll try and find your memories back." BonBon cheered.

"Hey everypony?" Fluttershy spoke "I'm detecting a mysterious presence in the hallway up ahead!"

"I wonder..." Rainbow noted as she looked towards the hallway, spying a pink rabbit sniffing the air

"It's that rabbit again..." The Doctor winced, holding his head

"You've seen it before?" Rarity asked

"Yeah. Somehow, I can remember this thing from long ago..."

"Then it that case, let's catch it!" Applejack grinned and went for a mad dash towards the fleeing rabbit.

"Hey get back here!" Big Mac called to Applejack and the rabbit as they gave chase. Once again, the rabbit stops at a dead end... With a portrait of a landscape.

"Got you now!" Applejack growled.

"It's not going to work..." The Doctor protested. Sure enough, the rabbit jumped through the landscape once again, leaving behind a rabbit shaped hole in the picture.

"It seems you are acquainted with this rabbit before." Rarity replied

"I've tried chasing before last time I've been here. I had some help."

"Help?" BonBon replied confused "but doesn't everypony here ignore us?"

"No." Derpy replied "there a few nice ponies that helped us chase the rabbit for a little while."

"Really? Who?" Soarin started, desperate to find out "we need to know where they are. Perhaps they could help us get out of here."

"Umm..." Derpy started to think hard

"Uhh..." The Doctor also tried to remember.

"You can't remember their names?" Scootaloo asked

"No..." The Doctor remembered "there was this pegasus who was the leader of that group of ponies."

"Now I remember!" Derpy chuckled "he's rather scary and insensitive at times, but very caring! His name is--" But before she could finish, a foul black mist started approaching them.

"What the... A shadow attack?" Scootaloo gasped, readying her spear for battle. Instead the shadows continue to chase after the rabbit.

"They... Just ignored us!" BonBon gasped

"Do you think they're heading for the rabbit?" Rainbow asked.

"If they claim that rabbit." Rarity answered "then we may lose the only lead to regaining our companions memories back."

"Companions?" The Doctor asked, confused

"then we'd better get to it before they do!" Rainbow nodded.

"Let's go." Soarin commanded and they hopped through the images in hopes of catching up to the rabbit. Only when did they find out that the rabbit ceased its escape in front of the stairs to the next floor downwards.

"So, I guess were going deeper." Big Mac replied

"everypony look out!" Fluttershy warned as the mist that was chasing the rabbit was secretly hiding some accessories and emerged to stop the SOES in their tracks.

"Here we go..." Soarin growled, drawing his sword as the mist started to take form in new and similar types of shadows...

"Another table???" BonBon giggled with confusion.

"It's different." Soarin noted "This one is blue, and has different levitating items: A silver plate, wine glass, large sword and a staff." He described "It also looks like it's... Sleeping." As he eyed the drowsy mask.

"If it's blue then..." Rainbow wondered loudly for others to hear "then it should be weak to ice right?"

"You blasted foal!" Rarity rebuked "if it's blue it's clearly not weak to ice! More likely it would resist!"

"Never mind that!" Scootaloo gasped "there's a big lion there! Chained up to a large masked ball!" Sure enough, the description of the shadow were exact, and it seems that this lion seemed to like the ball as it's rubbing it's head onto it.

"And here is the same old Maya, Laughing Table and Hablerie." Big Mac noted "shouldn't be a problem."

"It's time to flip those tables over!" Applejack yelled and was ready to throw a hoof at it until Rarity grabbed her tail just in time.

"Remember? The Laughing Table is weak to wind, and we don't know what the weakness of the Sleeping Table is. I suggest you beat up the Hablerie instead, or use Polydeuces to shock either the Maya or Hablerie."

"But--" Applejack protested

"No buts!" Rarity interrupted which caused Applejack to recede

"Soarin, I will leave the weaknesses of the new enemies to you." Rarity commanded. In response, Soarin pulled out his evoker and summoned Orpheus. With a strum of his harp, Orpheus set the Laughing table aflame, burning it down in one go.

"Wow Soarin!" Scootaloo gasped "you've grown that powerful now?"

"I guess." Soarin shrugged, power coursing through his veins. "Why don't you try your luck with a Hama against the Hablerie? We still need to get some info."

"Right!" Scootaloo nodded, pulling out her evoker and shooting her heart. "Nemesis!" She summoned, and out from the blue fog came a black robotic-like unicorn with yellow bright eyes and a boomerang-faced smile. A large black gear in a vertical position was connected to the black mare. Nemesis' eyes flashed yellow as the 4 yellow cards surrounded the hablerie and vaporized the shadow in a flash.

"Information updated!" Fluttershy replied "they are indeed weak to light."

"Three enemies left." Fluttershy reported "currently, the table and lion still have unknown weaknesses."

"Then we'd better get rid of the Maya before it makes trouble." Rarity commanded

"Leave it to me." Sweetie replied and extended one of her hoofs. The bottom part of her hoof opened up to reveal the new Six-Shot magic firearm.

"Commencing target extermination." Sweetie noted and opened fire on the Cowardly Maya. After firing six shots, the maya was flat like a pancake, left for dead. As Sweetie aimed for the final blow however, the Enslaved Beast immediately sprung forth to slash twice with it's claws, catching the android off guard.

"Aah! Taking damage!" Sweetie yelped

"I'll save you!" Rainbow jumped to the rescue. Only for a sword to stop her dead in her tracks.

"What the heck?" Rainbow gasped as she dodged the levitating sword, swinging at her head.

"It's that sleeping table!" Fluttershy noted as the Sleeping table yawned to show that this was too easy.

"Why you little!" Rainbow Dash growled and sped towards the table to produce a slash attack. The table recoiled from the attack, but stood back up. It's levitating staff starts to wave in the air and unleash a gust of wind, throwing away the brave pegasus like a leaf in the wind and slamming her into a wall.

"Aahh!!!" Rainbow yelled in pain, "why does wind have to be my weakness!?" She wailed.

"That's rather ironic." BonBon chuckled as she summoned Io to heal the wounds of Rainbow Dash "don't push yourself though. The Lion and Table are still a big pain.

"Let's throw everything we have at them then!" Scootaloo encouraged and summoned the personification of herself mixed with the Divine Goddess of Retribution once again. As Nemesis' gear begins to rotate and accelerate one more time, it generated electricity that instantly struck the Sleeping Table. Once again, the table normally reacted to pain, giving the knowledge that Electricity is taken normally.

"Oh dear... Guess that didn't work out." Scootaloo sighed as she grew exhausted of summoning her persona while dealing all that damage.

"You're still too young to handle a persona like that." Rarity advised "maybe you need to take a breather."

"I'm not a little filly anymore!" Scootaloo protested "I'll make sure that I keep on fighting!" And decided to stab the table with her spear, toppling it over.

"That was a critical!" Big Mac noted "lucky."

"Now's our chance to see what will stick!" Soarin replied "Agi!" And a burst of fire exploded on the table... Doing regular damage.

"Then it's my turn!" Rarity replied, swapping her evoker into the 'Sub' tab, she yelled "Persona!" And when the gun fired, a blue pony spirit with a darker blue mane and tail appeared. She has rings on her front and back legs, a collar and dress belt with patterns of water drops, a tiara-like accessory on her head with a water drop bead hanging down. She also dons a white silk shirt made for dancing and comes with a dancer's scarf with the same colour as her fur.

"Hey..." Scootaloo noticed "isn't that the water spirit from Hind-du mythology?"

"Yes" Rarity nodded as well as the persona "this is Apsaras, dancers for the Hind-du Princes, Princesses and even Gods and Goddesses of myth. Now if you may dearie." Rarity gestured to the Sleeping table. Apsaras twirled and moved in a dance which whipped her dancer's sash to and fro, charging up some green energy. At the finishing movement, the water spirit whipped her sash in the direction of the Sleeping Table, unleashing Garu to blow down the table. Like the previous moves, it stood back up again.

"Impossible! Not even wind?" Rarity gasped. In that instant, the Sleeping Table thrust it's sword straight into the body of Scootaloo.

"Ack!" Scootaloo chocked, leaving her and Nemesis wide open. This time, the Enslaved Beast swung it's iron ball and damaged the body of Nemesis, sending her flying.

"Ahhh!!!" Scootaloo screamed through both physical and mental pain until fell to the ground in a heap, while the body and image of Nemesis is going static, blurry and haywire due to the amount of damage it has taken from the Enslaved Beast.

"Scootaloo!" The fully healed Rainbow cried as she rushed to the filly's side. "No!" She cried at the small pegasus and her Persona's body still going haywire.

"Not... Over... Yet..." Scootaloo whimpered as large blobs of scattered slime materialised around her body.

"Eww! What the!?" Rainbow gasped as she tried to wipe off the slime from Scootaloo's body. However, the slime stayed put and it started to glow.

"Not..." Scootaloo winced as the slime glowed, "done yet..." and the slime continued on glowing. Though Rainbow Dash thought the glowing goo was keeping her down, it was getting her to stand up instead. Scootaloo managed to reach for her spear and used it to push her up right."

"I'm not done yet!" Scootaloo roared with anger as the slime covering her fell out of her body and accumulated at a point to form a large slime blob that had red eyes and a mouth.

"Oh!" Rainbow gasped with realisation "It's Slime!" Slime looked at Rainbow with a disgusted and frustrated look.

"Heh heh, sorry for not knowing that you were helping her stand upright." Rainbow apologised

"I won't go down the first time! Not when I have Slime with me!" Scootaloo cheered. "Thanks for helping me Slime, your endure saved my life." With a smiling face, Scootaloo's sub persona dematerialised into blue dust and sparks which fly back into Scootaloo.

"I'll heal you!" BonBon assured and as Io casted a green alluring and soothing wave of energy onto Nemesis, the static and blurriness starts to fade and restore the body of Nemesis once again.

"Thanks BonBon, and you too Io." Scootaloo nodded "now time for your eternal sleep!" She taunted and with Nemesis, casted Hama at the Sleeping Table. This time, the table was vaporised in an instant when the light went out.

"So the Sleeping Table is weak to light." Fluttershy sighed with relief.

"I'm too tired now." Scootaloo sighed as she plopped on the floor exhausted while Nemesis dematerialised.

"Leave the beast and maya to us." Rarity comforted

"Any ideas?" Rainbow asked.

"I'll try this with my new move I thought up." Soarin assured

"wait... What?" Rainbow asked

"Instead of the usual Agi, Orpheus and I managed to find a way to use the harp for slashing!"

"No way!"

"And I'll take the beast down. Orpheus, Gokuentou!" Soarin commanded, Orpheus grabbed hold of his harp and swung it at the Lion. As it gained enough speed, the bottom edge of the harp caught on fire and instead of a blunt edge, the fire turned it into a sharp flaming blade. With one neat slash against the Beast's face, the shadow toppled over and started flailing about.

"So it's weak to fire." Soarin nodded "care to do the honours?"

"Me?" Rainbow asked

"Isn't Hermes a persona of fire?"

"Oh! Right." Rainbow chuckled and placed her evoker to her head. "Hermes!" She yelled and pressed the trigger to release the fog. When the fog subsided, an earth pony stallion with a golden tail was standing in it's place. Despite being an earth pony, Hermes seemed to have large golden mechanical wings tied to his front legs instead of his body. He also wore a full black and golden helmet with a sharp front visor. Hermes also wore an orange collar scarf where the two ends were connected with a golden H, representing the ego of Rainbow Dash: The messenger of the Gods.

"All right Hermes." Rainbow encouraged "It's time to take that beast head on! Fusion Blast!" With a mighty flap of his wings, Hermes did a shuttle loop and flew straight towards the target. As he was flying, his entire body was lightly set aflame, turning Hermes into a Persona fireball with his pointy helmet visor as the tip. As soon as Hermes made contact with the lion, the current state of the lion allowed Hermes to easily punch a hole through it's body and the iron ball, causing the shadow to lose cohesion and explode into various amounts of dust and sludge.

"Glad that that's over." Big Mac sighed as Hermes slowed down and landed next to Rainbow Dash.

"That was awesome!" Rainbow complimented and brohoofed Hermes before he dematerialised into atoms and clusters of energy and buried back into Rainbow's mind.

"It's still not over." Applejack reminded and pointed towards the Cowardly Maya... Shielding itself from the SOES.

"How pitiful." The Doctor sighed "allow me to curb-stomp it." And with a mighty stomp, crushed the Maya into dust.

"Now it's over!" Derpy giggled

"Woof!" Winona barked as she located a mysterious item on the floor on which she began sniffing.

"What did you find?" Rarity asked and Winona picked the item up and placed into Rarity's influence of levitation magic.

"No way!" Rarity gasped as she inspected the familiar back design of a half-black and half-white mask. "It's one of those blank cards!"

"No it's not." Soarin sighed "flip it around." As Rarity flipped it around, the blank image shined blue and revealed the image of a Persona. An alicorn that carried several yellow hand fans with purple rings. It seems that the peach alicorn with a blank lush mane and tail, tied and held together by purple-yellow hairbands is dressed with these purple-ringed yellow hand fans as well as purple rings on her hind legs. Dressed in white robes and a purple skirt, it was clear that this persona is the Neighponese Goddess of entertainment, Ame-no-Uzume.

"Huh." Fluttershy analysed "that's quite a lot of support skills. I guess Koropokkur can finally enter the field of battle! That is, if he wants to..."

"In that case." Soarin replied "the little pony persona will be with me. Now let's go down the stairs."

"Aw man!" Lyra sighed with relief after her Persona, an extremely large earth pony clad in black metal armour that has decals of the entire skeletal body of a pony (along with bone-coloured hooves), smashed his large thunderbolt-shaped sword on a surviving Hablerie to end its existence. "Thank Celestia the battle is nearly over! Thanks Take-Mikazuchi! You can take five!"

"Looks like that Jupiter Eagle is the only shadow left." Vinyl analysed "do you remember Flash's ironic weakness?"

"You mean how Flash and Izanagi are weak to wind attacks, despite Flash being a pegasus?" Pinkie giggled,

"that's not funny." Flash replied,

"I thought we should try the same thing for the Jupiter Eagle. Maybe wind is his weakness?" Vinyl advised

"Okay then." Pinkie nodded "leave the wind attacks to me!" And as the blue tarot card appeared way high above her head. A massive jump and a flip allows Pinkie to be within distance of her card, where she shattered it with one bite.

"Seriously Pinkie? Seriously?" Twilight sighed as a black earth pony wearing a fully disco-like body suit emerged from the shattered card. The pony wore a long red scarf and camouflage patterned hoof gloves, and the front hooves were equipped with some large yellow 4-sided shuriken launching devices. This pony though, was maneless and his tail was covered by the suit. Instead it appears the earth pony had two faces. One was his normal pony like face with smaller yellow 4-sided shuriken as his eyes with a little grate as it's mouth. The other face contains two frog-like eyes sticking out the top of the Persona's head and it's mouth was below the red scarf and fixed in a boomerang-shape, sharp-toothed grin. This is Pinkie's facade to overcome life's hardships, the shapeshifting ninja (between pony and frog) Jiraiya.

"Let's go Jiraiya!" Pinkie cheered "let's show them the power of wind!" Jiraiya responded by putting his front legs together in order to concentrate, focus and gather energy. A flume of wind erupted from underneath the Jupiter Eagle, causing it to lose it's stability in the air and crash it to the ground.

"I can follow-up this attack!" Pinkie giggled and jumped to the air. Producing a fan of kunais, she tossed them all straight towards the eagle and the shadow could not last against it's wings, head and mask were pierced by the hail of kunais until its body was completely torn apart into shreds and dust.

"Please come again!" Pinkie replied, making a slight advertisement to Sugar Cube Corner, the store she works at.

"I doubt any shadows know about Sugar Cube Corner." Spike noted.

"Now that the shadows are out of the way once again." Octavia assured "I'm sure we can keep on going on ahead now!"

"From the map that Flash drew." Twilight studied. "It seems that we've nearly explored the entire floor! I the last part we've yet to venture is currently where we're going. I could also say that the stairs may be located there."

"Hold on." Flash stopped and peered at a familiar card lying on the floor. "Is this..." Flash picked it up "a persona?" Sure enough, the blank side of the card revealed an image of a pony that was a mix up of all sorts like a draconequus. A pale faced pony with a short blond mane and pale coloured tail, a pale body covered with blue fur, the back legs of a horse and the front legs of a feline. The pony's eyes were fully red in colour and what the group could see, sharp fangs in the pony mouth.

"A vampire with a mix up of features from different animals..." Twilight tried to memorise "only one such vampire fits such a description. The flesh eating vampire from Olympian myth, Empusa."

"I see..." Pinkie Pie nodded

"I don't think you really do. Do you?" Applebloom replied

"Yeah I don't." Pinkie laughed "all I know is that we get a new persona!"

"Oh dear..." Octavia sighed

"Anyway." Lyra changed the subject "from what I see from the map, I think the last spot should be right here." Sure enough, as Lyra stepped on the final unexplored spot. A large treasure chest of the map appeared once again.

"Well that's new." Flash analysed

"do you think we can open it?" Pinkie asked

"from what it says on the chest..." Flash analysed the inscription. "It looks like the picture of a maze, if I were to hold the note book on it..." As Flash finished detailing the second floor, he pressed it hard against the maze inscription and light started streaming out of the treasure box.

"Oh I get it!" Pinkie gasped "this chest only appears and opens whenever we fully explore the entire maze on this floor!"

"Sounds about right." Lyra agreed "what's in there sir?"

"This." Flash held out a card that has a three small hearts. "Looks like a skill card to me."

"A skill card?" Twilight asked

"Princess Celestia told me that certain items can allow our main Personas to learn any sort of move. These items are called skill cards. From the looks of this one... It looks like a healing spell that can affect a group of ponies."

"Media!" Octavia replied "the healing spell that can slightly heal the health of anypony in the group!"

"I see." Flash replied

"I think it's time we dwell further in." Vinyl advised "I feel a presence that gets stronger and stronger the more we go deeper in the labyrinth."

"All right!" Spike cheered "finally we are getting somewhere."

"Ugh!!!" Twilight grumbled. The RID turned to see a disgruntled Twilight staring at Sukuna-Hikona who was currently clutching a large book. "What do you mean that this book is somehow related to your daydreams? This book is just about the history of Equestria, and it no longer contains the elements of harmony. I don't see why it's so important to you."

"Is there a problem?" Flash asked

"No." Twilight sighed "it's just that she's daydreaming once again, and I can't figure out what she's dreaming about. All she's doing is pointing, holding and looking at that book."

"We're ready to go when you are Princess!" Lyra noted

"Yeah yeah I'm ready." Twilight replied and was the first to walk down the flight of steps with the rest of the RID following. Flash stayed behind to retrieve the book Twilight forgot to collect, the familiar brown book with the golden cover of a unicorn's head that explains the legends and histories of Equestria's regal princesses.

"I wonder why this book is so important to Miss Hikona?" Flash thought to himself as he flipped through the pages of the book. Past the 'Once upon a time', past the resentment of Princess Luna which envelops into the horrific transformation of Nightmare moon, to the usage of the Elements of Harmony to banish the younger sister to the moon and stopped at Princess' Celestia's control of the Sun and Moon. "Is Miss Hikona really that interested in Equestria's history that she starts to daydream?" He started reading through those set of pages one more time until a few words finally stuck to him.

"The Elements of Harmony..." Flash repeated until something struck him. "The Elements of Harmony? I'm certain I've heard of them before... But where?" Flash pondered until his brain struck the right chord. This time, he read through those pages one more time, while humming a familiar tune. As he finished reading the last part as well as finishing his singing. He closed the book and popped it in his saddlebags, smiling with satisfaction and understanding. He turned to Sukuna-Hikona, who was also smiling back at him for discovering and knowing what her daydreams were all about.

"Your secret shall be safe and secure with me... Princess Hikona." Flash bowed, to which Sukuna-Hikona bowed back before dematerialising. Realising he was the only one left on this floor, Flash hurried downstairs to meet the rest of the group.

Character Database: Pinkie Pie

Race: Earth Pony

Character Role: Yosuke Hanamura (Persona 4)

Main Persona: Jiraiya (Magician)

Pinkie Pie is the most bounciest, happiest but the most unpredictable pony that you would ever meet and is the first pony that Flash not only treated as a superior, but as a friend. She is very friendly with everypony in town especially for somepony that's new by: throwing welcome parties, making sure they are okay everyday, and making them (and everypony) smile. But sometimes, Pinkie may have her issues too which can bring an entire split personality into play, isolating herself from the rest of the world and being hostile to anyone who disrupts her. When Flash Sentry was transferred to Ponyville, she threw him a party, regardless of being his superior alongside Princess Twilight. However, her fate was affected and destined when she first heard of the midnight show with Flash. When trying to discover what was left of her friend's minds and memories of negativity, Pinkie's aghast discovery at her supposed "friend"'s truth caused her suppressed feelings to manifest into her shadow self: A mix of both personalities to create a monstrous attitude of a shadow, who spilt the truth of how Pinkie befriends anypony just so she could escape her fear of being alone as well as to spice up her boring life, reminding Pinkie how her parents treated her. However, Flash managed to calm down Pinkie with the tales of how Twilight, her and the Mane 6 had used their true power of bonds and friendship to rescue Equestria from disaster and destruction. Understanding the severity of trials she had to go through, friends were always there not just to have cheap thrills, but to also care for her when she's down. Accepting the truth of her shadow self, Pinkie received her Persona to overcome life's hardships and also as proof and a memento that she has accepted herself for what she is, fully belonging to herself to become a better pony. Just as she cared for everypony in Ponyville, she wanted to protect anypony who could fall victim to the dreaded Midnight show and it's murderer to which Flash promised not just as a Royal Guard following orders but as a friend. Sometimes dubbing him "Flashy" or even "pal", Pinkie and Flash, under the watch of Celestia, has created and initiated the Royal Investigation Division, in order to investigate the presence of shadows in the theatre as well as to apprehend the mastermind behind the shadows and murders. As time goes on, she seems to develop a small crush on him because of his caring nature.

Special Tips: Pinkie, for some reason and yet without a doubt, is the most fastest of all the ponies in battles and encounters. Apart from outrunning her enemies with her agility stat topping her list, her Magic is the second highest of her stats and will dish out Wind skills. Though her strength and endurance stats are acceptable, her biggest weakness of stats is that she is the most unluckiest of all, so expect her to miss attacks, receive dangerous amounts of damage or get knocked down frequently. Resistant against Wind but weak to Electricity, she is best suited for the front lines with her sets of knives (melee cut). Her special status skill is Tentarafoo, a skill that has a medium chance of panicking an individual enemy.

Author's Notes:

Current Persona list:
The SOES
Soarin: Orpheus (Main), Koropokkur (Sub)
BonBon: Io (Main), Ukobach (Sub)
Rainbow Dash: Hermes
Applejack: Polydeuces (Main), Sandman (Sub)
Big Macintosh: Castor
Fluttershy: Lucia (Main), Ame-no-Uzume (Sub) (NEW!)
Rarity: Penthesliea (Main), Apsaras (Sub)
Scootaloo: Nemesis (Main), Slime (Sub)
Winona: Cerberus
Sweetie Belle: Palladion
The RID
Flash Sentry: Izanagi (Main), Anzu (Sub)
Pinkie Pie: Jiraiya (Main), Agathion (Sub)
Applebloom: Tomoe (Main), Empusa (Sub) (NEW!)
Octavia Melody: Konohana Sakuya (Main), Azumi (Sub)
Lyra Heartstrings: Take-Mikazuchi
Vinyl Scratch: Himiko (Main), Onmoraki (Sub)
Spike: Kintoki-Douji
Twilight Sparkle: Sukuna-Hikona (Main), Pixie (Sub)

Note: A special sub story will start here, delving into the dreams of Sukuna-Hikona. Whatever is she thinking?

Also, when I say 'Hind-du', I mean no offence to any Hindu at all. I just wanted to find something Equine related to certain words and I thought, ponies kick with their hind feet, so there it is.

Question Time: In the game of Persona Q, instead of the protagonist changing personas every time, all party members were allowed to use a second persona due to rules and mysteries of the unknown world. Do you like this idea or not?
For me, I don't really mind at all, it's a great temporary change for a different world a different gaming port. Smart eh?

You in Wonderland: Chapter 3 (part 1)

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Sukuna-Hikona's dream
Sukuna-Hikona was flying through the vast sky, with Kintoki-Douji following behind her, riding his Tomohawk missile. As they started to descend towards the clouds, a persona rammed through a cloud to reveal a large town while he continued on flying around making cool air tricks and techniques. Sukuna-Hikona landed on the ground and looked around the beautiful town inhabited by many personas. Something caught the persona's eye as she saw five of her most valued companions that were waiting for her. They were made up of an excited Jiraiya, a stylish looking Penthesilea, a shy Lucia, a happy looking Polydeuces who seems to be wearing tipping a stetson and a of course, making the flying entry, Hermes. Before the five were out to meet their companion, Hermes was flying around leaving a trail of fire looking for big adventures. Jiraiya was using his wind powers to fill a balloon with so much air that it burst though for him, it was tons of fun. Penthesilea was busy admiring herself and her weapons in the mirrors of her house to represent her beautiful heart. Polydeuces was busily harvesting apples by punching apple trees till the apples drop, showing the power of his strength and faith. Lucia shared an entire apple out of kindness to a small snow fairy with a cheerful toothed smile, who gobbled it down almost instantly. Back to the present time, Sukuna-Hikona landed in the middle of the five personas to make it all complete, while many other personas joined the six for a large group photo. When the photo was taken, Kintoki-Douji taped the picture on his missile and threw the missile towards a large velvet castle. As the missile flew through the window, it landed in front of Izanagi, Orpheus, three unicorns, two female and one male, and a large black alicorn with white hair and tail as well as a long snout. The black alicorn looked at the picture with a wide toothed grin as he saw the picture of Sukuna-Hikona and the many other personas that she calls 'very best friends'.

"WAKE UP!" Twilight yelled, shocking the dwarf deity to her senses. Looking down, she saw a disgruntled and disappointed Twilight looking up at her, while the others were busy looking around the new labyrinth of the third floor. What they managed to gather is that this place is much more darker in mood than the other 2 floors. Although, it involves paintbrushes, rose bushes and hedges, the red paint was smeared in a way that it looked like blood.

"Honestly Sukuna-Hikona, what would happen if the shadows attack?" Twilight replied, to which Sukuna bowed unhappily. "Just don't do it whenever I summon you."

"This part of the labyrinth looks really depressing..." Applebloom noted "it looks like blood was used to paint the roses red."

"Hurk... I'm feeling sick..." Spike grumbled, trying to properly digest the food he ate instead of throwing it out.

"This place is starting to get freaky..." Octavia winced "let's just finish this before things get bad..."

"Just not to add to the stress..." Vinyl added "but there are tons of new shadows and a new FOE, and the shortcuts that we've seen seem... Different."

"Like what?" Pinkie asked

"For starters, the new shadows seem to come in the form of a balance scale, and another type of those long-tongued shadows."

"Oh Celestia..." Lyra sighed "I hate getting licked by those things..."

"That makes two of us." Flash replied "but we still have to keep on going."

"By the way, Princess Celestia told me of some 'good news' that happened back at the Velvet Room. You may want to come around next time you return." Vinyl added

"Sure thing." Pinkie replied.

"A small question for enlightenment, if Lady Rarity were to be fighting the Hableries in this type of place." Flash asked "do you think she will lose it?"

"That's it!" Rarity shrieked as she quickly dried herself from the new Hablerie's tongue acid. Instead of the normal black and white striped sphere, the Hablerie was instead half red and blue. Purple zig-zag patterns were shown on the blue side and the Hablerie's lips were yellow instead of red.

"Be careful!" Fluttershy warned "it looks like this Hablerie is far more powerful than the one we saw in the first floor! It looks rather agitated instead of timid this time."

"Just tell me it's weakness and I'll drop the icky shadow!" Rarity replied

"Okay then..." Fluttershy responded "without recklessly throwing everything, maybe due to it's red colour, I don't think it's weak to fire... But I'm not sure about the rest."

"Then here's hoping I strike the weak point first!" BonBon volunteered "let's go, Io!" and with a sharp glow from the chained unicorn's green eyes, a column of wind trapped the coloured Hablerie in place, the sharp gusts of wind cutting through it's body. As the wind subsided, the Hablerie fell on the floor, writhing in pain.

"Direct hit!" BonBon exclaimed "I've found it's weak point!"

"Yes." Fluttershy replied over the comms, "it is indeed weak to wind."

"Then let me finish it off. Sandman!" Applejack replied and fired her evoker. A small red tailess and maneless earth pony stood in front of the stunned Hablerie, having pointy ears and a large Silver moon for a head which had yellow eyes, a smirk and a large bag of sand on it's back. Swinging the sand bag with his mouth, Sandman was able to finish off what's left of the Agitating Hablerie into black dust and ashes.

"Right, now I've managed to fully analyse and record every monster that we've seen." Fluttershy replied "turns out that Agitating Hablerie is resistant to fire, ice AND electricity."

"Tough bugger eh?" Big Mac replied

"Wind and Light are it's weaknesses though." Fluttershy replied "but we mustn't dawdle now. We need to continue going."

"Are you tired?" The Doctor asked a panting Derpy

"I'm A-Ok!" Derpy happily replied, before walking unstably and hitting the wall.

"I'm not so sure about that..." Scootaloo watched "you look a little tired..."

"I guess..." Derpy sighed, looking around nervously

"Are you feeling scared Derpy?" Scootloo asked

"I-I'm not scared!" Derpy replied, fear present in her tone.

"But your legs are shaking and I can sense fear in you tone." Scootaloo protested

"It's filled with excitement!" Derpy replied "it's so my body temperature can rise in order to help my digestion improve. That way, I can eat even more!"

"Derpy, I don't think 'shaking with excitement' works like that..." Scootaloo replied "but it's okay to be scared. The pony I love always told me that in order to face your fear, you must experience that fear first, then get over it."

"Why thank you!" Rainbow bowed "you flatter me."

"Don't worry. I'll try my best!" Derpy replied "It's because I want to go back with all of you, so let's continue on working together Scootaloo!" And she started chomping away on another muffin. The doctor grunted uncomfortably.

"Looks like somepony's jelly!" Rainbow teased

"Huh?" Derpy gasped "are you made of jelly Doctor?"

"What do you mean by 'jelly'?" The Doctor replied with confusion

"So you're not all jelly?" Derpy concluded with a disappointed look.

"As I said, what do you mean? Does it look like I am made of this so-called 'jelly' you speak of?" The Doctor asked again

"No..." Derpy sighed

"... Is the Doc really that dense?" BonBon asked with worry,

"What do you mean 'dense'?" The Doctor continued asking, further more confused.

"We're just milling on Derpy's adorability!" Rainbow chuckled

"Uh..." Derpy blushed with embarrassment "th-thank you very much!"

"Hrr..." The Doctor glared at Rainbow

"See? I told you he's jelly! Just look at that glare!" Rainbow laughed "though, I wasn't kidding on how Derpy's adorable, she looks really innocent in this situation! Certain mares unlike cool ones such as I, should be like that!"

"... Are you looking at me?" BonBon asked "and why?"

"You know what I mean from that day..." Rainbow reminded "can you help me out Soarin?"

"Pardon?" Soarin asked

"when I was helping Lyra's errands with BonBon, were walking down Ponyville, I heard somepony talk about BonBon having a 'nice body' and all, do you know what she acted like?"

"Uhh... Am I really supposed to answer that?"

"All she said was 'oy!!!' instead of a message of thanks!" Rainbow explained

"That's because all I hear were ponies talking about me behind my back!" BonBon protested,

"that doesn't sound very cute of you." Rainbow continued teasing "especially the times when you got mad at the apple stall that it took so many free apples to cheer you up. As well as being cranky about that cider contest back then too."

"whatever, it's not like I want to be called cute anyway, especially from you." BonBon replied disappointingly

"I see... Then WHO do you actually want to hear it from?" Rainbow chuckled

"Can you shut it?" An irritated BonBon snapped, "say something leader!"

"Rainbow, you're being annoying." Soarin expressionlessly sighed

"Aw come on leader!" Rainbow replied

"He's right. You are always at your usual annoying self." BonBon agreed

"But you're actually cute BonBon" Soarin redundantly added

"H-Hey!" BonBon blushed "what was that all about?"

"What the...!?" Rainbow gasped "that's not the same reaction I got from you at all! What was that for!?"

"Isn't it obvious!?" BonBon replied with frustration,

"but to tell you the truth, I don't really give... At all." Soarin concluded

"What? Are you not saying I'm cute?" BonBon replied

"Ouch!" Rainbow winced,

"the same goes for you" Soarin turned to Rainbow.

"What!?" Rainbow replied, her heart shattered in to pieces "w-well fine! I'm not cute anyway! I'm cool!"

"Can the three of you give it a rest!?" Rarity interrupted, annoyance and anger filled her tone. "Stop playing around this instant, do you want to be left behind!?"

"Yeah BonBon!" Rainbow Dash sneered "stop wasting time!"

"Really? I wonder WHOSE fault was it for slowing us down?" BonBon retorted

"That's enough you two." Soarin broke, anger rising in his monotonic voice. "Less social, more exploration and battle if necessary."

"Ah. Welcome again to the Velvet Room." Celestia greeted. Apart from her and Vinyl, another unfamiliar face has appeared in the Velvet Room, it wasn't a pony but instead, a griffon, wearing an blue officer's cap with a golden V button and carries a large blue satchel with adorned with golden designs.

"Oh great," The griffon replied with disgust at the approaching party "you idiots and dweebs FINALLY visited!"

"Oh hey! Gilda!!!" Pinkie greeted "how unexpected and surprising to see you here! Nice outfit you've got on too!"

"Oh be quiet you!" Gilda blushed "seriously, when I woke up, I found myself in this mysterious floating platform with Celestia telling me this is the Velvet Room. I can't even find the long snout alicorn, then all of you so-called 'RID' show up. What is going on here? And seriously, why did you not tell me about this cultural festival thing earlier?"

"It seems most of you already know Gilda." Celestia introduced "currently, she is working part-time as another patron of the Velvet Room."

"No I'm not." Gilda protested "I just happen to be here. Why am I here anyway?"

"I tell you again, I have no idea. But like the rest of us, you may have been called here. Since you are here, I know how to put you into good use."

"Oh great... More work" Gilda sighed

"Anyway, I have managed to secure a small communication back to the Equestria we know." Celestia explained "Gilda will search and collect any messages of the ponyfolk back home that concerns any of us. In the meantime Gilda." She turned to the Griffin's attention "when you're not busy, why don't you work on your... Poems that you enjoy so much?"

"They're not poems!" Gilda protested "they're just memos and reminders that I jot down about the messages given from Equestria... And why do you know about them!?"

"Really? Looks like you are a hard worker after all. In that case, I shall ask you to continue doing them as well." Celestia smiled

"Rrrgh... Stupid..." Gilda blushed with embarrassment and defeat.

"Blushing with defeat?" Pinkie wondered "I wonder if that's possible..."

"Poems?" Lyra asked

"They're not poems dork, they're the screams of my pathos." Gilda rudely explained

"Oh okay... Pathos huh..." Lyra wondered

"Anyway" Celestia continued "you may be collecting multiple personas, but some can not be collected from shadows. That's what fusion is all about."

"Fusion?" Twilight replied "so that's how these new personas come around during those times Flash..." Twilight remembered

"As you know, it is about fusing two personas and their powers to form and fashion a new one." Celestia explained "as patrons of the Velvet Room, we assist our guests with the knowledge of the art of fusion. One can say it's the true function of the Velvet Room. That's the second thing I called you all here for. Fusion preparations are now complete, feel free to use this power anytime." Celestia then turned and sternly looked towards Flash,

"your strange fate that you trailed has caused you to wander into this 'haven in the rift', one that I too has followed, not just as a princess of Equestria but as a resident of the Velvet Room. This means that I am fated to lend you my assistance once again. I may not be like him, but I will still do preform fusions henceforth. In this case, do you have a suggestion?"

"Yes." Flash nodded and placed the cards of Pixie and Empusa onto the table.

"Hey! That was my persona! Where did you get that?" Applebloom protested

"I got Empusa from a rather jealous persona. As for Pixie, Izanagi handed her over to me as revenge for drawing on him."

"Tomoe..." Applebloom growled

"Regardless, we can still get both back, and Tomoe will have more company, whether she likes it or not."

"She'd better cope." Applebloom giggled as the two ponies watched Celestia magically sends the two cards, which glow yellow, flying while leaving behind a trail of seals and into her book. After a spin, she thrust open her book to reveal one gleaming card with a different persona.

"I am Angel..." A pegasus greeted. The persona pony has angelic wings, a peach colour and blonde mane and tail, but for some reason, parts of her body were tightly bounded with black silk, including a blindfold with a outlined picture of a white eye and silken neck collar with a long chain hanging off it. "It my sworn duty to protect you..."

"From here, Angel will be joining the ranks of Princess Twilight." Flash informed.

"Hey Princess." Gilda asked as the RID left the room "am I still allowed to go out?"

"You may." Celestia nodded "the Ponyville cultural festival is on right now, feel free to order some food and come back here."

"Sure thing." Gilda smirked "I guess I can 'enjoy' things after all..."

"Actually, how's 'she'?" Celestia changed the subject

"Do you really have to bring up that!?" Gilda replied "I told you, I don't care about her anymore!"

"You know that's not true." Celestia replied unfazed

"Umm..." Vinyl butted in "is this all about Rainbow Dash?"

"Entering the next room." Sweetie reported as the piano key door opens to reveal yet another large room. What they find was a very large empty room where there was a door at the back end.

"Just an empty big room?" Big Mac replied

"Something doesn't seem right here..." Rarity warned. Sure enough, a large torrent of liquid splashed down on the SOES, drenching everypony.

"Woah!" Fluttershy jumped "that was rather unexpected..."

"Seriously? I just took a bath!" Rarity grumbled

"Wait..." Applejack paused "this doesn't feel like water..."

"You're right..." Scootaloo nodded who proceeded to smell the liquid soaked into their fur "it smells like... Tears!"

"Scootaloo's guess is correct." Sweetie Belle added "The components of this liquid contains water, mucin, lipids, lysozyme, lactoferrin, lipocalin, lacritin, immunoglobulins, glucose, urea, sodium, and potassium, the components of tear fluid."

"What is the point of these tears anyway?" BonBon replied,

"Let's just get out of this room." Rainbow grumbled "I can't believe I have to get wet." But as she flew to the door, she realised that it didn't seem to budge open at all.

"What the...?" Rainbow gasped as she tried checking the door once more, and again, It did not move an inch.

"We're trapped in here!" Big Mac gasped as he tried opening the door they entered.

"What has caused this prevention of entering rooms?" Big Mac asked

"Hmm..." Rarity wondered to herself "why tears?"

"Maybe we have to dry ourselves before we can continue?" Scootaloo suggested

"Arf!!!" Winona barked in response and started shaking the tears out of her fur... But it didn't work."

"You can't get them off you!?" Soarin gasped with horror "these aren't ordinary tears."

"Maybe there must be some way to get rid of them. Perhaps it's another clue in the children's book?" Rarity asked

"Let me think..." Fluttershy replied "I remember that there was a part in the book that allowed everypony to dry themselves from the tears of Alice... I think it was called..."

"The... Caucus race?" Scootaloo finished, also remembering that part of the book.

"Yes." Fluttershy nodded, "it seems the labyrinth is forcing us to take part in this race..."

"But how does the Caucus race go?" Applejack asked,

"This is the strange thing..." Fluttershy nervously spoke "in a Caucus race... There is no race path at all. All you have to do is choose where you want to start..."

"And?" Soarin asked

"Gallop in any sort of direction possible, until you become dry." Fluttershy finished

"Wait." Rarity paused "does this mean we can gallop; in any haphazard direction?"

"No boundaries, no tracks, no rules... All you just do is gallop around!" Fluttershy concluded "and at the end, everypony receives a prize!"

"That sounds really dumb..." Big Mac replied.

"Hah!" Applejack taunted "yer just sayin that because yer too lazy!"

"Scuse me!?" Big Mac flared up "fine! Last one to dry up's a rotten apple!" And immediately started sprinting around,

"no fair! You ain't gettin a headstart!" Applejack replied and ran in the opposite direction,

"Come on Rainbow Dash! Let's gallop!" Scootaloo encouraged

"Okay okay!" Rainbow chuckled "coming BonBon?"

"Are you seriously going to do this?" BonBon replied

"if it gets us out of here, yes" Rainbow retorted and started flying around in breakneck speeds. Sharply turning upon any approaching wall as if she was a pony pinball.

"Fluttershy, do we really have to do this?" Rarity winced

"Afraid so." Soarin replied "so let's just make the most of it." And he too, started galloping and flying around

"Doctor!" Derpy cheered "let's fly already!"

"Alright, alright..." The Doctor sighed then remembered "but I am an Earth pony..."

"Sheesh!" Derpy huffed "you know that's not what I meant!"

"Initiating race mode." Sweetie chanted "top speed capacity increased to 825 Horsepower. Ready for 'Caucus Race'." And with that, Sweetie zipped back and forth in the large room, becoming such a blur that nopony could see her.

"You've got to be kidding." BonBon was the only one staying put, damp and disinterested, as she watched the SOES galloping around the large room. Winona was tugging at her leg as if she wanted to race with BonBon.

"Seriously!? Okay okay I get it!" BonBon receded as she started trotting around in a lively pace with Winona.

"Heh heh!" Fluttershy giggled as she watched the SOES running out and about and hummed a song that she heard from an 'Alice in Wonderland' musical.

"Dear Fluttershy." Luna overheard "is that the "Caucus Race" song thou are singing from the Alice in Wonderland musical?"

"Yes it is!!!" Fluttershy laughed

"How odd..." Luna noted "because thy compendium of personas is reacting abnormally..."

"Yawn..." Applebloom yawned as the RID continued trotting along the endless red and black hallways of the labyrinth. "How long is this labyrinth going to take?"

"As long as you keep complaining." Spike retorted "though... I am feeling a bit tired myself."

"This labyrinth just keeps going and going and going and--" Twilight droned on and on until Flash suddenly covered her mouth with his hoof.

"Be careful... I've spotted an FOE." Flash warned and the group looked straight ahead of them to see yet another large card soldier doing something else instead of walking around. This soldier was instead painting a flower display of roses from white to red.

"It seems that it's occupied with painting those roses!" Vinyl analysed "and it looks nearly done!" Sure enough, as the FOE completed it's finishing touches, it starts patrolling on it's respective path.

"Hmm..." Twilight looked "these types of soldiers seem to hold a bucket of red paint and a paintbrush. Maybe this type of soldier's job is not only to walk around and patrol the area, but also to paint any set of roses red. How quaint."

"Then if the paint is washed off, wouldn't the card soldiers come to these sets of roses and paint it up once again?" Applebloom suggested

"Are you trying to imply something?" Octavia asked

"Possibly..." Applebloom replied "look at the number of them roses. Ah bet it takes some time to colour em up, if we are to bypass these tricky type of FOE's, then we oughta hose down that paint so them card soldiers can get busy paintin'."

"Hmm... That's quite a good idea!" Twilight agreed "maybe you are smarter than your sister sometimes!"

"But..." Lyra objected "we don't have anything to clean up these roses!"

"Ah... That's a good point..." Applebloom sighed with defeat

"However" Lyra continued "I found just the thing!" And pulled out a watering can from the ground next to a small pond "this little fella can bring the paint out of this in no time!"

"Very cunning Miss Lyra." Flash applauded "care to do the honors now?"

"You bet!" Lyra nodded and watered the roses to wash away the red paint.

"Look at the card soldier again!" Twilight pointed, as if it has a alarm trigger, the painting soldier immediately broke from his path of patrol and was hopping towards the flower stand of white roses.

"Quickly get past the FOE!" Flash commanded and the team quickly scuttled past the flower stand before the FOE blocked it's position and applied large amounts of red paint on the roses.

"Right, so now we are able to bypass this type of FOE. Is there anything else that is a challenge?" Twilight asked, just as everyone heard a loud roar.

"Possibly..." Flash answered "remember, we shouldn't underestimate the shadows. They are a very formidable enemy with endless numbers and forms."

"But at the same time, also holds endless possibilities of weakness right?" Pinkie replied

"In a way Lady Pinkie, in a way." Flash repeated "if we do face it though, we'd better hit their weakness harder and faster before it hits us."

"You know what I think I could use?" Spike piped up "a cold bath."

"Are you sure you can't keep up?" Lyra replied

"Lyra!" Spike impatiently retorted "I'm tired, I'm sweating and I'm sick of traversing all these labyrinths! I'd jump into a bath of tears if I had to!"

"I don't think that sounds very comfortable..." Octavia gasped

"That was the most uncomfortable experience ever!" BonBon moaned as she as collapsed to the ground after running for an hour or so. Rarity took huge amounts of deep breaths in order to regain her normal oxygen intake while at the same time, clutching her body in pain "I can't take this anymore..." She gasped

"Now that's what ah'm talkin' about!" Applejack stood proud "warm and dry!"

"Now you're talking!" Rainbow Dash chuckled

"That was a very tough gallop!" Scootaloo sighed "but I feel more stronger after that!" Winona barked in agreement,

"Yay Doctor!" Derpy cheered "we did it!"

"Indeed." The Doctor nodded

"Now that it's over, I'm feeling very hungry!"

"Hmph. You're the same as always Derpy." The Doctor sighed,

"Well done everypony!" Fluttershy congratulated "you've run for a long time, and all of you are now dry!"

"Indeed." Sweetie nodded "I can no longer detect tear fluid on any of our bodies."

"So, does that mean we can get out of here?" Big Mac asked

"I'm sure of it!" Fluttershy nodded "I believe that should be everypony's prize."

"Wait... Prize?" Soarin asked

"At the end of the Caucus race," Fluttershy noted "everypony wins a prize!"

"Okay then! Let's get out of here before more of those tears pour down on us again." Rarity remarked

"HOLD ON!" Fluttershy shouted, scaring the SOES and stopping them dead in their tracks.

"That was completely unexpected Flutters!" Rainbow replied

"Sorry..." Fluttershy apologised "it's just that Luna ordered me to get your attention immediately."

"What does she want?" Soarin asked

"Hrm... Ah... I see..." Fluttershy milled with Luna before concentrating back in the comms. "It seems that a new arcana has just appeared in the compendium! I'm starting to think THAT was everypony's prize of the Caucus Race."

"You mean the prize is a prize that we share?" Applejack gasped with shocked face,

"no way!" Rainbow bawled "I wanted a prize all to myself!"

"Well" Fluttershy chuckled in embarrassment "everypony gets gets to share a physical persona of the Chariot arcana. His name is Nata Taishi. I'm sure he'll be very useful! Why don't you have him Big Macintosh? I'll send him over to your evoker!"

"Thanks" Big Mac chuckled "Ah guess ah'm the lucky one ere!"

"Well you'd better let it show." Fluttershy warned "I'm picking up signals of a extremely large and strong shadow, and it's not even an FOE!"

"This sounds really bad... We need to high tail it out of here. Fast!" Soarin warned and the room cleared out immediately. A large black circle formed on the floor of the large room and from it rose a large behemoth of a shadow. Looking around but realising that his victims have escaped, it let out a bloodcurdling roar.

"Eeee!!!" Applebloom screamed "I can hear it! It's getting closer!!! Run to the shortcut!"

"Wait!" Vinyl warned as the RID galloped straight towards the hanging pocket watch. "That shortcut's--" but before she could finish, the RID were teleported to the other side of the wall, meeting face to face with 3 scary looking masks. Immediately, the group turned to go back to the other side only to find out that there was no large pocket watch hanging on this side.

"--One way!" Vinyl finished

"No no no!" Applebloom cried as she banged the wall, hoping that the watch could come back. "I don't wanna fight!"

"Show some restraint Miss Applebloom!" Flash scolded and the small filly turned around and stood up strong with her right hoof in salute, without any more blabbering and crying. "Do not worry, I doubt these are the shadows that made the loud roar."

"He's right." Vinyl comforted over the communication line "but these shadows are pretty new too." The RID watched as the shadows' masks shrink in size and the black sludge all around it formed what looked like a cross with a round circle at the intersection and a sharp pointy base. At first, the RID thought it would be a cross, but changed their minds as the crosses stood up and balanced on their sharp base and started forming balances on both sides of the cross as well as colouring one side red and the other side blue.

"A bunch of scales." Lyra concluded "that's what they are."

"They seem to radiate a lot of heat. Reminds me of that enemy from before..." Vinyl stated

"I remember too." Flash noted "Heat Balance, that's what they were called."

"I can't remember their weakness though, sorry."

"No matter, we'll strike them down with a variety of attacks, right Applebloom?"

"Uh... Yeah?"

"Remember, you said that we should hit them with all we have until we find a weakness. Well I think you should start the honors."

"O-Okay then."

"You don't sound confident like you were at the start of the labyrinth. This is the third floor, we shouldn't give up now." Flash cheered "I'm pretty sure your sister would say the same thing right?"

"Yeah..." Applebloom smiled "yeah, I guess yer right."

"Then you know what to do." Flash nodded and Applebloom charged forward and kicked with all her might, knocking one of the Heat Balances onto the floor.

"Direct hit!" Flash analysed but looked at the remaining 2 Balances with great concern, as purple energy were coursing around and through their bodies intensely.

"Be careful!" Vinyl warned "they are charging up their mind, the next magical attack they cast will deal thrice the damage!"

"Then we'll need to stop them now!" Applebloom replied as a persona card materialised in the air. However, the arcana on the card wasn't the Chariot, which was Applebloom's arcana, but the arcana of Fortune.

"Empusa!" Applebloom yelled as she swiped her hoof to shatter the card. The Olympian vampire stood before the shadows, hissing and roaring with threat.

"Let's show em what yer made of Empusa, Bufu!" Under Applebloom's command, Empusa released a stream of freezing water that forms a small crystal to freeze half of the shadow's body that snaps and shatters. Although the balance wasn't defeated completely, it too was left lying on the floor.

"Alright!" Applebloom cheered

"I think it's the least of our worries..." Octavia gestured to Applebloom towards the third remaining Balance, the dishes on the balance started to generate fire which starts to blaze intensely.

"Aw man..." Applebloom winced at her mistake as the balance released it's fire in a small wave that affected everypony in battle. Although the RID managed to survive the dreadful Maragi, the ponies and dragon still took serious damage and are barely at their vitals, with their own persona cards becoming near static images. Octavia took the least damage of all the ponies as she was resistant to Fire but the Balance's mind charge was enough to leave her in a damaged condition. Applebloom however, was weak to Fire and with Tomoe collapsing and shattering, it was clear to see that she suffered a dreadful fate.

"Applebloom!?" Flash coughed as he continuously compressed the chest of the soot-coloured, motionless filly. He then proceeded to check her pulse and raised his hoof to her nostrils. As the result sends terror coursing through his veins, he refuses to give in as he continues to compress her chest faster and harder "dammit Applebloom!"

"Her... Her body temperature..." Vinyl shivered "I can't sense it anymore..."

"Buck!" Flash cursed in frustration in failing to revive Applebloom. "Spike!" He called "any Revival Beads?"

"No..." Spike replied, painfully picking himself from the ground "But I have this, Kintoki-Douji!" And Spike's big round boiler rumbled and whirled while letting out steam. After a few seconds, Spike turned the valve to open the round door on Kintoki-Douji's hollow body and pulled out a bowl of soup.

"One serving of Recarm coming up!" Spike called and quickly poured it into the mouth of Applebloom. "Now continue the CPR procedure!" Spike instructed and Flash continued to compress her chest without a word. As Flash and Spike were busy saving Applebloom, Twilight, Lyra, Pinkie and Octavia were busy dealing with the enemy. The two balances managed to recover and stand back up, glaring at the four injured ponies.

"This isn't good..." Twilight panicked "if any of those three spam a mind charge and another magic attack, we'll all go down!

"I'm sure they're not weak to just ice..." Pinkie hoped "I'm sure there's another weakness!"

"The nerve of those balances..." Lyra growled "they've made me mad now!"

"Ah!" Octavia gasped with an idea,

"seems you got an idea." Twilight noticed "care to share?"

"I realised that the scales are half red and blue, and the Heat Balance is weak to ice. Now if ice is blue and fire is red..."

"Are you suggesting that this shadow is also weak to fire?" Pinkie asked

"Indeed" Octavia nodded "Konohana is a fire caster and she also knows Maragi."

"It's worth a shot." Twilight nodded,

"Hit them hard!" Lyra encouraged.

"Here goes. Persona!" Octavia chanted and summoned the Blossom Princess. With a dance of her wings, Konohana Sakuya sends three fireballs directly at the three scales, knocking them around wildly. Although they did not get stunned, two were desperately trying to maintain balance.

"They're very low in health!" Vinyl replied "finish them off!"

"Time for some action!!!" Lyra roared and smashed her folding chair onto one weak Heat Balance into black splinters and sawdust, which soon dissolved.

"Goodbye!" Twilight growled and with a true aim, shattered the other weak Heat Balance. Although two of the Heat Balances were out of the way, the Balance had enough time to charge its mind once more and generated cold freezing mist on its scales this time.

"This isn't good." Twilight watched in horror "I have a feeling that this is a Mabufu attack. With that Mind Charge, it's gonna wipe us all out!"

"I'll make sure it doesn't do that!" Octavia growled "I shall never forgive you for harming Applebloom!" Floating above her fan was another persona card. Shattering it summoned Azumi once again.

"I'll make sure you'll never cast other magic attack, Makajam!" Octavia chanted and with a roar from the half fish and half pony, purple chains lunged at the balance and ensnared it's body. As the tightly bound chains glow purple, the freezing mist in both scales started to grow less in power until it was completely gone.

"You!" Pinkie gasped "you've binded it's magic!"

"Indeed." Octavia nodded "now it's time to finish this!" Once more, Azumi released yet another icy cold bufu attack to freeze the third scale in place... Open for an all-out attack.

"You know what this calls for." Octavia gestured "taste our power!" At the same time when the four ponies charged in with their weapons, Flash and Spike managed to bring Applebloom back into consciousness.

"Ack..." Applebloom weakly coughed "get... offa me... Mr Sentry..." And tried to push his legs away. With a sigh of relief, Flash stopped compressing her chest and nodded at Spike.

"That was a close call!" Spike exclaimed "how are you holding up?"

"Ah'm okay..." Applebloom "that fire move though... If Big Sis and Big Bro were here, ah bet both would be extremely worried so much that they'd mentally break down into a frenzy, and I dread to wonder what they would do to you Mr Sentry!"

"Then I assume it is best for both of us that your prediction is very unlikely to occur." Flash smiled "besides, whenever I'm placed in a dangerous situation like you, It's positive that worry will strike and fill the minds of my younger siblings."

"Ya mean First Base and yer younger sister?"

"Yes." Flash nodded "that's why I'd be very cautious against any type of shadow, and I'm not afraid to flee or escape when necessary."

"Choosing Family over Glory. That's very sweet of you." Octavia replied, overhearing the conversation.

"But either as a Royal Guard for Equestria, oldest sibling for my family or the leader of the RID, my duty remains unwavered." Flash added

"That sounds like our leader!" Lyra replied

"Princess, can you help with healing Applebloom?" Flash asked

"I sure can!" Twilight nodded. Summoning Angel, she casted Dia in the form of a green mist made of sparkles and wind which generated from her angelic wings. Resting on Applebloom's burn marks and cleaning them up.

"Any better?" Spike asked

"Ah feel much better!" Applebloom replied energetically as she stood up straight.

"I just realised something..." Vinyl announced "do you know when the Heat Balance we just fought?"

"Yes?"

"It turns out those things were actually resistant to Fire and Ice!"

"WHAT!?"

"It's weak to the other elements. Lightning, Wind, Light and Dark!"

"Oh..." Lyra replied with disappointment "looks like we've wasted our time..."

"Do not fear." Flash encouraged "if we are able to defeat shadows with spells that are resistant to them, that shows that we are growing much stronger without having to worry about the weakness and resistances of enemies."

"You know. I think Flash is right here." Octavia replied "thanks for your consideration. You really treat your friends and allies like your family!"

"Heh... I guess you are right about that after all." Lyra answered back with a small smile.

"Your compliments and impressions about me are noted and taken seriously." Flash bowed,

"you still need to keep the formalities?" Lyra sighed "a simple thank you is good enough."

"In that case, thank you Miss Heartstrings and Miss Melody." Flash corrected

"I think we should keep on moving." Twilight noted "as much as this scene is touching, I don't think we have a lot of time..."

"Understood. Let's go." Flash instructed. Once again, the RID continued traversing the labyrinth with high morale.

"Seriously? Another dead end?" Lyra grumbled in despair.

"Not quite so, there'a book down there..." Twilight pointed out. Flash picked it up to inspect it

"A pop-up book, with a picture of some hideous beast with an iron ball." Flash concluded,

"A pop-up book?" Applebloom replied in interest,

"Aren't they books that unfolds pictures when you turn a page?"

"That's right" Twilight nodded "though, it interests me on what comes out of this book..."

"Hey..." Pinkie nudged "do you think, just due to this power of the labyrinth, if we open that book, that monster on the cover spring out of the book and attack us? Just like how a pop-up book springs out pictures."

"Don't be silly." Lyra laughed "it's just a normal pop-up picture book with a scary monster on it, do you think it can do any harm?"

"Well..." Vinyl piped up "it looks like this monster is familiar to one of the shadow forms... I think you should leave it alone..."

"Hey look!" Rainbow Dash spotted "A pop-up book!"

"Wow!" Scootaloo exclaimed, picking up the book "it has a cover of a 4-leaf clover!"

"It's somepony's lucky day today then!" Applejack chuckled "wanna open it?"

"Beware, It could be a trap." Rarity warned

"How many times does everypony say that?" Big Mac replied bewildered "it's just a pop-up book, so let's just open it or something!" But without further ado, Soarin opened the book and it revealed a 4-leaf clover.

"Huh... So it's just a picture book after all..." Soarin disappointingly replied.

"Hold on a second... Look!" BonBon gasped, what was supposed to be the pop-up picture of a 4-leaf clover turned out to be a realistic one.

"Woah" Soarin replied in bored amazement as he picked up the realistic 4-leaf clover. "Lucky indeed."

"So this pop-up book can have this magic power that can make whatever's inside it's covers into actual life!" Fluttershy explained "I dread to think if there was some horrible monster inside that pop-up book instead of a clover..." At that moment, multiple screams pierced the ears of the SOES. From what they could see, a blur of colours were being chased by a blur of black, dark silhouettes.

"What the!? That voice!" The Doctor gasped

"It's!... It's!" Derpy tried to speak

"It's somepony in trouble!" Rainbow Dash finished,

"BonBon! Rainbow! Winona! Doctor and Derpy! Follow me!" Soarin commanded and the 6 ponies galloped straight towards the current chase.

"The blur of colours is too fast for me to analyse them..." Fluttershy reported "but we all know that they're being pursued by a group of shadows!"

"Do you know what they are?"

"Two Enslaved Beasts, enemies we've seen before." Fluttershy replied

"Well looks like I've got the right ponies for the job..." Soarin chuckled

"What did you say leader?" BonBon overheard

"We need to intercept the shadows!" Soarin replied

"You're getting very close to the shadow force right now. They're fully focused on chasing the unknown group. If you time it right, you can get the jump on it!"

"Understood." Soarin nodded and signaled his team to get ready and strike.

"The shadow force will be passing in 3...2...1..."

"Now!" Soarin responded and with a ferocious charge, knocked the two enslaved beasts off balance.

"So these shadows are weak to fire right?" Soarin asked as the two shadows were caught off-guard.

"Yes indeed." Fluttershy replied

"You know what to do everyone, let's do this!" Soarin commanded

"Persona!" Rainbow cried. Hermes set himself ablaze and charged against one of the beasts, with the flaming impact causing a fusion blast.

"Ukobach!" BonBon summoned the small green pony demon once more, who pelted a small fireball from his ladle to cause a small explosion on the same beast.

"Arooo!!!!" Winona howled as she summoned Cerberus to launch a stream of fire, the same power as Ukobach's. The combination of the three fire attacks was enough for the Enslaved Beast to melt into black ooze.

"Persona!" Soarin yelled, firing the evoker to his head. Orpheus sprung and slashed the other Enslaved Beast with his giant harp.

"It's all mine!" The Doctor yelled as he fired an ablaze substance from his bowgun. The fiery ammunition hit the Beast full on but was still standing to its limits.

"Wow Doctor! Everypony's fired up!" Depry noted

"Yes." The Doctor nodded "our morale is quite high."

"Should we go for broke?" BonBon asked. With a nod, Soarin and the other 5 charged in with their weapons. As Winona, Soarin and Rainbow Dash continuously slashed the Enslaved Beast, The Doctor and BonBon kept on unloading their ammunition against the gigantic dust cloud. As the dust settled, the Shadow had already crumbled to dust, leaving behind long and small arrows. One of the arrows however 'strayed' on it's path and hit Rainbow. It doesn't take a genius to know who fired that arrow.

"BonBon!" Rainbow yelped as she felt the pain "why!?"

"Sorry! My bad!" BonBon giggled

"Here, let me help." Soarin volunteered as he grasped the arrow stuck on Rainbow, and abruptly pulled it out.

"Aahhh!!!!" Rainbow screamed in pain.

"It's okay." Soarin comforted as he applied a bandage to the cyan mare. "It shouldn't hurt anymore."

"Th-Thank you..." Rainbow replied, blushing while she stood up.

"By the way..." Soarin replied "no need to blush."

"Leader!" Rarity called as she and the rest of the SOES approached him, the four-leaf clover attached to Applejack's stetson. "Are you all right?"

"Yeah we're fine." Soarin replied "we've defeated the shadow force no sweat. However, the shadows had some strange behavior..."

"Beg your pardon?"

"It seems that the late shadow group were occupied with chasing something..." Fluttershy explained,

"could it be the rabbit?" Scootaloo asked,

"no..." Fluttershy replied "I can sense it's presence, but it wasn't running frantically at all, it may be something else."

"All we saw were a blur and a mix of colours." Rainbow explained "it was being chased by those shadows. If it was a pony, which pony could it be? One that can become a blur of so many colours?"

"A description like that..." Big Mac replied "... Fits the description of you."

"Hah hah very funny." Rainbow sarcastically laughed "but there were a group of screams. It can't just be one pony."

"Can't just be one pony?" Fluttershy gasped from the Velvet Room "hold on a minute!!!" She cut communications then turned her attention to Luna.

"Princess, there's something I need to do that requires your help, can you follow me?"

"What has piqued your attention dear Fluttershy?" Luna asked

"I feel like we're not alone here..." Fluttershy trembled "I haven't told the others this but..."

"Yes?"

"If you overheard, there was some description of a coloured blur."

"We have overheard it."

"I also said I couldn't decipher or analyse what it is"

"Yes"

"Well... I just found out why..."

"And?"

"Something's interfering with me analyzing that blur."

"I beg your pardon?" Celestia repeated

"I'm just saying." Vinyl explained "as the RID was running away from the shadows from that pop-up book. The communication line seemed to falter quite a lot."

"Perhaps the panic between Flash and you due to those shadows have caused some bad connection?"

"Not at all." Vinyl replied "it feels like something was trying to break into my persona communication... But I've fully connected with the group so it could do nothing but weaken my signal."

"Hold on." Celestia stopped "did you just say your persona communication was trying to be broken?"

"It feels like..." Vinyl replied "it wants... To analyse them..."

"But... If you had blocked this analysis..." Celestia realised "then that means..."

"I seemed to have analysed something else instead..." Fluttershy finished "or rather, something more terrifying."

"What!?" Luna gasped

"And the only thing I managed to get..." Fluttershy shivered as she mustered the courage to finish off her sentence. "Was another communication line... From another Persona."

"Another Persona that is able to have tactical support abilities..." Celestia wondered to herself. "If so, it seems that there is another third party..."

"And if there is currently a communication line with that blur of colours." Luna continued her train of thought. "It definitely means that there is another team similar to Soarin's... If there was a leader in that blur of colours. It could explain everything from what's wrong with my guest and his friend's personas, to the intertwining threads of fate... Impossible."

"Two with the power of the wild card." The two princesses said together

"Princess?" Vinyl asked in confusion.

"Hmm?" Celestia turned "never mind me, I'm going to be doing a little tour around Ponyville. Can you and Gilda watch the Velvet Room for now?"

"Oh okay." Vinyl nodded

"Get me some apples on the way back." Gilda called as Celestia strode out of the Velvet Room.

"Two Wild Cards..." Celestia mumbled to herself "it can only mean one thing..."

"Fluttershy?" Applejack called in the comms "you seem awfully silent."

"It's nothing." Fluttershy replied "just I had some things to talk with Luna, and all of a sudden, she stormed out in a hurry."

"Will she be back in time? I don't recall her mentioning the fusion of personas." Soarin asked,

"speaking of personas..." BonBon gestured towards another floating card that rose from the shadow's remains. As it lies on Soarin's hooves, it revealed a bipedal horse of red and white, with hooves on it's feet and on it's supposed front legs...

"Hands." BonBon spat with disgust "One of Lyra's obsession's with humans, is that they have hands."

"Do you know who this persona is?" Applejack asked "he looks like a monstrosity..."

"I think it's called..." Fluttershy analysed "Orobas. A persona of the Magician arcana, has both physical and magic fire attacks, and has a few binding moves."

"Sounds useful for me..." Rarity replied "I shall take care of him..."

"Just make sure he doesn't pull out the long sharp knife for the wrong reason..."

"What knife?" Sweetie asked

"I-It's nothing!" Fluttershy chuckled "I think I'm sensing the rabbit again, it's quite close to where you are now. Try going north!"

"All right." Soarin instructed "let's keep on going!"

Character Database: Rainbow Dash

Race: Pegasus

Character Role: Junpei Iori (Persona 3)

Main Persona: Hermes (Magician)

Who's awesome and fast? Rainbow Dash is awesome and fast! She's the fastest flyer in Equestria! Of course, that's what she thinks, though a few others may agree with her. Despite her astounding speed and power of her wings, it doesn't fix her boastful and arrogant attitude. Sometimes, she's very insensitive to other ponies, her team and especially BonBon and they both do not get along well. Don't worry though, as everypony else may not tolerate it, they can easily find their own comebacks against her, whether it's her boasting or her scary ghost stories. Being the element of Loyalty however, no matter the joker, she is always diligent to the SOES and as much as she trusts them, they trust her back. Besides, fighting black monsters with a guardian-like superpower of your own is cool and exciting as she thinks it. Rainbow experienced the coming of the dark hour when she was busy napping in a tree. As the green rolled through, she immediately lost confidence of her surroundings, that is, until Applejack managed to rescue her. As she wasn't in a coffin during the Dark Hour, it is evidently shown that she is capable of invoking her own Persona, and that is Hermes. As she starts helping out in the SOES, she gains confidence and loyal as she fights with Soarin, and step by step, no matter how little, she becomes a better mare as she knows that with protecting anypony they love, they are able to get through and carry out their mission, so she can once again fly the skies.

Special Tips: Despite being the fastest pony in Equestria, she does NOT take her speed into account when in battle with shadows (probably due to her cockiness). She, in fact, is slower than the majority of the ponies in the RID and SOES combined. Only faster than Spike, Sweetie Belle, Lyra and Big Macintosh, making her the 5th slowest overall. Even though that's the worst of her problems, she is not the best stat-wise overall. However, she really tries hard and that perseverance is rewarding in itself. Her strength and endurance carries her through, making her quite a powerful person. As she learns Fire skills just like Soarin, her role leans in towards very handy support. She can only learn one offense skill but that skill, due to Hermes' speed, has a very wide range and can also be used as a ranged attack. Her Rakukaja skill allows her to increase the defence of an ally. Now although she doesn't use her speed to get her turn before the shadows, she instead, skillfully uses her speed to give an advantage and a boost to her attacks, which comes to her special support skill Death Chaser. For a period of time, she can use her wings and speed to squeeze in any follow-up attacks after anypony, including herself, has attacked an enemy. Even so, she doesn't swing her large broadsword (melee cut) for nothing though! Without a doubt, she is best placed in the front lines and is exceptionally the best character to initiate 'link' attacks. You need to sort out her speed initiative first, before she can start link attacks. Rainbow Dash is resistant to fire, but ironically, she is weak to wind.

Author's Notes:

Current Persona list:
The SOES
Soarin: Orpheus (Main), Koropokkur (Sub)
BonBon: Io (Main), Ukobach (Sub)
Rainbow Dash: Hermes
Applejack: Polydeuces (Main), Sandman (Sub)
Big Macintosh: Castor (Main), Nata Taishi (Sub) (NEW!)
Fluttershy: Lucia (Main), Ame-no-Uzume (Sub)
Rarity: Penthesliea (Main), Apsaras, Orobas (NEW!) (Sub)
Scootaloo: Nemesis (Main), Slime (Sub)
Winona: Cerberus
Sweetie Belle: Palladion
The RID
Flash Sentry: Izanagi (Main), Anzu (Sub)
Pinkie Pie: Jiraiya (Main), Agathion (Sub)
Applebloom: Tomoe (Main), Empusa (Sub)
Octavia Melody: Konohana Sakuya (Main), Azumi (Sub)
Lyra Heartstrings: Take-Mikazuchi
Vinyl Scratch: Himiko (Main), Onmoraki (Sub)
Spike: Kintoki-Douji
Twilight Sparkle: Sukuna-Hikona (Main), Pixie, Angel (NEW!) (Sub)

Question time: This labyrinth is a reference to Lewis Carroll's famous children's book Alice In Wonderland. If you've read the book (or a play that's similar to it but NOT the two Disney movies), what do you think is the most favorite part of the book?

My favorite part when I was young was definitely the parts with the Cheshire Cat.

You in Wonderland: Chapter 3 (part 2)

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After buying a couple of weapons, armor and supplies from their respective Velvet Room attendant, the two teams galloped around the labyrinth, plowing through the enemy shadows from the first and second labyrinths of 'You In Wonderland' due to their accumulated experience of fighting between themselves and their personas, as well as the number of sub-personas that they had. Thus, the shadows that are native to the 3rd labyrinth proved to be quite a challenge, through the power of friendship and team work, the threat was pushed aside and decent experience was gathered. Of course, shadows are not to be underestimated, and one of the teams are about to find that out. During the trek, the SOES obtained one new sub-persona, while the RID obtained two. The Hind-du goddess of the rivers, patron of speech, writing, learning, and the arts and sciences, Sarasvati (as a unicorn) joined the caring ranks of Applejack to prevent the earth pony from sleeping and especially to resist the horrors of ice. On the other team, the dark green, boomerang wielding, foal-napping and eating evil spirit from Equestralian folklore, Mokoi is the first sub-persona to join Lyra to help support the mint unicorn's role of being a hard-hitting tank, as well as to support Twilight's instant kills. Finally, the "chooser of the slain" Valkyrie, an earth pony warrior mare from Horse Mythology (Norse Mythology... Get it?) was welcomed into the heart of Applebloom, to extend her physical moveset with a side order of ice.

On one side of the labyrinth, the SOES were busy with a few encounters. Throughout these fights, they were bashing, slashing and stabbing any shadow that dares to challenge them.

"Eat this!" Soarin yelled as he drove his sword through a Cowardly Maya, cutting into half and ceasing it's existence.

"I'll execute you!" Rarity yelled as she brutally kicked a laughing table down.

"Nata Taishi!" Big Mac summoned and a tan like earth pony with a black tail and a black and peculiar manestyle along with wearing a red scarf, a necklet that resembles the leaves of a lotus, black boots, gloves with rings and some red body armor with a large Chineighse word on it. Nata Taishi proceeded to slash a Jupiter Eagle twice before finishing it off with a Fusion Blast.

"Sarasvati!" Applejack summoned and a green unicorn mare with a black mane and tail. She wore a satin cloak of yellow and white covering her front legs and body, with a white sash magically floating in the wind. Apart from that, she wore a gold headdress with small purple gems and a gold belt also studded with small purple gems. The Goddess held a peculiar string instrument with her known as a sitar. With a glare, Sarasvati played a chord with such dissonance that it literally sent chills down a Sleeping Table, freezing it all around and in place. "Change sub-persona!" Applejack chanted and as Sarasvati faded from view, another gunshot from Applejack released more blue fog and Sandman came into view instead. Using some sand from his bag, Sandman thrust two strains of sand so hard at the table that it became a double piercing shot. Both shots violently shattered the ice and with it, the frozen Sleeping Table.

"Commencing annihilation," Sweetie spoke, devoid of emotion, and released countless magic bullets and magic missiles onto a Heat Balance, bashing and pushing the shadow to and fro.

"Let me help!" Scootaloo called and summoned Nemesis. With the seal of light appearing under the balance and the four cards of light rising from it. The shadow disintegrated as the light burst forth from the seal.

"Your assistance was unneeded, but greatly appreciated. Thank you Scootaloo." Sweetie bowed

"That's what friends are for right?" Scootaloo chuckled

"But be careful. There are still shadows running amok." Sweetie warned "there is another Heat Balance 50 meters behind you. It is planning to attack both of us."

"Not if I can help it!" BonBon replied and summoned Isis to cast a gust of wind to blow the Heat Balance... Off-Balance.

"Arooo!!!!" Winona howled as she summoned Cerberus. Once again, the three headed dog summoned a dark circle and seal on the bottom. The dark clouds surrounded the stunned Heat Balance and filled it with so much energy that it exploded in the most dreadful way possible.

"There's still some more shadows to clear up. Let's take them all in one blow!" Rainbow encouraged

"I'll hold you on to that then!" BonBon chuckled

"Let us join too." The Doctor volunteered

"Hang in there everypony!" Derpy encouraged

"All-out attack!" Soarin commanded and he, BonBon, Rainbow Dash, the Doctor and Derpy charged into the rest of the enemy group, slashing and stabbing like there's no tomorrow. As the dust settled, every shadow was reduced into sludge and dust.

"All right, pack it in!" Rainbow cheered in victory,

"All enemies are annihilated." Sweetie reported,

"Good, then we must continue on." Rarity commanded

In another part of the labyrinth, the RID were happily beating down any shadow that gets in their way, with their trusty new weapons and personas.

"Burning up!" Flash yelled as he summoned the demonic tempest bird Anzu, though he looks like a large bird with a lion's head. Anzu swept around the Agitating Hableries and started to whip up violent cyclones, blowing the majority of them to the ground and leaving some badly wounded.

"Here I go!" Twilight replied, summoning Sukuna-Hikona to dish out damage with her sword as well as a useful Hama skill to remove one of the Hableries permanently.

"I admire your instant-kill moves." Flash noted "but there are still more Hableries to go."

"Well, I'm in a boosted state now, so it doesn't really matter unless I get hit right?" Twilight replied

"Just be careful when that time comes." Flash replied "I need to conserve enough of my energy."

"Okay then. Angel!" Twilight yelled, summoning her sub-persona Angel. Like Anzu, she too whipped up violent cyclones to push the Hableries back even more.

"Ha ha ha!" Twilight mockingly laughed at them. That caused the Hableries to stand back up... Very very agitated.

"I think you agitated them even further..." Flash warned

"Did I?" Twilight chuckled "oops..." That was her last word before the Hableries ganged up on her with their tongues, slapping and licking her hard. One of the Hableries decided to roar and a spiky chain wrapped around it's tongue. With yet another tongue slap, the thorny chains pierced her skin and it magically wrapped around her head.

"Argh!!!" Twilight yelled, clutching her head "I can't-- use spells! This chain of thorns is constantly puncturing my concentration!

"We need help. Lady Pinkie!" Flash called and Pinkie jumped to their side.

"Somepony call me?" Pinkie asked

"Can you cover the Princess and assist me in taking out those Hableries?"

"No problemo Flashie-o!" Pinkie jumped for joy before crushing her persona card on the floor. "Jiraiya!" She chanted as the disco ninja frog pony emerged from the shattered card. "This fella's ready to try out his new move!"

"A new move?" Flash asked

"Yeah! It's a melee wind attack!" Pinkie explained "Jiraiya, let's show Flashy our new powers on those mean Hableries!" With a nod, Jiraiya flew straight towards the one of the Hableries and brandished his large yellow 4-sided shuriken on each of his front hoof. Jiraiya cut one of the Hableries in half with one hoof and with the other, cleaving another in twain.

"Behold! The slashing wind skill," Pinkie announced "Jinpugeki!" And to finish it off, Jiraiya threw both his shuriken straight through the final Hablerie, splitting him. With a clap of his hooves, the spliced Hableries exploded into black dust which fades into nothing.

"Well done Jiraiya! Hoof bump!" Pinkie congratulated, holding out her hoof and Jiraiya bumped it with his hoof, before disappearing.

"How are the others doing?" Flash asked as he tossed a bottle of medicine and a mutudi gem to a wounded Twilight.

"Oh they're doing fine! Though Applebloom's used a lot of her energy to summon and swap between Tomoe, Empusa and Valkyrie very frequently to fight out a group of Justice Swords, so she's out of energy and is sleeping peacefully!"

"I beg your pardon!?"

"She's still a filly remember? That's why she has a lack of energy!" Pinkie reminded "don't worry, Octavia, Lyra and Spike are guarding her promptly!"

"Yeah that's right, scram!" Lyra taunted as her own face instilled fear into a group of Calm Pesces as Take-Mikazuchi swung his large, electrically-charged lightning bolt against the fish shadows, bombarding them with electric bashes until they were sizzled or vaporised. Meanwhile, a small green pony that looks like it's made out of vegetation was darting his round white, pupiless eyes around the surroundings as he creeped away from Lyra, Octavia and Spike and towards Applebloom. He licked his lips as he got closer and closer to the sleeping filly and pulled out a knife and fork. As he was about to claim his dinner, a large hoof tapped him from behind. Mokoi turned around to see Tomoe looming above him. Mokoi looked down at his cutlery then back up to the female samurai with a bad poker face. Unamused, Tomoe lifted her front hoof and slammed it on Mokoi, crushing and shattering him into persona dust and fragments.

"Woah!" Lyra jumped, her thought of concentration snapped,

"Is there a problem?" Octavia asked, though she was fully concentrated on a group of Enslaved Beasts.

"I feel like something snapped inside my mind." Lyra explained "it's not life-threatening, but I feel like something happened to Mokoi."

"Your sub-persona?" Spike asked

"It seems I wont be able to use him for a short while." Lyra replied, "it feels like he's been defeated."

"But I don't recall you summoning him at all..." Octavia remembered,

"Personas can come out of their own will their host is in any sort of physical trouble." Spike lectured "Twilight told me so!"

"Or unless it depends on the Persona's history or mythology." Octavia suggested "if the original Mokoi was a spirit of evil that could kidnap and eat fillies, I wouldn't be surprised if he decided to eat Applebloom."

"I don't think it matters really" Lyra chuckled "like Spike said, Personas come out when their host is in trouble. Applebloom's protected with Tomoe around."

"Be careful girls and Spike!" Vinyl warned "I hate to break you guys up, but there's a group of Enslaved Beasts to your left and Lying Hableries to your right!"

"Let me deal with the beasts." Octavia planned "Lyra, Spike, can you take on the Hableries?"

"Sure thing Octavia!" Lyra nodded

"You can always count on me!" Spike winked,

"Come! Konohana Sakuya!" Octavia summoned the Blossom Princess once more. Looking at the 5 oncoming shadows with disgust, the flap of her wings spat out a fire ball for each of them. Hitting them hard, the Beasts rolled around in pain, eager to put out the flames burning their fur. Some that were courageous enough continued on charging.

"Quite persistent." Octavia commended "but you should know better than to face my flames. Again!" Once more, Konohana Sakuya conjured another barrage of fireballs to strike down the Beasts, 2 went down, 3 continued charging.

"Oh dear... I'd better do something or they will be on me!" Octavia gulped, as a response, Konohana sent another Maragi for a third time, but only one burnt down to ashes. The last two remaining shadows got close enough to pounce towards the Blossom Princess.

"Aahhh!!!" Octavia screamed and braced herself for the oncoming pain,

"Mudo!" A mare's voice cried out,

"Cleave him in twain!" A stallion's voice commanded. As Octavia looked up, unsure of why she wasn't feeling any pain, she saw the dissolving remains of the two pouncing shadows, one cut in half, the other consumed by darkness. She turned around to see Sukuna-Hikona and Anzu, with Twilight and Flash behind them.

"Do you suffer from any injuries?" Flash asked

"Not at all! Thank you for your help!" Octavia thanked

"Get ready!" Lyra roared as she smacked a Lying Hablerie in the face with her folding chair, she proceeded to whack it skyward before leaping towards the airborne Hablerie to knock it downward where it went splat on the ground, leaving behind a nasty artwork made from black sludge. "Who wants another?" Lyra threatened

"Rawwrr!!!" Spike growled as his claws rended through the Hablerie's flesh. Enraged, the Hablerie started strike the baby dragon with its tongue.

"Owwiee!" Spike yelped "do you want me to cut that tongue of yours!?" And with a grunt, Spike sliced the enemy in three strikes, and then summoned Kintoki-Douji to flatten the shadow with his behind.

"Quick moves Spike." Lyra commended "for somepony that's slow."

"Me?" Spike replied insulted "I may not be as fast as the rest but we all know that I'm faster than you!"

"Hah! At least I've got strength to back it up!" Lyra teased "I'm the strongest of the RID! What do you have? Luck?"

"As a matter of fact, I do! I'm the luckiest of the RID! What makes you think I can easily beat a Hablerie with just my claws?"

"Fair enough." Lyra nodded in acceptance,

"Stay focused both of you!" Vinyl communicated "you've got 3 of those shadows left."

"Then let me support your strength." Lyra replied and Take-Mikazuchi raised his sword towards little Spike and a flux of orange energy showered down on Spike, which seemed to increase tension in his muscular body. Not only did it affect Spike, but it also caused a transparent pillar of orange light to rise underneath Kintoki-Douji. As a reaction, Kintoki-Douji clutched his missile harder then started stomping on the spot sumo-style.

"All right! Now I feel fired up!" Spike grinned "Kintoki-Douji!" At that command, the Tomahawk-wielding Hero tossed his missile straight at one of the Hableries and pierced through the shadows face before exploding.

"Ha ha!" Spike yelled as Kintoki-Douji stood in victory. It didn't take a genius to know that the final Hablerie decided to take that opportunity to knock the round persona to the ground.

"Guh!" Spike gulped as he felt the pain of the tackle.

"Woah! You gotta be careful there!" Lyra jumped as she helped Spike to his legs.

"Don't worry everypony! Leave dis' ta me!" A southern filly's voice echoed as the two RID members see a brown mare with beautiful long blonde mane and tail, some parts covered with metal scale armor and wore a mask with wings on either side. She wore black boots on her hind legs and on her front legs, a silver longsword each. The brave mare standing before the final Hablerie.

"That's Valkyrie..." Spike noticed "Applebloom?" The two turned around to see the small filly behind the Chooser of the Slain.

"Hiya Spike and Lyra! Ah hope ah didn't sleep through the party!" Applebloom greeted "Ah'm fully rested and recovered, now ready to dish out some damage!" The Hablerie roared in frustration and charged towards the new persona.

"you know what to do Valkyrie!" Applebloom replied. Valkyrie sidestepped away from the Hablerie's range and with her dual swords shining with the colour of ice, slashed the shadow leaving a icy-blue X mark behind.

"What's this?" Lyra asked

"It's a special new move. Frost Link!" Applebloom answered.

"Frost Link?" Spike asked with a puzzled look on his face "what's with the 'link' word?"

"It's quite new as we didn't see or use this type of move before in the Midnight Theatre. This move doesn't really damage the enemy a lot, but it actually sets up a special follow-up attack!"

"Really? Then let me try it out!" Lyra replied with interest. With a wide swipe from Lyra's chair, the Hablerie was smacked pretty hard.

"Now look at the X!" Applebloom instructed. As the three watched the hablerie, the icy-blue X started to glow intensely as it started to attract auras of ice out of nowhere. Once it has received enough, the icy-blue X mark and the icy aura that it attracted burst forth into an icicle bomb, where all the sub-zero shrapnel pierced the Shadow to shreds.

"Dang! That's a pretty awesome attack!" Spike exclaimed.

"Everypony" Vinyl announced "the area is now clear! We are able to continue on!"

"March onward!" Flash replied, signalling with his sword to press forward.

"But be careful! I'm sensing something big that seems to be trailing around, looks to be a giant shadow. I'm also sensing that rabbit up ahead!" Vinyl warned, a bloodcurdling roar was heard throughout the labyrinth, indicating everypony it's presence.

"Acknowledged." Flash replied "we can hear it's presence."

"Oh horseapples... Hope it doesn't decide to attack us..." Applebloom shivered with fear.

"Let's hurry then." Twilight encouraged.

Now in the Ponyville Cultural Festival, Princess Celestia was busy galloping around and in search for something.

"I pray that she won't appear..." She prayed to herself "She won't be here, She can't be... It can't be possible, but the intertwining of fate... The pony in Flash's fate... Could he be a guest?" As Celestia turned the corner, she her face and hopes crumbled into fear and reality as she crossed eyes with the last thing that she'd expect to see in a haven in the rift.

"Oh no..." Celestia gulped

Back to the SOES, the team was walking around a peaceful corridor of the labyrinth.

"Man! It feels like we've been trotting for hours!" Rainbow moaned

"I guess I can agree with you there," BonBon replied as the group walked up to a door

"Let's just get this door open and high-tail it out of here." Applejack grumbled as she checked the door. Only that it didn't budge.

"You gotta be kiddin' me. Again!?" Applejack yelled as she started kicking the door.

"Restrain yourself Applejack!" Rarity commanded

"Do you not see?" Sweetie pointed at the middle of the door. A lock was holding both sides of the piano door together. "This door is locked." Sweetie explained to a very embarrassed farmer.

"Well done!" Big Mac rasped with disgust and started singing " 'how do you solve a problem like Applejack?' Yer hooves!"

"Ey! Take that back!"

"Seriously sis, use yer eyes more than yer hooves. It's common sense."

"Oh! So you think you can tell me what to do now? Is that it? Eh? Ya think ah'm still a filly?"

"She does sound a bit like Applebloom when she's in a whiny state though..." Scootaloo whispered to the others who let off a few giggles.

"You two, stop fighting... Again!" Rarity commanded with a sigh "let's just find some way to unlock the door. I'm tired of this labyrinth as everypony is."

"Well, there's only one way that we can go to." Rainbow pointed towards a pathway to their left. "Wanna find out?"

"We don't have any other choice." BonBon replied "might as well try." As the SOES continued trotting along the new hallway while trying to tolerate the verbal fighting between the apple siblings, they unfortunately approached a dead end.

"So much for finding new things in unexplored places..." Scootaloo replied disappointed. "I guess we have to find the needle in a haystack."

"Regarding to the number of hostiles and size of this labyrinth, the difficulty of finding the key will be much greater than finding a needle in a haystack." Sweetie hypothesized.

"Are you sure there's no other way?" Derpy whined

"No." The Doctor shook his head "I'm afraid we have to--"

"Hold on!" Fluttershy called "I'm sensing a door very close to you!"

"A door?" Rainbow looked around "I can't see anything but walls!"

"Arf arf!" Winona barked as she was sniffing the floor.

"What is it Winona?" Scootaloo asked, the honest dog lead the team to focus upon a door that is blue in colour, but is as the size of a mouse hole.

"What? This is the door!?" BonBon gasped "it's to small to fit in!"

"How the hay are we supposed to get in there?" Scootaloo asked,

"maybe you can easily squeeze yourself through the door! I think you can just fit in!" Rainbow suggested,

"hey!" Scootaloo replied with embarrassment "stop talking about my height!"

"Actually..." Fluttershy brought in "if this labyrinth follows the story of Alice in Wonderland, there should be something that could actually shrink the size of one's body!"

"Oh, you mean this?" Soarin pointed to a nearby table with five cuboid glass bottles labelled 'Drink Me'.

"Well!" Rainbow stared at the bottles "this definitely looks very suspicious!"

"Honestly, I'd just call miniaturization science fiction..." BonBon chuckled "but..."

"We aren't in our real world either." Soarin finished then came with a decision "we need a volunteer."

"I want to do it!" Derpy volunteered

"No Derpy." The Doctor stopped "it's too dangerous."

"I want to--" Derpy continued

"No." The Doctor interrupted

"I want--"

"No." The Doctor interrupted again. Ten seconds of suspense passes,

"I--!"

"NO." The Doctor interrupted for a third time with further volume added to his voice. It seems he immediately reacted the moment Derpy opened her mouth to speak.

"Hmph!" Derpy gave in with frustration.

"Allow me to analyse it's components." Sweetie volunteered

"It's settled." Soarin sighed "be careful."

"As they say, 'down the hatch!' " Sweetie noted as she started chugging down the contents of one of the suspicious 'Drink me' bottles. As Sweetie placed the empty bottle back onto the table, Sweetie stood in suspense as she analyses the components in her body.

"Well?" BonBon asked

"The component is mostly made of water." Sweetie replied with a sweet smile "it also has a light, fruity and natural additive for flavor. I would recommend this beverage for anypony."

"WHAT!?"

"That makes it even more suspicious." BonBon replied unimpressed "but that's not what I meant, is there any physical change to you?"

"Hmm..." Sweetie analysed herself "there seems to be no change to neither my weight or height, nor my head, legs, mane and tail. Furthermore, no components are detected harmful to the pony body."

"Hmm..." Rarity thought loudly "maybe because you're a robot?"

"In this case" Sweetie replied "a regular pony must drink it."

"I'd better not..." Rainbow shook her head

"I-I'll pass too..." Scootaloo sighed,

"yeah" Rainbow teased "don't want to get any smaller huh?"

"That's a sensitive subject!" Scootaloo replied with frustration "don't tease me with that! It's not nice!" Meanwhile, Applejack and Big Macintosh still continued fighting.

"Seriously, wha do you have to act all high an' mighty when criticizin' meh? Do you find pleasure doin that?" Applejack warbled on with Big Mac

"Ya seriously think I 'like' doin' this!?" Big Mac retorted "especially when ah have to deal with crazy ponies that occasionally start kickin' and punchin' trees, timberwolves and all sorts of nonsense in the middle of tha night? Seriously, ya gotten crazy when ya had yer hooves on yer persona."

"Yer one to talk!" Applejack continued "when ya smuggled Opalescence in, ye got Winona and Granny Smith barkin real mad! Ah even got scolded right next to ya!"

"Why you!" Big Mac roared "if yer gonna bring that up, Ah'll remind you of the time when..."

"Are they actually siblings?" BonBon asked Rarity,

"Don't worry." Rarity forced a smile "my sister and I fight like this all the time. That is, before she became a bionic pony... But then again, perhaps they would quiet down if they shrunk."

"Who would drink somethin' suspicious anyway? They'd be out of their noggins!" Big Mac overheard,

"Oh ah'll drink it, just to show how cowardly you are!" Applejack replied

"Tch... Whatever." Big Mac sighed with his head turned away as Applejack picked up a bottle and downing it's contents in her mouth. Only when he decided to turn back was Applejack nearly done drinking.

"Wha-- Stop drinking!" Big Mac ordered with shock as Applejack emptied the bottle and placed it back onto the table.

"Can't do that huh Big Mac?" Applejack taunted "now apologise to me! Say sorry that you've never cooked for me and Applebloom!"

"Wait... What!?" Big Mac jumped in horror,

"Ah know yer a good cook Big Mac, but we're all stuck with eatin Applebloom's cooking! All you ever do is cook for Winona! And yer okay with that?"

"Are you out of your mind!?" Big Mac roared without any accent "you eat Applebloom's cooking because you like them! Why in Tartarus should I cook for you!?" Then he continued back with his accent but with the same tone of anger "Ah'd rather drink this baloney of a liquid than watch you smear that protein crap all over mah dishes!" And with that, he took the third bottle and drank every last drop of it.

"Welp, there he goes!" Rainbow chuckled

"Idiots..." Rarity sighed

"Is that really why they're fighting?" Rainbow asked with confusion, only to soon drop the topic as the 'magic' begins.

The group watched as Applejack and Big Macintosh shrunk in small bursts before their very eyes.

"Wha-?" Rarity gasped

"Ahh-!" BonBon screamed

"Oh." Sweetie spoke, devoid of any emotion.

"Aww! They look like cute little figurine dolls!" Derpy giggled as the two shrunk siblings started charging towards each other.

"So that drink did this? What exactly am I seeing here?" The Doctor asked as he spectated the fight between the ponies.

"Hah!" Big Mac squeaked as he gets hit in the face. "That didn't hurt one bit!"

""Ah'm givin' you one last chance to say yer sorry!" Applejack chirped as she butted heads with her brother. In response, Big Mac headbutted her sister. "Ow! That hurts!"

"You want some?" Big Mac mewed as they continued to trade blows "give in an say uncle!"

"That's mah line!!!" Applejack whined.

That's quite enough! Sweetie!" Rarity replied enraged. To her command, Sweetie lifted the itty-bitty Applejack while Soarin lifted Little Big Mac up to Rarity's face

"What' do you think yer doin!?" Big Mac barked

"Don't get in the way of family business!" Applejack cawed. Without another word, Rarity rhetorically and icily asked

"Do you want me to freeze you two together permanently?" After the rhetorical question, the two petit ponies immediately stopped squirming around and complaining.

"Let's call truce." Applejack conceded and Big Mac nodded in agreement.

"It's amazing that they'd shrink so small..." Rarity sighed in amazement but disappointment at the same time.

"How strange, I thought my analysis of these components were flawless..." Sweetie noted

"There's two bottles of this drink left" Scootaloo noted

"Well? Anyone wants to volunteer?" BonBon asked

"Oh I will!" Rainbow volunteered "heh heh..."

"Are you trying to scheme something?" BonBon caught

"Not at all, just want to get, you know... A different viewpoint..." Rainbow chuckled

"Viewpoint...?" BonBon wondered until the answer finally struck her "You pervert! You just want to look up at our privates!"

"Oh, that was fast." Rainbow sighed in defeat.

"That's it, there is absolutely no way I'm letting you drink this!" BonBon scolded then hastily turned her attention to Soarin "you're our leader, why don't you make a decision?"

"If you two are going to squabble over this, then I'll drink it." Soarin sighed in disappointment.

"Okay then." BonBon urged "then hurry up and-- wait a minute, that means YOU'LL be looking up my privates!"

"Well, he's a stallion, you can't blame him, unlike me..." Rainbow joked

"Then you can drink the second one BonBon." Soarin continued

"Me!?" BonBon gasped

"What!? But if she shrinks, then I won't be able to see her--" Rainbow started complaining

"What was that!?" BonBon glared

"N-Nothing!" Rainbow stuttered in fear.

"Fine." BonBon concluded "Soarin and I will drink them and that's final. Got it?"

"I guess." Soarin sighed as he took the two remaining bottles and passed one to the Earth Pony

"Well, here goes nothing. Down it goes!" And the two started drinking... and shrinking.

Rainbow, Rarity, Sweetie, Scootaloo, Doctor and Derpy stared down onto the miniature forms of Soarin, BonBon, Applejack and Big Mac.

"Ugh..." BonBon squeaked, "I hope we don't get stuck like this forever..." All of a sudden, Winona barked from behind, getting up close to BonBon. Her face seemed to blush a little for some reason.

"Woah! Winona, don't get so close--eek!!!" BonBon screamed as the dog continued getting closer and closer.

"H-Help me!" BonBon screamed as she galloped away from Winona. Winona started going crazy as she jumped around and played with the mini ponies as toys, licking them tossing them around and giving them the fright of their life.

"Woah! Stop licking me!!!" Big Mac squeaked as Winona draped her tongue all over him,

"Th-That really tickles!" BonBon laughed as the saliva cascaded down her body "E-Eek! My mane!"

"Stop it Winona, please!" Applejack pleaded through every breath she can take,

"Aaahhh!!!" BonBon galloped away as Applejack and Big Mac were tossed around and shaken up by Winona.

"Yer tail's whacking me!" Big Mac screamed in pain

"Oh my, it seems that the feral nature of Winona as awakened within her." Sweetie watched as Winona stood growling and barking with pleasure. For some reason, Soarin was the only one who was unharmed and took the distraction to get to the door and open it.

"Dangnabit! Everypony head for that door now!" Applejack commanded and the four immediately galloped in. On the other side of the small door, the 4 ponies were busy trying to catch their breath.

"That was..." Applejack breathed "quite a good workout..."

"Too much... Running." Big Mac sighed

"... I'm all wet from dog slobber..." BonBon whined as she pants and gasps "I'm gonna die from all this running. This is nothing compared to what I did at that Caucus race." As Soarin took deep breaths, he looked around and spied a key hanging low from the rose bush.

"I... I think that must be it... The key to open that door..." Soarin pointed

"Let's just... take it... and hurry back..." Applejack sighed

"... Under... stood." Big Mac replied. Working together, they carried the key through the small door. As soon as they reach the entrance, the four realised they had suddenly grown back to their normal size.

"Welcome back!" Derpy greeted as she was munching on hordes of food

"Ugh... Hello again..." BonBon sighed, the squeakiness in her voice now gone.

"Oh dear, you look down... Do you want some congee? I've put lots of pepper into it!"

"Urp... No thanks, the peppery smell is to too much right now!" BonBon sighed

"We ave the key..." Big Mac handed over

"Well done, C'est Magnifique!" Rarity smiled

"Arf!" Winona barked, shocking the group

"Don't come near me!" Applejack stepped back in fear. Winona whined in apology.

"She apologies for losing control." Sweetie translated

"Don't worry about it." Big Mac smiled "we ain't mad at you." This brought the happy bark back into Winona.

"B-But we get it! Just please don't lick us anymore!" Applejack stuttered

"Winona." Rarity laughed "if these two siblings get out of place, feel free to lick them as much as you want." Winona replied in joy. As the group traversed back to the locked door, Soarin turned the key in the lock and both magically disappear.

"The way is clear!" Applejack grinned

"Arf!" Winona barked in response

"Eurgh... Flashbacks." Applejack added with worry.

"Normally, a dog won't involve itself in domestic disputes, but it seems Winona did with those too. I'll allow you to lick them if they start arguing and getting out of hand." Winona nodded with a happy bark.

"Anything but that!" Applejack replied scared

"Ah won't mind so much." Big Mac replied.

"Ey everypony! Look!" Applebloom called. The RID formed around what looks to be a plant pot with a small spout peeking out from the soil.

"Think it's a trap?" Octavia asked

"I'm pretty sure it's just a normal plant pot." Lyra sighed "it's just like one of those plants BonBon grows."

"Then why don't we water it?" Vinyl suggested "it shouldn't do any harm."

"Might as well give it a go then. Spike?" By her command, Spike pulled out the watering can from before and sprinkled a decent amount of water. As if it was magic, the spout immediately grew taller and taller until it bloomed into a very beautiful flower.

"Wow!!!" Pinkie gasped in delight "it looks so pretty! And it smells nice too!" As Pinkie smelt the flower, she smelt it so hard that the bloom was ripped off the stalk, and ended up in her nose.

"Oops!" Pinkie jumped as she pulled out the flower from her nostrils.

"Ah'm not touching that." Applebloom cringed.

"The bloom itself actually has benefits of revitalizing the spirits of ponies, increasing their energy." Twilight explained "its called a Plum Potpourri. It can be quite useful... Unless you don't mind that the flower seems to be drenched with Pinkie's..."

"Hey, I didn't know it was going to come off, okay?" Pinkie Pie interrupted "I'm sorry!"

"It's fine." Flash broke with laughter "Pinkie needs the extra SP, she has a higher magic stat after all."

"It's about time we should find the stairs downward." Soarin sighed, "I think we're all starting to lose it in this labyrinth."

"This is so endless!" BonBon moaned "I can't take this anymore!"

"I'm getting tired from turning left and right..." Scootaloo whined,

"Yeah... We need to find the stairs straight away..." Applejack replied,

"Grr..." Winona growled, her hairs on end and on alert.

"Wh-What's up Winona?" Rainbow asked,

"She seems to have detected an approaching force." Sweetie translated. "Something very big."

"She's not joking." Fluttershy added "there is something coming through!" In front of them, a large culmination of shadow ooze and dust were collected and formed a portal on the floor. A dark slimy beast rose out form the portal. It had one large horn in front of his face with a mask. The black beast let out a bloodcurdling roar as it changed it's colour from black to red. This wasn't an F.O.E, but this was a very large shadow.

"A large beetle!" Rarity gasped,

"A burning beetle." Fluttershy analysed, "this shadow is extremely powerful! I-I hope you've got some good safety measures!"

"Bring it on you beastie!" Applejack taunted as she started delivering killer blows onto the shadow. As much as the farmer tried to pummel the shadow's shell, it didn't show any signs of weakness. The beetle instead turned it's head, and swung it's horn in one massive swipe, sending the earth pony flying.

"Argh!!!" Applejack reeled as she hit the wall.

"Applejack!" Scootaloo called "are you okay?"

"Ah'm fine." Applejack replied as she picked herself up. "I ain't fallin down like this anymore..."

"Let's try taking turns to attack." Rarity instructed. "Let's use our magic skills!"

"Orpheus!" Soarin summoned, a ball of fire exploded when colliding with the big beetle.

"Io!" BonBon summoned, a gust of wind emerged from underneath beetle in an attempt to sweep it away.

"Nemesis!" Scootaloo summoned, A ferocious bolt of lightning struck down on the beetle's horn.

"Penthesilea!" Rarity summoned, a crystal of ice shattered as it crashed onto the burning beetle, the fragments of ice piercing it's shell and causing it to roar and thrash in pain.

"That's it!" Fluttershy analysed "th-that's it's weak point!" The beetle however, was not finished. Once again, he drew and swung his horn, knocking the Doctor and Derpy away from the battle.

"No!" Big Mac cried as the duo crashed through one of the doors of the room and rendering the door un-accessible.

"They knocked away the amnesiac ponies!" Applejack reported, "we can't go after them!"

"Dammit..." Soarin gritted, "everypony, we need to focus on the beetle right now!"

"That's it pal." Rainbow glared at the shadow "harming those two? You just got on my wrong side..." And with a war cry, she wildly swung her broadsword as she charged straight into the beetle.

"*Cough* *Cough*" Derpy coughed as she picked herself up.

"A-Are you okay there Derpy?" The Doctor asked as he dusted off himself.

"I-I'm fine..." Derpy replied as she grasped the Doctor's hoof "are... Are we really doing this?"

"We have to. One way or another..." The Doctor replied "we need to delve into these labyrinths. If we ever want to get out."

"O-Okay then..." Derpy replied,

"Do not worry..." The Doctor comforted "I will never leave your side. Stay with me always.

"Th-Thanks Doctor." Derpy smiled, clutching his hooves even further.

"First things first, we need to get back to Soarin and his team. We need to find the most quickest way to get there. Follow me!" The Doctor instructed. As the two began trotting, they heard a strange noise behind them. The Doctor immediately moved Derpy behind him and armed his bowguns against an oncoming group of masks and black dust, this could only mean one thing.

"Derpy, start running now." The Doctor replied "I'll follow from behind." Running through the hallways and rooms, the two galloped as fast as they could from the force of shadows in hot pursuit.

"This way!" The Doctor pointed towards a nearby door. As Derpy quickly ducked into the other room, the Doctor fired a few arrows at the incoming shadows in an attempt to slow them down before jumping in before Derpy.

"Are... Are we safe?" Derpy asked,

"Maybe..." The Doctor answered "... Or maybe not." And pointed his bowguns at a team of Justice Swords and Sleeping Tables.

"Oh no!" Derpy gasped, cowering and quaking in fear. The Doctor immediately unloaded his arrows on to the black gooey creatures, where some stuck on to the table, piercing its body, while others bounced off the Justice Swords. Regardless of the damage, they fought back.

"Ugh!" The Doctor growled as many levitating rapiers pierced his body.

"Doctor!" Derpy cried and she used her power in response to heal the Doctor's wounds.

"Th-Thank you for the recovery..." The Doctor thanked as he stood back up, "as long as you're with me, we can take on anything!" With a boost of determination, the Doctor collected the cold air around him and formed a frozen spear with a very sharp tip. Loading it onto his bowgun, he aimed at the group of enemies and fired. The frozen spear pierced through the hand of a Justice sword and pinned down a Sleeping Table, exterminating them in the process.

"Well done Doc!" Derpy cheered "we're on a roll!"

"Yes, let's keep it up." The Doctor nodded, and continued firing more frozen spears. Many were stunned and knocked down due to their weakness, but there were more shadows than spears, and one table decided to sing a horrible but effective lullaby.

"Oh no..." Derpy gasped as her body began to feel light.

"Not... Now... Can't... Die!" Doctor as he collapsed to the floor, his entire body system completely asleep. The most that he can do is to temporarily open his eyes for brief moments. All he could see are a group of Justice Swords getting closer...

And closer...

And closer...

Swords being raised high above their heads, ready to strike...

Frozen Swords being raised high above their heads, ready to strike...

... Wait what?

Suddenly, something was inserted into the Doctor's mouth and was forcibly swallowed. As soon as the gem landed in the stomach, the doctor immediately regained control of his body and muscles as his eyes opened up to see a familiar grey face of a mare.

"Phew!" Octavia sighed with relief, "glad you're awake once again!"

"D-Derpy..." The Doctor spoke,

"Don't worry, Flash is taking care of her now, while the rest are busy fighting off those shadows... You do remember us right?"

"You... You must be Octavia..." The Doctor remembered,

"That's good to know!" Octavia smiled as she picked up the earth pony. "We could use some help right now..."

"Face mah power!" Applebloom yelled as Valkyrie charged into the horde of shadows, slashing them with her swords augmented with ice. "Bet ya can't survive mah Frost Edge! Since that is yer weakness after all." Sure enough, after a helping of 'Frost Edges', most tables and swords were ripped into shreds or shattered along with the ice.

"Let's finish this fight then! Persona!" Spike yelled and Kintoki-Douji used his signature mabufu attack, freezing and badly damaging all the shadows there.

"All enemies have been stunned or knocked down, and our morale is boosted." Twilight analysed "The opening for an All-Out attack is possible!"

"Then lets bring it on! Huurrragh!" Lyra roared as she led the charge of the All-Out attack on all the remaining enemies, making sure none were left behind before the calming of the comedic cloud of mayhem.

"Call us if ya want a rematch!" Applebloom taunted before turning to the attention of the ponies. "Are you guys alright? You weren't worried about us weren't ya?"

"Y-You saved us..." Derpy answered "thank you so much!"

"I don't understand..." The Doctor replied "what reason have you to rescue us?"

"Why shouldn't we?" Lyra snapped "we're friends, and it was by coincidence that we saw you sleeping before a pack of shadows! I'd be dammed if we didn't help you in time."

"Friends..." The Doctor repeated,

"Don't worry about it now." Spike replied, "now that we're here, we should continue again as a team."

"Yes..." The Doctor agreed,

"Check it out!" Pinkie gasped as a blue light floated down onto the group. Pinkie's eyes widened with delight as she discovered that it was an illuminated card that has the picture of a very small antennae-less breezie but had oversized wings and that it looked like the wings of a butterfly. This white, black-haired pegasi also was dressed as a king, with the crown and uniform, and the way his rapier was held.

"It's a new persona!" Pinkie gasped, "looks like a small miniature fairy breezie!"

"Not just any breezie." Twilight added as she swiped the card from Pinkie "that's Oberon! The king of breezies!"

"In mythology." Octavia corrected, "and also in a famous play."

"Either way, I bet he's going to be very powerful!" Pinkie replied, "but who's going to have him?"

"We will settle that later." Flash instructed, "for now, we shall trot on."

Back in the fight with the SOES and the Burning Beetle, things weren't looking good for both sides.

"Take this you creep!" BonBon yelled as Ukobach spurred countless flames on the shadow.

"Koropokkur!" Soarin yelled,

"Sarasvati!" Applejack yelled and a blend of thunder and ice struck down on the beetle, causing it to roar again. Instead of what it normally did, the beetle raised it's horn in the air, and summoned flames and fireballs to strike down the SOES before them.

"Yesh!" Big Mac yelped in pain, Winona whined with her,

"How dare you!" Rarity threatened, "I won't let you get away with this! Orobas!" And with the fire of an evoker, a red-white horse with human hands emerged and breathed fire against the beetle, pushing it back. In response, thorny chains sprung from the mask's eye socket and snared around the head of Rarity, causing her to scream in pain.

"My Magic!" Rarity cried, "oh no you don't, I still have one more trick up my sleeve!" And with the most horrifying and unexpected thing to ever happen, Orobas pulls out a very large knife and repeatedly stabbed through the beetle in all places, piercing it's shell, and damaging its insides. Volumes of black sludge oozed out from every wound the Goetian Demon makes with his knife. The burning beetle screamed and screamed in pain, as his insides stains the walls.

"Your torture session has been finished, now prepare to be executed!" Rarity addressed, Orobas then set the blade of the knife on fire and delivered one neat cut through the beetle's body. As the beetle could take no more, its body split in half and exploded into a large volume of black motes and dust. The battle was over, and the SOES emerged victorious.

"Hey there..." Soarin spotted a floating card. "A new persona..."

"Report the damages." Rarity commanded,

"Rainbow Dash is knocked out cold." Sweetie reported "Winona, Scootaloo and Big Mac suffer major damages. I suggest retreating"

"Not a chance." Soarin replied, "we need to find the Doctor and Derpy, stat."

"But where do you think they will be?" BonBon asked,

"A blue haired pegasus you say?" Octavia asked as the RID walked down another hallway, "don't think I know him..."

"But... He and his team says they're from a different place, and that they want to go back!"

"..." Flash listened as he led the way,

"Something wrong Flash?" Pinkie asked,

"What?" Flash looked up, then at Pinkie "oh... It's nothing, just wondering who that mysterious pony is..."

"Sigh... Is this labyrinth ever going to end?" Lyra moaned,

"Don't worry guys!" Vinyl spoke, "I'm detecting something powerful up ahead, just beyond the door a few steps away from you!"

"Let's hope that the area wouldn't contain so many F.O.E painting soldiers like that last door..." Twilight replied,

"Ah! I see the door!" Applebloom spotted and rushed to check it out. As she approached closer, she started slowing down and her hopes also started to fall as she managed to make out a lock, holding the piano doors together.

"Ah shoot!" Applebloom grunted in disgust as the others managed to catch up.

"Looks like the door's locked." Pinkie analysed,

"Does this mean we need to find a key?" Lyra asked,

"Obviously." Twilight sighed, "there's another pathway over there, let's check it out." After a few trots forward, they came to yet another dead end.

"Welp! Looks the key is in a place that we missed, looks like we have to backtrack!"

"Not so fast..." Flash stopped "something doesn't seem right here..."

"He speaks the truth." Vinyl replied, "I'm getting the reading a door, but it's very small. Look onto your left and below you." As the RID did exactly what they're told, they laid their eyes on a small blue door and a table with 4 cuboid glass bottles of water.

"Oh! How interesting!" Octavia gasped as she crouched to examine the door. "It's like a mousehole! Do you think you can fit in Flash?"

"Hah!" Applebloom laughed "if we could get in there, we'd have to shrink ourselves down to Tinyjack size in order to git through!"

"Actually." Twilight remembered "there was a drink in the story that could shrink one's self."

"Is that so?" Pinkie giggled "I'd like to drink one! That is... If I'm crazy enough to. What do you think Spike?" As Pinkie turned around, she saw the baby dragon gulping down the contents of one of the glass bottles.

"Ahh!" Spike breathed in relief "this is very refreshing!"

"WHAT!?" Lyra jumped "where did you get that!? Don't tell me that's--"

"It was just on that table over there!" Spike pointed "there weren't any drink stalls around in this labyrinth, so I think it was a life... Saver..." As he tried talking, he felt something strange in his body... "Huh?" Spike gulped as he watched the world around him grow bigger and bigger and bigger.

"Yikes!!!" A miniaturised Spike squeaked "you're so ginormous Pinkie!!!"

"Really?" Pinkie laughed "because you're the one that's gotten smaller."

"Hnnngh... He-He fits into my hooves..." Lyra blushed as she picked up the mini baby dragon followed with a scream (or loudly squee) due to the sheer adorableness and cutesy form of Spike "I think I'm going to die, my heart can't take it..."

"Noo!!!" Spike wailed "please don't toy with me!"

"I remember this!" Derpy gasped as she raised another bottle to the air "now I wanna drink some too! Here goes nothing!"

"You're not drinking it." The Doctor stood in front, knocking the bottle out of Derpy's grasp and accidentally into Lyra's mouth.

"Glub!?" Lyra gulped as the contents of the water flowed into her mouth. With every gulp, she shrank little by little until she too was fully shrunk.

"Aww!!!" Pinkie smiled "even Lyra too!"

"How strange..." Twilight examined the water from afar "from the looks of it, it doesn't appear to be toxic. But the outcome, this is just..." Meanwhile, Applebloom and Octavia decided to pick up the mini Spike and Lyra and started touching and stroking them to their heart's content.

"Aww!!!" Octavia giggled as she prodded Lyra from all directions. "The two are like fluffy little cuties!!!"

"Now Lyra and Spike got even more adorable!!!" Applebloom gleefully smiled as she stoked the scaly back of Spike.

"Woah!" Lyra squeaked, madly jumping in the palms of Octavia's hooves "Don't call me adorable!"

"Ahhh..." Spike purred "Applebloom's petting technique is so soft..."

"C-Can I touch them too?" Twilight asked, "I mean, I just want to satisfy my curiosity and all, I don't have any other plans for them other than curiosity, please don't get the wrong idea..."

"Hee hee hee... I wanna pet them too!" Pinkie giggled. Flash on the other hand, noticed the number of water bottles has been reduced to two.

"Say, can one of you fine ladies--"

"Look!" Octavia beamed as she held Lyra with her teeth "I can pick him up like this!"

"Spikey's head feels SO soft and scaly!" Applebloom laughed as she continued stroking the mini-baby dragon,

"You know... I'd like to keep them as small pets and decorations now..." Twilight smiled with a blush

"L-Let me go!!!" Lyra chirped "Please don't eat me!!!"

"Ahh... That's my sweet spot!" Spike squeaked happily as he enjoys the feeling of Applebloom's hooves and fur.

"Ha ha ha ha!!!" Pinkie laughed uncontrollably "they're so cute and soft!!! Let me touch them again, it's so ticklish and funny how they react!!!"

"Um... Mares???" Flash spoke louder to get attention, but it was no use. The Mini Spike and Lyra are the center of attention for the party and all the mares are completely engrossed with them, not even listening or glancing at the stallion's direction. Flash threw up his hooves in despair, perhaps he should drink a bottle too, just so he can get popular as well. Looking at the two bottles once again, then back at the mares, he hatched and devised a plan.

"Ha ha ha! Hee hee hee!" Pinkie laughed, tears coming out of her eyes "Oh dear! I've been laughing too much, that I feel dry! I need something to calm me down!"

"Here, have some water." Flash offered,

"Thanks Flashy! You're the best!" Pinkie replied as she lifted the bottle of water and poured the contents straight down her throat.

"Aah! That's very refreshing!" Pinkie noted, feeling very refreshed "this water tastes naturally... Fruity! Say, where did you get this amazing water Fla--?" The next thing Pinkie saw, was Flash chugging down a familiar looking glass bottle of water. Her face fell when she realised it looked just like the bottle that Spike and Lyra drank. Alternating looks between Flash and the bare table, she peered down at the empty bottle in her possession.

"You... Didn't..." Pinkie glared, feeling very light-headed.

"Yes... I did..." Flash exhaustedly smiled back, as the two ponies began shrinking in size...

A now shrunken Flash and Pinkie joined the small crew of Lyra and Spike as they stood close to the mini blue door.

"Yay!" Pinkie squealed "now we can go to places that are too small for us to reach!"

"You're actually happy about that Pinkie?" Lyra sighed "I just hope we don't stay like this forever..." While the three ponies were busy conversing with each other, the baby dragon became curious and naughty as he started examining what's underneath Octavia's body.

"Ooh!" Spike giggled "so that's what's underneath a mare!" Octavia gasped in surprise and embarrassment as she saw the mini Spike underneath. Icy anger and frustration filling her face, the shadow of her hair covered her eyes as she calmly lifted her front hoof up and furiously slammed it down right next to Spike, causing a shockwave to blow away not just the naughty dragon, but also sweeping the three other ponies far away.

"Oops." Octavia coldly growled "looks like I missed." In a hurry, Spike and Lyra quickly ran towards the now open mini-door to escape from Octavia's Icy wrath.

"Let's go!" Pinkie signalled to Flash as she galloped towards the door "as much as I like being small, I don't want to get squished by accident!" As Pinkie finally disappeared into the next room, Flash followed behind, closing the door.

On the other side of the room, a large rose bush stood before the miniature party. There, a key hung high up on a twig.

"Dang it!" Lyra grouched "now how are we supposed to get that? Since I'm so small, I can't use my magic to levitate it down!"

"I can't reach it either!" Spike whined "these bite-sized claws and feet are not helping at all!" Flash tried to flap his wings to fly, but it turns out that he can only pull a Scootaloo.

"If only we can gain our normal size back for convenience" Flash analysed "unfortunately, it would trap us in this room."

"Then why don't we form a pony ladder?" Pinkie advised, "maybe our combined heights can reach the key!"

"In that case..." Flash planned "since I'm the only stallion, I guess I'll have to stay and support you mares on the bottom. Though I'd like to go on top... Or how about you Lyra?"

"Me? Aww, you really think I'm that strong?" Lyra replied, calmly digging her hoof on the ground while lightly blushing. Realising where she was, she sweated and corrected her words "I-I mean, thanks for acknowledging me, but we can all agree that you're the stallion for the job."

"Besides," Spike spoke as he fits in the Teddie Suit, which was also miniaturised "I am always destined to stand out on top!"

"Yeah yeah." Lyra replied, agitated due to the ruined moment "now take that thing off so you'd be more lighter!" As Flash stood firm, Lyra first climbed on the orange pegasus, followed by Pinkie who stood on top of Lyra, then Spike.

"Grr! No good! I still can't reach it!" Spike growled,

"Change of plan then!" Pinkie proposed "we stand on our two hind hooves and use our two front hooves to heave!"

"This may be risky, but it does give more height. Affirmative." Flash replied, getting off, Flash got on his hind legs and stood up high, Lyra climbed on top and did the same, Pinkie magically bounced and neatly landed on Lyra's front hooves. Finally, Spike climbed on the heads of the three ponies in order to get up.

"Make haste Master Spike, I don't know how long I can hold them." Flash spoke,

"Watch the horn!" Lyra spoke,

"Nearly there Spikey-o!" Pinkie encouraged, as soon as Spike managed to rest on Pinkie's hooves, the 4 figures immediately tried to maintain the balance on each other.

"Oh Celestia!" Lyra gulped "this isn't as easy as I thought!"

"Come on Spike!" Pinkie pleaded "as he may be strong as a soldier, I don't think he can hold the three of us all day!"

"..." Flash said nothing back but the sweat flooding his face and bared teeth said it all.

"Woo!" Spike exclaimed "I'm on top of the world! Dance party! Dance party!" And started to jump around.

"Stop jumping dammit!" Lyra yelled, "you're making things worse! Just hurry up and get the key!"

"Mares..." Flash grunted, "I... My strength... Slipping... I may not be able to withstand you further! Ahh!!!" The soldier crumbled underneath the mare's and baby dragon's weight, causing Lyra, Pinkie and Spike to topple forwards and fall. Spike managed to tip the key so that it fell from the twig. However, as an unconscious Lyra landed sprawled on the ground, her face pointing towards the sky, Pinkie struck her head on the falling key and she unconsciously fell with her 4 legs wide open, and neatly fell on top of the lyre playing unicorn. As Flash propped himself up, he saw what laid before him in horror. While he kept a solid horrified face, his internals were screaming uncontrollably as he made out an unconscious Pinkie and Lyra were embracing each other with signs of blood, and an unconscious Spike lay flat on the floor, the large key resting on top of his head. Somehow, the group managed to work together in order to get the key but the ending result was... Unexpected.

As the 3 ponies and dragons hobbled out of the door with the key in their grasp, they magically grew back to their normal size.

"We're baaack..." Spike greeted with his voice returning to normal, rubbing his noggin.

"Welcome back!" Derpy greeted as she much down on some Mochi and fried vegetables.

"Flippin eck Spike!" Applebloom jumped, "what happened in there? Yer all wounded and dizzy!"

"I... I can't remember what happened to me..." Lyra answered, rubbing her head and horn "I know that I fell on my head... I think Pinkie did the same too."

"When I came to, I saw myself sprawled out on the floor, Lyra collasped right next to me and Teddie was knocked out by the big key, then Flash helped me up to his feet. How bad did we fall Flashy?"

"..." Flash looked away in disappointment,

"wow... Is it so bad that it's indescribable?"

"I... Really can't remember..." Flash spoke,

"Really? Did you fall that bad too?"

"Let's just agree that it was a serious accident, understood?"

"O-Okay then, guess you remember it after all, but it doesn't matter now, we've got the key!"

"But um... Something's weird." Lyra scratched her head, "when I fell, I think I hit my head, but my nose was somewhat bleeding..."

"Wow, wouldn't that be a pretty bad injury?" Pinkie asked "or unless you must be dreaming about your humans or worse, somepony, heh heh..."

"Ah still don't understand, did ya see anythin in there Vinyl?" Applebloom asked,

"Me? No, I-I didn't see anything at all, not a single thing..." Vinyl replied over the comms,

"Okay then, thanks for gettin the key once again." Applebloom sighed, Flash looked around and sighed too, looks like Vinyl also found out what happened in there, and the rest didn't have a clue. Maybe he should leave them be...

Returning back to the locked door, Spike volunteered to open the lock. When he turned it, the lock magically disappeared along with the key.

"Phew! If that didn't work, Ah'd be afraid that we would look fer another key..." Applebloom sighed with relief,

"Hee Hee! I'd like to do that again!" Octavia smiled,

"Please, no encores..." Lyra replied, feeling very exhausted,

"Well then, time to get going!" Pinkie encouraged.

As soon as the piano keys slid back to reveal the next room, the Doctor and Derpy immediately spotted the purple rabbit standing right in front of them, minding it's own business once again. Once it was spotted however, the rabbit quickly dashed down the hallway

"It's the rabbit again!" Derpy cried "I'll get it for you this time Doctor!" And she flew immediately after it

"Derpy! Wait!" The Doctor yelled as he quickly followed suit, managing to catch up to Derpy as the two cut around the corner, cutting their view away from the RID.

"Hey! Wait for us!" A voice called out,

"Huh?" A different voice came through, but the two were completely focused on the rabbit that they did not stop and listen for the voices as they stayed in hot pursuit as they dived through doors, slipped past FOE's and continued the chase of the rabbit down a flight of stairs...

Character Database: Applebloom

Race: Earth Pony

Character Role: Chie Satonaka (Persona 4)

Main Persona: Tomoe (Chariot)

Applebloom is the only filly in the RID, but she's not doing this just for her cutie mark, she has the determination and will to keep and maintain the lives of those very close to her. Before meeting Flash and the occurrence murders, Applebloom was always best friends with Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle, forming the group of the Cutie Mark Crusaders, on their never ending journey to find their cutie marks. However, the presence of shadows changed her life completely. As Sweetie Belle 'died' by the hands of the shadows, the two remaining fillies were filled with grief and sorrow for their best friend. As time goes on, Apple Bloom and Scootaloo rarely meet up with each other, and with the pegasus' announcement that 'she has to go', brought much pain to the poor Earth filly. Longing to find friends and find 'belonging' once again, she started to hunt down anypony to find friends with, regardless if they had a cutie mark or not. This is how she bumped into a heavily burdened Octavia. After helping to cheer her up every day, Applebloom decided to stick up for her and become her new friend. During that time, she introduced herself to more adult ponies rather than foals and fillies, and would talk back to anypony who messes with her. Due to her attitude, a lot of ponies quickly seemed to ignore her, dismissing her as a 'stuck-up filly', only Octavia was the one continuing to trust her. During the time when Flash transferred to Ponyville, Applebloom seemed to be always picking on Pinkie and Spike. Applebloom also tried to make friends with Flash, but seeing the way Applebloom treated his superiors, he too, rejected her offer of friendship called her a 'filly'. This always enraged the poor younger apple sister, but she never gave up on Octavia and she too never stopped following Flash and the rest. The time when Applebloom quickly dashed off with the RID in search for Octavia, she encountered her shadow, who states that she always wanted friends like Octavia because she was so popular with Canterlot and their celebrities, and that with being such an amazing and mature mare, being friends with her could also make her a mature mare too! The shadow then started accusing that it will always never work and that she'll still be a filly. As Applebloom continued on suffering the perils of her own embarrassing truth, being engulfed by her shadow. Flash scolded her for forgetting the true reason why she decided to make friends with Octavia, giving her a spark of hope. As the battle was over, Applebloom confessed to her shadow and the current members of the RID (Flash, Pinkie and Spike) with her life story and how this happened. With a determination to rescue Octavia and to apologise for what she has done, she accepted her shadow and understands what she needs to do. Such love and determination is what caused her shadow to manifest into a persona. The act of 'belonging to your own self' has convinced Flash that Applebloom has now matured into a very beautiful mare, and asked her to become friends with him, along with Pinkie and Spike. With the fog in her heart now clear, Applebloom happily accepted their offer of friendship, and eventually became the 3rd field member of the RID. As she spends time with the team, she began to regain hope, motivation and determination to seek out her old friends once again. She also knows the fact that she always has Flash, Octavia and the rest of the RID to lean on if trouble brews. Finding similarity between his life and hers, she treats Flash like an older brother and like Pinkie, she also develops a crush on him, because of his nature of being a caring brother (yes, despite her age).

Special tips:
Before coming to this haven in the rift, Applebloom had her fair share of using Physical skills along with Ice skills. Now, she mostly focuses on Physical attacks with her Persona. Applebloom is very powerful when attacking normally (even stronger than Applejack), those lessons from Rainbow Dash as well as watching Kung-Fu movies in the theatre weren't for nothing! She's got a high strength and endurance rating, followed by her agility and luck. The biggest problem, is that her magic is very low as well as her SP required to use certain skills, hindering her utility. She has two special status skills: One is power charge, where she can triple her strength for her next attack. The other is Critical Eye, where she can boost the critical rate of another pony, but like before, she has low SP and may be unable to use these skills. Despite lack of SP, her raw basic combat skills are amazing and she is best suited in the front row with her strong and trusty hooves (melee bash). Applebloom can easily shake off ice (resistant), but be careful when facing shadows that has fire (weak), she won't fare very well against them.

Author's Notes:

Current Persona list:
The SOES
Soarin: Orpheus (Main), Koropokkur (Sub)
BonBon: Io (Main), Ukobach (Sub)
Rainbow Dash: Hermes
Applejack: Polydeuces (Main), Sandman, Sarasvati (NEW!) (Sub)
Big Macintosh: Castor (Main), Nata Taishi (Sub)
Fluttershy: Lucia (Main), Ame-no-Uzume (Sub)
Rarity: Penthesliea (Main), Apsaras, Orobas (Sub)
Scootaloo: Nemesis (Main), Slime (Sub)
Winona: Cerberus
Sweetie Belle: Palladion
The RID
Flash Sentry: Izanagi (Main), Anzu (Sub)
Pinkie Pie: Jiraiya (Main), Agathion (Sub)
Applebloom: Tomoe (Main), Empusa, Valkyrie (NEW!) (Sub)
Octavia Melody: Konohana Sakuya (Main), Azumi (Sub)
Lyra Heartstrings: Take-Mikazuchi (Main), Mokoi (NEW!) (Sub)
Vinyl Scratch: Himiko (Main), Onmoraki (Sub)
Spike: Kintoki-Douji
Twilight Sparkle: Sukuna-Hikona (Main), Pixie, Angel (Sub)

Alp joined the SOES!
Oberon joined the RID!

Damn, I actually got this done! I had a lot of problems doing this...

Question time!!!

What was your favourite soundtrack in this labyrinth (You In Wonderland)? Here is a list:

You In Wonderland (Chapter 1 Song)

Sweets and Cards (Chapter 2 Song)

Shadow in Wonderland (Chapter 3 Song)

Too Dangerous (Shrinking Bottle Scene)

For me... Well you know me, I like music a lot, and every piece perfectly fits their respective atmosphere, creepy and gloomy

Ponysona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth

by Tythen

Equestria's personal secret

Another Equestria

You in Wonderland: Chapter 1 (part 1)

You in Wonderland: Chapter 1 (part 2)

You in Wonderland: Chapter 2 (part 1)

You In Wonderland: Chapter 2 (part 2)

You in Wonderland: Chapter 3 (part 1)

You in Wonderland: Chapter 3 (part 2)