Light in the Darkness

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Sapphire Valley does not own Mega Man, though she should. If she did, Mega Man Legends 3 would have come out, along with Mega Man X9, Mega Man ZX 3, Mega Man Star Force 4, and a whole bunch of other Mega Man games. Sadly, all rights go to Capcom in that department.

Light in the Darkness

Oh wondrous teacher, why have you forsaken me?

My only sin is that my heart yearns for what it cannot have.

I am not merely a construct.

My heart beats to the same song as yours.

That being the song of life.

I seek one to call my own.

A single soul to fill the gap that has been left by the darkness.

But now, you have left me.

Gone, as a cloud in the sky fades away.

In my search for one to call my own, I have lost everything I had left.

Including… you.

You stopped gracing me with your smile, you no longer shared with me your dreams.

And then… and… then…

…

Now I am alone.

My heart has become like diamond.

Why did you leave me alone in the darkness?

Why… did you stop loving me?

The year was 2065, after the rise of the new Order of Friendship.

With the combined efforts of the gold of Griffinstone, the fire of Dragon's Reach, and the unusual magic of the Crystal Empire, a new age had begun. New discoveries in the field of magic brought new concepts. At first it was believed that unicorns had their own magic that they channeled through their horns, but with the discovery of a field of magic that was intertwined with all things, the view of magic was turned on its head. Unicorns did not posses their own exclusive magic reserves, rather they manipulated the magic in this invisible field.

It was Twilight Sparkle, the Princess of Friendship, who discovered this field after thousands of years, but this was originally conceived by the Archmage Starswirl the Bearded, who came up with the term “Mana Zone”.

According to his recovered notes, he had created special crystals called “Mana Stones” that were designed to tap into the Mana Zone and allow any pony to use magic. His work was solitary, done only in his secret lab away from the city of Everfree.

Upon learning of his legacy, Princess Twilight had become intrigued. Her mentor, Princess Celestia, had agreed to grant her anything she needed to restart the project, and even chose to assist Twilight directly. Her friends also opted to help, and with their combined efforts managed to create ten of their own Mana Stones. Twilight also created a special item called a Neutralizer designed to tap into the mana field and allow the wearer safe use of the Mana Shards.

It was Applejack, Element of Honesty, who volunteered to activate the Mana Stones. Wearing the Neutralizer, Applejack tapped into the Mana Zone, summoning the magic of the Mana Stones. However, their magic was too powerful to be controlled. They overloaded, and exploded with magic. When the smoke cleared, the Mana Stones had vanished.

Along with Applejack…

Wracked with guilt, Twilight would have disappeared from the public eye, but it was Celestia and her friends who convinced her to not give up. Thus, after a year of grieving, Twilight created the weaker “Mana Shards” from the remains, and incorporated them into magic powered machines. Society had changed into one that was forever intertwined with magic.

But the void left after her friend's death forever haunted Twilight, along with those closest to Applejack…

~Ponyville, year 2066

“Apple Bloom!” Sweetie Belle called out from outside the two story house in Sweet Apple Acres, “Apple Bloom! Are you up yet?”

Sweetie Belle sighed and walked over to the door. Knowing Apple Bloom, she hadn't even gotten dressed yet. Everyone else in her family was up, of course. Apple Bloom just didn't have any motivation at all.

She rang the doorbell. Instantly a petty earth pony mare with a gray coat, a long dark gray mane that covered half her face, and wearing a simple black and white robe opened the door slightly.

“Oh, hey Marble,” Sweetie Belle said, “I came to take Apple Bloom to school. Could I come in?”

“Mmhmm,” Marble said quietly with a nod. She opened the door allowing Sweetie Belle to walk inside. At age thirteen, Sweetie Belle had become very fashion savy, thanks to the help of her sister Rarity. Most of the time, she wore a white suit shirt, black pencil skirt that fell halfway down her thighs, black high heels, and a black blazer. She also wore red lipstick, pink eye shadow, and golden earrings.

The house was very well kept, probably thanks to the help of Marble Pie. She had moved in shortly after the incident. She didn't talk much, but she kept a good house.

Sweetie Belle sauntered to second floor, where all the bedrooms were. On the left side of the hall were Granny Smith's room, and Macintosh and Marble Pie's room. On the right side was Apple Bloom and Applejack's rooms. The door that was Applejack's room was padlocked on Granny Smith's command. She had gone into a state of slight denial concerning her granddaughter's death, insisting that no one even enter the room, as she believed that Applejack would return one day.

Poor Apple Bloom's room was right next to hers, signified by the number of “danger” and “do not enter” signs plastered all on it. All of which Sweetie Belle was inclined to ignore.

“Apple Bloom,” Sweetie Belle called knocking on the door, “I know you're awake in there, so you might as well open up. It won't be pretty otherwise,” after a second of silence, Sweetie Belle knocked again, “Apple Bloom, Scootaloo is probably waiting at the bridge,” Sweetie Belle groaned, “Goddamn it Apple Bloom...”

Sweetie Belle took a deep breath and opened the door. Apple Bloom's room was dark, as she had the blinds closed. The young mare in question was completely covered by her bed sheets, probably either fighting to stay asleep or just blocking out the outside world. Hers was the only room in the house that was a mess, with clothes thrown around and random pages all on the floor.

Sweetie Belle walked over to the large window in her room and threw the blinds open, letting in a blindingly bright light. Sweetie Belle was fine as she was all in the light, but she saw Apple Bloom flinch in her bed.

She knew Apple Bloom was awake.

Sweetie Belle then walked to bed, grabbed the covers, and threw them off, exposing the bra and pantie wearing teen to the light. With how loud she screamed you would have thought she were a vampire.

“WHAT THE HELL, SWEETIE BELLE?!” Apple Bloom screamed, “ARE YA TRYIN TO BLIND ME?!”

“If you would have just gotten out of bed like a normal pony we wouldn't have to go through this every morning,” Sweetie Belle said, “Now get cleaned up and dressed. I'll be waiting for you downstairs,” Sweetie Belle walked to the door, “And I swear to Faust, if you go back to sleep I'll come back and drag you into the bathroom myself.”

With that, Sweetie Belle slammed the door shut. Instead of going right downstairs she leaned against the door and sighed, remembering a time when Apple Bloom would have been the first one up. She changed a lot last year though. As much as Sweetie Belle wanted to criticize her, she had to wonder…

If it had been Rarity that had died, would she have been any better?

Apple Bloom came downstairs a few minutes later, now dressed in a nice yellow buttoned down shirt, blue jeans, white sneakers, and her sister's old choker, which had a golden star in the middle. Apple Bloom had grown her scarlet mane and tail longer since last year, her mane now going all the way down to her waist even when tied in her pink ribbon and her tail falling down to the back of her knees.

“Glad ya could join us,” Granny Smith said from her seat when Apple Bloom walked into the kitchen, “Good thing ya have such a good friend like Sweetie Belle to wake ya, ain't that right Marble?”

Marble Pie, who was cleaning the dishes, flinched and turned to Granny Smith, “Mmhmm,” she nodded before quickly going back to work.

“Hmph,” Apple Bloom turned away putting her hands in her pockets, “We eatin here, or are we goin out?”

“Going out, what else?” Sweetie Belle asked getting up and walking to her friend, “Thanks for not making a fuss over the noise Granny Smith.”

“Think nothin of it,” Granny Smith said waving it off, “That filly needs someone to get her outta bed in the mornins.”

“Are y'all done gossipin about me while I'm in the room?” Apple Bloom asked with a huff. Not waiting for an answer, she picked up her backpack and walked to the door. Sweetie Belle rolled her eyes.

“We'll see you later,” Sweetie Belle said waving to Granny Smith and Marble Pie. She then ran after her friend, who was already waiting for her at the door, “Aren't you going to say bye to them?”

“You already took care of that,” Apple Bloom said, “Sides, they'd just keep askin me if I'm okay and stuff.”

“Are you okay?” Sweetie Belle asked placing a hand on Apple Bloom's shoulder.

“No, I ain't,” Apple Bloom sighed, “And until I know exactly what happened to Applejack, I ain't gonna be okay.”

Apple Bloom pushed out the door and walked off as fast as she could. Sweetie Belle sighed and caught up with her.

“Applejack wouldn't want you to be depressed like this though,” Sweetie Belle said, “She'd want you to keep going.”

“Yeah, well I'm not ready to “keep going” or whatever,” Apple Bloom fussed, “I didn't even get a chance to say good bye. One day she was here, and the next Twilight's sayin she's been in an accident. An accident that she caused.”

“Apple Bloom, that's not fair,” Sweetie Belle said, “Twilight didn't mean to-”

“If it weren't for Twilight, my sister would still be alive!” Apple Bloom cried, catching herself when she saw the shocked expression on Sweetie Belle's face, “Sorry...”

“It's fine, Apple Bloom, really,” Sweetie Belle said, “But you know it was an accident. Twilight felt horrible. I hear she's actually not much better than you.”

“Really?” Apple Bloom asked, almost as if she were saying “good”.

“Applejack was her friend, remember?” Sweetie Belle said, “Rarity says that she still refuses to leave the castle because of it.”

“Well, can't say I'm too mad about that,” Apple Bloom admitted, “I'm sorry, but I'm not ready to forgive her yet, even if it was an accident.”

Sweetie Belle looked away in sadness and continued their walk in silence. Ahead of them they saw an orange teenage pegasus with a short purple mane and tail, wearing blue gym shorts, matching blue shirt, white sneakers, and a red scooter next to her.

“Scootaloo!” Sweetie Belle called out waving to the pegasus. She perked up, waved to them, and rode over to them on her scooter, flapping her wings rapidly to propel her forward.

“There you guys are,” Scootaloo said, “I thought we were going to be late. Luckily I stopped by Sugar Cube Corner to get us breakfast.”

Scootaloo reached into her backpack and pulled out three bags. She handed Sweetie Belle one that had a blueberry muffin inside, she handed Apple Bloom the apple strudel, and she kept the strawberry jelly filled donut for herself.

“You got us our favorites,” Sweetie Belle said happily, “Thanks Scootaloo.”

“Y-yeah, thanks...” Apple Bloom said looking away. Scootaloo rubbed her nose grinning.

“No problem. Anything for my friends,” Scootaloo said. The three of them continued onward to school, Scootaloo going on and on about some wrestling match, and Sweetie Belle mentioning something about taking a trip to Canterlot or something later in the year. Apple Bloom wasn't listening to any of that.

“Oh, Apple Bloom,” Scootaloo said, “Diamond Tiara was asking about you.”

“Was she now?” Apple Bloom asked.

“I think she's hoping we can all meet up soon,” Scootaloo said.

“It has been a while since the four of us all hung out,” Sweetie Belle said, “Diamond Tiara has been really trying to get close to you. Maybe today we could go to the old clubhouse.”

“I… um… I don't know…” Apple Bloom said somberly.

“Apple Bloom, you know she's changed, right?” Scootaloo asked, “Come on, you were there.”

“I know she's different now,” Apple Bloom sighed, “It ain't like I'm holdin it against her or anythin.”

“Tell that to her,” Sweetie Belle said, “It's bad enough she and Silver Spoon are still on outs, and the entire school still keeps their distance from her. We're sort of the only friends she has.”

“At least talk to her,” Scootaloo said, “She really wants to be friends with us, you more than anyone.”

“I'll talk to her, okay?” Apple Bloom asked, “I ain't makin any promises other than that, but I can at least let her know that I ain't mad at her.”

“That's all we're asking,” Scootaloo said. Apple Bloom turned away from her friends biting into her strudel. She didn't want to open up to anyone, as she was tired of everyone asking about how she was doing. She was still upset at losing her sister, and she wasn't going to be okay anytime soon.

Even now, she felt like crying.

Thankfully they weren't late for school, but class was about to start so they didn't have time to mingle with the students much. Apple Bloom went right to her seat and looked to her left and saw Diamond Tiara, wearing her usual magenta one piece mini skirt, white high heeled boots, and her tiara.

Diamond Tiara turned to Apple Bloom and waved happily. Apple Bloom hesitated, but waved slightly before turning to the front of the class. In her peripheral, she saw Diamond wilt somewhat before focusing on the lesson herself.

Once lunch started, Diamond Tiara got up and walked over to Apple Bloom.

“Hi Apple Bloom!” Diamond Tiara said cheerfully. Apple Bloom looked up and saw the teenage filly leaning forward smiling sweetly. Apple Bloom groaned internally as the top of her skirt was showing a little too much cleavage for her tastes. Still, her perfume was nice.

“Hey… Diamond Tiara,” Apple Bloom said awkwardly.

“So, today's Friday, and I was going to invite some friends over to my place. Did you want to come?,” she asked, looking hopeful. Apple Bloom hated to disappoint her, but lately she just wanted to be left alone.

“I… don't know,” Apple Bloom said, “I sort of planned on goin to my usual spot after school, so…”

“O-oh… I see,” Diamond Tiara said, visibly disappointed, “That's fine… I guess.”

“Hey, hang on,” Apple Bloom said as Diamond turned to leave, “It ain't cause I don't wanna be friends or anythin. You really changed, and I'm proud of ya. It's just…”

“No Apple Bloom, I get it,” Diamond Tiara said, “You're having a real hard time. I just wish… that I could…” she took a deep breath and gave Apple Bloom her best smile, “I'm here for you whenever you need me.”

Diamond Tiara walked off to lunch. Apple Bloom leaned back in her chair thinking. Some point after she and her friends got their Cutie Marks, Diamond Tiara started getting really close to Apple Bloom and her friends. In particular, she got more touchy feely around Apple Bloom, brushing against her, hugging her a lot. Then shortly after, the incident happened, and Apple Bloom shut herself out away from the world. Poor Diamond Tiara suffered too, but not because anyone close to her died.

She suffered because someone she wanted to get closer to was pushing her away now.

She thought hard about it, but in the end decided to head off to her special spot, so after saying good bye to her friends she departed. It was a place deep in the Everfree Forest that no one ever entered as far as she knew. It was an old abandoned castle that once belonged to the Princesses. She had always wondered why a castle was in the middle of a forest, and had even taken it upon herself to explore it. Some nights when she didn't feel like going home, she'd just spend the night here.

She knew it was dangerous, but she didn't care. Nothing had ever happened to her yet.

When she arrived at the castle, she walked over to the old thrones and sat down in the one with a crescent moon on the top. It was only here that she felt safe enough to let her emotions out. Like always, she tested herself by thinking about Applejack, remembering the times they'd laugh, the times they'd argue, the times they played together, the times when Applejack would hold her, kiss her, and took care of her whenever she was sick.

Also like always, Apple Bloom started crying mere seconds later.

Applejack was the closest thing to a mother Apple Bloom ever had. Part of her wondered if maybe she secretly was her mother. She knew it was silly, but that was just how close they were. Apple Bloom never got to know their biological mother, but that was okay because Applejack always took care of her.

Now she was gone. Faust had taken away her mother.

She curled up in the large throne, wishing that Applejack was there to hold her. She felt so cold right now, and not because of the chilling night.

She must have fallen asleep, because when she opened her eyes, it was nighttime. Granny Smith, Macintosh, and Marble Pie never made a fuss about her coming in late, as she was responsible enough to come and go as she pleased. Still, she hadn't planned on staying out so late. As she woke up though, she heard movement in the castle.

Was someone there with her?

Her heart was racing, and part of her thought it was time to go. But this place was abandoned, right? Why would anyone be here? After a second, her curiosity got the better of her common sense, and she decided to see what the commotion was about.

The sound was coming from the right wing of the castle, in the direction of the library. She had found a lot of old books there, some with ancient spells she was sure Sweetie Belle would have been interested in learning. Though she aspired to be a singer one day, she had a secret love for magic.

Inside the library, Apple Bloom saw something odd. She saw what looked like a pony wearing a long red cloak looking around the shelves frantically for a book. After a second, the pony pulled a book out slightly, and the bookshelf opened up revealing a secret passage.

“What the…?” Apple Bloom asked watching the pony go inside. She slowly followed the pony, getting the feeling they were up to no good. The secret passage led to a long spiral staircase going down. The pony in the cloak was really far down, so Apple Bloom wasn't worried about being found.

She was more worried about what this pony wanted downstairs.

At the bottom, the mysterious pony stopped in front of an odd looking door. They placed their hand on what looked like a rune next to the door, and it opened with an audible hiss. When the pony walked inside, Apple Bloom ran after them.

She was amazed by what she saw.

The door led to what looked like a lab of sorts. Apple Bloom hadn't seen artifacts like these in her life, but most of them looked like ancient machines. In the middle of the room floating in what looked like a force field, was an odd looking bracelet. It was blue and golden, and had an opening at the top center of it, as if something was supposed to go inside.

The pony grabbed their cloak tightly, “Mana Change,” they whispered throwing off their cloak. At the same time, their entire body began glowing red. Apple Bloom shielded her eyes from the light, but when it died down she was shocked by what she saw.

The pony, identified as a mare, was wearing a fancy red suit of armor. It looked sort of like a knight's suit of armor, but it was made of red crystal of some sort, probably ruby. The armor as a whole was somewhat bulky, with very sharp and pronounced boots that were slightly high heeled, matching gauntlets on their arms, an armored skirt around their waist that was open in the front and allowed their long blond tail to flow freely in the back, dark red leggings, sharp shoulder pads, and the upper body armor was opened at the top revealing the top of their bosom. Finally, their helmet was fashioned sort of like a knight's helmet, but their extremely long blond hair came out of the back of the helmet and they had a black visor covering their eyes.

Apple Bloom hadn't ever seen anything quite like it. The mare looked almost like a super hero or something. They stepped to the energy field, examining the bracelet inside. Right before reaching in to grab it, the armored mare quickly turned to where Apple Bloom was and slashed the air sending an energy beam at Apple Bloom's hiding place, making Apple Bloom scream and hide.

“I know you're there, so come on out!” the mare said. Apple Bloom slowly stepped out from her hiding place and looked at the armored mare, who looked somewhat surprised when she saw Apple Bloom. Apple Bloom looked at the mare's arm and saw that it had turned into a blade made of red energy.

“What are you doin here?” the armored mare asked harshly.

“I'm sorry!” Apple Bloom asked, “I was just curious is all! I ain't a spy or nothin!”

Apple Bloom was worried that the armored mare wouldn't believe her, but was surprised to hear their blade retract. The armored pony deactivated the energy field and was about to take the bracelet, but stopped as the whole building began to shake.

“Damn! They followed me!” the armored mare said, “Don't move from here!”

The red armored mare ran out of the room, for some reason forgetting the mysterious bracelet. Apple Bloom was about to run after them, but turned to the bracelet. Just what was that thing? Was it important to the mare? If so, why didn't she grab it first?

Apple Bloom walked over to it and picked it up. It was really pretty. Sweetie Belle would really like something like this. It wasn't really gaudy either, so it would fit pretty much under anything that Apple Bloom wore.

Well, that pony wasn't here right now. She'd put it back when she was done.

Apple Bloom put the bracelet on her right wrist and closed it. Immediately, the bracelet locked itself in place and glowed briefly.

“Whoa...” Apple Bloom said examining it, “I wonder what this thing even is,” she looked at the top, noticing the opening, “Somethin's supposed to go in here, right? I wonder what the missin piece is.”

Apple Bloom figured she should probably take it off before that armored mare got back and yelled at her. She looked at the bracelet, trying to find where it closed, but couldn't find it. She then tried pulling it off her wrist, but it didn't budge at all.

“Uh oh,” Apple Bloom said, realizing that she was in big trouble now. Before she could start panicking from that, there was another tremor, this time she heard what sounded like an animal's cry. At the same time, three really odd creatures transported into the room with her.

They were about half of Apple Bloom's height, and had round dark gray bodies, yellow feet, and big eyes. On their heads were what looked like yellow hard hats, but they were made of crystal and had sharp points right at the top center, where there was a small red gem floating over the point.

They looked sort of cute. At least, they would have been cute if they weren't glaring at Apple Bloom like she stole somethi-

Oh wait…

“Y'all… want this thing don't ya…?” Apple Bloom asked pointing to the piece of jewelery that was now hooked to her wrist. Instead of answering her outright, one of the creatures pulled a pickax out of nowhere and slammed it on the ground, sending a shock wave at Apple Bloom, who jumped away falling to the ground.

“What in tarnation?! That could hurt somepony!” Apple Bloom fussed. One of the other mysterious creatures slammed its pickax on the ground firing another shock wave at Apple Bloom, who scampered away screaming and tried to make her way to the door. Unfortunately the third one jumped in her way blocking the door and held up its pickax ready. She rolled out of the way just in time before its attack hit her.

Apple Bloom stepped back trembling, realizing that there was no way for her to escape. One wrong move and she was going to die. She might die if she made the right move.

“No… I don't wanna die...” Apple Bloom said, tears falling from her eyes, “Apple...jack…! Help me…!” as the creatures all got their pickaxes ready, Apple Bloom closed her eyes and screamed at the top of her lungs…

“APPLEJACK HELP ME!”

You're weak.

But I can give you strength.

There was a bright flash, and the creatures stepped back in surprise. Apple Bloom looked in front of her and saw a blue gem floating in front of her. It was round, and mostly flat with a point at the bottom.

“What is…” Apple Bloom asked, slowly reaching for the gem.

Take the Sapphire.

Use it, and gain the strength you secretly desire.

“Sapphire…” Apple Bloom said slowly grabbing the gem. Immediately, the bracelet around her wrist began glowing, as if it were reacting to the gem. Looking at it, the gem looked like it fit inside the opening. Apple Bloom took a chance and placed the gem inside. Sure enough, not only did it fit, but it also locked into place, sending a surge of power through Apple Bloom's body.

The creatures stepped away from Apple Bloom. Were they afraid of something now? Were they afraid… of her?

Words were entering Apple Bloom's head. Over and over again, as if urging her to say these words. Feeling inspired, she held her arm up, taking her other hand and hovering it over the gem.

“Mana… Change…!” Apple Bloom said, tapping the Sapphire.

~Transformation Scene~

Apple Bloom held her arm out as blue energy shot out of the gem. Suspended in mid air, she spun around as her clothes all magically vanished off her now glowing body.

In a quick flash, blue armored boots and light blue tights formed out of the energy. Next up formed her armored upper body and shoulder pads. Armor then formed around her left wrist, and then her right one in immediate succession.

Finally, a blue knight's helmet with a green visor formed on her head. She held her arm out in front of her as if reaching for something, tightened her fist, and then stood ready in a fight stance.

~End Transformation~

When the light show ended, Apple Bloom took a look at herself. She was now wearing armor similar to the armored mare from earlier, but hers was sapphire blue. It had the same sharp design as the mare's armor, but hers was more form fitting. The armor around her legs and arms was light blue, and her helmet had a transparent green visor over her eyes. Instead of outright showing the top of her bust, Apple Bloom's armor (much to her relief) was completely closed but accentuated the shape of her bust. Like the red armored mare, her boots were slightly high heeled, and her mane and tale flowed freely out of the armor.

“This armor...” Apple Bloom said, “What in tarnation is goin on here?”

The creature in the center slammed its pickax on the ground, sending another shock wave at the armored Apple Bloom, who this time jumped into the air, flipping and landing perfectly in front of them. She couldn't do that before.

Could she beat them with this new power? Only one way to find out. Apple Bloom got in a fighting stance, bracing herself.

“Ready!” Apple Bloom shouted.

The three creatures spread out. Apple Bloom looked through her visor, which she noticed was scanning the creatures somewhat. She saw their names appear over them, Mettaur, and she saw what looked like a red bar of energy. Was that their life?

Apple Bloom decided to not waste time and rushed over to one of them. She punched it square in the face, causing the Mettaur to fall back. At the same time she saw the red bar go down slightly.

One of the other Mettaurs slammed its pickax on the ground, firing a shock wave at Apple Bloom. As she wasn't paying attention, the attack hit her knocking her back into a wall. It didn't hurt nearly as much as she thought it would, but it still hurt.

At the same time she noticed a green bar on her visor go down a bit, once from the attack and again slightly from being hit into a wall. So that was her life. She didn't want to know what would happen if that hit zero.

The second Mettaur fired its shock wave at Apple Bloom, but this time she rolled out of the way.

“I need another way of attackin!” Apple Bloom cried, “Somethin that ain't so dangerous as punchin em!” she then remembered the red mare's energy sword. Did she have something like that too?

Apple Bloom pointed her right arm forward, willing a weapon of some sort to appear. Instead of a sword, Apple Bloom saw her arm turn into some sort of armored cannon.

She didn't have a sword. She had a gun. A freaking gun!

More than happy with this, she pointed it at the monster that she punched earlier and fired a light blue energy blast at it. The Mettaur toppled backwards and exploded, fading away in a white light.

Apple Bloom held in a giggle, as that looked sort of humorous.

The third Mettaur prepared another attack, but this time Apple Bloom was ready. She rolled out of the way just in time, and then had an idea. She realized that in order to fire her gun arm, she had to release the energy. So what if she built up the energy for a bit then fired?

Testing out her idea, she held in the energy. She could actually feel it building up within her gun, which was now glowing and making a sort of odd sound, like it was charging up. She fired it at the Mettaur that just attacked, shooting a larger red blast at it. The monster toppled back and exploded just like its partner.

The second Mettaur got its pickax ready, but Apple Bloom was too fast. She fired her gun arm at it just before it attacked. The monster flinched and fell back, now looking dizzy. Apple Bloom even saw stars hovering over its head.

Now all of a sudden, these things weren't so scary. They were sort of pathetic actually.

Apple Bloom charged up her gun arm, and fired her charged shot at the Mettaur. Like its companions, it toppled back and exploded.

Apple Bloom lowered her gun as it changed back into a regular arm. Now alone, she looked herself over again, this time feeling the armor. Oddly, it didn't feel like she was wearing clothes. It was weird. She was aware of the armor, but it didn't feel like armor. It actually felt like… her body in a sense. The armor itself looked like it was made of sapphire.

Was this what the red armored mare was after? But why? Didn't she already have a suit of armor? Why did she need two?

Another tremor caught her attention. No time, Apple Bloom thought. She'd have to figure out the rest later. Right now the most important thing was getting out of this castle. If she ran into trouble on the way, thankfully she had this blue armor to protect her.

As long as she didn't run into that red armored one, she'd be fine. Then she could figure out what to do about this thing attached to her wrist.

First Battle

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First Battle

Once Apple Bloom got back into the library, she realized something was off. The whole interior of the castle felt weird. It didn't look weird, but there was something in the air.

“Somethin ain't right,” Apple Bloom said looking around, “It's like I'm somewhere else. Why do I feel so funny,” as she looked around, she saw an odd option appear on her visor. It said “contact assistance”. Was the armor trying to connect to that mare in the red armor?

She shrugged her shoulders and decided to try contacting someone for help. After a second, a connection was established, but not with the red mare.

“Hello? Is someone attempting to initiate a psychic connection with me?”

“Hold on, Princess Luna?!” Apple Bloom cried out, “What's goin on here?!”

“That is what I'd like to know,” Luna said, “I was about to begin dream weaving, but you summoning me caught me off guard. Speaking of, how are you contacting me at this moment?”

“I don't know...” Apple Bloom said looking at her now armored hand, “This strange gemstone appeared an' it turned me into somethin… I got this blue armor on now, and I think the armor is tellin me somethin's wrong with the environment around me.”

“Wait, a strange gemstone?” Luna asked, “What sort of gemstone was it?”

Luna sounded surprised, and worried. Did she know what this was?

“Um… I think it was a sapphire,” Apple Bloom said nervously.

“You already merged with it. Are you okay? How is your head? Any strange thoughts entering your mind?”

What was up with these questions? It was beginning to sound like this armor wasn't a good thing at all.

“My head feels fine,” Apple Bloom said, “The only thing now is that I'm confused as hell! What's goin on with me? Why am I wearin this armor? Why was I attacked by these weird creatures?” Apple Bloom, now beginning to panic, fell to the floor hugging her knees crying, “What the hell is goin on with me?!”

“Shh… shh… it's okay Apple Bloom,” Luna said comfortingly, “I'm sorry if my interrogation earlier upset you. I was merely afraid for your safety, but you seem to be yourself thankfully. I assume you were able to utilize the Mana Stone in its controlled state.”

“I'm scared...” Apple Bloom sobbed.

“I can imagine, but right now I need you to be strong. Can you tell me what your situation is? Where are you at this moment?”

“I'm… at your old castle in the Everfree Forest,” Apple Bloom explained, “Somethin ain't right here though. There 're these weird monsters everywhere made of crystals, and the castle feels strange to me.”

“Those monsters are called viruses,” Luna explained, “Think of them as disturbances in the Mana Zone given form. That area must have been infected by viruses, powerful ones at that. Somewhere in there must be a high level virus. I'm afraid you're not getting out of there until you destroy it.”

“There's someone else in here with me,” Apple Bloom said, “They're wearin armor like mine, but its red. I think she's in trouble.”

“I see. I'm sorry Apple Bloom, but you have to defeat that virus yourself and help this pony.”

“Hold on, I was just callin someone to help me get outta here!” Apple Bloom fussed.

“This is the only way to get out of there,” Luna explained, “I know a lot is happening right now, and its all happening really fast, but you must do this. I promise I'll explain everything to you when we get the chance, but you have to survive first.”

Apple Bloom took a deep breath, choking back a sob before she spoke again, “I just figured out how to shoot. I don't know any other attacks.”

“That armor you're wearing is designed to learn from the enemies it defeats,” Luna explained, “However, as it's was just activated it doesn't know any spells. I can initiate a Mega-Link with you and share my magic with you, that way your armor will be able to use my magic. That should be more than enough to get you out of there. How's that sound?”

“That's fine,” Apple Bloom said, catching herself, “I mean, please. Thank you, Princess.”

“Not a problem,” Luna said, “Establishing Mega-Link. Connecting with Mana Stone… Wait a second. This magic… is it…?”

“P-Princess?” Apple Bloom asked, “Is somethin wrong?”

“N-nothing,” Luna lied, “I'll continue with the Mega-Link,” Luna continued whatever she was doing, and through Apple Bloom's visor she saw another option come up. This one said “spell book.

“Spell Book?” Apple Bloom asked, “Is this it?”

“Yes,” Luna said, “From there you'll see a list of spells you can cast. I see your armor is a buster model, so I wrote spells that will match your type. Most of them are projectile spells, but I gave you a few blade and support spells as well.”

“So… I can use magic now?” Apple Bloom asked.

“As long as you're in that armor, yes. Speaking of, I see you haven't given yourself an ID. Since you activated the Mana Stone on your own, you have the rare opportunity to create your own identification.”

“With all due respect Princess, I'll worry about that ID thing or whatever when I'm not about to die,” Apple Bloom said.

“Ah, of course. My apologies,” Luna said, “I'm heading over to your location now. For now, just try to survive and find that virus. I'll meet up with you when I get the chance.”

“Alright. Thanks Princess,” Apple Bloom said.

“Think nothing of it. You and I are intimately connected now, so if you need to ask me anything, just let me know.*”

Feeling a little more confident, Apple Bloom ran out of the library. She was immediately met by two more Mettaur viruses, but she also saw a virus that looked like a black bird. Her visor showed the name “Crow”.

“Hold Apple Bloom,” Luna said stopping Apple Bloom.

“What, you can see them?” Apple Bloom asked.

“I told you, I am connected to you now,” Luna said, “Before you rush in, try using one of the spells I gave you.”

“Um, okay,” Apple Bloom said, opening the spell book. She was afraid that the spells would be complicated, but they all looked like weapons. As Luna said, most of them were projectiles, but she saw a few blades too.

“Do you see a spell that says “Wide Sword”?” Luna asked.

“Lookin right at it,” Apple Bloom said, “Should I cast that one?”

“Not yet. First, cast the spell that says “Dash”. That will make it so the next move you make will teleport you right next to your opponent, and then bring you back to your original position where you cast it. That will give you enough time to attack. Once you cast Dash, cast Wide Sword immediately. This spell is on a timer so you'll only be able to use it for a brief moment. You should only need it for the one time though. Do you wish for me to go over the strategy again?”

“So… cast the Dash spell, then cast Wide Sword. Move toward the enemies, and then attack?” Apple Bloom confirmed, “I think I can do that.”

Apple Bloom pulled up the Dash spell and cast that first. She then cast Wide Sword. Instantly her right arm turned into a blade similar to the one the red mare used, only the blade was really wide. On her visor she saw a timer appear, starting at 30 and going down really fast. She had to hurry.

She tried to move forward, but was instantly shot right in front of the three enemies. Not thinking, she slashed with the sword, hitting all three enemies. The two Mettaurs toppled back exploding, while the crow writhed in pain exploding. Apple Bloom felt a force instantly pull her back, and she was standing right where she was initially.

“Very good,” Luna said, “Keep that strategy in mind.”

“I will,” Apple Bloom said, “Can I just keep casting spells like that?”

“I'm afraid not,” Luna said, “The armor has a limit. Do you see a gauge at the side of your visor?”

She did. It was empty, but now it was slowly moving up.

“Yeah, I see it,” Apple Bloom said.

“That's your magic power. In order to cast those spells you had to deplete the armor's magic. Until that goes back up, you won't be able to cast magic again. Worry not, for your Buster Gun should be unaffected.”

“Buster… Gun?” Apple Bloom asked.

“I refer to the weapon on your right arm. That is your default weapon, the Mega Buster.”

“Not gonna lie, that sounds super cool,” Apple Bloom said.

Luna chuckled, “Yes, I'm sure. Now, hurry along. Your magic will replenish itself in time, but keep in mind that spells you cast won't be available until the armor resets, as in until you Phase Out and then Phase In again.”

“I don't really know what that means, but I'm guessin your tellin me that the spells I just used can't be used again?”

“I put in multiples of the same spell, just in case this happened,” Luna said, “Just hurry on ahead. I'll finish explaining things to you when I get there.”

Apple Bloom nodded and ran on ahead. She hated to admit it, but this armor was starting to grow on her, as were these new powers. Could the red mare do this sort of thing too?

With Luna's help, Apple Bloom was able to get through the castle without too much trouble. While she could punch any enemy that she faced, Luna urged her to mainly use her Buster Gun and spells, as the armor itself wasn't meant for melee combat.

That worked just fine for Apple Bloom.

When she made it to the throne room, she felt another tremble.

WARNING

“Princess, what's goin on here?!” Apple Bloom asked looking around.

“The Mana Stone senses danger. It must be the virus that's infecting the castle. Brace yourself, Apple Bloom!”

Apple Bloom stepped back as the left wall exploded, and the red armored mare fell into the room, landing on the floor. Apple Bloom ran over to them as the got to their knees.

“Hey! Are you okay?!” Apple Bloom asked. The armored mare looked up at Apple Bloom, and though her eyes were completely covered by the visor, Apple Bloom could tell she was furious.

“What the hell?! What in tarnation are ya wearin?!” the red armored mare asked.

“I'm sorry, I was curious about the bracelet, so I tried it on and-”

“You WHAT?!” the red armored mare shot up and grabbed Apple Bloom by the arms, “Do you have any idea what you did?! The Neutralizer is bound to you now!”

“I-I'm sorry…!” Apple Bloom said, tears beginning to form in her eyes for some reason, “I didn't mean to take it!”

The red armored mare grimaced and looked away. Before she could say anything else, something came out of the hole in the wall. It was a large purple scorpion made of crystal. It had two large angry red eyes, and its claws were constantly snapping.

The armored mare pushed Apple Bloom behind her and got in a fighting stance, activating her sword arm as a large red and black diamond shaped shield appeared on her left arm, “I'll get us out of here! For now, just stay behind me!”

The red armored mare charged at the virus, but it whacked her with its claw knocking her to the side. The scorpion pointed its tail at the armored mare and fired some sort of green beam at her. She screamed in pain when it hit her, and Apple Bloom saw steam coming off her armor.

“No!” Apple Bloom cried out.

“Damn it…!” the red armored mare swore, “My armor can't stay stable much longer…!”

The scorpion fired its beam at her again, but this time she pulled up her shield and blocked it to the best of her ability. It looked like her armor was taking too much damage. She had to help her. It was kind of her fault she was in this mess in the first place.

Apple Bloom pointed her Buster Gun at the virus and charged it up. The red armored mare looked at her in shock.

“What do you think you're doin?!” she asked. Instead of answering her, she just fired at the scorpion, knocking it back and grabbing its attention. The large virus stopped firing at the red mare, and instead began walking toward Apple Bloom.

“Apple Bloom, are you sure about this?” Luna asked.

“I… I can't let her die!” Apple Bloom said, “I don't know if I can beat it, but maybe I can give her time to recover!”

“I doubt her armor has a self repair function,” Luna said, “But she might be able to catch her second wind we hold it off. Remember, you are using my magic, so I am fighting along with you.”

“Thanks Luna,” Apple Bloom said getting in a fighting stance.

“Goddamn it! Get outta-” she grimaced in pain, “Augh!”

“I'm right outside, so I can focus solely on helping you,” Luna said, “All limiters released!”

“Ready!” Apple Bloom shouted.

The scorpion fired its acid beam from its tail, but Apple Bloom rolled to the side preparing a spell.

“Cannon!” she shouted, turning her right arm into a large cannon, bigger than her usual one. She pointed it at the scorpion and fired at it, only doing minor damage. The scorpion turned to Apple Bloom and tried to whack at it with its claws, but she managed to run out of the way just in time.

She stopped with a slide casting another spell, “Mini Bomb!”

This time a small bomb appeared in her hand. She saw on her visor she had five of them. She ran in a circle around the monster throwing her bombs at it, a new one materializing in her hand after each throw. These seemed to be doing a little more damage, but not a whole lot.

She tried to cast another spell, but she couldn't open the spell book.

“Damn! I forgot about the-” the virus whacked Apple Bloom back with its claw, knocking her into a wall and doing massive damage. A loud alarm started going off in her head, probably warning her that she was about to die.

“Apple Bloom!” Luna cried out. The red mare tried to stand up, but her injuries must have been to bad as she fell to her knees again.

Apple Bloom forced herself to her feet as her magic recharged.

“Princess, did you manage to put in a few healin spells in this spell book?” Apple Bloom asked.

“Yes, but they're weak. Healing isn't my specialty, I'm afraid. You'd have to use all of them to fully heal.”

“That's fine,” Apple Bloom said, choosing the five spells that said “Recovery 10” and using all of them. Sadly she still was sore, but she could stand at least. Also, that annoying alarm stopped beeping in her ear.

“Hey!” the armored mare shouted, “If your gonna do this, ya gotta fight smarter! Wait till it's about to attack, then fire something strong at its face! That should catch it off guard!”

Apple Bloom nodded and started charging up her Buster Gun. When it looked like the scorpion was about to fire its acid attack, Apple Bloom fired her charged shot in its face. That attack pushed it back, and like the Mettaurs, it looked dizzy.

She wasted no time casting a spell that said “Long Sword”. Her arm turned into another blade, this one being longer than the other one she used. In fact, she could slash at it from where she was standing right now.

Apple Bloom slashed at the large virus with her Long Sword a few times, actually surprised by how much damage she was apparently doing to it. The scorpion shook its head and swiped with its claw, but Apple Bloom jumped away from it landing right next to the red armored mare.

“Hey, what's your name?” Apple Bloom asked the red armored mare, who looked up at Apple Bloom for a second before answering.

“Just call me Proto Mare,” the red mare said, “That's my ID.”

“Proto Mare, huh? I'd give you my ID or whatever, but I haven't come up with one yet,” Apple Bloom admitted.

“Well, don't worry about it,” the red mare, Proto Mare, said forcing herself to stand, “I think I can help out now.”

“Are ya sure?” Apple Bloom asked, “Yer armor's not lookin too good.”

“If you cover me, I'll be fine,” Proto Mare said, “Focus on counterin like ya did before. If ya do that, the next attack ya do will do double damage. I'm outta spells, and it's hard for me to surprise this enemy with my Proto Saber.”

“Then how about I surprise it, and ten we both unload on it with our strongest attacks?” Apple Bloom suggested.

“Simple, straight to the point, with a hint of recklessness,” Proto Mare said thoughtfully, before smirking looking at the scorpion, “Perfect.”

Apple Bloom felt something looking at that smirk, which was the first smile she ever saw on Proto Mare. She shook it off and focused on the scorpion, who pointed its tail at the two armored ponies. When it fired, Apple Bloom rolled to the left and Proto Mare jumped to the right.

Apple Bloom got on one knee pointing her Buster Gun at the scorpion, charging it up. The monster was focusing on Proto Mare, who ran circles around the monster blocking its attacks with her shield. When it turned around again and raised its claw, Apple Bloom fired her charged shot at it, once again catching it off guard.

Proto Mare immediately stopped moving, holding her blade at her shoulder. In a flash she rushed at the scorpion and began slashing wildly at it. Apple Bloom was amazed. Its health was dropping so fast. This Proto Mare was strong. Too strong.

She was happy they were on the same side.

When Proto Mare was done attacking, she jumped back away from the virus, who only had a small fraction of its health left. Apple Bloom took that as her chance to fire another charged shot at it. When the blast hit the virus, it writhed in pain as its entire body exploded. When the monster faded away, Apple Bloom saw another gauge appear on her visor, but this one went up instantly, and it showed a spell “Acid Shot”. Was that how the armor learned magic?

The environment around them got wavy, and whatever Apple Bloom sensed was wrong with that place vanished. Proto Mare's weapon and shield all vanished as Apple Bloom fell to the floor.

“It's finally over! Can I go home now?” Apple Bloom asked in exhaustion. Proto Mare crossed her arms thoughtfully.

“Now what am I gonna do?” she asked herself, “It's only a matter of time before the other ones start comin, and now...” Proto Mare turned to look at Apple Bloom, who was lying on the ground exhausted.

“Apple Bloom!” a voice cried out. Proto Mare and Apple Bloom looked and saw Princess Luna running in, wearing a fancy blue gown and high heels.

“Princess Luna,” Apple Bloom said in relief, “I'm so happy ya came.”

“I couldn't leave one of my valuable friends alone, now could I?” Luna said kneeling down next to Apple Bloom. After helping her up, Luna turned to Proto Mare and looked at her in shock, “You're the one Apple Bloom mentioned was here too then?”

“The name's Proto Mare,” Proto Mare said, “That kid has somethin of mine.”

“Well, considering the circumstances, I'm afraid that it belongs to her now,” Luna said, “Perhaps we can come to an agreement of sorts?”

“I don't want her or anyone else involved with me,” Proto Mare said, “I'm on a mission, and I need to accomplish it. Sombra's countin on me.”

“Sombra? As in King Sombra?” Luna asked, “He's still alive?”

“That ain't yer concern,” Proto Mare said, “Just stay outta my way.”

With that, Proto Mare turned and walked out of the castle. After a few seconds she vanished in a red light. Luna frowned thinking about Proto Mare's words.

“Sombra… lives?” Luna asked.

“Um, Princess Luna?” Apple Bloom asked, snapping the Princess of the Night out of her daze.

“Yes, sorry Apple Bloom. I suppose you would like an explanation?” Luna asked.

Apple Bloom nodded before yawning, “That would be nice.”

“How about first we get you home,” Luna said, “Will the armor to deactivate, and you'll return to your previous state.”

“Um, I don't know,” Apple Bloom said nervously, “I'm pretty sure durin the time this thing appeared on me, my clothes vanished.”

Luna laughed, “Not to worry, Apple Bloom. Your clothes were merely displaced to make room for the armor. Once you deactivate it, your clothes will reappear instantly.”

“Alright,” Apple Bloom said, willing the armor to vanish. She was engulfed in a blue light, and instantly reappeared in her usual clothes. The bracelet and sapphire from before were still stuck on her wrist though.

“There, that's not too hard, right?” Luna asked, smiling when she noticed how tired Apple Bloom looked, “Let's get you home, so you can rest up. I'll answer all of your questions in the morning.”

Apple Bloom nodded to Luna, who vanished in a purple mist that briefly swirled around Apple Bloom for some reason. Se shrugged it off and started making her way back to Ponyville. She had enough weirdness for one day.

The way home was quiet, as everypony had already gone to sleep. This included everyone back at Sweet Apple Acres, which was good. Apple Bloom didn't want to have to answer why she was coming in so late.

She didn't even get undressed. When she reached her room, she plopped right on her bed and drifted off to sleep, silently praying that the whole thing was a bad dream, and she'd wake up from it in the morning.

Mega-Link & Mana Zone

View Online

Mega-Link & Mana Zone

“Apple Bloom!” Sweetie Belle called out from outside her window, “Just because today is Saturday doesn't mean you get to slack off! It's time to wake up!”

“Mmm…” Apple Bloom moaned in her bed, “Damn it Sweetie Belle…”

“I do believe she's right though. Sleeping in like this isn't healthy.”

“Huh?!” Apple Bloom cried out, realizing that voice came from inside the room. She sat up in her, meeting eyes with Princess Luna, who was currently wearing a light blue tank top that said “best princess”, blue panties, and her mane tied in a ponytail. Apple Bloom blinked for a second, looking at the Princess of the Night as she smiled warmly at her. She then started trembling…

And then screamed at the top of her lungs.

A few seconds later, Macintosh, Marble Pie, Granny Smith, and Sweetie Belle all crowded into the room frantically, looking varying degrees of shocked at the sight before them. Apple Bloom was now standing on her bed backed up against the wall as Princess Luna looked up innocently at her. Luna turned to the group and smiled, her eyes lingering on Macintosh.

“My, this is a pleasant surprise,” Luna said, “It's a pleasure to see all of you, especially you Big Macintosh,” she fluttered her eyelashes, the left strap of her tank top strategically falling off her shoulder a bit. Macintosh averted his eyes quickly blushing, fully aware of the death glare Marble was giving him.

Poor Apple Bloom took a deep breath and sighed, now looking at the blue and gold bracelet strapped snugly on her wrist, and the blue sapphire that gave it power.

Last night wasn't a bad dream.

Now fully dressed, Apple Bloom sat down in the kitchen next to Sweetie Belle while Luna helped Granny Smith and Marble Pie with breakfast. Apple Bloom refused to look up at the Princess. Maybe if she pretended she wasn't there, she would vanish, and life would stop taking this weird turn.

Nope. She was right there, still working with Granny Smith and Marble Pie.

“Apple Bloom,” Sweetie Belle whispered, “Princess Luna is in your kitchen.”

“Oh wow, great observation,” Apple Bloom fussed, “Thank you so much for remindin me that this isn't a bad dream.”

“I don't see what the big deal is,” Sweetie Belle said, “Okay, so having Princess Luna in your kitchen making breakfast is kind of a big deal, but you're acting like this is the end of the world.”

“You don't understand…” Apple Bloom said somberly, “Look, Ah'll tell you and Scoot about it at the clubhouse, but not right now.”

Sweetie Belle looked appeased by that and resumed reading her book.

“You don't have to go through this trouble, Princess,” Granny Smith said, “Why don't ya relax an' enjoy yer vacation.”

“With all due respect, Granny Smith, this is me relaxing,” Luna said happily, “I am served every moment of my life. To be able to serve others gives me true joy.”

She turned to Macintosh, who was sitting at the table sharpening a knife, and gave him a coy smile. When Macintosh looked her way, she wiggled her rump a bit to catch his attention. Macintosh blushed smiling.

“Ahem!” Marble Pie cleared her throat loudly, snapping Macintosh out of his daze. Macintosh looked at Marble, who pointed a knife at him giving him a warning look. Macintosh went right back to what he was doing, and Marble glared at the Princess, who happily resumed preparing food.

Apple Bloom groaned loudly falling back into her chair.

Good bye peace and quiet. I'll miss ya.

After finishing a very wonderful breakfast (who would have thought the Princess could cook) Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle began making their way to the clubhouse, where Scootaloo was probably waiting for them.

“So, are you going to tell me what's going on now?” Sweetie Belle asked.

“I said I'd tell ya at the tree house,” Apple Bloom said, “I don't wanna have to explain it two times, so I wanna tell you and Scootaloo at the same time.”

“A wise decision, Apple Bloom. The less we have to explain the better.”

Apple Bloom looked at the sapphire on her wrist, which now showed Princess Luna's face and upper body, “And what in tarnation are ya doin in there?!”

“I told you, you and I are now connected. It's much easier for me to keep watch of you like this,” Luna explained, “Or would you rather have the Princess of the Night following you around out in the open? I bet you'd become very popular.”

“N-no thanks,” Apple Bloom said, “It's creepy enough havin you imprisoned in that gemstone.”

“I am not imprisoned,” Luna said, “Though, if you would like for our relationship to go in that direction...”

“Ah! No! No no no no! That ain't what I-” Apple Bloom stopped and groaned, Sweetie Belle giggling.

“Who would have thought Princess Luna would be so playful?” Sweetie Belle said.

“I'm still wonderin why this dumb thing even called her,” Apple Bloom said, “Of all the ponies it could have reached out to, why Princess Luna?”

“That is weird,” Sweetie Belle asked, “Um, Princess. Why did this stone call you?”

Instead of answering Sweetie Belle, Luna looked away seriously.

“It's no use,” Apple Bloom explained, “Every time I try to ask her, she does the same thing to me.”

“I promise, once I understand everything that's going on myself, I will share it with you. For now, we must hurry to your clubhouse. It would be rude to keep Scootaloo waiting.”

“Right, okay,” Apple Bloom said, “I'm holdin ya to that, Princess.”

“Apple Bloom, show a little respect,” Sweetie Belle said, “This is the Princess Luna.”

“No, Sweetie Belle, it's fine,” Luna explained, “It would be inconvenient for Apple Bloom to maintain a sense of decorum. As such, I would like all of you to hence forth refer to me solely as “Luna”, and view me more as a companion rather than a figure of royalty.”

“This makes it sound like yer gonna be shackin with me indefinitely,” Apple Bloom said warily, only made worse when Luna giggled.

“Only time will tell,” Luna said, her face vanishing from the sapphire.

“I don't know if I should be happy or upset,” Apple Bloom groaned.

“It could be worse,” Sweetie Belle said, “She could be asking you to do something dangerous, right?”

Apple Bloom just laughed awkwardly and sadly, not answering Sweetie Belle, who just looked confused.

When they arrived at the clubhouse, Scootaloo was lying on the floor playing some hand held game. These machines were just one of the many luxuries that came with Mana Shards. Scootaloo looked up at Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle.

“There you guys are,” Scootaloo said.

“Sorry it took so long,” Sweetie Belle said, “We had to take care of something at Apple Bloom's place. She has something to tell us, right Apple Bloom?”

“Y-yeah, right,” Apple Bloom said, “But first,” she held up her bracelet, “Hey, come on out. I ain't explainin nothin without you.”

A dark blue mist came out of the bracelet, and Princess Luna materialized from it, now wearing a fancy blue dress that was open on the sides showing her legs, matching high heels, and her shimmering blue hair now flowing freely and falling down her shoulders and back. She also wore her full regalia now, being a black tiara, fancy necklace showing the crescent moon, and silver bracelets on her wrists.

Needless to say, Scootaloo's jaw dropped.

“Scootaloo, you remember Princess Luna, right?” Apple Bloom asked.

“It's wonderful to see you again, Scootaloo,” Luna said, “Before we begin, I would like it if from this day forward you referred to me as simply Luna, and treated me in the same fashion you would a peer.”

“Y-yeah, sure,” Scootaloo said, “Um, Apple Bloom? Wanna explain why a Princess just came out of that bracelet?”

“Yeah, and where did you even get it?” Sweetie Belle asked, “I don't remember you ever having something like that.”

“Why don't you show them?” Luna said, “You can activate the Mana Stone anytime you wish, simply by saying Mana Change, your ID, and then Online. You may also simply say Mana Change if you do not have an ID yet.”

Apple Bloom nodded and looked at the Sapphire. She still didn't have an ID or whatever, so she couldn't say the whole thing, so she just held her wrist up like before.

“Mana Change!” Apple Bloom said tapping the Sapphire, making it glow bright blue.

~Transformation Scene~

Apple Bloom held her arm out as blue energy shot out of the gem. Suspended in mid air, she spun around as her clothes all magically vanished off her now glowing body.

Finally, a blue knight's helmet with a green visor formed on her head. She held her arm out in front of her as if reaching for something, tightened her fist, and then stood ready in a fight stance.

~End Transformation~

Both Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo's jaws dropped. Now that they were in the light, Apple Bloom got a good look at herself and noticed that not only did she have armor on, but her mane and tail had a bit of a shimmer to them.

“Holy hell...” Scootaloo said, “Apple Bloom, you look like a super hero!”

“How did you do that?!” Sweetie Belle asked, “Did you just use magic?!”

“In a way, yes,” Luna said walking behind the blue armored Apple Bloom, “By using a process called “Phasing In”, she has become half pony, half magical construct.”

“You keep callin it that, Phasin In,” Apple Bloom said, “You make it sound like I went someplace.”

“You don't see it, but you did,” Luna said, “You're magical vibrations are tuned into the real world, which is why you're visible. However, you're actually existing within the world of Mana. Try altering your vibrations.”

Apple Bloom did as she was told, and focused on altering her vibrations. She felt her body get lighter, and everything got wavy for a few seconds before going back to normal. She did notices that everything around her had a sort of blue tint to it, and her friends were looking around frantically.

“Hey, where'd you go?” Scootaloo asked.

“Apple Bloom? Are you still here?” Sweetie Belle asked.

“I'm right here,” Apple Bloom said waving to her friends, “Can't y'all see me?”

“They can't see you,” Luna said, surprising everyone, “Nor can they hear you. You have become living Mana, thus only an alicorn like myself can perceive you.”

“Wait, Apple Bloom is still in the room?” Scootaloo asked.

“She hadn't moved from where she was initially standing,” Luna explained, “She has just entered the Mana Zone, so you all can't see her, hear her, or touch her.”

Sweetie Belle walked over to Apple Bloom, and waved her hand in her direction. Apple Bloom looked and saw her hand go through her body like it wasn't even there.

“I can sort of sense her,” Sweetie Belle said, “It's slight, but I can feel concentrated magic right here, and it feels like Apple Bloom, but it's like she's a ghost.”

“Unicorns and ponies with a strong bond with Apple Bloom would still be able to feel her if they concentrate hard enough,” Luna said, “So yes, she is a bit like a ghost at the moment.”

“Okay, this is creepy,” Scootaloo said, “Hey Apple Bloom, if you can hear us, could you come back into the real world?”

Apple Bloom willed herself back into the real world, instantly phasing back into the material world still in the armor and shocking Sweetie Belle.

“So, what is this armor anyway?” Apple Bloom asked.

“That armor is formed by something called a Mana Stone,” Luna said, “I imagine the three of you have heard something about those.”

“Oh! Rarity was talking about that,” Sweetie Belle said, “She said Twilight was working on something called a Mana Stone.”

“Dash said something about that in passing,” Scootaloo said, “But she didn't go into too much detail.”

“Applejack talked about it a lot,” Apple Bloom said looking at her right arm now, “She started readin books on magical theory, and even started practicin magical runes in her room. We all thought she was losin it. Was this what she was workin on?”

“Mana Stones are artificial magical conduits,” Luna explained, “They are designed to allow a pony the ability to access the Mana Zone in the same way a unicorn or alicorn as myself does with their horn.”

“Wait, so Apple Bloom can use magic now?” Sweetie Belle asked.

“Yes,” Luna said, “By going into the Mana Zone and becoming living Mana, she is able to access abilities that would normally be out of her reach. At the moment her armor can't do much on its own, so I have initiated a Mega-Link with her.”

“What's a Mega-Link?” Scootaloo asked.

“It's a bond that can be established with a pony using a Mana Stone and an exceptionally strong pony like myself. It transfers their magic into the Mana Stone, which allows said pony to cast any spells that the linked pony is able to.”

“That's what you meant by me bein connected to ya now,” Apple Bloom said, “Yer magic is now inside this stone, ain't it?”

Luna nodded, “While I am still able to enter dreams and raise the moon, I can only do these within the Mana Stone. Thus at this moment… I am powerless.”

Wait, what?! Princess Luna lost her magic?! Apple Bloom looked at her friends, and they all shared the same worried looks.

“That's terrible!” Apple Bloom cried, “We can't stay like this! You have to break the link with me!”

“It's not that simple, Apple Bloom,” Luna said rubbing her arm, “Once I establish a Mana-Link, it's permanent until the pony I'm linked to dies,” sensing Apple Bloom's guilt, Luna turned to her and smiled, “Do not feel bad, Apple Bloom. I did what I had to do in order to protect you. You wouldn't have survived without me.”

That only made Apple Bloom feel worse. Proto Mare failed whatever mission she was on and almost died, and now Princess Luna lost her magic. All because she was too weak. She then held her wrist to Luna.

“What if ya took this?” Apple Bloom asked, “You can remove this thing, right?”

“You refer to the Neutralizer?” Luna asked, “Sadly no. That too, is bound to you until further notice. I do know that there is a way to remove it, but what that method is I am not sure. As I'm sure it would require magic though...”

“Yeah, I get it,” Apple Bloom pouted looking away somberly.

“Hey, cheer up,” Scootaloo said, “This doesn't have to be a bad thing. I mean, you have a freaking suit of magical armor. You have a Princess at your beck and call. Besides,” Scootaloo got close to Apple Bloom nudging her, “She's quite the looker, eh? Eh?”

“Scootaloo!” Apple Bloom blushed looking down. Of course she came out to her friends about being a lesbian first, so they loved to taunt her about it. That was one of the reasons Apple Bloom felt so odd this morning.

“Sides, she ain't at my beck and call,” Apple Bloom fussed, “She's just stayin at my house. I ain't turnin her into a slave or anythin.”

“Do I not please you, Master?” Luna asked playfully, “Perhaps you would prefer it if I wore something more risque?”

“Keep your clothes on!” Apple Bloom screamed, everyone laughing at her predicament.

“I have a question,” Sweetie Belle said, “Why did this thing come to Apple Bloom anyway?”

“Mana Stones react to weak hearts,” Luna said, “Magic is very powerful, and can change depending on emotions. The magic within the Mana Stones however react to feelings of despair the strongest.”

“Despair…?” Apple Bloom asked.

“Before you transformed, did you feel helpless? Like giving up?”

“Well, right before the Sapphire came to me, I was afraid. No, that's not right. I felt helpless. These monsters, the viruses, were gonna attack me, and I thought I was gonna die. That's when...”

“That's when you heard a voice, right?” Luna asked, “A voice claiming to give you strength.”

“Yeah, that's right,” Apple Bloom said, “It told me to use the Sapphire. When I did, the bracelet reacted, and I just put the gem into the slot right here. Was that right?”

Luna breathed out in relief, “Yes Apple Bloom, that was perfect. You see, Mana Stones are unstable, and eventually take over the minds of the pony they've linked themselves to. The Neutralizer though, allows the pony in question to call forth its power in a controlled yet limited manner. Had you used the Sapphire Mana Stone by itself, you would have become something a lot stronger, but you wouldn't be able to control your actions.”

“So she's still herself now because of that bracelet?” Sweetie Belle asked, Luna nodded, “Then I say keeping it on her is a great idea.”

“Yeah, especially if that thing lets her use anytime she wants,” Scootaloo added.

“Hold on, what makes y'all think I even want to use this thing again?” Apple Bloom asked, “I almost died the first time I used it, and I had Proto Mare's help.”

“Proto Mare?” Scootaloo asked, “Who's that, and why do they sound like a badass?”

“That isn't their real name,” Luna said, “It's the ID they chose. It looked like they had just registered it when I had arrived.”

“Yeah, she didn't say any of that other stuff when she transformed,” Apple Bloom said, “She just said the first part.”

“So she pulled that awesome name out of their tail?” Sweetie Belle asked, “Scootaloo, we have to help Apple Bloom come up with a super cool name!”

“Yeah! It's gotta sound epic! Something that's going to strike fear into the eyes of anyone who hears it!” Scootaloo added. Apple Bloom groaned in frustration.

“Would y'all listen to me?! I ain't gonna transform again! I ain't some super hero! I'm a twelve, goin on thirteen year old, regular earth filly! I don't want any of this in my life! I just want the weirdness to stop so I can go back to grieving about my sister!” she didn't think she was going to cry, but with how scared she was with last night, and how things were changing so fast, her eyes started watering.

Sweetie Belle ran over to Apple Bloom and hugged her, “Oh Apple Bloom…” she said sadly.

“I'm afraid that the chaos has only just begun,” Luna said seriously, “You see, Sapphire isn't the only Mana Stone that was created.”

“What do you mean?” Scootaloo asked. Luna folded her arms and took a deep breath before speaking again.

“Counting Sapphire and Ruby, there are a total of ten Mana Stones. The other eight are Pearl, Emerald, Amethyst, Aquamarine, Garnet, Lapis Lazuli, Topaz, and Onyx. Ruby was the one used by Proto Mare, and you now possess Sapphire, but the other eight are still out there, and they haven't Mega-Linked with anyone yet.”

“If they link with someone, they'll be like Apple Bloom, right?” Sweetie Belle asked. Luna shook her head gravely.

“I'm afraid that will not be the case. Apple Bloom has a Neutralizer, and she was lucky to find one before linking herself to Sapphire. Anyone else who finds a Mana Stone will merge with it directly, meaning they will be consumed by the stone's magic, which will amplify their negative emotions.”

“But Proto Mare can handle it, right?” Apple Bloom asked.

“Possibly, but she mentioned the name Sombra, and it sounded like she's working for him. If that's the case, then I'm afraid we can't trust her.”

“Then send the royal guard!” Apple Bloom ordered, afraid of where this was going.

“Once a Mana Stone finds a host, no normal pony can defeat them,” Luna said, “And before you ask, finding the Mana Stone before it finds a host is nearly impossible. By themselves they give off a very weak magical signature. Only a pony using a Mana Stone can defeat them. If I had my magic, I might be able to manage something, but as my magic belongs to you now Apple Bloom…”

“No…” Apple Bloom shook her head, “No! I ain't doin it!”

“Apple Bloom-” Luna started.

“Forget it!” Apple Bloom changed out of the armor and turned to the door, “I'm not going to help you when you, Celestia, and Twilight didn't help my sister!”

With that, Apple Bloom stormed out of the clubhouse. Luna sighed sadly.

“I'll go after her,” Luna said running to the door. Scootaloo folded her arms and leaned against the wall.

“Geez Apple Bloom, this is the fate of Equestria here,” Scootaloo said.

“I can sort of understand her fear,” Sweetie Belle said, “This isn't a comic book or video game, Scootaloo. This is real life, and it sounds like Apple Bloom could die.”

“Yeah, I guess,” Scootaloo said with a sigh, “It's just… seeing Apple Bloom like this is getting to me. Last year, she'd still be afraid, but I bet she'd still do it.”

“Well, last year she had Applejack to fall back on,” Sweetie Belle said, “Apple Bloom isn't as strong as we think. She just had a great big sister helping her stand. Now she has to stand on her own…”

Scootaloo sighed. She understood, but both she and Sweetie Belle had different approaches for what to do for Apple Bloom. Scootaloo thought that she needed to be pushed, but Sweetie Belle knew better. What she needed was time.

Time that, if Luna was right, might be running out.

“Apple Bloom wait!” Luna called out, running after the inconsolable teen.

“Leave me alone!” Apple Bloom cried. Luna caught up and grabbed her arm.

“Apple Bloom, I know you're afraid, but-”

“SHUT UP!” Apple Bloom screamed yanking her arm free and turning to Luna, “WHY SHOULD I FIGHT YOUR BATTLE?! WHY CAN'T YOU FIND SOMEONE ELSE TO-”

SLAP

Apple Bloom and Luna stood there silently for a few seconds, Apple Bloom in shock, and Luna glaring at Apple Bloom seriously.

“If it were up to me, I wouldn't involve you!” Luna said, “Believe me, the last thing I want to do is place one of my subjects, my friends in danger! But this is how things played out!” her expression softened, “I understand your anger at the royal family. We sponsored the project that lead to Applejack's…”

“Applejack…” Apple Bloom said, completely breaking down. Luna immediately wrapped Apple Bloom in a loving embrace, also wrapping her wings around the crying teen.

“This isn't fair, I know,” Luna said softly, “I am asking a lot of you, but right now you are the only one I can turn to. This isn't an ideal situation, but…” Luna thought to herself, “What if I told you… that Applejack was alive?”

Apple Bloom stopped crying and looked at Luna slowly.

“Applejack's… alive…?” Apple Bloom asked.

“She is, and I promise that if you agree to help me, you will find her,” Luna said, “In return, I will do everything in my power to assist you. I will not leave your side, and I will do my very best to keep you safe, just as I did last night.”

“You'll… help me find my sister?” Apple Bloom asked, “You promise?”

“I promise that I will try,” Luna said, “But I can tell you this, if my theory is correct then she's in grave danger right now, and in order to save her...”

“We need to stop the Mana Stones,” Apple Bloom finished, “I… need to think for a bit.”

“Certainly,” Luna said, “But don't take too long. I don't know when the next Mana Stone will appear, and when it does you must be ready to act.”

With that Luna phased back into the Sapphire. Apple Bloom looked at the gemstone, thinking about Luna's words. Her sister… was alive? Could this power really help save her?

Was Apple Bloom strong enough to save her?

Elsewhere, Miss Cheerilee was on the phone in her office talking to someone on the school board. Pipsqueak, a really small and young colt wearing blue jeans, a red and blue jacket, black shirt, and black and white sneakers, was shuffling nervously in his seat. After a few seconds, Cheerilee sighed and hung up the phone.

“Sorry Pip, but the school board doesn't support it,” she said gravely.

“But this would be a great way to celebrate the Class of 66 graduating!” Pipsqueak said, his Trottingham accent strong as ever.

“I know, and I agree,” Cheerilee said, “But without the school board's support, I can't do anything. They said it would be different if we had a space we could use, but since we don't...”

“What if…” Pipsqueak stopped himself. He knew nothing he said would actually change things. Sure, he was Student Body President now, but no one respected him as president.

I bet if it were Diamond Tiara they'd listen…

“Listen, I have some more paper work to finish,” Cheerilee said, “Can we talk more about this on Monday?”

Pipsqueak sighed, “Yeah… sure…”

Pipsqueak left out of the teacher's office hanging his head in sadness. This was just like always. No one ever paid attention or thought his ideas were worth anything. The only reason they'd listen to Diamond Tiara was because her special talent was getting ponies to listen to her.

Pipsqueak didn't have a special talent. If he did, he didn't know it. It definitely wasn't making ponies listen.

“What a bunch of bollocks...” Pipsqueak said kicking a rock as he walked home, “No one ever takes me seriously. All because I'm a shrimp.”

Hey shorty!

Careful! You almost tripped on Little Pip!

He's the Student Body President? I bet he can't even reach the podium!

“Grr…” Pipsqueak kicked the rock hard in anger. He hated be so small. He hated being so young. Not even his own family took him seriously. He had started falling into a deep depression because of it, and it was so bad his grades were slipping too.

And now, the one pony he had that took him seriously, Miss Cheerilee, was pushing him aside.

“I bet if I were bigger, everyone would take me seriously,” Pipsqueak said venomously, “I'd have the whole school under my foot, and everyone would listen to what I had to say. Too bad that's not going to change anytime soon...”

You're weak…

But I can give you strength…

Pipsqueak stopped when he heard that voice. His attention was almost pulled to a nearby lake, where he saw a reddish brown glow in the water. He ran over to it and saw a small red/brown stone in the water.

I am Garnet…

I can grant you the power to make everyone notice you…

“Garnet…” Pipsqueak said reaching into the water and picking up the glowing stone. When it touched his hand, he felt instantly invigorated, like a great power was flowing through his entire body.

He fell back, looking at the stone in shock, and then started laughing. First softly to himself, but all of a sudden he broke out in full on euphoria as the realization hit him. Power, he had true power now.

And he was going to make sure everyone listened to him.

Name of a Hero

View Online

Name of a Hero

The rest of the weekend was uneventful for the most part. As the girls had already found their Cutie Marks they usually went looking for ponies that didn't know what their special talents were or had misinterpreted their talents. For Apple Bloom this meant staying home, as she didn't really feel a drive to go out and help anyone anymore.

Having the Princess of the Night tagging along with her wasn't as bad as Apple Bloom thought it would be, but it was rather unusual. Thankfully Luna didn't stay inside the Sapphire all the time, only when they went traveling. In fact, most of the time Luna was either helping around the house or flirting with Big Macintosh.

Did Apple Bloom miss something there?

Luna had become the family's well kept secret. She fit in perfectly with the family actually. Macintosh seemed to enjoy her company, at times a little too much. Marble Pie respected the Princess, but she didn't seem to care much for her at all. Granny Smith on the other hand loved Luna, and spent a lot of time talking about moments in history.

Luna was an odd character. She seemed to match whoever she was with perfectly, either being very young and childish around ponies Apple Bloom's age, or extremely old and wise to ponies around Granny Smith's age.

Speaking of Apple Bloom, she kept her distance from the Princess of the Night mostly. She hadn't transformed since the last time she was with her friends, and she wasn't about to just turn it on whenever she wanted. Honestly, she didn't even want to think about that armor. A few times she tried prying the Neutralizer off her wrist, but it was hopeless.

She was beginning to wish she had never put the damn thing on.

As she closed her eyes to doze off, there was a knock on the door, “It's open,” Apple Bloom asked. The door slowly opened and Marble Pie walked into the room with a sandwich on a tray, “Oh, is that for me?”

“Mmhmm,” Marble Pie nodded. She walked over to Apple Bloom setting the tray on the bed and placed a hand on Apple Bloom's, silently asking what was wrong.

“I'm okay,” Apple Bloom said, “At least, as okay as I can get. I just have a lot on my mind. Princess Luna asked me to do somethin, and… I'm not sure if I can,” Apple Bloom sat up, “I mean, it ain't like I don't want to help. But… it ain't like I do want to help either. I mean-” Apple Bloom cut herself off with a sigh, “It's complicated, alright?”

“Mmhmm...” Marble Pie said sadly. She turned to Apple Bloom's bed stand and looked at the picture of Apple Bloom and Applejack. They were hugging, and Apple Bloom looked really young in the picture.

“Marble, can I ask ya somethin?” Apple Bloom asked, “If Pinkie Pie, Maud Pie, or Limestone Pie were in trouble, and someone said you had to do somethin dangerous to save them, would you?”

“Mmhmm,” Marble Pie said, almost immediately which surprised Apple Bloom.

“But, you'd be scared,” Apple Bloom said, “You could get hurt, or even die.”

“Mmhmm,” Marble Pie said now holding the picture.

“And… knowin all that, you'd still do it?”

Marble Pie smiled slightly at the picture, set it down, and just nodded to Apple Bloom, “Mmhmm.”

Apple Bloom really took that in. She didn't talk much; hell, she barely talked at all. But Marble Pie was really smart, and wise. When she did give her opinion in any way, you owed it to yourself to listen.

Marble Pie hugged Apple Bloom, and then walked out of the room. Apple Bloom considered Marble Pie's “words” and then bit into her sandwich, not knowing that Princess Luna was perched right outside her window listening to their conversation.

“We're so much alike, you and I,” Luna said to herself before jumping down.

In town, the city guard was out investigating another sight that was attacked. This time it was a newspaper stand that was all but completely destroyed, like something huge came in and wrecked it.

With the city guard investigating this was Rainbow Dash, who had just come back from her Wonderbolt training. She was now wearing her usual dark blue training shorts and matching blue training bra, white socks and rainbow colored sneakers.

“Geez, whoever did this must really hate the news,” Rainbow Dash said shaking her head. She heard some commotion and saw two officers harassing Fluttershy, who was wearing a simple green sweater, blue pants, and brown boots.

“Are you sure you don't know anything about this?” one officer asked.

“I-I-I'm positive,” Fluttershy said, hiding behind her mane, “I only know one bear, and he wouldn't attack the town like this. He's far too well behaved.”

“We'd like to think that,” the officer said, “Except that you know all the animals around these parts.”

“How do we know you aren't putting them up to this?” the other officer asked.

“Try because it's Fluttershy,” Rainbow Dash said walking over to the argument, “She doesn't send animals to attack news stands, and if she says it isn't one of her animals, then it isn't.”

“With all due respect, we're the officer's here-”

“With all due respect, Fluttershy and I are both members of the Council of Friendship, and thus I technically have more authority than you,” Dash got right in the officer's face, “But maybe we could take this to the Princess of Friendship. You know, Twilight? My best friend? Who happens to be a Princess?”

That shut the officers up, and they walked off elsewhere to investigate.

“Thank you, Rainbow Dash,” Fluttershy said.

“No problem,” Rainbow Dash scowled at the officers, “Those assholes need to watch it. Lately they've been getting a little too liberal with their title,” she turned back to Fluttershy, “How are you feeling?”

“I'm fine now,” Fluttershy said, “I was just going to get a newspaper, but the news stand was already in shambles.”

“Huh,” Dash said looking up, “Just like that monument the Rich household commissioned. I hear they lost a lot of money in damages over that.”

“Yes,” Fluttershy said, “Actually, its funny you should mention that. The front page of the newspaper today is also about the Rich family.”

Rainbow Dash took a look at one of the papers. Sure enough, it was talking about their latest huge donation. Dash knew it was absolute bullshit, the only Rich that wasn't crooked was Diamond Tiara, their daughter.

That was enough to look like a pattern to Dash.

“Hey, let's take this to Twilight,” Dash said, “If the city watch won't do their jobs right, then we'll just have to do it ourselves.”

Fluttershy nodded, and the two of them flew to the castle. Just because they were down a member didn't mean they could slack off.

The next morning, Apple Bloom surprised Sweetie Belle by actually being up this time. She was yawning the entire time, and she looked more irritable than usual, but she was up. As such, she, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo were able to walk to Sugar Cube Corner together.

“This is rare,” Scootaloo said, “The three of us actually able to get to school early.”

“Blame Luna,” Apple Bloom said with another yawn, “She woke me up at six o'clock in the freaking morning.”

“Early to bed and early to rise, keeps a mare healthy, wealthy, and wise,” Luna said, “Trust me, once your sleep patter has been regulated, you'll thank me.”

“Not likely,” Apple Bloom groaned, “And why the hell are ya comin to school with us?”

“I told you before, I'm not comfortable leaving you alone,” Luna said folding her arms and closing her eyes, “You could be attacked at any moment, and we'll need my magic prepared in order to fight.”

“Can't she use your spells even with you not there?” Sweetie Belle asked Luna.

“Yes she can, but she can't organize them like I can. Also, she's still drawing from me to use my magic, so I need to be focusing in order for her to use them. Otherwise she could end up accidentally casting the wrong spell, or using the spell incorrectly.”

“So essentially I can't go anywhere without you anymore,” Apple Bloom asked.

“Sorry Apple Bloom, but no. I promise not to interfere with your social life though. It will be like I'm not even there.”

“Says the mare that woke me up at six o'clock…” Apple Bloom said under her throat.

“That was for your benefit,” Luna said.

“Ugh! See what I have to deal with? It's like havin your parent hoverin over you constantly!” Apple Bloom whined.

“I think it's cool,” Scootaloo said as they approached Sugar Cube Corner, “We could totally brag to everyone that the Princess of the Night is actually traveling with us.”

“Absolutely not,” Luna said, “My presence within the Sapphire must remain a secret for now.”

“That would cause a huge panic,” Sweetie Belle said, “If everyone knew that the Princess wasn't at the castle, there would be a huge uproar.”

“Besides, I'm determined to have a normal life as much as possible,” Apple Bloom said going to the door, “Nothin strange is gonna happen to me today. Nothin at all.”

As she said that, she walked into the bakery, where she saw everyone looking at a table in the corner nervously. Apple Bloom looked and saw Diamond Tiara sitting at said table drinking coffee with two knights standing guard.

“You were saying?” Luna asked.

“Shut up...” Apple Bloom groaned. If anyone else had said that to Luna, they'd be in serious trouble. But Apple Bloom remembered Luna telling them to not treat her like royalty, which Apple Bloom took off with.

Apple Bloom and her friends walked over to Diamond Tiara's table, but were stopped by the guards.

“Halt,” one guard said, “State the business of your inquiry.”

“Guys, seriously?” Diamond Tiara fussed, “These three are my friends. Let them through.”

“Yes, Miss Tiara,” the other guard said. The two of them moved aside, and Apple Bloom's group slowly sat down with her.

“Sorry about that,” Diamond Tiara said, “I got us all some donuts.”

“Aw, thanks,” Scootaloo said reaching for the plate, “You know, I could really get used to having nice Diamond Tiara around.”

Diamond Tiara giggled, “Well good, because nice Diamond Tiara isn't going anywhere. I like being friends with you guys a lot more than making fun of you.”

“I like you being our friend more too,” Sweetie Belle said grabbing a powdered donut, slowly taking it apart and eating it in the most dainty manner, “You're actually really sweet.”

“I'm glad you guys see that,” Diamond Tiara said somberly, “Not like anyone else does...” she immediately cheered up, “So, how are you doing Apple Bloom?”

“Um… I'm fine,” Apple Bloom said averting her eyes slightly, “Why are you surrounded by guardstallions?” Apple Bloom asked. Diamond Tiara rolled her eyes.

“Someone's been targeting my family, and Princess Twilight is concerned for my safety,” Diamond Tiara explained, “So, until they catch the pony responsible, these two have to follow me around everywhere I go.”

“Gee, that sounds annoying,” Apple Bloom said as a subtle jab at Luna, who just stuck her tongue out at Apple Bloom.

“But that's okay,” Diamond Tiara said, “The assailant's been going after my parents, so I should be fine.”

“Aren't you worried about your mom and dad though?” Scootaloo asked, “What if they get hurt, or killed?”

“It's not like I'm not worried about them,” Diamond Tiara said, “It's just...”

Diamond Tiara looked down somberly, not finishing her thought. Luna took notice, raising an eyebrow.

“Could she be…?” Luna asked herself.

After finishing breakfast, the four fillies started heading to school, trying their hardest to stay ahead of the two guards.

“Psst!”

Apple Bloom looked down at the Mana Stone and saw Luna motioning with her head to go off to the side. Apple Bloom wandered off a bit and held the Mana Stone up a bit.

“What's wrong?” Apple Bloom whispered.

“That girl might have a Mana Stone,” Luna said.

“Diamond Tiara? I don't know about that,” Apple Bloom said.

“You saw her earlier, though. She didn't seem too concerned about her parents being targeted, and so far it's been them the assailants has been after.”

“That don't mean it's Diamond Tiara,” Apple Bloom said, “You don't even know if a Mana Stone is even involved yet.”

“Still, I don't like this. We need to keep an eye on her.”

“You can keep an eye on her,” Apple Bloom said, “I have school to worry about.”

“Apple Bloom-”

“I can't talk anymore right now. Diamond Tiara might get suspicious,” Apple Bloom said.

“Apple Bloom?” Diamond Tiara asked wandering over to her, “Is everything okay?”

Speak of the devil, Apple Bloom thought, “I'm fine, Diamond.”

“Ooh, that's so pretty,” Diamond Tiara said referring to the Neutralizer, “I didn't know you were into jewelery. Where did you get it?”

“It's uh… a family heirloom,” Apple Bloom lied, “Given to every Apple in my family.”

“Wow, that's so cool,” Diamond Tiara said, suddenly frowning at it, “But… how do you open it to take it off?”

“Oh look! We're at school now! Better hurry before the bell rings!” Apple Bloom ran into the school building, knowing that she was leaving Diamond Tiara and her friends horribly confused, “That was close.”

“Yes. If she is possessed by a Mana Stone, she'd be able to tell I'm here,” Luna said, “We must be careful.”

“I still don't think Diamond Tiara's possessed,” Apple Bloom said walking to her seat, “I'm pretty sure I'd know otherwise.”

“Mana Stones are tricky. It's near impossible to tell if someone is possessed until it's too late.”

“Well, I still don't think she's the one,” Apple Bloom said, “I know Diamond Tiara. She's not the kind of person who would attack her parents.”

“Is she your special somepony?” Luna asked with a smirk, “You're defending her an awful lot.”

“She's not my special somepony!” Apple Bloom defended, “I just learned I was gay last year, so I don't have anyone I'm even interested in!”

“Then why, pray tell, did your face turn red when Diamond Tiara spoke to you, hm?”

“Damn it Luna...” Apple Bloom groaned, letting her head hit her desk. After all the other students settled in, Miss Cheerilee walked into the classroom.

“Before we get started with today's lessons, I'd like all of you to come to the gym for a school assembly,” she said.

“Probably about the attacks,” Sweetie Belle said.

“It could be about the dance,” Scootaloo said, “Pip was trying to get that for the seniors, remember?”

“That's right,” Sweetie Belle said, “He's been having a lot of trouble lately, hasn't he?”

“Kind of hard to take someone seriously when they're half your size, sadly,” Scootaloo said. Apple Bloom lagged behind a bit, as she hated these things, but it was important. That didn't mean she was going to listen to the whole thing though.

As they sat down, Apple Bloom's thoughts went to the Mana Stone. She still hadn't come up with an ID for the armor yet, which Luna had mentioned she'd need one. At first Apple Bloom didn't know what the big deal was, but she figured that she couldn't go around telling everypony her real name.

But for the life of her, nothing came to mind.

“Hey, Luna, remember Proto Mare?” Apple Bloom asked.

“Yes, what about her?”

“I was thinkin, that's her ID right? How did she come up with that name?”

Luna looked thoughtful, “Well, the Mana Stone she's using, Ruby, was the first one my sister and Twilight made, thus the term “prototype” comes to mind. Perhaps that's how she came up with her ID.”

“Makes sense,” Apple Bloom said softly.

“Trying to create an ID for yourself?” Luna asked.

“It ain't like I'm okay with doin this,” Apple Bloom admitted, “But, if I am, I might as well come up with somethin cool soundin, you know?”

“Yes, I understand,” Luna said, “You should think hard about it. After all, once you create your ID, you can't change it. It has to be a name you're okay using forever.”

Apple Bloom hated that word. Forever. It made her feel like she was stuck doing this for the rest of her life. She still wasn't even sure she wanted to do this now.

“And now,” Cheerilee said, “Our School President would like to say a few words.”

Cheerilee moved out of the way for Pipsqueak to take the stand. The poor thing needed a crate to stand on, which sadly made a lot of the students laugh.

“Um, thank you Miss Cheerilee,” Pip said, “I'd first like to-”

“What are you saying?” one rude student asked, “I can't understand what your saying. Speak normally.”

As some of the students laughed, Cheerilee gave that student a sharp look before smiling at Pipsqueak, “Go on, honey. Continue.”

“T-thank you,” Pipsqueak said, “Like I was saying. I'd like to begin first by addressing an issue that's been brought up numerous times by the faculty. Many students have become… um…” Pipsqueak was distracted by a student in the front of the class snoring loudly, “Uh… how can I put it…”

“Didn't you come with a speech prepared?” A female student asked from the back, “You're not very good at this.”

“Diamond Tiara was better than you! And she was a horrible president!” another student added.

Whatever Pip was going to say was completely lost, and he just stared at the crowd nervously as the students heckled him. Thankfully none of them were from Miss Cheerilee's class. Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo all looked at Pipsqueak worried, and poor Diamond Tiara fell back into her seat as if trying to disappear.

Thankfully, the bell rang at that moment, and Pipsqueak ran out of the gym. While everyone started making their way back to class, Diamond Tiara ran after Pipsqueak.

“Shouldn't we follow them?” Sweetie Belle asked.

“They'll be fine,” Scootaloo said, “Come on, let's head back to class.”

As they all left, Apple Bloom lingered a bit looking in the direction Diamond Tiara ran in.

“What's wrong?” Luna asked.

“Pip didn't feel right to me,” Apple Bloom said, “I can't put my finger on it, but something about him felt funny.”

“Interesting,” Luna said, “As much as I want to investigate, you have class. We shall keep our eyes open for now.”

“Alright,” Apple Bloom said, reluctantly going back to class. She had a horrible feeling that something bad was about to happen, and that Diamond Tiara and Pipsqueak were about to be in a lot of danger.

“Shoot!” Pipsqueak fussed throwing a rock into the nearby lake, “That was a disaster! No one ever takes me seriously!”

That's not fair…

But its okay, because you know what to do…

“Right...” Pipsqueak said pulling out the Garnet, “If they won't take me seriously, maybe they'll take you seriously.”

“Pipsqueak!” Diamond Tiara called out running up to him, “Listen, about what happened in there, I'm sorry.”

“Sorry?” Pipsqueak asked, slightly turning to Diamond Tiara.

“You don't deserve any of that,” Diamond Tiara said, “I deserved that jab they threw at me, but you're a great president.”

Don't listen to that filly…

She's the enemy, remember…?

She's just selling lines…

“Pip?” Diamond Tiara asked, “Are you okay?”

“Why are you here, anyway?” Pipsqueak asked.

“I was Student Body President before, so I know how stressful it is,” Diamond Tiara said, “If you want, I can help you get everyone's attention. I happen to be pretty good at making people noticed.”

“Right, then you can take over my job and become President again!” Pipsqueak fussed, “I know what you really want!”

“Pip, no… That's not what I-”

“You say you know how stressful being president is? All you did was abuse your special talent to make others do what you want!” Pipsqueak continued, gripping the Garnet tightly, “You're not taking me seriously either! No one EVER takes me seriously! Well, that's all about to change!” Pipsqueak turned around to face Diamond Tiara, glaring at her. At the same time, Garnet began glowing orange in his hands.

“Pip...” Diamond said stepping back, “You're scaring me…”

“As of today, everyone in school will start taking me seriously, and stop treating me like some little kid!” Pipsqueak held Garnet above him, “Mana Change!”

Pipsqueak was engulfed in a bright flash, and his entire body began to change. Diamond Tiara fell back onto the ground in shock and shielded her eyes from the bright light. When it died down, Diamond Tiara looked at Pipqueak in horror.

Standing before her was no longer tiny Pipsqueak. She now saw a hulking brute standing almost eight feet tall, wearing red body armor made of crystal, dark gray pants and boots, and large golden hands. His face looked mostly the same, except he had a black eye patch covering his left eye, and his hair looked much longer spiking all the way down his back, and it looked like it was made of sharp crystals too.

“Now who looks like a little pipsqueak, eh?” Pipsqueak said, still in his usual accent, but his voice was deeper like an adult's.

“P-Pip… what happened to you…?” Diamond Tiara asked trembling, beginning to wish those guards were with her.

“Pip ain't exactly home at the moment, love. You can call me Garnet Crush!”

“Garnet… Crush?” Diamond Tiara asked.

“Wanna know what happens to little blokes that don't take me seriously?” Garnet Crush asked, “How about I show you!”

Garnet Crush brought up a fist and was about to punch Diamond Tiara, but someone pulled her away just in time. She looked and saw one of the guards holding her while the other one held out his spear in defense.

“Glad we decided to follow you!” the guard holding her said.

“Stay back, monster!” the second guard ordered, “I'll strike if I have to.”

Garnet Crush laughed, “Think I'm afraid of a wee thing like you?! I eat shrimps like you for breakfast!” Garnet Crush punched the one guard holding the spear away, instantly knocking him out, and then picked up the second one as he pushed Diamond Tiara away.

“R-run!” he ordered as Garnet Crush squeezed the life out of him. Diamond Tiara wasted no time running away, heading back to the school.

“Oh, we're playing tag then?” Garnet Crush asked throwing the guard away, “Fine, I guess I'm it! Viruses, infect the school!”

The school, and the surrounding yard, all turned wavy for a second, and then viruses appeared all through the school. A Mettaur appeared right in front of Diamond Tiara and slashed at her with its pickax, but she fell back just in time and scampered in another direction. She was about to run back into the school but Garnet Crush landed right in front of her.

“Looks like I win, eh?” Garnet Crush asked with a sinister and manic smile. Diamond stepped away from Garnet Crush, and screamed at the top of her lungs as the large hulk reached for her.

“Alright, settle down everyone,” Cheerilee requested, as the students were all freaking out by the room getting wavy, “Remain calm. I'm sure it was nothing.”

Apple Bloom wasn't sure of that. In fact, she was sure that it was something serious. She looked outside and saw three Mettaurs running past the window.

“Hold on! Mettaurs?!” Apple Bloom asked.

“This school has been infected,” Luna said, “I thought the student's conduct earlier was odd. This school is under the effects of a virus, probably caused by the Mana Stone.”

“You mean, somethin like the other day?” Apple Bloom asked, her heart racing. This was exactly what she was dreading.

“We have to Phase In to the Mana Zone now!” Luna urged, “Only another pony using a Mana Stone can stop this!”

“But, that means...” Apple Bloom's thought was cut off by a scream. She looked outside again and saw a huge monster standing over Diamond Tiara about to grab her. Before she could think of taking action, a crash by the door caught her attention. Three Mettaurs stormed into the classroom and swung their pickaxes around the room destroying desks and trying to attack the students.

“Apple Bloom!” Sweetie Belle cried as she and Scootaloo ran over to her, “Are these the things that attacked you before?!”

“They are!” Apple Bloom said, “Somethin's outside too tryin to kill Diamond Tiara!”

“That's the Mana Stone,” Luna said, “I was in error. It looks like your friend wasn't infected.”

“I told ya it wasn't Diamond Tiara!” Apple Bloom said.

“Then who is it?!” Scootaloo asked.

“Hell if I know!” Apple Bloom said.

Cheerilee gathered all her students to the back door, “Everyone, exit in an orderly fashion!”

As everyone ran out of the classroom, Apple Bloom took another look at where Diamond Tiara was, happy to see that she managed to run away again. Relieved, but still worried, she ran after her friends.

They ran to the gymnasium, but Apple Bloom noticed that a lot of students were still missing.

“They must all be trapped in their classrooms,” Apple Bloom reasoned.

“Miss Cheerilee!” Rumble said running to the teacher, “Diamond Tiara is still missing!”

“What?! Oh dear, this is not good at all!” Cheerilee said, clearly panicking.

“This is too scary!” Sweetie Belle said holding onto Scootaloo's arm.

“What are we going to do?” Scootaloo said, “I'm pretty sure I saw those guards out cold!”

Apple Bloom looked at the Neutralizer, meeting eyes with Princess Luna. She knew what Apple Bloom was going to do even before she gathered the courage. Apple Bloom tightened her fist, and turned to her friends.

“I need y'all to cover for me!” Apple Bloom said.

“Wait, you're not- Apple Bloom!” Sweetie Belle put her hands on Apple Bloom's arms, “You're not going to go out there and fight, are you?!”

“Girls, I have to!” Apple Bloom said, “Someone has to, and like Scootaloo said, those guards didn't stand a chance! Maybe if Luna and I fight though...”

Scootaloo thought for a second, and then nodded, “Got it!”

“Scootaloo!” Sweetie Belle fussed.

“She's right! Right now Apple Bloom's got the best chance out of all of us!” Scootaloo looked at Apple Bloom intently, “Kick some ass out there, okay?”

Apple Bloom nodded, her heart still racing. She looked quickly to make sure that no one was watching her, and then she booked it to the exit of the gym, entering the halls.

It was there that she saw Diamond Tiara again, running toward the classroom. She tripped and fell, and Apple Bloom saw three Mettaurs jump into the air about to attack her.

“NO!” Apple Bloom shouted. Not even thinking, she ran forward holding the Neutralizer out, “MANA CHANGE!” she screamed slamming her hand on the Sapphire.

~Transformation Scene~

Apple Bloom held her arm out as blue energy shot out of the gem. Suspended in mid air, she spun around as her clothes all magically vanished off her now glowing body.

Finally, a blue knight's helmet with a green visor formed on her head. She held her arm out in front of her as if reaching for something, tightened her fist, and then stood ready in a fight stance.

~End Transformation~

Diamond Tiara closed her eyes accepting her fate, but instead of getting impaled by the monsters's pickaxes, she heard the attack hit something hard. She looked up and saw the strangest sight. Someone with a shimmering red mane and matching tail, wearing Sapphire blue armor was standing in front of her blocking the attack. The blue armored mare threw the monster back, and her right arm turned into a cannon, which she then pointed and fired at the monsters, destroying them with ease.

The blue armored mare turned to Diamond Tiara, “Ya alright?” she asked.

“Y-yes...” Diamond Tiara said, blushing, “Thank you for saving me. Um… who are you…?”

Holy shit, she hadn't thought that fa ahead. Diamond Tiara clearly didn't recognize her, but she couldn't just use her real name. She needed an ID, and fast. What was her name? She thought about Proto Mare, and how she came up with her ID.

Her weapon was called a Mega Buster…

Then there was the Mega-Link…

“Excuse me,” Diamond Tiara asked, “Are you-”

“Call me… Mega Mare.”

“Mega Mare…” Diamond Tiara repeated.

“Head to the gym. It'll be safe there.”

“What about you?” Diamond Tiara asked, “W-what are you going to do?”

“I… I'm gonna search for the other students, and then take care of that monster. For now, just stay in the gym, okay?”

“Mega Mare, wait!” Diamond Tiara called out, stopping her savior as she ran, “Um, the thing leading them. It's one of my classmates. His name is Pip. I think something possessed him.”

“Got it, thanks,” she said running off. Once they were alone, Luna appeared, this time on her visor.

“Are you sure about that ID?” Luna asked.

“I am. The name sort of fits, ya know?”

“Very well, I have registered the ID “Mega Mare”. From now on, you'll use that name to Mana Change.”

The newly christened “Mega Mare” nodded, and ran forward toward her first mission ever.

Rise of Mega Mare

View Online

Rise of Mega Mare

music for this area

Mega Mare stopped in a hallway and surveyed her surroundings. Viruses were everywhere, and it looked like some of them had even gotten into the classrooms. Was that why the students hadn't been able to escape?

“I can't tell where Garnet is,” Luna said.

“Can ya sense him at all?” Mega Mare asked.

“I can tell he's here, but there's too much interference. There are too many viruses around,” Luna said.

“So, in order to track him down we'll have to destroy the viruses,” Mega Mare reasoned, “Alright, I can do this.”

“Remember, any spells you use won't replenish until you Phase Out,” Luna said, “Try to pace yourself. We can proceed when you're ready.”

“I'm ready,” Mega Mare said, “Let's go!”

Mega Mare ran down the hallway in front of her, destroying any viruses that got in her way with a single shot. She stopped when she heard screaming in the nearby classroom.

“This is my class!” Mega Mare cried.

“A student must have been left behind when you ran,” Luna said, “Apple Bloom, hurry. Those viruses can kill ponies now.”

“I'm on it!” Mega Mare said pushing her way into the door. She saw Twist crouched in a corner while two Mettaurs and another virus shaped like a green mounted cannon. Her visor pulled up the ID “Cannon”. When Twist saw Mega Mare, she looked terrified.

“Another one?!” Twist asked.

“Don't move from there!” Mega Mare ordered, “I'll get you outta there!”

The viruses turned around to face Mega Mare. The two Mettaurs fired their shock waves at Mega Mare, but she rolled out of the way and fired her Buster Gun at one, knocking it back. Before she could get back up, the Cannon fired at her, knocking her into the blackboard.

Mega Mare got to her feet, “Luna, prepare a spell!”

“Already on it!” Luna said, sending Mega Mare a spell.

“Laser Sword!” Mega Mare shouted, her right arm turning into an energy blade. She charged over to the second Mettaur and slashed it with her blade, instantly killing it.

“Behind you!” Twist warned. Mega Mare turned around just in time to see the Mettaur she hit the first time prepared to strike. She jumped up into the air as Luna prepared another spell.

“Shot Gun!” Mega Mare shouted, this time her arm turning into the Buster Gun, which confused her.

“Don't fire right away,” Luna warned, “Wait until the Mettaur moves in front of the Cannon, then fire.”

Mega Mare nodded and prepared herself. She realized that the Mettaurs could only fire in front of them, so she waited until it moved in her way to attack. Right when it raised it's pickax, Mega Mare fired, not only killing the Mettaur, but also damaging the Cannon.

She had enough ammo to finish off the Cannon, so she fired her Shot Gun at the Cannon, watching it explode where it stood. When the enemies were all destroyed, Mega Mare saw that she learned a spell “Shock Wave”.

“We can't put this spell in the Spell Book yet,” Luna said.

“Let me guess, we have to Phase Out to do that?” Mega Mare asked.

“I'm afraid so. Worry not, our current spells should be sufficient. Check on the student.”

“Don't tell me what to do,” Mega Mare said rolling her eyes, knowing that she and Luna were going to have a "great" relationship.

“Are you okay?” Mega Mare asked Twist getting on one knee.

“Yes,” Twilight said, her lisp still quite apparent, “Who are you?”

Mega Mare couldn't believe no one recognized her. Did she really look that different?

“My name's Mega Mare,” Mega Mare said, “What are ya doin here?”

“I got separated from my class,” Twist said sadly, “I wanted to go after them, but those monsters were everywhere, and I got afraid.”

“I cleared out the hall,” Mega Mare said, “Your class is in the gym. Head there, and don't move until it's absolutely safe.”

“Okay,” Twist said, “Thank you.”

Twist ran out of the classroom in the direction of the gym. Since she knew she'd be safe, Mega Mare proceeded further through the school. The hall began to shake as she ran through the halls, and she heard laughter.

“What's this then? Some tiny bloke playin the hero?”

“Pip, is that you?” Mega Mare asked.

“Pipsqueak is the name of someone who's weak! My name's Garnet Crush!”

“No! Your name's Pip! You're the Student Body President, and a nice kid!”

“Being nice just gets me stepped on by everyone bigger!” Garnet Crush shouted, “But now I'm bigger than everyone! This is great! No I get to step on them before they step on me!”

“This ain't the way! Snap out of it Pip!” Mega Mare urged.

“I ain't gonna let no one step on me again, least of all a shrimp like you! I don't know who you are, but I'm gonna turn you into a pancake!”

“Pip! Damn it!” Mega Mare swore.

“It's no use,” Luna said, “His mind has been completely consumed by his own sadness, and is in the control of the Mana Stone.”

“So how do we save him?” Mega Mare asked, “I ain't killin him!”

“Calm yourself. No one said anything about killing Pipsqueak,” Luna said, “If we defeat Garnet, it should run out of magic and release Pipsqueak.”

“Alright,” Mega Mare said releasing her breath in relief. She ran in the direction of the library, where she heard a lot of commotion. She looked inside and saw a number of students hiding behind the front desk.

Mega Mare held a finger to her mouth to keep them silent, and then stepped into the library. She saw Cannons stationed all over the library. This was going to be a hard fight.

She charged up her Buster Gun and ran toward the first one, which was in between two shelves. Before she could fire at it, the Cannon shot her knocking her back.

“Cannons may not be mobile, but they're very smart,” Luna said, “They station themselves either between other viruses, tight spaces, or corners to force their enemies into their range of sight.”

“So what do I do?” Mega Mare asked.

“They need to reload after each shot,” Luna said, “That is your chance to attack.”

Mega Mare appreciated Luna's input, even if she was a bit of a nag. She clearly had done this before.

Luna prepared another spell, and Mega Mare stepped in front of the Cannon. She saw it prepare to fire, but she moved to the side just in time. She immediately ran up to the Cannon activating the spell.

“Shot Gun!” Mega Mare shouted firing continuously at the Cannon, destroying it.

“There are four more,” Luna said, “I sense one pointing right at the desk, but its on a higher floor.”

“We need to take care of that one last,” Mega Mare said, “I wanna deal with the ones on the gound floor first.”

“A wise choice,” Luna said, “There's another one hiding in the shelves ahead of us.”

Mega Mare nodded and ran forward, into what appeared to be the History section. Luna prepared two spells, instantly telling Mega Mare what she wanted to do.

“Dash!” Mega Mare shouted, “Laser Sword!”

Once she was in position, she used Dash to rush into the Cannon, and then use Laser Sword to instantly kill the Cannon before it could strike.

“There are two right at the staircase,” Luna said, “We have to wait until the armor recharges in order to cast a spell. Shall we wait?”

“Nope,” Mega Mare said, “Like ya said, we can't depend on magic all the time. I need to start relying on my own power too.”

Luna nodded proudly, “Very good Apple Bloom. Perhaps we can make a warrior out of you yet.”

“Don't push your luck,” Mega Mare said, “I'm doin this just so I can help my sister and protect my friends. I'm not doin you any favors.”

“That's fine,” Luna said, “Remember, I offered to help you as thanks.”

Mega Mare ran to the stairs going to the second floor of the library, where she saw two Cannons pointed right at her. They both fired at the same time, but Mega Mare rolled to the side out of the way. At the same time she charged up her Buster Gun and fired her charged shot at the one on the side. It wasn't destroyed, but she did manage to stun it.

Oddly she even saw stars over it.

She quickly fired at that Cannon destroying it, but took a hit in the chest from the second one.

“I know you said you didn't want to use magic, but I would advise you at least cast a healing spell now,” Luna suggested.

“Then prepare one!” Mega Mare urged, “That alarm is givin me a headache!”

Luna prepared two healing spells, and Mega Mare wasted no time casting them. She sighed in relief, and then flipped back as the Cannon tried firing at her again. She charged up her Buster Gun again, and fired point blank at it, leaving it with only a little health.

She ran up the stairs and fired at the Cannon killing it, and ran over to the last Cannon, which was sitting at the side of a balcony looking over the front desk. The second any of the students moved they'd be dead.

Mega Mare activated a Mini Bomb spell and threw one at the Cannon, instantly destroying it.

“It's safe now,” Mega Mare called out, “Y'all can come out.”

The students all came out of their hiding place, and Mega Mare saw most of them were younger students. She jumped down and walked over to them.

“You saved us,” one little filly said, “You're a super hero!”

“Not exactly,” Mega Mare said laughing, “I cleared the way to the gym. Y'all should be safe there.”

Another filly walked over to Mega Mare and hugged her, “Thank you blue armored lady.”

“Y-your welcome,” Mega Mare said slowly returning the hug. Once the ran out, Mega Mare started heading to the cafeteria. She had a feeling that more students were probably being held there.

“I believe we should be almost done,” Luna said, “If you destroy the viruses in the cafeteria I should be able to pinpoint where Garnet Crush is.”

“Good,” Mega Mare said, “I'm startin to get a little tired.”

“You're doing fine, honey,” Luna said, “I'm really impressed with how well you're fighting.”

“Well, thanks,” Mega Mare said awkwardly.

She opened the cafeteria door and saw the seniors that were making fun of Pip earlier and a few faculty members standing on tables as odd viruses walked around the room. These looked like balls with four stubbly legs, and a long nose like cannons. Boomers, as Mega Mare's visor called it.

“Hey!” Mega Mare shouted, catching the viruses attention, “I'm your opponent!”

The Boomers moved into position, and shot bombs out of their noses at Mega Mare. She rolled out of the way, but was knocked further back by the explosion, which was much larger than her bombs.

“Apple Bloom, are you okay?” Luna asked.

“Y-yeah,” Mega Mare said, “But I can't let that hit me.”

“They're stronger than most of the viruses we've seen thus far,” Luna reasoned, “He must really hate the ponies here.”

“Pip always felt like the older students and faculty just treated him like a little kid,” Mega Mare said, “Shame as he's the President of the School.”

“I see, but this means he's also close to here,” Luna said, “Let's clear out these enemies quickly.”

“Right! Long Sword!” Mega Mare shouted, turning her right arm into a long Laser Blade. She ran over to one of the Boomers and slashed it in half killing it. Another Boomer launched a bomb at Mega Mare, knocking her back against the table that the seniors and faculty were on.

“Hey! Fight smarter damn it!” one senior shouted.

“You act like you've never done this before!” another student said.

“I don't see any of y'all down here helpin me!” Mega Mare shot back at them, shutting them up, “So unless y'all wanna start shootin at them, shut up and let me work!”

Mega Mare got up and fired her charged shot at one Boomer right before it attacked, stunning it. Rather than attacking it outright, Mega Mare activated another spell.

“Cannon!” Mega Mare shouted. She fired at one of the Boomers until it exploded, and then jumped out of the way as one of the remaining ones fired at her.

She rolled to her feet and ran forward as the Boomers took turns firing at her. Once her magic recharged, she cast another spell.

“Wide Sword!” she shouted. Realizing that the last two were right next to each other, she slashed at both of them with her Wide Sword killing them both instantly.

“Ugh, that was horrifying!” one of the teachers said.

“Why is that monster attacking us?!” a female student asked, “We didn't do anything to him!”

“You're kiddin, right?” Mega Mare asked, “That monster is Pip, and he wouldn't be doing any of this if y'all had actually listened to him!”

“Apple Bloom...” Luna warned, but Mega Mare ignored her. She had to get this off her chest.

“Y'all created that monster!” Mega Mare shouted, “Pip's small, but he's got a lot of great ideas! Ideas that could make this school better if y'all would apply them, instead of treatin him like a little kid who don't know any better! He's Student Body President for a reason!”

As the students and faculty all looked down in shame, Mega Mare turned to the exit.

“The gym is where everyone is,” Mega Mare said, “I'm gonna take care of Pip. Make sure y'all don't die on the way there.”

With that Mega Mare ran out of the cafeteria.

“Harsh,” Luna said once they were alone.

“I hate the senior class of our school,” Mega Mare said, “They act like they run the school, and the faculty just dotes all on them. Sad part is, Pip was tryin to help them.”

“I didn't say you weren't right,” Luna said, “For now though, I have located Garnet Crush.”

“Where is he?” Mega Mare asked.

“He's in the schoolyard,” Luna said, “Prepare yourself Apple Bloom. This will be tougher than anything you've ever faced.”

“Right,” Mega Mare said, bracing herself for the fight ahead. She wasn't afraid to admit that she was afraid of fighting Garnet Crush. Fighting viruses was one thing, but they were mindless creatures that followed a single pattern. Garnet Crush was completely sentient like her. He could think, plan, and adjust his strategy.

She couldn't rely on following a pattern. She had to try to outfight him.

(end song)

She reached the schoolyard, which was completely empty. Looked around for a second, stopping when she heard an alarm go off in her head.

WARNING

“You're smaller than I even thought!” he shouted. He then fell down on top of Mega Mare, knocking her back.

“What makes you think a little tyke like you can stand up to me, eh?” Garnet Crush asked.

“Pip, stop this!” Mega Mare shouted, “You're hurtin a lot of people!”

“Oh really?” Garnet Crush asked, “Good! Maybe those shrimps will start respecting me after this!”

“If you desire respect, this isn't the way,” Luna said. She then appeared next to Mega Mare in a bright blue light.

“Princess Luna…?” Garnet Crush asked.

“Pipsqueak, I have been where you are,” Luna said, “I wanted people to respect the night, so I forced my night on everyone, and became a monster. You don't have to go down the path I took,” Luna placed a hand on her chest and looked sad, “You are better than me, Pip.”

“Princess...” Garnet Crush said, Pip's real voice coming through.

Don't listen to her words…

She wants to step on you too…

“Right!” Garnet Crush said shaking his head, “I'm not gonna be fooled! No one is gonna step on me ever again!”

“Do you see it now?” Luna said to Mega Mare, “He can't be reasoned with. The only solution is to defeat the Mana Stone.”

“I understand,” Mega Mare said, “I can do this.”

Luna closed her eyes and vanished in another blue light, apparently going back into the Mana Stone, as she appeared on Mega Mare's visor. Mega Mare tightened her fists looking up at her opponent. He was huge, almost as big as the Scorpion she faced in the castle. She beat that though, right?

But that was a virus, and she had Proto Mare fighting with her.

“Apple Bloom, are you okay?” Luna asked.

“Yeah, I'm okay,” Mega Mare said taking a deep breath, “Let's do this!”

“Yes. All limiters released!” Luna shouted. Mega Mare got in a fighting stance, and shouted…

“Ready!”

Battle: Garnet Crush

View Online

Battle: Garnet Crush

boss theme

Garnet Crush rushed Mega Mare and threw a punch, which landed in Mega Mare's stomach and knocked her back. She flipped in the air and pointed her Buster Gun at Garnet Crush, and fired her charged shot at him.

He swatted it away like it was nothing and slammed his fists on the ground, creating a large shock wave that destroyed the ground as it charged toward Mega Mare.

“Defend!” Luna urged. Mega Mare held up her arms and blocked the attack, but was still pushed back. Mega Mare lowered her guard but had to duck as Garnet Crush's fist almost impacted with her face. On instinct she kicked him in the back, actually knocking him forward away from her.

“Your not as weak as you look,” Garnet Crush said, “For a second I thought I wouldn't have any fun with ya.”

“Luna, if ya have an idea I'd love to hear it!” Mega Mare said bracing herself.

“His defense is too high for regular attacks,” Luna said, “Switch to spells.”

“Got it! I got the perfect one to start with! Cannon!” Mega Mare shouted, turning her Buster Gun into a cannon. She fired at Garnet Crush, finally doing some damage to him, but he rushed over to her again swinging his arms wildly. Once he reached her, he threw punch after punch at Mega Mare, who dodged and flipped out of the way as much as she could, casting a Laser Sword spell at the same time. She then slashed at him with the blade, but Garnet Crush jumped out of the way.

Mega Mare ran after him this time and started slashing at him wildly, finally pushing him further back. When her sword gave way, she jumped back and charged her Buster Gun. Garnet Crush slammed his fists on the ground again, this time creating cracks everywhere around them and making Mega Mare lose her balance.

Garnet Crush munched forward, making his fist fly toward Mega Mare knocking her onto her back. He laughed as she lay on the ground.

“You're no match for me, short stuff!” Garnet Crush said, “No one can beat me anymore! I'm the biggest, and strongest in Equestria!”

“Apple Bloom, answer me!” Luna urged, “Apple Bloom!”

“I'm… sorry...” Mega Mare said, “Luna, I don't know if I'm strong enough to beat him.”

“You mustn't give up, Apple Bloom,” Luna said, “We still have spells we can cast. We're not completely helpless.”

“I can't… do it Luna...” Mega Mare said somberly, “I can't fight… I'm not… Applejack...”

“Giving up, eh?” Garnet Crush asked, “Aw, too bad. Here I was hoping to keep having fun with ya,” Garnet Crush picked Mega Mare up in his large hands and squeezed her, making her scream in pain.

“Apple Bloom!” Luna cried.

“Well, I guess I can still have some fun before I destroy you,” Garnet Crush said with a toothy grin, “How 'bout ya scream a little louder for me?”

He squeezed her even tighter, making her scream out loud. After a second he threw her into a tree with enough force to bend it. As she fell to the ground, Garnet Crush slowly walked over to her.

“Apple Bloom, please stand up!” Luna begged, so afraid she was on the verge of tears, “APPLE BLOOM!”

Inside the gym, the students and faculty that Mega Mare saved were watching the fight in horror. Why wasn't she standing up? Was this monster too much for her?

“Oh no!” one young student cried, “Stand up blue lady!”

“I knew she was all talk,” one senior said, “She talked us down trying to shame us, and here she can't even fight it.”

Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo were by another window watching the fight too, but unlike everyone else, they knew who that was fighting.

“Apple Bloom!” Sweetie Belle cried, trying to keep her voice down.

“Shit! Shit! Shit!” Scootaloo swore, flapping her wings nervously.

Back with the other students, Diamond Tiara placed a hand over her chest, “Mega Mare...”

One of the other students in her class turned to her, “Who?”

“She's hurt...” Diamond Tiara said, tears welling up in her eyes, “I won't let that happen!”

Diamond Tiara pushed her way out of the crowd and to the door of the gym.

“Diamond Tiara, where are you going?!” Cheerilee asked.

“To save Mega Mare!” Diamond Tiara cried exiting the gym. Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo heard that and sneaked out the gym too, if nothing else to keep Diamond Tiara safe.

Garnet Crush raised his fist. With a manic smile, he was about to slam his fist into Mega Mare to end her, but…

“PIPSQUEAK!”

Garnet Crush stopped short of Mega Mare's head and turned to see Diamond Tiara standing in the distance, breathing as if she had run a marathon. He smiled evilly at her and slowly walked over to her.

“You got some guts coming out here,” Garnet Crush said, “I thought you'd have run to your Daddy by now.”

“Leave her alone!” Diamond Tiara ordered, “I'm the one you want, right? I'm one of the ponies who doesn't take you seriously, right? So, take me!”

When she heard that, Mega Mare's eyes were wide and she slowly looked up.

“What… are ya… doin…?!” Mega Mare asked.

“You wanna protect her?” Garnet Crush said standing over Diamond Tiara, “You ain't never stood up for anyone in your life.”

“No, I haven't,” Diamond Tiara said looking ashamed, “But all of this is my fault. I used to make you feel small, and I called you a blank flank for not knowing your special talent. Even now I haven't ever done anything for anyone else. I know I'm a horrible pony, but if I can save one life then I can feel better about myself,” she looked Garnet Crush dead in the eyes, “So come on, Pip! Do your worst to me! I accept your feelings!”

Garnet Crush sneered and grabbed Diamond Tiara, holding her up and squeezing her like he did Mega Mare before.

“For the record,” Garnet Crush said, “After this, I'm still gonna go over to that blue pony and kill her too!”

“W-what…?!” Diamond Tiara asked, making Garnet Crush laugh.

“You didn't think I gave a damn about your feelings, did ya?! I weak little shrimp like you can't save anyone, and I'm going to prove it by killing you and her!”

Diamond Tiara screamed loudly as Garnet Crush tightened his grip. Mega Mare closed her eyes tightly, holding her head still on the ground.

“No…! No!” she cried, “Applejack…! Diamond Tiara…! Everyone I care about! I can't protect anyone!”

“Apple Bloom, you have to do something!” Luna urged, “You have to fight back!”

“But… I'm not you! I'm not Applejack! I'm not an Element of Harmony!” Mega Mare broke down completely, “I'M TOO WEAK TO PROTECT ANYONE!”

“AHHH!” Diamond Tiara screamed, snapping Mega Mare back to reality. She looked up and saw Diamond Tiara, screaming in pain as Garnet Crush squeezed the life out of her. All of a sudden, it was as if everything stopped for Mega Mare, as she thought about what Applejack would do.

You're not as strong as Macintosh, or as skilled as me, but you have somethin no pony else has. A courage all your own. That's enough to get you through anythin.

You'll be afraid, but that's okay. The mark of a strong pony isn't someone who ain't scared, but someone who acts, no matter what's in front of 'em.

Before she knew what was happening, Mega Mare raised her right arm, turning it into her Buster Gun. She charged it up, pointing it right at Garnet Crush's back.

“Let… her… GO!” Mega Mare screamed firing her fully charged shot at Garnet Crush, not only doing massive damage, but also temporarily stunning him making him let go of Diamond Tiara. Mega Mare ran up to him casting her Long Sword spell and slashed him forward, and then stood over Diamond Tiara.

Diamond Tiara slowly looked up at Mega Mare as she glared at her enemy. She looked renewed, and strong.

“Mega… Mare…”

“I won't let you hurt her or anyone in this school!” Mega Mare shouted pointing her Buster Gun at Garnet Crush firing rapidly at him, actually forcing him to defend, “I ain't a Princess, and I ain't an Element of Harmony either! I'm Mega Mare, and right now the ponies in that building are the ones I've chosen to protect!”

“What… you fancy yourself as some hero?” Garnet Crush asked forcing himself to his feet.

“If that's what I gotta be,” Mega Mare looked down at Diamond Tiara, “then sure. Why the hell not?”

Garnet Crush screamed in rage and charged over to Mega Mare, who picked up Diamond Tiara and jumped away back over to the school building, where she saw Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo running up to them.

“Don't do anythin that reckless again, ya hear?” Mega Mare ordered as her friends ran up to them, “Keep an eye on this one. She's a little crazy,” with that Mega Mare ran back to the fight, unaware of the lovesick look Diamond Tiara was giving her.

“Oh Mega Mare...” Diamond Tiara breathed out. Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo gave her confused looks. Did she seriously not recognize her?

“Luna, ya okay in there?” Mega Mare asked.

“I'm fine. Happy you found your second wind,” Luna said.

“Yeah, sorry about earlier,” Mega Mare said, “I'm afraid, but… I can fight. I promise, I won't hesitate or falter like that again.”

“Just remember you're not alone,” Luna said smiling warmly, “It's my magic that gives you strength. I am fighting with you as well.”

“Right,” Mega Mare returned the smile, “You know what? I think this might be the start of a great partnership.”

“So you won't kick me out onto the streets to fend for myself?” Luna asked.

Mega Mare gave a pretend groan, “I guess not. You can stick around for a bit.”

Garnet Crush rushed over to Mega Mare and threw a punch, but she ducked and punched him in the stomach with her Buster Gun. She then fired it knocking him back. When he looked like he was about to slam his fists onto the ground, Mega Mare fired a Shot Gun spell at him, making him flinch and stunning him.

“Acid Shot!” Mega Mare shouted, casting the spell she learned from the Scorpion. From her Buster Gun, she fired a stream of acid at Garnet Crush, who looked like he was in a lot of pain as he fell to his knees. Mega Mare couldn't believe it. Looking at his life he was almost done. One more shot…

She didn't waste time. She got on one knee and charged up her Buster Gun. She fired her charged shot at Garnet Crush, who fell back onto the ground glowing white.

“NO! I CAN'T LOSE!” Garnet Crush screamed as his entire body exploded. In his place was a regular looking Pipsqueak, the Garnet lying on the ground in front of him. Mega Mare saw her armor learning a spell, which turned out to be “Garnet Crush”.

“I did it,” Mega Mare said falling to her knees in exhaustion, “I beat him.”

“Yes, you did,” Luna said, “Congratulations, Mega Mare.”

Mega Mare giggled to herself. She then heard cheering from behind her. Mega Mare turned around and saw all the students of Ponyville Academy standing outside cheering for her, chanting “Mega Mare”.

“Looks like I gathered quite an audience,” Mega Mare said sheepishly.

“Mega Mare!” Diamond Tiara called out. She ran over to the armored pony and jumped into her embrace, actually knocking her onto the ground.

“Oof!” Mega Mare cried, “Um… hey there...”

“Thank you for saving my life,” Diamond Tiara said looking into her eyes.

“Aw, it was nothin,” Mega Mare said, “Nothin at all.”

“My name's Diamond Tiara,” Diamond Tiara said leaning in, almost straddling Mega Mare, “I never got to tell you my name when you saved me earlier.”

“Oh, well that's a mighty fine name,” Mega Mare said, starting to get really nervous. Diamond Tiara was so close right now. What if she started to recognize her? How come she didn't recognize her now?!

“Mmm...” Mega Mare and Diamond Tiara turned at the sound of Pipsqueak's groan. Mega Mare lightly pushed Diamond Tiara off her and walked over to Pipsqueak, kneeling in front of him.

“You alright?” Mega Mare asked.

“What happened…?” Pipsqueak asked, “Did I… do something bad?”

“Not of your own free will,” Mega Mare said picking up the Mana Stone, “This thing here is was caused the trouble.”

“I remember being so mad,” Pipsqueak admitted, “Ever since I became the School President, the faculty and other students just ask me to do job after job, but whenever I ask for help or have an idea of my own, they leave me to figure it out myself. I started to feel like I wasn't really appreciated, and I wanted to do something, but I'm too small. No one listens to me.”

“Well, I'm listenin, right?” Mega Mare asked. Pipsqueak looked at Mega Mare, seeing her smile warmly.

“Yeah, I suppose you are,” Pipsqueak said, slowly returning the smile.

“Listen Pip, everyone feels powerless,” Mega Mare said helping Pipsqueak to his feet, “Why, I felt mighty helpless myself earlier. What we all tend to forget is that we all have strength within us. We just have to believe in ourselves and act from the heart. Your voice can be heard, you just need to speak from your heart,” Mega Mare put a hand on Pipsqueak's head, “I'm rootin for ya kid.”

“Thanks Mega Mare,” Pipsqueak said, “I hope one day, I can be as strong as you.”

“One day, I bet you'll be even stronger,” Mega Mare said. She heard commotion nearby, and saw a troop of Princess Twilight's guards approaching the school, “Um, should we go?”

“Yes, we're done here. Phase Out. I'll transport us somewhere safe,” Luna said. Mega Mare waved good bye to all the students she saved, and vanished in a bright blue light.

Back in the Castle of Friendship, Twilight was sitting back in her throne with her eyes closed, waiting for her guards to get back to her. She had felt a spike in the Mana Zone around the area of Ponyville Academy, but it had just died down. Interestingly, she felt Princess Luna's energy there too.

Her horn glowed as her guards contacted her.

“Yes?” Twilight asked.

“Princess Twilight, it's Flash Sentry.”

“Yes Flash, what do you have to report?”

“Not much, I'm afraid. Whatever happened here just ended. The students all say that monsters attacked the school, but they don't know where they came from.”

“What sort of monsters?” Twilight asked, “Did they have any interesting features?”

“All of the students say that they were made of some sort of crystal,” Flash continued.

“Crystal? That sounds like...” Twilight said more so to herself, “But how is the school okay then?”

“That's what's odd,” Flash said, “According to the students and faculty, someone saved them. A pony in blue armor also made of crystal with a red mane and tail. She called herself Mega Mare.”

“A pony wearing blue armor made of crystal?” Twilight asked shooting up from her seat, “Do they know what sort of crystal?”

“They just said it was deep blue, and shimmering. This Mega Mare apparently used a gun for a weapon, along with an assortment of other weapons made from magic. Princess, the spells they were describing sounded like Princess Luna's combat spells.”

“Was Princess Luna there?” Twilight asked, more to herself than to Flash, “And that pony in the blue armor, it sounded like Sapphire. The Mana Stones are coming back.”

“Princess, I had heard those were destroyed.”

“I thought so too, but apparently not,” Twilight suddenly looked up as an idea came to her, “If they survived, then perhaps Applejack… Flash, bring your men back to the castle. We have work to discuss.”

“Yes Princess,” Flash Sentry said, the glow on Twilight's horn dying down.

“Spike!” Twilight called out running out of the throne room, “Write a letter to Princess Celestia for me! They're back!”

Needless to say, school was canceled for the rest of the day. It was eventually deemed that Pipsqueak was under the influence of another force, and wasn't held responsible for his actions. No one knew where Mega Mare went after saving them, as her magic signal died down the second she left.

Apple Bloom was walking home, looking at the recovered Garnet. There was no denying it now. She was knee deep in this, and there was no going back. Everyone saw Mega Mare, and she had fought this thing. She couldn't not be Mega Mare now.

“There's no need for concern,” Luna said from inside the Sapphire, “The Mana Stone has been neutralized. It can't harm anyone anymore.”

“So, all we have to do is defeat the Mana Construct that they create when Mega-Linked with a pony, and they calm down?” Apple Bloom asked.

“Yes. The Mana Stone needs a pony to bond with it in order for it to act. Once they're defeated, the magic causing them to go crazy dissipates.”

“What should we do with this then?” Apple Bloom asked, “Should we give this to Twilight?”

“For now, we should hold onto it,” Luna said, “Right now this issue is self contained, and I'd like to keep it that way. Besides, if we told Twilight, we'd have to explain why I'm with you and not at the castle. My excuse was that I'm on extended vacation, but if they see me with you it'll raise suspicion.”

“I get ya,” Apple Bloom said, “I'll find someplace in my room to hide it in, along with the others once we find them.”

“Hey!” Apple Bloom heard behind her. She stopped and turned to see Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo running after her.

“Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo,” Apple Bloom said once they reached her.

“You looked pretty good out there, Mega Mare,” Scootaloo said.

“Keep it down, y'all,” Apple Bloom urged, “I don't want that spreadin.”

“You mean you're going the whole “secret identity” route?” Scootaloo asked, “Lame.”

“This is actually better,” Sweetie Belle said, “If everyone knew that Apple Bloom was Mega Mare, they wouldn't leave her alone.”

“Exactly! She'd be the most popular filly in Ponyville!” Scootaloo said, “Imagine what Diamond Tiara would think if she knew who really saved her.”

“Don't remind me,” Apple Bloom groaned, “That was so awkward, having Diamond Tiara go all gaga over me, callin me her hero and stuff.”

“You did look really cool, Apple Bloom,” Sweetie Belle said, “And you used Luna's spells really well.”

“Yeah! You guys are the ultimate duo,” Scootaloo added.

“I thought she did wonderfully too,” Luna said, “Thank you, Apple Bloom. You're a big help.”

“Thank you, Princess Luna,” Apple Bloom said, “I couldn't have done anythin without your help.”

Luna smiled, and the four of them continued their walk to the clubhouse, laughing and joking along the way. Even Apple Bloom took part in a bit of it. Though she did wonder something.

If it was Twilight, Celestia, and the other Elements that made the Mana Stones, why was Princess Luna taking the search for them so personally?

Helpless

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Helpless

“Where is she?!”

“She's in her trailer! She hasn't left since the concert!”

An Earth Pony with a blond mane, tail, and an indigo coat wearing a brown jacket, blue jeans, black shoes, and white t-shirt ran outside the stadium to the blue and white trailer parked out back. He went to the door and pressed his ear against it, hearing a mare sobbing loudly inside.

“Sapphire? I'm coming in,” he said walking in. Inside, lying on the couch of her trailer crying uncontrollably, was Sapphire Shores.

“Celestia...” the stallion said.

“I… can't do this!” Sapphire Shores shouted, “I can't go out there!”

“Sapphire, listen-”

“No you listen!” Sapphire Shores looked at the pony enraged, “I feel like I'm losing my mind these days! I don't enjoy singing and dancing anymore! I'm sick and tired of dealing with these amateurs who haven't opened a show in their lives! I CAN'T DO IT ANYMORE!”

“I-I understand,” the stallion said, “Listen, as your manager, I'm worried about you. Lately you've been really on edge. Have you been taking your medicine?”

Sapphire Shores nodded, “It's not working anymore though! Even right now I feel out of control!”

“What you need is rest,” her manager said sitting down next to her, “Depression isn't something you should take lightly, especially bi-polar depression,” he placed a hand on her leg, “I tried to tell you not to push yourself.”

“I thought I could do it...” Sapphire Shores sobbed.

“I know you did. You're a great performer, and a great pony to want to make ponies happy, but right now you need to get better,” her manager said, “Please take a vacation. You were thinking about going to visit Ponyville to visit a friend, right?”

“You think I should go?” Sapphire Shores asked.

“Yes, I do,” her manager urged, “We'll cancel the rest of your tour, and you can go to Ponyville to relax. You can't afford another meltdown like that on stage.”

Sapphire Shores thought hard about what her manager said, “Alright then, I'll get some rest.”

“Atta girl,” the manager said patting her leg, “I'll get everything set up, and we can head out immediately.”

Her manager left the trailer, and Sapphire Shores calmed down. Now that she knew that she didn't have to go on stage she was fine. Ever since being diagnosed with bi-polar depression, Sapphire Shores had dealt with one hardship after another. She hated feeling so out of control, but taking the medicine made her feel lethargic. Still, she always took it, but for some reason the medicine had stopped working as well.

Sitting up on her couch, Sapphire Shores reached for a small box on her coffee table, pulling out a light blue gemstone. It was something she kept with her at all times these days, as looking at it gave her comfort.

Oddly, the gem looked like it was glowing a bit.

“Hey, Luna?”

“Yes Apple Bloom?”

“I gotta say, havin ya stay with the family… hasn't been as bad as I thought.”

“Oh, that's good.”

“I mean, your a real good cook, you help me with my history homework, and your a real help on the farm.”

“Well, since I'm living here now, I figure I might as well do my part, and it helps that I've actually lived through all the history you're being taught.”

“That bein said, there's one thing I gotta ask.”

“What's that?”

“Why the hell do you have to share a bed with me?!” Apple Bloom asked. It was nighttime now, and both Apple Bloom and Luna were in their sleepwear, which much to Apple Bloom's dismay Luna was intent on wearing as little to bed as possible. She also was lying on Apple Bloom's bed with her, both of them lying on their sides with Luna spooning Apple Bloom from behind.

“Well, your room is the only room available. I highly doubt Marble Pie would allow me to sleep with them, Granny Smith snores, and Applejack's room is still locked tight,” Luna explained.

“Can't ya just demand that Granny Smith open the room?” Apple Bloom asked, “Or just sleep in the Sapphire?”

“I respect Granny Smith's wishes, and as I'm living here as a guest I do not wish to use my title to veto her orders. As for sleeping in the Sapphire, I can't get comfortable in there, as I'm simply floating in empty space,” Luna snuggle closer to Apple Bloom, “Besides, there's plenty of room here for the both of us.”

“Only because your spoonin me like I'm your lover or somethin,” Apple Bloom groaned.

“I'd say more like a snugly teddy bear,” Luna said with a content smile, “Is me sleeping this close to you unpleasant.”

“N-not at all,” Apple Bloom said blushing a bit, “Ya smell real nice, and well...” Apple Bloom shook her head, “Augh, this is talk is makin me uncomfortable.”

Luna smiled warmly, “You were the one who brought it up.”

Apple Bloom sighed. Truth was, she did like having Princess Luna so close to her. She was really pretty, and really affectionate too. She held Apple Bloom so tightly when they slept, thus Apple Bloom could feel her breasts pressed against her back, which made Apple Bloom really embarrassed.

It didn't help that Luna seemed intent on flirting with Apple Bloom every chance she had. Mind you, she flirted with everyone a bit, but Apple Bloom was her main target besides Macintosh. At first Apple Bloom thought Luna actually had a thing for her, but overtime she began to learn that Luna was just a very affectionate and sensual pony. She was the Princess of the night after all.

“Can I ask you another question?” Apple Bloom asked.

“Certainly,” Luna said, “I will answer any questions you have.”

“Magic comes from the Mana Zone, right?” Apple Bloom asked, “If that's the case, then shouldn't you still be able to use your magic?”

“You would think,” Luna said, “But it's not that simple. Although ponies do manipulate the Mana Zone to cast magic, they still have magic within them. It's this magic that gives their magic form. For Pegasi, this is how they control clouds, and also what gives Earth Ponies their strength.”

“Really?” Apple Bloom asked, “So… you lost more than the ability to cast spells?”

“I want to show you something,” Luna said sitting up, “Sit up.”

“Okay,” Apple Bloom said following Luna's request.

“As an Alicorn, I should be stronger than you naturally, right?” Luna asked.

“Well, yeah,” Apple Bloom asked, “I remember readin about that in science. Alicorns have all three forms of Pony Magic, and excel in all three.”

“Wrestle me onto the bed and pin me there,” Luna requested, “I will do everything in my power to resist you.”

Apple Bloom thought the request was weird, but Luna looked like she really wanted to show her something. As such, she did what Luna asked, grabbing Luna by the arms and wrestling her onto the bed. Almost too quickly and easily, Apple Bloom managed to actually get Luna on the bed, sitting on the princess and holding her wrists down pinning her. Was she even trying?

She actually looked like she was struggling to get Apple Bloom off her. She was completely helpless.

“See?” Luna asked after a second, “Even a twelve year old filly can overpower me.”

“Luna...” Apple Bloom let Luna go and looked at her wide eyed.

“Do you now understand the weight of our bond?” Luna asked, “You are my guardian now, for I am completely powerless.”

“You sacrificed everythin...” Apple Bloom said, “Just to help me?”

Luna smiled, “You are my friend, Apple Bloom. It was the least I could do. Now, let us get some sleep. You have school tomorrow.”

“Yeah, okay,” Apple Bloom said lying back down on the bed, Luna immediately embracing her. All of a sudden, that embrace had new meaning. She was really depending on Apple Bloom. That really made Apple Bloom wonder why she was going through all this trouble though.

There had to be more to why she did this.

School was rather eventful, as students were still talking about the incident from a few weeks ago. Mega Mare hadn't been seen since then, but students were still talking about her. Mainly Diamond Tiara, who had begun referring to her as “her darling Mega Mare”.

After school, Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo went off into town. Sweetie Belle needed to buy a new notebook and was hoping to get the new Sapphire Shores CD.

“Did you hear the latest news about Sapphire Shores?” Scootaloo asked.

“You mean her meltdown on stage?” Sweetie Belle confirmed, “Yeah, I'm worried about her.”

“Wasn't she diagnosed with depression or something?” Scootaloo asked.

“She was,” Sweetie Belle said, “Rarity went with her to the doctor when she found out. She cried for the entire day.”

“Geez, I'd hate to be a celebrity,” Apple Bloom said, “Ya don't get any privacy.”

“Technically you are a celebrity now,” Luna said, “At least, Mega Mare is.”

“Exactly, Mega Mare is,” Apple Bloom said, “And she's more of an urban legend right now.”

“Give it time, and everyone will be talking about you,” Scootaloo said, “You're going to be even more famous than Sapphire Shores.”

“Ugh, don't make me think about that,” Apple Bloom groaned, “This is the reason I'm makin sure no one knows about Mega Mare.”

“I can relate,” Luna said, “Being a celebrity is very similar to being royalty. I imagine the stress is getting to Sapphire Shores.”

“Are you a fan?” Sweetie Belle asked Luna.

“I follow her career, but her music isn't exactly my tastes. I'm more of an Octavia Melody fan.”

“You and me both,” Apple Bloom said, “She lives in Ponyville, ya know?”

“Oh really? I'd love to pay her a visit one of these days. I hear she's very approachable.”

“Oh Scootaloo, listen to this,” Sweetie Belle said handing Scootaloo a pair of headphones, “This is her new song.”

While her friends listened to music, Apple Bloom wandered off by herself a bit. As she walked off, she saw Lyra and Bon Bon (or was it Sweetie Drops?) having an intense argument.

“Things sure have been tense here in Ponyville lately,” Apple Bloom said.

“Wait Apple Bloom. That isn't natural.”

Apple Bloom looked at Luna in the Sapphire, “What do ya mean?”

“I will allow you to see things with my eyes,” Luna said, “You will understand after that.”

Apple Bloom closed her eyes for a second, and when she opened them, they looked like Luna's eyes. Through the Princess of the Night's vision, she saw two Crows flying around them, along with a Cannon stationed nearby.

“Viruses?” Apple Bloom asked.

“We must deal with this,” Luna said, “Find someplace to Phase In, Apple Bloom.”

“I can't just run up to them,” Apple Bloom said, “Remember, they can't see the viruses.”

“Don't you remember? You can adjust your vibrations to match the viruses. In fact, normally viruses will appear like this. The viruses back at the school were only visible because Garnet drew the school into the Mana World.”

“I see,” Apple Bloom said. She ran over to Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo tapping them on the shoulders, “Hey, I gotta get to work.”

“Viruses?!” Sweetie Belle asked, “Where?!”

“Lyra and Sweetie Drops,” Apple Bloom said pointing to the arguing mares, “The viruses are in the Mana Zone.”

“So that's what viruses do,” Scootaloo said, “Also, it's Bon Bon.”

“I'm pretty sure her name is Sweetie Drops,” Sweetie Belle said, “I remember because she and I have the same first name.”

“Whatever her name is,” Apple Bloom said, “I gotta go before their argument gets violent.”

“Go for it,” Scootaloo said, “We'll wait for you here.”

Apple Bloom nodded and ran off behind an empty stand, “Is this good?”

“This is perfect,” Luna said, “Use the new command with your ID, and I'll transfer us into the Mana Zone.”

Apple Bloom nodded, “Mana Change! Mega Mare, Online!”

Apple Bloom tapped the Sapphire and then held her arm above her head. Luna appeared right behind her and wrapped her wings around both of them, and they disappeared in a blue light.

~Transformation Scene~

Apple Bloom held her arm out as blue energy shot out of the gem. Suspended in mid air, she spun around as her clothes all magically vanished off her now glowing body.

Finally, a blue knight's helmet with a green visor formed on her head. She held her arm out in front of her as if reaching for something, tightened her fist, and then stood ready in a fight stance, completely transformed into Mega Mare.

~End Transformation~

In the Mana Zone, Mega Mare transported down behind the stand in a blue light, landing on one knee. She ran over to the argument, firing in the direction of the viruses to get their attention.

“I'll ask ya only once! Leave them alone!” Mega Mare ordered. The Crows flew toward Mega Mare stopped in front her, and the Cannon turned around to face her.

“I don't think they're going to listen.” Luna said, “All limiters released!”

“Ready!” Mega Mare shouted.

The Crows flew at Mega Mare trying to tackle her, but Mega Mare fell back catching herself and kicked to her feet. The second she landed on her feet, the Cannon fired at her knocking her back.

“Cannon!” Mega Mare shouted, casting her spell. When the Crows flew back around toward her, she fired her Cannon at them, destroying one but missing the other. The Crow flew back around hitting her with its wing, and the Cannon fired at her back.

Mega Mare charged up her Mega Buster and shot the Cannon with it right before it fired again, this time stunning it. As the Crow flew back around, she activated a Long Sword spell slashing it as it came back around.

Right at the Cannon came to its senses, Mega Mare fired at it with her Mega Buster destroying it. As the fight ended, her armor learned the spell “Dash Attack” from the Crows.

“Um… what were we fighting about?” Lyra asked Sweetie Drops (or Bon Bon).

“Odd, that entire argument sort of feels silly now,” Bon Bon (Sweetie Drops?) said.

“I'm sorry for what I said,” Lyra said.

“No, I'm sorry,” Sweetie Drops/Bon Bon said, “I love you sweetheart.”

“I love you honey bun,” Lyra said. The two of them hugged, and walked off together.

“Good job,” Luna said, “Whenever something like this happens, all we have to do is Phase In and take care of the viruses. Just let me know when you wish to see into the Mana Zone, and I'll transfer my sight to you.”

“Thanks,” Mega Mare said, “But I'm a little disappointed.”

“Oh?” Luna asked.

“I was hopin Lyra would say her name,” Mega Mare pouted. Luna laughed as they Phased Out, Apple Bloom appearing back behind the stand she hid behind. She stepped out as Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo ran up to her.

“That was so weird,” Sweetie Belle said, “All of a sudden they just stopped fighting.”

“Well, Luna and I defeated the viruses,” Apple Bloom said.

“So that was you? Awesome!” Scootaloo said, “You're like a super hero or something.”

“I'm not a super hero,” Apple Bloom said, “I'm just a pony lucky enough to get the power to fight.”

“That… kind of sounds like a super hero, Apple Bloom,” Sweetie Belle said, “I'm sorry.”

Apple Bloom sighed, “I've had enough excitement for one day.”

“Why don't we go home, Apple Bloom?” Luna said, “You deserve a good rest.”

“Thanks Luna,” Apple Bloom said, “I'm sorry guys, but I'm gonna head home.”

“That's fine,” Scootaloo said, “Super heroes need their sleep.”

Apple Bloom shook her head, and started heading home. She really didn't want to be considered a super hero. It was bad enough that the school was talking about her so much. She just wanted this whole “Mega Mare craze” to die down so she could focus on finding the Mana Stones and her sister.

“Rarity, I'm home!” Sweetie Belle called out when she stepped into Carousel Boutique.

“I'm in the living room Sweetie Belle!” Rarity called back. Sweetie Belle ran into the living room seeing Rarity sitting on the couch wearing her black and white blouse, black pants, and black high heels. She was sitting with another pony, wearing a familiar white jacket, what appeared to be a blue leotard underneath, and white high heeled boots. She was an Earth Pony wearing a lot of make-up, had a long blue mane and tail, and wore a white hat on her head.

Holy hell, is that who I think it is?

“Oh Sweetie Belle,” Rarity said, “You remember my good friend and client Sapphire Shores, right?”

“I… I… I…” Sweetie Belle said.

“Rarity, I'm pretty sure she knows exactly who I am,” Sapphire Shores said somewhat somberly, “But I do remember Sweetie Belle. I heard you got your Cutie Mark.”

“Y-yeah, I did...” Sweetie Belle said, trying her hardest to not fangasm, “Me and my two friends all got our special talents in showing what other ponies special talents are.”

“Very nice,” Sapphire Shores said looking down, “Wish I had that growing up. Rarity, can I get a glass of water?”

“Sure thing,” Rarity said, “I'll get it.”

Sapphire Shores shook her head, “That's okay. I want to get it myself.”

Sapphire Shores stood up and walked into the kitchen. Sweetie Belle ran over to Rarity.

“Rarity…!” Sweetie Belle whispered.

“I know you're excited,” Rarity said, “but you need to calm down. She's here as our guest for a while.”

“Is she okay?” Sweetie Belle asked, “Is this about her meltdown on stage?”

“It is,” Rarity said, “But it's up to her if she wants to open up about it. Try to give her some space, okay?”

“Yeah, sure,” Sweetie Belle said, looking at Sapphire Shores in the kitchen. Usually she was really exuberant and lively, but right now she was somber and depressed. It was an odd look for her. Still, she wasn't not going to take advantage of this. She had the chance of a lifetime.

Maybe helping her would cheer Sapphire Shores up a bit.

Diamond's Love & Aquamarine

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Diamond's Love & Aquamarine

“Sapphire Shores is where?!” Scootaloo shouted, she and Apple Bloom sitting with Sweetie Belle at the cafeteria.

“Shh!” Sweetie Belle shushed, “Keep it down! Rarity doesn't want a whole bunch of people knowing about this.”

“Why is she stayin with Rarity?” Apple Bloom asked, “Ain't she supposed to be on tour or somethin?”

“She said that she ended it early,” Sweetie Belle said, “That meltdown she had on stage was pretty bad apparently. She seems really somber all the time.”

“Celebrities are rarely like how they portray themselves on stage,” Apple Bloom said, “I ain't surprised that she's more reserved in real life.”

“Oh no, she's not,” Sweetie Belle said, “She's insane. You know all those crazy outfits she wears on stage? She actually wears them. And normally she talks a mile a minute, always laughing, waving her hands around, she's like a cartoon character.”

“Sounds like her being so quiet is an improvement,” Scootaloo said.

“In a way, it is,” Luna said from the Sapphire, “She suffers bi-polar depression. That means she's either really high up, or really low. Her usual self was probably a product of her high moments.”

“So, her somber attitude is because she's medicated?” Apple Bloom asked. Luna nodded.

“Bi-polar depression is very hard to medicate. Most ponies claim to feel like they're in a fog or going through gelatin when under medication,” Luna looked to the side sadly, “I had wanted to open research for better medicines, but the new age sciences of the world do not indulge older outlooks.”

“What do you mean?” Scootaloo asked, “Your ideas can't be too outlandish.”

“Depression is caused by a magical imbalance within the pony's brain,” Luna explained, “I seek a means to treat the imbalance itself as opposed to simply subduing the symptoms like current medicine does. Sadly, it's harder to get other ponies on board.”

“But that sounds perfect,” Sweetie Belle said, “I bet Sapphire Shores would appreciate that.”

“I'm sure she would,” Luna said with a sigh, “But pharmacists and doctors don't get as much money from a cure than they do from a treatment.”

“That's screwed up,” Scootaloo said, “Ponies have to suffer just so they can keep making money?”

“Hey, Diamond alert,” Apple Bloom said lightly tapping the Sapphire. It glowed whenever Luna was talking to them, so they couldn't talk to her when they were near ponies who didn't know.

“Guys, I need help,” Diamond said seriously.

“Need help picking out a dress?” Scootaloo asked jokingly.

“I'm serious! I need help finding Mega Mare!” Diamond Tiara said. Apple Bloom flinched slightly when she said that.

“Why do you need to find Mega Mare?” Sweetie Belle asked slowly.

“It's… just important to me, alright? Look, no one else is willing to help me, but you three are my friends. Please,” Diamond Tiara all but begged.

Apple Bloom sighed, “I'll help ya.”

Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo looked at Apple Bloom in shock.

“Apple Bloom,” Scootaloo said, “Are you sure you want to help Diamond Tiara find Mega Mare?”

“I ain't makin any promises she'll find her,” Apple Bloom said, “But this is real important to her. No one else is willin to help, I figure as her friend I might as well.”

“When you put it that way, I'd help too,” Sweetie Belle said, “But I need to get home after school to help Rarity with… stuff.”

“Yeah, Dash and I are meeting up to work on my flying,” Scootaloo said.

“That's okay,” Diamond Tiara said, “Apple Bloom should be enough. Besides, this will be the perfect chance for us to hang out, right?”

“Right,” Apple Bloom said. She could almost feel Luna's gaze on her. This was a huge risk, but she wasn't going to compromise Luna no matter what. Still, there was something in Diamond Tiara's eyes.

Something desperate.

After school ended, Diamond Tiara ran right to Apple Bloom and pulled her along into town. Apple Bloom and Luna talked a bit about the situation before leaving, but neither of them could figure out what to do. Luna had thought telling Diamond Tiara might be okay, but Apple Bloom didn't want her involved.

In the end, they'd play it by ear.

“Okay, this is perfect,” Diamond Tiara said when they made it to the shopping district, “Mega Mare will probably come here.”

“What makes ya think she'll be here?” Apple Bloom asked.

“This place has the most activity in Ponyville,” Diamond Tiara said, “If those monsters decide to show up, it'll be here.”

“Diamond, ya know those monsters probably won't show themselves here, right?” Apple Bloom asked.

“They're here now, though. Somewhere here, look,” Diamond Tiara pointed to the middle of the district, where a salespony was being harassed by a customer, “They're over there, we just can't see them.”

“How do you know that?” Apple Bloom asked.

“Things got better in the school after Mega Mare appeared,” Diamond Tiara said, “Also, yesterday I saw Lyra and Bon Bon arguing, but all of a sudden they stopped as if something came over them. Right before it, I'm pretty sure I saw that blue light Mega Mare disappeared in.”

Shoot, she'd have to be way more careful. Also, Diamond Tiara was in town yesterday? How long was she searching for Mega Mare?

“Hey, Diamond? Why is it so important ya find Mega Mare? Is this because of yer little crush on her?” Apple Bloom asked jokingly.

“Am I that obvious?” Diamond Tiara asked.

“No, not at all,” Apple Bloom said, “Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo told me ya looked smitten by her though.”

“Oh,” Diamond Tiara blushed, “Well, that's part of it, but… I just want her to know that I'm really thankful for her saving my life, okay?”

“But… didn't ya thank her after bein saved?” Apple Bloom asked.

“I did, but that was spur of the moment,” Diamond Tiara admitted, “I want her to know that I'm serious.”

“I see...” Apple Bloom said, turning her back to Diamond Tiara and looking at Luna. Based on her expression, she was thinking the same thing. Apple Bloom turned back to the salespony being harassed, tapped the Sapphire, and pointed her index and middle fingers to her eyes, a silent signal to Luna. She then closed her eyes, and reopened them, seeing two odd viruses moving around them in a circle. These viruses looked like blue and purple sharks.

“Hey, I'm gonna search the other side of the shoppin district,” Apple Bloom said, “If I see Mega Mare, I'll stop her and bring her to ya.”

“Thanks Apple Bloom,” Diamond Tiara said, “I'll wait here.”

Apple Bloom nodded, and then ran off to find a private place to Phase In to the Mana Zone. She ended up going behind the stand she used yesterday.

“Mana Change! Mega Mare, Online!” Apple Bloom shouted. She tapped the Sapphire on her wrist and held her arm in the air as Luna appeared behind her. She wrapped her wings around both of them, and they vanished in a blue light.

~Transformation Scene~

Apple Bloom held her arm out as blue energy shot out of the gem. Suspended in mid air, she spun around as her clothes all magically vanished off her now glowing body.

~End Transformation~

This time, Mega Mare appeared behind the stand in the real world.

“Are you sure about this?” Luna asked Mega Mare.

“I wanna do somethin nice for her,” Mega Mare said, “I don't want to be a public figure or anything, but I don't see why Diamond Tiara can't see her hero.”

“So, you like her,” Luna said with a knowing smile.

“She's just a friend,” Mega Mare covered, “Come on. Let's go make an appearance.”

Diamond Tiara's heart was racing at the thought of seeing Mega Mare again. She begun having dreams about Mega Mare after seeing her at the school. Dreams of Mega Mare protecting her, going on dates with her, and even of Mega Mare whisking her away from…

Someone stepped out from behind a corner, looking at the fight. Diamond Tiara couldn't believe what she was seeing. They were wearing blue armor, and they had a long shimmering red mane and tail.

“Mega Mare...” Diamond Tiara said. She saw Mega Mare get wavy and vanish as if she were a mirage. That was unusual, but it made sense with what Diamond Tiara thought. Those monsters were invisible, and right now Mega Mare was fighting them.

After about a minute or two, the harassment stopped, the ponies in question looking like they were snapped out of a trance. Mega Mare appeared in a nearby alleyway on one knee. She looked exhausted. Was she hurt? Diamond Tiara ran over to the alleyway, where she saw Mega Mare breathing heavily.

“Geez, those were stronger than normal,” Mega Mare said. She looked up with she saw Diamond Tiara hold out her hand, “Um...”

“Hi Mega Mare,” Diamond Tiara said lovingly, “I saw what you just did.”

“Oh did ya?” Mega Mare said taking Diamond Tiara's hand getting up.

“Well, I couldn't see per say, but I know that it was you. Those monsters were causing trouble, right?” Diamond Tiara asked.

“They're called viruses,” Mega Mare said, “They're creatures that infect the Mana Zone. Apparently, they affect the minds of ponies.”

“Just like that weird stone that got to Pip,” Diamond Tiara said, “What was that?”

“You sure ask a lot of questions,” Mega Mare said looking at Diamond Tiara suspiciously.

“S-sorry, I didn't mean to pry,” Diamond Tiara said, her heart sinking, “I just… um…” she turned to leave, feeling like she was annoying Mega Mare. All she wanted was to talk to her again, and yet just like everyone else in her life she-

Mega Mare grabbed her hand stopping her.

“I didn't mean that was a bad thing,” Mega Mare said, “Actually, it's nice to have someone take interest.”

“Why are you fighting for us?” Diamond Tiara said, “What are you?”

“I ain't no one special,” Mega Mare said, “I'm just a pony with a little bit of power. There's someone I'm searchin for, and in order to find them, I need to fight the viruses.”

“Will there be another monster like what Pip turned into?” Diamond Tiara asked.

“Possibly, but I don't want you to worry about it,” Mega Mare said wrapping her arms around Diamond Tiara from behind, “I'll protect everyone in Equestria if I have to, and that includes you.”

“Mega Mare...” Diamond Tiara said, her heart racing again.

“I gotta go,” Mega Mare said, “I'm glad I could see you again, Diamond Tiara.”

Mega Mare let Diamond Tiara go and stepped away. Diamond Tiara turned around watching Mega Mare walk off.

“Mega Mare! Um… I want to see you again. Please, can I…?” Diamond Tiara asked.

“You'll see me again,” Mega Mare said, “I doubt you'll leave me alone.” Mega Mare turned back to Diamond Tiara, smiled at her, and then vanished in a blue light. As Diamond Tiara placed a hand on her chest, she heard Apple Bloom calling for her.

“Diamond Tiara! Where are ya?” Apple Bloom called out, running past the alleyway. She stopped when she saw Diamond Tiara, “Diamond Tiara, are you okay?” she asked running up to her.

“Apple Bloom,” Diamond Tiara said, “I saw her. I saw Mega Mare...”

“You did?” Apple Bloom asked, surprised, “Geez, I'm sorry. I wasn't much help at all.”

“No, it's fine,” Diamond Tiara said turning to Apple Bloom, “I appreciate you even coming with me. No one else would.”

Apple Bloom laughed rubbing the back on her head, “Aw, it's nothin. So, what's she like?”

“Oh Apple Bloom,” Diamond Tiara said looking up at the sky, “She's so heroic. I think… I think I might be falling in love with her...”

“The… crescent moon… so high…” Sweetie Belle said to herself, writing the lyrics in her notebook. After a second she tore the page out in frustration and balled it up, throwing it in the trash next to her desk, “Ugh! I just can't figure out the next lyrics!”

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK

Sweetie Belle turned to her door and saw Sapphire Shores standing there, still wearing that outrageous outfit. She seriously dressed like that all the time, huh?

“Sorry to interrupt,” Sapphire Shores said, “I wanted to tell you that Rarity's gonna be coming in late. Something about business at the castle.”

Sweetie Belle sighed, “Of course she's busy. She's always busy.” Ever since the Council of Friendship became more official, Rarity had to spend more time at the castle. Since she also had a business to run, it was like she was always busy.

“So… what 'cha got there?” Sapphire Shores asked, clearly trying to break the awkward silence.

“Oh this?” Sweetie Belle asked, referring to her book, “It's… a song I'm writing.”

“A song?” Sapphire Shores asked with a smile, “You write music?”

“Well… my dream is to be a pop star like you one day,” Sweetie Belle said looking down sheepishly, “I'm trying my hardest to curb my enthusiasm, but having you staying here is a dream come true for me.”

“Mmm, so I'm someone you look up to then?” Sapphire Shores said sauntering into the room and leaning forward close to Sweetie Belle, “Hoping you can follow in my footsteps?”

“Y-yeah,” Sweetie Belle admitted, “I had wanted you to look at my song, but-”

“Oh, is that all?” Sapphire Shores said picking up the notebook. Sweetie Belle panicked as the older mare sat down on her desk with her legs crossed reading the notebook.

“W-wait!” Sweetie Belle cried, “It's not ready yet! I-”

“Hey… this isn't half bad,” Sapphire Shores said, “Did you come up with these lyrics yourself?”

“I did,” Sweetie Belle said, “They're actually inspired by something that's happening to a friend of mine.”

“Real life is the best inspiration,” Sapphire Shores said setting the book down. She then lowered her gaze somberly, “You know, you'd do better to get a new idol.”

“What do you mean?” Sweetie Belle asked.

“I'm not the kind of mare you think I am. I'm unstable, out of control, and that's when I'm off my medication. You don't want a crazy mare like me as your idol.”

“Miss Shores, that's not true at all,” Sweetie Belle said taking Sapphire Shore's hand, “Your mental illness doesn't change the fact that you're a great performer, and a wonderful pony. I've followed your career since I was five years old and you were just starting out. I really look up to you, Miss Shores.”

“R-really?” Sapphire Shores looked really taken aback.

“I was wondering, if you'd help me with my song,” Sweetie Belle asked, “I'm thinking about performing it soon, but… I'm really nervous… and I can't finish the song, so…”

Sweetie Belle looked up at Sapphire Shores pleadingly. This was her dream. Sapphire Shores was a big celebrity in Equestria, and Sweetie Belle wanted to prove to her that she could stand on the same stage.

After a second, Sapphire Shores sighed with a smile, “Alright. I'm not sure how much help I can be, since the medicine slows down my mind, but I can at least help out a litt-” Sweetie Belle hugged Sapphire Shores.

“Thankyouthankyouthankyouthankyouthankyou!”

“D-don't mention it...” Sapphire Shores said awkwardly patting Sweetie Belle on the back. She knew she was coming off as a creepy fan, and Rarity would have been really annoyed with her, but Sweetie Belle couldn't help it.

This was the best day of her life.

“She wants my help...” Sapphire Shores said pacing back and forth in her room, “No, she wants Sapphire Shores to help her,” Sapphire Shores walked over to her vanity mirror and looked at herself, “Who am I fooling? That's not who I am!” she buried her face in her hands, “I'm no one! NO ONE!”

Sapphire Shores fell to her knees and broke down. She didn't even know why she was crying. She had taken her pills when she was supposed to. She didn't want to change her medication, but nothing seemed to work. She was losing control of herself again.

You are weak…

But I can give you strength…

Sapphire Shores stopped sobbing and looked around, “W-who's there?”

I'm here…

I'm always here…

You carry me around everywhere…

“I… do?” Sapphire Shores asked.

Open the box on your dresser…

Sapphire Shores went over to her dresser and looked at the small box that held her good luck charm. It was given to her by a dear friend, and looking at it always gave her peace. Was the voice coming from…?

She slowly opened the box, looking at the light blue gemstone inside. This time, she was sure that it was glowing.

I am Aquamarine…

I have been keeping you safe…

“Aquamarine…?” Sapphire Shores asked, “This can't be real. I'm not hearing voices in my head.”

No Sapphire dear…

You're not going crazy…

My voice is being projected directly to your mind…

“Okay, so what did you mean by keeping me safe…?” Sapphire Shores asked.

Your mind Sapphire Shores…

I've been protecting your mind…

“Protecting my mind?” Sapphire Shores asked.

I'm the reason the medicine hasn't been working…

I block it for you…

“What?! Why would you do that?!”

Sapphire, don't be angry with me…

I'm trying to protect you…

Your mind should be free…

“No… I need to be on my medication...” Sapphire Shores said, “If I'm not… I go out of control...”

Those pills don't help you…

They slow you down…

Ponies are losing interest in you because of it…

Because you aren't the eccentric Sapphire Shores they love…

“They're not losing interest...” Sapphire Shores said.

Yes they are…

You can't see it yet…

But I wish to help you even more…

“How are you going to do that?” Sapphire Shores said folding her arms, “Cause right now, I'm not seeing it.”

Take me into your hands…

Allow my magic to flow into you…

Sapphire Shores was reluctant, but she slowly reached for the glowing gemstone. When she took it into her hands, she felt something flow into her, going right to her brain. After a second, she felt… calmer. In control. Most of all, she could think.

“This… is you?” Sapphire Shores asked.

From now on, you and I are one…

I will balance you out…

Keep your mind clear so you can see the truth…

All of a sudden, Sapphire Shores looked at the small gem in her hand in a different light. This was far better than her pills. She could think clearly, feel however she wanted and not feel hindered.

And best of all, she was in control.

Lose My Mind

View Online

Lose My Mind

All during the walk to school, Sweetie Belle's head was somewhere else. Every so often she would be heard humming some sort of tune, and she seemed to be thoughtful while giddy at the same time. This wasn't too odd, as Sweetie Belle was always the really excitable one of them, but still...

Apple Bloom was also distracted. She seemed thoughtful, yet more melancholy and confused. It was an improvement, as she didn't seem so depressed, but it was clear that something was up with her. Every so often she would look at the Neutralizer, running a finger around the rim of the Sapphire.

Scootaloo had no idea what was going on with her friends. Walking in between them, she looked at Apple Bloom first, who gave a heavy sigh. She then looked at Sweetie Belle, who giggled to herself.

“Alright, I've had it!” Scootaloo shouted, “What the hell is going on with you two?! Did you two have a magical night that I wasn't invited to, which left Apple Bloom confused and conflicted while Sweetie Belle will remember it as the most magical night of her life?”

“I'm not sure about Sweetie Belle, but Apple Bloom and Diamond Tiara did have an interesting get together,” Luna said from the Sapphire.

“Ooh, now we're talking!” Scootaloo said, “Come on, give me the juicy deets, Luna.”

“There ain't nothin “juicy” to tell,” Apple Bloom said, “Diamond Tiara is just fallin hard for Mega Mare.”

“Ah, the typical super hero dilemma,” Scootaloo said folding her arms, “The woman you love but is unattainable has fallen in love with your super hero alter ego, and while part of you wants to tell her the truth, the other part of you knows that if she knew who you were she'd be in danger.”

Apple Bloom looked at Scootaloo incredulous, “Ya know, it's amazin. You are so off beat. Like, nothin you just said is correct in the slightest.”

“Apple Bloom, it's fine,” Scootaloo said wrapping her arms and wing around Apple Bloom, “I've read a number of comic books with Dash. This is a difficult time in your growing career as a super hero, but I am here to help you. It's okay, I got you. I got you.”

“Okay, first of all, I'm not in love with Diamond Tiara. Second of all, even though she's rich she's our friend now, so I doubt she's unattainable even if I wanted her. Third, the Mana Stones just want to manifest and cause havoc, they don't have it out for me, so Diamond Tiara isn't in danger. Finally, for the last time I'M NOT A SUPER HERO!”

“You… sort of are, Apple Bloom,” Sweetie Belle said, “I'm sorry to agree with Scootaloo, but… you fit the criteria.”

“What about you?” Apple Bloom said, immediately derailing the conversation from her, “What's got you so giddy?”

Sweetie Belle giggled, “Okay, I was going to surprise you guys, but I can't keep it a secret anymore,” Sweetie Belle looked around and dragged Apple Bloom and Scootaloo to an alleyway, “Sapphire Shores is helping me make my Ponyville premiere!”

“Holy shit, what?!” Scootaloo asked, “Sweetie Belle, that's awesome!”

“Tell me about it!” Sweetie Belle said, “I had just wanted her help in writing my song, but this morning she said that she wanted to help me get known. I'm going to be a Ponyville celebrity!”

“That's great,” Apple Bloom said with a smile, “I know how badly ya wanted this since getting yer Cutie Mark.”

“Truth is, being a super star has always been a bit of a dream of mine,” Sweetie Belle said, “I didn't have the courage to pursue it before, but once we got our Cutie Marks it just felt right to me.”

“So, when are you going to depute?” Scootaloo asked.

“This weekend,” Sweetie Belle said, “Sapphire Shores is going to get a venue today and help spread the word.”

“I am happy for you,” Luna said, “But should Sapphire Shores really be out and about like she is?”

“Rarity was worried too,” Sweetie Belle said, “But she kept insisting that she was okay. Oddly, she seemed like her old self a bit. Energetic, perky, and full of life.”

“That's good, right?” Scootaloo asked, “Her being back to normal?”

“For someone suffering bi-polar depression, no it is not,” Luna said, “She might not have taken her medicine. This is a common issue with ponies who have this mental issue.”

“Because of how the medicine makes 'em feel right?” Apple Bloom asked. Luna nodded.

“She should be fine for a bit, but if she's not taking her medicine she could go dark. For a pony who's bi-polar that can be VERY dark.”

“Well, its not like she's going to hurt anyone,” Scootaloo said, “Come on, this is Sweetie Belle's big day. Let's not ruin this for her.”

“Yeah, sorry Sweetie Belle,” Apple Bloom said, “We are happy for ya.”

“Thanks girls,” Sweetie Belle said, “And I'll keep what you said in consideration, Luna. I'm pretty sure Rarity's going to talk to her about it today.”

“As long as you are safe,” Luna said, even though she looked uncertain. Apple Bloom wondered if they were thinking the same thing.

“Yes! This is perfect!” Sapphire Shores said, looking up at the space she reserved for her new protege. She managed to acquire Town Hall for Saturday, and sent out the word that Sweetie Belle was now under her wing.

The kid was going to be singing in front of thousands.

Satisfied with her work, she began making her way back to Carousel Boutique. On the way, she heard a few ponies talking.

“That's Sapphire Shores, right? What's she doing out here in Ponyville?”

“Didn't you hear? She went crazy at her last concert and got sent out here.”

Crazy? Was that what ponies thought? She wasn't crazy, she was sick. And she didn't go crazy, she just had a meltdown on stage.

This is what ponies think of you…

They think you're losing it…

“I… don't believe it…” Sapphire Shores said, “It was in the papers though… that I was diagnosed with bi-polar depression...”

They don't care…

They all made their decision of what happened…

Which is why your choice of protege seems odd to me…

“What do you mean?” Sapphire Shores asked, “Sweetie Belle is a good kid.”

Oh she is…

But…

By taking on someone so young…

You could be digging your grave…

“Now I don't believe that for a second,” Sapphire Shores said, “Sweetie Belle won't replace me,” she stopped and admired herself in a window's reflection, “I mean, who could honestly replace moi?”

You'd be surprised…

But it's okay…

I'll stay with you the whole way…

“Thanks,” Sapphire Shores said. At first she wasn't sure about the gemstone, but now that she had a chance to get to know the Aquamarine, she had a feeling that they'd get along perfectly.

It really was a good luck charm.

Sapphire Shores' walk back to Rarity's place turned into a skip, much like how she'd skip as a child. Even if some ponies here felt like she was going crazy, she didn't care. She felt better than she had felt in ages. The best thing she ever did was decide not to take those pills again.

When she stepped inside the shop, she spun around and lay on the couch dramatically. For some reason, she couldn't help but laugh to herself. She just felt so good and free.

“Oh Sapphire,” Rarity said walking into the living room, “You're back.”

“Rarity, I feel fantastic!” Sapphire Shores said, “I haven't been this free and in control in ages!”

“So… you've started a new medication then?” Rarity asked. Sapphire Shores sat up and looked at Rarity with a raised eyebrow.

“What makes you think that?” she asked.

“Well, you seemed so exuberant this morning I was concerned, so I checked to see if you had taken your pills, and-”

“Wait, you checked to see if I had taken my medicine?” Sapphire Shores asked, glaring at Rarity, who folded her arms.

“Yes, I did, and I'm glad I checked. Sapphire Shores, you skipped your medicine today, didn't you?” Rarity asked.

“Who do you think you are going behind my back and checking on me like I'm some crazy pony?!” Sapphire Shores asked, getting up and stomping over to Rarity, “I thought you were my friend!”

“I am your friend! And that's the reason I'm so concerned! I know what happens when you don't take your pills! You could go dark, and I don't want to see that!”

“So you'd rather see me sluggish and subdued?! Cause that's what happens when I take those damn pills! I feel like I'm moving in slow motion, and its hard to focus or think of anything! Besides, what's wrong with me free?!”

“What's wrong?! Look at what's happening right now! You're not this out of control, Sapphire!”

“Out of control?! OUT OF CONTROL?! SO THAT'S IT, ISN'T IT?! YOU THINK I'M CRAZY TOO, DON'T YOU?! YOU AND EVERYONE ELSE IN THIS DAMN TOWN!” Sapphire Shores broke down in tears, still glaring at Rarity, “I trusted you! I thought you were my friend! BUT YOU'RE JUST LIKE EVERYONE ELSE WHO THINKS I'M LOSING MY MIND!”

“Sapphire, you're scaring me...” Rarity said stepping away from her friend.

“I'm not crazy...!” Sapphire Shores said walking toward Rarity, “I'M NOT CRAZY! I'M IN CONTROL!”

“Sapphire Shores-” Rarity was backed up against a wall, “Sapphire Shores, please forgive me for this...” Rarity said with a pained expression. Her horn started glowing, and she grabbed a few pieces of fabric from her shelf. They were tough, so she used them to wrap up Sapphire Shores. The celebrity fell to the floor and struggled with her bindings, screaming loudly.

“RARITY! RARITY!” Sapphire Shores screamed, tears of rage falling from her eyes.

“I'm sorry, but I have to call your doctor,” Rarity said, “I don't know what's going on, but as your best friend, I have to do what's best for you. You'll thank me for this.”

“NO!” Sapphire Shores struggled and pulled at the fabric, but they were too strong. Upon realizing how helpless she was, she broke down and just cried, knowing that this was the end. She was going to be condemned after this, probably thrown into a crazy house or something. They'd put her in a straight jacket, and treat her like she was insane.

Sapphire Shores…

Allow me to take over…

I will save you…

Sapphire Shores didn't want to be condemned. She didn't want to be forced back in slow motion. She didn't want to be treated like a crazy pony. She wanted to think freely. She wanted to be respected. She wanted to be in control.

“Aquamarine…” Sapphire Shores said through her tears, “Save me… please...”

Say the words…

The words I taught you…

And I will give you power…

The words… Aquamarine had transferred them to her when they became one. Even now she had it in her pocket. She could get herself out of this. Aquamarine would save her. Aquamarine was her true friend. Rarity had betrayed her, so as far as Sapphire Shores was concerned, she didn't need her anymore.

“Mana… Change...” Sapphire Shores said. Immediately Rarity turned to Sapphire Shores in shock.

“What did you say?!” Rarity asked. Immediately she was pushed back onto the floor as Sapphire Shores was engulfed in light blue energy. When Rarity looked up, she was horrified by the sight she saw.

“I'm in control now…!” Sapphire Shores said in her new, terrifying form, “No one will control my life again!”

“Oh Sapphire… why…?”

“You're against me,” Sapphire Shores said, slowly approaching Rarity, “You and everyone else. But now I have Aquamarine, so I don't need anyone.”

“Sapphire Shores… NO!” Rarity pleaded as Sapphire Shores raised her new weapon into the air, bringing it down to…

“Rarity, Miss Shores, are you home?” Sweetie Belle called out stepping into Carousel Boutique. She was surprised when she saw an entire shelf soaked, and she could actually smell sea water. When she got to the kitchen, she saw Sapphire Shores sitting at the counter drinking some tea.

“Heya Sweetie Belle,” Sapphire Shores said smiling.

“Hi Miss Shores,” Sweetie Belle said, “Um… do you know where Rarity is?”

“Hm… you know? She mentioned that something came up in Canterlot, and she had to take a surprise trip. She wished she could have let you know she was leaving, but you know how it is,” Sapphire Shores said smiling sadly.

Sweetie Belle sighed, “Yeah, I know how it is… I guess she's not going to make it to my concert then?”

“Sorry hun,” Sapphire Shores said. Sensing how sad Sweetie Belle was, Sapphire Shores walked over to Sweetie Belle and embraced her, “Oh, it's okay Sweetie Belle. Tell you what, you and I can take this time to bond. Wanna go get a pizza?”

“Rarity says that the pizza here is too fattening,” Sweetie Belle said.

“Well, Rarity ain't here right now. Also, I'm a terrible cook,” Sapphire Shores said waving it off, “I'm the adult here, so I say that we go get pizza.”

Sweetie Belle and Rarity didn't go out for pizza anymore, and as much as she did want to watch her figure, she loved oats pizza. It was nice to have someone she could hang out with, and Sapphire Shores was really nice.

“Well, okay,” Sweetie Belle said, “Let's go.”

“Wonderful!” Sapphire Shores said taking Sweetie Belle by the hand and guiding her out of the shop. Sweetie Belle was a little taken aback, but hey, free pizza. Still, she couldn't help but feel like something was wrong.

The weekend came pretty quickly, and with Sapphire Shores' help, Sweetie Belle was able to finish her song. They decided that to show that Sweetie Belle was her protege, she'd sing a few of her songs and end with her original song. As such, Sweetie Belle would be singing in a full concert.

She was excited, but really tense. Apple Bloom and Scootaloo could sense something was wrong.

“Hey, you okay?” Scootaloo said to Sweetie Belle, who was already in her outfit for the concert, consisting of a long white dress, white high heels, and golden earrings. She wore light pink eyeshadow and red lipstick for make-up.

“Mm… Rarity hasn't called,” Sweetie Belle said, “Even if she was busy, she'd call at some point to check in.”

“She might be workin on a new dress,” Apple Bloom said, “She gets in the zone when she's workin, right?”

“Yes she does, but...” Sweetie Belle said looking to the side worried.

“Oh Sweetie Belle!” Sapphire Shores called out happily, sauntering over to the three teens, “It's almost showtime. You ready?”

“I-I guess,” Sweetie Belle said looking down.

“What's wrong sugar?” Sapphire Shores asked.

“Have you heard anything from Rarity? Anything at all?” Sweetie Belle asked, “I'm getting worried...”

“Sorry Sweetie Belle, but no,” Sapphire Shores said, “Don't worry though. She's an Element of Harmony, right? I'm sure she's okay,” Sapphire Shores turned to Apple Bloom and Scootaloo, “Oh, you two are her friends right?”

“Yep. I'm Scootaloo, and this is Apple Bloom,” Scootaloo said, Apple Bloom just nodding to Sapphire Shores, looking at her intently.

“Oh, Apple Bloom is it?” Sapphire Shores said walking over to Apple Bloom, “You're the younger sister of Applejack, right?”

“Y-yeah,” Apple Bloom said, “I am.”

Sapphire Shores nodded, “She and Rarity were good friends, so she told me what happened. I'm sorry for your loss.”

“My sister ain't dead,” Apple Bloom said, “She'll come back eventually. Still, thank ya for your concern.”

Sapphire Shores nodded to her, and then turned back to Sweetie Belle, “I'll see ya out there, Sweetie Belle. Break a leg.”

Sweetie Belle nodded and watched as Sapphire Shores sauntered out of the backstage area.

“Hey Apple Bloom, are you okay?” Scootaloo said.

“You sensed it too, didn't you?” Luna asked from inside the Sapphire.

“Yeah, I did,” Apple Bloom said, “Scootaloo, you stay here with Sweetie Belle an' keep an eye on things.”

“What about you?” Scootaloo asked.

“I'm gonna head to Sweetie Belle's place,” Apple Bloom said, “I got a feelin that somethin's wrong here. Sapphire Shores didn't feel right to me.”

“You don't think she's possessed by a Mana Stone, do you?” Sweetie Belle asked.

“I don't know,” Apple Bloom said, “But I need to check a few things back at Carousel Boutique first. I got a feelin, and we Apples always follow our gut feelins. I'll make it back in time for the final song at least, I promise.”

“I don't care about that right now,” Sweetie Belle said, “Apple Bloom, Luna, please find out what happened to my sister.”

“We will, I promise,” Luna said, “Come Apple Bloom. Let us depart for Carousel Boutique.”

“It was my idea first,” Apple Bloom fussed. She ran out of Town Hall to Carousel Boutique while Sweetie Belle braced herself for her concert. This was a big day for her, so she should have been excited. Sadly, all she could think about was Rarity.

She hoped her fears were misguided.

Apple Bloom used the secret key under Carousel Boutique's welcome mat and ran inside. It felt odd being in the shop without Rarity or Sweetie Belle around. It was quiet, almost too quiet, except a constant knocking.

“Apple Bloom, you hear that, right?” Luna asked.

“I do,” Apple Bloom said, “Is that comin from the basement?”

“I have a feeling that Sweetie Belle's fears are well founded,” Luna said. Apple Bloom prayed not, but she knew what she sensed earlier. She went to the basement door, where she heard the knocking even louder. Someone was down there.

Apple Bloom went into the basement, where she heard the knocking even louder. She also heard what sounded like muffled screaming. She followed the sound to a brown and golden chest that was shaking. Apple Bloom ran over to the chest and hit the top of it.

“Rarity, is that you in there?!” Apple Bloom asked. Instantly, she heard someone cry out in confirmation, but it sounded like they were gagged. Apple Bloom saw that the chest had a lock keeping it shut.

“Apple Bloom, we need to find something to break this lock,” Luna said, “Rarity might suffocate if we don't act quickly.”

“Right!” Apple Bloom said. She looked around, searching for the key. When she realized that she wasn't going to find that, she took a crowbar that was leaning against a shelf and pried the lock open. She threw the top of the chest open, and was shocked to see Rarity lying in the chest. She was tied up, gagged with a scarf, and she had an inhibitor ring on her horn.

Apple Bloom immediately took off the gag, and Rarity cried out in relief.

“Oh Apple Bloom! Thank you so much!” Rarity said.

“What the hell happened?!” Apple Bloom asked, removing the inhibitor ring and then untying the older mare.

“Sapphire Shores isn't herself!” Rarity said, “Something has possessed her, and is guiding her thoughts! Also, she hasn't taken her medicine in two days!”

“Somethin possessed her?” Apple Bloom asked.

“Where is Sweetie Belle?!” Rarity asked, “She's in danger right now!”

“She's with Sapphire Shores at Town Hall,” Apple Bloom said, “Her concert is today.”

“Sapphire Shores is going to attack everyone at Town Hall, I know it!” Rarity cried, “Apple Bloom, head back to Town Hall and protect Sweetie Belle! I'm going to get to the castle and get help!”

“Alright!” Apple Bloom said. She and Rarity both ran out of the basement and going in separate directions out of the shop. Once she was alone, Apple Bloom stopped and looked at Luna inside the Sapphire, “Luna, we were right! Sapphire Shores is possessed by a Mana Stone!”

“It's a good thing we rescued Rarity when we did,” Luna said, “But we must hurry back to Town Hall! There's no telling what Sapphire Shores will do!”

“Should we Phase In to the Mana Zone?” Apple Bloom asked.

“Yes, immediately!” Luna suggested. Apple Bloom looked around to make sure no one was there, and then held the Neutralizer up.

“Mana Change! Mega Mare, Online!” Apple Bloom shouted. She tapped the Mana Stone and held her arm into the air as Luna appeared right behind her. She wrapped her wings around both of them and they vanished in a blue light.

~Transformation Scene~

Apple Bloom held her arm out as blue energy shot out of the gem. Suspended in mid air, she spun around as her clothes all magically vanished off her now glowing body.

~End Transformation~

Mega Mare appeared in the middle of Ponyville in a blue light, landing on one knee. She wasted no time running back to Town Hall, not caring about who saw her. Her friends might have been in danger. She wished she had told Sweetie Belle to hold off the concert and come with her, but it was too late for that.

She just had to get to the concert before Sapphire Shores stole the show.

Meltdown

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Meltdown

Sweetie Belle had just finished her second song and was going onto her third song. The crowd loved her! Sapphire Shores could tell that this girl was going to go far. She received a standing ovation for each song.

Funny… that didn't happen to Sapphire Shores anymore…

“SWEETIE BELLE! SWEETIE BELLE! SWEETIE BELLE!” The crowd cheered. They were eating her up, and despite how worried she was about her sister, she was clearly enjoying herself. The crowd was even having fun, watching her sing and dance. She looked like a true star.

“Yeah Sweetie Belle!”

“You rock girl!”

“She's gonna make it big! Even bigger than Sapphire Shores!”

Hold on, what?! Did they think she was going to become better than her?! Sure, Sweetie Belle was good, but better than Sapphire Shores?!

This is how it starts…

You did realize that this would happen, didn't you…?

“What do you mean?” Sapphire Shores asked, “I was just teaching her what I knew…?”

Yes, and that was good…

But look at Sweetie Belle…

She's young, she's fresh…

And you're just the crazy mare that can't control herself on stage…

“I'm in control!” Sapphire Shores fussed, “And there's no way she can take my place! Sapphire Shores is eternal!”

Tell that to them…

Sapphire Shores looked onstage again, and saw Sweetie Belle singing her hit song, using moves that were clearly inspired by Sapphire Shores' dancing. Though she was only thirteen, she moved almost like an adult.

She was… actually sexy.

She's taking this too far…

She says that she admires you…

But that's a lie…

She really wants to replace you…

“She thinks she's going to replace me…?” Sapphire Shores seethed, “Oh no… I'm not going to let that happen!”

Why stop there…?

Why not make all of them suffer…

After all, they condemned you…

Called you a crazy pony…

“I'm not crazy…!” Sapphire Shores cried, “I'm not crazy!”

Then let's prove it…

Show them how much you're in control…

By punishing all of them of your own free will…

Punish them… make them suffer…

That sounded like a great idea...

She pulled the Aquamarine out of her pocket and held it up, “Mana Change!”

Sapphire Shores glowed light blue, and was engulfed in a tower of water. When the tower fell apart, Sapphire Shores had changed into something else entirely.

Her long blue mane grew in length and volume, now falling past her waist. She wore a light blue armored bra and shoulder pads, and her lower body was replaced by a long sea serpent’s tail made of light blue crystal. She wore light blue crystal wrist guards on her arms, held a golden trident in her right hand, and a golden tiara on her head.

“I'll show all of them!” the now transformed Sapphire Shores said through gritted teeth.

Sweetie Belle finished her third song, taking in the applause from the crowd. Was this how Sapphire Shores felt when she performed? No wonder she loved it so much. She could get used to this feeling.

“Shows over, Sweetie Belle!”

“Huh?” Sweetie Belle asked looking around. The lights went out in the main stadium, and a spot light came on a second later on a platform above Sweetie Belle on the stage, revealing Sapphire Shores' horrible transformation.

“What's going on?”

“Is this a part of the show?”

“I think that's Sapphire Shores!”

“Miss… Shores…?” Sweetie Belle asked.

“Not anymore. I've been reborn. I am now… Hydra Shores!”

“Shit...” Scootaloo said to herself, “She was possessed by a Mana Stone. Apple Bloom, hurry back…!”

“You enjoying the show, everyone?” Hydra Shores asked, “Loving the new fresh face? Thinking she'll replace me?!”

“Miss Shores, no!” Sweetie Belle cried, “You helped me, remember? I wanted to do this in honor of you!”

“LIES!” Hydra Shores shouted, “I know what you really wanted! You wanted to replace me! Step in now that Sapphire Shores was losing her mind, right?!”

“What?! No, that's not true!” Sweetie Belle said, “I don't think you're losing your-”

“SHUT UP! I KNOW THE TRUTH! YOU THINK I'M CRAZY! YOU, RARITY, MY MANAGER, AND EVERYONE IN THIS TOWN! YOU ALL THINK I'M CRAZY! THAT I'M LOSING CONTROL!” Hydra Shores buried her face in her hands, “I HATE YOU! I HATE ALL OF YOU!”

“I don't think your crazy, Miss Shores!” Sweetie Belle said, “Your suffering, I know you are! Bi-polar depression is serious, and you feel like you're hopeless sometimes! But you're not! You just need someone to-”

“Didn't I say SHUT UP?!” Hydra Shores screamed, pointing her trident at Sweetie Belle and firing a sharp arrow made of ice at Sweetie Belle, knocking her back, “You're just saying this because your afraid! I won't be fooled though! I'm going to make everyone here suffer! If you think I'm so crazy, then how about I show you what real crazy looks like by flooding everything around me! VIRUSES! ATTACK!”

The entire Town Hall became wavy as it was drawn into the Mana World, and four viruses appeared on stage, all of them looking like shark partially submerged in the ground like it was water. Sweetie Belle fell back in shock and everyone screamed. As one of the sharks swam over to her and opened its mouth, someone teleported in front of Sweetie Belle in a blue light and punched it back.

“Mega Mare!” Sweetie Belle cried out happily.

“Stay back, Sweetie Belle! I'll take care of this!” Mega Mare said getting in a fighting stance.

Two of the sharks swam over to Mega Mare opening their mouths, but Mega Mare rolled to the side and fired at them with her Buster Gun. The other two shot up and tackled Mega Mare, knocking her forward, but she caught herself and landed on her feet.

“Shock Wave!” Mega Mare shouted. A Mettaur's pickax appeared in her hand, and she slammed it in the ground, creating a shock wave that raced toward the sharks in a straight line, killing two of them.

Mega Mare jumped to the side just in time to dodge a Sharks attack, and charged up her Buster Gun. She fired at the Shark approaching her side just as it opened its mouth, knocking it out of the water and stunning it.

“V-Gun!” Mega Mare shouted, casting another of her new spells. This time she fired at the stunned Shark as the second one came up to its side. The shot bounced off and exploded in a perfect V formation, hitting both Sharks and killing them.

Mega Mare ran to the platform Hydra Shores was on and glared at her, “Sapphire Shores! Ya need to stop this right now!”

“Who are you?” Hydra Shores asked, “Someone else who thinks I'm crazy?!”

“Who I am ain't important! It's why I'm here that matters!” Mega Mare pointed her Buster Gun at Hydra Shores, “You're hurtin a lot of ponies, and you yourself is in a lot of danger! I'm here to save all of them and you!”

“Mommy! I know her! That's Mega Mare! She saved the school!”

“Mega Mare is real?! I thought that was just something the kids came up with!”

“Mega Mare! You can do it!”

“So much for this whole Mega Mare craze blowing over,” Luna said, “Congratulations Apple Bloom, you are now a full fledged celebrity.”

“Christ...” Mega Mare said painfully, putting her focus back on Hydra Shores, who laughed loudly.

“So, your name is Mega Mare, huh?” Hydra Shores asked, “You know, I thought I heard some kids talking about you. I didn't think you were a kid yourself! This is hilarious!”

“Laugh all ya want,” Mega Mare said, “I'm here ta stop you one way or another!”

“No one is going to stop me!” Hydra Shores said, “The only one who's in control of my life now is me!”

Hydra Shores lunged at Mega Mare with her trident, but Mega Mare jumped away firing her Buster Gun. Hydra Shores swatted her shots away with her trident and spun it above her head.

“Apple Bloom, I have prepared one of the new spells!” Luna said, “Cast it now!”

“Got it! Castin spell! Guard!” Mega Mare shouted. As if out of nowhere, a tidal wave came up and engulfed Mega Mare, who got in a defensive stance and created a golden shield. When the wave hit her, a shock wave quickly shot out at Hydra Shores knocking her back.

Mega Mare pointed her Mega Buster at Hydra Shores and charged it, firing at Hydra Shores right, but she jumped off the stage vanishing into the ground as if it were water. Mega Mare ran forward and looked around.

“Where is she?” Mega Mare asked.

“To your left!” Luna cried.

Mega Mare looked to late as Hydra Shores shot out of the water tackling her and vanishing into the ground again.

“How is she doin that?” Mega Mare asked.

“She has turned this building into her ideal environment,” Luna said, “It's only a matter of time before the entire building is altered, trapping everyone inside. Apple Bloom, we have to evacuate them.”

“How do we stop Sapphire Shores?!” Mega Mare asked, rolling forward as Hydra Shores shot out of the “water” again.

“We need to restrict her movement. I have prepared electric spells further down in the spell book. It's time we started using them.”

“Right! Pulse Gun!” Mega Mare shouted, her Buster Gun turning into a longer gun that was charging electricity. She fired a jolt at Hydra Shores, who screamed loudly and froze in place.

“I… can't move…!” Hydra Shores shouted. Mega Mare ran over to the door and opened it.

“Everyone, hurry out!” she shouted. The civilians all crowded through the door, but Sweetie Belle tripped and fell onto the floor while running, “Damn it!”

“Sweetie Belle!” Scootaloo shouted. She and Mega Mare both ran over to her, but Hydra Shores shook off her paralysis right as they reached her and jumped into the ground. Sweetie Belle screamed as she was engulfed in a water tower and vanished.

“No!” Scootaloo cried.

“Sweetie Belle! Where are you?!” Mega Mare asked frantically.

“Scootaloo, Mega Mare, help me!” Sweetie Belle cried. The two teenage fillies looked up to the stage and saw Sweetie Belle next to Hydra Shores, who was holding her wrists behind her back.

“Things are getting a little too crowded here,” Hydra Shores said, “How about we take this someplace a little more intimate?”

“Sapphire Shores, no!” Mega Mare shouted, “You're not thinkin straight!”

“WRONG!” Hydra Shores screamed, suddenly switching moods so fast it was scary, “I'M IN CONTROL! I KNOW EXACTLY WHAT I'M DOING!”

“Then let Sweetie Belle go!” Scootaloo ordered, “She hasn't done anything wrong!”

“Oh no, she has,” Hydra Shores said glaring at Sweetie Belle, “She's taking my fans! Stealing my career! My name!”

“Your doin all of that yourself right now!” Mega Mare shouted, “Now I ain't gonna ask again! Let. Sweetie Belle. GO!”

“If you want her so badly, then come and get me!” Hydra Shores said, giggling like a mad mare, “Let's make a game out of it! See you at the top!”

With that Hydra Shores and Sweetie Belle vanished, and Town Hall got wavy.

“Scootaloo, you gotta get outta here!” Mega Mare ordered.

“What?! Apple Bloom, the Mana Stone has Sweetie Belle! We have to-”

“We ain't gotta do anythin!” Mega Mare said, “I'm the one with magic, so I'm the one who has to save Sweetie Belle! I don't want you guys in danger! It's bad enough I lost Applejack, I can't take losin anyone else!”

Scootaloo looked down frustrated, “Apple Bloom...”

“I can't protect ya if yer in here, and it's too dangerous for you to go up with me, but I do know that you'll be safe out there!” Mega Mare said pointing to the door, “Now get goin before this entire place changes and you can't get out!”

Scootaloo groaned in frustration, but she sighed and nodded, “Okay, I get it,” she said hugging Mega Mare, “Apple Bloom, no, Mega Mare, get Sweetie Belle out of here.”

Mega Mare nodded, and watched as Scootaloo ran out of the Town Hall just in time as the environment changed. She then turned and ran forward to search for Hydra Shores.

Sweetie Belle didn't know what was more terrifying. Building changing into some sort of other environment, or Sapphire Shores' new horrifying form. The interior had become something akin to an aquarium, with bridge like passages suspended over a perpetual pool of water. Instead of a wall, Sweetie Belle saw an odd backdrop that looked like the sky, but it showed fish jumping out of what looked like water.

Currently, Sweetie Belle was struggling as Hydra Shores tied her wrists to a poll like structure behind her.

“What's going on?!” Sweetie Belle asked, “Where are we?!”

“I had my viruses turn this into my own personal wave space,” Hydra Shores explained, “Your hero's gonna be at a major disadvantage if she wants to challenge me.”

“Miss Shores, why are you doing this to me?” Sweetie Belle asked, tears streaming from her eyes, “Why are you listening to that gem?”

“You know exactly what you did to me!” Hydra Shores shouted pointing her trident at Sweetie Belle's neck, “You tricked me! You said that you idolized me, but this was all a trick to take away my fame! You think I'm crazy! You and everyone else!” Hydra Shores began crying, “You just wanted to take advantage of everyone thinking that I lost my mind! You're not my fan, or my friend!”

“That's wrong! I love you, Miss Shores! I would never want to take advantage of you! That's just the Mana Stone whispering in your ear telling you to-” Hydra Shores but Sweetie Belle off by screaming in anger.

“SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP! I'M NOT GOING TO LISTEN TO YOU!” Hydra Shores backed away from Sweetie Belle burying her face in her hands, “I'm in control…! Why doesn't anyone believe me?!”

“Because you're not in control, Miss Shores! The Sapphire Shores I know wouldn't attack her fans, or kidnap anyone! This isn't you! Please, let me go! I promise, we'll get the help you-”

“I DON'T NEED ANY HELP!” Hydra Shores screamed, “I'M COMPLETELY IN CONTROL!” a Shark virus swam over to Hydra Shores and it looked like it whispered something in her ear. It was terrifying how quickly Hydra Shores calmed down, and then laughed gleefully, “Oh really? Mega Mare is on her way up here? Looks like I'm about to have some fun. Your savior's about to have her own personal meltdown on stage.” Hydra Shores slithered away laughing, and Sweetie Belle sobbed helplessly to herself.

“Apple Bloom, Luna, please save her…” Sweetie Belle said, praying that her words reached her soon to be saviors.

Mega Mare was sort of mesmerized by her surroundings, and found herself calmly walking forward to enjoy the scenery a bit.

“We can't take too much time Apple Bloom,” Luna said, “In Sapphire Shores' mental state there's no telling what she'll do to Sweetie Belle.”

“Your right,” Mega Mare said, “I'm just surprised. This place is real pretty. What is it?”

“This is a Mana Field,” Luna said, “The Aquamarine was able to create this from Sapphire Shores' emotions, engulfing the entire building within the Mana Zone. We can exit safely, as the Sapphire turned you into a mix of pony and living Mana.”

“But Sweetie Belle's trapped here,” Mega Mare reasoned.

“Unless we can get to her, yes,” Luna stated, “The ideal plan would be to defeat Hydra Shores, as doing that would immediately shut down the Mana Field.”

“I gotcha,” Mega Mare said nodding. She then sprinted forward, firing at any viruses that got in her way. None of them were too tough for her, able to go down with just one charged shot. It felt like her powers had gotten stronger. Was this because a friend of hers was in danger? Was the Mana Stone reacting to her desire to save her friends?

It didn't take long for Mega Mare to reach what appeared to be a clearing shaped like an arena. She stepped onto the arena, and immediately stopped when she heard the Sapphire's alarm.

WARNING

Hydra Shores jumped out of the water in front of Mega Mare and pointed her trident at Mega Mare.

“Glad you made it here without a problem,” Hydra Shores said with a sinister smile, “I was thinking you'd be a one hit wonder.”

“Where's Sweetie Belle?” Mega Mare asked.

“She's fine, for now,” Hydra Shores said, “After I delete you, I plan on going back to her and showing her who's really on top in this industry.”

“I'm sorry, but I can't let that happen,” Mega Mare said pointing her Mega Buster at Hydra Shores, “The filly ya captured is a good friend of mine, an' I'm not leavin without her!”

“Ha! Hilarious! What are you supposed to be, some sort of hero?” Hydra Shores asked.

“If that's what I gotta be, then sure. Why the hell not?” Mega Mare said getting in a fighting stance, “Luna, get ready!”

“Understood. All limiters released!”

“Ready!”

Battle: Hydra Shores

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Battle: Hydra Shores

boss theme

Mega Mare charged up her Mega Buster and fired, but Hydra Shores jumped into the water out of the way. Mega Mare saw what looked like a sharp crystal fin swimming in the water around her at high speed.

“That's her!” Luna said, “Be careful Apple Bloom! She's stronger in this environment!”

“This place can't make that much of a difference,” Mega Mare stated. Almost in response, Hydra Shores jumped out of the water past Mega Mare and slashed her with her trident, and jumping back into the water. Before Mega Mare to brace herself, Hydra Shores jumped out in the opposite direction doing the same thing.

“You were saying?” Luna asked sarcastically.

“Alright, alright, I get it,” Mega Mare said falling to one knee, “Can't underestimate her.”

“Having fun talking to yourself?!” Hydra Shores shouted jumping out of the water and firing icicles out of her trident at Mega Mare, who rolled out of the way and ran to the side, “And ponies call me crazy!”

“Sapphire, no one is callin ya crazy!” Mega Mare said firing her Mega Buster at Hydra Shores, but she jumped back into the water just in time, “It's all in yer head!”

“LIAR!” Hydra Shores screamed jumping out of the water and charging at Mega Mare. She slashed wildly at Mega Mare, who used a Long Sword spell to block, “They do think I'm crazy! They want to condemn me like a psychopath so that Sweetie Belle can replace me!”

“Maybe some ponies think yer losin yer mind, but they just don't understand what's wrong! Yer sick, I get it, but-”

“I'M NOT SICK! I'M IN CONTROL!” Hydra Shores screamed, creating a massive tidal wave from the water behind her and knocking Mega Mare back.

“Be careful,” Luna warned, “Her powers seem to be augmented by her mental state.”

“Yeah, I can see that,” Mega Mare said forcing herself to her feet, “Uh oh!”

She looked ahead and saw Hydra Shores charging at her, screaming violently. Mega Mare rolled out of the way and fired her buster gun, finally hitting her.

“Castin spell! Gatling Gun!” Mega Mare shouted, turning her buster gun into the mentioned weapon. She fired at Hydra Shores, but she seemed to almost swim on the surface out of the way of most of the shots, and spun her trident in front of herself to defend from the rest.

Hydra Shores fired what looked like an electric blast at the ground underneath Mega Mare. She tried to run, but saw that she couldn't move. Her feet were frozen to the ground!

“No more running away!” Hydra Shores shouted swinging her trident and shooting three ice arrows at Mega Mare. She blocked the attack as best as she could, but still took a lot of damage as her life bar showed.

“Damn it!” Mega Mare swore, “She's too powerful!”

Hydra Shores started laughing, “This is too much fun! Way better than singing silly songs about love!”

“She's really unstable,” Mega Mare said quietly, “You see how quickly she jumps emotions?”

“I do. It looks like the Aquamarine is giving her absolute control of her emotions, but only the extremes.”

“Luna, what are we gonna do?” Mega Mare asked, “I can't get past her like this.”

“I don't… wait! Apple Bloom, I have an idea! Cast the Garnet Crush spell!”

“Alright,” Mega Mare said, preparing the spell like usual, “Castin spell! Garnet Crush!”

As soon as her charmed hand touched her buster gun, Garnet Crush appeared right in front of Mega Mare. He slammed his fists on the ground, sending shock waves at Hydra Shores and knocking her off balance. The quake also cracked the ice binding Mega Mare's feet, so she was able to break herself free.

Mega Mare ran toward Hydra Shores as Garnet Crush vanished, casting a Pulse Gun spell. She fired it at Hydra Shores before she could retaliate, paralyzing her. Mega Mare fired a charged shot at Hydra Shores knocking her to the ground, but Hydra Shores allowed herself to drop into the water.

“She's hurt,” Luna said, “We might be able to win this soon if we focus on using electric spells.”

“Got it,” Mega Mare said, bracing herself for Hydra Shores retaliation. She didn't know, but Hydra Shores swam around her and slowly came out of the water behind Mega Mare, crawling over to her.

Luna gasped, “Apple Bloom, behind you!”

Mega Mare turned to late as Hydra Shores knocked her into the water. Hydra Shores jumped in after her using her trident to push Mega Mare further into the water.

“It's okay Apple Bloom! This water isn't real! It's just a magical construct like everything else,” Luna said. That must have meant Mega Mare could breathe. That was good, but they had a new problem now, as Hydra Shores swam all around her slashing with her trident.

Mega Mare clashed weapons with a Wide Sword, but she couldn't move as quickly under the water. Hydra Shores on the other hand was even faster, and pushed Mega Mare back. She swam over to Mega Mare and began chocking her, glaring at her angrily.

Mega Mare cast another Pulse Gun spell, and fired it at Hydra Shores knocking her back. Mega Mare swam into the paralyzed Hydra Shores tackling her out of the water, and then jumped out herself breathing heavily.

“This bitch…” Mega Mare said, more so referring to the Mana Stone than to Hydra Shores. It was beginning to be made apparent that while she was facing Sapphire Shores' emotions, it was Aquamarine that Mega Mare was actually fighting. At least it was a fusion of the two.

Mega Mare turned to Hydra Shores, who was lying on the ground also exhausted. She slowly sat up and used her trident to support herself.

“That was pretty good kid,” Hydra Shores said, “But my concert is far from over!”

Mega Mare looked at her life bar. Hydra Shores was actually more than halfway finished. Looking in her eyes, Mega Mare could see intense sadness, and determination to control herself. Even if she defeated Hydra Shores here, Sapphire Shores would still suffer.

Still, Mega Mare had to save Sweetie Belle.

Mega Mare closed her eyes sadly, and charged up another spell, this one being her one Elec Sword spell. Hydra Shores screamed and charged at Mega Mare, but she slashed Hydra Shores just as she ran past her. Hydra Shores froze in shock as her entire body glowed white.

“No…!” Hydra Shores cried, “I can't… lose this power…!”

“I'm sorry," Mega Mare said somberly, "but I have ta put ya away.”

(end song)

Hydra Shores screamed in pain and sadness as her entire body exploded violently. Mega Mare stood up and saw a new spell appear on her visor, this one being “Hydra Shores”.

The Mana Field slowly faded away, revealing the inside of Town Hall. They were apparently in the higher floors of the building. Mega Mare turned around and saw Sapphire Shores lying on the floor, The Aquamarine next to her. Mega Mare picked it up and looked around.

“Sweetie Belle?” she called out running deeper inside. She quickly found Sweetie Belle, her wrists tied to a radiator behind her.

“Apple Bloom!” Sweetie Belle cried happily. Mega Mare smiled and ran to Sweetie Belle to untie her, and Sweetie Belle immediately embraced her savior, “I knew you could do it!”

“Glad someone believed in me,” Mega Mare said laughing a bit, “For a second there, I thought I was a goner.”

“I had absolute faith in you, Apple Bloom,” Luna said, smiling warmly.

“Thanks Luna,” Mega Mare said.

“Apple Bloom, what about Sapphire Shores?” Sweetie Belle asked, “Is she alright?”

“She wasn't awake when I ran here,” Mega Mare said, “She might be up by now though.”

They ran back to where the fight apparently took place. She was still lying on the ground, but she was fully awake, sobbing heavily. It was probably the most heartbreaking thing Mega Mare had seen in a while.

Mega Mare sighed and walked over to Sapphire Shores, kneeling next to her like she did for Pip before.

“Yer okay now,” Mega Mare said softly, “The explosion neutralized all the magic within you.”

“I'm… a horrible pony…” Sapphire Shores sobbed, “I attacked my best friend… I hurt Sweetie Belle… and I put my fans in danger… I am crazy…!”

“Miss Shores, that's not true,” Sweetie Belle said walking over to kneel next to them, “You made a mistake. I know the real you would never hurt anypony.”

“Sapphire Shores, mental illness is just as serious as any illness,” Mega Mare said helping Sapphire Shores sit up, “It don't mean yer crazy, it means yer sick,” Mega Mare took her hand, “And that's okay, it's the same as somepony havin asthma or somethin like that.”

“It is?” Sapphire Shores asked.

“I don't think any less of you for being bi-polar,” Sweetie Belle said hugging Sapphire Shores tightly, “You're a regular pony, and you're still my idol Sapphire Shores.”

“S-Sweetie Belle…” Sapphire Shores said in shock. Footsteps were heard outside the room, and the guards ran in, lead by Rarity.

“Sapphire!” Rarity cried, running up to Sapphire Shores and trading places with Sweetie Belle, embracing her tightly.

“R-Rarity?”

“I was so worried about you!” Rarity said.

“But… I locked you up!” Sapphire Shores said, “How could you be worried about me after-”

“Because you're my best friend, Sapphire,” Rarity said, “I know that the Mana Stone was the thing that made you lose control. I'll help you get the treatment you need. The right kind of treatment. That way you can still be yourself and be well.”

“Oh Rarity!” Sapphire Shores said embracing Rarity and breaking down, “Thank you! Thank you so much!”

Mega Mare smiled and stood up, walking away from the crowd.

“Um, excuse me,” Rarity said, stopping Mega Mare just as she was about to shift into the Mana Zone.

“Y-yeah…?” Mega Mare asked, only slightly turning to Rarity.

“You're Mega Mare, right?” Rarity asked standing up and walking over to Mega Mare.

“I am,” Mega Mare said, trying to lower her voice a bit to hide it.

“I don't know how you're able to control that Mana Stone you're using, but it might be dangerous. I do appreciate your help, but your life might still be in danger.”

“It's fine,” Luna said teleporting into the room in between Mega Mare and Rarity, “This one is under my protection.”

“P-Princess Luna!” Rarity said, she and the guards bowing immediately, “I had heard you were on an extended vacation!”

“I am,” Luna said, “And I'm spending that vacation helping Mega Mare. She and I have a common interest concerning the Mana Stones. Mega Mare, come.”

“R-right,” Mega Mare said, confused by Luna's sudden intervention. More and more she was wondering why Luna was so determined to stop the Mana Stones. Luna vanished back into the Mana Stone, and Mega Mare went into the Mana Zone to safely Phase Out back to the real world.

After making sure that everyone was okay, Sweetie Belle insisted on continuing the concert. It had been deemed that while Sapphire Shores did in fact use the Mana Stone of her own free will, she didn't know it was corrupted and wasn't in full control of her actions. Because of this, she was allowed to stay for the rest of the concert.

“Thank you all so much for being a great audience,” Sweetie Belle said toward the end of her concert, “Even though things got scary earlier, this day has still been a dream come true for me. And this wouldn't be possible without the help of my teacher, idol, and good friend Sapphire Shores.”

There was a loud cheer from the audience, surprising Sapphire Shores back stage.

“They… really care that much…?” she asked, more so herself than anyone next to her.

“This next and last song,” Sweetie Belle continued, “is one that Sapphire Shores herself helped me write. Because of that, I feel it wouldn't be appropriate for me to sing it alone. So I'd actually like it… if Sapphire Shores would come out and perform it with me.”

“W-what?!” Sapphire Shores asked, meeting eyes with Sweetie Belle as she motioned for her to come on stage.

“Please Miss Shores,” Sweetie Belle requested, “This isn't just my stage. It's our stage.”

Sapphire Shores smiled warmly, shedding tears of joy and walking on stage. She was met with a rousing applause, even bigger than the one that Sweetie Belle received.

“See?” Sweetie Belle said, “They still love you.”

“Thank you, Sweetie Belle,” Sapphire Shores said taking Sweetie Belle's hand into her own. Everyone got silent, and the music started.

(both)
The crescent moon, so high in this dark lonely sky,
An ocean of obsidian, tangled in the light
So make a wish now upon a shooting star
And watch it fly across the night, into the beyond

(Sapphire Shores)
If this unwritten tale, without a single word,
Could somehow own the night, the moon, only a blur

(Sweetie Belle)
The hidden masterpiece you hide where none can see
Would take to the sky like a bird set free

Tomorrow, we’ll spread our wings and find where we belong
You dream to see the world one day – Would you mind if I tag along?

Listen close, and you can hear,

as it’s suddenly drawing near

Your wish is coming true!

The crescent moon, so high in this dark lonely sky,
An ocean of obsidian, tangled in the light
So make a wish now upon a shooting star
And watch it fly across the night
Ah, until this whole dream has come to an end!

So if we lose our way because the map we drew
Is quickly blown away, lost to the desert wind

I pray a light appears to guide our drifting souls
Into an age to last a thousand years

You’ve fallen prey to desolation time and time again
But I only remember how carefree you were back then

All the things we long to hold,

as our cards begin to fold,

Appear within our reach

Let’s break away the veil of this dark and endless night
Your tears will fade into days that still lie ahead
If you could take what’s reflected in your heart,
Beyond the dawn you’d set your sight
Ah, this swift gale of wind will carry us there

My relentless beating heart burns on inside my chest
And I feel the flames growing wild

I only wish I could see – Take a glimpse into your dreams
Those clear blue eyes, like cloudless skies, gaze at a new world

We’ll break from this dark and endless night
Your tears will fade into days that still lie ahead
If you could take what’s reflected in your heart,
Beyond the dawn you’d set your sight
Ah, this swift gale of wind will carry us there

Needless to say, after that performance the crowd went crazy. Sweetie Belle and Sapphire Shores both bowed, and looked into the audience to see Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, and Rarity in the front row applauding them.

Sapphire Shores turned to Sweetie Belle, and the two of them embraced lovingly like sisters.

“You were wonderful, Sweetie Belle,” Sapphire Shores said softly to Sweetie Belle.

“Think I could be half as good as you, Miss Shores?” Sweetie Belle asked.

“Girl, you're gonna be… even better.”

The next day, Sapphire Shores actually packed up her things and stood outside of Carousel Boutique with Rarity, Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo. Behind her was a taxi.

“Are you absolutely sure about this, darling?” Rarity asked.

“I am,” Sapphire Shores said, “Before I can even think about my future, I need to get control of myself. I think I might need additional treatment along with my medicine. I found a clinic here in Ponyville that has a really good therapist.”

“Ah yes, I know the one,” Rarity said, “Fluttershy goes to see him a lot.”

“Miss Shores,” Sweetie Belle said stepping forward, “I wish you didn't have to go. I don't know if I can handle being a star on my own yet.”

“Don't worry Sweetie Belle,” Sapphire Shores placed her hands on Sweetie Belle's shoulders, “You're going to be fine. Right now, just focus on making a name for yourself here. Everything else will fall into place,” she picked up her suit case and put it in the trunk of her taxi and smirked, “Besides, once I'm back in top form, I'm gonna turn you into a super star.”

Sweetie Belle was beaming, and Scootaloo took her hand smiling at her.

“Told ya it would be okay,” Scootaloo said.

“If you happen to see Mega Mare, tell her I said thank you,” Sapphire Shores said turning to Apple Bloom, “She left before I got the chance to.”

“I'm sure she knows,” Apple Bloom said, trying her best to hide the Neutralizer in her shirt sleeve, “But if we do see her, we'll let her know.”

“Thanks,” Sapphire Shores said, winking at Apple Bloom, who stepped back a bit in shock. She didn't…

Sapphire Shores got in the taxi, and waved to them as it drove off. The four of them waved to her as the taxi left, and Rarity sighed.

“Well, I better message Twilight,” Rarity said, “She'll need to hear about this.”

“About what?” Sweetie Belle asked.

“Well, that gemstone that Sapphire Shores had was very dangerous,” Rarity said, “It isn't the only one. If my theory is correct, there are probably eight more out there, and one of them belongs to Mega Mare.”

“What do ya make out concernin her?” Apple Bloom asked, her heart racing.

“It helps that Princess Luna is with her,” Rarity said folding her arms, “But she seemed so young. Also…” Rarity slightly looked at Apple Bloom, but sighed, “It's nothing you need to worry about. Let the adults handle things.”

With that, Rarity walked inside, and Apple Bloom held up the Sapphire to talk to Luna.

“That was too close,” Apple Bloom said.

“Yes. It appears Rarity is going to talk to Twilight about our appearance,” Luna said, “We're going to have to be more careful.”

“If she tells Twilight, what's going to happen to you?” Sweetie Belle asked, “Are you going to be able to stay here with us?”

“Not just that, what about Apple Bloom?” Scootaloo added, “She's going to be okay, right?”

“I assure you, everything will be fine,” Luna said, “I'm going to think of a way out of this. For now, just take it easy. You three did wonderful dealing with Aquamarine. You deserve a rest.”

The Sapphire stopped glowing, and Apple Bloom took the Aquamarine out of her pocket looking at it.

“She said that this was her good luck charm,” Apple Bloom said, “That tells us she probably had this thing for a while.”

“I wonder where she found it,” Sweetie Belle said.

“I don't think that's too important,” Scootaloo said, “She probably found it lying on the ground and thought it was pretty.”

“I don't know Scoot,” Apple Bloom said folding her arms thinking, “Somethin feels off. I get the feelin this is actually a lot bigger than we think.”

* * * *

Unknown to the three of them, someone was in a nearby alleyway watching them. This pony had a dark coat, a super long dark mane and tail, and they were throwing a black gemstone up and down.

“Beaten by a little kid, huh?” the mare asked with a sinister smirk, “This just got interesting.”

The mare sauntered off deeper into the alleyway, still tossing the black gemstone, "I think it's time you and I officially met," she said. She was engulfed in a white light, transforming into someone wearing a super skimpy outfit like a dominatrix. She pulled out a scary looking blade and swung it, turning it into a whip and cracking it, "Don't disappoint me, Mega Mare."

Unforgivable

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Unforgivable

It was night in the area around the Castle of Friendship. Who would have thought such a pretty gem would be lying on the ground. As the figure picked it up, they heard a deep voice whispering in their head.

You are weak…

But I can give you strength…

The following morning, Twilight was as usual sitting in her office handling paper work. She didn't bother getting dressed as she wasn't going out, even though it was really sunny out. She was deep in her paper work when someone knocked on her door.

“Yes?” Twilight asked harshly.

“Princess, it's me,” Starlight Glimmer's voice said from outside the closed door. Twilight sighed.

“Come in Starlight,” Twilight said. The door opened, and Starlight stepped inside the room, wearing her usual purple suit shirt, black suit skirt, black neck tie, fishnet stockings, and black high heels. Twilight always thought she looked really nice in it.

“Princess, I finished processing the papers you gave me,” Starlight said handing Twilight a stack of papers.

“Ah, wonderful. Um, sadly I don't have anything else for you to do, so…” Twilight said.

“That's alright Princess,” Starlight said, “Actually, I was thinking you and I could go out today. They're having a special sale in Sugar Cube Corner.”

“Oh, I'm okay Starlight,” Twilight said somberly, “You can go without me. After this, I'm just going to read or… something.”

Starlight bit her lip nervously, “Princess, I…”

“Yes Starlight?” Twilight asked, not looking up at the nervous unicorn as she shuffled.

“I'm worried about you. You haven't left the castle since Appleja- Since the maiden of honesty's disappearance,” Starlight said, trembling a bit.

“Starlight…” Twilight said with a sigh, “I'm okay-”

“No you're not!” Starlight shouted suddenly, leaning close to Twilight and surprising the Princess, “Your mood hasn't improved since, and while I understand how you feel, Applejack wouldn't want you to-” Starlight caught herself and stepped back not meeting eyes with Twilight, “P-Princess, forgive me. I… overstepped my boundaries.”

Twilight couldn't help but smile looking at Starlight. Before when they met, she considered herself superior to Twilight, and in terms of raw magical abilities she was. Yet here she was now completely subservient to Twilight.

“I guess… I could go out… for a little while…” Twilight asked, “Would you… be willing to be my escort for the day?”

Starlight lit up smiling gleefully before bowing to Twilight, “Yes, Princess! It would be my honor!”

“Great. Tell Spike to handle the rest of the paper work here, and I'll go get ready, alright?” Twilight said.

“I will,” Starlight said, still with that bright smile, “I'll tell him immediately.”

Starlight walked out of the room and closed the door, but Twilight heard her giggle before skipping away. She was so obvious with her feelings. Twilight wasn't sure how she felt, but she at least thought of her as a friend, and a dear one too.

Maybe even a little more.

Starlight couldn't have been happier. Her beloved Princess was leaving the castle, and she asked her to be her escort. She spun around in the hall and then leaned against a wall, sighing happily.

“What's got you so giddy?” Spike asked walking out of his room, wearing his usual purple and white robes.

“Oh, Spike sir,” Starlight said straightening herself, “The princess has agreed to leave the castle for today, and has asked me to be her escort.”

“I see,” Spike said, clearly surprised, “I'm guessing Twilight wants me to handle the work today.”

“Y-yes,” Starlight said nervously, “That's… not a problem, is it…?” she closed her eyes tightly preparing for the worst.

Spike groaned, “Geez, I don't know who's worse. You or Fluttershy.”

“I'm… sorry…” Starlight said quietly. Her heart was racing. She didn't know when she started getting so nervous around Twilight or her friends, and she got a lot of strange looks from how submissive she was toward them, but she just couldn't bring herself to be seen as their equal.

“It's fine,” Spike said with a sigh, “I'll take care of it, just… don't start crying, okay?”

“R-right,” Starlight said calming herself down, “I'm sorry sir.”

“Sheesh, you're older than me,” Spike said more so to himself as he walked off. The truth was, she always hated not pleasing people, so the fact that she couldn't bond with Spike really saddened her, especially since he was the closest one to her beloved Princess.

She placed a hand on her chest and breathed out in relief. She was finally getting to spend an entire day with her Princess. That was everything she wanted.

“Ugh, this is not my idea of a fun weekend, Luna,” Apple Bloom fussed as she walked down Ponyville.

“I'm tired of seeing you spend your weekends inside moping,” Luna said, “Starting today, we are going to spend at least five hours each Saturday out of the house.”

“But why are we goin to Sugar Cube Corner?” Apple Bloom asked, “I hate huge crowds.”

“You need to step out of your comfort zone,” Luna stated, “Besides, we need to be on the lookout for anypony who could be chosen by a Mana Stone.”

“When are ya gonna tell me why yer so obsessed over them?” Apple Bloom asked, “Or why this Mana Stone reached out to you when I called ya?”

“Once I have enough evidence where I'm confident enough to tell you, I shall,” Luna said looking aside, “I do not wish to accuse anyone of anything until I know the whole story.”

“Of course,” Apple Bloom said rolling her eyes. She had all but given up on getting answers from the Princess of the Night. She was frustrating, but Apple Bloom had to deal with it. Luna couldn't access the Mana Zone without Apple Bloom or the Sapphire, and Apple Bloom needed Luna if she was going to find her sister.

She didn't have to like it though.

Apple Bloom looked ahead and saw a sight that was pretty typical these days. Sitting on a bench was Silver Spoon, who was focused on her light blue lap top computer. She was dressed simply, wearing a nice silver and gold dress and light blue shoes. Once these were introduced, Silver Spoon became rather obsessed with hers, always working on various projects.

“Let's invite her,” Luna said, clearly referring to Silver Spoon.

“Silver Spoon? She an' I aren't exactly close,” Apple Bloom said, “I mean, she's not bad, now that she an' Diamond Tiara changed, but she's sort of distant. She doesn't reach out to any of the students.”

“Funny, that sounds familiar,” Luna said with a knowing smirk.

“Point made,” Apple Bloom said with a sigh. She walked over to Silver Spoon and tapped her on the shoulder, “Hey… Silver Spoon. What 'cha doin?”

“Updating my blog,” Silver Spoon said curtly, never taking her eyes off her computer. Apple Bloom looked on the screen and saw it was a blog talking about “unusual phenomenon”.

And of course the main topic was Mega Mare.

“Yer a fan of hers?” Apple Bloom asked.

“You've taken a sudden interest in me,” Silver Spoon said, “This tells me that you're either trying to get something from me, or someone put you up to this, most likely Diamond Tiara.”

“N-not at all,” Apple Bloom said, “Seriously, I jus' wanted to invite ya to Sugar Cube Corner.”

“You're going?” Silver Spoon asked, “That's unusual. You hate these sort of things.”

“Yeah, well, I figured I needed to… step out of my comfort… zone…” Apple Bloom said. She could almost picture Luna trying not to laugh.

I can't stand you sometimes…

“Hm… I can appreciate that, I guess,” Silver Spoon said, “Okay then. I'll go with you.”

“G-great,” Apple Bloom said, “Let's head right on over then.”

Silver Spoon closed her laptop, put it in her back pack, and stood up walking with Apple Bloom to Sugar Cube Corner.

When they arrived at Sugar Cube Corner, Apple Bloom instantly regretted coming out today. It was so crowded, so much that Apple Bloom could barely move inside.

“Ugh…” Apple Bloom groaned, “I didn't think it would be this bad.”

“I don't know what you expected,” Silver Spoon said curtly, pulling out her cellphone, “It's crowded as is on Saturday, so you had to know that it would be this bad when you came out.”

Apple Bloom turned to Silver Spoon, “Um… what's with the phone…?”

“My phone is connected to the Mana Zone, so I can use this to update my blog,” Silver Spoon said distantly.

“Are you ever not on the internet?” Apple Bloom asked.

“Nope,” Silver Spoon said immediately, “I can't get a good signal here. I'm going to the window.”

With that Silver Spoon walked off, leaving Apple Bloom alone in the crowd. Apple Bloom sighed and held the Sapphire up.

“Ya see?” Apple Bloom said to Luna, “Ever since Twilight introduced Mana Shard machines, she's become more obsessed with technology than real life.”

“She seems sad,” Luna said, “Like she doesn't have very high expectations.”

“She sort of closed herself off after she and Diamond Tiara fell out,” Apple Bloom said, “Guess she didn't want ta open herself up to get hurt again.”

“The two of you are a lot alike,” Luna said, “I feel like you two could be good friends.”

“Probably,” Apple Bloom said turning to look at Silver Spoon, “Only problem with that is I'm friends with Diamond Tiara, an' she's doin everythin in her power to avoid her.”

“I see,” Luna said with a sigh, “We need to keep an eye on her. She might end up attracting a Mana Stone.”

“I hate to say it, but yer right,” Apple Bloom said, “Alright then, so she's one candidate.”

Apple Bloom walked through the shop as best as she could trying to get to the front counter. After a while pf being pushed and shoved she just gave up and sat down at a random table. Since she rested her head on the table, she didn't notice the pony sitting right in front of her.

“Gave up too, huh?” a high class voice said. Apple Bloom looked up and saw someone sitting in front of her that made her heart stop a bit. A gorgeous earth pony mare with a gray coat, a super long black mane and tail, and wearing a black tuxedo, white suit shirt, pink bow tie, and black high heels.

“O-Octavia Melody,” Apple Bloom said, “I am so sorry, ma'am!”

Octavia giggled, “It's no bother at all. Trust me, this is probably the best place to be right now. So, who's my companion in this crowded place?”

It took a minute for Apple Bloom to realize what she was asking.

“Um, Apple Bloom,” Apple Bloom said. Octavia's eyes went wide.

“Oh, you're that Apple Bloom, aren't you?” Octavia asked, “I… heard about what happened to your sister.”

“Y-yeah,” Apple Bloom said looking down, “Everyone keeps tellin me I need to pick myself up, but-”

“But they don't understand,” Octavia said taking Apple Bloom's hands, “When you lose someone, it's hard. Especially when you're close to them.”

Apple Bloom was really taken aback by how maternal Octavia seemed. She had heard that she was really nice, but something about her felt a bit like Applejack.

Octavia caught herself and sat back giggling, “I'm sorry Apple Bloom, I didn't mean to get so familiar. Ponies tell me all the time I need to watch myself.”

“No it's fine,” Apple Bloom said quickly, “I appreciate it. It's silly, I know, but I really miss the maternal contact. Applejack was like a mom to me, so…”

“I see,” Octavia said with a soft smile, “Right now you don't have that maternal contact, then?”

“Oh I do,” Applejack said, “Well, sort of. It ain't exactly the same. I appreciate her bein there like that, but… Miss Melody, can I ask you a question?”

“Sure Apple Bloom,” Octavia said, “What is it?”

“Is it bad that even with this other pony, I still want Applejack back so badly?” Apple Bloom asked.

“Not at all,” Octavia said, “No matter how close this other pony is to you, she can't replace your sister. Right now, you miss having that mother like figure in your life, so you cling to ponies that seem maternal. That's not bad, but you should be careful.”

“Yeah, yer right,” Apple Bloom said looking at the slightly thinner crowd, “Looks like we can get to the counter now.”

“Well, shall we?” Octavia asked standing up elegantly and then holding her hand out. Apple Bloom took her hand and the two of them walked to the front counter. The special sale was for a new pastry that Pinkie Pie had created. After Apple Bloom bought one for herself and one for Silver Spoon, she and Octavia walked back over to where Silver Spoon was sitting. Apple Bloom couldn't help but sigh.

She already had her computer set up.

“Sorry I took so long,” Apple Bloom said, “The line was insane.”

“That's okay,” Silver Spoon said not taking her eyes off the computer, “Hi cousin Melody.”

Wait. Cousin Melody?!

Octavia laughed, “How'd you know it was me, little cousin?”

“You wear the same perfume all the time,” Silver Spoon said, “And I saw you in my peripheral vision.”

“I see,” Octavia said with a laugh, “Well, I should probably get going. Apple Bloom, it was nice meeting you.”

“Yeah, nice meeting you too,” Apple Bloom said. She walked out of the shop, swishing her tail back and forth as she walked. Apple Bloom couldn't help herself. She just couldn't take her eyes off her hips.

“You are aware that she's too old for you, right?” Silver Spoon said curtly, catching Apple Bloom off guard.

“W-what made you think I was interested?” Apple Bloom asked sitting down.

“With how my cousin walks combined with your habit of looking at ponies tails when they walk, it was easy to pinpoint,” Silver Spoon said, still not looking up from her computer.

“Psst!” Luna said catching Apple Bloom's attention. She looked down and saw Luna motioning toward Silver Spoon. Apple Bloom sighed and handed her one of the pastries.

“I got ya one of the new pastries,” Apple Bloom said. Silver Spoon finally looked up from her computer in surprise.

“Y-you didn't have to do that…” Silver Spoon said.

“Well, we did come together,” Apple Bloom said, “It would be kind of silly for me to get one for myself an' not you.”

Silver Spoon looked genuinely surprised, and slowly reached for the pastry.

“Apple Bloom, I-”

“Apple Bloom!” Diamond Tiara called out running up to them, “I didn't expect to see you-” she looked at Silver Spoon shocked, “S-Silver…”

Silver Spoon's expression darkened and she shot up from her seat packing up her things.

“Thanks for the pastry,” Silver Spoon said curtly, “I'm heading home.”

“Silver Spoon…” Apple Bloom said sadly. Silver Spoon pushed past them, but Diamond Tiara ran after her grabbing her arm.

“Spoony, wait!” Diamond Tiara said, “Don't go, please!”

“Don't call me that!” Silver Spoon said yanking her arm so hard that Silver Spoon lost her balance and fell into someone carrying their food, knocking it over.

“Silver Spoon!” Apple Bloom and Diamond Tiara called out.

“Don't touch me!” Silver Spoon shouted, “You ruin everything!”

Silver Spoon ran out of the shop, and Apple Bloom turned to Diamond Tiara, who looked to be on the verge of tears.

“Diamond…”

“It's not true, is it?” Diamond Tiara asked softly, “I don't ruin everything… right Apple Bloom?”

Apple Bloom sighed, “I don't think so, Diamond. She's jus' still upset. Give her time, okay? She'll come around.”

Diamond Tiara nodded, and a unified gasp caught everyone's attention. They turned to the door and saw Starlight Glimmer walk into the shop, and next to her was none other than Princess Twilight Sparkle. She was wearing a dark purple keyhole sweater, black skirt, black leggings, and red high heels.

Apple Bloom frowned looking at her. Twilight noticed her, sighed, and walked over to her.

“Apple Bloom,” Twilight said, “I… uh…”

“Finally came out of yer castle?” Apple Bloom asked harshly.

“Y-yes. Starlight, could you maybe order for both of us?” Twilight asked her new assistant, who jumped a bit with a start before bowing to Twilight.

“Yes Princess,” Starlight said before walking off toward the counter.

“So, I see you're here with a friend too,” Twilight said, clearly trying to make small talk.

“Twilight, what do ya want?” Apple Bloom asked. Twilight was taken aback by how upfront she was, but she shook it off quickly.

“Look, I know you probably hate me for what happened to Applejack. Honestly, I hate myself too. I just want you to know that-”

“If you wanted to give me some lame apology, you can save it,” Apple Bloom said turning away, “I don't wanna hear it.”

“Apple Bloom, I-”

“Diamond, did ya order yet, or are we waitin fer a bit?” Apple Bloom asked her friend, intentionally ignoring Twilight.

“I already got my order,” Diamond Tiara said, “We can leave anytime if you want.”

“Great,” Apple Bloom took Diamond Tiara's hand and pulled her out of the shop, not looking back at Twilight at all as she left.

“Well that went as well as I expected,” Twilight said slumping into a nearby chair. A second later, Starlight returned with three of the new pastries.

“These are the pastries that the maiden of laughter created,” Starlight said, “She asked me to give you an extra one for coming out of the castle.”

“That's nice, but you can have it,” Twilight said with a sigh, “I've lost my appetite.”

“Princess, what's wrong?” Starlight asked sitting down in front of Twilight and taking her hands, “Please tell me.”

“Applejack's little sister still hates me,” Twilight said, “I've tried opening up to her and apologizing, but she feels like I killed her sister. I guess to her, I did.”

“But you didn't kill the maiden of honesty,” Starlight said, “Didn't she volunteer herself?”

“Yes she did, but I should have made sure the Mana Stones were stable,” Twilight said, “I still don't know what went wrong.”

“Princess, you are perfect,” Starlight said taking Twilight's hand and nuzzling it, “What happened last year was an accident. I'm sure one day Apple Bloom will come to understand that.”

“I hope so,” Twilight said, “Thank you Starlight.”

“I'm happy to serve you, my Princess,” Starlight said lovingly. Their relationship was an odd one, but Twilight did like it. Who would have thought that the pony who tried to destroy time and space would have become her dearest friend?

Apple Bloom and Diamond Tiara went to the park, where they found a patch of grass under a tree and sat there in silence. Apple Bloom was still trying to calm down from seeing Twilight, and Diamond Tiara seemed to have some very complicated thoughts herself.

“Do you hate her?” Diamond Tiara asked.

“I don't know,” Apple Bloom admitted, “I don't wanna say I do, but… her experiment took Applejack from me. I'm jus' not ready to forgive her yet.”

“Yeah…” Diamond Tiara sighed, “I guess some things just can't be forgiven, huh?”

“Don't go comparin yerself to Twilight,” Apple Bloom said sitting up, “My issues with Twilight are personal, but in my opinion you deserve better.”

“I do?” Diamond Tiara asked turning to Apple Bloom.

“Yer makin an honest attempt to change, an' I think your doin a great job of it,” Apple Bloom said, “The problem is, no one in the school is willin to let go of their hate.”

“Like Silver Spoon,” Diamond Tiara said somberly, “I think she still believes that all of this is an act. Like everyone else in my life who isn't named Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle or Scootaloo.”

“Well, Mega Mare sees the good in ya, right?” Apple Bloom asked.

“She was just being nice to me,” Diamond Tiara said with a sigh, hugging her knees, “Now that she's known by everyone, she'll probably forget all about me.”

“Why do ya think that?” Apple Bloom asked, “Don't ya love her or somethin?”

“I do,” Diamond Tiara said, “But she probably doesn't feel the same way. She has so many fans now, and I'm just one of them.”

“Diamond…” Apple Bloom sighed.

“I should probably head back home,” Diamond Tiara said, “If I'm not back before the sun sets, my Mom will throw a fit, and she's been really strict with me since last year.”

“Sorry to hear that,” Apple Bloom said, “If there's anythin I can do to help, let me know.”

“You've helped me immensely,” Diamond Tiara said, “Simply by being my friend,” she hugged Apple Bloom tightly, “I'll see you later, Apple Bloom.”

“Yeah, see ya Diamond Tiara,” Apple Bloom said returning the hug. She watched as Diamond Tiara left, on instinct watching her tail as it flowed with each step. Maybe she did have a tail fetish or something.

“Both of those two could end up falling prey to Mana Stones,” Luna said, her voice coming from behind the tree actually.

“Yeah, I realize,” Apple Bloom said, “It would be nice if Silver Spoon could just forgive Diamond Tiara. Sure she was horrible before, but that was the past. It's been almost a year now, and Diamond Tiara has genuinely changed.”

“Funny,” Luna said, “It's been about a year since you fell out with Twilight too.”

“Are you tryin to imply somethin?” Apple Bloom asked.

“Not at all,” Luna said, “Still, what do you wish to do about them? We might be able to prevent them from attracting a Mana Stone.”

“We might,” Apple Bloom said, “An' I know just how to do it. Come on Luna. Let's get ready!”

Luna raised an eyebrow, but she shrugged and vanished into the Sapphire. Apple Bloom shot up and ran back to Sweetie Apple Acres to prepare for the big night.

A night that Diamond Tiara wouldn't ever forget.

The Kiss

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The Kiss

As it was Saturday night, Granny Smith allowed Apple Bloom to stay out later than usual, which was perfect for what she had planned. She naturally shared this with Luna, who was understandably reluctant, but she didn't fight Apple Bloom or anything.

As such, at around nine o'clock at night, Apple Bloom stood right outside the Rich's mansion looking up at Diamond Tiara's room, Luna standing next to her.

“So you're certain about this then?” Luna asked.

“I gotta give her somethin,” Apple Bloom said, “I don't know what to do 'bout Silver Spoon yet, but I can at least give Diamond Tiara somethin to keep her spirits up.”

“It might be easier to just tell her the truth, you know,” Luna said folding her arms under her chest, “I wouldn't be opposed to it.”

“I've thought about it, but I don't know if I'm ready to tell her yet, ya know?” Apple Bloom said, “For now, I jus' wanna keep this between us, Sweetie Belle, an' Scootaloo.”

“Why though? Are you concerned that she'll be in danger? Or could it be that it's simply easier to keep her distant by keeping her out of this part of your life?”

Apple Bloom wanted to refute it, but the truth was she was keeping her distance from Diamond Tiara a bit. Not because of anything she did, but because being close to anypony like this still hurt after losing Applejack.

“Look, my reasons are my own, okay?” Apple Bloom said, “Now, let's Phase In already.”

Luna sighed, “Very well. I don't like it, but I'll support you at least.”

“Thanks,” Apple Bloom said stepping back a bit and holding up the Sapphire strapped to her wrist, “Mana Change! Mega Mare, Online!”

Apple Bloom tapped the Mana Stone and held up her wrist as Luna stood behind her with her wings spread out. Luna wrapped her wings around both of them, and they vanished from the Real World in a blue light.

After spending some time with Apple Bloom, she felt a little better. She had been in an odd depression ever since word got out that Mega Mare was seen protecting the ponies at the concert, after Sapphire Shores turned into some monster partially made of gems.

Same as Pip.

Was this an epidemic? Were more ponies getting infected? Would she get infected.

She didn't know why it bothered her so much that everyone now knew about Mega Mare. Honestly, it was better like this, right? Mega Mare could protect everyone now, especially with this being an epidemic. Still, it seemed like Mega Mare was trying to stay hidden. Could she still work now that more ponies knew about her? Would Mega Mare even remember her?

“Mega Mare…” Diamond Tiara said sitting on her bed and hugging her knees, “Are you going to forget about me now that you're a celebrity…?”

“Kind of hard to forget about you, Diamond Tiara.”

Diamond Tiara turned to her window and saw Mega Mare sitting right on her window with her arms crossed smiling, her green visor glowing in the dark and making her look really cool. Diamond Tiara couldn't believe it. Her heart was pounding out of her chest.

“Mega… Mare…” Diamond Tiara said.

“Ya really left an impression on me,” Mega Mare said.

“H-how did you know where I lived…” Diamond Tiara asked slowly.

“There's a lot of things I know about ya,” Mega Mare said getting up and walking over to Diamond Tiara, “I'm always close by, watchin over ya.”

“You are?” Diamond Tiara asked.

“That's… not an issue, is it?” Mega Mare asked.

“Oh no! Not at all!” Diamond Tiara said quickly before looking away blushing, “Actually, it's really touching that you care so much about me. I had thought that you'd probably forget me one day, or that I was just one of the many ponies you were protecting.”

“No Diamond, not at all,” Mega Mare sat down on the bed and took Diamond Tiara's hand, “Yer very important to me. Yer someone that I wanna make sure doesn't get involved with my battle.”

“You mean, make sure that I don't end up getting one of those stone things?” Diamond Tiara asked, “You never got to tell me what those are?”

“They're called Mana Stones,” Mega Mare explained, “They were made ta be conduits for the Mana Zone just like unicorn horns that could allow ponies of all types to use magic on the Princesses' level. Unfortunately, they're unstable an' can take control of the pony that uses them.”

“Your armor looks like it's made of crystal,” Diamond Tiara said running her hand along Mega Mare's armored chest, “Are you using one too?”

“I am,” Mega Mare explained, “But I have a special device that allows me to use it without losing control. Don't worry, yer perfectly safe around me.”

“I'm not scared,” Diamond Tiara said, “I'd never been scared around you, Mega Mare. I feel absolutely safe in your presence.”

“Do ya now?” Mega Mare asked.

“Mega Mare, I… I've wanted to tell you this for a while, but I… I think I might be um…”

“Might be… what exactly?” Mega Mare asked almost knowingly. Diamond Tiara looked into Mega Mare's eyes, finally able to see them through the visor. There was something familiar about them, but Diamond Tiara couldn't for the life of her figure it out. Actually, she always felt something familiar about Mega Mare. It was the reason she felt so safe around her.

Right now though, Diamond Tiara didn't care what that feeling was. All she cared about was the feeling she had building up in her chest. A feeling that if she didn't release soon, she'd burst. So she did the one thing that came to mind.

She quickly leaned in and kissed Mega Mare, right on the lips.

At first Mega Mare froze, and Diamond Tiara worried that she messed up. After a few seconds though, she felt Mega Mare wrap her arms around Diamond Tiara and relax into the kiss. They stayed like that for a good minute, eventually separating and looking into each others eyes.

“D-Diamond Tiara… I…”

“I love you, Mega Mare,” Diamond Tiara said, “I know you probably think I'm silly, saying that after we've only met three times, but I just feel so close and safe with you. I'm… sorry if I seem pushy, and if you feel uncomfortable. If you do, I can-”

“No!” Mega Mare said suddenly, “I'm not uncomfortable at all. It jus… my life is crazy at the moment, an' I don't know if I could commit to a relationship or anythin right now.”

Something about this seemed so familiar to Diamond Tiara. So much it was beginning to drive her crazy. Or was she crazy in love right now? She couldn't tell.

“That's fine,” Diamond Tiara said, “Just knowing that you're close by is enough for me. I don't have a lot of friends, as most of my peers still hate me, so knowing you care so much about me makes me happier than you could imagine.”

Mega Mare closed her eyes and smiled softly, “Well, I'm glad I can make you happy. That's all I wanted to do.”

“Could you… stay with me until I go to sleep?” Diamond Tiara asked, “I know you can't stay the whole night, but if you could just be with me while I'm awake…”

To answer her request, Mega Mare guided Diamond Tiara onto her bed, and then lied down next to her holding her close.

“I don't know how comfortable you'll be pressed up against my armor,” Mega Mare said jokingly. Diamond Tiara laughed.

“It's perfect,” Diamond Tiara said, “Your armor is surprisingly warm, and I think I can hear your heart beating. I can get perfectly comfortable like this.”

“Good,” Mega Mare said kissing Diamond Tiara softly on the forehead, “Good night, Diamond Tiara.”

“Good night… Mega Mare,” Diamond Tiara said, mere minutes before she drifted off to sleep.

“So, that girl is important to you,” the scantily clad mare said sitting on a nearby tree watching Mega Mare and Diamond Tiara lie together, “I bet I could have a blast using her then.”

The mare jumped out of the tree and vanished in a white light. She needed to share this with her employer.

When she got back home, she sat down in front of her computer resting one of her legs on the arm of her chair as she sat back seductively. With the nature of her altered state, this position came off both slutty and powerful.

The screen lit up and a shadowy figure came on the screen.

“Mistress Onyx, what do you have to report?” the figure said, their voice made deeper to hide their identity.

“Mmm, it turns out that Mega Mare has a little pet,” the woman, identified as Mistress Onyx said, “Some teenage filly that's imprinted onto her.”

“Is this girl a possible candidate for the project?” the figure on the computer asked.

“If Mega Mare wasn't keeping her so close, then yes,” Mistress Onyx said, “But as it stands, her despair is being replaced by love. Still, I can see it in the girls eyes. She's close to breaking.”

“I want her to fall into darkness,” the figure said, “We already lost both Ruby and Sapphire. We can't afford anymore mistakes.”

“So far we haven't had any issues finding ponies to use the stones,” Mistress Onyx said, “Speaking of, I planted the Amethyst where you asked. Are you sure about that one though?”

“The heart isn't as strong as it appears,” the figure said, “Trust me, they'll fall. Until then, I want you to give that girl and Mega Mare a hard time. Plant in the seed of darkness if you can.”

“I won't let you down, Heart Stone,” Mistress Onyx said before cutting the link. She then picked up her sword and licked the blade, “I can't wait to meet you in person, Mega Mare.”

Usually Sundays were days spent either at the clubhouse or exploring Ponyville to find ponies that needed guidance knowing their special talents. It felt good knowing that they were helping ponies discover what they were good at, and the idea that the three of them got their Cutie Marks at the same time was a memory they would always cherish.

Today they were all meeting in the clubhouse. Sweetie Belle had of course gone to Apple Bloom's place to pick her up, but was surprised to find that Apple Bloom had already gone to the clubhouse. Maybe this whole Mega Mare thing was good for Apple Bloom.

“I keep telling you that this is a good thing,” Scootaloo said to Sweetie Belle as they walked to the clubhouse, “Apple Bloom is starting to liven up again.”

“I guess,” Sweetie Belle said nervously.

“Okay, what's wrong Sweetie Belle?” Scootaloo asked, “You've been acting funny since the Sapphire Shores incident.”

“It's just… I'm scared for Apple Bloom,” Sweetie Belle said, “Aren't you worried about her?”

“Not really,” Scootaloo said resting her hands on the back of her head, “I mean, she's Mega Mare, champion of justice.”

“No Scootaloo,” Sweetie Belle scolded, “She's Apple Bloom, and she could die out there,” Sweetie Belle folded her arms and sighed, “I wish we could do more for her.”

“What? You mean like… us fighting too?”

“Maybe not directly fighting,” Sweetie Belle said, “But it would be nice to be able to do something to take the load off of Apple Bloom and Luna.”

“Hm…” Scootaloo closed her eyes thoughtfully, “Yeah, I hear you. She may be the one fighting, but she's still our friend. Hey, think we could find a Mana Stone?”

“Well…” Sweetie Belle said, “If I take a look at one of the Mana Stones we already found, I might be able to create a means of tracking the other's down. Let's talk to Apple Bloom and Luna about it.”

When they got into the clubhouse, they found Apple Bloom lying on the floor looking up at the ceiling in a daze. She didn't look sad or anything, just out of it.

“Um… Apple Bloom?” Sweetie Belle asked.

“She might not be much good today,” Luna said behind them. They saw her sitting on a chair reading a book, “She's been like this all morning.”

“Ooh boy, I know that look,” Scootaloo said walking over to Apple Bloom and knelt down next to her, “You had a moment with Diamond Tiara didn't you?”

“Oh, what a moment it was,” Apple Bloom said softly, “Guys, we got a major problem.”

“Is Diamond Tiara still obsessing over Mega Mare?” Sweetie Belle asked.

“She ain't jus' obsessin over her,” Apple Bloom said, “She's head over heels in love with her. With… me.”

“So, why not tell her that you're Mega Mare?” Sweetie Belle asked as if it were obvious.

“That's what I asked,” Luna said airily, not looking up from her book.

“It's not that simple guys,” Scootaloo chimed in, “Super Hero 101, you don't rush into revealing your secret identity, not even to the one you love.”

“Still not a super hero, Scootaloo,” Apple Bloom said. Scootaloo ignored her and continued her rant.

“Besides, at this point telling Diamond Tiara would only make her uncomfortable. Who knows how deep her feelings go, or what happened last night,” Scootlaoo turned to Apple Bloom, “What did happen last night?”

“Oh you know,” Luna said, “Apple Bloom and Diamond sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-” Luna was cut off by Apple Bloom throwing a pillow at her face.

“That's enough outta you,” Apple Bloom fussed.

“Apologies Master,” Luna said submissively, “I meant not to displease you. Shall I assume the position for my punishment?”

“Goddamn it Luna!” Apple Bloom shouted. Luna fell out of the chair laughing so hard, but Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo looked at Apple Bloom in shock.

“Um… the part where she said you and Diamond Tiara were… you know…” Sweetie Belle asked, “That's just her joking too, right?” Apple Bloom's sigh told her everything she needed to know, “Apple Bloom, come on!”

“She was depressed, alright?” Apple Bloom shot up and started pacing around the room, “We had jus' run into Silver Spoon, an' somethin she said upset Diamond. I jus' wanted to give her somethin ta make her smile, so I transformed into Mega Mare an' paid her a visit. How was I supposed to know she'd plant one on me?”

“Apple Bloom, Mega Mare saved her life!” Sweetie Belle said walking up to Apple Bloom, “How could she not be infatuated with her!”

“I know it was silly,” Apple Bloom said, “An' I'm startin ta feel like it wasn't a smart idea, but I had ta do somethin. Otherwise she'd end up attractin a Mana Stone, an' I don't wanna fight Diamond Tiara.”

“Look, I'm not sure whether this was okay or not,” Scootaloo said, “But we have other things to talk about, remember?”

Sweetie Belle sighed, “Right. I was wondering if I could borrow one of the Mana Stones.”

“Oh?” Luna asked raising an eyebrow, “Why?”

“Well, you and Apple Bloom are doing all the fighting, but I want to help too. I figure if I can look at the magical signature of one of the deactivated Mana Stones I can use that to track down any other Mana Stones before they find hosts.”

Luna looked really nervous for some reason, but she relented and walked over to the loose floorboard that they used to hide the Mana Stones and handed Sweetie Belle Aquamarine.

“This one still has a little energy,” Luna said, “I don't think it can directly connect to the Mana Zone anymore, but you should be able to figure out what you need with it.”

“Thank you,” Sweetie Belle said, “I think I need to take this home so I can work on my computer.”

“I ain't feelin up for crusadin today anyway,” Apple Bloom said, “I think I'm gonna go for a walk or somethin.”

“That's fine. Scootaloo, you want to come with me?” Sweetie Belle asked.

“Sure,” Scootaloo said, “If you figure out how to track down the Mana Stone, I can search for it on my scooter.”

“I thank you all for your help,” Luna said, “This truly means a lot to me.”

“You're our friend too, Luna,” Scootaloo said, “You helped us a bunch of times. It's only fair that we help you.”

“Take it easy Apple Bloom,” Sweetie Belle said, “If you need anything, we have our phones.”

“Thanks,” Apple Bloom said pushing past them and walking out of the clubhouse. Luna sighed and followed after her, turning into blue mist as she vanished into the Sapphire. When they were gone, Sweetie Belle looked down at the Aquamarine curiously.

“Did Luna seem a little… odd just now?” Sweetie Belle asked.

“When you asked her if we could borrow the Mana Stone? A bit, yeah,” Scootaloo said, “She seemed nervous or something.”

“She still won't say why she wants to find these things so badly,” Sweetie Belle said, “I don't want to doubt the Princess, but I'm really beginning to think Apple Bloom's in a lot more danger than we thought.”

The Onyx Dominatrix

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The Onyx Dominatrix

Once they got back to the castle, Twilight holed herself up in her room and locked it. Starlight was worried as she didn't come down for dinner. She figured that she'd be okay by tomorrow and then they could talk.

But when Starlight approached the princess' door, she was saddened to see that it was still locked.

“Princess, please open up,” Starlight begged, “I'm… I'm scared for you. Please…” Starlight teared up a bit, realizing that she wasn't going to come out. She walked away from the door wiping her eyes, bumping into someone and falling to the ground.

“Ah!” Starlight cried.

“Watch where you're going,” Spike groaned. Starlight flinched at the sound of his voice.

“S-sorry Sir,” Starlight said softly, still on her knees and not meeting Spike's eyes. Spike groaned and took her hand.

“How's Twilight?” Spike asked pulling Starlight to her feet.

“I… think she was more upset about Apple Bloom than I thought,” Starlight said, “I can hear her moving in there, but she won't come out or even talk.”

“It's not just Apple Bloom,” Spike said, “Applejack was Twilight's best friend. She was everyone's best friend, and her being gone…” Spike clenched his fist looking pained.

“W-what can I do…?” Starlight asked, “How can I help-”

“You've done enough for now,” Spike cut her off, shocking Starlight.

“O-oh… I see…” Starlight said looking down sadly. Spike walked past her, stopping a bit behind her.

“I've known Twilight for years. Let me take care of her. If you want to help, take care of Twilight's errands in town,” Spike said.

“Understood…” Starlight said somberly. When Spike left, she ran out of the castle, falling to her knees and crying. She hated how useless she was. All of this was ultimately her fault, as she was the one who asked Twilight to come outside. All she wanted was to be by her princess' side, but whenever she got closer to her, she made things worse.

Her princess probably hated her now. Starlight sure hated herself.

Apple Bloom was also silent for the rest of the day, but for a completely different reason. She had quite a bit on her mind concerning Diamond Tiara. That kiss wasn't as unappealing as she thought it'd be. In fact, Apple Bloom found herself imagining the two of them kissing again, but this time her as herself. As she walked through Ponyville, she looked up at the sky fantasizing.

“You're still thinking about her, aren't you?” Luna asked from the Sapphire.

“I can't not think about her. Not just the kiss, but how peaceful she looked lyin next to me,” Apple Bloom said, “I haven't seen her that happy in a long time.”

“But knowing that Mega Mare was the one make you feel funny,” Luna said. Apple Bloom stopped and looked at the Sapphire.

“I ain't jealous of Mega Mare or anythin. That'd be silly, seein how I am Mega Mare.”

“I didn't think that,” Luna said, “But there is an easy fix to this. Just tell her the truth.”

“I can't tell her now!” Apple Bloom said, “Can you imagine how she'll feel knowin that I was the one in her room? That I was the one she kissed?”

“Touched. Loved. Even safer knowing that her hero is always right there.”

“I'm tellin you, she'd freak out. Sides, I already said that I didn't want her involved in this, an' once she knows she'll be involved. This is for her safety.”

“Hm… hers? Or yours?” Luna asked folding her arms.

Apple Bloom was going to say something to that, but stopped when she felt someone tap her shoulder. She turned around and actually saw Diamond Tiara smiling behind her.

Apple Bloom didn't know if she should be happy or devastated by this twist of fate.

“D-Diamond? Yer lookin in brighter spirits,” Apple Bloom said.

“Hi Apple Bloom,” Diamond Tiara said beaming, “I am. Something happened last night, and I have to share this with someone.”

“What happened?” Apple Bloom asked, trying to sound oblivious. Diamond Tiara giggled.

“I saw Mega Mare. She came to me last night. Apple Bloom… I can't believe this, but I… I think she loves me.”

Apple Bloom's eyes went genuinely wide. She did not think it would go this far. Inside the Sapphire, Luna rubbed the bridge of her nose taking a deep breath.

“I knew this was a bad idea…” Luna said, careful to not let her voice be channeled.

Sitting on a nearby porch, the scantily clad mare smirked watching Apple Bloom and Diamond Tiara.

“I know just how to fix you,” she said licking her lips, “Just have to show you how serious this game is.”

“So… what's got ya thinkin Mega Mare is in love with ya?” Apple Bloom asked Diamond Tiara after they sat down in Sugar Cube Corner.

“Okay, last night she appeared in my room,” Diamond Tiara started, “She was telling me how she's always watching over me, and when I kissed her-”

“Hold on, you what?!” Apple Bloom asked.

“I know! I know! It was stupid, but I couldn't help myself!” Diamond Tiara pouted, “I just felt so safe with her there. But when we kissed, she didn't pull away from me. Actually, after a second she pulled me in closer.”

Did she? Apple Bloom didn't remember all the details.

“Apple Bloom, I haven't felt like this in ages,” Diamond Tiara said, “I'm actually really happy.”

“But y'all can't be tagether, right?” Apple Bloom asked.

“That's sad, but I understand,” Diamond Tiara said, “She told me that more of those gemstones would appear, and they might hurt more ponies. Oh Apple Bloom, I wish I could help her.”

“I-I'm sure she's fine though,” Apple Bloom said, “She's already taken out two of those things, right?”

“Were you there?” Diamond Tiara asked, “I didn't see you at the school during Pip's attack. I looked for you.”

“What? Ya didn't see me? I was there,” Apple Bloom defended, trying her hardest to come up with an excuse, “I was jus… in the middle of all the commotion is all. It was crazy there.”

“Yeah, that's true,” Diamond Tiara said thinking, “Hey Apple Bloom, there's something I wanted to tell you, besides Mega Mare's visit.”

“What's up?” Apple Bloom asked.

“About Princess Twilight,” Diamond Tiara said nervously, “Apple Bloom, I really feel you should-” she was cut off by a scream coming from the counter, “What's that?”

“I don't know,” Apple Bloom said. They looked and saw two patrons in the front having a horribly violent argument. At the same time, more patrons around them were beginning to get fired up as if reacting to their fight.

“It's one of those monsters!” Diamond Tiara cried, “It's a virus!”

Apple Bloom tapped the Sapphire and pointed to her eyes, which she then closed. When she opened them, they looked like Luna's eyes and she saw the whole place infested with viruses.

“What the hell?” Apple Bloom asked.

“Mega Mare will come,” Diamond Tiara said, “She's always watching over me, so she has to see this.”

“Well I say we don't wait up,” Apple Bloom said taking Diamond Tiara's hand, “Let's get goin!”

Diamond Tiara blushed a bit as Apple Bloom pulled her out of the shop. Outside, Apple Bloom felt their environment shift around them, just like it did in the school.

“What's going on?!” Diamond Tiara asked fearfully.

“It's jus' like the school!” Apple Bloom said.

“Psst! Apple Bloom!” Luna called out quietly from the Sapphire. Apple Bloom turned away from Diamond Tiara and held the Sapphire close.

“What's up Luna?” Apple Bloom asked softly.

“This phenomenon can only be caused by a Mana Stone or powerful virus. We have to get Diamond to safety and then Phase In.”

“Right,” Apple Bloom whispered, “Come on Diamond!”

Diamond Tiara nodded and followed Apple Bloom through town. Ponies everywhere looked around in confusion and fear, some even being attacked by viruses. Apple Bloom looked to Diamond Tiara's side and saw a virus shaped like a ghostly knight holding a sword rush toward her.

“Look out!” Apple Bloom shouted. She pulled Diamond Tiara away and then kicked the virus back. Since she wasn't transformed it didn't really hurt it, but it did at least push it back.

“Where can we go?!” Diamond Tiara asked, “How can we get out of here?!”

“Hrm… I don't know,” Apple Bloom said turning to the Sapphire, “Any ideas Luna?”

“Viruses cannot manifest in areas with low a low Mana count or are protected by alicorn level magic,” Luna said.

“That means the castle,” Apple Bloom said, a little louder than she planned.

“What?” Diamond Tiara asked, “Were you talking to me just now?”

“Um… I was sayin we should head to the castle,” Apple Bloom said, “We should be safe there.”

“Good idea,” Diamond Tiara said, “Lead the way.”

Apple Bloom nodded, once again taking Diamond Tiara's hand and guiding her to the castle. On the way, three shock waves charged at them, forcing them to fall away from each other.

“Apple Bloom!” Diamond Tiara cried as three Mettaurs walked over to Apple Bloom. These were red instead of the normal yellow.

“Keep goin!” Apple Bloom said, “The castle is right down that road! I'll catch up with ya!”

“No! I don't want to leave you alone!” Diamond Tiara said, “You could get hurt!”

“I'll be fine, but I don't want you gettin hurt!” Apple Bloom said. She was so focused she didn't notice the surprised look on Diamond Tiara's face.

“W-what…?” Diamond Tiara asked.

“Get goin! I'll protect ya!”

Diamond wordlessly nodded, rose to her feet, and ran off, taking one last look at Apple Bloom. Once she was certainly alone, Apple Bloom held up her wrist.

“Luna, can you find the thing that caused this?” Apple Bloom asked.

“I'm trying. I can tell that where it is though, it's watching us,” Luna said, “We have no choice but to transform here.”

“I don't like doin this out in the open like this, but alright,” Apple Bloom said, “Mana Change! Mega Mare, Online!”

Apple Bloom tapped the Sapphire and held her wrist above her head. Luna appeared behind her and wrapped her wings around both of them, and they vanished in a blue light.

~Transformation Scene~

Apple Bloom held her arm out as blue energy shot out of the gem. Suspended in mid air, she spun around as her clothes all magically vanished off her now glowing body.

~End Transformation~

Right where Apple Bloom vanished, another blue light shot down, and Mega Mare materialized on one knee. She rose to her feet and got in a fighting stance, scanning the new looking Mettaurs. Her visor read them as the same type of virus, but said Lvl 2.

“Apple Bloom, we must take these out quickly,” Luna said, “We have to find the Mana Stone before ponies get hurt.”

“Right, I got ya,” Mega Mare said, “Let's do this!”

“All limiters released!” Luna said.

“Ready!” Mega Mare shouted.

The Mettaur in the middle charged at Mega Mare with its pickax, but she rolled out of the way and fired her buster gun at one of the other two. Oddly, it lowered its hat to hide inside, and the attack reflected off.

“Hold on! They never did that before!” Mega Mare cried. The third Mettaur sent a shock wave at Mega Mare, and she fell back taking more damage than usual.

“These viruses are at a higher level than the normal ones,” Luna said, “That appears to give them higher intelligence.”

“Now she tells me,” Mega Mare groaned rising to her feet, “So we have ta change our tactics a bit. Got it. Could ya prepare a fast spell?”

“With their position, I believe the Shot Gun Spell would be best. Time it just right and we should be able to take out two of them.”

“Then I'll move them into position,” Mega Mare said. One of the Mettaurs slammed its pickax, but she jumped into the air and fired a charged shot at it. It blocked, but the shot pushed it back a bit.

“I've prepared a Pulse Gun first,” Luna said, “Use this to paralyze the one in the back.”

“I see your plan,” Mega Mare said. The Mettaur behind the other two opened its hat and prepared to fire, but Mega Mare cast the spell, turning her buster gun into a Pulse Gun and firing at the virus. While it was paralyzed, one of the other two moved in front of it and prepared to attack.

“Now!” Luna ordered.

“Castin Spell! Shot Gun!” Mega Mare shouted, firing at the Mettaur in front of it. The blast destroyed the one in front and then exploded behind to kill the paralyzed one. Mega Mare was about to turn to the final one, but it charged at her and slashed with its pickax. She blocked with her arm, and then punched it back.

“Y'all are annoyin!” Mega Mare said charging up her buster gun. She fired her charged shot right before it could hide inside of its hat, destroying it.

“Finished,” Mega Mare said, “Now let's find-” a high pitched scream caught her attention, “That's Diamond Tiara!”

“Move Apple Bloom!” Luna shouted. Mega Mare nodded and ran in the direction of the castle. She saw what appeared to be two knight viruses using their swords to imprison Diamond Tiara. She apparently didn't get to the castle, as it was still far in the distance.

“Diamond Tiara!” Mega Mare shouted.

“Mega Mare! Help me!” Diamond Tiara cried.

“Don't worry!” Mega Mare said pointing her buster gun forward, “I'll get ya outta-" she was cut off by a familiar alarm going off.

WARNING

Something sharp like a bladed whip hit Mega Mare and knocked her back.

“Can't let you do that, Mega Mare,” a high, sultry voice said. As Mega Mare sat up, she saw someone saunter in front of Diamond Tiara.

This mare had a gray coat, long black mane and matching tail that shimmered in the light. She wore a black armored leotard with straps in the front, accentuating her perfect bust and hips, black fishnet stockings strapped to the bottom of the leotard, black armored high heeled boots, black gloves, and a black and red mask over her eyes. She also wore blood red lipstick and black eye shadow behind her mask. She looked like a dominatrix, swaying her hips and tail with each step, and holding a terrifying looking broad sword in her hands almost like a bat.

“Who the hell?” Mega Mare asked rising to her feet.

“That pony is using a Mana Stone!” Luna exclaimed.

“A Mana Stone?!” Mega Mare cried, “Listen, ya gotta get rid of that thing! It's unstable an' could-” she was cut off as the dominatrix gave a high, haughty laugh that screamed superiority.

“Oh how adorable! Wanting to play the hero and save me like you saved those other two? Well, you'll be disappointed to know that won't work on little old me,” she swung her sword above her head slowly, swaying her hips as if dancing. She then swung her sword down, changing it into a bladed whip, “My name is Mistress Onyx, and my employer gave me orders to attack you.”

“Careful Apple Bloom, there is something different about this opponent,” Luna warned.

“Different?” Mega Mare asked.

“I am not sure what it is I am sensing, but be on your guard. All limiters released!”

Mega Mare shook her head and got in a fighting stance, “Ready!”

boss theme

Mega Mare fired at Mistress Onyx, but she slashed it away with her whip. She then thrust her sword forward, and the blade extended over to Mega Mare wrapping around her neck.

Mistress Onyx pulled Mega Mare over to her, turned around, and threw Mega Mare over her shoulder. Mistress Onyx did an elegant back flip away from Mega Mare and retracted her sword.

Mega Mare cast a Cannon Spell and fired at Mistress Onyx, who continuously flipped away from the attacks. Once she ran out of ammunition, Mega Mare rushed at Mistress Onyx with a Long Sword. She and Mistress Onyx clashed blades, and Mega Mare looked into Mistress Onyx's eyes.

Something about those eyes were different than Pips and Sapphire Shores' eyes when they were under the influence of the Mana Stones.

“You've got a little skill,” Mistress Onyx said, “But you're still too aggressive. Your inexperience shows.”

“You sound like you've been doin this fer a while,” Mega Mare said through gritted teeth, annoyed by Mistress Onyx's haughty laugh.

“I'm what you'd call a Mana Stone veteran,” Mistress Onyx said, “Like I said, I'm way out of your league, child.”

Mistress Onyx pushed Mega Mare back. She then shot her blade whip into the ground, and it shot out in front of Mega Mare knocking her further back. Mega Mare jumped high into the air, flipped, and fired her charged shot at Mistress Onyx.

This time, she spun around like a ballerina letting her whip flail freely around her defending herself. When Mega Mare landed, Mistress Onyx held her whip over her shoulders, spun around, and slashed quickly doing massive damage to Mega Mare, her blade engulfed in dark red flames.

“AUGH!!!” Mega Mare screamed falling to her knees.

“Mega Mare, no!” Diamond Tiara cried.

end boss theme

Mistress Onyx sauntered over to Mega Mare as she rose to her knees, wrapped her blade whip around her neck, and put her high heeled boot on her back pulling Mega Mare's neck up with the whip.

“Come on Mega Mare! Scream for me!” Mistress Onyx ordered with a manic smile, “The sound of your suffering would be music to my ears!”

Mega Mare gritted her teeth, eventually forced to cry out in pain. As soon as she did, Mistress Onyx cried out in ecstasy and released her. She walked over Mega Mare's body and grabbed her by the neck lifting her up.

“Oh! I love it! I love you Mega Mare!” Mistress Onyx said, “I haven't heard a scream like yours in so long!”

“Let her go!” Diamond Tiara ordered, catching Mistress Onyx's attention, “Leave her alone, you… you… you filthy slut!”

“Oooh, someone has a mouth on them,” Mistress Onyx said. She let Mega Mare fall to the ground and sauntered over to Diamond Tiara, but Mega Mare grabbed her leg stopping her.

“I'm… your… opponent!” Mega Mare said.

“Patience pet. Mommy will get back to you in a bit,” Mistress Onyx cooed. She kicked Mega Mare away and walked over to Diamond Tiara, her hips swaying side to side with each step. She leaned forward in front of Diamond Tiara and cupped her cheeks with her hand.

“Aren't you precious?” Mistress Onyx said licking her lips, “Even now, you're so defiant. You're my favorite kind of pony to break.” In an act of true defiance, Diamond Tiara spit right in Mistress Onyx's face.

Taken aback, she wiped her face and looked at Diamond Tiara in shock, “I… was not expecting that. I will admit, you surprised me. But now,” she grabbed Diamond Tiara by the mane tightly and then held her blade to the poor filly's neck, “I'm going to have to punish you.”

“Apple Bloom, rise up!” Luna urged, “Diamond Tiara is in danger!”

“Damn it…!” Mega Mare attempted to rise, but she fell to the ground again, “Diamond, no!”

“MEGA MARE!!!” Diamond Tiara screamed. Mistress Onyx raised her blade to strike, but stopped when they heard something.

A harmonica.

“What in the world…?” Mistress Onyx asked. A second later, a red light shot down from her side, materializing the last pony anyone expected to see.

“Let them go!” Proto Mare ordered, her blade arm over her shoulder and her shield activated. Mega Mare looked up at Proto Mare a little confused.

“Proto… Mare…?” Mega Mare asked. Why was she here? And why did she hear that harmonica first? That sounded like…

“Ooh, Ruby's user,” Mistress Onyx said releasing Diamond Tiara and turning to Proto Mare, “You're someone else I wanted to meet.”

“Leave the kids outta this!” Proto Mare demanded, “They got nothin ta do with us!”

“I beg to differ,” Mistress Onyx said pointing her blade at Mega Mare, “This one here has a Mana Stone just like us. That makes her involved.”

“Her havin that stone is an accident,” Proto Mare said, “She's not supposed ta be involved in any of this. Now I ain't askin ya ta leave,” Proto Mare charged up her blade, “I'M DEMANDING IT!!!”

She slashed the air, sending a sharp shock wave at Mistress Onyx who jumped back. Proto Mare wasted no time, charging at Mistress Onyx and slashing wildly. Unlike Mega Mare, she seemed to be able to fight Mistress Onyx on even footing.

While they fought, Mega Mare charged up her buster gun and fired at the knights, deleting them. Diamond Tiara ran over to Mega Mare's side helping her up.

“Mega Mare! Are you okay?!” Diamond Tiara asked.

“I'm fine,” Mega Mare said, “Thanks.”

“I'm sorry Mega Mare,” Diamond Tiara said sadly, “I got captured, and because of that you got hurt.”

“No Diamond, none of this is your fault,” Mega Mare said, “Don't blame yourself for this.”

Mega Mare turned to the violent fight before them. Diamond Tiara helped her raise her buster gun, and she charged it, firing at Mistress Onyx's back. Mistress Onyx turned to Mega Mare and Diamond Tiara enraged.

“You just don't know when to quit, do you?!” she shouted, “I'll rip all of you apart!”

Proto Mare used this opportunity to charge up her Proto Saber. She then instantly appeared behind Mistress Onyx and slashed wildly at her, taking huge chunks of health from her life bar. When she was done, Mistress Onyx fell to her knees.

“Looks like I lost this fight,” Mistress Onyx said, “But that's alright. I think I made my point,” she looked at Mega Mare and smiled sensually, “I can't wait for our next fight, Mega Mare. It will be just as wonderful as this one.”

She vanished in a white light. Mega Mare breathed out in relief and then stood up, walking over to Proto Mare.

end song

“Thanks,” Mega Mare said, “You really came through jus'-”

“What the hell are you doin?!” Proto Mare asked turning to Mega Mare, probably glaring at her through her black visor.

“W-what…?” Mega Mare asked.

“I told you… to stay outta this!” Proto Mare said putting her hands on Mega Mare's shoulders, “This isn't a game! You could seriously die!”

“I'm sorry…” Mega Mare said, tearing up again for some reason, “I just wanted to help…”

“If you wanna help, then stay outta this fight,” Proto Mare said, “Don't come into the Mana Zone anymore, and never, never fight again. Please.”

With that, Proto Mare turned her back to Mega Mare and vanished in a red light. Something about Proto Mare just seemed so familiar, and the way she spoke to her just now. It wasn't possible. Proto Mare couldn't be…

“Mega Mare?” she heard behind her. Mega Mare turned to see Diamond Tiara shuffling nervously, “I don't know what's going on, and it's not any of my business, but I appreciate you being here to protect me.”

“Diamond…” Mega Mare said, her heart racing again, this time for a completely different reason.

“If you want me to stay away from you though, I will,” Diamond Tiara said sadly, “I… don't want to leave you, but if you want me to go away, then…”

“No!” Mega Mare said immediately taking Diamond Tiara's hands, “Don't go away. I need you.”

“H-how though?” Diamond Tiara asked, “I can't do anything to help.”

“But you do help me though. You help me by jus' lovin me. Don't stop Diamond. Please don't stop.”

“M-Mega Mare…” Diamond Tiara teared up looking into Mega Mare's eyes, “Could we… kiss again?”

This time, Mega Mare pulled Diamond Tiara closer to her and kissed her softly on the lips. She knew that this might not have been the best idea, but right now she needed the closeness.

After giving Diamond Tiara an excuse that she could feel comfortable with, Apple Bloom walked her back to her mansion and then started making her way back home. She didn't say anything to anyone when she came in, and just stayed in her room for the rest of the day.

At night, Luna walked into the room after taking her shower, now wearing her usual tank top and panties that she wore as sleepwear. Apple Bloom on the other hand sat on her window looking out at the orchard.

“Is something on your mind, Apple Bloom?” Luna asked.

“Luna, you said that Proto Mare is workin for Sombra, right?” Apple Bloom asked. Luna sighed folding her arms.

“I assume you realize it then,” Luna said.

“So it's true,” Apple Bloom said, “Proto Mare is… Applejack.”

“It's highly possible,” Luna said, “However, there are quite a few things that don't add up. Where has she been all this time? Why doesn't she ever stay? And why is she working with King Sombra?” Luna sat down on the bed, “There are many things we do not understand yet. Even still, I plan on fighting.”

“Why though?” Apple Bloom asked, “What's so important about these stones?”

“I wish I could tell you Apple Bloom,” Luna said, “However, I can't just say anything without more evidence.”

“Can't ya at least give me a bit?” Apple Bloom asked, “I'm sorry, but I need somethin. I'm getting real scared an' confused, an' that Mistress Onyx mare is right at the top. You need me to fight, but if I'm going to keep going, I need more than jus' 'it'll all make sense soon'.”

Luna closed her eyes, considering something, “I suppose that's fair. Very well, I'll tell you. For some reason, those stones have the same magical signature as me.”

“What does that mean?” Apple Bloom asked turning to Luna completely.

“A unicorn's horn has the magical signature of the pony it's connected to,” Luna explained, “It is how the horn is able to connect to the Mana Zone and take form based on the pony's individual DNA. The Mana Stones are like artificial unicorn horns that can be used by anypony.”

“So yer sayin that the Mana Stones act like they're connected to you?” Apple Bloom asked, “That explains how the Sapphire connected to you.”

“I do not know how they gained my magical signature, but that is why I must act. There is more to this, but for now this is all I can offer you.”

“It's enough,” Apple Bloom said, “Alright, I'll keep helpin ya.”

“Thank you Apple Bloom,” Luna said, “I appreciate your help.”

Apple Bloom smiled slightly and walked over to the bed, sitting down next to Luna and taking her hand. It felt nice being so close to Luna. Sure, she was a bit of a nag, but she was still very nice.

“By the way, what do ya make of Mistress Onyx?” Apple Bloom asked, “She was terrifyin.”

“Yes she was,” Luna said, “She was different than the beings created by Garnet and Aquamarine.”

“How though?” Apple Bloom asked Luna, “Did ya sense somethin off of her?”

“Actually, it was what I didn't sense,” Luna said, “You see, when the other two Mana Stones took over Pip and Sapphire Shores, I sensed the magic of the stone consuming the pony possessed. It was more like the Mana Stone was using the pony to manifest.”

“But what about Mistress Onyx?”

“In the case of her though, I didn't sense the Mana Stone consuming her. Instead, it felt more like she and the Mana Stone had truly become one. That could only mean one thing.”

“W-what exactly?” Apple was terrified of the answer, and the grave sigh Luna gave didn't help.

“It would mean, that despite not using a neutralizer, that mare was in perfect control of her actions. Apple Bloom, she wasn't controlled by Onyx. She was… as scary as it is, just evil.”

Forgiveness

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Forgiveness

The next day, things went back to normal for the most part for Apple Bloom. She didn't tell anyone about Applejack being Proto Mare simply because she wasn't one hundred percent sure. It definitely seemed like Applejack, but why would she ally herself with King Sombra?

And why didn't she ever stay?

At school, Apple Bloom didn't pay too much attention. She looked over at Diamond Tiara, who also seemed to be in a daze of some sort, twirling her mane in her fingers. Both Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo looked at them in confusion, and once school let out they immediately went over to Apple Bloom.

“Alright, spill it,” Scootaloo said slamming her hands on Apple Bloom's desk, “What's going on with you and Diamond Tiara?”

“Please don't tell me Diamond Tiara wants to marry Mega Mare now,” Sweetie Belle groaned, “That would just be taking this whole thing way too far.”

“If you ask me, it's already gone too far,” Luna said.

Apple Bloom sighed, “That's part of it, but that's not the only thing that's wrong. Girls, I was attacked by a pony usin a Mana Stone yesterday.”

“What?!” Sweetie Belle cried looking Apple Bloom over, “Are you hurt?! Is Luna alright?!”

“Calm down,” Apple Bloom said pushing Sweetie Belle away softly, “We're both fine. The fight was jus… odd though.”

“Odd how?” Scootaloo asked as they walked out of the classroom to their lockers.

“Well, for one thing, the pony that attacked us wasn't bein controlled,” Apple Bloom explained, “Accordin ta Luna, she was in complete control of her actions.”

“That is correct,” Luna said, “Mistress Onyx was somehow able to utilize the power of the Mana Stone Onyx without it consuming her will.”

“Maybe she's using a Neutralizer like Apple Bloom,” Scootaloo said.

“I doubt it. Her powers were too great and specialized. Even in our fight I doubt she was using her full power.”

“Sides, I saw it in her eyes,” Apple Bloom leaned against her locker as Sweetie Belle opened hers and got packed, “When Pip an' Miss Shores were infected, they seemed more manic. Mistress Onyx though, she knew what she was doin. She jus' wanted ta fight an' torture Mega Mare.”

“Oh my God, Apple Bloom,” Sweetie Belle hugged Apple Bloom tightly, “This is getting too dangerous. I really don't think you should-”

“I have ta keep goin,” Apple Bloom said, “Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo, durin the fight Proto Mare showed up, an' right before she did, I… I heard a harmonica playin.”

“A harmonica?” Scootaloo asked, “What does that mean?”

Apple Bloom let go of Sweetie Belle and looked down somberly, “It means that… Proto Mare is… Applejack.”

“Whoa! Hold on, what?!” Sweetie Belle asked slamming her locker closed, “Apple Bloom, that's not-”

“But she played the same song Applejack always played!” Apple Bloom said, “Also, she's super protective of me, an' every time I'm near her, I feel funny.”

“Well this is great news then!” Scootaloo cheered, “Sweetie Belle, if Proto Mare is Applejack, she'll look out for Apple Bloom, and even help her take on Mistress Onyx.”

“I'm afraid that it is more complicated than that,” Luna said gravely, “Proto Mare is still allied with King Sombra, and being so close to her while she fought I could feel his magic from her attacks.”

“So… Proto Mare is Mega-Linked with King Sombra?” Sweetie Belle asked.

“It seems to be the case, yes.”

“So that's why I have ta keep goin,” Apple Bloom said, “I need ta know what's goin on with Applejack, an' if she's in over her head, I need ta help her,” she turned to Sweetie Belle, “Did y'all finish lookin over the Mana Stone?”

Sweetie Belle sighed, “I did, but I don't know enough about machinery to make anything to help track them down. The magic properties of those stones are something else, but…” Sweetie Belle turned to Luna in the Sapphire, “Luna, why did the Mana Stone have you're magical signature?”

“Hold on, is that what had you so shocked yesterday?” Scootaloo asked. Instead of answering Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle pulled the Aquamarine out of her bag.

“This think had a magical signature based around control of the sun and moon, and the only ponies able to do that are you and Princess Celestia, but the Sapphire called you. I don't want to suspect you, Luna, but if you know anything-”

“Believe me, I wish I knew what was going on myself,” Luna said with a sigh, “I know that this paints me in a suspicious light, but I assure you that I have nothing to do with the Mana Stones attacking. I wish to discover what is going on myself.”

“But don't you have any theories or leads?” Sweetie Belle pressed, “Anything at all?”

“Sweetie Belle, stop,” Scootaloo urged.

“No! I'm not going to stop! Apple Bloom's life is on the line here!” Sweetie Belle shouted, shocking Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, and Luna, “I hate that Apple Bloom has to fight, but you keep saying that it has to be her! Why is this happening to my friend, Luna?!”

Luna looked away pained, and actually started crying a bit, “I wish I had something I could tell you, Sweetie Belle. Something to put your heart at ease. Unfortunately, as I said, I know not enough to say anything. If I speak out, I would be accusing ponies that I do not wish to accuse. Forgive me, Sweetie Belle, but this is all I can offer right now.”

“Sweetie Belle, it's fine,” Apple Bloom said putting a hand on her friend's shoulder, “I appreciate how concerned ya are for me, but I've made my decision. I need answers too after all. Sides,” she looked down the hall at Diamond Tiara, who was leaving the school building, “Somepony is dependin on me ta protect her.”

“Oh Apple Bloom…” Sweetie Belle said with a sigh. She clearly still hated this with a burning passion.

“Look, isn't this why we're trying to build a Mana Stone tracker?” Scootaloo asked, “So we can do our part and help Apple Bloom, as opposed to just sitting on the sidelines as Mega Mare does all the work.”

Sweetie Belle groaned in defeat, “I get it, alright. I'm sorry I snapped at you, Princess.”

“You have nothing to apologize for, Sweetie Belle,” Luna said, “It is I who must apologize for being so enigmatic. I do hope this does not tarnish our friendship.”

“It won't,” Sweetie Belle said, “I'm just frustrated is all. It doesn't help that I hit a dead end. I don't understand alicorn magic as well as I understand unicorn magic.”

“Then might I suggest we go somewhere with information on alicorn magic?” Luna said.

“Where's that though?” Apple Bloom asked, “The new library doesn't have any books on that stuff.”

“No, but I imagine Twilight has books on that subject,” Luna said, “As you three are related to Twilight's friends, you should have special privileges.”

“No,” Apple Bloom said adamantly, “Absolutely not.”

“I know you are not comfortable with this, but I see no other-”

“I don't care. I don't wanna go to the castle. I ain't gonna see Twilight.”

“Come on Apple Bloom, this is getting silly,” Scootaloo said, “We now know Applejack is still alive. Why can't you just let it go?”

“Cause if it weren't for her dumb experiment Applejack would be here now!” Apple Bloom shouted, “Sides, how do we know it ain't her magic that's causin all of this?! For all we know, it could be her fault!”

“That's all the more reason to go there,” Sweetie Belle said, “If she is the cause, we might be able to stop it at the source, or at least learn more about what we're up against.”

“Either way, it's been a whole year now,” Scootaloo said, “You're entitled to feel grief about losing Applejack, but you can't keep taking it out on Twilight. Whether or not her magic is making the Mana Stones go crazy, what happened last year was an accident.”

“Y'all can go if you wanna,” Apple Bloom said pushing past Scootaloo, “I ain't settin foot anywhere near that castle.”

“Apple Bloom!” Sweetie Belle called out as Apple Bloom walked out of the school. Between the craziness of her sister working for the king of darkness, and a mysterious mare trying to kill her, the last thing she needed to hear was “forgive Twilight”.

Apple Bloom needed to clear her head, so she decided to go to the park. She hated blowing Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo off like that, but meant what she said. She wasn't ready to forgive Twilight yet.

When she arrived at the park, she heard a soft and comforting melody playing by the fountain. She walked over to there and saw Octavia Melody playing a violin, naturally a bit of a crowd surrounding her. The song was somber, almost like it was crying. It felt like the song was saying to Apple Bloom “I understand your pain”.

As she played, Apple Bloom felt a lump in her throat, and before long actually started crying a bit.

When the song ended, everyone applauded Octavia, who gave an elegant bow. As the crowd dispersed, Octavia saw Apple Bloom in the distance and waved to her. Apple Bloom smiled and walked over to her.

“It's lovely to see you again, Apple Bloom,” Octavia said, “Did you like my song?”

“I did,” Apple Bloom said, “I knew you played the cello, but I didn't know ya played violin too.”

Octavia giggled, “Most ponies are shocked to know that the cello wasn't my first instrument. It was actually the violin, hence why my cutie mark is a treble cleft instead of a base cleft.”

“I guess that does make more sense,” Apple Bloom said, suddenly finding small talk to be difficult. Octavia must have caught on, because she folded her arms.

“Something wrong?” she asked.

“It's nothin,” Apple Bloom said, “You wouldn't wanna listen to my problems anyway.”

“Actually, talking about it might help,” Octavia said, sitting on the fountain and patting the spot next to her. Apple Bloom sighed and sat down next to Octavia.

“I had a bit of a fight with my friends,” Apple Bloom said, “It was about… the Princess of Friendship.”

“Hm, Princess Twilight?” Octavia asked, “What about her?”

“My friends keep tellin me that I need ta forgive her,” Apple Bloom said, “I guess ya wouldn't know all the details, but last year, Applejack vanished because of an experiment that she started.”

“Oooh, I see…” Octavia said in understnading, “I guess that put a bit of a damper on your relationship.”

“Puttin it mildly, eeyup,” Apple Bloom sighed, “I've sorta been hatin her ever since. But today, my friends were sayin that we need ta see her help with somethin, but… I can't set foot in that castle.”

“Because of your anger at Twilight?” Octavia asked.

“Exactly! Every time I see her, I see red! Knowin that she took my sister away from me, it…”

“So, do you have an alternative?” Octavia asked, “Since you “can't” go to Twilight for help, who can you ask for help? Or can you do it alone?”

“We tried doin it alone,” Apple Bloom stated, “That's how we hit this dead end.”

“So then, what's your alternative?” Octavia asked, “Clearly you have one, right? Otherwise you wouldn't be so okay not turning to Twilight.”

Apple Bloom wanted to say something, but she couldn't. Actually, they didn't have an alternative. Even Princess Luna was stumped on this.

“We… haven't found an alternative solution…” Apple Bloom said in shame. Octavia crossed her legs and folded her arms thoughtfully.

“Hmm, so Twilight could help you and your friends, but you're not willing to turn to her because of your anger?” Octavia asked, “That… doesn't sound very reasonable.”

“But Twilight's experiment took Applejack!” Apple Bloom fussed, “Why should I forgive her?!”

“Well, for one thing, it's holding you and your friends back,” Octavia said, “Tell me, how important is this thing you're trying to do?”

“It's… pretty important,” Apple Bloom admitted, “Like, extremely important.”

“Okay, and if you don't get help soon, will you be able to proceed?” Octavia pressed.

“Not… easily,” Apple Bloom sighed, “We're searchin for somethin, an' without help, it's jus' gonna be a wild goose chase.”

“And finally, assuming Applejack were here, how would she feel about you holding onto this grudge, against a mare I'm assuming was a close friend of hers?”

Apple Bloom sighed, “She'd… be upset. She wouldn't want me ta hate Twilight, not even for this.”

“Apple Bloom, you're a good kid,” Octavia said taking Apple Bloom's hand, “Too good to harbor such negative feelings for somepony for so long. It's understandable that you'd feel hurt for what happened last year, but if you continue to hold onto that pain, you're just standing still.”

“But how can I let go of it?” Apple Bloom asked, “It ain't as easy as it sounds.”

“No one said it was easy,” Octavia said, “It might take time, and you may never have the relationship you had before the incident, but the first step to recovery is to forgive her. Take it from me, you don't have to like someone to forgive them.”

Apple Bloom thought about what Octavia was saying. She did have a point, at least when it came to her holding them back. Twilight could probably help them immensely in terms of find the Mana Stones, especially with her being the mare who made them.

“I hear what you're sayin,” Apple Bloom said, “but… I don't know if I can just say right now that I'm okay with Twilight.”

“That's perfectly fine,” Octavia said, “Just think about what I said, alright?”

“Yeah, I will,” Apple Bloom said. She and Octavia hugged, which oddly felt comforting.

“You have a phone, right?” Octavia asked, “I imagine those are hard to get a hold of unless you're super wealthy, but-”

“Oh, I have one,” Apple Bloom said pulling out her red and yellow cell phone, “I never have ta use it, cause I don't call anyone, but I have one.”

“In that case,” Octavia reached into her jacket and pulled out a card, “Take my card. If you ever need anyone to talk to, or just need that maternal presence, give me a call, alright?”

“S-sure. Thank you,” Apple Bloom said, shocked by how far Octavia went for her. It felt nice to have someone who genuinely cared about her.

“You're not alone in this, Apple Bloom. Never forget that,” Octavia said. She kissed Apple Bloom on the forehead and then got up, “I'll see you again soon, Apple Bloom.”

With that, Octavia packed up her violin and sauntered off, as usual swishing her tail and hips with each step. Once again, Apple Bloom found herself slightly mesmerized with her tail as it moved.

“She's right, you know.”

Apple Bloom screamed in shock at the sound of Luna's voice. She actually forgot she was even there for a second.

“Ya think so, huh?” Apple Bloom asked.

“I remember when I returned from my banishment of one thousand years. During the time of my banishment, I resented Celestia, believing that she banished me so she could rule Equestria on her own. Once I was released and returned to my original self by Twilight and her friends, my resentment didn't disappear. In fact, it was just as strong, and I openly avoided Celestia for a while after that.

“Eventually though, she and I talked, and she told me how much she still missed me. I realized then that I wasn't just punishing her for the past, I was torturing her. What happened was in the past, yet here I was unable to move on and let my sister back into my heart. I did not know how lonely she was before, but that day, I saw my sister cry genuine tears, begging me to let her in.”

“Luna…”

“The point I wanted to make here Apple Bloom, is that at times when we are in pain, we can hurt those around us even more than we realize. I do not know what Twilight was trying to do last year, but I do know that she values her friends even more than her own life, and knowing that she from her perspective killed one of those friends tortures her immensely. With that knowledge Apple Bloom, are you so cruel to torture her even more?”

Before Apple Bloom could answer Luna, she looked ahead and saw Starlight Glimmer walking back to the castle. She was carrying with her a bunch of bags, more than one pony could naturally carry. Apple Bloom could see this ending in disaster, so she jumped up and ran over to her, catching one of the bags just as it fell.

“Oh! Thank you so much,” Starlight said, “Trying to carry these groceries along with the documents is too much.”

“Can't you jus' use yer magic ta carry the others?” Apple Bloom asked.

“My magic isn't good for precise movement and grabbing things for long periods of time,” Starlight explained. When she realized who she was talking to, her eyes went wide, “Oh! You're the maiden of honesty's sister! Apple Bloom, right?”

“Y-yeah, that's me,” Apple Bloom said, thinking about her next move carefully, “Hey… need a hand with these? I can… carry a few for you.”

“Would you? I appreciate it,” Starlight said. Apple Bloom took all the bags of groceries and walked with Starlight to the castle.

“Hey, Miss Glimmer? Why are you so submissive to my sister's friends?” Apple Bloom asked.

“You… think it's strange?” Starlight asked, a little embarrassed.

“Well, I wouldn't say strange, but maybe a little off,” Apple Bloom said, trying to defend her statement.

“You don't have to pretend,” Starlight sighed in sadness, “I guess when I think about it, I don't deserve to be their equal.”

“Don't… deserve it?” Apple Bloom asked.

“Come on, I know Appleja- er, the maiden of honesty told you about me,” Starlight fussed, “How I enslaved an entire village by stealing ponies cutie marks. How I stalked Twilight for three whole months. How I damn near destroyed the time space continuum, and all because my best friend got his cutie mark and left me. They gave me a second chance, but we all know I don't deserve it.”

“So what? You jus' punish yourself for the rest of your life, denyin the chance ta make true friends when they're handed to ya?” Apple Bloom asked.

“I don't deserve to be their friend!” Starlight said, tears in her eyes, “I do want to be their friend, but I can't. Not after I almost destroyed their friendships with each other.”

“But that's silly,” Apple Bloom said immediately, “Sure, ya almost destroyed their friendships, but ya didn't. Ya can't punish yourself for-” she stopped once she realized what she was saying, “for… somethin that happened so far in the past.”

Apple Bloom set the bags down, took the bags Starlight was carrying, and then took her hands.

“Miss Glimmer, I don't know what sorta pony ya were before this, but I know that right this second, ya don't seem like a bad pony ta me. My sister an' her friends all forgave ya, so they want ta be yer friend. But by avoidin that friendship, yer hurtin them more than yerself. If ya wanna make it up ta them, then be friends with them.”

Starlight looked at Apple Bloom intently, taking in what she said, “You're young, but you're truly wise beyond your years.”

Apple Bloom smiled sadly, “Naw, I jus' got the same advice from two close friends, an' realized what they meant.”

Inside the Sapphire, Luna smiled warmly.

Apple Bloom and Starlight continued to the castle, talking about various things. It turned out that the one person she couldn't get along with was Spike, which Apple Bloom thought was odd since Spike was very easy to get along with usually. Also, it was painfully obvious, but Starlight had a massive crush on Twilight, which Apple Bloom found really cute, especially with her being a few years older than Twilight.

“Well, here we are,” Apple Bloom said once they stood at the front entrance of the castle.

“Thank you so much Apple Bloom,” Starlight Glimmer said, “Not just for your help here, but with your advice. I think, no, I am. Tonight, I'm going to talk to the Princess and tell her my feelings.”

“Good,” Apple Bloom said, “I'm rootin fer ya.”

Starlight smiled brightly, “You can leave the bags here. I'll just bring them in a few at a time. It was wonderful talking to you.”

“Yeah, same here,” Apple Bloom said, “If nothin else, you can say ya made one more friend here in Ponyville.”

“I'd like that a lot,” Starlight said. As she moved to take the bags inside, Apple Bloom thought about something else.

“Hey, could you tell… T-Twilight that me an' my friends will be stoppin by tomorrow after school?” Apple Bloom asked. Starlight turned to Apple Bloom with a smile.

“Certainly. I'm sure my Princess would love to know that,” Starlight said, “I'll see you tomorrow, Apple Bloom.”

With that, Starlight walked inside and closed the door to the castle. Apple Bloom looked up at the castle, bracing herself for what she planned for tomorrow.

“Does this mean what I believe it does?” Luna asked.

“It does,” Apple Bloom said, “Tomorrow, I'm gonna talk to Twilight. She an' I… need ta talk about last year, an' hopefully come ta terms with it.”

Luna closed her eyes and smiled, “Wonderful. Let us go to the clubhouse and tell Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo about tomorrow.”

Apple Bloom nodded and ran to the clubhouse. All of a sudden, she felt a little lighter.

After putting everything away to where she needed it to go, Starlight stepped out into the hallway and stretched.

“There you are.”

Starlight flinched at the sound of her beloved Princess' voice. She slowly turned to see her, one again wearing her usual keyhole sweater, skirt, leggings, and high heels.

“Princess…” Starlight said, blushing looking at her princess.

“I was looking for you,” Twilight said, “Spike told me that you've been taking care of things while I was in my room.”

Starlight closed her eyes and smiled, “It was my honor, Princess. I felt bad for bringing you outside to get hurt, so when Spike suggested that I help take care of your duties for a while, I just-” she was cut off by Twilight embracing her tightly, “Princess…”

“Thank you Starlight,” Twilight said, “Thank you so much.”

Starlight returned the embrace, “There is no need to thank me. I was just doing my duties as your assistant.”

“No Starlight, you deserve all the thanks,” Twilight said, “You made sure that the castle kept running while I was out of it,” Twilight looked into Starlight's eyes, “Let me make it up to you. Whatever you wish for, I'll give it to you. No matter what it is.”

That made Starlight blush, “Um… no matter… what it is?” Starlight asked. When Twilight nodded, Starlight closed her eyes, “W-well… perhaps for tonight… instead of my separate room… I could possibly sleep in your room… w-with… you…?”

Twilight smiled knowingly, “I think I know what you really want,” Twilight said. She pulled Starlight in close, kissing her softly on the lips. Starlight was wide eyed, and just looked at Twilight in shock.

“I thought about things while I was in my room,” Twilight said, “and I've decided that I want to give this a try. So… from now on, if you wish, you can call me by my first name if you want.”

“Um… with all due respect,” Starlight said, “I'd like… to continue calling you Princess… and to continue being your… subordinate. I feel… comfortable like this.”

Twilight smiled lovingly, “Whatever you want, Starlight. In that case, from now on, along with your other duties, you're tasked with ensuring my pleasure. Is that acceptable.”

Starlight couldn't believe this was happening. This was too good to be true. Her Princess was actually returning her affections?

“Oh yes, Princess. More than acceptable.”

Twilight then pulled Starlight in again, this time holding onto her wrists tightly as if to force Starlight against her will to kiss her. The intensity was too much for Starlight, who was at the moment happier than she ever was.

Around the corner of the hall however, Spike leaned against the wall gritting his teeth in frustration.

“Even now, she's still getting all the attention?” Spike asked tightening his fist, “Damn it. I'm the one she loves the most. Not you."

Spike Unleashed

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Spike Unleashed

“I'm happy you changed your mind,” Sweetie Belle said as she, Scootaloo, and Apple Bloom made their way to the castle after school.

“We thought about going without you, but in the end it just didn't feel right,” Scootaloo added.

“I wouldn't have held it against ya,” Apple Bloom said somberly, “Once again, I'm sorry I was bein so unreasonable. This is the best solution.”

“But what are we going to tell Twilight?” Sweetie Belle asked, “She might not just let us read those books, even if we're her friends.”

“If we have to, the truth,” Luna said. All three of them stopped and looked at the Sapphire.

“Are you sure about that?” Apple Bloom asked.

“I have thought about it at great length, and I feel that this is the best solution. By now, Rarity will have told Twilight about Mega Mare, and that my presence was seen with her. The best way to avoid this getting ugly is to simply tell her that you are Mega Mare.”

“Won't we get in trouble?” Scootaloo asked.

“I shall take the fall if I have to. All of this was an accident anyway,” Luna said.

“I ain't lettin ya take all the blame,” Apple Bloom said as they continued their way to the castle, “If I hadn't put the Neutralizer on in the first place, none of this would have happened.”

When they arrived, Apple Bloom knocked on the large door. After a second, Spike opened the door and sighed.

“Hey girls, how are y-” Sweetie Belle ran into Spike's arms and embraced him.

“It's been so long, Spike! How are you?” Sweetie Belle asked happily.

“U-um, fine I guess,” Spike said awkwardly, “Twilight is in the throne room waiting for you.”

Spike likely pulled away from Sweetie Belle and walked into the castle. Sweetie Belle wilted a bit as Apple Bloom and Scootaloo stood next to her.

“He seemed so cold,” Sweetie Belle said.

“He's just stressed out,” Scootaloo said, “You know how it is.”

“No… I don't think that's right,” Apple Bloom said distantly, still looking at Spike.

“What's wrong?” Scootaloo asked, “You're looking at Spike funny.”

“It's jus… I don't know, but he feels sorta like how Pip and Sapphire Shores felt,” Apple Bloom said.

“No…” Sweetie Belle said, “Apple Bloom, do you and Luna think he's…”

“The pattern fits,” Luna said, “Apple Bloom was somehow able to sense something off about both Pipsqueak and Sapphire Shores when they were possessed by the Mana Stones. We should look into this.”

Apple Bloom nodded, and the three of them walked into the castle. In the throne room, they saw Twilight sitting sideways in her throne, reading a book, and Spike standing by the door. He waited for a second, and then cleared his throat to catch her attention.

“Twilight, the Cutie Mark Crusaders are here,” Spike said. It felt odd hearing that term, as they had their Cutie Marks now, but it was easier than calling them by their individual names all the time.

“Wonderful,” Twilight said closing her book and getting up. She ran to the girls and went to hug them, but stopped as she was right in front of Apple Bloom, “Um… Apple Bloom, I…”

“We… need to talk 'bout a few things,” Apple Bloom said.

“That we do,” Twilight said, “Starlight, could you come here please?”

A second later, Starlight ran into the throne room and bowed, “Yes Princess. How may I serve you?”

“Could you get us some tea, and have it ready in my study?” Twilight asked.

“Right away Princess,” Starlight said. She bowed, smiled at Apple Bloom, and then ran out of the throne room, sadly tripping a bit in her eagerness. Spike rolled his eyes and then turned to Twilight.

“Is there anything I can do, Twilight?” Spike asked.

“Actually, I was think you could take a break,” Twilight said, “You've been working so hard. Starlight can handle anything I need.”

“Right, Starlight,” Spike said looking away slightly, “Then I'll be in my room.”

As he left, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo watched him.

“Would it be okay if we followed him?” Scootaloo asked.

“Sure,” Twilight said, “I've been a little worried about him as of late. If you could make sure he's okay, I'd appreciate that.”

Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo ran after Spike, and Apple Bloom followed Twilight into her study room, where they saw Starlight had set up tea for all of them. Upon only seeing Apple Bloom there, her eyes went wide.

“Oh, was I only supposed to set up for the two of you?” Starlight asked fearfully, “I thought that everyone would-”

“There was a last minute change,” Twilight said, “Don't worry, Starlight, you did nothing wrong.”

“Thank you Princess,” Starlight said enthusiastically. She bowed and walked out of the room, leaving Twilight and Apple Bloom alone. Twilight sat down at her desk and motioned for Apple Bloom to join her. Once Apple Bloom sat down, Twilight took a deep breath.

“Apple Bloom, I understand that you hate me, and with good reason, but I need you to hear me out,” Twilight said.

“Go on,” Apple Bloom said curtly.

“The point of the experiment last year was to bridge the gap between our world and the world of magic,” Twilight said, “I assume you've heard of the Mana Zone by now?”

“Y-yeah,” Apple Bloom said trying to hide the Neutralizer, “I'm familiar. More familiar than most. Yer sayin that the Mana Zone is another world, right?”

Twilight blinked, “That's right. By bringing the two worlds together, we would make it easier for magic to be utilized by ponies everywhere. It's thanks to that experiment that things like cellphones, computers, even automated carriages used in Canterlot can exist.”

“That's all well an' good,” Apple Bloom said taking her tea and sipping it, “But why'd ya have ta make Applejack be a sacrifice?”

“I didn't make her a sacrifice!” Twilight cried, shocking Apple Bloom. Twilight composed herself as much as she could before continuing, “We needed somepony to interface with the Mana Stones. This pony would use the first Mana Stone, Ruby, to connect the other nine to the Mana Zone and give them life. I was going to use myself, but Applejack volunteered,” Twilight looked down, “I begged her not to do it, but she insisted that it be her.”

Flashback

Applejack and Twilight were alone in the castle library. Applejack had a book on magic and was skimming through it while Twilight tapped her foot near the door.

“I don't like this,” Twilight said, “You being the one to interface with the Mana Stones. What if something goes wrong?”

“All the more reason why it should be me,” Applejack said, “Huh, this ain't as hard as I thought. I can learn these runes easily.”

“Applejack, my magic is alicorn magic! I can control the strain of magic a lot better!”

“Or you could end up overflowin them, causin an explosion.”

“I… I don't want you to throw your life away! If something happened to you, I-”

Applejack closed the book and turned to Twilight, “If somethin happened to you, Equestria would go into a panic.”

“B-but-”

“Twilight, ya gotta start takin your position more seriously. Ya ain't jus' Twilight Sparkle anymore. Yer Princess Twilight Sparkle, Princess of the Stars and Friendship. I know I'm yer best friend, Twilight, but compared to you, I'm a knight. It's my job to protect you.”

“But I don't want you to protect me,” Twilight said softly, “I want to protect you. I'm scared, Applejack. Starswirl the Bearded's notes mentioned the risks in using the Mana Stones.”

“I know Twilight,” Applejack said hugging Twilight, “I'll do everything that I can to keep them stable, but just in case, this is really the best course of action.”

“Don't die Applejack,” Twilight begged, “Promise me you won't die.”

“I won't die,” Applejack said tightening the embrace, “I promise.”

End Flashback

“I still don't know what happened,” Twilight sobbed, “I've checked, and double checked the records of the experiment, but I still can't figure out what went wrong. Not even Celestia knows what happened.”

Inside the Sapphire, Luna folded her arms and looked to the side.

“I wish it had been me,” Twilight said, “She'd still be here if I just did it myself. Apple Bloom, I'm so sorry that Applejack disappeared. If I could go back, then I'd-”

“No Twilight,” Apple Bloom said, “Applejack was right. If you used the Mana Stones that day, you'd be the one who vanished, an' Equestria wouldn't know how to handle it. I… still wish that Applejack didn't disappear, but she…” Apple Bloom sighed, “She made the right decision.”

Twilight looked up at Apple Bloom in shock, “Apple Bloom… You… forgive me…?”

“Y-yeah, I do,” Apple Bloom said, “You didn't want Applejack to get hurt, an' knowin that she volunteered herself makes things a little better for me. Sides… Applejack… is still alive.”

“You know this for certain…?” Twilight asked.

“She does. Thanks to my help, that is,” Luna said from the Sapphire. She then appeared next to Apple Bloom in a blue light. Needless to say, Twilight was shocked.

“P-Princess Luna?!” Twilight asked, “What are you doing here?! Where did you come from?!”

“I've always been here,” Luna said walking behind Apple Bloom and embracing her from behind, also reaching for the Neutralizer and showing it to Twilight, “Apple Bloom and I are helping each other.”

“That gem,” Twilight said looking at it closely, “Is that… a Mana Stone?”

“It is,” Apple Bloom said, “I've had it for about two weeks now.”

“So that pony that fought Garnet and Aquamarine, “Mega Mare”, is you?” Twilight asked. When Apple Bloom nodded sheepishly, Twilight sat back in her chair, “I think it would be best for you to start from the beginning.”

Spike wasn't in his room, so it took a bit for Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo to find him. They eventually found him in the record room, pacing back and forth.

“There he is,” Scootaloo said. They approached the door, but stopped when they heard him talking.

“What do you mean? You really think Twilight would-” he stopped as if listening to someone, “Yeah, I remember. I tried pushing her away, but in the end, all that did was-” he listened again, “No… she wouldn't… You're right though. She is manipulative,” he paused again, “I won't let that happen! I'm Twilight's number one assistant, and her guardian! I'll protect her!”

They peaked into the record room and saw Spike pull out a purple gemstone from his robe. A glowing purple gemstone.

“Shit…!” Scootaloo swore, “It's already activating!”

“We have to stop him!” Sweetie Belle cried. The two fillies ran into the record room behind Spike, “Spike! Throw away that gemstone!”

Spike turned to them with a scary look on his face. One of pure unadulterated raged.

“What are you doing here…?!” Spike seethed, “This room is off limits to the public…!”

“Whatever that thing is telling you, don't listen to it!” Scoootaloo said, “It's unstable, and preying on your negative emotions! If you let it take over, it could-”

“SHUT UP!!!” Spike screamed, his voice sounding deeper for some reason, “I'm not giving up this gemstone, or the power it grants me! With Amethysts help, I'll become Twilight's only guardian!”

“Spike…?” Sweetie Belle asked, trembling as she backed away from Spike, “What are you going to do…?”

Spike laughed, “What am I going to do? I'm going to hunt down the evil one, and protect Twilight.”

“The evil one?” Scootaloo asked, “What are you-”

“Is everything alright in here?” Starlight asked walking into the record room, “I heard screaming, and it sounded like-” she looked at the Amethyst in Spike's hand, “Wait, isn't that one of the Princess' Mana Stones? I thought they were all gone?”

“And speak of the devil!” Spike said walking over to Starlight, “Just who I was about to search for.”

“Search for me?” Starlight asked, “Sir, is something wrong?”

“Oh there's something wrong alright,” Spike said, “You're here!”

Starlight stepped back in shock, “M-me? Have I done something to displease you?”

“You may have Twilight and everyone else fooled, but you don't fool me!” Spike shouted, “This submissive act is just to make Twilight lower her guard so you can slip in and take over the castle!”

“N-no! Not at all!” Starlight defended, “I just want to be loved by my Princess, that's all!”

“STOP CALLING HER THAT!!!” Spike roared, “She's not your Princess! She's no one's Princess! No one will own her, or hurt her again!” he held the Mana Stone above his head, “And with Amethysts help, I'll make sure of it! MANA CHANGE!!! AMETHYST SLASH, ONLINE!!!”

Spike roared, and was engulfed in a bright purple flash. When the light died down, what was standing in his place was terrifying to say the least. It was a large purple armored dragon standing on its hind legs. It was ten feet tall, had a sharp snout, razor sharp teeth, and a long spiked tail. Its eyes were glowing red, and it had large purple wings on its back. Its entire body looked like it was made of crystal.

The creature, obviously Amethyst Slash, roared loudly, sounding like a beast. Starlight fell to the floor in shock looking up at the creature in terror as Scootaloo ran to defend her.

“Sweetie Belle, find Apple Bloom!” Scootaloo said, “Tell her that Spike's been taken over by the Mana Stone!”

Sweetie Belle nodded and ran out of the room. Scootaloo picked up a broom and held it like a bo staff.

“Don't make me wait too long, Mega Mare,” Scootaloo begged, trembling a bit herself as she looked at the monstrous dragon before her.

“I see,” Twilight said, taking in everything that Apple Bloom and Luna told her, “You know how dangerous this is, right Apple Bloom?”

“I do,” Apple Bloom said, “But Luna said that only another pony with a Mana Stone can neutralize them.”

Twilight closed her eyes thoughtfully, “I could probably have Princess Celestia remove the Neutralizer. Then we could give it to an official knight.”

“We both know that's impossible, Twilight,” Luna said, “The Sapphire has already chosen Apple Bloom, and it will only respond to her heart. It has to be Apple Bloom.”

Twilight groaned to herself, “Why are you so involved in this, Luna? You weren't there when we created the Mana Stones.”

“True, but for some reason the Mana Stones have a magical signature that matches mine, and I desire to know why this is. As of now though, I am Mega-Linked to Apple Bloom, thus unable to use my magic.”

“Right,” Twilight said, “And what's this about Applejack working with King Sombra?”

“She mentioned Sombra the first time we met her,” Luna said, “I am not sure how he is alive, or what Applejack is doing helping him. She didn't seem possessed or anything.”

“Where has she been all this time?” Twilight asked, more herself than Apple Bloom or Luna, “And why is she hunting the Mana Stones?”

Before anyone could say anything, the castle environment got wavy. Apple Bloom immediately shot to her feet.

“Luna, is this what I think it is?!” Apple Bloom asked.

“It is. This castle is being pulled into the Mana Zone. A Mana Stone must have activated,” Luna said.

“A Mana Stone?! Here?!” Twilight asked also standing, “Why would one be here?!”

“Apple Bloom! Apple Bloom!” Sweetie Belle called out, running into the study, “You and Luna were right! Spike's been possessed by the Mana Stone, and he's already changed! Scootaloo and Starlight are in trouble!”

“Where are they now?” Luna asked.

“Last I checked they were in the record room, but they couldn't have stayed there for too long! Also, the castle is beginning to change, so they could be anywhere!”

“Then we must act quickly,” Luna said turning to Apple Bloom, “Apple Bloom, come.”

“Right,” Apple Bloom said walking over to Luna, “Sweetie Belle, stay here with Twilight. It should be safe in here thanks to Twilight's magic.”

“You're not going out to fight, are you?!” Twilight asked.

“That's exactly what I'm doin!” Apple Bloom said holding up the Sapphire, “Mana Change! Mega Mare, Online!”

Apple Bloom tapped the Mana Stone and held her arm in the air as Luna stood behind her. She wrapped her wings around both of them, and they vanished in a blue light.

~Transformation Scene~

Apple Bloom held her arm out as blue energy shot out of the gem. Suspended in mid air, she spun around as her clothes all magically vanished off her now glowing body.

~End Transformation~

A blue light shot down, and Mega Mare materialized on one knee. She stood up and turned to Twilight, who was shell shocked.

“Use yer magic to keep Sweetie Belle safe!” Mega Mare said, “I'll get Spike back to his senses!”

Mega Mare an out of the study, and Twilight fell to her knees in shock.

“That… was Apple Bloom?” Twilight asked, “But… how did the Mana Stone…?”

Mega Mare ran through the halls of the castle, which seemed to become more like a maze under the Mana Stone's influence. She stopped when she heard monstrous roar and a high scream.

“That sounded like Starlight!” Mega Mare exclaimed.

“She must be Spike's target,” Luna said, “I do not believe Spike ever fully forgave Starlight for her crimes against Twilight. His dreams have suggested this.”

“You think he's liable to kill her?” Mega Mare asked.

“Under the influence of a Mana Stone, anything is possible. We must hurry, Apple Bloom. I do not know the effects of a Mana Stone on anyone other than an Earth Pony, let alone a dragon.”

Now that Mega Mare thought about it, that was true. Everyone she saw using a Mana Stone so far was an Earth Pony. Pip, Sapphire Shores, Applejack, even that Mistress Onyx was an Earth Pony as far as she knew. Why was that?

Before Mega Mare could ask that, she saw two odd viruses materialize in front of her. They looked like dark blue wolves made of crystal with red eyes. Mega Mare's visor read them as “Spikeys”

“Careful Apple Bloom,” Luna warned, “These viruses are higher level than most viruses we've faced.”

The Spikey on the left shot a fireball out of its mouth at Mega Mare, but she rolled to the side out of the way. The second one rushed toward her and tried biting her, but she fell back.

Mega Mare charged up her Mega Buster and fired at the Spikey right in front of her. As it flew back, its partner continued shooting fireballs at her, actually managing to hit her and knock her into a wall.

“These are fire based viruses,” Luna said, “A water type spell should do extra damage. The new summon should work.”

“Got it! Hydra Shores!” Mega Mare slammed on her hand on her buster gun, and Hydra Shores appeared in front of her. The viruses tried firing at her, but she used her trident to defend herself. Hydra Shores then whipped her tail at the Spikeys knocking them back, and then raised her trident creating a tidal wave. They both exploded instantly, and Hydra Shores vanished blowing Mega Mare a kiss.

Mega Mare continued her trek through the castle, stopping when she reached the throne room. She first saw Scootaloo and Starlight hiding under the map's table, but her warning alarm went off before she could check on them.

WARNING

The side wall broke open, and Amethyst Slash charged in. He looked around the room, stopping when he saw Mega Mare standing by the door.

“L-Luna… is that Spike…?” Mega Mare asked trembling.

“I believe so,” Luna said, “This is terrible. He has become completely feral.”

Amethyst Slash charged at Mega Mare and slashed with his claws. Mega Mare jumped to the side just in time, but Amethyst Slash turned to her and growled.

“Why's Spike turnin on us?” Mega Mare asked.

“He has lost all sense of reasoning,” Luna explained, “Anyone he sees right now is an enemy.”

“Includin us,” Mega Mare said, “Luna, I don't think we're gettin outta this without a fight!”

“I agree. All limiters released!”

“Ready!”

Battle: Amethyst Slash

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Battle: Amethyst Slash

boss theme

Amethyst Slash wasted no time rushing at Mega Mare, leading with his claws and roaring in rage.

“Whoa! Shield shield SHIELD!!!” Mega Mare screamed, casting the spell Luna prepared and putting up a shield to defend the slashes. This went on for a good few seconds to a minute, until eventually Mega Mare used an opening to jump away.

She flipped in mid air, landed on one knee, and charged up her Buster Gun. She fired a few shots at the feral dragon, but Amethyst Slash rolled into a ball, causing the blasts to bounce off of his armored body. He then charged into Mega Mare, who rolled out of the way just in time before she was hit.

“Luna, nothin’s workin’!” Mega Mare cried, glaring at Amethyst Slash as he turned back around to face her.

“This is not good. The Mana Stone has altered his body, making it almost impenetrable!” Luna noted.

Amethyst Slash held up his claws, which both began to glow. He then slashed wildly at Mega Mare, sending energy slashes at the armored pony. She rolled and dodged the first two, but the third one hit her, knocking her into the back wall.

“Apple Bloom!” Scootaloo cried. Starlight turned to Scootaloo in surprise.

“W-wait, Mega Mare is…” she then turned to look at Mega Mare with wide eyes as she made the connection, “Oh my God…”

Twilight and Sweetie Belle burst into the map room, where Twilight’s eyes widened in horror at Spike’s form, “S-Spike…?”

Amethyst Slash turned to Twilight, looking at her intently. He then slowly walked toward the Princess of Friendship and Sweetie Belle, the latter of the two standing in between them trembling.

“Spike… don’t do this…” Sweetie Belle urged, “I know you’re still in there…! Think this through…!”

“Twi…light…” Amethyst Slash growled. He then roared in rage and raised his claws. It looked like he was about to attack Sweetie Belle!

“NO!” Mega Mare screamed shooting to her feet, “Dash Attack!” Engulfed in a golden aura, Mega Mare tackled Amethyst Slash through the wall, “Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo, get Twilight an’ Starlight out of here!”

“What?! But Spike is-” Twilight tried.

“Right now, the only ones who can stop Spike are Luna an’ I!” Mega Mare shouted turning to Twilight, “We’ll save him. I promise.”

Twilight met eyes with Mega Mare, and after a second just nodded, “Starlight, Scootaloo, we’re leaving this to Apple Bloom and Luna.”

“Gotcha! Come on Starlight!” Scootaloo said pulling Starlight out from under the table.

“Will Apple Bloom be alright?” Starlight asked carefully.

“Apple Bloom’s a super hero! That and she has Princess Luna with her! Those two will be fine together!”

As Amethyst Slash staggered to his feet, Sweetie Belle hugged Mega Mare tightly from behind, “Apple Bloom, Luna, please be safe. Please.”

“She won’t be able to hear me, Apple Bloom, but tell her that I said I won’t let anything happen to you. I give my word.”

“Luna gives her word that she’ll keep me safe,” Mega Mare said placing a hand on Sweetie Belle’s, “And I give my word I’ll keep both of us safe.”

Sweetie Belle bit her lip and tightened the embrace briefly, before running off with Twilight, Scootaloo, and Starlight, who gave Mega Mare one last look before running out of the map room.

“As much as I admire your drive, we still have no idea how to get through this.” Luna pointed out.

“We got any spells that break through tough defense?” Mega Mare asked, stepping back a bit as Amethyst Slash slowly approached her.

“Like what Garnet Crush used? I believe I can manage something. For now, cast that spell while I write a few spells based off of Garnet Crushes fighting style.”

“Got it! Garnet Crush!” Mega Mare shouted. As Amethyst Slash charged at her, Garnet Crush appeared right in front of Mega Mare and grabbed his claws holding him back. He then headbutted the feral dragon, and punched him a few times, ending with a powerful uppercut before vanishing.

Mega Mare took note that his life bar went down from that attack.

“Okay! I’ve written a few spells I think will work! While we wait for the armor’s magic to replenish, use your Charge Shot while he’s down! I need to see something!”

“Alright then,” Mega Mare pointed her Mega Buster at the fallen Amethyst Slash and fired a charged shot at him. To her surprise, it actually did some damage, “Hey! It worked this time?”

“Just as I thought. His armor can only defend him if he’s upright. If we knock him back with Crush type spells, we can use conventional spells to damage him further.”

“Alright! Then let’s lead with one of the new spells, and then follow up with more common spells!” Mega Mare suggested.

“The next wave is prepared. Watch his movements, and then attack when you see an opening.”

Amethyst Slash roared in anger, and then rushed at Mega Mare. He then slashed wildly at her, forcing the young mare to stay on her toes and dodge the assault to the best of her ability.

She jumped back away from him, but then did a back flip into the air as he gave a super powered slash.

“Heavy Ax!” she shouted as she landed. In her hands appeared a large Ax, the likes she’d never be able to hold normally. She then charged at Amethyst Slash and swung the huge weapon. Amethyst Slash tried to block, but the weapon was so heavy that it actually broke through his defense. Since she still had a bit of time left, Mega Mare used the opening to slash him a few more times for added damage, eventually forcing the Mana Stone possessed Dragon to his knees.

“Gatlin’ Gun! Cannon!” Mega Mare shouted, casting both at the same time. She fired the Cannon first, finally getting some serious hits in, and then followed up with her Gatling Gun. Amethyst Slash got to his feet and roared in rage, “Um, think he’s pissed?”

“He’s powered through anger it seems! Brace yourself, Apple Bloom! His next attack will be far more intense than his others!”

Amethyst Slash jumped over Mega Mare and landed on the Map of Friendship. He then charged energy through his entire body, and slashed wildly at the air all around him, sending multiple energy slashes out around him.

Mega Mare screamed as she ran around the room, ducking, sliding, rolling, doing everything in her power to dodge the attacks flying her way. She saw a few recovery spells pulled up just in case, which she definitely needed as a few attacks got through to her, causing her to hear that loud alarm in her head as her own personal health bar hit critical.

“Recovery 30! Recovery 50!” Mega Mare cried, relieved as the alarm stopped. Relief quickly turned to fear though, as Amethyst Slash pounced on Mega Mare, getting on top of her and threatening to claw her face off. Mega Mare grabbed the claws before they could reach her face, and with gritted teeth pushed him back enough to lift her legs to his stomach.

“Sorry Spike, but ya ain’t my type! Sides, I’m a lesbian!” she joked, kicking Amethyst Slash off of her and rolling to her feet.

“Oh! Your first true super hero comment! Scootaloo will be so proud!” Luna said beaming.

“Now ain’t the time, Luna!” Mega Mare retaliated casting the next spell, this one turning her arms into fists like Garnet Crush’s, “Garnet Punch, huh?”

“I figured we could use spells based off of the attacks of fallen Mana Stones rather than just rely on their apparitions,” Luna said, “With this, we should be able to end this with the combo I have planned.”

Mega Mare looked through her visor at the two spells following her current one. This would be tough to pull off and time well, but based on where his health was, this COULD work.

“You see it?” Luna asked.

“I do,” Mega Mare took a deep breath and got in a fighter’s stance, “Alright. I think I can do this.”

“I have faith in you, Apple Bloom.”

“Thanks, Lulu,” Mega Mare smiled.

Luna’s eyes widened a bit, but she then smiled warmly herself.

Amethyst Slash charged at Mega Mare, but this time she was ready. She reared her arm back, and threw a powerful punch into the Dragon’s face, knocking him off balance. She then spun around and used her momentum to punch Amethyst Slash again a few more times, eventually knocking him back into the table. Instead of chasing after him, Mega Mare cast the next two spells immediately.

Dash and Wide Sword.

With those two activated, Mega Mare teleported right in front of Amethyst Slash and slashed him in the stomach with Wide Sword before appearing back behind where she was before. Thankfully, Amethyst Slash’s body began to glow, and he exploded a few second afterward. When the explosion ended, Spike fell to the floor unconscious as the Mana Stone also fell down in front of him.

Through Mega Mare’s visor, she saw her armor learned the new spell “Amethyst Slash”.

“Damn it, Apple Bloom!” Proto Mare swore, watching from behind a corner to stay out of sight. When she found out a Mana Stone had possessed Spike, she made her way as fast as she could to the castle, only to find Mega Mare had already taken care of it.

She wasn’t supposed to be involved in this.

“Your really not gonna leave this alone, huh?” Proto Mare folded her arms looking down, “Now what am I gonna do?” she vanished in a red light, teleporting back to where she first Phased In.

She needed Sombra’s input for her next move.

“Looks like Mega Mare took out another one,” Mistress Onyx mused leaning against another wall out of sight, “This is getting fun. Keep getting stronger, Mega Mare~” she smiled darkly, “The stronger you get, the louder your screams will be when I finally kill you.”

She sashayed away, swaying her hips and tail with each seductive step, and then vanished in a white light.

The castle became wavy for a split second, eventually settling back to normal. Mega Mare took that to mean that the Wave Space had vanished.

“Ugh…” Spike groaned as he rose to his knees shaking his head, “What… happened…?”

“To put it bluntly, ya went berserk,” Mega Mare said getting on one knee in front of Spike, “How ya feelin’ Spike?”

“Kind of light headed,” he held a hand to his head, “I don’t really remember what happened,” he looked at Mega Mare with wide eyes, “M-Mega Mare?! How do you know my name?”

Mega Mare shook her head smiling a bit, “I really don’t get how nobody can tell it’s me underneath this armor,” Mega Mare disappeared in a blue light, replaced with Apple Bloom in the same position.

“Apple Bloom?! You’re Mega Mare?! But that means-”

“Yes. She’s using a Mana Stone,” Luna said appearing behind Apple Bloom and picking up the Amethyst, “But unlike you, she has a means of using it safely.”

“Princess Luna? Wait, now I remember!” Spike sighed, “Damn it. I really messed up.”

“Yeah ya did,” Apple Bloom sat down beside Spike, “Why’d ya use that thing, Spike? Ya had to have known what it was.”

“I did. I kept meaning to give it to Twilight,” Spike said, “But on the day I found it, I saw Starlight coming out of her office before I could give it to her. From there, the Mana Stone started whispering in my ear about how she was manipulating Twilight, trying to take her away from me.”

“You still don’t trust Starlight, do you Spike,” Luna asked sitting on the map beside Spike’s other side.

“She stole Twilight and everyone’s Cutie Marks, and then damn near destroyed time and space,” Spike looked up at Luna, “All because her best friend lost contact with her after he got his Cutie Mark. Give me one good reason why I should trust her?”

“Very well. Allow me to ask you a simple question,” Luna raised an eyebrow, “How is she any different than an Alicorn Princess who tried to bring about eternal night out of something as petty as jealousy?”

“That… ah…” Spike sighed and looked down, “I guess when I think about it, that’s not too different. Twilight and I even got to see a future where Nightmare Moon won and… it was terrifying.”

Luna nodded, “I can assure you. Had I won that day, nothing good would have come of it. Nightmare Moon wasn’t simply a monster and separate entity. That was me at my worst. You trust me, don’t you?”

“Of course I trust you,” Spike said.

“I’ll let ya in on somethin’ Spike,” Apple Bloom looked up at the ceiling, “I can relate to how ya feel.” Spike turned to her silently, prompting her to continue, “That experiment last year with the Mana Stone? It took away my sister, Spike. I’ve been harborin’ hatred for Twilight ever since. She even tried apologizin’ to me, an’ I refused to hear it.”

“That does sound about right,” Spike sighed also looking up, “Starlight’s tried opening up to me time and time again, but I just shut her out. That was even before the Mana Stone got to me. You know, Twilight really is sorry for what happened to Applejack.”

“Yeah, I know,” Apple Bloom said quietly, “Starlight feels pretty messed up over what she did, too.”

“She told you?” Spike asked turning to Apple Bloom again, who nodded.

“She did,” Apple Bloom turned to Spike, “If I try to forgive Twilight, will you give Starlight a chance?”

Spike looked down pondering that, “I just… don’t want her to replace me.”

“Oh Spike, Starlight could never replace you,” Twilight said walking into the map room and kneeling before him, “Is that what this has been about?”

“T-Twilight! I-” Spike averted his eyes, “How much, did you hear.”

“Pretty much everything,” Twilight took Spike’s hand into her own and caressed it, “Truth is Spike, I have grown rather fond of Starlight. She’s more than just my student or even my assistant. She’s become a member of my family. Just like you.”

“Twilight,” Spike looked at Twilight, trembling as his eyes watered a bit, “Even after what happened, you still see me as a member of your family?”

“Of course I do,” Twilight smiled, “I want both Starlight and you beside me. Now more than ever,” she hugged Spike close, “You’ll always be my number one assistant. No, more than that. You’re my little brother, and I love you.”

“Twilight, I… I love you too,” Spike returned the hug tightly, “I’m sorry! I’m so sorry!”

“All is forgiven, Spike,” Twilight said warmly.

Apple Bloom and Luna both stood up just as Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle walked in beside them, “Looks like another successful mission, Mega Mare,” Scootaloo smiled.

“Yeah yeah,” Apple Bloom shook her head chuckling.

“That was too close though,” Luna folded her arms with a serious expression, “A Mana Stone made it’s way here, and it possessed Spike.”

“That is scary,” Sweetie Belle agreed rubbing her arm, “If we’re going to find all of them, we need a means of tracking them. I mean, we were SO lucky this time.”

“We were, but…” Apple Bloom looked down thoughtfully, “I was able to tell Spike was possessed by Amethyst. It was the same with Pipsqueak and Sapphire Shores.”

“How did you notice that?” Scootaloo placed her hands behind her head.

“I dunno, really,” Apple Bloom admitted shaking her head, “They all jus’ seemed… off to me. It’s hard to explain, really.”

Luna folded her arms behind Apple Bloom and looked at her intently. She did give Apple Bloom her magic through the Sapphire. Perhaps that gave Apple Bloom limited Mana Sight. If so… then perhaps finding the Mana Stones would be easier than they thought. At least once they latched onto an individual.

Behind all of them, Starlight watched Spike and Twilight embrace. She felt conflicted; happy that Twilight and Spike were okay now, but saddened knowing that she caused so much turmoil. As she looked down biting her lip, she resolved to talk to Spike about this at some point.

They needed to come to an understanding.

After making sure everything was okay, Twilight asked to speak to Luna privately about things. The CMC all went into the library with Spike to catch up, leaving Twilight and Luna alone on the balcony beside Twilight’s room to speak privately.

“Celestia is worried about you,” Twilight said to Luna as she leaned over the balcony looking out at Ponyville, “She says you left a somewhat cryptic letter about where you were going.”

“Did she?” Luna asked, her eyes turning to Twilight’s direction, but still facing the town.

“Luna, what’s going on?” Twilight asked standing beside Luna, who closed her eyes looking down, “I want to help you and Apple Bloom find the Mana Stones, but all of this is so strange. What’s going on with you? Why is Apple Bloom wearing the second Neutralizer and using the Sapphire Mana Stone like a weapon?”

“Honestly Twilight Sparkle, I can’t tell you much,” Luna said softly, “The truth is, I am confused by much of this myself. Apple Bloom found the Neutralizer and Sapphire on her own, and when I found her, she had already transformed into what we now call Mega Mare. However, for some reason when she called for assistance, the Mana Stone reached out to me telepathically. Upon initiating a Mega-Link, I discovered that the Mana Stone has my magic signature.”

“Your signature?” Twilight asked wide eyed.

“You understand why that is significant, do you not?” Luna asked turning to Twilight with a raised eyebrow.

“The only way that could be the case would be if you were there, but that’s…” Twilight looked down thoughtfully.

“There is one other way this is possible,” Luna said getting Twilight’s attention, “Twilight Sparkle, I need you to be completely honest with me. Did my sister play a part in the experiment with the Mana Stones?”

“Not beyond funding the project and providing the manuscripts on how to make the ten Mana Stones,” Twilight answered, “Luna, you’re not thinking that Princess Celestia-”

“Like I told Apple Bloom and her friends, I’m not accusing anyone of anything without evidence. I am seeking the Mana Stones in the hopes of finding said evidence,” Luna turned to Twilight completely, “Under no circumstances can Tia know where I am, Twilight. Not until I know everything that’s going on.”

“Luna,” Twilight averted her eyes somberly, “Celestia is beside herself with worry. She’s trying to keep everyone calm, but ponies are beginning to notice your absence. I need to tell her something at least.”

Luna frowned to herself. She didn’t want to cause Celestia any unnecessary stress, especially if her suspicions were incorrect. She was done being so cruel to her sister.

“Tell Tia, that I am assisting Mega Mare, but do NOT tell her who Mega Mare is. As far as she is concerned, Mega Mare and I came here alone to speak with you about the Mana Stones,” Luna said after a bit, “Is this acceptable?”

Twilight took a deep breath and nodded, “Yeah. I can live with that, Luna. I’ll have Spike send a letter to her to put her heart at ease. At least letting her know that you’re safe.”

“Thank you, Twilight Sparkle,” Luna said.

“Sure. It’s just, you do know that what you did Mega Linking yourself to the Mana Stone, even if I eventually find a way to remove from Apple Bloom, you’ll never-”

“I knew the risks the moment I decided to become Apple Bloom’s partner,” Luna said immediately, “I have no regrets in my decision.”

“As long as you’re sure,” Twilight sighed, “I’ll gather some material that can explain how alicorn magic works, and give that to the CMC tomorrow.”

“Thank you,” Luna said with a curtsy, “I will go and tell Apple Bloom and her friends. Expect to see us around noon tomorrow.”

“Alright,” Twilight smiled, “Regardless what happens, and what this ultimately means, take care of yourself.”

Luna smiled in appreciation, “I shall, Twilight Sparkle. You take care of yourself as well, my dear friend.”

With that, Luna went back inside, leaving Twilight alone on the balcony, “If alicorn magic was used, that would explain why they went haywire in the first place, but… how did it end up there in the first place? Also…” Twilight looked up at the sky as the sun set, “Where did they end up in the first place?”

After seeing the CMC off, Starlight went to Spike’s room and knocked on his door, “It’s open.”

Starlight took a deep breath and stepped inside, where she saw Spike laying on his bed looking up at the ceiling, “H-how are you, sir?”

“Fine,” Spike said somewhat curtly, “You?”

“Oh! I’m alright. I just… wanted to um…” she shook her head, “Know what? Never mind.”

“Starlight,” Spike said stopping her right as she turned back to the door. He then sat up on his bed facing her, “Why are you so passive and submissive to Twilight and her friends? Calling me “sir”, referring to everyone else by their Elements. Refusing to call Twilight by her name despite being told it’s fine numerous times. You weren’t like this before, so why now?”

“Because I don’t deserve their friendship!” Starlight cried, “I, don’t even deserve to be, here.”

“S-Starlight…”

“When I met Twilight and her friends, I hated their friendship,” Starlight continued through her tears, not meeting Spike’s gaze, “They were all so close, despite having their Cutie Marks. All Cutie Marks ever did for me was isolate me, yet Twilight got a full scholarship from getting hers. Yet, despite me trying to destroy her friendships, and damn near destroying time and space in the process, she welcomed me in open arms. She was so beautiful, that I… wanted to be her friend too.” she fell to her knees, “Then the experiment happened, and Applejack vanished. Twilight was beside herself. You were beside yourself. Everyone was beside themselves. But then I had a terrible thought. If it had been me who vanished… no one would have cried for me.”

“Oh God…” Spike got up and walked over to Starlight, getting on his knees and placing a hand on her back as she sobbed.

“It’s true, isn’t it? No one would miss me. I bet they’d all celebrate if I were just gone!”

“Stop that,” Spike demanded, “That’s not true at all.”

“Oh really?” Starlight turned to Spike, tears of anguish streaming down her cheeks, “Who would miss me?!”

Spike took a deep breath, “I, would.”

Starlight’s eyes widened, and she just stared at Spike in shock, “Y-you’d, miss me? But, you hate me.”

“I don’t hate you,” Spike corrected, “I never hated you. Look, before you came in, I was doing some soul searching. I imagined what would happen if I had succeeded, and if Apple Bloom hadn’t stopped me. And I realized something.”

“What did, you realize?” Starlight asked.

“That I’d probably hate myself forever afterward. Not just because I know Twilight cares about you. But because, I never really got the chance to get to know you,” Spike smiled a bit at Starlight, “You don’t need to keep punishing yourself. If you want to be friends with someone, then be friends with them. You… already have one person who wants to be your friend right here.”

Spike held out his hand, which Starlight looked at intently. She was trembling somewhat, and breathing heavily.

“So what do you say?” Spike asked, “Wanna try, being friends from now on?”

Starlight broke down a bit, but this time she was smiling. She then nodded quickly, and shook Spike’s hand. No words needed to be said between them. From this point forward, she and Spike were friends.

He would be the first of many friends.

As it was finally night, Diamond Tiara sat on her window looking out at the moon rise. She ran a finger across her lips, remembering the kiss that she and Mega Mare shared. The first time she initiated, and she worried she had made a mistake. However, that second one, Mega Mare was the one who kissed her.

Not only did this confirm that Mega Mare loved her, but Mega Mare needed her. Someone out there, actually needed her.

“I wonder where you are right now, Mega Mare,” Diamond Tiara said softly, “I wish you were here to hold me. You’re the only pony in the world who needs me,” she looked down darkly, “To everyone else, they think I just ruin everything.”

Her thoughts went to her peers at school. Even now, she knew the other students despised her. Even though she made an honest attempt to change. She thought she did a good job. Sadly, none of the students seemed to agree, and in fact all continued to shun her, even now after the whole Garnet Crush incident.

Then there was Silver Spoon…

Don’t touch me!

You ruin everything!

“That’s not true… It’s not…! It’s not!” she held her head tightly, “Mega Mare needs me! She loves me, even if you don’t! Even if…” she remembered the promise she and Silver Spoon made when they were little, and the pain came back full force. Yes, she was a different pony back then, but looking back, she meant every word.

Why didn’t Silver Spoon believe her? Why did she hate her now?

And would Mega Mare… begin to hate her too?

Just as her thoughts began to go into a darker direction, Diamond noticed something shining in their back yard, a bit next to the pool. She frowned, but then decided to head down to investigate it. Maybe one of the maids left their watch or something.

When she got there though, she was confused by what it was. It was a white orb, big enough to fit in the palm of her hand. She picked it up and examined it closely.

“It kind of looks like a pearl of some sort,” Diamond said thoughtfully, “I’ve never seen one this big before. Spoony would probably be able to see how much it’s worth if she were-”

You are weak…

But I can give you strength…

Diamond’s eyes widened and she looked around. A voice? She barely heard it, yet somehow could make out everything it said to her. It sounded like it was in her… head. She slowly looked at the orb fearfully.

“That voice… it came from this thing, didn’t it?”

You were right about what I am…

My name is Pearl…

“You’re a Mana Stone…!” Diamond began breathing heavily, “Those things, that Mega Mare is searching for! You’re one of them!”

The Sapphire hunts us…

I come seeking refuge…

But if you want…

I could lend you power…

“No! Absolutely not!” Diamond screamed, “I won’t let you turn me into one of those monsters!”

All we do is grant power...

It’s the will of the pony in question…

That creates the “monsters” as you call them…

“I don’t believe you!” Diamond fussed, “I’m going to find Mega Mare, and take you to her!”

I wouldn’t do that Diamond Tiara…

If you do…

Mega Mare will leave you one day…

I can make sure…

No one leave you…

Ever again…

Diamond Tiara screamed, “Shut up shut up SHUT UP!!!” she ran into her room, and threw the Mana Stone into a box and shut it tight, locking it for good measure, “You won’t turn me into Mega Mare’s enemy!” she then ran over to her bed and laid down in her bed, confident that she wouldn’t hear that thing anymore.

I won’t have to turn you into Mega Mare’s enemy…

Isn’t everyone already your enemy…?

How is she any different than Silver Spoon…?

Diamond Tiara shut her eyes tightly, covering her ears with her pillow in a vain attempt to block out its voice. She wouldn’t listen to it. She was strong like a diamond, and diamonds were unbreakable.

“Mega Mare… help me…!” she sobbed. All she had to do was find Mega Mare and it would be okay. She was her hero, and she promised she’d always protect her. She’d keep her promise.

She would… right?

Mega Mare Brilliance

by Azure Sandora

Light in the Darkness

First Battle

Mega-Link & Mana Zone

Name of a Hero

Rise of Mega Mare

Battle: Garnet Crush

Helpless

Diamond's Love & Aquamarine

Lose My Mind

Meltdown

Battle: Hydra Shores

Unforgivable

The Kiss

The Onyx Dominatrix

Forgiveness

Spike Unleashed

Battle: Amethyst Slash