> The Tale Of Two Friends
>  by The_Unknown_Creators
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Chapter 1: The Meeting
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	"Are you sure you want to do this Boost? You know the Everfree Forest is a dangerous place!", Bluespark said worried.

"I know Blue," Boostrot replied, "its just... that i'm tired of murdering people every time i express myself. Waking up with tons of blood on my body is horrible!"

Blue looked at his potion stand and let out a sigh. "Its just that I worry about you. You are my closest friend, I don't know what i could do without you!" 

Boost put his hoof on Blue's shoulder. "I'll be fine Blue. Don't worry about me. I need to do this alone," he said, looking at him with a emotionless expression on his lips.

Blue looked at him, they stayed in silence for a moment.

"I promise, will find a cure," Blue said. "I will release you from this curse Boost," said Blue. 

"I know you will," Boostrot said with a smile.

With a final goodbye, Boostrot left Blue's house, to begin his new life, in the dark depths of Everfree Forest.



He stood still in the entrance of the forest, Looking at the danger sign displayed in front of him. And in his mind he thought,

"My new home..."

He let out a sigh and walked inside the forest.

As the days passed, he collected food and water from the forest to survive in his new home, along the way learning how to avoid it's dangers, such as Poison Joke and Timberwolves. 

But one day, something unusual happened, something he would never quite forget.

As usual, he was collecting some fruit from the overhanging trees, when he felt a chill run down his back.

"Huh? Weird.." He muttered. He then resumed collecting his meal.

Minutes later, he felt the same sensation again. It was stronger now, and it was followed by a sound he couldn't understand, almost like a whisper.

As soon he heard it, he turned around with an expression of fear in his face.

"W- Who's there!?" He whispered into the darkness.

No reply came...

Shrugging off the sound, he got back to collecting his meal, definitely more wary of his surroundings than he was a few moments ago, until he heard it once again.

"Who's there!?"  He yelled into the blackness.

A strange voice, a female's voice, whispered, "Please... please..."

He looked around nervously, searching for it's origin. But no one was present, though some sort of movement like wind could be heard, behind the nearby bushes.

He yelled, "Dont come nearby! You can get hurt!" 

The voice replied, "if only I could be hurt..." 

He tried to calm down as his heartbeat reached his limit. Many thoughts passed through his head due to this unexpected reply.

"Wh- who are you?" He said.

A strange shape appeared in front him, like an orb of black light, but which then materialized into the form of a mare, or at least, Boost thought it was a mare. It's lamp-like eyes peered through the darkness at Boost, and seemed to generate an aura of much sorrow.

"I don't know..." It said. 

He couldn't understand what was happening. Who was this spirit?

He took some steps back from it. Then he asked, Well, then what are you?"

"I- I am a shadow... " it replied. that's all I've ever known... a shadow of my former self... I cannot remember who I was... or what I did... or why this curse is on me..." 

There was silence between the two for a moment. 

She then asked, "Why are you here in this accursed place? Are you...real?"

"I live here", He said. "And yeah, I'm real..."

It continued to stare at him in a confused way. "Why?" it asked.

He stayed in silence. He didn't wanted to tell just anypony about his curse. 

"You may call me Shadow," it said, "Or Shade... it makes no difference to me...I am nobody... what is your name?"

He looked at the ground and said "I'm... Boostrot."

"Boostrot..." More silence followed. "Would you know my name?" Shade asked curiously. "I would do anything to hear it again... Anything really..."

He just wanted to run away, But he knew that this mare needed help. He then reunited his will and said, 

"Is there a way of removing this curse from you?"

Pausing for a moment, Shadow recited, "The curse, the curse.. of shadow and night...spawn of that terrible blight...only by finding my name and past, shall the spell be ended at last...".

He stood there, thinking of ways to help her, initially startled by this line. Then he asked, 

"How long have you been like this?"

She closed her eyes for a bit, then said, "I do not know, it has been too long.. it has felt like eternity..."

At the sound of this statement, he thought that she had been too long like this. Maybe history books could help her? 

Shadow looked down, contemplating something unknown to her, very helpless in her form of suffering.

He took the bag he was carrying, and then began to search inside it. He then took out a book of Brief Equestrian history.

"You think this can help you?"

She looked at it, "maybe..." she replied. Then she proceeded to read it.

A few moments later, she murmured, "Wait... I..." She started to have a familiar notion. "I remember something..." More feelings started to engulf her. 

"A mighty castle... a thunder battle on its mighty turrets crackling... the moon quaking... evil laughter... and Darkness falling... falling..." 

She is once again lost in deep thought.

Then Boost said "Wait... isn't that the battle between the two sisters 1000 years ago?" 

She stared at him, and then recited in her trancelike state again,

"Twin regal sisters of moon and sun...at a great cost that battle was won... Princess Celestia!"

A horrible feeling of agony filled her, and she collapsed.

Shocked, Boost ran to her. "Miss!? are you alright!?"

"I... i'm sorry for startling you...." Her eyes, instead of a onyx black, were much more now an emerald green color.

Boost, at seeing this development, knew he was going on the right path.

"Princess Celestia... Princess Luna... More, tell me more!" she begged him.

As she looked more through the book, she found the page dedicated to the fall of the Crystal Empire.

"Crystals..."

Again, she recited, "The last of a people that fell long ago...she was brought to safety, a legacy of woe..."

Shadow shrieked in pain again, and starts to writhe on the ground as part of her mane transformed from the glassy black color of a shadow to a deep red color.

"We are doing it miss! Do you remember more?", Boost said.

"My mane... red... L- Let me think for a moment." 

Then she started again, "A victim of the regal siblings' long feud, first to fall to a fate so crude..." 

Once more, she reared in pain, and more of her mane returned to its primer color.

"Come on miss! You can do it!", Boost cheered on.

"My name... I need my name." She began struggling to find the peace she was denied so long ago.

"C- C- Currency... That's it... my first name.....please... help me. i'm so close!"

"I don't know!" Boost's hopes were dowsed for a moment. 

Currency suddenly shouted, "A map, It's something to do with a map!" She looked imploringly at him.

"Uhh... continents? Countries? Coordinates?" He was trying his best to find the last part of her name. He didn't know what else to do, he kept thinking about what it could be. 

Currency was now on the verge of extreme excitement, the first time in years, maybe centuries.

"Ugh, a Compass!?" 

Instantly, the air and wind in the trees above instantly fell quiet, Currency starts to sway on the spot.

"Currency...Currency Compass..." she muttered.

And then, color starts to return to her at long last, golden light surrounded her everywhere, and blocked her from Boost's view. It lifted her up into the air, dwarfing Boost by comparison to the spectacle, he could only watch in shock and awe as Currency was lowered down by some great magic to the ground, her true color and identity restored to her. She now had a full and smooth ruby red mane, and a lavender coat.

"Miss? How are you feeling!?" He asked in shock, as the golden light faded. But there was no response. He then took notice of her cutie mark, a luminous and iridescent gemstone. Upon seeing this, he stood in silence for a moment, then he asked again, 

"How are you feeling?"

She opened her emerald eyes for the first time in years, she was at last free from the curse. 

"I- I..." She got up, and stumbled, Boost went and helped her. 

"Thank... you..." she replied. "Is it- gone?" she asked solemnly. 

"I think so", he replied. "How are you feeling Miss Compass?" 

She lifted her hoof up to her face and stared at it intently. She then felt her face with it.

"I am real... I can feel things... And color! Oh, how I missed red, and green, and all the rest of them..." She began to cry tears of joy, which ran down her cheeks, and onto the ground. 

At seeing that, Boost realized that he saved this pony from a horrible curse, and a very ancient one at that. He did something good for the first time in years, and Currency saw him smiling for the first time. 

She embraced him in a very tight hug, nearly taking the wind out of Boost, and cried into his shoulder.

"Thank you kind one. i am free. Free..." She hugged him tighter, "How can I repay you? Nothing will ever be enough."

He let out a sigh. "Your gratitude is all I want, That's all you did to repay me." But then mumbled, "At least that's all you could do right now...".

She broke away and looked at Boost properly for the first time, scanning him with her piercing eyes. "Your a lot younger than I thought you would be! Your a colt! Why are you out here in Everfree!? It's dangerous!"

"Dangerous..." He said with a poor tone. Then he proceeded to look down in silence. 

A moment passed. Currency then stated, "There's nothing to be afraid of. what was your name again?"

"I'm Boostrot." he said with the same tone. 

"Boostrot, I like that name..." She gave a smile. However, she then noticed his depressive gaze. "Boostrot? What's wrong? Your not scared of me? Are you?"

"No, its just that... that..." He proceeded with the silence again. His heartbeat started to accelerate.

"That what?" she proceeded doubtfully. 

He didn't want to talk about his curse, but he didn't have any reply. So he stood in silence, While she suspected more and more of the truth.

She raised an eyebrow at him. "Well, if you say so..." 

She sighed. "You can't fool me Boostrot. You have nothing to hide from me... what's wrong?" Then she noticed an expression of pain in Boost's face. 

"Wait... I know those eyes..."

At that moment, Boost's heartbeat reached his limit. 

She then advanced, "The eyes of someone who is cursed...". 

It started, He stepped back from her while wrapping his hooves around his belly. He tried to escape, but then he tripped and fell on the ground.

"Please, don't go...I'm not afraid of you, it's been forever since I have seen any pony in this dark place..." 

With a weak voice he said, "Run..."

"You have nothing to be afraid of! I can help you!" She got up, and then walked towards him to help him. But then she stopped when he yelled with a deep voice,

"RUN!!!" 

His eyes had turned a crimson red, and the sclerosis of his eyes turned a black color. Noting something was clearly wrong, she backed away. He began to scream while his body went through several changes. Claws began to grow from his hooves, while his back began to curve. His green fur began to change color into grey. Then, his hooves had turned into horrific paws, and he and got up on his back legs. He was now way taller than her. He let out a loud howl, the transformation complete.

She gazes in fright at the colossal monster now before her.

"A Werewolf....", she muttered. 

He looked at her for a moment, let out a mighty roar, and charged at her and hit her with an amazing strength. 

"Agh!" She was sent sailing into the nearby tree. "Ow..."I know just how to deal with you..." 

Then she got up, The monster charged again at her. She gave it a concentrated look, then stepped aside, leaving him to run into the tree behind her.  He hit the tree hard, turned around, and roared at her as he  ripped the tree off the ground, and threw it at her as easily as a filly throwing a stick. She ducked, and it crashed into two more tree nearby, the impact nearly uprooting them.

She extended her hoof, and some power of her's exerted itself over boost's mind. She was very versitile in the usage of hypnosis and knowledge of the mind. 

The monster struggled, then hit Currency with great strength. 

"Ack....you are stronger than I thought...", she said.

She gave it another try. "Sleep... There is no need for anger... Sleep...". 

Despite her effective spell, the monster still resisted the magic. He then proceeded to grab Currency by her leg, and threw her far away, up into the trees and into the air high above. 

She landed in another section of the forest, (thankfully one less deep than the one she originally was in,) with a hard thud, despite being cushioned by her magic. 

"It's amazing that I remember all these spells after all this time..." She got up. "Ow..." 

Distanced roars came from inside the forest. The monster was too strong for her. She knew that the only thing to do was to wait until he calmed down by himself. 

She thought, "I can't just leave him there like that. I know he is still the same colt he was before... I just need to wait, its the least i can do....for a friend...".

She proceeded to sit on a nearby log, and of course, waited.
> Chapter 2: Unmasking the Past
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	As the hours passed, The roars and growling inside the forest began to cease, until it was quiet once again. Currency looked in the direction deeper into the woods, with a nervous look on her face. 

"Hang in there Boostrot... I'm coming.", she said determined.

And at that, she stood up and walked deeper into the forest towards the direction of now silent howls. 

As she walked, she noticed the path of destruction the beast did. Trees ripped off the ground and tons of mutilated bodies of innocent animals littered the ground.

"Celestia..." She muttered, as she continued to walk warily through the forest. 

After walking for a while, she happened upon the body of Boost, who was lying on the ground either unconscious or sleeping. She knelt down near him, and felt his forehead. It was cold, he was unconscious after all that happened. Luckily he didn't escape the forest to cause more havoc. 

"Poor thing..." She muttered. 

She picked up Boost rather gingerly, and carried him to a place where she knew he could get better.

Several minutes later Boost started waking up. The first thing he heard, was the trickle of some sort of stream. He got up while his vision started to clear out. He then began to realize that he was in some sort of cave. He put his hoof on his head. 

"Ugh... Whe- Where am i?" He said confused.

"You're safe, don't worry..." a familiar voice said to him. 

Boost looked up, and there sat Currency, leaning against a rock with her eyes closed, as if she was meditating. 

"Wait... You- You are alive? How?" He tilted his head giving her a confused look. , 

"I'm more capable than you would think Boostrot." She replied. Then opened her eyes, and looked sadly at Boost. 

"Thank you Miss Currency. But you dont need my help anymore. Why are you doing this?" 

She closed her eyes again, then said, 

"One, because it's all I can do to return the favor of you restoring me, and two, I just couldn't leave you here alone... You're... Something special..." He stood in silence, then looked around. 

"And what is this place? I haven't seen it before..."  The cave was relatively small, and a spring was running straight from the back of the wall, and small bluish plants were sprouting on the floor by the stream.

"One of my places... from my time cursed..." 

Boost took a moment to look around the cavern, it was beautiful really, and a cool mist was about the place. 

"Look miss currency, you are free now. You can go, you've done all you could do with me", he said. 

"That's not what friends are for..." , she uttered solemnly. 

"Friend?" He said confused. "

Yes, a friend..." she put her hoof on his shoulder, But then Boost took it off. 

"I wouldn't do that if i were you. You will only get killed",

She replied, "But your not me.", and smiled.

He looked at her, then he let out a sigh. 

"I wish i could be your friend... but i just can't. I will hurt you".

"Does it look like I care about being hurt? I've seen much worse, trust me..." 

"You have?" He replied. 

"Sigh..., yes... But that's not important,  what is is that your safe!" 

Boost looked down, then faced up to her again 

"Thanks miss Currency. So... you saw it all?" 

"Yes, i did," she replied.

"You are a good pony Miss Currency. If you want i can tell you the story of how i came to be the monster i am.

Currency gives boost a curious look. 

"Your not a monster Boostrot, your far from it. I'd like if you told me though! It would be nice to hear anything really, after all that time being confused and lost..."

After pausing to find the right words, he started. 

"Well... First of all, I'm not from here, or Canterlot, or any other known place in Equestria."

Currency replied, "Hm... I can guess that, your not a crystal pony ether for that matter. Where is it you're from then?"

"I'm from a small town, Far away from here, and north from Appleloosa. It's got no more than 100 inhabitants".

A confused look crosses her face.

"Appleloosa? Where is that?" Clearly that town wasn't there back when she was alive.

"Nowhere important. The important thing is that town was a deep hole of depression and anger. It was rare to see ponies talking to each other. Everypony was mean to each other. And fights were often."

Currency is a bit troubled by this remark, but then asks, 

"What then? Tell me more!"

With slight reluctance, he resumes.

"But one pony i will never forget, its my stupid father, By all the evil ponies that lived there, He was the worst. He was the one who put the curse on me."

"What? But why?" She said even more confused. She was disgusted at this very thought, and knew that Boost's suffering ran deep.

"I dont know. That goes beyond my memory. I've been with this curse from as far as i can remember. But that's not all. I remember the horrible things he did to me. He beat me up every time he could. He chained me to the wall and forces my transformation to take place so he could experiment on me. He even used innocent ponies to test my transformation against them. I murdered so many innocent ponies. Not only in that town. In others as well!"

Currency is staring at Boost at this point, horrified.

"And there's another reason why i live here now. For all the horrible things i did, i became a wanted criminal. At this moment they are searching for me. To punish me for my crimes. I'm lucky this forest is huge, I have plenty of hiding spots. They can even be searching for me here!"

Currency lets out a deep sigh, and remarks, 

"It's no wanted criminal they are after, it's a bounty for an animal... if only they knew that you never had the chance to do something about it. I'm sorry that had to happen boost... truly I am, makes my story pale in comparison."

"Don't worry miss Currency... I'm used to it. If i keep hiding they wont find me. If they find me, they'll probably give me the death sentence."

He let out a sigh. "Sometimes, i just want this to stop... Having to run everyday is just tiring."

"I know the feeling..." She said.

"You do?" He lifted his head looking at her.

"Having to roam everyday is mind breaking..."

A long silence follows this statement.

"And whats your story miss Currency? What happened before you got turned into... That?"

She hesitates. "That? Would you really want to know?"

"If you dont want to tell me... Its fine."

She let out a sigh "Well... i might as well."

She took another deep breath, then started.

"I was born in the crystal empire nearly... um... What year is it now?"

"Its 2017." He replied.

She sat in silence. "I...a thousand years... had it really been over a thousand years ago... So that's how long it's been. 

"Well, I was born in the Crystal Empire, and I had the perfect family and life any filly could ask for. A family, a home, you know..."

By those words boost looked at the ground sadly. She felt guilty by saying that.

"I'm sorry, I picked at a nerve didn't I..."

"Its fine... Please continue."

"Well, alright then... And then, it was taken from me... The empire fell, my entire family was lost... My parents fell before Sombra, and my sister..." She sighed while looking down.

"What happened to her?", he asked curiously. 

Currency is staring blankly into space, very horrified about remembering for the first time in centuries.

"I... don't know..." 

Boost didn't say anything at that.

"The princess'es came to try to stop Sombra, but it wasn't enough, all they managed to do was save me... me of all ponies..."

"Wait... You knew the princesses?" He gave her a surprised look.

"Yes, I guess you can say that they raised me from then on... I was a student of theirs you know, and they thought me much about friendship, and many other wonders of Equestria."

"Heh, I had all the misadventures a teenage filly had of course.." She shivered at one particular thought. 

Boost gathered a hint that that was a sensitive topic to talk about for her, so he refrained from delving further into it.

"I loved maps, I loved relics and artifacts, coins, trinkets, jewels.. You could call me an enthusiast I suppose."

Thus, he learned the meaning behind her cutie mark. He said, 

"Wow... That's amazing, I just love playing the guitar. But with all the things that are happening i had very Little time to play."

"Guitar... is that like a lute? I'm just wondering, things have probably changed so much since I disappeared."

"No. I never had a real one, or the money to buy one. So i just created mine, with pieces of wood and strings that i stole from a small store. Being a wanted criminal makes buying stuff really tough..."

I would imagine..." She frowned. Then she proceeded with the story.

"And then... The nightmare came... That one fateful day... The sun was blotted out by the moon... I watched Princess Luna slowly degrade into what she became.. .a delusional nightmare..."

"Wait... You mean... Nightmare Moon?"

Currency at this point, is wide eyed at remembering all this. She gave a faint nod.

"The battle shook the ground of the old castle, it overlooks the forest you know..." She paused again.

"The castle of the two sisters." He said.

"Yes..." She replied. "Princess Luna... Nightmare Moon... she cast a spell right at her sister... I had to... I had to save her, and I took that blast instead of her...I sacrificed myself for her."

"You saved the princess!? At the cost of your own life!?" He seemed to understand completely now.

"Yes... It was my duty. And then... Darkness descending... Down... Down... And that is all I recall, at least, of my past self...".

"I'm sorry for all that happened to you," Boost said looking at her with a frown.

Currency looked back at Boost, lines of sorrow were etched in her face. 

"Don't be... I'm probably forgotten now..."

He stepped closer to the mare. "Terrible fates fell upon us... Maybe if we stay together we can overcome them."

Currency gives a small smile, "Perhaps..." 

Then, he gave her a hug.  slightly surprised, she hugged back, and eased into it.

The hug lasted only for a moment. 

Suddenly, Boost noticed something. "Crap!" He said, Immediately taking Currency by the hoofed pulling her behind a rock. 

"Wait, what!? Boost? What are you-"

"Shh!" He said to her. Then he peeked outside, she peeked too. They are two ponies of the royal guard outside.

"Royal guards.. Help has arrived!" She whispered.

"Currency. They are searching for me!" He whispered back to her.

"Hm..." She started to think.

"If they see me, I'm over!"

Currency's face slowly turns into a smile.

"Hm, I have an idea, just stay here..."

"Please dont tell them i'm here!"

"Of course I won't, you'll see, look, there's only two of them!" She pointed at them slightly.

"They are professionals. They know what can happen to me if i transform!" But when Boost turned to Currency, she was gone. "Crap! Crap! Crap!" He began to worry.

"Well, I dunno... This would be an ideal hiding place for it." One of the guards said.

"But we need to be careful. You know what can that thing can do to us." The other guard said.

"Pff, relax! It's not like we aren't prepared for it, and the rumors of this forest are ridiculous. Haunted... Heh..."

"I know. But we aren't searching for haunted things. The rest of the Guard searched all over Equestria for him. This is the last place to search. And we need to be prepared when we find him."

"I know we aren't searching for haunted things you dolt, it's that-" Then suddenly , a limb falls off a nearby tree and hits the ground with a sickening crunch.

"What was that!?" The two guards jumped at the sound of it.

"I told you he was here!" He looked at him with seriousness in his face.

"B... but that was in that tree up there... Heh... it's nothing... yeah, it's nothing..."

Boost can hear giggling coming from the tree "What is that mare doing there..." He asked himself.

The guard slapped the other guard. "Control yourself! You knew you will see these things here!"

"Well yeah, but I've never been in here before, so-" A wailing cry emerges from behind some trees, almost like a ghost.

"What the..." The other guard said.

The first guard jumps into the arms of the other, like a certain duo of mystery solvers would do when scared.

"M- Maybe its just a tree creaking..." The other guard started getting nervous.

"Yeah! Or a wolf..."

"We fought a lot of them while getting here!"

"Pff, Yeah!"

A creepy foal's voice issues from behind them.

"Are you looking for someone?" The voice said. They slowly turn around to the origin of the voice, only to find nothing is there.

"Wha- how? but!" He started stuttering. "Let's just find our bounty and get out of here!"

"Good idea!" The second guard said. They rushed away from the spot, and kept running until they disappeared into the woods.

Currency, suddenly besides Boost, says, "Well that was fun."

Jumping at her sudden reappearance, he exclaimed, 

"How did you do that?" He looked very confused. 

Currency blushed. "Heh, I can use mind tricks to a decent effect.", She said with a smile."Wow... doing that again was liberating..." She leaned against the rock again.

"Wow... That's incredible! Thanks for helping me."

"Heh, its the least i can do. Well, now what?"

"So... you knew the princess'es right?"

"Of course I do, I was their student! I'm glad to hear that Celestia survived that battle... I had no idea of knowing what happened after."

"Yeah. So, Currency, Can you please talk to her and explain all of this? And finally get this over with?" 

"Your curse?" 

"Yeah, Its be imposible for me to getting to her."

She let out a sigh and then said,

"Yes.. I'll make sure of it... I know that you've suffered for far too long... We will find a cure for it... It's never been done before though, but we will find a cure for the werewolf curse..."

"Thank you Currency. It seems that now everything will be better."

"It's just that... I don't know.. I haven't seen her since I saved her..."

"Please... I need this to stop..." He said while looking at her sadly.

"I know Boostrot, I swear on my gravestone, if I had one that is... i swear that I'll help you be cured..."

"Thank you Currency." They decided to get out of the cave. The sun was shining through the leaves of the trees. Boost took a piece of cloth and put the hood over his head.

Currency looked up, and covered her eyes. 

"The sun...i don't believe it...it's been so long...

Boost smiled at Currency, happy that her senses have been restored.

Currency started again, "Let's find a way out of this forest... I've never been out of this place in centuries..."

"But we will find a way.", Boost replied.

They left the forest. Now it seems like a brighter future was just ahead of them.
> Chapter 3: A Fateful Reunion
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	They got out of the forest, and the first thing that Currency saw, was Ponyville from the distance.

"What in the... This was a field once! What is this place!?"

"This place is called Ponyville", replied Boost. "And you're right, this was a field once, But the princess gave the land to an earth pony family, and it evolved into this town."

"Wow..." She simply gazes out at the village.

"Now the place we need to go to Canterlot over there." He points at the city high up in the hills

"Canterlot..." She sighed, "The jewel of Equestria..."

"Ok we need to go as slyly as possible.", said Boost.

"Why? Is this one of those kind of towns?"

"Remember. They are searching for me. They could even be in this little town."

"Alright, so we go around it?"

"We need to get to the train station, Then pick up two tickets to Canterlot."

"Train? What's that?" She obviously hasn't heard of one before.

"Umm.. its like a box with wheels. It allows ponies to travel to other places faster than on hoof."

"A box? Fascinating..."

"Ok lets go, Walk fast and don't make any eye contact."

"Alright" They enter the town, and pass by town hall. Currency spots one pony walking by.

This mare had a lavender coat just like Currency's, and about the same age, but there was no mistaking, she was an alicorn, as shown by her wings and horn. She was chatting with an earth pony with an orange coat and a yellow mane, and wearing an unfamiliar hat to Currency.

"Who...who is that Boost?", she asked, pointing to the pair.	

"Oh... That is Twilight Sparkle. She is the fourth and most recent ruler of Equestrian. She is most known as the "Princess Of Friendship". And that's one of her friends, Applejack.

"A princess?", replied Currency. "But there haven't been more than the regal sisters since princess Amore..."

"Yeah. But after she disappeared another alicorn princess named Cadence took her place. And then came Twilight."

"Times have changed indeed... Wait... Took her place?"

"Yeah", said Boost, "a pony needs to take care of the Crystal Empire."

She jumps at this statement, "But the Empire was lost!"

"Oh yeah... Princess Twilight and 5 other ponies restored the empire to its former glory!

"What!? The empire has returned!?"

"Yeah, a long time ago!" 

Currency tried to walk over to talk to Twilight, but she was stopped by Boost, who held out his hoof. "First lets talk to Princess Celestia. Then you can talk to her."

She let out a sigh.

"Alright, where are these tickets you talked about?"

"I need you to take them. Because most of the ponies know me by now. If someone asks i'm your son ok?"  He hands her a generous amount of bits.

"Well, at least they use bits still...", she replied.

Boost put the hoodie over his face to cover his identity.

"Ok lets go."

Minutes later, they arrive at the train station.

"Ooh..." She spotted the booth. "Heh, we had carriages and chariots back then... This is new territory for me..."

"Welcome to the future." He said.

"Hm..." She walks up to the booth.

"Where to?" The pony inside asked.

"To Canterlot, For my son and I."

"That would be 50 bits."

"I'm, yes, one second please..." She pulls them out and handed it to him. The pony inside takes them and gives her two tickets.

"Your son has an interesting choice for clothes."

"Heh, yes," replied Currency with some difficulty. "No matter what I say, he always wears the stuff..."

"Hehe... Ok have a nice ride you two!"

"Well, thank you!"

She took Boost and the two left for the train. They got on, and sit in the rear car.

"Its been years since i've been in a train.", stated Boost.

"Wow..." The train starts with a sudden jolt, and Currency, unprepared for the motion, is sent flying into the next seat.

"Careful Currency." He helps her.

"Ah, thanks Boostrot.." She got back to her seat.

"You can call me Boost if you want." He smiled at her.

"Alright Boost..." She smiles back. 

"Wow... To think how much has changed, I can't marvel enough about it..." She looked outside the window. It was a beautiful view of the plains. "The truth is, I'm a mite bit afraid of meeting princess Celestia again... Especially after...well...the battle."

"Why?" He asked curiously.

"I just...it's hard to explain".

"You know she will be happy to see you, besides, you were her student too!"

"Will she? Well, if you say so..." 

They finally arrived at Canterlot.

"Wow... This place looks way better closer.", said Boost.

Currency looked around, and took a deep breath.

"Boost, there's no better place to trace Equestria's history than Canterlot... It feels good to see it again!"

"Honestly, This is my first time here," he replied. "Lets try not to act too suspicious."

"Agreed..." They proceed through the town. While it bustled with ponies going to and from the market to the many squares, guards were everywhere. He looks nervous at being there, so close to failure.

After a long climb, they finally reach the gate leading into the castle. 

Currency looks at the two guards protecting it, and remarks, "Heh... I didn't think of what to do from this point on..."

"Yeah... me neither, Maybe i should have thought a better plan."

"Hm, we might have to give ourselves up at this point...", muttered Currency.

"What? And i have to be running from civilization the rest of my life?"

"Not like that, I meant that the guards could bring us to the princess."

"Do you think they won't notice my identity?"

"They will, which is why I am hoping that she recognizes me and we can negotiate."

"I don't like that plan too much Currency..."

"Me nether, but I don't see any alternative," she said with a grimace.

He sighed. "If you say so... Lets do it." They walked towards the guards.

"Identify yourselves," one of the guards said.

"I am Currency Compass, and my friend and I wish to see the princess."

"You can't see the princess'es without special permission Miss," The other guard said.

She looked him in the eye, and sent a hypnotic suggestion into his mind. 

"Special permission? Are you sure?"

The guard, dazed by the spell, replied, "Oh... I'm sorry miss. Of course you have one!" The guards let them pass. 

Currency smiled at Boost, and they walked ahead. "They don't make them like they used to...", she muttered under her breath.

"I wish i could do that."

"Heh, maybe someday you'll learn it someday." She smiled at him again. "Well, now the easy part is done."

They walked into the castle a bit of the way, until suddenly, an alarm sounded. The guards knew they were here.Then one passing guard accidently bumped into boost making him trip, knocking off the hood.

All nearby guards reconize him. "We got the criminal!", one of them yelled. And in just a matter of seconds, they surrounded the two, their spears all pointed towards their necks. Boost didn't know what to do and started to hyperventilate. Currency patted boost on the back."

"Don't worry boost, we can get this settled..." He started to relax.

"Take the beast! We will take care of the mare!" They separated Currency from Boost.

"No, wait!" She sent a thought into the captain's head.

"They go together..." The captain proclaimed.

Then a guard said. "The mare is using that mind control thing! You can't fool us twice!"

Currency, a little shocked, exclaimed, "Well, it looks like they have some of the old guard potential after all..."

"Currency!!!", Boost yelled before she loosed sight of him in a corner.

"Darn it." She said.

A guard shouted, "let's take her to the princess'es!"

Currency, a bit puzzled at this, asks, "Princess'es?"

Another guard says. "Are you crazy!? She will just brainwash them!"

"They would know better I'd think! They are alicorns!" Another one said.

"We can put them at risk. Lets take her to the dungeon and wait for orders," yet another one suggested.

"Thanks for answering my question..." she muttered, as they escorted her down to the dungeon. They threw her not too gently in a cell, and slammed the door.

Meanwhile, Boostrot was put in a specialized cell. They chained him to the wall in steel bonds.

One of the guards boasts, "Heh... Not so tough now are you?"

Boost spits in him and says, "Go to hell!"

"You first..." He walked. out. 

Boost is left for several minutes in the cell. Alone, in the darkness. He proceeds to cry, Knowing that he will stay there forever. He had lost hope, and he felt sorry for Currency having to suffer yet more at the helm of his mistakes. 

A few more minutes passed. Boost heard the jail door above open, and hoofsteps coming down the stairs.

"Huh?" He looks up.

Princess Celestia descended the steps, and looked at Boost with slight contempt, while still holding the regality of a noble princess. 

"Please, dont hurt me...," He said with tears flowing down his eyes. "I didn't mean to kill anyone..."

Celestia, after frowning at Boost, says, "I should like to hear it, you've killed too many good ponies for it to be a simple accident..."

He begins to cry more. "I'm a monster..."

Celestia slightly eased her expression at this statement. "Tell me boostrot... How came you to be like this?

"My father... He did this to me... He forced me to carry this curse..."

And soon enough, he explained all about his past to the princess, from his horrendous upbringing, to his time spent in the forest. As he relayed his tale, Celestia listened closely, asking to pause at several details every once in a while, then continue. At last, he finished. He looked at the floor in sadness.

"And how came you to be here my poor foal?"

"A long time ago, you rescued a pony. Lavender coat and red mane. Her name was Currency Compass. I found her cursed in the forest. I helped her. And I wondered if she could talk to you and clear this issue."

Celestia is left silent at this.

"Currency Compass? How?"

"She told me after she was shot by that beam, She became a shadow and she was forced to wander around the forest for a thousand years."

At the mention of this, a barely noticeable tear runs down Celestia's cheek.

A voice from behind Celestia says, "The one that saved you from me my sister?" 
"The very same Luna." 

Princess Luna emerged from the staircase, in almost equal splendor as Celestia. They both stared at Boost in a slightly bewildered manner.

"I don't want to stay here the rest of my life..." He said with tears rolling down his cheeks.

Celestia, taking a deep breath, stated, "Perhaps we won't let that happen.. You seen like the honest kind my friend... But first, tell us, how came you by our poor student?"

"When i was persecuted i took the decision of hiding in the Everfree Forest. After several days past, i encountered her, and she forgot her name and past."

"As a shadow I presume?", asked Luna, in a slightly mournful tune.

"Yes." He replied. He then delved into the details of his encounter with her, all up to the point of their entrance into Canterlot.

Celestia, her head bowed down, stated, "Clearly, we have made a mistake in seeing your intentions Boostrot. "

"Indeed," agreed Luna, "it seems that we now understand each other better now..."

"You are going to let me go? After all the murders i did?"

Celestia, after giving this a bit of thought, says, "well, perhaps not in that way, no. However, we acknowledge your relative innocence in the matter. 

Luna then said, "We shall let you roam free Boostrot, on the condition that you do a task for us in the future, that may see you redeemed in the eyes of the kingdom."

"Ill do whatever i can." He said.

"We do not require anything of you yet Boostrot, but when the time comes, we will ask of it. But we owe you our gratitude, for saving our student." 

Celestia stamped the ground, and boost's chains become undone.

He landed on the ground, got up, and proceeded to hug the princesses. "Thank you!" He cried. The guards brandished their weapons ready to attack Boost, but Luna holds her hoof up to stop them. Celestia pats boost on the back.

"Now then, you will stay here for the night, but you must decide to live in one town and one town only until your debt is settled. I will allow you to sleep on the matter. My sister and I need to talk with our student... Captain, escort Mr. Boostrot to his room please, and you will do well to remove any bounty or reward off his name."

"Yes princess." The captain replied. He did little more than shove Boost into his room before closing the door. Boost didn't care about it too much, and looked around the room. It was perhaps the best bedroom that Boost had ever seen, let alone stayed in. It had a comfy bed, very intricate decor, and full toiletry service.

"Awesome." He said to himself. He went to the bed and decided to take a rest. After wondering what conversation was going on between Currency and the princess'es, he rather quickly drifted off into a deep sleep."

Meanwhile, Currency was in her cell examining the bars of the cell, when the cell door opened. Princess Celestia walked in very slowly, and stood before Currency.

Currency looked up, and was lost for words at the sight of the princess of the sun once again, Celestia was as well.

After a brief moment of shock, Celestia says, 

"Currency Compass...is that really you, my student?"

At this, Currency broke down, she crawled over to the princess and sobbed hysterically into her leg.

"Im...im sorry Princess Celestia...I failed you...please...."

Celestia held her hoof to her cheek, "Currency...you know very well that I would not be angry at you for that reason...you saved me, and you saved Equestria."

"No...its not that...," cried Currency. "I should have done something to prevent this whole thing from happening...I saw the signs! I knew something was going to happen! Why didn't i just..." the rest of her ramblings are lost in muffled sobs.

Celestia, sighing at this development, then said, "Currency, get up please. You know as well as I do that it never does good to dwell on the past. That has always been a flaw of yours...but fear my student, all is well again! And thanks to your sacrifice, you protected Equestria from being covered in a dawnless day, and you made possible the reclamation of my sister."

Currency looked up. "Wait...reclamation?"

"Yes, it is I...", Luna declared from behind Celestia.

Upon seeing Princess Luna for the first time in centuries, Currency was completely overwhelmed in shock, and began to back away from her.

"Princess Celestia, look out!"

"My sister is whole once again Currency...the Princess of Friendship and the Mane Six have seen to that, Nightmare Moon has fallen."

"I have my own regrets," implored Luna. "But as my sister said, it does not do well to dwell on the past, ere we suffer more."

Currency calmed down, replied, "Your...your right Princess...i'm sorry...i've forgotten my teachings...". Ive lost so much to this feud...my home, my family, B...br...." she is silent again. 

Celestia knelt down to her. "But now, we can rebuild. We can restore that which we have lost long ago." Will you aid Equestria again, much like you did all those years ago?"

Currency Considered this thought for a bit. "Yes...i will...I will help to make Equestria the best it could be!" Just like...the old days...".

"That is the spirit Currency," replied Luna. "But there remains the matter of if you wish to stay here with us, or to go off on your own. I believe that the time has come, your test has been passed. But if you wish to remain here, we will not stop you."

Currency, having stood up, considers this decision for a minute. She then responds,

"I think the time is right Princess...I need to develop and grow more by living on my own, and see what fate has in store for me. Maybe I can even live with Boostrot for a while, until I find a house and job on my own. My story is far from over..."

At this, Celestia and Luna smiled. 

"You have grown wise beyond your years my student...perhaps you will lend your expertise to those that need help indeed... but first, let us speak of what has become of Equestria since your "leave of absence.""

And at that, The princesses relayed much of the events that occurred between the banishment of Nightmare Moon up to the present day, including the emergence of the Princess of Friendship and the Mane Six, and their victories over some of Equestria's darkest foes in the name of friendship.

After they finished, Currency was silent, thinking about all that happened. 

"Princess, i think i know where i want to live now...where my destiny lies. Its not looking back towards my homeland in the Crystal Empire...it's ahead."

Luna answered, "And where would that be Currency?"

"Ponyville." she replied.

	
> Chapter 4: New home, Old pony
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	Hours later, Boost woke up. With a yawn, he began another day in his new life. He then remembered that he is in the Canterlot castle, in that very comfortable bed. 

"Its been so long since I slept this good," He said with a smile. 

He got off the bed and went to the door, then he opened it and peeked outside. There were two guards stationed at his door.

One of the guards bowed and said, "Sir, the princess awaits you in the dining hall."

"Well... thanks," He said, and then proceeded to the dinning hall.

Currency and the Princesses were sitting at the end of a long table, and talking in very content voices. Currency was laughing, a sight that brought joy to Boost's heart. 

He smiled and said, "Hello there!"

"Good Morning boost! Did you sleep good?" Currency asked. The Princesses beamed at Boost."

"Yes I did. Ive never slept in a bed this comfortable before. Thanks for your hospitality princess!"

Celestia, smiling at Boost, beckoned to him.

She said, "Thank you for the compliment Boostrot, please! Join us! You must be hungry!"

"Thanks Princess." 

He got in a chair, with a bit of difficulty because of his size. After one of the best meals boost ever had, he eventually stood outside with Currency and the Princesses at the gate. 

"This day can't be better. I can't wait to see Blue again."

Currency looks over at Boost. 

"Blue?"

"Oh, That's my friend, The only one I had before I met you. You've got to meet him, He's very intelligent!"

"Alright, sure!" she agreed.

Celestia, smiling at the pair, said, "Now you must decide your own path Boostrot. Currency is going to live in Ponyville, to start her life over again."

Luna put in, "Yes, if you wish to live with her for a while, it could all be for the better!"

"Well... I used to live with my friend,  he replied, but his house was a bit small for the two of us."

Currency, troubled by this, said,

"Well, we don't have to live together, we can probably live near each other though!"

"Now that no one is trying to capture me," he said, "maybe i can find a small job and get money to but a house for my own."

"Perhaps," Currency said with a smile.

"Really Currency, I can't thank you enough for what you did to me."

"Aw... Thank you Boost. You saved me too though... This could be the beginning of a beautiful friendship!" She smiled at him.

"Well, I think its time to go home. Thanks for everything Princesses!"

Luna declared, "Fare thee well you two! Wherever you fare!"

They headed to the train station and took the train back to Ponyville. Currency stepped off the train, and took a deep breath. 

"Time for a new beginning..."

"Yep... Well its time to see Blue," Boost said. "Do you want to come with me?"

"Of course! Then maybe we can take a tour of this town?"

"Yeah! And maybe you can meet the Princess that lives here!"

"Another princess..." She sighed.

"Ok lets go," He said. 

And then, they headed to Bluespark's home. They ended in front of a small house. It wasn't the best looking one in Ponyville, or the cleanest, but it seemed suitable to house at least one pony.

"Hm..." 

"I told you it wasn't the biggest house," said Boost.

"Oh, I don't mind," she replied back.

He proceeded to knock on the door. A voice  from inside yelled, "Coming!" 

Currency exchanges looks with Boost, He just smiled at her.

Then a blue pony with an arranged brown mane opens the door. Obviously it was BlueSpark. 

"Boost!" He yelled with joy. Then he hugged him, to which Boost returned.

"I saw the news! You're longer wanted! And who is she?" He asked while looking at Currency. 

She blushed.

"Blue, This Currency Compass. She is the one who made this all possible!" Boost said excitedly.

Currency, with an embarrassed smile, said, "Well... I wouldn't say that..."

"Oh, really!?" You helped my friend miss? You have my eternal gratitude! My name is BlueSpark, Nice to meet you!" he said while shaking her hoof in a pretty formal way. 

Currency, a little timid, returns the shake, smiling nervously.

"Is there something wrong Currency?" Boost asked.

Snapping out of the moment, she replied, "Oh, yeah, I'm fine Boost, thanks. It's a pleasure to meet you too Bluespark!"

Blue smiled at her. "Well... What brought you to meet my friend Miss Compass?" He asked.

"Well, its a long story," she replied. "I can tell you inside. Hm, Boost told me that your a scientist! is that right?

"Well... I don't consider it as a job, But more as a hobby. So i guess yeah, I'm a scientist!"

"Fascinating..." Her eyes drifted around the room inside.

"What if you show her your inventions? It'll be fun!" Boost said.

"Oh, sure!"

Currency looked interested in what he had done inside, trinkets of all sorts dotted the room here and there, all foreign to her. It could be compared to a kid who was brought into a brand new toy store. Just that she is 30 years old.

"Well, ok." He said with a smile. "Over here." 

They go to another room in the house. It was all messy and filled with scrap metal. Currency was filled with bewilderment at all the new sights. 

"Sorry for the mess," said Blue. "If i knew you were coming, I would've cleaned."

"Oh, it's no bother..." She tapped a piece of metal sticking out of a pile, and it wavered up and down like a rubber band.

"Oh yeah. I also like robotics too. But let's say... I'm not too good at it," he said  while rubbing the back of his neck.

"Robotics? What's that?" She asked curiously.

"Well, Let's say they're automated devices. Commonly known as robots."

"Automated? Robots?" She looked at Boost with uncertainty. He just shrugged at her.

"Let me show you." Blue said, Then went to a cabinet and looked inside. Then he took out a small humanoid looking robot. 

"I made this thingy a while ago. The only thing that it does now is walk." 

Currency stared wide eyed at this thing. He put it on the floor and activated the switch on it's back. The robot started to walk around, nothing more. Despite this, Currency jumped back, and launched a blast of magic at it, barely missing it, but causing it to tip over, leaving it to continue functioning on it's side. She fell backwards from the scare. Clearly, it might take some time for her to get used to the new era.

"I don't think your used to this Miss Compass," Blue remarked.

"No... I'm not... Sorry..."

"Don't worry," He said, putting the robot back in it's place.

"It's just that... Well, I'm not from this time period..." she said.

"Oh... You seemed younger. How old are you? Like, 40?"

"Well, about 30 really... Or 1030...".

"Heh, Thats gre- wait, what?" 

She smiled nervously at him.

"Lets just say that we had a very... peculiar meeting.," Boost remarked. 

Blue just tilted his head in confusion.

"Let me give you the short version..." Then he proceeded to explain what happened from the moment he found her, to their time in the Canterlot.

"I don't think that was short Boost.," Currency laughed.

"At least he understood it." He replied.

"Indeed, So you know the princess'es?" asked Blue.

"Of course i do! I was their student!" she said.

"That's so awesome!" he exclaimed. "You know the princesses in person! Oh god i have so many questions! How are they? What are they like? "Is it true that Celestia has an addiction to pastries? Its true that luna has a videogame addiction? Oh! oh! Do you-" But then Boost putt his hoof over his mouth.

"Heh, Relax dude. She is still trying to process all that's happening."

"Oh..." He cleared his throat. Then rearranged his mane. "I'm sorry miss, I guess i got a little carried away."

"No worries Bluespark," she replied. "Ooh, what's that?"

She pointed at the nearby potion stand, where a white potion was settled.

"Oh... Just a little potion I am making," he replied casually. "I noticed that paralyzing potions where too hard to make. So i'm trying to do a substitute of it, with different effects but with the same purpose. But its still in its making, so the effects are unknown now." She backed away a bit, just to be safe.

"That's... Nice." She said.

"Well... Now I got to go back to work. These inventions are the only thing that makes money for me. Feel free to stay here if you want."

"Hm, I think its time think its time for us to go," said Boost. "Currency still needs a lot to learn about this town. Right Currency?"

"Heh, yes." She replied.

"Well we better get moving then. Good luck with everything Blue!"

"Thanks Boost! And have a nice day Miss Currency!"

"Thank you! you too!" She yelled back. They went out of the house.

"So... Before you went to Canterlot you got a glimpse at the new princess. Maybe you'd like to meet her?" Boost asked.

"Oh, I'd love to! Where does she live?"

"Come with me and I'll show you!" 

They proceeded to where Twilight Sparkle resided, and they soon were dwarfed by the shadow of a huge castle shaped like a crystal tree.

"What in Equestria... This is gigantic!" she exclaimed.

"Yes, it is!" he replied. "You know... I've never met Princess Twilight before."	

"Never?"

"Yeah... Since i came to Ponyville, I was already known as a criminal..."

"Oh..."

"Well, Here we go..." He knocked at the door. It resonated to everywhere in the castle. 

After a few moments of waiting, the door opened, and Spike the dragon stood in the middle of the doorway. He was casually snacking on a bowlful of gems. 

"Umm... Hi there..." he said uncertainly. "Can I help you two?"

"Well...hi, I am Boostrot and this is my friend Currency Compass. We would like to meet the Princess." Spikes recognized his name, and dropped the bowl of gems."

"Oh... um...just one second...um..." he backed away slightly again.

"Don't panic sir. all this trouble was just huge misunderstanding. If you let me in I can clarify this!"

"Your... Not going to eat me?" he asked with uncertainty.

"Wait... what? No. I'm not going to do that. Ew..."

Currency then asked, "Is princess Twilight here?"

Spike replied, "Well... She's... Not here right now! Yeah! heh..."

"Hm... Are you sure? Look, I'm not bad mister. I just want to clarify this with the princess."

A voice from behind spike said, "Spike? Who is it?"

"Hm?" Boost peeked inside. 

Princess Twilight Sparkle was standing the middle of the atrium, looking towards the door curiously at the visitors. She takes notice of Boost.

"Oh... You must be Boostrot!"

"Finally someone who's not afraid of me."

"Well, Princess Celestia told me about you two! Come in!"

"Thank you." They entered. 

After walking through the castle a bit, they reach the map room, where the huge map of Equestria sat in the middle.

"Whoa..." said Boostrot in amazement, "So this is the map thingy they talked about." 

Twilight smiles, "Yes! It contains a full layout of all of Equestria! Even the neighboring lands."

Currency stares at the map in amazement as well. 

"Wow... I wish I had something like that..."

"Me too," stated Boost, "But we hardly deserve such a thing...

"Yeah..." she muttered.

Twilight, sensing a bit of doubt, said,

"Ms. Compass, all of us in Equestria owe you our lives and freedom to you, you've done so much to prevent the victory of Nightmare Moon, and you made it possible for us to defeat her once again! And for that, you certainly have my gratitude!"

She bowed to Currency, who in turn was startled by this move.

"I'm just a simple unicorn who did what needed to be done princess Twilight, I did what i had to."

"A simple unicorn!?" Boost proclaimed, "You were the student of Celestia herself! You can mind control ponies, create illusions, and who knows what else! And you call that simple!?"

Twilight, surprised by this second statement, exclaimed, "Oh my Celestia! You were a student of her's too!? How was it back then? Did you live in the castle? What did you learn!?"

The two mares began to gossip, leaving Spike and Boost to watch on. Spike lets out a yawn.

"You know, I've never seen a dragon before," remarked Boost.

"Oh, you haven't?" Spike replied. "Heh, Let alone a baby dragon, right?"

"Yeah, So... How does it feel? To be the only one of your species around here?"

"Well, I'm used to it." he explained, "I'm used to not being around other dragons... For...several reasons."

"I can guess. I didn't know that the Princess of Friendship acted like this. Heh, So much for royalty right?"

"Well, she's catching on..." muttered Spike. "You'll get used to it."

They rejoined listening to the conversation.

Currency said, "Well, yeah, I suppose you could call me a collector, of some sorts. It's a unique hobby.

Twilight exclaimed, "That is so cool Currency!" 

Boost and Spike exchanged looks.

"Well... Its nice to see her having fun," continued Boost. "You know, Ive never had this sensation of joy for years."

"Sigh... I'm glad to hear that...", Spike replied. "Not that you've never had it before, but because it's your first... Ugh, nevermind!"

"Heh, Really. Finally i can stop running and enjoy life for once. And all thanks to that kind mare."

At last, Twilight and Currency stop their gossip.

"Enjoyed your conversation?" asked Boost.

Currency smiles at Boost.

Twilight said, "Well, its good to meet someone new, especially someone of your caliber Currency! Come on, we can take you around the town, and give you a tour maybe!"

"That will be great. Having to run from the guards really was an obstacle for enjoying this nice town," confessed Boost.

"I can only imagine." replied spike.

Twilight yelled from the door, "Come on you three! Maybe you can tell us about yourself on the way Boost!"

"Well, Ok." He said and then went with her outside.

When they got outside, they began to explore all of the town, from town hall, to the spa, the post office, and more. They eventually arrived at a curious building shaped like a carousal ride from an amusement park. A closer look at the display windows revealed it to be a fashion shop.

"What is this place?" Boost asked.

"This is the Carousel Boutique! A good friend of mine runs it!" said Twilight happily. They entered the shop.

"It looks pretty." He said.

Dresses and suits of all sorts were displayed in this circular shop, and at the counter, a white unicorn with a vivid purple mane was sizing a yellow Pegasus with a pink mane into a brand new dress. Upon seeing the shop owner, Spike lets out a dreamy sigh, and only Boost noticed him do that, thinking that there may have been more than meets the eye.

Then Boost said, "Um... Hi?" 

The two ponies look towards the group.

The unicorn jumped out and exclaims, "Twilight darling! Spike! It's good to see you two again! And with visitors I see!" 

The two recognize him.

The Pegasus muttered, "Um... Rarity? I think we should go now..."

"Don't worry Fluttershy, it's all been a misunderstanding!" Twilight said. 

She explained to the two briefly about what happened with Boost and his "Incident".

Rarity exclaimed, "Oh! My apologies dear!"

"Dont worry! I'm used to it..." He replied glumly.

Fluttershy then said to Currency, "You were in the forest all that time? Was it scary?"

Currency replied, "Well... not really"

Rarity jumped up and shouted to Boost, "Oh I am so sorry darling! I should have been more receptive to you! Welcome to the Carousel Boutique!

Fluttershy muttered, "Um... Rarity?"

Rarity went on, "So, do you see anything that you might like dear?"

"I would love to buy something here," he said sadly, "It's just that i'm in a rough time now. And i don't have any money." He had used all of his available money on the train ticket to Canterlot.

Fluttershy muttered again, "Um... Rarity?"

Rarity continued on, "Well, I suppose I could give you something on the house, I daresay you might need it! How long have you had that hoodie darling?"

He was wearing his usual grey and slightly tussled hoodie. "This thing? I suppose like a couple of years."

Fluttershy muttered again, "Rarity?"

Rarity asked a bit impatiently, "What is it Fluttershy?" 

Fluttershy replied, "Can you finish this dress first please? If it's ok..." She was still wearing the large dress.

Rarity told her, "Hold on for a moment Fluttershy dear, let me attend to these two!"

"Um... ok..."

"But, Are you sure that you want to do this Ms. Rarity?" asked Boost with uncertainty. "I mean, I don't feel well when someone gives me something for free. I feel like i am... stealing."

"Nonsense darling! You need one! This is a fashion emergency!"

"Um... What?" 

Before he could process what happened, she rushed him into a nearby dressing room.

A few minutes later, Rarity pushes the group out of the Boutique, and bade them goodbye along with Fluttershy. He now wore a brand new hoodie.

"Well, I have to say. Rarity has talent." he said proudly.

Spike says dreamily, "She sure does..."

"Wow..." Said Currency, "That was interesting... Such radical designs from my era...."

"So what's the next place?"

"Hm... Why not the market?" suggested Twilight.

They arrive at the market a few minutes later, with all sorts of booths and stands there for fresh goods and merchandise, some of the best that Equestria had to offer.

"It looks nice!" said Boost.

"Yeah! I'm just amazed at the prosperity of this town..." said Currency, admired by the variety of all the items.

Boost started looking around. Looming over the entire market, was a huge building that from afar could be mistaken for a giant gingerbread house, for its exterior was decorated in the likeness of candies, icing, gingerbread, lollipops, and about anything one could think of for sweets. 
,
"What an interesting design." He muttered, while looking at the structure.

Twilight replied, "Oh, that's Sugarcube Corner! Another one of my friends works and lives there. Come on, I'll let you meet her!"

"Sure." He said. 

Then they got in. The bakery was empty, for it was after closing time. An earth pony was cleaning the counter, humming a little tune to herself. She had a frisk and excited look about her, with a bubblegum pink coat and hot pink mane to match.

Upon seeing the group, she took a sudden dramatic gasp, cartwheeled over to the group, and proclaimed,

"Hi guys!"

"Umm... Hi." Boost said.

Currency, taken aback by this introduction, said as well, "Hi...there..."

He just looked at her. Intrigued by her personality. He never knew a pony with this type of emotions or hyperactivity before. 

"What do you want?" She asked excitedly. "A cup, a cake, A CUPCAKE!?!?"

He backed away at that. It seems that that was not a very good impression of her to him. 

A nearby voice in a rural accent says, "Now calm down there Pinkie, ya don't wanna scare the livin' daylights out of em." 

Over at a nearby table, sat two ponies, an earth pony with an orange coat, golden hair, and a rural hat, and one with a sky blue colored coat with a rainbow colored mane. Upon seeing this choice of hair design, Currency squinted at the latter pony.

Pinkie replied, "Oh, yeah! Sorry Applejack!"

"She is always like that..." muttered Spike

When the ponies at the table got a closer look, They noticed Boost among the throng.

"Um, Heya." He said.

"Howdy there Sugarcube," replied Applejack eyeing Boost.

Twilight jumped in and said to Boost and Currency, "Guys, these are my friends, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, and Pinkie Pie!" Pinkie gets a wild smile at her face at the mention of her name.

"Nice to meet you all!" he said. "Finally...someone reacting normal..."

Pinkie giggled at this.

Rainbow looks at Boost and says, "Heh, You'll get used to Pinkie."

"I don't know how can someone get used to her..." He muttered.

Pinkie suddenly appeared right behind Boost, and said, "Well, I'm an acquired taste! Speaking of taste, want a cupcake?" She held out a cupcake to him.

Currency looks confused again.

"Um, Thanks?" said Boost awkwardly. He looked at the cupcake, and took a small bite out of it. Then his eyes widened. "Wow! This is amazing!" he exclaimed, and in just a matter of seconds, he finished the cupcake.

Pinkie Pie responded gleefully, "Hehe! See, I told you!"

Currency looked at her. "I've never heard of a cupcake before..."

Rainbow stared wide eyed at Currency. "You've got to be joshing me!"

"Jo- What?" Boost looked at her confused.

"What?" Currency said.

Then Applejack said, "Don't mind her, it's a figure of speech..."

"I can see that..."

"Well, it's nice to meet you Boostrot! And you too... Currency?"

With a closer look at Applejack, Boost remembered something. "Wait... You seem familiar... Are you the one who runs the Apple farm not far from here?

Applejack tipped her head towards Boost, "Yup, I am! Well, partially anyways..."

Then his eyes widened, and he slowly backed away towards Currency. He then whispered to her,

"Umm.. Currency. Can we go now? You see... During the time i was wanted, I used to steal apples and other things from her farm."

Applejack looked at Boost in a sort of way that makes him feel uneasy. 

Currency whispered, "Oh..."
.
Nervously he said, "Well, I- I think its time for us to go. Thanks for everything you three!"

Rainbow Dash, looking confused, said, "What? So soon? But we only just met you!"

"Yeah!" agreed Spike. "You haven't even tried the pies here yet!"

Applejack replied, "I think I know why, and I thought I'd know your face Boostrot!"

He started sweating while his heartbeat went up. Currency took notice of it. She replied, "Boost?"

Applejack said, "Now don't you worry sugarcube, I know it was you, though I don't hold any grudge really, seeing the circumstances now..." 

He let out a sigh of relief, then collapsed on the floor while holding his hoof to his chest.

Pinkie Pie yelled, "Stand back everyone!" She hopped on Boost, and began to do CPR.

He began to yell. "WAIT! ITS NOT THAT! STOP!! YOU'LL TRIGGER IT!" His heartbeat rose even more.

Pinkie hopped off, and whispered, "Sorry..." 

He struggled on he floor screaming. Clearly, Pinkie has made a horrible decision. 

"What do we do!?" yelled Spike frantically.

Currency rushed over to him, put her hoof on his forehead, and sent calming pulses through his mind with her magic.

"Rest... Rest..." 

He started to calm down, and finally stopped struggling.

"What just happened!?" Twilight shouted with confusion.

Applejack replied, "Well, he had a heart attack I'd reckon."

Breathing hard, Boost said, "No... It wasn't a heart attack... Just because the Princesses forgave me doesn't mean my curse is gone..." He tried to get up with difficulty.

"Curse?" said Rainbow Dash confused.

"Ooh..." Replied Pinkie, "Is it like the Twilight Saga?"

"The what?" Asked Twilight.

"A long time ago," began Boost, "A horrible pony had a son, and did horrible things to him. He cursed him, and forced him to carry a beast within him. Every time his heartbeat reached his limit, the beast was released. Me."

The others stood silent. "What?" Replied Applejack.

"I dont know why," he continued. "One day, he just left me in the desert on my own...alone and scared... I walked for hours...then days....I found very little water, and I was hungry...very hungry...always hungry. I went from town to town,  but i could never control my emotions. Every town i set foot in hated me soon afterwards... and then I ended here... in Ponyville." 

More silence followed. 

He let out a sigh while he looked down at the floor. "I think its time for me to go... Thanks for everything..." He walked to the door. 

Twilight walked slowly to him, and put her arm on his shoulder.

"Please Boost... stay, you've nothing to be afraid of here."

"But i'm afraid..." he said despairingly.  Afraid that i can loose control. I almost lost it a few moments ago. I don't want to kill more than i did..." 

Twilight looked over at the group.

"I'm sorry... I'm so sorry... "he finished, Its just... my abnormality makes impossible for me to stay close to any pony..."

Currency walked to Boost. 

"Boost... You don't have to be alone..."

"I don't have to. I need to be," he said resolved. "You will only get yourself killed if you stay close to me..." Tears started to fall down his face.

"Boost..." 

More tears fell down his cheeks. "I hate this... I hate this so much..."

"We can help you Boost..."

"How...? Its impossible... I tried everything... And nothing works... I have to carry this... Forever..."

"And we will help you carry it..."

Currency then moved to hug Boost. He tried to resist returning it, but instead broke down into tears, crying into her shoulder. The other members of the group joined them. He knew..somehow... The wonderful friendships he had made, with wonderful friends who would always be on his side. He knew they could help him to break the curse somehow. The miserable tears turned into tears of happiness. He kept crying until they were no more left.

Then he stepped back. "You can really help me to take this thing off me?"

"Without a doubt", replied Twilight. 

Thankfully, Sugarcube Corner was closed, no other pony was there to spectate the moment.

Then a smile crossed his face. "Thank you, Thank you so much... You are really doing too much just for a colt, I can't thank you enough..."

The group broke away, and smiled at Boost.

"It's what friends are for", muttered Currency, who was smiling the biggest.

It seemed like he wouldn't have to carry the curse for the rest of his life. Finally, a future looked bright enough to go through. Everything would just fine. 

As long as he doesn't appear.
> Chapter 5: Cursed Bonds.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	After the incident in Sugarcube Corner, Twilight allowed Boost and Currency to temporarily stay in a room at her castle, to which they had a pleasant night's sleep. When morning finally came, and the sun was just peeking from above the hills, Boost woke up with a start.

He yawned and then said, "Well... This is it, The day when all this is going to end..."

Currency was still asleep in the other makeshift bed, a content look on her face. Boost went to her and woke her up gently, 


"Currency, Currency wake up. Its finally the day!"

"Mmph... wha'..?" When she finally woke up completely she said, "Oh, good morning Boost!"

"Its finally the day! I'm going to be released from this curse once for all!"

"I know! She said excitedly, as she adapted to the sunlight now pouring in through the window. "Twilight said she would be over soon enough!

"Yeah! But seriously...i can finally get rid of this. I'm finally going to be a normal child!" He started to jump up and down excitedly.

"Sigh... Normal is a poor choice of words really... None of us are normal, are we?" she said.

"Yeah... I can guess... But i'm going to be like any other child for once! Isn't that exciting?" 

Currency smiled at Boost, and it seemed to speak for itself.

A knock at the door was heard, she was there. 

"That must be her!" said Currency.

"I'll go!" he rushed at the door, Then proceeded to open it. Princess Twilight was standing there and smiling at Boost, a special kit hung at her side. "What is that?" He asked.

"Oh, just a couple of remedies, tools, and what not... I came prepared."

"Are you sure its... Safe?"

"Without a doubt! and maybe we can learn more about this sort of curse, you never know!"

In his head he said, "Finally, after all my life carrying this..."

Currency said, "its good to see you again princess!" 

Twilight replied, "Thank you Currency, but you two can just call me 'Twilight' if you want."

"And what is your plan to begin with this Twilight?" He asked.

Putting down the kit, she rummaged through it while saying, "Well, we need to first evaluate the curse, otherwise, we will have no idea what we are up against!"

"What do you mean?"

"To defeat your enemy, you need to understand it..."

"The only thing i understand about this is that its just a horrible beast with a thirst of blood."

"But there's always a cause for it!" Said Currency. "We just need to be careful..."

"Wait... You are not planning to..."

"To what?" Twilight asked confused.

"To trigger it?" he said with an expression of fear in his face.

"No." said Twilight, "We have no need to disturb it unless we absolutely have to..."

"Phew... Because every time it happens its extremely painful. So what do i have to do?"

"Just relax, we are going to try something I've never done before...well, fully at least. But Currency has."

"And that is?"

After a brief pause, Currency let out a sigh and said, "Well, we are going to enter your mind, and survey the situation."

"Wait... M- my mind? H- how?" He said with an expression of confusion in his face.

"Well" said Twilight, "It's a simple spell. We can find where the curse is, and exploit its weakness."

Boost, uncertain at this thought, asked, "Are you sure its going to be safe? I mean... We don't know how my mind could work..."  

Igniting her horn, Twilight locked all the doors in the castle, and barred the windows. His expression changed into a more doubtful one. 

"I... I don't know if this is safe for you..."

"Our safety doesn't matter Boost... I promise you, we will find a way to destroy this curse," Currency said.

He backed away. "Look, I appreciate what are you doing. But i wont forgive myself if something happens to you..."

"You have to trust us Boost."

"I'm not more important than any other pony. I care about you both, even if i just recently met you two a couple of days ago. I don't want to be responsible for more deaths... I just couldn't handle it."

"You'll have to trust us in order for us to do it Boost."

"Please... I don't want you to get hurt because of me... please... promise me you'll be fine..."

"We promise." The two said together.

"Fine... Go ahead..." He sat on the floor. Ready for them to begin.

"Just relax your mind Boost... You'll need to be asleep to do this..."

"Fine..." He laid down. "How exactly are you going to do this?"

"A simple spell...dont worry..." she fired a blast from her horn, and absorbed into Boost, relaxing his body, and drifting him off into a dreamless sleep.

"Wow, that was easier than I thought it would be." remarked Twilight. 

Currency said. "The easy part is done... Put your hoof on me princess."

"Alright Currency..." She put her hoof on Currency's shoulder, and with another blast of magic, they entered Boost's mind.

The first thing they saw was total darkness. 

"I can't see anything!" yelled Twilight, her echo reverberating among invisible barriers.

Currency replied, "Well, we need to delve deeper..." They began to walk, But everything they did was bump into strange invisible walls.

"Ow!"

"Let's have a little light in here..." Said Twilight. She lit her horn, But it turned out the problem was worse than they thought. Inside was all covered by a really dark blue tone with a black liquid spilling out of them. It certainly didn't looks like the mind of the average 9 year old colt.

"What in Celestia...." Currency murmured.

The room they were in was a circular one, that much could be distinguished, With numerous doors surrounding them.

"Let's explore the extent of the damage", Said Twilight, "Maybe it will help us understand more about the curse..." 

They headed through one door, their wands lit and ready for any sign of trouble.

As soon as they opened the door, a blinding flash greeted them,

"Agh!"

Both mares cover their eyes, blinded by the burst of light. 

When their eyes readjusted, they found themselves in a very small, and rundown village, with ponies that had emotionless expressions on their faces.

"What is this place?" Asked Twilight curiously, as well as a bit nervous.

"This must be his hometown", replied Currency.

They looked around for a bit, When suddenly the scream of a child surprised sent shivers up their spines. The scream came for a house in their left. Startled, they ran over to the window, and peered inside.

They noticed that the scream came from a 5 or 6 year old colt. Obviously, it was Boost. He was chained up to the wall while another adult pony, the same light green coat as Boost, but with a blue mane with a red strip across it, was beating him up with a rod.

The pony yelled, "Come on you useless piece of garbage! Just change already!!!"

Twilight, shocked, yelled, "Boost! We need to save him!" She rushed into the house. 

Currency shouted back, "Wait! Princess Twilight!" 

Twilight got in the room and fired a magic blast at Boost's dad, but it passed through. 

"Wait... She muttered... These are memories..." 

Meanwhile, Boost's transformation had already started. All the changes Currency saw in the forest the other day were manifesting in this memory. Once it was complete, the beast let out a roar and tried to break free, without success.

"Good. At least you are useful to something," his dad said while taking a syringe and injecting it into the beast.

"No!" Currency yelled. The beast roared, Then foam formed in his mouth while he shook, like having a seizure. Then the beast fell unconscious. 

"Boost..." She muttered again." 

Then, the Boost's father proceeded to bring a table with several surgical instruments. "Lets do some final changes in you, you little brat." 

She remembered the little deformity boost had in his belly, and turned away and shuddered when the sounds of surgical activity commenced from the room.

Twilight urged, "Currency... We need to leave this memory..." 

They exited back into the 'main room'. The door they first entered had disappeared.

"I had no idea..." Currency whispered in a horrified tone.

They took notice of another door, somewhat larger than the others.

"Hm... Maybe this one?"

"Only one way to find out," replied Twilight." They walked to the door, and entered it.

Inside was a large room with numerous strange orbs floating around.

"These must be his memories..." muttered Currency.

"How do you know all this Currency?" Twilight asked curiously.

"Well, I've done this more than once so to say..." She replied. 

They took a closer look at one particular orb, which turned out to be Boost, crying in what appeared to be a devastated ruin of a school. They could guesss why. 

"I know this place... Said currency. This is my home... The Crystal Empire..." 

Out of the mist around the vision, a hoof extends itself and touches Boost's shoulder, who immediately brushes it off.

It was Bluespark. "Are you...are you ok?"

"Please... Don't get close... You'll get hurt..." Boost said with tears in his face.

"I'm not afraid of you, I can see your alone in this place... If you let me, I can help you."

"I deserve to be alone. I deserve this. I'm a killer. And killers deserve to be alone..."

"You are not in control of you actions... I can see that... Look, i'm sure you have a good heart inside you. Let me help you, you need it!" 

Boost looked at the ground. Then blue continued, 

"Come on... The guards will be here at any moment. I have a place where we can hide." He helped Boost to get up, who in turn got up reluctantly, and they hurried to the train station. From that moment the memory repeats again.

Currency sighed. They break away from it. "To think it was at a school..."

"While these memories are helpful, we still need to find the source of the curse..." Twilight said. 

As they turned to leave the room, they noticed that all the corruption was forming from a nearby door. 

"Our answer may be in there..." said Twilight.

As they approached, they felt a sense of dread and foreboding.

"This is it...". 

As they opened the door. it reveals a giant Green orb inside, half absorbed by the corruption.

"Brace yourself Currency," said Twilight, I sense that this might boil down to a confrontation..." 

The orb seemed to be all that was himself. his personality, his emotions, all of it was manifested in that orb, the subconsciousness, and the orb was slowly consuming it.

Twilight then said, "When I say three, we fire a de-corruption spell together, it's a start I suppose..." Currency nodded in agreement.

On the count of three, they fired the spell together at the orb, only for the blast to dissipate and for the orb to glitch.

"Maybe that wasn't a good idea," said Currency. "Any other ideas?" The orb glitched more and more, Until it disappeared. 

"What!? What did we do..."

Then, a faint noise could be heard, like a tremor in the air. It managed to form into some sort of voice.

"Well... What do we have here. A unicorn and... An alicorn? I feel truly honored that an alicorn is interested to study the curse I created."

"Who are you?" Twilight proclaimed boldly. "Show yourself!"

"Oh, Where are my manners? Let me introduce myself. I am Gladtrot, father of that miserable little brat you call Boost. You came just in time to see me taking control of everything that you are and would be. Let me explain. That curse that the kid has is only a prototype i invented. Something for a much larger mindset of course. I plan to make an army of the beasts like him, except bigger and stronger...i've perfected the serum. And soon enough, not even the princesses will be able to stand against me!"

"What?" Replied Twilight with shock.

"You might think that you and your weakling friends can defeat me by the power of friendship and blah blah blah... I've  already heard your stories. But I've seen all the mistakes your previous foes did. The arrogance of Nightmare Moon, the ignorant of Chrysalis, the pride of Sombra, and the brashness of Tirek... And I have got everything prepared so you wont stop me for my plans, princess of friendship!

"Not if we have anything to say about it"! Yelled Currency. "Come out and show yourself!  Unless your too cowardly to..."

"SILENCE! I wish... But sadly now i'm miles away. But don't worry. Ill be there soon enough to present myself..." He started laughing. "Now this little brat is completely useless to me." The corruption in the room started fading. "Your doom will come soon enough, and you will know your place. See you soon, Twilight Sparkle and Currency Compass. See you soon..." 

Then they abruptly woke up, both gasping as they did. It caused Boost to wake up too. He jumped out and shouted. 

"What happened!?" 

"Boost! Are you alright!?" Currency rushed over to him quickly.

"I feel... different... like... lighter... I am free?"

"Wait, what?" Said Twilight in confusion.

"No, I don't think so," said Currency, "He was there... In you..."

"Who?" He tilted his head.

"Your father..."

The shock invaded him. "My- My- My father!? No. No...no. It can't be. He left me in the desert to die!"

"He was controlling you from afar," replied Twilight, "It seems that he has no more need to use you though..."

"He has a plan... He wants to raise an army of werewolves to decimate Equestria." said Currency solemnly.

"No, No... I can't see him again! I won't see him again!!! I DON'T WANT TO!!!" He yelled.

"Boost! Please! He is gone... for now..."

"I don't want to see him again!" He said with tears in his face "He did so much to me... I don't want that to happen again..."

"Neither do we boost," said Currency. "You'r burden may have been lifted, but you'll need to face him again if you are to prevail against him."

"Currency is right Boost", Said Twilight, "We will need to do this together to triumph over him."

But just before they could get him to see reason, he exclaimed. "I said i don't want to see him!!!" He proceeds to hide under the bed.

"Boost, running from him will only make him stronger!" Said currency "We will help you, but you'll have to be the one! Don't you want to be rid of him?"

"You don't understand!!! He is powerful! If he could tame me, He could tame anyone! Anything!!! We are doomed!!! And now he has an army of them!!! EQUESTRIA IS DOOMED!!! WE WILL DIE HERE!!!" His voice rang through the library, and shook the walls slightly.

Twilight, shaking her head, said sadly, "Boost, you were just one victim, a colt who had no chance of resisting him. But this is different, you have all of us. to help you. He is no match against a group of true friends!"

"How can a bunch of ponies defeat an entire army of the beast i was!?"

"Not if your like this", Said Currency, perhaps a bit too harshly. "If you have no hope, than neither have we!" 

He just proceeded to cry uncontrollably, perhaps those weren't the best words for the occasion.

Twilight whispered, "He just needs time, he can't think clearly..." They walked to Boost and sat by him, watching him break down crying. 

Several minutes later, he had finally stopped crying, and just laid huddled under the bed.

All that time, Currency has her hoof on his shoulder, with a sad look on her face. 

"All the horrible things he did to me..." he murmured miserably, "It haunts me in every dream i have... If we fail... All those things will be back again...forever" He said.

"Yes, which makes it all the more important for you to help Equestria stop him, once and for all." Twilight said.

"Its just that... I'm scared of seeing him again..."

"Boost, do you want to know something?" She replied. 

He looked at her. 

"Of all the things I've done," Twilight continued, "I was scared too of what might happen. For my friends, for my family, for Equestria... You can't let it get to you, or it will defeat you.

"If we are able to get to him. What i can do... I'm just a regular colt now..."

Currency urged, "Boost, you are the only one that knows what he is capable of, and possibly of his weaknesses. Don't you realize? Every tyrant and villain in the world is always a victim of his own foolishness! The pony that he is afraid of who will defeat him will always arise from those he torments! Think about it..."

"Maybe... Or maybe i could-" 

But suddenly, something had broke down the main door of the castle.

"What was that!?" shouted currency.

"Oh god.. OH GOD THEY ARE HERE!!!" He hid behind Twilight. "I'm not ready for this!"

"How did they come so quickly..." She muttered.

"I told you he was powerful!!! Now its just a matter of time before they find us!"

"There's no time! We need to hurry!" Twilight rushed downstairs, to defend her castle.

"Oh god, What i'm going to do!? I can't fight! They will capture us all!"

"Not if I can help it!" Currency ran down to join the battle. 

He just stood there. Being consumed by his own thoughts. It would only be a matter of time before they find him. But then he thought of Currency, and his newfound friends and allies, would he really let them die in trying to stop his father? "No..." Boost said to himself. He wasn't going to let them die, he refused to accept it. No longer would he let someone control his own life. He would fight. He reunited all his will and determination, and went downstairs. Into the din of battle...
> Chapter 6: Heroes And Victims.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	As Boost descended downstairs he could see that the battle was already escalating. Currency and Twilight were battling the wolves their hardest, and already many had fallen before them. He started to wonder what he could do to help them. Their skills with magic were undoubtedly strong, but they could not hold the line alone, for their seemed to little end to the oncoming horde A moment of small distraction caused one of the wolves to grab Currency and Twilight's tails and smash them against the wall. They hit with hard impact, and tumbled to the ground.

At seeing this. A strange feeling went through Boost, an intense rage. Seeing his two friends being hurt by those monsters was all that he would stand. The rage made him feel different, and his body began to go through several changes, the same ones as he had when he was still cursed. But he didn't feel any pain, and his eyes remained the same color. 

In control of his own body, he got up and tackled the wolves that were about to kill Currency And Twilight. Realizing what happened, the two mares gazed at him in shock.

He said with his normal voice, "Run upstairs! I'll hold them!" He started to engage the other wolves in combat.

"We aren't abandoning you!" yelled Currency back to him. They rejoined him, and together, they managed to push the waves of wolves out of the castle. They ran out afterwards into the outside to assess the attack.

Boost sat on the ground and tried to catch some breath. and looked at his hands that were covered in blood. He said, 

"What happened to me?"

Twilight yelled in reply, "We've no time to worry about that! We need to drive back the invasion!"

"Right. But how?"

"I don't know! We need to find the other members of the Mane Six!"

Then he suddenly realizes something. "Blue! I need to go for him!"

"Blue?" Twilight responded with confusion. "Who's that?"

"An old friend of mine, he might be able to drive them back!"

"Please be careful Boost, I don't want to loose another friend," said Currency.

"I will!" He yelled back. And proceeded to head westward to find the others.

Applejack could be seen bucking one werewolf in the skull a distance away, while Pinkie Pie launched a barrage of cake batter at another with a large pink cannon. Boost jumped onto one and proceeded to pull the head off it's body with amazing strength. As the two noticed his rage, and the headless body fell into the ground, the two were temporarily stunned.

Applejack, shocked, said, "What the hey!? Boost!?"

"Who else do you think?" He said. "I still need to get to BlueSpark!"

"I don't know who that is sugarcube!"

Pinkie pie jumped up and exclaimed, "Ooh! i know! He is over there! I saw him near the carousel boutique!"

Boost, initially taken aback by Pinkie's apparent knowledge, replied with gratitude, 

"Pinkie pie! You are wonderful! I don't know when you met him but i'll find out later!" He rushed at where he is.

"Did you hear that Applejack!?" He said I'm wonderful!"

"Yup..." Applejack said slightly annoyed.

Leaving the two behind, Boost proceeded to head north to the Caurosel Boutique. He found Bluespark fighting numerous werewolves with his strong magic. 

"And i thought with Boost was enough!" he said exhausted. "Where did they come from!?"

Boost started to fight the wolves that surrounded him, causing him to be struck with a blast from a panicked Blue.

"Agh! Its me you idiot!"

"What the..? Boost?"

"Of course its me!"

"Can you explain me what in Celestia is happening here?!"

"Short version. My father returned and he wants to take over Equestria by using an army of werewolves. But now we need to go back with Currency and Twilight!"

"I'll ask why later, lets go!" he shouted back.

They rushed back to Twilight's castle, only to find that the scene had drastically changed.

Currency was standing over Twilight, who had collapsed fallen on the ground, and defended her from the onslaught to her best. They ran to her. 

Boost said, "Blue, Take care of her! I'll hold them off!" 

Currency yelled, "Be careful! She was bitten!"

Blue started searching for her wound. Until he found it, a bite mark that strangely enough wasn't bleeding.

"Ok, Currency! I need your help healing her! Concentrate your magic and share it with her!"

"Alright!" She replied.

Kneeling down, she began to use magic to heal the wounds, later joined with Blue, while Boost protected them from any oncoming attachers.

In a matter of minutes, she was completely healed. Panting, he said. 

"There... That should be it..."

"No... Werewolf bites have more than just physical wounds." 

"What do you mean?" 

"The marks are gone," she explained, "but the curse remains... We will need a special potion to cure her, one that we have not the time to-" 

But suddenly, Twilight started struggling on the ground, As a massive amount of pain consumed her. 

"Twilight!"

"Step back!" 

Currency blasted Twilight, knocking her out. 

"Don't worry! She said, a bit shellshocked. We just need to make sure she is restrained."

"Did you just knock out a princess!?" Blue said with more than slight bewilderment.

"I'm sorry,"  said Currency reluctantly, "but I didn't know what else to do!" 

"And we got enough with these ones." Boost said. "Imagine an alicorn werewolf!"

"Good point..." Blue muttered.

"It will only be a matter of time before Gladtrot shows his face... we need to be ready for him!" Said Currency.

"He is probably lurking around somewhere!"

"Let's fight on!" Said Currency, "They can't break us!"

Then Boost shouted, "As long as he is here, he will keep raising more to send against us! We need to find where they are coming from!"

"Agreed!" She said, as she blasted a werewolf with a bolt of lightning.

Then Rainbow Dash flew up from over the buildings, and landed before them.

"Don't you three worry, Ive got this!" she proclaimed proudly.

"Thanks Rainbow Dash!" And where can be he?" Blue asked.

"In the bulk of the forces I guess!" yelled Currency. "He is probably observing the battle from afar!"

"Then lets go!" Boost said, while running and taking down several more wolves. Currency and Blue followed after him, exchanging looks as they ran.

"Charge!" Yelled Currency. They took spirit at this battle cry, and sprinted faster.

Soon enough, they reached town hall, where the enemy seemed to originate from oddly enough.

At the moment they entered, something was out of place. it was empty. Not a single wolf at sight.

"Something is not right..." Blue quoted.

"Not a soul... hm," said Currency. "Should we look elsewhere?"

Boost said. "No... I can feel him..." 

"Indeed you little..." A familiar voice said. 

Without warning, something knocked out Bluespark. Then, four wolves emerged from hiding and grabbed Boost and Currency, preventing them from moving.

"Congratulations you two. Congratulations... You made it to me without dying first... And i see this little brat found a way of modifying my curse to his benefit... But i guess it wont be enough..."

Gladtrot emerged from a nearby door, frowning at the  two with intense hatred.

You will not break the spirit of Equestria..." Said Currency boldly, "And we will never willingly let you destroy our resolve!"

He proceeded to laugh. "You really think this would be at your will? You have already been a thorn in my plans, but it will matter not.
But you helped this little brat to not kill himself first, and you would be such a threat to everything I have sought for! So I think I will reward you... With a quick death." He stepped closer to her, an evil grin creased on his face.

But then boost yelled, "NO!" 

He broke free and tackled Gladtrot. Currency, taking notice of this distraction, shook off the wolves restraining her, and began to fight them back.

"Agh. You noisy little f-" He blasted Boost, burning his face and sending him flying to the other side of the room.

"Boost!" Currency screamed in horror. 

With one stamp of her hoof, she sent a powerful shockwave about the hall, incapacitating the nearby werewolves. 

"Don't you dare touch him..." she said, glaring at Gladtrot.

"I won't hurt him... You will!" He cast a spell on Boost. Making him struggle on the ground.

"No! Stop this!" She fired a powerful blast at Gladtrot, which he blocked easily with a magic shield.

"Do you really think I would fall so easily? You really are more stupid than I first thought."

"I didn't you fool, these eyes have seen much more... than you have..."

She sent a jut of earth up through the ground, grazing Gladtrot's side and hurting him. But in the middle casting the spell, she was tackled by Boost, who was now mind controlled.

"Agh!

He picked her up by the throat, causing Currency to initially choke.

She teleport out of his grip to behind him. She sent another tremor at Boost, knocking him off his feet.

"I don't want to hurt you Boost... Your still in there! You need to fight it!"

Gladtrot laughed once more. "He can't hear you, You stupid mare. He is in suffering now. He will never hear you."

"One he will have to fight himself. But I am not alone. You have much to answer for." 

The mane (five) six run up to join Currency, gazing at the scene with contempt.

Rainbow Dash said, "So you're the one behind all this!"

"We've got you covered Currency darling!" Proclaimed Rarity.

"Ah, I see that this little brat has friends. Too bad for him... more reasons to end him right now."

"You ain't touchin him sugarcube..." Said Applejack, giving a death stare at him.

"Watch me lady." 

He stopped mind-controlling him. Then fired a blast so powerful that it severed his left leg. He screamed in agony while he bleed on the floor.

"Boost! No!" Yelled Currency. A look of wild Fury replacing the determined expression on her face, she charged at Gladtrot, her horn lowered in a lance like position. 

Shocked, Rarity yelled, "Wait Currency!" 

Currency plunged her horn into Gladtrot's side, spurting blood on both of them. 

"Agh!!"

He lifted Currency with his magic and smashed her against the wall. 

Clutching his side, he then cast a spell that send a magical flare into the air. And in matter of moments, A figure smashed through the roof and landed in between the fighters. A werewolf with a horn and a pair of wings, glaring at them with red eyes. It was Twilight, the curse had taken her completely.

Pinkie pie shouted, "Twilight!?" She then got up close to her face, "Yoo hoo!"

Then Gladtrot screamed. "END THEM!!!" Twilight, obeying, took a swipe at Pinkie Pie who stepped back in time, charged at the group. Currency fired a blast at Twilight, distracting her long enough for the five to tackle her.

Meanwhile Boost is on the ground bleeding to death. Currency crawled over to him. "Boost..."

"Help... me..." He said weakly.

She began to heal him. "I'm sorry buddy.... Where is... Bluespark?" He pointed at him, still unconscious on the ground.

Currency sealed up his wounds despite his leg. 

"I was a fool... she muttered solemnly. I can't stand against him alone..."

"Don't worry... It will all be ok..."

"Your poor leg... I'm sorry..."

Then Gladtrot walked to them, and laughed.

"You stupid mare. You seriously thought you could stop me? Look at what is before you. A princess is under my control, This little brat is about to die, And you? You are just here. Being useless as you always were. You dont even deserve to be one of the princesses students. Now i will take everything you love and care right before your eyes, to break you. Starting with him!" Then he lifted Boost by his neck, choking him.

"No!" Desperate, Currency reached up to attempt to absorb Gladtrot's consciousness into her own. only for him to strike her, smashing her horn to bits, and leaving her in the floor.

She fell unconscious.

"No..."

The Mane Five, having neutralized Twilight, gazed over In horror. Looking at Currency's fallen form, Boost felt an amazing rage go through him once again. Seeing that monster of a pony hurting his friend... He wouldn't let him get away with it. He stood up in his remaining leg. 

"Huh?" 

Gladtrot looked over at him, Just to be hit with tremendous force. Boost grabbed him by the horn and smashed him against the wall, again and again and again, until his horn broke in two. 

From the moment that happened, All the wolves invading Ponyville stood still, and started to shake until they dissolved, or rather, dispel into the air, vanished. Twilight shook and shuttered, her wolf form melted, leaving her on the ground. 

Gladtrot fell on the floor knocked out. Boost fell exhausted on the ground.

Rainbow Dash ran over and said, "Boost! You did it!"

He changed back to his normal form and said, "Yes... I did it... I finally did it..." He rested his head and closes his eyes. 

He took notice of Currency. "Currency..." He crawled over her. "I'm sorry..." He rested his head on her shoulder. "I'm sorry this happened to you..." 

She was unconscious, a tear had rolled down her cheek, and a look of hopelessness was on her face. He cried into her.

"I'm sorry this happened to you... He cried on her. Please... Wake up..."

"Oh dear..." Muttered Fluttershy, "Will she be alright?"

Blue started to wake up, "Ow... My head..." Then he took a look at the place. "What happened here?"

Twilight also starts to wake up. "Oh... Currency... What...h..." She spotted Blue examining Boost. 

"Is he going to be alright?" She asked with uncertainty, running over to help the group.

"Yes. But the fact is that he is losing a lot of blood", he is weak, said BlueSpark. "He just needs to rest, after we heal him."

Rainbow Dash said, "It looks like we repelled the attack, the remaining werewolves are retreating!"

"Oh boost..your leg!" 

"I'm fine... At least i'm alive..." Meanwhile, Fluttershy was tending to Currency

"I think i can fix his leg and Currency's horn... but it will take some time..." Blue said.

"What? But it's impossible to regrow limbs!" Said Twilight.

"Nothing is impossible Twilight. That's why i said it will take some time. I need to investigate." 

Twilight and Boost exchange looks.

He sighed. "Just give me a week and ill see what i can do."

"And what about him?" Asked Fluttershy, pointing at Gladtrot.

Awake now, Gladtrot got up, and limped towards the group. "You little pigs, I'll... never... give up! You disgusting beings..." 

Turning immediately, the mane six stared at him, seemingly taller than he was.

"Come on!! End me!! I dare you!!"

"No..." Said Twilight, "It would be a fate too kind for you."

"You'll never get rid of me... I am Gladtrot!!! The new god of this world!!!" 

Currency, as if in a trance, got up from Applejack's arms (who was shocked at this development), and walked towards Gladtrot, her eyes glowing a strange green color.

"The more you take... The less you have.... Death is too good for you Gladtrot... and you shall be marked..." She stepped closer to him. 

She looked in his eyes, with a piercing gaze that made Gladtrot falter slightly. 

"Feckless scoundrel, fool I name thee... grief shall be the get of thy greed... Come never here again, accursed wretch, until mercy once again comes upon thee..." She lifted up her hoof, and extended it towards Gladtrot.

"I'll come back. One day... he said, slightly unnerved. And i'll make you wish you'd never met him... AND EVERYONE WILL KNOW MY NAME!!!"

"Come never here again, lesser than the shadows... Thy doom shall await thee for all eternity, until thy wounds be mended... not until thy bonds of love be renewed shall thou know the peace sought after! She placed her hoof on his forehead.

"Begone!"

And with a powerful blast, she teleported him to an unknown destination. Currency collapsed and fell into unconsciousness once again.

"Currency!" Boost yelled. He ran as fast ashe could to her and knelt down to feel her forehead. She remained incapable of reaction. Whatever she did, was not of her own intention.

"That... Was so cool!" Said Pinkie Pie suddenly. "Yet kind of creepy... BUT COOL!"

"And i thought I've seen everything." Blue said.

Twilight looked at him in an annoyed sort of way, then said to Boost, 

"I have no clue what just happened, but we need to get you two to a hospital."

"Agreed." Said Blue. And at that, Pinkie and Rainbow Dash supported boost on their shoulders, Applejack carried Currency, and left for the hospital. 

When they arrived, the place was bustling with the injured and the caretakers. The group just barely were able to get in, and managed to get a room in which Boost and Currency were put in separate beds, while the Mane Six attended to other patients wherever they were needed most.

"Finally its over..." Boost muttered. "I can have a normal life now..." He let out a sigh of relief and closed his eyes on the pillow.

In a few minutes, Twilight came back and said, 

"According to the doctor, there were no deaths... Thank Celestia... and those that were cursed today reverted back to normal."

"I still wonder what happened to me back there, muttered Boost in a confused sort of way. Why did I turn into a wolf in the castle, but kept my will?"

"I don't know", said Twilight unsurely as well. "When a pony is under pressure, it's amazing what he or she can do at trying times."

"But it hadn't anything to do with the pressure he had." BlueSpark came into the room.

"No pressure? Are you sure?"

"Absolutely." Blue replied. He then said to Boost, "Look, We all know that the curse you had it was just a prototype. And sometimes, something that isn't finished comes with some errors. And that's what you have, It appears what happened to you is just an side effect of the curse."

Twilight, considering this, wondered, "Hm... And as for Currency's dilemma, I have no notion of explanation either, but I wonder if it had to do with her horn being cut off..."

"That goes beyond my comprehension," said Blue.

"Well", said Twilight, "I need to check on the others, take care you two, and get a good rest! With a nervous smile, she waved back at the two, and departed the room.

"So... Blue, That means i can turn into a wolf when i want?" asked Boost.

"Well... Technically yeah. I don't know how, but you'll find out!"

"That's so AWESOME!!! Its like... Having a super power! Can you imagine?"

"Yeah... I can only imagine... Well, I am needed elsewhere i think. Get well Boost, i'll see you in the morning!

"Thanks buddy!" They hoof bumped, and Blue left the room. 

Boost and Currency were now alone in the room, the setting sun had rolled behind the hill, and nighttime had come. Currency was still unconscious, except for a small amount of breathing. 

He sighed. "I hope you wake up soon Currency..." He closed his eyes, and in a minute, fell asleep.
> Chapter 7: Regrow.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	The sun had come out on a beautiful morning the day after, as if the events of the previous day didn't happen.

The light of the sun's rays got reflected on Boost's eyes as he slowly started to wake up. Groaning, he sat up, and looked at Currency's bed. 

Something was immediately wrong, for Currency was standing tall on the bed, with a blank stare.

"Currency?" He asked nervously.

She didn't respond, but continued to stare out into space. 

This was slightly concerning for Boost. 

"Is something wrong Currency?" 

She didn't respond, and maintained her blank gaze. He knew something was wrong with her, and proceeded to push the emergency button to call the nurse.

Nurse Redheart answered immediately, who came in panting. 

"I'm here!" she said. She looked over at Currency. "What..."

"Nurse, I think something is wrong with her!" said Boostrot nervously, a scared expression on his face.

She walked closer to Currency. "You found her like this?"

"Yes, I woke up and found her just like that." 

"Hm..." 

She touched Currency by the hoof. It was a mistake. 

The minute she touched her, Currency broke her gaze, covered her ears with her hooves and began screaming wildly.

"Currency!"

Nurse Redheart, temporarily startled by this, moved to restrain her on the bed, struggling to keep Currency down.

"I'VE FAILED!!!" Currency screamed, "ALL MY FAULT!!! ALL MINE!!! PROTECT THEM! SAVE THEM! PLEASE! FOR WHAT I WOULDN'T DO! For what... I couldn't do..." and at that, she collapsed on the bed, and fell into unconsciousness again. 

Nurse Redheart and Boost stood there recovering from the initial shock of what had just happened.

His face turned into an expression of horror and worrying. "Something is wrong. Something is horribly wrong..."

"I couldn't agree more..." muttered Nurse Redheart. She examined Currency, and then felt her forehead. "Strange... her head feels cold..."

Boost started to worry more. "Call, Twilight. CALL HER!!!" 

Nodding, she ran out of the room. Clearly, this was no medical issue, but something deeper, perhaps more than Boost felt comfortable with. He waited for what seemed like years, holding little regard for his own missing leg, and more for Currency. Many thoughts passed on his head. "Will she be fine?" "Will she be the same mare that he knew after this?" Or the most terrifying of this thoughts, "Will she survive? "He sweated as he slowly started to get into an episode of panic.

A little while later, Nurse Redheart ran back into the room, followed by Twilight, most likely awakened from sleep, as it was still early morning.

"Twilight!" Boost yelled. "It's Currency! Something is wrong with her!"

"I came as soon as I could!" She replied with concern. After spotting Currency crumpled on the bed, she muttered to Boost, "Oh Celestia.... what happened exactly?" She bent down to examine her.

"I don't know! When I woke up I found her standing up on her bed, and when the nurse examined her, she began to scream things like it's her fault and stuff like that!"

She frowned. "Her fault?"

"Yeah. Can you please explain what does she mean? Please tell me you can."

After a minute of thinking, she replied, "No, i'm afraid I have no clue. it must be something to do with her horn though, like we thought."

"Can a unicorn live without its horn?"

Disturbed by this thought, Twilight said, "Yes...but it would be much worse for her..."

"Help her! Then help her!!!" he begged.

Hesitating no longer, Twilight began to view Currency's mind, by putting her hoof on her.

"Hm..." She muttered.

Without warning, Currency leapt out of the bed and dived forward, landing on the ground with a hard impact.

Shocked, Boost shouted, "Twilight?! Twilight! Is she alright!? What did you do!?"

"I didn't do anything! I swear! She just..." She carried Currency back into the bed. "Hm... Do you think she is reliving something in her past? Like a vision?"

"Why would she do that?" Boost asked uncertainly.

Twilight looked at Currency again, who was still incapable of any movement. 

"It's as if she was diving to save something..."

"Like what?"

"Well... What if she was reliving the moment where she became a shadow?"

"But again... Why would she do that!?"

"I don't know!" She said stressed. "It's just a theory!"

She could see Boost's heartbeat in the monitor increase. Clearly he was extremely worried about her.

Suddenly nervous, she ran to Boost. "Boost, please, your heart rate..." 

"What? My heart rate?" His heartbeat went down slightly. He looked at the monitor, and continued, "Remember that i'm cured Twilight! Help Currency!"

"Sigh... I care for both of you Boost, but alright...." She moved back to Currency. "Hm.. without a doubt, it's her horn that's causing this. There is some way to fix it, that much I know, but its beyond my skill to heal.

After thinking for a bit, Boost shouted, "Bluespark can brew potions! He is amazing at it!"

"Hm, or Madame Zecora, yeah," said Twilight. "But I suppose that Bluespark would be the closest solution.

"He lives in a small wooden house close to Carousel Boutique, said Boost. "Go and find him, He must be there working on a way of fixing it."

"Right! I'm on it!" A little softer, she adds, "Don't worry Boost, we will find a way to get you two back to health. I promise."

"You are doing too much just for a dirty colt Twilight..."

With a sad smile, she replied, "You're far from dirty Boost, your heart proves that. It's what the best of friends do."

"Heh... Thanks. But lets not get sentimental. You need to go find Blue. He will know what to do."

"Right." And at that, she left the room. 


And in a few minutes, Twilight arrived at Blue's house, still in poor condition from the fallen parts and graffiti on it's walls. 

"Hm..." She said with slight doubt, "This must be it..." 

She went to the door, and knocked on it. The door proceeded to fall down, scaring Bluespark, who was inside working on something inside.

"What the!? Princess Twilight!?" he said with great surprise.

"Oh! Sorry Bluespark," said Twilight, "Didn't mean to startle you... Sorry about your door..."

"Eh, Don't worry," He said casually. "I can fix it later. What brings you here?"

"Well... it's about Currency Compass... you wouldn't happen to know a potion that could repair her horn, could you? There was an... incident this morning."

"Yeah..." he replied, a bit unnerved. "I was researching about previous cases of severed unicorn horns, and let's just say that it's not pretty. I'm working as best as I can to make a potion that can repair it, but it will take some time. Gladly, I can make it before her brain gets damaged beyond repair."

"Wait, you've been working on a cure?" asked Twilight startled.

"Yeah!" said Blue, a bit annoyed, "Did you really think i would let my friend stay in the hospital without a leg?"

Twilight replied, "No, it's just... never mind...well, Currency has been in a delusional state for the whole morning... I'm a bit worried". 

"Don't worry Princess Twilight. The potion is almost complete now. I just need to polish some things and it will be ready and safe to use. It will definetly regenerate Boost's leg...but...something i'm not sure about though is if it can regenerate an unicorn horn normally, because its such a complex organ of the pony body. So... it might can have some effects we don't expect,  but it's a probability. Maybe it will just regenerate normally."

"Hm... side effects?" She looked at his potion station.

"Probably... But lets just expect for the best," he said while he was brewing a frothy blue potion.

On the nearby shelf was the same white potion that Boost and Currency took note of, but Twilight gave no special regard to it.

"Sigh..." She looked around. "Er, nice place you have here!" she said politely. 

"Thank you. I wouldn't say the same though, I just want to have the work done and not focus to much on the order of the place."

"I see..." she continued to look around. She took a look at various artifacts Bluespark possessed, until she found some pictures of him and Boost playing in some type of playground. She supposed that the picture was taken a couple of years ago. 

"Aw... You two are really close i see."

"When i first met him... I knew he needed some company. A poor colt who sat in a destroyed school. When I saw him, I wanted to help him, even if he was dangerous, because I knew that he was something more than just a monster. First, I just wanted to make him happy as long as I could be with him. But then we became closer and I tried to find a cure for him. But i guess Miss Compass got ahead of me. Heh..."

"You have a good heart Bluepark." said Twilight in a warm tone. "And an incredible mind i might add!"

"Well... thank you..." he kept working on the potion in grave concentration.

Twilight kept looking around the shelves, and happened upon a picture of Bluespark as a baby in the arms of an adult pony, With the same colors as Blue, but lighter. "Um, Bluespark? Who is this pony?"

"Hm?" He looked at the picture. "Oh! That's my father, Whitespark. He is still living in the Crystal Empire. When I left for Ponyville, he wasn't very happy, much less that I was hanging out with Boost. But after I explained it to him, he understood everything."

"That's interesting." Twilight said. After finishing her inspection of the room, she sat on the sofa and decided to wait for Blue to finish. 


They spend several minutes in silence, which no doubt felt like hours to Twilight, who was almost asleep on the sofa when suddenly she heard, 

"Aha!" She woke up with a start. "Its done!" Bluespark proclaimed. "Well.. partially... But i can say at least it's safe to use!" The blue potion has turned into a pink one. "What are we waiting for? Lets go!"

"Right!" Getting up, she followed him out of the house, being careful with the door, and soon, they were on their way.  


They arrived at the hospital, but they found something to be... wrong.

When they entered the room, they found Boost on the floor, struggling to get up, and the window shattered to pieces. Currency was nowhere to be seen.

"Boost!? What happened!?" Blue said, while he helped Boost into a sitting position. Twilight, shocked at this new discovery, ran to his side, and helped him up as well.

"I don't know.." replied Boost, a bit bleary, "It happened so fast. She tried to escape...I could hold her for a bit, but then she got away...jumped out the window..."

"Don't worry buddy," said Blue. "I got something that can help you."

"Are you alright then Boost?" Asked Twilight with concern.

"Yes... Its just that I fell and I wasn't able to get up. I tried to call a nurse but i couldn't reach the button."

Blue took the potion and poured some on his hoof, which seemed almost like a gel. 


"Show me your leg." he said tensely. Twilight watched on in curiosity.

He turned around showing his only leg. Where his old leg was supposed to be, only a big scar remained. Twilight winced a little as she saw it.

Blue started to rub the gel on the scar. "There..." Blue said. 

Then, the gel got absorbed into his skin. Something started to grow on it and take form, almost like some throbbing tumor.

"What the..." Boost muttered in bewilderment. "This is so weird..." 

"What manner of..." said Twilight, as Boost began to move the tiny leg that was growing on him. Clearly it wasn't pleasurable sight to see. She began to lean against the wall for support.

"Twilight? Are you ok?" Boost asked a bit nervously.

"Y-yeah... I'm fine..."

Then Blue said. "Are you sure? You look pale. Boost, I think you should stop moving your leg until it grows completely."

Twilight, trying to perk up, said, "I'm fine, don't worry, it's Boost that I'm concerned about."

"Why?" He asked.

She turned to Boost, "Don't you find this... a bit strange?" She looked down at his forming leg.

"Well... Yeah, a bit," he replied. "But when you've been with Blue for a long time, you can expect that. Its not the first time he's drawn me into one of his experiments. Remember when you used your shrink potion and you couldn't find me for 3 days?" said Boost, a mischievous grin on his face.

"Heh... Yeah. i remember." Blue said, smirking back. Twilight was slightly dazed by this remark, but eventually shook it off as she continued to watch his leg grow. And soon enough, his leg has grown completely. It was hairless, but complete.

"Sweet Celestia..." muttered Twilight, "that's incredible!"

"Ok Boost, said Blue a bit cautiously, "get off the bed slowly, and try to walk." 

Boost complied, and slowly got off the bed. He lost his balance for a moment, but then he was able to walk normally. "Wow... amazing. Thanks Blue!"

"No need to thank me. I'm glad that you're alive!" 

Twilight smiled at the two. "I'm glad your alright Boost... but now we need to find Currency and repair her horn, before its too late."

"Right. Lets go, and lets not worry," said Blue. "The worst that can happen is for her to not be able to do magic again."

"That is, we need to find her first, and that might not be too difficult. She can't have gone too far," Twilight said.

"Without her horn, definetly not," Blue stated.

"I hope she's ok..." Boost murmured.

"We need to find her before her state can lead her to permanently damage her mind."

"WHAT!?"

Clearly, that may have not been the best choice of words, with Boost close.

"Or if she hurts some pony..." said Twilight, with slight discourse.

They left the hospital, and soon enough stood outside a few meters away.

"Oh god..." said Boost slightly stressed. "Well, let's do this. He transformed into wolf form, initially startling the others.

"I'll throw you up in the air, and yell if you see anything weird. Ok Twilight?"

"Wait... what-" But before she could process what he said, Boost has already grabbed her.	

"Ok on the count of three! One... Two..." She gave blue an overwhelmed look, who just shrugged in return.

"Three!" Then he threw Twilight high up in the air with amazing strength, sending her flying a few meters above the ground. She used her wings to help her stay up in the air, and, slightly shaken, began to search. "See anything yet!?" Boost yelled up in the air, after a few minutes. 

"After a few moments, she flies back down. "I think I spotted her!" said Twilight. "She is in somewhere in Sweet Apple Acres!

"Shortcut!" Boost yelled excitedly.

Blue sighed. "Boost please do not-" 

But before Blue could continue his protest, he grabbed both of them and began to make really, high, and very long jumps all the way to the edge of the Apple orchards in only a matter of minutes. He put them down, both of whom were shaken to the core.

"I need to get used to this..." muttered Blue. Twilight collapsed on the ground exhausted.

"Sorry." Boost said. "At least we are here."

"Just... Don't do it again..." Blue muttered.

"Fine... So Twilight. Where is she?"

"Hm... Let's see.." She looked one way, then another's "Er..."

"What?" Boost asked. They look towards a figure moving through the trees, walking at a slow pace. 

"There she is!" whispered Twilight.

"I got her!" 

Boost ran towards the figure and jumped at it to prevent it from running away.

"What in blue blazes?" The figure shouted in surprise.

"Wait..." He took a closer look at her. They had cornered Applejack,  who was not at all too happy about being jumped in the middle of her stroll.

"Eek! Applejack!" He got off her. "I'm so so sorry! I thought you were Currency!" Boost proceeded to help her get up.

"Agh, thanks... but what in tarnation are you looking for Currency for?"

"She's escaped the hospital. We think it has to do with her missing horn, so we need to find her fast. Twilight saw her here."

"Oh, heya Twilight!" Applejack waved to her.

"Hi AJ!" she replied. 

"So... asked Blue, "you wouldn't have spotted her by chance?"

"Well... I heard some sorta commotion out here..." she replied, trying to remember.

"Where?"

"About in the area where we are right now actually..."

There was silence for a moment. Then Blue said,

"Maybe it was because of the way of Boost brought us here." Boost laughed nervously.

"Well, let's find her..." muttered Twilight. 

They went through the apple trees searching for her, reminding Boost of the large size of the orchards when he was stealing items from the farm.

After a few minutes of tense searching, they heard some sort of laughter. Almost maniacal, causing the entire group to jump.

"Are you hearing what im hearing?" Boost asked slightly scared.

"Yeah... Maybe its her." Blue said.

Applejack replied, "how could that be her?"

"A unicorn without its horn can lead to serious mental illness," Blue replied. "If we don't return her horn in time, her brain can get permanently damaged."

"Oh... well then," Applejack muttered.

"Let me see..." Boost said. Then he slowly walked to the source of the laugh. There was nothing there, but green leaves and ripe apple trees.

"Wait... What? I swear it was here!"

"Hm..." Blue said. They then heard some muttering to the north, as if some crazy voice was reciting a stanza of some sort.

Boost's ears twitched. "I got you!" He ran to where the muttering came, but once again found nothing.

Twilight, confused, said, "But how..?"

"I don't understand..." Blue said as confused as Twilight.

"Are you trying to mess with me!?" yelled Boost into the darkness.

"Well somthin's up..." said Applejack, a bit nervous. 

Boost, looked around desperately trying to find her. He spotted a flash of red behind a nearby tree. It could be her hair, he thought. Without thinking twice, Boost ran at it, jumped behind the tree, and cornered the source of the noises.

It was Currency, who was looking on the end of her wits, her hair was messed up, and she had a wild look about her face. He caught her as soon as he could. "I got her!!" he yelled triumphantly.

Upon being caught, a sudden look of fear crossed her eyes. "No! Please princess! Don't do it! It's me!" She tried to struggle out of boost's grip.

"Blue! The potion!" Blue ran as fast as he could.

"Well.. Finally we found her." 

Currency managed to get out of Boost's grip, and backed away frantically. "Princess! Please! Don't..."

"What's got into her!?" Shouted Applejack.

"I'm not going to waste any time!" yelled Bluespark, who fired a spell straight at Currency, knocking her out.

"No..." She muttered, as she collapsed.

"Nice shot!" Said Twilight relieved.

"Thank you," said Blue, panting a bit. "Now... Lets finish this once for all." 

"Reminds me of that one time you went crazy, remember Twilight?" said Applejack, relieved as well.

He took the potion and poured some on his hoof. He then rubbed it on her broken horn, which was little more than a stump. "Lets just hope it works..."

Immediately, the salve began to fizzle, and her horn slowly begins to regenerate. And in matter of minutes, Her horn was completely regenerated. 

Blue proceeded to remove the spell from her.  "Lets hope she is ok.." 

She slowly started to wake up, the grounds about the group were silent.

"Oh... Oh my head..."

"Currency!" Boost yelled relieved, as he went and hugged Currency, still in his Wolf form. "You are back!"

"B...Boost? Is that you?"

"Of course its me!" he said excitedly.

"Oh Boost!" She returns the hug with a sudden surge of energy.

Then Blue came to the pair, and said "Ok, relax Boost. We still need to do some tests to see if her brain hasn't got any damages."

"Brain? What?" Currency said in a confused manner.

"Miss Compass. Can you tell me what day it is now?"

"Er... what day?"

"Day. Date. Both work, just tell me one please."

"Er.. a thousand years after I became a shadow? 2017 is it?"

"Can you tell me what's thirty two plus twelve?"

"Forty four? No wait... Is that right?

"Yes. Now some more questions..." 

Question after question followed, and Currency correctly answered each of them with surprising crispness and sharpness. Soon enough, she had passed the test.

"Ok", finished Blue, "I can see your brain has suffered some minor complications but they can get better during time. I can say that you'll be fine."

Boost proceeded to hug Currency tighter. "I'm glad that you are fine Currency."

"Fine? I don't understand... What happened?"

"Let me explain you." Then Boost explained everything that happened from the moment that they defeated Gladtrot to the actual moment.

She stared in disbelief at the group. "And I did what to him?"

"I don't know exactly. What I saw is that you teleport him somewhere."  She sat in silence. 

"You know where did you send him right?"

"Um... No, I don't," she said sadly.

Upon hearing this, Boost's morale quivered, "Y- You don't know where did you send him!?"

Blue said, "Boost. please..."

"No! He could be anywhere by now!!! And he said he will come back!! I'm dead!!!"

"Boost," said Currency calmly, "Please calm do-" 

"ITS EASY FOR YOU TO STAY CALM! YOU DON'T HAVE A KILLER LOOKING FOR YOU!!"

"Many people have tried to kill me Boost... it's hardly a thing to get excited about for me." Twilight and Applejack were taken aback by this remark."

"What do you mean hardly!?"

Boost kept crying on the ground. Now in his normal form.

"Boost?" Asked Currency, "why are you crying?"

"Don't you get it!? HE IS NOW ROAMING FREE SOMEWHERE! LOOKING FOR ME! I AM DEAD!" 

Strangely enough, she smiled.

"Not if we can help it."

"Currency. You dont know.. He is a very intelligent pony. He will find a way of getting ahead of us!" He stood there in the ground for a couple of minutes, When his mind became more cleared he said sobbing. "I don't want to die Currency..."

"Boost..." She put her hoof on his cheek. "There are many things worse than death... and he can cause much harm to the inhabitants of Equestria if we can't challenge him." 

"Are we going to be fine?" he begged. "Please Currency... promise me. Promise me he won't harm any of us..."

Her smile seemed to be all he needed to reassure him. 

"And we will help you all the way." said Twilight."

"No matter what." Added Bluespark.

"Thank you. Thank you all." Boost said as a small smile appeared on his face.

"But we need to train your mind," said Currency, her smile falling a little. "We can't rely on luck and love alone to stop him. You'll need to learn to be able to resist him."

"And how are we going to do that?"

"We'll find out I suppose." she said. "For now, let's leave this place..."

He nodded. Bidding farewell to Applejack, the group of four left the orchard to head back to town. Its time for them to face the new adventures that their life has to offer.
> Chapter 8: Poison Threat
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	Five months had passed since the incident happened, and life was going great for Boost and Currency. Boost had managed to get a small job, and with the money he earned, he could buy a house for himself. And as for Currency, she had managed to work with Twilight on plans to build a new and improved library, to replace the one destroyed by Tirek. In fact, Currency had finished the final designs with Twilight in her castle, and had just left, when she took notice of Boost nearby town square.

She shouted, "Hey Boost!"

"Huh?" He turned to see her, "Oh, Heya Currency!" He ran to her, "How is it going?"

"Good!" She said a little wearily, hugging him, "just finalized the plans for the new library with Twilight!"

"Cool! I was about to go to Blue's house. He told me he wanted me to see something."

"Oh! Do you mind if I come along?" She asked sheepishly.

"Sure!" he replied. And at that, they began to walk in the direction of Blue's house.

On the way, she said to him, "we're planning to build the library out of marble, so we can offer stark contrast to the rest of the town, maybe give it an arnachrim style, I think every pony is going to love it!

"That sounds great! He said, wondering what arnachrim even meant. "So, you are living with Twilight in the meantime?"

"Yep..." she muttered, "She is a really neat pony to get to know, wise beyond her years..."

"I can tell, For a pony who saved equestria tons of times, she must know and have seen a lot..."

"Yeah.."

A minute later, they arrived at the house, it being normal and run down as usual, except for it's repaired door.

"Well, Here we are," Boost said. He then proceeded to knock on the door, a bit more carefully than normal. "Blue! I'm here!" he yelled. 

"Coming!" Bluespark said from inside.

Currency waited silently with him on the doorstep, taking the chance to look around the entryway, noting a number of cobwebs and cracks in the walls.

He then opened the door. "Ah, you're here! And... Oh! Miss Currency! Welcome! I didn't know you would be coming!" He greeted her with a hoof shake. "Well, Come in! Come in you two!"

"Thank you!" Currency said. 

When they went inside, It wasn't much different since the last time they were there. Currency smiled as she looked around at his numerous contraptions and potions.

"So, Blue. Why did you want me here?" Boost asked.

"Oh, Its just that I just finished my newest creation!" He then went to his potion stand and took out a White potion. Currency looked at it, a little curiously. 

"You might remember it from the last time you were here Miss Currency," Blue went on, "So im not going to go into more details, but i'll say that it's a paralyzing potion."

"Let me guess... You want me to test it?" Boost said.

"Well... Yeah. But don't worry, this potion its totally harmless! And its effects should last a couple of hours i presume. So you should be fine."

"A couple of hours?" asked Currency a bit skeptically.

"If my calculations are correct, The potion effects should last two to four hours, and i already have a company wanting to buy the potion if it works! And for a lot of money!" 

Currency was silent at this remark. 

Blue went on, "Ok, and i just need you to try it Boost."

"Well... If you say so..." he muttered. "This isn't the first time you've done something like that." He then took the potion, and looked at it for a moment.

Currency asked, "Are you sure Boost?"

"This isn't the first time Blue has used me as a test subject. And I have always got out of it uninjured in the end!"

"Well, alright...if it's safe..."

He then proceeded to take out the bottle cap, the smell that came out of it wasn't a very pleasurable one, but tolerable. "Well... Here we go..." He then proceeded to drink the contents of the bottle.

"Agh... This tastes horrible..." 

Currency twitched uncomfortably.

Blue watched with a notepad and a pen. "Hmm...."

A minute later, Boost's stomach started gurgling.

"Ugh... I don't feel so well.... Blue? Are you sure you made this safe?"

"Of course... lets not think of that. We are doing this for science!"

But as the time passed, None of the signs of a paralyzing potion were noted, and his stomach didn't stop churning. 

"Oww... It hurts so much..." Boost grappled his arms around his belly as he laid on the floor.

Currency stared a little shocked, and ran towards him. "Boost! What's happening!?"

Breathing hard he said "It hurts... Like something building up inside of me..."

Worried she said, "Blue! What can you do about this!?"

"I- I dont know! It was supposed to hurt a bit, But not that much!"

Then suddenly, The two noticed something in Boost's belly.

Suddenly, it started growing, and the pain didn't stop there. "Its working!" Blue said, a bit relieved.

"What is!?" yelled Currency,  "There is nothing working here!"

"Whats happening to me?!" Boost yelled, now crying because of the pain.

"Don't worry!" Blue tried to assure him, "I told you it had different effects but with the same purpose!"

Boost now was growing larger, And in matter of minutes he was now taller than Currency. And the pain only continued.

"This needs to stop!" Yelled Currency, "Is there a way to reverse this!?"

At this point his body started to throw off the shelves all his machines and inventions. 

"God no!! Not that!" Blue said, now fully convinced that something had gone wrong.

Currency in the meantime, attempted to use a spell to stop Boost's growth, which only slowed it down.

"Please... Make it stop..." Boost said, now in agony.

"We are trying Boost! Hang in there!"

Now his body started to occupy all the room in the house, starting  to push the two against the walls.

"Should I puncture him!?" Currency yelled.

"No! That would kill him! And probably us at this point!" The pressure was building up inside the house, and the less than sturdy walls started creaking.

"Ok, everyone calm down!" Said Currency with a sure voice. "We can get through this...somehow..."

"Agh!! Here it comes!!!" 

The pressure was so much, that the whole house gave way. It exploded, releasing Boost from all the external pressure and launching Blue and Currency a few meters away. Ponies outside stared at this new development with sudden alarm, and began to run from the spot screaming in  fear. When Blue got up and put his glasses back, he was shocked by seeing his friend transformed into a massive ball. "Oh... god...what have i done..." Thankfully, Boost has stopped growing.

Currency had landed with hard impact against a tree, knocking her out and bending the tree a little. He went Immediately to tend to her. 

"Miss Currency!? Are you ok!?" 

She slowly woke up, "Ugh... wha... what happened?"

"See for yourself." He said. 

She then saw the giant green ball with legs that was Boost.

"Oh...dear Celestia..." She got up. "Where is Twilight... maybe the mane six can contain him..."

"I think she is at her castle, But with the size of him I think she has already noticed it."

Sure enough, Twilight came flying towards the spot and landed beside them.

"What in Celestia's mane is going on!" she said with shock. "What happened to Boost!?"

"I... just tested my newest potion on him... But i didn't know that it would develop into this... I didn't intend it!"

Twilight eyed him a little suspiciously, "Tested? Why would you...sigh, lets just save Boost, then we can talk"

"I'm sorry, I'm so so sorry! I didn't know this would happen."

Pinkie Pie ran up to the spot as well, "OH MY GOODNESS! Boost is a like a balloon!

"We need to get whatever it is filling him out, out of him!" said Currency, gazing fearfully at Boost.

"Oh, I know what to do!" Yelled Pinkie. She ran towards Boost and began to climb him. They could hear the screams of pain of Boost as she climbed. Pinkie, after several moments of uncomfortable escalation, reached the top of Boost."

"Pinkie Pie!!! Stop!!! You are hurting him!!!" Blue yelled at her.

"Don't worry!" She yelled down, "I've got an idea!"

"Somepony get her down!" shouted Blue frantically. "She can end up making him explode!"

Pinkie yelled down again, "Don't worry! I know what I'm doing!"

She began lightly hopping up and down on him, causing boost to exhume some of the liquid through his mouth. They could see the expression of suffering in Boost face. "Pinkie!" Currency shouted, "Stop!"

"Don't worry Boost..." pinkie whispered, "You'll be fine..." Somehow, the pain on his face lessened, as he was drained more and more of the juice.

Then in the middle of it, Pinkie might have jumped a bit too vigorously, and a blast of the substance hit Currency, getting her all wet.

"Agh!"

Pinkie Pie didn't noticed and kept hopping on him, making another blast of substance hit Twilight. 

Blue yelled, "Pinkie pie!!! Stop!!!"

She stopped briefly. "What? Oh..." she said. "Sorry..."

"Agh..." said Twilight, "what is this stuff!?" Then, Currency began to slowly inflate, starting with her stomach. 

"Oh no..." she mumbled. Twilight began to inflate as well.

"Oh no! Inflated Currency!" Shouted Pinkie Pie.

"Pinkie!" Yelled Twilight, "Now's not the time for jokes! Help!"

"You drank the potion!?" Asked Blue to Currency worried.

"No..." she murmured, as she slowly grew, "it just splashed all over...me... ow..."

Now Boost, crying said, "I'm sorry... I didn't meant to do it..." She smiled weakly at him before her face began to inflate.

"Can i do something to stop this!?" Blue yelled now in confusión.

"You're the one that made it blue!" Said twilight, her body inflating even more, "i'm sure that you could find a....ow... cure!"

"I can't! My house and all my stuff is destroyed!"

"Then find a potioneer who can maybe!"

"Ooh! I know!" Said pinkie immediately, "You could go to Madame Secora! I'm sure that she has everything to fix this!"

"Zeca- what?!" Blue said.

"Yeah!" She continued, "She's a zebra that lives in Everfree Forest, and she's a great potion maker. She's also an evil enchantress that does evil-"

"F- fine! How do i find her!?"

Twilight said with great effort, "You.. can find her easily... just... follow the path..and find her hut.."

"Please hurry!" Boost said, with great agony.

"I will! Hold on everyone!" He then began to run into the direction of the forest. and in a few minutes, he reached it's edge. 


He looked inside for a moment, took a deep breath, and said, "Don't worry boost. I'll save you." He then ran inside the forest.

He spent several minutes wandering aimlessly in the forest, time was pressing. He looked around, searching for her, but he had never seen a zebra before, so he was at a loss. And to avoid any danger, he had his horn charged to fire a spell. 

It was only a matter of time before he spotted a light in the distance. He looked closely at it. Hoping it was her hut. As he ran towards it, the light vanished.

"Huh... Hello? Is some pony there?" He said nervously. He then saw another light, much like the last one, he ran towards it. "Hello? Uhhh.. Zecora? If its you... I need help!" 

The light vanished again, something was definitely wrong here. He looked around desperately, trying to look for any living form. He then noticed a strange blue light that seemed to emanate straight ahead of him. 

"Huh?" He looked at it closer, but couldn't see what it was, it was blurred. He readjusted his glasses and walked closer. He soon realized that he was walking through... Poison Joke. 

"What the..." He then realized what the flower was, and jumped off of it "No no no! Not this!!" 

The next thing he knew, his hooves were strapped to two pairs of roller skates, causing him to fall down. 

"What is happening!?!" he said as confused as ever. He tried to get up again, but couldn't get a standing on the ground, so he collapsed again. He continued to struggle on the ground, unable to stand up. "What is going on!? Some pony! Help!?" 

A figure rushed forward from the trees, holding a lantern and wearing a cloak. Blue fell silent.

"What brings you into this forest young one? I can see that you have a struggle to be won."

He looked up at her. "Help me... I can't move..."

The figure took off her hood, revealing a zebra with numerous rings around her neck, and some hanging from her ears. She had a white and grey mane, and other strange trinkets hung from her person.

She helped blue up on his skates, the latter initially scared of her. 

"Fear not my friend, I know the cure, for the Poison Joke has great allure..."

"Are you... madame Zecora?" he asked a little timidly.

She smiled, "Indeed I am, how could you tell? Or maybe you met some pony that knows me well?

"Yes, Your friend Pinkie Pie told me. And i need your help... Two friends of mine are affected by this potion i made, they are huge, inflated! And now my whole house is destroyed. I came because they told me you were the only one that can make potions here. Even Princess Twilight was affected! Can you please help?"

She frowned. "If its your house you want back, i cannot give aid, but your friends, I will do my best to have a cure made.

She took him by the hoof and guided him to her hut in the forest, with Blue hanging on for dear life, yet having fun with the skates at the same time. Her hut turned out to be a giant tree refurbished for her needs. She brought him inside, and Blue was amazed by all the vials, potions, and other strange trinkets hanging on shelves or on tabletops. 

""Wow... This place is great." He said.

Smirking, she pulled out a cauldron.

"So, what do we need to do?"

"For now, I think I can make the drought, but in that state, you would avail it not!" She handed him what looked to be a bottle of herbal lotion. As she filled the cauldron with hot water, she said, "Take a bath in this herbal mix, and then your ailment we will be able to fix." 

She pulled out another cauldron and began to mix ingredients into it.

"You... Are not going to cook me alive right?"

Slightly amused, she continued, "I see no reason why to add you to a meal, now sit quietly there, and see how your condition will feel." 

"Uhh... Ok..." he said a little uneasily. He then went to the cauldron with difficulty. But the task to get in turned out to be a bit difficult. Zecora walked over to him and helped him up into the cauldron.

"Thank you" He said as he got in.

Within a few minutes of being soaked, the skates slowly dissipated off his hooves, the remedy seemed to work. 

"Wow... Amazing... Thank you miss!" 

Madame Zecora turned to him, holding a bottle of some strange grey liquid.

She replied, "Now that the cure for that poison threat is done, you must finish what you have begun." She handed the bottle to him.

After examining it for a brief moment, he said, "Thank you miss! I'll repay you somehow, i promise!"

After bidding her goodbye, he proceeded to run through the forest, undaunted by any fear of evil in its dark reaches, and emerged out into the sunlight. 

Over the hills, across the bridge, and finally into Ponyville, he ran as fast as he could, into the area where his friends were. At this point, his friends were huge, they had nearly grown to the size of town hall. The ponies around had vacated the area, except for the remaining 5 of the Mane Six, who were gazing in fear at the inflating ponies.

His jaw dropped. "Sweet mother of..." He looked in horror.

"Oh dear.." muttered Fluttershy, "how big are they going to get?"

"I don't know, but we'd better think of something, and fast!" Replied Rainbow Dash, looking nervously above.

"I've got the cure! We need to give it to them fast before something worse happens!" Blue yelled, surprising the group.

"Oh! You found it!" Said Pinkie in a relieved manner.

Applejack said, "Now comes another problem, how are we gonna give it to them?"

"Miss Pinkie! Do what you did earlier and climb them!" He handed the potion to her.

"Oh! Ok!" She started to climb Boost. Boost began to scream again in agony, clearly a full grown pony holding on in his flesh was a horrible feeling. When she reached the top, she grabbed his jaw, moved it with effort, and poured a bit of the potion into him. He swallowed it, coughed, and slowly started to deflate, to which Pinkie pie jumped with great distance across to Twilight.

And in matter of minutes, Boost's body started to deflate. Pinkie proceeded to climb Twilight, and did poured more of the liquid into her mouth, who eventually started to deflate. Then she proceeded to do the same to Currency.

A moment of relief came, Until they noticed the three couldn't get up. Currency moaned in pain. Boost was trying his best to get up, and Twilight could only move her eyes around at her friends. They were incapable of any movement.

"But they need to get to a hospital!" Remarked Rarity, with slight discomfort.

"What are we waiting for? lets go!" Blue said. He lifted Boost with his magic, "Rainbow dash, Fluttershy, Carry Currency, and Applejack and Rarity carry Twilight!" Nodding, they proceeded to carry them to the hospital. 

When they arrived, they were accommodated almost immediately, and were rushed into the emergency room.

"It hurts so much..." Boost said.

"Don't you worry," said the doctor, who rushed to their side, "You'll be fine... well, somehow.."

"What do you mean?" Blue said. "He will be totally fine right?" 

"Well, let's hope so..." And at that, they closed the door on Blue and the remainder of the mane six

"Why does it hurt so much when i try to move doctor?" Boost asked, wincing after saying it.

The doctor replied a bit ruefully, "Well, we think that your muscles have been torn and wrecked by the expansion of your body..."

Currency let out another painful moan, causing Twilight and Boost some concern.

"Will i be able to move again?" he continued.

"With hope, yeah..." he muttered.

He sighed, and looked over at Currency again. She seemed incapable of speaking, and was silently twitching on the bed. 

"Boost..." mumbled Twilight, "Are... are you ok?"

"No..." He said. "I feel horrible..."

"Well," said the doctor, "maybe you'll feel better after the surgery."

Boost's eyes widened in shock. "S- Surgery!?"

"Well, we have to find out some way to get your muscle and skin mass structurally stable."

He inched away from the end of the bed, "No, Please!"

"You won't be awake for it," said the doctor, "We knock you out with anesthetics!"

"Please, Don't do that to me..." continued Boost, in growing fear.

"Would you rather stay like that?" The doctor asked him sort of harshly.

Boost looked down, then looked at him again. "I... I...I won't feel anything..?"

"Not during the procedure at least!"

He sighed, "Fine... When its going to be..?"

"Well, we will have everything ready in a moment."

Twilight muttered, "Boost.. he needs to go first... Take him first..."

"Why me..? Do i really need it the most..?"

"Yes... she replied weakly."

"Well", said the doctor, "I need to go oversee preparations, all three of you are going at the same time into different rooms. I'll be back in a bit.

And at that, after politely bowing to the three of them (two in consciousness), he left the room.

Twilight struggled in her bed unable to make any decent movement. In slight contempt, she asked, "What... exactally happened...Boost? Blue was...experimenting on you?" 

"Well..." he replied, "Blue said he finished a potion and he needed me to test it. Just like he did earlier with other potions. He also said that a company was willing to buy it once it was tested. This was supposed to be a paralyzing potion with other effects as well, but... you can guess what it does."

"Why on earth did he test it on you..."

"It's not the first time he's done that... We've done this multiple times... But something like this...it's never happened... maybe because he's tested more simple potions... Because when i was wanted, we tried not to make too much attention. But yeah... That's how it went..."

Twilight sighed, she appeared conflicted about Bluespark, as so much had gone wrong.

"He's a good friend, he was always at my side when i needed it the most... I'm always grateful to him. So thats the way to repay him for how he helped me."

He paused for a moment.

"If i can tell you..." she continued, "I already had feelings that this would go wrong before drinking it... But I knew that it would've helped Blue a lot if I drank it... So i did."

"Well, I suppose I can understand that, but I'm not sure other ponies will..." Twilight replied a bit skeptically.

"Just to help him..." He sighed and closed his eyes.

The doctor came back in, accompanied by several medical aids wheeling three gurneys.

Slowly and softly, they carried Boost onto the gurney, reassured that everything was safe, yet still very fearful of the idea of surgery.  Twilight, smiling at him weakly, watched them carry Boost into the surgery room, while Boost in turn saw Currency's gurney go into the other room. 

When Boost went into the room, he was initially creeped out by the tray of surgical instruments and tools on a nearby table. 

"Are you ready Mr. Boostrot?" asked the head surgeon.

"Ready as i'll ever be... he mumbled.

"Alright, now just relax...this won't hurt a bit..." he pulled out the anesthetic syringe.

"Oh god..." he said.

"Don't worry, just...relax..."

He injected the serum into Boost, causing him to slowly drift off to a deep sleep.

As the surgeons got ready for the procedure, one of them noticed the giant scar on his belly.

"Oh..." she muttered. Since he never had surgery before, they wondered why was it were there. As a security measure, they thought to see what was inside him there.

"Well, why not.."

"Right then..." One of them prodded the scar.

"Eesh..." They noticed that his stomach was twice as big, but the signs of it being totally unharmed it means that Boost got it prior to the incident.

Soon enough, they went on with the procedure. 



As they began to gain access to Boost's insides, they proceeded to put tiny structures in where the skin would supposedly go, so it would eventually shift back to normal. His arms, legs, and head were easy to shape almost to normal, and they were nearly done, when the unexpected happen.

The beeping of his heartline was normal for most of the operation's duration, but it soon sped up, causing the doctors concern. His heartbeat was slowly but surely decaying.

"What!?" said the lead surgeon in shock. "But how!?"

Upon noticing the monitor, he rushes to his side. His heartbeat was going down at an alarming rate. 100 bpm, Then 90, then 75. He could die at any minute. 

"We are losing him!" He rushed to perform CPR, which slowed the decline of his heart beat, but could not stop it. It was stable, but for how long?

While pressing down on his chest, he felt something weird in his heart...almost like a small bump in his skin.

"What in the.." 

He turned to the other operators in a controlled panic, "Somethings wrong with his heart! We need a transplant, NOW!"

"But what's his blood type!?" one of the mare operatives shouted in shock.

"There has to be someone that knows! Get that friend of his from the waiting room, hurry! There isn't a moment to loose!"

Nodding, she left the room frantically, and returned with a startled Bluespark, who was napping while the procedure went on.

"What's going on!?" he yelled. Why do you need..." He then glanced at Boost. "Oh god Boost!!" He rushed at him. "What's happening to him!?"

"I don't know! We had to revive him! Somethings in his heart... and its killing him!"

"In what!?" he said shocked. 

"It... feels... metallic..." said one of the aides.

"What is this thing doing there doctor!?" said Bluespark now throughly worried.

"I have no clue! We didn't put it there!" He replied. "We need to do a transplant, what blood type does he have?"

"Um....um...it's written in my book i think! Shoot...it's still at home!"

"Your a unicorn!" said the female surgeon. "You could summon it maybe!"

"Oh!" He closed his eyes, sparks flew out of his horn, and his journal appeared out of nowhere. He immediately sifted through the pages, found the passage that he was looking for, and yelled, 

"Its B+!" he fell on the ground, exausted by the force of the spell.

The female surgeon immediately rushed into the nearby storage room, and took out a box of what looked to be refridgerated hearts, with the label, B+.

The head operator glanced at Blue in a thankful manner, took the heart from the nurse, and with the aid of the other operatives, began to get to work on his heart.

When they reached their way to the heart, they found the root of the problem. A strange, small device was planted on Boost's heart, and was pulsating in a sickening way, it was pumping toxins throughout Boost's heart.

"What in Celestia..." the doctor muttered, initially startled by this new development. Delaying no longer, brandished the surgical knife, and began the transplant.

After a few long minutes of tension and anxiety, the surgeons broke away from Boost, having successfully implanted the heart into his body, and removing the defective one from him. After sewing him back up together, they finally broke away, their hands covered in blood.

"Oh... god..." said Blue, who passed out from the overwhelming sight. With the new heart, Boost seemed more stable now. He was going to live.

"We've done it... well done everyone!"



The next day, Blue went to visit Boost in the hospital, just to find him and Currency having dinner in their beds, Boost had a huge patch in his chest. 

Currency seemed to be in the middle of telling a story, as revealed by both of their amused expressions.

"Heh, so I said to him, 'What!? Surely the ones back at home aren't as dangerous as the ones here!'"

Boost, laughing, looked over towards the door, and a huge grin spread across his face.

"Blue!" He said.

"Hello there Blue!" Currency said.

He then proceeded to hug Boost crying. 

"I'm so sorry, I'm a horrible friend... I shouldn't have tested that potion on you!" 

Boost patted his back. "Its alright Blue, I forgive you. At least i'm still alive."

"But there's still the question of this..." said Currency, raising up the device that was attached to Boost's heart.

"Hm... Can i see it?" Blue asked curiously, breaking away from the embrace. 

She handed it to him, he looked at it, It was some type of cube with metallic tentacles now cut because of the surgery. 

"It appears that this thing was injecting some kind of toxins into Boost's heart. The only question now, is how did this thing got inside of him...because I'm certain that the potion had nothing to do with it.

"And why..." Currency added. Then, She remembered Boost's telling of his father's experiments on him. 

"Wait..."

"Hm..? What is it Currency?"

"I don't know... it reminds me of a parasite that I dealt with though... well, a virus...back in my old days I mean..."

"Oh really?" Boost said.

"Yeah, CC13 influenza it was called... But this, this is no parasite, but... like a torture device."

"More like a killer one." Blue said. Then suddenly. One of the sides of the box opened. Revealing a camera looking directly into Boost. They were shocked about this. 

"What is that!?" Boost said. The camera looked at Boost for a moment. Until it went back to the device. 

"Destroy it, quick!" Shouted Currency. 

A familiar voice came from the device, "As you wish..." 

Then the device beeped and exploded in front of them, sending Blue to the other side of the room and destroying his glasses.

"Blue!" They both shouted in sudden alarm. The nurses came in because of the explosion.

"What happened in here!?" asked Nurse Redheart shocked.

"The machine! It exploded in Blue's face!" Boost said. "Help him! Please!"

Rushing to his side, they examined him, one of them saying, It looks like his glasses got the brunt of the explosion. 

He started to wake up. "Ugh... i didn't expect that..."

"It's him..." muttered Currency.

"I know... I know... agh..." He got up and took his glasses. One of the lens was broken and the other fell on the floor, Shattered into pieces. He sighed. "It took 3 weeks to make this glasses..." he threw them in the trash can. "What are we going to do now?" He asked a little grumpily.

"I dont know..." Boost answered. He looked at Currency. She was deep in thought. "Currency, you always had the best plans. You said you've went through so much before... Please tell us we can deal with this."

Currency looked over at Boost, a skeptical look was on her face, she was too humble enough to admit it.

"Boost, I didn't plan for many things that happened to me, they just happened, I'd be a fool to deny it. I'm just a mare. But I'll tell you this, we will find him. And we will make sure that he never harms any pony again."

He smiled at her. "I'm sure we will."

They were silent for a few minutes, then Blue said,

"Geez...what am I going to tell that company about that potion...sigh..."

Boost, also sighing, said, "I just wonder why he did all of this to me...my father of all people..."

"I wouldn't like to imagine..." Currency said, still deep in thought.  "Some reason beyond the three of us I'd think..."

"Well... Not the next thing its to get out of here... said Boost, but with all these problems... I think it will take time..."

"Indeed, and we need to be prepared somehow." said Blue confidently.

And be prepared, we will. Said Currency. Smiling at the two.

And at that, they waited. But their spirits weren't broken, and they would be ready to fight Gladtrot when the time came.
> Chapter 9: Light Their Lives.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The days went on, and Currency and Boost were getting better slowly, but surely. Eventually, Currency managed to get out of the hospital,  But Boost had to stay there a couple of weeks more due to his heart surgery.

Currency was walking to the hospital to visit him like she did every day since she got out. She was humming to herself happily, construction of the new marble library had begun, and the foundations were nearly set.

She entered the hospital, checked in, and soon arrived at Boost's door. "Knock knock!" She said excitedly, as she knocked on the door.

He was in his bed, playing with his guitar, a badly carved wooden one. When he heard her, he stopped playing and shouted back, "Heya Currency!"

"Hi boost!" She walked in. "How've you been today?"

"Good! My chest feels a lot better now. The doctor said that I will get out soon, I still need to wait a couple of days, because I need to go through a final surgery to remove the sutures from my heart."

"Oh! Well that's great!" She replied enthusiastically. "Heh... all they had for us back in my day was leeches... and boy did those things hurt... "

"Geez. That would hurt..."

"Yeah. one of their little teeth got stuck in me once... I almost died..."

"Wow..." said Boost, a little creeped out. "I can't imagine how much youve done all those years ago.

"Yeah... some a lot worse than others... It's nothing to brag about... But it sure makes a good story when you tell it to someone!"

"Heh, I could imagine.” he replied. “Oh, and before you came I was composing a small song in my guitar!” He looked down at it.

“Sigh... I wish i had the money to buy a better one."

Currency looked at it, it was a clumsily carved piece of wood, with holes to boot, and had only 3 strings, with the other ones cut. 

"Hm..."

"I looked through the windows of those specialized stores,” he continued, “those guitars look really awesome. So professional! Just to think the songs I could compose with one of them!"

"Maybe I can think on that for the future..." said Currency, a little thoughtfully.

"I wish you could.. they are really expensive.."

"Yeah... Well, could you play that song please? I’d like to hear it!"

"Well... alright. I'm not very good though..."

He took the guitar, and began playing. It was simple tune due to the lack of strings, but he still played in a tone that Currency could only describe as emotional and transcendental.

And when she was enjoying the song most, je began to sing. 

"Poems for us two. Nights with movies while it rains. I've been running day and night against this endless clock. That it dont want to stop, gotta keep moving forward... Leaving there, those moments we used to see us only two.."

As the song ended, Currency was ultimatly captivated, and on the verge of breaking down in emotion.

"It still a work in progress...” murmured Boost, adjusting a guitar string. How was it?"

"I love that!” she said admiringly. “It was beautiful! You have a great singing voice Boost..."

"Really? I didn't think I had one...”

"You do! You'd be great in the professional field!"

"Wait... you mean into a professional level?” he said a little shocked. “I dont think i can get that far..."

"Heh, anything is possible Boost... if you really chase after it."

"You think?"

"I do. I really do." She smiled.

"Heh, Thank you Currency. You are doing too much for a colt you just met a couple of months ago."

"Says the pony that had a father who wanted to kill him...” she replied wistfully. “Boost, if it weren't for you, I would never be here! I know I've said this before, but-"

But then, the doctor came in, It seemed that the time for the last surgery has come. "Well Boost, we are all ready for you!" he said.

"Sigh.. Well... alright. I guess i’ll go now Currency."

"Heh, see you Boost! And don't think about leeches in there, ok?" She giggled.

"Hehe, alright, I'll try." They wheeled him out, leaving Currency behind in her thoughts.

She sighed, and looked out the window. "He looks so much like him..." she mumbled.

She was looking out on a beautiful day. Everything was peaceful, and she gazed at a bush outside that was swaying in the wind. But then she noticed, outside there wasn't any wind. 

"Huh?" 

She looked more closely at it, to make sure it wasn't an illusion. After a moment, She noticed a light green fur inside it, Just like... Boost. 

"What..." 

She walked outside to look at it more closely, arriving at the spot, where it was still moving. As she moved closer, the bush seemed to move less, aware of her presence. Just when she was inches away, a bunny hoped out of the bush and landed on her head. Currency let out a sigh of relief.

"Aw... cute little thing..." 

The bunny looked relaxed for a moment, until suddenly, a bright flash occurred and the bunny had now a demonic look. the blue sky turned a dark red, and the town looked abandoned and destroyed. She dropped the bunny in fright, and backed away.

"Eep!" 

The 'bunny' grew taller and scarier, gazing down on Currency in a look of wrath.

And then it spoke... in the voice of Gladtrot. 

"Your love and care are weak Currency Compass, it will only lead to your deserving fate. Destruction and suffering will lead your life as it did many centuries ago, and your agony shall be my meal. Currency Compass, you are in my blacklist now... good luck." 

Before she could process what had happened, she woke up in her chair back in the hospital. It was just a dream.

"Agh! W... what!?"

Looking around at her surroundings, she slowly began to calm down. Boost’s father had telepathically communicated with her. It was then that she realized that he could strike at any time... it was time to prepare for the oncoming storm.

"I.. I need to prepare him... before it's too late.." she muttered. And at that, she pulled out a notebook from her bag and started to jot down notes.

A couple of hours passed, and the doctors brought Boost back to his bed, still sedated on anesthetics.

"Oh! Hello there doctor!" said Currency, looking up from her notebook.

"Greetings miss Compass! We’re all done here! Just a bit of rest and he'll be back up and going!"

"That's great! She said, thank you so much doctor!" 

They nodded, and left the room. She sighed and put her hoof on Boost’s stomach, right where the patch was. He moaned a bit in pain, taking it off quickly, she remained silent, watching him. 

"We've got a lot of work to do buddy..."



Soon enough, Boost finally got out of the hospital. Currency was walking to visit him once more, and found him striding out of the hospital with a walking stick.

"Boost! Oh my goodness! Your out!"

He looked up. "Huh? oh! Currency! Hey there!" 

She ran to hug him. "I am so glad your ok! Oh my goodness!"

"You are a bit excited about that...” he said a little annoyed. “I think we both knew i would get out some day."

"Well, I need to discuss something with you...” she continued, a little worried. “About... him..."

"Him..? Who’s him?"

"Your father..." she said with a whisper.

"Yeah? You have more information about him?"

"He.. he came to me in a dream... Boost... he won't be idle... we need to prepare for when he comes..."

He seemed more worried now. "H- how? "I mean... What are we going to do..?"

"I don't know... We need to train ourselves... His greatest weapon is fear, we need to prepare our minds so we can't fall to his dread. It's not safe to speak here... let's head somewhere more private... like Twilight's castle." 

"Alright..." he muttered nervously. 

“As they approached the castle, he asked, "And what did you saw there in your dream exactally?"

"Well, he came to me as a rabbit."

He fell in silence for a moment.

"A rabbit?"

"Yes, but that's not the point!” she said in frustration. “I just don't understand how he got that powerful!"

"And with his horn removed.. me neither..." he added. “Well...here we are.”

"Yep..." Currency got out the keys and unlocked the castle, Twilight and Spike were gone on business to Canterlot.

Arriving at Currency's bedroom, Boost asked, "So.. what do we need to do?"

"Well, since he feeds off our feelings, we need to steel our resolve, and not be afraid, no matter what phobia he throws at us. So... I'll fire a spell at you, create some kind of illusion, and we can begin from there."

"Illusion?"

"Well, you know, hypnosis." she went on.

Boost looked at her skeptically. "Uhh... Alright.. I think... So... you will put me in some type of trance?"

"Yes."

"Uh... Ok. I’m ready."

"Well, here goes nothing..." She charged the spell. "Keep in mind that I have no idea what you'll see.” she said.

"Wait.. what? No, no, no, wait a sec-!" But then she fired the spell, and it hit Boost squarely in the head.

The next thing Boost knew, he was in outer space. He looked around worried. There were no forms of life anywhere....no organisms, individuals, or even other objects. He was absolutely alone. He tried to scream for help, but the void of space didn't allow him. He struggled, he was terrified now. He just wanted to back on solid ground. 

Suddenly, he was back in the room. Currency was shocked to see him screaming in fear and struggling on the ground. 

"Boost! Wake up! It's not real!"

He looked at her in horror, "I can breathe... I can talk... I dont want to go back there again..." he said, with tears in his eyes, followed by him cringing on the floor.

"Oh boost..." She ran to comfort him.

"I thought was going to die... Alone... And hopeless...."

"Boost.. you're fine... I'm here....” she hugged him. " But you need to face your fears," She said straightly, "You have to overcome them to succeed..."

"B- but... that place... it was cold... and empty..."

"Boost, you couldn't possibly survive in space. You would implode!" 

He calmed down a bit. "but..."

"Shh... It's alright... Do you want to try it again?"

He took a deep breath. "Alright..."

"Now then... you'll be in space again... Try to remember some of the best moments you've ever had in your life."

"But.. what moments? I never had too many happy moments until after I met you.."

"Then... think of those!"

"Alright, alright..."

"This may take a few tries... Here we go..." She charges the spell, and released at Boost. 

It wasn't until the third or fourth try that he got the hang of it, and soon enough, he could stand his ground in the "vacuum of space”, remembering those fond memories of not so long ago. Eventually, his mind came back to the room.

“Well done Boost!” exclaimed Currency in a triumphant manner.

“Why space...of all things...” Boost muttered.

“Because you never know what fears life could throw at you. Not that you might ever visit space, but you need to be prepared for the unexpected.”

“Fine.... but don't we need to prepare you as well?”

"I... well, yes, I think so..." 

Currency took a yellowish vial of potion from her bag. "This is a fear inducing potion...” she explained, “I asked Blue to make it for me, since you can't do magic."

"... When did you tell him that?" he asked in confusion.

"A couple of days ago actually, you were still in the hospital."

"Oh... Alright..."

"Now then.... since this is a rather concentrated dose, I think I'll add it to a bit of drink..." She got out a bottle of ginger ale.

" You think it will be safe? Remember what happened last time we used a potion..."

"I..." she hesitated. "It is. He tested it on himself..."

"And what do i do if it gets out of control?"

"Well... just try and shake me out of it... Shouldn't be too long of a spell..."

"Alright..." She grabbed the glass of ginger ale.

"Oh! Have I told you that my favorite drink is ginger ale yet?"

"I think not... But that's interesting."

"Heh, yeah... helps my stomach a lot..." She poured a few drops of the potion into the glass. "Well, to your health Boost." She raised her glass to him, and then drank some of it. She put it down on the table, smacking her lips "Hm, has a cherry flavor to it..." 

Slowly, her eyes began to go unfocused. She looked around, and for a moment, shock came across her face. 

"Ha!" She said out loud, "Your not the first manticore I've seen..." She disregarded the invisible beast."

"Hm... is this the best blue can do?" She picked up the glass of ginger ale, and drank the rest in one gulp.

"I don't think you should have done that Currency..."

"Oh don't worry Boost, I have it perfectly under con-" 

Her jaw dropped upon seeing Boost. She backed slowly away.

"Currency? are you alright?"

"Your... your not real..." she went on. "You can't be.." She charged her horn ready to fire a spell at Boost.

"Currency?! Wait! Its me!! Boost!!" She fired a blast at Boost, which singed his hair. 

"Don't! Stop!" 

Trying to help her, Boost transformed into his other form and tackled Currency, holding her to prevent her from moving. She writhed in his grasp, trying to break free. 

"GREYYY!!! STOP!!!" She shrieked at the top of her lungs.

"CURRENCY!!! SNAP OUT OF IT!!!"

"W..wha?" She had snapped out of her lucidness. "Boost?"

"Finally... You almost blasted me..." he got off of her.

"I... what? I did?" She got up with difficulty.

"Yeah..." he felt the slightly smokey top of his hair. 

"Oh... sorry..." said Currency.

"I only have one question... Who is Grey?"

"Huh?... Grey?"

"Yeah.. you screamed that when you went crazy."

"Oh... well see, I take great comfort from the color grey! Its.. a very relaxing color isn't it? Yeah... that's it..."

"You didn't seem very comfortable there Currency..."

"Well, that doesn't matter..." she replied,  "I think I need more practice..."

There was brief silence.

"Uhh... Alright, I'll stay like this meanwhile. Just to be safe." said Boost, slightly wary.

"Oh, Ok then," said Currency. "Well, I have no means to scare myself now..." she looked at the drained bottles. "Now I'll know next time not to gulp the whole thing down..."

"Yeah... So what's next?"

"Well, should we get back to you maybe?"

"What do you mean?"

"Er, practicing on your fears?"

"Wait... My fear isn't being stranded in space?"

"Well, no- I mean yes-  i mean-." She sighed. "It was random. Fear comes in all forms Boost. And sometimes, you don't even know what it could be.."

He sighed. "Alright... I'm ready for what you got."

"Well, again, it'll be random... alright..." She charged the spell.

He closed his eyes, ready for the spell to hit him. 

The spell hit him, and he was briefly blinded. When the light faded, he was still in the room.

"Uhh... Currency? Are you sure that was the right spell?"

Currency said confused, "Hm.. Did it not work?" 

Boost then heard an eerie clicking noise coming from above.

"Huh? Was that twilight or..?" He looked up.

A giant spider was hanging from the ceiling, looking down at him with eight glowing eyes. 

He started to breath hard, and then screamed at the top of his lungs and ran to the door. 

"SPIDER!!!"

"W... what!?" Said Currency, startled. 

The spider pounced on her, knocking her out, and began to weave her into a cocoon.

Desperately he tried to open the door. "LET ME OUT!!! LET ME OUT!!!"

Immediately, he was back in the real world, Currency was holding onto him.

"Glad Twilight and Spike aren't here to hear it... are you ok Boost?"

"Spider..." he said lucidly. "There was a huge spider! With his eyes... Piercing through my soul...and it.. you... Is... is it gone?"

"Oh... well, yeah, it's gone." She shivered at the thought, and helped Boost up. Scared to death, he hugged her tightly.

"Boost.. Boost.. come here..." she hugged him back. "That wasn't real. There are actually spiders that can get that big, but it's not real... your here..."

"That helps a lot..." he replied sarcastically.

He passed a moment like that, until he finally regained himself.

"There," said Currency, "Do you want to rest a bit? Or try again?"

"I.. I think I can go for another try..."

"Alright. Here we go." 

They went at it for several more tries, until finally, he was finally able to stay calm against the different situations. Afterwards, the two sat on the bed, each with a drink in their hand. 

Currency said, "Hm.. not a bad run..."

"I think its a good way to test my new heart." said Boost with a bit of optimism.

"Heh... I still need some practice too..." she took a swig of Ginger Ale.

"We can always ask Blue for his help. You know he's always up to help somepony who needs it."

"Yep..."

"Well... i say its your turn to train now." Wanna go to Blue's house?"

"Hm... might as well."

"I've suffered enough for today. Heh.. and I haven't seen him since I got out of the hospital, so it would be nice to visit him." 

She smiled, and followed him out of the room. 

Eventually, they reached his home. But before they knocked on the door, they heard him inside talking on the phone. 

"He doesn't talk usually on the phone..." muttered Boost.

"Huh..." 

They listened to the conversation.

"Look, I know the potion isnt what you thought," said Blue, slightly worried, "But im sure you have more uses for it. 
I'll try to make another potion that'll be up to your expectations. But believe me, This little white potion will take care of all your problems." 

Boost and Currency were silent.

A moment later Blue said, "Alright, thank you. I swear this will be worth it. How much money are we talking of?... Ok, i'll send you 5 boxes with 25 potions in each; five thousand bits for the five boxes. Alright. I'll make sure they'll get there."

Currency and Boost exchange looks. 

"Oh god..." said Boost. "Please, he cant be talking about that potion... We can't let that potion get out of the town! Imagine if the potion gets in the wrong hooves!" 

Currency knocked on the door rapidly.

Blue then said, "Sorry, i have to go. i'll call you later." He hung up, then went to the door and opened it. 

"Hm? Oh! Boost! Currency! Welcome!"

She said "Um.. hi Blue... you weren't by chance going to sell more of that potion were you?"

He looked nervous. "Uhh... Of course not! I got rid of that potion. Heh..."

Boost said, "Blue... We heard you... You were going to sell it to them."

Blue replied, "Then you just thought you heard that. And I would be pleased if you leave now, I still got work to do."

"Well, I was just wondering if you could help me train my emotions..." said Currency, trying to change the subject. "Do you still have some of that potion you made?"

Boost added, "Or.. you could use the spell she used."

"I would like to..." said Blue dismissively, "But you see, I'm really busy right now. could you please leave? I'll help you tomorrow."

But Currency was still concerned about the shipment of the white potion.

"Blue..." she said urgently, "Are you sure you should be taking those out of town? You know how dangerous they are. And why would they employer want them?"

But Blue said a bit rudely, "Look Miss Currency. That's none of your business. I'm just here trying to make money. I made the potion and i have total control over it, now can you please leave my house?"

She looked at Boost, who said, "Look Blue. Just look at what that potion did to me! I spent almost two months in THE hospital! And imagine if there wasn't anypony around to help! I could have died!"

Blue was starting to lose his patience. "I know! That's why i'm selling it! I can make more money than just selling a simple paralyzing potion! Just look at this place, it's horrible place to live! This is for the best! Now Ivwill tell you one more time, Leave my freaking house or i'll make you!"

Currency slowly backed away. "There's no need to get angry Blue..."

Boost said "Blue! That thing its taking over your mind!! Just think for a moment!!"

But then, Blue opened one of the boxes and took out a bottle of the potion with his magic. "This is your last chance! Leave my freaking house!!!"

"Everyone! Please!" Currency got in the middle.

"I will sell it! I need the money!! Why dont you understand!?!" 

Currency looked between the two nervously. She walked to Blue. "Blue... please, we are your friends. We only want what is best for you..."

"What do you know about me!!! You only met us less than a year ago!!! You freaking-!!!" Blue let out a horrible insult to Currency. 

Currency stood still, unaffected. "Blue, I really hope you didn't mean that. "Please, just hand over the bottle and-"

"YOU WANT IT!?! YOU REALLY WANT IT!?! THEN TAKE IT!!!!" With intense rage he broke the bottle on Currency's head.

"Agh!" She collapsed, glass shards flying everywhere.

"Currency!" Boost yelled. Turning on Blue, he yelled, "Alright.. you asked for it!" With anger, he transformed and tackled Blue, and the two began to fight.

Currency could only watch them fight, as the potion was starting to take effect on her. She choked a bit, but somehow needed to stop them before something horrible happened.

She tried to get up, and walked towards them. "Stop!" she cried. She then sent a freezing spell at Blue, causing him to stop moving.

"What the f.. WHAT DID YOU DO TO ME!?" yelled Blue, absolutely furious.

"You... need to stop.... please...you both are friends... are you willing to forsake that over a deadly potion?"

"I just want to make money! I hate living in this horrible place... Is that ask for too much?!"

"It isn't!" said Currency, trying to find empathy. "But don't realize the danger of this potion if it gets in the wrong hands!?"

"It wont happen! Those guys are professionals! They can handle weapons of any type!"

Currency sighed. "That only makes them more dangerous..." she fell down from the weight. "And i"t doesn't... give you reason... to hurt your friends..."

"I just want to live normally..." said Blue in confession. "I want to live in a normal house.. eat normal food... This is a big chance for me.. and you are just taking it away... And seeing him..." he gestured to Boost, "He has killed people. He was wanted by so many... And now look at him, he has a house, lives normally, and i am stuck here... Living horribly and condemned to create these things just to live..."

"But you helped him..." countered Currency, "You showed him kindness and friendship where none would give it to him... we are trying to offer you that too. Won't you let us help you?"

"I wish... but now there's nothing you can do... The deal has been settled... they'll come for the boxes any minute now..."

She frowned at him. "I hope your happy with it..." She began to inflate even more.

Then boost added. "Look at her blue... This its what your potion has done... she'll be dead, and so will many other ponies thanks to you..."

"Alright! ALRIGHT!!! YOU WIN!! I'M SORRY! UNFREEZE ME!! ILL HELP YOU! PLEASE!" Blue submitted in resignation.

With the last of her strength, Currency unfroze him. With haste, Boost rolled her out of the house just in time before she got too big for the door. While Blue searched his shelves and containers frantically for the cure.

Your going to be fine Currency... don't worry..." said Boost reassuringly.

"It's not me I'm worried about..." Currency mumbled."

Blue came outside even more worried. "I can't find it..." He said fearfully.

"WHAT!?" Boost yelled. "You've better find it now! because if she explodes, i'll make you drink all those 5 boxes of potions!"

"I swear i had a cure for it! Just in a shelve! But it just disappeared!!" 

Currency looked at boost in a unreadable manner. She was getting bigger and bigger, and Ponies were coming out of their homes to see the giant ball that she had become. 

"Not again..." She muttered. "Just puncture me and be done with it..."

But then Blue interrupted. "NO! ARE YOU CRAZY! JUST LOOK AT HOW BIG YOU ARE!"

"You caused this!" said Boost in anger. "You must be the one who solves this!"

"But someone stole the cure!! I can't do anything! Use your freaking wolf form and help her!"

The two continued to argue, while Currency inflated even more.

"My time has come..." Currency said solemnly.

Both of them looked at her in alarm. 

"Not if i stop it!" yelled Boost. He ran at her and jumped at a great height, and landed on Currency with a great force, causing a great amount of juice to come out through her mouth. She wailed in pain, but Boost kept hitting her to make more juice come out. "You wont die today Currency!" Boost said as he kept hitting her. She kept screaming in pain.

Blue yelled up to him, "Not unless you kill her first!"

He kept doing it, until the swelling has finally stop. "Well... At least she is alright." Blue said.

"ALRIGHT!? LOOK AT HER! SHE IS HUGE! You better have a plan... Or... Grr! I dont know what i'm going to do with you!"

Then Currency said. "Boost... agh..." He turned around to look at her. "My.. I think my time has come..."

"No it isn't! Just stay with me! We need to get you to that zebra's house. She will know what to do, like she did earlier! Just resist it Currency!" He then began to roll her into the forest, while Blue watched them silently as they went farther away.



Boost rolled Currency through the forest, looking for Madam Zecora or her hut. 

"Agh... Boost... It hurts..." muttered Currency.

"Just resist it Currency, It will be over soon." He prayed that wouldn't mean the tragic way.

She starts to rapidly breathe, as if she was about to give birth. "Why... the heck...  does he still have that thing..."

"I dont know, But lets not question that, Now the priority its you. Please... tell me we are close..."

"How am I supposed to know!? I've never been there before!"

He stopped rolling her, And took a minute to look around at their surroundings. He saw a light in the distance which seemed to be the glow of the hut.

"I think i found her, Lets go." He started rolling her again, towards the light.

It was indeed her hut, issuing a warm glow from the interior of a tree. 

"Alright Currency, stay here. ill go get her."

"As if I can do anything else..."

Ignoring the irony, he went to the hut and knocked on her door. The door magically swung open, revealing the very decorated and adorned interior of her hut. She couldn't be seen anywhere. 

"Uh.. hello? Miss zebra? Are you here?" 

Silence.

"Is anyone here..? If is, please, i need help."

"Are you looking for some pony my friend? Perhaps some help to you I can lend!"

"AH!" Boost turned and tried to attack the source of the voice, which caught his hoof, and put it down by his side. Boost was immediately taken aback by the peculiar appearance of Madam Zecora. Realizing what he has did, he said. "Oh! Uh.. miss zebra! I'm so sorry!"

"No need to worry Boostrot. Now tell me, what problem is it that you have got?" She gazed at Currency.

"There is the problem. Can you please help her like you did the other day?"

Nodding, she rushed over to the counter, and began to mix several potions. 

Boost, realizing that she knew her name, asked, "Wait, you know my name?"

"You have a touch of destiny about you young one...." Zecora muttered, "I wonder yet how many battles you have yet to be won..."

"Its curious how you aren't intrigued by my... form." said Boost, who was still in the form of a wolf.

Smirking, she explained, "You are hardly the first werewolf I've seen, for in my homeland, they have a presence so keen!" 

Currency moaned in discomfort.

"Alright, alright..." said Boost a little hurriedly, "We chat later. Please hurry."

She continued to mix half a dozen ingredients into a small cauldron on a nearby table, muttering incoherent words. A few minutes later...

"There..." muttered Zecora. "That will simmer for a few minutes more. But tell me, have you not seen a zebra before?"

"Uh, No. I haven't... what does it feel like...? Wait... That was a stupid question... isn't it?" 

She smiled and shook her head. "Not so unrelated to ponies are we, for we both eat hay, like any pony free."

"Wow... Well... when its the potion ready? I hate to see Currency like that..."

"Patience..."

He sighed, Then went to the door. "Is everything going well Currency?"

"Just... peachy..." she said simply, with slight strain.

He walked to her and put his hand on her inflated body. "I'm sorry this had to happen Currency."

"Don't be... I care for you and Blue more than myself..."

"You should care about yourself though... i care about you too... Please... Try to avoid putting yourself in danger... Just do it please... For me..."

"Fine... but I'm not afraid of death... There are many things worse than death..."

"But a life without you... the pony who helped me so much... You are like the mother... or sister that I never had, You care about me... and you give me love..."

"Oh Boost... do you really think that?"

He nodded. "If you go... I don't know what i would do..."

She squeezed Boost's hand, who had newfound resolve.

"Aha!" proclaimed Zecora. She turned from the potion station, holding the cure.

He went to her, and took the potion. "Thank you Miss zebra."

"No, thank you mr. pony! Your loyalty to your friends is surely not phony!" She smiled upon making this statement.

"Uh... and what its your name?"

"Madam... Zecora..." Muttered Currency.

"Well, thank you Madam Zecora." He then went back to Currency. "Alright. Here you go..." he poured the cure in Currency's mouth.

"Ohh... sweet release..." she moaned. She began to deflate.

When she was back to normal, Boost transformed back to his normal form and hugged her. She weakly hugged him back. 

"I'm glad that you are alright..." said Currency relieved. "Well... partially alright, But you're alive at least... Thank god..."

"We need to get to Blue... I'll carry you."

She sighed. "Alright... Though maybe I can try to walk..."

"You look horrible... I will carry you to stop him. Then we will help you with your situation."

"Fine..."

In his wolf form, he carried Currency to blue's house... But just when they were getting close to his house. They immediately noticed that something was wrong, for instead of Blue's house, there was Blue, inflated as big as the neighboring houses.

Oh no... muttered Currency.

"Great... he's doomed us all..."

"Huh?! Boost?! Currency!? Are you there!? Help me!!"

"Boost... there still a bit more of the cure left..." said Currency weakly.

"Yes... Of course! But.. he is huge now.. how i'm going to get up to his head!?"

"Well do what you did to me!" said Currency, "Climb!"

Boost showed the claws in his hand. "I dont think i can without puncturing you.. And in my normal form I dont think I could either!"

Then Blue started to scream. "I'm going to blow up!! I'm going to blow up!! HELP ME!!!"

Currency looked at boost worriedly. "What are we going to do!? He will explode at any moment!!" Boost said. 

Suddenly, they heard a particular yet familiar bouncing sound. When they turned around. It was Pinkie Pie who was bouncing towards them.

"Again!?" She asked startled.

"Please don't ask." Boost said simply.

"I know!" She immediately started to climb Blue.

He began to scream, "PLEASE STOP!!! I LEARNED MY LESSON!!! PLEASE!!! I'M GOING TO BLOW!!!" She could hear his skin creaking.

"Catch it Pinkie Pie!" He then threw the cure at her.

She flipped upwards on top of Blue, while catching the cure with her hoof. Leaks of juice started to appear around Blue's skin, who was trying to resist the intense pain. When she looked back, there was a leak of juice rolling down his body towards her. 

Boost yelled, "Pinkie Pie! Get down of there!"

Emptying the bottle in his mouth, she hopped down, and Currency put a shield around the liquid.

"Huh, why this Currency?"

"That juice... if it touches any pony..." The liquid was being drained from Blue, and being kept in magical stasis by Currency.

When he deflated completely, He was on the ground. It seemed that the pressure besides tearing his muscles apart, it also crushed his skeleton. He was in a pretty disturbing position, but was thankfully still alive.

"Don't worry Blue!" said Pinkie, "I'll take you to the hospital!"

"I.. can't see that happening.." Boost said.

Pinkie picked him up gingerly, and carried him away to the hospital.

"I'm never going to get that image out of my head..." he muttered." He looked at the bunch of liquid that Currency was holding in a magic ball.

"I... don't know if... I can't.. hold it... much longer..."

"Resist it Currency! You can't drop it! Or it will infect all this area!"

"OH REALLY? I WASN'T AWARE!"

"She isn't alone!" Twilight runs up, and helps currency hold it.

"Twilight? When did you come? You saw it?"

"Yes, and I can see i came not a moment too soon! How in Celestia did this happen!?"

"Blue went crazy selling those white potions, and when we tried to stop him, he got furious and attacked Currency with one! We cured her, but when we came back we found blue affected by the potion."

"...Selling?"

"Yeah... But now we need to get rid of this! Do you have an idea Twilight?"

"Um... I don't think anyone in Ponyville can help us here...."

"Then somepony who isn't from Ponyville maybe?"

"Spike!" Twilight yelled, "Fetch help from Canterlot! Quickly!" Spike nodded, and ran off in the direction of the castle.

"What its your plan?"

"To get the Princesses..." she said simply.

"And what are you going to do then?"

"Keep.. holding on!"

"But the plan is to get rid of this! How more alicorns will help with this!?" 

Twilight fell silent.

"We need to expect the worst..." said Boost in conclusion, "we need to evacuate everyone from the area before it's too late!"

The three knew that the liquid could not be contained forever without the aid of the princesses... time was running short.