Chapter 1

Ponyville was a sleepy town, the kind where nothing ever happened. There were a few shops and small businesses, and a couple houses scattered around. There was also a large city far off where most of the bigger businesses were. Beyond that, nothing ever happened here.

That was why Applejack hated it so much here.

She had just moved into this town a few days ago, and was now going to be attending Ponyville High School. She didn't want to live here though. After her father died she wanted to go live in Manehatten with her rich relatives. She had always lived the simple life, and was ready to see a life of luxury for once.

But sadly, her father had a will. In said will she, her older brother Macintosh, and her little sister Apple Bloom, were to come here to live with her grandmother. Instead of eating expensive caviar, she was eating inexpensive home cooked meals. Instead of wearing fancy dresses she was forced to wear the same old brown jeans, red flannel shirt, red and white sneakers, and stetson hat she always wore. Instead of having a maid to do all of the work for her, she had to get up at the crack of dawn to help with a few minor chores before coming to school.

And instead of riding in a fancy limo to school, she was riding in her brother's red Ford Ranger 2017 pick-up.

“Well, we're here,” Macintosh said, turning to his younger sister, who sat in the seat next to him with her leg resting on the dashboard, her ankle bracelet on full display. Macintosh sighed and looked forward, “Ya… wanna talk about it?”

“Nope,” Applejack said simply.

“I don't get it, sis,” Macintosh said, “Ya never did anythin like this before when Pa was alive. Most ya did was pull a prank or two,” Applejack stayed silent, leaning forward a bit with a darkened expression, “Ya know Pa wouldn't want-”

“Pa is dead,” Applejack said somberly, “What he wants doesn't matter anymore, cause he's not here to say it to my face. He'll never be here to say it to me anymore…”

“Applejack, Pa's still with us,” Macintosh said, “It's like Granny Smith said, his spirit is still-”

“Don't give me that bullshit,” Applejack fussed, her eyes watering as she continued, “Spirits ain't real. Once ya die, that's it. You're just gone. Pa left me, jus' like Ma left after Apple Bloom was born.”

“He was sick, Applejack. He didn't want to leave us like he did. These things just happen,” Macintosh said, trying to comfort his younger sister.

“Yeah, these things “just happen”. That's why I ain't puttin my faith in anything like the afterlife or some magical bullshit. Cause if that's true, then God's a real asshole.”

“Applejack-” he was cut off by Applejack opening the door and stepping out of his truck, grabbing her backpack.

“I'm gonna be late,” she walked off a bit, but then turned around holding her arms out, “Since I won't have much freedom after school, I better milk this time away from all of you for all it's worth.”

With that, she turned around and walked into the school. She knew her brother was upset and worried about her. Honestly, that just made her feel even angrier. No one was ever angry at her. They just kept looking at her with pity, hovering around her and trying to make her feel better.

She hated it when people took pity on her. She wasn't weak. She didn't need anyone to vouch for her that she was a “good kid”. She needed her father to hold her.

Applejack wiped her eyes before she started crying, and walked down the hall to where her locker was. As she walked, she saw one other student by the water fountain. She was… stunning to say the least. She had long wavy purple hair with a white highlight in the front, and was wearing dark blue eye shadow, dark red lipstick, sexy black skirt that only fell just under her rear connected to a matching corset top that accentuated her bust, fishnet stocking, and black high heeled boots.

As she drank from the water fountain, Applejack couldn't take her eyes off her. She didn't want to say it out loud, but the way she was dressed didn't look like the dress code, or if it was she just passed it. The student looked up at Applejack, blew her a kiss, and then turned to walk off.

“See something you like?” another voice drawled out. Applejack looked to see another girl with long curly brown hair and a pink dress. Next to her was another girl with light blue hair wearing a darker blue and gold dress and hoodie.

“That's Rarity,” her companion said, “The school calls her “Easy Rare” though, for obvious reasons.”

“I'd stay away from her if I were you,” the original girl said, “Unless you want to catch something, mmkay?”

Applejack turned back to where the girl they were talking about walked, surprised to see her still standing there, her back turned to all of them. She then turned back to the other two girls and narrowed her eyes.

“Yeah… I think I can make my own decisions, thanks,” Applejack said. The two girls turned their noses to the air and then walked off. Applejack turned back to the girl in black and walked over to her, “Hey, uh… Rarity, right? Are you okay?”

“They're right, you know,” Rarity said softly, “About what they said about me.”

“W-what do ya-” Applejack was shocked when Rarity quickly turned to her, and kissed her dead on the mouth, pinning Applejack to her locker and making out with her for a few seconds. When she pulled away, she smirked, looking Applejack in the eyes.

“Consider that a gift,” Rarity said, “Something to make your life here a little easier,” she turned around and sauntered off, “Welcome to Ponyville High, darling.”

After watching Rarity walk off, paying unintentional attention to her hips as they swayed with each step, she turned back to her locker, noticing how many of the students, both male and female, were giving Applejack shocked looks. It looked like she had succeeded in accidentally becoming popular on her first day.

“She got kissed by Easy Rare…”

“Dude, her thing is to never make the first move…!”

“I wish she'd kiss me like that…”

Applejack blushed and buried her face in her locker as she gathered her books. That was… oddly generous of Rarity, in its own weird and slutty way. Still though… why did she kiss her like that?

She was careful how she picked her books out of her locker, else they'd fall over when she grabbed the ones she needed. She also picked out her pens for the day. It was Monday, so she was supposed to use the black ballpoint pen today for the first half, and then the blue push pen for the second half.

She put the pens in the pocket of her blue jacket, and then carefully closed her locker setting the lock to stop right on zero. She looked closely to see that it was right on the mark, and then sighed in relief before walking to her homeroom. On the way she saw Rarity walk into the classroom ahead of her. Despite being a slut, Rarity was definitely beautiful.

Twilight on the other hand was the complete opposite. Unlike Rarity's fancy and flattering clothes, Twilight wore a simple blue skirt that fell to her knees, purple striped shirt, blue jacket, and black Mary-Jane shoes. On her nose was a pair of black glasses, and her long straight purple hair was tied in a high ponytail.

She was about to walk into her homeroom, but stopped when she saw her crush walk past her. He had short blue hair, and wore a black jacket, white t-shirt, blue jeans, and sneakers. As he pulled out his cellphone to check a message, Twilight bit her lip and hugged her books close to her chest.

“Flash…” Twilight said softly, her heart racing. He was her crush since freshman year, and time hadn't calmed down her feelings. Instead, her feelings had gotten even more intense. No one in the school knew how badly she wanted him. How her body would heat up at just the thought of him, or the sound of his voice. She tried to be neat and tidy all the time, but Flash Sentry was probably the only person she'd be willing to cut loose around. Maybe even do something more… “dirty” with him.

Sadly though, there was one person who did know about her crush on Flash. Said person walked right up to him and hugged him, kissing him softly on the lips. This girl had fiery red hair, and wore a black leather jacket, a red one piece mini skirt, and matching boots. The girl shot Twilight a sideways glance, and she quickly turned around to hide behind the corner.

“Was someone there?” Flash asked.

“It was no one important, Flash,” the girl said with a smirk, “Homeroom's about to begin, so I'll see you later, alright?”

“Alright Sunset,” Flash said, “I'll see you in history.”

Flash walked off, and Sunset leaned against the wall folding her arms.

“He's gone now,” she said. Twilight closed her eyes and slowly stepped out, trembling as the girl motioned with her finger to walk over to her. When she did, Sunset grabbed Twilight by her hair and pulled her head back, “I saw you lusting over my man just now.”

“I… I'm sorry Miss Shimmer…!” Twilight cried, “He didn't see me… I promise…!”

“Of course he didn't see you. Why would he give a damn about a freak like you?” Sunset asked before slamming her hand on Twilight's books, making them fall to the floor. Twilight naturally panicked, and when Sunset let her go, Twilight knelt down immediately to pick them up. When she was almost done, Sunset kicked one book away and laughed watching Twilight scamper off to grab it. She stopped suddenly though as someone grabbed her and turned her around.

“Whoo boy, what do we have here?” another girl asked, this one with blond hair and a cowboy hat, “Homeroom hasn't even started yet, and I already found the local mean girl an' this school's bully!”

“Mind your own business, hick!” Sunset shouted. The girl with the hat laughed.

“Is that the best you can do? Really? Pickin on a sweet helpless thing like her,” she motioned to Twilight, “callin me names straight outta elementary school? You gotta be the worst bully ever! An' jus' so we're clear, I was mindin’ my own business, then I saw somethin’ that I just can't stand. A waste of space.”

“Oh, you are asking for it now, bitch!” Sunset shouted. She threw a few punches, but the girl in the hat effortlessly moved out of the way of each attack. After a few seconds, she slapped Sunset hard on the cheek.

Sunset was wide eyed as she held her cheek, “Did… you just… slap me?!”

“Yeah. Weird, right?” the girl said, “Looks like you an' I have the same homeroom. So here's how this is gonna work, kay? You're gonna sit far away from both me an' her, an' yer gonna avoid both of us for the rest of the day. As long as ya do that, we won't have a problem. But if I so much as smell your cheap perfume anywhere near us,” she leaned in close and narrowed her eyes, “I'm gonna do worse than slap ya next time. Now get outta my sight.”

Sunset stormed off in a huff. Twilight looked at the girl who saved her with wide eyes as she knelt down and helped her gather her books.

“Here ya go,” the girl with the hat said, “You let me know if she gives ya more trouble, alright? There's nothin’ wrong with askin’ for help.”

Twilight nodded wordlessly. The girl helped her up, patted her on the back, and then walked into homeroom, where apparently she had been there for a few minutes already. Twilight stepped inside and sat down in the back like usual, taking note to how Rarity was eyeing the girl who helped her, who Twilight soon learned was named Applejack.

That was the first time anyone stood up for her like that…

“Hey, did you hear?” a student asked running up to another girl with an impossibly long and curly pink mane of hair, wearing a pink and white blouse, jean vest and skirt, striped pink stockings, and white sneakers, who was sitting at her desk writing in her notebook.

“Hear what, Cheese Sandwich?” the girl asked, her voice really high and sweet.

“Some new girl is in school now shaking things up,” the boy said sitting down next to her, “Not only did she stand up to Sunset Shimmer, but Easy Rare actually kissed her!”

“Hold on, Easy Rare made the first move?!” the bubbly girl asked in shock.

“I'm surprised you didn't hear about it, Pinkie Pie,” Cheese Sandwich asked, “It's been all over the school. This “Applejack” has already become one of the most popular subjects in school.”

“I had my music playing all day,” Pinkie Pie said, “Geez, the one day I stop paying attention to the world, and something interesting happens. Well, I'm not going to pass this up. This girl is going to help me with the operation,” the bell rang, and Pinkie Pie giggled and ran to the door.

“Where are you going?” Cheese Sandwich called out. Pinkie Pie poked her head back inside.

“To gather as much information on this new girl that I can and become her friend!” Pinkie Pie cheered, “This is fantastic! Finally a true hero has come into the school!”

With that, Pinkie Pie rushed out of the classroom to her locker. It was lunch now, so she'd have time to get as much information on Applejack as possible. Everyone in school thought she was crazy, but this proved it. Heroes were real, and Pinkie Pie was going to be friends with one.

And then, the two of them would save the school.

The first half of classes went off without issue, although everyone was still gossiping about her all throughout school. Apparently “Easy Rare” never made the first move, so her being kissed was really major. Also, that Sunset Shimmer was a bully to everyone, but seemed to focus on that girl with glasses the most.

She hated how no one stood up to her before, but she understood. If they interfered, they'd probably get it just as bad too. Applejack didn't care about any of that though. If Sunset tried anything, she'd just break her arm or something.

Lunch was next, so Applejack went to her locker to change books first. Once she finished and closed her locker, she turned around but was shocked to see the girl with glasses standing behind her with a big smile.

“Hi!” she beamed.

“Hi…” Applejack said nodding. She tried to go around her, but the girl stood in her way with that same smile, “Um, can I help you?”

“Sorry! Sorry! I guess this looks really creepy. You're probably thinking to yourself something like “Oh my God I just saved a complete weirdo, she's probably not going to leave me alone now”, and I'm sorry for coming off strange. I don't really know how to talk to people, even though I'm talking to you right now, which I guess is a bit of a paradox. Oh, did you know that the word “paradox” comes from the Greek word paradoxon. The two parts of the word mean-”

“Whoa! Whoa! Why don't ya start by tellin’ me yer name,” Applejack asked.

“Right. Good idea. I'm Twilight. Twilight Sparkle. I'm seventeen years old, blood type A positive, IQ of 175, I like reading, writing, playing video games, and messing with-” Applejack held up her hand to cut her off.

“I… just wanted your name, but that other stuff's real interestin’,” Applejack said, feeling super awkward in front of this girl. Something about her just seemed really odd, but it seemed like she wasn't trying to be weird. Actually, it seemed like her issue was that she was trying to be normal, but didn't know how.

“You're Applejack, right?” Twilight asked, “I heard your name in homeroom, and everywhere in school. Did you know that the entire school is going crazy over you? Something about being kissed by Easy Rare. Are you a lesbian? I'm not. Not that I'd mind if you were.”

Applejack blinked, trying to figure out how to respond, “Um, alright then. Yes I know that the school is talkin 'bout me, Rarity did kiss me, haven't quite figured out my sexual preference, glad that you figured out yours, an' good to know.”

Twilight beamed, “You understand me! You're actually the first person to ever want to talk to me!”

‘I wouldn't say I want to talk to you,’ Applejack thought. Something told her to stay though, that she'd be a real bitch if she left her.

“You have lunch next?” Twilight asked, “I do too, but I don't eat in the cafeteria. I eat in the library. I like eating alone. Well, I don't know if I like it, but I'm comfortable eating alone. Besides, I wanted to get some homework done while I eat. Can we walk together though? I'll leave you alone once we get to the cafeteria.”

“S-sure,” Applejack said, “I don't mind. Really.”

Twilight smiled sweetly and followed Applejack to the lunchroom. She seemed really nice, but there was still something off about her that Applejack just couldn't put her finger on.

“So… did you want somethin?” Applejack asked Twilight, “I mean, you sorta did come outta nowhere, an' this is random as hell.”

“Right. There was something I wanted to ask you,” Twilight said, “Do you know how to drive?”

Applejack was wide eyed, “Okay, you jus' asked me that, yes.”

“Yes! I was hoping that would be your answer!” Twilight cheered, “I need your help!”

Now Applejack looked a little afraid, “Why did you need to know if I could drive?”

“There's someplace I want to go tonight, but I can't get there on foot because it's too far away. I need someone who knows how to drive to take me there,” Twilight explained, “We can use my Dad's jeep to get there. He doesn't mind if I'm out late as long as I'm not alone. I'd ask my older brother, but he's staying with his girlfriend for a few days. But then I thought that if I asked you, maybe you'd take me.”

“Um, I'd love to help you, Twilight, really I would, it's just… I can't,” Applejack said sadly. The way Twilight wilted made Applejack's heart sink into her stomach.

“O-oh, right. I understand. I mean, we're not friends or anything. I guess I just… um,” Twilight closed her eyes and turned away.

“It's not that,” Applejack said stopping her, “I promise, it's not that I think you're weird or anything. I literally can't help you. I… sorta got this thing on my ankle…” Applejack pulled her jeans up a bit revealing her ankle brace. When Twilight saw that, she nodded in understanding.

“Oh, that's what's wrong. You're under house arrest,” Twilight stated. Applejack couldn't believe how casually she said that. There was definitely something off about this girl.

“Y-yeah, so if I'm not home by seven, the feds are gonna come knockin on my door, so…” Applejack shrugged, “Sorry. I'd help ya if I could,” she turned to walk into the cafeteria.

“I can fix that.”

Applejack stopped and turned to Twilight slowly, “Um… come again…?”

“Yeah, come to my house before seven, and I can remove that limit for you,” Twilight said, twirling her finger in her hair and swaying to the side a bit cutely. She looked dead serious too.

“You can take this thing off me,” Applejack asked, “Or at least make it so I can stay out past seven.”

Twilight nodded, “I can make it so you can stay out as long as you want. If I do that, will you drive me anywhere I want to go?”

“Girl, you do this for me, an' I'll be your personal chauffeur an' bodyguard for the entire year,” Applejack said.

“I don't need you to be my chauffeur for the year,” Twilight said with a confused frown, “Just tonight will be fine.”

“I was jus' exaggeratin’,” Applejack said with a sigh, “I'm- look, I'll drive ya tonight.”

“Perfect,” Twilight said smiling again, “Hand me your phone. I'll text you my address.”

Applejack gave her phone to Twilight, and she immediately typed in her address into Applejack's notepad before handing it back.

“Thanks,” Applejack said, “Ah'll see ya tonight then.”

Twilight nodded happily, “See you tonight Applejack.”

As she walked off, Applejack looked down at her ankle brace. This was a huge risk, and if this went wrong, she was going right to juvie. But if this went right, she'd actually have a bit more freedom in this small town. Was she actually going to consider doing this?

Chapter 2

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Chapter 2

School ended, and Rarity sat outside waiting for her mother to come and pick her up. She preferred to walk home, but her mother wanted to make sure that she didn't go to someone else's house after school. If she had any plans, she wouldn't have been so obvious with it.

She'd come home and then sneak out like always, when she was supposed to be asleep.

Rarity looked up at the school entrance, and saw Suri and Trixie step out together laughing. She remembered a time where she'd be right there with them, probably gossiping about some other student. Now they didn't want anything to do with her, and instead did everything in their power to push her reputation as a slut.

Well, you are a slut, remember?

The sound of a car horn caught her attention. Rarity looked to see her mother waiting for her in front of the school. She stood up and sauntered over to the car, sitting in the passenger seat next to her mother.

“Did you have a good day at school?” her mother asked curtly.

“Mm hm,” Rarity nodded, “I kissed a girl today. I think I liked it.”

Her mother sighed as she started up the car, “Seriously Rarity? It was bad enough when it was just boys, now it's boys and girls?”

“I thought you'd be happy,” Rarity shot back, “I can't get pregnant if I decide to have sex with girls.”

“It's not about you getting pregnant,” her mother said, “Your behavior and attitude when it comes to sex, it makes you-”

“A slut, right?” Rarity asked looking at her mother slightly, “That's all I am, after all.”

Rarity's mother shook her head, and the rest of the car ride was in silence. It was a shame, because Rarity and her mother used to be really close. After “the party” though, she just became another person who treated her like a cheap whore.

Not like she was anything beyond that though.

When they arrived at home, Rarity immediately got out of the car and walked inside, where her father was sitting at the computer working.

“Oh, hey Rarity,” her father said, eyes bulging out of his head when he saw her, “Um… you look… nice…”

“Don't encourage this, Magnum,” her mother said closing the door behind her, “She looks like a slut right now.”

“And she finally says it,” Rarity said throwing her arms up, “Now that my day's complete, I'm heading up to my room.”

“Rarity!” her father called out, sounding worried. Rarity ignored him and continued walking up the stairs, “You didn't have to say it like that.”

“Well what do you expect me to do? Compliment her like you?! All that's going to do is inspire her to keep dressing like that and sleep around!”

“Calling her a slut isn't going to help. All that's going to do is make things worse.”

“She's setting a bad example for Sweetie Belle! What if she starts imitating that behavior?!”

“Hmph!” Rarity turned nose to the air and stormed off toward her room. On the way, she saw Sweetie Belle sitting on her bed apparently doing her homework. Rarity smiled softly and knocked on the door to get her attention. When the little girl looked up and saw Rarity, she beamed.

“Rarity!” Sweetie Belle cried happily running into her big sister's arms.

“Hello darling, how was school?” Rarity asked.

“It was nice,” Sweetie Belle said, “A new student came today. Her name is Apple Bloom. Scootaloo and I are going to make her a part of our group.”

“That sounds wonderful,” Rarity said sitting down on the bed next to Sweetie Belle, “I met a new student today too. Interestingly enough, she has an apple themed name too.”

“Was her name “Applejack”?” Sweetie Belle asked, “Apple Bloom said she has a big sister named Applejack.”

“Yes, that's the one,” Rarity said, lovingly running her hands through her little sister's hair, “She seems nice. A bit rough around the edges, but nice.”

“You should be her friend,” Sweetie Belle said, “That way, you and I could maybe have twin play dates.”

Rarity laughed softly, “I'm a little old to have play dates, but being Applejack's friend…” Rarity looked to the side pained, “I'd… like that… but…”

She looked at the door and saw her father leaning against it smiling. Rarity sighed and stood up.

“I'll see you later, Sweetie Belle,” Rarity said.

“See you Rarity. I love you.”

Rarity stopped briefly, “I… love you too,” she walked past her father out of the room and continued onward to her room. Naturally her father followed her.

“She really looks up to you,” he pointed out.

“I'm a bad influence,” Rarity said throwing her backpack aside and sitting down on her bed, “That's what you're going to tell me, right?”

“She… could pick up some things that… well…” he shuffled nervously. Rarity folded her arms and glared at him.

“Stop dancing around the subject,” Rarity shot, “You don't want Sweetie Belle to grow up and become a slut like her big sister, right?”

“I didn't say that.”

“No, but you meant it,” Rarity continued, “I know how you think of me. You and Mom are the same. At least she's open with how she feels about me.”

Rarity's father sighed, “I'm just worried is all. How would you feel if Sweetie Belle were to, well… you know…”

“If you're so worried about me teaching Sweetie Belle my bad habits, maybe you should keep her away from me,” Rarity said lying down on her bed.

“Rarity-”

“Go away,” Rarity urged, “Please just go away.” She heard him sigh and leave, closing the door behind him. Once alone, Rarity hugged herself and broke down. Even if she were to try and become Applejack's friend, it wouldn't last long. Once she realized how much of a slut Rarity was, she'd run far away from her.

It's a shame too. She did sort of like that kiss.

She didn't feel like staying home, so she decided to just sneak out to her secret spot to relax for a bit. Her parents wouldn't bother her for the rest of the day, and she actually didn't have much homework to do.

So after wiping her eyes and retouching her makeup, Rarity climbed out of her window and walked to her secret spot, heading in the direction of a dense forest close to her house.

Applejack knew that this was crazy. If this didn't pan out, she'd be in so much trouble. But if this worked, she'd have a little more freedom in this boring town. Hence that's why she was riding on her bike as fast as she could to the address that Twilight gave her.

She checked her watch, seeing that it was 6:50. She only had ten minutes before the feds showed up.

“I'm crazy! I'm absolutely insane!” Applejack cried, “Why in tarnation am I even considerin’ this?!”

She reached the address, which turned out to be a small blue and white house. She wasted no time, throwing her bike to the side and running to the front door ringing the doorbell. A gentle, intelligent looking man opened the door looking shocked.

“Um, hello?” he asked in the stereotypical nerd voice.

“Hi! I'm here… to see Twilight…!” Applejack panted. The man, obviously her father, lit up and hugged Applejack.

“Thank you! Thank you so much! She's downstairs in her room!” the kind man said. Applejack thanked him and wasted no time rushing down to what appeared to be the basement, where she saw the most complicated looking computer ever, books on magic and machines, a complete map of Ponyville, every game system ever from the third generation up, and a shelf full of games organized alphabetically and by generation and genre.

And sitting in front of the computer typing was Twilight.

“Sorry I'm late!” Applejack cried running to Twilight's side, “My grandmother wouldn't leave me alone.”

“You're actually right on time,” Twilight said, “I'm putting the finishing touches on the program, now I just need something from your ankle brace.”

Before Applejack could ask, Twilight shot up and opened a section of the ankle brace, taking a small chip from it. As she sat back down at her desk, the ankle brace started flashing red.

“Twilight…!” Applejack exclaimed, eyes wide in fear, “That's the five minute warnin’!”

“This will only take four minutes to finish,” Twilight said, not taking her eyes off her work.

“Only take four minutes?! Twilight, I'm about to be sent to jail!”

“There's no need to panic. I've worked it all out in my head, and timed everything perfectly.”

“Oh! That's wonderful! Ya worked it all out in your head!”

“The mind is essentially an organic computer capable of infinite information and processing. My mind just happens to be better at that than most.”

“There's no way I can get home in time!” Applejack looked around panicking as Twilight put the chip back in. A second later, the ankle brace started beeping faster, “Twilight! TWILIGHT!!!”

“Everything will be fine,” Twilight said standing up and walking over to her shelf.

“Fine! FINE!!! When this thing goes off I'm gonna be-” the beeping stopped, and the light turned green, staying green. Applejack looked down at her ankle brace, and then at Twilight, who was just looking at her with her usual expression.

“What were you saying?” Twilight asked. Applejack didn't move for the longest time, but then hugged Twilight tightly, “Oh! Okay, we're… hugging now…?”

“You are wonderful!” Applejack said, “I could jus' kiss ya!”

“Um… please don't…” Twilight begged, “I'm sorry you haven't worked your sexuality out yet, but I have and um… that would be awkward. Actually… could you maybe… let go now?”

“Just a few more minutes,” Applejack said, “Please.”

“S-sure…” Twilight said lightly patting Applejack on the back.

She knew that it was late, but she needed to be someplace quiet. Somewhere away from all of the energy of her house. Both of her parents were hippies, as was her little brother, so they didn't really take any of her issues seriously.

But out in nature, she felt truly at home.

She waved her impossibly long and full pink hair to the side and then knelt down in a prayer position. She sent a silent prayer to the gods of the forest, thanking them for allowing her to come here and be at peace. She felt her heart beginning to calm down a bit, and was about to get up and begin her nightly ritual, but was alerted by the sound of movement.

The girl yelped in shock and scampered behind a tree, looking out at the lake. She saw a girl with long purple and white hair step out of the water, wearing nothing but her black bra and panties. She walked over to where her clothes were apparently and picked up a towel to dry off.

Why is someone else here?!

This is MY special place!

Both she and the swimming girl heard something else in the distance. They both looked and saw lights moving. Was there a car driving close to the forest. The girl who was swimming quickly got dressed and began making her way toward the car, leaving the pink haired girl alone.

“More intruders…?” she asked rubbing her arm, “Why are people coming here?”

She took a deep breath and decided to follow the initial intruder. She needed to see who else was coming to invade her sanctuary, and if possible, drive them out.

After giving Twilight's dad some excuse for where they were going, the two of them borrowed his jeep and drove off, Twilight guiding them. They passed a few houses, but after a while they seemed to reach the outskirts of the town.

It wasn't until they reached a gate that said “off limits” that Applejack got worried.

“Um, are we goin’ the right way?” Applejack asked.

“Yes.” Twilight said simply.

“But the sign says…”

“Keep going.” Twilight requested. Applejack shrugged her shoulders.

“Gonna get me right back in juvie…” Applejack sighed driving the car through the gate. Unknown to both of them, Pinkie Pie had been following them on her bike and stopped it right at the gate looking inside.

“Now, why are they going to the Everfree Forest?” Pinkie Pie asked. She giggled to herself and then rode in after them.

As for Applejack and Twilight, they parked the car and exited it. Twilight picked up a book and walked toward the deeper part of the forest mumbling to herself.

“Um… this don't look safe at all,” Applejack said.

“There are a lot of mysteries about this place,” Twilight said, “There's an old castle that I want to explore here.”

“You serious?” Applejack asked, “By yourself?”

“I've been planning this for a long while,” Twilight said still walking, “My Mommy and I were going to come here together, but she died before we could. Daddy's too skittish to want to do this, but I wanted to see what Mommy loved about this place.”

Applejack groaned, “Damn it. I can't let ya do this alone. Wait up!”

She ran next to Twilight and walked next to her. Twilight didn't respond, but if Applejack didn't know better, it looked like she smiled. The walk was silent, and Applejack felt the need to break the silence in some way.

“So… can I ask ya a personal question?” Applejack asked.

“Sure,” Twilight said, looking around using the flashlight app on her cellphone.

“Now, try not to take this the wrong way, okay? Cause I ain't tryin to offend ya or anything. It's jus'… somethin’ that's been buggin’ me 'bout ya.”

“I'm very hard to offend,” Twilight said, “You can ask me your personal question.”

Applejack played it in her head a bit before asking, “What's… your deal exactly? I mean, ya seem sorta… um…”

“Strange?” Twilight asked.

“I… didn't want to use that word…” Applejack said taking a deep breath.

“It's okay. I know I'm strange. I'm actually on the spectrum of autism.” Twilight explained. That was not what Applejack was expecting.

“Wait… so you're… autistic…?” Applejack asked.

“A bit,” Twilight said, “It's not severe or anything. I just have problems with social interactions and understanding humor. At best, I'd be considered highly functioning autistic.”

“Ah, I see. Well, that explains a lot,” Applejack said. Twilight frowned and looked at Applejack.

“Your reaction is very underwhelmed,” Twilight reasoned, “Most students tend to get freaked out and run away from me when I say that.”

“Really? That's a shame. Ya seem real cool to me. Super smart, nice, reasonable, an' you’re a gamer. That's sounds like an awesome person to me. Bein’ autistic or whatever doesn't take that away.”

Twilight looked at Applejack intently as she spoke, but then nodded and turned her attention back to where they were going.

“I like you,” Twilight said suddenly, “Can we be friends?”

Applejack was wide eyed, but suddenly felt really touched. Now that she knew why Twilight seemed so off, she saw a lot of her mannerisms in a different light. Something told her that her asking that outright like that was huge.

“Honestly, I figured we already were friends.” Applejack said with a smile. This time she was sure. Twilight smiled. As they walked deeper into the forest, Twilight slowly reached out her hand and held Applejack's.

“I… have a real friend now…” she said to herself, probably unaware that Applejack heard her. They heard a twig snap behind them. Applejack immediately pulled Twilight behind her to defend her.

“Who's there?!” Applejack shouted. Twilight held her phone flashlight out, revealing to their surprise, Rarity standing there.

“Well this is a surprise,” Rarity said covering her eyes from the light, “The new kid making friends with the one girl that's always alone. You're just making waves everywhere, aren't you?”

“Rarity?” Applejack asked motioning for Twilight to lower her flashlight, “Why are you here?”

“I could ask you both the same question,” Rarity said, “This forest is my special place, so that makes you trespassing.”

“Um… I should probably mention that there's an off limit's sign outside,” Twilight said quietly, “So technically all three of us are trespassing.”

“Four!” a high voice said from behind them. Everyone looked and saw Pinkie Pie standing next to a tree waving to them, “Hi hi!”

Applejack groaned, “An' jus' who are you?” she asked.

“I'm Pinkamena Diane Pie, but everyone in school calls me Pinkie Pie,” the girl said skipping over to the three of them, “I was just following you, but I didn't expect to run into such a large group. You even have Easy Rare with you.”

“My my my, aren't you popular?” Rarity asked leaning forward and placing her hands on her hips, “Should I start getting jealous?”

“Ack! Jealous?!” Applejack cried.

None of them knew, but the girl following Rarity was watching them. She trembled nervously, seeing such a large group of girls before her.

Oooh… please stop talking so loud…

“I didn't know we were even a thing yet!” Applejack continued.

“Yeah, what are you two, anyway?” Pinkie Pie asked, “I mean, Easy Rare never makes the first move.”

“What I do is no one's business but my own.” Rarity said turning her nose to the air.

“Um… this is really nice and all, but Applejack and I are still here to explore the forest,” Twilight said.

“Yeah, we don't have time for this,” Applejack said, “Let's go.”

“Ooh! This sounds fun! Can I come with?” Pinkie Pie asked jumping in front of Applejack.

“Why do you wanna follow me so much?” Applejack asked.

“Because of this!” Pinkie Pie said motioning around them, “You've made friends with both Twilight and Easy Rare! You're totally the hero I've been looking for!”

“Hold on! Yeah, I'm friends with Twilight now, but I don't know if Rarity an' I are friends yet!”

“Now you reject me?” Rarity said playfully holding her hand to her chest, “You cut so deep Applejack.”

Applejack looked at Rarity, giving her a confused and incredulous look before continuing, “Second of all, what's this 'bout me bein a hero? I'm jus' the new kid at school who keeps attractin’ freaks,” she turned to Twilight, “No offense.”

“None taken,” Twilight said.

“But that's the thing, this is how it always start,” Pinkie Pie said holding Applejack's shoulders, “The mysterious transfer student comes in and shakes things up, makes friends with the school's social outcasts, and then gains some super awesome power or just ends up saving the entire school!”

“You… watch too many cartoons,” Rarity said pointedly.

“Hey, it could happen,” Pinkie Pie fussed, “Magic is real, after all.”

“Magic is nothing more than science without knowledge,” Twilight said, “Once you figure out how to bridge the gap, you learn that “magic” is kind of everywhere.”

“See? She agrees with me,” Pinkie Pie said. Rarity shook her head and rolled her eyes.

“Whatever. Look, this crowd is a little too big for me, so I'm going to go somewhere else,” Rarity said, turning to leave. Feeling relieved, the girl watching them stepped back, but stepped on a twig alerting them to her presence.

“Now what?” Applejack fussed. The girl panicked and ran off deeper into the forest.

“I saw someone!” Twilight called out, “They ran that way!”

“I'm sick of this! I'm getting to the bottom of this now!” Applejack said, running after the girl.

“Wait for me. Applejack!” Twilight cried running after Applejack.

“Come on!” Pinkie Pie said to Rarity, “Let's go too!”

“Why would I follow them?” Rarity asked, “They're not my concern.”

“But this could be it! The moment where something really cool and magical happens! Don't you want to be a part of that? Maybe have an adventure?”

“Well… I suppose I am curious,” Rarity said with a shrug, “Fine, on one condition. Stop calling me Easy Rare.”

“You got it, Rarity. Let's go!” Pinkie Pie ran after Applejack and Twilight. Rarity sighed and ran after the group, albeit not as fast as she was still wearing high heels.

Applejack chased their mysterious watcher all through the forest, eventually catching up when the person tripped and fell to the ground. Applejack jumped on the person and pinned them to the ground, holding her arms behind her back, surprised by the high pitched scream the mysterious girl gave out.

“LET ME GO!!! LET ME GO!!!” she screamed, struggling against Applejack's grip.

“Calm down first, an' I'll consider it!” Applejack said sternly, taking a good look at who he captured. It was another girl, this one with impossibly long light pink hair. She was wearing a simple yellow sundress that fell to her knees, a silver belt around her waist, and cute heeled sandals. She was surprisingly full figured. The girl took a few deep breaths to calm down, but then started trembling.

“Please don't hurt me…!” the girl begged, her voice soft and melodious, “I won't tell anyone… I promise…!”

Applejack sighed and released the girl, moving to let her up. When the girl sat up and turned to Applejack, she was shocked. She had beautiful cyan eyes, was wearing rose lipstick, and pink eye shadow. What shocked Applejack was her bust though. While Rarity was pretty top heavy, this girl looked to be at least a high D-cup.

What was she doing in this forest?

“Holy… cow…” Applejack said, eyes wide. When the girl realized where Applejack was looking, she quickly turned away holding her arms over her chest, “I'm sorry, but your dress calls a lot of attention to it!”

The girl groaned to herself, looking almost to be on the verge of tears. Twilight, Pinkie Pie, and Rarity all ran up to them at that moment.

“Is this who was watching us?” Twilight asked.

“Yeah, she was,” Applejack said, “Don't know why though, or who she is.”

“I've seen her a few times at school,” Pinkie Pie said walking toward the mysterious girl and looking her her closely, “You're Fluttershy, aren't you?”

“Fluttershy?” Applejack asked.

“Yep. I'm sure of it. She's super introverted, and runs away from most people,” Pinkie Pie said, completely oblivious to how much Fluttershy was trembling.

“Everyone, please,” Rarity said suddenly stepping forward, “Stop crowding around her like this. She's terrified.”

Applejack and everyone watched intently as Rarity knelt down in front of Fluttershy, who was clearly sobbing and speaking softly to herself.

“Please… Please go away…” Fluttershy sobbed, shaking her head and hugging herself even tighter.

“Shh… there there,” Rarity said softly, “We're not going to hurt you. I promise,” Rarity reached out to touch Fluttershy, but she recoiled away.

“Don't touch me!” Fluttershy ordered. Rarity held her hands up looking shocked.

“Oh my word, you are afraid of us, aren't you?” Rarity asked, now looking really worried. Twilight looked up ahead and gasped in shock.

“Applejack, there it is!” she said pointing forward. Applejack looked and saw a ruined castle up ahead.

“Well what do you know?” Applejack asked, “Ended up findin’ it by accident.”

“You… shouldn't go in there…” Fluttershy said, “It's… dangerous… and old… and um…”

“We came this far, might as well go all the way, right?” Pinkie Pie said, skipping toward the castle. Twilight straightened her glasses.

“I'm doing it, Mommy. I'm going to find out this castle's secret,” she said before walking toward the castle. Applejack shrugged her shoulders and followed after them.

“So, what do you want to do?” Rarity asked Fluttershy, who looked up at her in shock.

“W-what do I…?” Fluttershy asked.

“Are you following them, or are you leaving and going home?” Rarity asked. Fluttershy looked back at the group, looking a little worried about them. After a second, she took a deep breath.

“We… shouldn't leave them…” Fluttershy said softly. Rarity smiled and rose to her feet, holding out her hand. Fluttershy looked up at Rarity and slowly took her hand, allowing Rarity to pull her to her feet. The two of them then followed their companions into the castle. Completely unaware of the shadows that gathered around them.

Chapter 3

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Chapter 3

I… can feel them…

Pure hearts… are entering that place…

My soul… it cried out for them…

My minions… go there now…!

Stop them… from finding the Power Coins…!

Applejack and Twilight quickly caught up with Pinkie Pie and entered the ruined castle together. The ceiling was still intact for the most part, and Applejack could almost picture how it looked when it was still fresh and new.

“Okay, I had no idea that there was a place like this in Ponyville.” Applejack said looking around.

“There are tons of mysteries about this place,” Pinkie Pie chirped, “No one's ever been able to explore much of the castle though.”

“Why not?” Applejack asked.

“There are rumors of monsters attacking people when they enter.” Pinkie Pie said brightly. While Twilight continued to consult with her book, Applejack turned to Pinkie Pie wide eyed.

“Monsters?! Seriously?!” she asked, “That… hasn't been confirmed, has it?”

“That's why I'm here,” Twilight said, never taking her eyes off her book, “Mommy was an explorer, and she wanted to solve the mystery of this castle.”

“You're crazy,” Applejack said to herself, “Everyone in this town is absolutely crazy.”

“We need to leave this place,” Fluttershy said behind her, Rarity standing next to her with her arms folded, “The rumors are true. The forest is afraid of this old building.”

“What do you mean the forest?” Applejack asked.

“I talk to the forest,” Fluttershy said hugging herself, “It's warned me to be wary of this place.”

“I can't leave yet,” Twilight said walking inside, “I need to solve this place's mystery.”

“Come on Fluttershy, don't be such a stick in the mud,” Pinkie Pie said, “It'll be okay.”

Fluttershy shied away from Pinkie Pie and watched as she skipped ahead after Twilight. Applejack looked at Fluttershy and shrugged.

“Sorry, but I'm goin’ with them,” Applejack said, “Someone's gotta keep an eye on them.”

With that, Applejack walked deeper into the castle. Rarity sighed pinching the bridge of her nose.

“Peer pressure is a real bitch, isn't it?” Rarity said, “Well, let's go then.”

Fluttershy pouted folding her arms, and the two of them followed the rest of the group. After a few minutes they found themselves in what looked like the throne room. It was huge, and there was a big opening in the ceiling which let the moonlight shine through.

“Oh my God…” Rarity said as they all looked around, “It's so beautiful here…”

“This would make a fantastic club house,” Pinkie Pie said, “Or maybe a secret hideout.”

Twilight looked around with her flashlight, still consulting with her book. She stopped on what looked like a raised brick, which had something shining underneath it.

“There's something there,” Twilight said, before running over to the hidden compartment.

Everyone followed her, shocked to see her trying to lift the stone brick.

“Here, let me help,” Applejack said. She and Rarity both picked up the stone and helped Twilight move it, revealing the oddest thing underneath it. Five gemstones, oddly looking newer than anything there. They were circular, and each one was a different color: red, blue, yellow, pink, and black.

“Looks like someone else found these first,” Rarity said, “I wonder why they just left them here?”

“Are these… coins?” Applejack asked, picking the red one up and looking it over, “They don't look natural.”

“There's five of them,” Twilight said, taking the blue one and looking at it in her light, noticing the odd markings shining through them, “They almost look either alien, or ancient.”

“Might be both, ya know?” Applejack asked.

“Hey, why don't we take them?” Pinkie Pie asked, picking up the rest of them, handing the black one to Rarity, the yellow one to Fluttershy, and keeping the pink one herself.

“Why do I get the black one?” Rarity asked.

“I'm picking them based on what we're wearing,” Pinkie Pie said, “You wear black, Fluttershy wears yellow, and pink is my favorite color.”

“I don't want this,” Fluttershy said trying to hand the odd coin back to Pinkie Pie, “I want all of you to leave my sanctuary and never come back.”

“Your sanctuary?” Applejack asked, “Hun, this place don't belong to anyone.”

“Exactly, but unlike you, I have permission from the gods of the forest to be here.” Fluttershy fussed.

“Gods of the forest?” Rarity asked, “What are you-” she was cut off by an odd growl. All five of them stopped moving and listened around, hearing what sounded like footsteps.

“Something's here.” Pinkie Pie whispered.

“We need to get outta here,” Applejack said, “Now.”

“Agreed,” Twilight said immediately. The five of them rose up and slowly walked toward the exit, but stopped when they heard more of those footsteps. They were heavy, and sounded almost like they were made of stone.

“One's in front of us,” Applejack whispered, “They got us boxed in.”

“No… please no…” Fluttershy whimpered trembling, before she started saying something very odd. It sounded like a mantra, but it was in another language or something.

“What are you doing?” Rarity asked Fluttershy.

“Praying to the goddess Isis!” Fluttershy fussed, “She's my patron god, and she always protects me!”

“Shush!” Applejack ordered, “It's getting closer.”

“Hide!” Pinkie Pie cried. The five of them scattered, Pinkie Pie hiding behind a bookshelf, Fluttershy and Rarity both hiding behind pillars, and Applejack and Twilight hiding behind the throne. A few seconds later, three odd creatures walked in. They were large, and looked like golems.

Twilight's eyes widened, and she straightened her glasses, “Oh my God…! Those are actual monsters…!”

“What in tarnation are these things…?” Applejack asked, looking at the red coin again. It looked like the creatures were looking around for something. Just when Applejack was about to ask herself how they were going to get out of this, she saw something else walk into the room. It was a gray and white wolf, it had piercing green eyes, and it looked like it was growling at the creatures.

After a second, it rushed at one of them, jumped up, and attacked it! Fluttershy panicked and ran out of the throne room screaming, alerting one of the golems as it ran after her. Rarity immediately ran after her.

“Damn it!” Applejack swore, “I knew she'd scream! We gotta move!”

Twilight nodded, and the two of them ran out of the throne room as well, Pinkie Pie quickly following. Behind them they heard the wolf and golems fighting, but Applejack didn't turn back to see. She had no idea why it was fighting the monsters, but she didn't have time to worry about it.

“Where are we going?!” Pinkie Pie asked.

“We should head to the car!” Applejack said, “There's enough room for all of us!”

“What about those other two girls?!” Twilight asked, “We can't leave them!”

“I know, I ain't gonna leave em! You two head to the car, an' I'll search for Rarity an' Fluttershy!” Applejack ordered, running down another path.

“Applejack! Applejack!” Twilight cried, “This is a bad time to turn into a hero!”

Even still, Twilight grabbed Pinkie Pie's hand and guided her to the car, thankful that she had an eidetic memory. Otherwise, they'd get so lost.

Fluttershy ran into the forest, and hid behind a tree. She heard the monster stop a bit behind her and look around. Breathing heavily, she looked around nervously trying to figure out a way out safely. She felt someone touch her shoulder, and she would have screamed had they not put their hand over her mouth.

“Shh!” Rarity shushed. Fluttershy immediately nodded, and the two of them slowly walked away from the monster. Sadly, it turned to them and made a loud roar.

“Run!” Rarity shouted. She and Fluttershy ran deeper into the forest, the monster running after them.

“I don't want to die! I don't want to die!” Fluttershy cried. Something hit the monster hard, knocking it down and stopping it. Rarity and Fluttershy looked back to see Applejack with a large stick behind them.

“Follow me!” Applejack ordered, “The car's over here!”

Applejack guided them in the direction of the car, but one of the monsters leaped high in the air and landed right in front of them. Just as it was about to attack them, that wolf rushed into the monster and knocked it aside.

Applejack looked at the wolf curiously, but then continued leading her team to the car, which in the distance looked like it was starting up.

Applejack opened the door to the jeep and ushered Fluttershy and Rarity inside before running to the driver's seat, switching places with Twilight.

“Floor it!” Pinkie Pie cried, “I think I see them coming back!”

Applejack nodded and pushed the gas pedal down hard. The jeep drove off as fast as it could away from the forest, but Rarity looked out to see two of the creatures running out of the forest after them.

“Why can those things run so fast?” Rarity asked.

“I wanna know why they're runnin’ after us period!” Applejack asked.

“My book doesn't say anything about them!” Twilight said consulting her book, “Whatever they are, they're not natural to the forest!”

“We shouldn't have taken those crystals!” Fluttershy fussed, realizing that she still had the yellow one in her skirt pocket, “We've angered the guardians of the forest! We probably were all cursed!”

“Oh my God, would someone shut her up?!” Applejack ordered.

“Applejack, the train!” Pinkie Pie cried pointing forward. They all looked and saw they were approaching the train tracks, and a train was coming.

“We're not going to make it!” Rarity cried.

“If we stop, those monsters will reach us!” Applejack stated, “I'm goin’ for it!”

“Applejack, you are not serious!” Rarity fussed, “This isn't an action movie!”

“We're dead either way!” Applejack said, “Anyone else wanna object?!”

“This is absolutely insane, but I believe that after carefully weighing our options, Applejack raises a valid point!” Twilight exclaimed, “We need to keep going or risk being attacked by those creatures!”

“We shouldn't have even been there in the first place!” Fluttershy cried, “I'm going to die either by train, or monster!”

“Applejack can do it!” Pinkie Pie cheered, “She's a hero! Go on Applejack!”

Applejack took a deep breath, and rode as fast as she could toward the tracks. This was going to be close, but at this speed, they were going to just make-

CRASH!!!!

Applejack woke up with a start. She was back in her room, wearing her pajamas. Did she dream that whole thing? She held her head in confusion, but was startled by someone knocking on her door.

“Y-yeah?” Applejack asked.

“Time to wake up, sugercube.” her grandmother said from outside.

“Right… I'm up,” Applejack said. She sat up and shook her head, resolving to leave it alone, but stopped when she saw the red gem from last night on her dresser.

She didn't dream it…

She was starting to feel a little light headed, but looked up at her reflection in the mirror, shocked by how built she looked all of a sudden. She was noticeably curvier than normal, and she had a little more muscle in her arms. Not super buff to the point of being unattractive, but she could definitely see a difference. Also, her hair looked a little longer and thicker too.

“Did I become an amazon or somethin’ in my sleep…?” Applejack asked as she flexed her new feminine muscles in the mirror.

Rarity had been up for a while and looked at her reflection in the bathroom, still wearing her black sheer nightgown. She had always been gorgeous, but good god something had changed. Her figure filled out a bit more, and it looked like her hair had somehow gotten a little longer, fuller, or even both.

“What in the world…?” Rarity asked turning around to see her altered figure. She went to turn the water on so she could wash her face, but somehow used too much strength and pulled the faucet off the sink.

She gasped in shock and then looked on top of the toilet, seeing the black gem there. Had she brought it inside with her? She thought that she had left it…

Twilight walked into the school, her attention on the blue gemstone that oddly wouldn't leave her alone. No matter where she went, she found it close by, so she decided to just keep it with her. She had noticed a number of differences too. For one, she could tell that she went up a whole full cup size somehow. Her entire figure had changed, making her look a little more like a supermodel. But the biggest change she noticed thus far…

She didn't need her glasses anymore.

As she wasn't paying attention, she bumped into someone, who thankfully caught her.

“Whoa! Careful,” a young man's voice said. Twilight looked up and gasped, her heart racing at who was holding her.

“F-Flash,” Twilight breathed out.

~thump thump~

“Twilight? Is that you?” Flash asked, “Wow, I almost didn't recognize you.”

“You… know my name…?” Twilight asked, feeling her heart racing more and more, and not just because Flash was so close to her and talking to her. It felt like there was something else going on.

~thump thump~

“Well yeah, we have the same History class, right?” Flash asked, “I… never noticed how cute you were up close though. I don't know, did you do something different with your hair?”

“I… woke up like this,” Twilight said honestly, though it seemed like Flash didn't take it in the way she meant it.

“Huh, well whatever you're doing, keep it up, okay? I have to head to my locker. I'll see you in History.”

“O-okay…” Twilight said waving as he ran off. She then held her hand to her chest, still breathing heavily, “He… knew my name…?” immediately Twilight ran to the bathroom and reached into her backpack, pulling out the pink lip gloss she bought months ago, but never had the nerve to wear.

Whatever happened to her, she liked it.

Applejack got out of Macintosh's truck and walked to the school, shocked to see Rarity sitting on the steps. Applejack did a double take when she saw her though, as she somehow looked even better than she did yesterday.

Rarity looked up at Applejack, stood up, and walked over to her.

“Looks like it happened to you too, huh?” Rarity asked Applejack, who nodded.

“Did you notice anythin’ else on your end? Like… bein’ super strong all of a sudden…?” Applejack asked.

“Like, unnaturally so?” Rarity asked, “We have to fix the sink thanks to that. My mom had a fit. Also, my clothes are feeling a little sluttier than usual,” she continued, trying to pull her mini skirt down.

“Yeah… I uh… noticed that myself…” Applejack said, looking down at Rarity's skirt, which somehow seemed shorter than yesterday, “Have ya seen anyone else?”

“Not yet. I wanted to wait for you first,” Rarity said, “Applejack, I'm a little scared. What happened to us last night?”

Applejack shrugged, “We have homeroom with Twilight, so let's track her down and see if anythin’ happened to her too.”

The two of them ran into the school, completely aware of the looks they were getting. Either from being together, from their new gorgeous looks, or probably both.

Twilight finished pulling out her books and looked at herself in her locker's mirror again. She was now wearing a touch of make-up, something that she never did, but for some reason she felt more confident than ever.

After winking at her reflection, she closed her locker and carefully turned the dial to zero. When she turned around though, she met an enraged Sunset Shimmer.

“Bitch!” Sunset shouted. She reared back to slap Twilight, but she reacted immediately and ducked out of the way.

“Um…” Twilight said, looking at Sunset, neither one of them saying anything after that awkward exchange. Eventually Sunset caught herself and tightened her fists.

“I saw you this morning, falling into my man like that! You think you're slick, don't you?!” Sunset seethed.

“That was an accident, Miss Shimmer,” Twilight said shrinking back a bit, “I wasn't trying to-”

“I don't wanna hear it!” Sunset shouted, “I don't know where you get off, trying to be all hot all of a sudden, but it looks like you need a reminder of who's on top here!” Sunset went to grab Twilight, but something odd happened. Twilight caught Sunset's hand, dropped her books, and then flipped Sunset onto the floor.

There was a unified gasp in the room, and Sunset looked up at Twilight wide eyed. Twilight looked terrified and covered her mouth in shock.

“I… am so sorry…!” Twilight said, “I don't know what-”

“You... really are a freak of nature!” Sunset cried, scampering to her feet, “I won't forget this, bitch!”

Sunset ran off, leaving Twilight alone among the crowd of students that gathered around them. Twilight was so afraid of what would happen next. What she didn't expect was for one student to start clapping, followed by another. Soon, the entire crowd was cheering loudly for her.

Twilight looked around, and couldn't hold back her smile. Before, no one knew she even existed. Now though, everyone was looking at her, and they liked her. She pulled out the blue gemstone from her pocket and hugged it tightly.

“Thank you,” she whispered before putting it back in her pocket and putting her attention toward her new fans. She'd never been popular before, so she planned on milking this for all it was worth before she woke up from this dream.

It took a bit to find Twilight, but Applejack and Rarity eventually just went to the homeroom, where they saw Twilight sitting on her desk as a crowd gathered around her, listening intently to whatever she was saying.

“So I saw her getting ready to attack me,” Twilight said, “But this time, something inside of me said “No, I'm not letting this continue”. Thankfully, my Mommy was a black belt in Kung-Fu, so she taught me a few throws. So I grabbed her by the arm,” she demonstrated by grabbing the air, “and then flipped her onto the ground and stood over her, just to let sink in who was now on top.”

“Whoa… you're amazing!” one of the students said, “I didn't know you were so cool, Twilight!”

“You wanna hang out with us sometime?” another girl asked, “I'm having a birthday party this weekend if you wanted to come.”

Before Twilight could answer that, Rarity walked over to Twilight and took her hand, “Twilight, could you come with us for a bit?”

“But… my fans…” Twilight said softly, pointing to the crowd.

“They'll be here when we get back darling, but we need to talk about last night,” Rarity said, pulling Twilight away from the now completely shocked crowd and over to Applejack, who led them toward the girl's bathroom. Once they got inside, they were happy to see it was empty.

“Alright, let's see them,” Rarity said, the black gem out of her purse and putting it on the sink. Both Applejack and Twilight looked at that seriously, and pulled out their gems placing them next to Rarity's.

“So… this means last night happened, right?” Applejack asked.

“It looks like it,” Rarity said, “This is too strange though. What happened to us?”

“I don't know, but,” Twilight looked around with a smile, “Girls, I'm like… super hot now. And strong too.”

“Strong?” Applejack asked, “How strong?”

“Really really strong,” Twilight said, “I flipped Sunset onto the floor today. And get this, Flash Sentry talked to me!” she clapped her hands excitedly, “This is so cool!”

“No, it isn't!” Rarity fussed, “We were hit by that train last night, right? So how are we alive? How did we end up at our houses?”

“None of this makes sense,” Applejack said thoughtfully, “Our looks, our new strength, the fact that we're still alive after bein’ hit by a train; none of it adds up.”

“And what about those monsters?” Rarity asked, “Doesn't this mean those were real too?”

“I… think they're related to the coins,” Twilight said pointing to the three gems, “We still don't know what they are.”

“If that's true, then…” Applejack stopped when she heard the sound of something charging up. The three of them looked at the gems and saw them glowing brightly, energy streaming out of them. All of a sudden, the toilets behind them all exploded. The three girls quickly pocketed the gems and ran out of the bathroom away so one would suspect that it was them.

“What the hell was that?!” Rarity asked.

“It looks like Twilight was onto somethin’,” Applejack said, “Girls, we need to head back to the forest.”

Both Rarity and Twilight looked shocked.

“Hold on, what?!” Rarity asked, “We almost died last night, and you want to go back?!”

“We need to know what happened to us,” Applejack said, “Look, I'm scared too. That's why I wanna know what these things are. Maybe if we go back, we'll find somethin’.”

“Applejack does have a point,” Twilight said, “Also, if we were affected, that means those other two girls were affected too.”

“Ya remember how frantic that Fluttershy girl was. She must be freakin’ out right now,” Applejack said, “We owe it to her to at least figure out what's goin’ on.”

“Mmm…” Rarity moaned folding her arms, “Fine then. Pinkie Pie and I have Math together, so I can tell her to meet up with us too.”

“Perfect. Also, be on the lookout for Fluttershy. I didn't see her at all yesterday, but we might have missed her." Applejack said.

“I doubt it,” Twilight stated, “Fluttershy hasn't been in school since the beginning of the semester. But we might run into her at the Everfree Forest.”

“Right, cause of the whole sanctuary thing,” Applejack said, “Also, the three of us need to trade numbers. That way, we can stay in touch and keep each other updated.”

“Good idea,” Rarity said, pulling out her phone. The three of them traded numbers with each other and started making their way back to homeroom. Sadly they were late, but it was okay. No one knew what happened in the bathroom, which was important.

Still, who knew how much it would have cost to fix that...?

Chapter 4

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Chapter 4

Elsewhere, a group of fishermen pulled their net out of the water and dropped it onto the boat releasing all the fish they caught. That's not the only thing they caught though.

“What is that…?” one of the fishermen asked.

“I… think that's a corpse!” his partner exclaimed.

“Call the police!”

They quickly dropped the corpse into the storage room and got to work calling the authorities. Unknown to them, said corpse slowly started moving, its eyes glowing deep blue and becoming slitted like those of a cat.

“They… live…!”

After school, Applejack, Rarity, Twilight, and Pinkie Pie all made their way back to the Everfree Forest. This time they took Pinkie Pie's van, which she borrowed from her older sister apparently. Just like all of them, Pinkie Pie looked a little different, being a little more curvy like the others, and having slightly fuller hair herself. She also reported the same powers, including a few that neither of them had even experimented with.

As they drove back to the Everfree Forest, they passed by the jeep they used last night, which was totaled.

“That confirms it,” Applejack said, “It really did happen.”

“Daddy's going to be so confused…” Twilight said to herself. They stopped right at the gate to the forest and started making their way inside. Just as Twilight suspected, Fluttershy was leaning against a tree waiting for them.

“Hey,” Applejack said. Fluttershy turned to them and walked over to them, probably looking the most impressive out of all five of them. Where as before her large breasts seemed a little out of place, now her entire body had filled out a bit more, making her look almost like a goddess. They were still really big, but they sort of fit better.

“Well damn,” Pinkie Pie said, “Magic did your body good, huh?”

“This is all your fault,” Fluttershy said holding her arm and turning away, “My brother wouldn't stop looking at me this morning, making lewd remarks about my body whenever he could.”

“Wait… your brother?” Rarity asked.

“He's a lecher, so he'd fuck anything with a pussy,” Fluttershy scowled to herself, “It was bad enough when I became a tit monster. Now this?”

“You're here for the same reason as us, I'm guessin’,” Applejack said, “So we can figure out what happened.”

“I'm here so you can fix it,” Fluttershy said harshly, “It's your fault that this happened to me. My life was perfect before you came here and invaded my sanctuary.”

“That's not fair,” Rarity said stepping forward, “I asked you what you wanted to do, and you decided yourself to come with us. You could have gone home at any time. Besides, look at us. We're all in the same boat, and we're just as scared as you are.”

“Um… I'm not scared,” Twilight said raising her hand slightly, “I'm actually really enjoying this…”

“Let's just head back to the castle and see if we can learn anything about what happened to us,” Rarity said, “You know this place well, right? Could you lead us there?”

Fluttershy huffed, rolling her eyes, “Fine. I'll lead you there. Just remember that this place is still my sanctuary, and I want you all gone when this is done.”

With that, Fluttershy turned and walked deeper into the forest, her long hair flowing in the wind.

“She'd be really hot if she wasn't such a bitch.” Pinkie Pie said whispered as they walked.

“Quiet,” Rarity said, “She's right up there. I'm sure she can still hear you.”

Twilight looked ahead at Fluttershy and ran up to her smiling, “Hi! I'm Twilight. Twilight Sparkle. Seventeen years old, blood type A positive, IQ-” Fluttershy cut her off by groaning loudly and walking ahead to get away from Twilight, who wilted immediately, “O-oh… Never mind then…”

Applejack frowned looking at that. Yeah, she didn't see her and Fluttershy becoming friends anytime soon after that.

The trip was mostly silent. Applejack stayed next to Twilight, who was visibly still upset at how Fluttershy brushed her off. Pinkie Pie stayed with them also trying to comfort Twilight. Rarity was a bit behind Fluttershy, who hadn't once turned around to face them. Rarity sighed and caught up to her.

“You need to apologize to Twilight,” Rarity said.

“I didn't ask her to reach out to me, and she was probably going to go on for hours.” Fluttershy said.

“That's just how she is,” Rarity stated, “I think she's autistic or something. Either way, you came off as a real bitch just now,” it looked like what she said hit Fluttershy, whose eyes widened briefly before she looked away seriously, “Seriously, what is your deal?”

“I… I'll talk to her later, alright?” Fluttershy said softly, “Just… give me some space. I'm not comfortable being close to people.”

Rarity shook her head and backed away from Fluttershy. She did not get this girl at all.

After a few minutes of walking in silence, they reached the castle again. Thankfully, they didn't see any of those monsters from yesterday.

“Alright, we're here,” Fluttershy said, “You take the lead from here.”

Applejack nodded and walked ahead, briefly meeting eyes with Fluttershy. Rarity and Pinkie Pie followed her, but Twilight lingered a bit, looking sad still. Fluttershy took a deep breath.

“I'm sorry I cut you off,” Fluttershy said to Twilight, “That… wasn't right of me. My name's Fluttershy Wyrmwood.”

Twilight perked up when Fluttershy said that, “That's really a pretty name. My Mommy was named Twilight, so I inherited her name.”

“That's… cool,” Fluttershy said, “Look, I just wanted you to know that I didn't mean to be a bitch earlier. I… just don't want any friends right now.”

“That's odd,” Twilight said, “Having friends is fun.”

“Yeah, it is,” Fluttershy said softly, “While it lasts.”

Fluttershy walked into the castle. Twilight tilted her head in confusion, but then ran after Fluttershy to rejoin the group, her entire air had returned to normal.

The interior of the entire castle was exactly how it was when they were there before, only brighter as the sun was still out. Here they could all make out more of the throne room's interior, as the sun shined through the ceiling, making the entire throne room look like a work of art.

Sadly, they didn't see any hint to what happened to them though.

“Doesn't look like anything is different,” Rarity said folding her arms, “So fearless leader, any bright ideas?”

Everyone turned to Applejack, who looked around confused before pointing to herself.

“Hold up, I'm fearless leader? Sweet!” she said, smiling to herself before quickly composing herself, “Um, so we found the coins a bit in front of the throne. Our first bet would be to start there.”

As everyone followed Applejack to the throne, Fluttershy took a frustrated breath.

“So she's the leader now? She's the reason we're even in this mess.” Fluttershy pouted. The girls all walked toward the throne, but stopped as the wolf from last night stepped out from behind the ruined seat.

“Whoa!” Applejack said holding her arms out to defend the girls behind her, “Stay back…! I'm warnin’ ya!”

“Hold on,” Twilight said stepping forward, “I… think he was waiting for us.”

“Yeah, to eat us!” Rarity cried.

“No, that's not right,” Twilight said, “He saved us, remember? This is the wolf who fought the monsters last night.” Twilight slowly walked over to the wolf, scaring everyone else.

“Hey, be careful Twilight!” Rarity requested. Twilight, ignoring the protests behind her, knelt down in front of the wolf and held out her hand. The wolf tilted his head a bit, and then sniffed Twilight's hand. After a second, he turned to the throne and placed his paw on it. A light shined under the throne, and a second later it moved to the side revealing a secret staircase.

The wolf looked at the girls briefly, and then slowly walked down the stairs. Twilight turned to everyone.

“He wants us to follow him,” Twilight said.

“What is goin’ on here?” Applejack asked.

“Maybe… that wolf is the actual guardian of the forest,” Fluttershy reasoned, “That means, those monsters weren't sent by the god of the forest to curse us.”

“Do you listen to yourself talk?” Applejack asked Fluttershy, “Cause ya sound crazy a lot of the time.”

“No, I think this time Fluttershy is onto something,” Rarity said, “That wolf protected us last night by fighting those golems. If that's the case, then two things are true. One, those monsters were not supposed to be here, and two,” she held her gem out, “these things were supposed to be found.”

“Oooh, you think we're like the chosen ones or something?” Pinkie Pie asked pulling out her pink gem, “Like, these gems were left here for us specifically to find?”

“I doubt they were left her for us directly,” Twilight stated pulling out her blue gem, “But they were probably left here to be found by someone.”

“So… what then?” Fluttershy asked, surprisingly pulling out her yellow gem, “Were those monsters left here by someone who didn't want them to be found?”

“We ain't gonna learn anythin’ jus' standin’ around here,” Applejack said, holding out her red gem, “Let's head down to get some answers.”

The four of them nodded, finally all on the same page, and then walked down the stairs. Strangely, the pathway looked like they were entering another dimension, as the walls looked almost like blank space. At the bottom, they saw an opened door, the wolf standing before the door waiting for them.

Once they reached the bottom, the wolf walked inside what looked like a mixture of a futuristic control room and an ancient library. The walls were white and golden, and there was what looked like a pool of water in the middle of the room. Surrounding the room were bookshelves lined with books, and there were two doors at either side of the room. There were a few seats around the room, and surrounding the pool of water were six pedestals with different colored gems: red, blue, yellow, pink, black, and green. At the far end of the room was another throne, this one being golden with red cushions.

“Holy… shitaki mushrooms…” Twilight said looking around.

“Seriously? You said that?” Pinkie Pie asked.

“Daddy tells me it's rude to curse.” Twilight admitted cutely.

“This place… looks new.” Applejack said.

“So you noticed that too,” Rarity said, “Just what is this place?”

The wolf stopped in front of the pool of water, turned to the girls, and began to glow. He then slowly shifted into a human man. He was wearing purple and green robes, brown shoes, and had long dark blue hair. His eyes were a strikingly bright green.

“Finally,” the man said, “I waited eons for someone to find the Power Coins,” he looked at the shocked girls in confusion, “Honestly, I was expecting you to be older.”

“You're… the guardian of the forest…!” Fluttershy said, immediately running to the man and kneeling before his feet, “Forgive the intrusion, sire! These fools had no idea of the powers they were tampering with!”

“She's sounding like a nut job again.” Pinkie Pie whispered to Applejack, who sadly had to suppress her laughter. The wolf turned man just backed away from Fluttershy looking awkward.

“Uh… I don't know what you're talking about… but apology… accepted…?” he said.

“The five of you are not intruding,” another voice said from all around them, “In fact, you girls are exactly where you need to be.”

The girls frantically looked around the room to find the origin of the voice, eventually all looking up as a bright light shined down before them. Out of the light descended someone else. This was a woman, looking to be in her early to mid thirties, and was the most stunning person anyone had ever seen. She had long and wavy multicolored hair that fell all the way to her waist, pink eyes and was wearing a white gown, golden wrist guards, a golden necklace, and a golden crown on her head. What was truly striking though was that she didn't seem to have feet and looked somewhat transparent.

All five of the girls looked at the woman before them in awe. She was beautiful, gentle, yet powerful in her own right. Applejack was the one who stepped forward first.

“Um… who are you…?” Applejack asked the ghostly woman.

“I am Celestia. Many eons ago, I was a Queen who ruled in this very castle. This is my vassal and personal mage, Spike.”

“Nice to meet you,” the man, Spike, said waving to the girls.

“You… are floating,” Rarity stated, “I'm not the only one who sees this, right? The woman in white is floating.”

“No, I see it too,” Pinkie Pie said, “I'm debating on whether this is the best moment of my life, or the most terrifying.”

“Are you… a goddess…?” Fluttershy asked. Celestia giggled sweetly.

“I'm sorry Fluttershy, but no. I'm not a goddess. I'm just a very old spirit who's been sealed in this chamber awaiting someone to bond with the Power Coins.”

“You mean these, right?” Twilight asked holding out the blue one. Celestia looked at Twilight and smiled warmly.

“That's right. Those are the Power Coins. Special gems created to allow the wielders to become Power Rangers,” Celestia explained.

“This is soooooooo cool…!” Pinkie Pie said, “She's talking like we're going to become heroes of some kind.”

“Actually, that's not too far from the truth,” Spike said, “You should probably sit down. This is going to be a long one.”

All five of them chose a seat and sat down, Twilight and Applejack naturally sitting together on a long seat, Pinkie Pie sitting in one of the lone chairs that looked super soft, Fluttershy choosing to sit close to the pool of water, and Rarity opting to sit away from the group by the stairs, but still close enough to listen.

“The Power Rangers were a team of female warriors. Me, my sister, and four others used the Power Coins to defend this planet's Crystal Heart,” Celestia said, waving her hand above the pool of water. Above it, a magical representation of six warriors in different colored armors appeared, “I was the Red Ranger, and the leader of the team.”

“Wait, I count six warriors,” Pinkie Pie said, “Why were there only five coins?”

“Because one of the Power Rangers betrayed them,” Spike said, “Celestia's younger sister, Luna. She was the Green Ranger, and at the time the strongest fighter.”

“She became consumed by jealousy, and her desire to covet more power,” Celestia continued, “To this end, she sought to use the Crystal Heart as a means of adding to her own power and become something akin to a god.”

“What was she jealous of?” Applejack asked.

“Of… me,” Celestia said somberly, “She challenged my rule, claiming to be the better choice for queen as she was in fact stronger than me in both body and mind. Sadly, she felt that power was all that was needed to be a leader, so she turned against her fellow Rangers, fighting us to get to the Crystal Heart.”

The magical image changed to show the green warrior fighting the other warriors. The scary thing was that the green warrior had added armor, being a golden plate over her chest and shoulders. She was also far more violent and brutal as a fighter.

Fluttershy grimaced looking at that, “That's so cruel. She fights like a monster…”

“She was able to take on all five of you by herself?” Twilight asked, “She must be terrifying.”

“She is,” Celestia said, placing her hands over her heart, “Through her dark desires, she gained the power of the Darkness, and used that power to create golem soldiers known as “Putties”.”

“You saw them last night,” Spike chimed in, “Those creatures that engaged you when you found the Power Coins? Those were Luna's Putties.”

“She wanted to make sure no one else found the Power Coins,” Rarity stated, “Does that mean… she's still alive too?”

Celestia nodded gravely, “If the Putties were able to be formed, then I'm afraid so. Unlike me though, she has preserved her life force within her body, and will soon regain her strength. She will once again try to claim the Crystal Heart, and as a result destroy the entire planet.”

“Hold on, WHAT?!” Applejack asked, mirroring everyone's surprise, “She wants to destroy the whole planet?!”

“The Crystal Heart is sort of like the heart of the planet,” Spike said, “Your town of Ponyville is where the Crystal Empire once stood. They defended the Crystal Heart.”

“Each and every planet has a Crystal Heart,” Celestia said, “and thus a team of Power Rangers that defends it. This planet's Crystal Heart has gone defenseless for far too long though. My sister has awakened, and thus we need new Power Rangers to rise against her.”

“I'm afraid of where this is going.” Rarity said nervously.

“The five of you have now bonded with the Power Coins,” Celestia said looking around at the girls, “You Rarity, bear the power of Generosity. Pinkie Pie, you carry the power of Laughter. Fluttershy, you carry the power of Kindness. Twilight dear, you wield the power of Faith. And finally you Applejack, wield the power that I myself once possessed. That being the power of Honesty. You girls must awaken to those virtues within yourselves and become the new Power Rangers.”

There was a heavy silence in the room, as Celestia words sunk in. This ghostly woman had asked five teenagers who barely knew one another, didn't even like each other, to team up and fight against some evil demon possessed woman. Five girls who could barely be accepted into society now were told they'd have to protect the entire planet.

This had to be some sort of joke.

“I'm… going to go now,” Fluttershy said, slowly getting up and walking to the stairs.

“Wait, are you serious?!” Spike asked, “The fate of the world rests on-”

“I'm not some hero,” Fluttershy said, not turning around to face them, “I barely know how to fight, I'm afraid of almost everything, and most of all, these girls are not my friends, so I can't team up with them. You picked the wrong one, I'm sorry.”

With that, Fluttershy walked up the stairs. Rarity looked at Celestia and Spike apologetically.

“I'm sorry, ma'am, but I have to agree with Fluttershy on this one. This is all too much to take in. I'm going to go too,” she met eyes with Applejack briefly, and then walked up the stairs too. Surprisingly, Pinkie Pie also stood up.

“I need to do some serious soul searching. I mean, this is a dream come true, but it's one of those things that's really scary when it actually happens, so yeah…” Pinkie Pie quickly ran up the stairs too. Twilight turned away from everyone biting her lip nervously.

“Twilight?” Applejack asked looking at her, “Ya okay?”

“Is this too scary for you as well?” Celestia asked softly.

“I'm sorry, miss ghost lady. I know this is really serious, but… can I think about this for a day?” Twilight asked looking up at Celestia earnestly. Celestia nodded with a somber expression.

“That's fine, dear,” she said with a saddened smile.

“Applejack, I'll wait for you upstairs,” Twilight said.

“Alright, see ya upstairs,” Applejack said. Twilight nodded and slowly walked upstairs, a scared yet thoughtful look on her face.

“Aren't you going to head out too?” Spike asked almost accusingly, “Follow your friends?”

Applejack took a deep breath, “How serious is this? Like, if we don't do this, what are the chances that the planet will survive?”

“There is no chance, Applejack,” Celestia admitted, “Luna will go unopposed, and she'll take the Crystal Heart for herself.”

“But… why us?” Applejack asked standing up and walking over to Celestia, “We ain't warriors or anythin’ like that. We're just five high school screw up. One's autistic, one's apparently the school slut, one's always got her head in the clouds, I don't know what Fluttershy's issue is, an' I'm jus' a delinquent who messed up her record an' disappointed her family. I don't know, I think ya made a mistake.”

Celestia sighed gravely, “I wish I could give you the answer you seek, Applejack. There isn't a divine reason for why you were picked, nor do I profess to know if you five girls have the virtues necessary to become Rangers. What I do know, is that the Power Coins bonded with you. They wouldn't have bonded with you if they didn't see something.”

“So… what now?” Applejack asked Celestia.

“You bear the same power as I did, therefore you must rally your team. They are afraid, just as you are, but you can inspire them,” Celestia said.

“I don't know,” Applejack admitted, “What would I say? I can see where they're all comin’ from.”

“Say what's on your heart,” Celestia said, “I believe in you, Applejack.”

Whoa, that hit Applejack hard. Celestia believed in her? No one ever believed in her like this before. Not since her father died. Applejack nodded and made her way to the stairs. Hopefully at least one of them was there with Twilight, so she could talk to them about this.

“Well, that turned out to be a bust,” Spike said slumping on his chair, “I guess it's another six million year wait, huh?”

“We can't wait that long,” Celestia said sitting in her throne, “Luna's power is growing as we speak, and the Power has already bonded with them. Like it or not, it has to be those girls.”

“They seem so heroic,” Spike said sarcastically, “If they're the ones chosen, it's not looking good for us.”

“They're not Rangers yet, but I believe in them,” Celestia said, “They'll become what we need them to be, I'm sure.”

When Applejack emerged back in the throne room, she was shocked to see all four of them scattered around waiting for her.

“Y'all waited for me?” Applejack asked.

“Well duh,” Pinkie Pie said, “It wouldn't be right to leave without talking to you about it.”

“You were there for a while,” Rarity said, “Everything okay?”

Applejack folded her arms thoughtfully, “Girls, I'm thinkin about doin it.”

“You don't seriously believe that stuff,” Fluttershy said, “Us? Heroes? Look around. What's so heroic about this group?”

“Right now? Not a thing,” Applejack admitted, “Never thought I'd say this, but your right, Fluttershy. We're not Power Rangers.”

“Exactly,” Fluttershy said looking away.

“But what if we could become Power Rangers?” Applejack asked, “Right now, we're all outcasts essentially. We ain't doin much with our lives, an' no one really believes we'll amount to much of anything.”

“Well let's see here,” Rarity said counting off as she spoke, “A delinquent, a special needs kid, an otaku, a wiccan, and the school slut. We're a real amazing team, Applejack. Truly the best that the world has to offer.”

“I know, I know, we're not much of anything now, but I'm sayin that we could be more. That… maybe this is our chance to become more,” she pointed to Fluttershy, “You love this forest, right? What if you could actually protect it?”

Fluttershy averted her eyes to the side thinking.

Applejack walked over to Pinkie Pie, “Ya love heroes so much. This could be your chance to become the hero you dream of yourself.”

“That… does sound cool…” Pinkie Pie admitted. Applejack ran over to Twilight next.

“Remember how you felt when everyone looked up at ya in school? This is your chance to really do somethin’ that would have made your Mom real proud.”

“Mommy…” Twilight said, hugging herself and tearing up a bit. Finally, Applejack ran over to Rarity.

“An' you. This is a chance to prove that you’re more than jus' “Easy Rare”. This is a chance to figure out who Rarity is.”

Rarity took a deep breath and folded her arms under her bosom, not meeting eyes with Applejack.

“Tomorrow's the weekend,” Applejack said walking to the exit, “I'm gonna be here at noon sharp to tell Celestia that I'm gonna be her Power Ranger. If y'all wanna be more than jus'… this, then meet me here tomorrow at noon, an' we can all go together.”

“But… what if we fail?” Twilight asked, “What if we do this, and still mess up?”

“What's worse?” Applejack asked, “Tryin’ an' failin’, or never tryin’ at all, an' never knowin if ya can succeed?”

She left it at that. As she walked out of the forest, she decided to just have faith in those girls. At the moment, only one was definitely her friend. Two were up in the air, and Fluttershy was still a definite “no”. Still, they were now her team. She just needed to have faith that said team would assemble tomorrow.

Chapter 5

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Chapter 5

“It's down there,” the fisherman said to the police officer, leading him to where he kept the body that they found.

“Thank you,” the officer said, “Just leave the rest to me.”

“Good. I don't want to be anywhere near that thing again,” the fisherman said, rubbing the back of his neck, “That thing gave me the creeps.”

As he left, the officer opened the storage area and walked inside. This was his least favorite part of the job but he had to identify this body. It might have been a lead to a closed case or something.

When he got down though, he was surprised by what he saw. He didn't see a body, or at least a dead body. Instead, he saw a woman sitting down. She was wearing a dark green body suit and high heeled boots, had luscious blue hair, and what appeared to be a sword thrust into the floor in front of her and resting her hands on the hilt. She sat with her legs spread out and looking down, making her look almost masculine and powerful, despite how full figured and attractive she was.

“So… this is what the knights of this time look like…” the woman said, her voice worn from disuse, yet still full of power.

“Ma'am, is everything okay?” the officer asked, “I was sent here to check on a body.”

“You're this world's defender, yet I sense no actual power from you,” the woman continued, “Have the people become lax… in my absence…?”

“Ma'am?” the officer asked, curious as to whether or not she was even aware of his presence. She sounded like she was a little crazy.

“It's time for me to resume my reign,” the woman said, slowly rising to her feet, “Your life will do just fine for now.”

She walked over to the officer, still not looking up at him. Said officer was getting scared and drew his gun.

“Stay back!” he shouted, pulling the trigger on impulse. Using what looked like unnatural speed though, the woman moved her hand to the side and caught the bullet in between her index and middle fingers.

“Such a simple yet boorish weapon,” the woman continued, “No skill is needed to wield such power. Let me show you… what true power looks like…!”

The woman grabbed the man and thrust her sword into his chest. While he gasped in pain, the woman gasped in what appeared to be ecstasy.

“Yes… oh yes…!” she moaned, “Your life… was the perfect appetizer…” she looked into the officer's eyes and caressed his cheek almost lovingly, her eyes blue and slit like, almost like a dragon's eyes, “Thank you, my beloved.”

She let the officer fall to the floor lifeless, and then sheathed her blade. She then climbed the ladder, leaving the harbor. It was going to be a long while still, but she would soon have enough energy so she could revive Goldar and claim the Crystal Heart for herself and her master, Discord.

There was no way Celestia's Rangers would be ready by then.

Fluttershy had to admit, while she hated what these powers did to her body, they certainly made getting home really easy and convenient. She could now leap high enough to reach roofs of some houses, so she just ran and jumped on the roofs all the way home.

It was dark when she got in. She hoped that everyone had gone to sleep. Sadly though, she saw the lights were still on when she reached her house. She sighed and walked in.

“Is that you, Fluttershy dear?” her mother asked from the kitchen.

“Yes Mother, it's me. Sorry for coming in so late,” Fluttershy said, removing her shoes by the door.

“I'm just happy to see you come in for once, sweetie,” her mother, Posey, said, “Come into the kitchen so I can lay eyes on my little girl.”

Fluttershy groaned, but she did as she was told. Despite being a shameless hippie, her mother was really a sweet person, and probably one of the only people besides her father and brother who didn't trigger her “issue”. Even knowing that she was adopted, Fluttershy loved this woman more than anything.

When she stepped inside, she saw her mother washing the dishes. She turned to Fluttershy and smiled warmly.

“You're really blossoming, dear,” Posey said. Fluttershy wanted so badly to tell her mother why she suddenly looked like Aphrodite, but she wouldn't have understood.

Me and four other girls found a secret magical chamber under the Everfree Castle. I'm pretty sure I'm a superhero now.

“T-thanks…” Fluttershy said, looking away from her mother and rubbing her arm.

“Your teacher came to give you Monday's assignments,” Posey said, “I left them in your room.”

“I'll do them later,” Fluttershy said turning to leave, “I just want to rest.”

“Fluttershy, do you think… maybe you could try going back to school?” Posey asked, almost pleadingly. Fluttershy thought about going back, but the thought of being around so many people made her heard shoot out of her chest.

“I… can't…” Fluttershy said, trembling as her fears consumed her mind, “Especially after my growth spurt… They'll all be looking at me… and… I… I…!” tears built up in her eyes. Shoot, she didn't want to cry. Just as her tears began to fall, she felt her mother embrace her from behind.

“It's alright, sweetie,” Posey said softly, “I'm sorry that I asked. I didn't mean to upset you.”

“I'm sorry…!” Fluttershy cried, closing her eyes tightly, “I know I'm being pathetic…! But it's getting worse and worse…! Ever since Dash disappeared… I-”

“I know, she was your best friend,” Posey said holding her daughter's hand tightly, “But she wouldn't want you to avoid people forever, Fluttershy. One day, you'll find someone else who will be your friend.”

“No I won't,” Fluttershy fussed, “They'll just leave me too, just like Dash did. I'm not going through that again. I'm not. I'm not!”

“Shh… shh… it's fine, honey,” Posey said, trying her hardest to calm her devastated and broken child, “Why don't you go into your room and rest. I'll bring dinner to you so you can eat by yourself if you want.”

“Thank you Mother,” Fluttershy said, quickly running into her room and shutting the door. Now alone, she dropped to her knees and held her head, sobbing loudly as her fears hit a boiling point. She was pathetic, and terribly weak. Afraid of being touched and people in general, she sadly lived a life of perpetual fear.

Fear that was becoming stronger now, faced with the possibility of having to fight.

But what if Applejack was right? What if she could become stronger by doing this? If she did though, she'd have to be around those other girls a lot. She didn't want to be around anyone except for the people who lived in her small world: her mother, her father, and sometimes her brother. Yet even with this, her fears weren't going away.

“Dashie… help me…!” Fluttershy begged, praying that her beloved friend was still out there and would somehow hear her, “Please…! HELP ME!!!!”

Downstairs, Posey heard the helpless cries and pleas of her daughter. She was essentially a prisoner in her own mind and body. Therapy didn't do anything to help, and she refused to get her daughter drugged up when she knew that she wasn't sick. Medicine wouldn't help Fluttershy with this issue. She didn't know what would have helped, but she knew that medicine wasn't it.

“What am I going to do?” Posey asked herself.

Pinkie Pie and her older sister sat together in silence eating the simple dinner that Maud had made. It wasn't much, but it was enough. Maud worked so hard trying to look out for her and Pinkie Pie, and she was a fantastic cook.

But for some reason, Pinkie Pie wasn't too hungry today.

“Is everything okay?” Maud asked from across the table, snapping Pinkie Pie out of her daze.

“Oh, yeah Maud. Why?” Pinkie Pie asked.

“You've barely touched your food,” Maud asked. While she sounded monotone and disinterested, Pinkie Pie could tell that Maud was seriously worried about her.

“Maud, I need your advice,” Pinkie Pie said, “Let's say, hypothetically, you were given the opportunity to do something that you always fantasized about for real, but that thing scared you to no end. However, if you didn't do this thing, something really bad was going to happen. What would you do?”

“This thing that I'd have to do, do I have a say in it? Is it my decision, or am I forced into it?” Maud asked.

“I… guess it's your decision,” Pinkie Pie said slowly, “I mean, you sort of got a little involved already, and that much can't be undone, but you could easily say no concerning this next part. The main part, I guess.”

“This is something that I fantasized about doing, so I probably want to do this deep down, it's just scary that it's happening in real life. Is that right?”

“Yep yep,” Pinkie Pie sighed, “Pretty much.”

“I'd take some time to figure out why I fantasized about it in the first place, and then decide,” Maud said, surprising Pinkie Pie a bit.

“You'd… use the fantasy?” Pinkie Pie asked.

“Fantasies come when there's something that we really want,” Maud explained, “Even if this thing is scary, you clearly wanted it in the first place, or else it wouldn't have been a fantasy. On top of that, something bad is going to happen if you don't do this thing. So it stands to reason that you should probably do the thing, but first you need to figure out why you wanted to do the thing in the first place.”

That made sense actually. She had always dreamed of being a hero, and this was her chance to actually become one. Deep down, she was excited about this opportunity, but it still scared her a bit. She never thought it would actually happen.

“Thanks Maud,” Pinkie Pie said smiling brightly, “You're the best big sister in the world.”

“Well, you're the best little sister in the world,” Maud said, giving Pinkie Pie a small, yet still genuinely loving smile. The two of them returned to dinner, this time with Pinkie Pie fully enjoying the meal that her big sister made.

Any time she got to spend with her sister was time well spent.

It was nighttime, and Applejack couldn't quite get to sleep. Was she making the right decision here? Was she sure that she wanted to do this? No, it wasn't a matter of whether or not she wanted to. She had to do this. If she didn't, who would?

“Still up too, huh?”

Applejack turned to her window with a start, seeing Rarity of all people sitting on her window.

“How in the world did ya get in here?” Applejack asked.

“One, you keep your window open, and two, we're kind of super powered amazon warriors now.” Rarity explained.

“Yeah, I guess so,” Applejack chuckled to herself, “So, what brings ya around these parts?”

Rarity walked over to Applejack and crawled onto the bed over Applejack, looking at her intently.

“Did you really mean that stuff back there?” Rarity asked, “About you wanting to do this whole Power Ranger thing?”

“Yeah, I meant that,” Applejack said, “I've tried talkin’ myself outta it, but it always comes back the same. If I don't do this, Luna's gonna destroy the Earth. What about you? Made a decision yet?”

Rarity shook her head, “It's not that I don't want to help. It's just, how can I help? What do I have to offer besides my looks?”

Applejack frowned, “You… really don't think that, do ya? That all ya got to offer anyone is your looks? Cause you got so much more to offer. Your smart, mature, reasonable, reliable…”

“And apparently a good kisser, right?” Rarity asked, leaning in super close to Applejack.

“Well… yeah, you were definitely a great kisser.” Applejack admitted, blushing madly at the moment.

“So, how badly do you want me to do it again?” Rarity asked, “Don't try to hide it. I know how much you look at me. How much you want me.”

“Rarity, I don't-” Rarity placed a finger on Applejack's lips.

“I never make the first move, but for you, I might make an exception. But first, I need to know,” Rarity leaned in close to Applejack's ear, “Are you attracted to me?”

God this girl was forward. One minute they were talking about possibly being Power Rangers, and the next she was outright flirting with Applejack. Still, she had to admit that Rarity was super hot.

“I guess you could say I'm attracted to ya,” Applejack admitted. Rarity smirked and then planted another kiss right on Applejack's lips. This one had no tongue, and yet it was still far more romantic than the kiss from Applejack's first day.

“See? Now was that so hard?” Rarity asked tauntingly before rising up and walking over to the window again, “Hope to see you tomorrow, Applejack.”

With that, Rarity leaned out of the window jumping down. Knowing that she was okay, Applejack lied down and covered her eye with her arm.

“Tomorrow's gonna be interesting, alright,” Applejack said, almost dreading the thought of gathering everyone. Still, she was the one who had to rally the team.

She had to see this through, no matter what.

As it was night, she could more easily stay in the shadows. She didn't care if anyone of this time saw her or not, but for the time being she needed to stay hidden. That way she could contact her master in peace.

She hid underneath a bridge and closed her eyes, reaching out to where she prayed her master still resided.

Luna… you still live…

“Yes, my lord,” Luna said, “How long have I been asleep?”

Over 60 million years… it is currently the year 2017 on the current calendar of that world…

“My sister? Does she live?” Luna asked folding her arms.

Barely…

Her body has faded to oblivion, but her soul clings to existence, using the Morphing Grid to sustain her life…

Luna hissed angrily, “She probably plans on continuing where we left off,” she reached into the top of her body suit and pulled out her green Power Coin, “Have the Power Coins bonded to new Rangers?”

Yes, but they are mere children…

They will not pose a threat…

“Then tell me where they are so I can kill them now,” Luna requested.

Nay Luna, we have more important issues to attend to…

Goldar must be revived… but we need gold in order to do so…

“But Celestia's Rangers could pose a problem if they're not dealt with. Please my lord, allow me to kill them before they learn how to use their powers.”

There will be time for that soon, my child of darkness…

Until then… gather gold into your sword…

Use that to revive Goldar, and search for the Crystal Heart…

“Yes… my lord…” Luna seethed. Once she was sure that her master was not listening to her, she screamed in rage and kicked a nearby trash can. Five new Rangers were now on the rise, and she was sent to revive Goldar?! She wanted blood! She wanted lives! She wanted to kill the Rangers!

“Well then… if I can't kill the Power Rangers…” Luna said holding her face with one hand with a manic look on her face, “I'll just have to settle for someone else. One Ranger equals 100 normal humans. That means in order to make up for this…” she laughed to herself, “I have to kill 500 humans…!”

She looked over to the side and saw a homeless man sitting nearby looking right at her. Luna smiled licking her lips before walking over to him.

“W-what are you going to do…?!” he asked trembling.

“What does it look like?” Luna asked drawing her sword, “I'm feeding my blade.”

Under the bridge was a bloodcurdling scream followed by the sound of something being sliced in half. A few seconds later, Luna stepped out from under the bridge, blood dripping from her sword.

“One down…” she raised the blade and licked the blood with a look of ecstasy on her face, “499 to go…!”

The next day, Applejack woke up early to take care of her chores so she'd be free to head out and make it by noon. She'd have asked Macintosh to borrow his truck, but she was definitely not making it back by seven today, and she didn't want anyone to notice that her ankle brace no longer worked.

Her new powers made doing work around the farm less of a hassle. She was able to even keep up with Macintosh, who at the moment kept looking at her as she was throwing blocks of hay into the stable.

“You... been workin’ out?” Macintosh asked Applejack, who was currently wearing a short red shirt and tight jean shorts along with her usual boots. These were the kinds of clothes she wore when working outside as they were cool and made it easy to breathe.

Though they probably looked hotter on her now, with her new curvy figure. Macintosh did notice that too.

“A bit, why?” Applejack asked, picking up a block with ease and throwing it inside.

“It's jus’ … I'm not used to seein ya work so hard,” Macintosh said.

“I'm goin’ out today to see my friends,” Applejack said dismissively, “I need to start getting ready soon, so that's why I'm workin so hard.”

She bent over to pick up the last one, completely unaware of Macintosh's shocked expression when he briefly looked at her butt.

“Jus'… be careful, alright?” Macintosh said, looking away and blushing, “Also, do you have to dress so provocatively while workin’ out here?”

“Considerin’ how hot it is out here, yes,” Applejack said throwing the last block before turning to Macintosh resting her hands on her hips, “Were you checkin me’ out?”

“Ack! No!” Macintosh said looking indignant, “But I bet you wanted me to, with how much you were pushin’ your butt in my face!”

“Oh my God, you were checkin’ me out!” Applejack fussed looking indignant herself, “I don't know about you, but I ain't that kind of farm girl!”

“You think I'm into that sort of thing?! The last thing I wanna think 'bout is my sister in a sexual manner!”

“Then do us both a favor and jus' don't look!” Applejack said walking off, “Cause I ain't changin’ how I do things!”

As she walked off, she took off her hat to fan herself with it, knowing full well that she probably was giving her older brother the most confused boner ever. Not that she cared though. Thanks to the Power Coin, she'd have to deal with this from now on.

She had just enough time to take a shower. While she was in the bathroom, she took a chance and took off her towel to examine her body. She didn't want to admit it, but she could see why she drove her brother crazy.

“I'm gonna have to apologize to Macintosh later, aren't I?” Applejack asked herself, holding her arm over her breasts to cover them in her reflection. She wasn't going to be able to dodge this for long. Her brother was smart, and observant. Maybe she should have considered wearing baggier clothes from now on.

It turned out that Sweet Apple Acres was close to the Everfree Forest, so after putting on her regular clothes, Applejack was able to walk there and still make it in time. When she arrived in the castle, she saw Twilight sitting on the floor in front of the throne by herself hugging her knees.

“I had a feelin’ I'd see you here at least,” Applejack said smiling. She sat down next to Twilight, worried when she saw the somber look on her face, “Hey, ya alright?”

“Applejack, do you think I'd be a good Power Ranger?” Twilight asked.

“Well… yeah actually,” Applejack said leaning back, “I think all of us could be good Rangers in time.”

“No, you don't get it,” Twilight said hugging her knees tightly, “I'm not good at socializing with people, I don't know how to fight, and I'm the weird kid. What if I screw up somewhere, or let you down? What if I let Miss Celestia down?”

“Twilight, jus' you bein’ here is enough,” Applejack said leaning into Twilight, “It means you're willin’ to at least try. I'm jus' happy that I won't have to do this alone.”

“You're my friend, Applejack,” Twilight said looking at Applejack, “Even though I'm scared, I want to do this just because I know I'll be helping you.”

That worried Applejack a bit, knowing that the only reason she was here was so she could support Applejack. Still, she was touched to know that Twilight cared so much about her. Seriously, why didn't this girl have more friends?

They heard someone else walk into the room, and turned to see Fluttershy of all people coming in.

“You actually showed up?” Applejack asked, eyes wide. Fluttershy folded her arms and turned away.

“I'm not here for you or Celestia, okay? I'm here for myself.” Fluttershy said.

“Don't try to hide it,” Pinkie Pie said, walking in from another side of the room, “You like us, Fluttershy.”

“You came too?” Twilight asked Pinkie Pie.

“I thought about what Applejack was saying, and yeah. I do want to be a hero,” Pinkie Pie admitted, “This is my chance to actually be like a hero in my favorite anime characters.”

“Because that's smart,” Fluttershy said rolling her eyes, “You do know this is real life, right?”

“Says the girl who's obsessed with witchcraft.” Applejack said rolling her eyes.

“Wicca is real, comics aren't,” Fluttershy stated, turning her nose to the air, “Look, it's twelve now, so are we going in?”

“But we're not all here yet,” Twilight said, “What about Rarity?”

“She's probably the only sane person out of us,” Fluttershy said, “She's not coming, so let's just go without her.”

Applejack was a little disappointed as the realization hit her. Just as she was about to give up though, she looked through the door and saw Rarity saunter in.

“Sorry I'm late everyone,” Rarity said, “It took a bit longer for me to get here.”

“No, you’re right on time,” Applejack said, both of them smiling at each other. Applejack then turned to the staircase as Twilight, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, and Fluttershy all gathered behind her, “Alright ladies, let's become Power Rangers.”

The five of them walked down the stairs to face their new destinies. No turning back now.

Chapter 6

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Chapter 6

To say that Celestia was happy to see them again was an understatement. She was overjoyed when the five of them returned, and even happier when they told her that they were willing to become Power Rangers. She decided to get started on their training immediately, thus asked the five of them to stand on the pedestals of their colors.

“As Rangers, you must abide by three rules at all times,” Celestia began, “One, you must never use your powers for personal gain or selfish reasons.”

“What, so we're not allowed to use our powers to make traveling easier?” Fluttershy asked looking away, “Whoops…”

“As long as you are not trying to use your powers for selfish reasons, it should be fine.” Celestia said with a warm smile, “But I urge you to be careful with that. We'll get to why in a minute. Second rule, you must never escalate a fight on your own. As you are defenders, it is your job to act in response to danger. Thus, only use your full power if your enemies force you to do so.”

“So, if we have like a super laser beam of death, we can't use that on small enemies,” Pinkie Pie said, “That makes sense. Don't want people to be afraid of us.”

“So, what's the third rule?” Rarity asked.

“The most important rule of all,” Celestia said, “You must keep your identities a secret. No one on the surface is to know that you are Power Rangers.”

“So, I can't tell my Daddy that I'm doing this?” Twilight asked.

“I'm sorry sweetheart, but no,” Celestia said, “If anyone knew your identities, they would be put in danger.”

“It's sort of a shame that the five of you are so young,” Spike said, “That's going to make things harder. Still, you have to do your best to keep your Ranger lives separate from your human lives.”

“So, why are we standin’ on these colored sections?” Applejack asked.

“We are going to attempt morphing for the first time.” Celestia said.

“Um, what's morphing?” Pinkie Pie asked, “I have an idea of what you mean, but my mind is sort of dirty at times, so…”

“Oh my God, seriously?” Fluttershy asked, “I thought Rarity was the slutty one.”

“I'm not going to deny that my mind was going there too,” Rarity said, “I have a reputation to uphold after all.”

Everyone laughed, including Fluttershy to a degree. Twilight looked around confused.

“I don't get it,” Twilight said, “What are we talking about?”

Spike pinched the bridge of his nose, “Can we please be a little more serious? You five are the guardians of the planet now, so start acting like adults.”

“Kinda hard to do that when the oldest one here is eighteen.” Pinkie Pie pointed out.

“God…” Spike groaned. To his surprise though, Celestia giggled.

“Take it easy, Spike. They're only just starting. Morphing, in this context is the process of altering your bodies to enter your celestial armor.”

“Armor?” Twilight asked, “You mean that armor that you and the others were wearing in the image you showed us yesterday?”

“That's right,” Celestia said floating in a circle around the room, “While you are Rangers at all times, you will not be expected to fight high level enemies in your natural bodies. To access your full power, you have to morph into your celestial armor.”

“Where is this armor?” Rarity asked.

“It's with you now, but it's hidden deep within your hearts,” Celestia explained, “You must focus on the bonds you have with each other while upholding the virtue that you all represent in order to call out the armor and make it materialize.”

“What about our clothes?” Fluttershy asked, “Some of us are wearing clothes that won't fit in that armor.”

“Your clothes will be magically displaced when you morph,” Spike asked, “As long as you exit your armor normally, your clothes will be replaced as they were before you transformed.”

“So, we're gonna be naked then,” Applejack pointed out. Spike groaned, rubbing his eyes.

“I suppose, but you'll be in your armor so it won't matter,” Spike said.

“But we will be naked, right?” Rarity asked, “You know, I'm starting to wonder why this team has to be a group of women.”

“I bet the person who came up with this rule was a man,” Fluttershy said rubbing her arm, “He wanted an excuse to see hot women naked.”

“Ooh! Ooh! Maybe it's like a magical girl transformation!” Pinkie Pie chirped excitedly, “That would be really neat, wouldn't it?”

Spike cleared his throat loudly to get everyone's attention, “Why don't you try it for yourselves and see what happens?”

“I think we made him mad,” Twilight whispered.

“It didn't bother me at all.” Applejack said with a shrug, "I'm comfortable in my body."

The five girls all stood in the middle of their pedestals and tried focusing on their bond, or lack thereof at the time. The water in the middle began swirling around, and a bright light shined out from the center of the whirlpool.

“What's happening?” Rarity asked as magical energy built up and swirled around all of them.

“This place is in direct connection to the Morphing Grid,” Celestia explained, “While you can morph anywhere, it is easiest in this space.”

“Keep going!” Spike urged, “It's almost happening!”

The five of them continued to focus on one another, but the energy felt unstable thus it couldn't latch onto anyone. As such, after a few seconds, the energy dissipated with nothing happening.

“Um, did we do it?” Pinkie Pie asked.

“I don't know, are any of us wearing a suit of armor?” Fluttershy asked sarcastically, “No? Then I guess that means we failed. Surprise surprise, am I right?”

“You don't have to be a bitch about it.” Rarity pointed out.

“Well why don't you show us how it's done then?” Fluttershy asked, “Oh wait, you can't, because you're a failure too.”

“It was just our first time,” Rarity said, “Expecting us to get it right the first time isn't realistic.”

“I bet it was your fault we didn't morph anyway,” Pinkie Pie said, “You're always so guarded after all.”

“My fault?! I was focusing on everyone as much as I could! I bet it was you who fucked it up! Probably thinking about some stupid Japanese cartoon or something!”

“Oh my God, what is your problem!” Rarity fussed, “Do you have to attack everyone?! We're just trying to be your friends!”

“Maybe I don't want to be friends with any of you!” Fluttershy shouted, stepping off her pedestal and walking over to Rarity and Pinkie Pie, “Maybe I was just fine being by myself away from annoyingly loud bitches who disrupt my sanctuary!”

“It's funny how you're calling us loud when you're shouted more than any of us right now!” Pinkie Pie pointed out, “And I wasn't thinking about anime! I was trying to think about you guys! Unlike you, I'm actually an open book!”

“Yes, I realized,” Rarity said folding her arms, “You make it pretty clear that you're only here because you think it's fun.”

“What?! I don't even know why you’re here!” Pinkie Pie shouted at Rarity. As she, Rarity, and Fluttershy continued to argue, Applejack looked around the room. Spike looked frustrated, Celesta looked worried, but it was Twilight that caught Applejack's attention.

She was kneeling down, holding her head tightly to cover her ears and she was trembling. Realizing that she was getting really upset, Applejack whistled loudly to get everyone's attention.

“All three of y'all, SHUT IT!!!” Applejack ordered, “You're upsettin’ Twilight!” Once all three of them noticed Twilight they calmed down and looked away from one another, “Honestly, I think the issue here is all of us, an' y'all three jus' demonstrated what the problem is. If this is gonna work, we need to be on the same page, an' start actin like a team.”

Rarity sighed and walked over to Twilight kneeling before her, “Hey, it's okay sweetie. We're not screaming at each other anymore.”

Twilight slowly opened her eyes and looked at Rarity, “I don't like it when people fight.”

“Aw, we're sorry, Twilight,” Pinkie Pie said also kneeling down next to Rarity, “We'll try to be more careful next time.”

They all looked at Fluttershy, who folded her arms and turned away.

“Well?” Rarity asked, “Aren't you going to say something too?”

“I don't want to be over there,” Fluttershy said, “There are too many people.”

“Alright, but you could at least apologize to Twilight over there,” Rarity said, “You're just as much to blame for upsetting her as we are.”

“Fine! I'm sorry too! Are you happy?” Fluttershy fussed, walking to the long couch like seat and sitting down, arms folded and legs crossed, “I hate it here so much.”

Spike took a deep breath, “Well then, that was interesting. Your Majesty, what do you want to do?”

“For now, let's not worry about morphing,” Celestia said thoughtfully, “We'll take a break, and then resume with their combat training. Girls, when you're ready, come into the training room on the left.”

Twilight immediately stood up and walked over to the training room, not saying anything to anyone. Applejack sighed and walked after her, with Pinkie Pie skipping behind her. Rarity took another look at Fluttershy before running after the others.

“Spike,” Celestia said looking at Fluttershy, “Head to the training room ahead of me.”

“Are you sure, Your Majesty?” Spike asked.

“Yes, it's fine,” Celestia said, “I wish to talk to her alone.”

Spike shrugged and did as was told. Celestia floated over to Fluttershy and sat down next to her.

“Here to yell at me too?” Fluttershy asked. Celestia shook her head.

“I know what's really going on here Fluttershy.” Celestia said softly.

“Oh? Then what's going on?” Fluttershy snapped, “What's my problem?”

“You're afraid of them, aren't you?” Celestia asked, “That's why you attack them, and push them away. It's the same as an animal lashing out at what they deem a threat. I can see what's within your heart, so I know that this isn't who you really are.”

“No, but it's who I have to be,” Fluttershy pouted, hugging her knees, “They wouldn't understand me anyway. If I told them, they wouldn't be able to help me.”

“You haven't even given them the chance,” Celestia said, placing a hand on Fluttershy's back, “I'm not saying to rush it, but perhaps you could try opening up to them a bit.”

“Why should I?” Fluttershy asked defensively.

“Remember how I can see what's in your heart? I can do the same for them as well, and I can confirm that all four of them are worried about you. They'd be willing to at least try to help. All you have to do is give them the chance to do so.”

“But they'll leave me,” Fluttershy said tearing up, “I know they will. Once I get close to them and let them in, they'll disappear…”

“Just like Rainbow Dash, right?” Celestia asked, shocking Fluttershy.

“You know Rainbow Dash?” Fluttershy asked.

“I know about her because she takes up such a huge spot in your heart,” Celestia explained, “I know that she was special to you, and that when she vanished, you were broken. They cannot replace Rainbow Dash, but they can have their own places in your heart as long as you allow them to occupy it. Like I said, don't rush it. But do consider it. Not for them, or for the world, but for yourself.”

With that, Celestia rose from the seat and flowed toward the door to the left, fading away into a white mist. Fluttershy looked at the room, thinking about what Celestia said. After a second, she took a deep breath and then walked into the training room. It was a large open area, almost like a karate dojo.

Everyone turned to look at Fluttershy when she entered the room. She averted her eyes and put her focus on Spike and Celestia, who both stood at the far end of the room. Once everyone else focused on them, Celestia cast a spell creating what looked like a magical representation of one of the golems from before.

“This ladies, is a putty,” Spike said, “They are Luna's main foot soldiers. Your training first will be to see how you fare against one.”

“Pssh! I got this,” Pinkie Pie said stepping forward.

“Um, are you sure you want do this?” Rarity asked.

“Come on, it's just a hologram, right? It can't hurt us or anything.” Pinkie Pie said. Immediately the Putty whacked her in the stomach, making her fly across the room.

“That's a strong ass hologram.” Applejack quipped, getting laughs from everyone there.

“Yeah, that hurt a bit…” Pinkie Pie groaned.

“For now, I want to see how you fare in actual combat,” Celestia said, “It will help Spike and I figure out how much work is needed. You will all take turns fighting the Putty before you. Now, unless Pinkie Pie wants to go again…”

“Nope,” Pinkie Pie said rising up still holding her stomach, “I'm good. I wouldn't want to take away someone else's chance to get wrecked- I mean, have a crack at it.”

Applejack, being the leader, decided to go first. She was expecting to be able to at least be able to knock it off it's feet, but sadly she was picked up and thrown to the ground almost as quickly as Pinkie Pie.

Spike rolled his eyes, “Next.”

Rarity stepped up next, this time dodging most of the Putty's attacks. Doing that she lasted a good while. But when she tried to kick it, the holographic monster grabbed her leg and tossed her into the wall.

“Ugh…” Rarity groaned sitting up, “This is harder than I thought…”

Spike sighed, “Next.”

Twilight braced herself and tried a more direct approach, by literally tackling the Putty. Everyone was wide eyed seeing her act so brazen. Sadly she didn't do much better, as the golem picked her up, flipped her around, and then dropped her onto the floor. Everyone winced looking at that, Celestia actually looking away covering her eyes.

“Well that didn't work…” Twilight moaned lying on the ground. Spike shook his head.

“Next,” he said, clearly getting frustrated now.

Finally was Fluttershy, who probably did the best surprisingly. When the Putty tried to attack, she ducked easily, and even balanced on her hands to do a sweeping kick, briefly knocking it off balance.

“Holy shit!” Pinkie Pie cheered, “Go Fluttershy! You can beat it! Avenge me!!!”

Sadly, the Putty learned. It picked her up by the back of her dress, and punched her hard in the stomach making her fly back toward the group. She landed right in front of them, and while she was breathing, she didn't get up or move.

“Um, are you, okay?” Twilight asked slowly.

“Just, leave me here for a bit…” Fluttershy moaned, clearly in a lot of pain. Spike pinched the bridge of his nose.

“Well, this turned out exactly how I expected,” Spike said, “Pinkie Pie, do you want another turn?”

“Nope!” Pinkie Pie said shaking her head, “I don't think any of us are going to do better than Fluttershy.”

“So, with that in mind, you girls are the worst fighters I've ever seen.” Spike said simply.

“Well gee, sorry!” Fluttershy groaned forcing herself to her knees, “We sort of skipped our amazon warrior training for the last seventeen years!” When she noticed Spike was blushing looking at her, she looked down, and immediately turned away covering her chest.

“It's fine,” Celestia said floating forward, “This is why we needed to see how you'd fare in actual combat. This just means we need to actively train. All of you, pair up. We will start with the basics.”

Fluttershy fixed the top of her dress and then walked over to Pinkie Pie, “Hey, you and me, okay?”

Pinkie Pie looked a little taken aback, but she soon nodded happily, “Perfect! I was hoping we could be partners!”

“So what do ya say?” Applejack asked Twilight, “Wanna team up with me?”

“Um, actually, I was hoping Spike would be my partner,” Twilight asked, surprising Spike a bit.

“Wait, me?” Spike asked.

“Well, we have an odd number of people here, and I probably need the most help,” Twilight said, “You don't mind, do you Applejack?”

“Not at all,” Applejack said, “I'm proud of ya for takin’ this so seriously. You take care of her, Spike.”

Spike shrugged, “Alright I guess. I'll be your partner.”

Twilight smiled brightly and ran over to Spike. Applejack shook her head smiling at that.

“So, that just leaves you and me,” Rarity said walking behind Applejack, running her hands on Applejack's shoulders, “That's not going to be a problem, is it?”

“N-not at all,” Applejack said blushing.

“As the five of you have bonded with the Power Coins, you now have the hearts of warriors,” Celestia explained floating around the room, “Because of that, you can call on your instincts to get you through most minor issues. However, against an opponent with true skill you will need to know the basics of combat. I will guide you today.”

Now paired up, the girls followed Celestia's guidance through actually learning how to fight. Fluttershy and Applejack didn't need as much help, as they both had minor experience in both martial arts and street fighting respectively. Thanks to this, Pinkie Pie and Rarity were able to learn pretty well from their respective partners.

Spike was more so acting as a personal tutor for Twilight, who had literally no combat experience at all. Still, with Spike's help she was able to pick up a few things. By the end of the first day she was able to at least throw a decent punch and kick without looking too tense.

Needless to say, the first day of training ended in success. All five of the girls went home exhausted, but feeling just a little better about the whole becoming Power Rangers thing.

Chapter 7

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Chapter 7

It had been almost a week since the girls had begun their training, and most of them had started to get the hang of combat. Applejack had refined her fighting skills with more technique, while Fluttershy had learned to be more forceful. Sadly she still had a number of moments where she accidentally flashed the team, which naturally mortified her to no end. Just like she did after her and Pinkie Pie's sparring match.

“You know, there's an easy solution to that,” Applejack said to Fluttershy as she was fixing her top after an intense sparring match, “Why not just bind 'em or somethin?”

“I've tried that,” Fluttershy said curtly, “The bindings are always too tight though, making it hard to breathe.”

“You'll just have to get used to it then,” Spike said writing down notes from the match, “Cadance, the original Pink Ranger, was really top heavy too. She'd usually just train topless.”

“I am not training topless!” Fluttershy fussed covering her chest, “That would be the worst thing for me to do, especially with you here!”

Spike sighed, “Are teenage girls of this generation all so fussy?”

“I might be able to help,” Rarity said walking over to Fluttershy, “Why don't you come to my place after this?”

Fluttershy looked defensive, but she slowly relented, “Fine, if it'll help.”

“She's becoming a lot more social, don't you think?” Pinkie Pie whispered to Applejack.

“Maybe a bit,” Applejack said, “She's still a bitch though.”

Applejack turned to the far left, where she saw Twilight practicing by herself. Her stance was still really stiff, and if she kicked too high she'd end up losing her balance. Applejack was starting to worry about her, as she was the only one still having trouble.

“Alright, before we close up for the day, Her Majesty wants you all to try morphing again,” Spike said, “Come with me into the main chamber.”

Everyone followed Spike, but Twilight didn't move from her spot right away as she was still focused on her training. Fluttershy stopped and turned to Twilight.

“Hey, come on,” Fluttershy called out to Twilight, “We need you too for this part, remember?”

Twilight sighed, “Right. I'm coming,” she slowly walked past Fluttershy to the main chamber, Fluttershy watching her the entire time.

Inside the main chamber, the five of them stood on their respective pedestals and began focusing on their bonds with each other along with their virtues. This time the light in the middle got brighter, and the five of them noticed the lights swirling around them causing their clothes to get lighter.

“Is it working?” Twilight asked.

“I think so!” Pinkie Pie cheered, “I think it's going to happen this time!”

“Focus hard, Rangers!” Applejack commanded, “We're almost there!”

Sadly though, a few seconds later, the light died down and vanished. Rarity stomped her foot in frustration.

“Damn it! What are we doing wrong?!” she asked.

“I have to say, this is worrisome,” Celestia said floating around, “It's been a week, and yet none of you have managed to get a full reaction from the Morphing Grid.”

“Even if you can't hold the armor, you should at least be able to morph into it for just a bit,” Spike said, “I guess it's back to training tomorrow.”

“What good is training like this going to do?” Fluttershy asked, “We have to what exactly? Focus on each other while keeping true to our virtues? Is training together going to make Applejack more honest? Will it make Rarity more generous? Will Pinkie Pie get happier? Will this whole thing help us become closer? For God's sake, most of us don't even like each other!”

“At this point, I'm pretty sure the only one in that category is you,” Applejack pointed out, “We don't know the first thing about ya, except that you're a wiccan, an' ya apparently hate all of us.”

“That's not true, is it Fluttershy?” Twilight asked sadly, “Do you really hate us?”

Fluttershy looked to the side unsure, but then stormed out of the main hall and ran up the stairs. Rarity sighed shaking her head.

“I'll follow her,” Rarity said running upstairs, “I'll see you all at school tomorrow.”

“Hey, I gotta get home too,” Pinkie Pie said, “Maud said she'd be home today, so I'm hoping she and I can watch a movie together.”

“That's fine,” Celestia said, “We will continue tomorrow.”

As Pinkie Pie left, Twilight sat down on the floor in front of the pool of water with a forlorn expression. Applejack sat down next to her and leaned into her.

“Talk to me,” Applejack said, “What's botherin’ ya.”

“It's my fault we can't morph,” Twilight said, tearing up, “I knew I was the weakest link.”

“Now stop that,” Applejack said, “It ain't your fault we can't morph. Right now, this whole team is a mess.”

“I've been trying my hardest…” Twilight said, tears falling down her cheeks now, “I train every day, and I've been focusing on everyone when we try to morph, but I still can't do this. I'm sorry I'm letting you down, Applejack…”

“Twilight…” Applejack said. This wasn't the first time Twilight talked down to herself about being a Ranger. It seemed like she had convinced herself that she was a failure, and with how her mind worked, there wasn't really much she could say to convince her otherwise.

“If I may,” Spike said walking up to them, “You're doing a lot better than you realize, Twilight. You didn't see it, but I noticed that the armor was starting to form around your body during the last attempt at morphing.”

Twilight looked up at Spike in shock, “Wait, are you serious?”

“If you continue at this pace, you'll get it,” Celestia said, “You could end up becoming the greatest Ranger on the team.”

“See?” Applejack asked nudging Twilight a bit, “Don't be so hard on yourself. You can do this. I believe in you, but you have to believe in yourself too.”

“There's actually something that I wish to give you,” Celestia said. She floated over to the bookshelf and pulled out a large book with an odd symbol on it, “This book contains within it knowledge from the old world. With this, you should be able to get a better feel for our technology.”

“You're giving me this book?” Twilight asked taking the book, “But, why?”

“Because I believe your true strength lies not in your fists, but your brain. The former blue Ranger, Azure Sandora, was also more of a scholar as opposed to a fighter. So along with your combat training, we will begin cultivating your mind as well.”

Twilight looked at the book, and then at Celestia. She then ran over to the ghostly woman and hugged her.

“Thank you, Your Majesty!” Twilight cried happily. Celestia smiled warmly wrapping her arms around Twilight.

“You're quite welcome. But please, call me Celestia,” Celestia said.

Twilight nodded vigorously and then released Celestia, “I'm going to head home. See ya Applejack! Bye everyone!”

“See ya,” Applejack said waving to Twilight as she skipped off, “It's amazin’ how quickly she can change moods.”

“It's just a matter of knowing how to talk to her,” Celestia said, “While she's mentally advanced, she's not quite as mature as everyone else.”

“Still, I am worried about the rate we're goin’,” Applejack admitted, “Hey, what's that light that shines out from the pool of water anyway?”

“The energy of the Morphing Grid is strong enough that during the initial spark it can create a miracle,” Celestia explained, “This can only happen once, but during that time, anything is possible.”

“We actually have two goals here,” Spike explained, “One of those is to of course train you to become the new Power Rangers, but our second goal is to use that light to revive Her Majesty.”

“Wait,” Applejack said frowning, “You mean, you could come back to life if we morph?”

“It's possible, yes,” Celestia said looking unsure, “The truth is, I hope to possibly, save my sister.”

“You wanna save Luna?” Applejack asked. Celestia floated over to the pool of water and knelt down before it.

“She wasn't always like this,” Celestia said, “Back when we first became Power Rangers, she was a gentler soul. She still enjoyed fighting, but she cared about her friends, her family, and her kingdom. Her power coin was actually the last one made, which is why her Ranger form looks so different.”

“What's the Green Ranger's virtue?” Applejack asked.

“Loyalty,” Celestia answered, “She was quite loyal to all of us. Unfortunately though, she lost herself to the darkness. The demon king, Discord whispered in her ear, and convinced her to sell her soul to him for even greater power. She is not a bad person, Applejack. Not originally.”

Applejack folded her arms thinking over what Celestia just told her. It was a lot to take in, especially since she was under the impression that Luna was just pure evil.

“I'm sorry for deceiving you,” Celestia said, “We do wish for you to inherit our power, but not to kill Luna. I wish to save Luna from the darkness.”

“Huh, I see,” Applejack said, “Well, I have a younger sister too, so I know how it is. Alright, we jus' need to morph so you can come back to life, right?”

Celestia looked up at Applejack in shock, “You, wish to help me?”

“Surprised? I ain't the happiest that ya kept this part from us, but I understand why ya did it. It makes sense now though, why both of ya are tryin’ so hard to get us to morph,” Applejack said.

“Thank you Applejack,” Celestia said with a touched smile, “My soul feels much more at ease knowing that you'll assist me in setting my sister free from the demon king.”

Applejack nodded to Celestia and walked out of the secret chamber. As she left, her thoughts went back to what Celestia said about her “soul”. It finally started to occur to Applejack that she spoke to a real live ghost. A spirit from an age long past. Did spirits actually exist then?

“Are you out there too, Pa?” Applejack asked looking up at the sky, “Are you watchin me like Granny Smith keeps sayin’?”

Rarity caught up with Fluttershy and convinced her to still come to her house. Neither one of them spoke the whole way, and Fluttershy kept a long distance between her and Rarity, and every so often would glance her way nervously.

Rarity wanted to understand this girl so badly. Something told her that she wasn't actually as much of a bitch as she let on.

“So… who did it?” Rarity asked. Fluttershy looked her way slightly.

“Who did what?” Fluttershy asked.

“Someone hurt you, right? That's why you're so distrustful of people, isn't it?” Rarity asked.

“Why do you care?” Fluttershy snapped, “You never said anything to me back when I went to school, so why talk to me now? Why can't you just ignore me like everyone used to?”

“For starters, because now we're a team,” Rarity pointed out, “We're Power Rangers now, so we have to-”

“What? We have to “become friends”? What happens after we're finished?” Fluttershy asked, “What do we do after we stop Luna? Do we stay together, or do we go our separate ways?”

“Well, I'd like to say we'd remain together,” Rarity stated.

“Come on, be realistic,” Fluttershy said, “You're the school slut, Applejack's the new kid, Twilight's the nerd, Pinkie Pie's the anime lover, and I'm the strange kid. None of us are from the same clique, so seeing us hang out at all would just be weird. So what are we when this is all done? Because we're not friends.”

“I don't see why we can't be friends,” Rarity said, “I have plenty of friends of different types from all over the school.”

“No, you have fuck buddies,” Fluttershy said, “I saw the photo, so I know the truth about you.”

“You know nothing,” Rarity said with a serious edge, “That photo was from one instant, and it was before-”

“Before you became a slut?” Fluttershy asked narrowing her eyes at Rarity, “You still went in that direction. Maybe the party was just a precursor to who you really were.”

Rarity wanted to slap Fluttershy so hard, but then stopped herself, taking a deep breath before laughing. She knew what she was trying to do.

“Ooh, nice try. You had me going for a second there,” Rarity said, “But, I'm not falling for the bitch act you keep playing. Like it or not, we're a team, and I promised that I'd help you.”

“I didn't ask for your help, you know,” Fluttershy spat.

“No, you didn't,” Rarity said, “I offered, and I don't take back my offers to help anyone. You should know, considering all the other 'favors' I've done for students.”

It looked like Fluttershy wanted to say something to that, but stopped pouting in frustration. Rarity smirked to herself in triumph.

Once they got to Rarity's house, Rarity gave her parents some bullshit reason for why she was out so late and the two of them rushed upstairs to her room. Once there, Rarity closed the door and locked it.

“Okay, lower the top of your dress,” Rarity requested. Fluttershy frowned at Rarity.

“Um, excuse me?” Fluttershy asked, “I don't know about you, but I'm not a lesbian.”

“First off, I'm not either, I'm bisexual,” Rarity said, “Second of all, I'm not going to violate you. I just need to get a feel for your figure is all.”

Fluttershy shied away from Rarity a bit, but slowly did as was told, lowering the zipper of her dress, allowing the straps to fall down and revealing her yellow bra covered breasts. Rarity frowned and walked around Fluttershy.

“Mm hm, I'm starting to see the problem here,” Rarity said, “Sweetheart, are you sure you're wearing the proper sized bra?”

“I don't know,” Fluttershy said folding her arms under her breasts, “I just found the biggest size they had and bought it.”

“Could you, jump up and down to make them bounce for me?” Rarity requested.

“You're getting off on this, aren't you?” Fluttershy asked. When Rarity raised an eyebrow and pursed her lips, Fluttershy rolled her eyes and did as was told. Almost immediately she felt her breasts start to fall out.

“Stop, that's enough,” Rarity said, “That confirms it. Your bra is too small,” Rarity placed a finger in between the back of Fluttershy's bra, noting how tight it was, “You're supposed to be able to fit two fingers either in the front or back of the bra when wearing it, but I can barely fit one.”

“I, didn't know that…” Fluttershy admitted looking back at Rarity.

“We're going to figure out your proper size,” Rarity said walking to her desk and pulling out her measuring tape, “For this I'm going to need you to take that thing off.”

By this point, Fluttershy must have started to trust Rarity a bit, because she didn't say something bitchy or defensive. Instead, she nodded demurely and took off her bra. Rarity then took two measurements. The first was under Fluttershy's breasts.

“33,” Rarity said, “So your band size is 38.”

“Wouldn't it be 33?” Fluttershy asked. Rarity shook her head.

“However many inches this measurement is, you add four if it's even, and five if it's odd,” Rarity said, “Now I need to figure out your bust size. I'm going to measure the size around your breasts, okay?”

Fluttershy nodded wordlessly. As Rarity loosely wrapped the measuring tape around Fluttershy's breasts over her nipples, Fluttershy blushed a bit, but Rarity noticed that she relaxed. She was completely silent the whole time, and Rarity felt a vulnerability from her completely different than her usual hostility.

Oddly, this felt more natural to her.

“Your bust is 43,” Rarity said softly, “Subtracting that from thirty-eight is, five,” Rarity ran back over to her desk and pulled out a small chart, “Okay then, now if that's true…” she picked up Fluttershy's bra and looked at it, her eyes wide, “Oh my God!”

“What?” Fluttershy asked holding her arms over her breasts, “Something wrong?”

“This is a 37D?!” Rarity asked, “Fluttershy honey, it's no wonder you're having trouble! You're supposed to be wearing 38 double D!”

“Double D?!” Fluttershy cried, “That's huge!” she sat down on the bed covering her face, “I really am a tit monster!”

“Trust me, you're not a tit monster,” Rarity said sitting next to Fluttershy, “Significantly top heavy? Yes, but a tit monster? That's a little extreme. I bet your mother is top heavy. Either her or one of your relatives.”

“I don't know any of my relatives,” Fluttershy said, still covering her face, “I'm adopted.”

“Oh…” Rarity said, suddenly feeling awkward, “Either way, all you need is the proper bra. Hold on for just a minute, alright? I think I have something that can help.”

Rarity ran out of her room, going into her mother's workshop next door. She usually had bras of different sizes scattered around. She hoped that there was a bra that was in Fluttershy's size. With how big some clients were when they came in for a fitting, you'd think-

“Yes! Found it!” Rarity said, pulling out a slightly larger bra from her mother's drawer, “She won't miss this, I'm sure.”

Rarity was thankful that Fluttershy was still there. She gave Fluttershy the new bra, which was thankfully the right color to match her yellow sundress, and she immediately put it on. It fit more snug around Fluttershy's large breasts, and the pink haired teen even stood up straighter.

“This, actually feels better,” Fluttershy said, “But how will this help me in training?”

“Well, try jumping up and down like before,” Rarity requested. Fluttershy shrugged and did as was told, moving to make her breasts bounce, happy to see that they didn't go flying out this time.

“Oh! They're staying in this time,” Fluttershy stated, eyes wide in shock.

“Now, I'd recommend wearing a sports bra for training, but this should at least work for now,” Rarity said sitting down on her bed. Fluttershy pulled the rest of her dress back up and then turned to Rarity.

“You didn't have to do this,” Fluttershy said.

“You're right, I didn't,” Rarity said leaning back and crossing her legs, “But I enjoy giving. Whether it's helping a fellow girl find a bra that will fit, or helping someone get release when they need it, as long as they're happy, I'm happy.”

Fluttershy frowned and tilted her head, “You're nothing how I thought you'd be.”

“What? Did you think I'd be like your typical mean girl in high school?” Rarity asked.

“Yeah, actually,” Fluttershy said honestly.

“Well, I used to be that sort of girl, but that's all in the past now. I figured being the school slut who's nice would work more in my favor,” Rarity said airily.

“Do you like that though? Being the school slut?” Fluttershy asked folding her arms under her breasts.

“I don't know if I like it, but it is what it is,” Rarity said lying down on her bed, “I could let it get to me, or I could just go with the flow,” she pulled out her phone and looked at the picture, “Once the system marks you, it's best to just own the moniker it gives you as opposed to fighting it,” she looked up at Fluttershy, “Did you want to stay for dinner? I'm sure my parents wouldn't mind.”

“N-no, that's alright,” Fluttershy said rubbing her arm, “I, um, need to get home. My mom will worry about me.”

“That's alright. I'll see you tomorrow then?” Rarity asked. Fluttershy nodded wordlessly and walked over to the window. She then jumped out the window over to another roof, using them to run home without being seen. Rarity looked at her clock and saw that the time was eight o'clock. She wondered if Applejack was still up.

First checking to see that the door was still locked, she then jumped out of her window herself, this time going in the opposite direction that Fluttershy went in.

Let's see how far I get with you this time, Applejack.

Fluttershy stopped on a roof right next to her house, thinking about the girl who just helped her. She was probably at her most vulnerable, and yet Rarity was perfectly gentle with her. She could have done anything to her at that moment, but she didn't. Instead, she actually took care of her, and like she said, she did help her.

And she didn't even want anything in return.

“She really embodies 'generosity'. If that's the case, then is the reason we can't morph, actually my fault…?”

Fluttershy continued to make her way back home, going right into her room to lie down. She needed to do some serious meditation on this.

Luna had managed to gather tiny bits of gold here and there, but she knew that it wasn't enough. Goldar required lots of gold to manifest, and at his rate she wasn't going to get anywhere close to that goal.

At least she wasn't bored though. On the way she managed to kill quite a number of humans, so much that she was probably leaving a bit of a trail behind her. It wasn't like she cared though. What could these humans do to stop her anyway?

Luna walked down the street whistling, but stopped when she peered into the shop she walked past. She read the sign in confusion, as she was still learning the written language of this world.

“Jewelry… Store…?” Luna said slowly before her expression lit up, “Gold!” she pushed through the door and examined the jewelry in the glass case, “So much of it! Yes! This is perfect! Absolutely perfect!”

“Um, excuse me Miss, can I help you?” the lady behind the counter asked.

“Yes! I need gold!” Luna said excitedly.

“Gold…? As you can see we have plenty of that. Is there anything in particular you-” Luna grabbed her by the arms and leaned in close.

“I want all of it! Every bit of gold you have in this store is now mine! Give it to me now, peasant, and I will consider sparing your life!”

“Um… okay then,” the lady said, “Give me one moment and I'll get it for you,” she slowly reached for the button to call security, but Luna grabbed her by the neck.

“Just pull it out and leave it on the counter, foolish mortal!” Luna commanded, “Do this now! My patience runs thin!”

“Yes ma'am! I understand!” the lady said, immediately pulling out the gold jewelry and leaving it on the counter. Luna looked at it with eyes wide in awe and then pulled out her sword, earning a scream from the woman.

“This is perfect…!” Luna said. She then waved the blade over the gold, causing it to turn into liquid and flow into the blade, becoming one with it. As the woman looked in awe, they heard sirens outside.

“Freeze!” a police officer shouted kicking the door down, “We have this entire place surrounded!”

“You have come to challenge me then?” Luna asked, turning to the officer with an odd smile.

“Sources told us that a woman with a sword was walking around killing civilians!” another officer said, “You led us right here!”

“You believe I was in error in leading you to my location?” Luna asked, turning around and sitting on the counter with her legs crossed, “I was hoping something like this would happen. That I would attract the attention of the Royal Guard of this millennium. Let's see…” she looked out past the two officers counting, “I count, fifteen guards out there. Combine that with the people I've killed on the way here, that would bring my number up to… 39 humans. Sounds like fun,” she pointed her sword at the two officers, “So, which one wishes to die first? I could take both of you, if you want to get kinky on me.”

“This bitch is insane…!” the officer on the left said.

“She's bluffing! Fire!” his partner commanded. Both of them fired their guns at Luna, who lied down on her side out of the way, then turning onto her back. She then used her feet to kick a few of the bullets away. Once the officers realized how she stopped them, they stopped firing. She slowly sat up in a sensual manner, giving them a sultry look.

“Was that all?” Luna asked, “Aw, too bad. My turn now.”

“What… are you…?” the officer on the right asked. Luna stood up and sauntered over to them, calling out to her full power.

“It's not what as much as it's who,” she said, green pieces of metal slowly wrapping itself over her body, tearing her green bodysuit in the process, “I am the demon king's child of darkness. The one who will soon claim the Crystal Heart of this planet and become something akin to a goddess. I am… Luna Akeldama! The Moon that shines on the field of blood!”

Her green armor formed as much as it could, and she now stood before them wearing a green suit of armor that covered her legs, arms, and shoulders as much as possible, but did leave sections of her skin exposed. The center of her chest was almost completely exposed, as only the edges of her breasts were covered, the armor stopping right over the nipple along with her crotch, which only had a single strip of metal over it to cover it, going behind her exposed backside and resting in between her lower cheeks. The armor had high heeled boots, and her face and hair were both completely exposed. Her eyes were now glowing red though*.

Screaming out in pleasure, she jumped at the officers, grabbing them by the faces and slamming them onto the ground. She then dragged them outside and threw them out, where she saw the rest of the officers standing around her with their guns pointed at her.

They fired at her, but she flipped, blocked, and kicked all of their bullets out of the way, moving almost like a dancer. She then rushed at them and began slicing through them with her blade, the woman inside of the shop looked out in horror as one by one each guard was sliced in half effortlessly with her blade.

It was over all too soon, and Luna sauntered back in, covered in blood and still in her armor.

“Thirty, nine…” Luna breathed out walking over to the terrified woman, “I've killed, thirty-nine humans. That leaves me, with four hundred, and sixty-one left, until I meet my quota…” she laughed softly to herself.

“No…!” the woman begged, “Please no…! Not me…!”

“Remember when I said that I'd spare you…?” Luna knelt down before the woman and held her by the cheeks with one hand and got close to her, almost as if to kiss her, “I changed my mind.”

The only sounds heard from outside of the jewelry store were the woman's shrill scream, followed by Luna's euphoric laughter.

After finishing dinner, Applejack walked into her room to turn in for the night. She froze in shock though when she saw Rarity lying on her bed, most of her clothes discarded off to the side, left only in her black and purple bra and panties.

“Hey there, leader,” Rarity said with a sultry smile. Applejack shook her head laughing.

“You, Rarity, are a mess!” Applejack said, “This is, what? The second time you've broken into my room?”

“I wouldn't keep breaking in if you just remembered to close your window every once in a while,” Rarity said, “Or maybe you keep it open hoping that I'll come inside and invade your privacy.”

“You know, technically I could call the police on ya,” Applejack said, “I probably should, seein’ how you're not only breaking into my room, but you're on my bed in your underwear.”

“You could call the police, or you could close the door, lock it, and come lie down next to me,” Rarity said, turning to her side and patting the space next to her. Applejack thought it over in her head. She didn't mean any harm. She was just playful, and really loose.

But why was she so obsessed with Applejack?

In the end, she decided to take the more fun option, closing the door behind her, locking it, and then walking over to the bed, lying down next to Rarity, who smelled wonderfully.

“So what's your game?” Applejack asked turning to Rarity.

“No game,” Rarity said, “I just wanted to be close to you.”

“I don't believe you,” Applejack said immediately.

“Is that right?” Rarity asked leaning in closer.

“Yeah,” Applejack said leaning in herself, “There's gotta be some reason why you're so obsessed with me.”

“And why is that?” Rarity asked.

“Let's go down the list, alright? We first meet, an' ya kiss me out of the blue callin it a gift to make my life in school easier. Then ya appear in my room the same night we were told about the Power Rangers, and ya kiss me again before walkin’ out.”

“Ah, but that was only after you admitted to thinking I'm attractive.”

“That's true, I'll give ya that. But this right here is jus'… odd to me. I come into my room an' see ya on my bed as if to present yourself to me. You ain't the type to make advances on a person yourself.”

“So I'm assuming this is a little out of character for “Easy Rare”, right?”

Applejack met eyes with Rarity, and she could feel something. She was playful, mysterious, and probably bad news, yet Applejack could tell that there was something genuine beneath all the airs she put on.

“What do you want?” Applejack asked softly.

“You seriously think I have an ulterior motive?” Rarity asked.

“That ain't what I mean,” Applejack said, “You're always givin’ to others in some way or another, but what do you want?”

“What… do I want?” Rarity asked averting her eyes a bit, “I doubt you'd be able to give it to me.”

“Try me,” Applejack said, “If you want, jus' give me a hint.”

“A hint huh?” Rarity looked thoughtful, “Alright, how about this then? Lie down on your back.”

Applejack was curious, so she did as requested without a word. Rarity then moved to lie on top of Applejack, looking her in the eyes.

“Good, now wrap your arms around me,” Rarity requested.

“Like this?” Applejack asked, wrapping her arms around Rarity, resting one on her back and one a little lower, almost touching her rear. She then tightened the embrace, holding her close.

“Yes…” Rarity said softly, her entire air changing, “This feels perfect. So, do you get it now? Do you know what I want?”

“Actually… I think I do,” Applejack said with a somber expression, “It's somethin’ that I could easily give ya.”

It was a split second, but Applejack saw pain in Rarity's eyes. She then quickly closed in and kissed her on the lips again, holding the sides of Applejack's face lovingly as she kissed her. It was deep, tender, and almost desperate. She broke the kiss and rested her head on Applejack's chest.

“No matter what,” Rarity said, her voice almost a whisper, “Promise me that window will always be open.”

“I promise,” Applejack said, just as softly, “My window is always open for you.”

She felt something wet hitting her chest. Were those tears? She didn't know what it was that this girl was clinging too, but it was clear that there was more to “Easy Rare” than met the eye. If they were ever going to learn how to morph, and if Applejack was going to keep her promise to Celestia, she needed to get to the bottom of this mystery.

She had to learn why Rarity was always so sad. Most of all though, she needed to learn why despite her sadness, she continued to be “Easy Rare”.

Chapter 8

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Chapter 8

When Applejack woke up the next morning, Rarity was already gone. She probably left around the time Applejack went to sleep. She did leave a note saying thank you though, which was odd. What exactly was Rarity thanking her for?

She put on her skimpy work clothes and stepped downstairs, where she saw everyone, including her little sister Apple Bloom sitting in front of the TV watching the news.

“The string of murders is truly beginning to worry officials,” the newscaster said, “The frequency combined with the brutality of said murders has detectives baffled, but most of all unnerved.”

“The bodies were just left out in the open,” the police chief said once it cut to him, “It looks like they were cut with some sort of blade.”

“What can you tell us about the killer?” the newscaster asked.

“Whoever they are, they have absolutely no regard for human life,” the police chief said, “This person is deranged, and above all arrogant. They just left the bodies out here to be found.”

“What the hell?” Applejack asked frowning.

“What could this person's motive be?” the newscaster asked, clearly sounding worried herself.

“Assuming they have a motive, you mean? These aren't the murders of someone with a goal. Whoever is doing this, they see it as no more than a game. Homeless people, men coming from work, people at work, all of different ages. They just see a person, and decide to kill them.”

“They'll be easily caught, won't they? I mean, they're not even trying to stay hidden.”

“That's why this isn't going to be easy,” the police chief said gravely, “Whoever is doing this is highly dangerous, and probably is just that confident that they won't be stopped. We have to proceed with absolute caution.”

“Granny Smith? I'm scared,” Apple Bloom said leaning into the elderly woman's embrace.

“I know, Bloom. Don't worry though, Ponyville has the best darn police force in the state,” Granny Smith said turning to Applejack, “No school today sugarcube. This serial killer's got the whole town afraid.”

“I see,” Applejack said, trying her hardest to hide her suspicions. Was it possible that this killer was…

“Well, chores ain't gonna do themselves,” Macintosh said, “Applejack, if ya wanna take the day off, ya can.”

Applejack was about to answer him, but her cellphone rang at that moment showing Rarity's number, “Hold that thought, alright? This is important,” Applejack ran into the hall and picked up her phone, “Ya saw it, right?”

“I was going to ask you the same thing,” Rarity said, “Applejack, do you think it's Luna?”

“I can't imagine anyone else bein’ so brazen to jus' kill a bunch of people out in the open an' leave em,” Applejack said, “I think I got an easy out for the day, so I can head to the Everfree Forest. Somethin’ tells me we gotta get ready fast.”

“I agree. I'll track down Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy. You know where Twilight lives, so could you find her?” Rarity asked.

“Yeah, I'll leave right away. See ya there,” Applejack said hanging up. She knew going out in what were essentially daisy dukes and skimpy red shirt was going to attract attention, but she didn't quite care at the moment.

“Why are ya goin to the Everfree Forest?”

Applejack stopped immediately at the sound of her little sister. She slowly turned to Apple Bloom with a nervous smile.

“Um… I've got… a thing to do… ya know…?” Applejack said.

“It's super dangerous right now, an' Granny Smith don't want any of us in town at the moment,” Apple Bloom said.

“I… can imagine, but this is super important. Like, if I don't go, somethin real bad's gonna happen,” Applejack said.

“This has somethin’ to do with why ya always come in so late, don't it?” Apple Bloom asked, surprising Applejack, “Granny Smith an' Macintosh don't know yet, an' I ain't tellin them, but you're skippin’ curfew, ain't ya?”

Applejack sighed and knelt down in front of her little sister, “I know how this looks, especially with my track record, but I promise you that what I'm doin’ is important. I can't tell ya, cause I promised that I wouldn't tell anyone, but jus' know that I'm out there tryin’ to help people, alright?”

Apple Bloom looked unsure, but she nodded and hugged Applejack, “Be careful, sis.”

“I will. Keep coverin’ for me, alright?” Applejack requested. Apple Bloom nodded and released Applejack, who immediately ran out of the house and into town. As she ran, she pulled out her cellphone and called Twilight.

“Hi Applejack,” Twilight answered.

“Hey, ya saw on the news?” Applejack asked.

“I did. I'm in town right now,” Twilight said, scaring Applejack.

“What?! What in tarnation are ya doin there, girl?!” Applejack asked frantically.

“I'm looking for something for Celestia,” Twilight said, “I think I might have pinpointed the thing that she wanted me to find.”

Applejack sighed, “Alright, but tell me where ya are? That way we can head to the forest together.”

“I'm right in front of the Krispy Kreme.” Twilight said.

“Krispy Kreme, got it,” Applejack said, “I'll be right there.”

Applejack hung up and continued running into town. Hopefully she could get to Twilight before that killer did. If that killer was Luna…

“Okay… so if I compare the old map with this new map…” Twilight mumbled to herself, “And cross reference the ley line information that Fluttershy gave me… the energy from the Morphing Grid probably flows in this direction… so that means that the Crystal Heart is…”

She stopped right in the middle of the road looking down, and then looked up, smiling at the large sign that said “Krispy Kreme” before her. She didn't even care that she was currently holding up traffic at the moment. This was a major victory.

Celestia was going to be so proud of her.

“Hey! Twilight!” she heard to her left. She saw Applejack waving to her from a distance.

“Applejack!” Twilight said happily. She skipped over to her with a big smile on her face, “I found the Crystal Heart!”

“Wait, are ya serious?” Applejack asked. Twilight nodded vigorously.

“I asked Fluttershy to tell me if Ponyville was on a ley line. A ley line is a stream of energy connecting two or more important points. But that's not important right now, sorry. Anyway, Fluttershy told me that Ponyville is on a very important ley line that intersects with two more, so I asked her to give me a map of the intersecting points and-”

“Whoa whoa whoa! Slow down girl. First off, you have Fluttershy's number?” Applejack asked.

“Yes. I asked for it after our last-” Twilight cut herself off with a thought, “I should text her that we're meeting at the Everfree Forest.”

“You should text her that we're meetin at the Everfree Forest,” Applejack repeated nodding.

Twilight immediately pulled out her phone and typed her text message, sending it.

“So, anyway,” Twilight said, “Short answer, I was able to pinpoint the exact location of where the Crystal Heart is,” Twilight said, “Celestia is going to be so proud of me!”

“Well alright then,” Applejack said smiling, “This is good information. Let's share it with Celestia an' Spike once we get to the castle,” Twilight's phone chimed at that instant, “That's probably Fluttershy.”

Twilight pulled out her phone and read the message.

Figured. I'm here now with Pinkie Pie. Rarity's on her way too.

“Fluttershy is already there,” Twilight said, “Let's go too.”

Applejack nodded, and both of them ran to the Everfree Forest. Hopefully this time they'd be able to get a little closer to morphing.

“So that girl is the new Blue Ranger…” Luna said, hiding behind a tree, “Master, she knows where the Crystal Heart is.”

Good… this bodes well for us…

Have her guide us to it…

“And then,” Luna leaned close to the tree as if hugging it, “I'll kill her and the other Power Rangers.”

To say that Celestia was happy that Twilight located the Crystal Heart was an understatement. She literally began laughing euphorically flying around the chamber. It was both sweet, and sort of scary, especially to Applejack who was slowly beginning to realize more and more that Celestia was indeed a real life ghost.

However, it wasn't all happiness today. Turned out both Celestia and Spike saw the news report and confirmed that it was indeed Luna who was doing the killings. As such there was a tense air around the castle chamber. The girls all applied themselves even more into their training, which all five of them were showing real improvement. Even Twilight was now fighting a little better.

It was break time now, and Spike decided to show the girls something else in hopes of inspiring them, and thus lead them all into the room on the right. Here they saw pictures lining the walls of different teams in varying armors.

“Hey, these guys look sort of like ninjas!” Pinkie Pie said looking at one team of Power Rangers.

“That's the style of rangers used on the planet Aquatar,” Spike said, “Like I said, every planet has a Crystal heart, and with it, their own set of Power Rangers.”

“Are they all female too?” Rarity asked.

“Yep,” Spike said, “All of the Power Ranger teams in this galaxy are female.”

“Why is that?” Applejack asked, “I mean, seriously, why only women?”

“It's because of the nature of the magic used,” Spike explained, leading the girls down a long hall, “Men may be stronger on average, but women tend to have more powerful emotions. The Power Coins take those emotions and personifies them. Once you bonded with the Power Coins, you were infused with magic that increased your hormonal level, allowing your emotions to become strong enough where the Power Coins could turn them into power.”

“You said on the hormonal level,” Twilight stated, “Is that why our bodies changed so much?”

“That, along with the Power Coins intentionally bringing all of you to peak human strength,” Spike continued, “The magic is the source, but it's all on your bodies and how they choose to react to it.”

“That explains a lot…” Fluttershy pouted, rubbing her arm and looking away.

“This is also why we're working so hard to train you,” Spike said, “You can't rely on the magic of the Power Coins when you're out there. You have to know what you're doing. Ah, here we are.”

Spike stopped and raised his hands to present to the girls the craziest sight. Five giant mechs, each of different colors and shaped like a different animal. The red robot was shaped like a t-rex with two guns on it's back, the blue robot looked like a triceratops shaped tank, the black one was clearly a mammoth or something similar, the yellow one was obviously a saber toothed tiger, and the pink robot was a little smaller than the others, but looked like a fighter jet shaped like a pterodactyl.

“Whoa…” Applejack said, all of them looking up.

“Alright, not going to lie…” Fluttershy said, “That's sort of cool.”

“Let me guess, they're ours, aren't they?” Pinkie Pie asked, “Please tell me they're ours!”

Spike laughed, “Yes Pinkie Pie, these will belong to you once your training is complete. They are called Battle Zords.”

“What are they used for though?” Rarity asked, “I mean, with how powerful we become as Power Rangers I'm assuming, will we need all of this extra power?”

“Go,” Pinkie Pie said pointing to the door, “Leave right now. How dare you question this logic? Will we need giant robots, she asks...”

“Trust me, you'll need them at some point,” Spike said, “Not everything you fight will be human sized, nor will you always be fighting an even amount of enemies. These are in case of emergencies on that scale.”

“But… I've never driven a giant robot before,” Twilight said, “I don't even have a driver's license yet.”

“Don't worry. The Zords connect to you once you're morphed, so you'll know how to drive them,” Spike explained.

“Assuming we even can morph,” Fluttershy fussed.

“I don't know,” Applejack said, “I'm feelin pretty good this time around. Come on, let's get back to work an' give it another shot.”

As they all left, Pinkie Pie stayed behind for a bit and looked up at the Pterodactyl Zord, a smile forming on her face.

“I can't wait to become a Power Ranger,” Pinkie Pie said, “It's going to be so cool being able to fly. This just gets better and better!”

She skipped after her friends, who were all gathering at their pedestals. It was time to attempt morphing one more time. The energy building around the girls was growing, to the point where some of them could feel their clothes becoming lighter.

“This is it…!” Spike said, “They're doing it! They're morphing!”

Celestia held her hands together as if praying and closed her eyes. It was beginning to happen, but all of a sudden the girls could feel a mental block, causing the energy to dissipate.

“No no no no no!” Applejack cried frantically, “Come on y'all! We're almost there!”

Despite her protests though, the energy vanished, leaving all five of them unmorphed and exhausted. Spike groaned holding his head in frustration, but poor Celestia floated off to a seat to sit down, a downcast expression on her face.

“Come on, seriously?!” Rarity fussed, almost sounding on the verge of tears.

“We can't give up,” Applejack stated, “Everyone, let's try it again! Maybe if we give it one more-”

“Just give it a rest, Applejack!” Fluttershy shouted, “This is like the seventh time we've tried this, and we still can't get it! Face it, we're not Power Rangers!”

“But we almost did it that time!” Applejack argued, “We were close! Real close that time!”

“Yeah, and then we hit a big mental block, the same one we always hit!” Fluttershy argued back, “You all felt it, right?! That block was us! We're the problem!”

“Honestly, I'm startin to think that you're the problem!” Applejack shot, walking over to Fluttershy, “I've put up with your pessimistic behavior an' bitchy attitude all week, an' quite frankly I've had it up to here with it!”

“I'm the problem?! How do you know you're not the problem?!” Fluttershy shouted shoving Applejack back, “You're the outsider here! Pinkie Pie, Rarity, even Twilight I know somewhat because of school, but no one here knows a damn thing about you, except that you have a criminal record!”

“At least I'm upfront and contributin’ somethin’ to the team besides more negativity! I ain't even sure you wanna be a Power Ranger!”

“Guess what, I don't! I never wanted to be a stupid Power Ranger, but then I got wrapped up in your craziness and had my life turned upside down! Everything was perfect before you showed up!”

As they continued arguing, Twilight once again crouched down and covered her ears, closing her eyes tightly.

“I didn't turn your life upside down! You were the one who chose to follow me, an' this ain't fun for me either! But I figure instead of cryin’ about stuff I can't control, I'd try an' adjust! Somethin’ that you seem intent on refusin’ to do!”

“You know what? Maybe it is me! Maybe I am the problem! If that's the case, then I'm leaving!” Fluttershy turned to the stairs, “I never want to see you bitches again!”

“Wait!” Pinkie Pie shouted running in Fluttershy's way and holding her arms out, “We can't do this without you!”

“You better get out of my way, or I'll make you move!” Fluttershy seethed.

“I'm not letting you abandon the team!” Pinkie Pie said, “If we just talk this over-”

“There's nothing to talk over! It's done, we failed!” Fluttershy fussed.

“We only fail if we give up,” Rarity added.

“Then I give up! When will you get it? I'm over this! Now one more time, get out of my way!”

“If she wants to leave, then let her!” Applejack shot, “We don't need someone like her if all she's gonna do is challenge everythin’ we're tryin’ to do!”

“This isn't getting us anywhere, and all we're doing is upsetting Twilight,” Rarity said, “Let's all just calm-”

“Oh my God, Twilight again?! She has even less reason to be here!” Fluttershy exclaimed, “If she can barely handle an argument, she's going to be the first one to die, and quite frankly, I'm sick of everyone coddling Twilight! She can just have a nervous breakdown for all I care!”

“Alright, that's it!” Applejack shouted. She lunged at Fluttershy, and the two of them started actually fighting, while both Pinkie Pie and Rarity struggled to separate them. Twilight moaned loudly before shooting up and running to the fight.

“STOP IT!” she shouted, actually pushing everyone away. At the same time there was a flash of blue light, and when it died down, everyone stopped and turned to Twilight, staring at her in awe.

“W-what…?” Rarity said.

“Twilight…?” Pinkie Pie asked. Twilight, apparently calming down a bit, looked around at the group in confusion.

“What?” Twilight asked, “Why are you all looking at me like that?”

“Twilight… ya did it…” Applejack said with a soft smile. Even Fluttershy looked awestruck at Twilight, who was no longer wearing her previous attire. She was now clad in blue and silver armor. It was a full body suit, one that hugged her body tightly, with connecting boots that were slightly heeled. In the center of the chest in between her breasts was a large glowing crystal. Finally, the helmet covered her entire head, and consisted of a black visor with a blue section coming down like a triceratops horn, and a silver mouth guard shaped like a woman's lips.

Twilight looked at her hands, shocked to see the armored gloves. She then looked around her entire body had been altered.

“I did it…! I morphed! I MORPHED!!!” Twilight cheered, “This is so cool!” before anyone could say anything else though, the armor fazed off her, replaced with her original clothes, “Aww…”

“But that proves it,” Rarity pointed out, “We can do this.”

“No,” Spike pointed out, “It proves that Twilight can do this.”

All five of them slowly turned to Spike, as they had completely forgotten that he and Celestia were still in the room. Spike looked pissed and Celestia was actually crying.

“Oh dear…” Rarity sighed.

“Are… we in trouble…?” Pinkie Pie asked.

“So far, Twilight is the only one to exhibit any semblance of what it means to be a Power Ranger!” Spike shouted, “The rest of you? So far all you act like are a bunch of self entitled children! This isn't a game! Didn't you see on your news stations?! Luna is out there killing people as we speak, and instead of trying to shape up, you all have petty fights among yourselves! If the original Rangers could see you right now, they'd be rolling in their graves!”

All of them looked down in shame at his words. Even Twilight, who didn't even know how she did it.

“If this is our only hope against Luna, then I fear for the planet,” Spike said somberly, “Get out. Class is dismissed.”

“Now hold on one-” Applejack started.

“I said get out!” Spike ordered, “None of you are ready, and I don't know if we have time to make you ready at this point.”

“Celestia, come on!” Applejack said desperately, “Talk to him! Tell him to give us more time!”

“I'm sorry, but I need to be alone right now,” Celestia said, rising and floating off, vanishing in a hazy mist. That hurt them more than any of Spike's words.

“Hey,” Rarity said putting her hand on Applejack's shoulder, “Let's… just go.”

All of the girls turned to leave one by one, but Twilight stayed behind briefly looking back at where Celestia vanished before running after everyone. Applejack, before leaving herself, grimaced in frustration, anger, and shame before stomping her foot and walking after her “team”. A psychopath was out on a killing spree, and the only ones who could do anything to stop her could barely even look at each other without tearing each other's faces off…

Chapter 9

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Chapter 9

When they all exited the sacred chamber and returned to the castle, the girls all sat at various parts of the throne room in silence. They really messed up this time, arguing so badly right in front of Celestia and Spike. Celestia looked so sad as she faded away, and while Spike was always hard on them, he had never outright yelled at them like that.

It was no wonder they couldn't morph.

“Can someone say something?” Pinkie Pie asked softly.

“What's there to say?” Rarity asked, “Spike is right. Luna is here now, and we're nowhere near ready.”

“I'm sorry everyone,” Twilight said hugging her knees, “I don't know how I did it. I even tried it again when we got up here, but it's hopeless. I'm hopeless.”

“No, you're not,” Fluttershy sighed, “You're the only one who's got the right idea. If anyone needs to apologize, it's me…”

“I should apologize too…” Applejack added, “I shouldn't have attacked you like that, Fluttershy,” she laughed sadly, “All I do is attack. Some leader, huh?” Applejack looked up at the moonlit sky, “I guess… in the end I am jus' a screw up.”

“No, you guys at least have valid feelings,” Pinkie Pie said, sitting down in the throne and kicking her legs out, “I forgot how serious this is. So far, all I've been doing is playing.”

“Well, it doesn't matter now, does it?” Rarity asked folding her arms and leaning against a pillar, “We fucked up, big time. I wouldn't be surprised if they never wanted to see us again after that.”

“What is that mental block we keep hittin?” Applejack asked, “It don't make any sense. We're tryin our best, we're thinkin about each other when we morph. I know I'm thinkin about y'all.”

“I think about you all the time,” Twilight said, “But I can't morph on command.”

“The issue is, we don't care about each other,” Rarity said, “I mean, can we really say that we'd ever hang out with each other if not for this?”

Pinkie Pie looked around trying to answer one way, but then shook her head, “Nope, sorry. I mean, you girls are cool and all, but… I don't think anyone here besides Twilight would like anime.”

“I've never watched it,” Twilight said with a sigh, “I'm always either on my computer, or playing a video game.”

Pinkie Pie sighed, “See? That proves it.”

Fluttershy looked to the side a bit rubbing her arm and then closed her eyes, “Follow me.”

“Where are we goin’?” Applejack asked.

“Someplace where we can fix our issue,” Fluttershy said, “This is a special place to me so…”

Instead of finishing her sentence, Fluttershy walked off. Twilight, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, and Applejack all looked at each other, and then followed after Fluttershy. The walk to wherever she was taking them was silent, and she was leading them deeper into the Everfree Forest. Eventually, they all came to what looked like a small cave. The inside of it was surprisingly pretty, as it was lined with moss and the ground was covered in a bed of soft green grass. In the center of the cave was a circle of stones surrounding a pile of wood, and nearby was a blanket that looked like it had been burned a few times, probably to put out fires.

“Well, here we are…” Fluttershy said awkwardly, “Make yourselves at home, I guess.”

“This place is so pretty,” Pinkie Pie said as they all walked in and sat down.

“The décor is surprisingly nice,” Rarity pointed out, “Almost like a home.”

“That's the idea,” Fluttershy said taking a deep breath, “My parents don't practice wicca, so I need a place where I can safely worship, cast spells, and just… be alone.”

She reached behind a stone and pulled out a box of matched, and used one to light the fire in the middle. She then walked to another section of the cave, grabbing a handful of a shimmering powder from a bag and throwing it into the fire, not only making it shoot up a bit, but also causing a relaxing sweet scent to emanate from the middle.

“That feels really nice,” Twilight said with a relaxed smile, “What is it?”

“It's a special herb that I ground into a powder,” Fluttershy explained sitting down by the fire with everyone, “It relaxes both the mind and body.”

“This must be hard for ya,” Applejack said looking around, “This place looks like it's important to ya, so invitin’ the four of us here…”

“It… is,” Fluttershy admitted, “But… I figured I owed you this much after, you know…”

“You're letting us into a place close to your heart,” Rarity said, “That means a lot, Fluttershy.”

Fluttershy nodded, hugging her knees tightly.

“So… we're here now,” Applejack said, “Now what?”

“We need to get to know each other,” Twilight said, “So far we only know each other at face value, but I think to morph on command, we need to know each other on a deeper level.”

“You only know us on a shallow level, and you still managed,” Fluttershy pointed out. Twilight looked down and rubbed her leg.

“I… think that was just luck,” Twilight admitted, “I was scared because… I didn't want to lose any of you. I've never had real friends before, but since becoming Power Rangers I became friends with the four of you.”

“I know you and Applejack are friends,” Rarity said, “but you mean me, Pinkie Pie, and Fluttershy too?”

Twilight nodded as if it were obvious, “Before all I ever did was go to school, get bullied by Sunset, do my homework, go home, and then play by myself. But now,” her expression lit up, “I get to come here and hang out with other girls my age. I've never had a reason to leave out my house before, and I really like spending time with all of you.”

Fluttershy closed her eyes pained, “I don't know how you don't have more friends. You're probably the nicest person I've ever met. Especially if you think of me as a friend…”

“Why are you so standoffish anyway?” Pinkie Pie asked, “I mean, you actively push everyone away.”

“I'll tell you,” she looked at Applejack, “If she tells us why she has a record.”

“Ya jus' want me to lay it all bare, huh?” Applejack asked.

“If you're going to be the leader, I think we deserve to know,” Fluttershy said, adjusting to rest elegantly on her side and leaning forward a bit, “So go on. Tell us why you're wearing that ankle brace that apparently doesn't work.”

Twilight raised her hand slightly, “That was me. I did that, just so you know.”

“Actually, why don't we all do that,” Fluttershy said looking around at the group, “Tell us all something that you don't want anyone else to know.”

“Ooh! Ooh! Let me go first!” Pinkie Pie cheered, “Can it? Can I please!”

“I don't think any of us would mind it if someone else went first,” Rarity said laughing awkwardly.

“I… could have gone first…” Twilight said quietly.

“Alright, so… I don't live with my parents,” Pinkie Pie said, “I live with my big sister, Maud in her small apartment. She's the best, you know. I mean, seriously, Maud is the best big sister in the world!” Pinkie Pie smiled brightly, but then wilted, “But… I rarely ever see her. That's one of the reasons I'm able to stay out like this. She's only ever comes home a few times a week. Every other time she's at work.”

“So… you're always alone?” Rarity asked.

“Pretty much,” Pinkie Pie said with a sigh, “That's why I immerse myself in anime and comics. By distracting myself with the fantasy world, I can forget about how lonely it is in the real world.”

“I can go next,” Rarity said, “It's not a big one. Nothing at all like Pinkie Pie's. But… my accent? It's fake.”

“So… you're not British?” Twilight asked. Rarity shook her head laughing.

“Actually, I'm from Manehatten,” Rarity said, her voice now sounding American, “I talk like a Brit because well… Brits are sexy. I'm wearing false eyelashes, too,” she took a deep breath, “So yeah, everything about “Easy Rare” is really just… an act.”

Applejack briefly looked at Rarity and frowned. Something about that didn't feel right.

“I'll go next,” Twilight said raising her hand, “I um… have a big crush on Sunset's boyfriend, Flash Sentry.”

“Um, no offense Twilight, but that's common knowledge in the school,” Pinkie Pie said giggling, “No one speaks about it, but a lot of students know.”

“Yeah, even I could tell,” Applejack said.

“I figured more people knew,” Twilight said, “But what they don't know… is how badly I like him.”

“Are we talking stalker with a crush levels, or something more… hot and heavy?” Fluttershy asked.

“The latter,” Twilight admitted blushing, “I… use thoughts of him to get to sleep at night. They help me… r-relax…”

Rarity smirked at Twilight, “You masturbate to him, don't you?” Twilight's eyes went wide.

“W-what?! Um…. W-well I uh…”

“Oh my God, you do!” Rarity said, laughing a bit and covering her mouth in shock. Everyone was looking at Twilight with shocked smiles.

“Damn girl, I didn't think you were the type.” Applejack said patting Twilight on the back.

“Not going to lie, that's kind of hot.” Fluttershy admitted.

Twilight looked down bashfully, “Next person please.”

“Well, I'm the last one, right?” Applejack asked, “I mean, before the big one. So… how I got on house arrest. I guess it started a few weeks ago after my… Dad died…”

Everyone looked surprised to hear that.

“Oh dear,” Rarity said, “Your father passed away so recently?”

“Y-yeah…” Applejack said looking into the fire, “He an' I were super close. He called me his princess. My hat actually belonged to him before he died. He was sick, leukemia I think.”

“Ooh, that's bad,” Pinkie Pie said wincing, “I hear that's like, super painful.”

“It is,” Applejack said, her eyes watering a bit, “He was always in pain, but he fought through it. One day though, he couldn't fight anymore. He died on the way to the hospital. I was in school at the time, but I could feel it. I knew he was dead. First my Ma… an' then my Pa…” Applejack closed her eyes tightly to hold in her tears, “My relatives wouldn't leave me alone after that! Everyone kept tryin’ to talk to me, ask me if I was okay! I was sick of it! I wasn't okay! I'm not okay! My Dad is gone, and I'll never be held by him again!”

For a few seconds everyone was silent, just looking at Applejack in shock as the normally strong teenager completely broke down before them.

“I was so angry,” Applejack continued, “I knew it was wrong, but I didn't care! I broke into the school at night, and just started vandalizin’ the whole place! I don't even know why I did it! I jus'… couldn't take havin’ everyone coddle me! The police showed up, an' sent me to juvie. I thought it was over but… my Grandma showed up at the center. Apparently my dad's will said she was responsible for me now. She vouched for me, an' convinced the judge to let me finish my year long sentence under house arrest.”

“And that's when you came here to Ponyville,” Twilight said. As Applejack continued to cry, Rarity scooted next to her and leaned into her lovingly.

“So there ya have it,” Applejack sobbed, “I ain't some hero. I'm jus' a punk little kid who don't know how to process grief, an' did somethin’ stupid to basically ruin my life.”

“Applejack…” Pinkie Pie said sadly. Fluttershy took a deep breath and turned away.

“Sorry for how I acted before,” Fluttershy said, “You think you have issues, and then you hear someone else's troubles and your like 'fuck, I'm a bitch!' you know? That's… how I feel right now.”

“I kept my end of the deal,” Applejack said, wiping her eyes and pulling herself together, “So it's your turn now. What's your issue with all of us?”

“I don't have an issue with anyone,” Fluttershy said softly, “I just… know how this is going to turn out. First off, my family? They're not my real family. I'm adopted. Rarity knows that part.”

“She told me yesterday,” Rarity added.

“So… when you said that your brother made lewd comments about your body after the change…” Pinkie Pie said.

“I guess he figures since I'm not his biological sister it's okay,” Fluttershy stated, “It isn't, but he's not the point here. See, apparently I'm a rape child.”

Rarity frowned at that, “A rape child? I don't follow.”

“It's simple. My Mom was raped, and I was conceived,” Fluttershy explained, “After I was born, she put me up for adoption because she didn't want me. That really messes with a kid's head, you know? Knowing that the second they're born they're not wanted. Knowing that their birth wasn't even meant to happen. So I ended up with serious mental problems. Worst one… being anthrophobic.”

“What… in tarnation is that?” Applejack asked.

“Anthrophobia, a pathological fear of being around people,” Twilight explained, “It often manifests as high levels of timidity within the person.”

“So… when we met you…” Rarity started, “You were actually afraid of us…?”

Fluttershy nodded, “Still am to a degree. There was only one person besides my adopted family who didn't set off my internal alarms. She was a girl my age, and my best friend. Her name was Rainbow Dash. She was the opposite of me in everything. Where I was clumsy, she was athletic. Where I was always picked on, everyone loved her. Where I was super quiet, she always spoke loudly and with confidence. And finally… where I was afraid all the time, she was never afraid,” Fluttershy looked up with a soft smile, “I loved her so much. She protected me, and let me know that I'd always have a friend.”

“I don't like how you keep mentioning her in the past tense,” Pinkie Pie said nervously.

“She's… not dead… is she?” Twilight asked.

“I don't know,” Fluttershy admitted, “One day though, she was just… gone.”

“Gone?” Applejack asked, “Like, how so?”

“Like she wasn't there anymore!” Fluttershy fussed, tears falling freely from her eyes, “She didn't tell me anything! Her house was just empty one day! Not a phone call, a letter, or anything! I DIDN'T EVEN GET TO SAY GOODBYE!”

When she fell to the ground and broke down, everyone was shocked. But also, they got it, as their expressions all changed to ones of understanding.

“That sent me even deeper into myself!” Fluttershy continued, “I avoided everyone, and just wanted to fade into the background and be forgotten! That way no one would ever be my friend again! It worked for seven years…” she sat up and grabbed her breasts, “until these came in! Everyone was looking at me! Judging me! Probably wanting to talk to me! I couldn't take it! So I left school, and had my adopted Mom arrange so I could do my lessons at home!” Fluttershy held her head and curled up tightly still sobbing as she spoke, “But it's getting worse! My fears are coming back, but they're stronger than ever now! I have nightmares every night, and just thinking about going back to school is-” she cut herself off with loud sobs, which eventually turned into full on screams.

She was actually terrified now.

Rarity reacted immediately, shooting up and embracing Fluttershy tightly.

“Shh… Shh… it's alright, darling,” Rarity said softly, “No one here is going to hurt you.”

“I'm sorry if I seemed pushy sometimes, Fluttershy,” Twilight said, “I don't know how to approach people, so if I ever upset you, I'm sorry.”

“Yeah, ya got me beat,” Applejack said rubbing the back of her neck, “I thought I had it bad. Most of my issues are ones of my makin. You're almost a prisoner in your own mind though.”

“Makes sense why you didn't want to be a Power Ranger now,” Pinkie Pie said, “You were afraid of all of us.”

“That's why you were always so mean to us, isn't it?” Rarity said cupping Fluttershy's cheek, “You were trying to get us to leave you.”

“I don't know what else to do…!” Fluttershy sobbed, “My fears won't go away no matter what…!”

“For starters, you can try trustin’ us more,” Applejack said, “We ain't perfect, but we're not gonna leave ya.”

“I can't believe that,” Fluttershy said sadly, “I know it's not true. Once I let you in completely, and trust you, you'll disappear too. I'd rather have no friends at all than to go through that again…”

“But… you can always make more friends,” Twilight said, catching Fluttershy's attention, “That's what I'll do.”

“What… you'll do…?” Fluttershy asked.

“I might be a little different, but I'm not stupid,” Twilight said honestly, “I know one day we'll all have to go our separate ways, and I'll be sad when that happens. But until then, I'll enjoy having my best friends with me while they're here. And when you all leave, I'll try to make new friends, while still keeping my old friends close to my heart.”

“Make new friends, but keep the old,” Applejack said, “One is silver, and the other is gold. Sides, if Rainbow Dash were here, how would she react to seein’ ya close yourself off like this?”

“She'd… be really angry at me…” Fluttershy said looking down somberly, “She hated seeing me alone… so she'd drag me along with everything she did, even if it was something I didn't like. She'd say… 'I don't want to leave you alone with your thoughts'…”

“I don't know why this Rainbow Dash left, but she doesn't sound like a bad person at all,” Rarity said, “Actually, she sounds like a truly loyal friend.”

“I hope we get to meet her one day,” Pinkie Pie said, “Hey! Maybe after we fight off Luna, we can help you search for her!”

“I can probably track her down on my computer,” Twilight said.

“Why…?” Fluttershy asked looking around at the group with her, “Why are you all doing this…?”

“Because like it or not, we're a team now,” Applejack said with a soft smile, “That means we're friends now too.”

“No one can know what will happen in the future,” Rarity said, “But trust that while we're here, we'll always protect you.”

“I… I'll try…” Fluttershy said, “I can't promise that I'll be okay right away but… I can at least try.”

“So now that we did that, there's only one thing left to do,” Pinkie Pie smirked, “Tell scary stories around the campfire.”

“Do friends do that sort of stuff too?” Twilight asked.

“Yep yep! All the time, Twilight!” Pinkie Pie said, “And boy do I have one for you guys.”

As the night went on, the five of them told stories, laughed, and joked about various things. By the end as they all started making their way home, everyone could feel it. They had succeeded in somehow becoming actual friends.

Chapter 10

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Chapter 10

Fluttershy returned to her house late at night, so everyone was still asleep. For the first time in a long time, she felt like she was beginning to feel like she actually had some friends. She wondered what Rainbow Dash would say to her if she knew how many friends she had apparently made.

She walked into her room, preparing to lie down, but stopped when she saw someone lying on her bed, relaxing. It was a woman with long wavy blue hair and wearing a dark green bodysuit and high heeled boots. At her side was a broadsword, still in its sheath.

“Hello, Yellow Ranger,” the woman said with a sinister yet calm smile. Fluttershy knew immediately who she was, and knowing that she came to her DIRECTLY was terrifying.

“You're, Luna…” Fluttershy said softly. Her heart leapt out of her chest when the woman nodded.

“Please, shut the door and come in,” Luna requested, “Let me get a good look at you.”

She did not want to know what would happen if she didn't do what she told her to do, so she swallowed nervously and stepped inside, shutting the door. Luna smirked and slowly sat up, every motion etched in sensuality.

“Just like Clover…” Luna said, “I can sense such purity within your heart.”

“I'll scream,” Fluttershy stated, “If you don't leave right now, I'll scream and let my parents know you're here.”

“Oh goodie!” Luna said, looking genuinely excited, “That way I get to kill them too! Go on Yellow Ranger. Scream for me. Scream at the top of your lungs!”

Fluttershy's started trembling looking at Luna. She was truly insane, but Fluttershy knew that she was trapped. If she called anyone, she'd kill them without a second thought.

“No?” Luna asked tilting her head before giving an almost adorable pout, “That's no fun.”

“W-w-what do you want…?” Fluttershy asked.

“I need a Ranger to lure out the other Rangers,” Luna said, rising and sauntering over to Fluttershy, “I figured that the best one to approach would be you though. After all, you seem the most reluctant of your group.”

“W-what do you mean…?” Fluttershy asked.

“I saw them,” Luna said, “Rather, I saw two of them, and one of them has something that I want. Something that you're going to help me get.”

“What if I refuse?” Fluttershy asked, trying her best to look defiant. In response, Luna caressed her cheek lovingly.

“Refuse? Yellow Ranger, you seem to be confused here. I'm not asking you to help me of your own accord,” Luna leaned in close speaking into her ear, “I'm here to kidnap you.”

Luna licked Fluttershy's cheek, making the poor teen almost jump out of her skin. She was so close to her, and kept touching her. But unlike Applejack and the others, this woman meant harm. She was a killer, and right now Fluttershy was completely at her mercy. She closed her eyes, silently crying and begging for someone to come to her rescue.

Applejack, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Twilight, please help me…!

I don't want to die…!

When Applejack came home, she worried that she'd be in trouble. It was so late, and there was no way she'd be able to pass this off even with Apple Bloom covering for her. When she got inside though, she saw that everyone was asleep already.

“Damn…” Applejack sighed, “I suppose I'll have some serious explanin’ to do in the mornin.”

She walked into the kitchen, and saw a note left on the table. Afraid, she walked over to it and read it, recognizing the fancy but legible handwriting of her Grandmother.

Dear Applejack,

I hope you got in safely. It's real dangerous out there right now, so you need to be careful. But I know that whatever you're doing is for a good cause. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise; you're a good kid, Applejack.

I left some dinner in the fridge. It's your favorite, so have as much as you want. I love you, Applejack. You remind me so much of your father it's sometimes terrifying. Please be safe, and no matter what, always come home.

With love,
Granny Smith

Applejack was floored. Did her grandmother know all this time that she was breaking curfew? Why hadn't she scolded her or called the police? Wasn't that what she was supposed to do? She walked to the fridge and saw a big pan of lasagna inside. There was still a lot too.

Seeing that made Applejack feel really guilty. She had said and thought some pretty rotten things about her family, and yet it was clear that her Grandmother was looking out for her. She didn't even know about the whole Ranger thing, and she just knew that Applejack was a good person.

She looked out through the window and saw someone quickly run to the house, and jump really high up. She knew immediately who that was, as she somehow had a feeling that she'd be making an appearance today.

Before putting some lasagna in the oven, Applejack quietly made her way upstairs to her room, where she saw just who she thought would be there. This time though, she was just sitting on Applejack's bed looking down, almost like she was about to cry.

“I had a feelin' you'd be here tonight,” Applejack said, “I left the window open jus' for you.”

“Thank you…” Rarity said, her voice soft and without the British flair.

“Ya wanna come downstairs?” Applejack asked, “My folks 're asleep, so it'll jus' be the two of us. I can heat up dinner for both of us if ya want.”

“That sounds, lovely…” Rarity said. She seemed a little odd right now, and it was worrying Applejack. Still, she could tell that there was something up with her.

Without a word, Rarity followed Applejack downstairs back into the kitchen. Applejack then cut two squares of lasagna for both of them and put them in the oven to heat up. All while she did this, Rarity stayed quiet, resting her head and arms on the dining room table with a depressed look on her face.

“So, what's up?” Applejack asked after a few minutes, “Ya ain't yer usual self. Normally yer all flirtatious an' sensual, so seein ya so quiet is… unnervin'.”

Rarity took a deep breath, “I'm a coward.”

“Come again?” Applejack asked.

“Today, at Fluttershy's sanctuary, I wanted to tell everyone my real secret, but I chickened out at the last minute.” Rarity explained.

“I sorta figured,” Applejack said folding her arms, “That secret ya shared wasn't what I was thinkin' you'd share.”

“You mean it wasn't the one you wanted to hear, right?” Rarity asked looking up at Applejack, “You see right through me, don't you.”

“Somethin' is up,” Applejack stated, “I can't put my finger on it, but I can jus' tell that this ain't the real you. Not jus' the accent though. I mean the whole shebang. The hair, the makeup, the sexy clothes, none of it is real. You may be “Easy Rare”, but she ain't you.”

Rarity sighed, “Everyone else is honest with you. But me, I'm lying every single day. To you, to my parents, to my peers, to my teachers, worst of all… to myself.”

“Why don't ya start tellin' the truth then?” Applejack asked walking over to the oven to get the lasagna, “Who is 'Rarity'? Cause she sure as hell ain't the same as 'Easy Rare'.”

“Rarity, huh? Well, she's not too different from Easy Rare,” Rarity sat up leaning back in her chair, “She likes fancy clothes that accentuate her figure tastefully, she's a natural violet, is into fashion, art, and dreams of becoming a fashion designer when she grows up. She also enjoys giving to others, even if it means making a sacrifice. Most of all though,” she tightened her fists, “She's not a slut. At least… she wasn't always a slut…”

“So, how did she become a 'slut'?” Applejack asked, setting down their plates and then sitting across from Rarity.

“It started last year,” Rarity said slowly taking her fork and eating, “Back then it was me, Suri Polomare, and Trixie Lulamoon. We were the hottest girls in the school. Well, next to Sunset Shimmer, but she's just a bully.”

“She don't strike me as a big deal,” Applejack said eating her lasagna and listening intently.

“So one day, the three of us were invited to a pool party. It was right before Spring Break, so this was a huge deal. However, someone spiked the punch, and I didn't realize it until I had drank four whole glasses and was well on my way to a fifth.”

“Jesus Christ girl,” Applejack said wide eyed, “I'm surprised ya remember this much.”

“Mostly because of what I was told, but we'll get there,” Rarity said, “So apparently in my drunken stupor, I ended up completely letting myself go and had sex with one of the students. Said student turned out to be Suri's boyfriend. Oh she was pissed. So to get back at me,” she set down her fork and pulled out her cellphone, pulling up a picture and pushing it toward Applejack, “She took this, and spread it all over social media.”

When Applejack saw the picture, she almost threw up. Said picture was of Rarity, sans the white highlight in her hair, wearing a purple bikini that was clearly about to come off, and sucking off a random boy's cock. Horribly enough, in this picture she looked like a slut for real.

“When I returned to school, everyone saw the picture,” Rarity said taking back her phone and continuing to eat her lasagna, “Suri started a rumor that I was “easy” and would suck the cock of any boy that asked me nicely enough. Everyone started approaching me, calling me “Easy Rare”, asking for sexual favors, but no matter what I did, everyone just continued to push it. If not for the Principal stepping in, I would have had to change schools.”

Applejack was speechless, and quietly finished her lasagna, still listening to Rarity's story.

“Then my parents got involved,” Rarity said with a sigh, “My Mom saw the picture, and was outraged. My father was just speechless. I tried telling them that it was just the one time, but Mom was convinced that I was sleeping around in school. No matter what I said, no one believed me,” she started tearing up, “Eventually I just snapped. One student came to me and asked me for a favor, and I did it. I took him into the back alley of the school, and I…”

“Oh God…” Applejack said, covering her mouth in shock, “Why did you do that…?”

“Because I was sick of fighting!” Rarity fussed, careful to keep her voice down as not to wake anyone up, but clearly upset, “No matter what I said, or what I did, everyone judged me! So I stopped trying to convince them! If the world wanted me to be Easy Rare, then I was Easy Rare! I changed my entire image! I dyed the bangs of my hair white, wore the sluttiest outfit I could find, and took that God awful moniker for myself!” she sniffed a bit now crying softly, “So far, I've probably slept with at least fifteen boys on and off from our grade alone. I hate myself for it, and even considered cutting at one point,” she looked at Applejack desperately, “So you see? What they said about me is true. I'm not a good girl, I'm not “Rarity”, and I'm definitely not a Power Ranger. I'm just a slut,” she hugged herself and closed her eyes, “A dirty, rotten slut!”

She then broke down completely, letting out the saddest wail Applejack had ever heard. Fluttershy and Applejack had their own problems, but this girl right here definitely had all of them beat. What was worse though was that this probably wouldn't be fixed quickly if at all. The damage was done, and Rarity's actions afterward only made it worse.

This would stay with Rarity for the rest of her life.

Applejack got up, and walked over to Rarity and hugged her from behind tightly, just letting her cry. She didn't need to hear anything like “it's okay” or “it's going to be alright” because those were all lies. She wasn't going to be okay. She had essentially become an unpaid prostitute in the school, and all because of one mistake at a party, and a bitch who seriously needed a good punch in the face.

After a few minutes, Rarity calmed down a bit. Applejack took their plates and washed them, and then led Rarity to the couch and sat down with her.

“How ya feelin'?” Applejack asked squeezing Rarity's hands.

“Not… good, but a little better…” Rarity said softly, “I'm sorry for losing my composure like that.”

“Ya wanted to tell me for a long while, didn't ya?” Applejack asked. Rarity nodded.

“I was afraid of getting close to you. I knew that you wouldn't want to be anywhere near me once you learned everything about me,” Rarity said sadly, “But I couldn't stay away from you. You were so different from everyone else in my life.”

“How so?” Applejack asked.

“You… called me Rarity,” Rarity said looking into Applejack's eyes, “No one in school ever calls me that anymore. No one except for the teachers, and I can tell even they judge me. But not you. You heard that awful nickname, yet on your first day, you insisted on calling me Rarity.”

“Well, it is your name,” Applejack smiled, “But seriously, ya don't have ta do this anymore.”

“No… I do,” Rarity said sadly, “I've destroyed the person I once was, and became this. I'll never be 'just Rarity' ever again. I'll always be 'Easy Rare'.”

“Maybe ya won't ever be 'jus' Rarity' again, but that don't mean ya can't be someone better,” Applejack lifted Rarity's chin to look her in the eyes, “Remember what I said? You an' I can be even better than who we are today. By becomin' Power Rangers, we'll at least know that we did somethin' worthwhile, an' that in the end, we were heroes.”

“Even if we do this though, our pasts won't disappear,” Rarity said averting her eyes, “You'll still have a criminal record, and I'll still be the school slut.”

“True, but in the end that don't matter,” Applejack said, “All that matters is this,” she then surprised Rarity by leaning in and kissing her softly on the lips.

“A-Applejack…” Rarity said.

“I haven't quite figured out my sexual preferences yet,” Applejack admitted, “But I admit that there's somethin' about you that I can't stay away from. Sides, you want me jus' as badly as I want you, right?”

“I… I don't know if I'm ready…” Rarity said, “To go from sleeping with multiple guys to being in an exclusive relationship, right now just seems…”

“Then we won't be exclusive,” Applejack said, “Not until you're ready. We'll be good friends, an' move at whatever pace you want.”

Rarity looked a little pained, “But… if I wanted to… let's say… do things with you, you wouldn't mind?”

“Like I said,” Applejack said caressing Rarity's cheek, “My window is always open for you.”

Rarity eyes widened, and she then pulled Applejack into another deep kiss, one that this time Applejack returned passionately. Maybe 'friends with benefits' was a good starting point for these two. After all, they clearly-

BEEP BEEP BEEP

“Huh?” Applejack asked breaking the kiss and pulling out her phone. She received a text message from Twilight, one that had a picture as well.

Applejack! It's terrible! Fluttershy is in trouble!

Applejack opened the picture to take a look at it, horrified to see what looked like a selfie. In the selfie was Fluttershy, who was clearly crying in the picture, and a woman with long blue hair and a green body suit. Her eyes looked almost like a dragon's eyes, letting Applejack know immediately who that was.

“Is that, Luna?!” Rarity asked, looking at the picture over Applejack's shoulder.

“I think so,” Applejack said, trying to stay calm, “Come on! We gotta save Fluttershy!”

Rarity didn't even question it. Immediately they shot up and ran out of the house, calling Twilight and Pinkie Pie to meet up.

They met up at the pier and all ran in. Multiple times Pinkie Pie tried to call Fluttershy, but with no avail. Everyone was frantic as they gathered in the middle of the warehouse area.

“Damn it!” Applejack shouted, “Is there any place that we didn't check?”

“This place is so big!” Rarity fussed, “Do we even know that she's here?”

“She could be anywhere!” Pinkie Pie cried, “Shoot! Why won't she pick up!”

“Girls!” they heard Fluttershy cry from inside the nearby warehouse.

“Fluttershy!” Applejack cried, she and the others running inside, where they saw Fluttershy sitting on the floor, her wrists tied to a pole behind her.

“No!” Fluttershy cried frantically, “Don't come here! You have to run!”

“It's a little too late for that, Yellow Ranger,” another voice said. They saw Luna saunter into view before them, wearing her skimpy Ranger Armor, stopping next to Fluttershy and petting her head like a pet, “Welcome, Power Rangers.”

“So… you're Luna?” Twilight asked.

“Indeed,” Luna said, “I am Luna, the Green Ranger. I can't understand what Celestia was thinking. Giving the Power Coins to a group of children. Either she has a master plan even I don't understand, or this was just a terrible accident.”

“Shut up!” Rarity demanded, “Let Fluttershy go, or else-” she was cut off by Luna laughing loudly.

“I'm so afraid!” she said, “Please, don't hurt me, Black Ranger!”

“Rarity, good job,” Twilight whispered, “I think we're breaking her.”

“Ugh, she's, making fun of us, dear.” Rarity groaned. Twilight thought about that and the frowned at Luna.

“That wasn't nice, Luna!” Twilight fussed.

“How about this?” Luna said, “You girls want me to release the Yellow Ranger, right? Then come over here and challenge me yourself.”

“No!” Fluttershy cried, “Please, just leave me here! She's too powerful!”

“Aw, you don't want your friends to save you?” Luna asked shoving Fluttershy's head a bit, “How noble of you. But why don't we let them decide? After all, if they run away,” she pulled out her sword and pointed it at Fluttershy's neck, “I'll just kill you.”

“Oh no you don't!” Applejack shouted. All four of them rushed at Luna, who smirked arrogantly. What happened next was too fast. She grabbed Applejack by the neck, kicked Rarity in the stomach before slamming Applejack onto the ground. When Twilight approached, Luna rose up and did a spin kick, knocking her back, and then backhanded Pinkie Pie.

In only a few seconds, all four of them were lying on the ground.

“How unfortunate,” Luna said, pacing around the girls, “I expected you to put up more of a fight than this.”

“She's on a different level…” Pinkie Pie moaned.

“There's no way we can beat her like this…” Rarity groaned.

“I could kill all of you now,” Luna said, “But, I need some information first.”

“Information…?” Applejack asked.

“You see, one of you girls knows where the Crystal Heart is,” Luna said, “Either she steps up and tells me, or I'll start killing you one by one.”

Pinkie Pie roared in anger and charged at Luna, who immediately grabbed her by the neck.

“PINKIE PIE!” they all cried at the same time.

Luna sighed, “You know, all you had to do was ask me, and I'd kill you.”

“No!” Twilight cried, “I'll tell you!”

Luna stopped and turned to Twilight, “Oh?”

“Twilight, what are you doin’?!” Applejack cried.

“I'm saving Pinkie Pie!” Twilight cried, forcing herself to her feet.

Luna tilted her head with an intrigued smile, threw Pinkie Pie onto the ground, and then motioned with her finger for Twilight to approach her. Twilight took a deep breath and then slowly walked over to Luna.

“Well?” Luna asked, “Where is it?”

“Let my friends go, and I'll tell you,” Twilight said nervously.

“Very well,” Luna said, “I will let them live, child. Now tell me where the Crystal Heart is.”

“It's in shopping district of Ponyville,” Twilight said slowly, “Right in front of the Krispy Kreme.”

“Krispy Kreme…?” Luna asked looking to the side, “Oooh, that place must be very important. Thank you for your honesty, Blue Ranger.”

As Luna caressed Twilight's cheek, the young girl closed her eyes trembling, “You'll keep your promise, right? My friends and I can go free?”

“Oh sweetheart…” Luna said sweetly, “If only Green represented honesty.”

Twilight's eyes widened, as did everyone else's eyes at the sight of Luna's blade going through Twilight's stomach.

“TWILIGHT!!!!” everyone cried. Twilight looked at Luna, confused and hurt.

“W-why…?” Twilight asked, tears falling from her eyes, “You're… a Power Ranger…”

“I have the Green Power Coin, but let's get something clear,” Luna leaned in close to Twilight, “I'm not a Power Ranger anymore,” Luna pulled her sword out, letting Twilight fall to the ground. She then did something odd, causing her hair to spread out and wrap around Applejack, Pinkie Pie, and Rarity.

“Stop!” Fluttershy begged pulling at her bindings, “You promised Twilight!”

“You think I'm going to pass this up?” Luna asked, “I killed the Blue Ranger, which is worth 100 points! This brings my quota up to an even 200! If I kill the rest of you all, I'll go over my main goal!”

“What are we going to do?!” Pinkie Pie asked frantically.

“I can't get free!” Rarity exclaimed, struggling against Luna's hair. Applejack pulled at the hair binding her, looking at Twilight lying on the ground, the life slowly leaving her.

“Please hold on, Twilight!” Applejack cried desperately, “Don't die, please!”

Fluttershy frantically pulled at her bindings, screaming in frustration. Right before Luna could finish all of them off, a loud barking was heard from outside. Luna looked to see Spike in his wolf form rushing at her, latching onto her arm and forcing her to release the Rangers.

“Rarity, untie Fluttershy! Pinkie Pie, help me get Twilight!” Applejack ordered. Rarity ran over to Fluttershy and untied her while Spike and Luna fought.

“We have to help Twilight!” Fluttershy said once Rarity untied her. She and Rarity ran over to Twilight, helping Applejack and Pinkie Pie lift her up and carry her out of the warehouse. Once they were outside and far away from where Luna and Spike were fighting, they laid her down on the ground.

“Twilight! Twilight!” Applejack cried, sitting next to Twilight and resting her head on her lap.

Twilight slowly opened her eyes and looked up at Applejack. “Apple…jack…” she breathed out.

“Why did you do that?!” Fluttershy asked, “Why would you tell her where the Crystal Heart was?!”

“I thought… she would let you go…” Twilight stated, “I guess… I messed up… again… I told you… I'd be a terrible… Power… Ranger…”

“No, not at all!” Rarity cried, “You're the only one who showed your virtue from the beginning! You were even able to morph!”

“Please don't die, Twilight!” Pinkie Pie begged, tears falling freely from her eyes.

“I'm… sorry everyone…” Twilight said, “At least… I'm with my… friends…”

“You can't do this…!” Fluttershy seethed, “YOU CAN'T DO THIS TO ME! I LOST RAINBOW DASH! I CAN'T LOSE YOU TOO! DO YOU HEAR ME?! YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED TO DIE!”

Fluttershy completely broke down, prompting Rarity to immediately embrace her tightly, silently crying herself. Applejack didn't even try to hold in her tears, looking at Twilight desperately.

“Please Twilight…!” Applejack sobbed, “Stay with me…!” Twilight smiled at Applejack and reached out to touch her face.

“You're my… best… friends… forever…” Twilight closed her eyes gently as her entire body went limp, her hand falling to the ground lifeless. Pinkie Pie immediately broke down, burying her face in her hands, Fluttershy was crying so hard now that she could barely even stand, forcing Rarity to hold onto her even tighter despite her own devastated tears. Applejack hugged Twilight's body close, and screamed at the top of her lungs. As they all sobbed, Spike slowly limped over to them before falling to the ground. It was Rarity who noticed him.

“Spike!” Rarity cried out running to his aid, “We need to get him back to Celestia!”

“Twilight too,” Applejack said, carrying Twilight's body bridal style as she stood up, “I ain't leavin her body out here like some random corpse!”

Rarity and Pinkie Pie picked up Spike while Applejack carried Twilight, and they all made their way to the Everfree Forest, Fluttershy lagging behind a bit as if in a daze.

“Stupid mutt!” Luna cursed, using her magic to heal her wounds as she stepped out, “The rest of the Rangers escaped because of that intrusion. However,” she looked at her sword, which glowed with a golden energy, “I believe I have enough gold now. It's time to get ready to claim my Crystal Heart.”

She'd take a break from killing, instead going someplace to meditate and prepare to summon her guardian beast. Her mission was almost done, and best of all, the Power Rangers were no longer a threat.

She won the game.

It took a while to reach the ruined castle, mainly because they were carrying two bodies. Still, eventually they arrived in the hidden chamber under the castle, where Spike instantly shifted into his human form.

“Spike!” Celestia's voice cried out from around them. She manifested before them and floated over to the group as Rarity and Pinkie Pie helped him to his feet, “My vassal, are you alright?”

“Y-yeah… I'm okay…” Spike breathed out, “I'm sorry, Your Majesty… I was too late…”

Celestia looked up at Applejack and Fluttershy as they entered, the former carrying Twilight's body. A horrified look appeared on her face before she floated over to them.

“She was tryin’ to protect us…” Applejack said, a continuous stream of tears falling from her eyes, “Luna jus' killed her cause she wanted to…”

“No… Oh no…” Celestia said. Applejack set Twilight down onto the floor and Celestia knelt down next to her, hugging her as she cried, “Why…? Why did she have to die…?”

“It's not fair…” Fluttershy said, sitting in a corner by herself and hugging her knees, “Everyone I care about leaves me… This is why I didn't want to become friends with anyone…”

“But… we're the heroes…” Pinkie Pie said somberly, “We're not supposed to lose…”

“This isn't one of your comic books, Pinkie Pie!” Fluttershy screamed, voice hoarse from crying, “This is real life! Here, the strong live, and the weak die! We were weak!”

For a few seconds to a minute, the only sounds echoing in the room were Celestia's devastated sobs as she cried over Twilight, who looked peaceful and beautiful even in death.

“This is my fault…” Spike said somberly, “Her Majesty sensed Luna was nearby and sent me to protect you. If I had just been a little faster…”

“You came to rescue us…?” Applejack asked, “We thought you had given up on us…”

“No!” Celestia cried, shocking all of them, “Never! I'd never give up on you girls! I was just sad because…” she looked back down at Twilight, “I've seen this before… It was the same with Luna…”

“What do you mean?” Rarity asked.

“Luna was like all of you,” Celestia said, “She was an outcast in society due to her outlook on life. Despite our technology, we were a peaceful race. However, Luna believed that our peace would one day lead us to ruin. She was a warrior, and was very chaotic. I had hoped that becoming a Power Ranger would teach Luna the value of peace and compassion. Alas, it had the opposite effect.

“She grew to resent my way of ruling, and believed that she would have been a better fit for the throne. I tried to reason with her, but she was far too gone. The state of her heart attracted a great evil, and she was twisted into the person you all met earlier. I had hoped to use the surge of power from your first morph to come back to life and reason with her one last time. Like this, I am bound to the castle and forest, but if I could leave… I could possibly…”

“You want to reason with her?!” Rarity asked, “She's a monster!”

“THAT MONSTER IS MY SISTER!” Celestia screamed, shocking everyone. Outside, they could hear that it had started raining. It was almost like the weather was responding to Celestia's state of mind. Being a ghost, that might have been the case.

“No… I get it…”

Everyone turned to Fluttershy of all people.

“Fluttershy?” Applejack asked.

“When Rainbow Dash left me, so many of my peers kept telling me that she abandoned me, and that she wasn't really my friend,” Fluttershy said somberly, “I couldn't ever think bad of her though. Instead, I told myself that she had a good reason for leaving, and I still tell myself that,” she stood up and looked at everyone, “Also, she's like us isn't she? She's an outcast, hated by society for being different. Maybe if Luna had a friend like… like Twilight… she'd have ended up different. I think Celestia is amazing, to still love her sister after everything she's done.”

“That's the kinda love my family gives me,” Applejack said, sitting down on the bench, “My grandmother knows that I'm breakin curfew, yet she don't report me. She knows that I'm doin’ somethin’ important. I used to hate that, but now… I feel grateful.”

“Maud would believe in me,” Pinkie Pie added, sitting down next to Applejack, “If I somehow became an ax crazy killer, she'd probably still love me just like Celestia. Also, Twilight knew our flaws, yet she still called us her best friends.”

Rarity sighed, “Well, when you put it that way, I understand. I'm sort of in the same boat as Luna. Having someone who believes in you no matter what can mean a lot.”

As she spoke, she and Applejack met eyes.

Spike looked in the pool of water and gasped in shock, “Oh no… she's starting!”

Everyone gathered around the pool, which showed Luna thrusting her sword in the ground, and a large army of Putties slowly came out of the ground around her.

“That's a lot of holograms!” Pinkie Pie giggled nervously, voice trembling from fear.

“Those ain't holograms Pinkie Pie,” Applejack said, “Those are the real deal.”

“W-what are we going to do…?” Fluttershy asked, shrinking back.

“Come on, seriously? You don't get it?” Rarity asked, catching everyone's attention, “I say we go back out there and fight!”

“With what?” Fluttershy asked, “What do we have?”

Rarity reached into her bra and pulled out her Power Coin, “We have these!”

“Do you, seriously carry your Power Coin, in your breasts…?” Spike asked, blushing a bit.

“That doesn't matter right now, but yes,” Rarity said, “You all have yours, right?”

“They sorta follow us, remember?” Pinkie Pie asked, “We can't leave them home.”

“Then let's use them! Right now!” Rarity urged.

“But we don't know how to use 'em,” Applejack said, “If we go out there, we're jus' gonna get ourselves killed.”

“Is this any better?!” Rarity asked, “She's not going to ignore this place! We're dead either way! But it's like you're always saying, we're Power Rangers! Twilight had faith in us till the very end, and that's why she's dead! Because she had faith us, and we didn't deserve it!” Rarity closed her eyes and gripped her Power Coin close to her heart, “I'm tired of running, and I'm tired of hiding! Even if this stupid gem doesn't work, I'm going to fight Luna! Even if I lose my life in the process, I'm going to protect Ponyville!”

She didn't notice it, but the Black Power Coin started glowing.

“I… I'm going to!” Fluttershy said pulling out the Yellow Power Coin, “Twilight was my friend, and I let her down. Worst of all, I never got to tell her how much she meant to me. I don't want to lose anyone else. But instead of crying about how hopeless it is, I'm going to fight to protect my loved ones, as a Power Ranger!”

As she said that, she Yellow Power Coin started glowing.

Pinkie Pie took one last look at Twilight, and then slapped her cheeks lightly, pulling herself together, “I have to shape up too! Maud told me to never lose my smile, even if I'm sad!” she pulled out her Pink Power Coin, “Yeah… I need to fight right now, to protect the smiles of everyone!”

The Pink Power Coin started glowing.

Everyone turned to Applejack, who had walked back over to Twilight. She knelt down next to her, pulled out her Blue Power Coin and put it in Twilight's hand, and then pulled out the Red Power Coin herself and gripped it tightly.

“Whether it be takin her out or redeemin her, I'm makin Luna answer for everything she's done!” Applejack said through gritted teeth, “I ain't doin this jus' to protect the town though! She killed my best friend! I'll never forgive her for that!” she rose up and turned to her friends, “I'm not losin! I'm gonna fight Luna, and make her pay for killin’ Twilight!”

The Red Power Coin started glowing. At the same time, a bright light shined out of the pool of water as it started swirling on its own. Everyone looked at this surprised.

“Um, did we do something good?” Pinkie Pie asked.

“I don't believe it…” Spike said slowly walking toward the pool, “It's the Morphing Grid! It's reacting!”

“It is?!” Rarity asked, “But, why?!”

“All five of you showed your virtues, and the Power Coins reacted!” Spike said, “Twilight's reacted probably around the time you were fighting earlier today or before she gave her life to protect you!”

“Celestia! You can do the thing now, right?!” Pinkie Pie asked, “You wanted to use this to come back to life!”

“Yes, hurry!” Fluttershy urged, “Maybe you can reach out to Luna one last time!”

Celestia looked at the light for a second, then closed her eyes, vanishing from the room by turning into a golden light herself. When she did, the light in the middle became bigger, to the point where everyone had to shield their eyes from the light.

“What's happening?!” Rarity asked.

“The Morphing Grid is recreating Celestia's body!” Spike explained, “Once the light dies down, she'll materialize into the room before us from the light!”

After a few more seconds, the light died down back to normal. Oddly though, they didn't see Celestia anywhere.

“Celestia?” Applejack asked as everyone looked around, “Where are ya?”

“I am here, Applejack,” Celestia said, her voice oddly still surrounding them. She then appeared before them, still in her ghostly form. Everyone was confused.

“You're still see through though?” Pinkie Pie asked, “What? Was it a dud?”

“Oh, it worked,” Celestia said with a saddened smile, “The Morphing Grid is capable of one single miracle. There was just… someone who needed that miracle more than me.”

They all heard a sudden gasp behind them. They looked and saw the most shocking thing. Twilight had opened her eyes and was breathing heavily, the wound on her stomach closed as if it never existed.

“TWILIGHT!!!” the girls all cheered running to her side and helping her up.

“Everyone!” Twilight breathed out with a peaceful smile, “You're all alive!”

Applejack stepped in front of Twilight, and the two of them hugged tightly.

“Yeah, we are,” Applejack said, this time shedding tears of joy, “And you are too!”

Fluttershy was breathing heavier and heavier, and then burst into tears and embraced Twilight once Applejack let her go.

“I thought I'd lost another friend!” Fluttershy sobbed.

“I'm sorry Fluttershy,” Twilight said embracing her just as tightly, “I guess I'm really not good at being a Power Ranger, huh?”

“On the contrary,” Rarity said wiping her tears, “You were the one who helped us become Rangers.”

I can't take this anymore!” Pinkie Pie cried, “Group hug everyone!”

All five of them hugged, laughing and crying at the same time. Spike smiled at them, but then looked at Celestia worried, “Are you sure this is okay, Your Majesty?”

“I am,” Celestia sighed, her disappointment evident yet still smiling, “Look at them, Spike. This was indeed the right decision.”

“Celestia,” Twilight said, separating from her friends and walking over to her ghostly mentor, “You wanted to use that for yourself, right?”

“I did initially,” Celestia said, “But I do not regret this decision. I am a relic of the past. Twilight. You on the other hand have so many things you have to accomplish. I know you will make me proud, Twilight.”

Twilight gave Celestia a saddened smile, and the two of them embraced.

“Thank you Celestia.” Twilight said.

“You're very welcome, Twilight.” Celestia said with a maternal smile.

“What does this mean for us against Luna?” Applejack asked, “Ya wanted to try an' reason with her, right?”

“Yes, but I am leaving her fate in your hands,” Celestia said, “You girls are the Power Rangers now, and Ponyville will be protected in the manner you see fit.”

Applejack nodded to Celestia seriously, and then turned to her team. All of them nodded and slowly stepped onto their respective pedestals. Applejack looked around at her friends, feeling their determination. There was no question this time. She knew it was going to work this time.

“It's morphin' time,” Applejack said, stepping onto her pedestal. Immediately, a bright light shot out of the pool of water, and magical energy gathered around all five of them. Their clothes began glowing and vanished, but then pieces of armor began to slowly materialize on their bodies. The last thing to appear for all of them was a helmet with silver mouth guard and black visor.

In the forest, five armored clad female warriors stepped out from the secret chamber one by one. The first one wore black armor, and walked with a sensual saunter, one hand on her hip with an air of haughtiness to her.

Behind her was a pink armored warrior, who stepped out, stretched her fingers in front of her and then continued forward.

Next up was a blue armored warrior, who stepped out taking a deep breath. She seemed nervous, but still confident.

Right after her was a yellow armored warrior, who looked around the castle, tightened her fists, and then continued onward.

And finally was their leader, clad in red armor. She stepped out and cracked her knuckles. She then looked around at her team, all of them looking at her waiting for her to give the order. She nodded, and started walking toward the main entrance of the castle, front and center as her four companions all next to her. Their target, Ponyville. Their mission, to stop Luna and protect their home. The Power Rangers were back.

Chapter 11

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Chapter 11

Ponyville was in absolute chaos, and Luna was loving every second of it. The town was filled with the fearful and frantic screams of people running from the monsters that she summoned. She wanted to hunt down the remaining Power Rangers, but now that she had enough gold she could summon Goldar and prepare to reclaim the Crystal Heart. She figured rather than wasting her time hunting down a group of helpless teenage girls, she should try to move her plans forward.

“Krispy Kreme… Krispy Kreme… where is Krispy Kreme?” Luna wondered, skipping around town in her green armor as her putties attacked the citizens and destroyed buildings, cars, everything in their path. Ahead of her she saw a truck trying to drive out of town. Just because she could, and she wanted to see if it would explode, she charged up her sword and sent a shock wave out at the truck, slicing it in half. It instantly exploded, killing whoever was inside of it.

Luna clapped her hands excitedly, “That makes 257! Only 243 more measly humans to go!”

She continued to saunter through town, working with her summoned soldiers to get to the legendary place known as “Krispy Kreme”. She'd summon Goldar there to save time.

Macintosh went into town to search for Applejack, but freaked out once he saw the state of the town. Was Applejack somewhere in this mess? Was she in danger? She was a lot of things, but she wouldn't have stayed out past curfew without a good reason.

“Please be alright, Applejack!” Macintosh prayed. As he drove his red truck through town, one of the stone creatures tackled the truck knocking it off the road and making it topple over. He tried to get out of the truck, but saw those monsters approaching him. There was no way he could get out of there.

Just as he was about to surrender himself to his fate, he saw something odd. It looked like someone was running toward the truck, fighting the monsters. Based on their body, they were female, and were wearing skintight red and silver body armor and a red helmet. They punched and kicked the putties away from the truck, and then knelt down by the window pulling the door off.

“Give me your hand!” the red warrior said, causing Macintosh to freak out a bit and try to escape through the other door.

“W-who are you?! What are you?!” Macintosh asked in full panic mode.

“There's no time! This truck's gonna blow in a bit, now give me your hand now!” the red warrior demanded, Macintosh still not calming down, “Macintosh!”

Wait, what? How had she known his name? He looked at the face of the warrior's helmet, sensing a gentleness from her, along with an air that he recognized.

“I swear, you're safe with me,” the red warrior said softer, “Now please, let me help you.”

Was that…? No, it couldn't have been. Either way, something was now telling him that she was trustworthy, so he took a deep breath and held out his hand. The red warrior grasped it tightly and pulled him out, carrying him over her shoulder as they ran away from the truck, minutes before it exploded.

The explosion knocked them forward onto the ground, and Macintosh looked back at the truck in shock. He then looked at the red warrior as she stood up and dusted herself off.

“Ya need to get to safety,” she said helping Macintosh to his feet, “Head back home an' protect your family.”

“Hold on!” Macintosh called out stopping her, “Is that… you-”

“I'm a Power Ranger,” the red warrior said cutting him off, “That's all ya need to know.”

With that, the red warrior ran off, continuing to fight the stone warriors as she ran. If that was who he thought she was, then he prayed that she'd be alright. Still, he did wonder where all that power came from.

Applejack ran back to the center of Ponyville, where she saw the rest of her team gathered together and fighting putties. Unlike before when they were training, all of them were fighting on a pro level, actually managing to take a few out.

Applejack ran in to join the others, kicking a putty away from Rarity right before it attacked her.

“Ya alright?” Applejack asked.

“Please, this is too easy!” Rarity said, spin kicking another putty into pieces, “I could take these guys out in my sleep!”

“I know, right?” Pinkie Pie said, dodging the swiping blows of the putty in front of her, “This is actually kinda fun!” she jumped into the air lifting her leg up, and then came down on top of the putty with an axe kick, knocking it to the ground.

Twilight and Fluttershy were fighting side by side, knocking a putty back with a combinations of powerful punches and well placed kicks. Twilight actually pulled off a mid air double kick on the putty, knocking it off balance and Fluttershy followed up by jumping after it and actually slashing it with what looked like clawed hands.

The five of them managed to clear out the putties in the town square, but looked out to see more of them gathering around and approaching them.

“Um… you were saying?!” Fluttershy asked.

“There are too many of them!” Twilight cried, “At this rate we're not going to get to Krispy Kreme in time!”

Rarity looked ahead and gasped in shock, “Everyone, look out!”

As soon as she said that, a green shock wave blew all of them back. Thankfully they managed to all flip in the air and land on their feet, but then saw Luna walking over to them with a scowl on her face.

“I don't believe this!” Luna hissed, “How is this possible?!”

“Um, hello! We're the heroes!” Pinkie Pie said, “That was stupidly easy, Luna!”

Luna looked at Twilight and narrowed her eyes, “And you! You're supposed to be dead!”

"Ohhh, sorry Luna. Guess you lost 100 points,” she folded her arms and nodded, “That was sarcasm, by the way.”

“Whooo! Twilight, that was savage!” Applejack said, patting Twilight on the back.

“Want some ointment for that serious burn, Luna?” Fluttershy asked, all five of them laughing hard. Luna's face was turning red, she was so angry.

“You… little brats!” Luna seethed, “Children like you are a disgrace to the Ranger legacy!”

“Says the bitch who turned her back on her fellow Rangers!” Rarity said, placing her hands on her hips and leaning forward, “We're at least using our powers for what they were meant to be used for! All you're doing is playing around, using your powers to do whatever you please!”

“Your virtue is supposed to be loyalty,” Applejack said, “Yet ya betrayed your people, your team, an' worst of all, your sister! Even now she still believes in you!”

“Hmph! As far as I'm concerned she's nothing but a ghost! You children have no idea what this power is, or what it is capable of! It is for that reason that you will all fall here! Putties, change of plans! I want all of you to put your main focus on these 'Power Rangers'! Make sure that they do not stop me from reviving Goldar!”

All the putties ran toward the Rangers at once, this time pushing them back and overwhelming them.

“Um, we have a problem here!” Fluttershy gulped.

“Damn it!” Applejack shouted. She looked past the crowd to see Luna smirk at her and saunter off, “We need to get past this fast! She's gonna get to Krispy Kreme before us!”

“Her armor looks like it's alive…” Twilight mumbled to herself as she fought, “The way it forms on her body combined with her powers…”

“Um… Twilight?! Now really isn't the time to be in your head!” Pinkie Pie cried.

“The armor is controlled with our minds, and even seems to act like a second skin as opposed to a suit of armor…” Twilight roundhouse kicked a putty and walked off a bit, deep in thought, the cogs in her mind whirring rapidly, forcing the rest of her team to have to cover for her.

“Um, should we be allowing her to do this?!” Rarity asked.

“Her strength is her mind!” Applejack said, “Trust her! She's gonna think of somethin’”

“So in that case, I am one with the armor, so I know what the armor knows and vice versa, Could it have the memories of the previous Blue Ranger as well? If that's the case, then all we have to do is tap into the experience of the previous Rangers…” she had no idea, but two putties were rushing over to her.

“TWILIGHT!!!” Fluttershy screamed.

“I got it!” Twilight said immediately. She then turned around to the putties as a fancy double bladed staff materialized in her hands. She spun the weapon over her head and slashed the putties in half.

“Whoa!” Pinkie Pie shouted, “Where did that come from?!”

“I think we all have one!” Twilight said, slashing putties away with her new weapon, “The armor is a part of us, and as such we all-” she cut herself off as she blocked two incoming attacks, “No time to explain! Just think of a weapon, and it'll come!”

Fluttershy nodded and concentrated, an image of two daggers appearing in her head. Immediately, those same daggers appeared in her hands, “I can use these!” she then began fighting the putties more offensively, fighting almost like a large cat, hacking and slashing viciously at the putties,

Pinkie Pie followed suit, materializing a fancy looking bow. She pulled the string back, materializing a cybernetic looking arrow and fired it at the putties in front of her, shocked when it pierced through it and hit two others behind.

“This is awesome! I have unlimited ammo too!” Pinkie Pie cheered.

Rarity and Applejack stood back to back, and nodded to each other before materializing their weapons: a fancy sword for Applejack, and a scary looking axe for Rarity. The two of them slashed at the putties surrounding them, killing them with each slash instantly.

“Well, this is a little better,” Rarity said, “But we're still stuck in this section of Ponyville!”

Fluttershy pounced on a putty, knocking it to the ground and slashing it in the chest, destroying it, “I think my Ranger armor can climb! I can climb on top of a building to see where Luna is!”

“While she's doing that, I can figure out more of what the armor is capable of!” Twilight said, “I have an idea, and if it works, we'll be able to get closer to Krispy Kreme!”

“Alright, go for it!” Applejack commanded, “We need to get to Krispy Kreme, and fast!”

Fluttershy nodded and rushed off to a building while Twilight ran someplace away from the fighting to take cover. Meanwhile, Applejack, Rarity and Pinkie Pie stayed on the surface, fighting their way through the putty army.

Fluttershy landed on a roof and looked out into the town. She saw Luna making her way unhindered, getting dangerously close to the Krispy Kreme.

“That's not good!” Fluttershy cried, “Applejack! She's almost there!”

“Don't go by yourself!” Applejack shouted thrusting her sword into a putty, “We need to wait for Twilight!”

“Hey, what if we tried calling those giant robots?!” Rarity asked, “Spike said they're for emergencies, right? Well, I'd say this counts as an emergency!”

“I knew you'd see the novelty of having giant robots!” Pinkie Pie cheered.

“Twilight, can ya work that out?!” Applejack asked.

“Way ahead of you!” Twilight called out running back to the group, whacking a putty aside with her staff, “I figured it out! The armors, the weapons, even the Zords are all connected through the Morphing Grid, and our minds are the keys to manipulating it all!”

“So, what exactly?” Fluttershy asked landing next to Twilight, “Can we call the Zords like we called our weapons?”

“Actually, yes!” Twilight said, “We focus on the Zords and request their aid, and the Morphing Grid should send them to our general location for us to use! Sort of like Star Fox Assault, if anyone's played that game!”

“Oooh! Oooh! I have!” Pinkie Pie chirped raising her hand, “I loved that game!”

“Thank you!” Twilight exclaimed, “I'm sick of people trying to tell me that it's a bad game!”

“Um, girls? Can we stay focused?” Rarity asked nervously, watching the putties approach them slowly.

“Let's try it!” Applejack said. The other Rangers nodded and stood in a line holding up their hands.

“BATTLE ZORDS! COME FORTH!” all five Rangers shouted at once.

Back in the castle, all five of the Zords came to life at once and roared. Spike ran into the hanger and looked up in shock.

“Wait…! Did they figure out how to call the Zords?!” Spike asked. Celestia's gleeful laughter echoed through the hangar before she manifested next to him.

“I knew it!” Celestia said with a hopeful smile, “They truly are Power Rangers!”

The Zords all vanished in streaks of bright light that shot out of the hanger.

Back in the city, five multicolored lights: one red, one blue, one yellow, one pink, and one white, all shot down from the sky and landed in a circle around the Rangers, knocking the putties back. The Rangers all looked up at their Zords in awe.

“My God…” Rarity breathed looking up at the Mastodon Zord.

“They actually came…” Fluttershy whispered to herself in awe, staring at the Sabertooth Tiger Zord.

“This, is, the COOLEST THING EVER!” Pinkie Pie screamed before running right at her Pterodactyl Zord, “Let's do this!”

“I figured this out?” Twilight asked, looking at the Triceratops Zord. Applejack patted her on the shoulder.

“Good job, Blue Ranger,” Applejack said. She could almost feel Twilight's bright smile behind her helmet, “Alright Power Rangers! Let's plow through 'em!”

Applejack jumped into her T-Rex Zord, the other Rangers following suit. The five Zords then ran, or flew in Pinkie Pie's case, toward Krispy Kreme, plowing through all the putties in their way.

“This is crazy!” Fluttershy exclaimed, “I actually know how to drive this thing!”

“Remember? Spike said that the Zords would connect to us!” Twilight said.

“Either way, this makes things a lot easier!” Applejack said, “We should be able to make our way to Krispy Kreme now with these!”

It took a while but they eventually reached the Krispy Kreme, where they saw Luna sitting on a nearby bench with her legs crossed elegantly, eating donuts from a box.

“These are surprisingly good,” Luna said, completely undaunted by the appearance of the Zords.

“Don't tell me you just sat here and waited for us?” Rarity asked from inside the Mastodon Zord.

“Yes, actually,” Luna said, “I was prepared to just summon Goldar right away. But I saw the light of your Battle Zords come down from the sky, and a thought came to mind. You see, I trained all of my life in the art of combat,” Luna said, rising up and walking toward the Zords, pulling out a second donut and eating it, “It's only natural that I would become the greatest Power Ranger of all time,” she bit into the donut, her eyes widening from the taste, “Excuse me, this is really good.”

“Is this bitch for real?” Rarity asked, dumbfounded by Luna’s behavior, the other Rangers appearing on screens in front of her.

“I think so, scarily enough.” Fluttershy said.

“However, the five of you are different,” Luna continued, throwing her empty box aside and eating her last donut, “You only had a few days of training, yet you already mastered morphing, calling your weapons, and you can even summon your Zords. I find all of you… intriguing.”

“Intriguing?!” Pinkie Pie asked.

“Yes, Pink Ranger,” Luna said, finishing her donut and licking the icing off her armored fingers, “My master wished for me to just ignore the five of you and continue with our mission, and while this might not be the smartest idea, I just have to know. How did these five little girls become Power Rangers? As such, I opted instead to wait for all of you so I may issue a challenge.”

“What sorta challenge?” Applejack asked, tightening the grip on the controls of her Zords.

“I will summon Goldar now, and the five of you will fight him,” Luna said with a smirk, “You will either die like the disgraceful children you are, or you will awaken to this strange potential that you seem to possess and defeat us.”

“How about instead, we just take you out right here!” Rarity shouted. The Mastodon Zord raised a foot to stomp on Luna, but she shot her hair out to slash at the Zord, knocking it back.

“Rarity!” Applejack cried, using the T-Rex Zord to catch the Mastodon Zord.

“Careful!” Twilight urged, “She's arrogant, but she's also just as strong as she boasts!”

“Very good, Blue Ranger,” Luna said with a smirk, “At least one of you is smart enough to realize your plight. Now darkness, make my monster GROW!!!!” Luna thrust her sword into the ground, sending gold liquid into the ground. Said golden liquid spread out and took the form of what looked like a putty almost, but slightly different. First off, this monster was at least ten stories tall. It was sleeker, and had lean build, large wings on its back, and clawed hands.

All five of the Zords backed away from the monster as it took form.

“Um, what are we supposed to do with this?” Fluttershy asked trembling.

“This, is definitely an emergency!” Rarity said.

“Believe me now?” Pinkie Pie asked, her voice shaking a bit, “You always need a giant robot…”

“Applejack?” Twilight asked, “Are we going to fight that monster?”

“We have to!” Applejack said, gripping the controls tightly, “As long as we stay together it should be fine! Focus on your Zords' individual strengths, and cover each others' weaknesses! Let's go Rangers!”

All five Zords roared loudly, mirroring their pilot's thoughts. Goldar knelt down to pick up Luna, who merged with Goldar, slowly sinking into Goldar’s seemingly liquid golden form giving the large golden creature a green hue. Goldar and the Zords all rushed toward each other, the Rangers prepared for what would be their toughest fight yet. This was almost like the final test to prove whether or not they were Power Rangers.

Chapter 12

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Chapter 12

It was a good thing that the town was now deserted for the most part, as now Ponyville had become a battlefield for titans. Even still, there were a few people further away, seeing the giant golden monster and the five robots that fought it.

“What in tarnation?” Big Macintosh wonder, looking at the fight in awe.

“I can't reach Pinkie Pie!” Maud said, in a rare show of emotion frantically dialing her phone, “She always picks up her phone!”

“Is Rarity still in the town?!” Rarity's mom asked, “Is she somewhere in the middle of that?!”

“Cookie, calm down,” Rarity's father said placing a hand on her back, “I'm sure she's okay. Rarity would have called if she were hurt.”

“Ooooh, I hope Twilight is alright!” Twilight's father said nervously, watching the fight, “She's so fragile!”

“Just like our Fluttershy!” Fluttershy's mom cried, being held by her husband, “Please be alright!”

“They're all okay!” Apple Bloom cried, catching the attention of all of the adults, “Applejack is with them! I know it!”

“Rarity's there too!” Sweetie Belle shouted, another girl with short purple hair with her, “I bet they're helping those titans fight the bad monster!”

All of the adults looked back at the fight, praying that their kids were somehow, in someway safe.

The Pterodactyl Zord flew around Goldar, firing at the monster with its machine guns, the bullets seeming to do no damage. When Goldar tried swatting it away, the flying Zord did a fancy maneuver, dodging around the hand and shooting straight up into the air.

“Hey! I can't get a clean shot at her!” Pinkie Pie cried, “Could someone hold her still?!”

“Leave that to us!” Rarity said, “Twilight, help me!”

“Got it!” Twilight exclaimed. The Mastodon and Triceratops Zords moved right in front of Goldar as it turned to them. The Mastodon Zord shot out its tusks and the Triceratops Zord shot out its two top horns, all of which were connected to chains that wrapped around the monster's arms, which it struggled against.

The Saber Tooth Tiger Zord ran on a few of the buildings, and then stopped next to Goldar to fire at it with two laser cannons on its shoulders. Goldar took those hits head on, but then pulled the Triceratops Zord by the chain and threw it into the Saber Tooth Tiger Zord, knocking it off the building.

“AHH!” Fluttershy screamed.

“Sorry Fluttershy!” Twilight cried.

“Don't worry about it,” Fluttershy said, “Let's try and get around Luna while she's preoccupied!”

Twilight nodded, and the two Zords ran around the buildings to reach Goldar. Meanwhile, the T-Rex Zord thrashed around to attack Goldar with its jaws, still being held by the Mastodon Zord.

The Pterodactyl Zord flew back around, stopping to hover right in front of Goldar and unloaded its machine guns on the preoccupied monster, who had to use its now free hand to block. The Mastodon Zord gave a loud cry and shot out what appeared to be vapor out of its trunk that froze Goldar in place.

“Applejack, fire!” Rarity called out.

Applejack nodded to Rarity on her screen and positioned the T-Rex Zord so it was hunched forward, the large cannon on its back pointed at Goldar. The cannon charged up, and fired a red blast at Goldar, breaking it out of the ice and clearly doing massive damage.

The Triceratops and Saber Tooth Tiger Zords both ran out from around a corner and charged at Goldar. The Saber Tooth Tiger Zord stopped short and fired at Goldar with its cannons, but the Triceratops Zord kept charging, tackling Goldar, who had to grab the Zord to hold it back so as to not take as much damage.

“I see the five of you are strong now!” Luna's voice boomed out from Goldar, “But if this is the extent of your power, then I am sadly disappointed!”

Goldar threw the Triceratops Zord to the side, and then charged up energy in its chest. It then fired a large green beam out, aiming right for the Triceratops and Saber Tooth Tiger Zords. The Triceratops Zord managed to roll out of the way, but the Saber Tooth Tiger Zord wasn't so lucky as the beam inched its way toward it.

Right before it hit though, the T-Rex Zord rushed over to it and pushed the Saber-Toothed Tiger Zord out of the way, taking the attack itself.

“Applejack!” Fluttershy cried.

“It's fine!” Applejack said, “My Zord's got highest defense from the looks of it! We need to change tactics! Twilight, Rarity, keep fightin’ Luna close quarter! Fluttershy, you an' I’ll take separate sections of the town and position ourselves to hit her with our cannons! While we're doin’ that, I want you to circle around and find a vulnerable spot, Pinkie Pie! Let's do it, Rangers!”

Without a word, all five of them changed position, the Triceratops and Mastodon Zords fighting Goldar close quarter, while the Saber Tooth Tiger and T-Rex Zords both ran off in separate directions. The Pterodactyl Zord flew off and circled around Goldar, who was now fighting much more aggressively.

In Goldar's right hand, gold moved around and extended outward and solidified in the form of a sword. Pinkie Pie seemed to be the only one who noticed it though and gasped in shock.

“Girls, look out!” Pinkie Pie cried. Goldar raised its arm to slash downward, but the Triceratops Zord used its horns to hold Goldar's arm back. Out of its other hand, Goldar shot out a green energy beam out at the Pterodactyl Zord, damaging its left wing before it could fly away.

“Pinkie Pie, hang on!” Rarity shouted. The Mastodon Zord ran after the Pterodactyl Zord and caught it right before it landed and hit the ground, “Are you alright, darling?”

“I am, but I think my Zord's wings were damaged,” Pinkie Pie said, “I can't fly right now.”

“That's not good,” Rarity muttered, “Without you being able to fly, we can't-” she was cut off by Twilight's helpless screams, “Twilight?!”

Goldar grabbed the Triceratops Zord by the two upper horns, picked it up, and threw it into a building. The T-Rex and Saber Tooth Tiger Zords both ran in from opposite sides and charged up their cannons at the same time. When they fired though, Goldar held out its hands and created what appeared to be an energy shield, negating any possible damage.

“Hey! No fair!” Pinkie Pie cried, “Why don't we have an energy shield?!”

“Without the use of the Megazord, the five of you are no match for Goldar's might!” Luna's voice echoed around them, “Unless you five show me a miracle, this is as far as you go!”

To demonstrate, Goldar created a large mace and swung it at the Saber Tooth Tiger Zord, knocking it over to where Rarity and Pinkie Pie's Zords were. The T-Rex Zord helped the Triceratops Zord to its feet, and both of them charged at Goldar, who without any effort, knocked them back with a swing of its sword. Goldar picked up the Triceratops Zord again and threw it off to the side, but then stumbled a bit as the T-Rex Zord tackled it in the side.

The two titans fought close quarter for a few seconds, but then Goldar slashed the T-Rex Zord with its blade, and then shot its green energy beam out at the Zord, knocking it back closer to the others.

“Nothing is working!” Fluttershy cried, “What are we going to do?!”

“I don't know if there's anything we can do!” Rarity cried, “Our training didn't prepare us for this!”

“This is the end!” Luna shouted as Goldar charged up its hands again, “The Crystal Heart is mine! Good-bye Power Rangers!”

Goldar shot out a much larger energy beam at the Zords. The T-Rex and Triceratops Zords both got in front and tried to defend, but they were both pushed back by the blast. The Saber-Toothed Tiger and Mastodon Zords got behind the two in front and pushed them forward, and even the Pterodactyl Zord did its best to push them while resting on the backs of the Mastodon and Saber-Toothed Tiger Zords.

“My energy is failing!” Pinkie Pie cried.

“This… can't be it…!” Applejack cried, “There has to be… somethin' we can do!”

“I'm not ready to give up yet!” Fluttershy shouted, “I… don't want to die!”

“While I… certainly admire your new found drive, I think this is it…!” Rarity shouted through gritted teeth behind her helmet.

“I'm sorry Mommy…” Twilight said, actually crying a bit behind her helmet, “I wasn't strong enough…”

Back outside of town, the citizens all looked devastated as the robots looked like they were about to burn away in that golden monster's blast.

“No…!” Sweetie Belle cried, “They can't lose…!”

“Damn it…!” Macintosh said through gritted teeth, “Come on…! Keep fightin…!”

Back in the castle, Celestia and Spike were watching the fight in the pool. Spike tightened his fists in frustration while Celestia closed her eyes in prayer.

“They weren't ready…!” Spike fussed, “Damn!”

“I still believe in those children,” Celestia said, “They have to survive!”

Just when it looked like it was the end, something lit up on Applejack's console. A button that she didn't notice before lit up. The same thing happened in each of the girls' consoles, almost in response to their emotions.

“What's this?” Applejack asked.

“You see it too, right?” Rarity asked, “Something is trying to activate in our Zords.”

“I say let's try it!” Fluttershy said, “I mean, we're going to die otherwise, right?”

“Maybe, it's that Megazord thing that Luna mentioned,” Pinkie Pie pointed out.

“I'm with Fluttershy,” Twilight stated, “We need to try something, right?”

“Alright then,” Applejack said, “Quickly, push that glowin’ button on your consoles!”

All five of them immediately did as such. Immediately afterward, the Zords all started glowing, and were engulfed in a bright light that dispersed Goldar's energy beam. Goldar looked around in confusion as the light died down, revealing something else rising to it's feet.

It appeared to be a humanoid robot somewhat shaped like Goldar, but looking more heroic than demonic. It appeared to be a combination of the five Battle Zords, as its feet were black and blue, it's lower torso was yellow while it's upper torso was red. It's head was pink with a large blue glowing visor for a face, and it had the Pterodactyl Zord's wings on its back, folded up as they were not currently in use. Each of the Rangers appeared in a small cockpit, spread out across the body of the robot: Twilight and Rarity both on the robot's hips, Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy appearing on its shoulders, and Applejack appearing right at the center of the robot's collar bone. Despite being clearly mechanical, the robot looked vaguely organic with h

“Oh... my… GOD!!!” Pinkie Pie cheered, “This is awesome!”

“Is this, the Megazord?!” Twilight asked looking around.

“Alright, I'm sold,” Fluttershy nodded and folding her arms, “I think I love being a Power Ranger now.”

“How?!” Luna shrieked in confusion, anger, and some fear as Goldar tightened its fists, “It takes years of training to use that power! How did you girls figure it out in only a few short minutes?!” she demanded, fury mounting with each passing second.

“Kids of this generation are fast learners,” Applejack said, “So Rangers, why don't we show her how it's done?!”

All five girls cheered and moved forward as one, sadly making the Megazord fall onto its knees.

“Whoa whoa whoa!” Rarity screamed, “What the hell was that?!”

“I was trying to move forward!” Fluttershy fussed, “What the hell were you doing?!”

“Does anyone know how to drive this thing?” Pinkie Pie asked, “Cause I'm stumped.”

“Um, I think we all have to control a different part,” Twilight pointed out, stopping the argument that might have started.

“I think I can move an arm,” Pinkie Pie said.

“I've got a leg,” Rarity said, “Um, only the right leg though. Who's the left leg?”

“That's me,” Twilight said, “I'm the left leg.”

“Alright, now let's try this,” Applejack said, “Each one of us focuses on the limb we're closest to and moves that. I'll help each of y'all out, alright?”

“Okay, let's try it again,” Rarity said, “One, two, three!”

The Megazord slowly rose to it's feet and got back in it's fighting stance. Oddly, either due to wanting a fair fight or just completely shocked by that display, Luna and Goldar actually waited for them.

“If you're all ready, let's go for round two!” Luna shouted. Goldar threw a punch, but the Megazord blocked with one hand and threw a punch of its own. It then followed up by kicking it back.

“Alright, I think I'm seein’ how this works,” Applejack said, “I gotta move the joints, while y'all move the limb that’s connected to that joint.”

“We should keep it simple for now,” Rarity said, “Learn as we go along.”

“So no super complicated moves yet?” Pinkie Pie asked, “Aw man…”

Goldar and the Megazord both grabbed each other and tried to wrestle one another to the ground. Eventually Goldar kneed the Megazord in the stomach, which oddly sent a surge of painful energy to the Rangers inside.

“Ahh!” Fluttershy cried, “Wait?! Does this mean we feel everything that this robot feels?!”

“Remember when we entered our Zords?” Twilight asked, “They connected to us so we'd know how to move them. I think us feeling what they feel is a side effect of that.”

“So we jus' gotta be careful,” Applejack said, “That's alright. We're still learnin', remember? Let's jus' try an' go on the offenses now.”

The Megazord kneed Goldar itself, and then surprisingly headbutted Goldar knocking it back. The Megazord then punched Goldar two times, ending with an uppercut that knocked Goldar to the ground.

“WHOO!!!” Pinkie Pie cheered, “Take that!”

“Applejack, let's try something,” Rarity said, “Follow my lead!”

“You got it!” Applejack said. The Megazord then lifted its right leg straight into the air and axe kicked Goldar in the stomach. Before the monster could get up, the Megazord knelt down to pick it up and then threw it further away from the town square.

“Hey! I think I know it's weakness!” Pinkie Pie shouted, “Twilight, can you check its chest?”

“Hold on,” Twilight said typing on her console, “Luna is in the chest!”

“Then we need to hit there, right?” Fluttershy asked, “Do we have anything like a weapon?”

“Lookin’ at the arms, I'm seein the cannons you were usin’,” Applejack said, “Let's try those.”

As Goldar tried to stand up, the Megazord raised its right arm and charged the cannons. It then fired point blank right into Goldar's chest, which, based on the loud scream from Luna, must have hurt quite a bit. A few seconds later, Goldar exploded violently, sending gold everywhere. All five of the Ranger cheered inside of their cockpits.

“We did it!” Rarity cheered, “We beat Luna!”

“We actually won?!” Fluttershy asked, “Oh my God we won!”

Pinkie Pie laughed loudly, “The heroes always win! I knew it! Ladies, we have arrived! We're now full fledged heroes!”

“Applejack, did I do good?” Twilight asked hopefully.

“You were great,” Applejack said, “You were all great. I couldn't have done it without y'all,” she stopped when she saw the townspeople cheering loudly, “Well look at that.”

“They're cheering…” Fluttershy said, clearly shocked, but happy, “For… us?”

“Of course they are!” Pinkie Pie exclaimed, “That's what people do for the good guys!”

“This feels nice,” Rarity said, “I'm, not used to this.”

“Let's wave to them!” Twilight exclaimed, “Can we Applejack? Can we please?”

Applejack laughed, “Why not? Let's give 'em a good wave.”

The Megazord waved to the people watching, which seemed to earn even more loud cheers from them.

“We're… heroes now, aren't we?” Rarity asked.

“I think so,” Applejack said, “Come on, let's disembark an' search for Luna.”

The Megazord gave the people one last wave, and then broke up back into the five Zords. The Battle Zords all ran (flew in Pinkie Pie's case) away from the city in search of the woman who’d controlled Goldar.

Luna staggered off toward the forest, holding her arm in pain. She leaned against a tree and allowed her wounds to magically heal.

“They… defeated Goldar…” Luna hissed, “Their power… is far greater than I imagined…”

She pushed off the tree and walked deeper into the forest. If her sister did indeed live, she needed to see her so this would make sense.

After separating, they had Pinkie Pie fly back to search for Luna's body. The rest of the Rangers all waited on a hill outside of town for the Pterodactyl Zord to fly back, all of them still in their Ranger armor minus their helmets. After a while, the Pterodactyl Zord landed nearby, and Pinkie Pie jumped out of the cockpit and ran over to them, her helmet retracting.

“She's not in Ponyville,” Pinkie Pie said.

“Did she get away?” Fluttershy asked.

“Probably right after Goldar was destroyed,” Rarity pointed out, “Is this okay? Us not knowing where she is?”

“It ain't,” Applejack said shaking her head, “We need to track her down fast.”

“I, think I know where she is,” Twilight said catching everyone's attention.

“Where is she?” Rarity asked.

“She's probably heading to a familiar place,” Twilight said, “That means the castle.”

“She's in my sanctuary then?” Fluttershy asked, “We have to kick her out. You four are the only ones I'm okay allowing in there.”

“For once, I agree wholeheartedly,” Applejack said, “Let's head to the forest!”

All of them nodded and ran toward the forest. Since they were going to be the only ones there, none of them bothered putting their helmets back on, but they did all call out their weapons just in case anything showed up to get in their way.

Luna walked through the forest, trying her best to remember the way to the palace. If she was following the old path like she remembered, she'd see it very soon. Before those Rangers tracked her down and tried to finish her off, she had to see her sister and set the records straight.

Right when she saw the castle in the distance, she saw a ghostly apparition exit and float over to her. After careful inspection, she saw that it was the ghost of her sister, Celestia. Next to her was the wolf from before. Luna frowned and walked forward closer to them.

“It has truly been a long time, little sister,” Celestia said.

“Yes, far too long,” Luna said, a bit sobered seeing what remained of her sister, “So, that mutt from earlier was yours?”

“This is Spike,” Celestia said motioning to the wolf, “Like me, he is limited in how he can exist. Outside of the shrine, he's forced to take this form. It's a price for his immortality.”

“I'm sorry for the two of you,” Luna said genuinely, “I must know, sister, why them? They are mere children.”

“They were simply the ones who found the Power Coins,” Celestia said, “I did not wish for them to be involved. Originally, I had hoped that I could revive and come see you in person.”

“Why? Hoping you could persuade me to return to the fold?” Luna asked leaning forward with her hands on her hips, “Help you train those children to become even stronger than they are now?”

Celestia closed her eyes somberly, “Yes, actually. They may be good, but they have a long journey ahead of them.”

“How were they able to do what they did?” Luna asked frowning, “You couldn't have been training them for too long. Only a week or two at the most. Yet they not only mastered their weapons, but even managed to summon the Megazord. Also, they defeated Goldar and myself. What is it those children have that I lack?”

“While they are still young, and very green as it were,” Celestia said, “They have gained a true grasp of the ranger spirit. They were honestly the worst people for the job initially, yet they pulled through and became true Rangers. That spirit is something that you have abandoned.”

Before Luna could say anything, she heard footsteps behind her. She turned a bit to see the Power Rangers run up to them, none of them wearing their helmets but with their weapons out and ready. Like this, they honestly did look like heroes.

“Ranger Spirit, huh?” Luna asked, “These children?”

“It don't have to be like this,” Applejack said, “Your sister still loves ya, an' wants to have a relationship with ya. It ain't too late.”

“No, it is far too late,” Luna said completely turning to face them, “I belong to the demon king Discord now.”

“But deep down, you're still a Power Ranger, aren't you?” Twilight asked, “Doesn't it feel terrible to know that you hurt your friends?”

“My 'friends'?” Luna asked, before breaking out into hysterical laughter, “They were never 'my friends'. All they were to me were fellow soldiers, and eventually obstacles in the way of my ambitions.”

“So that's it then,” Rarity said folding her arms, “You only see those around you as tools to be used. Honestly, I don't see how someone like you ever became a Power Ranger.”

“I became a Power Ranger because I was strong!” Luna shouted, “I've always been the strongest! It was the one thing I was known for! The one thing I was respected for! Each of you represents a different animal: the Mastodon, the Pterodactyl, Triceratops, Saber-Toothed Tiger, and the T-Rex. The animal that I represent, is the Dragon, the strongest beast in existence! Strength is all that matters!”

“If that's true, then why are we Power Rangers?” Pinkie Pie asked, “None of us are strong like you, yet we were able to morph and even defeat your overgrown cheese monster!”

Everyone turned to Pinkie Pie in confusion.

“Cheese? Really?” Applejack asked.

“It looked like melted cheese to me, okay?! I'm sorry!” Pinkie Pie retaliated.

“Ugh! This is what gets to me!” Luna shouted holding her head in frustration, “You're nothing but a group of teenagers with attitude! Why are you Power Rangers?! Why was I defeated by the likes of you?!”

“You have power, but that's all you have,” Fluttershy said sadly, “Looking at you, I can see the kind of person I was in danger of becoming. Someone who thinks that they don't need others to evolve or access their potential. But no one gets very far by themselves. You lost to us because you're alone.”

“Shut up! SHUT UP!” Luna screamed, her energy rising, “I'll show you what true power looks like! There only needs to be one Power Ranger in the world, and that Ranger will be ME!”

“Brace yourselves!” Applejack commanded, all five of them getting in fighting stances, “This is the real final fight!”

“I'm through holding back with you!” Luna shouted, pointing her sword forward, “This time, I'm going to destroy you!”

She slashed at the air, sending a shock wave out, forcing the Rangers to all roll out of the way and scatter. Pinkie Pie landed on one knee and fired arrows at Luna, who swung her sword around to block. She rushed over to her, but Twilight and Rarity rolled in front of her and blocked with their weapons. Fluttershy then ran up to Pinkie Pie, who leaned forward so Fluttershy could use her back as leverage, and then jumped over Twilight and Rarity to kick Luna back.

When Luna fell back, she rolled to her feet just in time to block Applejack's sword. The two of them clashed blades for a bit, until Luna's hair shot out at Applejack and knocked her to the ground.

Luna then thrust her sword into the ground, causing green waves to shoot out of the ground hitting all of the Rangers. As they all flew back, Luna stood up and walked around them.

“This is what true power looks like!” Luna shouted as they struggled to get up, “You children have no true grasp of that! You're Power Rangers in name only!”

“I think you need to look in the mirror!” Rarity shouted. She and Applejack both got up and rushed at Luna, who managed to fight both of them at the same time. She kicked Rarity back, and slashed Applejack in the chest, but then Twilight rushed in with her staff and fought her for a few seconds.

Luna's hair wrapped around Twilight and held her up. As Twilight struggled to get free, Luna pulled her close and held her blade to her neck.

“Isn't this familiar?” Luna asked, “Do me a favor and stay dead this time.”

“NO!” Fluttershy screamed, running up to them, she rolled into a ball and then uncurled next to the ex Green Ranger and slashed through Luna's hair, forcing her to release Twilight. Once she landed, Fluttershy slashed at Luna wildly, actually pushing her back a bit and meeting Luna's blade in a weapons clash with her daggers, “I'm not losing anyone else again!”

Pinkie Pie ran past them and fired her arrows at Luna, who was unable to block her attacks and took them head on. Rarity and Applejack tried to attack her from behind, but Luna's hair shout out push them back. She then kicked Fluttershy back, making her fall down to where Twilight was.

Luna actually fell to one knee and held her chest, eyes wide in shock, “Am I… tired?”

“This time, we know what we're doing,” Rarity said, forcing herself to her feet along with the others, “We're not just little kids trying to fight back this time.”

“I had faith in you!” Twilight said, tears falling from her eyes, “I thought deep down you might still be a good person! But you're nothing but a big bully!”

“An' the one thing we can't stand… is a bully!” Applejack shouted. All five of them charged at Luna at once, but she used her magic to shoot out green fire and send all of them flying back into trees.

“No!” Celestia cried desperately, “Rangers, you must rise up!”

“There's nothing they can do!” Luna proclaimed in triumph, “In the end, there was nothing special about these little girls! You chose wrong!”

“I… don't believe that…!” Fluttershy said, once again forcing herself to her feet, despite the pain and exhaustion, both physical and mental, “Just the fact that we're wearing this armor… shows that something within us is special…!”

“We're not supposed to be able to morph, but here we are…!” Pinkie Pie said, also rising to her feet and pointing her bow right at Luna, “We're not going to lose…! Not to you… or anyone that threatens this planet…!”

She fired at Luna with her bow, but Luna's hair created a shield in front of her. Fluttershy once again rushed in to attack Luna with her daggers, the two of them slashing and kicking each other for a few seconds until Luna got in a lucky slash, making Fluttershy fall to one knee. Right before Luna could slash downward though, Twilight jumped in and pushed Fluttershy away, both of them jumping to the side.

Luna rose up and turned around, seeing Applejack and Rarity standing together with their weapons ready. She motioned for them with her finger, and the two Rangers rushed at her with their sword and axe. She blocked both of their attacks and slashed them both away. She then turned to her side and pointed her sword to Twilight, shooting a bolt of green electricity at her and sending her flying back a bit.

This time the five girls didn't get right up, instead writhing in pain a bit.

“You girls need to learn your place!” Luna shouted, “Trash like you deserves to be right where you are, on the ground!”

“Shut up!” Rarity shouted, tightening her fist, “I'm, already prepared to die! But I'm not, letting you just win!”

“Pssh! Seriously Luna?” Pinkie Pie asked, rising up to her knees, “I'm having, the time of my life! I don't wanna, stop fighting yet!”

Luna looked around as one by one, the Rangers all rose to their feet again.

“W-what…? No… No! NO!” Luna shrieked, “Why are you standing up again?! I've defeated you!” she raised her sword, sending a barrage of green lighting down onto the Rangers, who once again fell to the ground. After a few seconds though, they all slowly started rising to their feet again. Luna roared loudly in anger, running her hands through her hair, “WHY AREN'T YOU DEAD YET?!”

“I… think that should be obvious…” Applejack said, pointing her sword at Luna, “You're jus' fightin to kill… We actually got somethin’ worth fightin ‘for!”

“What do you have to fight for?!” Luna asked enraged.

“Our families and our, friends!” Fluttershy said holding onto her arm, “I'm not dying! Not until I see Rainbow Dash again!”

“My friends, give me strength!” Twilight said, using her staff as support to stand, “The love they have, for me, and my love for them, that's what keeps me standing up!”

Luna looked around at them, eyes wide in both anger and shock, seemingly unable to comprehend what was happening.

“This shouldn't make a difference!” Luna said, trembling, “I'm stronger! I'm stronger than-”

“Oh get over it!” Rarity growled, “I'm sick of hearing that! Am I the only one ready to shut this bitch up?”

“Nah, I'm gettin' sick of hearin' her voice too.” Applejack snarked, “Rangers, let's wreck this bitch!”

Luna screamed and tried to fire her lightning at them again, but this time they were all ready and rolled out of the way. Fluttershy rushed at Luna first and slashed her wildly with her daggers, this time easily breaking through her defense. Fluttershy rolled out of the way just as Pinkie Pie rapid fired her arrows at Luna, actually making her stagger backwards. Luna sent her hair out at Pinkie Pie, but she rolled to the side and fired a charged up shot at her, actually knocking Luna down.

Luna slowly rose to her feet just as Twilight rushed over to her and slashed with her staff repeatedly. She ended her combo by kicking Luna, and then flipped away just as Applejack and Rarity charged at Luna from different sides, slashing through her armor. Luna's eyes were wide in shock as green electricity began to emanate from her body.

“This, this is impossible! I'M THE STRONGEST!” Luna screamed, and then violently exploded all five Rangers gathered together with their backs turned away from the explosion.

“They did it! They actually did it!” Celestia cheered. Next to her, Spike howled in triumph.

When the smoke died down, they all turned to see Luna, lying on the ground. Her armor was destroyed, leaving her completely naked. As she rolled to her back, Applejack sighed and slowly walked over to her.

“Hold on,” Rarity said grabbing Applejack's arm, “Should you really approach her?”

“She's lost,” Applejack said, “Sides, I have a promise to try an' keep.”

She walked over to Luna and knelt down next to her. Luna looked at Applejack, breathing heavily and her expression unreadable.

“So… what happens to me now?” Luna asked softly.

“That ain't up to me,” Applejack said, “That's up to her.”

Applejack pointed to Celestia, who then slowly floated over to them and knelt down.

“Sister, please stop this” Celestia begged, “I don't wish to fight my sister any longer…”

“Even now, you still look at me, with those sad eyes…” Luna looked away darkly, “I don't need your pity…” she spat.

“This isn't pity!” Celestia cried, “I'm devastated seeing you like this! You're more than just my Green Ranger! You're my little sister, and the one person I love more than anyone!”

Luna looked at Celestia, eyes widening in surprise, “You, still love me?” she repeated.

“Of course,” Celestia said with a saddened smile, “It was my love for you that allowed my soul to remain. Just as it was your love for me that enabled you to continue to morph, if only a little.”

“I, I just wanted to be strong Tia!” Luna said, tears falling from her eyes, “I wanted to be the strongest Power Ranger, so you'd love me!”

“Foolish sister…” Celestia said caressing Luna's cheek, “You never had to work so hard for my love. I'd love you no matter what, in whatever manner you wanted.”

“Celestia!” Luna sobbed. Celestia held Luna up and embraced her tightly, Luna returning the embrace as much as she could. Applejack smiled and rose up, the other Rangers gathering around her.

“I don't understand it,” Rarity said, “How did Luna...?”

“For as evil as she was, she was able to use her Power Coin,” Applejack said, “That meant that deep down, she still loved her sister.”

“Looks like once a Ranger, always a Ranger, right?” Twilight asked. Applejack smiled and wrapped an arm around her.

“Yeah, looks like it,” Applejack said. Luna and Celestia looked into each others eyes, and then did something a little shocking. They kissed. As they kissed, Luna was engulfed in a white light. When they separated, Luna's eyes no longer were slitted like those of a reptile, instead looking normal.

“Thank you,” Luna said, “All of you. Thank you for showing me, what true Power Rangers look like…”

“What will you do now?” Fluttershy asked.

“I sadly cannot stay here.” Luna said somberly, “The demon king still owns me. Eventually I will be taken by the darkness again.”

“So, after all that, you'll be our enemy again?” Pinkie Pie asked, clearly displeased with this revelation.

“I am done fighting my fellow Rangers.” Luna said firmly, “But my soul has still been twisted by Discord's influence. I must find myself through the darkness. That is a journey that I must embark on... alone.”

Twilight looked down, and then ran over to Luna, pulling out a small locket and handing it to her.

“This is so you'll know that someone has faith in you,” Twilight said, giving Luna a sweet smile, “We'll be waiting for you, Luna.”

Luna looked at Twilight sadly, and then slowly caressed her cheek, “You truly embody your virtue, Blue Ranger. To think, that the darkness had such a tight grip on my soul… that I would hate one as loving as you.” she lied down on the ground, and was slowly engulfed in green energy, “Beware of the forces that will follow me. I was an exception, but others will not show mercy at the end. To face them, you must find my Power Coin and give it to one such as yourselves. Beware though, for that Coin is tainted by my evil energy.”

“Then we just need to find it, and throw it in that Morphing Grid thingy,” Pinkie Pie chirped, “No biggie, right?”

Luna smiled peacefully and then relaxed looking up at the sky, “This world is in good hands. Good luck… Power Rangers.”

With that, Luna faded away in a green light. Celestia falling to her knees, hugging herself, crying softly.

“Goodbye, my beloved little sister.” Celestia sobbed. Twilight and Spike both walked over to her, and she embraced them both as she continued to sob. Once again, it started raining in the forest, as if responding to Celestia's sadness. Fluttershy looked up at the sky.

“The forest is mysterious, because sometimes it rains only here,” Fluttershy explained, “I think, that's because of Celestia's sadness.”

“She must be tightly connected to this place,” Rarity said, “For her to have such an effect on the forest.”

“Still, at least we didn't have to kill Luna,” Pinkie Pie said, “I think as our first job as Rangers, it was a resounding success.”

“I agree,” Applejack said, “We were fantastic, every single one of us. Good job Rangers. Let's head back to the castle.”

As everyone made their way to their main base, Applejack stayed behind a second to look up at the sky. Her thoughts went to her father, who now she was sure was up there watching her. Hopefully, now he could be proud of her.

“Sorry for doubtin' you, Pa,” Applejack said smiling, “I know you're up there with Ma. I think I'll be alright from now on.”

With that, she ran after her friends back to the castle. It was time to celebrate their first major victory as Power Rangers.

One week later…

Once again, Macintosh and Applejack rode up to the school in his brand new truck. This time though, Applejack's spirit was a lot brighter.

“Alright, here we are,” Macintosh said, “First day back after since it reopened.”

“Yep, lookin' forward to it too,” Applejack said, “You know what? I'm startin’ to like it here.”

Macintosh gave Applejack a soft smile, “That's good. I think this place will be a good influence on ya.”

“Yeah, me too,” Applejack said, giving Macintosh a kiss on the cheek, “See ya later, Macintosh.”

As she stepped out of the car to meet up with Rarity, Macintosh secretly took out a picture of the Red Ranger and smiled at it.

“Keep up the good work, sis,” Macintosh said driving off back to the farm.

“Hey Twilight.”

“Hi Twilight!”

“Twilight, what's up, girl!”

“Looking good as always, Twilight!”

Twilight happily waved to all of the students that waved to her, and then walked over to her locker. On the way, she saw Flash Sentry walking past her.

“Hey Twilight,” Flash said, raising his hand. Twilight smiled and raised her hand, giving him a high five as they passed each other. While Twilight wanted to eventually be more than friends, until he broke up with Sunset Shimmer, this was as far as she could go.

Being friends with Flash Sentry wasn’t so bad though.

As Twilight opened her locker to get her books, Pinkie Pie walked over to her, smiling as widely as ever.

“I saw that,” Pinkie Pie said with a teasing smile, “You're flirting with him, aren't you?”

“I am not,” Twilight said blushing, “I just don't want to avoid him just because he's dating Sunset. She's not the boss of me anymore.”

“Good for you, Twilight,” Pinkie Pie said patting her on the back, “My homeroom is on the way. Wanna walk together?”

“Sure, but I was going to wait for Applejack and Rarity,” Twilight said, “They have the same homeroom as-” she was cut off by a gasp from further ahead, followed by a few cat calls. Twilight and Pinkie Pie all looked ahead and saw a sight none of them thought they'd see.

Fluttershy walking through the halls.

She stopped near Twilight and Pinkie Pie, holding her books to her chest tightly.

“It's good to see you Fluttershy,” Twilight said.

“Agreed! Now we're all together!” Pinkie Pie chirped. Instead of answering outright, Fluttershy just nodded wordlessly, looking like she was close to tears. Applejack and Rarity walked up to them, both of them shocked to see Fluttershy too.

“Well lookie here,” Applejack said, “Looks like ya took our advice.”

“Everyone is staring at me…” Fluttershy said, tears falling from her eyes, “I'm terrified!”

“Shh, it's okay, darling,” Rarity said hugging Fluttershy, “You're safe. They're just staring because they haven't seen you in a long time.”

“Yeah, and also because you're drop dead gorgeous from the Power Coin, basically giving you goddess level beauty,” Pinkie Pie said, earning a glare from everyone, “What? What did I say?”

Applejack shook her head, “Come on. Let's get to our homerooms.”

The five of them walked down the hall side by side, each in their own way and showing off their own style, yet somehow all giving the air that they owned the school. Needless to say, all eyes were on them.

“Sorry, but still no luck searching for the Green Power Coin,” Spike said walking back into the shrine.

“I'm sure we'll find it soon,” Celestia said, floating to the bookshelf and picking up a book, “It probably flew off Luna in the explosion. It might be deeper in the forest.”

“Those girls really came through though,” Spike said folding his arms, “I'll admit it, I was wrong about them.”

“All they needed was someone to have faith in them,” Celestia said smiling, “For now, I have decided to remain here as a guardian of the Morphing Grid and their mentor. For the coming battles, I believe they'll need it.”

“Then I guess they'll need me as well,” Spike said, “I don't mind. They're starting to grow on me.”

Celestia turned to Spike and smiled, “Thank you so much for staying by my side, Spike.”

Spike bowed to Celestia, “It's my honor, Your Majesty.”

“Are you sure you wanna come back here?”

“Yeah, I am. I know it's dangerous, but I, I grew up here. If I gotta to hide out anywhere, I want it to be here.”

“They might find us here, you know? They know that you grew up in this town.”

“ I know that, Soarin’. But there's someone I need to find here. I didn't leave on the best of terms, and I need to make sure that she's okay.”

“Alright, I trust you,” Soarin’ said with a sigh, “No matter what, I'm staying with you to protect you, alright?”

“Thank you. I love you so much.”

“I love you too, Dash.”

The silver car opened up, and someone stepped out examining the town. It was a girl in her late teens with long rainbow colored hair, some of it tied in a ponytail but leaving her long bangs hanging over her shoulders, magenta eyes, and wearing red lipstick. She wore a green hoodie that was opened, revealing a white t-shirt with a lightning bolt symbol, black bootie shorts over fishnet tights, and black and white boots. She had a nice, shapely figure, though not as curvaceous as the Rangers and over her shoulder was a green and white backpack.

The girl pulled out a locket and opened it, looking at the picture inside. It was a picture of herself when she was little, hugging another girl around her same age with super long light pink hair. Looking at the picture, the mysterious girl smiled.

“I'll see you soon, Fluttershy,” she said with a huge smile, “And this time, we'll be together forever, just like we promised.”

Chapter 13

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It was shortly after the defeat of Luna, the former Green Ranger, and all of the Darkness' generals were called from their places of rest in order to speak with him about this latest development.

“So, Luna was defeated?” a suave voice asked in a manner suggesting he expected that outcome. Said voice came from what appeared to be a man in a suit.

“Leaving the hunt for the Crystal Heart to a former Power Ranger? That was just asking for trouble!” a dark yet powerful voice boomed, coming from a man in a large suit of armor.

“Ah, but that did yield results, didn't it?” the lone female in their group asked, voice etched in sensuality, “Luna opened the door for the rest of us, and with that, we should be able to return this galaxy to the darkness.”

“Bah! I say we just all just set the whole planet ablaze!” the man in armor suggested loudly, “My Empire and I could make quick work of the fools on that planet!”

“It would take too long for you to gather all of your troops,” the oldest member of their group said, looking so old he was almost decrepit, “And in that time, we could all begin working on our own schemes.”

“Precisely. I have no plans on just waiting for you to get to Earth, Sombra. My children and I can be ready much sooner,” the female attending said.

“As much as we'd all love to just attack all at once, we just don't have the resources yet to work together on this,” the suave gentleman said, now nursing a glass of champagne, “We should at least count ourselves lucky that those girls haven't found the Green Power Coin yet.”

Those kids will find their endeavors to purify that coin will be fruitless…

It has been bathed in my shadows for far too long…

Apart from a miracle, there is no means of them regaining that power…

“Ah, but there's always a chance, Master,” the elderly man said stroking his beard, “I believe we should begin stacking the deck more in our favor just in case.”

“I can begin Project Rider soon,” the woman said sitting back in her chair and crossing her legs, “I've found two people who would be excellent candidates for it. All I need now is more information on the Ranger's capabilities.”

“I can get you that easily,” the suave gentleman said finishing his drink, “Master, what are we going to do about the Green Power Coin?”

I have a plan on how to secure it…

My Avatar of Darkness is close to it now…

“You mean that girl?” the armored man asked, “I see nothing special about that child.”

She has a powerful darkness within her, and her soul is already mine, whether or not she knows it...

Discord, once your Earthbound avatar is freed; use your powers to increase the shadows' hold on that planet...

The suave gentleman rose up and bowed to everyone, “Then I shall take my leave. Good day to you all,” he then vanished in a manner that put to question if he was ever there to begin with.

“I don't like him,” Sombra grumbled, “He's far too powerful still, even sealed away. Imagine what he'd be capable of were he to ever get out.”

“You don't like anyone, Sombra,” the woman said folding her arms under her bosom.

“That's wrong,” Sombra said rising up, “There is one who I love, and I will get her back from the abyss somehow.” he then turned and walked away, leaving the group behind.

“I shall take my leave as well,” the elderly man said rising up slowly, “Chrysalis, good luck with Project Rider.”

“Thank you, Tirek,” the woman said, “I assure you, I will find what you seek.”

“I have nothing but faith in you,” the elderly man said. He then walked off, leaving the woman seemingly by herself.

Once she confirmed that she was indeed alone, she pulled out what looked like a small computer screen, pulling up an image of two young women in what appeared to be a lab. One had long blueish white hair, and the other had dark purple hair with a light blue streak running through it. Both women were naked, chained to hospital beds and gagged, and both of them were frantically pulling at their bindings.

“Discord won't succeed,” the woman said, eyes glued to the young women as they struggled and screamed, “Never send a man, to do a machine's job.” her green eyes glowed brightly, sparking with electricity briefly.

Seven years, and this sleepy town hadn't changed one bit. Well, there was still a lot of damage from what seemed like a monster attack. She wasn't sure if she should have been happy that she missed that, or bummed out. Apparently a team of armored warriors saved the town.

That sounded like something straight out of a graphic novel or something.

Well, none of that mattered to Rainbow Dash. Whether it was seven years ago, or right after a monster attack, Ponyville was her home. One that thankfully had one single strip joint that didn't make a fuss hiring someone who wasn't drinking age.

It was a good thing that her eighteenth birthday had just come.

The strip club was nice, for the establishment it was that is. Naturally dark with quite a few effect lights and big enough to be considered a major establishment, the men here always paid good money. Most of the girls here were only here because they needed the money, but not Dash. She didn't need anything of the sort, as her man had a nice job as a MMA fighter. She was here dancing because she wanted to.

When she stepped out on stage, the crowd went wild as always. This time, she let her hair flow out freely, and wore a skimpy green studded bra, matching panties and flirty skirt, and green high heels. She ran her hand through her hair as she strutted over to the front of the stage, and then began what was probably the hottest dance of the night.

No one danced with the amount of enthusiasm that she did. None of the girls would swing their hips to the music as hard as her, whip their hair with as much energy as she did, crawl toward the crowd with the expressions she had, or spin and grind on the pole the way she did. The crowd always enjoyed her dances, whether or not she ever took anything off. She usually averaged at around 400 dollars per shift. No one knew how she did, and she wasn't about to tell anyone her secret.

She got off on this.

She loved the thrill of knowing that they were all looking at her body. She loved the sound of their cheers. She loved the feeling of being so exposed, and showing off her body. If there wasn't for the abundance of other scents around her, she was sure they'd smell her arousal from just this dance.

As she danced, she saw someone in the crowd that briefly caught her attention. He was a young man with short blue hair, wearing a dark blue jacket with lightning bolts on the sleeves, white t-shirt, blue jeans, and black sneakers. Now she could really get into her dance, as her true audience had arrived.

Enjoy the show, Soarin.

Now she decided to have a little more fun, putting even more energy into her dance. The crowd was going crazy, some people throwing even more money onto the stage even though they already threw out a bunch of bills. When she was done, she took her money backstage and counted it up.

“Ooooooh! Look at this!” Rainbow Dash said counting up her money, “Four hundred and sixty dollars?! I'm loving this!”

“Looking good, Dash,” another dancer said walking up to her. This woman had long red and orange hair, and was wearing a red skimpy skirt with a fire motif.

“Thanks Spitfire,” Rainbow Dash said, “It's not easy being the best.”

Spitfire laughed, “Careful, newbie. The other girls aren't as nice as I am. They might not take kindly to you stealing their revenue.”

“Then give them this message for me,” Dash said putting her clothes back on, “If they want their revenue secure, they better start dancing like they mean it.”

Now dressed, she packed up her bag, and stepped outside using the back exit, her shift over for the night. She loved being the best, and she loved bragging. Not just to stroke her ego (that was part of it), but also because it inspired others to do better. Sometimes in order for people to improve, they needed someone to dislike. They needed an enemy.

She just so happened to play that role really well.

When she stepped outside, she saw the man with the short blue hair, Soarin, leaning on a fence waiting for her. She smirked and sauntered over toward him.

“I saw you looking at me when I was dancing,” Rainbow Dash said, “Liked what you saw?”

“I loved it,” Soarin said now walking toward Rainbow Dash, “You were getting off on that, weren't you?”

“Maybe,” Rainbow Dash said playing innocent before looking at Soarin with a lustful smile, “What if I was?”

“That's really naughty, you know,” Soarin said, getting right in front of Rainbow Dash with a smirk, “Naughty girls need to be punished.”

“So are you going to punish me?” Rainbow Dash asked, her heart racing in anticipation. She loved it when Soarin gave her that look. Before answering her, he gripped her hair tightly and held her close.

“You bet I am,” he said. He then kissed her, hungrily and passionately. It was a kiss that she returned with fervor. After a few seconds of making out, they broke the kiss and looked into each other's eyes. All of her emotions she felt returned to her from Soarin. Passion, lust, and above all, love. There was only one other person in her life that she loved as much as him. Someone that she planned on tracking down very soon.

The two of them walked over to Soarin's car, arms wrapped around each other. Once at the car, Dash threw her bag in the back seat and sat down in the passenger seat. Soarin took the chance to slap her on the butt before she got inside, earning an excited yelp from Rainbow Dash. Soarin ran over to the driver's seat and then drove off back toward their small house as fast as he could without breaking the speed limit.

Their house wasn't large in the slightest. They didn't need it to be big, as it was just the two of them. As such, it just had a living room, kitchen, bathroom with shower and bathtub, and of course the bedroom.

When they got to the house, Soarin exited the car and then ran to the passenger's side, opening the door and pulling Dash out. After securing her backpack, the two of them ran to the house hand in hand, where Soarin fumbled with the keys. The second he opened it and they were inside, Dash closed the door and locked it. Soarin then backed her against a wall and kissed her passionately. Rainbow Dash let her hoodie fall to the floor, and then threw off her t-shirt. Soarin led Rainbow Dash to their bedroom, both of them discarding their clothes on the way.

In the bedroom, Soarin pushed Rainbow Dash onto the bed and got on top of her, pinning her to the bed. What resulted after that was a passionate dance of lust and love between the two of them. They had been thinking about each other all day, and now that they were together they planned on staying up as long as possible.

Once they finished their love making session, the two love birds lied down in bed together looking into each other's eyes lovingly.

“I took care of everything,” Soarin said caressing Rainbow Dash's cheek, “You can start attending Ponyville High tomorrow.”

Rainbow Dash sighed in relief, “Thank you. I was actually anxious about that.”

“Are you sure you want to do this?” Soarin asked, “This could be really dangerous. If they find you-”

“They won't,” Rainbow Dash said holding Soarin's hand to her cheek, “We covered our tracks. Those freaks back there won't think to come here. Besides, I have to find her.”

“You mean your friend, right? The one you had to leave behind?”

“I need to know how she's doing. We didn't even get to talk the day I was taken away. I just have to see if she's alright.”

“What if she doesn't remember you?” Soarin asked, “It was seven years ago, Dash.”

“She might not remember me,” Rainbow Dash said closing her eyes seriously, “Or… if she does, she hates my guts. That's fine. It would suck, but I'd understand. Just knowing that she's okay is enough for me.”

“Want me to drive you tomorrow?” Soarin asked.

“Nah, I'll be fine. I want to get a feel for this place,” Rainbow Dash said.

“Alright then,” Soarin said, pulling the covers over them and pulling Rainbow Dash close, “Good night, Beautiful.”

“Good night, Handsome,” Rainbow Dash said, closing her eyes and drifting off to sleep. She always felt so safe lying in his arms like this.

I love you so much Soarin…

Keep protecting me… just like this…

After getting showered and dressed the following morning, Rainbow Dash ate breakfast with Soarin and then immediately started making her way to the school. They drove by it at one point, so she knew the way, meaning getting there wasn't an issue.

Rainbow Dash took the path nearby her old house. She didn't know why, but she wanted to see it. At least, seeing it would make the last seven years real. The neighborhood looked about the same. Some new houses here and there, and it looked like most of the people had either moved out, or she just didn't recognize them.

Shoot. Does she still live here?

What if she moved too?

At least she remembered where her old house was. How could she forget? It was where she was born after all. When she saw it, she stopped and looked up at it for a bit. The place looked like it was in disarray.

“I'd stay away from that place.”

Rainbow Dash turned to her side to see who spoke to her. It was a little kid about seven years old or so on a bike. She had short purple hair, and was wearing an orange t-shirt, black shorts, and sneakers. Based on her complexion, she looked Latino or something of the sort.

“Yeah, why's that?” Rainbow Dash asked the kid.

“That place is said to be haunted by an evil spirit,” the kid said, “My Mom says that the family that used to live there left in a hurry, and no one's ever moved in since.”

“You live around here then?” Rainbow Dash asked.

“Yep,” the kid held out her hand, “The name's Scootaloo Sanchez.”

“Rainbow Dash Olivette,” Rainbow Dash said shaking Scootaloo's hand, “Hey, since you live here, maybe you could help me with something. I'm actually looking for an old friend.”

“I bet I know her,” Scootaloo said, “I know everyone in this town.”

“Do you know a girl with long light pink hair? Last I checked, she lived in a house down the street. Her name is Fluttershy.”

“Hey yeah, I know Fluttershy,” Scootaloo said thoughtfully, “She's a bit strange.”

“Strange? How?” Rainbow Dash asked, getting a little worried now.

“She sort of keeps to herself all the time, and spends a lot of time in the Everfree Forest,” Scootaloo explained, “But if we're thinking of the same place, she still lives in that house. It's a yellow house?”

“That's the one,” Rainbow Dash said, proud that she still remembered that much, “Does she go to Ponyville High?”

“I think so,” Scootaloo said, “Speaking of; I need to get to school myself. Hey, are you staying in town for a while?”

“That's the idea,” Rainbow Dash said with a soft smile, “I just moved back a few days ago.”

“Cool. Then we'll see each other more often. Take care Rainbow Dash!”

Rainbow Dash watched as Scootaloo rode off, and then looked down thinking about what she said. So Fluttershy was “weird”? Yeah, Fluttershy was always a bit off, but anyone who really knew Fluttershy understood that she was actually really sweet once you got to know her. Did something happen to Fluttershy when she left?

“I need to find her,” Rainbow Dash said, now running to the school. It didn't take long to get there, but sadly classes were about to start, so she wouldn't have time to search for her just yet.

The school was really nice and energetic. Immediately she was a hit among her fellow students, who absolutely loved her style. She saw another student walking by wearing skimpy a skimpy black ensemble with purple and white hair that the students called “Easy Rare”. It took some time for her to learn her real name.

If she ever got to talk to her, she'd be sure to use her real name. Rarity was actually a pretty name.

But goodness gracious that girl was hot. Actually, she wasn't the only one. There were two other students that caught her attention. One girl was super popular with the students, and wore a lot of blue. Now she was strange, but in a good way, if that made sense. The other one was usually seen with Rarity, being a girl with blond hair wearing a bunch of red and a western hat.

They were all super models. Had to be.

While classes were fun, she was still looking around for Fluttershy. Was she absent today or something?

The bell rang, signaling the start of her lunch period. She shot up and began walking through the halls, taking the few free minutes she had to look around. If she was in the school, she'd have to eventually-

She stopped. Everything stopped. All of a sudden, she lost awareness of the other students around her, only able to truly see the vision of beauty in front of her. She was at her locker, taking out a few books and what appeared to be a homemade lunch. Her attire was a simple, yet still beautiful yellow sundress and high heeled sandals. Her hair was so long and full, yet it was the same shade of pink Rainbow Dash remembered. What struck her though, was how beautiful she was. She was too beautiful, so much that it hurt a bit to look at. Yet she couldn't take her eyes off her. Was that… her…?

Oh my God…

Okay, I love you Soarin, but THAT might have made me bi-sexual.

She closed her locker, and started making her way down the hall. Rainbow Dash had to know. This was probably a terrible idea, but she just couldn't stand not knowing. She had to see if that was who she thought, and if she remembered her.

“Fluttershy!” Rainbow Dash called out as loud as she could. Her heart leaped out of her chest when the girl in front of her stopped walking. She looked around a bit, and then turned completely around, her eyes stopping on Rainbow Dash. When she saw her, her eyes went wide and she dropped everything onto the floor, covering her mouth in shock.

She remembered her.

Rainbow Dash slowly walked over to Fluttershy, stopping a bit away from her.

“R-Rainbow Dash…?” Fluttershy asked trembling, “Is that… really you…?”

“Yeah… it is,” Rainbow Dash said, smiling in relief as her heart calmed down, “I'm back, Fluttershy.”

Tears built up in Fluttershy's eyes, which she just let fall freely as she apparently processed what she was seeing. Eventually she broke down completely.

“RAINBOW DASH!!!!” Fluttershy cried, running into Rainbow Dash's arms and hugging her tightly, “It's you! It's really, really you! You actually came back to me!”

“Yeah… I did…” Rainbow Dash said, hugging Fluttershy just as tightly as if afraid to let go, “I'm so sorry, Fluttershy…”

Now everything was complete. She was back in her hometown, in the school she was meant to go to in the first place, and in the arms of her best friend. That wasn't even the best part. Said best friend remembered her, and apparently wanting this meeting just as much as she did.

I'm back, Fluttershy…

This time, I won't disappear…

Chapter 14

View Online

It was nice that things had calmed down since Luna. The town was now starting to return to normal, and news of the Power Rangers was still really common. Everyone in town had their favorite Rangers, and it made walking through school an interesting event.

Despite it being quiet, Applejack and her friends remained vigilant at all times. They'd regularly go into the Everfree Forest just to train, both morphed and unmorphed. Thankfully since they did it the first time, morphing had become super easy for the girls. During this time, they had also started getting a lot closer to one another. Even Fluttershy had by now completely warmed up to the team, although she still wasn't too keen on the whole being a full time Ranger.

Sadly though, they still hadn't found the Green Power Coin. The forest was huge, with the coin being only the size of one's palm if that. The only way any of them would find it was through pure luck.

“So… you're planning on going back to search for it?” Pinkie Pie asked Twilight, the latter getting her books for the next session of classes after lunch.

“After training,” Twilight said, “I want to make sure we find it before someone else does.”

“It'd be nice if we could give it to someone ourselves, you know?” Pinkie Pie asked leaning against the locker next to Twilight.

“Celestia said that the Power Coin needs to be neutralized first,” Twilight stated, closing her locker and carefully setting it to zero, “Right now, that's not my main project though.”

“You were working on a means of keeping in touch, right?” Pinkie Pie asked, “Couldn't we just use our cellphones?”

“For us, yes,” Twilight said, “But we can't use our phones to call Celestia or Spike. If something happens, we need to be able to get in contact with them.”

“You're really on top of this,” Pinkie Pie said, “I'm… really impressed Twilight,” she sighed, “Glad someone has an important use…”

Twilight tilted her head, “What do you mean?”

“It's just… I feel like I'm the only one who doesn't really contribute to the group as a whole,” Pinkie Pie said with a pout, “You're the smart one, Applejack is the leader, Rarity is the second in command and big sister of the team, and Fluttershy's the scout. All I am is the funny one.”

“I don't think that,” Twilight said honestly, “You stopped Fluttershy from leaving the team that one time. I think you keep everyone together, Pinkie Pie.”

“You mean the heart of the team?” Pinkie Pie asked as they walked through the hall, “I think you fit that category a little better.”

“So, did you see? Fluttershy knows the new girl?”

Twilight and Pinkie Pie stopped when they heard two students gossiping.

“You mean that girl with the rainbow colored hair and the killer legs?”

“Yeah, she ran into that girl's arms crying.”

Both Twilight and Pinkie Pie looked at each other, and then ran down the hall to search for Fluttershy. On the way, they saw Rarity and Applejack standing by the latter's locker, clearly having a suggestive conversation if their body language was any indication.

“Applejack! Rarity! We need to find Fluttershy!” Pinkie Pie cried, surprising their two leaders.

“Is there an emergency?” Rarity asked worried.

“If so, did ya try to call Fluttershy?” Applejack asked, folding her arms.

“No, no, no, Fluttershy is the emergency!” Pinkie Pie continued.

“Darling, you're not making any sense,” Rarity said, “Twilight dear, care to translate for us?”

“Apparently there's a new kid in school and Fluttershy knows her,” Twilight said simply.

“Wait, I think I know who you're talkin about,” Applejack said, “I have a class with her. She's got rainbow colored hair, right?”

“Oh wait, I know who you're talking about now,” Rarity said, “I can't believe they let that girl walk in wearing such short pants. Honestly, she might as well not be wearing any,” Applejack, Pinkie Pie, and Twilight all turned to Rarity deadpanned, “What?”

“Goin back to Fluttershy,” Applejack said rolling her eyes, “She knows this girl?”

“Apparently she was in tears when she saw her,” Twilight said. Applejack and Rarity looked shocked, and then turned to each other.

“Do you think…?” Rarity asked.

“Let's track her down,” Applejack said, immediately leading the charge to search for their yellow ranger. They all pushed through the cafeteria doors, where a high pitched laughter caught their attention. The girls all looked to see the oddest sight.

Sitting at a table by themselves was Fluttershy and the new girl, and Fluttershy looked happy.

“So then, I just look at all of them and say 'yeah, I'm a girl, and guess who has the bigger dick?'” the new girl said, clearly telling a funny story, as Fluttershy burst out laughing.

“Oh my God! You haven't changed at all!” Fluttershy said, wiping tears from her eyes she was laughing so hard.

Applejack, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, and Twilight all walked over to them, all with varying degrees of shock at the sight before them.

“Um… hey Fluttershy,” Applejack said slowly, “Wanna… introduce us to your… friend…?”

Fluttershy beamed looking at them, “Oh! I was hoping I'd find you!” she turned to the rainbow haired girl, “These are the friends I told you about. That's Applejack, Rarity, Twilight, and Pinkie Pie. Everyone,” she stood up and presented her friend, “This is my best friend from childhood, Rainbow Dash.”

Rainbow Dash stood up and bowed elegantly to them, despite her attire, “Thank you, thank you, please get in a single file line if you want autographs.”

“Wait, so this is Rainbow Dash?” Rarity asked shocked, “Oh my word, it is so wonderful to meet you!”

“Heck yeah! Fluttershy told us how much you did for her when you were kids!” Pinkie Pie chirped.

Rainbow Dash grinned big rubbing the back of her head, “Aw, Fluttershy was bragging about having such an awesome friend? You're all too kind.”

“I wouldn't say 'brag' is the right word, but she did let us know how much she loves ya,” Applejack said holding out her hand, “Nice to meet ya though.”

Rainbow Dash and Applejack met eyes, neither one speaking for a few seconds and then Rainbow Dash shook Applejack's hand tightly, “Likewise, Applejack right? Thanks for taking care of Fluttershy for me,” she then turned to Rarity, “Oh, and before I forget, I just wanted to say that nickname is absolute bull.”

Rarity sighed shaking her head, “Trust me, I know. Sadly I do deserve it, but it doesn't mean I have to like it.”

“So you like sex, big deal,” Rainbow Dash said shrugging, “My boyfriend and I have had sex just about everywhere you can imagine. So, from one slut to another, you just do you, okay?”

Rarity looked taken aback by that statement, “Oh, well thank you, Rainbow Dash. I'll… keep that in mind.”

Twilight then got right in front of Rainbow Dash beaming, “So… Fluttershy told you my name already, but just in case you forgot, I'm Twilight. Twilight Sparkle. I'm seventeen years old, blood type A positive, IQ of 175, I like reading, writing, playing video games, and messing with machines.”

Rainbow Dash's eyes went wide, but she was smiling, “Okay then, glad I know everything I need to know about you. Let's see, um… Rainbow Dash Olivette, eighteen years old… blood type O, I have no idea what my IQ is but it's not nearly as high as yours, and I like all of the things you like minus the machines, and dancing. Oh, and sex with my boyfriend.”

The way Twilight smiled was truly heartwarming, “You're so nice, Rainbow Dash! I can see why Fluttershy likes you so much!”

“Yeah, I'm a super lovable sort of gal,” Rainbow Dash said wrapping her arms around Fluttershy, “Besides; I had a lot of practice with this one.”

“Rainbow Dash…” Fluttershy groaned, eyes closed tightly and blushing.

“Hey, if it's okay with Fluttershy, you guys should join us,” Rainbow Dash said, “I mean, any friend of hers is easily a friend of mine, so I wanna get to know ya.”

“Is… that okay Fluttershy?” Applejack asked, “I mean, we don't wanna intrude on your time with your friend here.”

“Oh no, you're not intruding at all,” Fluttershy said, “Having all of my friends with me sounds fun.”

With that, they all sat down and talked animatedly about one another. The one thing everyone could agree on was that this girl was arrogant. Whether talking about her skills, her body, or just herself in general, it was clear that this girl had a very high opinion of herself. In a lot of ways, she really was the opposite of Fluttershy.

Yet oddly it never got annoying. In fact, it seemed almost inspiring. She was surprisingly well versed, expressing herself quite eloquently, she seemed to have a healthy personality that was a perfect balance of “respect those around you” and “take shit from no one”, and it was clear that she really cared about Fluttershy, and vice versa. The whole time Fluttershy stayed next to Rainbow Dash, leaning into her as she spoke to everyone, and it didn't seem like Rainbow Dash minded at all.

Once the bell rang, all six of them walked to the exit of the cafeteria together.

“So, got any plans tonight Fluttershy?” Rainbow Dash asked, “I don't have work tonight, so I can stay out late.”

“Oh, um…” Fluttershy looked to the side, “W-well I…”

“It's fine Fluttershy,” Applejack said, surprising Fluttershy.

“Are you sure?” She asked, the smallest hint of hope visible in her voice.

“I don't have a problem with it,” Applejack said, “Sides, your friend jus' moved back home. I reckon ya wanna spend as much time with her as possible.”

Fluttershy gave her a look of genuine gratitude, and then turned back to Rainbow Dash, “Well Dash, I believe that sets me free. For the rest of the day, I'm all yours.”

Rainbow Dash chuckled before giving Fluttershy a sultry look, “Careful what you say, Fluttershy. I might take it a certain way.”

“Oooooh! Kinky!” Pinkie Pie chirped, “Seeing the two of you make out would be really hot, actually.”

Fluttershy looked at Pinkie Pie aghast, but then turned to Rainbow Dash, who raised her eyebrows up and down, earning a scream from Fluttershy.

“Rainbow Dash!!!” she cried, “I'll meet you outside after school!”

She then rushed off, apparently trying to stop what were probably really dirty thoughts from entering her mind. Rainbow Dash laughed out loud.

“She hasn't changed a bit! I love it!” she then gave Pinkie Pie a high five, “You girls are awesome!”

“You two are clearly best friends,” Rarity pointed out, “I can almost feel how much you two love each other.”

“Yeah well, what can I say?” Rainbow Dash asked looking to the side with a wistful smile, “She's the brightest person in my life. Seriously though, I need to know. How was she while I was gone?”

All four of them looked awkward at that question.

“She… wasn't well,” Applejack said, “I only jus' move into town myself a few weeks ago, but from what I can gather, she was a bit of a wreck.”

“You should probably ask her though,” Twilight said looking really depressed, “I don't know if I'm okay putting her business out there.”

“That's okay,” Rainbow Dash said softly, “Sorry I put you on the spot like that. I'll question her about it later. See ya.”

Everyone watched Rainbow Dash walk off, all with sobered expressions.

“She really cares about her, doesn't she?” Rarity asked.

“That's true love right there,” Pinkie Pie said, “I can feel it. She was really worried about Fluttershy.”

“But then… why did she disappear?” Twilight asked, getting everyone's attention.

“Maybe her parents jus' decided to move,” Applejack said, “She was ten when that happened, so she didn't have much say in the matter.”

Twilight shook her head, “No Applejack, that's wrong. If it was a last minute move, she could have called Fluttershy, let her know that it happened, and even keep in touch with her.”

“Yet she didn't,” Rarity added, “Okay, that is odd.”

“Oh no, do you think Rainbow Dash is fooling Fluttershy?” Pinkie Pie asked.

“No, I don't think that's it,” Applejack said, “I can tell with someone's lyin', an' she wasn't lyin' 'bout her feelins toward Fluttershy.”

“So what are you saying?” Rarity asked.

“That maybe it wasn't that she didn't keep contact with Fluttershy, as much as she couldn't,” Applejack said looking right at Rarity.

“We need to get close to her, and figure out what kept her away from Fluttershy for so long,” Twilight said. All three of her companions nodded before they went their separate directions to their next classes. Something didn't add up here. Either Rainbow Dash wasn't as good of a friend as she let on, or something else was going on. Either way, for Fluttershy's sake, they needed to get to the bottom of this.

When school ended, Fluttershy immediately rushed out to the front gate where she was to meet Rainbow Dash. She couldn't believe that she came back like this. She was just like she always was too: just as loud, just as confident, and just as arrogant. Yet, she was also just as nice as Fluttershy remembered.

That was probably the main thing that had her afraid. The idea that Rainbow Dash had somehow changed. Yet she was exactly the same as always. But that did beg a question though. What happened to make her leave in the first place? She didn't say anything, but something did feel off about her friend. She couldn't put it into words, but something felt dark about her.

Still, when she exited the school, Rainbow Dash was right there waiting for her. She seemed just as elated to be back as Fluttershy was having her back, if not more actually. It was scary, and strange, yet Fluttershy wasn't about to complain. Her best friend was back in her life, and for now that was all that mattered. This meant she could finally show Rainbow Dash her special place.

The walk was really animated. Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy had so much to talk about in terms of their interests, as they were as always still so vast. They had just approached the Everfree Forest when Fluttershy mentioned to Rainbow Dash about her brother.

“So, he thinks he's got a chance, huh?” Rainbow Dash asked Fluttershy, who sighed.

“It's so annoying. Just because he and I aren't biologically related doesn't mean he and I aren't brother and sister. It would be too weird.”

“Have you thought about it though?” Rainbow Dash asked with a coy smile. Fluttershy blushed waving her hands.

“N-no! I haven't thought about it at all!” she defended with a nervous giggle.

“You're lying,” Rainbow Dash said shaking her head, “I can tell.”

“How?” Fluttershy asked nervously.

“Because you always giggle like that when you're lying,” Rainbow Dash said. Fluttershy's face turned bright red and she looked down.

“O-okay, so maybe I've wrestled with letting him take my virginity, but I never approached him about it,” Fluttershy admitted quietly, “Besides, he'd assume things that are well… not true.”

Rainbow Dash raised an eyebrow, “You thought about giving Zephyr Breeze your virginity?”

“I know it's weird, but I do trust him,” Fluttershy explained, “Okay, sure he's a perv and a slacker, but he's really nice and always looks out for me, despite being a year younger. He's the one person I know who won't… um…”

Rainbow Dash nodded in understanding, but then rested her hands behind her head, “You can do so much better than Zephyr, you know.”

“Like I said, I decided not to,” Fluttershy said, “But… I don't know anyone else who I can…”

“You can't think of anyone you'd want to give it to?” Rainbow Dash pressed, “Out of all the students in Ponyville High, and all the boys and girls in the neighborhood-”

“I'm straight, so not into girls,” Fluttershy quickly put in.

“Whatever, either way, out of all of them, you haven't found anyone that you would be interested in having a relationship with?”

Fluttershy looked away somberly, “I… didn't exactly reach out much after…”

Rainbow Dash must have realized what she meant, because she closed her eyes and grimaced in pain.

“Yeah… I get it…” Rainbow Dash said quietly before perking up immediately, “But hey, I'm back now, and everything is going to be okay. One thing I'm going to do is get you a boyfriend.”

Fluttershy's eyes went wide as she turned to Dash suddenly, “W-w-w-what?!”

“Think of it as my way of making up for lost time,” Rainbow Dash said shrugging her shoulders arrogantly, “You can thank me later.”

As they walked into the forest, Fluttershy thought about Rainbow Dash's response to her statement. It seemed like she was hiding something, and more and more Fluttershy was a little afraid for her friend. Her entire air seemed odd, and her smile seemed a little… forced.

Was she okay?

“Still I have to admit, I can totally see why Zephyr is into you,” Rainbow Dash said after a second.

“Oh?” Fluttershy asked. Rainbow Dash walked up behind her and then grabbed her breasts groping them, making Fluttershy gasp in shock.

“I mean, goddamn Fluttershy,” Rainbow Dash said with a smirk, “I had no idea you'd be such a bombshell.”

“R-Rainbow Dash…!” Fluttershy moaned, eyes closed and blushing. Rainbow Dash gave them a tighter squeeze before releasing them.

“I wouldn't be able to handle having such big breasts myself,” Rainbow Dash said walking ahead a bit, “I'm pretty happy with what I got.”

“You do look very nice, Rainbow Dash,” Fluttershy said, adjusting the top of her dress and calming down, “I'll be honest, I can't stop staring at your legs.”

“That's the whole point, babe,” Rainbow Dash said, stopping briefly and putting a hand right on her ass giving Fluttershy an arrogant yet sensual smirk, “Pretty much everyone agrees this is my best feature after my personality.”

Fluttershy reluctantly looked down. She had to admit, Rainbow Dash had a really nice ass, and great legs to go with it. She wasn't even wearing heels and they looked fantastic. After a second, Rainbow Dash wiggled her rump a bit, snapping Fluttershy out of her daze.

“Ahh!” Fluttershy cried, feeling mortified when Rainbow Dash laughed, “Rainbow Dash!”

“I can't help it, I'm sorry,” Rainbow Dash said turning around completely to face Fluttershy, “It's been seven years since I got to tease my best friend, and she's giving me a lot to tease. Now, where's this place you wanted to show me?”

Fluttershy shook her head laughing to herself. She should have been annoyed, but Rainbow Dash was always going to be Rainbow Dash.

“It's this way,” Fluttershy said walking ahead. Rainbow Dash ran up after her and wrapped an arm around her. It was so strange. She felt absolutely safe around Rainbow Dash, and she knew that this was definitely her friend, but there was something wrong. Fluttershy could feel it more and more. Half of her wanted to run far away, but the other half wanted to hold Rainbow Dash tightly and say “it's going to be okay”.

Why those words Fluttershy had no idea.

After a few more minutes, they arrived at the cave that Fluttershy used as her main sanctuary. This place had sort of become a main hang out spot for the Rangers, as Fluttershy decided it was okay for all of them to come here just to relax. It was nicer having so many friends come in and out of her precious place.

“Whoa,” Rainbow Dash said looking around, “This place is nice!”

“It's my special spot,” Fluttershy said walking inside, “I use this place to relax, meditate, and well… worship.”

“Worship?” Rainbow Dash asked with a raised eyebrow. Fluttershy ran deeper into her cave and pulled out her spell book. She then held it out nervously for Rainbow Dash to see, “So… you're a witch now?”

“Y-yes actually…” Fluttershy admitted, “I practice Wicca… Is that weird…?”

Rainbow Dash shrugged, “No weirder than any other religion in my book.”

“It's just…” Fluttershy hugged her spell book tightly to her chest, “Wicca has such a negative stigma and well…”

“First off,” Rainbow Dash walked over to Fluttershy and placed a finger on her forehead, “I could never think badly of you. I love you for all of your weird quirks, so this just gives me one more reason to love you.”

“R-Rainbow Dash…” Fluttershy said, her heart racing hearing that. Now alone, she could truly remember why she loved Rainbow Dash so much.

“Second off, I'm one to talk,” Rainbow Dash continued, sauntering over to a boulder and sitting down, “My job's sort of one with a stigma of its own.”

“Um… if you don't mind… what is your job…?” Fluttershy asked. This time, Rainbow Dash actually looked embarrassed.

“Well… it's uh…”

“Oh no you don't,” Fluttershy quickly sat down next to Rainbow Dash with a naughty smirk herself, “After you got to grope my tits earlier, I deserve to know.”

“Couldn't we settle with you giving me a spanking?” Rainbow Dash asked hopefully, looking mortified when Fluttershy shook her head.

“Sorry, but not today,” Fluttershy said sweetly, “Tell me. Please?”

She fluttered her eyes giving Rainbow Dash her best pleading look. It only took a second for Rainbow Dash to shake her head.

“Ack! Alright, alright! I'll tell you, just turn that off, okay?!” Rainbow Dash begged, both of them laughing, “Geez, you really haven't changed, have you?”

“You just bring out the best in me,” Fluttershy said.

“Yeah, I tend to do that for people,” Rainbow Dash said before taking a deep breath, “Alright, so you promise not to freak out?”

“I promise,” Fluttershy said placing a hand over her heart, “I won't judge you or freak out.”

“Okay, so… I'm a dancer,” Rainbow Dash started, confusing Fluttershy a bit.

“O-okay, that's really cool,” Fluttershy said, looking Rainbow Dash up and down a bit. She certainly had a nice build, but most of the professional dancers she knew were leaner than Dash.

“Well… it's a particular kind of dancing,” Rainbow Dash said, “See, it's of the more… exotic kind, if you get what I mean.”

It took a second, but once the gears turned in her brain Fluttershy's eyes went wide.

“You're a stripper?!” Fluttershy asked. Rainbow Dash closed her eyes tightly smiling.

“Yep, I'm a stripper,” Rainbow Dash said, “I work at a club in the red light district. I'm just the right age, so they said 'why not'.”

“Wow…” Fluttershy said, “I mean, more power to you I guess, but that's… interesting…”

“I know, but it's cool,” Rainbow Dash said shrugging, “I only ever go to work in the daytime, and Soarin always drives me back home.”

“How does it feel?” Fluttershy asked, “I mean, I guess it'd be silly to ask if you like it, but-”

“Actually, I kinda do.”

That made Fluttershy do a double take.

“Um… you like working at a strip club?” Fluttershy asked.

“Yeah. I mean, come on. Think about me for a second. I love showing off and being the center of attention, I have no problem with showing my body, I enjoy being sexual publicly, and it pays well if you do a good job. I'm sorry, but could someone tell me the part where I'm supposed to feel bad about myself?”

“Well, most people would say it's dirty and shameful work,” Fluttershy pointed out, “Especially if other students find out.”

“Shame?” Rainbow Dash looked playfully confused, “What is this 'shame' you speak of? I think I ran out of that years ago. Besides, if anyone has anything to say about it, I'll just do what I always do.”

“Brag about it like you meant to do it?” Fluttershy asked.

“Bingo,” Rainbow Dash said with a huge grin, she then got serious though, “Hey, about seven years ago…”

“It's… okay,” Fluttershy said, her hands resting on her knees and looking down, “I mean… I guess it really isn't, but um…”

“How bad was it for you…?” Rainbow Dash asked nervously.

“Dash, I don't-”

“Please Fluttershy, tell me the truth,” Rainbow Dash urged, eyes closed with a serious expression, “I need to know how badly I fucked up.”

“Oh Rainbow Dash, I…” Fluttershy hugged herself as tears built up in her eyes, “I was broken after you left…! It was right around the time I had started really accepting that we were friends… but when I went to your house… it was empty…! My anthrophobia got worst, and I couldn't open up or speak to anyone after…!”

“But… you made friends with those other girls, right…?” Rainbow Dash asked hopefully.

“Only recently…” Fluttershy said, turning away from Rainbow Dash and pulling out the yellow Power Coin, “We didn't start on the best of terms… but something happened and… I had to try and trust them…”

Rainbow Dash took a deep, shuddering breath, “I see…” she said quietly, “So… for seven years…”

“I was alone…!” Fluttershy started crying, “You didn't tell me anything…! You didn't call, or write, or anything to let me know that you were even alive…! I didn't even get to say goodbye to you! Going to your house and seeing it boarded up and abandoned like that destroyed me! I was alone, and afraid, and I had no idea where you-” Rainbow Dash immediately hugged her tightly from behind, trembling as tears fell from her eyes.

“I'm sorry…” Rainbow Dash sobbed, “I'm so sorry…”

“Rainbow Dash…” Fluttershy said, a little surprised by this display of emotion. Rainbow Dash never cried.

“I didn't want to leave you… But my parents… they took me away… I wanted to find you… to talk to you… and to tell you that I didn't abandon you… but I couldn't…”

“Why not…?” Fluttershy asked, putting the Power Coin in her pocket and taking Rainbow Dash's hands, “Where were you…?”

“Someplace I don't ever want to go back to or remember…” Rainbow Dash continued, sobbing a little harder yet holding Fluttershy tighter as if she were a lifeline, “If Soarin hadn't come through for me… I'd still be trapped there…”

Trapped…? Was Rainbow Dash kidnapped? Was she in danger or something?

“Just know… that I never stopped thinking about you…” Rainbow Dash said, “I swore that the first thing I was going to do when I got out of there… was to find you… If you hate me… I'd understand… but please know that I didn't abandon you…”

“Oh Rainbow Dash…” Fluttershy turned around and cupped Rainbow Dash's cheeks pressing their foreheads together, “I'd never hate you. We're best friends till the end, right?”

Rainbow Dash smiled, still sobbing but this time in happiness, “Hell yeah… best friends till the end!”

The two girls hugged tightly, staying in each other's arms for the rest of the night. Fluttershy still had no idea why she got such a dark feeling from Rainbow Dash, and she now had even more questions about where she had been all this time. Still, one thing was certain now.

This was definitely her Rainbow Dash. Even better, their bond had endured all seven years.

When it got dark, the two of them decided to head home. They of course traded numbers immediately, and Rainbow Dash told Fluttershy to text her when she got in safely. Sure she had done this a bunch of times, but Rainbow Dash wasn't going to take a chance. She had originally wanted to walk her home, but Fluttershy insisted that it was okay.

As such, Rainbow Dash decided to stick around in the forest for a bit. It was surprisingly peaceful there, almost like nothing evil ever stepped foot inside. At least, not until today.

Rainbow Dash leaned against a tree, and fell into a sitting position. She then hugged herself crying.

“I'm sorry Fluttershy…” Rainbow Dash sobbed, “If you knew the truth… I know you'd hate me…”

As she cried, she saw something glowing a bit in front of her. She wiped her eyes and crawled over to it to get a closer look. It was a green gem, almost like a small disc or coin. The gem had a golden trim around it, and looked almost futuristic.

“Is that a coin of some sort…?” Rainbow Dash asked picking it up and examining it, “It's… kinda pretty actually.”

Yes… very good child…

Rainbow Dash shot up and looked around, “Who's there?!”

Avatar of Darkness…

Truly worthy of the power…

That voice. Where was it coming from? Was she imagining it? It sounded like it was all around her.

“Just who the hell are- AHH!!!” she fell to her knees holding her head as a sharp pain shot through her head.

One who already stands at the edge of darkness…

You are truly the perfect candidate for this gift…

As Rainbow Dash screamed, she felt a surge of power through her body. Green fire engulfed her body, and she felt almost like her very being was being shifted.

“Not again…!” Rainbow Dash cried, “I don't want it to happen again…! Soarin… help me!”

As the pain stopped, she fell to the ground exhausted. Unable to move, all she could do was roll onto her back. She slowly pulled out her cellphone and called the one person who would always be able to save her.

“Hello?”

“Soarin… help…” Rainbow Dash breathed out.

“Rainbow Dash?! Where are you?!” Soarin cried frantically.

“Everfree… Forest… strange green stone… magic… knew I was…”

“What?! Hold on baby girl! I'm on my way!”

“Thank… you…” Rainbow Dash's hand fell to the ground as darkness consumed her world. Would she end up dying in that forest? No, Soarin was on his way. Somehow, someway he'd find her. He was her hero after all.

Chapter 15

View Online

When she came to, she was surrounded by darkness. She rose to her knees and looked around, seeing nothing but a thick black smoke surrounding her. She felt alone, and afraid.

“Where am I?” Rainbow Dash asked slowly rising up, “Hello? Is anyone there…?”

Here… we may talk privately…

“Who's there?!” Rainbow Dash asked shooting to her feet, “I may look soft, but I don't take shit from anyone!”

Your spirit feels like a dragon's…

But first… a test…

Rainbow Dash looked behind her and saw three large golems walking over to her. Her first instinct was screaming for her to run, but something inside stopped her. Instead, she crouched down getting on all fours and glared at the monsters.

You're a dragon now!

Dragons don't run from anyone!

Rainbow Dash charged at the golems screaming in rage. She jumped up and kneed one in the face, knocking it down. She then quickly spun around kicking a second one that was about to approach her. The third one tried to grab her, but she did a perfect split out of the way, and then spun on the ground doing a sweeping move knocking it to the ground.

Rainbow Dash flipped to her feet and spun around, facing the two other golems behind her. They both charged at her at the same time and fought her close quarter, actually beginning to overwhelm her. They both punched forward, making her slide back holding her stomach as she fell to her knees.

Will you give up here…?

Or will you find the power to face them…?

Rainbow Dash looked at the golems with gritted teeth. She had no plans on dying here. She had to beat them so she could get out of this dark space and see Soarin and Fluttershy again.

Fluttershy…!

When she thought of Fluttershy, something within her awakened. She felt a surge of power unlike anything she had ever felt in her life. Around her formed green flames, and her eyes began glowing demonic red.

“I… can't lose!” Rainbow Dash screamed as the energy grew, “I have… to… protect… Fluttershy!”

She screamed out as loudly as she could, causing the green fire to engulf her body, burning away her clothes. Immediately though, she felt a golden chest and shoulder plate form on her body, followed by green body armor and a matching helmet.

Now empowered, Rainbow Dash charged at the golems and fought them more violently, screaming the entire time. Her attacks were more like furious slashes, as her hands were clawed now. Each slash and spin kick left a green streak that showed her power. The fight ended almost too quickly now, as one final spin kick did them in. Once the golems exploded, Rainbow Dash screamed at the sky, almost hearing a beast roar at the same time. As she roared, the helmet vanished, letting her rainbow colored hair flow freely while still in her armor.

Yes… Yes…!

Very good… Rainbow Dash…

Rainbow Dash calmed down, and looked at her hands, taking in her new form. The armor was form fitting, yet still heavy and alien looking, with slightly heeled boots. In the center of the golden chest place was a white crystal.

“What is this?” Rainbow Dash asked, “I feel so… powerful…!”

This is the power of the Morphing Grid…

You are now the Green Power Ranger…

“Power Ranger…?” Rainbow Dash asked.

You found the Power Coin…

The one I salvaged…

The power is now yours… to use as you see fit…

“Wait, you're giving me this?” Rainbow Dash asked the voice, “Why?”

Because you are worthy…

Unleash your rage…

Avatar of Darkness…

“Hold on what? How do you know about-” Rainbow Dash asked, feeling the presence leave, “Hey! What's going on here?! What did you do to me?!”

Rainbow Dash opened her eyes and sat up with a start. She was lying in her and Soarin's bed, and it was now just becoming morning, as the clock said 6:00. She was now wearing a green tank top and white panties, showing that Soarin undressed her before putting her to bed.

“Ugh… what a strange dream…” Rainbow Dash said holding her head, “When did I get home…?”

She sat up and walked into the bathroom. She heard Soarin in the kitchen making breakfast, but she was still too groggy to say hi to him. She shut the door and then carefully turned on the faucet to wash her face.

“Hey, ya up?” she heard Soarin ask, knocking on the door.

“Oh… y-yeah, I'm up… sorta…” Dash muttered, “Sorry I didn't say good morning.”

“It's fine, baby girl,” Soarin said outside, “I'm just happy to see you're okay. You had me worried.”

“Yeah, sorry about that,” Dash said turning the faucet off and wiping her face with a nearby towel, “I don't know what happened. Last thing I remember was-” she looked at her reflection in the mirror, screaming at what she saw. Soarin immediately opened the door and rushed in.

“Dash! Are you okay?!” Soarin cried, “What… happened…?”

Soarin was mesmerized by what he saw. It was still Rainbow Dash, but something was seriously different. Her figure filled out a bit, not over the top but definitely noticeable. Her entire figure was fuller, as it looked like her breasts and butt both got a little bigger, and it looked like she had a bit of an hourglass figure. She also has nice feminine muscles that weren't unattractive, but actually only added to her appeal, and her hair had gotten longer and fuller.

Finally, she had fangs now.

Rainbow Dash looked at Soarin, her eyes wide in shock and fear. Soarin swallowed nervously, not taking her eyes off her. All of a sudden, something within Rainbow Dash awakened. Looking at Soarin, her heart was racing, and her fear was being overridden by something else.

Need.

At the same time, both of them ran into each other and made out violently. Soarin backed Rainbow against a wall, and Rainbow Dash wrapped her arms around Soarin, lifting her leg up and rubbing it against Soarin. It didn't take long for their make-out session to become a quickie, with Rainbow Dash screaming loudly as her climax hit harder than ever.

When they both came down from their climaxes, they looked into each other's eyes breathing heavily.

“Sorry about that,” Soarin said, “Don't know what happened there.”

“Don't apologize,” Rainbow Dash said, “I'm pretty sure I initiated that anyway.”

After the two of them calmed down enough to think rationally, both of them went into the kitchen to talk about yesterday, the green gem lying on the kitchen table between them.

“So… what do you think it is?” Soarin asked.

“No clue,” Rainbow Dash said picking it up and examining it, “It doesn't look like anything I've seen on Earth. More so looks alien or something.”

“Think it's the reason you look so different?” Soarin asked, eyes dropping down to Rainbow Dash's breasts, which were fuller in her tank top now, “Not that I'm complaining, but…”

“Eh, I ain't mad about that at all,” Rainbow Dash said, putting the coin down and once again giving herself a look over, “Honestly, I'm not sure though. That stone might have done something, but I can't imagine how a single stone could have-” she cut herself off, remembering her dream. The voice called this thing a “Power Coin”. Also, that strange armor…

“Dash? Are you okay?” Soarin asked, rubbing Dash's shoulder to get her attention.

“Huh?” Dash asked with a start, “Oh, uh, yeah. I'm fine.”

“You're still you,” Soarin said hugging Rainbow Dash from behind, “No matter what happens on the outside, you're still you on the inside.”

Rainbow Dash turned to face Soarin in the embrace and held him tightly, her eyes still on the green gem.

“I'm gonna keep getting ready for school,” Rainbow Dash pulled out of the embrace and walked back toward the bathroom, throwing off her tank top on the way, “Could you keep an eye on that gem for me?”

“Yeah, sure,” Soarin asked, his eyes shamelessly following Rainbow Dash's ass as she walked back into the bathroom, “Damn, I'm a lucky man,” he said shaking his head. He looked back at the table, only to see that the gemstone was gone.

“What the?” Soarin asked looking around and even under the table, “Where did it go? Did it fall over or something?”

“WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK?!”

Soarin once again shot up and ran into the bathroom, pushing the door open. He saw Rainbow Dash holding her towel close to her body, looking at the green gem as it rested on the bathroom sink.

“Wait, it was here?” Soarin asked frowning and approaching it.

“I don't know what happened,” Rainbow Dash said, breathing heavily and looking like she was going to cry, “I just came in here, turned my back for a few seconds, and then-”

“Shh, shh, it's okay,” Soarin said holding his girl close as she broke down a bit, “I know you're scared, but it'll be alright.”

“What if this is related to the Darkness though?” Rainbow Dash asked, holding onto Soarin tightly, “What if I'm becoming-”

“I won't let that happen,” Soarin tightened the embrace, “I promise, I'll keep you safe.”

Rainbow Dash said nothing else. She just held her boyfriend and savior for dear life, praying that this new change wasn't the Darkness tightening its grip on her.

Even as her soul cried out for something. Something that terrified her.

School was nice, but Twilight was happy that it was coming to an end. As her final class of the day was science, she used the now vacant lab to get to work on her own personal project. She'd finished the outer casing of the small device and had made the programs, now she just needed to put everything together.

The end result was a silver wristband with a watch in the middle and a few buttons on the side. It was sleek and smooth, making it look almost alien. Twilight put it on her wrist and examined it.

“Moment of truth time,” she said nervously, “This will either work, or it will break me up into my atomic components and scatter me across the planet.” she rose up and put the rest of her books in her backpack. Twilight then walked into the middle of the room and closed her eyes tightly, “Hope this works.”

Twilight pushed the button on the watch and tensed up. A second later, she started glowing and vanished in a bright blue light that shot into the sky. After a few super tense moments of feeling weightless, Twilight felt herself once again take form as the blue light came down onto the surface. She opened an eye slowly and looked around.

She was in the ruined throne room of the old Everfree Castle, right in front of the inner sanctuary that they made their home base.

“I did it!” Twilight cheered, jumping up and down, “I did it! I finished it! It actually works!” she pulled out her cellphone and called Applejack.

“Hello?”

“Guess where I am!” Twilight said excitedly.

“Um… in the computer lab?” Applejack asked slowly.

“Nope!” Twilight chirped, “I'm in Celestia's old castle!”

“H-hold on, what?!” Applejack exclaimed, “But… how?! That's like a twenty minute drive from school?!”

“Oh, the process was simple. Well, not exactly simple, as I had to figure out how to connect to the Morphing Grid myself from a computer first which was not easy let me tell you, but I figured out how to not only connect to the Morphing Grid but can even break down a person's biological make up to-”

“Whoa! Whoa! Twilight!” Applejack called out cutting her off.

“Too much?” Twilight asked cutely.

“Too much,” Applejack said simply.

“Sorry,” Twilight composed herself, “Short version, I've made a means of transportation through the Morphing Grid. With this, we can now get to the castle almost instantly from wherever we are.”

“Holy… you made that?” Applejack asked, “Twilight, that's incredible!”

“I have four more ready, and enough material to make another for whoever our Green Ranger will be,” Twilight said, “I can have them ready by tonight and give them to everyone when we meet for the sleepover.”

“Alright, perfect,” Applejack said, “You can show us all how to use them durin' our Morph Trainin. Good work, Twilight.”

Twilight was beaming. She loved knowing that she did a good job. She wasn't the best fighter on the group, but she was still able to do her part.

“Thank you, Applejack! I'll see you tonight!” she said hanging up. She then took a second to skip happily around the throne room. Celestia was going to be so proud of her.

Just as she was about to go inside and tell Celestia the wonderful news, she heard something outside. It sounded like movement. Frowning, Twilight set her bag down on the throne and walked out of the castle to investigate. They'd started keeping the way to Celestia closed when they weren't there, so no one would find it. That didn't mean they wanted anyone coming around near the place.

As she walked outside, she heard footsteps. Heavy and familiar footsteps.

“Putties?” Twilight whispered to herself. She pressed herself against a tree and peeked out into a clearing. She saw three Putties walking around as if searching for something. She noticed that these Putties looked somewhat different. Not too different, but Twilight noticed that they had tiny green stones glowing on their bodies.

Twilight was about to pace away, but her phone suddenly chimed. She gasped and looked at the number, seeing the name “Dad” appear on the screen.

“Daddy!” Twilight groaned, turning around to see all three Putties walking right up to her. She pouted and answered her phone, “Hello?”

“Twilight, are you okay?”

“I'm fine, Daddy,” Twilight quickly ducked as one of the Putties threw a punch. She then quickly ducked and dodged out of the way as the other two took turns trying to attack her, “W-why do you ask?”

“You just sounded upset. Are you coming home soon?”

“Oh, yeah,” Twilight said, gasping in shock and quickly moving out of the way of another attack, which then hit one of his allies in the face, “I uh, just need to finish up a few things at school.” she was trying so hard not to sound frantic right now. Her father always had the worst timing.

“Well, alright. You're having a sleepover at Applejack's house, right? I could order a few pizzas for you to take with you.”

Twilight was about to tell her father to call her back, but stopped, “Actually, yes. That's an excellent idea,” one Putty threw a punch, but she quickly moved to the side out of the way, and then ducked under another one's attack, which then hit the third in the back, “Um, get the basics. So, pepperoni, sausage, and cheese. Could that work?”

“Okay… pepperoni, sausage, and cheese. There's a special today, so we could get two drinks. What would you want?”

“Uh, hm,” Twilight stood there thinking for a second, and then quickly rolled forward as all three charged toward her, causing them to hit each other, “Lemon Lime Soda, and… Ice Tea.”

“Alright, perfect. It should be here when you get home Twilight.”

“Thanks Daddy. I love you,” Twilight said, seemingly oblivious of the Putty running up behind her.

“I love you too, Twilight. Get home safe.”

“I will, promise,” Twilight said, hanging up. She then closed her eyes, turned to the putty that was running up to her, and then glared at it. She tightened her fists, and let thoughts of her friends empower her. She'd been experimenting with a few of the Morph abilities, and as such had learned how to morph only parts of herself. Perfect, as she only needed one thing.

Right when the Putty was on top of her, she held her hands out. Said hands glowed bright blue, revealing only the armored gauntlets of her full Ranger suit, along with her twin bladed staff which she used to push the putty back.

“Right. Now I can give you my undivided attention,” Twilight said. Channeling what Applejack called her “Inner Amazon”; Twilight pushed the Putty off of her, and then quickly slashed downward with her staff, spinning it around to slash it again.

The second Putty tried to slam its fist down, but Twilight spun around and held up her lance blocking it. She pushed it back, and then spun her staff around over her head before slashing horizontally with the weapon, making the Putty fall back.

Twilight looked around, seeing the remaining two circling around her, and the third one rising up. It wasn't that she didn't think she could beat them, but she was still really curious. Why were Putties roaming around again, and what were those green gems?

“Oooh, I wish I'd given the others their communicators!” Twilight fussed, tightening her grip on her staff.

Rainbow Dash had thought about showing Fluttershy the strange stone, but she decided against it. She didn't want to risk Fluttershy asking her anything odd that would force her to have to tell her where she'd been for the last seven years. It was bad enough that so many students were asking questions already concerning her body.

The only reason they weren't together right now was because Fluttershy needed to get something for a sleepover with her friends. It was nice to see that she had people she was comfortable around. She felt bad because it was a private sleepover, but Rainbow Dash told her not to worry about it. She was just happy to know that Fluttershy had friends.

“Are you sure you're okay with it?” Fluttershy asked on Rainbow Dash's phone.

“Yes Fluttershy, I'm fine,” Rainbow Dash laughed, “I got other ways I can entertain myself. Besides, this is something private for you and your group, right? Don't worry about it. Soarin's got a match tonight, so I might just chill with him for the rest of the day.”

“W-well… alright,” Fluttershy said, clearly unconvinced, “As long as you're okay with it.”

“For the last time, yes,” Rainbow Dash stopped in the middle of the forest and pulled out that odd green gem, “You go have fun, okay?”

“Alright,” Fluttershy said, “I'll talk to you later, Rainbow Dash.”

Rainbow Dash smiled, “I'll talk to you later, Fluttershy.” she hung up and then held the phone to her chest, “I love you so much,” she muttered to herself. She put her phone away but then stopped and looked around. She heard something. It sounded like a fight somewhere.

Fight…

Someone was… fighting…

Rainbow Dash screamed and held her head in pain. The green gem in her hands glowed brightly, and she felt something invade her mind. The invasion was painful, and forceful. She felt her will dropping away bit by bit, as something dark and sinister rose up out of her. All the while she held her head screaming in pain and agony.

But then suddenly, the pain stopped. With it gone, came clarity. Everything became clear to her. Everything made sense. There was only one thing that mattered to her in that moment. The fight happening in the forest right now.

“Someone's having a party,” Rainbow Dash said, voice low and silvery, “And they didn't invite me? Looks like I'm going to have to crash that party!”

With a manic grin, Rainbow Dash rushed in the direction of the fight. Win or lose, she didn't care what the outcome was. All she wanted was a great fight.

Twilight fought one of the putties close quarter, knowing full well that he was backing her into his partner. She managed to get a lucky slash in, but before she could retaliate, the third one tackled her in the back knocking her onto the ground and over toward where the second Putty waited.

Twilight rolled onto her back, screamed, and rolled out of the way as the Putty above her slammed its fist onto the ground. She jumped up, but quickly had to block as the second one quickly came in and attacked.

She slashed it back and then rolled away from all of them, keeping all three in front of her, “Shoot! This is harder than I thought it would be!” a sudden cry caught her attention, “Huh? Was that a battle cry?”

She then saw the last person she thought she'd see. She saw Rainbow Dash run into view, jump up, and tackle one of the Putties into another one. She then jumped off it and landed next to Twilight, hunched forward almost on all fours and looking up at the putties with a manic grin.

“Ooooh, these guys look like fun~” Rainbow Dash said with an odd laugh, “Hope you don't mind if I crash the party~”

Twilight frowned a bit looking at Rainbow Dash. She sounded funny, like she wasn't really all there. Twilight shook it off and put her focus back on the three putties before them.

The two that Rainbow Dash attacked charged at her, but she ran off deeper into the forest away from Twilight, leading them off. Twilight then charged at the lone putty, slashing it in a wild yet controlled manner, actually getting through its tough outer shell.

The putty staggered away a bit, but Twilight didn't cease her assault. Instead, she charged in again, continuing to attack it at odd angles preventing it from moving. She was terrible when surrounded, so preferred to fight enemies one on one.

As the putty fell back, she raised her lance and prepared to attack it, but it blocked her slash as it came down. It rose up pushing her back a bit, and then threw her aside. Thankfully, she caught herself with a roll.

She looked to the side and saw Rainbow Dash in between the two putties she was fighting. Both of them threw punch after punch, kick after kick at Rainbow Dash, but the young and wild teen was too fast, ducking and dodging all of their attacks, and even getting in a few of her own, and somehow, her attacks seemed to be hurting them.

How strong is she?

Twilight thought back to what Celestia taught her about killing putties, “Right. The center of the chest!” she turned to Rainbow Dash, “Rainbow Dash! The weakness is in the center of the chest!”

“Center of the chest! Got it!” Rainbow Dash said looking at the putty before her with a truly terrifying grin. She then rushed at it, jumped into the air, and did a double kick to the center of the chest, kicking off the monster and landing perfectly on the ground in front of her other opponent. The putty she kicked twitched a bit and then exploded.

Twilight's eyes widened in amazement at how quickly she killed it, but then had to put her main focus on the putty before her as both of its fists came down on top of her. She held her staff up and managed to push the putty's fists back. She then shoved it back hard and then summoned as much of her inner strength that she could muster up. She then slashed the putty in front of her as hard as she could, creating a blue streak from the attack. The putty fell back and then broke apart just like its friend.

Twilight turned around just in time to see the third and final putty explode, Rainbow Dash standing over it.

Twilight made her weapon and gauntlets vanish, and then looked at Rainbow Dash intently. Something about her expression seemed off.

Rainbow Dash turned to look at Twilight, and then began walking toward her. Something about the way she sauntered over to Twilight made the young girl want to run very far away almost.

“That was fun,” Rainbow Dash said, “But, I'm not done yet.”

“Y-you're not?” Twilight asked, slowly backing away from Rainbow Dash.

“Oh no, I could go all day,” Rainbow Dash said, hugging herself and moaning in pleasure, “I don't care who it is, as long as someone satisfies my hunger for blood.”

“I'm… sorry, what?” Twilight asked, cursing her rotten luck internally once she backed up into a tree.

“Looks like you're the only one left,” Rainbow Dash said, now standing over Twilight, “So, think you can satisfy me?”

“I'm straight,” Twilight said quickly, “And I have a big crush on Flash Sentry.”

“Oooh, that's cute,” Rainbow Dash taunted, “But that's not exactly what I had in m-” she cut herself off holding her head in pain.

“R-Rainbow Dash…?” Twilight asked.

“Y-yeah…?” Rainbow Dash looked around confused, “Wait… you're Fluttershy's friend. Twilight, right…?”

Did she not remember what just happened? “That's right. I'm Twilight,” she opted to forgo the whole introduction since they already knew each other, “Rainbow Dash, are you okay?”

“I'm fine,” Rainbow Dash asked looking around a bit, “Why, wouldn't I be?”

“You just seem really confused,” Twilight said, deciding to not dive too deep as it seemed Rainbow Dash had no idea what was going on.

“I… am a bit,” Rainbow Dash frowned, “What was… I doing just now?”

“We were, going to walk out of here together,” Twilight covered, “Don't you remember?”

“No, I don't,” Rainbow Dash said honestly, “W-what, what was…”

“Rainbow Dash, I think you blacked out or something,” Twilight said guiding Rainbow Dash out of the forest, “We should get you home so you can rest.”

“Y-yeah, good idea…” Rainbow Dash said, following Twilight out of the forest. Should she tell the others about this odd encounter? What could she say? And why did Rainbow Dash get so weird just now?

Despite that being Fluttershy's friend, she needed to share this with her and the group. This was super weird.

Chapter 16

View Online

“So, talk to me,” Pinkie Pie said, “You and Rainbow Dash, what's up there?”

“What do you mean what's up?” Fluttershy asked with a raised eyebrow. Applejack poked her head out of the kitchen.

“I think she's tryin to imply that y'all two are more than jus' friends,” Applejack said playfully.

“Of course they're more than just friends,” Pinkie Pie teased getting behind Fluttershy and rubbing her arms with a suggestive smile, “They're best friends, right?” she raised her eyebrows up and down, causing Fluttershy to squeal and rush to the couch and sit down.

“It's not like that!” Fluttershy stated immediately with a deep blush, “Rainbow Dash and I are just really close.”

“Yes, I'm sure we could all see that,” Rarity said walking downstairs, everyone save for Applejack turning to her in surprise, “Twilight's on her way. Her Dad's driving her. I saw her on the way here."

“Thanks Rarity,” Applejack said, completely unfazed by Rarity being there suddenly.

“What, were you always here or something?” Pinkie Pie asked with a raised eyebrow.

“I bet you'd like that,” Rarity said playfully walking over to the couch and sitting down, “But no, I just got here. I just jumped in from Applejack's window.”

“And… Applejack is okay with that?” Fluttershy asked.

“She's been doin that for weeks now,” Applejack said, bringing two big bowls in with her, one full of potato chips, and the other with popcorn, “But seriously, 'Shy, forgive us for thinkin there's more to yer friendship with Dash, considerin' how yer always holdin onto each other.”

Fluttershy blushed looking down, “Well, I'm just happy is all. That and, maybe a little afraid she'll disappear again.”

Any teasing faces vanished immediately, replaced by looks of understanding.

“Right, that's, still a thing sadly,” Applejack rubbed the back of her neck.

“Has she told you anything about where she was all this time?” Rarity asked Fluttershy, who shook her head sadly.

“No, nothing. Only that she's happy to be back. Any time I try to bring it up, she always changes the subject.”

“She must have had a rough time,” Pinkie Pie pointed out sitting on a nearby chair, “She seemed sort of out of it today. Oh, speaking of, did you guys notice how great she looked today?”

“I did!” Rarity gasped, “I actually found myself getting a little jealous of all the attention she was getting.”

“She did look really amazing today,” Fluttershy admitted with a soft smile, “But… something about her seemed really tense at school.”

Applejack frowned to herself thinking. Was it possible that she found that? She didn't have a reference to compare her to, sadly, but she was almost certain that Rainbow Dash didn't look like that yesterday.

DING DONG

“Let's get Twilight in on this too,” Applejack said rising up to answer the door, surprised to see Twilight and her father standing together, the latter carrying three boxes of Pizza Hut pizza, and Twilight herself carrying a bag with two bottles of soda in them.

“Hey Applejack!” Twilight chirped, “Hope you don't mind me bringing refreshments.”

“I'm supposed to be mad that ya brought pizza? I'm more angry I didn't think of it myself,” Applejack joked taking the pizza from her father, “I got it from here, sir,” she said, eager to shoo him away so they could get back to their increasingly Ranger related conversation.

“Thank you, Applejack,” he turned to Twilight, “Have fun with your friends, Twilight.”

“Thanks Daddy,” Twilight hugged her father, “I love you.”

“I love you too,” Twilight's dad said returning the hug. He then waved to the rest of Twilight's friends and left out the house, clear reluctance in his movements.

“He seems nice, if a bit overprotective,” Rarity said.

“Daddy's been raising me all by himself since Mommy died,” Twilight said sitting down on the couch next to Fluttershy and Rarity, “I guess he's just surprised by me suddenly being more social. So, what were you guys talking about before I came?”

“We were talking about Rainbow Dash and how she looked super hot today. Also we're discussing the heavy lesbian undertones of her and Fluttershy's relationship.” Pinkie Pie stated in a matter of fact manner.

“Pinkie Pie…” Fluttershy groaned hiding behind her hair.

“Rainbow Dash?” Twilight frowned a bit, “That makes things easier for me.”

“Why? Did ya run into Dash?” Applejack asked walking back into the living room.

Twilight nodded, “First though I have to tell you all something,” she looked around briefly to ensure no one was close by, “I saw putties today.”

“What?!” Rarity exclaimed, mirroring everyone's shock.

“Oh no, not again,” Fluttershy whimpered.

“They looked weird though,” Twilight continued, “They had these green stones all through them, and they were both stronger and smarter. I almost didn't make it out of there.”

“How did you?” Pinkie Pie asked, not even trying to be jovial.

“That's the strange thing;” Twilight looked down unsure, “Rainbow Dash showed up and helped me.”

“Rainbow Dash fought the putties?” Fluttershy asked, visibly taken aback.

“She did, but something was wrong. She sounded possessed by something, and she was oddly violent. She was smiling the entire fight,” Twilight said.

Applejack pressed a finger to her lips in deep thought, “Fluttershy, was Dash a violent kid growin’ up?”

“If it came to me, yes,” Fluttershy said, “Rainbow Dash was always super protective of me, and sometimes she did seem to enjoy herself while she fought.”

“Maybe it's something similar,” Rarity pointed out, “No offense darling, but you do give off the air of someone who needs protecting.”

“None taken,” Twilight shook her head, “But I don't think this was her wanting to protect me. She saw my staff.”

“As in, yer Ranger staff?” Applejack asked warily. Twilight nodded slowly in shame.

“I'm sorry Applejack. She came in the middle of the fight, and I didn't have time to put it away. She didn't ask about it though. Actually,” Twilight frowned, thinking back to that odd meeting, “It seemed like she didn't even remember the fight.”

“She blacked out before the fight?” Pinkie Pie asked, “That… sounds bad.”

“Yes it does,” Fluttershy agreed, “I hope Rainbow Dash is alright.”

“What I wanna know is,” Applejack opened one of the boxes of pizza and took a slice while she spoke, “Why were putties walkin' around?”

“You don't think it's Luna again, do you?” Fluttershy asked worriedly.

“She said she wasn't going to fight us anymore,” Pinkie Pie said eating a slice of sausage pizza.

“Also, Celestia would have told us somehow,” Rarity said, taking a slice of pepperoni pizza, “Those green gems though. Girls, do you think they might be looking for the Green Power Coin?”

“If so, we need to find it, fast,” Applejack said, “I do not want whoever is controllin' the putties to get their hands on the Power Coin.”

“I know we were all looking forward to tonight,” Fluttershy said quickly finishing her slice of cheese pizza, “but maybe we should go warn Celestia and Spike about this.”

“Yeah, I agree,” Pinkie Pie added, “Let's move our party to Celestia's place.”

“If that's the plan, I suggest we use these,” Twilight opened up her backpack and pulled out four more of the watches that she wore.

“These are the communicators you were working on?” Pinkie Pie asked as all four girls each picked up one.

“Yep. By using the Morphing Grid, these can not only allow us to communicate with each other, but they'll also transport us to the source of the Morphing Grid on this planet,” Twilight explained, “I also plan on connecting these to the Spell Matrix in the Command Chamber, which will allow Celestia to contact us and transport us anywhere she needs us.”

“Allowin us to be way more efficient,” Applejack smiled at Twilight, “Great job, Twilight.”

Twilight preened at the compliment, smiling bashfully.

All five of them put on the new watches, packed up the food, and then ran out into the main field of Applejack's farm. There, the girls all pushed the button that Twilight specified, and were all engulfed in bright lights of different colors, which then shot straight up into the sky.

A few seconds to a minute later, the five lights landed in the middle of the throne room, once again materializing into Applejack and her friends.

“That… was so much more convenient,” Rarity said looking around.

“I'm totally using that to come here from now on!” Pinkie Pie said excitedly.

“That's the idea,” Twilight said, “These are far more secure than just us walking here, and once I'm finished, we'll be able to use similar methods to get around all over Ponyville if not the world.”

“That'll all come later though,” Applejack said stepping forward, “Let's go see our leader.”

Applejack placed a hand on the side of the throne, which glowed and moved to the side, revealing a long staircase. The Rangers all walked downstairs, arriving in the large white and golden room that was the Command Chamber, their own personal name for this base.

“Oh good, you came just in time,” Spike said walking out of a side room, “Celestia was telling me I needed to try and retrieve you.”

“Twilight made something that we can use to quick jump here,” Applejack said, “We actually came to tell y'all somethin as well.”

I imagine we're all here to discuss the same thing then.

play song

Celestia's voice echoed through the room. A second later, Celestia materialized before them in a bright golden light, “The Power Rangers are needed once again.”

“I already got attacked by a group of Putties,” Twilight said, “Oooh! Before that, I finished the transport system you wanted me to make along with the communicators!”

Celestia clapped her hands happily, “Oh wonderful, Twilight! I knew I could count on you! Spike, could you assist Twilight with connecting to our Spell Matrix while I update the other Rangers on their mission?”

“Sure thing,” Spike said, “We'll still be close by, so you can hear what they're saying, Twilight.”

Twilight nodded happily and skipped over to Spike, pulling out her laptop and consulting with him on something only they understood apparently.

“You said mission,” Rarity said, “What do you need for us to do?”

“As Twilight already found out, putties have been seen walking through the forest,” Celestia explained floating around the girls as if pacing, “They appeared sometime last night, and since have been seen walking around searching for something.”

“I bet they're looking for the Green Power Coin,” Pinkie Pie suggested, “Those green gems on them seem suspicious to me.”

“But why now?” Fluttershy asked thoughtfully, “Why didn't the putties show up earlier to search for it?”

“You see it too,” Celestia said gravely, “Something has changed. I have reason to believe that someone has already found the Power Coin.”

“That's not good at all!” Rarity cried, “It's still corrupted, right? What would happen to someone if they got a hold of it?”

“Nothing good, I'll tell you that,” Spike said, he and Twilight walking up to the group now, “The Power Coin's been bathed in darkness for millenniums, but Luna had adjusted herself to the corruption over time. If a regular civilian got it like you all found yours, the results could be catastrophic.”

“We've found a particular clearing in the forest that the putties seem the most attracted to,” Celestia continued, “We'll be sending the five of you there to investigate and see what you can find there,” she turned to Twilight and Spike, “I take it everything is ready?”

Twilight nodded happily, “Everything is set up, Celestia. For now, you can transport us anywhere within the forest or Ponyville. You can also use this to keep in contact with us, so if anything happens; you'll be able to warn us quickly.

Celestia smiled and hugged Twilight, “Thank you so much, Twilight. This makes things a lot easier for both Spike and myself.”

“I'm happy that I could help, Celestia,” Twilight said returning the hug. It was almost like seeing a mother and daughter together. Considering how Twilight's biological mother was dead, that might have been the case.

Applejack wondered if Celestia had any descendants.

“We should depart immediately,” Rarity said, “Just in case someone did find that Power Coin.”

“Agreed,” Applejack said, “Everyone, let's get into position.”

play song

All four girls nodded and stepped up to the pedestals in the center of the room, each choosing the one of their respective color: Red for Applejack, Yellow for Fluttershy, Blue for Twilight, Pink for Pinkie Pie, and Black for Rarity. Applejack looked around at her team, smirked, and then stepped onto the middle of her pedestal.

“It's Morphin' Time,” Applejack stated. All five of them closed their eyes as the energy swirled around them. Unlike the first time they did it, they were all confident that the armor would appear fully.

Sure enough, all five of them felt their clothes become lighter and then vanish. Almost immediately, alien body armor appeared on all of them, completely covering their bodies. Finally, on each girl appeared a helmet with black visor over the eyes and silver mouth piece shaped like a woman's lips.

"I'll use Twilight's new transport system to send you," Spike said at the control panel behind them, "

Once fully morphed, they were all engulfed in the light of their respective color and then teleported straight out of the Command Chamber. The Power Rangers were back in action.

The atmosphere was intense. The crowd was loud. And everyone was chanting Soarin's name. This was what Rainbow Dash needed to take her mind off of how strange things were today. Except as she sat in the front row, she found herself unable to really concentrate on Soarin's match. Not when she couldn't remember a small chunk of her night.

She was walking through the Everfree Forest, and then she felt a sharp pain in her head, and then the next thing she remembers, she's standing in front of Fluttershy's friend Twilight. She claimed that she just blacked out, but something about that felt off. Only made worse with her vaguely remembering she was moving around a lot.

“Was I… fighting someone…?” Rainbow Dash said thoughtfully. She looked up briefly, seeing Soarin throw his finishing move, which was a one two uppercut punch combo. All three blows impacted with his opponent's face and jaw, and he went down for the count.

After checking to see if his opponent was out cold, the referee held up Soarin's fist and presented him to the crowd. Everyone cheered loudly, but Rainbow Dash shook her head and stood up clapping for Soarin a second later than everyone, as she wasn't fully paying attention.

Soarin smiled at her, and she blew him a kiss in return. She then flinched back a bit as she felt another sharp pain in her head. She grimaced in pain and then quickly pushed through the crowd out of the arena, making her way outside.

Once alone, she leaned against a wall breathing heavily. Something was definitely wrong. She reached into her pocket and pulled out the Green Power Coin, which was flashing a green light on and off.

“What… the hell…?” Rainbow Dash asked slowly.

“Rainbow Dash!” Soarin called out, running outside looking around for her, “There you are. Are you okay?” he asked running up to her.

“I don't know,” Rainbow Dash said once again holding her head, “I still feel a bit funny, and the gem won't stop flashing.” she held it up to Soarin.

“What in the world…” Soarin asked, looking at it now concerned, “Okay, you need to get away from that thing for a bit. I'll tell the manager to postpone my next match so I can drive you home.”

Rainbow Dash shook her head; “No Soarin, I'll be fine,” Rainbow Dash said with a smile, “You stay here. I can make it home on my own. I might go see what Fluttershy's doing right now.”

“Are you sure…?” Soarin asked with a raised eyebrow. Rainbow Dash laughed playfully and started pushing him back toward the arena.

“Yes I'm sure. I don't need you to protect me 24/7, Soarin,” she laughed.

“Okay, okay, I'll let you go,” Soarin laughed and turned to Rainbow Dash, holding her close, “Stay safe, Rainbow Dash.”

“I will, Soarin,” Rainbow Dash said, pulling Soarin in to kiss him softly on the lips, “I love you.”

“I love you too,” Soarin said caressing Rainbow Dash's cheek. He reluctantly pulled away and walked back inside, leaving Rainbow Dash feeling cold and alone, not just because of the cool night air.

She sighed and began walking back toward her and Soarin's place, pulling out her cellphone and trying to give Fluttershy a call. Oddly though, he got her answering machine almost immediately.

“Fluttershy doesn't strike me as the type to turn off her phone,” Rainbow Dash muttered to herself, “Maybe it died or somethi-” she screamed holding her head in pain. It hurt so much this time that she fell to her knees, “W-what's happening to me…?!” Green flames grew around her, and she felt that same invasion in her head appear again. This time she could tell. Something was possessing her. She tried to stop it, but its force became too much. She screamed at the top of her lungs as her entire body was engulfed in the green flame.

The Power Rangers appeared in another part of the forest, this one being deeper in apparently. The trees were thicker in this spot, and assuming any of them could reach their phones, it was almost certain that they'd have no service.

Still fully armored, the five of them slowly walked around, keeping an eye for anything that stood out. Twilight had two fingers pressed to the side of her head and two lights shined out of the top of her helmet as she looked around.

“Anyone see anythin' unusual?” Applejack asked, her voice slightly distorted from her helmet.

“This section is a lot more quiet than the rest of the forest,” Rarity said, noticing the lack of birds or crickets, “Fluttershy, is that normal?”

“Not even,” Fluttershy shook her head, “The life in the forest would only silence itself if something was very wrong.”

Twilight's eyes stopped at the base of a tree. Through her visor, she saw odd energy converging at that spot.

“Girls, the energy around here is really strong,” Twilight said, catching everyone's attention.

“Can ya tell what that energy is?” Applejack asked as the whole group gathered around Twilight.

“Give me a sec,” Twilight said, squinting her eyes behind her visor as she analyzed the energy patterns, “This is the same frequency as the Morphing Grid.”

“What does that mean?” Pinkie Pie asked nervously.

“Exactly what you're afraid of,” Twilight said lowering her hand and turning to Pinkie Pie, “The Green Power Coin was probably here, but then someone found it.”

Before anyone could say anything else about that, footsteps were heard around them. The Rangers all turned around and saw a group of putties walking toward them.

“I'm guessing they followed the signal too,” Rarity said pointing with a shaking hand.

“We're already morphed, so this should be a cinch,” Applejack said materializing her sword, “Let's go, Rangers!”

All of the Rangers materialized their weapons and charged at the putties. Although they were indeed stronger, just as Applejack said, it was much easier morphed.

This time, Twilight's attacks were far more aggressive, and with actual power behind them. With two Putties surrounding her, she fought them off with ease with her lance, slashing one in the stomach knocking it back and then kicking the other one in the chest stunning it. She then spun her lance above her and slashed downward, slicing the golem in half before it exploded. The second Putty then grabbed her from behind.

“Ah!” Twilight screamed. Fluttershy reacted immediately, running toward the Putty that held Twilight. She jumped up, flipping once, and then came down kicking it in the side, forcing it to release Twilight, “Thanks Fluttershy!” Twilight called out before continuing her assault on the putty.

Fluttershy did a spin kick to one behind her, “What are friends for?” she said. One Putty got brave and tried to tackle Fluttershy, but she grabbed it and wrestled it to the ground. She then got on top of it and slashed it in the chest with her daggers before elegantly flipping off it as it exploded.

Pinkie Pie fired at three Putties with her bow and arrows, knocking them briefly to the ground. She then turned around and ran toward a tree as two more chased her. The Pink Ranger then ran up the tree and kicked off it, jumping behind the golems and fired at their backs. As they exploded, she landed safely, but then had to use her bow to block an attack as another Putty tried to slam its fists down on Pinkie Pie.

“Um… a little help over here would be nice!” Pinkie Pie cried.

“Got it!” Applejack said. She turned to Twilight a bit away from her, who nodded to her. Both of them got their weapons ready and charged at the Putty, Applejack slashing with her sword and Twilight with her lance.

With that done, Pinkie Pie managed to get the opening she needed to push the Putty back. She then got on one knee and fired her arrows as fast as she could until it exploded.

“Yes! Go Team Ranger!” Pinkie Pie cheered. Applejack shook her head laughing to herself, and then ran over to Rarity's side. Currently the Black Ranger was fighting back four Putties with her ax, which wasn't surprising as they'd quickly learned Rarity was physically the strongest in her Ranger form.

Applejack flipped into the fight, landing back to back with Rarity, “Need a hand?” she asked.

“Please, I was saving them for you,” Rarity taunted, “I could have ended this myself at any time.”

“Sure ya could,” Applejack said. She and Rarity stayed close to one another as they fought the Putty's off, slashing them away and covering each other perfectly, Applejack's speed and Rarity's strength.

After a few more minutes of fighting, all of the Putties exploded, and the Rangers all gathered together.

“Freaking awesome!” Pinkie Pie cheered, “We've gotten so good at this!”

“At least now we know our training isn't going to waste,” Rarity said, “But that was weird, wasn't it?”

“Putties don't have minds of their own,” Twilight said, “They'd only attack us like that if they were ordered to do so ahead of time. Also, why were they even here to begin with?”

“Maybe they were drawn to the Green Power Coin's energy,” Fluttershy said, “and once they saw us, they reacted to the threat.”

Applejack folded her arms thinking about that, but stopped when she heard clapping.

“Not bad. Not bad at all, Power Rangers.”

play song

Everyone turned around, and their hearts leaped out of their chests. The person walking up to them was unknown, but they were wearing a familiar green and silver suit of body armor and matching helmet, but theirs had a sharp and fancy golden chest and shoulder guard with a white gem in the middle. Her helmet was of the same fashion as theirs, only it looked more shaped like a dragon.

“Here I was thinking of joining in to fight those guys too, but little did I know they were nothing but chumps,” her voice sounded sort of familiar, but due to both the natural distortion of her voice coming out of the helmet and her somewhat manic tone, it was hard to place who that was.

“Who are you?” Applejack asked, tightening her grip on her sword just in case things got ugly.

“My name's not important right now,” the Green Ranger said looking around at the Rangers, “I'm here for one reason.”

“And what's that?” Rarity asked slowly.

“Blood,” the Green Ranger said, materializing two weapons. One being a scary looking sword with a hilt shaped almost like a gun, and a funny looking dagger with an odd shaped hilt and buttons on the handle almost like a flute, “In particular, your blood.” to emphasize her point, the Green Ranger pointed her gun blade at the Rangers, and shot green lasers at all of them. All five girls screamed in pain and fell to the ground.

“W-what the…?” Pinkie Pie groaned rising to her knees, “What is this, a surprise Boss Battle or something?”

“Blood…?” Twilight asked looking at the newcomer closely. That sounded very familiar.

“So, you five took out those putties with ease,” the Green Ranger said, resting her sword/gun on her shoulder arrogantly, “You ready for a real fight?”

“I don't know who this is, but we gotta take her out and retrieve that Power Coin!” Applejack said as they all rose to their feet, “Let's go, Rangers!”

All five of them charged at the Green Ranger, who didn't even flinch or move. It was five on one, so this should have been easy for them. They managed to fight off Luna, right?

Surely they’d be able to fight off someone with even less experience than them.

Chapter 17

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The Rangers all ran deeper into the forest, Applejack and her team surrounding the Green Ranger in a circle. One by one, all five of them ran in to attack her with their weapons, but somehow, this Ranger was able to intercept and block all of their attacks with her dagger and gunblade.

Eventually all five of them attacked her at once, but the Green Ranger ducked underneath their attacks and held up her own weapons. She then pushed upward knocking them back and spun around firing at each Ranger with her laser, knocking them back.

Rarity rolled to her feet first, thus she was the one the Green Ranger rushed toward, clashing her gunblade with Rarity's axe.

“Oooh! You look strong. Let's see what you got!” The Green Ranger said with gleeful malice, pushing Rarity back. She then slashed wildly with her gunblade, but Rarity managed to block most of the blows. She was clearly getting overwhelmed though.

“Rarity, hang on!” Twilight cried. She rushed toward the Green Ranger with her staff ready and slashed downward, but was taken aback when she then used her dagger to pin Rarity to a tree so she could use her gunblade to block Twilight's attack, “What?!”

“You got spirit. I like that,” the Green Ranger grinned behind her helmet. She pushed Twilight back, and then fired at Twilight with the gunblade's laser, shooting rapidly and causing Twilight to fly into a tree.

“Twilight!” Applejack shouted. Before she could do anything, Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy rushed at the Green Ranger. Pinkie Pie fired her arrows while running, but their tenacious foe slashed Rarity in the chest, knocking her out and then went to block Pinkie Pie's shots. She was occupied so much though that she wasn't able to stop Fluttershy as she jumped over the Green Ranger and kicked her in the back.

The Green Ranger turned to face Fluttershy, but Applejack rushed in right with her blade and met the Green Ranger's blade in a weapon clash. The two of them clashed blades for a few seconds to a minute, both of them seeming about even in terms of skill with a blade. The Green Ranger was so much more aggressive though.

The two of them jumped away, just as Rarity rushed in with her axe, slashing the Green Ranger and knocking her back a bit. She then retaliated by doing a jumping spin kick, kicking Applejack, Rarity, and Fluttershy back at the same time. She then turned around and slashed Twilight just as she was about to attack her, and then fired at Pinkie Pie before she could ready her arrows.

“Um, guys? We're kinda getting our asses handed to us!” Pinkie Pie groaned, rising to her knees.

“This is, insane!” Rarity cried, “How is she so powerful?!”

“Something doesn't feel right about her,” Fluttershy rose to one knee and looked at the Green Ranger closely, “Her energy feels off and unnatural.”

“What do ya mean unnatural?” Applejack asked, her and the other Rangers forcing themselves to their feet.

“She feels like one of us, but I'm sensing something demonic within her as well,” Fluttershy squinted behind her visor, “Wherever the demonic essence is coming from though, it doesn't feel like it's connected to the Morphing Grid.”

“What are you?!” Rarity asked, “Are you a demon sent by darkness that sent Luna?!”

The Green Ranger laughed arrogantly, “I bet you'd like that. I don't know about anyone named Luna, but you are right about one thing,” she pointed her dagger at the Rangers, “I'm the Shadow Lord's' star child. His Avatar of Darkness.”

“Avatar of Darkness? What in tarnation is that?” Applejack asked, once again getting in her fighting stance, “Some fancy word for the Antichrist?”

The way the Green Ranger chuckled was chilling, “You...could say that.”

“W-what…?” Applejack asked, the group slowly backing away from the green armored warrior.

“This power was exactly what I needed,” the Green Ranger began slowly walking toward the Power Rangers, “With this, I'll unleash an age of darkness and chaos, starting with this planet. First order of business, kill the five posers standing in front of me!”

The Green Ranger rushed at the Rangers, Twilight, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, and Fluttershy all rushing up first to try and push her away, but all of them were knocked back on her way to where Applejack was. The two of them clashed swords, but the Green Ranger pushed Applejack back into a tree using her blade to hold her there.

Applejack kneed the Green Ranger in the stomach to push her back, and then slashed her in the chest two times, with the Green Ranger blocking her slashes with her gunblade. The way she positioned her blade, all she had to do was pull the trigger and she fired at Applejack's stomach point blank, actually knocking her back and onto the ground.

“No!” Fluttershy screamed, shooting to her feet and rushing up to the Green Ranger. Said Green Ranger turned to face Fluttershy, and met her daggers with her own odd dagger.

“You seem familiar,” the Green Ranger said, “Have we met somewhere before?”

“I'd remember meeting a crazed lunatic like you!” Fluttershy answered, making the Green Ranger laugh arrogantly again.

“Ooooooh, you cut so deep, Yellow Ranger,” The Green Ranger taunted, “But I bet I cut deeper.”

Before anyone could ask what she meant, she gave her answer in the form of kicking Fluttershy back into a tree. She then charged up her gunblade and slashed Fluttershy hard in the stomach and chest.

“FLUTTERSHY!!!” everyone screamed. At the sound of that name, the Green Ranger tilted her head looking at the Yellow Ranger on the ground.

“Flutter… shy…?” she then grunted in pain and held her head, dropping the weapon and staggering away from the group, something was wrong. Twilight slowly rose up and looked at the Green Ranger intently.

The Green Ranger shook her head, moaning in pain. Her moans became louder, until it apparently became far too much to bear and she ran out of the forest.

“What was that all about?” Pinkie Pie asked folding her arms.

“Whatever happened, let's just be glad that it did,” Rarity said, “We need to check on Fluttershy!”

Applejack, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, and Twilight all ran to Fluttershy, who was lying on the ground unconscious, “How's it look?” Applejack asked.

“It looks bad,” Twilight said, turning Fluttershy around to examine her closely, “But I need to take her back to the Command Center to really tell.”

Applejack nodded and rose up; pressing her fingers to her helmet, “Hear that? We need a pick up. Five to transport.”

“Got it,” Spike's voice was heard directly in the Ranger's ears, “I'm bringing you all back.”

A second later, all five of them were engulfed in bright lights that shot into the sky and vanished, leaving no trace of the Rangers being there, or the fight that just took place.

The Green Ranger managed to get back into town, which was currently vacant due to how late it was. She staggered to a particular location, one that she didn't recognize. No wait… didn't she recognize it? Wasn't this place important?

Where was she going? Why was it important to get to that place?

That name kept echoing in her head. Fluttershy. What was that name? Who was that person? Why did she feel like she knew them? Because she… did? Yes! That's right! She did know that name!

The Green Ranger looked up at the small house in front of her. She looked at it closely, recognizing the address. Right… this place. It was… it was a place where she was safe. A place where she didn't have to be afraid.

She then turned her back to the door and leaned against it, slowly falling to a sitting position. Her breaths became faster and more panicked as reality started to come back to her. She remembered everything now. Slowly her hand rose to her face, touching the helmet. Immediately she jumped and looked at herself, finally snapping out of whatever daze she was in. Her gaze locked on her hand, and she tested something, willing something to appear.

In her hand appeared a large green and golden dagger, with an odd hilt that looked like a flute.

As she looked at the odd shaped weapon, the armor began to dissolve, revealing a panicked Rainbow Dash thankfully back in her original attire. Her eyes widened as she realized the dagger was not vanishing. It was real.

Rainbow Dash couldn't hold it together any longer, and thus gave a loud panicked scream. On instinct she reached into her pocket, pulling out the Green Power Coin, and threw it as far away as she could.

“GET AWAY FROM ME!!!” she screamed. She then turned to the door and fiddled around with her keys, pushing inside. In the living room, she realized that she still had that weird looking dagger in her hand. Something inside of her was screaming at her to not throw it away.

It's my greatest treasure…!

My prized possession…!

My… my…

“Stop it…!” Rainbow Dash seethed, throwing the dagger in a nearby chair and holding her head in frustration “Stop it! It's gone now! That stupid coin is-” she then remembered something, and slowly turned around to look at the couch. Her heart sank and she covered her mouth in horror at what she saw sitting on the arm of the couch.

The Green Power Coin. And it was still flashing.

“No…!” she sobbed backing against a wall, “I'm not his pawn…! I'm not…! I'm not! I'M NOT!!!” she screamed, suddenly furious as something within her awakened, “I AM NOBODY'S PAWN!!! I AM A DRAGON!!! DRAGONS DO NOT YIELD!!!” Rainbow Dash roared, picking up the Green Power Coin and gripping it tightly in her hands, “You think you can control me?! With this power, I'll-” Rainbow Dash stopped herself, holding her head in pain, “What's going on with me?! Why… why am I…”

Caesar…

“Caesar…?” Rainbow Dash asked, the odd voice whispering in her ear sounding dark, and oddly cultured.

Find… Caesar…

Everything… will make sense…

“Who's Caesar…?” Rainbow Dash asked. Instead of an answer, she heard something play in her head. A melody. Over and over again, as if her mind were trying to memorize it. It sounded almost like something you'd hear for a parade, and it felt almost like the song was trying to call out to someone.

Her attention was drawn to the dagger. She slowly walked over to it, picking it up and examining the flute part. Could she play this…? That feeling within began to take hold, and she slowly brought her flute to her mouth, ready to call-

“Dash, are you in?”

Rainbow Dash snapped back to reality again, just in time to see Soarin come inside. When he saw Rainbow Dash, he looked relieved.

“Thank God!” he said walking over to her, “I tried to call, but you didn't pick-” he stopped, eyes stuck on the dagger, “Dash, where did you get that?”

“Soarin…!” Rainbow Dash collapsed into his embrace, breaking down completely. She didn't get anything that was happening to her anymore. Why was she hearing voices again? What was that armor and dagger? More importantly… did she really hurt Fluttershy?

Back in the Command Chamber, Twilight had Fluttershy in another room, lying in what appeared to be a glowing pool of water, her head resting on a soft raised surface. She was unfortunately still unconscious though.

Twilight folded Fluttershy's clothes and placed them next to her towel, and then knelt next to her, a serious and somber look on her face. For Fluttershy's sake, she really hoped she was wrong, but so far, all of the evidence…

“Hey,” Spike said softly, a bit behind Twilight, “You should join the others. I'll take over here.”

Twilight nodded slowly. Without a word, she rose up and began walking back to the main chamber. Before she could leave, Spike placed a hand on her shoulder.

“Twilight, what's wrong?” Spike asked, “You can talk to me, you know.”

Twilight bit her lip and turned to Spike, “Spike, if you suspected that someone was dangerous, and a friend of yours was super close to them, would you tell them?”

Spike took a deep breath and pondered that, “Huh, well I'd get more evidence first, that way you don't end up accusing someone of something they didn't do, you know?” Twilight nodded attentively, “But, once I get more information, I'd have to tell them. Especially if I care about them. I'd definitely tell someone though. Someone I can trust to not make a huge deal about it.”

Twilight nodded slowly taking that in, “Thanks Spike,” she hugged him and went to the central chamber, where Applejack, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, and Celestia were in mid discussion it seemed.

“But who the hell was that?” Rarity asked, “And how long has she had the Green Power Coin to be able to do all of that?”

“She couldn't have had it for long,” Applejack said, “We'd have seen them sometime before this if that were the case.”

“What if she's just like how we were when we first got our coins?” Pinkie Pie asked, “Maybe she's just going off of her instincts?”

“I don't think that's it,” Twilight said, shaking her head, “She was too good of a fighter. I think she herself was just that good.”

“Whoever that was, I sensed a great darkness from her,” Celestia said, catching everyone's attention, “Far more than what was within Luna.”

“Were ya able ta figure out who that was?” Applejack asked Celestia, “She's connected to the Morphin' Grid, right?”

“Not completely,” Celestia said gravely, “Although the Green Power Coin draws from the Morphing Grid, it only uses that to manifest the armor and weapons. The source of the Green Power Coin is the legendary Dragon of Destruction, Caesar.”

“Caesar?” Rarity asked, mirroring her companions' confusion.

Celestia rose from her throne and floated to the pool of water in the middle, waving her hand over it. Within the pool of water, the Rangers saw a large ferocious mechanical looking beast. It looked similar to their Battle Zords, but with sharper edges making it look more sinister. It was shaped like a dragon, standing upright with a build similar to Godzilla, and was mostly green with golden highlights. Its claws were razor sharp; it had a silver face and snout with sharp teeth, and mechanical red eyes. Its armor made it almost look like it was wearing samurai armor with a distinct circle on its chest with six red lights all glowing, and its tail looked like it was a drill.

“This is the Dragonzord, Caesar,” Celestia explained, “He was created by a demon named Discord, the Master of Disharmony. My Rangers and I attempted to fight him, but he proved too powerful for us. Many people died in that battle, and we were sure that Caesar would take the Crystal Heart.”

“Okay, I know this is supposed to be scary,” Pinkie Pie whispered to Rarity, “but this just looks like the coolest Kaiju flick of all time. Like, better than Godzilla.”

“Hush you,” Rarity lightly scolded, even if she had to admit Pinkie Pie was right. It did look cool.

“It was actually Luna who saved us,” Celestia continued, showing Luna walking forward toward Caesar, playing what at first glance looked like a flute, but on closer inspection was the dagger the Green Ranger used, “In an earlier fight against Caesar, we managed to break off a piece of his armor. Using that, Luna created a special dagger that acted as a flute, and played the song that calms and commands Caesar. Using that song, she was able to tame the Dragon and saved our Kingdom. We then studied the energy of Caesar, and through that fashioned the Green Power Coin, which is infused with the power of Caesar. It was then that Luna was chosen, not by me, but by Caesar himself, to become the first Green Ranger.”

“So… ya mean that thing is somewhere out there?” Applejack asked, trembling a bit at the realization of what this might mean.

“I am afraid so, Applejack,” Celestia said turning to the Rangers with a grave expression, “He is currently sleeping, and his energy has been dormant for quite some time, so I cannot sense his location. But I can tell you that he is the source of the Green Ranger's terrifying power, and it is only a matter of time before she learns the March of the Dragon melody, and awakens the Dragonzord. When that happens, I fear for what it could mean for Ponyville.”

Suddenly, the air got heavy, as they all stood before the image of the Dragonzord, looks of fear and horror present on all four Rangers present.

“Was Caesar… tainted along with Luna too?” Twilight asked.

“Caesar has undying loyalty to whoever he recognizes as his master, and thus follows the will of whoever possesses the Green Power Coin. When Luna fell into the darkness, his will became the same as hers. The same will be the case with this I am afraid. If the Green Ranger plays that song and awakens Caesar, he will follow her every command without question.”

“Okay, I get it,” Pinkie Pie laughed awkwardly, “So we don't want Mecha-Godzilla to rampage through the city.”

“No, this could be potentially worse than Goldar,” Rarity added thoughtfully, “We have to stop her from awakening that dragon!”

“So, what do we do?” Applejack asked Celestia, “How do we stop the Green Ranger?”

“For now, your top priority is to find the Green Ranger, and stop her from summoning Caesar,” Celestia stated seriously, “Spike and I will look into what to do about the Green Ranger herself, but for now, focus on that task.”

They heard a shrill scream and a loud slap from the healing room. A few seconds later, Spike groaned as he walked out, nursing his cheek.

“Well, I can confirm that Fluttershy is just fine now,” he groaned. A second later, Fluttershy stormed out of the healing room, fully clothed and face red in embarrassment and anger.

“Everythin' alright, Fluttershy?” Applejack asked.

“No. I woke up naked in a bathtub, and he was in the room with me!” Fluttershy folded her arms and scowled at Spike, “I bet he was having pervy thoughts about me.”

“For the last time, I was just making sure you were alright,” Spike defended, “And you were completely submerged from the shoulders down; I literally saw nothing until you shot out of the water to cover yourself.”

“Hmph!” Fluttershy turned her nose to the air.

“You are impossible,” Spike sighed in defeat.

“Besides that, how are you feeling, darling?” Rarity asked rubbing Fluttershy's back.

“I'm alright now,” Fluttershy said, “Whatever that water was, it healed all of my injuries. So,” she looked around, “Did I miss anything important?”

“Hoo boy did ya,” Applejack said, “We'll fill ya in on the way. Celestia, we're headin’ back to my place.”

“Leave that to me,” Spike said, rising up to go to what looked like a table with runes on it, “I can transport you all right back to Applejack's backyard.”

“Good luck, Rangers,” Celestia said, “Please, stay safe out there.”

Spike put his hands on two of the runes and closed his eyes, and the Rangers were all transported out of the Power Chamber. Once they left, Spike turned to Celestia.

“So, how fucked are we?” Spike asked sitting down in a nearby chair, “Compared to Luna and Goldar the last time.”

“This is much worse,” Celestia said, biting her thumb nail nervously, “With this new Green Ranger, and the looming threat of the Dragonzord, it's only a matter of time before Discord is released.”

Spike nodded slowly, “Okay, that's bad. I'm going to get to work then,” he quickly shot back up and began looking into the Green Ranger himself. As he worked, Celestia shuddered to herself thinking of what was to come. Her Rangers were still so young, and they hadn't been Rangers for long.

This might be too much for them.

When they all got back to Applejack's place, they filled Fluttershy in on everything. After she was up to date, it was decided to just finish the sleepover. After eating most of the pizza and watching a movie, the five of them were mostly ready to turn in.

But around 2 in the morning, Twilight couldn't sleep, so she decided to head outside for a bit for some fresh air. As her blue and purple pajamas were very light, she could actually feel the cool night air very nicely on her body. She really liked it out here at Applejack's farm.

She just couldn't shake the feeling that something was really wrong. So far, the few signs she had supported her fears, but there just wasn't all that much in terms of evidence. She didn't want to accuse Fluttershy's friend of something she didn't do, but still…

Someone held out a slice of pizza in front of Twilight, “Cold pizza makes everything better,” Pinkie Pie said, wearing a cute pink and white onesie with a large hoodie with drooping rabbit ears at the top. In her other hand was a slice for herself apparently. Twilight smiled and took the slice of pizza.

“Thanks Pinkie Pie,” Twilight said softly.

“So, what's up?” Pinkie Pie asked leaning over the banister next to Twilight, “You've been acting sorta funny since we got back.”

Twilight thought back to what Spike told her. Could she count on Pinkie Pie for this? Maybe she could open up to her a bit.

“Pinkie Pie, I need to tell you something, but you can't tell anyone about this yet,” Twilight said turning to Pinkie Pie seriously, “Especially not Fluttershy. Not until I know more.”

Pinkie Pie slowly took a bite out of her pizza, never taking her eyes off of Twilight, “Sure thing, Twilight,” she said after swallowing.

Twilight took a deep breath, “I think Rainbow Dash is the Green Ranger.”

“Wait, what?!” Pinkie Pie cried.

“Shhh!!!” Twilight urged, “Keep it down!”

“But… why?” Pinkie Pie asked Twilight, “That's kinda random, isn't it?”

“Well, maybe a bit, but there is evidence to support it,” Twilight said, starting to eat her pizza slice, “For one thing, the way she spoke. She mentioned a thirst for blood, and when Rainbow Dash met me in the forest, she was talking about the same thing before she snapped out of it.”

“That was ominous,” Pinkie Pie said.

“Also, when we called Fluttershy's name, the Green Ranger ran off,” Twilight continued, “And remember how all of a sudden Rainbow Dash looked a bit different.”

“It was subtle, but yeah, she did seem to fill out a bit,” Pinkie Pie said thoughtfully, “I mean, I can see where you'd be coming from Twilight, but I don't know.”

“Neither do I. That's the only reason why I'm not bringing this to the others yet,” Twilight said, “Just in case I am wrong, and I hope that I am. But if I'm right, then we need to get Fluttershy away from her.”

“She'll be crushed if it turns out Rainbow Dash is the Green Ranger,” Pinkie Pie said, looking to the side concerned.

“That's why until we know more about this, she can't know,” Twilight said, “Pinkie Pie, I need your help in figuring this out.”

“Me? What can I do?” Pinkie Pie asked unsure, “Rarity and Applejack are way more capable.”

“Not for this,” Twilight said, “Pinkie Pie, you and Rainbow Dash already sort of hit it off, so you need to get close to her and see what's really going on here. Please, Pinkie Pie. I'd do it myself, but I'm awkward around new people, and I know she'd be able to tell I'm suspicious of her.”

Pinkie Pie sighed, “I really am the best person for the job. Alright. I'll do it, Twilight. I'll see if I can get close to Rainbow Dash.”

Twilight beamed and hugged Pinkie Pie tightly, “Thank you so much, Pinkie Pie!”

Pinkie Pie smiled returning the hug, “No problem, Twilight. We're a team, after all.”

Chapter 18

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The following morning, Rainbow Dash started making her way to school early. She didn't tell Soarin about what happened last night, mostly because she didn't understand it herself. Sadly, she had to take the Green Power Coin with her, as she knew it would just follow her. However, clutched tightly in her hands and held close to her chest was the odd dagger/flute that wouldn't vanish, almost as if it had now become something separate from armor.

She slowly stroked the blade with one hand, using her other hand to practice playing that song on it. That powerful song that she felt was calling out to someone. Someone who was as precious to her as Fluttershy.

Fluttershy… did she really hurt Fluttershy with that armor? But… who was she fighting back there? Now that she thought back to it, she remembered… their voices sounded familiar. Where did she…?

“Mmm…!” Rainbow Dash moaned, shuddering a bit as the memories started to return to her. Those other people, they were wearing armor like her. Were those… was she fighting the Power Rangers…?

“Rainbow Dash!”

Rainbow Dash opened her eyes suddenly and turned in shock. She saw Fluttershy waving to her, alive and well. Rainbow Dash sighed in relief, and then turned around all the way, hiding the dagger behind her back.

“Fluttershy, hey!” she waved, inwardly sweating as Fluttershy ran up to her and hugged her.

“I wasn't expecting to run into you!” Fluttershy cheered happily. Rainbow Dash quickly used the hand holding the dagger to hug Fluttershy as to keep the odd weapon hidden.

“Y-yeah. This is the path I use to get to school. I left a bit earlier than usual though,” Rainbow Dash explained, expertly hiding the flute in her sleeve.

“Are you okay, Dash?” Fluttershy asked, tilting her head cutely. Rainbow Dash shook her head laughing.

“After seeing your adorable face? Oh I'm fine,” the prismatic haired teenager smiled. She wrapped an arm around Fluttershy and they continued together, “What about you? You're not hurt or anything, right?”

“No, I'm fine,” Fluttershy asked with a frown, “Why?”

“I…” Rainbow Dash's saw a flash from what she assumed was the fight, and her slashing the Yellow Ranger in the chest seriously hurting her.

FLUTTERSHY!!!!

“Rainbow Dash…?” Fluttershy asked slowly. Rainbow Dash snapped out of her daze and turned to Fluttershy again.

“Yeah Fluttershy, what's up?” she asked with an awkward smile.

“I asked why you wanted to know if I was hurt, but then you went silent,” Fluttershy said looking Rainbow Dash over.

“Oh, my mind wandered to a conversation Soarin and I had,” Rainbow Dash covered, “And as for why I asked that, I just worry about you. You're so fragile, you know?”

Fluttershy blushed looking away, “I am not,” she fussed.

“Oh yeah you are. Remember when that boy threw a worm at you? I can't remember the last time I heard anyone scream that loud!” Rainbow Dash teased.

“Rainbow Dash! We swore on our graves to never speak of that!” Fluttershy cried helplessly. Rainbow Dash laughed loudly.

“To others! I didn't say anything about not teasing you whenever I got the chance!” Rainbow Dash said. Okay, that confirmed it. No offense to her best friend, but she was not Power Ranger material.

For a while the two of them fell into a comfortable silence, simply enjoying each other's presence. But it was Fluttershy who eventually broke the silence.

“Rainbow Dash, are you here alone?” Fluttershy asked.

“What do you mean?” Rainbow Dash asked with a raised eyebrow.

“You said that you're an exotic dancer, and I can't imagine your parents being okay with that, so I figured you weren't living with them,” Fluttershy said softly.

“N-no, I'm not,” Rainbow Dash said darkly, “I'm actually living with Soarin now.”

“How are they-?”

“I don't want to talk about them,” Rainbow Dash cut in, surprising Fluttershy.

“Um… D-Dash…?” Fluttershy asked slowly. Rainbow Dash closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

“Sorry. I'm sorry; I shouldn't have cut you off like that. I… didn't leave my parents on the best of terms…” Rainbow Dash said hesitantly.

“Did they not like Soarin, or was it something else?” Fluttershy asked.

“Something… else…” Rainbow Dash said, shaking her head, “Hey, tell me a bit about your friends? I mean, they're an odd bunch.”

“You think?” Fluttershy asked cutely.

“All five of you are from completely differently cliques, and yet you're always together,” Rainbow Dash continued, “So, what's their story?”

“There really isn't much of a story,” Fluttershy said, suppressing a giggle that Rainbow Dash secretly caught, “I'll just say… there was an accident, and the five of us just… had to come together.”

“So… this wasn't by choice then?” Rainbow Dash asked with a slight frown.

“Not exactly,” Fluttershy admitted, “But it's not really anyone's fault. And I do really like them. I guess they're an odd bunch, but there's so much more to them than just what's on the outside.”

“You really do love them, don't you?” Rainbow Dash asked slowly.

“I do,” Fluttershy said, stopping in front of the school and taking Rainbow Dash's hands, “Why the sudden interest in them? Are you jealous?” she asked mischievously.

“Maybe a little,” Rainbow Dash said playfully, “I can't help it. I had you first, so you're mine.”

Fluttershy giggled, “Sorry Dash, but you'll just have to share me,” Fluttershy kissed Rainbow Dash on the cheek, “I'll see you at lunch, Rainbow Dash.”

“Yeah, I'll see ya,” Rainbow Dash said, watching Fluttershy walk into the school. Once she was sure she was alone, she pulled the dagger out of her sleeve and slowly stroked it, “It wasn't her. I know that it wasn't…”

Play the song…

Call Caesar… and set me free…

Rainbow Dash held her head at the sound of that voice. Just who was that telling her to find Caesar? Just who was Caesar, and did that have anything to do with the sense of longing in her heart?

She put the dagger in her hoodie pocket and then walked into the school. She'd play around with the dagger a bit after school. She was curious about that song, and if it would do anything. Better that she investigate it before that weird coin made her do it and she did something dangerous with it.

Foolish girl…

The Shadow Lord already has you…

You'll fall right into our trap one way or another…

School was about as eventful as you'd think, so Pinkie Pie tuned most of what was going on around her out. She was more focused with getting close to Rainbow Dash, who did somewhat unnerve Pinkie Pie despite being really likable.

Naturally she sat with them at lunch, and she seemed more or less like her usual self. When she laughed though, it sent a chill down Pinkie Pie's spine. It was much friendlier, but it did sound eerily like the Green Ranger's laugh, although the Green Ranger’s voice was distorted by some sort of voice modulator, so maybe it was her mind playing tricks on her?

Once school ended, Pinkie Pie packed up her books and began looking around for Rainbow Dash. She heard that since she went to work on Fridays, she stayed at school for a bit longer stretching. She figured that meant the gym, so she headed there.

Once she arrived, Pinkie Pie saw Rainbow Dash in the middle of the room, legs spread in a perfect split and her torso bent all the way forward onto the floor. Pinkie Pie swallowed, her hands tightening into fists. She wasn't ashamed to admit that she was bisexual, and the moment she laid eyes on Rainbow Dash, she felt her heart skip a few beats. Seeing her like this was not helping things.

Why did you have to have a boyfriend?!

Pinkie Pie closed her eyes and lightly coughed as a means of getting Rainbow Dash's attention. The girl in question turned to face Pinkie Pie, and then chuckled.

“Like what you see?” she taunted.

“I'm completely open about my bisexual nature,” Pinkie Pie shrugged it off, “The only reason I didn't approach you about it was because of how close you and Fluttershy were, on top of you already having a boyfriend.”

“Yeah, sorry,” Rainbow Dash said, repositioning herself so she was now lying on her side sensually, “You are my type though, I'll give you that.”

Pinkie Pie giggled, twirling her hair around her finger. Now she really hoped she wasn't the Green Ranger, “I'll take it. From there I can fantasize.”

Rainbow Dash laughed out loud, “I love this girl already!” she shot up and walked over to Pinkie Pie shaking her hand.

“So um, why do you always stretch before work?” Pinkie Pie asked after shaking Rainbow Dash's hand.

“Because the work I do is really physical,” Rainbow Dash explained, lifting her right leg all the way up into the air, “I'm a dancer.”

“A dancer, huh?” Pinkie Pie walked over to a bleacher and sat down, “What kind of dancing?”

“Curious about Fluttershy's mysterious childhood friend?” Rainbow Dash lowered her leg and leaned in close to Pinkie Pie with an arrogant and slightly dangerous smirk, “Worried that I'm bad news?”

“In a way, yeah,” Pinkie Pie said honestly, “I don't think you're a bad person, and I can tell that you really care for Fluttershy, but there are a lot of things that just don't add up. For one thing, where have you been for the last seven to eight years?”

Rainbow Dash backed away and averted her eyes somberly, “That's…”

“You're afraid of something, aren't you?” Pinkie Pie asked, “I can tell. I'm not the smartest person in the world, but I know emotions. You're running away from something, and while I understand your fears, you're dragging one of my closest friends into it too, and I'm scared for BOTH of you. So just give me something, okay? Give me something.”

Rainbow Dash closed her eyes seriously, “You're right about me, okay? I am afraid, and I am running away from something. I was taken someplace far away, and I couldn't leave or contact anyone. Coming back here to Fluttershy was the only thing that mattered to me. You don't have to trust me, okay? I'm used to playing the villain anyway. But at least trust that I want to protect Fluttershy as much as you do.”

Pinkie Pie looked Rainbow Dash up and down. She seemed sincere, and was definitely a loyal friend if nothing else. She wasn't sure if she was ready to completely trust her yet, especially with the threat of her possibly being the Green Ranger, but she could at the very least trust that she was a good person at heart.

“I can trust that much,” Pinkie Pie took in a deep breath, “I am so sorry about that. I'm not used to being so serious. I wanted to ask if we could hang sometime.”

“Yeah,” Rainbow Dash said smiling, “I mean, I can't right now as I have something I need to check out before work, but I'd love to chill with you sometime.”

“Great!” Pinkie Pie pulled out her phone, “We should trade numbers then. Even if we can't date, I'd like to at least be good friends.”

“Definitely,” Rainbow Dash pulled out her phone, “And who knows? I might convince Soarin to let you join us for a threesome, if you're interested.”

“I would be interested in that, actually,” Pinkie Pie said. She and Rainbow Dash traded numbers, and then Pinkie Pie rose up, “Well, I don't want to eat up your time.”

“Yeah, I really do need to head out,” Rainbow Dash said, reaching into her pocket for something Pinkie Pie couldn't see, “That thing I'm curious about is something that might take a bit of time.”

“Did you want some company for that at least?” Pinkie Pie suggested.

“Thanks, but this I kinda want to do alone,” Rainbow Dash said, “Nothing personal, this is just kinda private.”

“Ooooh, gotcha,” Pinkie Pie said raising her hands in surrender, “Alright then, it was really great talking to you, Rainbow Dash.”

“Yeah, likewise,” Rainbow Dash said smiling, “I'll see ya Pinkie Pie.”

Rainbow Dash ran over to her backpack and rushed out of the gym before Pinkie Pie could say anything. Pinkie Pie didn't quite know what to make of that exchange. On one hand, she could sense that there was something very dark and guarded about Rainbow Dash, but on the other hand she could tell that she was a genuinely nice young girl.

“What is your secret, Rainbow Dash?” Pinkie Pie wondered aloud.

Once alone, Rainbow Dash reached into her pocket, pulling out her dagger/flute, which she felt like calling the Dragon Dagger. She held it close to her, feeling her heart racing for some reason. Something within her was urging her on, to play the song that had now been permanently etched into her brain. She knew it by heart, note for note, and she knew what keys to press on the flute. All she had to do was play the song.

Play the song, Rainbow Dash…

Call him… and unleash your dragon rage…

Do that… and I shall be free…

“Not… here,” Rainbow Dash said, swallowing nervously, “I need to get away from the school.”

She then ran out of the school, questioning her sanity. Why did she plan on playing this song? Why was she going through with this? And scarier than all of that, what was going to happen once this song was played?

Rarity didn't want to dwell on what happened concerning the Green Ranger. While she was dedicated to being a Ranger, she was still a teenager, and thus planned on taking the time to catch up on a few “favors”.

Therefore, while the other Rangers were all worrying about the Green Ranger in one way or another, “Easy Rare” had her good friend Blueblood in the school alleyway with her, and was currently in the process of sucking him off.

“Fuck!” Blueblood swore, gripping her long purple and white hair as she worked his cock, “This is fantastic!”

Despite her position and reputation, hearing that did make Rarity's heart soar a bit, which made her begin sucking him off with even more enthusiasm. Deep in her heart, she did feel guilt, but not for what she was doing. Rather, she felt guilt that she didn't feel guilty about it anymore.

It was like she told Applejack that day when she opened up. This was who she was. Ultimately, even if she was the Black Ranger, she was still Easy Rare, the school slut. As such, she still had a duty to attend to, both as the Black Ranger, and as Easy Rare.

I can serve people both ways.

Both by giving my life to protect people as the Black Ranger, AND by giving my body to make others feel appreciated as Easy Rare.

Once she finished him off, she naturally pulled out a moist towelette and cleaned herself off. As always though, Blueblood stayed by her side while she got herself presentable again, ever the gentleman.

“Thanks for that,” Blueblood said, leaning against the wall with a relieved smile on his face, “That fight with Suri actually upset me more than I thought it would.”

“Well, considering how that bitch ran my reputation into the ground, this was oddly cathartic,” Rarity said, now straightening her hair using a nearby window as a mirror, “Her boyfriend coming to me after a fight? The same boy who I sucked off last year that earned me this rep in the first place?” she laughed, “True comedy.”

Blueblood looked at Rarity unsure, “I'm sorry about all of that,” Blueblood said, “I really only came to talk to you. I didn't actually think you'd-”

“Then clearly you don't know me very well,” Rarity said, picking up her schoolbag, “If I have the chance to enjoy myself, help someone feel better, and get back at Suri for ruining me, come on. How am I supposed to pass that up?”

Blueblood shook his head laughing, “Well, I don't mind being used for revenge. I got a blow job out of it. Seriously though, if you ever decide to go clean, a lot of students are gonna be really sad.”

I know, Rarity thought secretly. That was one of the main reasons she kept going, and probably why she convinced herself that she enjoyed it on some sick level.

God, I really am a slut…

“For the time being, no one has to worry,” Rarity said sauntering over to Blueblood, “But there is someone I'm interested in, and I might, might try to be exclusive with them sometime in the future.”

“I hope so,” Blueblood said honestly, “I felt really bad for what happened to you because of me. Rarity-”

She placed her finger on his lips, “No honey, it's not your fault. I'm the one who drank too much, and Suri's the one who took advantage of the moment. You've always been a victim in this.” she turned to walk out of the alleyway, but stopped right at the exit, “Do yourself a favor, Blueblood. Find a nice girl, someone not connected to Suri, Trixie, or myself for that matter. Someone who will treat you like the gentleman you really are.” with that, she walked out of the alleyway, leaving Blueblood alone with his thoughts.

Ironically, up ahead she actually did see Suri up ahead, pacing back and forth on her phone. At first she wondered if she was calling Blueblood, but then she started apparently talking to the answering machine.

“Trixie, it's Suri! You know, you're BFF! Call me, please!” she said urgently before hanging up. Rarity frowned a bit looking at Suri. It seemed like she was genuinely concerned about something. She sighed to herself and walked over to Suri.

“Hey, you okay?” Rarity asked Suri, who immediately turned to her with a scowl.

“Well, look what we have here? Come back from serving some poor sap your cheap services?” Suri taunted.

If only you knew, Rarity thought to herself. Still, she bit back the response and instead pressed on, “I just saw you stressed about something, and since at one point you and I were best friends, I thought I'd see what was wrong.”

“It's none of your business, Easy Rare,” Suri spat, making Rarity scowl in response, “A cheap slut like you should just focus on what she does best. That's giving head.”

Rarity chuckled darkly, shaking her head, “You know, it's a shame really. I did feel a bit guilty at first, but after talking to you for a few seconds, I'm feeling pretty fucking good about myself right now.

“Oh really? And what pray tell are you-” she cut herself off and looked behind her, probably in the alleyway that Rarity came out from. Based on the way she just paled, it was pretty clear she saw exactly who Rarity was with.

Rarity couldn't hold in her shit eating grin.

“Well, I better be on my way,” Rarity said airily, pushing past Suri with her shoulder as she sauntered off.

“You fucking bitch!” Suri screamed, “I'm gonna ruin you, you hear me?! I swear to God I'm going to run you into the ground!”

“Too late for that, darling~” Rarity said in a sing song manner. There was literally nothing Suri could do to her anymore. She'd been threatening to ruin Rarity for months now, and so far nothing had come out of it. Somehow, despite being the school slut, Rarity was actually liked way more than Suri or Trixie.

Speaking of Trixie, when was the last time she came to school?

Before she could begin to really ponder that, Rarity saw a sight that truly caught her attention. Running away from the school was Rainbow Dash, but she seemed off. For one thing, she had an oddly urgent look on her face, but also, she was clutching something very closely to her chest.

“What is she doing?” Rarity asked. She decided to follow her closely, staying far enough to not be seen. She didn't really say much about it out loud, but she and Applejack were both VERY suspicious of Fluttershy's childhood friend. You didn't just vanish for seven years without a trace and then reappear out of nowhere.

Rainbow Dash had a secret, and Rarity had a feeling she was on the verge of figuring out what said secret was.

She followed Rainbow Dash to Ponyville Beach, where Dash walked to the end of the pier. Once there, she dropped her schoolbag, and looked out at the water with an unreadable expression on her face.

“What's out here…?” Rainbow Dash asked herself aloud, “Are you… calling out to me…?”

Rarity was behind Rainbow Dash, so she had no idea what she was holding so closely to her chest, but she did pull out her cellphone, sending Applejack a text telling her where she was before putting her full focus onto Rainbow Dash.

“Should I do it here?” Rainbow Dash asked, looking down at the odd weapon clutched in her hands, “What's going to happen if I do?” she hugged the dagger closely, her heart racing the whole time, “I need to make sense of this though, and this is the only way I can do that.”

“What is she talking about?” Rarity whispered, now pointing her camera phone and recording Rainbow Dash, just in case she did something the others needed to see. She was really happy that she did too, as Rainbow Dash brought the object to her mouth, revealing it to be a familiar looking green dagger. The sight of that made Rarity's heart leap out of her chest, “Oh… oh no…”

Rainbow Dash brought the dagger to her mouth, and took a chance, blowing into the flute and playing the song in her head perfectly, as if she'd practiced it her whole life. The sound from the flute was odd, sounding more like a trumpet than a flute, and the song echoed out into the water.

Rarity was frozen watching this. She knew that she needed to go over there and stop her, but at that moment she was too afraid to move. Something told her she knew exactly what that song was.

Sure enough, as Rainbow Dash continued playing the song, the whole area began to shake, followed by a loud, odd sounding roar. Rarity stepped out of her hiding spot and slowly backed away in horror as something slowly arose from the water, looking almost like a mechanical Godzilla in green, black, and golden samurai's armor.

“That's… the Dragonzord…?” Rarity asked, unable to hold in just how afraid she was seeing that creature come out of the water like that. Rainbow Dash's eyes widened as she looked up at the ferocious mechanical beast as it thrashed around wildly, roaring loudly.

Currently sitting in her throne, Celestia opened her eyes suddenly, “SPIKE!!! GET THE RANGERS!!!”

“What?!” Spike ran in urgently, “What wrong, Your Majesty?!”

“It's Caesar! The Green Ranger has already awakened him!”

“Already?! But I haven't figured out how to use Twilight's new system yet!” Spike fussed.

“Then I advise you learn quickly, Spike,” Celestia said gravely, “The Rangers will need our help just to survive this encounter.”

“No time to read the instructions! Got it!” Spike said, running to the controls to figure out the runes. If he could at least call one of the Rangers, they could get the other four.

Rainbow Dash looked down at the dagger in her hands, and then at the beast before her, “Did this dagger… did it call this thing here?!”

The dragon turned to look at Rainbow Dash, and then slowly walked over to her. She was about to run, but stopped when the mechanical dragon knelt down before Rainbow Dash and looked at her calmly. It took a few seconds for her to realize that it wasn't there to hurt her.

“You came here for me… didn't you…?” Rainbow Dash asked, reaching out to pet the large creature. It made a low rumbling sound, but somehow Rainbow Dash understood it a little. No she didn't hear words, but she felt intention. She knew what it was saying to her.

What are your orders… Master?

“You're… Caesar, aren't you…?” Rainbow Dash asked, now caressing the side of the silver metallic face of the dragon before her. Caesar then growled again, but this time Rainbow Dash gasped in shock and turned around, “Show yourself!”

“Shit!” Rarity swore. She had rushed behind a stand once Caesar approached Rainbow Dash, and was about to run off. She had hoped that Caesar hadn't seen her, as something told her he had sentience of some sort.

“I know you're there!” Rainbow Dash said, gripping the dagger tightly for some reason, “Come out, or I'll have Caesar draw you out!”

Realizing she was screwed, Rarity took a deep breath, and then slowly stepped out holding her hands up in surrender.

“Rarity?” Rainbow Dash asked wide eyed, “Why are you here?!”

“Rainbow Dash, where did you get that dagger?” Rarity asked, her voice shaking in fear. Oddly, Rainbow Dash shied away from Rarity clutching the dagger close to her chest.

“It's mine!” Rainbow Dash defended, “No one can touch it but me!”

“That doesn't answer the question!” Rarity demanded, “Why do you have that dagger?! Where did you get it?!”

“What's it to you?!” Rainbow Dash asked backing away a bit from Rarity, “This isn't any of your business, so why are you-”

She's one of them, Rainbow Dash…

That girl… she's your enemy…

“My… enemy…?” Rainbow Dash asked with a slight frown. She then flinched, holding her head as a sharp pain shot through her head, “Not… again…!”

“Rainbow Dash…?” Rarity asked slowly. She watched as Rainbow Dash screamed at the top of her lungs, holding her head as green fire consumed her, and her clothes were switched out with the Green Ranger armor right before her very eyes.

“That's better,” the Green Ranger said, resting the Dragon Dagger on her shoulder, “I think this is a better look for me, don't you?”

“Oh my word…” Rarity said, “Is the Power Coin, possessing you…?”

“Now let's test something here,” the Green Ranger said, walking over to Rarity, “If I'm right, then you should have something on your person at all times. Don't move, bitch.”

She had enough mind to move to attack her, but stopped once she realized A) she'd have to Morph to do anything, which would be really hard to do so far away from the Command Chamber and under so much stress and B) This Caesar creature was looking right at Rarity, and he looked poised to attack.

The Green Ranger began a truly invasive search of Rarity, eventually reaching into her bra and pulling out the Black Power Coin, holding it before Rarity.

“Oh ho! What do we have here?” The Green Ranger asked tauntingly, “Now it all makes sense, Black Ranger.”

“Rainbow Dash, you're not in the right head,” Rarity said slowly, “I don't know what that coin is telling you, but I can help you.”

“What if I don't want help?” the Green Ranger asked leaning in close to Rarity, “See, I've been running for a while now, always afraid of what would happen if they caught me, but with this,” she held her hands out, “I'm in control now, and I'm never running from anything ever again. After all, dragons don't run from anyone.”

“Run…?” Rarity asked looking at the Green Ranger intently, “Rainbow Dash, what… what are you talking about…?”

Instead of answering her, the Green Ranger turned to the Dragonzord, “The others are gonna show up soon to save this one. Why don't you go into town and give them something else to worry about?”

Caesar roared loudly, and then walked off in the direction of the town. Before Rarity could say anything, the Green Ranger grabbed her arm and threw her close to where the edge was, trapping her there.

“As for us,” the Green Ranger threw Rarity her Power Coin, “Let's you and me settle our fight from last night.”

“I don't want to fight you!” Rarity shouted, “I'm not your enemy, Dash! I'm Fluttershy's-”

“Leave Fluttershy out of this!” the Green Ranger shouted, “As for you, if you don't want to fight, that's fine,” she pointed her gunblade at Rarity, “I planned on killing you either way.”

Rarity screamed and covered herself as Rainbow Dash fired at her. As the smoke cleared though, it revealed not Rarity standing there, but the Black Ranger, fully armored and holding her ax ready.

“I don't know what's going on with you, but I'm not dying today!” Rarity proclaimed, gripping her ax tightly. The Green Ranger laughed.

“Now that's what I wanted to see! It's no fun just killing someone who won't fight back!” the Green Ranger pointed her gunblade at Rarity, “Don't die too soon now.”

“Please get to me quickly, Applejack…” Rarity begged, secretly biting her lip nervously behind her helmet. One minute she was sucking off Suri's boyfriend in an alleyway, and the next minute she's standing before the Green Ranger alone, and she was able to effortlessly mop the floor with all five of them at once.

This was NOT how she wanted to spend her Friday afternoon.

Chapter 19

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play song

It was absolute chaos in the city, everyone running away in a panic as the giant mechanical dragon marched through the town, thrashing about wildly. It was Goldar all over again, only worse.

Military helicopters flew around the ferocious monster and began firing missiles at it. They exploded on impact, but beyond that didn't seem like they really did much in the way of damage except for pissing it off, if the enraged roar was any indication. Before they could fly away, the mechanical dragon spun around and used the drill on its tail to slice through all of them.

“Just as citizens seemed to be calming down from the appearance of that strange golden creature, Ponyville is attacked once again by what appears to be some sort of mechanical beast similar to the robots the Power Rangers used!” an excitable news caster said, trying her best to cover the action, “People here are in a panic wondering if-” she stopped and looked out into the distance, “Speaking of the Power Rangers, I see them now! They're inside their giant mechs approaching the beast!”

Sure enough, slowly approaching Caesar were four mechs: a red T-Rex, a blue Triceratops, a yellow Saber-toothed Tiger, and a pink Pterodactyl which hovered over the ground. Inside, all four Rangers were in their armors, but omitted their helmets as it was more or less completely safe in the cockpits.

“Applejack, can we beat this without Rarity?” Twilight asked fearfully.

“For both our sakes, and hers, I hope so,” Applejack said, looking down at her phone which she brought with her into her cockpit, biting her lip nervously. She called and texted Rarity, but she wouldn't answer. She hoped Rarity was not where Applejack feared she was.

“Girls! Caesar's attacking!” Pinkie Pie cried.

“Everyone spread out!” Fluttershy screamed urgently. All four Battle Zords backed away and took cover as Caesar spun around and fired a powerful blue beam out of his mouth.

“We need to get it out of the city!” Twilight cried, “Applejack, can you help me?”

“Got it!” Applejack braced herself, “Fluttershy, cover us with your guns! Pinkie Pie, stay as high in the air as possible and cover us from there!”

“Right!” Fluttershy shouted.

“Understood, Leader!” Pinkie Pie answered.

The T-Rex and Triceratops both rushed at Caesar and began pushing him as far out of the city as they could. Thankfully, the T-Rex Zord was about as big as Caesar, as he thrashed about pushing back against both Zords, eventually pushing them back far enough to slash at both Zords with his claws right before they got out of the city limits.

“AHH!!!” Twilight screamed, flying back.

“Twilight!” Applejack cried.

“Leave it to me!” Pinkie Pie shouted. The Pterodactyl flew down close to Caesar, doing a fancy spinning maneuver as it fired at him with the blasters on its wings, actually hitting him in the center of the chest and pushing him back a bit. The Tiger then jumped onto a nearby building and fired at Caesar with its guns, making the dragon fall back, thankfully now out of the super populated areas.

As Caesar slowly rose up, all four active Zords gathered a bit in front of Caesar, blocking his way back to the main city, keeping him closer to the beach and ocean area. Caesar looked right at the T-Rex, and Applejack flinched back in her cockpit.

“Leader, what's wrong?” Pinkie Pie asked.

“Somethin' about the way that dragon is lookin' at us,” Applejack said gripping the controls tightly, “It seems odd ta me.”

“He's… intelligent,” Fluttershy said softly.

“What do ya mean?” Applejack asked.

“I… can just tell,” Fluttershy leaned in close looking at Caesar intently, “He's not a mindless creature. Actually, I think he's perfectly self-aware,” she gasped in shock, “Applejack! He's about to attack you!”

“Huh?!” Applejack looked up too late, as Caesar rushed the T-Rex Zord, grabbing it and throwing it down onto the beach.

“Applejack!” Pinkie Pie cried. She flew the Pterodactyl down toward Caesar, firing her guns rapidly at the dragon, but he swung his tail at her, slamming it into the pink Zord and sending it flying back a bit, the girl inside screaming.

“I got you!” Twilight cried, running after Pinkie Pie's Zord and shooting the Triceratops' horns out, grabbing the Pterodactyl with her chains and helping her steady herself in the air again.

“Thanks Twilight,” Pinkie Pie breathed out in relief.

“You're welcome, Pinkie Pie,” Twilight said, “But we have a problem.” she turned to the fight, which was currently more of a slug fest between Caesar and the T-Rex, who was blocking and attacking for the most part, but it was clear that she was getting overwhelmed.

“Um! UH!!! A LITTLE HELP OVER HERE WOULD BE NICE!!!” Applejack screamed frantically.

“Applejack, I'm coming to help!” Fluttershy cried. The Tiger rushed toward the fight, firing her blasters at Caesar, hitting him in the side and momentarily getting his attention. She then jumped up and pounced onto Caesar, sinking her Zord's razor sharp teeth into Caesar's arm, earning a loud and angry roar from the mechanical beast.

The Triceratops rushed past Caesar, stopping a bit away from him and firing its horns at Caesar, wrapping its chains around him. Caesar roared in anger and threw Fluttershy's Zord into Twilight's, knocking both of them back. The T-Rex recovered and began to rise up, but Caesar grabbed it by the shoulders, picked it up, and slashed it twice in the chest, knocking it back. Before Applejack could force her Zord to its feet, Caesar rushed toward it, got on top of it, and began slashing the red Zord while it was helpless.

“Why's he only goin after me?!” Applejack screamed helplessly, trying her best to block, “Did I step on his tail or somethin?! If so, could someone tell him I'm sorry?!”

“I was watching the whole time though, and you never stepped on his tail!” Twilight answered.

“I WAS JOKING!!!” Applejack screamed.

Pinkie Pie flew in with her Zord, once again firing her blast at Caesar, this time hitting him in the back. Caesar roared, rose up off the T-Rex, and fired his blue energy stream out at the Pterodactyl.

“Whoa!” Pinkie Pie cried flying back just in time. Caesar then let out a loud roar that seemed to echo all around them, “Um, think he's mad?!”

“Stay out of this?!” Fluttershy asked, sounding confused, “This is a fight between me… and the red king?!”

“Wait; is that what he's saying?” Twilight asked.

“I think so,” Fluttershy said, eyes widening in simultaneous awe and terror, “I don't know how I can understand him, but somehow I can just feel his intentions. He's… he's communicating!”

“Hold on…!” Applejack panted, her Zord staggering to its knees at least, “Ya mean… this thing's not only automated, but it's alive?!”

“Not only that, but sapient as well,” Fluttershy said, trembling inside of her cockpit, “He knows exactly what he's doing, and is in perfect control of himself!”

“Then let's tell him to stop!” Pinkie Pie urged, “Maybe we can reason with him!”

“Caesar, please stop this!” Fluttershy called out through her Zord, “We don't have to be enemies!”

Caesar roared in response, this time focused right on Fluttershy, who closed her eyes tightly in fear. Her Zord even shrank back like a real cat.

“What's he saying?” Twilight asked.

“He said… he doesn't care who we are…” Fluttershy sobbed holding her head in fear, “Friend… Foe… it doesn't matter… he's following the command… of his Master.”

“That means… the Green Ranger!” Applejack reasoned. She then looked out at the pier, and got the shock of a lifetime, “RARITY!!!”

Everyone looked out at the pier. There they saw Rarity, fully morphed and fighting a losing battle herself against the Green Ranger, whose ferocious and wild fighting style had put her completely on the defensive.

“She's in trouble!” Pinkie Pie cried, “She doesn't stand a chance against the Green Ranger alone!”

Before anyone could to anything, Caesar turned back to the T-Rex Zord and kicked it in the stomach, causing massive damage to it and Applejack inside.

“But if any of us leave for a second Caesar will kill Applejack!” Twilight cried.

“Girls, you cannot defeat Caesar!” Celestia's voice said urgently inside of all of their cockpits, “Without the Megazord, you have no hope of truly harming him!”

“Then what do we do?!” Applejack asked, grunting in pain as her fight with Caesar continued, “My Zord's fallin’ apart, an' I don't think Rarity can last against the Green Ranger fer long!”

* * * *

“Your Majesty, I think I found something!” Spike said, looking at an odd image of what looked like Caesar's energy, which seemed almost empty, “I don't think he woke up at full strength! If the Rangers can last for a bit longer, the Dragonzord will run out of power!”

Celestia nodded to Spike and then turned back to the center pool of water, “Listen to me, I know this is scary, but you must survive for a bit longer. Caesar's power is finite, and he'll have to recharge soon. That should buy us a bit of time.”

* * * *

Inside of her cockpit, poor Fluttershy was having a full on panic attack. Nothing they were doing worked on Caesar, Applejack and Rarity were about to die, and she still had no idea what was going on with her understanding Caesar. She was too afraid to do anything, and had resorted to just holding her head sobbing uncontrollably in her cockpit.

“It's too much!” she cried, covering her ears to block out the sounds of Caesar pummeling Applejack's Zord, “I can't do this! I can't!”

“Fluttershy, calm down,” Pinkie Pie urged softly, “Panicking right now isn't going to-” she was cut off by Fluttershy's loud panicked scream, “Fluttershy…”

Twilight gripped the controls of her Zord tightly. She was trembling, so terrified that she wanted to run away, but she knew that her best friend was inside of the Zord Caesar was destroying. She gritted her teeth, glaring at Caesar furiously before her Zord charged in.

“GET AWAY FROM MY BEST FRIEND CAESAR!!!” Twilight screamed, tackling Caesar and knocking him off of Applejack, “If you… d-don't care if we're friend or foe… then I don't care either!” she pointed her guns at Caesar as he slowly rose to his feet, “You hurt my friends… and to me, that's enough to make you my enemy!” a stream of tears began to fall from her eyes, and she screamed in rage firing everything she had at Caesar. It looked like her shots hurt a bit, as he eventually held up his arm in defense, but after a bit he did manage to rise to his feet. Still, Twilight kept firing, which did at least keep Caesar from approaching them quickly.

“Twilight, I'll cover you!” Pinkie Pie said, flying her Zord right above Twilight's and firing as well.

“Fluttershy, can you hear me?” Celestia asked soothingly, her voice now only inside Fluttershy's cockpit.

“I'm sorry Celestia, but I can't do this!” Fluttershy cried helplessly, “I'm too afraid!”

“I know. You and your friends are still only children, and I know this is too much for you,” Celestia said to the sobbing teenager, “I'm so sorry that Spike and I are putting you all through this, but right now you must pull yourself together. Your friends need you.”

Fluttershy calmed down a bit, thinking about that. Her friends were in danger too. Hell, in even more danger. Rarity was fighting the Green Ranger alone, it was a miracle that Applejack's Zord still worked, and Caesar would get to Twilight and Pinkie Pie eventually, and their Zords weren't meant for direct combat like Applejack's, Rarity's, or hers.

“If Rainbow Dash were here, she'd tell me to press on too,” Fluttershy shook her head and grabbed the controls again, “She never left me when I needed help, so I won't leave my friends!”

The Saber-toothed Tiger Zord rose up, and ran over to Caesar, who was right on top of Twilight and Pinkie Pie now. Right before he could attack, Fluttershy's Zord jumped onto Caesar's back and bit into his shoulder. Caesar roared loudly in pain and anger, and thrashed about trying to throw Fluttershy off of him. As he did so, Pinkie Pie looked at the golden circle on Caesar's chest, and noticed that out of all seven of the red lights on it, only the red one in the middle was glowing, and it had begun flashing now.

“Hey! I think he's almost done!” Pinkie Pie said.

“Then keep fightin’!” Applejack said, forcing the T-Rex Zord to stand up as well, “We gotta help our fellow Rangers!”

Pinkie Pie flew toward Caesar and fired her blasters at the ferocious dragon, spiraling in midair before flying upward above Caesar. He managed to finally throw Fluttershy off of him, but Twilight fired her Triceratops' horns out at Caesar again, wrapping all around him. She then sent an electric pulse through the chains, damaging Caesar and forcing him to fall to one knee.

“Let's see how you like it!” Applejack shouted, running up to Caesar, thrashing and kicking Caesar, eventually spinning around and whacking the now tired dragon in the face with the T-Rex Zord's tail, knocking him close to the water.

Caesar slowly rose up, and looked at the Rangers. He then began trudging back into the sea, where he slowly descended into the water and vanished.

“He's… gone,” Fluttershy breathed out in relief, “He's not done with us, but for now… I think we won.”

“No time ta rest,” Applejack said, “Activate yer helmets and disembark! We need ta save Rarity next!”

end song

* * * *

The Green Ranger and Rarity clashed blades, but the Green Ranger managed to back Rarity up against a stand and pinned her there, watching as her new partner returned to the sea.

“Outta juice, huh?” the Green Ranger asked, “Alright then, I guess we've had our fun. Time to end this.”

“Like I said, I'm not, dying, YET!” Rarity shouted, pushing the Green Ranger off her. She then resumed her assault, slashing with her ax as the Green Ranger dodged and danced around Rarity's attacks. She then pointed her gunblade at Rarity and fired continuously, hitting Rarity in the stomach and once again pushing her back toward the edge.

Rarity rolled to one knee, but then looked behind her briefly, secretly going pale behind her helmet. She was so high up. With the Green Ranger in front of her, she was effectively trapped. The Green Ranger pointed her gunblade at Rarity just as the other Rangers showed up.

“Rarity!” Twilight cried. The Green Ranger turned to look at the Rangers, obviously sneering behind her helmet.

“You guys came just in time,” the Green Ranger said, “Thought you'd like to catch the end of this.” she then turned to face Rarity and charged up her two weapons.

“GO, GO, GO!!!” Applejack commanded. All four of them activated their weapons and charged at the Green Ranger, but they couldn't get there in time. The Green Ranger did an X slash with both her gunblade and her Dragon Dagger, and then fired dead center of the X with the gun on her blade, sending the powerful blast right at Rarity, who was unable to dodge as the attack hit her point blank.

Rarity screamed in agony as her Ranger form's energy was discharged in a massive explosion around her. Unable to hold her form, Rarity's armor faded away, revealing Rarity's naked and unconscious form as she fell face first onto the ground.

Everyone stopped, frozen in horror. For the longest time no one moved, save for the Green Ranger as she slowly turned to face the other Rangers, resting her gunblade on her shoulder, “So, who's next?”

Applejack started trembling, but then let out the loudest and angriest scream. She then rushed at the Green Ranger and slashed wildly, the Green Ranger having a bit of a harder time dodging and having to block most of the attacks.

“Oooh, did I hit a nerve?” the Green Ranger asked nonchalantly.

“I'll kill you!” Applejack seethed, “I'll fuckin' kill you!”

“I'd love to see you try it in the state you're in,” the Green Ranger mocked. She began attacking Applejack herself now, her slashes more controlled and forceful, allowing her to get in a few more attacks. Eventually she kicked Applejack back, but she was caught by both Twilight and Fluttershy.

“I got what I wanted,” the Green Ranger said with a shrug, “She's good. In the end though, I was still stronger.”

“Why?!” Fluttershy asked desperately as the Green Ranger walked away, “Why are you doing this?!”

“The answer to that is simple,” the Green Ranger stopped and looked right at Fluttershy, “Because I can.”

With that, she began walking off. Applejack tried to pull out of Twilight and Fluttershy's hold, forcing them to hold her tighter.

“Get back here!” Applejack commanded, “YOU GET BACK HERE THIS INSTANT!!!”

“Applejack, please calm down!” Twilight urged, “Rarity's still hurt! Please, just let the Green Ranger go for now!”

Applejack tightened her fists, clearly struggling with herself. Eventually though, she relented, allowing Twilight and Fluttershy to release her so she could check on Rarity. While she and Pinkie Pie tended to their injured comrade, Fluttershy continued to stare down the path the Green Ranger walked.

“I don't understand it,” Fluttershy looked down, placing her hands over her heart, “How could someone be so… needlessly cruel?”

Twilight hesitantly reached for Fluttershy, but pulled back ultimately and turned away, biting her lip behind her helmet. She had a strong suspicion of who it was in that armor. If she was right, then that just left the question of “why”.

“She alright?” Applejack asked kneeling down next to Pinkie Pie, who had Rarity's head resting in her lap.

“She's breathing at least, but these injuries look really bad,” Pinkie Pie said. Applejack nodded and pressed her finger to her helmet.

“Spike, bring us back to base,” Applejack said quietly. A few seconds later, all five of them vanished from the pier.

* * * *

The Green Ranger walked into an alleyway, where she backed against a wall. Her breathing became heavier as she fell into a sitting position and shifted back into Rainbow Dash in a green flash. She then looked down at the Green Power Coin, feeling both terrified and… excited.

“It's… beginning to meld with me…” Rainbow Dash realized, now holding her head and pulling her knees close to her chest, “I remember it. I actually remember it. That girl, Rarity, she's… she's a Power Ranger. That means… those other girls too, including…” her eyes widened in horror, “No… Not her… Fluttershy can't be…”

“Oh she is, Rainbow Dash. Fluttershy is a Power Ranger, as are those other girls.”

Rainbow Dash looked up and saw the oddest sight. Sitting on a dumpster with his legs crossed elegantly was an older man wearing a black tuxedo. The man himself had dark hair combed back, and he wore white gloves and fancy dress shoes. Something about the man seemed familiar, but most of his face was covered in shadow, making it hard to see what he looked like.

“Who are you…?” Rainbow Dash asked, slowly backing away from the man.

“Someone like you, Rainbow Dash,” the suave gentleman said, a slight British lilt in his voice, “Someone who thirsts for blood, carnage and chaos.”

Rainbow Dash felt her heart flutter a bit when he spoke, but then shook her head vehemently, “No! You're wrong! It's this stupid coin that's doing this to me!”

“You and I both know that's not true, Rainbow Dash,” the man said, adjusting his leg and holding out his hand, materializing a cup of tea for himself, “I know where you came from, what those people who took you away called you, and how they took away your freedom, treating you both as their Queen and Slave at the same time. I know what your true calling is, and what you'll do to the world, Avatar of Darkness.”

“SHUT UP!!!” Rainbow Dash screamed covering her ears, “It's not true! It's not! Those assholes back there were just insane! They did something weird to me, just like this coin is doing to me! I'm not the Avatar of Darkness! I'm not evil! I'm not! I'M NOT!!!”

“Oh, no one said anything about you being evil,” the man said sipping his tea, “There's nothing wrong with admitting that you enjoy a little bit of carnage. It's true, isn't it Rainbow Dash? You're starting to remember the fights now, and you're enjoying them.”

She was too, was the sad thing. She thought back to the fight, and could now remember almost every blow, every punch, kick, slash, shot, and it felt exhilarating. Deep down, she wanted to fight again.

“It's true…” Rainbow Dash admitted sadly, now pulling out the Green Power Coin, “I know it's true… Something inside of me is awakening. I… I actually…”

“You actually do want to see the whole world burn to the ground in a cleansing flame of destruction,” the man continued, “Doesn't that sound lovely?”

She felt herself placing a hand over her chest, but then caught herself and rose to her feet, pulling out her Dragon Dagger and holding it ready to attack.

“What are you doing?!” Rainbow Dash asked, still trembling a bit but putting up a confident front, “What do you want with me?! Are you with them?!”

The gentleman laughed mirthfully, “Why not at all, Rainbow Dash. Well, that's partially a lie, as the Shadow Lord is someone who knows me well, but I assure you that my agenda is my own. As for what I want with you, that's simple.” he finished his tea and threw the cup away, apparently hitting a cat if the cliché sound effect was any indication, “I want to help you.”

“Help… me…?” Rainbow Dash slowly lowered her dagger.

“You seek freedom, correct?” the man said, “I'll help you harness your powers, and together, you and I can create a beautiful flame of destruction.”

“No…” Rainbow Dash said backing away, “You're just going to use me like everyone else who knows about that part of my life.”

“Rainbow Dash,” the man said, as if talking to someone he loved dearly, “Come now, you don't truly mean that.”

“Stay away from me!” Rainbow Dash said pointing the dagger right at the man, “I'm going learn how to use this armor myself, and when I do, I'm gonna use it to beat the shit out of you!”

“No you won't, Dashie,” the man said, jumping off the dumpster and walking toward Rainbow Dash, his face still too hard to see in the dark alleyway, “The next time you become the Green Ranger, we will be comrades. Until then, take care of yourself, Avatar of Darkness.”

With that the man backed away, fading into the shadows and disappearing. Rainbow Dash dropped her arms, questioning herself a bit. Why didn't she just turn on the armor right there? Hell, why didn't she just charge at the man? She had a weapon, he didn't.

Did she… on some level actually believe his words?

Her cellphone went off at that instant. She looked, seeing Soarin's name pop up. She quickly answered her phone, “H-hello?”

“There you are! I was worried about you. You weren't in the middle of all of that destruction before, were you?”

“I…” she was about to answer, but then stopped. She couldn't tell Soarin about this. He worked so hard to set her free from those people. If he found out that she was the Green Ranger, that she summoned that dragon, and that she had probably almost killed one of the Power Rangers, there was no telling how he'd react.

“Dash? Are you okay?” Soarin asked when she didn't answer for a bit.

“Y-yes!” Rainbow Dash covered, “Yes, I… I'm fine,” she ran a hand through her hair, “Sorry for worrying you.”

“Where are you right now?” Soarin asked, “I'll come pick you up and-”

“Actually, I kinda need some time alone,” Rainbow Dash said softly, “I'll… talk to you later, babe.”

“Dashie-” she hung up before he could say anything in response. He'd probably try to call again soon, but it looked like her phone was about to die anyway. She began to make her way in the direction of the Everfree Forest. There was at least one place where she could be alone with her thoughts.

Even though right now she felt terrible walking into it, considering what she did to the owner of that sanctuary.

Chapter 20

View Online

Once they secured Rarity in the healing station of the Command Chamber, it was time to discuss their next move. This fight was a lot different than the fight against Luna. There, it wasn't as personal of an attack, and it only became such once Luna briefly killed Twilight.

This time however, it was different. The Green Ranger had sought them out herself, fought them, and on separate occasions had seriously injured both Fluttershy and now Rarity.

“So far, we've had two run ins with with Green Ranger,” Twilight said to Applejack, Pinkie Pie, and Celestia, as they were the only ones in the central chamber with her, “Each time she's fought us, she's manged to seriously injure one of us.”

“This is a foe unlike anything you've ever faced,” Celestia said gravely, “I had hoped we could find the Green Power Coin and secure both it and the Dragonzord before they fell into the wrong hands.”

“Something feels odd about the Green Ranger,” Pinkie Pie stated, “I can't put my finger on how, but she feels different than Luna.”

“Probably because whoever is inside of that armor isn't being directly affected by the evil within the Power Coin,” Spike said walking up to the group from what they learned was his main study.

“What do ya mean they ain't affected by the evil of the coin?” Applejack asked.

“While Rarity was fighting the Green Ranger, I managed to at least scan her energy. My goal was to learn who that truly was, but I ended up learning something I believe is just as important,” Spike walked over to the central pool and cast a spell, showing the silhouette of the Green Ranger and what appeared to be a red energy coursing through her.

Twilight stood next to Spike and examined the image intently, “That's not the energy of the Power Coin, is it?”

Spike shook his head, “Whoever the Green Ranger is, she has a natural darkness within her. I'd say that at most the Power Coin is acting as a catalyst for something else.”

“So, like awakening her true nature or something?” Applejack asked.

“Essentially, yes,” Spike nodded. Neither him nor Applejack noticed how both Twilight and Pinkie Pie looked away uncertain.

“This darkness,” Celestia slowly floated over to the pool and looked at it intently, “I've seen this before.” she took a deep breath, “Oh dear.”

“Um, it's… bad that Celestia's afraid right?” Pinkie Pie asked nervously, “Like, every time she's afraid, it's not a good thing?”

“What's wrong, Celestia?” Twilight asked sweetly, “You seem worried.”

“The energy within the Green Ranger is exactly the same as the Shadow Lord, the source of all darkness within the Universe,” Celestia said, her tone even and grave, “The only human who would have the energy of the Shadow Lord would be his Avatar of Darkness.”

“Applejack!” Pinkie Pie grabbed Applejack's arm urgently to get her attention, “The Green Ranger called herself that, remember?”

“I do,” Applejack said seriously turning to Celestia, “What is the Avatar of Darkness?”

“We only know stories,” Celestia began, “But there are books here that speak of an evil child called the Avatar of Darkness. This child's birth coincides with what our people call the Age of Darkness.”

“According to the legends, the Avatar of Darkness will usher in the Age of Darkness,” Spike said, walking over to the bookshelf and pulling out a book, handing it to Twilight, “She'll lead the Shadow Lord to the Heart of the Planet, and will begin the 10,000 Years of Darkness throughout the Universe.”

Twilight looked through the book, stopping on a particular chapter, “Got it! The sign of the Avatar of Darkness is a birthmark shaped like the Shadow Lord's symbol on the lower back!” she showed both Applejack and Pinkie Pie the symbol, which looked almost like a pair of wings.

“If the Avatar of Darkness has the Green Power Coin, this situation is far more dire than I thought,” Celestia said, floating away from the group a bit looking worried, “With the Power Coin and the Dragonzord at her beck and call, she has everything she needs to bring about the Age of Darkness.”

“This sounds eerily like we're dealing with the Antichrist,” Pinkie Pie said nervously.

“In a way, I think we are,” Twilight said, her attention still on the book.

“How ya figure that?” Applejack asked.

“We didn't know that a civilization existed millions of years ago,” Twilight explained, “But Celestia and Spike are both from that civilization. It wouldn't be too surprising if modern ideas of religion, magic, and spirituality are all based on legends told in their time.”

“Meanin that the story of the Antichrist could be the modern adaptation of this Avatar of Darkness,” Applejack added. Twilight finally looked up from her book and nodded.

“Yes. That's at least what I'm thinking at the moment,” Twilight said.

“You're joking, right?!”

Everyone turned to the direction of the healing room, where they saw Fluttershy standing there with a truly terrified expression on her face.

“First we had to fight Luna and Goldar, then that dragon of destruction, and now you expect us to fight the Antichrist?!” Fluttershy asked, tears falling from her eyes as she trembled.

“Fluttershy…” Pinkie Pie said softly. She could see it on her face. Right now she was more terrified than she'd ever been since becoming a Power Ranger.

“I'm sorry, Fluttershy,” Celestia said, floating over to Fluttershy, “I know we're not being fair to any of you, but you five are the only ones who have the power to stop the Avatar of Darkness and Caesar.”

“Yes, and look how well we've done so far!” Fluttershy cried, “Rarity almost died today! We all almost died today!”

“And sadly, this won't be the last time you find yourself in this situation,” Spike said, “I know how you feel, Fluttershy, but-”

“SHUT UP!!!” Fluttershy screamed covering her ears, “SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP!!! YOU DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT HOW I FEEL!!!” Everyone was silent for a few beats, surprised by this outburst, “You and Celestia keep telling us that we have to do this! You keep pushing us to fight, like we should be okay with this, but I'm not a soldier! I'm not a trained fighter, or anything like what you wish I were! I'm a kid! A normal eighteen year old girl who's scared for her life right now!”

That… actually made Celestia stop, and she closed her eyes in sadness. Even Spike looked affected by that, as she did have a point. It would have been too easy to yell at Fluttershy and call her out for being a coward, but the truth was her fears were not misplaced. They were now WAY out of their league. Even Applejack had to admit that being at the other end of Caesar's beat down had shaken her a good deal.

“I know, this is asking too much of you,” Celestia said, clear desperation in her voice, “I know right now you are more afraid than you've ever been, and asking you to continue fighting isn't fair. But when the Power Coin bonds to an individual, there are only two ways to sever that bond. Either the destruction of the Power Coin,” she closed her eyes sadly, “Or the… death, of the Ranger bound to it.”

When she heard that, Fluttershy's eyes widened for a split second, but she then shoved past Celestia and the other Rangers and ran out of the Command Chamber.

“Fluttershy, wait!” Pinkie Pie cried futilely, as Fluttershy didn't stop or look back as she ran out of the chamber.

“Let's… adjourn for the night,” Applejack suggested softly, “Emotions are too high right now, an' we ain't gonna figure out anythin' till we all calm down.”

“Agreed,” Twilight said, “Could I take this book with me?”

“You're free to take as many books with you as you wish, Twilight,” Celestia said, voice distant and expression unreadable, “This library… is yours as well.”

Twilight beamed at her words. Surrounding her was ancient knowledge that no one had even known existed, and she was given permission to read all of it, for free?!

“I'll give everyone a call later,” Pinkie Pie said, “For once, I kinda hope Maud isn't home, so I can be alone for a bit.”

“I know the feelin,” Applejack said, taking one last look at the healing room, thinking of the young girl unconscious inside, “Rarity… I'll avenge ya. I promise,” Applejack said darkly. She and Pinkie Pie walked out together.

“Someone should take care of Rarity,” Spike said walking in the direction of the healing room, “Somehow I doubt she'd mind waking up next to me without garments. Just a hunch,” he said, hiding whether or not he was being sarcastic.

Twilight picked out a few more books from the bookshelf, just enough for her to fit in her backpack. She was about to leave in excitement, but then stopped when she saw Celestia sitting in her throne. Sure enough, it sounded like it was raining outside. Realizing what it meant, she set her bag down on a nearby chair and walked over to Celestia.

“I don't mind being a Power Ranger,” Twilight said.

“In ancient times, we picked out our Rangers carefully to ensure things like this didn't happen,” Celestia explained, “All of the previous Rangers were fully grown, and they were given a choice. You and your friends weren't given such a luxury. Fluttershy is right, you shouldn't have to fight this battle,” she closed her eyes pained, “I'm so sorry, Twilight.”

Twilight looked to the side, “But… we're here now.” she said simply. Celestia slowly turned to Twilight confused.

“What do you mean?” she asked.

“We shouldn't have been the ones who became the Power Rangers. These powers probably should have gone to grown ups, or trained soldiers, but they didn't,” she pulled out the Blue Power Coin and gripped it tightly, “They came to us. Maybe it was just an accident, but the important thing is what we do now,” she looked at Celestia determined, “I'm afraid of the Green Ranger, and today I almost lost two of my closest friend, one of them still out of commission. But if no one acts, then so many more people will end up like Rarity. I don't know if I really can make a difference, but I told Applejack that I'd at least try my best.” she hugged Celestia lovingly, “So don't cry, Celestia. You're just doing your best too, just like all of us.”

Celestia closed her eyes, smiling gently as she returned the embrace, “You truly are wise beyond your years, Twilight. Thank you so much for your words of wisdom. I've been truly wracked with guilt about including you.”

“Being a Power Ranger is the best thing that could have happened to me,” Twilight tightened her embrace, “After all, I wouldn't have met you otherwise.”

Neither one said anything else that night, just enjoyed the closeness for a few more moments. Perhaps somehow, both of them were healed a bit more from this encounter.

“Shit… it didn't say anything about rain in the forecast,” Rainbow Dash said, looking at her phone which claimed it was supposed to be cloudy, but not rainy. She was glad that Fluttershy's sanctuary was inside. Maybe she could wait out the storm in here. She didn't think Fluttershy would mind.

Just as she was about to put in her headphones and listen to some music, she saw Fluttershy run into her sanctuary, stopping to meet eyes with Rainbow Dash. She was drenched, to the point that her yellow dress had become transparent. That didn't matter to Rainbow Dash though, as she noticed the look of anguish on her face.

Rainbow Dash reacted immediately, jumping up and pulling her inside, sitting her down in the middle of the cave, “What do you need me to do?” she asked once Fluttershy was sitting down.

“Matches behind the big stone…” Fluttershy said quietly, “Fire… to warm up…”

Rainbow Dash nodded and shot up. She quickly found the matches, and managed to make a fire. Once it was big enough, she tracked down a blanket and then sat down next to Fluttershy, taking off her soaked dress and then wrapping the blacket and her arms around her devastated friend.

“So… who do I gotta pummel?” Rainbow Dash asked. Fluttershy looked up at her friend a bit confused.

“I'm… sorry?” she asked.

“Someone hurt you, right?” Rainbow Dash asked simply, “That means someone wants to go to the hospital, because that's where I send people who make you cry. You know that.”

“Oh Rainbow Dash,” Fluttershy leaned into her friend's embrace, “I love you so much.”

“I love you too, Fluttershy,” Rainbow Dash tightened said embrace in return, “So, what happened?”

“No one hurt me directly,” Fluttershy said slowly, looking away unsure.

“But someone did hurt you, right?” Rainbow Dash asked, her heart racing a bit for some reason.

“I guess, but...” Fluttershy turned and buried her face in Rainbow Dash's chest, “Dash! I'm so scared!”

“Scared…? Why?” Rainbow Dash asked, now really worried.

“I… I have to do something! Something truly dangerous, but… but it's too much for me!” Fluttershy admitted, “Everyone expects me to be something that I'm not, and today a friend of mine got seriously hurt! She was hurt, partially because I was too afraid to move!”

“I… see,” Rainbow Dash said, trying her best to hide how horrible she felt. She understood what was going on now, and it tore her up inside knowing that she was part of the reason Fluttershy was so upset. She'd done the one thing she swore she'd never do.

She hurt Fluttershy.

“I don't know what to do!” Fluttershy looked at Dash intensely, “I can't run away, but I'm too afraid to proceed! What should I do, Rainbow Dash? Please tell me!”

“You… want me to give you advice…?” Rainbow Dash asked, her guilt starting to grow more and more looking at the state her best friend was in.

“You always know what to say to me!” Fluttershy cried, “Even when you didn't know everything, you were still able to give me great advice! Please Rainbow Dash, you're the only one I can turn to for this! You're the only one who understands me enough!”

Rainbow Dash hated herself so much right now. Fluttershy was super sensitive, and thus not exactly of the right mentality to be a Power Ranger. She was probably spooked in the fight against Caesar. She still had no idea that Rainbow Dash was the Green Ranger, but if she found out…

That won't be a problem…

Not if Fluttershy were to-

Rainbow Dash caught herself, biting the inside of her cheek to snap herself out of whatever was about to consume her. Did she really think about that?

Rainbow Dash took a deep breath, and then looked into Fluttershy's eyes sadly, “Fluttershy… you're so much stronger than you give yourself credit for.”

“Rainbow Dash…” Fluttershy said softly, meeting Rainbow Dash's loving gaze.

“The fact that you're here now shows that,” Rainbow Dash continued, “I bet…” she couldn't hold in her tears any longer, but she never let her smile fade away, “I bet your friends probably rely on you more than you realize… I don't know why you were picked for this, and I wish that you didn't have to do this thing,” the dam was beginning to break as she fought back a sob, “But you have to. You have to see this through. No matter what happens, or who stands before you, you have to keep going.” she hugged Fluttershy tightly, completely breaking down, “But it's okay. I know it'll be okay, because those other girls will look out for you. They're much better friends than… than I've ever been to you.”

“But you'll be there with me too, right?” Fluttershy asked looking at Rainbow Dash, horrified when she looked away sadly, “Rainbow Dash, you're not going to disappear again, right?!”

“I'm sorry, Fluttershy…!” Rainbow Dash sobbed, not meeting eyes with her, “I know this isn't what you want to hear right now, but if I stay close to you, you'll get hurt too, and I'm not letting that happen! Not as long as I can help it!” she was about to rush off, but Fluttershy embraced her tightly from behind, stopping her.

“N-no!” Fluttershy begged, “I'm not letting you do this to me again, Rainbow Dash!”

“Fluttershy…” Rainbow Dash groaned.

“When you disappeared, it destroyed me!” Fluttershy cried, completely breaking down herself, “I need you, Rainbow Dash! You're my best friend! Please please please don't leave me! Don't leave me alone like this!”

As Fluttershy wept intensely, still holding onto Rainbow Dash, she couldn't bring herself to move. Not just because of Fluttershy's grip, but because she knew that if she left her like this, she'd probably do something drastic. But if she didn't leave, she might eventually…

No! No I won't!

I will not allow myself to hurt Fluttershy!

Not as long as I can control myself!

Instead of leaving, she turned around and embraced Fluttershy tightly, both of them not even trying to hide their tears as they cried for different, yet at the same time connected reasons.

The next day, Pinkie Pie woke up once again to an empty house. For the first time though, she was happy Maud wasn't home. She didn't think she'd be able to hide how stressed she was. She trudged into the kitchen, poured herself a bowl of Fruit Loops, and then plopped down on the couch.

“I thought being a super hero was going to be fun,” Pinkie Pie pouted adorably, “No one said it was so hard.”

She joked, but she was genuinely upset. Fluttershy was right. This was too much. There was no telling how long Rarity was going to be out, and with the threat of the Green Ranger still out there, now with her own Zord too?

She tried to enjoy her cereal, but for some reason it just didn't taste as sweet. Or maybe it was too sweet. She didn't know. After a bit, she just set the bowl down and folded her arms in a huff. Here she was on a Saturday morning, and she couldn't enjoy herself.

Just as she was about to give up and head back to sleep, she heard her cellphone ring. She rushed back into her room and picked up her phone, shocked to see Rainbow Dash's name appear.

“Hello!” Pinkie Pie chirped answering her phone, “Rainbow Dash, is this you?”

“H-hey Pinkie Pie. Yeah… it's me,” Rainbow Dash sighed. She sounded really upset.

“Rainbow Dash, what's wrong?” Pinkie Pie asked sitting down on her bed.

“Could we… meet at the pier?” Rainbow Dash asked, “The damage wasn't too bad there, so the police aren't blocking it off or anything.”

“Um… sure Dash,” Pinkie Pie said, “Want me to get Fluttershy too?”

“No,” Rainbow Dash said immediately, “Just you. Please, Pinkie Pie.”

This was fishy. She and Rainbow Dash just met, and she already wanted to meet up alone? Also, she didn't sound right. She sounded like she had been crying. Part of her was thinking that she should have declined the meeting, or insisted that someone come with her.

But her tone sounded somewhat desperate too, like she was reaching out. Maybe she just needed someone to lend an ear.

“Alright,” Pinkie Pie nodded, “I'll meet you there in thirty minutes, and I'll be alone.”

She heard Rainbow Dash breathe out in relief, “Thank you, Pinkie Pie. I'll see you there.” she then hung up. Pinkie Pie looked at her phone, frowning a bit as she remembered what Twilight asked her to do.

“Looks like she's opening up to me a bit,” Pinkie Pie said to herself, reaching for the Pink Power Coin on her dresser, “I just hope I'm wrong to be so afraid of her.”

It didn't take long for Rainbow Dash to get ready, so she was already at the pier, looking out at the water. She saw a few other ships gathered together in the water, the crews all probably searching for Caesar. She wasn't worried about that though. If he could have been found, he'd have already been found ages ago.

She kept her Dragon Dagger and Power Coin in her hoodie. The latter she mostly carried with her out of necessity, but the former she had because it was important to her. She was now at a point where she was willing to admit to herself that she valued that dagger a lot. It was her most prized possession, and her connection to Caesar.

Was she an extension of him now? The new intensity of her emotions, and her thirst for combat, did those come from Caesar? Somehow as he fought the other Rangers, she herself felt like she was fighting them, even as she fought the Black Ranger.

Soarin was naturally confused, and worried as she'd begun spending a lot of time away from home. She'd apologize to Soarin later, assuming that she still loved him after today. Who knew what sort of person she'd become after today.

“Rainbow Dash!”

Rainbow Dash turned to the side, seeing Pinkie Pie waving to her. She really seemed nice. In another life, the two of them would have become good friends, possibly even more. She wasn't kidding when she said that Pinkie Pie was the kind of girl she'd probably date if she were single and still bi-curious.

Dash waved to Pinkie Pie, who then skipped over to her, “Heya Dash.”

“Hey Pinkie Pie,” Rainbow Dash said, leaning over the railing of the pier and looking out at the water.

“So… what did you want to talk about?” Pinkie Pie asked after a second, also leaning over the railing, but looking at Rainbow Dash as she took a deep breath.

“I know you're the Pink Ranger,” Rainbow Dash said. Pinkie Pie's eyes widened for a split second, but then she laughed it off.

“What are you talking about?” she asked, “I'm not a Power Ra-”

“Pinkie Pie, please,” Rainbow Dash cut her off, “I know what you're trying to do, but there's no need,” she opened her left pocket, and pulled out the Dragon Dagger, “You're not the only one with a secret.”

When she turned to show Pinkie Pie the Dragon Dagger, she backed away from Rainbow Dash immediately, and her entire air changed.

“Oh no…” Pinkie Pie said shaking her head, “It is you.”

“Pinkie Pie-”

“You're… the Green Ranger…!”

“Pinkie-”

“You were the one who hurt Rarity… and summoned Caesar…!”

“PINKIE PIE!!!” Rainbow Dash shouted, making Pinkie Pie freeze. She calmed down before speaking again, “I'm not going to hurt you, okay? I promise, right now you're safe.”

Pinkie Pie took a deep breath and nodded, “This... isn't a trap then?”

“What? No!” Rainbow Dash shook her head, “I called you here so I could tell you I was the Green Ranger. I had to tell you before…” she looked away, not even trying to hold in her tears, “Before I'm no longer me.”

Pinkie Pie looked at Rainbow Dash intently, trying to read her. After a second, Pinkie Pie slowly took Rainbow Dash's hands into her own.

“I believe you,” Pinkie Pie said softly, “Tell me what's going on. I promise, I'll listen.”

“That's the thing! I don't know what's going on!” Rainbow Dash cried, once again looking out at the water, “I didn't know this would happen! I just found the Power Coin in the forest, and when I picked it up, something inside of me… awakened.”

“So… you're not in control of yourself?” Pinkie Pie asked.

“Not… really,” Rainbow Dash frowned trying to make sense of it herself, “I don't know anymore. The me you're talking to now isn't evil. At least, I don't want to hurt you or the other Rangers. But this thing, it… it changes me,” she pulled out the Green Power Coin and looked at it sadly, “At first I thought that this thing just had a mind of it's own, but now… Now I'm not too sure.”

“What do you mean?” Pinkie Pie asked, once again also turning to lean against the rail, but scooting up close to Rainbow Dash, “You don't want to hurt anyone, right?”

“Right now, I don't. But there's a part of me that… does want that,” Rainbow Dash admitted, the green glow of the Power Coin reflected in her eyes, “That's what scares me. This thing is turning me into something I've desperately tried everything in my power to not become. I've been spending the past few days fighting its influence over me, but I don't know how much longer I can last.”

Pinkie Pie looked at Rainbow Dash sadly, rubbing her back comfortingly, “You're not a bad person, Rainbow Dash. Ironically, you're like us. You came into this by accident. You're just as much of a victim of this as we are.”

“I'm sorry…!” Rainbow Dash closed her eyes tightly, “I can't control myself! I didn't mean to hurt any of you!”

“Rainbow Dash, it's okay,” Pinkie Pie said, immediately embracing Rainbow Dash as she completely broke down, “We're all afraid right now, but I'm so happy you trusted me enough to tell me.” she looked to the side nervously, “Dash, I need you to come with me, alright?”

“W-why…?” Rainbow Dash asked, looking at Pinkie Pie a bit confused and afraid.

“My friends and I know some people who might be able to help,” Pinkie Pie said slowly, “They made the Power Coins, so maybe they can-”

“NO!!!” Rainbow Dash screamed pulling away from Pinkie Pie, “You can't take me there! I can never know where your base is!”

“Rainbow Dash, Celestia and Spike might be able to purify the Power Coin. Maybe then you can fight alongside us.”

“It's not just the coin that's the problem!” Rainbow Dash cried, “The problem is me! I'm you're enemy!” she closed her eyes and held her head as she let out all of her fear, “If you take me to your base, I'll destroy it and kill everyone inside of it! Then I'll turn on you, Applejack, Twilight, and Fluttershy, and I'll kill all of you too! The only way to stop me is to do it right now!”

“What are you-” Pinkie Pie stopped when she saw Rainbow Dash hold out her arms glaring at her, “Dash, no!”

“You have to end it now!” Rainbow Dash cried, “This could be your only chance to stop the Green Ranger! Please Pinkie Pie, kill me!”

“Rainbow Dash, I'm not doing that,” Pinkie Pie stated immediately, “I'm not going to kill you!”

“If you don't, I'm going to lose myself to this thing completely!” Rainbow Dash cried, “Even right now I can feel it screaming at me! It wants me to just take you out now, and it's voice is becoming really hard not to listen to!”

“Rainbow Dash, Power Rangers protect the innocent,” Pinkie Pie said, “And you're-”

“I'M NOT INNOCENT!!!” Rainbow Dash screamed, “I'M YOU'RE ENEMY!!! DON'T YOU GET IT?!!!”

“No, you're not my enemy!” Pinkie Pie cried, “You're Fluttershy's best friend! If I killed you, I'd-”

“I'm asking you to do this as Fluttershy's best friend! You have to protect her from me!” Rainbow Dash closed her eyes and shook her head, “PLEASE PINKIE PIE!!! I'M BEGGING YOU!!! KILL ME BEFORE I KILL FLUTTERSHY!!!”

Pinkie Pie turned away from Rainbow Dash, shedding a few tears herself. She gripped the Pink Power Coin in her vest pocket, but then released it, “No. I've made my decision.”

Rainbow Dash opened her eyes slowly and looked at Pinkie Pie in shock, “W-what…?”

“I'm a Power Ranger, and as such I swore to protect people. You, Rainbow Dash, are someone I want to protect, someone I want to save. So that's what I'm going to do. I don't know how, and I don't know how long it's going to take, but I promise you, I will save you.”

“Pinkie Pie…!” Rainbow Dash shook her head, and then pushed past her storming off, but stopped just a bit away from her, “The next time we meet… we're going to be enemies.” she turned to Pinkie Pie glaring at her, tears still streaming from her eyes, “Be ready, Pink Ranger.”

With that, Rainbow Dash ran off, determined to get as far away from anyone she knew as she could before the last bit of light in her heart was snuffed out.

“Rainbow Dash,” Pinkie Pie said, closing her eyes somberly, “Why did this have to happen?” she sighed and pulled out her cellphone, calling Twilight.

“Hi Pinkie Pie,” Twilight answered, “What's up?”

“Twilight, we need to get Applejack and… Fluttershy at the Command Chamber,” Pinkie Pie took a deep breath, “I confirmed it. Rainbow Dash is the Green Ranger,” she looked out where Rainbow Dash ran, “But it's so much more complicated than we thought.”

It's Morphin Time: A Power Rangers Story

by Azure Sandora

Prologue

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20