Chapter 1

Anniversary of True Love
Chapter 1
by Rixizu

Lyra narrowed her eyes as she stared down her foe. They circled each other waiting for the other to make the first move. Sweat dripped down Lyra’s brow. She knew this would be the final exchange, and she needed to finish this now. Her body was at its limited, but Lyra refused to back down. Like her friend Trixie Lulamoon, she wouldn’t give up no matter what.

Lyra and the bear leaped and grappled with each other. The bear was strong, monstrously so. Lyra howled as she grabbed the bear twice her size around the waist and threw it over her head onto the mat onto its head. She picked herself up from the ground and grabbed the bear by the leg pinning it to the ground. The bear struggled to get out of her grip, but Lyra pushed harder. The beast relented by slamming its paw on the ground several times on the mat signaling its surrender.

“Very good devotchka.” An accented pony on the sidelines complimented. He had a wide grin on his face. “You’re training pay over very well yes?”

Lyra grinned back and helped the bear to its feet. Despite losing, it was amiable and gave Lyra an affectionate hug causing Lyra to grunt in sudden pain.

“Phew, I think you might be right.” This was the first time she had had a definitive win again Harry. Despite feeling half dead and about to collapse, Lyra felt good. She gave her trainer, Daylight, a wide smile back. He was a yellow brown earth pony with a gray black mane and a shining sun for a cutie mark. He didn’t speak Equestrian very well, but Lyra understood what he said for the most part.

"Tomorrow we increase difficulty or else things get too easy." Daylight said. "I got great idea to make fights even more challenging! What is will be secret. No fun otherwise."

“Sure.” Lyra shrugged and stretched her weary limbs. They would ache all day, but Lyra could hide her pain. She was giddy at the prospect of showing off her new strength to her friends, but she planned on saving it for the next monster attack. True there hadn’t been a monster attack since Corvus, but one would happen, eventually. Corona was still on the prowl after all, even though nopony had heard from her in over three months. She’d show them she wasn’t the weakest member of the Galaxy Rangers! She could hang with Trixie and Carrot Top no problem. Until then, she would train in secret by fighting and wrestling the strongest things she could get her hooves on. She wondered if wrestling a hydra would be possible.

“See you then little devotchka.” Daylight said.

Lyra nodded and gave her goodbyes to Daylight and Harry before leaving. This was a big day. Lyra could barely control herself. She almost broke into song several times on her way home to clean up. Ponies were giving her strange looks, but she didn't care. This was Bon-Bon and her’s fifteenth anniversary!

Lyra grunted in pain as she crashed into somepony and landed on the ground in a heap tangled up with the other pony. Immediately Lyra turned beat red from embarrassment being too distracted to notice where she was going.

“I’m so sorry!” Lyra apologized. The figure she bumped into was a stallion dressed all in black, she couldn’t see his face as it was blocked by a wide brimmed hat. She wasn’t even sure what type of pony he was, his suit would hide any wings.

The stallion got to his hooves and walked away not saying even a word. He didn’t even spare her a glance as he left, leaving Lyra a bit shocked. The stallion blocked his face so that Lyra didn’t even get a peek at him.

“Fine. Whatever.” Lyra mumbled and continued on her way home. If he wanted to be a creepy weirdo, it was his business. She put the stallion out of her mind and put her thoughts back to Bon-Bon. She would not let that weirdness damper her spirits.

---

Lyra arrived at Sugarcube Corner clean and fresh from a nice shower. Sugarcube Corner was the town’s local bakery/youth center. A strange combination, but it was a fun place to hang out and train with her friends in its dojo. She had a broad smile on her face as she entered. It became even wider when she saw the love of her life and the most beautiful and special mare in all of Equestria Bon-Bon. Her smile faltered when she noticed several of her friends sitting with her marefriend. She thought she told Bons to sit alone. If any other ponies approached, she was to shoo them away. No matter, they would be leaving soon.

“Finally!” Trixie proclaimed as Lyra approached the table. “We can start this party already!” She scrunched her face in concentration as she levitated a cupcake to her mouth. Trixie still didn't have full control of her magic and even the simplest magic required effort on magician's part. Still, it was nice to see Trixie almost recovered after she got her horn cut in half by Twilight's crazy father.

“Will there be cake?” Dinky asked with a hopeful look on her face.

"What is this party even about?" Ditzy asked. "Bon-Bon told me she didn't even know.”

“Bons, what are they doing here?” Lyra asked and did her best to hide her annoyance. This was meant to be a special occasion. For them. Alone.

“Oh them?” Bon-Bon seemed puzzled by the question. “They were passing by and I was getting a little bored so I invited them over. Is that a problem?” She tilted her head.

Dear Luna. Lyra had been hoping that since everypony had been busy lately, she'd have plenty time alone with her marefriend. Most of her friends were out of town for one reason or another for goodness' sake! Of course, Trixie would somehow latch herself onto a party she wasn't invited to. Doesn’t she have something better to do? Like, whatever she did as Ponyville’s representative for the Night Court?

“It isn’t a big deal.” Lyra lied. No point in making Bons upset. Not like she couldn’t get rid of them.

“What is this about?” Bon-Bon asked.

"I'm glad you asked!" Lyra proclaimed dramatically. Everypony leaned in eager to hear more. "It's our fifteenth anniversary!"

“What, what?” Trixie scrunching her face in confusion. “You aren’t married, are you?”

“Are they married?” Dinky asked her mom.

"No, I'm pretty sure they aren't," Ditzy replied, "besides, that would mean they got married when they were fillies.”

"I'm thinking she's talking about something else," Bon-Bon said after a moment of thought.

“Yes! If you let me finish, I will explain.” Lyra growled. Everypony settled down to let her continue. “It’s the fifteenth anniversary of the day we first met!”

“Wow!” Dinky exclaimed bouncing with excitement.

“So?” Trixie asked in an annoying flippant tone. Lyra glared daggers at her.

“Has it really been that long?” Bon-Bon asked lost in thought. “I guess it has been.”

Lyra was a little bummed that Bon-Bon didn't even know it's been fifteen years until she told her. How was she the only one to notice this? She did her best not to get depressed at the thought.

"I think it is very nice that you're celebrating this Lyra," Ditzy said in a cheerful tone.

"It might not seem like a big deal to some ponies." Ditzy gave a look at Trixie who wilted in response. "But fifteen years knowing each other isn’t something to sneeze at.”

“Yes, fifteen wonderful beautiful years!” Lyra said nodding.

“Okay, it has been fifteen years, but how do you know it has been that long since then?" Trixie asked. "How can you even keep track of that? You were a filly then. I forget the princess’s birthday sometimes."

"Oh, ye of little faith!" Lyra smirked. So what it has been fifteen years? Lyra knew she would remember this fateful date in thirty years or two hundred.

---

Lyra giggled as she ran through the park enjoying the light breeze blowing against her face and the sun shining down on her. She jumped from the ground onto the sand of the playground with a triumphant smile. She jumped at least three hooves in the air! There were so many things to do Lyra pondered what to do next. The park had a dome-shaped jungle gym, several slides, parallel bars, a merry-go-round, teeter-totters, animals that you could ride on, swings, and the large playground itself of course.

Lyra looked around for any ponies to play with, but the park was empty except for her and her fathers. No matter. Ponies would come soon enough. She would just have to play by herself for the time being. The slides seemed like a good choice, but one of the slides was so tall it intimidated her. It towered high into the air and looking at it made her a bit dizzy. She could play in the sand, but Lyra didn't feel like getting messy at the moment. After a minute of careful consideration, Lyra went for the merry-go-round.

Lyra grabbed it and pushed making the merry go round start to spin. She jumped on and enjoyed being whirled around and the rush of air. Far too soon it slowed down. Lyra frowned. That wasn’t near fast enough. Lyra jumped off and pushed it even harder. This time it spun for a bit longer, but it still wasn’t enough. Lyra gritted her teeth. This time would be different. She would give everything she had this time.

Lyra gripped the bars of the merry-go-round and pushed with all her might. She pushed the bars as it spun and made it go even faster. Now it was going so fast it was almost a blur. Nodding in satisfaction she jumped back on. It was harder than she expected. She could feel herself being pulled from the merry-go-round by the force of the spin. She started having her doubts and started slipping. Lyra screamed in fright as she flew from the merry-go-round onto the ground. She landed in a crash. The landing hurt and tears formed in her eyes. Lyra bawled uncontrollably.

“Are you okay?” A voice said. Lyra turned to see a cream-colored earth pony filly running towards her.

Lyra tried to say something, but it impossible to hear through her sobs.

“There there.” The filly said tenderly and padded Lyra’s hoof. “It’s going to be alright. Let me see if you are okay.”

The filly looked her over with care and gave an eventual nod. “You’re fine. Just a few bruises.” She gave Lyra a reassuring smile. Lyra didn’t sure why, but this pony’s smile made her feel a lot better. The filly helped Lyra up and wiped the sand from her coat.

“There, so much better.” The filly said. “See everything is fine. Nothing broken or anything.”

Lyra wiped her eyes to dry her tears and nodded. She felt so much better now. Her parents ran over to see if was okay. After a few hugs, kind words, and the new filly insisting that everything was okay, Lyra’s parents left her the two of them to play together.

"Thanks," Lyra said after her parents left.

“It’s no big deal.” The filly waved a dismissive hoof. “Mom always says that a pony has to help anypony in need. And you oh so needed help!”

"I'm Lyra," Lyra said shyly.

“Bon-Bon.” The filly replied back.

“Would you like to go play?” Lyra asked. Maybe she’d made a new friend. She desperately hoped this to be the case. She liked this new pony.

“Would I?” Bon-Bon gave a wide grin that was infectious. Lyra grinned as well.

“Let’s just… not play on the merry-go-round for now.” Lyra glared at offending piece of playground equipment.

Bon-Bon gave this some thought. “How about we play on the swings instead?”

“That’s a great idea!” Lyra nodded with some enthusiasm and the two new friends ran off together hoof in hoof towards the swings.

---

Lyra grinned at her audience. They seemed charmed by her story even Trixie surprisingly. Dawning realization was on Bon-Bon’s face.

"Oh yeah," Bon-Bon said in a quiet voice, "I'd completely forgotten."

Bon-Bon had a nostalgic look on her face. "If I remember right, I encouraged you to go on the big slide despite how much it scared you."

Lyra had fond memories of that moment. Bon-Bon always pushed her forward despite how scared or worried Lyra felt. It was the thing Lyra loved the most about the mare. She might not have even gone to Luna’s School of Magic if it wasn’t for Bons pushing and prodding.

"Hold on," Trixie said, "that doesn't explain why you know the exact date of the day you met."

“Simple.” Lyra became smug. “It was exactly a week before my birthday.”

Trixie snorted. “Hardy an accurate way to keep track of a date. What makes you so sure?”

“I just am!” Lyra snapped. Just like Trixie to obsess over such a superficial detail.

“A week huh?” Bon-Bon thought out loud. “I remember that birthday. You had a party at your house and invited me over. Was it really only a week? It seemed a lot longer than that.”

“Looks like Lyra might be misremembering after all.” Trixie pointed out.

Lyra’s right eye twitched. She had the urge to throw Trixie out of Sugarcube Corner right now on her flank.

"Anyway," Lyra said, trying to get back on topic, "even then I knew Bons was special! It may have even been fate that I would meet the most special and beautiful mare in all of Equestria on that day. Even if I didn’t know it at the time but part of me always loved Bon-Bon from the first time I laid my eyes on her.”

Trixie started gagging and Lyra glared death at the Red Ranger. Maybe if she wished hard enough, Trixie would burst into flames.

"You have to admit, that was a little corny," Bon-Bon admitted and Lyra stared at her marefriend in utter shock not believing she took Trixie's side on this.

“Wait, does this mean that I might be in love with a pony and not know it?” Dinky asked confused. “Please tell me it isn’t Rumble. He’s an okay colt and everything, but I don’t want to be his marefriend!” Her tone became pleading even desperate.

"I won't worry about it Muffin," Ditzy replied, "that isn't anything you need to concern yourself for many years yet. Odds are you haven't even met your future special somepony yet."

“She’s right.” Bon-Bon said. “Most ponies don’t end up with their childhood friends or first love. It’s pretty rare. You will find love in time.”

“That’s a relief.” Dinky relaxed, the tension draining from her body.

“If that’s the case, then doesn’t that mean there’s a good chance your romance with Lyra is doomed for failure?” Trixie pointed out and shrunk beneath the table when Lyra and Bon-Bon sent her death glares.

Ignoring Trixie, Lyra continued on. “I thought to commemorate this moment Bons and I would spend the whole day together, alone." She added hoping the point would penetrate Trixie's thick skull. If the comment had any effect on the mare, it didn't show on her face. Not to mention the special surprise she had planned to unveil tonight.

"Oh," Bon-Bon said surprised. She wasn't as eager as Lyra hoped she would be. “I really wish you told me about this sooner. I had plans today, but they can wait for later.”

Lyra cursed, she remembered that Bon-Bon mentioned something about that. She wanted to spend most of the day getting some of the cleaning in their house done. After that, she planned to go out with her friends.

"It's okay Bon-Bon," Ditzy said, "we can have bowling night next week. I will just tell the rest of the girls you can't come."

“I’m sorry Bons.” Lyra apologized and her eyes folded back. “I completely forgot about that.” Once again, she let her eagerness get the better of her. She remembered that Bon-Bon was looking forward to bowling with her friends. Things have been so hectic lately that they hadn’t the chance to get together in some time.

"Don't worry about it." Bon-Bon waved a dismissive hoof. "Things happen. Besides a day with you will be fun." Bons's grin was infectious and it warmed Lyra’s heart and she brightened at those last words.

“I have reservations for the best restaurant in town!” Lyra beamed.

` Bons clapped her hooves together. “It’s been too long since I’ve been to a really nice restaurant.”

Lyra and Bon-Bon said their goodbyes and left Sugarcube Corner. Lyra could barely control her excitement. The first thing they would do was have a romantic lunch in the park. Lyra just knew this would be one of the best days of her life!

Lyra didn’t notice in the distance, but as she walked to the park a purple swirling portal appearing over the Everfree Forest. The portal seemed to suck the light from all around it leaving the sky a dull gray color. A figure in black watched the strange portal and laughed. Soon all of Equestria would see true power!

Chapter 2

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Anniversary of True Love
Chapter 2
by Rixizu

Lyra eyed her surroundings like a deadly predator. She knew her prey was close. Ponies were blocking her vision, but she would not be deterred. She ignored the ponies walking about and the fillies and colts playing and focused only on her goal. She grinned like a shark when she spotted it.

“There!” Lyra pointed to a spot under some trees. It provided ample shade from the sun and provided a perfect view of the rest of the park.

Lyra narrowed as she saw another couple moving towards their spot. She jumped right in front of them hooves outspread and glared defiantly. The couple gave an annoyed look but moved on. She gave her marefriend a wide grin. Bon-Bon just shook her head at Lyra's antics.

Lyra opened the picnic basket on her back and used her magic to grab the blanket from inside and spread it across the grass. She next got the plates out and laid them on the ground.

Bon-Bon sat down and closed her eyes, enjoying the wind blowing through her mane. “It’s such a beautiful day. We got a little lucky with this anniversary of ours.”

“Yep.” Lyra didn’t mention how she bribed Rainbow Dash to move the rainy day to tomorrow.

“What did you bring for our picnic?” Bon-Bon asked. “I’m famished. I didn’t have breakfast this morning.”

“Your favorite.” Lyra almost sang as she levitated the food from the basket. “Dandelion sandwiches on rye with egg and lettuce.”

“I can’t wait.” Bon-Bon clapped her hooves together before grabbing the offered treat. She chomped on her sandwich with a pleased look on her face.

"Take as many as you want," Lyra added, "I made plenty, and I made some fruit salad."

Bon-Bon paused her eating. “You know Lyra, you didn’t have to make everything for me. You could have made a few things for yourself as well.”

“Nonsense.” Lyra waved her hoof. “I enjoy making the most special mare in my life happy!”

Bon-Bon blushed and hid her smile with her sandwich. They spent the next few minutes in silence just enjoying each other company. Lyra laid against Bon-bon enjoying her warmth and the familiar sweet scent of candy.

Nothing could possibly ruin this. Lyra thought. She immediately regretted those thoughts when a high-pitched voice spoke.

“There you guys are!” Pinkie yelled trotting up them. “I’ve been looking everywhere for you guys!”

"Hi, Pinkie." Lyra ground her teeth. What the hay is the pink one doing here?!

"Hi, Pinkie," Bon-Bon said for some reason not at all annoyed by the intrusion.

“Trixie told me alllllll about how this was your fifteenth friendship anniversary!” Pinkie explained.

Thanks Trixie. Lyra gritted her teeth.

“I knew I couldn’t throw you a party because I know how much Lyra hate, hate, hates them. So, I got you some happy fifteen years of friendship cupcakes!” Pinkie put the basket on the ground and revealed a cornucopia of various types of cupcakes.

"Thank you so much, Pinkie," Bon-Bon said smiling, "that's so thoughtful of you."

“Aww shucks.” Pinkie blushed. “I always try to make ponies happy.”

"That's good to hear Pinkie," Lyra said, "I'm sorry we wasted your time. I'm sure you have a million things you need to be doing right now.”

“Nope!” Pinkie replied. “My lunch break ends in 25 minutes giving me plenty of time to hang out with you guys!”

Try not to explode. Try not to explode. Lyra kept telling herself almost unable to control her anger.

"It's nice to see you Pinkie," Bon-Bon said, "but Lyra and I want to have some time alone."

“Ohhhhhh!” Pinkie said in dawning realization. “Why didn’t you say so? Of course, you guys would like to do couple stuff together. Duh Pinkie! See you later Bons! Lyra!”

“Later Pinkie.” Bon-Bon waved as Pinkie bounced away.

"See, that wasn't so hard," Bon-Bon said when Pinkie disappeared.

"Whatever," Lyra replied, "let's get back to our picnic."

“Bon-Bon! Is that you dear!” A pony shouted making Lyra jump. She turned to see a plump burnt orange and light yellow maned pegasus mare walk up to them.

“Apple Crème! Is that you?” Bon-Bon ran up to the mare and grabbed her hoof. “I didn’t know you were in town. It’s been too long!”

“Bons.” Lyra tried to keep her voice controlled. “Who is this mare?”

"Oh right. You weren't in Ponyville when Apple lived here." Bon-Bon said. Lyra had moved away to Canterlot for a few years so she could attend Luna's School of Magic. Lyra was embarrassed to think of how little she kept in contact with Bons at the time, being so busy with school and a part-time job as a server at a pizza restaurant. Of course, Bon-Bon made some new friends during the meantime. “She moved in as my neighbor shortly after you left for school. She moved to Manehattan to pursue a career as a pastry chef.”

“Really?” Lyra blinked.

“How is that going by the way?” Bon-Bon asked.

“Splendidly!” Apple Crème rolled her Ls as she said this. “They did an article on me in Fancy Foods Magazine two months ago.”

“That amazing!” Bon-Bon chirped. “I will see if I can find a back issue of it. And a subscription on top of it. I would hate to miss the next one.”

“Glad to hear it.” Apple Crème replied. “Say Bon-Bon, you still haven’t introduced me to this friend of yours.”

“I’m Lyra, and…” Lyra was interrupted by a giant bear hug from Apple Crème.

“So, you are the Lyra Bon-Bon has told me so much about!” Lyra groaned in pain as Apple Crème increased the intensity of her hug.

“Really?” Lyra grunted trying not to get crushed. Apple Crème put Lyra down a moment later and Lyra tried to recover from almost being crushed to death.

“Since I see you two are on a date does this mean you’ve finally gotten back together again?” Apple Crème asked. Bon-Bon blushed and nodded. “Splendid!”

“In fact, we are celebrating the fifteenth anniversary of the day we first met and…” Lyra didn’t get a chance to continue due to Apple Crème’s excited squeal.

“Bon-Bon, you must tell me all about it!” Apple Crème sat down on their blanket. “Details! I don’t think you have ever told me how you two first met.

“Would you like a sandwich?” Bon-Bon asked presenting the picnic basket. “It’s dandelion sandwiches on rye with egg and lettuce. We have some fruit salad too.”

“Love to!” Apple Crème replied. “Now you must tell your story! I must have it!”

Lyra grumbled to herself and sat down on the blanket. She dejectedly ate a sandwich as Bon-Bon talked. Apple Crème cried into a handkerchief as Bon-Bon finished up her story.

"That is the sweetest story I have ever heard!" Apple Crème dabbed the side of her eyes.

“You see that is why we’re here celebrating!” Lyra stood up. She fought back the urge to yell at Bon-Bon’s friend. She needed a diplomatic way to get rid of the mare. Stupid politeness. “In fact, we plan to spend the whole day together! And…”

"Oh, my!" Apple Crème gave Lyra another sudden painful hug. “I’m so sorry! I didn’t realize how special and intimate your date was! I will get out of your hair right away!”

After an uncomfortable minute, Apple Crème released Lyra from another hug. Lyra swore to keep her distance from this mare if they ever met again. Harry was less dangerous and painful than her.

“Oh, I missed you, Bonny!" Apple Crème said giving Bon-Bon a hug as well. Bons didn’t even seem bothered by the hug at all. “We must work harder to keep in touch!”

“I promise I will," Bon-Bon promised.

“I must be going.” Apple Crème said. “I have already taken too much of your time.” She waved goodbye and left.

“That was different.” Lyra wasn’t sure what else to say.

"She's very affectionate," Bon-Bon replied.

“Yeah, I can tell.” Lyra rubbed her sore shoulders.

Now we can finally get back to our picnic. Lyra thought

“Bonny!” A stallion with an upper-class accent cried out. “Is that you?”

“You have got to be kidding me!”

---

Next time, we are going to have a picnic in the middle of a desert! Or on top of a mountain! Or in the castle in the Everfree Forest! At least some place where ponies can’t easily find us. Lyra thought as she cleaned up. It seemed at least thirty ponies approached them during their lunch date. They got almost no time alone together. How many friends did Bon-Bon have? It was like even the most remote and distant friends of Bons approached them as they tried to have their romantic picnic.

"What a wash," Lyra grumbled and put the almost empty basket on her back. Oh well, that was only lunch. They still had the whole day together.

“What next?” Bon-Bon asked. She seemed in high spirits and this tempered Lyra’s darker mood. Bon-Bon always seemed to bolster her somehow.

“How about a stroll through the Whitetail Woods?” Lyra asked. She wanted to work off some energy and frustration and walking seemed like the perfect solution. The best part was that it kept them away from other ponies.

"That sounds fun," Bon-Bon replied.

After depositing the leftovers and basket back at home. The couple made their way to the Whitetail Woods. The leaves of the tall towering trees were a vibrant green and their shade made the walk cool and pleasant in this afternoon day. They said nothing as they walked through the forest, just enjoying each other’s company. An orchestra of birdsong accompanied them as they walked. Which wasn’t surprising considering Lyra had paid Fluttershy to have the birds sing as they went through the forest. Lyra was impressed by Fluttershy’s skill in directing the birds to create such lovely music.

Lyra held Bon-Bon’s hoof as they enjoyed the splendid sights, sounds, and smells of nature. Out of nowhere, Lyra pulled Bon-Bon towards her and held her close, surprising her marefriend. They were face to face now only a few inches away.

“Have I ever told you how stunning you are?" Lyra said in a whisper.

"Not enough in my mind," Bon-Bon replied and moved in for a kiss.

The couple fell to the ground in a heap when the ground violently shook. The songbirds flew away in a panic and Fluttershy screamed in surprise.

Lyra and Bon-Bon looked around to see what caused the commotion. They untangled themselves and braced themselves for another shake. Minutes passed and they finally let out a breath in relief.

"That was odd," Bon-Bon said after a moment.

“I bet it’s Trixie playing around in her Zord again.” Lyra accused. Still, something about the air felt off somehow. It’s probably nothing.

In the distance, they could hear Fluttershy whimpering. "Oh, the poor dear," Bon-Bon said with sympathy, "we should check up on her."

“Sure.” Lyra kicked a rock as they went to help the panicking Fluttershy. Another plan ruined. Still, she admired her marefriend’s love of helping others in need. She couldn’t help but smile as Bons coaxed Fluttershy from a bush. Bon-Bon really had a way with ponies she didn’t. Lyra would just yell at the mare and make things worse. They ended up escorting Fluttershy to her home and having a cup of tea with her. The biscuits were nice, so it wasn’t a total waste.

Lyra sighed as they left Fluttershy’s house. They were spending far too much time with other ponies today. She checked the sun. They had about three hours until dinner.

“Now what do you want to do?” Bon-Bon asked.

“I was thinking about going through the Ponyville Art Museum?” Lyra threw out. It wasn’t part of her original plan, but it would work well enough. Besides, they both loved art.

"Sure, I haven't been there in years," Bon-Bon replied, "I can't wait to see what knew new exhibits they have there now."

---

In the outskirts of Ponyville, a figure in black basked in the beauty of the black orb in front of him. It towered at least eight hooves high. He stroked it lovingly. His grin widened as his hoof merged with it and it consumed him. He knew it won’t be long now. Soon all would be his master.

---

“I wonder what the artist was trying to say with this piece.” Bon-Bon mused out loud. She circled the piece viewing it at several angles. What Bons was looking at, was a rusty bean can on a pedestal.

"I'm not sure," Lyra said trying her best to come up with what to say in response, "maybe the artist just thought it was spiffy?"

The museum was more Hicksville than Lyra thought it would be. She vaguely remembered coming here for a school trip and recalled how rural it was, but she didn't think it would be this bad. Almost everything was about farming or some other rural thing somehow. She knew this town was built on farming, but still! How the hay was a rusty can art?! This piece would get laughed out of the finer circles of Canterlot. No, scratch that, this whole museum would be laughed out of Canterlot for thinking it even came close to approaching art.

“It’s so mysterious!” Bon-Bon’s face almost touched the can now.

“Right, I can totally see that.” Lyra lied.

After an agonizing ten minutes, Bon-Bon moved on for another piece. It was a painting of a mare in a pink old fashioned dress laying in the field of grass with a house and a barn in the background. It was a very realistic looking piece, but not very interesting in Lyra’s mind. She liked the more exciting, vibrant works of art from Canterlot that captured the imagination and used a lot of colors. Bon-Bon, as expected, loved it and admired every stroke of the paint on the canvas.

" Bons, I am going to go to the little filly's room," Lyra said hoping to get some air from this dry dull museum, "be right back."

"Sure," Bon-Bon replied, "go on."

Lyra let out a breath as she walked out the back door. It led into a small alley behind the art museum. She took something out of the pocket of the sweatshirt she wore and opened the tiny box and closed it again. The day wasn't exactly going as planned, but giving this to Bons would make the whole day worth it. She only had a few more hours left. She put the box back into her pocket. Best not to linger. Bons hated being kept waiting.

Lyra froze at the sound of a figure shuffling towards her. She turned as gasped in surprise as Trixie of all ponies wobbled towards her.

“Trixie?” Lyra asked in confusion. The Red Ranger didn’t respond and continued towards her. Trixie’s trademark red hat blocked almost all of her face.

“Hello?” Still no response. Trixie continued at the same sporadic sluggish pace. “Are you drunk? At this hour? Really, Trixie?”

Lyra felt herself getting nervous. Even if Trixie was drunk, she wouldn’t be this quiet. Something was wrong.

“Let’s get you home.” Lyra moved to grab her friend's leg and gasped in shock as she got a look into Trixie’s eyes. They were hollow and dead the mare’s expression was blank. Trixie turned towards Lyra and stared at her. Trixie let out an unequine howl and jumped on Lyra.

"Hey!" Lyra said in protest trying to push Trixie off her, only for the magician to be far stronger than she thought.

Trixie opened her mouth and Lyra screamed in horror as tentacles came out of her mouth. They were hard to describe. They were black in a way that made no sense. Their entirety was just black and had no color or texture beyond that. They wrapped around Lyra’s throat and body and Lyra did everything to push her attacker off but to no success. Lyra almost threw up from the smell of the things. They smelled of decay and ink and oozed a black ichor that made Lyra shiver in revulsion when it touched her fur.

Lyra didn’t know what to do. She thought about trying to punch Trixie off, but she didn’t want to hurt her friend. Lyra panicked as the tentacles wrapped tighter, she couldn’t move her front legs A figure walked into view. Lyra’s eyes widened when she recognized the pony. It was the same pony in black from earlier. His face was long and his body and limbs thin and tall. He had a light brown coat with a long black mane that draped over his face. This time is coat was open to reveal a multitude of tentacles coming from his chest, the same weird black as the things coming from Trixie’s mouth. They seemed almost countless.

“Hold her down my sister.” The stallion said. “Soon she will be of us.” He pulled a tentacle from himself. It didn’t stop squirming when it left his body. He walked towards Lyra.

Lyra screamed at the top of her lungs and struggled the hardest she could to no success. These tentacle things didn’t even budge.

“Soon you will be part of Ithaut-daoth.”

Chapter 3

View Online

Anniversary of True Love
Chapter 3
by Rixizu

Lyra twisted and turned trying in vain to break free from the tentacles coming from Trixie’s mouth. She refused to give up, or else Bons might be their next victim.She planned to go down fighting dammit. If she could get to her morpher then she could fight this thing whatever it was, but she needed a free leg. Lyra pushed her body even harder determined to get free of this. The stallion looked amused at her struggles at first, but Lyra’s refusing to surrender was getting on his nerves.

“You have lost.” The stallion stated. “You know that, right?”

“Never!” Lyra yelled back. She thought it was her imagination, but the tentacles felt a little looser. She jumped on that, pushing her body as far as it could go.

“Enough!” The stallion used his own tentacles to hold Lyra down on the ground. Together Trixie and the stallion proved too much for Lyra to beat.

“That’s better.” The stallion cooed moving face to face with his prey. Lyra bit him on the snout and he screamed in pain. Unfortunately, this didn’t loosen the stallion’s grip.

The stallion cursed. “You little….” It took him several seconds, but he regained control of himself. “Cute, but meaningless. What you fight is far beyond anything a mere pony can face. You are less than an insect, a mere microbe compared to my master. You fight inevitability. The Earth was doomed the second my master learned of this world. I find it better to join with the destroyer than fight it. Defiance is meaningless.”

Lyra lifted her chin in a defiant gesture. “Enough speeches. Get it over with already.”

The stallion growled. He didn’t like being ordered around. He moved the tentacle toward Lyra’s mouth. Lyra closed it tight in response but Trixie forced her mouth open with her hooves. Lyra closed her eyes. This was it.

Bon-Bon, I’m sorry. I was too weak in the end.

Lyra gagged as she felt the thing touch her tongue. It tasted as revolting as she expected. It began to move towards the back of her throat. Then Lyra heard something. It sounded like the rushing of air and the rapid flapping of wings.

“It’s morphing time!” Ditzy yelled. “Sagittarius!”

There was the sound of a breaking concrete, then everything happened at once. Lyra opened her eyes to see Ditzy use her staff to bat away the tentacle trying to enter her mouth shredding it to pieces in an instant when it impacted with the weapon. Ditzy kicked the stallion in the chest and he let go of Lyra and flew into a bench. Lyra fell to the ground and Trixie moved to intercept the Pink Ranger. She wrapped her tentacles around one of Ditzy’s legs. This proved useless when Ditzy tore herself free with one motion and whacked Trixie in the eye with the same hoof.

"Oops, sorry Trixie," Ditzy said sheepishly when she realized what she had done. Trixie didn’t even seem to notice it and summoned more tentacles and stalked towards the Pink Ranger.

“What a bother.” The stallion grumbled. He stood there and evaluated the situation. “No matter. You will surrender, or else.”

“Why the hay should we do that?” Lyra growled while pulling out her morpher. Ditzy paused her advance on Trixie and looked at the stallion a curious tilt to her head.

“Simple, my master Ithaut-daoth is part of your friend now.” The stallion explained. “There is no separating them now. The only way to break the connection from my master is to kill her. In the end, you will be forced to take her life. You don’t want that do you? Join us, and you can be together forever.”

“In a pig’s eye, I will!” Lyra declared and thrust her morpher forward. “It’s morphing time, Cygnus!”

Lyra summoned her bow and fired several arrows into the mysterious stallion. He screamed with pain and scampered away into the bush, using his tentacles to pull him across the ground. In an instant, he disappeared nowhere to be found.

“Coward!” Lyra stomped her hoof in frustration leaving a large crack in the pavement.

“Was that really necessary?” Ditzy asked noting the crack in the ground with her head after delivering a powerful punch into Trixie’s head knocking her out.

“I guess not, but it felt good.” Lyra unmorphed and eyed Trixie with fear and worry. “What are we going to do about her?”

“Not good.” Ditzy flip the unconscious Trixie over and opened her mouth and peered inside. She kept her armor on, which was a pretty good idea. Lyra wouldn’t want to touch whatever that was with her bare hooves. They noticed that the tentacles were part of the inside of Trixie’s mouth now. They appeared fused together somehow.

“We are not killing Trixie!” Lyra glared at Ditzy.

“I would never suggest that!” Ditzy shot back. “Besides, he was a bad guy. They lie all the time.”

"Good, I just wanted to make that clear," Lyra said making it very clear she would not budge on that point, "whatever happens, Trixie is still my friend.”

“No argument from me,” Ditzy replied.

“Maybe Zecora can do something?” Lyra suggested. They seemed to go to her for a lot lately. Whether it be Star Beast monsters, hiding from the law, or curing Ponypox or some other weird magical ailment, Zecora seemed to have an idea what to do.

"That looks like our best option," Ditzy replied and swung Trixie over her back.

“I will hunt that guy down and kick his flank!” Lyra declared and punched her hooves together.

"Shame about this messing up your day with Bon-Bon," Ditzy said sadly, "but duty calls I guess."

Lyra froze. She forgot all about her marefriend and the wonderful perfect day they planned to spend together. It was ruined now. Bons would be so disappointed. This was horrible! She dreaded Bon-Bon’s expression when she told her marefriend the news. No. No! She could make this work. She had the perfect idea!

"Maybe I don't have to," Lyra an idea dawning in her head,

“Pardon?”

“I could do both!” Lyra grinned ear to ear. “I could hunt that jerk down, and have my date at the same time!”

And Bons would never have to know about this Itho-somethingwhatever nonsense. Lyra thought with glee.

"That doesn't sound like a good idea," Ditzy replied.

“No!” Lyra gritting her teeth in stubbornness. “This will work!”

“Alright, go ahead." Ditzy signed. She muttered under her breath that Lyra was such a silly filly. "Just be careful okay."

"I’ll take care of Trixie. There has to be a way to save her.” Ditzy said. Lyra froze when Trixie started to stir, but Ditzy punched the Red Ranger in the head knocking her out again.

“Sorry, Trixie.” Ditzy patted Trixie on the head. “I’ll make this up to you I promise.”

“Good luck!” Lyra said. She prayed silently over and over again that Trixie would be okay. Ditzy gave a nod and ran towards the Everfree Forest.

---

"You were gone a long time," Bon-Bon stated as Lyra walked back towards her marefriend in the art museum.

“I, um, had bad diarrhea!” Lyra replied. She patted herself on the back for such a good excuse.

B ons made a face but quickly turned back to a more neutral expression. “Sorry to hear that. You should probably drink a lot of water tonight. That will help a bit.”

"I will keep that in mind," Lyra said, "say, I was thinking after this we could have a walk around Ponyville until it's time for dinner. I just realized how little I look at it, you know. I go through town every day, but I don't really see the town. Do you understand what I'm getting at?"

Bon-Bon brightened. “That’s real insightful of you Lyra. I would love to do that. I always hate it how pony rush from place to place, but never really pay attention to the surrounding beauty. Sure Ponyville is just a farming town, but it's picturesque when you look at it. I think ponies would live a lot happier if they…”

"So, how about we do it right now instead of standing around in this dusty museum," Lyra suggested before Bons started a thirty-minute speech about art and beauty of the world.

“Sure.” Bon-Bon followed Lyra as they left the museum. “As I was saying, ponies are too impressed by large striking structures like the ones in Canterlot, but these little homely cottages are just as impressive if you really look at them.”

Lyra zoned Bon-Bon out as she continued her talking point and scanned the crowd and streets. She was going to find this guy even if it killed her. She could barely control her fury over what he did to Trixie. For his sake, he better have just skipped town. Lyra kept her ears perked and eyes sharp for any sign of him.

Lyra grumbled. Twenty minutes, and still no sign of him. In the corner of her eye, she saw Pinkie bouncing through the street. With her vibrant pink coat, it was hard not to notice her. For some reason, she wore musical instruments all over her body. She had drums, various horns, and even an accordion. Lyra didn’t even want to know. She turned back to her task and froze.

Pinkie! Of course! Lyra thought in sudden realization. She would be perfect for tracking him down. Nopony knows Ponyville better than Pinkie!

“Oh, its Pinkie.” Lyra blurted out.

“So, it is," said Bon-Bon, not sure why Lyra was bringing this up.

"I wonder what is up with all those instruments," Lyra said, "I'll go ask. Wait here."

"O-kay," Bon-Bon asked confused but did as told.

“Pinkie!” Lyra said as she approached Pinkie. “I need to talk to you for a second.”

“Lyra!” Pinkie exclaimed. “Fancy meeting you here. I…”

“Pinkie, I need you to help me find somepony.” Lyra got right to the point. “Somepony really bad.”

Pinkie gasped. “I knew it! The changelings have finally made their move! Apple Crème was right!”

“Um, uh, no.” Lyra managed. She had no idea what Pinkie was talking about. “Something else.”

“Oh.” Pinkie said. “I guess we will have to fight them another day.”

“Right… I need you to help me find a certain stallion.” Lyra gave a brief description of the mysterious stallion. “Watch out. If you get near him, he will turn you into a tentacle zombie thing.”

“Sounds super bad!” Pinkie saluted. “You can count on me!” She turned to leave.

“Wait! Before you go, what is with all the instruments?” Lyra was already dreading the answer, but she needed to know. Otherwise, Bons would get suspicious.

“Oh, this?” Pinkie winked. “It’s a secret!” With that, Pinkie bounced away.

"Whatever," Lyra grumbled and trotted back to Bon-Bon.

“So what’s going on?” Bon-Bon asked.

"Who knows," Lyra replied, "it's just Pinkie being Pinkie."

Bon-Bon shrugged, and they continued on their way. They soon found themselves in the marketplace which was perfect because it was only a few blocks away from where they were going to have dinner. Many of the ponies that usually attended the stalls were gone. Not surprising due to the three-day long farming convention in Canterlot even Carrot Top had left. Much to Lyra surprise, Applejack stood at her stand. The reason became obvious when Lyra noticed the surgical mask over the apple farmer’s face.

“Howdy Sugarcube.” Applejack greeted. She coughed a few times.

"I thought you would be at the farming convention," Bon-Bon said walking up to the mare.

“Ah wanted too, but ah got this dang cold out a nowhere and Granny forced me to stay in town by my lonesome while the rest of the Apples went to the convention.” Applejack explained. “She didn’t want me to get anypony sick. Makes sense given several hundred ponies will be there. So many ponies cramped together make the perfect breeding ground for a bug.”

“Yet, you’re selling apples?” Lyra asked raising an eyebrow. “And not in bed?”

“Sure.” Applejack replied. “Ah ain’t that sick. In fact, Ah’m on the tail end of recovering from it. Thought about getting a little fresh air so why not? Wanted to make myself busy and useful somehow.”

"I would like one apple please," Bon-Bon said and moved to get a bit from her purse.

"Bons, we are just about to have dinner," Lyra said in an even and reasonable tone.

"I know," Bon-Bon said back, "I'm just in a mood for a snack.”

“You can have an apple at dinner.”

“I want one now.”

“Fine. Ruin your appetite. I don’t care.” Lyra said in a huff.

Applejack chuckled at their quarrel. “That’ll be one bit.”

"Oh shoot," Bon-Bon said in annoyance, "I forgot I used up all my cash. Lyra would you be a dear and pay for it.”

"I guess I will handle this." Lyra rolled her eyes and paid the bit.

“Mighty thanks.” Applejack nodded and handed over an apple.

“You’re going to wash that first, right?” Lyra said not wanting her marefriend to get sick too.

“Of course.” It was Bon-Bon’s turn to roll her eyes. “I’ll just go into Sugercube Corner and ask to use their sink.”

Lyra waited patiently as her marefriend strolled into the bakery/youth center. She started humming to herself in a low almost inaudible tone. This song was special and Lyra refused to share it with anypony besides the pony she loved the most in the whole world. She decided to go over the song one more time for practice for the special event tonight. Failure was not an option. She would not miss a single note or chord.

“She sure is taking her time.” Pinkie said making Lyra almost jump out of her fur.

“Pinkie.” Lyra hissed and glared at the offending mare. For some reason, Pinkie still wore that strange variety of instruments.

“Yep, that’s my name.” Pinkie said in a nonchalant tone. Lyra gritted her teeth and held back her annoyance and she started regretting ever conscripting Pinkie’s aid.

“Did you find him?” Lyra asked. Pinkie in response gave a blank stare.

"The creepy evil pony dressed in all black," Lyra said scowling and resisting the urge to shake Pinkie.

“Oh, him.” Pinkie said in dawning realization. “How the hay was I supposed to figure out who ‘him’ is? That doesn’t give me much to work with. Do you have any idea how many stallions live in Ponyville?”

“Who is this him we are talking about?” Bon-Bon trotting up to her marefriend.

Oh crap. Oh crap. Oh crap. Lyra thought in sudden panic. Okay Lyra, just think of a convincing lie.

“Just somepony from magic school I used to know! Not someone you know or anything. He’s in town and I asked Pinkie to find him!” Lyra said in one breath.

"Oh, what's his name?" Bon-Bon asked. "You've never told me much about your friends from magic school."

“His name is…” Lyra blanked the name. She tried to think in vain of a male pony from her old class. Giving up, she gave a random name from the top of her head. “Silver Wind! That’s it!”

“Lyra, what are you talking about?” Pinkie asked in confusion. “You never asked me to do that.”

“Pinkie!” Lyra growled.

“What?”

“Look, if it’s some sort of secret you don’t really need to tell me.” Bon-Bon sighed. “I completely understand.”

“Thanks, Bons.” Lyra pulled Pinkie by hoof away towards an alley. “We just need to talk for a second!”

Bon-Bon muttered to herself and rolled her eyes as they left her.

“Where is he?!” Lyra demanded almost throwing Pinkie in the alleyway. “Where is the stallion in black?!”

It took a minute for Pinkie to reorient herself, but she got her bearings back quickly. “Over there.” Pinkie pointed towards the stallion in question. He was stalking down a street like a predator on the prowl. Lyra cried out in surprise and horror when he grabbed Noteworthy and shoved a tentacle down his throat.

“Yeah, he’s been doing that.” Pinkie said. “I think he’s trying to turn the whole town into tentacle zombies!”

“I’m going to put a stop to this!” Lyra slammed her hooves together. She cursed when she realized that would mean leaving Bon-Bon alone.

"Pinkie," Lyra ordered, "keep Bon-Bon busy for a few minutes. This won’t take long.”

With that Lyra ran forward towards her prey with a single-minded determination. With a few short strides, she was on him. Lyra leaped into the air and kicked the stallion in the face causing him to cry out in pain and alarm.

“It’s morphing time!” Lyra thrust her morpher forward. “Cygnus!”

The stallion rubbed his chin. “You again?”

“You won’t escape this time!” Lyra smirked.

The stallion just chuckled. “You have no idea who face, do you? My master is beyond eternal. Beyond death or even time. When my master comes into the world, all will be Ithaut-daoth.”

“Yeah yeah, whatever," Lyra said dismissively. The stallion’s expression turned towards one of annoyance. "Enough talking. It's time to kick your flank.”

“Very well.” The stallion stomped a hoof. Ponies rushed into the street surround Lyra at all sides even from the air. Lyra gasped at the number of ponies around her. She counted at least forty ponies. Their eyes were dead and hollow and the tentacles coming from their mouth lash back and forth aggressively. They rushed at her all at once.

Lyra did her best to fend them off, but there were so many of them. They used their tentacles to grab her and push her down towards the ground. Despite her strength, there were too many for her to fight and they held her firm. Lyra wanted to fight back with everything she had, but she couldn’t bring herself to hurt these innocent ponies. Soon her entire body was immobilized by tentacles. They held her in the air and spread her limbs as far as possible.

I’m so weak. Lyra despaired. I always hold my friends back. Never able to do the job myself.

She thought back to her fight with Vinyl. Despite her efforts, she wasn’t able to do much and only got her Zord damaged. It still was inoperative and Luna’s scientists still had not a clue how to fix it. Ditzy was the one that saved the day in the end. The same pony that rescued her from this very same stallion earlier that day. He walked up to her and grinned victorious.

Weak. Weak. Weak. That’s all I am. Lyra fought back tears.

She screamed in pain when the stallion punched her. He didn’t stop at a single punch and started pummeling her. Sparks flew from every hit.

“Like I said.” The stallion said after another punch. “The power my master grants cannot be stopped.”

As she received the beating, all her thoughts drifted towards Bon-Bon, apologizing to her for being such a terrible marefriend and being a weak disgrace.

Bon-Bon. The word repeated in her mind in an endless loop. If she lost, if the Rangers lost, what would become of her beloved Bon-Bon. To Dinky. Her friends and everypony else she loved. She looked in the eyes of the possessed ponies. Was this the future? To part of an uncaring, unloving abomination? No! Lyra refused to let that horror become a reality.

Lyra hissed at the stallion’s next blow and used that pain to push herself forward. This pain was nothing compared to losing Bon-Bon and everything else she cared about.

“Enough fun.” The stallion chuckled. “I think it’s about time I got serious and show you the form my master granted me.”

“You won’t win!” Lyra growled. “I won’t allow it!”

The stallion snorted. “Really? I…”

Lyra screamed as she put everything into tearing her right hoof free. The force resisting her was strong, ridiculously so, but Lyra just fought harder. The stars on her armor that represented the constellation Cygnus started to glow with a faint light. With a find howl, Lyra’s hoof tore through the tentacles holding it. Black ooze or blood splashed on her armor. She landed on the ground with a loud metallic clank.

“I-impossible." The stallion fell back onto the ground in wide-eyed shock. Even the zombies seemed shocked.

With seemingly little effort, Lyra tore her other hoof free. The stallion’s expression turned to one of panic. Lyra summoned her bow and used its edges to cut the rest of her limbs free in a single motion.

Lyra pointed the edge of her weapon right at the stallion’s face. “Your master picked the wrong planet to mess with.”

Chapter 4

View Online

Anniversary of True Love
Chapter 4
by Rixizu

The stallion scowled. “You wish to defy me and my master? Fine! You shall face the full might of our power.”

The tentacles in the stallion’s chest spread out in every direction and wrapped around him covering him from head to hoof. The black form bubbled, morphed, and shaped into a bipedal figure with sickening green veins all over his body. It stood at least twice Lyra’s height with long sharp claws forming from his new hands. Spikes grew from the back of his head and antlers formed on each side. A dark green gem formed in the middle of his forehead. There were no eyes or mouth instead a strange featureless mask covered his face. On his chest appeared a distorted version of the stallion’s face, twisted to the point of being almost unrecognizable. There were venom and hatred in those eyes.

“Behold little filly.” The stallion said in a bizarre distorted voice. “I am no longer the weak, insignificant pony I was before. I am now Dreadcreep, Agent of the Shallower of Worlds!”

Lyra blinked unable to comprehend the thing in front of her. What the hey was this thing he had become? Lyra forced herself to focus and pawed at the ground ready for a fight.

Wait a second. Did this guy really just call himself Dreadcreep? Lyra thought in sudden realization. What is this guy, some edgy teenager? Whatever. All that matters is kicking this guys flank!

“This is our world freak.” Lyra challenged. “Come and get it if you dare.”

Dreadcreep roared and charged at Lyra. The zombies scattered out of the way as he came at her. She rolled out of the way in time as a claw swung down at her. She used her bow to block the next swing from his other set of claws. Metal ground against metal as he tried to overpower Lyra with brute strength. Her hooves skidded across the floor as he pushed her back.

Lyra gritted her teeth. For somepony with such a stupid name, this guy is tough.

With a swing of his claws, Dreadcreep tore Lyra’s bow from her hooves and onto the ground. He chuckled to himself before dashing in for a slash at the Blue Ranger’s chest. She dodged away in time and grabbed the monster's arm with both front legs. He tried to wrench it free, but Lyra just held on tighter attempting to break his arm. Her efforts created a small crack in his black armor. Yowling in pain he tried to get at her with his other claw, but Lyra let go and avoided the attack.

The two opponents circled each other. Lyra summoned her bow back into her hooves. Dreadcreep charged again and Lyra leapt back and forth to dodge his sharp claws. She fired volley after volley into him as she avoided his attacks. They didn’t seem to do much other than annoy him. She tried to aim for the crack in his arm, but the creature made sure she never had a clear shot at it.

Lyra continued to pepper Dreadcreep with shots. Then screamed in surprise as one of the zombie ponies jumped on her back allowing the stallion a clean shot. She grunted in pain when he tossed her and her passenger into a building. Lyra shrugged off the zombie and readied her bow, only for another zombie to get in the way making the shot impossible.

Lyra flew back and rolled on the ground as Dreadcreep slashed her with his claws again. She tried to get another shot at him, but yet another pony got in the way.

“Admit it little filly.” Dreadcreep taunted. “You don’t the guts to do what it takes to defeat me.” He delivered another cut to Lyra’s chest. She tried to get up but received a kick in the face before she could. “You’re barely worth the effort.” Dreadcreep scoffed and Lyra rolled up into the fetal position as he kicked at her again. He kicked and slashed her until she was just a quivering mass on the floor. After one final kick, Lyra unmorphed.“So much for your grandstand, ‘hero'.” Dreadcreep motioned a claw towards one zombie. “Grab her. Let’s finish this. We still have one more Ranger to hunt. They call her the Element of Kindness. She won’t be a problem. She will be just as weak and hesitant as this one.”

Lyra smirked and jumped onto all four hooves. She made a mad dash towards Dreadcreep. The unexpected move stunned the monster for a moment and Lyra did a flip over him. “Sucker! It’s morphing time! Cygnus!” she cried as she transformed into her armor and grabbed Dreadcreep’s waist with both hooves.

“What?”

“You didn't hurt me as much as you thought," Lyra explained, "I knew you would drop your guard if I feigned defeat.”

Dreadcreep grunted and tried to toss Lyra off his back, jerking his body back and forth, but Lyra held firm.

"Now it's time for payback!" Lyra bent her back legs and put all her strength into throwing him backward into the air.

Lyra summoned her bow balancing on her hind legs and aimed the arrow at the helpless target in the air. She pushed a button on her morpher. The zombies tried to rush in and stop her, but they couldn’t get to her in time.

“Omega Arrow Crusher!” The shot flew true and Dreadcreep’s body shards exploded off of him on impact. Unfortunately, it didn’t appear to finish him. The arm that Lyra cracked from before blew clean off. It didn't bleed exactly but oozed a black ink-like substance. Dreadcreep struggled to his feet and ran in the opposite direction of Lyra. She tried to pursue, but the army of zombies rushed in front of her barring her path. By the time she fought her way through them, Dreadcreep had vanished. Lyra growled in frustration and yelled very unladylike words at him. She would get him next time if he ever dared to show his face again.

The zombies tried to fight her, but they proved to be no challenge and she knocked them all unconscious. Lyra unmorphed and wondered what the heck she would do with them all. “I need to tie them all up somehow until a cure is found, but how?” she mused out loud. In a flash, an idea came to her. She ran towards the Apple’s stand, frightening Applejack at her sudden appearance.

“Where the hay is the fire, Sugercube?” Applejack said after getting her wits back.

“AJ, I need your help!” Lyra pleaded, and explained the situation.

“Consarn it, that sounds bad.” Applejack said. “Sure thing I’d be ready to help. Big Mac and I will lock them in a barn till you get this all sorted out.”

Lyra grabbed Applejack by the hoof. "Thank you so much, AJ! You're a lifesaver." Sure there were a lot of zombies, but she was sure the hardy apple farmers could handle it.

Applejack chuckled. “Shucks Sugarcube. I am just doing what any old pony would do in my position.”

“I owe you one, thanks!” Lyra said at a breakneck speed before running towards her next destination, leaving Applejack speechless.

“There you are!” Bon-Bon whined when Lyra ran towards her marefriend and Pinkie. “What was that explosion? Where were you?”

This time Lyra had an excuse that she thought up while running here. She gave a coy smile and winked. “A little something for tonight. I wanted it to be a surprise, but the fireworks pony had an accident and set off an explosive by accident. Luckily nopony was hurt.”

“That was one heck of an explosion!” Pinkie beamed. “This will be the most wicked romantic date ever!”

Bon-Bon looked doubtful making Lyra sweat, and she shifted back and forth on her hooves. Lyra sighed in relief when Bons smiled.

“I can’t wait to see it!” Bon-Bon cheered. “I adore fireworks.”

“Right…” Lyra made a face when Bons wasn’t looking. There goes my savings.

"Oh look." Bon-Bon pointed towards the clock tower. "We need to get going! Dinner starts in an hour. We need to get ready."

Lyra whispered to Pinkie as they started towards home. “Pinkie, I need you to do me a favor.”

“Get you an impressive fireworks display? No prob!” Pinkie whispered back. “That happens to be a specialty of mine.”

“Was it that obvious?” Lyra winced.

“Yep.” Pinkie replied. “Cool explosion though!”

"Thanks, you are a lifesaver," said Lyra with utmost sincerity. She didn’t really like Pinkie all that much, and often found her annoying. Still, the pink mare always seemed to be there when she needed her.

“Since this is an anniversary, I’ll give you a nice discount!” With that Pinkie bounced away, the instruments surrounding her clanging together.

Lyra lagged behind her marefriend as she snuck a peek at the gift she bought for Bons and closed the box again a moment later. In the distance, the sun was almost to the point of setting. Exactly as Lyra planned. If nothing delayed them, the sun would set at the exact time they walked towards the restaurant. Lyra hurried to catch up. With that Dreadcreep critically injured, she doubted he would be a problem for the time being. She planned to hunt that jerk down after her day with Bons after checking up on Trixie’s situation first of course, but for now, it was time to dress up for dinner.

---

Dreadcreep grunted in pain as he stumbled towards his master’s seed holding his ruined arm. His breathing was ragged and harsh. He cursed that damnable mare’s name as he walked. She would pay for this dearly. He almost fell on the black mass that was the master’s seed, his remaining arm the only thing keeping him from collapsing to the ground.

“Master.” Dreadcreep huffed. “I need more power. The inhabitants of this world are fighting back harder than expected.”

Dreadcreep connected his mind to the seed and communicated everything that had happened so far. He knew it wasn’t long now until those Ranger found the seed and tried to destroy it. They needed more time. The seed’s progress to merge with the very planet was slow. With his injuries and current power level, there was no way he could defend the seed in time. The master agreed.

Tentacles emerged from the seed and engulfed Dreadcreep. He felt the seed itself merge with his body. His destroyed arm formed anew. Power before unimaginable flowed through his body. His body grew to almost twice its previous size. Batlike wings grew on his back. The green gem on the top of his head shattered revealing an eye. Green scaled armor grew over his chest, arms and legs.

It was a risk fusing himself with this piece of the master. If he failed, and the Rangers destroyed him, his master’s presence in this world would vanish. It would be very difficult for the master to force open a portal to this world again so he could deposit a new seed. Still, risks had to be made. The Rangers needed to be stopped. The master didn’t seem concerned. This world would be crushed like all the others. It was an inevitably like trying to fight the tide or stop a rockslide. His master was an eternal being after all.

Dreadcreep laughed as the last of the seed fused with him. With this power, he could do it. It flowed through him like a raging torrent. It felt like he could do anything. Still, he would not take any chances this time. He would target that Lyra at her weakest point and use that weakness to destroy her. His new powers gave him the power to observe Lyra and a cream-colored mare all dressed up as they walked down the streets of Ponyville enjoying the sunset. He remembered seeing that cream-colored mare with Lyra before. She must be her marefriend. Perfect. He knew exactly how to make the damnable Blue Ranger suffer.

---

Lyra felt in good spirits as the waiter led them to their table. She had changed into a simple blue dress with white frills while Bon-Bon wore a white dress with pink frills and a bow on the back that looked like one of the candies on her cutie mark. The Per Hay was the fanciest restaurant in Ponyville. The décor was rich and tasteful far beyond what a pony might expect from a small town like Ponyville and lighting was just right creating a romantic atmosphere. They sat across from each other.

“Thanks for doing this Lyra.” Bon-Bon grabbed her marefriend’s hoof and held it tight. “This is wonderful.”

“What would like to drink, madam?” The waiter asked.

"A bottle of wine," Lyra replied.

“Very good.” He left them to decide their order.

Bons scanned the menu over and over again looking unsure what she wanted to get. It looked like she would decide on something, only to change her mind a moment later.

"Don't worry about the price Bon-Bon," Lyra reassured knowing exactly what the problem was.

“But, you’ve done so much already.” Bon-Bon pleaded.

“Don’t worry about it!” Lyra smiled. “I got this covered.”

Bon-Bon gave a reluctant nod. “Okay.” She muttered something about not being worth all of this.

“Plus, I’ve ordered a musician to play classical music as we eat.” Lyra beamed.

“Really?”

“According to the owner of this establishment, she’s the best musician in Ponyville!”

“Besides you?” Bon-Bon teased.

"Besides me," Lyra smirked.

The waiter reappeared with the bottle of wine in toll. “Are you ready to order?”

"I believe so," Lyra said looking at Bons who gave a nod.

“Very good.”

“Where is the musician I asked for?” Lyra asked looking around. “I thought she would be here by now.”

“She’s running a bit late.” The waiter explained. “Ah, there she is right now.”

"Hi, Bonny! Hi, Lyra!" Pinkie greeted. She was still wearing all the instruments from before for a reason Lyra realized in dawning horror. "Oh, of course, you would be the couple Fine Dining told me about. Duh, I really should have seen this coming."

“Pinkie?!” Lyra proclaimed in complete shock.

“Yep!” Pinkie put her mouth to the tuba and played a jolly polka number somehow able to use multiple instruments at once.

“Wait, a minute!” Lyra yelled over the music.

Pinkie blinked. “What is it?”

Lyra glared death at the waiter. “I thought I asked for classical music.” She hissed.

“I’m afraid I don’t understand, madam.” The waiter said with a helpless look.

Pinkie tilted her head in confusion. “Isn’t that what you’re getting?”

“Polka isn’t classical music!” Lyra yelled.

Pinkie snorted. “Shows how much you know. Polka’s been around since the early 19th century! That’s basically like forever. If that isn’t the definition of classical, I don’t know what else is.”

“She’s got a point.” The waiter threw in only to shrink from Lyra’s glare.

“Polka’s the music of my people!” Pinkie beamed with pride.

“This isn’t what I meant!” Lyra seethed.

"It's okay Lyra," Bon-Bon said trying to calm down the situation, "Polka will be fine."

“No, it’s not!” Lyra objected barely holding back her outrage. “I meant classical music like the type I play. Not folk music!”

“I don’t get the problem.” The waiter said. “Pinkie’s music has always been a hit here.” The other patrons nodded eagerly in agreement.

“Nopony asked you.” Lyra shot back.

“You really should have made the request clearer.” Pinkie interjected.

“What are you even doing here, anyway?” Lyra asked. “You’re a baker.”

“Well yeah, but I like to do these kinds of jobs on the side.” Pinkie explained. “Got to pay the bills somehow.”

“What bills?” Lyra wondered. “You basically live in Sugercube Corner for free!”

Pinkie rolled her eyes. “Well yeah, but the economy isn’t great, and throwing all those parties isn’t cheap! Is it any wonder I have another job on the side?”

This statement made Lyra feel conflicted. She was a working musician herself and she could never deny anypony a paycheck even if she didn’t approve of their type of music herself. Lyra stewed on this for some time until finally coming to a conclusion.

“Fine. Polka will work.” Lyra relented. The patrons of the restaurant cheered at this. Bons gave her an approving smile.

“Goody!” Pinkie grinned with enthusiasm.

"Just one thing," Lyra said, "no Chicken Dance for Luna's sake!"

Pinkie rolled her eyes. “Come on. That’s for weddings only! Give me some credit!”

Pinkie cleared her throat. “This next one is called Ponyville Polka!”

---

Lyra had no doubt in her mind that what she had just experienced was the strangest fancy dinner she had ever attended. The music Pinkie had played was infectious and ponies sang along. It hadn’t take long for ponies to clear some tables to make a makeshift dancefloor. Soon singing and dancing had filled the entire restaurant. Lyra herself joined Bon-Bon on the dance floor and the pair of them had danced the night away. She had no idea how Pinkie did it. Lyra hated to admit it, but she had had fun and it was one of the most memorable dates she had ever experience. That was the power of music Lyra supposed bringing life and joy to all who heard it. It was certainly more interesting than any fancy dinner she would ever have in Canterlot. Ponyville is an odd place to be sure, but Lyra found was starting to like that oddness.

Now leaving the restaurant Lyra and her marefriend sang and danced as they went to their final destination for tonight, the very park in which they had first met. It hadn’t really changed that much from how she remembered it. Most of the equipment was still there though she noticed that the metal slide she hated so much was gone. It was completely empty except for the two of them. It was dark due to the lack of a moon tonight, but they made their way there well enough.

“I figured that we might end up here.” Bon-Bon had as they approached the swing set.

Lyra beamed. “I like symmetry.” She summoned her harp with her magic and strung a note.

Lyra winced when the park exploded in light. They glowed with a myriad of colors and patterns. Bon-Bon looked around with the awe and wonder like a foal seeing Hearth Warming lights for the first time.

Nice going Rarity. You made this a truly magical night. Thought Lyra as she started playing the new song she had written for this very moment. Bon-Bon closed her eyes enjoying and loving every note. Lyra put all the love she felt for the mare in front of her into her performance. Tears fell from Bon-Bon’s eyes as the song came to its conclusion.

“Lyra, I…” Bons seemed lost for words at the moment. “Thank you for everything. I feel like I have been saying that a lot lately.”

Lyra said nothing and just held her marefriend’s hoof. There wasn’t a need for words. Just being together was enough for both of them.

“Bon-Bon,” said Lyra after a moment, “there’s something I want to give you.” Lyra moved to a pocket in her dress and pulled out a small box. “It’s…”

Lyra eyes widened in horror as a merry-go-round flew at them at top speed. She pushed Bon-Bon aside just a split second before her marefriend would have gotten crushed by the incoming object. Lyra coughed as dirt showered her from the impact as the merry-go-ground dug into the ground only a few inches from where she stood. She stood there stunned for a few moments, horrified just how close she and Bons were from almost getting killed.

“Bons!” Lyra screamed. Bons had to be okay, right? She had to be! Lyra pulled out her morpher and ran around the merry-go-round. She went cold at the sight in front of her. Dreadcreep had a claw around Bons’s neck, a clawed finger against her jugular. Several tentacle zombies moved in behind Dreadcreep and circled Lyra.

"Drop the morpher," Dreadcreep ordered, “or your precious marefriend will drown in her own blood.”

Chapter 5

View Online

Anniversary of True Love
Chapter 5
by Rixizu

Lyra whinnied in horror. “Please! Don’t hurt her!” She pleaded. This was bad. She had no idea what to do. Her heart sped a million miles per hour as Dreadcreep’s claws scraped Bon-Bon's neck causing it to bleed.

“Lyra.” Bon-Bon said helplessly.

"Drop your morpher," Dreadcreep demanded, leaving no room for argument.

Lyra did as he ordered and her morpher clattered to the ground. “I did what you said. Drop her.”

"No," Dreadcreep replied, "she's helpless. Beat her to death."

“But…” Lyra protested and backed away as six zombies surrounded her.

"You don't deserve to become one of us," Dreadcreep said with contempt, "don't worry. Your marefriend will join us soon."

Lyra leaped back when a zombie tried to throw a punch at her. Another zombie lashed out with its tentacles, but Lyra kept her distance.

"Stop," Dreadcreep ordered, "if you move one more step, your marefriend is dead." His talons dug deeper into Bon’s neck to show he wasn’t kidding.

Lyra hissed in frustration and didn’t fight back as a zombie tied her up with tentacles. Lyra wheezed when a stallion punched her in the gut knocking the breath from her. She tried her best to use her legs to minimize the damage as the zombies around her punched and kicked. Lyra never once cried out. She didn’t want to give this monster the satisfaction.

Lyra saw stars as she received a nasty blow to the head. Another hit bruised her right eye so bad it was impossible to see out of it. One zombie unicorn had a particular liking to kicking Lyra in the ribs. Bon-Bon cried out in horror as the creatures mangled and brutalized her marefriend. Lyra lost count of the number of times they hit her. She didn’t think there was a single part of her body that wasn’t bruised. Still, Lyra refused to make a single utterance of pain.

"Stop," Dreadcreep ordered. The zombies all stood to attention and created a path for him, "that's enough. Time to end this." There was a smirk in his voice.

Lyra watched in a blurry haze as the creature walked towards her. He took his time, trying to draw out her torment. Lyra tried to glare back in defiance, but she hurt too much to do anything at the moment. However, she did notice something, Dreadcreep had loosened his grip on Bon-Bon. He was so intent on Lyra that at the moment he paid no attention to Bons. This was a mistake. The look on Bon-Bon’s face wasn’t one of anger, hate, or even fury. No, she was far beyond that. Her face was a stone mask accessing the situation with a cold clinical logic.

Bons don’t! Don’t get yourself hurt on my account! Lyra tried to communicate as she stared Bon-Bon in the eyes. Bons’s face stayed impassive making Lyra fret about what she might do. Dreadcreep misinterpreted Lyra’s distressed expression and laughed.

“So, it’s finally hit you just how doomed you are?” Dreadcreep said. "That's what you get when trying to fight…" He didn't get to finish for Bons used the distraction to push the claw against her throat away and slip through his grip. Dreadcreep yelped in surprise as Bon-Bon kicked his right leg with both of her hind legs causing him to topple to the ground. Wasting no time, she dashed towards Lyra.

The zombies rushed in front of the charging mare in an attempt to stop or slow her down, but they might as well try to stop an oncoming freight train. Bons punched the first zombie, a unicorn mare with a pale mulberry coat, in the face causing it to crash into another zombie behind it. The next zombie tried to grab one of the Bons legs with his tentacles, but Bon-Bon just pulled the tentacles towards her, grabbed the head of the zombie with a hoof and slammed her face into the ground. An earth pony stallion with a greyish brown coat tried to punch Bons from behind, but she ducked under the attack and kicked the poor zombie in the ribs. Lyra tried to pretend that she didn’t hear a cracking sound.

Two of the zombies pegasi took to the air and spread their tentacles attempting to snare the mare only for Bons to grab the zombie she’s just kicked by the leg and used it to bat both of the zombies out of the air. The final two zombies tried to charge Bons, but she weaved through their attacks with little difficulty and punched one in the gut and the other in the neck. The pale mulberry zombie from earlier tried to crawl towards Bon-Bon and ensnare her leg with tentacles. Bon gave her a vicious kick to the face, and she moved no more. This whole fight took less than a minute and Lyra gaped at her marefriend’s mercilessness. Not once during the entire fight did Bon-Bon change her stony expression. She didn’t seem to care that blood splattered across her coat and dress.

"We are getting you out of here," Bon-Bon said simply like it was a normal day and she hadn't just beat six ponies into unconsciousness.

Before Lyra could say anything in response, Bon-Bon grabbed Lyra and threw the injured mare on her back. It stung, but it didn’t matter compared to Lyra’s other wounds at the moment.

"Hold on," Bon-Bon ordered and Lyra grabbed on tight. Bons ran at full speed away towards town.

“You aren’t getting away!” Dreadcreep screamed in frustration.

“Watch out!” Lyra cried out in horror as the eye on Dreadcreep’s head glowed.

A beam of green energy shot from the creature's forehead and obliterated everything in its path, tearing up playground equipment and melting it into molten goo. The attack moved so fast that in a mere blink of Lyra’s eyes the beam was almost already on top of them. Bons rolled to the side just avoiding the beam of destruction. Lyra fell off of her marefriend’s back and on the grass wincing in pain.

"Dear Luna," Lyra said as she tried to pick herself up observing the surrounding desolation, "how dare you?!” She thought back to all the good times she had with Bon-Bon on this equipment as a foal now ruined because of this thing. Worse, no foals will ever be able to enjoy it again.

"Easy," Bon-Bon said grabbing Lyra and stabilizing her shaky stand.

“You’ll not get away with this," Lyra swore shaking in unmitigated fury. Dreadcreep only chuckled in response.

"Let's kick this guy's flank," Bon-Bon said brimming with confidence and put a hoof on Lyra’s shoulder.

“Bons…” Lyra felt overcome with emotion at the moment. Was it fear or hope? She wasn’t sure.

“We can do this!” Bon-Bon stared Lyra right into her remaining eye.

"But, you might get hurt," Lyra said in a voice that was almost a whisper.

Bon-Bon winked. “Don’t worry about me. You’re not just my marefriend after all, you’re my partner.” She tore her dress clean off in a single motion.

"Darn it, I liked that dress," Lyra muttered. Sure, it got stained with blood, but still.

"It's morphing time!" Lyra thrust her morpher forward. Her injuries and bruises didn't matter. She would fight to the end! "Cygnus!"

“What you did was unforgivable!” Lyra now in her blue armor declared pointing a hoof. "This place is for foals to have fun and create loving memories that will last a lifetime, but you destroyed it without even a second thought. Have you no decency?”

"I don't know who and what you are, but you hurt my marefriend," Bon-Bon said with a gaze that promised retribution, "for that I will show you no mercy."

“Prepare yourself fiend for not only do you face the Galaxy Rangers, but the power of true love!” Lyra did a pose and smirked. She summoned her bow and twirled it in the air before aiming it squarely at her opponent.

“Your flank is about to…” Dreadcreep interrupted her by shooting a beam that cut between Lyra and Bon-Bon leaving a deep cut in the earth.

“Hey!” Lyra protested. “I wasn’t done with my speech yet!”

"Nopony cares," Dreadcreep replied and shot another beam at Lyra that she jumped over. She shot several arrows into Dreadcreep's chest with no visible effort.

“I have the full power of the seed of Ithaut-daoth.” Dreadcreep demonstrated this by ripping a swing set to shreds with a single swipe of his claws. “You face powers beyond that tiny pony mind of yours.”

Much to Lyra’s surprise, Bons went pale after she heard that odd gibberish name Dreadcreep spluttered out.

“Why are you doing this?” Bon-Bon demanded. “Do you realize what thing you have been communicating with? What it will do to our world?”

“You know this thing Bons?” Lyra asked confused. Why would Bon-Bon know of this Ithnionava-thing? That made no sense.

Bon-Bon gave a solemn nod. “Ithaut-daoth is a creature from outside our universe. It absorbs planets by infecting it with a part of itself. That is how it feeds itself. It is said to be one of the Elder creatures from the dawn of existence.”

Dreadcreep tilted his head. “You are well informed for a Ponyville hick, but yes my master is one of the Great Old Ones and he has made me his herald. How could anypony deny such power when offered to him?”

“I could!” Lyra said cheerfully.

"Yes, a simpleton like you could, but I have aspirations to become something more," Dreadcreep explained. He flapped his wings and flew into the air before hovering there. “If you knew the true terrors that lie beyond your limited view of the universe, then you too would realize just how little you matter, how little this world matters. To my master, you and your Galaxy Ranger are like little ants trying to bite at something they could never hope to understand.”

Lyra groaned. “This guy really likes to go on, doesn’t he?”

"Ponies like him usually do," Bon-Bon replied.

“Any ideas how to stop this Ithasudsa-whatever?” Lyra asked.

Bon-Bon shook her head. “The texts on the thing were vague, but it mentioned that, despite its power, Ithaut-daoth can’t interact with our world very well. We exist on entirely different planes of existence. It can do only so much here.”

“Which means it won’t suddenly pop up from a portal to attack us?” Lyra questioned. Of course, if the thing tried to invade their world, they would just punch it with their Megazord.

“No, it can only spread itself slowly through the spores or seeds it uses to infect a world with itself," Bon-Bon explained, "but it can’t do anything if the seed is destroyed. It is very difficult for it to reach and influence our world. It may be powerful, but its power isn't infinite.”

“Destroy seed, stop horror from outside universe.” Lyra clarified. “Doesn’t sound so hard.”

Lyra stretched and got herself ready for battle. She still felt hurt by that beating earlier and her throat felt a little sour, but being in her armor eased the pain a little. She felt confident she could still fight, and was eager to beat this pompous jerk into the pavement.

“Are you for real?” Dreadcreep said exasperated. “Have you listened to a word I said?!”

"Nope," Lyra stated, "I don't care if this thing is as great as you say. I'm a Ranger, and we protect what we care about, no matter the odds."

“Then die like the foal you are!” Dreadcreep howled.

The eye on Dreadcreep’s head glowed ready to rain down death, but Lyra was ready for it. She stood on her back legs and aimed her bow right at the monster’s head. The second the eye got ready to fire, Lyra unleashed her arrow. It flew true and struck Dreadcreep straight in the eye.

“Omega Arrow Crusher!”

The super attack exploded, and the creature fell out of the sky into the ground. He struggled to feet hissing an unequine sound. His head was in a bad way and his wings were rendered useless. Deep cracks ran from what was once his eye down to the rest of his head. Sickly black ichor oozed from the fractures.

“Did you know that you make yourself vulnerable when you use that beam attack of yours?” Lyra said cheerfully.

“Damn you!” Dreadcreep screamed. He charged with abandon at Lyra, claws at the ready.

Dreadcreep’s speed surprised Lyra. She never thought something so big standing could be so nimble and he was on her in seconds. She tried to block the claw swipe with her bow, but he batted her away with his monstrous strength. Lyra shot an arrow from her weapon at his head as she rolled, but Dreadcreep dodged it with little difficulty. He rushed at her again swinging his claws, but Lyra flipped from the ground away from him and used the opening to slash at his head with the edge of her bow. Sparks flew from the impact and Dreadcreep howled in pain. Lyra used the distraction to jump back and get some distance from her opponent. They circled each other warily.

Lyra did a quick glance around the park and noticed her marefriend sneaking up behind Dreadcreep as he focused all his attention on Lyra. He slashed at the ground splashing dirt on Lyra limiting her vision enough that she wasn’t able to dodge a swipe of his claws in time and sparks flew as his blow threw her to the ground. He stood over his helpless foe prepared to finish her, but Bon kicked at one of his legs staggering him to one of his knees for a moment giving Lyra the opportunity to recover. She fired an arrow into her attacker’s face causing him to stumble back giving her time to get back to her hooves and slash to his exposed face with her bow.

Sparks flew from the impact and Dreadcreep rolled away before leaping back to his feet. He charged at Lyra, but Bons interrupted him by kicking his hooves out from under him again and his face planted into the ground. Lyra used his opportunity to fire volley after volley into the monster’s exposed head. Dreadcreep howled and used his right claw to block the rest of the arrows. He continued to use his claw to block his head as he rose.

Dreadcreep moved to charge at the Blue Ranger but changed his target to Bons at the last second. Lyra screamed in warning as the creature raised his claws to rend Bons in two. At the same time using his other claw to guard his head preventing any retaliation from Lyra. Bons watched the incoming claw dispassionately despite the clear danger. She moved with the claw as it slashed down at her and rolled under it. She ran underneath Dreadcreep’s legs and kicked out with full force. Dreadcreep staggered and swiped behind him in an attempt to slice off Bon-Bon's head. She ducked in response, and the blow swung over her harmlessly. The swipe exposed his face and Lyra charged with fury at the attempt at her marefriend's life and cut his face with her bow. Dreadcreep grabbed his face in pain and staggered back. Lyra had no idea how her marefriend got so good at fighting monsters. Bons was just that awesome she guessed.

“Damn you!” Dreadcreep howled in an almost indescribable unequine scream. “Damn you! Damn you! Damn you! I’m going to kill you all!”

He charged and slashed at Bons with abandon with wild and animalistic strikes, his only goal to tear her to shreds. Bons ducked and dodged as he came at her, avoiding the unpredictable attacks with a detached calm. Lyra's eye's widened in alarm and fired at the beast with arrows, but that only pushed him further in his attempts to kill Bon-Bon.

At first, Bon-Bon didn’t have much trouble dodging Dreadcreep's attacks predicting them perfectly, but he was pushing her hard and his speed and ferocity proved too much. Bon-Bon’s right back hoof slipped on a rock twisting her hoof and causing her to toppled over, leaving her helpless. Dreadcreep moved in for the kill, but Lyra moved like lightning and blocked the blow with her body. She screamed in pain.

“Lyra!” Bon-Bon cried out in alarm.

“Weak!” Dreadcreep mocked. “Your desire to protect your marefriend cost you your life. Watch as I finish your marefriend off, than you!” Without another word, he moved to attack Bon-Bon again.

“No!” Lyra blocked the claw, covering Bons with her entire body. Dreadcreep just laughed and slashed at her, again and again, hoping she would fall and leave her marefriend vulnerable.

“What?” Dreadcreep exclaimed in surprise. Despite the twenty odd blows on his opponent, Lyra refused to budge.

“This is nothing!” Lyra wheezed. Dreadcreep slapped her aside and Lyra’s body tore through a swing set.

“Pointless!” Dreadcreep laughed. “You should have let her die. You might have won if you had.” His right claw curved towards Bon-Bon’s throat as she was trying to get back on her hooves to continue the fight.

“No! I don’t abandon anypony!” The Blue Ranger howled. She knew that she wouldn’t be able to get to Bons in time. She was just too far away, but there might be another way. “Omega Arrow Crusher!”

Lyra shot her super attack right at the ground. The force of the blast threw her into the air right towards Dreadcreep. Her body impacted into the monster's left side. Dreadcreep screamed in pain and fell face first into the ground. The impact did a number on the creature. His left shoulder had countless cracks and the claw of that hand was broken to pieces. Bons watched this show with amazement holding her injured hoof.

“Get out of here! I got this.” Lyra ordered, knocking Bons out her reverie. The earth pony nodded and continued to limp away at the fastest speed she could manage. It was surprisingly quick, and she had already made some distance by the time Dreadcreep got himself back up. He growled having lost his quarry.

" It's just you and me freak," said Lyra grinning, glad to see Bons safe.

“You are being a pest.” Dreadcreep snarled, his breath ragged. He made grunts of pain as he moved. “Somehow you refuse to stay down. Either because of insanity or stupidity.”

Lyra shrugged. “A little of column A, a little of column B.”

Without another word, Dreadcreep roared and charged. Lyra kept on the defensive and either dodged or used her bow to block his attacks. An opening appeared when he overextended his claw strike and Lyra slashed him in the head with her bow. He staggered in pain and Lyra pushed for the offensive slashing at his face and wounded arm. Dreadcreep flew back from the onslaught and rolled away. He panted in a bizarre unequine way as he got back on his feet.

Lyra didn’t give him the chance to recover and fired several volleys of arrows at the almost helpless creature. He tried to block them with his claw, but Lyra just aimed for his injured arm instead. Trying to block the arrows with just a stump proved fruitless.

“Your arrows are just insect bites, worm!” Dreadcreep screamed in fury and charged at Lyra despite her attacks. He struck at her with abandon, clawing and swiping with the same animalistic fury as before. Lyra grunted in pain when he scratched one of her legs as she tried to dodge away. She retaliated with a slash at a crack on his back. Dreadcreep responded by turning around and delivering a nasty slash to her chest. The impact of the blow flung her away, but Lyra landed on her hooves with no difficulty.

Felt that one. Lyra thought, I’m wearing him down, but my fighting strength isn’t nearly enough to win, I need to finish this soon.

She ran at Dreadcreep and fired arrows into him, again hitting her target almost every time despite his attempts to block her. He tried to slash at her, but she jumped over the attack and used his arm as a launching platform to leap over his head and stab the remains of the creature’s eye with her the edge of her bow, impaling it deep. The cracks in his head deepened, and they spread and widened up to his shoulders. Dreadcreep’s screamed in pain and he tried to slash at her, but she abandoned her weapon and dodged it putting some distance between her and her opponent.

“Foal!” Dreadcreep howled pulling Lyra’s weapon from his head. "You're useless without this!" He moved to snap it in half with his knee but gasped in surprise when it disappeared before he could even move to break it.

“Looking for this?” Lyra waved her bow mockingly. “What? Forgot I can summon my bow back?”

Lyra's taunt had the effect she desired and Dreadcreep came at her recklessly, wanting nothing than to turn Lyra into a bloody stain on the ground. Lyra ducked and weaved through his attacks slashing at him at every opening. Losing one of his claws weakened his fighting capability considerably and his wild attacks only made him easy to predict. The difference in their level of skill was obvious. Dreadcreep howled in pain as Lyra cut deep into his right shoulder causing the cracks to spread down his arm.

Dreadcreep changed direction and ran towards one of the unconscious zombie ponies. He scooped the pony up with his remaining claw.

“Stop now or this stallion di…”

“Omega Arrow Crusher!” Lyra thought he might try this trick again. Though it was a gamble, she’d readied her bow when he charged towards the unconscious ponies. She aimed her attack true, and it hit the creature in the right shoulder blowing off the entire limb. The stallion Dreadcreep tried to hold hostage fell to the ground, unharmed. Lyra panted exhausted almost to the point to collapse. She put a lot of energy into that attack.

“No. This cannot be.” Dreadcreep muttered to himself in utter disbelief.

“You are pathetic.” Lyra shook her head in derision. “You go on and on about how powerful you are, but the minute things look tough for you, you resort to cowardly cheap tricks like that one.”

Dreadcreep roared in defiance and Lyra just snorted.

“What are you going to do now, headbutt me to death?” Lyra mocked. Though thinking about it, if this was Trixie, she would do just that and probably win.

Dreadcreep ran in the opposite direction fleeing with all his might. Lyra just sighed.

"Figures," Lyra said, annoyed he didn't even try to make this interesting, "you are not getting away!"

Lyra put everything into this last attack. The Blue Ranger planned to destroy any trace of this seed of whatshisname once and for all. It didn’t belong in their world.

“Hey, Dreadcreep!” Lyra shouted. She stood up on her hind hooves and aimed her bow. “Tell your master this, if it knows what is good for it, it should hide in the deepest parts of existence. This is only a small taste of our power! Come to our world again, and you will face the full fury of the Galaxy Rangers. This is our world and we don’t care if you’re an alicorn, monster, or even a god from the beginning of existence. If something threatens what we care about, we won’t hesitate to destroy it.”

“Omega Arrow Crusher!” Lyra’s shot hit Dreadcreep dead on in the back. Lyra dropped back on her four hooves and trotted away. She unmorphed unable to hold her power together anymore. She heard Dreadcreep spark with energy and explode as he fell to the ground.

Lyra winced at the sound of something howling in pain. It wasn’t like anything she had ever heard on earth. The sound of it caused the surrounding air to ripple around her to the cacophony of the scream. Lyra felt herself overcome with a sudden mild headache.

“What the hay was that?” Lyra wondered.

"That is a good question," said Bon-Bon, limping towards Lyra, "my best bet is that it is Ithaut-daoth in pain. I think your power of harmony actually reached it through the cosmos. That seed was a part of it after all.”

“Bons!” Lyra almost jumped on her marefriend. “Are you okay?!”

“I’m fine.” Bon-Bon dismissed Lyra with a wave of her hoof. “You’re the one that got beat up.”

Lyra blushed. She was so worried about Bon-Bon that she forgot about her own wounds. “I’ll live.” For some reason, her throat was really starting to bother her.

Bon-Bon took on an inquisitive look and examined one of the unconscious zombies. She opened one of their mouths and tisked.

“That was what I was afraid of.” Bon-Bon shook her head. “Killing the seed cured none of the infected ponies.”

"I hope Zecora found something," Lyra said full of worry anxious about Trixie’s condition. She was hoping destroying the seed would fix everything.

“If not, I can contact the princess," Bon-Bon said, "she has experts in magic and medicine that can study them and hopefully come up with a cure.”

That was one thing she liked the most about Bons, she was always so self-assured and knew what to do in case of the crisis. Heck, one could almost call her unflappable. She fought a giant monster with claws that could tear her to shreds like it was just another day of the week.

"Bon-Bon," Lyra said looking for the right words, "I'm sorry."

“What for?” Bon-Bon asked.

“I knew about this Dreadcreep guy from the start," Lyra explained, "I was so worried about our anniversary, that I put off dealing with him. I just wanted the day to be perfect, and now you got hurt because of me.” Lyra looked down in shame.

"Oh, Lyra." Bon-Bon grabbed Lyra's chin and smiled. "You don't have to work so hard to please me. Just a day alone with you would have been fine. If you have to run off to fight some monster, I really don't mind. No date is more important than a dire crisis.”

“I have been so stupid.” Lyra lamented. “I should have told you about Dreadcreep from the start and fought him right away.”

"Yes, you should have," Bon-Bon said automatically.

“Ouch.” Lyra laughed and brightened when she remembered something. “Dear Luna, I almost completely forgot!”

Bons eyed her with curiosity, and she searched through the rubble. Lyra cheered in triumph when she found it.

“This is for you.” Lyra presented the small box she wanted to give earlier. It was ruffed up and covered in dirt, but otherwise was in good shape. Bon-Bon took the box and opened it. It was a gold bracelet made of two interlocking bands and inside was inscribed, “L&B 15 years of love and friendship.”

“It’s so cute!” Bon-Bon cooed.

Not exactly the reaction Lyra was hoping for, but if Bons liked it than it was fine for her. Bon-Bon put it on and admired it in the dazzling glow of multicolored decorations around them.

"Thanks for everything. You’re the best marefriend a pony could ask for. I really don’t deserve this." Bon-Bon’s expression became one that Lyra couldn’t quite place. Shame? That made no sense. The expression disappeared in a flash and Bons smiled. “I know this wasn’t quite the day you were hoping for, but it was still a magical day.” Bon-Bon moved in for a kiss that Lyra was ready to accept wholeheartedly.

“There you guys are!” Trixie yelled snapping the couple out of the moment and startling them. “Don’t tell me the fight is over already?!”

Lyra glared at Trixie as she ran towards them. Sure, a part of her was glad to see their leader back to normal, but couldn’t she pick a better moment to reappear? Ditzy followed after her.

Despite her annoyance at Trixie's intrusion once again, Lyra ran up to Trixie and gave her a big hug who looked a bit embarrassed but accepted the gesture gratefully. Lyra noticed that Trixie was sporting a nasty bruise on one of her eyes from Ditzy’s attempt to subdue her earlier.

“What the hay happened to you?” Trixie asked enraged when he noticed just how beaten up Lyra was. “Who did this to you?!”

Lyra pointed to an unconscious figure in a small crater. "That guy did it. Don't worry about him anymore though. I thoroughly kicked his flank."

"Him again," Ditzy said. She looked around at the surrounding destruction. "Looks like you had a nasty fight."

Trixie grunted. “Great, I missed the fun. I wanted to beat the tar out of the guy that turned me into a zombie!”

"Speaking of that," Lyra said, "what happened? How did you get back to normal?"

Ditzy smiled. “It took forever, but we finally found the cure! It involved getting a rare flower deep within the Everfree Forest. It was a real mess and took me hours to find it. I had to fight a giant monster who turned out to be a long-forgotten deer god of evil to get it. Then I discovered that it was the wrong flower. It turns out it grew outside of Zecora’s hut all along! I ran off before she could tell me that.” She blushed at her mistake.“Thankfully, while I was out Zecora made enough potion to cure Trixie and everypony else in town. After I thanked her, we made our way back to Ponyville, only to discover the entire town overrun by zombies!”

“All thanks to Applejack that silly pony!” Trixie grumbled. “She somehow got it in her head to restrain a bunch of tentacle zombies in her barn. She tried to contain them all with only herself and her brother. They were overwhelmed and the zombies broke free and started infecting ponies! We had to round up all the infected ponies and cure them. It took forever!”

“Really?” Lyra said whistling pretending to be innocent.

“I just want to get home and take a bath!” Trixie complained. “This day was the worst!”

“There are some infected ponies over there.” Bon-Bon pointed towards the zombies she beat up earlier. “They might need medical help.”

“Got it!” Ditzy flew over to them before pulling a vial of a purple liquid out of her saddlebags and administering it to the first available zombie.

Lyra felt the pain in her throat getting worse and started coughing. Somehow, she felt even more miserable and her whole body throbbed.

“Oh no.” Bon-Bon put a hoof to Lyra’s forehead. “Yep, you’ve got a fever.”

"You have got to be kidding me," Lyra whined and coughed again. She realized she must have gotten it from Applejack. Trixie took an instinctive step away from her.

“You poor thing.” Bon-Bon cooed. “We will get you to Nurse Redheart right away, she will make you feel all better.”

Great, Bons is in her “Treat the sick little filly” mode. She always did this when Lyra got sick!

“Is it too much to ask for this day to go even a little smoothly!” Lyra said raging at the heavens and the powers that be. Her epic tirade was interrupted by sudden bursts of coughing.

Bon-Bon grabbed Lyra’s hoof and patted it. “We make the best of what we get.”

“Yeah, I wish it didn’t involve me suffering so much.” Lyra huffed. “I didn’t even get a kiss out of this!”

Much to Lyra’s shock, Bon-Bon kissed her full on the lips. Despite how much pain she was in, it felt good. Damn good in fact. It made everything she went through worth it.

“You know, we don’t need a romantic moment to kiss.” Bon-Bon winked. “Kisses are always free.”

Lyra grabbed her marefriend’s hoof and squeezed. “You right. I get too caught up in making things romantic and perfect that I forget love is more than that. Maybe, just being with you is enough.”

"Though romantic moments are nice," Bon-Bon said, "just please don't go so overboard next time.”

Lyra laughed and coughed again. “Right, maybe we could have a romantic date bowling next time?” She kissed Bon-Bon after saying that.

“Now that sounds like a fine idea.” Bon-Bon grinned. “Let’s go, we really need to get you patched up.”

Lyra with Bon-Bon in hoof started towards Ponyville hospital, after a moment she stopped and turned back towards Trixie."Trixie, I’m surprised we said all that without you gagging or making some comment," Lyra said confused.

Trixie raised an eyebrow. “What? You don’t think I can’t read a mood?” She snorted in derision. “Just go you lovebirds. We can handle it from here.”

Ditzy gave a wave. “Night! We totally got this! We will make sure this jerk will wake up in a cell.” She pointed towards the stallion who had called himself Dreadcreep.

And so, Lyra and Bon-Bon went on their way. Despite Lyra being sick, Bon-Bon snuggled up close, and they enjoyed the night and stars. They said nothing, for there wasn’t really anything that needed to be said. Lyra enjoyed the warmth of her marefriend and the love she felt just being near this very special mare.

“Happy anniversary Bon-Bon.”

“Happy anniversary Lyra.”