Brings me feelings of anger, insecurity, pain, and restlessness.

The party celebrating the death of Myte lasted for two long days and two long nights. In the end, the soldiers of Conquest either fell asleep where they had partied or went to their barracks with their slaves for an evening of lust and unrepentant sexual urges. The ponies of Equestria would take a portal back to Horn Kong, having no desire to share in their fellow soldiers nights of debauchery. Other soldiers chose to stay guard, looking out over the dark wasteland that had made up their pocket dimension, the quiet and haunting barren land splay out before the fortress in all directions, caressed only by a soft wind.

Inside of the fortress, the quiet of the base was interrupted by a set of intermittent grunts and the dull thump of a fist hitting a punching bag, "Why?" Whispered Dementia as her white fist hit the bag again, sending it flying back. With a shin kick, the unicorn growled, "WHY!"

With every punch, a new memory would pass through her mind, a memory of a life long past. When she hit, she would see the events of her life so far, of how often she saved children instead of killing them or how she berated someone for daring to hurt a building with children.

"WHY?!" She yelled , punching the bag harder, watching as some of the threads of the bag began to untwine. "WHY,WHY,WHY?!"

"Whoa, relax Dementia," the hissing voice of Rep-Stallion said, putting his hands onto her shoulders, stopping her workout while he rubbed her shoulders, "You're going to break the bag at this rate, and some of us want to use the bag later."

Sweat poured down the sides of Dementia's face, as she looked over her shoulder at Rep, "S-sorry, just needed to work out some aggression."

"You, ok?" Asked Rep as he pulled away.

"Yeah, sure. I was just doing some heavy working out," Dementia said calmly, brushing her hand over her forehead and lightly brushing her finger against her horn and then through her vibrant red mane. "Mind handing me some of the water?"

"Here," Mysterious said, his usually low baritone vibrating the gym as he floated a bottle to Dementia.

"Thanks, Mysterious," smiled Dementia.

Rep-Stallion took a seat on a bench, his legs crossed as his tail swished beneath him, "Are you sure you're ok? You weren't at the party for Myte's death."

"Neither were we," Mysterious correct, "We all were doing something else."

"My point is," hissed Rep, interrupting his teammate, "IS that you have been feeling strange for the past few days. You gave some of your rations to Starla, you seemed a little more snippy than usual and you-"

"I'm fine! I just," Dementia began, frustration on her face, and then she slumped with a sigh. With a questioning look in her eyes, she asked of her two friends, "Why do we feel?"

Rep raised an eyebrow at this, "What?"

"I mean, why do we feel emotions? Why do we hate, get jealous, or even care about others? We were born without heart's weren't we?" Dementia said, slowly crushing the bottle in her hand. "If we didn't have heart then why does Rep care about brothers, Mysterious likes to protect women, and why do I care about the kids?"

"It's this place." shrugged Rep-Stallion, leaning against a wall and playing with a barbell with his tail. "It makes you feel things bro."

Mysterious shook his head, "Not true. Even before we came to Equestria we have all had bouts of jealousy, rage, and desire. If we did not have hearts, then these emotions would be lost to us. We are only supposed to be clay and dust after all."

"If only Titan were here, then maybe we could ask him about all of this. But no, he's spending all of his time in the Horn Kong base and leaves us to stay here with the brute squad!" Dementia growled, putting her bottle down and looking out the window.

"To be fair, Horn Kong is where the new recruits are calling home," Mysterious said.

Dementia nodded, "I know, it's just...so hard. All of these emotions running through my head, making me feel things I never thought I would."

"Like you and Starla?" Asked Repstalion.

Dementia opened her eyes wide and gasped, "Guys, you have to understand, I only do that because she hurt and she needs somepony oto-"

"Dementia, It's ok," Rep-Stallion said, patting Dementia on the back. "I know how you feel. I've been kind of...helping some of the prisoners myself."

"I thought you would've been partying with the others over Myte's death," Dementia remarked.

""Those losers? Naw, a whole bunch of murderers, rapists, and crooks, not really my style. Besides, you weren't there so it wasn't any fun,"" Rep said, smirking.

"Really?" Asked Dementia as she looked to Mysterious, who nodded in response. "See! This is what I am talking about! The beings without hearts, who should be cold and unfeeling think that our army is beneath us! WE try and comfort each other, and we care about ponies!"

"Indeed, it is quite strange," Mysterious nodded,. "You must also consider this, in all of our stories...we have yet to take a life."

"I know," Rep looked down at his scaly hands, "I had Rhymey's throat in my hands, and I just let him live."

"I myself had a sword pointed at Artie's throat, and yet I could not bring myself to finish the job," Mysterious sighed.

Dementia rested her head against the wall, "Why have we become like this? Did we always have hearts and just didn't know about it?"

"Personally, I don't know," Rep-Stallion said, placing his hand on Dementia's back, before bringing her into a hug, "But let me tell you this, whatever those answers are, you can bet your ass that me and Mysterious will be right beside you,"

"Indeed, it would be very unfortunate to have to live with this army without you two," Mysterious said, lifting his arms from beneath his cloak and joining in with the hug. "You two, are the only friends I ever had and I could not bear to fight without you."

"You guys..."Dementia trailed off, smiling as her eyes began to water. "I think Equestria has something here, when they said that 'Friendship is Magic'."

Breaking the embrace, Rep smiled, "Hey, come on. How about we all head out of the fortress in a few days and watch the sunrise?"

"I would like that, dearly," smiled Mysterious.

As this conversation took place, another one was beginning to occur in Conquest's inner command chamber. With a steady clop, a set of hooves strolled through the large room and part the map. The figure in the dark cloak glared his red eyes at Conquest as he slept on the common chair, passed out with a glass bottle in his hand, "Conquest!"

Startled, Conquest shot up, "Huh hah-oh...hey buddy." Conquest smiled at his cloaked ally.

"Conquest, are you alright?" Asked the cloaked figure, looking at the black alicorn with concern. "You have taken longer than usual to kill one of this universe's champions. Usually by now you would have had its hero on his knees begging you to kill him."

"Buddy, I keep telling you, I'm savouring this world," Conquest said, rolling to his feet and fixing his red mane. "Hatred like this has to be enjoyed slowly, not downed quickly like a cheap wine on a date."

"That is your problem," the figure in the cloak glared, "You are taking so much time with this world that soon enough, they will find a way to win."

"You give this world too much credit," smiled Dark Conquest as he walked to a map, "In any other world, sure. If had I had been fighting this long then the heroes would find my base, figure out my weakness, and destroy me for good. But this place, it doesn't have any true heroes. Just a bunch of wannabes who hide behind their power, praying that their strength will be enough to make their civilians think that they are keeping them safe. They can't even see," Conquest chuckled, moving his hand along the spot of the map marked Canterlot, "that all of their actions attracted monsters like me to them."

Conquest looked over his shoulder at his friend and frowned, "Look, I know you are worried about me. I know I have had some close calls, once or twice. But they never can beat me. Because everyone always has a bit of hate in themselves, and hatred is something that you cannot get rid of."

"I only worry about you," the figure said, sighing, "Because in all of the years I have ever met you, you are the only being in this whole multiverse that I can consider...my friend."

A tear rolled down Conquest's cheek, "Aw, stop, you're making me cry."

---

Grand Ruler sat on his throne, alone. In front of him stood his fateful warrior and champion, Lightning Dawn. Lightning stood at rapt attention on the red carpeting, in the large throne room and keeping his face forward to focus on the majestic ruler of the land. Taking a deep breath, the three-horned ruler rose from his throne and began to walk away from it, his hands clasped behind his back, "Now, Commander, now that funeral services are done and Dyno has been shown the door, give me your report."

"Yes sir,"" Lightning said, his face never turning, even as Grand Ruler walked around him. "A few days ago, me and my team launched an assault against some of Conquest's soldiers. Thought outnumbered, we waged a heavy struggle against the opposing force. However, over time, we were beginning to lose. It was only thanks to the timely intervention of-AHHH!" yelped Lighting as Grand Ruler's hand slapped across Lightning's face. Running his white hand over a red mark on his face, he gasped "Y-you slapped me. You never slapped me."

"You never have given me reason to until now. I'd say blasphemy is a good enough reason," Grand Ruler nodded. "Lightning, repeat to me the Starfleet ideals."

Nodding, Lighting began to say them from memory, being ingrained in his mind, from years of repeated speakings. "We have been trained to be stronger, faster, and smarter than all other races. Thus we are the chosen people of Grand Ruler, inherently better than the lesser races. Thanks to our speed and strength, we are the only ones capable of protecting those lower than us. With our knowledge of things beyond the comprehension of lower races, it is up to us to guide the less civilized races to a more enlightened era."

"Which means that it would be very bad for us if the pride of Unicornicopia, the warriors of Starfleet, were saved by a bunch of uncouth Equestrians. The same heathens who barely know anything about space and are your inferiors!" Shouted Grand Ruler, rage plain in his eyes. "Now, repeat to me what had happened so I can tell the paper what to print."

---

"What the buck!" Shouted Raindrops as she read the paper," 'Had not the Equestrians interfered, then Myte would have survived the fight. As it stands, he died trying to protect the civilians who had no place in fighting." Grinding her teeth in rage, the jasmine pegasus threw the crumpled paper away.

"Unbelievable," Lyra said, sitting on the couch while strumming her lyre. "Grand Ruler is willing to say anything just to make sure his team looks good and we look bad."

"And it pisses me off!" Raindrops said, slamming her fist to the windowsill. "You would think Lightning would want to do at least one nice thing for us since we saved his butt, but no!"

"Lightning's probably afraid of what Grand Bozo will do to him, if he doesn't agree to his demands."

Raindrops let out an annoyed scoff before looking out at the stars, "How's Trixie?"

"Hasn't been out since the mission. The only time I see her anymore is when she goes to get food," Lyra said. "She's taking this loss really hard."

"Ponies mess up all the time, what's her problem?" Raindrops asked, sitting in a chair.

"You weren't there those two times she came to Ponyville were you?" At the shake of Raindrops head, Lyra nodded and began to strum her lyre, "Then allow me to tell you the tale, of Trixie the Traveler and her two adventures in Ponyville."

In another part of the house, on the second floor, Carrot Top watched as Ditzy flew in from the window, "How are they?"

"They're both fine," Ditzy said, a smile on her lips. Wiping a tear from her eye, she said, "S-sparkler's been taking good care of Dinky, answering her where her mommy's been and as far as Dinky s concerned, I am on some great quest to destroy the monsters."

"I'm glad that they're all right," Carrot Top said with a chuckle as she reached over and patted Ditzy on the shoulder. "I knew you were worried about them."

"It's just that," Ditzy said with a sigh, "after Dark Conquest made his threats, I had to make sure that my daughters were all right. I couldn't stand it if something bad had happened to them."

"At the very least," Cheerilee said, walking to join her two friends. "This kind of confirms why I think Luna picked us specifically. We all don't have that much of a connection with the bearers of the elements. And so, we're beneath Grand Ruler's notice, and that puts us beneath Dark Conquest's notice too."

Carrot Top looked confused, "But, don't you teach their little sisters?"

"You forget, Grand Ruler's idea of education is to believe what he wants you to believe and that you should only live to spread his gospel and bow to the superior beings," Cheerilee said, the disgust evident in her voice.

Ditzy nodded, "She's right, Starfleet thinks that unless we serve some sort of function to the greater good, we're worthless and not worth their time. They'll even abandon their own teammates when they prove useless, like Brainy or Cookie Dough."

"My point exactly," Cheerilee said. "Our group is part of the essential shadows, so that way our loved ones will remain safe."

"But, what about Trixie's family? They're back in Ponyville living with Bon Bon," Ditzy asked.

"With the way that Dark Conquest is attacking, I think they're safe for now," Cheerilee said. "He's making a circle, trying to close Canterlot and Ponyville off from the rest of Equestria. Then, when we are isolated, that's when he'll attack. Besides...it's more showy that way."

Ditzy let out a sigh, a part of her showing relief that her family was alright, while another part of her still carried a bit of worry. Letting one of her eyes roll to the side, she turned her head towards the hallway that lead to Trixie's bedroom, "Think she's ok?"

---

Three Weeks Later

"Three weeks," Applejack thought to herself as she laid against a tree, taking a rare break from working and training. "Three weeks since Myte's death and all that Conquest feller has done has been a small skirmish here and there. He hasn't even shown signs of launching another big assault for a while either. Now you don't need to be a big thinker in order to tell that means he is just gearing up for a big assault on a major city soon."

She turned her emerald eyes towards the sky, watching the cloud through the boughs of her apple tree, "Ah wish ya were here Twilight, we need you so badly right now. You would've had Conquest outsmarted and out thought before he even knew you had planned anything. Ah'm no good at this whole planning thing, Farming, yeah, but thinking up strategies for wars? Heck no. Ah just prefer to rush in and punch things. Any thinking comes from mah common sense," Applejack then let out a sigh as she stood up, "Guess that's why we worked so well together, huh? You had the brains and let me and Dash handle the muscle. Kind of wish Ah had some of those brains right now...maybe Myte might be alive."

Applejack sighed and leaned against the tree, putting her hands behind her head, "Or maybe Ah would know where Conquest is planning his next attack. But ah can tell ya, no matter what he's got waiting...Ah'll make sure he won't take any of our friends away Twilight."

She smiled softly, "Ah hope you're watching Twi, Ah really am. Because that means you're doing your best to keep us safe, and that makes me feel a little better about-"

A large explosion knocked Applejack out of her talk, "That could be only be Dyno. Better go see how he's doing. Ah'll continue this later Twi!"

Racing from her spot against the tree, Applejack ran to the abandoned part of the orchard, where she saw Dyno throwing another explosive stick into a crater. With a yell he watched it go off, "Feeling a little better?" Applejack joked,

Dyno looked up from where he stood and sighed, "I don't think I ever will. But, somehow, doing this again, kind of makes me forget about the pain."

"Ah know the feeling," Applejack said, crossing her arms over her white shirt, "When you lose somepony that is so close to you, trying to get back into a normal rhythm can help make you forget your pain. It won't take it away, but just forget it for a while."

"Oh, that's right," Dyno said, looking away, "You lost your parents didn't you?"

"A few weeks after Applebloom was born, yeah," Applejack said. And when Twilight died, Ah swear Ah must have bucked every tree here twice. Of course, Ah also had friends to help me get through it."

Dyno shook his head, "That's just it, you had friends."

"You have one right now," Applejack said, putting an arm over Dyno's shoulder and smiling. "Just remember, my door's always open for you."

"Thanks, I- you hear that?" Dyno said, his ear twitching.

Applejack began to swivel her ear towards the sound of whimpering, "It's crying. Somepony's crying, over that way." She said, pointing to her left. Walking a few quick steps she saw a red unicorn with wings sitting by a tree, crying into his knees.

"It's Buddy," Dyno said.

"Want to talk to him? See why he's crying?" Applejack asked,looking over her shoulder at Dyno.

Dyno frowned and turned away, "I have nothing to say to him. You talk to him."

Nodding her head in understanding, Applejack walked to Buddy Rose, "Hey Buddy, what's going on?"

With a quick sniffle, Buddy Rose looked over his shoulder in shock at Applejack and shot up, trying to hide his tears, "A-A-Applejack! What brings you here?"

"Ah work here," applejack said, leaning against the tree with her shoulder, "Now...why were you crying?"

"I wasn't...I'm sorry you saw that. it was disgraceful," Buddy said, turning away.

"Ain't nothing disgraceful about crying, show you're still a pony," Applejack said, smirking.

"I've never seen you cry," Buddy said.

"Ah haven't cried since my parents died," Applejack said. "It'll take something pretty big to make me cry again. But what about you?"

"I just," Buddy paused, "I'm crying because I'm scared. All right, I said it! I'm scared, I'm scared for my life! I've never been more scared, and it's disgraceful for a member of Starfleet to be scared."

Applejack cocked her head inquisitively, "Why are ya scared?"

"I'm afraid of dying," Buddy said, his voice barely above a whisper. He then sighed and looked down at the earth, "I know I don't show much emotion, and that I don't show much about myself, but the truth is that everytime I'm out there, I'm scared for my life! I'm terrified of dying and leaving Daphne all alone! It horrifies me that one day, I'm going to die. I-I-I'm a gardener, not a fighter. The only reason why I stayed with the team this long was because I saw how powerful Lightning was and thought 'Hey, as long as I'm at his side, we're invincible. No need to do more than your share, just let Lightning handle the big guys and you fight the henchmen. Lather, rinse, and repeat until the big bad is dead.""

"Buddy, Ah," Applejack began, but was silenced when Buddy punched a tree with his first, breaking through it's bark.

"I thought we were heroes! And heroes don't die! But we're not...are we? We're just a bunch of powerful guys who use our power to beat down the weaker guys," Buddy then began to cry into his hands, "I alway thought that death was something that happened to weaker beings, not us." Opening his eyes in horror, he looked at Applejack, "Oh, gods, I'm so sorry I-"

"If ya weren't hurting already, Ah would punch you for that last one," Applejack said, putting a hand onto Buddy's back and then giving him a hug.

Quietly, Buddy returned the hug, "You know, this is why I kind of admire you Applejack."

"Me?" Applejack asked, backing away and arching an eyebrow."

Buddy nodded, "Well, yeah. I mean, you're kind of like me, a farmer. But you're out there everyday with a smirk on your face and you fight the worst that the world can throw at you. Then you're back home doing your job like you didn't just kick a monster's ass."

Applejack smiled and laughed, adjusting her hat, "The truth is, Ah get scared too."

"You do?" Asked Buddy.

"Well, yeah, comes with the territory," Applejack said. "Even Rainbow Dash is a little scared when she fights. Ah'm always worried about what is going to happen to my family if ah died out here. Who will help Big Mac? What's gonna happen to Applebloom? Is my best going to be enough to keep my friends safe. That kind of thing, but then I use that fear and control it," Applejack said, clenching her fists. "Because there is something inside of me that's strong than any fear."

"What's that?" asked Buddy.

"My desire to help others. Ah never could just stand by and let other ponies risk their lives for me, not when there's something that Ah can do to help. Especially when there's a friend who needs me. Why, Ah remember when Twilight went out to face Nightmare Moon, Ah told myself 'Applejack, that nice mare who just became your friend is going to go and fight a horrible monster alone. She might die in the process. Are you going to just hang back and let that happen or are you going to help her."

"Wow," Buddy said with a sigh, and then he smiled softly at Applejack, "I guess there is a little more to you than that jewel necklace."

"Pushing through your fears to do the right thing? That's what being a hero's all about," Applejack said, patting Buddy Rose on the shoulder.

"I just wish I can say the same thing about myself," Buddy sighed.

"So, you can express something other than "Go Lightning!" said Dyno stepping out from behind a tree.

"Dyno, I-I...look, you're right," Buddy said. "I do rely on Lightning, a lot. I just always figured that all we needed to do to win was just beat the henchman or to weaken the bad guy and let Lightning finish him off. I thought that was all we needed to win the day. And now your brother is dead. And I don't think there is enough apologies out there in the world to make it right."

"No, there isn't," Dyno said with a frown. "But, maybe we can start off on the right foot, by being something other than teammates?"

"Like what?" Buddy asked.

"Friends," Dyno smiled softly.

Applejack grabbed each by their shoulders and pulled them into a hug, "Now that's what Ah like to hear. It's one thing Ah know, it's that friendships are best made over a warm dinner table. So, how about you two get a mosy over to my house and we can have an old apple family lunch. Then we can talk all about your brother, cousin, and whatever else we can think of." Applejack said, patting the two Unicornicopians on the back.

"You sure there'll be enough?" Asked Dyno with a chuckle.

"Granny always makes enough," smiled Applejack as she pushed the two Unicornicopians down the road.

"You didn't have to do that," Caramel said, walking to stand behind Applejack. "They didn't care about you when Twilight died."

Applejack leaned into Caramel's back, "Yeah, but Ah don't care. Those two have been hurting something fierce, and sometimes making a new friend is what's needed to help you get through your pain. Ah would've done that for anypony."

"I know, that's what makes you a pretty amazing mare," smiled Caramel as he hugged Applejack, his arms across her stomach.

---

"And then the eight foals stared at the big monster, their little monster friends at their side, and said 'We never needed the crests, Apovlypicmon! Now prepare to be defeated by the new and improved Digidestined!" Pinkie Pie said, looking at the two foals at they sat on the rug, enraptured by the pink mare's story.

"And then what happened, Pinkie?" Asked Pumpkin, her blue eyes looking at her 'sister' with wide eyes.

"Yeah, what happened big sis?" Asked Pound.

Pinkie giggled at being called the bigger sister, enjoying the feeling even if they weren't her blood siblings, "Well, they-"

"Pinkie, I hate to interrupt storytime," Mrs. Cake said, stepping into the twin's bedroom.

"Mommy!" Came the collective cheer from the twins as the ran to their mother.

As Mrs. Cake hugged her children, she looked at Pinkie, "Pinkie, we have a Pinkie problem that you need to solve."

"Don't worry, Mrs. Cake! Pinkie is one the job," Pinkie said, saluting with two fingers to her forehead and sticking out her tongue. "No frown will exist while I'm around!" Ain't that right you two!"

"No-" Pumkin began, fist pumping her sister.

"Frown!" Pound said, also joining in the fist bump, before giggling their heads off.

Running down the stairs to the shop floor, she looked at Carrot Cake, "Hey, Mr. Cake, what's the problem?"

"Him," Carrot said, pointing over the counter at an orange Unicorpian sitting at a table with five empty milkshake cups in front of him.

"Artie?" Pinkie said, looking at him confused.

The orange stallion threw his hands into the air, yelling , "Hey Mom and Dad! See where your boy wound up? Stuck in a place where he is soon to die alone with no friends! Bet you're proud now huh?"

"He's been coming here for the past few days and yelling like that. The rest of the time he's been grumbling and ruining the mood of the place for the other customers. Maybe you could," he then nudged his head over his shoulder.

"You got it, Mr. Cake," Pinkie nodded, walking away from her boss. Taking Artie by the arm, she said, "Come on Artie, you and I are needed outside. Follow me."

With a little effort and some struggling, Pinkie was able to lead Artie out of her workplace and into the outside. Then she tugged him along to a small hill just outside of the town and let him sit down. Sitting alongside of him, Pinkie looked at him, "There, now you tell Pinkie all about your big problems."

Artie sighed, "Why do you care Equestrian? We are Unicornicopians, we handle things on our own."

"Unicornicopian? Oh, you mean you," Pinkie said with a smile. "Don't care."

"You don't care?" Artie asked, smiling in spite of himself.

"Nope, just a pony who needs a friend to talk to because he misses a dear friend," Pinkie said.

Artie laughed, "That is what is admirable about you, lady Pinkie. You always find the bright side of living and live it to the fullest. I just wish...me and the others could see it the same," he then stood up and walked to a tree. Placing his head onto a tree, he sighed, "Do you know why I became a member of Starfleet?"

"Because you wanted to be strong?" Pinkie asked.

"No, because I wanted to protect others," resting his hand against the bark of the tree, he growled, "My parents never saw it that way. They thought this hero complex of mine was just me striking out, my rebellious stage. They laughed when I told them I wanted to be a hero, and told me to grow up. But I really wanted to protect the people I care about Pinkie...I really did. And I thought Starfleet would let me. I thought, stick to the plan, stick to the old style and you would be the hero that they needed. Just fight and win. But, it was all a lie wasn't it?" With a growl, he punched the tree, "What good am I if I couldn't save my t-teammate."

"Well, good for a lot of things," Pinkie said, patting the orange unicorpian on the back, "Good for fighting, good for helping others, and good for making sure other ponies aren't hurt too badly."

Turning so his back laid against the tree, he began to laugh "Hahaha! That eternal optimism! I want to hate it, I want to yell at you, but I can't. You, just know everything will be all right and you don't lose that feeling. I wish," Artie sighed, "I wish my team could fight like yours."

"Like mine?" Pinkie asked.

"Yeah," Artie said. "You guys fight like a unit, like you know how each other will fight and what is the best way to handle it. Rarity is an archer, Applejack is a brawler, Rainbow Dash is a speedster, and then there's you. You have an unique way of fighting."

"Really?"

"Yes, you-you just seem to use whatever comes to mind when you fight. It's just so random...I wish I could do that," Artie said, looking down. "Fight in a unique manner away from the others."

"Aw, anypony can fight like I can, watch!" Pinkie said, pulling out two of Artie's brushes. Then she handed one of the brushes to Artie and then pointed with the one she had, "En garde!"

"Pinkie, wha-"

"I said," Pinkie said with emphasis, "En garde!"

Artie let out an exasperated sigh, "Fine, en garde!"

With a manic grin, Pinkie jabbed her brush at Artie, watching him block it inresponse. Pinkie then struck again and again, moving from side to side. Artie looked at her quizzically as she continued her swordfight. Each blow that she came at him with, he blocked or parried, until finally, Pinkie swatted his brush away. Once she did, she rammed her brush into Artie's stomach and began to tickle him with it, "P-p-p-pinke, what-hahahhahahaha-are you-hahahahahahahaha-doing?"

"Are you ticklish? Bet you are!" Pinkie said with a smile. Quickly she began run the brush along Artie's sides and belly, causing him to fall to the ground laughing, all the while, she laughed as well.

"I, hahahahahaha, give, ok you win!" Laughed Artie as he laid on his back.

Smiling, Pinkie laid back with him and smiled, "See, fighting differently? Using something brand new? Nothing to it, you just need your mind!"

A chuckle escaped Artie's lips, "Pinkie...you are amazing, you know."

"I am?" Pinkie asked, looking over her shoulder at the orange unicornicopian.

"Yes, because somehow you knew I needed a laugh," Artie remarked as he sat up and laid his hands on his knees. "Pinkie, why are you being this nice?"

"Because you are hurting and you needed a friend," Pinkie said, watching the clouds fly overhead.

"But, me and Starfleet, we invaded your land, forced you to obey our laws, and took away your freedoms. Why do you care if I am hurting?" Artie asked.

"Invaders? Nah," Pinkie said with a wave of her hand, "I think you guys are just a bunch of party crashers who are really grumpy. You just need someone to show you that we don't need to be mean to one another. I'm peppy and energetic, and you are artistic and creative. We can get along, can't we?"

"Starfleet doesn't think so," Artie said. "They just see you as a-"

"Moron? Girl who says the random and wrong thing? Idoit? A puppy dog with a habit for destruction?" Pinkie asked, much to Artie's shock, "What? I'm not dumb, I heard what you guys said."

"Not me, I try not to insult you girls because I know that you are heroes," he then said something that Pinkie could barely make out," ...better heroes than me."

Pinkie smiled at him, "I'm not an idiot you know. I'm a realist."

"A realist?"

"Yeppers! I don't think reality is a bad place or as scary as you think it is. It's just tough," Pinkie said, rolling onto her stomach and playing with a flower, "But, I think if you try hard enough, and look hard enough, then you can find that big, fluffy, delicious cupcake at the end of it all. And that makes me happy!"

Artie looked at Pinkie as she laid down, "I suppose that is one upbeat way to look at it."

"I don't mind it when ponies call me that behind my back, it just means I have a lot more work to do to show them the time of their lives," Pinkie said, smiling over her shoulder. "My friends know the real me and that is all I need. After all, I need to be their big hope to keep going."

"Think I can be like that, my team's hope?" Artie asked.

"Mmmmmmaybe," Pinkie said, resting on her elbows. "I could help you with that."

"Will you train me in your fighting style?" Asked Artie.

"No, because we don't always need to be training to fight," Pinkie argued. "We can have fun, playing and talking about what we like!"

"Like we are doing right now?" Artie asked.

Nodding, Pinkie said, "Yeah, but I would prefer if we had more cupcakes. Oh, let me go and get some!"

"I'll wait," Artie said.

---

"Hey, Belle?" Rainbow Dash called as she entered the library, looking around the large tree. While Belle had been living there, the young unicorn had turned the unused library back into a vibrant place of reading once more. Gone were the cobwebs and the dusty shelves, and back were the clean books of old. To the untrained eye, it was almost as if Twilight had come back to the library to take care of it. The cyan mare sighed as she looked at the sight, trying to find her new friend. As she stepped into the tree, a loud bang startled her, "What the?" She asked aloud as she saw Belle step out from the basement, "Do I want to know or is it confidential?"

Belle chuckled as she removed her safety goggles, "Sorry, I was kind of in the middle of trying to invent something new. Well, it isn't so much new as it's a refining of an old idea that-"

"-Belle," Dash growled.

"Sorry, but I invented something new with your communication devices," Belle smiled as she quickly took out a small gun like device and jabbed it into Dash's arm.

"Yeowch! Belle, what was that for?" Dash asked.

"Just watch, could you fly somewhere random for me?" Belle smiled as she backed up.

Rainbow Dash looked at Belle oddly, and then nodded her head before taking off. After flying a few miles away from the tree-bary, the pegasus called on a radio, "Ok, now what?"

"Are you above Sweet Apple Acres? And you are healthy?" Belled asked on the comm.

"Yeah!" Dash said, a little shocked. Taking a few seconds to fly back to Belle, she landed next to her friend, "How did you know that?"

A giggle escaped Belle's lips, "Oh, a powerful tracking device that I planted on you. Here," she then gave Rainbow a small watch, "This way, the five of you can keep an eye on each other and know the approximate location of where you are. This way, when you are in trouble, anyone of you can come and help each other. Most importantly, I can turn it off when you aren't in the field."

"Wow," Dash said, looking at the device in her hands, "This is pretty cool, thanks Belle."

"It's just my way of trying to be useful around here," Belle said with a sigh as she walked away.

Rainbow Dash arched an eyebrow as she watched Belle walk away, "Useful?"

"I keep thinking back to that day in the cave, and how useless I was back there!" Belle said, closing her eyes shut. "All I did there was help guide you guys there. Pinkie and Fluttershy were the ones who saved the day and I just...gave advice. I'm not magical like a normal unicorn," for emphasis on this, she tried to lift a book with magic, but it fell to the ground with a thump, "I can't even levitate. I-I just want to do something to help repay you five for the kindness that you've show me."

"And you've been doing a great job at doing it," Rainbow chuckled, moving to stand by Belle's side. "Making new tricks, researching a monster, and guiding us to a new adventure. It makes me think of Twi-" immediately, the cyan mare stopped herself and put a hoof to her mouth, "Sorry."

"That's another reason I am doing this," Belle said, looking away. "Everytime we meet one of Twilight's old friends or family, they keep seeing her. They don't see me, they see Twilight Sparkle. And don't get me wrong," she shook her head, and smiled, "from the stories you told me about her, she sounds like the most fantastic friend you could ever have. I'm honored to be compared to her, but I don't know if I could be her or if I can match up to her." Belle slowly moved away from a bookshelf and then to a window. She let out a sigh as she watched a purple unicorn filly use telekinesis for the first time, "I'm just afraid that you guys are using me to replace her."

Rainbow Dash put a hand onto Belle's shoulder and then pulled her into a hug, "Hey, cut it out with that kind of talk, nopony here is marketing you as a replacement Twilight."

"But-"

Quickly Rainbow Dash interrupted her and looked into her eyes with a caring look as she rested her forehead against Belle's grey one,"Look, we all miss Twilight. She was my best friend and nopony will ever replace her in my heart. But you, you're Belle Amie, and the best Belle I know."

"I am the only Belle you know," giggled Belle.

"My point exactly," Dash said with a bit of confidence, "And that is what you should focus on, being the best Belle out there. Twilight is Twilight, and nothing will change that. I want to know who you are!"

"But I still don't know who that is yet," Belle said, looking down. "I still don't have my memories, I'm still mostly a blank slate."

"Isn't that the fun of living though? Finding out who you are? And," she pulled away from the hug and then placed a cyan hand onto Belle's shoulder, "that is what good friends are here for."

Belle smiled softly, "Thanks for that. Now...what did you come here for?"

Rainbow Dash shot up and began to look around, "Oh yeah. I came here to pick up some books for Flutters."

"Oh?" Belle asked with a questioning look as she walked to some of the bookshelves, "She needs some books?"

"Yeah," grumbled Dash. "Rhymey's gotten more strict in his little imprisonment of her since Myte's death. He won't even let her out his sight anymore. She can't even head to the market. I figured if I got her some books it might help pass the time until the jerk gets a clue."

"Hmmm, well, any books in particular she might like?" Belle asked.

Dash smiled as she looked through some of the shelves herself, "Oh, some fluffy romance ones. She likes those, even if they bore me to death."

"Well, I just got one called 'Heart of Friendship'. It's about these two friends who grew up together fighting monsters along with their own pets. Their pets conspire to get them together and through some shenanigans, they manage to get them together," Belle said, and then she looked at another one, "Oh, and here is one about a spy who's best friend is in love with her, but he's afraid to say it."

"That's just silly, if you love your best friend enough, then say it to her face. Don't hide it and risk losing her," grumbled Dash, not seeing the roll of Belle's eyes. Smiling, she looked at one book, "Felidae! Oh she is going to love this!"

"Really? Are you sure, because I looked at it and-"

"Trust me, she can get into some of the harsher stuff, like even-" Rainbow Dash paused as she looked at another book, "Watership Down!"

"How bad can that be?" Belle asked as she brought out the two books she recommended and gave them to Rainbow Dash.

"Trust me, it can get tough if you aren't ready for it," Rainbow Dash said, taking the books into her arms and then placed them into her back. "Thanks Belle, when do I bring them back?"

"Friendship discount," Belle smiled as she hugged Rainbow Dash, "Just bring them back when you are ready."

"Thanks Belle," Dash smiled and hugged her. "And don't worry, you'll figure out who are one day." And with that she took off through the library window. She did not notice, however, Shining Spark walking beneath her in a black cloak through the marketplace. Looking up at her, the purple unicorn sighed as she looked at the purple contrail and then went back to pick up some of the fruits at the stands.

As Shining Spark walked through the stands, she heard, "Twilight Sparkle? You're alive?" Big Mac asked as he saw Spark.

"Huh?" Asked Spark as she looked up at Big Mac, "You are mistaken sir, my name is Shining Spark. Twilight Sparkle is dead, and though I may look like her, I am not. May I have some apples, please."

"Sorry, you look like-"

"I know," Spark said, sighing and looking back up as she saw the fading rainbow contrail that belonged to Rainbow Dash, "I get that a lot."

---

Rainbow Dash gave the door a quick knock, waiting for somepony to answer. After a few moments, the door opened to reveal a yellow figure, "Hey Flut-oh, it's you," Rainbow Dash growled as she looked at Rhymey.

"Who could be so brash?

Why it's Rainbow Dash.

Forgive me for being a bore

But what brings you to my door." Rhymey asked, stepping out from the threshold and out onto the front step, making Rainbow Dash back up a little.

"Listen Rhymey, I'm here to see Flutters now let me through," Rainbow Dash said, trying to be civil.

"Due to Myte's recent demise

Letting Fluttershy out would be unwise.

She needs to be well protected,

From Conquest's schemes, she's to be defended.

If she were to stand with a friend,

Then i fear for her end." Rhymey said, shaking his head.

Rainbow Dash looked down, "Look, I know Myte's death is affecting you guys and hitting you hard. I know the feeling because we all went through the same with Twilight, but locking Fluttershy up is not the answer."

"She is my wife

And I will protect her with my-"

"You aren't protecting her, you're holding her hostage!" Rainbow Dash shouted.

"Now see here you cur!

I will not endure such slander!"

"That's what you are doing, you jerk!" Rainbow Dash growled. "You keep holding her up in her own home like she was some sort of priceless toy that you are afraid that will break when you take her out of the box. You've always treated her like that, like she would break if you breathed on her wrong."

"She is the weakest

And thus-"

"She is not weak! She's got a lot of strength that you never see because if you do, then she won't be your prized trophy anymore," Rainbow Dash growled. "I've seen that mare take down a bear, but all you see is weak sad little Fluttershy that needs to be protected from the big bad world. She isn't a prize you know, she is a living breathing creature!"

"And what gives you the right,

To tell me how to handle my life's light?" Rhymey asked.

"Her best friend," Rainbow said, eyes narrowed. Shaking her head, she sighed, "Look, I'm not here for a fight, I just want to give Flutters a present."

"I will not let you into this house

You horrible louse!

If you want to enter, fine

But then you will cross this line," Rhymey said, making a line in the dirt.

"But if you make this slight

Then you are in for a fight," the yellow Unicornicopian smirked as he watched Rainbow dash lifted her leg, like she was going to retreat. Then he watched in shock as Rainbow Dash stepped forward.

"Ok, let's dance," Rainbow Dash said, watching as Rhymey pulled back and threw a punch straight at her face. With almost uncanny speed, Rainbow Dash ducked under the punch. Angry, Rhymey threw a cross and a hook, all of which were dodged by Rainbow Dash. Turning around, he did a back kick at the mare, only to watch as it went through her blurry body. "What on ea-"

"It's an after-image, dork," Rainbow Dash mocked, suddenly appearing beside him. "If you were any kind of speedster, you would know about that little trick."

Before Rhymey had a chance to respond to Rainbow Dash's quip, he was hit by a hook from Rainbow Dash in the chest. While he was stunned from the blow, Rainbow Dash attacked with a flurry of jabs and finished with a spin-kick that knocked Rhymey off the porch of the cottage and rolling down the hill. Cracking her neck side to side, Rainbow Dash began to walk to Rhymey as he got up, "You know, that is something I have always wonder about you Starfleet aholes, your speed. For guys that are supposed to be able to go over 55000 KPH over my own speed, you sure as heck don't show it." She said, dodging a straight punch from Rhymey and then blocking three kicks from him, " I mean, shouldn't you guys be doing cool tricks like popping in and out all over the place, making after-images and-"

In a split second, Rainbow Dash blocked one of Rhymey's punches and held it in her hand. Right behind him, Rainbow's speed mirage appeared and kicked him with a side kick, "Make speed mirages like that?"

Rhymey stumbled from the hit and began to to turn to face the cyan speedster. With a frown, he jumped into the sky and stretched out his wing, shouted "Drill Quill!", and launched a series of feathery daggers at the Cyan mare. As the blades came at Rainbow Dash, the mare moved in a diagonal pattern, dodging each quill with ease. After she stopped moving, she looked up to watch as Rhymey launched another barrage of quills, one after the other. Running so fast, she left behind a cloud of dust behind her, she dodged each barrage, "And that is another thing. All of these magical attacks of yours, kind of boring. I mean, if I could move as fast as you then I would be using that to my advantage, rather than using worthless attacks like you guys do."

"Silence and be still

So I can hit you with my Drill Quill," Rhymey shouted, watching Rainbow Dash dodge with ease.

"Yeah, not happening," Rainbow Dash remarked as she took off into the air, "Oh, and that whole 'Top speed 9,000' limit you guys gave me. Which is a load of BS," she said, smirking as she flew through the spiral of incoming drills, "I surpassed that...two months ago."

Rhymey's eyes went wide as he saw Rainbow Dash disappear from sight, only to appear right in front of him, "But how can this be,

That you can be as fast as me?"

"Thanks to you guys actually," Rainbow Dash said, a cocky grin never leaving her face, "The moment you guys came here with all of your high and mighty talk, you just gave me another limit to break. So, thanks for teaching me how to push past my own limits."

"Impossible, y-you Equestrians-" Before he could finish, however, a flurry of punches slammed against his torso and face, before Rainbow Dash sent him crashing to the ground with a roundhouse to the head.

"Things change, Rhymey," Rainbow Dash said calmly as she watched Rhymey get up from the crater he made with his crash landing.

"Balk, balk, balk,

Is all you do is talk?" He asked, watching Rainbow Dash land in front of him.

Smirking, Rainbow Dash crossed her arms and leaned against a tree, "Yeah, I talk a lot, and I even brag about my awesomeness. But, that's only because I can back it up, you on the other hoof can't,"

""We are Starfleet, proud and strong,

Under us, nothing can go wrong," bragged Rhymey.

"Uh, things are going wrong, dunce," Dash argued. "And what's worse, is that you should've done more to stop it. For all of your talk about being the strongest, the fastest, and being these holy knights that came to be our saviors because we are so weak, how many lives have you really saved? How many times have you really done anything beyond stopping somepony who disagreed with you or you called a villain? You aren't heroes, you're just a bunch of cowardly punks who lord their power over those who are weaker than you are. You know what that is? A bully, and I can't stand bullies."

With a roar of unbridled rage, Rhymey held out his hand and began to form a sword, it's pencil shaped cross guard adorned with a verse

"Let those who wronged me,

Run and flee

Let those who sinned and thought it wise

Be prepared to meet their demise"

"Ward Sword!" Shouted Rhymey as he charged at Rainbow Dash with his sword, the mare barely getting out of the way from the sword as it stabbed the tree.

"H-Hey! I thought this was just gonna be unarmed combat!" Dash said, barely able to dodge the master swordsman's slashes and jabs.

"This is a fight, my opponent

As such, I will not relent," Rhymey said slashing and thrusting his blade at Rainbow Dash, barely missing her with each strike.

"Where are your jabs?

Your bragging and nlabs

Or has despair

And some fear

Taken hold, young upstart

And confidence has left your heart?

Now will you fly,

And leave Dear Fluttershy."

"I will never leave my friends," Dash growled, standing her ground, "Not Twilight, not Applejack, and definitely not Fluttershy!"

"You courage will not avail you

Don't worry, this jab will not kill you," Rhyme said, thrust his sword right at Rainbow Dash. He then let out a gasp of shock when he saw Rainbow Dash grab the blade with her bare hands, stopping it inches from her stomach. Letting out a grunt, Rhymey tried to move his blade, but was shocked when he saw that it could not budge an inch.

Slowly Rainbow Dash began to lift the blade up with her hands until she held it eye level with her, wincing as she did so as she felt the blade cut into her fingers and thumbs, some blood trailing down her hands, "Ok, that was cool and all, but the books never said how much this trick hurts."

Rhymey growled and tried to pry the blade away, and then looked on in curiosity when he saw Rainbow vibrate her hands, "What on earth are you doing?

What is to be accomplished by vibrating?"

"Something I read once, from a book on speedsters Twilight made me read once," Dash said, smiling. "See, certain objects can get vibration into them, because you're weakening them somehow. I'm not too sure on the science, but I read about this one earth pony, Buried Alien, that knew how to vibrate things so fast that he could make metal brittle, and even go through walls. I thought it would be a cool trick to try so I practiced and practiced until one day," with a grunt, she pulled the sword to side in one swift motion and broked the sword in half. With a smirk she finished," I found out I could break metals by vibrating them. Cool huh?"

"But, but-" Rhymey stuttered, as he looked at his broken sword, and then let out a grunt when Rainbow kicked him with a side-kick followed by a roundhouse kick.

""When it comes to my friends, I can pull of any trick," Dash bragged.

"Your words are hollow

You care nothing for your fellow

Or did you forget about the time

You thought I was Fluttershy?" Rhymey said.

"That was-" Rainbow dash began to argue, trying to remember back to that day. As she was distracted by the memory of how she confused her best friend with the impostor, Rhymey took the advantage by punching Dash hard in the face and then kicking her to the ground. "OOOF! Ok, I let you have that one," Dash said, wiping away the blood that dripped from her nose, "How about this, I'll give you to more chances to knock me out. If you can keep me down for the count, then I will never come back here again."

"Can I believe my eyes,

Do you see Fluttershy as a prize?" Rhymey goaded, trying to call her bluff.

Dash narrowed her magenta eyes, "Fluttershy isn't a prize, I'm just fighting for her freedom."

"Your mouth bleeds nothing but lies

Friendship is not important in your eyes," Rhymey said, as Rainbow Dash charged at him

The moment that their fists collided against each other, a small little dust cloud rose up between the two combatants. Fists and kicks flew between the two fighters as each one was able to strike and parry each other's blows. Each punch was met with a quick block, while each kick was met with a quick dodge or duck. To any outside viewer, it was like two blurs were fighting one another, while the two combatants saw each other was a wild pony, lashing out with whatever trick they could to gain an advantage.

At one point during this duel, Rhymey made a faint left, which caught Dash off guard. This left her open to an uppercut from the yellow unicorn. He then followed up with a punch in the stomach, "That is two down now

The next will lay you low."

Rainbow Dash shook her head, regaining her senses, "You know, that has always bothered me. The day we met."

"What do you mean?

Is there something that I have not seen?

"Yeah, there is," Rainbow Dash said. " On the day we met, you somehow fooled us all into think you were Fluttershy. Now, that makes no sense, Rarity is a dressmaker, she should've known you were a freaking stallion from the first moment she saw you. Twilight should've known better since she is smart, and I...asked her to a race when I know she hates it. Heck," she then looked down to the ground, and sighed, "I should've known better...I should've known better!"

"Yes you sho-"

Rainbow Dash charged in with a punch into Rhymey's chest and then a back kick into his stomach. Standing while he recovered, Rainbow growled, "What did you do?"

"What are you talking about,

Have you lost your mind to our bout?" Rhymey asked, dodging a few strikes from Rainbow Dash.

"Anypony else I could understand, but me, Rarity and especially Pinkie should've known that you weren't Fluttershy when we first saw you. Now, what did you do to us!" She growled, her attacks getting sloppy as she began to attack in rage.

""If you really must know,

Then I will tell you so.," Rhymey said, pointing to his horn.

"Each member of Starfleet has been trained in the power of the mind

Small tricks: mental blocks, wards, and others of that kind

However, our best trick is the camo spell

That's the one, under which you fell

It allows us to hide in plain sight

In order to prevent a fight.

When you saw Fluttershy

Was what I wanted, that's why.

I only said who I was

Beause

I had fun when I had to bolt

Making you lot look like a dolt," Rhymey smiled, watching Dash get mad.

"You, TRICKED US?" She roared, racing after Rhymey and sending out a flurry of punches, missing her make while being clouded with rage, "All of this time I had been kicking myself for thinking that you were she, thinking I had failed her as a friend because I was so stupid to fall for something so obvious, when you had tricked me all this time. Because of a mind spell? I ought to kill-OOOF!"

Her rant was stopped by a quick jab into her gut, followed by a quick back fist into her face and a kick into her chest that sent her flying into a tree,

"It was for the greater good,

Now go and fly, understood?"

Much to his shock, he heard Dash say as she got up, "I said you had three strikes to knock me out, I'm still standing." With a smirk, Dash began to breath slowly, calming herself. Closing her eyes, she entered the mode she had whenever she was ready to perform a dangerous stunt, one that she had honed for years training to be a daredevil. Opening her eyes again, she flew at Rhymey and began to attack. For a few moments, Rhymey was able to block her punches and kicks, until she plucked one of his strikes and left him open for her. With a high pitched series of yelles, Rainbow Dash punched rapidly against his chest and stomach, her fists becoming a blur as she hit him repeatedly.

Rhymey staggered from the assault, unable to believe how he was being hurt. With a growl, he charged at Rainbow, and Rainbow did the same. Then a pair of yellow hands stopped both of their assaults, "That's enough!" Shouted Fluttershy, standing in between the two fighters and halting them in their progress.

"Flutters," Rainbow Dash said.

"Fluttershy my dear

I am glad you are here," Rhymey said, with a smiled. A smile that quickly faded when Fluttershy glared at him.

"Rhymey, you now better to try and fight one of my friends when all they were doing was just trying to see me," Fluttershy yelled, glaring her eyes at Rhymey. As the yellow unicornicopian backed away in a mix of shame and shock, Fluttershy continued, "Now you go back in the cottage and wait for me so I can heal you up from the fight."

As Rainbow Dash chuckled at the retreating Rhymey, Fluttershy grabbed her oldest friend by the ear and pulled her away," Ouch! Flutters I-"

"You are coming with me little missy," Fluttershy commanded as she and Rainbow Dash walked out of earshot from Rhymey. After she was sure he could not see or hear them, she turned and glared at Rainbow Dash, "And as for you...That was so gallant of you."

Rainbow Dash stepped back as she saw the bright smile on Fluttershy's lips and the light in her eyes, "It was?"

"Oh yes," Fluttershy said, nodding, "The way you walked in and challenged Rhymey to the duel all for me was like something out of a novel. A brave knight coming in to save a captured love from a tower," she blushed, "Y-You didn't have to do that for me."

"Yeah, I know," Rainbow Dash said with a shrug," but I couldn't stand to let him do that to you. I hate the idea that he keeps you locked up like a prisoner."

"I know," Fluttershy said, looking away and sighing.

Rainbow Dash then placed a hand onto her shoulder and gave a concerned look, "Flutters, you know this isn't right. He shouldn't treat you like this."

"I-I know," Fluttershy said, looking away. Then the turned her head up to look at Rainbow Dash with her soft green eyes, "I just want to hope that, somehow, if I keep letting him know that there is more to me than just what is on the outside, maybe he'll stop being so controlling." She then began to whisper, as some tears rolled down her cheeks, "I know I'm weak and helpless, Just a little frail thing-"

"Fluttershy, you're not-"

"-But I don't like being reminded of that by the ponies I care about!" Fluttershy interrupted Rainbow Dash, the tears increasing as she began to sob. "I'm not a doll! I'm not some little trophy to be held in a glass case and only taken out when he feels like it! I want somepony to remember that and love me for who-!"

Any other words that Fluttershy had were interrupted by a pair of cyan lips as they pressed against hers. Fluttershy opened her eyes wide in shock at the kiss, but then closed them quickly as she pressed back into Rainbow Dash's warm lips, returning the kiss. As their lips continued to be pressed against one another, Rainbow Dash placed her arms around Fluttershy and ran her hands along her friend's back. Fluttershy moaned a little into the kiss, as she placed a hand onto Rainbow's head and her fingers through her short cut hair, feeling the strands of hair as she enjoyed her friend's soft kiss.

After a few moments, but figures realized what they were doing and pulled away from their kiss," F-Fluttershy, I am so sorry, I didn't mean. That is I was jus-"

Fluttershy panted and blushed, "It's ok. It was just a kiss and nothing more, it doesn't have to mean anything unless we actually mean it."

"Uh, yeah," Rainbow Dash shrugged," I mean, we kiss each other like that all of time."

"Yes, we do,m" Fluttershy nodded, her blush staying on her face, "I-It's something that we do to help each other."

"Y-yeah," Rainbow Dash stammered. "You were stressed and I decided to help calm you with a kiss. Kind of like during the young fliers competition or when I left flight camp, you gave me a kiss on the cheek to help me calm down."

"And when we fought the changelings," Fluttershy said, "You kissed me on the nose in order to show me that you really were you. Because a kiss is our secret code for eahc other."

Rainbow Dash nodded, "Y-Yeah, it's a code between two really good friends who care about each other.

"So, uh," Fluttershy began, trying her best to think of something, anything to get her mind off the kiss, "W-what did you bring me?"

Rainbow Dash sighed, grateful for the reprieve, "OH yeah. I got ya some books. Thought it might be getting boring, so I brought you something new for ya to read."

"Oh, Belle got something new?" Fluttershy asked, her curiosity piqued.

"Yeah, I got this romance about these two best friends who started to fall for each other, but neither one will admit it. How silly huh? I mean, if you are falling for somepony then just say it!" Dash said, as Fluttershy nodded calmly. Then Rainbow Dash brought forward a second book, "I also got you Watership Down."

"OH, I love Watership Down," Fluttershy gasped as she took the book from Rainbow Dash's hands, "You know, it's very accurate to how actual rabbits live. I am amazed at how well the author did his research."

"Yeah, figured you would like it. You used to read it a lot back at camp, and I got you-" Rainbow Dash smirked as she handed her last book to her friend.

Fluttershy let out a gasp as she saw the book, "Felidae! Oh I love this book!"

"I knew you did," Rainbow Dash said. "You had a secret love for detective stories as long as I can remember. And I know you love certain scenes in that book."

Fluttershy nodded, "I really liked the accurate sex scene between Francis and his mate, and some of the ways that they had a cat pull off some very pony like tricks."

"I liked the end fight when Francis cut opened the bad cat's guts with his claws in the middle of that fire," Rainbow Dash said, smiling.

Fluttershy giggled, "Oh Dash, leave it to you to enjoy the fights more than anything else."

"Hey, I love the action," Dash shrugged. The she gave Fluttershy a hug, "Hope you enjoy them."

"I will Rainbow, thanks," she said, returning the hug, keeping her arms around her friend. After they broke the embrace, she smiled, "And next time you come back, don't worry, you can use the window."

"Thanks," Rainbow Dash chuckled as she took off for her home.

After a few minutes of flying, she had reached her cloud home and landed at the front door. As soon as she entered the entrance room of her house, she saw Gilda walking by her, her feathers done up," Whoah, Gilda, where are you going?"

"To see Ace Ray again," Gilda said with a smile. "Pinkie saw how he had started talking more whenever I was around, so she suggested I visit more often."

"Oh, I see," Rainbow Dash said, and then she sniffed the air, "And what is what with the perfume?"

"What you mean?" Gilda asked.

Rainbow Dash shook her head, "Gilda, that isn't 'Going to visit a sick friend perfume,' that's 'I hope he notices me and comes close to me to take a wiff of my perfume," perfume. That's 'I hope to get a kiss' perfume.

"It is not!" Gilda said with a blush, and then she smirked, looking at Rainbow Dash with narrowed eyes, "And what about your visit with Fluttershy?"

"What about it?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"You have the look. You know the 'I just shared the greatest kiss in my life,' look," Gilda said with a smile.

"It wasn't a kiss, it was just something I did to help calm her down," Rainbow Dash said with a blush as she walked up the stairs.

Gilda nodded, "Sure, I believe you." She said, exiting the door.

---

Rarity sighed as she made an adjustment on the purple armor that hung on her mannequin, "One day," she sighed as she looked into the visor, "You will fly again." Turning around, she left Twilight's armor and began to walk slowly through her boutique, With a flick of her horn, she began to close up the shop, taking note of what needed to be down in the morning. When she got to the last room in the building, she heard a soft humming.

Walking towards the sound of the humming, she saw the homunculus sitting by the window, watching the rain, "Oh, sorry," the golem said, when she heard Rarity's footfalls, "I was just watching the rain."

"The rain?" Rarity asked, sitting next to the Golem.

"Yes, it so rarely rains when I fight that I never really...get to enjoy it," the golem said, watching the rain streak down the window. "Just look at it, it's like little rivers being formed on the window."

There was a smile on Rarity's face as she sat with her golem, "Yes, I agree that the rain can be quite beautiful. Although I can do without the mud that comes afterwards."

"I know, it gets everywhere and-"

"Messes with your dress when you accidentally splash in a puddle," Rarity said alongside the golem. She then added, resting her chin on her fists, "But, I won't say that it isn't beautiful. Like so many things get washed away in the rain. The rain reminding us that everything has a cycle to it and life starts anew."

The golem looked at the baby bump on her, "Is the baby-"

"Yes, little Amethyst is alright," Rarity said, rubbing her stomach.

"Is that her name?" The golem asked.

Rarity shook her head with a giggle, "Oh, heavens no, I haven't decided yet. This is just a placeholder." Moving away from the window for a moment, she began to light up her horn."

"Wait," the golem pleaded, "Can I stay awake a little longer? I want to enjoy the rain for a little while. I'll let you know when it's stopped."

Rarity looked inquisitively at the golem, and then nodded. Turning away, she walked up the stairs to her bedroom. As she opened the door, he felt herself scooped up by a pair of purple arms. Turning to look up at her lover, she giggled while Spike carried her to the bed, "My lady, you have been on your feet for far too long."

"Spike! Mina and the doctor said I'm fine to work," Rarity protested as Spike laid her onto the bed. For a moment, Spike hovered above Rarity as his arms held her, and Rarity lightly ran her fingers along his chest, "But, thank you for being my gallant hero."

"Anything for you, milady," Spike said, laying on the bed by her side. Slowly, he lifted up her shirt to bear her stomach and rubbed the belly. "You know, it's still hard to believe that in here, is something that we made. Hey little Spykoran, it's your dad," the dragon said, leaning to his fiance's stomach.

"Spike, we are not naming our child that," Rarity grumbled, looking down at him.

"Ok, how about: Sparity? Gallantmon? Destroyer? Drakken?" Spike joked.

With a groan and roll of her eyes, Rarity lightly pushed Spike out of the bed, "No,no,no, and no! And if you try anymore names like that, you won't be touching this for the night," she said, shaking her flank for Spike.

Chuckling, Spike got onto the bed and spooned up to Rarity, "Ok, ok, I get it. Not that you could keep me away from you forever."

"Not that I want to," Rarity said with a smile as she looked over her shoulder as Spike, kissing his nose while placing his hand onto her stomach. "You know, the golem did the weirdest thing tonight, she asked to be left on."

"She did?" Spike asked. "That's weird, because she was kind of helping me with my chores and even offered to help me shop."

"I don't remember telling her that," Rarity said, placing a finger to her chin. "I wonder if the fact that I keep using her and have her hang around my friends has something to do with it?"

"Maybe," Spike said.

"I think I will talk to Zecora tomorrow about her, maybe there's something I should be careful of," Rarity said. "Oh, and could you bring me some of the gems that Mina brings over, and put them in a cart for me?"

"Why?" Spike asked.

"Oh, a little meeting I have planned next week," Rarity said with a smiled as she lightly kissed Spike on the nose.

---

"It has almost been a month since Trixie has last talked to me, or has attended any of the meetings. I need you to talk to her," Luna said, looking at Spark.

Shining Spark shook her head, "Me? Princess, how am I supposed to get to her, when you could not."

:Sometimes, a kind word from a friend will carry more power than a word from your mentor that you admire," Luna said, walking down the hall.

Lyra came up behind Spark and nodded, "She's right you know. Trixie is probably scared of even facing Luna right now. It has to be us, we're teammates after all."

""I hope we are more than that to her," Ditzy said, walking up to the door where Trixie slept and lightly rapped on it, "Trixie? Could you please come out?"

"Go away!" Trixie shouted.

Cheerilee came up next to Ditzy and pointed her finger to the window. Looking to the door, she knocked on it," Please Trixie!"

"Go away! You're better off!" Trixie yelled as she looked down at a picture she held in her hands.

"Better off from what?" Raindrops asked.

"Than hanging out with a loser like me," Trixie said, before running a hand along her picture.

The photo in he hands was a simple one, of her standing with princess Luna the day that she had taken her in. With a shudder and a tear rolling down her cheek, Trixie began to think about the day she had met the lunar princess.

"So, this is the home of the famed magician, Trixie Lulamoon," Luna said, walking into the trailer.

"Magician's assistant you mean," Trixie grumbled, taking a bottle of bourbon from her cabinet and began to drink it down. Frowning, she looked down at the low cut outfit that she was wearing and growling at it, before taking a seat across from Luna, "So, what brings you here, princess? Came to share in my misery at being knocked down to less than important?"

Luna chuckled as she sat across from Trixie, "I take it you have the same grievances with Grand Ruler that I have?"

"What,. Oh no,": Trixie sarcastically remarked, "Trixie is ecstatic with the rule of Grand Moron! She loves the fact that you have to be careful with how you think or what you say, else you get thrown into a re-education camp for fixing. That you can't mock the king or else, that if you make a mistake they will proceed to do whatever it takes to get the truth out of you. Actually, what Trixie loves the most is the fact that the once Great and Powerful Trixie has been reduced from being a magician with her own show and skills to a second string assistant. Forced to wear this embarrassing outfit that shows off her body to the public while a two-bit magician is out there playing the crowd. Wowing them with little parlor tricks."

There was a cunning smile on Luna's lips as she listened to Trixie's rant, "We seem to be in the same boat. I see everything that my" she shuddered at the next few words "brother-in-law has done to my sister's kingdom. I can only tell Celestia what I have seen and heard, but it is not pleasant."

"Let Trixie guess," Trixie said, "Foals in fear of being taken away at night, mares afraid of the soldiers and what they might do to them, and Equestrians tired of the forced training regiments that keep getting placed."

"That and more," Luna said with a frown, "What's more, Grand Ruler ignores me, treats me like I do not exist. I see it in Celestia's eyes, she fears that this treatment might give me a relapse, but I assure her that the monster will never return."

"What about a year ago? Trixie had heard tha-"

"That was an illusion, something sent that image of my evil half to the Empire. I have no idea who," Luna said. "But when I find him, I will-:"

"HAHAHAHAHAHA!" Trixie laughed triumphantly, "Trixie knew it! Trixie was there the day that 'Nightmare Moon' attacked. She knew that there was something off, but she could not prove it."

"You knew?" Luna said, smiling.

"Why of course! Trixie's special talent is illusion magic, her proficiency is in creating the things that trick the eyes of a normal pony," Trixie then shrank back and blushed, "Not that she could ever fool your eyes, your majesty."

Luna laughed, "Fear not little Pony, you proven yourself and why I have need of you."

"What do you mean?" Trixie asked.

"What if I told you that I am putting together a team," Luna asked, "A team of ponies like you, who have grievances with Grand Ruler Celesto. Each with a special skill and talent that would get them unnoticed by Starfleet, but would allow them to be...beneficial to one another. A team that would help the Element Bearers from the shadows and help to free Equestria once more."

Trixie sat her elbows on her knees and took another drink of bourbon,"Trixie would say, why her? Though she is proficient in illusion magic, she is no Twilight Sparkle, though she wishes to best her one day."

"I thought you had reformed," Luna asked.

"Oh, Trixie has. This is not 'defeat or revenge', this is a defeat because she wants to prove she can and will best the one of the few ponies in the world that Trixie admires," Trixie said. "Besides, you have heard of Trixie's two defeats in Ponyville, how she could barely handle a star beast and was driven mad by the amulet."

"But, I have also learned of an adventure in Manehatten of your detective work," Luna said, and then threw a manilla envelope. When Trixie opened it, she found her old School for Gifted Unicorns application, "And this. I had taken the time to see your scores in the school and I was impressed. High marks in illusion, deduction, and trickery. Knowledge of enchantments, and manipulation are also high. As a matter of fact, you were only expelled because you took the fall for somepony."

Trixie folded her arms, "Sunburst was more deserving of staying in that school anyway. Trixie had bigger things in mind."

"May I ask what happened?" Luna asked.

"Sunburst tried a spell that was way more powerful than his level could obtain. When it was done, he had destroyed most of the dorm and injured three students. It was obvious to the most obvious pony that Sunburst was guilty, Trixie had changed things to make it look like she was the guilty party."

"And that is why I want you," Luna said, smiling. "Though your only skill is in the school of illusion, I see great potential in you."

"Even if Grand Ruler says that illusion is a cowardly ability?" Trixie asked.

"It is because of that," Luna smiled, "You can be surprised what illusion can do. Under my training, I could make you one of the best illusionists that Equestria has ever seen, better than Inidouh, Penn, and your grandfather."

"And all Trixie has to do, is to agree to join this little team of renegades to risk life and limb, possible mind rape, and imprisonment?" Trixie asked.

"Yes," Luna said , holding out her hand, "You can always say no."

"Trixie...wouldn't dream of it," Trixie said, shaking Luna's hand. "When do we start, master?"

Trixie looked up from her photo of her and Luna to the other photos of her. Some of them were of her and her family, the day she got her cutie mark playing for her grandpa in front of that rainbow, the first day she went to school and her first show. Others were small, mostly nicknacks of her old trips as a magician. Then she looked at the photos of her and Luna, her early days of training-

"Illusion has no offensive spells," Luna said, walking in front of Trixie, "Except one, a color ray. We will work on that."

"So you will not be teaching Trixie any other offensive magic?" Trixie asked, concentrating the magic in her horn.

Luna looked at Trixie curiously," Would you like to learn?"

"Trixie would rather stay away from that, if it;s all right with you," Trixie said. "Trixie would rather trick ponies and manipulate them, rather than best them magically."

Trixie looked at a photo of her in a bed, with Luna by her side.

"Trixe, I am sorry, I did not expect the power of that spell to-"

"No, princess, Trixie is sorry. She failed to perform that spell properly," Trixie whispered.

"You will never be a failure in my eyes, my student." Luna said, smiling.

"T-that was the first time, she had called Trixie her student. When she had told Trixie that she could never fail," Trixie growled and threw the photo against the mirror. Looking back at the distortion, she growled, "Failure! FAILURE! FAILURE! I'm nothing but a horrible failure!"

A pair of grey wings wrapped themselves around Trixie as a similarly colored hoof began to rub Trixie's back, "Shhh, it's ok. Let it out, let it all out. You can cry, it's not childish to cry."

"D-ditzy?" Trixie asked, looking up at the cross-eyed mare with golden eyes. "But how did you get-"

Ditzy pointed to the window, "Your window was open."

"Oh,," Trixie chuckled with a blush. Then she turned to the sound of a door being smashed opened, "What on earth?"

Raindrops stood in the middle of Trixie's broken door, rubbing her knuckles, "Sorry, I decided to use force."

"Raindrops," Carrot top said, looking frazzled at the remains of the door, "Cheerilee could've unlocked the door."

""Oooops," Raindrops laughed, putting a hand through her blue mane, "Sorry, got a little impatient."

"What are you girls doing?" Trixie asked as she watched her other teammates come in. "I thought I told you to leave, it would be better for you all if you didn't bother with a lousy failure like me."

"What do ya mean by failure?" Raindrops asked,

"Trixie means, she failed at her mission. She failed to beat the Ursa Minor, she failed to beat Twilight Sparkle, and now...she failed to save Myte," the unicorn's eyes began to fill with tears, "What good am I if I can't even save one life? How can I protect you girls if I can't even save one measly little pony?"

"You saved those ponies, Trixie," Shining Spark said, stepping over the rubble and taking a seat at Trixie's side. "You saved that entire city."

"Yeah," Lyra smiled, "You should be focusing on that."

Raindrops smiled and leaned against the wall, "You know, I visited that city before we left for home. To check up on it, and you know what? I found this little filly who asked me 'Who was that mare that saved us?' And I said 'That was Trixie, the great and powerful. Protector of innocent little fillies and hero of the small'."

"You did?" Trixie asked, looking shocked.

Carrot Top nodded, "I saw her and the filly jumped for joy, wanting to know if you would come back one day."

"I told her that you were busy saving the day elsewhere, but to not worry, because she is always watching you. Then she left to join her friends, trying to decide who would get to play you," laughed Raindrops.

"Maybe, you are not such a failure after all," smiled Cheerilee, holding Trixie's hand.

Trixie looked down and wiped a tear away from her eyes, "You guys...why are you trying to cheer me up? I'm just a two-bit magician who messed up twice back in Ponyville."

"To be honest, I was thinking that Applejack was just part of the show when she was interrupting your show, and I only got Twilight's show, after the alicorn amulet incident. So, I'm not really a good judge of your character," Raindrops said with a chuckle.

Lyra chuckled, "Oh yeah, the alicorn amulet, I remember that."

"You were drinking a milkshake during that second duel," Carrot Top exclaimed.

"Yeah, because I didn't care all that much about the fight, because I knew Twilight was going to save us. Besides, Trixie didn't look like a killer," Lyra said. "You don't have the look of a killer, you look more like a mare who loves a good show, like I do."

"So, is that why you want to help me?" Trixie asked.

Lyra shrugged, "Yeah. As a matter of fact, we kind of wished we met before you came to Ponyville, we would've loved to play before you showed up."

"And my brother loves you," Raindrops said. "So, there is my reason."

"Still? But I whipped him, and made him my slave," Trixie argued, a shocked look in her eyes.

"And you know what he told me after the show?" Raindrops asked. "He said that he knew that his second favorite pony out there was only under the influence of something bad and that she was still the greatest unicorn he had ever met. Then he went on to try and see if he could pull off your tricks."

"What? But I-I," Trixie began, only to hear Cheerilee recite something in interruption.

"Other unicorns perform fireballs, others use lightning, but Trixie is the only mare I have seen that makes you believe that a unicorn can do it all!" Cheerilee said, "He got a C+ for his little paper, but I remember the enthusiasm that he had when he wrote it. As for me, I am helping to cheer you up, because I don't believe in seeing any pony miserable. Even one who conquered a small town."

"Besides," Ditzy said, rubbing her hand along Trixie's back, "I can tell you have a good heart. It's right here," the mare then pointed to Trixie's chest. "And you have done your best to try and show other ponies that little heart of yours."

Carrot Top sighed and ran a hand through her mane, "I have to admit, you did not impress me much when you had Rarity come by and insult my mane dye that day. And quite frankly, I was worried about this whole team idea when I saw you, but..."

"But?" Trixie asked.

"Seeing you try so hard to help us, to help Equestria, and work to save everypony...I am starting to see another side to you."

Spark added her two cents, "I think it is obvious why we are helping you Trixie and why we're by your side, it is because we're your friends."

"Friends? But, we only had one real mission together as a team and we have only known each other for almost a month," Trixie said, a faint smile creeping across her face.

"'Bonds forged over the fire of battle are quick to form, but no less strong than those forged by time'- Twilight Sparkle on her friendship thesis," Cheerilee said. "I read it once."

Spark nodded, "Shortened though that quote may be, it is no less true. We are a team, but, if are to survive, we need to be more than that. We need to be friends."

Raindrops nodded and gave Trixie a hug, "She's right, and you know what? I think I like being friends with this little magician, arrogant and egotistical she may be."

Trixie smirked as she got up from the bed, magically bringing her hat to her," Well of course you would. For I am, the Great and Powerful unicorn from Neigh Orleans!" And she adjusted her hat, smirking.

"And, anypony who is determined to fight a god and stand toe to toe with Raven is surely a pony I can put my trust in, Carrot Top said.

"The savior of Detrot," Trixie bragged, bringing her cape to her and putting it on.

"Besides, I think you proved that you aren't that-" Anything Ditzy was about to say was interrupted by Trixie's declaration as she threw her arms to the side wide and turning to her team.

"For I am, the GREAT AND POWERFUL TRIXIE!" She shouted, making small fireworks shoot out around her. Tipping her hat over her eyes, she began to point to each mare in return, "And Trixie promises, that we will get through all of this together and live to see it to it's end. Ditzy, you will be reunited with your daughters, Carrot Top will get her farm back, Raindrops will go home to her brother, Lyra and Cheerilee will be reunited with their lost lovers, and Shining Spark," Trixie said, looking into the violet eyes of the unicorn, "Trixie may not know much about you, but she will give you a life."

"Hey, don't forget about yourself," Lyra said, smiling at the blue mare. "You're getting out of this alive too."

"Hey," raindrops smiled, "I have an idea. How about after all of this, we go and see Trixie's show together."

"Oh, I know my muffin will love it!" Ditzy said with a smile.

"Raindrops chuckled, "Snails will get a kick out of that idea."

"My farm will take a while to fix up again, so I am ok with that," Carrot Top said.

"It should make for a fun field trip," Cheerilee nodded in agreement.

"I would love to take Bon Bon there," Lyra said, and then added, "Maybe I could get Octavia and Vinyl and we could do a pre-show."

Shining Spark then put a hand onto Trixie's shoulder, "After all, this is what we are here for, correct?"

"Yes, Trixie supposes. This is what having friends is for," Trixie smiled. "Thank you all."

"Hey, why we are all here, let's have a slumber party. We can talk all about our lives and maybe have a little fun!" Cheerilee said.

Trixie and Spark shook their head, "Uhm no. Trixie doesn't do slumber parties."

"And we don't have the right book for it," spark said, much to the confusion of the others.

"You don't need a book for a slumber party," Lyra said, and then looked to Trixie," I bet you don't because you haven't had one. Come on!"

As the party of the seven began, Luna watched from the shadows, a smile on her face. With a quiet glow of her horn, she fixed the door and closed it behind her. After walking away a few feet, she bumped into a brown snake-like body, "Oooooh, I hope I'm not late for the slumber party!" Discord said, his face done up with make up and his brown mane now with curlers on his head.

"Very late," Luna said, walking past Discord and towards her room.

"Aw," he said, snapping his fingers and the appearing next to Luna, "So, did the impromptu friendship lesson go well? Did you get Trixie out of her funk, or are we quickly gonna have to look for a replacement?" Discord said, pulling out a long scroll with a long list of names, "Personally, I like this Sunburst fellow, but I think this Nyx girl has potential."

"Yes," Luna said, walking over the scroll, "Trixie has her confidence back and the bonds of friendship have been strengthened. They are slowly turning from a team, to true friends."

"Aww, Does that mean?" Discord asked, appearing in front of Luna with his 'Team Luna' shirt on and a big pair of glistening eyes.

"No," Luna said calmly.

Discord frowned, "Awww, come on. We are almost sibs-in-law!"

"The very idea of my sister marrying you is enough to make me sick," Luna muttered. "And the day she marries you, is the day that I will grab one of my night guard and ask him out for a date!"

"I'll hold you to that," Discord said. "So, how about that little Spark gal? Tell me a little about her."

"Not much to tell Discord," Luna said. "A year ago, she showed up on my doorstep, asking to join the cause in liberating Equestria. Then she showed me her power in magic. I took her her and had her team up with Trixie on a few training missions," Luna said.

"Ah, so a mystery gal," Discord said, "And you haven't figure out who she is yet?" Discord asked.

Silently, Luna shook her head

---

Starla sat up at the sound of her cell being opened. Turning to look at the figure in the light, she let out a light whimper and hid behind the bed, "Calm down, kid, I'm not here to touch you."

Starla smiled when she recognized the voice and stood up with a smile, "Oh, hello Dementia. I can't believe that I'm actually glad to see you of all people."

"Yeah, whatever," Dementia frowned as she walked over to Starla and undid her chains, "Come on, I got something to show ya."

"W-what is it?" Starla asked, trembling a little, and flinching away from Dementia's touch.

"Just come with me," Dementia said, nodding her head to the door.

For a little while, Starla followed Dementia through the halls of the base, and up the stairs to the outer rim of the fortress walls. Once she stepped outside, she gasped when she saw Rep-Stallion and Mysterious standing in front of her, "Oh gods, you guys are going to kill me. I'm sorry for what we've done to you, please don't hurt me or-"

"If you expect us to rape you, put it out of your mind. We refuse to lower ourselves to his level," Mysterious said.

"Yeah," Rep said sitting on the side of the outcropping with a smile, "And forget killing ya, you've been through too much by now. No fun in it."

Dementia smirked at Starla, "Couldn't if he tried, heart's not in it."

"Hey, I could be a killer if I tried," smirked Rep as he laid back to look at the horizon.

Mysterious looked to the two women, "This fortress has consumed so much of our time here in this pocket dimension that we forget what the sunrise looks like. So, when we have the chance to take it in, we take it." And then he pointed his finger towards the horizon.

Curious, Starla walked to the side of the fortress wall and looked to where Mysterious pointed. As her eyes gazed out over the horizon, she opened her mouth wide at the lovely sight that began to present itself before her. The sun began to rise over the horizon, pushing back the black clouds of the night, as if it pushed back a curtain of darkness to allow it's hidden beauty to shine through. It's light touched and began to blaze up the sky in it's ethereal colors. Blue, red, and orange all seemed to blaze across the sky, lighting up the dark pocket dimension to allow the wastes below to be revealed to her blue eyes. Thought much of it was barren, it was hauntingly beautiful in its quietness. The barren world taking in the light, showing the land as an never ending plain, "Wow," gasped Starla.

"You know,," Rep smiled as he laid on the railing and watching the sun rise, "The afterlife is kind of multiversal. I bet if we yell loud enough, Myte can hear us."

Mysterious took a deep breath, "Myte! You were annoying and foolish!"

With a chuckle, Rep shouted, "You only had a few useless moves and no one liked you!"

"You accent was fake!" Dementia yelled and then looked to Starla with a smile.

Starla put a finger to her chin, and then smiled wide, "I got it...I got it!" With a laugh, she yelled "Myte! Thank you for that birthday present you got me last year. It showed that you remembered something about me!"

Dementia smiled, "See, you can remember something about him. Maybe you aren't such a monster after all."

"That present, it was one of the few times that the team remembered me as something more than just the chick," she smiled. "It kind of made me, happy."

Dementia laid her white hand onto Starla's back and then gave the white unicorn a hug, "Come on, let me take you back to you room before Conquest comes for you."

After a few moments, Dementia led Starla back to her room and closed the door. As she smiled, her mood quickly soured when she heard a chuckle, "How nice. You helped that little piece of shit."

Dementia turned to glare daggers at the black alicorn, "Conquest! If you have a problem with how I treat that prisoner…"

Conquest held up a finger to stop Dementia's threat, "I actually love what you are doing, caring for her."

"Y-you do?" Asked Dementia, raising an eyebrow in confusion.

"Why yes," Conquest said, smiling, "While giving her hints of a better life out there and making her feel human, you are reminding her that there is something better out there for her. That maybe there is more to her than being my fuck toy. And that's good for me."

"Why," asked Dementia.

"Because, if I kept on raping her again and again, then I risk her falling in love with me and no wants that. You know how it goes with some rape victims," he said, putting his palms together and putting on a mocking tone, "Oh, you raped me and tortured me, but now I'm so broken I have come to realize that I love you. Please take me now! Make love to me! Please give me your dick, I need you dick, I crave you dick, turn me into your little fuck toy for life!'" Turning to look back at Dementia, he frowned. "So, thank you. You help prevent her from thinking that I would ever actually love her, that she can become more than just my little sex slave."

"But, that's not why I-"

"And even though I told you this, you will continue to care for her. Because you can't help it," laughed Conquest, "Because she's your little morality pet, the only thing in this little place that makes you feel like you are better than the dregs that you command. You lose her, and you lose a piece of your humanity. So, continue to care for her, because you have no choice.

"You son of a bitch!" Roared Dementia punching at Conquest, only to have her fist grabbed by Conquest's hand.

Slowly, Conquest began to crush Dementia's fist, causing triklets of blood to run down his fingers, "That's right, hate me. Despise me, think of all of the ways you can kill me, because that will only make me stronger in the end."

Dementia whimpered in pain, but she glared at Conquest with a burning fire in her eyes, "What the hell are you?"

"My dear, I have been across the multiverse and back, conquered many worlds and killed many a world's hero. In each, I have been many things," in his eyes, Dementia saw a young man laying in a broken giant robot, "I've been an angel. I've been a ninja,", the image now of a young man in orange being stabbed in the heart by a dagger, "I have been a lover to a princess and their killer," she now saw a group of young girls in sailor suits laying dead. "I have been to many worlds where hate is the strongest, but in each one it's the same...I am the embodiment of hate and ultimately, their conqueror."

"You..son of a...bitch," groaned Dementia as Conquest let go of her hand.

"I beg to differ," Conquest said smiling, "My mom was quite lovely and caring, well to me at least. To the rest of the world though, she was the personification of hell itself." With a laugh he opened the door to Starla''s room and entered in.

Dementia rubbed her fist a she heard Starla begin to scream, "Oh, please no...don't! Please, don't cut my-"

"DAMN IT!" Dementia screamed, punching the wall again and again with her injured hand. It was only thanks to her hand being grabbed by Mysterious did she stop. Looking at Rep-stallion and then to Mysterious, she shook her head and gave her two friends a hug.

---

Alone in Horn Kong, Titan sat. In front of him was his board with the white stones laid out. Beneath his dark hood, his red eyes narrowed on three black pieces in particular. A smile slid across his face beneath his hood as he toyed with the three stones, "And so, does my three most cherished pieces begin their change into White, and help to gain more ground for white on the board." With a brush of his hand, he traced along black stones that had much of the board covered, "Even with the addition of a new stone, Grand Ruler still fades in time. Perhaps...it's time to bring in a new stone."

In the Crystal Empire he found her, crying by a small stone. Though covered by a cloak the light purple unicorn cried, her tears hitting the floor, another soul that Grand Ruler ruined, "Crystal Hope?"

"Y-Yes" whispered the unicorn.

Titan knelt beside the young unicorn, bringing our a sphere of magic, "I have come to undo a great wrong."

I want you all to take a deep breath and relax. You just went through a breather chapter...one that lasted 14,000 words. Y'know, Mykan wants short chapters to last 22 minutes (Even though that 6,000 breaks that), me? I say what the hell and see what happens!

This chapter originally didn't exist. I was just going to jump into the next battle. But, after some soul searching, i figured no. We need time to rest so that way you the reader can take in the events of the story. It helps to also build characters.

The thing with Artie came from the fact that Mykan has a bit on Artie's bacground as "Family hates him." Of course, you cant tell me this and not expect me to attack it.

Bonus points if you can recognize the story that Pinkie is telling the twins. And yes, that is how I view her and her element.