The knives of Rarity’s tendrils went scattering about in every direction. Some of them stabbed into the ground, missing their targets as Rarity overshot or under-compensated. Others of them were reflected by defensive spells, with Twilight and Chrysalis creating shields out of magic.

Aria Blaze fluttered her wings, achieving lift-off, but the slime woman clung to her ankle, keeping Aria tied down to earth.

Rarity glared. She calmly yanked the knives out of the ground and twirled them, rearing them up for another pass. Raising an eyebrow, Rarity noticed Chrysalis attempting to escape.

“Well, now, we can’t have that, now can we?” Rarity asked. Not once losing her calm, Rarity launched a tendril at Chrysalis, wrapping it around her midsection, cutting a wound into the side of her waist. Rarity lifted Chrysalis up and brought the Queen towards her.

“I will grant you one mercy, Chrysalis.” Rarity said. “Celestia knows you wouldn’t grant the same for me. I am going to let you choose how you die. So how do you choose to die? With a knife to heart? Suffocation? Or perhaps you’ll want me to simply lift you up and snap your neck?”

“Rarity, stop!” Twilight cried out, running up to her.

Rarity gave Twilight a dull but curious expression. She didn’t care what Twilight had to say, but wanted to hear it anyway.

“This isn’t like you!” Twilight cried. “You’re not some unrepentant murderer! It’s not worth it!”

“It’s worth anything to get my sister back.” Rarity said. “Do you know where she is? Do you have her?”

Twilight looked around. “She was right here just a minute ago … where did she go?”

“Do you know where to find her?”

“Um, well … no.”

“Then I don’t care for anything you have to say!” Rarity took the bulky tendril on her arm and swatted Twilight aside, sending her flying into a tree, where Twilight let out a grunt. Rarity slithered.

“Rarity, please!” Sonata Dusk ran up to her. “Listen to what Twilight Sparkle is saying! Listen to your friend!”

Rarity raised up her arm-tendril and batted Sonata Dusk away the same way she had done to Twilight,, hesitating and stopping for only a brief second as she recalled how had Sonata had helped her before. Rarity heard the buzz of insect wings. Looking up, she saw two Changelings carrying Sweetie Belle by the arms, flying and trying to ferry her away.

“Ah. I see.” Rarity pulled up Chrysalis to her face. “You had your Changelings come and get Sweetie Belle to take her away. I won’t allow that.” Rarity shot out two of her tendrils, swatting the Changelings in the midsection, making them kneel over and drop Sweetie Belle. Rarity caught Sweetie Belle in her tendrils, looping them around Sweetie Belle’s ankles and letting Sweetie Belle hang and dangle from them.

Another pair of Changelings flew in to replace their crippled brethren. They took hold of Sweetie Belle and were able to pry her out of the thin tendrils, goop splashing everywhere.

“NO!” Rarity roared, spitting purple slime from her mouth.

Aria Blaze grunted and continued flapping her wings. They buzzed and buzzed until she was able to break free, her leg popping out through the slime’s woman gasp. The pop from Aria’s escape distracted Rarity, causing her to turn over to the sound. Chrysalis seized the opportunity of the distraction, taking out her palm and firing a blast which cut through Rarity’s tendril, chopping it in half and allowing Chrysalis to land on her feet.

Rarity turned back around to chase her as Chrysalis ran away on foot. “Arooo!” Rarity howled before slithering after Chrysalis.

Twilight joined Chrysalis in running away from Rarity, jogging up to Chrysalis’ side.
“Chrysalis!” Twilight shouted. “You need to hand over Sweetie Belle! You have to!”

“No!” Chrysalis shouted back. “I will not give up Sweetie Belle! My victory hinges on trading Sweetie Belle for the book! Rarity is the only one who knows where it is! Besides … if nothing else, my pride won’t allow for it. I refuse to admit defeat so easily!”

“Dammit, Chrysalis!” Twilight snapped. “Your ‘pride’ is less important than our lives! Give Sweetie Belle over to Rarity, or you’re going to get us all killed!”

“I don’t see what the problem with that would be, so long as I take all of you with me.” Chrysalis replied. “Didn’t you say this was going to be the final battle?”

“I did.” Twilight stopped running. Purple fire formed in her hands. Chrysalis, accepting her challenge, stopped as well, flexing her fingers as she conjured a green ball in her palm.

The duel between them was cut short, as one of Rarity’s tendrils launched out and rammed Chrysalis, picking her up and throwing her against a tree and digging a knife into her shoulder.

“Urg.” Chrysalis groaned as the knife was pulled out, slowly and painfully. “On second thought, I’ve changed my mind. Dying would be kind of terrible and painful.”

Rarity took the tendril off Chrysalis, letting her slide down the tree, and twirled the knife in her tendril, ready to stab at Chrysalis a second time. Twilight raised up her fists and got next to Chrysalis, blasting Rarity’s tendril away, meaning to stop her friend’s rampage, even if it meant sparing Chrysalis’ life. Rarity narrowed her eyes at Twilight, feeling betrayed, but Twilight held her ground.

“I won’t let you kill her.” Twilight said.

Everyone else involved began to gather around, intending to band together and stop Rarity’s trail of destruction, whether it was due to moral concerns, concerns for the effect killing would have on Rarity, or for their own selfish reasons, seeing it as in their best self-interest.

Rarity surveyed the assembled force laid out below her. Undaunted, Rarity raised up and let out a deep, raging roar.

Inside the Ponyville Library, Apple Bloom rested her head on her hands. She let out a groan. She stood up, catching Scootaloo’s attention.

“This isn’t right.” Apple Bloom began to pace around the room. “My big sister knows I can handle myself in a fight. She’s seen me do it. We should be out there, doing something!”

“Like what, exactly?” Scootaloo asked.

“I don’t know!” Apple Bloom threw her arms in the air. “We know they’re all out there, trying to find Sweetie Belle and take out the bad guys. We should go help them!”

“Twilight told us to stay in the library.” Scootaloo reminded her.

“Scoots, y’all can’t tell me y’all are really happy sitting here, doing nothing?”

Scootaloo crossed her arms and grumbled. “No … but Twilight will take care of it, won’t she?”

“But we could be helping!” Apple Bloom insisted. “Heck, we could go out there and find Sweetie Belle ourselves!”

Scootaloo turned away.

Apple Bloom sighed. “Look, I know things have been awkward between you and Sweetie Belle lately, but she’s still our friend, ain’t she?”

“Yeah …” Scootaloo admitted, looking down guiltily at the floor. “She is.”

“The sooner we can find her, the sooner you and her can talk things out, and we can all put this awkward phase behind us. Especially me.” Apple Bloom muttered under her breath.

Scootaloo was convinced. She stood up. “Okay. Let’s do something.”

“Great!” Apple Bloom pumped her fist through the air. She opened the front door. “Let’s go!”

Celestia and Chrysalis worked together, hurling barrages of spells at Rarity. The slime protected her like a rippling kevlar vest, each spell causing nothing but a distance in the slime’s surface tension, ripples travelling out from where the spells hit before the slime reconstituted itself into a solid surface. Rarity slithered forward.

Twilight threw her own blast at Rarity’s chest, which threw Rarity’s top half backwards and made her stagger, but only barely, as she soon righted herself and advanced.

Twilight looked around. She pointed. “Quick! Into that cave!”

“How many fragging caves are there in Ponyville?” Aria Blaze asked.

“You want to to stay out here and talk about that, or do you want to get some cover between you and Rarity?” Sunset Shimmer asked.

Aria nodded, conceding the point. Led by Twilight, the group fled and hurried into the cave, gathering up and huddling inside.

Once everyone was inside and after a check to make sure Rarity wasn’t out there, Twilight took a breather rested her back against the cave wall, panting and breathing heavily. “We need to come up with a plan.”

“Here’s one.” Sunset Shimmer said. “Make Chrysalis give Sweetie Belle back like Rarity wants.”

“Never.” Chrysalis hissed.

“I hear you down there, darlings!” Rarity called. She soon appeared outside the cave entrance and hunched over to look inside. “Or did you think I wouldn’t notice you fleeing to the inside of this cave? I’m practically 20 feet tall! I would notice a few small objects running away from me.”

“Whatever.” Aria Blaze sulked, before grinning. “There’s no way you can fit in here. Not with all that slime on you.”

Rarity grinned back, wiping the grin clean off Aria’s face. “Oh, can’t I? I beg to differ, darlings.” Rarity pulled up her arm tendril and slimmed it down before sliding it into the cave, the slime making squishy sloshing as Rarity slid it around the lip of the cave entrance.

“But why would I want to fit inside the cave …” Rarity pulled out her arm out. She raised her arms up and shifted the tips of her arms into massive hammerheads, the size of a small house each.

“When I can simply drop the mountain down on you? Ooh hoo hoo ooh hoo hoo ha ha!” Rarity asked, wearing a psychotic grin. She laughed and giggled like a maniac, banging her hammers into the side of the mountain. Rubble and dust fell from the roof of the cave, and a few stalactites broke and dropped to the cave floor. The Sirens all bit their lips, concerned for their lives.

“Rarity, stop!” Twilight shouted, coming out of the cave as Rarity knocked more dust loose. Rarity continued hammering the mountain, oblivious to Twilight. “Rarity, if you cause a cave-in, you’ll kill all of us!”

“You and the rest of our friends can leave, darling!” Rarity said, grinning as she continued bashing the mountain. “I’m not stopping you!”

“O … kay. Not what I wanted to hear.” Twilight said. “But Rarity, if you kill Chrysalis, there’ll be no one who can tell you where she ordered her Changelings to take Sweetie Belle!”

Whether bringing this up would have gotten through to Rarity and gotten her to stop was a moot point, as Aria Blaze ran up behind Twilight and tackled her out of the way, throwing her onto the rocks while Aria made her way out of the cave, taking flight.

“Oof! Hey!” Twilight groaned.

Chrysalis joined Aria, running out of the cave and spreading her wings. Rarity turned and followed them, attempted to hit each of them with her knife tendrils, but she missed. Chrysalis and Aria spun and weaved around to further throw off Rarity’s and flew up to the top of the mountain. They descended and perched themselves on the mountain top, nestling themselves between the rocks.

“Okay.” Aria Blaze rested her hands on her knees and turned to Chrysalis. “She shouldn’t be able to get up here, right?”

“She shouldn’t.” Chrysalis said. “But then again, she shouldn’t have been able to take control of the slime like she did.”

“Rraaaaaaaaaaaaah!” Rarity roared, Turning her tendrils back to their natural tapering shape, Rarity dug her slimy arms into the side of the mountain and attempted to clamber up. Though she was able to make her way up the mountain somewhat, she slid back down, and the side of it became too smooth to grip and find purchase on the mountain’s rocky, jagged surface.

“Ha ha!” Aria taunted her, blowing a raspberry at Rarity. “You can’t get up here!”

“Aria, maybe you shouldn’t taunt the slime monster witch that managed to trap us on a mountaintop.” Chrysalis said.

“What’s she gonna do? She can’t get up here.” Aria grinned.

Rarity growled at them. She arched her head down, and a ball of purple slime vomited from and crawled out of her mouth. Droplets of pink slime dripping from her lips, Rarity threw her neck back and lifted her head up. Gagging and choking the purple slime out of her mouth, Rarity launched and fire the slime up like a cannonball, where it traveled in an arc until it landed on the mountaintop. Aria Blaze backed away from the edge, and the slime ball splashed in front of her. Rarity fired again, launching wads of slime out. The purple slime on the mountain was soon joined by a green and a red slime.

The slimes gurgled and warbled before reforming themselves, taking the shape of the slime women Rarity had grown fond of summoning.

Rarity’s eyes flashed red, and a thin wisp of red smoke escaped her mouth as she activated the Alicorn Amulet, the gem of which was shining and glowing.

The three slime women on the mountain were enhanced by the Amulet’s magic. They got off of their arms and legs and stood up straight, their hands solidifying and feet forming on their legs, their limbs no longer confined to the insides of their slime puddles. Rarity, and by extension the Amulet’s magic, went further in upgrading them. The red one formed a spear and a circular shield from the slime in her hands, the green one grew massive, meter-long blades from its knuckles, and the blue one formed a harpoon in one arm and a morning star in the other. The three slime warriors stalked forward, encroaching on Aria Blaze and Chrysalis, who backed away in fear.
Twilight peeked her head out of the cave and looked up at Rarity, seeing she was preoccupied. “Come on.” She gestured for the others to follow her, leading them out of the cave.

Rarity happened to glance down and notice them. She turned towards them. “And just where do you think you’re going?”

“You said we could leave.” Twilight Sparkle reminded Rarity, pointing a finger. “You said our friends could leave, and you wouldn’t stop us.”

“At no point do I recall extending that offer to Trixie Lulamoon or Adagio Dazzle!” Rarity cast her hate-filled gaze on Trixie. “Bleaugh!” Rarity spewed out another slime woman egg, which landed in front of Trixie. It hatched and took shape, grabbing Trixie by the ankle. Rarity spat another trio of slimes, one to take hold of Trixie’s other ankle and two more to guard Trixie and keep Twilight or Celestia from trying to interfere and rescue Trixie. Rarity spat out more, these ones going over to capture Adagio Dazzle, securing her with ease.

Rarity growled, her mouth drooling out purple slime while she imagined what she was going to do with Trixie.

Twilight Sparkle ran across the field, circular around Rarity’s tail and going unnoticed. She reached the base of the mountain and hopped on, climbing up a few feet before using a teleport spell to place herself directly on the mountain top.

“Chrysalis!” Twilight shouted. “You need to hand over Sweetie Belle!”

“No!” Chrysalis snapped. She crossed her arms and turned her head away. “I refuse!” She and Aria continued to back away from the slime warriors. Twilight held out her hand and fired a blast into the midsection of the clawed slime, keeping it at bay.

“By all rights, I should just let these things kill you, Chrysalis.” Twilight said. “But I can’t. I won’t. Because my mother raised me better than that. Celestia raised me better. Because, despite everything you’ve done, and the fact you deserve whatever horrible fate Rarity has in store for you … I can’t just condone the act of murder and allow you to die.”

“Oh! So very noble.” Chrysalis rolled her eyes. “Truly, I would be dead by now if not for your tender mercies, Twilight Sparkle!”

“Yes.” Twilight stomped forward, blasting the slimes back again. “You would be.”

“Chrysalis, quit being so stubborn!”

“Well, pardon me! What would I ever do without your nobility, Twilight?”

“Chrysalis!” Adagio Dazzle shouted from below the mountaintop, struggling and wrestling with a pair of slime woman as they attempted to drag Adagio Dazzle inside of their gooey bodies. “Listen to her, Chrysalis! You’re the only one who can stop this! Please! I’m begging you!” Adagio teared up, droplets sliding down her cheeks. “Do it for me … please? How much do I really mean to you?”

Chrysalis appeared puzzled by Adagio’s pleas and took a step back.

“If what we had was worth anything, you’ll do it!” Adagio shouted. The slime began to crawl up her arm and submerge her shoulders.

“Chrysalis.” Aria spoke. “You know there’s no love lost between me and Adagio, or between me and you, for that matter, but what Adagio is saying … she kinda has a point. You are the only one who can stop this. None of us know where you told those Changelings to go take Sweetie Belle. If you don’t stop it here and now, then …” Aria’s eyes widened as she realized something she nor anyone else hadn’t considered as a definite possibility before.” Rarity will probably be stricken by grief at the loss of her sister, and … she’ll go on a rampage which won’t stop until she’s destroyed all of Equestria, at least, and she might even go as far as the lands beyond. I want to take over Equestria too, like you do, but I still want something left to, you know, actually rule over!”

Twilight placed a hand over her mouth in horror. “Sweet Celestia … you know what, Aria? You’re probably right. You are absolutely, positively right. I … hadn’t even considered that much.” Twilight shook her head. She lifted her arm over her shoulder, blasting the armed slimes away again off-hand, almost on reflex.

“I …” Chrysalis gritted her teeth. In the face of everyone turning her against and overwhelming odds, she relented, stomping her foot. “Fine. Changelings! Your Queen has need of you!”

A pair of Changelings buzzed on over the side of the mountain, flying up to their queen.

Chrysalis began to instruct them. “Go and -”

“Aroooagwaaah!”

Rarity, having not born witness to the conversation Chrysalis and Twilight had been having, launched up her tendril over the mountaintop, able to slim it down and stretched it out until it arced over the cliff face, where it pounded the Changelings out of the way and took hold of Chrysalis, pinning her to the ground and wrapping around her.

“Uh-oh.” Chrysalis remarked.

“Uh-oh.” Twilight agreed.

The tendril lifted Chrysalis up and brought her down to Rarity, whose mouth was now covered in slime, forming a mouth guard. As she pulled Chrysalis toward her, Rarity screamed out whale song, of all things, until she and the Changeling Queen were face-to-face.

Rarity slammed Chrysalis against the side of the mountain, throwing her back against the mountain wall. When Rarity next spoke, her voice was garbled and distorted.

“Wheeeere … iiiis … ssssheeeeee?”

Rarity lifted Chrysalis and threw her against the wall, repeating this process, beating Chrysalis while she demanded the whereabouts of her sister.

“Where? Where? Where?”

Apple Bloom and Scootaloo made their way through a forest, sneaking by and using the trees as cover, trying to get to where the action was happening without being discovered and found out before they were ready.

“Are we sure this is a good plan, Apple Bloom? Are we even going the right way?” Scootaloo asked.

“Look, Blueberry Bite said she saw Twilight and the gang go this way.” Apple Bloom said. “So I’m hedging my bets that this way will lead us to the bad guys, and what better way to try to find Sweetie Belle than to get it out of the bad guys who nabbed her in the first place?”

“I’m not disagreeing with your logic.” Scootaloo said. “But it’s one thing for you to team up with Applejack and take out one Siren or whatever she was. It’s another for you and me to take on a Changeling Queen by ourselves and whatever help she might have with her!”

“Quiet!” Apple Bloom held a hand out. “I think I hear somethin' …”

Looking around, Apple Bloom and Scootaloo found two Changelings flying through the forest, carrying Sweetie Belle by the arms, her head and legs wobbling and dangling back and forth like a ragdoll, her body limp and lifeless.

“There’s Sweetie Belle!”

“Yeah, I noticed.” Scootaloo said. “What are we gonna do about it?”

Apple Bloom paused. “How good are your wings?”

Scootaloo turned and flexed her wings. “Better than they used to be when I was young, that’s for sure.”

“Perfect.” Apple Bloom rubbed her hands together. “Give me a boost, will ya?”

Scootaloo got underneath Apple Bloom, lifting Apple Bloom up by the feet. Apple Bloom grabbed onto the tree and began to climb up. “I’ll take one, and you take one.”

“Is that such a good idea?”

“Do you want to save Sweetie Belle or not?”

Scootaloo sighed. “Yes.”

“Then quit your belly-achin’ and go with my plan!”

The Changelings flew forward on their path, intending to take Sweetie Belle to a hive and cover her up with goo, per their Queen’s instructions. They stopped, hearing a rustle in the tree branches overhead. They saw nothing and so shrugged it off, going on their way.

“Yaaaaah!” Apple Bloom dropped down from the branch, grabbing one of the Changelings and taking it to the ground with her. The other Changeling scrambled to react, trying not to let Sweetie Belle out of its grip as she dropped down without the other Changeling holding it up. Now having to try and carry her entire weight by just the one arm, the Changeling wrapped both its hands around Sweetie Belle’s arm.

Scootaloo came flying and roaring out from the bushes, tackling the Changeling and knocking it off, where Sweetie Belle dropped to the ground with a thud, laying out flat. Thankfully, the Changelings had been flying low enough the fall was too short to do any serious damage, and what pain Sweetie Belle would have felt, the spell on her made her numb to.

Apple Bloom sat on top of the Changeling and pummeled its face, alternating between punching it from the left and the right, until it submitted and passed out.

Scootaloo was not having as much luck or success with her Changeling, barely able to grab it by the neck and keep it pinned. It wrapped its claws around her wrists and tried to pry her hands, hissing and snapping its jaw at her.

“Aah!” Scootaloo groaned, rocking to and fro as the Changeling struggled beneath her. “I wish Rainbow Dash had taught me more on how to fight!”

“Use your wings!” Apple Bloom shouted.

“What?”

“Use your wings! Smack it, swat it, I don’t know, just do something! You have extra limbs - use ‘em!”

Scootaloo flared her wings up, examining them and wondering how she could make use of them. Getting an idea, she reached her wings over her shoulders and pressed them down on the Changeling’s face, covering its eyes and mouth.

“Now I really wish Rainbow had taught me more on how to use my wings! Guahh!” Scootaloo cried out when the Changeling was able to escape her stranglehold and sit upright, reaching its claws at her neck. Only her wings pushing back on its face kept the Changeling from connecting its claws from their target of Scootaloo’s throat.

While Scootaloo and the Changeling grappled with each other, Apple Bloom snuck by and got around them. Rearing her hand up, she gave the Changeling a well-placed strike to the back of its neck with the side of her hand, knocking it out. The Changeling fell back.

“Whoo.” Scootaloo sighed and wiped her forehead. “Thanks for the save.”

“No problem. Don’t mention it.” Apple Bloom. She turned her attention on Sweetie Belle. “Now we just got to find Rarity and let her know we got Sweetie Belle back …”

Apple Bloom and Scootaloo rushed towards Sweetie Belle. Apple Bloom placed her hand on Sweetie Belle’s neck and rocked her. “Sweetie Belle? Sweetie Belle, it’s Apple Bloom. We’re gonna take you back to Rarity now, okay?” Sweetie Belle didn’t respond.

“What’s wrong with her?” Scootaloo asked.

Apple Bloom grunted and heaved, lifting Sweetie Belle and propping her up. She saw Sweetie Belle’s eyes were giving off a green glow.

“She’s under some kind of spell.” Apple Bloom waved her hand in front of Sweetie Belle, trying to get her attention. Scootaloo gave it a try, putting her hand in front of Sweetie Belle’s face and snapping her fingers.

“Aah, we don’t have time for this right now.” Apple Bloom dragged Sweetie Belle up to her feet, holding her by the hand. “We’ll find Rarity, and then we’ll take her to Twilight so she can figure it out. Come on, Sweetie Belle.” Apple Bloom told her.

Scootaloo took Sweetie Belle’s other hand, and the two of them walked her along.

“Mm-hmm …” Sweetie Belle nodded, responding to Apple Bloom’s instructions and giving her just the barest minimum of a reply.

Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo made their way out of the forest, dragging Sweetie Belle the entire way. They arrived at the mountain where the action was happening and let go of Sweetie’s hands in shock, gasping at what they saw. Rarity, covered in slime, mutated into an enormous monster worthy of disaster movie, slamming the Changeling Queen against the mountain, beating her until she was broken and bloody, with blood running down Chrysalis’ forehead and shoulders, the arm of the shoulder Rarity had stabbed earlier painted entirely green with Changeling blood.

“Whoa now! What’s going on here? Is that … Rarity?” Apple Bloom asked, holding a hand over her eyes and squinting to be sure she was seeing what she thought she was.

“Whoa.” Scootaloo repeated Apple Bloom’s expression. She grabbed Sweetie Belle by the shoulders and shook her. “Okay, Sweetie Belle, I know things haven’t exactly been the easiest between the two of us lately, but it would mean a lot to me if you would me a big favor and wake up right now.”

Twilight looked down from the side of the mountain. She saw Sweetie Belle with Apple Bloom and Scootaloo and gasped. She pointed at Sweetie Belle.

“Look! Chrysalis! Sweetie Belle is right there! Cure her and take your spell off her right now!”

“Are you nuts?” Chrysalis replied, indignant. “I tried to cooperate and play nice with you once already, and look where it got me!” She gestured to Rarity’s tendril. “Forget it!” She’d cross her arms again if she had the freedom of movement to do so.

“Where? Where?” Rarity repeated, continuing to pound Chrysalis into the mountain, knocking off loose rocks and pebbles from the mountain’s ledges.

Hearing Rarity’s voice, Sweetie Belle began to stir. She blinked. “Rarity …?”

Scootaloo grimaced and shivered. “You’re gonna have to do better than that, Sweetie! Seriously, wake up right now!” Pulling a desperate maneuver, Scootaloo grabbed Sweetie Belle and pulled her into a kiss, locking their lips together. Sweetie Belle’s eyes widened, and the green glow popped and faded away from them.

Rarity banged Chrysalis against the mountain two more times. She coiled her tendril around Chrysalis tighter, and wrapped it further up her body, where she began to coil it around Chrysalis’ neck, applying pressure.

“Laasst … chaaance.” Rarity groaned out, pulling at Chrysalis’ neck slightly, ready to pull harder and snap her neck at the slightest provocation if she didn’t like the answer Chrysalis gave her. “Wheeere ... is she?” Rarity curled the tendril tighter and tighter, beginning to crush Chrysalis’ body. Her arms and legs were going to be broken beyond repair, if not popped off entirely, before Rarity broke her neck.

“RARITY!”

Rarity’s eyes went wide, losing all trace of the hate and malice they had in them up til now. “Sweetie Belle?” The mouthguard melted off, and Rarity’s voice became clear. She turned and saw Sweetie Belle standing some distance away, smiling nervously and reaching her arms out at her. “Sweetie Belle!” Rarity dropped Chrysalis, letting her fall to the ground and slithered over to Sweetie Belle’s position, standing a few feet away from her to avoid accidentally sucking Sweetie Belle up in the slime’s mass.

“Oh, Sweetie Belle, I’m so glad to see you!”

“I know.” Sweetie Belle smiled and nodded. “I know. I’m glad to see you, too.”

“Are you alright?” Rarity asked. “Are you unhurt?”

“I’m alright.” Sweetie Belle answered. “Scootaloo and Apple Bloom saved me. I’m not hurt. I’m safe now. Your little sister is safe now, okay? I’m safe. And you did good, big sis, and I know you never stopped looking for me … you did everything you could to save me and protect me, that everything you did, you did for me. But I’m safe, and you need to stop now, okay?”

Rarity cried, tears - genuine tears, ones made or born of slime - trailed down her cheeks. She nodded. “Okay.”

“So, um.” Aria Blaze leaned over the edge with Twilight. “Is this like the part in a horror movie where she tries to stop, but can’t?”

“All I wanted … all I ever cared about … was getting you back safe, Sweetie Belle.” Rarity sniffed, her tears fogging and murking up her version.

Rarity slithered and scooted towards Sweetie Belle. Proving Aria immensely wrong, Rarity willed the slime away. The slime dispersed off, exploding into billions and billions of droplets, all of varying colors and size, which scattered all over the battlefield. The slime women, the armed slimes on the mountaintop, the ones holding down Adagio Dazzle and Trixie, all of them, popped and exploded in the same way, losing their cohesion and leaving behind colored puddles. Rarity, back to normal, ran towards Sweetie Belle, taking the Alicorn Amulet off and throwing it aside.

Rarity embraced her little sister in a hug, wrapping her arms around Sweetie Belle’s back. Sweetie Belle returned the hug, smiling. Rarity sniffed, her face still wet.

“Rarity? Why are you crying?”

“I’m not - I’m not crying.” Rarity insisted, sniffing. “These are tears of joy, Sweetie Belle.”

“Okay. Well, knock it off, alright? You’re getting my eyes all wet.” Sweetie Belle rubbed at her eyes to remove the joyful tears coming from them.

Chrysalis staggered to her feet, stumbling and struggling to stand. She clutched at her arm. “Ooh … I think she broke something …” Chrysalis lost her footing and almost fell back down, but she was able to recover nicely. “Several somethings, actually …” Chrysalis rubbed at her stomach while her cheeks turned green. She imagined she was going to throw up. Her eyes fell on the discarded Alicorn Amulet.

Chrysalis staggered towards the Amulet. She broke into a run for it, going as fast she could with her limping, injured legs, and made a dive towards the ground, reaching for the Amulet.

“I don’t think so!”

Rarity cast her hand out. The Amulet was enveloped with a blue glow and was slid away, snatching it out of Chrysalis’ reach. Rarity levitated the Amulet over to herself, taking it into her hand.

“Hmph.” Rarity said. “Apple Bloom, take this back to Zecora, would you? Tell her I’m sorry about taking it … and for the mess I made out of her hut.”

Rarity dropped the Amulet into Apple Bloom’s hands. Apple Bloom saluted and left the area. Rarity turned her attention back to Chrysalis.

“Grr …” Chrysalis growled and got to her feet, glaring at Rarity. She smirked. “Well, you may have kept the Alicorn Amulet from me, but I can still use the slime!” Chrysalis gestured to the slime strewn all over the ground, then winced and clutched at her ribcage.

“Actually, no.” Rarity scanned the area. “While some of this mess may still be your Citrus Slime, most of it is from the Pipe Slime, the Slime I summoned, that I made, and…” Rarity smiled. “Slime that doesn’t have your frost protection spells.”

“What does that mean?” Chrysalis demanded.

Rarity held out her hand and blew out a gust of blizzardry wind from it, freezing most of the slime droplets in the immediate vicinity, turning them into pieces of ice. Rarity levitated hundreds of shards of ice into the air and pointed them at Chrysalis. Chrysalis’ face paled, realizing Rarity’s intentions and what was about to happen next.

Rarity hurled the shards forward, propelling them towards Chrysalis. Chrysalis’ body was struck with the shards, her midsection being impaled by the icy splinters, the shards stabbing her the front, in the back, in the chest, in her arms, and in her legs. She was beginning to resemble a porcupine. Rarity flashed a smirk, deriving a perverse sense of satisfied pleasure at seeing Chrysalis impaled with so many tiny, icy daggers.

“Rarity, stop!” Adagio Dazzle pleaded, throwing herself in front of Chrysalis and standing between the way of Chrysalis and more ice shards. “Please … just stop.”

Rarity, coldly, cruelly, uncaringly, continued flinging the ice shards, embedding them into Adagio’s stomach, not bothered by the change in her target from Chrysalis to Adagio at all.

A hand wrapped around Rarity’s wrist, catching her attention.

“Rarity.” Sweetie Belle pulled Rarity’s hand away and wrapped both her hands around Rarity’s wrist. “Please. Stop.”

Rarity closed her eyes. She bowed her head. “I … I’m sorry. Of course.” Rarity raised and twirled her hand around, causing the ice shards to pull out of Adagio and Chrysalis and drop to the ground, where they shattered into pieces.

Aria Blaze spread her wings and flew down the mountain, joining Chrysalis and Adagio, who were themselves soon joined by Honeycomb and Trixie.

Celestia and the others came forward, joining the gathering.

“I have an announcement to make.” Celestia addressed them. “Chrysalis, Aria Blaze, Adagio Dazzle, Honeycomb, and Trixie Lulamoon will be imprisoned for their crimes. In return for her help, and because I can see in her that she wants to make penance for her part in this, Sonata Dusk will be pardoned. The same applies for Sunset Shimmer. If anyone has any objections, speak up now, or hold your peace.”

Chrysalis, Aria, and Honeycomb all looked away. Adagio gritted her teeth, while Trixie stared at the ground.

Aria huffed. “Why aren’t we fighting back?” She took another look at her fellow criminals. Chrysalis was covered in blood, bleeding, and had more holes poked in her than Swiss cheese. Adagio wasn’t much better, covering her stomach and keeping pressure on the wounds Rarity’s cluster of ice had lodged in her. Trixie was simply stunned, and Honeycomb kept glancing at Rarity.

Aria understood. There was still ice everywhere. Chrysalis had lost her main advantage of the Citrus Slime, and Celestia was free from it. After witnessing what she was capable of when pushed, Aria Blaze wouldn’t want to risk taunting Rarity’s wrath again either. If any of them tried to fight back, Aria doubted Sweetie Belle could plead enough to keep Rarity from shredding them apart with blades of ice. Besides, they were in a bad position. With Twilight, Rarity, Celestia, Sunset and Cadence on all sides of them, any attempts at resistance would be quickly met with focused, concentrated magical blasts from all directions. They’d be lucky to so much as simply survive so much magical power combined without being scathed.

Seeing there was nothing any of them could do, Aria Blaze sighed. “Fine … whatever.” She crossed her arms, sulking like an angsty teenager.

“We’ll have Zecora whip another antidote for your transformation.” Celestia told Aria. “We definitely we don’t need you to have any more power than you have in your base form when we have you locked up. I’ll also tasks my researchers to see if there’s some way to banish Honeycomb back where she came from.”

“And we’ll need to figure out a way to gather up all this slime and safely dispose of it.” Cadence said.

“Wait.” Adagio Dazzle raised up a hand. “Before you decide on anything …” She walked towards Celestia and got down on her knees, putting her hands together. “Whatever you do, please, please don’t take Chrysalis from me. Don’t us be apart. Lock us up together. I love her. And she loves me ...”

Adagio turned her head to Chrysalis, her eyes wavering. “Doesn’t she?”

“I … um. Oh. Well.” Chrysalis felt awkward, having not expected this. “I’m sorry, Adagio Dazzle, but after seeing that display, I can say that your love for me runs far deeper than my surface-level attraction to you and your body.”

Adagio closed her eyes. She hung her head.

“Wow.” Rainbow Dash remarked. “I almost feel bad for her. Almost.”

Rainbow Dash walked up towards Adagio Dazzle and kicked her in the chest, knocking her down, to Celestia’s and Twilight’s shock.

“That’s for kidnapping my fiance, you tart!” Rainbow Dash snapped. She walked away and was surprised by the disapproving looks she was being given from almost everyone, bar Rarity, Sweetie Belle, and Sunset.

“What?” Rainbow Dash shrugged. “I said ‘almost,’ didn’t I?”

“Rainbow Dash … that was cruel of you.” Twilight said.

“Needlessly cruel.” Celestia added.

“Well.” Rarity went up to Rainbow Dash and took her by the hands. “I, for one, appreciate having a fiance who is willing to defend my honor and act out retribution against those who would harm me on my behalf.” Rarity gave Rainbow Dash a kiss, making Rainbow smile.

Rainbow rested her chin on Rarity’s shoulder. “I don’t care what anybody else thinks … as long as it makes you happy.”

Celestia and Twilight cooed. They couldn’t deny this was rather sweet of Rainbow.

Sweetie Belle rubbed her shoulder and turned to Scootaloo. “Hey, Scootaloo? I … I know after everything that’s happened, there’s no chance of there being a relationship between us. Not a healthy one, anyway. I think Rarity might have been right … maybe I was just imprinting on her. But … could I have just one kiss?”

Scootaloo crossed her arms. “I already gave you to snap out of Chrysalis’ spell, remember?”

A hand clasped Scootaloo’s shoulder. She turned to see Rarity smiling at her.

“Please, Scootaloo?” Rarity asked. “Just as a pittance?”

Scootaloo sighed. “Fine. Alright. Okay …” Scootaloo took in a deep breath and closed her eyes. Sweetie Belle wrapped her arms around Scootaloo and pulled her close, embracing their lips together. Sweetie Belle began to moan, rocking her body to and fro, bringing Scootaloo into a dance.

Scootaloo, feeling Sweetie Belle was going out of bounds of the original agreement, pushed her way. “Alright, that’s enough of that. One kiss, remember? I don’t remember agreeing to any dancing.”

Sweetie Belle nodded.

Rarity chuckled. “Feel better, Sweetie?”

“Yeah.”

The three of them turned their attention back to the villains. Shining Armor put Trixie and Aria Blaze in handcuffs, while Cadence and Twilight conjured cuffs of crystal to put on Adagio, Chrysalis, and Honeycomb to make up for the fact Shining hadn’t brought enough sets for all five of them. Plus, this way, it allowed Cadence and Twilight to enchant the restraints with anti-magic spells to discourage any funny business from Chrysalis or her pals. They were rounded up, put into a single file line, and Shining Armor walked them away.

While Twilight aided Shining Armor and the Princesses in finding a safe place to lock the criminals up, the rest of them returned to Ponyville. Rarity, Rainbow Dash and Sweetie Belle waved goodbye to Applejack, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Apple Bloom and Scootaloo and headed home to Carousel Boutique.

“Ah.” Rarity exhaled in relief, flicking the light on as she entered the building. Sweetie Belle bid them goodnight before heading straight to bed. “It’s so nice to be home again, and not have anything to worry about. No fears of kidnapping, no slimes crawling in the windows …”

“No psyche evaluations or mental assessments by legal inspectors who don’t know what they’re talking about.” Rainbow Dash spoke with some contempt as she wrapped her arms around Rarity from behind. “No ignorant, incompetent cops caught up on a single target … no court orders that do more harm than good.”

“Yes.” Rarity took Dash’s hands off her and twirled Dash around as if preparing for a tango. “The worst is certainly behind us now, isn’t it? Most, if not all our problems ...” Rarity threw Dash across her arm and held her by her back. “Dealt with, disappeared, or locked up.”

Rarity let go of Rainbow Dash, and Dash stood upright. They made their way to their bedroom and changed into night clothing, putting on sleeping gowns. Rarity made her way under the blanket while Rainbow Dash sat on the side of the bed and let out a yawn, stretching her arms and covering her mouth.

Rarity’s eyes widened, and she bolted upright. “Oh my! Rainbow Dash, darling, do you know what this means?”

“We can go to bed and get some sleep?” Rainbow Dash asked dryly, wanting to go to bed.

Rarity took Rainbow Dash’s hands. “It means everything is less complicated now. It means Chrysalis and all her goons are gone. It means we have nothing to fear. It means …”

Rainbow’s mouth dropped slightly, realizing the implications of what Rarity was saying. “You don’t mean …”

“Yes, Rainbow Dash, my love. It means we can get married. Oh!” Rarity threw her legs off the side of the bed and jumped off.

“Where are you going?” Dash asked.

“To start writing and sending out invitations.” Rarity said. “We’re going to have to get a lot of work done in very little time if we want everything to be ready by tomorrow!”

“T-t-tomorrow?” Rainbow Dash made an expression of fear and bewilderment. “You want to do it tomorrow?”

“Why not? It’s not like we have anything to fear.”

“Rarity, I’m all for doing it as soon as possible, but there is no way we can’t get everything ready in time for tomorrow!”

“Oh, pish-posh, Rainbow Dash. It can be done. We just have to be willing to put in the work for it. I'll get Pinkie Pie to start the cake. We all know she’d love an excuse to stay up all night. How are your parents? How far would they have to travel to get to Ponyville?”

Rainbow Dash grumbled before cooperating and answering Rarity. “Pretty far.”

“I’ll make sure to send them their invites in the first batch, then.” Rarity said. “Why don’t you stay in bed? You’re going to need to plenty of rest for our big day tomorrow.”

Rainbow Dash sighed. She brought a hand over her forehead. “I can’t believe I’m doing this …” Rainbow Dash got up. “No. If you’re gonna insist on doing this …”

“And I am.”

“Then you might as well have all the help you can get.” Dash pointed a finger at Rarity. “But don’t be surprised if I have bags under my eyes are on our wedding day. No complaining, got it?”

“Oh, Rainbow Dash, I would never allow that!” Rarity put a hand over her chest. “You know I would find some kind of makeup to cover that up for you.”

Rainbow Dash groaned and rolled her eyes. “What do you need me to do?”

“Well, first, use your speed to get these to your parents.” Rarity handed Rainbow Dash a handful of envelopes.

“You have this many done already?” Rainbow Dash was puzzled and surprised Rarity had gotten so much work done while they were still talking.

“Yes, yes! I design custom clothes for a living, Rainbow Dash, I know how to get a lot of work done in little time for a tight deadline! Now, hurry, hurry!” Rarity shooed Rainbow Dash out the bedroom window, where Rainbow Dash took flight and raced away, disappearing as a rainbow bolt streaking across the night sky.

Rarity smiled, watching her go. She turned her attention back to the task at hand of doing up more invitations and getting them to the rest of their Ponyville friends.

The next day, all the people were gathered at a artificial aisle, quickly built up outdoors. White sheets were thrown over the ground, a red carpet was rolled out, and decorations were placed on a gazebo to pretty it up and make it a building worthy of hosting a wedding. Passing Ponyville citizens who hadn’t been invited stopped to stare at the set-up before either moving on, or sitting down on the grass at a distance which let them view the affairs, but still respected the couple’s privacy in their decision not to invite them.

Rainbow Dash and Rarity’s friends and family stood just outside the gazebo. Twilight kept glancing nervously as Pinkie Pie continued to adjust the wobbling cake, trying to keep it from falling over and collapsing the supports she had used to make the cake multi-layered. Shining Armor stood tall next to his sister in his full uniform, though feeling a bit awkward, given who was getting married.

Celestia stood inside the gazebo, a great big smile on her face she hunched over a podium. Her eyes fell on Rarity and Rainbow Dash as they walked down the red carpet in outfits Rarity designed and sewed together, Rarity in an elaborate wedding dress worthy of an empress, and Dash in a plainer (by her request) dress with pink trim which forewent the crown-like headdress and long train of Rarity’s, which exposed her shoulders and her thighs between her skirt and her leggings - Rarity had drawn on a sports outfit for inspiration.

Pinkie Pie and leaned over and whispered to Twilight. “Does anyone else think Dash’s dress makes her look like she should be part of the wedding cake?”

“Pinkie, don’t be rude and don’t … be Pinkie.” Twilight said. “Rarity designed that dress especially for Rainbow Dash … and she did it less than eight hours, so it may not be her best work. Uh, don’t tell her I said that, or she’ll kill me.”

“Can do.” Pinkie saluted and winked.

Rarity and Rainbow Dash walked up the steps, the band playing music. They stood in front of Celestia and smiled. When Celestia spoke, the band stopped playing.

“We gathered here today to witness a holy union. A union between lovers, and a love as strong and durable as any other you’d care to name. Today, two lovers decide to take their love out of the shadows. They hid it away for so long, as their relationship had … well, let’s say a rocky beginning and leave it at that.” Rarity and Dash both blushed. “They feared being ousted and ostracized from their social circles if they came out with their love for each other, but I myself have seen, and I have witnesses who can attest to the strength of their bond. And now, the vows.”

“Rainbow Dash.” Celestia turned to Rainbow. “Do you agree to look after Rarity, in sickness and in health, under any kind of weather, fair or unfair, and take her as your lawfully wedded wife, until death do you part?”

“I do.”

“Rarity.” Celestia turned to her.

“Get on with it.”

Celestia chuckled and nodded. “I know what the answer is, Rarity, but custom dictates I ask anyway. Do you agree to look after Rainbow Dash, in sickness and in health, under any kind of weather, fair or unfair, and take her as your lawfully wedded wife, until death do you part?”

“I do.”

“Excellent.” Celestia said. “Now, pending any last-minute objection, cough, speak-now-or-forever-hold-your-blah-blah-blah …” Celestia swept her gaze across the crowd. “You may kiss the bride.”

Rainbow Dash turned to Rarity. She lifted the veil off Rarity’s face. Rarity took the initiative from her, pulling Rainbow Dash towards her and embracing her with a kiss. Rainbow Dash moaned, and her hand made its way up to Rarity’s chest, gently cupping the underside of her breast.

“Rainbow Dash!” Rarity blushed and pushed Rainbow Dash away. “Not in front of Sweetie Belle!”

The crowd laughed. Rainbow Dash gave an unapologetic smile.

“Evidently it being front of Sweetie Belle is more of a concern than any of the guests.” Shining Armor whispered to Twilight.

“Or in front of Princess Celestia.” Twilight chimed back, grinning.

The party went into the after-wedding festivities. Pinkie Pie cut open the cake and the band resumed playing, cranking out background noise. Most of Rarity’s friends congregated around the table serving refreshments, each of them with punch in their hands.

“Oh, no.” Twilight noticed Pinkie Pie hauling out a large firework. “I’d better go stop her.” She went to exactly that.

Rarity and Rainbow Dash giggled at Pinkie’s antics. They were both hushed when Silver Lens appeared before them, holding her clipboard to her chest as if were a teddy bear, and she were a child looking for protection from her stuffed animal.

Rarity set her cup of punch down on the table and walked towards Silver Lens.

“You’re an adult, Silver Lens. Speak your mind. Say what you came to say.”
“Rarity, I …” Silver Lens adjusted her glasses. “I’m so sorry about everything that’s happened. I … should have known, I should have done my job better. I should have realized that I wasn’t... that Shining Armor and Harshwhinny wasn’t interested in respecting your privacy or actually trying to help you. I should have said something, I should have done something. And I didn’t, and I … I let Harshwhinny use me as a tool and a pawn. I’m sorry, and I hope you can find it in your heart to-”

Rarity lunged forward and pulled Silver Lens into a hug.

“Rarity, what’s the meaning of this…?”

“I forgive you.” Rarity spoke into Silver Lens’ ear. “They say the first step towards healing is forgiving others. Well … I like to think I’ve moved well beyond the first step, and that I’ve healed, but I refuse to stew and linger in resentment of anybody any longer, and that means that, yes, I forgive you, Silver Lens.”

Rarity parted from her, taking hold of Silver Lens’ hands. “I understand, at least now, that you, in your own way, were just trying to help. It’s not your fault others took advantage of you. But I hope you’ve learned something from this endeavor, and that in the future, you will raise your voice and speak up when someone is doing something that you think is wrong. Promise me that, and we’ll call it even, okay?”

Silver Lens stuttered. “Okay. I promise … Rarity.”

“The fact that you were willing to admit what you did was wrong and apologize for it means a substantial amount to me. Unlike some others …” Rarity turned and glanced at the gazebo, where Harshwhinny was sitting next to Celestia. “What is she even doing here? I don’t remember inviting her …”

“Come on.” Rainbow Dash led Rarity away. “She’s not worth thinking about.”

“Oh!” Rarity turned back around. “One more thing, Silver Lens. During one of our sessions, you said you saw shards when you looked at me. I’m curious. What do you see when you look at me now?”

“Now?” Silver Lens looked down and smiled. “I see a beautiful, healthy bride who is going to make an excellent wife and make someone very happy.”

Rarity grinned and chuckled, as did as Rainbow Dash. “That’s a satisfactory answer. Alright, Rainbow Dash.” Rarity raised her arm out. “Take me away.”

“With pleasure, mi’lady.”

Silver Lens remained by the punch table. She was startled and let out a yelp when she felt a hand on her shoulder.

“Hey.” Cadence said. “I heard what you said back there.”

“Y-you did?” Silver Lens asked. “Do you-do you think that was good enough? Should I apologize more?”

“Were you honest? Did you speak from your heart?”

“Well, yes, but …”

Cadence grabbed Silver Lens’ hand. “Then trust me. What you said was good enough. It’s just like Rarity said. The fact that you were willing to admit you did wrong and apologize in of itself really means a lot. That signifies a lot about your character, about who you are ... ”

Cadence patted Silver Lens on the shoulder. “You did good work, Silver Lens. I commend your performance. Even if there a few bumpy spots on the road. I’ll be sure to look to you, whenever I might should be in need a therapist do something for me again.” Cadence trailed her hand away and walked off.

“Oh. Um ... well.” Silver Lens’ bumped her knees together. “I … don’t really feel like I deserve it, but thank you, Princess Cadence.”

“Hey.” Cadence snapped her fingers. “Rarity got better in the end, right? That’s all I asked for. All I wanted from you.”

Silver Lens blushed. She bowed. “Thank you again, Princess Cadence.”

“Don’t mention it.”

Up in the gazebo, Harshwhinny surveyed the wedding-goers, feeling repulsed by their frivolity and casualness.

“Look at all of them.” Harshwhinny crossed her arms and groused. “I wish all of them would stop being so … frivolously and jolly. Don’t they realize a wedding is supposed to be a formal affair? Talk formally! Respect your distance. Quit enjoying yourselves in the wrong manner inappropriate for a wedding!”

“Is that right?” Celestia asked, leaning back against the gazebo wall.

“Yes, that’s right. That is not proper formal etiquette and behavior.” Harshwhinny glared at a trio of friends who were enjoying themselves and having a good time.

“You get to decide what is and is not appropriate at weddings, I take it, Harshwhinny?”

Realizing the implications of what Celestia was asking, Harshwhinny blushed. “Er, no, I … never meant to imply that, Your Majesty.”

“You also get to decide who’s fit to have weddings, and whether or not someone is fit to host a young adult in their house, or whether someone is mentally safe and sound to take care of others in their house or needs to be hospitalized for mental illness and have their siblings taken away from them, especially while that sibling is missing, possibly kidnapped, with no say in the matter. Isn’t that right, Harshwhinny?”

“Well, I …” Harshwhinny stuttered, putting a hand to her mouth, at a loss for words.

“I brought you along as my guest to this wedding as a sparing. Something for you have to a good time at so as to soften the blow. Inspector, you seem to have developed an overreach of where exactly your responsibilities lie. You not a legal inspector, or a mental health inspector, for that matter. Your responsibilities are to make sure events are being hosted properly, with proper safety measures, the correct decorations, and accommodations are in place. Events, Inspector. Not people.”

Celestia turned her gaze to the crowd.

“I’ll expect your resignation shortly.”

Harshwhinny hung her head, bringing her hands together on her lap. “I understand.”

“Well.” Rainbow Dash grabbed Rarity and tilted her over, lifting her up bridal-style, causing Rarity to yelp. “I don’t know about you, but I think it’s time we head home and … consummate our union.”

“My, my.” Rarity fluttered her lashes. “Between the incident at the gazebo and this, someone’s feeling eager today, aren’t they?”

“What can I say?” Rainbow Dash asked. “You put me in the mood.”

“Without even doing anything? Goodness, I must be much more attractive than I initially realized.”

“Well, we won’t stop you!” Pinkie Pie tipped her hat to them. She rubbed her chin, pondering ideas. “Or will we?”

Rainbow Dash snorted like a bull. She and Rarity gave Pinkie Pie a death glare. “No. You won’t.”

Pinkie got the message and backed away, holding her hands up in the air.

Rainbow Dash carried Rarity to their house, holding her in the bridal fashion the entire time on their way.

“Someone’s been working on their strength and stamina, I see.” Rarity observed as they reached the house. She raised and pinched Rainbow Dash’s cheek. “Do try and save some of them for when we get to the bed, will you?”

“I’ll try, but I can’t make any promises.” Rainbow Dash replied with a smug smile. Rarity rolled her eyes, even if she was wearing the same facial expression, and Rainbow Dash set Rarity on her feet.

Rarity opened the door and went inside. Any and all thoughts of lovemaking and carnal acts were pushed from her mind as she noticed a piece of paper on the floor. “What’s this?” Rarity walked towards the paper and picked it up.

“Looks like a letter.” Rainbow Dash said, looking over Rarity’s shoulder. “Whoever put it there probably put in front of the door to make sure we would notice.”

“It … it’s from Coco Pommel.” Rarity said, moving the letter over to where Dash could read it.

Dear Rarity & Rainbow Dash,

Thank you so much for everything you’ve done for me. I appreciate every last little thing. You didn’t have to take me away from Suri - again. But you did. You didn’t have to invite me and let me stay at your house, but you did. And you definitely didn’t have to invite me to share in with your’s and Rainbow Dash’s … activities. But you did.

As you know, I’ve been working on my dresses. I started showing them around, and I got a job offer from Sapphire Shores to work on the play she’s doing in Manehatten. It seems like no matter where I go, all my roads eventually lead back to Manehatten, huh? I took the job. Got a nice office in a nice space down from the train station. I’m going to work and work and work my Cutie Mark off to make Sapphire Shores happy … and make you proud of me.

Once again, I appreciate everything you’ve done for me … and I appreciate all the kinky things you taught me. I can’t wait to try them out.

-Coco Pommel.

The letter was signed with a winking face and a heart next to it.

“Huh.” Dash said. “So Coco flew the coop, huh? Struck on her own … left the nest ...”

“Yes, it would appear that way.” Rarity said.

“Heh.” Dash wiped a slight tear from her eye. “You know, she might not have done a whole lot around the house, but I’m kind of gonna miss her. They grow up so fast, don’t they?”

“We can always visit her in Manehatten, darling.” Rarity said.

“Hey …” Rainbow Dash looked around the house. “Speaking of growing up fast, where’s Diamond Tiara?”

“Diamond Tiara? I think she went back home.”

“Really?”

“Yes. I think she told me something about having ‘resolved the issue’ while we were at the wedding ...”

At the Rich household, Suri ran her hand over her hair, trying to make sure her ponytail was straight. She put her earrings and grabbed her suitcase.

“Bye, Filthy! Bye, Diamond Tiara!” Suri called from the front of the house. “I’m off to the train station for my commute to my first day at my new job!”

“Bye.” Filthy Rich went up to Suri and embraced Suri, giving her a kiss on the cheek. “Remember our agreement.”

“I know, I know. I can live here, but I have to work so I can’t just mooch off your money. Did I get that right? You’ve only told me 120 times.” Filthy Rich regarded her sheepishly. “I counted.”

Suri looked at Diamond. Diamond Tiara sat on the couch in the living room, crossing her arms and being surly. She puffed out a sigh.

“Bye … “ Diamond Tiara’s face contorted, as if she was literally have to choke the word out of her throat and it was causing her physical pain. “Mom.” This grueling task of obligation done, Diamond Tiara got up and went to her room.

Suri gasped and covered her mouth. “D-did you hear that?” Suri placed a hand on her chest, a tear coming from her eye. “She called me mom …”

“Yes, I heard it.” Filthy Rich said, smiling. “See? You’re making progress.”

“I … I’ve never felt like this before.” Suri wiped a tear from her eye. “What … what is this feeling? It is love? Pride? Joy? A sense of accomplishment at the fact she one day might be happy to see me for a change?”

“You’ll have plenty of time to figure it out later.” Filthy kissed Suri on the head. “Now go. Go, go on, or you’ll be late for work for your first day.” Filthy ushered Suri towards the entrance and Suri dashed out the door, sprinting towards the station. Suri waved goodbye to the house.

“Goodbye … my beautiful daughter.”

Suri smiled to herself, a spring in her step as she headed to the station.

Coco Pommel spun around in the swivel-mounted chair of her new office and looked out the window. Sapphire Shores gave her an office on one of the higher floors, giving her a nice view of the Manehattan streets from her office window, where the people traveled back and forth. Dressed in a pinstripe business suit, with a spinning leather chair, Coco Pommel felt like a bigwig. A real billionaire fatcat.

“Oh.” Coco’s attention was drawn by the squeak of her office door opening. She spun her chair to face it. “Can I help you?”

“Your new assistant, reporting for duty, Miss …”

Suri’s voice trailed off. Her hand slowly inched down from the salute she was making.

She and Coco Pommel stared at each other in shock. Coco rather liked Suri’s choice of dress - a black leather vest over a white shirt and a wide, black skirt, with a purple handkerchief stuffed down the shirt, topped off with a beret.

Suri blinked and tried to recall in her head. How did she not know the boss of her new job was going to be Coco Pommel?

I remember. Suri thought. It’s because the ad I replied to was from Sapphire Shores asking for an assistant. It didn’t specify an assistant for whom. Well, at least Shores must have liked my resume.

They might have stood there for hours if Suri hadn’t cleared her throat. Pressing and trying to to ignore the awkwardness of the situation, she resumed her salute.

“What can I do for you, boss?”

“Suri?” Coco Pommel asked. “But that’s not… you can’t… how?”

Suri cleared her throat. “Ahem. I’m afraid I’m going to have to insist you we focus on business. What can I do for you, boss?” Suri repeated, adding a bit more force and bluster to her tone.

“Oh. Um.” Coco cleared her throat. She spoke in rapid fire. “Sapphire Shores’ play is in six days, and we need to get everything ready. I need you to put in an express order of 50 bolts of woolen fabric, preferably yak wool, with expedited shipping. I need a two dozen pins and tacks each to start working on making the props, and I need you to find me a graphic designer to paint up a flyer -we had one, but they flaked out - and buy the papers to start printing copies of the flyer. Oh. And I’ve learned a lot of freaky, kinky things from Rarity during my stay at her house …”

“Yes?” Suri asked, raising an eyebrow and growing nervous, sweat beading up on the side of her head.

“So I want you to find me a pretty lady to flirt with and try them out on.”

Suri sighed. Whoo. Dodged a bullet. “Anything else I can get for you, boss?”

“No, I don’t think so. That should be it.” Coco Pommel said.

Suri nodded.

“You know …” Coco rested her elbow on the desk. “It’s funny … after all this time, we’ve switched places. The assistant has become the master.”

“That is funny.” Suri said. She turned to leave and start working on all the things Coco asked for.

“Oh, wait, Suri. I just remembered something. There is one more thing.”

“Yes?” Suri peeked her head back in the door.

Coco smiled and pointed her finger for emphasis. “Go get me some coffee.”

Suri gave an earnest smile back in reply and saluted again. “Sure thing, boss.”

Sunset Shimmer and Flash Sentry, clad in his Royal Guard armor, stood by the fountain in the Canterlot Royal Gardens. Flash saw Sunset staring into the running water as if it was holding her life inside, bringing all her burdens to bear, all her sins remembered. In order to get a conversation going, Flash made a wry comment.

“You know, I’m supposed to be on duty right now …”

Sunset, not as spaced-out as Flash assumed her to be, chuckled and turned to him. “Hey, don’t look at me. You were the one who wanted us to hang out together.”

“True. So … what have you been up to?”

“Oh, well, not much.” Sunset replied, hands in her pockets. “I fed myself a false narrative, started making farmers lactate cider because I’m a pervert, got myself turned into a bee-woman, then fought a Changeling Queen before running away from an Amulet-empowered slime queen monster. You know, the usual.”

“That is … pretty unusual, Sunset.” Flash said.

“Oh, do you have a problem with it?” Sunset asked. “Are you gonna call the Usual Police on me? The Department of Muggle Affairs, or something?”

“No, no.”

Sunset moved away from the fountain. Flash and Sunset walked through the garden, Sunset never taking her hands out of her pockets.

“So … what are you gonna do now?”

“Don’t know that entirely myself, if I’m honest.” Sunset stopped walking. “Honestly, I’ll probably just head back on home. Maybe become a magic teacher.”

“Home?” Flash said. “Sunset, I thought this place was your home? You just got back here.”

“I’m sorry, Flash, but I’ve been away from ‘here’ too long. Everything is different and feels so strange and bizarre and new.” Sunset brought her hands over her chest. “My heart belongs elsewhere.”

Flash Sentry bit his lip. “Excuse me.” He left.

“Flash?” Sunset turned to him. “Flash, where are you going? … oh.” Sunset saw Celestia walking down the garden path. “Hello, Princess Celestia.”

“Hello, Sunset Shimmer.”

Sunset kicked her foot on the ground. “I guess you probably want to talk to me, huh? Especially seeing as you haven’t seen me in years …”

“Not at all.” Celestia shook her head. “Sunset, I’d be hard-pressed to think of anything I’d want to say to you myself that my student Twilight hasn’t already said to you in some way.”

“Oh, really?”

“Yes. She might be a bit awkward at time, but Twilight is a prodigy at friendship. Though when it comes to magic, I think you two were evenly matched. You certainly were far more ambitious, though.”

Sunset chuckled and looked at the ground before being able to bring herself to look up at Celestia with a relaxed grin.“I was, wasn’t I?”

Celestia waved her hand. “All of this talk is completely rudimentary and unnecessary for what it is I came to ask you. We are going to burn the summoning book that has caused all of us so much trouble and strife, the one Honeycomb and the Sirens came from. I understand the monsters inside have caused you some distress as well, despite your initial malignant intentions when you first arrived. I was wondering if you would be interested in joining us?”

Sunset stared at Celestia, unsure if she was being serious with her offer at first. She gave Celestia another small smile. “I would.”

“Great.”

Cadence watched from a window as Celestia wrapped an arm around Sunset Shimmer’s shoulder and walked her off.

“Hmm.” Cadence mused, before hearing scrubbing noises come from down the hall. “What’s that?”

Cadence followed the noise to its source. The men’s bathroom. Reasoning she was a Princess and could get away with it, and besides, investigating mysterious noise was a legitimate reason to intrude, she went inside.

“Shining?” Cadence asked, finding Shining Armor scrubbing the bathroom tile on his hands and knees.

“Yup, that’s me.”

“What are you doing here?” Cadence asked. “I thought Celestia said you had fulfilled your latrine cleaning punishment and could stop now.”

“I know. I can. I …” Shining Armor turned his head. “I’m doing this to myself as punishment. Let’s be real here, I was … well, I was kind of a fathead to Rarity there for a while, huh?”

Cadence rested against the door, smirking. “You were.”

“So, I’m going to keep scrubbing the latrines until I’ve gotten rid of my guilty conscience.” Shining Armor said.

“Alright.” Cadence reached for the doorknob. “Suit yourself. You should probably be informed Celestia’s planning on burning the book soon.”

“Oh, really?” Shining Armor scrambled to his feet. “Forget this bathroom, then! I want to be there for that!”

“But what about scrubbing the latrine as your penance?” Cadance asked with a joking tone of voice.

“I’ll get back to it later!” Shining Armor exclaimed as he ran out the door.

Cadence shook her head and followed after him. “Guys. I’ll never understand them.”

Later in the night, Twilight Sparkle, Applejack, Pinkie and Fluttershy gathered around a table in Twilight’s house.

Twilight idly rocked a salt shaker on its side. “So … what do we want to do after our lovely couple gets off their eventual honeymoon? They’ve been through a lot lately, and we’ve … not always been there to support them through like we should have. We’ve been through a lot, too. I should mention that, before I get swallowed up with pity and forget it. They deserve something nice, and so do we.”

Twilight set the salt shaker upright.

“I’m thinking we find a nice restaurant.” Twilight said. “Take them out to dinner. Have Applejack whip up a special batch of apple cider, if she has the spare apples for it.”

“I reckon I do.” Applejack said.

“Regular cider, not the - you know.”

“I know. Twilight, do you honestly think I would put myself through and serve something as gross as that to you and all our friends by choice?”

Twilight bit her lip. “... you’re right. I’m sorry. I don’t know what I was thinking.”

Sonata Dusk barged in on the conversation. “Hello! I hope I’m not interrupting anything.”

“You’re not. Come on, Sonata. Sit down for a spell.” Applejack gestured to an empty chair.

“That’s nice of you to offer, Applejack, but I won’t be staying long. I just came to ask Twilight a question.”

“Sure. One of the first things you’ll learn about me, Sonata, I love answering questions.” Twilight swiveled on her seat towards Sonata. “So, what do you got for me?”

“What size does Spike like?” Sonata asked.

“... I’m sorry, what?”

“You know, what size does Spike like?” Sonata repeated. “I might not still be here if not for him. If not for him, I might have stayed with Adagio and Aria, and ended up in a cell just like them, probably next to them. I owe him for helping take me off that dark path, and I want to give him a little reward, and before I do that, I want to know what size he likes.”

Twilight still didn’t seem to get it.

“You know, size.” Sonata waved her hand up and down over her chest.

Twilight’s cheeks turned a shade of red which could have won ‘Ripest Tomato’ at a country farm.

“That is not appropriate behavior for Spike to be doing! I don’t want to talk about this with you!” Twilight ducked under the table.

“Twilight, I’m pretty sure Spike is an adult. If he wants to do this with Sonata, that’s his choice. It’s also his choice if he doesn’t.” Applejack said.

Twilight stuck her finger out from under the table. “Additionally … there’s the fact that I don’t know. I mean, he had crush on Rarity before he really understood … that sort of thing.”

“I’ll assume he likes them the same way most men like them; big.” Sonata pumped her fist.

“Probably not the worst idea.” Applejack said. “He’s an adult, but he’s still young.”

Sonata nodded and left.

Twilight slowly brought herself out from under the table, raising up inch by inch, stopping when she could see over the table. “Is she gone?”

“She’s gone.” Applejack replied.

“Hoo.” Twilight sighed. “I’m glad that’s over. Let’s hope nothing else awkward happens for the rest of the night ...”

There was a flash of light and a hum, and Discord appeared over the table.

“Hello, everyone!” Discord stretched his arms out far beyond the limits of any normal being, scooping the four friends up into a hug. “Sorry I’m late, I was busy un-cleaning my house. Oh, and sorry I couldn’t be there to help with that whole Changeling-slash-Slime fiasco. Truly I am.” Discord let go of them and kicked back in the air, conjuring up a saucer and cup of tea. “From what I’ve heard, it turned out to be quite the party. I truly and earnestly do regret missing it. Seems like I might have been able to have a lot of fun there!”

Twilight sighed, irritated and in no mood to put with Discord’s … Discord-iness.

“Well, at least he regrets not helping, even if he does regret it for the wrong reasons … right?” Applejack asked, offering Twilight consolation.

Discord sipped the cup around his tea, then split the tea up into four cubes, turning it into coffee-flavored gelatin in the process. He began to juggle them, and dropped one on Twilight’s head.

Twilight let out another sigh, annoyed. Fluttershy was amused. She put a hand to her mouth, trying to be polite and suppress her laughter. It wasn’t nice to laugh at her friends.

Elsewhere in the library, Sonata Dusk dragged Spike into the guest room, throwing him inside and locking the door behind him.

“You still haven’t told me what it is we’re doing, Sonata …”

“That’s because it’s a surprise, silly!” Sonata Dusk exclaimed. “Go, get on the bed.”

“Alright …” Spike remained uncertain, but did as she ask.

Sonata Dusk walked up to the side of the bed. “Now, lay down …”

“Okay.”

“And close your eyes … and think about your love for me.”

“Um, alright.” Spike continued to do as she asked, closing his eyes.

Sonata Dusk let out a deep breath. She vocalized quietly, holding up her amulet. The amulet glowed, and a green mist escaped from Spike’s mouth and flew into the gemstone.

“Oooh …” Sonata moaned, feeling her breasts jiggle and wobble as they increased and expanded in size, growing to the size of soccer balls.

Sonata climbed up on the bed, the mattress creaking as her weight was put on it. Spike opened his eyes to see what was going on, and wasn’t expecting to see Sonata lying on top of him, her now-huge breasts swaying gently back and forth.

Sonata blushed. “Do you like them? I tried to ask around, but I wasn’t sure what size you liked … I hope this is okay.”

“Y-Yeah, no.” Spike said. “They-they’re great. No, really. They’re … they’re perfect, Sonata.” Spike smiled at her. She smiled back.

“But, um, what are we doing again?”

“This is a reward for you!” Sonata leaned over as she explained, cupping Spike’s chin. “For being such a good boyfriend for me, and showing me the path of the light.”

“Oh. Um, okay. That- that’s really nice, Sonata, but I don’t know I’m ready for this.” Spike said.

“You’re not?” Sonata asked, confused.

“Yes! No. Maybe! I don’t know. It’s confusing.” Spike said.

“Hmph.” Sonata huffed and turned her head, only to smile. She smirked and swayed her body, making her breasts swing back and forth. “You know what, Spike? I think you are ready.

“W-why are you smiling?” Spike asked. “W-what makes you say that?”

“I can see a bulge in your paaaa-ants.” Sonata sing-songed. She reared back and began to bring her breasts down.

“You wouldn’t.” Spike said.

Sonata flashed her teeth and lowered herself, bringing her chest down on Spike’s zipper. Spike let out a moan.

“Okay, okay!”

Spike rose up.

“I’m just … nervous, okay?” Spike said. “This … this’ll be the first time for me. At least, that I can remember, that wasn’t done while I was under some kind of mind control, and I don’t actually remember if anything like that happened and now that I’m talking about it I’m getting kinda paranoid about it. But … I’m ready, for sure.”

“Are you sure? I wouldn’t want to force you …” Sonata placed her hands on Spike’s shoulders, pinning him. “Just seduce you.”

Spike nodded. “I’m sure.”

“Wonderful.” Sonata leaned down. She and Spike closed her eyes as she lowered her lips onto Spike’s for a kiss. They began to moan. Spike wrapped his arms around Sonata’s back, her breasts digging into his pecs.

There was a knock on the door, and their eyes widened in alarm.

“Spike?” Twilight called from the other side. “The girls and I are going to a book-burning. We’re going to burn that evil, wretched book. Do you want to come with?”

“Kind of busy in here, Twilight!” Spike exclaimed in dismay.

“Okay. Suit yourself!” Twilight waved. Spike heard the front door open and close seconds later. He briefly wondered how Twilight could bring herself to allow any book to burn, ever, even an evil one, before Sonata’s chest quickly took his mind off the subject.

Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Fluttershy, Twilight and Pinkie Pie, as well as Shining Armor, Celestia, Cadence, Sunset Shimmer and Fleur-de-lis made their way into the Pipe Slime’s cave. It might have been an ordinary, innocent cave once, at least by the standards of the Everfree Forest, but now it would be forever known and tarred and marked as the Pipe Slime’s dwelling.

“Hey …” Shining spoke to Fleur-de-lis. “Are you sure you want to be here for this? Would you rather be at home, relaxing with Fancypants? I realize this can be kind of tough, and I’m sure he’ll worry about you doing this, so ...”

“I was affected by the slime as much as any of you.” Fleur-de-lis said. “Maybe not for as long as some of you, or quite to the same degree, but that doesn’t make my suffering any less valid. It doesn’t make my hurt less real. I need to see this. I need this.”

“Okay.” Shining Armor nodded.

“Rarity, are you certain you left the book in here?” Celestia asked.

“Yes.” Rarity said. “I tossed it around here, at the pit, and I made sure to avoid trouncing on it when I came out after my … merger with the new Slime. Ah, there it is.”

Rarity ran towards the book sitting by the edge of the pit, lying right where she left it. A bit crushed from when she had stomped on it, but still an intact, readable book.

It could not be allowed to remain that way.

Rarity picked the book up off the ground.

"You know …" Twilight said. "Normally, I'd be against the burning of any book, but this one is so evil and wretched that I agree that it's completely warranted."

Shining Armor pulled out a match and handed it to Twilight. Twilight moved towards the book.

“Ahem.” Rarity cleared her throat.

“Oh. Of course. Rarity, you and Rainbow Dash being the ones most affected by what happened here and the consequences, you should do the honors.” Twilight moved aside, handing the match to Rarity. Rainbow Dash took the book and held it up.

Rarity struck the match, lighting against the thick cover of the book. She touched the lit match to the book’s pages, and its paper began to burn and wilt. Dash handed her the book, and Rarity threw the book and the match down the pit.

Shining Armor, Cadence, and Fleur came forward, all holding up bundles of burnable material in their arms, from paper shreds to dry twigs. They all tossed their piles down the pit, where the fire made a boom as it spread and consumed, becoming a massive flame which lit up the inside of the pit. Smoke rose up from within while the flame crackled gently.

“Good riddance.” Shining Armor bidded to the book.

Everyone stayed for a time to watch over the fire and ensure the book was thoroughly burned beyond repair, and also to keep the fire from getting out of control. Only once and after the flame had died down, and after the last embers of it burned and danced away until they put themselves out, having nothing but ash left for it to burn on, did any of them turn to leave. Shining Armor was the first one out, followed by Cadence and Celestia. Twilight and Pinkie Pie left after them, and Fluttershy lingered only a second longer than them. Sunset was the next to go, having all she wanted out of this place. Fleur, Rainbow Dash, and Rarity stood there by the empty pit for some time, watching the smoke rise as they contemplated what they had been through. By the time Fleur left, the smoke had begun to fade. Dash noticed her departure and put a hand on Rarity’s shoulder, gently encouraging her they should leave as well.

Rarity cast one last look down the pit. She leaned over and spat into it, giving into her impulse to deliver one last spite, one last humiliation to the pit and the memory of what had been inside it. She joined Rainbow Dash in leaving, leaving it all behind. For good, they hoped.

Rarity and Rainbow Dash returned home.

Rarity let out a sigh. It felt like such a huge weight had been lifted off her shoulders. She felt so relieved. The best part of it was, no one was ever going to have to live through and endure what she and Rainbow Dash had been through ever again.

“You coming to bed?” Rainbow Dash asked.

“You go on, darling.” Rarity said. “I want to freshen up first.”

“Okay. Don’t see why you need to do that before going to bed. We’re all a mess in the morning. But I will be a good husband and respect your decisions.” Rainbow Dash bowed, and contrary to what Rarity was expecting, it didn’t come across as mocking. Dash left the room.

Rarity went into her workroom. She looked around, scanning for bottles of makeup and blush. Her eyes fell on her table. An idea came to her. It might even have compelled her, possessed her, because she once got the idea, she knew she wasn’t going to stop until she had done it.

“Hmm … say …”

Rarity began rummaging through the house.

“I know I have … an old one of these … somewhere.” Rarity grumbled, digging through her one of her closets and tossing anything that wasn’t related to what she wanted aside. “Ah … here it is.”

Rarity grunted, heaving an old model of typewriter out from her closet shelf. Grunting all the way she carried, she hefted the typewriter onto the table, where it fell down with a slam.

“Oof.” Rarity lurched. This thing was heavy.

“Rrraaa …” A mutter came from upstairs.

Rarity grimaced. She hoped the typewriter slamming on the table hadn’t woken up Rainbow Dash.

Rarity scooted out her chair and set down. She began to type into the machine. Her first words were the title.

Rarity continued to write, clacking away on the typewriter’s keys, until she had finished the introduction which would set out the basic premise of the book for the reader.

“Hmm.” Rarity mused, drawing a blank for what would be her first words after the opening paragraph. “You know what?” Rarity snapped her fingers and got up. “I think I’m going to need some coffee for this.”

Rarity went into the kitchen. She set up the coffee machine and had it make her a cup.

When she returned to the work room, holding a cup of coffee in her hands, using a towel to protect herself and keep the cup from burning her palm, she was blown away to see Twilight Sparkle, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, and Rainbow Dash all sitting or standing at the table, leaning over the typewriter.

“Wha-what are you all doing here?” Rarity asked, barely able to keep from dropping her cup.

“When you dropped this thing on the table, it woke me up.” Rainbow Dash pointed at the typewriter. “So I came down here to investigate. I went over and looked at this thing, and when I saw what you were working on, I went out and gathered our friends as fast as I could so they could come over and proofread for it. Initially, I was gonna stop at just Twilight, but she convinced it’d be better to make an entire friendship affair between all of us.”

“Well, I … I truly don’t know what to say, darlings.”

“Say you’ll make us some coffee to help us as we bear through your terrible prose.” Applejack quipped. Twilight smacked her on the back of the head.

“Actually, Rarity, you haven’t written a whole lot yet, but we’ve already come up with some improvements that you could make.”

“You have? Well, let’s see… ” Rarity returned to the table and took her seat. “What are they, then?”

“You’re missing a period right here.” Fluttershy pointed to the spot on the page where the missing period was.

“Okay.” Rarity set the paper back and worked on making the changes.

“This sentence would read better if you would move this part over here.” Twilight said, tracing her finger along the page.

“Oh, I see. That does make it look better, doesn’t it?” Rarity observed.

“And then there’s this part.” Applejack said. “It’s a bit flowery.”

“Yeah.” Dash smirked. “What, are you writing an autobiography, or an epic fantasy novel?”

“I have a flowery manner of speaking, darling.” Rarity defended herself, crossing her arms.

“No, no.” Twilight said. “She might have just been trying to get under your skin, Rarity, but Applejack has a point. If you introduce this kind of fancy talk this soon into the book before the readers have a chance to get familiar with you and comfortable with your manner of speaking, it might turn them off.”

“Really? I … hadn’t thought of that.” Rarity put her hand to her chin.

“That’s what we’re here for.” Twilight said.

So Rarity worked on her autobiography into the late hours of dusk, listening to and taking her friends’ advice, their chatter about what to improve, what to say, and how to say it lasting long into the night.

Author's Notes:

I had planned for a heroic sacrifice of Rarity in the end to signify the series was well and truly done and dead by killing off the main protagonist. Ultimately, up not doing that. It just didn't work out, and because when I was trying to think of the ending, ending on a sweet scene with a callback to Rarity's originally sarcastic remark seemed too good to not do.
I had planned for Suri to join the ex-monsters support group, reasoning she was still an ex-monster given her past of being a liar and thief, even if she was never transformed like the rest of them, but then it seemed to me that simply being in a role reversal with Coco Pommel was enough to signify the end of her arc and that she had come full circle.

Other Deleted Scenes Were:
Discord being just a slightly bigger help in Chapter 9 and justifying his presence in this story, as he would taken Rarity on a “Journey To The Center of Her Mind” which would have helped with the whole “realization and healing process” of hers and made a call back to Silver Lens’ comment abouting seeing ‘shards’ when she looked at Rarity. Rarity would look into a mirror in Discord’s vision and seen herself as ‘shards,’ which would have been punctuated by Discord holding up a vase and comparing to Rarity.

Another idea would have been Celestia coming to the girls in the middle of the story with Discord still imprisoned stone and tasking them with his reform. Drawing parallels to her experiences in this story, Rarity would have refused and tossed her Element of Harmony into a body of water to keep Discord from being allowed free. This would have caused some trouble with the rest of the girls.

I had thought about writing out a deleted scene showing what Sunset’s entry into the story would have been like, but after some thought, I have decided not to do that. Basically, the gist of it is that she would have been too similar to Fleur in story role had I used that version - the way story is allows Sunset to be a more distinct entity while still serving as a member of Rarity’s support group, which is ultimately better for the story as a whole. Her role as a villain is better, because again, she would have simply copied Fleur's purpose otherwise, in being a monsterifed victim, who Rarity would come to after they were cured and try to help heal them - and thus heal herself in doing so.

Additionally, I tried (and failed) to write 'double duty dialogue' which made sense following from both the existing villain-Sunset version of the story and the non-existing non-villain Sunset version, but the way the dialogue has written out, it just makes too much mention of her villainous role for it to still make sense. I will liken to branching path that was supposed to have two roads, but only one destination, but only one road actually leads to the destination unless I’m willing to throw some dynamite at it (which I’m not).

Not to mention, The extra scene would cover old ground, with Honeycomb making Sunset lactate and her freaking out as she was turned into a bee - something which was covered in the story, and about the only thing left would be for Sunset to lactate honey, which I’m pretty sure she’s done in the proper story already. So yeah, not enough point to it to justify the effort and time to write out this deleted scene.

So here we are. At the end. It’s kind of bittersweet saying goodbye, but I’m glad that it’s over and I’m proud to say that this story - and this series - is finished. I won’t be making any more of it.

Especially given what happened to my now massively-swollen (and not always in a good way) first crossover story I wrote and published, which I am now dragging my heels out and trying to lock up and do away with after three years of starting the last story of that series. I don’t want to go through that with this series, and as I’ve mentioned elsewhere … I’m more than ready to move on pony fanfiction.

Wanted to include this scene, but I couldn't figure out how to make it work smoothly in the final chapter proper, so here it is;

Suri opened the door to the Ponyville Police Station. Nervous, she went inside. She worried they might have wanted to talk to her about her past plagiarism and other dirty tricks, or perhaps her treatment of Coco Pommel.

“This way.” An officer directed her.

Suri was lead to a sparse room with three chairs and a desk. Sunset was sitting in one.

“Hey.” Sunset waved her fingers at her.

“Hi there.”

“Wait here for just a bit. The chief will be with you in a moment.” The officer told them before leaving the room.

Suri pulled up a seat. “I didn’t expect to see you again so soon.”

“Well, I was on my way back home when I got a message telling me the Ponyville police needed to ask me a few questions.”

“Really? I got the same message.”

The door opened again. The chief entered the room and sat on the other side of the desk. Sunset and Suri became even more nervous.

“Good morning, officer.” Suri saluted, trying to make a good impression.

“What can we do for you?” Sunset asked.

“I need to ask you ladies a couple of questions.” The chief replied. “Specifically, about you kidnapping and dragging a woman against her will to a hotel room?”

“Oh.” Suri nodded. “That. Um …”

“Well …” Sunset rubbed the back of her neck.

“You see, she was …”

“Listen.” Sunset scooted her chair forward, the legs of the chair dragging across the ground. “Could I contact Princess Celestia? I’m … sort of an ex-student of hers, and we’ve already told her everything. She can explain everything about all this and clear this up.”

The officer raised an eyebrow, skeptical of Sunset’s claims of being so closely linked to the Princess. “Uh-huh … alright, I’ll indulge you.” He reached into his desk and pulled out a piece of parchment.

“Whoo.” Sunset sighed in relief. It might take a while, but soon, she’d get her message to Celestia and she would come and explain what happened and sort this out.