“Uuughh …” Rarity groaned, opening the door to her house. She had meant to swing it wide open and slam it against the wall to grab someone’s attention, but she was so tired after being tied up and running as fast she could to get away from the cave. She limped inside, her legs staggering, her bunch hunched over, and collapsed against the door in exhaustion. This, at least drew the attention she was wanting.

“Rarity?” Rainbow Dash came out of their bedroom and looked over the rail, rubbing her tired eyes. “What are you doing coming back so late at … night?” Rainbow’s eyes widened when she saw Rarity’s injured, tired state, and she rushed down the stairs to comfort her beau, running up to the door and wrapping her arms around Rarity, letting her rest her head on Dash’s chest.

“Oh my gosh, Rarity, are you okay?” Dash asked. She cupped Rarity’s cheek. “What happened?”

“Chrysalis’ little pets came by and kidnapped me.” Rarity answered. “They ambushed me in the kitchen and overwhelmed me. Through some stroke of luck, I managed to escape … with some help.” Rarity nuzzled her head into Dash’s chest.

“Oh, Rarity, I’m so sorry …” Dash closed her heads and rested her chin on Rarity’s scalp. “I should have been there … I should have been able to protect you.”

“It’s quite alright, my love.” Rarity assured her. “They were so quiet, I barely noticed them … I don’t think anybody was expecting them to come to our house and be able to sneak in the way they did.”

“Aaauuh.” Dash groaned. “We need to do something about Chrysalis and her little band of - of - of guppies.”

“Agreed.” Rarity said. “But what can we do?”

“I don’t know.” Dash shook her head. “

“We’ll try to figure out in the morning.”

“Yup.” In the meantime, you could use some rest. Let’s get you to bed and … hope no else comes to cause us trouble for the rest of the night.” Rainbow Dash began to walk Rarity towards the bedroom. “You’ve been through a rough night. Are you hungry? Could you use a snack? Maybe some … um, milk? But not, like, the pervy kind, you know, the carton stuff. The one you get in the store.”

“No, no.” Rarity said. “I just want to go to bed … with you. Although … I have a question for you, Rainbow …”

“Shoot.”

“‘Guppies’?”

Rainbow Dash blinked. “Look, it’s late and I’m tired, okay? It was all I could think of.”

“Okay.” Rarity smiled. She cupped Dash’s cheek. “My little guppy.”

“Staaaahp.” Dash complained through a smile and a blush.

“I can’t help it, Dash. You’re so cute when you’re embarrassed …”

“Heh.” Rainbow Dash chuckled and carried Rarity the rest of the way to bed, where they could both sleep for the rest of the night.

To Rarity’s and Dash’s mercy and relief, no else came to their house in the middle of the night trying to enact any more kidnapping schemes. After waking up and making sure they were both presentable, the first thing they did was they went up to Twilight’s house and knocked on the door.

“Oh. Hey, girls.” Twilight greeted them upon opening the door. “What can I do for you?”

“It’s Chrysalis.” Rarity said. “Her little cronies kidnapped me last night. I managed to escape, but … I think this has gone on long enough, and so does Rainbow Dash. Don’t you?”

Dash nodded.

“We need a plan.” Rarity said.

Twilight, worrying, dug her teeth into a lip, bringing her knuckles up to her chin. She nodded. “Okay. I’ll go get the rest of the girls, and we’ll start working on a plan. It might take me awhile, since it’s still the morning … they’ll probably have just woken up, and Applejack will want to do chores.”

“I understand. Take all the time you need.” Rarity said. Twilight smiled and closed the door. Rarity promptly turned around and walked away. “And as a bonus, that will give me the time to attend some things I need to do …”

“Rarity?” Dash asked. “Where are you going?”

“I’m off to a meeting, Rainbow Dash.” Rarity said. “Honestly, you can’t expect me to just hang around doing nothing while Twilight gathers the rest of friends, can you? I have appointments to make, promises to keep!”

“But … you just got back.” Dash said. “You were kidnapped last night, Rarity, kidnapped!”

“Yes, I was.” Rarity said. “Which only makes all the more important I get this done before something else unfortunate happens. Don’t worry. I’ll be careful.”

Dash’s wings sagged and she frowned. “Promise me you won’t take too long?”

Rarity spun back around and put her fingers on Dash’s chin. She gave Dash a kiss. “I promise. Now if you’ll excuse me, I really must be off …”

Elsewhere, Fleur-de-lis made her way towards the building where the support group attended by Dash met. As she walked, she held up an enigmatic card in her hand, inviting her to the building.

Dear Fleur-de-lis
Please attend the seminar at this address, which will begin at 11 in the morning.
I hope to see you there.

Why the card was so vague on purpose was odd to Fleur, but she recognized the handwriting as Rarity’s, so she trusted it, even if she wondered why Rarity felt the need for the obfuscation.

Entering the building, she made her way inside to the room Rarity had specified.

“Oh.” Fleur said, seeing Sunset Shimmer sitting on a chair inside the room. “Hello. I wasn’t expecting anyone else to be here.”

“I wasn’t either.” Sunset said. She stood up and offered her hand to Fleur-de-lis. “Sunset Shimmer. You are?”

Fleur hesitated, as handshakes were not the preferred method for Canterlot ladies to greet each other, but shook Sunset’s hand and introduced herself. “I’m Fleur-de-lis. Fancypants’ wife.”

Sunset gave an awkward smile. “ … who?”

“Fancypants?” Fleur said. “Only one of the richest, most-influential, non-royal people in all of Canterlot? That Fancypants? Wears a monocle which he pretends is for show, but he does actually have bad eyesight?”

“I’m sorry.” Sunset said. “I’ve been … away from home for a long time, so I’m not entirely abreast of what’s happening on the social scene.”

Fleur winced. She wrapped her arms around her chest, thinking back to her recent experiences. “Did you have to say ‘abreast’? You couldn’t have just said ‘up to date’?”

“ … sorry.” Sunset rubbed the back of her head. She should have known better. She had been a honey-lactating bee-creature for the last few days.

“Ah!” Rarity appeared in the doorway and slid her way around Fleur. “Fleur! So glad that you managed to come! And Sunset Shimmer is here too, I see.”

Fleur smiled while Sunset grew impatient.

“Yes, yes, we’re all here. Now, Rarity, if you wouldn’t mind explaining why you called us up and what it is we’re doing here?” Sunset asked.

“Of course.” Rarity said, putting her hands together. “I went to a support group for those. suffering with addictions. As much as I hate to admit it, it … it really helped. So, I got to thinking. I was inspired. Going on from their example, I made this; I’d like to welcome you both to the first monthly meeting of Rarity’s Ex-Monsters Support Group.”

“‘Ex-Monsters?’” Sunset asked.

Fleur looked at Sunset before turning back to Rarity. “Rarity, I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but we’re not monsters.”

“Oh really?” Rarity crossed her arms. “So, Sunset, you weren’t a bee-woman until fairly recently, and Fleur, you weren’t infected by a mind-controlling slime parasite inside you? And neither of you have any trauma from that? Or did you both just happen to forget those tiiiny little details?”

Fleur and Sunset grimaced in embarrassment.

Fleur quickly changed the subject. She held up her card. “And why were you so vague on the invitation?”

“Because I thought if you two knew what this was supposed to be about, you might decide to not come, even though you both need this.”

“And you didn’t think not telling us might also lead to us deciding not to come?” Sunset asked, raising an eyebrow. “Some of us prefer to know where we’re going. You can’t always expect our curiosity to beat our caution.”

“Ah, but you came, didn’t you? Enough. Come, sit down.” Rarity said, gesturing to the chairs. She took the lead, being the first among them to sit. Fleur and Sunset did as they were told. “Talk to me, girls. Tell me what’s been on your mind. What’s bothering you? And I know something has to be bothering you. Trust me, girls. I’ve been through the exact same thing you have.” Rarity gestured a hand to her heart. “Tell me what’s wrong.”

Fleur and Sunset looked at each other.

“Don’t be shy.” Rarity said.

“I guess I’ll go first.” Sunset Shimmer said. She took a deep breath and sighed. “After … Twilight did what she did, I felt … humiliated. I was embarrassed. I was just so angry, and I blamed her for anything in my life that went wrong from that point on. I … I made up and sold myself this false narrative about me taking back the old life Twilight took from me, and I just kept telling it to myself over and over until I believed it. I was convinced that was what happened, when … it wasn’t.” Sunset looked at the ground.

“And I got so … so caught up in trying to take back what I thought I lost, I came back here … even though I had a perfectly good life waiting for me in my new home. I came back home to take my anger out on Twilight, and I was so consumed by the thought of taking petty revenge on her that I … I didn’t realize that what she took from me was something I was better off without, and I let myself get turned into a bee monster. Into a drone. Into a weapon. I had my body … changed against my will, and instead of being the domineering, sultry, manipulate mistress I thought I was, I was a stinger for someone else to point at whatever they wanted.”

Sunset took a deep breath and sighed. She gave a bright smile.

“Wow.” Sunset put a finger to her chin. “Thanks, Rarity. That really did help. I had no idea confessing all that could take so much weight off my shoulders …”

“I know.” Rarity said. “I felt the same way after I confessed to my other group.” Rarity turned to Fleur. Fleur-de-lis, that makes it your turn.”

Fleur’s eyebrows raised. “Why does it have to be my turn? Why can’t it be your turn?”

"Because I've already been through all of this and gotten through it. Well, more or less …"

Fleur hung her head and sighed. “Fine.” She looked up at the ceiling, her pink locks falling on her shoulder. “I guess … I guess I’m just worried.”

“About?” Sunset gave Fluer a needed prod.

“Worried it’s going to come back again.” Fleur said. “Worried my infection will be back. That one day, without warning, a little bit of orange will drip out of my mouth, and the next thing I know, I’ll be force feeding Fancypants milk until he vomits.”

Rarity pursed her lips and looked away.

"That maybe I enjoyed it too much. That maybe I’ll do it again, that I’ll want to do it again, that I’m … I’m a bad person because I enjoyed it. I liked it. I liked feeling powerful. I liked being able to make others do what I want and taking control of them with my tentacles and my milk.”

Fleur teared up.

“I … I liked being the hunter. The predator. I liked when found Applejack out alone in her orchard, I liked barging in and tearing down the boards of your room, Rarity … I … ” Fleur’s voice broke, and her tears pooled down the sides of her face. “I’m a bad person, I’m a bad person …” Fleur put her hands over her face as she sobbed. Sunset Shimmer wasn’t sure what to do.

Rarity got up and walked over to Fleur. She grabbed Fleur’s wrists and took her hands off her face. Fleur looked up at Rarity with an open jaw, not sure what to think of what Rarity was doing. Rarity wrapped her wrapped her arms around Fleur’s head and pulled Fleur into her chest.

“It’s alright.” Rarity said. “Let it all out. Let out your tears.” Fleur wrapped her arms around Rarity’s waist and sobbed her into chest. “It’s okay. That’s what we’re here to do. To release all those horrible feelings inside.”

Rarity nuzzled Fleur’s head.

“I forgive you. Applejack forgives you. You’re not a bad person, Fleur-de-lis. You’re just as much a victim as Applejack or even myself. You are not a bad person. Okay?”

Fleur took her head out of Rarity’s chin. Fleur taking her arm and wiping away the tears from her face. She looked up at Rarity and nodded.
“Well, I think this has been a rather successful test run for our first day.” Rarity said. “But after that display of waterworks, I think it would be best to call it for the day, before another one of us shares something that makes us break down into tears. I think one emotionally heavy moment is enough for one meeting, don’t you?”

Fleur chuckled. She and Sunset both nodded.

Rarity clapped her hands. “I hereby declare the first meeting of Rarity’s Ex-Monsters Support Group concluded … and a success.”

Fleur and Sunset got out of their seats.

“Thanks, Rarity.” Fleur said. “That … that really did help.”

“Think nothing of it, darling.”

Fleur put her hands on Rarity’s shoulders. She and Rarity gave each other kisses on the cheek. They looked towards Sunset Shimmer, who wasn’t participating in the goodbye ceremony.

“Oh, um.” Sunset held up her hands and backed away. “I’m not really the ‘cheek kisses’ kind of person. A simple wave will do.” Sunset waved goodbye, making her way to the door before Rarity and Fleur forcefully dragged her into partaking in the smoochin’. “Bye!”

“Hmm.” Rarity chuckled at Sunset’s obvious avoidance.

Fleur put hands together over her chest. She looked up at Rarity. “Are you really sure I’m not a bad person?”

Rarity put a hand on Fleur’s shoulder. “No worse than I am, dear.”

Fleur smiled. “Alright … bye, Rarity. I guess I’ll see you again soon. When’s the next meeting?”

“Honestly, I haven’t decided yet.” Rarity said. “But when I do, you and Sunset will be the first to know.”

Rarity waved goodbye as Fleur left the room.

After Fleur had gone, Rarity left the building and went outside. She stopped in front of the building, resting one hand on her hip.

“You know …” Rarity said. “Come to think of it, it’s just occurred to me I haven’t Sweetie Belle all morning … I would think I would have surely at least seen her somewhere … ”

There was a knock at Carousel Boutique.

Rainbow Dash zipped to the door and opened, hoping it was Rarity. It was Suri.

“Oh.” Rainbow said. “It’s you. What do you want?”

“Hello.” Suri smiled nervously. “I was wondering if … maybe I could talk to Diamond Tiara?”

“You can try.” Dash said. “Diamond Tiara! It’s for you!”

“What? What is it?” Diamond wondered as she came to the front. She saw Suri and had the expected reaction. “Oh. It’s you.” Diamond crossed her arms.

“It’s me.” Suri said. “Um … I understand if you say no, but, I was wondering … Diamond Tiara, if you would join me for lunch?”

Diamond pursed her lips, evidently thinking about it.

“Fine.” Diamond said, walking up to Suri and moving past her out the door. Diamond pointed at Suri. “But understand I’m just coming with you for free food, nothing else.”

Suri nodded and let Diamond pass. She gave Dash an apologetic smile for the awkward scene. Dash rolled her eyes and began the close the door, which Suri took as a cue for her leave before Diamond got too far ahead of her.

Rarity returned to her home, locking the door behind her. Rainbow Dash, enthused to see her, rushed out and bent over the side of the stair rail.

“You’re back!”

“Yes, darling, I am.” Rarity said. She looked around. "Say, where is Diamond Tiara?"

"Suri came over and invited her to lunch." Dash said.

"And she said yes?" Rarity was surprised.

“Yup. Twilight’s still gathering the rest of the gang.” Rainbow Dash said. “Apparently, Discord decided now would be a good time to pull off some kinda prank … I’ve been told Fluttershy’s house is covered in orange pulp.:

“Of course he did. I’m sure he only meant to provide amusement, and was just trying to give her a good laugh. Celestia knows we could all use one. Have you seen Sweetie Belle today?”

“Sweetie Belle?” Dash said. She rubbed her chin. “Now that you mention it … I don’t think I have.”

“Mmm. Troublesome.” Rarity said. “Between everything that’s happened, especially with Chrysalis and company, not seeing her doesn’t bode well …”

“You don’t think something’s happened to her? That they have her?”

“It’s a definite possibility, and we can’t rule it out.” Rarity said. “But I want to look around town and ask if anyone else has seen before we start to panic.”

Rarity and Rainbow Dash went outside and split up to search the town.

“Scootaloo?” Rarity asked, finding Scootaloo hanging out by a luncheon. “Hello, there, darling. Given what’s happened between you two lately, I understand if this is a terribly awkward question to ask, but have you seen Sweetie Belle lately?”

“No.” Scootaloo said. “Why? Is she missing?”

“It’s starting to look that way …” Rarity said with a grimace.

Rainbow Dash went to the place where neither she nor Rarity liked to visit or think about. Thinking outside the box, she went to Silver Lens’ building and knocked on the door.

Silver Lens answered with professional haste, surprised to see Rainbow Dash there. “Oh. Hello, Um … what - what can I do for you, Miss Dash?”

“Have you seen Sweetie Belle?” Rainbow asked. “She’s been going through a lot lately, and Rarity and I figured she might have come to you to talk about it in a session.”

“I’m flattered you think so highly of me.” Silver Lens said. “But no, I’m afraid I haven’t seen Sweetie Belle. She certainly didn’t schedule a session with me.”

“Not good.” Dash clenched her fist. “Thanks.” Dash turned to leave.

“Rainbow Dash, wait!”

Dash looked over her shoulder.

“I’m … sorry.” Silver Lens said. “About what happened, and the role I played in allowing it to happen.”

Dash turned away from her. She scoffed.

“Yeah, alright …”

Dash resumed walking.

Having searched everywhere around Ponyville they could and combing through all of Sweetie Belle’s usual hangouts, Rarity and Rainbow Dash met up at the front of their house, both of them with slight panic, Dash’s wings bristling uncomfortably.

“I can’t find her anywhere.” Dash said. “I tried their old clubhouse. I tried all the restaurants I know she likes. Heck, I even tried their old school, just to see if maybe she was feeling nostalgic, but the teacher said she hadn’t seen her.”

Rarity made fists. “Oh no … I looked everywhere I could. I tried the ice cream joints, the arcade, everywhere I know Scootaloo likes in case she might have been trying to study her …”

Rarity rested her hand on the door and leaned against the Boutique. She ran a hand over her forehead and through her hair.

“There’s no denying it.” Rarity said. “My little sister Sweetie Belle is missing.”

Sunset Shimmer walked around the forest, hands in the pockets of her leather blazer, ready to head on home and leave this whole mess behind her.

At least until the next meeting, I guess. She thought.

Sunset stopped, hearing something coming from the woods.

“Aaaah … aaaah … aaaah …”

Sunset was immediately entranced. She didn’t notice the thin tendrils of green mist seeping out from the trees, slipping between branches and going towards her as if they were reaching out to grab her. A green glow in her eyes, Sunset, hunching over, walked towards the source of the noise. Such melodious music, such wondrous sound! It enchanted her. It called to her. It was the most beautiful singing Sunset had ever heard, even if was just the same few lyrics repeated over and over. The repetition did nothing to diminish its beauty. If anything, it enhanced it, showing how its grace and allure could overcome the fallibility of infirm, feeble songwriters.

Sunset arrived at a swampy part of the forest. She walked through the mud, stomping her boot into the muck, not caring about filth as long as she could find the source of the music.

It was a gorgeous woman clad in purple, resting against a tree with her hands over her chest.

“Aaaah … aaaah …” Adagio Dazzle continued to sing, before stopping, taking notice of Sunset Shimmer. “Oh, hello. And you are?”

“Sun …” Sunset stammered, still taken by her beauty. “Sunset Shimmer.”

“Sunset Shimmer.” Adagio nodded. “Nice name.” Adagio walked up to her.

Sunset stared, transfixed. She paid close attention to Adagio’s shaking hips as Adagio made her way over. Adagio put her fingers on Sunset’s chin, causing Sunset to moan in pleasure. She was overwhelmed that a beauty like Adagio would even take notice of her, much less recognize her presence with a physical gesture.

Adagio drew her finger around Sunset’s chin, walking in a circle around her. She cupped Sunset’s cheek and ran her hand through Sunset’s hair before completing her loop.

“Hey …” Sunset said, beginning to recognize Adagio. “Haven’t I seen you somewhere before? With Chrysalis?”

Adagio, not losing her cool, chuckled. “Maybe you did, but don’t take that to mean anything. She was just someone I was with because it was convenient for me. I’m no longer with her. Oh, no, no, no, see, now … ” Adagio pinched Sunset’s chin. “Now you have my interest, Sunset Shimmer.”

“I - I do?”

“Oh, yes.” Adagio hissed in a low, low octave which made Sunset’s heart absolutely melt into a puddle, and turned her knees to jelly. “You, Sunset Shimmer, with your beauty, your lovely body, your gorgeous red hair ...” Adagio flicked one of Sunset’s bangs. “You have my … undivided attention, Sunset.”

Adagio walked Sunset again, brushing her fingers along Sunset’s shoulders.

“But there is one thing.” Adagio said. “Aren’t you friends with one … Twilight Sparkle?”

“I think so, yeah … yes. We’re friends.” Sunset moved and sniffed Adagio’s shoulder, taking in her scent.

Adagio chuckled. “Would you mind telling me … where and when I can find Twilight at her most vulnerable? What’s her schedule? What are her habits? What are her weaknesses, her strengths?”

“Vulnerable?” Sunset asked. “No … Twilight’s my friend.”

Adagio went behind Sunset Shimmer. She reached her hands up Sunset’s body before wrapping her hands around Sunset’s breasts, curling her fingers on them one by one before giving Sunset a tight squeeze.

“I want to be your friend, too, Sunset Shimmer …” Adagio whispered into Sunset’s ear. Adagio massaged Sunset’s breasts, rubbing her palms up and down. “But to do that, I need to be sure you can be honest with me. What can you tell me about Twilight Sparkle?”

“But …”

Adagio stuck out her tongue. Hissing with anticipation to continue her seduction of Sunset Shimmer and take her, in mind and body, Adagio gave Sunset’s ear a long, drawn out lick.

“Ooooh-whoa.” Sunset moaned and shivered.

A massive blue blast flew in from the west, striking Adagio Dazzle and knocking her off Sunset Shimmer, throwing her into the mud.

Sunset groaned and rubbed her forehead. She stood where she was in a daze, beginning to come out of Adagio’s trance without Adagio’s teasing and exciting her.

Rarity marched in, her hands burning with blue flame. She stepped in front of Adagio, slamming her foot into the muck to make splash and get Adagio’s attention. Adagio groaned and rubbed her head.

“Where’s Sweetie Belle?” Rarity asked.

Adagio looked up at Rarity and chuckled. “I don’t know. What makes you think I have her?”

“I’m in no mood to play your games, Adagio Dazzle.” Rarity said. “You kidnapped me last night. I escaped. It stands to reason that, if you couldn’t get me, Chrysalis put you up to kidnapping my sister.”

“Actually, Chrysalis and I are no longer working together.” Adagio said with a smirk.

“Hmm. For some reason, I don’t believe you.”

Rarity reached out her hand to the forest. Enveloping a large tree limb with her magic’s blue glow, Rarity snapped the tree branch and brought it 'round, twirling it like a boomerang before she bludgeoned Adagio in the face with it.

“I am not going to ask you again. Where is Sweetie Belle? What have you done with her? Where is my sister, you tart?”

Adagio kept up her arrogant smile, only interrupted when she wiped the blood trickling off her chin. “Like I told you, I don’t know. I didn’t have anything to do with your sister … and I don’t where Chrysalis might be keeping her.”

“I thought you said you were no longer with Chrysalis?” Rarity asked. Adagio’s smile faltered, but she resumed it, looking up at Rarity with a confident expression.

Rarity adjusted the branch. She aimed the sharper tip of the branch at Adagio’s neck, taking aim. This was enough deterrent to wipe the smile off her face completely.

Rarity wiled the branch to rear up and back.

“Oof!” Sunset Shimmer tackled Rarity from the side, bringing them both into the muck and causing Rarity to lose her focus, making her lose the telekinetic hold of the branch and drop it into the water next to them, where it splashed. Adagio, not one to waste an opportunity, got to her feet and dashed off into the forest.

“Ugggh! Aaaugh!” Frustrated both at being covered in grime and losing Adagio, Rarity sat upright and threw Sunset Shimmer off. Rarity stood up and dusted her clothes off, while Sunset got to her feet.

Rarity turned to and glared at Sunset. “You shouldn’t have interrupted me.”

“What was I supposed to do, Rarity?” Sunset asked. “You were going to kill her!” She gestured her arm out.

“Well, yes! That was the idea!” Rarity snapped. She pinched the bridge of her nose.

“So what, I was just supposed to stand by and let you take a life?” Sunset asked. “That goes against everything Celestia taught me.”

“Celestia isn’t here right now!” Rarity barked. “Honestly, Sunset Shimmer … you say you’ve changed. I want to believe you’ve changed. But after that little display and saving her life, how I do know you’re not actually one of them? One of those siren … monsters?”

Sunset gasped and covered her mouth in shock at the word. Her eyes watered and she sobbed. Sunset shook her head to clear her thoughts, wiping the tears away on her leather sleeve. She socked Rarity in the cheek, knocking Rarity back into the mud.

Sunset turned around, clenching her fists.

“I did the right thing.” Sunset said. “The morally … right thing. Even if it was a little inconvenient to you. Taking someone’s life isn’t something you should do lightly, Rarity. It’s not something you do on impulse.”

Sunset walked off, trekking through the muck.

Rarity growled and pushed her hands down into the mud, trying to push herself up. She called after Sunset as she walked away. “Traitor.”

“Psychopath.” Sunset shot back.

Rarity turned away. Glancing her eyes back at Sunset only once, she glared at the air, lying there in the mud and fuming, yet recognizing Sunset had a point. She needed to sit, cool off, and calm down before she did something there was no going back from.

“Chrysalis! Chrysalis!” Adagio complained, clutching at her head, running through to the forest to Chrysalis’ current location.

“What is it, dear?” Chrysalis as Adagio ran up to her and embraced her, wrapping her arms around Chrysalis’ body and resting her head on Chrysalis.

“That mean, nasty Rarity hit me with a branch!” Adagio complained, sounding like a child. She put her hand back on her head. “And it really hurt, too!” Adagio moved her head, and her eyes shrunk in fear when she saw blood on her fingerless glove.

“Ssh.” Chrysalis leaned down and gave Adagio’s wound a kiss. Chrysalis separated from Adagio.

Sweetie Belle was sitting on a rock, entranced. Her eyes were wide open and tinted green.

Chrysalis put a finger beneath Sweetie Belle’s chin and waved her hand in front of Sweetie’s face. Sweetie Belle’s mouth gasped and opened like a dispensing machine, green mist flying out from inside. Chrysalis weaved her hand through the mist, coiling it and spooling it around her fingers. Chrysalis went back to Adagio, touching the spooled mist to the wound on her head. The mist winded its way into the wound and healed Adagio, sewing the wound up and regenerating her skin.

“Don’t worry, my dear.” Chrysalis stroked Adagio’s chin. “Soon, you won’t have to worry about Rarity any longer … none of us will. None of us will have to worry about Twilight or any of her friends any longer.”

Adagio smiled, happy to simply have Chrysalis’ touch upon her.

Aria Blaze stuck her tongue out in disgust. Sonata curled her hands uncomfortably. Sonata hopped down from the rock she was on, continuing to rub her hands together.

“Well, um, if you’ll excuse me …” Sonata Dusk said. “I’m gonna go be … somewhere else. Yeah.” Sonata walked off.

“That’s fine.” Chrysalis waved her hand, not really paying attention.

Aria glared at Sonata as the latter made their departure. Sonata could feel Aria’s eyes burning on her back until she was out of sight.

“Ugh.” Aria groaned, disgusted with Adagio slobbering over Chrysalis like a malnourished puppy who only got treats from her and no one else, and suspicious of Sonata Dusk. "Hey, Chrysalis?”

"Yes?" Chrysalis said.

"I got a suggestion for you." Aria said. "Don't trust Sonata Dusk. Keep an eye on her."

"Hmm. Noted." Chrysalis said before turning her attention away.

“Well.” Aria rubbed her hands together, getting ready for action. “I’m the only true siren left. I guess that leaves it up to me. I need a plan … and I have one.

Aria swiveled on her seat and jumped off her rock perch with much more enthusiasm and energy than Sonata’s dainty hop down. Not bothering to let Chrysalis or lovesick Adagio know where she was going, Aria Blaze snuck away, tiptoeing.

Rarity rested on her kitchen table, burying her head in her arms, sobbing and crying while Rainbow Dash patted her on the back. She was having a bit of a breakdown in regards to Sweetie Belle.

“I … I should have been able to keep better track of her.” Rarity cried. “I should have been able to protect her, to keep her safe.”

“I know, I know.” Rainbow Dash said. “I know exactly how you feel, Rarity … how did you think I felt when you come last night and told me you’d been nabbed?”

Rarity continued on, ignoring Rainbow Dash’s attempt to console her. Considering emotional state right this second, Rainbow Dash let it slide.

“And now my little sister is gone, and who knows where she is!” Rarity shouted. “If Adagio was lying, she’s with Chrysalis, and if she is, unlikely as it may be, telling the truth … well, she’s still probably still with Chrysalis.”

The door creaked open. Rainbow and Rarity glanced to the kitchen entrance. Sonata Dusk made her way inside, her shifty body language dripping with unease.

“Hi.” Sonata Dusk waved at them.

“You’re one of those sirens, aren’t you?” Rainbow Dash got up from her seat and moved towards Sonata, fists bared and ready to give out a beating. Rarity held Dash back, grabbing her by the wrist.

“It’s alright, darling.” Rarity said. “We can … I’m not sure I’d say ‘trust,’ just yet, but there’ll be no harm in listening to what she has to say.” Rarity intertwined her fingers on the table. “She helped me escape.”

“Hmph.” Dash huffed. “The token good Siren, huh?”

Sonata smiled awkwardly and shrugged. “I … guess?”

“Say what you came to say, Sonata, was it?” Rarity said.

“I know who took Sweetie Belle.” Sonata said.

“We know who took Sweetie Belle.” Rainbow Dash said. “Unless you have some actually helpful information, I suggest you get out.”

“And I know what she’s planning on doing with Sweetie Belle.” Sonata Dusk said. “And where she’s keeping her. And where she’s planning to move her next.”

Rarity pushed her chair out. She stood up.

“Where?”

In Sweet Apple Acres, Applejack came in from doing her chores. She slumped down at the dining room chair, having finished her labor and ready to unwind with some food and a drink. Apple Bloom, also at the table, had already gone through the trouble of making Applejack some fritter and pouring her a glass of orange juice.

Applejack looked down at the meal set out for her. “Did y’all make this for me, Apple Bloom?”

“I did.” Apple Bloom said.

“Well, that’s sweet of you.” Applejack picked up the fritter and took a bite. She noticed Apple Bloom staring at her. “Ooh no. I recognize that face. That’s the face you make when you want to talk about something that you know I don’t want to talk about.” Applejack sighed. “What is it, Apple Bloom?”

“What’s happened to my friends?” Apple Bloom asked. “I can barely get ahold of them, and it seems like even when I do, I can only get them to hang out with me for a few minutes before they make up some excuse to leave! And why does Scootaloo seem like she’s tryin’ to avoid Sweetie Belle?”

“Hoo boy.” Applejack adjusted her hat. “Now listen here, Apple Bloom. Your friends are going through a bad patch. It happens to the best of us. Heck, it even happens to me and Twilight.”

“You mean like you and Rarity went through a ‘bad patch’?” Apple Bloom asked, raising a skeptical brow. “A bad patch where you barely talked to each other for years?”

Applejack chuckled nervously. “Eh-heh, yeah … something like that. Look, anyway, the point is … sometimes your friends just need a break. These things take time. Scootaloo is needing a breather and some room to, uh, breath after everything that’s happened, especially after what happened at Rarity’s house.”

“And what happened at Rarity’s house?” Apple Bloom asked.

“Oh, I didn’t tell y’all ‘bout that? … no, of course I didn’t.” Applejack said. “I’ll tell you more later. For now … I’ve been trying to avoid telling this cause I thought it might upset you, but … Sweetie Belle has been after Scootaloo. She’s been pining after her, crushing hard on her.”

“So that’s why they’ve both been acting so weird.” Apple Bloom said.

“‘Fraid so.” Applejack said. “But the thing about crushes is, sometimes, you get crushed. So far, Scootaloo hasn’t accepted any of Sweetie Belle’s advances, and I bet at this point, Sweetie Belle has figured Scootaloo ain’t interested. She’s probably off somewhere, trying to get over it.”

Their table talk was interrupted by a knock on the front door.

“Come in.” Applejack said.

The door opened and shut, and Twilight came into the dining room.

“Oh. Hey there, Twi.”

“Hello, Applejack.” Twilight said. “Have you finished your chores for the morning? And could I get you to come with me?”

“What fer?”

“Chrysalis almost managed to kidnap Rarity last night.” Twilight said. “She, Dash and I are all of the opinion this has gone on long enough. We’re trying to get a meeting together to plan and decide on how we’re going to launch a counter-offensive.”

“That sounds mighty interesting, Twilight, and right up my alley, but Apple Bloom and I were in the middle of a conversation.” Applejack said. “You and the rest of the girls go on ahead without me. I’ll catch up and meet with y’all later.”

Twilight nodded. “Oh, and you should know Sweetie Belle’s -” Twilight paused, looking at Apple Bloom. “Uh …”

“She’s what, Twi?”

“She’s missing.” Apple Bloom said. “She’s missing. That’s it, isn’t it? Probably kidnapped, I bet.”

Twilight nodded. “I’m afraid so, yes.”

“Well, that’s just great.” Apple Bloom complained. “On top of everything else that’s been going on with them, one of my best friends gets kidnapped, and the worst part is, I know Applejack won’t let me help because she’ll be worried about my safety!”

“Glad we understand each other after all these years.” Applejack said.

“I’m sorry, Apple Bloom. But don’t worry. We’re going to do everything we can to get Sweetie Belle back.” Twilight assured her before leaving.

“Yeah, yeah …” Apple Bloom said. She slammed her forehead on the table in in defeat. “Ugh. I need a drink. I’m gonna go get a glass of water.” Apple Bloom got up from her seat and left the room.

“Okay. You do that.” Applejack said, her eyes tracking her sister as she left. Applejack lifted the orange juice to her mouth and sipped.

The front door opened again.

“Consarn it, Twi.” Applejack said, slamming her cup down. “I told y’all, I was in the middle of talking with Apple Bloom.”

“Hurk!” It wasn’t Twilight Sparkle, but Aria Blaze, as Applejack discovered when a purple arm wrapped around her throat from behind. Aria put a hand over Applejack’s mouth to keep her from screaming, and pressed her arm against Applejack’s throat, choking her until she fell unconscious. The thrashing Applejack made caused her chair to scrape across the floor, but it wasn’t enough to get Apple Bloom’s attention. Applejack’s eyes closed and she slumped against the chair.

Aria chuckled. “You should really get better security on that door. It is way too easy for someone to come in and rob the place, or even … kidnap someone.” Aria admired her hands, appreciating a job well done.

Aria picked up Applejack up and lifted Applejack up, hoisting Applejack over her shoulders. Aria let out a grunting groan.

“Ooh, you’re heavy, aren’t you?” Aria asked as she carried Applejack towards the door. “Ever think about going on a diet? Of course, that’s probably mostly muscle, isn’t it?”

Aria continued out the door, uninterrupted and going unnoticed, Twilight being long gone.

Apple Bloom came back into the dining room and saw Applejack was absent. “Applejack? Aaaapplejack? Where’d she go? Maybe she went with Twilight after all …”

Apple Bloom went to the front of the house and ran up to the nearest window. She saw Aria Blaze carting Applejack off over her shoulders and dropped her glass, where it shattered on impact with the floor.

“APPLEJACK!”

Aria Blaze went out to the Everfree Forest, going deep inside and propping Applejack up against a tree. Aria reached behind her and pulled out a bottle of cider from her pocket, popping off the lid. She pressed the tip of the bottle to Applejack’s lips and lifted it upwards, pouring the cider into Applejack’s mouth.

Applejack coughed and sputtered, swallowing some of the cider while coughing equally as much onto the sides of her mouth. She woke up and opened her eyes, feeling tired and groggy. Her vision was blurry before it refocused, Aria coming into view.

“W-who are you?” Applejack asked. “Where am I?”

“I’m nobody.” Aria Blaze said. “And where you are isn’t important right now. But you know what is important, Applejack? Cider. And lots of it.”

“Cider?” Applejack asked.

“I did a little studying up on you.” Aria Blaze said. “You and your family make cider, and need to profit off it enough to keep your house financially afloat in the winter. Well, I did a few little calculations, and guess what! You won’t have enough apples to make enough cider to make it through the winter!”

“Oh no!” Applejack’s eyes widened with fear. “It can’t be! It just can’t! I won’t let that happen.”

“You won’t.” Aria said. “But you’re gonna need a little help, and you have to be willing to do whatever it takes.”

“Whatever it takes to keep my family safe …” Applejack murmured, her head tilting to one side.

“Good.” Aria said. She presented Applejack with the cider. “Drink this. It’ll help you make lots of cider. Lots and lots of cider … from your breasts.” Aria smirked.

“Ooh!” Applejack groaned. “More lactatin’? Do I have to?”

“Yes! You need to be able to produce enough cider the makeup the difference in your harvest this year. Drink up.” Aria smiled.

Applejack sighed. “Fine, I’ll do it.” Applejack swiped the bottle from Aria and chugged it down. She groaned and moaned as her breasts began to swell out, stretching out her vest. The vest quickly became soaked as cider leaked out of Applejack’s chest. Aria Blaze set to work, untying the laces and taking Applejack’s vest and shirt off her. Aria cupped Applejack’s breasts and rubbed them, squeezing them together to get more cider out of them.

“Yes …” Aria hissed. “You need to make cider, Applejack. You need to lactate out lots and lots of cider from your breasts to keep your family safe …”

“Lactate … lots and lots of cider … keep my family safe.” Applejack murmured, rolling her head back. She didn’t notice Aria begin the process of catching her cider in bottles and capping them.

“Yes.” Aria said, twisting a cap onto a bottle. “Lots and lots of cider, which we’ll mix into your regular brew, and then we’ll have all of Ponyville drink it all up … and then they’ll be slaves to you and your cider product, and by extension, through you, slaves to me.” Aria cracked a wicked grin, showing sharp teeth.

Applejack put her hands on her ballooning, swelling breasts, rubbing and squeeze to get more cider to pop out of her flesh. “Ooooh …”

“Yes, that’s it …” Aria purred, capping another bottle and setting it aside with the others. “Just keep squeezing … keep producing. Because you need to produce lots of cider, don’t you?”

“I do …” Applejack said.

“Heh.” Aria chuckled. “I’ll tell you, it wasn’t easy, figuring out what Sunset Shimmer did to you. But the real trick was figuring out how she did it. Thankfully, I have my methods, and I found out how she used the Poison Joke combined with cider to make this … cider lactation potion.” Aria watched with satisfaction as the cider from Applejack’s breasts became frothy and fizzy, covering her chest in foamy bubbles. “Hmm.”

“GET AWAY FROM MY SISTER!”

“What?” Aria stood up and turned around. Her eyes widened when she saw Apple Bloom charging at her, stampeding like a rampaging oxen. Apple Bloom tackled Aria in the midsection and brought to the ground, where Apple Bloom started to lay a pounding on Aria, punching in the face repeatedly to pummel her.

“You - ugh!” Aria rolled over and was able to toss Apple Bloom off. “You shouldn’t mess with things you don’t understand, little girl. You have no idea who you’re dealing with.”

“I’m not a little girl! I’m a young adult!” Apple Bloom protested.

Aria chortled. “You’re still a spry little sproutling compared to me. You have no idea how old I really am.”

Apple Bloom socked Aria in the cheek.

“Old enough to be slow.” Apple Bloom retorted.

Aria rubbed at her struck cheek. She growled at Apple Bloom. “I told you not to mess with things you don’t understand. Do you even understand what I’m doing to your sister?”

“Don’t know. Don’t care.” Apple Bloom said, rearing up her fists for another round of slugging Aria’s face.

“Let me you ask you a follow-up question … once I’m done beating you …” Aria shot her hand out and wrapped it around Apple Bloom’s throat. Apple Bloom choked and gasped. Aria’s fingers had the crushing grip of iron blacksmith tongs. “Do you understand what I’m going to do to you? No? Let me explain. First, I’m going to choke you into submission.” Aria stood up, bringing Apple Bloom with her. “Then, I’m going to do the same thing to you I’m doing to your sister, and make you pour cider out of your breasts. I’m going to suckle them and drink from them, and then I’m going to throw you over a waterfall on a cliff where if the fall doesn’t kill you, either some pointy rocks or drowning will.”

“A-Applejaaack!” Apple Bloom wheezed out, reaching a hand towards her sister. “H-help!”

Applejack blinked, stirred by the sound of her sister’s voice. “Ap … Apple Bloom?” In her disoriented state, Applejack had to squint to focus on Apple Bloom. Her eyes widened, and she felt a shot of adrenaline go through her when she realized her little baby sister was in danger. “Get your filthy hands off my little sister!” Unburdened by her leaking chest, Applejack got up and charged Aria, slamming her elbow into Aria’s back. Aria gasped and released her grip on Apple Bloom by reflex.

Applejack didn’t let up, striking Aria in the back of the head. Applejack grabbed Aria by the shoulders and lifted her up, throwing her into a nearby tree. Applejack marched up to Aria, who was trying to recover and push herself off the bark.

Applejack punched her again, then pinned her to the tree with one arm. She brandished a fist and began pummeling Aria in the face, punching her over and over, producing a grunt of pain with each blow. Aria reached over and squeezed Applejack’s breast, causing a spurt of cider to come bursting out, distracting Applejack and giving Aria the chance to sucker-punch her and make her stumble.

“Applejack!” Apple Bloom exclaimed in worry. She growled, putting on her best ‘tough face,’ and lunged at Aria Blaze, kicking her in the stomach and knocking her back into the tree.

Aria growled back and lunged forward, grabbing Apple Bloom by the shirt. She lifted Apple Bloom up and headbutted her, smashing their foreheads together. Despite the fact this should have been equally debilitating to both of them, only Apple Bloom seemed to feel any pain.

“Aaaah!” Applejack did a football tackle and charged, slamming her shoulder into Aria’s back and pinning her against a different tree.

“Apple Bloom, y’all stay out of this!” Applejack shouted as she worked to keep Aria pinned. “Let your big sister handle this!”

“What?” Apple Bloom was aghast. “No! I can help! Y’all still be sitting there rubbing your own chest if I hadn’t come along!”

“Don’t argue with me, little miss!”

“Darn it, Applejack, I’m not some scared little girl anymore!” Apple Bloom said. “I’m grown! I can handle myself! I can help!”

“No, y’all can’t.” Applejack insisted. “You did good, Apple Bloom, but now it’s time for you get to safety and go home!”

Aria took advantage of Applejack being distracted with yelling at Apple Bloom and was able to slap Applejack with the back of her palm, making Applejack lose her focus enough for Aria to wriggle her way free and buck Applejack off. Aria turned and grabbed Applejack by the shoulders and threw her to the ground. Aria smiled deviously and advanced on her.

“Okay …” Aria said. “I’m ready to bring it down and really start hurting you now. I am going to put you through so much pain … ”

“No one does that to my big sis!” Apple Bloom declared. She yelled and jumped up in the air, twirling around and giving Aria a devastating, painful roundhouse kick right in her spinal column. Aria jerked and staggered forward.

Applejack was shocked and impressed, regarding Apple Bloom with an open jaw. She recomposed herself and smiled at Apple Bloom to assure Apple Bloom she understood, and they were going to do the rest of this as a team. Applejack got to her feet and gave Aria an uppercut, throwing her back.

Apple Bloom reared up her fist and slammed it into Aria’s back, making her stagger forward, where Applejack hit her again. Aria suspected this was what it felt like to be a yoyo.

Apple Bloom and Applejack closed in on, closing the gap, and they both began pounding her, striking her with their fists, kicking her, kneeing her in the stomach and groin, never giving her a an chance to rest and catch her breath. Any opening Aria might have had to counterattack one sibling, was quickly taken care by the other sibling hitting her again, throwing her counter off course.

Aria fell to her knees. She crawled away from them as fast as she could.

“Aww, don’t leave just yet.” Applejack cooed mockingly. “We haven’t finished giving you enough bruises and shiners yet!” Applejack raised up her fist.

Aria reached forward and picked up one of the cider bottles. She got to her feet, shaking and stumbling, her knee giving out on her and almost making her fall back down. Apple Bloom and Applejack approached her.

Aria uncapped the cider bottle. She reared the bottle back and raised it up, splashing Apple Bloom’s eyes with the fizzy drink.

“Aaah!” Apple Bloom groaned and turned away.

“Apple Bloom!” Applejack exclaimed. “Why you no-good, lowdown … I’m gonna …” Applejack was interrupted from whatever threat she was going to make by Aria Blaze shattering the bottle against the side of her head. The pain of the blow and the resulting stinging headache was enough of a distraction to let Aria flee into the Everfree Forest.

“Ugh …” Applejack groaned, rubbing the side of her head. She noticed Apple Bloom staggering and went over to pick up her shirt off the ground, going up to her sister and using the shirt as towel to dry the cider out of Apple Bloom’s eyes. “Y’all okay?”

“Yeah …” Apple Bloom said. “Think I will be, after I get some water to rinse my eyes. You?”

“I’ll be fine …” Applejack said. “Gonna need a little help from Rarity and Zecora to flush and drain my chest out, but I’ll be fine.”

“Speaking of which …” Apple Bloom blushed and turned away. Only after the heat of combat had ended did she realized she could see her sister’s bare breasts. “Would y’all mind putting something on, sis?”

“I know, I know …” Applejack said, picking up her vest and wrapping it around her, tying it back. The vest barely fit on with her swelled-up breasts pushing it up and out, exposing her midriff, but it covered the parts Applejack needed to cover. “Come on. Let’s go find the girls and tell them about this …”

Applejack reentered Ponyville proper, and she made a straight course for Twilight’s library, opening the door without even stopping to knock. Twilight, Fluttershy, and Pinkie Pie were all there.

“Hey, Applejack.” Twilight said. “Glad you could join us.”

“Yeah … I am, too.” Applejack said. “Where’s Rarity and Rainbow Dash?”

Twilight shrugged. “We don’t know. But this was their idea …”

“Never mind that for the moment.” Applejack waved her head. “There’s something y’all should. I just got nearly nabbed by one those of siren girls Rarity’s been complaining about.”

“They nabbed you?” Pinkie Pie asked.

“In broad daylight?” Twilight asked.

“Yeah …” Applejack rested her elbow on the door frame. “They nearly got me, too. I tell ya, I would have been their cider fountain if it weren’t for Apple Bloom …”

“They’re getting bolder …” Twilight said. “Alright, that does it. This may have been Rarity’s idea to begin with, but we’re having this meeting and coming up with a plan, Rarity or no Rarity. This has definitely gone on long enough. Come in, Applejack. Sit down.”

“I do believe I will, thank you.” Applejack said, coming inside and sitting on a stool. “I could use a seat after what just happened …”

No one wanted to comment on the obvious.

“What? Oh.” Applejack looked down at her chest, which was still ridiculously huge for a normal woman, but had been shrinking since she made her way to Ponyville. “Never mind that. We’ll go the bathroom and take care of it after we come up with our plan. So … what’s the plan?”

“Well, that didn’t work out.” Aria muttered to herself, returning to Chrysalis’ base camp. “I’d say it’s about time for a different approach …” Aria noticed Honeycomb lounging on a boulder. “And there it is.” Aria said to herself with a smile.

Confidently, she strolled up to Honeycomb. “Hey, Honeycomb, what’cha doing?”

“I am, mmm, currently resting on this rock until Chrysalis has, mmm, need of my services.” Honeycomb answered.

“Chrysalis? Please.” Aria crossed her arms and laid against a rock. “Do you honestly want to be spending the rest of your time taking orders from that bore? Nah.” Aria pointed a thumb at herself. “You should team with me. Stick with me. I’ll show you a real good time.”

Honeycomb bent her head down, regarding Aria. Aria found it creepy to see her reflection in Honeycomb’s faceted compound eyes, but she kept to her course.

“You would not be, mmm, the first to convince me to join with you instead of Chrysalis. Yet … that did not work for me last time. Sunset Shimmer ultimately proved, mmm … disappointing. Why should I sign up with you instead, when, mmm, Chrysalis is still a viable option?”

“Because I’m not some lame-o like Sunset.” Aria Blaze. “And I’m not a stuck-up like Chrysalis who can’t see beyond her own personal glory. Nah. Me? I want to have fun, and I want to dominate others while doing it. Whaddya say? Stick with me, girl, and it could be you and me against the world.” Aria offered Honeycomb her hand.

Honeycomb cupped her chin, considering it. She smiled.

“You make an, mmm, compelling case. Bees are a usually a hivemind. It might be, mmm, nice to try something different and be an, mmm, rebel for a change …”

Honeycomb took Aria’s hand and shook it.

“Great.” Aria said. “Now, I need you to do something for me, Honeycomb …”

Honeycomb raised an eyebrow.

“Do the process to me you did to Sunset Shimmer.” Aria said. “Make me into a bee-woman.”

Chrysalis sat on the rocks, continuing to stroke Adagio’s hair. Sweetie Belle remained in her trance state, and Trixie thumbed through a paper booklet, going over the magic tricks she would perform once Chrysalis had taken over Equestria and she had a captive audience to perform for.

“I’m going to need so much grander tricks to entertain the audience after we take over …” Trixie murmured, flipping a page.

“Yes.” Chrysalis said. “It will be important for you to entertain the audience fabulously, Trixie … you will need to be the circus in ‘bread and circuses.’”

“Oh, you don’t need her for that, Chrysalis.” Adagio said. “You have me. Everyone will be entranced by my singing.”

Trixie glared, not appreciating Adagio’s put-down.

“Oh, Adagio.’ Chrysalis said. “You’ll be the bread.”

Adagio raised an eyebrow. “Is that an innuendo for something?” She smiled. “Because I think I like it. This is going to involve milk, I assume?”

“Mm-hmm.”

Chrysalis looked upwards. She gently lifted Adagio’s head off her lap and laid Adagio down on the rock. She jumped off.

“Trixie.” Chrysalis said.

Trixie snapped her booklet shut and stood at attention, saluting. “Yes ma’am?”

“Having Sweetie Belle gives us an advantage, true … but I want more advantages. I want to stack the deck in our favor.” Chrysalis said. “To that end, I want to be able track Twilight’s movements and predict where she and her friends are going to go. I want a spy.”

“Couldn’t you just have one of your Changelings do it?” Trixie asked.

Chrysalis shook her head. “My Changelings are excellent imitators, but when it comes to their acting, I’m afraid their skills are lacking. I want someone who knows how to act natural in a crowd. I want you to do it, Trixie. Go up to them. Tell them you want to reform. Work to gain their trust, and then tell me everything they do.”

“What?” Trixie balked. “Chrysalis, they’ve already seen me working with you! They’ll never believe me or accept me. And didn’t we try something like this already?”

“Oh, I’m sorry.” Chrysalis. “I guess you don’t want that audience to worship you after I’ve taken over Equestria and given you your own little slice of the pie after all, do you? I’m afraid I must insist, Trixie.”

“But …”

Chrysalis leaned towards Trixie and growled.

“Do as I say.”

Trixie gulped. She nodded. “Yes ma’am.”

“Good.” Chrysalis said. “Now, if it will make you feel better … I will make one slight adjustment to the plan. Loathe I am to admit, you are probably right in that this won't work, thus … ” Chrysalis’ hand glowed. “Instead of you coming to them crying about feeling sorry, I’ll turn you into someone else.”

Chrysalis thrust her hand out in a dramatic gesture and struck Trixie with a ball of magic. In a burst of light, Trixie was transformed into a perfect duplicate of Fleur-de-lis.

“We’re going to pack up and move.” Chrysalis said. “One can’t be too careful, and one mustn’t stay in one place for too long when you’re trying to secretly subvert and ultimately overthrow the regional government. We will extract you to meet once we’ve found a new camp, and you’ve made it into the good graces of Twilight’s friends.”

Chrysalis pointed a finger in the direction of Ponyville. “Now go.”

Trixie saluted and marched off.

Trixie, in her Fleur disguise, arrived at Ponyville. Finding a building with some bushes growing in front of it, she snuck by and hid herself inside the grass. She scanned around, watching the unpaved dirt road for any persons of interest who might have been passing in the stragglers of the crowd, most of whom were attending their own business.

Trixie’s eyes swept over the crowd twice, trying to spot someone for her to spy on. She pursed her lips when a shadow fell over her, blocking the sun. She looked up to see Rarity looking down at her with a smile.

“Oh, uh, hello, Rarity.” Trixie said, worrying her Fleur disguise wouldn’t be enough to fool her. At least Chrysalis had changed her voice.

“Hello, Fleur.” Rarity said sweetly. “If I may ask, what are you doing in those bushes?”

“Oh, you know me.” ‘Fleur’ said. She placed a hand on the bushes. “I just looove bushes and foliage and flowers, heh heh heh.”

“Oh, I see. I didn’t know you a plant lover, Fleur.” Rarity said. “There’s one other thing, too. One … small thing that’s been bothering that I’ve been meaning to talk to you about for some time.”

“Shoot.” Fleur said.

“I was out with Rainbow Dash and … an acquaintance earlier today. We tried to find Sweetie Belle. I don’t know if you know that she’s missing. We couldn’t find her where this acquaintance said she was, and apparently the … ‘performing troupe’ carrying her moved ahead of schedule. You wouldn’t know anything about that, would you?”

“I’m afraid not.” Trixie said.

“So we went back to my house to think about what to do next.” Rarity said. “We went back out to search for her again, and that’s when I saw you go into the bushes. And it’s the funniest thing, really … while we’re at my house, I received a letter from Fancypants telling me you appreciated our meeting and were having a good time with him. So how on Equestria did you slip from here and get all the way here from Canterlot in that time? How are you in two places at once?”

“Umm …” Trixie stammered.

Rarity gave a smile which betrayed killing intent.
“Don’t bother.” Rarity said. “You know why the ‘troupe’ moved, don’t you? And you already know Sweetie Belle was missing. Because Fleur doesn’t know that yet, and she would have been concerned.”

Trixie’s eyes widened as she realized she’d been found out.

Rarity held out her palm and fired a massive burst of blue magic in the form of a blast, throwing Trixie against the building, the force and power of the spell dispelling Trixie’s illusionary disguise.

“Hello, you small-minded, would-be spy.” Rarity said, walking up to Trixie as she fell, Rarity’s hands glowing with magic. “Tell me something; are there no depths you won’t sink to? Torture, theft, even kidnapping, even setting Equestria on fire and allowing it to the burn to the ground, are worth it in your mind if it gets you the recognition you think you deserve? Well, let me tell you something, you shrew. You might not have any qualms about it, but I draw a line at you kidnapping my sister. Targeting family is the act of cowards too afraid or feeble to attack their enemies directly.”

“The Great and Powerful Trixie is not a -”

Trixie was shocked, both physically and mentally, when Rarity kicked her in the chin.

“Save it.” Rarity said. “You’re a coward, plain and simple. A spineless, sniveling coward content to take orders from people more powerful than you, if you think it will get you what you want. It won’t, Trixie. If Chrysalis succeeds - and I assure you she won’t - and you get the audience, the ‘recognition’ you so desire … it will be false. They won’t cheer for you and applaud and clap because they like your half-baked showmanship. They’ll cheer for because the alternative would be to admit that they have a problem with the current reigning tyrant and her choice in entertainment, and they don’t want to be seen as a ‘problem’ and sent to a dungeon. Now …”

Rarity raised her hands up.

“Tell me where you’ve taken my little sister.”

Out on the side of the road, Diamond Tiara sat, scrunched up, her arms wrapped around her folded up legs.

Suri arrived, carrying ice cream cones in both hands, wearing a big, but uneasy smile. She handed Diamond Tiara one of the cones.

Diamond took it gruffly, wrapping her hand around it so hard the cone began to crack, the ice cream squeezing out and getting onto her fingers. Suri took the seat next to her.

Diamond glared at the scoop. She glared at Suri. “Do you really think you can buy me back with just some ice cream?”

Suri’s smiled faded, and she put a finger to her forehead.

“No.”

“Huh?”

“No, Diamond Tiara, I do not think I can ‘buy you back’ with some ice cream.” Suri said. “But I hope that this can be a start to giving you the reparations you deserve for me being gone all those years. I hope this can be a step down a path where I can be allowed to work for your forgiveness. I know … deep down … no matter what I do … you’ll never be able to forgive me completely … but all I can do is try, and try to get you to forgive me a little. Being gone all those years, you … you’re owed a lot from me, I know. And I’m not sure I’ll even be able to pay off all that debt.”

Suri looked away.

“But I’m trying. The least you can do is let me try. I’ve … I’ve made a few mistakes over the course of my lifetime, I won’t deny. But recently, I had someone talk to me and they made me realize something, that I needed to change. My business is in shambles, I don’t know how to run things myself, and your father … “

Suri paused.

“His speech also made me realize a few things. And even though I’ll never admit to anyone else your father is the only person I can turn to for shelter. And he won’t have me as long as you continue to resent me. So if bending over backwards and spending the rest of my life, trying to earn your forgiveness and paying off an unpayable debt is what it takes to make sure I have a roof over my head … then darn it, that’s what I’m going to do.”

Diamond Tiara huffed.

“I’m trying, Diamond.” Suri said. “I really am. And on some level, you have to be willing to let me try. Otherwise you wouldn’t have agreed to come to lunch, and you wouldn’t have taken the ice cream. You could have left after lunch, and you didn’t.”

Diamond Tiara was silent.

“Of course, if you hadn’t taken it, I would have just forced it into your hand.” Suri said, resting her head back. “Now eat up.”

Diamond pursed her lips. She had to admit Suri … her mother had a point. She stuck out her tongue and took a lick of the ice cream, regretting the fact she cracked.

Suri licked her ice cream and glanced off to the side. She noticed something.

“Now that’s interesting …” Suri muttered. Rarity was in the distance, standing by the garden row of a building and leaning over a silver-haired woman Suri had never seen before. Suri made a face of shock when Rarity took her arm and charged, slamming the woman against the side of the building.

Rarity held out her palm, glowing blue with magic. She fired a relentless barrage of magic fireballs at the woman, pelleting her. Rarity clenched her fingers and grabbed the woman with her magic, lifting her up in the air before slamming her on the ground. The resulting thud could be felt all the way to to Suri and Diamond’s bench.

“What was that?” Diamond asked, puzzled by the odd vibration in the bench.

“Diamond …” Suri said, getting up. “Stay here.” She pointed a commanding finger at Diamond Tiara.

Diamond regarded Suri with surprise, wondering what was so upsetting to Suri she insisted on Diamond staying put, in addition to being surprised at the fact Suri could find it in her throat to work up an actual, scolding tone worthy of a mother.

Rarity grabbed Trixie by the throat, wrapping her fingers around Trixie’s neck.

“I’m going to ask you one more time. Where is my sister?” Rarity growled.

“I don’t know!” Trixie cried, tears slipping through her closed eyelids, one of eyes black from Rarity’s beating. “I swear to you, I promise, Rarity, I don’t know!”

“And we all know how good your word is.” Rarity said, engulfing her free palm in blue magic again to threaten Trixie.

“I don’t!” Trixie insisted. “Chrysalis disguised me as Fleur and sent me here to spy on you and your friends, and then she started packing up and moving her camp! She said she’d come retrieve me later after I had finished making my way in and ingratiating myself! I don’t know where she took your sister, I swear! P-please ...” Trixie begged, her voice raspy and hoarse, tears continuing to fall down. “No more … I don’t know where she is …”

Rarity paused. She was terrifyingly silent for a moment, during which Trixie thought she might be intended to beat her up some more.

“As crazy as it sounds … I almost feel pity for you, and I think … I actually believe you.” Rarity said, letting go for Trixie’s throat, where Trixie fell back and hit her head on the building, clutching at her sore neck.

Before Trixie could get too cozy to recover, her eyes were focused on Rarity’s burning blue finger pointing at her nose.

“But make no mistake.” Rarity said. “This will be your last warning. If I see you around here again, acting in the name of Chrysalis’ will, if I see you engaging with her, or have reason to suspect you’re doing her bidding … or doing anything that might be related to helping her … then next time, I won’t let up. Understand?”

Trixie nodded, her eyes still wet.

“Hmph.” Rarity huffed and turned her nose up, closing her eyes as she walked away.

“Eeesh …” Suri murmured to herself, cautiously walking up to the silver-haired woman. Suri considered herself lucky she had never angered Rarity enough for an all out physical confrontation. She had no idea Rarity could be so vicious a fighter.

Suri stepped in front of her.

Trixie sniffed and cried, feeling abandoned, broken, humiliated, and maybe a little mutilated. She sniffed and wiped away a tear before acknowledging Suri. “What do you want? To beat me up some more?”

“No, I -” Suri began before someone else made their presence, stepping out of the shadows and crunching the grass.

“Oh.” Sunset said. “Hello. I didn’t see you there.”

“Hi.” Suri said. “What are you doing here?”

“I followed Rarity after I saw her nearly kill Adagio- oh … you probably don’t know who that is. Anyway, after witnessing her lack of self-restraint, I figured it would be a good idea to tail her and make sure she didn’t something stupid she would regret later.” Sunset looked down at Trixie. “And it looks like my hunch was right.”

“Right.” Suri said. She looked at Trixie. “We should get this woman to a hospital.” Suri bent down, meaning to reach over and help Trixie up, but Sunset stopped her, putting an arm to her stomach.

“Wait.” Sunset said. “I recognize this woman. She was working with Chrysalis.”

“With … who?” Suri asked. “I’m beginning to feel a bit like a third wheel here …”

“Chrysalis?” Sunset asked. “Big, scary Changeling demon Queen? Summoned the Citrus Slime, Honeycomb, and the Sirens from her little book?"

"I'm not familiar." Suri turned to Trixie. “What should we do with her?”

“Well …” Sunset said. “She probably has valuable information, so we should take her prisoner and interrogate her … but she’s hurt pretty bad, and it would be immoral of us not to do anything for her.”

“So … we should take her to get medical treatment, and then take her hostage?” Suri asked.

“I like the way you think.” Sunset Shimmer said. She offered her hand to Suri. “Um, I’m sorry, I don’t think I got your name?”

“Suri.” Suri shook hands with Sunset. “Suri Polomare.”

“Sunset Shimmer.”

“And I’m Trixie Lulamoon.” Trixie said before curling into a ball and turning her head away. “You know … if either of you care …”

At the library, Twilight drew on a chalkboard to visualize and map out their strategy, using what they knew for certain.

Their primary enemy was Chrysalis. Their objective was to rescue Sweetie Belle, and ideally, defeat her in the process. Chrysalis had Changeling minions working for her, as well as Adagio Dazzle and Aria Blaze, not to mention the Citrus Slime. Honeycomb was drawn off over on the other side of the board, with question marks underneath her. She was a wild card. There was no telling where she would be or what she would be doing or whose orders she was following, if anyone’s, at the time they attacked.

“Let’s see …” Twilight drew a figure of herself and drew a line between herself and Chrysalis to represent magic. “I’ll handle Chrysalis … the biggest problem I can see is that Citrus Slime … we need to be able to freeze it.”

“I thought Rarity said when Fleur attacked her and Cadence, it was immune to freezing?” Fluttershy said.

“Shoot, you’re right.” Twilight deflated and hung her arms. “Didn’t they say they electrocuted her instead? We’ll have Rainbow Dash … ”

Awkward silence ensued. Scanning around the room, neither Rainbow Dash nor Rarity had arrived.

Twilight grunted, frustrated. It was Rarity’s sister on the line, and it was their idea to have this meeting. Was it too much to expect for them to show up themselves?

“Okay.” Twilight said. “Fluttershy, you’re the one with weather magic. Think you find a cloud and bring down the lightning?”

“Oh, I don’t know, Twilight.” Fluttershy said. “Thunderclouds can be very dangerous if you don’t handle them correctly, and besides … lightning scares me.” Fluttershy tapped her fingers together.

Twilight was about to shoot back that she had seen Fluttershy handle other, far more nerve-wracking situations, but the door opened with the event of the hour; Rainbow Dash and Rarity finally arrived. They both looked tired and worn, and Rarity seemed a bit beat-up, her hair an unbrushed mess, dirt covering her face, and she seemed uncharacteristically undisturbed the stains in her dress.

“Hello, everyone.” Rarity waved her fingers. “I apologize for being so tardy. Rainbow Dash and I were busy pursuing a potential lead. Do forgive us.” Rarity and Dash made their way inside and took a sight.

“Alright.” Twilight said. “I’m still mad you’re so late, but I guess I can let it slide.”

“Um …”

Everyone’s attention was drawn to Sonata Dusk, standing in the doorway.

“Do … do I come in now, or …?” Sonata asked, pointing at nothing in particular, her question directed at Rarity.

“Come on in, darling.” Rarity said. Sonata walked inside. “Everyone, I know you some of have already met her, but this is Sonata Dusk. She’s been helping me and Rainbow Dash in any way she can. She used to be working for Chrysalis, but she’s changed her mind and is helping us. That’s why we were so late … we thought she could lead us to Sweetie Belle.”

“And why didn’t she?” Twilight asked, crossing her arms and getting suspicious.

“Chrysalis knows she needs to keep on the move to keep from being discovered.” Sonata said. “So she hides Sweetie Belle with her, and makes sure to rotate her base around every so often. She must have changed her schedule, because when I took Rarity and Dash to where I knew she was last, she wasn’t there. She had told me and my fellow sirens where she was moving next, but she was either lying or had a change of plans, because she wasn’t there either.”

“That’s a bite bit convenient.” Applejack said. “Chrysalis not being in either of two locations you said she was gonna be.”

“What I’m telling you is the honest truth, I swear.” Sonata said, bringing a hand over her chest.

“We can trust her, Twilight.” Rarity said. “She helped me escape, even though she didn’t have to.”

“How do we know that wasn’t just a ploy to earn your trust?” Applejack asked.

“Applejack, stop, you’re being paranoid.” Rarity said. She rested her head on her hand. “Though I suppose it’s a genuine concern, given some of the dirty stunts Chrysalis’ team has pulled … Sonata?”

“I’m a Siren.” Sonata said. “I’m designed to feed on love. For the longest time, none of us knew what … real love was like. But then I met Spike, and that changed. I know what it’s like to have real love, a real … lasting relationship. I’m not content to just keeping sucking up emotions like they’re cheap drinks you buy at bar. I want this to last. I want to be with Spike.”

“Please.” Sonata said. “Let me help you. Give me the chance to earn your trust. I promise, I won’t let you down.”

Twilight regarded Sonata suspiciously, though it was hard to say whether it was because she still didn’t trust her, or her mothering instincts were kicking in and she disapproved of Spike being with anyone.

“Okay.” Twilight said. “What information can you tell us, Sonata?”

“The first thing you should know.” Sonata raised a finger. “You don’t need to worry about Sweetie Belle being hurt. Chrysalis never told us what her plan for was … but whatever it is, it requires Sweetie Belle being safe and uninjured.”

Twilight nodded. “Okay … okay … that’s good news, I guess. Well, no, actually, it’s kind of terrifying, because I’d hate to imagine what that plan is. Anything else?”

“A few things …”

“Ugh …” Twilight groaned, rubbing at her eyes. Her hair was getting frazzled, and bags were forming under her eyes. “It’s been hours, and despite the information Sonata’s told us, we still haven’t come up with a good plan!” Twilight smacked the chalkboard in frustration, causing it to spin wildly.

Twilight heaved a sigh. “Maybe we should take a break. Call it in for the night and go to bed …”

“Go to bed?” Rarity asked. She looked towards the window. “It’s not even dark outside.”

“Is't not?” Twilight muttered, raising her head up. “Huh. So it’s not. Well … maybe we should go out for food, or something.”

“Every minute we spend in here planning, breaking, and resting is another my sister is in that monster’s clutches.” Rarity growled.

“Rarity …” Rainbow put a hand on Rarity’s shoulder. “ Trust me, I want to get Sweetie Belle back almost as much as you do. We all do. But we can’t come up with a good plan if we’re all tired and on empty stomachs.”

Rarity inhaled, understanding Rainbow Dash’s point, yet still wanting to disagree with Dash. She wanted to insist they carry on, and they all march through their grueling task until they saw it to completion. But she knew insisting they carry on would backfire, and leave them all tired, cranky, and angry at her.

Not the kind of state one wants their team to be in when they’re trying to stage a rescue mission.

“Fine.” Rarity said. “I guess we could go out to eat … but I want us all to meet back here when we’re done.”

“Actually …” Applejack rested her hand on her knee before getting up. “That makes me think. There’s been a lot of successful nabbin’ attempts lately. We should stick together for safety. Maybe even … you know, have a sleepover at Twilight’s.” Applejack looked around. “Between the orchard, it, and the Boutique, I’d say it’s the best at inconveniencing any kidnapping attempts.”

“That’s a good idea, Applejack.” Twilight said. “New rule; until we have this crisis settled, nobody goes out by themselves.”

Everyone nodded in agreement.

Rarity stood up next. “Rainbow Dash and I will grab a few things from our house, and then we’ll meet up at the restaurant, if that’s acceptable.”

“Acceptable.” Twilight said.

“I’ll go get Apple Bloom and Scootaloo … criminy, I should have done that in the first place. Pinkie Pie, you’re with me.”

“Okie-dokie!” Pinkie Pie joined Applejack in leaving. Rarity and Rainbow Dash left after them.

“Don’t you two have anything you need?” Twilight asked.

“I should probably make sure my animals have enough food for me to stay the night.” Fluttershy said. “And let Discord know what’s going on.”

“I … don’t really have a proper home at the moment.” Sonata said. “I’ll come with you, Fluttershy.”

“Oh, um, okay …” Fluttershy said. “I’m … not sure my animals will trust a stranger, especially a siren … they’re very good at that … but Rarity trusts you, and that’s good enough for me.”

The two of them left.

Rarity and Dash returned to their home.

“I’ll pack.” Rarity said.

“I’ll help.”

“We won’t need much. Just a few essentials. You can take a moment to relax.” Rarity said before going into the back without giving Rainbow Dash the chance to argue.

“Yeah …” Dash said. “Okay … I probably need a boost anyway ...”

Rainbow Dash went into the kitchen. She opened the fridge door and pulled a bottle of white poison. She sat down at the counter, twisted the lid off, and took a sip.

The front entrance clicked open. Dash slammed her bottle on the counter, flaring her wings up, ready for a fight, recalling how many opening doors had been preludes to kidnapping in recent hours.

Actually, why wasn’t that door locked?

Shining Armor and Harshwhinny made their way into the kitchen, answering Dash’s question. She wouldn’t put it past them to have picked the lock. They walked up to the counter and took seats.

“Oh no.” Rainbow Dash rubbed her temple up and down. “Not you two. We don’t … we don’t have time for this right now. Sweetie Belle’s been kidnapped by Chrysalis.”

“Hey, I didn’t even want to be here! But I figured it would best if I did for, uh, legal reason and to keep things from getting … out of hand.” Shining Armor said.

Things are definitely going to get out of hand. Dash thought.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t know … about Sweetie Belle … why didn’t you tell me? I’ll go get Cadence. She can help.” Shining Armor got up.

“Stay.” Harshwhinny said as Shining Armor said. “While this kidnapping is … unfortunate, it does not change the business we came here to conduct.”

“Unfortunate?” Dash asked. “Someone’s little sister is missing, and all you have to say is ‘unfortunate’?”

“So!” Shining Armor interrupted, sensing the conversation was about to get tense and hostile. “Rainbow Dash, what’s going on with you? Aside from the whole kidnapping thing, I mean. What are your life plans now?”

“What do you mean?” Dash asked, happy to oblige Shining Armor and change the course of the conversation.

“Well, I … I heard you were got engaged to Rarity recently.” Shining Armor said. “You’ve been missing out on a few mortgage payments … what are you gonna do with your old cloud house?”

“Don’t know.” Rainbow took a sip from her bottle. “Was thinking of giving to Scootaloo … she’s a big girl now, she can look after it … ”

“Uh-huh.” Shining nodded. “Uh … pardon me for asking, but I can’t help but notice you seem to be drinking, um, milk. Do you mind I ask what - what’s up with that? Is that still the healthiest thing for you? Isn’t it a drug?”

“Maybe it’s not the healthiest thing.” Dash admitted. She rocked the bottle in her hand, looking down the opening into the fluid. “But I’m getting better. I’ve been weaning, pun not intended, myself off it … but I’m still allowed a little indulgence every once in awhile, right?” Dash grinned. She sighed and looked into the bottle again. “This bottle is a bottle of contradictions. It’s my rock. My drug. It drives me crazy … and it keeps me sane. It make sure I always come back ...” Rainbow Dash glanced towards the back of the house. “To her.”

“You don’t have to stay here.” Shining Armor said. “You’re not her property.”

Dash pointed her pinkie from her bottle. “I got a dog collar around here that says otherwise.”

“A dog collar?” Shining Armor sputtered. “You … you can’t be serious. She doesn’t get to keep you, Rainbow Dash. You’re not a dog.”

“I want her to keep me.” Dash said. “I like her. I love her.”

“Yeah, but …”

“Let me see if I can find it …” Dash began opening drawers and rummaging through them. “Ah, here it is.” She pulled a purple dog collar with her name and instructions to ‘return to Rarity if found’ on the tag. Disregarding Shining’s words, Dash unpopped the collar and wrapped it around her neck, clicking it back together. “What do you say to that?”
Shining Armor stammered. Rainbow Dash, cool as an icebox, sipped her milk.

Harshwhinny cleared her throat. “Enough of this.”

Harshwhinny pulled out a piece of paper. “What I have is a court order. I expect you and Miss Belle to be there on time.”

Dash took the paper. “Hearing …? A court date?” Rainbow Dash threw the paper down on the counter. “What is this?”

Harshwhinny was bothered by Dash’s rough treatment of the legal papers. “It is a order and date competency hearing. We’re going to be holding a competency hearing to test Rarity Belle and determine if she is, in fact, still sane and not a danger to herself, and others, and is mentally and emotionally fit to take care of herself and her family.” Harshwhinny turned away and pulled out a hand mirror. “The fact her sister has been kidnapped on her watch will not reflect well on her.”

Dash was stunned. “Wow.” Dash said. “Harshwhinny, I knew you were a stick in the mud with an ax to grind … but I didn’t realize you were total filth. Rarity’s sister is missing. My future sister-in-law is missing and held hostage by an evil, powerful queen … but all you care is dragging us to court? Wow. I mean, just wow. Talk about your priorities.”

Shining Armor began to shrink away from the table. “Like I said, Rainbow Dash, I don’t want to be here … not after what happened … what Twiley said …”

“Regardless of any extenuating circumstances, however unfortunate, I expect you and Miss Belle to be there on time for the court, present and appropriately dressed.” Harshwhinny said. “You should be leaving your sister-in-law's recovery up to law enforcement anyways.”

“Uh-huh.” Dash got up, pressing her fists on the table. “No, you listen to me. Here’s what’s gonna happen … ”

Rainbow Dash flew over to the windows and closed the blinds, submerging the room in darkness. Using her exceptional speed, she flew over to the counter and slammed Harshwhinny’s and Shining Armor’s heads on the table, pinning their necks with her palms.

“You’re gonna take that court order and shove it.” Dash growled. “Burn it. Trash it. Stuff it in your mouth and eat if for all I care.”

Dash bent down and talked right into Harswhinny’s ear.

“Rarity and I are sick of you coming after us because you have bone to pick, and apparently nothing else better to do, despite your high-ranking positions.” Rainbow Dash said. “I have had to put up with enough of your horse apples. Shining Armor, how good are you with teleportation spells?”

“Oh, gee … teleporting has always been more of Twiley’s thing …” Shining answered.

“Good.” Dash said. “So you’ll understand the risk when I say … if either of you pull any stunts like this again, I’m gonna fly you both somewhere very far away, drop you from a great big height to break your legs, and then, I’m gonna take you both for a long walk off a short pier. Understand?”

Shining Armor nodded. “Yeah, no, I understand.”

“Harshwhinny?”

“ … fine.” Harshwhinny grunted out.

“Good.” Rainbow Dash said. She walked over to the other side of the counter and picked the court order up. She ripped it in half, tearing it straight down the middle. Harshwhinny’s jaw dropped in shock. Dash let the paper halves float to the ground. “Now get out of here.”

“We’re leaving.” Shining Armor said.

“But ...” Harshwhinny, though shaken, tried to protest. “She just destroyed legal documents …”

“We’re leaving!” Shining Armor grabbed Harshwhinny by the back of her shirt and pulled along, making a hasty escape towards the exit. “Don’t worry, Rainbow Dash, I’ll come back with Cadence as soon as I can! We’ll make sure nothing happens to Sweetie Belle!”

“Yeah … yeah, sure. Make sure you lock the door on your way out.” Rainbow Dash said.

“Got it!” Shining Armor saluted. He locked the door before leaving.

“Rainbow Dash!” Rarity came running into the room, holding the door frame and panting. “I heard thumping and I came as fast as I could. Are you alright? Why is it so dark in here?” Rarity turned the light on. “Oh, I see. The blinds are closed.”

“I’m fine.” Rainbow Dash said, going up to open the blinds, before deciding it would be better not to, given Chrysalis might be spying.

“What happened?” Rarity asked.

Rainbow Dash turned towards Rarity. She looked away from her.

“Nothing.” Rainbow Dash said. “Nothing happened. I just … tripped, that’s all.”

“Oh.” Rarity exhaled sharply, resting on the door frame. “Oh, that’s a relief. For a moment there, I was worried something might have happened … anyways, I think I’ve got everything packed that we need. We’ll drop it off at Twilight’s and then … let’s go eat.”

“Let’s.”

Twilight, Fluttershy, Applejack, Pinkie, Sonata, and of course, the lovely couple, after dropping some things off at Twilight’s library, went out to one of their old favorite restaurants to eat. They were a bit dismayed to learn they only had outdoor tables open for them, as that made them more vulnerable, but they decided to live with it.

They were seated, with Rainbow Dash being a gentleman and pulling out Rarity’s seat for her, to Rarity’s delight. They were given menus and left to decide what they wanted.

“Hmm … what do I want?” Rarity wondered. “It feels like it’s been forever since I last had nice warm meal …”

Rarity froze up. She put her menu down. She heard a gurgling. A familiar gurgling noise. “Does anyone else hear that?”

“Hear what?” Twilight asked.

“That gurgling.” Rarity said. She rested her hands on the side of her head. “That awful, awful gurgling …”

“Sure you’re not imagining it?” Sonata Dusk asked.

“No. I hear it, too.” Rainbow Dash said. The explanation of Dash and Rarity being able to hear it because they had a stronger connection and longer history with the slime seemed too logical to not make sense.

Patrons began screaming, fleeing their seats and exiting the restaurant.

Orange tendrils rose over the outdoor fence, sliding and slithering up the side of the fence. The Citrus Slime climbed up, pulling itself up and throwing itself over the fence. Chrysalis stood atop the mound of gel, poised like a great commander of olden warfare perched on a horse-drawn chariot.

“Chrysalis!” Twilight exclaimed. Sonata Dusk ducked under the table, fearful of what Chrysalis might to do her if she received visual confirmation of her betrayal and turning turncoat.

“Alright, you.” Chrysalis asked, willing the Citrus Slime to raise up its tendrils. “What have you done with Trixie? Where have you taken her?”

“What?” Twilight said. “What is she talking about?”

“We don’t know anything about where Trixie is.” Applejack said.

The Slime, at Chrysalis’ command, brought its tendril down on the table they were sitting at, knocking it over, The girls all hit the floor, avoiding the blow and debris which fell off the table.

“Don’t play games with me!” Chrysalis said. “I know you must have done something with her! I sent her into Ponyville to spy on you, and I haven’t heard back from her since!”

“Games?” Rarity chuckled. “Oh, Chrysalis, you’re such a hypocrite.”

“Takes one to know one.”

“Granted, but please.” Rarity waved her hand. “You don’t really expect us to believe you actually care about Trixie, do you? She’s just another disposable pawn to you. Just like everyone else you manipulate or ever had under your control.”

“Trixie has been an invaluable asset to my plans.” Chrysalis said. “After all, it was she who brought the book. She helped get close to Twilight Sparkle, back when that was the only plan that needed to work, and it didn’t. Tell me where she is!” Chrysalis had the Slime raise its tendril up menacingly.

“Alright, alright, fine.” Rarity said. “I found Trixie in the see-through transparent disguise you put in her by a building down near the east of town. I spoke my peace and … gave her a little bit of a well-deserved thrashing, and I left her there with a warning. I don’t know she might be or where she could have gone after that.”

Chrysalis bared her teeth, growling. “You must by lying. Liar! If you didn’t take her, who did?”

“I don’t know.” Rarity said. “But if you’re going to keep being a hypocrite, projecting on me and accusing me of all the things you’re guilty of, I’m afraid I’m going to have to insist you leave at once.”

Chrysalis chuckled. “My, my, my, someone’s feeling confident. Have you looked around? Do you realize it is I who controls this beast beneath my feet? You are in no position to make threats.”

“Oh, but that’s where you’re wrong, Chrysalis.” Rarity said. “I am in the perfect position to make threats. You’re underestimating me.”

Rarity walked forward towards the Citrus Slime.

“I don’t know what it is, but I have a special connection with the slime. Maybe it’s destiny. Maybe it’s fate. Maybe I’m the chosen one. Or maybe it’s just something in my genetics that I have unique to me. Or perhaps the slime bonded with me more than any of its’ other hosts - Rainbow was infected as long as I was, and she doesn’t seem to have the same control over it. But whatever it is, whatever it may be, the point being ...”

Rarity took another step forward.

“I am Rarity Belle, Mistress of the Slime. I command it, Chrysalis, not you.”

Rarity lifted her arms up and plunged them into the Citrus Slime.

“Rarity, what are you doing?” Twilight exclaimed.

Chrysalis gave a hearty laugh. “Ha ha ha… it’s so good of you, Rarity, to surrender yourself to the Slime and me so willingly. Now if you don’t mind, dear, come along… I’m going to have to think up something special for you.”

Chrysalis looked around. She grew annoyed.

“Why aren’t we moving?”

The Citrus Slime gurgled and burbled apologetically.

“I know, darling, I know.” Rarity cooed to it, massaging it with her hands. “I forgive you. It’s not your fault the big nasty Changeling woman made you do bad things. Now, if you would be a dear for me and be so kind as to get rid of her …”

“Ha!” Chrysalis scoffed. “You can’t honestly expect this little trick to work, can you?”

The trick worked, as the Slime gurgled and formed piston on its top, which it launched upwards, ejecting Chrysalis off and throwing over the fence onto her back.

“Okay …” Chrysalis rolled to her stomach and pushed herself up. “I wasn’t expecting that.”

“Clearly.” Rarity said. She turned to the Slime. “Now, if you wouldn’t mind, slimey-dear?”

The Citrus Slime raised up its tendrils. It brought them together and merged them, before turning them into one gigantic axe. The Slime reached its tendril over the fence and swung the ax like a pendulum, trying to chop Chrysalis in half.

Chrysalis rolled out of the way in time. Scowling, she aimed a hand at Rarity and shot forth a green projectile, blasting Rarity clear across the pavilion and into the wall, separating from the Slime and breaking her control over it.

“Well, obviously, this is something I’m going to have a figure out a way to counter and work around …” Chrysalis muttered. She blasted the Citrus Slime with a green mind-altering beam from her palm, bringing it back under her thrall. She grabbed the Slime’s core body with magic and lifted it up, bringing over the fence and onto the ground with her.

Chrysalis climbed up the Slime to resume her position on top of her.

“Tell you what.” Chrysalis said. “I’ll make you a fair trade, Rarity. Your little sister for the book.”

Rarity pulled herself of the wall she’d been lodged in. She would never give Chrysalis the book. She knew how much damage and destruction Chrysalis could cause with unfiltered access to the book and all its secrets and monsters to summon. “That … is not going to happen.”

“Well, then, I guess I’ll be keeping your sister for a little while longer.” Chrysalis made the Citrus Slime turn around and crawl away. Rarity and Twilight hurled spells at Chrysalis to make her stop, but the Slime formed a square shield to protect Chrysalis from them. Chrysalis was able to escape and make her way off.

“Rarity …” Twilight asked, as all of the girls gathered around. “How did you do that?”

“I don’t know.” Rarity said. “I just … did. I just … knew I could.” Rarity said. She placed a hand to her head as she thought. “It … it happened the first time when Fleur, infected attacked me and Suri in Canterlot. I was able to - to connect her and get her to heed my commands long enough to let Suri escape. Right then, it just … came naturally to me. I quickly realized I could … I could still control Slime-infested things and people, even though I am … no longer one of them.”

“I wonder if that would explain why you weren’t affected by my singing …” Sonata said, earning her odd looks from Rarity and the others. “Um, you know, back when I was still on Chrysalis’ side.”

“It seems possible …” Rarity said.

“Ugh.” Twilight groaned, surveying the damage done to the pavilion. “I’m gonna have to take the repairs for this out of the royal treasury …”

“Or, you know, you could include it in the tip.” Rainbow Dash said. “After all, we still didn’t get our food.”

“You’re right, Rainbow Dash.” Twilight said. “I think we’ll do that.” All of them but Rarity went over to a table which was still standing upright, smiling and nodding, acting as if nothing happened. “Waiter!” Twilight called. The waiter, though a shivering wreck, peered out the door and came out to collect their order.

“You know …” Fluttershy said. “Chrysalis said she was looking for Trixie …”

“Yeah.” Twilight said. “Where is Trixie, anyway? Where could she be? … Rarity?” Twilight leaned over. “Aren’t you going to join us?”

“No.” Rarity said. “I’ll go find something else later. You’ll understand if my appetite is a bit ruined after that …”

Rarity stared at her hand, drops of orange slime on her fingers.

“Enough is enough.” Rarity said to herself. “This won’t end. It can’t end. Not until I address the problem at its source … not until I confront my abuser.” Rarity curled her slime-soaked hand into a fist.

“Rarity?” Twilight said as Rarity walked away. “If you’re going somewhere, make sure to take someone with you.”

No, Rarity thought, where I am going is somewhere you cannot follow. None of you follow me.

“Fine.” Rarity said with a smile.

Suri, Sunset, and Trixie walked into a hotel. The clerk at the front desk was surprised by Trixie’s appearance. She was covered in bandages, adhesive strips, and had a bag of ice tied around her head to cover her black eye. Sunset Shimmer kept a faintly-glowing palm against Trixie’s back.

“Hi!” Suri said, resting her elbow on the counter. “Room for three, please? Our friend got into a nasty bar fight and needs a place to rest up.”

“Um … sure, of course.” The clerk said, taking out a key. “... Do I need to call the Guards?”

“No, no.” Sunset said. “Right, Beautrix?”

“Yes!” Trixie said, glancing nervously at Sunset. “Let I, the Great Trixie, be the first to assure you that I am here willingly, of my own accord, with and having given consent to these two ladies to …”

“I think he gets it.” Sunset said.

“Okay …” The clerk handed Suri the key. “Room 103.”

“Thank you.” Suri and Sunset hurried Trixie up the stairs and ushered her into the room, the clerk remaining suspicious.

Suri threw Trixie onto the bed, getting her to take a seat on the mattress.

“We need to hurry.” Sunset said. “That clerk is probably gonna figure out something’s wrong and call the officials anyway.”

“Yes.” Suri said. “So, Trixie, what have you been up to? Don’t leave out a single detail.”

Trixie crossed her arms. “Trixie does not have to tell you anything.”

“Oh, she doesn’t?” Sunset Shimmer said with a smile. “Okay. I guess Trixie doesn’t appreciate the fact we took her in to receive care after Rarity beat her up … and she won’t mind if we … remove that care.” Sunset walked over to Trixie and pinched her elbow, making Trixie’s sore arm hurt.

“Ow ow ow! Okay, okay!”

Sunset let go of Trixie’s arm.

“I’ve been trying to find a book. A very powerful, old, ancient spellbook.” Trixie said. “For a woman… who’s promised me to give me everything I’ve ever wanted if I get it for her and help her plans succeed.”

“Gee.” Sunset looked aside. “I don’t know what that’s like, to take advantage of people to help with nefarious plans. Except I’d bet even during my bad girl days, I was still more trustworthy than whoever you’re working for.”

“Whatever.” Trixie said. “Our most recent plan, which is what led to Rarity beating Trixie up, was to kidnap her sister and trade her for the book … that’s ... backfired, so far.”

“Wow.” Sunset raised a brow. “You and your group are real despicable, aren’t you? And I should know. I have first hand experiencing being horrible enough to do that kind of thing.”

“Hey.” Suri glanced out the window. She walked up to it. “Sunset, come look at this.”

“What?” Sunset asked, going towards the window.

“Look.” Suri pointed.

“That’s Rarity.” Sunset said. “She’s walking with a woman who is exceptionally pale… and it looks like she’s going to the Everfree Forest.”

“What could she want in there?” Suri asked.

“Don’t know.” Sunset said. “Maybe looking for her sister?”

“Should we follow her? Or them?”

Sunset slowly nodded. “I’m thinking we should. Trixie, come on, get up. We’re going for a walk.”

“What?” Trixie asked. “But I just sat down!”

Sunset and Suri grabbed the cowl of Trixie’s cloak and lifted her up. “Come on.” Sunset insisted. Trixie groaned as Sunset and Suri walked her out of the room and out of the hotel, leaving behind a confused and worried clerk.

Rarity and Sonata Dusk reached the edge of the Everfree.
“Oh? The Everfree Forest?” Sonata asked. “What are we doing here, Rarity?”

“Sonata …” Rarity said. “Thank you so much for agreeing to accompany me. And I want you to know, that I greatly appreciate all the help you’ve given to me, even if we couldn’t find Sweetie Belle. I want you to know … I’m sorry. But if you realized the true stakes of what I’m about to do, I know you would try to stop me.”

“What?”

Sonata grunted when Rarity hit her in the back of the head with a tree branch. Sonata fell down, crumpling over a tree trunk and its roots. “Oow …”

“I’m sorry.” Rarity tossed the branch down and ran in another direction, leaving Sonata, groaning.

The main thought going through Sonata’s head was Twilight and the others weren’t going to trust her when she came back without Rarity, and wouldn’t believe her when she tried to tell them Rarity did it, and she’d be separated from Spike. “Ooh …” Sonata groaned before letting herself go limp.

Suri, Sunset, and Trixie entered and made their way through the forest.

“So what does Rarity want in here, I wonder?” Sunset said. “What do you girls think?”

“I don’t know.” Suri said. “It could be anything.”

“Maybe …” Trixie said. “You don’t think she could be after the Alicorn Amulet, do you?”

“The what?” Suri asked.

“The Alicorn Amulet.” Trixie said. “It’s a mystical artifact of vast, dark power. Whoever wears it has their magic enhanced almost to the level of a Princess, but it slowly drives the wearer crazy and mad. I know. I wore it when I tried to beat Twilight. They managed to get off me. The last thing I knew, some zebra who lived in the forest had taken it.”

“I don’t think Rarity would go that far and use anything like that.” Sunset said, laughing it off.

“Yes.” Suri agreed. “I’ve known Rarity to be willing bend the rules and play a little dirty now and then, but I wouldn’t think she would go so far as use something as evil and dark as that.”

The trio stopped in place, an explosion rocking the ground beneath them.

“What was that?” Suri asked.

“I don’t know, but we’d better go find out!” Sunset said.

They were able to follow the sound of the explosion and trace it back to its source, made easier by the fact smaller, quieter booms followed in its place. They traced it back to a hut in the Everfree.

The girls gasped. The hut’s windows were all shattered. The door was broken off its hinges, and shingles were displaced from the roof. The hut had seen better days.

The trio made their way inside. Zecora was lying on the floor, nursing her head and grimacing. Rarity was making a mess of the place, ransacking the shelves, using her magic to knock them loose and make their contents slide off, crashing to the ground.

“Where is it?” Rarity asked. “Where is it, Zecora!?”

“Wanting to rescue your sister is surely a noble goal.” Zecora said. “But answer me this. To save your sister, are you willing to sell your soul?”

Rarity glared at Zecora.

“Yes.” Rarity answered without blinking or flinching. She used her magic to toss aside the items and clear another shelf. “Ah … here it is.” Rarity levitated up a box to her hands and opened it. Inside was a black necklace, with the front of it sculpted to resemble a winged, horned horse, and a red jewel set in the center. The Alicorn Amulet.

Rarity took the Amulet out of the box.

“Rarity, wait!” Sunset reached a hand out. “Think about what you’re doing!”

“I have thought about it.” Rarity answered. “And I’ve thought it through.”

“Rarity …” Trixie said. “Take it from me. I know, out of the three of us, you have the most reason trust me the least, but listen to me. I used the Amulet myself once. I thought I could handle it. That I could control its power. I couldn’t. Instead, it controlled me. It consumed me. And it’ll do the same thing to you if you put it on! So please … don’t put it on.”

Rarity narrowed her eyes at Trixie. “That’s the difference between you and I, Trixie. You thought you could control it. I know that I can’t. But if it saves my sister - if it gives me the strength to do what I need to do - then that is a price I’m willing to pay.”

“Rarity …” Sunset clenched her fists, enveloping them in a yellow aura. “You know we can’t let you do this. We won’t.”

“Funny. I don’t seem to recall asking your permission.”

Sunset Shimmer and Trixie flung spells at Rarity, a pair of yellow fireballs and a sparkling firework of a spell, respectively. Rarity was able to duck and evade the spells, making them hit the wall.

“I may not have as much raw power as Twilight … but that doesn’t mean I don’t know how to use it.”

With magic, Rarity lifted up all of the things she had knocked off the shelves. She pointed them Sunset and Trixie and tossed all of them forward, striking Sunset, Trixie, and Suri with a barrage of knick-knacks, tribal masks, and miscellaneous boxes. Sunset tried to fight her way through them, punching and pushing the knick-knacks out of the air. She began blasting them, shooting golden rays from her palms to blast the debris away.

While Sunset and her friends were distracted, Rarity threw the Amulet back into the box and closed it up, clutching the box to her chest as she made her way through the window. She lifted the broken pane up and crawled through, hopping out the window and running towards Ponyville.

“Oh, ponyfeathers!” Sunset swore. She crossed her hands across each other, letting out a massive burst of golden fire which knocked the remaining projectiles down and to the ground. She turned around and sprinted out the door.

“Where are you going?” Suri shouted as Sunset ran.

“To contact Celestia!” Sunset answered. “This is a problem!”

“You can do that?” Suri and Trixie asked in unison, surprised to learn Sunset was influential enough to contact the Princess. Sunset paid them no heed.

Sunset Shimmer made her way into Ponyville and reached Twilight’s library. She slammed her fist on the door, knocking furiously.

Twilight opened the door cautiously, cracking it open to see who was there. Sunset, in a hurry and needing to get through, had no patience to ask why Twilight was being so cautious and barged her way in, throwing the open and knocking Twilight aside.

“Spike!” Sunset shouted. “Where’s Spike?”

“Here I am.” Spike said. “Oh. Hi, Sunset Shimmer. What’s up?”

Sunset grabbed him by the shoulders. “I need you to send an express message to Celestia with the best postage available, now, and I need you to get it to her as fast as possible.”

“Okay, okay! Just let go of my shoulders! Yeesh …” Spike rubbed his shoulders after Sunset let them go.

Rarity trudged her way through Ponyville, having unburdened herself of the box and tossed it aside. She walked briskly, but calmly, to avoid anyone spotting her and catching on she was in the midst of doing something she probably shouldn’t.

Rarity’s excellent poker face skills became a moot point when Celestia landed in front of her, descending from the sky.

“Hello, Rarity.” Celestia said.

“Hello, Princess.” Rarity said.

“I just got a letter.” Celestia said. “A letter from my ex-pupil Sunset Shimmer, of all people. Can you imagine that? She tells me that you’ve stolen the Alicorn Amulet from your friend Zecora.”

“You know about the Amulet, then?” Rarity asked. “I do not deny or admit to stealing anything.”

“Rarity …” Celestia said. “You know I cannot condone allowing you to use an artifact as dark and powerful as the Alicorn Amulet.”

“I know.” Rarity said.

A flash swept over Rarity’s eyes.

“That’s why I already put it on.”

Rarity fired a tiny red energy beam from her fingers. It was diminutive, but it was packing enough power to blast Celestia away, striking her in the midsection and knocking her off her feet. Whether or not the blast had hurt was irrelevant to Rarity; she only required Celestia be incapacitated long enough for her to teleport away. Rarity disappeared in a sparkling flash of white light with a red trim around it.

Rarity teleported herself in front of a cave in the Everfree Forest. A particular cave. A special cave.

Rarity walked towards the cave, stopping a patch of dirt which had been disrupted recently. It had a circle dug around it, man-made, almost the way someone would bundle dirt up to protect the base of a plant. Someone had wanted to mark this spot for later use.

Rarity plunged her hand into the dirt patch. The dirt was loosely pack enough she had no trouble pulling out the contents inside the hole - the book. The book Chrysalis had wanted. The book Rarity hid.

Funny. Rarity thought. I buried this here to hide it .. and to use as a tactic to scare Shining Armor. I never dreamed I would actually be … using it.

Rarity wrapped her arms around the book, holding it to her chest as she entered the cave. Around the cave entrance were outlines of soot and ash tracing where vines had been once, long ago, before Shining Armor and his men came and burned them. They burnt them all, as a part of a massive cleanup operation in the wake of a slime infection.

Making her way inside, Rarity looked around and saw crystals inside the cave. Each of them were broken and shattered, with holes punched through some of them. Pickaxes had been taken to them, by Shining Armor’s men.

The plants and crystals had been part of an expansive set up to trap victims and bring them to the monster living inside the cave, with the plants encircling them them and seducing them with tickles and kisses, and then the crystals, with their shimmering and humming, hypnotized them. It was an amazing set up, from an evolutionary point of view. Everything would have to evolved in precisely the right way to make it happen, and one has to wonder what the symbiotic nature was; it was obvious the benefit to the monster previously dwelling inside the cave, but what where the plants and crystals getting out of the deal?

Rarity pushed the thought aside. She arrived at the edge of an enormous pit.

Back where it all began. Rarity thought.

Rarity opened the book. She brushed her finger on her tongue before flipping through the pages, until she found what she was looking for.

“Ah.”

Rarity held the book to the side, keeping her eyes on the words as she raised a hand towards the pit. A red glow formed around her hand. Rarity went to work casting the spell from the back. The glow around her hand increase in size, before turning sickly shade of pinkish-purple lavender. Her hand produced a wavy, hollow beam like one from a cartoon flying saucer which fell into the pit and filled it up with its magical presence.

A rumble shook through the cave. A loud, roaring gurgle came from the pit.

With a dramatic flourish, Rarity tossed the book aside to the cave floor. She took her foot and stomped the book down.

A purple, spherical mass began to rise out of the pit, going further and further up until its top hemisphere brushed the ceiling. It reached out its tendrils, each of which wriggled and writhed. A massive monster of purple slime, a system of tubes from which the creature took its name visible inside its mass. Its name of …

The Pipe Slime.

“Hello.” Rarity said, placing a hand on the Pipe Slime’s surface. “Do you remember me? Of course you do. My torturer … my abuser … but things are going to change, oh yes. Things are different now. You’re not going to hurt me. You are not going to control me any longer. I am going to control you. Lower yourself for me, will you?”

The Pipe Slime did as Rarity asked, sinking itself into the pit.

Rarity climbed up its side. She stood on top of it. She turned around and spread her arms out before falling backward on to the Pipe Slime’s surface.

The gem of the Alicorn Amulet glowing, Rarity began to sink into the Pipe Slime, her body slowly lowering, being covered inch by inch by the purple ooze until she was submerged and all but drowned inside of it.

“Princess!” Twilight exclaimed, running up to Princess Celestia in the street. She took Celestia’s hands and helped Celestia to her feet. “Are you alright?”

Celestia groaned, but stood. “I’m fine …”

“Strong enough to fight?” Twilight asked. “We’ve been planning all afternoon, and we finally figured out a way to locate Chrysalis’ camp. The girls and I are about ready to stage an assault on Chrysalis, as soon as we can find her. It would be great if you could come help.”

“Nothing would please me more.” Celestia said. “I would love nothing more than to help you finally squash that bug once and for all … but … I’m afraid I can’t. Rarity has the Alicorn Amulet, and I do not where she has gone, or what she is planning to do …”

“I know.” Twilight said. “I know about all that. But we should deal with one problem at time. We need to move, and fast. We should deal with Chrysalis as quickly as possible, and then we can worry about Rarity. The Alicorn Amulet won’t drive her crazy right away.”

“I suppose you’re right.” Celestia said. “Still, I wonder what possessed her to take so drastic an action …”

“Who knows?” Twilight said. She moved, dragging Celestia by the arm, but Celestia planted her feet firm on the grass.

“Wait.” Celestia said. “What is that?”

Celestia pointed to an alley. Twilight turned to see what it was.

It appeared to be a long-haired woman, but … made out of green slime, the lower half of her body and her hands sinking and melting into a puddle of green slime which trailed her movements as she crawled along the ground. It crawled towards them.

Twilight insisted on standing in front of Celestia to guard her. Celestia, being older, wiser, and taller than Twilight, picked Twilight up and moved her behind where Celestia could guard her.

The slime woman stopped at their feet. It looked up at them, regarding them.

“Ssssswwww.”

“Ssssswwww?” Twilight asked.

The slime woman repeated itself. “Ssssswwww.”

“I’m sorry.” Celestia said. “We don’t understand. Can you explain?”

The slime woman tilted her head at them, as if puzzled by why it couldn’t understand them and didn’t have what it wanted. It turned to the right and began crawling down the road.

“What is that?” Celestia asked.

“There’s no time to figure it out.” Twilight said. “We’ll come back to later, after we deal with Chrysalis … besides, it …” Twilight watched the thing go. “It doesn’t seem to be hurting anyone, so … we can hope that it is harmless.”

“I hope you’re right.” Celestia said. “Twilight … if we get back from dealing with Chrysalis and find out that thing has hurt someone, I’m going to be very cross with you. Understand?”

“Yes, ma’am.” Twilight said. “But that’s a risk I’m willing to take. Chrysalis has been threatening us and our families, and she’s going to ruin our lives if she’s left unchecked for much longer. Let’s go.” Twilight jerked her head and ran off. Celestia followed her.

Honeycomb watched over Aria Blaze’s cocoon, making sure no harm came to it while Aria completed her transformation.

Aria Blaze emerged, punching a hole through the film of the honeycomb before it ripped open and dumped her out. Now a bee of Honeycomb’s species, Aria stood up from the honey she was drenched in and examined her fingers, deploying the stingers from under her fingernails.

“Awesome.” Aria Blaze said. She flapped her wings and got off the ground. “We’re off to Ponyville, Honeycomb. Let’s paint the town red. We’ll sting as many as we can and bring them over to turn them into more bees.”

“I like the way you, mmm, think.” Honeycomb flapped her wings and flew off with Aria.

They buzzed their way to the outskirts of Ponyville.

“Whoa.” Aria stopped midair. “Check it out.”

Multiples of the slime woman Celestia and Twilight had encountered were roaming through Ponyville. They crawled around until they found someone, where they went up to them, buzzing their ‘ssssswwww’ noise until it became clear no one had any idea what they were trying to ask about, and left. The residents were freaked out, hiding indoors and cowering behind whatever cover they could find.

“Eeugh.” Aria stuck her tongue out in disgust. “Maybe now isn’t the best to try and stage a takeover … everyone will be on edge and have their guard up as long as these things are around. Not the state you want your victims to be in. Come on. Let’s go back.” Aria turned and flew away. Honeycomb cast a glance at the slime women, perhaps in consideration of joining them instead before deciding to stick with Aria and leaving with her.

Trixie and Suri, lagging way behind Sunset Shimmer, arrived at Ponyville.

“Whoa.” Trixie expressed on seeing the slime woman running around. “What… what are these these things?”

“I don’t know.” Suri said. She narrowed her eyes. “They look like … woman made out of … slime?”

“Slime?” Trixie’s eyes widened. “Oh, that’s not good.”

“Why is that not good?”

“I know things.” Trixie said. “Things you don’t know, Suri. I know about slime, and I know slime is definitely not good.”

“Really?” Suri said. She looked around town. “But they don’t seem to be hurting anyone …”

One of the slime woman came up to them.

“Hello.” Suri said awkwardly.

Trixie jumped behind Suri to hide. “Don’t trust it, Suri!”

Suri elected to ignore her. “Hey there, little fella … can I help you with something?”

“Ssssswwww?” The slime cooed.

“Oh, I’m sorry.” Suri said. “I don’t know anything about a ssssswwww.”

The slime woman hung her head, crestfallen. It moved away from them, crawling off to find someone else and see if they could answer her query.

“Ssssswwww?” Trixie asked. “Hmm … you don’t think …?”

Twilight Sparkle and her assembled force, including her friends, Celestia, Sonata, Shining Armor, Cadence, and a quickly-roped in and briefed Sunset, gathered under some oak trees.

“Is everyone here and ready?” Twilight asked.

“Ready.” Was the unanimous reply.

“Wait a minute …” Twilight said. “Where’s Discord? Fluttershy, I thought you were going to go talk to him?”

“I did.” Fluttershy said. “I, um, asked him if he would help. He, um, told me he didn’t want to, made up an excuse, and left through some kind of … chaos void after putting on a fishing outfit.”

“Of course he did.” Twilight sighed. “Well, we’ve gotten this far. We’ll make do without him. Heck, he might have even made things worse, the way his magic works. Does everyone understand the plan?”

“Mm-hmm.”

“Get in, extract Sweetie Belle safely …” Shining Armor said.

“And then stomp Chrysalis and grind her bones under our heels until she’s dust.” Cadence growled.

“Uh … maybe not so violent?” Shining Armor suggested.

“Princess, you’re up.” Twilight said.

Chrysalis and Adagio lounged about on a smooth rock, cuddling together.

“You know …” Adagio said, making flirty eyes at Chrysalis. “Have I ever told you how much I appreciate you, Chrysalis?” Adagio moved her hand over Chrysalis’ chest.

“Oh, I don’t think you have.” Chrysalis smiled “Why don’t you … appreciate me a little bit?” She took Adagio’s hand.

A whistle from a firecracker blew overhead. A massive, sun-like sphere of energy launched over Chrysalis and Adagio in an arc, smashing up the side of the mountain they were resting against. Chrysalis and Adagio barely got of the way of the rocks which fell from the blast in time.

“You!” Chrysalis exclaimed as Twilight and her fighting force emerged. “I see Sunset is wit you, aren’t you missing a member? Whatever happened to your little ‘slime mistress’? Aren’t you at a disadvantage without her?”

“You forget about what’s going on with her and worry about us.” Rainbow Dash said, brandishing a club at her.

“We’re only down one Rarity, whereas you’re down a Siren and a Trixie.” Twilight said, infuriating Chrysalis with her mention of Trixie. “I’ll take those odds.”

“Hmph.” Adagio huffed, noticing Sonata. “So I guess Aria was right about you after all, Sonata, hmm?”

Sonata couldn’t bring herself to do more than smile and chuckled awkwardly.

“How did you find me?” Chrysalis asked.

“Well, it took us awhile …” Twilight admitted. “Until we realized we could just use a locator spell to find Sweetie Belle. You didn’t properly guard Sweetie Belle from that kind of magic. We figured it would lead us to you, and here we are.”

“Here we are.” Chrysalis reaffirmed. She pointed her finger out. “Changelings, attack!”

A number of hidden Changelings jumped out from hiding places. Cadence and Sunset blasted them with magic, while Rainbow Dash went forward and beat them up with her club.

Celestia and Twilight, working together, raised their hands and doubled on Chrysalis, blasting her with spells from both of them and knocking Chrysalis on her back.

Adagio Dazzle, paying the battle no heed, walked up to Sonata.

Sonata chuckled uneasily. “Eh heh heh … so …”

“So!” Adagio agreed. “Traitor.”

Adagio hit Sonata with one of the most ineffective, but emotionally painful combat moves of all - a hard, piercing slap to her cheek.

“Hey!” Aria Blaze and Honeycomb flew in, Aria landing herself by Adagio and Sonata. “Don’t start the party without me!”

Adagio was taken aback by Aria’s change in appearance. “Aria? What are you doing? Why are you a bee?”

“Haven’t you heard?” Aria said. “After seeing you two fall for that fake love stuff, I decided to split before I became infested with it. I’m a solo act now! Now c'mere, you two!” Aria grabbed Sonata and Aria by the foreheads and banged their heads together, all with a grin on her face.

“Ugh …” Chrysalis groaned, sitting up. She saw Honeycomb pursuing and chasing Fluttershy, trying to get her stingers in her. She also saw Aria. “Honeycomb? … What are you and Aria doing?”

“What I, mmm, want to do!” Honeycomb. “And what I want to do is make everyone into, mmm, bees like myself! Aria will let me do that!”

“Hmph. So it looks like Honeycomb’s defected again. Too bad. I liked her. No matter.” Chrysalis hopped to her feet. “I’m sure I can get her back on my side once this mess is over.”

“What makes you think there’s still going to even be a ‘your side’ for her to go back to when this is over?” Celestia asked.

“We’re not letting you get away this time, Chrysalis.” Twilight said. “Today will only end with your complete and utter defeat … or ours.”

Celestia fired a ray at Chrysalis, knocking her over again.

Chrysalis, despite being humiliated, got up and chuckled. “Oh, my dear, Twilight Sparkle. You don’t realize … I am the one holding all the cards!”

Chrysalis raised her hand up, glowing an intense green aura. The Citrus Slime burst through the mountain, Sweetie Belle entranced and lifeless in its tendrils. The Slime lowered Sweetie Belle down to Chrysalis, where Chrysalis wrapped her arm around Sweetie’s neck and held her up. Celestia growled.

“What’s the matter?” Chrysalis asked. “Upset that you realize you can’t hurt me without also hurting one of your precious subjects, which the loving, noble Celestia just cannot bring herself to do? I, however, have no qualms with playing dirty and making the occasional sacrifice play.”

Chrysalis fired a beam at Celestia, blasting her into a tree.

“Princess!” Twilight reached out in concern, but the Citrus Slime lowered its tendril and swatted her away.

“Ha ha ha ha!” Chrysalis laughed.

Celestia recovered, getting herself out of the tree, her hands burning brighter than ever with a golden plume.
“Aren’t you forgetting something?” Chrysalis said, shaking Sweetie Belle in her grasp. “You can’t hit me, remember? Not unless you want to risk hurting Sweetie Belle.”

Celestia, enraged and fighting mad, fired a beam at Chrysalis. Chrysalis raised Sweetie Belle up, making Sweetie Belle take the hit in her stomach. The blast still pushed Chrysalis back, but the main damage was all on Sweetie Belle, her shirt smoking.

Celestia covered her mouth and gasped, shocked she had done to Sweetie what she did.

“I knew it.” Chrysalis smirked. “You can’t do it. You don’t have it in you. You can’t hurt someone innocent to get at me.”

Celestia growled and huffed, staring daggers at Chrysalis … only to hang her head, dispelling the magic from her palms.

“Princess!” Twilight said.

“There’s no use. What we can do, Twilight Sparkle?” Celestia asked. “If we decide it’s acceptable to harm Sweetie Belle to get to her, we’re no better than she is.”

“But … but … no!” Twilight glared at Chrysalis, her hands glowing. “We can still beat her! We can still -!” Twilight put her hands together and prepared to fire a burst, but the Citrus Slime swatted her again and knocked her down.

“Hahahahaaaa!” Chrysalis laughed heartily. “Now this is how it should be! My monster, beating you down, while you two are helpless to fight back. Bwa ha ha!”

The Citrus Slime lifted up its tendrils for another pass. It struck Twilight in the side, sending her rolling as though she were a golf ball, and slammed into Celestia, sending her flying to the side. The Slime reached down and picked the two of them, lifting them up and bringing them over, where it dumped them at Chrysalis’ feet.

“Now …” Chrysalis said. “I think it’s time for something a little more punishing, don’t you? Yes … something humiliating for the dear Princess Celestia.”

Chrysalis snapped her fingers. The Slime picked Celestia up by the arms and dragged her up, lying her on her back. The Slime reached its tendril and began to envelope Celestia’s chest.

“No!” Twilight screamed. Chrysalis reached down and struck Twilight in the face with her elbow.

Cadence saw what was going on and attempted to intervene. She fired a spell intended to freeze at the Citrus Slime, but thanks to Chrysalis’ antifreeze charm, the bolt bounced off the Slime, and hit her, covering her in midsection in ice. Cadence lurched and staggered backward. Shining Armor went over to aid his wife, allowing a Changeling to sneak up on him and strike him in the back of the head.

“I got it!” Sunset declared, shooting a wispy comet of fire hurtling at the Citrus Slime, but the fire hit the side of the Citrus Slime’s tendril and dispersed, the Slime unbothered by the heat or spell.

“Hahaha …” Chrysalis laughed again. “Well, if you don’t mind saying … it looks like I win! You lose, Celestia. Sorry, Celestia. I guess you just weren’t heartless enough to win.”

Celestia closed her eyes and gritted her teeth, bracing herself as best she could for what was to come. She prepared herself … first it would be the suckling … next would come the injection to milk and slime into her mouth … after which would begin the process of losing her mind to the desire to feed milk and spread slime to every woman and man she laid eyes on.

The first step didn’t come.

“Hmm?” Celestia opened her eyes, noticing the tentacle planted on her chest wasn’t nursing her.

“What’s going on?” Chrysalis asked. “What are you doing? What’s the holdup!? Suckle her and infect her already!” Chrysalis shook an angry hand at the Citrus Slime.

The Citrus Slime lifted its tendril off Celestia’s chest. It began to slither away.

“What are you doing!?” Chrysalis screamed. “Get back here and finish the job!”

The Citrus Slime continued to leave, unbothered by Chrysalis’ scream. Chrysalis fired a beam at the Citrus Slime to take control of its mind, but it had no effect.

The ground shook hard, throwing every combatant two inches into the air. It shook again, and again, tremors coming from an unknown source.

A figure emerged from the distance, coming into shape.

“What is that?” Adagio Dazzle asked.

“It looks like …” Sonata said.

“No … it can’t be.” Twilight said. “Is that … Rarity?”

Rarity arrived, slithering her way onto the battlefield. She had summoned the Pipe Slime, and merged with into some horrible creature beyond imagining, beyond anything Twilight or Celestia or even Chrysalis could think to describe.

Purple slime coated her body, keeping her high in the air. It gathered up around her body in a mass before going down and tapering downwards into a tail in a distinct mermaid shape. Her arms were massive, hanging lumbering tentacles which were the source of the tremors a moment ago. A mass of enormous spikes made from slime jutted out from her back. The Citrus Slime crawled up her back and merged with the fusion, becoming another set of orange spikes nested on top. The only visible, recognizable as human part of her left was her face and hair, which were was dripping with slime from every orifice imaginable. It drooled out of her mouth, it dropped her nostrils, it bled from her ears … it even leaked from the tear ducts in her eyes. What appeared to be an enormous block-shaped scab covered and formed her chest, appearing to be some kind of chest armor.

“Where … is … my … siiiissster?” Rarity groaned, her voice distorted and garbled. The best description Twilight could give was it being whale song recorded on sub-par sound equipment, which was then played through a radio with a choppy, flaky signal.

“Where isssss she?” Rarity demanded, slime burbling and dripping out from her mouth.

“Whoa.” Aria Blaze walked up to Rarity, holding her hands up in surrender. Everyone could tell she was afraid. “Calm down, Rarity. You’re - you’re a reasonable woman. I’m sure we can work this out. There’s, heh, no need to get upset … we can … we can work something out.”

“BLEAAAAUGH!”

Rarity vomited out a massive amount of lumped-together slime, which it splashed and contorted, taking on different shapes before settling into the shape of the slime woman which had been terrorizing Ponyville.

“Whoa!” Aria Blaze jumped back in surprise, landing on her bottom. She crawled backward as the slime woman lumbered towards, reaching out a hand towards Aria Blaze as if it intended to drag Aria down into the depths of Tartarus. It grabbed Aria’s ankle and pulled her forward, and Aria couldn’t escape the slime’s grip, even by flapping her new insect wings.

“Sssswwwweeeeetttttie Belle!” The slime woman hissed.

“You shouldn’t have kidnapped my sister.” Rarity said, speaking more clearly without her slime woman spawn forming a lump in her throat. “Oh, any of my friends, sure, I wouldn’t mind as much … Twilight … Fluttershy … they’re all big girls. They can handle it. The slime and the mind control and the milk. But my sister? My sister, who’s never had a serious sexual experience in her life? That is a step too far. I cannot forgive that. Anyone else, I’d be content to just beat you for the day and let go, but now … now I’m afraid I won’t be satisfied with anything less than your imminent and painful deaths.”

Rarity dropped the black scab on her chest, revealing it wasn’t a scab at all - it was knives. Lots of them. Every knife and bladed object from Rarity’s house - and maybe a few other houses, dangling from her chest like stalactites, dangling and bouncing on thin, stringy strands of slime.

Rarity twirled the knives, aiming them at the villains, and launched her tendrils forward.

Author's Notes:

It's a bit odd to me, at least, given that it's supposed to be 10 years in story and Sunset has had two - going on three movies - in the real world where she's a good guy for her to reference her days as a villainess like it was yesterday. It can create a jarring disconnect.

I really wanted the scene between Dash, Harshwhinny and Shining have dark lighting, but crowbarring into being nighttime and making Dash and Rarity going to bed so it would night seemed off, as wouldn’t they still be worried about Sweetie Belle and any potential more nabbings? So instead, I came up with Dash closing the blinds. WRITING: Don’t make it tricky.

I notice this chapter also involved someone getting seduced by just, only to be rescued, TWICE in the same chapter might be a bit repetitive. But I need to get my SunDagio kicks in somewhere.

You don’t see a whole lot of Sunset and Fleur together. There should be more of that.
It was always (give or take) my plan to have Rarity use the ALicorn Amulet, but HOW she used it differed, ranging from taking on an evil sorceress dress and hypnotizing a quarter of monsters, including two dragons and a hydra at one point, to putting herself in a suit of black-colored Royal Guard armor.

I like this Pipe Slime fusion monster much better. Isn't she pretty this way? :P