Chapter 7-....Must Come to an End

Rainbow Dash was flying over to Sugercube Corner to talk to Pinkie Pie when all of a sudden she was pushed onto a passing cloud.

Ditzy: (Figure)Your bits or your life?

“Hiya, Dash.” Gilda said, landing infront of her.

Rainbow stood up and flexed her wings. “Hey Gilda, where you been?” she asked.

Ditzy: (Gilda) Preparing a love dungeon where Star and I can live together forever and ever..er, I mean, not much.

“Oh here and there. I was helping ponies get to a safe place when the “accident” with Twilight's magic happened.” Gilda said.

Doctor: It was a good thing Ponyville was well planned for an event like this.

Rainbow looked at her old friend. “Do you have any idea how that could have happened?” she asked.

“Nope,

Ditzy: Curses. Rainbow’s master plan failed.

I went to the library in Canterlot after that happened,

Doctor: (Gilda) I had midterms to study for.

sorry I wasn't here to help you figure it out.” Gilda said.

Ditzy: (Gilda) Did you try checking the clawwriting of the tampered spell...wait...curses.

Rainbow tapped her. “It's fine. I think that Prince Starlight is back in Ponyville now, might say hi to him later.”

Gilda nodded. “I got some stuff to do,

Ditzy: (Gilda) Star isn’t going stalk himself.

I might swing by and say hi. Later Dash.” She leapt off and flew in the direction of Ponyville.

Ditzy: (Gilda)

Rainbow smirked. “Hook, line and feathers.”

Ditzy: (Rainbow) Just as planned.

She flew off in the direction of Canterlot as fast as she could.

…

I was sitting at Fluttershy's watching her with the animals. I could tell why she was the Element of Kindness.

Doctor: (Fluttershy) Get to work you lazy bums! Mommy wants this place spotless. If I even see one speck of dust, no dinner for any of you!

She was so patient with all of them, especially little Angel, who it seemed wouldn't listen to her if I was anywhere near him.

Ditzy: If it was me, I would have thrown the little twerp on the street years ago.

Doctor: (Nods sagely)

He rather liked me though, so he'd mind. Fluttershy shyly walked up to me. “Prince, I think that she's on her way.”

“Thanks, Shy. If she asks, tell her I'm at Rarity's.” I jumped up and tapped into Rainbow's cutie mark. I rose in the air and zoomed away to the boutique.

Ditzy: Um, does Star realize how dangerous it is to zip around so quickly like that? He isn’t the only one flying around you know. Somepony could get hurt!

Doctor: Kids today, so impatient.

I crossed from Rarity's to Sugercube Corner, then to Sweet Apple Acres to back to Twilight's. All of them were suppose to stall Gilda in some way. Fluttershy had asked for help with the animals, Rarity gave her a makeover,

Ditzy: And she went along with it?! Rainbow seems more likely to get a makeover.

Pinkie had her bake treats with her and Applejack had asked for help with gathering apples.

Doctor: (Gilda) What am I? You’re errand girl!?

“Phew!” I said to Twi. “I think it's working. Gilda's been stalking me all day.”

Ditzy: (Star) Why are yanderes popular again?

“It's not enough.” The purple unicorn said. “We need more time for Rainbow to get what she needs.”

Doctor: (Twilight) We need to stall her for at least five more hours Star!

Ditzy: (Star) You have two and half!

Doctor: (Twilight) I’m not that one rushing to and from Canterlot!

As we saw Gilda land outside the house I said to Twilight. “I'll handle this.”

Ditzy: (Imitates the Good, The Bad, and Ugly theme)

“Careful Prince.” she said. “Remember, Gilda will apparently do anything to have you.”

Ditzy: (Twilight) So if she, um, offers you tea, don’t take it.

“Just gotta make sure she doesn't have a chance.” I said, leaving though the front door.

Doctor: (Star) How about we go this abandon cabin I know about in the middle of nowhere?

Ditzy: (Twilight)(Facehoofs) You have...

“Hey Gilda. You up for a little race?” I rose in the air.

Doctor: (Star) The Ghastly Gorge sounds like a perfect spot.

Ditzy: (Twilight) Why do I even bother?

Gilda nodded. “I've been flying all day, but I never miss a chance to destroy somepony in a race!”

Doctor: (Gilda) Crushing the weak is what I live for!

“That's what I'm counting on.” I said to myself. ‘

Ditzy: (Star) I am so brilliant.

“Race ends when you catch me!” I yelled to the griffon, then took off.

Ditzy: (Star) But accidently gave myself a wing cramp and got caught almost immediately.

…

Rainbow wasn't allowed to fly really fast in the library,

All: The horror.

but after saying that she was on an official errand for the prince, she was allowed to fly at all.

Ditzy: Uh, what?

In the spells section of the library, she asked the librarian pony. “So, did a griffon come in here in the last few days?”

Doctor: (Librarian) Oh yes, almost a hundred. After all, the Canterlot Public Library boasts over five thousand visits a day!  And from all sorts of races, not just ponies. Sometimes even dragons!

“Why, yes.” he said. “It was about 2 days ago. Before the party Ponyville tried to throw for the prince.”

Doctor: What an oddly specific and helpful answer.

“And did she check any books out specifically?”

Dirty: (Librarian) How should know? I don’t spy on our patrons.

The librarian thought for a second. “No, but she did spend a lot of time looking at these two books.”

Ditzy: (Gilda) Purdy books.

He left the aisle and returned with two books. Rainbow read the cover of one. “The Art of Spell Changing.”

Doctor: You too can change a simple levitation spell to a death ray and in just five easy steps!

“Thanks!” Rainbow said. “I'll bring these back later!”

Doctor: Hey! You need a library card!

She glanced at the title of the second book and paled.

Doctor: (Rainbow) ‘Twilight’… I should have known!

“Sorry, gotta dash!” she said, zipping out the door.

Ditzy: Doing a sonic rainboom!

Twilight had cast a special telepathic spell on herself and Rainbow  before she left for the library, so it was no surprise when Rainbow heard in her head.

Doctor: And it has a nice change of pace from the other voices in her head.

Ditzy: (Voice) Eat Starlight.

Doctor: (Rainbow) For the last time, I’m not eating Star! He looks gristly anyway.

"How's it going, Rainbow?"

Doctor: (Rainbow) Gah! Don’t just talk to me out of the blue like that.

"I think I found something." she said. "I might need to look more..."

"Don't know if that's a good idea, Dash." Twilight said. "Gilda's racing with Starlight now."

Doctor: (Twilight) What could possibly go wrong leaving him alone with a crazy stalker?

"Dang! I didn't know we would get this far in the plan yet!" Rainbow said.

Doctor: No plan survives contact with the enemy.

"Buck! Good thing I'm on my way back. See you in a bit!"

Rainbow quickly returned to Twilight's with the books. Bursting though the front door,

Ditzy: We lose so many doors because of Rainbow.

she saw all of her friends there. “Oh Rainbow, you look absolutely tired!” Rarity said, walking over to her. “Come, sit down and rest for a while.”

Doctor: It isn’t like Starlight is in mortal peril or anything.

Ditzy: (Twilight) Eh, we’ll get to saving Star eventually.

Rainbow shook her head. “No time. Twilight, look at these!” She pulled the books out of her bag and set them on the table. Twilight came over to look at them.

Ditzy: (Twilight) My Little Human?! You’re one of those Humie weirdos?

Doctor: (Rainbow) Er. Um. The other...bag.

“The Art of Spell Changing? Well, that would explain how the words she wrote actually worked. She must have been planning this for a while.” Twilight said.

Doctor: (Twilight) Maybe I shouldn’t have announced my plan to use that spell weeks in advance.

“That isn't the worst part.” Rainbow said, pointing at the second book.

Ditzy: (Rainbow) She’s taking romantic advice from ‘Twilight’! No wonder she’s so messed up.

Applejack looked at it. “The Practices of Darkness? Now what kind of nonsense is that?”

Doctor: No kidding. Why can you get access to the dark arts through a public library?

Twilight started flipping though the book, stopping where a page had a claw mark.

Doctor: Twilight gasped in horror.

“She must have been planning to look at this part again....” She sat down, lost in the pages.

Ditzy: (Twilight) With this, nothing could stand in my way, even Celestia. I could rule the whole world and nopony would be able to stop me. The world could bow to my will!

Pinkie started bouncing around. “You all have GOT to try the cake Gilda and I baked. It is YUMMY!”

Ditzy: (Pinkie) She said to save it for Star but I couldn’t help it! Though for some reason it made me REALLY sleepy!

“Pinkie.” Applejack said. “Ah don't think we have much time for that.”

“Oh you silly!” Pinkie said, laughing. “There's always time for sweets!” She stopped bouncing as they all heard Twilight gasp.

Ditzy: (Twilight) Applejack! How could you say such a thing!?

“We might have a problem.” Twilight said.

Ditzy: (Twilight) These books weren’t checked out properly! Shame on you Rainbow Dash!

“Pardon me dear, but I thought we already did.” Rarity said.

“It's worse then we thought.” Twilight explained. “Gilda somehow cast a hex on herself that gave her the power of darkness.”

Ditzy: This really is starting to become Kingdom Hearts.

“If that's the case.” Rainbow said. “Why didn't she just use it against Starlight?”

Doctor: Shhh… Don’t poke holes in your own story.

Ditzy: Yeah, that’s our job!

“Because she needed to see darkness first.” Twilight said. “That's why she messed up the spell. It filled my horn with darkness. The book says that you have to witness true darkness before you can wield it.

Doctor: How convoluted.

Ditzy: Doesn’t this create a chicken and the egg paradox?

And when the prince drew all the dark magic from my horn, he made himself temporally weaker to it.”

Ditzy: (Rainbow) Well...ponyfeathers.

Applejack gasped. “She's gonna blast him until he gives into her!”

Doctor: Ah, yes. The caveman approach to getting a mate.

“Not while I'm here!” Rainbow said. Suddenly they heard a loud crash outside the house. Running outside they saw Starlight lying on the ground half conscious with Gilda over him, trying to kiss him.

Ditzy: Gee, he didn’t even last five minutes. And he was on his guard too!

Rainbow's eyes flashed and she flew at them,

Doctor: Good. Use your aggressive feelings, filly. Let the hate flow through you.

proceeding to buck Gilda straight off of Starlight. She landed infront of her, rage in her eyes.

Ditzy: (Rainbow) Get away from my coltfriend you bucking whorse or I will tear that beak off and gut you with it.

“Don't do anything rash, Rainbow!” Twilight yelled.

Doctor: (Twilight) Oh, it’s over already. Never mind.

…

I slowly stood up, rather tired. I had Gilda chasing me from Ponyville to Canterlot, twice.

Ditzy: (Star) I flew from Ponyville to Canterlot and Celestia boy are my arms tired!

She had finally caught up to me around the area with me and Rainbow's cloud. I watched the pegasus and the griffon face each other, ready to jump in if needed.

Doctor: Well...hobble in at least.

“So you tried to steal him from me, Gilda!” Rainbow said, with barely suppressed anger. “Just like back in flight school.”

Doctor: Why were these two friends again?

“Oh come on, Dash.” Gilda said, rolling her eyes. “You didn't need that stallion in the end anyway. Remember how you used to say, “I fly better alone?” Besides, he was a jerk anyway.”

Ditzy: (Rainbow) Ah thanks, you’re right. Why are fighting over some stallion again?

“That's not the point!” Rainbow said. “I learned something from my time living in Ponyville. I don't need to keep living in a shell.”

Doctor: (Rainbow) My parents kick me out of their basement anyway.

She looked at us and smiled. “These are my friends, Gilda. They helped me learn how to live, to REALLY live.”

“Oh yeah?” Gilda asked, narrowing her eyes. “And what is that human doing for you?”

Ditzy: (Rainbow) Booty cal...I mean true friendship!

I narrowed my eyes, but Applejack stood in front of me. “Not yet, Sugercube. This is Rainbow's part.”

Ditzy: (Star) But I could solve this in five seconds! Her guard isn’t even up!

Doctor: (Applejack) That would be cheatin’ and dishonest Star!

“That “human” is the prince of Equestria as you very well know.” Rainbow said.

Doctor: Any reason why Ms. Dash is so fixated on Starlight’s title?

Ditzy: She secretly dreams of being a princess?

“Enough!” Gilda yelled, unfurling her wings. Rainbow stepped back and I saw an aura of darkness around the enraged griffon. “Guess what Dash, I think it's time to show you how I was always the best flyer!”

Doctor: Gilda was later barred for black magic doping.

The sky above us darkened and Gilda's feathers turned completely black.

Ditzy: It had nothing to do with evil magic, it was was just getting dark out.

Applejack moved from in front of me. “Now you can go.” I smiled and yelled, “Now, Fluttershy!”

Doctor: (Fluttershy) Eep!

Ditzy: (Star) No! Don’t run!

Gilda turned and flapped her wings extremely hard, blowing us all back. She then grabbed Rainbow in one of her claws and flew straight up.

Ditzy: Only to be taken by an eagle herself.

Fluttershy and I followed.

“I'm not sure I can do this, Prince.” She said, shy as ever.

Ditzy: I think you mean scared.

“I believe in you, Fluttershy.

Ditzy: (Star) Don't believe in yourself! Believe in the me, that believes in you!

Doctor: (Fluttershy) ...What?

Just remember the routine we went though.” I said. I used a spell and shot up.

Doctor: Into space.

Summoning Stormtide, I stabbed Gilda in the claw, forcing her to let go of Rainbow. Rainbow's wings had been pinned, so she couldn't fly yet. But right on schedule, Fluttershy swooped up and caught her. “House! Now!” I yelled. She nodded and flew back down.

Doctor: (Rainbow) What!? I can still fight! Bring me back!

Suddenly I felt a claw around my throat. “Fine then. I'll just beat you up until she gives you to me!” Gilda said softly.

Ditzy: I...don’t think you understand how this love thing works at all.

“I'm not a birthday present!” I gasped.

She then proceeded to throw me in the direction of Ponyville.

All: Goal!

I slammed into the ground and rolled as Gilda almost crushed me. “Stop Gilda!” I yelled. “You really don't want to tick me off more than you already have!”

Doctor: I’m slightly annoyed at your murder attempts.

“Too late for that!” She said. “You could have had me, Starlight. ME! But you decide to chose some flight school dropout instead?”

Doctor: (Gilda) I bet she doesn’t even have a shrine in her room with hundreds of pictures of you covering the wall!

“There's a difference between the two of you.” I said.

Ditzy: (Star) Rainbow’s sexy flank.

 “Rainbow actually loves me, whereas you just wanted to use me for my powers and my title.”

Doctor: And the lack of murder attempts help.

Ditzy: An important foundation for any relationship.

Gilda reeled back. “How would you...?”

“My magic isn't really under control, so I accidentally read your mind. Good thing, huh?” I said mockingly.

Doctor: True, it could have been worse. It might of caused her head to explode instead.

Gilda's eyes turned completely red.

Ditzy: (Gilda) Now he knows about my hand fetish!

Not good. “Won't change a thing!”

Doctor: (Gilda) But maybe, um, we could keep certain things you learned between the two of us?

She then picked up a piece of the ground and threw it at me.

Doctor: (Star) A pebble? Really?

I sliced it in half and charged at her. She somehow grew her claws out so far that they were more like big daggers.

Ditzy: That sounds really painful.

She started slashing at me, I parried with my sword. Finding an opening, I slipped between her claws and sliced completely though them. I then back-stabbed her in the backside. She roared and fired a dark lazer beam from her mouth, hitting me in the chest.

Ditzy: I'M A' FIRIN' MAH LAZER!

Doctor: Ditzy, that was a way too obvious joke.

“Ahhhh!” I yelled, flying into a applecart. Gilda rose in the air, gathering darkness and shaping in into a ball, then threw it at me. I shot myself out of there as she blew up the cart behind me.

Ditzy: Poor AJ. Her farm has a hard enough time as it is.

I tapped into Rarity's power and blocked a steady dark beam with a hastily summoned diamond. The diamond started to break from the sheer pressure of Gilda's attack.

Doctor: (Star) Wait a secon...this isn’t diamond at all! It’s cubic zirconia!

“Getting tired, prince? Too bad!” She yelled, and redoubled the power. The beam broke though the diamond and slammed into me, sending me flying again.

Doctor: And sending thousands of tiny shards into his flesh.

Gilda then flew behind me as I was flying and whacked me into the air. She then whipped above me and slammed me down, sending me into the ground.

Ditzy: Super Combo!

She then walked up to me. “You can always surrender yourself.”

Doctor: (Gilda) You’ll enjoy being my slave.

“Not..gonna..happen.” I gasped. Gilda smiled and picked me up with her dark magic.

“Leave him alone!” We turned and saw my friends standing there. Twilight and Rarity had their horns sparking and they blasted Gilda, making her drop me.

Doctor: (Star) And just my luck, it was on a rock.

Rainbow landed infront of me. “You'll have to go though us first.”

“Fine by me.” Gilda said. "Let me just even the odds first." She pointed at my horn and it turned completly black. I felt drained and passed out.

All’: Hax!

Ditzy: It doesn’t seem to take much to up Star down for the count does it?

…

"Starlight!" Rainbow yelled, flying to him. Gilda swooped over and rammed into Rainbow, the two of them sent flying.

Twilght took charge.

Doctor: The true hero of this story.

"Applejack, help me move the prince to a safe spot!

Doctor: (Twilight) I have safehouse hidden in the mountains.

Pinkie, and Fluttershy, get every other pony somewhere safe!

Ditzy: (Pinkie) What ponies? Everypony ran away already!

Rarity, run back to my house and grab my healing spellbook!" The other ponies ran to do what she said.

"Hurry, Applejack!" Twilight said. The two of them slowly pushed Starlight behind the applecart that Gilda had thrown him into eailer.

"Ah'm not gonna lie to you, Twilight." Applejack said.

Ditzy: (Applejack) Star’s injuries are bad, don’t think he will live past the hour.

"I'm worried about Rainbow."

Twlight fliched as Rarity teleported back with the book.

Ditzy: Rarity can’t teleport. Don’t be ridiculous.

"We need to wake Starlight up, before Gilda does."

Doctor: (Twilight) His weak, hormone driven mind will easily crushed by her will.

…

Rainbow slammed into the ground painfully as Gilda shot at her over and over. The cyan pegasus rolled and leapt to her hooves, dashing down the road.

Ditzy: Rainbow Dashing if you will.

Doctor: Didn’t we use that joke already?

"Give up now, Dashie!" Gilda yelled. "I don't want to have to kill you!"

"Oh don't worry about that!" Rainbow panted. "You won't get the chance!" She rose up in the air and back-hooved Gilda in the mouth.

Doctor: (Rainbow) You’re not going to get the chance.

Gilda recovered and slammed her wings together, creating a dark shockwave. Rainbow flew over it and brought her front hooves into the griffons face. She then turned and kicked her in the face, knocking her away. "How do you like that, you bucking jerk!"

Doctor: (Gilda) Nobody makes me bleed my own blood - nobody!

"I'll send you back to Starlight in pieces!" Gilda's eyes turned completly black. Rainbow gasped in horror.

Ditzy: One winged angel form time!

…

Twilight and Rarity, their horns glowing pure white, stood in front of Starlight. They pointed at the prince and covered him in the light. Starlight started to stir.

Doctor: (Twilight) This should annoying him into waking up.

"I think it's working!" Twilight said.

Ditzy: (Star)(Mumbling) Oh Luna, those socks look so hot on you. Yes, pull them off slowly.

Doctor: (Twilight) ...Let’s pretend we never heard that…

Ditzy: (Rarity) Agreed.

"Good, we don't have much time!" Rarity said, looking at the darkening sky

Ditzy: Somepony’s using the Dragonballs.

…        

I slowly opened my eyes, regaining my strength. Twlight and Applejack helped me stand. "Are you ok, Prince?" Twilight asked.

"What happened?" I said. "I couldn't do anything at all."

Doctor: (Star) Um, I didn’t say anything stupid in my sleep, did I?

"She tried to absorb your magic." Twilight said. "Apperently alicorns are immune to that."

Doctor: Really?

Ditzy: Um author, could please establish something before using it for once .  

"Still knocked me out." I said, flexing. We all flinched as we heard a thunderclap. "Come on! To the square!" I yelled, the other ponies close behind.

I looked up and saw Gilda and Rainbow fighting.I wasn't strong enough to fly yet, so I started to charge up some magic. "No, you might hit Rainbow!" Twilight said. The ponies stood around me, worried.

Doctor: (Star) Twilight, I know what I am doin… Gah!

I could see the darkness rising off of the griffon. Gilda whipped around Rainbow and blasted her in the head with a ball of darkness, sending her to the ground. I ran forward and caught her. Gilda slammed on the ground so hard that I fell over and Rainbow flew out of my hands. Gilda levitated Rainbow and threw her at the other ponies, hitting them and knocking them over.

Ditzy: (Gilda) Aaanndddd strike!

At seeing my friends hurt, something snapped within me.

Ditzy: (Star) I broke down and started crying.

I remembered what I had told my sisters at my coronation, that I would protect Equestria.

Doctor: Even if you’re barely able to accomplish it most of the time.

And I wasn't about to fail now.

Doctor: (Twilight) Would you stop monologuing to yourself and actually do something?!

I looked up at Gilda, fire dancing in my eyes.

Ditzy: They were in a conga line.

“So that's how you want to play it then?” I held my right hand up and yelled, “Celesta! Grant me the power of the stars!”

Doctor: By the power of Grayskull!

In a flash of light, my sword was glowing and so were my eyes.

Doctor: It was a cool effect, but it make it impossible to see anything.

I saw that Gilda had fear in her eyes.

Without any warning I rushed at Gilda and upward slashed her into the air. I shot upward, continuing to slash her. I then turned and kicked her upward. I raised my hand and a thin white beam shot out and wrapped around her leg. I pulled her downward, and myself up. Rising above her, I yelled, “Falling Star!” A ball, not much bigger then a baseball grew in my hand. I threw it at the falling griffon. It struck her and caused a explosion, slamming her into the ground.

Doctor: It also set half of Ponyville on fire. Opps.

I fell then, faster and faster...and drove my sword into the fallen griffon.

Ditzy: (Star) I hate you I hate you I hate you!

The force of the impact cause a mini shock wave. I pulled the sword from her and flipped off her as my friends galloped up to us.

Ditzy: (Star) Quick! Hide the body! I ain’t going to jail!

Suddenly, Stormtide disappeared and I fell over, my eyes not glowing anymore. Rainbow supported me up.

Doctor: But couldn’t support the sudden weight and they fell over.

Gilda was still clinging on to life. “Star....light.

Doctor: (Gilda) You’re on my wing.

Thank you. I guess I never realized what I was doing to everypony around me.”

Ditzy: (Gilda) I was too distracted by that sexy flank of yours Star.

She raised a claw to Rainbow. “Please, when you think about me, remember our good times.” Rainbow nodded, clearly upset.

Doctor: (Rainbow) What good times? Whatever, it’s better if I just nod and agree to whatever she’s says.

She then turned to me, with a little anger.

Ditzy: (Gilda) You’re the one that did this to me! Buck you!

“Prince, do me a favor and wipe that lame-o Nightmare from Equestria.

Doctor: Do you really want ‘lame-o’ to be in your final words?

“She's the one that put you up to this, isn't she?” I asked.

She nodded. “Tell her...tell her that I won alright?” We all nodded. Rainbow held Gilda's claw.

Doctor: (Gilda) I want you put me in lowship and set it on fire, on top of the bodies of my enemies, under a burial mount.

“Finally,” Gilda said. “Now for the ultimate race. Give me a decent head start this time Dash.” Then she laid her head back, and died.

Ditzy: (Sniff) Poor Gilda. A flight of angels sing thee to thy rest.

Doctor: A surprisingly heavy moment for such a silly fic.

I laid my hand on her and said, “Dwell with the stars, Gilda.” Above us, the sky turned blue again.

Ditzy: (Pony) For the last time, the forecast says clear skies today. Why can’t you lazy bums get this!                                                         

Next Chapter: Episode 12 - Legend of Starlight - Book 2 - Part 8 Estimated time remaining: 20 Hours, 49 Minutes